Angels
THE NATURE OF ANGELS
1. Angels
are spirit beings (Heb. 1:14; 1 Kgs. 22:19-21)
§
Angels
are sexless and do not marry (Matt. 22:30)
§
Angels
are never represented as females
§
They
are created beings (Ps. 148:2,5; 1 Kgs. 8:27; Deut. 10:14; Ex. 20:11).
§
They
are not equal with God. (Note Job 38:4-7 where angels are pictured as shouting
for joy when the foundation of the earth was laid).
§
They
have distinct personalities and possess names such as Michael and Gabriel (Dan.
8:16, 9:21, 10:13-21, 12:1; Lk. 1:11-38; Matt. 1 & 2; Acts 8:26; 10:3ff,
27:23; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7ff).
2. Angels
are "heavenly hosts”
(2 Kgs. 21:3; Jer. 33:22; Dan. 7:10; Zeph. 1:5; Lk. 2:13-15)
§
Called
"sons of God" (Job 1:6, 2:1; Ps. 29:1, 89:6)
§
They
are 'elohim or godlike beings (Ps. 8:6, 97:7, 138:1; cf. Heb. 2:7). 'elohim
is translated aggelos in these passages.
3. Angels are regarded as "holy ones" (Job 5:1; 15:15; Psa. 89:5 7; Dan. 8:2,13;
Matt. 25:31; Gal. 4:14; Jude 14)
§
These
holy ones assemble in a council (Ps. 89:5-7)
§
They
may be regarded as of unquestioned integrity, goodwill and obedience (cf. 1
Sam. 29:9; 2 Sam. 14:17-20, 19:27).
4. They
are subject to Christ (Heb. 1:4, 13)
Not
to be worshipped, they are fellow servants (Rev. 19:10).
5. They
almost always take human form when in contact with men
§
At
the tomb: Matt. 28:2-6 “angels” compare to Luke 24:4-8
“men"
§
With Abraham and Lot (Gen. 18:2, 33,
19:1-2)
§
With Joshua (Jsh. 5:13, 6:2)
§
With Gideon (Judges 6:11-13)
§
With Manoah and his wife (Jdg.
13:3-6)
§
The "man" Gabriel speaks
to Daniel (Dan. 9:21)
Angels were capable of making
themselves both visible and invisible (Num. 22:31) and to appear under
circumstances obviously miraculous in nature (Ex. 3:2).
1. Angels
are capable of sin (2 Pt. 2:4; Jude 6; Rev. 12:7).
(See
also Job 4:18; Ez. 28:12-19; 2 Cor. 11:14; Gal. 1:8-9). Eternal fire was prepared for the devil and
his angels (Matt. 25:41).
2. While
angels are never pictured as having wings, cherubim and seraphim do have wings
(Is. 6:2; Ex. 25:20).
The
living creatures around the throne of God have wings (Ez. 1:6; Rev. 4:8).
§
Cherubim
function as throne bearers and custodians of the sacred places (see Gen. 3:24;
Ex. 25:18-22; 26:1, 31; Num. 7:89; 1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2; Is. 37:16; Ps. 80:1,
99:1). Compare the four living creatures
of Ezek. 1:5ff.; 10:20.
§
Seraphim
appear only in Isaiah 6. Their reverence
is graphically depicted and they praise God.
They are described as winged creatures.
The root word seems to signify "to burn," and is found in
Numbers 21 as "fiery serpents."
Note the burning coal in Isaiah 6.
Seraphim have six wings.
§
Angels
do have the ability to cover vast distances immediately (Ex. 12:29-30). Gabriel came from the presence of God into
the presence of Daniel. Angels are
pictured as flying (Rev. 14:6). Artists
have assumed that they have wings.
3. Number
of angels: innumerable company (Dan. 7:10); camps or army (Gen. 32:2-3);
myriads (Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:11).
THE FUNCTION OF ANGELS
·
God's Messengers (malak, aggelos)
§
At
the conception of John the Baptist (Lk. 1:11-20)
§
Gabriel
appeared to Mary (Lk. 1:26-38) to announce the news to her that she would
conceive. After the conception of Christ, angels appeared to Joseph (Matt.
1:20-24).
§
At
the birth of Jesus to the shepherds (Lk. 2:8-15)
§
Joseph
warned to go to Egypt (Matt. 2:19-20)
§
At
the resurrection of Jesus and the tomb (Matt. 28:2-6)
§
At
the ascension (Acts 1:10-11)
§
At
the birth of Samson (Jdg. 13:3-23)
§
"you
have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not
obeyed it." (Acts 7:53)
§
"The
law was put into effect through angels by a mediator" (Gal. 3:19)
§
"For
if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and
disobedience received its just punishment . . ." (Heb. 2:2)
·
Agents of Divine Judgment (destroying
angels)
§ Genesis 19:1,13 – two angels sent to destroy Sodom
§ Exodus 12:21-23; Psalm 78:49-51 – band of destroying angels killed
firstborn in Egypt
§ 2 Samuel 24:1-17 – the pestilence sent for David's
sin killed 70,000 (cf. 1 Chr. 21:9-16).
§ 2 Kings 19:35 – the angel of the Lord struck down
185,000 Assyrians (cf. 2 Chr. 32:21; Is. 37:36)
§ Acts 12:23 – Herod struck by an angel because
he did not give God the glory.
§ Exodus 33:2 – God sent an angel to drive out the
Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites
§ Present at the Judgment: Matthew 13:39-41 –
angels will weed out of the kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do
evil, throw them into fiery furnace; Matthew
13:49 –
angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into
the fiery furnace
§ Genesis 3:24 – angel guarded way to the tree of
life
§ Revelation 20:1-3 – angel binds Satan and throws him
into the abyss for a thousand years
·
Unseen protectors of those who fear God
§ Psalm 34:7 - "The angel of the Lord encamps around
those who fear him, and he delivers them." Isa. 63:9 "In all their
distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved
them."
§ Genesis 48:16 - Jacob's blessing of Joseph's
sons: "the Angel who has delivered
me from all harm; may he bless these boys."
§ 2 Kings 6:15-17 - chariots of fire surrounding Elisha
at Dothan
§ Matthew 26:53 – Jesus could call more than twelve
legions of angels (cf. Ps. 91:11)
§ Revelation 12:7 – Michael and his angels fought
against the dragon (devil) and his angels
§ Daniel 6:22 - “My God sent his angel, and he shut
the mouths of the lions." (cf. 3:25, 28) angel rescued three Hebrew
children from the fiery furnace.
§ Matthew 18:10 – Little ones' "angels in
heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."
§ Jude 8-9 – archangel Michael disputed with
devil over body of Moses
§
Angels assist nations (Is. 37:36-37,
63:9; 2 Kgs. 18:13-19:37; Dan. 10:21, 12:1).
·
Ministering spirits
§ Hebrews 1:14 – “Are not all angels ministering
spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Cf. Psalm 103:21
where the heavenly hosts are regarded as servants or ministers.)
§ Serving Jesus (1) at Jesus' temptation (Matt. 4:11;
Mk. 1:13) and (2) at Gethsemane (Lk. 22:43)
§ Serving Peter by opening the doors of the jail (Acts
5:19) and waking Peter up in prison and removing his chains (Acts 12:7)
§ Serving Paul by encouraging him during the storm
(Acts 27:23)
§ Serving Lot and his daughters (Gen. 19:15-22)
§
An
angel secured Isaac a wife (Gen. 24:7)
§
Angels
met Jacob on his way to Esau (Gen. 32:1-2)
§
Angel
fed Elijah (1 Kgs. 19:3-7).
§
Angel
directed Philip to Eunuch (Acts 8:26)
§
Angels
rejoice when sinner repents (Lk. 15:7-10; cf. Heb. 12:22)
§
Confession
and denial of Jesus will be done before the angels of God (Lk. 12:8-9)
·
Angels take away our souls to God at death
(Luke 16:22 23)
·
Duties before God
§
They
praise God (Ps. 91:11, 103:20, 148:1-2).
§
Members
of the heavenly court (1 Kgs. 22:19-20; cf. Job 1:6ff, 2:1ff; Ps. 89:6-8).
CONCLUSION:
In
his book, These Things Speak, Hugo McCord has written concerning
angelic help:
"From what we know by sight and feelings
and experience, we cannot affirm that angels are real. But from what we know by faith, the faith
that comes by God's word, we are positive that 'for the sake of them that shall
inherit salvation' angels are 'ministering spirits sent forth to do service'
(Heb. 1:14). Christians rejoice because
the angel of the unchanging Jehovah 'encampeth round about them that fear him,
and delivereth them' (Mal. 3:6; Ps. 34:7).
Specifically what the angels do is an untaught matter, but the reality
of their help for Christians is a positive and encouraging doctrine of revealed
religion."
