“Angels and atoms do not
compete!” observed Bernard Ramm. “There can be then
no formal logical objection to the existence of
angels.” The noted theologian Karl Barth was
convinced there is no basis for modern man’s
hesitation about angels.
The fact is modern man does not
have any criterion within himself to judge the
existence of angels apart from the Scriptures. The
subject of angels is abundant in the Bible where
they are viewed as servants of God. In fact, the
only valid information about angels is the Word of
God.
Aggelos, the Greek word from
which the English word “angel” is derived, denotes
either a human or a heavenly “messenger.” With the
exception of a few references it is used only for
heavenly beings (Luke 7:24; 9:52).
The corresponding Hebrew word
malakh also means “messenger.” These words are
sometimes used to designate human messengers such as
a prophet (Hag. 1:13), or a priest (Mal. 2:7). The
context in every occurrence must decide the exact
meaning.
Angels in the Scriptures are
also called “sons of God” (Job 1:6; 2:1), “sons of
the mighty” or “heavenly beings” (RSV) (Ps. 29:1;
89:6), “holy ones” (Ps. 89:5, 7; Dan. 4:13), and
“heavenly hosts” (Luke 2:13).
Angels in the Scriptures refers
to the supernatural or heavenly being whose purpose
it is to act as God’s messengers to men, and as
agents to accomplish His will.
Angels are spirits,
supernatural celestial beings. Hebrews 1:14 asks,
“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to
render service for the sake of those who will
inherit salvation?”
God created an innumerable
company of angels long before the creation of man
(Heb. 2:2, 5; Rev. 5:11). They have personality,
great intelligence, moral will and responsibility.
Even though the term “angel” has been used of the
spirits of men who have died, there is no reason to
conclude that angels are departed spirits of men or
that men at death become angels (Matt. 18:10; Acts
12:15). They do not reproduce, nor do they
experience physical death or cessation of existence.
Angels continue forever and are distinct from all
other created beings. They are capable of rendering
intelligent worship (Ps. 148:2), but are not on par
with God (Matt. 24:36).
The nature of angels does not
include bodies unless they are bodies of a spiritual
order (1 Cor. 15:44). However, they may be seen at
times in bodies and appear as men (Lk. 24:4f; Jn.
20:12; Matt. 28:3; Rev. 15:6; 18:1). The Bible does
not describe angels as men with wings growing out of
their shoulders. The cherubim and seraphim, however,
are described in the Bible as having wings (Isa.
6:1-8; Ezek. 1:5-8, 24).
The cherubim (plural for
“cherub”) were celestial beings sent by God to guard
the tree of life in the garden of Eden (Gen. 3:24),
and were represented symbolically on the ark of the
covenant (Ex. 25:18-22), woven on the veil in the
tabernacle (26:31), carved cherubim on the walls in
the temple (2 Chron. 3:7) and seen by Ezekiel in a
vision of the restored Jerusalem (Ezekiel 41:18-20).
Two angels are named, Gabriel
(Dan. 8:15-16; 9:21; Lk. 1:19, 26) and the chief or
archangel, Michael (Dan. 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9;
Rev. 12:7-9). The only other angel named is Satan,
the chief of the fallen angels (Job 1:6-12; Gen.
3:1ff; Matt. 25:41; 2 Pet. 2:4; Rev. 12:9).
Angels are totally spiritual
creatures that are free from human limitations (Lk.
20:36). They do not marry and are sexless (Matt.
22:30). They have the ability to communicate in
human language and to affect human life in various
ways (Matt. 28:2-7), however God has limited their
power and knowledge (Ps. 103:20; Matt. 24:36; 1 Pet.
1:11-12; 2 Pet. 2:10-11).
The Bible forbids the worship
of angels (Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10; 22:8-9).
They belong to the heavenly
court (Matt. 18:10) serve God in praise (Rev. 4:8-9;
5:8-14), and doing His will (Ps. 103:20) on the
earth (Dan. 12:1; Mat. 28:2).
Charles Hodge has a good
summary in his Systematic Theology. He writes: “They
are described as pure spirits, i.e., immaterial and
incorporeal beings. The Scriptures do not attribute
bodies of any kind to them. . . . They are
invisible, incorruptible, and immortal, but not
omnipresent. They are always somewhere and not
everywhere at any given moment, but they are not
confined to space circumscriptively as bodies are,
and can move from one portion of space to another.
As spirits they are possessed of intelligence, will,
and power. With regard to their knowledge . . . all
that is clear is that in their intellectual
faculties and in their extent of their knowledge
they are far superior to man. Their power also is
very great and extends over mind and matter. They
have power to communicate with one another and with
other minds and to produce effects in the natural
world” (pp. 231-232).
As to the greatness of their
power, Hodge adds, “Angels, therefore, cannot
create, they cannot change substance, they cannot
alter the laws of nature, they cannot perform
miracles, they cannot act without means, and they
cannot search the heart; for all these are, in
Scripture, declared to be prerogatives peculiar to
God. The power of angels is, therefore, dependent
and derived. It must be exercised in accordance with
the laws of the material and spiritual world.
Moreover, their intervention is not optional, but
permitted or commanded by God at His pleasure; and
as far as the external world is concerned, it would
seem to be only occasional and exceptional. These
limitations are of the greatest practical
importance. We are not to regard angels as
intervening between us and God, or to attribute to
them the effects which the Bible everywhere refers
to the providential agency of God” (ibid, p. 232).
The creation of angels is
referred to in Psalms 148:2, 5; Col. 1:16. They were
present at the creation of the world and “shouted
for joy” (Job 38:7). The “morning stars” and “sons
of God” refers to the angels.
At times in the Old Testament
the angels were mistaken as men (Ezek. 9:2ff; Gen.
18:2ff, 16ff) because they appeared in human form to
men and women. There is no indication they ever
appeared in female form or as children.
The cherubim and seraphim are
seen with wings (Ex. 25:20; Isa. 6:2) as well as the
living creatures (Ezek. 1:5-6; Rev. 4:8). But there
is no indication that angels have wings.
God used angels who appeared in
human form, with human voices, in order to
communicate to man His messages with men. Two angels
were sent to destroy Sodom (Gen. 19:13), Jerusalem
when David numbered the people (2 Sam. 24:16),
185,000 of the Assyrian army (2 Kings 19:35), and
the sinful in Jerusalem (Ezek. 9:1, 5, 7). There are
“angels of evil” that bring evil upon men from God
and execute His judgments (Psa. 78:49). “Now the
Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil
spirit from the LORD terrorized him” (1 Sam. 16:14).
Angels appear to Jacob in
dreams (Gen. 28:12; 31:11), and to Balaam’s ass
(Num. 22:22ff). In Job they interpret God’s will
(33:23). “He will give His angels charge concerning
you, to guard you in your ways” (Psa. 91:11).
Countless numbers of angels are
depicted standing on the right and left of the LORD
God (1 Kings 22:19). “Thousands
upon thousands were attending Him, and myriads upon
myriads were standing before Him” (Dan. 7:10). These
“heavenly hosts” stand before “the LORD of hosts” or
Yahweh of hosts ever praising Him (Psa. 103:21;
148:1-2; Josh. 5:14ff; Dan. 10:5).
Many scholars think the fall of
angels is described in Isaiah 14:12ff and Ezekiel
28:13 (cf. 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6).
The Angel of Yahweh is the
angel of the theophany. He is spoken of as “the
angel of Yahweh,” and the “angel of the presence
(for face) of Yahweh.”
This angel is the
self-manifestation of Yahweh (or the LORD God) in a
form that would communicate His immanence and direct
concern to God’s chosen people. I am convinced the
“angel of Jehovah” refers to theophany appearances
of Christ in the form of a messenger. These are His
pre-incarnate appearances to men in Old Testament
times.
In an abundant number of
passages in the Old Testament a distinction is made
between an ordinary angel, and the angel who carries
with him God’s presence. In this angel of the LORD
He is fully present as the covenant God of His
people in order to redeem them. My conclusion is
that He is the Logos, a temporary preincarnation of
the second person of the Trinity. The pre-incarnate
appearances of the angel of the LORD culminated in
the coming of the Savior, and the foreshadowing of
and preparation of the full revelation of God in
Jesus Christ.
The early church fathers saw in
this special angel the pre-existent “Word of God” or
Logos, the second person of the Trinity, Jesus
Christ. It seems impossible to distinguish between
the angel of Yahweh and the Lord God Himself (Gen.
16:7-13; 21:17; 22:11-18; 24:7, 40; 31:11-13; 48:16;
Ex. 3:2-10; Judges 6:11-34; 13:3-23). At times the
Angel of the LORD is seen acting for the LORD and
yet is addressed as the LORD (Ex. 33:20; Gen. 16:13;
32:24-32; Ex. 33:11). God promises His presence with
the chosen people, yet it is the angel of the LORD
who goes with them. When He speaks it is God
speaking (Ex. 23:23; Jos. 5:13-6:2). The angel of
the LORD possesses the full authority and character
of the LORD.
The Angel of the Lord merits a
study on its own.
The New Testament opens with
angelic activity and closes with it.
The appearance of angels was
quite prominent in the beginning of God’s chosen
people, and in a similar fashion we see them in
connection with the birth of Jesus and the
establishment of the church.
Angels appeared to Joseph
(Matt. 1:20; 2:13, 19). The angel Gabriel appeared
to Zacharias and to Mary the mother of Jesus (Luke
1:11, 19, 26). Angels announced to shepherds the
birth of Jesus and a “multitude of heavenly hosts”
are seen worshipping the new born king (2:9-15).
Angels appeared to Jesus
strengthening Him when He was tempted in the
wilderness (Matt. 4:11) and in the Garden of
Gethsemane (Lk. 22:43). An angel rolled back the
stone at His tomb after He rose from the dead (Matt.
28:2), and “a vision of angels” appeared to the
women (Lk. 24:23). Two angels were in the tomb, “one
at the head, and one at the feet, where the body had
been lying” (Jn. 20:12).
Jesus spoke of “the angels of
heaven” (Matt. 22:30), and of “the devil and his
angels” (25:41). The angels of God are “holy” (Mk.
8:38), have no sex, i.e., “neither marry, nor are
they given in marriage” (Matt. 22:30), have
intelligence but do not know when Jesus will return
(Matt. 24:36), carried the soul of Lazarus to
Abraham’s bosom (Lk. 16:22). Jesus could have called
twelve legions of angels to help Him (Matt. 26:53),
and they will be with Him when He returns in glory
(25:31). They will separate the righteous from the
wicked for judgment (13:41, 49). They rejoice when
sinners are saved (Lk. 15:10), and hear Jesus
confessing those who have accepted or rejected Him
(Lk. 12:8f), and are interested in God’s people
(Matt. 18:10).
In the expansion of the early
church, angels released Peter from prison (Acts
5:19), gave directions to Philip (Acts 8:26),
directed Peter and Cornelius (Acts 10:3ff),
delivered Peter a second time from Herod (Acts
12:7ff), struck Herod dead (Acts 12:23) and
encouraged Paul in a ship wreck (Acts 27:23).
The apostle Paul taught that
saints will judge the angels (1 Cor. 6:3), and that
they are God’s elect or “chosen angels” (1 Tim.
5:21). In a context referring to women wearing a
head covering Paul said, “Women ought to have a
symbol of authority on her head, because of the
angels” (1 Cor. 11:10). He also forbids the worship
of angels (Col. 2:18).
The writer of Hebrews says
angels are ministering spirits to help the saints
(Heb. 1:14).
Christ is superior to the
angels (Heb. 1:4, 6, 13, 14; 1 Pet. 3:22).
They are prominent in the book
of Revelation as over one third of the references to
angels in the New Testament are in Revelation.
Our salvation is so wonderful
that angels long to look in to see what God is doing
(1 Pet. 1:12).
The apostle John saw in his
vision “many around the throne” of God singing and
worshipping Him (Rev. 5:11).
The apostle Paul describes
angels as “principalities,” “powers,” “thrones,”
“dominions,” “forces,” etc. (Eph. 6:12; 1:21; 3:10;
Col. 1:12, 16).
Satan is the “prince of the
power of the air; of the spirit that is now working
in the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). An
innumerable company of angels is described as fallen
from their created estate. They were led by Satan,
who was originally a holy angel, and rebelled
against God. It is probable that when Satan rebelled
he took with him a multitude of lesser angels. Some
are reserved in chains unto their final judgment (1
Cor. 6:3; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). The remainder are
free and are demons that serve Satan’s evil purpose
(Mk. 5:9, 15; Lk. 8:30; 1 Tim. 4:1; Matt. 25:41;
Rev. 20:10).
Satan must be conquered before
Christ’s final victory over evil. Jesus cast out
demons “by the Spirit of God” (Matt. 12:28). Jesus
said, “Now judgment is upon this world; now the
ruler of this world shall be cast out” (Jn. 12:31).
Jesus was present in heaven
when Satan was cast out. Jesus said, “I was watching
Satan fall from heaven like lightening” (Lk. 10:18).
Revelation 12:7-9 describes the
“war in heaven” in which the archangel Michael and
his angels fought against Satan and his fallen
angels.
Revelation makes it clear that
God’s enemies will be defeated (Rev. 19:17ff), and
Satan will be bound for a thousand years and “thrown
into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast
and the false prophet are also; and they will be
tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev.
20:1-2, 10; Matt. 25:45).
Our struggle as Christians is
“not against flesh and blood, but against the
rulers, against the powers, against the world-forces
of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of
wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12; cf.
2:2).
These fallen angels and their
leader were defeated at Calvary.
“Holy angels,” “the angels of
God” (Lk. 9:26; 12:8; Heb. 1:6) and “God’s angels”
(Psa. 103:20) serve the LORD God and accomplish His
will. These good angels minister to the saints and
appeared to God’s people to communicate God’s
message (Judges 13:3), warn of danger (Gen. 19:15),
protect from evil (Dan. 3:28; 6:22), guide and
protect (Exo. 14:19), nourish (Gen. 21:14-20; 1
Kings 19:4-7) and instruct (Acts 7:38; Gal. 3:19).
They announced the coming of
Christ and guided Joseph and Mary (Lk. 2:8-15; Matt.
2:13), and strengthened Him (Matt. 4:11; Lk. 22:43),
announced His resurrection (Matt. 28:1-6). There
seems to be only two angelic appearances between His
birth and resurrection: the temptations (Mk. 1:12)
and Gethsemane (Lk. 22:43).
They watch over Christians
(Matt. 18:10; Acts 8:26; 5:19; 12:7-11; 27:21-25).
They will accompany Christ at
His return (Matt. 25:31; Acts 1:10, 11; 1 Thess.
4:16; 2 Thess. 1:7), and will assist Jesus in the
judgment day.
An angel smote King Herod
Agrippa “because he did not give God the glory”
(Acts 12:23).
Jesus is returning in “His
glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy
angels” (Lk. 9:26). “When the Son of Man comes in
His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will
sit on His glorious throne” (Matt. 25:31). “And He
will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and
they will gather together His elect from the four
winds, from one end of the sky to the other” (Matt.
24:31).
The angels will be at His side
when He returns in glory (Matt. 13:49; 16:27; 25:31;
2 Thess. 1:7).
As the Son of God, Jesus stands
undeniably above the angels (Mk. 13:27; Heb. 1:4-14;
Phil. 2:9ff).
We have already mentioned by
way of summary some of the various services of the
angels.
The stated purpose of angels is
“to serve” (Heb. 1:14). The prophet Elijah ran
himself to death and was exhausted when God sent an
angel to minister to him (1 Kings 19:5-17). After
forty days in the wilderness and being tempted the
Father sent an angel to His Son (Mk. 1:13), and
again when Jesus faced the most difficult night in
His life angels ministered encouragement to Him (Lk.
22:43).
They gave birth announcements
of some of God’s chosen servants such as Isaac (Gen.
18:9f), Samson (Judges 13:2-24), John the Baptist
and Jesus (Lk. 1:13ff, 30ff; 2:8-15).
They forewarn of dangers and
coming destructions of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen.
18:16-19:29), of Herod seeking to kill Jesus (Matt.
2:13), and eschatological scenes of judgment (Rev.
1-22).
Abraham told his servant
Eliezer as he went to find a wife for Isaac that God
“will send His angel with you” (Gen. 24:7, 40).
Jacob, while on a journey saw angels in his dream
(Gen. 28:12-15). The new nation experienced God’s
leading and protection as “the angel of God who went
before the host of Israel moved and went behind
them” (Ex. 14:19; Num. 20:16).
At Mt. Sinai Moses “received
the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it”
(Acts 7:38, 53; cf. Gal. 3:19).
Angels instructed Manoah’s wife
(Jud. 13:3-5), Joseph (Matt. 1:20f), Philip
(8:26ff), Cornelius (Acts 10:3-5), Paul (27:23f),
interpreted visions for the prophets Zechariah
(Zech. 1:9, 19), Daniel (Dan. 7:16), and the apostle
John (Rev. 17:7).
The Psalmist declared, “The
angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,
and delivers them” (34:7). That was true of Jacob
for twenty years (Gen. 32:24ff) and the children of
Israel during their exodus out of Egypt to the
Promised Land (Ex. 14:19f). An angel made Balaam
revise his own prophecy (Num. 22:1-24:25). Joshua
met the “commander of the army of the LORD” (Josh.
5:14). A host of mighty angels defended Elisha and
his servant (2 Kings 6:17).
An angel prevented Abraham from
slaughtering Isaac and provided a substitute lamb
(Gen. 22:9-12). Moreover, an angel delivered Daniel
and three Hebrew youth from a death sentence (Dan.
3:28; 6:22).
Sennacherib’s army was defeated
when it threatened Jerusalem, and “that night an
angel of the Lord went forth, and slew 185,000 in
the camp of the Assyrians” (2 Kings 19:35).
The words of Jesus are
reassuring in Matthew 18:10 and 26:53. “See that you
do not despise one of these little ones, for I say
to you, that their angels in heaven continually
behold the face of My Father who is in heaven.” “Or
do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and
He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve
legions of angels.” 72,000 angels as we have already
seen could put up a good battle!
It would appear that much of
the work previously accomplished by angels in the
Old Testament has been the function of the Holy
Spirit in the lives of believers in Christ. This
especially true in the books of Acts where He uses
angels to protect (Acts 5:19), give guidance (Acts
8:26; 12:7), execute judgment (Acts 12:23), provide
revelation from God in visions (Acts 10:3), and give
assurance (Acts 27:23-24).
However, the Holy Spirit may
continue to use angels in His ministry to men in
invisible capacity. They watch over the saints,
rejoice in our salvation, give praise to God and are
“ministering spirits sent forth to do service for
the sake of them that shall inherit salvation.”
The writer of Hebrews says, “Do
not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by
this some have entertained angels without knowing
it” (Heb. 13:2).
Yet the Bible clearly gives
stern warning for men not to worship angels (Col.
2:18; Rev. 19:10; 22:8-9).
Should you entertain an angel
he will never attract your attention to himself; he
will always direct your attention to Jesus Christ
whom he worships and serves. If you are distracted
to the angel, perhaps you should ask yourself whose
angel it is. Like, the Holy Spirit, angels will
always cause you to have a deeper awareness and love
for the Triune God.
Hebrews 1:14; 13:2; Matthew
1:20; 2:13; 18:10; 22:30; 25:41; 26:53; Luke 1:13ff,
30ff; 2:8-15; Psalm 34:7; 2 Kings 6:17; Col. 2:18;
Daniel 8:15-16; 9:21; 10:13, 21;
12:1; Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9
1. “If we
cannot or will not accept angels, how can we accept
what has been told us by the history of Scripture?”
asked Barth. There are some facts in life that only
God can reveal to us through His holy Word. We,
therefore, should humble ourselves and trust in Him
and what He has chosen to reveal to us in the Bible.
2. “Even heaven itself has
never seen anything so marvelous as the incarnation
and the suffering and death of the Creator; nothing
so inconceivable as the complete redemption of
rebels made to become the Church of the Lord,”
writes Rene Pache. Could anything have been more
important or appropriate than the fact that His
angels should have announced the resurrection of
Jesus Christ?
3. Angels will be sent for the
harvest at the end of the age, when the righteous
will be separated from the wicked. Are you ready for
the coming of Christ? The only way to be ready is to
repent of our sins and place our trust in the
substitutionary death of Jesus Christ for our sins.
Angels rejoice with God when a sinner repents and
puts his faith in the Son of God who is above al the
angels.
4. I am
inclined to think with Calvin that there is probably
more than one angel watching over us. “Each of us is
cared for not by one angel merely, but that all with
one consent watch for our safety.” The Lord, by
means of His servants watches without ceasing over
the steps of His beloved.
5. Let us
ever be aware that Jesus Christ is enthroned in the
highest position in the universe. He is the
sovereign Lord and King. Our worship must always and
exclusively be directed to Him who is the Head—even
Christ (Phil. 2:8-11).
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Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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