What does the Bible say about angels? Learn about them by reading this article.
What are angels? If you've seen "Touched by an Angel" on Television (who hasn't?) and you're not particularly religious, these are the kind of angels that you hope are out there. They are warm and fuzzy, good and help us out of our earthly troubles. Actually, angels have enjoyed phenomenal popularity over the past few years. Angel statues, calendars and paintings are best sellers.
According to my "Handy Dictionary of the Bible", an angel is "A supernatural or heavenly being, a little higher in dignity than man. Angels are created beings (Psalm 148:2-5); spirits (Hebrews 1:14); do not marry (Luke 20:34-36). Created holy (Genesis 1:31; Jude 6); some fell from their state of innocence (2Peter 2:4); and of these, some are held in chains, while others are free to oppose the work of God. Good angels worship God and assist, protect and deliver God's people (Genesis 19:11; Psalm 91:11). Evil angels oppose God and try to defeat his will and frustrate his plans (Daniel 10:12,13; Matthew 4:3)".
There are actually good angels and bad ones. The Bible tells us: "So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." (Revelation 12:9). Satan was at one time an angel in Heaven. "For God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness"¦" (2Peter 2:4).
The "chains of darkness" spoken of by Peter must be spiritual chains because Peter also tells us in 1Peter 5:8 to: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." The devil will even pretend to be a good angel just to deceive us: "And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light." (2Corinthians 11:14) So, there are bad angels.
However, the Bible gives us some criteria for telling the difference. "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God; Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God." (1 John 4:1-3). According to the writer John, if the angel confesses belief in the incarnation of Jesus, that would be an angel of God.
When Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, (Matthew 4:8-10) the devil asked Jesus to worship him. God's angels will not ask for this, nor will they permit it. In Revelation 19:10 John begins to worship one: "And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 'See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!" "And My glory, I will not give to another." (Isaiah 42:8).
What are some of the things that good angels do? We again refer to the Bible: "Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him"¦" (Luke 1:11) announcing to Zacharias the birth of John the Baptist. Angels are messengers from God. "But to which of the angels has He (God) ever said: "Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool"? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:13,14). Angels are ministering spirits. They are sent here to help us.
"Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree"¦" (Judges 6:11); "Each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew." (Isaiah 6:2) "Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings, for they had wings like the wings of a stork..." (Zechariah 5:9) "So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him"¦" (Genesis 18:2). Angels can assume different forms in which to make themselves visible to us.
"Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, 'Arise and eat'." (1 Kings 19:5). "But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out"¦" (Acts 5:19). They are sometimes sent to warn us: "When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city." (Genesis 19:15) They can be sent here protect us: "The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them" (Psalm 34:7)
"Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, 'Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' "¦Then the Spirit said to Philip, 'Go near and overtake this chariot.'" (Acts 8:26-29). "The Son of man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:41-42).
Several verses give us an idea of just how many angels there are. "A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him." (Daniel 7:10)
"Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands." (Revelation 5:11)
