35 - THE NATURE OF ANGELS
And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. Revelation 10:1
INTRODUCTION
Christian parents usually tell their children, from an early age, stories about angels. But they often fail to teach the correct doctrine of the angels. The Bible does not. describe every appearance of angels as a fair-skinned man dressed in white robes with two large wings. In fact, many times angels appeared to man without being recognized as angels. Neither does the Bible picture them sitting on clouds in neatly organized choirs or playing harPsa In contrast, the primary function of angels is to deliver messages for God, encouraging and ministering to the needs of people, and opposing the work of Satan and his demons. The word "angel" in Greek means "messenger," implying both their nature and duty. Not only have angels been used greatly of God in the past, but they also have a ministry in the world today. Jesus, Paul, and the apostles wrote frequently about angels. The Bible teaches that in the years to come, we will spend eternity with the angels and at some future point, be engaged in judging them. As we study the doctrine of angels, a number of benefits, can be derived. First, when we realize they constantly observe our Christian lives (1 Corinthians 4:9; 1 Corinthians 11:10; Ephesians 3:10), we will improve our conduct. Then, when we understand their protection of us, we will be encouraged by God’s care for us (Hebrews 1:7). Then, as we consider the tremendous strength and. authority of the angels in contrast with the unnoticed task they are called upon to perform, we cannot help but learn a lesson in humility. Finally, the example of their unceasing; service ought to motivate us to more consistent service for God. THE DESCRIPTION OF ANGELS
There are many terms used in the Bible to describe angels: host, creatures, throne, dominions, principalities, powers, sons of God, and the angel of his presence. The phrase "the angel of the Lord" usually implies the presence of deity in angelic: form (Genesis 16:1-13; Genesis 22:11-16; Genesis 31:11-13; Exodus 3:2-4; Judges 6:12-16). Most interpret the phrase "the angel of the Lord" as Christ and call this appearance a "Christophany." However, the phrase in Luke 1:11 and Acts 12:7, Acts 12:23 is not a description of deity.
Created beings. When were the angels created? Obviously before the beginning of the earth, because angels watched the magnificent drama of creation. God asked the question, "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?" (Job 38:4). The narrative goes on to indicate, "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7). The angels were rejoicing as God created the world. The record of the creation of angels appears in the first verse of the Bible: "In the beginning God created the heaven(s) and the earth" (Genesis 1:1, plural added). In the Hebrew language, the plural form of "heavens" reveals that God created the whole of heaven, composed of all its innumerable separate parts. The heavens included not only the stars but the present abode of God, plus the angelic beings. Angels were the first created beings and later, while the earth was being created, they admired God’s beauty, orderliness, and power. Since one task of angels is to give glory to God, they sang and shouted during the creation.
Even though the Father and the Holy Spirit were active in the creation of angels, Jesus Christ is identified as their Creator. "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him" (Colossians 1:16). The terms thrones, dominions, principalities and powers are all terms used in the Bible to describe angels. David urged the angels to praise the Lord because they were created (Psalms 148:2-5).
Incorporeal beings. Though angels have appeared to men in physical form, they are essentially spirit beings. Since they are without physical bodies, they are spirits. David recognized and blessed the Lord "Who maketh his angels spirits; and his ministers a flaming fire" (Psalms 104:4).
Even though angels are spirits, they have the ability to become visible in the semblance of a human body (Genesis 19:1; Exodus 3:2; Judges 2:1; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26; John 20:12). Angels are always referred to as being masculine, but. without specific reference to gender.
David reflected on the nature of man and observed, "For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour" (Psalms 8:5). In the hierarchy of heaven, angels are above man, yet they are listed below Christ. "Being so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they" (Hebrews 1:4).
Holy beings. All angels were originally created holy to praise God and to serve him. Perhaps the best known phrase that came from the mouth of angels is, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts" (Isaiah 6:3): The word "host" means "angels," hence God is the Lord of the angels. Again the angels were fulfilling their task when they sang, "Worthy is the Lamb" (Revelation 5:12). They were created holy because their message of praise is holy. But there was a group of "angels who kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation" (Jude 1:6). Some theologians believe that some of these fallen angels are demons who now serve Satan, while those who didn’t fall are holy angels, who serve the Lord God. Even these demons were originally created in a state of holiness. Another group of the fallen angels are "chained under darkness," awaiting the judgment of God (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6). But the holy angels that did not sin are in fellowship with God and can look upon him. Jesus warned his disciples not to abuse children be cause their angels are in the presence of God. "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 18:10). The fact that angel are in fellowship with God and remain in his presence implies their holiness. If they did not flee from the presence of God, he would judge the sin he finds in them.
Personal beings. Angels are similar to God and man in that they have a personality, which is intellect, emotion, and will. Having personality or being a person gives the angel the power of self-perception and self-direction. God created angels with intellectual ability. They are identified as wise (2 Samuel 14:20). Throughout the Scriptures, angels are portrayed in the obedient service of God, thus demonstrating the existence of a will. The angel who showed John the Revelation would not allow John to worship him. "Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren, the prophets, and of them who keep the sayings of this book: Worship God" (Revelation 22:9).
Today, the will of angels to choose evil has apparently been preempted by God because they choose not to follow Satan. Today, angels are surrendered to God and cannot choose evil. When the Scriptures indicate that "the angels desire to look into" the glories of salvation (1 Peter 1:12), it is an indication of their emotions and the interaction of their will-obviously a reflection of personality. The personality of angels is further demonstrated in the work of communication with God and men. On several occasions an angel was sent by God to an individual to communicate a special message from God. To accomplish that task, he possessed the powers of speech that involved word recognition, memory, and rational ability to form sentences. Angels have the ability to discern (used to answer questions), wisdom, and basic knowledge regarding life on earth and the plan of God. These are all elements of personality. Deathless beings. When God created angels, he did not plan for their death; as a matter of fact, death is inconsistent with the nature of God and cannot be a part of his original purpose. Jesus taught we would someday be "deathless" like angels. "Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels" (Luke 20:36). Death is an experience of the human race because of the entrance of sin into the world (Romans 5:12). Angels were created in a state of holiness. When Satan rebelled against God, they chose to follow God, therefore they have no sin that leads to death. Hell was created for those angels that rebelled against God and someday they will be eternally consigned there. John noted that "the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone" (Revelation 20:10). Jesus described it as "everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41).
Unseen beings. Angels are unseen until they choose to appear for some special purpose. They seemed to have manifested themselves at certain times in Bible history more than others. They were frequent visitors during the period from Abraham to Moses, then primarily around the life of Christ. They were said to be present when the world was created. They appeared when circumstances on earth changed and God needed to give specific "messages" to his people about new covenants or different responsibilities. Because they don’t appear frequently as persons in bright apparel does not mean they have no ministry today, for they constantly minister to "them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Hebrews 1:14). In their work they are not perceived, but perhaps work through people, or perhaps they appear as a person. "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares" (Hebrews 13:2). THE CHARACTER OF ANGELS The names of individuals often reveal their character. Much of what we know about God is a result of his self-revelation through his names. God also gave names to his angels to reveal something about their character. Only three angels are named in Scripture but the Bible indicates the significance of those names in contrast with the name of Jesus. "He (Jesus) hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they [angels]" (Hebrews 1:4). The following chart demonstrates the superior meaning of the name Jesus over the angelic names. A MORE EXCELLENT NAME
Name Meaning 1. Jesus ("Savior") He shall save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21) 2. Lucifer "Bearer of light"
3. Gabriel "Man of God"
4. Michael "Who is like the Lord?"
Lucifer. Lucifer is thought to be the original name for the devil. This name reflects not the present character of Satan but his original created purpose and character. Lucifer originally possessed a high place in heaven (Isaiah 14:12), perhaps the highest above all angels, but was cast down because of his desire to rise above God (Isaiah 14:14). His name means "bearer of light," reflecting his purpose, to bear the light of God. By bearing light, angels are messengers of God. Hence, Lucifer should have been a "light bearer" to Jesus himself who is "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John 1:9).
Gabriel. Gabriel is the messenger angel of God. Gabriel is usually sent from God to man with a special message. The name Gabriel means "man of God"; his character trait is strength. Again, the name of Jesus surpasses the name of Gabriel. Whereas Gabriel is the "man of God," Jesus is "God."
APPEARANCES OF GABRIEL
Scripture
Appearance To Whom Reference
1st Daniel Daniel 8:16; Daniel 9:21, Daniel 9:26 2 nd Zacharias Luke 1:11, Luke 1:19 3 rd Mary Luke 1:26-80 th Joseph Matthew 1:20 5 th Joseph again Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:19 6 th Jesus in Gethsemane Luke 22:43 7 th The apostles in prison Acts 5:19 8 th Philip Acts 8:26 9 th Peter Acts 12:7 10 th Herod Acts 12:23 11 th Paul Acts 27:23 12 th John Revelation 22:8
Michael. The third angel named in Scripture is the most powerful. Michael is usually related to Israel and the resurrection (Daniel 10:13; Daniel 12:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 4:19). He is described as the archangel (Jude 1:9), meaning he is the highest in the order of angels. His name means "who is like the Lord?" The name Michael emphasizes his godly character. Once again this angelic name falls short of the Lord Jesus Christ.
APPEARANCES OF MICHAEL
Scripture
Appearance To Whom Reference
1st Daniel Daniel 10:13, Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:12 nd Satan on earth Jude 1:9 3 rd Satan in heaven Revelation 12:7
Cherubim. This special group of angels guard the holiness of God from the sinfulness of man. After Adam and Eve sinned, a cherub guarded the gate to Eden. Two likenesses of these angels were placed on the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle (Exodus 25:18-22), and later in the temple (1 Kings 6:23-29). These statues stood symbolically in protection of the presence of God. Finally, John describes four angels (living creatures) that guarded the throne of God in heaven. “And round about the throne, were four beasts [living creatures] full eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and nigh saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come" (Revelation 4:6-8).
Seraphim. Literally, the word "seraphim" means "burners.” Like the cherubim, they are concerned with the holiness of God (Isaiah 6:3). Inasmuch as the seraph cleansed Isaiah with live coal from the altar (Isaiah 6:6-7), this order of angels relates to sacrifice and cleansing. In contrast, the cherubim deal with judgment. THE ATTRIBUTES OF ANGELS
Angels were especially created by God to serve him. To adequately represent God, they were given great strength and superior intelligence. Since God requires "all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40), angels are a highly organized company. They are described as "a multitude of heavenly host" (Luke 2:13). The apostle John fell at the feet of one angel to worship him (Revelation 22:8), john was certainly aware the worship of angels was not permitted by Scripture, even though it was practiced by some early sects within Christianity (Colossians 2:18. We are therefore led to believe that John was so overwhelmed with all the angel had done and shown him that for the moment he looked upon him as God, perhaps even an incarnation Jesus.
Strength. The power of angels is so vast that humans cannot comprehend it. The angels were given great power yet they are not omnipotent. The apostle Paul calls them "mighty angels" (2 Thessalonians 1:7). The power of a single angel was demonstrated in part on the resurrection morning. "And, behold, there was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it" (Matthew 28:2). First, in an act of authority, the angel broke the Roman seal which was an immediate challenge to the sixteen armed guards at the tomb. But in an act of strength, the angel rolled a massive stone away from the tomb. Isaiah records an instance where God sent an angel to kill one hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrian soldiers during a single night (Isaiah 37:36). As we consider these two accomplishments by single angels, we must observe with David "his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word" (Psalms 103:20). While we recognize that angels are powerful, we also realize that omnipotence is never ascribed to them. There can only be one omnipotent One, and that is God. If another omnipotent being existed in the universe, by definition God would not be God.
Intelligence. Earlier we saw how angels had rational ability as an aspect of their personality. Jesus predicted his return, but qualified those who knew the time, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Matthew 24:36). Most obviously, Jesus was teaching that the intelligence of angels was limited. There definitely are some things angels do not know, so they do not possess the omniscience of God. In the phrase "no, not the angels" Jesus was teaching that the angels were more intelligent than man. Jesus is listing the priority of intelligence from man who is knowledgeable, to angels who are more knowledgeable, to God who is omniscient in all things. The intelligence of the angels lies somewhere between that of men and God. They were created intelligent beings. But their wisdom is not static. They have continued to learn since their creation (Ephesians 3:10). It should also be remembered that the learning capacity of angels has not been corrupted with sin as in the case with man (Romans 1:21).
Order. Jesus told those who arrested him, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matthew 26:53 writer to the Hebrews called them "an innumerable company of angels" (Hebrews 12:22). The apostle John counted in excess of 2 million angels in heaven (Revelation 5:11), but this would not include about one-third of the angels that fell when satan was cast out of heaven. If there is a guardian angel for each person on earth (Matthew 18:10; Acts 12:15), then the number exceeds at least 4 billion, but less if only saints have guardian angels (Hebrews 1:14). A group this large could not function efficiently without an organization. Various groups of angels are identified in Scripture in relation to specific spheres of ministry. Michael the archangel is apparently the leader among; the holy angels.
CONCLUSION
Just as we often find ourselves doing meaningful tasks for God, so the angels have the same desire and serve the same function. If we think that God is not using us as greatly as we desire, we can learn from the angels. The lowest angels far surpass all that we are or could accomplish, yet they are satisfied listening to the voice of God and obeying it (Psalms 103:20). Our service to Christ should be no different. Jesus said, "So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do" (Luke 17:10).
DAILY READINGS Monday: Judges 13:9-21 Tuesday: Matthew 2:1-20 Wednesday: Exodus 25:18-22 Thursday: Colossians 2:8-23 Friday: Genesis 19:1-13 Saturday: Revelation 4:1-11 Sunday: Luke 1:30 -- Luke 2:14