What are Angels?

When you hear "Angel", you will picture something in your mind. For there are many ideas of what Angels are. Concepts of children as angels are shown often in cards and other media.

Sometimes the angels are depicted as women or girls.

Usually, all of these angels that you will see in the media mentioned, will have wings.

Sometimes they are thought of as a deceased relative that watches over our family.

 Some just love the cute little winged creatures that are eternal children.

In this blog, I want to explore what the Bible has to say about Angels. There is a lot of concepts that people have concerning Angels that are not based on God's Word, but come from tradition, fantasy, political correctness, art, movies, etc. We should try to understand the truth about these beings, because they affect life here.

First of all, Angels are very old, yet they remain young in appearance. We know from God's own words that they were around before the earth was created. When Job was questioning the misery he was facing in life, God answered him;

Job 38:4 ¶  Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

5  Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

6  Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

7  When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Job is the oldest book in the Bible. The "Sons of God" here is translated angels in some versions. These refer to the 7 Archangels that ran the affairs of God before the earth was created. Of these 7, only 3 are named in the KJV: Lucifer, Michael, and Gabriel. The names of the other 4 are found in the Apocrypha, and the Book of Enoch: Raphael, Sakriel, Uriel, and Penuiel. We understand that Lucifer rebelled against God and a third of the Angels followed him. His name was changed from "Light Bringer" to "Adversary" or Satan. (see my blogs-- http://alaymanlooksattheword.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-happened-here-before-adam.html   and

http://alaymanlooksattheword.blogspot.com/2012/01/rebellion.html )

We know that the Angels are a vast number. 

Hebrews 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels...

We know that 1/3 of the Angels followed Satan, so we can deduce that 2/3 are on God's side...which is a lot. In Hebrews1:14  we read concerning Angels;   Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? 

So we can understand the powerful scriptures like:

Psalms 91:11 11  For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Psalms 34:7  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

Michael is the leader of God's army of Angels. He is a very powerful Archangel.

According to Revelation 20:1, it is Michael that will take Satan to the abyss and chain him there for 1000 years at the end of Armageddon. Even though the Angel is not named, it is Michael who is the chief enforcer and he has disputed with Satan before over the body of Moses, Jude 1:9.

Michael has an awesome army of Angels that do battle for those who belong to God, and what ever enemies come against God.

One of these warrior Angels slaughtered 185,000 of the enemies of Israel in one night, 2 Kings 19, Isaiah 37. It makes me feel good to know these warrior Angels are on my side because Jesus Christ is my Lord.

The next class of Angel I want to talk about is the Seraphim. These are the Angels that are closest to the Father God. These Angels have 6 wings; with two they fly, with two they cover their face, with two they cover their feet.

These Angels are a class with wings. Not all Angels have wings. They are hard to picture and to describe.

Isaiah sees a picture of God's throne room in Isaiah 6. He sees 4 Seraphim that fly around God's throne and say, Holy - Holy - Holy is the LORD of hosts, His Glory is the fullness of the whole earth. 

One is a man, One is an ox, one is an eagle, one is a lion, but not as we know them.

These magnificent beings also tend to the altar of God for one of them takes a coal and applies it to Isaiah's lips to cleanse them. 

The Seraphs are mighty and never leave the throne room. They provide Praise on which God is enthroned.

They are represented in the four corners of the Zodiac; the lion is Leo, the man is Aquarius, the ox is Taurus, and the eagle is Scorpio (ancient zodiac was not a scorpion but an eagle).

The next class of Angel I want to talk about is the Cherubim. These are also winged Angels, but have 4 wings. The first mention was the Cherubim with a flaming sword to keep the way to the tree of life after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, Genesis 3:24.

Lucifer was a Cherub. He had music instruments in his body when he was created, Ezekiel 28.

The gifts and calling of God are without repentance, in other words, they are not withdrawn once given. Satan does not have the beautiful body that was given him, in fact he had to possess a serpent to even talk to Eve. The Bible does not say if he had 4 wings, but other Cherubs do. He still has authority to appear and report before God...as well as accuse the Church, Job 1. The scriptures tell us that he can appear as an "angel of light", 2Corinthians 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Revelation 12:7, tells us that during the tribulation period, Satan and his angels will war with Michael and his Angels and will be thrown out of Heaven completely.

(Update 2020: The sign in the heavens of Revelation 12 appeared in 2017, however I do not believe that we are in the Tribulation period. Jupiter was in the "womb" of Virgo for 9 months, then born. The sun was at Virgo's head, the moon at her feet, and a crown of 12 stars at her head. This was the 9 stars of Leo and 3 planets. This has never happened and as far as we can predict will not happen again. The dragon is Hydra in the sky next to Virgo. The troubles that have began at that time and continue until now are signs that Satan has been cast out of Heaven and can no longer accuse the believers before God as written.)

Revelation 12 sign as appeared Sep 23, 2017 from Stellarium

The other mention of specialized Cherubim is the four faced living creatures in Ezekiel 1 and 10. Each one was "flying" a type of platform that moved like lightning.

The platform seemed to operate with a wheel within a wheel. Their bodies did not turn but their 4 faces were in four directions.

The four faces were a man, a lion, a ox, and an eagle.

The living creature has hands, but the feet are like a calf.

Some believe that these marvelous Cherubim were what were modeled in the wilderness on the Ark of the Covenant above the Mercy Seat.

If so it was probably what Solomon constructed in the first Temple as well.

So you can see that the actual Cherubs are not what we imagine when we think of angels. Also how difficult it is to try to picture them.

But it gives us a different perspective of the marvelous Angelic creatures that obey and work for our Lord. 

They may have been the first beings that he created.

Angels of all kinds were made to be eternal. They do not marry or reproduce, according to Jesus' words, 

Mt 22:30  For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

This concept is not out of line with the "sons of God" in Genesis 6 who lusted after the women of the earth. Even though they were not equipped to have sex with them, the evil men of the earth allowed themselves to be possessed by these fallen angels and the children born to these unholy unions were the giants that are mentioned. These fallen angels are for the most part imprisoned in Tartarus. Jude 1:6,  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

All the Angels that are named in scripture are masculine. They were made eternal, and there is no mention of any female Angels. There was no need for reproduction.

Another class of Angel is that of Guardian. Jesus tells us that the children's Angels behold the Face of the Father, Matthew 18:10.

I was always comforted realizing that a strong Angel was watching over my children. It gave me Peace.

Now, many people do not believe this. And if a child grows away past his age of accountability and has no faith in this, his/her Angel is limited. If one speaks doubt or unbelief, their Angel has his hands tied.

I believe this because the Bible teaches it, but Praise God, my family has had some Angelic experiences, which always helps to strengthen your belief. 

I know that an Angel is assigned to watch over me, and I thank my Lord for that. I do not tell him what to do. I thank him that he did not join the rebellion and that he loves the Lord Jesus as I do.

If the attack against me is greater than he can handle, he is given reinforcements until the threat is lessened. 

Isaiah 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

This is through the Grace of our Lord Jesus who took our sin upon Himself and gave us His Righteousness.

2 Corinthians 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane and His flesh was in agony knowing what was going to happen to Him...to bear the sin of the world....God sent an angel to comfort Him.

The Angel gave him comfort and strength to carry on and He said, not my will, but thine be done, Luke 22.

If Jesus is your Lord and Savior, God sees you as His own as well and will send Angels to help you.

You can be assured that the Angels are there and watching over you and yours.

Paul tells us to entertain strangers, because many have entertained Angels unaware, Hebrews 13:2. So, Angels can just look like people. They are sent from Heaven to minister to us and protect us.

They are real and dwell in another dimension with us, yet they can appear and bring us good tidings from the Lord.

They appeared to the shepherds outside of Bethlehem to announce the birth of Christ.

They can come to be peace keepers and protectors.

They hearken to the voice of the Lord... if the Word abides in your mouth they will hearken to you, Psalms 103:20. Yet do not think that you command Angels.

If a demon tries to impersonate and be an "angel of light", test the spirits; 1John 4:1 ¶  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist

Whether it is a warrior angel....

Or Michael himself....

A special Angel that comes to help you sent from God....

A Cherub to defend you.....

A Seraph to teach you to praise and honor God....

Or a living creature to broaden your horizons....

Or an Angel of Light like no one has seen....

They all work for God the Father, and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit can anoint them with power to get the job done.

They will be the reapers of the earth and collect God's own to everlasting life and glory, Matthew 13:39.

They will be the ones that deliver the Devil and his angels to the lake of fire; as well as any not found written in the Book of Life at the last judgement, Revelation 20.

I pray that this study will prompt you to dig into the Word and get closer to your Heavenly Father who has made all the Angels ministering spirits to those who are heirs of salvation.

All quotes are from the AKJV, all art found on the Internet.

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