There is a lot of cultural misinformation about angels. Many people have developed an informal theology about angels from “highly reliable” sources such as movies (It’s A Great Life, Michael, etc.), television shows (Touched by an Angel), the History Channel (Yikes!), and the Internet. Let’s talk first about the appearance of angels from biblical sources.
Apparently, not all angels are created equal. In scripture we run across several classes of angels in the Old Testament. There are the heavenly hosts which seem to be the great number of angels sent forth to minister to those who will inherit salvation (Heb.1:14) and those who minister to the Lord in heaven.
Then there are archangels or “angelic princes” such as Gabriel and Michael. Both of them are mentioned in the Book of Daniel and then in the New Testament. We are told in Revelation 12 that Michael and his angels fought against the dragon (Satan) and his angels and drove them from heaven. Gabriel, of course, was the one who told Mary that she would give birth to Messiah. These archangels seem to be very powerful, commanding angels. Catholics would count seven archangels whose names are listed in books and writings that are not found in the Protestant Bible. In Revelation 19, John sees Jesus riding out on a white horse leading the armies of heaven. Jesus, then, is Lord, Savior, and Commander-in-Chief of angelic armies.
Some contemporary religions teach that Jesus was an angel before being “promoted to Son of God.” However, the Book of Hebrews is extremely clear that Jesus was not an angel but the very Son of God who created the angels (See Hebrews 1).
In Isaiah 6, we encounter another order of angels – Seraphim. These creatures surround the throne of God and sing his praises. They have six wings with which they fly, cover their faces, and cover their feet and declare the glory of God constantly. These are like the royal chorus.
Cherubim are also present and surround the throne of God. They have wings and were represented on the lid of the Arc of the Covenant as those angels who uphold the holiness of God. The Old Testament often speaks of God as the one enthroned between the cherubim. I liken these to the palace guard. In the book of Ezekiel, God is seen in a vision coming in judgment on Israel, carried on his throne by cherubim as a conquering king might come in his war chariot. God also set cherubim at the entrance to the Garden of Eden to keep fallen man from re-entering the Garden. In Ezekiel 10 they are described as having wings and four faces – the face of a cherub, a man, a lion, and an eagle. Those faces could simply be symbolic of qualities of the cherubim – angelic, intelligent, powerful, swift, etc. or could be literal.
Believers who have the gift of seeing into the spiritual realm often see angels that are seven feet tall, others that are twenty feet tall, and some even taller. Some appear with wings, while others do not. All biblical references refer to them in the masculine gender. They are a created group of beings who do not reproduce or marry. Therefore, there is no need for a female gender. People do not die and become angels. Angels are a distinct creation, created before man was shaped by the hands of God.
Sometimes angels are seen by men and those whom they are protecting and at other times they are unseen. In 2 Kings 6, Elisha and his servant are in the city of Dothan and find themselves surrounded by the enemy. Elisha’s servant panics but Elisha calmly declares that those that are with them easily outgun and outnumber the enemy. He then prays that his servant’s eyes would be opened and suddenly he saw the hills full of chariots of fire. They were there ready to take part in protecting Elisha, whether they were seen or not, but Elisha had faith and anointing to see them.
Sometimes they appear as angels and, at other times they appear to be merely human. In Genesis 18, angels appear to Abraham as traveling strangers and even eat a meal with him on their way to judge Sodom and Gomorrah. In the Book of Hebrews, we are told to be careful how we treat strangers because many have entertained angels unaware of who or what they were (Heb.13:2). On the other hand, many saw angels as angels and often trembled in fear before them. In fact, it seems that the opening line for most angelic encounters in scripture is, “Don’t be afraid.”
Primarily, angels enforce the will of God whether as a blessing, a judgment, or a discipline. The heart of God is always to bless his people and even those who aren’t his people. Remember that God sent Jonah to Nineveh so that they might repent and avoid his judgment. He also says, “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live” (Ezek.18:23)?
The Bible is replete with stories of angels watching over God’s people: defeating enemy armies, providing food and water for a starving Elijah or Hagar, ministering to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, delivering messages from the Father, announcing the birth and resurrection of Jesus, orchestrating jail breaks, closing the mouths of lions, protecting God’s people from the flames, fighting wars against demonic princes in the heavenlies just to answer a prophet’s prayer (Dan.10), bringing warnings of impending danger, and so forth. On occasion they also bring judgment on the wicked, when their actions demand it, and even on God’s people when they are stubbornly unrepentant.
These angels are majestic, powerful, joyful, and plentiful. “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly” (Heb.12:22). These angels minister to God and minister on your behalf. Sometimes you will be unaware of their activity and at other times you may know that angels are involved.
They minister to you because you are supremely important to God. And although they are awe-inspiring beings, you have even greater standing than the angels. Jesus is greater than the angels and since you are in Christ, you share his standing with the Father. In view of that, Paul tells us that eventually we will judge angels (1 Cor.6:3).
Angels are finite beings. They are not all-powerful nor are they all-knowing. In fact, God has revealed his plans through the church and it was through the church that angels have heard what they longed to know for millennia (See 1 Peter 1:12). As amazing as angels are, you are more amazing in the eyes of God! Be blessed in knowing that.
In my next blog we will discuss “guardian angels” and I will share with you what “seers” see when they perceive angels in our midst.
