22:28-30; Luke 20:20-36). Obeying his own law as if he were a mere creature, and in the attitude of a servant! 1:24). ), but even this statement does not prove angels function today as in Old and New Testament times. These angelic beings are seen as rays of light. 2:14-16). It depicts Christ the King in the centre with nine angelic figures, each of them represents, higher row: Angels in the Bible appear to have a rank and order. The unfallen angels are also spoken of as holy ones (Ps. Illustrations of uses that do not refer to celestial beings: (1) For human messengers from one human to another (Luke 7:24; Jam. 1:14; 2:7). 24:16; Zech. As the arch deceiver and antagonist to God, to the church, and to mankind as whole, Satan is the master of disguise. While most angels remained holy and faithful to God (Revelation 5:11-12), some angels became corrupted by sin after participating in a rebellion led by one angel. Psalm 103:20 at least implies their greater strength in the statement, Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word. Then, 2 Thessalonians 1:7 refers to the return of the Lord with His mighty angels in flaming fire. . (Revelation 20:13). We must look at angels to be the perfect depiction of complete surrender and loyalty to God, and when our time comes, we can be welcomed into the Kingdom of God just as the angels dwell in heaven. Angels also model worship. Concerning this, Paul wrote: Colossians 2:18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. He can communicate messages to us whether were awake or asleep, throughour dreams. The name means burning ones.2 The seraphim have six wings: two to fly with, two to cover their feet, and two to cover their faces (Is 6:2). Some would claim that this Old Testament passage should not be applied in modern times, but in Hebrews 1:14 the author of Hebrews does not seem to draw that distinction. Deut. The many references to Gods holy angels in the Bible are chiefly records of their many activities, but two things quickly standout. However, Angelology rests not upon reason or supposition, but upon revelation.9. They chose self-corruption, knowing exactly what they were doing. In Scripture, there are three types of angels. 20:10). Romans 12:11 says, Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. In addition, the seraphim remind us to be zealous in getting rid of sin in our lives, so God can use us, even as he did with Isaiah. In Relation to the Unrighteous: Angels not only announce and inflict judgment (Gen. 19:13; Rev. For we know the one who said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, and again, The Lord will judge his people. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. In Colossians 1:16, Paul tells humans that God created all things visible and invisible and uses the terms dominions, principalities, and authorities.. In His holiness and justice, God had no other choice but to judge Satan and his angels to the lake of fire. 1 William Evans, The Great Doctrines of the Bible, Moody Press, Chicago, 1912, p. 215. 6:3; Rev. Still, in some passages He distinguishes Himself from Yahweh (Gen. 16:7-14; 21:17-18; 22:11-18; 31:11-13, Ex. Jesus words in Matthew 18:10 seem to support the idea that individual people (or at least children) have guardian angels, in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven. But Jesus may only mean that angels are assigned to protect little children in general. 5 Mysterious Ghost Towns WE DARE YOU To Visit! 25:31; 1 Thes. 2, Kregel Publications, 1993, p. 3. They were set apart by God and for God as His servants and as attendants to His holiness (cf. First Sphere These angels are said Because they surround the throne of God with the twenty-four elders (Rev 4:4 and 6), who apparently represent redeemed people, some have speculated that the living creatures represent creation before God. Scripture names three categories of heavenly beings that appear to be types of angels: cherubim, seraphim, and living creatures.. In addition, cherubim were part of the curtain decorations in the tabernacle and temple. 3:10; 1 Pet. In Ezekiel 1 they attended the glory of God preparatory for judgment. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life, (Gen. 3:24). 14 Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology, Moody Press, Chicago, 1996, electronic media. (3) Finally, there are numerous references to angels by the Lord Jesus, who is declared to be the Creator of all things, which includes the angelic beings. Rev. Cherubim had an extraordinary appearance with four facesthat of a man, lion, ox, and eagle. Though Satan tempts us constantly, our temptation to sin ultimately stems from our own lusts that wage war in our souls (Jam. 6:3).14. The two wings to fly with are used to serve God. Therefore, innately they possess greater knowledge. The seraphim continually praise God for his holiness (Isaiah 6:23), and so do the four living creatures (Revelation 4:8). Hes also called one of the chief princes in Daniel 10:13, and appears to lead Gods angelic army in Revelation 12: Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated (Revelation 12:78). Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (pp. As the distance between man and the lower forms of life is filled with beings of various grades, so it is possible that between man and God there exist creatures of higher than human intelligence and power. There are now 3 Cherubim angels (Ophaniel, Rikbiel, and Zophiel) from the original 4 Cherub in Heaven; Lucifer was a Cherub before his fall from grace in Heaven over the free will of humans. Certainly they are more cheerful and brighter than our long-standing infatuation with movies about demons and evil spirits, along with endless Dracula revivals5, The bookstores abound with books on angels and many claim encounters with angels. What amazing condescension! In Relation to the Nations: In relation to the nation of Israel, Michael, the archangel, seems to have a very important ministry as their guardian (Dan. During our earthly lives, were lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:7). But apparently such manifestations only occurred by way of a vision or special revelation from God. (1) The mention of angels is inclusive in Scripture. 11:14). They are also known to leave signs for faithful Christians, and can even perform miracles. The Dominions are also known as the Lordships. The four wings that cover their face and feet probably demonstrate their great honor and reverence for Gods holiness and glory (Ex 3:5). He tells Zechariah, I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God (Luke 1:19). 13 Frank E. Gaebelein, General Editor, The Expositors Bible Commentary, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, electronic media, 1997. One was placed in the Garden of Eden to guard the tree of life; two were placed in the holy of holies to guard the presence of God. Why all the fascination of our culture with angels? 10:19-22). The fact that God has created a realm of personal beings other than mankind is a fitting topic for systematic theological studies for it naturally broadens our understanding of God, of what He is doing, and how He works in the universe. Just as people usually do not think of the punitive ministry of angels, so people, in their popular ideas about angels, often ignore the Scriptures teaching about the deception of Satans evil angels (2 Cor. In fact, they are believed to dwell in the heavens and only come to Earth when they have a task to fulfill, or when they are set to send us a message. The study of angels or the doctrine of angelology is one of the ten major categories of theology developed in many systematic theological works. Virtues are known as the Spirits of Motion and control the elements. So having considered the various ways angels minister, we should keep in mind that God does not always deliver us from danger or supply our needs in miraculous ways whether by angels or by His direct intervention. Though a defeated foe (cf. The minimum spiritual level for humans to make it to Heaven ( Swarga) after death is 50% ( samashi ) or (60% ( vyashi ). 2:1-4; 5:23; 6:11-22; 13:3-22; 2 Sam. It could refer to a guardian angel over these churches or to those men who function in the capacity of teachers of the Word, like the human pastors or elders. If we were to pray to angels, it would implicitly give them a status equal to God. This means God cannot do evil because evil is contrary to His Holy character. 2-3). 12:7), and of a king over the demon-locusts (9:11). 3 Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1983, p. 434. Angels safeguard households and individuals from evil and demons. You may unsubscribe from these email communications at any time. They are the ones that surround God in heaven and are given tasks to fulfill, such as protecting us, sending us messages, and ruling over cities and towns. 6:2), cherubim (Ezek. He cannot be the author of sin because He has judged all evil and to author sin would be contrary to His perfect justice and righteousness. It would be helpful to also consider Ryries explanation of these angelic beings: Cherubim: Cherubim constitute another order of angels, evidently of high rank since Satan was a cherub (Ezek. The reason lies in Satans deception and in the vacuum of mans heart as he continues to seek answers apart from God and Scriptures revelation of God and His plan of salvation in Christ. She can also help you become more intuitive. You had the seal of perfection (v. 12). 19:10; 22:9). Ultimately, we should turn our attention away from fallen angels and think of holy angels as Gods helpers and our fellow creatures. 1:21; 3:10; 6:12; Col. 1:16; 2:10, 15). Copyright 2020 HarperCollins Publishers. Though fallen angels seem to have an abode other than heaven itself, no specific location is given except that Satan will be bound in the Abyss for the thousand years after the Second Coming before he is released (Rev. Here it applies to the sons of God, a lusty, powerful lot striving for fame and fertility. Much of what we see or hear about angels in culture is based on speculation, non-biblical sources, or just plain fantasy. . First John 1:7 says, But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. However, apparently, God allows these angels to at times participate in the process of cleansing his people. If you have any questions, please review our, Wayne Grudem is research professor of Theology and Biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary in Phoenix, Arizona. Through the four faces, they may also anticipate what God would do to bring salvation to man through His Son: (a) The face of the man suggests wisdom, compassion, intelligence and pictures Christs humanity as the Son of man, the special focus found in the gospel of Luke; (b) the face of a lion speaks of kingly appearance and pictures Christ as King which is Matthews emphasis; (c) the face of a bull or ox portrays a servant, the emphasis seen in Mark; and (d) the face of an eagle speaks of heavenly action and portrays the deity Christ, which is Johns emphasis. A consciousness of the reality of the vast hosts of angelic beingthe benefit derived from the good, and the opposition of the badcan be gained only through meditation upon the Scriptures that record these truths, and through prayer.46. Further, He cannot tempt the creature to sin (Jam. Angels are but fellow servants and called upon to serve God as all Gods creatures should. 7:1). 26:1ff. One of the key features of Revelation concerns the two kingdoms: the kingdom of the world (Satans kingdom) and the kingdom of God. Others, in keeping with the use of sons of God in Job, believe the term refers to fallen angels who mated with the daughters of men to produce an extremely wicked and powerful progeny that led to the extreme wickedness of Noahs day. I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Our tendency is to look at the Bibles answers through human reason and logic. 6:10-12). These are angels who did not follow after Satan in his rebellion. The Sons Creation includes all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. They are also known to be messengers of the most important tasks to accomplish. Though they look more like cherubim, they act more like seraphim as their chief activity seems to be praising and worshiping God. While all the angels were originally created holy and without sin, there was a rebellion by Satan, who, being lifted up by his own beauty, rebelled and sought to exalt himself above God. Hes mentioned in Daniel 8:16 and 9:21 as a messenger who comes from God to speak to Daniel. It was after Isaiah saw the holy seraphim in worship and humility (suggested by the covering of their feet) exalting the Lord, that he then saw and confessed his own sinfulness and became a willing servant. Though theologians have been cautious in their study of angels, in recent years we have been bombarded by what could easily be called Angelmania. Thats where systematic theology is helpful: scholars like Wayne Grudem carefully organize everything the Bible says about a topic, so you can see it all at once. However, it would not seem wrong to ask God to fulfill his promise in Psalm 91:11 to send angels to protect us in times of need. Get updates from Zondervan Academic directly in your inbox. The Scriptures disclose the truth that the angels learn much about God from His activities through the person and work of Christ and through the church, especially in the unfolding of Gods plan of redemption. 41:18) and even four faces (Ezek. 29:29). To seek such appearances would seem to indicate an unhealthy curiosity or a desire for some kind of spectacular event rather than a love for God and devotion to him and his work. Gods revelation never aims at informing us regarding the nature of angels. If so, Satan's unique privileges before his fall are described in verses 12-15 and the judgment on him in verses 16-19. They are mighty, but not almighty. 2:5-8a). They are described as each having six wings. Ryrie writes: Angels then qualify as personalities because they have these aspects of intelligence, emotions, and will. 37 The main point of verse 10 is that there is great joy in heaven (cf. Christians share Christs seat at Gods right hand. In Greek, the word has the prefix of, It is not known if these are a true class of angels or if it is just an expression describing the power of angels. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven. James 4:6 says, God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. It is possible to rebel like Satan and thus be judged by God (1 Tim 3:6). For instance, God cannot lie (Tit. It originated from something outside of God. The reason is twofold. The common image depicted in society with regards to angels ranges from cute little babies with wings, to perfectly chiseled adult men adorned in white robes, to spirit beings emitting rays of light. 2:7). One of the most persistent questions from Christians is why do the wicked prosper. First, there is always a bent in man for the miraculous or supernatural, for that which lifts him out of the mundane and pain of life, even if for a moment, but there is more to this issue. A very important practical point emerges from this. In Daniel 8:1516 Gabriel explained to Daniel the succeeding kingdoms of Medo-Persia and Greece as well as the untimely death of Alexander the Great. Michael is called the archangel in Jude 9 and the great prince in Daniel 12:1. Good angels, Satan, and demons show emotions (Luke 2:13; James 2:19; Rev. The Angels of Power appear in their celestial form as brightly colored, hazy fumes. So when we read the word angel we should think of it in this way. As mentioned, men are warned to never worship angels for they are only creatures. As created beings, they are of course mere creatures. They assist in governing nature and keeping order in all things.