ANGELS
Origin of Angels
1. God has a family – Ephesians 3:14-15
a. Part of that family is on earth – the church
b. Part of that family is in heaven – angels
2. Angels were created
a. Job 38:4-7
b. “sons of God” = angels
c. Nehemiah 9:6
d. Psalm 148:1-5
e. Colossians 1:15-17
3. Under the authority of God
a. Psalm 103:20-21
b. Jude 6
c. 2 Peter 2:4
4. Higher than man
a. Psalm 8:5
b. Hebrews 1:14
Form of Angels
1. Invisible to the unaided eye
a. Numbers 22:22-31 – Baalam
b. 2 Kings 6:14-17 – Elisha
2. Can assume any form God wants
a. 2 Kings 6:14-17 – horses
b. Exodus 3:2 – flaming bush
c. Hebrews 1:7 – winds, flame of fire
3. Frequently appear as men – Hebrews 13:2
a. Genesis 18:1-2
b. Genesis 19:1-2
c. Judges 13:9-11
d. Genesis 32:22-28
e. Mark 16:5
f. Acts 1:10-11
g. Angels are invisible to man in their natural state, but can be seen by man when God aids the human vision. They can take any appearance that God wants them to, but most often they appear as men.
Nature and Attributes of Angels
1. Unmarriageable
a. Matthew 22:30
b. Genesis 6:2 – not about angels
i. Sons of God – descendants of Seth
ii. Daughters of men – descendants of Cain
2. Personal agents
a. 2 Samuel 14:20
b. Revelation 22:8-9
3. Super-human intelligence
a. 2 Samuel 14:20
b. Matthew 24:36
4. Super-human power
a. Psalm 103:20
b. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9
c. 2 Peter 2:11
5. Innumerable
a. Hebrews 12:22
b. Revelation 5:11
6. Special interest in man’s salvation
a. Luke 2:13-14
b. Luke 15:4-10
c. Luke 22:43
7. A company
a. Hebrews 12:22
b. NOT: a race
c. They are a fellowship, a company
Activities of Angels
1. Drive spirit horses
a. 2 Kings 2:9-12
b. 2 Kings 6:14-16
c. Zechariah 1:7-11
2. Guard gates
a. Revelation 21:12
b. Genesis 3:24
3. Wage war
a. Revelation 12:77-9
4. Execute judgments
a. Genesis 19:13-14
b. 2 Samuel 24:15-17
c. Matthew 13:41-42
5. Minister to saints
a. Hebrews 1:14
6. Rule nations
a. Daniel 10:13-21
b. Daniel 12:1
7. Praise God
a. Revelation 5:11-14
8. Strengthen in trial
a. Matthew 4:11
9. Lead lost to salvation
a. Acts 10:3-7
10. Appear in dreams
a. Matthew 1:20-24
b. Matthew 2:13-20
11. Minister before God
a. Revelation 8:2
b. Revelation 14:15-19
12. Bind and guard Satan
a. Revelation 9:1
b. Revelation 20:1-3
c. Luke 8:31
13. Gather together God’s elect
a. Matthew 24:31
b. Revelation 7:1-3
14. Harvest God’s crop
a. Matthew 13:26-43
15. Protector of saints
a. Psalm 34:4-7
b. Psalm 91:11-12
16. Accompany Christ at his return
a. Matthew 16:27
b. Matthew 25:31
c. 2 Thessalonians 1:7
17. Receive departed spirits
a. Luke 16:22
18. Gave laws and revelations
a. Acts 7:51-53
b. Hebrews 2:2
c. Daniel 8:19
19. Impart God’s will
a. Acts 5:19
b. Acts 10:3-7
20. Bring answers to prayer
a. Daniel 9:20-23
b. Acts 10:1-6
21. Present in the church
a. 1 Corinthians 11:10
b. Ephesians 3:10
c. 1 Timothy 5:21
Good Angels:
Classification and Work
1. Angels (in general)
a. Always in the masculine gender
b. Word means – messenger, one who carries a message
2. Cherubim
a. Genesis 3:24
b. 2 Kings 19:15
c. Ezekiel 10:1-20
d. Ezekiel 28:14-16
e. Work of cherubim
i. Guard Eden
ii. Placed over Mercy Seat – Exodus 25:18-20
iii. Pictured on the curtains – Exodus 26:1
iv. Guard the throne of God – Psalm 80:1; Psalm 99:1
3. Seraphim
a. Isaiah 6:2, 6
b. Work of seraphim
i. Lead in worship
ii. Purifying the service of worship to God
4. Archangels
a. 1 Thessalonians 4:16
b. Jude 9
c. Revelation 12:7
d. Daniel 10:21
e. Work of archangels
i. Protecting and prospering Israel – Daniel 10:13-21
ii. Warring against Satan – Revelation 12:7-9
iii. Herald the return of Christ – 1 Thessalonians 4:16
Bad Angels:
Classification and Work
1. Kept in prison
a. 2 Peter 2:4
b. Jude 6
2. Angels that are free
a. Revelation 12:7-9
b. Romans 8:38-39
c. Ephesians 3:14-15
d. Psalm 78:49
3. Their work
a. Part of Satan’s army – Revelation 12:7-9
b. Try to separate us from God – Romans 8:38-39
c. Host of wickedness – Ephesians 6;12
d. Oppose God’s work – Daniel 10:10-14
e. Afflict God’s people – Luke 13:16; Matthew 17:15-16
f. Execute Satan’s purpose – Matthew 25:41; Matthew 12:26-27
g. Hinder spiritual lives – Ephesians 6:12
h. Deceive God’s people – 1 Samuel 28:7-20
The Fall of Angels
1. The fact of their fall
a. All things (including angels) were good at creation
b. There are (now) bad angels
c. It must be concluded that they fell
2. The time of their fall
a. Before the creation of man
b. Gap Theory – some believe there was a large span of time between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2
c. War Theory – some teach that the world was in chaos because of the war between Satan and Michael
3. The cause of their fall
a. NOT: God’s fault
b. NOT: Their natural state
c. Angels were given free will, freedom of choice
4. The result of their fall
a. Lost their holiness and became corrupt
b. Cast down to Hades – 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6
c. Some free to oppose good angels – Revelation 12:7-9
d. Final result – Matthew 25:41
The Angel of Jehovah
1. In Genesis
a. Hagar – Genesis 16:7, 10, 20
b. Abraham – Genesis 18:1, 2, 13, 22
c. Isaac – Genesis 22:11-12
d. Jacob’s ladder – Genesis 28:13, 16, 19
e. Wrestling match – Genesis 32:24, 28, 30
2. In Exodus
a. Burning bush – Exodus 3:2, 4, 6
b. In wilderness – Exodus 14:19; 13:21; 23:20; 33:14
3. In Joshua
a. Joshua 5:13-15
b. On holy ground
c. Not Jehovah himself, but deity
4. In Judges
a. Gideon – Judges 6:11, 12, 14, 16
b. Manoah – Judges 13:21, 22
5. Identity of the “angel of Jehovah”
a. Most places he is identified as Jehovah
b. Some differences noted:
i. Exodus 23:20-21 – I sent my angel
ii. 1 Corinthians 10:1-4
iii. Daniel 3:25 – like the Son of God
6. My conclusion – The Angel of Jehovah (Angel of the Lord) – is Jesus in a human form before His birth.
Angels Today
1. Providence
a. 2 Kings 6:16
b. Romans 8:31
c. Daniel 6:22
2. Overcoming temptation
a. 1 Corinthians 10:13
b. God can use angels to keep His promise
3. Answering prayer
a. James 1:5-6
b. James 5:13-16
4. Chastisement
a. Hebrews 12:5-11
b. Angels carry out the justice of God
Guardian Angels
1. Some believe that each believer has an angel assigned to them as a special assignment for their protection.
2. This is a “magical” concept that is neither scriptural nor sensible.
3. However, angels do guard and protect
a. Psalm 91:11-12
b. Psalm 34:7
c. Matthew 18:10
i. Where are they? In heaven
ii. What direction are they facing? Behold the face of God
iii. God’s angels serve Him
d. Hebrews 1:14
Bibliography
1. Angels, Charles B. Hodge, 20th Century Christian
2. Angels, Angels, Angels, Landrum P. Leavell, Broadman Press
3. A Study of Angels, Howard P. Meyers, Howard Books
4. Lectures in Systemic Theology, Henry C. Thiessen, Eerdmans
5. Great Doctrines of the Bible, William Evans, Moody
GURDIAN ANGELS
(Excerpts from an article by Guy N. Woods, Firm Foundation, September, 1991)
A guardian angel – each his own? So some believe. But, alas, despite the theory’s hoary age, the number of people who hold it and the respectable names of scholars who may be advanced to support it, it fails both the scriptural and pragmatic tests. The most faithful Christians of earth suffer through interminable days of pain and lonely sleepless nights of agonizing weariness and sorrow. We must in candor ask, “Where were their guardian angels when these sad experiences occurred?”
From what does a guardian angel, if such there be, protect? Not temptation, not suffering, not agony, not pain, not sorrow, not death.
If should be noted, first of all, that the scriptures nowhere assert the existence and action of a guardian angel for each disciple of the Lord.
Acts 12:15 – Certain they were the he did not escape death at the hands of the murderous Herod; they simply understood that his spirit, separated from his body, had come to them.
Matthew 10:10 – The plural form indicated that all such angels serve for all of God’s people in ministering to “the heirs of salvation.” (Hebrews 1:14)
Psalm 34:7 – The “angel of Jehovah” is Christ Jesus our Savior – not a created angel; and the reference here is to ultimate deliverance from the penalty, the power and the presence of sin, not the present affliction or earthly trial.
The doctrine of “guardian angels” as currently taught involves many of the same errors and misconceptions of the theory now popular, with some among us of a direct immediate and independent operation of the Holy Spirit.
Moreover, the concept of guardian angels is incompatible with clear and unmistakable teaching of the scriptures touching free agency. Is it thought that the influence of the angel is irresistible? If so, the angel – not the individual – becomes responsible for all actions of his ward. If the influence is not irresistible, by what standard is the angel’s guidance to be measured? By the Scriptures? Then why may not appeal alone be made to their teaching in determining life’s proper courses?