There are many myths, traditions, folklores and misconceptions about angels. Without a doubt, angels are a fascinating topic indeed.
In Scripture, angels
appear often, about 200 times in the New Testament alone. However, we aren’t
provided with a large amount of details concerning them and so we have to read
between the lines and make some inferences. At the most basic level, angels play
the role of God’s messengers. In fact, the Greek word aggelos means just
that—messenger, envoy, one who is sent, or one who brings news.
The Bible shares a number
of important things about angels that should encourage us as we seek to influence
the world with righteousness and wage war against evil. Here are a few facts to
be aware of:
First, angels are spirit
beings created and sent out by God to serve those who will inherit salvation
(Heb. 1:14). Though they can take on physical form when necessary to interact
with the physical world, they are essentially spiritual beings without bodies.
Second, angels are
supernaturally powerful beings (Rev. 7:1; Psa. 103:20). The Bible describes
them as opening prison doors, rolling away the stone from the tomb, engaging in
war with evil, and even binding Satan.
Third, angels are personal
beings with the capacity to love, express joy, demonstrate intelligence, and
delight in doing God’s will as they carry out his orders.
Fourth, angels are not
gods. They are created, finite beings that are lower than God, though superior
to us (Psa. 8:5-6).
Fifth, angels are not the
spirits of people who have died, nor do we “receive our wings” upon death. A
common misconception is that people turn into angels when they die, but humans
and angels are distinctly different orders in God’s creation (Psa. 148).
Sixth, angels are sent to
aid believers in the struggle against sin, evil, and the power of satanic
darkness (Psa. 91:11-14). In God’s divine plan and purpose, he commissions and
sends angels to guides us toward his will and help sustain and strengthen us
when we’re under spiritual attack.
Seventh, on occasion God
directs his angels to be our guardians. However, the popular idea that each of
us has a full-time guardian angel watching over us at all time is not based in
the Bible. If guardian angels existed, we would have difficulty explaining how
it is the people get injured in accidents, murdered, and suffer in countless
ways. What we do know is that children have their angels in heaven who always
see the face of the Father who is in heaven (Matt. 18:10).
Some angels appear dressed
in white clothing (Acts 1:9-11). Some have the appearance of men such as those
who came to visit Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 18). We are instructed: “Do not
forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have entertained angels
unaware” (Hebrews 13:2). Angels may be present and unperceived at any time (2
Kings 6:15-17).
There is a classification
of mighty commander angels called “archangels” such as Michael, Gabriel, and
even Lucifer (who fell and became Satan) (1 Thess. 4:16; Rev. 12:7). At the end
of time, Christians will judge angels (1 Cor. 6:3).
It is important to note
there are other created spiritual beings that are not necessarily angels per se
including cherubim (Gen. 3:24; Exod. 25:20), seraphim who have six wings (Isa.
6:2-6), the four living creatures surrounding/protecting God’s throne (Rev.
4:6-9), and the twenty-four elders also in the throne-room (Rev. 4:10-11).
Angels apparently serve
three main functions. The first is service to God (Psa. 148:2). The second is
service to Christians (Heb. 1:14). Angels are the messengers
of God and serve at His will to help protect us through the Holy Spirit. And the third is performance of God’s Word (Psa.
103:20).
Thank God for his marvelous
and mysterious angels!
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