Introduction to Angels

Seeking to Understand

There seems to be a recent upsurge of interest in the spirit world or even specifically in angels.

While interest in angels is good because they are present in Scripture, we need to be aware of our vulnerability to speculation. This often comes into play as we reflect on our experiences. Perhaps something may occur that appears to us to be out of the ordinary. Is that because an angel or a demon was involved?

God prohibits us from seeking knowledge or insight by contacting the spirit world certainly, but I suggest also by our own speculation and suspicions. We must seek God in His word, and as we do so, we are certain to gain understanding and clarity we need and want.

Deuteronomy 18:9–15 ESV

9 “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer 11 or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, 14 for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this. 15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—

The warning given to Israel was not to seek understanding through consulting worldly sources. What worldly sources of “knowledge” might we consult?

Isa 8:19-20

Isaiah 8:19–20 ESV

19 And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.

ἄγγελος

Pronounced anngelos

Means angel or messenger

New Testament Usage

appears 175 times in the NT

All but six reference supernatural beings

The six human messenger references

Matt 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:24; 7:27; 9:52; James 2:25

Matthew 11:10 ESV

10 This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

Mark 1:2 ESV

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way,

Luke 7:24 ESV

24 When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Luke 7:27 ESV

27 This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

All four refer to John the Baptist or his disciples

Luke 9:52 ESV

52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him.

Refers to those whom Jesus sent ahead of Him to a Samaritan village to make preparations as He began His final journey to Jerusalem.

James 2:25 ESV

25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

Refers to the spies of Israel that Rehab the prostitute helped avoid their enemies.

So again, the rest of the references are of supernatural beings.

The Origin of Angels

The Westminster Larger Catechism (Q. 16)

Q. 16. How did God create angels? A. God created all the angels spirits, immortal, holy, excelling in knowledge, mighty in power, to execute his commandments, and to praise his name, yet subject to change.

Col. 1:16; Ps. 104:4; Matt. 22:30; Matt. 25:31; 2 Sam. 14:17; Matt. 24:36; 2 Thess. 1:7; Ps. 103:20-21; 2 Pet. 2:4.

God created angels - Col. 1:16

Colossians 1:16 ESV

16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

God created the angels to be His agents of judgement - Psalm 104:4

Psalm 104:4 ESV

4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire.

winds probably refers to speed

flaming fire to power

When we take verse 35 into account, it seems reasonable to connect God’s execution of judgement to His angels

Psalm 104:35 ESV

35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!

God created angels immortal - Matt 22:30

Matthew 22:30 ESV

30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

God created angels holy - Matt 25:31

Matthew 25:31 ESV

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

We could continue to work through those references, but the point is, God created angels and gave them their purpose. In that way they are like people, but they are also unlike people.

The Function of Angels

Announce God’s message to people

The birth of Christ - Luke 2:10-11

Luke 2:10–11 ESV

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

The resurrection of Christ - Matt 28:5-7

Matthew 28:5–7 ESV

5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”

The Ascension of Jesus - Acts 1:9-11

Acts 1:9–11 ESV

9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

see Dan 9:21 to see the connection between “man” and and angel.

Daniel 9:21 ESV

21 while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.

Instructions to the disciples of Jesus - Acts 5:19-20

Acts 5:19–20 ESV

19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”

Words of comfort and direction - Acts 10:3-6

Acts 10:3–6 ESV

3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

Ministering Spirits - see Matt 4

see Matt 4.

The army of God - 2 Kings 6:8-21

2 Kings 6:8–13 ESV

8 Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants, saying, “At such and such a place shall be my camp.” 9 But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there.” 10 And the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God told him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice. 11 And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?” 12 And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 13 And he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him.” It was told him, “Behold, he is in Dothan.”

The king of Syria wants to wage war against Israel.

Syria makes plans to attach but somehow Israel knows those plans.

The king of Syria is convinced there’s a leak or mole among him, but his soldiers/advisors tell him it’s the prophet Elisha.

The king orders that Elisha be apprehended and killed.

It becomes known that Elisha is located in Dothan (doe-than)

2 Kings 6:14–16 ESV

14 So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Syria assembles a massive army to capture Elisha. They surround Dothan with soldiers, chariots and horses.

Elisha and his servant go outside and upon seeing this posse, the servant becomes afraid.

Elisha responds in verse 16:

2 Kings 6:16 ESV

16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

2 Kings 6:17–21 ESV

17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. 19 And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria. 20 As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?”

Elisha prays that his servant’s eyes would be opened to see the army of God.

Elisha also prays that the Syrian soldiers would be blinded, and then leads them into Samaria where they were defeated.

But what God did here is enable Elisha and his servant to see another dimension. They were able to see the angelic army, and seeing it brought confidence and peace.

But a question I had regards the angelic army. They were present, but why didn’t they act? Why did God reveal it to Elisha and his servant, but then defeat Syria by another means? I think the answer ultimately is that we don’t know, but something Jesus teaches Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane is instructive.

Peter, after Jesus was seized, took a sword and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. We know it was Peter from John’s account. But this is what Peter said to Peter:

Matthew 26:52–53 ESV

52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?

Jesus is saying that legions of angels were ready to intervene to defend Jesus. So why didn’t they? Because the cross needed to happen. To put it better, the cross was God’s plan, and the angels serve God.

To quote Dale Ralph Davis:

Jesus knew and lived under the unseen protection of 2 Kings 6:8-23.

You and I have experienced plenty of events in which we would have welcomed the chariots of fire to intervene and prevent certain things from happening. What we need to know is that there are times when it is not God’s will to prevent the unwanted events of our live from taking place. But do not loose sight of the fact that we will never find ourselves outside the sovereign control and unstoppable power of the Lord.

To Worship God Isa 6:2-3

Isaiah 6:2–3 ESV

2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

The scene is in the heavens.

The angels are worshipping God. As verse three makes clear, they are singing of the splendor of God.

The six wings

Two to fly

Two to cover their faces: when they are in the presence of God, they had to shield their eyes. God equipped them with these wings for that purpose.

Two to cover their feet: Probably for the same reason Moses was instructed to remove his sandals at the burning bush. He was on holy ground because God was present. The feet of the angels are the sign of their creatureliness.