Angels

By Wayne Wells

Christians are different from others in many ways. One way - the world is striving for what they see about them. Christians look at things not seen

2 Corinthians 4:18
while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

 Angels are only one part of what is not seen, but we must see them.

Angels are mentioned nearly 300 times in the Bible. The basic meaning of the word "angel" is a messenger. The word is used to describe both humans and spiritual beings. 

Examples of the word "Angel" used for human messengers 
(Hebrew = Malak, Greek = Angelos)

2 Samuel 2:5
So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him.

1 Kings 19:2
Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time."

2 Kings 16:7
Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria...

Haggai 1:13
Then Haggai, the Lord's messenger, spoke the Lord's message to the people, saying, "I am with you, says the Lord."

Malachi 2:7
For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

Luke 7:24
When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Luke 7:27
This is he of whom it is written: `Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.'

2 Corinthians 12:7
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me...

James 2:25
Was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

Revelation 1:20
The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

Revelation 2:1
To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, `These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
 

Some Facts About Angels

1. Angels Are Spiritual Creatures Created by God

Colossians 1:16
For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Psalms 148:2, 5
2 Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! 
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created.

Nehemiah 9:6
You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, ...and You preserve them all. 
 

2. Angels Were Present at the Creation of Earth

Job 38:4-7
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
 

3. Angels Are Innumerable

Hebrews 12:22
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels.

Psalms 68:17
The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands...

Daniel 7:10
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. a thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him...

(There is no word in Hebrew for million.
10,000 x 10,000 = 100 million)

Matthew 26:53
Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?

(a legion was 6,000)
 

What is the Purpose of Angels?

1. Angels give glory to God and help accomplish His will.

Revelation 5:11-12
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!"

Revelation 7:11-12
All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen."

2. Angels Serve God's people

Hebrews 1:14
Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
 

Characteristics of Angels

1. Angels can travel from the spiritual dimension to the physical

  1. An angel appeared to Gideon -Judges 6:11-21.

  2. An angel appeared to Manoah and his wife - Judges 13:3-9.

  3. Angels appeared to Shepherds - Luke 2:9,13.

  4. An angel appeared to Peter in prison - Acts 12:7.

2. Angels can be detained

Daniel 10:10-13
Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.

Whoever the prince of Persia was, he must have been a powerful creature to be able to withstand the one talking to Daniel for three weeks.

3. Angels are very strong

2 Peter 2:11
...angels, who are greater in power and might, [than man]

Psalms 103:20
...His angels, who excel in strength...

2 Thessalonians 1:7
... the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,

2 Kings 19:35
 ..the angel of the Lord... killed 185,000.


4. There are ranks among angels as well as with wicked spirits

Ephesians 1:21
far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. (cp. 6:10-12)

What is the difference in principalities, powers, mights and dominions? The Bible does not fill in all the details but there must be some kind of difference in them.

Michael is the Archangel.  This implies that the other angels serve under him.

Jude 9
Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Revelation 12:7
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
 

5. Angels do the will of the Father

  1. Prayer of Jesus 

    Matthew 6:10
    Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

    Psalms 103:20-21
    Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure.

  2. They are sent to minister

    They are sent from the presence of God to the realm of mankind. They can travel from the realm in which they see God's face (Matt 18:10) to our realm and interact in our realm.

    Hebrews 1:13-14

    But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

    Genesis 24:40
    But he said to me, The Lord, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father's house.

    Daniel 6:22
    My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him...

    Gabriel was sent to Zacharias - Luke 1:19

    Gabriel was sent by God to Mary - Luke 1:26-31  

    Acts 12:11
    Peter ...said, "the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people."


What Are Angels Sent For?

1. Angels are Messengers

  1. An angel told Abraham to not kill Isaac - Gen 22:11-12.

  2. An angel told Manoah and his wife of son [Samson] to be born - Judges 13.

  3. An angel interpreted vision of a ram and goat to Daniel - Daniel 8:15f.

  4. An angel delivered the prophesy of 70 weeks to Daniel -Daniel 9:20.

  5. The angel Gabriel told Zacharias about his son [John the Baptist] - Luke 1:13.

  6. Angels appeared and delivered messages to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds.

  7. An angel told Philip to go out to the desert - Acts 8:26.

  8. An angel told Paul that he would be delivered from the storm at sea - Acts 27:23-24.


2. Angels Helped Deliver the Law at Sinai

Deuteronomy 33:2
And he (Moses) said: "The Lord came from Sinai, and dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of saints; from His right hand came a fiery law for them.

Psalms 68:17
The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands; The Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place.

Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.

Galatians 3:19
Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed should come to whom the promise had been made.

Hebrews 2:1-2
Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,

How is it meant that the Law Was Given by Angels?

One illustration is how the Holy Spirit spoke through David. David spoke, but it was the Holy Spirit speaking through him.

Hebrews 3:7
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness,

Hebrews 4:7
again He designates a certain day, saying in David, ..."Today, if  you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts."

God > angels > Moses > Israel

We now have the complete revelation from God so there is nothing for the angels to deliver today. 
Hebrews 1 - 2 shows how Jesus is greater than the angels.
The revelation through Jesus is greater than the revelation given by angels.

They still are our ministers.  How?  What are they doing today? We'll pursue these questions next month.


(Wayne Wells preaches in Texarkana, TX. He is the webmaster for http://godofmercy.com and can be contacted at wayne@godofmercy.com.)

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