Angels

An angel is a pure spirit created by God. The Old Testament theology included the belief in angels: the name applied to certain spiritual beings or intelligences of heavenly residence, employed by God as messengers.

The English word "angel" comes from the Greek angelos, which means 'messenger'. In the Old Testament, with two exceptions, the Hebrew word for "angel" is malak, also meaning 'messenger'. The prophet Malachi took his name from this word. He was himself a messenger, and he prophesied about the coming of "the messenger of the covenant", Jesus Christ (Malachi 3:1).

Although the word "angel" in the Bible, meaning a messenger, nearly always applies to heavenly beings, it can occasionally apply to human messengers. Malachi himself said a priest was a messenger (malak) of the LORD of hosts (Malachi 2:7), and in the Book of Revelation the elders of the seven churches of Asia were called angels (1:20; 2:1 etc.). But when we meet messengers doing supernatural things, there is no doubt they are heavenly beings - God's messengers, working for Him and for the ultimate benefit of mankind.

he Scripture speaks about the creation of angels, therefore, it is clear that they have not existed from all eternity (Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 148:2,5). Colossians 1:16-17 explains:

“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

The time of their creation is never definitely specified, but it is most probable that it occurred in connection with the creation of the heavens in Genesis 1:1. It may be that God created the angels immediately after He had created the heavens and before He created the Earth—for according to Job 38:4-7, “the sons of God shouted for joy” when He laid the foundations of the Earth.

Author: Dr. Paul Eymann.

How many angels are there?

While the Scriptures give no definite figures, we are told that the number of angels is very great (Matthew 26:53—“legions”; Daniel 7:10—“thousand thousands” (millions); Hebrews 12:22—“innumerable”).

It appears that all angels were created at one time. No new angels are being added to the number. Angels are not subject to death or any form of extinction (Luke 20:36); therefore they do not decrease in number.

It seems reasonable to conclude that there are at least as many spirit beings in existence as there will have been human beings in all their history on Earth.

Author: Dr. Paul Eymann.

Do angels have bodies?

Raphael’s interpretation of a winged angel.

Angels are essentially “ministering spirits” (Hebrews 1:14) and do not have physical bodies like humans. Jesus declared that “a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:37-39).

The Bible does, however, make it clear that angels can only be in one place at a time. They must have some localized presence.

Angels can take on the appearance of men when the occasion demands. How else could some “entertain angels unaware” (Hebrews 13:2)? On the other hand, their appearance is sometimes in dazzling white and blazing glory (Matthew 28:2-4).

Author: Dr. Paul Eymann.

What do angels look like?

Since angels are spirits rather than physical beings, they don’t have to be visible at all (Colossians 1:16). Elisha once prayed that his servant would see the armies of angels surrounding the city, and the young man discovered that he had overlooked a lot of invisible beings (2 Kings 6:17)!

Abraham was visited by three heavenly messengers.

When angels do appear, they generally appear in the form of men. In Genesis 18, Abraham welcomed three angelic guests who appeared at first to be nothing more than some travellers. In the following chapter, two angels went to Sodom where they were assumed to be simply a pair of human visitors.

Angels in the Bible never appear as cute, chubby infants! They are always full-grown adults. When people in the Bible saw an angel, their typical response was to fall on their faces in fear and awe. Some Bible passages picture angels with wings (Isaiah 6:2,6). Other verses talk about angels flying, and we assume that the wings would be useful for that flight (Daniel 9:21). However, I suspect that angels can move around without having to depend on wings. 

Angels never die (Luke 20:36).

• They are stronger than man, but not omnipotent (Psalm 103:20; 2 Peter 2:11).
• They are greater than man in knowledge, but not omniscient (2 Samuel 14:20; Matthew 24:36).
• Good angels are more noble and holy than man (Daniel 9:21-23, 10:10-14).
• Good angels can take on the appearance of men when the occasion demands. How else could some “entertain angels unaware” (Hebrews 13:2)? On the other hand, their appearance is sometimes in dazzling white and blazing glory (Matthew 28:2-4).
• Like us, angels have a free will and can be tempted.
• Angels do not marry or reproduce (Matthew 22:30). Angels are a company   not  a race descended from a common ancestor (Luke 20:34-36). We are called “sons of men,” but angels are never called “sons of angels.”

Author: Dr. Paul Eymann.

Editor’s Note: The Creator gave Adam and Eve, and their descendants, the wondrous ability to reproduce—ultimately creating billions of new eternal souls. In his wisdom, the ability to reproduce was withheld from angels. One might guess that this may have enraged prideful Lucifer, who led a great many angels (perhaps one third—if “stars” equals “angels” in Rev. 12:4) into rebellion against God and devoted to the deceit and destruction of mankind—rather than being encouragers, ministers and protectors to humanity (the role that God chose for them). (See: “Demons”)

• Angels are spirits (Hebrews 1:14)—like the soul of man, but without a physical body. They are apparently not part of our physical universe, but of a spiritual Heavenly realm. After the Earth’s Millenium period, the universe (“the heavens and the Earth”) will be destroyed in fire. This will not destroy eternal spiritual beings, like humans or angels. God will then create a new universe—a new Earth with new heavens, at least equal to, if not greater than, His original Creation—full of beauty and wonder, and without sin or death.
• Such expressions as “like the angels” (Luke 20:36), and the fact that whenever angels appeared to man it was always in a human form (Gen. 18:2; 19:1, 10; Luke 24:4; Acts 1:10), and the titles that are applied to them (“sons of God,” Job 1:6; 38:7; Dan. 3:25; compare 28) and to men (Luke 3:38), all seem to indicate some type of resemblance between them and the human race.