Angels

 
ARTICLE XII – SECTION A: ANGELS “MESSENGERS”

War In The Heavenlies

“Surrounding us is a spirit world, far more populous, powerful, and resourceful than our own visible world of human beings. Spirits, good and evil, wend their way in our midst. With lightning speed and noiseless movement they pass from place to place. They inhabit the spaces of the air about us. Some we know to be concerned for our welfare, others are set on our harm. The inspired writers draw aside the curtain and give us a glimpse of this invisible world, in order that we may be both encouraged and warned.” Myer Pearlman.

There are holy angels, and there are evil angels.  Angels are created beings (they have not existed from all eternity).  

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”  Col 1:16.

The Bible does not clearly indicate when angels were created:

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”  Gen 1:1.

There is no gap between Genesis 1:1, and Genesis 2:2.  The Gap Theory is a doctrine of devils meant to deceive and allow other false doctrines to prosper; such as, dinosaurs, demons, pseudo-scientific teachings, earth age, earth construction, and many more.

“Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?...When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”  Job 38:4a, 7.  

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!”  Isa 14:12.

 

“Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.”  Eze 28:14-15.

Job 38:4a and 7, Isaiah 14:12, and Ezekiel 28:14-15, gives us the best indication of when angels were created.  That time is after the creation of heaven and earth in verse one of Genesis.  This is assumed from Job, being the angels were there when the foundation of the earth was laid.  Possibly after evening and in the morning of the first day because Isaiah calls Lucifer, “son of the morning!”  Ezekiel also says the Devil was created, “from the day.”  Again, probably on day one.

Angels are not a race, but a Company:

“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,”  Heb 12:22.

Angels were created all at one time, they do not marry, they do not reproduce (no increase), and they do not die (no decrease):

“And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:  Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.”  Luk 20:34-36.

Angels have no sexual distinction, but they are referred to in the masculine gender, and they are vast in number:

“Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?”  Mat 26:53.

“And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;”  Rev 5:11.

Holy angels are messengers of God and fallen angels are messengers of Satan (the god of this world).  Angels are spirits; they do not have a corporeal body:

“Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:”  Psa 104:4.

“Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”  Luk 24:39.

However, they are real unique creatures.  They are finite (having limits or bounds).  They are spacial (existing in space).  They have a freer existence in time and space than man, and large numbers can occupy small spaces:

“And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.”  Luk 8:30.

Angels are not omnipresent (they can only be in one place at one time).  We are not to worship angels (that is why God mandates they stay invisible):

“...I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant…”  Rev 22:8b-9a.

Angels have assumed the form of human bodies on numerous occasions:

“And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.”  Joh 20:12. (see also, Luk 1:26-27, Act 8:26, Act 12:7-8).

Angels have personalities, wisdom, and power and they live in heaven(s).  They minister to man but live in heaven(s):

PERSONALITY 

(Individual and Rational)
“...which things the angels desire to look into.”  1Pe 1:12b.

(Intelligent Worship)
“Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.”  Psa 148:2.

(Emotions)
“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”  Luk 15:10.

(Moral – Right and Wrong / Reward and Punishment)
“For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;”  2Pe 2:4.

Angels were under a period of probation too.  Those who obeyed stayed; those who disobeyed were cast out.

WISDOM & POWER 

(Intelligence above Man’s)
“Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.”  Luk 4:34.

(Power from God – Angels are not Omnipotent)
“Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.”  2Pe 2:11.

ABODE 

(Live in Heaven(s))
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”  Gal 1:8. (see also, Mat 22:30, Joh 1:51, Mar 13:32, Jud 6). 

“They are unable to do those things peculiar to a Deity – create, act without means, or search the human heart.”  Lewis Sperry Chafer.