John says, I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands (Revelation 5:11). Apparently the seraphim were an order similar to the cherubim. But because of their rebellion, God has kept or reserved (tetereken perfect tense) these fallen angels in darkness and in eternal chains awaiting final judgment. Angels show us what perfect obedience looks like. The Seraphim angels, celestial beings, are the holy angels closest to Gods throne and the presence of God, the holy ghost, and lord of hosts.Out of the entire hierarchy of angels, these spiritual beings are the closest to God within the angelic hierarchy.These specific types of angels encircle his throne and emit an intense, fiery light representing his light, the loving light of God.These angels encircle his throne and emit an intense, fiery light representing his light, the loving light of God. 10 The Bible Knowledge Commentary, NT, John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, Editors, Victor Books, 1983, electronic media. Concerning this, Paul wrote: Colossians 2:18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. 7:2; 10:1). Michael is the defender of Israel who will wage war on behalf of Israel against Satan and his hordes in the Tribulation (Rev. 25:20; Isa. 148:1-2; Heb. In the statement, things into which the angels long to look, things are those things that belong to our salvation (vs. 10), and long to look is the same word used of the actions of John and Peter and Mary when they stooped down to peer into the empty tomb (Luke 24:12; John 20:5, 11). Romans 12:21 assures us that, through relationships with Jesus, we can overcome evil with good., Its important to know that we can count on God to send us help from angels. Of course, God is not obliged to use angels; He can do all these things directly. WebIslam, however, classifies spiritual beings into angels ( malikah ), demons ( shyan ), and jinn (singular jinni ), or genies. They are not divine and their worship is explicitly forbidden (see Col. 2:18; Rev. 89:6, 8; 1 Sam. 2:5-8a). This was new.44. They acted as attendants at the throne of God and agents of cleansing. He seems to be a messenger angel. 7 For an excellent discussion and support for this view, see Deffinbaughs study on Genesis 6 in his study of the book of Genesis on our web site. He is the omniscient One in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Rev. Adam was the head of the first race of men, but Christ became the head of the second race of regenerated men. They assist in governing nature and keeping order in all things. But its also important to process any messages we receive by evaluating them with wise discernment. God pronounced His creation good (Gen. 1:31), and, of course, He could not create sin. May I suggest that when Job criticized Gods ways or became demanding toward God he was in effect following in the footsteps of Satan in both finding fault and usurping Gods position as governor of the world. It would be helpful to also consider Ryries explanation of these angelic beings: Cherubim: Cherubim constitute another order of angels, evidently of high rank since Satan was a cherub (Ezek. However, Gabriel, who is considered an archangel, appears in both the OT and NT. Job 40:1-2 Then the LORD said to Job, Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? I refuse to believe in a God like that.. When the Jews were dishonoring God and cheating people, Jesus went into the temple, scattered the coins of money changers, flipped tables, and yelled, Take these things away from here! In one place demons are designated as world rulers of this darkness (Eph. The two wings to fly with are used to serve God. As Ryrie writes, One has only to peruse the amount of space devoted to angelology in standard theologies to demonstrate this. So today, from a world that lies under his deception (see John 12:31; 16:11; Eph. Fallen angels, or demons, are The same is true with sinful man. Web2. They are holy angels who have. 3:16; 1 Pet. While all the angels were originally created holy and without sin, there was a rebellion by Satan, who, being lifted up by his own beauty, rebelled and sought to exalt himself above God. Haniel is responsible for connecting a persons human energy and higher energy. The Bible reveals the moral problem is related to: (1) the fall of Satan and his angels into sin; (2) Satans characterization as the slandering adversary of God; (3) Gods purpose for man to rule on the earth with the loss of that rule through mans temptation and fall into sin; and (4) mans redemption and the recovery of that rule through the sinless God-man Savior who bore the penalty for our sin. It is also true when it comes to promoting good. In Jeremiah 23:16, God cautions that false prophets speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of theLord. When considering an angelic message, we can exercise spiritual discernment by testing them, according to 1 John 4:1: Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world. We can test the angels by following the advice in 1 John 4:2: This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.. 2:11; Eph. Revelation 22:8-9 describes how the apostle John tried to worship an angel in gratitude for the visions that the angel had shown him. The reason is twofold. Gabriel communicates important messages, such as telling the Virgin Mary that God has chosen her to serve as Jesus mother on Earth (Luke 1:26-39). God has created many different angels who spread his love through their faithful service. So why did God allow it? They consist of the Dominions, Virtues, and Powers. Still, in some passages He distinguishes Himself from Yahweh (Gen. 16:7-14; 21:17-18; 22:11-18; 31:11-13, Ex. Nor is there explicit reference to them as winged, although Daniel 9:21 and Revelation 14:6 speak of them as flying. This not only indicates a highly organized dominion in the spirit world of angels, but shows that Paul was writing to refute an incipient form of Gnosticism that promoted the worship of angels in place of the worship of Christ (cf. This is a list of angels in theology, including both specific angels (e.g., Gabriel) Angels safeguard households and individuals from evil and demons. Col. 2:15), Satan is not confined there now, but he and his fallen angels will be and this is a great point of anticipation in the Bible (cf. What amazing condescension! 14:20), yet it is limited (Matt. Satan is a rebel, a liar, a murderer, a deceiver, a slanderer, a tempter, a distorter, and one who opposes all that is good, righteous, and holy. 4:4). 41:18) and even four faces (Ezek. In contrast, living creatures have one face and six wings (Rev 4:7-8). Virtues are known as the Spirits of Motion and control the elements. This Lamb is alone able to accomplish what no one else in the universe is qualified and able to do. The context must determine if a human messenger is in view, or one of the celestial beings called angels, or if it is being used of the second Person of the Trinity as will be discussed below. Angels are higher in intelligence, power, and movement, yet angels serve men as ministering spirits (Heb. The word angel simply means a messenger of God at the most basic level. Others, in keeping with the use of sons of God in Job, believe the term refers to fallen angels who mated with the daughters of men to produce an extremely wicked and powerful progeny that led to the extreme wickedness of Noahs day. They who until now had, filled with awe, been praising Him for the wonder of creation, now see His wisdom glorified in a new form in the Christian communion through the manifold ways by which lost men are saved. As personalities we see them interacted with over and over again through the Bible. Mankind, including our incarnate Lord, is lower than the angels (Heb. In his 1990 book Angels: An Endangered Species, Malcolm Godwin estimates that over the last 30 years one in every ten pop songs mentions an angel. In Relation to the Church: Hebrews 1:14 describes their ministry as ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation. In this, however, Scripture points to a number of specific ministries: they bring answers to prayer (Acts 12:5-10), they help in bringing people to the Savior (Acts 8:26; 10:3), they may encourage in times of danger (Acts 27:23-24), and they care for Gods people at the time of death (Luke 16:22). He holds degrees from Harvard (AB), Westminster Theological Seminary (MDiv, DD), and Cambridge (PhD). 4 Kindred Spirit, a quarterly publication of Dallas Theological Seminary, Summer 1995, pp. Though a defeated foe (cf. Balaam could not see the angel standing in his way until the Lord opened his eyes (Num. He is appointed to convey revelations to the prophets by Allah. The word may be derived from a root meaning to burn or possibly from a root which means to be noble.28. Gabriel is the only other angel named in the Bible. Guardian angels: The closest angels to humans are the guardian angels that help guard us during our earthly lifetimes. The name of 15 angels are Ariel, Azrael, Chamuel, Gabriel, Haniel, Jeremiel, Jophiel, The implication is that God assigned angels stipulated responsibilities (arche, dominion) and a set place (oiketerion). 7:1; 8:2). Seraphim Seraphim praise God ( Isaiah 6:3 ). Cherubim Cherubim are typically represented with wings, feet, and hands, but are also described in different forms as having two faces ( Ezek. Archangel The word archangel is not found in the Old Testament. More items Religious or not, most people believe they have some form of a soul. Seraphims are the highest class of angel. Ezekiel and Revelation speak of other kinds of heavenly beings known as living creatures around Gods throne (Ezekiel 1:514, Revelation 4:68). Perhaps the most famous is the beast found in Revelatio What happens after you die? 669670). and the virgins name was Mary (Luke 1:2627). 38 The seven trumpets proceed out of the seven seals and immediately following this final trumpet are the seven bowl judgments that result in Christs return to earth, defeat of Satans kingdom, and the establishment of Christs rule on earth. The Powers are the angels of birth and death and are "border patrol angels" of Heaven. They appeared like a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle, representing various parts of Gods creation (wild beasts, domesticated animals, human beings, and birds). MasterLectures, by Zondervan Academic, gives you unlimited access to thousands of video lectures on the Bible and theology. WebThere are 9 different kinds of angels mentioned in the Bible. Though we are not told the exact contents of the seven-sealed book, written inside and on the back, it undoubtedly contains the story of mans loss of his lordship over the earth (Gen. 1:26) to Satan, the usurper, and its recovery through the God-man Savior, the Lion who is also the Lamb. In Gen. 3:24 they guarded the tree of life. Since they are spirit beings, they are usually not seen, unless God gives the ability to see them or unless they manifest themselves. The person attempting to make such judgment is described as one who delights in false humility and the worship of angels. The context suggests that he seeks to impose these things on the Colossians and that this is the means by which he attempts to disqualify them for their prize.19. But this passage is directed to those who make the Lord their refuge. They are normally invisible but can manifest themselves to us (Num. In the book of Revelation, an angel warns John not to worship him: You must not do that! Angels have greater power than man (Matt. 10:21.) But then Satan is suddenly introduced into the picture as the slandering accuser. By these comments I do not mean to discount all the so-called encounters with angels that we occasionally read or hear about. Unlike humans, angels do not have to study the past; they have experienced it. They are like Gods priestly worship leaders who stay around the throne offering God worship and leading others in the same. 2:9-14) and will one day recover that which was lost through the judgments of the seven seals as described in Revelation 6-19. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life, (Gen. 3:24). 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. This is suggested by the fact Michael is called the Archangel or chief angel (Jude 9). Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, The Bible Teachers Guide, Angelology: Understanding Angels. 9:2127). In Scripture, there are three types of angels. All rights reserved. 1:14). Satans claim was that Job only worshipped God because of all God had given to him; it was not because Job loved God for who He was or because God deserved to be worshipped as the Holy and Sovereign Creator. 4:17) and seek to influence their human leaders (Dan. The most likely reference here is to the angels (sons of God, cf. WebDuties of Angels. 9 Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1962, p. 134. 3:19; Heb. 1:11; 17:45). Angels are not created in the image of God, therefore, they do not share mans glorious destiny of redemption in Christ. For centuries, artists have portrayed angels as beautiful humans with wings and glowing light, complete with halos, harps, and flowing white gowns (or perfectly sculpted bodies). Do not make my Fathers house a marketplace! (John 2:16). 4 And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw them to the earth (Rev. In the last two years Time, Newsweek, Ladies Home Journal, Redbook, and a host of other popular magazines have carried articles about angels. She has also written the young adult novelDream Factory. They frequently bring Gods messages to people (Luke 1:1119, Acts 8:26, 10:38, 22, 27:2324). 25:41; 1 Cor. 9:21; Luke 1:26). But apparently such manifestations only occurred by way of a vision or special revelation from God. was a 1966 graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and a former pastor of 28 years. (2017). These angels did not keep their positions of authority (ten heauton archen). 12:7), and (4) as ministers to Gods people (Heb. Angels who are divine attendants. God alone not angels has the power to perform miracles (Psalm 72:18). Angel Gabriel The task of the Angel Gabriel is to convey the revelations given by Allah to the Prophets and Apostles. Is It Different from the Spirit? This, of course, is the crucial issue. More will be said on this later when dealing with the classification of angels. First Corinthians 10:31 says, So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Matthew 5:16 says, In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.. Paul also tells us that the Lord will return from heaven with the archangels call (1 Thessalonians 4:16). 4:13, 17, 23). As such, Satan not only becomes the classic illustration of the temptation and foolishness of pride in the creature, but pride becomes one of his chief snares by which he seeks to cause trouble among the people of God who are so prone to become puffed up over their own abilities or roles or over the abilities and roles of others, all of which are gifts of God. Unknown, unfamiliar, and unaccustomed are the meanings of the words Munkar and Nakir.. Other types of holy angels: The Bible also mentions other types of angels. Similarly, the sightings and descriptions of the angels were arranged into an angelic hierarchy, with 2 MacArthur, J., & Mayhue, R. One of the major networks has a popular program entitled Touched By An Angel. Certainly, this is just a story to entertain, but it does illustrate our fascination with this topic. Col. 2:18). He alone is found worthy to open the seven-sealed book and break its seals (cf. And there is not any among us, except that has a known position. The destiny of fallen angels is the lake of fire (Matt. That angels are spirits may also be inferred from the following considerations: Demons (fallen angels) are described as spirits (Matt. WebThough theologians have been cautious in their study of angels, watchful. Verse 17 may infer this is a special type of angel (if a special class is intended). The Living Creatures: These are angelic creatures who seem to be involved with revealing the glory of the God of Israel in His omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence (Ezek. Hebrews 12:22, for instance, describes thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly.. Two golden figures of cherubim sit above the Ark of the Covenant, where God promised to dwell among his people (Exodus 25:22, see also verses 1821). This last category includes spiritual beings that might be either benevolent or malevolent. Three other terms undoubtedly referring to angels are seraphim (Isa. This different hierarchy is called angelic choirs, which are also differentiated into three groups. Must a person confess Jesus with his mouth to be saved? WebWe can range the famous angels and their duties as follows; Gabriel (PBUH): The Archangel (A.S) Gabriel (A.S) is one of the four greatest angels. 22:22-31). Through the four faces, they may also anticipate what God would do to bring salvation to man through His Son: (a) The face of the man suggests wisdom, compassion, intelligence and pictures Christs humanity as the Son of man, the special focus found in the gospel of Luke; (b) the face of a lion speaks of kingly appearance and pictures Christ as King which is Matthews emphasis; (c) the face of a bull or ox portrays a servant, the emphasis seen in Mark; and (d) the face of an eagle speaks of heavenly action and portrays the deity Christ, which is Johns emphasis. The church at Colossae had been invaded by false teachers who were teaching a false humility and the worship of angels as a part of the means to spirituality. However, if you search the Bible for mentions of angels, these images are actually not found. Archangel Gabriel, also known as St. Gabriel (Saint Gabriel), is the most famous of Gods messengers for delivering Gods message to Mary. In this regard, Elishas confidence and prayer for his servant to see the myriad of angels surrounding them in the face of the human forces, suggests their greater power (2 Kings 6:15-17). Weve been made to believe that angels are always around us. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.. 3:10; Tim. 25:31; 1 Thes. Jesus Christ would be born a human baby and grow with his adult human hands to bless the world and deliver the New Testament through his holy disciples. Originally all angelic creatures were created holy. First, being the creation of a holy God, they were created perfect without any flaw or sin. In their threefold proclamation, holy, holy, holy (Isa. In fact, the living creatures seem to function like priestly worship leaders, initiating heavenly worship. The seraphim also express the holiness of God in that they proclaim that man must be cleansed of sins moral defilement before he can stand before God and serve Him.26. Matt. Perhaps no aspect of their ministry to man is more talked about than the idea of a guardian angel. People often ask, Does everyone have a guardian angel? The concept that every person has a specific guardian angel is only by implication from the statement that angels do guard or protect as Psalm 91:11 declares. Get updates from Zondervan Academic directly in your inbox. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. J. Hampton Keathley III, Th.M. Exodus 26:1 says, The tabernacle itself you are to make with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet; you are to make them with cherubim that are the work of an artistic designer.. Angels are diverse! The book of Job gives us a good illustration of his defaming accusations against believers and how, at the same time, he seeks to malign the character of God. In a passage that refers to angels (the host or armies of heaven), we read, You are the Lord, you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host . This likely emphasizes the superhuman authority of angels and demons exercised in relation to the affairs of the world (Eph. And the dragon and his angels waged war (Rev. 9 Or do you have an arm like God, And can you thunder with a voice like His?. How many types of angels are there and what are they? Just as people usually do not think of the punitive ministry of angels, so people, in their popular ideas about angels, often ignore the Scriptures teaching about the deception of Satans evil angels (2 Cor. Angels thus teach us the benefits of specialization. In the first sphere of angels, there are the Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones choirs. Even Satan, a fallen angel, with his angelic powers must operate under the permissive will of God (Job 1:12; 2:6). 26:53; Rev. In this post, we investigate the intermediate statethe state and the fate of each individual immediately after death but before the final resurrection. The most well-known Archangels are Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, with the full list here. They also observe Gods joy when a sinner repents (Luke 15:10).37 Angels are keenly interested in mans salvation in Christ and carefully observe Gods manifold wisdom in the unfolding of His redemptive plan (1 Pet. Because of Satans sin, he was thrust out of his exalted place and became the great adversary of God and Gods people (see Ezek. (In sports terms, the angels may be playing zone rather than man-on-man defense.). In view of the struggle between the two kingdoms, there is a joyous celebration of voices raised in heaven at the sounding of the seventh trumpet in anticipation of what the seventh trumpet would accomplish.38 This surely includes the holy angels: Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.. The book of Revelation, a book filled with references to angels, gives us the end resultthe final defeat of sin, death, and Satan with his fallen angels, and with paradise regained.