ANGELS - A Biblical Study

[Major]

I would venture to say that all of us know about angels. I would also venture to say that what we know about angels comes from what someone has told us.

I thought it might be a good idea to do an in depth study about Angels based not on what we have been told, or what e think, but instead what God has told us.

So, first of all, what is the origin of Angels????

Nehemiah 9:6.........
"You alone are the Lord;
You have made heaven,
The heaven of heavens, with all their host,
The earth and everything on it,
The seas and all that is in them,
And You preserve them all.
The host of heaven worships You."

Colossians 1:16..........
"For by him (Christ) 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 (Christ)."

Parenthesis are from me and are proven by verse where we read......."The dear Son of God, Jesus Christ".

So then, Biblically we see that Jesus Christ is the Creator of ALL things including ALL of the Angels. Folks, this is one of if not the most important Bible doctrines in all of the Scriptures to get a grip on. The same baby Jesus, lying in a manger with a dirty diaper is the same Jesus who spoke the Word and Created ALL things in heaven and on the earth including YOU.

Luke 24:27 confirms all of this when we read........
"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."
Moses wrote the fist five books of the Bible. So Jesus has just told us that HE is the focus of ALL the Old Testament writers.

So, Biblically speaking, before we can get to the origin of Angels we must recognize the Creator of those beings and He is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God.

John 1:1-3.......
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men."

In the original Greek, the word here in verse #1, "WORD = LOGOS" which is the title of CHRIST. It is one of the most important titles given to Him. The idea behind this title embodied God's revelation of Himself to humanity.

John used the phrase "WORD OF GOD" to describe Jesus because that same phrase was used over 1200 times in the Old Testament to refer to the message of God. Jesus is the expression and communication of the Word and He is both the incarnate and inspired Word.

As a side note, if you have never done a study of Biblical numbers, may I say to you that the number ONE stands for UNITY. It is no accident that Jesus is called God in John 1:1!

You are invited and encouraged to add to this teaching and give your impressions and support. If you disagree, please post the Scriptures that support your thinking so that we can discus it.

 

[LearningToLetGo]

Angel can also mean messenger.

 

[YeshuaFan]

Angel can also mean messenger.

Some also see the "angels of the churches: can refer to the local pastors

 

[bobinfaith]

Hello Major;

Angels - A Biblical Study is a good topic to learn and understand more about.

Each of us may have our own personal understanding of angels, what was / is our experience and what we believe today.

As children I can remember there was a portrait titled Guardian Angel Watching Over the Children Crossing the Bridge. I believe the artist was an Austrian named Hans Zatzka.

As a child I was told many times we all have a guardian angel. When we survive an accident from a bicycle, vehicle or airplane we were protected by our guardian angel.

As LearningToLetGo shared, angels are God's messengers as taught in the Bible. Gabriel was the angel of messages, for example, Daniel, Mary, Zechariah and John.

Michael was the archangel of warfare, for example, Satan in Revelation 12:7-9, Michael rebuked Satan in Jude 1:9.

There were angels who tended to Jesus in Matthew 4, and many angels reference Revelation 5:11. But only two that the Bible teaches who were higher ranked, Gabriel and Michael.

The Bible does not state that Gabriel was an archangel, only Michael, but I believe Gabriel also had a higher appointment by God.

God bless everyone.

Bob

 

[Major]

Angel can also mean messenger.

Thanks for the reply and YES, you are correct.

However, in what I am doing, I am specifically referring to the supernatural beings created by God. As we progress I will expound on the Bible fact that angels do a lot of things and one of those was to bring the message of God to men.

 

[Major]

Some also see the "angels of the churches: can refer to the local pastors

That is true.

Rev. 1:13 says..........
“The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”

The Greek word angelos simply meant “messenger”; usually, the word was used for supernatural “messengers” from God. However, sometimes the word was applied to human messengers of God’s Word: John the Baptist is called an “angelos” in Matthew 11:10.
IMHO.....A pastor of a church functions as a “messenger” for God, delivering God’s Word to the congregation. Probably the best interpretation, however, is that the seven angels are the human leaders—the bishops, elders, or pastors—in the churches.

 

[Major]

Hello Major;

Angels - A Biblical Study is a good topic to learn and understand more about.

Each of us may have our own personal understanding of angels, what was / is our experience and what we believe today.

As children I can remember there was a portrait titled Guardian Angel Watching Over the Children Crossing the Bridge. I believe the artist was an Austrian named Hans Zatzka.

As a child I was told many times we all have a guardian angel. When we survive an accident from a bicycle, vehicle or airplane we were protected by our guardian angel.

As LearningToLetGo shared, angels are God's messengers as taught in the Bible. Gabriel was the angel of messages, for example, Daniel, Mary, Zechariah and John.

Michael was the archangel of warfare, for example, Satan in Revelation 12:7-9, Michael rebuked Satan in Jude 1:9.

There were angels who attended to Jesus in Matthew 4, and many angels reference Revelation 5:11. But only two that the Bible teaches who were higher ranked, Gabriel and Michael.

The Bible does not state that Gabriel was an archangel, only Michael, but I believe Gabriel also had a higher appointment by God.

God bless everyone.

Bob

I will of course touch on all of those areas.

Now when I get to "guardian angels" there will those who do not agree with me. However, this is not being done to cause disagreements but to allow discussion with the goal to grow and learn from the Word of God.

 

[YeshuaFan]

I will of course touch on all of those areas.

Now when I get to "guardian angels" there will those who do not agree with me. However, this is not being done to cause disagreements but to allow discussion with the goal to grow and learn from the Word of God.

Always wonderted about Angels watching over and protecting us. since we now have the Holy Spirit Himself indwelling us, would he not be protection enough?

 

[Major]

Always wonderted about Angels watching over and protecting us. since we now have the Holy Spirit Himself indwelling us, would he not be protection enough?

Yes.

I will get to that question and give you a Bible answer in due time. Stay tuned!

 

[Major]

ANGELS.........PAGE TWO!

Nehemiah 9:6 tols us how the angels came to be.

Colossians 1:16 told us exactly who craeated them.

So by the Scriptures we know that all of the angels were a special act of the creative ability og God. Each angel was a direct creation and may be and were at times referred to as "Sons of God".

Angels di not evolove into beaing angels. Angels are not the spirits of Christians who have died and then rewarded and made into a supernatural being because they did good deeds.

Once they were created by God their numbers were forever fixed. Understand now that there are TWO classes of angels.........
1. Godly angels.
2. Fallen angels - Demons.

Also, all angels are ASEXUAL. That means that they do not reproduce. They are not physical so they do not have sexual organs so as to reproduce.

Matthew 22:30....
"For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven."

This Bible scripture answers the topic surrounding Genesis 6 and the "Sons of God marrying the daughters of men" and producing the NEPHILLIN. There has been for hundreds of years those who refuse to believe the Scriptures and instead have manufactured what they want to believe and that is that the Sons of God in Genesis 6 are fallen angels who had sex with humans women and produced a demonic offspring. That is impossible when you read the Bible as The Biblical teaching is very clear and easy to understand.

Matthew 22:30 says that resurrected humans WILL BE LIKE THE ANGELS IN THAT THEY WILL NOT HAVE ANY SEXUAL RELATIONS.

They can not be angels for as least three reasons.........
1. Matthew 22:30 catagorically rejects the thought.
2. Good angels whould never do what God had said not to do.
3. Spiritual beings do not have the physical plumbing to have sexual relations.

So who are the Sons of God in Genesis 6?

There will be some who disagree but In my opinion, based on what I believe the Scripture tell us, the "sons of God" as used in Genesis 6 is the human, Godly line of men who came from Adam through Seth to Enos.

Genesis 4:46...........
"To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord."

The "Daughters of men" would then be the human line of women who came through the un-Godly line of Cain. So what we have here in Genesis 6 is an intermingling and intermarriage of these two lines of humn beings and the entire line is correupted except for ONE man....
NOAH.

That fact right there then explains why God deatroyed this line of humans with the flood just one chapter away.

So far then, from the Bible itself we know the ORIGIN of the angels.
We also know who CREATED them.
We also know the METHOD was a special divine act of creation.

We also know that angels do not die.

Luke 20:36..........
"for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection."

Next we will try and discover WHEN God created the angels.

 

[YeshuaFan]

ANGELS.........PAGE TWO!

Nehemiah 9:6 tols us how the angels came to be.

Colossians 1:16 told us exactly who craeated them.

So by the Scriptures we know that all of the angels were a special act of the creative ability og God. Each angel was a direct creation and may be and were at times referred to as "Sons of God".

Angels di not evolove into beaing angels. Angels are not the spirits of Christians who have died and then rewarded and made into a supernatural being because they did good deeds.

Once they were created by God their numbers were forever fixed. Understand now that there are TWO classes of angels.........
1. Godly angels.
2. Fallen angels - Demons.

Also, all angels are ASEXUAL. That means that they do not reproduce. They are not physical so they do not have sexual organs so as to reproduce.

Matthew 22:30....
"For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven."

This Bible scripture answers the topic surrounding Genesis 6 and the "Sons of God marrying the daughters of men" and producing the NEPHILLIN. There has been for hundreds of years those who refuse to believe the Scriptures and instead have manufactured what they want to believe and that is that the Sons of God in Genesis 6 are fallen angels who had sex with humans women and produced a demonic offspring. That is impossible when you read the Bible as The Biblical teaching is very clear and easy to understand.

Matthew 22:30 says that resurrected humans WILL BE LIKE THE ANGELS IN THAT THEY WILL NOT HAVE ANY SEXUAL RELATIONS.

They can not be angels for as least three reasons.........
1. Matthew 22:30 catagorically rejects the thought.
2. Good angels whould never do what God had said not to do.
3. Spiritual beings do not have the physical plumbing to have sexual relations.

So who are the Sons of God in Genesis 6?

There will be some who disagree but In my opinion, based on what I believe the Scripture tell us, the "sons of God" as used in Genesis 6 is the human, Godly line of men who came from Adam through Seth to Enos.

Genesis 4:46...........
"To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord."

The "Daughters of men" would then be the human line of women who came through the un-Godly line of Cain. So what we have here in Genesis 6 is an intermingling and intermarriage of these two lines of humn beings and the entire line is correupted except for ONE man....
NOAH.

That fact right there then explains why God deatroyed this line of humans with the flood just one chapter away.

So far then, from the Bible itself we know the ORIGIN of the angels.
We also know who CREATED them.
We also know the METHOD was a special divine act of creation.

We also know that angels do not die.

Luke 20:36..........
"for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection."

Next we will try and discover WHEN God created the angels.

Just curious, was satan when created an archangel, or a Cherub?

 

[Major]

Just curious, was satan when created an archangel, or a Cherub?

I appreciate the question but you are getting ahead of me.

However.....Ezekiel 28:14 tells us that Satan was a cherub, one type of angel, and he used to dwell in heaven. In this verse heaven is referred to as “the holy mountain of God.”

"You were the anointed cherub who covers,
And I placed you there.
You were on the holy mountain of God;
You walked in the midst of the stones of fire."

Now the question will be, what is a "Cherub"?

There are THREE (3) classes of angels recorded in the bible and they are....
1. Arch Angels - Jude 9
2. Cherubim - Ezekiel 10:1-22
3. Seraphim - Isaiah 6:1-7

 

[YeshuaFan]

I appreciate the question but you are getting ahead of me.

However.....Ezekiel 28:14 tells us that Satan was a cherub, one type of angel, and he used to dwell in heaven. In this verse heaven is referred to as “the holy mountain of God.”

"You were the anointed cherub who covers,
And I placed you there.
You were on the holy mountain of God;
You walked in the midst of the stones of fire."

Now the question will be, what is a "Cherub"?

There are THREE (3) classes of angels recorded in the bible and they are....
1. Arch Angels - Jude 9
2. Cherubim - Ezekiel 10:1-22
3. Seraphim - Isaiah 6:1-7

Was satan the highest ranked Angel?

 

[Major]

Was satan the highest ranked Angel?

My understanding is that there is an angelic hierarchy. I say that because it is simply the order in which angels are placed in heaven, starting at the throne of God and working down to the lobes of heaven. This order is a matter of positioning, authority and power because God is a God of order.

Now as for Satans position. I have already stated that the Bible confirms in the book of EZEKIEL 28:14 that Lucifer was a high-ranking cherub before his fall.

So then, Cherub is a name given in the Christian Bible to a category of angels. They are generally described in the Christian tradition as bodiless angels, reduced to a winged head. Cherubim are just as mysterious, because they are attributed wild traits similar to those of humans and animals, confirming their warlike nature.

That Satan, being biblically classified in the family of angels called CHERUB he was therefore positioned in heaven in the first category of angels forming the second ANGELIC CHOIR behind THE SERAFIN.

The mission of the cherubim was to guard and protect the throne of God in heaven, which is why they are called the guardians of the temple.

 

[Major]

PAGE THREE---- WHEN WERE ANGELS CREATED?????

Job 38:1-7..........
"Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

"when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" = the angels/host of heaven!!!!
Clearly, this passage places the existence of the heavenly host before the Creation of the Earth and maybe even the Universe.

YES......I realize the next question. How do we know that the phrase "Sons of God" here refers to angels it does not humans where the same phrase is used in Genesis 6?

Easy. The phrase in Job from God to Job is about the joy in heaven BEFORE the Creation. There were NO humans in heaven before the earth was created. There were NO angels on the earth BEFORE the creation. So by simple elimination we can understand that the "Sons of God" in Job can only refer to angels in heaven.

Therefore, the "Sons of God" on the earth after creation can only refer to humans because angels are spirits and can not reproduce.

Lets prove that.........In Job 1: 6 we read this....
"Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them."

Job 1:7........
"The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”

Job 38:1-7 told us that God created the earth and all that is in it. Job 1:6 tells us that God created angels with intelligence and responsibility and must report to their Creator as a matter of routine.

Now Colossians 2:18.........
"Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind".

In Paul's day and time, there was a heresy called the "Colossian Heresy". It was done as worship to angels. It is the same problem we see today. Paul was telling the church then to not have anything to do with angel worship!

He also went on to say in Galatians 1:8.......
"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed."

"Accursed" in the original Greek = ETERNALLY CONDEMNED!

So then, we now know that angels were created BEFORE the foundation of the earth was thought of by God.

 

[YeshuaFan]

My understanding is that there is an angelic hierarchy. I say that because it is simply the order in which angels are placed in heaven, starting at the throne of God and working down to the lobes of heaven. This order is a matter of positioning, authority and power because God is a God of order.

Now as for Satans position. I have already stated that the Bible confirms in the book of EZEKIEL 28:14 that Lucifer was a high-ranking cherub before his fall.

So then, Cherub is a name given in the Christian Bible to a category of angels. They are generally described in the Christian tradition as bodiless angels, reduced to a winged head. Cherubim are just as mysterious, because they are attributed wild traits similar to those of humans and animals, confirming their warlike nature.

That Satan, being biblically classified in the family of angels called CHERUB he was therefore positioned in heaven in the first category of angels forming the second ANGELIC CHOIR behind THE SERAFIN.

The mission of the cherubim was to guard and protect the throne of God in heaven, which is why they are called the guardians of the temple.

Just was asking, as church tradition places him as archangel, and maybe even highest created being, as even Michael dared not rail against Him for body of Moses

 

[Major]

Just was asking, as church tradition places him as archangel, and maybe even highest created being, as even Michael dared not rail against Him for body of Moses

Traditions are scary my friend. There are NO Scriptures that say Lucifer was an archangel.

He is depicted in Scriptures as the dragon, ancient serpent the devil, father of all lies, day star, Lucifer, guardian cherub, prince of the power of the air, ruler of this world.....but never an arch angel!

 

[YeshuaFan]

Traditions are scary my friend. There are NO Scriptures that say Lucifer was an archangel.

He is depicted in Scriptures as the dragon, ancient serpent the devil, father of all lies, day star, Lucifer, guardian cherub, prince of the power of the air, ruler of this world.....but never an arch angel!

So would then still be the greatest in power and intelligence of all of Gods created Hosts?

 

[Major]

So would then still be the greatest in power and intelligence of all of Gods created Hosts?

I have NO scriptural basis to make that assumption. It may be, and then again, it may not be the case.

From what I know, the Bible presents Satan as a complex and formidable spiritual entity, whose knowledge and abilities are significant yet limited.

All angels are powerful to one degree or another. Satan's knowledge is significant, yet it is not omniscient.

I would say that Satan's ability to tempt and deceive us is one of his most prominent characteristics.