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This study provides a comprehensive scriptural analysis of angels. It primarily examines the original Hebrew and Greek terms malak, angelos, and Elohim and distinguishes between divine and human messengers. The author explores the form and nature of divine angels, noting that they are "ministering spirits" capable of invisibility or brilliant manifestations. Furthermore, the paper addresses and corrects common misconceptions from a scriptural basis for the topics such as "fallen angels" and "anatomy of angels". The study concludes with the practical and spiritual implications for believers.
This word, “angel”, is translated from the word “angelos” in the New Testament and “malak” in the Old Testament. These words, angelos and malak, mean messenger. Sometimes normal people, like Peter’s human messenger (Acts 12:15),Acts 12:15XWaiting for response are referred to as angels because they are carrying a message. The context helps to not confuse these human messengers with angels from God, even though the same original word is used. For the purpose of this study, angels from God will be referred to as divine angels.
Divine angels have been given power and authority by God. They have more authority than us but less authority than Jesus (Hebrews 2:9,Hebrews 2:9XWaiting for response Hebrews 1:8,Hebrews 1:8XWaiting for response Acts 2:32-33).Acts 2:32-33XWaiting for response Jesus says those who enter into eternal life will be equal to divine angels (Luke 20:36).Luke 20:36XWaiting for response
Divine angels are God’s messengers. They do work for God which sometimes involves bringing a message from God (Genesis 16:10),Genesis 16:10XWaiting for response or something else entirely such as the one who led the people of Israel into their land, who was titled the Captain of the Armies of God (Joshua 5:14).Joshua 5:14XWaiting for response
There is another original word which can mean divine angels, though it is never translated as angels. The Hebrew word “Elohim” means people in authority, and can refer to the angels as they clearly have authority given to them by God, but can also mean normal people in authority, for example the judges of Israel (Ezekiel 21:6).Ezekiel 21:6XWaiting for response It can also refer to false gods, which people think are in authority (e.g. Genesis 31:30).Genesis 31:30XWaiting for response The translators translated the word “Elohim” as God in the majority of cases because of the context, for example in Genesis 1 creation was done by God through his angels. It’s like a king sending a servant to do his will, the servant does the work in the king’s name. It is first revealed to the reader that God is behind the work of creation in Genesis 2:4,Genesis 2:4XWaiting for response where God’s name is used alongside “Elohim” in the words “the LORD [God’s name - Yehovah] God [Elohim] made the earth and the heavens”.
"Let us make man in our image" said God's angels as they worked God's will (Genesis 1:26).Genesis 1:26XWaiting for response This gives an indication of what divine angels looks like - they look like us!
This is reinforced when some people are recorded in the Bible as unaware they have met a divine angel. For example, Gideon the prophet did not know he was speaking to an angel until the angel made fire come out of a rock to consume an offering to God (Judges 6:21).Judges 6:21XWaiting for response As another example, Manoah spoke with what he thought was a man, but it was actually a divine angel (Judges 13:16).Judges 13:16XWaiting for response
A divine angel’s form can appear different to ours though. They can change their form to be more brilliant than ours, for example, an angel appeared at the tomb of Jesus who looked like lightning (Matthew 28:3).Matthew 28:3XWaiting for response Also, some angels are recorded as being completely invisible (Numbers 22:31).Numbers 22:31XWaiting for response
In the letter to the Hebrews, divine angels are described as ministering spirits sent from God to minister to those who are heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14).Hebrews 1:14XWaiting for response The original word for spirit can be translated as breath or wind.
All of this shows that divine angels are spiritual beings, which is different to us who are physical beings, and that they can take on various forms including powerful forms, or looking like a normal person, or be completely invisible.
God does work through divine angels. What God does through his angels is completely awesome. Just look at creation! What a work! It required an enormous amount of design and power to complete, much more than we are capable of.
Creation is not the only work God has done work through his angels. In fact, the majority of times we see the word “God” in the Bible it indicates God did it through the angels because it is the word “Elohim”.
The works done through God's angels are varied in power. Some examples requiring less power than creation are; two angels came to warn Lot of the destruction of the city he lived in so that he could escape (Genesis 19:1);Genesis 19:1XWaiting for response the message of Revelation is sent from Jesus to John by an angel (Revelation 1:1);Revelation 1:1XWaiting for response Moses met the angel of God at the burning bush (Exodus 3:2).Exodus 3:2XWaiting for response
An interesting and relevant piece of information revealed to us is that angels of God influence humans. When Daniel met a divine angel called Gabriel, he explained to Daniel that the prince of Persia withstood him (Daniel 10:13).Daniel 10:13XWaiting for response This is encouraging and comforting for those who put their trust in God because it is an example of God’s invisible hand at work. The prince of Persia would have had no idea that the angel was working against him and he was making things difficult for the angel. We can learn from this that God helps those in need who look to God, which can even be by influencing the mind of people while remaining unseen. This passage also reveals information about the challenges that divine angels face. They do not simply click their fingers and the work is done. There can be hardship involved.
In the letter to the Hebrews, angels are described as ministering spirits sent from God to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14).Hebrews 1:14XWaiting for response This is comforting for those who follow God. The divine angels, who are capable of massive works such as creation and who work on the minds of humans, are ministering to “them who shall be heirs of salvation”.
An important consideration is that angels cannot sin. This is proven because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23)Romans 6:23XWaiting for response but angels live forever (Luke 20:36).Luke 20:36XWaiting for response This proves angels cannot sin because they cannot die.
God does many wonderful works through shi sinless angels, including creation and helping the heirs of salvation.
The angels have different positions. For example, the Captain of the Armies of God (Joshua 5:14).Joshua 5:14XWaiting for response
When Daniel met the angel Gabriel, it was revealed Gabriel was getting support from another angel - Michael. Michael is described as an arch angel by Gabriel and others (Daniel 10:13,Daniel 10:13XWaiting for response 1 Thessalonians 4:16,1 Thessalonians 4:16XWaiting for response Jude 1:9).Jude 1:9XWaiting for response The original word for “arch” means chief. So Michael is a chief angel - revealing there is a hierarchy.
Gabriel, who could be the same angel that appeared to Daniel, appeared to John the Baptist’s father - Zacharias (Luke 1:11).Luke 1:11XWaiting for response He reveals he stands in the presence of God which may be an indication of his position.
In the gospel of Matthew (Matthew 25:41),Matthew 25:41XWaiting for response Jesus speaks of the devil having angels or messengers. As is clear in the writing, this is a parable, and represents the people carrying out the works of the devil, the devil being a separate study. The information in this parable should not be taken out of context.
There are other instances in the Bible which could be taken out of context and received as if there are sinful angels. We know there are no sinful angels because we know angels live forever and the wages of sin is death. By considering the context, and comparing scripture with scripture, the truth can be found out.
One example of false beliefs about divine angels is the example of Korah, Nathan, and Abiram (Numbers 16). These 3 people rebelled against Moses and Aaron and are the messengers of the rebellious people of Israel, leading a group of them (Numbers 16:1-2).Numbers 16:1-2XWaiting for response After God revealed to the people of Israel that Moses and Aaron were his servants, and not Korah, Nathan, and Abiram, Moses said to the people to leave Korah, Nathan, and Abiram (Numbers 16:24,27)Numbers 16:24,27XWaiting for response and said that these leaders would die by a new way (Numbers 16:28-30).Numbers 16:28-30XWaiting for response Then “the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up” (Numbers 16:32-33).Numbers 16:32-33XWaiting for response
This incident is referred to in the New Testament on two separate occasions. Firstly in Jude 1:6,Jude 1:6XWaiting for response where Jude writes warnings about people creeping into the congregation and the congregation being unaware of them (Jude 1:4)Jude 1:4XWaiting for response and then giving several examples of such wickedness, one such example being Korah, Nathan, and Abiram who were “angels which kept not their first estate”, in other words, they weren’t satisfied with the position given to them (their first estate) and were messengers (angels) for the people of Israel in the rebellion. They have been “reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day” as the earth swallowed them up, which is where their bones remain until the day of judgment.
The second reference to this same incident is in a similar warning from the apostle Peter (2 Peter 2:4).2 Peter 2:4XWaiting for response He wrote about false prophets and teachers who “shall bring in damnable heresies” (2 Peter 2:1)2 Peter 2:1XWaiting for response and gave examples of people who had not been spared after being wicked (2 Peter 2:4-6).2 Peter 2:4-6XWaiting for response One of these examples is Korah, Nathan, and Abiram, referred to again as messengers (angels) who were “cast down to hell, and delivered into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment” as the earth swallowed them up, their bones being reserved there until judgment.
Another example of a common false belief is that God's angels have wings. As we have seen from this study, angels are described in the Bible as looking like a normal person (Judges 6:21),Judges 6:21XWaiting for response or they can be bright (Matthew 28:3),Matthew 28:3XWaiting for response or they can be completely invisible (Numbers 22:31).Numbers 22:31XWaiting for response Nowhere in the Bible are angels recorded as having wings.
This belief likely comes from the symbolic creatures with wings, the Seraphim and the Cherubim. The original words translated as Cherubim and Seraphim are completely different to the original words used for God’s angels.
The Cherubim are found in various places in the Bible. The first being the guardians of the garden of Eden after Adam and Eve left (Genesis 3:24).Genesis 3:24XWaiting for response The second being as images within the tabernacle of God, which the people of Israel built when exiting Egypt. They appear in various forms in the tabernacle, for example as gold statues with four faces and wings, covering the mercy seat and embroidered into the curtains (Exodus 25:20,Exodus 25:20XWaiting for response Exodus 26:1).Exodus 26:1XWaiting for response There are various other places that they appear in the Bible, some of which are in visions (e.g. Ezekiel 10:1).Ezekiel 10:1XWaiting for response The original word translated as Cherubim is kerub, which is completely different to the original words used for God’s angels. They appear to be symbolic creatures representing God and his purpose.
The Seraphim only appear in two places in the Bible - Isaiah 6:2,6.Isaiah 6:2,6XWaiting for response They appear in visions and have many wings, and appear to be similar to the Cherubim in that they are symbolic creatures that represent God and his purpose. The original word translated as seraphim is also translated as serpent (e.g. Numbers 21:8)Numbers 21:8XWaiting for response so this word may simply mean a serpent with wings.
We can be like the angels of God. Just like David, who is likened to an angel of God (2 Samuel 19:27).2 Samuel 19:27XWaiting for response We can carry out the work of God; preach the gospel message; do God's will which is to follow God’s commandments and walk in God's ways. Ultimately, we can be made equal to the angels if by grace we receive forgiveness and salvation through Jesus (Luke 20:36).Luke 20:36XWaiting for response
Just as there is a hierarchy among the angels so there will also be a hierarchy in the Kingdom of God. Of course, the Father in Heaven, the Almighty, the one who is above all will be God. Jesus, the Son of God sits on God’s right hand. As for the angels and those people who are saved from the curse of death we will have our own hierarchy underneath these two. Jesus says to receive a greater reward in heaven one must make themselves lower in this life (Mark 10:40-45).Mark 10:40-45XWaiting for response Look at what Jesus did as an example for us to follow. He gave his life. What greater deed can a servant do for their master? To be high in the kingdom of God, think on how you can serve God and do it. Don’t rush into it in case of failure; be patient, build yourself up for the task and be successful, just as any good servant does. God knows your heart. Don’t desire more than you are able. Choose something you are capable of and work for it. You might just please the Almighty God and Creator of heaven and earth.
God's commandments and ways do not fill one with grief, though walking contrary does. While it may be fun to get drunk, how does it feel the next day? There are many temporarily good things in this world that, once they end, are not good at all. God's ways are full of love, mercy and kindness. They fill you with happiness when you give yourself to them. They are not without challenge and accomplishment but the difference is that one way continues forever and the other way leads to death.
Imagine the amazing works that one could do united with God through Jesus.
One of the forefathers of Israel, Jacob, was victorious in a wrestle with what appears to be an angel (Genesis 32:24-30).Genesis 32:24-30XWaiting for response He is described as a man (Genesis 32:24),Genesis 32:24XWaiting for response but the evidence that is an angel is that he changes Jacob's name to Israel which means "power with God and with men" (Genesis 32:28)Genesis 32:28XWaiting for response and God later confirms the name change (Genesis 35:10).Genesis 35:10XWaiting for response Also, Jacob seems to think that he was an angel, as he calls the place Peniel, and says the reason is "for I have seen God face to face" (Genesis 32:30).Genesis 32:30XWaiting for response
Angels of God know good and evil. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the angel of God says “the man becomes one of us, to know good and evil” (Genesis 3:22).Genesis 3:22XWaiting for response There is a suggestion that angels have been through a similar experience to what we go through, though there is no proof of this other than that they "know good and evil" and the saints are made equal to the angels.
The angels of the Lord protect those who follow him.
The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Psalm 34:7Psalm 34:7XWaiting for response