Angels are very misunderstood and wrongly displayed creations of God. Yes, that is right, God created angels (Psalms 33: 6, Isaiah 40:26, and Revelation 10:6). People create an image of angels that they have no biblical reason to believe is true. You’ve seen it and I’ve seen it too, people have displayed many types of images they call angels. Even though the Bible calls this idolatry (Exodus 20:3-4), people still do it. You likely have seen these ceramic dolls or figures of a woman with wings. The funny thing is, not once do you read of a female angel in all of the inspired text we know as the Bible. In fact, angels are spirits (Psalms 104:4). When they have appeared in the flesh it has been in the form of a male (i.e. Genesis 19:1-5). The amount of angels that exist are innumerable (Hebrews 12:22). When one reads about an angel such as a cherubim in the Bible, they will not find the beautiful depiction that man has ascribed to these winged creatures (Ezekiel 10). When we read of a seraphim in the Bible, we read about a male, six winged creature (Isaiah 6:2ff.). Angels are not the soft, cuddly appearing creatures that man thinks of (Ezekiel 1:4ff.). The appearance of an angel often caused man and beast to react in manners of fear and awe (Numbers 22:23-31 and Revelation 22:8-9). Again, the depiction of an angel in the Bible is nothing like we see on display in stores, homes, and denominational meeting houses today. The mystifying idea of beautiful creatures watching over man is certainly something you can sell. However, angels have been used by God as His messengers. In fact, the term “angel” (aggelos in Greek) means “messenger”. From the angel telling Abraham not to kill Isaac (Genesis 22:11-12) to Mary being told she would bare Jesus (Luke 1:28-35), we read about angels bringing messages from God to man. While there is a lot to say about angels and this article is too short to cover all of it, there is also a lot said about angels that is not true. We shall seek to clarify some of those things in this article. It needs to be made abundantly clear that while God has chosen angels in times past to talk with mankind that is no longer his source of communication with us. Not only do we know for certain that the period of revelation from God to man has come to an end (Revelation 22:18-19; cf. Galatians 1:8-9), but we also know that even during the period the New Testament was being penned it was man sent to preach the Gospel rather than angels (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-20, and Acts 5: 42). In fact, in two cases where an angel was involved he was used to send a man to preach rather than going and doing it himself (Acts 8:26-38 and Acts 10:3-8). Thus, the days of angels directly bringing the Gospel to man are over. Even more interesting is the fact that when the Holy Sprit came to reveal the words of Christ to man (John 16:13), the angels desired to look into those things as they did not know them (I Peter 1:10-13). This however, is just one of many common false ideas about angels. Among many of the misconceptions about angels is the idea that is even often portrayed in films that the angels of Heaven and Hell know when the world will end. Such claim is not only absurd, but the scriptures directly tell us that is not the case (Matthew 24:35-36). Some think that angels are to be worshipped. Again, the scriptures declare that this is not the case also. We are to worship God and Him alone (Matthew 4:9-10). Furthermore, the angels who are righteous would not accept our worshipping them as they too know it would be wrong (Revelation 19:10; cf. Colossians 2:18). Some have even thought that angels are not able to sin. This is not true. The scriptures teach that angels can sin, can be cast from Heaven, and will be eternally damned in Hell if they do sin (II Peter 2:4, Luke 10:18, Matthew 25:41, and Jude 6). Some have thought that angels will fight in a battle of good versus evil and some will die. Well, that too is false. Angels, once created, will then live for an eternity as we do (Luke 20:36). Some might ask, “what about those today who say they’ve seen angels?” Consider something Jeremiah wrote: “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord… Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23:16; 32). Some have thought that Jesus was once an angel. This premise is also false. Jesus is, was, and always will be God (John 1: 1-5, Romans 9:5, and Revelation 1:13-18). God declares through the Hebrew writer that Christ is greater in authority and honor than all of the angels (Hebrews 1:1-6). In that same text in fact, angels are told to worship Jesus. One final misconception we will deal with is the false premise that men can become angels. The idea that we will “get our wings” when we die is commonly thought to be true. However, that too is completely false. When man dies he awaits the judgment in Hades (Luke 16:19-31). In the end, man will be changed from a corruptible body into a spiritual body (I Corinthians 15:36- 58). We die, then we are judged (Hebrews 9:27). We do not join an angelic air force! Angels are mighty and wonderful to think about (II Thessalonians 1:7). We must however make sure that we train our thoughts around what God says about angels instead of common thinking of worldly individuals. We can learn a lot about angels if we just keep our studies to the Bible. We can learn about how angels do not marry (Matthew 22:30). Consider that an angel destroyed 185,000 Assyrians (II Kings 19:35). Angels are just one more subject for us to study and realize the power of the Almighty God we serve. |
| Volume VII ~ Issue XXII ~ February 25th, 2007 |
Words of Truth Weekly - Online Edition
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What must one do to be saved (Acts 2:37)? Hear and believe the Gospel (Mark 16:15-16 & Romans 10:17),
repent of their sins (Acts 3:19), confess Christ (Acts 8:37), and be baptized (immersed) for the remission of
sins into the church of Christ (Acts 2:38, I Corinthians 12:12-13, and Romans 6:1-6). One must then remain
faithful (Rev. 2:10).
repent of their sins (Acts 3:19), confess Christ (Acts 8:37), and be baptized (immersed) for the remission of
sins into the church of Christ (Acts 2:38, I Corinthians 12:12-13, and Romans 6:1-6). One must then remain
faithful (Rev. 2:10).
| Edited by: Brian A. Yeager |
| Some Things About Angels We Ought to Know By: Brian A. Yeager |
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| To What Extent Are Angels Messengers Today? |
| More Misconceptions Answered |
| Conclusion |