Angels (messengers) Often with of God. Sometimes called the "holy ones," "saints." The "Angel of God" often means the Divide Word, "the Image of the invisible God," God Himself manifested (Colossians 1:15; Genesis 22:11-12; 31:11,13; 48:15-16; Isaiah 63:9; Exodus 3:2,6,14; 23:20-22; Acts 27:23-24); accepting as His due the worship which angels reject as mere creatures (Revelation 19:10; 22:9); this manifestation was as man, an anticipation of the incarnation (John 1:18; Genesis 18:2,22; 19:1; 32:24,30; Joshua 5:13,15).
As to the nature of "angels" in the limited sense, they are "spirits" (Hebrews 1:7,14), of wind-like velocity, subtle nature, capable of close communion with God; sharers in His truth, purity, and love, since they ever behold His face (Matthew 18:10), even as the redeemed shall (1John 3:2); not necessarily incorporeal; Luke 20:36; 1Corinthians 15:44, seemingly but not certainly imply their having bodies. Their glorious appearance (Daniel 10:6), like our Lord's when transfigured and afterward as the ascended Savior (Revelation 1:14-16), and their human form (Luke 24:4; Acts 1:10), favor the same view. Close kindred of nature between angels and men is implied in both being alike called "sons of God" (Job 1:6; 38:7; Daniel 3:25,28).
Finite, but ever progressing in the participation of God's infinite perfection (Job 4:18; Matthew 24:36; 1Peter 1:12). Our fellow servants, "sent forth unto ministry for the sake of them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Hebrews 1:14), i.e., on ministrations appointed by God and Christ for the good of them who shall be heirs of salvation. Worship and service are their twofold function; priests in the heavenly temple (Isaiah 6:1-3; 1Kings 22:19; Daniel 7:9-10; Revelation 5:11), and sent forth thence on God's missions of love and justice. As finite, and having liberty, they were capable of temptation. Some "kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation" (2Peter 2:4; Judges 1:6). "The elect angels" fell not; they take part, by act and sympathy, in our affairs, and shall witness the Judgment (Luke 15:10; 1Corinthians 4:9).
The fallen are not yet actually confined in the bottomless pit, but are doomed to it, "reserved unto judgment," and though seeming free, and ranging in our air, under the prince of the powers of the air (Ephesians 2:2), are really in "chains of darkness" already, able only to hurt to the length of their chain. Satan is their prince, a liar, murderer, slanderer; and such are they (John 8:44). The probation of the elect angels is over; their crown is won, they are the "holy ones" now (Daniel 8:13), under the blessed necessity of sinning no more. "Watchers" of men, jealous for God's honor (Daniel 4:13,23). Bad angels are permitted to try believers now, as Job; good angels are God's ministers of vengeance on the bad (Revelation 12:8-9; 20:1-2). Such shall the saints be at last, "equal to the angels," holy, made perfect, judges of angels and the world, ministering mediators of blessing to subject creatures (Hebrews 12:23; 1Corinthians 6:2-3; Revelation 5:10).
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| The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." Luke 1:26-28 | The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him." Matthew 2:13 |
From the first creation of our world they took the liveliest interest in the earth (Job 38:7). When man fell by evil angels, with beautiful propriety it was ordered that other angels, holy and unfallen, should minister for God in His reparation of the evil caused to man by their fallen fellow spirits. They rescued at Yahweh's command righteous Lot from doomed Sodom, Jacob from his murderous brother (Genesis 19; 32). "Manna" is called "angels' food," "the grain of heaven"; not that angels eat it, but it came from above whence angels come, and through their ministry (Psalm 78:25). When Elisha was in Dothan, surrounded by Syrian hosts, and his servant cried, "Alas! how shall we do?" the Lord opened his eyes to see the mount full of chariots and horses of fire round about (2Kings 6:15,17). By God's angel Daniel was saved in the lions' den (Daniel 6:22); compare Daniel 3:28 as to the fiery furnace.
Michael is represented as Israel's champion against Israel's accuser, Satan (Daniel 12:1; Revelation 12:7-10). Daniel 10 unfolds the mysterious truth that there are angel princes in the spirit world, answering to the God-opposed leaders of kingdoms in the political world, the prince of Persia and the prince of Grecia standing in antagonism to Michael. In patriarchal times their ministry is more familiar, and less awful, than in after times. Genesis 24:7,40 the angelic guidance of Abraham's servant in choosing a wife for Isaac, and encouraging Jacob in his loneliness at Bethel on first leaving home (Genesis 28) . They appear, like the prophets and kings in subsequent times, in the character of God's ministers, carrying out God's purposes in relation to Israel and the pagan world powers (Zechariah 1-4).
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According to the Bulgarian folklore, Archangel Micheal holds a golden apple in one hand and a knife in the other. |
When the Lord of angels became flesh, they ministered before and at His birth (Luke 1-2; Matthew 1:20), after the temptation (Matthew 4:11), in the agony of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43), at His resurrection and ascension (Matthew 28:2; Luke 24:4; John 20:12; Acts 1:10-11). Their previous and subsequent ministrations to men (Acts 5:19; 8:26; 10:3; 12:7, Peter's deliverance, Acts 27:23) all hinge on their intimate connection with and ministry to Him, redeemed man's divine Head (Psalm 91:11; Matthew 4:6), Hence they are the guardians of Christ's little ones, not thinking it beneath their dignity to minister to them (Matthew 18:10); not attached singly to single individuals, but all or one ready at God's bidding to minister to each.
There are various ranks, thrones, principalities, powers in the angelic kingdom of light, as there are also in Satan's kingdom of darkness (Ephesians 1:22; 6:12; Colossians 1:16; Daniel 10:13; 12:1; Romans 8:38).Some conjecture that angels had originally natural bodies, which have been developed into spiritual bodies, as the saints' bodies shall (1Corinthians 15:40-46); for they in Scripture accept material food (Genesis 18) and appear in human form, and never dwell in men's bodies as the demons, who, naked and homeless, seek human bodies as their habitation (see Luke 20:36, "equal unto the angels": Philemon 3:20-21).
Many of the momentous issues of life are seen often to hinge upon seemingly slight incidents. Doubtless, besides the material instruments and visible agents, the invisible angels work in a marvelous way, under God's providence, guiding events at the crisis so as to carry out the foreordained end. They "desire to look into" the mysteries of redemption, and they learn "by the church the manifold wisdom of God" (Ephesians 3:10; 1Peter 1:12). The saints (the living creatures and 24 elders) occupy the inner circle, the angels the outer circle, round the throne of the Lamb (Revelation 5:11).
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| Then going out he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. When he arrived at the place......and kneeling, he prayed......And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him. Luke 22:39-43 | Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back......who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it. Revelation 12:7-9 |