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ANGEL FACTS The following are several of the basic beliefs that have been held by Christians throughout the centuries.
God created angels as angels (Colossians 1:16). They have never been anything else. People do not become angels when they
die.
For when the dead rise, they won't be married. They will be like the angels in heaven. (Mark 12:25). We do not know
how many angels there are, but the Bible refers to them as an innumerable company (Hebrews 12:22).
God created the
angels as spirit beings (Psalm 104:4). Because they are spirits, they are unseen by human eyes. An angel takes on a form that
can be seen temporarily if this will help an angel do his assigned task on earth. In the Bible, angels are highly diverse
in appearance. They are usually so awesome when they appear that their first words are, "Fear not." Angelic appearances
in the Scriptures include being seen as a bright light, fire, having wings (but never a halo), or like an ordinary person.
As spirit beings, angels are not only invisible but also immortal. They never get sick or die. They are without gender as
we know it, being neither male nor female, and they do not marry (Matthew 22:28-30).
A major characteristic of the
angels is their strength. Angels are extremely powerful beings. In the Bible, they are described as "mighty ones"
(Psalm 103:20) and Gods powerful angels. One angel was able to destroy the entire Assyrian army or destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
But they are not all powerful; only God is omnipotent. Angels sometimes require assistance from the Lord in their conflict
with evil (Jude 9).
Angels have great knowledge and wisdom. They know more than people do, but they do not know everything.
Only God is omniscient. The heavenly hosts also have emotions. In the Bible, we read that they rejoice, sing for joy, and
express awe and reverence in their worship of God. Even as their intelligence is greater than humans, so we may also suppose
their ability to have deep and sensitive emotions is greater.
Angelic Job Descriptions:
In the popular culture,
the main focus is on what angels do on earth. But the noted theologian Karl Barth wrote that most of what angels do they do
in heaven. In heaven, the worship of God is the crowning jewel of all activity (Revelation 4). But the Bible only infrequently
draws back the curtain and gives us a glimpse of the unseen world. We have little idea of what is happening there. The Bible
does indicate that the angels are active in the administration of this vast area of Gods creation and that they willingly
and enthusiastically carry out Gods will (Psalm 103:19-22).
God also assigns angels to do many things on earth. They
are ministering spirits sent to serve those who believe (Hebrews 1:14). Angels are Gods messengers. In fact, the word "angel"
in the original languages of both the Old and New Testaments means "messenger." The angelic message remembered most
often is when Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus.
God still uses his angels to give
messages. They bring encouragement and needed guidance. But the main way God gives us messages today is through the Bible,
the teachings of Christ, and the work of the Holy Spirit within a believer.
Some of the heavenly hosts are assigned
to be guardian angels (Psalm 91:11). They carry out Gods will by protecting and delivering their charges from harm. They also
engage in spiritual warfare. There are law-and-order angels.
Angels were present at the giving of the Ten Commandments
(Deuteronomy 33:2), and they carry out Gods justice (Acts 12:23). Jesus taught that at the time of death, angels carry believers
to heaven (Luke 16:22).
Angels are not just a fad. The heavenly hosts have been with us since the beginning of creation
and will continue to do their work, whether or not we humans pay attention to them. Those looking for reliable information
about angels will do well to go beyond the ideas popularized in motion pictures and television. A study of what the Bible
teaches about these magnificent, mystical beings is fascinating and rewarding.
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