What does the Bible say about angels?
In our culture, angels are viewed as highly mystical beings that reveal hidden knowledge. Occultists and the proponents of the prosperity gospel focus a lot of attention on communicating with these beings.
However, is it biblical? What does the Bible say about angels? That is what we are going to find out below.
Christian quotes
“As created beings, angels are not to be worshipped, glorified, or adored in and of themselves. The angels were created to worship, glorify, adore, and obey God.”
“When my time to die comes, an angel will be there to comfort me. He will give me peace and joy even at the most critical hour, and usher me into the presence of God, and I will dwell with the Lord forever. Thank God for the ministry of His blessed angels!” Billy Graham
“In Scripture the visitation of an angel is always alarming; it has to begin by saying “Fear not.” The Victorian angel looks as if it were going to say, “There, there.” – C.S. Lewis
“Believers, look up – take courage. The angels are nearer than you think.” Billy Graham
Created by the Lord
Angels are created beings just like everything else in nature. God alone is the only being that has existed since time began. Everything else was made by Him. Angels dwell in Heaven with God and serve Him.
1. Genesis 2:1 “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.”
2. Job 38:1-7 “Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone – while the morning stars sang together, and all the angels shouted for joy?”
3. Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
4. Exodus 20:1 “For the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.”
5. John 1:4 “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”
But why?
Angels were created by God to do His bidding. They all have different purposes. Some of the Seraphim stand at the face of God. Some angels are used as messengers, while others battle demons. All angels are spiritual beings that serve Him and minister to Him.
6. Revelation 14:6-8 “And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 “Fear God,” he shouted. “Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water.” 8 Then another angel followed him through the sky, shouting, “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen—because she made all the nations of the world drink the wine of her passionate immorality.”
7. Revelation 5:11-12 “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’”
8. Hebrews 12:22 “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly.”
9. Psalm 78:49 “He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, his indignation and hostility – a band of destroying angels.”
10. Matthew 24:31 “And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.”
11. 1 Timothy 5:21-22 “I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism. 22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.”
Appearance
We do not know exactly what angels look like. We are told that the Seraphim around the Lord’s throne have six wings and are covered with eyes. Other’s can appear no different than we look. And then others appear in such a bold form where whomever sees them falls to the ground in fear.
12. 1 Corinthians 15:39-40 “All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another.”
13. Luke 24:4-5 “As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. 5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?”
14. John 20:11-13 “Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 12 She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
15. Genesis 18:1-3 “The Lord showed Himself to Abraham by the oak trees of Mamre, as he sat at the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them. He put his face to the ground 3 and said, “My lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant.”
16. Hebrews 13:2 “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
17. Luke 1:11-13 “Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.”
18. Ezekiel 1:5-14 “And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.”
19. Revelation 4:6-9 “In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. 7 The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. 8 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” 9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever).”
20. Matthew 28:2-7 “Suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled aside the stone and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning and his clothing was a brilliant white. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and fell into a dead faint. 5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be frightened!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified, 6 but he isn’t here! For he has come back to life again, just as he said he would. Come in and see where his body was lying. . . . 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and that he is going to Galilee to meet them there. That is my message to them.”
21. Exodus 25:20 “The cherubim will face each other and look down on the atonement cover. With their wings spread above it, they will protect it.”
Protected
Are angels protecting us? Some angels are charged with the task of protecting us. The Bible seems to indicate that children especially are cared for by angels. We may not see them, but we can praise God for His provision of them in our life.
22. Psalm 91:11 “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.”
23. Matthew 18:10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”
24. Luke 4:10-11 For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”
25. Hebrews 1:14 “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
26. Psalm 34:7 “For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. 8 Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!”
27. Hebrews 1:14 “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
28. Exodus 23:20 “See, I am sending an Angel before you to lead you safely to the land I have prepared for you.”
The authority of Christ
Jesus is God. He has authority over the angels. There are angels whose job is to minister to Christ when He needed them. They will join with Christ on His return and they were even present at His tomb when He rose from the dead.
29. 1 Peter 3:21-22 “And this water symbolizes baptism that now save you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience towards God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand – with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to him.”
30. Matthew 4:6-11 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”
31. Matthew 16:27 “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.”
32. John 20:11-12 “But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.”
33. Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.
Diving into different types
We are told of a few specific types of angels that form a hierarchal structure. These are the Thrones, Powers, Rulers and Authorities. There are Archangels, Cherubim, Seraphim also. We do not know whether they are one and the same or are different categories.
34. Colossians 1:16 “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.”
Their names
Gabriel means “Man of God.” He is mentioned as one who carries messages for God. He is an Archangel who appeared to Daniel. He later appeared to Zechariah and to Mary. Michael means “Who is Like God?” He is an angel who participates in battle against Satan and his demons.
35. Daniel 8:16 “And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.”
36. Daniel 9:21 “Yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering.”
37. Luke 1:19-20 “Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”
38. Luke 1:26 “In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth.”
39. Daniel 10:13-14 “But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. 14 Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come.”
40. Daniel 12:1 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as not happened from the beginning of the nations until then. But at that time your people – everyone whose name is found written in the book – will be delivered.”
41. Jude 1:9 “But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’”
42. Revelation 12:7-8 “And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.”
Praising God
Frequently we see passages of angels praising the Lord for who He is, and for His displaying of His attributes, and for His merciful salvation of His chosen people. We should read these passages and seek to praise God in everything too. This should inspire us to get alone with the Lord and worship Him. This should compel us to fall in love with His beauty and cry out for more of His presence.
43. Luke 15:10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
44. Psalm 103:20-21 “Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word. 21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.” (What does the Bible say about obedience?)
Diving into their characteristics
Angels are not offered salvation. If they choose to obey Christ they stay in Heaven. But if they choose to seek glory for themselves, they are cast out of Heaven and will one day be sent to spend all of eternity in Hell. More about that in our next article on demons. We also see in 1 Peter that angels desire to look into the theology of salvation to understand it. We can also see in the Bible that angels eat and that they are not given in marriage.
45. 1 Peter 1:12 “It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.”
46. Psalm 78:25 “Human beings ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat.”
47. Matthew 22:30 “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.”
What do we know about them
We can see in Job that not all angels can be seen for they work in the spirit realm. We know that they are created as ranking a little higher than we are.
48. Job 4:15-19 “Then a spirit passed by my face; The hair of my flesh bristled up. “It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; A form was before my eyes; There was silence, then I heard a voice: ‘Can mankind be just before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker? ‘He puts no trust even in His servants; And against His angels He charges error. ‘How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before the moth!”
49. Hebrews 2:6-13 “For in one place the Scriptures say, “What are mere mortals that you should think about them, or a son of man that you should care for him? 7 Yet for a little while you made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. 8 You gave them authority over all things.” Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. 9 What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. 10 God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. 11 So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. 12 For he said to God, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people.” 13 He also said, “I will put my trust in him,” that is, “I and the children God has given me.”
Worshipping them
Many people falsely pray to angels and worship them. There is no biblical foundation for praying to angels. And the Bible specifically condemns worshipping them. This is idolatry and paganism.
50. Colossians 2:18 “Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.”
Conclusion
We shouldn’t view angels as a being we can reach out to in order to learn secret spiritual truths. There have been a COUPLE OF TIMES EVER instances where angels were sent to deliver messages, but it is not portrayed in Scripture as normative. We should be grateful that God in His provenance created these beings to serve Him.
