Angels in the Bible

Angels in the Bible

What do you know about angels? What does the Bible say about angels? What is their purpose?

Angels in the Bible

Angels appear in the Bible from the beginning to the end, from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation. The Bible is our best source of knowledge about angels - for example, Psalms 91:11, Matthew 18:10 and Acts 12:15 indicate humans have guardian angels.

Guardian Angels?
For He will give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

--Psalm 91:11

Guardian Angels?
See that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father Who is in Heaven.

--Matthew 18:10

Guardian Angels?
And they said unto her, You are mad. But she confidently affirmed that it was even so. And they said, It is his angel.

--Acts 12:15

Angels in the Bible

Angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds [Luke 2:14], ministered to Christ after His temptation in the desert [Matthew 4:11], comforted Jesus in His agony in the garden [Luke 22:43], and appeared to announce His resurrection from the dead [John 20:12].

Angels in the Bible

Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace among men in whom He is well pleased. --Luke 2:14

Angels in the Bible

Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.
--Matthew 4:11

Angels in the Bible

And there appeared unto Him an angel from Heaven, strengthening Him. --Luke 22:43

Angels in the Bible she ...and

beheld two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. --John 20:12

Angels in the Bible

According to Jesus, the angels of little ones continually behold the face of the Father [Matthew 18:10]; angels will come with Him on the Day of Judgment [Matthew 24:31], and the angels will separate the wicked from the just on the last day [Matthew 13:49], although they do not know the day of Judgment [Mark 13:32]; and the children of the resurrection will be equal to the angels [Luke 20:36].

Angels in the Bible

And He shall send forth His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
--Matthew 24:31

Angels in the Bible

So shall it be in the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the righteous. --Matthew 13:49

Angels in the Bible

--Mark 13:32

But of that day or that hour knows no one, not even the angels in Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Angels in the Bible

...for neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. --Luke 20:36

Angels in the Bible

Michael is one of the leading angels, and is considered "Prince" of the heavenly hosts, and the Guardian Angel of Persia [Daniel 10:13]. He is the only one in the Bible referred to as an Archangel [Jude 1:9], and serves a major role in Chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation.

Michael, the

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days; but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me: and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

--Daniel 10:13

Michael, the Archangel

But Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, did not bring against him a railing judgment, but said, The Lord rebuke you. --Jude 1:9

Angels in the Bible

The angel Gabriel first appears in a vision to Daniel [Daniel 8:16], but is best known for telling Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus [Luke 1:26-38]. The Book of Tobias of the Apocrypha (Tobit 12:15) names Raphael as "one of the seven who stand before the Lord." Revelation 8:1-2 also refers to the seven angels who stand before the Lord.

And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. --Daniel 8:16

The Angel Gabriel

The Angel Gabriel

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, you who are highly favored, the Lord is with you.

The Angel Gabriel

But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God. And behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call His name JESUS.

The Angel Gabriel

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

The Angel Gabriel

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you: wherefore also the Holy Thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God.

The Angel Gabriel

And behold, Elisabeth your kinswoman, she also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that was called barren. For no word from God shall be void of power. And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word. And the angel departed from her. --Luke 1:26-38

Angels in the Bible

Angels are a big part of the Book of Revelation.
They are the vessel in which Jesus reveals His message to John.

Angels in the Bible

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show unto His servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John;

Angels in the Bible

. . . who bare witness of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, even of all things that he saw.
--Revelation 1:1-2

Angels in the Bible

Angels are used to make great pronouncements.

After these things I saw another angel coming down out of Heaven, having great authority; and the Earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird. --Revelation 18:1-2

Angels in the Bible

And when He opened the seventh seal, there followed a silence in Heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels that stand before God; and there were given unto them seven trumpets. --Revelation 8:1-2

Angels in the Bible

Thomas Aquinas was a great medieval theologian, and is known as the "Angelic Doctor" for his extensive writings on angels in his book, the Summa Theologica. The word "angelos" in Greek means messenger. Angels are purely spiritual beings that do God's will [Psalms 103:20, Matthew 26:53].

Angels in the Bible

Bless Jehovah, you His angels, that are mighty in strength, that fulfill His word, hearkening unto the voice of His word. --Psalm 103:20

Angels in the Bible

Or do you think that I cannot beseech My Father, and He shall even now send Me more than twelve legions of angels?
--Matthew 26:53

Angels in the Bible

Aquinas points out that sometimes angels take human form, as seen in the three men who appear to Abraham in the Book of Genesis, the two angels who appeared to Lot before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, or Raphael appearing in human form to Tobias. Thomas Aquinas believed that angels, being spiritual beings, influence mankind by illuminating one's mind with an idea.

Angels in the Bible

Thomas Aquinas, quoting Scripture, the Apostle Paul and Dionysius, an Athenian converted by Paul [Acts 17:34], names 9 orders of angels in 3 groups: the highest hierarchy being next to God, Seraphim [Isaiah 6:2], Cherubim [Genesis 3:24, Ezekiel 10:1-22], and Thrones [Colossians 1:16]; the middle hierarchy involved in government,

Angels in the Bible

...Dominations [Colossians 1:16], Virtues [1 Peter 3:22], and Powers [Colossians 1:16]; and the third hierarchy involved in work, Principalities [Colossians 1:16], Archangels [1 Thessalonians 4:16], and Angels.

Seraphim
Above Him stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

--Isaiah 6:2

And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. --Ezekiel 10:14

Cherubim

Cherubim
So He drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. --Genesis 3:24

Thrones Angels
...for in Him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through Him, and unto Him. --Colossians 1:16

Dominations
...for in Him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the Earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through Him, and unto Him.
--Colossians 1:16

Virtues
Who is on the right hand of God, having gone into Heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him.
--1 Peter 3:22

Powers
...for in Him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the Earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through Him, and unto Him.
--Colossians 1:16

Principalities
...for in Him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the Earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through Him, and unto Him.

--Colossians 1:16

Archang el
For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. --1 Thessalonians 4:16

Angels in the Bible

Here are a few of the more noted Scriptural passages.
The Fall of Adam and Eve: "The Lord God therefore banished him from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he had been taken.

Angels in the Bible

The Fall of Adam and Eve When He expelled the man, He settled him east of the garden of Eden and He stationed the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword, to guard the way to the tree of life." --Genesis 3:23-24

Angels in the Bible

The Three Angels Appear to Abraham And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood in front of him.

Angels in the Bible

The Three Angels Appear to Abraham

When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the earth, and said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant." --Genesis 18:1-3

Angels in the Bible

Jacob's Ladder
"And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set.

Angels in the Bible

Jacob's Ladder
And he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

Angels in the Bible

Jacob's Ladder And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the Earth, and the top of it reached to Heaven; and behold the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!

--Genesis 28:10-12

Angels in the Bible

God Sends an Angel to Lead Moses

"Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared.

Angels in the Bible

God Sends an Angel to Lead Moses Give heed to him and hearken to his voice, do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression; for My name is in him.

Angels in the Bible

God Sends an Angel to Lead Moses
But if you hearken attentively to his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

--Exodus 23:20-22

Angels in the Bible

Angels are used as weapons by the Lord to accomplish purposes..

Angels in the Bible

And it came to pass that night, that the angel of Jehovah went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.

--2 Kings 19:35

Angels in the Bible

There seems to be evidence that there are fallen angels..

Angels in the Bible

And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. --Jude1:6

Angels in the Bible

For if God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

2 Peter 2:4

Angels in the Bible

Some believe that Satan was called Lucifer when he was in Heaven, while others believe the passage in Isaiah refers to a human king only.

Angels in the Bible

How are you fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How are you cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!

--Isaiah14:12

Angels in the Bible

Some believe that Isaiah 14:13-14 teaches that Lucifer fell from Heaven due to his pride in wanting to take the place of God:

For you have said in your heart, I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Angels in the Bible

Some believe he wanted to control his own destiny and so he rebelled against God and all of Heaven. He unfurled his banner, recruited his army of equally discontented angels and waged war against God for supremacy. To lead His own troops, God appointed the Archangel Michael as His field commander:

Angels in the Bible

And there was war in Heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in Heaven.

Angels in the Bible

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world:

Angels in the Bible

. . . he was cast out into the Earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Angels in the Bible

Therefore rejoice, you Heavens, and you that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the Earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time. --Revelation 12:7-9; 12