cr the Roman guards who saw the angel who rolled back the stone from Christ's

tomb. They trembled from fear and became as dead (Matthew 28:4). When
Daniel saw an unusual manlike creature of brilliant appearance, he was left
without strength and comeliness (Daniel 10:8). Even those who did not sec the
vision trembled greatly. Strange sensations caused them to (lee from Daniel's
presence with (ear. Animals may. in the will of God. see angels and so hesitate
or fall, as did Balaam's donkey (Numbers 22:26-28, 31). It saw the angel with
drawn sword in his hand before Balaam did: and when Balaam, granted as much
sight and sense as the animal had, saw the angel, he then bowed his head and fell
flat on his face.
Man does well to ascribe to angels the majesty and dignity God granted to
them, and we should not think of them lightly. We need to take seriously the
glory of spiritual realities.

D. SPIRITUAL WINGS?

It seems to be a common conception that angels have wings. Artists picture

both good and evil angels as humans or grotesque composites of men and beasts
and almost always with wings. Does this agree with Scripture?
On some occasions, the Scriptures picture angels as having wings. Isaiah's
vision of Jehovah included a description of the seraphim, angelic beings who
stood above the throne of Jehovah. These awesome creatures each had six wings.
With two each one covered his face, with two he covered his feel, and with two
he flew about his duties. It seems that his hands were separate from his wings
(Isaiah 6:2, 6).
Another class of angels described as having wings is the cherubim. Ezekiel's
vision |H>nrays them as having four faces and four wings each, with hands under
their wings (Ezekiel 1:5-8). Their wings evidently provided the swift motion
ascribed to them (1:13-14). and their movement caused a noise like many waters,
as a sound from God, like an army moving; and when they stood, they let down
their wings (1:24>. Imagine the terrifying sight and sound. Here are two classes
of angels, seraphim and cherubim, that definitely are pictured with wings.
Do other angels have wings as well? There are some occasions when angels
are said to fly. The angel Gabriel was ‘caused to fly swiftly' to Daniel's side
(Daniel 9:21 kjv; cf. Luke 1:19). The

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HVII.
reference to (lying may imply that Gabriel has wings, though the means of
movement is not specified. Revelation 14:6-7 records the vision of the apostle
John of an event in the coming great tribulation. He says, ‘And I saw another
angel flying in midheaven' (v. 6), announcing terrible judgment on unbelievers.
What sort of angel this is, we are not told. We may surmise that he is a lesser
angel than Gabriel or Michael (Revelation 12:7), just as the other angels of
judgment in the same book. This angel also seems to have wings, and so do
many of those who seem his equal.
Do angels have wings? They do not have material wings, for wings are for
planing or flapping in flight for bodies with weight. Since angels are spirits, they
have no weight. They certainly could move without physical wings. Their wings,
when pictured, may symbolize the reality of their swiftness to execute God's
wishes, just as wind and fire symbolize their fast and fervent service (Hebrews
1:7). It may be that the wings of the seraphim in Isaiah 6:2, which cover their
feet and faces, symbolize their reverence of God's presence. Surely this is not the
commonly conceived use of wings. Wings, then, may be pictures of angels'
genuine complete swift obedience and service.

E. SPIRITUAL CONDITION
/. Classification. Angels (all into two spiritual or moral categories. They are
according to their nature termed ‘holy' (Mark 8:58) or 'elect' (I Timothy 5:21
kjv), and 'evil' or 'unclean spirits' (Luke 8:2; 11:24, 26). According to their
allegiance they are called ‘the angels of God' (John 1:51), or grouped with 'the
devil and his angels' (Matthew 25:41) and the 'dragon and his angels' (Revelation
12:7). It may be that a third of the angels belong to Satan's camp (Revelation
12:4).

2. Cause. What caused the separation, and when did this occur? We are not told
exactly how or when this came about, nor do we have all the details we might like; but
we do have adequate revelation to know some basic answers that are satisfying to
reverence faith.

We must first consider the creation of angels in a holy state. All angels
were created by God and through His Son, the Lord Jesus (Colossians 1:16-17).
There is no creature that was not ere-

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KVII.