CIM Briefing Papers
C.I.M. Outline #46
ANGELS
I. Introduction
Angelic beings have been a major (we mean major!) subject of
art, architecture, music and literature in Western
Civilization, especially during the Medieval and Renaissance
periods. Currently, angels are making a comeback.
A. The Current Popularity of Angels
1. According to TIME magazine (12\27\93) 69% of
Americans believe in angels. 46% believe in
personal guardian angels. 32% say they have
experienced the presence of angels. 76% of
teenagers believe in angels.
2. Angels may be experiencing their greatest
popularity since Medieval times. Many books on
angels have been and are on bestseller lists. Some
of these books are: THE BOOK OF ANGELS, and ANGEL
LETTERS, by Sophy Burnham; DO YOU HAVE A GUARDIAN
ANGEL?, by John Ronner; ASK YOUR ANGEL, by Alma
Daniel, et al. (the most occultic); MESSENGERS OF
LIGHT, GUARDIANS OF HOPE, by Terry Taylor; and
WHERE ANGLES WALK, by Joan Anderson. At least four
national television specials have been aired with
more scheduled. There are seminars on how to get
in touch with your angel, national angel
newsletters, and booming commercial sales of angel
products.
B. Reasons:
1. After years of naturalistic teaching in the public
schools people want some kind a connection with
the transcendent, yet the traditional biblical God
is too much of a threat. TIME magazine says: "For
those who choke too easily on God and his rules,
theologians observe, angels are the handy
compromise, all fluff and meringue, kind of non
judgmental." (12/27/93).
2. Adherents of New Age philosophy have borrowed
Christian terminology ("Angels") substituting it
for "spirit guides". This ploy makes their
occultism more palatable to those with a minimal
Biblical background on the subject.
3. Popular Christian fiction from author Frank
Peretti have heightened Christian interest in the
spiritual realm.
4. In desperate times people seek supernatural
answers to problems. This interest in angels
parallels society's current interest in mysticism.
"What is all the aerial commotion? Maybe it's a
struggle to retain altitude at a time when culture
is short on thrust." What a quote! It is from
VOGUE, Dec. 1989.
II. The Variety of Beliefs
All the major religions of the world include a belief in
angels in their corpus of doctrine. There are therefore, a
variety of beliefs:
A. Angels are departed humans who passed certain tests of
virtue in this life. See Clarence in the popular
Christmas movie "It's a Wonderful Life."
B. Spirit beings of another dimension who are for some
reason concerned for planet earth. They are highly
evolved beings (sometimes called "master souls") who
can transcend time and great distances. They
originated possibly from life on other planets. See
Shirley McClaine's New Age babble.
C. The Jungian View: They are not real beings but rather
a projection of our subconscious, or higher inner-self.
D. Entirely mythological and symbolic. This is of course
the naturalistic view.
E. The Christian view based on Biblical revelation. They
are created spirit beings who are messengers of God and
do His bidding.
III. The Christian View of Angels
A. Sources of Information:
1. The Old and New Testaments are our only
authoritative source. All other sources and
experiences must be filtered through Holy
Scripture. To build a doctrine of angelogy we
must rely only on Scripture. Where the
Scripture is silent we must remain silent.
2. A Sixth century writer, writing under the
pseudonym of Dionysius, believed that angelic
beings were ordered in a hierarchy under 9
different ranks or choirs. In order of
authority these were: Seraphim, Cherubim,
Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers,
Principalities, and Archangels.
3. The great theologian of the Thirteenth century,
St Thomas Aquinas, wrote a major dissertation on
the subject of angels. He included all the
biblical references, but where the Scriptures
did not supply answers, he added his own
speculations. Some of these later crept into
the corporate beliefs of the church.
B. In the Bible the word for "angels" is used over 300
times. Both the Hebrew word for angel ("malakh"), and
the Greek word ("angelos" from which we get our
english word), are the exact equivalents. They both
are the ordinary word for "messenger". The context
must determine whether the messenger is human or
divine. Other words used for angels are: Cherubim,
seraphim, ministering spirits, watchers, sons of God,
chariots of God, holy ones, morning stars, thrones,
powers, rulers, authorities, heavenly bodies, and
miracles. Some would also include the "the four
living creatures" and the 24 elders in Rev. 4:6-10.
C. Angels are mentioned in 50% of the books of the Bible
and in every period of Biblical history. They are
also frequently mentioned in both Jewish and
Christian non-canonical literature, i.e., the
Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha. Jesus assumed
their existence.
D. The Origin of Angels
1. Angels are created beings though we are
uncertain as to the exact time of creation.
However, from Job 38:4ff it appears that they
were witnesses to the creation of the earth.
See also Col. 1:16; and Psalm 148:1-6.
2. According to Mark 12:25 they do not procreate.
This passage may be saying no more than angels
cannot increase their number by procreation.
Concluding therefore, that angels are sexless, or
without gender, may be saying more than this
passage is saying. They are certainly not
genderless. All angels in the Bible appear in the
male gender with the possible exception of
Zechariah 5:9. We can also conclude since they do
not die that their number is eternally fixed.
Hebrews 12:22 says they are beyond counting.
(Note: Some theologians believe the sin of the
much disputed passage, Gen 6, was committed by
fallen angels (demons) who cohabited with the
daughters of men to produce a hybrid race. Since
the redeemer was to be a human, God saw it as a
plot to corrupt the race resulting in the
judgement of the flood to purify the race. For a
very plausible interpretation of this passage see
the "The Sons of God." by David Livingston, in
ARCHAEOLOGY AND BIBLICAL RESEARCH, Winter, 1990.).
3. The Bible says men are created a little lower than
the angels. Psalm 8:5. In other passages they
are referred to as "sons of god," e.g, see Job
1:6.
E. The Nature and Personality of Angels
1. They are spirit beings. Heb. 1:14. This means
that ordinarily they cannot be seen. In certain
situations they appear, usually in a man-like
appearance, and are often mistaken for men.
Sometimes they emit a brilliance as in Luke 2:9
and Matt. 28:3. When angels appear corporeally
they are called angelophanies. The Lord had to
give Balaam special perception to see angels in
Num. 22:31. See also II Kings 6:17.
Of course there are many questions related to
their spiritual nature. If they are spiritual
where do they reside? How can they have mind
without brain? How can they be "present"? Why
do they have wings? Isn't flying a physical
activity? Etc. This is an area we must confine
to mystery. There are answers; we just don't
know them!
2. They have all the attributes of personality
a. They have great intellect, but they are not
all-knowing. See I Pet. 1:12; and Matt.
24:36.
b. They have sensibility or feelings. They
sang for joy at the creation in Job 38, and
they rejoice when sinners repent. See Luke
15:10.
c. They have will. Jude 6; I Pet 1:12; II
Pet. 3:22.
d. They have great power. II Pet. 2:11. They
are often called "the mighty ones," or
"God's powerful angels."
e. They are moral beings in that they are
characterized as holy. Matt. 25:31.
3. They apparently have names, however, only three
are mentioned in the Bible, all in the masculine
form. They are Gabriel, Michael, and Lucifer,
the fallen one. Numerous other angels are named
in the Apocrypha and in the Pseudepigrapha.
4. Only the Cherubim and Seraphim are described as
having wings and flying (Ex. 25:20; Isa. 6:2;
Dan. 9:21, (See Rev. 14:6 as a possible
exception). In the following two other passages
we see angelic-like beings with wings: i.e., the
enigmatic creatures in Ezek. 1:6, and Rev. 4:8.
It does not follow from these passages that all
angels have wings.
F. Their Organization and Ministry
1. Although the Bible is not specific about the
organization of Angels, God is a God of order
and there does seem to be some truth to the
Medieval speculations about the order and
hierarchy of angels. There seems to be some
orders of angels created for specific tasks,
i.e. Cherubim and Seraphim. It would make
perfect sense that among the angels there are
those of varying power, intelligence, abilities,
etc.
2. Some angels are said to be perpetually involved
in worship around the throne. See numerous
other references involving angels in a
worshipping mode. It appears to be one of their
primary occupations.
3. One writer says "Angels are God's hand in the
world." They do His bidding and are involved in
a variety of activities. They carry out
judgement (II Kings 19:35), answer prayer(Acts
12), observe worship services (I Cor. 11:10),
They never act independently, only within God's
will.
4. They are involved in conveying revelation and
making announcements to man. This is in keeping
with the word "angel." Gal. 3:19.
5. They minister to believers; they guard the
elect. See Psalm 34:7; 91:11. Especially Heb.
1:14. It should be apparent that these guardian
angels also protect and minister to the elect
prior to their coming to salvation (Acts 10:17).
6. Angels will be involved in the second coming.
Matt. 25:31; I Thess. 4:16,17.
G. Questions:
1. Does every Christian have a personal guardian
angel? It is possible, though it is not
explicitly taught in Scripture. At the time of
Christ it was the belief of the Jews. They even
went as far as to say that one's angel resembled
that person. This is the reason Peter was
mistaken for his angel. See the story in Acts
12.
2. Why do they sometimes intervene in times of
danger and not at other times? Though not
always the satisfying answer, it is not always
God's will.
3. Can angels influence our thoughts? It would
appear that they can plant thoughts or
communicate in dreams. Matt. 1:20.
IV. For Further Study:
Adler, Mortimer J. THE ANGELS AND US. New York:
Macmillan, 1982.
Connelly, Douglas. ANGELS AROUND US. Downers Grove, IL:
Intervarsity Press, 1994.
Dickason, C. Fred. ANGELS: ELECT AND EVIL. Chicago:
Moody Press, 1975.
Gaebelein, A.C. WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ANGELS. Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Books, n.d.
Graham, Billy. ANGELS: GOD'S SECRET AGENTS. Revised ed.
Waco, TX: Word, 1986.
Webber, Marilynn Carlson, and Webber, William D. A RUSTLE
OF ANGELS. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994.
For information on fallen (evil) angels see CIM Outline #30.
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