In last week’s message, I suggested that UFOs which are much in the news lately as the government releases more and more videos and records – may simply be Angelic beings – angels or demons – moving about the earth. Angels are often described in scripture as being like lightning, or extremely bright white. We also know that angels move at instantaneous or near instantaneous speeds.
In Ezekiel 1:14, the prophet Ezekiel describes a vision of four-faced angelic beings (cherubim) serving directly before the throne of God: “And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.”
In Daniel 9:20-23, the angel Gabriel (one of the three named archangels) arrives as Daniel is praying to God. As soon as Daniel begins to pray, God gives Gabriel the command – “Go to Daniel”. By the end of Daniel’s prayer, Gabriel arrives, and Daniel noted that he came “in swift flight”. Gabriel crossed the boundary between heaven and earth in a matter of mere seconds.
The other two angels named in the Bible are Michael and Lucifer. Archangel Michael acts as the leader of the heavenly armies, the chief commander of God’s angels, and a protector of God’s people.
Lucifer was once one of God’s “right hand” angels, but when he turned against God and took one third of the angels with him, he became “the Satan” – the adversary or accuser. We know him better today as the devil! He led Adam and Eve to take the forbidden fruit and enter into disobedience, bringing sin and darkness into the world ever since.
However, even Satan is described as “a false angel of light”. The Bible refers to him as an “angel of light” and in 2 Corinthians 11:14, …Paul warns that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light in order to deceive people.
Let’s remember though, he is a defeated adversary! His time is limited and so is his power. Jesus said, “John 14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. trust in God, and trust also in me.” When Jesus returns (soon) Satan will be finally defeated and cast into the lake of fire, a place of eternal torment.
The only reliable knowledge we have about angels comes from the 300 references in the Bible. The Bible nowhere defines angels but takes them for granted, with the result that we have to piece together a picture of who they are and what they do.
2 Kings 6 offers a very dramatic and remarkable story! This is a story of Elisha, the prophet of God and the king of Syria. The king of Syria was constantly making war against the people of Israel, and everything the king of Syria did, it seemed that Elisha the prophet knew all about it. He was getting leaks from somewhere, and the king of Syria tried to find out where the leaks were, and he couldn’t find it.
Finally, the king was told that even the things you say in your bedchamber to your wife are known by the prophet Elisha. He knows everything! In other words, there was some sort of a spy involved. God had an angel there listening to the king then telling Elisha everything that the king of Syria was talking about, and everything he was planning, and all the things he was doing, and the king of Syria became angry.
He said, “We’ll go get that prophet! So, he sent an army of several thousand men, horses and chariots, to go get him, and they arrived just at sunrise at a town called Dothan, where Elisha the prophet was staying. And Elisha’s servant went out and saw this great army that had come to get his master, and he ran in and he said, “Master, master, master! The Syrians are here, thousands of them. They’ve come to capture you. They’re going to take you and put you in prison, or they’re going to execute you.
Elisha didn’t even move. He just sat there rocking in his chair, and he said, “They that be with us are more than they that be with them.” Then he said, “Lord, open my servant’s eyes that he may see.” And the eyes of the servant were open. And when they were opened to another world, he saw round about the mountain at Dothan…the armies of the Lord, the angels of the Lord, with their chariots and their swords blazing, and a battle took place that day, and the armies of the Lord won. They didn’t lose a single troop because they were angels that God had sent to protect His prophet Elisha, and they that be with us are more than they that be with them! This is true today, also!
Angels are created spiritual beings
The Bible describes angels as created spiritual beings who serve as God’s messengers, protectors, and mighty servants. Angels are immortal, supernatural creatures created by God at the dawn of creation.
Although spiritual beings, they can take on a form solid enough to allow them to speak and to move things: they rolled away the stone at the resurrection of Jesus.
The Bible speaks of the heavenly realms being occupied by an uncountable number of angels: they are known as the ‘angelic host’. There is a diversity and hierarchy within angels, with ‘archangels’, ‘cherubim’ and ‘seraphim’. Some angels have names: we know of Gabriel and Michael. And, although angels are beings with intelligence, the Bible’s emphasis is more on their ability to serve than their wisdom or insight. They faithfully transmit God’s message; they don’t interpret it.
Angels are normally invisible but can take on human form. In a few cases they are described as having wings – but that may be symbolic language referring to their ability to travel anywhere rapidly.
Many of you have had an encounter with an angel in human form! In fact – Angels often appear like men.
It is widely assumed that angels are supremely beautiful but I find little evidence for this. All the angels described in scripture are MEN, mighty men of God, often warriors. In fact, the way angels are often initially mistaken for human beings suggests that, on earth at least, they may be very ordinary in appearance. Even though angels take on human appearance and become visible on occasion, they are spirit beings who do not have flesh and blood. When necessary, God will direct one of His invisible angels to become visible in the life of a believer in order to accomplish a divinely ordained purpose.
— “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” — Hebrews 13:2
The focus of the Bible teachings on angels
The Bible shows how angels relate to humans and how there is a clear separation between us and them. Humans lack the power, immortality and holiness of angels and their privilege of seeing God, however, we human beings are superior in other important ways.
After all, we are made in God’s image, are loved by him and, at enormous cost, have been redeemed by him in Christ. Although there are rebellious angels, there is no mention of God redeeming them.
A misleading belief about angels is to consider them as cozy, reassuring beings. The images of greeting cards with little cherubs, babies with wings, women dressed in all white – these images are man-made. They are not Biblically based.
Angels are always men in scripture, mighty men of valor and strength. They are often described as carrying a sword, sometimes a sword of fire. Coming from the very presence of God as his faithful servants and carrying his divine authority, they can be bearers of good news (such as Gabriel telling Mary about the birth of Jesus, or of pending judgement). In the Bible the appearance of an angel is often enough to bring terror to a human being and it’s common for an angel’s first words to be ‘Don’t be afraid’.
[subhead] Angels need to be treated with respect
They should not be worshipped. Neither should they be sought. If we want to deepen our faith, we should not pursue angels. We can, however, request God to send His angels to help us, guide us or protect us, especially when we travel from home.
We also need to be aware that some ‘angelic manifestations’ may not be from God but from the devil! There are numerous sad accounts of people being led astray by lies they believed had come from angels, but no angel can contradict what God has revealed to us in the Bible.
In summary, angels have three roles
First, angels praise God. Simply by their existence, the ‘angelic host’ gives God glory. On earth it’s common for the majesty of monarchs and leaders to be enhanced by an entourage or noble figures around them. Similarly, the presence of millions of angels adds to God’s splendor and majesty.
Furthermore, angels are not simply a silent presence in heaven. From the Psalms and elsewhere in the Bible, we learn that they continually give God praise.
Second, angels proclaim God’s message. In both Hebrew and Greek, the word translated as ‘angel’ means ‘a messenger’. While God can speak to people in dreams and visions, he can also use angels.
Third, angels protect God’s people. Angels use their power and authority to guard and support God’s people. Although there’s not much evidence for the popular belief in ‘guardian angels’ in the sense of each of us having an attendant angel, there’s a lot of evidence that angels protect God’s people.
In all three roles of praising, proclaiming and protecting, angels provide encouragement for Christians.
So, for instance, we can be encouraged to praise by the thought that our feeble worship is joined with that of the angels. In our proclaiming of the gospel, angels set us an example in their bold and authoritative presentation of God’s truth.
In terms of protection, angels are a tremendous encouragement for Christians at times of trial and threat: we are not alone. Yet, equally as angels defend and protect God’s people, so we should be those who guard our brothers and sisters in Christ.
When the phone rings with bad news, when you lie awake at three in the morning with your heart racing, I want you to remember a young man standing outside a city, looking at an army, and a prophet who didn’t ask for a different army. He asked for open eyes, and God granted that for him. May we all have open eyes to the spiritual world!
However, angels do not serve or protect those who have rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord. Make sure you are right with God by repenting of your sins, turning to Christ and inviting Him to change your life!
Scott Gabrielson is the pastor of Craig Valley Baptist Church
