You can find many accounts where a person claims their life was saved by an angel. The stories of angels range from help in car accidents, rescue from drowning, and being pulled from a fire. You might well have your own story of an encounter with an angel.
Let’s look into the scriptures and find out what is the truth about angels. The Bible is filled with over 250 references to angels. From Genesis where angels are guarding the Garden of Eden to Revelation where angels are around the throne worshiping God. When Jesus comes again he will be accompanied by angels.
There are thousands upon thousands of angels. 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. (Revelation 5:11)
Jesus refers to the vast number of angels he could have called on at his arrest. A Roman legion or company of soldiers was about 5,000 so Jesus could have called 60,000 angels do deliver him at his arrest. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53)
We have probably been influenced by a cultural understanding of angels from movies and media. We do not become angels when we die. Angels are created by God and we do become like angels in some aspects when we go to heaven. We are not married in heaven and like angels and do not get married.
There is nothing to say that angels are genderless or that we become genderless in heaven, but the statement is specifically we are not married or given in marriage in heaven. God created angels. They don’t multiply, they don’t reproduce and they don’t marry.
At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:30)
We are as humans, a little lower than the angels. In our final state with glorified bodies in the presence of God we will be above the angels.
It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them,
a son of man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels;
you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet.”. (Hebrews 2:5-8, read also through verse 16)
We will even judge angels. Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! (1 Corinthians 6:3) Angels are powerful. Yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from the Lord. (2 Peter 2:11)
An angel rolled back the heavy stone that sealed Jesus’ tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. (Matthew 28:2)
Angels are spirit beings, and they don’t have physical bodies like us. They don’t normally eat. They may appear as human like when angels came to Lot and had a meal with him. They can take on a wide variety of appearances.
The angel that rolled away the stone had an appearance like lightning. When the soldiers guarding the tomb saw him they were almost scared to death. The angel had dazzling white clothes.
Angels can be unseen to us. They can have a fantastic appearance as described by Isaiah where an angel has six wings and the doorposts shook at the sound of their voice.
Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. (Isaiah 6:2-4)
Some angels can look so much like an ordinary person that we might even entertain an angel and be unaware of it. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2)
Angels have the ability to worship before God in his glory and live. We will be able to do that in heaven. There are differing types among the thousands of thousands of angels. There are Cherubim, Seraphim, and the Archangel Michael.
The meaning of the word angel is messenger. Angels are God’s messengers. That is the main function of angels in the Bible, when they bring a message from God to man. It was an angel that brought a message to Zechariah about the coming birth of John the Baptist. He was gripped with fear.
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. (Luke 1:11-13)
An angel brought an announcement to Mary about the birth of Jesus. The angel said do not be afraid.
The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:28-33)
The Angel appears to Joseph.
Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:18-21)
When the disciples were just standing there looking in the sky at Jesus ascension angels had a message from God for them.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11)
When Paul was headed toward Rome an angel spoke a message from God regarding his future.
For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, 24 and he said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you. ' (Acts 27:23)
Also Angels minister to believers in Christ. Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:14)
This is the aspect of angels that give us some very dramatic stories of angels miraculously saving lives and helping people in their time of need. When Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den it was angels that shut the mouth of the lions.
Angels will protect and guard you. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; (Psalm 91:11) The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. (Psalm 34:7)
You may wonder, do we have a personal guardian angel? Little ones have an angel in heaven. “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. (Matthew 18:10)
In Acts 12:15 Peter was delivered by an angel from prison. When he knocked on the door of believers, they thought it was Peter’s guardian angel, but it was him in person.
God’s angels watch over us. That is the encouraging side of angels. There is another message that these messengers deliver and that is a message of punishment and judgement. In Genesis 19 is angels who strike the men of Sodom with wickedness.
Herrod was struck dead by an angel when he let the people praise him with praise that was due to God. Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. (Acts 12:23) Angels can be fierce as well as kind.
Angels worship God. In Isaiah and Revelation, we see angels saying, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty. Angels have a role in the final events. They will accompany Jesus when he returns to gather the elect from all over the earth. Angels gather unredeemed sinners to be cast into eternal fire.
In story Jesus told, Luke 16:22 those who die in Christ before Christ’s return are escorted to heaven by angels.
We are not to worship angels. John fell at the feet of an angel and was told, worship God. (Revelation 22:9) No angel of God wants or will accept your worship. They do not want you to take your eyes off Jesus who is the only one worthy of your worship.
Satan and his angels are fallen angels and they do want you to worship them. Fallen angels disguise themselves as angels of light. Watch out for those who worship angels derailing you in your walk with Christ. (Colossians 2:18-19) Do not make an angel pin a sort of lucky charm. God’s angels will protect you but do not confuse that with a molded pendant.
If you meet someone with a fascination with angels use that as an open door to share Christ with them. An awareness of angels can create a spiritual longing that is satisfied only in Christ. There is a warning to prepared for when Christ returns with his angels to gather the elect. Jesus is supreme. To be prepared turn to Christ and put your faith in Jesus Christ.
