What Is An Angel?

A. WHAT IS AN ANGEL?

1. They carry out the will of God. The name aggelo means messenger.

2. They do not have a body, but can appear in a body. They are spirit (incorporeal beings). “He makes His angels spirits” (Heb. 1:7). “Are they not ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:4).

3. They are holy beings, whose job is to worship God, crying “Holy, holy, holy” (Isa. 6:3). “Holy angels” (Matt. 25:31).

4. Angels were created in the beginning. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). Heavens is plural including everything contained therein, i.e., the thrones, angels, etc.

5. They sat on the front row of heaven cheering during creation. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth . . . when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 32:4, 7).

6. Lucifer the highest angel fell because of pride (Isa. 14: 12-15). “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:12).

7. Today, demons can’t be saved, and angels can’t sin. Angels were frozen in righteousness, they can only praise God.

8. Since angels are “programmed” to worship, they don’t have the free will to do otherwise. So God created people and gave them a free will, so they could give authentic worship. “What is man that you are mindful of them . . . for You have made him a little lower than the angels” (Ps. 8:4-5).

B. WHAT CAN WE LEARN ABOUT ANGELS FORM HEBREWS 1?

“God’s Son is much better than the angels, just as the name Jesus is far greater than the angel’s names. The Father never said to any angel what He said to Jesus” ‘You are My Son, today I am Your Father . . . when the Father presented His honored Son to the world, He said, ‘let all the angels worship Him.’ The Father said to His Son, Your throne will endure forever.’ The Father called His angels, “Messengers swift as the wind, they are servants who judge with fire.’ The Father never said to an angel, what He said to His Son, ‘Sit in honor at My right hand, until I make Your enemies footstools at Your feet.’ But angels serve (litegaeo) God in worship and serve (dikaneo) those who will receive salvation” (Heb. 1:4-8, 13-14, ELT).

1. Jesus has a better name than the angels (v. 4).

2. Jesus has a better relationship with the Father. “Thou Art My Son” (v. 5).

Jesus has a better glory than the angels (v. 6).

3. Jesus has a better position. “Thy throne O God is forever” (v. 8).

4. Jesus has a better exhalation. “Sit on My right hand” (v. 13).

C. LEARNING FROM ANGELS HOW TO WORSHIP CHRIST

1. Their primary assignment is worship. “Holy, holy, holy” (Is. 6:3).

Because Christ came lower than the angels.

Because Christ gave up His glory, position and exaltation.

Because Christ is our Savior.

2. Because Jesus is lower than angels in His humiliation, angels praised God at His coming, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will to men” (Luke 2:13-14).

3. If the angels searched the Old Testament to learn about Jesus – and they knew Him in Heaven – how much more should we study diligently to know Jesus? “The Holy Spirit spoke to the prophets to predict the coming of Christ, and the angels study their writings to know more about Him” (I Peter 1:11-12, ELT).

4. We must be like the angels who are willing and obedient to serve God.

5. We should be careful as messengers of God to correctly communicate God’s good news to everyone.

6. We are more limited; not as intelligent, and not as strong as the angels, so let’s worship from our lower position.

7. We have a free will that angels don’t have, so we can worship God better than angels.

a. We can be creative – they have no independence.

b. We can pray – they have no free will.

c. We can build up believers spiritually – they minister physically.

d. We can voluntarily give our time, talent and treasure.

e. We can preach the gospel and win souls.

8. We should be extremely careful if we ignore studying the Bible. If we overlook His commands, and reject His standards, we could be judged. “We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest at anytime we should let them slip” (Heb. 2:1, KJV).

9. Ours is greater punishment. “If the message God delivered by angels has always been proved true, and the people were punished for every violation of the law . . . what makes us think we can escape if we are indifferent?” (Heb. 2:2-3, LB).