Whenever someone brings up the topic of the supernatural, a wide range of emotional responses fly through people’s minds. Those responses range from one extreme to the other. Some people find the very thought of the supernatural to be absolutely ridiculous, while others are so intrigued by it that they expect to see the face of a demon around every corner.

Of course, the fact is that Christians do believe in a Supernatural God. He is a God who is a Spirit Being, One who is not only capable of defying natural laws but does so at will. He is a God of miracles.

But talk of the supernatural brings up another interesting and often popular topic – that of angels. It seems that everyone has their own interpretation of angels or has their own personal “angel story.” Hollywood has given us no shortage of movies and TV shows in dealing with this topic. It is largely because of this that society’s views of angels are so distorted. Add to this natural human fascination, and people often dream up embellished stories that portray angels as having characteristics and abilities that they really don’t possess. Some people even go to the extreme point of worshiping angels.

As with any Biblical topic, we need to be careful and balanced in our approach. We must be careful to build doctrines on what scripture says, not on what it never said or never intended to say… So, what about angels? What does God’s Word reveal to us about this topic?

Angels

First of all, unlike the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, angels are created beings. Passages like Nehemiah 9:6 and Psalm 148:2, 5 make it clear that angels have not existed from all eternity.

Next, we know that angels have some degree of free will or ability to choose. This is evidenced by the fact that there are both good and bad angels (demons). We know that one-third of the angels fell with Lucifer at his rebellion against God.

Scripture informs us that there are at least three different classifications of angelic beings. The first one being “Cherubim,” which are described as being defenders of God’s holiness from the defilement of sin.¹ The second are known as “Seraphim.” They are mentioned only once in Scripture² and are described as having three pairs of wings. They apparently have the primary function of praising God. The third category is that of “Archangel” which comes from a Greek word meaning “chief angel.” It refers to an angel who seems to be the leader of other angels.

Relationship with Humans

Some people think that angels just aimlessly fly around Heaven all day. But another function of angels is their relationship with humans. Many times angels are used as messengers to convey a message from the Lord. Other times they serve to physically protect or assist humans. Psalm 34:7–8 declares that, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those that love the Lord.” This entire Psalm is from the mouth of one who is in close relationship with God (one “that loves the Lord”). Verses 1–4 state how the worshiper blesses, boasts, magnifies, and seeks the Almighty. In Verse 7, it further identifies the worshipers as those who fear (respect and reverence) Him. So, we can see that this is a specific reference, not a casual blanket statement of protection. Likewise, Verse 8 claims that, “Blessed is the man that trusts in Him.” We realize that this entire Psalm continues with that theme of a close relationship to God. It is those people who are in that type of relationship with God that will benefit from the protection of His angelic representatives or messengers. The NIV textual note says that the angels are “sent to affect His (God’s) will on the Earth.” Commentator Matthew Henry said of this verse, “The holy angels minister to the saints and stand for them against the powers of darkness. All the glory be to the Lord…”

They Minister for Us

The next Scripture I want to look at is in Hebrews, Chapter 1. It compares the virtues and the supremacy of Christ with that of angels. Verses 10 and 11 describe how Christ laid the foundations of the Earth and created all. It then reaffirms His everlasting qualities of Deity.

But the angels (Verse 13) are thus not on an equal par with Christ as some people believe. They are therefore not to be worshiped. They are not God. The Amplified Bible (Verse 14) says, “They (angels) are sent out in the service of God, for the assistance of those who are to inherit salvation (us).” We can then see the proper order. We are to worship the Triune God while the angels are to serve and assist both the Lord and us. We see then that angels are ministers serving God and man.

The Value of Humans

In Matthew 18:10–14, Jesus speaks of the value of children and how we should never cause one of them to stumble. He also describes how these children have angels in Heaven who always see the face of the Father. This shows how these angels have constant access to God the Father. So, what does this mean to us? Jesus said, “Don’t despise,” or don’t look down upon them. He was implying that such (children) are important to God… Very important… In fact, important enough to have associated angels (ministers, messengers). People’s NT Commentary affirms that this verse applies to “not merely one of the children but those saints whom the world regards as insignificant and unimportant. …Who can afford to despise the children who have representatives right at the throne of God?”

A Few More Facts

Angels can take on the appearance of men when the occasion demands. How else could some “entertain angels unaware?”³ On the other hand, their appearance is sometimes in dazzling white and blazing glory.⁴

Human beings do not become angels after they die. Angels are an entirely different order of being than humans. Nowhere does the Bible state that angels are created in the image and likeness of God, as humans are.⁵

In closing, let me state that, of course, this article is not meant to be an exhaustive list of angelic appearances and their functions throughout the Bible. But it does reveal many of their basic characteristics and roles in their interactions with human beings and with God. Perhaps the greatest thing we can learn from the angels is their instant, unquestioning obedience to God’s commands. We would do well to do the same.

Footnotes:
¹ Genesis 3:24; Exodus 25:18; Exodus 25:20
² Isaiah 6:2-7
³ Hebrews 13:2
⁴ Matthew 28:2-4
⁵ Genesis 1:26