Theology Series Chapter 5: Angels

Chapter V: Angelology
pdf
Dr. Paul Manuel—2013

Having considered the three persons of the godhead in A Reader's Digest Approach to Theology, we proceed down the cosmic hierarchy to study angels.

Quiz: What Do You Know About Angels?

1. What is the theological term for the study of angels? Angelology.
2. What does the word "angel" mean? Both Hebrew (mal'ak) and Greek (anggelos) terms mean "messenger."
3. T/F: Angels have wings. False (in the narrow sense of the term): Seraphs and cherubs have wings; angels, proper, do not, although they do fly.¹
4. T/F: When people die, they become angels. False: They become "like the angels" (Matt 22:30) but do not become angels.²
5. T/F: Israel was the only Ancient Near East (ANE) people with a belief in angels. False: A stele depicts angels flying over the Sumerian king Ur-Nammus while he prays (c. 2250).
6. T/F: Angels always appear in the Bible as adult males, never as females or children. True.³
7. T/F: Daniel is the only Old Testament (OT) book that names angels. True (See answer to the next question).
8. Who are the angels Protestant scriptures name? Gabriel and Michael.⁴
9. T/F: "The angel of the LORD" is Christ. False (See Excursus 1: The Angel of the LORD).
10. What is the main goal of evil angels? To thwart God's purpose by opposing God's people.⁵
11. Who controls the activities of evil angels? Satan partially (immediately) but God ultimately (mediately).⁶
12. T/F: Angels play harps. False: This notion seems to have arisen from a misunderstanding of passages in Revelation where elders have harps and where some believers have harps (Mounce 1977:146).⁷
13. T/F: Angels are musical. True: They sing and play instruments.⁸
14. What extra-biblical book has the most information about angels? 1 Enoch, where the author attributes sin to angelic intercourse with human women and identifies six good angels by name.⁹

[The end notes can be found in the linked pdf]

WWN: "13 Most Dangerous Demons" (Floori 2012)

If you find yourself pitted against one of the 13 most dangerous demons in Hell[?], watch out! Anton Szandor LaVey, the former High Priest of the Church of Satan, listed the most powerful of Lucifer's minions in his notorious book, The Satanic Bible. LaVey, known to his followers as The Black Pope, wrote...

Theologians have cataloged some of the names of devils in their lists of demons, but the roster which follows contains the names most effectively used in Satanic ritual.

In addition to what he called the "crown princes" of Hell (Satan, the fallen angel Belial and the destructive sea monster Leviathan), LaVey lists other vicious demons who also occupy the "Royal Palace of Hell." Here are the 13 of the worst:

• Asmodeus—the orgy-loving demon of sensuality
• Astaroth–the Phoenician demon of lasciviousness
• Balaam–the demon of avarice and greed
• Behemoth—the demon who appears as a monstrous elephant
• Beezelbub—the repulsive 'Lord of the Flies'
• Bile—the Celtic demon of Hell
• Cimeries—the African demon who rides a black horse
• Coyote—the American Indian demon
• Damballa—the evil voodoo serpent demon
• Dagon—the Philistine avenging demon of the sea
• Mictian—the Aztec demon of death

and my favorite...

• Azazel—the demon who taught men to make weapons...and [the best part] introduced women to cosmetics

What are angels? Many depictions in art and modern caricature portray them as chubby infants with wings, the kind of image that strikes us as cute. Biblical angels, of course, elicit quite a different response from those who encounter them.¹⁰ Likewise, Satan's modern image is often that of a comic figure in a red union suit with horns, a pointed tail, and a pitchfork. Again, the biblical description is quite different and not at all funny. We will see what the Bible says about the nature of angels, and then we will study what they do.

A. The nature of angels

1. Angels are spirit beings (unlike man).

• They are incorporeal but may appear in physical form.¹¹

Heb 1: 14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Eph 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Gen 19:1 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.... 16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them.

2. Angels are superior creatures (to man).

• They are spirit beings (unlike man; comp Dan 9:21 and Luke 1:26; comp Job 1:6 and Mark 1:13; Ps 148:2, 5)¹²

Dan 9:21 while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.

Luke 1:26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,

Job 1:6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.

Mark I: 13a and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan.

Ps 148:2 Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts.... 5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created.

• They have greater status but not preeminence.¹³

Ps 8:5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.

Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

• They have greater knowledge but not omniscience.¹⁴

Matt 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

• They have greater strength but not omnipotence.¹⁵

2 Pet 2:10b Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord.

Dan 10:13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.

• They have greater mobility but not omnipresence.¹⁶

Job 1:6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

Zech 1:11 And they reported to the angel of the LORD, who was standing among the myrtle trees, "We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace."

Dan 10:13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.

3. Angels are imperfect beings (like man).

• They were originally good, but some sinned.¹⁷

2 Pet 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;

Eph 6:11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

The Bible's depiction of angels is different from the way our culture portrays them, and we must not allow the latter to influence our understanding. That does mean we cannot appreciate artistic renderings or cartoons, merely that we know the difference between fantasy and reality. Real angels are neither cute nor comical. Some in the first century apparently forgot the reality and held angelic authority in contempt. We read part of Peter's statement earlier.

2 Pet 2:10b Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against [their rebellious, former comrades] in the presence of the Lord. 12 But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.

This was not an isolated incident, because Jude says much the same thing.

Jude 8 In the very same way, these dreamers...reject authority and slander celestial beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!' 10 Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them.

We must also avoid the opposite extreme. Angels are superior to man, but they are inferior to God.¹⁸ Once again, our culture often depicts Satan as God's evil twin. The reality is, of course, quite different. Satan can do nothing without God's permission. There is conflict between them, but there is no contest;¹⁹ and when the time is right, God will simply remove Satan from the scene. John describes that event.²⁰

Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him... 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him....

What to remember: Angels are created beings, like man, but are superior to man in many ways. They are also part of a celestial authority that God has established and, thus, they are subject to Him. Therefore, we must not adopt the false impression of angels our culture often promotes, which either demeans them or deifies them. We must keep a clear distinction between fantasy and reality.

Part 2

We saw last time how the biblical description of angels is different from the common depiction in art, and that angels occupy a particular place in the hierarchy of creation, inferior in all ways to God yet superior in several ways to man. This week we will examine what angels do. Does the false image our culture presents of their nature also extend to their work? Do they, for example, occupy themselves by sitting on clouds and playing harps? Is their busiest time of the year Valentine's Day, when they fly around looking for people to shoot with love-potion-tipped arrows? How does the Bible describe angelic activity?²¹

WWN: "Devil Puts a Freeze on Buying Souls." (Lake 2010)

HADES–The Devil, overwhelmed by people selling their souls, is putting a temporary freeze on soul purchases. This (2010) has been a record year for soul selling. The Devil told WWN,

We're booming! We got contracts lined up back-and-forth across Hades. More people than ever are selling their souls, wanting to satisfy all their earthly desires. I don't even need any helpers [to recruit] anymore, these people are coming to me!

The Devil began making deals (or Faustian bargains) back in the first century A.D. [This may have been a new campaign to compete with the gospel.] It's a simple contract: An individual sells his or her soul to the devil in exchange for earthly favors. The "favors" are the usual run-of-the-mill vanities: youth, knowledge, wealth, power, sex, and free beer [—an obvious appeal to WWN' s readers].

Although eternity is longer than the average lifespan, many people are focused on immediate gratification. "I don't care about eternity," said Congressman Anthony Weiner of NY. "I want what I want now!" And it's not just Democrats selling their souls," says the devil. "We have 98% of Congress signed up."

WWN talked to a demonologist at the University of Vermont, about the Devil's temporary freeze on negotiating these contracts. She said,

It's perfectly understandable. The Devil can't take everybody. There have to be some admission guidelines. If everybody were getting what they wanted, having all their desires come true, then there'd be no suffering, and the Devil doesn't like that.

Asked why there is such a rush on soul-selling, she said, "Whenever there's an economic downturn, people turn to the Devil. It's an easy fix."

B. The work of angels

1. Good angels serve God (like good men).²²

• Archangel Michael is protector of Israel.²³

Dan 12:1 "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.

Jude 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

•  Angels (proper) are emissaries from God.²⁴

Ps 103:20 Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.

• Cherubs are guardians for God.²⁵

Gen 3:24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

1 Kgs 6:23 In the inner sanctuary he made a pair of cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. 24 One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing five cubits—ten cubits from wing tip to wing tip. 25 The second cherub also measured ten cubits, for the two cherubim were identical in size and shape. 26 The height of each cherub was ten cubits. 27 He placed the cherubim inside the innermost room of the temple, with their wings spread out. The wing of one cherub touched one wall, while the wing of the other touched the other wall, and their wings touched each other in the middle of the room. 28 He overlaid the cherubim with gold. 29 On the walls all around the temple, in both the inner and outer rooms, he carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers.

• Seraphs are ministers before God.

Isa 6:2 Above him were seraphs, 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." ...6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.

 2. Evil angels oppose God (like evil men).

• They are the enemy of believers²⁶ (1 Pet 5:8 and Eph 6:12.²⁷

1 Pet 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 

Eph 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

There is an interesting and important distinction in the modus operandi of these opposing groups as they relate to man. Good angels may take human form, but they never take over human beings. Evil angels seem rarely (if ever) to take human form, preferring instead to possess human beings. What does this difference indicate about the way God operates in contrast to the way Satan operates? ...Unlike Satan, God respects our integrity as individuals and would rather win our voluntary support than co-opt our personalities to force our support. Put another way: God convinces; Satan coerces.²⁸

If God has our support, it means that we take an active role in advancing His cause, despite the resistance we may encounter from forces of the rebellion.²⁹ Paul states that believers are engaged in a struggle, "not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph 6:12). We have seen in our study that these forces are more powerful in many ways than we are.

Some people think they can avoid the unpleasantness of the conflict through passive non-involvement—at least, as they see it—but such a stance actually plays into the hands of the enemy; for by not serving God and advancing His cause, they are providing tacit support to the opposition. As Jesus said, "He who is not with me is against me" (Matt 12:30a = Luke 11:23a).³⁰ The spiritual realm mirrors the situation in the physical realm, and herein lies the point of this lesson.

What to remember: Angelic activity divides celestial beings into two clear and contrary forces. Angels either serve God or oppose Him; there are no neutral factions, no non-combatants. Understanding what angels do, especially as they aid God's people, makes us realize that we are not alone in our struggle. Though we face powerful spiritual forces, we have the cooperation and active support of equally powerful allies. Moreover, we have the assurance that our side wins in the end.

For the very extensive Endnotes, see the pdf here.

For the other chapters in "A 'Reader's Digest' Approach to Theology" see the contents here.