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网上牧师杂志–中文版(简体), SCh Ed, Issue 39 2021 年 春季

A ministry of…

作者: Roger Pascoe, 博士,主席,
邮箱: [email protected]

(如果您有任何问题需要进一步询问或沟通,欢迎中文写信到此邮箱)

I. 加强讲解式讲道

“传讲希伯来叙事”(第二部分)

在这期的网络牧师杂志中,我将继续讲解38期的主题——如何传讲旧约(希伯来)叙事。我会试图通过回答以下这些问题的方式来勾勒出一种传讲叙事的方法:我们如何传讲一个故事?是否只是简单地复述故事,然后在最后加上应用?或者将故事分成若干部分,每个部分有相应的原则?还是我们对待它本质上就像对待新约书信一样,从中得出一般的原则和应用?

传讲旧约叙事,我认为…

1)在我们诠释和讲道时,我们必须尊重和敏感于文本的体裁,同时也要认识到传讲一个故事不仅仅是复述故事然后加上一些应用。故事的主要目的达神学思想。圣经故事不仅仅是描述,也是

2)我们必须从旧约的叙事中得出普遍的原则,就像从新约书信中一样。不同的是,我们在讲解旧约叙事时必须遵循、反映和尊重经文的故事形式。我们通过以下几点来实现:(a)改变我们的讲道风格来反应故事的体裁;(b)遵循故事情节的顺序和内容;(c)修改我们讲道大纲的结构,使之与叙事体裁相一致。

我们从使徒行传中能够学到许多关于如何传讲旧约的叙事。比如,在使徒行传第7章,司提反复述了旧约神的救赎故事(1)神对他百姓的拯救和救赎;(2)神百姓的罪恶和悖逆;接着(3)把故事应用到现在的听众身上——也就是,他们也是悖逆的,抗拒圣灵的工作,杀害那义者等。事实上,救赎故事在他们身上的应用是那么有力和直接,以至于他们杀了司提反(也参见,徒13:16-41)。

神已经将这个故事告诉我们。我们的任务是解释它普遍的,神学的,永恒的原则,并应用于我们的听众。正如我们分析使徒书信中的一段话,是为了它中心的,神学的真理及其相关的应用,我们也应该如此分析一个故事,为了得出它中心的,神学的真理及它相关的应用。不管你是传讲故事还是书信,找到核心真理的过程是一样的。如果只需要复述这个故事,你就不必成为神学家来传道了。你可以简单地让一个戏剧的叙述者或演员用当代的语言和术语重新讲述这个故事。我认为,我们在重述这个故事的同时,也必须启发我们的观众:

1) 这在当时和现在都意味着什么(弥合历史的鸿沟)

2)他的神学真理是什么

3)他对我们基督徒生活的启发和应用是什么。

需要重新讲述故事(使今天的听众听起来活泼生动),需要揭示和应用其核心的命题真理。因此这个过程是教诲和建议性的,就像我们传讲使徒书信一样。所不同的是,对于使徒书信,你分析和传讲段落,而对于故事,你传讲“场景”。场景反映了故事的发展,必须根据整个故事来解释每一个场景,因为整个故事揭示了核心的、最重要的真理。

A.研究一个故事的程序

与其他经文的讲道一样,目的是确定故事揭示了关于神的什么(他的本性、他的意愿、他的道路等)。第一步是…

1.调查

a)确定故事的开始和结束。如果它是一个子故事,确定它与主要的故事的关系。从上下文中收集数据(比如周围的叙述和描述),找到情节。故事中发生的事件的顺序是什么?在故事的发展过程中是否出现了逆转? 如果有,在哪里以及为什么?

b) 通过将故事划分为不同的场景来确定故事结构。检查每场的布置和图像。为每个段落或场景做一个图表,标出对每场的诠释性的观察、问题等。

c)注意故事是如何逐场展开的。通常先给出背景,然后是一场一场的行动。行动通常会暴露出一个境地(矛盾,张力),这通常会引向高潮(这个困境会如何解决?)。接着就是解决这个困境的方法和结论。所有的故事都涉及到一定程度的张力,最终导致高潮。所以,随着事件的展开,一定要确定高潮并回答以下问题:张力是如何解决的?结论是什么?这是故事的动态。

d)考察人物。注意角色在故事发展过程中的反应和行动。找出他们的力量和软弱,以及他们在剧中扮演的角色(比如故事的主角,反派,主要人物,旁观者等)。

e)分析人物的语言和思想。核心真理是通过言语还是思想表达出来的?特别是,找出叙述者的陈述。通常情况下,如果没有这些陈述,故事就不会有意义,因为动机、隐藏的行动等都是不为人知的。记住,叙述者是无所不知的——他知道人的思想,亲密的私人对话,隐藏的事件,甚至是神的思想。通过这样的方式,神作为故事的最终讲述者进入故事—比如,“但大所行的事,耶和甚不喜悦”(撒下11:27下)。

f)找出不同的文学结构和使用的手法。比如,它是用第三人称还是第一人称写的?重点是情节还是人物发展?是否存在交叉、重复、对比、平行等?如果是这样,这些文学手法是如何添加到故事中的呢?

2.确定中心的神学真理

在根据我上面描述的分析和总结故事之后,你应该能够决定(a)整个故事的主题;(b)作者对这个主题的看法。故事的主题就是故事所表达的中心的、神学的真理。作者关于主题所说的内容构成了你讲道的要点(或者,按场景划分)。

下一个任务就是写出中心的神学真理(有时被称为“大思想”或诠释性的思想)。有一种方法是从一个能够抓住段落主题的词开始,并确定作者关于这个主题要回答的问题。然后,再写出这个问题的全面答案。

一旦你这样做了,简单地用一个描述性的句子来总结你的故事,简洁地陈述你上面所想到的答案。这句话就成为讲道的中心真理,也就是,一句话概括讲道

B.构造叙事性讲道的模型

这是我通常遵循的程序。我试图将我的神学讲道大纲与故事的复述穿插在一起,并在每个场景中或者末尾提出应用。这和我在传讲使徒书信中使用的模式是一样的,只是我是在叙事中讲解神学思想,而不是在书信中讲解教义。

1.讲道的引言

在引言中包括任何背景和其他需要的材料,以设置故事的上下文,并解释古代术语或文化惯例。

正如我上面提到的,在引言中用一句话陈述你的讲道非常重要,这样你的听众就知道故事的主要神学真理,也就是你在讲道中要证明的观点。在陈述这个真理的时候,一方面要使命题具有悠久的神学意义,另一方面要试着以一种反映历史准确性和故事文学目的的方式来陈述。

如果陈述地正确,你会形成一个永久的神学观点,无论何时何地都适用于神的百姓,这就成为你讲道的观点,它决定你如何呈现余下的部分。讲道的观点是对生活中某一特定需要、问题或困难的答案。

讲道的任务是向你的听众描述(1)故事中的人是如何面对、处理、思索属灵的需求、问题、疾病等;(2)他们的困难和我们是相同的;(3)他们的解决方式也是我们的解决方式。

2.讲道的主体

一个场景一个场景地重述故事。你如何从故事中得出这个神学观点也在此显示出来。

a)列出一个以神学观点为基础的、能够反映整个故事走向的讲章大纲。

每一个故事都有一个清楚的结构。并非因为它是故事,就没有清楚的结构。每一个故事都是一个场景一个场景逐步展开的。这就是它的结构。你前期任务之一就是找到它的结构,就像你对待圣经中的其他题材一样。

接着,创作一个能反映场景变化的大纲(场景的变动、想法的变动)。故事的大纲就像音乐的交响曲一样——几个乐章一个作品。场景的改变是你进入讲道大纲下一部分的关键。你所研究的故事的每一个场景都需要有一个神学观点(也就是声明一个普遍真理或者原则)。为了找到这些声明,你需要问自己…

1)这个情节告诉我们关于神的什么(他的方式,目的、审判等)

2)这个情节告诉我们关于自己的什么(我们与神的关系、我们的属灵状况等)?

当你用一句完整的话来陈述对这些问题的答案,就构成了你对每个场景的神学原则的陈述。要保证对每个情节的普遍神学原则的陈述都与整个故事的神学真理相联系和发展——也就是,在引言部分你用“一句话对讲章的陈述”。

不要做一个肤浅的大纲,只是描述每个场景而并不能反映故事的神学观点的形成和发展。创建一个以神学为基础的、由陈述原则构成的大纲,不仅遵循故事的动态,而且反映故事的信息。每个场景的标题都以神学原则为中心, 这样就形成了讲章大纲的要点,既尊重故事整体的神学主张和目的,而且也与之相一致。

有时候将对的描述神学原结合起来会有帮助。这种方式不但将故事分解,更易于听众理解,而且也将故事与原则整合一起。为了说明我的意思,下面是我列出创世纪21:9-21的大纲作为例子。

这段经文的普遍原则:“在神的帮助下,麻烦会被胜利取代”

创 21:9-10. 撒拉的怨恨(情的描述):麻烦的根源往往在于我们不良的态度(普遍真理)

创 21: 11-14a. 亚伯拉罕的困境(情的描述):麻烦的根源往往在于我们坏的决定(普遍真理)

创 21:14b-16. 夏甲的放逐(情的描述):麻烦的根源往往在于我们糟糕的环境(普遍真理)

创 21:17-21. 神的介入(情的描述):麻烦总会在神的良善中找到出路(普遍真理)

有的时候(就像在这个例子中)我可能会用对场景的描述作为我的段落标题,并说明普遍的真理(原则)作为我应用的标题。换句话说,我对每个场景有两个标题,一个是描述场景中的行为,而另一个是描述从行为中所得出的原则。这样,描述场景的标题,使听众清晰了解故事的走向,而应用的标题给予听众清晰的可以适用于今天的原则。那么当你讲道的时候,就会由一个情节自然的转入下一个情节。

因此,比如在创21:11-14中,我的场景标题是伯拉罕的困境”(如何处理夏甲和以实玛利来回应撒拉的抱怨)。我所陈述的神学的普遍原则是:的根源往往在于我坏的决定(或者,短期的决定有时候会导致长期的困境)——这是对我们的教训。

你可以通过以下方式来避免讲章大纲的人为的结构…

1)不要在讲道中强加要点,使一个故事听起来像科学教科书

2)确保你的原则是由故事中自然得出的

3) 把每个场景的原则都写成神学声明,就像你对其他文学体裁一样

通过以下几点,确保你的讲章大纲忠实于故事…

1)跟随故事的情节走

2)揭示故事的矛盾、复杂/张力,高潮、解决和结论

3)证明故事的神学要点

b)在每个场景的中间或者最后放上应用。这样,故事的每个场景都直接与听众的生活联系起来。但是在传讲旧约故事的时候,你要小心,不要自动地将故事直接应用于你当代的听众。在当时做了一些事情并不意味着现在也应该这样做。在传讲旧约故事的时候,往往容易掉进这样的陷阱,要么使故事成为道德说教,以至于你告诉你的听众,因为谁谁做了什么,所以他们也要做;或者将故事象征化,给实际发生的事情加上灵意化的、隐藏的意义。为了避免这些,你必须确保运用经文的神学观点,而不是直接运用故事情节本身。

3.讲道的最后评论

一定要把这个问题的解决办法清楚地表述出来。总结一下接受或拒绝这一解决方法可能带来的影响——解释接受如何带来属灵的祝福,而拒绝带来进一步的属灵疾病、倒退和距离等。恳请听众选择祝福(健康、生命)而不是审判(疾病、死亡)——也就是,呼吁听众的回应。

C.对于以这种方式讲道的一些评论

1.如此讲道使你的听众…

a)把故事当成戏剧来感受。

b)掌握神学观点(粗略阅读的时候不会看到)

c) 理解这对他们生活的影响

d)将故事的应用运用到他们现代的生活中

2.如此讲道确保…

a)你忠实于故事的形式。

b)你引出了故事的永恒的神学思想

c)你向人们展示了古代故事与当代生活的联系

d) 你迫使人们思考并感受故事的紧张和复杂

e) 你迫使他们为自己的生活考虑解决办法。

II.加强圣经化的领导

“事奉的动力,第三部分:基督的爱”(哥后5:14-17)

在哥林多后书,保罗讨论了事奉以及圣经化领导这个主题。几年以前,我开始在这个杂志中探讨如下内容…

1.事奉中的信心—神的带领和供给(哥后2:14-3:6,春,2013)

2.:真正事奉的本质

第一部分,信息的本质—不是关于我们,而是关于基督(哥后4:1-6,夏,2012)

第二部分,基督徒生命的本质—软弱中的能力(哥后4:7-16,夏,2013)

3. 事奉的动力

第一部分,我们将来的转变(哥后4:16-5:9,秋2013)

第二部分,我们在神面前交账(哥后5:10-13,冬2014)

在这期当中,我将继续探讨保罗对“事奉的动力”的阐释—第三部分,基督舍己的爱(哥后5:14-17).

基督舍己的爱,充分体现在他代替我们,为我们赎罪上,这份爱激励我们去事奉他。实际上,保罗在这里的要点是基督为我们死了,因此我们要事奉他(而不是我们自己),尤其是传讲和好的信息。

保罗在哥后5:10-13中已经为事奉确立了一个将来性的动力(向神交账),现在他又确立了一个的动力—基督的爱(哥后5:14-17)。确实,他说,“基督的爱激励我们”(5:14a)。在真正事奉的生命中,最重要的动力就是基督的爱。保罗不在乎有些人认为他癫狂(哥后5:13)。不论他做什么和忍耐什么,都是出于对基督的爱。同样的爱“激励我们”,树立了我们事奉的坐标。这就是基督的爱对我们以及在我们里面的影响—它使我们做我们在事奉中为他所做的事。

那么,激励我们的基督的爱的本质是什么?“原来基督的激励我,因想,一人既替众人死,众人就都死了。并且他替众人死,是叫那些活着的人不再自己活,乃替他死而复活的主活”(5:14-15

这段经文的内容就是:因为我们理解在将来的审判中“主是可畏的”,所以我们人”(5:11)去相信福音和好的真理(5:19-20)、并且对于这样的信息以及事工而言,动力就是基督那令人信服、激励人的爱(5:14-15)。

原则是这样的:一个人(他不应该死因为他是无罪的)为了其他的人(他们应该死因为他们是有罪的)的死,致使整体(他为之而死的所有人)也都死了,因为无罪的那个替他们死了,为他们的罪付上了代价。

这是应用:基督的爱的本质和延伸(在他替代性的死亡中所体现的)激励我们去做我们在基督徒事工中所做的。这些经文中关于赎罪的性质和范围的神学争论很容易让人分心,而忽略了保罗所谈到的应用。这些经文中确实告诉了我们许多关于基督赎罪的性质和范围—我在下面会讨论,但是保罗主要是在应用基督舍己的爱,这个爱使他为我们死,也是我们事奉他的动力。

保罗接着陈述了两个普遍的结论(哥后5:14-15)…

基督的死的第一个普遍的结论是,众人都死了。“因想:一人既替众人死,众人就都死了。”(5:14。既然基督为众人死了,那么原则上说众人就都死了。我们很容易理解基督为众人死了,因为别处的经文也支持这个观点。但是, “众人就都死了”(5:14)是什么意思?很明显,在某种程度上,基督的死亡涉及到每个人的死亡。就像R.V.G. Tasker说的,“基督的死是众人的死,从这个意义上说,他死的是他们当得的死,他们罪的代价被他担当了(哥前15:3;哥后5:20),他在他们的位置上死了” (Tasker, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, TNTC, Eerdmans, 1958, 86)。他为每个人死了—他们最终是接受他还是拒绝他是另外一回事。他为他们的罪付了代价。他死了他们该得的死亡。因为,原则上说“众人就都死了。”这是保罗在这里做的结论—一个人替一群人死了,因此这群人(因着那位死了的)也都死了。基督十字架上舍己的死里面,每一个人状况的简单来说就是—他为他们死了,因此他们就都死了。众人的罪价被偿还了。

保罗这样说,并不是提倡普遍救赎论(因为很显然并不是所有人都有属灵的生命),但是他在提倡,因着基督的死,救恩的可能临到每个人。因为他为他们死了,原则上他们也都死了,如果他们愿意,他们可以通过信心转向他—也就是基督为他们而死使每个人都有得救的可能,但是只有那些相信的人才能得救。基督为了全人类而死——这是福音的中心真理(参照歌1:20;罗8:32)。

所以,基督的死的第一个普遍结论是“他们就都死了”。

基督的死的第二个普遍结论是,有的人活着,不是所有人。“一人既替众人死,众人就都死了。并且他替众人死,是叫那些活着的人不再自己活,乃替他死而复活的主活”(5:14-15)“那些活着的人”“基督之而死的“人”是两个不同的概念(5:14b)就像Rober L, Dabney说的:“如果我们认为基督为之死的所有人仅仅指那些因他而活的人——也就是被拣选的人,这似乎意味着在那些基督为他们而死的、被拣选的人里面,只有一部分为基督而活”(Dabney, Lectures, 525)。很好的观察!

基督的死的功效在“那些活着的人”(也就是信徒,被拣选的)里面是使他们得到改变和更新。没有人会经历这样的道德改变,只有基督徒因为他们在基督里的新生命。基督的死只对他们有效果(而不是所有人),因为他们在基督里的信心,因此他们在生活中有了新的动力,新的生活方式。基督的死的意义是使那些相信的人(那些因为基督的死而向肉体死亡的人)有一个更新的生命,为了一个新的道德目标和动力而活。因此,“那些活着的人”只包括信徒,那些因着基督为了他们而死并相信他的人,现在“不再自己活,乃替他死而复活的主活”(这并不适用于非信徒)。因此他们在基督里是新造的人(5:17)。

总而言之,保罗的意思是,基于基督替我们而死(5:14b),以及我们接受他的死作为对我们罪的补偿,基督徒的有了一个与以前完全不同的生活动力—也就是,不再为自己活,而为替我们死而复活的主活(5:15)。因此,保罗对这个真理的应用简单明了—因为基督为每个人死了,无人例外,又以无私的爱爱众人,因此我们服事基督的动力就是因着无私的爱,向每个人传扬基督的福音,无人例外。然而,并不是每个人都会接受基督救赎的邀请,但是那些接受的人(那些活着的人5:15a在基督里被赐予一个新的生命,并且从此为主而活。因此,基督的爱是我们现在应该如何为他而活,以及进行事奉的有力基础。就像基督为我们舍弃了生命,所以我们现在也将自己的生命奉献给他。他对我们的爱应该体现在我们对他人的爱上,尤其是通过分享“和好的分(5:18-21,福音,因为我们活在他里面,我们是“基督的使者(5:20)”

.所以,虽然赎罪的本质和范围是保罗在这里论证的基础,但我们不应该过于专注这样的辩论,以至于忽略了保罗的整体和主要观点。我们事奉不是为自私的动机,而仅仅是为基督,作他在世上的使者。

因为基督为我而死,我现在活在他里面也为他而活,因此我的生活在行为、目的和活动上都发生了变化。这个教导与整个圣经中关于基督徒生活的教导是一致的——它是一个交换了的生命(加2:20),旧人已经死了,新人为基督而活(加5:24;弗4:17)。我们的生命是一个与以前完全不同的生命。我们不再以自我为中心生活(弗2:1-3;4:17-19),而是以基督为中心生活(弗2:4-10;4:20)。因此,我们这些与基督同死并与他同活的人,不但能够,而且更是被呼召传和好的消息(5:18-21),这在我们自己的生命中是明显而有力的。我们被呼召,要藉著真实的事奉,活出新的生命,因为(1)相较于使者(我们)的软弱,福音大有能力(4:7);(2)神监察我们的事工(5:10-13);以及(3)基督的爱(5:14-17)激励我们.

从保罗的论点(5:14-15),他得出了两个结果(5:16-17)

#1: “所以(第一个果),从今以后(从我们开始为基督活而不为自己活的时刻起),不凭着外貌人了”(5:16a),保罗不再根据外貌,或者主观的、肤浅的人的标准或者关系(比如财富、种族、地位等;参照加3:28)来判断评价人。他对他人的评价和关系是建立在一个更新的人的属灵价值基础上的,比如一个人的兄弟姐妹不是血缘关系的家庭,而是属灵的家庭(参照太12:46)。他与人的交往中以不同的方式看待别人,不再根据人的外在,不是凭着外貌而是看做“基督里新造的人(5:17).

然凭着外貌认过基督,如今却不再这样认他了(5:16)”。保罗在信主之前对于基督的认识是“凭着外貌”­­——基于一个错误的、扭曲的、肉体的想法,和单纯的人的判断。但是在他和基督关系完全改变之后,他不再只是凭着外在的人的观点来看基督,而是籍着住在他里面的圣灵,他知道基督到底是谁。“凭着外貌”(也就是属肉体的思想,根据人的判断)无法真正地认识基督。这就是为什么没有重生的人对基督有错误的结论。只有通过圣灵而重生的人,才会认识到他是神和救赎主。许多“凭着外貌”认识基督的人并不是通过圣灵来认识他,而只有圣灵才能够启示我们基督是谁。“像彼得和多马一样,保罗必须明白,重要的不是见过基督,也不是认识他,而是爱他,相信他(彼前1:8;约20:29)”(Philip E. Hughes, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 201)。

#2.所以(5:14-15的进一步结果)”不但不再凭着外貌认人(包括基督),而是“若有人在基督里”,他把他们看做“新造的人”(5:17a)因为这才是他们真正的样子。凡从上头生的,都是在“基督里”,并且有一个新的身份,新的关系,新的家庭,新的价值,新的目标。他或者她被看做“在基督里”,不是“凭着外貌”——当我们看他们的时候,我们看到基督,而不是外在的、有罪的肉体。

.在“基督里”意味着安稳(现在和将来)、身份、关系、神的性情、一个完全的“新造的人”(参照弗2:104:24. “旧事(属肉体的旧人,旧人的邪情私欲)(死亡,消失在历史中);都(突然的、惊喜和极大的喜乐)成新的”(5:17)。我们是有永生生命的新造的人,完全因为我们“在基督里”的身份。神在我们里面所做的一切(当我们被荣耀的时候会完全成就)是万物都将被更新的前兆和保证。

III.讲道大纲

题目:给七个教会的信——忠实于基督(启3:7-13)

主题:.如果你忠实于基督,他会将你的软弱变成力量的支柱。

要点 1:基督用他权柄的大能鼓励我们(3:8-11)

1a)他全权掌管我们与他接近的通道(3:8)

1b)他全权约束他的敌对者(3:9)

1c)他全权保守我们脱离他的审判(3:10-11)

要点 2:)基督用他全能的应许鼓励我们(3:12-13)

2a)对那些软弱的人,他应许神的力量(3:12a)

2b)对那些忠实的人,他应许神的名(3:12b)

结论: “圣灵向众教会,凡有耳的,就当听” (3:13)

Related Topics: Pastors

Introduction

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What are angels? Who are they and what can we learn from them? In Scripture, angels are mentioned over 250 times1 in thirty-four books of the Bible (seventeen in the Old Testament and seventeen in the New Testament).2 Angels were present, rejoicing at God’s forming of the earth (Job 38:4-7). They visited Abraham’s house and brought judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18, 19:13). They were involved with the transmission of the Ten Commandments to Moses (Gal 3:19). An angel gave prophecies to Daniel about Israel’s future (Dan 9, 10). Likewise, an angel prophesied the messiah’s birth to both Mary and Joseph (Matt 1, Lk 1). An angel strengthened Christ after he experienced temptation in the wilderness (Lk 22:43). An angel set Peter free from prison (Acts 12:7-10), and one comforted Paul before his shipwreck in the ocean (Acts 27:23-24). Angels will be involved with administering judgment throughout the Great Tribulation (Rev 8) and will come with Christ to judge the earth (Matt 16:27). Throughout Scripture, angels are everywhere.

The study of angels is not just speculative; we can learn a great deal from them, as they are fellow servants and worshipers of God (Rev 22:9). Here are several reasons to study angels.

1. The existence of angels and their ministry give us an example to follow.

In the Lord’s Prayer, Christ taught us to pray, “may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10). In that sense, angels are an example to us. They are examples to follow in the way they worship and serve God in heaven. May their example be followed here on earth!

2. The existence of angels and their ministry should give great comfort to believers.

In 2 Kings 6:17, when Elisha and his servant were surrounded by a pagan army, God opened the eyes of the servant to see an army of angels protecting them. Likewise, angels protect us. In Psalm 91:10-12, the Psalmist said: “No harm will overtake you; no illness will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you in all you do. They will lift you up in their hands, so you will not slip and fall on a stone.” Likewise, in Matthew 18:10, Christ said, “See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” God is always protecting his saints through the agency of angels, which should give believers great comfort.

3. The existence of angels should sober us in our fight against sin.

The angels were made perfect and holy and were never tempted by an outside force as the first humans were, and yet some fell into sin. As we’ll see, one-third of the angels rebelled against God (Rev 12:4). If perfect angels can sin against God without a sin nature and outside forces tempting them, how much more vulnerable are we who have a sin nature, the world, and demons to tempt us (Jam 1:14, John 2:16, Eph 6:12-13)? First Corinthians 10:12 says, “So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall.” Angels encourage us to be sober in our fight against sin.

4. The existence of angels and their ministry should humble us and make us thankful that God chose to offer us salvation, even though he did not have to.

When one-third of the angels fell, forgiveness was never offered to them. In God’s fore-planning, he chose for Christ to die for humans, but not angels. This reality should humble us and make us grateful for the amazing grace God has shown to humans. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.”

5. The existence of angels and their ministry reminds us that there is a real unseen world that greatly affects the seen world.

There is an unseen battle happening in the heavenlies between angels and demons, which affects the world (Dan 10:12-13, 20-21). In fact, believers, as fellow servants of God, engage in this battle with Satan and demons. In Ephesians 6:12-13, Paul said, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.”

In Angelology, we will consider many questions about angels, including who they are, their creation, types of angels, specific angels, their ministry, their future, and much more.

Reflection

  1. What stood out most in the reading and why?
  2. What are some examples of angels appearing in Scripture?
  3. What are some reasons to study angels?
  4. What other questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.


1 Aaron, Daryl. Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day: How can I know God? Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

2 Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology (p. 301). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Related Topics: Angelology

1. Angelic Titles

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What are titles or names for angels in Scripture? By considering their titles, we learn something about their character and purpose.

Messengers

In both the Old and New Testament, the words used for angels (malak and angelos) simply mean messenger1 —one who is sent to act and speak for another.2 In Scripture, they are commonly seen giving messages to people from God and acting on behalf of him. In Daniel 9, Daniel receives a prophetic message from an angel about the future of Israel (v. 20-27). And, the entire book of Revelation is given to John by an angel. Revelation 1:1 says, “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must happen very soon. He made it clear by sending his angel to his servant John.” Angels are messengers from God.

Sons of God

In the Old Testament, angels are commonly called “sons of God” (Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7). Job 1:6 says, “Now the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord—and Satan also arrived among them.” The title “sons of God” pictures how God is the father of angels. The same title is used of Adam in Matthew’s genealogy of Christ because Adam was created by God in his likeness (Matt 3:38; cf. Gen 1:26-28). Though angels are never said to be made in God’s image as humans are, they may in fact be made in God’s image, as the title “sons of God” suggests (cf. Gen 5:3). Certainly, in some ways, they bear God’s characteristics more than humans. They are stronger, wiser, more powerful, and have greater authority than humans. For a season, humans were made a little “lower than the angels” (Heb 2:7). With that said, apparently after Christ’s coming, believers will judge angels and therefore be in authority over them (1 Cor 6:3; cf. Eph 1:20-22, 2:6). It seems that in the same way God placed humans on the earth to rule (Gen 1:28), angels were placed in the heavenlies to rule. Consider these verses that describe their ruling function: Ephesians 3:10 says, “The purpose of this enlightenment is that through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God should now be disclosed to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms.” Also, Colossians 1:16 says,

for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers—all things were created through him and for him.

Angels are sons of God; they are called to rule the heavens under God, even as humans are called to rule the earth under God.

Holy Ones

In Scripture, angels are at times called “holy ones.” In Psalm 89:5 and 7 (ESV), the Psalmist says,

Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! … a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him?

Angels are holy because they were created to be pure and righteous, and because they attend to the holiness of God. In Isaiah 6:3, the angels in the presence of God continually cry out, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord who commands armies!”

Hosts

Angels are at times called “hosts” (Ps 89:6, Is 31:4, 1 Sam 17:45), which refers to them as God’s heavenly army. First Samuel 17:45 says,

But David replied to the Philistine, “You are coming against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I am coming against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel’s armies, whom you have defied!

Angels often fight God’s battles on behalf of believers against demons and evil people (Dan 10:20-21, 12:1, Heb 1:14).

Watchers

Angels are at times called “watchers” (Dan 4:13, 17, 23). Daniel 4:13 (ESV) says, “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven.” This term pictures them as watching God’s activity throughout the earth and specifically watching humans. Further evidence of their watching activity is demonstrated in the following verses: In 1 Corinthians 4:9, Paul said, “For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to die, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people.” Likewise, Peter spoke specifically about how angels watch believers to learn about the implications of the gospel. First Peter 1:12 says,

They were shown that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things angels long to catch a glimpse of.

Why do angels watch humans so intently? As mentioned, it seems they are particularly interested in understanding the practical applications of salvation. Some have speculated that since the angels were never offered grace and mercy after some rebelled against God, they have a strong understanding of God’s holiness, wrath, and justice, but little understanding of God’s grace and mercy—God’s underserved and unmerited favor. They, no doubt, understand these mentally but not experientially. They learn about the out-workings of salvation from humans, and since knowing and honoring God is their chief function, they are intensely interested in understanding it. Charles Ryrie’s comments on this are helpful:

Probably the statements about angels observing the conduct of redeemed people startle our thinking as much as any of these truths. The reason for their interest in us may stem from the fact that since angels do not personally experience salvation, the only way they can see the effects of salvation is to observe how it is manifest in saved human beings. We are indeed a theater in which the world, men, and angels make up the audience (1 Cor. 4:9). Let us put on a good performance for them as well as for the Lord before whom all things are naked and open.3

In Ephesians 2:7 and 3:10, Paul sheds more light on this reality, as he describes how God uses the church to teach angels:

to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus … The purpose of this enlightenment is that through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God should now be disclosed to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms.

Angels are watchers because they study God’s work in redeemed humans to learn more about God and worship him more thoroughly.

Conclusion

Angels are messengers as they speak God’s Word and act on behalf of him. They are sons of God because they were created by him and reflect his likeness in various ways. They rule the heavens even as humans rule the earth. They are holy ones because they have been set apart by God to be righteous and attend to his holiness. They are hosts because they fight God’s battles. And finally, they are watchers as they study redeemed humanity to understand God’s grace—his unmerited favor on behalf of those who are undeserving.

Reflection

  1. What stood out most in the reading and why?
  2. What are some angelic titles in Scripture and what do they mean or represent?
  3. Are angels made in the image of God? Why or why not?
  4. Why do angels watch believers?
  5. What other questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.


1 Aaron, Daryl. Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day: How can I know God? Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

2 Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology (p. 301). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

3 Ryrie, C. C. (1999). Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (p. 153). Chicago, IL: Moody Press.

Related Topics: Angelology

2. Characteristics of Angels

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What are characteristics of angels? We’ve considered some by considering the titles used of angels; however, Scripture teaches much more about them.

Angels Are Created Beings

It is clear that angels, like humans, were created by God. Psalm 148:2 and 5 says: “Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all his heavenly assembly! … Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he gave the command and they came into existence.” With that said, Scripture does not explicitly say when they were created; however, it appears they were created early in the original six days of creation. Exodus 20:11 says: “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day.” Everything within the heavens, including angels, were created within the first six days. Also, Genesis 2:1 (ESV) implies the same thing: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.” Host is a word commonly used of angels.

In addition, Job 38:4-7 indicates that angels were present at the forming of the earth, early on day one of creation. In it, God says to Job:

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you possess understanding! Who set its measurements—if you know— or who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its bases set, or who laid its cornerstone—when the morning stars sang in chorus, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

This may be further implied by Genesis 1:1-2, as Wayne Grudem describes:

There may be a hint at the creation of angelic beings on the first day of creation when we read that “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1), and then immediately after we read that “the earth was without form and void” (Gen. 1:2), but with no mention of the heavens in this second verse. This may suggest that the uninhabitable state of the earth is contrasted with the heavens where, perhaps, God had already created angelic beings and assigned them various roles and orders. This idea is made more plausible when we read that “the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” at the time when God laid the “cornerstone” of the earth and sunk its “bases” in the process of forming or founding it (Job 38:6–7). If the angels (“the sons of God”) shouted for joy when God was making the earth inhabitable, this could imply that God created the angelic beings early on the first day.1

Number of Angels

How many angels did God create? Again, Scripture does not clearly say. In Matthew 22:30, Christ said this about humans and their resurrection, “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” Therefore, since angels weren’t made to marry and procreate, the implication is that their number is fixed. In addition, since they are immortal, no angels will die. Luke 20:36, again comparing resurrected humans to angels, said, “In fact, they can no longer die, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, since they are sons of the resurrection.”

With that said, the actual number of angels seems to be vast and innumerable. Revelation 5:11, in describing the heavenly worship of angels and twenty-four human elders, says:

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels in a circle around the throne, as well as the living creatures and the elders. Their number was ten thousand times ten thousand—thousands times thousands

There were ten thousand times ten thousand angels. In Hebrews 12:22, the angels worshiping God are said to be “innumerable” (ESV).

Some have speculated that the number of angels is equal to the stars, since angels are at times called stars. Job 38:7 says, “when the morning stars sang in chorus, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Also, Revelation 12:4 says, “Now the dragon’s tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth.” If that is true, that means there are trillions of angels who worship God and serve people.

In considering demonic angels, which isn’t the focus of this study, it is notable that one man potentially had 6,000 demons assigned to him. When Christ demanded to know the name of the demoniac in Mark 5:9, the demons responded, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” A legion typically consisted of 6,000 men.2 If Satan can spare 6,000 demons for one human, their number must be vast. Therefore, the total number of angels must be too many to count.

The Fall of Angels

Sometime after angels were created, they experienced a fall, as Satan, one of the chief angels, led one-third of the angels in rebellion against God (Ez 28:14 ESV, Rev 12:3-4, Lk 10:18). Apparently, like humans, angels had a probation period where they were supposed to demonstrate their obedience to God (cf. Gen 2:16-17). During that period, angels were holy but still able to sin. However, after the fall, fallen angels (demons) are now not able to not sin, even as fallen humans. The angels that did not rebel are called “elect” and are now not able to sin (1 Tim 5:21).

As mentioned, the angelic rebellion was led by Satan, who originally was a high-ranking angel who became prideful and desired to be like God (Is 14:12-15, Ez 28:11-19, 1 Tim 3:6). Satan and demons will be more thoroughly considered in Satanology instead of Angelology.

Angels Are Spirit Beings

Unlike humans who have a material body, angels are immaterial beings. In Scripture, they are called “spirits.” Hebrews 1:14 says this about holy angels, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation?” Evil angels are at times called evil or unclean spirits (Luke 8:2; 11:24, 26). Luke 8:2 says, “and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and disabilities: Mary (called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had gone out.” And, in Ephesians 2:2, Satan is called “the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.”

Though angels are spirits, in Scripture, they at times appear as humans when accomplishing a mission. Every time this happens, they take on male form. Three men visited Abraham’s home in Genesis 18—two of them were angels and one was God. In Daniel 10:5, a male angel appeared to Daniel to share with him about the future of Israel, including the kingdoms that would rule over her. With that said, there is one time in Scripture where angels might appear as females; however, it is inconclusive. In a vision in Zechariah 5:9-11, two women with wings take a basket filled with wickedness to Babylon. Verse 9 says, “Then I looked again and saw two women going forth with the wind in their wings (they had wings like those of a stork) and they lifted up the basket between the earth and the sky.”

It should be noted that though angels are spirit beings like God (John 4:24)—meaning they have no material nature—they are finite beings and not infinite beings like God. As creatures, they are limited. They are not omnipresent—they cannot be in more than one place at once. They are not omniscient—they do not know all things, including what we are thinking. And they are not omnipotent—though powerful, they are not all-powerful. They are finite.

Angels Are Personal Beings

Angels are personal beings in that they demonstrate the qualities of personhood—intellect, emotion, and will. Their intellect is demonstrated in their ability to carry out God’s commands and converse with humans. No doubt, they have greater intellects than humans. (1) Certainly, this is true because they were created in a higher position than humans, and therefore they innately know more. As mentioned, Hebrews 2:7 says, humans were made “lower than the angels for a little while.” (2) Also, angels have existed since the original creation, allowing them to observe and learn more than humans.

Furthermore, angels demonstrate emotions. In Luke 15:10, Jesus described how the angels rejoice when a sinner repents. He said, “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.” Finally, angels demonstrate will in that the holy angels chose to obey God and not follow Satan, while the demons chose to rebel against God. With that said, like all creatures, angels are subject to God’s will. Ephesians 1:11 says God “accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will.” Angels submit to and obey God’s will as their first priority. Demons must submit to God’s sovereign will as well, which is a mystery. Even Satan had to get permission from God to tempt and try Job (Job 1:12, 2:6), and at times, we see demons explicitly obey God in Scripture. In 1 Samuel 16:14, God sends an evil spirit to torment Saul because of his disobedience, and in 1 Kings 22:22, a lying spirit is sent by God to deceive King Ahab, so God could destroy him (v. 20). These are mysteries which demonstrate God’s sovereignty over all his creation (Eph 1:11, Col 1:17).

Angels Are Glorious Beings

Since angels are “sons of God” and display aspects of his image, this is seen in how glorious they are. When angels appear in Scripture, they are often magnificent in appearance and revealed in a shining light. Consider Daniel 10:5-6, which details Daniel seeing an angel. It says,

I looked up and saw a man clothed in linen; around his waist was a belt made of gold from Upaz. His body resembled yellow jasper, and his face had an appearance like lightning. His eyes were like blazing torches; his arms and feet had the gleam of polished bronze. His voice thundered forth like the sound of a large crowd.

Daniel said the angel’s face appeared like “lightning” and his eyes like “blazing torches.” The vision was so powerful, Daniel fell to his face and his energy was drained (v. 8-9). Also, in Acts 12:7, when an angel appeared to Peter while he was in prison, it says, “Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell…” In Luke 2:9, when an angel appeared to the shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus, the text says, “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified.” Throughout Scripture, angels are shown to be glorious beings—appearing with great light.

Angels Are Powerful Beings

In Scripture, angels are also seen to be powerful beings, much more powerful than humans. In 2 Peter 2:10-11, Peter talks about how false prophets often boastfully insult fallen angels, though holy angels who are much more powerful do not even do so. He says: “Brazen and insolent, they are not afraid to insult the glorious ones, yet even angels, who are much more powerful, do not bring a slanderous judgment against them before the Lord.”

In 2 Samuel 24:15-17, angelic power is seen in how God used a single angel to destroy 70,000 Jewish men as a judgment for David pridefully conducting a census of Israel. Also, in Revelation 7:1, four angels hold “back the four winds of the earth so no wind could blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.” Angels have tremendous power, much more than humans.

Angels Are Functional Beings

Angels are functional beings in that they serve God in a variety of ways:

1. Angels worship God.

In Scripture, they are often seen continually praising God for his characteristics and works. Revelation 4:8 describes angels worshiping God day and night. It says,

Each one of the four living creatures had six wings and was full of eyes all around and inside. They never rest day or night, saying: “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful, Who was and who is, and who is still to come!”

Also, Isaiah says this about two angels in his vision: “They called out to one another, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord who commands armies! His majestic splendor fills the entire earth!’” (Is 6:3).

2. Angels execute God’s commands.

This includes many things. (1) Angels commonly bring God’s judgment. In Acts 12:23, when Herod failed to give praise to God when the Israelites were calling him a god, an angel struck and killed him. In Revelation, angels are seen bringing various judgments on the earth. Revelation 16:1 says, “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple declaring to the seven angels: ‘Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.’” (2) Angels at times control (or manifest) the weather in obedience to God (cf. Ez 1:4, 13). Revelation 7:1 says, “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so no wind could blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.” Likewise, Hebrews 1:7 (ESV) says, “Of the angels he says, ‘He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.’” (3) Angels seem to have a role in guarding and possibly guiding nations (cf. Dan 10:20-21). In Daniel 12:1, Michael, the archangel, is called “the great prince who watches over your people”—referring to Israel. Likewise, two demonic angels are called the “prince of Persia” and the “prince of Greece” in Daniel 10:20. (4) Angels fight against demonic forces (cf. Dan 10:20-21). In Revelation 12:7-8, Michael, the archangel, leads an angelic war against Satan and his demons. Satan and his demons were defeated, removed from heaven, and no longer had access to it. It says:

Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But the dragon was not strong enough to prevail, so there was no longer any place left in heaven for him and his angels.

3. Angels minister to believers.

Certainly, this is done in obedience to God as well. Hebrews 1:14 says, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (1) They minister to believers by giving God’s messages to them and may be involved in enlightening believers when they study Scripture. Galatians 3:19 says they were involved in giving the law to Moses:

Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the descendant to whom the promise had been made. It was administered through angels by an intermediary.

An angel gave Daniel understanding of future events concerning Israel (Daniel 9 and 10). (2) They at times aid in leading people to Christ. In Acts 8:26, an angel told Philip to go down the road towards Gaza where he eventually met an Ethiopian eunuch and led him to Christ. Likewise, in Acts 10, an angel told a Roman centurion named Cornelius to call for Peter, who shared the gospel with him and his family. (3) They protect believers. In Matthew 18:10, Jesus said, “See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” It is not clear whether this refers to each believer having a guardian angel or angels in general that are always ready to respond to God by defending believers. (4) Angels at times strengthen and comfort believers. In Acts 27:23-25, an angel appeared to Paul, telling him that he must arrive in Rome to testify to Caesar, and therefore, God would protect him and the crew of the ship who were lost at sea. Also, in Luke 22:43, when Christ was weary as he prayed in Gethsemane before his death, an angel appeared and strengthened him. It says, “Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.” (5) Angels assist in answering the prayers of believers. When Daniel was fasting and praying to understand Israel’s future, an angel appeared to answer his prayer. In Daniel 10:12, the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, for from the very first day you applied your mind to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come in response to your words.” Also, in Revelation 8:3-5, angels are seen offering the prayers of the saints to God and possibly executing them:

Another angel holding a golden censer came and was stationed at the altar. A large amount of incense was given to him to offer up, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar that is before the throne. The smoke coming from the incense, along with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth, and there were crashes of thunder, roaring, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

(6) Angels have a role in bringing the spirits of deceased believers into heaven. In Luke 16:22, Christ describes a poor man named Lazarus who died and was taken to Abraham’s side by angels. He said, “Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.”

Angels Are Organized Beings

Angels, both holy and evil ones, are clearly organized. Several verses describe this: Colossians 1:16 describes how Christ created the order in the invisible realm of angels. It says,

for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers—all things were created through him and for him.

When Paul says, “whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers,” these describe some type of governmental structure amongst angels. Likewise, in Ephesians 6:12, Paul says the same about demonic angels, which no doubt, mimic God’s created order. He says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.” “Rulers,” “powers,” “world rulers of this darkness,” and “spiritual forces of evil,” probably represent something like colonels, generals, and presidents. In fact, in Daniel 10:20, as previously mentioned, an angel refers to battling with the “prince of Persia” and the “prince of Greece,” who were high-ranking demonic angels. In Daniel 10:13, he refers to a holy angel called Michael who was a “leading prince.” He is also called the “archangel” or “chief angel” in Jude 1:9. In Daniel 10, these high-ranking angels were battling in the heavenlies. Consider the verses below:

However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia was opposing me for twenty-one days. But Michael, one of the leading princes, came to help me, because I was left there with the kings of Persia.

Daniel 10:13

He said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Now I am about to return to engage in battle with the prince of Persia. When I go, the prince of Greece is coming.

Daniel 10:20

Holy angels, no doubt, have organization so they can effectively accomplish God’s plans. In considering this, Charles Ryrie gives practical insight for Christians:

An important practical point emerges from this. Angels are organized; demons are organized; yet Christians, individually and in groups, often feel that it is unnecessary that they be organized. This is especially true when it comes to fighting evil. Believers sometimes feel that they can “go it alone” or expect victory without any prior, organized preparation and discipline. It is also true when it comes to promoting good. Believers sometimes miss the best because they do not plan and organize their good works.3

Conclusion

Scripture teaches us many characteristics about angels: They are created beings, probably created early on the first day of creation, as they rejoiced at the creation of the earth. They are spirit beings, as they don’t have material bodies. They are personal beings who demonstrate intellect, will, and emotions. They are glorious beings who often appear in a shining light. They are powerful beings—much more powerful than humans. They are functional beings who worship God, execute his commands, and serve believers. And, finally, they are organized beings, which allows them to effectively serve God and help people.

Reflection

  1. What stood out most in the reading and why?
  2. What are some of the characteristics of angels?
  3. When were angels created and how many are there?
  4. What were the circumstances of the angelic fall?
  5. What is the difference between a holy angel and an evil angel?
  6. What are some of the functions or jobs of holy angels?
  7. What other questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.


1 Grudem, W. A. (2004). Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine (pp. 401–402). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.

2 Guzik, D. (2013). Mark (Mk 5:9–13). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

3 Ryrie, C. C. (1999). Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (p. 146). Chicago, IL: Moody Press.

Related Topics: Angelology

3. Types of Angels

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What are the various types of angels in Scripture? Scripture mentions three types: cherubim, seraphim, and living creatures. We will consider each.

Cherubim

Cherubim are mentioned ninety-two times in thirteen different Bible books (Gen, Ex, Num, 1 and 2 Sam, 1 and 2 Kgs, 1 and 2 Chr, Ps, Is, Ez, and Heb).1 God originally put a cherub outside of the Garden of Eden to keep humans from eating from the tree of life (Gen 3:24). In the ark of the covenant, golden cherubim were placed above the mercy seat—probably symbolic of real cherubim guarding the presence of God. Exodus 25:22 describes this:

I will meet with you there, and from above the atonement lid, from between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will command you for the Israelites.

In addition, cherubim were part of the curtain decorations in the tabernacle and temple. Exodus 26:1 says, “The tabernacle itself you are to make with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet; you are to make them with cherubim that are the work of an artistic designer.”

In Ezekiel 1, cherubim were present attending to the glory of God but were called “living beings” (v. 19); in Ezekiel 10:15, these same angels were called “cherubim.” However, they differ in appearance from the “living beings” or “living creatures” mentioned in Revelation 4. The cherubim have four faces—that of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle—four feet like a calf, and four wings. In contrast, living creatures have one face and six wings (Rev 4:7-8). Ezekiel 1:10-11 describes the cherubim:

Their faces had this appearance: Each of the four had the face of a man, with the face of a lion on the right, the face of an ox on the left and also the face of an eagle. Their wings were spread out above them; each had two wings touching the wings of one of the other beings on either side and two wings covering their bodies.

In Ezekiel 10:14, one of the four faces is said to be that of a “cherub” instead of an ox. Most likely, a cherub’s face must look like that of an ox (Ez 1:10, 10:14). Many scholars believe Satan originally was a cherub who guarded the glory of God until he became prideful and rebelled against God. Ezekiel 28:14 (ESV) says, “You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.”

The cherubim remind us to be zealous for God’s glory, especially in worship. When the Jews were dishonoring God and cheating people, Jesus went into the temple, scattered the coins of money changers, flipped tables, and yelled, “Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace!” (John 2:16). Likewise, we must be zealous about guarding God’s glory in worship—making sure it aligns with God’s Word, as God can only be worshiped in spirit and truth (John 4:23). In addition, since Satan originally was a guardian cherub who became prideful and desired to be like God (Is 14:14, 1 Tim 3:6), we must also be warned against ministering for God and yet seeking glory for ourselves. That was the sin of the Pharisees who did their fasting, praying, and giving, all to be seen by people instead of God (Matt 6:1-18). In Matthew 6:1, Christ warned, “Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven.” James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” It is possible to rebel like Satan and thus be judged by God (1 Tim 3:6). Hebrews 10:29-31 says,

How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for the Son of God, and profanes the blood of the covenant that made him holy, and insults the Spirit of grace? For we know the one who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Seraphim

Another group of angels only mentioned in Isaiah 6 is the seraphim. The name means “burning ones.”2 The seraphim have six wings: two to fly with, two to cover their feet, and two to cover their faces (Is 6:2). The four wings that cover their face and feet probably demonstrate their great honor and reverence for God’s holiness and glory (Ex 3:5). The two wings to fly with are used to serve God.

As demonstrated by Isaiah 6, the seraphim serve two roles: (1) They are consumed with praising the person of God as they continually cry out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord who commands armies! His majestic splendor fills the entire earth!” (v. 3). (2) Also, the seraphim cleanse God’s people from sin. In Isaiah 6:6-7, they touch Isaiah’s mouth with burning coals to cleanse him from sin, so he can be prepared to serve and speak for God (v. 6-9). Obviously, only Christ can cleanse people of sin. First John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” However, apparently, God allows these angels to at times participate in the process of cleansing his people.

The seraphim remind us to always be zealous in worshiping and serving God. As they cry out to one another in praise, Scripture says we should do the same. In Ephesians 5:18-19, Paul said: “… be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord.” As these burning ones lack no zeal in praising and serving God, neither should we. Romans 12:11 says, “Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord.” In addition, the seraphim remind us to be zealous in getting rid of sin in our lives, so God can use us, even as he did with Isaiah. Second Corinthians 7:1 says, “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God.” First John 1:9 says, “But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.”

The Living Creatures

In Revelation 4:6-9, 5:8, and 15:7, four living creatures are mentioned. Unlike the cherubim who have four faces, the living creatures each have one—the face of a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle. The living creatures also have six wings, while the cherubim have four. Because they surround the throne of God with the twenty-four elders (Rev 4:4 and 6), who apparently represent redeemed people, some have speculated that the living creatures represent creation before God. The four faces of the lion, ox, man, and eagle represent some of the mightiest representatives of God’s creation. Though they look more like cherubim, they act more like seraphim as their chief activity seems to be praising and worshiping God. In Revelation 4:8, they cry out day and night: “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful, Who was and who is, and who is still to come!” Also, in Revelation 5:12, they, along with the twenty-four elders and other angels, declare: “Worthy is the lamb who was killed to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and praise!”

In fact, the living creatures seem to function like priestly worship leaders, initiating heavenly worship. Revelation 4:9-10 says,

And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns before his throne …

In Revelation 5:8, the living creatures even offer God “golden bowls full of incense (which are the prayers of the saints).” They challenge us to live lives of constant worship—offering our bodies as living sacrifices to God (Rom 12:1) and offering everything we do to the Lord as worship—and they also challenge us to inspire others to worship and glorify God. First Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” Matthew 5:16 says, “In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.”

Conclusion

In Scripture, there are three types of angels. Cherubim, who are mentioned the most in Scripture, are commonly seen guarding the presence of God and the things of God. One was placed in the Garden of Eden to guard the tree of life; two were placed in the holy of holies to guard the presence of God. They remind us to be zealous about guarding God’s glory and his worship as well. Worship must be in spirit and truth to be accepted by God (John 4:23), and therefore must be guarded against anything in pretense and that doesn’t align with Scripture. Seraphim are only seen in Isaiah 6. They worship God’s person and cleanse God’s people. They are the “burning ones” who remind us to be zealous in our worship and service and also in cleansing ourselves from sin (Rom 12:11, 2 Cor 7:1). Finally, the living creatures are seen several times in Revelation. They, like the seraphim, continually worship God. They are like God’s priestly worship leaders who stay around the throne offering God worship and leading others in the same. They remind us that we are a holy, priestly people who should be consumed with honoring and worshiping God in everything we do (1 Pet 2:9), and leading others to do the same.

Reflection

  1. What stood out most in the reading and why?
  2. How many types of angels are there and what are they?
  3. Describe the types of angels and their functions and share any applications that can be drawn from them.
  4. What other questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.


1 Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible

2 MacArthur, J., & Mayhue, R. (Eds.). (2017). Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (pp. 669–670). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

Related Topics: Angelology

4. Specific Angels

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Who are the specific angels mentioned in Scripture? There are at least five of them.

Michael

Michael is called “one of the leading princes” in Daniel 10:13 and the “archangel” in Jude 1:9, which demonstrates his rule and authority over other angels.1 His name means “Who is like God?”2 He apparently has a specific role in defending Israel. In Daniel 10:21, he is called “your prince” in referring to Daniel and thus Israel. And in Daniel 12:1, it is prophesied that he will protect Israel in a time of persecution during the end-times, which is instigated by the Antichrist. Daniel 12:1 says,

At that time Michael, the great prince who watches over your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress unlike any other from the nation’s beginning up to that time. But at that time your own people, all those whose names are found written in the book, will escape.

Revelation 12:13-14 may also refer to Michael’s protection over Israel during the end-times. When Israel, who is referred to as the woman who gave birth to the child (the messiah), is being attacked by the dragon (the devil), she is given wings to fly to a safe place in the wilderness. These wings may refer to Michael helping them (which he may do through some other nation or entity). Revelation 12:13-14 says,

Now when the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of a giant eagle so that she could fly out into the wilderness, to the place God prepared for her, where she is taken care of—away from the presence of the serpent—for a time, times, and half a time.

In the same chapter, Michael is displayed as the leader of the angelic army who fights against Satan and his demons—defeating them and removing them from heaven. Revelation 12:7-8 says,

Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But the dragon was not strong enough to prevail, so there was no longer any place left in heaven for him and his angels.

This is not the only time Michael contends with Satan. After Moses’ death, Michael argues with Satan about Moses’ body. Jude 1:9 says, “But even when Michael the archangel was arguing with the devil and debating with him concerning Moses’ body, he did not dare to bring a slanderous judgment, but said, ‘May the Lord rebuke you!’” Why was there a dispute over Moses’ body? We can only speculate since Scripture is silent on the issue. However, William MacDonald gives a prudent explanation in the Believer’s Bible Commentary:

We have no definite knowledge why the dispute arose between Michael and Satan about the body of Moses. We do know that Moses was buried by God in a valley of Moab. It is not unlikely that Satan wanted to know the spot so that he could have a shrine built there. Then Israel would turn to the idolatrous worship of Moses’ bones. As the angelic representative of the people of Israel (Dan. 10:21), Michael would strive to preserve the people from this form of idolatry by keeping the burial site secret.3

In addition, it must be noted that the second coming of Christ will come with a shout from the “archangel.” First Thessalonians 4:16 says, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” Since no one else is called the archangel in Scripture, this may refer to Michael’s role in Christ’s coming and the resurrection of the saints.

In Scripture, Michael is a warrior who fights for God’s people against the devil and his demons. He reminds us that we are likewise in a spiritual battle. Ephesians 6:10-12 says:

Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

Even Michael, who is much greater than us, did not rely on his own strength when contending with the devil over Moses’ body. Instead, he prayed for the Lord to rebuke him (Jude 1:9). Likewise, Paul said that we can’t fight this spiritual war in our own power, we must be “strengthened in the Lord,” in “his power,” and with “the full armor of God.” Certainly, we can only depend on these spiritual resources by constant prayer, time in God’s Word, worship, being unified with the saints, and practicing righteousness (cf. Eph 6:13-20).

Gabriel

Gabriel is another angel mentioned in Scripture. His name means “mighty one of God”4 or “God is strong.”5 He is only mentioned in the books of Daniel and Luke. In both, he is sent by God to give and explain messages to God’s people. In Daniel 8:16, he explains the vision of the ram and goat battle to Daniel. In Daniel 9:27, he explains a prophetic vision about Israel’s future—including the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the coming of the messiah, the destruction of the temple, the Antichrist, and other end-time events. In Luke 1:19, he predicts the birth of John the Baptist to Zacharias, and in Luke 1:26, he predicts the birth of Christ to Mary.

Gabriel reminds us to always be ready to speak for God and explain his messages to people. First Peter 3:15-16 says, “But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess. Yet do it with courtesy and respect…” We must always be ready to share the gospel with the lost and help explain away their difficulties with it. We must study God’s Word, so we can explain the mysteries of Scripture to believers to aid in their sanctification and to help them trust God more. Second Timothy 2:15 says, “Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately.”

The Angel of the Lord

In the Old Testament, there are many appearances of a specific angel named “the angel of the Lord” who is clearly distinct from other angels (Gen 16:7-12, 21:17-18, 22:11-18, Ex 3:2, Jdg 2:1-4, 5:23, 6:11-24, 13:3-22, etc.). What makes this angel unique is that he identifies himself as God, speaks as God, and exercises the responsibilities of God. Consider two specific examples: In Judges 6:11-16 (ESV), it describes Gideon’s call by the Angel of the Lord to lead Israel against the Midianites. It says,

Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”

Gideon did not initially recognize that this man was an angel, but at some point in the conversation, Gideon recognized that he was in fact the Angel of the Lord and began to cry out with fear to God (v. 22-23). However, what’s interesting about this discourse is the fact that the narrator begins to address the Angel of the Lord as God. In verse 14, the narrator says, “the LORD turned to him and said” with capital letters, which means it was God’s covenant name YAHWEH. The Angel of the Lord was God.

Likewise, in Exodus 3:1-4 (ESV), the Angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a fiery bush. It says,

Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”

In the story, Moses saw the Angel of the Lord in the bush, and after that, the narrator adds in verse 4, “God called to him out of the bush.” The Angel of the Lord and God were the same person.

Many would suggest that when God showed up in the form of the Angel of the Lord, who seemed to always appear as a man, those appearances were actually early sightings of the Son of God. Why do they believe that? It is simply biblical reasoning. After Christ came to the earth, we still have appearances of angels but no appearances of the Angel of the Lord. Also, it would seem logical that since Christ has always eternally existed, he was active and would have manifested himself in the world at various times (cf. John 8:58). Many believe Christ commonly did this as the Angel of the Lord.

Lucifer

Lucifer, also called Satan and the devil (Matt 4:1, 16:23), is a prominent angel mentioned in Scripture. He is the chief evil angel whom we will consider in more depth in Satanology. Isaiah 14:12 (KJV) says, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!” Lucifer means “shining one” or “star of the morning.”6 Before his fall, he was a cherub who guarded the glory of God and possibly led the angels in worship (Ez 28:13-14 NKJV). In his ministry to God, he became prideful and led one-third of the angels in rebellion, who are now called demons (Rev 12:4). Lucifer’s fall is a sobering reminder that it is possible to do ministry with wrong motives and ultimately rebel against God, becoming antagonistic to God, his Word, and his people (cf. Heb 10:29-31). Unfortunately, this has happened to many who previously served in ministry. In 1 Timothy 3:6, Paul warned against placing young believers in church leadership for this reason. He said, “He must not be a recent convert or he may become arrogant and fall into the punishment that the devil will exact.”

Abaddon / Apollyon

The final angel mentioned in Scripture is another evil one. His name is Abaddon in Hebrew or Apollyon in Greek—both names mean destroyer. In Revelation 9, it says demonic angels who have been bound in the abyss will be let loose for a short season to judge the earth during the end-times. Abaddon is the leader of these demons. Revelation 9:11 says, “They have as king over them the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon.” Some think this angel is Satan; however, he apparently is bound to the abyss until the Great Tribulation. Since Satan is called “the ruler of the kingdom of the air” (Eph 2:2; cf. Eph 6:12) and is not bound to the abyss until the millennial kingdom in Revelation 20:1-3 (cf. Job 1:6-12, 2:1-6), many believe Abaddon is a high-ranking demon bound in the abyss who will lead a demonic invasion to judge unbelievers during the Great Tribulation (Rev 9:4-6).

Conclusion

In Scripture, five angels are mentioned by name—Michael the archangel, Gabriel who is God’s messenger, the Angel of the Lord which is probably a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, Lucifer who is the leader of all demons, and Abaddon who is the leader of the demons bound in the abyss.

Reflection

  1. What stood out most in the reading and why?
  2. How many specific angels are mentioned in Scripture and who are they?
  3. Describe the specific angels and their roles and any applications that can be taken from them.
  4. What other questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.


1 Grudem, W. A. (2004). Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine (p. 398). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.

2 MacArthur, J., & Mayhue, R. (Eds.). (2017). Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (p. 669). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

3 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 2342). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

4 MacArthur, J., & Mayhue, R. (Eds.). (2017). Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (p. 669). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

5 Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology (p. 303). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

6 Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology (p. 303). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Related Topics: Angelology

5. Closing Principles

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What are some closing principles that we should take from our study of angels?

1. We should always stand in awe of the amazing grace we have received in salvation.

Though there was an angelic fall first, God did not send his Son to die for the sins of fallen angels. He simply gave them justice and thereby displayed his holiness. But with humans, God chose to display his grace—his unmerited favor on those who did not deserve it. With that said, God has not only displayed his grace in saving humans but also in the fact that the church has become the body of Christ (Eph 1:21-22, 1 Cor 12:13), is in union with him (Eph 1:3), and therefore is a co-heir with him (Rom 8:17). Because of their relation to Christ, believers will one day have a higher status than angels (Eph 1:20-22, 2:6). In fact, in 1 Corinthians 6:3, Paul said that believers will one day judge angels. Again, this should make believers stand in awe of God’s great and gracious plan for sinful humans like us who have repented of our sins and followed Christ as our Lord and Savior.

2. We should be aware, encouraged, and thankful for the daily, unseen activities of angels on our behalf.

In Scripture, angels are mentioned as an encouragement for our daily lives. Again, Hebrews 1:14 says, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation?” When we experience God’s supernatural protection in a specific situation or sustained good mental and physical health, we should realize that God probably used angels in the process. Psalm 91:10-12 says, “No harm will overtake you; no illness will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you in all you do. They will lift you up in their hands, so you will not slip and fall on a stone.” In addition, when God gives us special revelation into his Word or guidance for an important decision, it’s possible God used one of his messengers to reveal it to us, even as he did throughout biblical history.

Furthermore, every time we enter into worship, Scripture says we enter the heavenly Jerusalem where we worship with angels. Hebrews 12:22-24 says,

But you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the assembly and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does.

When others miss worship or are not passionate in worship, we should be encouraged by the fact that in the spiritual realm, unseen angels sing and worship God with all their hearts along with us.

Also, it is possible that God may send angels to visit us to confirm our obedience or disobedience to his commands. With Abraham, angels visited his house, no doubt, to confirm his obedience to God and bless him (Gen 18). After, they visited Sodom to confirm their immorality and save Lot and his family (Gen 19). No doubt, God may at times do the same with us. The author of Hebrews warns believers about this:

Brotherly love must continue. Do not neglect hospitality, because through it some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as though you were in prison with them, and those ill-treated as though you too felt their torment.

Hebrews 13:1-3

Finally, the presence of angels should also be an encouragement to not sin or be unfaithful in our duties to God. It should always be remembered that angels watch not only our obedience to God but also our disobedience to him. With this in mind, Paul challenged Timothy to faithfully practice church discipline in the church, even when it included disciplining erring elders. In 1 Timothy 5:21, he said: “Before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, I solemnly charge you to carry out these commands without prejudice or favoritism of any kind.” Wayne Grudem’s insights on this are helpful:

Moreover, we should be aware that angels are watching our obedience or disobedience to God through the day. Even if we think our sins are done in secret and bring grief to no one else, we should be sobered by the thought that perhaps even hundreds of angels witness our disobedience and are grieved. On the other hand, when we are discouraged and think that our faithful obedience to God is witnessed by no one and is an encouragement to no one, we can be comforted by the realization that perhaps hundreds of angels witness our lonely struggle, daily “longing to look” at the way Christ’s great salvation finds expression in our lives.1

3. We should consider angels as part of our spiritual family—as co-servants and worshipers of God.

Though angels are not part of the church—the body of Christ—they are part of the family of God, since they are called “sons of God” throughout the Old Testament (Job 1:6, 2:1). In Ephesians 3:14-15, when Paul says, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on the earth is named,” he may be talking about God as Father of all created beings—both human and angelic.2 Angels are part of God’s family and, therefore, our family. Throughout eternity we will serve and worship God together.

4. We should seek to model them in faithful obedience and worship to God.

As mentioned throughout the study, Christ taught that we should pray, “may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10). When considering how God’s will is done in heaven, certainly this applies to the activity of angels. No matter how mundane or great the task, angels obey swiftly, joyfully, and in a worshipful manner. We must model them in how we serve God and pray that others would do the same.

5. We should never worship, pray to, or seek angels.

Because angels are so awesome, powerful, and glorious, there can be a temptation to worship them. In Revelation 19, John was tempted to worship an angel because of how glorious he was. Revelation 19:10 says:

So I threw myself down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “Do not do this! I am only a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony about Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Likewise, some Christian groups have errantly prayed to or worshiped angels. Apparently, there were false teachers in Colosse teaching others to pray to and worship angels. In Colossians 2:19, Paul said:

Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind.

Christ is the only mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5). There is no need to pray to or seek prayers from angels. In fact, because Jews tended to overly exalts angels, the writer of Hebrews focused on how superior God’s Son is. In Hebrews 1:5-14, he said:

For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my son! Today I have fathered you”? And in another place he says, “I will be his father and he will be my son.” But when he again brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him!” And he says of the angels, “He makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire,” but of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. So God, your God, has anointed you over your companions with the oil of rejoicing.” And, “You founded the earth in the beginning, Lord, and the heavens are the works of your hands. They will perish, but you continue. And they will all grow old like a garment, and like a robe you will fold them up and like a garment they will be changed, but you are the same and your years will never run out.” But to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Christ is far superior to any angel because, as God, he created angels. Christ made angels to not only worship and serve him but to serve believers—those who will inherit salvation. We should never worship, pray to, or even seek angels. We should worship, pray to, and seek God (Rev 19:10).

6. We should be cautious about receiving false doctrine from angels.

In Galatians 1:8, Paul warns of this when he said, “But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be condemned to hell!” He warns of this because it is a very real possibility—not that a holy angel would ever teach false doctrine, but a demonic angel would. In 2 Corinthians 11:4, Paul said, “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”

This has happened throughout history in various ways. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, claimed to have received the insights in the book of Mormon from an angel. Many of the teachings in the book of Mormon contradict Scripture and, therefore, could not have come from a holy angel. Likewise, Muhammad, the founding prophet of Islam, claimed to have received the teachings in the Koran from an angel. We can be sure any insight or revelation from God will never contradict Scripture.

Conclusion

Praise God for his creation of angels! The writer of Hebrews says, “Let all the angels of God worship him!” and “He makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire” (Heb 1:6-7). Thank you, Lord, for our fellow servants who worship and serve you perfectly. Give us the grace to do the same! Amen!

Reflection

  1. What stood out most in the reading and why?
  2. In what ways should we be aware, encouraged, and thankful for angels and their activities on our behalf?
  3. In what ways should we be cautious of angels or our view of them?
  4. What other questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.


1 Grudem, W. A. (2004). Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine (pp. 405–406). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.

2 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1929). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Related Topics: Angelology

Appendix 1: Study Group Tips

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Leading a small group using the Bible Teacher’s Guide can be done in various ways. One format for leading a small group is the “study group” model, where each member prepares and shares in the teaching. This appendix will cover tips for facilitating a weekly study group.

  1. Each week the members of the study group will read through a select chapter of the guide, answer the reflection questions (see Appendix 2), and come prepared to share in the group.
  2. Prior to each meeting, a different member can be selected to lead the group and share Question 1 of the reflection questions, which is to give a short summary of the chapter read. This section of the gathering could last from five to fifteen minutes. This way, each member can develop their gift of teaching. It also will make them study harder during the week. Or, each week the same person could share the summary.
  3. After the summary has been given, the leader for that week will facilitate discussions through the rest of the reflection questions and also ask select review questions from the chapter.
  4. After discussion, the group will share prayer requests and pray for one another.

The strength of the study group is the fact that the members will be required to prepare their responses before the meeting, which will allow for easier discussion. In addition, each member will be given the opportunity to teach, which will further equip their ministry skills. The study group model has distinct advantages.

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Related Topics: Angelology

Appendix 2: Reflection Questions

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Writing is one of the best ways to learn. In class, we take notes and write papers, and these methods are used to help us learn and retain the material. The same is true with the Word of God. Obviously, all the authors of Scripture were writers. This helped them better learn the Scriptures and also enabled them to more effectively teach it. As you reflect on God’s Word, using the Bible Teacher’s Guide, take time to write so you can similarly grow both in your learning and teaching.

  1. How would you summarize the main points of the text/chapter? Write a brief summary.
  2. What stood out to you most in the reading? Did any of the contents trigger any memories or experiences? If so, please share them.
  3. What follow–up questions did you have about the reading? What parts did you not fully agree with?
  4. What applications did you take from the reading, and how do you plan to implement them into your life?
  5. Write several commitment statements: As a result of my time studying God’s Word, I will . . .
  6. What are some practical ways to pray as a result of studying the text? Spend some time ministering to the Lord through prayer.

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Related Topics: Angelology

Appendix 3: Walking The Romans Road

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How can a person be saved? From what is he saved? How can someone have eternal life? Scripture teaches that after death each person will spend eternity either in heaven or hell. How can a person go to heaven?

Paul said this to Timothy:

You, however, must continue in the things you have learned and are confident about. You know who taught you and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:14-15

One of the reasons God gave us Scripture is to make us wise for salvation. This means that without it, nobody can know how to be saved.

Well then, how can a people be saved and what are they being saved from? A common method of sharing the good news of salvation is through the Romans Road. One of the great themes, not only of the Bible, but specifically of the book of Romans is salvation. In Romans, the author, Paul, clearly details the steps we must take in order to be saved.

How can we be saved? What steps must we take?

Step One: We Must Accept That We Are Sinners

Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” What does it mean to sin? The word sin means “to miss the mark.” The mark we missed is reflecting God’s image. When God created mankind in the Genesis narrative, he created man in the “image of God” (1:27). The “image of God” means many things, but probably, most importantly it means we were made to be holy just as he is holy. Man was made moral. We were meant to reflect God’s holiness in every way: the way we think, the way we talk, and the way we act. And any time we miss the mark in these areas, we commit sin.

Furthermore, we do not only sin when we commit a sinful act such as lying, stealing, or cheating. Again, we sin anytime we have a wrong heart motive. The greatest commandments in Scripture are to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:36-40, paraphrase). Whenever we don’t love God supremely and love others as ourselves, we sin and fall short of the glory of God. For this reason, man is always in a state of sinning. Sadly, even if our actions are good, our heart is bad. I have never loved God with my whole heart, mind, and soul, and neither has anybody else. Therefore, we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). We have all missed the mark of God’s holiness and we must accept this.

What’s the next step?

Step Two: We Must Understand We Are Under The Judgment Of God

Why are we under the judgment of God? It is because of our sins. Scripture teaches that God is not only a loving God, but he is also a just God. And his justice requires judgment for each of our sins. Romans 6:23 says, “For the payoff of sin is death.”

A payoff or wage is something we earn. Every time we sin, we earn the wage of death. What is death? Death really means separation. In physical death, the body is separated from the spirit, but in spiritual death, man is separated from God. Man currently lives in a state of spiritual death (cf. Eph 2:1-3). We do not love God, obey him, or know him as we should. Therefore, man is in a state of death.

Moreover, one day at our physical death, if we have not been saved, we will spend eternity separated from God in a very real hell. In hell, we will pay the wage for each of our sins. Therefore, in hell people will experience various degrees of punishment (cf. Lk 12:47-48). This places man in a very dangerous predicament—unholy and therefore under the judgment of God.

How should we respond to this? This leads us to our third step.

Step Three: We Must Recognize God Has Invited All To Accept His Free Gift Of Salvation

Romans 6:23 does not stop at the wages of sin being death. It says, “For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Because God loved everybody on the earth, he offered the free gift of eternal life, which anyone can receive through Jesus Christ.

Because it is a gift, it cannot be earned. We cannot work for it. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.”

Going to church, being baptized, giving to the poor, or doing any other righteous work does not save. Salvation is a gift that must be received from God. It is a gift that has been prepared by his effort alone.

How do we receive this free gift?

Step Four: We Must Believe Jesus Christ Died For Our Sins And Rose From The Dead

If we are going to receive this free gift, we must believe in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Because God loved us, cared for us, and didn’t want us to be separated from him eternally, he sent his Son to die for our sins. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Similarly, John 3:16 says, “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” God so loved us that he gave his only Son for our sins.

Jesus Christ was a real, historical person who lived 2,000 years ago. He was born of a virgin. He lived a perfect life. He was put to death by the Romans and the Jews. And after he was buried, he rose again on the third day. In his death, he took our sins and God’s wrath for them and gave us his perfect righteousness so we could be accepted by God. Second Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” God did all this so we could be saved from his wrath.

Christ’s death satisfied the just anger of God over our sins. When God looked at Jesus on the cross, he saw us and our sins and therefore judged Jesus. And now, when God sees those who are saved, he sees his righteous Son and accepts us. In salvation, we have become the righteousness of God.

If we are going to be saved, if we are going to receive this free gift of salvation, we must believe in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for our sins (cf. 1 Cor 15:3-5, Rom 10:9-10). Do you believe?

Step Five: We Must Confess Christ As Lord Of Our Lives

Romans 10:9-10 says,

Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.

Not only must we believe, but we must confess Christ as Lord of our lives. It is one thing to believe in Christ but another to follow Christ. Simple belief does not save. Christ must be our Lord. James said this: “…Even the demons believe that – and tremble with fear” (James 2:19), but the demons are not saved—Christ is not their Lord.

Another aspect of making Christ Lord is repentance. Repentance really means a change of mind that leads to a change of direction. Before we met Christ, we were living our own life and following our own sinful desires. But when we get saved, our mind and direction change. We start to follow Christ as Lord.

How do we make this commitment to the lordship of Christ so we can be saved? Paul said we must confess with our mouth “Jesus is Lord” as we believe in him. Romans 10:13 says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

If you admit that you are a sinner and understand you are under God’s wrath because of it; if you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he died on the cross for your sins, and rose from the dead for your salvation; if you are ready to turn from your sin and cling to Christ as Lord, you can be saved.

If this is your heart, then you can pray this prayer and commit to following Christ as your Lord.

Dear heavenly Father, I confess I am a sinner and have fallen short of your glory, what you made me for. I believe Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins and rose from the dead so I can have eternal life. I am turning away from my sin and accepting you as my Lord and Savior. Come into my life and change me. Thank you for your gift of salvation.

Scripture teaches that if you truly accepted Christ as your Lord, then you are a new creation. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away – look, what is new has come!” God has forgiven your sins (1 John 1:9), he has given you his Holy Spirit (Rom 8:15), and he is going to disciple you and make you into the image of his Son (cf. Rom 8:29). He will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb 13:5), and he will complete the work he has begun in your life (Phil 1:6). In heaven, angels and saints are rejoicing because of your commitment to Christ (Lk 15:7).

Praise God for his great salvation! May God keep you in his hand, empower you through the Holy Spirit, train you through mature believers, and use you to build his kingdom! “He who calls you is trustworthy, and he will in fact do this” (1 Thess 5:24). God bless you!

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

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Related Topics: Angelology

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