Angels – introduction

1. What do angels look like? Do angels have gender? Are they all about the same height and weight?

2. Our society has a great fascination with angels.

3. For the next several weeks we want to do a special study of angels.

4. Tonight we consider some basic information about them.

IF WE STUDY THE BIBLE WE FIND THAT ANGELS ARE PRESENTED IN SOME WAYS THAT ARE ALSWAYS THE SAME. FOR INSTANCE, ANGELS ARE NEVER PORTRAYED WITH THE FEMALE GENDER.

a) If someone names a child “angel” the child is most often a female.

b) If a gender can be associated with Bible angels, it would male instead of female.

c) In the Bible we have two angels specifically mentioned: Michael (Jude 9) and Gabriel (Dan. 9:21)

d) Also, our earliest picture of angels in the Bible portray angels as more male than femal.

e) In Gen. 18:1-2 three “men” came to see Abraham.

2) One of these “men” is later identified as God Himself (Gen. 18:13, 22).

3) In the opening verse of Gen. 19 we are specifically told there were just “two” angels.

4) The third visitor has often been identified as Jesus, but that is not part of tonight’s lesson.

5) In Dan. 8:15-16 an angel is said to “have the appearance AS of a man.”

6) Angels have appeared in the form of people, and that form has consistently been the male gender.

7) Mark (16:5) tells us of an angel who was at the Lord’s tomb after the resurrection.

8) Mark describes this angel as a “young man.”

a) We do not know if this was the angel’s regular appearance or not.

b) In this case he had a youthful look.

9) When we begin to examine what the Bible says about angels, we find some common beliefs to be false.

10) For example, do angels have wings?

a) Many believe angels do. Some might offer Bible passages to say angels have wings.

b) After all, in Isa. 6:2 tells of Seraphs (a class of angels) and this creature is said to have “six wings.”

c) It is also said the creature “covered itself with two wings.”

d) In Ezek. 10:5 Ezekiel saw a cherubim (another class of angel).

e) Cherubim are represented as having wings according to the pattern on the mercy seat (Ex. 25:17-22).

11) While at first glance it may sound like angels have wings, these references are in prophetic books.

12) Often times the prophetical books contain figurative language.

13) An example of this is found in Ezek. 10:9-19; the cherubs are said to have “four faces.”

14) It is also affirmed in Ezek. 10 that they have “many eyes all over their bodies.”

15) Virtually no one wants to make literal any of these points except the wings.

16) We have no historical passage that ever represents an angel as having wings.

17) Rather, the Bible presents them as appearing like human beings.

18) Another argument against angels have wings as we think of wings is their nature.

a) Wings are physical; angels are spirit beings (Heb. 1:7, 14).

b) Putting literal (physical) wings on a spiritual being is like mixing day with night.

19) Angels may make for good art, but often what is presented is not the picture we find in the Bible.

20) Another common thing associated with angels is the halo.

21) This is also an idea from the field of art, not the Bible.

22) Angels and halos were not joined together until the fifth century A.D.; this is a very late teaching.

23) While there are no halos, angels do seem to have a very bright appearance – Dan. 10:6 – READ.

24) In Mt. 28:3 when describing the angel at the tomb of Jesus it is said it was “like lightning.”

25) Lk. 2:9 goes right along with these two passages.

a) Luke spoke about shepherds in the field shortly after Jesus was born.

b) These men had an “angel of the Lord” stand beside them – READ.

26) Another very fascinating verse is Rev. 10:1; John spoke of a “strong angel.”

27) The description in Rev. 10:1 is both interesting and frightening.

28) READ Rev.10:1

29) As we study angels we find that they have the ability to speak.

a) Paul spoke about the “tongues” or “speech” of angels (1 Cor. 13:1).

b) If angels can speak, do they sing? If they sing, do they play harps as some seem to think?

30) Not everyone agrees on whether or not angels sing.

31) The Bible seems to leave, however, no room for discussion on this question.

32) In Job 38:7 there is a reference to angels and that passage says angels “sang” at the time of creation.

33) At the end of each year people sometimes sing what are called “Christmas carols.”

34) One of these songs talks about “angels singing the birth of Christ.”

a) We need to remember that angels did not sing at the birth of Jesus.

b) Luke (Lk. 2:13-14) says angels “praised God.”

c) This means they spoke or affirmed their message; they did not sing it.

35) We have only one reference in the Bible to angels singing and this is Job 38:7.

36) If angels sing, do they also play musical instruments?

a) We should be able to deduce that spiritual beings do not blow on literal trumpets or play something else.

b) Yet, this is precisely what some believe and teach.

c) Not only is this taught, the Bible is sometimes used to incorrectly support the error.

d) One passage that is incorrectly used in this regard is 1 Thess. 4.

e) In this chapter Paul described the second coming of Christ.

f) He also mentioned angels and the “sound of a trumpet.”

37) In verse 16 he said Jesus will “descend.” There will be a “shout with the voice of the archangel.”

38) It also said “with the trump of God.”

39) Nothing is said about the archangel blowing a trumpet.

40) Another verse sometimes used for angels playing some type of instrument is Rev. 5:8.

a) This passage says four living creatures and elders had “harps.”

b) The assumption is that the “four living creatures” were angels.

c) In the book of Revelation there is a lot of symbolism.

d) The four living creatures may simply refer to various parts of God’s creation.

e) In this same verse the text talks about “bowls of incense.”

f) Then John went on to explain this incense was not literal; it represented prayer.

g) If one item in the verse is definitely figurative, how can we say the other item (the harps) are not as well?

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ANGELS WE CANNOT DESCRIBE THEM IN PHYSICAL TERMS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT PHYSICAL BEINGS. TRYING TO APPLY EARTHLY DESCRIPTIONS TO HEAVENLY CREATURES IS A BIT LIKE TRYING TO DESCRIBE AIR.

a) Angels are spiritual creatures that apparently can take a variety of forms to suit God’s will.

b) In the case of 2 Kgs. 6:16-17, they appeared as creatures of war (horse drawn chariots ready for war).

c) Ezekiel (Ezek. 1:5-14) saw angels appear in a very unusual way – READ.

2) If angels can assume various forms, it would seem logical that their size could vary.

3) They might appear as the basic size of an adult person or larger depending upon the circumstances.

4) John describes such a scene in Rev. 10:2.

5) He saw an angel that had “one foot on the sea and another foot on the earth.”

6) In verse 3 he said the angel’s voice was so loud it sounded like a “roaring lion.”

7) Angels are interesting creatures and we know where they came from: God.

8) It is interesting that many do not believe in God but they do believe in angels.

9) If God is not regarded as the creator of angels, who created them?

10) In Col. 1:16 we find Paul saying all things were created through Christ.

11) Angels are not eternal (only God is eternal), so they had to be created with the Lord’s help.

12) We cannot say with 100% certainty exactly when angels were created.

13) We do get some pretty good hints about this matter in the Old Testament.

14) One helpful passage is Ex. 20:11.

a) When God gave the Ten Commandments He provided a little extra information.

b) In “six days” God “made heaven, earth, the sea, and all that in them is.”

c) Ex. 20:11 is consistent with what is reflected in the opening chapter of Genesis.

d) In eternity before creation, nothing but God existed.

e) Thousands of years ago God created. In six days He brought into existence all that we know to exist.

f) Back in the book of Job we find God having a conversation with Job.

g) Job was asked a series of questions in Job 38

15) God wanted to know where Job was when the foundations of the earth were laid (verse 4).

16) Then God asks where Job was when the “morning stars sang together” and the “sons of God shouted for joy.”

a) Most are in agreement that Job 38:7 is describing angels.

b) If this right, angels were able to witness most of the creation.

c) This is consistent with what is said in Eph. 3:10 (God has used man to teach some things to angels).

d) 1 Pet. 1:12 says angels have “wanted to look into” certain things involving man.

e) It seems angels were among the very first things to be created and they have been watching men ever since.

f) Paul said in 1 Cor. 4:9 that angels were able to witness the hardhips he suffered.

17) Eph. 3:10 and 1 Pet. 1:12 are pretty specific about angels having some interest in what men do.

18) Angels were created to do more than watch.

19) They were also created for other purposes.

a) Rev. 4:11 suggests that part of their function is to praise and honor God.

b) God does not need this (Acts 17:25); He is able to get along just fine without anyone or anything else.

c) Supreme beings are capable of making supreme choices, and God chose to create angels.

20) Angels worship their Creator and also serve to do heaven’s will.

21) In Ps. 103:19-21 David indicates angels help execute God’s will.

22) Throughout the Bible we have examples of angels interacting with men.

23) Even when giving the Old Testament law angels were involved (Gal. 3:19).

24) Angels are magnificent creatures that are often mentioned in the Bible.

25) Tonight’s lesson is a partial introduction to them.

26) One practical point we want to make about them is this: Jesus did die on a cross for angels.

27) He only came to redeem man. He came to save each one. Have we accessed that salvation?