"Angels"

Angels

Who are they?
What do they do?

Angels are not weak, chubby, effeminate little creatures who wear white dresses.

Only the mighty Seraphim and Cherubim have wings. Is 6₂ Gen 3₂₄ Exd 25₂₀ Ps 99₁

The nearly 400 references to angels in the scriptures reveal something very different:
They come as vital, timely messengers from God to men.
They 'speak' with a sword and kill God's enemies.
They drive chariots of fire and protect God's servants.
Angels are mighty beings indeed!
They are familiar with God, holy and obedient.
But they are not impervious to sin, some have fallen. 2 Pe 2₄ Math 25₄₁
In the O.T. 'the angel of the Lord' or 'a man' is sometimes the Lord Almighty. e.g. Gen 18 Josh 5_13-15
In Revelation they will execute the just Judgement of God.
They will be instructed to blow the trumpets and to empty the bowls of God's wrath.
They also encourage, protect and strengthen; 'they encamp around those who fear God'.
Thank God for his mighty and obedient angels!

Messengers

Gen 16_6-15 The angel of the Lord tells Hagar to return to Sarah.

Gen 21₁₇ Hagar banished but assured that Ishmael will become a great nation.

Gen 22_11,15 The angel of the Lord tells Abraham not to sacrifice Isaac.

Gen 31_10-13 An angel of God tells Jacob to return to his native land.

Judg 6_11-24 The angel of the Lord calls Gideon to deliver Israel.

Judg 13 The angel of the Lord tells Manoah that they will have a son. (Samson)

2 Kg 1_3,15 Elijah told to tell king Ahaziah that he will not recover from his injury.

Dan 9_20-27 Gabriel comes to tell Daniel of the 'seventy sevens'.

Dan 10-12 Gabriel comes again to Daniel after fighting with Michael against the Prince of Persia.
Tells him what will take place, especially in the End times.

Zech 1₉ The angel of the Lord speaks with Zechariah many times.
1_12,14,19 2₃ 3₁ 4_1,4,11 5_5,10 6₄

Lu 1_26-38 Gabriel tells Mary that she will conceive the Messiah.

Math 1_18-24 An angel of the Lord tells Joseph he should not divorce Mary. He obeys.

Lu 2_8-12 An angel of the Lord tells shepherds that the Saviour is born in Bethlehem.

Math 2_13,19 An angel of the Lord tells Joseph to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. ...

Act 8₂₆ An angel of the Lord tells Philip to down to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza;
to meet the Ethiopian, and explain his reading of Is 53.

Act 10_1-8 Cornelius sees an angel of God, who tells him to send for Peter. 10₂₂ 11₁₃

Rescuers / Protectors

Gen 19 Two angels rescue Lot from Sodom.

Exd 14₁₉ The angel of God moves from in front of Israel to behind to protect them.

2 Kg 2_11,12 Elisha sees chariots of fire driven by angels. 2 Kg 6₁₇ 7₆ 13₁₄

Ps 34₇ The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him. (also Ps 91₁₁)

Dan 6₂₈ An angel shuts the mouths of hungry lions and protect Daniel.

Act 5_17-21 Sadducees jail the Apostles, but an angel of the Lord releases them
and tells them to go and preach in the Temple - which they do.

Act 12_5-10 Herod imprisons Peter, but he is released by an angel of the Lord.

Enablers / Directors

Gen 24_7,40 The angel of the Lord goes with Abraham's servant to find a wife for Isaac.

Exd 23₂₀ An angel goes ahead of Israel to bring them to a place prepared by God.

Encouragers

Gen 28₁₂ Jacob sees angels of God ascending and descending in his dream.

1 Kg 19_3-9 An angel comforts and feeds the despairing Elijah.

Math 4₁₁ Angels strengthen Jesus after his 40 day fast in the desert. (also Mk 1₁₃)

Lu 22₄₃ Jesus prays in agony at Gethsemane. He is strengthened by an angel.

Jn 20_11-14 Mary meets two angels in the empty tomb on resurrection morning.

Act 27_21-26 In a storm near Malta Paul is told by an angel of the Lord
that none of the ship's crew will be drowned.

Testers

Hos 12_3-5 Jacob struggles with an angel at Peniel, and prevails. Gen 32_24-31

Job 1₆ 2₁ Evil angels come before God with Satan. Given leave to test Job.

Slayers

2 Sam 24_10-17 David numbers his fighting men. The angel of the Lord kills 70,000.

Act 12_21-23 Herod is struck down by an angel of the Lord.

2 Kg 19₃₅ One angel kills 185,000 of Sennacherib's army in a single night.

Angels Rejoice

Job 38₇ The angels rejoiced when God created the universe.

Lu 2_13,14 Many angels praised God at the birth of Jesus.

Rev 5₁₃ 7_11,12 The angles praise God during the Great Tribulation.

Various

Num 22_21-35 The angel of the Lord with drawn sword stops Balaam and his donkey.

Ezek 9 God tells a man (angel?) clothed in linen to mark all in Jerusalem
who are grieved over the ruin of Joseph.

Lu 1_8-22 Zechariah is frightened and struck dumb by Gabriel.

Heb 1₄ Jesus became as much superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. also Heb 2₉

Heb 1₇ In speaking of the angels he says,
"He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire."

Heb 1₁₄ Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Heb 13₂ Do not forget to entertain strangers,
for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

Math 18₁₀ Angels in heaven. Math 22₃₀ 24₃₆ Mk 12₃₅ 13₃₂ Lu 12₈ 15₁₀

Ezek 10 Cherubim (mighty winged creatures - Heb 9₅) on either side of God upon his throne.
Also on the Ark. There are over 70 references to cherubim.

1 Thes 4₁₆ The Lord will return with the voice of the archangel Michael.

Jude 1₉ The archangel Michael disputes with the devil about the body of Moses. Michael won!

Math 25₄₁ The Devil has angels too. Evil ones.

2 Pe 2₄ God did not spare these angels when they sinned, but sent them all to hell ... Jude 1₆

In the Great Tribulation and Final Judgement

Math 13_36-43 Angels will be the harvesters in the Judgement.
Math 13₄₉ 16₂₇ 24₃₁ 25₃₁ Mk 8₃₈ 13₂₇ Lu 9₂₆

Rev 1₁ The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave ...
by sending his angel to his servant John ...

Rev 1₂₀ The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches ...
2₁ Ephesus 2₈ Smyrna 2₁₂ Pergamum
2₁₈ Thyatira 3₁ Sardis 3₇ Philadelphia 3₁₄ Laodicea.

Rev 5₂ And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice,
"Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?"

Rev 5₁₁7₁₁ Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands
they encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.

Rev 7_1-3 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back
the four winds of the earth.
Then I saw another angel coming up from the east,having the seal of the living God.
He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm
the land and the sea: "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal
on the foreheads of the servants of our God."

Rev 8,9 7th Seal opened. Silence.
An angel, who had a golden censer, was given much incense to offer.
Then he filled the censer with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth.
And there was thunder, lightning, earthquakes.

Rev 8₂-9₂₁ The seven angels who stand before God, blew their 7 trumpets:-
1. Hail and fire mixed with blood. ⅓ earth, trees and grass burned.
2. A huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea.
⅓ sea, turned into blood. ⅓ fish and ships perish.
3. A great star (Wormwood), blazing like a torch, fell from the sky.
4. ⅓ of the sun moon and stars struck, darkened. ⅓ fresh water bitter, many die.
Eagle cries,”Woe, woe, woe to inhabitants of the earth.”
5. A fallen star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss.
Locusts (demons) torture the unsealed for 5 months.
6. Releases 4 angels who were bound at the river Euphrates.
Kill ⅓ of men using 200m mounted troops. Men did not repent. Rev 10₁
Another mighty angel (Jesus) came down from heaven, and he thundered.
(his words remain sealed). Rev 11_15-19
7. The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord
and of his Christ. More, and even greater, thunder, hail, and earthquake.
Rev 16₅ The angel of God declares that God is true and just in all his judgements.

Rev 17 An angel reveals the adulterous woman riding the blasphemous beast.

Rev 18 Another angel shouts, "Fallen is Babylon the Great ..."
Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone
and threw it into the sea, and said: "With such violence the great city of Babylon
will be thrown down, never to be found again. Dan 2_34,35

Rev 19₉ Then the angel said to me,
"Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'"

Rev 19₁₇ And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice
to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God.

Rev 20 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss
and holding in his hand a great chain. He bound Satan for 1000 years.
At this he will gather the nations to battle and be thrown in lake of fire for ever.

Rev 21₉ One of the 7 angels said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride,
the wife of the Lamb." And the City. 21₁₀ - 22₆

Rev 22₆ The angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true.
The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants
the things that must soon take place."

Rev 22₁₆ "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. ..."

This is just a selection of the many references to angels - 195 in OT and 182 in NT.

Gen 16_6-15	The angel of the Lord tells Hagar to return to Sarah.
Gen 21₁₇	Hagar banished but assured that Ishmael will become a great nation.
Gen 22_11,15	The angel of the Lord tells Abraham not to sacrifice Isaac.
Gen 31_10-13	An angel of God tells Jacob to return to his native land.
Judg 6_11-24	The angel of the Lord calls Gideon to deliver Israel.
Judg 13	The angel of the Lord tells Manoah that they will have a son. (Samson)
2 Kg 1_3,15	Elijah told to tell king Ahaziah that he will not recover from his injury.
Dan 9_20-27	Gabriel comes to tell Daniel of the 'seventy sevens'.
Dan 10-12	Gabriel comes again to Daniel after fighting with Michael against the Prince of Persia. Tells him what will take place, especially in the End times.
Zech 1₉	The angel of the Lord speaks with Zechariah many times. 1_12,14,19 2₃ 3₁ 4_1,4,11 5_5,10 6₄
Lu 1_26-38	Gabriel tells Mary that she will conceive the Messiah.
Math 1_18-24	An angel of the Lord tells Joseph he should not divorce Mary. He obeys.
Lu 2_8-12	An angel of the Lord tells shepherds that the Saviour is born in Bethlehem.
Math 2_13,19	An angel of the Lord tells Joseph to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. ...
Act 8₂₆	An angel of the Lord tells Philip to down to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza; to meet the Ethiopian, and explain his reading of Is 53.
Act 10_1-8	Cornelius sees an angel of God, who tells him to send for Peter. 10₂₂ 11₁₃

Gen 19	Two angels rescue Lot from Sodom.
Exd 14₁₉	The angel of God moves from in front of Israel to behind to protect them.
2 Kg 2_11,12	Elisha sees chariots of fire driven by angels. 2 Kg 6₁₇ 7₆ 13₁₄
Ps 34₇	The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him. (also Ps 91₁₁)
Dan 6₂₈	An angel shuts the mouths of hungry lions and protect Daniel.
Act 5_17-21	Sadducees jail the Apostles, but an angel of the Lord releases them and tells them to go and preach in the Temple - which they do.
Act 12_5-10	Herod imprisons Peter, but he is released by an angel of the Lord.

Gen 24_7,40	The angel of the Lord goes with Abraham's servant to find a wife for Isaac.
Exd 23₂₀	An angel goes ahead of Israel to bring them to a place prepared by God.

Gen 28₁₂	Jacob sees angels of God ascending and descending in his dream.
1 Kg 19_3-9	An angel comforts and feeds the despairing Elijah.
Math 4₁₁	Angels strengthen Jesus after his 40 day fast in the desert. (also Mk 1₁₃)
Lu 22₄₃	Jesus prays in agony at Gethsemane. He is strengthened by an angel.
Jn 20_11-14	Mary meets two angels in the empty tomb on resurrection morning.
Act 27_21-26	In a storm near Malta Paul is told by an angel of the Lord that none of the ship's crew will be drowned.

Hos 12_3-5	Jacob struggles with an angel at Peniel, and prevails. Gen 32_24-31
Job 1₆ 2₁	Evil angels come before God with Satan. Given leave to test Job.

2 Sam 24_10-17	David numbers his fighting men. The angel of the Lord kills 70,000.
Act 12_21-23	Herod is struck down by an angel of the Lord.
2 Kg 19₃₅	One angel kills 185,000 of Sennacherib's army in a single night.

Job 38₇	The angels rejoiced when God created the universe.
Lu 2_13,14	Many angels praised God at the birth of Jesus.
Rev 5₁₃ 7_11,12	The angles praise God during the Great Tribulation.

Num 22_21-35	The angel of the Lord with drawn sword stops Balaam and his donkey.
Ezek 9	God tells a man (angel?) clothed in linen to mark all in Jerusalem who are grieved over the ruin of Joseph.
Lu 1_8-22	Zechariah is frightened and struck dumb by Gabriel.
Heb 1₄	Jesus became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. also Heb 2₉
Heb 1₇	In speaking of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire."
Heb 1₁₄	Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Heb 13₂	Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Math 18₁₀	Angels in heaven. Math 22₃₀ 24₃₆ Mk 12₃₅ 13₃₂ Lu 12₈ 15₁₀
Ezek 10	Cherubim (mighty winged creatures - Heb 9₅) on either side of God upon his throne. Also on the Ark. There are over 70 references to cherubim.
1 Thes 4₁₆	The Lord will return with the voice of the archangel Michael.
Jude 1₉	The archangel Michael disputes with the devil about the body of Moses. Michael won!
Math 25₄₁	The Devil has angels too. Evil ones.
2 Pe 2₄	God did not spare these angels when they sinned, but sent them all to hell ... Jude 1₆

Math 13_36-43	Angels will be the harvesters in the Judgement. Math 13₄₉ 16₂₇ 24₃₁ 25₃₁ Mk 8₃₈ 13₂₇ Lu 9₂₆
Rev 1₁	The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave ... by sending his angel to his servant John ...
Rev 1₂₀	The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches ... 2₁ Ephesus 2₈ Smyrna 2₁₂ Pergamum 2₁₈ Thyatira 3₁ Sardis 3₇ Philadelphia 3₁₄ Laodicea.
Rev 5₂	And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?"
Rev 5₁₁7₁₁	Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands they encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.
Rev 7_1-3	After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east,having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."
Rev 8,9	7th Seal opened. Silence. An angel, who had a golden censer, was given much incense to offer. Then he filled the censer with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth. And there was thunder, lightning, earthquakes.
Rev 8₂-9₂₁	The seven angels who stand before God, blew their 7 trumpets:- 1. Hail and fire mixed with blood. ⅓ earth, trees and grass burned. 2. A huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. ⅓ sea, turned into blood. ⅓ fish and ships perish. 3. A great star (Wormwood), blazing like a torch, fell from the sky. 4. ⅓ of the sun moon and stars struck, darkened. ⅓ fresh water bitter, many die. Eagle cries,”Woe, woe, woe to inhabitants of the earth.” 5. A fallen star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. Locusts (demons) torture the unsealed for 5 months. 6. Releases 4 angels who were bound at the river Euphrates. Kill ⅓ of men using 200m mounted troops. Men did not repent. Rev 10₁ Another mighty angel (Jesus) came down from heaven, and he thundered. (his words remain sealed). Rev 11_15-19 7. The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. More, and even greater, thunder, hail, and earthquake.
Rev 16₅	The angel of God declares that God is true and just in all his judgements.
Rev 17	An angel reveals the adulterous woman riding the blasphemous beast.
Rev 18	Another angel shouts, "Fallen is Babylon the Great ..." Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: "With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again. Dan 2_34,35
Rev 19₉	Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'"
Rev 19₁₇	And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God.
Rev 20	And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He bound Satan for 1000 years. At this he will gather the nations to battle and be thrown in lake of fire for ever.
Rev 21₉	One of the 7 angels said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." And the City. 21₁₀ - 22₆
Rev 22₆	The angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place."
Rev 22₁₆	"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. ..."