Angels - The Biblical Facts ?

Angels are spiritual beings created by God who help carry out his work on earth. They bring God's messages to people (Luke 1:26), protect God's people (Daniel 6:22), offer encouragement (Genesis 16:7), give guidance (Exodus 14:19), carry out punishment (2 Samuel 24:15,17), patrol the earth (Zechariah 1:9,14), and fight the forces of evil (2 Kings 6:16,18).

There are both holy and evil angels (Revelation 12:7). But because evil angels are allied with the devil, or Satan, they have considerably less power and authority than holy angels.

You will find consistently through out the Scriptures that angels have and will again minister primarily to Israel. It was only during the transition of ministering the Word of God from Israel to the Church that we see angels involved with the church. However, angels do not minister to the Church... this is the exclusive role of the Holy Spirit.

Angels will be prevalent in ministering again at the moment of the rapture (1 Thessalonians. 4:16,17), when God's dealings with Israel will once again be prevalent on the earth. The Church will be gone and so will the influence of the Holy Spirit. God will once again permit the duties of the holy angels towards Israel to be realized.

The Church/Christians are not to seek, pray, or depend on angels in any way. Our dependence is upon the indwelling Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:17,19).

The following are biblical facts about Angels.

Angel means messenger. Angels are created (Psalm 148:2,5; Col. 1:16), non-human, spirit beings (Heb. 1:14). They are immortal (Luke 20:36), innumerable (Heb. 12:22), invisible (Num. 22:22-31), sexless (Matt. 22:30), and do the will of God (Psalm 103:20). These angels have a ministry to believers. They guide (Gen. 24:7, 40), protect (Psalm 34:7), and comfort (Acts 27:2, 24).

There are good angels (Gen. 28:12; Psalm 91:11) and evil angels (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). The only angels mentioned by name are Gabriel (Dan. 8:16; 9:21 ), Michael (Dan. 10:13,21; 112:1), and Lucifer (Luke 10:18). Michael is always mentioned in the context of battle (Dan. 10:13) and Gabriel as a messenger (Luke 1:26). Of course, Lucifer, who became Satan, is the one who opposes God.

Angels were originally created for the purpose of serving and carrying out the will of God. The fallen angels rebelled and became evil angels. Satan is such an angel (Isaiah 14:12-16; Ezekiel 28:12-15).

Who Are the Archangels?

In the Bible, the term archangel is found only in the New Testament in two places:

Quote:
1 Thessalonians 4:16, "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel...

Quote:
Jude 9, "But Michael the archangel...


Archangels are in a class of angels of great rank and power. There are three archangels named: Michael, Gabriel, and Lucifer.

Sincerely, Dr. Arthur Belanger