NATURE OF ANGELS

1. What are angels ?

God’s ministers from heaven to men, who appear as men.

2. What are their activities?

To Carry messages and to fulfill the missions of God to men.

3. What is their origin?

Their origin is not specifically described in the Scriptures, although general mention is made to their "estate" which apparently preceded the creation of man.

The following scriptures speak to the three preceding questions:

Luke 20:36 - Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

Daniel 10:13, 18, 21 - But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. :18 Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, :21 But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.

Psalms 78:25 - Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.

Hebrews 1:4-8, 13, & 14 - Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. :5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? :6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. :7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. :8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. :13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? :14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

With Revelation 3:5 - He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

And Hebrews 2:7, 9, 16 - Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: :9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. :16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Job 2:1 - Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.

With Matthew 18:10 -Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

Genesis 32:24-29 - And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. :25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. :26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. :27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. :28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. :29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

With Hosea 12:3, 4 - He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God: :4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;

Psalms 103:20, 21 -Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. :21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

Judges 6:11, 21, 22 - And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. :21 Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. :22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face.

Judges 13:6, 18 – 20 - Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name: :18 And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? :19 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. :20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.

Genesis 19:1, 11 - And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; :11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Exodus 3:2 - And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

John 20:12 - And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Luke 24:4- 6 - And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: :5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 4:6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

Matthew 28:2 & 3 - And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. :3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

Hebrews 13:2 - Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Acts 1:9, 10 - And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. :10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

Psalms 91:11 & 12 - For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. :12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Numbers 22:22-35 - And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. :23 And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. :24 But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. :25 And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again. :26 And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. :27 And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. :28 And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? :29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. :30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. :31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. :32 And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: :33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. :34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again. :35 And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

1 Peter 1:12 - Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Acts 12:7-10, 15, 21-23 - And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. :8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. :9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. :10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. :15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. :21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. :22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. :23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

Matthew 24:31 - And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Matthew 13:39, 41 - The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. :41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

Colossians 2:18 - Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

Revelation 22:8 & 9 - And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. :9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

Psalms 104:4 - Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire