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Bible Encyclopedias
Angel
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
or I. Definition and Scripture Terms
II. Angels in Old Testament
1. Nature, Appearances and Functions
2. The Angelic Host
3. The Angel of the Theophany
III. Angels in New Testament
1. Appearances
2. The Teaching of Jesus about Angels
3. Other New Testament References
IV. Development of the Doctrine
V. The Reality of Angels
Literature
I. Definition and Scripture Terms
The word angel is applied in Scripture to an order of supernatural or heavenly beings whose business it is to act as God's messengers to men, and as agents who carry out His will. Both in Hebrew and Greek the word is applied to human messengers (1 Kings 19:2; Luke 7:24 ); in Hebrew it is used in the singular to denote a Divine messenger, and in the plural for human messengers, although there are exceptions to both usages. It is applied to the prophet Haggai (Haggai 1:13 ), to the priest (Malachi 2:7 ), and to the messenger who is to prepare the way of the Lord (Malachi 3:1 ). Other Hebrew words and phrases applied to angels are
In New Testament the word
II. Angels in Old Testament
1. Nature, Appearances and Functions
Everywhere in the Old Testament the existence of angels is assumed. The creation of angels is referred to in Psalm 148:2 , Psalm 148:5 (compare Colossians 1:16 ). They were present at the creation of the world, and were so filled with wonder and gladness that they "shouted for joy" (Job 38:7 ). Of their nature we are told nothing. In general they are simply regarded as embodiments of their mission. Though presumably the holiest of created beings, they are charged by God with folly (Job 4:18 ), and we are told that "he putteth no trust in his holy ones" (Job 15:15 ). References to the fall of the angels are only found in the obscure and probably corrupt passage Genesis 6:1-4 , and in the interdependent passages 2 Peter 2:4 and Judges 1:6 , which draw their inspiration from the Apocryphal book of Enoch . Demons are mentioned (see
As to their outward appearance, it is evident that they bore the human form, and could at times be mistaken for men (Ezekiel 9:2; Genesis 18:2 , Genesis 18:16 ). There is no hint that they ever appeared in female form. The conception of angels as winged beings, so familiar in Christian art, finds no support in Scripture (except, perhaps Daniel 9:21; Revelation 14:6 , where angels are represented as "flying"). The cherubim and seraphim (see CHERUB; SERAPHIM ) are represented as winged (Exodus 25:20; Isaiah 6:2 ); winged also are the symbolic living creatures of Ezek (Ezekiel 1:6; compare Revelation 4:8 ).
As above stated, angels are messengers and instruments of the Divine will. As a rule they exercise no influence in the physical sphere. In several instances, however, they are represented as destroying angels: two angels are commissioned to destroy Sodom (Genesis 19:13 ); when David numbers the people, an angel destroys them by pestilence (2 Samuel 24:16 ); it is by an angel that the Assyrian army is destroyed (2 Kings 19:35 ); and Ezekiel hears six angels receiving the command to destroy those who were sinful in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 9:1 , Ezekiel 9:5 , Ezekiel 9:7 ). In this connection should be noted the expression "angels of evil," i.e. angels that bring evil upon men from God and execute His judgments (Psalm 78:49; compare 1 Samuel 16:14 ). Angels appear to Jacob in dreams (Genesis 28:12; Genesis 31:11 ). The angel who meets Balaam is visible first to the ass, and not to the rider (Nu 22ff). Angels interpret God's will, showing man what is right for him (Job 33:23 ). The idea of angels as caring for men also appears (Psalm 91:11 f), although the modern conception of the possession by each man of a special guardian angel is not found in Old Testament.
2. The Angelic Host
The phrase "the host of heaven" is applied to the stars, which were sometimes worshipped by idolatrous Jews (Jeremiah 33:22; 2 Kings 21:3; Zephaniah 1:5 ); the name is applied to the company of angels because of their countless numbers (compare Daniel 7:10 ) and their glory. They are represented as standing on the right and left hand of Yahweh (1 Kings 22:19 ). Hence God, who is over them all, is continually called throughout Old Testament "the God of hosts," "Yahweh of hosts," "Yahweh God of hosts"; and once "the prince of the host" (Daniel 8:11 ). One of the principal functions of the heavenly host is to be ever praising the name of the Lord (Psalm 103:21; Psalm 148:1 f). In this host there are certain figures that stand out prominently, and some of them are named. The angel who appears to Joshua calls himself "prince of the host of Yahweh" ( Joshua 5:14 f). The glorious angel who interprets to Daniel the vision which he saw in the third year of Cyrus ( Daniel 10:5 ), like the angel who interprets the vision in the first year of Belshazzar (Daniel 7:16 ), is not named; but other visions of the same prophet were explained to him by the angel Gabriel, who is called "the man Gabriel," and is described as speaking with "a man's voice" (Daniel 9:21; Daniel 8:15 f). In Daniel we find occasional reference made to "princes": "the prince of Persia," "the prince of Greece" ( Daniel 10:20 ). These are angels to whom is entrusted the charge of, and possibly the rule over, certain peoples. Most notable among them is Michael, described as "one of the chief princes," "the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people," and, more briefly, "your prince" (Daniel 10:13; Daniel 12:1; Daniel 10:21 ); Michael is therefore regarded as the patron-angel of the Jews. In Apocrypha Raphael, Uriel and Jeremiel are also named. Of Raphael it is said (Tobit 12:15) that he is "one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints" to God (compare Revelation 8:2 , "the seven angels that stand before God"). It is possible that this group of seven is referred to in the above-quoted phrase, "one of the chief princes". Some (notably Kosters) have maintained that the expressions "the sons of the
3. The Angel of the Theophany
This angel is spoken of as "the angel of Yahweh," and "the angel of the presence (or face) of Yahweh." The following passages contain references to this angel: Genesis 16:7 - the angel and Hagar; Gen 18
A study of these passages shows that while the angel and Yahweh are at times distinguished from each other, they are with equal frequency, and in the same passages, merged into each other. How is this to be explained? It is obvious that these apparitions cannot be the Almighty Himself, whom no man hath seen, or can see. In seeking the explanation, special attention should be paid to two of the passages above cited. In Exodus 23:20 God promises to send an angel before His people to lead them to the promised land; they are commanded to obey him and not to provoke him "for he will not pardon your transgression: for my name is in him." Thus the angel can forgive sin, which only God can do, because God's name, i.e. His character and thus His authority, are in the angel. Further, in the passage Ex 32:34 through 33:17 Moses intercedes for the people after their first breach of the covenant; God responds by promising, "Behold mine angel shall go before thee"; and immediately after God says, "I will not go up in the midst of thee." In answer to further pleading, God says, "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." Here a clear distinction is made between an ordinary angel, and the angel who carries with him God's presence. The conclusion may be summed up in the words of Davidson in his Old Testament Theology : "In particular providences one may trace the presence of Yahweh in influence and operation; in ordinary angelic appearances one may discover Yahweh present on some side of His being, in some attribute of His character; in the angel of the Lord He is fully present as the covenant God of His people, to redeem them." The question still remains, Who is theophanic angel? To this many answers have been given, of which the following may be mentioned: (1) This angel is simply an angel with a special commission; (2) He may be a momentary descent of God into visibility; (3) He may be the Logos, a kind of temporary preincarnation of the second person of the Trinity. Each has its difficulties, but the last is certainly the most tempting to the mind. Yet it must be remembered that at best these are only conjectures that touch on a great mystery. It is certain that from the beginning God used angels in human form, with human voices, in order to communicate with man; and the appearances of the angel of the Lord, with his special redemptive relation to God's people, show the working of that Divine mode of self-revelation which culminated in the coming of the Saviour, and are thus a fore-shadowing of, and a preparation for, the full revelation of God in Jesus Christ. Further than this, it is not safe to go.
III. Angels in New Testament
1. Appearances
Nothing is related of angels in New Testament which is inconsistent with the teaching of Old Testament on the subject. Just as they are specially active in the beginning of Old Testament history, when God's people is being born, so they appear frequently in connection with the birth of Jesus, and again when a new order of things begins with the resurrection. An angel appears three times in dreams to Joseph (Matthew 1:20; Matthew 2:13 , Matthew 2:19 ). The angel Gabriel appears to Zacharias, and then to Mary in the annunciation (Lk 1). An angel announces to the shepherds the birth of Jesus, and is joined by a "multitude of the heavenly host," praising God in celestial song (Luke 2:8 ). When Jesus is tempted, and again during the agony at Gethsemane, angels appear to Him to strengthen His soul (Matthew 4:11; Luke 22:43 ). The verse which tells how an angel came down to trouble the pool (John 5:4 ) is now omitted from the text as not being genuine. An angel descends to roll away the stone from the tomb of Jesus (Matthew 28:2 ); angels are seen there by certain women (Luke 24:23 ) and (two) by Mary Magdalene (John 20:12 ). An angel releases the apostles from prison, directs Philip, appears to Peter in a dream, frees him from prison, smites Herod with sickness, appears to Paul in a dream (Acts 5:19; Acts 8:26; Acts 10:3; Acts 12:7; Acts 12:23; Acts 27:23 ). Once they appear clothed in white; they are so dazzling in appearance as to terrify beholders; hence they begin their message with the words "Fear not" (Matthew 28:2-5 ).
2. The Teaching of Jesus About Angels
It is quite certain that our Lord accepted the main teachings of Old Testament about angels, as well as the later Jewish belief in good and bad angels. He speaks of the "angels in heaven" (Matthew 22:30 ), and of "the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41 ). According to our Lord the angels of God are holy (Mark 8:38 ); they have no sex or sensuous desires (Matthew 22:30 ); they have high intelligence, but they know not the time of the Second Coming (Matthew 24:36 ); they carry (in a parable) the soul of Lazarus to Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:22 ); they could have been summoned to the aid of our Lord, had He so desired (Matthew 26:53 ); they will accompany Him at the Second Coming (Matthew 25:31 ) and separate the righteous from the wicked (Matthew 13:41 , Matthew 13:49 ). They watch with sympathetic eyes the fortunes of men, rejoicing in the repentance of a sinner (Luke 15:10; compare 1 Peter 1:12; Ephesians 3:10; 1 Corinthians 4:9 ); and they will hear the Son of Man confessing or denying those who have confessed or denied Him before men (Luke 12:8 f). The angels of the presence of God, who do not appear to correspond to our conception of guardian angels, are specially interested in God's little ones ( Matthew 18:10 ). Finally, the existence of angels is implied in the Lord's Prayer in the petition, "Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth" (Matthew 6:10 ).
3. Other New Testament References
Paul refers to the ranks of angels ("principalities, powers" etc.) only in order to emphasize the complete supremacy of Jesus Christ. He teaches that angels will be judged by the saints (1 Corinthians 6:3 ). He attacks the incipient Gnosticism of Asia Minor by forbidding the, worship of angels (Colossians 2:18 ). He speaks of God's angels as "elect," because they are included in the counsels of Divine love (1 Timothy 5:21 ). When Paul commands the women to keep their heads covered in church because of the angels (1 Corinthians 11:10 ) he probably means that the angels, who watch all human affairs with deep interest, would be pained to see any infraction of the laws of modesty. In Hebrews 1:14 angels are (described as ministering spirits engaged in the service of the saints. Peter also emphasizes the supremacy of our Lord over all angelic beings ( 1 Peter 3:22 ). The references to angels in 2 Peter and Jude are colored by contact with Apocrypha literature. In Revelation, where the references are obviously symbolic, there is very frequent mention of angels. The angels of the seven churches (Revelation 1:20 ) are the guardian angels or the personifications of these churches. The worship of angels is also forbidden (Revelation 22:8 f). Specially interesting is the mention of elemental angels - "the angel of the waters" ( Revelation 16:5 ), and the angel "that hath power over fire" (Revelation 14:18; compare Revelation 7:1; Revelation 19:17 ). Reference is also made to the "angel of the bottomless pit," who is called ABADDON or APOLLYON (which see), evidently an evil angel (Revelation 9:11 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "abyss"). In Revelation 12:7 we are told that there was war between Michael with his angels and the dragon with his angels.
IV. Development of the Doctrine
In the childhood of the race it was easy to believe in God, and He was very near to the soul. In Paradise there is no thought of angels; it is God Himself who walks in the garden. A little later the thought of angels appears, but, God has not gone away, and as "the angel of Yahweh" He appears to His people and redeems them. In these early times the Jews believed that there were multitudes of angels, not yet divided in thought into good and bad; these had no names or personal characteristics, but were simply embodied messages. Till the time of the captivity the Jewish angelology shows little development. During that dark period they came into close contact with a polytheistic people, only to be more deeply confirmed in their monotheism thereby. They also became acquainted with the purer faith of the Persians, and in all probability viewed the tenets of Zoroastrianism with a more favorable eye, because of the great kindness of Cyrus to their nation. There are few direct traces of Zoroastrianism in the later angelology of the Old Testament. It is not even certain that the number seven as applied to the highest group of angels is Persian in its origin; the number seven was not wholly disregarded by the Jews. One result of the contact was that the idea of a hierarchy of the angels was more fully developed. The conception in Dan of angels as "watchers," and the idea of patron-princes or angel-guardians of nations may be set down to Persian influence. It is probable that contact with the Persians helped the Jews to develop ideas already latent in their minds. According to Jewish tradition, the names of the angels came from Babylon. By this time the consciousness of sin had grown more intense in the Jewish mind, and God had receded to an immeasurable distance; the angels helped to fill the gap between God and man.
The more elaborate conceptions of Daniel and Zechariah are further developed in Apocrypha, especially in 2 Esdras, Tobit and 2 Macc.
In the New Testament we find that there is little further development; and by the Spirit of God its writers were saved from the absurdly puerile teachings of contemporary Rabbinism. We find that the Sadducees, as contrasted with the Pharisees, did not believe in angels or spirits (Acts 23:8 ). We may conclude that the Sadducees, with their materialistic standpoint, and denial of the resurrection, regarded angels merely as symbolical expressions of God's actions. It is noteworthy in this connection that the great priestly document (Priestly Code, P) makes no mention of angels. The Book of Revelation naturally shows a close kinship to the books of Ezekiel and Daniel.
Regarding the rabbinical developments of angelology, some beautiful, some extravagant, some grotesque, but all fanciful, it is not necessary here to speak. The Essenes held an esoteric doctrine of angels, in which most scholars find the germ of the Gnostic eons.
V. The Reality of Angels
A belief in angels, if not indispensable to the faith of a Christian, has its place there. In such a belief there is nothing unnatural or contrary to reason. Indeed, the warm welcome which human nature has always given to this thought, is an argument in its favor. Why should there not be such an order of beings, if God so willed it? For the Christian the whole question turns on the weight to be attached to the words of our Lord. All are agreed that He teaches the existence, reality, and activity of angelic beings. Was He in error because of His human limitations? That is a conclusion which it is very hard for the Christian to draw, and we may set it aside. Did He then adjust His teaching to popular belief, knowing that what He said was not true? This explanation would seem to impute deliberate untruth to our Lord, and must equally be set aside. So we find ourselves restricted to the conclusion that we have the guaranty of Christ's word for the existence of angels; for most Christians that will settle the question.
The visible activity of angels has come to an end, because their mediating work is done; Christ has founded the kingdom of the Spirit, and God's Spirit speaks directly to the spirit of man. This new and living way has been opened up to us by Jesus Christ, upon whom faith can yet behold the angels of God ascending and descending. Still they watch the lot of man, and rejoice in his salvation; still they join in the praise and adoration of God, the Lord of hosts, still can they be regarded as "ministering spirits sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation."
Literature
All Old Testament and New Testament theologies contain discussions. Among the older books Oehler's Old Testament Theology and Hengstenberg's Christology of Old Testament (for "angel of Yahweh") and among modern ones Davidson's Old Testament Theology are specially valuable. The ablest supporter of theory that the "sons of the Elohim" are degraded gods is Kosters. "Het onstaan der Angelologie onder Israel,"
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Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Angel'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/a/angel.html. 1915.
