When most people think of angels, they think of beautiful women in white clothing with fluffy white wings and a halo on top. Because of this idea, many people wouldn't recognize an actual angel if it walked up to them and started talking.
What does the Bible says about angels?
Well, in the Bible there are actually three different types of celestial beings- angels, cherubim, and seraphim. The term Cherubim and Seraphim and plural, so when talking about them in the singular, as in only one, they would be a Cherub or a Seraph.
The only other thing mentioned is a Watcher. This is mentioned in passing as a Watcher and a Holy One, and we don't know if it's a particlular being or just a title. There is no physical description of this being, and it only does one recorded job in the Bible.
Daniel 4:3- I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;
Daniel 4:23- And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
The Bible describes each of these other three celestial beings, though, and they all have a particular purpose.
Angels are messengers.They are sent with a specific message, or for guidance, or for punishment.
Judges 2:4- And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
Matthew 1:20- But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
II Kings 19:35- And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
Not everyone knew they were speaking to an angel. If an angel had wings, it would have tipped them off.
Judges 13:16- And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.
Every reference to an angel in the Bible is a male person. Usually the Bible tells you each time it references them that they are an angel.
Revelation7:2- And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
Revelation 10:1- And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
An angel can even appear to a person and talk with them without the person ever realizing that they are speaking with an angel!
Hebrews 13:2- Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
The other thing that you should note about angels is that only two are ever named in the Bible. We don't know how many different angels have visited the earth, but only two ever said what their names were.
Luke 1:19- And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
Gabriel is the first to be mentioned by name. He is recorded as having brought messages to Daniel in the Old Testament, and Zacharias (John the Baptist's dad) and Mary (Jesus' mother) in the New Testament.
Revelation 12:7- And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Michael is mentioned in the Bible as being an archangel (Jude 1:9). He never speaks to any humans in the Bible, and is mentioned by God to Daniel, by Jude as the archangel who disputed with Satan over Moses' body, and in Revelation as being the leader of an army of angels.
There is one other reference regarding angels that I want to bring to your attention- evil angels.
Psalm 78:49- He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.
Psalm 78 is a retelling of the 10 Plagues that were sent on Egypt. In the Exodus account of the killing of the firstborn the Bible says that the LORD slew all the firstborn. In Psalms it says that evil angels were sent among the Egyptians. Does this mean the Lord commanded some angels to go destroy the firstborn? Or, perhaps the angels were the cause of the ten plagues?
However it happened, angels are nothing to be trifled with! They are powerful beings.
The only heavenly beings with wings are the Cherubim and the Seraphim. These are frightening creatures that would probably scare us to death if we ever saw them. In fact, many times people would fall down as dead at the sight!
The Seraphim are only mentioned in one chapter of the Bible by name! Yet, they are described in another place.
Isaiah 6:1-3, 6-7-In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Revelation 4:6-8- And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
There are only four of these creatures mentioned. They have six wings which wrap around their bodies to cover their faces and their feet. They are mentioned as being full of eyes all the way around their bodies. They have four faces- lion, calf, man, and eagle. And, they have hands. Because they are covering their bodies with their wings, we aren't given any more description of them.
We know that these creatures are Seraphim because they have six wings. Even though they are described as looking very similar to the Cherubim.
The Cherubim are mentioned many times in Scripture.
Ezekiel 10:9-12, 14- And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone. And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel. When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went. And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had. And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
Ezekiel 1:5-8, 10-11, 13-14, 22-24, - Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies. And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.
Cherubim are creatures that are associated with a wheel, and I have no idea what this wheel is or it's purpose. They are mentioned as having four wings with eyes all over them! These wings make a scary sounds when they were used. And they have four faces on their heads- a man, a lion, an eagle, and an ox. Their hands look like a man's, but their legs and feet look like a cow. They sparkle like burning hot brass and move as quickly as a lightning bolt shooting across the sky!
The Scripture says that there are four of these and they are always together with their wheels.
The Cherubim use to have an additional member. Satan!
Before sin entered the world, it began in heaven through pride in the heart of a celestial being. He is described in one book of the Bible in his originally created state, and his original name is in another book.
Ezekiel 28:12- -Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Isaiah 14:12-14- How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Put these two together an you see that Lucifer was the name of the fifth Cherub who covered the throne of God in Heaven. He was the most beautiful creature and a master at music. He was created perfect and good, but pride entered his heart because of his beauty and he wanted to have a throne of his own and to rule as god.
For his sin of pride, God made him leave heaven to live on earth. You will read in the book of Job that he still has access to heaven and goes there often to accuse mankind before God. It isn't until midway through the tribulation period that he is cast out of heaven and denied further access.
So, why do people have so many messed up ideas about angels? Because the devil is a great deceiver!
II Corinthians 11:14-15- And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Satan put an image of what an angel should be into people's minds. But, that creature is not an angel. It's a demonic creature.
Zechariah 5:5-11- Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth. And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth. And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven. Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.
You are told by certain religious people throughout history that these evil creatures are angels. Why? Anyone who actually read their Bible would see that a female creature with white wings is not an angel created by God!
But,, the answer is in the last part of the verses above. These wicked women build a house in the land of Shinar. That's Babylon. You know what Babylon is, right? The mystery religion that Satan uses to corrupt and deceive humanity so they don't read and understand God's Words.
Be careful! Sparkly, beautiful creatures are not your friend.
