Introduction
Angels have always been viewed by theologians as a very difficult subject.1Why? For, although angels are abundantly mentioned in the Bible, the nature of this revelation does not have the same kind of explicit description that we often find in other themes developed in Scripture: all mention of angels is incidental to some other theme. They don't heal on their own. God's revelation is never intended to inform us about the nature of angels. When they are mentioned, it is always to further inform us about God, what he does and how he does it. As the details of the angels are not significant for this purpose, they are usually omitted.2
While theologians have been careful in their study of angels, in recent years we have been bombarded with what could easily be calledangelmania. In fact, this is the title of Dr. Kenneth Gangel in “Kindred Spirit” about the widespread discussion and fascination with angels in our time by the secular world.3
Gangel writes, in his 1990 book.Angels: an endangered species, Malcolm Godwin estimates that over the past 30 years, one in ten pop songs mentions an angel. But it was just a romantic party.
Now our culture takes angels seriously, if not quite. In the last two yearsTime, Newsweek, Ladies’ Home Journal, Redbook,and many other popular magazines have published articles about angels. In mid-1994, ABC aired a two-hour primetime special entitled "Angels: The Mysterious Messengers". INNewsweekIn the November 28, 1994 issue, an article entitled "In Search of the Holy" noted that "20% of Americans have had a revelation from God in the past year and 13% have seen or felt the presence of an angel" (pg. 54 ).
Newsweekit is true; modern society, so seemingly secular and hopelessly materialistic, is desperately searching for some spiritual and supernatural meaning. If the angels can provide, then the angels will.4Bookstores are full of books on this subject. These books not only talk about encounters with angels, but also instruct people on how to contact them. We now have a weekly show on one of the major networks titled "Touched by an Angel". Surely, one might say, this is just a story for the fun of it. However, this show not only demonstrates our fascination with the subject, it also illustrates a very poor understanding of what the Bible really teaches about angels and God, along with some very clear distortions of Scripture. With these comments, I don't mean to dismiss all the so-called encounters with angels that we occasionally read about or hear about. Why? Why, as will be explained in more detail later, angels are God's servants and are described by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews as "ministering spirits, sent to serve on behalf of those who will inherit salvation?" See also Psalm 91:11 and Matthew 4:11. So surely, for those who believe the record of Holy Writ, we can fully trust the Bible's teaching about angels and, "perhaps with less certainty, consider the personal accounts of eminent Christians."5
A good illustration of the latter can be found in Sue Bohlin's article entitled "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". She writes: I was about thirteen years old when I had my first encounter with an angel. I was walking up to my room, dragging the banister with all my weight, when suddenly it fell out of my hand. I landed on my back, headfirst. Halfway down the horrible fall, I felt a strong hand on my back, pushing me up. There was no one there - well, no onevisible!
Stories about angels are always fascinating, and in this essay I focus on angels: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Good angels are saints, bad angels are evil, which the Bible calls demons, and ugly angels are demons disguised as good angels. These ugly angels have fooled many people in a culture that has embraced "angel mania".6Although many details about angels are left out of the Bible, it is important to keep in mind three important elements about the biblical revelation that God has given us.
(1) Mention of angels is included in Holy Scripture. Depending on the Bible translation researched, these celestial beings are mentioned in the Bible between 294 and 305 times. Angels are mentioned at least 116 times in the Old Testament and 175 times in the New Testament.
(2) These numerous references are found in at least 34 books from the oldest books (whether Job or Genesis) to the last book of the Bible (Revelation).
(3) Finally, there are numerous references to angels made by the Lord Jesus, whom Scripture declares to be the creator of all things, which includes angelic beings. Paul wrote, "For in him all things were created,obain heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities (reference to angels) - all things were created by him and for him" (Col 1:16).
The study presented here will be developed from this extensive portion of the Scriptures. The Bible will be the authority for this study, not people's assumptions or their experiences or what people think sounds logical.
a simple definition
Angels are spiritual beings that God created to serve him, although they were created above man. Some, good angels, remained obedient to Him and did His will, while others, fallen angels, disobeyed, fell from their holy position, and are now actively opposing God's work and plan.
the nature of angels
Angels are created beings
The fact of its creationit is introduced in Psalm 148. There the psalmist calls all in the heavenly heavens, including the angels, to praise God. The reason given is, "For He commanded, and they were created" (Psalms 148:1-5).
The time of its creationit is never stated, however, we know that they were created before the creation of the world. From the book of Job we are told that they were present when the earth was created (Job 38:4-7), so their creation was before the creation of the earth as described in Genesis one.
The agent of your creationit is specifically stated that Christ is like the One who created everything (cf. John 1:1-3 with Colossians 1:16).7
The nature of your creationit's like host or company at the same time. Unlike humans and the animal kingdom who were created in pairs and reproduce, angels were created simultaneously as a company, an innumerable multitude of myriads (Col 1:16; Ne 9:6). This is suggested by the fact that they are not subject to death and do not or should not have reproduced. They are, however, an innumerable army created before the creation of the earth (cf. Job 38:7; Ne 9:6; Ps 148:2, 5; Heb 12:22; Dan 7:10; Mt 26:53; Rev 5:11; with Matthew 22:28-30; Luke 20:20-36).
Angels are spirit creatures
(1) They are angelsspiritual beings.
Although they are occasionally given the ability to reveal themselves in the form of human bodies as in Genesis 18:3, they are described as "spirits" in Hebrews 1:14. This suggests that they don't have material bodies like we do. Therefore, they do not function as human beings in terms of marriage and procreation (Mark 12:25) nor are they subject to death (Luke 20:36). Mankind, including our incarnate Lord, is "lower than angels" (Heb 2:7). Angels are not subject to human limitations, especially since they are not capable of dying (Luke 20:36). Angels have greater wisdom than man (2 Sam 14:20), but it is limited (Mt 24:36). Angels have greater power than man (Matt 28:2; Acts 5:19; 2 Peter 2:11), but are still limited in power (Dan 10:13).
Angels, however, have limitations compared to humans, particularly in future relationships. Angels are not created in the image of God, so they do not share in man's glorious destiny of redemption in Christ. At the end of time, redeemed man will be exalted above the angels (1 Corinthians 6:3).8It also means that they are not ubiquitous. I cannot be everywhere at once.
(2) All angels are createdof the world, without sin and in a state of perfect holiness.
Originally, all angelic creatures were created holy. God declared his creation to be good (Genesis 1:31) and, of course, he could not create sin. Even after sin entered the world, God's good angels, who did not rebel against Him, are called saints (Mark 8:38). These are the chosen angels (1Tim 5:21) as opposed to the evil angels who followed Satan in his rebellion against God (Mt 25:41).9
(3) As created beings, they arevagina creatures.
They are not divine and are not to be worshiped (see Rev. 19:10; 22:9). As a separate order of creatures, they are distinct from human beings and are superior to humans with powers far beyond our abilities in this present age (1 Corinthians 6:3; Hebrews 1:14; 2:7). But, as creatures, they are limited in their powers, knowledge, and activities (1 Peter 1:11-12; Rev. 7:1). Like all creation, angels are under God's authority and subject to his judgment (1 Corinthians 6:3; Matthew 25:41).
types of angels
(The good and the bad)
While all angels were originally created holy and sinless, there was a rebellion by Satan, who, exalted by his own beauty, sought to exalt himself above God and rebelled. In his rebellion he took a third of the angels with him (Revelation 12:4). This rebellion and fall is probably described to us in Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:15 embodied in the kings of Babylon and Tyre.10
Prophesying of the future conflict of angels that will take place in the midst of the Passion, John wrote: "War broke out in heaven, Michael and his angels made war with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought" (Revelation 12:7). . In other words, there are good angels and bad angels.
As is clear from Revelation 12:7 and many other passages, the leader of these fallen angels (or demons, as they are also called) is Satan (cf. Matthew 12:25-27). Satan, the leader of the unholy angels, is a liar, a murderer and a thief (John 10:10). As God's great adversary, He hates God and God's people. The Holy Scriptures teach us that he prowls around like a roaring lion in search of those whom he may devour with his vile plans (1 Peter 5:8). As an angelic being, Satan, along with his angel-like demons who operate under his authority, is supernaturally powerful and brilliant and uses all of his powers against mankind. He is not only a liar, a thief and a destroyer, but above all that is what characterizes him above all else. John describes him as the one "who deceives the whole world" (John 12:9). In his cunning he disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14). So, in view of this, the apostle Paul wrote: “It is no wonder, then, that his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. . .” (2 Corinthians 11:15). More will be said about this below.
good angels ministry
Good and loyal angels are mighty servants of God who constantly serve him, always doing his will. The psalmist described them as: "Blessed be the Lord, his angels, mighty in strength, who fulfill his word, hear the voice of his word! Bless the Lord, all his hosts, who serve him by doing his will" (Ps. 103:20-21). No wonder, therefore, that the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, showing the superiority of Christ even over mighty angels, asked (the question here requires a positive answer both in the Greek text and in the context): "Are not all of them ministering spirits, sent to serve on behalf of those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:14) The answer is “Yes!” While God can always act independently without the use of intermediaries, he has chosen to use angelic and human instruments to carry out his will. people.
angels protect
Perhaps no aspect of their service to people is more talked about than the idea of "guardian angels". Over the years, I have often been asked, "Does everyone have a guardian angel?" While no passage specifically states that every person has a guardian angel, the Bible does teach that angels guard or protect as Psalm 91:11 declares.
Also, Matthew 18:10 may suggest a guardian angel because of Christ's statement about children when he said, "Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven always look on the face of my Father who is in heaven". But it must also be pointed out that Psalm 91:11 is addressed to those who have made the Lord their refuge. The psalmist explainedNo damageordisasterhe canto happenthose who didSirfrom themRefuge(mahseh,"shelter from danger"; . . . ) because He commandedanjostake care of them. angels protect from physical harm and give believers strength to overcome difficulties, here depicted as wild lions and dangerous snakes. Satan, in tempting Christ, quoted 91:11-12 (Matthew 4:6), which shows that even the most wonderful promises of God can be foolishly applied.11
Some would argue that this Old Testament passage shouldn't apply to modern times, but the author of Hebrews doesn't seem to make that distinction. That they are ministering spirits ministering to the saints is presented as a general truth of the Bible and should not be limited to biblical times. Furthermore, Scripture suggests that Michael the archangel is specifically involved in the service of Israel. Regarding the reference to Michael in Daniel 10:13, Ryrie writes: Michael, meaning "who is like God?" (v. 21; 12:1; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7), is the special guardian of Israel's affairs (12:1), and is designated an archangel (Jude 9). One of the principal princes shows the hierarchy among the angels (cf. Eph 1:21).They left me there with the Persian kings. The good angel (cf. vv. 5-6), with Michael's help, was left in a place of supremacy in Persia's influence. But the battle between good and evil angels for control of the nations continues (see verse 20 and Rev 20:3).
Regarding the account of angelic protection, Dr. Kenneth Gangel shares the following account that is similar to others I have heard, especially with missionaries: A veteran missionary friend of mine (now retired) tells the story of a missionary who was alone on a property in North Africa during the rebellion of one of the local tribes. She hid in a closet and prayed as the warriors advanced along the dusty road towards the houses where the white intruders lived. Surprisingly, she never heard them. No one had ever entered her building and there was no evidence of any disturbance. My friend later learned that the warriors, who intended to kill everyone in the mission compound and burn it to the ground, retreated when they found the compound guarded by tall warriors dressed in white and carrying large swords. angels?
Another similar account was also related by a medical missionary at his church in Michigan: While serving in a small field hospital in Africa, I would travel by bicycle every other week through the jungle to a nearby town to buy supplies. This required camping overnight halfway through. On one of these trips, I saw two men fighting in the city. One was seriously injured, so I treated him and witnessed to him about the Lord Jesus Christ. Then I returned home without incident.
Upon arriving in town a few weeks later, I was approached by a man I had previously treated. He told me he knew I was carrying money and medicine. He said: “Some friends and I followed you into the jungle knowing you would camp overnight. We waited for you to fall asleep and we planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. As we were about to enter your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.
I laughed it off and said I was alone at that jungle camp. The young man emphasized, "No sir, I was not the only one who saw the guards. My friends from Java saw them too and we all counted them. We were scared because of those guards and we left him alone."
At this point in the Michigan church presentation, one of the church men jumped up and interrupted the missionary and asked, "Can you tell me the exact date this happened?" The missionary thought for a while and remembered the date.
A man in the congregation told this side of the story: “It was morning here in Africa that night. I was getting ready to play golf. As I was putting my bag in the car, I felt the Lord leading me to pray for you. In fact, the desire was so strong that I invited the men of this church to pray together for you. Would all those men who met me that day stand up?"
The men who had gathered that day to pray together stood up - 26 of them! We wonder again, were they angels? While I cannot confirm this story, I have no doubt that it could be true.
angels provide
Just as God sent angels to provide for the Lord at the end of His forty days in the wilderness (Matt 4:1-11), He has undoubtedly done the same for believers in our time. Some would include the provision of bread and water for Elijah (1 Kings 19:5-6), but this was the ministry of an "angel of the Lord" which could simply mean an angel sent by the Lord, but is probably best understood as a reference to a theophany, the manifestation of God to Elijah.12
As an illustration of a possible angelic provision, Sue Bohlin gives the following account: In 1944, the poor wife of a pastor and evangelist in Switzerland, Susie Ware, prayed: “God, I need five kilos of potatoes, two kilos of flour , apples, pears, cauliflower, carrots, veal chops on Saturday and beef on Sunday." A few hours later there was a knock on the door and there was a young man carrying a basket and said, "Mrs. Ware, I'll bring what you want. It was exactly what she was asking for - right down to the exact brand of flour she wanted.
The youth slipped away, and though the Reverend and Mrs. Ware looked out the window of his building, the man did not come out. He just disappeared (Anderson, Joan Wester.where angels walk, Nova York: Ballantine Books, 1992., str. 60-62).13
My wife's sister, Connie, had an experience about 15 years ago that was recorded in Jodie Berndt's book, a celebration of miracles.14Connie and her husband Geoff were missionaries in Africa working with Hindus and had the opportunity to visit missionaries in India. The trip included a 38-hour train ride from New Delhi to an orphanage in the south. They were warned not to eat on the train, but they brought very little food with them and Connie was so hungry that she decided to take a chance. She ate some curried mutton and soon fell ill.
After arriving at the orphanage, Connie went to bed where she stayed for three days. Geoff was traveling at this time and the missionaries thought she was reacting to the abject poverty of her surroundings and thought she didn't want to be a nuisance and left her alone. It was only when it was time to go to the next orphanage that they realized she was seriously ill. They realized he had to get to the hospital quickly, so they headed to the nearest one, which was three hours away. About fifteen minutes into the ride, Connie's muscles began to cramp. First her fingers, then her knees and toes curled inward and her facial muscles contracted so that she couldn't speak. Finally she found herself paralyzed as the jeep bounced down the pristine road.
They were worried that she might not survive because she was so dehydrated. Geoff cried out to God, “Please do a miracle! he doessomething!” Suddenly, the missionary who was driving saw a small Red Cross building right next to the path. When the jeep stopped, Connie tried to protest. She was concerned about the rampant AIDS epidemic in these remote areas and the practice of reusing needles.
When the group entered the building, which was bright and very clean, an Indian man, dressed in a white shirt and baggy trousers, greeted them in perfect English. He said: “I know what's wrong with her. She is dehydrated. I have some electrolytes here in this box. This water is already boiled.” He mixed electrolytes with water and handed Geoff a dropper in a plastic bag. “It's sterile,” he said, looking directly at Connie.
Geoff was instructed to put one drop at a time in Connie's mouth (which was locked) until they reached the hospital. When they arrived at the hospital an hour and a half later, her muscles had relaxed and she was able to enter the hospital. The doctor said it was the worst case of dehydration he had ever seen. Her body literally sucked the water out of her cells and she came a few hours after she died.
A few weeks later, back in Africa, they received a letter from a missionary couple in India. They said, "You won't believe this, but when we got back to our village on the way, we took you to the hospital, that Red Cross building wasn't there." There was nothing where it was." Is it the work of one of God's ministering spirits? One day we will know, but in the meantime we can certainly praise the Lord.
Angels Proclaim God's Truth
Throughout the Bible we find angels involved in conveying God's truth or message as the Spirit of God directs them. This, of course, is very much in keeping with the basic meaning of the word angel. Both Hebrew words for angel (Mali,) and the Greek word (Aggelos,expressangelos) means "messenger". In numerous passages we are told that angels were the instruments God used to reveal His Word (cf. Acts 7:38, 53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2). But that's only half the story. They appeared numerous times to announce an important message. They announced the birth of John the Baptist and of Jesus (Lk 1,11f, 26f; Mt 1,20f). In the Tribulation, God will use them to reveal key events (cf. Rev. 14:6). However, today God's canon of Scripture, the Bible, is complete. So beware who claims to have a new revelation given by an angel or who claims to be an angel with a new revelation. Remember, Satan is a deceiver with his deceiving angels who promote false doctrines (2 Corinthians 11:1-4, 12-13; 1 Tim. 4:1).
Angels Punish or Execute God's Judgments
With the tremendous power God has given them, they can accomplish anything God sends them. No wonder, then, that we consider them vital factors in the outpouring of the terrible Tribulation judgments described in Revelation, and even in the battle against Satan and his evil angels to restrict their access to heaven, confining them to the realm. of this earth and its immediate atmosphere in the midst of the tribulation (Revelation 12:7f). This will be done in anticipation of Satan's captivity and final defeat as described in Revelation 12 and 20.
But this is not the image we encounter in our modern fascination with angels. As Gangel writes, "I doubt that many figurines of punishing angels were placed in gift boxes last Christmas, but the Bible does not hesitate to describe this part of their activity."15
Final Thoughts on the Ministry of Angels
It is certainly comforting to know that God can protect, provide, and encourage us in supernatural ways, but that doesn't always guarantee such deliverance, and we certainly should never assume that provision from God. Therefore, when we consider the various ways in which angels minister, we must remember that God does not always rescue us from danger or meet our needs in such miraculous ways, either through angels or through His direct intervention. For His own sovereign purposes in His plan to use suffering (an instrument of growth, to manifest the character of Christ, to witness to others, etc.), sometimes the opposite is His will, as life clearly illustrates and the Scriptures declare (see Hebrews 11). :36-40).
Evil deception, fallen angels
Just as men do not ordinarily think of the penal ministry of angels, so there is another area which the popular idea of angels completely overlooks, but it is not without reason that it is overlooked. The reason lies in Satan's deception and the emptiness of the human heart as he searches for answers beyond God and His revelation of Himself and His plan of salvation as revealed in the Bible. As the greatest deceiver and opponent of God, the church, and mankind as a whole, Satan is a master of disguise. It is evidently his guise as an angel of light with his ministering angels, who also disguise themselves in one way or another, staying behind the current.angelmaniatoday in our society. As Bohlin points out: . . . there are many books, publications and seminars that are full of demonic delusions of the ugliest kind. Because when you start talking to angels, you end up dealing with demons.16Sue Bohlin has an excellent discussion of what to look for to discern the activity of these demonic evil angels. She writes:
You know you are surrounded by "ugly angels" or demons disguised as angels of light and holiness when you see or hear these expressions:
1. Contacting or communicating with the angels.
Books are now available with titles likeAsk your angels(Daniel, Alma, Timothy Wyllie e Andrew Ramer,Ask your angels, Nova York: Ballantine, 1992) i100 ways to attract angels(Sharp, Sally,100 ways to attract angels, Minnesota: Trust Publications, 1994). But the Bible gives neither permission nor precedent for contacting angels. When people start calling on the angels, it is not the holy angels who respond. They are devils, disguising themselves as good angels for people who don't know the difference.
2. Love our angels, pray to our angels.
Some self-styled "angel experts" instruct their followers to love their angels and to call upon them for health, healing, prosperity and guidance. But angels are servants of God and all that attention, emphasis and glory must go to God, not his servants. God says, "I will not share my glory with another" (Isaiah 42:8). The Holy Scriptures do not mention angels who love - only God, His word and people. And he never tells us to pray to angels, only to the Lord himself.
3. Instructions, knowledge or perception from angels, especially those with names.
Some teaching angels claim that the angels go out of their way to get in touch with us so that they can give us a deeper understanding of the spiritual (Karyn Martin-Kuri, in an interview withBody, mind and spiritJournal, May/June 1993. Also, Albright, Naomi,angel walk, Tuscaloosa, Alabama: Portals Press, 1990). Immensely, this "knowledge of angels" is a mixture of truth and falsehood, and never contradicts the absolute truth of Scripture.
There are four names of angels that appear repeatedly in angelic literature: Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael. Michael and Gabriel are the only angels mentioned by name in the Bible. The other two appear in the Apocrypha.Enoch's first book, which includes a fantastic depiction of the actions of these four beings. Those who report the teachings of modern angels are actually channeling information from demons.
4. Special knowledge or teachings from angels.
Naomi Albright disseminates teachings on the deeper meanings of the colors, numbers and letters of the alphabet, which she claims are "knowledge given from above and presented in more detail by the High Angelic Master Sheata, Lady Mistress Cassandra and Angel Carpelpous, and the Master Angel, a on top." (paths of lightnewsletter, Angel Walk F.O.L., Followers of the Light, no. July 24, 1994, pg. 6-10). These same beings told Mrs. Albright to emphasize two main teachings: first, that God accepts all religions, and second, reincarnation. (Albright,angel walk, pg. 77-78). These two teachings keep popping up in most New Age literature about angels, which shouldn't be surprising as they are heretical lies that come from the pit of hell where angelic teachers come from.
Other teachings of the angels are that everything is part of God (pantheism); the student is distinguished from others by the "deep" knowledge given by the angels (this is the basic attraction of the occult); and that, eventually, whoever seeks contact with these angels will be visited by an Ascended Master or Bright Angel (which is a personal encounter with a demon).
We must remember that the angels of God are not teachers. God's word says they are messengers - it means "angel" - and they minister to us. God has revealed to us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), so any occult knowledge that spirit beings try to impart is occult and demonic in nature.
5. Human divinity
The message of the ugly angels is that we need to recognize that we are one with the divine, we are divine... we are God. At Karen Goldman's houseThe Book of Angels: A Handbook for the Angels of the Future, she says things like, “Angels don't fall from the sky; they come from within.” (Goldman, Karen,The Book of Angels — A Handbook for Future Angels, New York: Simon & Shuster, 1988, p. 20). And, “The whole purpose of life is to know your angelic Self, accept it and be it. In this way, we finally experience true unity." (Ibid., p. 95).
The following piece of heretical rubbish was channeled by a demon representing an angel named Daephrenocles: "The wondrous light of angels, from Elohim to archangels to Devas and Nature Spirits, all bring you the knowledge that you are magnificent - you are divinenowand first divine." (these heavenly timesglasilo, sv. 3, br. 1, Gaithersburg, Maryland, str. 4).
Much of the literature on angels refers to the "inner angel". But angels are a separate part of creation. They were created before man as another species. They are not in us. Regardless of the movie "Life is Wonderful", when we hear a bell, it does not mean that an angel is gaining wings. Even good people, especially children, don't become angels when they die. We are still human beings - not angels and especially not God.
What our culture needs in response to the frenzy of angels is strong discernment built on the foundation of God's word. We must remember and share with others three truths about angels:
1. The ministry of holy angels never contradicts the Bible.
2. The works of holy angels will always be in harmony with the character of Christ.
3. A true encounter with a holy angel will glorify God, not the angel. Holy angels never call attention to themselves. They usually do their job and disappear.
It is quite true that many "received angels by surprise" (Hebrews 13:2). But we have to make sure we host the right kind of angel!17
Some caveats
(Things to do and not to do)
With the above warnings and in view of Satan's deceptions, we must be alert. In that regard, here are some things I'd like to suggest.
never worship angels
As pointed out in the introduction to this study, whenever we find angels mentioned in the Bible, the mention of angels parallels some other issue. They are not the main subject of the passage. It is the love and grace of God. When they are mentioned, it is always to inform us more about God, what He does and how He does it. This fact should teach us that not only are angels not in focus, but they are certainly not to be worshipped.
In two places in the book of Revelation, John was so amazed at the revelation he received from God through an angel, a very magnificent creature, that he bowed down to the angel. Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, “Don't do that; I am your fellow servant and your brothers who have the testimony of Jesus; Worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." And then again in Revelation 22 we are told:
Revelation 22:8-9 And I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw it, I fell on my face to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me this. 9 And he said to me, “Don't do that; I am your fellow servant and your brothers, the prophets and those who hear the words of this book; Worship God."
We said we don't worship angels, but why? First, they are just "co-servants" with believers who are called to serve the Lord. He was then instructed to "worship God". Angels are powerful and terrible in many ways, but like us, they are only creatures and servants of the living God, the only one worthy of our worship. That means we don't pray to them or believe in them, even though God can use them as our guardians. Our trust must be in God, not angels. They serve at his command.
Remember, the church at Colossae was attacked by false teachers who taught false humility and the worship of angels, claiming that they had special mystical insights through visions concerning their worship of angels (Cor 2:18). It was demonic because it usurped the superior place and sufficiency of Christ as Savior and Lord. The claim was that He was not sufficient for salvation and spirituality. What you need is to worship the angels, etc.
Don't participate in the angels' tricks
Closely related to angel worship, but in a more subtle way, are the angel tricks that occur in our culture today. Sometimes it's not just about collecting and cherishing angel figurines, as one would collect and cherish eagle figurines and images. In this regard, Gangel has some advice: Of course, there's nothing wrong with enjoying figurines of angels on the coffee table, as long as they don't become icons that somehow replace our dependence on the Word of God and the role of the Holy Spirit. . that lives in our lives.18
Don't Be Critical of Angel Reports
When we hear reports of angels, it's natural to be skeptical, but there needs to be a certain amount of skepticism, which Gangel calls "healthy skepticism." The reasons healthy skepticism is needed are the deceptions of Satan discussed above and the spiritually bankrupt state of our culture and its willingness to accept anything but the truth.
The gullibility of people today is due in part to the vacillation of society. Society has changed from the crude mystical speculations of the Middle Ages to the rationalism of the late 1800's and early 1900's. Now, due in part to the failure of rationalism, the naturally occurring vacuum in men's minds, and the rise of demonism and occultism in these last days, the pendulum has swung towards the mysticism that is so prominent in the New Testament. Age movement, occultism and in cults.
Therefore, belief in Satan, demons and angels is an increasingly common phenomenon, not because people believe the Bible, but because of their growing spiritual emptiness. Angels became an easy substitute, a convenient compromise for the reality of the living God as revealed in Scripture. To the question "Do you believe in angels?" Dallas Mavericks star Jamal Mashburn responded, “Yes. For me, it's like an inner voice that tells me what to do and what not to do, where to go and where not to go. Someone like God is the one who protects and cares for me" (Dallas morning news, December 18, 1994).
Why not? God seems so distant and stern. Angels look so friendly.19Angels, on the other hand, are God's ministering spirits, and He can send them to whomever He pleases. I have never seen an angel or had an experience where I was sure an angel was involved, but I believe many of the accounts are true.
A good friend of ours, who has had a series of very serious health problems, told me last Sunday that at one point he was so depressed that he had given up hope of ever getting well again. During the night, a nurse came into his hospital room to check his IV and said, "You look really sad and hopeless, don't you?" He replied, "Yes, I am." She knelt down, took his hand and prayed for him. After that, his mood improved and he got better physically quickly. He never saw this nurse again, although he inquired about her and tended to her. He told his doctor, who happened to be a Christian, and asked my friend if he had considered it might be an angel. Was that an angel? Perhaps. We just don't know, but it sure could be.
Furthermore, we must avoid a critical spirit that questions and belittles the claims of others, especially those who do not know the Scriptures. Laughing at or belittling their claims will only close the door on witnessing opportunities and point to the truth of the Gospel and the Bible.
Some positive things to do
First, when we come across angelic claims that we are skeptical about, we look for ways to use those claims to show interest in the person and engage them in a discussion about the reality of the Savior or the truths of God's Word.
Secondly, let us be grateful to God for the ministration of angels and for those accounts which do not contradict Holy Scripture and may well be real instances of the ministration of angels. While we cannot confirm that it was an angel, we certainly can and should praise God for the help or encouragement we experienced, as my friend did in the hospital.
Finally, let us learn what the Bible teaches about God, Jesus Christ, salvation, true spirituality, and the ministry of angels, lest we fall for the satanic counterfeits that seek to lead people to ignore the sufficiency of the person and work of Jesus. Christ. . Colossians is an excellent commentary on this.
Gangel ends his article on angels with the following comment:
So you've never seen or heard an angel? Be patient - I guarantee it will happen. Like John, we will all one day see and hear "the voice of many angels, numbering thousands and thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand." With them we will glorify the Savior singing, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!" (Revelation 5:11-12).20
1 What follows is a brief study of angels in light of the current fascination with angels. This will be followed by a detailed study of the doctrine of angelology, the study of angels as developed in the Bible. WITH
2 Millard J. Erickson,christian theology, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1983., str. 434.
3 “Kindred Spirit”, Dallas Theological Seminary Quarterly, verão de 1995, p. 5-7.
6 Sue Bohlin, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly,” Probe Ministries nahttp://www.probe.org. Probe is an excellent Christian resource and I highly recommend it.
7 The Son's creation includes "all" things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. This indicatesalluniverse, material and immaterial. The highly organized hierarchy of angelic beings is called the word "throne". (qronoi), "authorities" (kuriothtes), "rulers" (faces) and "authorities" (exousiai). Not only does this indicate a highly organized realm in the spirit world of angels, but it shows that Paul was writing to refute an early form of Gnosticism that promoted the worship of angels rather than the worship of Christ (cf. Colossians 2:18). In this, Paul shows supremacy and the rightful place of worship as supreme (cf. Ephesians 1:21; 3:10; 6:12; Philippians 2:9-10; Colossians 2:10, 15).
8 Paul Enns,The Moody Handbook of Theology, Moody Press, Chicago, 1996, electronic medium.
9Charles C. Ryrie,basic theology, Victor Books, Wheaton, IL, 1987, electronic medium.
10 The terms and descriptions given there certainly far exceed the terms of any human monarch. Furthermore, other passages clearly teach us that angelic or demonic powers are usually behind the rule of human kings or kingdoms (cf. Dan 10; and Ephesians 6:10-12).
11Commentary on Biblical Knowledge, OT, John F. Walvoord Roy B. Zuck, Editors, Victor Books, 1983, 1985, electronic media.
12 Regarding the mention of the "angel of the LORD" in Genesis 16:9, Ryrie writes: "Theophany, the self-manifestation of God. He here speaks as God, identifies himself with God, and claims to exercise the prerogatives of God. See 16:7-14; 21:17-21; 22:11-18; 31:11, 13; for example, 3:2; Judges 2:1-4; 5:23; 6:11-24; 13: 3-22; 2 Sam. 24:16; Zach. 1:12; 3:1; 12:8. Since the angel of the Lord ceases to appear after the incarnation, it is often concluded that the OT angel is a pre-incarnate appearance of the second person of the Trinity" (Charles Caldwell Ryrie,Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition, 1986., 1995., Moody, str. 27).
14 Jodie Berndt,A celebration of miracles, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, 1995., p. 105-112 (order, rest).