Other Old Testament Angels Are Described As Interlocking Wheels And Covered In Eyes
According to Medium, ophanim comes from the Hebrew word for “wheels.” It’s a fitting name, because Ezekiel’s vision suggests that some of God’s angels are actually floating, eye-covered wheels. Per Ezekiel 1, “Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel… Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.” Further, the ophanim are said to “sparkle like topaz,” and to hover in the air as they mimic the motion of the cherubim. Per Ezekiel, both the cherubim and ophanim help to guard the throne of God himself.
A different type of angel, seraphim , is described in the Book of Isaiah. Per Isaiah’s vision in Isaiah 6, “I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne… Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.” If you’re keeping count, that means that the seraphim have one more set of wings than the cherubim, but lack the extra faces. Also, the seraphim aren’t guards like the cherubim and ophanim, but rather serve to sing God’s praises. Per Isaiah, as they hover around God’s throne, the seraphim can be heard singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty the whole earth is full of his glory.”
What Do Angels Do
Angels praise God .
They worship God .
They rejoice in what God does .
They serve God .
They appear before God .
They are instruments of Gods judgments .
They carry out war against demonic forces .
They bring answers to prayer .
They aid in winning people to Christ .
They observe Christian order, work, and suffering .
They encourage in times of danger .
They care for the righteous at the time of death .
What About Guardian Angels
OK well, the Bibles actually not too clear on this one.
Jesus does warn that little children have angels who stand before God the Fatherbut it is a warning against causing children to stumble. It could mean that at the time of Jesus, little children received special attention from angels. But Jesus message seems to have more to do with the deep trouble youll be in if you mess with these kids than it does with the angels protecting them.
Theres one other passage that indicates there may be angels assigned to watch over specific humans. When Peter escapes from jail in the book of Acts, he goes to a nearby house where a group of believers has gathered. A girl answers the door and sees Peter outside, and before letting him in, announces to the group that Peter is out of jail and their prayers are answered. The whole group thinks the girl is crazy, and insists that shes just seeing Peters angel which is weird, because an angel did just release Peter from prison.
I used my favorite Bible study tool, Logos Bible software, to do research that made this post possible. If you’re a Bible geek like me, you might want to check it out.
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Angels Have A Hierarchy
Angels in the Bible appear to have a rank and order. The angel hierarchy is supported by Jude 9, when the angel Michael is called an archangela title that indicates rule or authority over other angels. Hes also called one of the chief princes in Daniel 10:13, and appears to lead Gods angelic army in Revelation 12: Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated . Paul also tells us that the Lord will return from heaven with the archangels call . Scripture doesnt tell us if this refers to Michael, or if there are other archangels as well.
The Truth About Biblical Angels In The Bible
The other day, my daughter and I were sitting at a family members dinner table when the subject of prayer and angels came up. Its important to note the person we were speaking with identifies as Catholic, therefore she spoke about praying to certain angels.
This family member told me and my daughter that we should pray to our angels. Immediately the Holy Spirit prompted my daughter and with boldness she said: I pray only to the One True God. I cant explain how proud I was at that moment to witness my daughter who is 9 years old contend for the truth. If you knew my daughter you would know that she is meek and doesnt like confrontation. She never wants to say anything that could hurt someones feelings or offend them in any way. Which is why I was taken aback when I heard her speak with such boldness.
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Angels And Jesus In The Bible
When Jesus was arrested on the night before his crucifixion, one of the disciples grabbed a sword and sliced off the ear of one of the perpetrators. Jesus told him to put away the sword and then said, Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
It seems that our angels stay with us through this life from the moment of salvation until we go home to be with Jesus. In Jesus parable about the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus said, The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abrahams side. How do our spirits get into the presence of God since we have no idea where to go? It is very possible that one or more of our assigned angels carry us to him. I dont know about you, but I find that very calming.
Not only do angels minister to us and lead us, but they have been given the assignment to protect us. Remember Daniel was thrown into a den of hungry lions for praying to God, not the king? The next morning when King Darius ran to open the pit and discovered Daniel still alive with the lions Daniel reported, My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. The lions genuinely wanted a Daniel burger for dinner but God sent Daniels angel to shut the mouths of the lions. As I think about it, there have been times when I think God commanded my angels to shut the mouths of several proverbial lions. How about you?
Summary Of Angel Types Their Features And The Angelic Hierarchy
Cherubim
The Cherubim are often the most recognizable as they have been painted and displayed throughout religions – Cherubim in modern times has been shortened to Cherub. They are often celebrated or displayed around our homes in ornaments and paintings. However, how they are displayed now is quite different to how they are described in religious text.
Often remarked as being animal-human living creatures that are known to have four different faces. These include a lion, an ox, an eagle and most famously as a human. They are formally known as the lowest rank among the four types of angels in scripture and have been given the duty of protecting and guarding the garden of Eden.
Malakim
The Malakim are the third in rank amongst the four. They are also known to be the closest looking angels to humans in physical form as they arent mentioned to have wings at any stage throughout the Bible. The Malakim are simply known historically as messengers of God and are commonly known as guardian angels. Most well known are Archangel Michael, Archangel Gabriel and Archangel Raphael to name a few.
Seraphim
The Seraphim is an angel that is most known for surrounding the throne of God singing holy, holy, holy. The description of the Seraphim is quite different to that of the Malakim. Described as having six wings, they are known to be the second-highest in rank.
Ophanim
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A Quick Recap On What Angels Look Like
Well, I hope you have enjoyed this quick little study on what angels look like in the Bible. Here are some recap takeaways.
- Not all angels have wings
- Some angels look like us
- Some angels look NOTHING like us
- Some angels have 6 wings
- Some angels have multiple different faces
- They come in different sizes
The Bible has tons to say about Gods angelic host and I hope this post has you wanting to learn more. There is a lot of weird, non-Biblical information out there on angels. Be careful and wise. Get into Gods word to find the truth.
Feel free to leave me a comment below! I would LOVE to hear from you.
The Worship Of Angels Is Forbidden
And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Angels are magnificent creatures, and a human being may be drawn to worship them, as happened to John in Revelation 19:10. However, the angel himself forbade him and told him to worship God alone. The scene repeats in Revelation 22:8-9, and the angel rebuked him again.
The apostle Paul warns his readers to Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels .
So, there is no doubt that Scripture forbids people from worshipping the angels, no matter what circumstance. Even when angels do marvelous things, like showing John those amazing things described in the book of Revelation, God alone is the one who deserves our worship.
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Heaven Might Be More Bizarre Than Blissful
When people think of Angels, they mostly picture a majestic human-like winged being. Cherubs, which are a type of angel also mentioned in the Bible, have been reimagined to fit the image of Cupid cute babies with tiny wings.
However, these conceptualizations arent entirely accurate. Angels, according to the holy text, are a bit more bizarre.
According to the Bible, there are different types of angels which surround God. Maimonides, a Jewish scholar from the 12th century, ranked these beings in terms of importance in the hierarchy of Heaven. What arises is a description of four beings from that hierarchy that have been explained in detail in scripture, and the historical circumstances around their conceptualization.
What Do Angels Actually Look Like Spiritually
Throughout history, angels have been painted and sculpted in many different forms but often havent been displayed to be as culturally sensitive to the reality in which they can take form. While commonly seen as a caucasian figure of a human with wings or as a rosy-cheeked cherub, this isnt always accurate. Its simply an individual interpretation or personal experience that the artist may have had.
Its only through a little research and searching throughout different religions and angelic experiences that we begin to see them for who and what they are. Angels are spiritual beings that can quite simply take any form they wish. In my experience, they will appear in a way you will be most comfortable with. Not in a way that will most likely overwhelm you or make you feel fear.
As angels dont belong to any one religion, country or race, they often appear in front of the person with similar features to the person themselves. Skin tone, facial features or height often vary from one personal account to the next. As mentioned before, this would create the least amount of fear and enhance the overall experience of their presence.
Ive found that feeling the presence of an angel is often more gratifying than visually seeing them, believe it or not. When seen physically a person can often feel overwhelmed. Therefore this can actually somewhat take away from the experience of their presence itself.
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The Angelic Conflict And The Moral Problem Of Evil
Understanding the above scenario provides us with part of the answer to the age old question of how a God who is good could permit evil, especially if He is omniscient and omnipotent. Contrary to Scripture, which declares the omnipotence and omniscience of God, some have sought to answer the problem by claiming that though God is good, He was helpless to stop evil from happening. Though it is only by implication, the Bible alone gives us an answer to the problem of evil, which lies, in part at least, in the angelic conflict briefly described in the preceding paragraphs. Certain things are basic to a discussion of this issue.
Scripture reveals God to be perfect in holiness, love, benevolence, grace, and mercy. This means God cannot do evil because evil is contrary to His Holy character. For instance, God cannot lie . Further, He cannot tempt the creature to sin . He cannot be the author of sin because He has judged all evil and to author sin would be contrary to His perfect justice and righteousness. God could not judge sin in the creature if He was the author of the creatures sin. Therefore, though allowed by God, evil did not originate from God. It originated from something outside of God.
Job 38:2-4 Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge? 3 Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me! 4 Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,
Job then answered and said,
Who Or What Are Angels
The word angel actually comes from the Greek word aggelos, which means messenger. The matching Hebrew word mal’ak has the same meaning.
Sometimes, the Bible uses these words for human beings:
- pestilence or plagues
But it usually describes the whole range of spirits whom God has created, including both good and evil angels, and special categories such as cherubim, seraphim, and the archangel.
Angels are mentioned at least 108 times in the Old Testament and 165 times in the New Testament. Hence, there is ample information available in Scripture to allow us to build a foundation for our knowledge of angelic beings.
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Angels May Go Unnoticed
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Angels are spirits and dont have physical bodies. So, they can also go unnoticed by us, even though they can interact with the physical world. The statement on Hebrews 13:2 is probably based on Abrahams experience as recorded in Genesis 18:1-8.
Angels Of Good And Evil
Speaking of lions, Peter reminds us there are two types of angels those for God and those for Satan.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
With as much intensity as our angels work to guard us, the devil and his angels seek to devour us like a lion. We are no match for the devil and his angels. We need our angels to shut their mouths lest we be destroyed.
Paul reminds us that there is more going on than we can see.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
I think if there was such a thing as a spiritual strobe flashlight that we could shine at night into the spaces around us, we would see a lot more spirit activity than we ever imagined.
While it is true from Scriptures that there is a spirit world made up of both good and evil, and we have not one but many angels watching out over us, there are two things we must remember that the Bible tells us about angels:
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Angels Carry Out The Judgment Of God
And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
God is patient and long-suffering when it comes to peoples sins . However, sooner or later, He will show His disapproval for what people do that is offensive to Him .
The Bible tells us of some occasions when God orders angels to carry out His righteous judgment against sinners:
- An angel of God was sent to oppose Balaam and take his life .
- God sent an angel to punish Jerusalem .
- An angel of the Lord took King Herods life .
- Christ Jesus will send His angels to cast offenders into the furnace of fire .
Bible Verses About Angels
And of the angels He says,Who makes His angels winds,And His ministers a flame of fire.
Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he *said to me, Do not do that I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Man did eat the bread of angels He sent them food in abundance.
You were the anointed cherub who covers,And I placed you there.You were on the holy mountain of God You walked in the midst of the stones of fire.
By the abundance of your tradeYou were internally filled with violence,And you sinned Therefore I have cast you as profaneFrom the mountain of God.And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub,From the midst of the stones of fire.
But to which of the angels has He ever said,Sit at My right hand,Until I make Your enemiesA footstool for Your feet?
For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord?Who among the sons of the mighty is like the Lord,
You have made himfor a little while lower than the angels You have crowned him with glory and honor,And have appointed him over the works of Your hands
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