Angels Appear Both With And Without Wings
Angels are powerful spiritual creatures who arent bound by the laws of physics, so they dont need wings to fly. Yet, people who have encountered angels sometimes report that the angels they saw had wings. Others report that the angels they saw manifested in a different form, without wings. Art throughout history has often portrayed angels with wings, but sometimes without them. So do some angels have wings, while others dont?
What Are The Different Types Of Angels
There are a few different types of angels mentioned in Scripture: cherubim, seraphim, and archangels. The most commonly depicted angels model the cherubim with their two wings. Seraphim look a little more like something you would see in a Sci-Fi film. When Archangels might terrify you if you saw one, due to their warrior-like appearance and responsibilities. Jason Soroski of Bible Study Tools explains, The six-winged angels that appear to Isaiah are described as Seraphim. The two-winged angels atop the Ark of the Covenant are described as Cherubim. The Bible also lists Archangels, such as Michael, who are thought to be superior to the others and angelic leaders.
As far as Who is the Angel of the Lord, Soroski also shares Many believe this to be Christ himself acting in the Old Testament, and there is indeed merit to that argument. This angel appears to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace , to Gideon , and Abraham .
We Dont Know How Many Angels Exist
The Bible doesnt tell us how many angels God created. But apparently, there are a lot of them. Here are a few of the ways the Bible tells us how many angels there are:
- On Mount Sinai, God came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with flaming fire at his right hand .
- We also learn that, the chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands .
- When we come to worship, we come into the presence of innumerable angels .
- John says, I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands .
Every biblical reference to the total number of angels suggests that theyre beyond counting.
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The Angel Of Revelation 10
Another interesting angel is in Revelation 10. Its appearance is different than the others we have read. And a neat thing to emphasise is the size of the angel.
I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. Revelation 10:1-3 NKJV
Key things about what he looked like:
- Mighty
- He was clothed in a cloud
- He had a rainbow over his head and his face was brilliant
- He was able to place one foot on land and the other foot on water.
What Does The Bible Say Are Angels Primary Duty To Humans
Angels have a primary duty to man but more so for God. They are His messengers. They are His agents for bringing punishment and displaying His holy wrath. They will be used by God during the coming Great Tribulation as described in the book of Revelation . Even a king was not spared as he once boasted that I am a god and an angel apparently killed him on the spot .
Angels do serve a purpose for humans. Each one of us has at least one, maybe more, that are assigned to each and every one of us and one helped to strengthen Jesus . Theyre commanded to encamp all around us and keep us from falling, getting hurt, who have been and will be from this time forth and forever to be with us and even strengthen us, and minister to us . Its possible that we might have encountered and entertained angels without even knowing it . Matthew 18:10 indicates that children have their own angels with the scriptures saying, See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. The sheer numbers of holy angels disposed to fight for us is uncountable .
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Gabriel Isnt Called An Archangel In The Bible
Did you know that every month, 12,000 people Google archangel Gabriel?
Whats interesting about this is that the Protestant Bible never once calls Gabriel an archangel. The only named angel specifically called an archangel in the Bible is Michael .
So why does everyone think of Gabriel as an archangel?
Well, a long time ago someone wrote a piece of literature called the book of Enoch. This is, as far as we can tell, a work written between the Old and New Testaments. It was super influentialso influential that the book of Jude even quotes it !
Now, you could make the argument that:
1. The book of Enoch says Gabriel and Michael were archangels.
2. Jude quotes the book of Enoch as legit prophecy, and calls Michael an archangel.
3. Therefore, Jude considered Gabriel an archangel too.
To which I say, Yeah, good point.
Archangelhood isnt really a big deal in the grand scheme of Scripture, so its probably not a big deal if people call Gabriel an archangel or not. But hey, its good to know what the Bible says. -)
Why Does The Bible Say So Little About Angels
The Bible mentions angels over 300 times, so why do we still know so little about them? We know that there are millions upon millions of angels, yet we only know three of their names Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer the fallen angel. We dont know exactly how many there are or how they interact.
Their mystery is quite purposeful. It is so we do not worship angels and that Jesus is the focus. They are mighty, glorious beings and we would be tempted to worship them if we became too knowledgable. But they are loyal to the true king, Jesus Christ, and remain behind the scenes, carrying out his plans.
It is good to know truths about Gods messengers, but it is better to know and follow the savior.
And the angel said to me, Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true words of God. Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
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Magnificent And Exotic Angel Wings
Angels wings are quite magnificent sights to see, and often appear exotic, as well. The Torah and the Bible both describe the prophet Isaiahs vision of winged seraphim angels in heaven with God: 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. And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty the whole earth is full of his glory .
The prophet Ezekiel described an incredible vision of cherubim angels in Ezekiel chapter 10 of the Torah and the Bible, mentioning that the angels wings were completely full of eyes and under their wings was what looked like human hands . The angels each used their wings and something like a wheel intersecting a wheel that sparkled like topaz to move around.
Not only did the angels wings look impressive, but they also made impressive sounds, Ezekiel 10:5 says: The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court , like the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.
How Do Angels Appear
Genesis 19:1 ordinary way that men come into a city. Exodus 3:2in a blazing fire from the midst of a burning bush. Judges 13:20ascended in the flame of the altar. Matthew 2:13 In a dream. Acts10:3 in a vision. Acts 10:13,15 in a voice. Luke 1:28 come intothe house as a visitor.
Not always recognized: John 20:15 Mary thought Jesus was the gardener.
Travel from the spiritual dimension to the physical: Judges 6:11-21Gideon, Judges 13:3-9 Manoah, Luke 2:9,13 Shepherds, Acts 12:7Peter.
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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 .
Is There An Angel Hierarchy
God is a God of order and authority. There is a chain of command in the angelic world. Since Christs resurrection, angels are under his direction and authority. These types of angels are mentioned in the Bible: 1) cherubim 2) seraphim 3) the four living creatures and 4) elect angels.
Michael the archangel, whose name means who is like unto God? seems to be the angelic leader. Gabriel, whose name means hero of God is an important messenger, entrusted with delivering news to Daniel, Zechariah and Mary.
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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 Makes Up The Heavenly Host
Nehemiah 9:6 “You alone are the LORD You have made heaven,The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everythingon it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve themall. The host of heaven worships You.”
Chariots of fire , An army , Horses: red, sorrel, and white , Horns or craftsmen , The bride, the Lamb’swife or the holy Jerusalem , Sun, moon, andstars , Principalities and powers.
Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hearthe word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, andall the host of heaven standing on His right hand and His left.
How were the angels described here? __________________________________________
What do you think of when you imagine a heavenly host? ____________________________
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Fascinating Facts About The Angel Gabriel
by Jeffrey Kranz | Dec 22, 2016 | Bible characters |
The angel Gabriel may be one of the most well-known characters in the traditional Christmas story, and aside from the Trinity members and the devil, hes probably the most famous divine being in the Bible.
But how much do we really know about Gabriel? How much of what we know is based on the Bible, and how much is based on TV Christmas specials?
I thought itd be fun to take a closer look at this character.
Heads up: A few years ago I wrote a list of facts about the angel Gabriel for Logos Bible Software. This was back when I worked at Logos. But Ive made a few more observations since then. =)
Gabriel Names The Two Greatest Humans To Ever Live
When it comes to baby-naming, Gabriel gets the highest honor.
When Gabriel tells Mary that she will bear a son, he tells her that his name is to be Jesus . Being that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, and the exact representation of Gods nature , its safe to say hes the greatest human to walk the earth.
But thats not the only baby Gabriel names!
When Gabriel startles Zechariah in the temple, he tells the priest to name his son John . In Matthews Gospel, Jesus states that among the sons of women, nobody is greater than John the Baptistalthough the very least in the kingdom of God would be greater than John .
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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What Does The Bible Say About Angels
Lets take a look at what the Bible has to say about angels.
Angels Are Servants
One of the most beautiful verses about angels is Hebrews 1:14, Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? A primary job of an angel is not only a servant of God but a servant of believers. They minister to the people of Christ on earth . Think about after Jesus was tempted by the Devil in the wilderness how angels came and ministered to Him . Angels are unseen to the human eye but are actively working on earth to bring forth the plan of God . Angels are in Heaven right now serving Jesus .
Angels Are Not Redeemed
Humanity entering into eternity is said to be similar to angels in that they do not marry , and they cannot die. Luke 20:35-38 says, But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die for they are like the angels. They are Gods children, since they are children of the resurrection.
Angels do not have the same opportunity to be redeemed as mankind . Hebrew 2:16 says, For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abrahams descendants. This poses the question, Why would God choose to redeem us? Part of the beauty of redemption through Jesus is that God did not restore relationship with angels but actually made a plan to bring us back to Himself .
Who We Refer to as Demons Were Once One-Third of Gods Angels
Things You Didnt Know About Your Guardian Angel
If were going to go all-in on following Christ, then we have to believe everything that Jesus tells us. One of the things that He tells us about is that angels are real! Not only are they real, but we each have one guarding us at this and every moment. How well do we actually know these invisible guardians, though?
One of the things in the Bible that seem so commonplace is the presence of angels. I look at my own life and I dont see angels like they did in the Bible. In fact, I dont ever think about angels. Every time I stop and think about them, I find myself fascinated by the fact that I have a guardian angel. But then I find myself asking, What are angels?I did some research, and here are some interesting things that I found out:
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Angels Are Not Omnipresent
Angels frequently appear as messengers in the Bible, traveling from one place to another .
The fact that angels are not omnipresent is made explicit when an angel comes to Daniel and says:
I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, so I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia and came to make you understand what is to befall your people in the latter days. Daniel 10:1214
If angels were omnipresent, Michael wouldnt have came to help because he wouldve already been there, and this angel wouldnt need to leave Michael to bring this message. Unlike God, who is omnipresent, angels are finite creatures, limited to one place at one time.
What Does The Bible Say Angels Look Like
You wont find them on greeting cards.
Pictures of angels are everywhere. They decorate cards, balloons and notepads. Statues of them sit in gardens, on desks, in bedrooms and next to the fine china. They are found in many classical paintings, murals and sculptures. Regardless of where they are found, angels are almost always depicted in the same way: a young man or woman with feathery wings and a gentle expression who is wearing a shapeless white robe or gown. This is not, however, the image that the Bible gives us.The mental image that most people have of angels is born from famous paintings and repeated exposure to the popular image of angels. When a person examines the Bible, however, they get a rather different picture.
Stephanie Hertzenberg is a writer and editor at Beliefnet. She is a graduate of the College of William and Mary where she majored in Religious Studies and minored in Creative Writing. She maintains an avid interest in health, history and science.
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