Foundations of Faith
ANGELS (II)
In the previous issue we discussed some general characteristics and attributes of angels as well as the ministry they carry out.
Thrones, dominions (or lordships), principalities, powers (or authorities), might, angels–these are different words found in the New Testament in reference to angels (Rom. 8:38; Eph. 1:21; Col. 1:16). These words may refer to different ranks among angels, or else different degrees of excellence or different offices and employments. Above all these is the rank of archangel, or “chief angel.” Michael is designated as “archangel” in the New Testament (Jude 9; see also Rev. 12:7); in the Old Testament Michael is “one of the chief princes” (Dan. 10:13). Possibly more than one angel occupies the rank of archangel.
High ranking angels apparently are assigned to different nations. “The prince of the kingdom of Persia” withstood the angel sent to minister to Daniel (Dan. 10:13), and Michael is “the great prince who stands for the children of [Israel]” (Dan. 12:1).
In the Old Testament we learn of two more kinds or ranks of angels–cherubim and seraphim. Cherubim served God in covering His Throne and keeping any evil from coming into His presence. They were assigned to guard the tree of life in the Garden of Eden after man’s fall (Gen. 3:24). Two golden cherubim were crafted on the mercy seat, signifying their guard over the most holy place of the tabernacle (Exod. 25:18; see also Ezek. 10). Hezekiah prayed to the “God of Israel who dwells between the cherubim” (Isa. 37:16; see also Psa. 80:1; 99:1).
Seraphim are referred to only once in the Bible:they stood above the throne of Jehovah where one of them proclaimed His holiness and glory (Isa. 6:1-3). In the same scene, one of the seraphim (meaning “burning ones”) took a burning coal and touched Isaiah’s lips, cleansing him of his sin. By these angelic creatures we see God’s glory linked with the righteous cleansing of sinners (see John 17:4). (See Assignment 11)
This question has become a hot topic during the past two or three years. Shelves of book stores and libraries are overflowing with books about angels and people’s experiences with angels. People are wearing angel pins on their blouses or lapels. There are angel stores, angel clubs, angel newsletters, angel hot lines, and angel seminars. Authors of angel books and lecturers at angel seminars teach people how to pray to and get in touch with their own personal guardian angel. Many people have their own “angel experiences” to tell. I remember as a child my mother telling me the story of when her mother was a child. My grandmother used to play in a crawl space underneath the barn. One day she heard her name being called and obediently came out from under the barn and ran to the house. But nobody had called her. Just then the barn collapsed in a heap!
Was it my grandmother’s guardian angel who had called her, thus probably saving her life? Thousands of people today would vehemently exclaim, “Yes!” and would hasten to tell their own angel stories. Does the Bible say anything about guardian angels? Two verses are often cited in this regard:”He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hand, lest you dash your foot against a stone” (Psa. 91:11,12; Matt. 4:6); “Despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 18:10). These verses suggest the possibility of personal guardian angels. However, they do not support the claim made by many today that everyone in the world has one or more personal angels assigned to him/her for life. (See Assignment 12.) Even less do they support the notion that we are to try to get in touch with our personal angel or to pray to him.
The angel movement seems to be just another diabolical plan of the one who was once the highest angel of them all–Satan. It shifts people’s attention off of Christ–their Creator, Saviour and Redeemer–and onto created beings–angels. When such a person experiences a miracle or some kind of help that is unexplainable in human terms, the first person to receive credit is the guardian angel.
While there are many examples in the Bible of angels helping man (see the last issue of GROWING), there are at least as many examples of Jehovah of the Old Testament or the Holy Spirit of the New Testament warning, encouraging, guiding, or in other ways helping man. How can we tell the difference between an angel or the Lord Himself (with human voice or human form) helping us? In most cases we can’t, and should not even try. When “three men” appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre, it later turned out that two were angels and one was the Lord Himself (Gen. 18:1-19:1). Scripture tells us that angels are “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister” (Heb. 1:14). We are never instructed in the Bible to worship or even thank angels. Whenever we experience some kind of divine help, our thoughts, thanksgiving, and worship should immediately be directed to God Himself; if an angel was involved, it was only because he was sent and given power by God to meet my need. When the Apostle John fell at the feet of an angel to worship him, the angel said, “Don’t do it, I am your fellow servant … worship God” (Rev. 19:10; 22:8,9). While many today are seeking by meditation and mystical means to be taught and guided directly by angels, we are instructed in the Scriptures, “Let no man beguile you of your reward in … worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen” (Col. 2:18). It would be well if there were as much attention being paid today to studying the attributes of God and the Person and work of Christ in the Holy Scriptures as there is to the study of angels!
Running the Race
Assignment 11: Bible scholars disagree as to whether “the sons of God” in Gen. 6:2,4 refer to the descendants of Seth or to angels. Read Job 1:6; 2:1; Matt. 22:30; 2 Pet. 2:4-9; and Jude 6-8, along with Gen. 6:1-5. What verses support the opinion that the sons of God were human beings, and what ones support their being angels?
Assignment 12: Write out the verse in Hebrews 1 that tells for which class of people angels are sent to minister.