The Greek word for "angel" is angelos which is essentially transliterated into English. That is,
English letters are merely substituted for Greek letters. It means "messenger." This word appears
some 185 times in the New Testament_ Greek text. Not half, but over 40% of these references
appear in the Book of Revelation. The English reader would miss a number of these since the
word is occasionally translated according to its meaning_messenger. This really should come as
no surprise when we realize that the created angelic beings serve largely in the capacity of
messengers, thus their name bespeaks their work. Most of the uses of the word "angel" refer
directly to the created angelic host who have not human bodies and are above men in this respect.
They are not subject unto death even though some angels have sinned (II Peter 2:4), and others
are reserved in chains presently (Jude 6). However, there are a few uses of this word "angel"
which, do not refer to these and hence merit our attention if we are to "rightly divide the Word
of truth."

In Matthew 11:10, Mark 1:2, and Luke 2:27, Malachi 3:1 is quoted, "Behold I send my
messenger before Thy face." This "messenger" is none other than the word for "angel" and clearly
refers here to John the Baptist. John later, in Luke 7:24, sent two of his disciples to the Lord who
also were termed "messengers" by this same "angelic" word. Luke also refers to men sent of the
Lord Jesus as "messengers" or "angels" Luke 9:52. Paul’s thorn in the flesh was Satan’s "angel"
or "messenger" to buffet him, H Cor. 12:7. These uses are few in number and clear to the reader
by consistent translation as "messenger".

There is another meaning of the word angelos closely akin to "messenger," and that is
"representative." This last is found less frequently and its meaning as "representative" is
sometimes obscured by the text. For example, when Peter appeared at the prayer meeting, no
doubt held to intercede for his release from jail, they said, "It is his angel," while not believing
it was really Peter (Acts 12:15). They did not believe it was a created angel but meant, no doubt,
Peter’s ghost or "mystical representative." In like manner the Lord Jesus in Matt. 18:10 speaks
pertaining to little children that "their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in
heaven." From this we rightly understand that little ones taken in death have a portion in heaven,
not because of personal faith in their case but because of the work of Christ, and that they are
represented before God, which the word "angel" here implies. We do not believe in the theory
of guardian angels assigned to watch over little ones, a common popular notion. We do thank God
for the service of angels toward living Christians "who shall be heirs of salvation" according to
Heb. 1:14.

These last two instances prepare us to receive the true meaning of the word angel pertaining to
the assemblies in Rev. 1, 2, and 3. John was told that the mystery of the seven stars which he saw
in the Lord’s right hand was this:“The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches:and the
seven candlesticks … are the seven churches” Rev. 1:20. In Rev. 2 and 3 each letter to the
assemblies begins as addressed to the angel of the assembly.

Now some have thought the "angel" of these verses to be a created angel. But, this is to miss
widely the mind of God since nowhere in scripture do we have messages from or through human

vessels to any of the angelic host! Even in Rev. 1:1 "He (the Lord) sent and signified it by his
angel unto his servant John/’ It is through angels to man. Never the reverse. Furthermore, in all
the New Testament we are shown no literal angel having especially to do with a particular local
assembly. And as a matter of fact, the angelic host had nothing to do with these seven messages
or their contents as pertaining to the assemblies then addressed, nor did they function in carrying
these messages from John’s pen!

Who are the angels here then if not of the angelic host? We have already seen John the Baptist,
his disciples, and some sent of the Lord termed "angels" or "messengers." Might these be men
sent from these assemblies to look out for John’s welfare while exiled to Patmos, as the notes of
the Scofield Reference Bible suggest?

Let us examine this. The text does not give any suggestion of such men existing apart from the
conjectured meaning of "angels." Furthermore, does it seem that seven men, even if they did seek
out the beloved apostle, would be pictured as seven stars in the right hand of the Lord, pictured
as walking in the midst of these seven assemblies? I trust not! And further, if I send a message for
an assembly today and use a particular messenger for its conveyance I do not address the message
carrier as though it was to him. In every way I find this "angel" theory a bit unsuitable and that
it raises as many questions as it would fain settle.

Well, who then are these angels?

By far the most commendable thought which has yet come to this writer’s attention is that, as in
Acts 12:15 and Matt. 18:10, we have the thought of the "representative," so here we have
"representative" of the assembly. A New and Concise Bible Dictionary gives the meaning of
"angel" here as signifying "the spirit and character of the assembly personified in its mystical
representative, each one differing from the others according to the state of the assembly." W. E.
Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, although stating it more briefly, also
agrees. Mr. J. N. Darby’s footnote to Rev. 2:20 says, "That is the meaning I believe of ‘angel’,
the symbolical representative of the assembly seen hi those responsible in it, which indeed all
really are" (emphasis ours). I take it that he means all in the assembly have their part in this
responsible element in varying degrees, yet excluding none. Thus all in the assembly are included
in the angel of the assembly addressed in Rev. 2 and 3. I confess that this concept is not quickly
grasped by the casual reader_thus the admonition to the man of God to study to show himself
"approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth." (II Tim. 2:15).

Thus you, my reader, in whatever assembly, have your part in and are included in the "angel" to
whom John wrote. Now of which of the seven assemblies are you?