Angelology: Part Six (The Angel of the Lord)

The Angel of the Lord

· Introduction and Overview
° The Angel of the LORD, often mentioned as the Angel of God, is a heavenly being sent by God as His representative and spokesman. The Hebrew words are Malak Jehovah or messenger of Jehovah. Many scholars believe this Angel to be the pre-incarnate Christ. Proponents of this view assert that names given to Jesus in the Old Testament were preparing people to be able to understand His work after incarnation. Also, some of the work of the Angel of the LORD in the Old Testament parallels with Christ’s work for believers in the church age. In the Old Testament, interactions between the Angel of the LORD and mankind reveal that He is often treated as if He were God. In the New Testament, the wording is more ambiguous. Instead of using the Angel of the LORD, an angel of the Lord (Luke 2:9) is used. This shift further supports the idea that the Angel of the LORD is the pre-incarnate Christ because the appearances of this angel cease after the Son’s incarnation. Below is detailed Biblical information concerning the Angel of the Lord.

· His functions and appearances

° Identified as the LORD by humans

· Hagar talks to the LORD in the wilderness – Genesis 16:7, 21:17

· Abraham talks to the LORD at Isaac’s sacrifice – Genesis 22:1

· Moses talks to the LORD at the burning bush – Exodus 3:2

· Gideon talks to the LORD under the terebinth tree – Judges 6:11

° Protector and provider for the LORD’s people

· Led the Israelites in the wilderness – Exodus 14:19, 23:20, 32:34

· Promised protection for those who seek the LORD – Psalm 34:7

° Agent of destruction and judgment

· Stood in the way of Balaam – Numbers 22:22-35

· Told Israel of its disobedience and judges – Judges 2:1-4

· Judged Israel for David’s sin – 2 Samuel 24:16-17, 1 Chronicles 21:12-30

· Destroyed Sennacherib’s army – 2 Kings 19:35, 2 Chronicles 32:21, Isaiah 37:36

· David prayed for the Angel of the LORD to deliver him from his enemies – Psalm 35:5

° Offers guidance and gives instruction

· Guided Israel in the wilderness – Exodus 23:23

· Told Elijah where to go – 1 Kings 19:7, 2 Kings 1:3, 15

· Instructed Joseph about Jesus’ birth and Herod’s plan to kill Him Matthew 1:20-24, 2:13

· Told Philip where to go to minister – Acts 8:26

° Foretold the births of special men

· Explained the future ministry of Samson to his parents – Judges 13:3-21

· Promised and gave the name for John the Baptist – Luke 1:11

· Told of Jesus’ birth to Joseph – Matthew 1:20-24

· Additional information and research

° The name “Malak YWH” is a special title denotes a higher status, possibly the LORD himself

° His identity is regarded through the scriptural record as equal with YWH

· Genesis 16:10 – promise to Hagar that her son will have many descendants. These promises can be made by God alone. It should be noted that in Chapter 17 of Genesis, the LORD appears to Abram and makes the same promise.

· Exodus 3:2-6 – it would seem the angel of the LORD and the LORD are one here.

· Judges 6:12ff – the angel of the Lord appears, the LORD is talking, in 20-21, he is referred to again as the angel of the LORD

° Distinct for YWH

· Zechariah 1:8-14: the angel of the LORD intercedes

· Zechariah 3 – the angel of the LORD calls out to YWH to rebuke Satan

° The Angel of the LORD as preincarnate Christ

· The Son is the visible God of the NT (John 1:14,18; 14:9); so the Son was the visible representative of God in the OT

· The appearances of this angel ceased after the Son’s incarnation (Matthew 1:20 should be taken as AN angel of the LORD)

· Both the angel of the Lord and the Son were sent by God and had similar ministries

Angelology: Part Five (High Ranking Angels)

High Ranking Angels

· The Cherubim

° General information

· Seem to be the highest class of angelic beings

· Created with indescribable beauty and power

° Description

· Ezekiel 1:5-14

° Human form

° Four faces and four wings

° Straight legs with hooves

° Gleamed like bronze

° Under the wings 4 human hands

° The wings touched one another

° The faces did not turn

° The faces were (one as a man, lion on the right, bull on the left, and an eagle)

° Two wings covered their body and two were spread out above

· Genesis 3:24 – placed at the Garden of Eden with flaming sword to guard the tree of life

· Exodus 25:17-22 – two cherubim are to be on top of top the mercy seat of the ark, wings upward, facing each other

· 2 Chronicles 3:10-13 – two cherubim were placed in the Holy of Holies, their wingspan was 20 cubits, their image was on the veil

° Duties

· Proclaim God’s glorious presence, sovereignty, and holiness

· Proclaim to men the transcendent and unapproachable God, since they forbid entrance to paradise and guard his presence in the tabernacle

· The Seraphim

° General information

· Another special class of angels associated with the glory and holiness of God

· Mentioned only in Isaiah 6

· The Hebrew word means ‘burning ones’

° Description

· Isaiah 6:2-3

° They have 6 wings (2 covered his face, 2 covered his body, 2 let him fly)

° Duties

· Consumed with devotion to God and praise him perfectly

· Call to one another “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory”

· Praise God’s perfect holiness and proclaim the need for men to be cleansed of sin

· Isaiah 6:6-7 – seraphim put a burning coal onto Isaiah’s lips so that he may have pure speech to talk with Lord

· The Living Creatures

° General information

· Eyes within and around may speak of their extreme intelligence

· There are only four of them (Revelation 4)

· Different than the seraphim and cherubim, but share similarities

° Description

· Revelation 4:6-9

° Covered with eyes within and around

° Six wings

° Duties

· Continually say “Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD God, the Almighty, who was and is and is to come.”

· Praise and worship God (Revelation 4:8,9; 5:8-14; 7:11; 19:4)

· Help direct the judgment during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 6:1,6; 15:7)

Angelology: Part Four (Specific Names Given for Angels)

Specific Names Given for Angels
· Michael
° Meaning: ‘Who is like God?’
° Biblical references to Michael
· Daniel 10:13 – Michael as a “chief prince” of heaven
· Jude 9 – called the archangel, disputes with Satan over the body of Moses
· Rev 12:7 – military leader of God’s army, “Michael and his angels” fought the dragon
· Daniel 10:13-21 – fights “Prince of Persia” to get to Daniel, Michael is the only one who stands firm with Daniel against the spiritual forces
· Daniel 12:1 – great prince, protector of God’s people
° Contemporary / Theological issues
· Some later Jewish scholars associate Michael with the Shechinah
· The Jehovah Witnesses claim Michael is a preincarnate Christ
· Gabriel
° Meaning: ‘Mighty one of God’
° Biblical references to Gabriel
· Appears as a man
° Daniel 9:21 – ‘the man Gabriel’
° Daniel 10 – ‘the one [who appeared to me] in human form’
° Luke 1:26 – ‘the angel Gabriel’
· Undoubtedly an angelic being
° Luke 1:19 –he proclaims, ‘I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God’
· Interactions with man
° Daniel 9:21 – talked with and gave instruction to Daniel
° Daniel 10:18 – touched and strengthened Daniel
° Luke 1:19 – appears to Zacharias, tells of John’s birth, and then silences Zacharias because of his unbelief
° Luke 1:26 – appears to Mary, tells her she will bear the Christ, tells her of his purpose, tells her that Elizabeth is pregnant
· Human actions
° Daniel 10:17-20 – spoke with a human voice
° Daniel 8:18, 10:18 – power of touch, like a man’s
° Luke 1:11-12 – stands in a particular location

Angelology: Part Three (Attributes of Angels)

Attributes of Angels
· They are personal beings
° They are created by God – Colossians 1:16
° They are chosen and holy – 1 Timothy 5:21, Matthew 25:31
° They understand God’s holiness and worthiness – Hebrews 1:7, Revelation
° They marvel at redemption – 1 Peter 1:11-12
° They rejoice when a sinner repents – Luke 15:10
° They worship and serve God faithfully – Hebrews 1:7
° They fellowship with God
° They experience joy – Job 38:7
· Distinctions from man
° They have no weight or physical dimensions – Hebrews 1:7
° They do not procreate or die – Matthew 22:30, Luke 20:36
° They do not marry – Mark 12:25
° They are above man. Man is “lower than the angels” – Hebrews 2:7
° They do not need redemption because they never rebelled
· Abilities and powers granted by God
° They can intervene in human affairs – Acts 5:17-20
° They can destroy the wicked – Acts 12:23
° They may control the Earth’s elements – Revelation 7:1, 16:8-9
° They carry on warfare with one another – Daniel 10:13, Revelation 12:7

Angelology: Part Two (Titles given to Angels)

Biblical Titles Given to Angels

· Angel

° The English word ‘angel’ is derived from the Greek word ‘angelos’

° Hebrew “malak”

· Translated: messenger (one who executes the purpose and will of the one whom they serve)

° Used for humans (John the Baptist – Matthew 11:10)

° Used for spirit beings (Luke 1:11, Psalm 104:4)

· Ministers

° Hebrew ‘mishrathim’

· Translated: those who minister as attendants of God

° Revelation 8:3

· Hosts

° Hebrew ‘sava’

· Translated: vast army of angels

° 1 Samuel 17:45, 47

° Psalm 89:6, 8

° Luke 2:13 (at Jesus’ birth)

· Chariots

° Defined: angelic armies that accomplish God’s purposes

· 2 Kings 6:17 (Elisha)

· Psalm 68:17

· Watchers

° Daniel 4:13, 17

· Angels of Light

° 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

· Sons of the Mighty ‘bene elim’

° Psalm 29:1-2

° Psalm 89:6

· Sons of God ‘bene Elohim’

° Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7

· Holy Ones

° Defined: beings created by God, without any flaw or sin

· Jude 14-15

· Psalm 89:6-7

· Job 5:1

· Zechariah 14:5

Angelology: Part One (Introduction)

Introduction
Believers today must have a clear, Biblical understanding of angelology. Unfortunately, some believers have accepted ideas about angels that have no
Biblical foundation. These inaccurate views often affect how believers interpret life crises, current events, etc. It is a blessing to know that God has preserved His Word for believers today. In light of that fact, one of my goals are to take the Scriptures and develop a reliable doctrine that comes straight from the text on Angelology. aAccurate Bible study is only achieved when individuals set aside their presuppositions and examine the text at face value. The responsibility to develop doctrine free from personal bias and common misunderstandings also applies to our study of angels. The following articles on angels are a humble attempt to bring together Scriptural references to angels and make logical conclusions from the Bible.