THE DOCTRINE OF ANGELS

  Throughout his long history, man has often 
  wondered whether he is indeed the only 
 intelligent being in his universe, 
     and whether life as we know it is confined 
to the earth alone. 

     And yet, it seems tragic that man does not turn 
   to the Word of GOD, in his search, 
  for the Bible clearly answers this question, 
 as it does all other questions which confront humanity. 
 

    Is there intelligent life in the universe? 

      Are there other living and rational creatures 
     "out there" besides man? 

THERE ARE INDEED. 
 

         Are they friend or foe?

THEY ARE BOTH. 

                    Is their civilization older than ours? 
IT IS. 

                   Will we ever learn to communicate with them? 

  We not only WILL, but a number of human beings 
   ALREADY HAVE met and talked with them. 
 

                           Who are these cosmic creatures? 

                                They are called ANGELS.

    Belief in Angels is found in the history of all nations. 

The ancient Egyptians, Pheonicians, Greeks, 
         and others all expressed their beliefs in Angels. 
 

    The Mohammedans believe in angels. They believe that two Angels are
    assigned to each person.The Angel on your right hand records all your
        good deeds. The Angel on your left records all your evil deeds. 
 

   The Hebrews taught there were four great 

    Angels: 
 

                   (1)Gabriel, who reveals the secrets of GOD to men, 
 

                  (2)Michael, who fights and avenges GOD's foes, 
 

               (3)Raphael, who receives the departing spirits of the dead, 

                       (4)Uriel, who will summon everybody to 
judgement. 
 

The earliest archeological evidence of Angels to date appears on the stela of
   Ur-Nammus (2250 B.C.), and shows Angels flying overhead of this king
 while he is in prayer. 
 
 

       But what does the Bible say about Angels? 
 

    THE EXISTENCE OF ANGELS 

  Angels are mentioned in thirty-four books of the Bible, for a total of some
        273 times (108 times in the Old Testament and 165 in the New Testament). 
 

     "The chariots of GOD are twenty thousand, even thousands of Angels"
      (Psalm 68:17) 
 

 "But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living GOD, the
   heavenly Jeruselem, and to an inumerable company of Angels."
(Hebrew 12:22) 
 

     "Who maketh his Angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire"
(Psalms 148:2) 
 
 

THE ORIGIN OF ANGELS
 
 

 The source of their origin: Angels, like everything else in this universe, were
    made by GOD the Father through JESUS CHRIST in the energy of the
     HOLY SPIRIT. See Genisis 1:1,2; 2:1; Nehemiah 9:6; John 1:1-3;
     Ephisians 3:9; Colossians 1:16 
 

 The method of their origin: Angels, like man, were created by a special act
       of GOD. They did not evolve into being. 

 "Praise ye him, all his Angels; praise ye him, all his Hosts. Let them praise
  the name of the Lord: for he commanded and they were created" 
(Psalms 148:2;5) 
 

  Each Angel is therefore a direct creation from GOD. This is perhaps, why
 they are referred to as sons of GOD (Genisis 6:2, 4; Job 1:6; 2:1) The word
 Son seems to indicate a direct creation of GOD, as Adam is called the "son
   of GOD" (Luke 3:38). Believers are also called "sons of GOD" as they are
 recreated in CHRIST individually as sons of GOD (John 3:3; Galatians 3:26;
        Ephisians 2:8-10; 4:24; 1 John 3:1,2). 
 

     Their number, once completed at creation, was forever fixed. This is
  assumed because we never heard of GOD creating more Angels and Jesus
    said they do not reproduce themselves. (Mathew 22:30) Furthermore,
   since we are told they cannot die (Luke 20:36) we conclude the original
 number of Angels will never increase or decrease in size. For these reasons
        they must be considered a company of beings, and not a race. 
 

THE TIME OF THEIR CREATION

  "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said....Where was
      thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast
  understanding when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of
          GOD shouted for joy?" (Job38:1; 4,7) 
 

   THE PURPOSE OF THEIR ORIGIN 
 

          Angels were created to glorify JESUS CHRIST 
 

 "For by him were all things created, that are in the heaven, and that are in
  the earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
    principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him"
  (Colossians 1:16) 
 

  "And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith,
           "And let all the Angels of GOD worship Him" (Hebrews 1:6) 
 

   THE NATURE OF ANGELS
 
 

    They are spirit beings (Psalms 104:4; Hebrews 1:7, 14). While we are
    informed by JESUS himself that spirit beings do not possess flesh and
  bone (Luke 24:39), does this prove that Angels do not have any type of a
  body? It apparantly does not. Theologians have argued both sides. Some
    have pointed to 1 Corinthians 15:40 as an indication that they do have bodies. 
 

 "There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of the
  celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another." However, on at
    least two occasions Angels are described as partaking of physical food
 (Genisis 18:1-8; 19:1-13); and on one occassion as applying physical force
   (Acts 12:7). 
 

 They are invisible beings. While on occassion they do manifest themselves,
 their normal practice is to remain invisible. Certainly, one basic reason for
    this is to prevent both unsaved and saved men from worhsiping them
         (Romans 1:18-32; Colossians 2:18; Revelations 19:10; 22:9). 
 

      THEY ARE INNUMERABLE

    GOD, of course knows their number, but they are presented to men as
     uncountable. There may be as many Angels as there are stars in the
     heavens, for Angels are associated with the stars (Job 38:7; Psalms
   148:1-3; Revelations 9:1,2; 12:3,4, 7-9). If this be so, then there would
          exist untold trillions of these heavenly beings. 
 

   "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit,
 whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool:
  his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels like burning fire. A fiery
     stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands
   ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before
 him: the judgement was set, and the books were opened" (Daniel 7:9, 10) 
 

       THEIR PERSONALITIES 
 

 They possess separate and individual personalities, probably no two alike. 
 

 They have the three necessary features of a personality: 
 

     INTELLIGENCE (Daniel 9:21,22; 10:14; Revelations 19:10; 22:8,9) 
 

                          WILL (Isaiah 14;12-15; Jude 1:6) 
 

              EMOTION. They display joy (Job 38:7; Luke 2:13) 
 

                They are, because of Adam's fall, superior to men 
 

                     They are stronger than men (2 Peter 2:11) 
 

              They are smarter than men (Daniel 9:21, 22; 10:14) 
 
 

   They are unhindered by a fallen nature (sin & guilt) and unbound by the
  laws of gravity and time 
 

  They are inferrior to GOD. They are not omnipresent (Daniel 10-12) They
  are not omnipotent, and are sometimes hindered by pressure from Satan
  (Daniel 10:13). They are not omniscient, and know not of the final day of the Lord 
 

  "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, not even the Angels of heaven,
       but my father only" (Mathew 24:36) 
 

 They, like man, have been made in the image of GOD. How so? This image
    consisted of two things: Personality and Holiness 
 
 

     THE MORAL CLASSIFICATION OF ANGELS 
 

  It is believed that all Angels were originally created without fault, and like
 Adam in the garden of Eden, placed on a probation of sorts. They were able
   not to sin. Then the chief angel, Lucifer, instigated a great revolt against
Jehovah GOD himself (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-19). Lucifer was able
      to persuade 1/3 of heavens Angel's to side with him in his terrible
  rebellion. The Angels who did side with Lucifer became unable to not sin.
  The faithful Angels became known as the Holy Angels, or Elect, and those
  who followed Lucifer became known as the devil's Angels (Mathew 25:41;
              Revelations 12:9) 
 
 

  THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FAITHFUL ANGELS
 

    RANK 
 

      Archangels 
 

       Michael whose name means 'He who is like GOD' (Isaiah 14:14) 
 

      Gabriel whose name means 'the mighty one of GOD's (Daniel 8:16; 
           1 Thesolonians 4:16) 
 

   The Cherubim - Guardians of Paradise. Prior to his fall, Lucifer was the
 chief Cherub Angel 
 

  The Seraphim or 'the burning ones', those with a burning desire for GOD 
 

Living Creatures. These heavenly beings number only four and may actually
  have been assigned Lucifer's duties after the fall. They are unceasing, day
            and night, in songs of prasie to GOD 
 

          Ruling Angels. These Angels rule over the six organizations: 
 

       Principalities 
 

     Powers 
 

     Thrones 
 

     Authorities 
 

     Dominions 
 

     Might 
 

    Guardian Angels. The Bible does not state whether each believer has a
     specific guardian Angel or whether various Angels on occasion simply
     protect and aid the heirs of salvation. Both are logical possibilities. 
 
 

  APPEARANCE

 The Scriptures offers the following description. "And entering into the
 sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long
       white garment; and they were amazed" (Mark 16:5) 
 

     "His countenance was like lightening and his raimant white as snow" (Mathew 28:3) 
 

   "And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed about this, two men
    stood beside them, in shining garments" (Luke 24:4) 
 

  "And I saw another mighty Angel come down from heaven, clothed with a
   cloud; and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face were as though it
         were the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire" (revelations 10:1)
 
 

   "and the seven Angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues,
 clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden
    girdles" (Revelations 15:6) 
 

 "And after these things I saw another Angel come down from heaven, having
    great power and the earth was made bright with his glory (Revelations 18:1) 
 

 It is easy to see why both unsaved and saved men worship these Angels of
                          dazzling splendor and great glory. 

   ACTIVITIES
 

  In Heaven: Angels worship the person of GOD. They observe the people of
   GOD. They inquire into the prophetical plan of GOD. They rejoice in the
    works of GOD.They perform the will of GOD. They witness the wrath of GOD. 
 

   On Earth: Angels inform, instruct, and interpret concerning both the will
      and WORD of GOD. They protect. They comfort. They deliver. They minister to the believer at the moment of death. 
 
 

    DESTINY
 

   To spend eternity in the New Jerusalem along with the elect 
 

To learn throughout eternity of GOD's grace as exhibited by the elect 
 

  Reference Source=Wilmington's Guide to the Bible