Reference: Angel
American
The original word, both in Hebrew and Greek, means messenger, and is so translated, Mt 11:10; Lu 7:24. It is often applied to an ordinary messenger, Job 1:14; 1Sa 11:3; Lu 9:52; to prophets, Isa 42:19; Hag 1:13; to priests, Ec 5:6; Mal 2:7; and even to inanimate objects, Ps 78:49; 104:4; 2Co 12:7. Under the general sense of messenger, the term, angel is properly applied also to Christ, as the great Angel or Messenger of the covenant, Mal 3:1, and to the ministers of his gospel, the overseers or angels of the churches, Re 2:1,8,12, etc. In 1Co 11:10, the best interpreters understand by the term "angels" the holy angels, who were present in an especial sense in the Christian assemblies; and from reverence to them it was proper that the women should have power (veils, as a sign of their being in subjection to a higher power) on their heads. See under VEIL.
But generally in the Bible the word is applied to a race of intelligent beings, of a higher order than man, who surround the Deity, and whom he employs as his messengers or agents in administering the affairs of the world, and in promoting the welfare of individuals, as well as of the whole human race,
Mt 1:20; 22:30; Ac 7:30. Whether pure spirits, or having spiritual bodies, they have no bodily organization like ours, and are not distinguished in sex, Mt 22:30. They were doubtless created long before our present world was made, Job 38:7.
The Bible represents them as exceedingly numerous, Da 7:10; Mt 26:53; Lu 2:13; Heb 12:22-23; as remarkable for strength, Ps 103:20; 2Pe 2:11; Re 5:2; 18:21; 19:17; and for activity, Jg 13:20; Isa 6:2-6; Da 9:21-23; Mt 13:49; 26:53; Ac 27:23; Re 8:13. They appear to be of divers orders, Isa 6:2-6; Eze 10:1; Col 1:16; Re 12:7. Their name indicates their agency in the dispensations of Providence towards man, and the Bible abounds in narratives of events in which they have borne a visible part. Yet in this employment they act as the mere instruments of God, and in fulfilment of his commands, Ps 91:11; 103:20; Heb 1:14. We are not therefore to put trust in them, pay them adoration, or pray in their name, Re 19:10; 22:8-9. Though Scripture does not warrant us to believe that each individual has his particular guardian angel, it teaches very explicitly that the angels minister to every Christian, Mt 18:10; Lu 16:22; Heb 1:14. They are intensely concerned in the salvation of men, Lu 2:10-12; 15:7,10; 1Pe 1:12; and will share with saints the blessedness of heaven forever, Heb 12:22.
Those angels "who kept not their first estate," but fell and rebelled against God, are called the angels of Satan or the devil, Mt 25:41; Re 12:9. These are represented as being "cast down to hell, and reserved unto judgment," 2Pe 2:4. See SYNAGOGUE, ARCHANGEL.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And, while thinking of these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, fear not to take to yourself Mary your wife; for that which was begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit.
This is he of whom it has been written, 'Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.'
So will it be at the end of the age. The angels will go forth, and will separate the wicked from the midst of the righteous,
"See that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say to you, that their angels in Heaven do always behold the face of My Father Who is in Heaven.
for in the resurrection, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels in Heaven.
for in the resurrection, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels in Heaven.
Then will He say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, ye accursed! into the eternal fire which was prepared for the Devil and his angels;
Or do you think that I cannot call upon My Father, and He will place beside Me, even now, more than twelve legions of angels?
Or do you think that I cannot call upon My Father, and He will place beside Me, even now, more than twelve legions of angels?
And the angel said to them, "Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which, indeed, shall be to all the people; because there was born to-day, in the city of David, a Saviour, Who is Christ the Lord. read more. And this is the sign to you: ye will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly host, praising God, and saying,
And, the messengers of John having gone away, He began to say to the multitudes concerning John, "What went ye forth into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken by the wind?
and He sent forth messengers before His face; and, journeying onward, they entered into a village of Samaritans, so as to prepare for Him.
I say to you, that so there will be joy in Heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety-nine righteous men who have no need of repentance.
So, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents."
And it came to pass that the poor man died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died, and was buried;
And, forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him, in the wilderness of mount Sinai, an angel in a flame of fire in a bush.
For there stood by me this night an angel of the God Whose I am, and Whom I serve,
for this cause ought the woman to have a sign of authority on her head because of the angels.
because in Him were all things created, in the heavens, and upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers??ll things have been created through Him, and for Him;
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth for service, for the sake of those about to inherit salvation?
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth for service, for the sake of those about to inherit salvation?
But ye have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,
But ye have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general festal throng, and assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous ones made perfect;
For, if God spared not angels that sinned, but, hurling them down to Hell, delivered them up to pits of darkness, kept for judgment;
"To the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write these things," saith He Who holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, He Who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:
"And to the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write these things," saith the First and the Last, Who became dead, and lived:
"And to the angel of the assembly in Pergamum write these things," saith He Who hath the sharp, two-edged sword:
And I saw a strong angel, proclaiming with a great voice, "Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose its seals!"
And I saw, and heard an eagle flying in mid-heaven, saying with a great voice, "Woe, woe, woe, to those who dwell on the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"
And there was war in the heaven; Michael and his angels went forth to war with the dragon. And the dragon made war, and his angels;
And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole habitable earth; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.
And a strong angel took up a stone, as it were a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and in nowise be found any more!
And I fell down before his feet to worship him. And he says to me, "See that you do it not: I am a fellow-servant of you and of your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
And I saw one angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a great voice saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, "Come, gather yourselves together to the great supper of God;
And I, John, am he who heard and saw these things. And, when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. And he says, "See that you do it not. I am a fellow-servant with you and with your brethren the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book: worship God."
Easton
a word signifying, both in the Hebrew and Greek, a "messenger," and hence employed to denote any agent God sends forth to execute his purposes. It is used of an ordinary messenger (Job 1:14; 1Sa 11:3; Lu 7:24; 9:52), of prophets (Isa 42:19; Hag 1:13), of priests (Mal 2:7), and ministers of the New Testament (Re 1:20).
It is also applied to such impersonal agents as the pestilence (2Sa 24:16-17; 2Ki 19:35), the wind (Ps 104:4).
But its distinctive application is to certain heavenly intelligences whom God employs in carrying on his government of the world. The name does not denote their nature but their office as messengers. The appearances to Abraham at Mamre (Ge 18:2,22. Comp. Ge 19:1), to Jacob at Peniel (Ge 32:24,30), to Joshua at Gilgal (Jos 5:13,15), of the Angel of the Lord, were doubtless manifestations of the Divine presence, "foreshadowings of the incarnation," revelations before the "fulness of the time" of the Son of God.
(1.) The existence and orders of angelic beings can only be discovered from the Scriptures. Although the Bible does not treat of this subject specially, yet there are numerous incidental details that furnish us with ample information. Their personal existence is plainly implied in such passages as Ge 16:7,10-11; Jg 13:1-21; Mt 28:2-5; Heb 1:4, etc.
These superior beings are very numerous. "Thousand thousands," etc. (Da 7:10; Mt 26:53; Lu 2:13; Heb 12:22-23). They are also spoken of as of different ranks in dignity and power (Zec 1:9,11; Da 10:13; 12:1; 1Th 4:16; Jude 1:9; Eph 1:21; Col 1:16).
(2.) As to their nature, they are spirits (Heb 1:14), like the soul of man, but not incorporeal. Such expressions as "like the angels" (Lu 20:36), and the fact that whenever angels appeared to man it was always in a human form (Ge 18:2; 19:1,10; Lu 24:4; Ac 1:10), and the titles that are applied to them ("sons of God," Job 1:6; 38:7; Da 3:25; comp. Da 3:28) and to men (Lu 3:38), seem all to indicate some resemblance between them and the human race. Imperfection is ascribed to them as creatures (Job 4:18; Mt 24:36; 1Pe 1:12). As finite creatures they may fall under temptation; and accordingly we read of "fallen angels." Of the cause and manner of their "fall" we are wholly ignorant. We know only that "they left their first estate" (Mt 25:41; Re 12:7,9), and that they are "reserved unto judgement" (2Pe 2:4). When the manna is called "angels' food," this is merely to denote its excellence (Ps 78:25). Angels never die (Lu 20:36). They are possessed of superhuman intelligence and power (Mr 13:32; 2Th 1:7; Ps 103:20). They are called "holy" (Lu 9:26), "elect" (1Ti 5:21). The redeemed in glory are "like unto the angels" (Lu 20:36). They are not to be worshipped (Col 2:18; Re 19:10).
(3.) Their functions are manifold. (a) In the widest sense they are agents of God's providence (Ex 12:23; Ps 104:4; Heb 11:28; 1Co 10:10; 2Sa 24:16; 1Ch 21:16; 2Ki 19:35; Ac 12:23). (b) They are specially God's agents in carrying on his great work of redemption. There is no notice of angelic appearances to man till after the call of Abraham. From that time onward there are frequent references to their ministry on earth (Gen 18; 19; Ge 24:7,40; 28:12; 32:1). They appear to rebuke idolatry (Jg 2:1-4), to call Gideon (Jg 6:11-12), and to consecrate Samson (Jg 13:3). In the days of the prophets, from Samuel downward, the angels appear only in their behalf (1Ki 19:5; 2Ki 6:17; Zech 1-6; 13/type/worrell'>Da 4:13,23; 10:10,13,20-21).
The Incarnation introduces a new era in the ministrations of angels. They come with their Lord to earth to do him service while here. They predict his advent (Mt 1:20; Lu 1:26-38), minister to him after his temptation and agony (Mt 4:11; Lu 22:43), and declare his resurrection and ascension (Mt 28:2-8; Joh 20:12-13; Ac 1:10-11). They are now ministering spirits to the people of God (Heb 1:14; Ps 34:7; 91:11; Mt 18:10; Ac 5:19; 8:26; 10:3; 12:7; 27:23). They rejoice over a penitent sinner (Lu 15:10). They bear the souls of the redeemed to paradise (Lu 16:22); and they will be the ministers of judgement hereafter on the great day (Mt 13:39,41,49; 16:27; 24:31). The passages (Ps 34:7; Mt 18:10) usually referred to in support of the idea that every individual has a particular guardian angel have no such meaning. They merely indicate that God employs the ministry of angels to deliver his people from affliction and danger, and that the angels do not think it below their dignity to minister even to children and to the least among Christ's disciples.
The "angel of his presence" (Isa 63:9. Comp. Ex 23:20-21; 32:34; 33:2; Nu 20:16) is probably rightly interpreted of the Messiah as the guide of his people. Others have supposed the expression to refer to Gabriel (Lu 1:19).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And, while thinking of these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, fear not to take to yourself Mary your wife; for that which was begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Then the Devil leaves Him; and, behold, angels came and were ministering to Him.
and the enemy that sowed them is the Devil; and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.
The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of the Kingdom all the stumbling-blocks, and those who do iniquity;
So will it be at the end of the age. The angels will go forth, and will separate the wicked from the midst of the righteous,
For the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then will He render to each one according to his work.
"See that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say to you, that their angels in Heaven do always behold the face of My Father Who is in Heaven.
"See that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say to you, that their angels in Heaven do always behold the face of My Father Who is in Heaven.
And He will send forth His angels, with the sound of a great trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
But concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only.
Then will He say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, ye accursed! into the eternal fire which was prepared for the Devil and his angels;
Or do you think that I cannot call upon My Father, and He will place beside Me, even now, more than twelve legions of angels?
And, behold, there occurred a great commotion; for an angel of the Lord, descending out of Heaven, and coming near, rolled away the stone, and was sitting upon it.
And, behold, there occurred a great commotion; for an angel of the Lord, descending out of Heaven, and coming near, rolled away the stone, and was sitting upon it. And his appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow;
And his appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow; and, from fear of him, those keeping watch were shaken, and became as dead.
and, from fear of him, those keeping watch were shaken, and became as dead. And the angel, answering, said to the women, "Fear not; for I know that ye are seeking Jesus Who hath been crucified.
And the angel, answering, said to the women, "Fear not; for I know that ye are seeking Jesus Who hath been crucified. He is not here; for He arose, as He said. Come! see the place where the Lord was lying; read more. and, going quickly, say to His disciples, 'He arose from the dead;' and, behold, He is going before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him; behold, I told you." And, departing quickly from the sepulchre, with fear and great joy, they ran to announce it to His disciples.
But concerning that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father.
And the angel, answering, said to him, "I am Gabriel, who have been standing near before God, and I was sent to speak to you, and to proclaim these glad tidings to you.
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, the name of which was Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. read more. And, the angel, coming in to her, said, "Hail, highly favored one, the Lord is with you." But she was troubled at the saying, and was deliberating as to what kind of salutation this might be. And the angel said to her, "Fear not, Mary; for you found favor from God. And, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and shall bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David; and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His Kingdom there shall be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I know not a man?" And the angel, answering, said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; wherefore also the Holy Thing that is begotten shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, Elizabeth, your kinswoman, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren; because no word from God shall be without power." And Mary said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; may it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly host, praising God, and saying,
And, the messengers of John having gone away, He began to say to the multitudes concerning John, "What went ye forth into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken by the wind?
For whosoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when He cometh in His glory, and in that of the Father, and of the holy angels.
and He sent forth messengers before His face; and, journeying onward, they entered into a village of Samaritans, so as to prepare for Him.
So, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents."
And it came to pass that the poor man died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died, and was buried;
for neither can they die any more; for they are equal to the angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
for neither can they die any more; for they are equal to the angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
for neither can they die any more; for they are equal to the angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
And there appeared to Him an angel from Heaven, strengthening Him.
And it came to pass, while they were perplexed about this, behold, also two men stood near them in dazzling apparel.
and she beholds two angels in white, sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She says to them, "Because they took away my Lord, and I know not where they laid Him!"
And, as they were gazing intently into the heaven, while He was ascending, behold, also two men stood by them in white apparel,
And, as they were gazing intently into the heaven, while He was ascending, behold, also two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do ye stand looking into the heaven? This Jesus, Who was taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld Him ascending into Heaven."
But an angel of the Lord, by night, opened the prison doors; and, having led them out, said,
But an angel of the Lord spake to Philip, saying, "Arise, and go toward the south, on the way that leads down from Jerusalem to Gaza:" this is a wilderness.
And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell; and, smiting the side of Peter, he raised him up, saying, "Rise up quickly!" And his chains fell off from his hands.
And immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not give God the glory; and, having been eaten by worms, he expired.
For there stood by me this night an angel of the God Whose I am, and Whom I serve,
far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that to come;
because in Him were all things created, in the heavens, and upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers??ll things have been created through Him, and for Him;
Let no one rob you of your prize, wishing to do it in humility and in a worshipping of angels, speculating about the things which he has seen, being vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,
I solemnly charge you before God, and Christ Jesus, and the elect angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.
having become by so much superior to the angels, as He hath inherited a more excellent name than they.
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth for service, for the sake of those about to inherit salvation?
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth for service, for the sake of those about to inherit salvation?
By faith he has instituted the passover, and the applying of the blood, lest the destroyer of the first-born should touch them.
But ye have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general festal throng, and assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous ones made perfect;
For, if God spared not angels that sinned, but, hurling them down to Hell, delivered them up to pits of darkness, kept for judgment;
But Michael, the arch-angel, when contending with the Devil he was disputing about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you."
the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of seven assemblies; and the seven candlesticks are seven assemblies."
And there was war in the heaven; Michael and his angels went forth to war with the dragon. And the dragon made war, and his angels;
And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole habitable earth; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.
And I fell down before his feet to worship him. And he says to me, "See that you do it not: I am a fellow-servant of you and of your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
Hastings
ANGEL
1. Old Testament.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And, while thinking of these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, fear not to take to yourself Mary your wife; for that which was begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit.
And, seeing the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Then the Devil leaves Him; and, behold, angels came and were ministering to Him.
and the enemy that sowed them is the Devil; and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.
For the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then will He render to each one according to his work.
"See that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say to you, that their angels in Heaven do always behold the face of My Father Who is in Heaven.
"See that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say to you, that their angels in Heaven do always behold the face of My Father Who is in Heaven.
for in the resurrection, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels in Heaven.
And He will send forth His angels, with the sound of a great trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
But concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only.
"And, when the Son of man cometh in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then will He sit on the throne of His glory;
Then will He say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, ye accursed! into the eternal fire which was prepared for the Devil and his angels;
Or do you think that I cannot call upon My Father, and He will place beside Me, even now, more than twelve legions of angels?
And the angel, answering, said to the women, "Fear not; for I know that ye are seeking Jesus Who hath been crucified.
And He was in the wilderness forty days tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts; and the angels were ministering to Him.
For whosoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
And, the angel, coming in to her, said, "Hail, highly favored one, the Lord is with you."
And, having completed every temptation, the Devil departed from Him until a fitting season.
For whosoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when He cometh in His glory, and in that of the Father, and of the holy angels.
"And I say to you, every one who shall confess Me before men, him will the Son of Man confess before the angels of God; but he who denied Me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
So, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents."
And it came to pass that the poor man died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died, and was buried;
for neither can they die any more; for they are equal to the angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
and, not finding His body, they came, saying that they had seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive!
And He saith to him, "Verily, verily, I say to you, ye shall see Heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
And He saith to him, "Verily, verily, I say to you, ye shall see Heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
But an angel of the Lord, by night, opened the prison doors; and, having led them out, said,
But an angel of the Lord, by night, opened the prison doors; and, having led them out, said, "Go, and, standing, speak in the temple, to the people, all the words of this life."
And, forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him, in the wilderness of mount Sinai, an angel in a flame of fire in a bush.
But an angel of the Lord spake to Philip, saying, "Arise, and go toward the south, on the way that leads down from Jerusalem to Gaza:" this is a wilderness.
And he said, "Who art Thou, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus Whom you are persecuting.
And he told us how he saw the angel in his house, standing and saying, 'Send to Joppa, and call for Simon who is surnamed Peter,
And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell; and, smiting the side of Peter, he raised him up, saying, "Rise up quickly!" And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said to him, "Gird yourself, and bind on your sandals." And he did so. And he says to him, "Cast your garment around you, and follow me."
And they said to her, "You are mad!" But she kept confidently affirming that it was so. And they said, "It is his angel"
And immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not give God the glory; and, having been eaten by worms, he expired.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge both. And there arose a great clamor, and some of the scribes of the party of the Pharisees, rising up, were fiercely contending, saying, "We find no evil in this man; but, if a spirit spake to him, or an angel ??"
For there stood by me this night an angel of the God Whose I am, and Whom I serve, saying, 'Fear not, Paul; it is necessary that you should stand before Caesar, and, behold, God has granted to you as a favor all those sailing with you.'
For I am persuaded that, neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
For, I think, God did set forth us the apostles last, as doomed to death; because we became a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
for this cause ought the woman to have a sign of authority on her head because of the angels.
for neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through revelation of Jesus Christ.
because in Him were all things created, in the heavens, and upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers??ll things have been created through Him, and for Him;
Let no one rob you of your prize, wishing to do it in humility and in a worshipping of angels, speculating about the things which he has seen, being vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,
Let no one rob you of your prize, wishing to do it in humility and in a worshipping of angels, speculating about the things which he has seen, being vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,
and to you who suffer tribulation, relief with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with the angels of His power, in flaming fire,
But Michael, the arch-angel, when contending with the Devil he was disputing about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you."
And I, John, am he who heard and saw these things. And, when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. And he says, "See that you do it not. I am a fellow-servant with you and with your brethren the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book: worship God."
Watsons
ANGEL, a spiritual, intelligent substance, the first in rank and dignity among created beings The word angel, ???????, is not properly a denomination of nature but of office; denoting as much as nuncius, messenger, a person employed to carry one's orders, or declare his will. Thus it is St. Paul represents angels, Heb 1:14, where he calls them "ministering spirits;" and yet custom has prevailed so much, that angel is now commonly taken for the denomination of a particular order of spiritual beings, of great understanding and power, superior to the souls or spirits of men. Some of these are spoken of in Scripture in such a manner as plainly to signify that they are real beings, of a spiritual nature, of high power, perfection, dignity, and happiness. Others of them are distinguished as not having kept their first station, Jude 1:6. These are represented as evil spirits, enemies of God, and intent on mischief. The devil as the head of them, and they as his angels, are represented as the rulers of the darkness of this world, or spiritual wickednesses, or wicked spirits, ?? ?????????? ??? ???????? ?? ???? ???????????, Eph 6:12; which may not be unfitly rendered, "the spiritual managers of opposition to the kingdom of God." The existence of angels is supposed in all religions, though it is incapable of being proved a priori. Indeed, the ancient Sadducees are represented as denying all spirits; and yet the Samaritans, and Caraites, who are reputed Sadducees, openly allowed them: witness Abusaid, the author of an Arabic version of the Pentateuch; and Aaron, a Caraite Jew, in his comment on the Pentateuch; both extant in manuscript in the king of France's library. In the Alcoran we find frequent mention of angels. The Mussulmen believe them of different orders or degrees, and to be destined for different employments both in heaven and on earth. They attribute exceedingly great power to the angel Gabriel, as that he is able to descend in the space of an hour from heaven to earth; to overturn a mountain with a single feather of his wing, &c. The angel Asrael, they suppose, is appointed to take the souls of such as die; and another angel, named Esraphil, they tell us, stands with a trumpet ready in his mouth to proclaim the day of judgment.
The Heathen philosophers and poets were also agreed as to the existence of intelligent beings, superior to man; as is shown by St. Cyprian in his treatise of the vanity of idols; from the testimonies of Plato, Socrates, Trismegistus, &c. They were acknowledged under different appellations; the Greeks calling them daemons, and the Romans genii, or lares. Epicurus seems to have been the only one among the old philosophers who absolutely rejected them.
Authors are not so unanimous about the nature as about the existence of angels. Clemens Alexandrinus believed they had bodies; which was also the opinion of Origen, Caesarius, Tertullian, and several others. Athanasius, St. Basil, St. Gregory Nicene, St. Cyril, St. Chrysostom, &c, held them to be mere spirits. It has been the more current opinion, especially in later times, that they are substances entirely spiritual, who can, at any time, assume bodies, and appear in human or other shapes. Ecclesiastical writers make a hierarchy of nine orders of angels. Others have distributed angels into nine orders, according to the names by which they are called in Scripture, and reduced these orders into three hierarchies; to the first of which belong seraphim, cherubim, and thrones; to the second, dominions, virtues, and powers; and to the third, principalities, archangels, and angels. The Jews reckon four orders or companies of angels, each headed by an archangel; the first order being that of Michael; the second, of Gabriel; the third, of Uriel; and the fourth, of Raphael. Following the Scripture account, we shall find mention made of different orders of these superior beings; for such a distinction of orders seems intimated in the names given to different classes. Thus we have thrones, dominions, principalities, or princedoms, powers, authorities, living ones, cherubim and seraphim. That some of these titles may indicate the same class of angels is probable; but that they all should be but different appellations of one common and equal order is improbable. We learn also from Scripture, that they dwell in the immediate presence of God; that they "excel in strength;" that they are immortal; and that they are the agents through which God very often accomplishes his special purposes of judgment and mercy. Nothing is more frequent in Scripture than the missions and appearances of good and bad angels, whom God employed to declare his will; to correct, teach, reprove, and comfort. God gave the law to Moses, and appeared to the old patriarchs, by the mediation of angels, who represented him, and spoke in his name, Ac 7:30,35; Ga 3:19; Heb 13:2.
Though the Jews, in general, believed the existence of angels, there was a sect among them, namely, the Sadducees, who denied the existence of all spirits whatever, God only excepted, Ac 23:8. Before the Babylonish captivity, the Hebrews seem not to have known the names of any angel. The Talmudists say they brought the names of angels from Babylon. Tobit, who is thought to have resided in Nineveh some time before the captivity, mentions the angel Raphael, Tob. 3:17; 11:2, 7; and Daniel, who lived at Babylon some time after Tobit, has taught us the names of Michael and Gabriel, Da 8:16; 9:21; 10:21. In the New Testament, we find only the two latter mentioned by name.
There are various opinions as to the time when the angels were created. Some think this took place when our heavens and the earth were made. For this opinion, however, there is no just foundation in the Mosaic account. Others think that angels existed long before the formation of our solar system; and Scripture seems to favour this opinion, Job 38:4,7, where God says, "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Or do you think that I cannot call upon My Father, and He will place beside Me, even now, more than twelve legions of angels?
And, forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him, in the wilderness of mount Sinai, an angel in a flame of fire in a bush.
This Moses whom they denied, saying, 'Who appointed you a ruler and a judge?' him hath God sent as both ruler and redeemer, with the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush.
And they said to her, "You are mad!" But she kept confidently affirming that it was so. And they said, "It is his angel"
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge both.
What, then, is the law? It was added because of the transgressions, until the Seed should come to Whom it had been promised; having been arranged through angels in the hand of a mediator.
because to us the struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the principalities, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth for service, for the sake of those about to inherit salvation?
Do not forget to show love for strangers; for thereby some entertained angels unawares.
And angels who kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, He hath kept in everlasting bonds, under darkness, for the judgment of the great day.
And angels who kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, He hath kept in everlasting bonds, under darkness, for the judgment of the great day.