There are many false teachings and myths about angels. The majority of the stories, plays, movies and books about angels are based on fiction and myth. This study will look at only what the Bible teaches about angels. It is amazing that people will believe anything but the truth. In this study we will see that the Bible does not teach that angels have wings, neither are angels women or children. The Bible does not teach that humans become angels.
The Hebrew word for angel is “malak”, which means a messenger. The Greek word for angel is “aggelos”, which means a messenger. In the Bible the word angel is used to identify a special created life by God that is not human.
I. The Heavenly Host
The heavenly host is made up of different types of created life which includes angels.
1. God created the heavenly to worship Him.
Nehemiah 9:6
"Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee."
to question 1.
2. Who was with the angels that appeared to the shepherds at the virgin
birth of Christ?
Luke 2:13-14 “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
to question 2.
In this study we will look at some of the heavenly host mentioned in the Bible:
Cherubims, The Beasts around the Throne of God, Seraphims, and Angels.
Cherubims could be listed first because; they are pictured as covering the mercy seat on the Ark before God and are on the veil before the Holy of Holies.
The Beasts around the Throne of God could be listed second because; they are stationed at the Throne of God.
Seraphims could be listed third because; they are above the Throne of God.
Angels could be listed fourth because; they are mainly messengers.
The heavenly host are intelligent life and can make decisions in service to God.
A. Cherubims
3. The first created life of the heavenly host mentioned in the Bible are
.
Genesis 3:24
"So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."
to question 3.
After Adam sinned and was put out of the garden of Eden, Cherubims with a flaming sword were placed at the east end of the garden to protect the way of the tree of life.
The Cherubims were not described at this time. Later when God had Moses build an ark for the Tabernacle, a description of the Cherubims was given. Statues of the Cherubims would be placed on the lid of the ark, one at each end facing each other with their wings covering the lid.
4. They are described as creatures with wings.
1 Kings 8:6-7
"And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.
7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and
the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above."
This place on the ark between the Cherubims underneath their wings would be called the mercy seat. There at the mercy seat God would talk to the high priest.
to question 4.
5. The main curtains of the Tabernacle and the veil that would separate the Holy Place
from the Holy of Holies would be embroidered with .
Exodus 26:31
“And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined
linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:”
Exodus 36:8
“And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them.”
to question 5.
6. Solomon made two large statues of to be placed in the Temple.
1 Kings 6:23-24
"And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.
24 And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits."
to question 6.
The Bible never refers to a Cherub as an angel.
B. The Beasts around the Throne of God.
Another of the heavenly host that the Bible describes is in the book of Revelation.
7. John is taken to heaven and he sees the throne of God with four .
Revelation 4:6
"And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind."
to question 7.
These beasts praise God and perform certain duties around the throne.
8. Each beast had wings.
Revelation 4:8
“And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."
to question 8.
9. The first beast was like a .
to question 9.
10. The second beast was like a .
to question 10.
11. The face of the third beast was like a .
to question 11.
12.The fourth beast was like a flying .
to question 12.
Revelation 4:7
"And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle."
13. Could these four beasts talk?
Revelation 4:8
“And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”
to question 13.
The Bible never refers to the four beasts as angels.
C. Seraphims
14. Isaiah saw in a vision something called a .
Isaiah 6:1-2
"In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly."
to question 14.
The Hebrew word for Seraphims is “seraph” which means a fiery red serpent.
15. This intelligent life is different from anything else, in that it is a fiery red creature
with wings.
to question 15.
16. With wings covered his .
to question 16.
17. With wings he covered his .
to question 17.
18. With wings did .
to question 18.
19. Could these Seraphims speak and praise God?
Isaiah 6:3
"And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory."
to question 19.
Some commentaries state that Seraphims are a type of angel. The Bible never refers to a Seraphim as an angel.
D. Angels
Where did angels come from? How did they get here? Angels were created by God and some are on earth to do the will of God.
20. Fill in the blanks:
John 1:1-3 “In the was the Word, and the was with , and
the Word was . The same was in the with God. things were
by him; and without him was anything made that was .”
John 1:1-3
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”
to question 20.
21. Jesus created things.
Colossians 1:16
“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”
to question 21.
22. Jesus is before things.
Colossians 1:17
"And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
to question 22.
23. Only by Jesus can things .
Colossians 1:17
“And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”
to question 23.
24. Angels are to do God’s .
Psalms 103:20
"Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word."
In the beginning, before the world was created, God created the Angels.
The angels who sang together at the creation of the Earth are described as the morning stars.
to question 24.
25. Before the earth was created, God laid the of the earth.
Job 38:4-7
"Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
The phrase “morning stars sang together” paints the picture of the stars of heaven singing at the creation of the earth.
This indicates that angels and or the heavenly host are assigned to the stars (other planets) throughout God’s universe.
to question 25.
26. The morning stars and the sons of God sang and shouted for joy at .
Choose one of the following.
A. When the foundation of the earth was laid.
B. When the corner stone of the earth was set.
C. When the earth was created.
D. All of the above.
E. After the creation of the earth.
to question 26.
Angels are not Cherubims, Seraphims, or the Beasts of Revelation. Angels are different from all of them.
II. Physical Bodies of the Heavenly Host
The created intelligent life of the heavenly host is made up of two types of physical bodies: a celestial body and a terrestrial body.
1 Corinthians 15:40
"There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another."
A celestial body has the same features as a human body and more. A celestial body can exist in any atmosphere, breathe any type of air and can be invisible or visible. A celestial body could appear on the earth and then on the moon, or even in the sun without any protection or artificial atmosphere. A celestial body can travel through space without the aid of a ship or any means of artificial travel. Angels and Cherubims are some of the heavenly host that have a celestial body.
A terrestrial body has the same features as a human body. A terrestrial body can only exist in one atmosphere, breathe one type of air and are only visible. If a created intelligent life has a terrestrial body for a certain planet, then when that body leaves that planet it must take its own atmosphere with it. For a terrestrial body to travel through space, it must have a ship that contains the atmosphere necessary for that body. Humans in their lost state have a terrestrial body, but when they are saved and have their resurrected or transfigured body, it will be like a celestial body and much more.
27. Name the two types of physical bodies that make up the heavenly host.
1 Corinthians 15:40
“There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.”
A. A physical body that can live in any atmosphere, breathe
any type of air and can be invisible or visible, such as Angels.
to question 27A.
B. A physical body that can live in only one atmosphere,
breathe only one type of air and are only visible, such as Mankind.
