Biblical Angels
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I have not focused too much on angel descriptions. I always thought they looked like humans, but dressed in armored clothing like soldiers (this is how I picture Gabriel or Michael, the angels who guarded Jesus' tomb, the angels who warned Lot, etc).
However, I just looked this up and there angels who would look unusual to us:
https://www.grunge.com/297302/this-is-what-angels-really-looked-like-in-the-bible/
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This is an interesting question. I recall seeing drawings of angels with what appears to be radiating light coming from them. It seems like this is an artist's primary way of demonstrating a physical and measurable sense of Spiritual Power. One thing I do know is that when a person is in the presence of something Truly Spiritual, we will likely know it. Now thinking about it, no one equates being Indwelt by the Spirit as a moment in time when they visually see the Spirit in an Angelic form. When I was Spiritually Indwelt, it was extremely Powerful to the point that I could have died as I gasped to breathe, but I saw nor heard anything.
Scripture tells us to be careful in how we address others, for we may be entertaining an Angel. So, this means, to me, that an Angel may not possess that radiating Power. Ultimately, the Lord is capable of completing His Work and Plan in any way, shape or form that He desires.
Hebrews 13:2 NLT - "Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!"
Scripture tells us to be careful in how we address others, for we may be entertaining an Angel. So, this means, to me, that an Angel may not possess that radiating Power. Ultimately, the Lord is capable of completing His Work and Plan in any way, shape or form that He desires.
Hebrews 13:2 NLT - "Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!"
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Since people seem interested in this I'll throw in my two cents:
I think the problem lies in people's preconceived notions about what angels are. In my opinion, a strong sense of what society thinks angels are comes from the familiar Psalm 104:4 verse: "Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:" Thus, most Bible readers throughout so many years have assumed that this means that angels are spirits without flesh bodies, and could be thought of as flames of fire in aspect. I maintain that this is a verse describing true believers instead. I think this scripture emphasizes that the true believers are God's messengers who have his Spirit to share his message. Further, as in other verses in the Bible, fire is used to emphasize that the gospel has a judgment component for those who will not listen. Thus, he makes his messengers (the true believers, the saved persons) possessing the spirit of God and they have the gospel, which is salvation to those who believe, and judgment (fire) to those who reject it. Certainly, the day of Pentecost shows fire associated with the spirit for saved persons, and Revelation 11 shows the two witnesses, a picture of true believers, with fire coming out of their mouths (to emphasize in parable form the judgment of the gospel if any should reject it). When Hebrews 1:5 speaks of God calling Jesus his son and places him in greater position than the angels it means he is in greater position than the true believers. Let the messengers of God worship him. Hebrews 1:4 says that Jesus has obtained a more excellent name than angels, which to me means more excellent than his messengers the true believers, the saved persons.
Some of you may be aware of the fact that Jesus is called an angel in Genesis 48: "The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads". To my mind, Jesus is the only redeemer in the Bible, and the one who redeems true believers from all evil, just as this verse shows.
Although I am not a fan or member of the JW organization, and never have been, I do see the logic when it comes to Michael. I could care less where an idea comes from but I care only whether it is true and makes sense. Since the name Michael means "who is like God", that seems to me to fit with Jesus. Since Michael defeats Satan by the blood of the lamb, that seems to fit with Jesus to my mind. Since Michael is Daniel's prince, that seems to fit with Jesus as well. Jesus is the chief messenger in my opinion, he is the archangel. That's why he descends from heaven with the voice of the archangel. That fits with Jesus.
The disciples are called angels in Luke 7:24: "And when the messengers of John were departed" The term messengers here is the word 'angelos'. In fact, the word translated angels in the Bible just means messengers. That is what the true believers, saved persons, are. They are God's messengers once they become saved.
Gabriel is an angel. His name means 'man of God', not disembodied spirit of God. Perhaps angels are men. Mmmm. We see this in Rev 21 as well: "according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel."Mmmm.
Ezekiel chapter one gives a wonderful description in parable language that many interpret as being the way an angel or angels look. However, verse 28 clues us in to what is being described instead: "This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD " So it is a picture of the Lord rather. Also, we get from verse 5 that now familiar statement: " And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. "
I think the problem lies in people's preconceived notions about what angels are. In my opinion, a strong sense of what society thinks angels are comes from the familiar Psalm 104:4 verse: "Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:" Thus, most Bible readers throughout so many years have assumed that this means that angels are spirits without flesh bodies, and could be thought of as flames of fire in aspect. I maintain that this is a verse describing true believers instead. I think this scripture emphasizes that the true believers are God's messengers who have his Spirit to share his message. Further, as in other verses in the Bible, fire is used to emphasize that the gospel has a judgment component for those who will not listen. Thus, he makes his messengers (the true believers, the saved persons) possessing the spirit of God and they have the gospel, which is salvation to those who believe, and judgment (fire) to those who reject it. Certainly, the day of Pentecost shows fire associated with the spirit for saved persons, and Revelation 11 shows the two witnesses, a picture of true believers, with fire coming out of their mouths (to emphasize in parable form the judgment of the gospel if any should reject it). When Hebrews 1:5 speaks of God calling Jesus his son and places him in greater position than the angels it means he is in greater position than the true believers. Let the messengers of God worship him. Hebrews 1:4 says that Jesus has obtained a more excellent name than angels, which to me means more excellent than his messengers the true believers, the saved persons.
Some of you may be aware of the fact that Jesus is called an angel in Genesis 48: "The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads". To my mind, Jesus is the only redeemer in the Bible, and the one who redeems true believers from all evil, just as this verse shows.
Although I am not a fan or member of the JW organization, and never have been, I do see the logic when it comes to Michael. I could care less where an idea comes from but I care only whether it is true and makes sense. Since the name Michael means "who is like God", that seems to me to fit with Jesus. Since Michael defeats Satan by the blood of the lamb, that seems to fit with Jesus to my mind. Since Michael is Daniel's prince, that seems to fit with Jesus as well. Jesus is the chief messenger in my opinion, he is the archangel. That's why he descends from heaven with the voice of the archangel. That fits with Jesus.
The disciples are called angels in Luke 7:24: "And when the messengers of John were departed" The term messengers here is the word 'angelos'. In fact, the word translated angels in the Bible just means messengers. That is what the true believers, saved persons, are. They are God's messengers once they become saved.
Gabriel is an angel. His name means 'man of God', not disembodied spirit of God. Perhaps angels are men. Mmmm. We see this in Rev 21 as well: "according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel."Mmmm.
Ezekiel chapter one gives a wonderful description in parable language that many interpret as being the way an angel or angels look. However, verse 28 clues us in to what is being described instead: "This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD " So it is a picture of the Lord rather. Also, we get from verse 5 that now familiar statement: " And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. "
The Cherubim and Seraphim are different from other angels, and they have a different function and appearance. When angels appeared to men in the Bible, they appeared as men and spoke either Hebrew or Aramaic or Greek (there are no female angels). Since Christians can entertain angels unawares (Heb 13:2), they will generally appear as ordinary human beings. But since they are spirit beings, they take human form only when needed. They can travel at will between Heaven and earth and have supernatural powers.
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Angels are spiritual beings, and they're ACTIVE here on earth. When Jacob/Israel saw that ladder between heaven and earth and angels and coming up and down, that's not a myth, a fable or an illusion, that's what is like in the spiritual realm. Some of these angels are guardian angels like the seven angels of the seven churches in Revelation, others are Satan's fallen angels, they're behind all the false religions, ideologies, philosophies, witchcrafts and other evil practices. When Paul said in Ephesians that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but dark spirits, these fallen angels are what he was referring to.
amen it’s also a prophetic vision of Christ the way to heaven
“When Jacob/Israel saw that ladder between heaven and earth and angels and coming up and down”
“And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac:….. and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”
Genesis 28:12-14 KJV
“And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”
John 1:51 KJV
“When Jacob/Israel saw that ladder between heaven and earth and angels and coming up and down”
“And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac:….. and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”
Genesis 28:12-14 KJV
“And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”
John 1:51 KJV
If you make a serious study of angels using both scripture and apocrypha that you check carefully with the canon, here is what you find about angels.
God created angels before he created our earth, they were created to be of service to Him. They are like God’s hands and feet. God created three separate orders of angels with different duties—teraph, seraph, a Cherub.
1---Cherubim or archangel. They surround the throne of God. God created sic. We are told of Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel.
The Cherub of Light (not call Satan or Lucifer) and Cherub of Life (now called the Angel of Death) rebelled. Ezekiel 28:13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.[b]Your settings and mountings[c] were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. 14. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you.
Then he rebelled, and God says: Eze. 28: 17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.18 By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching.
2---Seraphim, sometimes called Burning Angels, or Healing Ones. As Messengers of God they race back and forth between heaven and earth doing God’s will. They are the “heavenly fire” that comes down from heaven. Rev. 8:7.
Jacob saw them in a dream: Gen. 28:12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
3---Teraphim. In Hebrew they are also called ayir that means watchers.
They are the only angels that can take on human form. Heb. 13:2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Daniel 4:10,17,18 refers to these angels that watch over us and serve as protectors. In Hebrew they are called ayir that means watchers.
The teraphim that rebelled are also called idols. Gen. 31:34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them.
God created angels before he created our earth, they were created to be of service to Him. They are like God’s hands and feet. God created three separate orders of angels with different duties—teraph, seraph, a Cherub.
1---Cherubim or archangel. They surround the throne of God. God created sic. We are told of Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel.
The Cherub of Light (not call Satan or Lucifer) and Cherub of Life (now called the Angel of Death) rebelled. Ezekiel 28:13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.[b]Your settings and mountings[c] were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. 14. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you.
Then he rebelled, and God says: Eze. 28: 17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.18 By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching.
2---Seraphim, sometimes called Burning Angels, or Healing Ones. As Messengers of God they race back and forth between heaven and earth doing God’s will. They are the “heavenly fire” that comes down from heaven. Rev. 8:7.
Jacob saw them in a dream: Gen. 28:12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
3---Teraphim. In Hebrew they are also called ayir that means watchers.
They are the only angels that can take on human form. Heb. 13:2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Daniel 4:10,17,18 refers to these angels that watch over us and serve as protectors. In Hebrew they are called ayir that means watchers.
The teraphim that rebelled are also called idols. Gen. 31:34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them.
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Ezekiel 28:17 says he was cast to the ground. It says "I have brought fire from the midst of you, it has consumed you and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you". Ezekiel 28:14 says that God destroyed him from the midst of the stones of fire.
As the angel of light he was full of splendor, blameless in his ways. When he rebelled he gave up all this, he was no longer the angel of light.
As the angel of light he was full of splendor, blameless in his ways. When he rebelled he gave up all this, he was no longer the angel of light.
You didn't answer the question about the two cherubim covering the throne on the Ark. Those four cherubim/four living creatures are easy to identify, however bizarre they look like, their job was to carry the throne around, as the Ark was usually carried by four men; but those two "covering cherubim" are still a mystery.