READING • HEBREWS 1
God’s messengers and servants
The Bible presents angels as God’s powerful and obedient messengers. They carry out His commands, bring messages, guide and protect according to His will, and sometimes execute His judgements.
What is an angel?
The words translated “angel” in the Bible mean “messenger”. The term can describe a heavenly messenger from God, and in some passages the same underlying word can be used of a human messenger. In this lesson we are mainly considering God’s heavenly angels.
“Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.”
Psalm 103:20 • King James Version
Scripture describes an immense company of angels. Hebrews speaks of “an innumerable company of angels” (Hebrews 12:22), and Jesus said that his Father could provide “more than twelve legions of angels” (Matthew 26:53).
What work do angels do?
WORK
EXAMPLES IN SCRIPTURE
Bring messages
Genesis 19:1-13; Luke 1:26-38; Acts 8:26
Guide
Genesis 24:7; Exodus 23:20-21
Protect and deliver
Daniel 6:22; Acts 5:19; Acts 12:7-11
Execute God’s judgement
2 Kings 19:35; Acts 12:23
Angels bringing messages
The Bible contains many examples of angels speaking on God’s behalf. The visitors to Abraham in Genesis 18 are described as men; Genesis 19 identifies two who went on to Sodom as angels. This shows that angels appearing to people may look like ordinary men.
An angel called to Abraham from heaven when Isaac was about to be offered (Genesis 22:11,15). The angel of the LORD appeared to Moses “in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush” (Exodus 3:2). Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear the Son of God (Luke 1:26-35).
Acts 8 gives another useful example. An angel directed Philip towards the road from Jerusalem to Gaza (verse 26). Later, the Spirit told Philip to approach the Ethiopian’s chariot (verse 29). The original lesson treated these as the same speaker, but the text distinguishes the angel’s instruction from the Spirit’s direction.
Angels guiding God’s servants
Abraham trusted that God would send His angel before his servant when a wife was being sought for Isaac (Genesis 24:7). During Israel’s journey from Egypt, “the angel of God” was associated with God’s protection of the camp, while God also promised an angel to keep Israel in the way (Exodus 14:19; 23:20-21).
Guidance does not remove choice
The presence and help of angels did not make Israel incapable of sin. God guided and protected the nation, yet the people were still responsible for their choices. Angelic help never replaces faith, obedience or personal responsibility.
Angels protecting and delivering
God used angels to deliver His servants in remarkable ways. Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged that God had “sent his angel” and delivered the three faithful men from the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:28). Daniel said, “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths” (Daniel 6:22).
In the New Testament an angel opened the prison doors for the apostles (Acts 5:19), and an angel later led Peter out of prison while the ecclesia was praying for him (Acts 12:5-11).
“The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”
Psalm 34:7 • King James Version
Angels executing God’s judgements
Angels are not only associated with comfort and rescue. They also carry out God’s righteous judgements. In the days of Hezekiah, “the angel of the LORD” struck 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp (2 Kings 19:35). The original lesson said that the angel killed all the Assyrians; the Bible gives the specific number and does not say that every Assyrian was killed.
In Acts 12:23, Herod was smitten by an angel after accepting honour that belonged to God. These passages remind us that angels act under God’s authority, whether their work brings deliverance or judgement.
What are “evil angels” in Psalm 78?
“He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.”
Psalm 78:49 • King James Version
In this KJV expression, “evil angels” need not mean morally wicked angels rebelling against God. The context is the judgements on Egypt. The phrase can be understood as angels bringing evil in the older sense of calamity or destructive judgement. Their work is severe, but they remain agents carrying out God’s command.
What about “the angels that sinned”?
Second Peter 2:4 says, “For if God spared not the angels that sinned ...” This passage is sometimes used to teach that immortal heavenly angels rebelled against God. Christadelphians do not understand it in that way.
The Greek word translated “angels” means messengers and can also be used of human messengers. For example, the messengers sent by John the Baptist are called by this word in Luke 7:24, and the messengers received by Rahab are described with it in James 2:25. The traditional explanation in this course therefore suggests that Peter may be referring to rebellious human messengers, with Numbers 16 offered as a possible Old Testament background.
Read difficult passages with the whole Bible
The detailed identification of 2 Peter 2:4 is debated. The important Christadelphian principle is that it should not be made the basis for a doctrine of supernatural rebel beings opposed to God when Scripture repeatedly presents God’s angels as His obedient ministers.
What do angels look like?
The Bible gives no single physical description that applies whenever angels appear. Often they are simply described as men. Abraham’s visitors appeared as men; the two who entered Sodom were taken for ordinary men by its inhabitants (Genesis 18-19).
The Bible does not describe these angelic messengers as having wings. Cherubim and seraphim are described with wings in particular visions and symbolic settings, but they should not be confused with the ordinary appearances of angels as God’s messengers.
At other times angelic activity is accompanied by extraordinary signs. The angel of the LORD appeared to Moses in a flame of fire in the burning bush, and Gideon’s offering was consumed by fire after the angel touched it with his staff (Judges 6:20-22).
God’s unseen host
Angels usually do their work unseen. When Elisha’s servant was afraid of the Syrian forces, Elisha prayed that his eyes might be opened. He then saw the mountain filled with horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
“And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”
2 Kings 6:17 • King James Version
The lesson is not that believers should expect to see angels, but that God’s resources are greater than what human eyes can normally perceive.
Jesus and the angels
Angels were involved at important points in the life of the Lord Jesus. Angels brought messages concerning his birth, guided Joseph, and announced the birth to the shepherds. After Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, “angels came and ministered unto him” (Matthew 4:11).
In Gethsemane, as Jesus prayed in great distress, the KJV records that an angel from heaven strengthened him (Luke 22:43). Yet Jesus did not ask to escape the work his Father had given him. He reminded his disciples that his Father could provide more than twelve legions of angels (Matthew 26:53).
Jesus was made lower than the angels
The saving work of Jesus required him to share human nature. Hebrews emphasises that he partook of flesh and blood and was able to suffer death. For that purpose he was “made a little lower than the angels”.
“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour.”
Hebrews 2:9 • King James Version
After his resurrection Jesus was exalted to immortal glory. Hebrews 1 contrasts the Son with the angels and shows the unique honour God has given him.
“When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels.”
Hebrews 1:3-4 • King James Version
No angel is invited to occupy the position given to the Son at God’s right hand (Hebrews 1:13). The angels themselves are described as servants sent by God.
“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
Hebrews 1:14 • King James Version
Angels and believers today
Psalm 34:7 and Hebrews 1:14 give believers confidence that God uses His angels in the service of His purpose. We should not assume that every escape from danger proves that an angel acted, nor should we expect angelic care to remove every trial. Scripture shows faithful people suffering hardship while still remaining under God’s care.
Angels serve according to God’s command. Their work should therefore increase our trust in God rather than encourage speculation about unseen events.
The future work of the angels
Angels will have an important part in the return of the Lord Jesus. The exact time is known to the Father, not to the angels (Mark 13:32), and Scripture describes Christ being revealed with mighty angels.
“The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 • King James Version
Jesus also spoke of angels gathering his elect (Matthew 24:31), and his parables describe angels taking part in the work of judgement (Matthew 13:41,49).
Like the angels in the resurrection
Jesus teaches that those accounted worthy of the resurrection will no longer marry and will no longer die. In these respects they will be equal to the angels.
“Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.”
Luke 20:36 • King James Version
Redeemed men and women do not become angels. They remain the children of the resurrection, but share the angels’ freedom from death; Christadelphians also understand their perfected immortal life as free from the power of sin.
A practical lesson from the angels
Angels are powerful, yet their greatness lies in obedience. Psalm 103 pictures them doing God’s commandments and listening to His word. The Bible never invites us to worship angels: our attention belongs to God, who sends them, and to His Son, whom He has exalted above them.
SUMMARY
1
Angels are God’s messengers and servants.
They bring messages, guide, protect, deliver and execute God’s judgements under His authority.
2
Biblical angels may appear as men.
Scripture does not describe these angelic messengers as winged beings; cherubim and seraphim belong to different visionary descriptions.
3
God’s angels are obedient ministers.
Christadelphians do not understand 2 Peter 2:4 as teaching immortal supernatural rebels opposed to God.
4
Jesus is greater than the angels.
He shared human nature for salvation and, after resurrection, was exalted to immortal glory at God’s right hand.
5
Angels serve God’s saving purpose.
They minister for the heirs of salvation and will accompany Christ at his return, when the faithful will be made immortal.
Passages to read
Genesis 18-19 • Psalm 34 • Hebrews 1-2 • Acts 12
LEARN BY HEART • HEBREWS 1:14
“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
Hebrews 1:14 • King James Version
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