For centuries, our understanding of angels has been influenced by Roman Catholic traditions, superstitions and popular media. In good fun, angels can be humorously depicted as a winged woman who enjoys cream cheese. However, more problematic from a theological perspective, Pope Francis told cancer patients to talk to their guardian angels—every day.
Beeke and Smalley caution that “we should not exaggerate the angels’ power or give religious devotion to them. It is notable in this regard that there is only one passing reference to angels in the Heidelberg Catechism and in the Westminster Shorter Catechism. The moment we pay more attention to angels than to God and Christ, we have started down the road to animism” (p. 1111).
“It was one of the imbalances of medieval Christianity that angels permeated religious devotion, academic theology, architecture, and art. Similar observations might be made today. The recent upsurge of interest in angels in our culture shows that many people, including evangelical Christians, are deeply interested in this topic and vulnerable to all manner of speculation and imaginings. However, God prohibits us from seeking knowledge or power by contacting the spirit world; we must seek God in his Word (Deuteronomy 18:9-15; Isaiah 8:19-20)” (ibid).
The Nature of Angels
“Although much about angels is mysterious to us, their frequent mention in the Bible allows us to deduce certain truths about what kind of beings they are” (p. 1114).
- First, angels are spirits. They are immaterial (Luke 24:39), invisible (Colossians 1:16), asexual (Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25), and immortal (Luke 20:36). However, angels are not the spirits of deceased people (Hebrews 12:22-23). “Neither are they the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. Angels are distinct kind of created spirit” (p. 1115).
- Second, angels are God’s servants. Angels have personal consciousness—one angel said, “I am Gabriel” (Luke 1:19). Angels are affectionate—as they can shout for joy (Job 38:7; Luke 15:10). “God holds angels morally responsible for their actions. Angels will be subjected to judgment in the future (1 Corinthians 6:3)” (p. 1117). Therefore, they are also elected by God (1 Timothy 5:21). At the same time, Christ “did not come to rescue fallen angels” (p. 1118). “Angels are not redeemed or glorified in Christ … [they] do not know God’s saving grace, mercy, compassion and forgiveness by experience, but only by observing his ways with [humans]. The holy angels are not ‘heirs of salvation’ or rulers of ‘the world to come’,, but the servants of God’s children, those whom Christ will bring to glory (Hebrews 1:14; 2:5)” (ibid).
- Third, angels are God’s army. There are many angels (Psalms 68:17; Daniel 7:10). Angels are organized—Michael has angels under his command (Revelations 12:7). Angels are very fast (Daniel 9:21). Angels are powerful—”greater in power and might” than humans (2 Peter 2:11). “Depictions of angels as cute babies with wings are ridiculous … a visit from an angel fills people with fear (Luke 1:11-12)” (p. 1119).
- Fourth, angels are limited creatures of God. God created angels (Psalms 148:5). Angels are not omnipresent—an angel on earth is one that has “descended from heaven” (Matthew 28:2). Angels have limited authority (Galatians 1:8). Angels are limited in power (Daniel 10:13). “They are limited in their knowledge, for they do not know the time of Christ’s return (Matthew 24:36)” (p. 1120). Therefore, angels are not worthy of worship (Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9).
The Work of Angels
God made angels to serve two purposes: worship in heaven, and obedient service in the physical world. In fulfilment of God’s purposes for them, angels engage in eight main types of activities.
- First, angels observe God’s works. “An angel is a ‘watcher’ (Daniel 4:13, 17, 23). Angels observed God’s work of creation (Job 38:7), though they did not participate in that work … Each conversion is known and celebrated among angels in heaven (Luke 15:10). Angels witness the faithfulness of the churches and their ministers (1 Timothy 5:21) … Angels will be our witnesses to our vindication or condemnation by Jesus Christ on judgement day (Revelations 3:5)” (p. 1122).
- Second, angels praise God’s glory. “They praise him for his works of creation (Job 38:7; Nehemiah 9:6) … the angelic praise of God’s holiness appears again in Revelation, where it is said that ‘they rest not day and night’, but constantly, ‘give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne’ (Revelations 4:8-9)” (ibid).
- Third, angels guard God’s holy places. “The first mention of angelic creations in the Bible appears after God banished fallen man from his special presence in Paradise (Genesis 3:24) … in Revelation, we read that an angel is posted at each gate of the heavenly Jerusalem (Revelations 21:12)” (p. 1123).
- Fourth, angels communicate God’s word. “Angels, as the word indicates, are messengers; they do not speak for themselves, but bear messages from God. Not all of God’s revelation came through angels—for example, consider the teachings of the incarnate Christ. However, Christ’s ministry was attended by angels. Further, God revealed the law to Israel through the ministry of angels. Angels brought divine revelation to Daniel, Zacharias, Mary, Joseph, Philip, Paul, and John. Now that the Holy Scriptures are complete, and God has ceased to give new special revelation, we should not look for angelic messages—indeed, we should beware of Satan, who can appear as ‘an angel of light’ (2 Corinthians 11:14)” (p. 1123).
- Fifth, angels care for God’s children. “Jacob’s dream of God’s promise to be with him and bless him was a vision of angels descending from heaven (Genesis 28:12-15). When Jacob returned to the land of Canaan and anticipated facing Esau, ‘the angels of God met him’ (32:1-2) … Angels care for God’s people throughout life (Psalm 91:11) … when a righteous person dies, he is ‘carried by the angels’ into heaven (Luke 16:22; 2 Kings 2:11) …. Thus, angels accompany and assist believers all the way to glory” (pp. 1123-1124).
- Sixth, angels protect God’s servants. “Angels defend the preachers of the gospel from persecution so that they may continue their ministry … An angel released Peter from prison, where he awaited the same death that had just fallen upon James (Acts 12:5-11). Then an angel killed the persecuting king who had imprisoned Peter, and the word of God multiplied (vv. 23-24). However, while God may send angels to assist the church in its evangelistic mission, he does not send them to replace members of the church as heralds of the gospel. Even when God sent an angel to Cornelius, the angel did not proclaim the gospel, but directed him to Peter so that apostle could preach to him (Acts 10:3-32). The New Testament gives us no expectation that [people] should be saved except by hearing the gospel through human preachers (Romans 10:13-15)” (p. 1124).
- Seventh, angels execute God’s judgements. “God uses angels in his ordinary providential judgements on the wicked … an angel killed Herod (Acts 12:23). When God sent extraordinary plagues upon Egypt, it was through a ‘company of destroying angels’ (Psalms 78:49). Angels also execute divine judgement against the invisible powers of evil, taking up the victory of Christ and making war against Satan and his demons (Revelations 12:5-8). While we agonize in prayer on earth, angels are warring in heavenly places (Daniel 10:12-13). Angels will be prominent in Christ’s return to judge the world, in which they will be agents to arrest the wicked and execute God’s sentence of doom on them” (pp. 1124-1125).
- Eighth, angels serve God’s Son. “Angels exist for the glory of Christ. The angels, like all things visible and invisible, were ‘created by him, and for him’ (Colossians 1:16) … Angels accompanied every step of his incarnate work. The angels announced Christ’s coming and sang God’s praises when Jesus was born (Luke 2:10-14). The angels cared for Christ in his humanly exhausting fast and spiritual combat with Satan (Matthew 4:11; Mark 1:13). When Christ submitted his human will to the Father’s will in Gethsemane, ‘there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him’ (Luke 22:43). His resurrection was first heralded by angels form heaven, who rolled away the stone of his tomb and spoke with his disciples (Matthew 28:2-5; John 20:12). When the risen Lord ascended into heaven, two angels appeared to his disciples and foretold Christ’s return in the same manner (Acts 1:9-11). Now he ‘has gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers being subjected to him’ (1 Peter 3:22). As he reigns as Lord at God’s right hand, he commands the angels as the incarnate Mediator of salvation for his people. When he returns, he will come with ‘his angels’ … to gather his people and judge the world (Matthew 13:41; 16:27; 24:31)” (p. 1125).
The Question of Angelic Hierarchy
The Bible does not explain the hierarchy of the various orders of angels.
“The medieval church taught a complex organization of angelic authority. Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, in his book On the Celestial Hierarchy, ranked angels in three basic hierarchies, each of which has three orders: first, angels that focus upon God: thrones, cherubim, and seraphim; second, angels that focus on execution of the divine decree and plan: authorities, lordships, and powers; and third, angels that focus on the execution of divine providence in particular events: principalities, archangels, and angels. This structure of angelic authorities has no basis in [the Bible], but it entered the church’s tradition” (p. 1126).
The authors conclude with a quote from Williams Perkins: “there are degrees of angels, it is most plain … but it is not for us to search, who, or how many be of each order, neither ought we curiously to inquire how they are distinguished” (ibid). In other words, the angelic hierarchy is not an important matter.
The Question of Guardian Angels
The Bible does not confirm that each person has a particular guardian angel who helps us through our lives.
The concept of guardian angels first appeared in ancient Judaism and The Shepherd of Hermas, an early Christian book that was once considered for inclusion in the New Testament canon.
The authors “judge the doctrine of guardian angels to lack scriptural warrant … [the] doctrine tends to make angels into mediators whom we can know personally and call upon for guidance and help. We see this tendency in Roman Catholicism … Rather than praying to angels, we must pray to God through Christ alone” (p. 1128).
The Bible “does not encourage us to seek direct interaction with angels in this life” (p. 1128). Moreover, “the angel of Revelation twice insists that we give no worship to angels, but ‘worship God’ (19:10; 22:9)” (ibid).
This article is part of a series on systematic theology, based upon the first of four volumes of Reformed Systematic Theology by Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley.
