All About Angels - The Good and Bad (Part 1)

Angels The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly (Part 1)
(Comprehensive Coverage of Everything You Might Want to Know About Angels)

The existence of angels has been very well recorded in the scriptures. Angels were prominent in the significant events surrounding God's chosen people Israel, in conjunction with significant events in the ministry of Jesus Christ, and in significant events in the first century church. There is a total of 284 verses directly refer to angels from Genesis through Revelation. Yet, today in our times, very few accounts of the activity of angels are believed and most are unrecorded. Belief in angels both good and bad has just about vanished from the church and are for the most part considered myths. These visitations to men and women of God were recorded up through the record of the First Century Church and foretold to come through the end time. The believers in the New Testament expected the direction from God to be delivered by angels, which is why the following was recorded in the scriptures, “Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." This was the reasoning behind the children of Israel and the first century church treating strangers with hospitality. There was a rich record of just this very occurrence taking place in the scriptures. Today there is a general lack of knowledge and belief that the angels exist to serve God and the believers as well. This has limited the recording of such instances today. Even the part of the church (body of Christ) that believes in the ministry of angels, calls into question with extensive "investigation" if such an event has happened. What is much discounted in the church is in reality much transpiring throughout the world in the body of Christ. Those scoffers who have never had an encounter with the intercession of an angel in life events, who believe angels to be myths, won't be scoffing at the near coming end time when the angels of God will be delivering God's judgments on man. What is important to consider is the fact that you can only believe to receive from God that which you are knowledgeable of. If we understand the things God has reserved for the angels to accomplish for us, we then can in those situations believe for God to send His messengers to aid us in need. Jesus said that the things he did we could do also (John 14:12) and Jesus said he could ask God to send him 72,000 angels to protect him (Matthew 26:53-54). Angels do exist. There is and has been a constant spiritual battle going on in the world between the angels of God protecting them who will be heirs of salvation and the fallen angels of the Devil whose purpose is to destroy God's people and His Word. First we will cover the angels of God.

WHO AND WHAT ARE THE ANGELS?
The angels are represented throughout the Word of God as a group of spiritual beings of a position somewhere between God and man. They were created by God just as he had created man. They are spirits; the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews says they are ministering spirits, sent to minister to them that will receive the inheritance of salvation and eternal life (the new birth). They are a created race of beings with more power than men and lesser power than God. They like mankind were created with free will.
“Hebrews 1:13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"
“Psalms 148:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. 2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. 3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. 4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. 5 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. 6 He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass."

The preceding verse states that God is the creator of the angels. The next verse below, though not so explicit, implies the same consensus. This scripture covers God's act of creation in the beginning, His creation of all things visible and invisible. The angels being in spirit form fit into the invisible category (even though they can become visible at times).
“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: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

In the scriptures we have recorded that God made man a little lower in position than the angels.
“Hebrews 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man."
“Psalms 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour."

The angels, just as man, were created by God with freedom of will. God desired worship by His creation that was from the heart, that was genuine love, praise and adoration. Peter taught that many angels had once sinned and Jude also made note of angels sinning as well. This is clear illustration of their freedom to choose between good and evil.
“Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day."
“2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;"
Angels do not marry and they do not die.
“Luke 20:34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: 35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 36 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."

How many angels are there? They are an innumerable host . Jesus said he could request God to send 12 legions of them (6,000 is a legion, 12 legions is 72,000 angels).
“Matthew 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"
“Revelation 5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;"
“Matthew 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"
“2 Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. 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."
“Psalms 68:17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place."

ANGELS OF GOD: MESSENGERS TO DELIVER HIS WORD, PROTECT BELIEVERS, AND RENDER HIS JUDGMENTS
The Angels Were God's Messengers Sent To Deliver His Word To Man. Let us examine some of the examples recorded in the scriptures of various situations God used angels to communicate His Word and instructions to the believers. Angels were employed as messengers to communicate the God's Word (reproof, correction, the law, prophecy, and instruction in righteousness).

The disciple Stephen, in his well known sermon in Acts prior to his death, said that the law was administered by angels.
“Acts 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it."

The Word of God spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward. The law appointed punishment for the offenders. A major portion of Old Testament scripture was spoken through the ministry of angels. God spoke to the prophets using angels and the entire Old Testament is a witness to the ministry of angels to God's chosen people as spokesmen for God.
“Hebrews 2:2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;"
"Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,"

When Abraham's wife Sarah dealt harshly with Agar, after she bore a child for Abraham, and caused her to flee into the wilderness with the child, it was an angel who found Hagar in the wilderness and initiated a rescue for her. An example of God sending an angel to protect and deliver.
“Genesis 16:7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. 9 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. 10 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. 11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. 12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."

Angels drew Lot out of Sodom to save him and his family from the destruction coming upon the city. Another example of God sending an angel to protect and deliver.
Genesis 19:12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law."

After testing Abraham, God informed Abraham of His selection of him to be the father of God's chosen people, from which the promised seed, Jesus Christ would be born. An example of prophetic revelation from God by way of an angel.
“Genesis 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. 15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."

In Jacob's vision, angels are described as ascending and descending the ladder which stretches from earth to heaven while the God looks upon from above. God revealed to Jacob that his seed would be as the dust of the earth. Another example of prophetic revelation from God by way of an angel.
“Genesis 28:10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 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. 13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. 16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not."

An angel announces to Gideon that he is to save his people. An angel sent to commission a leader of God's people to deliver them from their enemies.
“Judges 6:11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. 14 And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? 15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. 16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man."

An angel foretells the birth of Samson, who would deliver his people. An example of an angel delivering news of a miracle God would perform by enabling a barren women to give birth and instruction on the raising of the child. Also, the prophecy of this child becoming the man who would deliver Israel from the Philistines.
“Judges 13:3 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. 4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: 5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."

The angel Gabriel instructs Daniel, though he is not called an angel in either of these passages, but "the man Gabriel" in chapter 9 specifically told Daniel that he was sent to "give thee skill and understanding." An angel sent to educate Daniel.
“Daniel 7:16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. 17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever."
“Daniel 9:20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God; 21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. 22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding."

The same heavenly spirit announced the birth of St. John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus Christ.
“Luke 1:11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John."

The spiritual nature of the angels is depicted very clearly in the account recorded by Zacharias, of the revelation prophecy delivered to him by the ministry of an angel. The prophet depicts the angel as speaking to him in the following verses. Also scriptural evidence in Psalms bears this fact too.
“Zechariah 1:7 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white. 9 Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be. 10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. 11 And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. 12 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had
indignation these threescore and ten years? 13 And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. 14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy."
“Zechariah 2:3 And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, 4 And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: 5 For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her."
“Zechariah 4:3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. 4 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? 5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts."
“Psalms 104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:"

Appearances of angels usually lasted only as long as it took to deliver the message God sent them to deliver but sometime their mission was lengthier. Angels were sometimes are represented as the commissioned guardians of a nation at some particular times of crisis, which would be an instance of a lengthier assignment. A well known example of this is recorded concerning Israel during the exodus from Egypt.
“Exodus 14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:"

Throughout the Bible it is implied more than once, that each individual has a guarding angel. The words of the Psalm 91, which the devil quoted to Jesus when he was tempting Jesus in the wilderness reflects this fact. And, Jesus in teaching the Gospel also stated, when using some nearby children as an example, that they had angels assigned to watch over them. Angels who made report of them to God. The last example verse in this regard, in the book of Hebrews, states that the purpose of the angels is to minister to those people who will be heirs of salvation.
“Psalms 91:12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone."
“Matthew 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone."
“Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."
“Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"
We do not receive our full inheritance until the return of Christ Jesus, we the believers, the body of Christ are them who shall be heirs of salvation. Each born again believer has assigned guardianship.

God sent angels to render His judgment on countries. The pestilence which devastated Israel for David's sin in numbering the people is attributed to an angel. God's judgment was rendered because of the sin of the government leader in charge. David actually saw the angel as it was destroying the people (2 Samuel). Another example recorded in the books of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, In rendering God's judgment, "The angel of the Lord" over night killed 185,000 Assyrians who were about to attack his chosen people Israel.
“2 Samuel 24:17 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have
sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house."
“2 Kings 19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses."
“2 Chronicles 32:21 And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword."

God sends His angels to protect those who fear Him. Angels deliver God's servants from their enemies.
“Psalms 34:7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them."
“2 Kings 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. 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. 18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha."
“Daniel 6:22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt."
“Acts 5:17 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life."
“Acts 12:6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews."