Angel

Occurrences in the Bible

Angels appear throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation.

Old Testament

• The "angel of the LORD" who met Hagar in the wilderness (Genesis 16)
• The two angels who entered Sodom (Genesis 19)
• The angels ascending and descending on a ladder in Jacob's dream (Genesis 28:12)
• The six-winged seraphim seen by Isaiah (Isaiah 6:2)
• Gabriel (Daniel 8:16) and Michael (Daniel 10:13), who are named in the book of Daniel

New Testament

• Gabriel appears to Zechariah and to Mary (Luke 1).
• Angels announce the birth of Jesus to the shepherds (Luke 2).
• An angel proclaims the resurrection at the empty tomb (Matthew 28).
• In Revelation, angels appear in scene after scene of worship and judgment.

Terminology and Background

The words mal'akh and angelos were originally used of human messengers as well. For this reason, the same word may be rendered "angel" or "messenger" depending on the context. Other heavenly beings bear distinct designations, such as the cherubim and the seraphim (Seraphim and Cherubim).

Significance in the Bible as a Whole

The Bible describes angels as creatures made by God (Psalm 148:2-5; Colossians 1:16). Angels praise God and carry out His commands. Hebrews calls them "ministering spirits" (Hebrews 1:14) and emphasizes that the Son is "made so much better than the angels" (Hebrews 1:4).

The New Testament warns against the worship of angels (Colossians 2:18). When John falls down before an angel, the angel stops him (Revelation 22:8-9). References to the angels that sinned (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6) serve as a basis for the understanding of Satan and demons.

Interpretations and Issues

• The angel of the LORD: One interpretation holds that this messenger, who speaks in the Old Testament as though he were God Himself, is the preincarnate Christ. Some Church Fathers and some within the Reformed tradition hold this view. Another interpretation regards him as a created angel sent by God.
• Guardian angels: The Catholic Church teaches the existence of guardian angels on the basis of passages such as Matthew 18:10 and Psalm 91:11. Protestants generally do not assert that an angel is assigned to each individual.
• Angelic hierarchy: Protestants commonly hold that the nine orders of angels systematized by later tradition are not a scheme presented directly in Scripture. The only angels named in the Protestant canon are Gabriel and Michael; Raphael appears in the book of Tobit.
• The Lucifer story: One tradition reads Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 as an account of Satan's fall. Many scholars, however, regard these passages as addressed to the king of Babylon and the king of Tyre, respectively.
• Popular notions: The image of angels as winged infants comes from Western artistic tradition. In the Bible, angels frequently appear in human form (Genesis 18–19). It is generally held that the idea that people become angels when they die has no basis in Scripture.

In the Korean Church

Angels frequently appear in Christmas sermons and hymns (such as "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing"). Angel roles are also common in Sunday school Christmas pageants.