Angels Part 1

July 25, 2007

Many people have had experiences that can only be described as encounters with angels. Sometimes they have been helped through danger, while at other times they simply see these beings, beings that do not seem to fit human description, and so they are called angels. But what are angels? And what relationship do they have with the rest of creation and with humanity? What do the Scriptures teach? Does the Tradition of the Church have anything to say about angels? These are the kinds of questions we will be thinking about for the next few weeks in our adult class.

Several Bible passages describe angels in a very striking way, and we should all read them. These include, in the Old Testament, Genesis 3:24, Genesis 18, Judges 2, and the books of Ezekiel and Zechariah. Reading these will help anyone understand angelic visitations to humans. Sometimes angels are given descriptions like "angel of the Lord." Sometimes they are given titles like "Cherubim," or "Seraphim." Some are even named in Scripture, including Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.

The word "angel" means, "messenger." In the Scriptures this word is sometimes used to speak about human beings, atother times heavenly, non-human, beings are being described, and these are the beings we are most used to calling, "angels." These are heavenly creatures (they were made by God) that have spiritual bodies. In reading the Scriptures we realize that they are extremely numerous. When we meet them in the Bible, they seem to be always busy, sent by God to accomplish very specific tasks. When they are sent to men, often they help and guide (for example, in 1Kings 19:5-8).

These beings are also said to form an angelic council surrounding God. This is hinted at in Psalm 89:5-7. The book of Job seems to be describing such an angelic council in the first two chapters. But notice that one of the angels presenting himself before God at this council was Satan. Satan most certainly is not the equal of God. No, he is also an angel, but an angel who rebelled against God and turned away from Him.

Some angels, under the leadership of Satan (whose original name, Lucifer, means "one who bears light," for he once had the privilege of bearing light before the throne of God) through the sin of pride refused obedience to God. They rebelled, and became the evil angels we sometimes know as devils or demons. When did this rebellion occur? No one knowsfor certain, but we do know that Satan's pride stood in the way of ever turning back to God. To this day the demons hate the presence of God and try to turn us away from Him, too.

Next time we will talk about the cherubim and their place inthe angelic world. Two passages in the Old Testament are very important in thisregard. Please read Genesis 3:24 and Exodus 25:18-22.

- Father Mark