Humans have always been fond of angels. In fact, we see modern-day depictions of angels as somewhat sweet, weak with cute wings with feathers. These depictions may give us an idea of the existence of angels and what they look like, but it certainly does not give us the reasons as to how they can be real.
Are angels real? Yes, angels are real and exist today, but in order to answer that, we have to understand angels based not on modern depiction, but rather, on how they are presented in the Bible.
Angels Are Confirmed in the Bible
There are angels, and yes, they do exist. The Holy Bible makes a point of confirming their existence.
The biblical description of angels is quite different from our modern conception of angels, in which they are seen as rather weak, impure beings flying about on feathery wings, and is very different from the way we think about angels today.
Exactly as such, they are considered to be strong, powerful beings who are able to carry out the directions of God.
Within the entire Bible, there are a number of instances in which angels are mentioned. This is basically why there are 108 references to angels in the Old Testament and 165 references to them in the New Testament, and the entire Bible contains 273 references to angels totaling 273 references.
It is important to realize that, according to Christians, this clear evidence is clearly evidence that angels exist.
We must acknowledge that these events in the Bible play a significant role also in God's ultimate plan for humanity and the world in which we live as well, in order to fully appreciate the significance of these events in the Bible.
Angels Have a Significant Role in the Bible
There is a general-purpose and role for angels that is stated in Hebrews 1:7, 14. The Bible clearly shows that angels, most often, serve as messengers to mankind. Providing guidance, leadership, and communication for the benefit of mankind, angels act as God's agents.
The story to be found in Luke 1:26-38 tells us of Mary's vision of the angel Gabriel telling her she'll be the mother of Jesus, in which the angel Gabriel tells Mary to prepare herself for this duty that has recently been laid upon her.
Angels have the responsibility of protecting not just people and nations, but also other categories of people and nations. Cherubim were sent to guard the entrance of the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve were cast out for their sin.
This passage of Scripture states that God created angels to serve Him and that these angels can serve Him in the job that God gave them. These forces were created not just as ministers, but also as means to introduce the children of the light to salvation, and they were sent to earth to assist them.
Essentially, for the purposes of this discussion, it can be said that the job of angels is not only to guide the children of God but to guard and protect them from harm until the time that they will appear before the Lord Jesus Christ.
Angels Are a Part of God’s Plan
Even though there are a few short passages that mention angels in the Bible, enough details can be found to tell us that angels are not what we perceive them to be today: sweet, blonde, playing harp-strumming cherubs.
According to 2 Kings 12:10–17, the Gospel of John describes two types of angelic beings. These beings are the cherubim and seraphim. The Bible provides huge amounts of detailed descriptions of each.
One of the only times in the Bible when a white robe is described as being worn by the angels is when they appeared outside the tomb of Jesus in Mark 16:5.
Furthermore, it is important to note that angels can also take on the appearance of humans. As you know, there is a story in Genesis 19, which tells the story of two angels who disguised themselves as men in order to save Lot, his sons, and grandsons from the impending disaster in Sodom.
Angels are often depicted as being intimidating in the Old Testament and the New Testament because that is how they are often described in both. In a lot of cases, angels will either say "fear not" or "let no one be afraid" when they appear.
In this regard, the role of the angels is to proclaim who God is, what he is doing, and what He is doing on this earth.
Angels Are Revealed in Their Actions
Numerous stories in the Bible describe angels and the manner in which they behave. In no place in the Bible does it state that an angel was trying to start a relationship with humans. The angels appear to man only when they are given permission by God.
It is their duty and privilege to deliver this message to people and to fulfill their God-given mission once they have delivered that message. There is no lingering around and staying too long beyond what God intends for them to ever be.
The Bible suggests that each individual does not have a personal guardian angel sent to assist them. An individual can receive assistance from different angels over the course of time.
We Should Not Worship Angels
There is no doubt that angels do exist, and while the Bible confirms that they do, many people begin to worship them as if they were celestial beings.
People are drawn to worship angels due to their majestic, mysterious, and powerful imagery, along with the very popular, yet unbiblical concept that they represent.
Although they are a powerful presence in our midst, it is to be kept in mind that they are not to be worshipped by us as God is the only one who deserves our worship.
This singularly goes against the first commandment of God, which is to worship only God and not his creation. It is written in Genesis 20:3 that "you shall have no other gods before Me."
There had been false teachers who crept into the church only a few decades after Christ died. In the teachings of these deceivers, angels were described as someone's helper and one who could help people achieve a certain level of divinity and have more blessings.
Worshiping angels poses a problem, however, since it leads people to believe that in order to go to God, they must first go through angels.
In order to worship the Creator, we must worship the Creator alone, not the creation. The fact that God uses angels to do His will and protect us is true, but we should avoid giving them credit for doing their assigned job.
In order to be able to perform miracles and answer prayers, God, and not angels, must be involved.
We should not divert our attention to the angels of God, but rather to God. It is God alone who is worthy of our praise because only God is the one that deserves it. As the Giver of life, only God deserves our praise. We are sustained by Him. We have everything we need from Him.
For further reading:
What Is the Significance of Ministering Angels in the Bible?
What Are All the Names of Angels in the Bible?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Matthew Troke
Glory Dy has been a content creator for more than 10 years. She lives in a quiet suburb with her family and four cats.
