OF ANGELS AND CATEGORIES
In God's kingdom in heaven, there are angels as numerous as the sand that are by the seashore. They are created by the Most High God, and they have different attributes. The archangels have powers and authorities that are higher relative to the rest of the angelic sons of God. Michael is an archangel. This scripture on "Michael the archangel" (Jude 9 New King James Version – NKJV) gives an insight.
7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, ........... 10 Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. 11 And he said to me, "O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you." While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. 12 Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set for your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. (Daniel 10:7,10-13)
In the above scripture, Daniel was being briefed on a spiritual warfare and the outcome. Hence, "the prince of Persia" and "the kings of Persia" are not human opponents. Rather, this is some sort of metaphorical reference to Satan and his demonic cohorts (who typically carries out their operations through earthly individuals and kingdoms). Another metaphor is the reference to Michael as "one of the chief princes" - "princes" not as in earthly princes, rather as in the heavenly hosts. Thus, "Michael, one of the chief princes" refers to Michael, one of the archangels. He is one of the most powerful among the rank of angels.
Gabriel is also an archangel. Likewise Lucifer. For more on Lucifer (also known as Satan), and angel-related lines, click on THE MOST HIGH GOD vs SATAN.
Even though all angels are spirit beings, they are not attributed with the same ability and power. They do not perform the same role. Their duties, authorities and powers are in different categories. Among the angelic hosts are cherubims and seraphims. They surround the throne of God, and their presence and services manifests the glory and holiness of the Most High God.
Concerning cherubims:
O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim........ (Isaiah 37:16 NKJV)
The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim........ (Psalm 99:1 NKJV)
Cherubims are capable of assuming the physical appearances of human beings and other earthly creatures.
1 As I looked, I saw what appeared to be a throne of blue sapphire above the crystal surface over the heads of the cherubim........... 8 (All the cherubim had what looked like human hands hidden beneath their wings.). 9 Each of the four cherubim had a wheel beside him, and the wheels sparkled like chrysolite. ........... 11 The cherubim could move forward in any of the four directions they faced, without turning as they moved. They went straight in the direction in which their heads were turned, never turning aside............. 12 Both the cherubim and the wheels were covered with eyes. The cherubim had eyes all over their bodies, including their hands, their backs, and their wings. 13 I heard someone refer to the wheels as “the whirling wheels.” 14 Each of the four cherubim had four faces—the first was the face of an ox, the second was a human face, the third was the face of a lion, and the fourth was the face of an eagle. (Ezekiel 10:1,8-9,11,12-14 New Living Translation – NLT)
The role of cherubims as pertaining to upholding the glory and holiness of God can be seen in how “He (God) drove out the man (from the environment that epitomizes God's holiness, purity and glory - the garden of Eden); and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:24 NKJV)
Concerning seraphims:
1 .......... I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" (Isaiah 6:1-3 NKJV)
Angels are reputed for continuous uttering of praise and worship to the Most High God.
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousands, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing!" (Revelation 5:11-12)
11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honour and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 7:11-12 NKJV)
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:13-14 NKJV)
There are guardian angels.
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. (Psalms 91:11-12 NKJV)
Guardian angels operate at individual level. They also operate at collective / communal level. Their role involves protecting the individual or people they are assigned to, and minister to them especially in times of need. The following passages provides useful hints about individual guardian angels
14 When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, "You are beside yourself!" Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, "It is his angel." (Acts 12:14-15 NKJV)
Then an angel appeared to Him (Jesus Christ) from heaven, strengthening Him. (Luke 22:43 NKJV)
Here are some scriptures on communal guardian angels. God speaking: Behold, I send an Angel before you (people of Israel) to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place I have prepared. (Exodus 23:20 NKJV)
10 So Balaam said to God, "Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11 'Look, a people (Israelites) has come out of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drove them out.' " And God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed." ............ 22 Then God's anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the LORD took His stand in the way as an adversary against him........... 23 Now the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.......... 31 Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. (Numbers 22:10-11,22,23,31 NKJV)
The category of angels identified in the preceding passage carry swords. The warrior angels carry swords due to the nature of their mission.
Another category of angels includes those associated with destruction. Such acts of destruction are usually connected to judgment or punishment from God.
49 He cast on them the fierceness of His anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, by sending angels of destruction among them. 50 He made a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the plague, 51 and destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt, ........... (Psalm 78:49-51 NKJV)
And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses - all dead. (2 Kings 19:35 NKJV)
And when the angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "It is enough; now restrain your hand."........... (2 Samuel 24:16 NKJV)
Angels of destruction are also sword-bearers.
16 Then David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between the earth and heaven, having in his hand a drawn sword stretched over Jerusalem.......... 27 So the LORD commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath........... 30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD. (1 Chronicles 21:16, 27, 30)
The class of angels mentioned in the following passage are obviously not bearing swords. Yet, not only did they assume human form, they provided protection for the favoured ones (Lot and his loved ones) while unleashing terror on the condemned. See for yourself:
1 Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, ........ When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them .......... 3 he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. 4 Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. 5 And they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally." ........ 9 So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door. 10 But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. 11 And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door. 12 Then the men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city - take them out of this place! 13 For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it." .......... 15 When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city." 16 And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed." 18 Then Lot said to them, "Please, no, my lords! 19 Indeed now, your servant has found favour in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. 20 See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live." 21 And he said to him, "See, I have favoured you concerning this also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. 22 Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. 24 Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens. 25 So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. (Genesis 19:1 – 25 NKJV)
Guardian angels are believed to be with their 'wards' at all times. In addition, some angels are assigned to individuals as occasion arises.
To minister
Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. (Matthew 4:11 NKJV)
To strengthen
Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. (Luke 22:43,44 NKJV)
5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat." 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you." 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. (1 Kings 19:5-8 NKJV)
To deliver
19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 "Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life." (Acts 5:19-20 NKJV)
6 And when Herod was about to bring him out that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals"; and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow me." 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people." (Acts 12:6-11 NKJV)
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True O king." 25 "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." ........... 28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, ........... (Daniel 3:24-25, 28 NKJV)
My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you."
(Daniel 6:22 NKJV)
To deliver messages, or pass instructions
11 Now the Angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth tree .......... 12 appeared to him, and said to him, "The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valour!" (Judges 6:11,12 NKJV)
3 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, "Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son.......... 13 So the Angel of the LORD said to Manoah, "Of all that I said to the woman let her be careful. 14 She may not eat anything that comes from the vine, nor may she drink wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean. All that I commanded her let her observe." (Judges 13:3,13-14 NKJV)
And the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, "Go down with him; do not be afraid of him." So he arose and went down with him to the king. (2 Kings 1:15 NKJV)
Therefore, the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David that David should go and erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. (1 Chronicles 21:18 NKJV)
19* And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.......... 26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin bethrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. (Luke 1:19, 26-27 NKJV)
About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!" ......... 22 And they said, "Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you (Peter) to his house, and to hear words from you. (Acts 10:3,22 NKJV)
To give direction
26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert. 27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, ........... (Acts 8:26,27 NKJV)
To reveal
Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. (Revelation 22:6 NKJV)
I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." (Revelation 22:16 NKJV)
Angels work / operate only on God's instruction, and within the jurisdiction / scope of their God-given authority and power. They are not to be worshiped. Respect? Yes. Worship? NO.
8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God." (Revelation 22:8-9 NKJV)
God bless.
Yours
Adekunle Majek'
HIAFEM
Of impact, quality and excellence
That's the Spirit!
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