Jon Gary Williams
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Article 15 - A Study of Angels
A Study of Angels
Jon Gary Williams
Christians believe in the reality of angels for they are portrayed in the Bible as real beings. They played an extremely important role in the history of the Bible. God worked through angels at crucial times in his dealings with man.
The Old Testament Hebrew word for angel is malak and the corresponding New Testament Greek word is Angelos, both meaning "messenger." The word angel is found almost 400 times in the Bible, 211 times in the Old Testament and 188 times in the New Testament.
What is known about angels? There are many different concepts of these angelic beings. People have different ideas about what they were and how they functioned. People have different mental pictures of what they may have looked like. However, most of these ideas have been influenced by pictures and non-Biblical stories to which people have been exposed, especially in youth.
How much of what people think about angels is based on scripture? The purpose of this series is to help increase our understanding of these important Biblical characters. In the following lessons answers to some of the frequently asked questions about angels will be given; also some new questions will be raised.
General Outline
I. The Origin And Nature Of Angels
II. The Form And Appearance Of Angels
III. Attributes Of Angels
IV. Activities Of Angels
V. Good Angels
VI. Wicked Angels
VII. Satan
VIII. The Angel Of Jehovah
I. THE ORIGIN AND NATURE OF ANGELS
A. Angels and their relation to God.
1. What does God have that is named after him? (Eph. 3:14,15) _________________
2. Where is this family located? (Eph. 3:15) ________________________________
B. What angels are called.
1. Ps. 104:4 ______________________
2. Lk. 2:13,14 ______________________
3. Job 38:7 ______________________
4. Ps. 89:6 ______________________
5. Ps. 89:7 ______________________
C. Angels are not eternal.
1. The "host" of heaven were ____________. (Neh. 9:6)
2. The "angels" of God were ______________. (Ps.148:1-5)
3. What things did Christ create? (Col. 1:16; Jn. 1:3) _________________
Who would this have included? _______________
D. Angels are not, as some suggest, the disembodied spirits of saints.
How can this be shown? (Heb. 12:22,23) _____________________________________
E. Though not eternal, angels ("sons of God") were present before what? (Job 38:4-7) ____________
F. Angels are under the authority of Deity.
1. Angels do what? (Ps. 103:20,21 Lk. 2:13,14) ______________________________
2. What relation do angels hold to Christ? (I Pet. 3:22) ________________________
3. Angels _________ before Christ. (Phil. 2:10)
G. Angels are above man.
1. Man is a _________ ___________ than angels. (Heb. 2:6,7)
2. Angels are ___________ in power and might. (II Pet. 2:11)
H. Angels are not to be worshiped.
1. When people worship angels they have been ________________. (Col. 2:18)
2. What did angels tell John not to do? ____________________ (Rev. 19:10; 22:8,9)
II. THE FORM AND APPEARANCE OF ANGELS
A. Angels and wings
1. Why are angels thought of as having wings? (Dan. 9:21; Rev. 14:6) _______________________________ (cf . Ps. 18:10)
2. What was characteristic of the cherubim over the ark of the covenant? (Ex. 25:17-20; 37:6-9) ____________
B. Angels were invisible to the unaided eye
1. How was this man able to see this angel? (Num. 22:21-31) ____________
2. What did Elisha's servant see and what made it possible? (II Kings 6:13-17) ________________________
C. Angels could appear in different forms
1. Ex. 3:1,2 ___________________
2. II Kings 6:17 ___________________
3. Heb. 1:7 ___________________
4. Matt. 28:2,3 ___________________
D. In addition to appearing directly, angels appeared in other ways.
1. Matt. 1:20; 2:13, 19,20 __________________
2. Lk.24:23; Acts 10:3 __________________
E. Angels sometimes appeared as humans
1. How many angels appeared to Abraham and in what form were they? (Gen. 18:1,2,16,22) _____________
2. How many angels appeared to Lot and in what form were they? (Gen.19:1-3,10,15,16) _______________
3. How did this angel, who appeared as a man, identify himself to Joshua? (Josh. 5:13-15) _______________
4. How were Manoah and his wife convinced that the man who spoke to them was actually an angel?
(Judg. 13:3,6,9-11,17-21) ___________________________________________________________
5. What can be concluded from the facts learned here? (Dan. 3:24,25) ___________________________
6. When the women arrived at the tomb an angel appeared to them as whom? (Mk. 16:5) _____________
7. These angels appeared as men, but what was different about them? (Acts 1:9-11) __________________
8. How did Stephen's face appear and what can be concluded from this? (Acts 6:15) _________________
F. Angels sometimes caused people to fear
1. What did this angel look like and what did he do to cause the guards to fear? (Matt. 28:2-4) ___________
2. Who feared this angel and where was he when seen? (Lk. 1:11,12) ______________________
3. Who became afraid of the appearing of this angel and how is his appearance described? (Lk. 2:8-10) __________________________________________________________
4. _____________ was afraid of this angel whom he saw in a ___________. (Acts 10:1-4)
III. ATTRIBUTES OF ANGELS
A. Angels abide in the presence of God
1. In this statement of Jehoshaphat how are angels described? (I Kings 22:19) ____________________
2. Who is said to be among the angels? (Ps. 68:17) _____________
3. Where did John see these angels and what did he hear? (Rev. 5:11) _________________________
B. Angels are not subject to death
1. Angels, like men, are a part of God's intellectual creation. Hence, they share in God's nature which means they possess what attribute? ____________________
2. After the resurrection, in what way will man be equal to angels? (Lk. 20:36) ______________________
C. Angels are sexless
1. What will be one basic difference between this world and heaven? Lk.20:34,35
_______________________________________________________
2. The difference mentioned above is based on what truth about angels? Matt.22:30
____________________________________________
D. Angels have super-human power
1. Angels ____________ in ___________. (Ps. 103:20)
2. How are angels described? (II Thess. 1:7) ___________________________________
3. Compared to man, angels have greater ____________ and ___________. (II Pet. 2:11)
4. John saw a _______________ angel. (Rev. 5:2)
E. Angels have super-human intelligence
1. Why would this be true? (Heb. 2:7) ______________________________________
2. Here, an angel is said to have a knowledge of what? (II Sam. 14:20) ________________________
F. Angels are numberless
1. How many angels appeared to the shepherds? (Lk. 2:13) ____________________
2. For the number of angels what figure did Daniel mention? (Dan. 7:10) ______________________
Is this to be understood literally ? ____________
3. John said he saw _________ angels. (Rev. 5:11) He put the number at ________ .
4. Angels are said to be _______________. (Heb. 12:22)
G. Angels have an interest in mankind
1. In regard to man, what did the multitude of angels say? (Lk. 2:13,14) ____________________________
2. What special concern do angels show for man? (Lk. 15:10) (cf. v.7) _____________________________
3. As to God's developing scheme of redemption for man, what did angels desire? (I Pet. 1:10-12) __________
IV. ACTIVITIES OF ANGELS
A. Angels honor Deity
1. Angels are said to do this. (Neh. 9:6) __________________________________
2. " __________ ye him, ______ his __________. __________ ye him, ______ his _________." (Ps. 148:2,3)
When Jesus was born what did God require of the angels? (Heb. 1:6) ______________________
4. What do angels say? (Rev. 5:11-13) ___________________________________ (cf . Rev. 7:11,12)
B. Angels were instrumental in delivering God's word
1. How was the Old Testament law of Moses delivered to men? (Acts 7:53) _________________
2. The law was _____________ by angels. (Gal. 3:19) (cf. Heb. 2:2)
3. Revelation was ______________ and _____________ by an angel. (Rev. 1:1; 22:16)
C. Angels revealed and informed
1. An angel would cause Daniel to _____________ and __________. (Dan. 8:16-19)
He came to ___________ Daniel and give him ________ and _____________. (Dan. 9:22)
2. What message did an angel give Zacharias? (Lk. 1:11-13) ____________________
3. What angel spoke to Mary, and about whom did he inform her? (Lk. 1:26-31 _________________
4. An angel informed the ____________ about _________ and told them where he would be found. (Lk. 2:8-12) ____________________________
5. Two angels informed the apostles of what great event? (Acts 1:10,11) ____________________________
6. What did this angel reveal to the apostle Paul? (Acts 27:23,24) ___________________________
D. Angels gave instructions
1. Hagar was given these instructions by an angel? (Gen. 16:7-9) _________________________________
2. What did this angel prevent Abraham from doing? (Gen. 22:10-12) ____________________________
3. What instructions did an angel give the women at the tomb? (Matt. 28:5-7) ________________________
4. After delivering the apostles from prison, what did this angel tell them to do? (Acts 5:18-20) ____________
5. In Samaria what directions did this angel give to Philip? (Acts 8:26) _______________________________
6. Cornelius was instructed by an angel to do this. (Acts 10:3-5) _______________________________
E. Angels executed judgments
1. Concerning the city of Sodom, these angels said God "hath _______ us to _________ it." (Gen. 19:12,13)
2. How many people died in this great pestilence brought by an angel of God? (II Sam. 24:15,16) _________
3. In explaining the parable of the tares, Jesus said the reapers were _________ and that they would ________ . (Matt. 13:36-42)
4. What did an angel do as punishment brought upon Herod. (Acts 12:21-23) ________________________
5. Angels will come to _________________________ on the ungodly. (Jude 12-15)
F. Angels ministered in time of trial
1. How did an angel help Elijah? (I Kings 19:5-8) _________________________________________
2. What did David say angels would be given? (Ps. 91:10,11) ________________________________
This was a prophecy concerning whom? (Matt. 4:6) _______________________________________
3. What happened after Satan's temptation of Jesus? (Matt. 4:11) ____________________________
4. What happened on the mount of Olives when Jesus was in prayer? (Lk. 22:39-43______________
5. What did Jesus say he could do? (Matt. 26:53) __________________________________________
6. What did an angel do for the apostles? (Acts 5:17-19) ___________________________________
7. Angels are ____________________________ . (Heb. 1:13,14)
G. Angels protected
1. How did angels protect Lot and his family? (Gen. 19:15,16) _____________________________
2. This angel did what to help the Israelites? (Ex. 14:19,20) ________________________________
3. From what did an angel protect these three men? (Dan. 3:24,25) ___________________________
4. How did this angel protect Daniel? (Dan. 6:22) ________________________________________
5. How did this angel protect Paul and those who were with him? (Acts 27:23,24)_______________
H. Angels served as guards
1. After Adam and Eve were driven from the garden of Eden, what did angels do? (Gen. 3:23,24) _________________________________________
I. Angels led people
1. Who was led from what city? (Gen. 19:1,15,16) _______________________________________
2. Moses said God used an angel to do what? (Num. 20:15,16) _______________________________
3. From what place did this angel lead the apostles? (Acts 5:19) _____________________________
4. Whom did an angel lead from this prison? (Acts 12:6-11) ________________________________
The angel told him to: " _________________________________."
J. Angels rejoice over people who are penitent
1. What emotion do angels show when a lost person repents? (Lk. 15:10) _____________________
K. Angels witness before God
1. Jesus said those who confess Christ before men on earth would be confessed before whom in heaven? (Lk. 12:8,9) _____________________ (cf . Matt. 10:32,33)
2. Paul's charge to Timothy was before the witness of whom? (I Tim. 5:21) ________________ and ______________
L. Angels will accompany Christ at his return
1. "For the son of man shall come in the _____________ of his ______________ with his _____________ ." (Matt. 16:27)
2. How many of Christ's "holy angels" will come with him? (Matt. 25:31) ____________________
3. Paul said Christ will be " _____________ from __________ with his _______________ ." (II Thess. 1:7)
M. Angels escort the righteous at death
1. After the beggar died how were angels involved? (Lk. 16:22) _____________________________
N. Angels were used in answering prayer
1. An angel was sent when the Israelites cried (prayed) for what? (Num. 20:15,16) ______________
2. What was Daniel doing when the angel Gabriel was sent to him? (Dan. 9:20,21)________________
When was the angel dispatched from heaven? (Dan. 9:23) __________________________________
3. What did this angel tell Cornelius? (Acts 10:4) _________________________________________
V. GOOD ANGELS
A. Ordinary angels - angels of lesser authority and usually spoken of in the plural.
1. Here, ordinary angels are spoken of in what capacity? (Matt. 26:53) ________________________
2. In this text ordinary angels are spoken of in what way? (Rev. 5:11) _________________________
3. Why can it be concluded that some angels were ordinary angels? (Lk. 2:9-14) _________________
B. Cherubim - angels of greater authority associated with the presence of God and serve him as spiritual guards.
1. How did God use cherubim? (Gen. 3:24) _____________________________________________
2. What role did models of cherubim play in tabernacle? (Ex.25:17-22) _______________________
3. Where is God said to dwell? (II Kings 19:15) _____________________________ (cf. Ps. 80:1; 99:1)
C. Seraphim - angels of greater authority associated with the throne of God and lead in heavenly worship.
1. Seraphim are pictured above what? (Is. 6:1,2(a) _______________________________________
2. How are seraphim described? (Is. 6:2b) ______________________________________________
3. What did seraphim cry out? Is.6:3 __________________________________________________
D. Archangel - principle angels which have the honor of being named. (Note: "arch" means "chief" or "principle") Only two are mentioned.
1. Gabriel
a. Gabriel was told to do what? (Dan. 8:16) _____________________________________________
b. What did Gabriel announce to Zacharias? (Lk. 1:11-13,19) _______________________________
c. What did Gabriel announce to Mary? (Lk. 1:26-31) _____________________________________
2. Michael
a. What is Michael also called? (Dan. 10:13) __________________ (cf . Dan.10:21)
b. What was Michael to do for Israel? (Dan. 12:1) _______________________________________
c. Michael disputed with whom and about what? Jude 9 __________________________________
d. Symbolically, Michael and other angels are said to do what? (Rev. 12:7) ___________________
e. In what way will an archangel be involved with the second coming of Christ? (I Thess. 4:16) ________________________________________________
VI. WICKED ANGELS
A. Angels in their original state
1. What is said of all God's creation? (Gen. 1:31) _______________________________________
2. From the above what can be concluded regarding angels? _______________________________
B. The fall of wicked angels
1. Since angels, like men, were a part of God's intellectual creation, what did they possess? ____________
2. Possessing free will meant that angels were capable of doing what? ________________________
C. Some angels sinned
1. Regarding angels that sinned, Peter said God did not do what? (II Pet. 2:4a) ________________
2. How did Jude describe what sinful angels did? (Jude 6a) _______________________________
3. From this verse we can conclude that wicked angels were followers of whom? (Matt. 25:41) _________
D. The work of wicked angels after their fall
1. What is it that wicked angels would like to see happen to Christians? (Rom. 8:38,39) ________________
2. Following their leader, Satan, wicked angels seek to do this. (Rev. 12:9) ____________________
3. "Principalities" probably refers to some types of wicked angels. Against such, Christians are admonished to do what? (Eph. 6:12) (see Col. 2:15)
E. The destiny of wicked angels
1. What did Jesus say was prepared for wicked angels and Satan? (Matt. 25:41) _________________________
2. Wicked angels are said to have been _____________ in _________________________ under ______________ unto the judgment of the _________________. (Jude 6)
3. Wicked angels are said to be cast down to ___________ and delivered to ___________ of ______________. (II Pet. 2:4)
VII. SATAN
A. A definition of Satan
1. He is named _____________________. (I Chron. 21:1; Matt. 4:10) The word Satan means "adversary." It is found 24 times in the Old Testament and 36 times in the New Testament. (Sometimes it is rendered "adversary")
2. He is often called _________________. (Matt.4:1) The word Devil means "slanderer." It is not found in the Old Testament, but is found 61 times in the New Testament.
B. Satan, an angel
1. God created only two intellectual beings - angels and human beings. Since Satan is an intellectual being , and since he is not man, he must be what? ______________________________________________
2. In this verse what indicates that Satan was an angel? (Matt. 25:41) _____________________
3. Does the Bible ever actually refer to Satan as an angel? (II Cor. 11:14) __________________
C. Satan, an angel who sinned
1. Some angels did what? (II Pet. 2:4) ______________________________________________
(Note: The fact that angels sinned means that for them there had to be what? (I Jn. 3:4) _________________
2. Since Satan is the leader of sinful angels (Matt.25:41) he must have done what? _____________________
3. How do we know Satan was the instigator of sin among the angels? (I Jn. 3:8a)
______________________________________________________________________
4. Satan is the ______________ of __________. (Jn. 8:44)
D. Satan's fall
1. It is assuredly presumed that before the creation of the physical universe, Satan, as an angelic being existed in the presence of God - heaven.
2. No passage specifically states that Satan fell from heaven, yet, several passages have been mistakenly used to support this.
a. Is. 14:12-14 - This refers to wicked Babylon.
b. Ezek. 28:11-19 - This refers to the king of Tyre.
c. Lk. 10:18 - This refers to the work of the seventy and their power over demons.
E. Satan's power and domain
1. How does Satan have his power? (Lk. 4:6) ____________________________________
2. Satan is associated with what? (I Jn. 4:4) ______________________________________
3. Satan is called:
(II Cor. 4:4) ___________________________________________________
(Jn. 12:31) ____________________________________________________
4. Where does the world lie? (I Jn. 5:19) (cf. ASV version) __________________________
5. In addition to the world, over what does Satan have power? (Heb. 2:14) _____________
6. Over what did Satan at one time have power? (Matt. 12:24-26) __________________
F. Satan's objective
1. Satan was apparently driven by what motive? (Matt. 4:9) _________________________
2. What is Satan's desire?
(I Thess. 3:5) ___________________________________________________
(Rev. 12:9) _____________________________________________________
II Cor.2:11 _____________________________________________________
I Pet.5:8 _______________________________________________________
G. Satan's final end
1. Christ came to ultimately do what? (I Jn. 3:8b) _________________________________
2. How did Jesus describe the place prepared for Satan? (Matt. 25:41) _________________
3. Where will Satan be cast? (Rev. 20:10a) ______________________________________
What will be Satan's punishment? (Rev. 20:10b) __________________________________
H. Descriptions of Satan's nature and work
1. In the garden of Eden Satan is described in what way? (Gen. 3:1) ___________________
2. Through his subtlety Satan seeks to do what to man? (II Cor.11:3) ___________________
3. Some were admonished to recover from what? (II Tim. 2:26) ______________________
4. David described Satan as what? (Ps. 91:3) __________________
5. In the wilderness Satan _______________ Christ. (Matt. 4:1)
6. Satan is the source of all what? (I Jn. 3:8) ______________________________________
7. Satan has the power to produce ___________________ and _______________________. (II Thess. 2:9
8. What relation does Satan hold to lying? (Jn. 8:44) _______________________________
9. What does Satan do to the world? (Rev. 12:9) ___________________________________
10. In the parable of the sower Satan, who snatches up the seed, is said to be what? (Matt. 13:19) ______________________________ (cf. I Jn. 2:13,14)
11. In the parable of the tares Satan is said to be what? (Matt. 13:39) ___________________
12. With what great heathen deity did Jesus identify Satan? (Matt. 12:24-26) _____________
13. Drawing on the popular idea that demonic spirits and evil dominated the air, Paul said Satan was what? (Eph. 2:2) __________________________________
14. To what did Satan appeal in his effort to tempt Christ? (Matt. 4:5,6) _________________
15. What does Satan use that makes it necessary for Christians to wear spiritual armor? (Eph. 6:11) ___________________________________________
16. Satan is our _____________________. (I Pet. 5:8
17. Paul said Satan could _______________ the advance of the gospel. (I Thess. 2:18)
18. Satan has the ability to become as what? (II Cor. 11:14 ___________________________
VIII. THE ANGEL OF JEHOVAH
In the Old Testament there is an angel sometimes called "the angel of the Lord." (ASV - "the angel of Jehovah") The context of some passages show there is something different and unusual about this angel. Following are several passages which, when studied carefully, reveal his singular nature. Just who is "the angel of Jehovah"?
1. To Hagar the angel of Jehovah said he would do what? (Gen. 16:10) __________________
But, to Abraham God said he would do what? (Gen.17:19,20) _________________________
2. Who appeared to Abraham? (Gen. 18:1) _____________Yet, three _____________ appeared. (Gen. 18:2)
3. How was one angel addressed? (Gen. 18:3) _____________________ (cf. v.13)
Does this mean that the angel accepted obeisance? _______
4. The ___________ went toward Sodom. (Gen. 18:22) But, the ___________ went his way. (Gen. 18:33)
How many angels went to Sodom? (Gen. 19:1) ________
5. Who called Abraham? (Gen. 22:10,11) __________________________________________
But from whom had Abraham not withheld his son? (Gen. 22:12) _______________________
6. Who called to Abraham? (Gen. 22:15) __________________________________________
But he is identified as ____________________________. (Gen. 22:16)
The angel is said to do what? (Gen. 22:17) _________________________________________
7. Who spoke to Jacob? (Gen. 28:12-16) ___________________________________________
In recounting the dream, Jacob said that the ___________________ had spoken to him. (Gen. 31:11)
The angel called himself whom? (Gen. 31:13) _______________________________________
8. Jacob _________________ an angel. (Gen. 32:24) (cf. Hos.12:4)
The angel said Jacob had striven with ______________. (Gen. 32:28)
9. Who went before Israel in the pillar? (Ex. 13:21,22) ________________________________
Later, who is said to be before Israel? (Ex. 14:19) ____________________________________
Who looked through the pillar? (Ex. 14:24) _________________________________________
10. Who told Balaam what to say? (Num. 22:35) _____________________________________
But who put words in Balaam's mouth? (Num. 23:5,16) _______________________________
11. Joshua spoke to a __________ identified as _____________________. (Josh. 5:13-15)
Did the angel reject the worship offered to him? _________
12. Who appeared in the flame of fire? (Ex. 3:2) _____________________________________
But who spoke to Moses? (Ex. 3:4,6) ______________________________________________
13. Who spoke to Gideon? (Judg. 6:11,12) __________________________________________
This angel is also called whom? (Judg. 6:14-16) _____________________________________
14. Identity of the "angel of Jehovah"
a. Since "the angel of Jehovah" is identified with the Lord himself, he must be the manifestation of Deity, not just a created angel.
b. Note: In the Hebrew, the phrase "angel of Jehovah" is not MALACH ELOHIM ("an angel of Jehovah"), but rather MALACH HA ELOHIM ("the angel of Jehovah").
c. Not only was this angel recognized as Jehovah, but he accepted worship.
d. Who is he? Christ! The Bible reveals that Christ was present in the workings of man throughout Old Testament history, no doubt, many times in the form of "the angel of Jehovah."