Angel
Angel - a word signifying, both in the Hebrew and Greek, a "messenger," and hence employed to denote any agent God sends forth to execute his purposes. It is used of an ordinary messenger (Job
1:14: 1 Sam.
11:3; Luke
7:24;
9:52), of prophets (Isa.
42:19; Hag.
1:13), of priests (Mal.
2:7), and ministers of the New Testament (Rev.
1:20).
It is also applied to such impersonal agents as the pestilence (2 Sam.
24:16, 17; 2 Kings
19:35), the wind (Ps.
104:4).
But its distinctive application is to certain heavenly intelligences whom God employs in carrying on his government of the world. The name does not denote their nature but their office as messengers. The appearances to Abraham at Mamre (Gen.
18:2, 22. Comp.
19:1), to Jacob at Peniel (Gen.
32:24, 30), to Joshua at Gilgal (Josh.
5:13, 15), of the Angel of the Lord, were doubtless manifestations of the Divine presence.
(1.) The existence and orders of angelic beings can only be discovered from the Scriptures. Although the Bible does not treat of this subject specially, yet there are numerous incidental details that furnish us with ample information. Their personal existence is plainly implied in such passages as Gen.
16:7, 10, 11; Judg.
13:1-21; Matt.
28:2-5; Heb.
1:4, etc.
These superior beings are very numerous. "Thousand thousands," etc. (Dan.
7:10; Matt.
26:53; Luke
2:13; Heb.
12:22, 23). They are also spoken of as of different ranks in dignity and power (Zech.
1:9, 11; Dan.
10:13;
12:1; 1 Thess.
4:16; Jude
1:9;), and the titles that are applied to them ("sons of God," Job
1:6;
38:7; Dan.
3:25; comp. 28) and to men (Luke
3:38), seem all to indicate some resemblance between them and the human race. Imperfection is ascribed to them as creatures (Job
4:18; Matt.
24:36; 1 Pet.
1:12). When the manna is called "angels' food," this is merely to denote its excellence (Ps.
78:25). Angels never die (Luke
20:36). They are possessed of superhuman intelligence and power (Mark
13:32; 2 Thess.
1:7; Ps.
103:20). They are called "holy" (Luke
9:26), "elect" (1 Tim.
5:21).The redeemed in glory are "like unto the angels" (Luke
20:36). They are not to be worshipped (Col.
2:18; Rev.
19:10).
(2.) Their functions are manifold. (a) In the widest sense they are agents of God's providence (Ex.
12:23; Ps.
104:4; Heb.
11:28; 1 Cor.
10:10; 2 Sam.
24:16; 1 Chr.
21:16; 2 Kings
19:35; Acts
12:23). (b) They are specially God's agents in carrying on his great work of redemption. There is no notice of angelic appearances to man till after the call of Abraham. From that time onward there are frequent references to their ministry on earth(Gen. 18; 19; 24:7, 40; 28:12; 32:1). They appear to rebuke idolatry (Judg. 2:1-4), to call Gideon (Judg. 6:11,12), and to consecrate Samson (13:3). In the days of the prophets, f s 19:5; 2 Kings 6:17; Zech. 1-6; Dan. 4:13, 23; 10:10, 13, 20, 21).
The birth of Christ introduces a new era in the ministrations of angels. They come with their Lord to earth to do him service while here. They predict his advent (Matt.
1:20; Luke
1:26-38), minister to him after his temptation and agony (Matt.
4:11; Luke
22:43), and declare his resurrection and ascension (Matt.
28:2-8; John
20:12, 13; Acts
1:10, 11). They are now ministering spirits to the people of God (Heb.
1:14; Ps.
34:7;
91:11; Matt.
18:10; Acts
5:19;
8:26;
10:3;
12:7;
27:23). They rejoice over a penitent sinner (Luke
15:10). They will be the ministers of judgement hereafter on the great day (Matt.
13:39, 41, 49;
16:27;
24:31). The passages (Ps.
34:7, Matt.
18:10) usually referred to in support of the idea that every individual has a particular guardian angel have no such meaning. They merely indicate that God employs the ministry of angels to deliver his people from affliction and danger, and that the angels do not think it below their dignity to minister even to children and to the least among Christ's disciples.
The "angel of his presence" (Isa.
63:9. Comp. Ex.
23:20, 21;
32:34; 33:2; Num.
20:16) is probably rightly interpreted of the Messiah as the guide of his people. Others have supposed the expression to refer to Gabriel (Luke
1:19).
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