God created two worlds, a physical world in which we live, and a spiritual realm which is invisible to us. Colossians 1: 16.For by him were all things.

God created two worlds, a physical world in which we live, and a spiritual realm which is invisible to us.

Colossians 1: 16. For by him were all things created, that are in

heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Cherub (Plural - Cherubims)

There were two gold images of Cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant - Exodus 25:18-20

Heavenly BeingsHeavenly Beings

Cherubim and a flaming sword were placed at the east of Eden to deny man access to the tree of life - Genesis 3:24

Images decorated the ten curtains of the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:1) and the vail that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:31)

David received a vision of The Lord riding on a Cherub – II Samuel, Chapter 22 & the 18th. Psalm

Cherub (Plural - Cherubims)

Ezekiel saw cherubim in a vision – Ezekiel Chapter 10

Heavenly BeingsHeavenly Beings

There were two gold images of Cherubims that stood in the oracle of the Temple that were ten cubits (approximately 15 feet) tall with a wing span of ten cubits (I Kings 6:23-28). They were carved from olive wood and overlaid with gold. There were also carvings of cherubims on the doors to the oracle and the temple (I Kings 6:31-35).

Seraph (Plural - Seraphim)

Heavenly BeingsHeavenly Beings

The Hebrew word, seraph, is used four times in the Old Testament.  It means fiery or burning one.  It is used as an adjective most of the time. It is translated fiery twice in Numbers Chapter 21 to describe the serpents that God sent to punish the Israelites.  It is also translated fiery in Isaiah 30:6 to describe flying serpents which seem symbolic of the treachery that came out of the land of Egypt.

But in Isaiah Chapter 6, Seraph is used as a noun and is translated there as seraphim.

Angel

Heavenly BeingsHeavenly Beings

Most commonly known of the heavenly beings. Angels are mentioned at least 109 times in the Old Testament and 180 times in the New Testament.

From the Hebrew word Malak which means ambassador or messenger and Greek word Aggelos which means messenger.

Angels

Angels have names.

We all remember Gabriel who spoke to Daniel and who also foretold the birth of John the Baptist to Zacharius and the birth of Jesus to Mary. 

There is Michael the archangel (Jude, Verse 9 and Revelation 12:7).

While they probably all have names, they are not revealed to us.  In Judges 13:18, the angel who announced the birth of Samson to Manoah, would not divulge his name saying it was a secret.

Where did angels come from?Misconception – Angels are those who have preceded us in death.

Angels were, as everything and everyone elsecreated by God - Colossians 1:16,17; Psalms 148: 1. Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the

heavens: praise him in the heights. 2. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his

hosts. 3. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye

stars of light. 4. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters

that be above the heavens. 5. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he

commanded, and they were created.

Angels were with God when he laid the foundations ofthe earth.  Therefore their creation preceded man's – Job 38:4-7 4. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the

earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou

knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6. Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened?

or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7. When the morning stars sang together, and all the

sons of God shouted for joy?

God created angels in spiritual form, they never wereof the flesh – Psalms 104: 4. Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a

flaming fire:

The Spiritual Nature of Angels

Misconception - According to Genesis 6:2, angels took the daughters of men for wives.

Angels are spiritual in nature, not flesh, and they haveno need of marriage – Luke 20:35. But they which shall be accounted worthy to

obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

36. Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

The Spiritual Nature of AngelsMisconception - Jesus was Michael, the archangel, come down in the flesh (Jehovah's Witnesses doctrine).

Hebrews 1: 4. Being made so much better than the angels, as he

hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

5. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

6. And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

13. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

What do angels look like?Misconception

Angels are spiritual beings with spiritual bodies. They seem to be able to appear as anything they want, or not be seen at all as in the case of Balaam in Numbers Chapter 22.

If they are ever referred to as any certain gender, it is always masculine.  They are described as men, which also would lead you to believe that they appeared as adults.

There is no record of an angel appearing as a woman or an infant.  Although angels fly, there is no record in the scriptures of them having wings.

Sometimes, you wouldn't recognize an angel if you saw one – Hebrews 13: 2. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so

doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

Other times they were obviously easy to recognize –Genesis 32: 1. So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God

met him. 2. When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is God's

host." And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

An angel appeared to Moses in a burning bush - Exodus 3:2

They sometimes appear as men wearing whiteapparel – Matthew 28: 2. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an

angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.

3. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

(Also see John 20:12; Acts 1:9-11)

Sometimes they carried a sword, like the angel waiting on Balaam (Numbers 22:31), the angel sent by God to Joshua at Jericho (Joshua 5:13,14), and the angel sent by God to Jerusalem (I Chronicles 21:16).

Cherubim are very distinctive -

Ezekiel 10: 8. The cherubim appeared to have the form of a

man's hand under their wings.

14. Each one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, the second face the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

21. Each one had four faces and each one four wings, and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.

Seraphim are very distinctive also -

Isaiah 6: 1. In the year that King Uzziah died, 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!“

John had a similar vision and recorded it in Revelation 4:8-9

What do angels do?Misconception – We have guardian angels to keep us from harm.

Jesus was the only man in the scriptures to have afull time guardian angel - Psalm 91:11. 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.

(Also Matthew 4:6)

An angel warned Joseph of Herod's plans to kill the baby Jesus (Matthew 2:13). Angels ministered to Jesus after his temptation (Matthew 4:11), and as he prayed on the Mount of Olives (Luke 22:41-44).

Angels are messengers.  That's what the word angel means.  The times that God sent angels to give a message or a sign to His people are too numerous to cover in this lesson.

Angels announced the birth of Jesus and directed the shepherds where to find Him (Luke 2:8-18).  The archangel will announce the return of Jesus Christ  (I Thessalonians 4:16).

These births foretold by angels:

Ishmael - Genesis 16:7-11Samson - Judges 13John the Baptist - Luke 1:5-13Jesus Christ - Luke 1:26-33

That was purpose of the angel waiting for Balaam in as he was on his way do to what God had told him not to do (Numbers Chapter 22).

God sent an Angel to destroy Jerusalem and the other cities of Israel when David sinned by number the people (I Chronicles Chapter 21)

Herod was struck dead by an angel in Acts 12:20-23

Sometimes an angel was the bringer of death.

An angel led Peter out of prison a couple of times (Acts 5:19,20; 12:7-10).

Sometimes Angels Were God's rescue squad delivering His people from harm.

Angels led Lot and his family out of Sodom (Genesis 19:15,16).

An angel saved Hagar and Ishmael from dying of thirst in the wilderness (Genesis 21:15-19).

It was an angel that stopped Abraham from sacrificing Issac (Genesis 22:10-13).

An angel protected Shadrach, Meschach, and Abeb-nego from the fire (Daniel 3:23-28).

An angel protected Daniel from the lions (Daniel 6:22).

Angels are God's army.       

Lead by Michael, they fought the Devil and his angles in Heaven (Rev. 12:7-9).

They have chariots (Psalms 68:17).

These chariots stood ready to defend Elisha from the Syrians (II Kings 6:17).

One angel destroyed the Assyrian army (185,000 men) to protect Jerusalem (II Kings 19:34,35).

Angels Have Acted As God's Burial Detail       

Deuteronomy 34: 5. So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the

land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. 6. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab,

over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

Jude 9. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with

the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

Luke 16:22. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was

carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

Angels Conduct the spirits ofGod's People To Their Final Rest

Ecclesiastes 12 7. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was:

and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Angels will be God's harvesters at the end of time (Matthew 13:39).  They shall gather up the saints (Matthew 24:31), and take vengeance on all others (II Thessalonians 1:7,8).

God's Harvesters

The Relationship Between Angels and Men

Both were created by God – Colossians 1:16

Man was created a little lower than the angels – Psalms 8:4-5; Hebrew 2:7

Angels are “greater in power and might” than men – II Peter 2:11

Yet it was man that God gave dominion over the EarthHebrews 2: 5. For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection

the world to come, whereof we speak.

Psalm 8:4-8

Angels will be judged by manI Corinthians 6: 2. Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the

world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

They minister along side the “heirs of salvation” - Hebrews 1:13. But to which of the angels said he at any time,

Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

14. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Angels, like man, were created to be servants of GodRevelations 19:10

Men and angels are to obey God's commandments -

Psalm 103:20. Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in

strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

Ecclesiastes 12:13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Colossians 2:18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a

voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

Revelation 19:10. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said

unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Manoah mistook the Lord's angel for the Lord and was about to offer a sacrifice to him, but the angel refused - Judges 13:15-19

Angels are not to be worshiped by men.

Some angels have sinned and are under punishment

II Peter 2: 4. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but

cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Jude 6. And the angels which kept not their first estate,

but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

But we know of no plan of salvation for the angels.

Yet angels are concerned about the salvation of man -

I Peter 1:12. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto

themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

And there is rejoicing among them when one repents -

Luke 15:10. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the

presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.