Describing God’s Angels Through Biblical Verses

In the Bible, angels are depicted as divine beings with various roles and characteristics. Understanding their nature and function can deepen one’s spiritual journey and reinforce the belief in the presence and power of divine messengers. Here are some verses that highlight specific aspects of angels as described in the Bible.

Created Beings with Divine Commands

The Bible emphasizes that angels are created beings with specific roles and duties. In Psalms 148:2-5, the creation of angels is praised, emphasizing their role as obedient servants of God:

‘Praise ye him all his angels: praise ye him all his hosts. Praise ye him sun and moon: praise him all ye stars of light. Praise him ye heavens of heavens and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded and they were created.’

Spiritual and Ministering Spirits

Angels are often described as spiritual beings and servants of God. Hebrews 1:13-14 highlights their role as ministering spirits:
'Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them which shall be heirs of salvation?'
Their function is to serve and assist those who are headed towards salvation.

Holy and Righteous

Angels are also described as holy and righteous. In Matthew 25:31, the King of Glory is surrounded by angels who are described as holy:

‘When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.’

Wise and Organized

Angels are portrayed as wise and organized in their ranks. In 2 Samuel 14:17-20, their wisdom is highlighted, and they are described as being organized by ranks or orders:

‘Then thine handmaid said The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee. To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise according to the wisdom of an angel of God to know all things that are in the earth. ’

Powerful and Numerous

Angels are also powerful and numerous. In Hebrews 12:22, the vast number of angels is emphasized:

‘But ye are come unto mount Sion and unto the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels.’

Organized in Ranks

Angels are organized and structured, with some being placed in specific ranks. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and Revelation 12:7, the angels are described as having an organized structure:

‘For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. ’

‘And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon fought and his angels.’

Unmarried and Possessing Emotions

Angels are also unmarried and are described as having emotions. In Matthew 22:30, they are described as not marrying or being given in marriage:

‘For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the angels of God in heaven.’

Additionally, Luke 15:10 describes the joy that angels feel when a sinner repents:

‘There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.’

Involved in Human Affairs

Angels are involved in human affairs and often intervene in people's lives. In 1 Peter 1:12, the angels are described as desiring to look into the words of salvation:

‘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.’

Incarnate in Human Form at Times

Angels can sometimes take on human form, as described in Judges 13:8-13 when the Angel of the LORD visits Manoah:

‘Then Manoah intreated the LORD and said O my Lord let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her. And the woman made haste and ran and shewed her husband and said unto him Behold the man hath appeared unto me that came unto me the other Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said unto him Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman And he said I am. And Manoah said Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child and how shall we do unto him And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.’

These verses provide a comprehensive overview of the diverse roles and characteristics of angels as described in the Bible. Understanding these descriptions can aid in grasping the essence of angels and their significance in religious and spiritual contexts.