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What are Angels?

Angels are Superhuman or heavenly being who serves as God’s messenger. Both the Hebrew malʾāk and
the Greek angelos indicate that these beings also act decisively in fulfilling God’s will in the world. But
these two terms also apply to human beings as messengers (1 Kings 19:2; Hag. 1:13; Luke 7:24).
“Angels” are mentioned almost three hundred times in Scripture (Harrison 1996). Hebrews 1:14 gives a
clear definition of angels: “Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of
those who are to inherit salvation?” In the Bible, angels are spiritual beings who serve primarily as
messengers.

Other Names for Angels
Scripture sometimes uses other terms for angels, such as “sons of God” (Job 1:6; 2:1), “holy ones” (Psa.
89:5, 7), “spirits” (Heb. 1:14), “watchers” (Dan. 4:13, 17, 23), “thrones,” “dominions,” “principalities,”
and “authorities” (Col. 1:16). 163

Types of angels in the Bible.

Scripture names three categories of heavenly beings that appear to be types of angels: cherubim,
seraphim, and “living creatures.”

1. Cherubim. Cherubim are mentioned in several places throughout Scripture:
a) They guarded the entrance to the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:24).
b) God is enthroned above them (Ezek. 10:1–22).
c) God rides on them (Psa. 18:10)
d) Two golden figures of cherubim sit above the Ark of the Covenant, where God promised to dwell
among his people (Exod. 25:22, 18–21).

2. Seraphim. Another type of angel, the seraphim, are only mentioned once in the Bible. They appear
in Isaiah 6:2–7, where they continually worship the Lord and say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of
hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isa. 6:3).

3. Living creatures. Ezekiel and Revelation reveals other kinds of heavenly beings known as “living
creatures” around God’s throne (Ezek. 1:5–14, Rev. 4:6–8). They appeared like a lion, an ox, a man,
and an eagle, representing various parts of God’s creation (wild beasts, domesticated animals,
human beings, and birds). These angels worship God continually: “Day and night they never cease to
sing, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’” (Rev. 4:8).

The Nature of the Angels

Historically the Christian Church has always believed in the existence of angels. There are indications
that Christians have believed in the existence of good and evil angels from the very beginning of the
Christian era. Angels, early believers said, were personal beings originally created by God in a state of
perfection. Some of them rebelled against God and followed Satan in his rebellion. 164 Under this heading
several points call for consideration.

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