Page 89 - Bible Doctrines II w videos short

Angels are Created Beings
The creation of the angels has sometimes been rejected but is clearly taught in Scripture. According to
Scripture, angels are part of the universe God created. “You alone are the LORD. You have made the
heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is
in them. You give life to all of them and the heavenly host bows down before You” (Neh. 9:6, NASB95).
“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether
thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him”
(Col. 1:16, NASB95). Apostle Paul tells us that God created all things “visible and invisible,” and explicitly
includes the angelic world with the phrase “whether thrones or dominions or principalities or
authorities” (Col. 1:16).

Angels are God’s creatures. God created angels to take pleasure in them for their own sake. The bible
especially the book of Revelation, give us a number of glimpses of the heavenly court, in which angels
and heavenly beings are captivated in the worship of God and in praise of Christ.

The time of the creation of angels is something that the Bible does not specifically mention. Some say
angelic existence dates back to the creation of the world. This view says that angels seem to have been
in existence when the earth was created because scripture indicates the angels sang and shouted at
God's creation of the earth - possibly before any material thing was made. It is possible that angels were
created before humanity, but there is not enough information to support this idea.

Grudem have confidence in that all the angels must have been created before the
seventh day of creation, for we read, “Thus the heavens and the earth were
finished, and all the host of them” (Gen. 2:1, understanding “host” to be the
heavenly creatures that inhabit God’s universe). Even more explicit than this is the
statement, “In six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in
them and rested the seventh day” (Exod. 20:11). Therefore, all the angels were
created at least by the sixth day of creation.
165

The only safe statement seems to be that angels were created before the seventh
day. This at least follows from such passages as: “Thus, the heavens and the earth were completed, and
all their hosts” (Gen. 2:1, NASB95). “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea
and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore, the LORD blessed the sabbath day and
made it holy” (Exod. 20:11, NASB95). “When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God
shouted for joy?” (Job 38:7, NASB95).

Angels are Spiritual Beings
This has always been disputed. The Jews and many of the early Church Fathers ascribed to them airy or
fiery bodies; but the Church of the Middle Ages concluded that they are Spiritual beings. The Bible also
teaches that angels do not “exist” in the same way we do. The author of Hebrews suggests that all
angels are “spirits” (Heb. 1:13-14). When Jesus appears to the disciples, he asserts that “spirits” do not
have bodies like he does (Luke 24:39). In the Bible, angels cannot usually be seen by humans unless God
reveals them (Num. 22:31, 2 Kgs. 6:17, Luke 2:13). However, from time to time angels took on a bodily
form and appeared to various people in Scripture (Matt. 28:5; Heb. 13:2).

a. Angels have no flesh and bone (Luke 24:39).
b. Angles do not marry (Matt. 22:30).
c. Angels can be present in great numbers in an extremely limited space (Luke 8:30).

88