I've been studying about angels lately. Boy, what I don't know about angels could fill a book. And, thankfully, there are books about angels. Christmas certainly brings angels to mind. We sing about them. We top our trees with them. We read the Christmas story and they're in it. We see them on our creches. Since I haven't finished the study, I won't be able to write a definitive blog post regarding angels, but maybe I'll whet your appetite.
This is what I have learned about angels, thus far. First of all, angels are described in the Bible as masculine. The best known angels have man's names; there is Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer. Angels are supposed to be asexual. There was one time, in Genesis, this rule was broken, but I haven't studied this part yet, so I won't comment any further on angel sex. All the angels that exist have been created and they do not procreate. There are a lot of angels. The highest number in the Bible is 10,000, so the Bible says there are 10,000 times 10,000. I believe this means there are a LOT of angels. Angels are immortal.
There are no baby angels. We do not turn into angels when we die and go to heaven.
Angels must be very fearsome to behold. It seems every time an angel interacts with a human the angel must begin his message with "fear not." After reading the complicated description of angels in the book of Ezekiel, I think angels must be AMAZING to look at. Of course, angels can look just like human beings sometime. We are told we can entertain angels and be unaware of it. Abraham describes the angels that came to visit him and give him the news of the coming birth of his son Isaac as "men." They ate. They washed. They rested. They spoke his language. The Ezekiel angels were called cherubim. These angels are described as four-faced, six-winged, glowing, giant, floating, loud creatures. They sounded frightening.
I think the art of the Renaissance period made us think of angels as feminine.
I think angels must be able to appear as they need to appear for the task they are sent to accomplish. I think angels can be invisible, when needed, as well.
Angels do not understand our salvation. This is a foreign concept to them. On the other hand, angels rejoice when any of us accept the grace of Jesus Christ. They rejoice as God rejoices.
Angels worship God. Angels praise God. They worship and praise unceasingly. Angels obey God. I haven't studied about the angels that didn't obey God, so I'm going to have to leave this for a later post, as well.
Finally, we are not to worship angels. We are not to pray to angels. Angels can carry our prayers to God as carrying incense in bowls of gold, but we don't pray TO them.
I hope this tiny post with the tiny bit of knowledge I've gleaned regarding angels has peaked your interest. I'm looking forward to learning more about angels. I'm going to keep the angel at the top of my Christmas tree, but I know she was made in the likeness of a woman only to make it easier for her to sit atop the tree.
This is what I have learned about angels, thus far. First of all, angels are described in the Bible as masculine. The best known angels have man's names; there is Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer. Angels are supposed to be asexual. There was one time, in Genesis, this rule was broken, but I haven't studied this part yet, so I won't comment any further on angel sex. All the angels that exist have been created and they do not procreate. There are a lot of angels. The highest number in the Bible is 10,000, so the Bible says there are 10,000 times 10,000. I believe this means there are a LOT of angels. Angels are immortal.
There are no baby angels. We do not turn into angels when we die and go to heaven.
Angels must be very fearsome to behold. It seems every time an angel interacts with a human the angel must begin his message with "fear not." After reading the complicated description of angels in the book of Ezekiel, I think angels must be AMAZING to look at. Of course, angels can look just like human beings sometime. We are told we can entertain angels and be unaware of it. Abraham describes the angels that came to visit him and give him the news of the coming birth of his son Isaac as "men." They ate. They washed. They rested. They spoke his language. The Ezekiel angels were called cherubim. These angels are described as four-faced, six-winged, glowing, giant, floating, loud creatures. They sounded frightening.
I think the art of the Renaissance period made us think of angels as feminine.
I think angels must be able to appear as they need to appear for the task they are sent to accomplish. I think angels can be invisible, when needed, as well.
Angels do not understand our salvation. This is a foreign concept to them. On the other hand, angels rejoice when any of us accept the grace of Jesus Christ. They rejoice as God rejoices.
Angels worship God. Angels praise God. They worship and praise unceasingly. Angels obey God. I haven't studied about the angels that didn't obey God, so I'm going to have to leave this for a later post, as well.
Finally, we are not to worship angels. We are not to pray to angels. Angels can carry our prayers to God as carrying incense in bowls of gold, but we don't pray TO them.
I hope this tiny post with the tiny bit of knowledge I've gleaned regarding angels has peaked your interest. I'm looking forward to learning more about angels. I'm going to keep the angel at the top of my Christmas tree, but I know she was made in the likeness of a woman only to make it easier for her to sit atop the tree.
 |
| Angels don't look like this. |
