Angels (Hebrew word malak; Greek
word angelos): intelligent beings existing beyond the space and time dimensions
of the universe, subject to spiritual laws but not
necessarily to natural laws.
One third, the fallen angels or demons, are in rebellion against God. The
remaining two-thirds bear responsibility for service to God and can, at
His biding,
make contact with humans in
the space and time dimensions of the universe.
Spirit beings (Humans), manifest
a capacity that not even the most highly intelligent soulish animals possess,
the ability to discern dimensions beyond the ones we physically experience.
We may even interact and dialogue,
knowingly or not, with spiritual beings from beyond our physically
experienced dimensions. According to the Bible, human beings may sometimes
be allowed to see, hear, interact and dialogue with angels, mistaking
them for
humans. In the book of Hebrews
we are exhorted, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing
some people have entertained angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13:2,
NIV.).
1 Sometimes people know, or come
to recognize, angels as messengers from the spiritual,
or extra-dimensional realm,
as we see in accounts of Abraham's, Lot's, and Daniels
interactions with angels.2
Because we are spiritual beings, we humans can pray. Through
prayer we can cross the space-time
manifold of the cosmos and converse with God
in His extra-dimensional realm.
Because prayer is extra-dimensional in its reach, it must be
considered the most powerful
capacity God has made available to us in our current dimensional context.
Prayer is so powerful, it comes with special cautions and restrictions
on its use.
ANGELS
3 The angels we see in paintings
and sculptures typically have feminine or childlike features, golden halos,
and wings ranging from tiny to grandiose. Many artistic portrayals
more
closely resemble the traditional
image of Cupid than they do the biblical description of angels. The Bible
tells us that they are mighty4 and holy.5 It says they are mightier than
we humans are.
6 They are so swift as to defy the
laws of physics.7 They are subject neither to decay nor to death. They
can be visible or invisible to humans.8 In most biblically recorded cases
of their
appearance on Earth, the
people who saw and heard them responded with terror. The following account
by Daniel illustrates an angel's impact:
"As I was standing on the bank of
the great river, the Tigris, I look up and there before me
was a man dressed in linen, with
a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was
like chrysolite, his face like lightning,
his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like
the gleam of burnished bronze, and
his voice like the sound of a multitude. I, Daniel, was
the only one who saw the vision;
the men with me did not see it, but such terror
overwhelmed them that they fled
and hid themselves. So I was left alone, gazing at this
great vision; I had no strength
left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless."(Daniel
10:4-8, NIV.)
Daniel then explains that when the
angel started speaking, he (Daniel) passed out, and the angel had to help
him to his feet. The angel's purpose in coming to Daniel was to give him
a message about the future,
to let him know what is written in "the Book of Truth," as the angel
called it. The angel also reported his intense conflict with a fallen angel,
specifically with the demon who held some measure of authority over Persia.
This demon had the power to detain the angel for twenty-one days.
From these biblical accounts and
others, we learn that angels' capacities reflect their existence in at
least some of God's dimensions outside the four of the universe. Compared
to God, however, angels are
limited. The Bible indicates that God alone is omnipotent,
omniscient, and omnipresent. Angels
are not.9 Though they have access to more dimensions than we humans
do, they occupy a limited dimensionality, as we do. Though they are able
to exercise extraordinary power,10 they are created beings, as we
are, incapable of creating any other beings.11 Unlike humans, they do not
marry or procreate,12 though some Bible scholars interpret a few passages
of Scripture as suggesting that fallen angels in one way or
another, and for a limited time,
demonstrated the capacity to produce "mutant" offspring through sexual
relations with human women.
Cherubim,
Seraphim, and Archangels
13 God apparently endowed certain
angelic beings with power and authority above others. Though many "ranks"
of angels may exist,14 the Bible mentions but three. The highest order
appears to be the cherubim.
Cherubim (Hebrew word kerub, singular, -im, plural; Greek word cheroubim):
a special order of angelic beings with a unique role in directing and
expressing worship toward God. Satan,
identified as the most powerful and exalted of all the angels - before
his rebellion - was a cherub.15 No beings in all Scripture, other than
God Himself, give observers a more difficult descriptive task. Depictions
by the prophet Ezekiel16 and the apostle John17 represent arduous attempts
to portray extra-dimensional features that far surpass what we humans can
comprehend or imagine and far surpass the capacities and attributes shared
by the lower ranks of angels. The cherubim alone are entrusted with certain
tasks in protecting God's glory and holiness and in proclaiming His grace.
What all these tasks entail we cannot yet begin to
imagine. Seraphim is a Hebrew term
for "burning ones."18 This title probably refers neither to fire as we
know it nor to the consuming judgment. Rather, it expresses the passionate
devotion of a particular order of angelic beings to praise and proclaim
all creation. God's holiness and majesty. Though these angels, too, are
awesome to behold, they pose at least a little less difficulty for humans
to describe than do the cherubim.19 Archangels (Greek word archangelos):
angels of exalted rank and power, sent by God to carry out special assignments.
It is possible that God created more than one archangel.20 However, only
one, Michael, is mentioned by name
in the Bible.21 His specific role is perhaps most comparable to that of
a military leader. He is the commander who leads the angelic host against
Satan's demonic forces. Michael's ultimate victory over Satan 22 suggests
that his powers and abilities may at least approximate Satan's.
Roles Now and Later
When we read of the awesome powers
and attributes angels possess, we may wonder why God would describe us
as "a little lower than the heavenly beings" or "angels."23 Though the
dimensionality and capacities of the angels supersede ours by what seems
a vast margin, we have the opportunity and capacity to comprehend certain
spiritual realities that mystify angels.24 In the life that continues past
our physical death, we humans who choose to worship Christ will be assigned
as "judges" (leaders) and teachers of the angels.25 We will not necessarily
gain power advantage over angels. Our role as judges over them has more
to do with direction and authority than with power. For now, one of the
roles God has assigned to angels is to help provide for our protection.
The more we need, due to age, other dependency factors, and spiritual circumstances,
the more we get.26 God also deploys angels to perform supernatural acts
of service on behalf of those individuals who devote their lives fully
to spreading the gospel (the good news of what Jesus has offered to humanity)
and equipping other to do the same.27
References:
Ross Hugh, Ph. D., "Beyond The Cosmos"
NavPress, 1996 Reasons to Believe, p. 118, 123, 126-128, 205 Hugh Ross's
References: -1. Hebrews 13:2, NIV. An example of communication where the
form of the angel could not be perceived by the human participant is given
in Job 4:12-17
-2. Genesis 18:1-19:29, Daniel 10:1-21,
NIV. -3. Jeremiah 7:16, 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 14:1-40; James 5:13-20;
1 John 5:14-17, NIV. -4. Psalm 103:20; 2 Thessalonians 1:7, NIV. -5. Revelation
14:10, NIV. -6. 2 Peter 2:11, NIV. -7. Matthew 26:53, NIV. -7. Matthew
26:53, NIV. -8. 2 Kings 2:9-12, 6:15-18, NIV. -9. Isaiah 42:8, 43:10-11,
44:6, 45:5,22-24, NIV. -10. Revelation 7:2-3, 16:8-9, NIV> -11. Isaiah
44:24, Colossians 1:16-17, Revelation 4:11, NIV. -12. Matthew 22:30, NIV.
-13. Genesis 6:2-4, Jude 6-8, NIV. A fuller exposition on this interpretation
is given in my paper, Sons of God.....Who Are They? (Pasadena, Calif.:
Reasons To Believe, 1985). -14. Ephesians 3:10, 6:12; Colossians 1:16,
2:15, NIV. -15. Ezekiel 28:12-17, NIV. -16. Ezekiel 1,10, NIV. -17. Revelation
4:6-8, NIV. -18. Harris, Archer, and Waltke, p.884. -19. Isaiah 6:2-7,
NIV. -20. Daniel 10:13, NIV. -21. Daniel 10:21, Jude 9, NIV. -22. Revelation
12:7-9, NIV. -23. Psalm 8:4-5, Hebrews 2:6-7, NIV. -24. Ephesians 1:8-10,
3:10; 1 Peter 1:12, NIV. -25. Daniel 7:18-27, 1 Corinthians 6:2-3, NIV.
-26. Matthew 18:10, NIV. -27. Hebrews 1:14, NIV.