About Angels (English)

The Angels

• Old Testament

In the Old Testament, angels are denoted as messengers of Yahweh. An angel appears to Hagar who is wandering in the desert (Gen 16:7, 21:17). It is an angel who prevents Abraham from sacrificing his son Issac (Gen 2:17). We also find an angel protecting the slave of Abraham, who goes in search of a wife for his son Issac (Gen 22:7, 40). Again it is an angel who talks to Jacob in his dream and protects him (Gen 48:10). So also, the Lord's Angels guides Israel through the desert and the Red Sea (Ex 14:19, 23:20, 32:2). The angels of the Lord also appears to Gideon (Judg 6:11) Samson's mother (Judg 13:3) and Elijah (1 King 19:77 & 2 King 1:15). The Angel of the Lord also slaughters the Assyrian Army, which attacks Jerusalem (2 King19:35).

The angels are messengers of God delegated to speak on behalf of Yahweh. The term 'angel' denotes heavenly division of the army. The book of Joshua gives a hint as to the chief of Yahweh's army (Josh 5:14). They are also called heavenly beings (Job 16, 21). The angels are responsible for the protection of human beings, while heavenly beings are to sing and worship the Lord (Ps 103:20: 148:2).

Often, we find angles helping human beings. For instance. Angel Raphael helps Tobit and Tobias in time of need (Tob. 12:15). We also find prophets Zecharia being helped by Angels (Zech 1:7, 6:15) This fact of angels helping humans is very clear in the book of Daniel (Dan. 8:16 19:2 f). In the book of Job, we can find (Job 33:2) Yahweh sending an angel to give advice to humans.

• New Testament

In the New Testament also it is an angel who proclaims the birth of Jesus (Mat 1:20) and also wams Joseph to flee to Egypt (Mat 2:13) and then to return to Israel (Mat 2:19). It is the same angel, Gabriel, who informs Mary the Good news of her being pregnant, and also informs Zecharia of the birth of John (Lk 1:11, 2:26). The angels also break the good news of the birth of the Saviour (Lk 2:9) to the Shepherds.

In Mathew 4:11 we find the angles ministering to Jesus who is being tempted by Satan. Again it is an angel who strengthens Jesus at Getsemena while he is praying in the garden (Lk 22:43). The angels also inform the disciples of Jesus about his resurrection (Mat 28:2; Jn 20:12). The New Testament also mentions the heavenly hosts (Mat 24:36). In Luke 16:22 we read about Lazar the poor man being carried by the angles to sit beside Abraham. When the Son of Man returns the second time, the angels will be with Him (Mat 16:27; Mk 8:48, 13:21).

Angels are also mentioned in the book of Acts of apostles (5:19, 12:7f, 10:3f, 8:26, 12:23, 27:23). Throughout the Holy Bible, we find the belief in angels who present themselves as the messengers of God. Though the Bible mentions the duties of the angels, nothing is mentioned about the origin of these noble beings.