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What does the Bible teach about angels?
In the Old Testament the word malak means "messenger," and is sometimes translated "angel."
In the New Testament the familiar word angelos also means either messenger or angel.
Angels are God's messengers. But many do more than deliver messages.
At times they act as His warriors or heavenly army (2 Chronicles 32:21). When you read about the "hosts" of heaven or the Lord of hosts, it's not talking about angels offering tea and cookies for new arrivals. Host means army (Isaiah 13:13).
They also act as God's personal representative at times (Genesis 16:7-14) as in the Angel of the Lord.
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One of their duties is found in Hebrews 1:14,
"Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?"
It is believers in Christ who will inherit salvation. So angels are working on our behalf!
But they are not at all in the same category as God the Son, according to Hebrews 1:5-14. Some were confused and were suggesting Jesus was some type of angelic being. However Jesus is eternally God, the second Person of the Trinity,
7 Regarding the angels, he says, “He sends his angels like the winds, his servants like flames of fire.” 8 But to the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
Angels are a creation of God (Colossians 1:16).
Some rebelled against God (2 Peter 2:4) and are fallen from their heavenly origin (Jude 1:6) and follow Satan. However God has decreed their eternal doom (Matthew 25:41). Most Bible scholars believe these are the same as the demons.
Mankind in some ways is a higher creation than God's angels. They are not made in His image as we are. Nor can angels who have sinned be redeemed. Christ did not die for them as He did for us. And angels will not be joint heirs with Christ, as are believers. Jesus calls his disciples His "friends" (John 15:15), but angels are called the servants, army, or messengers of God (Hebrews 1:5-9). And we are "seated" at the right hand of Christ (Ephesians 2:6), not standing as are even the closest angels next to God's throne (Revelation 7:11)! As the Church we are the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25), which is not the case for the angels. Finally, we are adopted into God's family as part of our salvation, which is not the case for the angels.
Peter says these are all,
"...things into which angels long to look" (1 Peter 1:12).
It's no wonder the angels all rejoice every time even one person trusts Christ as their savior (Luke 15:10).
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