ANGELOLOGY

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Angelology is the doctrine of angels.

I. DEFINITION

A. Expression.

“Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire” (Ps. 104:4). “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them” (Ps. 34:7). “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou madest him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor” (Ps. 8: 4, 5). “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me” (Mal. 3: la). “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). See also Genesis 19:1, 15; 24:7; 28:12; Psalm 103:20; Hebrews 1:7, 14; Matthew 11:10; Luke 7:27.

1. Translation.

The Old Testament Hebrew and the New Testament Greek  translate the word angel as “ambassador, messenger, deputy, and ministers.”

a. For Human Messengers.

From one human to another: “When the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John” (Luke 7:24a).

b. For Human Messengers Bearing a Divine Message.

“Then spake Haggai the LORD’s messenger in the LORD’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD” (Hag. 1:13). See also Galatians 4:14.

c. For Impersonal Providence.

This may be some physical deformity. “Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure” (II Cor. 12:7).

d. For Bishops or Preachers.

“Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks” (Rev. 2:1). See also Revelation 1:20; 2:8, 12, 18; 3:1,7, 14.

e. For Demons Without Bodies.

“When the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils [demons], but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils [demons]” (Matt. 12:24; 25:41).

f. For Heavenly Beings.

See Genesis 18.

g. For One Pre-eminent Angel:

The Angel of the Lord. “The angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed” (Ex. 3:2).

2. Notation.

The term “angel” is not a personal name, but rather a title describing an office.

C. Designation.

There are three angels whose personal names we know:

1. Lucifer.

This is the unfallen name of the Devil. Satan is his fallen name. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!” (Is. 14:12).

2. Michael — Tue Archangel.

According to the Scriptures there is only one archangel. He is mentioned in the books of Daniel and Revelation. Michael has to do with the resurrection; it is he who shall sound the trumpet, and not Gabriel. “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee” (Jude 9). “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel [Michael], and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first” (I Thess. 4:16).

3. Gabriel.

This name is found in Daniel and Luke. “I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision” (Dan. 8:16). “The angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings” (Luke 1:19). See also Daniel 9:21-27; Luke 1:26, 27.

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