The Nature of Angels
The Nature of Angels:
God's Angels and Fallen Angels
This chapter deals with the nature of angels – both God's angels and fallen angels. It answers critical questions regarding the nature of angels. Who are angels? What do they do? Do the angels from the different camps (God and Satan) have different abilities? Do they have any powers that are independent from God's restrictions? And so on.
The chapter highlights the behind the scenes role angels play in the spirit realm in relation to curses and to our Christian lives in general. In regard to God's angels it's an uplifting chapter for understanding the ministry of his angels to God's children.
In regard to fallen angels it's also an uplifting chapter for understanding how outnumbered, outmatched, and outperformed, they are when compared to God's angels. Fallen angels are basically constrained and limited in fulfilling their wishes. They're under God's full watch with his angels overcoming them where it's needed.
Summary of this Chapter:
God's angels and fallen angels
1)Angels are spirit beings created by God
2)Angels' nature is superior to the human nature
3)Angels have no gender & other human physical features
4)Angels do not get old, sick, or die
5)Angels are invisible
6)Angels among certain ranks can appear before God
7)Angels are very powerful, with superhuman strength
8)Angels are wiser and more intelligent than humans
9)Angels can see and observe events on earth
10)Angels like humans have a will
11)Angels like humans angels have geographical limitations
12)Angels when allowed by God can appear in visible form
13)Angels affect matters in the earthly realm
14)Angels can appear in dreams, visions and in circumstances
15)Angels fight each other from the different camps
16)Angel worshipping or idolizing is forbidden by God
17)Angels are numerous, possibly in trillions
18)Angels of God outnumber fallen angels by a 3 to 1 ratio
19)Angels have identities that distinguish them from each other
20)Angels have ranks and levels of authority
21)Angels are territorial, seeking claims to “their” territory
Unique Abilities of God's Angels
Unique Abilities of Fallen Angels.
God's angels and fallen angels
Isn't Satan able to bring about outcomes in the physical realm in spite of being a spirit being?
The answer is yes. However none of his outcomes include curses he originated. As said earlier, he is unable to originate curses because of his limitation to express his evil intentions in the physical realm. There would be more chaos than we have today if Satan had the ability to come into the physical realm and curse people. Thanks be to God he's not able to. We've enough problems already as a result of his indirect influence.
Just as God's angels have limited authority or permission to carry out affairs or events in the physical realm Satan too has this limited permission. Remember that Satan is also an angel, only a fallen angel. His angelic abilities were not stripped from him after he rebelled.
All the fallen angels have the same abilities before their rebellion in heaven. Their demotion came in the form of being cast out of glorious heaven. Now they're using their abilities for evil purposes. But they're no match against God's angels. Fallen angels are outnumbered by a 1 to 3 ratio by God's angels.
Let's now look at the nature of all these angels (God's angels and the fallen angels):
1. Angels are spirit beings created by God
Angels were created by God and were created separately from human beings. Thus they're not human beings who have died and gone to heaven.
“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy,” Colossians 1:16-18.
“You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you,” Nehemiah 9:6.
Thus even Satan himself was created by God. He just rebelled and now remains in the category of fallen angels.
2. Angels' nature is superior to the human nature
“What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet,” Hebrews 2:6-7
3. Angels have no gender & other human physical features
Angels do not have human earthly features of gender, race and other human physical appearances. However they can use these features when appearing in human form. In other ways they can take the form of human beings once God allows them to appear in the earthly realm.
“The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels,” Luke 20:34-36.
Every time gender is assigned to an angel in the bible, it is male, with a “he, him, etc” male reference. Even fallen angels have such references. And the names we know of relating to some angels are masculine: Michael, Gabriel and even Satan the fallen angel.
However this does not mean that angels are male. Angels do not procreate (have children) and thus do not have characteristics that would give them gender attributes. The male gender references to angels are merely descriptive. Such language also helped in bringing what would have been mysteries to a level of human understanding. There is consensus in the body of Christ on the genderless nature of angels.
4. Angels do not get old, sick, or die
“…they can no longer die; for they are like the angels,” Luke 20:36
“And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever,” Revelation 20:10.
Next Part Angels are invisible