The Origin and Nature of Angels Angelology The Origin and Nature of Angels

These are NOT angels!

Created Beings See Psalm 148:1-5. As is true of the entire universe, everything that exists, with the exception of God Himself, is the by-product of creation. This includes things that cannot be seen with the human eye. (Col. 1:16) It is impossible to determine when angels were created. They definitely predate the creation of the earth. (Job 38:4-7 )

Personal Beings Angels have the characteristics of persons. “They are intelligent, voluntary, active, and therefore personal agents.” (2 Sam. 14:20 ) Satan (a fallen angel) has a will (2 Timothy 2:26) Angels are capable of spiritual integrity, hence they are called holy angels (Mat. 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; Rev. 14:10).

Moral Beings All creatures are mutable, and, therefore, all creatures, however exalted, are capable of sinning when left to themselves.   Jude 6 indicates that there are angels that did not leave their first estate, as did the fallen angels – but left their own habitation. These are called the elect angels in 1 Tim. 5:2.

Powerful Beings The power of angels is obviously derived from God. They are limited in the use of their power to the accomplishment of the will of God (exception the fallen angels). (2 Th. 1:7,8; 2 Pet. 2:11; Psa. 103:20,21)

One angel was able to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. One angel killed all the first-born in Egypt. One angel rolled away the great stone that covered the tomb where Jesus was buried. One angel killed 185,000 (Isaiah 37:36). One angel will be able to bind Satan and place him in the bottomless pit (Revelation 20:2,10).

Incorporeal Beings Angels are spirit beings, that is, they do not have a corporal body such as humans have. (Psa. 104:4 ; Heb. 1:7) This was Paul’s point when warning believers about spiritual warfare. (Eph. 6:10-12 ) Even though angels are incorporeal in essence they have and do interact with humankind in forms that appear to be bodily forms. (Gen. 18:19; Jud. 2:1; 6:11-14; Mat. 1:20; Luke 1:26; John 20:12; Heb. 13:2)

Innumerable Beings Angels do not procreate (Mat. 22:30) but have existed since their creation in vast numbers. (Heb. 12:22 ; Gen. 32;1,2 ; Rev. 5:11; Luke 2:13; Dan. 7:10)   

Territorial Beings Angels are not omnipresent because they are not God! For the most part they are described as the angels of heaven (Mat. 24:36), angels which are in heaven (Mark 12:25; 13:32) or an angel from heaven (Gal. 1:8). References to thrones, dominions, principalities, power, and authorities indicate levels of function primarily on earth. The battles with princes in Daniel 10 indicate that the fallen angels are organized according to geography.