“The Origin of Angels” Chapter 2

“The Origin of Angels” Agent of Creation Genesis 1 states that God created all things on earth including man, the crown of creation. Since man was not present to behold the creative act, the fact of man’s creation is a matter of revelation. The creation of angels is a matter of God’s disclosure. I. THEIR ORIGINAL CREATION

“The Origin of Angels” Psalms 148:2 – 5 indicates that the angels with all their hosts (armies), along with the sun, moon, stars, and all heavenly expanses, are God’s creative product. John 1:1-3 teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, created all things. He acted as God’s creative agent, for “all things came into being by Him… Logically this would include angels.

The Apostle Paul declares that Christ, who is Himself God, is the Creator of all things, including angels. The Eternal Son of God was the cause of every creature:” For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created by Him… (Colossians 1:16).

ACT OF CREATION Scripture implies that the angels were all created at or near the same time. The Greek tense (aorist) of the word translated “created” (Colossians 1:16) may indicate a series of acts completed in the past. Angels are not eternal as is God alone. They did not evolve, nor were they formerly men, they were created as angels. Angels do not procreate for they are a direct creation of God. (Matthew 22:28-30) Perhaps this is the reason they are referred to as “the sons of God”. (Job 1:6 ;21 )

The word sons seems to indicate a direct creation of God, as Adam is the son of God (Luke 3:38), and believers are recreated in Christ individually as “sons of God” (Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:28-10, 4:24). The exact time of their creation is not known, but “all the sons of God shouted for joy” at the creation of the earth (Job 38:4-7). Satan appears in the Genesis 3 scene. It can be deduced from this that God created the angels before the earth was created. In Psalm 148:2, angels are commanded to praise God. They are included with other creations in verse 5 of the same chapter, similar to the direct creations in Genesis 1, marked by “ And God said.”

AIM OF CREATION The primary purpose for the creation of angels was that they might glorify God and His Christ, for they were created “ for Him” (Colossians 1:16). The angelic beings of Revelation 4:6-11confess that they were created for God’s pleasure and to ascribe to Him glory, honor and power. Angels nature also reflects the creative wisdom and power of God (Ezekiel 28:12 –Many regard this as referring to Satan, the highest of angels). They worship and serve God in the administration of His will (Hebrews 1:7).

HOLY STATE All angels were created good and holy, just as God made and pronounced all His creation good (Genesis 1:31; 2:3). It is not consistent with God’s character that He could directly create anything wicked. It may be that all the angels (“all the sons of God, “Job 38:7), even the fallen angels who later rebelled with Satan, were yet holy and rejoiced in God’s creation of the material world. God’s angels are specifically termed as “holy” (Mark 8:38). They enjoyed God’s presence (Matthew 18:10) and heaven’s environment (Mark 13:32). This made their rebellion even more sinful. There are now two moral classes of angels: the elect, who remain loyal to God (1Timothy 5:21), and the evil, who followed Satan in his rebellion against God (Matthew 25:41). II. THEIR ORIGINAL CONDITION

“The Origin of Angels” CREATURELY STATE 1. A ngels had great privileges. Originally all angels had the joy of knowing God in a holy relationship. They were His sons by direct creation, and He was their Creator-Father. They had the pleasure of knowing God and worshiping Him in the beauty of holiness (Psalm 148:1-2) They would congregate before Him at His bidding (Job 1:6; 2:1). They had the privilege of serving the God of all creation as quickly as wind and as fervently as fire (Hebrews 1:7).

“The Origin of Angels” 2. Angels have certain limitations. One limitation is that of space. Since an angel is a creature, he cannot, as does God alone, possess omnipresence. An angel must move spatially from one location to another (Daniel 9:21-23), and this involves the lapse of time and, on occasions, delay (Daniel 10:10-14). Angels are then localized. Angels are also limited in power. They are not omnipotent as God. Angels, though greater in power than man (2 Peter 2:11) and by God’s power controlling even some of the elements of nature (Revelation 7:1; 16:8-9), are limited in authority (Job 1:12; 2:6). Angels are limited in intellect. They are amazed and seek to learn of the marvels of our salvation (1 Peter 1: Angels are limited in holiness. Theirs was not absolute and unshakable as is God’s, for some fell into sin and bondage through defection from God’s will (Isaiah 14:2; Revelation 12:3-4).

3. Angels are responsible to God. As creatures, they must answer to the Creator. God’s society of intelligent creatures is governed by moral laws. Failure and rebellion require judgment. If Satan, the highest of all creatures, has been and shall be judged, then all the lesser angels are answerable to God (Ezekiel 28:12-19; Matthew 25:41; John 16:11).

Angels were created by God through His Son as agent. The time of creation was before the creation of the material universe. Originally they existed in a holy state with great powers but limited in space, intellect, and holiness; and as creatures they are morally answerable to God. This ends chapter 2 Next “The Nature of Angels”