01. February 2025
What are angels?
Angels are one of the types of heavenly beings. However, there are others types of heavenly beings, all created by God. A lot of what most people know about angles is fictional, picked up from pop culture.
Heavenly beings are mentioned several times in the Bible. Nevertheless, the bible does not go into a lot of details regarding heavenly beings. From the Bible we do know the following regarding heavenly beings.
Angels are the most frequently mentioned heavenly beings in the Bible. Primarily, angels were created by God to be his servants. They act as messengers of God, serve as protectors and guides for humans, and carry out God’s judgments. Angels appeared to figures such as Abraham, Jacob, and Mary, delivering God’s messages and guidance.
The seraphim’s primary role is to worship and praise God continuously. They are heard chanting, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” This chant emphasizes the holiness and omnipresence of God. The seraphim are also involved in a purification ritual for Isaiah, as one of them takes a live coal from the altar and touches it to Isaiah’s lips, symbolically cleansing him of his sins and preparing him for his prophetic mission. This act highlights the seraphim’s role in facilitating the interaction between the divine and the human, serving as a bridge between God’s holiness and humanity’s imperfection.
Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:2-3 ESV)
Cherubim (plural for cherub) are mentioned several times in the Bible. Most agree that the cherubim’s role is guarding things that are holy both in heaven and on earth. Many of the decorative elements of both the early Tabernacle and Solomon’s Temple included images of cherubim.
Cherubim are set to guard the entrance to the Garden of Eden (stationed at the east of the Garden of Eden to guard the way to the Tree of Life with a flaming sword, symbolizing their role as protectors of sacred spaces and divine secrets.
He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:24 ESV)
Archangels are a prominent and well-known class of angels in the Bible, recognized for their significant roles. They are often tasked with delivering important messages from God to humans and carrying out other important divine missions.
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (1Thessalonians 4:16 ESV)
But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” (Jude 1:9 ESV)
Guardian angels are said to protect and aid the believers in their prayers.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. (Psalm 91:11 ESV)
See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 18:10 ESV)