Daily Christian Journey

Understanding Angels: Separating Fact from Fiction

The Bible offers limited information about angels, but what it does reveal is fascinating. While popular culture often portrays angels in a certain way, it’s essential to separate fact from fiction and understand what Scripture says about these heavenly beings.

What Are Angels?

Angels are created beings, made by God to serve Him. In Psalm 8, we read that humans have been made “a little lower” than the angels, indicating that angels have greater glory and honor than humans. However, angels are not to be worshiped; they are servants of God, who alone is worthy of worship and praise.

Characteristics of Angels

Angels are eternal, nonmortal beings, created by God to live forever. They do not grow old or die. While they can take on physical form, they are spiritual beings. Their primary role is to serve God, and they dwell in heaven with Him.

The Purpose of Angels

Angels were created to serve God, and their purpose is multifaceted. They:

• Announce God’s plans: Angels serve as messengers, announcing God’s plans and intentions to humans.
• Protect God’s people: Angels protect God’s people from harm, as seen in Psalm 91:11-12 and Daniel 6.
• Worship God: Angels continually worship God in heaven, singing praises to Him.
• Provide for God’s people: Angels provide for the needs of God’s people, as seen in Matthew 4:11.
• Carry out God’s purposes: Angels carry out God’s purposes in the world, including guarding the garden of Eden and defeating God’s enemies.

Relating to Angels

While angels are fascinating beings, it’s essential to relate to them in a biblical way. We should:

• Worship and thank God because of angels: The existence and work of angels should drive us to give more praise and worship to God.
• See angels as our fellow servants: We should recognize that angels are fellow servants of God, standing alongside us in service and praise of Him.
• Not pray to or worship angels: God alone is worthy of worship; prayer should be directed to Him alone, in the name of Jesus Christ alone.
• Look forward to sharing heaven with angels: One day, we will join angels in praising and worshiping God in heaven.

By understanding what the Bible says about angels, we can develop a healthy perspective on these heavenly beings and cultivate a deeper appreciation for God’s creation and plan.