Seraphim: ‘I saw the Lord sitting on a throne; high and lifted up and His train filled the temple.
Above Him stood the seraphim. Each one had six wings; with two wings he covered his own
face, with two wings he covered his feet and with two wings he flew. One seraphim called to
another and said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts; the whole earth is filled with His
glory.” … Then one of the seraphim flew to me (Isaiah), having a burning coal in his hand which
he had taken with tongs from off the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “Behold this
has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven’” (Isaiah 6:1 to 7).
The above verses describe the seraphim; they have six wings and can fly. They have faces and
feet. They can see, hear and speak. The four wings covering their faces and feet show us they
worship God and the words they spoke were words of worship. The two wings with which they
flew, shows service to God, plus the conversation with Isaiah confirms that. Their role is both
worship and service. The verses also tell us seraphim are male. They are only mentioned in the
scriptures as being in pairs. They are all holy; there is no scriptural verses that tell us any
seraphim have ever rebelled against God.
This is a study of angelic beings that are named in the Bible. The scriptures we have selected
from the Bible describe the actions and outcomes of just three holy beings; seraphim, cherubim
and angels. Angels do not have wings but they can fly. Cherubim have two wings and seraphim
have six wings. They are all part of the heavenly hosts and all stand before God. We notice all
of the heavenly beings are spoken of as ‘he’ not ‘it’ so the references are all in the masculine
gender. We cannot usually see them unless God opens our eyes into the spirit realm (2 Kings
6:17). There are two whole, huge, spiritual kingdoms out there, full of heavenly beings, and of
which humans play only a small part. There is the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 4:20) and
there is the kingdom of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). People have the Spirit of God within them
and that makes us spiritual beings too (Acts 13:52). Humans are not God’s only creation, and
there are more than just angels in heaven. There are seraphim, cherubim, the wonderfully
unusual four living creatures who are a different kind of cherubim (Ezekiel 10:20 & 21)), and
creatures like horses (Revelation 19:14) so it is logical there are other creations in heaven too.
Cherubim: ‘God drove out the man and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden,
and a flaming sword that turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life’ (Genesis 3:24).
There are 69 references to cherubim throughout the Bible, and they are different to angels and
seraphim. Cherubim are usually in pairs except when they are physically with God. Cherub is
singular; cherubim are plural. Cherubim have two wings with which they fly, and have a hand
like that of a man’s under their wings (Ezekiel 10:8). Their role is service to God. When the
Israelites were told to make the Ark of the Covenant, they were instructed to make images of
two cherubim of solid beaten gold and place them onto the ark on either side of the Mercy Seat,
and the stance of the golden cherubim was that of worship (Exodus 25:18 to 22). The cherubim
were to show the glory of God (Hebrews 9:5). The glory of God rests upon the cherubim
(Ezekiel 9:3). The linen curtains for the tabernacle had cherubim carefully embroidered into the
fabric (Exodus 26:1). The linen veil also had cherubim woven into the fabric (Exodus 26:31).
Here is a little thought; there is no scripture that tells us God had to describe the cherubim to the
Israelites, so make the cherubim, the Israelites must have known what they looked like. We are
strictly forbidden to make images of any kind (Exodus 20:4) but in this case, the Lord instructed
the images of the cherubim to be made to show His glory. ‘When Moses went into the Tent of
Meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard His Voice speaking to him from above the Mercy Seat
that was upon the Ark of the Covenant from between the two cherubim’ (Numbers 7:89).
When Solomon built the temple, he made images of cherubim from olive wood overlaid with
gold (1 Kings 6:23 to 28). He placed the Ark of the Covenant beneath the huge wings of the
golden cherubim (1 Kings 8:6 & 7). There were cherubim carved into the wall panels and doors
(1 Kings 6:29, 32 & 35; 7:36). In the New Jerusalem, in a new temple there will be images of
cherubim (Ezekiel 41:18, 20 & 25).
The Lord God sits in heaven above the cherubim (Psalm 80:1) and He also sits enthroned
among the cherubim, they serve Him and are obedient to His instructions (Psalm 99:1; Ezekiel 10:1 to 10:22; 11:22). Sometimes the Lord God rides upon a cherub (Psalm 18:10). There was
an Israelite man named Cherub (Ezra 2:59).
Although most people assume the devil was once an archangel, the scriptures actually say he
was once a beautiful, anointed cherub who covered the throne room with music (Ezekiel 28:14
to 19; Isaiah 14:11 to 15). He was never an archangel; that is an assumption not based on
scripture. According to the scriptures, he was the only cherub who rebelled and was expelled
from heaven; all the other cherubim have remained holy.
Angels: There are references to angels scattered throughout the Bible. Angels are often very
human looking, and have several roles unlike seraphim and cherubim who are ‘specialists’ in
their given fields. The Lord in His sovereignty sends angels to do a vast array of deeds. Firstly
though, we will deal with the archangel Michael.
From what we can read in the Bible, Michael is the one and only archangel. Michael was (and
still is) the defending Prince over Israel (Daniel 10:13 & 21; 12:1; Revelation 12:7). He was the
one and only angel who was ever named as the one, singular archangel (Jude 1:9). Further to
that, the scriptures say that when Jesus returns to earth, He will return with a shout from the
(one, singular) archangel (1 Thessalonians 4:16). There were about nine Israelite men named
Michael (Numbers 13:13; 1 Chronicles 5:13 & 14; 6:40; 7:3; 8:16; 12:20; 27:18; 2 Chronicles
21:2; Ezra 8:8).
Gabriel is an angel; the special messenger who stands in the presence of God. If he was an
archangel, the scriptures would have said so. Instead, he was simply called, ‘Gabriel’ and he
identified himself as, “I am Gabriel who stands in the presence of God.” It was Gabriel who
explained the vision to Daniel (Daniel 8:16), and he looked so human, Daniel described him as
having the appearance of a man (Daniel 8:15; 9:21). It was Gabriel who told Zachariah, his wife
Elizabeth would have a son who was to be named John (Luke 1:19). Gabriel appeared to Mary
and told her she was going to give birth to Jesus (Luke 1:26). It is not written in the Bible that
Gabriel was an archangel; that is an assumption not based on scripture. He was a messenger
in just the same way as the angel who was sent to the Apostle John. ‘He sent and gave the
Revelation through His (messenger) angel to His servant John’ (Revelation 1:1).
The very first mention of angels in the scriptures, is when they were sent to spy out Sodom to
see if the sin there was as bad as God had heard it was, and it was the angels who pulled Lot
and his family out of danger (Genesis 19:1 to 16).
Every little child has their own angel. ‘Beware that you do not despise any of these little ones
(children), for I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of My Father Who
is in heaven’ (Matthew 18:10).
Angels worship God and there are millions of them. ‘I saw and I heard the voice of many angels
round about the throne, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and
thousands of thousands, saying in a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain to receive
all the power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing’” (Revelation 5:11 & 12).
Jesus said, “Do you think that I cannot ask My Father, and He will send Me more than twelve
legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53). Twelve legions would have been about 80,000 angels.
‘Suddenly there appeared with the angel, an army of the troops of heaven’ (Luke 2:13). Angels
are totally obedient to God and they praise Him. ‘Bless the Lord, you His angels, you mighty in
strength, who do His commandments, obeying the voice of His Word’ (Psalm 103:20). ‘Praise
Him all His angels, praise Him all His (heavenly) army’ (Psalm 148:2).
We are strictly forbidden to worship angels. To do so could cause us to lose our prize of
salvation. ‘Let no one rob you of your prize, insisting on false humility and worshipping of
angels’ (Colossians 2:18). Angels are servants of God like we are, as the Apostle John found
out when he attempted to worship an angel. ‘I fell at his feet to worship him but he said, “You
must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with those who hold the testimony of Jesus.
Worship God!’” (Revelation 19:10). And again John attempted to worship an angel. “You must
not do that. I am a fellow servant along with you and with your people, with the prophets and
with those who keep the Words of this book. Worship God!” (Revelation 22:9). Angels are spirits sent to minister to God’s people. ‘The angels are all ministering spirits
(servants) sent out in the service of those who are to inherit eternal life’ (Hebrews 1:14).
‘Behold, angels came and ministered to Jesus’ (Matthew 4:11). ‘And there appeared to Jesus
an angel from heaven, to strengthen Him in Spirit’ (Luke 22:43).
God has given angels a type of power we humans do not have. ‘The angels struck the men with
blindness so that they groped for the door’ (Genesis 19:11). Their power can cause the earth to
shake. ‘Behold, there was a great earthquake for an angel descended from heaven’ (Matthew
28:2). ‘During the night an angel opened the prison doors’ (Acts 5:19). ‘I saw four angels
standing at the four corners of the earth holding back the four winds of the earth … and with a
loud voice he called out to the four angels who had been given authority and power to harm the
earth and sea’ (Revelation 7:1 & 2).
Angels guide us. ‘He will send His angel before you’ (Genesis 24:7). ‘The Lord in Whose
Presence I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way’ (Genesis 24:40). ‘Behold, I
send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place I have
prepared’ (Exodus 23:20). ‘Behold, My angel shall go before you’ (Exodus 32:34). ‘An angel
said to Philip, “Rise and go south on the road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza’” (Acts 8:26).
‘The angel said to Cornelius, “Send men to Joppa and have them call for Peter’” (Acts 10:5). ‘An
angel stood by Peter and a light shone in the cell. The angel gently smote Peter on the side and
awakened him saying, “Get up quickly, get dressed, put on your sandals, put on your cloak and
follow me.” The chains fell off Peter’s hands and Peter went out following the angel. They
passed through the first guard and the second, then the iron gate swung open of its own accord
then the angel left him’ (Acts 12:7 to 10).
Angels are witnesses to our conduct. ‘I command you in the presence of God and of Messiah
Jesus and of the chosen angels that you obey these rules without partiality’ (1 Timothy 5:21).
‘Even angels, though superior in might and power, do not bring a charge against them (wicked
people) before the Lord’ (2 Peter 2:11). People who have accepted Jesus as their Messiah will
live in heaven along with holy angels. ‘You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living
God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to countless multitudes of angels, to the general assembly and
assembly of the Firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the souls of
just men made perfect, to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant’ (Hebrews 12:22 to 24).
God sends angels to protect us. ‘He will give His angels charge over you to protect you in all
your ways. They will bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone’ (Psalm
91:11 & 12). ‘My God has sent His angel and has shut the lion’s mouths so that they have not
hurt me’ (Daniel 6:22).
Angels ascend and descend continually from heaven, to earth and back to heaven to receive
instruction from God and do His will. Jacob’s dream was prophetic. ‘Jacob dreamed there was a
stairway set up on the earth and the top of it reached to heaven and the angels of God were
ascending and descending on it!’ (Genesis 28:12). An angel was coming to earth to speak to
Daniel when he was set upon by the demonic ruler of Persia and had to be assisted by
Archangel Michael. After delivering his message to Daniel, the angel said he had to return to
heaven (Daniel 10:11 to 21).
Angels can appear to us looking so much like humans, they do not look at all strange to us
when we see them. Some early church believers had angels join them for meals and the angels
were so human-like, their hosts did not know they were entertaining angels. ‘Do not neglect to
show hospitality to strangers, for some have entertained angels without knowing it’ (Hebrews
13:2). When Jacob met angels, he knew they were angels and he did not seem at all surprised
to see them. ‘Jacob went on his way and God’s angels met him. When Jacob saw them, he
said, “This is God’s army!” (Genesis 32:1 & 2). We have already read about when Daniel met
Gabriel and said he had the appearance of a man (Daniel 8:15). However, sometimes they can
be frightening. ‘An angel … came and rolled the boulder back and sat upon it. His appearance
was like lightning and his garments as white as snow. Those keeping guard were so frightened
of him that they trembled and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be
frightened … ‘” (Matthew 28:2 to 5). When the righteous have their new resurrected body, they will look the same as the angels do now. ‘In the resurrection there is no marriage, but they are
like the angels in heaven’ (Matthew 22:30). ‘For believers cannot die again and are like the
angels, and being sharers in the resurrection, they are children of God’ (Luke 20:36). These
scriptures reveal to us, just how alike angels and humans are in appearance.
Angels can appear to us in dreams like they did to Joseph. ‘An angel appeared to Joseph in a
dream’ (Matthew 1:20) ... ‘When they had departed an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream’
(Matthew 2:13) ... ‘Behold, an angel appeared in a dream to Joseph’ (Matthew 2:19).
The Lord Jesus will tell the angels about His followers. “I tell you, whoever declares Me before
men, the Son of Man also will declare him before the holy angels. Whoever disowns Me before
men, will be disowned in the presence of the angels” (Luke 12:8 & 9). “Even so I tell you, there
is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). ‘He who
overcomes shall be dressed in white garments, and I will not blot his name from the Book of
Life; I will declare his name before My Father and before His angels’ (Revelation 3:5).
Angels can bring swift judgement from God upon wicked people. ‘The angel went forth and slew
185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians’ (Isaiah 37:36). ‘The Son of Man will send forth His angels
and they will gather out of the Kingdom of God all causes of offence and all who do wickedly’
(Matthew 13:41). ‘So it will be at the end of this age; the angels will go forth and separate the
wicked from the righteous, and they will cast the wicked into the lake of fire’ (Matthew 13:49).
‘Herod donned his royal robes, sat upon his throne and addressed the crowd. The people
shouted, “It is the voice of a god not a man!” And at once an angel smote Herod because he did
not give God the glory and Herod was eaten by worms and died’ (Acts 12:21 to 23).
The Law given to Moses was ordained by angels. ‘You, who received the Law as it was
ordained by angels, but you did not obey it!’ (Acts 7:53). ‘What was the purpose of the Law? It
was because of sin and it was intended until the Seed (Jesus) should come … the Law was
ordained through angels by the hand of Moses’ (Galatians 3:19).
Angels are the ones who take us to heaven. Jesus called them ‘reapers’. ‘The harvest is the
end of this age, and the reapers are the angels’ (Matthew 13:39). ‘He will send out His angels
and they will gather His chosen ones from the four winds – from one end of the earth to the
other … but of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but
only the Father’ (Mark 13:27 & 32). ‘Lazarus the beggar died and was carried by the angels to
Abraham’s side’ (Luke 16:22).
It displeases angels when women in the church take authority over men. ‘Man was not created
from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for the woman, but woman for the
man. Therefore the woman should have authority on her head, so she does not displease the
angels’ (1 Corinthians 11:8 to 10).
Angels reveal the glory of God. ‘When the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the holy
angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory’ (Matthew 25:31). ‘Whoever is
ashamed of Me and My words in this sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him
when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels’ (Mark 8:38). ‘Behold, an angel of
the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone all around them’ (Luke 2:9). “For I tell
you, you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the
Son of Man!” (John 1:51).
When we speak in tongues we speak in languages of both men and angels. ‘I speak in the
tongues of men and of angels’ (1 Corinthians 13:1). When God gave the children of Israel
manna to eat, they were actually eating angel’s food. ‘Everyone ate the bread of angels. God
gave them food in abundance’ (Psalm 78:25). By reading this verse we can see that angels eat.
Angels were witnesses to the first coming of Jesus after waiting a long time to be shown the
mystery of the salvation message, and when the Lord returns, He will come with mighty angels.
‘The great mystery of Godliness is, God was made visible in human flesh, justified in the Holy
Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world and taken up
into glory’ (1 Timothy 3:16). ‘These things have now been made known to you by those who preach the Gospel by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Into these things, the very angels of
heaven longed to look’ (1 Peter 1:12). ‘The Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty
angels in a flame of fire’ (2 Thessalonians 1:7).
The New Testament reveals Old Testament prophecies regarding Jesus and His relationship
with angels. ‘Jesus sat down at the right hand of His Majesty on high, having become superior
to angels and He inherited a Name more excellent than they have. For which of the angels did
God the Father ever say, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You?” (Psalm 2:7). And
again, “I will be to Him a Father, and He will be to Me a Son?” (2 Samuel 7:14). When He brings
the Firstborn Son into the world He says, “Let all the angels of God worship Him” (Psalm 148:2).
Referring to the angels He says, “It is God Who makes His angels winds and His ministering
servants flames of fire” (Psalm 104:4) … Which of the angels has God ever said, “Sit at My right
hand until I make your enemies your footstool?” (Psalm 110:1). Angels are ministering Spirits
sent out in service for those who are to inherit salvation’ (Hebrews 1:3 to 7, 13 & 14)
Jesus was made a little lower than angels for our sakes. ‘We are able to see Jesus, Who was
ranked lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honour because of
His having suffered death, in order that by the grace of God, He might suffer death for every
person’ (Hebrews 2:9). ‘He has now entered into heaven and is at the right hand of God with all
angels, authorities and powers subject to Him’ (1 Peter 3:22).
Angels can indirectly bring healing, although it is always the Lord Himself Who heals people.
‘An angel of the Lord went down into the pool at appointed times and stirred up the water;
whoever stepped into the water first was healed of whatever disease he had’ (John 5:4).
This world was never intended for angels to inhabit. Their rightful place is in heaven. ‘For it was
not to angels that God subjected the habitable world’ (Hebrews 2:5). When some angels did
leave their rightful place in heaven and come to earth, because of their disobedience they were
bound in chains and sent to hell to await the final judgement, and they will end up in the eternal
lake of fire with the disobedient cherub, the devil himself. Hell was created for the devil and his
angels, and there is no redemption or deliverance available to the angels who disobeyed. ‘For
God did not spare the angels that sinned, but cast them into hell, delivering them to be kept
there in pits of gloom till the judgement’ (2 Peter 2:4). ’The angels who did not keep their own
first place of power but abandoned their proper dwelling place (heaven), these angels God has
reserved in eternal chains under utter darkness until the doom of Judgement Day’ (Jude 1:6).
‘Begone from Me you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’
(Matthew 25:41). ‘For as we know, Jesus did not take hold of the fallen angels to give them a
delivering hand’ (Hebrews 2:16).
It seems that each church or assembly mentioned in the Book of Revelation had its very own
angel. Whether or not that is true today is debatable. There are some wonderfully dedicated
people in church, who live their lives close to the Lord, and there are churches where there is a
powerful anointing and miracles flow but sadly, some modern churches are so carnal it is
doubtful a holy angel could tolerate the sin. The seven churches or assemblies in Revelation
each had their own angel who were called stars. ‘The seven stars are the seven angels of the
seven assemblies and the seven lampstands are the seven churches’ (Revelation 1:20). There
is something about those angels that may seem strange to us, and that is the Apostle John was
asked to write to the angels about their churches (not the pastors or elders) and what John
wrote was read out to the church (Revelation 1:11; 2:1; 2:8; 2:12; 2:18; 3:1; 3:7; 3:14).
After the angels of the seven churches were mentioned in Revelation, the rest of the angels
spoken about in Revelation were worshipping God, carrying out judgements on the wicked
people still on earth, or they were serving God in some way. Finally, the last time angels are
mentioned in the Bible, is when Jesus says He sent the angel as a witness of His testimony, to
be told to the churches and to reassure people everywhere, Jesus really is the Jewish Messiah
Who sprang from King David’s lineage. ‘I, Jesus, have sent My messenger angel to you, to
witness and to give you assurance of these things for the churches. I am the Root and the
Offspring of David, the Bright Morning Star’ (Revelation 22:16).
Above Him stood the seraphim. Each one had six wings; with two wings he covered his own
face, with two wings he covered his feet and with two wings he flew. One seraphim called to
another and said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts; the whole earth is filled with His
glory.” … Then one of the seraphim flew to me (Isaiah), having a burning coal in his hand which
he had taken with tongs from off the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “Behold this
has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven’” (Isaiah 6:1 to 7).
The above verses describe the seraphim; they have six wings and can fly. They have faces and
feet. They can see, hear and speak. The four wings covering their faces and feet show us they
worship God and the words they spoke were words of worship. The two wings with which they
flew, shows service to God, plus the conversation with Isaiah confirms that. Their role is both
worship and service. The verses also tell us seraphim are male. They are only mentioned in the
scriptures as being in pairs. They are all holy; there is no scriptural verses that tell us any
seraphim have ever rebelled against God.
This is a study of angelic beings that are named in the Bible. The scriptures we have selected
from the Bible describe the actions and outcomes of just three holy beings; seraphim, cherubim
and angels. Angels do not have wings but they can fly. Cherubim have two wings and seraphim
have six wings. They are all part of the heavenly hosts and all stand before God. We notice all
of the heavenly beings are spoken of as ‘he’ not ‘it’ so the references are all in the masculine
gender. We cannot usually see them unless God opens our eyes into the spirit realm (2 Kings
6:17). There are two whole, huge, spiritual kingdoms out there, full of heavenly beings, and of
which humans play only a small part. There is the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 4:20) and
there is the kingdom of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). People have the Spirit of God within them
and that makes us spiritual beings too (Acts 13:52). Humans are not God’s only creation, and
there are more than just angels in heaven. There are seraphim, cherubim, the wonderfully
unusual four living creatures who are a different kind of cherubim (Ezekiel 10:20 & 21)), and
creatures like horses (Revelation 19:14) so it is logical there are other creations in heaven too.
Cherubim: ‘God drove out the man and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden,
and a flaming sword that turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life’ (Genesis 3:24).
There are 69 references to cherubim throughout the Bible, and they are different to angels and
seraphim. Cherubim are usually in pairs except when they are physically with God. Cherub is
singular; cherubim are plural. Cherubim have two wings with which they fly, and have a hand
like that of a man’s under their wings (Ezekiel 10:8). Their role is service to God. When the
Israelites were told to make the Ark of the Covenant, they were instructed to make images of
two cherubim of solid beaten gold and place them onto the ark on either side of the Mercy Seat,
and the stance of the golden cherubim was that of worship (Exodus 25:18 to 22). The cherubim
were to show the glory of God (Hebrews 9:5). The glory of God rests upon the cherubim
(Ezekiel 9:3). The linen curtains for the tabernacle had cherubim carefully embroidered into the
fabric (Exodus 26:1). The linen veil also had cherubim woven into the fabric (Exodus 26:31).
Here is a little thought; there is no scripture that tells us God had to describe the cherubim to the
Israelites, so make the cherubim, the Israelites must have known what they looked like. We are
strictly forbidden to make images of any kind (Exodus 20:4) but in this case, the Lord instructed
the images of the cherubim to be made to show His glory. ‘When Moses went into the Tent of
Meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard His Voice speaking to him from above the Mercy Seat
that was upon the Ark of the Covenant from between the two cherubim’ (Numbers 7:89).
When Solomon built the temple, he made images of cherubim from olive wood overlaid with
gold (1 Kings 6:23 to 28). He placed the Ark of the Covenant beneath the huge wings of the
golden cherubim (1 Kings 8:6 & 7). There were cherubim carved into the wall panels and doors
(1 Kings 6:29, 32 & 35; 7:36). In the New Jerusalem, in a new temple there will be images of
cherubim (Ezekiel 41:18, 20 & 25).
The Lord God sits in heaven above the cherubim (Psalm 80:1) and He also sits enthroned
among the cherubim, they serve Him and are obedient to His instructions (Psalm 99:1; Ezekiel 10:1 to 10:22; 11:22). Sometimes the Lord God rides upon a cherub (Psalm 18:10). There was
an Israelite man named Cherub (Ezra 2:59).
Although most people assume the devil was once an archangel, the scriptures actually say he
was once a beautiful, anointed cherub who covered the throne room with music (Ezekiel 28:14
to 19; Isaiah 14:11 to 15). He was never an archangel; that is an assumption not based on
scripture. According to the scriptures, he was the only cherub who rebelled and was expelled
from heaven; all the other cherubim have remained holy.
Angels: There are references to angels scattered throughout the Bible. Angels are often very
human looking, and have several roles unlike seraphim and cherubim who are ‘specialists’ in
their given fields. The Lord in His sovereignty sends angels to do a vast array of deeds. Firstly
though, we will deal with the archangel Michael.
From what we can read in the Bible, Michael is the one and only archangel. Michael was (and
still is) the defending Prince over Israel (Daniel 10:13 & 21; 12:1; Revelation 12:7). He was the
one and only angel who was ever named as the one, singular archangel (Jude 1:9). Further to
that, the scriptures say that when Jesus returns to earth, He will return with a shout from the
(one, singular) archangel (1 Thessalonians 4:16). There were about nine Israelite men named
Michael (Numbers 13:13; 1 Chronicles 5:13 & 14; 6:40; 7:3; 8:16; 12:20; 27:18; 2 Chronicles
21:2; Ezra 8:8).
Gabriel is an angel; the special messenger who stands in the presence of God. If he was an
archangel, the scriptures would have said so. Instead, he was simply called, ‘Gabriel’ and he
identified himself as, “I am Gabriel who stands in the presence of God.” It was Gabriel who
explained the vision to Daniel (Daniel 8:16), and he looked so human, Daniel described him as
having the appearance of a man (Daniel 8:15; 9:21). It was Gabriel who told Zachariah, his wife
Elizabeth would have a son who was to be named John (Luke 1:19). Gabriel appeared to Mary
and told her she was going to give birth to Jesus (Luke 1:26). It is not written in the Bible that
Gabriel was an archangel; that is an assumption not based on scripture. He was a messenger
in just the same way as the angel who was sent to the Apostle John. ‘He sent and gave the
Revelation through His (messenger) angel to His servant John’ (Revelation 1:1).
The very first mention of angels in the scriptures, is when they were sent to spy out Sodom to
see if the sin there was as bad as God had heard it was, and it was the angels who pulled Lot
and his family out of danger (Genesis 19:1 to 16).
Every little child has their own angel. ‘Beware that you do not despise any of these little ones
(children), for I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of My Father Who
is in heaven’ (Matthew 18:10).
Angels worship God and there are millions of them. ‘I saw and I heard the voice of many angels
round about the throne, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and
thousands of thousands, saying in a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain to receive
all the power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing’” (Revelation 5:11 & 12).
Jesus said, “Do you think that I cannot ask My Father, and He will send Me more than twelve
legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53). Twelve legions would have been about 80,000 angels.
‘Suddenly there appeared with the angel, an army of the troops of heaven’ (Luke 2:13). Angels
are totally obedient to God and they praise Him. ‘Bless the Lord, you His angels, you mighty in
strength, who do His commandments, obeying the voice of His Word’ (Psalm 103:20). ‘Praise
Him all His angels, praise Him all His (heavenly) army’ (Psalm 148:2).
We are strictly forbidden to worship angels. To do so could cause us to lose our prize of
salvation. ‘Let no one rob you of your prize, insisting on false humility and worshipping of
angels’ (Colossians 2:18). Angels are servants of God like we are, as the Apostle John found
out when he attempted to worship an angel. ‘I fell at his feet to worship him but he said, “You
must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with those who hold the testimony of Jesus.
Worship God!’” (Revelation 19:10). And again John attempted to worship an angel. “You must
not do that. I am a fellow servant along with you and with your people, with the prophets and
with those who keep the Words of this book. Worship God!” (Revelation 22:9). Angels are spirits sent to minister to God’s people. ‘The angels are all ministering spirits
(servants) sent out in the service of those who are to inherit eternal life’ (Hebrews 1:14).
‘Behold, angels came and ministered to Jesus’ (Matthew 4:11). ‘And there appeared to Jesus
an angel from heaven, to strengthen Him in Spirit’ (Luke 22:43).
God has given angels a type of power we humans do not have. ‘The angels struck the men with
blindness so that they groped for the door’ (Genesis 19:11). Their power can cause the earth to
shake. ‘Behold, there was a great earthquake for an angel descended from heaven’ (Matthew
28:2). ‘During the night an angel opened the prison doors’ (Acts 5:19). ‘I saw four angels
standing at the four corners of the earth holding back the four winds of the earth … and with a
loud voice he called out to the four angels who had been given authority and power to harm the
earth and sea’ (Revelation 7:1 & 2).
Angels guide us. ‘He will send His angel before you’ (Genesis 24:7). ‘The Lord in Whose
Presence I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way’ (Genesis 24:40). ‘Behold, I
send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place I have
prepared’ (Exodus 23:20). ‘Behold, My angel shall go before you’ (Exodus 32:34). ‘An angel
said to Philip, “Rise and go south on the road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza’” (Acts 8:26).
‘The angel said to Cornelius, “Send men to Joppa and have them call for Peter’” (Acts 10:5). ‘An
angel stood by Peter and a light shone in the cell. The angel gently smote Peter on the side and
awakened him saying, “Get up quickly, get dressed, put on your sandals, put on your cloak and
follow me.” The chains fell off Peter’s hands and Peter went out following the angel. They
passed through the first guard and the second, then the iron gate swung open of its own accord
then the angel left him’ (Acts 12:7 to 10).
Angels are witnesses to our conduct. ‘I command you in the presence of God and of Messiah
Jesus and of the chosen angels that you obey these rules without partiality’ (1 Timothy 5:21).
‘Even angels, though superior in might and power, do not bring a charge against them (wicked
people) before the Lord’ (2 Peter 2:11). People who have accepted Jesus as their Messiah will
live in heaven along with holy angels. ‘You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living
God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to countless multitudes of angels, to the general assembly and
assembly of the Firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the souls of
just men made perfect, to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant’ (Hebrews 12:22 to 24).
God sends angels to protect us. ‘He will give His angels charge over you to protect you in all
your ways. They will bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone’ (Psalm
91:11 & 12). ‘My God has sent His angel and has shut the lion’s mouths so that they have not
hurt me’ (Daniel 6:22).
Angels ascend and descend continually from heaven, to earth and back to heaven to receive
instruction from God and do His will. Jacob’s dream was prophetic. ‘Jacob dreamed there was a
stairway set up on the earth and the top of it reached to heaven and the angels of God were
ascending and descending on it!’ (Genesis 28:12). An angel was coming to earth to speak to
Daniel when he was set upon by the demonic ruler of Persia and had to be assisted by
Archangel Michael. After delivering his message to Daniel, the angel said he had to return to
heaven (Daniel 10:11 to 21).
Angels can appear to us looking so much like humans, they do not look at all strange to us
when we see them. Some early church believers had angels join them for meals and the angels
were so human-like, their hosts did not know they were entertaining angels. ‘Do not neglect to
show hospitality to strangers, for some have entertained angels without knowing it’ (Hebrews
13:2). When Jacob met angels, he knew they were angels and he did not seem at all surprised
to see them. ‘Jacob went on his way and God’s angels met him. When Jacob saw them, he
said, “This is God’s army!” (Genesis 32:1 & 2). We have already read about when Daniel met
Gabriel and said he had the appearance of a man (Daniel 8:15). However, sometimes they can
be frightening. ‘An angel … came and rolled the boulder back and sat upon it. His appearance
was like lightning and his garments as white as snow. Those keeping guard were so frightened
of him that they trembled and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be
frightened … ‘” (Matthew 28:2 to 5). When the righteous have their new resurrected body, they will look the same as the angels do now. ‘In the resurrection there is no marriage, but they are
like the angels in heaven’ (Matthew 22:30). ‘For believers cannot die again and are like the
angels, and being sharers in the resurrection, they are children of God’ (Luke 20:36). These
scriptures reveal to us, just how alike angels and humans are in appearance.
Angels can appear to us in dreams like they did to Joseph. ‘An angel appeared to Joseph in a
dream’ (Matthew 1:20) ... ‘When they had departed an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream’
(Matthew 2:13) ... ‘Behold, an angel appeared in a dream to Joseph’ (Matthew 2:19).
The Lord Jesus will tell the angels about His followers. “I tell you, whoever declares Me before
men, the Son of Man also will declare him before the holy angels. Whoever disowns Me before
men, will be disowned in the presence of the angels” (Luke 12:8 & 9). “Even so I tell you, there
is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). ‘He who
overcomes shall be dressed in white garments, and I will not blot his name from the Book of
Life; I will declare his name before My Father and before His angels’ (Revelation 3:5).
Angels can bring swift judgement from God upon wicked people. ‘The angel went forth and slew
185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians’ (Isaiah 37:36). ‘The Son of Man will send forth His angels
and they will gather out of the Kingdom of God all causes of offence and all who do wickedly’
(Matthew 13:41). ‘So it will be at the end of this age; the angels will go forth and separate the
wicked from the righteous, and they will cast the wicked into the lake of fire’ (Matthew 13:49).
‘Herod donned his royal robes, sat upon his throne and addressed the crowd. The people
shouted, “It is the voice of a god not a man!” And at once an angel smote Herod because he did
not give God the glory and Herod was eaten by worms and died’ (Acts 12:21 to 23).
The Law given to Moses was ordained by angels. ‘You, who received the Law as it was
ordained by angels, but you did not obey it!’ (Acts 7:53). ‘What was the purpose of the Law? It
was because of sin and it was intended until the Seed (Jesus) should come … the Law was
ordained through angels by the hand of Moses’ (Galatians 3:19).
Angels are the ones who take us to heaven. Jesus called them ‘reapers’. ‘The harvest is the
end of this age, and the reapers are the angels’ (Matthew 13:39). ‘He will send out His angels
and they will gather His chosen ones from the four winds – from one end of the earth to the
other … but of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but
only the Father’ (Mark 13:27 & 32). ‘Lazarus the beggar died and was carried by the angels to
Abraham’s side’ (Luke 16:22).
It displeases angels when women in the church take authority over men. ‘Man was not created
from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for the woman, but woman for the
man. Therefore the woman should have authority on her head, so she does not displease the
angels’ (1 Corinthians 11:8 to 10).
Angels reveal the glory of God. ‘When the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the holy
angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory’ (Matthew 25:31). ‘Whoever is
ashamed of Me and My words in this sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him
when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels’ (Mark 8:38). ‘Behold, an angel of
the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone all around them’ (Luke 2:9). “For I tell
you, you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the
Son of Man!” (John 1:51).
When we speak in tongues we speak in languages of both men and angels. ‘I speak in the
tongues of men and of angels’ (1 Corinthians 13:1). When God gave the children of Israel
manna to eat, they were actually eating angel’s food. ‘Everyone ate the bread of angels. God
gave them food in abundance’ (Psalm 78:25). By reading this verse we can see that angels eat.
Angels were witnesses to the first coming of Jesus after waiting a long time to be shown the
mystery of the salvation message, and when the Lord returns, He will come with mighty angels.
‘The great mystery of Godliness is, God was made visible in human flesh, justified in the Holy
Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world and taken up
into glory’ (1 Timothy 3:16). ‘These things have now been made known to you by those who preach the Gospel by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Into these things, the very angels of
heaven longed to look’ (1 Peter 1:12). ‘The Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty
angels in a flame of fire’ (2 Thessalonians 1:7).
The New Testament reveals Old Testament prophecies regarding Jesus and His relationship
with angels. ‘Jesus sat down at the right hand of His Majesty on high, having become superior
to angels and He inherited a Name more excellent than they have. For which of the angels did
God the Father ever say, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You?” (Psalm 2:7). And
again, “I will be to Him a Father, and He will be to Me a Son?” (2 Samuel 7:14). When He brings
the Firstborn Son into the world He says, “Let all the angels of God worship Him” (Psalm 148:2).
Referring to the angels He says, “It is God Who makes His angels winds and His ministering
servants flames of fire” (Psalm 104:4) … Which of the angels has God ever said, “Sit at My right
hand until I make your enemies your footstool?” (Psalm 110:1). Angels are ministering Spirits
sent out in service for those who are to inherit salvation’ (Hebrews 1:3 to 7, 13 & 14)
Jesus was made a little lower than angels for our sakes. ‘We are able to see Jesus, Who was
ranked lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honour because of
His having suffered death, in order that by the grace of God, He might suffer death for every
person’ (Hebrews 2:9). ‘He has now entered into heaven and is at the right hand of God with all
angels, authorities and powers subject to Him’ (1 Peter 3:22).
Angels can indirectly bring healing, although it is always the Lord Himself Who heals people.
‘An angel of the Lord went down into the pool at appointed times and stirred up the water;
whoever stepped into the water first was healed of whatever disease he had’ (John 5:4).
This world was never intended for angels to inhabit. Their rightful place is in heaven. ‘For it was
not to angels that God subjected the habitable world’ (Hebrews 2:5). When some angels did
leave their rightful place in heaven and come to earth, because of their disobedience they were
bound in chains and sent to hell to await the final judgement, and they will end up in the eternal
lake of fire with the disobedient cherub, the devil himself. Hell was created for the devil and his
angels, and there is no redemption or deliverance available to the angels who disobeyed. ‘For
God did not spare the angels that sinned, but cast them into hell, delivering them to be kept
there in pits of gloom till the judgement’ (2 Peter 2:4). ’The angels who did not keep their own
first place of power but abandoned their proper dwelling place (heaven), these angels God has
reserved in eternal chains under utter darkness until the doom of Judgement Day’ (Jude 1:6).
‘Begone from Me you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’
(Matthew 25:41). ‘For as we know, Jesus did not take hold of the fallen angels to give them a
delivering hand’ (Hebrews 2:16).
It seems that each church or assembly mentioned in the Book of Revelation had its very own
angel. Whether or not that is true today is debatable. There are some wonderfully dedicated
people in church, who live their lives close to the Lord, and there are churches where there is a
powerful anointing and miracles flow but sadly, some modern churches are so carnal it is
doubtful a holy angel could tolerate the sin. The seven churches or assemblies in Revelation
each had their own angel who were called stars. ‘The seven stars are the seven angels of the
seven assemblies and the seven lampstands are the seven churches’ (Revelation 1:20). There
is something about those angels that may seem strange to us, and that is the Apostle John was
asked to write to the angels about their churches (not the pastors or elders) and what John
wrote was read out to the church (Revelation 1:11; 2:1; 2:8; 2:12; 2:18; 3:1; 3:7; 3:14).
After the angels of the seven churches were mentioned in Revelation, the rest of the angels
spoken about in Revelation were worshipping God, carrying out judgements on the wicked
people still on earth, or they were serving God in some way. Finally, the last time angels are
mentioned in the Bible, is when Jesus says He sent the angel as a witness of His testimony, to
be told to the churches and to reassure people everywhere, Jesus really is the Jewish Messiah
Who sprang from King David’s lineage. ‘I, Jesus, have sent My messenger angel to you, to
witness and to give you assurance of these things for the churches. I am the Root and the
Offspring of David, the Bright Morning Star’ (Revelation 22:16).
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