The Bible talks about angels around 182 times. For perspective, the Bible talks about money over 400 times. So, if the magnitude of something in the scriptures equals its importance, then angels are not the most central message of the Bible. Yet they certainly are mentioned, and many of us long to know more about these supernatural beings.
What did the writers of the Bible say about angels?
It’s important to know what God’s Word says about these supernatural beings so that we can walk in truth instead of elusive illusion or make-believe. Again, while there is so much we don’t know, there are some things the Bible mentions, and it can be especially meaningful to know what the writers of the Bible believed about angels.
1. Angels are supernatural beings in a class of beings that serve God.
They are mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments (the entire Bible). Angels are always doing God’s work or representing God. They served as messengers and as theophanies (visions of God).
- “Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.” - Genesis 32:1
- “Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given the power to harm earth and sea.” - Revelation 7:2
2. Angels serve in what scripture describes as the “army” of God and in the “court” of God.
They are often described as doing God’s business when there is sin, oppression, or corruption involved in a city or a community,
- “He let loose on them his burning anger, wrath, indignation, and distress, a company of destroying angels." - Psalm 78:49
- “Then I looked and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands.” - Revelation 5:11
3. Scripture warns us not to get overly concerned with talks about angels, focus on angels, or worship angels.
We are meant to worship God and God alone, and if we over-focus on angels, we are distracted from the good news and centrality of King Jesus.
- “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in details about visons, puffed up without reason by sensuous mind." - Colossians 2:18
4. Angels are described as messengers of God.
Sometimes, human messengers of God’s good news are also referred to as “angels” in the Bible. An example of that is John the Baptist.
- “For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution." - Hebrews 2:2
- “And when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.’" - Luke 24:23
5. Angels worship Jesus.
They point to Jesus, honor Jesus, glorify Jesus, and bow down to Jesus. They praise God and obey God.
- “Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!” - Psalm 103:20
- “Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!” - Psalm 148:2
6. Angels minister to Jesus and to us.
- “Then the devil left him and behold angels came and were ministering to him.” - Matthew 4:11
- "For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways." - Psalm 91:1
7). Angels cannot get in the way of God’s love for us.
“For I am sure that neither death nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 8:38
8. Angels do not have authority over Jesus or us.
“Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!” - Corinthians 6:3
9. Angels rejoice when someone comes to faith in Jesus.
They bear witness to God’s saving work in the world. Angels long to look at the good news of the gospel of Jesus being proclaimed.
- “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” - Luke 15:10
- “It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves, but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.” - 1 Peter 1:12
10. Angels have a choice.
Will they serve God or Evil? They will be judged by God based on their choice. (Satan is described as a fallen angel.)
- “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment.” - Peter 2:4
- “Whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord.” - 2Peter 2:11
- “And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.” - Jude 6
11. The writers of the Bible taught that we might communicate with angels unknowingly.
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” - Hebrews 13: 2
12. We do not become angels when we die, but the Bible says that those of us in Christ Jesus will be with angels in the New Creation.
“And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God.” - Revelation 7:11
Because there is so much we don’t know about the spiritual world, we might accidentally fill in that gap with conjecture and imagination or with stories or myths from movies or books—ideas that are not biblically based. We can search God’s word and find what faithful followers of God, in their day, believed and taught about angels and be encouraged by what we discover.
Photo Credit: Image created using DALL.E 2024 AI technology and subsequently edited and reviewed by our editorial team.
Aubrey Sampson is a pastor, author, speaker, and cohost of the podcast, Nothing is Wasted. She is the author of Big Feeling Days, The Louder Song, Overcomer, and her newest release, Known. Find and follow her @aubsamp on Instagram. Go to aubreysampson.com for more.