Wendy
What is The Description of Angels In the Bible? When we talk about angels, we usually imagine beings that look like humans but are glowing and wearing white clothes. They have halos and large wings. They may also be cherubs in the form of cute babies with halos and wings. We grew up believing that God sends angels to watch over and protect us. But are our beliefs accurate? What does the Bible say about angels?
Description of Angels According to the Bible
The Bible mentions angels over three hundred times. Angels are spiritual beings who can take on any form they want, including humans. In fact, according to Hebrews 13:2, we may even be in the company of angels without realizing it. “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing; some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
There are also instances wherein angels take on bizarre forms, such as the one mentioned in Ezekiel 1:5-11. The prophet described angels as having the likeness of a man but having four faces: a man, an ox on the left side, a lion on the right side, and an eagle.
In Ezekiel 10:12, angels were also described in an odd manner. “Their entire bodies, including their backs, hands, and wings, were full of eyes, as were their four wheels.”
Angels are also known to fight spiritual battles. So, it is unsurprising that the Bible describes them as armed creatures. Numbers 22:23 tells us, “When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.”
It is common for angels to be wielding swords in the Bible. After all, they are guardian angels. For example, Genesis 3:24 tells us, “After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”
Cheribums and Angels
Cheribums are creatures that have four faces. According to Ezekiel 1:15-16, they seemed to be made like a wheel that intersects a wheel. “As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel.”
Seraphim are angelic beings with six wings. Two of these wings cover their eyes because they cannot directly stare at the holiness of God. Isaiah 6:1-8 describes them as beings with six wings that fly around the Throne of God”.
In Isaiah 6:1-3, we read, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings, they covered their faces; with two, they covered their feet; and with two, they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
Scripture associates angels with fire. This angelic fire consumed the sacrifices mentioned in Judges 6 and 13. Moreover, the prophets Daniel and Ezekiel described angels as beings with fiery features.
In Ezekiel 1:13, we read, “The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it.”
Similarly, we read in Daniel 10:4-6 “On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.”
The Book of Revelation also tells us about angels. For example, John wrote in Revelation 14:18 about his vision of an angel who had power over fire. “Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine because its grapes are ripe.”
Fire is a tool of God. So, angels are associated with it. Hebrews 12:29 proves this. It says, “for our “God is a consuming fire.” Scripture mentions God using fire and smoke to communicate with us. According to Exodus 19:18, “Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed from it like a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently.”
Also, according to 2 Thessalonians 1:7, “and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.”
The Roles of Angels in The Bible
Angels are ministers, messengers, worshippers, and warriors. They are ministering spirits that give us comfort. They communicate the law of God to us. They live in God’s presence and worship Him at all times. Finally, they are spiritual warriors who guide and lead us to victory.
God created angels to be with us. According to Psalm 91:11-12 “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”
Angels are everywhere. We may not see them physically, but we can feel them spiritually. God creates them to help and guide us. Since they can take on many forms, we should be kind to every person we interact with. After all, that person might be an angel in disguise.
If You Are Wishing For More Details On Angels…
The Bible does not give a lot of details on angels, hell, demons, satan and many other topics. At least not as much as many of us would want. One of the things that has helped me is remembering that the Bible is about God’s redemption story of his people. The whole book, from front to end is, points to the climax in his son Jesus Christ. Everything else are details meant to support that story. It’s easy to get caught in details on angels, but the Bible is not about Angels themselves.
