Their Origin, Order and Ministry
Adam and Eve were not the first of God’s creature to sin. In the Word of God, we find that God accuses some angels of:
1. Folly; Job 4:18, Behold, He put no trust in His servants; and His angels He charged with folly.
2. Sin; 2 Peter 2:4, For God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement.
3. Leaving their first habitation; Jude 6, And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day.
4. Following Satan, Revelation 2:8,9, And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things sayeth the first and the last, which was dead and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
The faithful angels did continue to serve God, have remained obedient to the will of God, and whose estate is the same as the day they were created by an all-wise, omnipotent God. The other classes of angels – those who kept not their first estate and those who followed Satan in his rebellion – are not included in this next section. They were dealt with in the opening paragraph.
A. Angels are created beings whose creation antedated the creation of planet earth. Job 38:7; Colossians 1:16; Nehemiah 9:6, Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, and the seas, all that is therein, and Thou preservest them all; and the host of Heaven worshippeth Thee.
B. Angels are mighty but not almighty, Jude 9; Isaiah 37:36; Daniel 10:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:7, And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels,
C. Angels have great knowledge but are not omniscient. 1 Peter 3:22, Who is gone into Heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject to Him.
D. Angels are innumerable Matthew 25:31; Hebrews 12:22, But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.
E. Angels differ in the purpose of their creation and rank.
1. Cherubim Exodus 25:18-22; Genesis 3:24, …Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. They have two pairs of wings but one face.
2. Seraphim Isaiah 6:2, Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. They had three pairs of wings but one face.
3. Archangel Michael; Daniel 12:1; 10:13; Jude 9, Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. He has a ministry to God’s covenant people.
4. Angel Gabriel Luke 1 :26; Daniel 9:21-22, Yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. He was a special messenger of things to come.
5. Angels. They are ministering spirits in relation to man. They serve God; Daniel 9:21; Luke 1 :26; Christ in the garden of Mount of Olives was in agony when we read in Luke 22:43, And there appeared an angel unto Him from Heaven, strengthening Him. They serve the saints. Matthew 18:10, Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in Heaven. (Hebrews 1:4; Acts 10:3; 8:26, 29)
F. The Angel of the Lord Exodus 23:20-21, Behold I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him and obey His voice, provoke him not for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in him.
Angels are not to be worshipped but recognized as ministering spirits, created by God.