What Can We Know About Angels?
1) Direct Answer
We can know this: angels are created, holy spirits who serve the one true God and carry His messages and works to men. They are not to be prayed to or worshiped. They minister to the heirs of salvation, protect, deliver messages, execute judgments, and will be involved in end-time gathering. Some fell with Satan and are reserved for judgment. Believers will not become angels; in Christ we are placed higher, and we shall judge angels.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Created by God, innumerable:
- Colossians 1:16; Psalm 148:2,5; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 5:11.
- Nature and duty:
- “Ministering spirits” (Hebrews 1:14); “He makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire” (Hebrews 1:7; Psalm 104:4); they “excel in strength” and “do His commandments” (Psalm 103:20).
- Not objects of worship:
- Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9; Colossians 2:18.
- Messengers and guides:
- Gabriel to Daniel (Daniel 9:21-23) and to Mary (Luke 1:26-38); an angel directed Philip (Acts 8:26), spoke to Cornelius (Acts 10:3-6), stood by Paul (Acts 27:23-24).
- Protection and deliverance:
- “The angel of the LORD encamps round about them that fear Him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7); “He shall give His angels charge over thee” (Psalm 91:11); Daniel 6:22; Acts 12:7-11.
- Strengthening God’s servants:
- Matthew 4:11; Luke 22:43.
- Appearances:
- They may appear as men (Genesis 18–19; Judges 13); “some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2).
- Order and ranks:
- Michael the archangel (Jude 9; Revelation 12:7); “principalities and powers” (Colossians 1:16; Ephesians 3:10).
- The Angel of the LORD:
- Speaks as God and bears His Name (Exodus 3:2-6; Exodus 23:20-21; Judges 13:18-22). God revealing Himself by a messenger form.
- What they know and don’t know:
- They rejoice over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10); they desire to look into the things of the Gospel (1 Peter 1:12).
- Marriage and nature:
- They “neither marry” (Matthew 22:30). Saints do not become angels but are “equal unto the angels” in not marrying and not dying (Luke 20:36).
- Fallen angels and deception:
- Satan has angels (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:7-9). Some angels sinned (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). Satan can appear as an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
- Testing any message:
- Even if an angel preached another gospel, reject it (Galatians 1:8). “Try the spirits” (1 John 4:1).
- Angels in the end time:
- They will gather the elect (Matthew 24:31) and separate (Matthew 13:39-49). The Lord descends “with the voice of the archangel” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
- Believers’ position:
- In Christ we will “judge angels” (1 Corinthians 6:3). Jesus is far above angels, and angels worship Him (Hebrews 1:4-8).
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- If angels were to be worshiped, they would accept it; instead, they refuse and point us to God—so worship God alone.
- If an angel’s message ever disagrees with the written Word, it is not from God; God does not contradict Himself.
- Angels serve; the Holy Spirit leads. We pray to the Father in the Name of Jesus, and God may send angels as His servants.
- People do not become angels. Angels are one order of God’s creation; redeemed men and women are another, brought into sonship by Jesus Christ and set to judge angels.
4) Short Reinforcing Statement
Now notice, angels are real, present, and active—but always under God’s command and always in harmony with the Bible. Respect their ministry, refuse their worship, test all things by the Word, and keep your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whom angels themselves adore.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Believest thou this?
51-0506A §42
...f God. I can see him draw His sword and say, "Master, look down there. One more step and death's right before them! Have You considered them?" "Yes." "Let me go down there; we'll see who's boss when we get down there." I believe He could've done it, don't you? I can hear Him say, "Michael, you have obeyed Me since the day that I created you, but I can't let you go because I'm going Myself. This is a Man-sized job." My, my. I can see Him rise up from His seat; His robes drop 'round Him; walk out there and say... Way...
Questions and Answers
59-1223 §75
A angel is a servant. We're sons and daughters. Which is the most thought of, your servant or your son or daughter? Oh, my! Prayer from a saint will go a million times higher than an angel (yes, sir!), because he's a son. Oh, that's right, my brother, sister. You don't ... the church... I don't believe this side of eternity how we will ever realize that what you are, the position that you are, that God has placed you, you Spirit-filled people. You are sons of God. Why, angel is a servant. You're a son! An angel can...
Believest thou this?
51-0506A §34
...fore the coming. He sent a man by the name of John the Baptist. He was a great forerunner of Jesus. God always sends a forerunning before some great event. Whenever you see angels will come to the earth... For instance, maybe the Angel that deals with God's humble servant here. That's a minor, no doubt, Angel of healing, or something. Or the Spirit of some great something that's here, one of God's attributes. I do not know who He is. But when you hear of Gabriel coming to the earth, something's going to happen then...
Questions and Answers on Hebrews, part 3
57-1006 §31
Now, the souls that were in prison (that repented not), were not angelic beings that had been brought down in the form of angels, but it was the spirits of those angelic beings that fell before the foundation of the world, back there when the war went on in heaven. And Satan and the dragon fought ... or Michael and the dragon fought (and Lucifer). And Lucifer was cast out with all of his children (all of the angels that he had deceived), and those angels come to the earth and was subject then to become human. And w...
Influence
63-0803E §38
I wonder, my brother, I wonder, my sister, if we'll look at that, when holy angels have to cover their face to stand in the presence of God in reverence and in respect. But today, we find people---who call themselves Christians, even---has no respect at all for God, or His Word, or His people, or His ministry, or nothing. Where are they going to come up at in the resurrection? The Bible said, "If the righteous scarcely be saved, where will the sinner and the ungodly ever appear?" And when seraphims---the highest or...