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.
The Angel of the Lord
53-0604 §45
Now, here stands a woman. I've never seen her in my life. I know nothing about her; God knows that. You know me, lady? You don't know nothing about me. We're perfect strangers. I don't know her. Now, she just happens to be one standing here, close. Now, God might not say one word to the woman; I don't know. But maybe He will; I don't know. But I can only say what He tells me to say. And then if ... when He... And if He doesn't say anything, I'll just have to say ... well, I'll offer prayer for her, and let her pass...
Seals 10: The Seventh Seal
63-0324E §130
Did you notice when the Jews asked Him that? You know when we compared the scripture here with Matthew 24 with the six seals, the seventh seal was left out, because, you see, Christ said only God Himself knowed---not even the angels. No wonder, it wasn't even written. You see, they hushed. Nothing taken place then. Angels don't know it. Nobody knows when He's coming. But there'll be a... There'll be seven voices of these thunders that will reveal the great revelation at that time. So, I believe, to us who ... if we...
Balm in Gilead
61-0218 §8
...y nice. I suppose it was wrote up by Brother Tommy Hicks. That made a change in me. I was always afraid of death. I thought I would... I didn't want to be a spirit. I never knowed nothing. That's the reason that the angel of the Lord who speaks to me I know is of God, because at first place, if He'd tell me one thing that wasn't God's Word, I would not believe it. No, sir. I don't care what it is, it's got to be God's Word, see. There's all kinds of angels, you know. We know that. But Paul said, "If an angel come a...
Believest thou this?
50-0115 §23
And God, when He sends a great something to the earth, He announces it by angels. We realize that. The birth of Jesus and all down was announced by angel. Now, minor angels will come. Say for instance, the One that come visit me, a minor angel. But when you see Gabriel come down, something major on the road. Gabriel announced the first coming of Jesus; He will announce the second coming of Jesus. He will sound the trumpet, the dead in Christ shall rise. Gabriel, the great Archangel of God...
Speak to this mountain
59-1123 §14
...ould not preach the subject of hell, because one place it looked like it was a burning fire, the next place was the grave. Until I found the truth of it. Then when I got to know exactly what it was, and by the help of the angel of the Lord that revealed it to me, because I did not get any schooling, and I just hold on to a scripture and pray and search the Scriptures until He comes and reveals it to me. When He stands before me in that light that you see on the picture, and reveals it, it every time is perfect with...