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
51-0718 §49
You know what I think, friends? I think that here's where this is, in Exodus 13:21: And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud (a pillar of a cloud), to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by night and day: He took not away the pillar of ... cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. And with a reverent, sincere heart, I believe that that's the same Angel of God that led Israel out of Egypt to the promised land in the natural, i...
Questions and Answers, Part 4
64-0830E §32
...cil---or pen. Now, there is an angel, but this angel of the Lord that are encamped about those that fear them---that fears Him, see. Now, it isn't promised that sinners has angels, it's only the redeemed has angels. Did you know that? The angels of the Lord encamp about those that fear Him. Now, angels are messengers. Now, I want you to notice it's so perfect, and it'll prove predestination to you, see.
The Angel of the Lord
51-0414 §11
..., that the Angel Himself would correct me. For I truly believe He was sent from God. Now, you might not be as firm to believe that as I, because I've talked with Him, and I know Him. And if there'd be fifty of them standing here now, I would know Him from the rest of them. I'd know His voice for one thing. I would know His looks for another. And He's a... He's a Man just as I am, and just as much human looking as I or you. And He looks to be a Man in His thirties, I'd say, a strong looking Man, folding His hands. I...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 3:E-99
This portion of Scripture is the revelation of how the literal seed of the serpent was sown in the earth, even as we have the account of Luke 1:26-35, wherein is set forth the exact account of how the Seed of the woman came into physical manifestation apart from the instrumentality of the human male. "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the an...
Obey the voice of the Angel
50-0713 §9
This Word that we have just read, was God sending Moses. Moses was born an odd, peculiar birth. It was just time for the prophetic wheel of God, to cause then it to move up and to have something to come to pass that He'd promised Abraham to take His people out, and He did. God always moves just in time. You believe that? Now, we're at the day; we're in the last days. Just how close to the end, I do not know: no one knows, not even the Angels or the Son of God; the Father, only, knows. But we're in the last days, an...