Tag: angel

Do Angels Have Wings?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 26, 2015

God’s Messengers

I’m not sure if I assumed it or someone taught me, but I always thought seraphim and cherubim were two special classes of angels.

Though seraphim and cherubim aren’t mentioned often in the Bible (2 and 69 verses respectively), angels make a much more frequent appearance, in some 290 places.

In none of those passages does the Bible call angels seraphim or cherubim. (The dictionary labels all three as “celestial beings.”) Although seraphim and cherubim have wings, no verses say that angels do.

Do Angels Fly?

The Bible never says angels fly, though there are some hints they are occasionally airborne, but as supernatural beings, they don’t need wings to go vertical.

Angels are mentioned more times in the New Testament (182 times) than in the Old (108 times), with Revelation giving them the most coverage (77 times), followed by Luke (24 times) and Acts (22 times).

We don’t know if angels have genders or not, but one verse (Judges 13:21) implies that particular angel is masculine, so I refer to angels as “him” rather then “it.”

While we see seraphim as worshiping God and cherubim as hanging out with God in heaven and attesting to his glory, angels serve as God’s messengers to us. They show up unexpectedly, suddenly appearing and then disappearing.

Do Not Be Afraid

Apparently either their arrival or their form is frightening, because they often say, “Do not be afraid.”

If an angel ever visited me, I wonder if I’d shrink back in fear. I’d like to say I wouldn’t, but I suspect I would.

Regardless of how I react, I will want to listen carefully to what the angel tells me, receiving it as a word from God.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Judges 13-15 and today’s post is on Judges 13:21. See 290 verses that mention angels.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

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Tags angel, glory, heaven, supernatural

Bible Insights

Cryptic References in the Book of Jude

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 2, 2011

The short book of Jude, contains many examples to illuminate the main theme of his letter (concerning ungodly people in the church). However, some of these illustrations fail to accomplish that goal for us in our world today.

They are more cryptic than clarifying.

The first is in verse 9, where Jude talks about the archangel Michael having a disagreement with the devil about Moses’ body.

Now we may be familiar with the angel Michael. He is mentioned in the book of Daniel and Revelation, but there is no mention in the Bible about him and Satan verbally sparring about Moses.

This verse is actually a reference to an ancient, non-biblical text, called “The Assumption of Moses.”

Similarly, in verse 14, Jude mentions a prophecy of Enoch. We also know of Enoch from the book of Genesis, but there is no mention of him ever prophesying.

Again, this is a reference to an ancient non-biblical text, “The Book of Enoch.”

Jude was comfortable using examples from these two books because they would have been common knowledge to the people he was writing to.

As such, these familiar references would have helped readers, in that day, better comprehend the points he was making.

That is not to imply that these non-biblical books need to be elevated to the same level as the Bible or used as a viable source for forming our theology.

There were merely communication tools, along the lines of Paul, in his letter to Titus, citing a local poet’s disparaging remarks about his own people of Crete.

While all these references may be confusing to us now, they were clarifying back then.

[Jude 1:9, “Michael” references, Revelation 12:7, Jude 1:14-15, “Enoch” references, Titus 1:12]

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Tags angel, Jude, Moses

Bible Insights

The Error of the Sadducees

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2011

In The Error of the Sadducees and Pharisees, it was noted that the Sadducees’s error was taking away from the Bible, dismissing or ignoring certain sections.

Paul notes that the Sadducees did not believe in resurrection, angels, and spirits, even though all are addressed in the Old Testament.

In order to challenge or trick Jesus, the Sadducees smugly present him with a hypothetical situation. Jesus pointedly tells them they are in error because they do not know the Bible.

He then corrects their errant thinking, amazing the crowd and silencing his critics.

Few followers of Jesus would admit to ignoring parts of the Bible or dismissing sections as irrelevant, but it is actually a common occurrence.

When we read the Bible, it is naturally all too easy to focus on the parts we like and understand, while quickly skimming or even skipping the confusing and confounding passages.

As a result, our understanding of God is diminished in the process.

It is the error of the Sadducees.

[Acts 23:8, Mark 12:18-27, also in Luke 20:27-40 and Matthew 22:23-33]

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Tags angel, Jesus, Paul, Pharisee, Sadducee

Bible Insights

God Thinks Highly of Us

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 22, 2011

Are You Highly Esteemed?

Do you ever wonder what God thinks of you? Unfortunately, I suspect that most people who consider such a question reach the wrong conclusion.

But what if an angel were to show up and provide a supernatural perspective about you?

It’s happened:

An angel tells Daniel that he is “highly esteemed.” This doesn’t just happen once, but is said three times on two different occasions. As a result of being highly esteemed, great insight about the future is revealed to Daniel.

A few centuries later, an angel tells a young girl that she is “highly favored.” Her name is Mary. As a result of being highly favored, Jesus is born and the world is forever changed.

Although we can’t earn our salvation, we apparently can be esteemed and favored by God for our actions and dedication; implicitly, the opposite must also be true.

While we may never have an angel visit us to say what God thinks of us, the Bible does reveal this truth. But to find out, you can’t read it as a legal document or an instruction manual.

Embrace the Bible as a narrative, God’s narrative to you.

[Daniel 9:23 and 10:11&19, Luke 1:28]

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Tags angel, Daniel, Jesus, supernatural

Bible Insights

Jesus Was Homeless

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date December 15, 2009

In this Christmas season our thoughts turn more intentionally and more frequently to Jesus, the reason for this annual celebration.

In consideration of the first Christmas, my thoughts are warm and cozy, happy and joyous, and idyllic and serene, with angels singing, kings bearing gifts, and happily contented shepherds shepherding.

This is all true, but one reality is often overlooked.

Jesus was homeless.

Jesus was born in someone else’s barn, amid unsanitary conditions and with the stench of animal feces permeating the air. It seems unholy and unworthy, but that’s how it was.

Not only was Jesus born homeless, his early childhood was homeless as well, living an intenerate life as his parents fled to Egypt to save him from a premature execution.

Even when it was safe to return, they did not go to their hometown, but instead settled in Nazareth.

His ministry has also marked by homelessness, traveling from place to place with no home or a “place to lay his head.” So it was when he was arrested, tried, and executed: homeless.

With this in mind, wouldn’t Christmas be a great time to do something in memory of him for the homeless?

[Luke 2:1-20, Matthew 2:1-23, Luke 9:58]

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Tags angel, homeless, Jesus

Bible Insights

Here I Am

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 25, 2009

Lessons from Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus

A reoccurring statement in the Bible is “Here I am.”

This was often said to God when he calls out or speaks to one of his children.

Twice, when God called to Abraham, Abraham responded with,“Here I am.” [Genesis 21:1 and 22:11]
Abraham’s grandson Jacob had similar experiences.Once an angel came to Jacob in a dream (on God’s behalf) and another time God spoke to Jacob in a vision at night. Both times Jacob replied by saying, “Here I am.” [Genesis 31:11 and 46:2]
Some 400 hundred years later, God spoke from the midst of a burning bush and Moses said, “Here I am.” [Exodus 3:4]

Abraham, Jacob, and Moses were all expectantly ready to listen to God.We need to do the same.

Later Jesus said, “Here I am” in obedience to do the will of his father. [Hebrews 10:7-9, which is quoting the prophetic text in Psalm 40:7.]

Lastly, this phrase is spoken to us by Jesus. He says,

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” [Revelation 3:20]

Jesus is saying that he is ready for us; he is waiting; all we need to do is open the door for him.

Read more in Peter’s devotional Bible study, A New Heaven and a New Earth: 40 Practical Insights from John’s Book of Revelation.

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Tags Abraham, angel, Jacob, Jesus, Moses

Bible Insights

The Art of Entertaining Angels

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 7, 2009

As followers of Jesus, we are encouraged to be generous and giving. Hospitality is part of that. Sometimes when we show kindness to others, we will never know the affect of our actions.

As an encouragement in being generous and giving, Paul writes, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”

This is an interesting thought. Of course, we would never know if it were to happen.

However, the Bible provides a story that confirms this idea of serving angels. Three men come to visit Abraham. He offers them food and respite.

Somehow he realizes that one of them is God (likely Jesus), but it is not until later that we learn the other two are angels.

No indication is given that Abraham ever comprehends the true identity of the other two visitors.

The two men (angels) leave, going on to Sodom to visit Abraham’s nephew, Lot. He, likewise, offers generous hospitality to them, even to the point of begging. There is no hint that Lot ever realizes the men are angels, either.

Even so, they save Lot twice, first from the men of the town and later from the destruction of Sodom.

Certainly we should be diligent in entertaining strangers—we’ll never know what might happen.

[Hebrews 13:2, Genesis 18-19]

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Tags Abraham, angel, Jesus, Paul

Bible Insights

An Example of Obedience in the Life of Joseph

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 21, 2008

An Example of Obedience in the Life of Joseph

Four times, Joseph received instructions from God:

1. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and instructed him to go ahead and marry Mary (Matthew 1:20).

2. Later, an angel spoke to Joseph in a dream, warning him of the threat on Jesus’ life and instructing him to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-14).

3. A third time, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him it was safe to return from Egypt (Matthew 2:19-20).

4. Lastly, Joseph received additional instruction in a dream to go to Galilee and not Judea (Matthew 2:22).

Each of the times God spoke to Joseph, he obeyed without question or delay:

He married Mary, as instructed,
he got up and left for Egypt in the middle of the night,
he later returned to Israel, and
he settled in Galilee.

God can speak to us in various ways: by a dream, vision, or even angels, through the Bible or others, or the Holy Spirit.

However we may hear from God, there is but one acceptable response: to obey without question or delay, just as Joseph did.

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Tags angel, Egypt, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Joseph, Mary