Question 1

Are angels real?

Accepted Answer

Ezekiel 10:20-22These were the same living beings I had seen beneath the God of Israel when I was by the Kebar River. I knew they were cherubim, for each had four faces and four wings and what looked like human hands under their wings. And their faces were just like the faces of the beings I had seen at the Kebar, and they traveled straight ahead, just as the others had.Psalm 103:20Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands.Colossians 1:16Through him [Christ] God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.Hebrews 1:7Regarding the angels, he says, “He sends his angels like the winds, his servants like flames of fire.”Hebrews 12:22No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering.Revelation 4:6-9, 11In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” . . . “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”Yes, angels are real. Angels are supernatural celestial beings who serve as God’s messengers. Like humans, they were created by God. Many people in the Old and New Testaments personally experienced their presence.Genesis 18:2He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.Genesis 19:1That evening the two angels came to the entrance of the city of Sodom. Lot was sitting there, and when he saw them, he stood up to meet them. Then he welcomed them and bowed with his face to the ground.Genesis 32:1As Jacob started on his way again, angels of God came to meet him.Exodus 14:19Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them.Numbers 22:31Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.Judges 13:3, 9-11The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son.” . . . God answered Manoah’s prayer, and the angel of God appeared once again to his wife as she was sitting in the field. But her husband, Manoah, was not with her. So she quickly ran and told her husband, “The man who appeared to me the other day is here again!” Manoah ran back with his wife and asked, “Are you the man who spoke to my wife the other day?” “Yes,” he replied, “I am.”2 Samuel 24:17When David saw the angel, he said to the Lord, “I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep—what have they done? Let your anger fall against me and my family.”1 Kings 19:5, 7Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” . . . Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”2 Kings 6:17Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.1 Chronicles 21:20Araunah, who was busy threshing wheat at the time, turned and saw the angel there. His four sons, who were with him, ran away and hid.Daniel 6:22My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.Daniel 8:15-16As I, Daniel, was trying to understand the meaning of this vision, someone who looked like a man stood in front of me. And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision.”Daniel 9:21-22As I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came swiftly to me at the time of the evening sacrifice. He explained to me, “Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding.”Hosea 12:4Yes, he wrestled with the angel and won. He wept and pleaded for a blessing from him. There at Bethel he met God face to face, and God spoke to him.Zechariah 2:3Then the angel who was with me went to meet a second angel who was coming toward him.Matthew 1:20As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.”Matthew 2:13, 19After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” . . . When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.Matthew 28:2-4Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.Matthew 28:5-6Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.”Mark 16:5When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked.Luke 1:11While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar.Luke 1:28, 30Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” . . . “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!”Luke 2:9-10Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.”Luke 24:4As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.John 20:11-12Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying.Acts 1:10As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them.Acts 5:19An angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out.Acts 7:30, 38Forty years later, in the desert near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush . . . Moses was with our ancestors, the assembly of God’s people in the wilderness, when the angel spoke to him at Mount Sinai. And there Moses received life-giving words to pass on to us.Acts 8:26As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”Acts 10:3, 30One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said . . . Cornelius replied, “Four days ago I was praying in my house about this same time, three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, a man in dazzling clothes was standing in front of me.”Acts 12:7Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.Acts 27:23-24“Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’”Revelation 1:1This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John, who faithfully reported everything he saw.People throughout the Bible experienced the presence of angels. The witnesses include Abraham, Lot, Jacob, Moses, the Israelites, Balaam, Manoah and his wife, David, Araunah, Elijah, Elisha and his servant, Daniel, the Prophet Zechariah, the Priest Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, guards at the Jesus’ tomb, the disciples, Peter, John, Philip, Cornelius, and Paul.

Question 2

How do angels compare with humans?

Accepted Answer

Nehemiah 9:6You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.Psalm 148:2, 5Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all the armies of heaven! . . . Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for he issued his command, and they came into being.Colossians 1:15-16Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.Both humans and angels are created by God.Revelation 22:8-9I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. But he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!”Both humans and angels are created to serve God.Philippians 2:9-11Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.Revelation 5:11-12Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”A primary function of both humans and angels is to worship God.Job 2:1-2One day the members of the heavenly court came again to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”Both humans and angels are accountable to God.2 Samuel 14:17, 20I know that you are like an angel of God in discerning good from evil. May the Lord your God be with you.” . . . He did it to place the matter before you in a different light. But you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us!”Ephesians 3:10God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.Both humans and angels are intelligent beings.Job 38:7“All the angels shouted for joy.”Luke 2:13Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God.Luke 15:10In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.Both humans and angels have emotions.Romans 14:10, 12So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. . . . Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.1 Corinthians 6:3Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life.2 Peter 2:4God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.Both humans and angels are created with free will; therefore, both are imperfect. Both humans and angels are accountable to God and are subject to judgment.Joshua 5:13-15When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?” “Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the Lord’s army.” At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. “I am at your command,” Joshua said. “What do you want your servant to do?” The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did as he was told.Ezekiel 1:5From the center of the cloud came four living beings that looked human, except that each had four faces and four wings.Daniel 8:15-16As I, Daniel, was trying to understand the meaning of this vision, someone who looked like a man stood in front of me. And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision.”Angels have some human characteristics and can even appear fully human.Psalm 8:4What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?Luke 20:36“And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.”Humans are mortal; angels are immortal.Numbers 22:31Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.2 Kings 6:16-17“Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.Luke 2:9Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified.Angels can be visible or invisible.2 Peter 2:10-11These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at supernatural beings without so much as trembling. But the angels, who are far greater in power and strength, do not dare to bring from the Lord a charge of blasphemy against those supernatural beings.Angels are stronger and more powerful than humans.Matthew 22:30“For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.”Relationships between angels differ from earthly relationships between humans.Luke 19:10“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”Hebrews 2:16We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham.Jesus came to redeem human beings.

Question 3

What do angels do?

Accepted Answer

Nehemiah 9:6“You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.”Psalm 89:5-7All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord; myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness. For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord? What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord? The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God. He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.Psalm 148:1-2Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens! Praise him from the skies! Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all the armies of heaven!Revelation 5:11-14Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.Revelation 7:11-12All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. They sang, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.”Angels worship and praise God.Matthew 4:11Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.Matthew 26:53Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?Mark 1:12-13The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.Luke 22:43Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.Angels ministered to Jesus while he was on earth.Genesis 3:24After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.Zechariah 1:10-11The rider standing among the myrtle trees then explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent out to patrol the earth.” Then the other riders reported to the angel of the Lord, who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have been patrolling the earth, and the whole earth is at peace.”Matthew 28:1-4Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.Mark 13:27“And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.”Angels complete special missions on earth as assigned by God.Genesis 18:2He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.Judges 6:11-12Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”Judges 13:13-14The angel of the Lord replied, “Be sure your wife follows the instructions I gave her. She must not eat grapes or raisins, drink wine or any other alcoholic drink, or eat any forbidden food.”Matthew 1:20-21As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”Matthew 28:5-7Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”Luke 1:11-13, 18-20, 26-28While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.” . . . Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” . . . In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”Luke 2:9-11Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”John 20:11-13Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”Acts 1:9-11After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”Acts 11:13He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, “Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter.”Acts 27:22-25“But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said.”Hebrews 1:7Regarding the angels, he says, “He sends his angels like the winds, his servants like flames of fire.”Revelation 1:1-2This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John, who faithfully reported everything he saw. This is his report of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.Revelation 19:9The angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.”Revelation 22:6, 16Then the angel said to me, “Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true. The Lord God, who inspires his prophets, has sent his angel to tell his servants what will happen soon.” . . . “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message.”Angels are God’s messengers, who at times communicate his messages to specific individuals.2 Kings 6:16-18“Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. As the Aramean army advanced toward him, Elisha prayed, “O Lord, please make them blind.” So the Lord struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked.2 Chronicles 18:18Then Micaiah continued, “Listen to what the Lord says! I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left.”2 Chronicles 32:21The Lord sent an angel who destroyed the Assyrian army with all its commanders and officers. So Sennacherib was forced to return home in disgrace to his own land. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons killed him there with a sword.Angels are God’s warriors. God’s angels are in constant battle against Satan’s angels. God’s angels are stronger than Satan’s angels and will one day defeat them all when God says it is time.Genesis 19:10-11The two angels reached out, pulled Lot into the house, and bolted the door. Then they blinded all the men, young and old, who were at the door of the house, so they gave up trying to get inside.Daniel 6:22“My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”Acts 5:19-20An angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”Acts 12:7-10Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered. So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him.God uses angels to deliver and rescue his people.Exodus 14:19Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them.Exodus 23:20See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you.Exodus 32:34Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about. Look! My angel will lead the way before you. And when I come to call the people to account, I will certainly hold them responsible for their sins.Acts 8:26As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”Acts 10:5-6“Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.”God uses angels to give his people guidance and direction.Genesis 16:7The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur.Daniel 10:19“Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”Acts 10:3-4One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said. Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel. And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering!”Angels offer encouragement.Acts 7:53You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.Galatians 3:19Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people.Angels can convey God’s laws to people.Genesis 19:13, 24-25“For we are about to destroy this city completely. The outcry against this place is so great it has reached the Lord, and he has sent us to destroy it.” . . . Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation.Exodus 12:23“For the Lord will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptians. But when he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the Lord will pass over your home. He will not permit his death angel to enter your house and strike you down.”2 Kings 19:35That night the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere.1 Chronicles 21:15-16God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But just as the angel was preparing to destroy it, the Lord relented and said to the death angel, “Stop! That is enough!” At that moment the angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth with his sword drawn, reaching out over Jerusalem. So David and the leaders of Israel put on burlap to show their deep distress and fell face down on the ground.Psalm 78:49He [the Lord] loosed on them his fierce anger—all his fury, rage, and hostility. He dispatched against them a band of destroying angels.Matthew 13:37-41Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels. Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.”Acts 12:23Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.1 Corinthians 10:10Don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death.Revelation 15:1Then I saw in heaven another marvelous event of great significance. Seven angels were holding the seven last plagues, which would bring God’s wrath to completion.Angels execute God’s judgment.Psalm 103:20-21Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will!Matthew 6:10“May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”Angels help to carry out God’s will.

Question 4

Do I have a guardian angel?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 24:7, 40“The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and my native land, solemnly promised to give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a wife there for my son.” . . . He responded, “The Lord, in whose presence I have lived, will send his angel with you and will make your mission successful.”Genesis 48:16“The Angel who has redeemed me from all harm—may he bless these boys. May they preserve my name and the names of Abraham and Isaac. And may their descendants multiply greatly throughout the earth.”Exodus 23:20-23“See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you. Pay close attention to him, and obey his instructions. Do not rebel against him, for he is my representative, and he will not forgive your rebellion. But if you are careful to obey him, following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will oppose those who oppose you. For my angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, so you may live there.”1 Kings 19:5-8Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.Psalm 34:7The angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.Psalm 91:11-12He [the Lord] will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.Daniel 3:28Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”Daniel 6:22“My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”Matthew 18:10“Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.”Acts 12:7, 11Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. . . . Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!”Hebrews 1:14Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.The Bible does not say whether a specific angel is assigned to each believer. It does say that God uses his angels to counsel, guide, protect, minister to, rescue, fight for, and care for his people. Whether God uses one angel specifically assigned to each individual or whether he uses his host of angels whenever and wherever necessary is his choice and our blessing. Chances are that angels have played a greater role in our lives than we may realize.

Question 5

Do evil angels exist? If so, can they harm us?

Accepted Answer

Ephesians 6:12We are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.James 2:19You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.Evil angels do exist, and they know about and fear God. Such angels are usually called “evil spirits” or “demons.”John 8:44“For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”2 Peter 2:4God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.1 John 3:8When people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.Angels were created by God and given a will. Amazingly, after tasting heaven, some chose to rebel against God and follow Satan.Job 15:15“Look, God does not even trust the angels. Even the heavens are not absolutely pure in his sight.”Matthew 25:41“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.’”John 12:31“The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.”John 16:11“Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.”Revelation 12:7-9Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.Revelation 20:10Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.God has judged and condemned the devil, his angels (called demons), and all their followers to eternity in Hell.Matthew 10:8“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!”Luke 10:18-19“Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.”Romans 16:20The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.Ephesians 1:19-21I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.Ephesians 6:10-13A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.Colossians 2:15In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.James 4:7So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.Christians have authority and victory over Satan and his angels because of the victorious death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.