What Are Angels?

Jesus said that the little ones have angels in heaven who “always see the face of My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 18:10). So what are angels? The Bible tells us a lot about them.

Made by God. Angels are not God, and they have not always existed. God created everything in heaven and on earth, the things we can see and the things we cannot see (Colossians 1:16). That includes the angels.

Spirits who serve. The Bible calls angels ministering spirits, sent out to serve (Hebrews 1:14). A spirit does not have a body like ours. Sometimes God let people see angels, as when an angel came to Mary and to the shepherds.

More than we can count. Hebrews speaks of “an innumerable company of angels” (Hebrews 12:22). Innumerable means too many to count.

Not people who died. The next verse speaks separately of “the spirits of just men made perfect” (Hebrews 12:23). People who die do not turn into angels. Angels are a different kind of creature.

Before God's face. When the angel Gabriel came to Zacharias, he said, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God” (Luke 1:19). Angels serve right before the Father, just as Jesus said in Matthew 18:10.

They worship. On the night Jesus was born, a great crowd of angels appeared, “praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest’” (Luke 2:13-14).

They obey. A psalm calls on the angels to bless the Lord. They are mighty, and they do His word and listen to His voice (Psalm 103:20).

Never worshiped. Once the apostle John fell down to worship at the feet of an angel. The angel told him not to do it, because he was only a fellow servant, and said to worship God (Revelation 22:8-9). We never pray to angels or worship them. We worship God alone.

Jesus is far greater. Jesus is not an angel. He is God's Son, much better than the angels, and God commands all His angels to worship Him (Hebrews 1:4-6).

Lower than the angels. Yet for a little while Jesus was made lower than the angels, so that by God's grace He could die for everyone (Hebrews 2:9). The Lord of the angels became a man and died on the cross for our sins.

Good news from angels. An angel told the shepherds, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people” (Luke 2:10). At the empty tomb an angel said, “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said” (Matthew 28:6).

What to do. The angels spend their days worshiping God, and you can join them. Thank God today for making the angels, and worship Jesus, the One the angels worship.

Angels worship God in heaven. The Bible also shows God sending His angels to help His people on earth.

Sent to serve. Hebrews says angels are sent out to serve the people who will receive God's salvation (Hebrews 1:14). God uses them to care for His children.

Around God's people. A psalm says the angel of the Lord camps all around those who fear Him and rescues them (Psalm 34:7). Another psalm says, “For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11).

Daniel and the lions. Daniel was thrown into a den of lions because he prayed to God. The next morning he said that God had sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths (Daniel 6:22).

In a storm at sea. When Paul's ship was caught in a terrible storm, an angel of God stood by him at night. The angel told him not to be afraid, and God brought everyone on the ship safely to land (Acts 27:23-24, 44).

Peter set free. Later King Herod put Peter in prison. An angel woke Peter up, his chains fell off, and the angel led him out past the guards (Acts 12:6-10). Peter said that the Lord had sent His angel to rescue him (Acts 12:11).

At the prayer meeting. Peter went to a house where believers were praying for him. When a servant girl said Peter was at the gate, they thought at first it must be his angel (Acts 12:12-15). Many Christians call this kind of angel a guardian angel.

Sent ahead. When Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac, he said, “He will send His angel before you” (Genesis 24:7). God guided the servant all the way to Rebekah.

God is the One who keeps us. Angels do not act on their own. They do God's word. We do not call on angels for help. We pray to God, and He takes care of us in whatever way He chooses.

When hard things happen. God's people still have hard and sad days, and God does not always show us how He is helping. But nothing can separate us from His love, not even angels or anything else He made (Romans 8:38-39).

The greatest Helper. Angels can carry messages and help God's people, but no angel could take away our sin. Only Jesus could do that. He died on the cross in our place and rose again, so that everyone who trusts Him belongs to God forever.

What to do. When you are afraid, pray to your Father in heaven. Remember that He sees you and cares for you. Thank Him for every way He watches over you, even the ways you cannot see.