Angels

The primary word for angel in Hebrew is malak (מַלְאָךְ, messenger, envoy, representative; related to the verb laak, to send as a representative). The same word is used for human messengers (Genesis 32:3, Jacob sends malakhim to Esau), for the prophet Malachi ("my messenger"), and for divine messenger-beings. Context determines which is meant.

The Greek equivalent is angelos (ἄγγελος, messenger, envoy), the source of the English word "angel." The Septuagint translates malak with angelos. As with malak, angelos can refer to human messengers (Luke 7:24, the messengers of John the Baptist) or divine beings.

The function of the angel is the function of the messenger: to carry the word, presence, and purpose of the sender. Angels in Scripture bring announcements (Luke 1:26-38, Gabriel to Mary), deliver judgments (Acts 12:23, an angel strikes Herod), protect the righteous (Acts 5:19, the angel who opens the prison doors for the apostles), minister in cosmic warfare (Daniel 10:13, Michael fighting the prince of Persia), worship before the throne (Isaiah 6:1-3, the seraphim crying "Holy, holy, holy"), and serve the heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14).

The Hebrew Bible consistently depicts a heavenly assembly (adat-el, the assembly of God; the host of heaven, the sons of God) around YHWH's throne. This is the divine council, the heavenly counterpart to the human assembly, populated by spirit-beings who participate in the divine governance of the cosmos.

Psalm 82:1: "God has taken his place in the divine council (adat-el); in the midst of the gods (elohim, a broad word: God, gods, divine beings, spirit-beings; not all members of the divine council are the same rank as YHWH) he holds judgment." Job 1:6: "Now there was a day when the sons of God (bene ha-elohim, the sons of God, divine beings) came to present themselves before the LORD." 1 Kings 22:19: "I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left."

The angels serve within this hierarchical heavenly government. Paul's list in Colossians 1:16 catalogues the ranks: "thrones, dominions, rulers, authorities", all created in and through and for Christ. Revelation 4 pictures the living creatures and elders around the throne as the heavenly assembly engaged in unceasing worship.

The named categories: seraphim (Isaiah 6, the six-winged throne-attendants who cry the Trisagion), cherubim (Genesis 3:24; Ezekiel 1 and 10, the throne-bearers and Eden-guardians; their wings form the throne of YHWH), and the "living creatures" of Revelation 4, related to the cherubim of Ezekiel but presented in their eschatological fullness.

The "Angel of the LORD" (malak YHWH, מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה) is a specific figure in the Old Testament who is at once identified with YHWH and distinct from him, a figure who represents YHWH so fully that the text alternates between calling him the Angel and calling him YHWH.

Genesis 16:7-13: The Angel of the LORD speaks to Hagar, promises to multiply her offspring, and Hagar calls him "You are a God of seeing" (El Roi, 16:13), she names a divine being. Genesis 22:11-12: The Angel of the LORD calls from heaven to stop Abraham's hand, saying "Do not lay your hand on the boy... for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me" (emphasis: "from me", the Angel speaks as YHWH). Exodus 3:2-6: "The Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush... Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God." The Angel appears; God speaks; Moses hides from God.

The theological interpretation: many Old Testament scholars and early church fathers (Justin Martyr, Origen, Augustine) identified the Angel of the LORD with the pre-incarnate Son, the second person of the Trinity appearing in human-accessible form before the incarnation. The Angel of the LORD does not appear by name after the incarnation in the New Testament, because the Son has now become flesh and dwells among his people directly.

Scripture names only two angels by name in the canonical books: Michael and Gabriel (a third, Raphael, appears in the deuterocanonical Tobit).

Michael (Mikha-el, מִיכָאֵל, "Who is like God?"): the warrior angel, described in Daniel as "one of the chief princes" (Daniel 10:13), "the great prince who stands over your people" (Daniel 12:1), and "the archangel" (Jude 9). In Daniel 10-12, Michael fights the heavenly princes of Persia and Greece, the angelic beings associated with those nations. In Jude 9, Michael contends with the devil over the body of Moses. In Revelation 12:7-9, Michael and his angels fight the dragon and throw him down from heaven.

Gabriel (Gavri-el, גַּבְרִיאֵל, "Man of God" or "God is my warrior"): the announcing angel. In Daniel 8:15-17 and 9:21, Gabriel explains visions to Daniel, specifically the 70-weeks prophecy of Daniel 9 which measures the time to the coming of the Anointed One. In Luke 1, Gabriel announces to Zechariah the birth of John (1:11-20) and to Mary the birth of Jesus (1:26-38): "You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High" (1:31-32). Gabriel is the herald of the Messiah in both testaments.

Hebrews 1 is the New Testament's most sustained argument for Christ's superiority to the angels, addressed to a Jewish-Christian audience that highly venerated angels as the mediators of the Torah (Galatians 3:19, "the law was put in place through angels").

The argument unfolds through seven Old Testament quotations: (1) "You are my Son, today I have begotten you" (Psalm 2:7, sonship is not given to any angel). (2) "I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son" (2 Samuel 7:14, the Davidic covenant applied to Christ, not to any angel). (3) "Let all God's angels worship him" (Deuteronomy 32:43 LXX / Psalm 97:7, the angels worship the Son; they do not receive worship). (4) "He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire" (Psalm 104:4, angels are instruments; the Son is the king). (5) "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever" (Psalm 45:6-7, an angel is never addressed as "God" with a throne that lasts forever). (6) "You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth" (Psalm 102:25-27, the Son created; angels are created). (7) "Sit at my right hand" (Psalm 110:1, no angel is ever invited to the divine right hand).

Hebrews 1:14 concludes: "Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" The angels are genuine and glorious, but they are servants sent to serve the heirs; the Son is the heir of all things (1:2) who serves no one in this sense.

The Sanctum reads angels as the heavenly company, the divine council that worships before the throne, the messengers who carry YHWH's word into history, the warriors who fight in the unseen realm, and the servants who minister to the heirs of salvation. They are real, glorious, and numerous, "myriads of myriads" (Revelation 5:11). And they all bow before the one who is greater than they are.