Photo by Lukas Meier on Unsplash
I will review demons, Nephilim, and giants in a future article. I expand on these in several books I have written.1“What Does the Bible say about Angels? A Styled Angelology,” “What Does the Bible say about Demons? A Styled Demonology,” “What Does the Bible say about Giants and Nephilim? A Styled Giantology and Nephilology,” with other book within the series being “What Does the Bible say about the Devil Satan? A Styled Satanology,” “What Does the Bible say about Various Paranormal Entities? A Styled Paranormology,” and “What Does the Bible say about Heaven and Hell? A Styled Superumology and Infernology.” Moreover, see “The Paranormal in Early Jewish and Christian Commentaries: Over a Millennia’s Worth of Comments on Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Satan, the Devil, Demons, the Serpent and the Dragon” all by Ken Ammi and available here: http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/%E2%80%9Cno-end-books%E2%80%9D-publications These posts will be succinct versions of otherwise very detailed elucidations.
There are certain things “we all know” about Angels: They are spirit beings, sort of ghost-like, they take on human form when interacting with us. The different kinds of Angels include Cherubim and Seraphim, they have wings, and Satan is a fallen Angel. The only problem with this common-knowledge view of Angels is that each point is un-biblical.
The title “Angels Unawares” derives from a text that will be quoted below and is also employed to denote that we are generally quite unaware of Angels.
Are they spirit beings?:
It should be noted that the word translated Angel is malak in Hebrew, (the language of the O.T.) and is simply referring to a messenger. It tells us nothing of the nature of the messenger only the task which is being performed, delivering a message. The idea that Angels are “spirit beings” is based on three verses that are really two which collapse into one: and we should never build a doctrine upon one verse.
The first is Psalm 104:4, “Bless the LORD … Who maketh his Angels [malak] spirits [ruach]; his ministers a flaming fire.” The second is Hebrews 1:7 which quotes this Psalm. The third is Hebrews 1:14, “Are they not all ministering spirits [pneuma], sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” This reiterates the Psalm in a paraphrasic manner. Thus, the latter two are simply restatements of the first.
Angels are described as being made as ruach in the Hebrew of the O.T. Psalm and as pneuma in the Greek of the N.T. book of Hebrews. In both Hebrew and Greek, the terms are correlated with wind or breath. Such is why they are described as winds rather than spirits within various translations.2See the Biblegateway sites’ “Psalm 104:4 in all English translations”: https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Psalm%20104:4
In fact, the context of Psalm 104:1-6 demands this reading “Bless the LORD … Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens [natural phenomena, n.p. hereafter] like a curtain: Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters [n.p.]: who maketh the clouds [n.p.] his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind [n.p.],” thus when it comes to verse 4 a reference to a natural phenomena is contextual: “Who maketh his angels spirits [ruach=wind, breath], his ministers a flaming fire [n.p.]: Who laid the foundations of the earth [n.p.], that it should not be removed forever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters [n.p.] stood above the mountains [n.p.]” (vss. 1-6), and on it goes, making the context to natural phenomena is inevitable. The Apologetics Bible comments:
The psalmist used vivid word pictures to describe the sovereign Lord’s work of creation. The imagery was drawn from the making of a palace with tent coverings, private upper stories, and a solid foundation. The Lord uses all the elements recognized in the ancient world-wind, clouds, fire, and water-and controls them for His purpose. The Creator-King is surrounded by His servants, whether they be angels, forces of nature, or creatures of earth.3Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J. P., & Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (p. 876). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
It is not about the substance of Angels but that they, like all of creation, are there to serve God.
But why refer to them as winds? Perhaps because of what Jesus stated thusly:
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit…The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:6, 8).
Do they take on human form?:
Simply put, there is no such statement in the Bible. But if, and since, Angels are not spirits then, pray tell, what are they?
Hebrews 13:2 (the same book that some translate stating that the messengers, Angels, are spirits) states, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” But how so? Every single time that the Bible describes an Angel, it describes them as appearing to be just like human males (and calls them man or men), and so there is every reason to think that such is the case ontologically.
That is to say how Angels appear to be what they are in their very nature and essence, “thou hast made him [humans] a little lower than the angels” (Psalm 8:5), and they appear to be as physical as is Jesus post-Resurrection–physical enough to be touched, to eat, etc,. and yet, able to be seen and then not seen as if they appeared and disappeared.
It is our ability to see them which changes, not the transformation of the Angel. What we do find in the biblical record is God acting on the eyes of humans who then could see Angels. One example is Balaam in Numbers 22:31,
“Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.”
I would even go as far as to speculate that Angels and humans could be categorized as being the same kind, except angels have added properties to their physical bodies for heavenly residence.
Do Angels include Cherubim and Seraphim, and do they have wings?:
This is another claim for which there is no biblical support. Appeal is made to vague statements such as there are “thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers” (Colossians 1:16); and yet, it is not specified who fits into which category.
Angels, Cherubim, and Seraphim are three distinct categories of beings: they have different titles, different job functions, and look/appear to be different from one another.
Remember, Angels do not have wings and are messengers by definition.
Cherubim have four wings and four faces (man, lion, eagle/vulture and ox) and are guardians.4In my book on ‘Various Paranormal Entities,’ I deal with a discrepancy in Ezekiel’s description of their faces. They are described as being at the east of the Garden of Eden guarding the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24), they are represented as two beaten gold images one with the mercy seat on each side atop of the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:18, so you can throw out 99% of all depictions of the Ark which depict winged humanoid Angels), and they surround God’s throne (Ezekiel chaps 1 and 10).
Seraphim have six wings and are a difficult study in that they only appear in one text (Isaiah 6:2 & 6). Some claim that they are reptilian, because the root word seraph can refer to snakes/serpents. However, a deeper etymology results demonstrates that reptiles are referred to as seraph because their bite is fiery (due to being venomous) and the motion of fire is serpentine-like.
And what do we see the Seraphim doing? Well, “one of the seraphims … having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar” so that they are seraph with reference to burning, to fiery, and so I term them the “keepers of the heavenly flames”-also fire refers to cleansing, which is what is done to Isaiah: “he laid it [the coal] upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.”
Thus, if they do not look like human males, and they are not delivering messages, they are not Angels by definition. If it looks like a duck, acts like a duck, and quacks like a duck; then it is a duck (even if neo-culture would tell us that if it looks, acts and sounds like a duck, it is whatever it self-identifies as being).
The only categories of Angels of which we do know are (regular) Angels encompassing at least one Archangel–Michael (Jude 1:9); and there may be more, because he is “one of the chief princes” (Daniel 10:13), and the Angel of the LORD (in for examples, Genesis chap. 22 and Exodus chap. 3)”
Is Satan a fallen Angel?:
This claim is based on the one just reviewed: that God’s entire administration, as it were, are Angels. Yet, Ezekiel 28 begins with the statement “unto the prince of Tyrus” (v. 2) but then to “the king of Tyrus” (v. 12): it appears that there are spiritual authorities behind human ones such as the Angel Gabriel engaging in extended battle with the “prince of Persia” (Daniel 10:13, a battle during which he had to tag in Michael for an assist).
Which is which, “prince” or “king,” is discernable from the context. In the case of the Ezekiel text, the king is told, “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God … Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth” (vs. 13-14).
Thus, Satan is a fallen Cherub and only pretends to be an “Angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
And so we see that when we consider that which the Bible does and does not state about Angels, we come away with a view that contradicts vague common knowledge but adheres to God’s word.Ω
Ken Ammi is a long-time researcher and lecturer on issues pertaining to Christian apologetics. He has a background in Eastern Mysticism and the New Age. He is Jewish and has accepted Jesus as Messiah. You can find him online at: True free Thinker
© 2019, Midwest Christian Outreach, Inc All rights reserved. Excerpts and links may be used if full and clear credit is given with specific direction to the original content.
I would like to hang out with Ken Ammi for a day. 🙂
I have been searching the scriptures to rightly repeat scripture and correctly divide the word of God on this issue, praying to see more clearly what God has prepared ahead of time for us to actively work through in our present generation.
At least in general, what is “this issue” as it covers so much? This is- that I could not find a text where “Satan/ the devil/Evil One/ the serpent” was called an angel without question.
‘The Devils’ demons are called angels, but for example, I could not find where scripture called “Satan” or “the devil” an ‘angel’:
(old)Job 1:6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.
(new)Revelation 12:9The great dragon was hurled down–that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
In the Old Testament “Satan” is the name for the one who has power to incite rebellion/sin.
In the New Testament “Satan” is called this as ‘his’ name or is called “The Devil”.
In the New Testament Jesus says ” Get behind me, Satan” when Peter says, “Never Lord” about Jesus being killed.
And the only place in the New Testament where ” a devil” is used instead of ” the devil” is when Jesus says referring to one of the chosen 12 in regards to Judas, “Yet, one of you is a devil.”
So, as Satan in the garden was allowed as ‘host’ in the serpent, Satan-the devil was in the garden allowed as ‘host’ in Judas who betrayed Him in this garden with a kiss.
I also noticed the particular language used over this active and living prophetic word about the dispute of the ‘body of Moses’:
Zechariah 3:1-3 New International Version (NIV)
3 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan[a] standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”
So basically, I stopped assuming “Satan-the devil” was or had to be one of the fallen angels and prayed searching the scriptures.
But, this verse has to be a part of any word-verse scripture study on the issue as it is the one that simply has us looking to explain “Satan is a fallen angel” before further understanding the issue:
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 New International Version (NIV)
13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
I assumed into language the thought that seraphim and cherubim were ‘other’ angelic hosts.
(Also, in my word studies my basic words for deductive reasoning about angels, things I related according to scripture, were found to be word masculine: messenger, angel, herald, seraphim and cherubim, Satan, devil, then a specific spelling of demon rarely used was masculine[ note:verse about the legion that went into the pigs], then demon in the related but more generally used word form was neutral.)
***I think what Ken says helps to clarify a word-verse search and study. So, if one does not assume ‘angel’ equals or does not equal ‘cheribum or seraphim’ it is a much more straightpath to consider ‘Satan-the devil may be a cherub who sinned.’ For those who are not familiar enough with the Old Testament, to discover the revealed mystery in the New Testament is more clearly understood because of what was already revealed in the old testament, they might need to start with this question: is the devil and demons the same thing or whats the diffenence?
This may be quickly helpful and/or otherwise a Spirit-filled study for those who want to tests the spirits of related issues:
Cherub NIV
I think this discussion also serves at the forefront of our love in truth battle ( Ephesians 6:10-24) to remind God’s people that the Enemy of God and God’s people is personal and works to silence the personal good news of God’s love for those who will believe through our message.
(Most specifically, as related to this issue, I think of God’s people being built up to engage the many lost in the new age . Also, in general the many voices, even those who profess christianity, who want to claim any evil as an impersonal energy and deny the devil and his demons are personal spirits { to deceive, if possible, even the elect….. personally.}
This article was encouraging. love tammy
Well, if I hang out with all of my fans for one day each then that would take up, oh, about half a week ;o)
Indeed, you “could not find a text where ‘Satan/ the devil/Evil One/ the serpent’ was called an angel without question” because he is not an Angel. As I noted in the article, “Satan is a fallen Cherub and only pretends to be an ‘Angel of light’ (2 Corinthians 11:14).
Since, generically, “satan” mean “adversary” and “devil” means “accuser” then both words could be used generically and are both used specifically of the ultimate adversarial accuser.
As for “is the devil and demons the same thing or whats the diffenence?” well, “the devil” (the above referenced “ultimate adversarial accuser”) is a fallen Cherub so no, he is not a demon. As to what demons are well, you will have to wait for my next article that will get into that issue–stand by.
Brother, …. I did not say I wanted to hang out because I was a “fan” but because it is encouraging to see another brother our sister on this issue, searching scripture. I was thinking “kindred”. (I am sure as a follower of Jesus yourself, you can understand why I may be a bit sensitive to such an identification as a family member. Always reference 1 Corinthians 1-3,4 example to understand my unecumenical claim to unity- 1 Corinthians 15)
We all need encouragement as we make Jesus fame known and the sufficiency of scripture.
;0) I just learned about you yesterday when I saw this article. But, I was so encouraged, I started tracking your ‘stuff’ down so I could see if you would be a good resource and for what issues.
I loved your short clip of the ‘claimed calvinist and claimed baptist’ short debate where you then put up Ephesians 2:8-10 simply and clearly at the end.
So, it appears you have time though…lol…..for newly discovered family members, maybe.
lol…. but first tell me where I can check out all the videos the social media has taken down!
Understood. Besides links to articles I post to Twitter and Facebook, everything ends up at truefreethinker.com (including all of my YouTube videos which are embedded therein).
Hi Ken,
A question as related to Revelation 9:11, of course considering the greater context of chapter 9 : Who do you interpret this angel to be, the angel who was “king over them” and “whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer)”?
9:11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).
https://biblehub.com/text/revelation/9-11.htm
https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=abyss&qs_version=NIV ( just mentioning this verse as related to there being another use of abyss for Romans 10:7 that the niv translated deep, being related to Deutoronomy 30-13-15. )
Tammy, I hope you get the notification about this comment because there was no “reply” link under your comment.
Great question but, of course, since all we know about that event is contained within one verse then all I can say is that one of those fallen Angels is their leader.
If I had to speculate, then I would say that perhaps it is a fallen Archangel.
The Abyss (aka bottomless pit and Tartarus) will come up in the next article.
Holding off commenting on the above article. Thrilled to see coverage of the Nephilim, is in the future! I am, however, in trepidation, that MCO might be letting in, so called, “NEW LIGHT” to their ministry. Withholding decision on that NOW!{in some areas}
I actually appreciate your discernment. And no worries, especially when it comes to Nephilim you will see that I have no new light but only the origial, traditional, majority and earliest light–stand by ;o)
Hi Ken there are some issues when using NT Greek and OT Hebrew to reference this topic. The Greek term Angelos is far more encompassing than the Hebrew term Malak , the Greek blends concepts the hebrew does not.
They are not used exactly the same way and for all intensive purposes they are not the same thing. For example in Job 1:6 we are shown the “bene elohim” are spiritual beings present in heaven with God and the satan. Hebrew scripture never calls these divine beings Malak. However the Septuagint calls these beings Angels. The same occurs in Genesis 6.
The Greek blurs the beings primary place of residence, the embodiment of the being and their purpose.
Malak does not have to mean a divine being either, it’s used numerous times in scripture to refer to a simple messenger. Malak are always embodied messengers however regardless of the source of the message. This is consistent with the use of Malak for messengers of divine origin as you’ve mentioned they are always described as men in scripture. Malak are frequently treated throughout scripture as more than just a messenger but frequently as an agent acting with the Authority of the sender.
Heaven is a spiritual realm, earth is a physical realm. How does a disembodied spirit whose place of residence is the spiritual realm (called throughout the hebrew scriptures elohim) engage with the physical realm ? Through a physical third party, an agent or messenger – Malak.
The Malak YHWH is used over and over in scripture this way. In some passages the Malak YHWH is literally called Lord / God in the same passage.
If an “Angel” was a unique entity these passages would cause some concern, however if an “Angel” was a physically embodied spirit then we don’t have an issue.
Most interesting. I can virtually agree with what you note and will say that what you refer to “Heaven” is generally specified to refer to “the intermediate heaven” in theological works.
Now, I don’t see how we can begin with the premise that it’s “a spiritual realm” since beings inhabit it who have a flesh of their own: like Cherubim who were physically present on Earth as well as Angels. Thus, even if we call “Heaven” “a spiritual realm” we must keep in mind that physical beings (again, with a physicality of their own variety) can inhabit it, including the incarnated, glorified, resurrected Jesus.
There’s no indication that Angels (by any other name) are “disembodied spirit.”
Overall indeed, malak refers to human messengers, heavenly ones, the arch one (Michael) and the one of the LORD.
Indeed, my entire point in the article is “that ‘Angel’ was a physically embodied spirit.”