Bible Notes: Angels
(really wish i had not put these in order as they appear in the Bible; maybe keep that in mind here:)
(Gen 16:7 KJV) And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
Maybe the first appearance of an angel in the Bible.(Gen 16:11 KJV) And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
Beautiful word, Ishmael: God will hear. Does one have to hear God or one of His angels before He will hear us? (see 21:17 and 22:11 and 31:11)
(Gen 16:13 KJV) And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
The New Revised Standard says "Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing him?"; the New International Version says "I have now seen the One who sees me." The Hebrew name of verse 14 comes in part from Hebrew for "vision". All of which says to me that this "angel of the Lord" (verse 11, above) did not merely speak to Hagar but also appeared to her, and the experience left her wondering if she had seen God Himself (and the NIV leaves no doubt about it).
This wonder concerning what is seen/heard by various people throughout the Bible is kind of central to what has been developing into my world view.
(see 21:33)
(Gen 19:1 KJV) And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
Wondered if these angels are in the form of needy people. I mean, Lot in the next two verses asks these two beings to wash their feet in his house, and spend the night there. I've gotta figure the "bowed himself with his face toward the ground" is rather figurative, because I think all will agree that most encounters in the Bible with angels (and/or God/Jesus) result in great fear and trembling, even loss of speech in Zacharias and blindness in the case of Saul.
(Gen 21:17 KJV) And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
A second time an angel spoke to a human? (see 16:11) We have to consider the two angels of chapter 19 speaking so much to Lot. Also Hagar was sitting next to her child crying (verse 16: "And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.") but it's the child God hears...
(Gen 22:11 KJV) And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
The verses that follow really seem to indicate that it was this being here who decided to tempt Abraham in verse 1, rather than God. No indication that Abraham saw this being in either instance, which is rather unusual.
(Gen 22:12 KJV) And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
It wasn't the angel Abraham was withholding his only son from huh( see verse 1)? On the other hand, angels are not merely sons of God...
(Gen 28:12 KJV) And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
I've said when angels (non-sentient beings) inhabit human bodies which die they assume another body. (Also see John 1:51)
(Gen 31:11 KJV) And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.
First time God spoke to someone in a dream?
(Gen 32:1 KJV) And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
More than one angel for maybe the second time; wonder if these were like the culture which didn't have a word for 'bad' in their language, and of course one might call them angels. Sure not much about this host for what would be such a huge event in most people's lives, and Jacob just put in twenty years on the farm.
(Exo 14:19 KJV) And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
(Exo 23:20 KJV) Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
Part of the covenant God made with Moses; interesting that God says this about an "Angel" when it's normally "angel", e.g., Exo 14:19.
(Exo 33:2 KJV) And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
I'm not putting every instance of "angel" in these notes.
(Num 20:16 KJV) And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border:
The angel of the Passover.
(Num 22:22 KJV) And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.
First mention of Balaam's two servants; couldn't have been the princes of Moab here huh?
(Num 22:23 KJV) And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
Another instance when everybody didn't see; e.g., on the road to Damascus only Paul saw Jesus and the others heard His voice.
(Deu 32:36 KJV) For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.
Might this be when the world basically is angels and demons, mostly devoid of sentient beings? Verse 35 says "To me belongeth vengeance"; after that there will be none left huh?
If we agreed that everybody but ameriKans are angels it might motivate us, as easily the wealthiest kountry in the world, to try and help the helpless huddled masses around the world huh?
(Josh 5:13-14a KJV) And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.
And Joshua fell to the ground and worshipped the . . . angel(?) . . . who told him to take his shoes off because the ground he occupied was holy. And disappeared. And we hear no more about him.(Judg 2:1 KJV) And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
Notice that this angel seems to speak as/for the Lord, much as the angel who spoke to Abraham the day he was going to sacrifice Isaac in Genesis 22:11-12.
(Judg 13:3 KJV) And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
See verse 6.
(Judg 13:6 KJV) Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:
"Like . . . an angel of God", "very terrible"; very interesting. (See verse 3; my self-portrait here might be of interest].) Makes me wonder if it was me time-traveling like I've kind of gone into elsewhere. (Just for the record, when I began to understand that music could transport me like it did, I continued my studies. It was only much later that I came to see that my reading [and a lot of it was the Bible] transported me the same way.)
(Judg 13:10 KJV) And the woman made haste, and ran, and showed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.
I've really wondered about the reference to "the man"; seems to lend credence to the theory I mention above.
(2 Sam 24:16 KJV) And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.(1 Chr 21:16 KJV) And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
There are significant differences in the passages following this verse and those following 2 Samuel 24:16, notable that 1 Chronicles records an angel telling Gad to tell David about building an altar while there is no mention of this angel in 2 Samuel. Maybe there was some doubt somewhere?
(Job 38:7 KJV) When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
angels huh?
(Psa 8:5 KJV) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Sentient beings don't have it together in the eternal sense; remember Jesus telling the world that John was the greatest (sentient being) in the world, yet still lower than the least in heaven? (see Matthew 11:11 ) Also note that here in prophecy (verse 4) the Son of Man is made "a little lower than the angels", i.e., not perfect.
(Psa 19:3-4a KJV) There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
Angels. Non-sentient beings, or perhaps sentient beings who have volunteered for human duty too.
(Psa 22:10 KJV) I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
This great prophetic chapter certainly lends credence to my theory (notably expounded in A Sunday School Lesson) that Jesus did not lead a life that was free of the appearance of evil, possibly leading to Paul's admonition in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 to avoid "all appearance of evil".
(Psa 34:7 KJV) The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Forget now where I posted about opening the Bible at the dentist's office that day, feeling like dogs had compassed me about (Psalm 22:16) and taking comfort in this reality.
(Psa 35:5 KJV) Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
See Matthew 13:39 and 13:49.
(Psa 35:6 KJV) Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
See Matthew 13:39 and 13:49. All who consider their way the right way, so to speak, might consider (again and again) Jesus' admonition in the Sermon on the Mount included "If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" in the verse preceding the one in which He flatly declared "Ye cannot serve God and money."(ESV)
(Psa 78:49 KJV) He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.
evil angels huh? Genesis 6:4 says "the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them,". it all seems to add up to us all the time seeing angels in the form of people(Psa 104:4 KJV) Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
veeerrryyyy interesting. See Luke 12:49 ("I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?") et al. Certainly seems to be a(nother) reference to His day of vengeance( see Isaiah 61:2 et al and Mark 8:38 and note).(Prov 2:21 KJV) For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
The perfect are angels...See this in A Journal Chapter 16.
(Eccl 5:6 KJV) Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
"The angel"?
(Eccl 8:16 KJV) When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)
This verse certainly has provided food for thought for me.(Isa 5:25-30 KJV) Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Well, this is actually from my study of the day of judgment, day of vengeance, call it what you will, but I believe it important enough to include here too, because it shows an aspect of angels not yet considered in this study.
And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:
God will hiiisssss to His avenging angels . . . and, behold, they shall come . . .swiftly.
None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:
Angels remember. Behold I shew you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed...
Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind.
Stiff-necked people . . . reap the whirlwind.
Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.
And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.(Dan 3:25 KJV) He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
The Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego incident. My note says '* angel (first mention of Son of God after Genesis 6:4 "sons of God"?)'. Must have looked pretty impressive huh?(Mat 1:20 KJV) But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
Have wondered if this angel was the holy ghost (in truth have wondered much about this ghost); we have absolutely no reason to think that this being of the Trinity would not appear like God and Jesus have done.
(Mat 2:13 KJV) And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
A dream again.
(Mat 2:19 KJV) But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
See verse 13.(Mat 11:11 KJV) Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
(see Mark 12:25) (from Psalms 8:5)
(Mat 13:39 KJV) The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
Ordinary mind got a good grip from the get-go (actually, in my book remember, it was ordinary mind that started it all). See Psalms 104:4 and note (above); also Matthew 13:49 (below).
(Mat 13:49 KJV) So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
*judgment *angels *promise (see Psalms 18:42 and note)
(Mat 18:10 KJV) Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8(Mat 24:31 KJV) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
His angels, but apparently not of the vengeful variety.(Mat 26:53 KJV) Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Compare this to Matthew 13:39 and 49.(Mat 28:5 KJV) And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
Uh oh. That angel again. (This note is intended to be obtuse and should be ignored. The person monitoring my computer is bothering me again. [Actually I guess it's out now; I'm afraid this could have been me. See a[nother] obtuse reference to my astral projections [for years and years] here.)
(Mark 8:38 KJV) Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
See Psalms 104:4( "Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:") and note.(Mark 12:25 KJV) For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
(see Matthew 11:11 et al for more on angels)
(Mark 13:27 KJV) And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
Compare this verse to Matthew 13:39 and 13:49. Almost like nobody knows what's gonna happen ain't it?(Mark 16:5 KJV) And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
(see Matthew 28:2 and Luke 24:5 and John 20:12; they're different) *angel *ghost ?
(Luke 1:11 KJV) And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
(Luke 1:18 KJV) And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
Very thought-provoking regarding angels, huh? I mean, he was scared of the angel in verse 12, hears a lot of wild stuff, and then argues with this being?
(Luke 1:19 KJV) And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings.
Remember the lowest of the angels is higher than the highest man, huh? (see Matthew 11:11) Genesis 17:1
(Luke 1:26 KJV) And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
(Luke 1:35 KJV) And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Note how "The Holy Ghost" must take form like man or angel anyway, as opposed to the Holy Spirit which doctrine currently holds to be the same. *ghost
(Luke 2:9 KJV) And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
(The fear is the normal reaction; see Matthew 17:6 et al)
(Luke 2:21 KJV) And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Luke 1:31. Again: Why didn't the angel say 'Emmanuel'? (See Matthew 1:23, where Matthew writes of the prophecy from Isaiah 7:14.)
(Luke 7:28 KJV) For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
Testimony regarding angels, like here on earth in the form of people huh? *angel (also Matthew 11:11)
(Luke 9:27 KJV) But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.
*angels
(Luke 12:8 KJV) Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
(Luke 12:10 KJV) And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
(Luke 12:12 KJV) For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
The Holy Spirit is in all of us (except perhaps there are angels of the devil just as there are angels of God [2020 note: now it's just sentient vs. non-sentient beings]), as is the devil: in all sentient beings, in the guise of ordinary mind; double-minded people can call upon the Spirit and feel It, the foundation of their delusion. Again I must question if the Holy Ghost is to be differentiated.
(Luke 20:36 KJV) Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
They are spirits of love and light. They have no form, no sense of time, no words, nothing but light and love and the music of the heavens, the Holy syllable.duh. *angels
(Luke 24:23 KJV) And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
see Mark 16:5(John 1:51 KJV) And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
Key verse; see *angels(John 3:8 KJV) 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.
Meaning, in part, that He did things people couldn't believe the Messiah was going to do? Also we need to consider that this could be a reference to angels, non-sentient beings, which are liable to do anything anytime (like pick up swords and destroy a wicked world)(John 3:13 KJV) And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
what about "seeing angels ascending and descending" among the great things the disciple would see? this could actually be really big evidence supporting reincarnation huh?
(John 5:4 KJV) For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
Legend had it?(John 17:10 KJV) And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
Reference to angels?
(Acts 1:10 KJV) And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
angels presumably, but why not say so?
(Acts 5:19 KJV) But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
(Acts 7:53 KJV) Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
Actually suppose the prophets, ridiculed and slain in their times, could have been considered angels by later generations, but don't think Moses has every met such a critical standard. (But check this thought out here.) Divine inteference might be the inference here.
(Acts 8:26 KJV) And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
another instance where not much is made of what seems to me a big deal(Acts 10:30 KJV) And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
Would most say "an angel"? (Peter did in 11:13) God appearances in Genesis 17:1
(Acts 12:7 KJV) And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
(Acts 12:23 KJV) And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God[1] the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
cancer? did the angel appear during his oration (apparently)? Genesis 17:1
(Rom 11:5 KJV) Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
maybe Paul's writing about angels here
(2 Cor 12:2 KJV) I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
(note on Romans 8:8 ["So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."] says "If you ain't like caught up to the third heaven, huh? (see 2 Corinthians 12:2)")(2 Cor 12:3 KJV) And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
I can see how these two verses could be open to interpretation, but when viewed with the single vision of an open mind I find it difficult to see how my 'big picture' can be dismissed out of hand.(Gal 1:8 KJV) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Maybe there were even discussions about good and bad angels, and these guys decided they had the facts and weren't gonna take any chances like. Jesus warned about "the very elect" being deceived remember.(Gal 2:6 KJV) But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
maybe even angel ref
(Gal 3:19 KJV) Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Critical to note that new creatures in God will naturally obey the law. All the law. See Romans 2:14. *angels(Col 2:18 KJV) Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
I've made much of this before, how I've viewed oppression as God testing me (and also how He's led me to a different place like, where I pray for these beings and think sometimes they are enemies and "thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee."). (See here, a fragment of a study of the Apocrypha[ formerly part of the Bible.])
(1 Th 4:16 KJV) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Reckon this could be relevant to a page of angel notes?(Heb 1:14 KJV) Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
"They" are angels (see verse 13) "sent forth" from heaven to earth to minister to the chosen. The Apocrypha really blurs any distinction people might like to draw between angels and bodies, say, though Hebrews 13:2 certainly seems to indicate that angels inhabiting bodies is not just Old but New Testament as well (and hopefully people are beginning to see that our situation is basically unchanged from Old Testament times until today except God came down a long time ago and we murdered Him because of His doctrine, His laws.(Heb 13:2 KJV) Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
This is probably the one I've quoted the most, maybe on the web site too.
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