Notes – Introductory Q&A
When did God create the angels?
In the Beginning…. ~5516 BC God created everything in 6
24-hour days.
On the first day God Created the Heavens, which included all their host. All the
angels were created on the first day, as God “created the heavens”.
Gen 1:1-5 "In the beginning God created the heavens and
the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface
of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said,
"Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and
He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the
darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning, the
first day."
Nowhere are we told the details of the creation of the angels, sons of God,
morning stars, or whichever term that is used to refer to the host of heaven. We
know they are the host of heaven, and as such it makes sense to think they were
created with the Heaven. First God created the heaven, and then second the
earth, that is the order told in Genesis. This understanding that angels were
created along with the heavens is reflected in Job.
Job 38: 4-7 [God says to Job] "Where were you when I laid
the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its
dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what
were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone- while the morning stars sang
together and all the angels shouted for joy?"
This shows all the angels were present before the foundations of the Earth were
laid- thus when God “created the heavens”. In between when God “created the
heavens” and "created the earth” is when all the morning stars sang together and
all the angels shouted for joy. And Satan and the other fallen angels were among
the singers and shouters.
Some people think that the angels were created in an expanse of time between Gen
1:1 and Gen 1:2, because it seemed the earth had been flooded and destroyed
before, as it was covered with water. However, the “earth” God made originally
was made out of water, not land. Water was the original composition of the
Earth, as the word for "deep" in Hebrew, “thowm” (8415) means deep waters. This
is further supported by:
2 Pet 3:3-7, "Know this first of all, that in the last
days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and
saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell
asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." For when
they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens
existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,
through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.
But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept
for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men."
Here we see the understanding that Peter had 2000 years ago, that the earth was
formed out of water and by water. Originally the earth was water. When Genesis
says darkness was upon the face of the deep (waters) it is because originally
the earth was water when it was first made, formless, and void. In fact, God
didn’t make the dry land until the third day,
“And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered
together unto one place, and let the dry [land] appear: and it was so.”
Gen 1:9
When God made the heaven and the Earth, the term referred to the world, the
planet Earth, which originally was made of water. The same term for Earth as in
Gen 1:1 is used in Job 26:7, which confirms this use of the term.
“He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, [and]
hangeth the earth upon nothing.”
And so the world was not flooded in Gen 1:2, but rather God originally made the
planet Earth out of water on day 1, and added land to it on day 3. Because
angels sang for joy when God laid the foundations of the Earth, and the
foundation was water, we can know angels were created when God made the heavens,
on the first day. We know the angels were all finished being created by the end
of the 6th day,
“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold,
[it was] very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Thus the
heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.”
Gen 1:31,2:1
The angels are often called the “host of heaven” throughout the Bible, and were
made prior to the end of the 6th day. We also know that the angels were all
still good by the end of the 6th day, and had not yet sinned or fallen by then,
because God declares that “God saw everything He had made, and it was very
good.”
Who are the host of heaven?
The first reference the Bible uses describing angelic beings is the “heavens…
and all the host of them”. Keeping with this, the Bible many times refers to the
“host of heaven” as a reference to all the angelic beings God created.
The Bible names 3 types of angels in specific, giving
descriptions of several of them. There are the cherubim, the seraphim, and the
messengers.
Cherubim
This [is] the living creature that I saw under the God of
Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they [were] the cherubims. Every
one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the
hands of a man [was] under their wings. And every one had four faces: the first
face [was] the face of a cherub, and the second face [was] the face of a man,
and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.”
Eze 10:20-21,14
And their feet [were] straight feet; and the sole of their
feet [was] like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of
burnished brass. And [they had] the hands of a man under their wings on their
four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. Their wings [were]
joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one
straight forward. Thus [were] their faces: and their wings [were] stretched
upward; two [wings] of every one [were] joined one to another, and two covered
their bodies. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance
[was] like burning coals of fire, [and] like the appearance of lamps: it went up
and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the
fire went forth lightning. Eze 1:7-9,11,13
Seraphim
“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord
sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his
face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one
cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the LORD of hosts: the
whole earth [is] full of his glory.” Isa 6:1-3
And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto
crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four
beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast [was] like a lion,
and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and
the fourth beast [was] like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them
six wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not
day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is,
and is to come. Rev 4:6-8
Messengers
Messenger angels are the most common kind mentioned in the Bible. In the Old
Testament they are usually referred to by the word “mal’ak” and in the New
Testament by the word “aggelos”, both which mean “messenger”. This type of angel
invariably appears as a human man in appearance, sometimes shining with light or
fire. They are known by their job description in many cases. In Daniel 4 a
messenger angel is referred to 3x as a “watcher, a holy one”, who delivered a
message in a dream. They are always described to look like men, and are never
described to have wings or to be female.
The Bible uses a couple terms to describe all the “host of
heaven” in Job 38:7.
“When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of
God shouted for joy?”
Two terms are used here which seem to refer to all of the “host of heaven”. One
term is the “morning stars” which most likely references to the host of heaven
being present for the first morning on the first day of creation (Gen 1:1-5, Job
38:7). Satan is referred to as a “morning star” in Isa 14:12 and as one of the
cherubim in Eze 28:14. And so it makes sense that the “morning stars” might
refer to the cherubim and seraphim which seem rather similar.
The term “son of God” is used in Dan 3:25 interchangeably with
the term “angel” (messenger) in Dan 3:28, and so the term “sons of God” likely
refers to the messenger type of angels who look like men.
What did God make the angels for, what do they do?
Everything was created for God’s pleasure (Rev 4:11). Angels are described to
have several things that they do.
The seraphim stay around the throne of God and worship Him.
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about
[him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night,
saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Rev 4:8
At times the Lord is said to ride upon cherubim.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly
upon the wings of the wind. Psa 18:10
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen
upon the wings of the wind. 2 Sam 22:11
And messenger angels have the purpose their name implies, which is to serve as
God’s messengers. Messenger angels communicate by dreams and visions, and also
at times seem to appear bodily and communicate more directly face-to-face. (Gen
19, Gen 31:11, Dan 10, many places).
The host of heaven is also collectively God’s army. The word
“host” has the meaning of an army.
Angels destroyed Sodom (Gen 19), were involved with the fall of the wall of
Jericho (Josh 5,6), did smite people (1 Ch 21) battle against fallen angels (Dan
10, Rev 12) and play a major role in the final battle seen in Revelation.
Angels also seem to have a protective role over people,
keeping an eye on them and preventing harm to them.
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. Matt 18:10
Because of this a woman ought to have power over her head,
because of her angels. 1 Cor 11:10
For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep
thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in [their] hands, lest thou dash
thy foot against a stone. Psa 91:11-12
And this is where the idea of a guardian angel seems to generate from, although
it seems that the messenger type of angel (also called a watcher) is the type of
angel that carries on this task.
Why are there fallen angels?
God gave angels free will, like God gives people free will. They can choose to
love God or choose to not, can choose to obey God, or to sin. God created all
the angels to be good. Over time some chose to sin and to rebel against God, and
in doing this they became evil or fallen. God is good, and God’s will is good.
Evil exists because of refusal to do God’s will. In the same way that darkness
is the absence of light, evil is the absence of good, and God is good.