In the Christian Bible, angels are celestial beings who reside in heaven with God, acting as God’s messengers and servants. Taking a human form, they act as a point of contact between heaven and the human world. In art, angels are often depicted as strikingly beautiful spiritual beings bearing huge wings and halos and surrounded by auras of divine presence and heavenly light. The Bible contains more than a hundred references to angels, but only a small number play a definitive role within the biblical narrative.
Some of these angels are named, and have a close relationship with God, who are referred to as the “heavenly host,” while others are “fallen angels,” who began their lives as angels in heaven but betrayed God, and were cast into hell. Below are four of the most important angels referenced in the Biblical text, who played a significant role during different stages of the story.
The Archangel Gabriel
While various types of angels are mentioned in the Bible, only two angels are mentioned by name. The Angel Gabriel appears in four different passages of the Bible, each time delivering a different message to the human world directly from the Lord Almighty, travelling “by flight.” When the visionary prophet Daniel began experiencing a series of strange visions, he prayed for help. The Archangel Gabriel visited him on two occasions to help him make sense of them. Daniel was so terrified at the first sight of this formidable angel that he fell unconscious, and was ill for several days after. Next Gabriel came to visit the priest Zechariah in order to deliver the news that his formerly barren wife would have a son, named John the Baptist, who would fulfil the coming of Elijah.
When Zechariah expressed disbelief of his vision, the angel struck him dumb until the child was circumcised. Finally, Gabriel’s most important role was to deliver a message to Mary, mother of Jesus, telling her she was pregnant with Jesus, the son of God and the savior of the world, a story known as The Annunciation.
The Archangel Michael
The Archangel Michael appears in four different passages of the Bible. He is described as an “archangel,” meaning the “chief prince,” “chief messenger,” or “angel of the highest rank,” placing him at the top of the celestial hierarchy. Michael is a warrior who engages in spiritual combat against the forces of evil, making him one of the most powerful beings in heaven. He is also a great protector of the people – in the Hebrew Bible the prophet Daniel is told that Michael the archangel is “the great prince who protects your people,” his people being the Jews. Michael plays a significant role in the end times, battling against the dragon (Satan) and hurling him to the earth, from where Satan “went off to wage war against… those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.”
Lucifer: The Fallen Angel Who Became Satan
Lucifer is the fallen angel who became Satan following his attempted rebellion against God. Before his fall from grace, Lucifer was described as beautiful and wise, and the cherub assigned to guard and protect the garden of Eden. But he became vain and prideful, which corrupted his innocence. He was subsequently banished from heaven and sent to live on earth, where he briefly became the prince of power in control of air. But his corruption of human beings and attempts to lead the world astray led him to be banished forever into eternal fire upon the return of Christ.
Abaddon/Apollyon: The Angel of Destruction
With a name meaning “destruction,” Abaddon, also known as Apollyon, only makes a single, brief appearance in the Bible, as ruler over a bottomless pit called the Abyss. He is a fallen angel who resides in a terrible place of doom and destruction. During the end times, God wields Abaddon as an instrument of Judgement, suggesting his role is somewhere between good and evil.
FAQs
Do Guardian Angels appear in the Bible?
Guardian angels are individual angels assigned to protect a specific human being or group. In Jewish angelology, God assigned specific angels with special missions or specific requests in the physical world. For example, in Exodus, Moses is guided by an angel. In the story of Tobias, the Archangel Raphael acts as a specific guide. In the book of Psalms there is a passage that says, “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (91.11).
How many Angels are there?
The Bible does not provide a specific number for how many angels exist, but it describes them as an innumerable multitude. Verses like Daniel 7:10 speak of “thousands upon thousands” and “ten thousand times ten thousand,” emphasizing the vastness of their ranks. God created countless heavenly beings to worship Him, fulfill His purposes, and minister to believers.
When were Angels created?
God created the angels before He created the physical universe. The book of Job describes the angels worshiping God as He was creating the world. God created the angels prior to the creation of mankind because one of their duties is to be “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). They dwell in the spiritual realm alongside God.
