Angels and Demons: Debunking the Myths

Lesson 2 w/AnswersAngels: God’s Messengers

Angel Demon

The struggle between good and evil has been with us since the time of Adam and Eve, when Satan first confronted man and woman in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve had no excuse—God told them not to do something, but they elected to do it anyway. But what about the billions of people since Adam and Eve? What about those who have never heard about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit? Do they get a free pass? Can Satan do as he wishes with them, and they are without excuse? And how can we understand what the spirit world is like? How can we understand God’s character, His creation, and his Triune being, if we can’t actually see him? Read Romans 1:18-32, and pay particular attention to verses 19 and 20. What does this passage tell us about people who do evil, and what does it tell us about being able to "see" God, to understand the spirit world, and to better understand God’s character and spirit?

We continue our study of the invisible world of angels, Satan, and demons with a lesson focused on the angels, God’s messengers. We will observer that essentially three realms exist within God creation: (1) the human and animal realm, (2) the angelic realm (both good and fallen), and (3) the heavenly realm, i.e., God in his triune being. Over the course of the next several lessons, we will consider the angelic realm; and our focus will be on the good angels, that body of angels who did not follow Satan in the fall and become a demon. So let’s begin our look at a very special creation of God’s called Angels.

With your Bible close at hand, consider the following:

  1. Although we cannot see God Himself, we can observe some of the "invisible qualities of God" in His creation. What are some examples you can think of, i.e., what are some of the invisible qualities of God that we can infer by looking at the material world? See Romans 1:19-20. See also Colossians 1:15, 1 Peter 1:20, and Ephesians 1:4.
    1. ANSWER 1: Romans 1:19-20 asserts that god’s divine nature, his character, and power can be clearly seen and understood by man.
    2. ANSWER 2: If we look at God’s creation (the material world that is visible to us), we will note that God is a God of order; and yet he is also a God of creativity and variety.
    3. ANSWER 3: God is a God of purpose; nothing has been created without a purpose.
    4. ANSWER 4: Everything God creates reflects something about the Creator.
    5. ANSWER 5: There is no detail so small that it is not noticed by God. A study of microbiology makes this abundantly clear.
    6. ANSWER 6: God is a God of color, of sound, of sight, and of dimension. Hence, we hear the audible "music" in everything that He creates. Color brings new life and dimension to a world that would otherwise be ash gray.
    7. ANSWER 7: Fellowship is evident in creation, the need for more than one of anything that God creates, except Himself.
    8. ANSWER 8: Colossians 1:15 indicates that Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
    9. ANSWER 9: From the scriptures found in 1 Peter 1:20 and Ephesians 1:4, we see that God has a plan, and that He had that plan before He created anything.
  2. Taking this analogy a step further, and continuing to use the material world to understand the invisible spirit world, what are some examples we can see around us today that show us the difference between the material and unseen spirit world? Can you think of anything that is essentially a "different world" when you enter it, versus when you are outside of it? Many actually are around us all the time—easy examples would be the worlds of color, heat, radio waves, etc. For example, look at what you can see in the black of night when you put on a pair of infrared glasses. A world that did not exist a moment ago is now visible with the proper lenses. What are some others?
    1. ANSWER 1: The ocean, marine life. An entirely different world exists just below the surface of the seas, and yet we don’t see it until we can look beneath the surface. When we do, it’s a world completely different from ours, and yet compatible with it.
    2. ANSWER 2: Microbiology. Looking through a microscope, we can see another world that is all around us—even a part of us—yet seemingly invisible. Again, it’s an organized world; it’s not like ours, but is compatible with it.
    3. ANSWER 3: The universe. It is a world outside our own, yet a part of it; but only visible through a large telescope and the proper lighting.
    4. ANSWER 4: Just as we can see infrared light with night-vision goggles, so it is with the spirit world—which as real as any of these, and much more powerful. It is present with us at all times; and, just like these other worlds, it’s an organized world created with a purpose.
  3. What are some basic principles about the spirit world that we can infer from our study so far? See 1 Corinthians 15:27 and Colossians 1:16-17.
    1. ANSWER 1: It is organized and controlled by Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:27 and Colossians tell us that Christ holds "all things" together, both visible and invisible.
    2. ANSWER 2: It takes a special lens to see the spirit world.
    3. ANSWER 3: Not everyone will be able to see it.
    4. ANSWER 4: Everything in the spirit world has a purpose.
    5. ANSWER 5: The spirit world is eternal.
  4. Having established that indeed there is a spirit world—a realm of invisible beings consisting of both good and fallen angels—let’s take a close look at the "good" angels first, the angels who did not follow Satan in the fall. The term "angel" comes from a Greek word meaning "messenger". Angels hold a position in creation different than that of humans. Read Job 38:7, Psalm 8:4-5, Hebrews 2:6-7 and 2 Peter 2:11. Based on these scriptures, how would you describe their situation and position within the hierarchy of God’s creations?
    1. ANSWER 1: Angels were already present at the creation of the earth, i.e., they were created before God created the heavens and the earth.
    2. ANSWER 2: Humans are made a little lower than the angels.
    3. ANSWER 3: Angels are stronger and more powerful than humans.
  5. Read Psalm 148:2-5 and Colossians 1:16. What type of beings are angels?
    1. ANSWER: They are created beings. This is important to remember when we being our study of Satan.
  6. How are angels classified? See Mark 8:38, Matthew 25:41, 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 1:6.
    1. ANSWER 1: The angels are classified as either "unfallen" (or holy), or as fallen angels, those who sinned against God.
    2. ANSWER 2: The fallen angles (or "demons"), are either "free" or "bound".
  7. Read the following verses and list some of the characteristics of angels: Psalm 68:17, Daniel 7:10, Matthew 26:53, Hebrews 12:22, Revelation 5:11, Isaiah 6:2, Ezekiel 1:6, Daniel 9:21, Revelation 4:6 and 4:8, Luke 12:8-9, Luke 15:10, 1 Timothy 3:16, and Revelation 14:10.
    1. ANSWER 1: Angels are legion, comprising vast numbers.
    2. ANSWER 2: Angels can appear as men.
    3. ANSWER 3: Angels can fly.
    4. ANSWER 4: Angels can see what is happening on earth.

In the next lesson, we will continue our study of angels by looking at a an infamous one, Satan, and the fallen angels who followed him. Although we are studying the world of the spirit and a world of the invisible, it is made visible to us through God’s great grace and the sacrifice of his only son Jesus. Through God’s Holy Word, he will open our eyes to this unseen world, to the work of the angels, and to the lies of Satan.

Thanks for studying with us.

In Christ,

Wes

[2012]

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