Angels and Demons: Debunking the Myths

Lesson 4 w/AnswersHoly Angels: Part 1

Angel Demon

This lesson is the first of two lessons on the study of the angels. Typically, when we use the term "angel", we are referring to the "good angels", or the "holy angels", as some might define them. Of course, at the moment they were created, all angels were good; however, afterwards some fell from grace. These are referred to as the "fallen angels", or demons, including Satan. Over these next two lessons, we will be examining the angels who remained holy and who continue to serve God today.

As we begin, consider that there are three kinds of distinct beings: (1) God—the Godhead or Triune being of God, (2) the angels—whose current estate is held above fallen man, and (3) human beings—mankind. All three are distinct; one cannot (and does not) go from being one type of being to another. Angels were created as angels, and human beings as human beings; that is how we shall remain, whether here on earth, or whether in heaven living in our new resurrected bodies with God in the new heaven and earth.

Angels are mentioned 165 times in the New Testament and 108 times in the Old Testament. Their name means messenger—whether they serve God or Satan. To be consistent, we’re going to stick to scripture—not conjecture—when studying about angels and demons. Arguing about how many angels can fit on the head of a pin or at what point in God’s creation activity angels were created and when specifically Lucifer fell is meaningless and provides no meaningful insight. Rather, let’s focus on that which is known, or can be known, from God’s Holy Word—and leave the speculation for another day.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HOLY ANGELS AND DEMONS

  1. We know for certainty there are real differences between God’s Holy Angels and the evil angels/demons. Compare and contrast the two verses below and note what each reveals.
    1. Hebrews 1: 14
      1. ANSWER: God’s angels minister to man’s well being.
    2. Ephesians 6:12
      1. ANSWER: Evil angels wage warfare against the things made by God.

SPECIFIC FACTS ABOUT ANGELS

  1. What do the following verses tell us regarding "angelic spheres", or hierarchy?
    1. Colossians 1:16 and 1 Peter 3:22
      1. ANSWER: All angels are created by, and subject to, Christ.
    2. Jude 1:6
      1. ANSWER: They have a specific place to live, i.e., their own "habitation".
    3. They are gathered or organized into groups known as:
      1. ANSWER 1: Thrones and Dominions
      2. ANSWER 2: Principalities and Powers
      3. ANSWER 3: Authorities
      4. ANSWER 4: The Hosts of heaven
  2. The Reality of the Angels: What is their reality? Read the following and note what each scripture tells us about them.
    1. The Judgment of Angels:
      1. Ezekiel 28:16-17
        1. ANSWER: Evil angels (i.e., demons) were expelled from heaven.
      2. Matthew 25:41
        1. ANSWER: An eternal fire has been prepared for these demons.
    2. Dependency of Angels on God:
      1. Jude 1:9
        1. ANSWER: They are subject to the Lord, and will be rebuked.
  3. Relative Importance of Angels and Men: What do the following scriptures tell us?
    1. Psalm 8:4-5 and Hebrews 2:6-7
      1. ANSWER: Man was created a little lower than the angels.
    2. In what ways are our physical bodies different than that of angels, based on the verses below? (OBSERVATION: God’s intention was not to punish man by putting him in a physical body—sin brought the punishment.)
      1. Romans 8:29 and Genesis 1:26-27
        1. ANSWER 1: Man is created in God’s image.
        2. ANSWER 2: Angels are not described that way.
        3. ANSWER 3: Spirits want to possess bodies because of the body’s uniqueness.
      2. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and Hebrews 4:12
        1. ANSWER: Man is a unique combination of soul & spirit.
      3. Genesis 2:7 and 1 Corinthians 15:45
        1. ANSWER: At creation, man became "a living soul" according to the King James Version of the Bible, and "a living being" in the NIV. Angels don’t have souls—they have only spirit. Man has both; we are to be raised and conformed into the image of Christ—not to that of the angels.
  4. The Personality of the Angels: Summarize what the following verses tell us about the personality of angels: Psalm 148:2, Matthew 18:10, Matthew 24:36, and Hebrews 1:4-14
    1. ANSWER: They are intelligent, have emotions, are individual beings, they worship, they know God, they know their own limitations, they are aware of their inferiority to the Son of God; and fallen angels are aware of their ability to do evil.
  5. The Creation and Mode of Existence of the Angels. Note below what each scripture tells us about this.
    1. Colossians 1:16-17
      1. ANSWER 1: All were created simultaneously; from this we can infer that they are finite in number. None will be added later.
      2. ANSWER 2: They do not die; therefore, they neither increase nor decrease.
    2. Matthew 22:28-30, 1 Corinthians 15:25-26, and Matthew 13:41-43
      1. ANSWER 1: They do not marry or have children.
      2. ANSWER 2: They are instruments, or servants, of Christ; through them, He will defeat all of his enemies—the last being Death.
  6. The Bodies of Angels—yes, they have a defined body. What do the following verses say about their bodies?
    1. Luke 24:37-39
      1. ANSWER: They are not flesh and blood.
    2. John 5:37, 1 Corinthians 15:39-40 and 15:44 Exodus 33:18-23, Ezekiel 1:1-28 and Psalm 104:1-2
      1. ANSWER: Spirits have form or embodiment, including God, for example.
    3. Daniel 9:21
      1. ANSWER: They have wings and travel at incredible speeds.
  7. The Abode of the Angels:
    1. Where do they live, based on the following verses: Mark 13:22, Genesis 1:8, and Ephesians 3:15?
      1. ANSWER: They live in heaven.

Just because we can’t physically see something doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist or have a shape or form. For example, night vision goggles enable us to see things that our normal vision does not allow. So it is with angels and the spirit world: we can only "see" that world when God gives us a picture or vision of it, and opens our eyes so to speak.

In the next lesson, we will conclude our study of the Holy Angels by looking at their number, their power, and their classifications. We will also be looking at individual angels mentioned in the Bible, as well as an examination of the ministries of the angels and their roles as spectators.

May God continue to bless you as you study with us.

In Christ,

Wes

[2012]

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