Types of Angels

[SavedOnebyGrace]

 

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Types of Angels

QUESTION: What are the types of angels?

ANSWER:

When we talk about angels we need to keep in mind that there are two classes of angels -- good and bad. For this search we are mainly focusing on the good angels. There are different types of good angels starting with the highest order, which includes:

• Christ as the Angel of God or Angel of the Lord (Hebrews 1:5-2:16).
• Cherubim are known for their power and beauty (Genesis 3:24; Ezekiel 1:5-28; 28:12, 13, 17; 8:1-4; 10:1-22).
• Seraphim perform priestly duties (Isaiah 6:1-7).
• Living creatures are mentioned in Revelation, worshiping God (Revelation 4:6-5:14; 6:1-8; 7:11; 14:3, 9-11; 15:7; 19:4).
• Arch-angels or chief angels rule kingdoms and planets (Colossians 1:15-18; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Jude 9).
• Michael is one of the chief princes, the prince of Israel (Daniel 10:13, 21; 11:1; 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Jude 9; Revelation 12:7-9).
• Gabriel stands before God and delivers important messages (Daniel 8:16-19; 9:20-23; 10:8-11:1; Luke 1:19, 26).
• Common angels are heavenly spirit beings (Matthew 1:20-29; 2:13-19; 28:2-5; 1 Kings 1:11-38; 2:9-21; Acts 5:19; 8:26; 10:3; 12:7-23).
• Guardian angels are given charge over us lest we stub our toes (Psalm 91:12).
• Ministering angels are like the one who cooked a hot meal for Elijah when he was running away from an angry Jezebel (1 Kings 19:5-7.
• Avenging angels are the ones that carry out God’s judgment upon mankind for their wicked deeds (Genesis 19:1-29).
• Death angels bring a type of judgment upon a people who persecute innocent groups (Exodus 12: 23; Revelation 6:8).

Angels can travel at inconceivable speeds (Ezekiel 1; Revelation 8:13; 9:1). Faithful angels of the Lord had been tested and tried at the time that Lucifer rebelled, which caused tumult in heaven and he fell from God’s grace (1 Timothy 5:21; Job 4:1-8). The angels test man by unknowingly appearing at times to see how individuals treat strangers (Hebrews 13:2). They are being taught wisdom by the Bride of Christ [the Church] (Ephesians 3:10; 1 Corinthians 4:9).

So are all Angels male?

Consider Zechariah 5:5-11

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The Woman in a Basket

5 Then the angel who was speaking to me came forward and said to me, “Look up and see what is appearing.”

6 I asked, “What is it?”

He replied, “It is a basket.” And he added, “This is the iniquity of the people throughout the land.”

7 Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman! 8 He said, “This is wickedness,” and he pushed her back into the basket and pushed its lead cover down on it.

9 Then I looked up—and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.

10 “Where are they taking the basket?” I asked the angel who was speaking to me.

11 He replied, “To the country of Babylonia[c] to build a house for it. When the house is ready, the basket will be set there in its place.”

 

[missmuffet]

10 minutes ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

 

So are all Angels male?

Consider Zechariah 5:5-11

 

Yes, the Bible always refers to angels as the male gender.

[SavedOnebyGrace]

13 hours ago, missmuffet said:

Yes, the Bible always refers to angels as the male gender.

So how do you explain the above verse in Zechariah?  Are you saying the Bible is wrong?

[missmuffet]

1 hour ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

So how do you explain the above verse in Zechariah?  Are you saying the Bible is wrong?

Some people point to Zechariah 5:9 as an example of female angels. That verse says, “Then I looked up—and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.” The problem is that the “women” in this prophetic vision are not called angels. They are called nashiym (“women”), as is the woman in the basket representing wickedness in verses 7 and 8. By contrast, the angel that Zechariah was speaking to is called a malak, a completely different word meaning “angel” or “messenger.” The fact that the women have wings in Zechariah’s vision might suggest angels to our minds, but we must be careful about going beyond what the text actually says. A vision does not necessarily depict actual beings or objects—consider the huge flying scroll Zechariah sees earlier in the same chapter (Zechariah 5:1–2).

https://www.gotquestions.org/angels-male-female.html

[SavedOnebyGrace]

3 hours ago, missmuffet said:

Some people point to Zechariah 5:9 as an example of female angels. That verse says, “Then I looked up—and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.” The problem is that the “women” in this prophetic vision are not called angels. They are called nashiym (“women”), as is the woman in the basket representing wickedness in verses 7 and 8. By contrast, the angel that Zechariah was speaking to is called a malak, a completely different word meaning “angel” or “messenger.” The fact that the women have wings in Zechariah’s vision might suggest angels to our minds, but we must be careful about going beyond what the text actually says. A vision does not necessarily depict actual beings or objects—consider the huge flying scroll Zechariah sees earlier in the same chapter (Zechariah 5:1–2).

https://www.gotquestions.org/angels-male-female.html

You could be right, by why did the writers of Holy Scripture make a point of Angels neither marrying or given in marriage? 

At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.  [NIV 22:30]

It should be noted this verse ONLY applies to Angels in Heaven, not fallen Angels.  In Heaven, who would they marry?  Who would give them someone in marriage?  I appreciate the general quality of the work at "gotquestions", but their answers do not replace the written word.  I originally intended this thread to discuss the various types of Angels, the way they're described in the Bible, etc.  This was a side question which I hope doesn't side-track this thread too much.  You've made an excellent reply, which I may or may not agree with.  I'll have to do some of my own research to see how often Angels are described as men, which would add another wrinkle to the question and answer.

[missmuffet]

43 minutes ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

You could be right, by why did the writers of Holy Scripture make a point of Angels neither marrying or given in marriage? 

At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.  [NIV 22:30]

It should be noted this verse ONLY applies to Angels in Heaven, not fallen Angels.  In Heaven, who would they marry?  Who would give them someone in marriage?  I appreciate the general quality of the work at "gotquestions", but their answers do not replace the written word.  I originally intended this thread to discuss the various types of Angels, the way they're described in the Bible, etc.  This was a side question which I hope doesn't side-track this thread too much.  You've made an excellent reply, which I may or may not agree with.  I'll have to do some of my own research to see how often Angels are described as men, which would add another wrinkle to the question and answer.

The confusion about genderless angels comes from a misreading of Matthew 22:30, which states that there will be no marriage in heaven because we “will be like the angels in heaven.” The fact that there will be no marriage has led some to believe that angels are “sexless” or genderless because (the thinking goes) the purpose of gender is procreation and, if there is to be no marriage and no procreation, there is no need for gender. But this is a leap that cannot be proven from the text. The fact that there is no marriage does not necessarily mean there is no gender. The many references to angels as males contradict the idea of genderless angels. Angels do not marry, but we can’t make the leap from “no marriage” to “no gender.”

Gender in language, then, is not to be understood strictly in terms of sexuality. Rather, the masculine gender pronouns applied to spirit beings throughout Scripture are more a reference to authority than to sex. God always refers to Himself in the masculine. The Holy Spirit is never described as an “it.” God is personal and authoritative—thus, the personal pronouns in the masculine gender. It would simply be inappropriate to refer to heavenly beings as anything other than masculine because of the authority God has granted to them to wield His power (2 Kings 19:35), carry His messages (Luke 2:10), and represent Him on earth.

https://www.gotquestions.org/angels-male-female.html

[SavedOnebyGrace]

3 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

The confusion about genderless angels comes from a misreading of Matthew 22:30, which states that there will be no marriage in heaven because we “will be like the angels in heaven.” The fact that there will be no marriage has led some to believe that angels are “sexless” or genderless because (the thinking goes) the purpose of gender is procreation and, if there is to be no marriage and no procreation, there is no need for gender. But this is a leap that cannot be proven from the text. The fact that there is no marriage does not necessarily mean there is no gender. The many references to angels as males contradict the idea of genderless angels. Angels do not marry, but we can’t make the leap from “no marriage” to “no gender.”

Gender in language, then, is not to be understood strictly in terms of sexuality. Rather, the masculine gender pronouns applied to spirit beings throughout Scripture are more a reference to authority than to sex. God always refers to Himself in the masculine. The Holy Spirit is never described as an “it.” God is personal and authoritative—thus, the personal pronouns in the masculine gender. It would simply be inappropriate to refer to heavenly beings as anything other than masculine because of the authority God has granted to them to wield His power (2 Kings 19:35), carry His messages (Luke 2:10), and represent Him on earth.

https://www.gotquestions.org/angels-male-female.html

I will have to research that train of thought offline.  As I said, while "gotquestions" is a very nice website that I sometimes use, it is not perfect.  The bolded section is what I want to research offline.  I have profound differences with "gotquestions" in some cases, and sometimes refer to the KJV-Only website for clarity, even though I'm not a KJV-Only advocate.

[missmuffet]

1 hour ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

I will have to research that train of thought offline.  As I said, while "gotquestions" is a very nice website that I sometimes use, it is not perfect.  The bolded section is what I want to research offline.  I have profound differences with "gotquestions" in some cases, and sometimes refer to the KJV-Only website for clarity, even though I'm not a KJV-Only advocate.

Life is full of choices. We have free will. Come to whatever conclusion your heart tells you.

[angels4u]

22 hours ago, missmuffet said:

Yes, the Bible always refers to angels as the male gender.

Amen Miss