What Real Angels Look Like According To The Bible
Angelology, the study of angels, calls for a comprehensive look into the topics of angelic beings and their roles in different religions. For Christians, the Bible is an important source for such information. It tells believers the story of how real angels look like and how their appearances help their tasks in different ways.
Angels are spiritual beings robed in shining light. Angels are represented in the Bible as they had wings which they used as a means of traveling in the sky. Such wings symbolize the divine power that angels possess and the fact that they can move freely between heaven and earth. In Ezekiel 1:6, Ezekiel wrote, “Each had four faces, each with four wings.” The wings of angels were described as “two wings spread out upward and two covered their bodies” (Isaiah 6:2). Angels in the Bible are also represented as glowing or luminous beings. They are described as having the “glory of the Lord” or being “clothed with brilliant heavenly light” (Isaiah 6:2; Daniel 10:6).
The Bible also states that real angels can take many forms. In Genesis 18:2, an angel appeared as a man and in Genesis 32:24-30, an angel appeared in a fight between a man, who was later revealed as Jacob. In Exodus Ch. 3, an angel appeared as a burning bush. In Numbers 22:22-35, an angel appeared as a donkey. In Revelation 22:16, he said, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches.” These descriptions indicate that angels can appear in various forms.
While real angel’s appearances can vary, they are all given dominion over different realms in the heavenly kingdom. The Bible identifies multiple assignable roles that angels have as God’s messengers and servants. For example, they are given roles such as ministering to believers (Hebrews 1:14), bringing judgement and destruction (Revelation 16:1-2), and protecting and guarding people (Psalms 91:11-12).
The Bible also provides insight into the reason for the frequent appearance of angels. Angels are created to glorify and praise God and carry out his will. When God calls for a mission, angels will be sent to fulfill it. For instance, angels were sent to defeat a powerful king in Daniel chapter 10. Angels are sent to bring punishment to the wicked or to bring a gift of joy and good news, as Galatians 4:14 says, “And the good news that was preached to you was that it is through Jesus Christ that you have now been set free.”
While this article delves into generalities, there are many types of angelic beings and different roles for them according to the Bible. Ultimately, all angelic beings serve God and carry out His will. Taking a look at the Bible offers insight into what real angels look like and how they appear in the world and in our lives.
Angels in the Old Testament
In the Bible, angels are featured often in the Old Testament, espcially in the books of Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Zechariah. In these books, angels deliver messages and punish the wicked. This can be seen in Daniel 4, where an angel appears before King Nebuchadnezzar to foretell the King’s ruin. Similarly, Ezekiel 10 tells of an angel with a burning coal in hand to punish those who had forsaken the Lord.
The purposes of angels in Old Testament stories go beyond providing divine judgment. In Genesis 18:1-21 and Genesis 19, angels appear to Abraham and Lot respectively. The angels guide Lot before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and Abraham before the birth of Isaac. From these stories, it is clear that angels provide guidance and comfort in times of distress.
From these stories from the Old Testament, it is apparent that God uses angels to accomplish His will and to execute His commands. Angels provide divine judgment on those who have betrayed the Lord but also show kindness and offer protection in times of need. It is thus clear how real angels look like according to the Bible and how they appear in the Old Testament.
Angels in the New Testament
Angels play an even more prominent role in the New Testament. In Luke 1, an angel appears to Mary to inform her of the coming birth of Jesus. Moreover, in Matthew 2, angels appear to the Magi to instruct them to find and worship the newborn Jesus. After Jesus’ birth, the angels appear again to proclaim his birth to the shepherds.
After his resurrection, Jesus sent out his angels to proclaim his death and his commandments. This can be seen in Matthew 28, where Jesus commands the Eleven to take his gospel to all nations. His words are to be spread through the power of angels so that his commands and teachings can extend even after he passes.
The roles of angels in the New Testament are more significant than their roles in the Old Testament. Angels in the New Testament are tasked with spreading the gospel and Jesus’ commands, protecting believers, and delivering the Good News. These aspects of their roles demonstrate how real angels look like according to the Bible and how Jesus uses angels as a representation of his will.
Angelic Protection in the Bible
While angels in the Bible may bring punishment or warnings, they also offer protection. In Psalms 91:11-12, it is written that “He will command his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.” This passage shows that angels have a protective nature and can be employed as guardians.
Many other passages in the Bible demonstrate angels at work as protectors. In Daniel 3, three Jewish youths faced persecution due to their rejection of worshipping a false god. Though they faced great danger, an angel appeared to protect them and kept them safe. Similarly, in Acts 10, Cornelius had a vision of an angel telling him to find Peter, who would share the message of Jesus with him. In both of these cases, the angels acted as a protectors and guardians.
From these passages, it is evident that angels can be summoned to aid and protect believers in times of need. Furthermore, it shows how angels can be used by God to protect and save his people from harm. This, again, shows how real angels look like according to the Bible and how they appear in service of God.
A Higher Calling for Angels
Beyond offering protection to believers, angels seek to accomplish a higher purpose by carrying out the commands of God. In Isaiah 6:3, it states that the seraphim call to one another, saying
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” This passage indicates that angels song and praise in honor of God. Moreover, in Hebrews 1:14, it is written that the “angels are servants, sent out to care for those who will receive the gift of salvation.” This demonstrates how real angels look like according to the Bible and how angels carry out a higher purpose in glorifying God and serving His people.
The books of Revelation demonstrates the importance of angels in carrying out the will of God. In Revelation 5:2-5, there is a vision of a powerful angel with seven seals in which lies the secrets of the universe. The angel commands the sea, land, and sky to be ready to open the seals of the book. Through this passage, it is clear that angels possess immense power and can use it to carry out God’s command.
Finally, in the last book of the Bible, the figure of angelic being is found in the form of a woman. In Revelation 12:1, she is described as being “clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet.” This woman is then credited with being the harbinger of the good news that has been promised and proclaiming it throughout the world. This figure is thought to represent the heavenly angels and how they will share in the ultimate victory of God’s plan for the world. In this way, real angels look like according to the Bible and how they are a part of the divine plan.
Real Angels and Spiritual Warfare
The Bible has many stories of angels being used as an agent of battle and combat. In Daniel 10, Daniel is visited by an angel to help him in a spiritual battle against a powerful king. The angel promised to fight off the enemy, showing that real angels have the power to wage war against the enemy. This can be seen in many other passages, such as Joshua 5:13-15, where Joshua engages in a battle with an angelic being.
The book of Revelation also paints an image of angelic battle. In Revelation 12:7, it is written that God’s angels battle with Satan in heaven, as “Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels.” Another example of angelic warfare is found in Revelation 19:14, where an angelic army is employed to carry out the Lord’s judgement against Babylon. In this way, we can learn more about how real angels look like according to the Bible and how their powers can be used to wage spiritual warfare.
In the Epistle to the Ephesians, spiritual warfare is addressed more implicitly. The followers of Jesus are instructed to put on the armor of God in order to fight off the enemy. A verse that emphasizes this is Ephesians 6:12: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” This implies that there is a spiritual battle taking place between good and evil and that we can enlist angels and their powers in order to fight this battle. In this way, it clear how real angels look like according to the Bible and how they can be employed in spiritual warfare and battles against evil.
The Role of Angels in the Intersession
The intercession of angels is a concept that often appears in the Bible. Angels are responsible for interceding on behalf of God’s people and delivering His divine judgement. In Zechariah 3:1-2, an angel appears before Joshua to intercede on his behalf and to offer forgiveness for his sins. Similarly, in Matthew 18:10, angels are said to be constantly at work, “always in the presence of the Lord in heaven, to intercede on our behalf.”
The intercession of angels appears in other passages as well. In Acts 12:1-11, Peter was imprisoned and an angel is sent to Peter to deliver him from imprisonment. The angel appears in the prison cell and guides Peter past the guards and set him on his way. This act of intercession is accompanied by the power of an angel, showing once again how real
