During Advent this year we are doing a study of four passages in which angels appear to announce the great events of the coming of Christ. In two of them—the appearance to Zechariah to announce the birth of John, and the announcement to Mary of the conception of Jesus—the angel is named. He is Gabriel, “who stands in the presence of God.” In the other two instances—the appearance to Joseph and then to the shepherds—the angel is not named, and we may presume it is also Gabriel, but it is not important that we know for certain. The angel who announces the birth of the Savior to the shepherds is joined by a “multitude of the heavenly host,” a great choir of angels singing glory to God in the heavens and peace to mankind on earth.
Angels appear at certain other points in the New Testament, such as the deliverance of Peter from prison (Acts 12:6-11) and are going to announce the return of Christ (“the voice of the archangel,” I Thessalonians 4:16). Angels are very much part of the book of Revelation and the glorious scenes of heaven and the presence of God and his Son.
It seems clear that angels, literally meaning God’s messengers, are part of God’s created order. The Bible refers to angels and even to angels who fell, without giving any detailed explanation. On the one hand that has led to endless speculation about the unseen world inhabited by the angels, but on the other hand, the way the Bible treats the angels should cause us to be cautious about trying to have too many opinions about angels. Perhaps the best place to draw a final conclusion is Hebrews 1. The writer of Hebrews begins his letter by making it clear that Jesus, the Son of God is God’s final word, being “the radiance of the glory of God and exact imprint of his nature” (1:2). This means that this Son is far superior to angels and in fact the angels worship him (1:6). Furthermore, angels are not only God’s servants and messengers, but they have been sent to serve those who are the inheritors of salvation (1:14).
The secular world (ironically the “secular” world seems to feel no need for anything supernatural) is fascinated with angels. And yet in a secular setting there is typically no reference to Jesus. So I don’t expect to look outside the Bible for much help in my questions about angels.
Are angels still acting on behalf of God’s people? I have to conclude that they probably are. But I find it difficult to go beyond saying that they probably are “here” to define what that looks like. Many people have had unusual experiences that don’t fit into any known categories. Were they perhaps visits from angels? Since we don’t know definitively, why don’t we just celebrate with the angels the coming of Jesus. Keep Jesus central in our lives and our Christmas celebrations, and we will be in tune with the angels.
