Hey everyone welcome back to Critical Thinking Aloud and our study on Spiritual Beings as one of the Bibles main characters. This teaching is a part of the What is the Bibles Main Characters section of our foundational What is the Bible Series.
If you haven’t be able to go through the previous material in those series yet, we suggest you do so first now before proceeding in order to gain a fuller context of this installment. You can access those past teachings by clicking here.
We love teaching the ancient Near Eastern worldview of the Bible in part because we have experienced for ourselves the clarity which interpreting the Bible through this lenses can bring.
How Spiritual Beings relate to Gods Story, who they are, and what they do in relation to creation, are all questions I struggled with finding clear answers for before I adapted this way of interpreting the Bible.
It’s with great joy and a passion to hopefully see others gain a new perspective of the scripture that we are continuing our study today.
How we are going to learn
In this teaching we will be looking at the topic of spiritual beings as one of the Bibles main characters through the worldview of the ancient Near Eastern biblical authors. As I have done in the past with other teachings I want to quote from scholarly sources to make my point. I do this in hope that you will see this isn’t just my interpretation of the Scriptures but that this view is steeped in acadeemia.
We will be using two amazing sources which we highly recommend.
- Faithlife Study Bible: This is an amazing resource that is free if you download the app or use it online. To download the app or use this resource online visit their website here. This resource is also available in print which you can purchase here.
- The NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: This is my favorite resource for gaining a better understanding for the ancient Near Eastern worldview of the Biblical authors. This is available in a multitude of variations all of which you can find on our resource page here.
Lets gets started
Yahweh’s Desire
Remember Yahweh wants a big blended family of loyal spiritual and physical beings whom He shares His authority with while they spread Gods kingdom throughout creation.
The Divine Council
Most cultures of the ancient Near East shared the common view of a plurality of deities (pantheon) whom operated in a council. The ancient Israelites shared common threads of this same idea although amended to fit their view of Yahweh.
Here is a quote we have been using through out this series to help us understand this notion as bit better
“The idea that the gods operated in community, however, posed serious problems for the theology of Israel, in which only one being had divine authority. This theology did not eradicate the divine council from the Israelite thinking; instead the council was transformed. Rather than being comprised of various gods, the council featured the “sons of God” over whom Yahweh presided and whose activities he delegated… These council members were not gods who had autonomous divine authority on a par with Yahweh’s, but they were spirit beings given a role in Yahweh’s governance of the world.”
The NIV Culture Backgrounds Study Bible: Article on the Divine Council on Pg. 615
We have been defining God’s Sovereignty not as meticulous control, but as Yahwehs ability to rule as He pleases. Yahweh saw fit to rule in a community of loyal Spiritual Beings whom He gave authority to govern His creation.
Who is on the Divine Council ?
The divine council is made up of spiritual beings known in the Biblical narrative as the sons of god. The translation of the Hebrew word בני האלהים, romanized: bənê haĕlōhîm, the sons of god informs us that these are spiritual beings by nature.
All Elohim inhabit the spiritual realm, for they are spiritual beings. Here is a saying that I love that has helped me a ton to understand all this
“all spiritual beings are elohim including Yahweh, but no other elohim is Yahweh.”
There are many different members who are present on the council all of which differ in role and status.
Gods Command Center
In our last installment we used the analogy of Yahwehs council being like the White House of the United States. This is Yahwehs command center, His Holy Mountain or His Divine Abode. That content covered the top raking Cherubim and Seraphim who’s role on Gods Council is His “body guards”, guardians and transportation specialist.
To review that material click here.
These guardians are only one of many other spiritual beings who preside on the council of God. Lets check out a more well know class of the sons of God.
Cultural and Biblical Angels
While Angels may be culturally the most popular of these beings, I would contend that generally people know very little about them from a biblical prospective.
We posses a lot of information about Angels though not much at all is upheld by what is said about them in the Bible. Ideas such as a loved one who have passed away becoming a Guardian Angels, or that angels are little chubby babys with wings who can fly and play harps. Still others may envision angels as winged figures with halos on their heads who are always singing.
Undoubtably most people’s conceptions of these beings stem not from the Biblical Text but from Culture (art, film, literature). Though some of these descriptions are completely unfounded in the Biblical text there are other elements that overlap.
Here on Critical Thinking Aloud we believe that Biblical Doctrine is to be derived from the Biblical Text. We are hopeful that this material will be helpful in separating our thoughts about Angels into those rooted in culture from those which are founded in scripture.
Biblical Angels
The Cultural conception of Angels having wings is most likely due to the fact that the Biblical Angels can fly. This point along side the fact that cherubim do have wings (although they are spiritual beings they are not angels), has culturally lead to a conflation of the two beings.
It may be a surprise to most to hear that there is no passage of scripture in the Bible which mentions angels having wings, but this is the truth. There are only passages which allude to this being the case.
Such as
“And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other.”
Matt 24:31
Conflating Cherubim and Angels as well as language such as the “send out” and “from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other”, have lead people to speculate Angels fly with wings. Again there is no place in the Bible that says that Angels have wings.
Although we never get a winged discretion of Angels in the Bible we can derive from the text that there are a lot of these beings.
“Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
Matthew 26:53
The Step Bible defines a legion as this “legion, technically an army unit of 6,000 with 6,000 support troops.” Using this definition we can gather that Jesus is talking about 72,000- 144,000 Angels at His disposal.
Messengers
The word for Angel in the Old Testament is מַלְאָךְ (mal.akh) and in the New Testament ἄγγελος (angelos) ‘angel’ both of which means ‘messenger’/representative. This word is not exclusively used for spiritual beings nor is it only used for positive or “Holy” beings, but can refer to anyone sent to deliver a message.
As in these passage
“Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met:”
Num 20:14
in which these messengers sent by Moses are referred to as the same Hebrew word mal.akh.
Or this passage
“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations a thorn was given me in the flesh a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.”
2Cor 12:7
showing us a negative messenger of satan.
Angels as Men?
As we stated above most of our conceptions of Angels are flawed from cultural sources outside the Bible. The Biblical account informs us that most of the time these beings look like men.
“Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.”
Genesis 18:2
Later it is recorded that these same “men”
Genesis 18:22
“So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord.”
Than it says this
Genesis 19:1
“The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom.”
These passages literally refers to these beings as “men” until it is revealed they are actually angels along side The Visible Yahweh in the form of a man as The Angel of the Lord (If you are not familiar with this concept yet click here to learn more).
The New Testament author Paul teaches us this about Angels
“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. ”
Hebrews 13:2
Certainly the fact that these Beings can be disguised as humans so well that some have entertained them “without knowing it” must impact our beliefs about angels.
When we swap Biblically sound notions about any subject for that of cultural ones we are on tract to develop bad theology at the worst, and a flawed Biblical worldview at best.
Even though there are different forms/rank of these Spiritual Beings their main role is that of a messenger.
Different Classes of Angels
Among these messengers there are different classes which designate specific roles that are preformed along side of there messenger duties.
Archangels
The greek word ἀρχάγγελος (archangelos) which means ‘archangel’. While this word is only used twice in the New Testament throughout the Bible there are references to this top class of angels who are in charge of special tasks.
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”
1Th 4:16
Because of their proximity to Yahweh and their roles on His council, these Supernatural Beings share a unique positions on Yahwehs council.
Michael
The Hebrew word מִיכָאֵל (mi.kha.el) and the Greek word Μιχαήλ (michaēl) are both translated to ‘Michael’ which means “Who is like God [El]?” Here is a discription taken from the amazing online Bible Study resource The STEP Bible
“Michael = ‘who is like God’
1) one of, the chief, or the first archangel who is described as the one who stands in time of conflict for the children of Israel”
STEP Bible From Tyndale House, Cambridge UK
In the Old Testament we see Michael come to the Prophet Daniels aid to do battle against the “prince” of the kingdom of Persia.
“The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia”
Dan 10:13
* This prince is one of the rouge spiritual beings that we will be covering on upcoming installments of Critical Thinking Aloud.
Dan 10:21
“But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.”
“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.”
Dan 12:1
Notice also the language denoting special attention to the fact that Michael has charge (or better yet is given charge) over the people of Israel.
Both of these concepts developed in the Old Testament about Michael, battling rouge spiritual beings and having charge over the members for the nation of Israel, are themes carried over into the New Testament.
“But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said ‘The Lord rebuke you.'”
Jude 9
“Now war arose in heaven Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back“
Rev 12:7
Again we must be careful not to assume that this battle taking place in the Heavens requires these beings to possess wings. They are warring in their Spiritual realm, and Angels being spiritual by nature, have no need for wings to accomplish this task.
Gabriel
The Hebrew word גַּבְרִיאֵל (gav.ri.el) ‘Gabriel ‘= “warrior of God” or “man of God” and the Greek Word Γαβριήλ (gabriēl) ‘Gabriel’, “[strong] man of God [El]”
The STEP Bibles description of Gabriel is this
“Gabriel = “warrior of God” or “man of God”
STEP Bible From Tyndale House, Cambridge UK
1) an archangel; the angel God used to send messages of great importance to man; sent to Daniel, to Zacharias, and to Mary”
In both Testaments this archangel remains in the presence of God and is sent forth to give special messages of importance to people. Gabriel seems to be also tasked with helping humans to understand visions.
The Old Testament Passages
Dan 8:16
“And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”
“while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.”
Dan 9:21
*notice both the “man” and “flight” concepts discussed above.
The New Testament Passages
“And the angel answered him, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.'”
Luke 1:19
“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,”
Luke 1:26
Apart for these two Archangels there are others that are not recorded in the Protestant Bible.
Second Temple Period Jewish Literature preserved in Orthodox and Catholic Deuterocanonical books, also known as the Apocrypha record other Archangels.
As important as these text are for gaining a correct perspective of the Biblical authors context, covering these falls out side the scope of our study on Spiritual Beings as the Bibles Main Characters.
The Watchers
The Hebrew Word עִיר (ir) ‘watcher’ is used for another class of Angels known as the Watchers. These Spiritual Beings are tasked with watching over Humanity. This word only occurs 3 times in the entire Biblical Text all of which are found in the Old Testament in the same chapter of Daniel.
The STEP Bible describes these beings this way
“1) waking, watchful, wakeful one, watcher, angel”
STEP Bible From Tyndale House, Cambridge UK
“I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold a watcher a holy one, came down from heaven.”
Dan 4:13
“The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.”
Dan 4:17
“And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’”
Dan 4:23
Don’t allow the scarcity of these beings appearance in the Biblical Narrative persuade you that they are not important. As we will see in upcoming installments of Critical Thinking Aloud, these beings play a profound role in human history.
This concludes our teaching on Angels but before we wrap everything up here is one last thought.
Why is this Important?
God loves family. God loves Uniqueness. God uniquely created His family members to rule and reign over creation beside Him sharing His authority. When we study the Bible and see Yahwehs desire for His spiritual family to fulfill their unique tasks, we should be inspired to do the same ourselves.
Yahweh has created all of His family members uniquely to fulfill tasks which He has created for us to accomplish before the foundation of the world. Switching Biblical truth for cultural appropriations of Angels (however well intended they may be) ultimately convolutes these Spiritual Beings importance to Gods Divine Council and the role they play in governing creation.
Studying the significance the Biblical authors give to Angels accomplishing their roles in Gods family faithfully, will hopefully encourage us to remain faithful to our calling.
BIBLICAL DOCTRINE DERIVES FROM THE BIBLICAL TEXT
The Bible Project
Check out this short video series on Spiritual beings by our friends over at The Bible Project by clicking here. They are amazing and super helpful to better grasp what we will be covering in this series.
See you next time as we continue our study of Spiritual Beings as the Bibles main characters.
Citations:
NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Grand Rapids, Michigan USA Zondervan 2016
STEP Bible From Tyndale House, Cambridge UK
Call for action: Help us out by learning more
Check out the book Angels: What the Bible Really Says About God’s Heavenly Host by Michael Heiser for a more in-depth study on these Spiritual Beings who are on Gods council. Get it now by clicking here.
Our Favorite Bible
U.S. Link: NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible- Hardcover Bible, Bonded Leather Bible, Bonded Leather: Thumb Index, Imitation Leather Women’s, Imitation Leather Men’s, Kindle Edition
Our Favorite Book
U.S.- Supernatural: What the Bible Teaches about the Unseen World And Why It Matters- Paperback book, Kindle Edition, Audiobook
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