Question: in recent years, a lot has been written about angels. Who are they; what are they like; and where did they come from?
Answer: Many strange ideas exist about angels. Most have no basis in the Bible. However, the Scriptures contain about 300 references to angels.
The word angel comes from a Greek term meaning "messenger." Thus, in the Bible, we usually see them as supernatural, heavenly messengers from God. A few times, the term is applied to men who serve as messengers or spokesmen for God.
It should be noted that Matthew 25:41 speaks of Satan having his own angels or messengers. Concerning their nature and origin, revealed knowledge is limited. The Scriptures teach that angels are created beings (Colossians 1:16; Psalms 148:1-5).
In the Bible, angels are generally spirit beings, but they are often reported to have appeared to men as men, as in the case of those who appeared to the disciples at Jesus' tomb (Matthew 28:1-7; Mark 16:5-7; Luke 24:4-7). Abraham and Sarah also had similar visitors (Genesis 18:1-16).
An enormous number of angels exist. Jesus said, as recorded in Matthew 26:53, that He could call 12 legions of angels to rescue him from Pilate. A Roman legion consisted of 6,000 soldiers; thus, Jesus was saying he could call 72,000 angelic troops. Revelation 5:11 depicts millions of angels, if we take the number literally.
In the Scriptures, one angel named Michael (Jude 9) is described as an "archangel," or chief angel. Another is called Gabriel (Luke 1:26).
Angels have varied functions. They played a role, along with the Holy Spirit and Moses, in delivering the Old Testament law (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2). Sometimes, as with Jacob (Genesis 28:12; 31:11), they appeared in people's dreams. At other times, as with the one who appeared only to Balaam's donkey (Numbers 22), they were invisible.
Angels, after communicating with Mary and Joseph, announced Jesus' birth to shepherds. An angel directed the preacher Philip to speak to the Ethiopian nobleman (Acts 8). They served Jesus after his temptation, in the garden of Gethsemane, and in rolling away the stone from His tomb.
Angels have protected men, such as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3:28) and Daniel (Daniel 6:22). However, the Scriptures do not expressly teach that each person has a guardian angel.
These heavenly messengers also carried out judgment on God's behalf, as in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19). According to Matthew 13:39,41,49, they will be involved in the final judgment.
They also are spoken of as offering praise to God, rejoicing in the salvation of men, and as taking the spirits of the dead to their resting places. In 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6, we read of angels who fell from God's grace and are being reserved for judgment.
What do angels look like? As already mentioned, they have appeared in various forms, including human. Artists have done some disservice in depicting them as baby-faced, winged creatures. There are no such descriptions in Scripture. The winged image probably comes from references to them flying, or from the description of the winged images called cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant.
There are no references to female angels in the Scriptures.
Angels definitely have limitations, though perhaps fewer than men. They were not privy, in advance, to God's plan for man's redemption (1 Peter 1:10-12). We are not to worship them (Colossians 2:18). They are not omniscient, as God is. And, they are not authorized to speak any other gospel than that delivered by the apostles (Galatians 1:8).
So, as we've seen in this brief summary, we know a lot about angels, but much remains a mystery.