“The reason angels can fly is because they take themselves lightly,” remarked a Biblical Scholar, insightfully bringing to light humility, one of the remarkable characteristics of these ethereal ones who serve their Creator faithfully on the other side of the Heavenly shores. Is humility only one of the unique traits of the Angels? Actually what has truthful Scripture to say about these faithful ones, and, hmmm…some not-so-faithful ones of the same genre! Well…is not Biblical insight better than eyesight in seeing (read understanding) about the “unseen” angels? Absolutely…
In this Series of 4 parts, Yours Truly has attempted to present a close to 360 degree view about the Angels from the revealed Scriptures (Deu 29:29)…firstly…
Creation…
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” (Job 38:7)
This verse, from one of the oldest books of the Bible (Job), more than establishes the truth that Angels were in existence before the physical earth as we see it was created. It can be said that their creation was at the point when the Elohim God “created the Heavens and the Earth in the beginning” (Gen 1:1).
Classification…
From the Scriptural accounts of seeing Angel Gabriel and Angel Michael being used for important missions (from creation of Adam onwards, see Daniel 10:13,21), it can be discerned that in the eternity past, after having created the Angels, the Almighty created hierarchical order in the Heavens with some endowed with very paramount responsibilities. Of course, all the details about the Heavenly Hierarchy is not completely revealed in the Scriptures as per His Sovereign will. Hence in this matter, we have to be guided by the Scriptural instruction enshrined in Deu 29:29.
While that is about Heavenly “hierarchical” classification…it would not to be out of place to state here that one needs to know about “Constitutional (read about Body) classification” vis-a-vis, angels and men….Consider this Scripture:
“What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.” (Psalms 8:4-5)
Simply put, while the Almighty is supreme (at the top tier, so to speak), in performing tasks related to time and space, an angel (in the middle tier, as it were) would easily outscore puny “bottom-placed” man. Ask a certain Sennacherib about the “angelic capacity” (see 2 Kings 19:35-36)!
Prayer: Father, you in your wisdom have through Your wisdom have through your wisdom created everything for Your Glory, including Your angels to minister to us. We praise Thee once again in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries
(To access the entire “Angelic…All the Way!” mini-series, please click here.)