A Study On Angels, Part 3
For the last 2 posts I’ve been looking at Angels in response to a prophetic word I was given. We’ve looked at Hebrew and greek words used for angel as well as the term sons of God. Now, let’s look at the angels from the Revelation of John in the NT.
What are angels and the sons of God?
Angels are divine beings that serve God as messengers or agents that do His will. They look like humans, but are distinctly mighty, divine and lordly. Angels have corporal bodies that can sit, eat, drink, wrestle, conjugate and live immortally. They act as guardians, servants, ministers, destroyers, warriors and of course, messengers. Angels are classified by hierarchies and kinds. For example there are Archangels, chiefs among angels, and there are angels of God and angels of the satan. Some angels are named, and some assigned to specific details, such as people, seats of rulership on earth, or geographical domains.
Sons of Gods are divine beings that have authority in the heavenly and earthly arena. They council with God, they oversee nations, geography or people groups. They have free will and can rebel against God or remain loyal to Him. They are immortal and pre-exist humanity, some still sit in chains in the Pit to await judgment for acts they did against humanity millennia ago. They are perhaps the principalities, powers and rulers Paul refers to in Ephesians 6:12.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ
Revelation 1:1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servantsa the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
Christ’s Angel... This is an angel personally attending to/speaking for Christ (Rev 22:8-16)
Rev 1:20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Christ holds the 7 stars/angels in his right hand in a vision John has while in the Spirit
Rev 2: 1“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
Rev 2:8“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
Rev 2:12“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
Rev 2:18“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
Rev 3:1“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.
Rev 3:7“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
Rev 3:14“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.
an Angel oversees each church
John is commissioned to write to angels! Some letters are praise some are correctional. Begs to ask, do all churches today have an angel assigned to them?
after each letter it states “22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” implying the letter is for the whole church as well or the complex of church authority.
Rev 5:1Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it
Mighty angel proclaiming to heaven and earth
11Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
Rev 7:11And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
Many angels, millions perhaps worshipping
Rev 7:1After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. 2Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, 3saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
4 “cardinal direction” angels; 4 corners of the earth. (N,S,E,W perhaps?)
held back 4 winds
given power to harm earth and sea
Angel of the Rising Sun with the Seal of God, instructs/commands 4 angels
Rev 8: 2Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.3And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, 4and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.5Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings,a flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. 6Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them. 7The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. 8The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11The name of the star is Wormwood.b A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter. 12The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. 13Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”
7 angels each given a trumpets
Angel with Gold Censor of Incense
offering with prayers of saints before throne from its hand
throws fire from alter to earth (thunder, lightning and an earthquake)
Angel 1: hail, fire and blood thrown to earth. 1/3 trees, grass and earth burned up
Angel 2: burning mountain thrown to sea. 1/3 sea became blood. 1/3 sea creatures died. 1/3 ships destroyed.
Angel 3: great star “Wormwood” fell making 1/3 rivers and springs bitter
Angel 4: 1/3 Sun, moon and stars struck so 1/3 light darkened both day and night.
Rev9:1And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit.a 2He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. 3Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth…13Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, 14saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind…
Angel 5: Star falls to earth with Key to bottomless Pit
opens pit releasing smoke darkening sun and air
Locusts given power like scorpions to torment only those without a seal on them for 5 months
Angel 6: golden alter horns speak to 6th angel…Releases 4 angels
4 Angels Bound at the River Euphrates: kill 1/3 mankind
Rev 10:1Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, 3and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded…5And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. 8Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”
Angel of Cloud, Rainbow, Sun and Fire:
swears by God and prophecies about 7th Angel
loud voice that causes 7 thunders to sound
feet on land (left) and sea (right)
carries a little scroll
tells John to eat the scroll and how it will taste and to prophesy again
Rev 11:15Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”…19Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings,c peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
Angel 7: mysteries of God fulfilled at its trumpet
signals loud voices in heaven to announce the transfer of kingdoms
God’s temple in heaven opened to expose the ark of his covenant
Rev 12:7Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothersb has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
Michael named chief over some angels
Satan (the devil, ancient serpent, great dragon, deceiver, accuser of our brothers) named chief over some angels
Angels are warriors in heavenly war
Satan and his angels thrown down to the earth and sea
Satan and angels time is short and filled with wrath
Humanity is brethren with angels
stars again conflated with angels
Rev 14:6Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
8Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passiona of her sexual immorality.”
9And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
Flying Angel 1: Eternal Gospel to earth “Fear God give him glory, hour of judgment has come, worship him…”
Flying Angel 2: Fall of Babylon
Flying Angel 3: discloses consequence of taking the Mark of the Beast and worshipping it and its image
Rev 14: 15And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.
Angels who Calls to Harvest
17Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.20And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.c
Angel with a Sickle who Reaps and Harvests from the Earth for the Winepress of God’s Wrath
Angel who has Authority over the Fire of the Altar, commissions angel with sickle
Rev 15:1Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished… 5After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tentb of witness in heaven was opened, 6and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests. 7And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever, 8and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
REv:16:2So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. 3The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea. 4The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5And I heard the angel in charge of the watersa say,
“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
for you brought these judgments.
6For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!”
7 angels with 7 plagues finish up God’s wrath
Angel of 1st Bowl of Plague: sores on those marked by beast
Angel of 2nd Bowl of Plague: Sea becomes blood and all sea creatures die
Angel of 3rd Bowl of Plague: Rivers and Springs become blood
Angel of Waters: perhaps pours the 3rd bowl, honors God’s judgement
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire…10The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. ..12The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. .. 17The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings,c peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. 21And great hailstones, about one hundred poundsd each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.
Angel of 4th Bowl of Plague: Sun allowed to scorch people
Angel of 5th Bowl of Plague: plunges beast and its kingdom into darkness
Angel of 6th Bowl of Plague: Great River Euphrates dried up to allow Kings from East to cross
Angel of 7th Bowl of Plague: Air
announcing “It is done.”
lightening, thunder and worlds worst earthquake; great city splits in 3, cities of nations fall, Babylon remembered, islands and mountains fled
100 lb hailstones from heaven
Rev 17:1Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, 2with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” 3And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness…7But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her…
carry John in the Spirit
shows and explains vision
Rev 18:1After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. 2And he called out with a mighty voice,
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!”….
has great authority compared to normal authority
brightens earth with his glory
Rev 18:21Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,
“So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence,
and will be found no more;
mighty in strength to hurl a millstone into the sea prophesying over Babylon the city
Rev 19:9And the angel saida to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
command John to write
rejects worship; redirects worship to God
fellow servants and brothers
Rev 19:14And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses…17Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave,d both small and great.”
army of angels in pure white linen
Angel in the Sun that calls to birds, vultures, scavengers
Rev 20:1Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pita and a great chain. 2And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
Angel who seizes the Dragon (ancient serpent, devil, satan)
Binds him 1000 years with a Great Chain, with key to Pit, seals him in
Rev 21:9Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,…15And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia.d Its length and width and height are equal. 17He also measured its wall, 144 cubitse by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement…Rev 22:1Then the angela showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb…6And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” 7“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” 8I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” 12“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14Blessed are those who wash their robes,c so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.16“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 17The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
measures Holy City Jerusalem with rod of gold
human measurement is angel measurement (cubits)
shows John the Bride, Jerusalem; the water of life; what soon must take place.
confirms the angel Jesus’ angel is not God, but the personal servant of Christ to speak on his behalf
In summary
The Angels in the book of the Revelation have authority over/for things of creation, times, actions, places and judgements. Angels are servants of God and Brothers of humanity. They are mighty and loud, warriors and worshippers. There are millions of them around the throne. Some fly. Some sit. Some stand. They are conflated with stars. They sound beautiful and awe inspiring. Some are bound by others. All operate under an unexplained system of laws, rules and orders that is understood by them and agreed to and upheld. There are angels that destroy and those that proclaim, those that reveal, those that command, those that release, those that hold back, those that carry, those that throw down.
How fascinating! I think a deeper dive into the star correlation would be fun, what do you think?