Hebrews 1:14, Psalm 91:11, Revelation 5:11
Popular but Misrepresented
Angels appear everywhere in contemporary culture — on greeting cards, in films, in jewellery, in spirituality memoirs. Almost invariably, the popular image bears little resemblance to the biblical picture. The chubby cherubs of Renaissance painting, the human-like guardian companions of popular spirituality, the vaguely feminine figures of sentimental culture — none of these emerge from careful reading of Scripture.
The biblical angels are more foreign, more powerful, more awe-inspiring, and more purposefully focused on God than any popular representation suggests.
What Angels Are
Angels (malak in Hebrew, angelos in Greek — both meaning "messenger") are personal, spiritual beings created by God before the creation of the material world (Job 38:7 implies their presence at creation). They are:
Created, not eternal. Angels are creatures — they had a beginning. They are not divine, not to be worshipped (Colossians 2:18, Revelation 22:8-9), and not omniscient, omnipresent, or omnipotent.
Spiritual beings. Angels do not have physical bodies in their normal state, though they can take on visible, human-like form (Genesis 18:2, Hebrews 13:2 — "some have entertained angels unawares").
Vastly numerous. "Thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand" (Revelation 5:11). Daniel 7:10 describes an "innumerable" angelic host around the throne of God.
Organised in hierarchy. Scripture describes different ranks and categories: cherubim (Genesis 3:24, Ezekiel 10), seraphim (Isaiah 6:2-3), archangels (1 Thessalonians 4:16, Jude 9), and various "rulers and authorities" (Ephesians 1:21). Michael and Gabriel are named individually.
What Angels Do
Worship God. Their primary and ceaseless activity is the worship of God (Isaiah 6:3, Revelation 4:8). Everything else they do flows from this.
Serve as messengers. The primary meaning of their name — announcing births (Luke 1:26-38), delivering revelation (Daniel 8:16), proclaiming the resurrection (Matthew 28:5-7).
Minister to believers. "Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14). Their ministry to God's people is described as a sending — a commissioned service.
Execute divine judgment. Angels strike down the enemies of God's people (2 Kings 19:35), pour out the bowls of judgment in Revelation, and will accompany Christ at the final judgment (Matthew 25:31).