Patricia's letter My Reply Concerning the Gender of Angels

Good Early Morning Little Flock,

I hope that most of you all are nestled in your little beds about now and having sweet dreams. (smile)  I received this letter from Patricia last evening and have been up all night working on this answer. I felt that some of you might have these same questions concerning angels and their role and gender concerning the believer. I have written this introduction last because I didn’t know exactly how I was going to answer this letter and thought I’d wait until it was finished… (smile) There is a great deal of references here so your study lesson for the next couple of days is to get out the ole Bible and do some searching… I believe you’ll find this interesting and exciting as we learn more about God’s creation of angelic beings…

Oh yea, I didn’t have to get the hay for the horses yesterday. Jimmy came by just as I was turning off the computer after sending out the mail to you all and he wanted to get his guitar tuned… So I tuned it for him while he straightened up the hay and put a roll out for the horses… That was a pretty good trade huh? (smile)    

Well Here is Patricia’s letter and my reply below..

----- Original Message -----

From: Dick & Pat

To: Jim Keeling

Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 8:09 PM
Subject: Re: personal little flock; Too Beautiful not to share!!

Jim, I am confused....I went to see the site for Revelation Illustrated.  The angels depicted there are definitely female gender.  I know the Bible speaks of male angels also.  I'm not sure, but I think I am a little offended that the artist uses only females as angels in her paintings.  I remember reading once somewhere that angels should not be depicted as one sex or the other, am I wrong or have I remembered this incorrectly?  Please let me know what your opinion is on angels.  Maybe I'm wayyyy out in left field on this subject.  Thanks in advance if you can correct my understanding about angels.  Patricia Thomas

My reply:

Hi Patricia,

Sorry if I confused you. Try this page where you can blow up the pictures and see the scripture they refer to. I should have use this address instead of the one I did,,,  http://www.revelationillustrated.com/shop/  these are all male angels although one which had several angels in a row had longer hair found in print # 13. The only woman depicted was in print # 19 and reading the scripture. Rev. 12: 14 will clarify that picture. She isn't an angel or referred to as an angel but ‘the woman’ and this woman was given eagle wings...

Revelations 12: 13, 14
[13] And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
[14] And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

I may have missed the page with pictures of female angels but I didn't see one from the artist on the above page and that was the page I was referring to...  

I know that many sites depict angels in the female gender but I can't think of a verse which states them in any other gender than male and in so doing isn't Biblically correct. In my library I have a 21 set of books called the All's of the Bible by; Lockyer, and one of the books is entitled; “All the Angels in the Bible”. I've been looking thru it this evening and haven't found any references referring to female angels.  

Also I’ve was looking in my C. I. Scofield Reference Bible KJV and this is what I’ve found under the foot note found in Hebrews: 1; 4 

Hebrews 1: 4, 8
[4] Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
[5] For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
[6] And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
[7] And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
[8] But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 

Angel, Summary: Angel, “messenger,” is used of God, of men, and of an order of created spiritual beings whose chief attributes are strength and wisdom

(2 Sam.14: 20 - Psa. 103: 20 – 104: 4 )…  In the O.T. the expression “the angel of the Lord” (sometimes of God)  usually implies the presence of Deity in angelic form  ( Gen. 16:1, 13 -  21: 17, 19 -  22: 11, 16 - 31: 11, 13 - Ex. 3: 2, 4 - Jud. 2: 1; 6 - 12. 16 -   13: 3, 22 )   The word angel is used of men in Lk. 7; 24 -  Jas. 2: 5 -  Rev. 1: 20 -  2: 1, 8, 12, 18 -  3; 1, 7, 14… In Rev. 8: 3, 5 Christ is evidently meant… Sometimes angel is used of the spirit of man  (Mt. 18; 10 - Acts 12; 15).   Through angels are spirits (Psa. 104; 4 - Heb. 1; 14),  Power is given them to become visible in the semblance of human form (Gen. 19; 1 cf. v.5 -  Ex. 3; 2 -  Num. 22; 22, 31 -  Jud. 22;1 -  6; 11, 22 - 13; 3, 6 -  I Chr. 22; 16, 20 -  Mt. 1; 20 -   Lk. 1 26 -  John 20; 12 -  Acts 7; 30 - 12; 7, 8, etc. )…

The word is always used in the masculine gender, though sex, in the human sense, is never ascribed to angels  (Mt. 22; 30 -  Mk 12; 25). They are exceedingly numerous (Mt. 26; 53 - Heb. 12; 22 -  Rev. 5; 11 -  Pas. 68; 17).  

Their power is inconceivable  ( 2 Ki. 19; 35 )  Their place is about the throne of God  ( Rev. 5; 11 -  7; 11 ).   Their relation to the believer is that of “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation,” and this ministry has reference largely to the physical safety and well being of believers  ( Ki. 19; 5 - Pas. 34; 7 -  91; 11 -   Dan 6; 22 -   Mt. 2; 13, 19 -  4; 11;  Lk. 22; 43 -  Acts 5; 19 -  12; 7, 10 )… From Heb. 1; 4, with Mt. 18; 10 -  Psa. 91; 11, it would seem that this care for the heirs of salvation begins in infancy and continues through life….  

The angels observe us ( I Cor. 4; 9 – Eph. 3; 10 -  Eccl. 5; 6 ), a fact which should influence conduct…  They receive departing saints   ( Lk. 16; 22 ).  Man is made “a little lower than the angels,”  and in incarnation Christ took “for a little” (time) this lower place  ( Psa. 8; 4, 5 – Heb. 2; 6, 9 )  that He might lift the believer into His own sphere above angels ( Heb. 2; 9, 10 ). The angels are to accompany Christ in His second advent  ( Mt. 25; 31 ).  To them will be committed the preparation of the judgment of the nations  ( see Mt. 13; 30, 39, 41, 42 -  25; 32 note ).  The kingdom age is not to be subject to angels, but to Christ and those for whom He was made a little lower than the angels  ( Heb. 2; 5 ).   

And archangel, Michael, is mentioned as having a particular relation to Israel and to the resurrections  ( Dan. 10; 13, 21 – 12; 1, 2 – Jude 9 – I Thes. 4; 16 ).   The only other angel whose name is revealed, Gabriel, was employed in the most distinguished services  ( Dan. 8; 16 – 9; 21 – Lk. 1; 19, 26 )…

Fallen angels.  Two classes of these are mentioned: 

(1) “The angels which kept not their first estate [place], but left their own habitation,” are “chained under darkness,” awaiting judgment ( 2 Pet. 2; 4 – Jude 6 – I Cor. 6; 3 – John 5;22 )… See Gen. 6; 4 note  

(2) the angels who have Satan ( Gen. 3; 1 – Rev.10; 10 note ) as leader… The origin of these is nowhere explicitly revealed… They may be identical with the demons  ( Mt. 7; 22 note ).  For Satan and his angels everlasting fire is prepared  ( Mt. 25 ; 41 – Rev. 20, 10…
 

Well I guess that we have scratched the surface in the study of angels but perhaps it will help us to come to a little better understanding.

The biblical unfolding of the concept and existence of angels intensifies our admiration and adoration of the grace and government of God He it is, who created the angels, and knowing their essence, regimen and offices, as informed us of their gladness in our repentance and provision for our sin. Dr. John Owen, in his exhaustive commentary on Hebrews, reminds us of the spiritual edification and comfort we derive from a study of the dignified immortals, namely, the angels of God, it is the height of ingratitude, he declares’

 … Not to search after what may be known of this great privilege and mercy, whereof we are made partakers in the ministry of angels. God hath neither appointed nor revealed it for nothing. He expects a revenue of praise and glory for it; and how cam we bless him for it when we know nothing of it? This ministry then of angels is that which with sobriety we are in a way of duty to enquire into. Let us on this account glorify God and be thankful. Great is the privilege, manifold are the blessings and benefits that we are made partakers of, by this ministry of angels.
What shall we render for them and to them” Shall we go and bow ourselves down to the angels themselves, and pay our homage of obedience to them? They all cry out with one accord, “See you do it not; we are your fellow – servants.” What shall we then do? “Why!” they say, “worship God!” Glorify and praise Him, who is the God of all angels; who sends them unto whom they minister in all that they do for us. Let us bless God, I say for the ministry of angels... 

The prevailing corruption of the scriptural concept of angels should not discourage an intelligent view of these bright, celestial ministers of God, In the infinitely wise and glorious arrangement in the kingdom of the Almighty Creator, angels have their place and should therefore be recognized in out Christian life and thought. Why recite the ancient Creed and claim to believe in “all things visible and invisible” and yet in practice give no serious thought to the reality of spiritual creatures of the invisible world? The writings of Christian antiquity carry a strong sense of the fact that angels and men make up “one single city” as Augustine expressed it. We may not feel the presence of angels, nor see them, nor hear them; nevertheless, they exist and exert their influence all the same…
 

Quote:

The drift of pinions would we hearken,

Angels at our own clay – shattered doors.

The angels keep their ancient places:----

Turn but a stone and start a wing!

‘Tis ye, ‘tis your estranged faces,

That miss the many – splendoured thing.

            (The Kingdom of God, Francis Thompson)

Well it’s after 7am and it looks as though I’ve pulled an all-nighter once again. (smile) I just pray that this study has answered some of the questions many have concerning angels. Well, my goodness I just heard some gun shots so I guess one of my neighbors have ( I hope ) missed at getting that big ole buck deer that has been running around here… Anyway, I’m kinda tired now so you all have a wonderful day and I’ll try and answer some of the mail when I get up after while.

Once again I Thank YOU for visiting with me... If you don't know my Jesus as your personal Saviour but would like to, why not, in your own words, ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins, acknowledge that you believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, suffered and gave his life on that old cross, shedding His pure blood as the ultimate sacrifice for you, and that on the third day arose from the grave and is on the right hand of God the Father in heaven both now and forever more. And then ask Jesus to come into your heart and save your soul, writing your name in the Lambs Book of Life.. If you have accepted Jesus today, that means that your are saved and born again. You have been adopted into the family of God just like me... I am then not only your friend but your brother in Christ. Please write and let me know of that decision so that I might pray and rejoice with you…

Until we meet again,

May the Lord Bless our understanding concerning His creation of angelic beings,

Jim

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