Angels and demons in biblical theology and scripture

Angels and Demons

The understanding of angels and demons can be a complex concept in theology and many people do not quite know how these figures play into our faiths. However, at the same time, these figures receive a large amount of mentions in both the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. Angels also play an important role in the Resurrection by many accounts. For example, Matthew (28:2-6) mentions how an angel rolls back the stone on the tomb and sits on it to tell the Disciples the story of what happened.

And behold, there was a great earthquake; for can angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone 1 from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. (Matthew 28:2-6)

This analysis will provide a brief overview of the theological, biblical, and practical applications of the presence of angels and demons in Christianity.

Angels

Angels are mentioned in a plethora of different passages in the Bible. However, exactly what Angels are is not clearly defined. The most common idea about angels is that they are somewhere between man and god and represent some form of spiritual being (Kathley, 2004). In the Bible these figures are predominantly male although there are a couple of references that seem to be feminine as given in texts such as Ezekiel. The word angel in popular culture has been associated with many different figures. However, the word itself, as it appears in the Bible, stems from the Hebrew word "mala'ak" and can be translated as simply meaning "messenger" or messenger from God. Because of this, some theories suggest that God created the angles as an intermediary or a way of transmitting important messages to humans. There are other theories as well. Some believe that the sons of God are actually the sons of Seth and that the descendants of Seth and Cain were different.

There are also different characteristics associated with angels in the Bible. In the New Testament, Genesis, and Joshua, the angles commonly appear in humanly form and people that witness them cannot tell that they are not human. However, in Kings and Numbers the angels are described as invisible or unable to be seen at all. Other books, such as Ezekiel, describe them as looking entirely different from humans. For example, the characteristics ascribed angels in this book includes have four faces, four wings, feet like calves, and are shiny among other qualities. The different descriptions of angels in the Bible make it difficult for anyone to know exactly what they are and has lead Theologians to speculate widely throughout the years such as Augustine who believed that the angels were created in the instant that God spoke light into the world. On a more practical basis, many people believe that angels are real and active in their lives. Some people believe that they have guardian angels that God sent to watch over them and help to protect them.

Conclusion

Both angels and demons play a role in our lives based on the information presented in the Bible. However, the extent of their role is not clearly defined which has led many people throughout the course of Biblical history to speculate about their nature. The word for angel in Hebrew can be translated as a "messenger" and it seems that one of their sole purposes is to act as an intermediary between God and man such as the angel who was present at the Resurrection. However, many people believe that they play an even greater role in life such as acting as guardians and following people throughout the day. The role of demons are also equally unclear. However, most of the concepts of demons are associated with them being inside of individuals (as opposed to the angels who are thought of as being in the image of man). A demon can take possession and influence someone's behavior for the worse. It is only through Jesus that these demons can be exercised.