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WHO THE ANGELS ARE

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 20, 1887

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 13, No. 3.

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WHO THE ANGELS ARE.

(Sabbath, February 5.)
1. BESIDES God and men, what other intelligent beings are spoken of in the Bible?
“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:10.
2. Is much said about them in the holy Scriptures?—They are mentioned in every book in the Bible, and in some of them many times.
3. Who were present when God laid the foundations of the earth?
“Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner-stone thereof, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Job 38:4-7.
4. Had men been created at that time?
“These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, and every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew; for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.” Gen. 2:4, 5.
5. Who, then, must these “sons of God” have been?—They must have been angels.
6. What is the meaning of the word “angel”?—A messenger.
7. As soon as man had sinned, who were sent to guard the tree of life?
“So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” Gen. 3:24.
8. Who are the cherubim?—A high order of angels who dwell near the throne of God.
“Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubim, shine forth.” Ps. 80:1. See Eze. 10:20; 11:22.
9. As these sons of God and the cherubim are both mentioned before any man had died, could they have been the spirits of dead men?
10. Can dead men come back to converse with the living? See Luke 16:27-31.
11. Do the dead know anything about matters on this earth?
“For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.” Eccl. 9:5, 6.
12. How does Job state the same truth?
“But man dieth, and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?” “His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.” Job 14:10, 21.
13. Are men and angels of the same nature?
“For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.” Heb. 2:16.
14. How is man compared to the angels?
“What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the Son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor.” Ps. 8:4, 5.
15. Does not Jesus assume that angels are different from men?
“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” Mark 13:32.
16. Then can angels be the spirits of dead men?—They cannot.
17. As holy angels would not deceive, who must the spirits be which claim to be our dead friends?
“For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Rev. 16:14.
18. Where do the angels dwell?
“For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in Heaven.” Mark 12:25. See Luke 2:13-15.
19. How many angels did John see around the throne in Heaven?
“And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand [100,000,000], and thousands of thousands.” Rev. 5:11.
20. How does Paul express it?
“But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.” Heb. 12:22.
21. What were they doing?
“Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” Rev. 5:12.
22. What thought may this suggest as to our service toward God?
“Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me; and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God.” Ps. 50:23.
23. In what reverential manner do the highest angels stand in the presence of God?
“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphim; each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isa. 6:1-3.
24. Then in what spirit, and with what deportment, should sinful men come before God?
“Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools; for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in Heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few.” Eccl. 5:1, 2.