What about angels?

[glfredrick]

Yes Amy, perhaps angels cannot love if they are not made in the image of God. But they can worship as you and Tom pointed out which would seem to require love, but perhaps not.
What other differences might they have from men?

It is entirely possible that angels worship God, as does ALL creation, even without emotional attachment. Not saying they do not have it, we don't or can't really know if they do or not until we see face-to-face.

I'm of a mind that EVERYTHING that comes in contact with God cannot help but worship God, even Satan, albeit his worship is perverted by his pride and sinful lust to be like God (ever notice he doesn't seem to want to be "more" than God?).

 

[HankD]

It is entirely possible that angels worship God, as does ALL creation, even without emotional attachment. Not saying they do not have it, we don't or can't really know if they do or not until we see face-to-face.

I'm of a mind that EVERYTHING that comes in contact with God cannot help but worship God, even Satan, albeit his worship is perverted by his pride and sinful lust to be like God (ever notice he doesn't seem to want to be "more" than God?).

My dog loves me and he does not bear the image of the Creator.

HankD

 

[Allan]

Here is an interesting point to me that still makes no real sense.

God is almighty, all powerful, all knowing, All (you fill in the blanks)

So.. why does God have angels that war/fight, or better why does God have angels that war with Satan AT ALL?

Being God, and all things work according to His divine will.
Why the need, at all, for angels that fight for Him, on His behalf.

The worship aspect I can at least fathom, and for His glory is understandable.
But the aspect of having an angelic army, when He can, on any whim, force if He so choose, any creature to His will.

It has always been an interesting quandary.

 

[Winman]

Here is an interesting point to me that still makes no real sense.

God is almighty, all powerful, all knowing, All (you fill in the blanks)

So.. why does God have angels that war/fight, or better why does God have angels that war with Satan AT ALL?

Being God, and all things work according to His divine will.
Why the need, at all, for angels that fight for Him, on His behalf.

The worship aspect I can at least fathom, and for His glory is understandable.
But the aspect of having an angelic army, when He can, on any whim, force if He so choose, any creature to His will.

It has always been an interesting quandary.

Yes, and what is more amazing is that the fallen angels seem to have a great deal of power. In Daniel 9 we see Daniel having a conversation with the angel Gabriel whom Daniel had seen before. In chapter 10 we see Daniel speaking to a man, I am assuming this is Gabriel again, who tells Daniel he was withstood for 21 days by the prince of the kingdom of Persia whom I assume is a fallen angel, and we are told the angel Michael had to come to his help. So, obviously these fallen angels are quite powerful.

 

[David Lamb]

Here's another question:
Can angels really fly?

The only places I could find where angels are described as flying are in the Book of Revelation.

Elsewhere, they seem to have been like men. For example, in Genesis 19.5, the wicked men of Sodom ask Lot about the angels: "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally." In Jacob's dream, the angels of God were not flying, but going up and down a ladder. When the angel Gabriel visited Mary, she wasn't frightened by his appearance, but by what he said. Luke 1.29:

But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.
​

And it seems impossible for some to have "entertained angels unawares" (Hebrews 13.2) if those angels had enormous wings.

I'm not for a moment soggesting that whether or not angels fly is an essential test of Christian orthodoxy, but we need to be careful that what we assume to be biblical truth is not just tradition. Another example would be the devil having a forked tail, and stoking the fires of hell, as if he were in charge of that place.

 

[glfredrick]

Here is an interesting point to me that still makes no real sense.

God is almighty, all powerful, all knowing, All (you fill in the blanks)

So.. why does God have angels that war/fight, or better why does God have angels that war with Satan AT ALL?

Being God, and all things work according to His divine will.
Why the need, at all, for angels that fight for Him, on His behalf.

The worship aspect I can at least fathom, and for His glory is understandable.
But the aspect of having an angelic army, when He can, on any whim, force if He so choose, any creature to His will.

It has always been an interesting quandary.

God's permissive will to achieve God's divine purpose, for God's ultimate glory, even if it doesn't make sense to us right now.
Ever heard the weaver illustration? All the black threads, etc., make for a beautiful pattern once we see the "finished" side.

 

[HankD]

Here is an interesting point to me that still makes no real sense.

God is almighty, all powerful, all knowing, All (you fill in the blanks)

So.. why does God have angels that war/fight, or better why does God have angels that war with Satan AT ALL?

Being God, and all things work according to His divine will.
Why the need, at all, for angels that fight for Him, on His behalf.

The worship aspect I can at least fathom, and for His glory is understandable.
But the aspect of having an angelic army, when He can, on any whim, force if He so choose, any creature to His will.

It has always been an interesting quandary.

Because it pleases Him (gives Him pleasure):

Psalm 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Psalm 135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.​

Psalm 147:11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.​

Psalm 149:4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.​

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.​

And He wants to share this pleasure:​

Psalm 36
7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.​

Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.​

HankD​