Angels
Bible Question: In 2 Pet. 2:4, Revised Version, we read, "For if God spared not the angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness to be reserved unto judgment." What is the meaning of the word, "Hell" or as the marginal reading gives it "TARTARUS," which is the Greek word translated "hell?"
Answer:
The translators of the Revised Version of the Scriptures erred when they planned in the marginal readings the word "Tartarus"
for that is not the word contained in the original Greek manuscripts. The word tartaroo, used by Peter, very closely
resembles tartarus, a word used in Grecian mythology as the name for a dark abyss or prison. But the word
Bible Question: "For we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men."—1 Cor. 4:9. How were the Apostles made a "spectacle" to the angels?
Answer: Evidently the angels and all other spirit beings, of which there are myriads upon myriads (Rev. 5:11) are interested observers of the events transpiring upon this little globe of ours. What the race of mankind is learning by actual experience the spirit beings are learning by observation. As the poet has expressed the thought— "All the world's a stage and men and women merely players." The word "spectacle," in the marginal rendering of the Authorized Version, is theater. The Apostles were being made "a show of" before the world, and angels, and men, because of their loyalty to the cause of Christ. Enduring all manner of hardships, bitter persecutions, and regarded as religious fanatics— "fools" —because of their prominence in advocating the teachings of Christ, they were specially observed. Thus it was with the Master Himself; by His sufferings, His death, and His resurrection, He preached a powerful sermon in pantomime to the "spirits in prison" (The fallen angels who disobeyed in the time of Noah. 2 Pet. 2:4; 1 Pet. 3:18-20).
Bible Question: If the "Sons of God" (Gen. 6:4) were the angels who left their former habitation, or first estate— the spiritual realm (Jude 3)—how is it that they could marry the "daughters of men" and have children since it is understood from the Master's words (Mat. 22:30) that the angels are sexless?
Answer:—From many Scriptures it is apparent that the angels, or spirit beings, have the power of materializing as human beings. This materialization is complete, as the following Scriptural citations indicate, showing that these materialized beings could eat and drink and perform all of the functions of the natural being of the earthly plane of existence. (Gen. 18:8; Gen. 32:24; Zec. 1:9,5; Luke 1:30; Acts 12:7-10.) It is evident that the angels in their proper habitation, the spiritual realm, do not possess the powers of reproduction. It would, therefore, be impossible for them to have angelic progeny. It is only as they materialize as human beings that they could exercise the powers belonging to the race of mankind, and thus bring children into the world of the fleshly nature. Because some of the angels did this without the Divine sanction, they were punished by being restrained in chains of darkness unto the Judgment day.
Bible Question: What is an angel? We are told by our ministers that if we go to church and pay our pew rent and never do anything real bad that some day we will be an angel and go to heaven when we die. Now, I want to know what angels are like. Did they all live as men and women upon the earth before they became angels, and how did they become angels before there were any churches and regular collections? Was there ever a cheaper way of getting to be a angel than now?
Answer:—The popular conception of angels is that they are radiant beings dressed in white with wings attached to their shoulder blades. They are invariably represented as women, and are supposed to spend the larger part of their time seated upon clouds and fingering harps. In the Bible, angels are referred to as spirit beings, who act as the messengers of the Lord. We know of no Scriptures in which it is stated that human beings will ever become angels. On the contrary, the Lord has promised earthly blessings to all of the world of mankind, who will be obedient to His righteous laws of justice and love, when His Kingdom is established in the earth. Salvation will be free to all who will accept it upon the terms and conditions of full obedience to the Divine will. Mat. 6:10.
Bible Question: Do angels have a soul?
Answer: The Hebrew word translated "soul" is nephesh, which simply means "a breathing creature." Vine's Complete Expository
Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words defines nephesh as "the essence of life, the act of breathing, taking breath... The
Hebrew system of thought does not include the combination or opposition of the "body" and "soul" which are really Greek and
Latin in origin." (1985, p. 237-238, emphasis added) Even though the Hebrew language may not include the thought it is
included in the context of Genesis 2:7, And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. " Here the word nephesh is defined as body and breath becoming a (nephesh) soul.
The Hebrew words nephesh caiyah mean "living soul" and these words apply not only to man but to all of God's living
creatures. "To every beast of the earth and to every fowl of the air and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth wherein there is life."
But what about the angels? They are not souls! They live in heaven and do not breath and have no body like you and me... We do
not need a soul to get to heaven... And the Bible says that the spirit goes back to God, when we die.
A Soul Is a
sentient being. With this definition we could include the spiritual realm. The breath of life implies more than just oxygen it
also implies life energy. If a lifeless body was had oxygen pumped into it but it wouldn't lbe alive for there would be no
life force in it. The definition of a soul has to be reasoned upon and expanded beyond a simple formula of breath and body
even though this definition is generally correct in its simple form. A spirit being has a spiritual body and the life
principle which makes it a soul. I Cor. 15:45, 40 implies this although it doesn't directly call spirit beings souls. "And so
it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [was made] a quickening spirit. And so it is written,
The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [was made] a quickening spirit....There are also celestial bodies,
and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial (spirit being) is one, and the glory of the terrestrial (earthly being)is another."
See the following for further reading: htdbv5/htdb0136.htm
Whyareyouachristian_01.cfm
Bible Question: As a born again Christian, will I have a guardian angel to be with me during death?
Answer: Every Christian who has covenanted to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, sacrificing this present life to attain a
heavenly reward, has been promised a guardian angel. Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for
them who shall be heirs of salvation? The ministering spirits are the guardian angels which are to oversee the interests of
the Christian. They are the representatives of the Lord to do any needed work for us according to God's will. They protect,
guide, and administer chastening to test and develop each child of God.
We have the reassurance of God's word that our guardian angels are invisibly present with us
Matt. 18:10, In heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father.
Psa 34:7, The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
We can be sure that each saint's death is of great importance to God as shown in Psa 116:15, Precious in the sight of the
LORD is the death of his saints. God's ministering angels would surely be with his people as they finish their earthly
course. To read more about Christian's purpose and experience see following link: Whyareyouachristian_01.cfm