Today we celebrate Michaelmas, the day of Michael and all Angels. As with all of the “special festivals” this provides an opportunity to learn and reflect upon teachings of Scripture that might not otherwise be covered directly. Michael is the only archangel mentioned by name in Scripture, and so he is taken as representative of all the angels.
Because angels are spirits and not known by us except through the pages of Holy Scripture, people tend to fill in what they do not know about angels with various superstitions. Here are some passages that tell us about these powerful creatures of God.
They are very numerous – Daniel 7:10 Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
They are spirits – Psalm 104:4 Who makes His angels spirits …
They are powerful – Psalm 103:20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength …
They are God’s messengers and servants – Psalm 103:21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
They serve God especially in the protection and care of the believers – Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? – Psalm 91:11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways
There are evil angels who rebelled against God (demons) – 2 Peter 2:4 God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
There is more in the Bible about angels, but because we are spiritually blind in this life much about angels will remain a mystery until they gather us all with our Savior, with the holy angels, and with all the believers in heaven. Matthew 24:31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.