Expert: Marilyn - 1/30/2008

Question
What are all there names and titles of what they do?

Answer
Hello;

The Bible only names two angels, Gabriel and Michael.  Gabriel is strictly a messenger.  Michael is the Guardian Angel of the nation of Israel.  

Satan, formerly known as 'morning star,'Isaiah 14:12, was a "guardian cherub," Ezekiel 28:11-15.  Satan was once a high ranking official in angelic government, if not THE highest ranking angel, Ezekiel 28:14.  He got full of himself and rebelled against God.  According to Revelation 12:7-9, one third of the angelic hosts which number billions, joined satan and were cast out of Heaven.  Fallen angels are now called demons and have lost their former angelic glory, though they still retain their powerful brains.

Archangel Michael is mentioned in Daniel 10.  In this passage Daniel is on his face before the Lord.  He's been fasting for 21 days.  An angel appears to Daniel and explains that he was dispatched immediately, but found himself engaged in fierce battle, unable to defeat the "prince of Persia."  The "prince of Persia" refers to the fallen angel, that is demon, assigned to rule over Persia, the land where Daniel was living.  Finally, Michael came and together they defeated this "prince" and the angel was able to bring Daniel's answer.  

Michael is specifically denoted as Israel's guardian angel in Daniel 12:1.  

In Revelation 12:7, a passage describing past events, Michael leads God's forces against satan's rebellion.  Jesus says, "I saw satan fall like lightning from Heaven," Luke 10:18.  Obviously, Archangel Michael is the highest ranking general in God's angelic army and THE most powerful angel in the ranks.

Gabriel interprets Daniel's vision in Daniel 8:16-26 and in chapter 9:20-27.  He announced births of both John the Baptist and Jesus, Luke 1:11-20, 26-38.  The name Gabriel means "Man of God."  

When speaking to Zechariah, John's soon-to-be father, he says, "I stand in the Presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you..."  When Zechariah expresses his deep unbelief, Gabriel informs him that since Zechariah refuses to believe, he will be unable to speak until after his son's birth.  This is because, as Jesus says, "ye shall have what you say," Mark 11:22-24.  God can't have Zechariah messing things up blathering about how it's impossible for his old wife to bear a child because clearly Zechariah has more faith that God can't do what Gabriel says He will do than he does in God's ability to do what He's promised.  Clearly, though Gabriel isn't described as a warrior, he has significant power.

Angels are spirit beings.  They are not cute little babies with miniature wings, in fact, most angels do not have wings at all but look like powerful men.  According to Jesus, angels, though they appear as men, have no sexual reproductive power, Luke 20:34-38.

The cherubim have at least 4 wings, Revelation describes them having six, calf feet and human hands.  Each has four faces, though John only sees one each in Revelation.  The four faces represent the four Gospels:  "the face of a man," represents the Gospel of Luke; "the face of a lion," represents the Gospel of Matthew; "the face of an ox," represents the Gospel of Mark and the "face of an eagle," represents the Gospel of John, see Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 4.  They surround God's throne, are involved in the highest levels of angelic government and serve as God's honor guard.  They might be assigned to guard and care for planets.  Satan, before his fall, was assigned to guard earth, see the passage in Isaiah.

Seraphs are mentioned only once in the Bible, see Isaiah 6.  They are described as having six wings, with two wings they cover their faces, with two wings they covered their feet and with two they fly.  These angels are God's choir.  Their voices are powerful enough to shake buildings.

Both Seraphs and Cherubim have or carry hot coals which represent holiness and God's purifying power.

When the term "Angel of the Lord" is used it often indicates that Jesus is the One actually present.  The name "angel" means simply "messenger."  God has billions and billions of angels.  Their duty is to serve God and humanity.  Each child of God has his own guardian angel.  Each town or city may both a demonic over-lord and an angelic guardian and the two go to battle when God's people ask help from the Lord.  Nations have their own demonic over-lord and guardian angel--again the same principle applies, they go into action according to the desire of the people in the nation or according to the commands of their leaders--either God or satan.  And demonic and angelic authorities are assigned to various types of power, such as the entertainment industry has both its demonic over-lord and its heavenly angelic guardian, as mentioned above, they go into battle when humans request or as their leaders command.

It must be remembered that the Lord has given the earth to human beings, Psalm 115:16.  He has made us the authority here.  Whatever happens, good or ill, it's our responsibility. God can only intervene when He receives a prayer offered in faith, and then, as in the case of Daniel during his fast, He will move with great might.  It is up to us to pray and believe and ask God to do His will in the earth and to live holy lives so that God's kingdom will advance.

Sincerely,

Marilyn