ANGEL MANIA

Claims of angelic encounters have dazzled the popular culture. How should Christians respond?

Melissa Deal Forth, an author in Nashville, Tennessee, tells a powerful story about her husband, Chris, who died of acute lymphocytic leukemia.

An unforgettable incident took place in the hospital two nights before his death. Somehow Chris managed to maneuver himself and his portable IV pole around Melissa, who was sleeping in the room, past the nursing station, and out into the hospital chapel. After a frantic nurse awakened her at 3 a.m., Melissa found her husband in the chapel talking to a man she had never seen before----or since.

The stranger was dressed much like her husband usually did----flannel shirt, new Levis, lace-up work boots----all looking brand new. But the stranger's white skin and blue eyes Melissa found unforgettable. "I mean I've never seen that color blue on any human before. They were more the blue color of Husky dogs. I'll never forget the eyes," Melissa recalled.

When Chris died two days later, it was with serene peace of mind. "The fear and pain were taken from him," Melissa testifies. "I know what I saw, and I know it changes lives. Never, never, never will anyone be able to convince me that angels don't exist."

Perhaps someone you know----perhaps even you----have a similar story to tell. So what are Bible believing Christians to conclude about such incidents?

Angels Among Us?

In the United States, angelic fervor continues strong even after its 1993 high, when five of 10 religious best sellers addressed the subject of angels. Their winged presence adorns many bookstore, craft fair and card shop. What is happening? The flurry of speculation, reports and rumors about celestial beings and angelic encounters even spawned several movies and short-lived, prime time television series featuring a red-haired angel complete with Scottish brogue.

Psychotherapist and spiritual counselor Alma Daniel, co-author of the best-selling Ask Your Angels, is well aware that the subject seems all too reminiscent of the claims of what has been called the New Age movement. But she herself thinks the subject is bigger than that.

Daniel feels the angels are on a divine mission. They are being sent to help us "grow into the light." Angelic interest reflects a heavenly "God's love, light, mercy and compassion," claims Daniel. A kinder, gentler transformation of the human condition is being heralded by our celestial visitors. But not all Christians would see it this way by any means. Many religious leaders----Catholic, Protestant, Jewish----are noticeably cautious on the subject.

They worry that sensationalized pursuits of the sacred often come with a high price tag. For one thing, the quest seems too reminiscent of every other fad of the Me Generation. The marketing of personalized encounters in bookstores and the mass media feeds this suspicion. There are also theological implications. A fixation on angels can push a personal relationship with God to the background.

When one puts angels so prominently in the foreground, it is easier to view God as somehow more distant, a step removed. But some church leaders are "on the side of the angels." They view today's angels alert as a welcome sign of the transcendent in an age of disillusion. In the age of the twin towers tragedy and regularly televised traumas, many people are seeking a positive, affirming vision.

David Seljak, religion instructor at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, views the current explosion of interest in angels as "an antidote to anxiety, a way of taking what you want out of Christianity without submitting to the hierarchy or the responsibility." Seljak is skeptical. He fears that many Christians' relationship with God will suffer.

Who is right? This question of popular interest in angels provokes some thought-provoking issues on both sides of the equation. For Christians, the Bible is the essential yardstick in this matter.

Close Encounters

From the first appearance of angels in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:24) to their spectacular manifestation outside Bethlehem at Jesus' birth (Luke 2:8-15) down to John's heavenly tour guide at the end of the book of Revelation (Revelation 22:6, 16), angels are a common thread through Scripture.

Angels are messengers, closely connected with the divine will. Both the Hebrew word for angel, malak, and the Greek angelos teach this. "The word angel is applied in Scripture to an order of supernatural or heavenly beings whose function it is to act as God's messengers to men, and agents who carry out His will," comments J.M. Wilson in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.

"Once angels appear clothed in white; they are so dazzling in appearances as to terrify beholders; hence they begin their message with the words 'Fear not' (Mt. 28:2-5)' " (rev.ed., vol.1, pages 124-127). At least some angelic encounters that people report today square with incidents in Scripture (but this alone does not confirm an event's veracity). The patriarch Abraham's experience is one of the earliest in the biblical record (Genesis 18:1-19:1).

The three men who appeared to him were heavenly visitors, one of them a manifestation of God himself (Genesis 18:17, 20, 33). No halos. No wings. No dazzling lights. But the mother of Samson, the Israelite hero, had an angelic visitor whom she described as "very awesome" (judges 13:6).

Much later, at the time of Jesus Christ's resurrection, Mary Magdalene saw "two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot" (Bible verse John 20:12). Mary conversed with them quite naturally, as if they were ordinary mortals.

Sometimes angels are portrayed as strikingly dramatic emissaries of doom (Revelation 10:1-7). In Revelation 4:6-9), the apostle John, in vision, encountered multi headed, many-winged creatures defying human description. Biblically speaking, then, not all angelic manifestations are alike. But most importantly----not all angelic appearances are from God. And this introduces the most important angle on angels.

The Dark Side

"The god of this age," "an angel of light," "the prince of demons"----these are New Testament descriptors of Satan the devil. He and his rebellious followers possess supernatural power (Mark 5:1-4). The New Testament teaching is clear: Satan and his demons can disguise themselves as good angels. The apostle Paul warned about demonic double agents when discussing spiritual deception:
"And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). This is one reason Scripture clearly warns against worshiping angles, praying to angels or having a preoccupation with them. From a Christian perspective, the quest for a personal angel could lead to problems. There is danger of exalting an intermediary above the true God.

And Christians are rightly suspicious of reports of angelic communications that seem to be detached from God's overarching purpose in our lives, what the apostle Paul described to Timothy as becoming "wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15).

Some angel books seem bent on making commodities out of and packaging what is a complex spiritual reality. Angels, according to one source on the subject, can enhance your creativity; add fun and play to your life; relieve stress and tensions; and----should we really be surprised in our culture?----enhance our youthful zest for living.

But the divine purposes and prerogatives can easily get lost in such self-seeking sensationalism. Biblical guidelines on angels can be distorted as a result. Gabriel Fackre of Andover Newton Theological School tells it more like it is:
"Biblical angels are about God's business. In each case, beneficent powers are released to accomplish something integral to the divine purposes. All actions comport with and contribute to that end... The critical test all claims to angelic visitation must pass is: Do they serve the realm of God and testify to Jesus Christ?"

Less conservative angel-questers describe their celestial visitors in pseudoscientific neopagan terms, as cosmic energy flows or sources or artistic inspiration, "angels of enlightenment." To Bible based Christians, this smacks of repackaged New Age narcissism, cosmic connectedness and the teaching that humans are, or can become, divine.

Still, in our age of abuse, angst and alienation, it is easy to understand the attraction some feel for celestial beings that seem to offer pure goodness and unconditional acceptance. But the fact remains that a major component of the good news Jesus Christ brought to this earth placed self-analysis and the heartfelt repentance as crucial steps on the road to spiritual healing.

"The kingdom of God is near," Jesus said. "Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15). Real repentance and acceptance of what God has done for us in Christ----these are the actions that embody a fervent desire to seek God and God's way above all else. Self-denial, self sacrifice, the cross----this road points in the opposite direction of much angelology in current times.

The gospel offers true healing and forgiveness. And, it gets you in touch with a person, the glorified Jesus Christ. For the New Testament writers, this was all-important. The exalted, glorified Christ----not the cherubim or seraphim----becomes the vital center of true spirituality. Knowing Jesus Christ is the biblically prescribed path to spiritual power, a power attested by God's saving acts in history:
"That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him at his right hand above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come" (Ephesians 1:19-21).

"So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs" (Hebrews 1:4).

Christ the Center

The New Testament is clear: Jesus Christ is the touchstone of the Christian experience. This is why the apostle John commanded Christians in his day to "test the spirits" (1 John 4:1). And the test is the acknowledgement and belief that "Jesus Christ has come in the flesh" (verse 2).

And consistently in Scripture angels of God refuse worship: "I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, 'Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!' " (Revelation 22:8-9).
Worship God!
This is plain. The apostle Paul emphasized the problem of worshiping the created order rather than the Creator in his letter to the Colossians. Some in his congregation, in what is today southwestern Turkey, had fallen victim to a rigorous system of worship that involved excessive fasting, morbid self-denial, abusing the body and the worship of angels:

"Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions" (Colossians 2:18). The false teachings Paul attacked in the first century were only the first wave of what became known as the gnostic heresies (Greek gnosis, "knowledge," meaning, in the context, a supposedly "inside" knowledge no one else possesses). Whole gnostic systems later sprang up outlining fantastic celestial schemes and cataloguing hosts of angelic intermediaries by name.

In Colossae, this gnostic philosophy included secret names and ritualistic code words only the initiated could learn (verse 8). Bible commentator William Barclay comments:
"The Gnostic prided himself upon special visions of secret things which were not open to the eyes of ordinary men and women.... [T]here is always danger when a man begins to think he has attained a height of holiness which enables him to see what common men----as he calls them----cannot see; and the danger is that men will so often see, not what God sends them, but what they want to see" (The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, The Daily Study Bible Series, rev. ed., pages 145-146).

Many theologians and pastors today worry that the active pursuit of angelic encounters may lead to a return of the Colossians problem. "Angels do not call attention to themselves but exist to witness to the Word," cautions Gabriel Fackre. "The richness of meeting Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit empties the soul of all craving for angel visitations."

This was Paul's case against the Colossians. Against personalized flirtations with spiritual novelties Paul set the unsurpassable Christ (Colossians 2:18-19). Says Barclay: "When they talked of the worship of angels, both the Gnostics and the Jews would have justified it by saying that God is so great and high and holy that we can never have direct access to him and must be content to pray to the angels. But the truth that Christianity preaches is, in fact, exactly that the way to God is open to the humblest and the simplest person" (page 146).

Christ is "the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:24). He fully reveals the counsel and will of God necessary for salvation. In everything to do with the Christian life, Jesus Christ is central and preeminent (Colossians 1:18).

And yet, certain angelic experiences do echo biblical examples and not all questers are involved in worshiping angels. How, then, do we "test the spirits" in current times?

How to "Test the Spirits"

First, remember that scripture nowhere tells us to actively seek angelic encounters. The Old Testament prohibited actively consulting intermediate spirits and seeking visionary experiences (Leviticus 20:27). Don't rush in where even good angels fear to tread.

Second, angelic experiences are not a badge of spiritual superiority. Pastors comment that often just the opposite is true. "I have no doubt that angelic beings have intervened in my life and the lives of my parishioners, " reports Richard Frankel, a Worldwide Church of God pastor in Chicago, Illinois.

"However, such encounters do not make the individual more spiritual. Angels are there to help and in no way should their service be used for our self-aggrandizement." The experience of Balaam and the talking donkey in Numbers 22:21-38 sheds light. An angel scared this treacherous prophet out of his wits. Balaam saw visions (Numbers 23, 24), but he was not serving God (Numbers 31:8).

Third, if you are becoming troubled by where some of these angel quests are leading you, consult a pastor or Christian counselor in whom you have confidence. Be discerning. When Paul publicly testified that he had seen an angel, he was vindicated by the events that followed----276 lives were saved (Acts 27:21-44).

Desperately Seeking Something

In our spiritual thirsty age, reports of angelic encounters may be here to stay. We need wisdom on all sides of this question. The Bible does speak forcefully about angels. Scripturally, angels were meant to be a blessing and a comfort to believers, not a theological problem or a tabloid teaser.

Angels----the good ones----evidence God's sovereign, protecting care. Life is earnest. Sometimes it is dangerous. The spiritual life is more so. There will always be those who feel they have had angelic help. But if it doesn't happen to you, don't worry. Let the Bible's timeless wisdom be your guide.

Paul writes: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).

The Angel Files Angels are described many ways in the Old Testament: "Watchers" (Daniel 4:13, New King James Version), "holy ones" or the council or assembly of the holy ones (Psalm 89:5, 7), and more than 100 times God's host. The New Testament refers to them as "the angels in heaven" (Matthew 24:36), "the heavenly host" (Luke 2:13), "ministering spirits" (Hebrews 1:14). The most common biblical terms translated as "angel" are malak in the Old Testament and angelos in the New Testament. Malak-----the most used term----is defined as messenger representative, courier. The word can also refer to someone who performs a special mission. It can apply to both human and supernatural agents. Cherubim (plural of "cherub") and seraphim also appear in the Bible. The cherubim guard Eden in Genesis 3 and are described as throne bearers of Yahweh 91 Samuel 4:4; Ezekiel 1:19-28). The seraph or seraphim----from a root word meaning "fire" or "burning"----are found only in Isaiah 6:2, 6, though aspects of them seem featured in the vision in Revelation 4. The names Gabriel (man of God) and Michael (one who is as God) each appear twice in the Old Testament (Daniel 8:16; 9:21; 10:13, 21). The New Testament says that Gabriel stands in the presence of God (Luke 1:19) and calls Michael and archangel (Jude 9). In the New Testament, angelos is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew malak. Angelos, messenger or angel, is found 175 times and used of men only six times. Sometimes it refers to evil spirits. The word for archangel is found only in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and Jude 9. And "guardian angels"? Only two allusions appear in the hundreds of references----Job 33:23 and Acts 12:15. Demon refers to a fallen angel. In popular Greek usage, demons were spirits of the departed that appeared in lonely places at night. Judaism described them as evil or unclean spirits set on leading people into sin. The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology emphasizes that in the New Testament "[t]he fear of demons disappears because of faith in the triumph of Jesus Christ" (Vol. 1, page 452).