The doctrine of angels logically follows the doctrine of God, because angels are the main ministers of God's providence. Although Scripture has much to say about angels, there is a general indifference today, often culminating in a rejection of this teaching. Various things contribute to this attitude. First, mention should be made of the Gnostic worship of angels (Colossians 2:18), then mention should be made of the frequent and reckless speculations of the scholastics of the Middle Ages; further, it is necessary to mention the exaggerated belief in witchcraft in the most recent times, and, finally, the rise of the worship of Satan already in our time. However, there are many reasons for believing in angels.
Scripture speaks abundantly about the existence and ministry of angels. Jesus said a great deal about the ministry of angels, and we cannot lose sight of His teaching by making lofty claims to the highest knowledge. The evidence of demonic possession and depression, as well as the worship of demons, proves the existence of angels. Paul viewed idolatry as the worship of demons (1 Cor. 10:2 et seq.). In the most last days this worship of demons and idols has greatly increased (Rev. 9:20 et seq.). Progress in the practice of Spiritualism presupposes the need to understand this teaching. Scripture condemns black magic or consultations with familiar spirits (Deut. 18:10-12; Is. 8:19 et seq.). And this phenomenon must progress in the last days (1 Tim. 4:1). The work of Satan and evil spirits, hindering the progress of grace in our own hearts and the work of God in the world, must be taken in such a way that we can know what to expect in the future in this war and have confidence that Satan will soon be defeated (Gen. 3:15; Rom. 16:20; Rev. 12:7-9; 20:1-10).
The subject of angelology is divided into two parts: (1) the origin, nature, fall and classification of angels and (2) the work and purpose of angels.
Origin, nature, fall and classification of angels
I. Origin of angels
Scripture everywhere suggests the existence of angels, both good and bad. Psalm 149:2-5 considers angels, along with the sun, moon, and stars, to be part of God's creation. In Ev. John 1:3 we find an indication that God created everything. Among this “everything”, there is everything that is in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible: whether thrones, or dominions, or authorities” (Colossians 1:16; 1st Ephesians 6:12). Only God has immortality, and hence it follows that the angels were created by God and owe their continued existence to the constant support of God. The time of their creation is nowhere specified definitely and precisely, but it is very likely that it took place before the creation of heaven and earth (Gen. 1:1), because, according to Job 38:4, “all the sons of God shouted for joy” when God laid the foundations of the Earth. It is quite clear that they already existed then (Gen. 3:1) when Satan, an angelic being, appeared. Since Scripture does not offer us specific images, we only know that the number of angels is very large (Dan. 7:10; Matt. 26:53; Rev. 5:11).
II. Nature of angels
A. They are not glorified human beings.
Man must be distinguished from angels. Matthew 22:30 says that believers will be like angels, but that doesn't mean they will be angels. "Darknesses of angels" should be distinguished from "spirits of the righteous who have reached perfection" (Heb. 12:22 et seq.). Man was created as a lower being than the angels, but he will be higher than them (Ps. 8:5; Heb. 2:7). Believers in the future will actually judge angels (1 Cor. 6:3).
B. They are incorporeal
They are called "spirits" (Heb. 1:7; see Ps. 104:4). In Hebrews 1:14 we read: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to minister to those who are to inherit salvation?” Their incorporeality seems clear and should be distinguished from Ephesus. 6:12, where Paul says that "our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spirits of wickedness in high places." However, angels often manifested themselves in bodily form (Gen. 18:19; Luke 1:2-6; John 20:12; Heb. 13:2), this does not at all imply the fact that they have material bodies as part of their necessary existence.
B. They are a society, not a tribe.
Angels are spoken of as a multitude, but not as a kind (Ps. 147:2). They do not marry, they do not die (Luke 2:0:34-36). They are called "sons of God" in the Old Testament (Job 1:6;
see Gen. 6:2 and 4), but we never read anywhere about the sons of angels. The word "angel" is used in Scripture only in masculine. Only gender does not necessarily denote gender; the angels at the tomb of the Lord identified themselves with people (Luke 2 4:4). The young man sat in the tomb (Mark 16:5). Since the angels are a society and not a race, they sinned individually, and not in some federal head of the race. Perhaps because of this, God did not provide salvation for the fallen angels. Scripture says, “For He does not receive angels; but he receives the seed of Abraham” (Heb. 2:16).
D. They are greater than man in knowledge, although they do not possess omniscience.
The wisdom of angels is considered great wisdom(2 Sam. 14:20). Jesus said: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven” (Mat. 24:36). Paul calls them witnesses: “Before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the chosen angels I conjure you” (1 Tim. 5:21). Even fallen angels have wisdom that transcends natural wisdom. One of them said to Christ: “I know you who you are, Holy One of God” (1 Pet. 1:12).
D. They are stronger than man, although not omnipotent
They are said to be stronger and more powerful than man (2 Peter 2:11; see "mighty in strength"; Ps. 102:20). Paul calls them angels of power” (2 Thess. 1:7). An illustration of the power of angels can be considered the release of the Apostles from prison (D.Ap. 5:19; 12:7), as well as the removal of a stone from the tomb (Matt. 28:2). They are limited in strength, as follows from the war between good and evil angels (Rev. 12:7). The angel who came to Daniel needed Michael's help in his struggle with the prince of Persia (Dan. 10:13). Neither Archangel Michael (Jude 9) nor Satan (Job 1:12; 2:6) have unlimited power.
E. They are nobler than man, but they are not omnipresent.
They cannot be in more than one place at once. They wander and walk the earth (Job 1:7; Zech. 1:11; 1 Peter 5:8), moving from one place to another (Dan. 9:21-23). This requires “time, and sometimes delay (Dan. 10:10-14). Even the idea of flying suggests that angels are "ministering spirits" sent out to minister to those who are to inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14). Fallen angels are the servants of Satan. (2 Corinthians 11:15).
III. Fall of angels
A. The fact of their fall
We have every reason to believe that angels were created perfect. In the creation story (Gen. 1) we are told seven times that everything God created was good. In Gen. 1:31 we read: "And God saw all that He had made, and, behold, it was very good." Of course, the perfection of angels in holiness when they were originally created should be included here. If Ezekiel 28:15 refers to Satan, as many believe, then Satan, as is quite definitely said, was created perfect. However, various passages of Scripture present angels as evil (Ps. 77:49; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 9:11; 12:7-9). This happened because they sinned, losing their own dignity and their true dwelling place (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). Satan, no doubt, was the leader in this apostasy (Ezek. 28:15-17). This verse is like a description of his fall. Another possible allusion to his fall is found in Isa. 14:12-15. There can be no doubt that there was a definite fall of the angels.
B. Fall time
Scripture is silent on this matter, but it is clear that the fall of the angels occurred before the fall of man, since Satan entered the garden in the form of a serpent and persuaded him to sin (Gen. 3:1ff). However, we cannot say for certain how much earlier the event in Eden was the fall of the angels. Those who regard the creative days as epochs will, of course, think that this fall took place over a long period; those who say that Gen. 1:2 represents the outcome of some great catastrophe, it will be assumed that the fall of the angels is preceded by the verse of Gen. 1:1 or took place between verses 1 and 2. However, it is quite certain that it precedes Gen. 3.1.
B. Reasons for the fall
This is one of the deepest mysteries of theology. Every love of their heart was directed to God; their will bowed to God. So the question arises, how could such a being fall? How could this first vicious feeling arise in such a heart, and how could the will receive its first impetus to turn away from God? At one time, various solutions to this problem were proposed. Let's pay attention to some of them.
Some of them argue that everything that exists owes its existence to God, and therefore He must be the author of sin. To such statements we answer this: if God really is the author of evil and condemns the creation for the sin that has been committed, then in fact we do not have a moral universe. Some say that evil is in the nature of the world. The existence of the world is the greatest of all evils and the source of all other evils. Nature is essentially evil. However, Scripture repeatedly declares that everything that God created is good, it positively rejects the idea that evil is inherent in nature (1 Tim. 4:4). Finally, some believe that it can be combined with the nature of the fall and creation. They argue that sin is a necessary step in the development of the spirit. However, Scripture says nothing about this. evolutionary development and nourishes that the universe and creation were originally perfect.
It is useful to remember that creation originally had the ability, as the Latin theologians say, "posse pekkare et posse pop pekkare", i.e. to sin and not to sin. This means that Satan was in a position where he could do both without experiencing any restrictions on doing what he wanted. Otherwise, his will was autonomous.
Therefore, we must conclude that the fall of the angels seemed to be a completely conscious and self-determined rebellion against God. In their choice, they could prefer themselves and their interests, they could not prefer God and His interests. If we ask ourselves “what was the special motive behind this rebellion, then we seem to get several answers from Scripture. Great prosperity and great beauty seem to be a possible allusion in this respect. The Prince of Tire seems to be a symbol of Satan in Ezekiel 28:11-19; thus it is said that he fell because of these things (see 1 Tim. 3:6). Vicious ambitions and desires to surpass God seem to be another hint. The king of Babylon was filled with these ambitions, and he, too, may be a symbol of Satan (Is. 14:13 et seq.). In any case, it was a selfish dissatisfaction with what he had that aroused in him a passionate desire to steal what rightfully belonged to someone else. There is no doubt that the cause of the fall of Satan I was also the cause of the fall of other evil angels. The dragon carried away one third of the stars with his tail (Rev. 12:4). This may be a default on that third of the angels who fell with Satan.
D. The result of the fall
Scripture records several results of their fall. All of them lost their original holiness and became completely corrupt in their nature and behavior (Mat. 10:1; Eph. 6:11 et seq.; Rev. 12:9). Some of them were cast into hell and there they are kept in chains until the day of judgment (2 Pet. 2:4). Some of them remained free and took the position of a certain opposition to the work of good angels (Dan. 10:12 et seq.; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7-9). They could also have a very definite effect on the original creation. We read that the earth was cursed for Adam's sin (Gen. 3:17-19) and that the creation groans and travails because of this fall (Rom. 8:19-22). Some suggest that the sin of the angels has something to do with the destruction of the original creation (Gen. 1:2). In the future they will be cast down to earth (Rev. 12:8 et seq.), and after their judgment (1 Cor. 6:3), they will be cast into the lake of fire (Matt. 25:41; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). Satan will be imprisoned in hell for a thousand years before he is cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:1-3 and 10).
IV. Classification of angels
Angels fall into two large classes: good angels and evil angels. And in each of these classes there are different divisions.
A. Good angels
There are several kinds of good angels.
1. Angels. The word "angels" in both Hebrew and Greek means "messenger". So the disciples whom John the Baptist sent to Jesus are called "Aggela" (Luke 7:24). Only the context can make it clear whether the word means human or superhuman "messengers." There are tons of angels. Daniel said: “Thousands of thousands served Him, and ten thousands of them stood before Him” (7:10; Rev. 5:11). The psalmist says: “The chariots of God of darkness, thousands upon thousands. Among them is the Lord at Sinai, in the sanctuary” (Ps. 67:18). Our Lord told Peter that His Father could send more than twelve legions of angels if He asked Him to (Mt. 26:53). And in the epistle to the Hebrews we read about the darkness of angels (12:22). They may appear individually (J. Ap. 5:19), in pairs (J. Ap. 1:10), or in groups (Lk. 2:13).
2. Cherubim. Cherubim are mentioned in Gen. 3.2 4; 2 Kings 19:15; Ezekiel 10:1-22; 28:14-16. The etymology of this word is not known to us quite definitely, although it is assumed that it means "to cover" or "guard". Cherubim guarded the entrance to the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:2-4). Two cherubim were placed over the lid of the ark in the tabernacle and in the temple (Ex. 25:19; 1 Kings 6:23-28). Cherubim were depicted on the inner curtains and on the curtain in the tabernacle (Ex. 26:1 and 31), they were also carved on the doors of the temple (1 Kings 6:32 and 35). Based on the fact that they guarded the entrance to paradise, that they represented and somehow supported the throne of God (Ps. 17:10; 79:1; 98:1), that their figures were depicted on interior decoration the tabernacle and its curtain, and also carved on the doors of the temple, we conclude that they were chiefly the guardians of the throne of God.
3. Seraphim. Seraphim is mentioned only once in Scripture: Is. 6:2 and 6. They seem to be distinguished from the cherubim, because it is said that God sits on the cherubim (1 Sam. 4:4; Ps. 79:1;), and the seraphim are somewhat exalted (Is. 6:2). And their duties are different from those of the cherubim. They lead the heavens to the worship of the almighty God and purify the servants of God to be fit for worship and service. This means that they appear with a concern for generation and holiness, and not for justice and power. In the deepest humility and reverence they perform their service. Cherubim, on the other hand, are guardians of the throne of God and extraordinary messengers of God. Thus, each of them has a quite precise and definite position and ministry.
4. Animals. Some identify these animals from Rev. 4:6-9 with seraphim, and others with cherubim. There are striking differences between them, and therefore it would probably be better to identify them with some other kind of angels than with seraphim and cherubim. They worship God, direct the judgments of God (Rev. 6:1 et seq.; 15:7), and testify to the worship of the 144,000 (Rev. 14:3). They are just as active at the throne of God as are the seraphim and cherubim.
5. Archangels. The expression "Archangel" occurs only twice in Scripture (1 Thess. 4:16; Jude 9), but there are other references to at least one Archangel - Michael. He is the only angel who is named Archangel. He is presented as having his own angels (Rev. 12:7) and is said to be the prince of the people of Israel (Dan. 10:13 and 21; 12:1). And in the apocryphal book of Enoch (Enoch 20:1-7) six angels of power are named: Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Zariel and Gabriel. The corresponding version of this book offers us in the margins also the seventh Archangel - Remiel. In the book of Tobit 12:15 we read: "I am Raphael, one of the seven Archangels who lift up the prayers of the saints and who enter into the presence of the wave of the Holy One." Although these books are apocryphal, they do show what the ancients believed in this regard. It seems that Gabriel has the qualities and virtues of each archangel (Dan. 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19 and 36).
Archangels seem to have a special responsibility for the protection and prosperity of Israel (Dan. 10:13 and 21), for proclaiming the birth of the Savior (Luke 21:38), for the defeat of Satan and his angels who tried to kill the baby and wife (Rev. 12:7-12) and for proclaiming the return of Christ for the elect (1 Thess. 4:16-18).
6. Guardians. Daniel 4:13 (English text) refers to the watchman in the singular, v. 17 we are talking about the guards, but already plural. These are probably the angels that God sends to watch. The name suggests vigilance. They are sometimes charged with bringing the message from God to man. Whether this is a special class of angels, we do not know.
7. Sons of God. Angels are also referred to as "sons of God". This expression is used in Job 1:6; 2.1; 38:7 regarding angels, including Satan. They are sons of God in the sense that they are created by God. In fact, angels are also called "gods" (Elohim) (Ps. 8:5; see Heb. 2:7). Some argue that the sons of God mentioned in Gen. 6.2 are angels who cohabited with women. Most likely, however, this is a reference to the pious lineage of Seth.
There is also an indication that there is an organization among the angels. In Colossians 1:16, Paul speaks of thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, and adds, "All things were created by Him and for Him." All this seems to emphasize that Paul was related to good angels. But in Ephesus. 1:12 we have a hint of good and evil angels. Usually this terminology applies most specifically to evil angels (Rom. 8:38; Eph. 6:12; Col. 2:15).
It is difficult, however, to believe that Paul sought to show at Kolos. 1.16 regular hierarchy of angels; we can say with confidence that he did not develop a system of aeons that could serve the purpose of metaphysical theology and ethics. The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs (Leviticus 3), written towards the end of the 1st century, speak of seven heavens. The first heaven is uninhabited. But all the rest are inhabited by various spirits or angels. However, Paul does not speak of any systematic gradation of angels. We can only say that the thrones, quite possibly, refer to angelic beings whose place is directly in the presence of God. These angels are invested with kingship, which they exercise before God. Dominations seem to be closer in dignity to thrones. Dominators or rulers remind us of rulers who stand over certain peoples. Thus, Michael is called the prince of the Jews (Dan. 10:21; 12:1); we also read about the prince of Persia and the prince of Greece (Dan. 10:20). This means that each of them is a prince in one of these principalities. This seems to be true of the Church as well, because Revelation mentions angels who are placed over the seven Churches (1:20). It is quite possible that these authorities are subordinate to other authorities, serving under one of the other orders.
In the Old Testament, the expression "angel of the Lord" is often found, but it just does not refer to an ordinary angel, but to Christ in the period preceding His incarnation, and therefore we should not discuss this expression in this particular respect.
B. Evil angels
Just as there are differences among good angels, there are also differences among evil ones.
1. Angels held in bondage. These angels are specifically mentioned in 2 Pet. 2:4 and Jude 6. Everyone seems to agree that Peter and Jude are referring to the same angels. Peter simply says that they sinned, and therefore God threw them into hell, entrusting them to the depths of darkness and keeping them for the day of judgment. But Jude says that their sin is supposedly that they rejected their own principalities and their true dwelling place. It is quite possible that Jude is referring to the Septuagint - Deut. 32.8. God says there that He divided the nations according to the number of the angels of God. It is assumed that God appointed one or more angels over each of the nations. The fact that the various nations are ruled by one or another of the angelic princes is evident and clear in the book of Daniel (9:13 and 20ff; 12:1). They left their own powers, which may mean that they became unfaithful in the performance of their duties, however, it is more likely that this means that they were trying to go into the possession of more coveted power. And that they left their true place of sojourn in heaven and descended to earth.
However, another interpretation is also popular. In Jude 7 the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah is likened to the sin of the angels bound in chains. And this may mean that the sin of these angels was some type of gross immorality. Some believe that the sin of Gen. 6:2 - this is the sin of those angels who entered into sexual intercourse with women. The punishment for their sin is that God cast them into hell. In the New Testament, the expression "hellish darkness" ("Tar-tyre") occurs only in 2 Pet. 2:4, although it appears three times in the Septuagint. Homer's "Tartarus" is a dark, gloomy place, half of Hades. If vicious people go to Hades, this does not mean that they go to Tartarus, which is the place where especially vicious angels are imprisoned, which are much further away. Their punishment is that they are imprisoned in the abyss of darkness, that they are bound with eternal chains and are kept for the judgment of the great day.
2. Angels who are still free. They are mentioned in connection with Satan, their leader (Mt. 25:41; Rev. 12:7-9). Sometimes they are mentioned separately about each (Ps.77:49; Rom. 8:38; 1 Cor. 6:3; Rev. 9:14). They are usually referred to as “principalities and authorities, and powers and dominions”, which are discussed in Ephesians 1:21, they are even more precisely mentioned in Ephesians 6:12 and Kolos. 2.15. Their main occupation is to support their leader Satan in his war with the good angels and the people of God.
3. Demons. Demons are mentioned very often in Scripture, especially in the Gospels. They are spiritual beings (Matt. 8:16), they are often called "unclean spirits" (Mark 9:25). They serve under the power of Satan (Luke 11:15-19), although ultimately they are subject to God (Matt. 8:29). Demons are capable of producing deafness (Mat. 9:32 et seq.), they can blind (Mt. 12:22), they can cause personal injury, they can offend (Mk. 9:18), they can produce other physical defects and deformities (Lk. 13:11-17). They oppose the cause of God by perverting sound doctrine (1 Tim. 4:1-3), godly wisdom (James 3:15) and Christian fellowship (1 Cor. 10:2 et seq.).
Should demons be distinguished or equated with free fallen angels? Some believe that demons are disembodied spirits before the Adamic generation. However, we prefer to identify demons with fallen angels who are still free today. The fact that they have individuality is part of their still ongoing efforts to destroy the program of God, and is more likely than just the effort and desire to put on human flesh. Under the leadership of Satan, they are enemies of God and His Kingdom. Anger writes:
“Satan holds dominion over the fallen spirits who agreed to participate in his original rebellion. Without a doubt, he was allowed to retain the authority that he was given at creation. These spirits, having made the irrevocable choice to follow Satan instead of being faithful to their Creator, have become irreparably corrupt and irreparably deceived. Therefore, they completely sympathize with their prince and serve him quite voluntarily in their various ranks and positions in his highly organized kingdom of evil (Mt. 12:26) (Angier, Biblical Demonology, p. 73).
4. Satan. This superhuman being is mentioned in the Old Testament and is mentioned only in Gen. 3.1-15; 1 Par. 21.1; Jo 1:6-12; 2.1-7; Zech. 3:1 et seq. It may also be mentioned in the allusion to the scapegoat in Aev. 16:8, which was one of the two goats used on the day of atonement. In the New Testament, he is mentioned very often (Matt. 4:1-11; Lk. 10:18 ff; John 13:2 and 27; 1 Pet. 5:8 ff; Rev. 12; 20:1 and 3). Scripture often testifies to the identity of Satan. He speaks of him with personal pronouns (Job 1:8 and 12; Zech. 3:2; Matt. 4:10); personal attributes are attributed to him (will: Isa. 14:13 et seq.; 1 Tim. 3:6; knowledge: Job 1:9 et seq.); personal actions are attributed to him (Job 1:9-11; Matt. 4:1-11; John 8:44; 1 John 3:8; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7-10).
This powerful being is referred to in Scripture by several different names: Satan: 1 Chr. 21.1; Job 1.6; Zach.3,1; Matthew 4:10; 2 Corinth. 2.11; 1 Tim. 1.20. This word means "adversary"; he is the enemy of God and man. Devil: Matthew 13:39; John 13:20; Ephesians 6:11; James 11:7). As the devil - this expression is used only in the New Testament, he is a slanderer and accuser of the brothers (Rev. 12:10). He slanders God against man (Job 1:9; 2:4) and man against God (Genesis 3:1-7). Dragon: Rev. 12:3 and 7; 13.2; 20.2; see Isaiah 51:9. The word "dragon" seems to literally mean "serpent" or "sea monster". The dragon is the personification of Satan, it is a marine animal, it can, in fact, represent the activities of Satan in the seas of the world. Serpent: Gen. 3.1; Rev. 12:9; 20.2. This expression defines its perversity and deceit (2 Cor. 11:3). Beelzebub: Mt. 10:25; 12:24-27; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15-19. We do not know the exact meaning of this expression. In Syriac, it means "lord of dung." It is also believed that this expression means "master of the house." Belial or Belial: 2 Cor. 6.15. In the Old Testament, this expression is used in the sense of "utter pricelessness" (2 Kings 23:6). So, we read about the depraved (literally: sons of Belial - Judgment 20:13; see 1 Sam. 10:27; 30:22; 1 Sam. 21:13). Lucifer: Is.14:12. This expression defines the morning star, an epithet attributed to the planet Venus. It literally means "light-bearer" and is also an allusion to Satan. Like Lucifer, Satan was an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).
Satan is also called by other names that have a mixed character: for this they use various descriptions and expressions. Evil: Mt.13,19 and 38; Ephesians 6:16; 1 John 2:13 et seq.; 5.19. This is a description of his character and deeds. He is crafty, vicious, cruel, he is a tyrant, seeking to control those he can and do evil where he can. Tempter: Matthew 4:3. This name indicates his constant purpose and desire to induce a person to sin. He presents the most plausible excuses and justifications and offers the most amazing opportunities to sin. God of this world: 2 Cor. 4.4. As such, he has his own servants (2 Cor. 11:15), his own teaching (1 Tim. 4:1), his own sacrifices (1 Cor. 10:20), his own synagogues (Rev. 2:9). It takes care of the religion of the carnal man and is no doubt the basis of false cults and systems that have cursed the true Church through the ages. The prince of the power of the air: Ephesians 2:2. As such, he is the leader of the evil angels (Mt. 12:24; 25:41; Rev. 12:7; 16:13 et seq.). He has huge hordes of subordinates who fulfill his desires, and he rules with despotic power. Prince of this world: John 12:3; 14.30; 15.11. This name alludes to his influence on the rulers of this world. Jesus did not dispute with Satan a special council of rights on this planet (Matt. 4:8 1 et seq.); God, however, has put certain limits on him, and when the time comes for the reign of Jesus Christ, the One who truly has the right to rule will replace him.
The spirits of evil are strictly organized, and Satan is called the head of them. Those rulers and powers referred to in Rom. 8:2 8 are the powers of the satanic principalities (see Dan. 10:13 and 20). It seems that the good and bad organizations of angels are summarized in principalities and powers and powers and dominions, which are discussed in Ephesians 1:21. The same principalities, authorities, rulers of the darkness of this world, spirits of wickedness in high places, which are spoken of in Ephesians 6:12, refer to the organization of evil, to those principalities and authorities, which are spoken of in Kolos. 2.15. But how these satanic forces relate to Satan, and to each other, is not clearly stated in Scripture.
The work and purpose of angels
I. The work of angels
This subject can be divided into three parts: the work of good angels, the work of evil angels, and the work of Satan.
A. The work of good angels
For the sake of convenience, this subject is divided into two parts: first, the work of angels in connection with the life and ministry of Christ, and secondly, the work of good angels in general.
1. The work of angels in connection with the life and ministry of Christ. This is simply an amazing fact: far from rejecting the belief in angels, the Lord experienced their help in the most remarkable degree. The angel Gabriel informed Mary that she would be the mother of the Savior (Ak. 1:26-38). The angel assured Joseph that “he who is born in her is of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20). Angels announced to the shepherds the fact of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem (Luke 2:8-15). After the temptation in the wilderness, the angels came to Christ and served Him (Matthew 4:11). Jesus told Nathanael that "he will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of Man" (John 1:51). An angel from heaven came to Him in Gethsemane and, strengthening Him, spoke to Him (Ak. 22:43). He said that he could plead with the Father, and the Father would send twelve legions of angels to his aid, if it were necessary or desirable (Mt. 26:53). The angel rolled away the stone from the tomb of Jesus and invited the women to enter the tomb (Matthew 28:2-7). Angels accompanied Christ during the ascension (D.Ap. 1.10 et seq.). Angels will accompany Him when He comes a second time (Mt. 16:27; 25:31). Angels desire to enter into the plan of salvation created by Christ (1 Peter 1:12). Undoubtedly, this indicates a very close relationship between Christ and the angels.
2. The work of good angels in general. First of all, note that there are more permanent and regular ministries in this area. They stand before God and worship Him (Ps. 147:2; Mt. 18:10; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 5:11). They protect and deliver the people of God (Gen. 19:11; 1 Kings 19:5; Dan. 3:28; 6:22; D.Ap. 5:19; 12:10 et seq.). Scripture promises the believer that "He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways" (Ps. 90:11; see Mt. 4:6). Angels are ministering spirits sent to minister to those who have to inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14). Michael is the guardian of Israel, an angel (Dan. 10.13 and 21; 12.1). It is highly unlikely that the seven angels of the seven churches in Asia Minor were the patron angels of each of the churches (Rev. 1:20). Jesus warns that no one should reproach one of these little ones, saying that "their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven" (Matt. 18:10). They lead and encourage the servants of God (Matt. 28:5-7; D.Ap. 8:26; 27:23 et seq.). They interpret the will God's people(Job 33:23). This is especially evident in the experiences of Daniel (Dan. 7:16; 10:5 and 11), Zechariah (Zech. 1:9 and 19) and John (Rev. 1:1). They are the executors of judgments on individuals and nations, like Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:12 and further), Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:16; Ezek. 9:1), Herod (D. Ap. 12:23). They carry the saved home after their physical death (Luke 16:2-2).
In addition to their regular ministry, they are also actively involved in the ministry of the future. The coming of the Lord will be accompanied by "the voice of the Archangel" (1 Thess. 4:16). They will be active representatives of God in the courts of great tribulation (Rev. 7:2; 16:1). When Jesus appears to judge, He will be accompanied by “angels of His power in flaming fire” (2 Thess. 1:7; see Jude 14). Angels will gather the elect from Israel at the coming of Christ (Matt. 24:31). During the harvest at the end of the age, they will separate the false from the true, and the evil from the good (Mt. 13:39 and 49 et seq.). They will stand at the gates of the New Jerusalem, obviously, to serve as a kind of honorary guards, so that nothing unclean and defiled will enter this city (Rev. 21:12).
B. The Case of the Evil Angels
Some distinguish evil angels from demons, but it is more likely that both are one and the same. They are actively involved in resisting God and His program. They try to separate the believer from Christ (Rom. 8:38). They resist the good angels in their cause (Dan. 10:12ff.). They cooperate with Satan in fulfilling his purposes and plans (Mt. 25:41; Eph. 6:12; Rev. 12:7-12). They produce physical and mental confusion (Mt. 9:33; 12:22; Mk. 5:1-19; Ak. 9:37-42). They spread false teachings (2 Thess. 2:2; 1 Tim. 4:1). They oppose the children of God in their spiritual growth (Eph. 6:12). They sometimes take possession of people and even animals (Mt. 4:24; Mk. 5:8-14; Ak. 8:2; D. Ap. 8:7; 16:16).
A distinction must be made between demonic influence and demonic possession; the first is a deceitful action of demons from without, and the second is more permanent. Sometimes God uses them to fulfill His purposes (Judges 9:23; 1 Kings 22:21-23; Ps. 77:49). It seems that He especially uses them during the period of trouble (Rev. 9:1-N. 16:13-16). They will obviously be endowed with miraculous power for some time (2 Thess. 2:9; Rev. 16:14).
There are three kinds of demonology, which should be especially mentioned in connection with what has been said.
The first kind is a prediction of the future. At the lowest level, it may be a simple human insight, or a learned seduction. In Biblical times, there were soothsayers who predicted the future using natural signs, such as the flight of birds or the location of the insides of an animal (Is. 21:21), palmistry or divination using water stuffed into a vessel or an object immersed in water (Gen. 44:4) and astrology or determining the supposed influence of stars on the fate of a person (Is. 47:13). All of these practices are some form of demonology. If a person tries to read the future with some kind of divine inspiration (A.A. 16:16), he will actually do so only with the help of the Holy Spirit.
The second form is the direct worship of demons. Apostate Israel offered sacrifices to demons (Deut. 32:17). The food that was offered to idols in New Testament times was actually sacrificed to demons (1 Cor. 10:19 et seq.). During the tribulation period, the activity of demons and open worship of the dragon will resume (Rev. 13:4; 16:13 et seq.).
The third form is the known spiritualism or spiritualism. Spiritualism is the belief that the living can communicate with the dead, that the spirit of the dead can manifest its presence to people. Necromancy, as it is called, is supposedly done with the help of a human intermediary called a medium. Although Israel did not always heed God, they were nevertheless strictly warned to refrain from any consultation with those who exercise in connection with the dead (Lev. 19:31; 20:6 and 27; Deut. 18:11; 2 Sam. 21:6; 23:24; 4). The sorceress of Endor (1 Sam. 28:3-14), Simon the sorcerer (Ap. 8:9), Elima the sorcerer (Ap. 13:6-12), and the maid possessed by a prophetic spirit (Ap. 16:16-18) are Biblical examples of a form of demonism. The Bible often speaks of this practice as magic, sorcery (Ex. 7:11; Jer. 27:9; Dan. 2:2; Mic. 5:12; Rev. 9:11).
Considering the whole question of demonism, Scripture reminds us to test spirits whether they are from God or not from God (1 John 4:1; see 1 Corinthians 12:10), not to associate with those who are in connection with demons (Lev. 19:31; 1 Corinthians 10:20) and never consult with evil spirits (Deut. the weapon of God for the fight against these spirits (Eph. 6:12), surrendering to prayer at all times and with all constancy (Eph. 6:18).
C. Satan's work
Indications of Satan's work are found in the various names by which he is called, because each of the names expresses some quality of character or method of his actions, or both. Like Satan, he resists; as a devil he slanders and accuses, but as a tempter he tries to tempt people to sin.
Moreover, Scripture directly exposes the nature of his work. Generally speaking, Satan intends to take the place of God. Although Scripture does not give us the right to say that hell is a kingdom that he rules, but the Word of God presents it to us as having power, a throne and tremendous authority (Matt. 4:8 and further; Rev. 13:2). In order to achieve his clearly expressed goal, he tried to kill the Infant Jesus (Mt. 2:16; Rev. 12:4), and when this attempt failed, he tried to inspire Him with the idea of worshiping him (Lk. 4:6 and further). If Christ were defeated, Satan would accomplish the first part of his purpose and establish his dominion on earth.
Satan uses various methods to accomplish his purpose. If he is unable to attack God directly, he attacks God's highest creation, man. Scripture mentions the following methods used by Satan: lying (John 8:44; 2 Cor. 11:3), temptation (Mt. 4:1), stealing (Mt. 13:19), discouragement (2 Cor. 12:7), obstacles (1 Thess. 2:18), sifting (Ac. 22:31), imitation (Mt. 13:25; 2 Cor. slander (Rev. 12:10), disease (Ak. 13:16; see 1 Corinth. 5:5), possession (John 13:27), murder and absorption (John 8:44; 1 Peter 5:8). The believer must not allow Satan to take advantage of him by being ignorant of his schemes and plans (2 Corinthians 12:11), but he must be vigilant and sober and resist him (Eph. 4:2-7; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8 et seq.). He must not speak lightly of it (Jude 8ff; see 2 Pet. 2:10), but he must put on the whole armor of God and resist it (Eph. 6:11). Christ defeated Satan on the cross (Heb. 2:14), and the believer must live by faith in the light of that victory.
II. Appointment of angels
A. Appointment of good angels
There is every reason to believe that good angels will continue their service to God throughout eternity. In his vision of the New Jerusalem, which undoubtedly belongs to the future age and which, obviously, will exist forever along with the new heaven and the new earth, John saw angels at the twelve gates of the city (Rev. 21:12). If some angels serve at all, then we have no reason not to believe that all good angels will serve in the places assigned to them.
B. Appointment of evil angels
The fate of evil angels in the lake of fire (Matt. 25:41). At present, some of them are kept in chains and in darkness until the day of their final judgment (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6), while others are still free. At the coming of Christ, believers will receive a share in the condemnation of the evil angels (1 Corinth 6:3), and these angels, together with Satan, will be thrown into the lake of fire.
C. The appointment of Satan
Let us trace briefly the history of Satan. It is first encountered in heaven (Ezek. 28:14; Ak. 10:18). It is not known how long he lived and enjoyed the favor of God, but the moment came when he and many other angels fell. Further, he appears in the Garden of Eden in the form of a serpent (Gen. 3:1; Ezek. 26:13). There he became a factor in the fall of man, then he was in the air, having access both to heaven and to earth (Job 1:6 et seq.; Eph. 2:2; 6:12). So the air became the main apartment of his stay from the moment of the fall of man. In the future, he will be cast down to earth (Rev. 12:9-13). This will probably happen during the coming tribulation period. When Christ comes to earth in power and glory to establish His kingdom, Satan will be cast into hell (Rev. 20:1-3). There he will be bound and bound for a thousand years. Then he will be released for a short time, and in this interval he will not try to destroy God's plans on earth (Rev. 20:3 and 7-9). However, these plans will not materialize. Fire will fall from heaven and destroy those armies that he will lead, and he himself will be thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:7-10), to the place of his final destination, where he and his followers will be forever and ever.
THE STORY ABOUT "ANGEL"
Another case of interference on the physical plane, which occurred recently, is small, but beautiful story although only one life was saved this time. However, it requires some preliminary clarifications. In our team of assistants in Europe there are two people who were once brothers in ancient egypt and are still closely connected. In the present embodiment, there is a significant age difference between them. One of them is already of mature age; the other, though almost a child in body, is already a highly advanced individuality. Naturally it fell to the elder's lot to train the younger and guide him in the occult work to which they are wholeheartedly devoted; and as they are both fully conscious and active on the astral plane, they use almost all hours when they physical bodies fall asleep, working together under the guidance of their common Teacher, to help - as far as their strength is sufficient - the living and the dead.
I take the account of the incident I am about to relate from a letter written immediately after the incident by the senior assistant; for this description is more lively and figurative than any third party's account can be.
"We were about to do very different things when Cyril suddenly yelled, 'What is this?' ret!"
In such cases, you need to think quickly. It was clear that two things had to be done at once: stop the blood and get physical help. I had to either materialize Cyril or myself, since we needed physical hands right away to make the dressing, and besides, it would be good for the poor, suffering boy see someone near you. I felt that he would certainly be better off with Cyril than with me, and that I would be more qualified to seek help; so the division of labor was evident.
The plan worked out perfectly. I immediately materialized Cyril (he doesn't know how to do it himself yet), told him to take the child's tie, wrap it around his thigh and pull it off with a spinning stick. "Won't it hurt him horribly?!" Cyril said, but he still did this, and the blood stopped flowing. The wounded boy seemed to be in a semi-conscious state and could hardly speak, but he opened his eyes and, raising them to a small shining image, which bent over him solicitously, asked: "Are you an angel, sir?" Cyril smiled sweetly and replied: "No, I'm just a boy and I came to help you." Then, leaving Cyril to console the sufferer, I hastened to his mother, who lived about a mile from that place.
You cannot imagine how difficult it was for me to instill in my mother's head the conviction that something had happened and that she should go and see what was the matter. Finally she dropped the pan she was cleaning and said aloud, "I don't understand what is happening to me, but I must go and find my boy." When she decided to go, I could already easily guide her, without ceasing at the same time to support the materialization of Cyril by force of will, so that the poor boy would not be frightened by the sudden disappearance of the "angel".
I must tell you that by materializing the body, the substance is forced to change from its usual form to another, as if temporarily counteracting the cosmic will. It is enough to be distracted for half a second for matter to return to its previous state with the speed of lightning. Therefore, I could give this woman only part of my attention, but still I managed to bring her, and at the moment when she rounded the corner of the cliff, I allowed Cyril to disappear. However, she managed to see him, and now her village has one of the first-class stories about angelic intervention!
This incident happened early in the morning, and in the evening I went (in my astral body) to visit my family to see what was going on. The poor boy's arm and leg were set and the wound was bandaged. He lay in his bed very pale and weak, but apparently he was on the mend. Two neighbors stood near the mother, and she told them a story that looked curious to those who knew the essence of the matter.
She verbosely explained that "suddenly she felt that something in her said that something bad happened to her boy, and necessary At first, she thought that this was nonsense and tried to get rid of this feeling, “but it didn’t lead to anything, she still had to go.” She told how, not knowing why, she went exactly this way and not the other - it just happened - and how, turning around the corner of a rock and suddenly saw her boy reclining on a rock, and next to him - "the most beautiful child she had ever seen, in white clothes and radiant, with such rosy cheeks and lovely brown eyes." It smiled at her with a heavenly smile and suddenly disappeared and so suddenly that at first she did not know what to think. But then she suddenly understood, sank to her knees and began to thank God that he had sent his angel to help her poor boy.
Raising the child to carry him home, she said further, she wanted to take off the handkerchief tightly tied around her thigh, but the boy resisted and began to assure that the angel himself made the knot and did not order him to be touched; and when she afterwards told the doctor about it, he said that the boy would surely have died if she had then untied the bandage.
She then repeated the boy's story. Immediately after his fall, a beautiful little angel came up to him. He knew that it was an angel, because before he fell, he stood on a high rock, and no one was visible for a mile away; only he did not understand why the angel did not have wings, and why he called himself a "simple boy". The angel leaned him against a rock and tied his leg, then spoke to him and persuaded him not to be afraid, because they sent for his mother, and she should come soon. The angel kissed him and did everything to make him feel good, he held the boy by the hand with his small, gentle hand and told him beautiful stories, which he now does not quite remember, but which were surprisingly good, because he almost forgot about his wounds until his mother came. Then the angel told him that he would soon recover and, shaking his hand, disappeared.
Since then, the village began to present religious revival. The priest began to convince the people that such a wonderful mediation of divine providence was a sign sent down in order to silence all unbelievers and so that a new proof of the truth of Holy Scripture and Christianity would appear; yet no one seems to have noticed the enormous self-importance implied in such a statement.
But the impact on the child was undeniably good, both morally and physically. Everyone agreed that he used to be a desperate and hooligan boy, but now, feeling that at any time his "angel" can be near him, he is afraid to appear in front of him in a bad way and therefore tries not to do or say anything harsh, rude and angry. His only strong desire is to someday see his angel again, and he knows that at the hour of death his beautiful face will be the first thing he sees on the other side.
A beautiful and touching story without a doubt.
The conclusion drawn from this case by the priest and the villagers may be illogical, but in any case, evidence of the existence of at least something outside the material plane will certainly bring people more benefit than harm. And the conclusion of the mother from everything that she saw, in the end, was quite correct, although if she had more accurate knowledge, then she would have expressed it a little differently.
An interesting fact revealed to the author of this letter after research throws a curious light on the hidden causes of such incidents. It turned out that both children had already met in previous lives, and that several thousand years ago, the boy who fell from the cliff was the slave of another boy, and one day, risking his own life, saved his master. After that, he got his freedom. And now - after a long period of time - the master not only returns his debt to his former slave, but also sets before him a high ideal and inspires him to moral life, which will probably change the whole course of its future evolution.
From this we can see how, despite the apparent slowness of its implementation, karma never leaves a good deed without a good result. As Longfellow put it, the divine mill grinds slowly but finely, and will eventually grind everything.
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Night. From the light of these bright stars it's impossible to sleep. They are so beautiful. But gradually the shining luminaries began to dissolve in the night air, and my eyes closed...
***
In the morning, as usual, I am not in the mood: the sun is still shining, and in the light of its rays one could see the shimmering dust particles of the sleepy air. I lay and watched the snow-white clouds slowly float across the sky ...
I walked, as always, to my familiar place, which I took a fancy to. A familiar hill appeared in the distance. I stopped near my favorite tree. She sat down beside him and leaned on his bark. She closed her eyes.
Silence... Calmness... quiet noise of a grass and leaves of a tree. It was so reassuring...
Opening my eyes again and looking around, I saw a familiar path along which beautiful flowers grew. I loved walking this path and smelling my favorite flowers. They were unusual... Although no, very familiar to others, but for me they were better than any other colors... You could even say that they were my friends. The only friends...
There was no one around. Of course, because this is my world. And in my world there is no one but me. I'm always alone. And I like it...
The day was drawing to a close. The ruby sun was hiding, illuminating everything around with a fiery red color. It seemed that the sky was on fire from the rays of the “fireball”. I started moving home...
Warm rain woke me up. The dim rays of the sun made their way through the gray sky, but despite the faint light, it was very light around. Raindrops, resembling small crystals, merged with the rays of the sun and created an amazingly beautiful rainbow that began on one side of the river and ended on the other. It seemed that it was possible to walk on it, like on a bridge. My wings got wet and heavy. I lay down on the wet grass and closed my eyes. I really liked this kind of weather. I even do not know why. It's so soothing...
Thunder rolled across the sky. I opened my eyes in surprise and began to look for a place where I could hide. I ran to the waterfall. Hidden behind it was a cave where I used to hide during thunderstorms. I ran through the water and found myself in a place already familiar to me. It was so beautiful there! Despite the fact that the light of the sun did not fall here, it was very light and comfortable here. The walls of the cave shimmered with different colors, the stalactites seemed precious stones: they were reflected in the walls of the cave and created a multi-colored glow. At the end of the cave, a small piece of land was covered with grass. This is where I usually lay down and fell asleep. But now I didn't want to sleep. I sat down on the grass and leaned against the stone wall. She was very warm. I bent my knees and wrapped my arms around them. I wanted to sing my favorite song:
Here is a drop of rain fell on the grass,
Only I hear the sound of a falling drop.
The lily closes its petals,
And only you can open them in the morning ...
Outside, the storm had died down. The rain has already stopped. Only the sound of drops falling from the leaves of the tree was heard, and the singing of birds that rejoiced at the exit of the sun from the gray clouds. My wings were already dry, and I decided to come out of hiding and bask in the warm rays. I went through the gap where the water from the waterfall did not fall and squeezed my eyes shut out of habit from the light of the bright sun. I smiled and ran to the place where my favorite tree grew. When I began to approach him, I noticed someone's silhouette standing under the dense foliage. I was very surprised, because in my world there was no one but me. The closer I got, the more clearly I saw a figure unfamiliar to me. And finally, I saw her. It was an angel girl, with bright red short hair. She, not noticing me, sat down under a tree and, neatly folding her snow-white wings, wrapped her arms around her knees. She was somewhat similar to me: in her mischievous eyes, naivety and kindness were read. The stranger was sitting under a tree and thinking about something with enthusiasm.
-Hello.
-Hello! she answered, raising her head. There was surprise on her face - and who are you?
- I wanted to ask you the same thing.
-I thought that I was alone in my world, but it turned out that there are those who look like me.
- Apparently so ... - I was a little confused by her words. How is it in HER world if it is MY world?
My name is Tenshi! How about you? - the girl brought out of her thoughts.
-Kaori.
-Beautiful name…
-Thank you!
Tenshi smiled and then added:
Isn't this world beautiful?
-Yes…
I sat down next to her. She looked up at the sky as a flock of beautiful white birds flew over it at that moment. Her eyes reflected the cloudless sky. It's amazing... She has the same eyes as mine... Or rather, what they reflected reminded me of my inner state...
Tenshi became mine best friend. I was not alone. She became like a sister to me. Elder sister. I thought that I would forever be alone in my world, but now I have a friend ...
One day, the day came when you could visit other worlds. I have never been outside of my usual place before. I just didn't feel like it. I just wanted to be in my own little corner of paradise.
But this day, I did something different. Tenshi and I decided to travel.
How to get to another world? I asked.
- You just need to choose the door ...
-Door?
-Yes. Come with me, I'll show you.
-Fine. I had never heard of going to other places before, so I was curious. - Have you been to other worlds before?
-Certainly. Are you not?
-No…
-It's clear. Let's go where I haven't been yet?
-Let's. And where to?
To the Demon World...
She opened one of the doors, and we found ourselves in a world that was completely different from ours. What surprised me the most was that there were quite a lot of inhabitants here. But they were all somehow the same, gloomy and scary. Exactly the same as their place. The black sky was diluted only with dark gray clouds, from which lightning appeared every now and then and hit the dry, lifeless earth to cracks.
I didn't like it at all... My curiosity let me down. I'd rather stay in my usual place.
Demons... How scary they are. It was terrible to think about what was going on in their souls. If, of course, they had it ...
I got scared. I was about to leave, but suddenly a voice called out to me:
Hello.
I turned around. The one who called me was not like the other inhabitants of this gloomy place. He looked… well… human. On common man. No, not at all. I don't even know who he could be.
I looked at him. His face was impassive, and a small smile was visible. He had such beautiful eyes...
“Hi,” I replied.
- You're not from our world, are you?
-No. And you, not like the others... Are you also not from this world?
He looked at me and then laughed softly. With a smile, he looked up and folded his arms. He looked so hopeless...
-What's so funny?
-Nothing…
-Then why are you laughing?
-It’s just… I don’t have my own world… I’m versatile…
-Interesting. Never met anyone like you. Or rather, I have not met anyone except Tenshi. She is just like me, also an angel.
-Angel…
-?
It's just that I have that side too...
-Yes? What other sides do you have?
-I'm an angel, a demon, well, a human too.
-Marvelous…
I thought about him all the time. I don’t know why, but only his image remained in my head. I wanted to meet him again. I didn't even know his name...
And then suddenly there was a rustling behind. I turned around and recognized a familiar face. Yes, it was him.
-Hello.
“Hi,” he replied, smiling sincerely, “are you surprised by my appearance?”
-No. I knew that you would be here, because you are also an angel.
-Well, yes…
You know, I forgot to ask you something...
-And what?
-What is your name?
He smiled.
-Makoto.
- My name is Kaori. Nice to meet you.
-Me too.
I thought that this person can be trusted. I wanted to open up to him.
- Do you want me to show you my favorite tree?
-Let's.
-Come with me.
And we moved in the direction of my favorite tree. Today it seemed more beautiful than ever. Many multi-colored flowers adorned its dense green foliage, through which the thin rays of the sun made their way. From this, the tree became even more beautiful and bewitching. We walked over and sat next to him. Ahead was a field of various colors. Somewhere far ahead, the bright blue sky joined the horizon. How beautiful…
Kaori!
I opened my eyes.
-Kao-o-ori!
I got up. Makoto was gone. He must have gotten bored and left. And I fell asleep...
Kaori, where are you?!
- Oh, Tenshi. Tenshi, I'm here!
-Where are you. God bless! And I've been looking for you everywhere. Already started to worry.
- Don't be afraid.
Why did you leave and didn't say anything?
-I met Makoto and we decided to sit near this tree. I fell asleep, but when I woke up, he was no longer there.
-Makoto?
-Yes. Remember the one we met in the demon world?
-Yes. But what is he doing here?
-He's an angel too.
“Well, what was he doing in the demon world then?”
He's also a demon. And man...
-Yes? I have never met such people.
“Me too…” I thought for a moment and continued, “Listen, Tenshi. I have been wanting to ask you something for a long time...
-About what?
Have you been to the human world?
- No, but what?
-Nothing. I just wonder how people live...
-But I do not. And I wouldn't recommend you go there. Her face darkened and became sad.
-Why?
“It’s just that once you get there, you can’t go back.
-How come?
-You keep forgetting...
-Strange. How can this be…
I thought about this question for a long time and finally decided to ask Makoto later. After all, he probably knows about the world of people, he is also a person too. I couldn't wait to see him.
I'm not being there.
At the first meeting with Makoto, I began to ask him about the world of people.
-Like this? Why?
I just don't want to be in this world...
But you are also human!
But I'm not proud of it. I don't want to be human, so I don't want to appear in the human world.
What happens to those who enter the human world?
-They forget about the past and become people. People do not know about the existence of other worlds, so they cannot see us. But the rest know about the existence of the human world. Do you know why, unlike other worlds, there are practically no inhabitants left in the world of angels?
-Why?
-Because angels are very inquisitive and fragile beings. They are easy to convince and influence them. They didn't know anything about the human world. They saw beauty in everything. The angels thought that the world of people is very similar to their world. But they were wrong. Lead the worlds of people and angels completely different! But the angels really wanted to see the world of people. And that was their mistake. Therefore, there are practically no angels left ...
Have they all become human?
-Yes.
-It's horrible. How can you forget about your past, about who you were? I can't even imagine...
-Do you know what else?
-What?
-People are mortal. They get old and die.
-Is it true?!
-Yes. Only angels and demons are immortal and always remain as they are.
-Marvelous…
-You know, sometimes a person can become a demon and an angel...
-Really?
-Yes. To do this, he must believe in them.
-Only?
It seems easy to you, but people aren't like that.
-That's how...
I thought about it. And suddenly an insight came to me:
-Wait a minute. So that means you...
Yes, I was human. Therefore, after going through all this, I no longer want to appear in the human world. I wasn't like everyone else. I believed in angels and demons...
- ... and became an angel and a demon.
But I'm also human...
-Yes…
When I met Tenshi, I told her about Makoto. She was very surprised. The question swirled around in my head:
- Tenshi...
-What?
What other worlds are there?
- Oh, there are a lot of them.
-Is it true?
-Yes.
- Tenshi...
-Yes?
What next world will you go to?
-Probably in the world of elves...
-Great!
- Yeah.
Finally, the long-awaited day came when it was possible to visit another world. Tenshi was still sleeping and I decided to go without her. I have never been so eager to learn more about other places.
I quickly got to the door. There are so many! I walked along the corridor and looked through each one. Suddenly, I saw the one that led to the world of people. A strange feeling came over me. I stopped and turned towards that door. What is it really, this world? I so wanted to reach out and turn the handle of the mysterious passage... Suddenly, the hand, as if obeying my thoughts, unlocked the door by itself, and my body plunged into an imperceptible space...
I woke up abruptly, and the dream vanished. I looked around my room: it was already morning, so the stars on my wallpaper did not glow. What an interesting dream I had… Suddenly I had a sharp pain in my shoulder blades. I wrapped my arms around myself. It's strange, why would that be.
The pain is gone. I got out of bed and made the bed.
-Good morning, Mom!
- Good morning, Kaori!
- You know, Mom, I had such an interesting dream: as if I were an angel!
-Great!
-Yeah!
I went to the kitchen and poured myself some tea. What a beautiful sky today! And somewhere in the distance it looks like it's going to rain...
A tear fell on the grass. And then a few more drops. The red-haired girl sat leaning against a tree and wept softly, covering her face with her hands.
-Why…why…you forgot everything…you forgot everything…everything…
Angels are mentioned many times in the Bible. They are always present at the most important, epic events. Angels have also featured prominently in art for centuries, from cute cherubs in Renaissance paintings to winged weeping angels on tombstones. Most of our ideas about who angels are and what they look like are wrong - at least if we take the Bible as a basis, and not art, which brought many new features to the image.
We have all heard stories of people being rescued by a mysterious stranger. Or the words of people who are sure that they are cared for by some supernatural being. It is gratifying to think that someone is immeasurably smarter and knows better than us how to guide a person along the right path and save him from all troubles. But there is nothing in the Bible about the fact that each person has his own guardian angel.
Several passages do speak of guardian angels. For example, the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 18:10:
“Do not despise any of these little ones. For I tell you that the angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”
The passage is often interpreted as referring to angels who watch over children or all faithful Christians in the world, but there is no word that everyone has their own "personal" angel.
The idea of personal guardian angels is relatively recent. She is the product of the slow evolution of history. In the Middle Ages, there were many stories about saints who met with angels, and the angels allegedly protected them. Gradually, they turned into stories where angels came to the aid of a person in ordinary life - this was talked about in the 18th and 19th centuries. And by the 20th century, people already believed in a guardian angel who stands behind every person’s shoulder and protects him from troubles.
We all know what cherubs look like - it is their images that are most often found in art. These are small naked children: charming, plump and winged. Such angels were invented relatively recently by artists, and real biblical cherubs are much more unusual.
Cherubim are very specific angels. God has brought them so close to himself that they serve directly to him and are not messengers to mankind. IN old testament they are mentioned quite often, and they are by no means charming.
According to the Book of Genesis, two cherubim were ordered to guard the tree of life. Ezekiel, chapter 1:5-11, gives a full description of them. According to Scripture, cherubim looked like humans, with a few exceptions. Their legs ended in calf's hooves. Each had four wings that hid their human arms and four faces. When they moved, the faces never turned. In front, the face was human, on the right - the muzzle of a lion, on the left - a bull or ox, and behind - an eagle.
Each cherub burned as if on fire. Further, Ezekiel describes them as a kind of living and intelligent God's chariot, as a force subject only to God. In his vision, God rides in a chariot with cherubs acting as wheels. Four cherubs stand together, personifying the strength of a lion, the freedom of an eagle, the heaviness and earthiness of a bull, and the wisdom of the greatest divine creation - man. All these beings are the first in their spheres. Each cherub covers the body with one pair of wings and stretches out the others. The wings themselves are covered with eyes.
Very far from cute naked kids, right?
3. Cherubim are not necessarily good.
In pictures, cherubs are always charming. A smile plays on their lips, wings flutter behind their backs. They also usually play the harps. Biblical cherubs are not so cute. For example, consider the Throne of Mercy - the cover of the Ark of the Covenant. We've all seen her - thanks to Indiana Jones.
The two figures on the Throne of Mercy are cherubs whose faces and bodies are hidden by two pairs of wings. Other pairs of cherubs are pulled towards each other. Thus they form a throne, and according to Scripture, the Throne signifies the potentially deadly presence of an angry God. Every year, the high priest held a ceremony: he sprinkled the Throne of Mercy with the blood of sacrificial animals in order to appease God and turn away his wrath for another year.
In order to approach the Throne of Mercy without fear, another specific ritual had to be performed. It was believed that any deviation from the ritual was fatal to the priest, who would be foolish enough not to treat him with due respect. Every year the cherubim were to receive blood sacrifice. The ceremonies stopped only after the crucifixion of Christ - his sacrifice and blood were enough to satisfy the cherubim forever.
This happens a lot in the movies, but there is no evidence in the Bible that good, righteous people become angels when they die. A couple of passages even point to the impossibility of this.
Both angels and humans were created by God, but they serve different purposes. Hebrews 1:14 clearly states that angels are created to lend a helping hand to those who believe in God. And in the Book of Genesis, chapter 1:26, it is written that angels are spiritual beings capable of taking not only human, but also any form at the will of God.
The book of Peter says that angels are the former righteous:
“And it was revealed to them that they do not serve themselves, but to you, through the wisdom revealed to you through those through whose mouth the Holy Spirit, sent from heaven, speaks: wisdom upon which the angels look for a long time.”
The Spirit is preaching to mankind, and the angels want them to be able to hear the same revelations. And these angels were not once human.
Countless paintings depict male angels appearing before people in biblical scenes, and graveyard sculptures near graves are often made in the form of mourning female angels. But there is not a single word in the Bible about female angels.
Angels are not human, they are not subject to the same biological restrictions. Things like sex and gender issues are generally alien to angels. But throughout the Bible, angels appear as men. Even the Greek word "angelos" itself in the New Testament is a masculine word and does not have a feminine form.
Only two of the Lord's angels have names - Michael and Gabriel - and the others are always referred to as simply "he". Once in the Bible, a female winged creature is mentioned. In Zechariah chapter 5:9 such women appear in a series of visions where there is also a flying scroll. Nothing says that they are angels.
The very idea of a female angel appeared centuries after the Bible. Until about the fourth century, there was not a single artistic representation of angels (at least not known), because Christianity tried to distance itself from the customs of worshiping other religions with "images and idols." Once angels appeared in art, they may have been associated with winged creatures from other mythologies, such as Nike and other pagan goddesses.
Imagine a biblical angel. Most likely, he will have fluttering clothes, wings and a halo. But the biblical descriptions never mentioned that angels have halos. Moreover, the Bible does not mention halos at all. The closest equivalent of something even remotely similar to a halo, which became " calling card» religious art, there was a mention of the rays of light emanating from several biblical characters - Christ and Moses.
The halo first appeared in art only in the fourth century. Initially, he was only on the images of Christ sitting on the throne. Gradually, the halo became a symbol of goodness, and they began to always draw it with Christ and angels. By the sixth century, the nimbus was "worn" by everyone, including saints.
Christians did not come up with a halo, but rather adopted it. The idea goes back to the ancient kings of Syria and Egypt, who wore halos as crowns to emphasize their connection with the deities and the divine glow surrounding them. In ancient Rome, for example, they liked to describe emperors in rays and crowns. Christian artists simply borrowed the symbol and it stuck.
It is almost never spoken about dipteran angels, although angels are often called "flying". For obvious reasons, the ability to fly is associated with the presence of wings - two, as we are more accustomed to. Seraphim, who occupy one of the highest places in the angelic hierarchy, stand in front of God's throne and literally burn with love for their Lord, setting an example for everyone else. In the book of the prophet Isaiah, it is written that each seraphim has six wings. Only two wings are needed to fly. Two more wings cover the face, and the third pair covers the legs. Cherubim, on the other hand, are usually described as beings with four wings.
In early Christian art, angels are almost always depicted descending from heaven on wings. One of the earliest examples is angels on Roman sarcophagi. Thus, the famous biblical scene is depicted on the sarcophagus of the Roman politician Junius Basus: an angel appears to Abraham and tells him to sacrifice his son. There is not a word about wings in the Bible, but there are wings on the sarcophagus. The image was made in the year 359 AD - which means that around that time there was a general change in ideas about how angels look. By the end of the century, angels without two wings were no longer represented. Moreover, they have since been strongly associated with the emergence of winged pagan gods and goddesses.
The angel of death is a majestic image. Imagine: a creature of dark, otherworldly beauty, whose only purpose is to take other people's lives. Several passages in the Bible, including the Passover story in Exodus 11:4–5 and 2 Samuel 19:35, mention angels taking human life. Indeed, in the Book of Kings, an angel claimed the lives of 185,000 Assyrians. But in the modern view, the angel of death is death itself. In the Bible, the angels who take lives do more than just that. They simply carried out the order of God - one of many.
In addition, Jewish traditions reject the very idea of an angel of death. Only God, and not angels, has power over life and death. But in the end, the image leaked into the official religious canons, and the angel of death became known as Samael. Mentions of him are at first rather inconsequential, it is easy to even forget where they appeared. During the Amoraic period (AD 220-370), there were other references to Samael as the angel of death. In the original texts, the angels are transformed into vengeful and deadly messengers of heaven, and Samael dons the mantle of the angel of death.
Soon Samael moved from the religious canon to folklore and became an independent thinking being. He no longer does God's will. He now hunts and takes lives at will. The body of this Samael from folklore is completely covered with eyes so that nothing escapes his attention. In Jewish tradition, he is sometimes associated with Cain: it is believed that it was Samael who inspired Cain with the desire to kill his brother and gave him the strength to do so.
Gabriel appears four times in the Bible. One of the references to him says that he comes every Christmas - that's the secret of his popularity with people. It was he who appeared to Mary and told that she had been chosen to be the mother of the Son of God. In his other appearances, he also acts as a messenger. He is defined as an archangel, not just an ordinary old angel. It is important.
archangels in heavenly hierarchy occupy a position above the angels, but other spiritual beings stand above them. In fact, there are a lot of angelic ranks.
The Bible says that the angelic hierarchy has three levels - spheres. In each area, there are three more subgroups. The first sphere, which is closest to God, includes the seraphim (this is the highest angelic rank), cherubim and thrones - all inseparable from the word of God. In the second sphere there are dominations that teach people to control the senses and instruct earthly rulers, powers that work miracles, and powers that protect good people from the devil's temptations.
In the last, lowest and farthest sphere from God, the archons (they are the beginnings) stand above all. Archons govern other angels of lower rank. Each earthly kingdom has its own archon in charge of ruling the kings. He must ensure that worthy people who rule in the name of God become kings and leaders. Directly below them are the archangels - divine messengers. Such, for example, is Gabriel. Even lower are the angels, who appear to people more often, perform minor miracles and help if necessary.
And even lower in the heavenly hierarchy are people - they are farthest from God. From this point of view, Gabriel, one of the few biblical angels who has a name and who appears in the scenes at the manger of the baby Jesus around the world, is even below average.
Angels almost always appear to us as good beings - messengers and servants of God. Even when they sow death, they are doing God's will. But in one of the interpretations of biblical texts, angels are to blame for the global flood (at least in part). And the flood destroyed all mankind except for Noah and his family.
According to the Book of Genesis, before the flood, the Earth was home not only to mankind, but also to beings called the Nephilim (or giants). The Nephilim were born of "sons of God" and "daughters of men." One of the most common interpretations is that the "sons of God" were angels who came to the earthly kingdom and remained there for the pleasures they found. Jude 1:6 speaks of the Nephilim as those who left their lawful home and went to Earth, and in Genesis they appear as the offspring of human women and divine beings.
Debates are being waged among Christians. In Jewish theology, things are much simpler. When God saw the corruption that had taken possession of his creatures, Azael and Samsaveel voluntarily went to Earth to prove that people themselves are responsible for their own destiny. On Earth, they not only experienced earthly pleasures forbidden for angels: Samsaveel also violated one of the most sacred oaths - he opened true name God to a mortal woman. He was not allowed to return to heaven, and the woman, Ishtar, was lifted up to the sky and left among the stars. Samsaveel repented of his deed, but remained between the Earth and the sky. In other versions, as many as 18 angels entered into a relationship with women and produced offspring.
But in both traditions, it was worldly sin that forced God to destroy everything he created, including the Nephilim giants - the descendants of his beloved angels.
Doreen Virtue is a Ph.D. in Philosophy and Psychology, a clairvoyant and author of books on guardian angels, spirit guides, and ascended masters. According to Doreen Virtue, most people see angels, ghosts or spirits of their deceased loved ones every day. Before some, ephemeral creatures appear in the form of classical angels with wings; others - in some incomprehensible way enter into a dialogue with relatives who have gone to another world; third angelic visions are available only in a dream, but these dreams are not only very realistic, but often prophetic. After reading the book How to See Angels, you will learn amazing stories of people who experienced angelic visions or received vital messages "from the other side" in prophetic dreams. In addition, Dr. Verche provides step-by-step guidance to help you make eye contact with Divine Beings, as well as learn to understand signs and messages from them.
A series: Angels
* * *
The following excerpt from the book How to see angels. Real stories people (Doreen Virtue, 2008) provided by our book partner - the company LitRes.
Part I. True stories of people who saw angels
Chapter 1
angel feather
The story of Kate O'Reilly
This happened in 1998, after I was discharged from the hospital, where I was in the intensive care unit due to my pneumonia. I was then prescribed every conceivable and unimaginable medicine that had only been invented to treat this ailment, and sent home to finish my treatment with an order to adhere to bed rest and take medicines regularly. When I left the hospital, I felt that I had been discharged early, but there were no more vacancies, and I was told that, given my age and general health, I would soon recover at home.
That evening I tossed and turned in bed and could not sleep for a long time before falling asleep. At half past three in the morning I felt that there was someone in my room, and from this I woke up. When I opened my eyes, at first I thought that it was someone from the house wandering around the house, but, turning over on the other side, I saw two huge creatures. Looking at them, I could not understand how they - of such and such a size - could fit here, in my modest little room?
The figures let me know that someone had sent them to protect me while I slept. For some reason, I immediately knew that they were angels. One is male, three meters tall (this is, considering that the ceiling height in my room is no more than two and a half meters), dressed in gray-blue clothes. His face expressed such love for me that it already seemed that this alone was enough to help me get back on my feet. The second angel was female and completely white. She radiated a soft, caring energy and reminded me of those angels I read about as a child, human-like but with wings. I wanted to touch them and stretched out my hands to them - they immediately disappeared. I fell back into my restless sleep.
When I woke up in the morning, I experienced strong emotional excitement because of this "dream". My daughter and granddaughter came into my room to check on me, and I told them about my nightly visitors. My daughter, being quite an adult, was skeptical about my story, and my four-year-old granddaughter really liked this story. When the wave of excitement subsided a little and the daughter helped me get out from under the covers so that I could go to the bathroom, my granddaughter squealed with glee. Getting out of bed, I followed myself out from under the blanket with a fifteen-centimeter feather, apparently stuck to my sweaty leg due to the high temperature at night! To be honest, we didn't know what to think. I was confused as we never had any feather products in our house. The daughter was speechless. And the granddaughter began to dance with joy because the angels left us their gift. She said that it was not a dream, because angels always come to people at night. And, of course, these angels were real!
I carefully removed the precious feather from my foot and placed it on my room altar.
The next night I felt much worse than the day before, as if I was getting worse instead of getting better, and I decided to call a doctor if things didn't get better soon. At 3:30 in the morning, just like the day before, I woke up again due to the feeling of someone's presence. Turning on the bed, I saw the same angels again! They were standing in front of me, and suddenly the one who was male asked if I was ready to go with them to paradise.
The angels said that this time they were sent to help me decide whether I want to stay in my human body or leave Earth. I thought about all my plans and unfinished business - nothing seemed to matter to me as much as the opportunity to go along with the angels. The love and goodness they radiated was so attractive that I wanted more and more to go with them. Suddenly I thought about my seven grandchildren and how my friends always told me: “It's no accident that you have seven grandchildren - there must be some special meaning in this. Perhaps you, too, are an important part of this very meaning. I caught myself thinking that if I left now with the angels, I would no longer have the opportunity to gather all my relatives together to say goodbye to them, hug my children and kiss my grandchildren. So I told the angels that I wanted to stay here on Earth for a while longer.
The angels replied that if I decided to stay, the only way for me to be saved would be to return to the intensive care unit in the hospital, and the sooner the more likely. Having said this, they disappeared as suddenly as they appeared. Soon the eldest daughter took me to the hospital. There it turned out that my pneumonia had progressed and that I arrived at the hospital just in time, otherwise I would not have been saved.
The next night I woke up again at half past three in the morning, hoping to see my angels again, but they were not. Perhaps they were embarrassed by my move to the hospital room. I was sad to think that I would never see them again, and I began to think about how to return them. I realized that I had to ask them a lot of questions, and I felt like I missed the opportunity to do so. Having doubted the correctness of the decision made the day before, I began to cry. Tears streamed down my cheeks as if I were mourning my old friends with whom I spent the best years of my life.
A little later, my daughter and granddaughter came to me, whom I told about angels. Since then, I have not spoken to anyone about it. I was so weak that I tried to direct all my energy towards a speedy recovery. My daughter had many problems of her own, and I did not want to disturb her again. In conversation, she mentioned a strange thing that happened to her early in the morning. She said that at 3:30 in the morning she was awakened by a strong feeling about making an important decision that she had to make. She was puzzled and surprised by such a nightly insight, but now, after many months of deliberation, this decision is made. She finally knew what she had to do.
I smiled. My angels have not left us. Despite everything, they were still with me and with my loved ones. Since then and to this day, I have kept that gift - an angel's feather - as the greatest treasure.
Embraced by angel wings
History of Joan Scott
A few years ago, when my mother was dying painfully from lung cancer, each new day brought new difficulties, and it was unbearable. I did not consider myself a good nurse and constantly repeated: “I can’t ...”, to which I always heard from the visiting nurse: “No, you can ...”
One night, lying in bed, I frantically whispered: “God, I need help!!! I need help, God!!!" - and almost immediately I saw a large cluster of angel wings completely surrounding me and wrapping their arms around me. I felt incredible comfort and support and realized that I was not alone. It gave me the courage to move on and the strength to continue caring for my mother until the end of her time.
Even after my mother went to another world, whenever I have serious difficulties, I know that I can always count on the support of those same winged angels.
The power of our angels' love
I worked as a teacher's assistant. On the first day of classes, the entire team of workers gathered to get to know each other. We sat in a large circle and took turns talking about ourselves. My turn has already passed, and I said everything I wanted to. It was the turn of the woman sitting a little to my left.
As soon as she spoke, I saw two angels and thought that this woman was like a hot steam coming from asphalt pavements on hot days. The air above and around her seemed to move just like steam, after which it began to play with many different colors and turned into blue wings, or rather, into two pairs of wings. Then I was able to see the formation to which these wings were attached. There were two of them. They stood on either side of the woman, very close to her.
My vision lasted for a fraction of a second, and of course, when I came to my senses and tried to see everything more carefully, alas, there was nothing else and no one there. I was shocked. How it was like the old witch stories! I froze - alone - while the others continued to talk as if nothing had happened. And I didn’t understand or hear a word of what they were saying. I felt like I was suspended in the air for a moment. I tried to catch my breath and realized that I was still on the same wavelength with those wonderful, divinely beautiful creatures, and although I no longer saw them, I literally physically felt that immense love with which the angels surrounded the woman. When I came to my senses, I sat in a circle and recalled the experience. Tears welled up in my eyes - from the realization that next to each of us there are our own angels, whose love for us cannot be expressed in any words.
I dared to tell about it only to some people, but no stories can convey what really happened. It is incredibly difficult to recreate the feelings and emotions that I then experienced.
Trainer Angel
Terry Walker Story
Stephen, my 11-year-old son, suddenly decided to play baseball during his summer vacation after several years of playing football. Most of the guys on his team had been playing baseball for several years, and they were doing very well. Stephen also played well, but, finding himself on the pitcher's hill, for some reason he always fell into a stupor and could not hit the ball with a bat. Needless to say, he had strike after strike. In training, everything turned out great for Stephen, but as soon as he was on the playing field, the boy immediately lost his nerve.
One day I was sitting on the podium and watching him play. Steven had already had two strikes and was getting ready for the pitcher's hill again. I felt that his self-esteem was falling before my eyes; I really wanted him to be able to hit the ball, and I began to pray to his guardian angels to help him hit the ball and run to first base.
At that moment, I saw an angelic being hovering over Stephen's shoulder, who was already on the pitcher's mound. The angel lifted his eyes, looked straight at me, raised his thumb and smiled radiantly. I just couldn't believe my eyes! I looked around to see if anyone besides me saw this angel, but no one else seemed to notice him.
And then I heard the sound of a bat hitting the ball! Steven hit the ball and the ball flew between first and second base, straight to the right side of the field. Steve ran to second base, then to third, after which he returned to home. The look of joy on his face was indescribable! He was so proud of himself.
After the game, I told my son about the angel, to which he replied: “I knew that something wonderful happened then, because I felt something holding my bat, and I heard someone say to me:“ Hit! ”And I hit the ball!” This just proves that the angels really want to help us, you just need to ask them about it. Since then, Stephen has been constantly talking to his angels.
Tara is my healing angel
The Story of Robin Ann Powell
Late one November 1998, a close friend of mine sent me an audio program called Healing with the Angels. I was glad to get it, because the state of my health at that time, to put it mildly, left much to be desired. All the healing methods that I had already tried by that time worked at most for six months, no longer.
I must say that angels have always been very significant to me. Even long before I received “Healing with the Angels”, their figurines and images, donated by friends and relatives, were everywhere in my house, but at the same time I never saw real angels, did not hear their voices, did not receive important messages from them, never tried to use their healing power.
I remember that when I played Doreen's recording for the first time, I fell asleep about half an hour after I started listening, and nothing out of the ordinary happened after that. But about three weeks later, my kidneys got very sick. The year before, I had contracted a bladder infection that I just couldn't get over. Since then, the disease has progressed rapidly, and my kidneys have become inflamed. I eventually had to come to terms with the need to constantly take antibiotics to relieve the fever and relieve the pain. And now, on December 12, 1998, the kidneys began to ache again.
My husband and I had a bit of an argument this morning, and I asked him to sit next to me on the couch until I left for work. We reconciled, I calmed down and closed my eyes. Moments later, I saw a truly magnificent female creature. She had long black hair; she was dressed in a white dress. She said her name was Tara and that she would keep her palms on my kidneys all day, even when I was at work, in the store. She also said that I myself am an earthly angel. In incredible surprise, I opened my eyes and told my husband what had happened. Shocked, we sat in silence for a while. Was it really? Or is it my imagination?
I went to work hoping that Tara would heal my kidneys and after a few hours the pain was really gone!
A long time has passed since then, and the pain in the kidneys has never returned to me, and - I know this for sure - will never return! I'm sure it was listening to Doreen Virtue's recording that helped me connect with my angel.
Angel in the delivery room
The story of Jacqueline Regina
At that moment I was in the maternity ward of the hospital where my daughter was giving birth. She was in terrible pain, and I began to pray to God to give her strength and help us both get through this. Suddenly my daughter turned pale. She seemed so weak and lifeless, and her eyes seemed to be begging me to help somehow. I didn't know what to do and felt even more helpless. I prayed, “Lord, help her!”
At that very moment, I saw a huge angel appear next to my daughter's bed - so huge that it practically took up the entire ward. The angel looked down at my daughter, and a few minutes later, the baby appeared; his neck was entwined with an umbilical cord, and he turned blue before his eyes from a lack of oxygen and did not breathe. Somehow, the angel let me know that everything will be fine with the baby. I understood and felt this very well.
I will never forget that beautiful angel who saved my grandson's life. I am grateful for his help!
Guardian angel
Mary Rao's story
When I was twenty-four years old, I lived with my brother in his three-room apartment. I had to leave my home because of the cruel attitude of my father - I grew up as a very intimidated child.
One night, for some reason, I suddenly became afraid to be alone in the apartment that I shared with my brother - at that time he often stayed overnight with his girlfriend. And I did not go to bed in my room, but fell asleep in front of the TV in the living room. But before falling asleep, I remember that I asked God to help me get through this night and make sure that nothing bad happened to me.
Around 3:00 am, I woke up feeling like someone was gently touching my forehead. When I opened my eyes, I saw a beautiful spirit hovering in front of me. I couldn't see his face because his features were indistinct. The spirit swam across the room and then disappeared through the door. I was no longer afraid that night. I still believe that it was my guardian angel.
I bring you good news!
History of Jennifer Kennington
Once, while taking a shower, I turned around and saw standing next to me, surrounded by a soft yellow light, a large angel, about two meters tall, behind whose back large folded wings could be seen. I'm sure it was her.
Dressed in white long dress, which shone slightly with a pale yellow light, she radiated a soft glow. Her golden hair fell in waves to her shoulders, and her head was crowned with a wreath of flowers. Her crystal blue eyes radiated love. After talking to me, she extended her arms towards me as if she wanted to hug me. She was so beautiful and realistic that I felt awe and great honor to be in her presence.
The angel spoke to me: “I have glad tidings for you about the coming great happiness! You're having a boy!" At that moment, it seemed impossible to me, and I decided that this was just a symbol of some of my undertakings. However, a month and a half later, I discovered that I was nine weeks pregnant.
Angel on the highway
History of Perry Cob
It happened in 1966 when I was living in Los Angeles. I was then eighteen years old. I didn't go to school because I got kicked out the year before for fighting. He worked at a gas station, although this occupation was unpromising. When my stepfather asked me to help my mother on a small farm in Missouri, I agreed: there was nothing else to do anyway.
Two weeks later, I was already driving halfway across the country in a Corvayeur car that my stepfather had bought for me especially for this trip. Attached to the car was a one-wheeled trailer, filled to the brim with things meant to be handed over to the mother.
There was no speed limit on the highway, and I squeezed the maximum: I drove one hundred and twenty kilometers per hour. When I put my foot on the brake pedal, the brake lights illuminated the trailer's tarpaulin with a flickering red light. There was a difficult section of the road: I was driving down a steep slope, and therefore I had to keep my foot on the brake pedal almost all the time. I kept looking in the rear-view mirror and suddenly ... I saw a woman sitting on top of the trailer smiling at me. At least I thought it was a woman. I quickly turned my gaze to the road. Then I opened the window in the hope that the cold wind would bring me back to reality.
I pressed the brake pedal again and looked again in the far-view mirror - the woman was still there. I could see her clearly in the rear lights, even though the lighting was red. She was wearing a long, light robe; her hair was hidden by a scarf. Continuing to smile, she waved a friendly hand at me. I thought, "That's it, Perry, now you're completely out of your mind."
Gathering all my will into a fist and plucking up courage, I pulled over to the side of the road and stopped just before a sharp bend. I put my head on the steering wheel, clenched my teeth, sat like that for a minute and got out of the car. As soon as my feet touched the ground, I collapsed: the whole road was covered with a thin layer of ice and looked like a skating rink! Somehow, holding on to the sides of the car, I got up and slid to the trailer. I lifted the tarp, but found no one under it. To put it mildly, this shook me well, especially since just at that moment the moon, which had been hiding behind the clouds all this time, suddenly rolled out into the sky and illuminated the road. Thanks to this light, I saw a slender row of ten crosses on the side of the road, placed in places where people died, whose cars did not fit into a difficult turn and flew off the road. Since then, I have been looking for that beautiful lady to this day.
However, once I happened to feel her presence behind my back, but this did not happen again, which is a pity - I really miss her.
How an angel helped me find my true name
History of Uma Bakso
For as long as I can remember, I have never liked the name Nancy Jane. I went through all the possible variations: Nan, NJ, Nancy, Nanny ...
One day I decided to meditate on this subject while standing in front of the mirror in my bedroom. For a while I meditated with my eyes closed, after which, opening them, I saw beautiful woman with long dark hair, standing in front of me in the mirror. I asked her: “Who are you? What is your name?" - and instead of an answer, I heard: “Your new name carries light, it will be associated with light,” but I must say that at that time I had blond hair.
I was dumbfounded, but a minute later I felt my body move towards the bookshelf, and the same voice said: "Your name you will find here."
My hand, as if driven by some force, rose and extended forward. Randomly touching the books, the hand chose the one to my right. It was Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi. I leafed through it, catching Uma's name several times in a row. I then thought: "What a strange name."
A few hours after the incident, I went to the yoga class that I attended, and there I asked the teacher what the name Uma means in Sanskrit. He replied that Uma was the goddess of the rising sun. And then I remembered the words of the woman I saw in the mirror that my new name would be associated with the light. And at the same moment I fell in love with my new name - Uma.
Great Healing in the Great Tribulation
The story of Jennifer Helvey-Davies
For as long as I can remember, I have always been very close to my grandmother. It so happened that my mother is a single mother, and my grandmother helped her raise me, so I lived with her for quite a long time. My grandmother was, so to speak, a stabilizing factor in my life and was always there when I needed help and support. When I was nineteen, I finally moved to live with her and my grandfather.
One night, about two years later, I had a nightmare: that I had a snake in my bed. I woke up so terrified that I immediately woke my grandmother and asked her to sit with me until I fell asleep again. The next morning I found her dead on the couch: she died while reading a book. This event shocked and unsettled me. I was heartbroken.
Kneeling at the grave of my dear grandmother, I looked up at the sky, wept and cursed God. I told him that I want my grandmother to come back. And at that very moment, something appeared from behind the clouds, shaped like a large star, rapidly increasing in size. I couldn't believe my eyes...
What I saw took my breath away: from this star, someone appeared with long hair, in coarse canvas clothes tied at the waist. His arms were lowered down along the body, and his palms were turned towards me. I couldn't see his face, but I saw wings behind him. As soon as I got up from my knees, I again collapsed to the ground, whispering in a frenzy: “You are real ... you are here.”
Although I did not see his face, I felt that he was the most powerful being I have ever seen. He stood in the center of a star that descended from heaven, and with all his appearance he made me understand that he could have a strong influence on my life.
I was terrified and at the same time mesmerized by this sight. And although I could barely make out his features, I knew for sure: it was an angel. I realized this thanks to his wings and arms. Then I whispered: “You are an angel ...”, and tears streamed from my eyes in streams. I could hardly believe what I saw. The angel nodded to me in greeting.
His wings folded with a whistle, my ears rang and my eyes tingled - I looked away from the clouds, and when I looked up at the sky again, the angel was no longer there, only the outline of a star. Then I shifted my gaze to the grave: it seemed that the grass on it had taken on some other form. Looking closely, I saw the outlines of that same angel on the grass.
I put the artificial rose that I brought for my grandmother in the place where I saw the image of an angel. Now I knew that my grandmother went to that mystical place from where an angel descended to me. Completely stunned, I returned to the car and, before taking the wheel, tried to reproduce on the page of the notebook the figure of that angel.
I left the cemetery with a strange sense of peace and tranquility, which I had not experienced since the death of my grandmother. Since then and to this day, when I am going through difficult times or in need of peace and tranquility, I draw that angel on paper, and, surprisingly, it really helps me.
news of motherhood
History of Sharon Blott
At twenty-seven, I was going through what was probably the most difficult time of my life. I was depressed about a failed relationship. Six years of marriage ended in nothing. I didn't know what to do or where to go next. I remember that I told my mother that I felt dead. Plus, it turned out that I could never have children.
I had to study for my final exams at the university, but my mother insisted that I go with her, my sister and her husband for two weeks to Mexico, to Cabo San Lucas, in Baja California. At first I did not want to go anywhere and refused to travel, but in the end I gave up and agreed. In the first week of my stay at the resort, nothing unusual happened, except perhaps one thing: being away from my usual surroundings, for the first time I was able to breathe a sigh of relief there.
In the second week, something happened to me that I can only describe as a truly spiritual experience. At night, on a full moon, at high tide, I was lying on the beach, and suddenly the heavens seemed to open up above me, and I was enveloped in a stunningly beautiful golden light that radiated such love and warmth as I had never felt before. I saw angels and heard marvelous music. Shining angels with long blond hair—there seemed to be hundreds of them—radiated an all-encompassing love and peace of such strength that these feelings easily penetrated the very depths of my soul. But most of all I remember the children's voices addressed to me, repeating: "Mom, mom ..." The vision lasted a couple of seconds, no longer, but these moments seemed to me an eternity; I wanted it to go on forever: I finally felt at peace.
When I returned home, I visited the doctor, and he said that nothing was stopping me from getting pregnant, and all my fears immediately evaporated. Eight months later I met my current husband and now we have two wonderful daughters; they were born four years apart.
I will never forget that their birth is a great miracle that changed my whole life, the news of which I received many years ago in Cabo San Lucas. Recently, my husband and I purchased a plot of land in lower California, and now my dream has completely come true.
In bed with an angel
Dana R. Peebles Story
I've always believed in angels, but I never saw them—until I woke up one night to the feeling that someone was lying next to me on the bed. Since I lived alone, I understood that something inexplicable was happening. I lay in bed and was afraid to turn my head to see what was happening next to me. My heart was pounding, my forehead was covered with perspiration. Finally, unable to bear the tension, I turned around.
Imagine my surprise when I saw that a male angel was sleeping peacefully on the second half of the bed! I was so startled that I immediately woke him up. He opened his eyes and looked at me with a look of genuine concern.
This angel was made of pure light, perfect from every point of view. He had neatly styled shoulder-length blond hair, he was dressed in all white and surrounded by some kind of radiance, it seemed as if he was inside some kind of luminous bubble. I asked him who he was and what he was doing in my bed? To which she received the answer: “I am an angel sent by God to protect you. I will not offend you and help you overcome difficulties. Trust me!"
Then I thought that I was sleeping, and all this was just a dream to me. Apparently, at that moment I fell asleep again, but for real - and in the arms of my guardian angel. It was so nice! I felt such an indescribable calm and peace, which I have never experienced in my life, full of pain, fear and cruelty.
Angora is my angel of peace
The story of Diana San Clement
For most of my life, I prayed to God to send me my guardian angel.
By the age of forty-five, I suddenly realized that I could no longer pursue my career, because it devastated me from the inside. I dreamed of quitting and thought about how to do it in the most painless way: my husband and I paid for a house bought on credit ...
And suddenly one night I woke up to some soft music and an angelic voice whispering in my ear: “Diana, you did not come to this Earth to work for the Boeing Company all your life.” I lay in quiet amazement, feeling somewhere in the depths of my soul that a much more important mission in life should have been prepared for me. But what?
My spirit longed for life and freedom. I wanted to shine and light up the life of myself and my loved ones with my love. I had no other choice: I had to leave the Boeing Company, where I simply suffocated.
So, in March 1995, I left a job that no longer suits me, having no idea what to do next. I prayed to God to show me the right path.
Now I could afford to sit in peace and quiet and reflect. I began to get up early in the morning and write down my thoughts, fears, joys and everything that came to mind in a diary. Soon the realization came that I was recording thoughts that were being broadcast to me from somewhere above. I re-read what I wrote and was amazed. I was very surprised, like those whispers that I constantly heard next to me. Over time, I realized: this is how I established a connection with my angels. Interestingly, each time they ended their messages with the words: “Love and Light to you. your angels."
Several years have passed. We moved to Camano Island, not far from Seattle. For the first time in my life I found myself in such a place - surrounded by nature - after spending forty-eight years before that in a stuffy city. I always dreamed of living somewhere outside the city and prayed to God about it. I spent my entire first summer in the garden working with the earth, and I really enjoyed it, and when winter came, I realized that after spending five months outdoors working with the earth, for the first time in my life, I was able to connect with Mother Nature. My husband and I even built a small house where I could meditate so that I could be closer to the living creatures, trees, and beautiful earth around me.
A few hours later, she said that she had to leave me for a while, but at exactly four forty-four minutes in the morning she would wake me up. I only needed to prepare a pen and paper in advance in order to write down everything she would say. I then diligently waited for her, and since then we have not lost touch.
Now, sometimes, I do not write anything for weeks, but Angora, God bless her, is always ready to help me. I spend a lot of time talking to her. I can ask her for help and she will always guide and support me throughout my journey. Angora told me a lot about the structure of the Universe and endowed me with the gift of understanding the essence. She gave me the strength to do things that I would never have dared to do before.
I saw her with my own eyes only once, that distant July, but still I always feel her presence and hear her voice in my head. I spend most of my time listening to her.
I urge you to open up and learn to hear this voice. Angels are just waiting for your invitation. They love you. Trust them and open your arms, and you will certainly receive angelic love and support.
Chapter 2
Giver or taker
Story of Lee Lahoud
When I was eleven years old, my father committed suicide. Mother tried to numb the grief with alcohol and could not help me understand what had happened and cope with my feelings.
In Sunday school, I learned that suicide is the worst sin of all. I kept thinking: what happened to my father? Did he go to hell? Was it not my fault?
The only place I knew where I could get answers to my questions was the church, so I shared my experiences with the pastor. “Yes,” he replied, “your father is indeed in hell, and, moreover, now you will go to hell, and your children, the children of your children – this will continue for four generations, since the sins of the fathers are passed on to children.” In other words, someone had to pay for the sin that was committed, and that someone turned out to be me.
I was crushed. I had no reason to live on. There was no hope ahead, no meaning, nothing at all. Why should I have children knowing that they are cursed from birth and doomed to the worst? I returned home, sat on the floor and firmly decided to die.
Suddenly I saw a light. At first I thought that it was sunlight that filled the room, but then I saw in him a very happy, smiling person. He sat in Turkish opposite me. He had amazingly beautiful long shiny hair.
We started talking. For some reason, it seemed quite normal to me at the time. He said that, of course, I could die if I wanted to, it was only my choice. He will not condemn me, nor dissuade me, and no one will say whether this is right or wrong. Either way, I'll be all right.
The only “but” was that if I had decided to die then, I would have to come back again later in order to again face the choice of staying or leaving, and so on ad infinitum. I didn't want a repeat so I decided to stay.
After that, the angel said that now I have to decide how exactly I will live on. I clearly saw two paths before me: the path of "giving life" and the path of "taking from life", and I had to choose one of them. And again, no one would have condemned me for the decision I made. The vision showed me exactly where each of the paths would lead, and on reflection, I chose the path of the “giver”.
Angels protect us
Tammy's story
Once, when I was still a little girl and sleeping with my older sister, I woke up in the middle of the night and, looking out the door of the room, saw a beautiful angel in a white robe floating up the stairs. This angel was female. Then, not far from the door, I noticed a boy who looked like he had just stepped out of the pages of the Bible - dressed like a young David or Jesus, with curly black hair. He looked somewhere over me.
Now, almost thirty years later, I think that this vision was evidence that angels really exist and that they always protect us and communicate with us. I'm sure about it. Perhaps because of this confidence, I never felt alone, because I was never alone.
From the mouth of a baby
History of Doreen Vetter
More than anything, my two-year-old daughter Brittany hated going to bed. She always begged us to sit with her until she fell asleep. For my husband and I, it was quite burdensome. And then one evening, when I was setting myself up for the fact that I would again have to persuade my daughter to try to fall asleep on her own, she suddenly told me: “Mommy, you don’t have to wait anymore until I fall asleep - the angels will tuck the blanket in for me.” And Brittany described to me beautiful people in long sparkling white robes who sang lullabies to her at bedtime.
Angel at the school desk
Jeanette Rodriguez Story
My son Matthew just celebrated his 5th birthday and started preparing for school. I was worried about him because I knew he had psychic powers.
At home, we always spoke openly about both angels and God. We shared our visions and dreams with each other. My daughter Faith had some difficulties at school for the same reason. Many, even adults, are not always ready to accept what they really are, and children are often very cruel towards their peers, who are somehow different from them. Therefore, Faith decided not to stand out from the crowd, closed herself in and was afraid to use her gift of clairvoyance and extrasensory perception.
This was also the reason why I was worried about Matthew. He is more talkative than his sister, and can always say what he thinks, and this could turn him into a target for ridicule and bullying. I prayed to God for help.
And I definitely got an answer to my prayers! When I came to pick up Matthew from school on the first day of school, he ran up to me with an enthusiastic cry: “Mommy, my teacher believes in angels! She wants to talk to you!" and threw himself into my arms.
I met the teacher Matthew, a very nice woman. She said that she was very glad that Matthew was in her class, and added that, in addition to him, six more guys attend this class, who also openly talk about angels, and she herself accepts this circumstance as a blessing.
Now, when I take Matthew to school every morning, I hear pleasant music that the teacher puts on to create a pleasant atmosphere of peace and tranquility. Many of these songs have the word "angel" in their titles.
Matthew said that they even have a chair in the classroom specially reserved for angels, and that the guys go to the cafeteria and eat with them.
Through the eyes of a child
Allison Ralph Story
My friend is convinced that it is easier for young children to see an angel than for adults, so I asked my two-year-old son Christopher: “Do you see angels?” “Yes, of course,” he replied, “they are over there, on the ceiling.” Naturally, my eyes popped out of my head from such an answer - from surprise and amazement!
We don't go to church. No one in our family has any significant religious beliefs. Angels have never been a topic we could discuss at home...
Visiting the angels
The story of Pamela Weber
My six-year-old daughter Jessica told me that angels come to her in her dreams and in reality. They come to her almost every night when she wakes up and sing beautiful lullabies to her until she falls asleep again. One day, Jessica asked them where they were going when they left her room. Instead of answering, they asked if she wanted to see this place with her own eyes. Jessica happily replied, “Yes, of course!” - and the angels took her upstairs with them.
She says that everything there shines with a pleasant pink and purple color and glitters. The daughter said that she saw adult angels, children and babies there. They all sang wonderful songs. Then Jessica was brought back to her room, and as they left, the angels stepped into a brightly lit, shimmering space. The daughter was so excited and delighted by what happened that she is now looking forward to new meetings with the angels in her dreams.
I told Jessica that she was very lucky to have such friends and that now no one and nothing could come between her and her angels.
Angel in red
A story told by a man who wished to remain anonymous
Once, when I was five or six years old, I woke up in the middle of the night and saw in my room a young man in a red church robe with a red prayer book in his hands. I got scared and started calling my mom and dad. And the young man (I am sure that he was my guardian angel) disappeared into my closet, while I ran headlong to my parents' bedroom, where I spent the rest of the night.
Many years later, my mother and I were discussing a crack in the glass of the window in my room, through which my brother and I often climbed. I told my mother that I always wondered where she came from, since neither I nor my brother were involved in her appearance. And my mother admitted that the crack appeared on the window on the very night when I saw my guardian angel. She didn't tell me about it before because she didn't want me to be afraid to sleep in my room in the future. Now I am sure that that night my guardian angel saved me from some evil.
Chapter 3
Stranger on a slippery road
Susan Daly's story
In my husband's car, his name is Clark, the chain came off. Trying to return it to its place, he slipped on the road, fell and hurt himself badly. Somehow, walking up the hill on which our house stands, Clark stretched out right on the floor in the hallway, writhing from the pain in his back.
I immediately called an ambulance. On the other end of the line, they told me that they would be happy to send a car to our address and hospitalize Clark, but if it turned out that he had no serious injuries, then we would have to pay five hundred dollars for the call. Since I couldn't know for sure how serious and life-threatening Clark's injuries could have been, and since we simply didn't have five hundred dollars, I decided to take my husband to the hospital myself. My son Scott also went with us.
While we were driving down a very busy stretch of freeway, Clark felt sick and I had to pull over to the side of the road to stop. After that, I tried to get back into traffic and get into the stream of cars moving along the highway at high speed.
The night was dark, and as soon as there was a gap in the endless series of burning headlights, I began to maneuver, trying to get back on the road, when I suddenly realized that my car was stuck in the snow and I just couldn’t move! Scott got out on the road and tried to push the car, but in vain - the wheels slipped in the snow, and the car remained in place.
In desperation, I put my head on the steering wheel and whispered through my tears: “Lord, help me! I really need your help! Right now!" And a moment later, a car drove off from the extreme right lane of the highway to the side of the road and stopped about three meters from our van. What was surprising was that, as it turned out, I did not even think about turning on the emergency signal, which could attract the attention of other drivers; only the headlights were on.
A line of cars lined up in front of us. We were in a time hole, if not thrown out of the general traffic on this high-speed section of the highway. The road was slippery, and the fact that a car was able to stop at all near us without creating an emergency on the road was phenomenal in itself. I would even say that it was like a miracle, even if the road was completely dry!
A man of average height got out of the stopped car, wearing jeans, a short jacket, gloves and a sports knitted hat. I couldn't see the features of his face because the headlights of the car shone in his back, forming a shadow. Somehow I knew he was stopping to help my son push the van, so I pressed on the gas pedal and focused on getting out of the snowdrift.
Feeling that the van had accelerated enough, I yelled at my son to jump in, because I was afraid that if I stopped, the car would stall again. Worry about my son jumping into the van distracted me from the man who was helping him push. The window was closed, my hand was on the gearshift handle, and I was just driving up to the road barrier in front of the viaduct - I was so busy that I simply physically could not free my hand, lower the glass and thank our savior.
Later, when I asked Scott if he thanked the man who helped him push the car, my son said to me: “What are you even talking about, mom? No one helped me push. I did everything myself!” My fifteen-year-old Scott was deeply convinced that he was strong enough to pull the car out of the snow on his own.
How often I regretted that I could not thank the person who helped us get on the road then! However, I also often doubt whether it was a person at all? I think it was an angel sent by the Lord in answer to my prayer. In the end, under those conditions of visibility, it was simply impossible to see us from the road, and even more so to understand that we were in distress. Under those conditions and on that particular section of the road, it was unrealistic to stop the car, approach our car and, moreover, pull it out of the snowdrift, then return to our car and drive away - and all in such a short period of time. The only possible explanation here can be only one: Divine intervention is an immediate response to my short, demanding request-prayer.
At the hospital, it turned out that Clark had a very bad back fracture. For several weeks he suffered from severe pain and was forced to wear a special corset. Now everything is all right. And for this we thank God again and again.
babysitter angel
Katherine Lee's story
Once I not only saw, but even talked to the guardian angel of my eldest son! We were living in Lubbock, Texas at the time.
Brandon was two years old; by this age he was quite successful in his favorite pastime - opening any doors, bolts and locks. One Sunday the whole family went to church.
While the baby was in the classroom in the nursery, I sat down to wait for him on the sofa, located in the foyer of the church, because I was then eight months pregnant and all the chairs seemed terribly uncomfortable to me. My husband was sitting next to me.
I was looking at the windows on either side of the foyer's double doors when the door swung open and we saw a woman approaching us. She was holding a little boy by the hand. It was none other than Brandon, our son. But how could this be, because we ourselves brought him here, to church, to classes?
The woman had white hair and a very pale face. She was dressed in a white suit with thin black trim. She asked: does the boy belong to this church? For a moment, I was speechless. And the woman continued. She said that she found him walking along the lakeshore, in the park behind the church, and thought it was not safe for him to be there. Brendon somehow managed to slip through several doors and gates that were bolted shut to get out of the church grounds.
I whispered: "This is my child," and the woman, handing it to me, disappeared through the door. I realized that I did not have time to thank her, and ran after her, but, alas, she was nowhere to be found. This sweet old lady disappeared without a trace - as mysteriously as she appeared. Now Brandon is twenty years old; he works as a fireman and I really hope his angel is still watching over him.
Savior from nowhere
The Story of Sally Miller
Twenty-eight years ago, when my daughter was two years old, we left her grandmother's house with her. The baby sucked caramel in her mouth, but I did not know about it. Suddenly she choked and began to choke, and there was no one around. I had a cast on my wrist.
I screamed in despair, and at the same moment a man appeared out of nowhere. He picked up my daughter, turned her over, shook her and slapped her back. The candy immediately flew out of her mouth. When I turned around to thank the man, he was gone.
Doctor Angel
History of James R. Myshrall
On December 22, 1995, my mother Hazel and my wife Beverly accompanied me in a car accident. Two people died in this car accident, but all four should have died. My mother and the man responsible for the accident died on the spot. My wife suffered a severe injury to her kneecap and severely bruised her forehead. My whole face was broken, I could hardly breathe, choking on my own blood. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a doctor appeared in front of us in the most mysterious way! He entered the interior of my car through the place where until recently there was a windshield, wiped the blood and bandaged it, so that I could breathe.
This unknown doctor prepared me for the long ambulance ride that took me to the hospital. As soon as I tried to find out what kind of doctor he was and where to find him, I even turned to the editors of the television program Unsolved Mysteries (Unsolved Mysteries) for help - all in vain. I could not only contact him, even find out his name! He wasn't mentioned in the police report either.
The only conclusion I could come to was that he was an angel. Now I am alive and well - thanks to him!
The doctors said: my mother died instantly. I think she asked God not to take me that time.
Rescue Angel
The Judy Garvey Story
On that day, I went to the usual route for groceries in my pickup truck. Suddenly, the car suddenly stopped. Somehow I pulled over to the side of the road, took my wallet and was about to go out and call for help.
Grabbing the door handle, I noticed a man dressed as a security guard with a walkie-talkie in his hand. He turned around the corner and walked straight towards me. Walking to the door of my car, he asked if I needed help. I said that I was just about to go look for a place where I could call the highway service. The man replied that he could do it, and immediately contacted someone on his walkie-talkie, while I reached into my purse to get my driver's license. When I raised my eyes to thank the man for such timely help, his trace is simple!
In amazement, I scanned the street in all directions: he was nowhere! But I noticed an approaching tow truck.
I began to think about the nature of what had happened and realized that there were no institutions in that area where guards could serve. Besides, this man just came around the corner and walked straight towards me. I'm sure it was a wonderful blessing from a real angel!
Angel for a grieving daughter
Carla Tederman's story
Seven years ago, my father left this world after undergoing three heart surgeries in a year. We have always been incredibly close, and before each operation, he told his confessor: “I am not afraid to die. I only fear for my daughter Carla. I know that a part of her will die with me.”
He was right. Two days after the funeral, I seemed to have gone crazy: rushing to the cemetery in the downpour, I cried and screamed, tried to dig the grave with my hands. Suddenly, a woman came up to me and hugged me tightly. She sat me down on my father's grave and we talked for three hours in the pouring rain. I don’t know what would have happened to me if she hadn’t appeared and helped me come to my senses. She said that her mother was buried next to my father, gave her name and mother's name. A week after that, I again went to the cemetery to find out how to find her. It turned out that neither she nor her mother were mentioned in the documents. I never saw her again. I want to believe that this woman was my guardian angel sent down to me from above.
Someone saved my life that day
Story of Justin Lindsay
I was eighteen. I lived in Australia and just graduated from high school. This is usually a great time for everyone, but not for me: I was in suspense waiting for the results of my exams and, even harder, I caught my boyfriend, my first love, kissing at the prom with another girl. And this is a few days before we were going to go on vacation together for a week.
These holidays have been hell. We constantly quarreled and cursed. He insulted me greatly, and this was the last straw: I rushed to the beach - I did not want to live. I ran out to a deserted abandoned beach and began to climb a high, steep cliff. I was hysterical, I cried and screamed. Suddenly, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and saw a sleek young man of about twenty-five with translucent skin and stunningly beautiful blue eyes. He asked me if everything was all right, but he did it somehow silently. Looking back and remembering this, I don't remember him ever saying a word. I told him everything—absolutely everything about what had happened to me since my parents divorced when I was twelve.
He didn't say a word to me, just gently directed me to the path leading from the beach straight to the house where we were staying. Then he turned me around to face him, and, suddenly realizing that I had been talking non-stop for two hours, I began to apologize to him for taking so much of his time and thank him for listening to me. I hugged him. He continued to be silent. I remember it seemed a little strange to me at the time.
I turned to leave, ran down the path for a bit, and then looked back to wave goodbye: the beach was completely empty. In bewilderment, I returned to the place where we had just stood and looked around: nothing ... There were only my footprints in the sand, and they stretched to the place where we had just walked with that man. I thought I was starting to go crazy, and ran to the house.
This event changed my life greatly. Since then, I have been constantly talking to my angel, although he no longer appears to me. Since that meeting, I have never felt more desperate than I did that day at the beach. I get signs from time to time, but usually it only happens when I ask for it.
Angel filling with love
History of Nancy Kimes
I will never forget that unusually hot day in the middle of the summer of 1980! I was depressed: everything was not going the way I wanted, life was upside down, including relationships that I was desperately trying to save. I did not know what to do, and frantically looking for a way out of this situation. I prayed to God to help me find the meaning of existence. I was crying and talking to God as if he was standing in front of me, and suddenly there was a knock at the door. “God, what is this? I thought. “Should I open the door?”
The knock didn't stop. With tears in my eyes, I opened the door. In front of me stood a handsome smiling man in his thirties with a tablet under his arm. He was dressed in a white shirt with long sleeves rolled up and dark trousers. Apologizing for the disturbance, he asked me for a glass of water. I could not refuse him, because it was hot as hell outside, and I asked if I could put ice in a glass. He replied, "Yes, that would be great."
As I turned on the faucet, I could say that I physically felt a load fall off my shoulders. He finished his water - I asked him if he needed more. With great gratitude, he nodded. And I again poured him a glass of water with ice. While doing this, I felt as if something fills me from the inside, some kind of warm and pleasant feeling. My mood improved markedly and depression seemed to recede. The man finished his second glass, but was still thirsty.
When I poured water for the third time, I was overwhelmed with inexplicable joy, and I involuntarily remembered a quote from Holy Scripture: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."
Who was this man and why did he have such a profoundly positive impact on me? I was puzzled. And he finished his third glass and looked quite pleased.
He thanked me warmly and left. When the door slammed behind him, I felt such an inexplicable peace and inner confidence that soon there would be answers to all my questions, that my existence found meaning for me. I rushed to the window to see which direction he was going, but he was nowhere to be found. He couldn't have disappeared from my field of vision so quickly! However, a few minutes ago, when I saw him at my door, in the depths of my soul I already realized that an angel in disguise had appeared to me.
Since that meeting, my life has changed dramatically. A whole opened up in front of me new world- love and forgiveness, the ability to listen and look at yourself through the eyes of other people and, supporting them, help yourself. And now, whenever something happens, if I feel overwhelmed, I feel the presence of Divine power within and around me, and this gives me the energy and courage to cope with all difficulties and keep moving forward, and also to know that I am protected at every step of my way.
Angel from shopping center
The Story of Carol Pizzi
On September 14, 1995, when I was driving in my car to work, I suddenly felt like something was squeezing my chest, and a severe pain rose to my throat. Driving past the hospital, I decided to get to the office first, and then ask someone to take me to the medical room. However, after a couple of blocks, pain and weakness forced me to stop the car.
It was early in the morning, and the mall I found myself near wasn't open yet. There is no one on the street. Suddenly a man appeared out of nowhere - I asked him to call an ambulance. I remember he went into one of the stores in the mall to make a phone call. Soon an ambulance arrived, and I was taken to the hospital, where they did a coronary angiography. It turned out that I had a blocked artery.
I spent some time at home recovering from the operation, and then I went to the same shopping center to find and thank the man who called the ambulance for me that morning. Since I saw him enter the store before it opened, I thought he worked there. However, all the managers I questioned unanimously stated that at such an early time - it was ten minutes to seven in the morning - the mall could not be open and that there was no one among the employees who fit my description.
I think it was my guardian angel.
pushing angel
History of Birgitta Suur
At the age of sixteen, I, an ordinary Danish teenager, was on vacation in Poland with my parents. On one of the clear days we were walking around Krakow, and without noticing where I was going, I stepped onto the roadway. At the same moment, an elderly lady in a scarf pushed me back onto the pavement with all her might, and at that very moment a tram rushed right in front of my nose. He would surely have knocked me down if that woman hadn't pushed me away.
I turned around to thank her, but she seemed to have vanished into thin air. I think she was my guardian angel.
On the Benefits of Prayer
A story told by a man who wished to remain anonymous
It was a normal spring day. My husband asked me to help move our old car from under the shed to another place, because there the car was blocked by an overgrown hedge, and this circumstance prevented a tow truck from approaching to take it to a store for sale. My husband was supposed to push, and I was supposed to sit behind the wheel and direct the car. We tried to do this, but soon realized that my husband alone could not cope. He pulled his back and I decided to get out of the car to help him. The problem was that I couldn't push the car and drive it at the same time. It was incredibly heavy, a 1976 Pontiac. We decided that somehow I would have to jump inside as soon as the car was moving to stop it and prevent my husband from being hit.
And then I began to pray to God to send angels to help us. While I was mentally pronouncing the words of this prayer of mine in my mind, my husband unsuccessfully tried to move the car, and a tanned young man was already running up to us from the side of the fence. As his loving blue eyes met mine, he nodded at me, as if to say, "Don't worry, I'm already here!" When he got to the car, he immediately began to help. Together they quickly coped and moved it to the right place.
I was driving and trying to park carefully when that young man shook hands with my husband with feeling, said something to him and, turning around, quickly ran away in the same direction from which he had appeared, instantly disappearing from our field of vision.
Looking at my husband, I noticed that his eyes were full of tears. I asked if he was all right. At first, he couldn't utter a word, but after a few seconds, he muttered that he had never seen someone's eyes radiate such love as this guy's eyes. I asked him what he said. The husband replied, "He said it was good to pray."
Since then, we never saw that young man again, but we never forgot about him either.
Chapter 4
Now or never!
Carol A. Austin Story
One day in March, my friend Sandy and I decided to spend a weekend in Dayton Beach, Florida. When it was time to go home, my stomach churned. Looking back now, I think it might have been an expression of foreboding. But then, despite this, we got into the car.
Sandy was driving and I fell asleep almost instantly. As soon as we passed St. Augustine, she lost control and crashed into a road sign. I was not wearing a seat belt and fell; Sandy broke her nose. When the ambulance arrived, they had to break down the car door to get me out.
In addition to the fact that my shoulder was completely crushed, my ribs and jaw were broken, the entire lower part of my body was covered with multiple abrasions and bruises.
In the second week of my stay in the hospital, a young lady of my age came into my room. She said that it was vitally important for me now to get out of bed and sit in a chair for at least a quarter of an hour, otherwise I would never be able to walk again. I obeyed her and tried to get up. It was very painful, but she helped me in every possible way, supported my legs and spoke to me. She was so kind, sweet and amiable that I didn’t even think to ask who she was and how she ended up in my room. Later, when she had already left, I asked the nurse on duty who she was. It turned out that there was no one among the hospital staff who would fit my description.
I think it was my guardian angel.
Become an inspiration
Maureen's story
I recently had to admit my father to a treatment and rehabilitation center for the disabled, because he was seriously ill and was breathing only with the help of a ventilator. At the same time my husband was admitted to the hospital; he was diagnosed with kidney stones. When I came to visit him, I went outside for a smoke (since then I don’t smoke anymore) and got into a conversation with an elderly lady who also came to visit someone and went out to get some air.
We talked to her and cried, after which I said that I needed to return to the ward to my husband, and then the lady took my hand and said that my father was very lucky with me and that the Lord would definitely take him into his loving arms. She added that I became a real inspiration for her. And in parting she added: “It was nice to meet you, Maureen.” But I didn't tell her my name! When I turned around, the woman was gone; She doesn't run that fast at her age. Then I realized that I was talking to an angel.
Don't forget to slow down
The story of Patricia Karst
That Saturday afternoon, I was driving down the Pacific Coast Highway heading towards Interstate. Soft music was playing in the car, and my little son, Eli, was sleeping peacefully in the back seat.
I was thinking about something and hovering in the clouds when the driver of the car in front braked hard! I was driving at eighty kilometers an hour and then applied the brakes, but the distance was too short to avoid a collision.
In my head flashed: “Lord, am I really destined to die like this? But what about Eli? Oh god, no, please!" And then I crashed into the car. The blow was very strong. I was shaken. I was afraid to look around, and only horror made me do it and move.
Finally, I gathered my strength: instead of a picture of a nightmarish tragedy, I saw a miracle. My son Eli continued to sleep carefree in the back seat! There wasn't a scratch on me, which seemed completely impossible given how violent the collision was.
While I was thinking about what had happened, a dark-haired woman approached me. Opening my car door, she led me outside, hugged me, and said in a thick accent, “We all drive too fast. You're fine now, but let's not forget that sometimes you have to slow down." Then she added, “God bless you!” – and disappeared from sight. I was left standing on the side of the road in a state of shock. There was not a scratch on my car, despite the serious accident we had just had. Moreover, it turned out that the car was somehow neatly parked on the right side of the road, where I definitely did not move out! I didn't move the car anywhere after the collision. Logically, my car, smashed to smithereens, should have stood in the middle of the highway, forcing other drivers to maneuver to bypass us.
What was it? Miracle? Angel? What that woman said was too metaphorical.
I got into the car and drove slowly home. God helped Eli and me that day—of that I have no doubt.
Enough space for everyone
A story told by a man who wished to remain anonymous
In 1995, I decided to move to New York with my then-future husband. We rented a small apartment in the suburbs of New Jersey, and it resulted in a real disaster. A lot of little things indicated that our move was far from the best decision.
Right before the move, I got into an accident, then - on the very first working day at a new place, my car was stolen, and I had to use public transport, where men unceremoniously molested me. During that year, our cars were stolen four times. In the end, the husband lost his job and, not finding a new one with the same salary, offered to return to Washington. I preferred to stay for a while and settled with a friend in Manhattan.
End of introductory segment.
