Angels as observers of human affairs : a study of angels in Paul’s Epistles

Abstract

Angels appear throughout Scripture, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation. God places celestial beings at the entrance to the Garden of Eden as a deterrent for re-entry into the garden after humankind’s fall from grace and angels play prominent roles in delivering the message of John’s apocalypse. Time and time again God spoke to his people and his prophets through the agency of angels. As Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah, the angel of Yahweh intervened. The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a virgin named Mary, both key events in salvation history. In this way, the progressive and unique participation of angels throughout salvation history and their unequivocal connection between heaven and earth which is demonstrated by their actions, emphasises the permeability of the boundary which separates the two.