I behold till thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days sat: His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like clean wool: His throne like flames of fire: the wheels of it like a burning fire. Gregory, expresses it: angelus est nomen officii ('angel is the name of the office') and expresses neither their essential nature nor their essential function, viz.: that of attendants upon God's throne in that court of heaven of which Daniel has left us a vivid picture: It is as messengers that they most often figure in the Bible, but, as St. They are spirits the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews says: 'Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to minister to them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation?' ( Hebrews 1:14). We mention it here because the words: 'He that liveth for ever created all things together' ( Ecclesiasticus 18:1) have been held to prove a simultaneous creation of all things but it is generally conceded that 'together' ( simul) may here mean 'equally', in the sense that all things were 'alike' created. This decree was repeated by the Vatican Council, 'Dei Filius'. The decree 'Firmiter' against the Albigenses declared both the fact that they were created and that men were created after them.

That the angels were created was laid down in the Fourth Lateran Council (1215). He commanded and they were created' ( Psalm 148:2-5 Colossians 1:16-17). They, equally with man, are created beings 'praise ye Him, all His angels: praise ye Him, all His hosts.

The angels are represented throughout the Bible as a body of spiritual beings intermediate between God and men: 'You have made him ( man) a little less than the angels' ( Psalm 8:6). the development of the scriptural idea of angels.the question of angelic appearances, and.the distinction between good and evil spirits,.

Actual angels