Angels. What the Bible says about angels Angel's Day, name day
Gen 16:7 ...And he found her Angel of the Lord at the fountain of water in the desert...
Gen 16:9 ... Angel The Lord said to her:...
Gen 16:10 ...And he said to her Angel Lord: I will multiply and multiply your descendants...
Gen 16:11 ...And he told her again Angel Lord:..
Gen 21:17 ...and Angel God called from heaven to Hagar...
Gen 22:11 ...But Angel The Lord called to him from heaven...
Gen 22:15 ...And he called to Abraham a second time Angel Lord from heaven...
Gen 31:11 ... Angel God said to me in a dream: Jacob!..
Gen 48:16 ... Angel who delivers me from all evil...
Exodus 3:2 ...And he appeared to him Angel Lord...
Exodus 14:19 ...And he moved Angel God, who walked before the camp of the [children of] Israel...
Exodus 23:23 ...When he goes before you Angel My...
Exodus 32:34 ...behold Angel Mine will go before you...
Numbers 22:22 ...and became Angel The Lord is on the road to hinder him...
Numbers 22:24 ...And he became Angel Lord on the narrow road...
Numbers 22:26... Angel The Lord crossed over again and stood in a cramped place...
Numbers 22:32 ...And he said to him Angel Lord:..
Numbers 22:35 ...And he said Angel Lord to Balaam: go with these people...
Judges 2:1 ...And he came Angel The Lord from Gilgal to Bochim...
Judges 2:4 ...When Angel The Lord spoke these words to all the children of Israel...
Judges 5:23 ...Curse Meroz, says Angel Lord, curse me...
Judges 6:11 ...And he came Angel Lord and sat down in Ophrah under the oak tree...
Judges 6:12 ...And he appeared to him Angel Lord...
Judges 6:20 ...And he said to him Angel God: take meat and unleavened bread...
Judges 6:21... Angel The Lord stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand...
Judges 6:21 ...and Angel The Lord is hidden from his sight...
Judges 6:22 ...And Gideon saw that it was Angel Lord...
Judges 13:3 ...And he appeared Angel Lord's wife...
Judges 13:9 ...and Angel God came to the wife again when she was in the field...
Judgment 13:13 ... Angel The Lord said to Manoah:...
Judgment 13:16 ... Angel The Lord said to Manoah:...
Judges 13:16 ...Manoah did not know what it was Angel Lord...
Judgment 13:18 ... Angel The Lord said to him: Why are you asking about my name?
Court 13:20 ... Angel The Lord rose in the flames of the altar...
Judges 13:21 ...And became invisible Angel Lord Manoah and his wife...
Judges 13:21 ...Then Manoah knew that it was Angel Lord...
1 Samuel 29:9 ...that in my eyes you are as good as Angel God;..
2 Samuel 14:17 ...for my lord the king is like Angel God...
2 Samuel 14:20 ...but my lord [the king] is as wise as the wise Angel God...
2 Samuel 19:27 ...But my lord the king, how Angel God;..
2 Samuel 24:16 ...And he stretched out Angel[God's] hand against Jerusalem...
2 Samuel 24:16 ... Angel and the Lord was then at the threshing floor of Orna the Jebusite...
1 Kings 13:18 ...and Angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord...
1 Kings 19:5 ...And behold, Angel touched him and said to him: get up, eat [and drink]...
1 Kings 19:7 ...And he returned Angel Lord for the second time...
2 Kings 1:3 ...Then Angel The Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite:...
2 Kings 1:15 ...And he said Angel Lord Elijah: go with him, do not be afraid of him...
2 Kings 19:35 ...And it happened that night: he went Angel Lord...
1 Chronicles 21:12 ...or three days - the sword of the Lord and the plague on the earth and Angel Lord...
1 Chronicles 21:15 ... Angel the Lord stood Then over the threshing floor of Orna the Jebusite...
1 Chronicles 21:18 ...And Angel The Lord told Gad to say to David:...
Ps 33:8 ... Angel The Lord encamps around those who fear Him...
Ps 34:5 ...and Angel May the Lord drive away their...
Ps 34:6 ...and Angel May the Lord pursue them...
Proverbs 17:11 ...therefore cruel angel will be sent against him...
Isa 37:36 ...And he went out Angel Lord...
Isaiah 63:9 ...and Angel His face saved them;...
Dan 13:55 ...for behold, Angel God, having made a decision from God,...
Dan 13:59 ...for Angel God is waiting with a sword...
Dan 14:34 ...But Angel The Lord said to Habakkuk:...
Dan 14:36 ...Then Angel The Lord took him by the crown...
Dan 14:39 ... Angel God instantly put Habakkuk in his place...
Zechariah 1:9 ...And he said to me Angel who spoke to me:...
Zechariah 1:12 ...And he answered Angel Lord and said: Lord Almighty!..
Zechariah 1:14 ...And he said to me Angel who spoke to me:...
Zechariah 2:3 ...And behold Angel the one who spoke to me comes out...
Zechariah 2:3 ...and the other Angel goes towards him...
Zechariah 3:5 ... Angel but the Lord stood...
Zechariah 3:6 ...And he testified Angel Lord and said to Jesus:...
Zechariah 4:1 ...And he returned Angel who spoke to me...
Zechariah 4:5 ...And Angel who spoke to me answered...
Zechariah 5:5 ...And he went out Angel who spoke to me...
Zechariah 6:5 ...And he answered Angel and he said to me, “These are the four spirits of heaven coming out...
Zechariah 12:8 ...as Angel The Lord is before them...
Mal 3:1 ...and Angel covenant which you desire;...
Matthew 1:20 ...behold, Angel The Lord appeared to him in a dream...
Matthew 1:24 ...Joseph did as he was commanded Angel Lord...
Matthew 2:13 ...behold, Angel The Lord appears to Joseph in a dream...
Matthew 2:19 ...behold, Angel The Lord appears to Joseph in Egypt in a dream...
Matthew 28:2 ...for Angel The Lord who came down from heaven...
Matthew 28:5 ... Angel and, turning his speech to women...
Luke 1:11 ...then he appeared to him Angel Lord...
Luke 1:13 ... Angel And he said to him: Do not be afraid, Zechariah...
Luke 1:19 ... Angel He answered and said to him: I am Gabriel, who stands before God...
Luke 1:26 ...And in the sixth month he was sent Angel Gabriel from God...
Luke 1:28 ... Angel, going in to Her, he said:..
Luke 1:30 ...And he said to her Angel: Don't be afraid, Maria...
Luke 1:35 ... Angel He answered and said to her: The Holy Spirit will come upon you...
Luke 1:38 ...And he departed from Her Angel...
Luke 2:9 ...Suddenly he appeared to them Angel Lord...
Luke 2:10 ...And he said to them Angel: do not be afraid;..
Luke 22:43 ...And He appeared to Him Angel from heaven and strengthened Him...
John 5:4 ...for Angel From time to time the Lord went into the pool...
John 12:29 ...and others said: Angel told Him...
Acts 5:19 ...But Angel The Lord opened the doors of the prison at night...
Acts 7:30 ...appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai Angel Lord...
Acts 8:26 ...And to Philip Angel The Lord said:..
Acts 8:39 ...and Philip was taken away Angel Lord...
Acts 10:7 ...When Angel who spoke with Cornelius went away...
Acts 12:7 ...And behold, Angel The Lord appeared, and light shone in the prison...
Acts 12:8 ...And he said to him Angel: gird yourself and put on your shoes...
Acts 12:15 ...And they said, This Angel his...
Acts 12:23 ...But suddenly Angel The Lord struck him...
Acts 23:9 ...if the spirit or Angel I told him, let’s not resist God...
Acts 27:23 ...For Angel God, Whom I belong and Whom I serve...
2 Cor 12:7 ...a thorn was given to me in the flesh, angel Satan...
Gal 1:8 ...But even if we or Angel from the sky...
Rev 8:3 ...And another came Angel,..
Rev 8:5 ...And he took Angel censer...
Rev 8:7 ...First Angel trumpeted...
Rev 8:8 ...Second Angel trumpeted...
Rev 8:10 ...Third angel trumpeted...
Rev 8:12 ...Fourth Angel trumpeted...
Rev 9:1 ...Fifth Angel trumpeted...
Rev 9:13 ...Sixth Angel trumpeted...
Rev 10:5 ...And Angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land...
Rev 10:7 ...when the seventh one calls Angel,..
Rev 11:15 ...And the seventh Angel trumpeted...
Rev 14:8 ...And another Angel followed him...
Rev 14:9 ...And the third Angel followed them...
Rev 14:15 ...And another came out Angel from the temple...
Rev 14:17 ...And another Angel came out of the temple which is in heaven...
Rev 14:18 ...And another Angel He who had power over fire came out from the altar...
Rev 14:19 ...And he cast down Angel his sickle to the ground...
Rev 16:2 ...The first one went Angel and he poured out his cup on the ground:...
Rev 16:3 ...Second Angel poured out his cup into the sea:...
Rev 16:4 ...Third Angel poured out his cup into the rivers and springs of water:...
Rev 16:8 ...Fourth Angel poured out his cup into the sun:...
Rev 16:10 ...Fifth Angel poured out his cup upon the throne of the beast:...
Rev 16:12 ...Sixth Angel poured out his cup into the great river Euphrates:...
Rev 16:17 ...Seventh Angel poured out his cup into the air:...
Rev 17:7 ...And he said to me Angel: Why are you surprised?..
Rev 18:21 ...And one mighty one Angel took a stone like a great millstone...
1Mac 7:41 ...he came Angel Yours killed one hundred and eighty-five thousand of them...
3Ride 2:48 ...Then Angel He said to me: Go and tell my people...
3Ezra 4:1 ...Then he who was sent to me answered me Angel whose name is Uriel...
3Ez 5:15 ...But he who came to me Angel supported me and strengthened me...
3Ez 5:20 ...as he commanded me Angel Uriel...
3Ezra 5:31 ...When I had spoken these words, a man was sent to me Angel,..
3Ezra 7:1 ...When I had finished speaking these words, he was sent to me Angel,..
3Ride 10:28 ...where Angel Uriel, who came to me in the beginning?..
PosIer 1:6 ...For Angel Mine is with you, and he is the protector of your souls...
Sir 48:24 ...He defeated the army of the Assyrians, and Angel He destroyed them...
Tov 5:4 ...It was Angel, but he didn't know...
Tob 5:6 ... Angel answered: I can walk with you and I know the way;...
Tob 5:17 ...and Angel May He be with you! –..
Tob 5:22 ...for good will follow him Angel;..
Tov 6:4 ...Then Angel said to him: take this fish...
Tob 6:5 ...And he said to him Angel: cut the fish...
Tob 6:6 ...The young man did as he was told Angel;..
Tov 6:11 ... Angel said to the young man: brother...
Tov 6:16 ... Angel said to him: have you forgotten the words...
Tob 8:3 ...and tied him up Angel...
Tov 12:22 ...and how he appeared to them Angel Lord's.
The Old Testament repeatedly mentions a certain unearthly Being who appeared to people and spoke to them (Judg. 6:12,13 and Gen. 22:11,15; 31:11).
The following are several names applied to this Being in Holy Scripture:
o Angel of the Lord (Jehovah or Yahweh: Gen.16:7; 9:11,15; Exod.3:2; Num. 22:22-27; 31:27,31-32,34-35; Judg.6: 11-12,21-22; 13:3,13,15-18,20-21).
o Angel of God (Elohim: Gen. 21:17; 31:11; Ex. 14:19; Judg. 6:20; 13:6,9).
o Captain of the army of the Lord (Joshua 5:14-15).
A study of the passages of the Old Testament telling about this creature speaks in favor of the fact that this is a Deity, and not an angel created by God.
It should be noted that the word "angel" used in the Bible means a messenger, but sometimes it does not refer to angels at all.
For example, this word was applied to the disciples of Jesus Christ and John the Baptist when they were sent to preach the gospel of the kingdom (Luke 9:52; 7:24). In light of the above, it does not require confirmation that the One Who was called “Angel of the Lord” and “Angel of God” was not an angelic being.
Evidence of His Divinity
Let us turn to several places in the Old Testament that speak about the Divine nature of the Angel of the Lord.
Angel and Hagar
The angel of the Lord appeared twice to Hagar, Sarah's handmaiden (Gen. 16:7-13; 21:17-18). Three facts in favor of His Godhead: 1) He declares to Sarah that He will multiply her descendants (16:10) and make a great nation from her son Ishmael. Only God can do this; 2) Hagar called the Angel of the Lord “God” (16:13); 3) Moses, who recorded this event, would not have applied God's most holy name, Lord (Jehovah or Yahweh), to someone who was not such by nature (16:13).
Angel and Abraham
The angel of the Lord spoke to Abraham (Gen. 22:11-18). God, testing Abraham's faith, ordered him to take his only son Isaac, take him to the land of Moriah and sacrifice there (vv. 1-2). Abraham took his son and brought him to the indicated place. There he built an altar, laid his son on it and stretched out his hand to slaughter him. Abraham passed the test of faith in this matter. Then the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said: Gen. 22:11-12 - “...do not raise your hand against the boy and do not do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God and have not spared your only son yours, for Me."
These words of the Angel of the Lord indicate that He, the Angel, was the same person for whom Abraham did not spare his only son, i.e. He was God because it was God who commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. It follows that the Angel of the Lord identified himself with God.
Angel and Jacob
The angel of the Lord communicated with Jacob several times. When the Angel of God appeared to Jacob in a dream, he said that He was God, who appeared to him at Bethel (Gen. 31:11-13). This phrase indicates that God had previously appeared to Jacob in a dream at Bethel (Gen. 28:12-19). In this dream, Jacob saw the Lord (Jehovah or Yahweh) standing on a ladder that reached to heaven.
And He told Jacob that He was the Lord God (Jehovah-Elohim) of Abraham his father, and the God (Elohim) of Isaac. And He promised what only God can promise (vv. 12-15). When Jacob awoke from sleep, he said that truly the Lord (Jehovah-Yahweh) is present in this place, and this is none other than the house of God (vv. 16-17). This conclusion led Jacob (v. 19) to call the place Bethel (house of God).
When the Angel of the Lord said that He was God who appeared at Bethel, He thereby asserted that He was Jehovah Elohim, the Lord God of Abraham and Isaac, and the promises He made were within the power of only God.
It should be noted that Hosea (12:4-5), mentioning the being who spoke with Jacob at Bethel, calls him the God of the hosts of heaven (Jehovah, Elohim, Hosts).
Elsewhere we see that “one” who wrestled with Jacob before the dawn was not able to overcome him (Gen. 32:24-30). Although this passage of Holy Scripture does not tell us who this “someone” was, judging by some facts, we can say: this “someone” was the Angel of the Lord and God. First of all, let's look at the book of Hebrews, where it says that “the lesser is blessed by the greater,” and we know that Jacob wanted to be blessed by this “one,” and he was blessed by Him. Therefore, “one” was greater than Jacob (v. 26). This “one” had the same power to change names as God (Gen. 17:5, 15). God changed the names of Abraham and Sarah, and He also changed the name of Jacob to “Israel” (v. 28).
The name Israel means “he who wrestled with God.” This “someone” who gave the name to Jacob explained his choice of name. In other words, this someone was God. But the question arises: “How could Jacob, a simple man, defeat God?” J. Barton Payne gives this explanation: “The name of Israel was given to Jacob by Jehovah himself, after He had wrestled with him all night” (Gen. 32:24). Jacob's struggle was spiritual, in prayer (Hos. 12:4), but also physical. And the patriarch prevailed. This does not mean that Jacob defeated God. This means that he achieved the coveted necessary concession, and this was accompanied by injury to the thigh (Gen. 32:25). Jacob did not let go of the Angel until he blessed him (v. 26).
Jacob recognized that this “someone” was God. The episode where Jacob calls the place of the struggle Penel - which means "the face of God" because he saw God face to face (v. 30) - confirms this. And in addition, Jacob was surprised that he survived this encounter (v. 30).
Hosea 12:3-5 - Hosea, speaking of Jacob's struggle, mentions how Jacob sought blessing and, “...when he became a man, he wrestled with God; He fought with the angel - and prevailed; wept and begged Him." From this it is clear that Hosea, speaking about the one who fought with Jacob, personifies him with the God of hosts, Jehovah. When Jacob blesses the sons of Joseph on the eve of death, he says: “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, who has shepherded me from the time I have existed until this day, the angel who delivered me from all evil, bless these youths.” ; let my name be called upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth” (Gen. 48:15-16). These words clearly identify the Angel of the Lord with God Elohim.
Angel and Moses
The angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a flame of fire from the midst of a thorn bush (Ex. 3:2-4:17). Many passages of Holy Scripture testify to the Divine nature of the Angel. In many places the Angel is called the Lord (Jehovah - Yahweh) 3:4, 7; 4:2,6, 11, 14 and God Elohim (3:4,6,11,13,14,15,16; 4:5). Several times this Angel called himself “I am” (3:14), which was a proclamation of absolute Deity. It is obvious that the two statements in the verses below are talking about the same person: Exodus 3:2 - “And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. And he saw that the thorn bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. The Lord saw that he was coming to look, and God called to him from the midst of the bush.”
This verse says that the Angel of the Lord appeared to Moses. Verses 3:16 and 4:5 say that this was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Some evidence that this Angel was the Lord: The Angel of the Lord declared Himself: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (3:6). In response to these words, Moses “hid his face because he was afraid to look at God” (3:6). This verse confirms that Moses recognized the Deity of the Angel of the Lord. The angel of the Lord said to Moses: “Do not come here; take off your shoes, for the place on which you stand is holy ground” (3:5). Scripture clearly indicates that holiness is always and everywhere where God is present (Isa. 57:15; Ps. 5:8; 46:9; Ex. 19:10-25). Therefore, the fact that the ground around the burning bush was holy indicates that God was present there.
S. F. Keil and Franz Delitzsch wrote: “The ground around the burning bush was holy because a holy God was present there.” Thus we come to the conclusion that it was God and not an angel.
The angel of the Lord called the people of Israel “my people” (3:7, 10).
In other places of Holy Scripture, the Lord God calls the people of Israel “his people” (2 Chronicles 6:4-5). These two passages of Holy Scripture clearly say and indicate that the Angel of the Lord is none other than the Lord God.
The angel of the Lord said that He had come to free His people from their suffering in Egypt (3:8,17). In other places He says that He is the God who brought the people of Israel out of Egypt (2 Chronicles 6:4-5). When considering these two passages, one can come to the conclusion that the Angel of the Lord identifies himself with the Lord God. The Angel of the Lord says that He will smite Egypt with miracles (3:20). And in other places of Holy Scripture we see that it was the Lord God who did this (Ex.19:3-4; Deut.29:2-3).
Angel and Israel
In Exodus 14:19-20, Moses says that the Angel of the Lord accompanied the people of Israel - during the day in the form of a pillar of cloud and at night in the form of a pillar of fire.
However, in Exodus 13:21-22 he argued that the accompanying pillar was the Lord (Jehovah - Yahweh). From this it is clear that Moses identifies the Angel of God with the Lord.
There are two important points to note regarding this issue (Isa. 63:9):
1. The angel is called the “Angel of His face” (i.e., His presence). The pronoun “His,” based on the preceding v. 7-8 and the first part of v. 9, points to the Lord (Jehovah - Yahweh). Therefore, Isaiah drew a sign of equality between the Angel of the Lord and the Angel of His countenance.
2. Isaiah says that the Angel of His presence saved Israel (v. 9) and a verse earlier he says, “He is the Savior of Israel” (v. 7-8). After reading these two verses, one can come to the conclusion that Isaiah is saying: The Angel of the Lord and the Lord are one Person.
In Judges 2:1-5, the Angel of the Lord, rebuking the Israelites, instructed them not to enter into an alliance with the inhabitants of the land of Canaan; that it was He who swore to their forefathers to give the land of Canaan, that it was He who brought them out of the land of Egypt and made a covenant with Israel (v. 1). Other passages from the Bible (Gen.13:14-17; 15:18; 17:1-2; 7-8; 28:10-15; Deut.26:8-9; 29:1-9) clearly indicate that all this was done for Israel by the Lord. So, based on these Bible verses, we see that the Angel of the Lord identifies Himself with the Lord.
S. Keil and Franz Delitzsch wrote: “Neither a prophet nor an angel appeared to people.
It was the Angel of the Lord who was one with Jehovah."
Angel and Valaam
In Numbers 22:31-35 it is written that the Angel of the Lord appeared before Balaam with a drawn sword in his hand and said to him: “Only speak what I tell you” (v. 35). Numbers 23:5 says that God put the word in the mouth of Balaam. And Balaam admits that the Angel of the Lord is God. Further, Balaam himself says that he will speak only what the Lord tells him (22:38). In 23:12 he says, “Should I not say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth?” And further: “Didn’t I tell you that I will do everything that the Lord tells me?” These two phrases of Balaam once again confirm that the Angel of the Lord is the Lord God himself.
Angel and Joshua
Joshua 5:13-15 says that a certain man appeared before Joshua near Jericho. And although the Bible does not say that it was the Angel of the Lord, there are several arguments in favor of the fact that it was the Angel of the Lord.
This man appeared with a naked sword in his hand, just as he appeared before Balaam. This man called himself the leader of the army of the Lord (literally: “the prince of the army of Jehovah, that is, the angels”; 1 Kings 22:19 and Ps. 149:2). Everything suggests that the man who appeared was a warrior to whom the angels obeyed. And although he appeared in the form of a man, he was not a man at all.
Joshua, himself a great warrior, recognized the superiority of this warrior. He fell on his back before him, bowing to him as if he were God, calling himself a slave and his master. The man told Joshua to take off his shoes, for the ground on which he stood was holy. The same thing and for the same reason was said by the Angel of the Lord to Moses.
The presence of this unique Person made the place where Joshua was holy. And as noted earlier, the presence of God sanctifies the place. In Joshua 6:2 this person is called the Lord. This person also announced to Joshua that he was delivering the Canaanite city of Jericho into his hands. According to Joshua 1:1-3, none other than God promised Israel the land of Canaan.
Angel and Gideon
The angel of the Lord appeared before Gideon and commanded him to go and save Israel from the hand of the Midianites (Judges 6:11-24). Gideon later says that God told him that He would save Israel by the hand of Gideon. This once again confirms that Gideon recognized the Divinity of the Angel.
1. In v. 14 and 16 this Angel is twice called Lord.
2. And in verse 16 the Angel tells Gideon that he will be with him, and he will smite the Midianites. Later, Gideon himself says that it was God who announced to him that He would smite the Midianites by the hand of Gideon. This once again confirms that Gideon recognized the Divinity of the Angel of the Lord.
3. And third, when Gideon realized that he had seen God, he was afraid that he would die (22-23), since in Old Testament times people knew about the possibility of death if they saw God face to face (Ex. 3:6; 19:21; Kings 19:13). Gideon's reaction confirmed that he believed he had seen God.
Angel and Samson's parents
First, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Samson's mother, and then to both parents (Judges 13:1-23). And again, several facts speak in favor of the Divinity of this angel. He says about his name that it is wonderful. S. Keil and Franz Delitzsch argue that this was not the direct name of the Angel of the Lord. It rather, being a short adjective, described the nature and character of His name. Regarding this name, they came to the following conclusion: “It must be understood in the full sense that it is perfect and wonderful,” because Biblical names always had meaning and gave a descriptive characteristic to their bearer. Therefore, Keil and Delitzsch point out that since the name of the Angel of the Lord was completely and absolutely wonderful in its essence, this means that his own name was the same. Because only God can be wonderful in the full and perfect sense of the word. They also argued that the word “wonderful” was used as a logical predicate, that is, as something that is expressed about the subject of judgment, a subject relating only to God. So, when the Angel of the Lord said that His name is wonderful, he thereby declared His belonging to the Divine.
Samson's father says that he and his wife saw God when they saw the Angel of the Lord (v. 22). It follows that he recognized the Divinity of this being.
Samson's father, like Gideon, experienced the fear of death, knowing that he and his wife had seen the Angel of the Lord. People of Old Testament times always experienced the fear of death if they saw God.
Determination of the identity of the Angel of the Lord
Significant difference
From the examples given, it is clear that the Angel of the Lord was identified with the Lord (Jehovah-Yahweh) and God (Elohim) and that He was a Divine being, having the nature of Deity and not of angels.
It should be noted that some passages in the Old Testament indicate a distinction between the Lord God and the Angel of the Lord. In Exodus 20:1-3, where God spoke to the people of Israel, He calls himself: “I am the Lord your God.”
And then in Exodus 23:20-23 we read the following:
“Behold, I am sending an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared; watch yourself before His face and listen to His voice; do not persist against Him, for He will not forgive your sin, for My name is in Him. If you listen to His voice and do everything I say, then I will be an enemy of your enemies and your adversaries. When my angel goes before you and leads you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I will destroy them.”
The phrase of the Lord God: “I am sending an Angel before you to guard you” indicates that God and the Angel are two different beings. We find this same difference in Exodus 32:33-34 and 33:1-2. Since the Lord God sent an Angel before Israel, and since the angel sent was the Angel of the Lord (God) who went before Israel (Ex. 14:19), it is clear that the Angel sent by God was the Angel of the Lord. And since the Lord God and the Angel sent by God before Israel were different beings, and since the Angel whom God sent was the Angel of the Lord, we can conclude that the Lord God and the Angel of the Lord are different persons.
There is another indication of this difference in the Bible. Several people in the Old Testament saw the Angel of the Lord, but thousands of years later Apostle. John claims that no one has ever seen God (John 4:18 and 1 John 4:12). Well, this statement clearly points out the difference between the Angel of the Lord and the One whom John calls God.
Important questions
We have seen arguments for the Deity of the Angel of the Lord and that the Old Testament identifies Him with the Lord God, but we have also seen arguments for the difference between the Angel of the Lord and the Lord God, Whom John simply calls God. This difference begs the question: “How can the Angel of the Lord be the Lord God and different from the Lord God who sent Him? Is there a contradiction here?
Holy Scripture is inspired by God and there are no contradictions in it. Based on this, we must understand and conclude that there is no contradiction here.
Explanation
In the Old Testament, the absolute Deity represents Himself not only in one Person. And we can prove this using the example of several passages from Holy Scripture.
1. Ps.44-8 reads: “Your God, O God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions.” So here one Person God (Elohim) calls another Person God (Elohim).
2. The Old Testament says that God has a Son. In Ps. 2:7 it is written: The Lord said to me: “You are My Son; Today I have given birth to You. The Lord Jehovah (Yahweh) says to another Person, “You are My Son.” Proverbs 30:4 asks, “And what is the name of His Son?” Isaiah 9:6 predicts the birth of the Son. The passages in the Old Testament that speak of God having a Son are very important. In the Old Testament and the writings of the ancient Jews after Biblical Judaism, the word "son" was "often used to indicate a relationship determined by the nature or character of a person." In light of this, the fact that God had a Son means that there was another Person who had the same essence of the Divine nature as God.
3. Concerning the Son given to us by God (Isa. 9:6), it is said that He will be called the Mighty God. Franz Delitzsch argues that this name corresponds to the Divine nature of the Son.
4. In Jer. 23:5-6 The person called Lord (Jehovah-Yahweh) calls another Lord (Jehovah-Yahweh).
Since the Old Testament mentions two different Persons who are God and have absolute Deity, we can conclude that one of these Persons is the Lord God, Who sent the Angel of the Lord before Israel; this is the Father who sent us His Son; This is God, whom man has never seen. The Other Person is the Angel of the Lord; This is the Son sent to us by the Father, who has the same nature and properties as the Father.
Specific identification
The Angel of the Lord can be most identified with Jesus Christ. We have several arguments in favor of this statement.
First, we know that the Angel of the Lord, who met Moses at the burning bush, said about Himself: “I am.” And we know that Jesus called himself “I Am” (John 8:58).
Secondly, we have come to the conclusion that the Lord God who sent the Angel of the Lord is God the Father, and the Angel of the Lord is God the Son. Jesus Christ said that God is His Father, and that He Himself is the Son of God (John 5:19-37; 10:36-38). The Jews recognized that calling oneself the Son of God meant identifying oneself with God (John 5:18).
Thirdly, the Angel of the Lord possessed the same Divine nature as the Lord God, who sent Him before Israel. When Jesus said that He and the Father are one (John 10:30), then for the Jews this was equivalent to His declaring Himself to be God (10:31:33).
Fourthly, the Lord God, who sent the Angel of the Lord before Israel, said: “...My name is in him.” Jesus said that He came in the name of His Father (John 5:43).
Fifthly, the Angel of the Lord is the Son sent by God the Father.
Holy Scripture affirms that Jesus Christ is the Son whom God the Father gave to the world (John 3:16; Gal. 4:4; 1 John 4:9).
Sixth, when the Angel of the Lord appeared before Joshua, He called himself the leader of the heavenly army. We know that angels are subordinate to Jesus Christ, and on the day of the Second Coming there will be angels of heaven with Him (Matt. 25:31; Rev. 19:14).
Seventh, the Angel of the Lord told Samson’s parents that His name was wonderful. Isaiah 9:6 says that one of the names of the Messiah, God's sent Son, will be Wonderful. This suggests that the Angel of the Lord is the Messiah, and we know that Jesus called himself the Messiah (John 1:41 cf. John 4:25-25; 10:24-25). We also see that others recognized Him as the Messiah (Matt. 16:16; Luke 4:41; John 4:42).
Eighth, the Angel of the Lord accompanied the people of Israel during the exodus from Egypt to the land of Canaan. The Apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians 10:1-9 that this was Christ. Charles Hodge wrote the following regarding Ap's statement. Paul: “The stone that followed them was Christ.
The Word announced by Jehovah when visiting the Israelites at their exodus was the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who took on our nature. It is He who cared for them in their needs... Holy Scripture clearly speaks not only of the existence of our Lord, but also that He is the Jehovah of the Old Testament. It was He who appeared to Moses and called himself Jehovah, the God of Abraham, and sent him to Pharaoh; it was He who brought the Israelites out of Egypt and appeared on Mount Horeb; It was He who led the people through the desert, who dwelt in the temple, who revealed himself to Isaiah; this was to be revealed to Him at the coming of the fullness of time, to be born of a virgin and to appear in the flesh. In the Old Testament He is called the Angel of the Lord, the Angel of Jehovah, Jehovah, the Mighty God, the Son of God, sent by God, one with the Father as a substance by nature, but a different Person.”
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Meaning of the word angel
First of all, in our study we must understand, if possible, the original meaning of the word angel. What did the Jews hear when they said the word angel?
The Russian word angel comes from the Greek angelos. (that’s why the Jews, at least from the time of Genesis, did not pronounce it, they simply did not speak Greek then) The following word was used in the Hebrew language
Old Testament.
%a"l.m; (malak) angel messenger, messenger.
The meaning of the word determines the purpose of angels: their task is to be messengers from God to people for various purposes.
Definition: An angel is a messenger of God.
The first time the word angel appears is in Genesis 16:7. in the story of Hagar.
Although the concept of angels is encountered for the first time, it is not explained in any way who the angel of the Lord is or where he came from. Genesis tells about the creation of the earth, but does not talk about the beginning of the existence of God or what happened before the creation of the earth. There is also not a word about where the angels came from. Whether they existed eternally with God or not, who they are and what their purpose is in this world. The appearance of an angel appears in the book as a matter of course.
New Testament.
a;ggeloj (angelos) – messenger, messenger.
In the New Testament, an angel is first encountered in Matthew 1:20. The angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream.
As we see in the New Testament, the meaning of the word remains the same: an angel is a messenger.
In theology, it is customary to call all heavenly beings angels, although it is far from a fact that cherubim and seraphim are angels. They were never messengers in the Bible. They have a completely different function in heaven. Which we'll talk about later.
First impression of angels.
In this section we will look at several Scriptures that will give us some insight into angels and their ministry on earth.
Gen. 16:7-13. Angel of the Lord.
This is the first mention of angels in the Bible.
7 And I found her Angel of the Lord at a source of water in the desert, at a source on the road to Sur. 8 And he said to her: Hagar, Sarin's servant! where did you come from and where are you going? She said: I am fleeing from the presence of Sarah my mistress.
9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 And the angel of the Lord said to her: By multiplying I will multiply your descendants, so that they cannot even be counted from the multitude. 11 And the angel of the Lord said to her, Behold, you are with child, and you will bear a son, and you will call his name Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your affliction; 12 He will be [among] people [like] a wild ass; his hands are against everyone, and the hands of everyone are against him; he will live in the presence of all his brothers.
13 And she called [Hagar ] The Lord, who spoke to her in [this] name: You are the God who sees me. For she said: as if I saw here the trace of the one who saw me.
We can note several important points in this passage.
- The angel speaks on behalf of God. It’s as if it’s not an angel speaking, but God himself, or the angel is God.
- Moses says that Hagar named the one who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me.” The appearance of an angel to her meant attention from God.
- Moses himself admits that the Lord spoke to Hagar. In the original, the word translated to us as Lord is hwhy (YHWH), that is, the name of God.
We looked at a passage from Paul's letter to the church at Corinth. We were interested in the first half of chapter 6, where Paul condemns the trials of Christians in Greek courts. One of the interesting passages was this:
Don't you know that we will judge the angels? 1 Cor. 6:3
Today we will try to understand more about the issue of angels.
First, let's give a brief description of angels.
ANGEL - MESSENGER, MESSENGER
+ Angel — Hebrew word malach and Greek angelos mean: " messenger«, « messenger". Both words are used in the Bible to denote ordinary messengers (Genesis 32:3; James 2:25 - in the Synod. Transl. - “ spies"), and messengers (prophets, priests) sent by God (Hag 1:13; Mal 2:7; Matt 11:10); but more often they denote the heavenly messengers of God.
Word: aggeloj
Pronounce: ang'-el-os
- angel, messenger, messenger, messenger, spy;
LXX: 04397 (;K/a;l’m)
Strong's Greek Lexicon (c) Bob Jones University
+ The reality of the existence of Angels is confirmed by the Bible. The fact that they are mentioned frequently already in the book of Genesis,
(Genesis 16:7; 19:1,15, etc.)
excludes the possibility of a later (Persian) origin of the doctrine of Angels.
Angels differ from the biblical cherubim and seraphim in that, being God's messengers, they appear before people in human form.
(Genesis 18:1-15 and 19:1; Judges 13)
The Flying Angel is mentioned only in Rev. 14:6
6 And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people;
(Rev. 14:6)
(in Rev 8:13 in the Greek text - eagle , which probably symbolizes an Angel).
+ Angels are often presented as protectors of God's people, but they can also act as arbiters of God's judgment.
(2 Samuel 24:16ff; 1 Chronicles 21:12)
However, their main task is to proclaim God's will to the people, especially to those whom the Lord has chosen.
ANGELS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
In the Old Testament, Angels are depicted " strong in strength“guardians and protectors of those who fear God in all their ways, carrying the righteous in their arms.
20 Bless the Lord, [all] His angels, mighty in power, who do His word, obeying the voice of His word;
(Ps. 102:20)11 For He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways:
(Ps. 90:11ff.)
They can:
- defeat enemies (Exodus 14:19ff; 2 Kings 19:35; Psalm 35:5ff),
- "to prevent" the curse (Numbers 22:22),
- warn against judgment (Gen. 19:1,15),
- appearing to people in a dream for comfort and guidance on the righteous path (Gen. 28:12; 31:11 et seq.; 32:2 et seq.).
An angel who brings a message from God or acts on His instructions is often called AN ANGEL OF THE LORD.
He embodies Yahweh Himself, being God’s personified help for the people of Israel.
(Gen 16:7; Ex 14:19; Num 22:22; Judges 6:11ff; 2 Kings 1:3ff, etc.)
It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between Yahweh and His Angel: when Yahweh is spoken of without reference to man, God is referred to as " Yahweh“, if a person enters into communication with Him, then He is already called “ Angel of Yahweh«.
This technique emphasizes the greatness of Yahweh.
(Gen 16:7-11 and 13; Gen 18; Ex 3:2ff; 23:20ff)
Malachi 3:1 gives the promise of the Angel of the covenant.
1 Behold, I send My angel, and he will prepare the way before Me, and suddenly the Lord, whom you seek, and the Angel of the covenant, whom you desire, will come to His temple; Behold, He comes, says the Lord of hosts.
(Mal.3:1)
Moreover, the Bible talks about THE INTERPRETATING ANGEL, who, appearing to the prophets, interprets visions for them, and sometimes himself becomes a character in these visions.
(Eze 40:3ff; Dan 10:5,14; Zech 1:9; 2:2; 4:1ff)
The participation of the Angel in the transmission of the Law on Mount Sinai is known (along with the arguments of the rabbis) from
53 You who received the law under the ministry of angels and did not keep it.
(Acts 7:53)19 What is the law for? It was given after the transgressions, until the time of the coming of the seed to which the promise [refers], and was given through angels, by the hand of a mediator.
(Gal.3:19)2 For if the word spoken through angels was established, and every transgression and disobedience received a righteous reward,
(Heb.2:2)
In all these places the New Testament emphasizes the superiority of the direct New Testament revelation in Jesus Christ;
ANGELS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
In the New Testament, Angels appear at crucial moments in sacred history.
- They announce to Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds about the birth of the Savior (Luke 1:2),
- serve the Lord after His victory over the tempter (Matthew 4:11),
- strengthen Him in prayerful struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43),
- proclaim His resurrection (Luke 24:4-6),
- and after His ascension - about His Second Coming (Acts 1:10ff.).
+ In addition, Angels rejoice in the salvation of people
10 Thus, I tell you, there is joy among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
(Luke 15:10)
+ and serve those who are called to inherit grace.
10 See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.
(Matt. 18:10)14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who are to inherit salvation?
(Heb. 1:14)
+ When a God-fearing person dies, Angels take him to a place of joy
22 The beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
(Luke 16:22)
+ and keep watch at his coffin.
12 and sees two angels, dressed in white, sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus lay.
(John 20:12)and also Jude 9
+ An angel freed Peter and the apostles from prison;
19 But the Angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison by night and brought them out and said:
(Acts 5:19)7 And behold, the angel of the Lord appeared, and light shone around the prison. [The angel], pushing Peter in the side, woke him up and said: get up quickly. And the chains fell from his hands.
(Acts 12:7ff.)
+ Angels guided the apostles on their journeys
26 And to Philip the angel of the Lord said, Get up and go at noon to the road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza, to the road that is empty.
(Acts 8:26)
+ and prepared the pagans to accept the message about Christ.
3 He clearly saw in a vision about the ninth hour of the day an Angel of God who came to him and said to him: Cornelius!
(Acts 10:3)7 When the angel who had spoken with Cornelius departed, he called two of his servants and a godly soldier from those who were with him
(Acts 10:7)22 And they said: Cornelius the centurion, a virtuous man who fears God, approved of by all the people of Judea, received a command from the holy angel to call you to his house and to listen to your speeches.
(Acts 10:22)
In the book of Revelation, Angels appear especially often to carry out God's judgment (cf. Matt. 13:39,49; 24:31) and to glorify God.
Although Angels are spiritual beings who know neither birth nor death,
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but remain as the angels of God in heaven.
(Matt. 22:30)
they are still not given special veneration, since this would mean diminishing the glory of God.
(Rev 19:10; 22:8ff.)
Paul warns believers against displaying " self-imposed humility", honoring Angels as certain intermediaries.
18 Let no one deceive you with self-willed humility and the ministry of angels, intruding into what he has not seen, recklessly puffed up with his carnal mind
(Col.2:18)
Hebrews 1-2 emphasizes the essential difference between Jesus and the Angels; the time will come when the saints, the saved children of God, will judge the angels with Jesus at the end of time.
(1 Cor. 6:3)
The words “angels of the churches” (Rev. 1:20; 2:1,8, 12,18, etc.) probably do not mean Angels in the generally accepted sense of the word, but the leaders or officials of local churches.
HIERARCHY OF ANGELS
Within the world of Angels there is its own hierarchy, which is determined by various degrees of dignity.
Yes, the Bible talks about
- archangels, or princes Michael (Dan 10:13,21; 12:1; Jude 9; Rev 12:7)
- and Gabriel (Dan 8:16; 9:21; Lk 1:19,26),
- the apocrypha also name Raphael and Sariel.
Bible passages such as Col 1:16 and 1 Cor 15:24 also indicate different degrees of dignity of heavenly beings.
16 For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers—all things were created by Him and for Him;
(Col. 1:16)24 And then the end, when He will hand over the Kingdom to God the Father, when He will abolish all rule and all authority and power.
(1 Cor. 15:24)
V. Since Angels, guided by their mind and will, can choose between good and evil, then some of them, being fallen angels, no longer serves the Lord, but belongs to the retinue of Satan.
44 Your father is the devil; and you want to do the lusts of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and did not stand in the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks his own way, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
(John 8:44)
(2 Peter 2:4)
But they will leave" into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels «.
41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand: Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
(Matt. 25:41 cf. Rev. 20:10,15)
As we study the Bible, we can find interesting parallel verses. Some of them are already written in the Bible, and some, for example, I wrote myself, so as not to forget later, for example:
From parallel places I found several interesting ones and combined them for myself:
3 Do you not know that we will judge angels, much less the things of this life?
(1 Cor. 6:3)4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but, having bound them in the chains of hellish darkness, he handed them over to be judged for punishment;
(2 Peter 2:4)6 And the angels who did not keep their dignity, but left their habitation, he keeps in everlasting bonds, under darkness, for the judgment of the great day.
(Jude 1:6)
A terrible example of fallen angels
The Jews had an elaborate doctrine of angels, the servants of God.
In particular, the Jews believed that each nation had its own angel exercising supreme leadership. In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Jewish Scriptures, in Deut. 32.8 we read:
“When the Most High gave inheritance to the nations and scattered the sons of men, then he set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the children of Israel” (in Barkley: according to the number of the angels of God).
That is, each nation received its own angel.
The Jews believed in the fall of angels; Much is said about this in the book of Enoch, which often gives food to the Apostle’s thoughts.
+ Some see the reason for the fall of angels in their pride and rebellion.
These legends are mainly associated with the name of Lucifer, the bringer of light, the son of the dawn.
In Isa. 14.12 we read:
“How you fell from the sky, Lucifer, son of the dawn!”
When the seventy disciples sent to serve returned and told Jesus about the success of their mission, He warned them against pride:
“I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning” (Luke 10:18).
The idea was that there was a civil war in heaven. The angels rebelled against God and were cast out; Lucifer was the leader of the rebellion.
According to him, the angels did not retain their dignity; this means that they were claiming a place that was not intended for them.
To the people who read the words of the Apostles at that time, the idea was clear, because the book of Enoch said a lot about the fate of these fallen angels. Thus, Jude, Paul and Peter spoke to their listeners and readers in a language they understood and in expressions they understood, that if pride and lust destroyed the angels, despite all their privileges, then pride and lust would destroy men even more.
Probably the evil people in the Church were filled with pride, believing that they knew everything better than the Church teaches, and lust, turning the grace of God into a justification for debauchery.
Regardless of what ancient ideas lay behind the words of Jude, for example, his warnings will remain valid.
Pride, claiming knowledge higher than God's, and lust for the forbidden - these are the paths that lead to death.
Thank you for studying together today the topic of Angels in the Bible.
Lucifer, Dennitsa, the First Fallen - whatever names were given to the most beautiful angel. But, alas, one day he sinned and was cast out of heaven. Who is Dennitsa and what happened to him, we will analyze in this article.
In the article:
Dennitsa and Lucifer are the same angel
Scene of Denitsa and a third of the angelic army falling from heaven
The name Dennitsa from Old Church Slavonic means "morning Star". This was also called Venus or the midday haze in the sky. In Slavic mythology, Dennitsa is the daughter of the sun, whom the moon fell in love with, which is why the eternal enmity between day and night arose.
For the first time, the word “Dennitsa” appeared to designate the greatness of the king of Babylon, who was like the morning dawn. However, already in the book of the prophet Isaiah it is called Dennitsa. He is the son of the dawn, bright and sparkling, but a sinner who fell from heaven.
In the Bible, Isaiah, chapter 14, verses 12 - 17, we read about the angel Dennitsa:
How you fell from the sky, Lucifer, son of the dawn! He crashed to the ground, trampling the nations. And he said in his heart: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mountain in the assembly of gods, on the edge of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.” But you are cast into hell, into the depths of the underworld. Those who see you peer into you and think about you: “Is this the man who shook the earth, shook kingdoms, made the universe a desert and destroyed its cities, and did not let his captives go home?
This is how the name of Lucifer appeared in Orthodoxy - Dennitsa.
Angel Dennitsa - beloved son of God
Dennitsa was the first angel created by God. He was made chief of them, and thus received his name, meaning early star. Dennitsa, like all angels, was filled with love, and his beautiful appearance inspired other spiritual creatures, awakening them to be faithful to God and help him in all endeavors.
Angel Dennitsa loved life very much and sought to show all the love that God put into his creations. Born from God's desire to manifest himself and his emotions, Dennitsa became the angel closest to Him. was appointed his deputy, an instrument of God's providence.
For quite a long time the angel Dennitsa stood before God as high priest, conveying prayers to him. Without being proud, the angel, like no one else, followed all the plans of God, selflessly carrying His will among his fellows. Close to God, Dennitsa was for the angels an ideal image of divine perfection. His fame spread among the hosts of spirits, and love only grew stronger.
Dennitsa-Lucifer, the ruler of the lower heavenly powers, loved Adam and Eve. The hypostasis of Lucifer in many other mythologies, especially Roman, is called Prometheus, which means “wise, thinker.” Everyone knows the story of Prometheus - he stole fire from the forge of Hephaestus for people. Thanks to this, people were able to leave the caves, hunt animals and stay warm. Dennitsa, like Prometheus, brought light to people - knowledge of the difference between good and evil.
Like Prometheus, who brought fire to people and led them out of the darkness of caves to gain strength and confidence, Dennitsa wanted to give people Divine knowledge. And then he made his first mistake. The leitmotif of the first angel of God Dennitsa and Prometheus, punished for their guilt, runs like a red thread through all the beliefs of humanity.
Fallen Angel Dennitsa
The fall of Dennitsa, like another third of heavenly beings, was due to the fact that he disobeyed God. Despite the fact that angels are carriers of the desires and aspirations of God, fulfilling His will, they are not deprived of the right to choose. But God did not become the primary cause of the fall of Lucifer, since in those days there was no sin yet.
The original angel was much weaker than his Creator, his capabilities were limited. However, watching the other angels, who, being much weaker, admired and loved him, Dennitsa thought that he was worthy to be in the place of God. In Isaiah chapter 14 we read again:
And he said in his heart: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mountain in the assembly of gods, on the edge of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.” But you are cast into hell, into the depths of the underworld.
Dennitsa-Lucifer decided that he knew better what people needed. Ignoring God's direct warning to Adam and Eve not to touch the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he descended into Garden of Eden. Taking the form of a serpent, the angel tempted the gullible woman, thus forcing the ancestors of mankind to sin.
God called his once faithful son to account. Seeing that Lucifer’s heart was filled with pride and his thoughts were full of darkness, the Creator became very angry. He cursed the angel and threw him into an ever-burning hell to serve his punishment.
The sudden division of the angelic community was another unfortunate consequence of Lucifer's betrayal. A third of the heavenly army went over to the side of Dennitsa, unable to believe that their shining leader disobeyed God. Now their ruler has become Lucifer, “the bringer of light,” who has departed from the canons of love and justice dictated by the Creator.
The vicious passion of selfishness, the desire to rise above everyone, to rule, to be in charge, gave rise to pride, which led the former viceroy of God to his fall. Unfortunately, the angels who admired Lucifer were also to blame for this. Their prayers and love convinced the angel that the perfection with which he was endowed should not go unnoticed.
The topic of betrayal has always been very sensitive for the Slavs. This is precisely why such strong hatred of Lucifer and demons has long been characteristic of the Orthodox. There are even proverbs and sayings mentioning Lucifer:
Anger is a human thing, and rancor is from Lucifer.
Among the Slavs, the names Satan, Lucifer and Beelzebub mean the same thing - the closest angel who betrayed God. In the Old Testament, Satan is a common noun - “the adversary of God.” Dennitsa is first called Satan in the book of the prophet Zechariah, in the third chapter. There he acts as an accuser in the heavenly court, protesting against the will of God and devaluing His plan.
Satan, after his fall to earth, became a murderer, slanderer and tempter. This angel went from Dennitsa, also called by the Slavs Lucifer, which means “luminous” and compared with Prometheus, who brought light from the flame and warmth to people, and being once the closest angel to God, endowed with unprecedented holiness and power, to a terrible monster, the quintessence all vices. The image of the fallen angel Dennitsa remains vivid today.
