Page:Angelic Life in the Spiritual World, as revealed by the Sacred Scriptures.djvu/11

Rh It is only now that we can duly consider our subject of "Angelic Life in the Spiritual World, as revealed by the Sacred Scriptures." In that world there are three great divisions:

As regards the first of these divisions—Heaven—we are taught by the Apostle Paul that it is in, at least, three subdivisions, for he speaks, in the passage above quoted, of being caught up to "the third heaven." Doubtless, the inhabitants of these are distinguished by the varying intensity of their love to God and to their neighbour: the angels who occupy the third heaven being those who have the care of infants and little children here (see Matt. xviii. 10).

But the angels themselves—who are they? Do men and women become angels?

Scripture teaching on these points is clear. The popular ideas—which are by no means clear—are largely drawn from Milton's Paradise Lost. But here we have to deal only with the teachings of Sacred Scripture, and to these I invite your attention.

The original meaning of both the Hebrew and Greek words translated "angel" is "a messenger," some one who has a mission to accomplish. We will bear this in mind, later on, when we consider the employments of angels.

The first angels mentioned in the Bible are those who appeared to Abraham (Genesis xviii. 2). They are called "three men." The angels who appeared to Lot (Genesis xix. 1, 10) are first called "angels," afterwards "men." The angel who wrestled with Jacob is called "a man" (Genesis xxxii. 24). The captain of the Lord's host, who appeared to Joshua, at Jericho (Josh. v. 13, 14) is called "a man." The angel who appeared to Ezekiel (Ezek. xl. 3. 4), is called a "man." Daniel describes Gabriel as