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I know a little, that they can transform into different things to hide, but is there more I should know about them? Or do I know enough?

Moved to Christian Growth Q & A. Please be more mindful of where you post threads in the future.

The idea of guardian angels was really developed around the 12th century, though the OT and NT do have a few passages where they say that people might have angels protecting them or dealing with mundane affairs. Please note: There are VERY FEW things dealing with this - more passages deal with wine than with guardian angels - so a lot of what we know as guardian angel lore is made up, given by Christian mystics, or taken from other religions (because Christianity isn't the only one that had ideas that people had supernatural guardians with them).

The idea that 'they can turn into different things to hide' is completely unsupported lore concerning angels. Not Biblical.

Also, the idea that they look like people or babies with wings? Yeah.... if you actually read the Biblical passages concerning angels, most (read: ALL) of them would be terrifying by today's standards. Flaming wheels with a thousand eyes? Faces surrounded by a layer of wings? I would never want to meet one of those in person.

I think that just because this subject s so undefined, its really something you just decide for yourself based on your feelings of it. You could argue that they exist using biblical evidence like Atria gave, or you could just say they don't exist, and nobody would be too inclined to argue with you about it wither way. The details are just as fuzzy, so there's nor a while lot we can tell you for or against certain things. Most of this is gonna be stuff you discern for yourself based on your impressions, thoughts, experiences, etc.

Atria35 wrote:Also, the idea that they look like people or babies with wings? Yeah.... if you actually read the Biblical passages concerning angels, most (read: ALL) of them would be terrifying by today's standards. Flaming wheels with a thousand eyes? Faces surrounded by a layer of wings? I would never want to meet one of those in person.

Well there is support for angels being able to at least take human form. Like the two angels who went to Lot's house disguised as buff sexy dudes. Whether that was their actual form or a disguise, I dunno.

Atria35 wrote:Also, the idea that they look like people or babies with wings? Yeah.... if you actually read the Biblical passages concerning angels, most (read: ALL) of them would be terrifying by today's standards. Flaming wheels with a thousand eyes? Faces surrounded by a layer of wings? I would never want to meet one of those in person.

Dude, that sounds awesome!

Let's not forget this little tidbit from Ezekiel, regarding his vision of the living creatures.

Ezekiel 10:12
And their whole body, with their back, their hands, their wings, and the wheels that the four had, were full of eyes all around.

I would say there are either different kinds or they can change forms. There's the examples that Atria and K-chan gave, along with a lot of other extremely descriptive passages along the same lines. But there are also plenty of passages where an angel/angels came to talk with men. Quite often it was the Angel of the LORD, who it has been argued was actually a manifestation of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, and from what I've read and heard probably was. However, there are other accounts of angels other than the angel of the LORD, such as the angels that visited Lot and the angel that talked with the angel of the LORD in Zechariah, to name a couple.
Mark 12:25 compares ressurrected saints to angels in regards to marriage, and I don't imagaine we're that comparable to the beings in Ezekiel.
And there are Michael and Gabriel, who don't have any strange characteristics that we know of, other than the fact that Gabriel frightened Zacharias and Mary.
Hebrews 13:2 - Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. I think I would be aware that something was up if a stranger looked anything but human.

As far as guardian angels? I wouldn't say there's nothing in the Bible concerning them. Granted, there's no phrase "guardian angel", but there's also no "Bible" or "demon". Wording is different, but I'd be willing to say you could prove their existence in the Bible.
Besides being one of the most encouraging passages I know, Psalm 91 has a very interesting verse. Vs. 11 states - For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
Hebrews 1:13-14 - But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Matthew 18:10 - Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

Nate wrote:

Atria35 wrote:Also, the idea that they look like people or babies with wings? Yeah.... if you actually read the Biblical passages concerning angels, most (read: ALL) of them would be terrifying by today's standards. Flaming wheels with a thousand eyes? Faces surrounded by a layer of wings? I would never want to meet one of those in person.

Well there is support for angels being able to at least take human form. Like the two angels who went to Lot's house disguised as buff sexy dudes. Whether that was their actual form or a disguise, I dunno.

Oh, yeah, there is that.

But for the most part, angels aren't described as pretty or looking like normal people - I'd be more inclined to believe it was a disguise rather than just making their wings disappear.

We Catholics have a firm belief in guardian angels. We even have a special feast day for them, and a prayer.

Ok thanks, I know realize that the eyes of the Lord are everywhere, and can take the form of things like circular locks, and unsuspecting objects. As for angels, I once spotted a plain clothes man disappearing as he passed a bar of a gate. Also seen someone short laying by my bedside watching me as I slept. I guess a slip up happened if I was'nt suppose to see that or remember it. I know that some senior citizens and disabled people have powers. I guess an angel would be someone you'd least suspect would be an angel...

The Scripture passages shared do support that angels are out there watching over us. However, I don't know of any Scripture that supports the idea that one is specifically assigned to a given individual.

K. Ayato wrote:The Scripture passages shared do support that angels are out there watching over us. However, I don't know of any Scripture that supports the idea that one is specifically assigned to a given individual.

I agree. Sorry, I should have been more specific about that in my post. I guess I lean more toward the idea that one of the duties of angels is to watch over and protect as God commands them to. So not necessarily on a personal level, but as guardians in general.

Red_web_city wrote:Ok thanks, I know realize that the eyes of the Lord are everywhere, and can take the form of things like circular locks, and unsuspecting objects.

UMMMMM. This is something that's not really supported in the Bible. To say the eyes of the Lord are literal and that they turn into things.... that is never how the 'eyes of the Lord' are described. The way the Bible words it is that it's more a visualization/knowing - not a physical 'this thing is round and therefore it could be GOD'S EYES' sort of deal.

As for angels, I once spotted a plain clothes man disappearing as he passed a bar of a gate. Also seen someone short laying by my bedside watching me as I slept. I guess a slip up happened if I was'nt suppose to see that or remember it. I know that some senior citizens and disabled people have powers. I guess an angel would be someone you'd least suspect would be an angel...

Possibly. If Angels are around, then the Bible does say that they do God's bidding on Earth, whatever that might be. The big thing would be that you don't know why they're there, just that they're around. And you know they're around because the Bible says so.

It's just that the statement thing about them tranforming into things to watch over people is completely unBiblical fluff (not anywhere in Scripture), as is the idea that people have specific angels set to guard over them (though whether this is the case in the Catholic Bible as well as the Protestant Bible, I don't know. It's most certainly not in the Protestant one).

BUT the Bible does support that Angels do guard over people in general.

Actually Carla, guardian angels are mentioned in the Bible. In the scene where everyone's bringing kids to Jesus so he can bless them, he says their angels see their father's face in Heaven.

rocklobster wrote:Actually Carla, guardian angels are mentioned in the Bible. In the scene where everyone's bringing kids to Jesus so he can bless them, he says their angels see their father's face in Heaven.

This doesn't imply that every person has a single individual angel that is specifically for them. Like if I said, "The people of New York have faith in their police officers," it doesn't mean everyone living in New York has a specific police officer that watches over only one person. It means that the police officers, as a group, oversee the well-being of the entire town. Likewise, it could be that there are angels whose task it is to watch over children in general, not that each child has an angel that is their personal bodyguard.

rocklobster wrote:Actually Carla, guardian angels are mentioned in the Bible. In the scene where everyone's bringing kids to Jesus so he can bless them, he says their angels see their father's face in Heaven.

Matthew 18 is full of metaphors and is almost all parables. I find it hard to see this as anything but just another figure of speech.

The verse Rocklobster is talking about is Matthew 18:10, the Holman Christian Standard Bible study notes on that say this:

HCSB Study Notes wrote:Daniel 10:10-14 teaches that angels are assigned to represent and protect the nations. In similar fashion, Jesus appears to teach that angels are assigned to represent believers to God. Jesus said that these angels continually view the face of My Father, meaning they have access to the heavenly throne and constantly present the needs of believers to God.

It's not an argument really for guardian angels so much as for angels who petition to god, kind of the same as the patron saint thing if I understand that dynamic correctly.

After visiting a church on a full moon night I walked hone across a bridge, and two mighty angels were sent down, and I did'nt literally see them but percieved them to be protecting me in my new environment because I moved to the island of PR. Every so often I am sent two, what could this mean? I'm guessing I have been extremely blessed knowing I escaped death more than twice, possibly much more. Thanks for the feed back everyone

Red_web_city wrote:. Every so often I am sent two, what could this mean?

The Bible merely says they do God's bidding on earth, so whatever reason they have for being there is a total guess.

There is no way of knowing. The part about you having escaped death twice merely means that God was watching over you - it has absolutely nothing to do with the number of Angels that might be wtih you.

Ok, thank you Atria

If you have any doubts, simply look into angel research. Catholics have the best information on them, since the more strongly recognize them -guardian angel wise- than most other branches of the Christian family tree. Personally, I think God will send us angels when/if we need them, and some angels probably look after multiple people- mine does anyway. Plus, if someone close to you has passed, I think part of them still watches over you. Again, all personal opinion; not looking for rebuttal. I'd just be happy that angels are there; they will let you know more about them in their own unique way.