Touched by An Angel
Growing up, I remember my mom faithfully watching the television show Touched by an Angel. Her early fanfare with this show was during an era without DVR recording or on-demand streaming, so she made sure to set the timer on the VCR if she wasn’t going to be able to watch it during its scheduled time.
Touched by an Angel is a faith-based drama TV series about angels who help people at crossroads in their lives. The show aired from 1994 through 2003. In the episodes, the angels appear physically, human-like and can be seen by the people they are trying to help, along with others. This series portrays angels with physical bodies like people and as being able to communicate in their native language.
Angels in the Outfield
Since apples don’t fall far from the tree, I shouldn’t be surprised that one of my favorite childhood movies also included angels as main characters. Disney’s 1994 film Angels in the Outfield presents angels as invisible spiritual human-like beings who helped the Anaheim Angels win the American League pennant in a comical fashion. In the movie, only Roger (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) could see the angels since they were an answer to his prayer, a prayer for God to help the Angels win the American League.
Which motion picture is right about angels’ bodies?
Believe it or not, both motion pictures are right about angels’ bodies or appearances. The Bible focuses more on angels’ offices than their looks, but scattered throughout the pages of Scripture are truths to help us understand what kind of bodies angels possess. In the remainder of this post, we will read two passages to help us see why both the show and movie are partly right about their portrayal of angels and together, they provide a more accurate understanding of angels’ makeup.
A Biblical Episode of Touched by an Angel
Read Genesis 19:1-29
In Genesis 19:1, the text tells us that two angels came to Sodom in the evening to warn Lot of the city’s near judgment. As we read through the narrative, we see that these angels were visible to Lot (19:1), his daughters (19:8), and the men of the city (19:5). These heavenly messengers looked like men (19:1-2) and had functional physical bodies. The men needed a place to lay and sleep (19:2). Upon their arrival at his house, Lot washed their feet (19:2) and prepared a meal, which they ate (19:3). The angels were also able to pull Lot inside the house away from danger and close the door (19:10). As if there needed to be additional evidence that these angels took on a physical human condition, Sodom’s men wanted to shame them through sexually immoral acts (19:5).
These angels appeared as men and interacted with the physical realm in appropriate ways for the historical time and setting. Since the Scriptures do not mention their dress, we can assume that their choice of attire was not anything different than the cultural norm. As the angels were leading Lot and his family out of the city, they reasoned and conversed with Lot in his language (19:15-22) as they had earlier in their initial meeting with him (19:1-3).
Quickly, while these angels had taken on human form, they still functioned as God’s messengers (19:12-13) and agents of judgment (19:11, 13, 24). These ministering spirits (Hebrews 1:14) were faithful to their duties even though they accomplished them in the physical realm as physical beings. Incidents like Lot’s interaction with these angels who either took on physical bodies or, at the very least, took on an extraordinary likeness to humanity serve the purpose of testing those to whom they appear (Hebrews 13:2) so their otherness will not hinder their message. With all said, when we look at Genesis 19, it feels like we are watching an episode of Touched by an Angel.
Angels in the Battlefield
Read 2 Kings 6:8-23
In 2 Kings 6, the king of Aram sent part of his army to the city of Dothan. The reason for their mission? They were to seize the prophet Elisha. The LORD had revealed the king of Aram’s military plans towards Israel to the prophet. Once God had revealed the king’s plans to him, Elisha went and warned Israel’s king and his news thwarted the Arameans’ plans. If Aram was finally going to be successful in their military campaign against the northern kingdom, they would need to neutralize the man receiving and giving insider information.
One night, the Syrian (Aramean) army surrounded the city of Dothan. Elisha’s servant discovered their presence when he arose the next morning. Upon seeing the troops, the servant panics and asks Elisha what they are to do about the plight they find themselves in! Calmly, the man of God told him not to worry because more warriors were on their side than their opposition. Perhaps the servant gave Elisha a confused look, maybe not. Whether Elisha was prompted to pray because of his servant’s facial expression or not, he requests that God would open his servant’s eyes to see the angelic army that he was privileged to see and, as a result, be at peace in the God who gives unseen protection to His people (Psalm 91:9-11). The LORD opened the young man’s eyes and he was able to see the horses and chariots of fire that accompanied him and Elisha!
In a less comedic fashion, we see angels working behind the scenes of the physical realm as God’s ministers on behalf of His people on the battlefield instead of a ball field. While at times these heavenly beings take on human form like they did in Genesis 19, mot often, these spirit beings operate invisibly and often undetected by many as here in 2 Kings 6.
Is there another way angels appear visible in Scripture?
Read Luke 2:8-15
As I was writing about the way angels appear to people in the Bible, I couldn’t help but consider another way these heavenly messengers appeared to God’s people. At times angels would appear just as they are, in their light, form, and glory to deliver God’s messages. Sometimes their appearance would be in the physical realm as here in Luke’s birth announcement to the shepherds. Still, these majestic and fear inspiring angels would give God’s Word or explain a meaning of vision within a vision (Ezekiel 1; Daniel 10; Revelation 17:7).
So, what kind of bodies do angels have?
Again, the Bible is more concerned that we understand the role of these heavenly servants than their physical makeup. Angels are spirits, according to Hebrews 1:14. Yet when people encounter angels in the Scriptures, they visibly appear, can speak, have the ability to interact cognitively, and act as if they belong in the physical realm—being able to eat, shut and open doors, sit, and more. Sometimes they appear human or have taken human form and at other times appear in all their grandeur.
From what I understand, Scripture teaches about the present heaven as an actual physical city that will descend from heaven to a new earth (Revelation 21:1-2) and the current state of our brothers and sisters in Christ who have passed on (2 Corinthians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) it seems as if the spiritual (the souls of believers in heaven who will receive their resurrected bodies later) can interact within a physical environment (the current heaven or New Jerusalem, that will descend from heaven in the future).
From the theological framework mentioned above, it is logical to conclude that the spiritual realm and its players and activities, which actively go on without our noticing, are just as real as our physical realm, in which we carry out the often mundane and routine. Just like we have physical bodies, in 1 Corinthians 15 (see verses 39-40, 44), Paul’s teaching about our future resurrection bodies and how they differ in glory from our current bodies, which suffer and eventually give out because of the curse (Genesis 3:17-19), helps us understand that the bodies that angels have also differ in glory or physical form in the spiritual realm than us today (Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25).
At times, the spiritual or eternal bodies that angels possess in the spiritual realm are visible to God’s people by God for His glory, plans, and purposes in the physical realm. More often than not, these “servants of fiery flames” are busy serving God and His people behind the scenes, unseen like the wind (Psalm 104:4). There will be a day when the worlds of angels and humans become one, the day when God will make His home among His people forever (Revelation 22:1-5).
Now what?
I have to admit that I wish Scripture had unpacked its answer to this question more concretely, but it doesn’t. In instances like this, I am reminded that the things that our all-loving and all-knowing Father knows we need to know about most are clearly explained and repeated throughout the Bible’s pages. When it comes to what He has revealed to us concerning His angelic servants, it is no different.
These beings that evoke deep respect, fear, and terror from humans when appearing to them (Isaiah 6:1-5; Luke 1:11-12; 2:9; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Revelation 22:8) are God’s servants who are obedient to Him for His glory and our good (Psalm 104:4; Hebrews 1:14). Our Heavenly Father is more concerned with us knowing what His angels do more than us understanding what they are, in this case what kind of bodies do they have. May the Holy Spirit help us be content with the amount of truth God has revealed to us about angels. May the things He hasn’t chosen to let us know wet our appetite for heaven, where God will make even these things known to us and, as a result, deepen our awe of Him, the One who created these somewhat mysterious beings (Revelation 4:11).
While we await for our incomparable eternity as God’s children may we do good to all. May we love our neighbor as ourselves not only for God’s glory and the benefit of others but also on the chance that the person we are helping is not of this world (Hebrews 13:1-2). Whether an opportunity to demonstrate the Father’s love to others is towards a fellow person or an angel, may our love for Jesus be demonstrated through kind acts towards others.
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