Angels are mysterious beings who appear throughout the Bible, sparking awe, wonder, and fear. However, popular depictions of angels stretch beyond what the Bible teaches. Test your knowledge. According to the Bible, are the following statements true or false?
Keep reading to see if you answered biblically.
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Jacob’s journey back to the land of promise has so far been an adventure. After coming to terms with his angry father-in-law, he moved on and camped at Mahanaim and Peniel. As he re-entered the land, he saw another vision of angels (Gen 32:1) which bookends his experience of seeing them at Bethel when he left the land years earlier (Gen 28:10-17). Jacob was about to have a very odd spiritual encounter, a strange wrestling match, but first he must prepare to meet his estranged brother Esau.
The weight of past betrayal hangs heavy on Jacob’s mind. Years earlier, he had deceived his father and stolen Esau’s birthright (Gen 25, 27). Now, as he approaches his homeland, fear grips him. Will Esau seek revenge? This anxiety drives Jacob to craft a meticulous plan to appease his brother.
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A mysterious being called “the angel of the LORD” is an important character in the story of the binding of Isaac. Genesis 22 is not the first time the angel of the LORD has appeared (Gen 16), but this is the earliest indication that he was not an ordinary angel. The angel of the LORD makes lots of appearances in the Old Testament. Who is he and what is special about him?
If you haven’t read Genesis 22:10-17 recently, take a moment to read it now. If you were paying attention as you read, you probably noticed that the angel’s language kept shifting back and forth. He starts out by speaking of himself, but by the end of his sentence he seems to be referring to himself as if he was God.
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In part one of this series we studied the question of who the “sons of God” are as it pertains to Genesis 6:1-4. In part two we questioned if the book of 1 Enoch is a reliable interpretation of the events in Genesis 6. In this article, we’ll examine Peter and Jude’s quotes from 1 Enoch.
Jude and Peter either directly quote or allude to passages from the apocryphal book of 1 Enoch. However, their references do not constitute an endorsement of 1 Enoch as inspired any more than Paul quoting ancient Greek philosophers meant that he considered them to be inspired. When Paul quoted the Greek philosophers Aratus and Epimenides in Acts 17:28 and Titus 1:12, he in no way considered their writings inspired or authoritative. Their well known writings helped him make his point to the audience he was addressing. In other words, Paul adapted his communication so that it was relatable to his listeners and readers.
Continue reading →Passages from the Second Temple Period book of 1 Enoch offer an interpretation of Genesis 6:1-4. It claims that the sons of God were rebellious spiritual beings who married human women and that these marriages produced a race of giants called the Nephilim. What do we know about books such as 1 Enoch and can we trust it for shedding light on the Scriptures?
First of all, the books of Enoch are not inspired and were never considered to be a part of the canon of the Hebrew Scripture. Works such as 1 Enoch are religious fiction loosely comparable to Dante’s Inferno or Paradise Lost. While they are based on real events recorded in the Bible and may contain certain truths, they are works of fiction, are not inspired, and are not authoritative. 1 Enoch was a fictional interpretation of the events recorded in Genesis 6. Not only is it mere fiction, it was fiction influenced by pagan stories the Jews had been exposed to during their exile in Babylon. Surprisingly, some Bible students are allowing this work of fiction to influence their interpretation of the inspired Scriptures.
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