THE NAME "ANGEL"

By Gary Ray Branscome

While the words, “Are they [angels] not all spirits who serve Him,” speak of angels as a certain class of beings, the term “angel” (in both Hebrew and Greek) simply means messenger (Hebrews 1:14). And, because the word “angel” means messenger it is not limited to angelic beings. In the passage, “A priest’s lips should dispense knowledge, and they should seek the law from his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts,” the same Hebrew word that is elsewhere translated “angel” is here translated “messenger” (Malachi 2:7). In the words, “This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my angel/messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you,” John the Baptist is referred to as an angel/messenger (Matthew 11:10). In the words, “The Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire: behold, He will come, says the LORD of hosts,” Christ is referred to as “the angel/messenger of the covenant” (Malachi 3:1). And, we know that Christ is not one of the created angels, because the words, “I will raise to David a righteous Branch, who will reign as King and prosper, and will execute judgment and justice in the earth… and this is the name by which He will be called, Jehovah Our Righteousness,” tell us that Jesus [the branch that sprang out of David] is Jehovah [Jahweh] (Jeremiah 23:5-6).

Since angels are created beings, whenever an angel/messenger is referred to as God, or credited with divine works such as redemption, that angel must be Christ. The very fact that Christ is the “WORD” of God makes Him the ultimate messenger. As it is written, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was with God in the beginning. All things were created by Him; and apart from Him nothing was created that was created. In Him was life; and that life was the light of men… He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came unto His own, but His own did not receive Him. But to as many as received Him, He gave power to become the sons of God, even to those who believe on His name: Who are not born of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:1-14).