How many archangels are there in the Bible?

Answer 1

While the only archangel named with that title in The Bible is Michael, many biblical scholars and Christian believers would say that Lucifer (now Satan) and Gabriel are also archangels.

The word "archangel" only appears "TWICE" in the King James Version of the Bible.

"For the LORD Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of THE ARCHANGEL, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first..." (I Thess.4:16 KJV)

"Yet Michael THE ARCHANGEL, when contending with the Devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, 'The LORD rebuke thee.'" (Jude 1:9 KJV)

Revelation 12 tells us that both "Lucifer" [the great Dragon; that old Serpent called the Devil, and Satan - verse 9]... and "Michael"... with whom Lucifer the Dragon fought, with armies under their command.

"And there was war in heaven: MICHAEL AND HIS ANGELS fought against the Dragon; and the DRAGON FOUGHT AND HIS ANGELS." (verse 7)

Gabriel, on the other hand, while he is also mentioned as the "third" angel of record... is never credited in the Bible with having any "host of angels" at his command.

It would seem, then, that the true number of archangels, by the biblical account, is up for debate and speculation.

Answer 2

Only three angels are mentioned by name in the canonical Bible - Gabriel, Michael, and Satan. At least two other angels are named in the Apocrypha, including Raphael (Book of Tobit), and Uriel (2 Esdras).

Gabriel

The angel Gabriel is mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, where he acts primarily as a messenger of God. As Gabriel is given the role of announcing the births of John the Baptist and Jesus to their parents, he is perhaps the most cherished angel in the Bible in terms of Christian tradition. (Gabriel is also mentioned in the apocryphal and apocalyptic book of Enoch (9:1, 20:7, 40:9). Enoch, though, is not included even in most Bibles that include the section known as "The Apocrypha".)

Dan 8:15-19 Interprets a vision of Daniel

Dan 9:20-23 Instructs Daniel

Luke 1:11-20 Appears to Zechariah (father of John the Baptist)

Luke 1:26-38 Appears to Mary, wife of Joseph

Michael

Michael, like Gabriel, is also mentioned in both Old and New Testaments. Unlike Gabriel, though, Michael's role seems to be primarily that of a protector, or as the head of an angelic army. (Michael is also mentioned in apocryphal book of Enoch(9:1, 10:11)).

Reference

Notes

Dan 10:13 "one of the chief princes"

Dan 10:21 "No one supports me against them except Michael"

Dan 12:1 Great prince

Jude 1:9 Archangel Michael

Rev 12:7 War in heaven against Satan

Lucifer (Satan)

Alas, the angel mentioned most often in the scriptures is the "fallen angel", Satan. "Satan" is a Hebrew word meaning accuser, adversary, or opponent. While the name Satan appears 53 times in the scriptures (NIV), Satan is also referred to under a number of other names, such as "devil", "evil one", "the destroyer", etc. Revelation 12:9 identifies Satan as being the "ancient serpent" in Genesis (3:15).

The fall of Satan and his angels from heaven tells us that heavenly beings are not without sin. However, the Bible assures us that, ultimately, God's will is predominate in the universe.

Reference

Notes

The Fall of Satan and the Angels

Isaiah 14:12-20

"Morning star" is translated as "Lucifer" in KJV

Ezekiel 28:12-19

Satan once had a special place of honor guarding the throne of God

Luke 10:18

"I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."

2 Peter 2:4

Angels that sinned are placed in hell, awaiting judgment

Jude 1:6

Fallen angels are held in darkness for Judgment Day

Revelation 12:4

May indicate that Satan took a third of the angels with him

Revelation 12:7-12

War in heaven between Archangel Michael and Satan

The end of Satan and his angels

Mat 25:41 "Eternal fire" was prepared for Satan and his angels

Rom 16:20 God will crush Satan under the feet of the Church

Rev 20:1-3 Satan thrown into the abyss for 1000 years

Rev 20:10 Satan thrown into lake of burning sulfur forever

Raphael

Raphael is mentioned only in the Apocrypha (in Tobit, as well as the apocalyptic book of Enoch). Tobit seems to identify that Raphael is one of seven angels that have special status:

"I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of God" (Tobit 12:15; NRSV)

The term "archangel" ("chief", or "first" angel) appears only twice in the Bible. No name is assigned in 1 Thess 4:16, but in Jude 1:9, Michael is designated as an archangel. (In the Apocrypha, Gabriel is also identified as an archangel).

Answer 3

The Book of Enoch is in the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible. It lists seven Archangels they are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Raguel, Remiel and Saraqael. The name of the last two angels on the list are spelled differently in many of the books translations.

Answer 4

There are several mentioned. God's heavenly family is very organized.

The Archangel: He is the highest ranking angel - and he is the one who came to the earth and became Jesus, the Messiah.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel's voice and with God's Trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first.

Seraphs: they are attendants around Jehovah's throne.

Isaiah 6:2Seraphs were standing above him; each had six wings. Each covered his face with two and covered his feet with two, and each of them would fly about with two.

Cherubs: They are mentioned 92 times in the Bible, the first time as being stationed at the entrance of the garden of eden to keep humans out. They are also used decoratively in the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant.

Genesis 3:24 So he drove the man out, and he posted at the east of the garden of Eʹden the cherubs and the flaming blade of a sword that was turning continuously to guard the way to the tree of life.

Others: Messengers (mentioned nearly 400 times) and angels that served as agents of Almighty God, often acting in his name.

Answer 5

The Bible does not fully explain this as translations vary to some degree on Hebrew terms and the fact that we are told angels can take the form of humans - and perhaps shape shifting - four winged Cherubim of Ezekiel 1 and 10 to six 'winged' Seraphim in Isaiah 14:29. Indeed, Satan is described as a Cherub (singular of Cherubim) in Ezekiel 28:14-16.

In a more recent translation, the Book of Numbers 21:6 in the Tanakh, the newer Jewish Publication Society translation of the Holy Scriptures: "The Lord sent seraph serpents against the people." Many commonly consider that fiery (i.e., burning) serpents connotes the sting of their bites. However, it may potentially refer to the reflection of their glassy scales, in effect, they are simply 'shiny.' The Hebrew term for serpent, 'nachash', literally means "shining one." Therefore, a literal translation of Numbers 21:6 would be: "And sent Yahweh among the people the shining ones, the burning ones, and they bit the people." Angels are referred to as shiny or fiery (see Revelations 10:1; Hebrews 11:7 with Satan as a fiery red dragon in Revelation 12:4, 9).

In any event, there are a few listed differences between Seraphim and Cherubim which may be because the number of wings were not fully displayed to Ezekiel or they appeared slightly different for different purposes or in a sub-class (Isaiah, Ezekiel, John to name three who saw these in vision).

In more modern times, some have made several classes of angels (up to 10) with different looks and status about them but these are not biblical. The Bible only seems to differentiate angels as Cherubims, Seraphims, and one time Archangel Michael by name.

Answer 6

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