"Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship [obeisance, bowing down to] of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God." -- Colossians 2:18,19, New King James Version
The scripture above is often quoted in reference to the usage of angelic statues, ornaments, jewelry, etc., that has greatly increased in past century. The word angel means messenger, and as such can be used of anyone who serves as a messenger for someone else. In the Bible, the word "angel" is often used in reference to the sons of God in the invisible realm of heaven who are always able to see God Almighty. -- Matthew 18:10.
For the Biblical usage of the Hebrew and Greek words are usually rendered as "angel", see:
https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4397.htm
https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4397.htm
https://biblehub.com/greek/32.htm
Regardless of the meaning of "angels" in this scripture, we know from other scriptures that idolatry is wrong, so how should a consecrated Christian view the images of winged female and child angels?
Regardless of the meaning of "angels" in this scripture, we know from other scriptures that idolatry is wrong, so how should a consecrated Christian view the images of winged female and child angels?
Today, we are often confronted with pictures, small and sometimes large statues of winged angels, female angels (often very sensually displayed), as well as winged child angels. These images of "angels" have been around for a long time, and many Christians purchase them and display them without knowledge of their true source or implications. In some vague manner, some even seem to associate these images as being of the Bible.
We need to note that the scriptures nowhere speak of angels such as are being depicted, so we wonder where does all this fascination with such ornaments come from? Much of this evidently has more to do with the graven images of winged gods and goddesses of the heathen religions than the Bible. The exaltation of the supposed "innocence" of childhood is also a concept taken from heathen religions. The fallen human flesh often confuses adoration and worship of the creation with spirituality due to the emotionalism that is often attached with the carnal aspects of idolatry, which emotionalism is many times is apparently confused with "the spirit of God." Today "New Age" paganism appears to be behind this increase of idolatry in this connection, for many Christians have not studied the Bible well enough to realize that these "angelic" works of men's hands are actually idols. Pagans often use the Bible to their advantage, so as to promote their pagan philosophies and idolatries, and many professed Christians seem to fall for their deceptions very easily.
We need to note that the scriptures nowhere speak of angels such as are being depicted, so we wonder where does all this fascination with such ornaments come from? Much of this evidently has more to do with the graven images of winged gods and goddesses of the heathen religions than the Bible. The exaltation of the supposed "innocence" of childhood is also a concept taken from heathen religions. The fallen human flesh often confuses adoration and worship of the creation with spirituality due to the emotionalism that is often attached with the carnal aspects of idolatry, which emotionalism is many times is apparently confused with "the spirit of God." Today "New Age" paganism appears to be behind this increase of idolatry in this connection, for many Christians have not studied the Bible well enough to realize that these "angelic" works of men's hands are actually idols. Pagans often use the Bible to their advantage, so as to promote their pagan philosophies and idolatries, and many professed Christians seem to fall for their deceptions very easily.
One Bible Student took note of this long ago. Here is a quote:
There is no arrangement in God's Plan to have any of those on the spirit plane male and female. According to the productions of Art, there are no male angels; but according to the Scriptures, there are no female angels. Possibly the reason why so many artists have supposed that angels are females is that there are more women in the Church than men. But the entire idea is erroneous; for angels are an entirely separate order of beings from mankind. Man never was an angel and never was intended to be an angel. Man is of the earth, earthy. He fell from the position of king of the earth and became a degraded being; and the Divine intention and promise is that when Messiah shall reign humanity shall be lifted up from sin and degradation and brought back to human perfection.--Acts 3:19-21. ---- ZWT, November 1, 1911, page 414, Reprints page 4914.
Some image examples of heathen winged goddesses online:
http://www.spiralgoddess.com/Inanna.html
https://www.quora.com/Who-was-the-winged-goddess-of-victory-Greek-mythology https://greekmythology.wikia.org/wiki/Category:Winged_Goddessesl
https://www.quora.com/Who-was-the-winged-goddess-of-victory-Greek-mythology https://greekmythology.wikia.org/wiki/Category:Winged_Goddessesl
Angels, as such, are never depicted in the Bible as having wings. However, some point to Zechariah 5:9 as an example of female winged angels. There we read: "Then lifted I up my eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were two women, and the wind was in their wings. Now they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah basket between earth and the sky." Actually, Zechariah was seeing a vision. (In the vision just before Zechariah had seen a "flying roll." - Zechariah 5:1) The women here are not described as angels. This whole vision is an illustration of wickedness. (Zechariah 5:8) Th Pulpit Commentary says: "the notion that underlies the whole vision is that the Holy Land is purged of wickedness." If this is so, the vision has not yet been fulfilled, and probably will not be fulfilled until after Satan has been abyssed. (Revelation 20:3) Many Bible Students believe that these two women typically represent two religious systems or covenants (compare Isaiah 56:10-12; Galatians 4:24), receiving power (ruahh, translated "wind" in the KJV) from the demons, the power of the air. (Ephesians 2:2; 6:12) At any rate, the idea that "angels" are being spoken as women has to be imagined and assumed beyond what is stated.
Cherubs and Seraphs
There are winged creatures spoken of in the Bible called seraphs (Isaiah 6:2,6) and cherubs. These have been traditionally thought of as angels, although no scripture identifies these winged creatures as angels or even as spirit beings. Regarding cherubs (Cherubim, Hebrew), Easton's Dictionary states:
They are first mentioned in connection with the expulsion of our first parents from Eden (Genesis 3:24). There is no intimation given of their shape or form. They are next mentioned when Moses was commanded to provide furniture for the tabernacle (Exodus 25:17-20; 26:1,31). God promised to commune with Moses "from between the cherubim" (25:22). This expression was afterwards used to denote the Divine abode and presence (Numbers 7:89; 1 Samuel 4:4; Isaiah 37:16; Psalms 80:1; 99:1).
In Ezekiel's vision (10:1-20) they appear as living creatures supporting the throne of God. From Ezekiel's description of them (1;10; 41:18,19), they appear to have been compound figures, unlike any real object in nature; artificial images possessing the features and properties of several animals. Two cherubim were placed on the mercy-seat of the ark; two of colossal size overshadowed it in Solomon's temple. (Ezekiel 1:4-14) speaks of four; and this number of "living creatures" is mentioned in Revelation 4:6. Those on the ark are called the "cherubim of glory" (Hebrews 9:5), i.e., of the Shechinah, or cloud of glory, for on them the visible glory of God rested. They were placed one at each end of the mercy-seat, with wings stretched upward, and their faces "toward each other and toward the mercy-seat." They were anointed with holy oil, like the ark itself and the other sacred furniture.
Easton, Matthew George. "Entry for Cherub". "Easton's Bible Dictionary".
A close examination of all the scriptures in reference to cherubs will show that one cannot definitely determine what these creatures are, whether spirit beings or fleshly beings. There have been good arguments both ways. However, if we assume that they are spirit beings, we have nothing in the scriptures that would classify in the sense of "angels". The cherubs described on the ark of the covenant had wings. Thus we conclude that the cherubs are winged creatures, whatever shape or form they were. Angels, however, being spirit beings, could not have physical wings, thus if such is used of angels, it would have be a figurative sense. -- Exodus 37:7-9; see also 1 Kings 6:27; 8:6 2 Chronicles 3:11,13; 5:7.
Nevertheless, angels in the Bible never appear with wings nor as females, and never as children. We believe that is highly likely that the cherubs of scripture were confused with the pagan gods and goddesses with wings and thus the images of these winged gods and goddesses came to be referred to angels.
Nevertheless, angels in the Bible never appear with wings nor as females, and never as children. We believe that is highly likely that the cherubs of scripture were confused with the pagan gods and goddesses with wings and thus the images of these winged gods and goddesses came to be referred to angels.
Seraphs (Seraphim, Hebrew) are only mentioned in Isaiah 6:2-7. This, of course, is a vision. Whether it is meant to say that in heaven there is a rank of spirit beings called "seraphs" cannot be determined from the scripture. Nor can we definitely determine from the scripture that these seraphs are considered "angels".
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