Question:
So I was wondering, you know how you always see pictures of angels with wings? I want to know if the Bible says any thing about angels having wings.
Answer:
Thank you for your question. There is certainly a lot of mystery when it comes to angels and this is a good question. I am no “angel expert,” but I will do my best to offer you what I know off the top of my head.
There are several places throughout the Bible that mention angels, and angels in many forms. We read of angels in the Old Testament (OT) and in the New Testament (NT). Probably more familiar to us are the stories of angels appearing during the most widely celebrated Christian holidays - Christmas and Easter. However, in the NT what we learn about angels is very limited other than that they act as messengers of God referred to as “an angel of the Lord.” Only during the resurrection passages of the NT in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke do we get a little glimpse of what an angel of the Lord may look like. For example, Matthew 28:2-3 says, “There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.” This does not make any mention of wings.
Considering only the description of the appearance of an angel, the OT really offers us the best information. Throughout the OT, angels are often described as “Cherubim” and “Seraphim.” Actually, Cherubim and Seraphim are not technically “angels.” Rather, they are more a representation of characteristics of God. What? Cher…a…who, and Ser…a…who? I know, let me explain just a little bit.
Actually, the Bible does not call Cherubim and Seraphim angels. The word “angel” actually means “messenger” (hence, “an angel of the Lord”). “Cherubim” means “ones who hold fast” and “Seraphim” means “fiery ones.” The reason they are often referred to as angels is because they all appear to be spiritual beings.
Here are a few references in the Bible that depict an image of the three different images (angel, cherubim, seraphim):
Angels (Luke 24:4; Daniel 3:24-25; 10:5-6)
Cherubim (Ezekiel 1:13)
Seraphim (Isaiah 6:2, 6)
So, while there is no mention of angels described specifically as angels with wings, Cherubim and Seraphim, often equated as angelic beings, are certainly described as having wings (Exodus 25:18-20; Ezekiel 10; Isaiah 6).
I hope this helps you a little bit and at least gets you doing a little research about this. What I have learned about the differences between angels, cherubim, and seraphim is that they all have to do with the way God has communicated, protected, guided, and loved people in the past.
The best news ever is that God still does this. We are so blessed to serve an amazing God. God’s mystery, questions like this that you’ve asked here, are my motivation to learn more and more about this God I serve and love.