Angels

by Billy Graham

Somehow it has always been easier for people to believe in demons than in the brighter side of the unseen world-the world of God's protecting angels. Yet "angels have a much more important place in the Bible than the devil and his demons," says Dr. Billy Graham in this best-selling classic.

With over a million copies sold, "Angels" records the experiences of Dr. Graham and others who are convinced that at moments of special need they have been attended by angels. With keen insight and conviction. Dr. Graham affirms that:

-God's invisible hosts are better organized than any of the armies of man-or Satan.

-Angels "think,feel,will, and display emotions."

-They are "ministering servants" who can appear or remain invisible as they perform the tasks that God assigns them.

-Angels aren't all "sweetness and light"-they are also God's agents of judgement on the disobedient.

-Angels guide,comfort and provide for the people of God in the midst of suffering and persecution.

-At death,the faithful will be ushered by angels into the presence of God.

Here is a ringing assurance to all Christians that through angels God is present for His people, and we can take comfort in the fact that,with the host of them at God's call we are not alone.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Religion, Christianity, Theology, Faith, Angels

208 pages, Hardcover

First published September 24, 1975

About the author

Billy Graham was an American evangelical Christian evangelist and an ordained Southern Baptist minister. Graham is best known for his evangelistic missions or “Crusades.” He believed God knew no borders or nationalities. Throughout his career, Graham preached to millions around the world. He met and prayed with every U. S. president from Dwight Eisenhower to Barack Obama.

Graham authored 34 books, including his memoir, Just As I Am. In 1983, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan. In 1996, Graham and his wife, Ruth, received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award Congress can bestow on a private citizen.

Graham married Wheaton College classmate Ruth Bell Graham in 1943. They had five children ( Ruth Graham, Gigi Graham Tchividjian, Anne Graham Lotz, Nelson, & Franklin Graham) and made their home in the mountains of North Carolina. They were married for 64 years before Ruth’s death in 2007. Graham died from natural causes on February 21, 2018, at his home in Montreat, North Carolina, at the age of 99.

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this book because a friend brought up a discussion on angels. Before reading this text, I thought angels were scary. They were these holy beings that weren't human, and not made in God's image.....so what were they? I always pictured eerie beautiful creatures bringing God's judgment to the fallen world. Part that idea is still true. They are beautiful. They are holy. They are different from man- and thank God for it! Where before I felt weirded out, I now feel protected. Death doesn't hold the same fright and either does the devil.

[Lily]

My goodness, I never knew this book existed! I think I'll love it.

[Davina Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book really helpful in understanding the role of angels. Towards the beginning of the book he looks at how satan tries to rob mankind of the strength and comfort of faith by using "ifs" and "buts" to make us doubt God (i.e Garden of eden). He looks also at how angels are to help people minister the message of the gospel of Christ, but they are not to detract from it. In the middle of the book he talks aboutHebrews 11 where he believes angels helped and protected some people who accomplished amazing things for God but then others suffered and died. He goes as always to the cross of Jesus to explain why. He says "In the sufferings and death of these great saints not physically delivered God had a mysterious plan and was performing His will. Knowing this, they suffered and died by faith". The last few chapters give examples of angels ministering to people but clarifies that no angel can be an evangelist as Jesus died for mankind - we are the only ones who can witness our faith to others. Angels cannot enjoy sonship in Jesus or be joint heirs with Jesus. Lastly he talks about the role of angels in the end times and how angels, heavens spectators watch and support us as they prepare our welcome home. Would definately recommend.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This little book by Billy Graham is a nice primer as to exactly what claims about angels the Bible actually makes. It's a fairly simplistic view, and not particularly deep, but it is well-grounded and extremely readable. However, due to all the references to "Dr. Graham" on the book's back cover, I would have liked his writing style to be a bit more academic. Also, three "altar calls" in a book that runs less than three-hundred pages seems a bit excessive--but, then again, this IS Billy Graham we're talking about.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive but very readable study of the traits and ministry of the supernatural beings called angels.
Without all of the sensational stories, but with deep felt belief in angels, Billy Graham writes a classic work on the subject.

[Rod Horncastle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks Billy, this book really gets the job done. It should almost be called "the simplicity of angels". Not because angels are simple - but because Mr. Graham takes all of the confusion and chaos that popular culture has turned angels into and just shows us what the Bible clearly says.

Billy doesn't talk much about the angels that false religions claim to credit. Now that would of been interesting. This book was printed many many years ago...but i'm surprised that the false Angels of Islam, Mormonism, New Age weren't on Billy's mind decades ago. They are sure on people's minds now. He does mention angels and their moments in the media spotlight though: Hollywood's attempt at theology. Someone has probably written a book on it by now.

But this book will keep everyone on track. Simple and straight from the Bible. I would expect nothing else from Billy Graham.

[Emily Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a thoughtful reminder of how active God is, even in the unseen parts of life. Some sections felt a bit dated but expected from a 50 year book, but the overall message still resonates. Chapters 13 and 14 stood out to me—they offered a meaningful look at why living righteously matters, and reinforced some of the work God is currently doing in my life. I can't begin to express the importance of Christians taking the time to learn more about the spiritual realm.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good basic book on angels. Mr.Graham at heart is an evangelist and the tone of this book is very much aimed at the gospel. While I don't agree with some of what Mr. Graham teaches, it was a decent book.

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so well done. Angels are…such an abstract concept in my mind. This pulled up parts of the Bible to prove what they really are. Highly recommend for other Christians looking for clarification.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives a good explanation of "angels." They are NOT the souls of the departed but beings created by God for purposes not the same as those of humans.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is a good survey of what the Bible says about angels. If you have any questions about who the angels are or how they operate, then you may want to pick up this book.

For me this book was a strong reminder that God's angels exist for God's glory. They serve and protect in order to support God's people and God's plan. And it's humbling to realize we are the "spectacle" for the angels, as Paul shares, because we are the recipients of God's plan of salvation and redemption.

There's a danger in never thinking of angels, and there is a danger in obsessing over angels. So hopefully this book helps readers find that healthy balance. Good read. And as I read I could definitely hear the voice of old-school Billy Graham. He writes like he talks.

[J.B. Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Billy Graham offers great insight into what the Bible says about angels. This is not about one-off stories of miracles or random sightings. It's not even about Graham's personal speculations. It's about the text of the Bible, simple as that (except, of course, that this topic is far from simple...). Graham canvasses the big questions (e.g., do they exist? why? do they really have wings?) without going too deep into a single mystery. It's like an intro class, edifying and uplifting.

(I listened to the audiobook. It was research for my upcoming book. I'm glad to have found an excuse to discover this modern classic.)

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have heard doctors say you cannot remember pain, so it was not a harm to me, but the "pricking" of the heart that listeners of Paul testified upon is real. The intensity of the memory has faded, but I felt wounded by the testimony of a believer. It was as if a sword had struck. Billy Graham often brings me from Bible to memory, telling the reader that the Word is in the World. I usually do not read much from him, but for about a year I read his daily devotionals on my cell phone at work. They were the freshest and most satisfying in that line of reflection. Still, it can never substitute for letting the Word speak personally to the reader.

[Rhonda Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Billy Graham has a way of talking about the Bible and spiritual issues in a way that anyone can understand. He draws conclusions about Angels from scripture. He applies these conclusions and examples of Angles in the Bible to our lives today.

[Read-n-Bloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this little book written on angels by Billy Graham. I liked how he used the bible only to explain and reference from. If you are interested in angels and their role in our lives and this world, read this book. I really liked it and believe you will as well.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many people have questions about angels. I am one of them. There is a misconception that angels are all light and fluffy, flying around aimlessly. This excellent little book by renowned evangelist and one of the most prominent individuals the world has ever seen – Billy Graham - dispels many of these myths. The little 130 page book (full of great stories and illustrations) reinforces the concept of guardianship when Graham quotes from Psalm 91 verse 11: 'He will give his angels charge of you, to guard you in all your ways'. Reassuring. Graham quite sensibly reminds us not to place our faith directly in angels – but in God who rules the angels. He tells us that God has previously used angels in bringing judgement and will do so again in the future. The book also has a lot to say about Satan and his fallen angels. Yes, it is sounding very ‘spiritual’ but that’s what these invisible forces are. The author acknowledges that the angels, both good and bad, have a greater influence on us and the world than we are generally aware. Billy Graham tells us towards the end of this small book that someday we all will have to give an account of our time on earth and at that time our final destiny will be determined by whether we have received or rejected Jesus. And as we stand before Jesus to be judged who will be with him? Angels!

[Bill Wyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

My copy of this book came from my family. It was given to my mother from one of her sisters back in 1976. It has only taken me 41 years to pick it up and read it. Like much for the Christian, it is a life of faith. We believe in things and truths that are unseen; yet real. The topic of angels is no different. For me, I found this book a easy read and a good introduction into the subject of angels. I'm reminded that we are never to worship angels. Graham's book covers all the basics that one might need to know. He gives good Scriptural text to lead the reader into a more thorough study if they wish.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is both excellent in parts and questionable in parts with some of Graham's doctrine. Overall I am glad to have read this. On the one hand, all of the scripture passages are review for me since I've read the Bible many times, but on the other there are times he got me rethinking angels and how muc I have neglected to be thankful for how God has sent them to minister for us. Overall, it's a introduction to angels, and while it written for anyone to understand, that doesn't mean that it lacks depth.

[Tiffani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely should be on everyone's reading list. Such beautiful, theological insight into these warriors God uses to keep charge over His children, to carry out His commands and remain the perfect examples of pure and perfect worship of Him. I love Mr. Graham's simple yet sound explanations, and his passion for the gospel.

[Caleb Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there is one thing that is apparent through this book, it’s that Billy Graham loved the Lord. You can tell by every single paragraph. A lot of this content I have never spend much time thinking about so it has been nice to spend more time on that. Some of my favorite parts were the stories told about God sending His angels to protect His people.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this sometime ago. Was thinking about the book today and wanted to remember I read it and enjoyed it. This book about Angels is not about the Cherubs that fly with bow and arrow. Its real angels that can impact your life.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot about this great man's view of angels and how they are with us in our daily life. He discussed how angels will help us in death, and now he knows if he was right! Fascinating subject.

[Jonathan Wortman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Read! The writer interacted with every Scriptural reference to Angels and Heavenly beings in a way that was thorough but concise. I enjoyed this read a ton!

[Susan Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading anything by Billy Graham is I think a good use of time. Informative with Bible verses to back it up. It really opened my eyes to realize that angels do exist . I think many times when reading the Bible I tend to gloss over them , but they’re real and important part of our lives. I don’t think we will fully know how often they played a part in our lives until we get to heaven.

[Matthew C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

While some sections are very typical Baptist expositions on eschatology and dispensationalism, the stories he shares of probable angelic encounters and end-of-life visions of angels were very profitable to read.

[Charles Wagner · Rating 1 out of 5]

Angelology: The orderly statement of biblical truth about angels. (Billy Graham.)

There are nineteen million major religions and this is one of them. Heck! Every knucklehead in the world has his own religion.

Angels, says the author watch over us, defend us, direct us, and ensure no evil befalls us, execute judgments, and even intervene in the affairs of nations. (p.5). This must explain why the world is in such a swell condition.

Satan’s busy demons are also hard at work, says Graham.

Guess what! Flying saucers might be representations of God’s angelic hosts!!

Never having actually seen an angel, the author says they are real nonetheless because the Bible says they are real. You can’t argue with that… at least not at Bob Evans. (pp. 14-15.)

And, the Bible mentions angels 300 times.

According to the author’s angelology, angels do not marry or reproduce and can move back and forth between heaven and earth instantaneously and exist in the millions, constantly intervening in Satan’s activities.

Some say we, at least Christians, have our own guardian angel. They are visible or not, are messengers of God and serve God as ministering spirits.


But, for some reason a third of the angels fell in with (p.40) Satan and will get what is coming to them at the End of Time, which indicates about 33% of the angel product was created defective.

It seems that sometime after the creation of the world and before the tempting of Adam and Eve, Satan rebelled because he coveted God’s arena and everything has been a perpetual battlefield between the good and bad angels since then, reminding me of the current “Star Wars” cartoons in which everyone is whacking everybody else.

Thus, all the bad stuff of the universe can be directly attributed to the boss of the fallen angels… which the other two thirds of the angels were unable to repair.


Billy Graham has been advisor to the Presidents and the U.S. war machine since President Eisenhower when he attempted to subert America into a theocracy under his own protestant theology. He succeeded in inserting the words “one nation under God” into the Pledge of Allegiance. By “God,” Graham meant his on evangelical protestant God.

Now, perhaps the bad stuff that happens may be attributed to the angelic hosts (pp. 136-137) that require war, lots of poverty, pestilence, and bad times reminiscent of zombie movies before the Second Coming. Thus, using this reasoning, if everything came up roses, there would be no Second Coming, ever...

Perhaps this is convoluted reasoning on my part, but, is it possible we might be encouraged to make bad political and economic choices merely to expedite the game. Until then, do not have your palm read or play with the Ouija board...

The “modern” angelic occurrences are not documented and are thus similar to urban legends or Internet revelations. Biblical references abound, however.

Not content with the non-theocratic government of our nation, the Billy Graham organization, now under the leadership of son Franklin Graham, is touring all fifty states asking individuals to confess their sins, and call on Him to heal our land. At each stop, Franklin plans to pray fervently, organize local prayer teams, and live out their faith at home, in public, and at the ballot box!! All this with a tax-exempt number…

Supposedly in 2010, Christianity and all its major and minor subgroups was considered to be the religion of approximately one third of the world’s population.

There may be 18 other major religions on earth, which could then be subdivided into 270 large or smaller ones. Each considers its group to be the one and correct religion. Each has its own rituals, beliefs, and mythology. This has been one of them.

Pareidolia is a tendency to interpret a vague stimulus as something known to the observer such as seeing faces in clouds or inanimate objects or hearing messages in music, maybe even believing myths from old documents.... After all, Virtue sees angels in Angels 101 in feathers.
In must be true... or not.

Doubleday, 1975

[F.C. Etier · Rating 5 out of 5]

A celebrated Philadelphia neurologist is summoned and led to the bedside of a woman suffering from pneumonia -- by a child that appeared normal to him, but had, in fact, been dead for a month.

A missionary in the New Hebrides Islands and his wife are protected from the imminent attack of natives by hundreds of men armed with swords -- visible only to the attackers.

Could these have been angels? “Some Christian writers have speculated that UFOs could very well be a part of God’s angelic host..” says evangelist/author Billy Graham in his 1975 book, Angels: God’s Secret Agents. Supporters of this line of thinking point to Biblical references in Isaiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah and Revelations. Whether the King James Version or any of the other popular translations, the Holy Bible tells of sightings that would certainly attract the attention of Scully and Mulder, not to mention the “Cigarette Smoking Man”.

Reverend Graham recounts the story of how he had begun research for a sermon on angels and found (in 1975) that “very little had been written on the subject in this century.” Inspired by the lack of more current information, Graham wrote Angels: God’s Secret Agents. Perhaps the then-current popular interest in spy movies (James Bond et al) influenced Graham’s choice of wording in the title. While active Christians and Bible scholars would probably concede that popular interest in angels might relegate them to some lesser degree of awareness, the existence of angels is well known. According to Billy Graham, angels are mentioned over three hundred times in the Bible.

In fact, Graham’s primary resource is the Bible. Quotes and opinions are offered from over a dozen other books and authors including Dante, Shakespeare, Leslie Miller, Mather, C. S. Lewis and Havner. Unfortunately, this 1975 edition has neither an index nor bibliography. It would, however, be difficult even in the 21st century, to find a more thorough book on the subject. Graham addresses the reality of angels, compares them and their place in the order of things with man and God, explains their organization, rank, and duties and of course their roles in the end-times.

Numerous examples from both the Old and New Testaments document the ministry of angels, their efforts to protect and deliver believers, their mission in prophecy, in death, and in our lives today. In addition to an entire chapter on Lucifer, the fallen angel (one of only three angels mentioned in the Bible by name), frequent references and comparisons are made to Satan and his followers. Non-Christians that do believe in some version of an after-life and the existence of spirits will appreciate and perhaps be able to identify with many of the stories related here. This reviewer doubts that atheists would have much interest in this book unless they might be considering converting. Graham asks many thought-provoking questions, provides some answers of his own, and offers a solution to the age old question,“Why do bad things happen to good people.”

A glaring omission in Angels: God’s Secret Agents is the fate of humans who die as children. Jesus (whom Graham says may in fact be “the angel of the Lord”) certainly had a devoted love of children. A reassuring lyric in a popular song from Sunday school goes, “Little ones to him belong…” and supports the belief of many that the little ones ascend at death immediately to angelic roles.

The copy used for this review came from my mother who purchased it in June of 1976, barely a year after publication and yet the book jacket boasts of “Over One Million Copies in Print.” Obviously there was a market for angels then and the content holds up well after over thirty-five years. Did Reverend Graham’s interest in angels inspire other writers to pursue the subject as well? Spiritwritings.com now lists over sixty books published since 1975 on the subject of angels and with the popularity of vampires and extraterrestrials, there seems to be no shortage of interest in the paranormal.

[Darrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb. Billy Graham, as you know, was the premiere minister to the world throughout the twentieth century - - and spilling over into the twenty-first. But I have to admit that I had underestimated him. I believed that the path to salvation was his singular message - one that needs to be told time and time again. Nevertheless, this book is a much more scholarly piece than I had originally believed it to be. How could I have been so wrong? In addition to that, it is a comforting book. I realize that this sounds kooky but this book puts the reader in a state of peace - - but it does so on an intellectual basis by providing passage after passage from God's Word to document his argument. This is nothing like merely a Christian version of giving someone a crystal or a charm just to brighten their day; this has Biblical relevance in which the reader may focus and look up. I indeed underestimated Billy Graham as an author with a challenging invitation to go deep and I will not make that mistake again. I look forward to reading more from him. This book is a treasure chest of rich ideas.

[Christopher Lewis Kozoriz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Millions of angels are at God's command and at our service. The hosts of heaven stand at attention as we make our way from earth to glory, and Satan's BB guns are no match for God's heavy artillery. So don't be afraid. God is for you. He has committed His angels to wage war in this conflict of the ages - and they will win the victory. ~ Billy Graham

If you want know more about the ministry of angels, then this is the book. Many illuminating stories and bible passages are presented to help us gain an understanding of God's plan for angels and the role angels play in our lives as Christians and as unbelievers.

God's angels are watching over you and I, and in the end shall destroy the Devil and his angels in the Lake of Fire.

[Anne Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all I have to say that I love Billy Graham and everything he writes just makes so much sense to me.

This was my first book about Angels and I truly loved it and I took my time reading each chapter and I have learned so much about this book and Angels. Billy Graham taught me how to pray for God's angels to protect me and my loved ones and that is something I never knew to do until I read this book. I think this books is a must for anyone that wants to grow in their walk with God.

This book will stay on my bookshelf for years to come and I will re-read it many times to remind me that I do have Angels watching over me at all times.