Angels: What the Bible Really Says About God’s Heavenly Host

by Michael S. Heiser

What does the Bible really tell us about the heavenly host?Everyone knows that angels have wings, usually carry harps, and that each of us has our own personal guardian angel, right? We all have some preconceptions about angels from movies, television shows, and other media, but you might be surprised to know that a lot of those notions aren't based on anything from the Bible. If you read Luke 1:26–38 and imagine the angel Gabriel standing before Mary with neatly folded white wings, you're not getting that picture from anything the Bible itself says. What the Bible really says about angels is overlooked or filtered through popular myths. This book was written to help change that. It's a book about the loyal members of God's heavenly host, and while most people associate them with the word "angel," that's just one of many terms the Bible uses for supernatural beings. In The Unseen Realm Michael Heiser opened the eyes of thousands to seeing the Bible through the supernatural worldview of the ancient world it was written in. In his latest book, Angels, Dr. Heiser reveals what the Bible really says about God's supernatural servants. Heiser focuses on loyal, holy heavenly beings because the Bible has a lot more to say about them than most people suspect. Most people presume all there is to know about angels is what has been passed on in Christian tradition, but in reality, that tradition is quite incomplete and often inaccurate.Angels is not guided by traditions, stories, speculations, or myths about angels. Heiser's study is grounded in the terms the Bible itself uses to describe members of God's heavenly host; he examines the terms in their biblical context while drawing on insights from the wider context of the ancient Near Eastern world. The Bible's view on heavenly beings begins with Old Testament terms but then moves into literature from the Second Temple period—Jewish writings from around the fifth century BC to the first century AD. This literature from the time between the Old Testament and the New Testament influenced the New Testament writers in significant ways. With that important background established, the book focuses on what the New Testament tells us about God's holy ones. Finally, the book reflects on common misconceptions about angels and addresses why the topic is still important and relevant for Christians today.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Biblical Studies, Religion, Christianity, Nonfiction, Faith

402 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 19, 2018

About the author

Mike Heiser is a scholar in the fields of biblical studies and the ancient Near East. He is the Academic Editor of Logos Bible Software. Mike earned the M.A. and Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible and Semitic Languages at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2004. He has also earned an M.A. in Ancient History from the University of Pennsylvania (major fields: Ancient Israel and Egyptology). His main research interests are Israelite religion (especially Israel’s divine council), biblical theology, ancient Near Eastern religion, biblical & ancient Semitic languages, and ancient Jewish binitarian monotheism.

Mike blogs about biblical studies at The Naked Bible, and fringe beliefs about the ancient world at PaleoBabble. He offers courses to the public in Old Testament, biblical theology, Israelite religion, ancient languages, the Book of Enoch through his online institute, MEMRA.

Mike's other academic interests include the paranormal and the occult. His UFO Religions blog discusses how the pop cultural belief in aliens shape religious worldviews. Mike has been a frequent guest on a number of radio programs such as Coast to Coast AM. He is best known for his critique of the ancient astronaut theories of Zecharia Sitchin and his paranormal thriller, The Facade, which intertwines many of his interests.

Reviews

[India M. Clamp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angels have been objects of fascination for centuries. One thing we may remember is that Angels do not have creaturely or human attributes. In one passage, the wind (Ruach) was in their wings. This is one of the most profound books answering questions on hierarchy and the heavenly council. The ability to discern as to the workings of spirits in our world. Not a light read nor it is a text you want to speed through. According to Heiser, angels are immortal beings acting on behalf of the divine.

"Are they not spirits engaged in special service, sent on assignment for the sake of those who are going to inherit salvation?" Hebrews 1:14
---Michael S. Heiser, Ph.D.

Heiser instructs us that humanity is under the curse because of Eden. God helps the offspring of Abraham. The focus on redemptive work is with humans (not angels). Angels are ministering spirits sent to those who will inherit salvation. In the end it will be human sharing authority with Christ---collaborating together. The "geschenk/מתנה/هدية مجانية" here is, "I will give him the morning star. " Morning stars were singing together and Heiser cites their language to be messianic. Scholarly.

[DeAnna · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Angels✨

I feel like I must first disclose that this review can’t possibly do this book justice. I’ll just say right off the bat I highly recommend it if you’re interested in furthering your understanding of Scripture(specifically that pertaining to angels).

Heiser’s book The Unseen Realm is referenced a lot in Angels. Though you can definitely read this one without having read The Unseen Realm, I found it very helpful to have had an understanding of the spiritual realm before reading this book and that’s exactly what The Unseen Realm covers.

Now, I’ll try to share some key points Heiser covers here(all supported and referenced by Scripture):

• angels are referred to as spirits, heavenly ones, stars, holy ones and divine beings.

• angels function within a hierarchy with God(Yahweh) as the head of this divine council.

• angels have historically delivered messages to humans, ministered to humans, watched over humans, functioned as hosts in heaven and have been mediators to help humans understand God’s activity.

• angels have a beginning, they are created by God but, unlike humans, are immortal. Their immortality is contingent upon God’s will.

• angels do not have wings and generally look like humans. They are often confused with cherubim and seraphim, who are spiritual beings but not angels.

• angels have free will and are capable of rejecting God like humans

• angels are not omniscient; “angels are cast as curious observers of God’s plan for salvation, not privy to all its details.”

These are just a small collection of interesting facts derived directly from Scripture in this book. I could’ve spent a lot more than a week digging into this and I’d actually recommend taking it slow and keeping your Bible open while you read this, you’ll be going back and forth as Scripture is referenced throughout.

I’ll leave you with my favorite quote in the book:

“Jesus calls believers his siblings in the midst of the assembly[of angels]. Because of his incarnation, work on the cross, resurrection and ascension, Jesus brings human believers into the divine family, and the supernatural sons of God of the heavenly host rejoice.”

5/5 ⭐️

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Dr Heiser's long-awaited text on angels.  It's not what you think, though.  Heiser is notorious for taking the Bible's thought patterns seriously.  Yet, this book doesn't deal with the Nephilim.  He's saving that for his book on demons.  Much of the book reads like what you would find in mature systematics texts.  Bavinck would be the closest (the early 20th Century Dutch Calvinists were probably the most perceptive of the Reformed world concerning the spiritual realm).  Heiser expands with an awe-inspiring bibliography.

The Ontological Structure of Angels

Heiser examines the terms that describe the nature, status, and function of angels.  Per nature, they are ruach.  This is fairly uncontroversial, though we moderns tend to import Cartesian concepts of spirit.

Further, they are heavenly ones (shamayim).  There is some overlap here with stars in the sky.  Yet in Job 15:15 the holy ones are equated with the shamayim.  It’s important to note in this context that holiness has to do with proximity to and association with the presence of God (loc. 437).

We know there is a hierarchy of angels because at least one is called Prince (sar), and not every angel, obviously, is the sar (Dan. 10:21, 12:1).

Heiser points out that cherubim is never qualified with the term mal’ak, so strictly speaking they aren’t angels (loc. 737).  That makes sense if you think about it. Why would a guardian of God’s throne be an errand boy? Also, the fiery (flying?) snakes that bite people in Numbers 21 are called sarap (seraphim).

The Heavenly Host in the NT

Argument: there is a continuity from OT to Intertestamental to NT on the topic of angels (loc. 2357). The NT roots its angelogogy in the OT but with less variety.  While the NT doesn’t really use concepts like beney-ha elohim in the sense of the Divine Council, Paul does use geographical terms to describe dark powers (archon, archonton, arche, exousia, dynamis, thronos, kosmokrator).  All of this is in line with the Deuteronomy 32 worldview.

The heavenly hosts, what we popularly call “angels” is described as spirits (Heb. 1:14), glorious ones (2 Pet. 2:10; Jude 8), lights (James 1:17), heavenly ones (1 Cor. 15:48), holy ones (Jude 14) (loc. 2403).

The NT does use a term the OT doesn’t: archangel (1 Thess. 4:16, Jude 9)

Excursus on Moses (Loc. 2436). Moses was buried in the area that includes both Oboth and Abarim.  These locations are associated with underworld and cults of the dead. The Valley of Oberim in Dt 34:6 could in fact be the oberim of Ezek. 39:11 (cf Stronk’s article).  This might shed some light on Jude 9. Michael is Israel’s Guardian Prince who would certainly want to claim Moses.

Special Topics in NT Angelology

Angels of Revelation 1-3.  Each church is addressed with second person singular pronouns (loc. 2797).

Can Fallen Angels be redeemed?

The obvious answer is “no,” yet Revelation 1-3, addressed to the “angel” of the church, gives commands to repent.  It’s an interesting line, but not strong enough. The argument from Col. 1:19-20 is much stronger. Are “angels” included in “all things?”  But is “reconciliation” limited to “forgiveness of sins?” Heiser doesn’t think so. It’s multifaceted. Christ is reconciling creation, yet creation didn’t sin.

Myths and Questions

Can angels be winged women?  Rather, do they have wings and can they appear as women?  The answer is no. Zech 5 is the closest passage, but all it says is that two winged women appeared.  It never calls them angels. It does however address a malak distinct from them and the malak uses the masculine yomer (he said) rather than the feminine tomer (she said).

Things to Think About

Where does the Bible say that angels no longer have the ability to fall?  Granted, I don’t think they will, given the fate of the divine rebels.

Who is “the man” in Daniel 10:4-6; 9-21?  He isn’t Gabriel. He isn’t Michael, since he refers to Michael.

Given that angels don’t need to eat in heaven, can angels eat?  What were they doing with Abraham? Can angels physically interact with man?  What did the angel to do Peter in prison?

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid! A great resource for "sticking to the facts." While Heiser ultimately lands on what the canonical material states about angels (and other heavenly creatures), he does offer up 2nd Temple literature to explain how some of the biblical material can be understood. He does separate the wheat from the chaff--showing where NT material differs from 2nd Temple fantasies.

I look forward to his upcoming companion volume on demons.

[Joey Peacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed and illuminating. If you have read his book, The Unseen Realm, much of this will seem familiar. I was looking for thoughts on specific interactions with angels in the NT, and was disappointed.

[Spencer R · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my full review at Spoiledmilks (1/3/19)
Yes, we need another book on angels, one centered on the biblical text by someone who studies the entire Bible, knows the biblical languages, and understands how ideas of spiritual beings have changed from the Old Testament to the New.

Introduction
In the introduction, Heiser poses a question: why would we need to know this information? Why bother? Heiser answers, saying, “A life well lived extends from wisdom. Biblical wisdom involves not only practical, principled, decision-making skills but eternal perspective. Eternal perspective requires understanding what makes God tick. That’s only discoverable with a firm grasp of who God is, what he’s done, why he’s done it, what else he intends to do, and why he doesn’t want to do it alone” (xiv-xv).
He continues, “God’s supernatural family is a theological template for understanding God’s relationship to his human family of believers—and our greater importance compared to them. Learning what the Bible says about angels ultimately is tied to thinking well about how God thinks about us” (xv).

God’s heavenly host (or here, “angels,” because it’s easier) image him through representation. God’s human family also image him by representing him. Heiser says, “We image God by doing what he would do, when he would do it, and with the motivation he would have for doing it” (xvi). God wants to reside with his human family, and so Jesus, in order to save us so that we could be in his presence, “was made lower than the angels” in order to help “the offspring of Abraham” (Hebrews 2:9, 16). Christians are God’s children who will judge angels (1 Cor 6:3) and who will rule the nations (Rev 3:21). “Knowledge of God’s heavenly host helps us to think more clearly about our status, our purpose, and our destiny” (xiv).

Recommended?
Certainly, there is some overlap with Heiser’s The Unseen Realm, but there is much that is new here. There is little to complain about, only that I wish it were longer.

I should warn some of you that this is an academic book. Footnotes and block quotes are numerous throughout the book. Should that be off-putting to anyone wanting to learn more about angels? I sure hope not. We live in an age where guys like Bill Maher associate Christianity with anti-intellectualism. Clearly, he has never picked up a commentary or read a dissertation by Christians. There is much more going on in the Bible with spiritual beings than we realize, and most books will either be too difficult to understand or they will teach you nothing about the Bible (so a waste of time). While two chapters probably won’t interesting to many laypeople (i.e., those on the intertestamental period—though academics should look there), the rest of the book is great and fills a gap for both the layperson and the academic. Looking for his upcoming book on demons.

I received this book from Lexham Press with no requirement for a positive review.

[Jonathan Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heiser is a mixed bag for me. Some of his stuff is brilliant and some is just meh. He puts so much stock into extra-biblical sources and then places it on the biblical sources that I struggle. Probably because I have my own ideas that I bring to the text. So I need to work through that. A lot of this was terribly academic which at times made it almost unreadable. But the last chapter was worth the whole book price. Though on one or two of the misconceptions he never explained what the solution was just that it was a misconception. Weird.

[Simon Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this work Heiser continues to explore the supernatural world elucidated in the Christian Scriptures. His unpacking of original language terms fills in so many blanks for me, and helps to make sense of a number of curious passages.

[David Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Michael Heiser is a Christian and an expert in the languages and cultures of the ancient Middle East. A paragraph toward the end summarizes well his goal with this book:

"English translations fail to preserve nuances important in angelology, and popular studies depend on those translations. Little attention is paid to the wider ancient contexts of the biblical material, such as the ancient Near East and the Second Temple period."

Those deficiencies are exactly what he intends to remedy with this heavily-footnoted, academic work. This book continues several themes he regularly emphasizes in his writings:

One, the book could be seen as a sort of sequel to his book "Unseen Realm", in which he says "hey, all this supernatural-seeming stuff you read in the Bible that we tend to take as analogy or metaphor - the writers actually meant it literally, let's recover their supernatural worldview". In this book, obviously, the especial focus is on angels.

Two, Heiser is very much a "get back to the original text and grammar" kind of guy. He would probably call this an exaggeration (and perhaps it is), but he is anti-tradition to a fault (really, to a fault sometimes, I think) - traditions just make it difficult for you to see what the text actually says. On that note, the description of angels you will find in this book is richer than the usual Christian understanding, which essentially goes "angels good guys, demons bad guys". Heiser would say - there are many spiritual beings, and words like "angel", "cherubim", "seraphim", etc., are job descriptions, and there is much information to be found in the Old Testament that is somewhat neglected by Christians who focus much more on the New. In fact he probably would have preferred to name the book "Entities of the Heavenly Realm" or something but, sales would be less.

Third, and what will make some readers most uncomfortable, is that Heiser has no problem bringing in Second Temple literature and also literature from other cultures that he believes influenced the ancient Hebrews. And I am actually unsatisfied with... questions he raises that he never really addresses to my satisfaction. "What is up with that weird story in Jude about Michael contending with Satan for the body of Moses?" "Well, it could be reaching back to a Second Temple tradition, which the New Testament authors probably knew, which itself might reach back to this belief a lot of the ancient cultures in the region had that the particular piece of geography where Moses was buried was sort of the realm of the dead." OK but... the New Testament is inerrant, all that other stuff isn't, so should it bother us that you're suggesting the writer is pulling information from non-inspired sources? Is that piece of geography *actually* the realm of dead (I think Heiser would say "no")? If it isn't, should that trouble us in some way regarding the NT's inerrancy? (These questions don't seem to bother Heiser at all, but I do wish he addressed them head-on.)

So, an interesting book to read, though I would read it with care and skepticism (though I say that for all books). Aside from the concerns I raised above, I also think Heiser is sometimes overly confident about his own interpretation of a passage - read with skepticism, as I said. Organization of the book is mainly chronological, looking at Old Testament descriptions of the "heavenly host", then Second Temple angelology, then the New Testament. The book ends with what is essentially an "FAQ about angels" which some readers will find especially interesting.

[Jake Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book on the study of “the good guys” as Heiser calls them. Mainly a lot of word studies that were super helpful for capturing the worldview of the biblical authors! Was kind of dry so I would not recommend if you haven’t read Heisers other work.

[Christopher Desruisseau · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very scholarly treatise on angelology. Liked the word studies.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am giving this 4-stars: 3.5 for how in-depth and interesting it was, and bumping it up to 4 because of the bibliography.

It is an interesting book. I would say it is more "academic" than it is "reader-friendly". It is easy to read; it is just that it is very dry in places and took me a bit to get through those parts of it. Overall, though, it was a fascinating read and held my attention from start to finish.

It is funny - on the online and videos the author likes to claim that his "dirty little secret" is that he likes to take the work of others and quote them extensively in his book(s). I felt like he quoted himself the most in this book, hahahah. His bibliography would suggest otherwise, but that is still how it felt. And, to be honest and fair, I read the book out of curiosity to see what he had to say about angels. It did not change my beliefs as a Christian.

I do think his premise is interesting, though - that we can get a better understanding of what is both depicted and described in the Old and New Testaments by looking at what other nations believed around that time because of the similar imagery that is used; that imagery would have been used to help those living during that time better understand what the writer was saying about the excellence of Yahweh and how far above other gods and beings Yahweh is. That makes sense to me, to consider what else was being written about and said of other spiritual beings during that time to better understand biblical writers, but also realizing that Yahweh is the One True God, far above other gods.

Heiser continues with his belief in the Divine Council as described in Unseen Realm, and I think that book and this one dovetail nicely together. Granted, I would say it is of greater benefit to have read Unseen Realm because of how much he references it in this book.

I did not know what to expect going into this book when I started reading it. So I guess I was not disappointed when I finished it, hahahah. It is actually pretty short - the content is only 177 pages, and it has additional pages for the bibliography. I don't think I would have minded if it was a bit longer, but I am glad it was not any shorter.

One thing that really stood out to me was that I wish I could read the passages in the original languages in which they were written. The English language so waters down the meaning behind the original text. He shows various passages where the words and verbs are plural in nature in the original language but is translated in a singular format into English. I think that is significant because the meanings or understanding of references can completely change if you are aware that what is being said is actually being said to a group of individuals and not just a single person or entity. That was a little mind-blowing to me because I did not realize the extant that translating into one's "common vernacular" can change not only what is being said but the understanding or context behind it.

Overall, it was a good book. It was "thick and meaty" in terms of its content, and it took me a while to finish it because of how much I had to absorb (and I reread some portions a couple of times to try and understand the author's point). I also read it when I had some spare time (which was not often). I am glad that I picked it up to read; it was worth the time it took to read it.

[Barry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought Heiser’s “Unseen Realm” was fascinating and illuminating. This one was kind of dry, and a little dull. I wouldn’t dispute any of his conclusions, but I’m not sure that knowing this stuff really matters much to me.

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far, this is the most scholarship analysis on angelology based on the Bible and its context.

[Pamela Aidan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is NOT another one of THOSE books! You know, the ones that indulge in fantastic speculation, claims of personal relationships, and exotica with nothing of substance to provide a foundation. This book on angels is Scholarship, not New Age mysticism. The god who is the ground of this study is God Almighty, YAWEH of the Bible, the Trinitarian Father. So, if you want to know about the actual supernatural beings in the Bible who are loyal to that God, this is the book for you! I have to say that it is a bit dry and the footnotes are enormous, but you want what's as close to the truth as is verifiable, right? And I need to warn you that you will be disabused of much of what you thought you knew, but-again-the truth, right? If you haven't read Heiser's longer tome, The Unseen Realm, which goes into even more depth, I highly recommend that as well.

[Alan Fuller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heiser does a survey of terminology in the biblical text and the Second Temple period to understand what the Bible says about angels. He believes that the purpose of man is to subdue the earth (Gen 1:28). This is an idea similar to millenarianism.

"God graciously allows us to participate with him in fulfilling his kingdom plan on earth, yet he is sovereign." (Kindle Location 1275)

The author denies that the winged cherubim and seraphim are angels because angels don't have wings. Women don't have wings either, but we see them in Zechariah 5:9. Angels are messengers. Heiser would agree that the four seal beasts in Revelation are cherubim, but apparently, deny that the horsemen are messages of any sort. Angels that are seen ascending or descending aren't necessarily flying, according to Heiser. It could be a process like Captain Kirk beaming aboard the Enterprise. However, the reason for wings in Revelation is to fly (Rev 12:14). Birds and angels fly in Revelation (Rev 4:7, 8:13, 14:16, 19:17). If we're allowed to think logically:

A. Angels fly (8:16, 14:6)
B. Flying is a process that requires wings (12:14)
C. Angels have wings

[JonM · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for a wide variety of reasons. First, it is concise in its coverage. Heiser’s magnum opus, the Unseen Realm, was far from it, and at points awkwardly so. This book, however, is direct and helpful. It rarely veers off into any bizarre doctrinal directions or utilizes Heiser’s own impressionable colloquialisms to drive home a point. (For those who listen to his Naked Bible podcast, let the reader understand.)

It is also, thankfully, not merely a regurgitation or condensation of angelology presented in the Unseen Realm. It actually expands upon it in many ways, leaving the reader aware that for further exploration into an area here or there (left outside the concise topic of this book) they could consult other works of his (Heiser’s) if desired. I especially appreciated how much material is included from his Doctoral Dissertation (which is another manuscript I highly recommend). That is very evident in the chapter focused on interpretations within second temple Judaism.

Other highlights include:
Hierarchical terminological distinctions.
Elucidation of OT & second temple conceptions of Divine & angelic embodiment.
A wide variety of second temple literary citations, including interaction with the Animal Apocalypse.
A detailed defense of angelic “functions”.

As always with Heiser, i can only muster up enough enthusiasm to give four stars at best. That is because my main disappointment with Heiser remains woven throughout every book like an ugly misaligned thread in a beautiful tapestry. Because it took me many years (long ago) to finally concede and submit to the self-evident claims of Scripture about fulfilled eschatology, I try to be gracious toward all who—for a wide variety of reasons—might not concede with me. With that said, the ugly thread that Heiser weaves is his expression of *fulfilled* eschatology (or, I should say, already-but-not-yet-fulfilled eschatology). I find his contribution of the topic into such studies to be traditional at best and facepalmingly underwhelming at worst. Oh, how illuminating our studies of scripture, second temple Judaism, and early Christianity would be (!!!) if fulfilled eschatology (ie Preterism) was researched carefully and incorporated into our historical and hermeneutical paradigms. Such, however, should not deter the average joe from studying this latest book from heiser. It is enjoyable and helpful, worthy of four stars.

[Cameron Conway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary:
Michael Heiser continues his work from “The Unseen Realm” and greatly expands his understanding of what Angels (or better understood as “good” or benevolent spiritual beings) are and how the contemporary Christian is to understand them. This is not a foray into fat Medieval cherubs floating with bows and harps but a deep dive into the biblical and intertestamental understandings of these terrifying spiritual beings. Heiser continues in his welcome stubbornness that Christians shouldn’t be afraid of their Bibles but need to have a clear understanding of what it actually says, despite what pastor X or artist Y may postulate. Chapter 8 “Myths and Questions About Angels” is worth the price of the book alone as it quickly tears down many false assumptions assigned to angels by well meaning (but scripturally ignorant) people in the church, and beyond. Heiser also further develops his ideas about the Divine Council Worldview found in the OT and intertestamental Judaism and uses that framework to present angels as having a purpose greater than just being a celestial choir.

Personal Thoughts:
I appreciated Heiser’s work in this book and the way it was distilled from other highly academic works (check out the bibliography!) and presents angels in a no nonsense sort of way which clearly articulates what they are. The book ties in well with his other works The Unseen Realm and Reversing Hermon and anyone looking to read this book should at least read The Unseen Realm first. Personally coming from a more Pentecostal background there have been several times when people have said things about angels that couldn’t’ be found in the Bible and I would normally get a weird look for pointing it out. So it was refreshing to see this book and the way Heiser addressed these issues which don’t reject the existence or purpose of angels like some writers but instead lays out a clear grid to understand them with. So next time someone tries to tell you about an angel named Emma or something else weird like that give them a copy of this book.

Key Takeaway:
Angels, aka “The Unseen Realm, expansion pack #1” shines an accurate light on the nature, purpose and roles of these lesser spiritual beings as being less cute and fluffy more buff and scary.

[Bill Hooten · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the first paragraph of Chapter 8, "Myths and Questions about Angels," Dr. Heiser makes this statement: "Angels have been objects of fascination for Christians for centuries. It should be no surprise, then, that a good number of speculative myths have arisen about them. This is partly because most people interested in angels do not have access to the primary sources and ancient languages required for an academic study like this one. English languages fail to preserve nuances important in angelology and popular studies depend on those translations. Little attention is paid to the wider contexts of the biblical material, such as the ancient Near East and the Second Temple period, ..." I have read several of Dr. Heiser's books, read on his website, and listened to his "Naked Bible" podcast; and this is the first time I have ever felt totally and completely inadequate for this study.
I read the text, the footnotes, and the bibliography; and was reminded of how much there is for me to learn -- and, I believe, some of it is beyond my capacity to comprehend. I enjoyed the book, except for all the times that I had to go back and reread a paragraph (or even a sentence) two or three times. At times, I just had to give up and say "I don't understand what he is saying."
I'm grateful for people like Dr. Heiser, that challenge us to dig deeper into the text of the Bible, and the culture that surrounded it. I will try this book again, at a later time.
I would recommend this book, to people that are interested in this subject. BUT, I would recommend putting on your waders when you start.

[Cary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very academic survey of angelology. The author leans heavily on biblical text... as well as apocryphal and pseudepigraphal texts, since there's only so much you can directly gather from biblical text. The author was very thorough and, I would say, conservative. I agreed with almost everything he said, as much as you can agree with a topic that must be somewhat speculative. He does a really good job cross-referencing texts to justify his positions. The only thing I didn't agree with was his understanding that the "us" and "our" in Genesis 1 where God says "Let us make man..." refers to the Godhead's announcing His intentions to the heavenly council, rather than referring to Himself in plural. I think "us" has to be interpreted as God speaking of Himself in plural, because He follows by saying, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." Man's being created in "our image, after our likeness" wouldn't reflect the image of the heavenly council who may or may not have been present to hear God speaking.

[Josh Trice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected. My rating reflects the entertainment value the book held with me. It is well written and interesting, but serves the purpose of analytical debate, commentary and academic citation as opposed to entertainment. However, it reads like a spring-board on this topic. I don't feel that I know much more than I already did going into reading this. Don't get me wrong, it is a good book and if you have never delved into broader, more Biblical and Near Eastern beliefs in the supernatural (specifically Angels) I think you should give this a read. However, don't make the mistake I made and think this is something other than what it is: an academic journal.

[Peter Krol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent follow-up to Supernatural, focusing in on the Bible's teaching on angels. Very helpful for pulling together the biblical data and sifting through common perceptions of angels.

[Elf · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book mainly about God's 'yes-angels' - celestial, spirit beings who agree with everything that is said by the God of the Bible especially; those ones who endorse or support without criticism every opinion or proposal of their sovereign superior. This is not a book about angelology which is a hot topic right now among spiritualists and certain types of Christians particularly involved with neo-Pentecostalism and the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movements. Thankfully, the author of this book, Michael s. Heiser. is not a cranky angelologist and, though he touts what is called 'biblical theology', which propounds that one should be a 'yes-man' to everything that is in the Bible, he is rather erudite and his arguments and discussions are worth going through.
The book investigates a variety of angels or celestial beings that serve the Most High God of the Bible. Its central objective is not to propagate 'angel worship' but the diktat that this God who is worshipped by the angels ought to be worshipped by human beings too. In fact, Heiser suggests that the creation of human beings by God was part of His plan to extend the privilege of being His representatives over and in creation along with Him and the angels.
Heiser looks at angels in a variety of ways - at their nature (being), status, and function. The terms that denote their nature include spirit, heavenly ones, stars, holy ones, gods/divine beings. The terms that describe their function include minister, watcher, mediator, host and cherubim. Heiser goes to the Hebraic roots of these words and even further back into their derivations from the Sumerian or Ugaritic languages and mythos. The status of the angels depends on their places within the heavenly bureaucracy and the terms include - assembly, council, congregation, meeting, court.
The book takes one through the development and progress of notions about the 'angels' in the Old Testament, the Inter-testamental period and in the New Testament. What do these celestial critters who are always standing before the throne of the Most High God do? They participate in and contribute to the decisions made in God's Heavenly Council. There is a catch here though. God may ask these angels their viewpoint or how they might go about doing something that God has already determined. Whether their answers are acceptable in God's sight or not depends on Him. In a sense, they seemingly have free will but ultimately God's will is always implemented with or without their assent.
Here is a list of angelic duties. They bear witness to God's decrees. They deliver these decrees. They assist in God's governance of the universe and the nations on Planet Earth. They praise the Most High. They explain divine decrees and activities to human beings and execute these decrees. For instance, angels were involved when God gave Moses the Decalogue by one account. A spirit goes forth to enter King Ahab's prophets mouths as a lying spirit. The 'watchers' are involved in cutting King Nebuchadnezzar down to size. They are soldiers. They execute judgement. They guard, intercede and interpret.
And yet, angels have been known to have rebelled and decide to oppress the people of the nations that they were put in charge of and do other evil deeds like sleep with beautiful women. These angels can also take on the form of men. They have names like Michael and Gabriel and in the inter-testamental period much energy was spent by scholars in identifying the names of a number of key angels and their functions.
Heiser speaks of how those who belong to Christ will have the privilege of judging the rebel angels and how the angels loyal to God minister to them. The loyal followers of Christ and the loyal angels form part of the ultimate multitude that bows down before the Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent God and are ever ready to do His bidding.
The book ends with Heiser attempting to debunk several common notions about angels as being unbiblical and, therefore, illusive. Both angels and human beings have limitations, and the latter more so. Heiser points out that the spirit beings are imperfect and so God does not trust them and has ensured that those who rebel among them will also die just as human beings die.
Overall, it's an interesting read but the 'biblical theology' bit is for the evangelical birds who seek to propagate a particular world view as binding on all. I was glad that Heiser did wander around a bit here and there in other Near East views about angels and drew some connections between them and the Hebraic and later 'biblical' configurations of the same. I would think that it is worthwhile to be familiar with his study of angels but one must not be limited by it and can range even farther and wider to speculate on these alien creatures, their origins, their interventions in human history, their prowess for both good and evil, and their destiny which, in Heiser's theology has to do with loyal angels remaining as 'yes-angels' and no redemption for the fallen angels, but only fallen humanity through Christ.

[Devon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read Dr. Heiser's books, "The Unseen Realm" and "Reversing Hermon," I greatly looked forward to reading more of his work in "Angels" and was not disappointed. I believe, however, that it was beneficial to first read "The Unseen Realm" and even "Reversing Hermon" before having read "Angels," as Dr. Heiser often references his early works which are much broader overviews of the spiritual realm as understood by the Biblical writers. In "Angels," Heiser becomes much more technical and specific in his work, often diving deep into ancient near east cosmology, non-canonical Second Temple literature, and tricky technical translation issues in the Biblical text.

Lay-readers might find the content of "Angels" more in the scholarly/technical camp than some of Heiser's other popular works. I personally appreciated the deep-dives into the grammar of Biblical passages associated with angels and the thorough way in which Heiser explains how scholars disagree and their rationale behind different hypotheses. I was also grateful for the comparison of canonical accounts of angels or references to angelic activity contextualized into other contemporary, non-canonical sources.

Heiser also takes time to answer several common questions about the nature of angels, referencing relevant Bible passages, which I found to be a particularly helpful tool.

If readers are hoping for a sensationalized or sentimental account of angels, this is certainly not the book for them. However, if readers are looking for a brief but deep explanation of how angels are portrayed in the Bible with historical context, this is the book for them.

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seems more like a collection of articles on specific facts about angels. A few places it deviates from the vast majority of commentators in order to argue a view that may fit well with the book's take on angels but generally not with its context. It also skips some important aspects of angelology. But my main beef with the book is that its focus and tone in describing angels is very different than the Bible's. The Bible describes the great power and authority of angels, how they directly represent God in their actions and how they in their interactions with humans lead to awestruck wonder of the power and beauty of a God who has such mighty and glorious servants. In contrast, this book seems like a list of facts about angels. Imagine if I were to write a book about who Simon Peter was, and the book was entirely devoted to fact that he was human and how the human body works, with a few references to his (assumed) marriage and what language he spoke. That's what I feel this book does to angels. That being said, the assorted factoids about angels were by no means uninteresting - I agree with the vast majority of what he says and was interested to learn a little about second temple angelology (though I strongly disagree that such angel myths influenced the NT as much as Heiser claims).

[Caleb Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Michael Heiser has very quickly become one of my favorite Biblical scholars, and my go to resource on questions about spiritual beings. His book “Angels” (which examines only the “good guys”) is a wonderful addition to the topic.

Heiser analyzes terminology, and belief about faithful supernatural beings, first in the Old Testament. Then he surveys a litany of second temple period, intertestamental literature, in order to highlight commonalities, as well development in Jewish thinking. This culminates in Heiser’s exploration of New Testament material on angelic beings, which completes a full, contextually oriented picture of biblical angelology. The book finishes up by answering some common questions about angels, and addresses a few remaining problem passages.

One theme that seems to be common in Heiser’s work, is that his remarkably thorough footnotes are often as informative as the main text. His scholarly sourcing is plentiful, and provides the reader further material on the subject which would be difficult to exhaust. I look forward to reading his related volume titled “Demons”, and I fully expect it to be as useful this one. “Angels” will likely be a book that I return to often for reference.

[Mark Enlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Heiser’s book on Angels was mind-blowing. I had mental space for these supernatural beings, but was not prepared for the scriptural support describing their service to God. Specifically, the authority given to them in superintending the cosmos as a divine council. This is not a polytheistic interpretation of scripture, but a God-ordained cosmos with a heavenly host keeping order.

Instead of letting tradition navigate our thinking Heiser shows how the biblical text can and should drive our doctrine. He drills deep into the language of the text and yet makes it thoroughly accessible for this layman. He begins with Old Testament terminology, moves through Second Temple (intertestament) era thinking, and then works through the New Testament understanding. A final chapter on Christian myths regarding angels should clear up misconceptions of your angelology.

As noted in the Introduction, “Why should we care about angels? Because knowledge of God’s heavenly host help us think more clearly about our status, our purpose, and our destiny. That’s why.”

[Glenn Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite a scholarly book in that the Author is quite a master of Hebrew, and of the Ancient Near East, that I must admit I was somewhat lost at times :)

That being said, this is an excellent book covering what both the Old and New Testaments say about Angels - as well as a good coverage of Second Temple (including Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha) writings as well as early (1st few centuries) Christian writings. The Author is quite frank about what Scripture says and what it doesn't say, and he does include some alternate views. So that makes this quite a good reference book.

For those a bit overwhelmed by the Hebrew etc, I do recommend the final 2 chapters - "7. Special Topics in New Testament Angelology" and "8. Myths and Questions about Angels" - these are very worthwhile for background info whether you are preparing Sermons or doing personal Bible Study.

This book is very well indexed, with a good Bibliography and useful footnotes.

[Jonathan Ammon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The content contained in this book is great, but the presentation leaves some things to be desired. While a number of Heiser's books are very well written, this is the second book I've read that seems to be a collection of others' scholarship with some summary and interpretation. This is not a problem, but the presentation is at times thin and inaccessible. After finishing the book I went to the index to find out Heiser's conclusion on Guardian angels. I found the section, went to it and had to read it twice. Heiser reports the facts and different points in scholarship, but is thin on synthesizing it together and summarizing it for the reader. Some readers will like this, especially those using the book for research or scholarship. Some readers, like me, will come away valuing the book as a resource, but wishing for a little bit more. Perhaps Heiser will publish a popular level book covering his material on angels and demons.

[Zachary Bemrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deep dive into what The Old Testament, Second Temple texts, and New Testament have to say about “Angels,” or “Heavenly Hosts.” A most intriguing study that provides clarity and debunks common misconceptions on what “Angels,” look like, act on, job functions, and what they are capable of (including rebellion and acting upon free will).
Since the word “Angel,” simply means “Messenger,” we can’t really use that word to properly identify different types of spiritual beings. This book covers all the mind blowing throne room and heavenly council scenes in the Bible. It covers the 24 elders, seraphim, cherubim, The Angel of The Lord, Michael, Gabriel, several other Archangels mentioned in Second Temple texts, and YHWH Himself. Heiser gets into some real theology in this book. The Biography is almost as many pages as the book itself. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking to better understand the reality of spiritual realm revealed in The Bible. It is very awe inspiring, especially the details about YHWH. HE HAS NO EQUAL. AMEN.