says, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing
some have unwittingly entertained angels”1 The only thing
which might distinguish angels from people in appearance is
that sometimes the face and clothes of angels appear
shining.2 This does not mean angels are a different race.
Moses’ face also shone after speaking with God,3 and Jesus
said that after death all good people will “shine forth as the
sun in the Kingdom of their Father.”4
A third reason for believing that angels and men are the
same race is that both are described in the same terms. In
both Hebrew and Greek, the words for “angel” simply mean
“messenger.” When people from the spiritual world
appeared, they usually brought messages from the Lord, so
they were called “messengers” (Greek angeloi). Being an
angel is a matter of one’ function or office, not one’s race. In
this respect the word “angel” is like the words “king” and
“prophet”—it describes the person’s function. In fact, since
the word for angel means “messenger” it is used to describe
people on earth who are messengers. For example, Haggai
and John the Baptist were called messengers or “angels” of
the Lord because they spoke for Him.5
Yet men still on earth are also called “holy ones,”8 “sons of
God,”9 or even “gods.”10 In short, the words used to describe
angels are also used to describe people on earth.
A fourth reason is that angels themselves reject the idea that
they are superior beings. When the apostle John fell at the
feet of an angel to worship him, the angel said, “See that you
do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your
brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!”11
Later John echoes this idea when he speaks of “The measure
of a man, that is of an angel”12
A fifth reason to believe that angels were not created as a
separate race is that the Bible never mentions angels being
created, even though the creation story carefully includes
everything else in creation: sun, moon, stars, people,
animals, birds, plants, ocean, fish, even insects and worms.
But no angels!13 The reason is that people were created to
become angels.
A sixth reason to believe that people become angels after
death is that Jesus Himself said that those who are worthy
become after death “equal to angels,”14 and would have
similar powers.15
Sometimes the Bible uses special names to refer to angels,
such as “the holy ones,”6 “the sons of God,” or even “gods.”7
8Psalm 30: 4 and many other places, usually translated “saints.”
1Hebrews 13:2
9John 1:12, 1 John 3:1-2
2Daniel 10:6, Matt 28:3, Luke 24:4
10Psalm 82:6
3Exodus 34:29
11Revelation 19:10
4Matthew 13:43
12Revelation 21:17
5Haggai 1:13, Malachi 3:1
13Genesis 1
6Daniel 4: 13,17
14Luke 20:36, Matthew 22:30, Mark 12:25
7Psalm 8:5
15Luke 10:17,19; Mark 16:17,18; 11:23; John 14:12
To sum up, there are many reasons to believe that people
become angels after death:
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The Bible calls angels “people.”
Angels look just like people.
The words that refer to angels also refer to people.
Angels are our fellow servants and brothers.
The Bible never mentions the creation of angels.
We become like the angels after death.
It is understandable that some people would think that
angels are superior beings, since they do have power and
radiance that surpasses what we experience on earth.
However, the Lord has infinite love for people and He wants
to give all of us the same glory and happiness that people
have sometimes seen when angels have appeared to people
on earth. When we let Him live within us, we can all be
transformed into such superior beings and become angels
after death.
What the Bible says about...
Where Angels Come From
Many people take it as a matter of course that when we die,
if we are good, we will become angels in heaven. There are
many Christians, on the other hand, who believe that angels
are members of a superior race of spiritual beings, who were
created before the world began. Some even picture angels,
as having wings and living among the clouds. This concept
of angels, however, is not solidly based on the Bible. In fact,
the Bible gives us quite a few reasons for believing that
angels are simply people who have died and gone to heaven.
One reason is that the Bible calls angels “men” or “people.”
For example, we are told that “the man Gabriel” appeared to
Daniel16. Angels were also called people when they
appeared to Abraham,17 Joshua,18 Manoah’s wife,19
Ezekiel,20 Zechariah,21 and the women at the sepulcher.22
A second reason is that angels look like people. There is no
mention in the Bible of angels having wings. In fact, when
angels appeared to Abraham and Lot, they did not look any
different from other people. The people who saw them did
not even realize that they were angels. That is why Paul
16Daniel 9:21
17Genesis 18:2
18Joshua 5:13
19Judges 13:6
20Ezekiel 9:2,3
21Zechariah 1:8, 11
22Mark 16:5, Luke 24:4, John 20:12