Many Mighty Angels in Revelation

There are many angels in the Book of Revelation. The most common characters in this last book of the Bible are, in fact, angels. There is more mention of angels in Revelation than in any other book of the Bible, appearing in some form in every chapter of that book. Here is a summary of the Book of Revelation with an emphasis on the different angels mentioned. The word “angel” appears in 53 verses in the Book of Revelation, and the plural, “angels,” appears in 22 verses.

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Angels In Revelation Chapter 1-5

The word “angel” appears in the very first verse of Revelation. “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John” Revelation 1:1 (KJV). God directed a heavenly messenger,  an angel, to deliver this revelation, this heavenly vision, to the Apostle John.

In chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation, the writer of Revelation specifically addresses the single angel who is associated with each of the seven churches.

There is no specific mention of angels in Revelation chapter 4. But in this chapter, John is invited up into heaven where he sees the 24 elders who are sitting on thrones. I do not believe these 24 elders are angels. These beings may comprise both individuals from both the nation of Israel and the church. However, the four beasts who surround God’s throne have wings, and these beasts may be a type of angel.

In Revelation chapter 5, a strong angel seeks out someone who is able to open the sealed book. Later in the same chapter, verse 11 mentions the first numbering of angels ─ “ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.” Revelation 5:11 (KJV)

Angels In Revelation Chapters 6-10

After this great number of angels in Revelation, there is no direct mention of angels in Revelation chapter 6. In this chapter, John sees the effects of the first six seal judgments. But in Revelation chapter 7, when the seventh seal is opened, angels assist in the sealing of the 144,000 servants of God (Revelation 7:1-3). Later in the same chapter, angels bow down and worship God with the humans who came out of the Great Tribulation.

Angels sound their trumpets, which result in the seven trumpet judgments described in Revelation chapter 8. But before these seven judgments, another angel offers the prayers of saints to God upon the golden altar.

Not all of the angels in Revelation are godly angels. Revelation chapter 9 both mentions, and names, “the angel of the bottomless pit,” Abaddon, also known as Apollyon. Both of these names mean “destroyer,” and describe the nature of this evil angel. Also, in this chapter, God orders one of His angels to free four, captive, fallen angels from their watery prison in the Euphrates River in the modern-day country of Iraq. Once these four angels are freed, they kill one-third of the world’s human population.

The angel John sees in Revelation chapter 10 is so large that he can stand on both the sea and the earth at the same time. This angel offers a “little book” to John to eat but warns him that this book will be sweet in his mouth and bitter in his belly.

Angels In Revelation Chapters 11-17

There are two specific angels mentioned in Revelation chapter 11. The first one instructs John to measure the temple of God in verse 1. Later, in verse 15, the seventh and final angel sounds his trumpet, finishing the last of the trumpet judgments of the Book of Revelation.

Revelation chapter 12 shows the two types of angels in who are busy in the world today. Michael is a holy angel who leads other angels to fight against Satan and his angels. These two divisions of angels, the good versus the bad, are described in Revelation. “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:7 (KJV)

There are no angels described in Revelation chapter 13. This chapter rather describes the two blasphemous and deceiving beasts ─ the Antichrist and his false prophet.

An unusual service is performed by an angel in Revelation chapter 14. At this point in time, the world’s population has become much smaller due to the death and destruction being visited upon humankind. But God has a message for the people of the Earth. Instead of using humans, He employs an angel to preach His message, the “everlasting gospel,” to all those who are still alive. This preaching angel also has two other angels helping him, who tell all of the Earth dwellers about the fall of Babylon, and warn them of the dire consequences of worshiping the beast.

Later in this chapter, another angel gathers humans (the Bible word here is “reap”) to bring their souls to God’s judgment.

In Revelation chapter 15, the seven vial judgements, sometimes called “bowl judgments,” are recorded. These seven judgments of God are administered to the Earth by seven angels. Each angel has a vial that contains a portion of God’s wrath.

Revelation chapter 15 describes the angels with their vials, but in Revelation chapter 16, these angels get the permission to pour out the contents of their vial, the wrath of God upon the Earth. Revelation 16 describes the effects of the contents of these vials that each of the seven angels pour upon the Earth.

After the vial judgements are over, an angel in Revelation chapter 17 shows John God’s judgement on the Great Whore of Revelation.

Angels In Revelation Chapters 18-22

Revelation chapter 18 records the fall of Babylon in the words and actions of angels. There are at least two angels mentioned in Revelation chapter 18. The first angel is extremely powerful and bright in appearance, according to Revelation 18:1. “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.” (KJV) Another angel uses an object lesson of “a great millstone ” to describe the complete and violent destruction of Babylon.

In Revelation chapter 19, two feasts are described. The first is the wedding feast of the bride, the Lamb’s wife. The second feast is macabre in nature ─ that of the dead bodies of those who followed the beast and the false prophet and who are killed by Jesus Christ when He comes back to judge the people who are still alive on Earth. An angel invites birds of prey to feast on these dead carcasses of the armies who followed the Antichrist.

In Revelation chapter 20, John sees an angel tasked with binding Satan (an angel himself, but a fallen one) in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years.

In Revelation chapter 21, it is an angel who gives John a tour of New Jerusalem that has come down from heaven with the glory of God.

Revelation chapter 22 reiterates the truth of the vision John saw, but also the proof of it, because John received the vision from an angel of God. Also, in this last chapter, John becomes so overwhelmed by all he is shown that he attempts to worship this glorious, heavenly messenger. But this powerful angel reminds John that he, too, like the apostle, is just a servant of God. The angel tells John that God, and God alone, is worthy of worship.

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