{
  "id": "dict_003915",
  "term": "Nature and origin of angels",
  "slug": "nature-and-origin-of-angels",
  "letter": "N",
  "entry_type": "theological_term",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "Angels are created spiritual beings who serve God and carry out his will. Scripture presents them as distinct from God and from human beings, though they can at times appear in visible form.",
  "simple_one_line": "",
  "tooltip_text": "",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [],
  "see_also": [],
  "lede_intro": "",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [],
  "description_academic_short": "The Bible describes angels as created beings, not eternal or divine, who worship God, serve his purposes, and minister in various ways. They are ordinarily spiritual beings, though Scripture shows that they may appear visibly when God appoints. Their exact order and full range of activity are not explained in detail, so conclusions should stay close to what Scripture clearly says.",
  "description_academic_full": "In Scripture, angels are personal, created beings who belong to the unseen order and exist to worship and serve God. They are not divine, are not to be worshiped, and are distinct from human beings, even though they may at times appear in human-like form when carrying out God’s message or protection. The Bible indicates that God made all things through the Son, which includes the angelic realm, so angels are part of creation rather than eternal beings. Scripture also speaks of holy angels and fallen angels, showing that some rebelled against God, though the Bible does not give a full chronological account of their fall. A careful definition should therefore affirm clearly that angels are real, created, spiritual servants of God while avoiding speculation about ranks, origins, or activities beyond what the biblical text states.",
  "background_biblical_context": "",
  "background_historical_context": "",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "",
  "key_texts_primary": [],
  "key_texts_secondary": [],
  "original_language_note": "",
  "theological_significance": "",
  "philosophical_explanation": "",
  "interpretive_cautions": "",
  "major_views_note": "",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "",
  "practical_significance": "",
  "meta_description": "Angels are created spiritual beings who serve God and carry out his will. Scripture presents them as distinct from God and from human beings, though they can at times appear in visible form.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/nature-and-origin-of-angels/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/nature-and-origin-of-angels.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}