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Are angels male or female in the Bible?
Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry CARM.org ^ | Unknown | Matt Slick

Posted on 01/13/2020 5:38:35 AM PST by polymuser

God does not tell us why angels appear as male in the Bible and not female. Angels do not have gender since gender is a biological function, and angels are not biological. The only angels that are named in the Bible include Michael, Gabriel, and Lucifer, who are referred to in the masculine. Other angels are referred to in the masculine sense even though they are not named.

Judges 13:21, "Now the angel of the LORD appeared no more to Manoah or his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the LORD." 1 Chronicles 21:27, "The Lord commanded the angel, and he put his sword back in its sheath." Zechariah 1:19, "So I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he answered me, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem." Revelation 14:17, "And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle." One of the possible reasons angels could be referred to only in the masculine is that of the issue of authority and strength. Generally, the male gender is associated with authority and strength more than the female gender.

Some people refer to Zechariah 5:9 as evidence that angels can be female. Let's take a look.

Zechariah 5:9, "Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens."

The context of Zechariah 5 is a series of visions. It is the sixth vision in which verse nine is delivered.

Verse 1, a flying scroll Verse 2, its dimensions are 20 cubits long and its width 10 cubits Verses 3-4, the scroll represents a curse upon those who steal and those who swear falsely by God's name Verse 5-8, a woman is personified as wickedness Verse 9, two women coming out with the wind in their wings Verse 10-11, the women are going to build a temple So, contextually the figures spoken of in verse 9 are not angels. They are representative of wickedness and are not dealing with angels. Therefore, we can see that universally in Scripture angels are referred to in the masculine and not the feminine even though the Bible does not tell us why this is so.


TOPICS: Apologetics; History; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: angels
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I see so many angel images and figurines that are pretty women in flowing dresses, pretty teen girls, cute young girls and boys, baby girls and boys, sparse teen boys.

How many angel figurines have you seen that are grown men, of strength? Fearsome? Actually Biblical? Looked online — the few available average is $80.

Why do you suppose this is?

1 posted on 01/13/2020 5:38:35 AM PST by polymuser
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To: polymuser

Do angels have belly buttons?


2 posted on 01/13/2020 5:40:53 AM PST by Loud Mime ("Now, go and do your duty before darkness covers the earth." Michael Uhlmann (1939 - 2019))
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To: polymuser

They’re a-gender.


3 posted on 01/13/2020 5:42:31 AM PST by MayflowerMadam ("Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength" - Corrie ten Boom)
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To: polymuser

Billy Graham wrote a couple of good books on angels. I think they’re on Amazon.


4 posted on 01/13/2020 5:44:57 AM PST by MayflowerMadam ("Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength" - Corrie ten Boom)
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To: polymuser

Angel = purity


5 posted on 01/13/2020 5:52:45 AM PST by Raycpa
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To: polymuser

What I REALLY want to know is, how many can dance on the head of a pin!


6 posted on 01/13/2020 5:54:51 AM PST by cuban leaf (The political war playing out in every country now: Globalists vs Nationalists)
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To: polymuser

Who cares...as long as they’re on my side.


7 posted on 01/13/2020 5:58:38 AM PST by moovova
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To: polymuser

The now-standard depictions of angels were chosen by men during the Renaissance. They were influenced by classical (Greek and Roman) styles of showing gods, goddesses, and heroes.

Angels are presented in masculine terms in the Bible. However, as incorporeal spirits, they are neither male nor female.


8 posted on 01/13/2020 5:59:20 AM PST by Tax-chick ("The diversity cult is destroying the very foundations of our civilization." ~ Heather MacDonald)
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To: Raycpa

Well...there’s the Camp of the Assyrians, Passover, Herrod and Revelations to be aware of.


9 posted on 01/13/2020 6:02:44 AM PST by polymuser (It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and so few by deceit. Noel Coward)
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To: Loud Mime

How many can dance on the head of a pin?


10 posted on 01/13/2020 6:02:51 AM PST by GingisK
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To: Tax-chick

“However, as incorporeal spirits, they are neither male nor female.”

Is that from the Bible?


11 posted on 01/13/2020 6:04:02 AM PST by polymuser (It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and so few by deceit. Noel Coward)
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To: polymuser

Jesus said that there is no marriage in Heaven, and I believe he gives a reason why.


12 posted on 01/13/2020 6:04:11 AM PST by Moonman62 (Charity comes from wealth.)
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To: polymuser

Nephilim were born from angles having sex with human women, so it appears angels have sexual organs and it would stand to reason that if God gave them penis’s then there are women angels to use them on.


13 posted on 01/13/2020 6:05:52 AM PST by TexasFreeper2009
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To: polymuser

Sidenote: Nowhere in the Bible are angels shown to have wings.......in my thinking, they have no need for them.........


14 posted on 01/13/2020 6:08:57 AM PST by Arlis
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To: TexasFreeper2009

The thread is actually intended to be about the gross under-representation of adult male angels in today’s angel art and figurines.


15 posted on 01/13/2020 6:09:11 AM PST by polymuser (It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and so few by deceit. Noel Coward)
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To: TexasFreeper2009
Nephilim were born from angles having sex with human women

That idea is based on a much disputed passage whose meaning is not clear.

16 posted on 01/13/2020 6:09:24 AM PST by Sans-Culotte (With every passing day, I am a little bit gladder that Romney lost in 2012.)
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To: Moonman62
Jesus said that there is no marriage in Heaven

Of course. Then it would be hell.

17 posted on 01/13/2020 6:12:43 AM PST by Jess Kitting
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To: moovova

“Who cares...as long as they’re on my side.”

If 95% of today’s angel art was of very masculine adult men...same comment?


18 posted on 01/13/2020 6:13:45 AM PST by polymuser (It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and so few by deceit. Noel Coward)
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To: GingisK; Gamecock; SaveFerris
How many can dance on the pin of a head?


19 posted on 01/13/2020 6:16:17 AM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: Gamecock; SaveFerris

GEORGE: Yeah, look at me. Now I GOTTA FIGURE OUT THE HAT SIZES OF 59,000 DIFFERENT PEOPLE!! WHAT IF A PINHEAD SHOWS UP?


20 posted on 01/13/2020 6:17:10 AM PST by Larry Lucido
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