Is there an angel named Phanuel in the Bible?
The Bible gives the names of two of God’s holy angels: Gabriel and Michael. We have no other names beyond those two. There is a man named Phanuel (Luke 2:36), but no angel named Phanuel in the Bible. We can attribute the idea that an angel named Phanuel exists to his mention in the apocryphal…
What is the divine council?
Psalm 89:5–7 says, “The heavens praise your wonders, LORD, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than…
Was Goliath one of the Nephilim?
Who and what the Nephilim were is up for debate. Before the flood, there were Nephilim that were the offspring of “the sons of God” and “the daughters of men” (see Genesis 6:1–4). The meaning of this passage is disputed. Regardless of their specific “DNA,” it seems that the Nephilim were extraordinary. All of them…
Who or what is Mastema?
Mastema, also known as Mastemat or Mansemat, is the name of the devil, or a high-ranking demon, in the Book of Jubilees. Mastema, who is one and the same with Satan, is said to have directly opposed Noah, Abraham, and Moses. Jubilees is an apocryphal Jewish work found among the Dead Sea Scrolls near Qumran,…
What are principalities and powers?
The phrase principalities and powers occurs six times in the Bible, always in the King James Version and its derivatives (NKJV, MKJV). Other versions translate it variously as “rulers and authorities,” “forces and authorities,” and “rulers and powers.” In most places where the phrase appears, the contexts make it clear that it refers to the…
What is a monitoring spirit?
Among some Charismatic groups, a “monitoring spirit” is thought to be an evil spirit or demon that essentially “monitors” someone’s behavior for the purpose of inflicting hurt or pain into that person’s life. A monitoring spirit is sometimes called a masquerading spirit or a watcher. According to those who subscribe to this type of doctrine,…
Who / what were the Nephilim?
The Nephilim (“fallen ones, giants”) may have been the offspring of sexual relationships between the sons of God and the daughters of men in Genesis 6:1–4. There is much debate as to the identity of the Nephilim (verse 4) and the “sons of God” (verse 2), who seem to be distinct from the “human beings”…
Is there an angel named Ariel in the Bible?
The only angels named in the Bible are Gabriel and Michael (Daniel 8:16; 9:21; 10:13; 12:1). Nowhere in the Bible is there an angel named Ariel. The book of Tobit, one of the apocryphal books not included in the Hebrew Bible or the Protestant canon of Scripture, contains a heroic angel named Raphael. Another extrabiblical…
How interested are Christians supposed to be in the spirit world?
The simple answer to this question is “very interested.” A human being is comprised of body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23; 3 John 1:2; Psalm 16:9). However, human beings tend to rely on the body for input and the soul for decisions, while ignoring the spirit. This is unfortunate. The human spirit without God…
Do Christians have the authority to command angels?
People today are fascinated by the concept and study of angels, called “angelology.” Angels are depicted in everything from jewelry and Christmas decorations to movies and television programs. Many Christians also believe they have the authority to command angels to do their bidding, while others believe they can command angels (and even demons) in the…