JOEL - Besides my granddaughter, there are other different
types of beings that can be called "angels", which
perform a variety of functions to help carry out the
work of God on this earth and in heaven.
Whether they have a physical body or not they are all
in the form of a human being and, according to Joseph
Smith, do not have wings (Joseph Smith, History of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 vols.
3:392). There are a few scriptures in the Bible that
speak of cherubs and seraphim with wings; but these
were more symbolic representations that prophets saw
in visions rather than actual messengers from God.
Throughout the ages artists based some of their
paintings on these visions and thus perpetuated the
belief that all angels have wings. Scriptures where
actual messengers from God appeared to people do not
mention any wings in their descriptions(Joseph Smith
History 30-33, Dan. 8:15, Matt. 28:2, Mark 16:5).
Angels are all assigned to this earth and there have never been angels who have not or will not live on this earth(D&C 130:5). The following is a list of the types of angels who have served God and man:
1. There are spirit children of God who have not yet come to earth to gain a body (Abraham 3); this is probably the type of angel who appeared to Adam:
"And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me."(Moses 5:6-8).
This type of being might also include angels of Satan who will never obtain a body. (2 Cor. 11:14-15; 2 Ne. 2:17)
2. There are the spirits of those who have died who are not yet resurrected.
These are referred to as "the spirits of just men made
perfect" (Heb. 12:22-23; D&C 76:69)
The singing angels at Christ's birth (Luke 2:9-14) were probably
spirts of those who had died before He was born. They
could not have been resurrected beings because Christ
Had not been resurrected Himself yet.
3. There are those few who have been resurected since
Christ and have as a result regained their body (D&C
129:1)
These would include angels who were instrumental in
the restoration of the gospel such as Elias, Moroni,
John the Baptist, Peter, James, and John. The angel
Moroni, a resurrected being, revealed the record of
the Book of Mormon to Joseph Smith. The bestowal of
any ordinance or information from an angel that
requires a physical interaction with a mortal requires
that the angel posess a resurrected body.
4. There are a few others who once lived on this earth and were translated so that they shall "never taste of death"(3 Ne 28:7). Enoch and his people (Moses 7:18-21, 31, 63, 69; Heb. 11:5), Moses (Alma 45:19), Elijah (2 Kgs. 2:11-12), John the Revelator (Matthew 16:28), and three Nephites from the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 28). were all translated beings. The translated prophets Elijah and Moses appeared as angels to Jesus and the Apostles (Matt. 17: 3) and later both appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery(D&C 110: 13-16) as resurrected beings(D&C 133: 55).
5. People who are living on the earth now can be called angels if they have been sent by God on a particular mission. An example of this are the three angels(holy men) who visited Abraham and Lot (JST Gen. 18 - 19).
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