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What Does the Bible Say about Communicating with Angels?

Angels are created beings by God to carry out His purposes. They are spirit beings; therefore, they are not physical beings as humans are. They appear to be able to take on form; however, angels themselves are spirit beings.

Contributing Writer
Updated Jan 26, 2024
What Does the Bible Say about Communicating with Angels?

The topic of communicating with angels has been extremely popular throughout time. There is something different, magical, and special about angels that humans tend to fixate on. Throughout the decades, more emphasis has been placed on angels, which only adds to the obsession. There is nothing wrong with angels, but there is something wrong if we are obsessing over them.

In no way is obsession healthy. Angels are created beings by God to carry out His purposes. They are spirit beings; therefore, they are not physical beings as humans are. They appear to be able to take on form; however, angels themselves are spirit beings. All angels are males, which rejects the belief that there are female angels. Throughout the Bible, all angels are given masculine pronouns, thus signifying they are all males.

With this in mind, it is important to see what the Bible says about communicating with angels and them with us. While there have been many wild stories circulated online and in various books, we can only rely on what the Bible says. The Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Since we know this to be true, we can trust every word it says. As far as various online forums, stories, and books go, we cannot trust them because we do not know if they are true or not. 

If we are ever faced with a story of someone having an encounter with an angel, we need to weigh it against Scripture. If what they describe goes directly against Scripture, there is no reason to entertain the thoughts. Through listening to the encounter, you might discover it was not an angel but rather a fallen angel. This is important to keep in mind as Satan and his demons are known to masquerade as angels of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Communicating with Angels

Throughout the Bible, we are not given any direct teachings about communicating with angels. More often than not, we see angels communicating with us by God’s direction. Humans cannot summon angels, nor is there any way for us to contact them. When we look at the Bible, we see angels being sent by God to communicate with various individuals. One of the most well-known encounters is when the angel Gabriel comes with a message to Mary (Luke 1:26-38). 

Gabriel comes to Mary with great news. He is sharing the news that she will be with a child and give birth to the Messiah. Through the virgin birth, Mary would be the mother of the Savior of the world. Mary is not frightened of the news, rather, she was only frightened by the appearance of Gabriel. Similar to many people who encounter angels in the Bible, they become frightened by the mere greatness, power, and size. 

While none of this is directly given to us, we can ascertain that angels are quite imposing when you meet one. When we hear about modern day angelic encounters, they normally are depicted in a way that the media has constructed them. They appear with a halo, wings, or as a cute baby. Upon reflection on the Bible, we don’t see angels as being presented in this way. Rather, they are strong, powerful, and imposing beings. 

Through Mary’s encounter with Gabriel, we see that he is gentle and caring towards her. He is passing on a message that was given to him by God. Notice after Gabriel leaves that Mary does not praise Gabriel. Instead, she praises the Lord (Luke 1:46-55). This would be good for us to remember as well because angels are only ministering spirits sent to do God’s will (Hebrews 1:14). They are not God themselves, but rather, they are servants of the Lord (Revelation 22:9). 

Angelic Encounters

As mentioned briefly, angelic encounters in the modern day most likely are hoaxes. While angels are active in the world today, there are not going to be angels revealing themselves to mankind. In other words, we are not going to have an angel visit us in our dreams or while we are walking down the street to give us a divine message. The full message and plan of God is already given to us in the Bible.

There is nothing else to be revealed to us because we have been told everything in the Word. Angels still protect us as God commands them, but they are not going to show themselves to us for no reason. There are many people who claim to have said they saw an angel, were spoken to by an angel, or caught an angel on video; however, all of these claims can be refuted. Angels are smart—they are not going to be caught by someone trying to take a selfie or film an aesthetic video. 

Therefore, there are encounters with angels in the modern day, but not like there were in the Old Testament or the New Testament. The world we live in today is very post-Christian and rejects most things supernatural. Even Satan and his demons know this, which is why they hide in plain sight in other ways. They have impacted much of our culture as well as the toxic beliefs that are promoted in society. Not all angelic encounters are good because we have to remember that Satan and his demons are technically angels—they are just fallen angels. 

Satan and his demons try to cause us harm in any way they can. This can be by playing tricks on our minds or tricking us into seeing something that is not there. Since angels can take on form, it stands to reason that Satan and his demons can as well. Be careful in seeking out angels because you might expose yourself to attracting the wrong thing. Satan and his demons search for the people highly interested in the occult or those searching out supernatural experiences, and this will result in something very negative. 

Weighing Everything Against Scripture 

Lastly, when we are discussing communicating with angels and them with us, we have to weigh it against the Bible. If someone tells you they have an encounter with an angel, weigh it against the Bible. In fact, start ensuring that you read a little bit of the Bible each day to help you learn more and more of what God actually says. The more you do this, the more you will learn, not only about angels but also about theology, who God is, and how to grow in your relationship with Him. 

In the same way, when answering the question of angels communicating with us and us with them, we see that God is the director behind all of it. He is the One who sends angels out to give messages, provide support, and give protection. All of this goes back to God. Angels only obey God’s commands. While we, as humans, cannot directly communicate with angels, we know that God sends them out to keep us safe. This might not be the answer that many people are looking for, but it is the truth.

It is best to know the truth of what the Bible says rather than believing lies. God wants us to know the truth in all things, including the truth concerning His angels. The Lord’s angels are amazing, but they are not God. We never need to praise, worship, or pray to angels. They are only servants as we are. Only God deserves all of our praise, worship, and thanks, as He is our Creator, Redeemer, and Savior. 

Photo Credit: © Getty Images/bestdesigns



Vivian BrickerVivian Bricker loves Jesus, studying the Word of God, and helping others in their walk with Christ. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master's degree in Christian Ministry with a deep academic emphasis in theology. Her favorite things to do are spending time with her family and friends, reading, and spending time outside. When she is not writing, she is embarking on other adventures.

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