Question
Dear Gramps,
A friend of ours said that there are five classes of angels but he did not know what they were! Can you help? Thanks.
John
Answer
Dear John,
The word “angel” comes from the Greek Angeloi, which means “messengers.” An angel is a messenger, particularly, a messenger from God. In that sense, missionaries could be classed as angels. So one class of angels would be mortals. Others are unembodied spirits, and yet others are resurrected beings. In D&C 129:4-8 we read,
When a messenger comes saying he has a message from God, offer him your hand and request him to shake hands with you.
If he be an angel he will do so, and you will feel his hand.
If he be the spirit of a just man made perfect he will come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear–
Ask him to shake hands with you, but he will not move, because it is contrary to the order of heaven for a just man to deceive; but he will still deliver his message.
If it be the devil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, and you will not feel anything; you may therefore detect him.
In this scripture the word “angel” refers to a resurrected being, as opposed to an unembodied spirit. However, as shown in the last sentence, the word “angel” could apply also to an unembodied spirit if he came to deliver a message.
From the above scripture, there are at least two classes of unembodied spirit angels-those who come from God and those who come from the Adversary.
Gramps
