How long have angels existed? Far longer than man, Scripture tells us—yet not as long as God, who is eternal. Unlike God, who has always existed, angels are created beings. They were created by God. As Hebrews 1:7 tell us, “And of the angels He says: ‘Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers [or servants] a flame of fire’” (quoting Psalm 104:4).

And like everything else, they were created through the divine Word who became Jesus Christ: “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16).

When were these beings brought into existence?

Before the world existed

The angels’ beginning was far back in time, before mankind was created—before the earth was even formed. Genesis 1:1 tells us that “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” However, the Bible doesn’t tell the whole story in one or even several verses. We learn later in the Bible that there are three heavens from an earthly perspective: first, the atmosphere of the birds and the clouds; second, outer space of the sun, moon and stars; and third, the spiritual heaven of God’s throne, actually called “the third heaven” (2 Corinthians 12:2). Yet though it is third in positional relation to us, this spirit realm was actually created first.

God and the Word—the divine Being who would later be born in the flesh as Jesus Christ (John 1:1-3; John 1:14)—formed other spirit beings to inhabit this realm with Them. These beings were the angels, who existed before our world was created. This is clear from a fascinating, eye-opening passage in the biblical book of Job.

When Job, beset with terrible calamity and suffering in spite of being a very devout follower of God, began to question God’s judgment, God responded with pointed questions to help him realize he didn’t have the wisdom to question God. In His response, in the form of questions to Job, God revealed some details about His creation of the physical world:

“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: ‘Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?’” (Job 38:1-7, emphasis added throughout).

The “sons of God” here is a designation for the angels—called “sons” or children by virtue of their having been created by God. The “morning stars” seem to refer to the angels as well, as they are later symbolized by stars (see Revelation 1:20; Revelation 12:4).

The New International Version puts Job 38:7 this way: “. . . while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” The New Revised Standard Version translates it as “. . . when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?”

In this passage, God reveals information no man could have known, since no human being was present at creation. God described the earth at its creation as a dazzlingly beautiful jewel floating in space. The creation events were so magnificent that all the angels sang and shouted in exultation. They were in perfect harmony and agreement at that time.

We see here that angels have emotions. They were joyful. In other places we find them extolling God the Father and Jesus Christ in ongoing praise (Psalm 148:2; Luke 2:13-15; Revelation 5:11-12). We also see God’s angels later having great joy over a person who repents of sin (Luke 15:10). And in various places we see them displaying care for God’s people (1 Kings 19:5-7; Psalm 34:7; Psalm 91:11; Daniel 3:28; Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:19-20; Matthew 4:11; Luke 22:43; Acts 12:7-10). Thus they are thoughtful, feeling beings.

Created with free moral choice, they were also capable of wrong thoughts and feelings, and some succumbed to these, which is how evil spirits or demons, led by Satan the devil, came into the picture. We’ll go into this more later (see “What Is the Origin of Satan and Demons?”). Thankfully, many more angels made the right choice to remain faithful to God.

Let’s delve further into what Scripture reveals about the great number of heavenly angels, their appearance and the roles in which they serve.