BY: William D. Webber
Aren’t angels and fairies the same thing? Don’t people in different places in the world just have different folk beliefs?
No,
angels and fairies are not the same. Fairies are not real. The Wikipedia definition is “A fairy (also faery, faerie, fay, fae;
euphemistically wee folk, good folk, people of peace, fair folk, etc.) is a type of
mythological being or
legendary creature, a form of
spirit, often described as
metaphysical,
supernatural or
preternatural.” They exist only in folklore, usually portrayed as wee, tiny things, where some are
helpful, some are playful, and some are mischievous. They are not portrayed even in folklore as having access to God or acting on his behalf. Fairies are never mentioned in the Bible.
In contrast angels are found over 200 times in the Bible, always portrayed as real beings created directly by God. The heavenly hosts are spirit beings who are assigned by God to use their mighty power as they lovingly serve God, some on earth and many more in heaven
I believe that God sent Jesus to die for my sins but I can't stop dwelling on certain questions. Why did God create everything, angels, man, etc. knowing that we would sin and also knowing the outcome? What is the point of life if the final result is already determined? God knew that Satan would be His enemy and that we would have a hard time believing. It just seems so unfair. I pray for faith and trust in God but these questions flood my mind. Can you give advice?
-Danielle Caldwell
Danielle, your question is one of the most profound in the world, and theologians and philosophers through the ages have written volumes about the problem of good and evil. This column is too brief to offer a serious answer to your great question, so let me direct you to the article I have found to be most helpful and understandable on the
Problem of Evil by Peter Kreeft, who teaches at Boston College.
Here’s the good news: you don’t need to know and understand why God created everything the way he did for you to find happiness and fulfillment. Recognize that the broken record that is playing over and over in your head is like a two-year-old’s tantrum. If you try to reason with it, then you only increase the hysteria. When these negative “why?” questions come,
replace them by thinking of God’s love and grace, and pray to God to show you his favor.
Since angels are neither male nor female and cannot reproduce does that mean they cannot fall in love?
-Rio
Angels do love. They love God with a holy passion. Much of the love we see in this world has nothing to do with being able to reproduce; for example, the love of
parents and children. Love does not end for married couples just because they have passed childbearing age. Angelic love, whether for fellow angels or for humans, is not romantic love but always a pure and holy love. This is the love we will experience in heaven. For more, see:
“Would an angel human relationship ever work?"
I’m going to be 15. Will my guardian angel celebrate that we have been together for 15 years. Do angels celebrate their birthdays? Do they have birthday parties in heaven?
-Jennifer
Happy 15
th birthday! Your guardian angel will be unseen but will be rejoicing with you as you
celebrate your birthday. Angels were created by God, all at the same time, so they do not have individual birthdays. In fact, it would be more accurate to refer to their creation day, since they were created directly by God, not born. The concept of time is completely different for an eternal God and the angels than it is for humans. In heaven a thousand years is like a day, so the idea of a once a year celebration is a human concept not observed by angels.
