Saturday 17 May 2008

Exact time of the creation of angels

From Berkhof (chapter IV on "Creation of the Spiritual World" in his systematics):

"In distinction from God they are created beings. The creation of the angels has sometimes been denied, but is clearly taught in Scripture...The time of their creation cannot be fixed definitely. The opinion of some, based on Job 38:7, that they were created before all other things, really finds no support in Scripture. As far as we know, no creative work preceded the creation of heaven and earth. The passage in book of Job (38:7) teaches, indeed, in a poetic vein that they were present at the founding of the world just as the stars were, but not that they existed before the primary creation of heaven and earth. The idea that the creation of the heavens was completed on the first day, and that the creation of the angels was simply a part of the day's work, is also an unproved assumption, though the fact that the statement in Gen. 1:2 applies to the earth only would seem to favour it. Possibly the creation of the heavens was not completed in a single moment any more than that of earth. The only safe statement seems to be that they were created before the seventh day. This at least follows from such passages as Gen 2:1; Ex 20:11; Job 38:7; Neh 9:6"

Discuss? I always thought angels were created during day one or day four... and not before. Your views?

2 comments:

yemsee said...

yup i'm going to say day 4.. seems in line with job 38 to me..

yemsee said...

check this out from Ignatius' letter to the Trallians though:

Am I not able to write to you of heavenly things? But I fear to do so, lest I should inflict injury
on you who are but babes [in Christ]. Pardon me in this respect, lest, as not being able to receive
[such doctrines], ye should be strangled by them. For even I, though I am bound [for Christ], yet
am not on that account able to understand heavenly things, and the places of the angels, and their
gatherings under their respective princes, things visible and invisible. Without reference to such abstruse subjects, I am still but a learner [in other respects]; for many things are wanting to us,
that we come not short of God.

For might not I write to you things more full of mystery? But I fear to do so, lest I should inflict injury on you who are but babes [in Christ]. Pardon me in this respect, lest, as not being able to receive their weighty import,ye should be strangled by them. For even I, though I am bound [for Christ], and am able to understand heavenly things, the angelic orders, and the different sorts of angels and hosts, the distinctions between powers and dominions, and the diversities between thrones and authorities, the mightiness of the Æons, and the pre-eminence of the cherubim and seraphim, the sublimity of the spirit, the kingdom of the Lord, and above all, the incomparable majesty of Almighty God—though I am acquainted with these things, yet am I not therefore by any means perfect; nor am I such a disciple as Paul or Peter. For many things are yet wanting to me, that I may not fall short of God.