Do Angels Have Children?

I have noticed statues of female angels. I saw one recently in a department store. I have also noticed pictures of female angels. I browsed the internet on this subject and found out that several people have blogged about this subject. Some believe that angels exist in both genders, male and female. Others say that angels are sexless beings. I have decided to enter into the controversy and give my opinion on the subject. When I was in college, I remember seeing a picture by an artist in an art book. It had baby angels in it. The subject of this painting was a Christian theme. I asked an art professor about it and he told me that some people believe that angels procreate. Well, I, out of curiosity, have done my own research on the subject and I think that angels exist in both genders, male and female, and they do procreate. I know about the passage in the Gospels where it says:

For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in Heaven. (St. Matt. 22:30)

Some quote this verse in defense of their theory that angels are sexless beings. Others interpret this to mean that Christ was talking about Levirate marriages since the Sadducees had posed a question to Him involving brothers marrying their brother's widow "to raise up seed" for him. According to them, they say that Christ was not saying that there will not be any marriages in the resurrection, but that there will not be any more Levirate marriages. When I first had this view explained to me, I agreed with it and adopted it as my interpretation of this passage. Now, however, I disagree with that for the following reasons. One, Levirate marriages have already ceased in this present age. The only people that I have heard that still practice this are some Jews and some Mormons. Secondly, angels have never had any need for Levirate marriages. They are immortal. They do not die. No angel has ever needed to marry his deceased brother's widow to "raise up seed" for his deceased angel brother. Thirdly, the Church Fathers unanimously interpret this passage to mean that marriage will cease to exist after the resurrection of the dead. So, it is clear in my opinion that angels do not marry. However, they might not marry, but that does not mean that they do not procreate. I agree with what I read another gentleman said in his blog on this subject. He said that they probably have some other system besides marriage. He pointed out that animals procreate without marriage. Although they may have some other system besides marriage, I think that it is an intelligent system that is suitable for intelligent beings. I do not think that they procreate like animals do. Animals procreate with just about any other animal, including siblings, offspring, and parents. I do not think angels do such things. They probably have some system for regulating who they procreate with. They probably have some rite for legitimizing heterosexual relationships although it is still not a marital relationship. Now, here are my reasons for believing that there are female angels. For one thing, all of the higher life forms exist in both genders, male and female. Only amoebas, other one-celled organisms, and some lizards procreate without sexual intercourse. Angels are higher life forms. Actually, they are higher than us. God created man "a little lower than the angels." (Psalm 8:5, LXX; Heb. 2:7) It is only after the general resurrection of the dead that resurrected righteous men will become "equal unto the angels." (St. Luke 20:36) In the Hebrew text of Isaiah 34:14, it says:

There shall the lilith repose, and find for herself a place to rest. (Isaiah 34:14, NAB)

The annotation in the New American Bible says:

Lilith: a female demon thought to roam about the desert. (Annotation for Isaiah 34:14, New American Bible)

In the "Biblical Cyclopedic Index" of the Open Bible, it says:

night creature: Lit. “Lilith,” taken to be a female night demon in later Jewish mythology.

Nelson's Topical Bible Index says:

Lilith -- an evil female demon in Babylonian mythology. (p. 384, Nelson's Topical Bible Index)

Enhanced Strong's Lexicon says:

“Lilith”, name of a female goddess known as a night demon who haunts the desolate places of Edom. (Strong's Hebrew #3917, Enhanced Strong's Lexicon)

The New Revised Standard Version even capitalized the word Lilith in this verse to indicate that Isaiah was speaking about a person named Lilith.

There too Lilith shall repose, and find a place to rest. (Isaiah 34:14, NRSV)

So, if there are female demons, then there are female angels. Demons are fallen angels. They followed Satan and left God.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Rev. 12:9)

They are destined for eternal damnation in Gehenna.

Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. (St. Matt. 25:41)

In the Shepherd, a book that St. Athanasius the Great classified with the Ecclesiastical Books of the Bible,* St. Hermas of the Seventy Apostles speaks with two ladies. I believe that these ladies he was talking to were female angels. St. Athanasius said that this book is a good book to be used with catechumens. His list of Canonical and Ecclesiastical Books was accepted by the Quinisext Council (692 A.D.) in its Second Canon.

In Zechariah 5:9, there is mention made of women with wings. I think they were female angels.

As for angels procreating, there is the passage in Genesis 6.

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the Earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the Earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. (Gen. 6:1-4)

In the Hebrew text of Job, angels are called "sons of God." (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7) According to The Catholic Encyclopedia's article on angels, most codices of the Septuagint say "angels of God" in this Genesis passage instead of "sons of God." The most ancient interpretation of this passage is that angels fell into the sin of lusting after human women and married them and had children with them. Their offspring were giants. I do not think that they were giants like in the Greek myths. I think that they were just tall people like a lot of basketball players are. Goliath, according to the Septuagint text of First Samuel was four cubits and a span in height. (I Sam. 17:4, LXX) That is about 6 foot 8 inches. I know that the Hebrew text says 6 cubits and a span, but 4 cubits and a span seems to be more probable. The Hebrew text may have been corrupted. But then, Og King of Bashan's bed was 9 cubits by 4 cubits. (Deut. 3:11) That is 13 foot 6 inches by 6 foot. He was the last of the remnant of the giants. (Deut. 3:11; Josh. 12:4) (The Septuagint agrees with the Hebrew here.) He would, of course, have been shorter than his bed. Maybe his dimensions were 12 foot by 4 foot. I would think that he would have had a bed big enough for both him and his wife. Og was also a King of the Amorites. (Josh. 9:10) The Amorites were descendants of Noah's son, Ham. (Gen. 10:6-16) I sort of wonder if Noah, his wife, or Ham's wife had some angel DNA! Another reason I believe that angels procreate is found in Tobit.** Actually, there are two reasons I find in this book for believing that angels procreate. The first reason is Asmodeus. He was a demon who lusted after Sara. He killed her first seven husbands before they could consummate their marriage with her. (Tobit 3:7,8; 6:13,14) I think that Asmodeus was capable of having sex although he was a demon -- a fallen angel. The other reason I believe that angels procreate is that the Archangel Raphael told Tobit that he is Azarias the son of Ananias. I do not believe that he lied to Tobit.

Therefore when he went to seek a man, he found Raphael that was an angel. But he knew not; and he said unto him, Canst thou go with me to Rages? And knowest thou those places well? To whom the angel said, I will go with thee, and I know the way well: for I have lodged with our brother Gabael. Then Tobias said unto him, Tarry for me, till I tell my father. Then he said unto him, Go and tarry not. So he went in and said to his father, Behold, I have found one which will go with me. Then he said, Call him unto me, that I may know of what tribe he is, and whether he be a trusty man to go with thee. So he called him, and he came in, and they saluted one another. Then Tobit said unto him, Brother, shew me of what tribe and family thou art. To whom he said, Dost thou seek for a tribe or family, or an hired man to go with thy son? Then Tobit said unto him, I would know, brother, thy kindred and name. Then he said, I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the Great, and of thy brethren. (Tobit 5:4-12)

The names, Raphael, Azarias, and Ananias are derived from Hebrew -- a human language. St. Paul spoke of "the tongues of angels" in his First Epistle to the Corinthians. (I Cor. 13:1) His actual names are probably not Raphael or Azarias. His father's name is probably not Ananias. They are probably just Hebrew forms of their actual names, just as Juan is a Spanish form of John. Some say that Ananias is another name for God and that Raphael was telling Tobit that he was a son of God. I do not believe that Ananias is another name for God because Ananias is the name of one of the Seventy Apostles who is the first bishop of Damascus. He baptized St. Paul. (Acts 22:12-16) I do not think that any pious Jew or Christian would name his child after God. There are some who have named their children Jesus, but Jesus is a human name. It is derived from the Greek form of a Hebrew name found in several places in the Old Testament. Joshua is called Jesus the son of Nave in the Septuagint. The author of Ecclesiasticus is Jesus the son of Sirach. The High Priest during Zerubbabel's days is Joshua. He is called Jesus in the Septuagint. Ananias is another human name. It is the name that the Archangel Raphael called his father when he was talking to Tobit. If Raphael has a father, then angels do procreate. Another reason I believe that angels procreate is found in St. Mark's Gospel. One of the angels at the tomb was a "young man." (St. Mark 16:5) The Greek word translated "young man" is neaniskos. A neaniskos is younger than a neanias. I think that the word, neaniskos, means "teenage boy." If there are angels with different ages, then it is reasonable to say that some angels came about after others. Angels probably do procreate. In the Epistle to the Hebrews, it says that there is an innumerable number of angels. (Heb. 12:22) God created man as two individuals first, male and female (Gen. 1:26-28). It is reasonable to believe that God also created angels as two individuals, male and female, too. However, I think that He probably did that for each of the orders of angels. There are nine choirs or orders of angels mentioned in the Bible: seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominions, principalities, authorities, rulers, archangels, and angels. (Isaiah 6:2; Gen. 3:24; Eph. 6:12; Col. 1:16, I Thess. 4:16; Heb. 1:13) Anyway, I agree with the famous Seventeenth Century Baroque artist, Peter Rubens. There are baby angels.

This is "The Assumption of the Virgin Mary."
Notice the baby angels in this painting by
Seventeenth Century Baroque artist, Peter Rubens.

Steve

* But for greater exactness I add this also, writing of necessity; that there are other books besides these not indeed included in the Canon, but appointed by the Fathers to be read by those who newly join us, and who wish for instruction in the word of godliness. The Wisdom of Solomon, and the Wisdom of Sirach, and Esther, and Judith, and Tobit, and that which is called the Teaching of the Apostles, and the Shepherd. But the former, my brethren, are included in the Canon, the latter being [merely] read; nor is there in any place a mention of apocryphal writings. But they are an invention of heretics, who write them when they choose, bestowing upon them their approbation, and assigning to them a date, that so, using them as ancient writings, they may find occasion to lead astray the simple. (Letter XXXIX, par. 7, by St. Athanasius the Great, 296-373 A.D., vol. 4, p. 552, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)

** Tobit is one of the Ecclesiastical Books of the Old Testament. The 24th Canon of the Council of Carthage (419 A.D.) accepted it into the Canon of Holy Scripture. The Second Canon of the Quinisext Council accepted the Canons of this Council of Carthage. The Quinisext Council is ecumenical. St. Polycarp, a disciple of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, quoted from Tobit in his Epistle to the Philippians. (See chapter 10, Polycarp's Epistle to the Philippians, vol. 1, p. 35, Ante-Nicene Fathers. The quote is from Tobit 4:10 or 12:9.) St. Polycarp was also Bishop of Smyrna. I do not think that any of the apostles or their successors would have allowed a man who was ignorant of the Holy Scriptures to become a bishop.

Bibliography

Nelson's Topical Bible Index, published by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN, copyright 1995

Enhanced Strong's Lexicon, copyright 1995, Woodside Bible Fellowship

New American Bible, copyright 1976, Catholic Publishers, Inc, A Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN

The Open Bible, copyright 1983, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN

Ante-Nicene Fathers, edited by Alexander Roberts, D.D. & James Donaldson, LL.D., volumes 1-10, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Massachusetts

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D. & Henry Wace, D.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts