How do angels fight?

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ltravis

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I often hear how we are part of a heavenly battle between the good angels and the forces of Satan, and that in the end, with God, the good will triumph. Well, basic question: in spiritual warfare, given they are not corporeal, how exactly do the angels fight up there?

LT
 
That is an excellent question, Itravis - I never thought of that before. I wish I knew the answer. Hopefully somebody can clue us in.

Peace
 
Spiritual beings probably can interact with each other in ways that we do not know.

Also they would fight temptation, pride, and desire which would be presented by Satan and his minions. They certainly have an interest in tempting even Jesus as evidenced in the Gospel.

That is an interesting question.

God Bless
Scylla
 
Revelation 12:[7] Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,
[8] but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
[9] And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world – he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
and
Jude [9] But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, disputed about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a reviling judgment upon him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
and
Daniel 10:[13] The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, so I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia [14] and came to make you understand what is to befall your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come." …[20] Then he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I am through with him, lo, the prince of Greece will come.

Maybe that will give you some insight.

BTW, realize that based upon Matthew 18:10, we all have a guardian angel. I think that is way cool! Mainly because of the love of God that that shows me.
 
Church_Militant said:
Maybe that will give you some insight.
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With respect, CM, the passages you quote show that the angels fight…not how. The vivid visual imagery is human in nature, but angels are pure spirit; the only way to communicate this revelation would have been to use imagery with which the reader can identify.

Given that angels (and demons) are spirits, I don’t think we can say they “fight” in the way that we understand the word; there is no hand-to-hand combat, no clashing of swords. Suffice to say that the demons are “hell-bent” on leading us astray, and the angels are pitted against them. There are no physics or techniques or tactics of which we can speak, for they are non-corporeal beings.

It’s much like references to “the hand of God”…who has no hands (except in the person of Christ).

I could be wrong, but I don’t think I am.

Peace,
Dante
 
William Layton: People who were decidedly educated, could read and understand, saw the manipulation of scripture by the rc.
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That is your own opinion and conjecture.
If you read it in context, as many have; asked questions, as many have; there is but one conclusion to reach.
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I have read it in context, my personal interpretation of the context does indeed fall in line with what the RC teaches.

So you claim that the context of scripture contradicts what the RC teaches is fruitless.
 
I have given you scripture along with context.

All you can say is that it was taken out of context.

You failed to provide a counter context for every single instance I gave.

Is that the best you can do? Personal opinion and personal conjecture?
 
ltravis said:
I often hear how we are part of a heavenly battle between the good angels and the forces of Satan, and that in the end, with God, the good will triumph. Well, basic question: in spiritual warfare, given they are not corporeal, how exactly do the angels fight up there?
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CS Lewis theorised that we are the ethereral, slightly unreal ones to them. They have bodies made of a substance more dense than matter.
 
I remember reading about the guardian angel of saint (Gemma Galgani, I think). See could see her angel and was also attacked by demons. She said her angel would shake his hair and the demons would flee. Not exactly a fight, though.
 
DanteAlighieri said:
With respect, CM, the passages you quote show that
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the angels fight…not how. The vivid visual imagery is human in nature, but angels are pure spirit; the only way to communicate this revelation would have been to use imagery with which the reader can identify.

Given that angels (and demons) are spirits, I don’t think we can say they “fight” in the way that we understand the word; there is no hand-to-hand combat, no clashing of swords. Suffice to say that the demons are “hell-bent” on leading us astray, and the angels are pitted against them. There are no physics or techniques or tactics of which we can speak, for they are non-corporeal beings.

It’s much like references to “the hand of God”…who has no hands (except in the person of Christ).

I could be wrong, but I don’t think I am.

Peace,
DanteNo offense taken. 🙂 I was simply trying to supply some scriptural information that actually does give some insight into the how of angelic combat. Look again at those passages. With what little we have to go on, it could be “a war of words” or something else again.

I agree with your summation when you said, “There are no physics or techniques or tactics of which we can speak, for they are non-corporeal beings.” 👍
 
GandalfTheWhite said:
I like to think they used huge two-handed vorpal swords! 😃

Ok, sorry! 😊
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Which is why the Jabberwoky doesn’t mess with angels. 😃

Seriously though (this being all theory of course) I suppose they could interact with other beings of their nature the same way we can with ours.

Or they could match up the authority of their particular masters.

Also all of it would probably be affected by what they created to be. Angels seem created for specific function this may play a role in how they fight.

Lucifer was the greatest of the angels yet St. Michael cast him out of Heaven. Could this mean that while Lucifer’s position was a more exaulted one he himself was less than St. Michael in conflict? I find this an interesting concept because that would suggest that any angel cannot be defeated or stopped so long as it is about the work that God has set for it.

I don’t know interesting thread though.
 
rtconstant said:
Lucifer was the greatest of the angels yet St. Michael cast him out of Heaven.
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Well, David brought down the big philistine. btw that’s why I said judo: the bringing down and the pitting of the small against the big and proud. That’s why my suggestion is on topic.

[SIGN]
😛
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Well, as I think about it, one thing I can add is that our prayers definitely aid the spiritual battle. As Fr. Corapi says, the rosary is one of our greatest weapons. I would say prayer is a key factor, but I don’t know if it supports the “weapons” of the angels somehow, convinces God to give aid his angels, or are front-line weapons in and of themselves.

LT
 
There’s a verse maybe in Jude…not going to look it up right now. But it talks about angels being bound in chains.

Well…what kind of chains will bind a non-physical creature?

And what sort of tongs does an angel use to pick up a hot coal in heaven to put it on Isaiah’s lips?

I would prefer to think that angels fought with swords. Big broadswords. I just can’t picture them using katanas or nunchuks. And I’m a Jet Li fan, but I still think angels need big swords.

But when it comes down to it, maybe we just don’t know. However, St. Thomas Aquinas probably has asked the same question and answered it in one of his books. Maybe he knew?
 
From what I have read most authors think that it was intellectual battles (hopefully not “Your Momma” jokes:D ). I dont know how that actually works but it seems plausible. I suppose we can glean some information from how WE fight spiritually with others and ourselves; But whether that corresponds at all to how angels fight will not be known.
 
Reformed Rob:
There’s a verse maybe in Jude…not going to look it up right now. But it talks about angels being bound in chains.
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Is somehow connecting to ‘binding and loosing’ on Earth and in Heaven?
Reformed Rob:
I would prefer to think that angels fought with swords. Big broadswords. I just can’t picture them using katanas or nunchuks. And I’m a Jet Li fan, but I still think angels need big swords.
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Well first of all the ‘thowing down’ of Satan would mean a judo-like tactic. Second the paintings of Michael that I have seen has his sword as very skinny, like a rapier.
 
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