Angels in the Bible -- Have You Met Your Match? Quiz

Answer: Hagar

Hagar is the correct answer. Actually, Scripture tells of Hagar, an Egyptian handmaiden to Sarah, being visited on two different occasions by angels.

The first encounter took place after she fled to the desert to escape the harsh treatment of Sarah. Hagar was pregnant with Ishmael at the time. According to Scripture, the angel told Hagar to return to Sarah and submit to her even though she treated her badly. The angel also told Hagar her descendants would be too numerous to count.

The second encounter with an angel took place after Sarah gave birth to Isaac and Abraham forced Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness of Beersheba. After running out of water and apparently close to death, an angel appeared to her again, promising that God would make a great nation of Ishmael.

Then miraculously, her eyes were opened by God and she saw a well of water.

Details about the two divine visits can be found in Genesis 16:7-14 and Genesis 21:17-19.

Answer: Lot

According to Scripture, two unnamed angels enabled Lot, his wife and their two daughters escape from Sodom just prior to its destruction, as per Genesis 19:1-29.

Scripture tells of the angels, also referred to as men in the passage, urging Lot and his family to flee to the hills and not look back.

However, while fleeing from Sodom, Lot's unnamed wife looked back at the destruction of Sodom and ended up being turned into a pillar of salt, as per Genesis 19:26.

Answer: Samson

The mother of Samson was told by an angel she would give birth to a boy who would be a Nazirite and he would deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines. The angel's announcement must've came as a gigantic surprise to Samson's mother as she had been barren and unable to conceive.

The woman is not identified by name. She is simply described as the wife of Manoah who was from Zorah.

In Biblical times, a Nazirite was a person who swore a vow of separation and consecration to God. (See Numbers 6:1-21 for details.)

Judges 13:5 quotes the angel as making the following announcement to Samson's mother: "For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."

Answer: Gideon

Gideon, a noted judge of Israel, received word from an angel that he would lead the Israelites to military victory over the Midianites. Ironically, Gideon was in hiding from the Midianites when the angel called him a "mighty warrior" and assured him he would lead Israel to victory.

Scripture goes on to tell of Gideon leading a tiny army of 300 men to a spectacular victory over the Midianites.

For more details, see chapt3ers 6, 7 and 8 of Judges.

Answer: Elijah

According to 1 Kings 19:5-8, Elijah was fed meals by an angel. The helping hand was extended while Elijah was on the run from King Ahab and his wicked wife Jezebel as they wanted him dead.

Scripture tells of an angel touching Elijah and giving him a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water to wash it down. The angel came back a second time and provided Elijah with more nourishment.

According to 1 Kings 19:8, the food enabled Elijah to travel for forty days and nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.

It should be pointed out this event is different from another time when ravens brought food to Elijah, as per 1 Kings 17.

Answer: Herod

Herod is the correct answer. Acts 12:21-23 tell of his death which involved action by an angel. The verses in the NKJV state: "So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, 'The voice of a god and not of a man!' Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.

According to Wikipedia, Herod's death occurred around AD 44, after he gave orders to have James executed and Peter imprisoned.

Answer: Zacharias

Zacharias was rendered speechless for an extended period of time -- most likely nine months -- after doubting a message from the angel Gabriel that his wife Elizabeth would give birth to a baby boy. What caused Zacharias to be doubtful about Gabriel's claim is that he and his wife were "both well advanced in years", as per Luke 1:7

After the angel's prophecy came true, Zacharias regained the ability to speak.

The baby would become known as John the Baptist.

In the NIV, Zacharias is known as Zechariah.

Answer: Paul

Paul was a passenger on a ship caught up in a ferocious storm on the Mediterranean Sea when an angel visited him.

According to Acts 27:22-25, the angel told Paul everyone on board the floundering ship would make it safely to dry land and he would stand trial before Caesar in Rome.

Scripture goes on to tell of the 276 people on board making it safely to land after the ship ran aground off the coast of Malta.

A short while later, Paul would arrive on the Italian mainland and make his way to Rome to appear before Caesar.

Answer: Matthew

The Gospel of Matthew tells of an unnamed angel rolling away the stone from Christ's tomb. Details can be found in Matthew 28:2.

According to the verse, there was a "great earthquake" when the angel descended from heaven and rolled back the the stone.

After rolling back the stone, Scripture tells of the angel sitting on the boulder.

Verses 3 and 4 in the NKJV go on to provide this information about the angel: "His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men."

Answer: Gabriel

Gabriel is the correct answer. Details about Gabriel telling Mary, believed to be a young teenage girl, that she would give birth even though she was a virgin are found in Luke 1:26-38.

According to Scripture, Mary would conceive through the Holy Spirit.

In Verses 31-33, in the N KJV, Gabriel is quoted as telling Mary: "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

In the passage, Mary's age is not stated, but it is generally believed she was about 16 years old or younger as it was the custom for females to marry incredibly young in Biblical days.