The Bible abounds with beautiful accounts of the deliverance of men and, in some instances, an entire army of men, from grave peril through the power of God as expressed by His angels. In some pictures in old versions of the Bible, angels are portrayed as human beings with wings. Many people have been led to believe that angels permanently inhabit a material place called heaven, which place of abode may be reached only by first passing through the experience termed death. Little children have been encouraged to be good by the promise that, if they are good enough, sometime they will enter heaven and become angels. The erroneous belief that angels are physical, or that the departed become angels, is completely repudiated by the teachings of Christian Science. The mistaken theory of false theology that angels are beings with material forms, dwelling in a material habitation beyond the sky, is recognized through the revelation of divine Truth to be utterly untrue.
Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, has given to the world the definition of "angels," on page 581 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," as follows: "God's thoughts passing to man; spiritual intuitions, pure and perfect; the inspiration of goodness, purity, and immortality, counteracting all evil, sensuality, and mortality." This understanding of the truth about angels brings with it an illumination of thought and a reasonable, rational explanation of how it is that angels are where God is and manifest His infinite power and love.
The ever-inspiring account of Daniel's protection in the den of lions is a definite example of how angels are at hand to help those who rely on God, as did Daniel.
