In a perplexing passage, Paul says that in worship services a woman “ought to have a symbol of authority over her head, because of the angels.”1 He is speaking about head coverings concerning which various interpretations have been given–a shawl, a veil, long hair or long hair not let down. Apparently he’s referencing some first century custom, but is there any possible application for us today?
The Reality of Angels
In previous posts, we considered the reality of a cosmos haunted by a numinous Presence and that virtually all religions, including Christianity, see a host of spiritual beings populating this cosmos.
The bible, in fact, actively encourages us to imagine ourselves smack dab in a world populated by innumerable angels.2 Jesus told Nathaniel he would see angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. Angels are interested in the affairs of humans and watch them closely.3 They are assigned to both individuals and churches.4 Many times we’re told angels are sent to help us5 just as they were sent to minister to Jesus.6 And scripture tells us being open to the possibility of angels in our midst opens us to a more generous hospitality toward outsiders.7
Angels Speak to People
Perhaps the most startling thing said about angels is that they speak to human beings. Unfortunately, throughout history there have been innumerable abuses when people overemphasize this and Christians rightfully want to be careful.
For example, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, leader of the Church Universal and Triumphant, claimed to receive messages from spiritual beings about an imminent nuclear holocaust. She led her followers to build extensive underground shelters in Montana where, on March 15, 1990, hundreds of them waited for the prophesied nuclear strike. Over three days, they hunkered underground, surrounded by gold coins and assault rifles, only to emerge into the sunlight of a bitterly ordinary day when the predicted apocalypse did not occur.8
Cultish examples such as this have led many Christians to shy away from the reality of angels for all practical purposes. Because we can now access God’s presence directly through Jesus, they say, there is no need to think about angels. While it is true that Christ opens a direct path to God, it does not necessarily follow that all communication from heaven comes directly via Jesus.
In fact, the bible paints a completely different picture. Angels speak to humans in both the Old and New Testaments over and over again and they do so even after the Holy Spirit is poured out on the church.
We Need Humility Because of Our Limited Understanding of the Divine Realm
The point of all this is not that we should start speaking to angels as some new age practitioners would encourage us to do. Nowhere in scripture is that even hinted at. The only time we see humans addressing angels is when the latter have first appeared to them.
Rather, the point is that we need humility in all things relating to the divine. Even though we are of incalculable worth to God, we are at the same time little players in a big cosmos where forces so huge corrupt even creation itself when they go wrong.
Our Focus is Jesus, not Angels
Because we don’t see into the invisible realm very clearly, God gives us one focus–Jesus. He is all we need. He is the one we address in prayer and worship. However, we can’t say how God may speak to us.
Our prayers are like fireworks shooting into the night sky. A single projectile goes up in one direction (i.e. focused on Jesus), but comes down in a multiplicity of colours, lights and shapes–dreams, visions, prophetic utterances, inner convictions, nature, music, art, words from others, books, podcasts or–perhaps even angelic communication. There is no limit to the number of ways we might encounter God. In the bible, he even spoke through a donkey and writing on a wall!
A More Interesting and Exciting Christian Life
Taking a posture of curiosity and humility regarding this big world leads to a much more interesting and exciting life. If we accept our ignorance in cosmic matters, we will have a more open mind and be more receptive to thoughts and images from beyond ourselves. How do we know that surprising impulse to help a neighbour was not put in our mind by an angel?
In conclusion, all of us (not just women) need a symbol of authority on our heads–the covering of humility. It is the head that so often puffs us up. Our pride blinds us to our own limited viewpoint. Humility, on the other hand, opens us to the marvels of a world, both visible and invisible, which just might lead us to awe and worship.
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