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THE TUESDAY QUESTION
Does The Bible Support the Saying “God Must Have Needed Another Angel?”
It’s yet another one of those thing people think MUST be somewhere in the Bible.
In my long tenure as an Anglican priest, I conducted more than 1000 funerals. And one of the phrases I heard said many times was this:
God must have needed another angel.
I’ve heard it said to bereaved families, I’ve seen it on condolence cards, and I’ve seen it inscribed on headstones.
But I’ve NEVER said it myself to anyone.
Why? Because although I can appreciate that it is meant with the best of intentions — often by people struggling to find words to comfort — it’s not remotely taught in the Bible, nor does it give a helpful understanding of God.
Let me unpack.
The Bible teaches that angels are a different kind of being than humans and that humans do NOT become angels after they die. Instead, the Bible teaches that humans have an eternal destiny to be resurrected and live with God — alongside the angels and other heavenly beings.
According to the Bible, angels are spiritual beings created by God who exist to serve and worship…
