The Hum of Angels: Listening for the Messengers of God Around Us.
Scot McKnight
Colorado Springs, Colorado : Waterbrook Multnomah, 2017. 224 pages.
Reviewed by Andrew R.A. Green



http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/authors/188148/scot-mcknight/

Angels.

This one subject can suffer greatly from extremes. Either the focus is highly speculative in nature, aimed at satisfying intrigue and curiosity; or at the opposite extreme, of ignoring – or at best downplaying – the subject of Angels.

The subject of angels doubtless stimulates the publishing of many books, even looking at the number in Christian book retailers. However, New Testament scholar Scot McKnight seeks to offer a book in which readers can “dig in” and investigate what the Bible says about angels. In doing so, McKnight aims to address commonly held beliefs and misconceptions of angels, challenge modern accounts of encounters that veer from Biblical characteristics of angels, and unpack the Bible’s understanding on angels.

Thus, McKnight’s conviction and aim to persuade and help readers understand and become aware of the ‘hum of angels’ will become clearer when they know what to look for. Employing an illustration from nature, and explaining the difficulty of the un-attuned eye to notice the presence of hummingbirds, McKnight employing this example is determined to attune the reader’s eyes to see – indeed, actively seek angels, and to see them everywhere.

Keeping to his aim in inviting readers to investigate what the Bible says, McKnight helpfully reiterates throughout that angels do God’s bidding. They are ministering spirits, serving for the sake of the elect. Rather than sensationalising and promoting further speculation, readers are reminded that the angels exist to praise, worship, and serve God. Careful not to attribute too much to angels, McKnight wisely states that angels “may be powerful, supernatural beings… But angels are created to worship Jesus as God’s Son and Lord.” The angels are also “curious” in that they a watching over the church and beholding the unfolding plan of redemption, and watch on and indeed join in praise as the Church worships.

Readers are oriented and reminded that in worship there is more going on than we think. Perhaps Christian’s in the west have forgotten that called to worship they come to the heavenly Mount Zion and to the festal gathering where they join the Church triumphant and an innumerable host.

This aspect of McKnight’s work is certainly welcome in that he seeks to redirect the reader’s mind from the ephemeral, fiery, effeminate angels and “chubby cherubs” of artistic licence. Instead he shows that these are creatures which are indeed different from the usual images, but which also signpost to the awesome glory of the One they worship – some shielding their faces as they cry “Holy, Holy, Holy.” There is certainly the needed gravitas and wonder in these sections and portions of the book.

However, there are some areas of the book, which could have been developed further by engaging with other interpretive views. Therefore, some discernment is required, especially for the novice and enquiring reader. One such example is what the present ministry of angels is. Whilst affirming the presence and ministry of angels, especially in relation to the church, does the Bible teach that at this point in redemptive history that the angels minister in the ways McKnight cites?

For example McKnight states “Angels are ever present… The angels are our teachers. Those caring, curious angels, we need to see, are at work to teach us the message of redemption.”

It is beyond doubt that the angels are ministering spirits, serving for the sake of the elect. However, ‘teaching us’, I am not so sure, and hold my reservations. McKnight, I feel did not go to enough depths to fully explain this one, or to provide answers to objections readers would have, or to answer and interact with other interpretations, which is a shame as this would have been a useful conversation to join.

The book is certainly going be a more welcome entrant among the plethora of other books on the topic. The book does seek to focus on what the Bible says, and McKnight deals with passages and narratives to explain the biblical view of angels. However, read discerningly (as with any book). Did I disagree; yes, on a number of points. However, the book stimulated further study, which is welcome and is surely the aim of a well-written book.


Note: Thanks to WaterBrook, the publisher, for a review copy of this book (I received an e-book version). I was not asked or obliged to give a positive review.