What is…
The Destroyer

also known as: Destroyers, Angels of Destruction, Angels of Death, Executioners

These powerful supernatural beings are employed as destroyers by God and controlled by Him. Examples:

• DESTRUCTION of 14,700 ISRAELITES (see: Numbers 16:46-49)—Paul refers to this incident when he says, “nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by THE DESTROYER” (1 Corinthians 10:10—NKJV).

• DESTRUCTION OF FIRSTBORN PEOPLE AND BEASTS OF EGYPT—A supernatural executioner was employed by God in the killing of the firstborn in Egypt (the final plague on Egypt)—a destroying angel of God.

  “…the Lord will pass over the door and not allow THE DESTROYER to come into your houses to strike you” (Exodus 12:23—NKJV).

  “By faith he [Moses] kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who DESTROYED the firstborn should touch them” (Hebrews 11:28—NKJV).

• “Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to THE DESTROYERS [literally: they that cause to die]” (Job 33:22 KJV).

  “Yes, his soul draws near the Pit,
  And his life to the EXECUTIONERS” (Job 33:22 NKJV).

• “He cast on them the fierceness of His anger,
  Wrath, indignation, and trouble,
  By sending ANGELS OF DESTRUCTION among them” (Psalm 78:49 NKJV).

• DESTRUCTION OF ASSYRIAN ARMY (185,000) THAT SOUGHT TO TAKE JERUSALEM—“And it came to pass on a certain night that the ANGEL OF THE LORD went out, and KILLED in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead” (2 Kings 19:35 NKJV).

• 

  The Jews were saved from King Sennacherib’s army by an angel of destruction who destroyed the enemy outside Jerusalem.

  Artist: Gustave Dore

  DESTRUCTION OF 70,000 ISRAELITE MEN—“So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died. And when the ANGEL stretched out His hand over Jerusalem TO DESTROY IT, the Lord relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, ‘It is enough; now restrain your hand.’ And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite” (2 Samuel 24:15-17—NKJV).

• DEATH OF HEROD AGRIPPA I—“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” (Acts 12:23 NKJV).

More information

• executioner
• destruction
• Angels in the Bible
• What else does the Bible teach about angels?
• What is an archangel?
• Michael—an archangel
• Gabriel—an archangel
• judgments of god
• fall of man (origin of death)
• What kind of world would you create?
• How did bad things come about?
• Death—When did it come into our world? What is its purpose?
• What is the FINAL JUDGMENT? and WHAT do you need to know about it? Answer
• Who is Satan, the enemy of God and all people? Answer