Angel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the cosmic spirits. For other uses, see Angel (disambiguat
ion).
"Angelology" redirects here. For the novel, see Angelology (novel).
Not to be confused with Angle.
Schutzengel (English: "Guardian Angel") by Bernhard Plockhorst depicts a guardia
n angel watching over two children.
The Harmony between Religion and Science, a ceiling fresco of the Marble Hall at
Seitenstetten Abbey (Lower Austria) by Paul Troger, 1735
An allegory of poetry by Franois Boucher
Jacob Wrestling with the Angel, created by Gustave Dor in 1855
An angel, especially according to Abrahamic religions and Zoroastrianism[citatio
n needed], is a spiritual being superior to humans in power and intelligence.[1]
Angels are typically described as benevolent,[2] dreadful, and endowed with wis
dom and knowledge of earthly events, but not infallible; for they strive with ea
ch other, and God has to make peace between them.[3] Most of them serve either a
s intermediaries between Heaven and Earth, or as guardian spirits.[2][4] They ar
e studied in the theological doctrine of angelology. In Christian Science, the w
ord "angel" is used to refer to an inspiration from God. The use of the term has
extended to refer to artistic depictions of the spirits, and it is also used fi
guratively to refer to messengers and harbingers, and to people who possess high
qualities of goodness, purity, selflessness, intelligence, and/or beauty.[1][3]
Angels are referred to in connection with their spiritual missions; as for insta
nce, the "angel which has redeemed", "an interpreter", "the angel that destroyed
", "the messenger of the covenant", "angel of his presence", and "a band of ange
ls of evil".[3]
In fine art, angels are usually depicted as having the shape of human beings of
extraordinary beauty;[1][3] they are often identified using the symbols of bird
wings, halos, and light.
Contents [hide]
1
Etymology
2
Zoroastrianism
3
Neoplatonism
4
Abrahamic religions
4.1
Judaism
4.1.1 Jewish angelic hierarchy
4.1.2 Individual angels
4.2
Christianity
4.2.1 Interaction with angels
4.2.2 The New Church
4.2.3 Latter Day Saints
4.3
Islam
4.4
Bah' Faith
5
Sikhism
6
Esotericism
6.1
Hermetic Qabalah
6.2
Theosophy
7
Brahma Kumaris
8
In art
9
See also
10
References
11
Further reading

12
External links
Etymology[edit]
The word angel (pronounced /'e?n.d??l/) in English is a blend of Old English eng
el (with a hard g) and Old French angele.[5] Both derive from Late Latin angelus
"messenger", which in turn was borrowed from Late Greek ???e??? ngelos. Accordin
g to R. S. P. Beekes, ngelos itself may be "an Oriental loan, like ???a??? ['Pers
ian mounted courier']."[6] The word's earliest form is Mycenaean a-ke-ro atteste
d in Linear B syllabic script.[7][8]
The ngelos is the default Septuagint's translation of the Biblical Hebrew term ma
l akh denoting simply "messenger" without specifying its nature. In the Latin Vulg
ate, however, the meaning becomes bifurcated: when mal akh or ngelos is supposed to
denote a human messenger, words like nuntius or legatus are applied. If the wor
d refers to some supernatural being, the word angelus appears. Such differentiat
ion has been taken over by later vernacular translations of the Bible, early Chr
istian and Jewish exegetes and eventually modern scholars.[9]
Zoroastrianism[edit]
Main article: Zoroastrian angelology
In Zoroastrianism there are different angel-like figures. For example, each pers
on has one guardian angel, called Fravashi. They patronize human beings and othe
r creatures, and also manifest God's energy. The Amesha Spentas have often been
regarded as angels, although there is no direct reference to them conveying mess
ages,[10] but are rather emanations of Ahura Mazda ("Wise Lord", God); they init
ially appeared in an abstract fashion and then later became personalized, associ
ated with diverse aspects of the divine creation.[11]
Neoplatonism[edit]
In the commentaries of Proclus (4th century, under Christian rule) on the Timaeu
s of Plato, Proclus uses the terminology of "angelic" (aggelikos) and "angel" (a
ggelos) in relation to metaphysical beings. According to Aristotle, just as ther
e is a First Mover,[12] so, too, must there be spiritual secondary movers.[13]
Abrahamic religions[edit]
Judaism[edit]
Main article: Angels in Judaism
Three angels hosted by Abraham, Ludovico Carracci (1555 1619), Bologna, Pinacoteca
Nazionale.
Tobias and the Angel by Filippino Lippi, created between circa 1472 and circa 14
82.
The Torah uses the (Hebrew) terms ???? ????? (mal'ak? 'elohm; messenger of God),
???? ???? (mal'ak? YHWH; messenger of the Lord), ??? ????? (b?ne 'elohm; sons of
God) and ??????? (haqqd?? m; the holy ones) to refer to beings traditionally interpr
eted as angels. Later texts use other terms, such as ???????? (ha'elynm; the upper
ones).
The term ???? (mal'ak?) is also used in other books of the Tanakh. Depending on
the context, the Hebrew word may refer to a human messenger or to a supernatural
messenger. A human messenger might be a prophet or priest, such as Malachi, "my
messenger"; the Greek superscription in the Septuagint translation states the B
ook of Malachi was written "by the hand of his messenger" ??????? anglu. Examples
of a supernatural messenger[14] are the "Malak YHWH," who is either a messenger
from God,[15] an aspect of God (such as the Logos),[16] or God himself as the m
essenger (the "theophanic angel.")[14][17]
Scholar Michael D. Coogan notes that it is only in the late books that the terms
"come to mean the benevolent semi divine beings familiar from later mythology a
nd art."[18] Daniel is the first biblical figure to refer to individual angels b

y name,[19] mentioning Gabriel (God's primary messenger) in Daniel 9:21 and Mich
ael (the holy fighter) in Daniel 10:13. These angels are part of Daniel's apocal
yptic visions and are an important part of all apocalyptic literature.[18] Cooga
n explains the development of this concept of angels: "In the postexilic period,
with the development of explicit monotheism, these divine beings the 'sons of God
' who were members of the Divine Council were in effect demoted to what are now kn
own as 'angels', understood as beings created by God, but immortal and thus supe
rior to humans."[18] This conception of angels is best understood in contrast to
demons and is often thought to be "influenced by the ancient Persian religious
tradition of Zoroastrianism, which viewed the world as a battleground between fo
rces of good and forces of evil, between light and darkness."[18] One of these i
s ha a?an, a figure depicted in (among other places) the Book of Job.
Philo of Alexandria identifies the angel with the Logos inasmuch as the angel is
the immaterial voice of God. The angel is something different from God himself,
but is conceived as God's instrument.[20]
In post-Biblical Judaism, certain angels took on particular significance and dev
eloped unique personalities and roles. Although these archangels were believed t
o rank among the heavenly host, no systematic hierarchy ever developed. Metatron
is considered one of the highest of the angels in Merkabah and Kabbalist mystic
ism and often serves as a scribe; he is briefly mentioned in the Talmud[21] and
figures prominently in Merkabah mystical texts. Michael, who serves as a warrior
[22] and advocate for Israel (Daniel 10:13), is looked upon particularly fondly.
[23] Gabriel is mentioned in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 8:15 17) and briefly in th
e Talmud,[24] as well as in many Merkabah mystical texts. There is no evidence i
n Judaism for the worship of angels, but there is evidence for the invocation an
d sometimes even conjuration of angels.[19]
According to Kabbalah, there are four worlds and our world is the last world: th
e world of action (Assiyah). Angels exist in the worlds above as a 'task' of God
. They are an extension of God to produce effects in this world. After an angel
has completed its task, it ceases to exist. The angel is in effect the task. Thi
s is derived from the book of Genesis when Abraham meets with three angels and L
ot meets with two. The task of one of the angels was to inform Abraham of his co
ming child. The other two were to save Lot and to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.[19
]
Jewish philosopher Maimonides explained his view of angels in his Guide for the
Perplexed II:4 and II
... This leads Aristotle in turn to the demonstrated fact that God, glory and ma
jesty to Him, does not do things by direct contact. God burns things by means of
fire; fire is moved by the motion of the sphere; the sphere is moved by means o
f a disembodied intellect, these intellects being the 'angels which are near to
Him', through whose mediation the spheres [planets] move ... thus totally disemb
odied minds exist which emanate from God and are the intermediaries between God
and all the bodies [objects] here in this world.
?Guide for the Perplexed II:4, Maimonides
Maimonides had a neo-Aristotelian interpretation of the Bible. Maimonides writes
that to the wise man, one sees that what the Bible and Talmud refer to as "ange
ls" are actually allusions to the various laws of nature; they are the principle
s by which the physical universe operates.
For all forces are angels! How blind, how perniciously blind are the naive?! If
you told someone who purports to be a sage of Israel that the Deity sends an ang
el who enters a woman's womb and there forms an embryo, he would think this a mi
racle and accept it as a mark of the majesty and power of the Deity, despite the
fact that he believes an angel to be a body of fire one third the size of the e

ntire world. All this, he thinks, is possible for God. But if you tell him that
God placed in the sperm the power of forming and demarcating these organs, and t
hat this is the angel, or that all forms are produced by the Active Intellect; t
hat here is the angel, the "vice-regent of the world" constantly mentioned by th
e sages, then he will recoil. Guide for the Perplexed II:4
One of Melozzo's musician (seraphim) angels from the Basilica dei Santi Apostoli
, now in the sacristy of St. Peter's Basilica
Jewish angelic hierarchy[edit]
Main article: Jewish angelic hierarchy
The sons of God saw the Daughters of Men that they were fair by Maurice Greiffen
hagen
Maimonides, in his Yad ha-Chazakah: Yesodei ha-Torah, counts ten ranks of angels
in the Jewish angelic hierarchy, beginning from the highest:
Rank
Angel Notes
1
Chayot Ha Kodesh
See Book of Ezekiel chs. 1 and 10
2
Ophanim See Ezekiel chs. 1 and 10
3
Erelim See Isaiah 33:7
4
Hashmallim
See Ezekiel 1:4
5
Seraphim
See Isaiah 6
6
Malakim Messengers, angels
7
Elohim "Godly beings"
8
Bene Elohim
"Sons of Godly beings"
9
Cherubim
See Hagigah 13b
10
Ishim "manlike beings", see Genesis 18:2, Daniel 10:5
Individual angels[edit]
From the Jewish Encyclopedia, entry "Angelology".[19]
Michael (archangel) (translation: who is like God?), kindness of God, and stands
up for the children of mankind
Gabriel (archangel) (translation: God is my strength), performs acts of justice
and power
(Only these two angels are mentioned by name in the Hebrew Bible; the rest are f
rom extra-biblical tradition.)
Jophiel (translation: Beauty of God), expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of E
den holding a flaming sword and punishes those who transgress against God.
Raphael (archangel) (translation: It is God who heals), God's healing force
Uriel (archangel) (translation: God is my light), leads us to destiny
Samael (archangel) (translation: Venom of God), angel of death see also Malach HaM
avet (translation: the angel of death)
Sandalphon (archangel) (translation: bringing together), battles Samael and brin
gs mankind together
Christianity[edit]
Main article: Christian angelic hierarchy
The Archangel Michael wears a late Roman military cloak and cuirass in this 17th
-century depiction by Guido Reni
Later Christians inherited Jewish understandings of angels, which in turn may ha
ve been partly inherited from the Egyptians.[25] In the early stage, the Christi
an concept of an angel characterized the angel as a messenger of God. Later came
identification of individual angelic messengers: Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, and
Uriel. Then, in the space of little more than two centuries (from the 3rd to th
e 5th) the image of angels took on definite characteristics both in theology and
in art.[26]
According to St Augustine, " 'Angel' is the name of their office, not of their n

ature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is 'spirit'; if you seek the nam
e of their office, it is 'angel': from what they are, 'spirit', from what they d
o, 'angel'."[27] Basilian Father Thomas Rosica says, "Angels are very important,
because they provide people with an articulation of the conviction that God is
intimately involved in human life."[28]
By the late 4th century, the Church Fathers agreed that there were different cat
egories of angels, with appropriate missions and activities assigned to them. Th
ere was, however, some disagreement regarding the nature of angels. Some argued
that angels had physical bodies,[29] while some maintained that they were entire
ly spiritual. Some theologians had proposed that angels were not divine but on t
he level of immaterial beings subordinate to the Trinity. The resolution of this
Trinitarian dispute included the development of doctrine about angels.[30]
The angels are represented throughout the Christian Bible as spiritual beings in
termediate between God and men: "You have made him [man] a little less than the
angels ..." (Psalms 8:4-5). The Bible describes the function of angels as "messe
ngers" but does not indicate when the creation of angels occurred.[31] Christian
s believe that angels are created beings, based on (Psalms 148:2-5; Colossians 1
:16): "praise ye Him, all His angels: praise ye Him, all His hosts ... for He sp
oke and they were made. He commanded and they were created ...". The Fourth Late
ran Council (1215) declared that the angels were created beings. The Council's d
ecree Firmiter credimus (issued against the Albigenses) declared both that angel
s were created and that men were created after them. The First Vatican Council (
1869) repeated this declaration in Dei Filius, the "Dogmatic constitution on the
Catholic faith".
Thomas Aquinas (13th century) relates angels to Aristotle's metaphysics in his S
umma contra Gentiles,[32] Summa Theologica,[33] and in De substantiis separatis,
[34] a treatise on angelology. Although angels have greater knowledge than men,
they are not omniscient, as Matthew 24:36 points out.[35]
Interaction with angels[edit]
An angel comforting Jesus, by Carl Heinrich Bloch, 1865 1890.
Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels
unawares. Hebrews 13:2
The New Testament includes many interactions and conversations between angels an
d humans. For instance, three separate cases of angelic interaction deal with th
e births of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. In Luke 1:11, an angel appears to
Zechariah to inform him that he will have a child despite his old age, thus pro
claiming the birth of John the Baptist. In Luke 1:26 the Archangel Gabriel visit
s the Virgin Mary in the Annunciation to foretell the birth of Jesus Christ. Ang
els then proclaim the birth of Jesus in the Adoration of the shepherds in Luke 2
:10.[36]
According to Matthew 4:11, after Jesus spent 40 days in the desert, "...the devi
l left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him." In Luke 22:43 an ang
el comforts Jesus Christ during the Agony in the Garden.[37] In Matthew 28:5 an
angel speaks at the empty tomb, following the Resurrection of Jesus and the roll
ing back of the stone by angels.[36]
In 1851 Pope Pius IX approved
orted private revelation from
stonac.[38] In a biography of
Ruoppolo, Galgani stated that

the Chaplet of Saint Michael based on the 1751 rep

archangel Michael to the Carmelite nun Antonia d'A
Saint Gemma Galgani written by Venerable Germanus
she had spoken with her guardian angel.

Pope John Paul II emphasized the role of angels in Catholic teachings in his 198
6 address titled "Angels Participate In History Of Salvation", in which he sugge
sted that modern mentality should come to see the importance of angels.[39]

According to the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the
Sacraments, "The practice of assigning names to the Holy Angels should be disco
uraged, except in the cases of Gabriel, Raphael and Michael whose names are cont
ained in Holy Scripture."[40]
The New Church[edit]
In the New Church, extensive information is provided concerning angels and the s
piritual world in which they dwell from many years of spiritual experiences reco
unted in the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. All angels are in human form with a
spiritual body, and are not just minds without form.[41] There are different or
ders of angels according to the three heavens,[42] and each angel dwells in one
of innumerable societies of angels. Such a society of angels can appear as one a
ngel as a whole.[43] All angels originate from the human race, and there is not
one angel in heaven who first did not live in a material body.[44] Moreover, all
children who die not only enter heaven but eventually become angels.[45] The li
fe of angels is that of usefulness, and their functions are so many that they ca
nnot be enumerated. However each angel will enter a service according to the use
that they had performed in their earthly life.[46] Names of angels, such as Mic
hael, Gabriel, and Raphael, signify a particular angelic function rather than an
individual being.[47] While living in one's body an individual has conjunction
with heaven through the angels,[48] and with each person, there are at least two
evil spirits and two angels.[49] Temptation or pains of conscience originates f
rom a conflict between evil spirits and angels.[50] Due to man's sinful nature i
t is dangerous to have open direct communication with angels[51] and can only be
seen when one's spiritual sight has been opened.[52] Thus from moment to moment
angels attempt to lead each person to what is good tacitly using the person's o
wn thoughts.[53]
Latter Day Saints[edit]
Temple statue of the Angel Moroni, Bern, Switzerland
Adherents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) view a
ngels as the messengers of God. They are sent to mankind to deliver messages, mi
nister to humanity, teach doctrines of salvation, call mankind to repentance, gi
ve priesthood keys, save individuals in perilous times, and guide humankind.[54]
The Divine Comedy, Paradise (Paradiso), illustration by Gustave Dor
The Divine Comedy, Paradise, illustration by Gustave Dor
The Divine Comedy, Paradise, illustration by Gustave Dor
Latter Day Saints believe that angels either are the spirits of humans who are d
eceased or who have yet to be born, or are humans who have been resurrected or t
ranslated and have physical bodies of flesh and bones,[55] and accordingly Josep
h Smith taught that "there are no angels who minister to this earth but those th
at do belong or have belonged to it."[56] As such, Latter Day Saints also believ
e that Adam, the first man, was and is now the archangel Michael,[57][58][59] an
d that Gabriel lived on the earth as Noah.[55] Likewise the Angel Moroni first l
ived in a pre-Columbian American civilization as the 5th-century prophet-warrior
named Moroni.
Joseph Smith, Jr. described his first angelic encounter thus:[60]
"While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing
in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noon
day, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, f
or his feet did not touch the floor.

He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond an

ything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be
made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant ...
Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyon
d description, and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was exceedingl
y light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first l
ooked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me."
Most angelic visitations in the early Latter Day Saint movement were witnessed b
y Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, who both claimed (prior to the establishment
of the church in 1830) to have been visited by the prophet Moroni, John the Bapt
ist, and the apostles Peter, James, and John. Later, after the dedication of the
Kirtland Temple, Smith and Cowdery claimed to have been visited by Jesus, and s
ubsequently by Moses, Elias, and Elijah.[61]
People who claimed to have received a visit by an angel include the other two of
the Three Witnesses: David Whitmer and Martin Harris. Many other Latter Day Sai
nts, both in the early and modern church, have claimed to have seen angels, thou
gh Smith posited that, except in extenuating circumstances such as the restorati
on, mortals teach mortals, spirits teach spirits, and resurrected beings teach o
ther resurrected beings.[62]
Islam[edit]
Depiction of an angel in Shia miniature (Persia, 1555)
Main article: Islamic view of angels
Angels (Arabic: ?????? , Mala?ikah) are mentioned many times in the Qur'an and H
adith. Islam is clear on the nature of angels in that they are messengers of God
. They have no free will, and can do only what God orders them to do.[63] An exa
mple of a task they carry out is that of testing individuals by granting them ab
undant wealth and curing their illness.[64] Believing in angels is one of the si
x Articles of Faith in Islam.
Some examples of angels in Islam:
Jibrail: the archangel Gabriel (Jibra'il or Jibril) is an archangel who serves a
s a messenger from God.
Michael (archangel): or Mikail, the angel of nature.
Israfil (Arabic: ????????, translit. Israfil?, Alternate Spelling: Israfel or Se
raphim, Meaning: The Burning One [65] ), is the angel of the trumpet in Islam,[6
6] though unnamed in the Qur'an. Along with Mikhail, Jibrail and Izra'il, he is
one of the four Islamic archangels.[65] Israfil will blow the trumpet from a hol
y rock in Jerusalem to announce the Day of Resurrection.[67] The trumpet is cons
tantly poised at his lips, ready to be blown when God so orders.
Darda'il: the angels who travel in the earth searching out assemblies where peop
le remember God's name.
Azrael is Azraa-eel ??????? or Izrail: the Angel of Death. No authentic referenc
e of this in Quran or Hadeeth. Only referenced as angel of death or ??? ?????.
Kiraman Katibin: the two angels who record a person's good and bad deeds.
Mu'aqqibat: a class of guardian angels who keep people from death until its decr
eed time.
Munkar and Nakir: the angels who test the faith of the dead in their graves. The
y ask the soul of the dead person questions. If the person fails the questions,
the angels make the man suffer until the Day of Judgement. If the soul passes th
e questions, he will have a pleasant time in the grave until the Day of Judgemen
t.
Ridwan: the angel in charge of maintaining Jannat or Paradise.
Maalik: the angel who keeps or guards hellfire.
Harut and Marut (Arabic: ????? ????????) are two angels mentioned in the second

Surah of the Qur'an, who were sent down to test the people at Babel or Babylon b
y performing deeds of magic. (Sura Al-Baqara, verse 102.) The Qur'an indicates t
hat although they warned the Babylonians not to imitate them or do as they were
doing, some members of their audience failed to obey and became sorcerers, thus
damning their own souls.
Bah' Faith[edit]
In his Book of Certitude Bah'u'llh, founder of the Bah' Faith, describes angels as p
eople who "have consumed, with the fire of the love of God, all human traits and
limitations", and have "clothed themselves" with angelic attributes and have be
come "endowed with the attributes of the spiritual". 'Abdu'l-Bah describes angels
as the "confirmations of God and His celestial powers" and as "blessed beings w
ho have severed all ties with this nether world" and "been released from the cha
ins of self", and "revealers of God's abounding grace". The Bah' writings also ref
er to the Concourse on High, an angelic host, and the Maid of Heaven of Bah'u'llh'
s vision.[68]
Sikhism[edit]
This section improperly uses one or more religious texts as primary sources with
out referring to secondary sources that critically analyze them. Please help imp
rove this article by adding references to reliable secondary sources, with multi
ple points of view. (November 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this template
message)
the Sri Guru Granth Sahib
figurati
The poetry of the holy scripture of the Sikhs
vely mentions a messenger or angel of death, sometimes as Yam (?? "Yam") and som
etimes as Azrael (??????? "Ajraeel"):
?? ?????? ? ??? ?? ????? ??? ?????
The Messenger of Death will not touch you; in this way, you shall cross over the
terrifying world-ocean, carrying others across with you.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Siree Raag, First Mehl, p. 22.[69]
??????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ?????
Azraa-eel, the Messenger of Death, is the friend of the human being who has Your
support, Lord.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Tilang, Fifth Mehl, Third House, p. 724.[70]
In a similar vein, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib talks of a figurative Chitar (?????
) and Gupat (?????):
????? ????? ?? ????? ???? ?
??? ??? ?? ??????? ? ????
Chitar and Gupat, the recording angels of the conscious and the unconscious, wri
te the accounts of all mortal beings, / but they cannot even see the Lord's humb
le devotees.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Panch-Pada, p. 393.[71]
However, Sikhism has never had a literal system of angels, preferring guidance w
ithout explicit appeal to supernatural orders or beings.
Esotericism[edit]
Hermetic Qabalah[edit]
See also: Hermetic Qabalah
According to the Kabbalah as described by the Golden Dawn there are ten archange
ls, each commanding one of the choir of angels and corresponding to one of the S
ephirot. It is similar to the Jewish angelic hierarchy.
Rank
1
2
3
4
5

Choir of Angels Translation

Archangel
Sephirah
Hayot Ha Kodesh Holy Living Ones
Metatron
Keter
Ophanim Wheels Raziel Chokmah
Erelim Brave ones[72] Tzaphkiel
Binah
Hashmallim
Glowing ones, Amber ones[73]
Tzadkiel
Seraphim
Burning Ones
Khamael Gevurah

Chesed

6
Malakim Messengers, angels
Raphael Tipheret
7
Elohim Godly Beings
Uriel Netzach
8
Bene Elohim
Sons of Elohim Michael Hod
9
Cherubim
[74]
Gabriel Yesod
10
Ishim Men (man-like beings, phonetically similar to "fires") Sandalph
on
Malkuth
Theosophy[edit]
See also: Theosophical Society
In the teachings of the Theosophical Society, Devas are regarded as living eithe
r in the atmospheres of the planets of the solar system (Planetary Angels) or in
side the Sun (Solar Angels) and they help to guide the operation of the processe
s of nature such as the process of evolution and the growth of plants; their app
earance is reputedly like colored flames about the size of a human. It is believ
ed by Theosophists that devas can be observed when the third eye is activated. S
ome (but not most) devas originally incarnated as human beings.[75]
It is believed by Theosophists that nature spirits, elementals (gnomes, undines,
sylphs, and salamanders), and fairies can be also be observed when the third ey
e is activated.[76] It is maintained by Theosophists that these less evolutionar
ily developed beings have never been previously incarnated as humans; they are r
egarded as being on a separate line of spiritual evolution called the "deva evol
ution"; eventually, as their souls advance as they reincarnate, it is believed t
hey will incarnate as devas.[77]
It is asserted by Theosophists that all of the above-mentioned beings possess et
heric bodies that are composed of etheric matter, a type of matter finer and mor
e pure that is composed of smaller particles than ordinary physical plane matter
.[77]
Brahma Kumaris[edit]
The Brahma Kumaris uses the term "angel" to refer to a perfect, or complete stat
e of the human being, which they believe can be attained through a connection wi
th God.[78][79]
In art[edit]
Main article: Angels in art
In an address during a General Audience of 6 August 1986, entitled "Angels parti
cipate in the history of salvation", Pope John Paul II explained that "[T]he ang
els have no 'body' (even if, in particular circumstances, they reveal themselves
under visible forms because of their mission for the good of people)."[39] Ange
ls are however often depicted in painting and sculpture as male humans. Christia
n art perhaps reflects the descriptions in Revelation 4:6 8 of the Four Living Cre
atures (Greek: t? t?ssa?a ??a) and the descriptions in the Hebrew Bible of cheru
bim and seraphim (the chayot in Ezekiel's Merkabah vision and the Seraphim of Is
aiah). However, while cherubim and seraphim have wings in the Bible, no angel is
mentioned as having wings.[80]
The earliest known Christian image of an angel in the Cubicolo dell'Annunziazione
in the Catacomb of Priscilla (mid-3rd century) is without wings. In that same peri
od, representations of angels on sarcophagi, lamps and reliquaries also show the
m without wings,[81] as for example the angel in the Sacrifice of Isaac scene in
the Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus (although the side view of the Sarcophagus sho
ws winged angelic figures).
The earliest known representation of angels with wings is on the "Prince's Sarco
phagus", discovered in the 1930s at Sarigzel, near Istanbul, and attributed to th
e time of Theodosius I (379 395).[82] From that period on, Christian art has repre
sented angels mostly with wings, as in the cycle of mosaics in the Basilica of S
aint Mary Major (432 440).[83] Four- and six-winged angels, drawn from the higher
grades of angels (especially cherubim and seraphim) and often showing only their

faces and wings, are derived from Persian art and are usually shown only in hea
venly contexts, as opposed to performing tasks on earth. They often appear in th
e pendentives of church domes or semi-domes. Prior to the Judeo-Christian tradit
ion, in the Greek world the goddess Nike and the gods Eros and Thanatos were als
o depicted in human-like form with wings.
12th-century icon of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel wearing the loros of the
Imperial guards.
Saint John Chrysostom explained the significance of angels' wings:
They manifest a nature's sublimity. That is why Gabriel is represented with wing
s. Not that angels have wings, but that you may know that they leave the heights
and the most elevated dwelling to approach human nature. Accordingly, the wings
attributed to these powers have no other meaning than to indicate the sublimity
of their nature.[84]
Angels are typically depicted in Mormon art as having no wings based on a quote
from Joseph Smith ("An angel of God never has wings").[85]
In terms of their clothing, angels, especially the Archangel Michael, were depic
ted as military-style agents of God and came to be shown wearing Late Antique mi
litary uniform. This uniform could be the normal military dress, with a tunic to
about the knees, an armour breastplate and pteruges, but was often the specific
dress of the bodyguard of the Byzantine Emperor, with a long tunic and the loro
s, the long gold and jewelled pallium restricted to the Imperial family and thei
r closest guards. The basic military dress was shown in Western art into the Bar
oque period and beyond (see Reni picture above), and up to the present day in Ea
stern Orthodox icons. Other angels came to be conventionally depicted in long ro
bes, and in the later Middle Ages they often wear the vestments of a deacon, a c
ope over a dalmatic; this costume was used especially for Gabriel in Annunciatio
n scenes for example the Annunciation in Washington by Jan van Eyck.
The extraordinary-looking Cherubim (immediately to the left of Ezekiel) and Opha
nim (the nested-wheels) appear in the chariot vision of Ezekiel.
Some types of angels are described as possessing more unusual or frightening att
ributes, such as the fiery bodies of the Seraphim, and the wheel-like structures
of the Ophanim.
See also[edit]
Apsara
Dakini
Elioud
Eudaemon
Fallen angel
Gandharva
Hierarchy of angels
How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
In paradisum
Nephilim
Shoulder angel
Watcher or Grigori
Yaksha
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b c "Definition of ANGEL". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 20
16-05-02.
^ Jump up to: a b The Free Dictionary [1] retrieved 1 September 2012
^ Jump up to: a b c d "ANGELOLOGY - JewishEncyclopedia.com". jewishencyclopedia.
com. Retrieved 2016-05-02.

Jump up ^ [2]Augustine of Hippo's Enarrationes in Psalmos, 103, I, 15, augustinu

s.it (Latin)
Jump up ^ Oxford Dictionaries, "angel"
Jump up ^ Beekes, R. S. P., Etymological Dictionary of Greek, Brill, 2009, p. 9.
Jump up ^ palaeolexicon.com; a-ke-ro, Palaeolexicon (Word study tool of ancient
languages)
Jump up ^ "Mycenaean (Linear b)
English Glossary" (PDF). Retrieved 30 July 2012.
Jump up ^ Kosior, Wojciech. "The Angel in the Hebrew Bible from the Statistic an
d Hermeneutic Perspectives. Some Remarks on the Interpolation Theory". "The Poli
sh Journal of Biblical Research", Vol. 12, No. 1 (23), pp. 55-70. Retrieved 22 N
ovember 2013.
Jump up ^ Lewis, James R., Oliver, Evelyn Dorothy, Sisung Kelle S. (Editor) (199
6), Angels A to Z, Entry: Zoroastrianism, pp. 425 427, Visible Ink Press, ISBN 0-7
876-0652-9
Jump up ^ Darmesteter, James (1880)(translator), The Zend Avesta, Part I: Sacred
Books of the East, Vol. 4, pp. lx-lxxii, Oxford University Press, 1880, at sacr
ed-texts.com
Jump up ^ Aristotle. Metaphysics. 1072a ff.
Jump up ^ Aristotle. Metaphysics. 1073a13 ff.
^ Jump up to: a b ""????????," Francis Brown, S.R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs
, eds.: ''A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament'' , p. 521". Archive
.org. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
Jump up ^ Pope, Hugh. "Angels." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Rob
ert Appleton Company, 1907. accessed 20 October 2010
Jump up ^ Frederick Copleston, A History of Philosophy, Volume 1, Continuum, 200
3, p. 460.
Jump up ^ Baker, Louis Goldberg. Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology: An
gel of the Lord "The functions of the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament pre
figure the reconciling ministry of Jesus. In the New Testament, there is no ment
ion of the angel of the Lord; the Messiah himself is this person."
^ Jump up to: a b c d Coogan, Michael D. (2009). A Brief Introduction to the Old
Testament. Oxford University Press.
^ Jump up to: a b c d "Angelology". The Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved 30 July 2
012.
Jump up ^ Copleston, Frederick Charles (2003). A history of philosophy, Volume 1
. Continuum International Publishing Group, p. 460. ISBN 0-8264-6895-0
Jump up ^ Sanhedrin 38b and Avodah Zerah 3b.
Jump up ^ Aleksander R. Michalak, Angels as Warriors in Late Second Temple Jewis
h Literature, Tuebingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2012.
Jump up ^ Hannah Darrell D., Michael and Christ: Michael Traditions and Angel Ch
ristology in Early Christianity, Tuebingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1999
Jump up ^ cf. Sanhedrin 95b
Jump up ^ Evans, Annette Henrietta Margaretha. "The development of Jewish ideas
of angels: Egyptian and Hellenistic connections, ca. 600 BCE to ca. 200 CE", The
sis (PhD (Ancient Studies))-University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
Jump up ^ Proverbio, Cecelia. "La Figura Dell'Angelo Nella Civilta' Paleochristi
ana" (2007), pp. 25 38, Libreria Hoepli
Jump up ^ Augustine, En. in Ps. 103, 1, 15: PL 37, 1348
Jump up ^ "Angels", ZENIT International News Agency, December 9, 2002
Jump up ^ Ludlow, Morwenna (2012). Brakke, David, ed. "Demons, Evil, and Liminal
ity in Cappadocian Theology" (PDF). Journal of Early Christian Studies. Baltimor
e: Johns Hopkins University Press. 20 (2): 179 211 [183]. doi:10.1353/earl.2012.00
14. ISSN 1067-6341. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
Jump up ^ Proverbio(2007), pp. 29 38; cf. summary in Libreria Hoepli and review in
La Civilt Cattolica, 3795 3796 (2 16 August 2008), pp. 327 328.
Jump up ^ "When Did God Create Angels?". Apologetics Press. Retrieved 30 July 20
12.
Jump up ^ Thomas Aquinas. "46". Summa contra Gentiles. 2.
Jump up ^ Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica. Treatise on Angels. Newadvent.org.
Jump up ^ Aquinas, Thomas. De substantiis separatis. Josephkenny.joyeurs.com.

Jump up ^ "BibleGateway, Matthew 24:36". Biblegateway.com. Retrieved 30 July 201

2.
^ Jump up to: a b Pope, Hugh. "Angels." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New Y
ork: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 11 Jan. 2015
Jump up ^ "BibleGateway, Luke 22:43". Biblegateway.com. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
Jump up ^ Ann Ball, 2003 Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices ISBN 0
-87973-910-X page 123
^ Jump up to: a b "Angels Participate In History Of Salvation". Vatican.va. 6 Au
gust 1986. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012
.
Jump up ^ Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, "Dir
ectory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy", 217
Jump up ^ Swedenborg, Emanuel. Heaven and Hell, 1758. Rotch Edition (revised). N
ew York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1907, in The Divine Revelation of the Ne
w Jerusalem (2012), n. 74.
Jump up ^ Arcana Coelestia, n. 459.
Jump up ^ Heaven and Hell, n. 51-53.
Jump up ^ Heaven and Hell, n. 311
Jump up ^ Heaven and Hell, n. 416
Jump up ^ Heaven and Hell, n. 387-393.
Jump up ^ Swedenborg, Emanuel. Heavenly Arcana (or Arcana Coelestia), 1749-58 (A
C). Rotch Edition (revised). New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1907, in T
he Divine Revelation of the New Jerusalem (2012), n. 8192.3.
Jump up ^ Heaven and Hell, n. 291-298.
Jump up ^ Arcana Coelestia, n. 50, 697, 968.
Jump up ^ Arcana Coelestia, n. 227.
Jump up ^ Arcana Coelestia, n. 784.2.
Jump up ^ Heaven and Hell, n. 76.
Jump up ^ Arcana Coelestia, n. 5992.3.
Jump up ^ "God's messengers, those individuals whom he sends (often from his per
sonal presence in the eternal worlds), to deliver his messages (Luke 1:11 38); to
minister to his children (Acts 10:1 8, Acts 10:30 32); to teach them the doctrines o
f salvation (Mosiah 3); to call them to repentance (Moro. 7:31); to give them pr
iesthood and keys (D.&C. 13; 128:20 21); to save them in perilous circumstances (N
ehemiah 3:29 31; Daniel 6:22); to guide them in the performance of his work (Genes
is 24:7); to gather his elect in the last days (Matthew 24:31); to perform all n
eedful things relative to his work (Moro. 7:29 33) such messengers are called angels
.".
^ Jump up to: a b "LDS Bible Dictionary-Angels". Scriptures.lds.org. 21 February
2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
Jump up ^ Doctrine and Covenants 130:4 5.
Jump up ^ http://www.lds.org/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-6-the-fall-of-adam
-and-eve "Chapter 6: The Fall of Adam and Eve," Gospel Principles (Salt Lake Cit
y, Utah: LDS Church, 2011) pp. 26 30.
Jump up ^ "D&C 107:24". Scriptures.lds.org. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 30 July
2012.
Jump up ^ Mark E. Petersen, "Adam, the Archangel", Ensign, November 1980.
Jump up ^ "Joseph Smith History 1:30-33". Scriptures.lds.org. 21 February 2012. Re
trieved 30 July 2012.
Jump up ^ "D&C 110". Scriptures.lds.org. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 30 July 201
2.
Jump up ^ Robert J. Matthews, "The Fulness of Times", Ensign, December 1989.
Jump up ^ Mirza Tahir Ahmad. An Elementary Study of Islam. Islam International P
ublications. p. 12. ISBN 1-85372-562-5.
Jump up ^ Sahih al-Bukhari, 4:56:670
^ Jump up to: a b Lewis, James R., Oliver, Evelyn Dorothy, Sisung Kelle S. (Edit
or) (1996), Angels A to Z, p. 224, Visible Ink Press, ISBN 0-7876-0652-9
Jump up ^ Webster, Richard (2009). Encyclopedia of angels (1st ed.). Woodbury, M
inn.: Llewellyn Publications. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-7387-1462-2.
Jump up ^ "Israfil". Encyclopaedia. Britannica. Retrieved 20 November 2012.

Jump up ^ Smith, Peter (2000). "angels". A concise encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith.
Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 38 39. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
Jump up ^ "Sri Granth: Sri Guru Granth Sahib". srigranth.org. Retrieved 24 May 2
015.
Jump up ^ "Sri Granth: Sri Guru Granth Sahib". srigranth.org. Retrieved 24 May 2
015.
Jump up ^ "Sri Granth: Sri Guru Granth Sahib". srigranth.org. Retrieved 24 May 2
015.
Jump up ^ Strong's Hebrew: 691. ??????? (erel) - perhaps a hero
Jump up ^ Strong's Hebrew: 2830. ???????? (chashmal) - perhaps amber
Jump up ^ Strong's Hebrew: 3742. ??????? (kerub) - probably an order of angelic
beings
Jump up ^ Hodson, Geoffrey, Kingdom of the Gods ISBN 0-7661-8134-0 Has color pictu
res of what Devas supposedly look like when observed by the third eye their appear
ance is reputedly like colored flames about the size of a human. Paintings of so
me of the devas claimed to have been seen by Hodson from his book "Kingdom of th
e Gods":
Jump up ^ "Eskild Tjalve's paintings of devas, nature spirits, elementals and fa
iries:". Web.archive.org. 21 November 2002. Archived from the original on 21 Nov
ember 2002. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
^ Jump up to: a b Powell, A.E. The Solar System London:1930 The Theosophical Pub
lishing House (A Complete Outline of the Theosophical Scheme of Evolution) See "
Lifewave" chart (refer to index)
Jump up ^ Basava Journal, Volume 19. Basava Samiti, 1994 (Bangalore, India).
Jump up ^ Peace & purity: the story of the Brahma Kumaris : a spiritual revoluti
on By Liz Hodgkinson
Jump up ^ "Angel", The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia James Orr, edit
or, 1915 edition.
Jump up ^ Proverbio (2007), pp. 81 89; cf. review in La Civilt Cattolica, 3795 3796 (
2 16 August 2008), pp. 327 328.
Jump up ^ Proverbio (2007) p. 66.
Jump up ^ Proverbio (2007), pp. 90 95
Jump up ^ Proverbio (2007) p. 34.
Jump up ^ "History of the Church, 3:392". Institute.lds.org. Retrieved 30 July 2
012.
Further reading[edit]
Proverbio, Cecilia (2007). La figura dell'angelo nella civilt paleocristiana (in
Italian). Assisi, Italy: Editrice Tau. ISBN 88-87472-69-6.
Cheyne, James Kelly (ed.) (1899). Angel. Encyclopdia Biblica. New York, Macmillan
.
Driver, Samuel Rolles (Ed.) (1901) The book of Daniel. Cambridge UP.
Davidson, A. B. (1898). "Angel". In James Hastings. A Dictionary of the Bible. I
. pp. 93 97.
Oosterzee, Johannes Jacobus van. Christian dogmatics: a text-book for academical
instruction and private study. Trans. John Watson Watson and Maurice J. Evans.
(1874) New York, Scribner, Armstrong.
Smith, George Adam (1898) The book of the twelve prophets, commonly called the m
inor. London, Hodder and Stoughton.
Bamberger, Bernard Jacob, (15 March 2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Re
alm. Jewish Publication Society of America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0
Wikisource-logo.svg Bennett, William Henry (1911), "Angel", in Chisholm, Hugh, E
ncyclopdia Britannica, 2 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 4 6
Briggs, Constance Victoria, 1997. The Encyclopedia of Angels : An A-to-Z Guide w
ith Nearly 4,000 Entries. Plume. ISBN 0-452-27921-6.
Bunson, Matthew, (1996). Angels A to Z: A Who's Who of the Heavenly Host. Three
Rivers Press. ISBN 0-517-88537-9.
Cruz, Joan Carroll, OCDS, 1999. Angels and Devils. TAN Books and Publishers, Inc
. ISBN 0-89555-638-3
Davidson, Gustav. A Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels. Free Pres
s. ISBN 0-02-907052-X

Graham, Billy, 1994. Angels: God's Secret Agents. W Pub Group; Minibook edition.
ISBN 0-8499-5074-0
Guiley, Rosemary, 1996. Encyclopedia of Angels. ISBN 0-8160-2988-1
von Heijne, Camilla, 2010. The Messenger of the Lord in Early Jewish Interpretat
ions of Genesis. BZAW 412. De Gruyter, Berlin/New York, ISBN 978-3-11-022684-3
von Heijne, Camilla, 2015 "Angels" pp. 20 24 in The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bib
le and Theology, vol. 1. Oxford University Press, New York. ISBN 978-0-19-023994
-7
Jastrow, Marcus, 1996, A dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Bavli and Yerush
almi, and the Midrashic literature compiled by Marcus Jastrow, PhD., Litt.D. wit
h and index of Scriptural quotatons, Vol 1 & 2, The Judaica Press, New York
Kainz, Howard P., "Active and Passive Potency" in Thomistic Angelology Martinus
Nijhoff. ISBN 90-247-1295-5
Kreeft, Peter J. 1995. Angels and Demons: What Do We Really Know About Them? Ign
atius Press. ISBN 0-89870-550-9
Lewis, James R. (1995). Angels A to Z. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 0-7876-0652-9
Melville, Francis, 2001. The Book of Angels: Turn to Your Angels for Guidance, C
omfort, and Inspiration. Barron's Educational Series; 1st edition. ISBN 0-7641-5
403-6
Michalak, Aleksander R. (2012), Angels as Warriors in Late Second Temple Jewish
Literature.Mohr Siebeck. ISBN 978-3-16-151739-6.
Muehlberger, Ellen (2013). Angels in Late Ancient Christianity. Oxford Universit
y Press. ISBN 978-0199931934
Ronner, John, 1993. Know Your Angels: The Angel Almanac With Biographies of 100
Prominent Angels in Legend & Folklore-And Much More! Mamre Press. ISBN 0-93294540-6.
Wikisource-logo.svg Smith, William Robertson (1878), "Angel", in Baynes, T.S., E
ncyclopdia Britannica, 2 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 26 28
Swedenborg E.Heaven and its Wonders and Hell From Things Heard and Seen (Swedenb
org Foundation 1946), ISBN 0-554-62056-1 (Detailed information on angels and the
ir life in heaven)
Swedenborg, E. Wisdom's Delight in Marriage ("Conjugial") Love: Followed by Insa
nity's Pleasure in Promiscuous Love (Swedenborg Foundation 1979 ISBN 0-87785-054
-2) (Extensive review of angelic marriage)
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Angels.
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Angels
Zoroastrian angels
Jewish Encyclopedia entry on angels
Angels in Islam
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Directory
of Popular Piety and the Liturgy, 212-217, "The Holy Angels, Vatican City, Decemb
er 2001
[show] v t e
Angels in Abrahamic religions
[show] v t e
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