An angel (Lat. angelus, pl. angeli) is a supernatural being found in many religions. In Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and
Zoroastrianism, angels, as attendants or guardians to man, typically act as messengers
from God.
Angelology (from Greek: aγγελος, angel, "angel"; and λόγος, logos, "study") is a
branch of theology that deals with a hierarchical system of angels, messengers, celestial
powers or emanations, and the study of these systems. It primarily relates to Kabbalistic
Judaism and Christianity,[1] where it is one of the ten major branches of theology, albeit an often neglected
one.[2]
Some secular scholars believe that Judeo-Christianity owes a great debt to
Zoroastrianism in regards to the introduction of angelology and demonology, as well as the fallen angel Satan as the ultimate agent of evil,
comparing him to the evil spirit Ahriman. As the Iranian
Avestan and Vedic traditions and
also other branches of Indo-European mythologies show, the notion of demons
had existed long before.[3] [4]
Zoroastrianism
-
In Zoroastrianism there are different angel-like animals. For example, each person has
a guardian angel, called Fravashi. They patronize human
beings and other creatures, and also manifest God’s energy. Also, the Amesha Spentas have
often been regarded as angels (they don't convey messages), but are rather emanations of Ahura
Mazda ("Wise Lord", God); they appear in an abstract fashion in the religious thought of Zarathustra and then later (during the Achaemenid period of
Zoroastrianism) became personalized, associated with an aspect of the divine creation (fire, plants, water,magic, being
happy...).
Tanakh (Hebrew Bible)
The Biblical name for angel, מלאך ("mal'ach"), obtained the further signification of "angel"
only through the addition of God's name, as "angel of the Lord," or "angel of God" (Zechariah 12:8). Other appellations are "Sons of God", (Genesis 6:4; Job 1:6 [R. V. v. 1]) and "the Holy Ones" (Psalm 89:6-8).
According to Jewish interpretation, 'Elohim is is only sometimes reserved for the one
true God; but at times 'Elohim (powers), bnēi 'Elohim, bnēi Elim (sons of
gods) were general terms for beings with great power (e.g. judges). See also: Names of God in Judaism
Angels are referred to as "holy ones" Zechariah 14:5 and "watchers" Daniel 4:13. They are spoken of as the "host of heaven" Deuteronomy 17:3 or of "Adonai" Joshua 5:14. The "hosts," צבאות Tzevaot in the title Adonai Tzevaot (alternatively, Adonai
Tzivo'ot), Lord of Hosts, were probably at one time identified with the angels. The identification of the "hosts" with the
stars comes to the same thing; the stars were thought of as being closely connected with angels. However, God is very jealous of
the distinction between Himself and angels, and consequently, the Hebrews were forbidden by Moses to worship the "host of
heaven". It is probable that the "hosts" were also identified with the armies of Israel, whether this army is human, or angelic.
The New Testament often speaks of "spirits," πνεύματα (Revelation 1:4).
According to secular scholars, in early Hebrew thought, God appears and speaks
directly to individuals (Genesis 3:8, Exodus 12:1). He also intervenes in human affairs, often acting punitively and violently (Genesis 22ff.; Exodus 4:24, 14:4; 2 Samuel 24:1: Psalm 78:31ff.) God's nature reflects the mores of nomadic people. Under the influence of Zoroastrianism and by postexilic prophets and writers ,
these earlier conceptions were revised to reflect a new theodicy which explained evil without directly implicating God. As the
result, God became both more distant and more merciful. Angels and demons replaced him in his encounters with men, and
Satan assumed his destructive powers (cf. 2 Samuel 24:1 with 1 Chronicles 21:1).[3]
Prior to the emergence of monotheism in Israel the idea of
an angel was the Malach Adonai, Angel of the Lord, or Malach Elohim, Angel of God. The Malach Adonai is an
appearance or manifestation of God in the form of a man, and the term Malach Adonai is used interchangeably with Adonai
(God). (cf. Exodus 3:2, with 3:4; Exodus 13:21 with Exodus 14:19). Those who see the Malach Adonai say they have seen God (Genesis 32:30; Judges 13:22). The Malach Adonai (or Elohim) appears to Abraham, Hagar, Moses,
Gideon, etc., and leads the Israelites in the Pillar of Cloud (Exodus 3:2). The phrase Malach Adonai may have been originally a courtly circumlocution for the Divine King;
but it readily became a means of avoiding anthropomorphism, and later on, when angels
were classified, the Malach Adonai meant an angel of distinguished rank. The identification of the Malach Adonai
with the Logos, (said by Christians to be the Second
Person of the Trinity), is not indicated by the references in the Hebrew scriptures; but
the idea of a Being partly identified with God, and yet in some sense distinct from him, illustrates a tendency of Jewish
religious thought to distinguish persons within the unity of the deity. Whilst some Christians say that this foreshadows the
doctrine of the Trinity, Kabbalist Jews would show how it developed into kabbalistic theological thought and imagery. And Although the Jews believed that this was done...faith had it
for one more, again the Malach Adonai.
Once the doctrine of monotheism was formally expressed, in the period immediately before and during the Exile (Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Isaiah 43:10), we find angels prominent in the Book of Ezekiel.
Ezekiel, as a prophet of the Exile, may have been influenced by the hierarchy of
supernatural beings in the Babylonian religion, and perhaps even by the
angelology of Zoroastrianism (it is not,
however, certain that these doctrines of Zoroastrianism were developed at so early a date). Ezekiel 9 gives elaborate descriptions of cherubim (a class, or type of angels); and in one of his visions, he sees
seven angels execute the judgment of God upon Jerusalem. As in Genesis, they are styled "men"; malach, for "angel", does
not occur in Ezekiel. Somewhat later, in the visions of Zechariah, angels
play a great part; they are sometimes spoken of as "men", sometimes as malach, and the Malach Adonai seems to hold
a certain primacy among them Zechariah 1:11. The Satan also appears to prosecute (so to speak) the High Priest
before the divine tribunal (Zechariah 3:1). Similarly in the Book of Job the bnei Elohim, sons of
God, appear, and amongst them, Satan (Hebrew ha-satan), again in the role of public prosecutor, the defendant being Job
(Job 1, HE. Cf. 1 Chronicles 21:1). Occasional references to "angels" occur in the Psalter (Psalms 91:11, 103:20 etc.); they appear as ministers of God.
Psalm 78:49 speaks of "evil angels" (Authorized
Version) or "angels of evil" (Judaica Press). "Evil"
here is not meant in the moral sense, but in the sense of opposition.
The seven angels of Ezekiel may be compared with the seven eyes of God in Zechariah 3:9, 4:10. The latter have been connected by Ewald and others with the later doctrine of seven chief angels
(Tobit 12:15; Revelation 8:2), parallel to and influenced by the Ameshaspentas (Amesha
Spenta), or seven great spirits of the Persian mythology.
During the Persian and Greek periods, the doctrine of angels underwent a great
development, partly, at any rate, under foreign influences. In Daniel, c. [160 BC], 71 angels, usually spoken of as "men" or
"Angel-princes", appear as guardians or champions of the individual nations, defending them as God sits in council with
them over the world; grades are implied, there are "princes" and "chief" or "great princes"; and the names of some angels are
known, Gabriel, Michael; the latter is pre-eminent
(Daniel 8:16; Daniel 10:13, 20-21), he is the guardian of Israel's leading Kingdom of Judah.
Again in Tobit a leading part is played by Raphael, "one of the seven holy angels" (Tobit 12:15).
In Tobit, too, we find the idea of the demon or evil angel, although one should note that the
Book of Tobit is not accepted into Jewish or Protestant canon.[5][6] In the canonical
Hebrew/Aramaic scriptures, angels may inflict suffering as ministers of God; but they
act as subordinates to God, and not as independent, morally evil agents. The statement (Job 4:18) that God "charged his angels with folly" applies to all angels. In Daniel, the princes, or guardian angels, of the heathen nations oppose Michael, the guardian angel of Judah. But in Tobit, we find Asmodeus the
evil demon, τὸ πονηρὸν δαιμόνιον, who strangles Sarah's husbands, and also a general reference to "a devil or evil spirit", πνεῦμα (Tobit 3:8, 17; 6:7).
The Fall of the Angels is not properly a scriptural doctrine, though it is based on Genesis 6:2, as interpreted by the Book of Enoch, although there is no
evidence that the bnē Elohim of that chapter are angels or superhuman beings, the only such assumption being made on the
use of the Hebrew 'Elohim' .
Appearance
In the Hebrew Bible, angels often appear to people in the shape of humans of
extraordinary beauty, and often are not immediately recognized as angels (Genesis 18:2, Genesis 19:5; Judges 6:17, Judges 8:6; 2 Samuel 29:9). Some fly through the air, some become invisible, sacrifices touched by some are consumed by fire, and
some may disappear in sacrificial fire. Angels, or the Angel, appeared in the flames of the thorn
bush (Genesis 16:13; Judges 6:21-22; 2 Kings 2:11; Exodus 3:2). They are described as pure and bright as Heaven; consequently, they are said to be formed of fire, and
encompassed by light, as the Psalmist said (Psalm 104:4): "He makes winds His messengers, burning fire His ministers." Some verses in the Apocrypha/Deuterocanonical works depict angels wearing blue or red robes but no such reference occurs in the
Protestant books.
Though superhuman, angels can assume human form; this is the earliest conception. Gradually, and especially in post-Biblical
times, angels came to be imagined in a form corresponding to the nature of the mission to be fulfilled—generally, however, the
human form. Angels can be depicted bearing drawn swords or other weapons in their hands—one
carries an ink-horn by his side—and ride on horses (Numbers 22:23, Joshua 5:13, Ezekiel 9;2, Zechariah 1:8 et seq.). A terrible angel mentioned in 1 Chronicles 21:16,30, as standing "between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand". In
the Book of Daniel, reference is made to an angel "clothed in linen, whose loins were
girded with fine gold of Uphaz: his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance
of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to
polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude" (Daniel 10:5-6). This imagery is very similar to a description in the book of Revelation. Angels are thought by many
to possess wings. This has arisen from references to their ability to fly (Daniel 9:21). Both cherubim and seraphim are depicted
with wings in the Bible, and they are both traditionally associated within both the Jewish and Christian hierarchy of angels. Angels are only depicted in Christian, Jewish and Zoroastrian art from the
times of the Roman emperor Constance.[citation needed] They are commonly depicted with halos.
In Christian iconography, the use of wings is a convention used to denote the figure as a
spirit. Depictions of angels in Christian art as winged human forms, unlike classical pagan
depictions of the major deities, follow the iconic conventions of lesser winged gods, such as Eos,
Eros, Thanatos and Nike.
Angels are portrayed as powerful and dreadful, endowed with wisdom and with knowledge of all earthly events, correct in their
judgment, holy, but not infallible: they strive against each other, and God has to make peace between them. When their duties are
not punitive, angels are beneficent to man (Psalms 103:20, 78:25; 2 Samuel 14:17,20, 19:28; Zechariah 14:5; Job 4:18, 25:2).
The number of angels is enormous. Jacob meets a host of angels; Joshua sees the "captain of the host of the Lord"; God sits on His throne, "all the host of heaven standing by
Him on His right hand and on his left"; the sons of God come "to present themselves before the Lord" (Genesis 32:2; Joshua 5:14-15; 1 Kings 22:19; Job 1:6, 2:1; Psalm 89:6; Job 33:23). The general conception is the one of Job 25:3: "Is there any number of his armies?" In the Book of Revelation, the number is "a
thousand thousands, and many tens of thousands".
Though the older writings usually mention one angel of the Lord, embassies to men as a rule comprised several messengers. The
inference, however, is not to be drawn that God Himself or one particular angel was designated: the expression was given simply
to God's power to accomplish through but one angel any deed, however wonderful.
Angels are referred to in connection with their special missions as, for instance, the "angel which hath redeemed" (Genesis 48:16); "an interpreter" (Job 33:23);"the angel that destroyed" (2 Samuel 24:16); "messenger of the covenant" (Malachi 3:1); "angel of his presence" (Isaiah 43:9); and "a band of angels of evil" (Psalm 78:49).[7]
When, however, the heavenly host is regarded in its most comprehensive aspect, a distinction may be made between
cherubim, seraphim, chayot
("living creatures"), Ofanim ("wheels"), and Arelim
(another name for Thrones). God is described as riding on the cherubim and as "the Lord of
hosts, who dwelleth between the cherubim"; while the latter guard the way of the Tree of Life (1
Samuel, Psalm 80:2, Genesis 3:24). The seraphim are described by Isaiah 6:2) as having six wings; and Ezekiel describes the ḥayyot
(Ezekiel 1:5 et seq.) and ofanim as heavenly beings who carry God's throne.
In post-Biblical times, the heavenly hosts became more highly organized (possibly as early as Zecharaiah 3:9, 4:10; certainly in Daniel), and there came to be various kinds of angels; some even being provided with names,
as will be shown below.
Purpose
In the Bible, angels are a medium of God's power; they exist to execute God's will. Angels reveal themselves to individuals as
well as to the whole nation, to announce events, either bad or good, affecting humans. Angels foretold to Abraham the birth of Isaac, to Manoah the
birth of Samson, and to Abraham the destruction of Sodom. Guardian angels were mentioned, but not, as was later the case, as guardian spirits of individuals and
nations. God sent an angel to protect the Hebrew people after their exodus from Egypt, to lead them to the promised
land, and to destroy the hostile tribes in their way (Exodus 23:20, Numbers 20:16).
In Judges 2:1 an angel of the Lord—unless here and in the preceding instances (compare Isaiah 42:19, Hagai 1:13, Malachi 3:1), a human messenger of God is meant—addressed the whole people, swearing to bring them to the promised
land. An angel brought Elijah meat and drink (1 Kings 19:5); and as God watched over Jacob, so is every pious person protected by an angel, who cares for him in all his ways (Psalm 34:7, HE). There are militant angels, one of whom smites in one night the whole Assyrian army of 185,000 men (2 Kings 19:35); messengers go forth from God "in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid" (Ezekiel 30:9; the enemy is scattered before the angel like chaff (Psalm 35:5-6).
Avenging angels are mentioned, such as the one in 2 Samuel 24:15, who annihilates thousands. It would seem that the pestilence was personified, and that the "evil
angels" mentioned in Psalm 78:49 are to be regarded as personifications of this kind. "Evil" is here to be taken in
the causative sense, as "producing evil"; for, as stated above, angels are generally considered to be by nature beneficent to
man. They glorify God, whence the term "glorifying angels" comes (Psalms 29:1, HE, HE; compare Isaiah 6:2 et seq.).
They constitute God's heavenly court, sitting in council with him (1 Kings 22:19; Job 1:6, 2:1); hence they are called His "council of the holy ones" (Psalm 89:7, R.V.; A.V.: "assembly of the saints"). They accompany God as his attendants, when he appears to
man (Deuteronomy 33:2; Job 38:7). This conception was developed after the Exile; and in the Book of
Zechariah, angels of various shapes are delegated "to walk to and fro through the earth" in order to find out and report
what happens (Zechariah 6:7).
In the prophetic books, angels appear as representatives of the prophetic spirit, and bring to the prophets God's word. Thus the prophet Haggai was called God's
messenger (angel); and it is known that "Malachi" is not a real name, but means "messenger" or "angel". In 1 Kings 13:18, an angel brought the divine word to the prophet.
In some places, it is implied that angels existed before the physical creation (Genesis 1:26; Job 38:7). The earlier Biblical writings did not speculate about them; simply regarding
them, in their relations to man, as God's agents. Consequently, they did not individualize or denominate them; and in Judges 13:18 HE, and Genesis 32:70, the angels, when questioned, refuse to give their names. In Daniel, however, there occur the names
Michael and Gabriel. Michael is Israel's representative in Heaven, where other nations—the
Persians, for instance—were also represented by angelic princes. More than three hundred years
before the Book of Daniel was written, Zechariah graded the angels according to their rank, but did not name them. The notion of
the seven eyes (Zechariah 3:45, HE) may have been affected by the representation of the seven archangels and also possibly by the seven
Amesha Spenta of Zoroastrianism (compare
Ezekiel 9:2).
Jewish views
Biblical books present angels as heavenly beings created by God, who are endowed with free will. [citation needed]
The archangels named in post-exile Judaism are Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, Uriel, Raguel,
Sariel, and Jerahmeel. Gabriel and Michael are
mentioned in the book of Daniel, Raphael in the Book of Tobit (from the Protestant Apocrypha or Catholic and Orthodox Deuterocanon) and the remaining four in
the book of Enoch from the Old Testament
Pseudepigrapha (considered canonical by the Ethiopian Orthodox).
Maimonides and rationalism
In the Middle Ages, some Jews presented a rationalist view of angels that is accepted by many Jews.
The rationalist view of angels, as held by Maimonides, Gersonides, Samuel Ibn Tibbon, etc., states that God's actions are never
mediated by a violation of the laws of nature. Rather, all such interactions are by way of angels. Even this can be highly
misleading: Maimonides harshly states that the average person's understanding of the term "angel" is ignorant in the extreme.
Rather, according to Maimonides, the wise man understands that what the Bible and
Talmud refer to as "angels" are actually metaphors for laws of nature, or the principles by which
the universe operates. This is explained in his Guide of the Perplexed II:4 and II:6, and differs from the more widespread
perception of angels in the Torah.
- II:4
-
- "...This leads Aristotle in turn to the demonstrated fact that God, glory and majesty
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 of a disembodied intellect, these intellects being the 'angels which are near to Him', through whose
mediation the spheres [planets] move....thus totally disembodied minds exist which emanate from God and are the intermediaries
between God and all the bodies [objects] here in this world."
Christian views
Raphael and Tobias, after
Adam Elsheimer,
c1610. The Archangel appears in nearly normal clothes; there is even the suggestion of trousers
New Testament references
In the New Testament angels appear frequently as the ministers of God and the agents of
revelation (e.g. Matthew 1:20 (to Joseph), 4:11. (to Jesus), Luke 1:26 (to Mary),
Acts 12:7 (to Peter)); and Jesus speaks of angels as fulfilling such functions
(e.g. Mark 8:38, 13:27), implying in one saying that they neither marry nor are
given in marriage (Mark 12:25). Angels are most prominent at the birth of Jesus, the resurrection, and in the Apocalypse. The New Testament takes little interest in the idea of the
angelic hierarchy, but there are traces of the doctrine. The distinction of good and bad angels is recognized. Good angels
mentioned by name are Gabriel and Michael (Luke
1:19; Daniel 12:1). Scripture also mentions a tempter Satan, the scribes name the ruler of demons
as Beelzebub, and the angel of the abyss Apollyon (Mark
1:13, 3:22; Rev. 9:11). Apollyon, (Hebrew
