Angels appear in several religious texts and mythologies. They are the subject of boundless speculation and the focus of countless works of art. However, it is remarkable how little is revealed in the Biblical narratives regarding the appearance and nature of angels. Surprisingly, the winged creatures that are generally conjured in the modern imagination are not clearly supported by Biblical text. For example, there are winged creatures described in several stories, including accounts that appear in the books of Isaiah, Psalms, Ezekiel and Revelation. However, these beings are referred to specifically as seraphim (the burning ones) or cherubim, not angels (messengers). Many incorrectly use the term angel as a general word to describe all the heavenly creatures described in the Bible. This has led to several notions regarding angelsthat are not clearly supported in the Protestant canon.
The mysteries that surround the accounts of angels were examined by St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and countless Christian theologians throughout history.
Although there is some debate as to whether angels are physical or spiritual beings, the common agreement is that they are created beings that mediate between God and humanity. In the first five books of the Old Testament or Torah there are at least five Hebrew terms that have been translated into the word angel. These various terms literally mean messenger of God, messenger of the Lord, sons of God, and the holy ones. The term used in later Old Testament texts, mal’akh, simply means “messenger,” which could be either a human or supernatural being. There are only a few occasions where an angel is referred to by name. The first instance is Gabriel — the holy fighter — described in the apocalyptic writing found in the Book of Daniel. It is interesting to note that Gabriel also appeared to the Virgin Mary to foretell the birth of Christ in the Book of Luke.
The piece shown here is one work in a series of “angels” — an abstract exploration into the mysteries that surround the accounts of these heavenly messengers.