Editorial
Good News — Bad News

Jerusalem — The Mideast Jewel

The Talk — Youth Asks

Our Roots
Angels — How Similar Are We?

What do?
Catholics and Jews Believe

Enlightening News

News Items

Jewish and Catholic Icons

Archive

Our Roots
A Series

Angels — How Similar Are We?

Angels
Angels are popular today. Statistics show that 82% of American people believe in angels. Even teenagers believe in angels. The sale of books on angels have sky rocketed. For example, Billy Graham’s book on Angels sold over 3 million copies. Joan Wester Anderson’s book on Where Angels Walk made the New York Times best seller list. Several TV programs are about Angels, such as Touched by an Angel.

Our two religions believe in Angels. We will briefly examine Jewish and Catholic belief in Angels.

Definition
Angel comes from the Greek word meaning messenger. There are many references to them in the Bible. They appear in human and spiritual forms. They speak, sit, stand, walk, protect or attack evil. At times, they sing or act as intermediaries between God and humans. In general, they are divine messengers sent by God to humans to instruct, inform, or command them.

The Jewish Bible (Old Testament for Christians)
Angels in the Hebrew Bible (O.T.) comes from God. The word Angel in Hebrew is Malak meaning a messenger.

1. Angels do everything we mentioned above
2. Name — only two angels are mentioned by name: Michael and Gabriel.
3. Satan for the Hebrews was a member of God’s court and was a prosecuting attorney rather than an enemy of God. There is no mention of fallen angels or battles in heaven. The role of satan as a bad angel becomes clear in the New Testament.
4. Appearances — Sometimes they appear in human form as we read in the book of Genesis and Deutoronomy. Other times, they appear as super-human as in the book of Judges.
5. Function — There primary role is to do the will of God. They praise God; they exercise power over nature; they communicate messages from God. They destroy, punish and save.

Other Insights

1. Abraham’s Angel (Gen.22:11-12). It is the angel of the Lord who tells Abraham not to kill his son, Isaac.
2. Moses’ Angel (Ex.3:1-6). An angel of God appears to Moses in a burning fire to tell him what God wants.
3. Daniel’s Angel (Ez.1). The Angel of God rescues Daniel from the mouth of the Lion.
4. Gideon’s Angel (Judges 6:11-14). Gideon is encouraged by an angel to carry out his mission for God.
5. Isaiah’s Angels (Is.6). Isaiah hears the angels sing while in the Temple of God.

The Christian Bible (Old and New Testament)

Christians share the same ideas of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). However, Christians believe Jesus, the Son of God, reveals more information about Angels.

1. The rebellion of some angels such as Satan (Lucifer) is clear. They become the Bad Angels.
2. Angels have the same functions we read about in the Old Testament. They appear in human and supernatural forms.
3. Angels are messengers of God.
4. Angels are not to be worshipped. Worship is for God alone.
5. Angels are sent as a result of prayer of the people. Acts of the Apostles writing tell us about angels. (Act 12:5-8, I Cor 11:13-15)
6. Angels have names: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael or simply called the Angel of the Lord.
7. Like the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible), there is a hierarchy of Angels, namely, Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, powers and principalities. And then there are the Archangels and just plain Angels.

Other Insights

1. The Archangel Gabriel appears to Mary to tell her she will conceive and give birth to Jesus (Lk.1:26-32).
2. The Archangel Gabriel appears to Zacarias to announce that his son will be called John the Baptist (Lk.1:11-19).
3. The Resurrection Angels are described as lightning and radiant white as snow (Matt. 28:2-3).
4. The Archangel Gabriel appears to Joseph and tells him not to be afraid and take Mary as his wife (Matt. 1:20-21).
5. Guardian Angels are assigned to care for the seven cities of early Christianity, namely Ephesus Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea (The Book of Revelation).

Summary
Today in Reform and Orthodox Judaism, the existence of Angels is generally discounted. They believe the Angels are symbolic not real. Only the Hasidim Orthodox Jews literally believe in Angels.

Today for Catholics and many Christian groups, Angels are real and exist. For Catholics, it is a matter of Faith-Dogma. They must accept this teaching otherwise they are in bad standing with the Church.

Postscript

Angels

1. The Three Archangels and Tobias by Francesco Botticini paint three angels and Tobias grasping the hand of Raphael.
2. The Virgin with Angels by W. Bouguereau paints young angels clothed in flowing white garments with pure white wings. They are gazing on Mary and the Child.
3. Painters like Fra Angelico, Melozzo de Forli, and Hans Memlink depict angels as musicians. Some are gentle. Others are feminine. Others are masculine.

Conclusion
Artists (painters, writers, musicians, sculptors) give us insight into the reality of angles. What they do. What they say. What they look like. They become life-like.