Learn what ancient scriptures have to say about angels. Find out who they are, what they do, and why they really are watching over us, but not necessarily in exactly the ways we think they are.
If pop culture is to be believed, angels are ethereally beautiful, human-like spirits whose sole purpose is to give love, comfort, and protection to human beings. They are supposed to be assigned to a single individual , and never leave their side for one moment. The scriptures, however, don’t support that belief. Join SpiritualBlossom to learn the truth about angels. Find out what they truly are, and what kinds of things they do. Then, learn about some different types of angels. Finally, discover how to communicate with angels and why you might not ever need to. Ready? Read on!
What’s an Angel?
Angels are spiritual beings who were created solely to serve their god. They have a number of different jobs that they perform, with some angels having only one job and others having multiple jobs. They are believed to be immortal, meaning that they don't age and they don't die. When they appear to humans they may look human, or they may look like creatures not of this world. They are often portrayed as having wings and surrounded by divine light, and sometimes have a terrifying appearance. Some angels are believed to be good while others are believed to be evil.
Different scriptural passages in Hebrew, Christian, Islamic, Baha’I’, and other world religions speak of such creatures. They often appear to people acting as intermediaries or messengers to the god that they serve. Sometimes they offer protection, and other times they offer instructions. Sometimes people bear witness to them performing jobs and the humans are not acknowledged by the angels. It is believed that angels travel between the world where the creator lives and where humans live, but everything they do is to maintain the order in the whole world. Some of them hold back winds and others support the throne of the creator. Some religions believe that angels were the first things created before the earth was, and some traditions believe that angels are a lower creation than humans because humans were supposedly made in the image of the creator. Can you talk to angels? If you can’t a psychic medium can and you can read more here: What’s a Psychic Medium- They Who Talk to the Dead
Myths About Angels
There are some modern myths about angels that should be dispelled. One belief is that angels were only created to help to take care of human beings, however they have a lot of jobs that don't relate to humanity at all. Another myth is that they only do kind good deeds, but there are countless sources and scriptures showing that they do things that would horrify human beings. Another myth about them is that they are pretty, but sometimes their appearance is described as terrifying.
They Were Created for Humans
In Yazidism, seven divine beings, or angels were created by god before he created the world. They were created before the world was so they could help to take care of the world once it was created. One of their angels, Tawusi Melek, was given power over the earth, sky, sea, mountains and all who reside here. That means animals and plants, as well as humans are under his care. That faith sees the angels as the ones who created the world and rule it, but their focus is not on human beings. Instead, they battle one another for power. The Baha’i faith characterizes angels as people whose spiritual enlightenment has given them angelic properties. They have let go of their sense of self and have released themselves from the world.
They Only Do Kindnesses
Sometimes angels do kind things, and other times they do horrifying things. In the book of Genesis, the Archangel Michael stands at the entrance to the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve have been cast out with the flaming sword, ready to cleave anybody in half who tries to force their way back into the garden. Multiple places in the Hebrew Bible speak of a destroying Angel also known as mashhit. In the book of Exodus, chapter 12, this destroyer Angel rains down plagues upon Egypt and the first born of both animals and humans were killed. The Israelites were spared from the wrath of this Angel by marking their doors with lamb’s blood. Iblis, in Islam, who was cast out of heaven by Allah for refusing to bow before human beings and decided to tempt humans away from Allah from then forward is associated with the Christians Satan. The number 666 is associated with Satan and you can read about that and Angel Numbers with the number six here: What is the Angel Number Six and 666 Meaning?
They Are Pretty
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but some angels appear in a horrifying form. The book of Ezekiel describes angelic creatures that have a mishmash of body parts including wings, human hands, and faces like a lion ox or eagle. In the book of Daniel, the Angel has eyes like flaming torches, a face like lightning, and arms and legs like burnished bronze. In the book of Luke chapter 2:9, it says, “ And an Angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were filled with great fear.” Islam says that angels do not have physical bodies like people do, and in some places they have no physical form at all. They don’t get tired, they don't get angry, they don't eat, and they don't eat or drink, but they are immortal. They were created from fire or light and can shapeshift.
Kinds of Angels
Because there are so many different faiths of people who believe in angels, there is a disagreement as to how many different kinds of angels there are. Perhaps each different culture of people who believed in angels use their own words to describe the same thing as other people, and perhaps different types of angels appear to different kinds of people. Some of the more common types of angels are archangels of which different religions disagree on how many of them there are. Cherubim, seraphim, and guardian angels or other kinds of angels.
Archangels
The word Archangel comes from a Greek word with the prefix meaning “chief”. Some faiths believe that archangels are the highest ranking Angel. Some religions believe there are three archangels while others believe that there are 4. Other religions believe in seven or more archangels.
Michael
The Archangel Michael is the chief of both the archangels and the guardian of the nation of Israel. In the book of Revelations he battles with Satan. He is the Angel who mediates the Torah and stands at the right hand of his god. He is said by Catholics to lead the people, carrying their souls to heaven and he acts as guardian of their church. The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is one who believes that the Archangel Michael gives the prayers of the just to their god and he also defeats the devil. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints say that he assisted the creator with making the world and his true identity is that of Adam, the first man.
Raphael
The name Raphael means “god has healed” and he was first mentioned in the books of Tobit and Enoch. He was identified as the angel who stirred the healing waters in the Pool of Bethesda in the book of John 5. In Islam, he is the Angel who stands with the trumpet poised at his lips ready to blow it to announce the Day of Judgment. He was born at the beginning of time, has four wings, and is so tall he can reach from earth all the way up to heaven. An Angel of music, he sings to his god in 1000 languages and he mediates between the other Archangels and their god. Read about Angel Number 1111 here: 1111 Angel Number Meaning and Symbolism
Gabriel
The Angel Gabriel's name is translated to either mean “man of god” or “man in linen”. He stands at the left hand of his god and joins the Archangel Michael as a guardian Angel of Israel. He is credited with announcing the birth of John the Baptist and then he announced the birth of Jesus. In the book of Enoch 10, he is ordered to kill the children of unwed parents and pit other people against one another in battle.
Uriel
Called a master of knowledge and wisdom, his name means “god is my light”. The Hebrew god sent this Archangel to instruct the prophet Ezra and in the Revelation of Esdras, he's said to be one of the angels who will rule at the end of the world. It is said he was the Angel who rescued the infant John the Baptist from being murdered by king Herod and he is an Angel of repentance. Read about Angel Number 222 here: Angel Number Meaning 222 and Symbolism
Other Archangels
While some recognize only three Archangels, different beliefs about up to 29 Archangels exist. Some of these are Cassiel, an angel of temperance, the moon, and tears. Another, recognized by the Eastern Orthodox Christians is Jegudiel, an angel of those who work in fields as judges, kings, and leaders. Saranthiel is an Archangel of penance and discipline. Chamuel is an Archangel of unconditional love . Metatron is recognized in Islam, Gnosticism, and Judaism as a scribe of their god and he recorded the deeds of the nation of Israel and in Islam, he is an angel who knows what lies beyond.
Guardian Angels
Some angels serve the role as guardians, including Azrael, Temeluchus, and surprisingly, Satan.
Azrael
The angel Azrael’s name means “god has helped” and his job is to assist souls to the afterlife. In Islam, he wields a scroll that holds the names of humans, and he records their name at birth, and erases it when they die. He gave the creator dust from earth , which was used to create the first people, and is tasked by his god with removing the souls of the dead from their bodies and carrying them to the afterlife.
Satan
Some people see Satan as the ultimate embodiment of evil, but is he? In scriptures, he serves YHVH or Allah, and his job protects the good from the evil through temptation and testing. He tested Jesus before Jesus embarked upon his ministry immediately following baptism, to see if he wanted to test his god or be treated as a king on earth in Matthew 4: 1-11 and again in the books of Mark and Luke. In the book of Job, he asks his god to test Job’s loyalty, and is allowed to do so. Perhaps he is an advocate for humanity, watching over people to provide temptation so people can prove themselves worthy. Read about Angel Number 333 here: What is the Meaning of the 333 Angel Number?
Temeluchus
This angel is one few have heard of but he has a special job. He is an angel who looks after the souls of children who were killed by their parents. His name means “caretaking one” or “far away fighter”. He also tortures souls who are in hell. He is depicted as having a pitchfork. In 2 Meqabyon, Ethiopian orthodox scripture, an evil king who had proclaimed himself immortal was struck by this Angel and died within an hour.
Seraphim
These are six winged angels who are high-ranking and fly around God's throne saying, ”Holy holy holy.” Origin wrote that they were a physical representation of the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ. In Islam it is said that they bear the throne of their god and they were the first angels that he created. They have 6 wings and four faces including those of a lion, vulture, bull, and human. They are said to be created from 4 different elements: those of mercy, water, fire, and light. Read about Angel Number 555 here: What is the Meaning of the 444 Angel Number?
Cherubim
Cherubim are mentioned 91 times in the Hebrew Bible, first in the book of Genesis where they were guardians of The Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. In the book of Exodus, their god tells Moses to put images of cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant. Another creature who helps to bear the throne of God, Cherubim help to transport around. Islam says they are angels who praise Allah and intercede for humanity as well as bearing Allah’s throne.
Talking to Angels
So, how do you talk to angels? In Islam, direct communication with angels is not the goal, but prayer to Allah is. In Judaism it is forbidden to directly reach out to angels, but to reach out to their god instead. Some Christian traditions such as Catholicism has prayers for asking angels to intercede with their god, but again, prayer to their god is stressed higher than communication with other spirits. Angels work as intermediaries between humanity and a god, so you don't need to contact an Angel. Angels will reach out to you.
Angels are ancient beings who were created to do serious jobs, do them well, and are free of imperfection. They are watching over us, if the scriptures are correct, but not as personal guardians. They are warriors, archangels, and watchers, whose solemn duty is to assist the creator and they are responsible for maintaining the universe for both the living and the dead. You don’t need to reach out to angels yourself because scriptures show us countless instances when they reached out to communicate with people. Every minute of every day, angels are watching us, and they will speak to you when they feel it is right.
Would you like to know about your guardian spirits? Get a reading with one of our psychics and start to channel your guardians today.
About the Author: Lady Saoirse has studied magic and lore for most of her life but started walking her own Magical Path after being spiritually reborn in the desert. Today she is a High Priestess for The Temple of the Goddess, she is a psychic advisor and spiritual counselor, she shares her gifts as a Psychic and Content Writer for Mysticsense and SpiritualBlossom, and she writes for The Green Egg Magazine and PaganPages.Org emag.
