The Nature of Angels
I have used a lot of cute little images of Angels on this site.
While this may be pleasing to the eye and perhaps
appropriate to a degree to think of Angels as innocent
children and babies with wings, it is a mistake to attribute to
Angels the same level of power and intellect as children,
(with or without wings)! To do so, would be to miss the true
nature of Angels, of whom Scripture describes as
"Ministering Spirits, Winds, and Fiery Flames" (Hebrews
1:7 and 1:14) In addition, after reading in the Sacred
Scripture about all of the roles the Holy Angels played in
salvation history, we can also describe them as Warriors,
Protectors, Guardians, Healers, Messengers, Destroyers,
Dispatchers of God's Wrath, Holy, Pure, Powerful,
Possessing Supernatural Intelligence and Wisdom, Fast
Moving, and Invisible. (A far cry from the cute little
Cherubs!) Who could paint such a picture of their true
nature for us to look at?
So then, why the cute little Cherubs with wings? No doubt,
the various artists, down through the ages, in an attempt to
depict the Holy Angels, could not possibly do them justice. I
believe that the most that could be achieved was to focus on
what was possible for them; namely to honor their Purity
and Innocence by depicting them as children or babies. The
wings date back to the Old Testament where Cherubs are
depicted with wings which are used to cover the Propitiatory
of the Ark. (Exodus 37:7-9) Again, we see visions of
"winged" Angels in Ezekiel 1:4-24. But yet in Tobit, we
read about the Angel Raphael who comes as a man without
wings, as well as the two Angels who destroy Sodom and
Gomorrah. (Men without wings!) (Tobit Chapters 3 - 12 and
Genesis 19:1-26)
So what do Angels really look like? The truth is that we
don't know! We can't know! Why? Because they are
invisible, non-corporeal beings! They are Spirit! When
Scripture indicates the appearance of an Angel or Hosts of
Angels, they are actually visions for the human, (corporeal)
eye, which could look like anything the Angel wants the
vision to look like! (Tobit 12:19) The best way to describe
the Angels is not what they look like, but what they do! They
can not be described in material terms because they are
non-matter! They are Spirits! Yet their non-physical
existence is just as real as your physical existence and mine!
They were created by God to serve Him and us, who are
called to inherit salvation. (Hebrews 1:14) The Holy Angels
are invisible spirits with a free will, tested and confirmed in
the grace and glory of God! Their will and desires are
identical to God's, so much so that they carry out God's will
and desires perfectly and immutably! They are non-physical
beings with supernatural power from God to manifest and
interact with man and the physical world. The Holy Angels
love God perfectly, and they love us as God loves us! Not one
of them lacks any of the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit;
neither do they lack any of the heroic virtues that the most
spiritual among us begs for and struggles to acquire!
Angels know the mysteries of the universe and can even alter
it! (Sodom and Gomorrah and Armageddon) In fact, if you
were to compare the power of the smallest Angel in heaven
to the power of our sun or the largest star in the universe, or
even an entire galaxy containing billions of stars, they would
all be but a spark next to this one Angel! What humility
they must have to serve us! Such a great love they must have
for us! What a strange and precious gift God has given us!
Doesn't God do good work? Yet we depict them as little
Cherubs! In so doing, we honor their innocence and purity
but we miss so much more as you have seen! In writing this,
I hope to bring to fore the rest of the picture and the honor
they deserve! Now let's read about the Angels with a new
mind and new light and then thank God and thank them for
all they have been doing for us!
I have used a lot of cute little images of Angels on this site.
While this may be pleasing to the eye and perhaps
appropriate to a degree to think of Angels as innocent
children and babies with wings, it is a mistake to attribute to
Angels the same level of power and intellect as children,
(with or without wings)! To do so, would be to miss the true
nature of Angels, of whom Scripture describes as
"Ministering Spirits, Winds, and Fiery Flames" (Hebrews
1:7 and 1:14) In addition, after reading in the Sacred
Scripture about all of the roles the Holy Angels played in
salvation history, we can also describe them as Warriors,
Protectors, Guardians, Healers, Messengers, Destroyers,
Dispatchers of God's Wrath, Holy, Pure, Powerful,
Possessing Supernatural Intelligence and Wisdom, Fast
Moving, and Invisible. (A far cry from the cute little
Cherubs!) Who could paint such a picture of their true
nature for us to look at?
So then, why the cute little Cherubs with wings? No doubt,
the various artists, down through the ages, in an attempt to
depict the Holy Angels, could not possibly do them justice. I
believe that the most that could be achieved was to focus on
what was possible for them; namely to honor their Purity
and Innocence by depicting them as children or babies. The
wings date back to the Old Testament where Cherubs are
depicted with wings which are used to cover the Propitiatory
of the Ark. (Exodus 37:7-9) Again, we see visions of
"winged" Angels in Ezekiel 1:4-24. But yet in Tobit, we
read about the Angel Raphael who comes as a man without
wings, as well as the two Angels who destroy Sodom and
Gomorrah. (Men without wings!) (Tobit Chapters 3 - 12 and
Genesis 19:1-26)
So what do Angels really look like? The truth is that we
don't know! We can't know! Why? Because they are
invisible, non-corporeal beings! They are Spirit! When
Scripture indicates the appearance of an Angel or Hosts of
Angels, they are actually visions for the human, (corporeal)
eye, which could look like anything the Angel wants the
vision to look like! (Tobit 12:19) The best way to describe
the Angels is not what they look like, but what they do! They
can not be described in material terms because they are
non-matter! They are Spirits! Yet their non-physical
existence is just as real as your physical existence and mine!
They were created by God to serve Him and us, who are
called to inherit salvation. (Hebrews 1:14) The Holy Angels
are invisible spirits with a free will, tested and confirmed in
the grace and glory of God! Their will and desires are
identical to God's, so much so that they carry out God's will
and desires perfectly and immutably! They are non-physical
beings with supernatural power from God to manifest and
interact with man and the physical world. The Holy Angels
love God perfectly, and they love us as God loves us! Not one
of them lacks any of the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit;
neither do they lack any of the heroic virtues that the most
spiritual among us begs for and struggles to acquire!
Angels know the mysteries of the universe and can even alter
it! (Sodom and Gomorrah and Armageddon) In fact, if you
were to compare the power of the smallest Angel in heaven
to the power of our sun or the largest star in the universe, or
even an entire galaxy containing billions of stars, they would
all be but a spark next to this one Angel! What humility
they must have to serve us! Such a great love they must have
for us! What a strange and precious gift God has given us!
Doesn't God do good work? Yet we depict them as little
Cherubs! In so doing, we honor their innocence and purity
but we miss so much more as you have seen! In writing this,
I hope to bring to fore the rest of the picture and the honor
they deserve! Now let's read about the Angels with a new
mind and new light and then thank God and thank them for
all they have been doing for us!
| FULTON'S WHISPERING ANGELS http://www.whisperingangelsgift.com/ |
| MORE ON ANGELS According to: The Church The Fathers St. Thomas |