“Angels transcend every religion, every philosophy, every creed. In fact, angels have no religion as we know it. Their existence precedes every religious system that has ever existed on Earth.”—Thomas Aquinas
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“When angels visit us, we do not hear the rustle of wings, nor feel the feathery touch of the breast of a dove; but we know their presence by the love they create in our hearts,” said Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science.
American evangelist William Franklin “Billy” Graham, Jr. also said, “Angels speak. They appear and reappear. They feel an apt sense of emotion. While Angels may become visible by choice, our eyes are not conducted to see them ordinarily any more than we can see the dimensions of a nuclear field, the structure of atoms, or the electricity that flows through copper wiring.”
“The angels,” said French protestant minister John Calvin, “are the dispensers and administrators of the Divine beneficence toward us; they regard our safety, undertake our defense, direct our ways and exercise a constant solicitude that no evil befall us.”
Saint Francis de Sales also said, “Make yourself familiar with the angels, and behold them frequently in spirit; for without being seen, they are present with you.” And Saint Thomas Aquinas believes, “An angel can illuminate the thought and mind of man by strengthening the power of vision.”
The Bible acknowledges the existence of angels. However, most people today are introduced to the concept of angels primarily through Hollywood movies. In the classic It’s a Wonderful Life, a guardian angel reveals to George Bailey the intrinsic value of life. In like manner, The Preacher’s Wife features another guardian angel tasked with aiding a beleaguered preacher in his quest to revitalize his church; however, complications arise as the preacher’s wife begins to develop romantic feelings for the divine being.
In the film Dogma, two fallen angels uncover a loophole that could permit their return to heaven, yet this act would simultaneously trigger apocalyptic consequences. In City of Angels, an angel becomes captivated by a mortal heart surgeon after observing her efforts to save a patient’s life.
Angels are frequently portrayed in contemporary culture as gentle, benevolent beings resembling humans, adorned with magnificent wings, white garments, golden halos, and an ethereal radiance. They are seen as sources of comfort, alleviating our anxieties and occasionally offering protection from life’s challenges.
“Angels are God’s messengers, sent as intermediaries to communicate with human beings on his behalf,” said Jacob Edson, the editorial director of Bible Gateway. In fact, the English word angel is borrowed from the Greek word angelos, which literally means “messenger,” and translated the Hebrew word mal’ak (also meaning “messenger”).
In Islamic belief, angels function as the messengers and assistants of Allah. Although they are not often depicted as interacting with humans in a physical form, as is common in Christianity, angels are thought to maintain a perpetual presence and can provide guidance in a subtle manner.
Numerous spiritual traditions propose that angels, sometimes referred to as “earth angels,” are souls that have opted to incarnate on Earth in human form to assist humanity by disseminating love, compassion, and light.
Numerous people who hold a belief in the existence of angels among us recount experiences that imply their presence, including the following: unanticipated assistance or direction during challenging times, a sense of tranquility or security in the company of specific people, mysterious “coincidences” that result in favorable results, and meetings with unfamiliar individuals who appear precisely when needed and subsequently disappear.
In the Bible, angels first appeared alongside a flaming, turning sword to guard the Garden of Eden against anyone who might want to try getting back in after Adam and Eve’s expulsion. Read Genesis 3:24.
Angels speak to dozens of people in the Bible, from Hagar, Abraham, and Jacob to the prophets of the divided kingdom, to Mary, Joseph, Peter, and Paul. These angels appeared to people in three distinct manners.
For one, certain angels presented themselves in a recognizable form, often resembling humans. A notable instance is the angel who conveyed the news of the virgin birth to Mary, appearing in a discernible form (Luke 1:26-38). The angel who visited the shepherds, along with the multitude of angels who glorified God, also took on a recognizable appearance (Luke 2:8-15).
For another, some angels communicated with individuals through dreams. This method was particularly prevalent during the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. An angel appeared to Joseph, who was betrothed to Mary, in a dream, instructing him to accept Mary as his wife and informing him that their son would be Jesus, the Messiah (Matthew 1:20-21). Another angel appeared to Joseph in a subsequent dream, advising him to escape to Egypt with his family (Matthew 2:13).
Finally, there are angels who manifested themselves to individuals through visions. This phenomenon is exemplified in the experiences of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1 and 10) and in John’s vision in the Book of Revelation. Unlike dreams, these visions occurred while the individuals were fully awake. Furthermore, these visions differed from instances where angels appeared in a recognizable form, resembling humans, and were visible to others.
There is no definite number of angels recorded in the Bible. Eileen Elias Freeman, in The Angels’ Little Instruction Book, pointed out: “Angels are all around us, all the time, in the very air we breathe.” George Bernard Shaw added, “In heaven, an angel is nobody in particular.”
