“Across thousands of years, angels have comforted the dying, terrified prophets, guided armies, inspired artists and become symbols of hope. Yet the angels familiar to many people today often bear little resemblance to those described in the world’s sacred texts.”

Few religious ideas have captured the human imagination quite like angels. They appear in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, occupy an important place in ancient Persian thought, influence later Western mysticism, and have become enduring figures in literature, music and popular culture. They have been depicted as fearsome warriors, radiant messengers, protectors of children, guardians of nations and even executors of divine judgment.

Modern images of angels—gentle beings with flowing robes, golden halos and soft white wings—owe as much to Renaissance painters and Victorian sentimentality as they do to scripture. The angels encountered in the Bible are often startling, mysterious and, at times, terrifying. Their first words are frequently, “Do not be afraid,” suggesting that fear was the natural reaction to encountering them.

This article explores where the idea of angels came from, how it developed across the centuries, and why these celestial beings continue to fascinate believers and non-believers alike.

What Is an Angel?

The English word angel comes from the Greek angelos, meaning “messenger.” It translates the Hebrew word mal’akh, which carries essentially the same meaning.

The emphasis, therefore, is not on what angels are but on what they do.

They are God’s messengers.

Throughout the Bible they deliver warnings, announce births, protect individuals, interpret visions, carry out divine judgments and praise God. They are not portrayed as independent gods or supernatural beings with authority of their own, but as servants acting under divine command.

Angels Before Christianity

The earliest books of the Hebrew Bible say surprisingly little about angels.

In Genesis, mysterious visitors appear to Abraham.

Jacob wrestles through the night with a mysterious being.

An angel prevents Abraham from sacrificing Isaac.

The Angel of the Lord frequently appears, sometimes speaking as though he were God Himself—a mystery that has intrigued Jewish and Christian theologians for centuries.

Following the Babylonian Exile (sixth century BCE), Jewish beliefs about angels became more developed. Contact with Persian religion, particularly Zoroastrianism, may have encouraged more elaborate ideas about heavenly beings organised into ranks and engaged in cosmic struggles between good and evil. While scholars continue to debate the extent of that influence, angelology certainly became far more detailed during the Second Temple period.

Angels in Christianity

Christianity inherited Judaism’s belief in angels and expanded upon it.

The New Testament opens with angelic activity.

The Archangel Michael defeats Satan in the Book of Revelation.

The angel Gabriel announces the births of John the Baptist and Jesus.

Angels minister to Jesus after His temptation in the wilderness.

They comfort Him in Gethsemane.

They proclaim His resurrection.

They accompany His ascension.

Far from being decorative figures, angels are woven throughout the Christian story from beginning to end.

Angels in Islam

Islam also gives angels a central role.

They are created from light and possess complete obedience to God.

Among the best known are:

Jibril (Gabriel), who revealed the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad.

Mikail, associated with mercy and provision.

Israfil, who will sound the trumpet on the Day of Judgment.

Azrael, who receives the souls of the dead.

Islamic art generally avoids portraying angels in the naturalistic way common in Christian art, yet their presence in theology is profound.

The Nine Orders of Angels

One of Christianity’s most influential descriptions of heavenly hierarchy came from the mysterious sixth-century writer known as Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite.

He divided angels into nine choirs arranged in three hierarchies.

First Hierarchy

Seraphim

The closest to God.

Isaiah describes them with six wings—two covering their faces, two covering their feet and two for flight—as they continually proclaim:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.”

Cherubim

Modern greeting cards depict cherubs as chubby babies.

Biblical cherubim are anything but.

They guard Eden after Adam and Eve’s expulsion and support God’s heavenly throne.

The prophet Ezekiel describes them with multiple faces, wings and wheels filled with eyes—a vision that has puzzled readers for centuries.

Thrones

Associated with divine justice and God’s authority.

Little is said about them directly in scripture, but later theology regarded them as symbolic bearers of God’s throne.

Second Hierarchy

Dominions

Virtues

Powers

These oversee the ordering of the cosmos, miracles and the spiritual battle between good and evil.

Third Hierarchy

Principalities

Archangels

Angels

These interact most directly with humanity.

The Great Archangels

Only a handful are named in the canonical Bible.

Michael

Leader of Heaven’s armies.

Defeats Satan in Revelation.

Often portrayed with armour and sword.

Gabriel

The great messenger.

Announces the births of John the Baptist and Jesus.

A symbol of revelation and hope.

Raphael

Appears in the Book of Tobit, accepted by Catholics and Orthodox Christians but not by most Protestants.

Associated with healing and guidance.

Uriel

Accepted in several Orthodox traditions and some ancient writings.

Associated with wisdom and divine illumination.

Guardian Angels

The belief that every individual has a guardian angel developed gradually.

Several biblical passages hint at personal angelic protection, particularly Jesus’ statement that children have angels who continually behold the face of God.

By the Middle Ages the idea had become deeply embedded in Catholic devotion.

Guardian angels remain popular in Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and among many Protestants, although interpretations differ considerably.

Fallen Angels

No discussion of angels is complete without addressing the fallen.

Contrary to popular belief, the Bible gives surprisingly little detail about Satan’s fall.

Many later traditions combine passages from Isaiah, Ezekiel and Revelation into a single narrative.

Early Christian writers, medieval theologians and poets such as John Milton expanded these brief references into the richly developed story familiar today.

Milton’s Paradise Lost arguably shaped the popular image of rebellious angels more than scripture itself.

Angels in Art

No figures have inspired artists more consistently than angels.

The Renaissance transformed their appearance.

Artists such as Fra Angelico, Raphael and Michelangelo Buonarroti painted angels with idealised human beauty.

Victorian artists softened them even further into comforting, almost sentimental figures.

This image has remained enormously influential.

Angels in Popular Culture

Today angels appear everywhere.

They populate novels, films, television series and video games.

Some are biblical.

Others are romantic.

Some are superheroes.

Others are comic.

Theological accuracy is rarely the goal.

Instead, angels have become universal symbols of hope, protection and transcendence.

Whether in It’s a Wonderful Life, Touched by an Angel, or countless Christmas cards, they continue to reassure people that goodness exists beyond the visible world.

A Timeless Fascination

For believers, angels remain active servants of God who watch over creation and carry out His will.

For historians, they reveal how religious ideas develop across centuries, absorbing influences from different cultures while remaining rooted in sacred tradition.

For artists, they represent beauty, mystery and the longing to transcend earthly existence.

Perhaps that explains why angels have endured for more than three thousand years.

They stand at the boundary between heaven and earth, reminding humanity that throughout history people have imagined that they are not entirely alone—that somewhere beyond the visible world are messengers who carry hope, justice and divine purpose.

Whether viewed through the lens of faith, history or art, angels remain among humanity’s most enduring and captivating symbols.

Tim Alderman ©️2026

Sources

The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh)

The New Testament

The Qur’an

The Complete Dictionary of Angels

A History of Angels

The Celestial Hierarchy

Paradise Lost

The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church