Angels … Some High-Flying Fun Facts!

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Dec 25, 2022

Angels were created long ago, before the earth existed. When God created the earth, the angels began singing in applause. ​—Job 38:​4-7.

What is the purpose of angels and the extent of their powers? Angels serve as messengers of God (the word angel is derived from the Greek angelos meaning messenger). Angels can speak, sing, play musical instruments and dance but they are not omnipresent, omniscient or omnipotent and are not meant to be worshiped by us mortals.

Do angels have names and free will? The Bible only names the four Archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel. Other angels have names too, but they chose not to reveal them; all angels have the freedom to choose between right and wrong . . . those who chose wrong joined Lucifer who, in his rebellion, became the first fallen angel.

Do angels have feelings? Angels experience emotions such as joy and longing but do not marry; in western art they are depicted as ageless and often having a gender.

What about the baby angels? Those endearingly mischievous baby angels, known as putti or amorini — are actually quite old. Derived from pagan sources, they were originally members of Aphrodite’s train who conveyed messages of love to humans (why they always pop up around Valentine’s Day).  Renaissance artists such as Donatello and Raphael would breathe new life into them creating a new breed even more fetching and bacchanalian than their ancestors.

How many angels are there? The Bible does not state an exact number, but it attests to their vast number. In a vision the apostle John caught a glimpse of “hundreds of millions of angels.”

May this holiday season bring you good tidings, peace, joy and light!

Buon Natale, Felice Hanukkah e Felice Anno Nuovo!!!

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