The origin of Angels

The word angels is derived from the Greek word angelos, which means messenger.  Malakh, the Hebrew word for angel, also   means messenger, and both words nicely coincide with the Persian word for angel, angaros, similarly meaning a courier.

The word “angel” can commonly be used to describe anyone who brings a message to another, whether a human being or a spirit.  However, within some religions, angels are spirit messengers who bring messages of truth to aid mankind, while conversely, fallen angels bring forth messages of untruth to lead people astray and wreak havoc on Earth.

Angels are then traditionally believed to be supernatural beings who act as mediators between man and god.  It is taught that angels have authority over the natural world, being organized into classes or hierarchies. The origin of angels in history is quite complicated to figure out, due to angels or similar spirit beings being found within many cultures around the globe.

Angels are found within three key religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  Yet, angels, or divine helpers, were also found within Sumerian, Babylonian, Persian, Egyptian and Greek writings, as well, and played a major influence upon the ideas regarding angels within the key religions themselves.  For example, it is well known that ancient Sumerian texts pre-dated the Hebrew book of Genesis, including the idea of the existence of angels.  The Hebrew beliefs regarding angels were similarly shared with Christianity, and both Judaism’s and Christianity’s teachings of angels inspired the Islam beliefs concerning angels.

Though maybe called different names, benevolant spirit beings quite similar to angels can also be found within other religions, mythologies, and lore.  Hinduism has avatars, Buddhism has devas and bodhisattvas, the Greeks wrote about daimons, and other spirit beings similar to angels, such as guardian spirits and spirit guides, have been taught by tribal cultures.  All of these have similar function as helpful spirit messengers, or angels.

Today, many people believe in demons and that they are fallen angels.  This teaching originated in the Hebrew text of Isaiah about Lucifer being cast out of heaven with one third of the angels following him to the Earth.  When the text was written, Lucifer actually referred to a Babylonian king, but later Christian, albeit poetic, interpretation of the same text changed Lucifer into Satan, commonly believed by many now to be the “devil.”
(more…)