Angels in World History and Religion
The subject of angels has been found throughout history and religion in all corners of the world. From ancient Mesopotamia to Greece, and other important starting points of civilization, people have worshiped and idolized angels in many forms. Hindu, Christian, Jewish, and Islamic groups have all been known to produce art and writings with direct reference to angels.
The word, “angel” derives from the Greek word, “angelos” which is translated to mean “messenger”. The primary word for angel in Arabic and Hebrew is known as “malakh”, which means “to send”. These meanings also suggest that some mythology and stories that correlate with the word angel, as a messenger from something divine – a messenger from one world to another. Here we’ll review some of the origin and background of angels in different regions and religions of the world. Whether or not angels represent the same “god” is another discussion altogether.
The first evidence found in a civilization leaving behind a winged human motif was the Sumerian society, located between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers – now modern Iraq. Stone carvings in the form of statues (normally three-dimensional) or relief carvings with a three-dimensional effect portray human and animal figures with a form of wings. Many of these figures are central to the story of the reliefs, and provide us with knowledge that these characters were worshiped or idolized at least as far back as 3000 BCE when the Sumerian civilization flourished. Though the religious practices of these peoples are difficult to fully understand, it is known that they believed in and worshiped “messengers” that related spiritual information from humans to the many gods they worshiped.
The Sumerians believed in a singular angel or ghost that could be equated with the modern day term, “guardian angels’. They felt that each person was assigned or was predestined a ghost, angel or entity that remained through life, their companion. Altars were built in the homes of ancient Sumerians, supposedly dedicated to, or meant to honor their spiritual companion. Human winged figures have also been found in excavations of temples, wall paintings,and on stone engravings.
Around 1900 BCE, the Sumerian civilization was already at its end, as polytheistic Semitic tribes swept through and took over the land. The spiritual ideas of the Sumerian people were no doubt adapted into Semitic civilization; although they went on to develop their ideas into a complex system of groupings, assigned to individual Semitic gods. A hierarchy of ‘angels’ was also developed, subdividing them into groups which were responsible for spiritual transmission to and from a single god. Egyptian theology is speculated to have developed from Sumerian society as well. Though Sumer is credited for the first evidence of angelic worship, it is believed that a human and animal winged motif originates at the beginnings of shamanic practice and time.
Judaism & Christianity
The Torah, also known as the first five books of the Old Testament (Bible), includes references to angels in such books as Enoch. In this book, the story is told of the “Watchers”, depicting the ‘fall’ of a group of angels. It is thought to be compiled around 160 BCE.
In the Christian Bible, angels are often referred to as messengers, though they are also referenced many times through different terms such as: messengers of God, sons of God, messengers of the Lord, and the holy ones. In the book of Daniel, angels are referred to individually, by name, for the first time.
Judaism is credited with influencing most of Christian cosmology, although many original ideas have been created through Christian thought. Many books have been written and philosophies created. One example of this made itself manifest in 1259 CE, when a group of lectures was given at the University of Paris by Thomas Aquinas on the subject of angels. These lectures were particularly influential in the Christian world of thought on angels as they spurred a movement of ‘angel phenomena’ and popularity over the following several hundred years.
The New Testament is full of angelic encounters. Some of these include the “annunciation” of Gabriel to Mary, informing her of her virgin birth. The Revelation of John portrays many prophetic moments through which angels communicate with John. And then of course there is the proclamation of the birth of Christ through angels.
Islam
Around 630 CE, Muhammad created a fast spreading religion called Islam. It spread through many regions of the Middle East and Asia. In Muhammad’s initial writings, angels are not known to be present, and would have been considered blasphemous if tried to replicate a heavenly being. Islam, however, is said to have taken many practices and rituals from Zoroastrianism, a complex system of spiritual beliefs that was in place before Islam was created. Toleration of other belief systems is not considered a practice among the faithful to Islam. Because Islam contains some concepts of Zoroastrianism, as does Judaism, angels are thus found in parts of Islam. One example of this is Gabriel, the archangel that is said to have communicated with Muhammad. Other angels are present in this belief system, but are not idolized as in some Christian faiths.
All Lines of Angels