In contemporary portrayals, Biblical angels typically adhere to a standardized depiction: humanoid figures adorned with feathered wings and a radiant halo. However, while human-like angels do feature in Christian texts, they are not the sole representation, and some Biblically accurate angels defy convention with their peculiar forms.
A cursory online inquiry for “Biblically accurate angels” produces myriad results showcasing otherworldly and occasionally alarming imagery. These depictions range from multi-headed humanoid beings to colossal eyeballs encircled by rings or wheels, adorned with numerous smaller eyeballs.
Yes, these angels indeed appear in the Bible. They serve as just a couple of examples among the diverse array of Biblical angels. From the six-winged seraphim referred to as the “fiery ones” to the four-faced cherubim, the visual representation of Biblically accurate angels often diverges from what is commonly depicted in modern religious art.
Welcome to the enigmatic and peculiar realm of Biblical angels.
An Unusual Introduction To Heavenly Angels
In Christian belief, an angel is commonly understood as a spiritual entity serving as a messenger or attendant of God. The earliest specific mention of a Biblical angel occurs in the Book of Genesis, located in the Old Testament.
Just beyond the confines of the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve, the first human beings according to the Bible, resided before their expulsion for consuming forbidden fruit, an angel was said to stand guard at the garden’s entrance. According to The Daily Beast, this angel wielded a flaming, ever-turning sword.
This portrayal immediately depicts the angel not as a gentle, comforting presence but as a formidable guardian, suggesting that Biblically accurate angels possess a more complex and diverse nature than commonly assumed.
Later in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Ezekiel, the Hebrew prophet Ezekiel recounted an encounter where God appeared to him seated on “a throne of lapis lazuli” as “a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.”
However, Ezekiel’s vision didn’t solely involve God; according to Live Science, he also described four “living creatures” surrounding the divine presence. The prophet wrote, “In appearance their form was human, but each of them had four faces and four wings. Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.”
Among these living beings, Ezekiel noted that only one resembled a human, while the others bore the likeness of an ox, a lion, and an eagle. Additionally, he detailed the presence of large wheels alongside these living creatures, “and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel… As for their rings, they were high and they were dreadful; and they four had their rings full of eyes round about.”
These descriptions starkly deviate from the conventional depictions of angels as human-like figures. Adding to the complexity, Ezekiel initially referred to these beings as “living creatures,” which might challenge the assumption that they are indeed Biblical angels.
As writer Alberta Vadnais articulated for the Christian website Best Daily Prayer, descriptions of angels found in the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation often contradict popular perceptions. This discrepancy largely arises from the portrayal of angels in contemporary Christian art and media, which increasingly leans towards human-like representations.
The Hierarchy Of Biblically Accurate Angels
A prime example of this contrast is evident in the depiction of cherubim angels, commonly known as cherubs. They are frequently portrayed as chubby, tranquil infants adorned with halos, harps, and diminutive wings. This artistic tradition purportedly originated in Indianapolis in 1946 when a local department store catalog featured such illustrations of cherubs. However, as revealed in scripture, cherubim present a markedly different image. They are the four-faced angels witnessed by Ezekiel — and even the Devil himself was once categorized among them before his fall from grace.
As explained by How Stuff Works, the seraphim are characterized as the “fiery ones,” possessing six wings — four for modesty, covering themselves in the presence of God, and two for flight. On the other hand, the ophanim, also known as thrones, are described as colossal, radiant wheels within wheels adorned with numerous eyeballs.
These three celestial beings constitute the highest echelon of Biblically accurate angels. Beneath them are the dominions (or dominations), the virtues, and the powers. These angels exhibit slightly more human-like traits, likely due to their increased interaction with Earth, whereas the top-tier angels primarily devote themselves to worshiping God and supporting the heavenly throne.
According to the Bible, the dominions are assigned the responsibility of overseeing humanity and the remaining hierarchy of angels. The virtues, meanwhile, exercise authority over the elements, typically manifesting as beams of light, and occasionally manifest on Earth in human form to perform miracles. Lastly, the powers serve as God’s warriors, governing the natural order and offering counsel.
Moving on to the third tier are the principalities, the archangels, and more broadly, the angels. These entities closely resemble the depictions found in modern religious artworks. Principalities are believed to watch over places and groups, whether they be entire nations or smaller communities. Archangels serve as leaders among angels, executing God’s specific directives. Angels constitute the general populace of celestial beings, maintaining close interaction with humans on Earth.
The hierarchy of Biblically accurate angels can be perplexing, especially when attempting to visualize specific representations of them. However, comprehending the descriptions of these beings in Christian scripture sheds light on why they often reassured earthly recipients not to fear their appearances. Even those angels resembling humans possessed a remarkable and otherworldly presence that astonished even the most courageous individuals.
This understanding also elucidates why numerous characters in Netflix’s Midnight Mass believed that a vampiric entity could be an angel, despite its horrifying visage. After all, the mightiest of angels themselves are often depicted as awe-inspiring and fearsome beings.
