Religious Glossary - common terms used related to Religion
Angel - The English word comes from the Greek "angelos"
(messenger). In the Bible they were described as an intelligent
and immortal species, usually presented as being visually
indistinguishable from humans -- i.e. with a human body and
without wings. They delivered messages from God, and either
harmed or helped humans. Satan is described in the Bible as
an evil angel. Because the Bible's cosmology asserts that
the earth was flat, that it was covered by a metal firmament
or dome, and that God resided in Heaven above the dome, angels
have often been portrayed as having wings so that they could
fly from Heaven to earth and back.
In various human mythologies an angel is believed to be an
ethereal creature whose duties are to assist and serve the
God or gods of many religious traditions. The word originated
from the Latin angelus, itself derived from the Greek, ángelos,
meaning “messenger”. The closest Hebrew word for angel is,
mal'ach , also meaning messenger. (wikipedia)
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