I'm sure many of you have seen the art of this trend. And much of it does look pretty cool. However it's a trend that's built off little research and face value assumptions.
I am a historically interested person, so I do love researching topics like this. The question of "is this really a biblically accurate angel?" has a very complicated answer.
It is true that these figures are divine beings that are servants of god, however seeing them as the exclusive description of what an angel looks like isn't really correct. Many times are angels described in many different Abrahamic writings. Some considered canon for most Abrahamic faiths, others not so.
In the Christian bible it self only 2 angels are named. That being the Archangel Grabriel and the Archangel Michael. There is another writing considered canon by most Christian churches called the book of Tobit (or Tobi or Tobias... There's a lot of named for this book). In this book another angel is named. Archangel Raphael, where he states that he is apart of the 7 angels of god. This seven angels of god is also mentioned in the bible in revelations.
Speaking of Revelations, it is also within revelations that the description all of this art comes from. Specifically Revelations 4:6-8.
When these beings are described, it is stated that there are 4 of them. And this number pops up in other writings where they are described.
Another thing I want to point out is the version of the bible I read described these 4 figures as "creatures". Now I've pointed out this 'version' deliberately. Because in the end all English bibles are translations and not original texts. As a result they are all some what differed depending on how the translator interpreted the text he transcribed from. However I did find the other popular English version of the bible used the word 'beast' instead of creature. Both of those words of course being synonyms of each other, it hardly makes a difference to use the word beast or creature.
Sadly I'm not an etymologist, so I have rely on translations like most other people. But I have done some research into the specific etymology of some of the words used in this topic. I can say the word 'creature' appears in other descriptions of these beings from other writings. But I can also say the word 'angel' has some what of a debatable definition in it self.
The world angel derives from a Greek work that was basically a Greek version of a Hebrew word. This Hebrew word meaning "messenger". From that perspective angels are messengers of god. And sure, there are many moments where an angel comes specifically to deliver a message from god. However there are moments in writings where an angel does something other then delivering a message.
I can't remember which writing this comes from, but there was an instance where god sent down an angel to punish the Assyrians. This angel laid waste to the Assyrian capital. And it seamed the only thing in this angels mind was destruction, because when it was done with the Assyrian capital, it pointed its hand towards Jerusalem. At that point god ordered it to stop.
So angels do more then just deliver messages it seems. This is more just an opinion, but to me it seems the best way to think of angels is as divine servants of god. They're not just messengers, they're also warriors, guardians, scholars, researchers.
Now. Back to the the "biblically accurate angel". What is this creature? And does it appear in any historical art? Well fortunately there is an answer to both of those questions.
These beings are called Keruvim. They are described to be the two figures carved on the lid of the ark of the covenant. the carvings serve as the guardians of what is contained within the ark.
There is also a description of Solomon's temple where statues of Keruvim are said to stand on either side of the room the ark sat within. Their wings stretching out and touching each other.
Keruvim are described to have 6 wings, and 4 faces. One face is that of a man, another of an ox, another of an eagle, and the last of a lion.
And the one that every one loves to imagine the most on these creatures, is they are covered in eyes. Now I've noticed varying descriptions of that in translations. The phrase is always either "full of eyes" or "covered in eyes". The version of the bible I've read used the word 'covered'. But in the end, the suggestion is they are covered. Even when the word 'full' is used instead of covered.
Interestingly in revelations 4:6-8, instead of having 4 faces, it states there are 4 creatures, each with a different face. One of an ox, one of a lion, one of a man and the last of an eagle. This could be a translation error or it could just be a different interpretation of these creatures.
Revelations seems to be the only writing where that is the case, as other writings suggest the faces are on the same body.
You might wonder what the role of a keruvim is. From all the writings they are referenced in, it seems they are guardians. They are often in positions of guarding. Like the carvings on the ark of the covenant for example. Another place is the garden of Eden, where after Adam and Eve are banished, Keruvim are placed at its entrance to guard the garden and tree of Eden.
Back on revelations, I do find it interesting that when referring to the creatures, the word angel is never used. However angel is used a few times to describe voices coming from around the throne. There are 24 elders present as well, but neither are those elders referred to as angles. But multiple times in Revelations, Angels sing around the creatures and the elders. Suggesting the elders and the creatures are not angels.
That is one reason why the definition of angel is a bit contentious.
I want to mention another divine being that some art has been done of during this biblically accurate angel trend. It's a creature that comprises of multiple rings, and covered in eyes.
Those are called Ophanim. They seemed to comprise of just rings and are covered in eyes. What's interesting is in writings where the Ophanim are mentioned, they are accompanied with Keruvim.
One thing a lot of the biblically accurate angel art gets wrong about Ophanim a lot is that they don't have wings. No writings describe Ophanim with wings.
The Ophanim is the Hebrew word for "wheels" in a biblical sense. It's not superficially the word for wheel. It's hard to explain because English does not have an equivalent of that word.
But in a basic sense, the Ophanim go with the Keruvim. They looks like wheels that intersect wheels and are full of eyes. They sparkled like topaz. Where ever the Keruvim go, the Ophanim move like wheel with them. Moving in any one of the 4 directions the creatures faced, without changing direction.
The description is written in the book of Ezekiel. Which s also considered canon by most Abrahamic faiths.
There's a few historical arts depicted both the Keruvim and the Ophanim from what was written in Ezekiel. I shall link those as well like I did for the Keruvim
So I hope this helps to educate people a little more on this trend. And to those who wish to participate in the tend, provide a little more information for stuff like inspiration. It is a fascinating topic to be honest. As I delved into this rabbit hole to find out how true this trend's claim was, I found a lot of interesting stuff. And I hope many of you found it interesting too.
If you made it through the TL;DR. Congratulations. I didn't write a short sum up for the start because this topic is too complicated to sum up. It had to be long.
This is a very insightful and well research piece of writing. There’s a video on YouTube done by a channel known as Metatron Who did something very similar. He looked at the source books, and he did consider some of the apocryphal books as well. It always bugged me that people said that biblically accurate angels are some sort of weird monstrosity that you might see on TikTok or something. When as you say, and as he said, it’s very complicated.
This is a very insightful and well research piece of writing. There’s a video on YouTube done by a c
As a Christian this is some pretty good research, just for some added info. We also have ancient carving of angels being depicted as serpents with wings to fit descriptions in Ezekiel. Id also like to add that angels while having these as probably being their base form can take other forms as did the two angels in sodom and Gomorrah who were just seen as regular human guest of Lot. The assyrian part comes from 2 kings 19 35 but i dont know where you got the 2nd part from. Someone above pointed metatron and i would also like to point out wendigoon who did a video on all 9 of the different type of angels and does a very good job.
As a Christian this is some pretty good research, just for some added info. We also have ancient ca
Two more interesting biblical facts - having been born in the Mediterranean, Jesus wasn't white. And the forbidden fruit was very unlikely to have been an apple.
Two more interesting biblical facts - having been born in the Mediterranean, Jesus wasn't white. And
When considering the morphology of angels, consider that they must be some kind of extremophile, like those microorganisms that live near lava tubes and ocean vents. What do I mean?
Heaven is hotter than hell. Google it. This would require some extreme physical adaptations.
When considering the morphology of angels, consider that they must be some kind of extremophile, lik
