Angels appear in several Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) stories, in addition to the ones previously mentioned above. These include the warning to Lot of the imminent destruction of Sodom. Many Bible chapters mention an "angry God" who sends His angel to smite the enemies of the Israelites. Traditional Jewish biblical commentators have a variety of ways of explaining what an angel is. The earliest Biblical books present angels as heavenly beings created by God, some of whom apparently are endowed with free will. Later biblical books in the Tana ...

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Angel, Angel - Etymology, Angel - Angels in the Tanakh, Angel - Appearance of angels, Angel - Purpose, Angel - Jewish views, Angel - Maimonides and rationalism, Angel - Christian views, Angel - Islamic views, Angel - Latter-Day Saint views, Angel - Other religions, Angel - Hinduism, Angel - Thelema, Angel - Angels as a development step of the soul, Angel - Named angels and archangels, Angel - Bibliography

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See also:

Angel, Angel - Etymology, Angel - Angels in the Tanakh, Angel - Appearance of angels, Angel - Purpose, Angel - Jewish views, Angel - Maimonides and rationalism, Angel - Christian views, Angel - Islamic views, Angel - Latter-Day Saint views, Angel - Other religions, Angel - Hinduism, Angel - Thelema, Angel - Angels as a development step of the soul, Angel - Named angels and archangels, Angel - Bibliography

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The Biblical name for angel, מלאך ('malakh"), obtained the further signification of "angel" only through the addition of God's name, as "angel of the Lord," or "angel of God" (Zech. xii. 8). Other appellations are "Sons of God", (Genesis vi. 4; Job, i. 6 [R. V. v. 1]) and "the Holy Ones" (Psalms lxxxix. 6, 8). According to Jewish interpretation, 'Elohim is almost entirely reserved for the one true God; but at times 'Elohim (powers), bnē 'Elohim, bnē Elim (sons of gods)(i.e. members of the class of div ...

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Angel, Angel - Etymology, Angel - Angels in the Tanakh, Angel - Appearance of angels, Angel - Purpose, Angel - Jewish views, Angel - Maimonides and rationalism, Angel - Christian views, Angel - Islamic views, Angel - Latter-Day Saint views, Angel - Other religions, Angel - Hinduism, Angel - Thelema, Angel - Angels as a development step of the soul, Angel - Named angels and archangels, Angel - Bibliography

Read more here: » Angel: Encyclopedia II - Angel - Angels in the Tanakh

An angel is an ethereal being found in many religions, whose duties are to assist and serve God or the gods. Angel - Etymology. The English word originated from Latin, angelus, which is itself derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, ángelos, meaning "messenger" (double gamma "γγ" is pronounced "ng" in Greek). The closest Hebrew word for angel is מלאך, mal'ach Hebrew word #4397 in Strong's, also meaning "messenger". "Angel" is also used in the English Version of the Bible for the ...

Including:

Angel - Etymology Angel - Angels in the Tanakh
Angel - Appearance of angels Angel - Purpose
Angel - Jewish views
Angel - Maimonides and rationalism
Angel - Christian views Angel - Islamic views Angel - Latter-Day Saint views Angel - Other religions
Angel - Hinduism Angel - Thelema
Angel - Angels as a development step of the soul Angel - Named angels and archangels Angel - Bibliography

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An angel is an ethereal being found in many religions, whose duties are to assist and serve God or the gods. Angel - Etymology. The English word originated from Latin, angelus, which is itself derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, ángelos, meaning "messenger" (double gamma "γγ" is pronounced "ng" in Greek). The closest Hebrew word for angel is מלאך, mal'ach Hebrew word #4397 in Strong's, also meaning "messenger". "Angel" is also used in the English Version of the Bible for the ...

Including:

Angel - Etymology Angel - Angels in the Tanakh
Angel - Purpose
Angel - Jewish views
Angel - Maimonides and rationalism
Angel - Christian views Angel - Islamic views Angel - Latter-Day Saint views Angel - Other religions
Angel - Hinduism Angel - Thelema
Angel - Angels as a development step of the soul Angel - Named angels and archangels Angel - Bibliography

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Shaitan (شيطان) is the devil, or the enemy of Allah and is the equivalent of Satan in Christianity and Judaism. The Islamic view of Satan, has both commonalities and differences with Christian and Jewish views. While Shaitan (شيطان, from the root šṭn شطن) is an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant") that can be applied to both Man ("AlIns", الإنس) and Jinn, Iblis is the personal name of the Shaitan who is mentioned in the Q ...

Including:

Shaitan - Uses of the name Shaitan in contemporary fiction
Shaitan - Dune Shaitan - Wheel of Time Shaitan - Angels and Demons Shaitan - Necroscope

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The "doctrine of predestination" usually refers to Christian teaching concerning the ultimate implications of the predestination idea: the final destiny of men and of angels. As such, discussion of predestination concerns the extent to which salvation and damnation are the issue of God's decisions before time, and the extent to which these are matters decided by men and angels for themselves. The more immediate application of the doctrine of predestination concerns the extent to which people and nations are confined by God to particul ...

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Predestination, Predestination - Contrasted with other kinds of determinism, Predestination - Distinguished from preordination, Predestination - Predestination and omniscience, Predestination - Predestination in Christianity, Predestination - Various Views on Christian Predestination, Predestination - Bible reference, Predestination - Jewish views, Predestination - Islamic views, Predestination - Islam and Christianity

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Predestination, in the sense of preordination or foreordination, is concerned not only with the afterlife, but also with the roles and limitations that are assigned to things and people in life as well (temporal preordination). In Christian theology, usually all issues of preordination correspond directly with the issues of divine providence, with emphasis on God's particular determination of events: especially those events which arise from the choices made by men and angels. Predestination includes all of the issues of preordi ...

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Predestination, Predestination - Contrasted with other kinds of determinism, Predestination - Distinguished from preordination, Predestination - Predestination and omniscience, Predestination - Predestination in Christianity, Predestination - Various Views on Christian Predestination, Predestination - Bible reference, Predestination - Jewish views, Predestination - Islamic views, Predestination - Islam and Christianity

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In the more limited sense of the term, Conservative Judaism is a unified movement; the international body of Conservative rabbis is the Rabbinical Assembly (RA), the organization of synagogues is the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ), and the primary seminary and cantorial school is the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS) in New York City. Conservative Judaism outside the USA is often called Masorti Judaism; Masorti rabbis belong to the Rabbinical Assembly. Other seminaries include the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, California; the Marshall Meyer Seminario Rabbinico Lati ...

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Conservative Judaism, Conservative Judaism - History, Conservative Judaism - Beliefs, Conservative Judaism - God, Conservative Judaism - Revelation, Conservative Judaism - Jewish law, Conservative Judaism - Views of other Jewish denominations, Conservative Judaism - Movement organization, Conservative Judaism - Jewish identity, Conservative Judaism - Important figures

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David's first action as king was to conquer Jerusalem and declare it the capital of his kingdom. Even though the city was not the perfect choice from many points of view, a geopolitical constraint dictated this choice. According to Jewish history, Mount Moriah is an important place where Abraham bound Isaac (and some other important events happened, e.g., it was here where Jakob saw his vision of the angels moving on a ledder from Heaven to Ea ...

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First Temple Period, First Temple Period - History, First Temple Period - Places, First Temple Period - Persons

Read more here: » First Temple Period: Encyclopedia II - First Temple Period - History

In classical Rabbinical literature, there are divergent opinions of Enoch. After Christianity and Judaism had completely separated, the prevailing view regarding Enoch was that of Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, which thought of Enoch as a pious man, taken to heaven, and receiving the title of Safra rabba (Great scribe). However, while Christianity was in the process of detaching itself from Judaism, the Jewish view was often highly negative. In these views, for example held by Abbahu, Rashi, and Ibn Ezra, Enoch was held to frequently lapse in his piety, and thus re ...

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Enoch ancestor of Noah, Enoch ancestor of Noah - Enoch as a man rewarded for piety, Enoch ancestor of Noah - Enoch in Freemasonry, Enoch ancestor of Noah - Enoch as a victim of the Angel of Death, Enoch ancestor of Noah - Enoch as Metatron, Enoch ancestor of Noah - Enoch as a Greek, Enoch ancestor of Noah - Enoch as Emmerduranki and Gilgamesh

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Many of his ideas were rejected as heretical by many other Jews. His Guide was often banned. See the entry "Maimonidean Controversy, under Maimonides, in volume 11 of the Encyclopaedia Judaica, Keter Publishing, and Dogma in Medieval Jewish Thought by Menachem Kellner. As might be expected, the adversaries of Maimonides' Mishneh Torah declared war against the "Guide." His views concerning angels, prophecy, and miracles—and especially his assertion that he would have had no difficulty in reconciling the biblical account ...

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Guide for the Perplexed, Guide for the Perplexed - About the work, Guide for the Perplexed - Structure, Guide for the Perplexed - Book One, Guide for the Perplexed - Book Two, Guide for the Perplexed - Book Three, Guide for the Perplexed - How to read the Guide, Guide for the Perplexed - Reactions and Criticism, Guide for the Perplexed - Translations

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Perle was born into a Jewish family and raised in Los Angeles and attended the University of Southern California, earning a B.A. in English in 1964. He also studied at the London School of Economics and obtained a M.A. in political science from Princeton University in 1967. Richard Perle - Office of Senator Henry Jackson. From 1969 to 1980, he worked as a staffer for Democratic Senator Henry M. Jackson of Washington. Perle was considered as an extremely knowledgeable and influential person in the Senate de ...

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Richard Perle, Richard Perle - Education and early career, Richard Perle - Office of Senator Henry Jackson, Richard Perle - Opposition to nuclear arms reduction, Richard Perle - Reagan administration and allegations of corruption, Richard Perle - Current activities, Richard Perle - Investigation into conflicts of interest, Richard Perle - War with Iraq, Richard Perle - Optimistic views on Iraq situation, Richard Perle - Disregard for lives of troops, Richard Perle - Other, Richard Perle - Works

Read more here: » Richard Perle: Encyclopedia II - Richard Perle - Education and early career

Elohim 'elohim (Hebrew) (from 'eloah goddess + im masculine plural ending)

The monotheistic proclivities, not only of the Jews but of Christian translators, have led to this word always being translated as God; yet the word itself is a plural form, nor is it in any sense necessarily a plural of majesty, as suggested by some monotheistic scholars. A correct rendering should denote both masculine and feminine characteristics, such as androgyne divinities.

In spite of the ideas imbodied in the word itself, the later development of Judaism caused 'elohim to be almost entirely translated in paraphrase as the "one true God"; but in earlier times 'elohim (or rather benei 'elohim or benei 'elim -- sons of gods, members of the classes of divine beings) meant spiritual beings or cosmic spirits of differing hierarchical grades: a collective class of cosmic spirits among whom is found the familiar Jewish Yahweh or Jehovah. Thus, strictly speaking and as viewed in the original Qabbalah, the 'elohim meant the angelic hierarchies of many varying grades of spirituality or ethereality; and in cosmogonic or astrological matters, the 'elohim were often mentally aggregated under the generalized term tseba'oth (fem pl from the verbal root tsaba' a host, an army) as in the expression "host of heaven."

In the Jewish Qabbalah the 'elohim, however, are the sixth hierarchical group in derivation from the first or Crown, Kether: cosmogonically they represent the manifested formers or weavers of the cosmos. In this Qabbalistic system, Jehovah was the third angelic potency (counting from the first, Kether). Blavatsky calls all these hierarchicies symbols "emblematic, mutually and correlatively, of Spirit, Soul and Body (man); of the circle transformed into Spirit, the Soul of the World, and its body (or Earth). Stepping out of the Circle of Infinity, that no man comprehendeth, Ain-Soph (the Kabalistic synonym for Parabrahm, for the Zeroana Akerne, of the Mazdeans, or for any other 'Uunknowable') becomes 'One' -- the Echos, the Eka, the Ahu -- then he (or it) is transformed by evolution into the One in many, the Dhyani-Buddhas or the Elohim, or again the Amshaspends, his third Step being taken into generation of the flesh, or 'Man.' And from man, or Jah-Hova, 'male female,' the inner divine entity becomes, on the metaphysical planes, once more the Elohim" (SD 1:113).

The opening words of the Bible refer directly to the activities of the 'elohim, for this is the sole divine name mentioned in Genesis 1:1-2. De Purucker translates these verses from the original Hebrew as:

"In a host (or multitude), the gods (Elohim) formed themselves into the heavens and the earth. And the earth became ethereal. And darkness upon the face of the ethers. And the ruah (the spirit-soul) of the gods (of Elohim) fluttered or hovered, brooding" (cf Fund 99-100). He goes on to say that "we see that the Elohim evolved man, humanity, out of themselves, and told them to become, then to enter into and inform these other creatures. Indeed, these sons of the Elohim are, in our teachings, the children of light, the sons of light, which are we ourselves, and yet different from ourselves, because higher, yet they are our own very selves inwardly. In fact, the Elohim, became, evolved into, their own offspring, remaining in a sense still always the inspiring light within, or rather above . . . the Elohim projected themselves into the nascent forms of the then 'humanity,' which thenceforward were 'men,' however imperfect their development still was" (Fund 101-2).

The 'elohim, then, correspond to both classes of the pitris mentioned in theosophical literature: the higher or more spiritual-intellectual of the 'elohim are the agnishvatta-pitris, and the lower groups are the barhishad-pitris. As the agnishvatta-pitris are devoid of the astral-vital-physical productive fire because they are too high and distinctly intellectual, they leave the work of production to the lower 'elohim or barhishads, who "being the lunar spirits more closely connected with Earth, became the creative Elohim of form, or the Adam of dust" (SD 2:78).

(See also: Elohim, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Porphyry, or Porphyrius. A Neo-Platonist and a most distinguished writer, only second to Plotinus as a teacher and philosopher.

He was born before the middle of the third century A.D., at Tyre, since he called himself a Tyrian and is supposed to have belonged to a Jewish family. Though himself thoroughly Hellenized and a Pagan, his name Melek (a king) does seem to indicate that he had Semitic blood in his veins. Modern critics very justly consider him the most practically philosophical, and the soberest, of all the Neo-Platonists. A distinguished writer, he was specially famous for his controversy with Iamblichus regarding the evils attendant upon the practice of Theurgy. He was, however, finally converted to the views of his opponent.

A natural-born mystic, he followed, as did his master Plotinus, the pure Indian Raj-Yoga training, which leads to the union of the Soul with the Over-Soul or Higher Self (Buddhi-Manas). He complains, however, that, all his efforts notwithstanding, he did not reach this state of ecstacy before he was sixty, while Plotinus was a proficient in it. This was so, probably because while his teacher held physical life and body in the greatest contempt, limiting philosophical research to those regions where life and thought become eternal and divine, Porphyry devoted his whole time to considerations of the hearing of philosophy on practical life. "The end of philosophy is with him morality", says a biographer, "we might almost say, holiness - the healing of man’s infirmities, the imparting to him a purer and more vigorous life. Mere knowledge, however true, is not of itself sufficient ; knowledge has for its object life in accordance with Nous" - "reason", translates the biographer.

As we interpret Nous, however, not as Reason, but mind (Manas) or the divine eternal Ego in man, we would translate the idea esoterically, and make it read "the occult or secret knowledge has for its object terrestrial life in accordance with Nous, or our everlasting reincarnating Ego", which would be more consonant with Porphyry’s idea, as it is with esoteric philosophy. (See Porphyry’s De Abstinentia ., 29.) Of all the Neo-Platonists, Porphyry approached the nearest to real Theosophy as now taught by the Eastern secret school. This is shown by all our modern critics and writers on the Alexandrian school, for "he held that the Soul should be as far as possible freed from the bonds of matter, . . . be ready . . . to cut off the whole body". (Ad Marcellam, 34.) He recommends the practice of abstinence, saying that "we should be like the gods if we could abstain from vegetable as well as animal food". He accepts with reluctance theurgy and mystic incantation as those are "powerless to purify the noëtic (manasic) principle of the soul": theurgy can "but cleanse the lower or psychic portion, and make it capable of perceiving lower beings, such as spirits, angels and gods" (Aug. De Civ. Dei. X., 9), just as Theosophy teaches. "Do not defile the divinity", he adds, with the vain imaginings of men you will not injure that which is for ever blessed (Buddhi-Manas) but you will blind yourself to the perception of the greatest and most vital truths". (Ad Marcellam,18.)

"If we would he free from the assaults of evil spirits, we must keep ourselves clear of those things over which evil spirits have power, for they attack not the pure soul which has no affinity with them". (De Abstin. ii., 43.) This is again our teaching. The Church Fathers held Porphyry as the bitterest enemy, the most irreconcilable to Christianity. Finally, and once more as in modern Theosophy, Porphyry - as all the Neo-Platonists, according to St. Augustine - "praised Christ while they disparaged Christianity"; Jesus, they contended, as we contend, "said nothing himself against the pagan deities, but wrought wonders by their help". "They could not call him as his disciples did, God, but they honoured him as one of the best and wisest of men". (De Civ. Dei., X1X., 23.) Yet, "even in the storm of controversy, scarcely a word seems to have been uttered against the private life of Porphyry. His system prescribed purity and . . . he practised it".

(See A Dict. of Christian Biography, Vol. IV., "Porphyry".)

(See also: Porphyry, Porphyrius, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

In the New Testament angels appear frequently as the ministers of God and the agents of revelation (E.g. Matthew 1:20 (to Joseph), 4:11. (to Jesus), Luke 1:26 (to Mary), Acts 12:7 (to Peter)); and Jesus speaks of angels as fulfilling such functions (E.g. Mark 8:38, 13:27), implying in one saying that they neither marry nor are given in marriage (Mark 12:25). Naturally angels are most prominent in the Apocalypse. The New Testament takes little interest in the idea of the angelic hierarchy, but there are traces of the doctrine. T ...

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Angel, Angel - Etymology, Angel - Angels in the Tanakh, Angel - Appearance of angels, Angel - Purpose, Angel - Jewish views, Angel - Maimonides and rationalism, Angel - Christian views, Angel - Islamic views, Angel - Latter-Day Saint views, Angel - Other religions, Angel - Hinduism, Angel - Thelema, Angel - Angels as a development step of the soul, Angel - Named angels and archangels, Angel - Bibliography

Read more here: » Angel: Encyclopedia II - Angel - Christian views

The belief in angels is central to the religion of Islam, beginning with the belief that the Qur'an was dictated to the Prophet Muhammad by the chief of all angels, the archangel Jibril (Gabriel). Angels are thus the ministers of God, as well as the agents of revelation in Islam. In Islam, angels are benevolent beings created from light and do not possess free will. They are completely devoted to the worship of God (Allah) and carry out certain functions on His command, such as recording every human being's actions, placing a soul in ...

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Angel, Angel - Etymology, Angel - Angels in the Tanakh, Angel - Appearance of angels, Angel - Purpose, Angel - Jewish views, Angel - Maimonides and rationalism, Angel - Christian views, Angel - Islamic views, Angel - Latter-Day Saint views, Angel - Other religions, Angel - Hinduism, Angel - Thelema, Angel - Angels as a development step of the soul, Angel - Named angels and archangels, Angel - Bibliography

Read more here: » Angel: Encyclopedia II - Angel - Islamic views

Angels are also a part of New Age beliefs. In Zoroastrianism, the Amesha Spentas have often been regarded as angels, but this is not strictly correct since they don´t convey messages, but are rather emanations of Ahura Mazda ("Wise Lord", God); they appear in an abstract fashion in the religious thought of Zarathustra and then later (during the Achaemenid period of Zoroastrianism) became personalized, associated with an aspect of the divine creation (fire, plants, water...). Also, angel-like beings called Tennin and Tenshi appear in Japanese mythology < ...

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Angel, Angel - Etymology, Angel - Angels in the Tanakh, Angel - Appearance of angels, Angel - Purpose, Angel - Jewish views, Angel - Maimonides and rationalism, Angel - Christian views, Angel - Islamic views, Angel - Latter-Day Saint views, Angel - Other religions, Angel - Hinduism, Angel - Thelema, Angel - Angels as a development step of the soul, Angel - Named angels and archangels, Angel - Bibliography

Read more here: » Angel: Encyclopedia II - Angel - Other religions

Angels are also a part of Zoroastrianism (called Amesha Spentas, of whom six are extremely important) and New Age beliefs. Also, angel-like beings called Tennin and Tenshi appear in Japanese mythology Angel - Hinduism. In English, the Sanskrit word Deva is exclusively translated as "god", which certainly gives a polytheistic appearance to Hinduism. Many Hindus now say that this is a poor practice, because the best word for God in Sanskrit is Ishvara (the Supreme Lord). The Devas may be better transl ...

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Angel, Angel - Etymology, Angel - Angels in the Tanakh, Angel - Appearance of angels, Angel - Purpose, Angel - Jewish views, Angel - Maimonides and rationalism, Angel - Christian views, Angel - Islamic views, Angel - Latter-Day Saint views, Angel - Other religions, Angel - Hinduism, Angel - Thelema, Angel - Angels as a development step of the soul, Angel - Named angels and archangels, Angel - Bibliography

Read more here: » Angel: Encyclopedia II - Angel - Other religions

Some mystics believe, that a soul is growing in steps from minerals, plants and animals to men. When the human body dies, a soul could become an angel. The Sufi mystic Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi wrote in his poem Masnavi: I died as inanimate matter and arose a plant, I died as a plant and rose again an animal. I died as an animal and arose a man. Why then should I fear to become less by dying? I shall die once again as a man ...

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Angel, Angel - Etymology, Angel - Angels in the Tanakh, Angel - Appearance of angels, Angel - Purpose, Angel - Jewish views, Angel - Maimonides and rationalism, Angel - Christian views, Angel - Islamic views, Angel - Latter-Day Saint views, Angel - Other religions, Angel - Hinduism, Angel - Thelema, Angel - Angels as a development step of the soul, Angel - Named angels and archangels, Angel - Bibliography

Read more here: » Angel: Encyclopedia II - Angel - Angels as a development step of the soul