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angel

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angel


  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Angel  \An"gel\,  n.  [AS.  [ae]ngel,  engel,  influenced  by  OF 
  angele,  angle,  F.  ange.  Both  the  AS  and  the  OF  words  are 
  from  L.  angelus,  Gr  'a`ggelos  messenger,  a  messenger  of  God, 
  an  angel.] 
  1.  A  messenger.  [R.] 
 
  The  dear  good  angel  of  the  Spring,  The  nightingale. 
  --B.  Jonson 
 
  2.  A  spiritual,  celestial  being  superior  to  man  in  power  and 
  intelligence.  In  the  Scriptures  the  angels  appear  as  God's 
  messengers. 
 
  O,  welcome,  pure-eyed  Faith,  white-handed  Hope,  Thou 
  hovering  angel,  girt  with  golden  wings.  --Milton. 
 
  3.  One  of  a  class  of  ``fallen  angels;''  an  evil  spirit;  as 
  the  devil  and  his  angels. 
 
  4.  A  minister  or  pastor  of  a  church,  as  in  the  Seven  Asiatic 
  churches.  [Archaic] 
 
  Unto  the  angel  of  the  church  of  Ephesus  write. 
  --Rev.  ii  1. 
 
  5.  Attendant  spirit;  genius;  demon.  --Shak. 
 
  6.  An  appellation  given  to  a  person  supposed  to  be  of  angelic 
  goodness  or  loveliness;  a  darling. 
 
  When  pain  and  anguish  wring  the  brow,  A  ministering 
  angel  thou.  --Sir  W. 
  Scott. 
 
  7.  (Numis.)  An  ancient  gold  coin  of  England,  bearing  the 
  figure  of  the  archangel  Michael.  It  varied  in  value  from 
  6s.  8d.  to  10s.  --Amer.  Cyc. 
 
  Note:  Angel  is  sometimes  used  adjectively;  as  angel  grace; 
  angel  whiteness. 
 
  {Angel  bed},  a  bed  without  posts. 
 
  {Angel  fish}.  (Zo["o]l.) 
  a  A  species  of  shark  ({Squatina  angelus})  from  six  to 
  eight  feet  long,  found  on  the  coasts  of  Europe  and 
  North  America.  It  takes  its  name  from  its  pectoral 
  fins,  which  are  very  large  and  extend  horizontally 
  like  wings  when  spread. 
  b  One  of  several  species  of  compressed,  bright  colored 
  fishes  warm  seas,  belonging  to  the  family 
  {Ch[ae]todontid[ae]}. 
 
  {Angel  gold},  standard  gold.  [Obs.]  --Fuller. 
 
  {Angel  shark}.  See  {Angel  fish}. 
 
  {Angel  shot}  (Mil.),  a  kind  of  chain  shot. 
 
  {Angel  water},  a  perfumed  liquid  made  at  first  chiefly  from 
  angelica;  afterwards  containing  rose,  myrtle,  and 
  orange-flower  waters,  with  ambergris,  etc  [Obs.] 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  angel 
  n  1:  spiritual  being  attendant  upon  God 
  2:  person  of  exceptional  holiness  [syn:  {saint},  {holy  man},  {holy 
  person}] 
  3:  invests  in  a  theatrical  production  [syn:  {backer}] 
  4:  the  highest  waterfall;  has  more  than  one  leap;  flow  varies 
  seasonally  [syn:  {Angel},  {Angel  Falls}] 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  Angel 
 
    A  single  {address  space},  {micro-kernel} 
  {operating  system}  for  {multiprocessor}  computers,  developed 
  at  {Imperial  College}  and  {City  University},  London,  UK 
 
  [Ariel  Burton] 
 
  (1995-11-24) 
 
 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Angel 
  a  word  signifying,  both  in  the  Hebrew  and  Greek,  a  "messenger," 
  and  hence  employed  to  denote  any  agent  God  sends  forth  to 
  execute  his  purposes.  It  is  used  of  an  ordinary  messenger  (Job 
  1:14:  1  Sam.  11:3;  Luke  7:24;  9:52),  of  prophets  (Isa.  42:19; 
  Hag.  1:13),  of  priests  (Mal.  2:7),  and  ministers  of  the  New 
  Testament  (Rev.  1:20). 
 
  It  is  also  applied  to  such  impersonal  agents  as  the  pestilence 
  (2  Sam.  24:16,  17;  2  Kings  19:35),  the  wind  (Ps.  104:4). 
 
  But  its  distinctive  application  is  to  certain  heavenly 
  intelligences  whom  God  employs  in  carrying  on  his  government  of 
  the  world.  The  name  does  not  denote  their  nature  but  their 
  office  as  messengers.  The  appearances  to  Abraham  at  Mamre  (Gen. 
  18:2,  22.  Comp.  19:1),  to  Jacob  at  Peniel  (Gen.  32:24,  30),  to 
  Joshua  at  Gilgal  (Josh.  5:13,  15),  of  the  Angel  of  the  Lord, 
  were  doubtless  manifestations  of  the  Divine  presence, 
  "foreshadowings  of  the  incarnation,"  revelations  before  the 
  "fulness  of  the  time"  of  the  Son  of  God. 
 
  (1.)  The  existence  and  orders  of  angelic  beings  can  only  be 
  discovered  from  the  Scriptures.  Although  the  Bible  does  not 
  treat  of  this  subject  specially,  yet  there  are  numerous 
  incidental  details  that  furnish  us  with  ample  information.  Their 
  personal  existence  is  plainly  implied  in  such  passages  as  Gen. 
  16:7,  10,  11;  Judg.  13:1-21;  Matt.  28:2-5;  Heb.  1:4,  etc 
 
  These  superior  beings  are  very  numerous.  "Thousand  thousands," 
  etc  (Dan.  7:10;  Matt.  26:53;  Luke  2:13;  Heb.  12:22,  23).  They 
  are  also  spoken  of  as  of  different  ranks  in  dignity  and  power 
  (Zech.  1:9,  11;  Dan.  10:13;  12:1;  1  Thess.  4:16;  Jude  1:9;  Eph. 
  1:21;  Col.  1:16). 
 
  (2.)  As  to  their  nature,  they  are  spirits  (Heb.  1:14),  like 
  the  soul  of  man,  but  not  incorporeal.  Such  expressions  as  "like 
  the  angels"  (Luke  20:36),  and  the  fact  that  whenever  angels 
  appeared  to  man  it  was  always  in  a  human  form  (Gen.  18:2;  19:1, 
  10;  Luke  24:4;  Acts  1:10),  and  the  titles  that  are  applied  to 
  them  ("sons  of  God,"  Job  1:6;  38:7;  Dan.  3:25;  comp.  28)  and  to 
  men  (Luke  3:38),  seem  all  to  indicate  some  resemblance  between 
  them  and  the  human  race.  Imperfection  is  ascribed  to  them  as 
  creatures  (Job  4:18;  Matt.  24:36;  1  Pet.  1:12).  As  finite 
  creatures  they  may  fall  under  temptation;  and  accordingly  we 
  read  of  "fallen  angels."  Of  the  cause  and  manner  of  their  fall" 
  we  are  wholly  ignorant.  We  know  only  that  "they  left  their  first 
  estate"  (Matt.  25:41;  Rev.  12:7,9),  and  that  they  are  "reserved 
  unto  judgement"  (2  Pet.  2:4).  When  the  manna  is  called  "angels' 
  food,"  this  is  merely  to  denote  its  excellence  (Ps.  78:25). 
  Angels  never  die  (Luke  20:36).  They  are  possessed  of  superhuman 
  intelligence  and  power  (Mark  13:32;  2  Thess.  1:7;  Ps  103:20). 
  They  are  called  holy"  (Luke  9:26),  elect"  (1  Tim.  5:21).  The 
  redeemed  in  glory  are  "like  unto  the  angels"  (Luke  20:36).  They 
  are  not  to  be  worshipped  (Col.  2:18;  Rev.  19:10). 
 
  (3.)  Their  functions  are  manifold.  a  In  the  widest  sense 
  they  are  agents  of  God's  providence  (Ex.  12:23;  Ps  104:4;  Heb. 
  11:28;  1  Cor.  10:10;  2  Sam.  24:16;  1  Chr.  21:16;  2  Kings  19:35; 
  Acts  12:23).  b  They  are  specially  God's  agents  in  carrying  on 
  his  great  work  of  redemption.  There  is  no  notice  of  angelic 
  appearances  to  man  till  after  the  call  of  Abraham.  From  that 
  time  onward  there  are  frequent  references  to  their  ministry  on 
  earth  (Gen.  18;  19;  24:7,  40;  28:12;  32:1).  They  appear  to 
  rebuke  idolatry  (Judg.  2:1-4),  to  call  Gideon  (Judg.  6:11,  12), 
  and  to  consecrate  Samson  (13:3).  In  the  days  of  the  prophets, 
  from  Samuel  downward,  the  angels  appear  only  in  their  behalf  (1 
  Kings  19:5;  2  Kings  6:17;  Zech.  1-6;  Dan.  4:13,  23;  10:10,  13, 
  20,  21). 
 
  The  Incarnation  introduces  a  new  era  in  the  ministrations  of 
  angels.  They  come  with  their  Lord  to  earth  to  do  him  service 
  while  here  They  predict  his  advent  (Matt.  1:20;  Luke  1:26-38), 
  minister  to  him  after  his  temptation  and  agony  (Matt.  4:11;  Luke 
  22:43),  and  declare  his  resurrection  and  ascension  (Matt. 
  28:2-8;  John  20:12,  13;  Acts  1:10,  11).  They  are  now  ministering 
  spirits  to  the  people  of  God  (Heb.  1:14;  Ps  34:7;  91:11;  Matt. 
  18:10;  Acts  5:19;  8:26;  10:3;  12:7;  27:23).  They  rejoice  over  a 
  penitent  sinner  (Luke  15:10).  They  bear  the  souls  of  the 
  redeemed  to  paradise  (Luke  16:22);  and  they  will  be  the 
  ministers  of  judgement  hereafter  on  the  great  day  (Matt.  13:39, 
  41,  49;  16:27;  24:31).  The  passages  (Ps.  34:7,  Matt.  18:10) 
  usually  referred  to  in  support  of  the  idea  that  every  individual 
  has  a  particular  guardian  angel  have  no  such  meaning.  They 
  merely  indicate  that  God  employs  the  ministry  of  angels  to 
  deliver  his  people  from  affliction  and  danger,  and  that  the 
  angels  do  not  think  it  below  their  dignity  to  minister  even  to 
  children  and  to  the  least  among  Christ's  disciples. 
 
  The  "angel  of  his  presence"  (Isa.  63:9.  Comp.  Ex  23:20,  21; 
  32:34;  33:2;  Num.  20:16)  is  probably  rightly  interpreted  of  the 
  Messiah  as  the  guide  of  his  people.  Others  have  supposed  the 
  expression  to  refer  to  Gabriel  (Luke  1:19). 
 




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