Angels

Scripture describes a great many angels and names very few. Most appear only as the angel of the Lord, a man in linen, or one of a multitude. This list holds the figures the text identifies individually and treats as angelic in nature rather than human.

Michael is called one of the chief princes, who came to the aid of the messenger delayed by the prince of the kingdom of Persia (Daniel 10:13), and the great prince who has charge of Daniel's people, standing up at a time of trouble such as had never been (Daniel 12:1). Jude records that Michael the archangel disputed with the devil about the body of Moses and did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgement, but said the Lord rebuke you (Jude 9). Revelation places him at the head of the heavenly host in the war against the dragon (Revelation 12:7).

Abaddon appears in the fifth trumpet vision as the angel of the bottomless pit, king over the locusts released from the abyss. The name is given in both languages: Abaddon in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek (Revelation 9:11), words that mean destruction and destroyer. The text does not describe him as a servant of God but as the ruler of the tormenting host released under judgement.

Other angelic figures are named or described elsewhere in Scripture - Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God and was sent to Zechariah and to Mary (Luke 1:19; Luke 1:26), and the cherubim and seraphim of Genesis 3:24 and Isaiah 6:2 - and profiles are added here as they are written. Where the Bible leaves a heavenly messenger unnamed, this site leaves him unnamed too.