In contemporary language, the word “angel” refers to spiritual beings created by God, who are at his service; but, as Seemann says, “Hebrew does not have a specific expression of the same conceptual scope as our word ‘angel.’” Mal’ak, used frequently but not exclusively in the Old Testament, perhaps comes from the Arabic root la’aka (“to send someone on a mission”) (Seemann, M., “Angels and Demons in Their Relationship with the man”, in: Mysterium Salutis. Cristiandad, 2nd. Ed. Madrid 1977, p. 737). In the Old Testament, the word Mal’ak generally refers to a “messenger”, not necessarily a heavenly creature. The Greek word “angelos” (“angel”), is also used in a general sense and not exclusively to designate a purely spiritual being. With the Latin translation of the Bible (the Vulgate), a clear distinction is already made between “Nuntius” (“sent”, as ordinary human messenger) and “Angelus” (“angel” as heavenly messenger).

In the Old Testament, in the oldest texts, with the expression “Angel of Yahweh” (Mal’ak Yahweh) reference was not made to an angel created by God but to Yahweh himself; the expression would be a personification of the protective action of God, such as the “Angel of Yahweh” that protects Hagar (Cf., Gn 16, 7-13); the “Angel of Yahweh” who stops Abraham’s hand so that he does not sacrifice his son Isaac (Cf., Gn 22, 11); the “Angel of Yahweh” who appears to Moses in the burning bush (Cf., Ex 3,2). This raises the question of whether there is a full identification between “Yahweh” and “Angel of Yahweh”. It must be borne in mind that, in later texts, progressively more clearly distinguishes between “Yahweh” and “Angel of Yahweh”. Hence, some Bible specialists think that “Angel of Yahweh” refers, finally, to a creature of God, an Angel in its own right. Others think that the matter is not settled and that it is very likely that the figure of “Angel of Yahweh” in the AT continues to have an indeterminate character, whose meaning and scope cannot be fully specified (Cf., Seemann, O. Cit., p.740). In Psalm 33 there is also mention of the “Angel of Yahweh” who “encamps around those who fear him and delivers them” (Ps 33, 8).

God reveals himself progressively. In this sense, to the extent that the idea of God is outlined more precisely in the AT, this has repercussions on the concession that one has of “Angel”. For example, in the account of the life of the prophet Elijah on his way to Mount Horeb (Cf., 1Ki 19, 1-18) there is evidence, as Seemann points out, of a clear distinction between the actions of the Angel (vv. 5 -8) and that of Yahweh (vv. 9-11). Other spirits called “angels” enter the scene who fulfill missions of service and protection of Israel. It is also unquestionable that “since the monarchical era, angels have been gaining in importance as an intermediate authority between God and men” (Seemann, O. Cit., p. 741). This was possible because monotheism had already been consolidated, as well as the idea of divine transcendence.

On the other hand, the influence in Israel of elements of the cultural environment cannot be ignored, where there was a belief in angels, establishing a kind of hierarchy between them, there is talk of cherubs and seraphim. The cherubim were “originally represented in a human figure, they were later endowed with wings and the characteristics of an eagle, a lion or a bull. Images of Egyptian sphinxes, erected as lookouts at the entrances to temples and palaces, may have influenced this representation” (Seemann, O. Cit., p. 741). However, this does not mean that those who wrote the Bible (hagiographers), have taken these images as is, but that they reinterpreted them, leaving aside mythological elements, as happens with other types of materials with which it was written, for example, some stories of genesis (about creation and original sin). One cannot, therefore, deny the existing similarities with extra-biblical stories, for example, those of Babylonian origin.

In oriental iconography, cherubs are winged sphinxes that “guard” the doors of temples and palaces. In Genesis it is mentioned that after Adam was expelled from paradise, Yahweh placed a cherub at the entrance (Cf., Gn 3, 24). “Cherubim are the winged sphinxes that flanked the divine or royal thrones of ancient Syria. In Shiloh, as in the Temple of Jerusalem, 1Ki 8, 6, the cherubs and the ark are the throne of Yahweh, the ‘seat’ or seat of the invisible presence” (Jerusalem Bible Note on 1Sam 4, 4) . The cherubs, in the Temple of Jerusalem, surround the Ark of the Covenant (Cf., 1Ki 6, 23-30; 8, 6; Ex 25, 17-18); it is mentioned that Yahweh is seated on the cherubs (Cf., 1Sam 4, 4; 2Sam 6, 2); he rides on them (Cf., 2Sam 22, 11). Regarding the seraphim, “six-winged beings with a face, hands and feet, similar to cherubs, they are only named in the vision of Isaiah’s vocation” (6, 2.6-7) (Seemann, O. Cit. , p.741). The seraphim are wholly destined for divine praise.

Angels are rarely mentioned in the Psalms; they are considered as the executors of the divine will and destined to praise God: “bless Yahweh, your angels, mighty heroes executing his orders, as soon as you hear the voice of his word” (Ps 102, 20). In Psalm 148 (praise of creation) the angels are invited to praise the Lord (Ps 148, 2). The angels protect the chosen one of the Lord, giving them orders to keep him in his ways and his feet not to stumble on the stone (Ps 90, 11-12), a psalm to which reference is made in Mt 4, 6 (in the temptation of Jesus by the devil).

In the post-exilic period, when encountering the Persian religion and the Greco-Roman culture, there is a great development of angelology, as evidenced in some apocryphal books (Book of Enoch, Apocalypse of Baruc, among others). In late Judaism, angels are still considered messengers and “servants of God”, sent to protect men. There is also evidence of a greater intervention of angels in the lives of men. Some names of angels appear, such as Gabriel (Cf., Dn 8, 16; 9, 21); Michael (Cf., Dn 10, 13.21; 12, 1); Raphael (Tb 3, 17; 12, 6.15). In the apocryphal literature, and in late Judaism, the mission of angels goes beyond the merely human; “It is thought that the angels are also placed in charge of the elements of the world, as custodians of the natural order established by God” (Seemann, O. Cit., p. 744); some natural phenomena (such as wind, rain, thunder) are attributed to the intervention of angels. Their number is multiplied: each town would have its protective angel, and even, according to some manuscripts of the Essenes (in the Qumran rule), each person has their angel.