According to John of Damascus,
"Angels are intelligent reflections of light, that original light which
has no beginning. They can illuminate. They do not need tongues or
ears, for they can communicate without speech, in thought...They are
limited in their powers:
When in Heaven they cannot be on earth at the same time, and when God
sends them to earth, they cannot remain in Heaven at the same time.
Yet they are not captive to walls and doors; in this respect they are
unlimited. When God sends them to appear to good men, they do not
reveal themselves in their true shape, but in a changed semblance
that men can see. As disembodied mind, they live in a mental climate
and are not limited as bodies are. They do not need the three dimensions.
Wherever they are sent, they are there as mind and they can take on
power, but they cannot do this in more than one place at a time."
John of Damascus was a Medieval Monk, Syrian theologian and author. I definitely believe what he said about angels. The picture above (and numerous others) taken by one of my secuity (infrared) cameras, certainly reinforces the belief that "Angels can illuminate" and are present in many ways even if we are unaware of it.
The first time I noticed this particular "reflection of light" was when the above image was captured on film just before dusk, March 14, 2001. I was pulling weeds and had no idea that there was a "reflection of light" right over me! This is only one of many pictures that I have of my "reflection of light."
The Bible, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, gives many instances of angels appearing to different people of different eras and for different reasons.
The Hebrew word malak, meaning servant, translated into English is angel. The Greek word aggelos, meaning messenger translated into English is angel.
Thus, angels are messengers (or servants) from God. They usually bring good news to God's people, with one possible exception being the Angel Of Death, depending on perception and the personal beliefs of the person to whom the "Angel Of Death" appears. It is always sad to know that we will have to leave our loved ones behind. As Christians, we should not see a visit from the Angel of Death as "bad" news, however. The Angel of Death has a very special mission; To comfort and accompany us when our souls leave the earthly realm and become "present with the Lord".
CHARACTER TRAITS OF ANGELS Angels have wisdom: II Samuel 14:20 Angels were created by God: Psalm 148:2, 5 Angels do not marry: Matthew 22:30 Angels do not know the hour of Christ's return: Matthew 24:36 Angels are of Heaven: Matthew 24:36 Angels are Holy: Mark 8:38 Angels rejoice when sinners are saved: Luke 15:10 Angels do not die: Luke 20:36 Angels will be judged by Christians in Heaven: I Corinthians 6:3 Angels are powerful: II Thessalonians 1:7 Angels serve God and his children: Revelation 22:8, 9 Angels can be good or evil, (of God or of Satan) but God's Angels are more powerful and will prevail over Satan's evil forces: Revelation 12:7 Angels are not to be worshipped: Revelation 22:8, 9,26 HOW DO GOD'S ANGELS SERVE? They protect and comfort God's children: Psalm 91:11-13, Matthew 4:11 They bring Messages: Genesis 16:9, Judges 13:3, Luke 1:26 They rescue God's children: Acts 5:19, Acts 12:7 They judge Evil Deeds: Matthew 13:41, 49 They punish Evil: Genesis 19:1, 13, I Chronicles 21:15, II Samuel 24:16, Revelation 7:2Sources: