Angels A to Z by Matthew Bunson

Author:Matthew Bunson [Bunson, Matthew]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 978-0-307-55436-9
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2010-08-03T16:00:00+00:00

The arrival of John is said to have been itself predicted in the Old Testament in such sources as the Book of Malachi (3:1): “Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.” Others, meanwhile, argue that John the Baptist should be considered an actual angel, citing biblical references like the Book of Exodus (23:20): “Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared.” The logic for this can already be seen in the legends surrounding the great prophet Elijah—who was supposed to come to announce to the world the imminent arrival of the Messiah—namely that he was taken into heaven and transformed into the angel Sandalphon and the gradual adoption of the Greek god Hermes (the god of messengers) as a member of the angelic community. Interestingly, Greek artists long depicted St. John with wings, making clear to the observer that the Baptist was fulfilling his mission of bringing the news of Christ’s coming.

JONATHAN In full, Jonathan Smith, the exceedingly compassionate but humorous (even whimsical) angel played by actor Michael Landon in the television program Highway to Heaven. Landon (d. 1991) created an angelic character who wanders the world trying to aid humanity in a quiet and unobtrusive manner, always encouraging mortals to help themselves. He is not without resources, however, when troubles come. In one episode, for example, he teaches a lesson to an indifferent driver who parks in a handicapped space. When he is laughed off, he exacts a suitable revenge: coming out of the store, the driver finds the car sitting, without a scratch, upside down. Jonathan can only look heavenward apologetically and explain that he could not help himself. (See also Films.)

JOPHIEL An angel also called Iofiel and Zophiel, whose name means “the beauty of God.” Jophiel is a formidable angelic personality, said in Jewish lore to be a special friend of the archangel Metatron. He is listed among the seven archangels by the early medieval theologian and angelologist Dionysius the Areopagite, occupying the sixth place. Additionally he is ranked as one of the chiefs or princes of the angelic choir of the cherubim, with such heavenly notables as Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael, and, before his Fall, Satan. Jophiel is credited in Christian lore with two other significant tasks. First, in Eden he was the appointed guardian of the tree of life (a role also given to Raphael); second, and most memorably, he is credited with being the fell angel who drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden after they had eaten the fruit of the forbidden tree, an event mentioned in the Book of Genesis (3:24): “… and at the east of the garden of Eden he [the Lord] placed the cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

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