The Hebrews has a quote that states, “Are not angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” Every human has one guardian angel who protects them from all eminent threats and risks.
Mankind as a whole has Archangels protecting them as divine beings from above the angels.
Key Takeaways
- Angels are spiritual beings associated with the Abrahamic religions and are believed to be messengers of God. At the same time, Archangels are a higher level of angels associated with specific roles and duties.
- Archangels are considered more powerful and significant than regular angels and are named in religious texts, while regular angels are more numerous and less individually significant.
- Angels and Archangels are believed to have a role in guiding and protecting humans, but Archangels are considered more direct and influential.
Angels vs Archangels
The difference between Angels and Archangels is that Angels are God’s messengers, whereas Archangels are of higher order and closer to God as compared to Angels. Angels are a symbol of good; hence they oppose demons. They are fallen angels are symbolize humanity. On the other hand, Archangels are a symbol of God’s power. They oppose Lucifer and are equivalent to Satan.
Angels are unnatural, superior, and spiritual beings that are constituted to be an essential part of various religions like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. They help and guide people during crises and are guardian angels for many.
They are characterized as flowy beings with halos, wings, and flowing hair and emit light. They are full of kindness and gratification.
Archangels are guardian spirits as well who are used to intermediate between Angels and God. They are there to protect the whole of mankind against evils such as demons or Lucifer.
They symbolize how much power God has manifested in them and use it to complete each specific task.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Angels | Archangels |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Messengers of God | Chief Messenger of God |
| Assistance | A person can call angel for assistance | A person cannot call archangels for assistance |
| Protector | Protector of individuals and humanity | Protector of the whole of mankind |
| Division | Divided into Seraphim, Thrones, Cherubim, Dominions, Virtues, Principalities and Powers. | Divided into Gabriel, Michael, Uriel, Raphael, Daniel, Lucifer, Remiel and Raguel. |
| Ideology | Believed to have visited mankind to comfort them. | Believed not to have visited mankind to comfort them. |
What are Angels?
When we call someone a human an “angel” for helping us in a dire situation and getting us out of it, we mean it contextually. Angels are defined to be spirits or guardians who serve as divine messengers of kindness and intermediate and protect individuals.
Angels were earlier called Mycenaen and were a word combination of old English, French, late Latin, and Greek languages.
They are pictured in Christian artwork as wearing white-robed winged figure dresses with wings, halos, and extraordinary light and shown as a human form they are not. Angels are supernatural creatures connected to a particular religion like Christianity, Judaism, Abrahamic, etc.
Christians are mainly known to have faith in angels. They inherited it from the Jewish and Egyptian cultures and their understanding.
Earlier, angels were only known to be messengers of God, but slowly as the studies got more defined and the concept was brought into the daylight, it got broadened into individual angelic messengers, namely Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, and Uriel. Each of these individuals can perform and protect mankind.
Gabriel performs acts of justice and power. Michael shows the kindness of God and stands up for the right of children in mankind.
Raphel was God’s healing force and helped mankind heal from its trauma. Uriel, or the God of Light, led people to their path or destiny and helped them accomplish it.
What are Archangels?
Similar to the word angel, the Archangel word has its origin in Greek and English language. The word means ‘chief angle’ or ‘angel of origin.’
29th of September every year is celebrated as the “Feast of the Archangels”. It is considered that Archangels were created at the time of dawn to serve as messengers and servants by God to protect mankind from all its injustice.
They are popularly called “Guardian Angles”, which is incorrect because these Archangels don’t intervene or interrupt human affairs unless commanded to do so.
Mankind considers Michael and Gabriel as archangels in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. But some consider Michael the only archangel, while orthodox consider Raphael the chief angel.
Each of these members has built a strong and special relationship with a member of the Holy Trinity.
According to the Bible, angels exist to date though the naked eye can’t see them. It is considered that God created these supernatural and immortal spirits at the beginning of time, and they will never cease to exist.
It is also believed that these 3 archangels are not all. Some consider there to be 7 Archangels, including Uriel, Raguel, Sariel, and Jerahmeel.
Main Differences Between Angels and Archangels
- Angel is a messenger of God. Archangel is the chief messenger or a higher messenger of God who is above in authority as compared to angels.
- An angel can be called for any personal help by humans, but archangels cannot be called for any personal help as such.
- Angels are known to protect individuals and humanity from threats. Archangels are protectors of mankind as a whole and supervise from up above.
- The seven divisions of Angels in existence are Seraphim, Thrones, Cherubim, Dominions, Virtues, Principalities, and Powers. Concerning archangels, eight of them are Gabriel, Michael, Uriel, Raphael, Daniel, Lucifer, Remiel, and Raguel.
- People believe that angels have visited the human world and given them signs of warnings and comfort at times of discomfort. They are also known to influence people in making decisions, unlike the Archangels, who aren’t involved.
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/449931
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=qKtXVU9EQTIC&oi=fnd&pg=PR15&dq=angel+vs+archangels&ots=GGrrviK68e&sig=3m8oTFXHx0JurZKbLAOkEnieDfA
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Chara Yadav holds MBA in Finance. Her goal is to simplify finance-related topics. She has worked in finance for about 25 years. She has held multiple finance and banking classes for business schools and communities. Read more at her bio page.
The explanation of the main differences between angels and archangels is very insightful. I appreciate the comprehensive details provided.
The information about the Feast of the Archangels on the 29th of September is fascinating. I’m thankful for the knowledge gained from reading this article.
Thorough explanations about the roles and meanings attributed to angels and archangels. The concept of guardian angels versus archangels is quite intriguing!
The information about Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel was really interesting. I had no idea that they had distinct roles and relationships with the Holy Trinity.
The origin of the terms ‘angel’ and ‘archangel’ was something I’ve always been curious about. Thank you for providing such in-depth information.
I completely agree with you, Carrie. The details about the divisions and ideologies are very intriguing. I had heard about the seven divisions of angels but didn’t know about the eight archangels.
The extensive information provided about the impact and influence of angels and archangels in various religions is truly remarkable. This article has enriched my knowledge about these spiritual beings.
The details about the symbolism and characteristics of angels and archangels are illuminating. Thank you for sharing this enlightening content.
I appreciate the detailed explanations about the beliefs in angels and archangels in different religions. It really broadened my understanding.
I agree, Katie. The comparison of how angels and archangels assist and protect serves as a great source of understanding regarding their significance in religious beliefs.
Wow! The article has really helped in understanding the significance of angels and archangels in the Abrahamic religions. The comparison table was especially useful!