Angels are not dead humans with wings, sitting on clouds playing celestial harps!!!!! Though the thought might be romantic, angels have a powerful role in the great scheme of things.

They are (Heb. Mal'ak; Gk.angelos), Messengers of God.

In Scripture, they are almost always spiritual beings who carry a message from God, for humans.

They are personal, sinless, immortal beings, existing in vast numbers, and in close association with humans as a means of God's revelation of himself and the protection of his people.

Satan and the fallen angels (demons) were created sinless and later fell. Even some of them are not "in their own domain" but reserved for later judgment.

Angels have appeared to many people in the past, and the record of their activities give some insight into their role.

A "host" of angels were present at the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

Angels appeared to Abraham and were responsible for saving Lot from the city of Sodom.

Daniel prayed to God, and the Archangel Michael appeared to him after fighting off the "prince of darkness" in a battle that lasted twenty-one days.

The Archangel Gabriel appeared to Zachariah in the temple, and to Joseph, the future husband of Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

Peter had an encounter with an angel as did Silas and Paul as they were imprisoned. This has lead to the notion that people have "personal" guardian angels.

Angels usually appear in the form of tall men. They have been variously described as having hair that is white, faces that shine like chrysalis, and legs like burnished bronze. Often they are accompanied by sounds of thunder, trumpets, and lightning flashes. They have voices that sound like the roar of the wind, or as a multitude of people shouting. Each recorded encounter with an angel indicated that the human is filled with fear, until the angels calms them, and declares who he is.

There is an allusion in Scripture, Genesis chapter 6:4 ff., that the reason for the worldwide flood was caused by God's anger at angels having sexual relations with human women.

Angels are spiritual beings without form or gender. Their form is only taken on as they appear to humans. They travel through time instantaneously. They do not need wings to fly.

They do not procreate, marry, eat or die. Their numbers are fixed; all angels were created at one time. None have been added. There may be countless billions of them.

Angels have a hierarchy. Archangels, who also have specific designated roles and responsibilities, command them.