Angels & Fire -
For those of you who have read 'Samson the Nazirite', what are your thoughts on the depiction of the Angel of the Lord ascending into the flame?
As I read Scriptures I've seen a pattern of Angels & Fire. While Angels can take on the appearance of man, often times when they appear they are so frightening that they first things they often say to people is, 'Do not be afraid'. So you have these terrifying creatures who seem to have a connection to fire. The cherubim set outside Eden had a flaming sword (Gen 3:24), the Angel of the Lord in the burning bush, Elijah was taken up in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:11), Elisha opens the eyes of his servants and he sees horses & chariots of fire (2 Kings 6:16-18). I think this is what intrigued me in the Samson account as the Angel ascends in the flame. It's as if He is back in his element, and even transporting in it. (Just thought of Daniel's friends in the fiery furnace). Taking the analogy a step further where you have the kingdom of light (from fire) versus the kingdom of darkness. Thoughts, comments? How do you picture it?
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Luis, so long as it doesn't look like it's demonic, then I think it's fine. And in this instance your artist nails it. It took me aback, since I thought: Hey, I really know the Samson story - and then I was like...wait...where is this...went and looked it up and went WOAH. How could I have missed that. I remember the foxes, I remembered the Jawbone, I remembered the burning down of the wife's house...but the angel leaving in flame...don't remember that - and lo, there it was.
Now, a very interesting thing...the Angel could very well have been Jesus. "Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?" Wonderful is one of the Names of Jesus, and is also the same name of an Angel that visits Daniel at one point - I found a very interesting word study on this on some blog somewhere - relating the new Testament name Wonderful and the name of the angel as being either inter-related or intertwined...(I'll see if I can find it). Then seeing this..."Why do you ask...seeing it is wonderful?" struck a chord.
Also, for future reference if you're into the angel thing, did you know Michael is made of Snow, Gabriel of Fire, Raphael is Green, and Uriel is the "most perfect light"...(http://jhom.com/topics/angels/talmud_fourangels.htm)
As per demons, Steve - your notion of presenting them as an absence of light isn't a far off idea. A very bland dark grey that doesn't reflect light might be a suggestion - sort of blending with the dark. Imagine two colors side by side, and if you made them greyscale, the colors would be nearly, or completely indistinguishable. Gargoyles may be actually a fairly accurate representation of at least a type.
There are also depictions and stories of some that look like blackness or hairy blackness - so that would give a lot of credence to your thought.
As per fire and demons - they are connected in some way to sulfur - I was at church once, just after some demons had been dealt with (i was not involved) - and there was a strong stench of sulfur in the air after the fact. This has been recorded in various other places as well. So, maybe not connected to fire per se, but maybe when set alight they turn burn sulfur-like. Interesting.
The imagery of fire in the Bible is one of judgment/destruction, power, purification, and also one of God's glory. It is perfect for angels.
As far as demons go, I always thought a cool way to render them would be with darkness. Since darkness is not a thing in itself, but an absence of light, it is a perfect visual. (Just as evil is an absence of good.)
I always thought that a floating darkness, like a black hole in space, is a good visual. Or a walking shadow, a dark, hollow presence that raises the hairs on the back of one's neck.
Also, a form that gives way once faced with the light of an angel.
It could all make for some really cool visuals.
Melchizedek,
Great point! I guess since Satan & demons are fallen angels they may share in the element of fire? Or perhaps they don't and so in the end it's what consumes them?
I liked how it was illustrated. It's funny how when we think of spirits and fire, Satan and hell comes to mind more often.
I totally dig your version of angels and fire that you described. I'm reminded of sci fi movies when the characters that have never seen or experienced technology, such as beams of light or airplanes in the sky, refer to such things as fire. So biblically speaking I wonder if the accounts in the bible aren't similar. God's perfect plan I'm sure has taken into account man's inability of comprehend such things back in the day. No matter how you look at it, it's open to interpertation for now. We'll see the truth when the time comes.
Dan Keagy
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