Why do angels have wings?

Violet (forumotion.net) : Does anyone know or have any thoughts on this?
Answers:
By 1antique :A common description sometimes given of angels is that they are "beings of light," which are sometimes described as "fearful to behold" due to their tall stature, purity, and sheer power. Some will also describe angels as having wings and maybe even halos. Yet, the western idea of wings and halos originated through ancient religions and mythology. Images of angels looking like human beings, but with wings, were an ancient idea that illustrated benevolant spirit beings as coming from a "higher place" or the "heavens." Wings were an easy way to convey the idea of angels crossing back and forth (or even up and down) from the spirit world to Earth and then back again. Many ancient gods were often depicted as birds or as having wings (think Egyptian, for example). By the fourth century (AD), angels were widely perceived as having wings within western cultures, while wings were virtually non-existent within the Eastern religions. Many ancient cultures had placed wings upon their deities, creatures and heroes, so it was natural for Christian artists to look to pagan cultures for inspiration. Christian artisans were inspired to add wings to angels by looking at Greek art. Muslim artists looked to Persian renderings as their inspiration for wings upon angels. During this same time, Christian painters also borrowed the idea of the halo from the Greeks and Romans who had used them prior. Today, most people with common sense can easily recognize that angels with wings and halos were an addition into religious art after much debate and eventual approval by the Roman Council of Nicaea after 325 AD.

What Are Angels?

What are angels? The word “angel” in the original Hebrew and Greek languages means
“messenger.” An angel is a spirit that brings a message. However, you and I are spirits and we too,
can bring a message to another. Therefore, an angel is truly a person who brings a message to
another person or persons, no matter which side of the grave. Also see: Angel of Death

Jesus communicated quite a bit with angels and gave us some clues as to who they are. We are
told in the New Testament that Jesus was watched over by angels, that He could call 10,000 angels
if he needed them, and that angels ascended and descended upon him. What does that mean?
Jesus quoted and interpreted Genesis 28 to Nathanael (when Jacob saw a ladder extending from
the earth to the heavens):

“And he said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the
angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” - John 1:51

Nathanael truly saw the miracles, physical signs as well as the enlightened words Jesus spoke as he
communicated and worked with angels. This was further demonstrated later in the New Testament
to other disciples and has been called the “Mount of Transfiguration” by bible scholars:

“And after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into an high
mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his
raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with
him.” – Matthew 17:1-3

Jesus was rolling back the veil which covers the eyes of mankind, and revealing what truly occurs
behind our physical world. He showed his trusted disciples the spirit world in action. The ascending
and descending of messengers or angels is simply two-way communication between the spirit
(unseen realm) and the physical world (earth). The messengers speak to us, as Moses and Elijah
did with Jesus, and direct, guide and assist those on earth who are open to their communication.
This is who Jesus was communicating with when he prayed to his heavenly “Father.” The word
“father” in the Greek means “ancestor, teacher, transmitter or generator.” Moses and Elijah would
certainly be spiritually enlightened teachers and guides.

What may be more shocking is the fact that the angels in the above example were Moses and Elijah,
disembodied humans who are now dwelling in the light. Light means they have ascended and
understand much truth. We call this “enlightenment.” Further to my point, whenever angels are
described in the bible as bringing messages, they are human in appearance. For example, when
angels visited Lot (Genesis 19) before the destruction of Sodom, we know they appeared as men,
because they were called men:

“And there came two angels to Sodom at evening; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing
them rose up to meet them…and they (men of Sodom) called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where
are the men which came in to thee this night?”

Angel names also were indicative of two things: man and God. The name for the angel “Gabriel”
means “Man of God.” The angel Michael’s name means, “Who is like God.” This further
demonstrates the most misunderstood truth regarding mankind and angels: we are angels. Jesus
proclaimed this in Matthew 22:30:

“For in the resurrection they (us) neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels in
heaven.”

Traditional religion would have you believe that this passage means we will be only similar to the
angels, but that’s not what Jesus was revealing. Jesus was revealing that we ARE the angels (other
translations, especially of Luke 20:36, use the words “equal to the angels,” as well) who have lost
our first estate…meaning right now, we do not know who we really are. We are fallen angels. That is
why he was saying we will be like the angels (who are not fallen); Jesus was trying to help us
comprehend this amazing truth. We are the fallen angels who have lost their way and will be
restored. This restoration is the resurrection, which means “a raising up from the dead.”
Symbolically, the bible states that one third of the angels lost their former place and fell from the
heavens. The heavens would represent the higher realm or "spirit." The fall would be moving away
from light and truth and unto darkness. Darkness always represents being "lost" or "lack of
knowledge" in the bible. If those of us in physical bodies are the third of angels that fell from the
heavens, then two thirds remain in the light. Perhaps, these angels bring messages to us today and
are waiting for us to "re-join" them. We are told of them having rank or hierarchies, but maybe this
is indicative of their elevation: what degree of enlightenment (understanding) they possess. I
personally believe that life is a journey that never ends - and that includes never-ending spiritual
growth which is ascension (or elevation).

Many angel names end with “EL.” “EL” is the Hebrew word meaning “god.” An angel has an
elevated status, and even Jesus was called, “Immanuel” or “God with us” in the bible. Jesus’ life had
a simple yet hard (because it must be spiritually heard) to understand message, and it was not what
religious institutions would teach you, today. His message was that religion has helped to blind us
from the truth of who we really are, and that each of us has the ability to communicate with those on
the other side – who are in spirit.. These messengers or angels, of whom you are also, are guiding
and assisting all of mankind in understanding the truth. Jesus stated it so simply, “The Kingdom of
God is within you.” God is within all of us, and all of us are part of God.

In the Old Testament, we are called, “Elohim” or “gods.” Elohim is often just translated as God in the
Old Testament bible, but we are these Elohim, the messengers, angels or gods on either side of the
grave. Walking around as humans in physical bodies, unaware that we are “gods,” is precisely what
Jesus was trying to tell us in John 10:33-34:

"We are not stoning you for any of these, replied the Jews, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere
man, claim to be God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your Law (believed to be given by
God), 'I have said you are gods'?”

Jesus was quoting a passage from Psalm 82, where mankind is called “gods.” It is a passage that

clearly shows all of us exist within God as gods, but we do not know who we truly are and walk in
darkness because of it:

“Gods stand in the congregation of God; He governs among the gods…they know not, neither do
they understand; they walk to and fro in darkness: All the foundations of the earth are shaken. I
said, You are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High. Nevertheless you shall die like men…”
Psalm 82:1, 5-7

Angels who have fallen, will be resurrected unto their true purpose and calling. We will be
redeemed and joined with our brethren, though they are not far away and are with us, even now.
Source: http://www.angelsghosts.com/