Angel of the Presence

In Judeo-Christian tradition, the Angel of the Presence is an entity or multiple entities (Angels of Presence, Hebrew: malak paniym מַלְאַךְ פָּנָיו) variously considered angelic or else identified with God Himself. The phrase occurs in Isaiah 63:9, which states that, throughout the history of Israel, God has loved and been merciful to that nation and shared in its distresses, saving Israel with "the angel of his presence".^[1] The Septuagint translation of the Book of Isaiah emphasizes that this term is simply a way of referring to God, not a created angel.^[2]

In the Book of Jubilees, the Angel of the Presence explains to Moses the history of Israel.^[3] Jubilees depicts this entity as one of God's special agents and does not provide him with a specific name.^[4] In the Testament of Judah, Judah states that he has received blessing from the Angel of the Presence.^[5] The Second Book of Enoch identifies Uriel as the Angel of the Presence or else as one of the Angels of the Presence.^[6]

Second Temple period

In the Book of Jubilees, angels of the presence and angels of Sanctification are the two highest orders of angels.^{[citation needed]} They were created on the first day, already circumcised, so that they could participate in the keeping of the Sabbath with God in heaven and on earth. God instructed one of these angels (thought to be St. Michael), to write the history of creation for Moses. The angel took the tablets of history and law, and in a long revelation, recited them to Moses with instructions to write them down. In the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Judah, one of the 12 sons of Jacob and Leah, testifies that he was blessed by an angel of the presence.^{[citation needed]}

Kabbala

In Kabbala Angels of Presence are high-level angels also known as "angels of the face".^{[citation needed]} Other angels usually identified^[who?] as angels of presence are Metatron, Suriel, Sandalphon, Astanphaeus, Sarakiel, Phanuel, Jehoel, Zagzagael, Uriel, Yefefiah, Sabaoth, and Akatriel. The angels of presence are also equated with the angels of glory.^{[citation needed]} In rabbinic tradition, there are 70 tutelary angels called angels of presence.^{[citation needed]} According to the Zohar, the angels of presence revealed the "mystery" (purpose) of God to people, and thus were expelled from the divine presence.

See also

• Shekhinah
• Metatron & Sandalphon (who bear either side of the ark of the covenant and stand intermediary between god and humanity)
• Angel of the Lord
• Divine presence

References

1. ^ Mark Bredin (2006). Studies in the Book of Tobit: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 124. ISBN 0567082296. http://books.google.ca/books?id=unoOMBDcs-YC&pg=PA124&dq=%22Angel+of+the+Presence%22&hl=en&ei=dg1ATqbdB-2lsAL5s7A6&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CFgQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=%22Angel%20of%20the%20Presence%22&f=false. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
2. ^ Margaret Barker (2003). The Great High Priest: The Temple Roots of Christian Liturgy. Continuum International Publishing Group. pp. 110–111. ISBN 0567089428. http://books.google.ca/books?id=NjQTjI-pDekC&pg=PA111&dq=%22Angel+of+the+Presence%22&hl=en&ei=V184TqboFIGxsAKT0cw-&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CFQQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=%22Angel%20of%20the%20Presence%22&f=false. Retrieved August 2, 2011. 
3. ^ Margaret Barker (1992). The Great Angel: A Study of Israel's Second God. Westminster John Knox Press. p. 85. ISBN 0664253954. http://books.google.ca/books?id=y63GE5Tw3KMC&pg=PA85&dq=%22Angel+of+the+Presence%22&hl=en&ei=fRU4TvPuOYfMsQLIw4wD&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22Angel%20of%20the%20Presence%22&f=false. Retrieved August 2, 2011. 
4. ^ Andrei A. Orlov (2005). The Enoch-Metatron Tradition. Mohr Siebeck. p. 126. ISBN 3161485440. http://books.google.ca/books?id=BI-mR7MUsJ0C&pg=PA126&dq=%22Angel+of+the+Presence%22&hl=en&ei=JRBATrGRJYitsAKtuf0g&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAjgK#v=onepage&q=%22Angel%20of%20the%20Presence%22&f=false. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
5. ^ Gustav Davidson (1994). A Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels. Scrollhouse. p. 40. ISBN 002907052X. http://books.google.ca/books?id=kGXelGEMdWgC&pg=PA40&dq=%22Angel+of+the+Presence%22&hl=en&ei=V184TqboFIGxsAKT0cw-&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CD8Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=%22Angel%20of%20the%20Presence%22&f=false. Retrieved August 2, 2011. 
6. ^ Gabriele Boccaccini; Giovanni Ibba, Jason von Ehrenkrook, James Waddell, Jason Zurawski (2009). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 142. ISBN 0802864090. http://books.google.ca/books?id=aG0dJ-dvJ80C&pg=PA142&dq=%22Angel+of+the+Presence%22&hl=en&ei=JRBATrGRJYitsAKtuf0g&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCwQ6AEwADgK#v=onepage&q=%22Angel%20of%20the%20Presence%22&f=false. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 

Further reading

Charlesworth, James H., ed. The Old Testament Pseudepigriapha. Vols. 1 and 2. New York: Doubleday, 1983, 1985.