Pogue's Corner: Angels

This has got to be one of my favorite supernatural topics. I bought this cool book at a local store about a year ago. The Amazing Bible Factbook for Kids by: American Bible Society.

Types of Angels

Cherubim (plural for cherub)
After He {God} drove the man out, He placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24).
Description:
-A cherub has (4) four faces (one like a man, one like a lion, one like and eagle and one like an ox) (Ezekiel 1:5-6, 10-12).
- Has huge crossed wheels covered in eyes surround a cherub, whirling inside each other (Ezekiel 10:12-13).
- A cherub has four wings - two touch the other cherubs and two hang down covering its human hands (Ezekiel 1:5-6).
- Also has straight legs that sparkle like bronze and has hooves like a calf (Ezekiel 1:7).
- A cherub "shines like chyrsolite" (a greenish stone) (Ezekiel 1:16).

Seraphim (plural for seraph)
   A seraph is fiery burning angel (Isaiah 6:6). The name seraph comes from a Hebrew word, saraph, that means "burning" (it means burning one in the Bible). When Isaiah says he has unclean lips, a seraph touches his lips with a holy burning coal to clean him (Isaiah 6:7). Seraphim shout so loud in Isaiah 6:4 that they shake the temple.
Description:
- The seraphim have six wings (Isaiah 6:2)
      (2) two to cover thier faces
      (2) two to cover thier feet
      (2) two to fly with
~fun fact: Saraph (Seraph) is the name that the Israeli Air Force calls its Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters~

Archangels
There is only one angel in the Bible named as an archangel - Michael (Jude 9). The prefix arch can mean "prince," "highest," or "chief." Some people beleive that Gabriel is an archangel as well, because Michael comes to help him fight an evil angel, the Prince of Persia, in Daniel 10:13. In that chapter Gabriel tell Daniel that Michael is the "chief prince."
Description:
- When Jesus returns, there will be a trumpet blast and a loud shout, the voice of the archangel (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Messenger Angels
God's messengers. The angels we see most often in the Bible are messengers. Angels can deliver their messages in person or in dream like the one Jacob had in Genesis 28:10-15, or the one Mary's husband Joseph had, in which the angel told him to name Mary's son Jesus (Matthew 1:20-21). Gabriel is most famous for telling Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus in Luke 1:26-38.