A statue of a malakh.
The malakh or mal'akh in Hebrew, are the most common types angel within the hierarchy of Heaven, who serve as the messengers of God. The word "mal'akh" roughly translates to "messenger".
Overview[]
The malakh appear in the Old Testament a number of times and as stated before they carry God's messages from Heaven and Earth and sometimes act on His behalf.
Despite being described as simple messengers of the Almighty, they have been described in the Old Testament as being fierce, resolute, and quite powerful. The two most notable moments showcasing their power was when one malakh struck 70,000 Israelites to death and another that singlehandedly killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night.
Description[]
When the malakh appear in the bible, they are not described as having any wings in contrast to how they are portrayed in art and media. In fact, the malakh have the appearance of any ordinary person although far more impressive in comparison to a human. When a malakh walks among humankind they shroud themselves with cloaks and only appear before one that is chosen by God. When they appear, their presence is so overwhelming that the human they come before is overcome with immense shock, fear, and astonishment.