Azraël: the Angel of Death

Tales of the Angel of Death have emerged repeatedly throughout history. In some accounts, this entity is seen as evil incarnate, while in others it is presented as a servant simply carrying out the task entrusted to him. Let’s take a closer look at the many interpretations of this mysterious figure.

Many cultures and religions around the world have their own variation of the Angel of Death or Grim Reaper. The term “Angel of Death” is found in almost every culture in various forms, including mention of the Grim Reaper.

🔥THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS🔥

Take advantage of our limited-time offers now.

1) The Grim Reaper: the Angel of Death in Europe

In Western culture, the Grim Reaper is the first representation of the Angel of Death. Dressed in a long black cape, the Grim Reaper appears as a skeletal figure holding a scythe, his skull covered by a sinister black hood. When your time finally comes, the Grim Reaper picks you up and takes you to the other side, to the afterlife. Her role is to collect the souls that pass from one world to the next. This depiction of the Grim Reaper first appeared in the book of Revelation 6:1-8 as the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse, Death itself.

2) The Angel of Death in Christianity and the Bible

There are numerous accounts of angels, both good and bad, found specifically in Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

The book of Isaiah in the Bible tells how an angel of God slaughtered 185,000 Assyrians.

The book of Genesis recounts the death of the first-born in Egypt. Many believe that the death of these firstborn was also delivered by an angel under God’s direction. However, others might think that it was God himself who actually performed this act.

3) Does the Angel of Death embody Evil?

These two accounts fit the general description of an Angel of Death. Indeed, there doesn’t seem to be a single angel who officially bears such a title. The idea of an angel bringing death is a sinister one. No wonder such a figure is associated with an evil nature. Many people’s fears about what happens after the end of life fuel this association.

This has led some people to believe that there is a close link between the Angel of Death and the figure of Satan. However, there is no Christian biblical reference indicating that Satan and this figure are one and the same person. Rather, the Angel of Death is described as a servant who carries out God’s work to help people reach the afterlife after their lives have come to an end.

4) The Archangel in Fiction

The Angel of Death is represented in many forms in classic and modern novels. The best-known version of this angel is the Grim Reaper in novels such as Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, where the last spirit to appear to Scrooge is the terrifying masked figure of the Grim Reaper. Today, this dark being remains one of the most popular subjects of modern fiction, as the following examples attest:

“The Angel of Death” by Charlotte Lamb
“Death Angel” by Martha Powers
“The Goddess of Love and the Angel of Death” by Tom Slattery
“Angel of Death” by James Anderson
“Angel of Death” by P.C. Doherty

5) The Representation of Death in TV Series

The Angel of Death is represented in various forms in media such as television and film. The American TV series “Touched By An Angel” included a character named Andrew, who pronounced a fatal sentence: death. His character had a good heart, and his role was simply to escort the spirit of the deceased to the afterlife. Other evil characters representing death have appeared in TV series such as “Charmed”, or in the form of a dark, misty, enigmatic creature in the video game “The Sims 2”.

There are also humorous examples of the Grim Reaper, such as in “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey”, “South Park” and “Family Guy”. Whatever the medium, it’s clear that the mythology of the Grim Reaper, representing Death, has permeated every aspect of modern society. This particular figure is recognized in almost every country and culture.

6) Paranormal Encounters

Many people often claim to have visits from guardian angels or sometimes to be possessed by demonic spirits. A less common story told by witnesses concerns a visit from a dark entity. However, these stories do exist and are often told by people who have witnessed the death of others. The following examples give a small sample of true stories told by people who have witnessed what many would consider a visit from the Angel of Death himself.

A. Messenger of Death

The Angels & Ghosts site presents the story of a man named Jeff who, through astral projection, began to believe he was his own “messenger of death” upon the death of his own father.

B. The Woman in Black

This site reporting paranormal stories published the story of a professional working in a private home for the elderly. This assistant reportedly saw a dying man talking to a woman dressed entirely in black, asking her to accompany him. The man died shortly after this disturbing experience.

C. The Bone Finger

Another site that collects testimonies of paranormal experiences published in 1997 the story of an Israeli claiming to have been awakened by the touch of a bony finger on his lips and to have seen upon awakening this angel representing death.

D. The Silhouette of the Shadow

Another demonic tale comes from a visitor to YourGhostStories. He’s convinced that the shadowy figure who visited him when his grandmother died in her sleep was a demon.

7) Who is the Angel of Death?

Given the diversity of themes and characterizations of death, this particular angel doesn’t represent the same figure for everyone. For some, this entity embodies an evil or demonic force. For others, it is a benevolent being charged with the painful but necessary task of escorting human souls to the other side. Some consider Death to be the classic figure, with his bony fingers and dark profile beneath his black hood.

Whatever your perception of the Angel of Death, one thing is certain: he’s one of the few angels that has captured the imagination of a great many people around the world, whether religious or not.

The Angel of Death reflects man’s ambivalent nature towards death, as death is a difficult reality for many of us to accept. The Angel of Death, or the Grim Reaper as he is sometimes known, gives concrete form to this concept. The idea of the Angel of Death has been around for thousands of years. The Angel of Death has even been associated with Satan, and it is said that when Eve touched the forbidden fruit, she caught sight of the Angel of Death and thought: “Now I’m going to die, and God will create another woman for Adam”.

In the Bible, different names are attributed to angelic beings. For example, the Greek word “angelos” means messenger, whether human or divine. In Jewish thought and tradition, angels were called “bnei elohim” or “bnei elim”, literally “children of God”. They were invested with limited powers and acted according to the Lord’s decrees and orders.

In 1 Chronicles 21:16, the angel of the Lord is described as standing between heaven and earth with a drawn sword in his hand: “David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces to the ground.” Isaiah 37:36 also relates, “The angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people arose the next morning, behold, there were all these corpses!”.

Still, it’s comforting to know that even in Bible verses where death is personified, there’s no mention of an angel permanently responsible for the end of life on Earth. 2 Samuel 24:16 states, “When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord was grieved at the misfortune and said to the angel who struck the people, ‘Enough! Withdraw your hand…”

8) The Angel of Death Azrael : Religions & Cultures

Islamic and Jewish religions are more specific about the designation of an angel of death. In Islam, we speak of “Malak al Mawt”, while Judaism counts no fewer than 14 angels of death.

In Muslim and Islamic theology, “Malak al Mawt” is the Angel of Death. He is described as eternally writing in a huge book, then continually erasing what he has written. Indeed, what he writes corresponds to the moment of man’s birth and his name, while what he erases is man’s name at the moment of his death.

In Judeo-Christian tradition, Michael, Gabriel, Sammael and Sariel are all referred to as Angels of Death.

In Zoroastrianism, the Angel of Death is Mairya.

In Babylon, it is Mot.

In rabbinic tradition, there are 14 angels of death: Yetzerhara, Adriel, Yehudiam, Abaddon, Sammael, Azrael, Metatron, Gabriel, Mashhit, Hemah, Malach ha-mavet, Kafziel, Kesef and Leviathan.