Artist’s Statement

In our age where angels have been inaccurately depicted as cute, chubby cherubs, this piece seeks to more accurately convey the nature of Biblically-described angels. It depicts the angel as a guardian of God's purposes, poised and ready for spiritual battle with a gaze set and determined. As much as is allowed within the confines of a tangible medium (bronze), I have tried to accurately portray an angel's "clothes of lightning," a "sword of fire" and "eyes that flash like lightning." The image was created to evoke emotions of awe, maybe even reverent fear - far different from the warm fuzzies that overly-commercialized, rounded, juvenile representations tend to elicit. Angels of Scripture are always formidable, alert and imposing, ever watchful, and representative of God's holiness. They are passionate about service to their Commander, The Lord Jesus Christ. Human encounters with angels recorded in the Bible evoke fearful awe, if not outright terror, on the part of the human participant. In some slight way, these are the qualities this piece seeks to characterize.

Of particular inspiration were several Biblical accounts of human-angelic interactions, especially King David's encounter with God's angel in I Chronicles Chapter 21. In this account, God sends His angel to destroy Jerusalem because of King David's sin. Because God is holy and lacks any moral imperfection, His judgment of David's sin is righteous and swift. But, God is also merciful. As the angel began carrying out his orders by destroying the city, God "was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel, 'Enough! Withdraw your hand'" (v. 15). At that moment, David saw God's one mighty angel standing between heaven and earth with his sword drawn and extended over Jerusalem. At this sight, David and the elders immediately "fell on their faces" and carried out the sacrifices the angel ordered him to complete. At the completion of the sacrifices, God ordered this angel to return his sword to its sheath. The account provides a vivid image of the might and power, yet complete and humble service to God that characterizes angels of Holy Scripture. It also gives us a glimpse into the righteousness and enduring mercy of the God of the Bible.