[2] As regards 'angels', it should be recognized that in the Word they serve to mean the Lord, 1925, 3039, 4085, which is why the Lord Himself is called 'the angel', 6280, 6831. This being so, Divine Truth is meant by 'angels', for Divine Truth emanating from the Lord makes heaven. It therefore also makes the angels who constitute heaven, for they are angels in the measure that they receive Divine Truth coming from the Lord. This may also be recognized from the consideration that angels altogether refuse to entertain, indeed they loathe the idea of attributing to themselves any truth or goodness, since this is the Lord's with them. That also is why the Lord is said to be the All-in-all of heaven, and why those in heaven are said to be 'in the Lord'. By virtue of Divine Truth which they receive from the Lord angels are also called 'gods' in the Word, 4295, 7268; and the word for God in the original language is for this reason plural.

[3] In addition to all this it should be recognized that in the Word the singular 'angel' may be used when in fact very many are meant. That is so here, where the expression 'the angel of God' is used, meaning the pillar going before the children of Israel, which was composed of very many angels. The Word also refers to angels by name, such as Michael, Raphael,^a and others. People unacquainted with the internal sense of the Word think that Michael or Raphael is one particular angel who is chief among those who are with him. But none of these names is used in the Word to mean one particular angel; instead some actual function performed by angels is meant, and so also the Lord's Divine Nature in respect of that function.

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