In an attempt to understand the supernatural, which is highly beyond our power and comprehension, we picture angels and devils as beings like us except that we assume the good ones have wings and halos and the bad ones have horns and tails wings. Maybe, by artistic design, it is to remind us, if not scare the devil out of us, about what we are up against.
How angels and devils actually look like are not known. When angels appear in the Bible, they look just like us, but they have supernatural powers that they are able to appear and leave. For instance, Tobias traveled around with his friend, Raphael, who happens to be an archangel. Abraham had some angels over for lunch. These angels all seem to all appear as young men who are created in God’s likeness. In the wilderness, when the devil came to tempt Jesus in the desert, although we weren’t given a description of him, and we never saw the demons that afflict humans through possession, we just see the ugly results. During the temptation, the devil in the desert rather seemed to walk around talking to Jesus like a person, but the devil does show Jesus visions of how great it would be if Jesus would give up all the God stuff and follow Satan instead. Jesus, who was the Son of God and just like humans, had a brain in His head, rebuked him. That certainly would have been a victory for the devil, to have the Second Person in the Holy Trinity on his side. But God always wins.
Angels and devils certainly share characteristics, because God made them too.
Yes, we were made in God’s image and likeness, therefore, We all share characteristics with God. And all devils were once angels, but the unfortunate downside of this our imaginations is that it makes devils look more powerful than angels. We picture them so often giant and red, with massive horns and long fingernails, while the angels are sweet-faced Swedish looking types. Despite these, the Angels win and that should tell us who to follow.
Why some ungodly people chose to be satanic and worship the devil and all other stuff is never understood, and people make the mistake of following earthly evil. This is because of their misguided notions and fears.
But Come to think of it, why would anyone want to follow that who lost both the battle and power in the first place in the pursuit of earthly power with the full understanding that after it’s over, it all adds up to eternity in Hell? Because definitely, if you are a follower of Satan, you do believe in an afterlife and Hell, or you couldn’t believe in Satan in the first place. So, really, how dumb is that act?
Although we have seen both angels and demons in human forms, they are not humans, they are supernatural beings. Angels don’t even need wings to travel around, as Tobias and Abraham can attest.
As beings that were created by God, we assume that they too have some of His characteristics. Like their supernatural powers, bi-location and what geeks usually call ‘shape-shifting’, like taking on human form, and there are saints who have those powers, like Padre Pio (who could also bi-locate). Always keep in mind that these gifts, like the gift of life itself, come from God. All the devil does is to show us that we always have a choice in how to use our gifts.
