Sunday, September 25, 2011

Saints and Scripture St Raphael the Archangel

"For I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord." --Tobit 12:15

St Raphael is one of the seven archangels. The others we have from the Canon of Scripture are Sts Michael and Gabriel. Apocryphal sources, to include Enoch which some Christians consider part of the Canon, name the others as Uriel, Saltiel, Jeadriel and Barachiel.
Notice how each of these names ends with El. This is one of the Biblical names of God. The inclusion of a deity in a proper name is called theophory. Raphael means God is healing or Healing one of God.
If you are familiar with the book of Tobit, you know that Raphael came to release Tobits future wife from the demon Asmodeus and heal Tobias, Tobit's father, of his blindness.

May God bless all who read my ramblings,

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