The Many Symbols of Angels, Demons and a Creator God by Mano Sotelo

In my graphic novel The War in Heaven, I incorporate a wide range of symbols to represent the divine. In this post, I’d like to elaborate on how such symbols are not confined to any single belief system. Throughout history, both Eastern and Western religious traditions have shared symbolic representations of creator deities and spiritual forces of good and evil. These universal motifs reflect a collective effort to understand the abstract sacred and the unknowable nature of the divine.

The Many Names of a Creator God

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy" (Hamlet 1.5.167–168).

Naming and depicting the divine—through symbols, images, or language—helps make the ineffable more accessible. These forms provide a way to connect with something larger than oneself, enabling deeper engagement through prayer, worship, and contemplation. Names for spiritual beings also preserve cultural and religious traditions, anchoring a society’s relationship with the infinite. They help bridge the gap between human experience and transcendence, offering a way to approach and honor the sacred.

Across time and cultures, the divine has been given countless names, each reflecting unique understandings of a creator or ultimate reality. In Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Yahweh, Elohim, and Allah are sacred names invoked in reverence. In Hinduism, Brahman signifies the universal, unchanging spirit, while Ahura Mazda in Zoroastrianism embodies the supreme force of wisdom and light (Boyce 42). Ngai is the creator of the universe in the Maasai tradition, and the Great Spirit has many names among Native Americans. 

In Mesoamerican traditions, Itzamna was one name for the Mayan creator deity, while Ometeotl was one used by the Aztecs. Sumerian mythology speaks of Anu, the sky god, and Enki, the god of wisdom and creation. In the Assyrian pantheon, Ashur functioned as both national deity and creator. Egyptian creator gods included the following: Atum emerged from chaos, Ptah shaped the universe through speech, Ra embodied creation through the sun, and Khnum fashioned humanity on his potter’s wheel. In Babylonian cosmology, Marduk created order by defeating the primordial chaos embodied by Tiamat, who, though often seen as destructive, was also a source of creation.

Moving outside of this small sampling of religious names, we might also use terms such as collective consciousness, consciousness prior to thought, or simply love. If God is seen as the source and essence of all existence—present in every moment and every aspect of creation, while also surpassing it—one might even call God Now. This underscores the idea that a deep relationship with the present moment is also a relationship with God. It encourages seeing the sacred in everyday experiences and recognizing that the divine can be encountered not in some distant future or abstract concept, but in the immediacy of one’s current existence.

The Many Names of Angels

Angels—often understood as good spirits and divine messengers—go by many names across religious traditions. Regardless of their names or forms, they reflect a shared human longing to connect heaven and earth.

In Christianity and Judaism, Michael and Gabriel are renowned archangels who serve as warriors and messengers of God. In Islam, Jibril (Gabriel) delivered the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad. Hinduism speaks of Devas, celestial beings who uphold cosmic order. In Zoroastrianism, the Amesha Spentas assist Ahura Mazda in sustaining the world. In ancient Mesopotamian belief, the Igigi were a group of sky gods who acted as intermediaries between higher deities and humanity. Buddhist cosmology also includes Devas who inhabit higher realms and witness spiritual truths (Eliade 120). In Greek mythology, daemons—neither strictly good nor evil—serve as agents between gods and humans. 

The Many Names of Demons

In contrast, demons or evil spirits symbolize the chaotic, destructive, or deceptive aspects of existence. Their identities and roles are as rich and varied as those of angels. 

In Christianity and Judaism, Lucifer is a fallen angel who becomes the adversary, while Asmodeus, mentioned in the Book of Tobit, represents lust and corruption. Hinduism’s Asuras, often opposed to the Devas, are powerful beings not inherently evil but in cosmic tension. Zoroastrianism identifies Angra Mainyu (Ahriman) as the embodiment of destructive intent, in conflict with Ahura Mazda’s goodness. In Buddhism, Mara personifies temptation and illusion, obstructing enlightenment (Eliade 133). In Mayan mythology, Ah Puch is the god of death and ruler of the underworld, while the Aztecs named various demons, including the Tzitzimītl—star spirits associated with darkness and chaos.

Across cultures and eras, humanity has named and symbolized the divine and the unseen in countless ways. 

In The War in Heaven, these symbols transcend any single tradition and are woven into a psychological and spiritual journey—where the battles between angels and demons reflect our inner struggles between clarity and confusion, love and fear, conflict and peace.

Works Cited

Boyce, Mary. Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. Routledge, 2001. Eliade, Mircea. A History of Religious Ideas, Volume 1. University of Chicago Press, 1978. 

Gallup. “Americans’ Belief in Angels Steady Since 2001.” Gallup News, 2021, https://news.gallup.com. 

Pew Research Center. “The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010–2050.” Pew Research Center, 2015, https://www.pewforum.org. 

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, Folger Shakespeare Library, Simon & Schuster, 2012.

About the Author:

Mano Sotelo is an Arizona-based artist, author, and educator. His graphic novel The War in Heaven blends mythology, philosophy, and spiritual symbolism into a visual allegory of belief, conflict, and the search for inner peace.

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