Hierarchy in Heaven

[OneLastBreath]

Hi everyone,
Just wondering what people think about angelology. Do you believe all the different ranks of heavenly beings? I mean, I know the Bible calls Michael the archangel and says he led the angelic army against Lucifer and his demons, ultimately casting Lucifer out of heaven. But what about the rest of it? Watchers, guardian angels, etc. I suppose my biggest question is what's the general consensus in Christianity on the book of Enoch. It obviously wasn't included in the Bible, but angelologists (if there is such a thing) seem to rely heavily on it.

 

[SPALATIN]

Hi everyone,
Just wondering what people think about angelology. Do you believe all the different ranks of heavenly beings? I mean, I know the Bible calls Michael the archangel and says he led the angelic army against Lucifer and his demons, ultimately casting Lucifer out of heaven. But what about the rest of it? Watchers, guardian angels, etc. I suppose my biggest question is what's the general consensus in Christianity on the book of Enoch. It obviously wasn't included in the Bible, but angelologists (if there is such a thing) seem to rely heavily on it.

Who are these "Angelologists"?

 

[OneLastBreath]

Someone who studies angelology I don't know if there are people who call themselves specifically angelologists, but people do study this kind of thing.

 

[Oblio]

Does not Dionysius the Areopagite have a treatise on the Heavenly hosts ?

 

[Oblio]

The Holy Angels

 

[ChristianCandy]

Do you believe all the different ranks of heavenly beings?

Definitely, there is a hiarchy of angels. The Bible talks of angels, cherubim & seraphim. The seraphim are closest to God's Throne. The cheribim are lower & Lucifer (before he fell from grace was the "covering cherub" or head of all the cherubim.

God has an army of "hosts", which are warrior angels, of whom Michael is the head or "archangel".

There are messenger angels like Gabriel who just bring God's word to the people like to Mary & Joseph at Jesus' birth.

The Bible also tells us that each believer has a "guardian" angel who watches over it & keeps us from "dashing our foot against a stone".

God has "thousands and thousands & tens of thousands" of angels in heaven. I think they have different roles & relate to mankind differently depending on their role or function.

I did read the Book of Enoch once many years ago and I vaguely remember this book listing dozens of angels by name. Since the Bible doesn't name any angels except Lucifer, Gabriel & Michael, none of the other names can be verified & until some evidence does confirm these other names, I don't think I would count on all these names being factual.

Just my take on the subject....

 

[herev]

billy Graham has a good book on it, but I can't remember the name--I think it is actually simply "Angels."

 

[Veritas]

Well, if you believe the bible....it talks about the "powers, principalities, angels, archangles, dominions, thrones, cherubim, seraphim," etc. I think it's quite well established that there is in fact a hierarchy of angels and thankfully so.

BTW, I think a legion of angels is 10,000.

 

[OneLastBreath]

I know that in Christianity the archangels are considered to be Michael and Gabriel, and before he fell Lucifer was one too. And I know that's all the Bible names, so is it the book of Enoch where Raphael, Uriel, etc, all come from?

 

[OneLastBreath]

Veritas, can you give a specific passage where it names those different "ranks"? I've been looking...

 

[ChristianCandy]

Matt. 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

BTW, I think a legion of angels is 10,000.

AWESOME!!! That's a lot of angels!

 

[The_White]

There could well be ranks, I don't know what they are (are cheubim greater than serephim or less than or what?(mangled spelling in there))
BTW how many ranks of angels can you fit on the head of a pin (don't answer that anyone I am just making a point that we don't really know)

 

[Polycarp1]

From C.S. Lewis's The Discarded Image (extracted from pp. 70-74):

In the Middle Ages four books (The Celestial Hierarchies, The Ecclesiastical Hierarchies, The Divine Names and the Mystical Theology) were attributed to that Dionysius who was converted by hearing St. Paul's address to the Areopagus. This attribution was disproved in the sixteenth century. The real author is thought to have lived in Syria, and he must have written some tiem before 533, when his works were quoted at the Council of Constatinople.

It was Pseudo-Dionysius whose arrangement of the angelic creatures into what Spenser calles their 'trinall triplicities,' into three 'Hierarchies" containing three species each, was finally accepted by the Church.

The first Hierarchy contains thre three species, Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones. These are the creatures closes to God. They face Him ameswV, nullius interiectu, with nothingbetween, encircling Him with their ceaseless dance.

The seond Hierarchy containse the kuriothteV or Dominions; the exousiai (Potestates, Potentates, or Powers); and the dunameiV or 'Virtues.' This does not mean moral excellences but rather 'efficacies,' as when we speak about the 'virtues' of a magic ring or a medicinal herb.

The activity of both thesie Hierarchies is directed towards God; they stand, so to speak, with their faces to Him and their backs to us. In the third and lowest Hierarchy we at last find creatures who are concerned with Man. It contains Princedoms (or Principalities, or Princes), Archangels, and Angels. The word angel is thus both a generic name for all the nine species contained in the three Hierarchies, and also a specific name for the lowest -- as sailor in English sometimes includes all seafaring persons and is sometimes confined only to those who berth forward.

Principalities are the guardians and patrons of nations, so that Theology names Michael the Prince of the Jews. The scriptural source for this is Dan. xii.1.

Lewis goes on to explain that in the theology of Pseudo-Dionysius God does not encounter Man directly, but only through the mean of angels,

In Pseudo-Dionysius the whole universe becomes a fugue in which the Triad (agent-mean-patient) is the 'subject.' The total angelic creation is a mean between God and Man, and that in two senses. It is a dynamic mean, as God's executive. But it also a mean as a lens is a mean, for the celestial Hierarchies are revealed to us in order that the Ecclesiastical hierarchy on earth may imitate, as nearily as possible, 'their divine service and office.' And the second Hierarchy is doubtless a mean between the first and the third, and in each Hierarchy the central species is a mean, and in each individual angel, as in each individual man, there are ruling, and intermediate, and obedient faculties.

 

[nephilimiyr]

I wish I had time to answer these questions but for now all I can do is ask you to do a google search on the "divine council".


Here's one site you will find and this one is a good one.
http://users.aristotle.net/~bhuie/divine_council.htm

 

[OneLastBreath]

AWESOME!!! That's a lot of angels!

Well, if there are 'only' 10,000 angels, that kind of rules out a guardian angel for everyone, doesn't it? At any rate it's always nice to know that if you take the passage in Revelation about the dragon sweeping a third of the stars out of the sky to be referring to the number of angels that sided with Lucifer, then whatever the number, the faithful still outnumber the demons two to one Polycarp1, so does Michael fall under multiple categories? The Bible calls him the Archangel, but it seems like the job of leading the heavenly host in battle isn't a postition that someone of such low rank would hold. Maybe he's also chief seraphim or cherebum too? Thanks nephilimiyr, I'll check out that site. Thanks everyone!

 

[Polycarp1]

A legion was the largest unit into which the Roman army was divided, equivalent to a division in today's armies, and at full complement it comprised 6,000 armed men.

Actually I don't buy into the Nine Choirs of Angels theory -- though each of the nine names is founded in Scripture (as in, from the end of the 8th chapter of Romans "Neither principalities nor powers, nor anything that is in Heaven...."). But, like the Protevangelium, it's a source for material that is sincerely believed by some Christians, so I thought Lewis's summary was worth reporting in connection with this thread.

 

[ProCommunioneFacior]

I know that in Christianity the archangels are considered to be Michael and Gabriel, and before he fell Lucifer was one too. And I know that's all the Bible names, so is it the book of Enoch where Raphael, Uriel, etc, all come from?

Well, I don't about the book of Enoch, I haven't read it. However, I do know that Raphael is in the book of Tobit, which is part of the Bible.

 

[Dalibor]

The Highest Rank (God reveals His Divine Will to those closest to Him)

1. Seraphim - They stand closest to God, are 6 winged and in icons they are depicted with faces and surrounded by red/orange wings. Their name stands for “ablaze of fire”, because they blaze with love for God.
2. Cherubim - Their name means, “pouring out of wisdom”. They are responsible for the wisdom and enlightenment of divine knowledge to creation. They are depicted in icons as faces surrounded by 4 or 6 blue/green wings with eyes all over - like peacock feathers.
3. Thrones - They are found at the foot of God’s throne. They serve the uprightness of God’s judgement. They are the spinning wheels Ezekiel (1:15-21) sees. They are depicted as 2 interlocking rings, with 4 wings each, covered with eyes.

The Middle Rank (those set in command over the elements, i.e.. heaven, the world and all that is therein)

1. Dominions - They instruct, protect and guide earthly authorities that fear God. They may influence by miracles and dampen sinful impulses.
2. Powers - They send down the grace of wonder-working and spiritual discernment to the saints. They assist the saints and others to be patient, obedient and to serve the will of God. In icons they are depicted as crystal spheres, with the letters “X” or “XC”, usually held by other angels which have been revealed in human form.
3. Authorities - They are known as the Virtues, who strengthen ascetics and keep people from giving into temptation.

The Lowest Rank (those which mankind encounters)

1. Principalities - They instruct the lower angels in the fulfilment of God’s will. They guide and protect lands and peoples.
2. Archangels - Announce or bring messages about God and His works for salvation. Because of this role, some are specifically named in Scripture and Tradition. They are represented as beautiful, shining winged humans.
3. Angels - They are often referred to as Guardian Angels. They are closest to mankind, and endeavour to help us lead pious Christ-centred lives. They help to prevent man from falling spiritually and physically. They are revealed to us in shining human form, with or without wings

Both Saints Michael and Gabriel are included in the seven great angels, who stand before the throne of God, the leaders of the heavenly powers. Each of the great angels has his particular service, but all are equal in honour. The seven great angels are:

• • • • • • Michael (Who is like God)
          • Gabriel (Man of God)
          • Raphael (Help of God)
          • Uriel (Fire of God)
          • Salathiel (Prayer of God)
          • Jegudiel (Praise of God)
          • Barachiel (Blessing of God)

 

[Polycarp1]

Dalibor does a pretty good summary of the Pseudo-Dionysian Hierarchies. As for the names of the seven archangels, the last three are from mystical writings not considered valid by anybody. Michael and Gabriel are of course referenced in the 66-book version of the Bible accepted by everybody: Gabriel in Daniel 8 and 9 and Luke 1, Michael in Daniel 10 and 12, Jude, and Revelation 12. Raphael is, as noted, in Tobit, one of the deuterocanonical books ("Apocrypha") accepted by many but not all Christians. Uriel is mentioned in Enoch -- which only the Ethiopian Copts accept as Scripture, though Jude quotes it. Those four, however, are generally accepted as valid names by anyone referencing archangels by name.

 

[OneLastBreath]

Is the meaning of Michael a statement or a question? I seem to remember from somewhere that it's "Who is like God?" as opposed to no question mark, as that was supposed to be war cry of the faithful the angels during the battle against Lucifer, since he thought himself equal with God. Any particular reason why the book of Tobit isn't considered canonical by many groups?