First CadreSecond CadreThird Cadre
SeraphimDominions or LordshipsPrincipalities or Rulers CherubimVirtues or StrongholdsArchangels ThronesPowers or AuthoritiesAngels
Personal Guardian angels
Choirs in Medieval Theology
What does the Bible say about these Angels? According to texts, the first type of angels serve as the heavenly servants to God, the Son incarnated, are called Seraphim. The singular word for Seraphim is Seraph, meaning (when translated) “Burning ones.” The word Seraph is normally a synonym
Christian Angelology
59 for serpents when it is used in Hebrew Bible. It is mentioned in the Book of Isaiah 6:1-7 that Seraphim are the “highest angelic class” and serve as the caretakers of the throne of God, continuously shouting and praising Him by singing “Holy, Holy, Holy.” As said in Isaiah 6:1-8, the Seraphim angels are described as fairy, six-winged beings. Out of those six wings, they use the first two to cover their faces. The second two are used to cover their feet, while the next two are used to cover their eyes.
Their main duty is to fly over the throne of God and glorify Him by singing Eternal Hymn. They are otherwise known as personal attendants of God. They sing this eternal song, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord Almighty, the whole Earth is full of His Glory.” This same hymn was sung by Jews and Christians for thousands of years. In Hebrew, people would use the same words three times to describe when a person is completely leaving the world. And so, calling God three times means God is really and perfectly Holy. In Jewish folklore and in later Christian works, the Seraphim are said to be the highest rank of angels, perhaps due to their close movements with God. In art, Seraphim are often read as “Burning ones,” and shown holding a flaming sword with the words “Holy, Holy, Holy” on the blade. The coal according to prophet Isaiah’s version is that it touches his lips. As a result, Isaiah is now purified and fit to be called a prophet. The coal came from the altar of Heaven, and so it would be very powerful. Fire is used in many religions and faiths as a symbol of purifying and cleaning something.
Cherubim or Cherubs
According to history, Cherubims have four faces: the face of man, the head of an ox, the head ofa lion, and the head of an eagle (they were later adopted as the symbols of four Evangelists). They have four conjoined wings covered with eyes, but appear in Revelation 4:8 with six wings like Seraphim. The Cherubim with the head of a lion, body, and feet are used to guard the way to the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:2) and the throne of God (Ezekiel 10:12-14, Exodus 23:17-22, Chronicles 3:7-14, and Kings 6:23-28). But in Modern English usage, Cherubim are
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confused between themselves and Putti. It is said that Putti are with and without wings, toddler-like beings traditionally used in figurative art. Saint Thomas Aquinas imagined Satan as a fallen Cherub. When most people think of Cherubim, they must also think of pudgy, little, baby-like creatures with two little wings who appear rather cuti. But it is doubtful how these baby creatures are compared to Cherubs in the Bible. It is said the correct plural for Cherub is Cherubim. We can find these Cherubim in two books, of the Holy Bible: Genesis & Ezekiel. In the Book of Genesis, these Cherubim guard the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve were banished. Cherubim were described as holding flaming swords. The prophet Ezekiel had a clear vision of Heaven where he happened to see many angelic beings. According to his description, these Cherubim angels are most powerful and frightening; they are not simply always cuti, little angels, but also powerful heavenly beings with four faces and four wings.
Those Cherubim are also described in connection with the construction of the Ark of Covenant. The Ark of Covenant was the dwelling place of God, prepared by efficient Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai when they were on their way to the promised land, Canaan. The Ark of the Covenant was one of the items kept in the Tabernacle, the mobile temple of God and Jewish people. For some time, it was misplaced by heathen rulers, but finally brought back by King David. The Tabernacle was considered most sacred for the Jews till King Solomon built the permanent temple on Mount Moriah. In his vision, Ezekiel saw another type of angelic beings that seem to be associated with Cherubim, a description that appeared to be even more strange to readers of the Bible. So to say, the vision of Ezekiel seemed to be really strange and amazing to the human eye, and we can understand the great wonder of Heaven. The Bible does not say how many Cherubim angels are in heaven, but Ezekiel saw in his vision just four of them, and there must be more than that figure. The prime duty of Cherubim is to guard the Holy Domain of God and prevent it from any sin and corruption. They are sometimes addressed as “Throne angels” because they always move around the throne of God”.
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In Jewish folklore, throne angels are known as Merkabah, with four faces on four sides of their heads, arranged in a square - allowing them to go in any direction they like without taking any turn. The Cherub might have come from a term “to God,” which is quite suitable to their role in the Bible. Therefore, nowhere ‘nthe Bible the Cherubim are called angels. So far, from being cuti, cuddly creatures. The Cherubim became mighty and powerful guardians of God.
The Four Living Creatures
In the last book of the Bible, called Revelation, there is a description of these four living creatures. These amazing creatures have features in common with both Seraphim (in having six wings and continuously praising God) and Cherubim ( of which there are only four in population). They cover their eyes and look like a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle. Whether those creatures are called Seraphim or Cherubim, or some other angelic being of Heaven, nobody so far has given any authentic information about these four creatures. But, one thing is certain; they are also very powerful and amazing creatures.
Thrones
The Thrones (Greek Thronoe, plural of Thrones, or “Elders”) are a class of celestial beings mentioned by Apostle Paul in Colossians 1:16 in the New Testament. They are the living symbols of God’s justice and authority, and one of those symbols is Thrones. It is not unusual to find out that the Thrones are associated with the Ophamim, or Ereliam. from the Jewish angelic hierarchies, but there is very little evidence, if any, to sustain this idea. The word Ophamim in Hebrew comes from the vision of Daniel 7:9. The Ophamim is unusual-looking, even compared to the celestial beings, and 1s said to be moved by the spirit of other beings. Then the question is raised whether the Ophamim are spiritual beings at all or possibly material beings? They appear as Obyrele-colored, wheel within wheel, that rions colored with hundreds of eyes. They are closely connected with Cherubim, instead when they moved others, they moved; when they
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stopped others, they stopped; when they were raised from the earth, the wheels raised along with them. Since the spirit of living creatures (Cherubim) were with the wheels (Ezekiel 10:17). The Christian theologians include Thrones as one of the choirs. They are not described as wheels, but as adorable elder men who will listen to God’s will and present the prayers of men. The twenty four elders in the Book of Revelation are thought to be generally part of this group of angels.
Angels of Second Cadre
Angels of this cadre are considered to be heavenly governors of the Creation. They will guide and rule the spirits. Among this set of angels, one part is called Dominions or Lordships.
Dominions or Lordships
We hear about these angels in Ephesians 1:21 and Colossians 1:16 In Latin, it is said Dominatio and its plural Dominations. But here, they are presented as the hierarchy of celestial beings and leaderships in some English translations. It’s only with extreme unity that the angelic Lords make themselves physically known to humans. The Dominions are believed to look like divinely beautiful humans with a pair of feathered-wings, much like common representations of angels, but they appear to be different from other groups of angels by wielding orbs of light fastened to the head of their scepters or on the pommel of their swords.
Virtues or Strongholds
It is said that these angels are responsible for the signs and miracles made in the world. The term appears to be iinked to the attribute of ‘might’ from the Greek root ‘dynanes’, whose plural is ‘dynames’, (this reference can be found in Ephesians 1:21) which is translated as virtues or power. They are presented as the celestial choir virtues in the Summa Theologia. The name of the holy virtues signifies a certain powerful and unshakeable virility willing forth into all their God-like energies; being weak and feeble for any reception of the divine illuminations upwards in fullness of power
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63 to an assimilation with God and it never falls away from the Divine life. In spite of its own weaknesses, it is ascending unwaveringly to that super essential virtues, which are the source of virtue fastening itself as tar as it may in, virtue perfectly tumed towards the source of virtue and flowing forth providentially to those blow it abundantly filling them with virtue. –
Powers and Authorities
The most important duty of these powers is to supervise the movements of the heavenly bodies. As they are warricr angels, they even try to suppress the evil. They check and take it for granted that ihe cosmos remain in perfect order. With their power, they often cast the evil spirits to places of detention. These angels are generally represented as soidiers wearing full suits of armor. They also possess offensive and defensive weapons such as shields, spears, or chains, respectively in order to save themselves from any danger. The powers are the bearers of conscience and the keepers of history. They are considered warrior angels, simply remaining as most loyal to God. Some believe that no power has ever fallen from grace. Their prime duty is to oversee that distribution of power among mankind. Therefore, the name is quite appropriate to their power and duty.
Angels of Third Cadre
Angels of this cadre function as heavenly protectors and messengers to human beings. In this cadre, the first one is Principalities or Rulers.
Principalities or Rulers
The word principality in Latin is called ‘principaties’ translated as princedoms and rulers. These angels used to guide and protect nations or groups of peoples, institutions like churches. They used to preside over the bands of angels and charge them with fulfilling the divine ministry. There are some who administer others to assist them. The principalities are shown wearing a crown and carrying a scepter. They carry out the orders given to them by the upper cadre angels and bequeath blessings to the material
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world in addition to the task of overseeing the people. They are the educators and guardians of the realm of earth-like beings relegated to the world of germined ideas. They are said to inspire living things to do many things such as art or science. Apostie Paul used the terms ‘rule and authority’ in Ephesians 1:21 and ‘rulers and authorities’ in Ephesians 3:10.
Archangels
The word archangel comes from the Greek ‘archangelos’ which means ‘chief angels’ or to be first in rank or power. They are also called messengers or envov. This word is used in the New Testament only two times: the first time in Thessaionians 4:6 and the second time in Jude 1:9. It is also said that only the Archangel Michael is used in most of the Christian craditions. Gabriel is considered an Archangel, but there is no direct litera! support for this assumption. Then we come across another Archangel, namely Raphael, !n the book of “Tobit’ or ‘Tobias’. This book is considered deutro-canonical by Rornan Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, and Anglicans. The Book of Tobit. however, is not acknowledged by a majority of the Protestant denominations. The best example of this are reformed Christian churches like Baptist. According to the Book of Tobit, Raphael was one of the seven archangels who stand before the Lord. It is aiso believed that Michae! and Gabriel are two of the remaining six. The name of the fourth Archangel is Uriel, whose name means literally ‘light of God’. But the name of this archangel is not mentioned in the Western Christian Bible, even though he plays a prominent role in an apocryphal read by Anglican and Russian Orthodox Christians. Esdras happened to write four books in Latin Valgate, and in the second book he unveils seven prophecies to the prophet Ezra, after whom the book is named. He also plays a prominent role in the apocryphal book of Enoch. which is considered by both the Ethiopian Orthodox and Eristrian Orthodox Church.
Jophiel
According to historical information, God used this Archangel to drive away Adam ard Eve from the Garden of Eden after they committed sin by
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65 eating the Forbidden eruit. He was the symbol of the flaming sword, and used to guard the Tree of Lite in the Garden of Eden.
Chamuel
It was Chamuel who wrestled with Jacob that was mentioned in the Book of Genesis. Also it was He who comforted Jesus Christ when He was in deep agony while praying in tae garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested by the Roman soldiers and later crucified. A magnificent church was built at this place by 16 nations, callec “The Church of All Nations”, and i: ts considered the most beautiful church.
Common Angels
The angels, or the Malakhim, are called the plain angels of the lowest cadre cf angels, but they are the most recognized group of angels. They are concerned more with the affairs of living things within the category of angels. There are many different kinds with different functions. The angels in their regular duty used to be sent as messengers to humanity. It is said with many examples that the personal guardian angels would come from this class, but not from any other order. They come and move among Us without our knowledge. and help us in our needs. It is a common belief tnat every human being is assigaed with one guardian angel, but there is no authentic information whether these angels guard multiple human beings during their existence. Different Types of Angels - According to historical yackground, God created about 100 crores of angels. When we are talking about the angels, we must keep in mind that there are good and bad angels, starting with the hignest, which include the following:
1)Jesus Christ - cailed the angel of God (Hebrews 1:5. 2:16)
2)Cherubim - known for their power and beauty (Genesis 3:24, Ezekiel
11:5)
3)Seraphim - known to perform priestly duties (Isaiah 6:1-7)
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4)Living Creatures - mentioned in the Revelation as worshipping God
(Revelations 1:6-8)
5)Common Angels - they are called ‘heavenly spirit beings’ (Matthew
1:20-29)
6)Guardian angels - they are given the charge over us lest we step over
toes (Psalms 91:2)
సాక్ష్యం 7. Ministering angels - they are like the one who cooked a hot meal for
Elijah when he was running away from the angry Jazebel (1 King 9:5-7)
8)Avenging angels - they carry out God’s judgement upon mankind for
their wicked deeds (Genesis 19:1-29)
9)Death angels - they bring a kind of judgment upon people who
persecute innocent people (Exodus 12:23)
We have all sinned and deserve the judg¢ment of God. Jesus the Creator and the Eternal Son of God. died for our sins. He was buried and raised from the dead. If we believe this and take Jesus into our hearts, we wilt be saved form the Judgtment and become the citizens of Heaven.
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7. THE SEVEN ARCHANGELS
The archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Raguel, and Barachiel. These seven angels are described as related to the seven days of the week:
1. Michael-Sunday
2. Gabriel-Monday
3. Raphael-Tuesday
4. Uriel-Wednesday
5. Selaphiel-Thursday
6. Raguel-Friday
7. Barachiel-Saturday
Archangel Michael
Archangel Michael is also known as St. Michael the Archangel. serves on the first ray of protection, faith and the will of God. The guardian angels serve under Archangel Michael. He is the Prince of the Archangels and of the Angelic Hosts, the Defender of the Faith, the Angel of Deliverance and his divine complement is Archeia Faith. In the Book of Daniel he is called “the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people.” Archangel Michael is the sponsor of police departments and law enforcement agencies around the world.
Archangel Michael has figured as the greatest and most revered of angels in many scriptures and spiritual traditions. In Muslim lore, he is the angel of nature who provides both food and knowledge to man. Archangel Michael is identified with the angel who wrestled with Jacob, destroyed the armies of Sennacherib and saved the three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace in Jewish mystical tradition. Archangel Michael also appears in the Bible as the angel who appeared to Joshua as he prepared to lead the Israelites in battle at Jericho.
Christian Angelology
The keynote of Archangel Michael’s retreat is the Soldiers’ Chorus from the opera Faust, by Charles Gounod. He also has a focus of light over Central Europe. Archangel Michael is the only angel who is mentioned by name in all three of the major sacred texts of the world’s religions that place the most emphasis on angels: the Torah (Judaism), the Bible (Christianity), and the Qur’an(Islam). In all of those faiths, believers consider Michael a leading angel who fights evil with the power of God.
Michael is an exceptionally strong angel who protects and defends people who love God. He is powerfully concerned about truth and justice. Believers say that Michael communicates boldly with people when he helps and guides them. Here’s how to recognize signs of Michael’s possible presence with you:
Archangel Michael is Sent to Help During a Crisis
God often sends Michael to help people who are facing urgent needs during a crisis, believers say. “You can call on Michael in an emergency and receive instant help,” writes Richard Webster in his book *AEHHEE Communicating With The Archangel For Guidance and Protection.” “No matter what type of protection you need, Michael is ready and willing to provide it. ... No matter what sort of situation you find yourself in, Michael will give you the necessary courage and strength to deal with it.”
In her book, “The Miracles of Archangel Michael,” Doreen Virtue writes that people may see Michael’s aura nearby or hear his voice audibly speaking to them during a crisis: “Archangel Michael’s aura color is a royal purple that’s so bright, it looks like cobalt blue.
Many people report seeing Michael’s blue lights in a crisis. During crises, people hear Michael’s voice as loudly and clearly as if another person was talking. But no matter how Michael chooses to manifest, he usually announces his presence clearly, writes Virtue: “More than seeing the actual angel, most people see evidence of Michael’s presence, He’s a very clear
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69 communicator, and you’re likely to hear his guidance in your mind or sense it as a gut feeling.”
Reassurance That God and the Angels Are Caring for You
Michael may visit you when you need encouragement to make faithful decisions, to reassure you that God and the angels are really watching over you, say believers.
“Michael is concerned chiefly with protection, truth, integrity, courage, and strength. If you are having difficulty in any of these areas, Michael is the angel to summon,” writes Webster in, “Michael: Communicating With The Archangel For Guidance and Protection.” He writes that When Michael is close to you, “you may get a clear picture of Michael in your mind” or “you might experience a sense of comfort or warmth.”
Michael will be glad to give you comforting signs of his protection that you can recognize, writes Virtue in “The Miracles of Archangel Michael:” “Since Archangel Michael is a protector, his signs are designed to comfort and reassure. He wants you to know that he’s with you and that he hears your prayers and questions. If you don’t trust or notice the signs that he sends, he’ll communicate his message in different ways ... The archangel appreciates your candor with him, and he’s happy to help you recognize the signs.
The comfort that Michael Provides is especially helpful for dying people, and some people (such as Catholics) believe that Michael is the angel of death who escorts the souls of faithful people into the afterlife.
Help Fulfilling God’s Purposes for Your Life
Michael wants to motivate you to become more organized and productive to fulfill God’s good purposes for your life, writes Ambika Wauters in her book , “The Healing Power of Angels: How They Guide and Protect Us,” so such guidance that you receive in your mind may be signs of Michael’s presence with you. “Michael helps us develop the skills and talents we need that will Se, support us, and benefit our communities and the
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world,” Wauters writes. “Michael asks that we be organized, find a simple, rhythmic, orderly routine in our everyday life.
He encourages us to create constancy, dependability, and trust in order to thrive. He is the spiritual force that helps us create a healthy foundation that gives stability and strength.”
Relationship Rather Than Spectacle
Like other angels, Michael may choose to show you flashes of light when he’s around, but Michael will combine that spectacle with substantial guidance that he gives you (such as through your dreams), writes Chantel Lysette in her book, “The Angel Code: Your Interactive Guide to Angelic Communication.” She writes that a “way to discern whether unexplained phenomena somehow indicates an angelic presence is the question of consistency. Michael, for example, will give off small flashes of light to let you know he’s around, but he will also let you know by using connections that you’ve already established with him, be it clairaudience, dreams, etc. It is much better to foster this kind of relationship with your angels, seeking out connection through personal, intimate experiences every day, rather than relying on spectacle.”
Lysette cautions readers to “make sure you’re grounded before you form any conelusions about what you saw” and to approach signs from Michael (and other any other angel) with an open mind: “... look for signs casually, with an open mind, and not become obsessed with trying to find them and dissect what they mean. At the very foundation, they really only mean one thing that your angels are walking beside you every step of the way as you journey through life.”
Archangel Gabriel
Archangel Gabriel is known as the angel of revelation or announcement. He plays a significant role in Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and many other faiths, acting as the messenger from God.
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In the Bible, Gabriel can be found in the books of Luke and Daniel. He is also called the “Christmas Angel” because he announced to Mary and the shepherds of the upcoming birth of Jesus. It is believed that Gabriel can be recognized by a white or copper light and that he often delivers his messages to people in dreams.
Archangel Gabriel and Guidance for the Future
When you get sudden insights that give you valuable guidance for the future, it may be Gabriel sending you a message. As the angel of water, one of Gabriel’s specialties is sending clarity.
Doreen Virtue’s book, “Archangels 101: How to Connect Closely with Archangels Michael, Raphael, Uriel, Gabriel and Others for Healing, Protection, and Guidance, “offers a glimpse into this. She writes, “Gabriel, as the archangel of communication, often announces what’s on the horizon, and acts like a manager or agent in orchestrating new ventures related to one’s soul purpose.”
Author Richard Webster writes in his book, “Gabriel: Communicating with the Archangel for Inspiration and Reconciliation,” that, “Gabriel aids visions, and can also help you get glimpses of the future.” Webster adds, “If you feel trapped, locked in, or are simply in a rut, call on Gabriel to help you change and start moving ahead again...The gift of prophecy can be yours, if you ask Gabriel to help.”
Help Solving Problems
If an idea about how to solve a challenging problem comes to your mind (especially after praying for a solution), it may be a sign that Gabriel is with you.
In “Gabriel,” Webster writes that Gabriel sometimes offers ideas for solutions while people are meditating and asking Gabriel what to do about their problems.
“The most usual form of communication is for thoughts and insights to come into your conscious mind. Ask Gabriel to clarify anything you do
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not understand. By the end of the conversation, you should know exactly what to do.”
Gabriel Sends Messages through Dreams
Gabriel often visits people while they’re dreaming. For example, Christian tradition says that Gabriel is the angel in the Bible story about an angel telling Joseph in a dream that he would serve as the father of Jesus Christ on Earth.
In their book, “Dreaming With the Archangels: A Spiritual Guide to Dream Journeying,” Linda and Peter Miller-Russo write that Archangel Gabriel and other archangels may work during your dreams to help you solve problems if you invite them to do so before going to sleep.
“You should awaken with a dream-world memory that contains the solution (or a seed to the solution) to your problem. Sometimes you will not remember having a dream at all. Yet the answer to the problem will come to your conscious awareness later in the day.”
Gabriel often hopes that his appearances in people’s dreams will inspire them to pursue greater purity in their lives, write the Miller- Russos in “Dreaming With the Archangels.” They write that “Gabriel has appeared to people as both a male angel and a female angel.
When meeting him, one can sense the purpose that emanates from him.” The Miller-Russos quote a message that they say archangel Gabriel gave them for that purpose.
“Purification of the self builds strength and opens the citealet communication between you and the beings on the higher planes. The wisdom of your guardian angel, the archangels, and your spirit guides is more easily understood and integrated by those who devote themselves to the purification of their heart and mind.”
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Feeling Challenged When Receiving a Message
Many people say that they feel challenged to take on a great responsibility when Gabriel communicates with them. Historically, the messages that Gabriel delivers often ak people to do something for God. Religious texts record that the people whom Gabriel visits have felt troubled when they ponder his message to them.
The Qur’an says that it was Gabriel who miraculously revealed its entire content to the prophet Muhammad. He wrote that Gabriel’s visits to him were stressful and challenging. George W. Braswell illustrates this in his book, “What You Need to Know about Islam and Muslims.” He writes, “There was physical and psychological stress upon Muhammad as he encountered the angel Gabriel, who gave him the words to recite.”
In his book “In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad” Tariq Ramadan describes Gabriel’s challenging visits to Muhammad.
“The angel Gabriel appeared to him several times. The prophet was later to report that the angel sometimes appeared to him in his angelic personality and sometimes as a human being. At other times, the prophet would hear a bell- like sound and revelation would come suddenly, requiring of him such extreme concentration that he came close to asphyxiation.”
When Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary to announce that she would serve as Jesus Christ’s mother on Earth, the Bible records that Mary was troubled at first. “Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be” (Luke 1:29).
In her book, “Women in the New Testament,” Mary Ann Getty- Sullivan describes this encounter.
“The angel Gabriel appears unexpectedly...After greeting Mary, the angel begins the message from God, saying ‘Do not be afraid.’ The attitude
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of awe or reverence, expressed as fear, is typical for those who experience an epiphany. ...Mary is troubled at hearing the greeting of the angel. Her confusion is based on both the appearance of the angel and on what the angel has said.”