Angels

[Salus]

In sunday school as a kid and now in my adult life you hear of and talk about angels and their role in the Bible. I recently read something that talked about nine levels of angels with the most powerful being the seraphim. Is this Biblically based? If so, perhaps I can't see it, where does it talk about nine levels of angels?

[list=1]
Seraphim
Cherubim
Thrones
Dominations
Principalities
Powers
Virtues
Archangels
Angels
[/list=1]

:angel:

[GrayPilgrim]

Salus:
In sunday school as a kid and now in my adult life you hear of and talk about angels and their role in the Bible. I recently read something that talked about nine levels of angels with the most powerful being the seraphim. Is this Biblically based? If so, perhaps I can't see it, where does it talk about nine levels of angels?

[list=1]
Seraphim
Cherubim
Thrones
Dominations
Principalities
Powers
Virtues
Archangels
Angels
[/list=1]

:angel:

Personally I think that hierarchy is spit in the pail of ignorance. These terms are all used in the Bible however, never in the same passage so that we could see their relationship to one another. It's funny that this list would put Archangels so far down, as I have always thought them to be the top of the pecking order, but even that is just specualtion.

GP

[Gavin]

Perhaps there is some sort of hierarchy in the purposes or greatness of angels, but I don't see any biblical warrant for that kind of list. Its all just speculation, IMO.

[Salus]

GrayPilgrim:


It's funny that this list would put Archangels so far down, as I have always thought them to be the top of the pecking order, but even that is just specualtion.



My thoughts exactly, GP. I've always been taught, always heard, and read that Archangels are the supreme angels, ones closest in "rank" to God. Michael, Gabriel, are all names of angels we learned were right there next to God spreading God's message to man. Like you said, in the end it is all speculation and if there is a hierachy of angels, it is known only to God.

[Iceman]

No Biblical proof for these thoughts, but like GP said, there isn't a whole lot on the subject.

Perhaps angels do not have as much "rank" as specialties of service. For example, God gave Christians different gifts and talents for use in the world. None of us are really higher than another person, we simply have a different task.

Maybe the same is true with angels. I always thought the seraphim and cherubim were angels that were specifically created just to continuously worship God, because we're never told that they do anything else. Other angels, however, like Gabriel and Michael, have different roles. They're not "higher" or "lower" than the cherubim. They don't take orders from them, neither do they give them orders. Instead, they have different purposes.

I think the best Biblical evidence for archangels being the highest is Satan. Wasn't he an archangel? Somehow if he was on the bottom of the ladder I think his pride wouldn't have gotten to him.

Just some random thoughts.

[Salus]

Good points, Iceman. Even without much evidence, your argument makes the most sense to me.

Oh and yes, Satan aka Lucifer was an archangel right there with Gabriel and Michael.

Isaiah 14:12 (KJV)
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

[geoff]

Rather than write it all out for you, here is a lesson I taught on angels...

The definitions are based on what I found in Grudems "Bible Doctrine"

http://gummer.co.nz/lessons/ (its the second to last one)

[abarnhar]

Coming from my undergrad studies, I know that a great deal of work about angels has been in Catholic dogmatics. For example, the importance of Mary has amplified the usage of angels. One of her appearances in the bible is specifically linked to an angel appearing to her:

The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Luke 1:30 NRSV

This has increased the Catholic awareness of angels in part. As to what specifically they have done in terms of dogma (e.g., naming of levels), I would have to research (which I would be glad to do).

I just posted a thread in the philosophy section about Aquinas and his immaterial beings. Aquinas presented proofs for the existence of angels.

[geoff]

There is no doubt that authors of scripture *assume* there are angels. If there is no angels, there is no fallen angels, and then no devil.