Classes of Angels

ANGELS



Angels are everywhere, they're found throughout the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, they are the subjects of art and literature, and they make consistent appearances in churches, Christmas cards, and New Age gift shops.
Although angels make occasional appearances in Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, their main background comes from the monotheistic religions: Judaism, Islam, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism. All four of these religions share the tradition that there is one god in a multi-part universe (heaven, Earth, and hell) and that God's messengers between these domains are spiritual beings called angels. The angel Gabriel was said to have dictated the content of the Koran to Mohammed, angels tended Jesus after his bout with Satan in the desert and announced the resurrection to Mary when she visited Jesus's tomb. The angel Vohu Manah revealed God's message to Zoroaster, and in Judaism, angels wrestled with Jacob and guarded the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve fell from grace. Angels began hitting hard times in the 4th century c.e., when the book of Enoch--an angelic treasure trove-- was not accepted into the canon of the church (it is in the Apocrypha), and further hard times when they were utterly dismissed by Martin Luther during the Reformation.
But angels have never really gone out of style, even though they aren't heavily focused upon in theological circles, they remain in scripture, in hymns, and are referenced throughout the Book of Common Prayer. In the secular world, they are as popular as ever. They are now in television shows, and are in films as wide ranging as the classic "It's a Wonderful Life" to the sappy "Michael" to the surreal and haunting German film "Wings of Desire." They're characterized as luminous beings, as doddering nincompoops, as little cherubs on Valentine's Day cards, and as ordinary human look-alikes who mysteriously appear and disappear.
In Christian and Jewish tradition, an entire hierarchy of angels was set forth, and we still use the hierarchical terms--cherubim, seraphim, angels, and archangels--without really knowing the difference.
There are nine "species" or types of angels. The nine types, called choirs, are arranged in three groups of three. The highest choirs (in descending order) are the Seraphim, the Cherubim, and the Thrones. Next is the middle triad with Dominions, Virtues, and Powers. Last are Principalities, Archangels, and Angels.
Seraphim are said to ceaselessly chant in Hebrew the Trisagion "Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh--Holy Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His Glory" while they circle God and the divine core of light. The song is said to be the song of creation, and they are said to resonate with Love. When they appear to humans (like Isaiah) it is as a six-winged and four-headed being.
Cherubim are the next order. They have four faces and four wings, and they are God's charioteers and guardians. They were described by Ezekiel.
Thrones are many-eyed wheels with wings, and are referenced by Elijah and Enoch. If the Cherubim are the charioteers, the thrones are the chariot. Ezekiel describes them as wheels burning like coals of fire.
Dominions are channels of mercy and they regulate the angels' duties. Virtues are known as "the Brilliant or Shining Ones." They are said to bestow blessings from on high, usually in the form of miracles. It is said that they help all who struggle for good and instill courage when it is needed most. Powers are most closely associated with the battle between good and evil, and they are the guardians of our souls. Some of them--the fallen angels--become over-identified with humanity, and get to know evil too well. The Powers are supposed to keep a balance in our souls, and to help us. A fallen angel's punishment is to be banished forever from the sight of God.
Principalities are an order of angels that are in charge of nations and great cities.
There are seven archangels, four undisputed, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel, the other three are chosen from six candidates, depending on the religion or the source: Metatron, Remi-el, Sari-el, Ana-el, Ragu-el, and Razi-el. They are intercessors between God and humans and they command the legions of Heaven in their constant battle with the Sons of Darkness.
Michael is famous for battling and beating Satan and hurling him out of heaven, and he is also known as the conductor of souls to the Last Judgment. Gabriel is the archangel of the Annunciation and the resurrection. Raphael is mostly known from the book of Tobit, he is the archangel of science and knowledge. Sari-el is the archangel who is responsible for the fate of those angels who transgress the laws, and Uriel is the archangel who brings about punishment for wrong-doers. Ragu-el is another who watches over the good behavior of angels, and Remi-el leads souls to Judgment. Razi-el is the archangel of the secret regions and mysteries. Metatron is called the archangel of the covenant, and is charged with the sustenance of the world. In the Talmud and the Targum, he is the direct link between God and Humanity.
And finally, angels. They are the hoard of messengers, celestial spirits, or intercessors between the Almighty and human mortals. It is said that we each have a guardian angel when we are born, and that angel stays with us throughout our lives, urging us to our higher selves, warning us, helping us, and bringing us dreams.

II. The Origin of the Angels:
A. Do people become angels after their deaths?
1. Many think so.
2. If this were true, then throughout history the angelic population has been steadily increasing and we would know that angels are an evolutionary progression of human spirits.
B. Searching the Scriptures to discover the source of angels:
1. The evil angels are called rulers, authorities, powers, and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms in Ephesians 6:11,12.
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
2. Colossians 1:15,16 tell us the angels, known as thrones, powers, rulers and authorities, were created.
“For by (Christ) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.”
3. Psalm 148:2,5 teach us the angels were created by the Lord's command. Likely by the power of his word, "Let there be angels," they came into being.
“Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts...Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.”
4. The angels were created sometime during the six days of creation.
Before the beginning of creation in eternity we know only the Lord himself existed, who then proceeded to create all things, ref. John 1:1-3. The angels could not have existed from eternity, then, and prior to when the Lord began his creative activity.
Exodus 20:11 informs us the Lord made everything in the heavens and the earth in six days. The angels were created during those six days as well.
“For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day.”
Colossians 1:16 clarifies that not only this visible earth was created during those six days, but the angels in their invisible realm as well.
“For by (Christ) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.”
5. Millions of angels were created.
Numerous passages such as Hebrews 12:22 and Psalm 68:17 answer this question. But let Revelation 5:11 suffice.
“Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousands times ten thousand.”
6. The number of angels is the same now as at the time of their creation.
“The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels” (Luke 20:34-36).
Since all the angels were created during the six days of creation, and since they do not marry, propagate, or die as we humans do, there are no more or less angels now than when they were created.
7. The spiritual state of all the angels at their creation was good. They were holy angels.
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array” (Genesis 1:31, 2:1)
III. The Characteristics of the Angels:
A. We are unable here to look up all the pertinent Bible passages to discover what the angels are like. Therefore, their characteristics are listed below with some of the Bible references.
1. The term angel means messenger, which designates their office. But their nature is that of a spirit, a non-physical, immaterial living being. (Hebrews 1:14; Luke 24:39; Ephesians 6:12)
2. Immortal, but not eternal (Psalm 148:5; Luke 20:36)
3. Powerful, but not omnipotent (Psalm 103:20; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; 2 Peter 2:10,11)
4. Knowledgeable, having an intellect, but not omniscient, or knowing all things (1 Peter 1:12; Luke 24:4-7)
5. Present in one place or another, but not omnipresent (the Lord commands and sends them to one place or another, they move about; Psalm 91:10; Zechariah 1:8-11; Hebrews 1:14)
6. Illocal, that is being spirits, they do not take up any physical space such as we do.
7. Invisible (Colossians 1:15,16)
8. Unchanging, that is because they are immortal, immaterial spirits who do not grow up physically or age as we do (Luke 20:34-36)
9. Asexual, that is being neither male nor female, having no sex (Luke 20:34-36)
10. Volitional, that is having a will of their own and a desire (Jude 6; 1 Peter 1:12)
11. Emotional (Luke 15:10; Job 38:7)
12. Winged spirits (Isaiah 6:3; Ezekiel 10:5)
13. Immaterial, yet capable of touching, moving, affecting our physical world (Matthew 28:2; Acts 12:7,9; Genesis 19:11; 2 Kings 19:35 and 2 Chronicles 32:21,22)
14. The good angels are holy, being confirmed by the Lord in their holy state (Mark 8:38; since the wicked cannot dwell with God, ref. Psalm 5:4, and the good angels always are in God’s presence, ref. Matthew 18:10, they must be holy and permanently so.)
15. The holy angels are glorious, radiant, brilliant in appearance (Matthew 28:2,3; Luke 9:26; Acts 12:7)
B. The devil and his demons are angels also, fallen angels. Being angels they possess the angelic characteristics we noted above with some noted differences.
1. Being fallen angels, they are less than the holy angels, being weaker for example, ref. Revelation 12:7-9, and not possessing the intellect and wisdom of the holy angels, who have the benefit of being in the presence of God. Satan foolishly self-destructed when he plotted and instigated the crucifixion of Christ.
2. The evil angels are evil, perverse, depraved spirits, that is their very nature in which they have been hardened. (Luke 7:21,8:2; Mark 1:23; the devil is a murderer and liar from the beginning, John 8:44)
3. The devil and his demons are not glorious but wretched, and miserable, having been separated from all the blessings which the holy angels enjoy. Theirs is a kingdom, not of light, but of darkness. (Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4; 1 Peter 3:18)
4. Being bound in hell for their condemnation to the eternal fire, ref. Matthew 25:41, they have no second chance for repentance, salvation, or restoration to their former, original holy state.
5. The devil is most brash and brazen. He was willing to challenge God himself and tempt Christ, the Son of God (Job 1:9-11; Matthew 4:1f)
IV. The Angels’ Dwelling Places:
A. The good angels:
1. The good angels are always in heaven in the presence of God.
“See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:10)
2. Yet the good angels are also with us on earth.
“We (apostles) have been made a spectacle to the whole universe (Greek cosmos), to angels as well as to men” (1 Corinthians 4:9).
“I (Paul) charge you (Timothy), in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions...” (1 Timothy 5:21)
“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14)
B. The devil and his evil angels:
1. The evil angels are permanently bound in hell for judgment on the last day.
“The angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the Great Day” (Jude 6).
“If God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment...” (2 Peter 2:4)
2. Yet the devil and his evil angels are also with us on earth.
“(The devil) was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him...But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you” (Revelation 12:9,12).
“Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world (Greek cosmos) will be driven out” (John 12:31).
“...you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air (atmosphere and sky), the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2).
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (the atmosphere, sky)” (Ephesians 6:12)
V. Guardian Angels:
A. How do we know the good angels guard us?
“For (the Lord Most High) will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone” (Psalm 91:10,11)
B. According to Psalm 91:10,11 above, the angels are always with us to guard us in all of our ways.
C. All of the angels are guardian angels.
“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14)
D. According to Hebrews 1:14, and according to Psalm 91:10,11, which was written about those who take their refuge in the Lord, the Lord's good angels guard us believers who will inherit salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
E. These two passages are the only ones which specifically speak of the guardian angels. Based on these passages, we believers in Jesus cannot say with certainty that we have one guardian angel assigned to us. We may have more than one.
VI. Demonic Possession:
A. Spiritual possession:
1. In the wide sense: the devil holds the unbelievers in the spiritual blindness and ignorance of unbelief.
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
2. In the narrow sense: the devil enters a person’s mind and heart, taking control of his will to prompt him to do evil.
“Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus...The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus” (Luke 22:3,4; John 13:2).
“Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?’” (Acts 5:3)
B. Physical possession: a demonic spirit inhabits a person’s body, taking control of all his faculties.
“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation” (Matthew 12:43-45).
“When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs...Many times (the demon) had seized (Legion), and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places...(After Jesus had cast out the demons from Legion he was) sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind” (Luke 8:27,29,35)
C. Characteristics of those demonically possessed:
1. They are out of their right minds, having lost control of their will, emotions, intellect, sense of decency, bodily functions. They become different people who are no longer in control of themselves. (ref. Legion, Luke 8:27,35; Mark 9:17-26)
2. They may exhibit superhuman strength. (ref. Legion, Luke 8:29; Acts 19:14-16)
3. They may be afflicted with physical maladies. (ref. the boy who was possessed by a demon which robbed him of his speech, threw him about on the ground and into the fire and water, threw him into convulsions so he foamed at the mouth, made him gnash his teeth and made his body rigid. (cf. Mark 9:17,18; Acts 8:7)
4. They may speak of themselves in the first person plural “we, us,” as being more than one person. (Mark 1:23,24, 5:9)
5. They may speak the most profane, foul, filth.
6. They may have knowledge of things which are humanly impossible to know, speak in foreign tongues which they have never learned, suddenly have artistic talents which they do not possess before or after their seizure, foretell future fortunes, perform other superhuman, miraculous feats, or have inexplicable phenomenon occur while they are present--such as it raining in an indoor room or objects flying and hurdling through the air. (ref. Acts 16:16; 13:6-10)
7. They can be possessed by more than one demon simultaneously (Mark 16:9; Matthew 12:43-45).
8. Their presence may be accompanied by a horrible stench and an eerie cold air or draft.
9. Afterwards their knowledge of the Lord and his Word can be totally wiped from their minds and have no recollection of them.
D. We have no reason to fear the devil and his demons. Read Psalm 91:1-12.