Part
8 of 15
The
Angelic Hierarchy
Seraphim, Cherubim, Angels,
and Archangels are identified in the word of God with such detail that we can
reliably know some of their characteristics and duties. Yet, we can only be somewhat
assured of the responsibilities and rankings in the heavenly government.
Regarding rank and authority, there is no concrete Biblical proof of the exact
ranking order or of the importance of the different angelic groups, so it is
entirely possible that some of my offerings below are not entirely correct.
The conclusions I’ve drawn were derived putting together many disparate and
sketchy verses that appear throughout the Bible. In the course of my study I
have drawn most of this information from my own study of the Scriptures, plus
various internet websites and from messages by Richard Jordan, President of
Grace School of the Bible. I herein offer what I’ve found.
SERAPHIM:
Seraphim are of the “company
of angels” in the celestial sphere of God’s throne, as spoken of in Hebrews
12:22. The Hebrew word for Seraphim, from Strong’s #08314, means “burning”
or “burning
ones.” The Seraphim are creatures who mainly serve God within the
highest heaven, apparently have nothing to do in the lower realms and earth.
They are described in Isaiah 6:1-7, serving as the caretakers of God’s
throne, continuously shouting praises: “Holy,
holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. All the earth is filled with His Glory.” The
Seraphim have six wings; two covering their faces, two covering their
“feet,” and two with which they fly. It is said that such a bright light
emanates from them that nothing, not even other angelic beings, can look upon
them. Their position is above
God’s throne, unlike the Cherubim
who are beside/around it.
Their primary duty is to constantly glorify and praise God and they may also
be the personal “attendant” angels of God. We’re
not told how many Seraphim there are.
CHERUBIM:
Cherubim also occupy only the highest sphere of God’s throne. A Cherub has
four faces: one of each a man,
an ox,
a lion,
and a griffon
vulture. They have four conjoined wings covered with eyes, and they
have ox’s feet. Cherubim guard the throne of God (Ezekiel 28:14-16).
Lucifer was the Cherub who “covereth”
God’s throne before his fall. After
Adam’s fall, Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden while
Cherubim then guarded the way to “the
tree of life” (Gen 3:22-24) to prevent them from eating thereof and
gaining eternal life (v22). From
this I deduce that “the tree of
life” is a pre-incarnate
representation of Christ’s as the
eternal life.
Cherubim
are mentioned in Gen 3:24; Exo. 25:17-22; 2 Chron. 3:7-14; Eze. 10:12–14,
28:14-16; 1 Kings 6:23–28; and Rev 4:6-8. Modern English has blurred
the distinction between Cherubim and “putti”
(cupids), which are figurative characters appearing as winged human
baby/toddler-like beings.
RANK
AND AUTHORITY:
Lucifer is mentioned as Satan, meaning
“adversary” 37 times in the New Testament. We’ve already addressed
Lucifer’s history and his prophesied end in the lake of fire. We’ve looked
into the realm of the angels and archangels, but
there are the matters of rank, authority, and function.
In
Eph. 1:21, Paul describes the positions of rank and authority issuing from the
heavenly sphere. In the context of Eph. 1:15-25 we see that “the
church, which is His body”
(v24b-25a) is positioned today “far
above” the heavenly host – being over
all the good and evil
angelic host in the government of the heavens.
Though we commonly use the
word angels for the heavenly host there is more specificity. The Bible uses
the titles in these verses below to describe heavenly rank,
authority, and function of the
heavenly government – both of the good,
and the evil of the government of
heaven.
Ephesians
1:19-21 And what is
the exceeding greatness of HIS POWER
TO US-WARD WHO BELIEVE, according to the working of his mighty power, 20
Which he (God) wrought in Christ, when he
raised him from the dead, and SET HIM
at his own right hand IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES,
21FAR
ABOVE all PRINCIPALITY (arche,
highest ranking of the heavenly realm under God),
…and
POWER (Gk., exousia,
those then with delegated authority
to rule)
…and
MIGHT (Gk., dunamis,
those empowered to act under
authority of the “Powers”),
…and
DOMINION (Gk., kyriotes,
lordships, rulers, who
are over the governments on earth),
…and
EVERY NAME THAT IS NAMED (Jesus Christ, in whose name we are to
co-reign, is eternally “far above”
every name. 1
Tim 6:15 Which in
his (Christ) times he
shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate
(Only Ruler, Only Sovereign), the
King of kings, and Lord of lords)
…not
only in this WORLD (Gk., aion,
age), but also IN THAT (age)
WHICH IS TO COME:”
This Scriptures clearly tells
us that there are evil fallen spirits in the heavens that rule over the cosmos
and mankind; opposing God’s people under the direction of the Devil. “For
we (the believers) wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against PRINCIPALITIES,
against POWERS, against the RULERS
OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD (kosmos, the universe),
against SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN
HIGH (the heavenly) PLACES.”
(Ephesians 6:12)
This study will establish,
there is a heavenly council of wicked
spirit beings that currently rule over our world system. This is a fact
verified in many other biblical passages. Yet, the
Lord His self is the creator and ultimate commander
of the heavens, working toward
His ultimate eternal purpose.
Isaiah
45:12 I (THE LORD) HAVE MADE
(Heb., asa, fashioned) THE EARTH, AND CREATED MAN UPON IT: I, even
my hands, have stretched out THE HEAVENS, and ALL THEIR HOST HAVE I
COMMANDED.
Now we will now look closer
at the rank and authority of those creatures who currently occupy and function
in the hierarchal government in “the
heavenly” dynasphere, as noted in above verses.
PRINCIPALITY:
“Principality”
is from the Greek “arche
angellos,” from which we get “arch
angel.” Strong’s
#746 says these are “commencement
powers,”
or chief
(application of order,
time, place or rank);
first
estate, magistrate, power principle, rule.
The
“principalities” collaborate
with the lower “powers” who are
the authorized ones. The “principality”
or ruler called “Michael the
archangel,” is
Israel
’s protector. Michael in Hebrew is “mika
el,” meaning “who is like
God?” The “principalities”
include the good and the evil.
Lucifer
is a fallen Cherub
who now is called the “prince”
and “ruler of darkness,” over
the lower heavens and earth. Lucifer
is over his lower “rulers (Gk,
kosmokrator, world-rulers) of darkness in high (Gk., epouranious, celestial)
places” (Eph 6:12). These rulers of darkness include the
“powers,” and “dominions”
and “mights.”
The
duty of the “principalities”
seems to be to rule and direct the “powers,
dominions” and “mights”;
to oversee groups of people by
handing down blessings and judgments upon the material world according to
God’s will. They are the educators and guardians
of the realm of earth. (NOTE: The term “guardian
angel”
is not in the Bible. Some misinterpret Matthew
18:10, Psalm 34:7 and 91:9-13 as everyone having a “guardian
angel.” However, these verses speak of angels protecting
Israel
,
not individuals.
God carefully “guarded”
Israel
’s kingly line that would bring forth the Messiah and savior of the world.
Thus, we may read of Jesus’ kingly genealogy in Matthew 1:1-17.
“For
by him were all things created, that are IN HEAVEN,
AND THAT ARE IN EARTH, VISIBLE and
INVISIBLE, WHETHER THEY
BE THRONES, OR DOMINIONS,
OR PRINCIPALITIES, OR POWERS: all things were created by him, and for him:”
(Col. 1:16) Note that the
thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers
are “in heaven” and
“in earth,” thus they are visible
and invisible.
The visible are human
governments we see on earth as an expression of those in the invisible
heavenly government who oversee the earth. The visible
established governments on earth consist of thrones, dominions,
principalities and powers, which correspond to the invisible
thrones, dominions, principalities and powers of the celestial government in
heaven.
POWERS
OR AUTHORITIES: “Powers”
(Strong’s Lexicon #1849) is from the Greek
“exousia,”
meaning a delegated privileged power,
i.e. (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively)
mastery (concretely, magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated
influence, authority,
jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength.
Thus, the “powers”
(Eph
3:10) are “delegated
authorities” or "
magistrates,” who are under the “Principalities.”
Ephesians 1:21 in the NIV, NASB, and Greek
Interlinear reads “rule
and authority”
for the words “principalities
and
powers” in the KJV. The “Principalities”
are above the “powers.”
The invisible
celestial “powers” oversee the
distribution of “power” among the
visible human governments,
hence their name.
Ephesians
6:12 For we (believers on
earth) wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the RULERS
OF THE DARKNESS of this world, against SPIRITUAL
WICKEDNESS IN HIGH (heavenly) PLACES.
The
“evil principalities and powers” from heaven we now wrestle with will fall
“after the Tribulation.” Matthew
24:29 (Jesus
said) Immediately after
the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon
shall not give her light, and THE
(evil) “STARS” (ANGELS) SHALL FALL from HEAVEN,
and the “POWERS” of the HEAVENS SHALL BE SHAKEN (toppled):
THRONES:
The title “thrones” appear only here in Colossians
1:16.
“For
by him were all things created, that are in
heaven, and that are in earth, VISIBLE and INVISIBLE,
whether they be THRONES,
OR DOMINIONS, OR PRINCIPALITIES, OR
POWERS: all things were created by him, and for him:”
Strong’s Greek Lexicon
defines “thronos” as a throne,
meaning the stately seat; a potentate’s throne, the chair or state for a
sovereign; a sovereign power; the third order of angels. These
angelic creatures are living symbols of God’s justice and authority. The “thronos”
support the actual administration of the will of God delegated first
through the “principalities” and
“powers” to the earth. The mention of “in
earth” means their sphere of authority extends from “heaven”
to “earth”; that is over
the affairs and thrones of human governmental authorities on earth. We’ve
seen both the good and evil authorities in history of human governments over
the centuries.
DOMINIONS:
From Strong’s #2963, “dominion”
is “mastery,” that is
a ruler; government (the power
or right of governing and controlling); possibly exercising command or control
in the name of GOD by regulating the angel’s duties.
“Dominions” work as heavenly governors.
The “Dominions,” translated from the Greek term kyriotites is “Lordships.”
They are angelic beings who appear to preside
over nations on earth by regulating the duties of lower angels.
The fallen “kingdom
and dominion” on earth will be overthrown. Daniels vision interpretation
given to him clearly states that
Israel
shall inherit the “everlasting
kingdom, and all dominions”
on the earth.
Daniel
7:27 And the KINGDOM
AND DOMINION, and the greatness of the kingdom
UNDER the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the
saints of the most High (Israel), whose KINGDOM
IS AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM,
and ALL DOMINIONS shall serve and obey him.
(See also Dan 7:22-27, Zech 9:19-0, Psa 72:8-11).
MIGHTS:
From Strong’s G1410,
is the Greek “dunamai”;
meaning force (literal or
figurative); specially miraculous power.
These “mights” are angels
designated to actually execute heavenly rule on earth. They may actually
intervene in earth’s affairs with power as judgments or blessings.
Taken together, it seems that
the “dominions” and “mights”
execute God’s will over the earth. These are the angels that will gather “the
elect” of
Israel
, who have “received the word” (Act
2:41), at the end of the Tribulation. This occurs in “the
first resurrection” of the just to
heaven. Matt 24:31 And
he shall SEND HIS ANGELS with a
great sound of a trumpet, and THEY SHALL GATHER TOGETHER HIS ELECT from
the four winds, from one end of HEAVEN TO THE OTHER.
In
Luke 17:11-27 we read Jesus’ parable where the “faithful”
ones of
Israel
will be given “authority over ten
cities” (reigning) in “the
kingdom
of
God
” on earth.
No
doubt much of this I’ve written is somewhat sketchy. Yet, we clearly see
there is a heavenly chain of authority that’s handed down from
heaven to earth, to execute the will of God upon the earth. In the case of
Lucifer, his will appears to be executed both directly and through his fallen
angels until they both are dealt with in “the
lake of fire” at the end of the Millennium. Matthew
25:41 Then shall he say
also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into EVERLASTING
FIRE, PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS:
