Quickly

 “Angels perform the will of God quickly in their desires as a man flies quickly in his thoughts.” (Saint Hildegard)

I always like to know the chain of command in an organization (or church) I am connected to. It helps to know who to go to with a suggestion, complaint, or compliment. If I really feel I need to in a situation, I will go to the top person. That is in a rare situation because I find that makes people nervous (or angry).

I am thankful that when it comes to prayer that I have access to the “top person,” and He desires for me to come to Him whenever I have a need or concern. Recently, I have been curious about gaining more knowledge about the hierarchy of heavenly angels. Here are my findings:

The First Hierarchy

Seraphim are considered to be the most divine creatures from the Old Testament of the Bible. This class of angels is considered to be the direct caretaker of the throne of God. These creatures have 6 wings (2 to cover the feet, 2 to cover the face, and 2 for flight, Isaiah 6:1-7.

Cherubim are the winged angels who are responsible for supporting the throne of God. They also act as guardian spirits. These angels were first referred to as the chariot of God, and were later considered to the angels. These creatures have 4 faces, 4 wings, 2 to cover feet, and 2 for flight, Ezekiel 10:14,

Thrones are the class in the highest hierarchy of angels and are considered as the symbols of God’s authority and justice. The common reference about this class of celestial creatures is that they are related to the throne of God. These creatures have a flaming, rotating inner circle with eyes, Daniel 7:9.

The Second Hierarchy

Dominions are considered to be the authority on rest of the classes of angels which follow behind this class. These are considered to send power to the management and governing authorities on earth, set up by God Himself, Colossians 1:16,

Virtues are considered as the symbols of divine strength and are responsible for blessing the saints with the power of doing miracles like foretelling the future or healing the sick, Ephesians 1:21.

Powers are considered to be the defending angels, who defend humans and cosmos against the evil. They are also considered to have control over stars, moon, seasons and even the sun. They are also responsible for providing grace and courage to worthy and deserving humans, Ephesians 3:10.

The Third Hierarchy

Principalities are named that because they have command over the lower level angels. They take care that all the divine orders are being fulfilled. The angels in this class are also responsible for raising worthy and deserving people to higher and honorable levels, Ephesians 1:21.

Archangels are responsible for acting as God’s messenger in critical times. They are considered to be the heralds of good news, reveal knowledge, and gives God’s prophecies to humans, 1 Thessalonians 4:16.

Angels are considered to be closest to human beings in character. They fulfill the gap between humans and God and act as a bridge between the two. They carry prayers to the God, and God’s responses and messages back to humans, Hebrews 13:2.

“Angels are not any extraordinary beings with wings and a halo. They are ordinary people living ordinary lives. But they have special qualities that touch our heart and soul in special ways. They are truly our best friends.” (Aarti Khurana)[i]

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[i] Adapted from:

·        “Hierarchy of Angels” by www.hierarchystructure.com

·       “Explanation and Hierarchy of 9 Choirs of Angels” by Soul Painter

 

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Have a Heavenly Labor Day