In the celestial hierarchy, what is the highest order of angels?
"in the angelic hierarchy, following the seraphim. Cherubim are regarded in traditional Christian angelology as angels of the second highest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy. ""De Coelesti Hierarchia"" (ca. 5th century) lists them alongside Seraphim and Thrones. In Western art, cherubim became associated with the putto and the Greco-Roman god Cupid/Eros, with depictions as small, plump, winged boys. Artistic representations of cherubim in Early Christian and Byzantine art sometimes diverged from scriptural descriptions. The earliest known depiction of the tetramorph cherubim is the 5th-6th century apse mosaic found in the Thessalonian Church of Hosios David. This mosaic is an"
"(Heb.: מַלְאָכִים), i.e. the ""plain"" angels (Gr.: ἄγγελοι, pl. of Gr.: ἄγγελος, ""angelos"", i.e. messenger or envoy), are the lowest order of celestial beings, and the most recognized. They are the ones most concerned with the affairs of men. Within the category of the angels, there are many different kinds, with different functions. The angels are sent as messengers to humanity. Personal guardian angels come from this class. Personal guardian angels are not of a separate order but rather come from the order of Angels. It is a common belief that they are assigned to every human being, Christian or"
"angelic beings called ""yazata""s having key positions in the day-name dedications on the Zoroastrian calendar. Angels are occasionally presented in role-playing games as having ordered hierarchies, within which higher level angels have more power and the ability to cast more spells or exercise other magical abilities. For example, Angels in ""Dungeons & Dragons"", a subgroup of the beings called Celestials, come in three different types, the progressively more powerful Astral Deva, Planetar, and Solar. Hierarchy of angels A hierarchy of angels is a belief or tradition found in the angelology of different religions, which holds that there are different levels"
"Hierarchy of angels A hierarchy of angels is a belief or tradition found in the angelology of different religions, which holds that there are different levels or ranks of angels. Higher ranks may be asserted to have greater power or authority over lower ranks, and with different ranks having differences in appearance, such as varying numbers of wings or faces. The Jewish angelic hierarchy is established in the Hebrew Bible, Talmud, Rabbinic literature, and traditional Jewish liturgy. They are categorized in different hierarchies proposed by various theologians. For example, Maimonides, in his ""Mishneh Torah"" or ""Yad ha-Chazakah: Yesodei ha-Torah"", counts"
"ranks of angels, beginning from the highest: Eliyahu de Vidas, in his ""Reshit Chochmah"", also listed ten ranks of angels, beginning from the highest: Kabbalah describes the angels at length. Angels are described in Kabbalah literature as forces that send information, feelings, between mankind and the God of Israel. They are analogized to atoms, wavelengths or channels that help God in his creation, and it is therefore, reasoned that they should not be worshipped, prayed to, nor invoked. They are not physical in nature but spiritual beings, like spiritual atoms. Therefore, the Kabbalah reasons, when they appear in the Hebrew"
"God's intended meaning (Zechariah 1:9-5:11). As a subcategory of heavenly beings, ""mal’akim"" occupy the sixth rank of ten in Maimonides' Jewish angelic hierarchy. The Talmud names four angels who would later be known as archangels, surrounding God's throne: Maimonides, in his ""Mishneh Torah"", counted ten ranks of angels in the Jewish angelic hierarchy, beginning from the highest: The ""Zohar"", in ""Exodus 43a"", also lists ten ranks of angels, beginning from the highest: Jacob Nazir, in his ""Maseket Atzilut"", also listed ten ranks of angels, beginning from the highest: Abraham ben Isaac of Granada, in his ""Berit Menuchah"", also listed ten"
"of angels, with each Hierarchy containing three Orders or Choirs. There is no standard hierarchical organization in Islam that parallels the Christian division into different ""choirs"" or spheres, and the topic is not directly addressed in the Quran. However, it is clear that there is a set order or hierarchy that exists between angels, defined by the assigned jobs and various tasks to which angels are commanded by God. Some scholars suggest that Islamic angels can be grouped into fourteen categories, with some of the higher orders being considered archangels. There is also an informal Zoroastrian angelic hierarchy, with specific"
"ten ranks of angels. The most influential Christian angelic hierarchy was that put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in the 4th or 5th century in his book ""De Coelesti Hierarchia"" (""On the Celestial Hierarchy""). Dionysius described nine levels of spiritual beings which he grouped into three orders: During the Middle Ages, various schemes were proposed, some drawing on and expanding on Pseudo-Dionysius, others suggesting completely different classifications. Pseudo-Dionysius (""On the Celestial Hierarchy"") and Thomas Aquinas (""Summa Theologiae"") drew on passages from the New Testament, specifically Ephesians 1:21 and Colossians 1:16, to develop a schema of three Hierarchies, Spheres or Triads"
"that function as the actual chariots of God driven by the cherubs. They are characterized by peace and submission; God rests upon them. Thrones are depicted as great wheels containing many eyes, and reside in the area of the cosmos where material form begins to take shape. They chant glorias to God and remain forever in his presence. They mete out divine justice and maintain the cosmic harmony of all universal laws. Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite includes the Thrones as the third highest of 9 levels of angels. Thrones The Thrones (, pl. θρόνοι; , pl. ""throni"") are a class of"
"This hierarchy constitutes a threefold structure, each level of which consists of three orders or ranks of celestial intelligences, giving a total of nine such interlocking and mutually participating orders. The function of the lowest of these orders, that of the angels, has two aspects. The first is to transmit the divine grace and illumination, which it has received from God through the meditation of the orders about it, to the order below it, the human order, that taken as a whole thus represents the tenth order, the second is to convert the human intelligence, the ""finest of all the"
"Angel An angel is generally a supernatural being found in various religions and mythologies. In Abrahamic religions, angels are often depicted as benevolent celestial beings who act as intermediaries between God or Heaven and humanity. Other roles of angels include protecting and guiding human beings, and carrying out God's tasks. Within Abrahamic religions, angels are often organized into hierarchies, although such rankings may vary between sects in each religion. Such angels are given specific names or titles, such as Gabriel or ""Destroying angel."" The term ""angel"" has also been expanded to various notions of spirits or figures found in other"
"Thrones The Thrones (, pl. θρόνοι; , pl. ""throni"") are a class of celestial beings mentioned by Paul the Apostle in . According to the New Testament, these high celestial beings are among those Orders at the Christ's service. They are the carriers of the Throne of God, hence the name. According to Matthew Bunson, the corresponding order of angels in Judaism is called the ""abalim"" or """"arelim""/""erelim"", but this opinion is far from unrivaled. The Hebrew word ""erelim"" is usually not translated ""Thrones"", but rather ""valiant ones"", ""heroes"", ""warriors"". The function ascribed to ""erelim"" in and in Jewish folklore"
"""ecclesia"" (Gr. root ""ekklesia"" from the New Testament passages), theologically equated as the Church, the forerunner of the spiritual ""New Israel"". Some make a distinction between archangel (with a lower-case a) and Archangel (with an uppercase A). The former can denote the second-lowest choir (arch-angels in the sense of being just above the lowest Choir of angels that is called only ""angels"") but the latter may denote the highest of all the angels (i.e., Arch-angels in the sense of being above ""all"" angels, of ""any"" Choir. The seven highest Seraphim, Michael, being the highest of all). The ""angels"" or ""malakhim"""
"Christian angelology In Christianity, angels are agents of God, based on angels in Judaism. The most influential Christian angelic hierarchy was that put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in the 4th or 5th century in his book ""De Coelesti Hierarchia"" (""On the Celestial Hierarchy""). During the Middle Ages, many schemes were proposed about the hierarchy of demons, some drawing on and expanding on Pseudo-Dionysius, others suggesting completely different classifications. According to medieval Christian theologians, the angels are organized into several orders, or ""Angelic Choirs"". Pseudo-Dionysius (""On the Celestial Hierarchy"") and Thomas Aquinas (""Summa Theologica"") drew on passages from the New"
"order of angels"" or, according to other versions of 2 Enoch, ""one of the order of archangels"" or ""one of the ranks of the archangels"" ""conceived an impossible thought, to place his throne higher than the clouds above the earth, that he might become equal in rank to [the Lord's] power. And [the Lord] threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air continuously above the bottomless."" Although in this chapter the name ""Satanail"" is mentioned only in a heading added in one manuscript, this chapter too is often understood to refer to"
"guarding the throne of God. Other guard-like duties include being posted in locations such as the gates of Eden (Gen.3:24). Cherubim were mythological winged bulls or other beasts that were part of ancient Near Eastern traditions. This angelic designation might be given to angels of various ranks. An example would be Raphael who is ranked variously as a Seraph, Cherub, and Archangel . This is usually a result of conflicting schemes of hierarchies of angels. It is not known how many angels there are but one figure given in Revelation 5:11 for the number of ""many angels in a circle"
"Seraphiel Seraphiel (Hebrew שׂרפיאל, meaning ""Prince of the High Angelic Order"") is the name of an angel in the apocryphal Book of Enoch. Protector of Metatron, Seraphiel holds the highest rank of the Seraphim with the following directly below him, Jehoel. In some texts, he is referred to as the Angel of Silence. Eponymously named as chief of the Seraphim, one of several for whom this office is claimed, Seraphiel is one of eight judge angels and a prince of the Merkabah. In 3 Enoch, Seraphiel is described as an enormous, brilliant angel as tall as the seven heavens with"
"Archangeli"""", as did the 8th-century Gregorian Sacramentary. Some of these documents refer to a no longer extant ""Basilica Archangeli"" on via Salaria in Rome. The angelology of Pseudo-Dionysius which was widely read as of the 6th century gave Michael a rank in the celestial hierarchy. Later, in the 13th century, others such as Bonaventure believed that he is the prince of the Seraphim, the first of the nine angelic orders. According to Thomas Aquinas (""Summa"" Ia. 113.3), he is the Prince of the last and lowest choir, the Angels. Catholics often refer to Michael as ""Holy Michael, the Archangel"" or"
"explained his view of angels in his ""Guide for the Perplexed"" II:4 and II Maimonides had a neo-Aristotelian interpretation of the Bible. Maimonides writes that to the wise man, one sees that what the Bible and Talmud refer to as ""angels"" are actually allusions to the various laws of nature; they are the principles by which the physical universe operates. Maimonides, in his ""Yad ha-Chazakah: Yesodei ha-Torah"", counts ten ranks of angels in the Jewish angelic hierarchy, beginning from the highest: From the ""Jewish Encyclopedia"", entry ""Angelology"". (Only these two angels are mentioned by name in the Hebrew Bible; the"
"to Falling. Bands do not tend to have a similar problem; redeeming a demon typically requires Superior intervention, whereas an angel can Fall spontaneously by itself. Angels and demons usually work for one of the thirteen main Archangels or fourteen main Demon Princes. These are celestials who are each bound to a powerful ""Word,"" or fundamental concept. Not every Word-bound celestial is a Superior; only the most important, most powerful, and most knowledgeable earn Superior status. For instance, Michael is the Archangel of War. Doxas, Angel of Glory, is his lieutenant and, while respected, does not bear the title and"
"the words ""Before me Raphael; Behind me Gabriel; On my right hand Michael; On my left hand Auriel [Uriel]..."" Archangel An archangel is an angel of high rank. The word ""archangel"" itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions, but beings that are very similar to archangels are found in a number of religious traditions. The English word ""archangel"" is derived from the Greek ἀρχάγγελος (""arch-"" + ""angel"", literally ""chief angel"" or ""angel of origin""). It appears only twice in the New Testament in the phrase ""with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God"" (1 Thessalonians"
"Archdemon In some Occult and similar writings, an archdemon (also spelled archdaemon) is a spiritual entity, prominent in the infernal hierarchy as a leader of demons. Essentially, the archdemons are the evil counterparts of the archangels. Archdemons are described as the leaders of demonic hosts, just as archangels lead choirs of angels. Based upon the writings of Saint Paul (Col. 1:16; Eph. 1:21) the angelic court had been constructed by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and comprised nine orders of angels with three orders each to three hierarchies. The First Hierarchy consists of: Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones. The Second Hierarchy consists of:"
"Ishim (angel) In Judaism, the Ishim (Heb. אִישִׁים - ""men"", ""personages"", ""personalities"", ""individuals"") or Eshim (אֵשִׁים - ""fires"", ""flames"", ""sparks"", ""conflagrations"") are a class of angels said to be the closest to the affairs of mortals. They are composed of fire and snow, and are described as the ""beautiful souls of just men"" who reside in Makon, the 5th Heaven. Since the dawn of Creation, the Ishim primarily exist to extol and praise the glory of the Lord, a function that is much similar to that of the Song-Uttering Choirs. In the ""Zohar"", the Ishim are usually ranked as 10th"
"is called Zachariel. Philosophies(tropes): Zerachiel Archangel Zachariel(""God's command"") or Zahariel is one of the primary angels who leads souls to judgement. An Angel of Healing, he is also the presiding angel of the sun, prince of ministering angels (those who watch over mortals), and the angel of children, particularly children of parents who have sinned (and are therefore at risk of falling into sin as adults themselves). He is said to have dominion over the earth. In Enoch I (the Book of Enoch) he is listed as one of the seven archangels. In the list of Pope Gregory I, one"
"Archangel An archangel is an angel of high rank. The word ""archangel"" itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions, but beings that are very similar to archangels are found in a number of religious traditions. The English word ""archangel"" is derived from the Greek ἀρχάγγελος (""arch-"" + ""angel"", literally ""chief angel"" or ""angel of origin""). It appears only twice in the New Testament in the phrase ""with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God"" (1 Thessalonians 4:16) and in relation to 'the ""archangel"" Michael' (Jude 9). The corresponding but different Hebrew word in the Hebrew"
"ar-Ruh or the Spirit, who is actually first in order and the greatest. His breath quickens the creatures and he knows the order of the spheres, planets, elements, minerals etc. He is the one who decides the movement and stillness of things by the will of God. This angel is followed by Israfil; he transmits the orders of God and blows the horn. He is not mentioned in the Qur'an but in hadith and linked to the Day of Resurrection. Israfil carries the “tablet” (lawh) and the “pen” (qalam). Whether the abovementioned angels or Gabriel, Michael or others all of"
"Zaphkiel Zaphkiel (), also written as Tzaphqiel,Tzaphkiel, Zafkiel, Zafchial, Zaphchial, Zaphiel, or Zelel, is an archangel. His name means ""God's knowledge"". He is sometimes equated with Jophiel/Zophiel, but other times considered to be a different angel. Zaphkiel is ""chief of the order of thrones and one of the 9 angels that rule Heaven; also one of the 7 archangels."" He can watch people when they need to make important decisions and when they need to put them into words for others. If they are unsure of the words, he will help them to make the message more clear. He is"
"Saint Jerome, the concept of guardian angels is in the ""mind of the Church"". He stated: ""how great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from his birth an angel commissioned to guard it"". The first Christian theologian to outline a specific scheme for guardian angels was Honorius of Autun in the 12th century. He said that every soul was assigned a guardian angel the moment it was put into a body. Scholastic theologians augmented and ordered the taxonomy of angelic guardians. Thomas Aquinas agreed with Honorius and believed that it was the lowest order of angels who"
"study specifically in the context of the Catholic Church. Most descriptions of angels in the Bible describe them in military terms. For example, in terms such as encampment (Gen.32:1–2), command structure (Ps.91:11–12; Matt.13:41; Rev.7:2), and combat (Jdg.5:20; Job 19:12; Rev.12:7). Its specific hierarchy differs slightly from the Hierarchy of Angels as it surrounds more military services, whereas the Hierarchy of angels is a division of angels into non-military services to God. Cherubim are depicted as accompanying God's chariot-throne (Ps.80:1). refers to two Cherub statues placed on top of the Ark of the Covenant, the two cherubim are usually interpreted as"
"angels that were Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones. The second hierarchy includes Powers, Dominions, and Virtues. The third hierarchy includes Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. Many of the names and ranks of these demons appear in the Sabbath litanies of witches, according with Jules Garinet's ""Histoire de la magie en France"", and Collin De Plancy's ""Dictionnaire Infernal"". Francis Barrett, in his book ""The magus"" (1801), offered this classification of demons, making them princes of some evil attitude, person or thing: In the study of demonology, many spirits are classified by office, rank, or titles which theologians believe were once held in heaven"
"angels is one of the articles of Iman. Unseen beings of a luminous and spiritual substance, angels act as intermediaries between God and the visible world. Also superior in substance, angels are inferior to mankind, because man can reflect the image of God. The verse 2:34 implies the superiority of the mankind. God revealed the Quran to Muhammd by Gabriel who was also his guide on Mi'raj. The angels record the deeds of men. They follow the commands of God and do not precede him 21:27. Izz al-Din Kashani discusses that the angels are different in degree and station. Some"
"Angels in Islam In Islam, angels (Arabic: """"; plural: ملاًئِكة ""mala'ikah"") are celestial beings, created from a luminious origin by God to perform certain tasks he has given them. The angels from the angelic realm are subordinates in a hierarchy headed by one of the archangels in the highest heavens. Belief in angels is one of the six Articles of Faith in Islam. Islam acknowledges the concept of angels both as anthropomorphic and abstract. It does not mean Islamic scholars depict them as either personified creatures or abstract forces: Some scholars distinguished between the angels, charged with carrying the laws"
"that not even the angels knew. Hadraniel Hadraniel (or Hadarniel among other variant spellings), whose name means ""majesty [or greatness] of God"", is an angel in Jewish Angelology assigned as gatekeeper at the second gate in heaven. He is supposed to be more than sixty myriads of parasangs (approximately 2.1 million miles) tall and a daunting figure to face. When Moses arrived in heaven to get the Torah from God, it was said that he was speechless with awe at the sight of Hadraniel. Hadraniel didn't think Moses should have the Torah, and made him weep in fear, which caused"