Angelology: Understanding the Celestial Kingdom

Angelology

The knowledge emanating from Angelology has been developing with greater intensity in recent decades. The New Age movement has been the inspiration for the spiritual search and the angels have become the guide that has influenced us to find the answers to issues of the spiritual world that had previously been denied us.

Angels and Archangels

What is angelology or angeology?

It is a discipline that studies everything related to angelic beings. Dig deeper and investigate everything that can allow a greater understanding of the workings of these beings and the kingdom of heaven.

Through the collection of information provided by ancient and various religious texts, angelology has managed to determine the names, roles, attributes and influence on human beings, heavenly hierarchy, outstanding missions, among other characteristics related to angels.

The study of these beings of light is really necessary to understand the workings of the spiritual world. God, in addition to creating living beings incarnated on earth and everything we know, is also surrounded in the spiritual world by a series of entities that protect, inform or represent Divine law, both on earth and in heaven.

History of angelology

It is known that various cultures mention the existence of angels and in one way or another, interpret them as sacred beings, in some cases worthy of worship. They have been identified as messengers of God, even since the time of the caves.

For the Assyrian and Greek culture, angels are quite similar to their gods Hermes or Eros, who were wing bearers. The Romans also include a being of the same nature known to this day as: Cupid. Coincidentally, all these deities are credited with their influence on love in all its expression.

Some philosophers like Plato have talked about the existence of guardian angels who take care of us. The Tanakh speaks of the presence of the Archangel Gabriel and Michael, who fulfilled the task of enlightening Daniel's understanding and protecting the people of Israel, respectively.

In the deuterocanonical text of Tobías the appearance of the Archangel Raphael is related. In the apocryphal book of Enoch the angels participated in the delivery of the Mosaic law. Jerónimo manifested in the 500th century AD. C. that at birth we were assigned a guardian angel. Dionysus said in XNUMX AD. C. that "an angel is the image of God." Gregory the Great in the XNUMXth century AD. C. affirmed that the angels had power over the celestial bodies.

All these are just some examples of how the presence of angels during the history of humanity has been noted in one way or another, remaining in force to this day.

Angelology in Christianity

Christian theology considers angels to be spiritual beings created by God. Also, it affirms the existence of good angels and malevolent angels or demons led by Lucifer.

Due to their Divine origin, angels were created for their purposes. They represent a presence and not a race. That is, they do not die or reproduce. Within Catholicism it is acceptable to venerate angels, but since the Lateran Council in 756 only the archangels Archangel Michael, Gabriel and Raphael have been recognized, to avoid idolatry. However, in the Bible the existence of seven archangels is manifested.

The angelic hierarchy

First hierarchy of the heavenly army or epiphany:

  • Seraphim: they have the first hierarchy of the celestial ladder or choir. Characterized by having a great virtue related to love and devotion. His image is represented as a fiery being, they can manifest as a ball of fire in which a face is revealed; they have three pairs of wings. In the book of Isaiah it is described that with two of their wings they cover their faces, with two their feet and with two they fly, this to preserve themselves from the intense brightness that God emits.
  • Cherubs: they are in the second heavenly choir. Its name means: the fullness of knowledge. It is said to have four wings. His figure has a resplendent and bluish tone; they have feet and hands, and two faces. Some point out that their wings have many eyes due to the virtue of universal knowledge that was imposed on them by God. They are the custodians of the gate of Eden.
  • Thrones: the beings belonging to the third choir, are characterized by having a red figure, and many eyes on their body. Other texts claim that they are identified with the appearance of various creatures, wild beasts, domesticated animals, humans, and birds. Your mission is to serve as a heavenly seat or guard the throne of God.

Second hierarchy of the heavenly army or hyperphania:

  • Dominations: the fourth angelic choir belongs to them. The mission of these beings is to lead the group of remaining angels, whose hierarchy is lower than yours. They are the ones that integrate and balance the physical world with the spiritual one.
  • Virtues: the fifth heavenly choir. Its mission is that miracles are fulfilled. His image is characterized by wearing vestments similar to those of deacons and holding a branch of lis. They carry a sword and a sacred book that represents their wisdom and strength; a container with perfume representing the prayer; and also: scales, trumpets or rays that refer to the performance they will have during the Final Judgment.
  • Powers: the sixth heavenly choir corresponds to them. They are identified as bearers of the royal diadem. Its mission is to protect men, preserve cosmic harmony and physical laws, and maintain the boundaries between the spiritual world and the earthly world.

Third hierarchy of the heavenly army or Hypophany:

  • Principalities: it is the seventh heavenly choir. They are the guarantors and protectors of the governments and nations of the world. They are usually identified with the usual characteristics of angels but they can change their outfit.
  • Archangels: represent the eighth heavenly choir. These beings are the most difficult to define and the most studied by angeology, since each one has its own name and characteristics. Interestingly, most of their names end in "the" which refers directly to God. The missions of the archangels are particular and commissioned directly by the Creator. Another peculiarity is that his image is the same as that of angels, the difference between them is based on virtue and the attributions assigned by God.
  • Angels: the last choir of the army of God. They are the closest to human beings. Its mission is the protection of humanity, individually. They are usually identified with youthful, childish, and subtle faces; they have curly hair; bearers of a pair of wings. It is also believed that his way of identifying himself can be adapted to the times. In addition, they are in charge of praising and worshiping God. They are known as guardian angels, whose work is assigned directly by God for the protection, guardian and guide during the earthly life of the souls, helping him to facilitate their arrival back to heaven.

Evil or fallen angels

These do not belong to any heavenly choir since they were thrown from heaven for disobeying or rebelling against God. Some claim that their wings are ripped off and others believe they keep them. They are led by the Archangel lucifer.

Not all fallen angels were cast out of heaven for directly opposing God. Some of them became fallen for committing the sin of lust mixing with humans and having offspring, when they were sent to earth to carry out vigilance work. Others also departed from God's standards by teaching humans unauthorized knowledge or technology, such as the use of weapons. All this is widely related in the texts known through the book of Enoch.

Some of the Archangels that appear in ancient texts or sacred scriptures:

  • Archangel Michael: leader and warrior of the celestial militia. Always victorious over the devil.
  • Archangel Raphael: he is a healing angel.
  • Archangel Gabriel: the messenger and announcer of God.
  • Archangel Sariel: vigilant of sinners, and of the injustices of which he gives an account to God.
  • Archangel Raguel: the «friend of God». Representative of justice, and harmony.
  • Archangel Remiel: angel of love, union, and true bonds.
  • Archangel Uriel: angel of sunlight and stars, bearer of the flaming sword.
  • Archangel Maltiel or Baraquiel: bearer of roses kept in the fold of his mantle.
  • Archangel Jehudiel or Jofiel: he has a royal crown in one hand, and in the other a three-stringed whip.
  • Archangel Sealtiel or Seadquiel: he is always peaceful, in a prayer position, or with his hands joined before his chest.
  • Archangel Metatron: custodian of all knowledge of the history of the universe.
  • Archangel Munqar: in charge of the judgment of souls.
  • Archangel Ridhwan: custodian of paradise.
  • Archangel Naquir: guardian of the souls in the final judgment.
  • Archangel Chamuel - the angel of strength, courage and war.
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