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ANGEL-RELATED ITEMS:
(skip down to angel names)

HIERARCHIES: According to pseudo-Dionysius, there are

three hierarchies, each consisting of three choirs (orders).
They are:

1. Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones,

serving as heavenly counselors.

2. Principalities, Virtues, and Powers,

serving as governors.

3. Dominions, Archangels, and Angels,

serving as messengers.

This list was altered and expanded on in the Middle Ages,

as follows:

1. Seraphim, Cherubim, and Archangels,

serving as heavenly counselors.

2. Dominions, Virtues, Principalities, Rulers,

Authorities, Powers, and Thrones, serving
as governors.

3. Angels, servings as messengers.

ANGELS: The Angels are the most familiar to mankind.

The word comes from Greek angelos/aggelos, meaning
"messenger; envoy; announcer." The Hebrew is mal'ach,
meaning "messenger." It is said that the main concern of
Angels is human affairs, including acting as messengers
and envoys between heaven and earth. However, the idea
of angelic beings communicating with mankind has largely
vanished from popular belief.

ARCHANGELS: Archangel is a compound word composed

of Greek arch "higher, original" and angelos "messenger,"
hence "high messenger" or "original messenger." In
Christianity, the Archangels number seven; in the Koran,
four. They tend to endeavors of great importance to
mankind, and act as administrators to the other heavenly
beings.

In Jewish astrology, the Archangels are associated with the

planets as follows:

1. Raphael/Sun

2. Gabriel/Moon

3. Michael/Mercury

4. Anael (Aniel)/Venus

5. Samael/Mars

6. Zadkiel (Sachiel)/Jupiter

7. Kafziel (Cassiel)/Saturn

The Ethiopian Enoch, gives us the following names:

1. Gabriel

2. Michael

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3. Raguel

4. Raphael

5. Remiel

6. Uriel

7. Zerachiel

AUTHORITIES: These "governors" are the authors of

documents and doctrines pertaining to the ideologies
formulated by the Rulers and Powers.

CHERUBIM [sing. cherub]: Depending upon which

tradition one follows, the Cherubim have two sets of wings,
and anywhere from one to four faces, either with
anthropomorphic features, or they have one face each of
man, ox, lion, and eagle. They have also been described as
having the stature and hands of a man, and cloven feet
like Satan, yet they bear wings like deities. They are the
guardians of light and stars, and in Genesis, they are
described as guardians of the Tree of Life, along with a
flaming sword. When God was still making personal
appearances on Earth, the cherubim were described as His
living chariot, perhaps synonymous with the "wings of the
wind" mentioned in Psalms xviii, and 2 Samuel xxii: "And
he rode upon a cherub and did fly: and he was seen upon
the wings of the wind." Ezekiel described the cherubim as
having many eyes "like burning coals of fire." The word,
cherub, may be related to Assyrian kirabu, the name of a
winged bull-god, or to Akkadian kuribu and Babylonian
karabu, both meaning "blessed" and applying to spirits who
served the gods as advisors and intermediaries. [Note: the
bible mentions the cherubim in Gen. 3:24; Ezek.
10:17-20; and 1 Kings 6:23-28.]

DOMINIONS aka HASHMALLIM: The Dominions oversee

the duties of the lower angels, and keep the cosmos in
order. [Note: The word dominions is mentioned by Paul in
Col. 1:16, and in Eph. 1:21 where it translates to Kyriotes
in Greek. But it is not known if Paul was referring to the
dominions of angels or men.]

POWERS: The Powers are said to resemble a psychedelic

mist or haze, and are said to be the bearers of conscience
and keepers of history. They are the angels of birth and
death, but they are mainly concerned with philosophy and
theology, and the distribution of power among mankind.
Ancient Syrian tradition gave the Powers governance over
the sun. [Note: In Eph. 1:21, and Col. 1:16, the word
power translates to exousiai in Greek, and potestates in
Latin.]

PRINCIPALITIES: The Principalities are said to resemble

light-rays, and to be the guardian angels of the world's
countries and nations whose political, military, and
economic issues are their main concern, including deciding
who among humanity will be rulers.

RULERS: The Rulers are the developers of ideologies

which are documented by the Authorities.

SERAPHIM [sing. Seraph]: The six-winged Seraphim are

said to emanate such a bright light that not even other
divinities can bear to gaze upon them; for this reason,
they are also known as "the fiery ones" or "burning ones."

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they are also known as the fiery ones or burning ones.

Their duties consist of protecting, and caring for God's
throne and singing His praise: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord
of hosts. All the earth is filled with His Glory." Some
Christians believe that Satan was a Seraphim before his
fall from Heaven, ranking second in power to God and
sporting twelve wings. [Note: the bible mentions the
Seraphim in Isaiah 6:1-7.]

THRONES aka Ophanim [sing. ophan]: The Thrones

have been described as tiny color-shifting spheres, as well
as a wheel that moves back and forth set within another
wheel that moves sideways and has numerous eyes. The
Thrones are the "wheels" seen by Ezekiel, and by John in
Revelation. They are called Thrones because it is their duty
to carry God's throne; however their main concerns are
political, military, and economic. They are connected with
the planets, as well as four constellations of the zodiac:
Aquarius, Leo, Taurus, and Scorpio. Ophanim derives from
Hebrew ophan "wheel," from aphan, "to revolve, turn."
[Note: Thrones are mentioned by Paul in Col. 1:16, but it
is not known if he was referring to the Angelic Thrones.]

URIM and THUMMIM: The words Urim and Thummium

come from Hebrew ur "light" and thum "perfection" + the
masculine plural suffix -im, hence "light and perfection."
Urim and Thummim are sometimes called the angels of
light and illumination, but in the bible they are described
as stones or some kind of oracular instrument prepared by
God with which revelation could be received by the user.
"And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim
and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron's heart
when he goes in before the LORD." (Ex. 28:30). The
breastplate, worn by High Priests, had 12 gemstones
mounted on it, each inscribed with a name of the twelve
tribes of Israel. It is believed by some that the device
functioned as a kind of ouija board with the Urim ("lights")
flashing coded messages that High Priests translated with
the Thummim ("decoder"). It is also said that at least three
different Urim and Thummim existed in antiquity; the first
was possessed by the brother of Jared; the second was
given to Abraham, and the third was possessed by Moses.
The bible mentions one individual who made a counterfeit
breastplate in which he substituted teraphim for the Urim
and Thummim. Even less is known about the mysterious
teraphim.

VIRTUES aka FORTRESSES aka STRONGHOLDS: The

Virtues reside beyond the Thrones and are equal in power
to the Principalities. They are said to be the sparks of light
that inspire mankind in the arts and sciences. The Virtues
correspond to the planet Mars.

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