The Orders and Functions of Angels By James E. Harding Fellow and Past President, Maryland Masonic Research Society In the V.S.L., there are approximately two hundred and ten references to angels. The mention of the two cherubs on the cover of the Ark of the Covenant is well known to many. Many passages could easily be brought to mind. Angels have been there from the beginning and it is incumbent on us to know more about them. There are some interesting facts about angels you may or may not know. They are pure spirits. This means they are immaterial intelligences we would call energy fields. Their bodies are light and are called Light Bodies. With their minds, they can make people think they see them as a human form. They can make people see them with or without wings. Angels do this as their mission dictates. When appearing as human, angels do not perform any human type functions such as eating or drinking. Other aspects of angels include that they cannot be in two places at once. Two angels cannot occupy the same space at the same time. The higher Orders of angels each vibrate at a faster rate than Orders of a lower scale. Any angel eating or drinking terrestrial products would be contaminated and would thereby suffer a loss of vibration. It would take awhile to increase their vibration back to normal. Each angel group is a complete species. They may move to a higher Order or vibration for superior service after many millennia. Humans may move up to be an Ascended Master. Humans would hardly become angels until the next life wave. Basically angels follow orders they are given. They may know a short time into the future as it is needed for their mission, as it is given by God. There are three major categories of angels, which are called Hierarchies. Each hierarchy has three categories known as Orders. Fallen angels also have their own Orders or classifications. All angels communicate psychically with God and pass the orders down to those who are to perform the duty. Of themselves, angels cannot perform miracles. They do the work as directed, for it is the God energy that actually performs any alleged miracles. What we call miracles is actually our lack 1
of knowledge of all of God s laws and how they work. Many inventions we use today would have been seen as miracles a hundred years ago. Angels are superior to humans in most categories. Therefore, they help us humans by strengthening our awareness in all things spiritual. They mostly do their communicating with us in our dream state. Sometimes they communicate telepathically. This occurs with very advanced souls. We all have a guardian angel and a recording angel. The guardian angel looks out for us in very subtle ways. They do not interfere with our life contract. Our free will can overcome their influence. Some say it is that small inner voice which keeps us out of trouble. Have you ever started a trip a little early or a little late, and seen an accident in front of you, or found out later an accident happened on a road after you passed? The recording angel keeps an accurate record of all we do, good and bad. This goes into each person s Akastic record. The guardian angels are noted in Matthew 18:10, and are the lowest classification of angels. There are three Hierarchies of angels, each of which has three Orders. The First Order of angels in the First Hierarchy are the Seraphim. These are called the Burning Ones due to the brilliance of their Light Bodies. The function of the Seraphim is to project and magnify God s love. They illuminate the abilities of the lower tiers of angels. Their name means firemakers, carriers of warmth or ardor. They are closest to the Throne of God. Actually they are the only angels which stand above the Throne of God. When they might even show themselves to humans, they appear to have four faces and six wings. They are reported to use two wings to cover their faces, two wings to cover their feet and two wings to fly with. Enoch is said to have stated that there are only four Seraphim, one for each cardinal direction. Their names are Seraphiel, Jahoel, Metatron and Michael. This is difficult, because many list Michael as an Archangel. Satan is said to have been one of these before the so-called fall from heaven. The Second Order of the First Hierarchy is the group of Cherubim. The Hebrew interpretation means fullness of knowledge, or one who intercedes. The Cherubim are the voice of the divine wisdom. They possess deep insights into the secrets of God. They enlighten the lower level angels with the knowledge to do the 2
duties to which they have been assigned. They emanate holiness through the universe (solar system), in order to insure the universal truths. They also function as God s charioteers. They stand beside the Throne. In the Akkadian area they were shown as sphinxes or bulls with human heads and wings. In the early days of Hebrews, Cherubim were not known as angels. They are first mentioned in Genesis 3:24, where God places them at the East Gate of Eden with flaming swords. Cherubim are mentioned in Exodus 25:18 where God is said to have told Moses to have two Cherubim made of gold for the mercy seat on the cover of the Ark of the Covenant. In Ezekiel 10:14, we find them said to have four faces of a human, a lion, and eagle and a cherub. The Third Order of the First Hierarchy are the Thrones. These high order angels are concerned with justice. The chief Thrones are Orphaniel, Rikbiel, Cherubiel, Raphiel, Gabriel and Zophiel. These angels can undertake all activities that are divine. Some people think they are the Lords of Karma, but I don t think this is true. Thrones perform as the chariots of God as driven by the Cherubim. They reside in the area of the Cosmos where energy condenses into matter and form. They constantly sing hosannas and glorias. They remain in God s presence for all time. They perform divine justice and maintain harmony of all universal laws on all vibrational levels. The First Order of the Second Hierarchy is the Fourth Order of angels called Dominions or Dominations. This name business depends on whom you consider the definitive authority. It is this group s function to command lower angels into whatever they are to perform. These angels are the sources of mercy. The Fifth Order of angels are the Virtues. The Second Hierarchy places Virtues a little lower than the Dominions. The Virtues are given the duty of comprehensive action such as the movement of all heavenly bodies. They are in charge of performing miracles through the power of God. They infuse valor, grace and courage to sentient beings. They are called Shining Ones or Brilliant Ones because of their Light Bodies. They are said to be the angels of the ascension. In pseudepigraphical works, the Virtues and a dozen lesser angels helped Eve prepare for the birth of Cain. 3
Of the Second Hierarchy, the last category is the Sixth Order of angels called Powers. The main function of the Powers is to preserve order in all provenances of God. These are sometimes called Potentates, Dynamis or Authorities. These Powers fight against any evil spirits who try to corrupt humans. They protect all divine plans initiated by Dominions and carried out by Virtues. Some say the Powers were the first created angels, but I doubt it. The Third Hierarchy is the lowest of the three Hierarchies. These lower Orders of angels are the ones who are closely working with humans. The Seventh Order of angels are known as Principalities. These work for the good of a state or nation. In areas of tribes, the whole tribe might have one Principality angel. The same would hold true for a kingdom. Through dreams and psychic thought transfer, they try to teach leaders to lead with love and fairness. Looking at history, they haven t always been successful. Their chief angels are Requel, Arael, Cervel and Nisroc. Also in the Third Hierarchy is the Eighth Order which are the Archangels. These are called the Guardians of Men. It is the concern of the Archangels to announce important news of a spiritual nature. We call Gabriel an Archangel because it was the one reported to have announced the incarnation of the only begotten Word, the Master of all. This is odd because Gabriel is also listed as one of the Cherubim. The Archangels are in charge of God s armies in the eternal fight versus evil. They are the ones to whom guardian angels must report. They are the guardian angels to heads of state and religious leaders. In the Book of Jude 1:9, Michael is called an Archangel. In the Book of Daniel 10:13-21, Michael is alluded to as One of the Chief Princes, also Your Prince, implying he is an Archangel. In Revelation 12:7, Michael is named only as an angel. Why had Michael been listed as one of the Seraphim? The seven who stand before the Throne are given in the Book of Enoch as Uriel, Raquel, Michael, Seraquel, Gabriel, Haniel and Raphael, who was said to be the Prince of the Order. Some of the Apocryphal writings give the Archangel title to Phaniel, Oriphiel, Zadkiel, Anael, Jehudiel, Sealtiel and Barachiel. Maybe all of them are Archangels. Another oddity is that the Roman Catholic Church demoted these great entities to human sainthood. St. Thomas 4
Aquinas is the one who put Michael as an Archangel. The Hebrews claim Michael as their tribal protector. I would find this difficult to prove. They say Michael is male in gender, but this cannot be true since all angelic entities are androgynous, neither male nor female, but a blend of both yin and yang, positive and negative, a blend of male and female. The Ninth Order of angels are the lowest Order of the Third Hierarchy. These angels are ones who have a close association with humans. They perform functions such as guardian angels and recording angels. They also act as messengers. In Psalms 91:11, the scriptures say, For he has charged his angels to guard you wherever you go. Angels also act as couriers of prayers to the proper authorities in the Hierarchy. They also bring back the answers as well as other messages to humans. The Shemhamphoras are the seventy-two (72) angels who bear the names of God. The Shemhamphoresh is called the complete name of God by the Judaic Kabalah. One must note that the seventy-two (72) names of God in Hindu, Buddhism or Brahmanis are not the same. The seventy-two (72) names are derived from the YHVH in the Tetragrammaton. The names are too numerous to be given here. They are available to any serious researcher. Angelic names are reported to have great power. The system of gematria or the method of power in words or names. The count of the numerical value of each letter by a number code. This was revealed by Pythagoras. He learned this method while an initiate in the Mystery Schools in Egypt. A similar system is used by the Kabalists. Christian Mystics have also used this for many years. Not all spirits are angels or discarnate humans. There are a number of nature spirits which are ruled by angels. These nature spirits are many and most are unknown to the general population. Each group of these spirits has its area of work or guardianship. Those humans with spiritually evolved eyes may see them and their Light Bodies. These spirits for the most part are workers and protectors of nature. They are not problem solvers like humans. Most of them have beautiful Light Bodies. Some of the categories are: Undines, which are water sprites; lake spirits; Fairies and Dryads, which are woodland spirits; Grass Elf and Sylphs, 5
which are air spirits; Salamanders, which are fire spirits; and Gnomes, which are earth spirits. To take an overview of what has been covered on the angelic Hierarchies, one must understand that these are all emanations from the divine ideation. The first to emerge from the divine mind were the Seraphims, the numerations. These entities under numerical law, carry out the designs from the divine ideation. There are nine Orders of angels. These are sometimes divided into three groups or Hierarchies. These groups are related to the Sephirothal Tree of Life. In each Order of angels, the head of the group is an appointed office in the government of our universe. Their intelligences are beyond the comprehension of humans. The highest category are the Seraphim, and proceed down the ladder to Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations/Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels and angels. In lesser categories are the nature spirits. These are all a part of our world and other worlds. An important thing to note is that angels would rarely ever incarnate as a human. In a previous cycle of earth s history, the present group of angels were then human. After the coming Great Purification, we humans will move up to the fourth, fifth or sixth dimensional level. Each will move to the level they have earned. Some will perform as angels. The higher primates, dolphins and whales will move into the lower human orders. Some of us will be angels to them. Our present angels will have most of them moved to a higher level. This series of cycles can continue forever. 2001 6