Most research shows Angelic hierarchy
is as follows:
First Sphere or First Triad
Seraphim
Serve as the
caretakers of God's throne and continuously sing praises. They are beings of pure light and resonate with fire and love
and are beings of pure thought. They appear with six wings and four heads.
Cherubim
Guardians of light and the stars. Ezekiel describes them as such...
“They had the figures of human beings. However, each had four faces and
each of them had four wings; the legs of each were one rigid leg, and the feet of each were like a single calf's hoof;
and their sparkle was like the luster of burnished bronze.....” Ezekiel 1: 5-11
Ophanim
They are said to be God's actual chariots. The name has a double meaning of “wheels” and “pupil of
the eye”.
Ezekiel 1: 13-19 “......
As I gazed on the creatures, I saw one wheel on the ground next to each of the four faced creatures. As for appearance and
structure of the wheels, they gleamed like beryl..... And when they moved, each could move in the direction of any of
its four quarters; they did not veer when they moved. Their rims were tall and frightening, for the rims of all four were
covered all over with eyes.......”
Second Sphere
or Second Triad
Angels that work as heavenly governors.
Thrones
Living symbols of
God's justice and authority.
Virtues
Supervise the movement of heavenly bodies so the cosmos remains in order. These angels
bestow blessings, usually in the form of miracles. They are also known as Malakim, Dunamis, and Tarshishim. They are associated
with heroes and instill courage, and known as “The Brilliant or Shining Ones”. The Virtues escorted Christ to
Heaven during the Ascension. Leaders are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Bariel, Tarshish, and Satanel (before his fall).
Dominions
Task
of regulating the lower order of Angels. The ruling Princes are said to be Zadkile, Hashmal, Yahriel, and Muriel.
Leaders
self
explanatory
.
Principalities
Carry out orders given to them by the Dominions and bequeath blessings to the material world. They are also
the watchers of nations and great cities on earth.
Rulers
Collaborate in power and authority with other ranks of Angels.
Third Sphere or Third Triad
Angels that function as heavenly messengers
and soldiers.
Powers
Angels of birth and death. They are the angles that guide the souls that have left the
body and have lost their way. They also guard against
demons and the leader is Camael.
Authorities
Archangels
Guardian Angels of nations and countries.
Angels
Lowest order of Angel and the most familiar to man.
The number of angels has only been estimated and is said to be countless.
A few texts have said the number to be this.. Thousands of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand. This would lead
us to think that the number of these angels is countless. In 1467 the number was said to be 400 million Angels.
The Four Sides of God
1) Michael: The merciful and long suffering
2) Raphael: Set over all diseases and all the
wounds of the children of man.
3) Gabriel: Set over the powers
4) Phanuel: Set over the repentance unto hope of those who inherit eternal
life
The four angels ruling the four the four corners of the
earth
Michael : Ruler of the East
Raphael : Ruler of the West
Gabriel : Ruler of
the North
Uriel
: Ruler of the South
The four triplicities, or intelligible hierarchies
1) Seraphim...Cherubim...Thrones
2) Dominations...Powers...Virtues
3) Principalities...Archangels...Angels
4) Innocents...Martyrs...Confessors
9 Angels
ruling the Heavens
Seraphim....Hajothhakados and Merattron
Cherubim.... Jophiel and Ophaniel
Thrones....Aralim
and Zaphkeil
Dominations....Hasmallim
and Zadkeil
Powers....Seraphim
and Camael
Virtues....Malachim
and Raphael
Principalities....Elohim
and Haniel
Archangels....Michael,
Ben, and Elohim
Angels....Gabriel
and Cherubim
Blessed souls....Issim and The soul of the Messiah
