Biblically Accurate Angels

Visions of a Throne...

Since I’ve been talking so much about spirits and demons lately, let’s go ahead and talk about angels to balance the scales a bit.

Angels have no bodies.

They are not corporeal. They are not physical.

To make themselves known to us, they have to show themselves to our mind’s eye.

That, and they have to get permission from the Father.

This is not a pleasant experience, for either party.

You see, in Heaven there is a Throne. On that Throne is a brilliant Light that cannot be obscured. You look in that direction and you are blinded. No matter where or when you reside in Heaven, you look in that direction and you will always see a dazzling spectacle of colors you’ve never seen before, feelings you’ve never felt before, and every other such sensation that there is to feel including those that have yet to ever have been felt. Even if you look away, you would see a faint light coming through your eyes as though lasers were being projected from your pupils.

It would be as though no matter what time of day it is, you could easily pick out where the sun is, even if it were under your feet. It’s a light that penetrates ALL things.

Nothing can hide.

² And immediately I was ravished in the spirit, and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat upon the throne.

³ And he that sat, was to look upon, like unto a Jasper stone, and a sardine, and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like to an emerald.

- Revelation 4: 2-3

Depicted here is my best attempt to show what I’ve seen, using all the skills I know — a glimpse at the infinite mystery that really cannot do it justice. It’s an approximation. A percent of a percent of a percent…

In truth, that Light of Lights is just as mysterious to the angels surrounding it as it is to you or I. That is to say, in the presence of infinite possibility, to understand 1% or 10% of the All is inconsequential. Especially if that infinite is ever-growing. Soon your 1% becomes 0.5%. The angels go from 10% understanding to 5%., and so on.

To “know” what’s on that Throne is like chasing a moving target.

All you can do is stand there and bask in the infinite and timeless Font of the All and beg for mercy…

Weep bitterly, for you are not worthy. None, save the One who Saves is.

Only One can sit in the throne, bask fully in the Light, and not be the least bit unsettled by it. He is so much like the Light itself, that to say they are not the same is impossible for any standing there in its presence. You cannot deny that the two can occupy the same space on the Throne of Thrones simultaneously.

Every. Knee. Shall. Bend.

I cry every time I think about that… Once you’ve seen it yourself, it’s hard not to.

This is the life of an angel and demon alike. To always be in the presence of this being of infinite infinites. A King of Kings. Lord of Lords. God of Gods.

Something you cannot escape. Something you cannot deny.

Something which speaks a tongue foreign to all, yet expects you to understand. You are compelled to listen, though every time you do you are crippled by the experience. It’s like being asked to record notes for a class but every time you look up at the board you are stricken with an unbelievable wave of every sensation imaginable and beyond. You are asked to stare directly into the sun and record every spark and flare that extends from it, knowing that some way, somehow it always manages to make sense in the end.

Very, very few angels can manage that feat. Desperate to be given instruction by the Teacher of Teachers, the Dear Rabbi, they huddle near to the Light of Lights, burning themselves as they try to grasp infinity, if even for a moment. It is their duty to dispense what they can down to everyone else. To do otherwise would result in their protections being revoked by the intense fires. Woe be they who sit next to the fire and seek to claim it for themselves.

We call those angels Seraphim.

Which means “Fiery Ones.”

They’re comparatively the ones who are able enough to stand close enough to an endless rampage of atomic blasts and report back what temperature it’s putting out. Well, at least most of the time… If it weren’t a struggle, they’d be greater than the Source, now wouldn’t they?

Every angel after, such as the Cherubim, Ophanim, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, and Guardians, carry those messages down the line in order to announce the Good News to all of Creation. None are technically “above” or “below” the chain of dissemination just as no link in a chain is greater or worse than any other. Sure, some links are closer to the anchor point, but that matters little in the grand scope of things. Angels are given Authority by what they can do, their Acts. It is by their Acts that their are truly tiered, in keeping with the Promise:

“So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called, but few chosen.” - Matthew 20:16

The Light of Lights is basically in a constant state of simultaneous Spiritual Conception and Labor, and all others are doctors and nurses doing what they can to make sure nothing is amiss. Each mandate, lesson, notion, or nod is treated like the delivery of a newborn babe, with tenderness and care as though one’s life depended on the child’s welfare.

This Chain of Angels is the umbilical cord which connects Us to God.

It’s called by many names. The Sephirot. Jacob’s Ladder. Olympus. Yggdrasil, the World Tree.

Just to name a few…

Point is, all ages and all colors of men who have seen it have attempted to describe this Chain of Binding and Loosing by way of symbolism, because words alone are not a sufficient medium for its description. Many have tried, all have failed, including myself.

Ever as hard as it is to describe the process in its entirety, so too is it difficult to describe each step on this Stairway to Heaven. Its full understanding is not for mortal or immortal mind alike to fully comprehend. We are called to serve, with only but our Faith to reassure us as to the full intended outcome of the Master.

To question the All that knows All is to challenge the King of King, Lord of Lords — to put one’s Self above the Judgement of the All.

Classes of Angels

Each class of angels is unique to itself. They are like different sizes of rock and sediment which have settled over time. The time in which they settled was that hallowed Time Before Times. At that point they were locked into what they were, never to gain or lose what was partitioned for them. Just as a grain of sand is no greater or less than a boulder in prestige, The Light assigned the roles based on what they could do, and by their Acts do we know them.

You can effectively describe angels as such:

Seraphim:

Just as Seraphim, the “ones who sit by the fire” are known by their roles, so too are all other angels known in this way. I’ve said enough about them, so let’s keep moving…

“If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”

Cherubim:

Cherubim means “Blessing” or “Child.” As such, they are often describe with child-like features, such as Cupid. This is very much supposed to illicit the overwhelming joy one might feel as a doctor pulls a baby from the womb and announces whether it is a boy or girl. This is the same feeling all should feel as the Cherubim take the revelations from the Seraphim and hold it up for all to see. A newborn thought from the Father has entered into the world. A new conception has graced our world, and we all shall revel in its coming!

“Rejoice, and be glad! Go forth and spread the Good News!”

Ophanim/Thrones:

Some of the other angels, like the Ophanim, or better known as Thrones, are direct references to that Light’s very own Throne. They are most like the Light’s foundation, station, housing, etc. They determine the credibility of the thing which rests upon them. Only those who have been given proper Authority can inhabit the seat which was prepared for them. Thrones, as an angelic class, make sure no one can rise or fall to a station outside their assigned roles, lest all things topple into ruin.

“A place for everything, and everything in its place.”

Dominions:

Dominions embody the spirit of His reach. The Light reaches out a hand, a foot, or nods his head — each have a Dominion in which the body part can act. So too do these angelic Dominions which oversee certain influences in the very fabric of the Universe have realms of action. An eye does not have the same capacity to act as a foot does. Therefore, it can be said the dominion of an eye is for seeing while the dominion of a foot is for travel. To “walk on your eyes”, while comical in thought, is a misappropriation of the authority afforded each member. Dominions work to ensure nothing trespasses on another’s sphere of influence. Where Thrones maintain vocational stations, Dominions maintain the roles of those stations themselves. They are most associated with the movement stars and planets — as representations of the cardinal concept of Influence itself. A more modern interpretation would be to call them the very embodiment of the “Orbit” of any grand thing.

“If it looks like a duck, quacks a duck, and walks like a duck…”

Virtues:

Virtues are a strange one. The Middle Orders of angels are far more cerebral than anything else. They’re more spiritual in nature than the Lower Order, but more corporeal than the Higher Order. They’re the middle child of the middle children. It’s for that reason they are the most “inert.” They are like forces of nature. Rules of nature. Less idiom, and more just common sense. You drop something and guess what? It falls. A rock is course. A crystal is brittle. A pillow is soft. Metal bends. Blades are sharp. Strings can tangle. If it were not so, then they would not be named as such. A virtue, itself, is the “good” of a thing. The use of a thing. You pick up a tool you’ve never used before and it’s nothing more than a weight. Someone demonstrates its function, and by that function as a tool you know it. It’s useful because it fulfils a role other things cannot. This also includes chemical composition, and our general understanding of engineering and physics. Additionally, virtues entail talent and skill. Some people are better at drawing. Others better at math. The notability of these differences, strengths and weaknesses, are virtues. However, it has less to do with action, and more to do with properties and attributes — the hidden Potential of a thing. Potential is an action yet to flourish.

“Call a spade a spade.”

Powers:

Powers are hard to talk about. Mainly because power, strength, and authority are so alike in the English lexicon. If authority is permission to act, and strength is the will to act, then power is the ability to act. A bomb has a lot of power, for instance. You wouldn’t normally say a bomb has a lot of permission to blow up. You wouldn’t say a bomb has a strong will of its own, would you? Rather, a bomb has a lot of untapped potential. Not just potential, but a LOT of it. Quantity versus quality. Where Virtues detail potential, Powers refer to the intensity of that potential. A King may have authority and strength of will, but without a surplus of loyal subjects to carry out his will, he will not be able to overcome his enemy. It is for this reason that Powers are in charge of keeping demons in check. Powers’ main goal is to hold up walls, and tear them down if necessary. They oversee the ever-curdling heat of Change. The heart of power is found in any weapon. Self restraint. A man who is disarmed is no more peaceful than he is filled with wrath. Taking away a catalyst for change, such as a weapon, does not alter that man’s disposition, only the reach of his intents. Discipline is being armed and choosing peace rather than violence. That is true Power. Binding and Loosing. Including a steady hand to put down a rabid dog.

“Without power you cannot protect anything, let alone your self…”

Principalities:

Principalities are also hard to describe, simply because the meaning hasn’t been relevant since the time of Feudalism. In the age of Kings, Princes, and Lordships, you had zones of land partitioned to certain authorities. Any disputes in these zones were dealt with the areas appropriate leadership, overseers or chiefs, which acted as a judge and ultimate jury. They would made decisions and issue commands. Some were just and fair, others less so… When it was said we “wrestle with Powers and Principalities”, it’s in reference to Judges and Bailiffs being selective with their decrees and actions. The Romans were Powers, the Pharisees were Principalities. Together they abused their authority and handed out unjust decrees, blaming and vilifying one another to avoid retribution.

“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.”

Archangels:

Archangels derive the root word “arch” from “archon” rather than the similar word for bridges. It’s closer to “commander” or “captain” rather than anything else. To put it plainly, if the angels were a military, they would be the Officers. They are of varying authority and decorations despite all being immediately behind the front line. They are less soldiers and more coordinators. Less rulers, and more true to the role of messenger in its most specific form. Something needs to be done, an officer sees to it. Preferably, one task at a time. Give them a mission, they will accomplish that mission. They will recruit a troop of the necessary forces, put together a plan, and enact that plan.

“Always do everything you ask of those you command.”

Guardian Angels:

Guardian Angels I have the least certainty about. They are so numerous, it is like trying to point out which cell in your body is the most important — which represents the average “cell” in the body’s entirety. Each person has a Guardian Angel watching over them. All other angels, I would expect, have toiled to try and figure out the “end” of Humanity based on how many Guardian Angels sat around the Throne when all were conceived in that fleeting moment of Time Before Time versus how many are still yet to be assigned. Would God have made more Guardians than necessary — in expectation that Free Will would lead to the death of many a babe in the womb? How many Guardians never had a chance to serve their human? How many Guardians might have wished their time in service had been more than a day? More than mere seconds? When a demon whispers in the ear of an expectant mother and suggests her to abort her child, is a Guardian disenfranchised of “their” human? Do they feel resentment? Anger? Pity? Do they feel these things against the demon or the One Upon the Throne which assigned them a duty that can no longer be fulfilled, though they were willing? As numerous as grains of sand on the shore or as countless as stars in the sky, I suppose Guardians are like us. Personally, I wonder if each of our Guardian Angels fully embody the personality, traits, and skills that God intended for each of us, should we Deny Our Self and follow our Duty to Him to the letter. Is it possible they are the Spiritual equivalent of our destinies — a rule to measure up to, always by our side?

“O angel of God, my holy guardian, given to me from heaven, enlighten me this day, and save me from all evil. Instruct me in doing good deeds, and set me on the path of salvation.”

Naming Conventions

Some Angels are notable enough to have earned a Title, which is their Name. You see, like I’ve asserted, Angels are known by their Works; their various Actions, Roles, and Duties.

Their names, such as Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are extensions of those dispensed authorities. Micha+El, for example, means “One who is like unto God.” That is to say, he is the angel which most compares to that feeling of overwhelming emotion one feels before the Throne. Standing next to Michael is like standing next to God himself, but only in sensation. If I were to hand you an egg and say “treat this like a newborn baby” then you will understand what I mean by this. You treat the egg tenderly, just as you must treat Michael with the respect you would show if standing before God himself.

Likewise, Gabriel is “Strength of God” and Raphael is “Healing of God.”

Ultimately El is Greek for God, or “Divine” which is why all the notable angels have “El” incorporated into their name somehow. They are named for how closely they emulate an aspect of the Light on the Throne.

“Angel” itself, also follows this rule. Ang+El. It means “Messenger of God.” Since all of the above are messengers disseminating instructions from the Throne, they all bear that generalized title. Lacking a body, and therefore being unable to directly interact with the physical realm, messages are all that angels can do to influence the world, and so are all known by that sentiment. They whisper and guide. Point and direct. Any who fulfil this criteria, are angels, well and truly.

Bodiless Beings

Angels have no corporeal form, hence the very eldritch descriptions of them. Instead, they make themselves "visible" by tapping in to our understanding of symbols. The “eyes” described in the texts are in reference to the modern idea of "portals", which represent the angel's ability to see things small and large simultaneously. This fractal “vision” is why most angels, if not all, have eyes as such a common component among them.

The world of an ant, for example, is a far different perspective than the world of an elephant. To be "covered in eyes" means angels are ever-aware to the doings of all living creatures, big or small, near and far. The concentric rings represent their dominion over cycles, like with the seasons or the rise and fall of nations. Wings are the classical symbol for what is known as Divine Agility, which is the ability to "teleport" like Jesus can after his Resurrection. Add them together and you see that angels are beings that reside in that mysterious place between places, a time between times, and a sight between sights. They are like us, but unbound by flesh -- inhabiting a world strictly of mind and spirit; thoughts and intention.

Figurative and Literal interpretations must be taken into account simultaneously. Lacking a body, spirits are known more by what they do rather than what they are. If they cease to act, they cease to be at all. That's why demons envy our bodies, which grounds us in time and space and affords us abilities to act that are foreign to their realm.

This is what I know of angels.

I hope you got some good use out of it.