In accordance with Orthodox doctrine, God created not solely the seen world, but additionally the invisible, non secular world. What do we all know concerning the world of “Powers of heaven”?
From historical Greek, the phrase ὁ ἄγγελος (angelos) is translated as “messenger”, “messenger”.
Good angels carry messages from God, perform His orders and proclaim His will, so assembly with them can be a gathering with God who despatched them.
Angels, in response to the testimony of Holy Scripture, the lives of saints and the writings of the Fathers of the Church, seem, for instance, through the transition from this life to a different world. Within the Outdated Testomony, angels generally even destroy and slay individuals (2 Kings 19:35; 1 Chron. 21:15-16; 2 Chron. 32:21; Is. 37:36), though, after all, far more typically they defend and save an individual.
An angel (Greek messenger, messenger) is a non secular, invisible being, which, like man, was created by God and has a private being. Within the relationship between man and God, angels carry out a service function: they proclaim to individuals the desire of God.
In accordance with the teachings of the Orthodox Church, all angels (Heavenly Forces) are divided into three faces. In flip, every face is subdivided into three extra. This division relies on two ideas: the diploma of closeness to God and the kind of service.
A technique or one other, however the look of an angel is definitely a really, very troublesome take a look at. It is vitally necessary to know that the holy fathers suggested to be extraordinarily cautious concerning the look of angels or spirits, and reasonably to not belief them. In spite of everything, “Devil is reworked into an angel of sunshine… and his servants are reworked as servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). That is what St. Ignatius Brianchaninov mentioned concerning the sensual manifestation of spirits, to whom, within the opinion of Hieromonk Seraphim Rose (“The Soul After Loss of life”), belongs the clearest Orthodox consideration of the query of an individual’s potential to make contact with non secular beings.
If the primordial man, clothed in an immortal physique and alien to illnesses and fatness, had the flexibility for direct sensual communication with spirits and with God himself, then after the autumn he misplaced it. Now, “because of excessive stoutness and rudeness, bodily emotions aren’t able to speaking with spirits, they don’t see them, they don’t hear them, they don’t really feel … Holy spirits have prevented communication with individuals, as unworthy of such communication; the fallen spirits, which have dragged us into their fall, have mingled with us, and so as to extra conveniently maintain us in captivity, they’re making an attempt to make themselves and their chains invisible to us… All of us, who’re in bondage to sin, have to know that communion with holy angels are uncommon for us due to our alienation from them by the autumn, which is attribute of us for a similar motive, communion with outcast spirits, to the class of which we belong in soul … Sensually showing to people who find themselves in sinfulness and fall, they’re demons, and no holy angels” .
First rank
Seraphim. Reference: Isaiah 6:2. Translation: Hebrew, c. – burning, fiery, flaming;
Six-winged angels, closest to God. They bought their title from the fiery love that they’ve for his or her Creator.
Cherubim. Reference: Ex 25:18–20; 37:7–9, and so on.; Heb 9:5
Translation: Hebrew. kerubim – minds, distributors of data and knowledge;
4-winged and four-faced angels. Their predominant service is training.
Thrones. Point out: Eze 1:18; Col 1:16
Figuratively, the Lord God sits on them, as on a throne, and executes His judgment.
Because the Church teaches, the diploma of holiness and closeness of those ranks to God is so excessive that nobody else can obtain it. As quickly because the Mom of God (being a human being) was worthy of this glory, because the Church sings about it: “Essentially the most trustworthy Cherubim and probably the most wonderful with out comparability Seraphim.”
Second rank
Dominance. Reference: Col 1:16; Eph 1:21
They’re invisible mentors of earthly authorities and rulers appointed by God. In addition they assist an individual to tame his passions, to regulate them.
Forces. Reference: Rom 8:38; Eph 1:21
They’re endowed with a particular energy to carry out miracles, they ship down this grace to the righteous and the saints of God.
Authorities. Reference: Col 1:16; Eph 1:21
They’ve the ability to tame the ability of fallen angels, and in addition command the weather.
Third rank
Leaderships (Beginnings). Reference: Col 1:16; Eph 1:21
They’re endowed with the proper to command the legal guidelines of the universe, nature, and in addition defend peoples and international locations.
Archangels. Talked about: Rev 12:7 and so on.
Heads of angels. Lecturers and heralds of the desire of God for man, transmitters of Revelation.
A particular place within the angelic hierarchy is occupied by the archangels, the archangels of the heavenly armies. These embody the archangels Michael and Gabriel and 5 extra archangels – Jeremiel, Raphael, Uriel, Salafiel, Egudiel, Barahiel. Archangel Michael is taken into account the supreme archangel, the patron of the complete heavenly host.
Angels. Talked about: Rev 1:7 and so on.
The closest to man, they’re conductors of the desire of God, in addition to guardians, protectors. On this case, the phrase angel denotes exactly the rank of the Heavenly Forces.
In a broader sense, this phrase refers to a consultant of any rank typically, with out specifics.
Guardian angel
An angel who’s invisibly connected to a selected individual throughout baptism so as to pray for him earlier than God and defend him from evil.
Supply of Unique Publication in Russian: Journal “Foma” No.: No. 1 (141) January 2015.
Picture: Cherub / Infographic “Angel_On_Two_Wheels_Tetramorph_clip_art_hight”
