Ru486 Essay Research Paper Messenger The term

Ru-486 Essay, Research Paper

Messenger

The term angel derives from a Greek translation of the Hebrew word mal’akh, which first meant “Shadow side of God,” and now means messenger (Jeremiah 59). Angels as an article of faith have become an unshakeable part of our society. One in every ten popular songs involves angels in some way (Freeman 2). They appear in paintings and in museums as sculptures. Our culture is filled with angels that appear on clothing, cards, or as souvenirs, and jewelry. It would be reasonable to assume that one might find the most information about angels in the Christian bible. However , the bible only mentions three angels by name and actually contains very little information about these beings. Almost all of the information we have about angelic attributes comes from the three great Chronicles of Enoch. In these chronicles Enoch describes his journey to the ten Heavens where he saw angels in heaven’s penal and punishment area, punishing sinners. His view was that hell existed in small pockets that were distributed throughout heaven. This view was not consistent with the later Church that believed heaven and hell were two separate places. Because of this, St. Jerome declared these texts apocryphal (Godwin 9). However, a lot of material from these chronicles appears in the New Testament. Though much of what we know currently about what angels are and what they do is based on misconception and myth, the concern of this paper is with the genus Angelus Occidentalis. This is the term used to describe a number of angelic species and sub-species in Judaism, Islam, and Christianity (Godwin 7). The term angel describes not only the benevolent forces of heaven but also the malevolent forces of hell. When Lucifer fell from heaven a supposed one third of the angels sided and fell with him. One third remained in heaven, and one third were neutral (Godwin 149). The focus of this paper will be on the angels of heaven who make up the heavenly hierarchy and the fallen angles of hell.

The creation of the angelic hierarchy is attributed to Pseudo-Dionysius. St Ambrose is responsible for the categories of angels which were taken from traditions whose origins are lost in time (Bloom 59). There are three hierarchies, each with three orders. The Upper Triad: Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones. The Middle Triad: Dominations, Virtues, and Powers. The Lowest Triad: Principalities, Archangels, and Angels (Guiley 17).

The Upper Triad: The first triad seems to be centered around a central core of purity and light, closest to God. It is only in the third choir, the last choir of the triad that matter begins to appear.

The First Choir – Seraphim: These angels are the highest of God’s angelic order. Their names mean “burning ones” (Lang 49). The only mention of Seraphs in the bible is Isa 6:2. They circle the throne of God chanting in Hebrew the Trisagion “Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh,” which is “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His Glory” (Godwin 25). The Seraphim are identified with the serpent or dragon. They are in direct communion with God and are of such pure thought and light, they resonate with “the fire of love” (Guiley 17). They are known as the “fiery flying serpents of lightning,” who “roar like lions” (Godwin 25). When these angels appeared to the prophet Isaiah, he described them as flaming angels above the throne of God: “Each had six wings: two

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covered the face, two covered the feet and two were used for flying” ( Lang 49). It is said that the archangel Michael was a Seraph. The Seraphim chief is said to be either Metatron or Lucifer; others are said to be Kemuel, Nathanael, and Gabriel (Bloom 61). Their ultimate goal is in guiding those below to God (Guiley 17).

The Second Choir – Cherubim: The Hebrew word for cherub was kerub meaning “one who intercedes” or “knowledge.” Cherubs are often depicted as pudgy, cute baby angels. But in the bible they are depicted as awesome, frightening creatures. John of Patmos says they have six wings and opened eyes all over there bodies (Bloom 60). Although originally they are described as having four wings and four heads, sometimes with eyes that cover their bodies (Lang 51). The Christian Bishop of Heraclea, Theodorus, says the Cherubim are “Beasts that might terrify Adam from the entrance of paradise (Godwin 28). Gabriel and Raphael are two of the most prominent cherubim (Bloom 60).

The Third Choir – Thrones: Thrones are mentioned only once in the bible in Colossians 1:16. Pseudo-Dionysius supplied the rest of the information. He wrote that thrones “carry God” they support the divine will (Lang 306). They appear to be God’s chariots. They are described as great “wheels” or “many-eyed ones.” The ruler of this order is thought to be Raphael. It is at this point in the hierarchy that “Heaven meets Earth and takes on substance of the flesh” and here begins the possibility of corruption (Godwin 31).

The Middle Triad: The middle triad is when matter with its corruption raises tension between polarities of good and bad, and matter and soul. The orders in this triad seem to strive for a balance and to reconcile such opposites, “and all are prone to the risk of corruption in doing so” (Jeremiah 107).

The Fourth Choir – Dominions: Are the oldest of original angels (Bloom 61). They are only mentioned once in the bible in