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发表于 2003-11-20 08:02:37
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Seraphim
Function and Philosophy
The Seraphim Choir is the highest and most magnificent of the nine accepted Angelic choirs. Without question they are the closest in all of heaven to the very throne of God, and their primary function is to circle the incomprehensibly beautiful throne in perpetual adoration of the Lord. This is a task that is not nearly as monotonous as it may seem to mortals, given the nature of the angels (who have perfect powers of concentration) and the delight that such an honour actually brings to the spirits.
The Seraphim are almost always identified with fire-not the burning, painful flames and heat of hell, but the healing flame of Love. They are literally living flames. The intensity of their adoration and pure Love of God pure out of them as a flawless reflection of the divine Love that emanates from the Lord. Like the rising sun, each angel radiates such light that even the other holy beings, the cherubim and the thrones, cannot look upon them.
Characteristics
According to Enoch, each Seraphim has six wings. In the Old Testament Book of Isaiah (6:1-3) he writes "...I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew." In the Book of Revelation (4:8) is another possible reference: "And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to sing 'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come!"
Members of this Angelic Choir
Seraphiel
Gabriel
Michael
Metatron
Uriel
Nathanael
Jehoel
Satan (before his fall)
Cherubim
Function and Philosophy
The Cherubim Choir is the second of the nine accepted choirs of angels, placed second as well in the first triad of the angelic hierarchy(with the seraphim and thrones). They are some of the most powerful and awe-inspiring of all angels, standing below only the seraphim in direct closeness to God. Their illuminative knowledge and wisdom are thus so great as to be utterly incomprehensible to the mortal mind, blinding the blessed human who has the honour of actually beholding them in this world.
In Islamic lore, the Cherubim was allegedly created out of the tears shed by the archangel Michael for all the sins of humanity. They are the first angels to be encountered in the Old Testament, being posted in the Book of Genesis in the east of Eden to ensure that no one entered after the expulsion of Adam and Eve.
Their chief task in the celestial hierarchy is to sing the praises of God, but they are also declared in occult lore to have the responsibility of driving the chariot of the Lord, a key symbol of heaven. The Cherubim are also given the task of maintaining the records of heaven and seeing to the details necessary to keep order in the Heavenly Host.
Characteristics
Cherubim had the bodies of a winged bull, an eagle, or a sphinx and the faces of men or lions. As is clear from Ezekiel's encounter, the cherubim possess four wings and four faces, symbolizing their eternal vigilance and knowledge, which reaches every direction of Creation. They are also often presented with peacock feathers bearing a host of eyes, again in reference to their all-seeing omniscience.
Members of this Angelic Choir
Cherubiel
Gabriel
Ophaniel
Raphael
Uriel
Zophiel
Thrones
Function and Philosophy
Thrones belong to the first and highest triad of the heavenly host, standing just below the Seraphim and Cherubim. This position makes them some of the most powerful angels in service to the Lord. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the Thrones have the task of pondering the disposition of divine judgments. In other words, they carry out or fulfill the divine justice of the Lord.
Like their counterparts in the first angelic triad, they come the closest of all Angels to spiritual perfection and emanate the light of God with mirrorlike goodness. They, despite their greatness, are intensely humble, an attribute that allows them to dispense justice with perfect objectivity and without fear of pride or ambition. Because they are living symbols of God's justice and authority, they are called thrones and have as one of their symbols the throne.
Characteristics
This group of Angelic Princes are often called "Wheels." It is said that they were the actual wheels of the Lord's Heavenly chariot. "The four wheels had rims and they had spokes, and their rims were full of eyes round about." They are also frequently referred to as "many-eyed ones."
Members of this Angelic Choir
Jophiel
Zaphkiel
Oriphiel
Raziel
Dominations
Function and Philosophy
Also called the dominions and the lords, Dominations are one of the nine accepted choirs of Angelic Princes, ranked fourth overall. They belonged to the second triad with the Virtues and Powers.
According to Dionysus, the Dominations have the duty in the Heavenly Host of regulating the activities of the angels. Through the efforts of these spirits, the very order of the cosmos is maintained. They handle the minute details of cosmic life and existence, designating tasks to the lower orders of angels.
Characteristics
By custom Dominations are believed to wear green and gold, and their symbols are the sword and scepter. This denotes their lordship over all created things. In turn, the dominations receive their instructions from the cherubim or thrones.
Members of this Angelic Choir
Hashmal
Zadkiel
Muriel
Zacharael
Virtues
Function and Philosophy
The virtues are ranked fifth in the heavenly host out of the nine choirs of angels. They are members of the second triad with dominations and powers. As a member of this triad, they take part in the duties given to the three choirs, namely the ordering of the universe. The virtues specifically preside over the elements of the world and the process of celestial life. Thus all heavenly bodies-from the stars and planets to the galaxies themselves-are kept in their divinely appointed routes and progress. On earth the angels maintain a watch over nature, marking and guiding every facet of natural life: rain, sow, wind, etc. It has also be speculated that Virtues are in charge of miracles.
As if these duties were not enough, the angels also assist humanity by stowing grace and valor within the mortal heart. They encourage humans to turn always to the good and help enhance the person's will to endure hardship and suffering and to have the personal strength to turn ever toward God. As the angels in charge of miracles, they receive their orders from the powers, but they are also closely interlaced with the saints.
Members of this Angelic Choir
Gabriel
Michael
Tarshish
Peliel
Barbiel
Uzziel
Powers
Function and Philosophy
One of the nine angelic choirs, Powers are also known as potentates, authorities, dynamics, and forces. They are placed in the second triad along with dominations and virtues, numbered sixth overall. The Powers were supposedly the very first of the angels created by God. However, this disagrees with the theory that all angels came into existence at a single moment.
Powers have the task of defeating the efforts of the demons in overthrowing the world. They are declared awesome defenders of the cosmos against all evil and the maintainers of all cosmic order and equilibrium. They are the guardians of the heavenly paths, policing the routes to and from heaven to the earth. This means they concern themselves with humanity as well. The great harmonizers, they assist each soul to overcome the temptations place before it to do evil and to lean instead toward the proper action (that being to Love and worship God.)
Characteristics
Powers' colors are green and gold, and their symbol is a flaming sword.
Members of this Angelic Choir
Gabriel
Raphael
Camael
Verchiel
Satan (before his fall)
Principalities
Function and Philosophy
The Principalities are placed first in the third triad of angels among archangels and angels. They are ranked seventh overall. Also called princedoms and princes, these angels are the first of the choirs most concerned with earth and are traditionally declared to have roles of caretakers over every nation, province, county, district, city, town, village, and house. They work with guardian angels who are also assigned to every spot and person. It is debated that the guardian angels function as the personal angelic protectors and the principalities are the administrative or technical writers. They are supposedly empowered with greater strength by God than the guardian angels and thus receive permission more frequently to have a direct involvement in the affairs of humanity. They use their incalculable strength of heaven to move the hearts and minds of those mortals with whom they have direct contact.
Characteristics
The symbols of principalities are the scepter, the cross, and the sword.
Members of this Angelic Choir
Haniel
Cerviel
Amael
Archangels
Function and Philosophy
One of the accepted choirs of angels, Archangels are ranked eight: above angels and below principalities. In the division of the angelic hierarchy into three triads of three choirs each, the archangels belong to the third and lowest triad. The archangels are perhaps the most confusing of the angelic orders, for aside from being a distinct part of the heavenly host, their name is used frequently for virtually every angelic being superior to the ordinary angels.
Archangels are among the few angelic beings mentioned specifically by name in the Old Testament. Even more specific are references in the New Testament, such as the Letter of Jude (1:9): "But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, disputed about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a reviling judgment upon him, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you.'"
As is clear from their appearances in Scripture, the primary duty of the archangels is to carry out the will of God as it relates directly to humanity. They bring to the world the prayerful blessings of the Lord. It is for that reason that the archangels-like their close counterparts the angels-are said to intervene so regularly in the affairs of men and women.
Members of this Angelic Choir
The number of archangels has long been a source of great discussion among angelologists. Traditionally there are seven archangels although who they are and what they do has been given variously in different sources. Islam recognizes only four archangels, and other customs say twelve. I have compiled the list of Dionysus and the Areopagite, which is the best-known list.
Gabriel
Raphael
Michael
Uriel
Chamuel
Zadkiel
Jophiel
Angels
Function and Philosophy
The ninth and final order of angels belongs to the third and final triad of choirs, their primary focus of their existence being the caretakership of humanity and the world. While the lowest ranked of all angelic beings-if one accepts the idea of a regulated angelic organization-angels are nevertheless members of the heavenly host and thus possess the profound and beautiful attributes given to them by their Creator. They are beings of pure spirituality and exist to fulfill the tasks given to them by God. Chief among these are to act as messengers of the Lord to the earth and guardians of the human soul.
The guardian angel is the angelic being supposedly assigned not only to every living soul, but to places, churches, and even nations. They proclaimed the birth of Christ and spoke to Abraham, Moses, and a host of other prophets and patriarchies in the Old Testament. It is precisely the the human that the members of the ninth choir are most often concerned with. They deliver new or word of impending destruction and woe. This is done through both physical and spiritual means. Angels also observe all of human history, perhaps recording every human act to provide a clear statement of the development of each soul.
In heaven angels provide valuable service, in proper fulfillment of their natures as purely spiritual beings and the will of the the Creator.
Members of this Angelic Choir
Gabriel
Raphael
Chayyliel
Phaleg
Adnachiel
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发表于 2003-11-20 08:02:07