Attention: This is very important: Human beings cannot – repeat – cannot – become angels. Angels are a created order of their own. No human being dies and “goes to be an angel.”
Everything I needed to know about angels, I learned from the Bible:
Psalm 8 – We humans are made “a little lower than the angels, adorned with glory and honor.”
Angels and Jesus:
The Angel Gabriel predicts the birth of John the Baptist: Luke 1:19
The Angel Gabriel predicts the birth of Jesus Christ: to Mary: Luke 1:26-38;
The Angel of the Lord predicts the birth of Jesus Christ to Joseph: Matthew 1:18-25
Angels announce the birth of Jesus Christ: Luke 2:8-15
The Angel of the Lord directs Joseph to escape
to Egypt with Mary and Jesus: Matt. 2:13-15
Angels minister to Jesus in his temptation: Matthew 4:11, Mark 1:13
Angels minister to Jesus before his crucifixion: Luke 22:43-44
Angels announce the resurrection of Jesus: Matthew 28:1-7; Mark 16:1-7; Luke 24:1-7
The relationship of angels to humans:
Angels are “ministering spirits.” See Hebrews 1:14 (see also Hebrews Chapters 1 and 2 for the relationship of angels to Jesus and those he came to save.)
Angels, incense and prayer:
See Revelation 8:3-5. (Angels are especially featured in the Book of Revelation as doing the bidding of God.)
Okay - so I learned a little about angels from Pseudo-Dionysius, who categorized the nine ranks of angels. (See also Hymn 618, The Hymnal 1982)
In the fifth or sixth century, a scholar named Pseudo-Dionysius did a careful study of scripture (Old Testament and New Testament) and outlined for all time the nine ranks of angels discussed in the Bible. His work was the basis of subsequent commentaries by medieval scholars Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus, and Peter Lombard. They agreed with Pseudo-Dionysius that there are nine ranks of angels, divided into three sets of threes as follows:
1. Seraphim
2. Cherubim
3. Thrones
4. Dominions
5. Authorities (Virtues)
6. Powers
7. Principalities
8. Archangels
9. Angels
The first three – Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones are a three-fold hierarchy of equal status. They are the ones closest to God. (See Isaiah 6:1-13 for the classic description of Seraphs. Also see Ezekiel 10 for a description of Cherubim.)
The second three - Dominions, Authorities, and Powers are the ones next closest to God (See Ezekiel chapters 9 and 10. Also see Colossians 1:16). Dionysius thought that Angels knew clearly their rank. Their primary job is to attend God, absorb all the wisdom and light they can from God, and to pass this on to the next lowest rank of angels.
The third three - Principalities (See Ephesians 1:21, 3:10), Archangels (1 Thessalonians 4:16) and Angels (see page 1) are the lowest rank. There are four archangels mentioned in the Bible: Michael, Raphael, Uriel and Gabriel. Gabriel appears in the New Testament writings (Luke’s Gospel). Michael is mentioned in the Old Testament in Daniel 10:13 and in the New Testament in Jude, verse 9, and again in Revelation12:7, 8. St. Michael is pictured as contending with the devil and always winning. Raphael and Uriel are mentioned in Jewish apocryphal literature—Tobit 5:4 and I Enoch 20, respectively.
It is agreed by scholars that only the last two ranks of angels (Archangels and Angels) have an immediate mission to humans. It is also generally agreed among the medieval schoolmen that angels are intelligences only. They are not created to be united to a body. Therefore they differ from a human soul.
One medieval argument that still gets a few smiles is “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” The answer is: “an infinite number, because they do not have bodies. They are ministering spirits.”
Angels talk to humans and announce God’s messages to them, but humans do not speak with angels as intermediaries. Jesus Christ is our only mediator and advocate, We go to God through Jesus Christ through the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. We as human beings go straight to God with our prayers.
Everlasting God, you have ordained and constituted in a wonderful order the ministries of angels and mortals: Mercifully grant that, as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your appointment they may help and defend us here on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (The Book of Common Prayer, 244)
In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Vicar, Holy Cross Church-Episcopal
http://www.holycrosschurchbillings.org/
406-208-7314
photo: Christ Church Episcopal Cemetery
St. Simons Island, Georgia
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