There is a certain mystery that lies within the meaning of angels. It is known that angels are among us. They are carriers of the messages from God (Gasparri 14).
However, little is known about what and who angels are, why they are present, and even what they look like. They everything that human want to be and more (Stevenson 1). Angels go above and beyond the limitations of humans to give hints of what life is like in heaven or even hell. What are Angels?There are three creatures created by God. Humans, created with free will that can be used for good or can be used to cause hurt and destruction, are the first of these creatures.
Second, come angels and devils. Angels are creatures of God with free will that chose to accept God’s love and goodness. Devils are the exact opposite of angels. They used their free will and chose to go against God. The last of the creatures are animals.
(Gasparri 75-77)Angels are divine beings chosen by God to deliver His love and goodness to humans. They are “entities” of goodness and holiness (Stevenson 4). Angels are equipped with supernatural powers that allow them to rarely be seen by the human eye. Any scientific terms or proof cannot explain their existence. Those who believe in the existence angels are those who have already experienced their presence (Stevenson 5).
The Catholic Perspective on the Kinds of Angels Catholics believe that angels have a special role of praying to God on behalf of humans. They are “messengers”, carrying hints or signs from God to his kingdom (Stevenson 195). Four angels are recognized in the Catholic Church. They are referred to as the archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel. There are many stories about the works of Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, however, little is known about Uriel.
The Bible also recognizes a number of groups of angels with different functions and attributes called the hierarchy. Different faiths recognize the different groups. The groups include seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominions, virtues, powers, the principalities, archangels, and angels (Stevenson 20). All together, the groups are known as the choir because they are said to praise God through song and music (Stevenson 21).
While the Bible does not recognize the functions of each of the groups, each group has its own unique character and purpose. Seraphim are the angels who are considered to be closest to God. According to the book of Isaiah, each Seraphim is equipped with six wings and they work together to continually praise God. Cherubim are probably the most recognizable amongst the hierarchy.
Representations of them are small; chubby winged children or even strange winged animals. One may see them frequently on postcards or even in works of art. They have been described as adorable, sweet creatures that watch over the earth and work with Seraphim to sing God’s praise. Thrones are angels that are described as fiery wheels covered with open eyes. This description was based on the vision of Ezekial. Dominions or Domination’s are the oldest angels who supervise the others.
Virtues or Authorities work miracles on earth and often work at guardian angels in God’s kingdom. Powers are those angels who keep evil spirits, demons, and devils from affecting humans and earth. Principalities protect cities, nations, and religious leaders on earth. Archangels are considered to be the messenger angels who deliver God’s powers to humans. Angels are the “heavenly army” who are the closest to the humans (Stevenson 20).
Much focus on angels is placed on the archangels Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel. Michael is considered to be the leader of the angels.
