Where do people get the concept of angel ranks?

Question

Ok,

I know of cherubs and seraphs mentioned in the bible, but not other ranks of angels.

I was wondering where people get this additional information

Answer 1

Medieval sources, mainly. There is not merely one list of classifications, and not all are in the same order. The most influential of these classifications was that put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in the fourth or fifth century, in his book _The Celestial Hierarchy_.

First Hierarchy:
Seraphim
Cherubim
Thrones or Ophanim

Second Hierarchy:
Dominions or Kyriotetes
Virtues or Dynameis
Powers or Exousiai

Third Hierarchy:
Principalities or Archai
Archangels
Angels

Answer 2

Cherubims, seraphim, and archangels are all separate creatures in the Bible. They also have different roles.

Jesus uses the "voice of an Archangel" to proclaim his return.

1 Thes. 4:16 (NKJV)
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Jesus has an army of angelic creatures that return with him to make war with the beast the armies of the world that are against Him.

Rev. 19:19 (NIV)
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army.

Since Jesus has an army of angelic creatures, we can speculate that there are angel ranks and order to this army. Even though the Bible doesn't clearly state there is an order or leadership to this army, we can read the rest of scripture to see that God does have leadership positions for his church and for Christian families.

God is orderly. Angel ranks make sense to me.

Answer 3

A lot of it is wishful thinking. More is simply the culmination of what people hear, but never really study for themselves. The Scripture speaks very little of angels, and or their rankings.

Scripture does say that we "go about speaking of spiritual beings as dumb cattle..." Basically saying that our knowledge of anything beyond this world, puts us in the brain power of a cow. We are just basically dumb on that area because very little if anything is said about it, because it does not really matter to what we are supposed to be doing in the physical life.

Answer 4

"Maimonides, in his Yad ha-Chazakah: Yesodei ha-Torah, counts ten ranks of angels in the Jewish Angelarchy, beginning from the highest:

Chayot
Ophanim
Erelim (see Isaiah 33:7)
Hashmallim (see Ezekiel 1:4)
Seraphim
Malakhim ("angels")
Elohim ("godly beings")
Bene Elohim ("sons of Godly beings")
Cherubim, (see Talmud Hagigah 13b)
Ishim ("manlike beings", see Daniel 10:5)"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Angelarchy

Answer 5

ranks seem like favoritism why would god choose one over the other?

however it does say michael will lead HIS angels into the battle

Revelation 12:7
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.

Answer 6

Well I think when we imagine angels we think of blond hair, blue eyes, and white wings because of all the hookers out there dressing up like them to satisfy horny men.

Answer 7

There are angels and Arch Angels.Heaven also has order. It starts with the Supreme Power GOD

Answer 8

I;m guessing old religious texts that did not make it into the bible. Maybe mideval myths?

Answer 9

all kinds of sources