Hierarchy is a system that ranks things based on power or dominance. There is ranking in the world all over and the spiritual realm is not an exception. Angels, who are messengers of God and an important part of the heavenly host, also have a hierarchy. This makes them well-organized to execute their duties. This command in the Angelic hierarchy ensures that nothing stops in Heaven. There is one group that delivers the message of God across the world, another one that protects us, and another that attends to our prayers.

What does the hierarchy of Angels look like?

To properly understand the hierarchy of Angels, consider how the world order operates. It must have copied some hierarchy lessons from the heavenly host. Consider how soldiers take orders without questions. It was clear during the ministry of Jesus when He was requested to heal the servant of an army officer. The officer, who clearly understood about military hierarchy, said that Jesus didn’t need to come under his roof. He should give an order instead and the servant would be healed. Jesus announced how he had never seen such great faith in all of Israel. He gave the word and the officer’s servant was healed.

This army officer whom Jesus ministered to explained how the hierarchy works. He said that he has officers who give orders to him and others who take orders from him. They obey these orders unconditionally. His perception of Jesus was that He was a higher-ranking officer than him. If Jesus commanded healing, then his servant would be healed unconditionally. It happened according to his faith.

The order of Angels.

1. Archangels.

The name ‘Archangel’ means Chief Angel. It is only mentioned twice in the Bible and only in the New Testament. It is the shout of an Archangel and a blast of God’s trumpet that will announce the return of the Lord from Heaven. Those who had believed in Christ before their death will resurrect. Announcing the return of the Lord is a noble duty reserved for only the Chief Angel. The other time an Archangel is mentioned is after the death of Moses. There was a dispute between the Archangel Michael and Satan about the body of Moses. The Archangel rebuked the devil in the name of God. He was victorious and the Lord buried Moses. This is a vote of confidence by God in the Archangel.

Other extra-biblical sources, like the apocalypse of Moses, identify other Archangels besides Michael. They are Raphael, Gabriel, Joel, and Uriel. They are seen executing God’s instructions during the burial of Adam and Abel. These Archangels rank highest in the hierarchy of Angels.

2. Cherubim and Seraphim.

Cherubim are Angels that serve in the presence of God. The Lord instructed Moses to put two Cherubim when making the Ark of the Covenant. They shall spread their wings in the Ark of the Covenant and overshadow the mercy seat. The Lord would meet Moses from above the mercy seat and between the two Cherubim. This signifies the presence of the Lord in the Ark of the Covenant. They also feature in the temple that King Solomon built for the Lord.

The appearance of Cherub is in the form of a human. Each has four faces and four wings. The four faces are those of a human, lion, ox, and eagle.

Did you know that Satan was a Cherub? He was higher than other Angels in their hierarchy but lower than the Archangels. It was an exalted position but Satan was filled with pride and wanted to be like God. He rebelled and God cast Him out of Heaven together with all the Angels who chose his side.

The Seraphim are other Angels of the same rank as the Cherubim; both minister in the Lord’s presence. When the prophet Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on the throne, the Seraphim flew above Him. He describes the appearance of the Seraphim – each with six wings: two covered the face, another two covered the feet, and the last pair of wings were used for flying. They worshipped the Lord on His throne. It is one of Seraphim Angels that touched the lips of prophet Isaiah with a burning coal taken from the Lord’s Altar, wiped his guilt away, and forgave his sins.

The Cherubim and Seraphim are the second highest ranking Angels in Heaven, besides serving in the presence of the Lord. In addition, to prevent man from eating from the Tree of Life, God placed the Cherubim to guard the tree after He had sent him away from the Garden of Eden. This signals the trust and power of the Cherubim to execute the will of God.

3. Principalities, powers, and spiritual hosts.

These are the Angels that rank lower in the hierarchy. They are, however, still a part of the heavenly host. In teaching the church in Colossians, Paul teaches about the superiority of Christ as the firstborn of all creation – even before the Angels. All things were created in Him both in Heaven and on Earth, including thrones, dominions, principalities, and authorities. All angels fall into this category. This scripture points to the existence of other angels apart from the Archangels, Seraphim, and Cherubim. The Heavenly host is large and they are all at the service of God; even those lower in the hierarchy.

4. Others – The Saints.

While saints are people, not Angels, they still form part of the heavenly host. Not once, but twice, God has taken those who pleased him to Heaven. Both Enoch and Elijah did not taste death. Even those who die in the Lord are guaranteed eternal life in Heaven.

Christians are part of the hierarchy of the host of heaven, although we are not Angels. The Bible teaches that we shall judge Angels in the afterlife. It makes us part of the heavenly host that shall be in Heaven with God.

It is important to understand the hierarchy of Angels in Heaven. It helps us appreciate them more and the significance of the roles they play. Moreover, it helps us to know the different types of Angels that can come into our lives.

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