What Happened on the Cross. Nick Peros
Adam was the created son of God, Jesus Christ is the begotten Son of God, and Christians are the adopted sons of God (Rom 8:15). These three uses of the term “sons of God” as applied to human beings occurs only in the New Testament. The term “sons of God,” when used in the Old Testament, refers solely to the angelic beings of heaven.
The Nature of Angels
As sons of God, angels, like you and I, have bodies and physicality, though theirs is a different kind of physicality than the flesh-and-bone physicality of human beings. As sons of God, they also have will, intelligence, emotion, and personality, and they can choose between good and evil—like us, they are moral beings. Unlike you and I, angels were not born, they were created:
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
Praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
Praise him, all his hosts!
Praise him, sun and moon;
Praise him, all you stars of light!
Praise him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For he commanded and they were created.
(Ps 148:1–5 NKJV)
The angels were not created one at a time, but were created en masse as a great host (Ps 148:5), seemingly innumerable:
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels. (Heb 12:22 NKJV)
A fiery stream issued, and came forth from before him. A thousand thousands ministered to him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. (Dan 7:10 NKJV)
Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! (Ps 148:2 NKJV)
Throughout the Bible, the angels always appear only as male, never as female. All angelic beings were created perfect, holy, and good.
Ranks of Angels
Although God created an innumerable number of angelic beings, angels are not all the same, for they differ in terms of rank, power, wisdom, and function. The entire angelic host is ordered as a hierarchy, ranging from the greatest, most powerful, and wisest heavenly beings, to the least powerful. There are a total of nine angelic ranks outlined in the Bible.
The First Angelic Rank—The Cherubim
Cherubim (the plural of cherub) are the greatest and highest angelic rank. These are the most powerful and most intelligent angelic beings, and they are almost always associated with God’s throne and with his glory:
And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: “Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim.” (2 Kgs 19:15 NIV)
So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. (1 Sam 4:4 NIV)
. . . whose name is called by the Name, the Lord of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. (2 Sam 6:2 NIV; also Ps 80:1; 99:1; Isa 37:16)
Cherubim were also stationed to guard the tree of life in Eden after Adam was driven out of the garden, driven out in an act of love, mercy, and compassion from God (Gen 3:24).
Cherubim were also placed on the ark of the covenant, to cover and to view the mercy seat, where the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled (Exod 25). Cherubim were also part of the artistic design of the Tabernacle (Exod 36–37). Additionally, both Ezekiel 1:4–28 and 10:1–17 specifically describe God’s throne as sitting both upon and between the Cherubim. The Cherubim have a physical connection to the throne of God.
The Second Angelic Rank—The Seraphim
Seraphim are the second-greatest rank, and their name means “burning ones.” Seraphim are mentioned in the Bible only once, in Isaiah 6:1–7. They are described as having six wings and as being above the throne of God.
The Third Angelic Rank—Thrones
Thrones (or Ophanim) are the third-highest rank (Col 1:16)
The Fourth Angelic Rank—Dominions
Dominions are the fourth-highest rank (Col 1:16 NKJV; NASB; Eph 1:21)
The Fifth Angelic Rank—Principalities
Principalities are the fifth-highest rank (Col 1:16 NKJV; Eph 6:12; Rom 8:38 NKJV; Col 2:15 KJV; Eph 1:21 NKJV).
The Sixth Angelic Rank—Powers
Powers are the sixth-highest rank (Col 1:16 NKJV; Eph 6:12; Romans 8:38; Col 2:15 KJV; Eph 1:21 NKJV)
The Seventh Angelic Rank—Rulers
Rulers are the seventh-highest rank (Luke 12:11 NASB; Eph 1:21; Col 1:16; Eph 3:10; 6:2, 12; Titus 3:1 NKJV)
The Eighth Angelic Rank—Authorities
Authorities are the eighth-highest rank (Luke 12:11 NASB; Eph 1:21; Col 1:16; Eph3:10; 6:2; 1 Pet 3:22; Titus 3:1 NKJV)
The Ninth Angelic Rank—Angels
Angels are the ninth-highest rank—these are God’s messengers to mankind.
In some rankings of the angelic hierarchy, Seraphim are described as the highest angelic rank, while Cherubim are listed as second. There seems to be no biblical basis to list the Seraphim above the Cherubim. The Cherubim are specifically connected with the very throne of God, with God’s throne described as being physically between the Cherubim as well as physically sitting upon them—there is a physical connection between God’s throne and the Cherubim. The Seraphim are described as being above God’s throne, in flight above and around it, so while the Seraphim still have a connection to God’s throne, it is not the same intimate physical connection the Cherubim are described as having.
In addition, the presence of the Cherubim on the ark of the covenant signifies their intimate connection with God’s plan of forgiveness and salvation, and their presence guarding the tree of life, which is a profound task, signifies their position of highest power. Also, Lucifer is described as being of the Cherubim rank (Ezek 28:14). As a result, there is strong reason to list the Cherubim as the highest angelic rank, and the Seraphim as the second-highest rank.
In some listings of the angelic ranks, one of the ranks is listed as Virtues. This is a matter of translation, but the rank of Virtues corresponds to the rank of Dominions, and, as a matter of translation, Virtues is interchangeable with Dominions.
The Ordering of the Lower Angelic Ranks
Cherubim, Seraphim, and thrones are the three highest angelic ranks, and this is agreed upon by virtually all listings of the angelic hierarchy. As a guide as to how we are to rank the lower angelic ranks, we can turn to Colossians 1:16:
“For by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through him and for him” (NKJV).
In this listing of some of the lower angelic ranks, after thrones, which all rankings agree is the third-highest rank, Paul lists the ranks in order as dominions, principalities, and powers. This gives good reason to list the hierarchy, from thrones downward, as dominions, principalities, and powers, as described in Colossians 1:16. The ranks of rulers and authorities are mentioned numerous times in the New Testament, and always in that same order—rulers and authorities (Eph 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:16). As a result, this gives very good reason to rank rulers and authorities in that order, rulers first, and then authorities. The rank of angel is almost universally acknowledged as the lowest rank and is always listed last. Based on various Scriptures, the nine ranks of angels, listed in order from greatest to lowest, are Cherubim, Seraphim, thrones, dominions, principalities, powers, rulers, authorities, angels.
Archangel