Angels and their Nine Choirs
Some dispute the existence of angels, and yet still believe in God, or they have the idea that people can become angels. However, regarding their existence, it is a good and logical thing to know of their existence. Good as in the spiritual guidance through intercession as written above, and logical as it shows a completeness to Creation. If we were to split creation into three categories: material, material-spiritual, and spiritual, we can see how the existence of angels completes it. As dirt, minerals, plants, and animals make up the material portion, Mankind makes up the material-spiritual section. Mankind being elevated above animals of all kinds, we have a rational and intellectual soul, and we alone can know and praised God by seeing His work in creation. However, our intellect is limited, and the purely spiritual nature of angels with the quality of an intellect means that they have an unbounded intellect. I will explain on how the sense of Man both give and limit our intellect in Module 3. With the existence of Angels, we have a complete creation; material, material-spiritual, and spiritual. To further clarify, God does not fit into that spiritual category, since God is not created, but is Existence itself.
Many people believe in Angels, which is good, but many people when asked to describe an Angel they typically produce some cupid like image, but in reality they are far more terrifying to behold. In scripture we learn of nine different choirs of angels, and they are separated into three groups by sacred tradition, based on what is said about them in scripture. This by Churchpop.com is an excellent, and brief description of the three choirs, but the nine types of angels themselves.
When we look closer at the hierarchy, we can see that the higher you are the closer to God you are. This isn't to say that the Archangels and Angels are the furthest from God, they are still close to God, and before Him as well. Angels serve Him, and carry out His will in all things.
With that said there are Good Angels, and Fallen Angels. The Good Angels continue to serve, honor, and adore God, while the Fallen Angels have refused God and we now call them demons.
To understand how the Angels protect, guide, and pray for us, just as the demons try to harm us, we should have a better understanding of what they are. God created intellectual beings of spirit in form, and in their nature are of a higher dignity than that of man. They are the eternal servants of God, who chose to serve God for all eternity. The devil and demons chose to disobey God, and thus continue to disobey Him for all eternity.
The number of Angels that remained faithful to God is of an enormous amount. Christ himself said "legions of angels", and the Prophet Daniel says that "a thousand thousands serve Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him". And from birth each person has a guardian angel to accompany them. Christ Himself said "the little children's angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven" (Cf. Job 33:23, Acts 12:15, Heb. 1:14).
In addition to the Guardian Angels, there are the Archangels that help guide and protect us in times of trouble. They help to banish demons that harm us, and even cast Satan into hell. Of the Archangels we know the names of three of them Raphael, Gabriel, and Michael. As seen in the Book of Tobit, there are seven archangels, three are named in Sacred Scripture, but there are some orthodox communities that name some, if not all, of the rest of the Archangels. All of the Good Angels, named or not, are considered Saints in the Communion of Saints. This is why we refer to the named Archangels as St. Raphael, St. Gabriel, and St. Michael. As such, and as per their role of guarding and guiding us, we ask for their prayers. With their spiritual intercession, we also call upon their prayers and efforts in times of rebuking the devil during temptation, and during exorcisms.
In exorcisms, both minor and major, we rebuke the devil. We command the devil to leave a person or object in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Exorcism may be public or private. When public, it is done with an authorized form in a rite (Latin rite, Byzantine rite, Syriac rite, Greek rite, etc.). A public simple exorcism can be seen in the form of a baptism. A public solemn exorcism is in the case of demonic possession. Exorcisms are conducted by Priest-Exorcists that have been given authority by their Bishop, who has that Exorcist authority by nature of his office. It is important to know that when a person who acts without spiritual authority in the manner of a solemn exorcism, it become dangerous for that person, as they open themselves up to the dangers and evils of the spiritual realm. As such, remember to pray, make use of the Sacraments (especially confession), attend Mass and receive the Eucharist, and obey His commandments. Stay from sinful things and natures, and seek the embrace of God.
Reference:
For ease of reading the scripture verses for each of the choirs are linked below. St. Thomas Aquinas also wrote a decent amount on the nature of Angels, but we will cover that in better detail in Module three.
Seraphim (their name means "burning one" Cf. Purgatory Module 1):
Cherubim
Thrones
Dominions
Virtues
Powers
Principalities
Archangels
Angels
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