The nine orders of the angels are divided into three heirarchies, each of which is divided into three orders: the highest, the intermediate, the lower.
The first hierarch, the highest and closest to the Most Holy Trinity, consists of the SERAPHIM, CHERUBIM, and THRONES.
The God-loving six-winged SERAPHIM stand closer than all before their Creator and Mker, as the prophet Isaiah saw, saying: «And the seraphim stood around Him, each having six wings» (Isaiah 6:2). They ar fire-like since they stand before That One of Whom it is written: «For our God is a consuming fire.» (Heb 12:29); «His throne was a flame of fire» (Dan 7:9); «the appearance of the Lord was like a blazing fire» (Ex 24:17). Standing before such glory, the seraphim are fire-like, as it said: «Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire» (Ps 103:4). They are aflame with love for God and kindle others to such love, as i shown by their very name, for «seraphim» in the Hebrew language means: «flaming».
After the seraphim, before the All-knowing God, Who resides in inaccessable light, stand the many-eyeed CHERUBIM in ineffable radiance. More than the other lower orders of angels, they are always radiant with the light of th knowledge of God, with the knowledge of the mysteries of God and the depths of His Wisdom; being themselves enlightened, they enlighten others. Their name «cherubim» in translation from the Hebrew language, means: «great understanding» or «effusion of wisdom», because throught the cherubim wisdom is sent down to tohers and enlightenment of the spiritual eyes is given for the seeing of God and knowledge of God. Διαβάστε τη συνέχεια του άρθρου »