Is There Any Kind Of Structure To The Angels? Part 3 of 4
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
1st Peter 4:10
Is There Any Kind Of Structure To The Angels?
Part 3 of 4
I have decided to make this particular topic a series. There is so much information that I feel it would be too overwhelming to put it all into one article. Part 3 discusses the Dominions, Virtues, and the Powers or Authorities angels. Please note that although there are references from the traditional Christian Bible, angels are noted in many other sacred religious texts and teachings.
Dominions
Dominions are a group of angels who help keep the world in order. They are known for delivering justice into unjust situations, showing mercy toward human beings, and helping angels in lower ranks stay organized and perform their work well. They work to do what's truly best in difficult circumstances, what's right from a higher purpose perspective, even though humans may not understand.
Dominions also often act as channels of mercy for love to flow to people. They express unconditional love at the same time as they express passion for justice. Since they are completely loving they look to balance love and truth.
Love without truth isn't really love because it settles for less than the best that should be. But truth without love isn't really truthful because it doesn't respect the reality that we are here everyone to give and receive love. Dominions know this, and hold this tension in balance as they make all of their decisions.
One of the ways that dominion angels regularly deliver mercy to people is by answering the prayers of leaders around the world. When world leaders -- in any field, from the government to business –look for wisdom and guidance about specific choices they need to make, dominions are often assigned to impart that wisdom and send fresh ideas about what to say and do.
Archangel Zadkiel, the angel of mercy, is a leading dominions angel. Today, Zadkiel and the other dominions who work with him in the purple light ray send people insights to help them learn from their mistakes while assuring them that they can move forward into the future with confidence. Dominions also encourage people to show other people mercy and kindness when they make mistakes.
Dominion angels also regulate the other angels in the angelic ranks below them, supervising how they perform their duties. Dominions communicate regularly with the lower angels to help them stay organized and on track with the many missions they are assigned to carry out.
Finally, dominions help keep the natural order of the universe, by enforcing universal laws of nature.
Virtues
Virtues are a choir of angels in Christianity who are known for their work encouraging human beings to strengthen their faith in God. Often, virtue angels also perform miracles for people to inspire them to deepen their faith and trust. Virtues try to inspire people in ways that help them grow spiritually.
The main method virtues use to do so is by sending positive thoughts of peace and hope into people. When people are awake, they may perceive such encouraging messages especially during times of stress. When people are asleep, they may receive encouragement from virtue angels in their dreams.
Historically, Virtues are sent to encourage many people who would become saints after their deaths. The Bible describes a virtue angel speaking to Saint Paul the Apostle during a crisis, encouraging Paul that even though he would have to endure some intense challenges (a shipwreck and a trial before the Roman emperor Caesar), God would empower him to get through everything with courage. The virtue angel's prophecy of the future came true. All 276 of the men on the ship survived the wreck, and Paul later courageously faced Caesar on trial.
Angels from the virtues choir emanate the energy of divine grace by delivering gifts of miracles to humanity. They often visit Earth to perform miracles in response to divine will. In the Kabbalah virtue angels express the creative power of Netzach (which means "victory"). The power to overcome evil with good means that miracles are always possible in any circumstances, no matter how difficult they may be. The Bible describes virtue angels showing up on the scene of a major miracle in history: the ascension to heaven of the resurrected Jesus the Christ. The virtues appear as two men dressed in bright white clothing, and they speak to the crowd of people gathered there. Acts 1:10-11 records: "'Men of Galilee,' they said, 'why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.'"
Virtues work to help people develop a strong foundation of faith, and they urge people to base all of their decisions on that foundation so their lives will be stable and strong. Archangel Uriel the angel of Earth, is a leading virtue angel. Uriel serves as a stabilizing force in people's lives by giving them down-to-earth wisdom to apply to their daily decisions.
Powers or Authorities
The primary duty of the "Powers" is to supervise the movements of the heavenly bodies in order to ensure that the cosmos remains in order. Being warrior angels, they also oppose evil spirits, especially those that make use of the matter in the universe, and often cast evil spirits to detention places. These angels are usually represented as soldiers wearing full armor and helmet, and also having defensive and offensive weapons such as shields and spears or chains.
The Powers are the bearers of conscience and the keepers of history. They are also the warrior angels created to be completely loyal to God. Some believe that no Power has ever fallen from grace, but another theory states that Lucifer was the Chief of the Powers before he Fell. Their duty is to oversee the distribution of power among humankind, such as their name.
Stay tuned for Part 4 the last of this series.
Much Love,