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heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders;
and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.”
In view of all these data it is perfectly safe to say that the angels constitute an innumerable
company, a mighty host. They do not form an organism like mankind, for they are spirits, which
do not marry and are not born the one out of the other. Their full number was created in the
beginning; there has been no increase in their ranks.
2. THEIR ORDERS.
Though the angels do not constitute an organism, they are evidently
organized in some way. This follows from the fact that, alongside of the general name “angel,”
the Bible uses certain specific names to indicate different classes of angels. The name “angel,”
by which we designate the higher spirits generally, is not a nomen naturae in Scripture, but a
nomen officii. The Hebrew word mal’ak simply means messenger, and serves to designate one
sent by men, Job 1:14; I Sam. 11:3, or by God, Hag. 1:13; Mal. 2:7; 3:1. The Greek term aggelos
is also frequently applied to men, Matt. 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:24; 9:51; Gal. 4:14. There is no
general distinctive name for all spiritual beings in Scripture. They are called sons of God, Job
1:6; 2:1; Ps. 29:1; 89:6, spirits, Heb. 1:14, saints, Ps. 89:5,7; Zech. 14:5; Dan. 8:13, watchers,
Dan. 4:13,17,24. There are several specific names, however, which point to different classes of
angels.
a. Cherubim.
Cherubim are repeatedly mentioned in Scripture. They guard the entrance of
paradise, Gen. 3:24, gaze upon the mercy-seat, Ex. 25:18; Ps. 80:1; 99:1; Isa. 37:16; Heb. 9:5,
and constitute the chariot on which God descends to the earth, II Sam. 22:11; Ps. 18:10. In Ezek.
1 and Rev. 4 they are represented as living beings in various forms. These symbolical
representations simply serve to bring out their extraordinary power and majesty. More than
other creatures they were destined to reveal the power, the majesty, and the glory of God, and
to guard His holiness in the garden of Eden, in tabernacle and temple, and in the descent of
God to the earth.
b. Seraphim.
A related class of angels are the Seraphim, mentioned only in Isa. 6:2,6. They are
also symbolically represented in human form, but with six wings, two covering the face, two the
feet, and two for the speedy execution of the Lord’s commandments. In distinction from the
Cherubim, they stand as servants round about the throne of the heavenly King, sing His praises,
and are ever ready to do His bidding. While the Cherubim are the mighty ones, they might be
called the nobles among the angels. While the former guard the holiness of God, they serve the
purpose of reconciliation, and thus prepare men for the proper approach to God.
c. Principalities, powers, thrones, and dominions.
In addition to the preceding the Bible speaks
of certain classes of angels, which occupy places of authority in the angelic world, as archai and
exousiai (principalities and powers), Eph. 3:10; Col. 2:10, thronoi (thrones), Col. 1:16, kureotetoi