“Creator of Heaven & Earth, visible & invisible” Angels & Devils Creed 7 “Creator of Heaven & Earth, visible & invisible” Angels & Devils

Angels What does the word “angel” mean? When were they created? What is their role? What are their ranks, numbers, and names? Are there any mental proofs of their existence? Are they liable to change?

Angels “Angel” is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit’; if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel’: from what they are; ‘spirit’, from what they do, ‘Angel’. With their whole beings the angels are servants and messengers of God. Because they “always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven” they are the “mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of His word” . St. Augustine.

Angels Christ is the center of the Angelic world “ when the son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him..” Mt. 18:10 They belong to Him because they were created through Him and for Him Col 1:16 They are the messengers of His saving plan Heb1:14

Angels Angels have been present since creation serving the accomplishment of this plan. From the incarnation to the ascension, the life of the Word incarnate was surrounded by the adoration and service of angels. The church joins with angels in her celebration of the liturgy

Angels Angel = God’s messengers, announcer They were created before material beings, and before stars, as it is written in different places in the Bible and also from Tradition They do not have material being (despite the fact that they do take on physical beings at times). The angels that appeared to Abraham, the angels that appeared to the women at the tomb of Christ They do have free will, but to advance in goodness or lose the sanctity that they enjoy since their creation

Angels They have sanctity through the grace of the Holy Spirit that dwells in them The fathers of the church are very careful to discern if angels would move from one rank to another in their progress They’re characterized by strength (one angel killed 185,000 soldiers in the army of Sennacherib in 2 Kings 19:35)

Angels They’re much more knowledgeable than humans but they have limitations. It seems like they had not known the divine economy of salvation through incarnation. They had known it after the incarnation through the church They do not know future, nor the things hidden in the hearts of men

Angels Ranks & Names There are different ranks, names and power, and the fathers of the church had different ways of ranking them The Cherubim = the carrier of the throne (Gen 3:24) The Seraphim = the fiery ones (have 6 wings). (Isaiah 6:1-3) The Thrones, the Dominions, the Principalities (Col 1:16) The Powers (Eph 1:21) Archangels- there are 7, according to the Coptic Orthodox Tradition: Michael (Jude 9), Gabriel (Daniel & Luke 1:19), Rafial (Tobit), Suriel, Sadakiel, Sarathiel, Ananial (from the Doxology of the heavenly choirs- the annual psalmody) (1 Thess 4:16) Michael has preeminence over the other archangels Angels (Romans 8:38)

The Work of Angels Sent to humans to strengthen and help them a. Gideon (Judge 6:12) b. St. Peter (Acts 12:7) c. St. Paul (Acts 27:33) d. Hebrews 1:14 “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?”

The Work of Angels 2. The intercession of Angels: Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascending before God from the angel’s hand.- Revelation 8:3,4 Then the Angels of the Lord answered and said, “ O Lord of hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You were angry these seventy years?” - Zachariah 1:12 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.- Matt. 18: 10

The Work of Angels 3. Angels help one another: -Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself for your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. “ But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. “Now I have came to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”- Daniel 10: 12 – 14 -And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on Earth peace, goodwill toward men!” So it was, when the angels had gone away from the into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” - Luke 2: 13-15

The Work of Angels 4. The guardian Angel: “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. - Matt 18:10

The Work of Angels 5. Carry the pure souls to heaven: “So it was the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. - Luke: 16:22

Rejected teachings regarding Angels Explaining Genesis 6:2 account as angels

Devils and Evil Spirits The Existence of the evil spirits The fall of Satan The Nature of the devils

Devils and Evil Spirits The Existence of the evil spirits: -Some denies the existence of the devils, and refer all evil to problems in the human psyche. -The pantheists denies the existence of the evil spirits, since God –in their belief- is everything. - The name “Satan” or “devil”, doe not appear in the older books of the bible, except in the book of Job. - The new testament writers, and the Lord Himself saw that the serpent that tempted Adam and Eve was is Satan 2

Devils and Evil Spirits Names and definitions: Devil = Greek “diabolos”= accuser. Satan ,Hebrew = adversary “he is called the prince of the world. Because all the human race submitted themselves to him” st. John Chrysostom Where do they live? Near tombs, in defiled dark places.

Devils and Evil Spirits The fall of Satan: - The devils were created as good Angels then fell by their choice Isaiah 14:12-14, Ezekiel 28: 12-18 - their fall is irrevocable, not because of a lack in divine mercy but a character of their choice. As there is no forgiveness for humans after their. - thy desire the death of the human race.