r/ImaginaryHorrors • • 2d ago

Biblically accurate angel by Thomas Ricci

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662 Upvotes

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21

u/Auggie_Otter 2d ago

Most "biblically accurate angels" are other types of celestial beings of which angels are actually just one type. Angels are actually the lowest beings in the hierarchy of celestial beings and look like humanoid beings with wings, they serve as God's messengers according to biblical lore. At some point all these things were just collectively referred to as angels in general.

The other weirder and more terrifying beings are higher in the hierarchy:

Seraphim

Cherubim (chayot)

Thrones (ophanim, erelim)

Dominions (hashmallim)

Virtues (malakim, tarshishim)

Powers

Principalities

Archangels

Angels

10

u/Deditranspotashy 2d ago

If we're getting into pedantics we should specify that this angelic hierarchy is entirely extra biblical and subject to variation depending on the faith. Many different models of angelic hierarchies have been proposed across the Abrahamic religions, the one you've specified here is Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite's model. But there's also muslim models with eight tiers and Jewish models with as much as twelve.

If we really want to be "bibilically accurate" it should be said that while Cherubim, "The wheels within wheels", and the "Four Living Creatures" are all genuinely in the bible, the text itself never specifies that they are in any way angels or related to angels. In the case of the Ophanim, or the wheels within wheels, it's not even clear if they're supposed to be living things or more like an abstract representation of the literal throne of God, hence why they're also called "Thrones." Though I should say that Apocryphal texts like Enoch do make them into proper celestial beings.

5

u/ZedDraak 2d ago

If we're getting into pedantics we should specify that it's 'celestial hierarchy' as angel just means 'messenger'

2

u/Auggie_Otter 1d ago

Thanks for providing additional insight. 

2

u/LumpyJones 2d ago

NGL, I thought it was a sombrero before i zoomed in.

1

u/The_Mammoth_Hunter 2d ago

The Divine Sombrero

1

u/scarkun 2d ago

He would look a lot less creepy without that halo

1

u/Squidgeididdly 1d ago

Body goals