Angels Are Organized By Authority

The angelic world functions by the principle of authority. The various ranks of angels suggest that they are organized in a hierarchy to carry out the program of their King, Jesus Christ.

The Bible mentions several ranks of angels.

Michael is called “the archangel,” but there was originally one angel who ranked even higher in authority than Michael, and that was Lucifer. This name appears in the Douay Rheims version, while in the New American Standard bible it is translated as “star of the morning.” This is Satan, who was created as the leader of all the angels. The devil's power is still so great that even Michael backed off when disputing with him about the body of Moses, and could only say, “The Lord command or rebuke you!” Jude 9.

Besides the archangel, we read of the cherubim, an order of angels who form an “inner circle” with access to God's throne. They are charged with keeping the unholy away from the holy. Cherubim were placed at the entrance to the garden of Eden to keep Adam and Eve from returning after they sinned. (Genesis 3:24). The mercy seat, the lid on the ark of the covenant, was guarded by two golden cherubim in Ezekiel 10:15.

It's interesting that Satan was called the “anointed cherub” before his rebellion and fall (Ezekiel 28:14, 16). He was the most powerful of the cherubim, which explains the great power of the cherubim, which explains the great power he retained after he was expelled from heaven.

Another order of angels is the Seraphim, who are engaged in nonstop worship and praise of God. We read about them in Isaiah by touching his lips with coal from God's altar

The demonic world is also arranged for the exercise of authority.

Satan is the master of the fallen angels, who all carry out his bidding. The Bible doesn't have a lot to say about demonic organization, but what it says is significant. Paul said in Ephesians 6:12 that our struggle in spiritual warfare is “against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places."

Whatever their rank, demons are under the unquestioning command of Satan. To the Jewish leaders who accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan, Jesus said, “If Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself: how then shall his kingdom stand? (Matthew 12:26). Hell's forces are completely committed to the Devil's agenda.

As the spiritual world is organized around a principle of hierarchy and authority, the structures and organizations of the physical world are a reflection of this pattern.

An important verse relating to this is Colossians 1:16, where Paul wrote: “For in him were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or domination's, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and in him.”

Therefore, with the angels, we will continue to function under authority, both in heaven and on earth.