Angel Lore
Angel Lore
Angel Lore
In the Book of Enoch, the watchers are angels dispatched to Earth to watch over the humans.
They soon begin to lust for human women, and at the prodding of their leader Samyaza, they
defect en masse to illicitly instruct and procreate among humanity. The offspring of these unions
are the Nephilim, savage giants who pillage the earth and endanger humanity. Samyaza and
associates further taught their human charges arts and technologies such as weaponry, cosmetics,
mirrors, sorcery, and other techniques that would otherwise be discovered gradually over time by
humans, not foisted upon them all at once. Eventually God allows a Great Flood to rid the earth
of the Nephilim, but first sends Uriel to warn Noah so as not to eradicate the human race. While
Genesis says that the Nephilim remained "on the earth" even after the Great Flood, Jude says that
the Watchers themselves are bound "in the valleys of the Earth" until Judgment Day. (See
Genesis 6:4 and Jude 1:6, respectively)
There are 20 leaders in the Book of Enoch also called 1 Enoch the section that mentions them
reads:
“ 7. And these are the names of their leaders: Sêmîazâz, their leader, Arâkîba, Râmêêl,
Kôkabîêl, Tâmîêl, Râmîêl, Dânêl, Êzêqêêl, Barâqîjâl, Asâêl, Armârôs, Batârêl, Anânêl, Zaqîêl,
Samsâpêêl, Satarêl, Tûrêl, Jômjâêl, Sariêl. 8. These are their chiefs of tens." - R. H. Charles
translation, The Book of the Watchers, Chapter VI. ”
These are the leaders of 200 angels in 1 Enoch that are turned into fallen Angels because they
took wives, mated with human women, and taught forbidden knowledge.
Araqiel (also Arakiel, Araqael, Araciel, Arqael, Sarquael, Arkiel, Arkas) [5] taught
humans the signs of the earth. However, in the Sibylline Oracles, Araqiel is referred to
not as a fallen angel, or Watcher, but as one of the 5 angels who lead the souls of men to
judgement, the other 4 being Ramiel, Uriel, Samiel, and Azazel.
Armaros (also Amaros) in Enoch I taught men the resolving of enchantments.
Azazel[6] taught men to make knives, swords, shields, and how to devise ornaments and
cosmetics.
Gadriel taught the art of cosmetics.
Baraqel (Baraqiel) taught men astrology[7]
Bezaliel mentioned in Enoch I, left out of most translations because of damaged
manuscripts and problematic transmission of the text.
Chazaqiel (sometimes Ezeqeel) taught men the signs of the clouds (meteorology).[5]
Kokabiel (also Kakabel, Kochbiel, Kokbiel, Kabaiel, and Kochab),[8] is a high-ranking,
holy angel but, in general apocryphal lore and also in Enoch I, he is a fallen Watcher,
resident of nether realms, and commands 365,000 surrogate spirits to do his bidding.
Among other duties, he instructs his fellows in astrology.
Penemue[9] "taught mankind the art of writing with ink and paper," and taught "the
children of men the bitter and the sweet and the secrets of wisdom."
Sariel (also Suriel) taught mankind about the courses of the moon (at one time regarded
as forbidden knowledge).[10]
Samyaza (also Shemyazaz, Shamazya, Semiaza, Shemhazi, Semyaza and Amezyarak) is
one of the leaders of the fall from heaven.[11]
Shamsiel, once a guardian of Eden,[12] served as one of the 2 chief aides to the
archangel Uriel (the other aide being Hasdiel) when Uriel bore his standard into battle,
and is the head of 365 legions of angels and also crowns prayers, accompanying them to
the 5th heaven. He is referred to[13] as one of the Watchers. He is a fallen angel who
teaches the signs of the sun.[14]
Archangels:
Michael in the Hebrew language means "Who is like unto God?" or "Who is equal to
God?" St. Michael has been depicted from earliest Christian times as a commander, who
holds in his right hand a spear with which he attacks Lucifer/Satan, and in his left hand a
green palm branch. At the top of the spear there is a linen ribbon with a red cross. The
Archangel Michael is especially considered to be the Guardian of the Orthodox Faith and
a fighter against heresies.
Gabriel means "Man of God" or "Might of God." He is the herald of the mysteries of
God, especially the Incarnation of God and all other mysteries related to it. He is depicted
as follows: In his right hand, he holds a lantern with a lighted taper inside, and in his left
hand, a mirror of green jasper. The mirror signifies the wisdom of God as a hidden
mystery.
Raphael means "God's healing" or "God the Healer" (Tobit 3:17, 12:15). Raphael is
depicted leading Tobit (who is carrying a fish caught in the Tigris) with his right hand,
and holding a physician's alabaster jar in his left hand.
Uriel means "Fire of God," or "Light of God" (III Esdras 3:1, 5:20). He is depicted
holding a sword against the Persians in his right hand, and a flame in his left.
Sealtiel means "Intercessor of God" (III Esdras 5:16). He is depicted with his face and
eyes lowered, holding his hands on his bosom in prayer.
Jegudiel means "Glorifier of God." He is depicted bearing a golden wreath in his right
hand and a triple-thonged whip in his left hand.
Barachiel means "Blessing of God." He is depicted holding a white rose in his hand
against his breast.
Jerahmeel means "God's exaltation." He is venerated as an inspirer and awakener of
exalted thoughts that raise a person toward God (III Ezra 4:36). As an eighth, he is
sometimes included as archangel.
Maimonides, in his Yad ha-Chazakah: Yesodei ha-Torah, counts ten ranks of angels in the Jewish
angelic hierarchy, beginning from the highest:
Rank Angel Notes
1 Chayot Ha Kodesh**
2 Ophanim
3 Erelim See Isaiah 33:7
4 Hashmallim See Ezekiel 1:4
5 Seraphim See Isaiah 6
6 Malakhim Messengers, angels
7 Elohim "Godly beings"
8 Bene Elohim "Sons of Godly beings"
9 Cherubim See Talmud Hagigah 13b
10 Ishim "manlike beings", see Daniel
(10:5)
**The living creatures or living beings (Hebrew ֹ חחיַוּתkhayyot) are a class of heavenly
being described in Ezekiel's vision of the heavenly chariot in the first chapter of the Book
of Ezekiel. References to the creatures reoccur in texts of Second Temple Judaism, in
rabbinical merkabah ("chariot") literature, and in the Book of Revelation 4:6. In later
sources the creatures are equated as angels.
o Ezekiel describes the "living beings" as having the shape of a man, with four faces
(man, lion, bull and eagle) and four wings; "They glowed like burning coals, had
calf's feet that sparkled like brass, and traveled like lightning." (Geneva Bible).
The "wheels", Hebrew ophanim, are also translated as angelic beings in later
literature.
o In Judaism, the living beings are considered angels of fire, who hold up the throne
of God and the earth itself.[2] They are ranked first in Maimonides' Jewish
angelic hierarchy.
Demons
First hierarchy
The first hierarchy includes angels that were or are Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones.
Beelzebub was a prince of the Seraphim, just below Lucifer. Beelzebub, along
with Lucifer and Leviathan, were the first three angels to fall. He tempts men
with pride and is opposed by St. Francis of Assisi.
Leviathan was also a prince of the Seraphim who tempts people to give into
heresy, and is opposed by Saint Peter.
Asmodeus was also a prince of the Seraphim and reportedly continues to be
one, burning with desire to tempt men into wantonness. He is opposed by St.
John the Baptist.
Berith was a prince of the Cherubim. He tempts men to commit homicide,
and to be quarrelsome, contentious, and blasphemous. He is opposed by St.
Barnabas.
Astaroth was a prince of Thrones, who tempts men to be lazy and is opposed
by St. Bartholomew.
Verrine was also prince of Thrones, just below Astaroth. He tempts men with
impatience and is opposed by St. Dominic.
Gressil was the third prince of Thrones, who tempts men with impurity and is
opposed by St. Bernard.
Sonneillon was the fourth prince of Thrones, who tempts men to hate and is
opposed by St. Stephen.[5]
Second hierarchy
The second hierarchy includes Powers, Dominions, and Virtues.
Carreau was a prince of Powers. He tempts men with hardness of heart and is
opposed by St.s Vincent and Vincent Ferrer
Carnivean was also a prince of Powers. He tempts men to obscenity and
shamelessness, and is opposed by John the Evangelist.
Oeillet was a prince of Dominions. He tempts men to break the vow of
poverty and is opposed by St. Martin.
Rosier was the second in the order of Dominions. He tempts men against
sexual purity and is opposed by St. Basil.
Belias was the prince of Virtues. He tempts men with arrogance and women to
be vain, raise their children as wantons, and gossip during mass. He is
opposed by St. Francis de Paul.
Third hierarchy
The third hierarchy includes Principalities, Archangels, and Angels.
Olivier was the prince of the Archangels. He tempts men with cruelty and
mercilessness toward the poor and is opposed by St. Lawrence.
Iuvart was prince of Angels. At the time of Michaelis's writing, Iuvart was
believed to be in the body of a Sister Madeleine.[6]
Other Readings:
Beelzebub is commonly described as placed high in Hell's hierarchy; he was
of the order of Seraphim, which in Hebrew means "fiery serpents". According
to the stories of the 16th-century occultist Johann Weyer, Beelzebub led a
successful revolt against Satan,[19] is the chief lieutenant of Lucifer, the
Emperor of Hell, and presides over the Order of the Fly.
Leviathan, is a sea monster referred to in the Bible. In Demonology, the
Leviathan is one of the seven princes of Hell and its gatekeeper (see
Hellmouth). The word has become synonymous with any large sea monster or
creature. In literature (e.g., Herman Melville's Moby-Dick) it refers to great
whales, and in Modern Hebrew, it means simply "whale." It is described
extensively in Job 41.
o Later Jewish sources describe Leviathan as a dragon who lives over
the Sources of the Deep and who, along with the male land-monster
Behemoth, will be served up to the righteous at the end of time.
o When the Jewish midrash (explanations of the bible) were being
composed, it was held that God originally produced a male and a
female leviathan, but lest in multiplying the species should destroy the
world, he slew the female, reserving her flesh for the banquet that will
be given to the righteous on the advent of the Messiah (B. B. 74b).
o Rashi's commentary on Genesis 1:21 repeats the tradition: "God
created the great sea monsters - taninim[4]. According to legend this
refers to the Leviathan and its mate. God created a male and female
Leviathan, then killed the female and salted it for the righteous, for if
the Leviathans were to procreate the world could not stand before
them."[citation needed]
Behemoth¶
o In Jewish apocrypha and pseudepigrapha such as the 2nd century BCE
Book of Enoch, Behemoth is the primal unconquerable monster of the
land, as Leviathan is the primal monster of the waters of the sea and
Ziz the primordial monster of the sky. In the 2nd century BCE 1 Enoch
Leviathan lives in "the Abyss", while Behemoth the land-monster lives
in an invisible desert east of the Garden of Eden (1 Enoch 60:7-8). A
Jewish rabbinic legend describes a great battle which will take place
between them at the end of time: "...they will interlock with one
another and engage in combat, with his horns the Behemoth will gore
with strength, the fish [Leviathan] will leap to meet him with his fins,
with power. Their Creator will approach them with his mighty sword
[and slay them both]." Then, "from the beautiful skin of the Leviathan,
God will construct canopies to shelter the righteous, who will eat the
meat of the Behemoth and the Leviathan amid great joy and
merriment." (Artscroll siddur, p. 719).