Chapter 13. First Angelic Hierarchy: Archangels
Recognizing archangels as part the First Hierarchy overturns Dionysius’s model, but is logical based on scriptural accounts pertaining to archangels.
Archangel/arkhang’elos is defined as a chief angel and chief of angels, indicating a very high rank and part of the First Hierarchy. Further, Michael’s name is defined as one who is like God and the archangel who stands against the beast empires in defense and support of Israel’s destiny. The archangel Michael stands against Antichrist from taking power before the ordained time, the chief angel/prince who will lead loyal angels to fight Satan and his angels in the end times, and the angel sent to protect Moses’ body from Satan, which indicates that archangels may be a higher rank than seraphim.
Indeed, Scripture documented another First Hierarchy angel defined as an archangel in Strong’s Dictionary, the angel who stated: “I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God” as First Hierarchy Watchers do. Gabriel went to Daniel to explain the vision of beast empires in Daniel 8, and thus likely the archangel among others that “stood by” in the vision in Daniel 7 to interpret that vision. Gabriel was sent to Zacharias to announce the coming of John the Baptist. Yet another archangel blasts his trumpet at the time of the rapture, during the last trumpet of Revelation. An order of angels represented in the Bible by Gabriel, Michael, and other biblically anonymous archangels stand among the other Watchers encircling God’s throne.
Archangels are intimately involved with the fulfillment of prophecy. Scripture indicates seven seemingly archangels are positioned in the presence of God. The seven archangels appear to be the seven angels that stand before God in the book of Revelation as Gabriel does. Archangels will be provided the trumpets to begin the trumpet catastrophes (Rev 8:2), just as an archangel blows the last trumpet at the time of rapture, in the time when Michael rises at the midpoint of the last seven years.
