Why is Saint Michael a lower angel?

[punisherthunder]

In looking at the Chaplet of Saint Michael, it appears that the Cherubim are the highest level of angelic beings. Archangels are second from the bottom.

I just wonder why the Cherubim didn’t toss out Satan, and Saint Michael did…

 

[Della]

In looking at the Chaplet of Saint Michael, it appears that the Cherubim are the highest level of angelic beings. Archangels are second from the bottom.

I just wonder why the Cherubim didn’t toss out Satan, and Saint Michael did…

That’s not the function (to put it practically) of the Cherubim. They uphold God’s throne, according to Scripture. What all that entails I don’t know, but it’s their full time position. They never leave their post–I suppose they’re like sentries in that regard.

The archangels deal with God’s creation. Lucifer was the same kind of angel St. Michael is, so it’s only natural that one of his own kind discipline him at God’s command, don’t you think?

St. Michael also guards humanity against Satan because Satan has made himself the enemy of man. StM was a wonderful help to me at a critical time in my life against the power of the enemy. If Jesus had commanded the angels to come to his aid, as he told Pilate he could, StM would have led the heavenly hosts to defend Our Lord. He’ll no doubt come in glory with Christ on the last day to defeat Satan’s minions (not the little yellow guys ) but the demons and those humans in league with them.

 

[Mintaka]

There is a lot of legend dealing with this, and the general consensus is that St. Michael was a Joe Schmo angel, whereas Lucifer was a charismatic and brilliant angel.

But St. Michael loved and honored God, and that is why God gave him the power to fight Lucifer and win. And that’s why most of the warrior angels with him were also Joe Schmo angels.

You get the same kind of divine topsy-turvy in the Gospels, when Jesus tells us that the guardian angels of ordinary believers and the poor get to talk to God in His throneroom:

Matthew 18:10 -

“See that you despise not one of these little ones. For I say to you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”

There are angels in charge of countries and kings that don’t get that kind of exposure!

 

[pianistclare]

By definition, the Archangels work is to deliver message of global import to humans.
They’re not getting short-changed int he credit department.

 

[Robert_Sock]

In orthodox Judaism, only archangels have free will and St. Michael the archangel is held in the highest regard. He protects Israel.

 

[BenP]

The general consensus, as I understand it, is that yes satan was much higher in the hierarchy than Michael. Think about how insulting that must be to the devil.

 

[Della]

The general consensus, as I understand it, is that yes satan was much higher in the hierarchy than Michael. Think about how insulting that must be to the devil.

As I understand it Lucifer was merely an archangel not a higher order of angelic being than Michael. He was the top archangel, but rebelled, making it necessary for Michael to cast him out of heaven at God’s command.

 

[pianistclare]

As I understand it Lucifer was merely an archangel not a higher order of angelic being than Michael. He was the top archangel, but rebelled, making it necessary for Michael to cast him out of heaven at God’s command.

Correct.

 

[Wannabe_Monk_16]

There is a lot of legend dealing with this, and the general consensus is that St. Michael was a Joe Schmo angel, whereas Lucifer was a charismatic and brilliant angel.

a “Joe Schmo angel”?

Can you please provide documentation supporting this consensus?

I was under the assumption that the order of the Celestial Hierarchy is as follows:
1.) The Holy Trinity
2.) Our Lady, Queen of Heaven
3.) St. Michael the Archangel
4.) Seraphim
5.) Cherubim
6.) Thrones
7.) Dominions
8.) Virtues
9.) Powers
10.) Principalities
11.) Archangels
12.) Angels

I know St. Michael is technically classified as an Archangel, but I thought I remember reading somewhere that besides the Blessed Virgin Mary, he is the best at rebuking the Bad Guy and his cronies.

…but I don’t have any “documentation supporting [my] consensus.” haha

 

[pianistclare]

a “Joe Schmo angel”?

Can you please provide documentation supporting this consensus?

I was under the assumption that the order of the Celestial Hierarchy is as follows:
1.) The Holy Trinity
2.) Our Lady, Queen of Heaven
3.) St. Michael the Archangel
4.) Seraphim
5.) Cherubim
6.) Thrones
7.) Dominions
8.) Virtues
9.) Powers
10.) Principalities
11.) Archangels
12.) Angels

I know St. Michael is technically classified as an Archangel, but I thought I remember reading somewhere that besides the Blessed Virgin Mary, he is the best at rebuking the Bad Guy and his cronies.

…but I don’t have any “documentation supporting [my] consensus.” haha

no.

 

[Monica4316]

The Seraphim would be the highest, not Cherubim… As for St Michael, I heard that because of his humility he is actually considered the greatest or one of the greatest Angels.

 

[mikekle]

**St. Michael also guards humanity against Satan **because Satan has made himself the enemy of man. StM was a wonderful help to me at a critical time in my life against the power of the enemy. If Jesus had commanded the angels to come to his aid, as he told Pilate he could, StM would have led the heavenly hosts to defend Our Lord. He’ll no doubt come in glory with Christ on the last day to defeat Satan’s minions (not the little yellow guys ) but the demons and those humans in league with them.

Since Satan can only do what God allows him, then why would St M need to guard mankind against Satan?

If I were St M. Id feel a bit discouraged, trying to protect mankind from Satan, but at the same time, God is allowing him to do all kinds of things…?

 

[punisherthunder]

Thank you all for the answers, they’ve been really helpful. Although, I’m not curious what the other Choirs of angels are in charge of. Virtues, Dominions, Powers, Thrones, what do they do?

 

[Techno2000]

In looking at the Chaplet of Saint Michael, it appears that the Cherubim are the highest level of angelic beings. Archangels are second from the bottom.

I just wonder why the Cherubim didn’t toss out Satan, and Saint Michael did…

The Chaplet of Saint Michael comes from Saint Michael…

Saint Michael, appearing one day to Antonia d’Astonac, a most devout Servant of God, told her that he wished to be honored by nine salutations corresponding to the nine Choirs of Angels, which should consist of one Our Father and three Hail Marys in honor of each of the Angelic Choirs.

Promises of St. Michael
Whoever would practice this devotion in his honor would have, when approaching the Holy Table, an escort of nine angels chosen from each of the Choirs. In addition, for the daily recital of these nine salutations, he promised his continual assistance and that of all the holy angels during life, and after death deliverance from Purgatory for themselves and all their relations.

rosaryandchaplets.com/chaplets/st_michael_prayer.html

 

[Wannabe_Monk_16]

no.

What is the proper order of the Celestial Hierarchy? I thought my model was derived from St Thomas Aquinas who got his information from Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite.

 

[Sarcelle]

The general consensus, as I understand it, is that yes satan was much higher in the hierarchy than Michael. Think about how insulting that must be to the devil.

I heard that Lucifer was a Seraphim which is the highest order.

In my opinion the most humiliating defeat dealt to Lucifer was from Mary.

 

[patrick457]

From a historical perspective:

Our current classification of the angelic choirs (Pseudo-Dionysius’) was just the one that eventually became the standard. Originally, there were a few more schemes.

Pretty much everyone agreed that the seraphim and cherubim are the highest ranks of angels (in the sense that they are closer to the divine presence), and that the archangels and angels are on the bottom tier (in the sense that they are closer to the human realm), but there was a bit of a disagreement about the exact position of the other four (thrones, dominions, powers, principalities). And I’m just talking about Christian schemes; Jewish schemes (which just draw on the Old Testament) vary more.

In some Second Temple-period literature in fact, St. Michael is actually considered to be a, if not the, high-ranking angel among angels (a role that is at times ascribed to other angels though). This is because he is ascribed important roles such as being the guardian angel of Israel as well as its intercessor and defense lawyer (against Satan the prosecutor), as well as being a priest (sometimes even the high priest) of the heavenly Temple, the captain of the heavenly army, and the psychopomp of OT patriarchs (i.e. the one who leads and guides them to the afterlife). In fact, he was at times identified with “the angel of His Presence” in Isaiah 63:9 as well as the “angel” God promises to send to the Israelites and who bears His name in Exodus 23 (“Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared … my name is in him”). In any case, he is almost always counted as one of the four or six or seven principal　angels (the numbers vary depending on the source) who stand before and/or around God’s throne (= our idea of the seven archangels): him and Gabriel (and Raphael) are pretty much the only ones everyone agreed was part of this group.

 

[mikeeh]

In looking at the Chaplet of Saint Michael, it appears that the Cherubim are the highest level of angelic beings. Archangels are second from the bottom.

I just wonder why the Cherubim didn’t toss out Satan, and Saint Michael did…

Seraphim (Seraphs) are considered the highest order of angels. Saint Michael tossed Satan out because Saint Michael is considered a warrior angel. To be honest most of the information regarding angels and their hierarchy is largely made up. Other than a few passages in the Bible, there isn’t too many facts about them. It’s basically theory.

 

[Wannabe_Monk_16]

no.

During the St. Michael prayer, we recite: “prince of the Heavenly hosts”, wouldn’t that place St. Michael fairly high up in the Celestial Hierarchy?
Also, since Our Lady is declared Queen of Heaven by the Church, wouldn’t that place her above all the angelic choirs?