Heaven, for all intents and purposes, is a specific area of the original formlessness that is inhabited solely by those who choose to follow the Claimant. Whatever physical appearance it may take is based entirely on the directed thought of those who live there. After the segmentation of the hierarchies, and even moreso following the order of the Claimant to take personal forms, areas of Heaven became distinctly separated. Literature refers to these as spheres, or different Heavens ranked one through seven, although as with most literature on the subject, sources rarely agree. I see these ‘spheres’ as similar to suburbs of a large city that attract certain types of people. On the whole, the Orders stay among their own kind in their designated area. Such places often themselves absorb the particular resonance of the Order that inhabits it, making it clear to all others upon whose territory they are treading.
The spheres in themselves make up only a very small part of Heaven, with the bulk being communal areas of great beauty. And Heaven is constantly expanding, with every new place an angelic being mentally creates added to its borders.
A Brief History of Heaven
An Overview of the Hierarchies
The sound-based entities were already gravitating towards similar vibrational groups even before the Claimant spoke, but those who chose to follow him formalized it into a highly structured ranking of Orders. Again, literature on this subject varies wildly, so the arrangement I follow - three Hierarchies of three Orders each - is closest to representing the symmetrical and harmonic nature of the angelic beings.
The ranking is as follows:
1st Hierarchy -Seraphim 2nd Hierarchy -Dominions 3rd Hierarchy -Principalites
-Cherubim -Virtues -Archangels 1
-Orphanim -Powers -Angels 2
(Note: 1. The position of Archangels in the Third Hierarchy is purely arbitrary and will be discussed in the Analysis of the Orders.
2. I am aware that I have used both Biblical and Hebrew names of the angelic orders, and have done so as these are the most recognizable titles. The full list of Hebrew names is as follows - Seraphim, Cherubim, Orphanim, Ikari’im, Ko’achim, Malakim, Hasmallim, and Adonaim. The term ‘Malak’ is also used to refer to angelics of any rank.)
As a very general rule, the higher the Order, the closer they work to and with the Claimant, while the lower Orders are more involved with the progression of humanity.
Forms:
Each Order has three manifestations. The first is intangible and completely sound-based, and is thus shared by all Orders - this is the form they existed in following Creation, and before their fascination with matter. Few angelics find any need or desire to return to this state.
Their next forms were experiments and attempts to replicate the symbology of their Sound in a physically visual manner. By this time they had divided into Orders and were sharing a common harmony, so these abstract forms are consistent throughout the individual Orders.
The last are the most well known to humans, as they are the densest and most visible, the forms the Claimant instructed his followers to take. While there were no limitations, the Claimant’s personal love of wings and flight was recognized, and so was coupled with their interest in the human form. Consequently, all members of the Heavenly Host, from the highest Seraph to the most humble Angel, has a winged-humanoid appearance of some description, depending on their rank.
Advancing through the Ranks:
Most of the Host strive to progress through the Orders and thereby become closer to the Claimant, however, some - notably the Grigori - have more specific interests in humanity and so never seek promotion.
Who shall be raised is an entirely internal affair, in which the Claimant himself chooses to have almost no say, with the early exception of Lucifer who he promoted to his First Lieutenant. By and large, it is the Order of Principalites who are responsible for recognizing a being who has grown beyond their Order, and then liaising with the higher Order to obtain their approval.
There is no set progression through the Hierarchies, and it is possible, if rare, for one to jump from Angel to Seraph. Most often, when the two highest Orders are in question, the individual would be required to first spend time as an Orphanim which serves as a training ground whereby they would be later chosen for either the Orders of Seraphim or Cherubim.
Some Orders are completely incompatible, and association with one practically prohibits advancement into the other. This informal rule may be superceded by the Archangels, as their Order is an exceptional case, but is adhered to by most others.
Depending on preference, either universally-orientated or Claimant-focused, two reasonable lines of progression would be:
Universal: Angel - Virtue - Orphanim - Seraphim
Claimant: Angel - Principalite or Power - Dominion - Orphanim - Cherubim
The Angelic Hierarchies
