http://www.ccel.org/ccel/berkhof/systematictheology.

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11:3, or by God, Hag. 1:13; Mal. 2:7; 3:1. The Greek term aggelos is
also frequently applied to men, Matt. 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:24; 9:51;
Gal. 4:14. There is no general distinctive name for all spiritual
beings in Scripture. They are called sons of God, Job 1:6; 2:1; Ps.
29:1; 89:6, spirits, Heb. 1:14, saints, Ps. 89:5,7; Zech. 14:5; Dan.
8:13, watchers, Dan. 4:13,17,24. There are several specific names,
however, which point to different classes of angels.

a. Cherubim. Cherubim are repeatedly mentioned in Scripture. They guard

the entrance of paradise, Gen. 3:24, gaze upon the mercy-seat, Ex.
25:18; Ps. 80:1; 99:1; Isa. 37:16; Heb. 9:5, and constitute the chariot
on which God descends to the earth, II Sam. 22:11; Ps. 18:10. In Ezek.
1 and Rev. 4 they are represented as living beings in various forms.
These symbolical representations simply serve to bring out their
extraordinary power and majesty. More than other creatures they were
destined to reveal the power, the majesty, and the glory of God, and to
guard His holiness in the garden of Eden, in tabernacle and temple, and
in the descent of God to the earth.

b. Seraphim. A related class of angels are the Seraphim, mentioned only

in Isa. 6:2,6. They are also symbolically represented in human form,
but with six wings, two covering the face, two the feet, and two for
the speedy execution of the Lord's commandments. In distinction from
the Cherubim, they stand as servants round about the throne of the
heavenly King, sing His praises, and are ever ready to do His bidding.
While the Cherubim are the mighty ones, they might be called the nobles
among the angels. While the former guard the holiness of God, they
serve the purpose of reconciliation, and thus prepare men for the
proper approach to God.

c. Principalities, powers, thrones, and dominions. In addition to the

preceding the Bible speaks of certain classes of angels, which occupy
places of authority in the angelic world, as archai and exousiai
(principalities and powers), Eph. 3:10; Col. 2:10, thronoi (thrones),
Col. 1:16, kureotetoi (dominions), Eph. 1:21; Col. 1:16, and dunameis
(powers), Eph. 1:21; I Pet. 3:22. These appellations do not point to
different kinds of angels, but simply to differences of rank or dignity
among them.

d. Gabriel and Michael. In distinction from all the other angels, these
two are mentioned by name. Gabriel appears in Dan. 8:16; 9:21; Luke
1:19,26. The great majority of commentators regard him as a created
angel, but some of these deny that the name Gabriel is a proper name
and look upon it as common noun, meaning man of God, a synonym for
angel. But this is an untenable position. [69] Some earlier and later
commentators see in him an uncreated being, some even suggesting that
he might be the third person of the Holy Trinity, while Michael was the
second. But a simple reading of the passages in question shows the
impossibility of this interpretation. He may be one of the seven angels
that are said to stand before God in Rev. 8:2 (comp. Luke 1:19). It
seems to have been his special task to mediate and interpret divine
revelations.

The name Michael (lit., "who as God?") has been interpreted as a

designation of the second person of the Trinity. But this is no more
tenable than the identification of Gabriel with the Holy Spirit.
Michael is mentioned in Dan. 10:13,21; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7. From the fact
that he is called "the archangel" in Jude 9, and from the expression
used in Rev. 12:7 it would seem that he occupies an important place
among the angels. The passages in Daniel also point to the fact that he
is a prince among them. We see in him the valiant warrior fighting the
battles of Jehovah against the enemies of Israel and against the evil
powers in the spirit-world. It is not impossible that the title
"archangel" also applies to Gabriel and a few other angels.

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