A Chorus of Angels - Dominions
Part 4 of NightMau Now's exclusive 9 part series on Biblical Angels.
“When he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” (Ephesians, 1:21)
Overview
The fourth rank of angel is the Dominions or Lordships. This is the first rank in the second choir, sometimes referred to as heavenly rulers. The second choir generally has less information than the first or third choir, as they mostly regulate the inner workings of heaven and communicate the will of God to the third choir. What information is available is either from St. Paul’s writings in Ephesians and Colossians or is from various secondary sources, such as Saints in the Catholic Canon.
These secondary sources provide significantly more information on the Dominions over the scant mentions from St. Paul. For example, in the testament of Adam, Dominions are described as rulers over earthly kingdoms and decide who wins major wars, such as World War II. They also are said to have dominion over certain realms of Earth, hence the name “Dominions.” In 2 Enoch, it is said that he witnesses the Dominions riding red horses along with the many-eyed Thrones, Cherubim and Seraphim.
The Dominions themselves are often depicted as having a golden rod in one hand and the Seal of God in their other hand. This is supposed to signify their position as rulers. As such, it is believed by some that they also dispense wisdom and leadership to human rulers as well. It is also alluded to the Dominions having rule over other parts of the cosmos and sky in addition to earth. This is how God ensures the natural order of the universe continues as He envisioned it.
However, their role is not confined to simply ruling. With the Seal of God, they also are in charge of dealing out judgement. This idea of passing judgement is congruent with their role in deciding major wars, as stated earlier. One part of this judgement is imparting God’s mercy. Some scholars believe that the type of angel that stayed Abraham’s hand when he was commanded to sacrifice Isaac in Genesis 22 was a Dominion.
Perspective through Judaism
In Judaism, there is no close analog to the Dominions. The closest group of angels would most likely be the Erelim, however, the role of the Erelim appears to be closer to the Powers. As such, it is difficult to parse out how the Dominions would function in Jewish Hierarchy.
Perspective through Christianity
Christianity is unique as a majority of the canonical information regarding the Dominions comes from early Christian scholars and saints, such as St. Paul. These scholars have gone through the Bible and identified different angels that appear as Dominions. For example, when God destroyed the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, it is believed by Christians that he sent Dominions to carry out his judgement.
Some also suggest the Archangel Zadkiel is the leader of the Dominions. This touches on one theory that Archangels are not a separate rank of angel but rather leaders of the other eight ranks. This will be discussed further in the Archangel piece. However, it is important to note that Zadkiel is regarded as the Angel of Mercy, which relates to the Dominions’ role of distributing God’s mercy to humans.
Perspective through Islam
In Islam, there are a few angels that could be analogous to Dominions. There are the Kiraman Katibin, or Honorable Recorders, who assist in passing judgement on humans by recording all their good and bad actions. There are the Mu’aqqibat who keep people from death until it is their time. Then, there are the Nazi’at and Nashitat who assist Azrail (The Archangel of Death) who pass judgement on the deceased. While none of these groups are exactly comparable to the Dominions, together they are able to fulfill the same role.
To Wrap Up
Much like the other two ranks of the second choir, the Dominions are quite mysterious. They are often a manifestation of nature and the natural order, as the first choir is a manifestation of heaven, and the third is a manifestation of Humans. However, while what Dominions represent is intangible concepts, such as wisdom and leadership, they still have profound effects on those here on earth.