Guardians of the Grail

 

March 30, 2022

We left our last article just scratching the surface of our look at angels, let us now delve a little deeper. We know the difference between a regular angel   and an archangel, I don't believe that there are female Archangels That's the mainstream view in most Abrahamic traditions, though it depends on which tradition you're asking about. In the Bible, the only angels specifically named are Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael (Raphael appears in the Book of Tobit, which is considered canonical by Catholics and Orthodox Christians but not by most Protestants). All are referred to using masculine names and grammar. No archangel is explicitly identified as female.

Here's how different traditions generally view it:

• Christianity: The recognized archangels (Michael, Gabriel, and in some traditions Raphael) are not described as female. Angels are generally understood to be spiritual beings without biological sex, even though they often appear in masculine form when interacting with humans.

• Judaism: Similar to Christianity, named archangels such as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel (in some traditions) are presented with masculine names and roles. Angels are spiritual beings rather than male or female in a biological sense.

• Islam: Angels, including Jibril (Gabriel) and Mikail (Michael), are not considered male or female. The Qur'an specifically rejects the pre-Islamic Arabian belief that angels were God's daughters (Qur'an 37:149–153; 53:27).

So where do female archangels come from?

The idea of female archangels is primarily found in:

• New Age spirituality.

• Modern esoteric traditions.

• Some occult and metaphysical systems. 

Names such as Ariel (often portrayed as female in New Age literature), Charity, Faith, or Sophia are sometimes described as female archangels or angelic beings. These depictions are not based on the biblical canon or the traditional teachings of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.

One point of confusion is Sophia, the Greek word for "wisdom." In some early Christian and Gnostic writings, Sophia is personified as feminine, but she is not an archangel in orthodox Christian theology. So if you're asking from the standpoint of traditional biblical Christianity, your understanding is consistent with mainstream doctrine: there are no female archangels named or described in Scripture, and the recognized archangels are presented with masculine identities or names, even though angels themselves are generally understood to be spiritual beings rather than biological males or females

and we know that either could arrive by what can only be mechanical means. Some call Cherubim angels, you know, those things that were mounted on the Ark of the Covenant. This seems to be something of a misnomer, a document from the third century A.D. entitled “The Origin”, describes the immortal Sophia and the ruler Saboath creating a great throne on a four faced chariot called Cherubim... and on that throne he created some other dragon shaped seraphims.

Seraphim. The word "seraphim" is a Hebrew term (שְׂרָפִים, śərāfîm) that means "burning ones" or "fiery ones." It comes from the root śāraph, meaning “to burn.” In the Hebrew Bible, particularly in Isaiah 6, seraphim are celestial beings associated with fire, worship, and the divine presence.

Sumerian Translation?

Sumerian is a much older language than Hebrew, and the concept of “seraphim” does not have a direct linguistic or theological counterpart in the Sumerian pantheon. However, we can explore possible equivalents or analogs:

Term	Language	Meaning	Notes
Seraphim	Hebrew	"Burning ones" (fiery angelic beings)	Described in Isaiah as having six wings, worshipping God
zi-sag or zi-sag-gi-na	Sumerian	“Righteous shining spirit”	A term used for divine or pure spirits
Anunna (Anunnaki)	Sumerian	"Those of royal blood" / “Princes of Heaven”	A group of high-ranking deities who dwell in the heavens and underworld
udug	Sumerian	A spirit, often malevolent but sometimes benevolent	Udug-hul = "evil demon"; udug can also be a divine agent
gallu	Sumerian	Underworld demon or divine messenger	Gallu demons were said to drag people to the underworld

Closest Conceptual Equivalent?

If you are looking for a mythological analogue to the seraphim in Sumerian belief:

• Anunnaki or Igigi (heavenly beings, often attending the high gods) could be seen as analogues in function (serving or attending deities), though not in form or imagery (no fire or burning described).

• Udug or gallu spirits could possibly resemble the fearsome, powerful nature of seraphim, but they’re often darker in tone.

Conclusion:

There is no direct Sumerian translation of “seraphim” because the concept is uniquely Hebrew and part of later Semitic angelology. However, depending on your emphasis—fire, divinity, heavenly servitude, or fearsome power—some Sumerian entities might be used as functional analogues in comparative mythology.

Genesis 3:24 says that the lord stationed cherubims (chariots or mobile thrones) and a sword of fire to protect the Garden of Eden. In a Greek work called The Hypostasis of the Archons, it deals with the rulers of entirety and the creation of Adam, it too calls a heavenly chariot a cherubim. 2 Kings 2:11 says Elijah is taken up in a chariot of fire, so too is described in the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. So what we can ascertain from this is, cherubim and their auxiliaries seraphim have never been described as human, as angels have been. In all honesty, it was the fearful Roman establishment that transformed the cherubims and seraphims into adoring celestial putti.

Without exception, all the angels in the New Testament were male and their appointments to angelic office were strictly dynastic. The Book of Enoch was written in the second century B. C., it forecast the restoration of the Messianic dynasties, and laid down ground rules for the structure of the priestly hierarchy. Included was the premise that successive dynastic heads should carry the names of the traditional angels and archangels to denote rank and position.

In the days of King David, the senior priests in order of precedence were Zadok, Abiathar, and Levi, the Essenes at Qumran preserved their priestly heritage by using using those names as titles, badges of rank, the Zadok dynast was also Michael, the Abiathar was Gabriel, and Levi, was Sariel. With this in mind, it changes how we look at Archangel Michael's battle with the dragon in Revelation 12:7, we can now see that it corresponds to the conflict between the Zadokite succession and the beast of blasphemy – imperial Rome. The second beast is that of the rigidly strict regime of the Pharisees who thwarted the ambitions of the Hellenist Jews by segregating Jews from gentiles. This is the beast to which is attributed the number 666, Revelation 13:8 which is the numerically evaluated polar opposite to the spiritual energy of water in the solar force – kundalini.

Priests of the high orders were required to remain celibate, trainee priests were therefore in limited supply and were often raised within a monastic system from within the communities illegitimate sons. Because of Jesus's date of birth, and the controversy surrounding it, he could have very well been raised in the same manner. Conversely, the dynastic heads of both Kingly and priestly successions were required to marry to perpetuate their lines. If for instance the Zadok wanted to have children, he would suspend himself from his priestly duties and turn them over to another, then when those conjugal urges where done, he would then return to his duties as a celibate.

The Zadok Michael in the early gospels was Zacharias, Elizabeth's husband, his priestly deputy was the Abiathar/ Gabriel Simeon. Zack's conjugal visit is very veiled in Luke 1:15-23, his being speechless in the temple meant that he could not speak in his professional capacity. The child that resulted from their union was John the Baptist, who in time succeeded as the Zadokite head.

The head of the Levi priests during Jesus's early ministry was Jonathan Annas. As head of the Levite dynasty he held the third archangelic rank of Sariel, as such he was the King's priest. There were other supreme archangels, Michael the Zadok, Gabriel the Abiathar, Sariel the Levi, as well as a few more who were not dynastic, they were known as, Father, Son, and Spirit. The Father was the equivalent of the Roman Pope – Papa – Father. The Roman church having stolen the term from it's original Jewish source. The position of Father was elective which precluded that title holder from certain other duties. An example is, when Jonathan Annas became the Father, his brother Mathew (the apostle) became his successor as head of the Levite priests, and so Mathew became the Levi of Alphaeus.

The Levites acted as subordinates to the archangels, at their head but junior to the Levi dynast was a chief priest, a bit different from a high priest. He was designated angelically as Raphael. His senior priests were styled in accordance with the original sons of Levi Genesis 29:34 and were named Kohath, Gershon, and Merari. The next priest in seniority was Amram, Moses, and the priestess Miriam. They were senior to Nabad, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithmar – the representative sons of Aaron.

It is at this point that primary aspects of the Grail Code begins to emerge. The heir to the Davidic kingly line held no angelic title, and was not in priestly service. The King's express duty was/is to serve the people, and to champion them against establishment injustices. The name David means beloved, as a beloved servitor and champion of his people Jesus would have made a fine king. One of Jesus's problems was that the lay people could not appreciate his humble code of service as demonstrated in John 13:4-11. Such a charitable action is not the mark of a power seeking dynast, but is a shining example of a type of common fatherhood in the nature of true Grail kingship.

The gospels can not be read as Historically accurate, they tell the story of Jesus as a kind of narrative, sometimes that narrative agrees with other gospels and sometimes not. Either way, Jesus was the focal point of the message. However, not all of those messages were for everyone's ears, as we have seen. Sometimes Jesus went to great lengths to hide his messages in plain sight, just as he hid his angels in plain sight. Jesus spoke in parables, simplifying his message with allegorical talks that basically painted pictures so that his words would be more easily understood. The majority of Jesus's activities were cleverly disguised within the context of diversionary stories, so that those with ears to hear would understand, and those without, not. Clearly the church has never understood their deified human and his true message.

The Gospels contain numerous symbolic elements that have distorted their understanding to this day. These distortions have turned into the accepted church dogma of today. We have already encountered one such distortion, the fishers of men, another is in John 2:1-10 the water to wine incident at Cana. This was Jesus's and the Magdalene's wedding, Jesus had been brought up in the strict environment of the Essene community, nevertheless he realized that Rome could not be defeated while extremes of competitive doctrines existed within the Jewish community as a whole. Remember that Christianity had not yet been created during his lifetime, he was a Jew and his religion was Judaism, and all Jews worshipped El Shaddai/Enlil. Jesus aspired to share the Jewish God with Gentiles because he needed allies.

Jesus was a Hellenist – westernized, and although the Baptist had baptized him, he did not share his views. 

Hellenistic Jews. Hellenistic Judaism refers to a form of Judaism that developed within the Greek-speaking world during the Hellenistic period, roughly from 323 BCE to 31 BCE. It is marked by the integration of Greek language, culture, and philosophy with traditional Jewish religious practices. This movement arose during the era of Second Temple Judaism and spans the period from the conquests of Alexander the Great to the eventual fall of the Jerusalem Temple.

Key Characteristics

Cultural Synthesis:
Hellenistic Judaism represents a blending of Jewish religious beliefs with elements of Greek culture and intellectual life. This synthesis created a unique expression of Jewish identity that was both faithful to its roots and open to external influences.

Greek Language:
Greek became the dominant language among many Jewish communities in the Diaspora, serving not only for everyday communication but also for religious texts and philosophical discourse.

Geographic Dispersion:
This form of Judaism flourished especially in Diaspora communities, most notably in cities such as Alexandria (Egypt) and Antioch (Syria), where Jewish populations interacted closely with Greek-speaking societies.

Engagement with Philosophy:
Hellenistic Jews actively engaged with Greek philosophical schools, particularly Platonism and Stoicism, in their efforts to harmonize Jewish theology with broader intellectual trends.

Influence on Early Christianity:
Many early Christian thinkers, including Paul the Apostle, were shaped by Hellenistic Jewish thought, making this movement a significant bridge between Judaism and emerging Christian theology.

Historical Context

Alexander the Great's Conquests:
The expansion of the Greek empire under Alexander the Great spread Hellenistic culture across the Mediterranean and Near East, bringing Jewish communities into closer contact with Greek traditions.

Second Temple Judaism:
Hellenistic Judaism unfolded within the larger framework of Second Temple Judaism — a period that began with the return from Babylonian exile and concluded with the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE.

The Septuagint:
One of the most important outcomes of this period was the Septuagint — a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. It reflects the linguistic and cultural shift of many Jews in the Diaspora and their desire to make scripture accessible to Greek-speaking audiences.

Notable Figures

Philo of Alexandria:
A leading Jewish philosopher of the time, Philo sought to reconcile Jewish scripture with Greek philosophical thought. He is known for his allegorical interpretations of the Bible and his efforts to bridge the two traditions.

The Apostle Paul:
Although a Christian figure, Paul’s background as a Hellenistic Jew is evident in his writings, which blend Jewish theology with Hellenistic rhetorical style and philosophical ideas.

Significance

Cultural Bridging:
Hellenistic Judaism played a crucial role in mediating between Jewish and Greek worlds. It enabled the transmission of Jewish religious ideas to non-Jewish audiences and, in turn, incorporated external cultural insights into Jewish thought.

Religious and Intellectual Influence:
The philosophical and theological currents shaped by Hellenistic Judaism left a lasting mark not only on Judaism but also on the foundations of early Christian doctrine.

Understanding Jewish Diversity:
Studying this period offers valuable insights into the diversity and adaptability of Jewish life and thought in antiquity, highlighting how Jewish identity could evolve while retaining its core commitments.

Jesus had little or no patience for religious factions like the Pharisees, he had one mission and that was liberation. He knew that his people could not be freed from their oppressors until until they had freed themselves from their own sectarianism. He also knew that that the prophesied Messiah was due at that time, and was expected to usher in a new era of deliverance, and as the heir to the Royal Davidic Bloodline, he was the man to do it and that should surprise no one.

  At his wedding at Cana, it's interesting that he hesitated, saying that “mine hour is not yet come”, this refers to the fact that he was not yet anointed. His mother Mary waived his lack of entitlement aside and told the servants to “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it”. The water into wine only appears in the Gospel of John, and it is supposed to be the first of his “miracles”. As the church so often misquotes it, it is not they ran out of wine at the wedding, the text really says, “And when they wanted wine the mother of Jesus saith unto him, they have no wine”. The Dead Sea Scrolls tell us that only fully initiated celibates presided over by a priest were allowed to partake of wine. All others were regarded as unsanctified and were restricted to a purifying ritual with water, these included married men, novices, gentiles, and all lay Jews. The Gospel continues, “There were six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews”. The thing of it that made the event so special is this, Jesus ignored normal tradition and allowed “unclean” outsiders to partake of the wine because what was really happening here was, communion. Most people believe that communion is a church ritual, it is not, it is a ritual that is an age old tradition with the Essenes and was appropriated by the church.