One traditional depiction of the chariot vision, based on the description in Ezekiel.

An Ophan (Lat. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. ophan[us], pl. ophani[m]) is one of a class of celestial beings called Ophanim described in the Book of Enoch^[1] with the Cherubim and Seraphim as never sleeping, but watching (or guarding) the throne of God. The Book of Enoch is any of several works that attribute themselves to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah and son of Jared ( CHERUB is a series of young adult books written by the author Robert Muchamore. A seraph ( Heb. שׂרף, pl שׂרפים Seraphim, lat. seraph'' pl God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity.

The word ophan means "wheel" in Hebrew so the Ophanim have been associated with the description in Ezekiel 1:15-21 and possibly again in the Daniel 7:9 (mentioned as gagal, traditionally "the wheels of gagallin", in "fiery flame" and "burning fire") of the four, eye-covered wheels (each composed of two nested wheels), that move next to the winged Cherubim, beneath the throne of God. A wheel is a circular device that is capable of rotating on its axis facilitating movement or transportation whilst supporting a load ( Mass) or performing labour in machines CHERUB is a series of young adult books written by the author Robert Muchamore. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. The four wheels move with the Cherubim because the spirit of the Cherubim is in them. The English word " spirit " comes from the Latin " spiritus " (breath These are also referred to as the "many-eyed ones" in the Second Book of Enoch^[2]. The Second Book of Enoch (usually abbreviated 2 Enoch, and otherwise variously known as Slavonic Enoch or The Secrets of Enoch) is a pseudepigraphic

The Ophanim are also equated as the "Thrones", associated with the "Wheels", in the vision of Daniel 7:9 (Old Testament). They are the carriers of the throne of God, hence the name. This article is about royal thrones for the order of Angels by the same name see Thrones. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. However, they appear not to be the same Thrones (Gr. thronos) mentioned by Paul of Tarsus in Colossians 1:16 (New Testament). This page concerns the class of Angels in the Christian tradition Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and

Function and philosophy

These Angelic Princes are often also called "Ophanim, Wheels or Galgallin. " It is said that they were the actual wheels of the Lord's Heavenly Chariot (Merkabah). For the series of Israeli main battle tanks see Merkava. The Hebrew word Merkabah (he מרכבה " Chariot " derived from the consonantal "The four wheels had rims and they had spokes, and their rims were full of eyes round about. " They are also frequently referred to as "many-eyed ones. "

Gulley (1996: p. 37) states that:

The 'thrones'; also known as 'ophanim' (offanim) and 'galgallin', are creatures that function as the actual chariots of God driven by the cherubs. They are characterized by peace and submission; God rests upon them. Thrones are depicted as great wheels containing many eyes, and reside in the area of the cosmos where material form begins to take shape. They chant glorias to God and remain forever in his presence. " Gloria in excelsis Deo " ( Latin for "Glory to God in the highest" is the title and beginning of a hymn known also as the Greater Doxology They mete out divine justice and maintain the cosmic harmony of all universal laws. In Law and Ethics, universal law or universal principle refers to concept of legal Legitimacy whereby those principles and rules for governing

Characteristics

Having the most bizarre physical appearance of the celestial host, they are described as great wheels, covered with a great many eyes and glowing with light. One explanation given for this (besides them acting as God's chariot), is that they mark the end of the first Choir, where the emanations of God begin to take on more material forms and as such exist in a state of transition.

Ophanim in specific spiritual traditions

Ophanim in Judaism

Maimonides lists Ophanim as occupying the second of ten ranks of angels in his exposition of the Jewish Angelarchy. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Moses Maimonides ( March 30 1135 – December 13 1204) also known as the Rambam, was a Rabbi, Physician, and Maimonides, in his Yad ha-Chazakah: Yesodei ha-Torah, counts ten ranks of angels in the Jewish angelic hierarchy, beginning from the highest

Ophanim are mentioned in the kal adon prayer, often sung by the congregation, as part of the traditional Shabbat morning service. Shabbat or Shabbos ( Hebrew: שַׁבָּת, shabbāt, shabbes, "rest/inactivity" is the Weekly Sabbath Jewish services ( Hebrew: תפלה, tefillah; plural תפלות, tefillos or tefillot; Yinglish: davening

In the Jewish angelic hierarchy thrones and wheels are different. Maimonides, in his Yad ha-Chazakah: Yesodei ha-Torah, counts ten ranks of angels in the Jewish angelic hierarchy, beginning from the highest This is also true in the Kabbalistic angelic hierarchy. According to the Kabbalah as described by the Golden Dawn there are ten archangels, each commanding one of the choir of angels and corresponding to one of the

Thrones in the Catholic Church

De Coelesti Hierarchia refers the Thrones (from the Old Testament description) as the third Order of the first sphere; the other two superior orders being the Cherubim and Seraphim. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". De Coelesti Hierarchia ( Celestial Hierarchy) is a Pseudo-Dionysian work on Angelology (dated to ca It is mentioned that "The name of the most glorious and exalted Thrones denotes that which is exempt from and untainted by any base and earthly thing, and the super mundane ascent up the steep. For these have no part in that which is lowest, but dwell in fullest power, immovably and perfectly established in the Most High, and receive the Divine Immanence above all passion and matter, and manifest God, being attentively open to divine participations. "

Lords of the Flame in the Western Wisdom Teachings

The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception refers that the "Lords of the Flame", the Hierarchy of Elohim astrologically assigned to Leo, are the Thrones (from the Old Testament description, "because of the brilliant luminosity of their bodies and their great spiritual powers. The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception or Mystic Christianity is a Rosicrucian text written by Max Heindel (ISBN 0-911274-34-0 Western Wisdom Teachings In the Levantine pantheon the Elohim are the sons of El the ancient of days (olam assembled on the divine holy place Mount Zephon ( Jebel Leo is the fifth Astrological sign of the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Leo. "); the other two superior hierarchies being also the Cherubim and Seraphim. According to this teachings, these three Hierarchies have already reached liberation, thus no longer active in the work of evolution. Spiritual evolution is the Philosophical, theological, esoteric or spiritual idea that nature and human beings and/or human culture evolve along

Ophanim in popular culture

• Ophanim are also given a place in the anime Digimon Frontier through One of the three Celestial Digimon named Ophanimon. (anime in Japanese, is the 4th Digimon TV series first broadcast in 2002 After prompted to do so by unusual phone messages the five main characters go to a subway station and take a train The Celestial Digimon are a fictional group of Digimon that appear in the Digimon media franchise The others are Cherubimon and Seraphimon.
• The concept of the Ophanim, and the gospel song "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel" are likely sources of inspiration for the Grateful Dead song "Estimated Prophet", written by John Perry Barlow. Ezekiel Saw the Wheel is a famous Folk song, covered by such artists as Woody Guthrie, Paul Robeson, John Lee Hooker, the Dixie Hummingbirds The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. John Perry Barlow (born October 3, 1947) is an American Poet, Essayist, retired Wyoming cattle rancher political
• Ophanim are one of the Choirs in the RPG In Nomine. In Nomine is a Role-playing game designed by Derek Pearcy and published in 1997 by Steve Jackson Games, based on the French game They are depicted as giant flaming wheels.
• The Ophanim appear throughout the Shin Megami Tensei video game series (under the name "Thrones") as powerful angels. is a Console role playing game by Atlus that was released on October 30 1992 on several platforms They are among the highest ranks of the Divine clan, sometimes as the highest of all (the Seraphim appear as a separate class of angels).
• There is a distant allegory to the "four thrones" meaning of the Ophanim in C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, specifically the fact that there are four thrones in the castle of Cair Paravel given to the Pevensie children by Aslan, from where they would rule the land of Narnia as one. Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963  Cair Paravel is the fictional castle where the Kings and Queens of Narnia rule in The Chronicles of Narnia. Aslan, the "Great Lion " is the central character in The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of seven fantasy novels for children written by For other uses of "Narnia" see Narnia (disambiguation.

Names attributed to this Angelic Order

• Bodiel
• Jophiel
• Zaphkiel
• Oriphiel
• Raziel
• Astaroth
• Gressil
• Focalor
• Forneus
• Murmur
• Nelchael
• Phenex
• Purson
• Raum
• Samael
• Sonneillon
• Verrine
• Lauviah

References

External links

• AngelFocus - Dionysius Hierarchy of Angels
• Contemplation of the Angels of Merkabah (throne) Mysticism

Christian angelic hierarchy v • d • e
First Sphere (liberated)	Seraphim • Cherubim • Thrones •
Second Sphere (active)	Dominions • Virtues  • Powers
Third Sphere (active)	Principalities • Archangels • Angels