...not only that (what fr maximilian wrote), but there’s a further point, here:
Principalities, Dominions, etc., as used in the bible, have traditionally been understood to refer to angels. For every earthly principality (kingdom, nation, etc.), there is held to be a Principality (an angel). Such understandings are quite ancient.
There is a phylogeny of angels, which is medieval in orgin, I believe, but which derives from much more ancient sources:
MESSENGERS OF GOD TO MAN
(lowest angels)
Guardian angels or Malakh
Archangels: Fulfill important missions to man
Virtues
Powers
Principalities
Dominations
Thrones or Ophanim
Cherubim or Chayat (having nothing to do with “Putti” the chubby children of Renaissance art)
Seraphim
(highest angels)
Please don’t take it that this is Catholic doctrine, but just that this was how the ancient Christians understood the world. Hebrew Angelology dates back many centuries before Christ; there are 10 choirs of angels in Mainomides’ (sp?) hierarchy. Some (Malakh, Archangels, Principalities, Thrones, Seraphim, Cherubim) can be directly related to ancient Christian angelology, such as Pseudo-Deinysious’s 5th century work. Others (Elohim, Sons of God) are harder to relate, and even a little challenging to post-Isaiah’s radical monotheism.
Correction: Earthly principalities are ruled by archangels, not Principalities.
Maimonides, also known as the Rambam (acronym for Rabbi Moses ben Maimon).
Pseudo-Deinysious
Pseudo-Dionysius?
You having an off day? ;-)