Paper 114 Overview: Seraphic Planetary Government

The Most Highs rule in the kingdoms of men through celestial forces, especially through seraphim. There are over one billion individual angels on Urantia, working as the actual ministers who carry out the orders of the planetary government. Urantia has a unique supervision plan because of special circumstances like the Lucifer rebellion and the fact that Michael, the creator of the local universe, is also the Planetary Prince of Urantia.

Seraphim are organized into twelve groups with specific duties, such as helping with religion, health, education, and industry. These angels do not control human affairs directly, but they influence events by working behind the scenes. There is also a reserve corps of destiny made up of selected humans who work with the angels to help guide planetary affairs in times of emergency.

The Most Highs rule in the kingdoms of men mainly through seraphim. At the time of this writing, Urantia had over 501 million pairs of seraphim, equaling more than one billion individual angels. These angels, along with cherubim, serve as the actual superhuman ministers who carry out the instructions of the planetary governor and all his associates.

Urantia's government is different from any other world in the Satania system because of several unusual circumstances. These include Urantia's life modification status, the effects of the Lucifer rebellion, problems from the Adamic default, and the fact that Michael of Nebadon became the Planetary Prince of Urantia after his bestowal mission.

The sovereignty of Urantia was first held by the Satania system sovereign. After Prince Caligastia fell during the Lucifer rebellion, Urantia had no clear relationship with the local universe government. This was fixed when Michael completed his bestowal and was named Planetary Prince of Urantia.

Michael established a council of twenty-four former Urantians to represent him in governing Urantia. Recently, Machiventa Melchizedek was made the vicegerent (acting) Planetary Prince, though he has not yet assumed active control. Some believe Machiventa may not take personal direction of Urantia until Michael returns as promised.

Since Michael's bestowal on Urantia, the planet has been managed by a special group of twenty-four former Urantians based on Jerusem. These individuals were all notable leaders during their lives on Urantia and continue to contribute to the growth of divine sovereignty. They are nominated by Lanaforge's cabinet and appointed by Gabriel with Michael's approval.

This board supervises Urantia because Michael experienced his final bestowal here. John the Baptist currently chairs this council when it meets on Jerusem. The twenty-four counselors also advise on the affairs of thirty-six other rebellion-isolated worlds, but they are especially concerned with the advancement of Urantia's mortal races.

Every one hundred years, the twenty-four planetary supervisors choose one of their number to live on Urantia as their executive representative, the resident governor general. The name of the current governor is not revealed because humans tend to worship extraordinary beings. The nineteenth governor was recently replaced by the twentieth at the time these papers were written.

The resident governor general has no direct personal authority in managing world affairs but serves as the coordinator of superhuman administration. Angels and midway creatures view him as their leader. Although he has no actual personal authority, his decisions are accepted as final, and he functions somewhat like a Planetary Prince though his administration is more like that of the Material Sons.

Urantia's sovereignty is further complicated because the government of Norlatiadek took control of the planet after the rebellion. A Vorondadek Son from Edentia remains on Urantia as an observer for the Most Highs and as trustee of planetary sovereignty when Michael is not directly involved. The current Most High observer is the twenty-third to serve on Urantia.

The Most High observer has authority over certain planetary problems that were seized during the Lucifer rebellion. In times of grave planetary crisis, the Most High observer can take over the planetary government. This has happened thirty-three times in Urantia's history, during which the observer functions as the Most High regent with complete authority over all ministers except the archangels.

The actual administration of Urantia is difficult to describe because there is no formal government with separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The twenty-four counselors are the closest thing to a legislative branch, while the governor general serves as an advisory chief executive with veto power held by the Most High observer. There are no true judicial powers on the planet, only conciliating commissions.

The absence of a Planetary Prince's staff and the Material Son and Daughter's regime is partially made up for by the special ministry of seraphim and midway creatures. Despite its loose organization, this planetary government is surprisingly effective, partly due to the help of archangels and their communication circuit, which can be used in emergencies to overcome the planet's spiritual isolation.

When the first governor general arrived on Urantia with the outpouring of the Spirit of Truth, he brought twelve groups of special seraphim who graduated from Seraphington. These master seraphim of planetary supervision work under the general oversight of the resident governor general and are directed by a council of twelve seraphic chiefs.

The twelve corps of master seraphim on Urantia include: the epochal angels who oversee each dispensation; the progress angels who foster evolutionary advancement; the religious guardians who preserve valuable religious concepts; the angels of nation life who direct international relations; the angels of the races who work to conserve the evolutionary races; and the angels of the future who plan for coming ages.

The reserve corps of destiny consists of living men and women who have been admitted to special service in the superhuman administration of world affairs. These humans are chosen by spirit directors to assist in carrying out the ministry of mercy and wisdom to the children of time on evolutionary worlds. They are selected based on their intelligence, spirituality, and destiny.

Each division of planetary celestial service has a liaison corps of these mortals. On an average world, there are seventy separate corps of destiny, but Urantia has twelve, one for each group of seraphic supervision. At the time of writing, Urantia's reserve corps had 962 persons. Most members are unaware of their preparation for possible emergency functions, though a few serve as conscious contact personalities between spiritual authorities and human beings.