Angelic
Assembly; Rev. 5:9-11
There is a genuine war that goes on in an invisible realm, one that we
cannot see, that we cannot touch, that we cannot taste, yet nevertheless we
know that it is going on because of what God has revealed to us in the Scriptures.
This is not some abstract doctrine that deals with another realm of creatures
that might seem somewhat mythological to some, it is very real because the
focal point of all history that took place on the cross was not only the
centrepiece of human history where the sins of mankind were paid for, but it is
the centrepiece of this cosmic conflict that began in eternity past when this
creature named Lucifer rebelled against God. So to understand where we are in
our place in history we must fit it within the context of not only human
history but also the entire scope of how that fits within this broader
conflict.
There are different categories and ranks of angels. We should note that there
seems to be this angelic council that surrounds the throne of God and there is
discussion that takes place between God and these angels that come before Him.
This is referenced in Psalm 89:5-8 Psalm 89 is an important chapter because it
is a meditation on the Davidic covenant. As there is this covenant that is
given by God to David there is also reference to the fact that this is
witnessed to by “the heavens.” Just as Moses had called upon the heavens and
the earth to witness the Mosaic covenant so there is a heavenly witness to the
Davidic covenant. When we have that word “heaven” it is not talking about the
physical heavens, the starry skies or the space that God created in Genesis
1:1, it is talking about the inhabitants of the heavens which is the angels.
The first four verses of Psalm 89 gives us an introduction and focus our
attention on God’s grace in giving the covenant to David. Then there is a pause
and the subject shifts in verse 5 which is a statement of praise for this
covenant. NASB “The heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD; Your faithfulness
also in the assembly of the holy ones.
The synonymous parallelism in verse 5 is between the heavens in the
first line and the assembly of the holy ones in the second line. The heavens
simply stands for that group which inhabits the heavens, which is the angels.
What we learn in the second line is not just that there are angels but that
they exist as an assembly, a group that would gather together and encircle the
throne of God. Then in v. 6: “For who in the skies is comparable to the LORD? Who among the
sons of the mighty …” Here we have the phrase “the sons of the mighty,” and the
phrase in the Hebrew is bene el,
which is similar to the phrase in Genesis 6:3, bene ha elohim. This is a term that always refers to angels in the
Old Testament. Literally, it is “Who among the sons of God is like the Lord?”
Then in v. 7, “A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones.” Again, we
are told that they meet as the council. “And awesome above all those who are
around Him?
Jus as a side note, if we skip down to Psalm 89:14 we have one of the
most crucial theological statements in all of the Psalms: NASB
“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness
and truth go before You.” This emphasizes the foundation of the throne of God.
All of God’s dealings are righteousness and justice.
There is another picture of this convocation or council before the
throne of God in other passages in the Old Testament. One of them is in Job
chapter one, verses 6-12: NASB “Now there was a day when the sons of
God [the angels] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among
them.
That tells us that the terms “sons of God” includes both fallen angels
and the holy angels. It also tells us that even at this time all of the angels,
both fallen and holy, will meet together before God.
“The LORD said to Satan, ‘From where do you come?’ Then Satan answered the LORD and said, ‘From
roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.’ The LORD said to Satan,
‘Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth,
a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.’ Then
Satan answered the LORD, ‘Does Job fear God for nothing?
Then in chapter two, verse 1, there was a subsequent event. “Again there
was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also
came among them to present himself before the LORD.”
There is another term that is used for this group of angels, primarily
referring to the holy or elect angels, and that is the word in Psalm 89:8 where
we read: “O LORD God of hosts…” The word in the Hebrew is tsaba. The plural of it is tsabaoth.
“Host” is a term that describes an army. Even today it is a term that describes
the army of
Another picture is in 1 Kings 22 which deals with the war that develops
between
So in the midst of this Micaiah comes in, and we read in verse 17 NASB
“So he said, ‘I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains, Like sheep which
have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These have no master. Let each of them return
to his house in peace.’” This indicated that the leader of the army of
What this shows, just as we saw in Job, is that there is this heavenly
assembly, and before Satan can do anything to Job he has to get God’s
permission. The same thing is happening here as we see the sovereignty of God
in His control. Evil is not totally chaotic, it is under the control of God and
God is going to allow Satan and the demons to do what they do, but under His
control for the outworking of His purposes in human history. So 1 Kings 22
shows once again that what is happening in human history on the battlefield
between Israel and Judah versus the king of Syria and what shapes the events of
human history is something that is going on in the angelic realm. So we can’t
understand human history at all without locating it within the broader scope of
the angelic conflict.