Angels lesson 3 final

Overview

How Many Angels? Considering Their Number, Rank, and Ministry

Scripture never gives us a precise count of the angels, but it consistently presents them as a vast, innumerable host. Moses sang of the Lord coming "with ten thousands of holy ones" Deuteronomy 33:2. Job asks, "Is there any number to his armies?" Job 25:2-3. The psalmist describes "twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands" of chariots Psalm 68:17. Daniel sees "a thousand thousands" serving the Ancient of Days, with "ten thousand times ten thousand" standing before him Daniel 7:9-10. The writer of Hebrews speaks of "innumerable angels in festal gathering" Hebrews 12:22, and John hears "myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands" praising the Lamb Revelation 5:11. Because angels were created within the days of creation and do not reproduce, their number is fixed—but enormous beyond our reckoning.

Scripture is restrained when it comes to ranks. We are told plainly of one distinction: angels and archangels. Michael is called "one of the chief princes" and "the great prince" who protects God's people (Daniel 10:13; Daniel 12:1). Cherubim and seraphim appear in Scripture with specific roles, but the Bible never explicitly classifies them as types of angels, and we should not push beyond what is written. Paul lists "angels…rulers…powers" among created things that cannot separate us from God's love Romans 8:38-39—a statement of comfort, not a chart of hierarchy. As the saying goes, where God has not spoken, we must not speak for him.

The angels' ministry shines especially clearly in the life of Christ. Gabriel announced the incarnation to Mary Luke 1:26-38. A multitude of the heavenly host proclaimed his birth to the shepherds Luke 2:8-14. An angel strengthened him in Gethsemane Luke 22:39-44. At his arrest, Jesus could have called on his Father for "more than twelve legions of angels"—well over 72,000—but he did not, because his mission was to suffer for us Matthew 26:53. His restraint reveals both the Father's power to dispatch heavenly armies and the deep, intimate union between Father and Son. After the resurrection, two angels redirected the disciples' gaze from the sky toward their mission Acts 1:9-11.

Pastorally, this matters in two ways. First, angels are significant—real, created, mighty servants of God whose work surrounds Christ and his church. Second, they are not the center; God is. Their purpose is to serve the Lord and minister to those who will inherit salvation. We should neither dismiss them nor inflate what Scripture says about them. Instead, we marvel that the same God who commands myriads of holy ones has secured our place among that festal gathering, where one day we will join their voices in worship of the Lamb who was slain.

Transcript

Thank you so much for this blessed day. 7s

We thank you for your word, your word is truth. 10s

And we thank you so much that you engage with us every single time we turn to your word. 13s

Lord, we ask that you'd use this time of study together to grow us closer to you that we would continue to 20s

to see you more and more and that you would empower us to share your love and your mercy and your grace with those that we encounter on a daily basis. 30s

Lord, we thank you for calling us into this adventure with you. 44s

And we thank you for securing our way, our way into all of eternity in your presence. 48s

Lord, bless this time of study now and always in your name we pray. 55s

Amen. Okay, so we're continuing on with our discussion on Angel. 60s

So quick recap, we don't know how many, we're going to talk about numbers of angels. 67s

We don't know how many exactly there are. 74s

We do know that when when God created, he created angels within those days of creation. 77s

We don't know how many, but we know there is a finite number that they do not reproduce. 87s

So how many angels God created, he created. 94s

And that's where they are. 97s

We know that angels strike fear into those who encounter them. 99s

This, we shouldn't read anything into that other than we know that encountering an angel is something that is jarring that is shocking. 108s

Remember the angels always say do not fear, do not fear. 120s

Unless as we talked about last week, these angels are bringing God's message of wrath and judgment. 125s

Remember we studied the story of Solomon Gamora, where those angels were sent to deliver God's word of judgment, but also execute his judgment. 134s

And we know that they are not God, that they are created beings. 147s

We know that they are not men, they are not mankind, that they are their own specific being. 153s

We don't know that Charibum and Seraphim are types of angels because it never specifically says in Scripture. 161s

So we know that Charibum and Seraphim exist. 171s

We know that they have specific purpose and roles within God's creation, but we don't know that they are specific types of angels. 176s

We know that all angels, as we found in Hebrews 13 chapter, or as the 14th chapter, 189s

no, there is not a 14th chapter, oh my goodness. 198s

Surprise, I knew that too, I knew that. 205s

Maybe I'm thinking of 4th chapter, but we know that the angels that all the angels have a task of serving God and the church, 209s

that their purpose is to serve God and the church, God and those who have inherited eternal life, which is the church. 223s

So let's go ahead and we're going to talk about some rank and numbers of angels. 235s

We're going to open up to Deuteronomy 33. 245s

Deuteronomy, this is going to be the fifth book in the Bible, it's the last book of the Pentateuch. 250s

Those five books that Moses wrote Deuteronomy chapter 33. 255s

So if you're in the Old Testament, you're going to go over five chapters, or five books to the fifth book. 262s

Deuteronomy chapter 33, and we're going to look at verse 2. 270s

Verse 2, he said, the Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Sierra Pana, he shown forth from Mount Peron, 279s

with him were myriads of holy ones at his right, a host of his own. 287s

A myriad of holy ones that in some texts is translated 10,000 of holy ones. 295s

Let's go to Job. 303s

So you're going to keep going to the right, this is the beginning of the wisdom literature, wisdom books. 304s

Job, we're going to go to chapter 25. 314s

So if you open your Bible to the middle, you find yourself in Psalms, you're going to go backwards. 317s

Job chapter 25, and we're going to look at verses 2 and 3. 322s

Dominion and fear are with God. 333s

He makes peace with his high heaven. 335s

Is there any number to his armies upon whom does this his light not arise? 338s

Is there any number to his armies? 345s

We know that he has armies of angels. 347s

He has armies of these heavenly beings, the heavenly host. 350s

Let's keep going to the right. 356s

We're going to find ourselves at Psalms. 358s

The book of Psalms, we're going to go to Psalms 68, Psalms 68, 361s

verse 17, with mighty chariotry twice 10,000,000 upon thousands. 373s

The Lord came from Sinai into the holy place. 383s

So we have a thousand thousands or chariots of God are twice 10,000,000 upon thousands. 388s

We're going to keep going to the right to the prophet Daniel. 395s

So you're going to pass Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel. 401s

And you're going to come to Daniel, Daniel chapter 7. 407s

Daniel chapter 7, looking at verse 10. 415s

Let's actually go to verse 9. 423s

This is the ancient one. 427s

As I watched, this is a prophecy that Daniel's given. 430s

As I watched, thrones were set in place and an ancient one took his throne. 434s

His clothing was white as snow and the hair of his head like pure wool. 439s

His throne was fiery flames and its wheels were burning fire. 443s

A stream of fire issued and flowed out from his presence, a thousand thousands served him. 447s

And 10,000 times 10,000 stood attending him. 455s

So we know that he is surrounded by angels and that there are numerous angels that are serving him and around him. 460s

Let's go keep going to the right. 476s

We're going to go into the new testament into the book of Hebrews. 478s

Hebrews chapter 12, not Hebrews 14. 482s

Hebrews chapter 12, 22. 487s

So this is going to be right after Paul's letters. 492s

After the Gospels, after the letters, we're going to find ourselves in Hebrews. 497s

Hebrews chapter 12 verse 22, where it says, but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festival gathering. 501s

We're not given the number of how many angels there are. 517s

As we've talked about in the past couple of studies, very little information is given to us about angels. 521s

For whatever reason that God has decided he has deemed it unnecessary to know or for us to know more about angels than what he has given us. 531s

So we know that angels exist. 546s

We know that people in Scripture have encountered them. 549s

We know that they send forth their message, remember the name angel or the word angel means messenger. 553s

But we don't know a lot of details about them. 563s

And as I was talking when we first started this class and about the adventure that life is that God knows that we don't know, but he has his plan laid out before us. 569s

This is another one of those things that we only know what he wants us to know. 582s

So we can't supplement God's word with what we would consider to be facts about angels because it's not our place. 590s

In fact, in Scripture we are told don't add to my word. 603s

Don't supplement the word. 609s

God's word is what he wants us to have and to know. 612s

So we don't know how many angels. 619s

Let's go to Revelation 5. 622s

This is the last book in Scripture. 625s

Revelation chapter 5. 629s

Looking at verse 11. 634s

Then I looked, this is John. 639s

John the Apostle John had been given this revelation. 641s

Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 645s

They numbered myriads of myriads of thousands of thousands. 652s

Singing with full voice worthy is the lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. 656s

So this again is just a glimpse at the enormity of the angels. 667s

And the overwhelm and I can't even imagine yet we're promised one day that we will hear the voices of those angels singing to the lamb. 677s

And that is something that while we can't really picture it, it is something that we know we get to look forward to. 691s

And it will be glorious and magnificent. 700s

So we have a lot of numbers of angels. 704s

We don't know how many. 709s

Let's go back to the to the gospel of Matthew the 26th chapter. 710s

So this is the first book in the New Testament. 717s

It's the first gospel. 722s

Matthew chapter 26, looking at the end of this chapter. 723s

Where this is in the garden. 734s

Judas has come with a band of or a crowd that is ready to arrest and seize Jesus. 736s

And we're looking at verse 53, where Jesus addresses the crowd and he says, 745s

Do you think that I cannot appeal to my father and he will at once send me more than 12 legions of angels? 752s

The angels will serve him whenever he calls. 760s

The angels will serve him, but Jesus was not his purpose in that time was not to be served but to serve. 766s

He had to be arrested for your sake, for my sake. 778s

He had to face the crowd that had come to seize him. 783s

To fulfill exactly someone was in the service this morning. 790s

Exactly. 796s

So Legion in the time of Christ, Legion was a Roman military band of about 6,000 soldiers. 798s

So he is saying, I could have more than 12 legions so that 12 times 6. 808s

I was doing a math. I was getting there. 822s

72,000. So angels upon angels and yet he did not exercise that. 825s

So this is not only, this is noting that the father, the first person of the Trinity could summon to Christ's aid more than 72,000 angels. 835s

And it's that immense number of angels, but it also recognizes that that relationship between the Son and Father. 847s

Which one of you, Jesus asks, which one of you would, and talks about what we would do for our own children and how much more the father will do for us? 859s

Because the same here, we would go and do anything we could to help our children. 869s

The father and the son, the first person of the Trinity, the second person of the Trinity, they have a bond that is unlike anything that we experience even with our own kids. 881s

There is a oneness in the Trinity. So it does speak to the number of angels, but it also speaks to that intimate relationship that Jesus has with his father. 895s

Let's go over to Romans. So this is also in the New Testament, but this is right after the Book of Acts. So we go through the Gospels. 911s

We get to the Book of Acts, and then we go to Romans. Let's go to Romans chapter 8. 920s

So we're going to go to Romans chapter 8 verse 38 and 39, or verses 38 and 39. 934s

We're Paul into the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He writes, for I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else and all creation will be able to separate us from the love of the Lord. 941s

God in Christ Jesus our Lord. In first Peter, the third chapter, it also talks about angels, and some people like to use this as a reason for ranks of angels. 959s

And it doesn't say anything about a specific ranking here. In Romans, it talks about nothing separating us. So this is nothing in heaven or below is going to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. 981s

So we have that complete love of God or from God in the sacrifice that was made for us in the second person of the Trinity Jesus Christ. 999s

So there are some people that like to have rankings of angels, and this is where some people want to include the therapists and the charibum as specific ranks of angels. 1013s

But we have one rank that is given. We have one rank that is given, and this is in reference to where did it go? Daniel, in Daniel, we have the angels and the arch angels. So let's go back to the prophet Daniel. Remember this is in the Old Testament. 1026s

We're going to go back just a little bit. Daniel chapter 10, if you are at Ezekiel or Isaiah or Jeremiah, you're too far, go back. Daniel chapter 10 verse 13. 1053s

Well, I'm seeing it. Okay, so in here it says, the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia opposed me 21 days. So Michael, one of the chief princes came to me and I left him there with the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia and have come to help you understand what is to happen to your people at the end of days for there is further vision for these days. 1077s

And it does speak, I don't have it right here. It does speak of the arch angels, but it has that distinction between arch angels and angels. Let's go over to chapter 12 of Daniel. 1100s

We're again, in verse 1, it refers to Michael as that that prince, that chief, that great prince, at that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people shall arise. 1115s

There shall be a time of anguish such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence, but at that time your people shall be delivered. Everyone who has found written in the book, many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 1130s

What's very interesting is that there are some theologians who will stand and the understanding that Michael is synonymous with Jesus. 1147s

And there are those that say no scripture doesn't tell us that it's very interesting how when we're discussing angel, we want to read into scripture so much. 1162s

We want to be the deciding factor for God's word, but this is one of those that we don't get to be the deciding factor. 1177s

He is Michael, we know is the great prince or a chief prince. He is important in God's army. 1189s

Okay, hold on a second here. We've already talked about how they do not marry, they do not procreate. So I wanted to look at some various angelic appearances in the time of Jesus. 1205s

So let's we're going to be in the New Testament only now. New Testament, let's go to the Gospel of Luke, the Gospel of Luke chapter one. So this is the third Gospel, the third book in the New Testament chapter one versus 26 through 38. 1223s

In the six months, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph to the house of David. 1250s

The virgin's name was Mary and he came to her and said greetings, favored one. The Lord is with you, but she was much perplexed by his words and pondered, what sort of greeting this might be. 1260s

The angel said to her, do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor with God. Notice again, this angel Gabriel is saying, don't fear. You have found favor and so Gabriel, the angel Gabriel is announcing that she will have and bear the Christ. She will be the God bearer. 1273s

We do know the name of this angel. Gabriel and Gabriel comes on different times. Let's go to let's keep going into the Gospel of Luke chapter two, looking at verse eight. 1297s

Luke, still the Gospel of Luke, chapter two, verse eight. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields keeping watch over the flock by night, 1319s

and then an angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shown around them and they were terrified. 1330s

But the angel said to them, do not be afraid. For see I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. To you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is the Messiah of the Lord. 1338s

This will be a sign for you. You will find the child, a child, sorry, wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth, peace among those whom he favors. 1349s

So again, here we have a or an angel delivering this message to the the shepherds and as soon as he delivers the message, a heavenly host. How many is that? 1367s

No, no. A lot. A lot are are filling the sky are filling the area and they're saying they're saying praises to God. 1381s

We can go to Luke chapter 22. So we're still in Luke chapter 22. This is towards the end of the of the gospel. 22 beginning in verse 39. 1396s

This is when Christ is in the garden. He came out and went as was his custom to the Mount of olives and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, pray that you may not come into the time of trial. 1417s

Then he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, melt down and pray, father if you are willing, remove this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done. 1432s

Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish, he prayed more earnestly and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief. 1442s

So here we have an angel ministering to him. We have the angel who is with him. Which I think that also speaks to the character of angel. We know that they are always to minister to God and the church. 1458s

We see that in the temptation or after the temptation of Christ and the wilderness when he is tempted by Satan, Satan departs and the angels come and minister to him. 1486s

In this time of need, Luke records that the angel comes and ministers to him. What did the angel, the multitude of angels, and we don't have an answer for this. 1500s

But what did the heavenly host that so wonderfully proclaimed the glory of God at the birth of Christ? 1520s

In the throne room, what are they saying when he is crucified? We don't know. We don't know. 1535s

But these angels whose purpose is to serve the Lord and serve those who have inherited eternal life. 1552s

Jesus says to the band of the crowd that comes to arrest him, do you not think that I could call? 1572s

My father would send his angels to come. But I wonder if the father had to stay the angels. 1579s

If he had to keep them, we don't know. We weren't told in scripture and I'm certainly not claiming that as part of the angelic existence. 1599s

But I do wonder. Let's go to Acts. The book of Acts. So this is after Luke, after John, we go to the book of Acts. 1619s

And we go to the first chapter. And Jesus is risen. It's the ascended Lord that is standing before His disciples. He tells them that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. 1636s

He says, you're going to be my witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Sennmariah and to the ends of the earth and picking up in verse 9. 1662s

When he had said this as they, the disciples were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 1673s

They said, men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? 1690s

This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. 1696s

These angels are serving to write the perspective for the apostles. They have a mission that they have been given by Christ. 1706s

And so they are to move forward, serving Christ and serving as He had commanded. 1723s

So the angels, the angels are not background players. They aren't, they aren't insignificant. 1733s

But the danger that we fall into or run into is creating a significant. 1744s

Does that make sense? Sounds like I'm saying two things kind of. 1753s

They are absolutely significant. They are God's created beings. They are angels. They have a specific purpose in serving God and serving His people. 1757s

And we can't make them something that they're not. 1771s

And what they are exactly, we know such little detail about. 1777s

Next week we are going to talk about the angel of the Lord, the angel from the Lord. 1784s

Is it Jesus? Is it not Jesus? There's a lot of, a lot of query around that. 1793s

And so who is the angel of the Lord or what is the angel of the Lord? 1803s

So we're going to continue with that next week and to wrap up our study. 1808s

Thank you. 1815s

Thank you. 1823s