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On another forum we were discussing the Scripture referring to Christ returning from heaven in the book of Revelation.
Rev 19.11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
This friend was supposing that these "armies of heaven" were the saints, redeemed by God, because they had white linen clothing on, speaking of redemption. But many, including myself, think they referred to angels, and perhaps to both angels and redeemed men. Here is my part of the conversation, for your own consideration....
For the most part we agree. It's just that the Scriptures do show angelic armies following God. And they do show angels dressed in white. I had hoped to show that in my post.
Matt 28.2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
Jude 1.14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones."
It may be debatable who these "holy ones" are, whether angels or redeemed saints. But what is not debatable is the fact God surrounds Himself and His throne with a multitude of angels, which we may call "holy ones."
Rev 5.11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 in a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
Deut 33.2 and Zech 14.5 indicate that the Law came by angels and that God will complete His program of redemption for Israel with angels. Some, however, see this myriad as "saints," as well.
Deut 33.1 This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced on the Israelites before his death. 2 He said:
“The Lord came from Sinai
and dawned over them from Seir;
he shone forth from Mount Paran.
He came with myriads of holy ones
from the south, from his mountain slopes.
Zech 14.5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
The Law was said to have been dispensed by angels. So, the myriads of angels accompanying God's coming to Sinai may reflect that...
Gal 3.19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator.
Angels, since Eden, have guarded sin-contaminated men from entering fully into the presence of God. And as long as the Law remained in place, and Christian redemption remained unfulfilled, angels ensured that God's grace displayed to Israel would be limited and would not yet allow them to overcome death.
Heb 12.12 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,
To be clear, we agree that saints are portrayed in white clothes accompanying Christ in his Return. And their clothes are viewed as "cleansed" via Christ's redemption.
The role angels play in this is something that has to be studied out. As the book of Hebrews points out, angels are not the focus, but rather, Christ and his redemption of Man. But angels do play a role, and we should recognize that, I should think?
Rev 19.11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
This friend was supposing that these "armies of heaven" were the saints, redeemed by God, because they had white linen clothing on, speaking of redemption. But many, including myself, think they referred to angels, and perhaps to both angels and redeemed men. Here is my part of the conversation, for your own consideration....
For the most part we agree. It's just that the Scriptures do show angelic armies following God. And they do show angels dressed in white. I had hoped to show that in my post.
Matt 28.2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
Jude 1.14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones."
It may be debatable who these "holy ones" are, whether angels or redeemed saints. But what is not debatable is the fact God surrounds Himself and His throne with a multitude of angels, which we may call "holy ones."
Rev 5.11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 in a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
Deut 33.2 and Zech 14.5 indicate that the Law came by angels and that God will complete His program of redemption for Israel with angels. Some, however, see this myriad as "saints," as well.
Deut 33.1 This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced on the Israelites before his death. 2 He said:
“The Lord came from Sinai
and dawned over them from Seir;
he shone forth from Mount Paran.
He came with myriads of holy ones
from the south, from his mountain slopes.
Zech 14.5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
The Law was said to have been dispensed by angels. So, the myriads of angels accompanying God's coming to Sinai may reflect that...
Gal 3.19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator.
Angels, since Eden, have guarded sin-contaminated men from entering fully into the presence of God. And as long as the Law remained in place, and Christian redemption remained unfulfilled, angels ensured that God's grace displayed to Israel would be limited and would not yet allow them to overcome death.
Heb 12.12 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,
To be clear, we agree that saints are portrayed in white clothes accompanying Christ in his Return. And their clothes are viewed as "cleansed" via Christ's redemption.
The role angels play in this is something that has to be studied out. As the book of Hebrews points out, angels are not the focus, but rather, Christ and his redemption of Man. But angels do play a role, and we should recognize that, I should think?