ANGELS OF JUDGMENT & THE 24 ELDERS

Angels are also involved in executing God’s judgment against sin and evil on planet earth. David brought judgment upon the people of Israel when he numbered the people in direct disobedience to God.

2 Samuel 24:15–16 “So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand.”

The Psalmist tells us that “evil angels” were used in God’s judgments against Egypt in deliverance of His people.

Psalms 78:49 “He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.”

The angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrians in answer to Hezekiah’s prayer as a bold declaration of His power and authority to protect His people when Sennacharib and his forces came to conquer Jerusalem while publicly blaspheming God in the process.

2 Kings 19:35 “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.”

An angel was sent to kill King Herod for not humbling himself before God.

Acts 12:23 “And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.”

At this point we will transition into seeing what scripture has to say about the role of angels in future events according to prophecy, much of which has to do with enacting God’s judgment.

In the study of prophecy one is continually confronted with angels who are intent on boldly serving God with perfect obedience as He accomplishes all He has purposed. Since I am working without an outline, I think the easiest thing to do is follow the timeline presented in the book of Revelation.

The first mention of angels in the book of Revelation is in chapter 1 in regard to the “angels” of the seven churches. I personally believe this to be a reference to the pastors, the human messengers of God’s word to these seven churches.

We next encounter angelic beings in Revelation 4. In this chapter John gives witness of activity in heaven centered around the throne of God. Though most will probably disagree with me, I have come to believe that the 24 elders most likely represent a heavenly council of angels upon which David patterned the 24 courses of the priesthood.

1 Chronicles 28:11–13 “Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat, And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things: Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD.”

1 Chronicles 24:3 “And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service….The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah. These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.”

Though I won’t go into more detail here regarding support for this conclusion, further explanation is given on my website, www.momsbiblejournal.com, in my commentary on Revelation.

The next mention of angelic beings would be the four beasts (KJV) or living creatures that appear to be the same as the cherubim described by Ezekiel that were identified in an earlier post.

Revelation 4:6–7 “And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.”

Ezekiel 10:12–15 “And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had. As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel. And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.”

The interesting thing to note is that the primary focus of these angels—the elders and the beasts/living creatures—is on giving praise and worship to God. The living creatures do have an active part in calling John’s attention to the opening of the first four seal judgments (Revelation 6). One of the creatures also has the responsibility of delivering the vials of God’s wrath to the seven angels that dispense those last seven judgments.

Revelation 4:8–10 “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever….”

Revelation 15:7 “And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.”

Overall, however, I tend to think that the service of the “elders” and living creatures centers around the throne of God. Elders also serve to guide John into understanding what he is seeing at times.

In Revelation 5 we encounter a “strong angel” who calls for anyone qualified to open the sealed book to step forth (verse 2). This angel is another one of many in scripture whose purpose it is to speak as God’s representative. When Jesus the Lamb steps forth to claim that right, the angels (innumerable) break out in praise and worship of Father and Son.