Understand Angels - Understand Yourself

1/16/2025

Luke 2:10-16 (NIV):

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

Out of our/the 100 million angels, how many were assigned to show up and sing about the birth of Jesus to the shepherds? A “great company” for sure, but one would think it was a small percentage.

How many of the 95% or 99% of the rest of the angels, all of which have names by the way it would seem, were JEALOUS of those who were assigned to that beautiful one-time in His-story task?

Zero were jealous. Why?

I’m thinking because life isn’t about them/us! They were singing for God’s Glory. This is God’s Story. Being jealous would mean, somehow, what they thought and felt mattered. Only what God thinks matters. He is Lord.

They/We exist For Him! Not the other way around.

They weren’t jealous because when God is the center of our thoughts and our being and our purpose, jealousy doesn’t even make sense.

An eight year old—“They were ALL So Happy!! The Savior was born on Earth.” :)

To be jealous would be to wish for something other than the plan God picked—how ludicrous.

Jealousy is a temptation only if we live by our own interpretations and desires and expectations. But two-thirds of the angels rejected that kind of life when they rejected Lucifer. Jealousy isn’t even a consideration for them anymore.

Unlike Lucifer, the other angels could not have been thinking about themselves even a shred, but had to have had eyes, thoughts, and love for God alone. It wouldn’t ever matter what they did or didn’t get to do for him. HE is their ALL.

“In the midst of a world of light and love, of song and feast and dance, [Lucifer] could find nothing to think of more interesting than his own prestige.” (C.S. Lewis)

Could it partially be because there is no sin in heaven and therefore no jealousy among angels, that those chosen to share the message (who stepped out of heaven for this task and then returned to heaven) and the other angels were simply rejoicing along with those who witnessed and recognized the Lord work?

A couple of thoughts I had were that maybe they were just so very glad that the Announcement was going to be made at all, at last. No matter which angels made it. Or perhaps there’s such a oneness with all the angels (those who chose not to follow lucifer) that they had an attitude of “We’re all in this together! Praise be to God that Jesus will walk alongside men, women, and children, loving them, revealing God to them, and showing them the Way (to redemption, to love, to die)!”

No jealousy exists because they have chosen to live to serve their King, not themselves. It’s not about them, but what pleases our Lord. “Here I am—use me.” There to play their part, even if it’s a rest. God’s Work being done is what completes and satisfies them and brings them joy, not whatever part they do or don’t play.

Maybe something close to the True Love and Praise of God’s angels is a parent’s love and praise for a child. They are just full of love and praise no matter who is doing it.

No jealousy at all was in them because they were filled with gratitude that the “good news of great joy” was being shared with the people on earth. It didn’t matter at all “who” shared it—it was shared!!

If the angels were jealous, their motives would have been selfish. They would no longer have been servants like they were made to be. Their eyes are FULL of God and His glory and Honor and Dream. Like servants who are thrilled to belong to and be working for the Best Master and King.

And so with me... I belong to Him. What business do I have looking at myself?

“All the angels were standing around the throne, and around the leaders and the four beings. The angels all bent down so that their faces touched the ground. They worshipped God who was on the throne in front of them. They said: ‘This is true! We worship our God and we give him honour. He is completely wise. We thank him and we praise him. He has all power and authority for ever! Amen!’” Revelation 7:11-12

I was thinking that is the whole reason they exist: to bring God glory. When you’re all consumed with Him, no self can exist.

Because the angels’ lives are not about themselves and their happiness—then or now—they weren’t jealous. Their entire reason for being is that the Lord God would be pleased and honored. Something He’s teaching me these days. One of the simplest of lessons... It’s not about me.

The first thing I thought of is that even the angels who WERE there weren’t rejoicing and singing because it was their “job” and some kind of honor for them. They were just letting the amazement that was welling up inside ALL the angels come bursting out. This was almost unbelievable—God was becoming a Man, paving the way for Man back to God in the Garden. What a shocking, loving, wise beyond belief kind of thing for God to do!

The angels are One in their Purpose so no distinction between them or even thought about “who gets to.” I had a puny, such me me jeoLOUSY temptation this morning. NO. That is not a path I am willing to take. I am One with the Orchestra and His melodies...anywhere God is pouring out His Grace, Oil, Love and fulfilling His Promises—Wonderful, we all rejoice!

Jesus, very familiar with Angels himself, was the one who talked about “unprofitable servants” only doing their duty. And, “this audible voice from Heaven was not for my benefit.” God’s Heaven-seeing servants, whether Angels or us, don’t value seen-world activities or exploits, or the role they play in those things. So there is nothing to be jealous of!

Jesus is the lamb of God! The angels knew who is worthy of all power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!

“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. 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!’”

If they were jealous they would have been looking at themselves and they weren’t. They were looking at God. :)

First thing that came to mind is this message sent recently, “Heaven is simply all of God, and the absence of even one ounce of sin!” Therefore jealousy (sin) cannot by definition enter heaven. Let it be on earth as it is in heaven!

“No sin, no matter how small or innocent it may seem to earth eyes, can enter heaven. Which leaves every single person in their natural state incapable of ever entering heaven - no matter how hard they may try to be good and sinless. That’s why many “very nice” will end up in hell alongside with Hitler and murder and rape serial killers and other total selfish losers. That may be by far the most difficult and uncomfortable fact I have ever faced! It was simply mind boggling to my little earth mind. But God makes the rules. Not me. And faith embraces what He says! There’s no use in coming up with another more comfortable doctrine, or pretending it isn’t true by mind blocking. But unfortunately, I’m afraid a lot of people have done that. The same God who is Good and Beautiful, who made those mountains and flowers and music and who designed the concept of marriage and families, is the same Good God who has stated the above rules about who gets to go to heaven or hell. But then... because He loves us and knew we couldn’t make it and He doesn’t want us to spend eternity away from Him... God made a way through Jesus ! Hell is simply just the absence of God, where all our sin resides. Heaven is simply all of God, and the absence of even one ounce of sin! That’s why, as you’ve said, only Jesus can go there and we’ve got to be covered in His cloak. His blood. There’s no other way!!! Thank you Jesus!

“The fact that He created any way AT ALL for mammals to transcend molecules and gravity—is unpredictably amazing. He can make any rules he wants, to accomplish such a miraculous Z-axis feat :-)

“And I would not call them rules, but rather laws of spiritual physics. Gravity is not a rule.”

The angels who didn’t pay the shepherds a visit were also about their Creator’s business. Those who were there and those who were not there were doing all that God asked them to do and THAT is surely enough reason to not be jealous. If God Almighty has given me an assignment or a job, feeling jealous or envious toward someone or someone’s with a more “visible” job or task would surely be arrogant and ungrateful.

No jealousy because they find value only in pleasing their Commanding Officer, not in their assessment of the value or pleasantness of the task.

When “Glory to GOD in the highest” is the only obsession, the individual and the assignment are of zero relevance!

The ones with selfish ambition had already been kicked out of heaven.

They have never chosen to awaken/exercise the “arrogant self” independence—Lucifer had. Never once seeking praise.

Here’s a humbling thought—God Himself perhaps didn’t call off the Matthew 18:10 angels that are continually before Him on behalf of other little ones. Doesn’t THAT all the more magnify our GLORIOUS God!?

Yes...Going back to Reverent Submission. They SEE and KNOW Reality.

They were worshippers of God—His Son in Heaven all along, way before He came to Earth in human form!

Like John said: “You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him and is *full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. THAT JOY is mine, and it is NOW COMPLETE.* He must become greater; I must become less.”

Maybe something like the actors that get to be in the first act of a play aren’t jealous of those in the second or final act. The revelation of Jesus on earth and through His people (must be great things yet to come if...“It is better if I leave.”) are all part of God’s plan of His Son being all in all. The angels that declare the beginning, and those that “long to look into” these things and “serve those inheriting salvation” (those on whom His favor rests) are all part of the multi-act Play of God’s Plan.

I was thinking too that maybe all the others (who didn’t make the “Big Announcement”), since they all see themselves as “servants,” are satisfied with what jobs they are given from God..whether big or small. So they aren’t jealous. All the others likely have jobs too that God has given them. Like said above, they just rejoice because of Jesus and are faithful and obedient with the messages and responsibilities they are each given. They are just glad because Jesus is born. (This thought helps me when I’m tempted with jealousy.)

A similar thought: Creation will thank the Creator for even being created and part of His creation, in whatever the “role” the Creator decides, and doing that joyfully as a response. It’s all about what the Creator has done and is doing. Not the angels. Not me.

Maybe this isn’t directly answering the question, but a couple notes I’ve been chewing on and looking to apply very personally... “When you don’t have to have something out of it for you, the greatest victory, the supernatural victory is not the one where all of Heaven stands up and applauds. It’s when all of Heaven turns around, when you make your greatest act of self-sacrifice and make your most valiant effort to serve God and all of Heaven turns around backwards and folds their arms. They don’t applaud. There’s silence in Heaven for the space of half an hour when you’ve done your greatest deed. That’s the time, when your heart is right. When you are willing to let the seed fall to the ground and die—that’s the time when God can do something supernatural, and the barren woman can sing.” (from “Rejoice in Your Barren Womb! Don’t Strive!”)

I guess the angels don’t really have “flesh” to be dead to, but the underlying principle of I’m only here to make my King’s praises glorious. I have zero relevance. Dead. And as has been talked about before, we have a song the angels can’t sing! Sons of Abraham, made a little lower than the angels, but ransomed by the blood of the Son. When seen correctly, that’s why I have to just put my hand over my mouth like Job, and cry “other other other!” Like the 24 elders and the multitude around His throne... I’m just a speck, but I’ll be Your best speck, God!

“Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important.” —T.S. Eliot

I suppose if a carnal man can see that, then it’s not too difficult for an angel to understand.

Humility—Lost in You

I don’t care how many times I’ve been here before

I’m shutting that door

Don’t need confirmation or affirmation

Don’t want someone to look up to me

I’m an unprofitable servant

And Lord You deserve it

All Honor and Glory

Everything

Again I refuse to steal what is yours

I’ll be washing feet on the floor

What a joy it is

To be hidden in Christ

Nothing compares

Jesus, only your Light

Your Love

Your Wisdom

Your Truth

Your Insight

You

You

You

So I humble myself in your sight, Lord

Lifting YOU up

Don’t want a reward or a crown

I’m throwing that down

Turning my face to My King

What a joy, Oh what joy it is!

To be hidden in Christ

Lost in your Life

Jesus, only your Light

Your Love

Your Wisdom

Your Truth

Your Insight

You

You

You

You are Everything

Only You

Lose me in You

In You

In You

God is love, and love is happy when others get good things :) So maybe the rest of the angels were happy for the “chosen” angels.

I was picturing the rest of the angels watching and cheering. I think *ALL* of Heaven was REJOICING! This was unto God being united with His people, getting what He has always wanted and deserved.

I was thinking about how the angels SEE God like Jesus said in Matthew 18:10—“See that you do not despise or think less of one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven [are in the presence of and] continually look upon the face of My Father who is in heaven.” Knowing who is Lord—not even tempted to think of themselves as “big stuff.” Seems like they/we can’t be jealous when they/we See Him. This track came to mind too, making the application to myself:

“SEEING Overcomes Sin” from “Life From On High and Power from On High”

Maybe the angels didn’t view their inclusion/exclusion as being a measurement of themselves. It wasn’t a sign of their worthiness, or their not being good enough for the job? They were just like, “Yeah, let’s get this done guys!” Longing to look into these things as they watch God’s masterpiece unroll. I have a lot to learn from these angels : )

If Jesus said the two mites were MORE and all the angels rejoice over ONE sinner that repents, maybe the way things are measured are just so different than the way we tend to measure things. What is “important”? “And God looks at the heart.”

What came to mind was that the other 99% got to stay and sing in the presence of the face of God. :)

They had no thought of themselves—only making their KING smile. It was their JOY to serve the King HOWEVER HE DESIRED.

I’d like to think that they were so thrilled that it was happening and they got to see it at all, that that superseded any kind of ego that they could have had.

Also, they had seen Lucifer and his followers make their choice and they had clearly chosen not to follow that path. Lucifer was jealous and vain. The angels who didn’t join him when they clearly had a chance to, had already submitted to God. His will was theirs.

I’m stumped. :) I don’t understand how angels relate to...experience: desire, will, temptation, choices, ego, non-heavenly realms.

I could be wrong, but I thought angels must have some sort of agency/will as evidenced by not just Lucifer, but one-third of all of them (that’s a lot!) choosing to rebel.

Also, “the angels long to look into these things” seems to imply some level of awareness of heavenly and non heavenly things, and an awareness of their separate nature. That verse has always fascinated me because it is easy to think of angels as just sort of...impersonal messengers maybe? An angel thinking “Whoaaaa... I wish I could see that” is kind of incredible considering they see the face of God every day! I’d think if I were aware enough to long to be a part of the family of God, getting to see the beginning of that family would be pretty cool. And I wouldn’t really care if I was one of the ones who got to tell the shepherds about it. That it is happening at all is mind blowing.

Really good.

My reason for asking was severalfold. Number one, did the angels have names or not? Some of them do, so probably all of them do. Why would only some of them get names and others wouldn't get names? That seems absurd to me, so there are a hundred million angels with names.

They were created as a purposeful tool for those who will inherit salvation, which is us. So they are our tools, our weapons, and they have names. I think that it’s important to look at the universe (that created entity called the universe, and beyond the multiverse) to look at it through the eyes of God, which means these guys/gals (gender neutral) were created for us. They’re principalities and powers. They have power, and they’re our tools. They’re for us. They were made for us, and they have names. This is a very personal thing to God, and it should be to us too. It shouldn't be so mystical.

Now, why were a third of them thrown out of heaven? Pride.

Lucifer liked his music. He liked his jewels. He liked his looks. He wanted to have power. The same stunt that he pulled on Adam and Eve in the garden. “Oh, God’s trying to cheat you. God wants to be the only one who knows stuff, and you can know good and evil and decide for yourself what you think is good for you and what you think is bad for you. You can decide for yourself. You don’t need some absolute ruler someplace. You don’t need a man to be king over you, right?”

So Satan is playing the same stunt on us that he played when he got booted out of heaven. So, we know what God thinks about pride and ambition.

So, the two-thirds of the angels left in heaven, can they still make choices about pride and ambition? I don’t think we know the answer to that. Whether it was a one-time decision and now they’re all on the right side of it forevermore because they can’t choose anymore, or whether they continually make choices about not being prideful... either way, the answer to the question was already listed above: Their pride is gone. Therefore, they celebrate the Lamb of God.

They don’t think of themselves, and they don’t compare and judge. They’re on the right side of it, whether because they have no further choice after Lucifer made his or if it’s because they still have choice but they know the answer to the question is it’s total stupidity to try to compete with God. That’s ridiculous. So either way, it’s absolutely true that they all celebrated the few angels that got to show up with the shepherds and announce the coming of the King. That’s an absolute, for whatever reason. We know what all the other angels who weren’t there thought about it that weren’t already on Lucifer’s side.

So angels are ours. They have names. They’re personal. We need to open our eyes to see, just like Elijah and Elisha, to see what’s really there. In spite of what our physical eyes see, we let our spirit eyes see what’s really there. And they’re ours. They have a purpose. So let’s use them, and not in some weird way, but let’s understand them enough to acknowledge them and use them. And we don’t need to make up our own names for them. They already have names. I’m not advocating any stupid gimmickry, but I am saying that we need to see what’s really there for us. There are more for us than there are against us. That’s an absolute fact. And just like them, the pride of being competitive and jealous is a foolish process. We need to learn from them that there is no place for pride and jealousy and ambition and comparison and judgment, all that stupid stuff—lay it down. If we’re going to judge angels, we’d better be better than them. All right? So, that was why I asked the question. There were little hidden gems in there on purpose.

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