Friday, November 5

Order in Heaven

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
1 Corinthians 14:33

Read about creation in Genesis 1, spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12-14, qualifications for elders and deacons in 1 Timothy 3, and the council of church leaders in Acts 15--and you find order. Indeed, Paul says that God is not a God of confusion. Therefore, it stands to reason there is order among the infinite number of angels.

We aren't told what the order is or how the hierarchy of angels is structured. But we do know that there are subcategories of angels. There are seraphs (or "seraphim," im being the plural ending in Hebrew), like those seen by Isaiah around the throne of God (Isaiah 6:1-7). And there are cherubs ("cherubim") like those who guarded the way into the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:24) and those whose outstretched wings covered the top of the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:18-22). And there is an archangel, Michael, who must be the ruler of all the angels (Jude 9). Colossians 1:16 hints at an order within the angelic band.

It is a comfort to find order wherever we find God. There is order, not confusion, in heaven and will be for all eternity.

I meditate on the blessed obedience and order of angels, without which no peace could be in heaven, and oh that it might be so on earth!
Richard Hooker

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Acts 27:1-28:31