The Host of Heaven

Andreas turned his head as the door shot open, and in burst his friend, Seth, panting and out of breath. “I flew home as fast as I could,” he said. “The whole place is stirring with amazement, everyone dashing about. Did you hear the news?”

Andreas answered, “What news?”

“What news? Ah, that’s just it: what news! We should have expected it, I suppose, but the King has caught us off guard again—this time with the most shocking plan. You won’t believe it.”

“Try me,” insisted Andreas.

Seth paused, caught his breath, and began to relay the report announced by the Herald Angels from all their posts in the heavenly realms: His Majesty, the Great Lord of all, the very Son of God—King of creation, Eternal Word, Ruler over all principalities and powers, Master of the universe, Commander of all kings and princes and prime ministers and presidents on earth, the Eternal “I Am” … HE has announced that he will LEAVE HIS THRONE. It’s unbelievable.”

“Leave his throne?! Don’t be ridiculous. God is God, and the Son is at his right hand evermore and evermore—Amen. Seth, have you been dreaming?”

“Well, I’m as shocked as you are,” he replied, “but I assure you it’s no dream. Who would dream up something like THIS? All the angel leagues are in a stir, and if you look into the faces of the company chiefs you can tell they’re serious—it’s for real.”

But Andreas replied, “What’s for real—what will the Great One do? Leave his throne and withdraw his light from all the heights of heaven? Impossible.”

“Let me go on,” Seth insisted. “There’s more—all about the creatures made in the Creator’s likeness. It seems the image-bearers have reached an appointed time. They have failed repeatedly to submit to His Majesty and rest in his reign, and so finally he has said that it is time. Time to deal with the rebels, time to settle accounts with those humans.”

“Sounds ominous,” Andreas said. “Do you think he’ll wipe them out. Like when our ancestors rebelled; God did not spare them but sent them to the gloomy dungeons to await final judgment” (2 Peter 2:4).

“That’s just the problem—or the irony of it all. The tone of the announcement is not doom and gloom. The Master Plan is full of hope—somehow… I don’t know how…”

Andreas pressed his friend, “Seth, do you think this has something to do with the Great Concealment? You know, the mystery that is always kept behind closed doors for all of us angels. I think it’s the only secret that stands in God’s Heaven. Do you remember how eons ago, when the grand Archangel Gabriel inquired about the Master’s future plans, and he was denied? Angels have always longed to look into the mysterious, ingenious plot of Almighty, but this one episode is concealed (1 Peter 1:12). Something about ‘condescension,’ I think.”

Seth paused to ponder. It was quiet for a few minutes as the two considered what weighty events were unfolding before them there in the corridors of heaven. Then they were interrupted as a diving squad of the Seraphim blared trumpets just outside their quarters. Seth and Andreas scurried to the ledge.

There before them, streaming from the windows and doors of all the mansions of heaven were myriads of myriads, and countless scores of angels in regal flight, all in full dress and perfect formation, all clearly more serious AND excited than they had ever been before. It was a display to take your breath away—so much so that Andreas and Seth almost forgot to do what destiny demanded: to join the streaming companies winging through the corridors of heaven, and to enter into the eternal song of praise: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” They sang out like never before. And as they flew, they glanced about with wonder and curiosity. What was going to happen?

A moment later word came to all the commanders across the vast expanse of heaven, and instantly each of them called their followers to silent attention. Andreas and Seth joined the countless host of heaven lining the sides of the vast interior atrium. Above them hovering in perfect attention was the Guardian Corps, the legion of angelic forces who sustain God’s people day and night. Across the great open space and up about a dozen levels were the Cherubim, who never rest and always look upon the Master. Above the Cherubim stood the Twenty-Four Elders, and to their left were the mysterious four living creatures. On yet another level there were the saints in white robes—the martyrs, bowed in adoration. They were surrounded by the choral brigade and those who blew the trumpets. Further up and further in, near the center of the dome of heaven, were suspended before the Almighty the numberless band of infants, all in perfect praise. And out in the midst of the open expanse was a display like never before from the Seraphim, the mighty six-winged creatures who flew back and forth before the staring faces of millions of angels of every description, and as they had always done the Seraphim called out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord almighty. The whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isa 6:3).

And then they stopped. All at once, as if with no direction, and there was perfect silence again. It was at this moment, as Andreas and Seth and a million others looked up, that the unimaginable took place. The King of kings and Sovereign Son of God, arose, stepped away from his throne, and began to lower himself before the ranks of heaven, moving downward, down past the infants, down beside the martyrs, down before the Cherubim, down in front of the Elders and the Guardians and all the countless array of angels. Down the Son went, down to the very floor of heaven, down to a door that had been locked and sealed since the beginning of time. And there the Son of God stood, below all the host of heaven, his throne now completely out of view.

It was then, while every eye was riveted on him and every ear attentive, that the Son began to speak. Andreas and Seth craned their necks to look and listen. And what they heard was this:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Son goes as light into darkness… I am the light of the world… I am the light that goes into a dark world… The Son goes to seek and to save the lost… I go into the world not to condemn but to save… Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends… The Son goes not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many…”

Seth and Andreas gasped. Heaven’s corridors shuddered.

The Lord continued, “The Son goes into the world to save sinners. This is love, that the Father sends his Son to atone for the sins of his people.” Then he paused, and shouted, “And the Word became flesh.”

At that, Jesus took the key—a key that had been kept by the Father from all eternity—and with it he opened the only passage to the world. Unlatching the door and lifting it to the side, the Son of God stood at the precipice of humiliation. Then he looked up and saw the Father’s face beaming with approval. He glanced to every side, around and above, and as he did the host of heaven broke out in thundering applause. Finally he looked down. And he leapt. And there was Christmas.

“Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,

And with fear and trembling stand;

Ponder nothing earthly minded,

For with blessing in His hand,

Christ our God to earth descendeth,

Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,

As of old on earth He stood,

Lord of lords, in human vesture,

In the body and the blood;

He will give to all the faithful

His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven

Spreads its vanguard on the way,

As the Light of light descendeth

From the realms of endless day,

That the powers of hell may vanish

As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six wingèd seraph,

Cherubim with sleepless eye,

Veil their faces to the presence,

As with ceaseless voice they cry:

Alleluia, Alleluia

Alleluia, Lord Most High!

(Liturgy of St. James, 4th cent.; Trans. by Gerard Moultrie, 1864; Public Domain)

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