"All those who are around Him" would include all the demons! The demons would also be intellectual, and understand that their "opponent" is no pushover. The Lord is mightier than all the spiritual realm, nature and mankind put together!!!...
(Psalm 89:5-10) The heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
6 For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty is like the Lord,
7 A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all those who are around Him?
8 O Lord God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
9 You rule the swelling of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them.
10 You Yourself crushed Rahab like one who is slain; You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
6 For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty is like the Lord,
7 A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all those who are around Him?
8 O Lord God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
9 You rule the swelling of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them.
10 You Yourself crushed Rahab like one who is slain; You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
The heavens declare the Lord's righteousness! The angels believe and know that Jesus will have the victory!
Psalm 97 is prophetic. Because one day, at the end of the Tribulation - Jesus will come to earth again - and set up the Millennial kingdom and He will reign with righteousness and immediate justice.
Even the earth itself will be "glad", because after the judgments and destruction that takes place in the Tribulation, all of nature will be rejuvenated.
All "godly ones" - all people who become believers in the Tribulation - will experience true peace as Jesus removes all idols (all false religions), all unbelievers, and all evil from the earth - - - and it will then be like the Garden-of-Eden, with all of Israel's covenants (promises) fulfilled.
That will still not be heaven! People will still have their sinful nature to deal with, and those people who are born during this time will have to make the decision to believe in the Lord, or not... Although there will not be the influences of demons until the very end when they are released for a very short time to deceive the nations into challenging God. The victory of the last battle will belong to Jesus!...
(Psalm 97:1-12) The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many islands be glad.
2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 Fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries round about.
4 His lightnings lit up the world; the earth saw and trembled.
5 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6 The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples have seen His glory.
2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 Fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries round about.
4 His lightnings lit up the world; the earth saw and trembled.
5 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6 The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples have seen His glory.
7 Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images, who boast themselves of idols; worship Him, all you gods.
8 Zion heard this and was glad, and the daughters of Judah have rejoiced because of Your judgments, O Lord.
9 For You are the Lord Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.
8 Zion heard this and was glad, and the daughters of Judah have rejoiced because of Your judgments, O Lord.
9 For You are the Lord Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.
10 Hate evil, you who love the Lord, Who preserves the souls of His godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is sown like seed for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart.
12 Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones, and give thanks to His holy name.
11 Light is sown like seed for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart.
12 Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones, and give thanks to His holy name.
(Psalm 103:19-22) The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.
20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word!
21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you who serve Him, doing His will.
22 Bless the Lord, all you works of His, in all places of His dominion; Bless the Lord, O my soul!
20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word!
21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you who serve Him, doing His will.
22 Bless the Lord, all you works of His, in all places of His dominion; Bless the Lord, O my soul!
In Psalm 148, we can see that just as Christians have eternal security, the angels also have eternal security! After making their decision (before the fall of man, after some of the angels rebelled and became demons for the rest of time), the angels who chose to follow God were secured in their decision - forever!
And just as Christians want to praise God for their salvation - the angels praise God for what He has done and promised to them!...
(Psalm 148:1-6) Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights!
2 Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts!
3 Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all stars of light!
4 Praise Him, highest heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created.
6 He has also established them forever and ever; He has made a decree which will not pass away.
2 Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts!
3 Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all stars of light!
4 Praise Him, highest heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created.
6 He has also established them forever and ever; He has made a decree which will not pass away.
From this we see:
- other terms for angels are "the holy ones" and "the heavens" (Ps.89)
- God created the angels (Ps.148)
- angels have some power, they are mighty in strength (Ps.103)
- after angels made their decision to follow God (at some point before the fall of man), the angels were promised eternal security (Ps.148)
- the Lord God of hosts is mightier than all the spiritual realm, nature and mankind put together
- demons understand that God is all-powerful, even though they still will do what they can to undermine and thwart God and His will (Ps.89:7)
- angels praise the Lord for His wonders and faithfulness, which means they have intellect and emotions and understand free will and choices (Ps.89)
- angels declare the Lord's righteousness, which means they would have to trust and know God personally (Ps.97)
- angels bless the Lord who is sovereign over all, which means that they have a reverence and a love for God (Ps.103)
- angels obey God, serving Him and doing His will (Ps.103)
- angels want to praise God for what He has done and promised to them (Ps.148)
Personal experience: so, yesterday as I was walking along, a group of people approached me. One of the men, while talking and still looking at his friends, suddenly pointed out a direction. For whatever reason, I had stopped short - just as his arm shot out. If I had not stopped in time, it would have been a powerful finger to my throat. We're not talking inches here, we are talking about a few millimeters.
Now, did I somehow anticipate this happening or did a guardian angel stop me? I don't know. The thought did cross my mind - that there may have been a guardian angel involved! But I did NOT thank some guardian angel - I thanked God for His protection.
Today's takeaway: the angels do not act on their own. They obey God and do whatever it is that He asks them. So just as the angels obey and worship God, we should obey and worship God! Not only is He all-powerful, but He is loving and faithful. He has done and promised so much for us. Let us not be afraid to declare this to the universe!...
(2 Timothy 1:7-14) For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. 12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.
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