“I tell you that … there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”  (Luke 15:7)

There is a lot we do not know about heaven’s angels.

The Bible gives us only a general picture of what they look like in the realm of glory (Daniel 8; Isaiah 6; Revelation 4, to name only a few references).

We are told they are older than the material universe (Job 38), perhaps only a little older … perhaps trillions of years older.  But their exact age, we do not know.

We are told that one of their purposes is “to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1).  But we do not know in what sense their service to the saints will continue throughout eternity, if, indeed, it does.

There is something else we do not know about the holy angels.  We do not know how many there are.

• In Revelation 5:11 we have been told that, around the throne of God, “the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands.”  Generally-speaking, a myriad may be considered “an indefinitely large number.”  But technically, a myriad equals 10,000.

• We should notice that, in this verse, the word “myriad” is plural … “myriads.”  That is, there are at the very least two myriads of angels.  If so, there are no fewer than 20,000 of these spirit beings.

• But notice that this verse also describes their number as “myriads of myriads.”  Not “myriads and myriads” but “myriads of myriads” (that is, not 20,000 plus 20,000, but 20,000 times 20,000.)  If we multiply two myriads (20,000) times two myriads (20,000), there are no fewer than 400 million angels (the population of the United States is ~ 327 million)!

• And just for good measure, the Apostle John adds to this number, “and thousands of thousands.”  But again, we do not know the exact number.  Only God knows.

Now picture, if you will, at least 400 million holy angels singing together – and shouting joyously together – at the time God was creating the material universe (Genesis 1).

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?  Tell Me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements, since you know?  Or who stretched the line on it?  On what were its bases sunk?  Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”  (Job 38:4-7)

Wouldn’t you like to have been there and heard that!

Now picture perhaps 400 million holy angels praising God at the announcement to the shepherds of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2).

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign for you:  you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”  (Luke 2:8-14)

Wouldn’t you like to have been there and heard that!

Now picture in your mind’s eye at least 400 million holy angels, joining a great multitude of saints, all standing around heaven’s throne, worshipping God (Revelation 7).

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever.  Amen.”  (Revelation 7:9-12)

Can you imagine this!  An innumerable assembly of reborn Christ-followers, standing in the throne room of glory with at least 400,000,000 angels, all bowing before the Lamb of God in worship.  Many of you who are reading these words will be there!  We will witness this scene firsthand!  Every believer will be there because he trusted in the blood of Jesus, the Sin-bearer, to wash away his sins … sins he gladly turned away from to follow the Holy One.

It is interesting that angels are not the only ones in heaven that rejoice.  Jesus tells us a parable that reveals how God the Father responds when each and every sinner responds to His offer of pardon through the Cross of Christ His Son:

A man had two sons.  The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.”  So he divided his wealth between them.  And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.

But when he came to his senses … he got up and (returned) to his father.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him … And the father said to his slaves, “Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  And bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again.  He was lost and has been found.”  And they began to celebrate.  (Luke 15:11-13, 17, 20, 22-24)

Is it possible to imagine this taking place:  the First Person of the Trinity rejoicing when even the worst of sinners repents and believes in His gracious provision of salvation, accomplished through His Son Jesus!  That is what takes place!

And there is something else that takes place.  At least 400,000,000 angels also rejoice at the salvation of each and every believer.

“I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”  (Luke 15:10)

Did you know that?  If you are a reborn Christ-follower, did you know that this is what took place in the realms of glory at the moment of your salvation … the glad, joyful, ecstatic celebration of God the Father and His millions upon millions of angels as they observed your repentance from sin and faith in the Sin-bearer!

That makes the Super Bowl look like a funeral.

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Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come … (and) the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”  And He said to them, “… do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”  (Luke 10:1, 17, 20)

I have been a follower of Christ, now, for many years.  But I have never commanded a demon to leave a person’s body.  Most surely, I have been in the oppressive presence of unbelievers who had submitted their souls to the tyranny of these evil spirit-beings.  And my wife and I have been keenly aware, on many occasions, of their attacks upon our lives, our home and our ministries.  We have come to know firsthand the reality of spiritual battle and our need to “put on the full armor of God.”  But I have never participated in an actual exorcism.  So, I cannot relate to the joy of delivering others from demonic possession.

But I can relate to the joy of another kind of ministry:  explaining God’s Word to God’s people.  This is the calling Christ has placed upon my life.  Indeed, every believer has been called by God to perform his own unique ministry, one that makes him – in some special way – a joyful participant in the Great Commission.  It is the privilege and pleasure of every born again Christ-follower to prepare others for eternity.

But did you notice that Jesus spoke of an even greater joy than the joy of ministry?

Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.  (Luke 10:20)

Both the Old and New Testaments have some things to say about this heavenly record.  It is called “the book” (Daniel 12:1) … “the book of life” (Psalms 69:28; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5, 17:8, 20:12, 20:15) … and “the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27).  But its full name is

“the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.”  (Revelation 13:8)

It is a record of the redeemed; and its Recorder is God Himself (Exodus 32:32).  In this book is a list of those whose deliverance has been secured by the blood of Jesus.  That is, it is a book of the righteous, and it includes those who lived both before and after the Cross of Christ (that is, both Old and New Testament believers).  (Exodus 32:32; Psalm 69:28; Hebrews 12:22-23; Daniel 12:1).

Interestingly, the names listed were not recorded on the day of each one’s salvation.  Instead, they were written down “from the foundation of the world.”  That is, in eternity past, before His first act of creation, God wrote in this book the names of those to be redeemed.  (Revelation 13:8, 17:8)

And they are there to stay.  Backed by the promise of God, not one name will ever be removed from this divine journal.  Every one of them was written with permanent, indelible, impossible-to-be-erased “ink.”

Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  (1^st John 5:5) … (and) He who overcomes … I will not erase his name from the book of life; and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.  (Revelation 3:5)

So, why should the presence of one’s name in this book be cause for such great rejoicing?

• For those who live during the Great Tribulation, only those whose names are written in the Book of Life will reject the antichrist’s miracles and his mark of ownership.  As a result, they will escape God’s everlasting punishment.  (Revelation 13:8)

• During this same time of global distress, national Israel will face yet another holocaust (known as “Jacob’s trouble”).  Those Jews whose names are written in the Book of Life will be rescued from this attempted genocide.  (Daniel 12:1)

• At the final judgment only those whose names are written in the Book of Life will be delivered from the Lake of Fire.  (Revelation 20:12, 15).

• And after the creation of the new heaven and new earth, only those whose names are written in the Book of Life will be able to enter into “the holy city, (the new) Jerusalem.” (Revelation 21:10-27)

For one to be delivered from the kingdom of eternal darkness unto the Kingdom of eternal light is cause for exceedingly great joy.  What’s more, he is not the only one who rejoices over his salvation:

If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?  If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.  So, it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.  (Matthew 18:12-14)

In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.  (Luke 15:10)

So yes, let us rejoice in our service for Christ.  But let us be filled with great wonder and delight and joy and pleasure … and let us be “thrilled to pieces” … and turn cartwheels … and whoop and holler … and sing … and dance … and let us shout with exceedingly great joy in our salvation through Christ.  Because nothing, nothing holds a candle to one’s name being written in “the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.”

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And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.”  When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him … After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me.”  And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him.  (Luke 5:10-11, 27-28)

When I was in high school, my father was the choir director for my family’s church.  My mother played the organ.  My sister often sang in the choir.  And for a time, my grandmother played the piano.  As for me, I sat on the back row and tried to get some sleep.

I did not like “going to church.”  Being religious was, to me, a confinement … something that had to be endured.  I did not like getting up early on a “no school” day.  I did not like putting on a coat and tie.  I did not like listening – for one solid hour – to a Sunday School lesson.  Nor did I like sitting through a sermon for yet another very long hour.  When we finally pulled into our garage, I leapt from the car like a bird that had just been released from its cage.

I suppose most, if not all, of my friends who knew me back then still – to this day – do not understand how I ended up in the ministry.  This unexpected turn-of-events must have been to them like watching “Leave It to Beaver” and hearing Eddie Haskell tell Wally Cleaver that he plans to be a missionary.  But the fact is, something happened to me many years ago that whirled my life around 180^o.

At the age of 19, I encountered the living God through a series of events that, as I replay them from memory, continue to amaze me.  I can still remember the moment I finally understood the Gospel for the first time:  that because of my sins, I deserved to die … that God sent His Son to die that death for me …  in my place … as my Substitute … so that I would not have to die for them myself.  I can still remember that moment when the Spirit of God rushed into my ruined soul.  I felt like a bird that had just been released from its cage.

Now, every time I read Luke chapter 5, I feel what Levi must have felt on the day Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.”  I have an idea this tax collector never looked back at his tax booth.  When this despised man stood up to follow Jesus, the misery and the emptiness of his bankrupt life were forever gone.  No doubt, for this wealthy man to leave his collection box behind (and for Simon and his fishermen-partners to leave their boats behind) was costly.  But more than likely, it did not feel like much of a sacrifice to them.

Over the years I have run across a number of people that gladly follow the Savior because they know, firsthand, what a soul without Christ feels like; and they know what it is like for the resurrected Son of God to fill that emptiness with Himself.  They know that the fool’s gold this world dangles in front of them does not hold a candle to the riches of Christ.

Yes, there are a lot of whirled-around lives out there who are more than happy to abandon everything this dead world has to offer in order to devote every fiber of their being to follow the One Who rescued them from eternal death and ushered them into eternal life.

They are all like birds that fly out of their cages … and never look back … but leave far behind them the misery of their bondage to religion … or their bondage to immorality … or, like me, both … in order to soar – fully and forever – in the freedom of Christ’s gracious release.

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