A POLITE Discussion about Singing Angels

[Cow Poke]

NVM, I see you answered that...

Yeah, it kinda got lost cause Mossy was spammin my thread.

[DesertBerean]

I always assumed they sang. Their words to the shepherds practically sing themselves. And they do declare "Holy! Holy!"

[Cow Poke]

I always assumed they sang. Their words to the shepherds practically sing themselves. And they do declare "Holy! Holy!"

yup

[One Bad Pig]

I always assumed they sang. Their words to the shepherds practically sing themselves. And they do declare "Holy! Holy!"

Interestingly, the angels are also believed to sing in Jewish tradition: there are several references to angels singing in the Talmud (link) and the book of 2 Enoch. Given the general antagonism between Christianity and what developed into Judaism, IMO the source of the belief is most likely pre-Christian.

[Paprika]

comes from hymns or traditions or desires or our own imagination....

Protestants beholden to their own Traditions is a sight to behold.

[KingsGambit]

If I do have to do any singing in the New Jerusalem, I hope the Lord gives me pitch.

[One Bad Pig]

If I do have to do any singing in the New Jerusalem, I hope the Lord gives me pitch.

AFAIK, it's possible for even tone-deaf people to learn to sing; the process is akin to teaching deaf people how to speak.

[One Bad Pig]

Protestants beholden to their own Traditions is a sight to behold.

Indeed.

[Jedidiah]

Glad I'm not an angel.

Those around me are glad in the same vein.

[Jedidiah]

Some day you will sing with a perfect voice to the Lord.

But he will never be an angel.

[Jedidiah]

it just makes me wonder what ELSE is there that we assume the Bible says or teaches just because we WANT to believe it,

The thing that bugs me is the statement, or belief, that after we die we will all become angels. I know this is not a Christian viewpoint but when my wonderful Grand daughter died so many words of consolation were of the sort; There is a new angel in heaven now. I did not attack anyone over it but sometimes I felt like doing so.

[Cow Poke]

The thing that bugs me is the statement, or belief, that after we die we will all become angels. I know this is not a Christian viewpoint but when my wonderful Grand daughter died so many words of consolation were of the sort; There is a new angel in heaven now. I did not attack anyone over it but sometimes I felt like doing so.

Yup - unfortunately, I think one of my favorite movies - It's a Wonderful Life - may be partly responsible for that.

[mossrose]

But he will never be an angel.

Yup.

[Jedidiah]

Yup - unfortunately, I think one of my favorite movies - It's a Wonderful Life - may be partly responsible for that.

One of my favorite movies also, but it seems to have filtered into the cultural christianity of the American culture.

[Rushing Jaws]

Isaiah 6, Rev. 5:11, 7:11-12

This is also reflected in the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom:

"We who mystically represent the Cherubim sing the thrice holy hymn to the life giving Trinity. Let us set aside all the cares of life that we may receive the King of all invisibly escorted by the angelic hosts. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia."

and

"We also thank You for this liturgy which You are pleased to accept from our hands, even though You are surrounded by thousands of Archangels and tens of thousands of Angels, by the Cherubim and Seraphim, six-winged, many-eyed, soaring with their wings, singing the victory hymn, proclaiming, crying out, and saying: 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord Sabaoth, heaven and earth are filled with Your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna to God in the highest.'"

and in the Liturgy of St. James (one of the earliest extant liturgies):

"Let all mortal flesh be silent, and stand with fear and trembling, and meditate nothing earthly within itself: For the King of kings and Lord of lords, Christ our God, comes forward to be sacrificed, and to be given for food to the faithful; and the bands of angels go before Him with every power and dominion, the many-eyed cherubim, and the six-winged seraphim, covering their faces, and crying aloud the hymn, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia."

and

"Verily it is becoming and right, proper and due to praise Thee, to sing of Thee, to bless Thee, to worship Thee, to glorify Thee, to give Thee thanks, Maker of every creature visible and invisible, the treasure of eternal good things, the fountain of life and immortality, God and Lord of all:

Whom the heavens of heavens praise, and all the host of them; the sun, and the moon, and all the choir of the stars; earth, sea, and all that is in them; Jerusalem, the heavenly assembly, and church of the first-born that are written in heaven; spirits of just men and of prophets; souls of martyrs and of apostles; angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities, and authorities, and dread powers; and the many-eyed cherubim, and the six-winged seraphim, which cover their faces with two wings, their feet with two, and with two they fly, crying one to another with unresting lips, with unceasing praises: With loud voice singing the victorious hymn of Thy majestic glory, crying aloud, praising, shouting, and saying: Holy, holy, holy, O Lord of Sabaoth, the heaven and the earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!"

From the Te Deum:

Te Deum laudámus: te Dominum confitémur.
Te ætérnum Patrem omnis terra venerátur.
Tibi omnes Angeli; tibi coeli et univérsae potestátes.
Tibi Cherúbim et Séraphim incessábili voce proclámant:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dóminus Deus Sábaoth.
Pleni sunt coeli et terra majestátis glóriæ tuæ.
Te glóriosus Apostolórum chorus;
Te Prophetárum laudábilis númerus;
Te Mártyrum candidátus laudat exércitus.
Te per orbem terrárum sancta confitétur Ecclésia:
Patrem imménsæ majestátis; Venerándum tuum verum et únicum Fílium;
Sanctum quoque Paráclitum Spíritum...

Book of Common Prayer translation:

We praise thee, O God :
we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee :
the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud :
the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim :
continually do cry,
Holy, Holy, Holy :
Lord God of Hosts;
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty :
of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles : praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets : praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs : praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world :
doth acknowledge thee;
The Father : of an infinite Majesty;
Thine honourable, true : and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost : the Comforter....