What do angels sound like according to the Bible?

A brief review of some Biblical examples will demonstrate this point clearly. Read Genesis 16, where an Angel1 spoke with Hagar. What language was used? Of course it was one Hagar understood. In Exodus 3 the Angel of Jehovah spoke with Moses from the midst of the burning bush. He had no trouble in understanding what was being said to him. Now read Judges 13: 1-5. When Manoah and his wife were told of the birth of their son Samson, what language did the Angel use? Was His exalted message readily understood by this rural couple? Of course it was. The narrative shows they spoke together with the Angel. In 2 Kings 1: 3 Elijah is addressed by an angel. The words he used are recorded and we can understand with our rational faculties what was said. An angel also spoke with the prophet Zechariah (Zech. 1: 9ff.). These Old Testament conversations were evidently all conducted in Hebrew and were comprehensible conversations when normal human language was used. We read of no mutterings or incomprehensible gibberish coming forth from the lips of angels. If you turn to Isaiah 8: 19 you will find a very dubious group chirping and muttering. Scripture records that there is no light in them. In the New Testament angels are again found bringing their glorious messages to surprised but comprehending hearers. We have no alternative but to conclude that they were spoken to in Aramaic or Greek. Zechariah, Joseph and Mary well understood the holy communications that reached their ears in Matthew 1 and 2 and Luke 1 and 2. Acts 8: 26 furnishes another example in Philip being told to go toward the south, to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. Cornelius presumably was addressed in Greek by the angel (Acts 10: 3). In Acts 12: 7 the sleeping captive, Peter, is spoken to by an angel.

A brief review of some Biblical examples will demonstrate this point clearly. Read Genesis 16, where an Angel1 spoke with Hagar. What language was used? Of course it was one Hagar understood. In Exodus 3 the Angel of Jehovah spoke with Moses from the midst of the burning bush. He had no trouble in understanding what was being said to him. Now read Judges 13:1-5. When Manoah and his wife were told of the birth of their son Samson, what language did the Angel use? Was His exalted message readily understood by this rural couple? Of course it was. The narrative shows they spoke together with the Angel. In 2 Kings 1:3 Elijah is addressed by an angel. The words he used are recorded and we can understand with our rational faculties what was said. An angel also spoke with the prophet Zechariah (Zech. 1:9ff.). These Old Testament conversations were evidently all conducted in Hebrew and were comprehensible conversations when normal human language was used. We read of no mutterings or incomprehensible gibberish coming forth from the lips of angels. If you turn to Isaiah 8:19 you will find a very dubious group chirping and muttering. Scripture records that there is no light in them. In the New Testament angels are again found bringing their glorious messages to surprised but comprehending hearers. We have no alternative but to conclude that they were spoken to in Aramaic or Greek. Zechariah, Joseph and Mary well understood the holy communications that reached their ears in Matthew 1 and 2 and Luke 1 and 2. Acts 8:26 furnishes another example in Philip being told to go toward the south, to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. Cornelius presumably was addressed in Greek by the angel (Acts 10:3). In Acts 12:7 the sleeping captive, Peter, is spoken to by an angel.

Another class now appears upon the scene: "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." (vv. 11, 12.) In reading this response of the angels to the celebration of the worthiness of the Lamb by the elders, it is impossible not to recall the well-known lines - "Hark! ten thousand voices crying 'Lamb of God!' with one accord Thousand thousand saints replying, Wake at once the echoing chord. 'Praise the Lamb!' the chorus waking, All in heaven together throng; Loud and far each tongue partaking, Rolls around the endless song. Grateful incense this ascending Ever to the Father's throne; Every knee to Jesus bending, All the mind in heaven is one."

And it is so, for the praise of the angels, awakened by the song of the elders, though on another ground, shows the perfect concord of heaven in the adoration of the Lamb.

There are several distinct points to be noticed for the fuller understanding of the scene. It should, then, be observed that these myriads of worshipping angels form, if the words may be used, the outer circle of the heavenly hosts; they are round about the throne, and the, beasts, and the elders. In the ineffable grace of God, the redeemed, as being in Christ, are brought into a nearer place than the created intelligences that have never fallen from their creature perfectness! This is a well-known truth, but how little do we apprehend it in power. Moreover, the angels, as often remarked, say, and do not sing, their praises. It is only those who are redeemed, as Scripture everywhere shows, that can utter their praise in song. There are also, it will be seen, seven things they proclaim the Lamb as worthy to receive; that is, He is worthy to receive all things. It is the ascription to Him of all possible exaltation, dominion, and blessing.

Outside the circle of the redeemed, the angels have now their place and their praise. It has been often and justly remarked that they do not "sing." Their peaceful lives, not subject to vicissitude, nor touched by sin, furnish no various tones for melody. The harps which we have above are tuned down here, where the Davids, signalized by their afflictions, are the sweet singers of Israel. Wondrous and eternal fruit of earth's sorrow, though by divine grace only, the redeemed among men will be the choir of heaven! Blessed be God!

The first thing to be remarked upon this outburst of joy is, that we have no singing mentioned in Scripture, except in connection with redemption. Angels even are never said to sing. At the birth of our blessed Lord "there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:10, 14.) So in the Revelation John says, "I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." (Rev. 5:11-12.) It is only therefore redeemed ones who can sing, and we learn therefrom the true character of Christian song. It should express the joy of salvation, the accents of praise and gladness produced in the soul by the knowledge of redemption. "Is any merry?" says James, "let him sing psalms." (James 5:13.) That is, if any one is overflowing with true joy — joy consequent upon known redemption, joy in the Lord as the Redeemer, it should be expressed in psalms — psalms of praise to God. "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord." It was then, when they knew for the first time what redemption was, that they poured forth the gladness of their hearts in song., And there should be no other, indeed there is no other, song for the Christian. To take another into his lips is to forget his true character as well as the only source of his joy.

It is striking that after this, as we are told, "And I saw and heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders: and their number was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands, saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing." Here we have the angels, who are now distinctly named. How comes it that no angels appear in Rev. 4? And why have we them in Rev. 5? There is always the wisest reason in the ways of God of which scripture speaks, and we are encouraged by the Spirit to inquire humbly but trustfully. The inference it warrants seems to be this: that the assumption of the book into the hands of the Lamb, and His preparing to open the seals, marks a change of administration. Up to that point of time angels have held an executory ministry of power from God. Where judgments were in question, or other extraordinary intervention on His part, angels were the instruments; whereas from this time we gather the title to a marked change for the world to come in those that are Christ's above.

The praise of the angels follows. "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." (vv. 11, 12.) At the time here spoken of, the Psalmist's words are fast approaching their fulfilment: "Jehovah has prepared His throne in the heavens; His kingdom rules over all" (Ps. 103:19); and even now "His angels that excel in strength," the "ministers of His that do His pleasure" bless Him in the person of "the Son of man," through whom His rule is carried on, and who is about to have all things put under His feet. (Ps. 8:4-6.) But there is a great difference between this worship of the angels and that of the elders. The angels look at his "obedience unto death," and own that it is as the slain Lamb He is entitled to receive glory and blessing; but they say nothing about redemption. To them the central object in the cross is the perfect obedience there manifested; to the elders the central object in the cross is the redeeming work there accomplished.

Then the angel goes on to say, "This shall be a sign to you: ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." What is the result? No sooner has this blessed news come out than "suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, goodwill towards men." If men had not believed the news, angels had; if earth be indifferent, heaven is not. The heavenly hosts, so to speak, break all bounds, and join this angelic messenger who proclaimed the glad fact which was the fulfilment of the first part of that wonderful verse in 1st Timothy 3: "Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh … seen of angels." They never saw Him before. The heavenly hosts came trooping down to earth with deep joy. Heaven is full of ecstasy, and why? Because the unsolved riddle of four thousand years is now made clear. How is man to be saved? At length the news, the startling news goes up to heaven that the Son of God has come down to earth, that He has become a man in order that He might die for man, and deliver him. I say it with reverence, beloved friends, that I believe heaven was filled with ecstasy over the manifestation of God down here as the Saviour of poor, guilty, lost man. As to earth, it was utterly indifferent.

Born at night, cradled in a manger, who would announce the event? Must men wake up from nocturnal slumber, ere the news could be spread abroad? No. That birth was singular in this, that an angel first announced the event to some shepherds, and a multitude of the heavenly host were then heard engaged in praise. Heaven was stirred. And those shepherds, watching their flocks by night, heard it, and witnessed it. The angel had announced to them the birth of a Saviour, Christ the Lord, and gave them a sign by which they should know Him — a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger (2:12). With the angel there was assembled a multitude of the heavenly host. The angel of the Lord addressed the shepherds. The angelic choir, as if unmindful of their presence, was wholly engaged in praising God. Silence they could not keep, for glory to God, and blessing to men, would result from that child's birth.

Then we hear, "and to myriads of angels, a universal gathering (or, myriads, universal gathering of angels)." A multitude of this heavenly host at the Incarnation hailed with unjealous delight the Divine Saviour's birth as man, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men. Here they are seen as the indigenous denizens of heaven in festal assembly, rejoicing in the results of grace for men on earth.