Innumerable Company of Angels
The word “innumerable ” means “so many that cannot be counted.” When the Bible describes the angels in Mount Zion this way, it helps us understand that we are talking about millions upon millions of these heavenly beings – more than anyone could ever count even if they spent their entire life trying. The Greek term translated as “innumerable company” is “myriadin,” literally meaning “tens of thousand” but used to express countless multitudes beyond human calculation.
Angels are real spiritual beings that God created to serve Him and carry out His purposes. Unlike humans, angels were created as spiritual beings who do not have physical bodies like ours, though they can appear in physical form when God sends them on special missions. They possess great intelligence, power, and knowledge, but they are still created beings who worship and serve God just as humans do.
Daniel 7:10
And, behold, in this horn were eyand a river of fire was pouring out, flowing from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him; many millions stood to attend him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened.
Throughout the Bible, we see glimpses of just how many angels exist. Daniel had a vision where he saw “thousands upon thousands” of angels serving God, and “ten thousand times ten thousand” standing before His throne. This gives us some idea of the massive number of angels that exist, but even this description probably falls short of the actual reality.
Matthew 26:53
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
When Jesus was arrested in the garden, He told His disciples that He could call on His Father to send “more than twelve legions of angels” to rescue Him. A Roman legion contained about 6,000 soldiers, so twelve legions would be over 70,000 angels. The fact that Jesus said “more than twelve legions” means that many more angels were available if needed. This shows us that God has enormous angelic resources at His command. The angels at Mount Zion are not just standing around doing nothing. They are actively engaged in worship, service, and carrying out God’s will throughout the universe. Isaiah in his 6th chapter gives us a picture of angels called Seraphims who constantly cry out “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” This worship never stops. Day and night, these countless angels praise God with voices that shake the foundations of heaven.
Revelation 5:11-12
[11] 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;
[12] 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.
The book of Revelation provides even more amazing descriptions of angelic worship. John saw “many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand” gathered around God’s throne, singing with loud voices “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” This scene helps us understand that the angels at Mount Zion create an atmosphere of constant, joyful worship.
What makes this even more incredible is that believers get to join this massive angelic choir. When Christians gather to worship God, they are not just singing with the people they can see in their church building. They are joining with countless millions of angels who are also praising God at that very moment. This transforms our understanding of worship from a small, local activity, to participation in the greatest concert in the universe. The angels at Mount Zion also serve as God’s messengers and servants throughout creation. The word “angel” actually means “messenger,” and these beings carry out God’s instructions across the universe. Some angels protect God’s people from danger. Others deliver important messages from God. Others execute God’s judgment against evil. So, the fact that there are innumerable angels means that God has unlimited resources to accomplish His purposes.
2 Kings 6:17
And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
These angels have been present throughout human history, though usually invisible to human eyes. When the prophet Elisha and his servant were surrounded by enemy armies, Elisha prayed that God would open his servant’s eyes to see spiritual reality. Suddenly the servant saw that “the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha”. This shows that angels are constantly present and active, even when we cannot see them. The angels at Mount Zion include different types and ranks of heavenly beings. The Bible mentions the Cherubim, who guard God’s holiness, and the Seraphim, who lead in worship. There are also archangels like Michael, who leads God’s angelic armies, and Gabriel, who delivers important messages from God. Each type of angel has specific roles and responsibilities in God’s kingdom.
What should amaze us is that these powerful, glorious beings welcome human believers into their company. Angels could have chosen to look down on humans as inferior creatures, but instead they rejoice when people come to faith in God. Jesus said that “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). The angels celebrate every time someone joins their spiritual family. The angels at Mount Zion also serve as servants to believers in practical ways. Hebrews 1:14 says that they are “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation.” This means that some of these countless angels are assigned to help and protect God’s people. While we usually cannot see them, they work behind the scenes to assist believers in ways we may never fully understand until we reach heaven.
The strength and power of the angelic company at Mount Zion provides great comfort to believers facing difficulties. When we feel outnumbered by enemies or overwhelmed by problems, we can remember that we belong to a spiritual community that includes millions of powerful angels who serve the same God we serve. We are never truly alone or defenseless because we are part of this vast heavenly army. The intelligence and knowledge of angels also benefit believers. These beings have existed since before the creation of the world and have observed all of human history. They understand spiritual realities that humans are just beginning to learn. While they do not know everything (all knowledge belong to God alone: Omniscience), their wisdom and experience far exceed anything available in the human realm. For believers today, knowing about the innumerable company of angels at Mount Zion should transform how we think about our spiritual lives. We should always live in their consciousness.