When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for Joy?
The song eternal
The mere creation of matter would be wonderful; but, to think that God put in that matter all that might be necessary for all that intelligent beings could desire, or think about, or need, for millions of years! God prepared the earth for millions of people upon it, and He prepared everything to meet their wants. These worlds have been long in being, but they have kept in motion all the time. And they keep time with each other; they have not come into collision. God marked out their pathway. I do not wonder the morning stars sang together, when they saw all this machinery set in motion. It is more wonderful as the ages roll on, for through all these years it keeps time, and the song is still sounding in the heaven. Shall we be less interested? The angels know God as their Creator, the wonderful God. They see His majesty, His power. But He comes near to us, and calls us children. Here our eyes see, our ears hear, and out hearts glow with admiration at what our Father has made--made for us. Sometimes, when I think of the heaven that He has given, just beyond all these worlds, I look through the worlds with joy, and I see something more glorious beyond; This song still goes on. The music is still rolling on over our heads. We do not hear it, but occasionally we get glimpses of the world that re-echoes with it . . . Christ was coming to suffer sorrow and death upon the earth. Why should the angels (at Bethlehem) be glad? If He came to suffer death, it was but to enter into His glory. The angels opened the doors, and welcomed Him up the pathway to the throne. The joy is perpetual. John had a vision of it in the Isle of Patmos. The angels sang at creation, and angels sang of dominion and glory; but there is a new song,--“Unto Him that loved us, and washed Us in His own blood,” etc. What a song! It is a song ever new, because there are new strains in it, new voices in it. (Bishop Simpson.)
The angels rejoicing at the creation of the world
Here is something that took place when our world was created, but not in our world. Heaven was the scene of it; and it is told us in order to carry up our thoughts to heaven, and make us better acquainted with it. In the text find--
I. Those spoken of in it. “Morning stars,” “Sons of God.” With a star we connect the ideas of brightness and beauty, but with a morning star, peculiar brightness and beauty. “My angels,” God says to us, “are morning stars.” Angels are not “sons” as the Everlasting Son is. They are called sons by mere grace and favour. The name shows the abundance of God’s love to them.
II. What these angels are said to have done. They sang. Singing is the language of happy feeling. They “sang together.” Here comes in the idea of union, harmony, oneness of feeling and joy, among these morning stars. God loves this oneness of feeling. They “shouted for joy.” This invests the figure with a sublimity and majesty.
III. The occasion for all this rejoicing. It was called forth by the creation of the world.
1. The joy of these angels was a joy of admiration. They sang together, because they were struck together with the beauty of the world.
2. It was a song of praise. Because the world discovered to them in every part of it the perfections of God. (C. Bradley, M. A.)
The joy of angels at the creation of the world
I.The persons, or beings, here spoken of. They must be the “angels,” those glorious spirits who were formed before the earth. For “sons of God” the Greek has, “all my angels”; and an ancient Jewish paraphrase has “all the armies of heaven.” The angels are called “morning stars” on account of their lustre, and the purity of their natures. In Scripture, persons of eminent stations are described as “stars.” They are called “sons of God,” because produced by Him, who is the Father of spirits, the Father of the whole family in heaven and earth. They may be so styled, because they resemble Him in their natures, partake of His Divine and glorious image; or they may be called His “sons” as men are.
II. What occasioned their joyful songs and shouts of praise?
1. The magnificence and beauty of the creation.
2. The glories of the Divine architect displayed in it.
3. They rejoiced on account of the uses for which the earth was designed. The angels are benevolent beings, and bear the image of God in love. Application--
(1) The creation was a glorious work, and claims our admiration and our praise.
(2) The works of God are worthy our serious and diligent study.
(3) Did the angels rejoice in the creation of God, then, they must be grieved at everything that defaces and dishonours the creation.
(4) They would more rejoice in the new creation. The new creation by Jesus Christ is chiefly a display of God’s moral perfections, His justice and patience, his faithfulness and goodness, His holiness and mercy. It is a scheme which at once secures the honour of the Divine government, and the recovery and happiness of fallen creatures.
(5) What joy and shouting will there be among the angels at the last day. When the mystery of God shaft be accomplished, and the redemption of all His people shall be completed. (Job Orton, S. T. P.)
