“Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right hand and on His left” (II Chronicles 18:18).

This remarkable vision was granted to the prophet Micaiah, the only true prophet at the court of the evil King Ahab, of Israel. Other Scriptures confirm that there really is a great host of angels at God’s throne in heaven (Job 1:6; Daniel 7:10; Revelation 5:11; etc.). These are mighty angels, and they go forth at God’s command (Psalm 103:20,21), especially in connection with their primary function as “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14).

In addition to the angels, there is another “host of heaven”-the stars, which “cannot be numbered” (Jeremiah 33:22). Like the stars, the angels also are said to be “innumerable” (Hebrews 12:22). Both “hosts” are mentioned in Nehemiah 9:6. Angels are often associated with stars in the Bible and are even likened to stars on a number of occasions. However, a third of the angels “kept not their first estate” (Jude 6; Revelation 12:3–9). Although angels are not to be worshipped (Revelation 22:8,9), Satan, the “anointed cherub” (Ezekiel 28:14), desired to be “like the most High” (Isaiah 14:14), and led these now-fallen angels into a cosmic rebellion against their Creator, which continues to this day. They have, in fact, become associated with both the sky-images of astrology and the corresponding graven images of paganism. Paul warned that such idol worship was, in reality, demon worship (I Corinthians 10:20). It is this particular “host of heaven” which all devotees of false religions, ancient and modern, have really worshipped when they reject the true God of creation and put their faith in some aspect of the cosmos itself. The faithful and obedient host of heaven worships God alone, and so should we. HMM