The Hosts of Heaven

According to the familiar account in Luke, Chapter 2, on the night when Jesus was born, a lone angel appeared to shepherds in the darkness and announced the birth of “a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” in nearby Bethlehem.

Can you imagine being one of those shepherds and the awe they must have felt at seeing an angel from heaven? But that was only the beginning. Immediately after hearing the angel tell them the babe could be found “wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger,” a much greater event occurred. For “suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God.” That lone angelic messenger was joined by a multitude of other angels, and they all literally sang praises to God because of the Savior’s birth.

Have you ever wondered, Who were those angels? Were they the musically gifted members of a special choir who had auditioned for this event while the rest of God’s spirit children who didn’t sing quite as well -- or who couldn’t carry a tune at all -- stayed home to watch it all on a heavenly widescreen?

We find the answer as we explore the meaning of the words “heavenly host” or “hosts.” Moses used the word “host” as he described the completion of the Creation: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them” (Genesis 2:1; Moses 3:1). A clear definition of just who these “hosts” are is found in a revelation about the war in heaven, where the Lord said this to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “The devil . . . rebelled against me, saying, ‘Give me thine honor,’ which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me . . .and they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels” (Doctrine & Covenants 29:36).

Here we see that, originally, the term “hosts of heaven” referred to all of God’s spirit children. But after Satan and his followers rebelled against God’s plan, they were cast out of His presence. Thus, Satan and his followers became the “hosts of hell” (see Doctrine & Covenants 88:113). The “hosts of heaven” are the two-thirds of God’s spirit children who did not rebel. And that included you and me.

So back to my original question: Who were those heavenly singers the night the Savior was born? Luke says they were the "host of heaven" – the entire host, the remaining spirits who did not rebel -- not just a portion of them, not just the ones who could carry a tune, but all of them – including you and me. We were there! Our voices were part of that heavenly choir!

Given this perspective, it is all the more puzzling to me when I observe members, and often entire families, sitting silent in our meetings during the singing of hymns, particularly the sacrament hymns. Usually it’s because they don’t consider themselves musically “gifted.”

And I find myself wanting to lean over and whisper, “How can you remain silent? Don’t you remember? You were once part of that choir of heavenly hosts. Granted, you may not feel musically gifted, but that didn’t stop you then. Please don’t let it stop you now.”

Let us remember our part in that great choir – and remind our children that they were in it as well. Singing is not just for the musically gifted. Nor is it just something added to the program to give us a break from the speakers. It is our gift to Him, albeit humble -- a sacred offering.

And to those who sing there is a promise from the Lord Himself: “The song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing on their heads” (Doctrine & Covenants 25:12).