The Nine Ladies Dancing are said to represent the nine orders of angels, which are: Angels, Archangels, Principalities, Powers, Virtues, Dominions, Thrones, Cherubim, Seraphim
Don’t you think that is a fitting an lovely image for angels—dancing before and around the throne of God. Angels are not really the little cherubic images we often see on Christmas cards. If you take time to read Ezekiel’s description of his vision of God (Ezek. 1:5-21) and the angels around the throne, I think you will agree that there is a reason for angels to say “Fear not”, whenever they appear to a meager human being.
Don’t you think that is a fitting an lovely image for angels—dancing before and around the throne of God. Angels are not really the little cherubic images we often see on Christmas cards. If you take time to read Ezekiel’s description of his vision of God (Ezek. 1:5-21) and the angels around the throne, I think you will agree that there is a reason for angels to say “Fear not”, whenever they appear to a meager human being.
“In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. This was their appearance: they were of human form. Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings touched one another; each of them moved straight ahead, without turning as they moved. As for the appearance of their faces: the four had the face of a human being, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle; such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. Each moved straight ahead; wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. In the middle of the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright, and lightning issued from the fire. The living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning. As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl; and the four had the same form, their construction being something like a wheel within a wheel. When they moved, they moved in any of the four directions without veering as they moved. Their rims were tall and awesome, for the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When they moved, the others moved; when they stopped, the others stopped; and when they rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.”
Yet despite their awesome or even fearsome appearance, it is certain that the angels glorify the Lord by their songs and actions. So dancing is appropriate as their symbol.
There are many kinds of dance and your heart can dance to the rhythm of Creation each day even as you get up in the morning. Steve Green has a song, “Awaken” that speaks to that joy: The chorus says: "I will awaken the dawn, be the first voice of praise with a song till the morning joinsin and creation begins to awake to the sound of this song."How do we glorify our Lord and Creator? Do we sing or dance or do we forget to rejoice in God’s glory because we are so busy with our lives—the working and worrying and other day-to-day things that keep us distracted from the presence of the Living Lord in our midst?
How will you glorify God in this New Year?
