Similarly, the psalmist employs past tense in relation to something future when stating, "They have pierced my hands and my feet; they have counted all my bones." Such declarations truly articulate the essence of the Lord's Passion, portraying it as a past event despite being announced as something yet to come. Here, when it is expressed that, "When he is exalted, the angels will be afraid," past events are likewise conveyed using future tense.
It is not a departure from the truth to ponder how, at the moment Leviathan fell from the heights of Bliss, the chosen Angels experienced significant dread due to the pride that led to his choosing over them. Their fear also fortified their resolve to remain steadfast. Thus, it is correctly stated: "And being gripped by fear, they shall be purified." They attain purification undoubtedly because, when Leviathan descended with the other unclean spirits, it was only they who chose eternal joy that remained in Heaven. Consequently, his fall instilled both fear and purification in them; fear to deter any prideful contempt toward their Creator, yet purification as the unclean were cast out and only the elect remained. In this way, God, the Creator of all, is adept at utilizing even the wrongdoings of the fallen for the benefit of the righteous. He turned the failures of the fallen into a valuable lesson for the stalwart, and those guilty of arrogance were punished proportionately to the merits of the humble being rewarded. The demise of the wicked became a remarkable gift for the steadfast, serving as a cautionary example to prevent their own fall. The holy angels now stand with heightened vigilance and resilience.
Thus, by the divine will of the Creator of all, within the extraordinary order of His creation, even the loss of life contributes positively to the realm of the Elect Spirits, further strengthened through its partial destruction. As Scripture often refers to the proclaimers of the Church as ‘Angels’ for their role in announcing the glory of Heaven, we may broaden the interpretation of ‘Angels’ to encompass holy preachers. For instance, John, in the Apocalypse, addresses the seven Churches as the Angels of the Church, meaning the ministers to the nations. The Prophet likewise states, "And the angels of the world weep bitterly." Therefore, the Prophet Malachi proclaims, "For the mouth of the priest shall keep knowledge, and the law shall be sought from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts." Likewise, Paul affirms the great mystery of godliness, declaring, "God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, shown to the angels, preached to the Gentiles, received by faith in the world, ascended in glory." Thus, when he refers to the mystery of godliness revealed to the angels and notes that He preached to the Gentiles, he is clearly regarding ‘angels’ as holy preachers or messengers of truth.
Moreover, the phrase "When he falls, the angels will be afraid, and being gripped by fear, they shall be purified," can be seen in a prophetic light, looking toward the final days of this Leviathan within this world, upon the arrival of the Fearsome Judge. For He, who now demonstrates extraordinary patience through meekness, shall descend from this world on the day of the Last Judgment. He will be cast out in such a manner that even the mightiest holy preachers will tremble; when he falls, indeed, the angels will be afraid. When swept away by the whirlwind of Judgment, even those heavenly messengers, though arranged in order before God, will be shaken with fear. For while they are strong and whole, they are still encased in flesh, and such beauty cannot but resonate with the dread of the Lord’s immense Wrath. Nevertheless, upon Leviathan’s expulsion, the anticipation of the coming kingdom brings the holy preachers joy that transcends their fleshly anxiety. Thus, they will experience both a mix of joyful anticipation and trembling fear, assured of their reward in the heavenly kingdom, yet apprehensive of the tremendous Wrath that provokes trepidation in their mortal frames.
Therefore, consider how much more troubled the consciences of the wicked must be when even the saints experience fear. What, then, will befall those who harbor hatred when confronted with the Judge, if even those who love are unnerved at the thought of Judgment? If there exists even a trace of minor sins within holy preachers, such will be ignited by this fear, as the message "When he falls, the angels will be afraid," is swiftly connected to the accompanying phrase: "and being smitten with fear shall be purified." Now that we have gleaned insights regarding the end of Leviathan, let us examine his actions prior to his demise.
THEOSIS