I was listening to RBT's study on Revelation (1981), Lesson 457_0203, and the subject of angelic salvation came up in passing. The lesson was on Rev 4:4
Quote:
4And around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.
Thieme said that these 24 elders were really 24 Elect Angels who
overcame during the Pre-Adamic Angelic Conflict. He stated that their white garments and golden stephanos-crowns were indications that they had already passed through Bema. His assumption was that their Bema occurred sometime prior to the creation of Adam. He also mentioned briefly the Seraphim and Cherubim, and how their wings indicated rank. Satan was a Cherubim, and it is assumed that he was the highest ranking Angel, yet the six wings of the Seraphim seem to indicate other wise.
So here are some key questions that I have as a result of this lesson:
1) Was Satan (aka Lucifer) the Federal Head of the Angelic race when he was initially created?
2) Did Satan's fall result in the fall of all Angels as in the case of the Adamic fall?
3) Human Bema does not happen until after resurrection. It is also important to note that all Human Bema happens post-Cross. So, how is it possible that Regenerated-Elect Angels pass through Bema before the juridical justification of the Cross?
4) Is it possible that Satan was never the Federal Head of Angelic race, and therefore Elect Angels never fell? If that is the case, then Elect Angels would not be required to wait for Cross to pass through Bema.
Question #4 would not negate the notion of Angelic Salvation at the Cross, but it would mean that Fallen Angels who chose to believe after the fact would be saved without any possibility of eternal reward. Unlike Angels, man must learn mind of Christ, so salvation is our initiation into the process of Ultimate Sanctification. Angels on the other hand were created with the knowledge of Christ, so their fall might invalidate them for Reward after Redemption.
Any ideas?