Psalms 68:17

This, according to David, is God's chariot. "The chariot of God," he says, "is multiplied ten times a thousand times"; that is, it is incalculable, infinite, immeasurable. Under the yoke of the natural law that was given to all, some things are checked, as though they were drawn back by reins; whereas others are driven forward, as though they were urged on by slackened reins. "The world, this chariot of God and all that is therein, is guided by the angels" and the stars. Although their movements are varied—bound, nevertheless, by fixed laws—we see them guided to their goals according to the time measured out to them. So may we deservedly cry out with the apostle as we admire the Maker and his works: "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and the knowledge of God; how inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways," and the rest of the passage.

The chariot of God is ten thousandfold manifold. Hyperbolically he speaks of the ministering powers and spirits, that they are innumerable, as he said in Daniel: "Thousands of thousands ministered." And in Ezekiel he describes the cherubim as having four wings in four corners, four faces, whose charioteer is God. And "cherubim" is interpreted "multitude of knowledge." And it signifies the face of the lion, the kingly, that is, to reign over the passions; the face of the man, the rational; the face of the calf, in work; the face of the eagle, in contemplation, that is, in theoria, which exalts us in the virtues. But that we may say all at once: the throne of God is in the holy ones. The Lord is among them in Sina, in the holy place: that is, God is in the holy ones when they are tempted, and after the temptation holiness follows. For it is impossible for anyone, however holy he may be, to pass through this world without temptation, according to Job: "The life of man upon the earth is a temptation."

[Daniel 7:10] "There were millions ministering unto Him, and a billion stood by His side." This was not intended to be a specific number for the servants of God, but only indicates a multitude too great for human computation. These are the thousands and tens of thousands of which we read in the Psalms: "The chariot of God is attended by ten thousands; thousands of them that rejoice. The Lord is among them" (Psalm 68:17). And in another place: "He who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flaming fire" (Psalm 104:4). Now the duty of angels is twofold: the duty of one group is to bestow rewards upon just men; the duty of the other is to have charge over individual calamities. "...The court was in session, and the books were opened." The consciences of men, and the deeds of individuals which partake of either character, whether good or bad, are disclosed to all. One of the books is the good book of which we often read, namely the book of the living. The other is the evil book which is held in the hand of the accuser, who is the fiend and avenger of whom we read in Revelation: "The accuser of our brethren" (Revelation 12:10). This is the earthly book of which the prophet says: "Let them be written on earth" (Jeremiah 17:13).