Christmas: What are heavenly hosts in the Bible?

A heavenly host refers to an army of angels. They are mentioned several times in the Old and New Testaments. In the Christmas story, the Angel Gabriel is joined by a heavenly host after he informs the shepherds of the birth of Christ. The main purpose of the heavenly host is to strengthen and comfort believers. But they are also present when announcing great events, such as the birth of Christ. In the nativity story, the heavenly host sings the glory of God and peace on Earth.