Why were angels created before humans?

The creation of the angels before humans gave them a chance to declare their joy for the creation of the beautiful world for humanity. They did not need plants, animals, birds, or fish, because angels do not have flesh that needs all this; yet they praised God’s work for their brethren who were created on earth (Job 8:38). The creation of humanity revealed the transcendence of the heavenly hosts and their love for the rational creation on earth. At the same time, the creation of humanity filled the cup of Satan and his evil angels, as Solomon the Wise says: “But death entered the world by the envy of the devil” (Wis. of Sol. 2:24).

St. John Chrysostom says, “What is meant by ‘through the devil’s envy death entered the world?’ You see, since this wicked beast saw that the first-formed human being was created immortal, by his characteristic wickedness he led him on to disobedience of the command and in that way caused him to bring on himself the penalty of death. So envy caused deception, deception caused disobedience, and disobedience caused death.”⁶⁵⁹