Thank you for the question, “How possible would it be that the 24 elders with crowns spoken about in Revelations are of the angelic order?”
The Scriptures do not state the identity of the 24 Elders in Revelations. There are three viewpoints on who are the 24 Elders: The Church, Israel-Church, or angelic beings.
The most common viewpoint is that the 24 Elders represent the Christian Church. I like for one to consider that the 24 Elders are angelic beings. The two critical passages are Revelations 4 and 5.
A. The normative reading of the text would indicate that the heavenly scene would be heavenly beings.
The scene is a heavenly one of being around the throne of God. There is no direct reference that the Church is or represents the 24 Elders and Thrones.
B. The normative reading of the text would indicate that the heavenly beings were present before the founding of the church.
Revelation 4:6–11 states that the four living creatures never cease saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. “It would appear that those words would have been echoed through the ages, not starting from the Day of Pentecost, whereby the 24 Elders would fall down and worship God.
C. The normative reading of the text would indicate that the 24 thrones and Elders are not Israel-Church or the Church itself.
The Scripture depicts Revelation 21:10–14 says this, “10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (NIV).
The Twelve Gates represent Israel and the walls had Twelve Foundations which had the twelve Apostles. It is is more like that the heavenly Temple represents Israel-Church as the Temple of God, rather than the 24 Elders.
D. The Apostle Paul implies indirectly that there are angelic hierarchy among the angels.
The Apostle Paul cites in Ephesians 6 this, “12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (NIV).
This verse reflects that there is hierarchy among the angels with differing ranking. If the fallen angels have rank among them, this would be equally true of the obedient angels. Can it be that the 24 Elders and their thrones represent part of that ranking among the angels? This is a conjecture on my part.
I am not dogmatic that the 24 Elders are angelic beings, but one has to give consideration to it. Can the 24 Elders represent the Church? Yes, it is can. What is the answer? More study is needed and ultimately what is most important that whether angelic beings and or redeemed people, all the heavenly people worship God and the Lamb.
SUMMARY: Whether the 24 Elders are angelic being or redeemed people, the important point is that they worship God.
For more perspectives: