ISLAM reveres Ulema because they are heirs to the Prophets (AS) who follow their way. In fact, it is in respect to their dignity and merit that Allah mentions them along with His Name and that of His Angels when He says:

شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمِ قَآئِمًۢا بِٱلْقِسْطِ
“Allah bears witness that La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give witness); (He is always) maintaining His creation in justice.” (Qur’an, 3:18)

It is a distinction for the Aalim, that the angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth also beseech Allah to bless him.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

‏من سلك طريقًا يبتغي فيه علمًا سهل الله له طريقًا إلى الجنة، وإن الملائكة لتضع أجنحتها لطالب العلم رضا بما صنع، وإن العالم ليستغفر له من في السماوات والأرض حتى الحيتان في الماء‏”
“He who follows a path in quest of knowledge, Allah will make the path of Jannah easy to him. The angels lower their wings over the seeker of knowledge, being pleased with what he does. The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth and even the fish in the depth of the oceans seek forgiveness for him. (Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi)

Ulama are the friends of Allah; they are the ones who really fear Allah.
إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى ٱللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ٱلْعُلَمَـٰٓؤُا۟
“It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah.” (Qur’an, 35:28)

Ibn Al-Qayyim (R) said: “Scholars of Islam and those around whose sayings revolves Fatwa (religious counselling) among people; those who are endowed with the ability to derive rulings from the (the Qur’anic and Hadith) texts and whose preoccupation is the regulation of the lawful and unlawful things are to the earth what the stars are to the heaven. It is through them that the confused get guidance and people’s need of them is greater than their need of food and drink.”

The Ulama are the people’s refuge during calamities. Many a blind people have seen through them; many a Sunnah have been spread through them and many an innovation have been effaced through them.

Think about this:
a woman falls pregnant, the couple want guidance and duas to read; we go to the Ulama,
the baby is born we want tahneek; we go to the Ulama,
the baby needs a suitable name, we go to the Ulama,
slaughter the aqeeqah animal, we go to the Ulama,
the child grows up and needs to go to Madrassah; we go to the Ulama,
teenage years they having some issues; we go to the Ulama,
want to do Hifdhul Quraan; we go to the Ulama,
university issues, peer pressure, drugs problems etc.; we go to the Ulama,
want to get married, who performs the nikaah; we go to the Ulama,
problems in the marriage, counselling, divorce; we go to the Ulama,
and even in death, who is going to read janazah Salaah?; we back at the door of the Ulama.
So the Ulama will sometimes err and make mistakes, we should not judge them. Rather make dua for them and continue to seek guidance from them.

The Ulama are not personalities whose virtues should merely be sung or written on pages without benefiting from their light. Ibrahim ibn Habib (R) said: “My father told me: ‘My son! Go to the Ulama, take knowledge from them and learn from their manners, characters and guidance; that is dearer to me than your learning of many Hadiths (without manners).”