Behind The Scenes
Living in our modern world, we hold tainted filters based upon presumptions, religious traditions, and rationalism that cloud our vision. Presumptions are notions or concepts taken as truth and often used as the basis for other ideas, although they are not known for certain to be true. Rationalism is the belief or theory that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than on God and His immutable Word.
The first three chapters of the Bible reveal the spiritual realm and its impact on humanity. God, those with Him during creation, the serpent, and cherubim are all part of the unseen, spiritual realm.
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…
The words “us” and “our” indicate that there were others with Yahweh when He created the world and humanity. The book of Job clarifies.
Job 38:4-7 "Where were you [Job] when I [Yahweh] laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,
5 Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it?
6 "On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
In this context of the book of Job, “morning stars” and “sons of God” are not human beings, rather spiritual beings. Yahweh, the sons of God, the serpent and cherubim are all spiritual beings. The Scriptures reveal two unseen spiritual and opposing hierarchies. By hierarchy, I mean a ruling system or organization consisting of spiritual beings ranked one above the other according to status and authority. Within both hierarchy households, there exists a diversity of responsibilities and or jurisdictions.
Revelation 4:1-11; 5:11; 7:11; 11:16 ─ Twenty-four elders around God’s throne
Crown is circular ornamental headdress worn by a monarch as a symbol of authority usually made of or decorated with precious metals and jewels.
Throne is a chair of state, commonly a royal seat, but sometimes the seat of a prince, bishop, or other high dignitary. It represents sovereign power and dignity.
White garments are spoken of often in the book of Revelation and signify righteousness, purity, and holiness.
Elders are persons who take part in the management of public affairs.
Numbers 11:16 Yahweh therefore said to Moses, "Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you.
Exodus 24:1 Then He said to Moses, "Come up to Yahweh, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance.
Matthew 26:3-4 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas;
and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him.
Acts 14:23 When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Acts 15:6-7 The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter.
After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them….
DIVINE COUNCIL
Psalm 82:1 The word “Elohim” occurs 2,250 times, and most often refers to Yahweh, but not exclusively. Judges, Moses, Samuel, angels, unholy gods, demons also are associated to elohim.
NAU Psalm 82:1 God [Elohim] takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers [elohim].
ESV Psalm 82:1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
KJV Psalm 82:1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
Due to the Hebrew grammar, the second use of “elohim” needs to be translated plural. We have English words that are used as both singular and plural, like “sheep”. The first “elohim” must be singular, since the Hebrew grammar has the word as the subject of a singular verbal form (stands). The second “elohim” must be plural, since the preposition in front of it (in the midst of) requires more than one. You cannot be in the midst of one. The word “congregation” also demands more than one.
Psalm 82:6 The spiritual beings are called sons of God (Job 38:1-7; 1:6; 2:1; Genesis 6:1-4; Daniel 3:25, 28).
Psalms 89:5-9 Sons of the mighty one; Hebrew El
Ephesians 3:14-15 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. (Ephesians 1:10)
Psalm 8:4-5 – Hebrews 2:5-8 angels are also called elohim.
Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 136:1-3 When referring to Yahweh, “Elohim” means the sovereign almighty God, overall. When elohim relates to humans and spirit beings, it also refers to sovereignty, but of a lesser degree than Yahweh, one who manages the affairs of others. Yahweh is an Elohim, but no other elohim is Yahweh. Elohim are part of the heavenly host, the divine council. One poplar title for Yahweh (229 times) is Yahweh of hosts.
1 Kings 22:19-23 The divine counsel does more than worship; they have responsibility over the affairs of humanity.
Exodus 20:3-4 There are evil elohim. Two separate, but related, commandments refer to gods and idols. Idol worshippers believed that the objects they made were inhabited by their gods.
Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 106:37 Some elohim are demons.
1 Corinthians 10:19-22
1 Corinthians 8:4-6 A number of verses seem to say that there are no other gods; yet, we have indeed seen there are according to many Scriptures. These denial statements do not deny that other elohim exist. Rather, they deny that any elohim compares to Yahweh. They are statements of incomparability.
Daniel 10:12ff illustrate the spiritual conflict that exists.
Hebrews 1:3ff Jesus is the elohim above all the angels now. Before his resurrection, he was like everyone else with the angels above him, but now he is over all except Yahweh.
Elohim is also used for false gods:
Now I know that the LORD [Yahweh] is greater than all the gods [elohim]; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people. (Exo 18:11 NAU)
Do you not possess what Chemosh your god [elohim] gives you to possess? So whatever Yahweh our God [Elohim] has driven out before us, we will possess it. Judges 11:24
When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, "The ark of the God [Elohim] of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god [elohim]." (1 Samuel 5:7)
So, Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god [elohim], but put no fire under it." 1 Kings 18:25
To help build our awareness and faith regarding Supernatural Christianity, suggested verses of Scripture are offered to memorize each week:
Deuteronomy 10:17 "For Yahweh your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.
