To watch the recording of this teaching click here. *There is a couple minutes of question and answers at the end of the teaching.
In this installment of Critical Thinking Aloud we will be studying Spiritual Beings as one of the Bibles main characters. This is a continuation of our foundational What is the Bible series.
All content is best understood as a part of its greater context. The same is true with our teachings here on Critical Thinking Aloud. For you to get the most out of this teaching, you should go through the prior installments of our What is the Bible Series.
You will gain a greater understanding for this content when taken in the larger context of the other teachings in this series. If you haven’t had a chance to preview that material yet do so now by clicking here.
We love teaching others about the ancient Near Eastern context of the Biblical authors. This passion comes from our own realization of how helpful this context can be for interpreting the scriptures.
Critical Thinking Aloud’s goal is not to convince anyone that the ancient Near Eastern context is the best context to interpret the scriptures by (which is my opinion) but to equip one with the information needed that they may do their own research and decide for theirselves.
We want to expose people to this way of interpreting the Bible in its original context and leave them to decide wether this is a valid means of interpreting the scriptures.
How we are going to learn
In this teaching we will be looking at the topic of spiritual beings as one of the Bibles main characters through the worldview of the ancient Near Eastern biblical authors. As I have done in the past with other teachings I want to quote from scholarly sources to make my point. I do this in hope that you will see this isn’t just my interpretation of the Scriptures but that this view is steeped in acadeemia.
We will be using two amazing sources which we highly recommend.
- Faithlife Study Bible: This is an amazing resource that is free if you download the app or use it online. To download the app or use this resource online visit their website here. This resource is also available in print which you can purchase here.
- The NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: This is my favorite resource for gaining a better understanding for the ancient Near Eastern worldview of the Biblical authors. This is available in a multitude of variations all of which you can find on our resource page here.
Let’s get started
The last installment shifted the focus of the teaching from what is the Bibles main characters to What does Yahweh as the main character of the Bible want? We did this because we feel that the answer to this question does two things.
- It gives us and understanding for why Yahweh as one the Bibles main character would create the other two main characters, Spiritual and Human Beings.
- It gives us a glimpse of the main theme running throughout the Bible.
As stated in that teaching we know Yahweh wants:
a big blended family of both spiritual and physical beings that He lives in relationship with while sharing His authority to spread His kingdom.
Check that teaching out here.
Today we are going to start our teachings on the second main character of the Bible, Spiritual Beings.
Yahwehs Image Bearers
Yahweh possess’ freedom of the will. By His free will He can rule as He sees fit. This is the true definition of Sovereignty. With this free will He chose to create beings in His Image that share His authority to rule over creation.
We here on Critical Thinking Aloud believe that this free-will is what the Bible describes as God’s image.
Yahweh’s hopes for endowing these beings with free will is that they would chose out of their own desire to obey Him not by any coercion but out of love.
Yahweh’s Family
God by nature is a family, He by his very nature loves family. God loves family so much that He wants a big family and to accomplish this He created beings in His image to share His authority with.
Before He created the world or laid the foundations of the earth Yahweh had created Spiritual beings in His image to live in relationship with.
“‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Job 38:4-7
Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon 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?”
These Spiritual beings were privileged to watch Gods majesty on display while He was creating the world.
If you don’t remember these foundations/bases and cornerstone that Yahweh is describing to Job, are the pillars that we covered in detail in our ancient Near Eastern Cosmology mini series. Review that material by clicking here.
Yahweh’s Dwelling
Yahweh Created Spiritual beings in His image to live in community with Him as they share His authority to spread His kingdom. Yahwehs Dwelling is His divine abode, also know as His council or Heavenly Mountain.
Where Yahweh is present, His council is with Him. The only requirement for these beings to remain apart of His council and be sustained forever is to remain loyal.
Ancient Near Eastern Context
The notion of God dwelling in a council is an ancient one that was shared with most of the habitants of the ancient Near East.
Here is a quote from one of our recommended resources to gain some context.
“In the ancient world, most cultures believed in many gods, and they imagined that the business of the gods was done in council (as typically happened in human governance). This council was made up of prominent members of the pantheon and presided over by the chief god (at various times and places, gods such as Enlil, Marduk, Asshur or El). Unlike Israel’s understanding of Yahweh, the gods of these pantheons had no overarching plan. It rather seems that decisions were made ad hoc…
The idea that the gods operated in community, however, posed serious problems for the theology of Israel, in which only one being had divine authority. This theology did not eradicate the divine council from the Israelite thinking; instead the council was transformed. Rather than being comprised of various gods, the council featured the “sons of God” over whom Yahweh presided and whose activities he delegated… These council members were not gods who had autonomous divine authority on a par with Yahweh’s, but they were spirit beings given a role in Yahweh’s governance of the world.”
The NIV Culture Backgrounds Study Bible: Article on the Divine Council on Pg. 615
This quote really helps to communicate the main point of this teaching in the context of the ancient Near East. That is although the idea of this council is shared by many ancient Near Eastern cultures, Israel unlike the other ancient Near Eastern cultures believed that the spiritual beings in Yahwehs council shared His ultimate authority to help Yahweh govern creation.
From the Bible
Check out this passage of Scripture
“God has taken his place in the divine council;
Psalms 82 ESV
in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 ‘How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.’
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I said, ‘You are gods,
sons of the Most High, all of you;
7 nevertheless, like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince.’
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth;
for you shall inherit all the nations!”
Believe me, as strange as this sounds to us, the concept of God’s Council has profound implications on our theology. We will cover this in detail as we go though these teaching.
God’s Family on His Mountain
This council of Spiritual Beings is nothing less than Spiritual members of God’s family. The Hebrew rendering for these supernatural beings is בני האלהים, romanized: bənê haĕlōhîm, literally means “sons of the god”. Elohim (or anything else with a similar suffix) in Hebrew is plural.
Gods family exists to be a participant in a relationship with Yahweh based on loyalty. With this commitment Yahweh grants them the ability to share His authority in order to spread His kingdom using His faithful family members.
The divine council/ the counsel of God teaches us about the theology of the nature of Gods Sovereignty. The existence of a council founded on loyalty further proves that God sovereignty is not defined as meticulous control nor predestination.
Gods Sovereignty is revealed by Biblical narrative as quite the opposite. God chose to rule within a partnership based on trust.
Control, meticulous control at that, is the opposite of trust. There must be a relinquishing of control in order for there to be trust. Yahweh chose to base His relationship with His family not on that of control but on that of trust.
Every family member whom retain their trust in Yahweh, remain with Him on His council. Not all Spiritual beings are the same so in our next installment we will being looking at these beings roles on the council in more detail.
The Bible Project
Check out this short video series on Spiritual beings by our friends over at The Bible Project by clicking here. They are amazing and super helpful to better grasp what we will be covering in this series.
See you next time as we continue our study of Spiritual Beings as the Bibles main characters.
Check out this short video series on Spiritual beings by our friends over at The Bible Project by clicking here. They are amazing and super helpful to better grasp what we will be covering in this series.
Call for action: Help us out by learning more
Our Favorite Bible
U.S. Link: NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible- Hardcover Bible, Bonded Leather Bible, Bonded Leather: Thumb Index, Imitation Leather Women’s, Imitation Leather Men’s, Kindle Edition
Our Favorite Book
U.S.- Supernatural: What the Bible Teaches about the Unseen World And Why It Matters- Paperback book, Kindle Edition, Audiobook
**** HEY EVERYONE, WE WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE WE EARN A SMALL COMMISSION FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES YOU MAKE FROM OUR LINKS AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU! HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT AFFECT OUR SUGGESTIONS OF WHAT WE RECOMMEND FOR YOU TO USE. WE FEEL THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR YOU TO BOTH ENJOY QUALITY RESOURCES WHICH WE USE IN HOPES IT WILL LIKEWISE ENRICH YOUR BIBLICAL STUDIES, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND. IF YOU DO DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE, OUR FAMILY HERE AT CRITICAL THINKING ALOUD WANTS YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE VALUE YOUR SUPPORT.****