To watch the recording of this teaching click here.
Hey everyone welcome back to our the second part of the Spiritual Beings as the Bibles main character teaching. This is a continuation of our foundation What is the Bible Series.
We love to tach others the ancient Near Eastern context of the Bible, because we are convinced that all content is best understood in its original context. This series is no different. If your haven’t had the opportunity to review our other material in this series yet, do so first now by clicking here.
Today we will be continuing our study on our study of Spiritual Beings as the Bibles main characters.
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.
Lets gets started
The Divine Council
Last week we talked about how the ancient Near Eastern view of the gods residing in a council and how this idea was not abandoned by the Israelites but transformed.
Here is a part of that quote to jog our memories
“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
In the Biblical authors ancient Near Eastern worldview Yahweh alone is sovereign over the other deities on His council. We defined Sovereignty not as meticulous control but that of the ability to rule as one pleases. Yahweh has not seen fit to rule by control but by sharing His authority with His Council.
Who is on the Divine Council ?
The divine council is made up of spiritual beings known in the Biblical narrative as the sons of god. The translation of the Hebrew בני האלהים, romanized: bənê haĕlōhîm, the sons of god informs us that these are spiritual beings.
All Elohim inhabit the spiritual realm, for they are spiritual beings. Here is a saying that I love that has helped be a ton to understand all this
“all spiritual beings are elohim including Yahweh, but no other elohim is Yahweh.”
There are many different members who are present on the council all of which differ in role and status.
One of the most important points we will cover today is that regardless of the role the spiritual being plays on the council, to remain in Yahwehs presence on His divine mountain they must remain loyal to Him alone.
This is the prerequisite to serve on Gods Holy abode.
Elohim
Elohim is used for all types of beings found on and off of Yahwehs council. Again this is a general term for describing an inhabitant of the spiritual realm. Today lets stick to only those who are found in Gods service on His council.
All beings were created to inhabit Gods Holy Mountain, other wise know as His abode or council. Every Elohim was created to live in relationship with Yahweh as He shares His authority with them to govern His creation. Each being is created with a purpose what brings honor to those whom preform their duties faithfully, and glory to the one whom created them for that purpose.
To understand how this council operates a bit better I have used this example from our modern day to help out. Think of Gods council as His White House. The White House is The President of the United States’ command center. Along with The President you will find
- servants
- press
- landscapers
- cleaners
- military members
- security
- leaders of nations
in the White house.
You cannot get close to, nor enter the White House with out permission. The closer you get to the president the great the status of the individuals surrounding him become.
One cannot simply happen to come into the Oval Office by chance for they will be met with force before they arrive.
Yahwehs council is a lot like this.
Different Kinds of Elohim
If we can run with our example of Yahwehs council being compared to His “White House”, His command center that He runs the cosmos from, than we can extrapolate the same conclusions we drew above. On Yahwehs council we find
- Servants
- Messengers
- military
- “Body Guards”
- leaders of nations
all of which are loyal to Yahweh, helping Him govern creation by using His authority that He has shared with them.
Biblical Examples
Servants
All Elohim whom occupy a place on God’s council are servants to Him. If they are found on the council they have been faithful to His cause and are in Yahweh’s servitude. Although all spiritual beings on the council are His servants not all share the same status or role.
Let’s start looking at each one of the different roles which exists on Gods Mountain together.
Cherubim/ Seraphim
Guards
These are Yahwehs body guards/ garudiauns. Of coarse Yahweh has no need of being protected, He is all powerful. These “body guards” are more so a sign of said power. They are there to denote Yahwehs sacred space. If you see these bad boys you instantly know that you are in the presence of the living God.
They surround His thrown and are continuously calling out Holy, Holy, Holy, (separate, separate ,separate or other, other, other). This is because even though God is an Elohim like all other Elohim in that He is a Spiritual Being, there is no other Elohim Like Him, He is Holy, Separate, Other.
Seraphim in the Bible
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.’
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.5 ‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.’
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.'”
Isaiah 6:1-6
Cherubim in the Bible
“Each of the cherubim had four faces: One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a human being, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.”
Ezekiel 10:14
More than 700 years later we see these same beings continuing in their service to Yahweh in Johns Apocalypse.
“In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.’
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever…”
Revelation 4:6-9
These spiritual beings are also used in Genesis to protect Gods Mountain i.e. His council from being invaded by those whom had been disloyal and who’s access to return denied.
“After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side[e] of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”
Genesis 3:24
Throne Carriers
These Beings are also responsible for transporting Yahweh’s throne. For simplicity’s sake The Merkabah “thing to ride in, cart” is Gods Heavenly Chariot Throne. The Cherubim/Seraphim transport Yahweh throne across the galaxy to His desired destination.
“I looked, and I saw the likeness of a throne of lapis lazuli above the vault that was over the heads of the cherubim. 2 The Lord said to the man clothed in linen, “Go in among the wheels beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in.3 Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court. 4 Then the glory of the Lord rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the Lord. 5 The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty when he speaks. 6 When the Lord commanded the man in linen, “Take fire from among the wheels, from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel. 7 Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand to the fire that was among them. He took up some of it and put it into the hands of the man in linen, who took it and went out. 8 (Under the wings of the cherubim could be seen what looked like human hands.) 9 I looked, and I saw beside the cherubim four wheels, one beside each of the cherubim; the wheels sparkled like topaz. 10 As for their appearance, the four of them looked alike; each was like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 11 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the cherubim faced; the wheels did not turn about as the cherubim went. The cherubim went in whatever direction the head faced, without turning as they went. 12 Their entire bodies, including their backs, their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes, as were their four wheels. 13 I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels.” 14 Each of the cherubim had four faces: One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a human being, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. 15 Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures I had seen by the Kebar River. 16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not leave their side. 17 When the cherubim stood still, they also stood still; and when the cherubim rose, they rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in them. 18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim. 19 While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them. They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. 20 These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar River, and I realized that they were cherubim. 21 Each had four faces and four wings, and under their wings was what looked like human hands. 22 Their faces had the same appearance as those I had seen by the Kebar River. Each one went straight ahead.”
Ezekiel 10
Remember where ever the president is located his staff is with Him so is true with Yahweh. Where ever Yahweh is present His council is there with Him.
“He parted the heavens and came down;
Psalm 18:9-10
dark clouds were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.”
Method to the Madness
There is a reasons I have chosen to teach the what is the Bible series this way. This is exactly it! Let us to drawl attention to the detail that it is the Visible Yahweh (described with corporal language) who rides on the clouds.
This passage is amazing and reinforces what we have previously covered in our teachings on What is is the Main Characters of the Bible.
On Earth as in Heaven
The important role these Spiritual Beings fulfill while surrounding Gods throne on the heavenly mountain is the meaning behind the symbolic golden cherubim in Most Holy Place of theTabernacle and Temple.
As in Heaven so too on earth that The Visible Yahweh would appeared between the Cherubim in the Most Holy place once a year. Click here our teaching covering this topic in more detail.
What is the Difference?
Before we bring this teaching to a close I want to end on with the differences between a Cherubim and Seraphim. Both are the same in status and roles but are different in appearance.
While they share similarity’s such as multiple wings and humanoid hands they both also differ from one another.
The most striking of these difference comes from the etymology of the word seraphim in Hebrew. The word for seraphim is associated with the words for Burn, Fire, Serpent. A serpent that spits venom that burns is the concept behind the Bibles references to the fiery serpents found in the desert surrounding Israel.
Seraphim differ from that of the Cherubim in the fact that their appearance is reptilian in form. The most infamous of these beings will be covered in upcoming installments of Critical Thinking Aloud.
Conclusion
On His heavenly mountain God lives in relationship with loyal spiritual beings while sharing His authority to govern creation.
The Cherubim and Seraphim are only one class of many Spiritual Beings found on Yahwehs Council. We will be covering all of these servants in detail over the upcoming installments of Critical Thinking Aloud.
BIBLICAL DOCTRINE DERIVES FROM THE BIBLICAL TEXT
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.
Citations:
NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Grand Rapids, Michigan USA Zondervan 2016
Call for action: Help us out by learning more
Check out the book Angels: What the Bible Really Says About God’s Heavenly Host by Michael Heiser for a more in-depth study on these Spiritual Beings who are on Gods council. Get it now by clicking here.
Our Favorite Bible
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U.S.- Supernatural: What the Bible Teaches about the Unseen World And Why It Matters- Paperback book, Kindle Edition, Audiobook
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