A Brief Survey of the Divine Council

Picture captured from film negative during the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing

(note the wings on the back and the bottom of the feet)

Introduction

When bible students read the Old Testament, they enter an unseen world where earthly events and heavenly realities intersect in unexpected ways. Many modern Christian perspectives reduce the invisible realm to three main actors—God, angels, and demons—but the ancient texts of Israel depict a far more populous spiritual landscape. From the first lines of Genesis, which proclaim that God created the heavens and the earth, to the visionary experiences of prophets such as Isaiah and Ezekiel, a complex drama unfolds. This drama includes not only human affairs, but also the involvement of a wide range of supernatural entities.

Yahweh is at the heart of Israel's Scriptures, depicted as the transcendent Lord of creation and King over all. Biblical writers repeatedly affirm this kingship, as in Psalm 95:3, which declares the Lord to be the greatest King of all gods. The emphasis in Deuteronomy 4:39 on Yahweh's sole sovereignty over heaven and earth demonstrates that, for ancient Israel, there was no contest between the Creator and the lesser powers of the spiritual realm. Nonetheless, the biblical authors acknowledge a plethora of supernatural entities—whether angels, rebellious spirits, or foreign deities—who serve under Yahweh's supreme authority.

Within this framework emerges the concept of a divine council, as seen in Psalm 82, Psalm 89, and 1 Kings 22:19–23. These texts conjure up images of a celestial court presided over by Yahweh, the supreme monarch, and surrounded by subordinate spirits known as "sons of God" or "elohim." In these scenes, the assembly is involved in governance and decision-making, and it occasionally faces rebuke for failing to uphold justice. The council thus serves as a metaphor for cosmic order, emphasizing Yahweh's authority to judge all who live in the heavens and on earth. Through such passages, the reader sees a hierarchical yet dynamic divine society in which active participation and even disobedience are permitted.

The Hebrew term "elohim" adds to the complexities of this cosmology. Though elohim can refer to the one God of Israel, it can also refer to a wide range of spiritual beings, including Samuel's departed spirit in 1 Samuel 28:13, as well as foreign deities and territorial angels. This multiplicity does not imply natural equivalence with Yahweh, but rather indicates that the spiritual realm is vast and diverse. Biblical monotheism holds that only Yahweh has aseity—the quality of self-existence—and that all other elohim rely on His creative power. Declarations like Isaiah 45:5, which asserts that there is no other God but the Lord, reinforce the idea that, despite the existence of these lesser powers, none can challenge or undermine Israel's eternal King.

For ancient Israel, understanding Yahweh's majesty among the many gods shaped covenant identity. In the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4, the people are called to worship Yahweh alone—an extraordinary claim in a region where Baal, Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and other local deities all claimed cosmic supremacy. By pledging exclusive allegiance, the Israelites demonstrated their belief that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the only uncreated Being who governs all aspects of the universe. In this light, idolatry is no longer just a cultural or ethical flaw, but a profound theological error that denies Yahweh's supreme authority over the unseen realm.

Scripture depicts the moral aspects of these spiritual forces. In Psalm 82, lesser elohim are accused of failing to uphold human justice, and thus face Yahweh's judgment. Throughout the Old Testament, rebellious angelic agents serve as catalysts for chaos and corruption, as evidenced by Genesis 6:1-4, where the "sons of God" abandon their heavenly role, and Job 1-2, where a rebellious spirit challenges Yahweh's faithful servant. These episodes lend credence to the idea that cosmic freedom does not absolve spiritual beings of their responsibility to divine righteousness, and that rebellion in the heavens frequently manifests itself in mortal affairs.

Modern bible readers may be unfamiliar with scenes of a divine council or references to multiple elohim. However, reclaiming this ancient worldview strengthens the biblical message by placing salvation within a larger cosmic context. The New Testament later returns to these themes, particularly when it describes Christ's subjugation of all powers and principalities. By acknowledging the robust spiritual panorama presented by the Hebrew Scriptures, readers can gain a better understanding of the struggle between good and evil, as well as the Creator's ultimate triumph over all forms of darkness. In an age obsessed with the supernatural, these ancient biblical narratives invite renewed exploration of a cosmos teeming with the unseen realm, bolstered by the promise that Yahweh alone sits enthroned above everything visible and invisible.

UNPACKING ELOHIM

The Hebrew Scriptures repeatedly uses the word Elohim in ways that challenge modern assumptions about how ancient Israel viewed the spiritual realm. At first glance, the term may appear deceptively simple, since many English translations render Elohim simply as “God,” typically with a capital G when referring to the God of Israel. However, when a reader delves deeper into the linguistic nuances and contextual clues, it becomes evident that Elohim also designates a spectrum of supernatural entities who exist in the broader, non-physical plane of creation. The famed opening line of Genesis introduces Elohim in the singular sense, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” even though the Hebrew grammar of Elohim is technically plural. In this and similar passages, the verb usage clarifies that the subject is one deity, Yahweh himself. Yet in other texts, such as Psalm 82:1, the same word Elohim denotes both the singular God presiding over a gathering and the plural gods who constitute the assembly he judges, thus displaying the elasticity of this Hebrew term.

Scholars like Waltke and O’Connor have drawn attention to the ways that Elohim, though grammatically plural, can align with singular or plural verbs depending on context. They note that Hebrew allows for such forms to convey nuanced theological meanings rather than strict numerical values. Their observations help modern readers understand why Genesis 1:1 reads seamlessly, despite the grammar pointing toward a plural noun paired with a singular verb. Meanwhile, interpreters like John Walton, who emphasizes the Ancient Near Eastern background of biblical texts, argue that ancient societies often used similar terms to refer collectively to a pantheon of deities yet could also single out a high god or creator figure as El or Elohim in certain contexts. Consequently, the Hebrew Bible adapts and redefines the conceptual vocabulary of its cultural milieu, showing that Israel’s God stands utterly unique, even though the term used for him could also name other spiritual powers in the broader Near Eastern world.

The presence of multiple spiritual forces under the umbrella of Elohim becomes more apparent as one surveys passages describing foreign gods, angelic messengers, and even disembodied human spirits with the same Hebrew term. Perhaps the most startling usage arises in the story of King Saul consulting the medium of Endor, where she describes the spirit of the deceased prophet Samuel as “a god” (Elohim) coming up out of the earth (1 Samuel 28:13). This does not imply that the prophet has become divine but rather highlights that the biblical writers sometimes classify any being belonging to the spiritual dimension—righteous or otherwise—under the term Elohim. Another passage, Deuteronomy 32:17, mentions that Israel, in moments of idolatry, offered sacrifices “to demons who were not God (Elohim), to gods (elohim) they had never known.” Here, the same Hebrew word carries contrasting referents, underscoring that the scriptural authors recognized a crowded landscape of lesser supernatural beings, all measured against the unrivaled sovereignty of Yahweh.

Michael S. Heiser, in his work on recovering the “supernatural worldview” of the Bible, underscores that membership in the class of Elohim does not equate with ontological equality. He observes that Yahweh alone is self-existent and uncreated, while all other elohim derive their being from him. The distinction rests in Yahweh’s unique nature as the uncaused cause, the absolute Creator who stands apart from everything else, whether seen or unseen. When the biblical writers reiterate the oneness of God, affirming in texts like Deuteronomy 4:39 that “the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other,” they do not deny the existence of these lesser spirits. Rather, they deny any parity of status, power, or worthiness of worship. In a cultural context where neighboring cultures venerated myriad deities and where the spiritual realm overlapped heavily with natural phenomena, biblical monotheism insisted upon an exclusive allegiance to the God of Israel, who alone deserves worship.

In addition, a theological argument exists for the presence of two YHWH figures, relating to a co-regent governance structure within Israel's divine council, wherein Yahweh holds both positions. The second figure of YHWH is both identified with and distinguished from YHWH. The second YHWH figure is depicted in human form and functions as the representative of the invisible sovereign YHWH. The result is a depiction of YHWH embodying both the “high sovereign” and “co-regent” roles, without violating monotheism, as both roles are occupied by YHWH. But this subject is for a separate study.

When passages like Isaiah 45:5 declare, “I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides me there is no God,” this must be read in tandem with narratives that reference other elohim or false deities. They do not contradict each other; rather, they convey a tension between acknowledging the real influence of supernatural powers—some beneficial, others malignant—and proclaiming the absolute supremacy of Elohim over them all. Such a belief system shaped Israel’s covenant identity, compelling them to reject foreign worship practices and remain faithful to Yahweh, who not only made the heavens and the earth but who governs the entire spiritual hierarchy.

“God” and “Elohim”

Our understanding of the term "God" requires further elaboration. The first word “God” is the Hebrew word, Elohim.

Psalm 82:1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; He judgeth among the gods.

In case you missed it, here is the Divine Council concept.

Psalm 82:1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; He judgeth among the gods.

The term "congregation of the mighty" refers to the council assembled by God, which serves to advise Him—though He does not require advice—and to facilitate His will in creation. This concept is commonly designated by scholars as the "Divine Council," reflecting its nature as God's Council. This council, referenced in Psalm 82, is notably large in number. This council should be understood as an administrative assembly. This council will include members of the body of Christ in the ages to come. As modern day readers, we are accustomed to reading fast and glossing over the content. Let’s take one more look at the passage and what you probably missed.

Psalm 82:1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; He judgeth among the gods.

The term "gods" corresponds to the Hebrew word "elohim," which is plural. Certain translations distort the underlying meaning by altering the second occurrence of elohim. God is standing among His council. Who constitutes this assembly? It consists of other Elohim, translated as "gods" in the Bible.

This initially seems to represent a pantheon. A pantheon refers to a collective of deities or gods recognized and worshiped within a particular religious tradition or culture. This appears to reflect polytheistic elements; what is their presence in the Hebrew Old Testament? Monotheism refers to the belief in a single deity. Polytheism refers to the belief in multiple deities.

A collective representation of the deities within a specific culture or religion. Due to the perceived polytheism, certain translations modify the second occurrence of elohim to represent something different from its original form. They convey the idea that "God stands among the judges."

This verse does not advocate for polytheism; further clarification will follow shortly. However, it is noted that the "gods" of Psalm 82 are mistakenly identified as human judges, specifically the elders of Israel. The issue is that neither testament contains a reference to the judges of Israel as elohim. This interpretation is artificially constructed to circumvent the text of the Psalm. Allow me to present another psalm that highlights the members of the divine council, illustrating that these "gods" cannot be equated with the elders of Israel.

Psalm 89:5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: Thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.

Exercise caution with the term "saint" in verse 5. By restricting the term "saint" solely to saved individuals, we will overlook the true meaning of the context. What constitutes a saint? It is a “holy one.” In Romans and 1 Corinthians, when Paul states that we are “called to be saints,” he implies that we are “called to be holy.” The term "saint" is the root of sanctify and sanctification, both of which pertain to holiness.
This view led me to believe that the passages in Joel 2 and Jude 1 indicated that we (the body of Christ) would return to Earth with the Lord at Armageddon.

Jude 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

In what way was this view incorrect? The books of Jude and Joel are not giving information about the body of Christ. So who are the tens of thousands of saints that will accompany the Lord at His return to defeat His enemies and establish His kingdom? They are the celestial beings known as angels; holy ones/saints. This is the terminology used in the Bible.

Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

What kind of angels? Holy! Therefore, they are considered holy ones; saints. Having addressed that, we return to Psalm 89, where verse 5 indicates a context involving the divine council.

Psalm 89:5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: Thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.

The divine council is identified as the congregation of the mighty and the congregation of the saints. In verse 7, it is referred to as "the assembly of the saints" or "holy ones." What is the location of this council's setting?

Psalm 89:5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: Thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints. 6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD? 7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

These “gods” or “mighty” or “saints” (holy ones) are “in the heaven.” In Psalm 82, God is not talking to a bunch of Jewish elders who are up in the sky somewhere ruling, he is speaking to elohim; gods, saints, holy ones.

Psalm 82:6 I have said, Ye are gods; And all of you are children of the most High. 7 But ye shall die like men, And fall like one of the princes.

When you read “gods,” that again is the word “elohim.” When you read they are “children of the most High,” we know who the most High is; it is Yahweh of Israel. This is the second time in Psalm 82 that we get the plural elohim; sons of the most High. If you do a study and you look at all the kinds of phrases in the OT, that phrase is consistently used on non-human beings, but divine beings who serve at the behest of Yahweh, the God of Israel. Why? Because He made them.

How does the plural of Elohim not teach polytheism? The word Elohim in your bible describes more than one thing. Who or what is referred to as elohim in the bible?

* God of Israel (Ps. 82:1)

* The gods of Yahweh’s council (Ps. 82:1)

* The gods of various nations (Ashtoreth, Chemosh & Milcom – I Kings 11:33

1 Kings 11:33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

Those three mentions of “god” are all the word “elohim” in the Hebrew OT.

1) Devils (Dt. 32:17)

2) Disembodied human dead (Samuel – 1 Sam. 28:13)

1 Samuel 28:12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. 13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. 14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

Given that the term “elohim” encompasses multiple types of beings, it follows that its usage does not pertain solely to a specific set of attributes. If Samuel is now considered an elohim, does this imply that he possesses equality with YHWH of Israel and shares the same powers? Certainly not. A first-century Israelite would not have found that puzzling.

3) Angels (Gen. 35:1-7, cp. Gen. 32)

The interpretation of Genesis 35 varies based on one's perspective. However, the key aspect is that elohim does not solely refer to the God of Israel. When we encounter the letters g-o-d, we assume the writer is referring solely to the God of Israel. That is in error. We should not assume that the acknowledgment of “gods” implies they were polytheists. “Elohim” refers to any entity in the spiritual realm that, in its natural state, lacks a physical body. Although YHWH is an Elohim, there is no other Elohim comparable to YHWH.

Now, what do we know about the Divine Council?

Firstly, the divine council meets where God is. It goes to Him, not Him to it. They are where He is. The location of the council is God’s abode. It is always pictured by terminology of gardens and mountains (Zion and Eden). See Gen. 2:8-14; Eze. 28:13-16; Joel 3:18; Eze 47:1-12. These are described as places of plenty with water and plenty of food, etc. In the ancient world, these are the kinds of places God would dwell.

Zion – Ps 48:1-2; Isa 14:13

Psalm 48:1 A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. 2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

Isaiah 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

Mount of the assembly – Isaiah 14:13

Isaiah 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

So, what do we mean when we talk about this issue of the divine council? What the purpose of God’s divine council? As we said earlier, God doesn’t need advice, but He chooses to allow His intelligent creations to participate with Him in how He wants things done – just like the church.

Patrick Miller said it this way:

“The divine council is a fundamental symbol for the OT understanding of how the government of human society by the divine world is carried out.”

We can see this is a number of passages in our Bible, where the divine council meets to enact Yahweh’s decrees. For example:

Dan. 4:17, 24.

Nebuchadnezzar has gotten lifted up with pride and God is going to humble him by making him go a little crazy, acting like some beast of the field. But notice how this judgment is talked about.

Daniel 4:17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Daniel 4:24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:

Daniel 7 begins with a vision. Daniel sees four beasts coming out of the sea (Daniel 7:1-8). In this vision, the four beasts are four empires.

Daniel 7:9-10 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

We know who the Ancient of Days is; it is the God of Israel. The “thousand thousands” are the council members. What are they doing? They are meeting to decide the fate of the beasts, the empires. It is decided that the fourth beast must be killed and the other beasts rendered powerless.

Daniel 7:11-12 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

These will be displaced by another king and kingdom. And that is where it really gets interesting.

Daniel 7:13-14 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

The Son of man is an often used phrase in the OT. It speaks of a human. But how can this be a human who is coming on the clouds to the Ancient of Days, since every other time that phrase (coming on the clouds) is used, it is used only of God Himself? (See Isa. 19:1; Dt. 33:26; Ps. 68:32-22; Ps. 104:1-4)

In Daniel 7, God is already present, He isn’t “coming on the clouds” from anywhere. It is as though Daniel sees a second God, who is also a man. Sound familiar? That is the point.

And that is why, as Jesus stood before Caiaphas at His trial in Matthew 26, everyone gets so outraged at what He said:

Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; 60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. 62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. 66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

In answering the question, Jesus references Daniel 7:13! He asserted that he was the second divine figure mentioned in Daniel 7:13, the individual portrayed in a manner reserved solely for God in the Old Testament. To them, that was blasphemy and grounds for a death sentence, which is exactly what Jesus had to do – die to restore all things. My argument is that we should link Daniel 7 with Matthew 26. Similarly, we should link the Babel event with the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. The same idea holds true in the Pentateuch.

The account concerning the announcement of a child to Abraham and Sarah, along with the ensuing destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, centers on the messengers of the Lord who convey the divine decrees. The conceptuality of the divine council illustrates the interaction between the one and the many, as evidenced by the narrative's initial focus on three men visiting Abraham, which then transitions in verse 9 from the plural to the singular, highlighting the one who addresses Sarah...The account of the visit to Abraham and Sarah aligns with a sequence of narratives where a messenger or messengers of Yahweh arrive to proclaim the birth of a child (Gen. 16:21; Judges 13) or to announce the Lord’s imminent salvation or judgment (Gen. 19; 21; 31:11), conveying the decrees of the Lord for guiding humanity.

From a theological perspective, this multifaceted usage of Elohim underlines the importance of discerning the biblical authors’ main objective: to exalt the unique kingship of Yahweh. Far from promoting polytheism, the Old Testament consistently celebrates God’s unrivaled dominion, presenting any lesser elohim as derivative entities that ultimately fail to contend with the Creator’s might.

Thank you for reading Dr. Aaron Judkins Substack. To continue reading this article, consider upgrading your subscription. Unlock full access to this and other in-depth content exploring mysteries, legends, and the truth behind them. Your subscription supports our work and allows me to bring you more articles like this.

As a token of our appreciation, we're offering you a limited-time offer of 20% off a paid subscription for your first year.

Here are the benefits you unlock with a paid subscription:

• Subscriber-only posts and full archive

• Post comments and join the community

Thanks again for reading.

PS. If you loved this article and want more, visit our Patreon site at Ancient Pathways and get more information like this on the Divine Council from Michael Heiser.