Audio Download

The Heavenly Council of the Lord

[Study Aired April 29, 2025]

Introduction

Throughout Scripture, God reveals a consistent truth that often goes unnoticed – we encounter references to a spiritual assembly or council surrounding God’s throne. This council, comprised of heavenly beings who serve under God’s authority, appears consistently from Genesis to Revelation. By examining this biblical concept, we gain deeper insight into Christ’s role in God’s heavenly administration and His identity as the visible manifestation and appointed administrator of God’s authority, presiding over this heavenly assembly.

The Terminology of Heavenly Beings

Before exploring the heavenly council’s function, it’s important to understand the biblical terminology used for these heavenly beings:

1. “Gods” (Hebrew elohim) – Though elohim typically refers to the one true God, in plural contexts it can denote lesser beings. Scripture declares The Lord as “God of gods” (Deuteronomy 10:17, Psalm 136:2), implying the existence of other elohim under Him. When the Bible states “there is no god besides Him,” it affirms His uniqueness and incomparability, not the nonexistence of lesser spiritual beings.
2. “Sons of God” (Hebrew bene Elohim or bene Elim) – This term appears in Genesis 6:2, Job 1:6, 2:1, Job 38:7, and Deuteronomy 32:8. In most Old Testament instances, such as Job 1:6, 2:1, and 38:7, “sons of God” refers to heavenly beings who serve in God’s divine council. However, in Genesis 6:2, the context indicates that “sons of God” refers to human men —descendants of the godly line of Seth — who took wives from the daughters of ungodly humanity. This interpretation aligns with Christ’s teaching that angels do not marry (Mark 12:25) and preserves the scriptural truth that all spiritual beings, including adversarial ones, were created exactly for their ordained roles under God’s sovereign design (Colossians 1:16; Isaiah 45:7). For example, Job 38:7 describes how the “sons of God shouted for joy” at the foundation of the earth, clearly referring to heavenly beings who witnessed the act of creation.
3. “Holy Ones” and “Hosts of Heaven” – “Holy ones” (Psalm 89, Daniel 4, Zechariah 14:5) is another designation for God’s heavenly servants. “Host of heaven” refers generally to the celestial armies or multitude. In 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 18, the host of heaven standing by God’s throne represents these spirit beings.
4. “Watchers” – This term appears in Daniel 4, where Nebuchadnezzar sees a “Watcher, a holy one” coming from heaven to announce judgment (Daniel 4:13). “Watcher” (Aramaic ‘iyr) suggests an alert, vigilant angel.
5. “Angels” – In many English translations, bene Elohim or malakim are rendered simply as “angels.” For instance, the Septuagint (Greek OT) translated “sons of God” in Deuteronomy 32:8 as “angels of God.” While “angel” means “messenger,” describing function, not every heavenly council member necessarily serves as a messenger.

Faithful and Adversarial Spirits in God’s Heavenly Council

Scripture reveals that all spiritual beings, including Satan and his angels, were created by God for specific purposes within His sovereign plan. Colossians 1:16 affirms this created nature: “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” This includes spiritual beings that serve as adversaries or agents of testing within the heavenly council’s administration.

Unlike the common misconception of Satan as a “fallen angel,” Scripture presents him as a being created specifically to function as an adversary or prosecutor within God’s heavenly court. His Hebrew title ha-satan literally means “the adversary” or “the accuser,” indicating his designed function. In Job 1:6–7, Satan appears among the “sons of God” before the LORD, not as an intruder, but as a legitimate, albeit oppositional, member of the divine assembly operating within his created purpose.

Job’s narrative demonstrates how Satan serves as a testing agent who operates strictly within boundaries established by God (Job 1:12, 2:6). This reveals that Satan, while adversarial, fulfills exactly the role he was created to perform—challenging and testing within parameters set by divine authority. As Isaiah 54:16 declares: “Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.”

Similarly, other evil spirits mentioned in Scripture were created to fulfill specific functions in God’s administration. In 1 Kings 22:19–23, we see a striking example where God asks, “Who will entice Ahab?” and “a spirit came forward” volunteering to be “a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.” This passage explicitly shows an evil spirit operating within the heavenly council as a created agent carrying out a specific task with divine permission.

This understanding reinforces divine sovereignty, as expressed in Isaiah 45:7: “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” God takes responsibility for creating all spiritual forces, including those that serve adversarial purposes, and incorporates them into His divine order.

When Paul refers to “powers,” “principalities,” and “rulers of the darkness of this world” in Ephesians 6:12, he is acknowledging these spiritual beings who operate in opposition to God’s people but remain subject to Christ’s ultimate authority.

Understanding Satan and evil spirits as created beings with designated roles magnifies Christ’s supreme authority over the heavenly council. These spirits were created through Christ and for Christ (Colossians 1:16), and while they may oppose His final outcome, they remain subject to His sovereignty. In Christ’s earthly ministry, evil spirits immediately recognized His authority, as seen in Mark 1:24 when an unclean spirit cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” These spirits instinctively recognized their Creator and the limitations of their authority before Him.

While certain spiritual beings were created to test and oppose for a time, Scripture also reveals the existence of faithful heavenly beings who continually serve and glorify God without opposition. These loyal members of the heavenly council, like their adversarial counterparts, operate under Christ’s supreme authority, fulfilling distinct roles in God’s heavenly administration. Together, both groups ultimately reveal different aspects of God’s righteousness, justice, and sovereign purpose.

Among the faithful spirits are Michael the archangel, who contends for God’s people (Daniel 10:13); Gabriel, who delivers divine messages (Luke 1:26–27); and the seraphim, who continually declare God’s holiness before His throne (Isaiah 6:2–3). These faithful members of the heavenly council joyfully fulfill God’s commands, standing in contrast to the testing spirits who oppose for a season. Whether in obedience or in opposition, all spiritual beings operate within the boundaries of God’s sovereign administration under Christ’s supreme authority.

The Heavenly Council in Scripture

Scripture reveals that the one true God presides over a heavenly council of lesser spiritual beings who serve under His authority. This concept appears consistently throughout the Bible. These beings do not share in God’s essence but serve a temporary, subordinate role in His governance of creation, appointed to demonstrate both justice and mercy. Though the phrase “heavenly council” does not appear verbatim in translations, it describes actual heavenly assemblies seen throughout Scripture, such as in Psalm 82:1 and 1 Kings 22:19.

In Psalm 82:1, we see a clear depiction of this divine assembly: “God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment.” (ESV). The Hebrew word for “God” here is Elohim (singular), while the “gods” are also elohim (plural), showing distinct spirit beings gathered in council. Similarly, Psalm 89:5-7 speaks of “the assembly of the holy ones” and asks “who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD?” establishing that these heavenly beings are real yet utterly inferior to The Lord.

This council is further described in Job 1:6 and 2:1, where “the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD,” and in 1 Kings 22:19, where the prophet Micaiah saw “the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left.” Daniel 7:9-10 similarly portrays “thrones were placed” with “thousand thousands serving him, and ten thousand times ten thousand standing before him.”

The heavenly council is not just an Old Testament concept. The New Testament continues this theme in different language. For example, in 1 Corinthians 8:5-6, Paul acknowledges: “For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth — as indeed there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’ — yet for us there is one God, the Father… and one Lord Jesus Christ…” Paul’s statement admits the existence of many entities people call “gods” and spiritual “lords.” He doesn’t deny their reality; rather, he emphasizes that believers owe allegiance to the one true God.

Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 10:20-21, Paul states that pagan sacrifices are actually offered “to demons and not to God,” confirming that behind idol worship are real spiritual beings. This ties New Testament understanding back to the Deuteronomy worldview that the “gods” of the nations are in fact real spiritual entities.

The Appointment of the Heavenly Council Over Nations

One of the most significant aspects of the heavenly council is found in Deuteronomy 32:8-9, which describes how the Most High “gave to the nations their inheritance… he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.”

Modern translations like the ESV and NRSV now read “sons of God” in this passage, based on the Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint, rather than “children of Israel” found in the Masoretic Hebrew text. This passage describes how at Babel (Genesis 11), when “the whole earth was of one language and of one speech” (Genesis 11:1), humanity, in prideful defiance, said, “let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven… and let us make us a name” (Genesis 11:4). Seeing their unified rebellion, the LORD declared, “let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech” (Genesis 11:7). As a result, “the LORD scattered them abroad upon the face of all the earth” (Genesis 11:8). Through this judgment, God effectively disinherited the nations, scattering them into distinct peoples and assigning them under the oversight of lesser “gods” — the spiritual sons of God — while reserving Israel as His direct possession. (Deuteronomy 32:8-9)

This administrative arrangement reappears in Daniel 10, where we see “princes” over different nations—spiritual beings governing territories under Christ’s ultimate authority. It’s reinforced by Deuteronomy 4:19-20, where Moses warns Israel not to worship the heavenly hosts which “the LORD your God has allotted to all the nations under the whole heaven.” Israel instead was taken by the LORD as His own inheritance. 

The Judgment of Spiritual Beings and Christ’s Reclaiming of Nations

In Psalm 82, Christ stands in judgment over these beings, declaring: “I said, ‘You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die.’“ Jesus later referenced this very Psalm in John 10:34–36, affirming His identity as the Son of God among the “gods” and confirming His role as their judge. This pronouncement reveals their future judgment and Christ’s supreme authority. The phrase “like men you shall die” highlights the humbling of these beings, who, though divine in role, were created with limitations and destined for judgment.

It is important to note that when Jesus quoted Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34, He was not affirming that His accusers were truly sons of God. Rather, He appealed to Scripture to reveal their misunderstanding. Jesus pointed out that even lesser beings, those entrusted with divine authority yet destined for judgment, were called “gods” by the Word of God — and Scripture cannot be broken. By contrast, He declared Himself to be the sanctified and sent Son of God, uniquely consecrated by the Father. Far from honoring His accusers, Jesus was exposing their spiritual blindness and hypocrisy. As He had already told them, “Ye are of your father the devil” (John 8:44), demonstrating that they were not true children of God. Thus, Jesus’ citation of Psalm 82 served not to elevate the accusing Jews, but to defend His superior Sonship and authority, standing in sharp contrast to the lesser beings rebuked in the heavenly council.

This divine judgment of heavenly powers is echoed in Isaiah 24:21-22: “The LORD will punish the host of heaven on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth. They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit… and after many days they will be punished.” Here, both spiritual and earthly authorities will give their account as part of God’s plan to subject all creation to Christ’s rule.

Through His death and resurrection, Christ triumphed over these spiritual authorities as Colossians 2:15 declares: “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them.” This victory marks the beginning of restoring God’s divine order, with Christ reclaiming authority over all nations and spiritual realms.

Christ’s declaration of the gospel takes on heavenly significance in this context. When He declared, “All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…” (Matthew 28:18-19), He was announcing the reclaiming of all nations under His direct lordship, reversing the Babel arrangement. The spiritual opposition the early church faced as the gospel reached Gentile territories reflects this transfer of authority, as Paul describes in Ephesians 6:12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Christ’s ascension marks His enthronement as supreme ruler over both heaven and earth, as Ephesians 1:20-21 proclaims: “He raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion…” Through the gospel, Christ draws all nations back under His direct authority, fulfilling Revelation 11:15: “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

Implications for Our Understanding of Scripture

This understanding of Christ’s rule over the heavenly council provides a consistent framework for interpreting Scripture:

1. It explains why Genesis 1:26 uses plural language: “Let us make man in our image.” This reflects a heavenly conversation between Christ (as the Word of God) and the Father, spoken in the presence of the heavenly council, who witness the decree but do not participate in the creative act. While the council observes the decree, only God creates. This moment reveals the unity of purpose between the Father and the Son, and the ordered presence of the heavenly host, who rejoiced at the foundation of the world (Job 38:7).
2. It clarifies why certain Old Testament passages describe multiple spirit beings: These are the created heavenly beings who serve on the heavenly council under Christ’s authority.
3. It illuminates New Testament passages about spiritual warfare: the “principalities and powers” mentioned by Paul refer to spirit beings who were appointed to oversee the nations, yet were created subject to limitation and destined for judgment. Their resistance to Christ’s rule is part of the spiritual conflict foretold in Scripture, through which Christ demonstrates His supremacy by triumphing over all opposing powers (Colossians 2:15).
4. It reveals the significance of Christ’s ascension: When Christ ascended, He reclaimed His position of authority over the heavenly council.
5. Christ’s command to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) reveals its heavenly significance: it marks the beginning of His reclaiming of the nations that were formerly assigned to other spiritual beings at Babel (Deuteronomy 32:8–9). Through this directive, Christ is restoring all nations under His direct rule, reversing the earlier dispersion and reestablishing God’s order through the gospel.
6. It explains how Christ exercises sovereign control over the adversary and the rebellious spirits: Through His authority, Christ binds Satan for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1–3), stripping him of dominion during the appointed season of Christ’s earthly reign. Yet, in the wisdom of God’s plan, Satan is released “for a little season” to fulfill the final testing of the nations, thereby providing the necessary occasion for the complete exposure of rebellion and the final triumph of righteousness.
7. It clarifies the final judgment and restoration of all creation: The Great White Throne judgment (Revelation 20:11–15) brings every adversary, both spiritual and human, to account before the throne of Christ. Through these righteous judgments, as Isaiah 26:9 affirms, “when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” This ultimate judgment prepares the way for the destruction of death itself, so that God may be “all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28), fulfilling the purpose for which all things were created.

Scripture occasionally speaks of other “gods” or “heavenly beings,” but always affirms the supremacy of the one true God. This understanding of the divine council clarifies passages like Psalm 86:8, which declares, “Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord,” and Psalm 96:4–5, which proclaims, “For the LORD is great… he is to be feared above all gods.” These statements acknowledge the existence of subordinate spiritual beings but emphasize that they are utterly inferior to Christ, who now reigns supreme over all spiritual and earthly powers. The divine council, though composed of created spiritual beings exalted in position, exists under Christ’s absolute authority, as foreshadowed throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled in His ascension and enthronement.

Conclusion

Understanding Christ’s role over the heavenly council provides a richer, more comprehensive view of Scripture’s grand narrative and Christ’s role in God’s heavenly administration. This understanding reveals that from Genesis to Revelation; Christ has always been the one governing all creation according to the Father’s will. It gives us a deeper appreciation of Christ’s deity and His central role in God’s plan of redemption, bringing all things under His lordship.

This eternal victory completes the restoration of God’s divine order, restoring all creation under the authority of its rightful King—Jesus Christ. Through the defeat of rebellious spiritual powers, the reclaiming of the nations, the righteous judgments upon all adversaries, and the final abolishment of death itself, the kingdoms of the world are being restored to their rightful sovereign. As Revelation 11:15 declares: “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

In the fullness of time, the great work God began in Genesis will be consummated in the new heaven and new earth, where there is no more death, sorrow, or rebellion. Christ, who governs the heavenly council and all creation, will present the restored kingdom to the Father, so that “God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28). Thus, the completed creation points to the completed new creation, when the dwelling place of God will be with men, and He will reign forever in righteousness, peace, and glory (Revelation 21:3–5). “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”