TEACHING NOTES Introduction Today we begin a new series about the other gods in the Bible. In the coming weeks we will learn about each of the major gods mentioned in the Bible and how those gods are connected to things we are seeing in our culture today. But before we get there, we need an overview of the supernatural worldview of the Bible. Here’s the question for today: How should we understand the existence of these other gods? ‌ Biblical Vocabulary: LORD = YHWH/Yahweh — He who brings into being God Most High = El Elyon — God above all God/gods = elohim — singular & plural (like sheep) Sons of God = bene elohim — created by God Cherubim, Seraphim = guardians of sacred space Angels = malakim — messengers of God ‌ Genesis 1:26–27 26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. ‌ Let us make man in our image = Notice that there are others present with God at this moment in the creation story. God is talking to a group, which is indicated by “us” and “our” language. This does not mean that this group is doing the creating acts, only that this group is present as God creates. ‌ So God created man in his own image = While verse 26 is a conversation between God and a group using plural language, here in verse 27 the language changes to singular. This means that the group is not creating. Only God is doing the act of creation. ‌ Who is this group in Gen. 1? ‌ Job 38:4–7 “4 Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? 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?” ‌ Explanation = God is telling Job that there was a group of spiritual beings present when He created the world. God calls these beings “morning stars” (a term referring to angels) and “sons of God” (Heb. bene elohim). Therefore, God must have created the spiritual beings (sons of God, angels, cherubim, seraphim) before He created humanity. Given this fact, the “us” in Gen. 1 are the spiritual beings or the heavenly hosts. ‌ The Rebellions: ‌Gen. 3 — the serpent/seraph ‌Gen. 6 — the sons of God ‌Gen. 11 — idolatry *All of these rebellions involve spirits corrupting humanity. ‌ Deuteronomy 32:8–9 8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. 9 But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. ‌ Gave the nations their inheritance = God Most High is giving the nations what they want—an inheritance from God. As we will see, the rest of the passage tells us that this kind of inheritance is not what the nations needed. ‌ When he divided mankind = Moses is referring here to the tower of Babel event (Gen. 11:1-9) when God divided humanity into the 70 nations (listed in Gen.10). We know from writings found in the area of ancient Babel that the people there were not worshiping Yahweh as their God, but were worshiping other gods at the time. Therefore, they were not building a tower to get to heaven, but were building a temple in order to get another gods to come down a live with them. ‌ According to the number of the sons of God = Many English translations say, “according to the number of the sons of Israel” which comes from the Masoretic Hebrew Text (a Hebrew text from 1008 AD). However, the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are over 1,000 years older than the Masoretic Text reads, “according to the number of the sons of God.” And the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation from around 250 BC) reads, “according to the number of the angels of God.” ‌ But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob = Moses is telling us here that God disinherited or divorced the nations at the tower of Babel and chose to create a new nation for Himself. That new nation begins with Abraham, continues with Jacob, and is renamed Israel. God’s plan was to use Israel to bless all nations (Gen. 12:1-3). ‌ Explanation = At the tower of Babel, God gave humanity what they wanted which was to worship and serve other gods. According to the Bible, this is the origin of idolatry and other religions. Paul describes this in Romans 1:22–25 “22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images [idols] resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” Therefore, God started a new family with Abraham who would become the nation of Israel. But even Israel repeatedly rejected God and also worshiped and serve other gods. ‌ Genesis 12:1–3 1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” ‌ Deuteronomy 32:15–17 15 But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation. 16 They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked him to anger. 17 They sacrificed to demons that were not God, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded. ‌ Jeshurun = This is an honorific name for the nation of Israel. ‌ Forsook God = Israel repeatedly turned from Yahweh to other gods. Sometimes they tried to worship Yahweh alongside other gods. Other times they totally rejected Yahweh and refused to worship and serve Him. ‌ Demons = Heb. shedim - evil spirits, demons, an evil spirit who accepts worship as a god. The definition of this term helps us understand passages where good spirits (angels) refuse to accept worship from humans (Rev. 19:1; 22:8-9). ‌ Not God = Heb. lo eloah - Many English translations read, “demons that were no gods” but this is incorrect, because the Hebrew word eloah is singular. The Hebrew text is saying that these demonic other gods were not God. ‌ New gods = These demonic spirits are not God the Creator. They are spirits who have only “recently” been worshiped as gods by the nations. ‌ Psalm 96:4–5 4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are demons, but the LORD made the heavens. ‌ Passages about Yahweh’s relationship to other gods: Deut. 4:35; Ex. 15:11; Ps. 29:1-2; Ps. 89:5-7; Ps. 86:8; Ps. 96:4-5; Ps. 97:7-9; Ps. 135:5 ‌ Review: ‌- God created spiritual beings and humans. ‌‌- Some spiritual beings rebelled, corrupt humanity. ‌‌- Humanity began worshiping spirits as gods. ‌‌- God creates Israel to lead the nations back to God. ‌‌- Israel is also unfaithful and worships other gods. ‌ The Big Mystery in the Old Testament: How will God solve this problem? ‌ Psalm 82:1–4 1 God has taken his place in the divine council; 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.” ‌ The divine council = Heb. el edah - the assembly of God. There are many passages that speak of God’s council of spiritual beings. This does not mean that God needs “counsel” or advice. Counsel and council are not the same. God is the Creator and authority over His council of spiritual beings. God uses these spirits to do His will, but God does not need them. God likes to allow His created beings (both spirits and humans) to participate in His will. ‌ In the midst of the gods = This council/assembly is made up of elohim (spirits). ‌ He holds judgment = The Psalmist is telling us that this is a heavenly court scene. God has assembled the other gods to announce His judgment and sentence on these rebellious spirits. ‌ Psalm 82:5–7 “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, you shall die like men, and fall like any prince.’” ‌ They = Refers to humans who are oppressed by the other gods. ‌ Walk in darkness = The nations, including Israel, are oppressed and kept in darkness because they have rejected Yahweh and His light. ‌ You are gods, sons of the Most High = Yahweh God clearly states that these beings are “gods” (Heb. elohim) and are “sons of the Most High” (Heb. ben elyon). Contrary to some modern interpreters who say these “gods” are actually human kings on earth, this passage is clearly referring to spiritual beings. God created these beings to do good, but they rebelled and became evil. ‌ You shall die like men = This is further proof that the “gods” are spiritual beings and not human kings/rulers. If these were humans, God’s sentence of “you shall die like men” would make not sense. Spiritual beings are naturally immortal. But God can destroy any created being. ‌ Psalm 82:8 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations! ‌ Arise = Heb. qumah - raise up. In the ancient Greek Septuagint—which was the Old Testament used by the apostles—the word here is anasta, which is the word used in the New Testament for “resurrection.” So, God is going to solve this problem of rebel gods corrupting humanity with a resurrection and judgment of all the earth. ‌ You shall inherit all the nations = The purpose of this resurrection and judgment is God reclaiming the nations for Himself. In other words, God is going to get what He always wanted—the nations coming back to Him as their God. ‌ Psalm 2:7–9 7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall shepherd them with a rod of iron and break them like a potter’s vessel.” ‌ Psalm 110:1 The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ‌ Daniel 7:13–14 13 I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son of Man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. ‌ God’s Plan of Redemption in the OT: ‌- God will send a begotten Son of God. ‌- ‌This Son of God will shepherd and judge the nations. ‌- ‌This Son of God will be resurrected. ‌- ‌This Son of God is exalted to the right hand of God. ‌- ‌This Son of God inherits all nations. ‌- ‌This Son of God has eternal dominion. ‌ Does this Old Testament picture sound familiar? ‌ Philippians 2:6–8 6 Christ Jesus who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ‌ Philippians 2:9–11 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ‌ Conclusion: The only begotten Son of God became a human to save humans so they can become the sons and daughters of God. ‌ How to Respond Prayer: Ask God to reveal what needs to change. Repentance: Agree with God and repent of sin. Worship: Thank God for what He is doing in you. Communion: Take Christ in and renew faithfulness.