Special Topic: HEAVENLY COUNCIL OF ANGELIC BEINGS

1. There are several places in Scripture where the concept of a council of angelic beings is implied or stated. We must be careful here
   1. because of the Hebrew Bible's emphasis on monotheism (see Special Topic: Monotheism)
   2. the rabbis being influenced by Zoroastrianism during the exile under Persia (i.e. dualism, God vs. Satan). See Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah.
   3. one is never sure when OT authors are applying ANE mythology to YHWH. See
      1. G. B. Caird, The Language and Imagery of the Bible, pp. 201-271
      2. John H. Walton, Ancient Near Easten Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible, many references, pp. 94-95
         

         Special Topic: Leviathan

         Special Topic: The Great Red Dragon

2. Here are the allusions to the council of angelic beings.
   1. "us" passages of
      1. Genesis 1:26-27; 3:22; 11:7
      2. Isaiah 6:8
   2. "the sons of God" (Elohim; see Special Topic: Names for Deity, C.) come before Him ‒ Job 1:6; 2:1; also note Zech. 3:1-2; Special Topic: Sons of God
   3. "the holy ones" ‒ Job 5:1; see Special Topic: godly ones, holy ones
   4. "the assembly of the holy ones" ‒ Ps. 89:5,7,19
   5. Micaiah's vision in 1 Kgs. 22:13-18; 2 Chr. 18:18-22
   6. "the council of El" ‒ Ps. 82:1
   7. "the assembly of the holy ones," Ps. 89:5,7,19
   8. "all the sons of God" (Elohim ‒ Job 38:7)
   9. Daniel's vision of the heavenly court ‒ Dan. 7:9-10, possibly related to Deut. 32:8 in the LXX
      Special Topic: Names for Deity, A., C.
   
   
3. These angelic beings are assembled to hear and accomplish YHWH's directives. They are not initiators but servants. This is similar to the OT's way of describing the Spirit (i.e. Gen. 1:2). His task is to accomplish YHWH's directives. It is only in the NT that the Spirit is designated a divine person.
   Special Topic: The Personhood of the Spirit

Special Topic: Angels in the Bible

Special Topic: The Personhood of the Spirit

Special Topic: Spirit in the Bible

Special Topic: The Trinity

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