Spiritual Beings

Introduction

C.S Lewis: There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.

In Genesis 1:14, the lights in the sky are called “signs” (’otot), which is the standard biblical word for "symbol." A sign is some kind of physical entity that points to some greater, more important reality.

The lights in the sky are portrayed as heavenly rulers that govern with authority delegated from God. Their status and role are parelell to the human earthly rulers that govern over the land. The fact that the celestial rulers are called the host of heavens (Gen. 2:1) should inform our understanding of this phrase in the rest of the Bible.

Elohim

YHWH is not the only God, but his the Most High God, the only authoritative God, the creator of all other gods.

The Hebrew word “Elohim” is the most common Hebrew term for god/dirty, but it is not the only word. It is a lengthened, plural form of the ancient Semitic word for deity, which is “el.” This word is not a name but a title that describes a type of being, namely, an inhabitant of the spiritual realm.

Elohim is used around 2750 times in the Hebrew Bible. It can be used in the plural sense for “gods” and also to refer to the one God of Israel (plural of majesty).

Exod. 20:3 - you shall have no other Elohim before me.

Exod. 12:12 - Elohim of Egypt

2 Chron. 33:15 - foreign Elohim

Deut. 32:17 - sacrificed to demons that are not eloah, Elohim that they had not previously known.

1 Kgs 11:33 - Chemosh the Elohim of Moab

1 Cor. 8:4-6 - Yahweh is an Elohim, but not the only Elohim (spiritual being). He is the most powerful and authoritative, and he alone is the creator of all things, including other Elohim.

When Paul says that there is no such thing as an idol, he is saying that the statue itself is not an Elohim. But he is not denying that there in fact other spiritual beings that people worship, and to describe them he uses the term theos, or gods.

Psalm 97:9 YHWH the “God most high” over all the land, exalted above all Elohim.

There is a spiritual realm out there that parallels the earthly one. There are spiritual beings, Elohim, who carry out God’s plans on his behalf to spread goodness and beauty and wisdom throughout creation. There are also rebellious spiritual beings who seek to redefine good and evil for themselves, to be worshiped and honored as the Elohim of man.

The human created role is to stand above these Elohim in the hierarchy of God’s rule. We are not only called to be the stewards of God’s earthly realm; we are also not to be ruled over or controlled by any spiritual being by YHWH himself.

Psalm 8 shows how later biblical authors understood God’s purposes in placing humanity in the high Eden temple. They saw humanity as being made to rule as God’s image over all creation, including over the other spiritual beings. The poem is a meditation on the creation story of Gen. 1:1-2:3. Notice how it depicts humans as being “lower” than Elohim. Some translations render this word “God.” Given that verses 3 and 4 contrast humans made of dust with the skies, the moons and stars, it makes much more sense to see the word “Elohim” as referring to the host of heaven, that is, the spiritual beings appointed to rule. Humans are appointed to rule over the works of God’s hands. In Verse 3, the works of God’s fingers refers to the host of heaven.

Divine Council

Spiritual beings who follow the purpose and plan of YHWH, who commune with God and have independent wills and thoughts

Some were cast from heaven when they rebelled

Just like earthly kings, God is a heavenly kings with a heavenly staff team to works to carry out his vision in the world.

Psalm 89:5-7 - Assembly of holy ones, the sons of God, the council of holy ones, none compare to YHWH God of hosts.

Job 1:6-7 - The sons of God come to present themselves before YHWH

Job 15:7-8 - Is Job Adam? Has he participated in the divine council? Is he the source of wisdom?

God is consistently depicted on his heavenly throne, surrounded by his staff team who participate in discussing and then carrying out God’s plans. The divine throne room is the place from which YHWH governs the world with his heavenly council, the place where YHWH’s decrees directing the human community and the divine world are set forth and through whom they are communicated or enacted.

Isa. 6:1-8 - vision of divine throne room with YHWH surrounded by spiritual beings. YHWH speaks of himself and the council.

On the Rebellion in the Council

Gen 3 - a rebel divine council member lures God’s images into a rebellion

Gen 6 - more divine council members rebel and try to restore eternal life to humans by impregnating women

Gen 10-11 - more divine council members rebel and lure Babylon into a rebellion, giving birth to the scattered nations who worship idol-gods.

Prophets and leaders throughout the OT continually refer to the rebellion in Gen 10-11. The compare the past actions of humans to current events, and it is often in connection with the worship of spiritual beings or the actions of spiritual forces.

Deut 4:16-20 - People worship the host of heaven, but not Israel

Deuteronomy 32:8-9 - Remember when YHWH allotted the nations according to the number of sons of Elohim. For YHWH’s portion is his people, Jacob his own allotment.

Isaiah 14:11-15 - the “king” of Babylon is this great rebel who desires to rule above the stars of God and sit on the mount of the assembly and ascend above the heights of the clouds and be like the Most High. But YWH says he will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit.

Psalm 82 - God responds to rebellious Elohim by assigning them to judgment and death “like humans” (Gen. 6:3)

Angels

Angels:

Spiritual Messengers, tasked with communicating God’s plans and purposes to earth, able to cross the heavenly realm into the earthly realm (human messengers are called prophets)

Mal’ak: messenger, whether human or spiritual (Gen. 19:1; Gen. 32:1-3)

Angelos: spiritual and human messengers (Mark 1:13)

The practice of using different translation words is helpful to distinguish between human and spiritual messengers, but it also hides the important common connection between God, his divine council, and the role of messengers sent by God.

Just as human kings and queens have a large staff team that consists of council advisors, attendants and messengers, God’s kingdom has council members to whom God has delegated authority, and there are distinct beings who serve a different purpose.

No angels in the Bible are ever depicted with wings. The cherubim do have wings, but these creatures are very different from angels, and they are never called by this word. Cherubim don’t give messages or perform missions for God; they remain in the heavenly realm, unlike angels who can cross the boundary between Heaven and Earth.

Angels in the Bible appear as humans (Gen. 18:1-22)

Angels appear as super human when people encounter them in dreams and visions. When angels appear in the day-to-day world of people, they are often unrecognizable, but when they appear in visions and dreams, they dazzle and frighten people. (Dan. 10: 4-11)

Cherubim:

winged guardians of sacred space

multi form animal creatures who are portrayed in the Bible as guardians of God’s throne room. No one in the Bible ever meets cherubim in day-to-day life, and they are not the same as angels who can cross between the spiritual and human realms. Cherubim are only ever seen by prophets who have dreams or visions of the heavenly throne room of God.

Gen. 3:24 Cherubim placed to guard God’s space in Eden when Heaven and Earth overlap. They stand at the boundary of heaven and earth and guard sacred space.

Exod. 26:1 Cherubim embroiled in to temple curtains

Exod. 25:17-22 - Cherubim sculpted with gold and placed on top of the Ark

1 Kings 6:23-28 - Two large cherubim made to overshadow the ark

Psalm 99:1 - YHWH sits enthroned between the cherubim

Cherubim appearance is different every time they show up in the Bible. Their descriptions are symbolic and are meant to point our imaginations toward the meaning and significance of their appearance.

Exodus 25:20, 1 Kings 6:27 - two wings

Ezekiel 1:6 - four wings

Exod 25, 1 Kgs 8:6-7 - one human face

Ezekiel 41:18 - two faces

Ezekiel 10:14 - four faces (lion, human, ox, eagle)

Isaiah sees seraphim (Hebrew for snake) with six wings (Isa. 6:1-3; 14:29)

Revelation 4:6-9 - Cherubim and Seraphim are merged together into one hybrid creature.

Seraphim and Cherubim are symbolic representations of the creatures of the land who offer their praise to the creator. These creatures channel the songs, barks, and growls into a chorus of honor and praise.

Angel of the Lord:

Both YHWH and distinct from YHWH at the same time.

Gen. 16:7-13; 22:11-18; Exod. 3:1-9; Num. 22:22-35; etc.

Demons

Rebels from the divine council

The Satan (adversary): a particular rebel cherubim who was cast from heaven

Demons

Ezekiel 28:6-17 - King of Tyre claims to be a god, but is not, then YHWH compares him to a spiritual rebel cherubim who inhabited Eden.

Genesis 6:4 - Nephelim, giant warriors from ancient times (Epic of Gilgamesh)

Numbers 13:32-33 - Nephelim are sons of Anak

Deuteronomy 9:1-2 - Anakites

Joshua 11:21-22 - Anakites destroyed except for those in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod

1 Samuel 17:4 - Goliath is from Gath

Nephelim were violent and tall warrior kings who spread death and terror throughout the ancient war, born out of a spiritual rebellion.

Rephaim: surviving spirits in the realm of the dead. Corrupted spiritual beings (2 Peter 2:4-5; Jude 6-7)

Isaiah 26:13-14 - Rephaim do not rise because YHWH punished them

Isaiah 14:9 - Rephaim greet the dead

Psalm 88:4-5 - Rephaim greet the dead

Satan

Throughout Jesus mission of announcing the arrival of God’s kingdom, he made perfectly clear that his advisory was not a human, but rather the spiritual powers of evil who are represented by one particular being.

The devil, or the Satan (Matt 4:12; Mark 1:12-13)

Beelzebul: the Lord of the House (Matt. 12:24)

Ruler of demons (Luke 11:15)

Power of darkness (Luke 22:53)

When Jesus goes about announcing the good news of the Kingdom of God, he regularly confronts spiritual beings who terrorize humans, physically and mentally (Matt 4:23-24)

Conclusion

Jesus spoke that his kingdom is not of this world, and that the fight for Christians not against flesh and blood.

When Jesus overcame death, he set every spiritual authority under his feet. And one day, he will quash the last of the rebellion and we will live in a world fully united, flesh with spirit.