Allegience to Jesus (Psalm 82 and the "gods")

An Unusual Passage

Psalm 82:1 ESV

God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:

What is the divine council?

Who are the “gods”

The ‘bene elohim’ - sons of God

How does this intersect with Jesus, Holy Spirit, us and the Kingdom of God?

The Nations Divided

Gen 11

Deut 32:8

God calls a people for his own (Abram —> Israelite tribes in Egypt)

God Rescues His People

Ex 12:12 - Executing judgement on the gods of Egypt

Led into the wilderness

Conquest of the Promised Land and the emergence of the Kingdom

Why did they fail?

They didn’t trust Yahweh

They worshiped other gods

The Ultimate Rescue

John the Baptist

Is 40 - Divine Council is in session

Baptism of Jesus

Heavens divided = schizo, same as parting the red sea

The second Exodus is beginning =

Rescue of God’s people

Judgement of the gods (Not just Egypt this time, but the nations!)

After Egyptian Exodus, Israel led into the wilderness

After baptism, Jesus led into the wilderness

Where Israel failed, Jesus succeeded

After this, Jesus begins declaring the Kingdom of God

Calls disciples

Casts out demons

Jesus sends his disciples out

12 = 12 Tribes of Israel

70 = 70 nations from Gen 10 - i.e. Babel is being undone

I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven (judgement on the gods has begun)

The Cross

Col 2:11-15

Rescue of God’s people

Judgement of the gods

This is Psalm 82 in action

Jesus says to the gods, “your time is up”

“I want my people back”

I’m taking back authority over the earth

Jesus also rose from the dead

Judgement in Ps 82 is that the “gods” will die like men

Jesus died like a man, but rose again, proving himself to be the true, righteous ruler and judge

Who’s Influence

Salvation

Put’s a sharper edge on what salvation is. You have been transferred out of the kingdom of darkness, into the kingdom of his son

The gods are still around

The already and the not yet of the Kingdom

This is our fight - Eph 6

Not garden variety demons (principalities / powers / world rulers)

Where do we see influence today?

Injustice (see Ps 82)

World system set up so rich get richer

The perverting of humans as imagers of God (like in the Garden)

Astart —> Aphrodite (porneia)

We are called to influence communities & disciple nations

We no longer have to live under the influence of the other gods

Rather, we influence our communities by:

Doing what Jesus did:

Showed compassion to the marginalised and poor

Sheep & the goats

He laid down his life for his friends

Healing the sick, casting out demons and proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom

He didn’t let the powers stop his mission

Not doing what perverts the image of God

Pray

Your kingdom come....