Have you ever read a passage in the Bible and felt like you were missing something? Like you walked into the middle of a conversation? Many of us have been taught that the Bible's story is primarily about God and humanity. While that's true, it's not the whole picture. There is an entire unseen spiritual world, full of activity, that forms the backdrop for everything that happens on Earth. For many, this topic can feel a little "spooky" or strange because it's rarely discussed, but understanding it unlocks a much deeper and more exciting view of God's plan. What is the divine council?
Let's pull back the curtain on one of the most fascinating and overlooked realities in the Bible: God's heavenly host, often referred to by scholars as What is the divine council. Think of it as God's royal court, a heavenly staff meeting, or a celestial advisory board. This isn't a new or strange idea; it's woven throughout the pages of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. It's the assembly of created spirit beings who serve the Most High God, participating in and witnessing His grand cosmic plan.
Right away, this might raise a question for you. If there's a council of "gods," does that mean the Bible isn't monotheistic? This is a crucial point of confusion, and the answer lies in a single Hebrew word: “elohim”. This word can be used to refer to the one true God, Yahweh (as in Genesis 1:1). However, it can also refer to lesser, created spiritual beings. The context of the passage tells us who is being discussed. The Bible is clear that there is only one supreme, uncreated Creator God, but He is not alone in the spirit world. He has a created heavenly family.
One of the clearest windows into the divine council is Psalm 82. The psalm opens with a dramatic courtroom scene: "God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the ‘gods’" (Psalm 82:1, NIV). Here, the word for "God" and "gods" is the same: "elohim". The verse could be translated, "Elohim stands in the council of El; he judges in the midst of the elohim." It's clear that one supreme Elohim is calling a meeting to judge a group of subordinate elohim.
So, who are these "gods" or “elohim” that God is judging? They are not rival deities from other religions. From a biblical perspective, they are powerful, created “spirit beings”. The Bible calls them by many names: "sons of God," "holy ones," "angels," and "watchers." They were created by God to be part of His family and to carry out His will. They are powerful and intelligent, but they are not all-powerful or all-knowing. They are creatures, and Yahweh is the Creator.
Once you know to look for it, you'll see the council's presence in many familiar stories. Go back to the very beginning, in Genesis 1:26, where God says, Let “us” make mankind in “our” image, in “our” likeness." For centuries, this has been interpreted as a reference to the Trinity. While it certainly includes the Trinity, the original Hebrew audience would have also understood this as the king, God, addressing His heavenly court. He is announcing His plan to His council, just as a human king would.
We see this plural language again at the Tower of Babel. As humanity unites in rebellion against God, He says, "Come, let “us” go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other" (Genesis 11:7, NIV). Again, God is not talking to Himself. He is addressing the members of His heavenly council, decreeing a plan of action that they will help to execute.
The book of Job gives us an even more explicit picture of a council meeting. The story begins, "One day the angels [literally, the sons of God] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them" (Job 1:6, NIV). This is a formal gathering, a scheduled meeting in the heavenly throne room. The members of the council are giving a report on their activities, and God engages them directly, initiating the dramatic test of Job's faith.
Perhaps the most detailed description of what is the divine council in session comes from the prophet Micaiah in 1 Kings 22. When asked to give a true prophecy to the wicked King Ahab, Micaiah says, "I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to attack Ramoth Gilead and be killed there?’" (1 Kings 22:19-20, NIV). What follows is a brainstorming session where spirits volunteer for the task, showing that God genuinely involves His council in the carrying out of His decrees.
The prophet Daniel also provides a majestic vision of this heavenly court, which he calls the “Divine assembly”. He describes seeing the "Ancient of Days" take His seat on a fiery throne. "Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened" (Daniel 7:10, NIV). This is a scene of cosmic judgment, and the entire heavenly host is present as witnesses.
Isaiah's famous calling in Isaiah 6 is another throne room scene. He sees the Lord, high and exalted, and the heavenly beings known as seraphim are in attendance. When God commissions Isaiah for his difficult prophetic task, He once again uses the plural, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for “us*?" (Isaiah 6:8, NIV). Isaiah is being brought into a conversation that is already happening within the heavenly council.
From these passages, we can see the role of the council. They are witnesses to God's decisions, messengers of His decrees, and agents who carry out His will on Earth. It's important to remember that this is not a democracy. God is the supreme King, and His word is final. He is not dependent on their advice, but He has chosen to govern His creation in a way that involves the participation of His created family of spirit beings.
However, the story of what is the divine council is not just one of faithful service. Just as with humanity, the story is marked by a tragic rebellion. Not all of the "sons of God" remained loyal to their Creator. This cosmic treason is the source of evil in the world and the reason for the spiritual conflict that the Bible describes.
Let's return to Psalm 82. After God convenes the council, He delivers a blistering judgment. He accuses the “elohim” of unjust rule: "You defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked... I said, ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High.’ But you will die like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler" (Psalm 82:2, 6-7, NIV). God is holding these spiritual beings accountable for mismanaging their God-given authority.
This judgment makes more sense when we connect it to what scholars call the "Deuteronomy 32 Worldview." In Deuteronomy 32:8-9, a key passage says, "When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, he set up their boundaries according to the number of the sons of God" (a reading found in the Septuagint and Dead Sea Scrolls, which many scholars believe is the original). The text continues, "But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance."
What does this mean? After the rebellion at the Tower of Babel, God essentially disinherited the rebellious nations of the world. He placed them under the authority of members of what is the divine council. His plan was to start fresh with one man, Abraham, and his descendants, Israel, who would be His own personal people. The problem was that these appointed spiritual rulers became corrupt. They accepted worship for themselves and led the nations into idolatry and darkness. These are the beings that became known as the gods of the pagan pantheons—Baal, Molech, Chemosh, and others.
This cosmic geography sets the stage for the entire Old Testament story. The conflict between Israel and the surrounding nations was never just a human, political struggle. It was a spiritual war. Yahweh, the God of Israel, was demonstrating His superiority over the corrupt, rebellious "gods" who had usurped authority over the other nations. God's plan was always to reclaim all nations for Himself.
Suddenly, the Bible's intense focus on avoiding idolatry makes perfect sense. Worshipping another god wasn't just a lifestyle choice; it was an act of treason. It was pledging allegiance to a spiritual enemy of Yahweh who was actively working against God's plan for humanity. It was siding with the corrupt rulers of darkness instead of the loving King of Heaven.
Jesus is not just another member of the council. He is in a category all by Himself. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that Jesus is the Creator of the council members: "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him" (Colossians 1:16, NIV). He is the uncreated Son, the King whom the council was made to serve.
Jesus's arrival on Earth was a declaration of war against the rebellious spiritual powers. When He cast out demons, He wasn't just performing miracles; He was invading enemy-occupied territory and liberating people from the dominion of darkness. He told His disciples, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (Luke 10:18, NIV), signifying that the enemy's authority was being broken.
The ultimate victory was won at the cross. It may have looked like a defeat to human eyes, but in the spiritual realm, it was a triumph. Paul describes it this way: "God disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross" (Colossians 2:15, NIV). The resurrection was the final proof that Jesus had defeated death and broken the power of the spiritual rulers of this world.
After His ascension, where did Jesus go? He took His rightful place as King over all creation, including among what is the divine council. "He is seated at the right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come" (Ephesians 1:20-21, NIV). The authority that the rebellious sons of God abused has been reclaimed by its rightful owner.
This understanding gives new power to the Great Commission. When Jesus says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..." (Matthew 28:18-19, NIV), He is commissioning His followers to enforce His victory. We are to go into the nations that were once assigned to the rebellious *elohim* and proclaim that they have a new and rightful King: Jesus.
This epic story isn't just about God, Jesus, and angels. It's about you, too. Through faith in Jesus, we are adopted into God's family. Paul writes that God "predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 1:5, NIV). This means we are now part of the same family as the loyal members of the heavenly host. We have been brought into the family business.
Incredibly, our future involves participating in the rule and reign of God's kingdom. We are being trained now for a future role that is far grander than we can imagine. Paul, almost in passing, asks the Corinthian church a stunning question: "Do you not know that we will judge angels?" (1 Corinthians 6:3, NIV). Our destiny is to be part of the righteous, restored council, ruling with Christ over a new creation.
This worldview also clarifies the nature of spiritual warfare. When Paul tells us to put on the armor of God, he gives a reason: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12, NIV). He is referring directly to the rebellious members of the council and their subordinates who still exert influence on the Earth. Our daily struggles have cosmic significance.
The Bible tells one cohesive story about a divine family. God, the loving Father, created a family of “spirit beings” and a family of humans to live with Him and share in His work. A rebellion in both families damaged creation and separated us from our Creator. But God, through Jesus, enacted a brilliant plan to defeat the forces of darkness, reclaim what was lost, and form a new, unified family from all who would believe. What is the divine council is a vital part of this story, revealing a God who is more majestic, a conflict that is more epic, and a destiny for believers that is more glorious than we ever dared to dream.