The Divine Council in Scripture

I remember the first time I slowed down to really read Psalm 82. I had probably skimmed over it dozens of times before. But that day, one word stopped me: gods.

Why does Scripture say that God stands among the “gods”? That simple question sent me on a journey through the pages of Scripture, where I began to see that heaven is not empty or silent. The Bible describes God’s realm as a living, ordered assembly of spiritual beings who serve under His authority.

A Council in the Heavens

Psalm 82 introduces an image of God standing as Judge among a heavenly court. The psalm opens with Yahweh presiding over an assembly of elohim—a Hebrew word that simply means “divine beings.” These elohim are rebuked for injustice, for ruling the nations without righteousness. The psalm ends with God declaring that they will “die like mere mortals.”

This is not myth or poetry for poetry’s sake. It reveals that God governs His creation in partnership with lesser spiritual beings, and that even they are accountable to Him. Their rebellion and corruption are part of the Bible’s explanation for why the world feels so broken.

Psalm 82 pulled back a curtain I didn’t even know was there. God is not alone in heaven; He reigns in the midst of loyal and disloyal spiritual beings, just as He reigns among obedient and disobedient humans on earth.

Job and the Council of Heaven

In Job 1 and 2, the Bible offers another glimpse into this heavenly courtroom. “The sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.” The image is formal, almost administrative. The heavenly host gathers before Yahweh to give account.

What stood out to me was how naturally the text presents this. There is no attempt to explain or defend the idea of a council—it is simply assumed. The accuser (literally, ha-satan, the adversary) challenges Job’s righteousness, claiming he serves God only because of blessing. The Lord allows a test, setting boundaries that the adversary cannot cross.

It is not a myth about good and evil spirits battling in some distant sky. It is a portrait of ordered authority, where even the tempter can act only within the limits God allows. The story of Job is not just about human suffering; it reveals that the unseen world is structured under divine sovereignty.

The more I reflected, the more I saw this pattern repeat. Scripture speaks of God’s heavenly council as a real and active dimension of His rule.

The Vision of 1 Kings 22

In 1 Kings 22, the prophet Micaiah gives a rare prophetic vision of that same divine assembly. He says, “I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing around Him.” The Lord asks who will entice King Ahab to go into battle. Different spirits give suggestions until one volunteers, and God allows it.

This passage makes many modern readers uncomfortable because it shows God engaging with His heavenly host in deliberation. But that discomfort says more about our worldview than about the text. Ancient readers saw this as natural: Yahweh is the supreme King, surrounded by His council, working out His will through the beings He created.

These three passages—Psalm 82, Job 1–2, and 1 Kings 22—form a thread that runs through the Old Testament. Together, they depict heaven not as a silent void but as a royal court where God rules in perfect wisdom.

Not a Pantheon, but a Council

At first glance, this might sound strange. We are used to thinking of one God ruling alone, and Scripture affirms that absolutely. “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)

But on closer look, the Bible never describes Yahweh as solitary. He is supreme among a host of loyal servants. When the Psalms or prophets speak of other elohim, they are not describing rival deities of equal power, but created beings who exist in the spiritual realm.

Dr. Michael Heiser often explained it this way: Elohim is not a title like “God” in English. It is a category word—one that simply means a being who lives in the unseen realm. Yahweh is an Elohim, but no other elohim is Yahweh.

When I grasped that, it didn’t make the Bible less monotheistic. It made God’s sovereignty even more awe-inspiring. He rules over a divine council because His authority extends to every corner of creation, seen and unseen.

Why This Matters

Understanding the divine council is not about adding mystery for mystery’s sake. It is about recovering the worldview of the prophets and apostles.

When the Bible calls God “Lord of hosts,” it is not just poetic language. It means He truly reigns over multitudes of heavenly beings. When the New Testament speaks of “principalities and powers,” it continues this same thread, showing how Christ has triumphed over every spiritual authority that stands opposed to God’s kingdom.

Seeing this helped me read Scripture with new depth. The stories I once thought were ancient curiosities suddenly connected to the larger drama of redemption that runs through the entire Bible. The conflict of the unseen realm is not detached from our lives—it touches our world, our prayers, and our mission.

A Journey of Discovery

I came across Dr. Heiser’s work during this process, and it opened my eyes to what the text actually says. But the more I studied, the more I realized this isn’t about any modern theory—it is about taking Scripture seriously on its own terms.

The writers of the Bible were not naïve or primitive. They simply saw a world that is both physical and spiritual, with heaven’s throne room as the true center of power. That perspective changes how we see God, how we see creation, and how we see our own calling.

We are not spectators of a story; we are participants in a kingdom that spans both heaven and earth.

Living in Light of the Council

If there really is a divine council, then our lives are part of a larger story—one that heaven itself watches unfold. Every prayer, every act of faithfulness, every battle against temptation echoes beyond the visible world.

The divine council reminds us that God is not distant. He reigns in the midst of both His heavenly and earthly families, and one day those two realms will be united again under Christ. Until then, we live with open eyes, aware that our faith has eternal weight.

Reflection Questions

1. Have you ever noticed the heavenly meetings described in Psalm 82, Job 1–2, or 1 Kings 22 before?
2. How does the idea of a divine council shape your understanding of God’s sovereignty?
3. What does it mean for you personally to live as part of God’s story in both the seen and unseen worlds?