Introduction
Unseen realm is taken from the title of a book by the late Michael Heiser. We will be watching the documentary based on the book.
You may find it easer to follow if you watch the video with a transcript.
Psalm 82
Questions
Psalm 82
A psalm of Asaph.
1 God stands in the divine assembly [lit. “assembly of ʾēl ”] he administers judgment in the midst of the gods [ʾělō·hîm].
ʾĒl is the singular for god and ʾělō·hîm is the plural but YHWH, the ʿěl·yôn [v6], is usually referred to as the ʾělō·hîm! It is the grammar around the word that determines singular or plural. For example…
In the beginning, God [ʾělō·hîm, plural] created [(bā·rā(ʾ)’, he created, singular] the heavens and the earth—
Genesis 1:1
How do we know that THE ʾēl [or ʾělō·hîm] is above the other ʾělō·hîm? What is the infinite difference between THE ʾēl [or ʾělō·hîm] and the other ʾělō·hîm?
…and very importantly, to understand Psalm 82…
8 When [the] Most High [ʾělō·hîm] apportioned the nations,
at his dividing up of the sons of humankind,
he fixed the boundaries of the peoples,
according to the number of the sons of God1.
9 For YHWH’s portion was his people,
Jacob the share of his inheritance.
Deuteronomy 32:8–9
When were the nations divided? Why? How many? Symbolism? There was no Israel at this point. How did God create a new nation for himself? Can you tell the story?
2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show favoritism to the wicked [lit. “lift up the faces of the wicked”]? Selah.
3 Judge on behalf of the helpless and the orphan; provide justice to the afflicted and the poor.
4 Rescue the helpless and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5 They do not know or consider. They go about in the darkness, so that all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
How did the gods [ʾělō·hîm] rule over the nations? How does their rule compare to that of YHWH?
6 I, I have said, “You are gods, and sons of the Most High [ʿěl·yôn], all of you.
YHWH has two families. Who are they? Where do they dwell? Which family is higher, i.e. has authority over the other [Psalm 8:5 AND Hebrews 2:6-8]?
Jesus quotes Psalm 82:6 from the LXX…
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35 If he called them ‘gods’ to whom the word of God came—and the scripture cannot be broken—36 do you say about he whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
John 10:34-67
HARD! How is Jesus using the verse? What is the status of Jesus compared to the other gods?
7 However, you will die like a man, and you will fall like one of the princes.”
What is the fete of wicked gods? How about wicked humans?
8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth, because you shall inherit all the nations.
What is God’s inheritance [see also Psalm 28:9.?
This is the Dead Sea Scrolls. The LXX [3r to 2nd century BC] reads "the number of the angels of God". The MT reads "the number of the children of Israel" [7th to 10th century AD!].