The Divine Council Psalm 82:1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: (ESV) NKJV says, God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods. 2 Today is Pulpit Freedom Sunday, so today we will preach to the Divine Council. What Is The Divine Council? The members of the divine council include both human politicians and their Satanic the rulers of the darkness of this age. The authority behind ungodly government is the great Dragon (Satan). Because we get the rulers we deserve these principalities have authority. It s the curse for our disobedience. God is present in the midst of these gods. This is why Psalm 94:20 asks, Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute? (Psalm 94:20 ESV) 3 This Is Why There Is So Much Evil In The World God give men over to these rulers of darkness because The prophets prophesy falsely And My people love to have it so (Jer 5:31). Until God s people repent for supporting the partiality of Great Society programs God s four severe judgments will continue. 4 God s Word, The Bible, Is A Political Document It is God s Constitution. It has the answers for survival and blessing and the limits for rulers. He that believes shall be blessed, but he that does not believe shall be cursed. God rebukes these rulers in this Psalm for being partial and for opposing His law. And it is our duty as servants of God to trumpet this message to them. God says, Preach the word. 5 1
These Rulers Are Called Gods In Verse 6 of this same Psalm, I said, You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince (Psalm 82:6-7 ESV). 6 Where Is The Divine Council Held? It s held wherever they gather in heavenly places like Washington D.C. and Austin, Texas or in corporation boardrooms or in Court sessions. Heavenly places is a metaphor, a figure of speech, because these are the highest rulers in the land. 7 Psalm 2 Calls Them The Kings Of The Earth. The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us (Psalm 2:2-3). Ungodly governments think God s Commandments are like cords that bind them. They agree together in the divine council to get rid of God and His laws. Thus, they make themselves gods, though they die like men. So the Lord sarcastically calls them His sons. For this reason Jesus Christ judges and makes war with them (Rev 19:11). 8 The Bible Also Calls These Rulers Stars that rule in darkness. For example, Daniel predicted that the ruler of Syria would cast down some of the [heavenly] host and some of the stars to the ground, and trample them (Daniel 8:10). That was a figurative way of saying he would kill other rulers. 9 The Bible Also Calls These Rulers Principalities And Powers. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph 6:12). They rule in through men. Our battle is in the heavenly realm of ideas. Our battle is not with carnal conspiracies. It is both the authorities behind these men and these 2
men that we must address to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places (Eph 3:10). It will do no good to assassinate them. God himself has placed them in power because of our sins. When God s people repent, the ungodly rulers will fall automatically. Let s quit dealing with symptoms and go for the cause the juglar. 10 Can Satan Be Allied With God? Job 2:1 says, Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD (ESV). 11 Another example Of Evil Spirits In The Divine Council is found in 2 Chronicles 18. The prophet Micaiah said, I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. [19] And the LORD said, Who will entice Ahab the king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said one thing, and another said another. [20] Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, I will entice him And the LORD said to him, By what means? [21] And he said, I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so. [22] Now therefore behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets. The LORD has declared disaster concerning you. (2 Chronicles 18:18-22 ESV). God sent Ahab a lie because he hated the truth. God still does that to people all the time. 12 But because of the legal loophole in God s law These Evil Rulers Must Be Respected because they rule by God s authority. They can do nothing without God s permission. For example, Jesus commands us to pay taxes even though that law is illegal. He commands us to respect bad cops. Roman soldiers used to force subjects to carry things for 3
a mile. Jesus said, Go the extra mile. But rebels can only think of are their rights. But even the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, The Lord rebuke you. But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand (Jude 1:9-10 ESV). Rebellion is as witchcraft. 13 David Understood How To Respect Tyrants. King Saul made a lawless law to kill David. David had two opportunities to kill Saul, but he would not touch the Lord s anointed one. People like Obama and Hitler have been anointed as God s tormentors because of sin. But their time is coming, too. The solution is, If My people will turn from their wicked ways, I will heal their land and get rid of these tyrants. Our job is to preach righteousness from the pulpit to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places (Eph 3:10). 14 God s law says, You Shall Not Revile God, Nor Curse A Ruler Of Your People (Exodus 22:28 ESV). Rushdoony translates it, You shall not curse the gods because the Hebrew word for god is plural. God calls rulers gods. Romans 13 says, Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves (Romans 13:1-2) 15 Does This Mean We Do Not Rebuke Injustice In Rulers? No. This is the very calling of the church. We are to preach this very Psalm and say what verse 2 says: How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. God commands His messengers to do what Elijah did. He told King Ahab he was the cause of Israel s troubles because he had abandoned the commandments of the LORD. 4
God commands his servants to do what the prophet Nathan did when he pointed his boney finger at King David and said, Thou art the man that murdered and stole a man s wife. Every man of God in the Bible preached to rulers. The whole mission of Christ is to rule until He puts an end to all rule and every authority that will not submit to His rule, and He does this by the sword that proceeds from His mouth. He demands that politicians to obey. He judges and makes war with them. 16 No wonder Satan wants laws against preachers preaching politics. If he can do that, Satan Has Neutered The Church. Since 1954, the Internal Revenue Service has played the role of the playground bully, intimidating America's sissified pastors into silence on certain subjects or topics deemed to be political, under the threat of a loss of tax-exempt status. The bullying has been successful; many pastors and church leaders believe that certain subjects should not be discussed in church at all, let alone in the pulpit, as they are deemed to be political even though Scripture clearly speaks to the issue. We ought to obey God rather than man. 17 Perhaps The times of this ignorance God will wink at but now commands all preachers everywhere to repent. As long as God s people continue to support Big Brother Great Society programs God will not hear, God will not forgive, and God will not heal our land. We can fast, and pray, and protest against abortion and gay marriage till we are purple in in the face, but God will not answer until we go for the juggler. The juggler is Great Society statism. Abortion, and gay marriage are only symptoms. God said, Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help (Isa 31:1). Therefore, in the upcoming election, I personally plan to vote straight Republican except for the Libertarian candidate for sheriff, Vince Ousley. 5
Let s cry out to God for Him to grant repentance for the church. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 6
The Message Pastor Ron Smith Pulpit Freedom Sunday: The Divine Council Psalm 82:1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: (ESV)
What Is The Divine Council? Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute? (Psalm 94:20 ESV)
This Is Why There Is So Much Evil In The World The prophets prophesy falsely And My people love to have it so (Jeremiah 5:31)
God s Word, The Bible, Is A Political Document God rebukes these rulers in Psalm 82 for being partial and ruling unjustly.
Rulers Are Called Gods In The Bible I said, You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince (Psalm 82:6-7 ESV)
Where Is The Divine Council Held? Heavenly places (Capital Cities, Courts, etc.)
Psalm 2 Calls Them The Kings Of The Earth And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD (Psalm 2:3)
The Bible Also Calls These Rulers Stars The ruler of Syria cast down some of the [heavenly] host and some of the stars to the ground (Daniel 8:10)
The Bible Also Calls These Rulers Principalities And Powers We wrestle against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph 6:12)
Can Satan Be Allied With God? Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came (Job 2:1 ESV).
Another example Of Evil Spirits In The Divine Council Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, I will entice him The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets (2 Chronicles 18:18-22).
These Evil Rulers Must Be Respected Go the extra mile (Mat. 5:41)
David Understood How To Respect Tyrants People like Obama and Hitler have been anointed by God to torment men because of sin.
You Shall Not Revile God, Nor Curse A Ruler Of Your People (Exodus 22:28 ESV).
Does This Mean We Do Not Rebuke Injustice In Rulers? How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? (Psalm 82:2)
Satan Has Neutered The Church Since 1954 The Internal Revenue Service has played the role of the playground bully that picks on sissy preachers
Perhaps the times of this ignorance God will wink at, but now He commands all preachers everywhere to repent.