Day 64: The Way Of The Warrior

We’ve been studying the question, in the Christmas story – why Bethlehem?  Why did God the Father choose this town?  There were thousands of little towns in Israel, so why was it so important to have Messiah, born there?  Why weren’t the cities of Rome or Athens  chosen to have the King of kings born there?  Those cities were the power centers of that time era.  Wouldn’t it make sense to have Messiah born there, instead of a nondescript town in the hill country of Judea?  The people there were hillbillies.

This devotional is going to be difficult for you.  It will challenge your views of spiritual reality, and give you a greater insight into the mind of God.  We will take a step back from an earth-bound view, and take a Biblical journey into the spiritual realm.  You will be amazed by what will follow.  Buckle up.

Paul notes: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Eph. 6:12). Most of us have read or heard of this verse, and we note that there is an unseen realm that is against us.  We are in mortal combat, though many of us have not realized this fact.  But note where the battle is fought: in the heavenly places… Wait, there is evil and warfare, and darkness going on in heaven?  Hmmm.  That might rattle some of your brains.  Clanging bells and whistles might be going off.

Wait, didn’t Paul also write: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, (Eph. 1:3).  Hmmm.  Heaven is a place of warfare and of blessing?  You mean those clouds we were going to sit on and strum our harps, might be in a combat zone?  Goodness, why weren’t you warned about this, before you enlisted in the Lord’s army?  Some ex-Jarheads might be licking their chops, wanting to engage, but not everybody is going to be thrilled by this.

Hang on, don’t go ballistic.  This will all make sense.  What about Bethlehem?  Patience.

As we unfold the next verses be thoughtful and open-minded.  I’m not taking you on some weird expedition here, but an understanding of Biblical orthodoxy.

God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: (Ps. 82:1).  Okay, what’s happening here?  There’s a divine council – these are not elderly Jewish sages, they are not humans. These are supernatural beings. God the Father takes the place of prominence and preeminence – the others are of the angelic/demonic realm. The Lord now takes the members of the divine council to task: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? (Ps. 82:2).  God chastises them for immoral character – these are not holy angels.  The word for ‘judge’ means they should be executing justice – and they are not.  Instead, they are obstinate and causing harm.

The expectation of a Holy God is: Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. (Ps. 82:3).  These ‘gods’ know the boundaries of righteousness, and they refuse to do moral things.  The Lord God goes on to note the conditions of mankind: Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. (Ps. 82:4, 5).  These beings of the council don’t do moral good to the needy.  They do not care for mankind.  In fact, they hate mankind.

Now it gets mind-blowing.  We find out this council are not humans: I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; (Ps. 82:6), but they were deliberately rebellious, so the Lord God gives His verdict: nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.” (Ps. 82:7).  This affirms they are not men, but in their demise, they shall experience death – or separation, like mankind.  These members of the council are supernatural beings and shall be separated from the Lord – forever.  ‘Death’ means separation.  Physical death is separation from the body; spiritual death, separation from the Lord God.

Is Psalm 82 just some quirky figurative language?  Read this: Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! (Ps. 89:5) Here’s the divine council again. For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD, (Ps. 89:6).  Again. A God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? (Ps. 89:7).  Same imagery.

Does this mean there a supernatural beings in Heaven who oppose the Lord? Yep.  Read Ephesians 6:12 again.  What’s the Lord waiting for, why does He put up with them?  The whole story of redemptive history is not yet finished.  There will be a reckoning. Who’s going to manage that?

That he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. (Eph. 1:20, 21).  God the Father will put his Son, Jesus Christ, in the council to rule.  Even Satan will have to answer to Jesus.  Note Jesus’ conversation with Peter: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, (Lk. 22:31).  Who asks permission of whom?  Satan asks – eh, demands Jesus takes protection off Peter.  Jesus is the Five-star, Satan a mere Brigadier General.  Satan must follow orders from the higher-up.

Jesus’ statement to Peter: but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” (Lk. 22:32).  The Lord does not diminish the attack, he increases Peter’s faith.  Who does the Five-star pray to?  The Commander-in-Chief, of course.  God the Father.  Do you think Jesus has his eyes on you?

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me… And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18, 20)

I hope you are following all this.  God is putting His Son, Jesus Christ – as the head of the divine council.  There will be titanic warfare coming, and you will be involved. How’s your faith?  You’d better get in the spiritual gymnasium. The future won’t be for spiritual weaklings.  But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. (Heb. 5:14).  Has your head stopped spinning? What about Bethlehem?  You gotta come back.

By Nathan Werner