What is the Assembly of the Divine Ones?
Psalms 82:1-8… God is stationing himself in the assembly of the divine ones in the middle of the gods he judges: 2 “How long will YOU keep on judging with injustice and showing partiality to the wicked themselves? Selah. 3 Be judges for the lowly one and the fatherless boy. To the afflicted one and the one of little means do justice. 4 Provide escape for the lowly one and the poor one; out of the hand of the wicked ones deliver [them].” 5 They have not known, and they do not understand; In darkness they keep walking about; All the foundations of the earth are made to totter. 6 “I myself have said, ‘YOU are gods, and all of YOU are sons of the Most High. 7 Surely YOU will die just as men do; and like any one of the princes YOU will fall!” 8 Do rise up, O God, do judge the earth; For you yourself should take possession of all the nations.
The assembly of the divine ones is the reference that God makes to his angelic sons as a group. In this passage of Scripture God is giving them counsel about how they should handle the affairs over mankind.
God himself judges them because they are not walking in the righteous will of the true God. They have proved to be without understanding so that the earth is made unstable because of their oversight. They are allowed to judge the men of the earth, but their judgment is faulty, unjust, and they are showing favor toward the wicked people.
God points out although these are his sons they will be made to die and removed as princes. Next in verse 8 the psalmist pleads that God comes and judges the earth and take it back as his possession.
What an interesting passage of Scripture this proves to be when we sit and meditate on what is actually happening and is being said by God.
Christ Jesus actually uses this passage of Scripture in his defense when the people became angry that he was calling himself God’s son. John 10:33-37
Are there any other Scripture that gives us a glimpse into the workings of God and his angels in the Assembly?
Enoch has written about the Assembly of the Divine Ones that he was shown.
Enoch 40:1-10… After this I saw thousands of thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand, 2 and an infinite number of people, standing in front of the Lord of spirits. On the four sides of the Lord of spirits, I saw four figures, different from those who were standing before him and I learnt their names, because the angel, who went with me, told them to me, and showed me every secret thing. 3 Then I heard the voices of the four figures praising the splendid Lord. 4 The first voice blessed the Lord of spirits forever and ever. (Michael) 5 I heard the second voice blessing the chosen one, and the chosen ones who rely on the Lord of spirits. (Raphael) 6 I heard the third voice interceding and praying for those who live on earth and requesting in the name of the Lord of spirits. (Gabriel) 7 I heard the fourth voice expelling the Satan’s (adversary or accusers) and prohibiting them from entering the presence of the Lord of spirits to accuse the inhabitants of the earth. (Phanuel) 8 After that I asked the angel of peace who went with me, to explain everything that is hidden. I asked, “Who are the four figures I have seen, whose words have I heard and written down?” 9 He replied, “The first is the merciful, patient, and sacred Michael. The second is the sacred Raphael, who is set over all diseases and afflictions of humans. The third is Gabriel, who is set over all the powers. And the fourth is Phanuel, (Face of God) who is set over repentance, and the hope of those who will inherit eternal life.” 10 These are the four angels of the Lord of spirits, and their four voices, which I heard in those times.
Enoch is given a firsthand look into heaven and see’s four prominent angels praising the Lord of all the spirits. But why are these angels prominent what have they done or what are they going to do?
Enoch 54:1-6… Then I looked and turned to another part of the earth, where I saw a deep valley burning with fire. 2 They brought monarchs and the powerful and threw them in this valley. 3 There my eyes saw how they made instruments for them, iron chains of immeasurable weight. 4 Then I asked the angel of peace, who went with me, “For whom are these chain instruments being prepared?” 5 He replied, “These are being prepared for the hosts of Azazel, so that they may take them and throw them into the lowest part of the abyss, and cover their jaws with rough stones, as the Lord of spirits commanded. 6 Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Phanuel will take hold of them on that great day and will throw them into a furnace of blazing fire, so that the Lord of spirits may take vengeance on them for their crimes, because they became servants of the adversary (Satan) and led astray those who live on earth.
The account of this Great Day of judgement is found in Revelation 20:10-15 where the Lord of spirits has the rebellion brought to an end by the judgment and punishment of the fire.
What else do we know from Scripture about the assembly of the divine ones? The favored apostle John was given the words of Revelation by Jesus Christ from the heavenly Father that was given to him to pass along to us with these words of greetings.
Seven Spirits of God
Revelation 1:4-8… John to the seven congregations that are in the [district of] Asia: May YOU have undeserved kindness and peace from “The One who is and who was and who is coming,” and from the seven spirits that are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, “the Faithful Witness,” “The firstborn from the dead,” and “The Ruler of the kings of the earth.” To him that loves us and that loosed us from our sins by means of his own blood 6 and he made us to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father yes, to him be the glory and the might forever. Amen. 7 Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of him. yes, amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says Jehovah God, “the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.”
So, you and I received a greeting from God, and from the seven spirits that are before his throne and from Christ Jesus. Who are these seven spirits that are before the throne of God? What kind of greeting is this?
It was a greeting of Grace and Peace much like a blessing. The Greek word used for grace found in Strong’s Concordance (#G5485 charis) could be also translated as kindness as in a pronouncing of a favor or referring to a gift or thanking you for the sharing.
The Greek word for peace (#G1515 eirene) can be translated as one at rest and being whole, joined together in the gift of peace with God.
So, you see this is no ordinary greeting of grace and peace from our heavenly Father, from the Lord Jesus and from the seven spirits of before the throne of God. It is a blessing and a pronouncing a favor in the sharing and our being joined together with them in the future.
Who are these seven spirits that are before the throne of God that is giving us such a blessing?
Revelation 4:5… And out of the throne there are proceeding lightnings and voices and thunders; and [there are] seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, and these mean the seven spirits of God.
Do these spirits have names? What do they do before the throne of God? Are these spirits the attributes of God? Are these the same spirits that are sent forth into the earth and if so, what part will they play in helping us?
Revelation 5:6… And I saw standing in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a lamb as though it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which [eyes] mean the seven spirits of God that have been sent forth into the whole earth.
What are the attributes of God? Could these seven spirits be called by the same attributes of God?
Love, Wisdom, Justice, Power, Truth, Faith, Peace, Righteous and Holy!
We simply do not know who these 7 spirits are that are before the throne of God and may never know? But they have sent us a greeting and that should be good enough. What else do we know about the assembly of the divine ones?
Enoch gives some of the names of angels before God and the duties or responsibilities along with the meaning of their names.
Could these be some of the ones God was speaking to in the Assembly of the Divine Ones? Psalms 82:1-7
Assembly of the Divine Ones
Enoch 20: 1-8… These are the names of the sacred angels who watch.
Uriel (God is my Light) one of the sacred angels, who presides over the world and Tartarus. Take note that there was a change in the assignment in Uriel reasonability’s found in Enoch 75:3… the angel whom the splendid Lord appointed over all the heavenly luminaries of the sky and the world.
Raphael (God Heals) one of the sacred angels, who is over human spirits. Enoch 10:7… Restore the earth, which the angels have corrupted, (heal) and proclaim life to it, (that they may heal from the plague) that they may restore it. He is one of seven angels who present the prayers of the saints to God. (He is one of the 4 prominent angels that help restore order over the earth.)
Raguel (Friend of God) one of the sacred angels, who inflicts punishment (vengeance) on the world and the luminaries.
Michael (Who is like God) one of the sacred angels who is over the most (best) part of humankind, in charge of the nations (chaos). Daniel 12:1 reveals that he is a prince of the people of God. (He is one of the 4 prominent angels that help restore order over the earth.)
Saraqael (Communicants of God) one of the sacred angels, who presides over the spirits of the humans that do wrong.
Gabriel (God is my Strength) one of the sacred angels, who presides over the seraphim, over paradise, and over the cherubim. Luke 1:12 reveals that he stands near to God. (He is one of the 4 prominent angels that help restore order over the earth.)
Remiel (Thunder of God) one of the sacred angels, whom God set over those who rise.
These are the 7 Archangels of God and Archangel means chief angel.
Phanuel (Face of God) who is set over repentance, and the hope of those who will inherit eternal life. (he is not listed as a watcher, but He is one of the 4 prominent angels that help restore order over the earth.)
One of the first things that happens in the book of Enoch is explanation of how things have gone bad in the world of mankind. Take special note of who the four angels were that took this complaint to God about what should be done about the lawlessness done in the earth.
Enoch 9: 1-6… Then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much bloodshed on earth, and all the lawlessness that was happening on the earth. 2 They said one to another, “It’s the voice of their cries! (Genesis 4:10) The earth deprived of her children has cried as far as the (gates) portal of heaven. And now people’s souls complain to you, 3 you sacred ones of heaven! They say, “Bring our case to the Most High!” (Genesis 6:5-6) 4 Then they said to their Lord, “You are Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings. Your splendid throne lasts forever and ever, and is your name is sacred, magnificent, and blessed forever and ever. 5 You have made everything, and you have power over everything, everything is open and clear before you (your eyes). You see everything, and nothing can be hidden from you. 6 “You have seen what Azazel has done, how he has taught every lawless act (unrighteousness is) on earth and has disclosed to the world all the (eternal) secret things which are done (preserved) in the heavens which humans were keen to know (men are striving to learn).
These are these angels that are given an assignment to help start restoring order to the earth.
Enoch 10: 1-3… Uriel was to help Noah escape destruction of the flood.
… Rapheal was to bind Azazel and then start to heal the earth.
… Gabriel was to destroy the offspring of the watchers.
… Michael was to bind Semjaza and his associates and help destroy the offspring of the watchers.
In the writing of Tobit 12:15 we have the Angel Raphael who reveals that he is one of the seven angels who present the prayers of the saints before the glory of the holy one.
After this research, the only observation I can make at this point is Uriel is not mentioned as one of the four prominent angels standing before God blessing him as found in Enoch 40:1-10. What happens to Uriel?
This question about Uriel is not meant to cast a shadow or to imply any wrongdoing to Uriel, it could have been he was just given another assignment by God like a promotion.
But what I do know is what God has said in Psalms 82:6-7 will prove true if the sons of God will not allow themselves to be readjusted by Gods word.
Psalms 82:6-7… “I myself have said, ‘YOU are gods, and all of YOU are sons of the Most High. Surely YOU will die just as men do; and like any one of the princes YOU will fall!”
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