"Lesser Gods"

[p_rehbein]

Bible's Many Gods
The Bible acknowledges the existence of lesser gods, often referred to as "gods" in the Old Testament. These lesser gods are seen as supernatural beings or divine beings that are subordinate to the one true God, Yahweh. The Bible does not explicitly state that there are no other gods, but rather that there is only one God who is the creator of all others in heaven and earth. The Psalms and other scriptures provide evidence of this belief, with verses like Psalm 86:8 and Isaiah 44:8 affirming the existence of other gods. The Israelites, for example, were aware of the worship of pagan gods by the Egyptians, and they continued to worship Yahweh as the supreme deity. The concept of lesser gods serves to illustrate the hierarchy of divine beings and the unique status of Yahweh as the creator and ruler of the universe.
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Psalms, Chapter 86:

6Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.

7In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

8Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.

9All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

Isaiah, Chapter 44:

6Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

7And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.

8Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

9They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

10Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

Are these conflicting Scriptures? Or, is it simply that anyone or thing a person puts before the Lord God becomes their god?

I know the Native Americans believed in the Great Spirit (God), but they also believed in lesser gods such as animals, birds, and even land....




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[Soyeong]

Part of the most important commandment in the Bible is that God is one (Mark 12:29), so there are not lesser gods. Something can exist only as a concept but not in actuality.

 

[Dino246]

Part of the most important commandment in the Bible is that God is one (Mark 12:29), so there are not lesser gods. Something can exist only as a concept but not in actuality.

Find and read a copy of Michael Heiser’s “The Unseen Realm”.

 

[ThereRoseaLamb]

Find and read a copy of Michael Heiser’s “The Unseen Realm”.

Humm, I see a Youtube documentary under the same name, an hour long. Going to give it a listen here and see what I find out.

 

[Dino246]

Humm, I see a Youtube documentary under the same name, an hour long. Going to give it a listen here and see what I find out.

There is an abundance of material on YouTube, primarily under “The Naked Bible Podcast”. Don’t be alarmed by the name; it’s not vulgar.

 

[Ceph]

There is only God himself and angels who do his will or disobey him, and demons.

 

[Dino246]

There is only God himself and angels who do his will or disobey him, and demons.

I disagree. There is good biblical evidence that there are other spiritual entities… that are not “angels”.

 

[God-fearing]

Isaiah 45:5-6
King James Version
5 I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

 

[Ceph]

Find and read a copy of Michael Heiser’s “The Unseen Realm”.

I disagree. There is good biblical evidence that there are other spiritual entities… that are not “angels”.

Brother...
Elohim includes every being made in the image of God, including every man.
We conceive things that have not been, and breathe life into things that are dead, and have power to execute judgment. We rule over all matter and beasts.

What more are the people under chief authority besides angels? There are good messengers and corrupt messengers, and no other earth and heaven besides YHWHs.

 

[tablet123]

I do not believe there are lesser gods that are actual beings.

But it is the imagination of people's minds that makes them think there is a god believing that god will benefit them, and punish them if they do not obey.

If there are lesser gods then God would of had to create them for all things come from Him.

So what would be the purpose of that for everything God creates is for a purpose.

No person knows they exist if they do exist so what are they for.

2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Exo 7:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.

Satan is the only one that can be considered a god to this world but he is no god but an angel.

It means he has influence in the world.

Abraham is not really a god but it means he has authority over Pharoah and by the plagues he did by God on his nation.

Jer 2:11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

Jer 5:7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses.

2Ch 13:9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

Gal 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

Thou shalt have no other gods before me are not really actual beings but the imagination of people's minds believing they exist and worshipping them.

Act 17:23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

No person really knows they exist if they did exist but they are made up by their imagination.

1Co 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

The heathen are serving devils and not lesser gods although many people think they are not serving a devil.

 

[p_rehbein]

Question being: In Psalm 86 who are the other gods?

8Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.

Psalm 86:8 explained kjv
Psalm 86:8, as explained in the King James Version (KJV), emphasizes the uniqueness and power of God. The verse states, "For the sources of this verse see marginal reference and Exodus 15:11. After expressing his conviction of God's willingness to hear prayer, the psalmist goes on to his confidence in Divine power to save. Verse 8. - Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord (see the Song of Moses, Exodus 15:11).

The imaginary gods of the heathen - not, perhaps, known to the psalmist to be wholly imaginary - are probably meant (comp. Psalm 77:19; Psalm 89:6; Psalm 95:3). Neither are there any works like unto thy works. So in Deuteronomy 3:24, "What god is there in heaven or in earth that can do according to thy works?" 86:8-17 Our God alone possesses almighty power and infinite love. Christ is the way and the truth. And the believing soul will be more desirous to be taught the way and the truth. And the believing soul will be more desirous to be taught the way and the truth of God, in order to walk therein, than to be delivered out of earthly distress.

Those who set not the Lord before them, seek after believers' souls; but the compassion, mercy, and truth of God, will be their refuge and consolation. And those whose parents were the servants of the Lord, may urge this as a plea why he should hear and help them. In considering David's experience, and that of the believer, we must not lose sight of Him, who though he was rich, for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich.

Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord,.... Among the angels of heaven, as the Targum, in the king's Bible; see Matthew 24:36, and who are sometimes called gods, and among whom there is none like to the Lord; see Psalm 97:7 or among civil magistrates, he being King of kings, and Lord of lords, the only Potentate; among whom he judges, over whom he presides, and whom he sets up and puts down at pleasure, Psalm 82:1,

Isn't it also true that there are times in Scripture that "gods" are speaking of Judges? Seems someone here has before given that definition of "gods."

 

[Dino246]

Brother...
Elohim includes every being made in the image of God, including every man.
We conceive things that have not been, and breathe life into things that are dead, and have power to execute judgment. We rule over all matter and beasts.

What more are the people under chief authority besides angels? There are good messengers and corrupt messengers, and no other earth and heaven besides YHWHs.

Both the Hebrew and Greek words translated "angel" mean "messenger"; the word is a role, not a "species".

There are several passages that, taken together, can be rightly interpreted to be discussing spiritual entities that are neither God nor "angels". Isaiah 6 mentions seraphs, Ezekiel 1 mentions cherubs.

Deuteronomy 32 is a good place to start: verse 8 says this:

"When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He divided all mankind, He set up boundaries for the people according to the number of the sons of Israel."

When did that event take place? Genesis 11, at the tower of Babel. Was that before or after Jacob had sons? Several generations before! So, let's look further. The word "Israel" has a note on it: in the Septuagint, the word is "elohim" - sons of God, not sons of Israel.

Job 38:4-7 says this:

"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations ... while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

Psalm 82:1 and 6-7 say this:

God presides in the great assembly; He gives judgment among the 'gods'...

"I said, 'You are 'gods'; you are all sons of the Most High. But you will die like mere men; you will fall like every other ruler."

Some people think this is talking about human judges or elders, but the punishment is meaningless in that context. If, however, the "sons of God" are real entities who were given dominion over portions of the Earth, and who mistreated the humans in their care, seeking worship for themselves instead of pointing people to God, this punishment makes sense.

There is much more to the subject. It is exhaustively detailed in Dr. Heiser's book I noted in a previous post, and I give credit to him for this understanding.

 

[ewq1938]

Joh 10:34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
Joh 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;