We Are Not Little Gods. Psalm 82 and John 10:34-36

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came – and Scripture cannot be set aside – what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world?

John 10:34-36

In this verse Jesus is talking to the Pharisees. He is quoting Psalm 82. Psalm 82 speaks of a group of beings called gods.

“God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods…I said, “You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.

Psalm 82

Psalm 82 describes a heavenly gathering of the ‘gods’.

Who are these ‘gods’?

God says they are the children of the Most High.

In Hebrew, the word for children is ben.

A Heavenly Gathering in Job

The book of Job describes a similar heavenly gathering.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Job 1:6

Satan and other angels are gathered together before God, and the angels are called the sons of God. The word sons in Job is the same word that is used in Psalm 82 – ben.

At the end of the book of Job, angels are again called sons of God.

Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Job 38:6-7

When the earth was created, the sons of God were rejoicing. People weren’t rejoicing, for they hadn’t yet been created. Angels were rejoicing.

Children (or sons – ben) of God refers to angels. 

Sometimes the angels, whether good or evil, gather together in a heavenly assembly.

Psalm 82 describes such an assembly. The gods in Psalm 82 are angels.

Spiritual History of the World

At the Fall, Adam handed political dominion of the world over to Satan. The devil became the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31).

Satan gives worldly power to whomever he wants. This is proven by his temptation of Jesus.

And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 

Luke 4:5-7

Satan dominates the world through fallen angels called principalities and powers. These beings are the “gods” of the nations.

In ancient days, Chemosh, Molech, Ashtoreth and other fallen angels were worshiped as the gods of specific nations. Until today, Satan still rules the world through these invisible fallen angels – the gods.

Paul described the spiritual battle against the principalities and powers (the gods) that Christians are engaged in.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph. 6:12

The word translated high places is literally the word heaven in Greek. The principalities and powers are fallen angels who occupy places of power in heaven. They resist God’s work in the earth. They are the enemies of God’s people. These are the gods mentioned in Psalm 82.

God Rebukes the Principalities and Powers

Psalm 82 prophetically reveals a time when the principalities and powers are gathered together to be judged by Almighty God.

How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked.

Ps. 82:2-4

In this great assembly of the ‘gods’, Almighty God rebukes them for sowing chaos on the earth. He accuses them of judging unjustly and favoring the wicked. He exhorts them to defend the poor and fatherless, and do justice to the afflicted and needy. He demands that they deliver the poor from the hand of the wicked. He calls them to rule the world with justice and righteousness.

The principalities and powers refuse to abandon their evil ways as they torment the nations.

They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.”

Ps. 82:5

The foundations of the earth are out of course because these powerful spiritual beings refuse to submit to God. The foundations of the earth are spiritual, for that which rules in heaven dominates the earth. Because these evil beings dominate the heavenly places of power over the earth, the foundations of the earth are out of course – not in accordance with God. Therefore the earth suffers.

Judgment of the Principalities and Powers

Because the principalities and powers refuse to submit to God, they will be destroyed. Their great power will not be able to save them. They will become weak like men, and they will be thrown into the lake of fire.

But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.

Ps. 82:7

Every man must someday die. Angels ought to live forever. But the fallen angels will die like men when God’s judgment comes upon them.

Arise O Lord, Judge the earth, for thou shalt inherit all nations.

Ps. 82:8

At the end of the age, the principalities and powers will fall. They will lose their power over the nations. When this happens, the corrupt governments of the world will disappear. God will directly rule over all nations, and his kingdom will dominate the earth. His people will reign with him. The evil principalities and powers which have dominated the nations ever since the Fall are going to be destroyed.

Jesus’ Statement

In John 10:34, Jesus quotes Psalm 82. He does so in response to the Pharisees, who are angry with him for claiming to be the Son of God. Jesus quotes Psalm 82 in order to show that he has a right to be called the Son of God.

He does this by pointing to his superiority to all principalities and powers, which are called gods.

Jesus says the word of God came to these ‘gods’ in Psalm 82 when God rebuked them. If these beings are called gods, even though they are clearly inferior to God, and the word of God came to them, then Jesus has a right to be called the Son of God, for he is the word of God made flesh. He is equal to God, for he was “in the beginning with God,” and “all things were made by him,” including these gods. The word of God came to these gods, but Jesus Christ is the Word of God, clearly superior to these gods.

Jesus thereby proves that the Pharisees have no grounds to criticize him for claiming to be the son of God, for they cannot criticize God himself for calling fallen angels gods.