by Avery Wallis

“God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment.” Psalm 82:1

Does the Bible promote the existence of other gods? Can a Christian be polytheistic? Could it be that gods spoken of in myths such as Zeus or Thor hold a position in a divine council ruled by our God, the creator of the universe? There are various theories, so let us observe what Scripture says.

Divine Gods

First and foremost, we should note that one of the commandments God gives to Moses in Exodus is that “You shall have no other gods before me”. This is a key part of the Old Testament law. Idols and pagan gods are common in the Old Testament and the New Testament, and it is made abundantly clear that God is a jealous God and that worship of any form of idol is an act of sin.  

The Bible makes it very clear that there is only one God and he holds ultimate power and authority over creation.

One well known council of gods would be the Olympians. Greek mythology claims that gods such as Zeus, Aphrodite, Poseidon, and Artemis all live on top of the mountain Olympus. From the mountain the gods rule over creation each with a special role. The problem with this is the gods hold equal positions of power and authority. Therefore the Olympians cannot be the answer to this Psalm. We also see in Isaiah 44 God claims, “‘I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.’” The Bible makes it very clear that there is only one God and he holds ultimate power and authority over creation. This may sound contradictory, but there are other valid explanations to who or what these other gods may be. Therefore we shall eliminate this theory. Then why do we see in Psalm 82 that God is the head of a council of gods?

Principalities and Powers

Let us take a look at what John Piper has to say about these so called “gods”. Piper claims that these gods are “what the New Testament calls ‘principalities and powers and world rulers of this present darkness.’ In other words, Piper claims that these gods are fallen angels also known as demons. Demons have taken over our world to spread the horrible disease of sin. Verses six and seven tell us that they are “sons of the Most High” but  in the end they will “die like men, and fall like any one of the princes.” They are not human but they are not immortal beings either. This theory sounds terrifying, but it is important to remember that the power and authority of Satan and demons is infinitesimal compared to the power and authority of God. The fate of these dark forces is the same horrible fate that all unbelievers face when they die. This is just one theory of what these gods could be.

Supreme Justice

Another theory would be that Psalm 82 uses God as the head of a divine council of gods as an image to remind us of His supreme justice over all of creation.  Psalms are written poetically so this theory is highly possible. The term gods could represent any worldly rulers that hold positions of power. Kings, queens, emperors, dictators,and presidents could be the gods this Psalm speaks of. While they may hold some power and authority over the nations, their power is nothing compared to the Creator of the Universe.

In conclusion, it is important for us to remember that God and God alone is the ultimate source of power and authority. While the powers of darkness in our world cause us to fall short, God is above them all and has overwhelming grace and mercy for those who seek it.