Men as gods?
(Ps. 82, 113:5-9)
gods? (Ps. 82:1 & 6)
’You will be like God’ (Gen. 3:5)
Margo Adler, a well known witch, once said that the reason people are so attracted to
magical and pagan religions is because they want to be god. The fundamental thing of pagan
religions is that ultimately they say that you are within yourself the god or goddess.
Joseph Smith - the so-called prophet of the Mormon Church said: As God is, man shall
become.
Those to whom the Word of God has come
Jesus quoted from Psalm 82 in John 10.34-36, "Jesus answered them, 'Is it not written in your
law, I said ye are gods?. If He called them gods, unto whom the Word of God came, and the
scripture cannot be broken; say ye of him whom the father hath sanctified, and sent into the
world, 'Thou blasphemest', because I said, "I am the Son of God?"
Those ordained and given power and authority by God (Ex. 4:16, 7:1, 21:6, 22:8-9)
Heb. term elohim almost always refers to the one and only God, the God of Israel (Deut.
4:35,39). It sometimes refers to the so-called “gods” of the heathen (e.g. Judges 11:24; 1
Kings 18:24). The term also occasionally identifies “rulers or judges, either as divine
representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power.
Man was created in God’s image to reign and to rule as a vice regent over the earth (Gen.
1:26,28; cf. also Ps. 8:6; Rom. 8:17-21; 2 Tim. 2:12). Rulers are appointed by God to carry
out His purposes of restraining evil and rewarding those who do what is good ((Deut. 24:17-
19; Ex. 18:21, 23:2-3, 6-9; Lev. 19:15, 33-34; Deut. 1:17, 2 Chron. 19:6, Prov. 31:8-9, Jer.
22:3, Ps. 58:1-2, Rom. 13:1-4, James 1:27-2:13). In this sense rulers not only act for God;
they, in a sense, act as God (as “gods”)
Heb. term shaphat, judge, to the Hebrew mind shaphat would often encompass all three
functions of governing, legislative, executive and judicial.
(1) To act as a ruler, whether as a congregation (Num. 18:22-28), as an individual
judge (Deut. 1:16; Judges. 16:31; 1 Sam. 7:16), or as a king (1 Sam. 8:5-6; 2 Chron.
1:10-11, “rule”). Messiah will rule the earth (Ps. 72:12-15; 96:13; Isa. 11:1-5) in the
future.
(2) To judge in cases of controversy or litigation (Ex.. 18:16).
(3) To punish (Ezek. 7:3 & 8; 16:38; 23:24).
(4) To defend the rights of men, especially the helpless and the afflicted (“deliver,” 1
Sam. 24:15; “vindicate,” Ps. 10:18; “freed,” 2 Sam. 18:19).
Perhaps the breadth of the meaning of the term shaphat is best illustrated in Psalm 72, a song
of Solomon which characterizes the reign of a righteous king. (In verse 4 shaphat occurs and
is rendered “vindicate.”) The righteous king rules in righteousness (v. 2). He cares for the
afflicted (vv. 2,4,12-14). Under him the righteous prosper (vv. 7,16), while the wicked are
crushed (v. 4). To judge righteously is to rule as the righteous king described by Solomon in
Psalm 72.
All power brings with it responsibility.
The Lord arises/stands to condemn misuse of this power and authority (Ps. 82:1, Ecc. 5:8, Isa.
3:13-15, Ezek. 34:1-6, Luke 20:46-47)
Know nothing? (Ps. 82:5, 53:4)
Having little understanding of God’s desires (Jer 4:22, 22-15-17)
Men judge unjustly for various reasons:
1. Weakness - being themselves in the power of others.
2. Prejudice - having their minds made up already because of human traditions etc.
3. Passion - how often we misjudge in anger. How easily we are gripped by passion.
4. Self-interest - there is a constant refusal to deny ourselves. We should suspend all
judgment if self interest enters the case.
5. Affiliation - Our judgment must not be affected by any stance we have taken or any
pressure by people we are joined with. (e.g. Judge Knox Jenkins ruling on NC legislative
districts, forum shopped, ex parte communication, decision without findings of fact)
