Changes

In addition to the major categories of [[divine]] [[beings]], the human dead are also referred to as gods. When [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Saul King Saul] has a sorceress summon the ghost of the [[prophet]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel Samuel], she calls the [[ghost]] an Elohim ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=First_Book_of_Samuel#Chapter_28 1 Samuel. 28:13]). Elsewhere the shades of the dead are called gods ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Isaiah#Chapter_.8 Isaiah. 8:19]) and "holy ones" ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_16 Psalms. 16:3]). Although [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divination divination] by consulting the shades of the dead is prohibited in [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Deutoronomy#Chapter_.18 Deuteronomy 18:11], it may have been a fairly common local [[practice]]. Statues called teraphim were also used for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divination divination] ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Ezekiel#Chapter_21 Ezekiel. 21:26]; [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Zechariah#Chapter_.10 Zechariah. 10:2]) and are once referred to as gods ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_genesis#Chapter_.31 Genesis. 31:30]). These were probably statues of dead [[ancestors]] who bestowed [[blessings]] on their descendants and could be invoked for divination. These [[practices]] indicate that the dead were not connected to the world of the gods as full-fledged [[deities]], but as shadowy intermediaries between the world of the living and the [[divine]] realm. The world of the dead was the subterranean [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheol Sheol], not in [[heaven]] where Yahweh and his [[divine]] entourage dwelled, but somehow their shadowy [[existence]] was in some respects divine and included godlike [[foresight]] into the [[future]].

In addition to the major categories of [[divine]] [[beings]], the human dead are also referred to as gods. When [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Saul King Saul] has a sorceress summon the ghost of the [[prophet]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel Samuel], she calls the [[ghost]] an Elohim ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=First_Book_of_Samuel#Chapter_28 1 Samuel. 28:13]). Elsewhere the shades of the dead are called gods ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Isaiah#Chapter_.8 Isaiah. 8:19]) and "holy ones" ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_16 Psalms. 16:3]). Although [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divination divination] by consulting the shades of the dead is prohibited in [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Deutoronomy#Chapter_.18 Deuteronomy 18:11], it may have been a fairly common local [[practice]]. Statues called teraphim were also used for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divination divination] ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Ezekiel#Chapter_21 Ezekiel. 21:26]; [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Zechariah#Chapter_.10 Zechariah. 10:2]) and are once referred to as gods ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_genesis#Chapter_.31 Genesis. 31:30]). These were probably statues of dead [[ancestors]] who bestowed [[blessings]] on their descendants and could be invoked for divination. These [[practices]] indicate that the dead were not connected to the world of the gods as full-fledged [[deities]], but as shadowy intermediaries between the world of the living and the [[divine]] realm. The world of the dead was the subterranean [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheol Sheol], not in [[heaven]] where Yahweh and his [[divine]] entourage dwelled, but somehow their shadowy [[existence]] was in some respects divine and included godlike [[foresight]] into the [[future]].

On a [[different]] level the [[human]] [[king]] functioned as a quasidivine intermediary between the [[divine]] and [[human]] realms. The king is at times referred to as the son of God ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_2 Psalms. 2:7]; [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Second_Book_of_Samuel#Chapter_.7 2 Samuel. 7:14]) and the firstborn of God ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_89 Psalms. 89:28]), and in one text the king seems to be addressed as Elohim ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_45 Psalms. 45:7]). The [[language]] of [[divine]] kinship in these [[texts]] indicates that [[God]] [[adopts]] the reigning [[king]] as his earthly son, which [[corresponds]] to the king's role as God's chosen [[representative]] or intermediary on [[earth]]. As portrayed in the royal psalms, the [[king]] is the earthly guarantor of [[cosmic]] order, defeating the enemies—both [[human]] and [[cosmic]]—and establishing [[harmony]] and [[peace]]. The king partakes of the [[divine]] through the sacral office of kingship, which ideally ensures "[[abundant]] [[authority]] and [[peace]] without end" ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Isaiah#Chapter_.9 Isaiah. 9:6]). In the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple Second Temple period] (536 BCE–70 CE), in the [[absence]] of a reigning [[king]], the concept of the king as a quasidivine intermediary stimulated the [[expectation]] of a royal [[messiah]], the [[future]] Davidic king, hedged with [[divinity]], who will defeat [[chaos]] once and for all.[http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&id=GALE%7CCX3424501574&v=2.1&u=tel_a_uots&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w Source]

On a [[different]] level the [[human]] [[king]] functioned as a quasidivine intermediary between the [[divine]] and [[human]] realms. The king is at times referred to as the son of God ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_2 Psalms. 2:7]; [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Second_Book_of_Samuel#Chapter_.7 2 Samuel. 7:14]) and the firstborn of God ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_89 Psalms. 89:28]), and in one text the king seems to be addressed as Elohim ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_45 Psalms. 45:7]). The [[language]] of [[divine]] kinship in these [[texts]] indicates that [[God]] [[adopts]] the reigning [[king]] as his earthly son, which [[corresponds]] to the king's role as God's chosen [[representative]] or intermediary on [[earth]]. As portrayed in the royal psalms, the [[king]] is the earthly guarantor of [[cosmic]] order, defeating the enemies—both [[human]] and [[cosmic]]—and establishing [[harmony]] and [[peace]]. The king partakes of the [[divine]] through the sacral office of kingship, which ideally ensures "[[abundant]] [[authority]] and [[peace]] without end" ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Isaiah#Chapter_.9 Isaiah. 9:6]). In the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple Second Temple period] (536 BCE–70 CE), in the [[absence]] of a reigning [[king]], the concept of the king as a quasidivine intermediary stimulated the [[expectation]] of a royal [[messiah]], the [[future]] Davidic king, hedged with [[divinity]], who will defeat [[chaos]] once and for all.

 

*[http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&id=GALE%7CCX3424501574&v=2.1&u=tel_a_uots&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w Source]

==See also==

==See also==