Chapter 9 — The Council of Gods and Pre-Christ Mediation
Before the Incarnation, the human relationship to the divine was not clear, direct, or universally enlightened. Humanity lived within a fractured cosmos, still inside the embrace of the Holy Trinity, yet dominated by distorted perceptions, territorial spiritual powers, and limited mediators who operated in the shadows of humanity’s fallenness.
Scripture, ancient Near Eastern texts, and the patterns of global religion all reflect the same reality:
Before the appearing of Jesus Christ, a multiplicity of spiritual authorities—call them gods, lords, angels, or powers—exercised influence over humanity. Some were benevolent, some were violent, some were deceptive, but all were limited.
This situation has been misunderstood for centuries. Many believers have assumed that all Old Testament references to “God” refer to the same ultimate reality revealed in Christ. But the testimony of Jesus clarifies otherwise: No one had truly seen the Father except the Son (John 1:18; Matthew 11:27). This includes prophets, patriarchs, kings, and nations.
Christ comes into a world shaped by pre-incarnational mediation, a world ruled by powers whose authority endured only because humanity attributed reverence, fear, and loyalty to them.
This chapter explores:
Before Christ: Yahweh, El, Chemosh, and other territorial lords
Their delegated—but limited—roles
Their inherent limitations
Humanity’s confusion under multiple mediators
Christ’s Incarnation begins the displacement
Christ’s Resurrection ends their relevance permanently
By the end, we will understand why the Incarnation is not simply forgiveness—it is cosmic restructuring.
1. Before Christ: Yahweh, El, Chemosh, and Other Territorial Lords
Scripture itself acknowledges the existence of multiple “gods” or elohim—not as equal to the Holy Trinity, but as created spiritual beings exercising authority over particular peoples and lands.
1.1. Territorial Spiritual Governance
Ancient belief systems—from Canaan to Moab, from Israel to Mesopotamia—assumed:
each nation had its own god
each land had its own spiritual ruler
gods fought for territory, prestige, and worship
human wellbeing depended on appeasing one’s “national god”
Biblical and extra-biblical sources speak of:
El — the aged high god of Canaanite tradition
Yahweh — the national deity of Israel
Chemosh — Moab’s god associated with fierce, tribal loyalty
Baal — storm lord worshiped across the Levant
Molech — associated with power and child sacrifice
Milcom, Ashtoreth, Qetesh, and others
These beings were real, not imaginary. But they were not divine in the Christian sense. They belonged to the invisible created order, possessing power without being the Source of life.
Their authority was permitted only because humanity granted them place through fear, sacrifice, and allegiance.
1.2. Israel’s God Within This Framework
Israel’s early understanding of Yahweh reflects this worldview:
Yahweh is “Israel’s God,” not necessarily the universal God known in Christ.
Yahweh battles other gods.
Yahweh demands exclusive loyalty.
Yahweh appears territorial: “This land I give you; that land belongs to Chemosh.”
Yahweh demonstrates power through plagues, punishments, fear, and holy war.
The Old Testament’s portrayal of Yahweh often resembles a territorial lord more than the Father revealed by Jesus.
This does not mean Yahweh is imaginary—it means:
He is a real spiritual being within the created hierarchy.
He operates as Israel’s protector and ruler.
He acts according to the worldview and limitations of the pre-Incarnational era.
Even the biblical writers distinguish between Yahweh and El Elyon (the Most High), showing that Israel’s thought was not yet unified.
2. Their Delegated Roles
These spiritual beings functioned as “gods” because they acted as intermediaries between humanity and the divine mystery. Their roles included:
2.1. Territorial Oversight
Each nation understood its deity as:
guardian
warrior
judge
provider
protector
These gods shaped:
laws
rituals
ethical norms
communal identity
warfare
Their authority was circumstantial, not absolute.
2.2. Moral and Cultic Systems
Territorial gods enforced:
purity codes
sacrificial demands
ritual obligations
taboos
social hierarchies
Some emphasized justice, others violence; some demanded compassion, others blood. But no territorial lord ever revealed the full nature of the Father.
2.3. Limited Revelations
Even within Israel:
Moses sees only a “form,” never the Father.
Prophets receive visions but remain distant.
Priests mediate through ritual, not intimacy.
The revelation is partial, fragmented, and mediated through beings who themselves lack the fullness of divine life.
3. Their Limitations
Territorial gods, including Yahweh, were limited in ways Christ later exposes:
3.1. Limited Knowledge
They do not possess omniscience. They act and react, sometimes changing course, expressing regret, or adjusting their strategies.
3.2. Limited Moral Insight
Their actions often reflect the violence, tribalism, and worldview of the cultures they govern:
genocidal commands
retaliatory justice
appeasement through sacrifice
fear-based obedience
territorial vengeance
These reflect their level of being, not the eternal Father.
3.3. Limited Authority
Their power depends on:
human allegiance
geographic boundaries
spiritual hierarchies
cosmic order prior to Christ
They cannot:
give eternal life
overcome death
reveal the Father
cleanse human nature
heal the cosmos
Only the incarnate Son possesses these capacities.
3.4. Limited Duration
Their relevance is tied to the pre-Incarnational era. Once Christ arrives, their structures begin to collapse.
4. Humanity’s Confusion
Because humanity lived under multiple mediators with limited revelation, confusion was inevitable.
4.1. Distorted Images of God
People projected onto deity:
fear
power
tribal identity
insecurity
vengeance
They imagined gods who were:
jealous
violent
territorial
unpredictable
Such images created cultures shaped by fear rather than communion.
4.2. Misidentification of Spiritual Power
Humanity mistook:
angels for gods
local lords for the true God
visions from lesser powers for ultimate revelation
Israel often confused Yahweh’s voice with the Father’s voice. Nations confused territorial gods with the Source of life.
4.3. Fragmented Spirituality
Without Christ:
no one saw the Father
no one understood the Spirit’s indwelling
no one knew creation’s purpose
no one recognized humanity’s destiny
no one comprehended divine love
The world lived in a fog of partial revelation.
5. Christ’s Incarnation Begins the Displacement
When the Word becomes flesh, the entire spiritual hierarchy is shaken. Christ does not merely enter history; He enters the spiritual order and asserts His authority.
5.1. Christ Reveals the Father
For the first time:
a human face shows the true image of God
God speaks without violence or tribal exclusivity
the Father’s love is unveiled
divine nature becomes clear
The mediators are exposed as incomplete.
5.2. Christ Begins Reclaiming Territory
In His earthly ministry:
demons flee
territorial spirits panic
the sick are healed
the oppressed are liberated
the blind see
Christ is not battling humans; He is displacing powers that once mediated divine presence.
Where Yahweh often worked through fear, Christ works through love, healing, tenderness, and truth.
5.3. Christ Announces the End of the Old Order
When Christ proclaims:
“All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Me”
“Now the ruler of this world will be cast out”
“I saw Satan fall like lightning”
He is announcing the cosmic regime change.
The old mediators have lost their ground.
6. Christ’s Resurrection Ends Their Relevance Permanently
The resurrection is not merely a miracle; it is a cosmic coup—the overthrow of the entire pre-Christ spiritual order.
6.1. Christ Assumes Full Mediating Authority
After the resurrection:
no mediator remains except Christ
no spiritual lord retains jurisdiction
no territorial deity holds legitimate rule
no power stands between humanity and the Father
The resurrected Christ becomes the exclusive Mediator between God and creation.
6.2. The Old Council Is Dissolved
The “council of gods” that once governed human religion collapses:
Yahweh’s authority ends
Chemosh’s relevance disappears
Baal’s influence breaks
regional gods lose their worship
the spiritual order is reorganized under Christ
These beings continue to exist, but their authority is null.
6.3. Humanity Is Freed
Because Christ rises:
humanity can finally see God truly
the Father is revealed
the Spirit indwells all flesh
the Church becomes the new spiritual community
the world can worship without fear
Christ inaugurates a new age, in which:
all creation moves toward transfiguration
all spiritual powers are subordinate
all mediation flows through one Person
6.4. The Resurrection Establishes One Kingdom
The post-resurrection universe has:
one King
one Mediator
one revelation of God
one destiny
one cosmic order
All earlier systems are obsolete.
Conclusion: The Incarnation Resets the Spiritual Cosmos
Before Christ, humanity lived under the influence of territorial spiritual beings—Yahweh, El, Chemosh, Baal, and others—who mediated fragments of truth within their limitations.
But in Christ:
the Father is revealed
the old mediators are displaced
the false powers lose influence
the spiritual hierarchy is rewritten
the resurrection secures permanent transformation
There is now one God known in truth: the Father
There is one Mediator between creation and the Trinity: Jesus Christ
There is one Spirit given to all: the Holy Spirit
This chapter sets the stage for the next phase of your book: understanding how false images of God, especially those projected onto Yahweh, must be reinterpreted through the revelation of Jesus Christ.