The Heavenly Council and its Type-scene
Min Suc Kee:
Department of Christian studies, Baekseok University, Anseo Dong 115, Cheona Si, Choong Nam, Korea.
Outline:
I. Abstract
II. Key words
III. The passages of the Heavenly Council in the Hebrew Bible
IV. The type-scene of the Heavenly Council
V. Conclusion
VI. Bibliography
As can read in the abstract,” this article proposes that the visual description of the outlook, the process and the location of the members are particular characteristics of the ‘heavenly Council’ in the Mesopotamia, Ugaritic and Ancient Israelites Text” (259). As stated in the different passages of the Bible, (I Kings 22: 19-23; Isa. 6; Job 122; Psm. 82; Zech. 3; Dan. 7:9-14), this article also proves that there is Heavenly Council and God is the Head of it.
The author here “Argues that distinctively represents the Heavenly Council in a typified way of scenery description; he grouped these as ‘major scenes’ of the heavenly council” (266). This argument was based from his doctoral dissertation (Kee 2003) on which these passages has also be read and described Near Eastern Literature and the Hebrew Bible, and in here the center point is about the “Type-scene” on which the high god is located at the centre of the council surrounded by its members. Moreover, many passages from the Bible like I Kings, Isaiah, Psalm, Zechariah, Daniel and Job also prove that YHWH governs and the enemies are destroyed. Here, the “Type-scene” is clearly portrayed as it is visually described.
In the sub-topic “Type-scene” of the church, the Hebrew Bible described that attendees stand in front of YHWH. Also, the North Eastern Literature, “A vision of the neither world” was included and studies. Together with “Prayer to known God…” which exhibit a belief that important events in the history are caused by the decision made in the heavenly council…” Passage from Enuma Elisha also stated that divine assembly gathered are multitude of members and the high God is the center of it (265). These passages and the passages from the Bible that was mentioned describe the service of the multitude toward the “superior in the assembly” (268).
In the conclusion, the visions described by the author taken from the said passage, depicts the characteristics of the “heavenly council and the center is the high god, including its location.” The repeated and the commonly used expression are effective; literary consistency and the expectancy in the passages that describe the heavenly council (267-268). Hence, as Isaiah 40 describe this heavenly council, the author says that the chapter certainly does not describe the heavenly council in a new customary way… rather, to focus on the text of meeting which is attested in the Ancient Israelites ‘desert wandering period…though this correspond to those of the heavenly council.
Kee, Min Suc. “The Heavenly Council.” In Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Vol. 31.3. (2007): 295-310. London: Sage Publications, 2007.
