STAND FIRM: Biblical Foundation of the Unseen World - Third Celestial Rebellion Narrative
In the last article, I shared how we find hints of this third angelic rebellion throughout the Bible in the form of rebellious prince angels. Daniel 10 gives insight into how these prince angels are somehow over nations. In our modern mind, this is wild, but it was the view of the first-century Jews. Though the verses that give glimpses help broaden our understanding of this phenomenon, the complete narrative can be found in Genesis. However, it’s not until the retelling of the law recorded in Deuteronomy that it is described.
This third event happens at the Tower of Babel. We’re familiar with the account in Genesis 11. Following the flood, as the descendants of Noah began to repopulate the earth, instead of obeying God and spreading out, they stayed in one location. There, they built a tower to reach the heavens, to make a name for themselves and possibly create their own way to Heaven. God punished their disobedience by coming down. We read in Genesis 11 that the punishment created different nations and languages. That brought confusion and division, which forced them to spread out.
The account in Genesis 11 seems to be the whole narrative, but that’s because of the chapter divisions. Genesis 10, 11 and 12 all seem to be three separate events. I’ve written previously about how the division between chapters 11 and 12 may be the most unfortunate in the Bible. In Genesis 10, we’re given the descendants of Noah and the 70 nations they form. What should be noted is that these nations weren’t separate until following Genesis 11. Anyway, we have Genesis 10 with the table of nations. Genesis 11 has the account of the tower. Genesis 12 tells of the calling of Abraham. Again, all seemingly separate events.
We could leave it there if it weren’t for the summarizing of the Books of the Law by Moses before the Israelites crossed into the Promised Land. This second giving of the law is recorded in Deuteronomy and that’s what the name means. In the retelling and summarizing of what God had revealed to Moses, there are three verses used to summarize the Tower of Babel event, but they not only tell of the event in Genesis 11 but also chapters 10 and 12.
Here’s that summary: “Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you. When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. But the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage” (Deut. 32:7-9 ESV).
Moses explained more of what happened behind the scenes than we get in Genesis 11. Instead of saying that God had just created nations and languages, Moses retold it that the Lord “gave away the nations” and “divided them to the same number of the sons of God.” Then, He took Jacob (Israel) as His inheritance.
We miss this major concept if we do not know of this third rebellion. It is the reason the gospel goes to the ends of the earth. It is why every tribe, tongue and nation being represented at the throne of God is so important.
Did you see how this summary captures all three chapters? The nations of Genesis 10 are created when God does this disinheriting at Babel in Genesis 11. Then there is the selecting of His own people as recorded in Genesis 12 with Abraham. But where do the angels and the rebellion come in?
I chose to quote from the ESV translation because it is one of the few that translates verse 8 as “sons of God.” Of course, “sons of God” is a name for angels throughout the Old Testament. Most translations have “sons of Israel” instead. The ESV and newer translations have “sons of God” because older manuscripts are showing that to be more accurate. Also, there was no Israel or sons of Israel at the time of the Tower of Babel.
So, if “sons of God” point to angels. Then it would be saying that God gave mankind to these angels and divided them according to how many there were. In the table of nations in Genesis 10, we find 70. This would have been a particular group of angels. I believe it is the angels of the Divine Council in Psalm 82. This would make sense because the Sanhedrin in Israel was modeled as being parallel to what was in the heavens. The Sanhedrin has 70 members.
This would explain Daniel 10, where we find the prince angels over the nations. The rebellion by these angels has happened throughout history, which is why God pronounces judgment on them in Psalm 82.
As with the other details of the first-century Jewish angelic views, this may sound wild, but it brings even greater understanding to the Great Commission if this is the case. God is redeeming the Gentile nations He disinherited. It points to why we, as Gentiles, need to be grafted into His chosen people, Israel.
As I’ve said, this is wild, but I don’t share it just for entertainment or information. I believe our view of God and His mission grows when we begin to understand the larger picture of the Bible. In my next article, I want to wrap this series up by sharing how a young man came to Christ through a conversation about these multiple angelic rebellions.
— Jake is a state missionary and would love to share about the work in Northwest Arkansas and encourage your church to stand firm. (standfirmministries.com)
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Jake McCandless
Jake McCandless authors a weekly column titled, Stand Firm and Live Epic, through which he seeks to encourage the modern church to not just survive, but thrive in current times. He also addresses many end-times topics.
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