My answer to this conversation with Don Spears is found with my Luke Chapter 8 commentary, since it was presented as a part of the July 13th, 2012 Christogenea on Talkshoe segment - William Finck.
One of Don's claims, upon which he bases a great deal of his "Satan in heaven" theology, is that the reference to "gods" in the 82nd Psalm refers to Satan and his angels. However an inspection of the Psalm reveals that it is referring to men, and not Satan, just as Christ tells us in John 10:34-35. If the 82nd Psalm is referring to men, then Don's entire "Satan in heaven" theology disintegrates.
Here is the King James Version of Psalm 82, a Psalm of Asaph, with some comments in brackets:
1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. 2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
[Is God chastising Satan for accepting the persons of the wicked, when Satan is "the Wicked One"? That assumption alone is utterly ridiculous! Rather, God is telling the children of Adam that they should not accept wicked people.]
3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
[Deliver the poor and needy out of the hands of Satan, that collective wicked race which are the "seed of the serpent".]
5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. 6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
Adam is the son of God (Luke 3:38), the children of Israel are the children of God (Deuteronomy 14:1), the children of Israel are the sons and daughters of Yahweh their God (Isaiah 43:6), and all children of Adam are the offspring of God (Acts 17:26-28). How many witnesses does Don Spears need before he stops claiming that the phrase "sons of God" here are satanic, rebel angels?
7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
[Or But ye shall die like Adam, and fall like one of the shining ones. The word for men is singular. It should be read "but ye shall die like Adam", since, as Paul explains, in Adam all men die (1 Corinthians 15:22, see also Romans chapter 5)! The word for princes may be interpreted as shining ones, and that may refer to the fallen angels!]
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
[A cry for the Messiah!]
The words of Christ, who claiming to be the Son of God, used this Psalm to defend Himself, He being a man and disputing with the pharisees:
John 10:33-36, from the King James Version: 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 36 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?
As Christ said, "he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came", and that is a reference to the children of Israel. Christ was referring to men, and therefore the 82nd Psalm cannot be used to somehow prove that Satan is in heaven!
- William Finck
A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles is currently being presented by William Finck on Christogenea Internet Radio every Friday night at 8PM Eastern.
