Arise O God | Psalm 81 (82 LXX) | Textured Gothic Font w/ Orthodox Cross & Golden Rays | Divine Council Worldview | Orthodox Christian Hoodie

God stood in the congregation of the gods, and in the midst He shall stand out among gods. How long will ye judge unrighteously and accept the person of sinners? Judge for the orphan and the poor man, do justice to the humble and the pauper. Rescue the poor man and the needy, from the hand of the sinner deliver him. They have not known, nor understood; they walk in darkness. Let all the foundations of the earth be shaken. I said: Ye are gods, and all of you the sons of the Most High. But like men ye die, and like one of the rulers do ye fall.

Arise, O God, judge the earth, for Thou shalt have an inheritance among all the nations.

- Psalm 82 According to the Septuagint (Psalm 81 in the Masoretic Text)

+++

The following is excerpted from the blog of Fr Stephen De Young:

The most vivid and important depiction of this judgment [i.,e., the Day of the Lord in the OT] [...] takes place in Psalm 82 (81 in the Greek numbering).  In the Psalm, God takes his stand in the council of the gods and issues judgment against them (v. 1).  While he had assigned them to establish and maintain justice and govern the nations, they have become corrupt and have oppressed the poor and the weak (v. 2-4).  In response, he tells them that they are gods and sons of the Most High, but they will die like men and like one of the principalities they will fall (v. 6-7). 

The Psalm culminates in a call:  “Arise (anasta), O God, and judge the earth, for you will inherit from all the nations” (v. 8).  This call for God to arise (anasta) and render judgment against his spiritual enemies, the spiritual enemies of man, is repeated throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, particularly in the Psalter (eg. Ps 3:7; 7:6; 9:19; 10:12; 12:5; 17:13; 68:1; 74:22; 102:13; Is 33:10).  In Greek, this event would be known as the anastasis, the arising.

With this understanding in mind, a number of passages in Scripture are clarified and a number of the connections drawn by St. Paul and other New Testament authors become clear.  Before raising Lazarus from the dead, Christ has a conversation with his sister, Martha, in which there is a wordplay.  Christ tells Martha that Lazarus will arise (anastesetai) (John 11:23).  Martha replies that she knows that he will arise (anastesetai) in the anastasis (v. 24).  Christ responds, “I am the anastasis” (v. 25).  The related verb is clearly used to describe Lazarus returning from the dead.  The noun, however, clearly refers to a particular event, the arising of God on the last day to render justice.  Christ is, therefore, identifying himself as the visitation of Yahweh to his people in order to restore justice, which justice will include the subjugation of the demonic powers.

+++

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.

- Revelation 11:15 (KJV)

+++

For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

- Romans 14:9 (ESV)