“The two powers in heaven” is an excellent example of the continuity of Scripture between the Old and New Testaments.
The idea of two powers in Heaven shows how the early Christians could worship Jesus as divine alongside the Father and yet deem both Yahweh.
There’s much debate about “the two powers in heaven” in literature from the Second Temple period (516 BCE – 70 CE). Christians claim that the second power is Jesus. Jews erase the idea from their theological discourse sometime in the 2nd century AD.
In this article, we define the meaning of the two powers in heaven concept and go through the verses that form its basis.
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What does Two powers in Heaven mean?
The “Two powers in Heaven” suggests the existence of two distinct divine figures or powers in the heavenly realm, often portrayed in a hierarchical relationship.
The concept is a theological idea in some Jewish texts from around the Second Temple period, roughly 200 BCE to 70 CE.
Micheal Heiser suggests that the concept is based on the roles of a high sovereign God and a vice-regent of the divine council. He says, “For the orthodox Israelite, Yahweh was both sovereign and vice-regent. The binitarian portrayal of Yahweh in the Hebrew Bible was motivated by this belief. The ancient Israelite knew two Yahwehs—one invisible, a spirit, the other visible, often in human form.”
The two powers in Heaven, or two Yahwehs, at times, appear together in the Scriptures, at times being distinguished, at other times not.
Now, we see the Scriptural basis for the concept.
Two powers in Heaven Bible verses
The theological discussion for the two heavenly powers springs from several places in the Old Testament. The New Testament links some of these Old Testament passages to Jesus.
Sometimes, the Old Testament passage mentions two Yahwehs in the same scene. Sometimes, there is no mention of two Yahwehs, but the New Testament reveals that the divine figure in the scene is Jesus.
Best verses about the two powers in Heaven
The best example of the two powers in Heaven could be in Daniel 7, where we see two divine figures encountering each other: the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man.
In 7:9, there are thrones, plural, placed, and the Ancient of Days sits on one of them.
In verse 13, the verse that Jesus cites in Matt 26:64, the Son of Man came to the Ancient of Days with the clouds of the sky, and everlasting dominion was given Him, a kingdom which will not be destroyed. The Son of Man alludes that the figure is a man but “coming with the clouds of the sky” (Psalm 104:3-4, Isa 19:1), and everlasting dominion allude to a divine figure.
Daniel 7:9-14
“I watched until thrones were placed,
and one who was ancient of days sat.
His clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool.
His throne was fiery flames,
and its wheels burning fire.
A fiery stream issued and came out from before him.
Thousands of thousands ministered to him.
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The judgment was set.
The books were opened.
“I watched at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke. I watched even until the animal was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire. As for the rest of the animals, their dominion was taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
“I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. Dominion was given him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom one that which will not be destroyed.
Two powers in Heaven are mentioned in the same scene
In Genesis 19:24, Yahweh is mentioned twice in one verse. One Yahweh, presumably on earth, rained fire and sulfur from Yahweh in the sky.
Genesis 19:24
Then Yahweh rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah sulfur and fire from Yahweh out of the sky.
In the Exodus 3, the Angel of the Lord is God. In this encounter between Moses and God, the angel appears to Moses in a flame of fire, and he is identified as Yahewh and distinguished from another Person, who is also Yahweh.
In verse 4, the LORD (Yahweh translated as LORD) saw that Moses turned, but God (Elohim) called to Moses. The same “Elohim” says in verse 6 that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Exodus 3:2-6 (ESV)
And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
Who brought Israel out of Egypt?
Judges 6:8, Exodus 20:2, and Leviticus 11:45 say that Yahweh brought Israel out of Egypt.
Judges 6:8
Yahweh sent a prophet to the children of Israel; and he said to them, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage.
Exodus 20:2
“I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Leviticus 11:45
For I am Yahweh who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
Judges 2:1 says that the Angel of the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt.
Judges 2:1 (ESV)
Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you,
In the New Testament, Jude says that Jesus brought Israel out of Egypt.
Jude 5
Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved[c] a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
Jesus is Yahweh and the Angel of the LORD, the Old Testament’s divine figure.
Summary of two powers in Heaven
Two powers in Heaven explores the idea of two distinct divine entities or powers, often depicted in a hierarchical relationship. Sometimes, the Bible portrays the two divine figures together in the same scene.
The idea of the two powers in Heaven originated from Jewish texts of the Second Temple period. It shows a continuation between the Old and New Testaments and offers insight into Trinitarian theology in the Old Testament.