Topical Bible: King: Deification of

◄ King: Deification of ►

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The concept of the deification of kings, while not explicitly detailed in the Bible, can be understood through the examination of various biblical narratives and historical contexts where rulers were ascribed divine or semi-divine status. This practice was common in ancient Near Eastern cultures, where kings were often seen as representatives or incarnations of the gods. The Bible provides several instances where this notion is either directly or indirectly addressed, often in a critical light.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the deification of kings is most clearly seen in the context of foreign rulers. For example, the Pharaohs of Egypt were considered gods or demigods, a belief that is implicitly challenged in the narrative of the Exodus. The plagues and the eventual liberation of the Israelites serve as a divine repudiation of Pharaoh's supposed divinity. In Exodus 7:1 , God tells Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet." This statement underscores the power of the true God over the false claims of divine kingship.

The Book of Daniel provides another critical perspective on the deification of kings. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, is depicted as a ruler who elevates himself to a god-like status. In Daniel 3, he constructs a massive golden statue and demands that all people worship it. The refusal of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to bow down to the statue results in their miraculous deliverance from the fiery furnace, demonstrating the supremacy of the God of Israel over human pretensions to divinity.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the deification of rulers is seen in the context of the Roman Empire, where emperors were often worshipped as gods. This practice is implicitly critiqued in the Book of Acts. In Acts 12:21-23 , Herod Agrippa I is struck down by an angel of the Lord after accepting the crowd's acclamation of him as a god: "On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people. And they began to shout, 'This is the voice of a god, not a man!' Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died."

The Book of Revelation also addresses the issue of emperor worship, portraying it as part of the idolatrous system of the beast. Revelation 13:4 describes how people worship the dragon and the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?" This imagery serves as a stark warning against the deification of political powers and the ultimate judgment that awaits those who usurp divine glory.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, the deification of kings is seen as a form of idolatry, a direct violation of the First Commandment: "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3). The Bible consistently affirms that God alone is worthy of worship and that any attempt to attribute divine status to human rulers is a grave error. The narratives and teachings throughout Scripture emphasize the sovereignty of God over all earthly powers and the futility of human claims to divinity.

The deification of kings also serves as a reminder of the fallen nature of humanity and the tendency to elevate human authority to a place that belongs solely to God. The biblical response to such practices is a call to recognize the true King of Kings, Jesus Christ, who alone possesses divine authority and glory.

Nave's Topical Index

Ezekiel 28:2,9
Son of man, say to the prince of Tyrus, Thus said the Lord GOD; Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the middle of the seas; yet you are a man, and not God, though you set your heart as the heart of God:
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Concerning Holy of Holies, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, God of ...
... must sing Him of endless names, both as Holy of Holies and King of Kings ... of Its
forethought, imparting Itself, as befits Its goodness, for deification of those ...
/.../dionysius/dionysis on divine names/caput xii concerning holy of.htm

Concerning "Holy of Holies," "King of Kings," "Lord of Lords ...
... God (whose Names are infinite) as "Holy of holies" and "King of kings ... the objects
of Its own activity, bounteously bestowing Itself for the Deification of those ...
/.../rolt/dionysius the areopagite/chapter xii concerning holy of.htm

What Manner of Life and Death the Roman Kings Had.
... And of Tullus Hostilius, who was the third king of Rome, and who was ... and divinity
by kindly celebrating his services;" implying that his deification was not ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 15 what manner of life.htm

Index.
... a spotless victim, 156; death of, 37, 93; return of, 188; as creator, 9; the effulgence
of God's glory, 12; as theocratic king, 26, 179 ... Herod, deification of, 96 ...
/.../edwards/the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/index 2.htm

That the Holy virgin is the Mother of God: an Argument Directed ...
... For David the king, and Aaron, the high priest, are also called Christ [2076 ... the
assumption of our nature, the coming into being, and the deification of the ...
/.../john/exposition of the orthodox faith/chapter xii that the holy virgin.htm

The Power of Rome Romanized Aspect of all the Heathen Mythology. ...
... What did Sterculus do to merit deification? ... There is Sanctus, too, [944] who for
his hospitality had a temple consecrated to him by king Plotius; and even ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/ad nationes/chapter ix the power of rome.htm

Regarding the Things Said Concerning Christ.
... He shall come openly [2555] , and this from Zechariah, Behold, thy King cometh unto ...
discourse deals with the higher aspect, we speak of the deification of the ...
/.../exposition of the orthodox faith/chapter xviii regarding the things said.htm

The Career of the Antichrist
... Thus as King of kings he will dictate the policies of Europe and Asia. ... by success,
finds it an easy step from self-glorification to self-deification, and the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/the career of the antichrist.htm

The General Service of the Holy Fathers, in Remembrance of ...
... And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was the priest
of ... of Christ, for it was not in appearance only, but in deification that He ...
/.../anonymous/the general menaion/chapter v1 the general service.htm

The Jewish Institutions and Laws of Far Higher Antiquity than the ...
... Egypt, under the conduct of Moses, took place while Amosis was king of Egypt ... Moses,
then, is shown to have preceded the deification of Dionysus six hundred and ...
/.../the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxi the jewish institutions and.htm