In the Lord of the Rings universe, after Gandalf sensed something amiss at Mirkwood, he consulted the White Council, the Council of the Wise, comprising Galadriel, Elrond, Saruman, Radagast and others. They deliberated the possibility of dark lord Sauron returning. The Council would later take action in rescuing Gandalf and defeating and evicting Sauron from Dol Guldur.
The White Council is portrayed as a group of wizards and elves entrusted to keep watch over Middle Earth and to protect its peace. Though Gandalf was wise and able, he could not do without the wisdom and power of the Council in resisting Sauron.
The Bible refers to a similar concept infrequently talked about today. The Council of the Lord God.
Psalm 89:7 refers to a council of the holy ones. In Genesis, God refers implicitly thrice to a council of spiritual beings along with Himself. When He created humanity. When humanity fell. When He dispersed humanity at Babel. The prophet Daniel was shown a vision of a divine court which judged the anti-Christ. In Revelation, John on Patmos saw God the Father on a throne, Jesus the Lamb of God on a throne, twenty four elders on thrones, and a whole host of heavenly beings. (See http://thesowermagazine.com/gods-divine-council/)
But the Council of the Lord is not only about judgment or worship. The Council stands that the word of the Lord may be revealed and proclaimed. The amazing thing is that as prophets and priests of God, we have access to stand in this Council.
For who among them has stood in the council of the LORD to see and to hear his word, or who has paid attention to his word and listened? – Jeremiah 23:18
But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their deeds. – Jeremiah 23:22
I imagine a huge assembly of hundreds or thousands of heavenly beings, archangels, standing in a large circular stadium before God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son sitting on elevated thrones. Above them, the clouds in the sky swirl reflecting a multitude of pastel colours. A thunderous boom reverberates through the stadium as a crack of lightning shoots up from earth to the centre of the stadium ring and forms a spinning wheel of light and fire. The voices of people on earth praying to God, pleading with God, questioning God, consulting God, praising God, rise as they gently vaporize as sparks from the spinning wheel.
The Council listens intently. King Jesus speaks. He chairs the deliberation. The watchmen angels appointed over different provinces and communities of earth give their input. The archangels nod in agreement. The King asks if there are any objections to His will. There is none. There are only yes and amen to His word. Then the King pronounces His decree.
The archangels proceed to issue directions to the watchmen angels. The watchmen angels make their way to the saints on earth entrusted with the word of the King. The Holy Spirit takes their message and forms them into words and images, sounds and smells, emotions and ideas, visions and dreams, and plants them into the souls of the hearing saints. The saints see themselves standing in the Council of the Lord, listening to the proceedings and the edict. The saints see and hear. The saints are convicted in their hearts and minds, with all their strength and soul they go forth to speak forth the word of God.
Are we seeking to stand in the Council of the Lord today?