Seventy "Sons Of God"--The Royal Seventy

[DispensatorMysteriorum]

Dr. Hamblin posted a great paper on the topic of the sons of God, or Divine Council here. Among other things it points out the early Israelite belief that there was a divine council of gods ("sons of God") presided over by the Most High God ("El") and that this divine council apparently consisted of 70 sons of God. While reading about this concept, it occurred to me that W. W. Phelps apparently made reference to this same idea in Joseph and Hyrum's funeral sermon.

Surely, as one of the holy ones commissioned by his father among the royal seventy, when the high council of heaven set them apart to come down and “multiply and replenish this earth,” he was the “last,” and who knows but the “greatest,” for he declared —we knew not who he was! (See BYU Studies, 1983, Richard Van Wagoner and Steven C. Walker)

Now, this seemed speculative on W. W. Phelps's part, but it's interesting that he referred to the "royal seventy." Where would have W. W. Phelps have learned this concept? Seems like a direct reference to the similar concept believed by the early Israelites.

Bulls-eye?

Edited November 18, 2011 by DispensatorMysteriorum

[The Nehor]

I think it is more likely he is one of the Seven archangels though the two positions are not mutually exclusive.

[Avatar4321]

Exactly who is in the Royal Seventy?

[Cobalt-70]

Dr. Hamblin posted a great paper on the topic of the sons of God, or Divine Council here. Among other things it points out the early Israelite belief that there was a divine council of gods ("sons of God") presided over by the Most High God ("El") and that this divine council apparently consisted of 70 sons of God. While reading about this concept, it occurred to me that W. W. Phelps apparently made reference to this same idea in Joseph and Hyrum's funeral sermon.

Now, this seemed speculative on W. W. Phelps's part, but it's interesting that he referred to the "royal seventy." Where would have W. W. Phelps have learned this concept? Seems like a direct reference to the similar concept believed by the early Israelites.

This doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the 70 sons of El in the Cananite/early Hebrew pantheon. Phelps' quote also mentions a separate "high council of heaven," which is twelve. And Mormonism had already established by 1844 that there was a heavenly "First Presidency" composed of either the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit or, by another accounting, Elohim, Jehovah, and Michael. So Phelps was just echoing the structure of the church within the heavens: A divine presidency, a high council of heaven, and a royal seventy.

[DispensatorMysteriorum]

Exactly who is in the Royal Seventy?

The noble and great ones? In other words, the "mighty" or elohim?

[Calm]

This doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the 70 sons of El in the Cananite/early Hebrew pantheon. Phelps' quote also mentions a separate "high council of heaven," which is twelve. And Mormonism had already established by 1844 that there was a heavenly "First Presidency" composed of either the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit or, by another accounting, Elohim, Jehovah, and Michael. So Phelps was just echoing the structure of the church within the heavens: A divine presidency, a high council of heaven, and a royal seventy.

Wouldn't it be more likely Phelps would refer to the high council than the 'lower rank' seventy as JS's heavenly quorum? Edited November 19, 2011 by calmoriah

[DispensatorMysteriorum]

calmoriah--my thoughts exactly. Especially when you read the surrounding context in the sermon.

Surely, as one of the holy ones commissioned by his father among the royal seventy, when the high council of heaven set them apart to come down and “multiply and replenish this earth,” he was the “last,” and who knows but the “greatest,” for he declared—we—knew not who he was! So, I may say, as the last is to be first, and the first last in eternal rotation, that Joseph Smith, who was Gazelem in the spirit world, was, and is, and will be in the endless progress of Eternity—the Prince of Light.

Doesn't sound like Phelps was trying to imply Joseph Smith was just one of the members of the lower quorum of the seventy in the pre-existence.

[Cobalt-70]

calmoriah--my thoughts exactly. Especially when you read the surrounding context in the sermon.

Doesn't sound like Phelps was trying to imply Joseph Smith was just one of the members of the lower quorum of the seventy in the pre-existence.

No, Phelps was saying that Smith was probably the greatest of the royal seventy. Phelps clearly said that the seventy, which would include Smith, were "set apart" by the "High Council of Heaven." So he thought Smith was subordinate to this council of twelve gods, whoever they were. Apparently, the "royal seventy" were given the job to "multiply and replenish the earth." So perhaps Phelps thought that the gods of the High Council were not destined to be born on the earth. Joseph Smith, of course, was. So the "royal seventy" would apparently be some list of seventy great earthly prophets or apostles, like Abraham, whose job was to populate the earth (through polygamy, perhaps?).

Since the "royal seventy" as described by Phelps were destined to become mortal and have mortal children, these "seventy" are quite the same as the seventy sons of El in ancient Canaanite/early Hebrew pantheon. These seventy sons of the Canaanite god did, however, mate with mortal women to produce demigod giants (the Nephilim), as mentioned in Genesis. I could be wrong, but I have a hard time imagining that this ancient Canaanite/Hebrew mythology was going though Phelps' mind as he was giving Smith's eulogy.

Edited November 20, 2011 by Cobalt-70

[DispensatorMysteriorum]

Cobalt-70,

I suppose that is one way to look at the text. So, now the question is are there any ancient parallels to the idea of a divine high council of 12?

I doubt Phelps had the Canaanite pantheon in mind, but perhaps both the Canaanites and Phelps had the same thing in mind.

[DispensatorMysteriorum]

I was hoping this would generate some more thoughts...? I guess my ideas suck