Coming Down from Heaven Doesn’t Make You God: Jesus and the Ancient Tradition of Divine Descent

Coming Down from Heaven Doesn’t Make You God: Jesus and the Ancient Tradition of Divine Descent


In modern Christian theology—especially within traditions that uphold the divinity of Jesus—his claim to have “come down from heaven” is often used as airtight evidence that he is God himself. But is that the only possible meaning? Or even the most likely one, considering the cultural and historical context?


Surprisingly, the ancient world is filled with examples of kings, sages, prophets, and even founders of entire civilizations who were said to have “descended from heaven.” This concept wasn’t a declaration of deity—it was a way of legitimizing authority, kingship, and a divine mission on earth. In fact, many of these figures were still fully human, yet described in god-like terms to affirm their role in history.


1. Assyrian Royal Claim (12th Century BC)


Tiglath‑Pileser I declared:


“From heaven they made me king.”


Here, divine descent doesn’t mean divinity. It’s an expression of divine commissioning—a human king backed by heaven’s authority. Ancient Near Eastern cultures often framed their rulers as chosen or even "sent" from heaven to validate their rule, not to suggest they were literal gods in human form.



2. Inca Founders: Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo


According to Inca origin myths:


“The sun god saw the sorrow of mankind and sent a couple—Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo… They emerged from the waters of Lake Titicaca to establish order and civilization.”


And in some versions:


“They were sent up to earth by the sun god and emerged from a sacred cave, carrying a golden staff to found civilization.”


These aren’t gods—they’re divinely commissioned humans. Like Jesus, they were described as coming from above to bring order and truth.


3. The Sapa Inca: Son of the Sun


The emperor of the Inca people was called:


“The Son of the Sun—Inti.”


This title didn’t make the Sapa Inca the literal sun or a divine being. It meant he carried a divine lineage or blessing, similar to how Jesus refers to being the “Son of God.” The language of divine descent was political and symbolic, not metaphysical.



4. Egyptian Pharaohs: Sons of Heaven


In multiple Egyptian texts:


“Men‑kau‑Ra, living forever, born of heaven, conceived of Nut…”


“The king is the son of Ra, born of the goddess Nut, who came down from heaven to rule on earth.” — Pyramid Texts


These statements echoed a broader ancient motif: rulers as heavenly-born. But again, the Pharaoh was never seen as the eternal God in disguise—just his representative.



5. Mandate of Heaven in Chinese Thought


From the Shujing (Book of Documents):


“Heaven gave the Mandate to Yu to govern all under heaven.”


“Heaven has appointed the ruler and given him authority over the people.”


These declarations mirror Jesus’ claim of heavenly authority. Yet in ancient Chinese culture, being sent from heaven was a political claim to legitimacy, not divinity.


6. Sumerian Kingship: Descended from Heaven


From the Sumerian King List (3rd millennium BCE):


“After the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Eridu.”


This opening line isn’t myth for myth’s sake. It affirms that rulership was divine in origin—but exercised by humans. Like Jesus, these kings functioned as earthly agents of a heavenly plan.



7. Ugaritic Mythology: Sons of El


In a Ugaritic text:


“El, king of the gods, seated on the throne of heaven, gave kingship to his sons, who rule on earth.”


The divine council granted rule to humans or demigods on earth. The sonship and descent are about authority—not godhood.



8. Mesopotamian Wisdom Figures: The Apkallu


From the Uruk List of Kings and Sages:


“Nungalpirigal was sage, whom Istar brought down from heaven to Eana.”


The Apkallu were culture-bringers from heaven—wise humans, not gods—echoing the language used about Jesus bringing light and truth to the world.



9. Japanese Myth: Ninigi-no-Mikoto


From the Nihon Shoki:


“Amaterasu … sent down my august grandchild, Ninigi‑no‑Mikoto, to rule the land.”


Ninigi’s descent wasn’t a claim to deity, but to royal legitimacy. The entire Japanese imperial line rests on the concept of divine descent—just like some early Christian formulations about Jesus.



10. Tibetan and Korean Legends


Drigum Tsenpo (Tibet):


“Rulers of Tibet descended from heaven on a cord.”


Dangun and Hyeokgeose (Korea):


“Hwanung, the son of heaven, descended to earth.”


“Hyeokgeose descended from heaven inside an egg.”


These tales reinforced royal origin stories through divine descent without making the rulers gods.


11. Yoruba Mythology: Oduduwa


“Oduduwa … had descended from heaven to earth by means of a long chain.”


He founded civilization and kingship among the Yoruba people—but was remembered as human, not deity.



12. Maori and Zulu Traditions


Maori:


“They sprang from the vast heaven… and from earth…”




Zulu:


“The first Zulu king was said to have descended from the heavens to lead his people.”


These cosmologies describe early humans or rulers as divine in origin—but never divine in essence.




Conclusion


When Jesus said he came down from heaven (e.g., John 6:38), he was using well-known language of divine commissioning, not divine identity. Like the kings, sages, and founders in ancient cultures across the world, Jesus was marked as chosen, sent, and authorized by heaven—but not necessarily as God himself.


In fact, many of Jesus’ own statements clarify this:


“I can do nothing on my own... I have come not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 5:30; 6:38)


Jesus’ descent from heaven fits squarely within a broader global pattern—a literary and political way of describing someone sent by the divine, empowered to lead, restore, or reveal truth.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ezekiel 38-39 has been fulfilled in the book of Esther-Quick Reference

Ezekiel 38-39 has been fulfilled in the book of Esther-Quick Reference ***The Jews’ victory caused 75,310 people (Esther 9:10, 15, 16). This corresponds with the enemy deaths in Ezekiel 38-39. ·          Esther 9:10 10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder . ·          Esther 9:15-16 15 The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men , but they did not lay their hands on the plunder . 16 Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief from their enemies . They killed seventy-five thousand of them but did not lay their hands on the plunder. ·          Ezekiel 39:11 11 “‘On that day I will give Gog a burial place in Israel, ...
Read more

No One Knows the Day or Hour — Matthew 24:36, the Feast of Trumpets, and the Witness of 70 AD

 No One Knows the Day or Hour — Matthew 24:36, the Feast of Trumpets, and the Witness of 70 AD When Jesus said in Matthew 24:36, "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only," many have taken this to mean a far-future, end-of-the-world event. But what if this phrase had a much more specific meaning to Jesus’ Jewish audience—one tied to their festal calendar, their historical context, and even the events of 70 AD? Let’s unpack this verse and its connection to the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), the idea of two witnesses, and the prophetic imagery of Revelation 11—all pointing to a first-century fulfillment. The Feast of Trumpets and the Phrase "No One Knows the Day or Hour" The phrase “no one knows the day or the hour” was commonly associated in Jewish idiom with the Feast of Trumpets—the only festival that began on a new moon (Tishri 1). Since the new moon is difficult to predict precisely, ancient I...
Read more

Ezekiel 40

Image
INTRODUCTION Picture yourself as a Jew in the exile. You lost your home, your family, and even questioning your faith in the midst of God’s promises. You are traumatized and broken by the events that have transpired. All hope seems loss. Then Ezekiel the Priest says that you will inherit a new Temple and a new land with more responsibility added to you. More responsibility that you couldn’t fulfill the first time, which is why you are exiled in the first place. And get this, it is all invisible. This would have not gone well for Ezekiel by simply telling the Jews their inheritance was invisible. However, that’s not the case. Thankfully, our God is very descriptive about the measurements and dimensions of the Temple. We have a basis to compare the old Temple and old land to these new promises. Since the Jews were involved in the construction, they would be familiar with the size of the Temple and the land. When Ezekiel was telling the Jews about these measurements, it blew their mind...
Read more