Troublesome Topic: THE PILLARS OF MICHAEL HEISER’S UNSEEN REALM

ONE: A SELF-SERVING INTERPRETIVE METHOD. Michael Heiser picks and chooses what he wants and doesn’t want, he usually offers only the options that will help his argument, and he ignores some major themes that should be a part of this discussion. What he does not say is more important than what he does say because he leaves out anything that will hurt his cause. If you don’t study things carefully to see what he is leaving out, you will fall for his deception.

TWO: RELIANCE ON OTHER RELIGIONS AND THEIR MYTHOLOGIES.   Michael Heiser assumes the mythology of foreign religions is trustworthy and relevant to the story of the God of Isarel. He argues that it can and should be incorporated into the Bible. To Heiser it is all acceptable. This includes the books of Enoch, the book do Jubilee, the book of Giants, and all the Second Temple Jewish writings, many of which were heavily influenced by foreign religions. Heiser assumes that the use of a word or phrase in the Bible should usually be interpreted in the same way that other nations used it; the Bible is not allowed to interpret itself; it must be interpreted through the lens of pagan religions.

THREE:  A NARROW USE OF THE TERM ELOHIM.  Michael Heiser only allows the name Elohim to be understood in a narrow way. He says it is always a “place of residence” term (p. 29) and always refers to the heavens. He says the phrase “sons of Elohim” always refers to divine beings with authority higher than that of angels. On pg 24. Also, he says the name Elohim carries no concept of attributes because it is used of various entities.

FOUR:  A COUNCIL OF GODS. Michael Heiser believes there is a council of the gods and the Nephilim spirits (demons) are a part of it. Some of the council members have rebelled against God, but there are some members of that council that remained true to YAHWEH pg 352. He uses Psalm 82 and a few other references to support this.

FIVE: ANGELS FATHERED THE NEPHILIM WHO BECAME DEMONS.  “Angels” came to earth and procreated with women, and their offspring were the Nephilim. He uses Gen 6:4 for support. When the Nephilim were killed, their disembodied spirits became demons. This is the supposed origin of demons (but Satan existed before the fall of man).

SIX:   DISINHERITED NATIONS WERE PLACED UNDER CORRUPT GODS.  At Babel God disinherited all the nations and gave them over to the authority of the Nephilim spirits for them to control and rule over them. He uses Numbers 13:33 & Dt 32:8-9 as support. Later God selected Israel as His chosen people and told them to remain separate from the disinherited nations. What is meant by “rule over them” has not been spelled out clearly by Heiser in Unseen Realm.  Today their rule over those nations is supposedly partial.

SEVEN:  WATCHERS CAUSED CORRUPTION IN HUMAN KIND. Heiser indicates that sin and corruption in this world are the result of the first rebellion in Eden and how the lesser gods of the divine council were given control over all nations except Israel. He supposes that II peter and Jude agree with him and agree with 1 Enoch.

EIGHT:  JESUS CAME TO DEFEAT THE CORRUPT GODS AND RESTORE EDEN.  Through Jesus God is slowly taking back the disinherited nations from the control of the Nephilim and He will someday restore Eden.

NINE:  GOD WILL DEFEAT THE CORRUPT LESSER GODS AND HUMANITY WILL BECOME DIVINE. Believers today are God’s children and upon death will become divine (pg 352), and be made members of God’s divine council (pg 310). We and other loyal members of God’s council will defeat the disloyal members of that same council.  On pg 353 MH writes “Humanity will become divine and displace the lesser Elohim over the nations under the authority of the unique divine son, the resurrected Jesus.”

The next lesson in this series is A SELF-SERVING INTERPRETIVE METHOD.