The religious significance of Covid, excursus: is masking magic?
Understanding the religious nature of man, and the symbolic patterns he follows in worship, helps us to understand the rationale behind ancient magic—and ask some disconcerting questions about whether it is reasserting itself in the modern day.
The religious significance of Covid, part 1: pandemic response as idolatry
Understanding the religious nature of man, and the symbolic patterns he follows in worship, helps us to understand the seemingly irrational response to Covid—and the Church’s gross dereliction of her duty.
Is Psalm 82 depicting actual gods?
TL;DR: yes, but accusing someone who believes this of polytheism or liberalism is semantic mischief.
Does God need the divine council?
Many people object that since God doesn’t need anyone to help him rule in the heavenly places, therefore there is no divine council. This objection is puzzling, since it is easily repurposed to “prove” that there are also no earthly rulers either.
Does 1 Corinthians 8:4–6 deny or affirm the existence of other gods?
This is commonly taken as an anchor point for proving that other gods do not exist—but in fact, it is saying the opposite.
Who is the serpent in Genesis, and is it an actual snake?
Several different strands of evidence point to the serpent being not an animal, but a shining, serpentine angelic being.
Thorny problems with the serpent being a talking snake
This surprisingly common YEC interpretation of Genesis 3 is problematic for at least seven reasons.
Angels and ghosts
The common assumption that Matthew 18 and Acts 12 give us glimpses of guardian angels is probably mistaken. Rather, the term angel in these passages is referring to human spirits.
Demonization and mental illness
Despite popular assumptions, ancient peoples could usually tell the difference—just like we usually can.
What is the kingdom of God? Part 4: a tale of two seeds
The fallout of the curse was a bitter war between the seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman, within the one kingdom God had established. This culminated at Babel, where Yahweh disinherited mankind and divided them among the sons of God—taking Israel as his kingdom and giving the rest to Satan.
If Adam thought Satan was a good guy, was his transgression justified?
A response to Steve Hays, in which I challenge the assumption to begin with, and then doubt the conclusion for two other reasons anyway.
Why think the rulers of 1 Corinthians 2:8 are gods?
In which I outline two significant reasons based on the language used, and what Paul is actually talking about.
Are cherubs just palace guardians?
Steve Hays argues that my view of Eden as the divine council meeting-place trades on ignoring the role of cherubs as defensive rather than administrative beings. I reply with a three-pronged rebuttal.
What is the kingdom of God? Part 3: what happened in Eden
Adam was created as the first human member of the divine council. The serpent was a shining, serpentine being who didn’t like Adam being given dominion of the earth instead of someone higher up…like him.
What is the kingdom of God? Part 2: the divine council
Israel, like all ancient Near Eastern peoples, conceived of the world as being governed by a cosmic bureaucracy—a bureaucracy the Bible calls the divine council. Prophets were brought into this council when they were commissioned.
What is the kingdom of God? Part 1: representation and rulership
The kingdom of God and the kingdom of man started out as the same thing, and Adam’s representation of God is mimicked in the physical world’s representation of spiritual realities.
Excerpts from credible witnesses to supernatural events
Not every account of supernatural events should be believed, but some have the ring of truth.
What should we make of supernatural events in other religions?
We should welcome them as potential proof of Christianity.
What is going on with Legion and the pigs?
Why does Legion beg to go into the pigs? Why does Jesus let them? Why do the pigs then rush into the sea?
What is hell, and is it biblical? Part 2: the nature of hell
A response to Jacob McMillen and Josiah Pemberton. In this installment, I illustrate their fundamental misunderstanding of the traditional doctrine of hell.
Overt Christology in the Old Testament, part 2: the angel of Yahweh
Let me show you Jesus, hiding in plain sight…
Constructive criticism of The Unseen Realm #2: who is ha’satan?
In which I offer a friendly critique of some elements of Michael Heiser’s The Unseen Realm—in this instance, his comments in chapter 8 on Satan.
Is Psalm 82 metaphorical?
TL;DR: no.
Is the divine council henotheistic?
There’s a rock and a hard place here for anyone who wants to use that term.
Fallen, sinning, incarcerated angels
A further exchange with Steve Hays in which I defend the Enochian interpretation of Genesis 6:1–4, Jude 6–7 and 2 Peter 2:4–10.
Titans, AE
A further exchange with Steve Hays in which I defend the Enochian interpretation of Genesis 6:1–4.
How many sons of God can dance on the head of a pin?
A response to Steve Hays in which I defend the Enochian interpretation of Genesis 6:1–4, and point out some obvious problems with his objections.
Was Moses the first Asimov?
A commenter accuses me of turning Genesis 6:1–4 into science fiction, and I use the occasion to further demonstrate how the traditional Enochian interpretation is the only one that stands up to testing.
What is Genesis 6:1–4 talking about?
Some hermeneutical and exegetical thoughts defending the Enochian view of the sons of God and the Nephilim.
Are pictures of Jesus idolatry? Part 2: what were ancient people thinking?
Thinking so is an understandably venerable Reformed tradition which strikes me as naive and legalistic on several levels. Here, I look at why ancient peoples created idols to worship, and how this radically affects our understanding of the second commandment.