Divine Council Intro Dr. Michael S. Heiser

This is a pretty big deal if you want to understand the Bible in it's original and most true context.  Once you understand what's being discussed here, you will understand why certain sins and errors tend to repeat in the area where you live.  This has to do with "disobedient elohim" still exercising their authority today.  Excellent stuff.

Dr. Michael S. Heiser


Ph.D. (2004), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI; Department of Hebrew and Semitic
Studies; minor in Classical Studies. My dissertation was entitled, “The Divine Council in Late
Canonical and Non-Canonical Second Temple Jewish Literature.” The dissertation involved exegesis
primarily in the Pentateuch, Wisdom Literature, and Isaiah, but also dealt at length with Israelite
Religion (all stages) and Second Temple texts. Supervisor: Michael V. Fox

M.A. (1998), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI; Department of Hebrew and Semitic
Studies

M.A. (1992), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Department of Ancient History; Major
Areas: Ancient Egypt and Syria-Palestine (Israel)

Academic Honors
2007 - Society of Biblical Literature Regional Scholar Award, 2007 (Pacific Northwest Region)
1998-2003 – Teaching Assistantship, Department of Communication Arts, University of WisconsinMadison
1997 - Scholarship, Wisconsin Society for Jewish Learning, University of Wisconsin-Madison
1995 - James L. Weinstein Fellowship in Hebrew Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison
1990 - Ancient History Department scholarship, University of Pennsylvania

Teaching Experience
2012-current: Adjunct Lecturer, History Department, Whatcom Community College;
Bellingham, WA. I teach U.S. History and Western Civilization.
2007-current: Adjunct Professor of Biblical Studies, Liberty University Distance Learning
Program; Lynchburg, VA. I teach several online courses for Liberty Theological Seminary: Old
Testament Introduction, Old Testament Prophets, Psalms, Wisdom Books, and Hebrew Tools.
2008-2011: Adjunct Lecturer, History Department, Western Washington University,
Bellingham, WA. I taught Ancient Israel and History of Ancient Egypt in the History Department.
2000- 2007: Adjunct Instructor, Department of Biblical Studies, College of Adult and
Lifelong Learning (Correspondence and Online Program), Taylor University, Fort Wayne, IN.
I taught ten courses for correspondence and online study, including: Wisdom Literature, Angelology,
Christian Ethics, and History of Israel
Fall 2003: Assistant Professor of Bible, Department of Religious Studies, Grace College,
Winona Lake, IN. This position was a sabbatical replacement. I taught Introduction to the Old
Testament, Historical Books of the Old Testament, and Christian Ethics.
1995-2002: Adjunct Instructor of History in the Departments of Social & Behavioral
Sciences, Marian College, Fond du Lac, WI. I taught World Civilizations I & II.
1992-1995: Associate Professor of Bible, Pillsbury Baptist College, Owatonna, MN.
I taught over a dozen courses while at Pillsbury including: Old Testament Survey, Bibliology,
Contemporary Theology, Christian Ethics, Genesis, History of Israel, Theological Systems, Hermeneutics,
Psalms, and Greek

The Sharpening 079: Dr. Michael Heiser and The Unseen Realm

Good stuff as Dr. Heiser explains the Deut. 32 worldview, and discusses the fact that their have been several rebellions by divine beings, and all of these things greatly affect us today, and have an even greater bearing on the events yet to come....

Tonight Dr. Michael Heiser joins us to talk about his new book The Unseen Realm. True to his form, Mike takes us through an important journey of discovery that challenges man-made traditions yet ring biblically true. This is certainly an episode every Christian needs to watch.

Divine Council Intro Dr. Michael S. Heiser

None of this is new, but what we have is a clearer presentation of biblical events being put into a more meaningful and fuller context so that we might see the operative patterns of our Lord in scriptural events.  Fascinating stuff

Darkness In The Land: Hillary, Legalizing Sin, Fallen Angels, Judgment Is Coming

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Are The “Huge, Alien Air Monsters” (That Live Inside The Clouds Above The Earth According To Some UFOlogists) The Same As The Principalities In “High Places” The New Testament Described?

Nigel Watson says, ‘The idea that ET type sky creatures exist in our skies was put forward by Charles Fort who was a great collector of mysteries in the early part of the 20th Century. In his book Lo! He notes: “Unknown, luminous things, or beings, have often been seen, sometimes close to this earth, and sometimes high in the sky. It may be that some of them were living things that occasionally come from somewhere else.” Arthur Conan Doyle the creator of Sherlock Holmes even penned a story in 1913 called The Horror of the Heights that imagines semi-solid sky creatures gobbling up aviators

When the hero of the story goes up to get evidence of their existence he never comes back, all that remains is a blood stained notebook that ends with the words: “Forty-three thousand feet. I shall never see earth again. They are beneath me, three of them. God help me; it is a dreadful death to die!” Ufologist, Trevor Constable, pioneered the photography of UFOs using infrared film during the 1960s. He considered UFOs to be biological beings, which live in the sky. As they come closer to Earth, they become more visible and they can fire bolts of lightning to defend themselves. In his 1958 book They Live in the Sky he says these creatures are invisible to our eyes, but infrared film can capture images of them as they fly above us. Today, some ufologists have adapted video cameras to capture infrared images of UFOs.’

Ever seen a really weird-shaped cloud? Like, one that looks like the devil or some kind of space monster?

What if it WAS a monster?

UFO sites such as UFO International Project suggest that some UFO sightings – and just really weird clouds – might in fact be soaring, vast alien monsters which fly around hundreds of miles above the Earth.

Maniacs on YouTube are WAY ahead of them, of course – with videos such as this unsettling glimpse into a world of pure madness (below).

Read the rest of this article at - http://metro.co.uk/2015/02/12/could-huge-alien-air-monsters-live-inside-the-clouds-above-the-earth-5060782/

Angels - A Brief Study - Part 1

This is a brief overview of angels and some of the things we may learn about them from the Bible.  This is in no way meant to be an exhaustive study, but one that should be a good start down the angelic path.

 The word used for angel in Hebrew is malawk.  It literally means messenger.  While this highlights one of the primary tasks of angels, it is only the beginning of what they do.  Let’s start with the angels the Bible tells us about by name. 

 

                             THE ANGEL OF THE LORD   

The Angel of the Lord is mentioned many times in the Old Testament.  It is apparent that this is sometimes a generic term for a messenger of God, but at other times describes the most unique of all the angels.  The features of this angel include speaking not only for God, but as God.  Some examples of this include Gen. 16:6-13, where Hagar is fleeing from Sarah.  The Angel of the Lord appears to Hagar and speaks for God in verse 9, then speaks as God in verse 10.   Again in Gen. 18:1-14 we see three angels appear as men to Abraham.  Abraham actually prepares food for them which they eat!  (vs. 10)  In verse 1 of this chapter one of the men is actually identified as Yahweh, the Lord Himself.  In Gen. 22:9-18 Abraham again encounters the Angel of the Lord as he is taking his son, Isaac, up to Mount Moriah to offer him as a sacrifice.  In verse 12 the angel speaks both for God and as God in the same verse.  Furthermore, in vs. 15-18 the Angel again speaks as God, pronouncing the great blessing upon Abraham as though the Angel Himself were God.  In Gen. 28 and 31 Jacob interacts with the Angel of the Lord in dreams.  In Gen 32:23-31, Jacob wrestles with a man (vs. 24), but this man goes on to rename and bless Jacob, giving him the new name of Israel (ruling with God or God prevails vs. 28).  In verse 30 Jacob renames the place Peniel, meaning the face of God, as Jacob had “wrestled with God” face to face and prevailed, at least to the extent of receiving the blessing of the Lord.  This is confirmed in Hosea 12:4-5.   

So we have here an example of an angel (messenger) of God speaking for God but also as God.  This is called a theophany, meaning an appearance of the Son of God before His incarnation through the Holy Spirit and Mary.  This being necessary because as we read in Jo. 1:18 and 5:37, no one can look upon God or hear Him directly.  God is holy, and we who are unholy would not survive being in His presence.  The Angel of the Lord was a necessary intermediary in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament, with the incarnation of the Son of God in Jesus Christ, His appearing as the Angel of the Lord became no longer necessary.  We now have the face and voice of God available to all believers.  Jesus Christ in the flesh is now our intermediary.  We see similar encounters in Ex. 3:1-6 with Moses at the burning bush, and Josh. 5:13-15 where Joshua encounters the Angel of the Lord in the appearance of a man before the fall of Jericho.  We see the Angel again in Jud. 6:11-24, where He appears to inspire and direct Gideon in the deliverance of his people.  There are other passages referring to the angel of the LORD in the Old Testament, but it’s not certain that all of these are referring to theophanies.

                                                MICHAEL 

Michael is an archangel (chief) of God.  His name means “Who is like God”.  (Dan. 10:13, 21, 12:1, Jude 9 and Rev. 12:7.)  Michael appears in scripture to be the head of God’s armies of angelic beings (see Rev. 12:7) and has personally contended with Satan (Jude 9).    In Hebrew tradition and alluded to in Dan. 12:1, Michael is the “Prince of Israel”, or the spiritual defender of Israel.  We read of other angelic princes in Daniel 10:13 and 20, those of Persia and Greece.  We can deduce from those passages that these Princes are the spiritual authorities ruling over those areas of the world. 

It should be added here that the idea of “principalities” or angelic princes reigning governing the earth, with different angels covering different parts of the world is mentioned in scripture.  In Deut. 32:8 we are told that God set the bounds of the people on earth according to the angels of God.  While the KJV of this verse says “sons of Israel”, the Septuagint, the scriptures Jesus used, has rendered this accurately.  This tells us that spiritual governance of this world is divided amongst “principalities”, powerful angels of God.  The bad news for us in this is that most of these angels are fallen.  

Getting back to Michael, in Dan. 12:1 we are told that in the last days “shall Michael stand up”.  The word for stand up here is amad, and is used twice in verse 1.  It means to stand, or take a stand.  This is the explicit meaning the first time it’s used in verse 1, but the second time it’s used it would mean to “cease” from standing.  We are told in the second half of Daniel 12:1 that after Michael ceases from his activity which initiates the “time of Jacob’s trouble”, centered on Israel, which has never been seen before.  This verse explains “the restrainer” or the one who holds back (Satan in this case) in 2 Th. 2:6.  Michael is the only angel who has been shown to engage and eventually defeat Satan (Rev. 12:7), and he is the spiritual protector of Israel.  Dan. 12:1 indicates that when Michael ceases to restrain Satan, then the time of great tribulation or Satan’s wrath (Rev. 12:12) begins.  Michael is the one who restrains.  It has become popular for those supporting  the pre-tribulation view of prophecy to claim the Holy Spirit is the Restrainer who is removed, but there is no scriptural basis for this claim.  It should be noted that restraining humanity in not listed as a function of the Holy Spirit anywhere in scripture.
 

                                                             GABRIEL

Gabriel interestingly means “man of God”, and apparently appears and speaks like a man.  He also seems to be a herald of God, that is, one who is sent before the King to announce His coming.  (Dan. 8:16, 9:21, Lk. 1:19, 26).  He not only appears to announce prophecies relating to the coming Messiah to Daniel, but also appears to Mary to announce that she would soon be pregnant by the Holy Spirit with the Savior of the world.                                               

                                                  CHERUBIM 

The cherubim are powerful angels usually mentioned as being in the immediate presence of God.  They first appear in scripture as guardians of the way into the Garden of Eden after the fall of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:24).  In scripture they bear the throne of God (Ps. 18:10, 2 Sam. 22:11-12), and the Lord sits between them (Ps. 99:1).  God communed with Moses from between the cherubim on the Mercy Seat (Ex. 25:22).    They have four faces, those being a man, a lion, an eagle and a ox/bull.  The ox is said to be the face of the cherub in Ezek. 10:14.  Satan is called the “anointed cherub” in Ezek. 28:14.  

The cherubim are part of an amazing vision that Ezekiel relates in chapters 1 and 10.  Part of this vision mentions the ophan, or wheels.  The ophanim would be yet another class of angels if they are indeed separate from the cherubim.  These amazing “wheels within wheels” are described in Ezek. 1:15-21 and 10:9-13.  The wheels and the cherubs move in connection with the Throne of God, and we are told this is because the spirit of the living creature (cherub) was in the wheel.  We are also told these ophan are dreadful to look at and are covered with eyes! 

We have briefly mentioned the Cherubim, but there are two other classes of angels mentioned in scripture.  The Seraphim (fiery, burning ones) and the Nephilim (fallen ones).    The Seraphim are mentioned in Is. 6:2, where they are described as having six wings, two with which they cover their eyes, two with which they cover their feet, and two with which they fly.  The cry Holy, Holy, Holy in the Presence of the Lord.  These same beings appear to be described in Ezek. 1:13 as part of the moving angelic throne of God, also consisting of the cherubim and ophan.  Rabbis called this angelic combination that makes up the throne of God the “merkabah”.   

We also read of fiery chariots and horseman, the “chariot of Israel” that carries Elijah away in 2 Ki. 2:11-12.  In 2 Ki. 6:17, Elisha’s servants eyes are opened so that he may see a “mountain full of horses and chariots of fire”.  These may be a general class of angels, most likely the Lord’s attendants as it is written in Ps. 104:4.  He “makes His angels spirits, His ministers (attendants) a blazing fire”. 

There are also several verses mentioning the “saraphs” that are “fiery flying serpents” (Num. 21:7, Deut. 8:15, Is. 14:29, 30:6).  These serpents are a curse to the murmuring Israelites in the wilderness, and a prophetic warning to the areas of Palestine (Is. 14:29) and Egypt (Is. 30:6).  These verses do not make these seraphim evil, but rather instruments not only of God’s immediate service but also of judgment to the wicked.  They also appear to be of the same angelic class as the worshipping angels in Is. 6:2.

 

 

Artificial intelligence experts sign open letter to protect mankind from machines

And just how do you stop every government or scientist from doing the thing you fear most? 

The Future of Life Institute wants humanity to tread lightly while developing really smart machines.

• by Nick Statt

                                        

"Charlie" is an ape-like robotic system that walks on four limbs, demonstrated here in March 2014 in Hanover, Germany. The robot could conceivably be used in the kind of rough terrain found on the moon, or it could be a stepping stone toward humanity's destruction.

 

We're decades away from being able to develop a sociopathic supercomputer that could enslave mankind, but artificial intelligence experts are already working to stave off the worst when -- not if -- machines become smarter than people.

AI experts around the globe are signing an open letter issued Sunday by the Future of Life Institute that pledges to safely and carefully coordinate progress in the field to ensure it does not grow beyond humanity's control. Signees include co-founders of Deep Mind, the British AI company purchased by Google in January 2014; MIT professors; and experts at some of technology's biggest corporations, including IBM's Watson supercomputer team and Microsoft Research.

"The potential benefits are huge, since everything that civilization has to offer is a product of human intelligence....We recommend expanded research aimed at ensuring that increasingly capable AI systems are robust and beneficial: our AI systems must do what we want them to do," the letter said in part. A research document attached to the open letter outlines potential pitfalls and recommends guidelines for continued AI development.

The letter comes after experts have issued warnings about the dangers of super-intelligent machines. Ethicists, for example, worry how a self-driving car might weigh the lives of cyclists versus passengers as it swerves to avoid a collision. Two years ago, a United Nations representative called for a moratorium on the testing, production and use of so-called autonomous weapons that can select targets and begin attacks without human intervention.

Read the rest of this article at - http://www.cnet.com/news/artificial-intelligence-experts-sign-open-letter-to-protect-mankind-from-machines/

Why Did the Angels First Announce the Birth of Messiah to the Shepherds?

The Angels and the Shepherds

We all know the story.  The shepherds were sitting there on the hillside minding their own business, looking after their sheep, when suddenly a single angel appeared to them and announced the birth of Jesus.  This was then followed by the appearance of a multitude of angels praising God.  Why did the angels appear first to the shepherds?

To answer that question, we need to backtrack a little.  Remember we said that Bethlehem was a centre for the production of wheat and barley but also a place where sheep were raised?  But these weren't just ordinary sheep.  They were lambs destined to be sacrificed in Jerusalem at the temple.  The law required that every household had to sacrifice a lamb at Passover time - if they could afford to do so.  This amounted to a very large number of lambs.  Moreover, the regulations dictated that each lamb had to be without blemish.  (Ex 12:5). 

The corrupt sacrificial system which was in operation during the time of Jesus ensured that the Temple always made a fat profit.  If you brought your own lamb to sacrifice, it was inspected by one of the Temple priests and the chances were high that it would be rejected as having some blemish.  You were therefore forced to buy a lamb from the Temple itself.  These lambs, naturally, commanded a high price and you couldn't just buy one with ordinary money.  You first had to change your money into Temple money - at a disadvantageous exchange rate!  These are the moneychangers referred to in passages such as Matt 21:12 and it was these types of "sharp" practices which made Jesus so angry.

The bottom line is that the Temple not only sacrificed lambs, but it supplied them too - in industrial quantities!  Where did these lambs come from?  The answer is that many of them were reared in fields near Bethlehem by shepherds who effectively worked for the Temple in Jerusalem.  Now here's the important part: whenever a new lamb was born, it was the duty of the shepherds to immediately inspect the new born-lamb to determine whether or not it had any blemish.  A lamb which had some deformity (no matter how slight) was of absolutely no use for Temple sacrifice.  It was slaughtered immediately. 

This is the reason the angel appeared firstly to the shepherds: the most important sacrificial Lamb of all had just been born, and the angel therefore sent the shepherds hastening to see the One who, thirty-three years later, at Passover time, would be lifted high on a cruel cross as the one, perfect sacrifice for their sins. 

For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. (1 Cor. 5:7)

 

Read more of the incarnation at - http://bereans.com/bible_studies/the_christmas_story_revisit.html

 

You've heard the Christmas story dozens of times. But I want you to slow down and consider what it was like to be a shepherd -- seeing and hearing what they saw and heard that night. I've taken some effort to research the various aspects of the story and angel's message. Ssssh. Quiet, now, the sheep are resting quietly....

Shepherds Keeping Watch over Their Flocks (2:8)

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night." (2:8)

Tending flocks, with agriculture, formed the basis of the Palestine economy, and sheep raised on the hillsides around Bethlehem may well have been destined for temple sacrifices in Jerusalem, only six miles to the north.[1]

Jeremias describes a shepherd's life: "The dryness of the ground made it necessary for the flocks of sheep and cattle to move about during the rainless summer and to stay for months at a time in isolated areas, far from the owner's home. Hence, herding sheep was an independent and responsible job; indeed, in view of the threat of wild beasts and robbers, it could even be dangerous. Sometimes the owner himself (Luke 15:6; John 10:12) or his sons did the job. But usually it was done by hired shepherds, who only too often did not justify the confidence reposed in them (John 10:12-13)."[2]
Some of Israel's great heroes were shepherds -- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. Both Psalm 23 and Jesus compare God's care to that of a Good Shepherd. But in the First Century, it seems, shepherds -- specifically, hireling shepherds -- had a rather unsavory reputation. Jeremias cites Rabbinic sources to the effect that "most of the time they were dishonest and thieving; they led their herds onto other people's land and pilfered the produce of the land." Because they were often months at a time without supervision, they were often accused of stealing some of the increase of the flock. Consequently, the pious were warned not to buy wool, milk, or kids from shepherds on the assumption that it was stolen property.[3] Shepherds were not allowed to fulfill a judicial office or be admitted in court as witnesses.[4] A midrash on Psalm 23:2 reads, "There is no more disreputable occupation than that of a shepherd."[5] Philo, a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher of Alexandria (25 BC - 45 AD), wrote about looking after sheep and goats, "Such pursuits are held mean and inglorious."[6]

In contrast to rabbinical contempt for shepherds, however, Jesus distinguishes between the good shepherd and the hireling (John 10:11-13). He tells a parable of the shepherd leaving ninety-nine sheep in the fold while searching the hills to find the missing one (Luke 15:3-7). Perhaps this is because Jesus, who has fellowship with the despised and sinners, knows and appreciates them as people. There is no suggestion that the shepherds to whom the angels appeared were not devout men, though they were from a despised class.[7]

They lived most of the year outside, away from the townspeople. "Abiding in the field" (KJV) is the Greek verb agrauleo, "live out of doors."[8] Flocks were kept outside in this way from April to November, and, sometimes during the winter in suitable locations.[9] They were constantly with their sheep, since the sheep were vulnerable to all kinds of trouble. "Keeping watch" is a combination of two related Greek words. The verb is phulasso, "to carry out sentinel functions, watch, guard."[10] The noun is phulake, "the act of guarding." Together they carry the idea of "keep watch, do guard duty."[11] The shepherds made sure that the sheep were safe from wandering off and injuring themselves, as well as dangers from thieves and wolves.

The Glory of the Lord (2:9)

One minute the shepherds are talking quietly in the blackness of the winter sky. The next moment the hillside is ablaze with light and booming with the sound of an angel's voice.

"An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified." (2:9)

This appearance wasn't at a distance, but upfront and personal. "Appeared" is the Greek verb ephistemi, which here means "to stand at or near a specific place." Often this use of the verb occurs with the idea of suddenness.[12]

The brightness is more than just mega-candlepower. It is the radiance of God's own glory. "Glory" is the Green noun doxa (which we also see in verse 14). Here it refers to "the condition of being bright or shining, brightness, splendor, radiance."[13] Throughout the Old Testament the presence of God is referred to as overwhelmingly bright, burning as fire, such as the cloud above the temple by day (Exodus 16:7, 10; 40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:11; Isaiah 6:3; 40:5; 60:1; Ezekiel 3:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 4:4; etc.). God's angels sometimes bear this same bright glory (Matthew 28:3; Luke 24:4; Daniel 10:6). In this case the glory shines around the whole area (Greek perilampo). The result in the shepherds is predictable -- abject terror. "Terrified" (NIV) or "sore afraid" (KJV) reads, literally, "feared with a great fear."

The Good News Angel (2:10-11)

The angel moves first to calm their fears....

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.'" (2:10-11)

This Good News angel has the enviable task of being the first herald of Messiah's birth. "Bring good news" (NIV) or "bring good tidings" (KJV) is the Greek verb euangelizo, from which we get our English word, "evangelize." Here it means, "bring good news, announce good news." Later in the New Testament it is widely used for "proclaim the message of salvation, preach the gospel."[14] The message the angel brings is very good news that results in joy. "Joy" is the Greek noun chara, "the experience of gladness, joy."[15] Here joy is intensified by the Greek adjective megas, "great, pertaining to being above standard in intensity"[16] -- great joy!

Notice how broad is the angel's message. It's not for just the pious or the Jew, but "for all the people." What wonderful news for those who are estranged from God and struggling under oppression! The baby is not just born to Mary and Joseph. Verse 11 indicates that the baby is born "to you" -- to the shepherd recipients of the message and all others. This birth is unto everyone and to everyone's benefit. It is also an immediate message -- "Today" (NIV) -- "this day" (KJV).

 

Read more on the incarnation at - http://www.jesuswalk.com/lessons/2_8-20.htm

The Shinar Directive - Part 4 - Mystery Religion and the Nephilim

by Dr. Michael Lake

---

What started false religions? In the beginning, everyone knew Noah and believed in the One True God. The Scriptures call Babylon the mother of all false religions, because under Nimrod the original false religious system was successfully implemented. We learn from the Church fathers that the root of this madness started with the sons of Ham.

Fallen angels taught men the use of magical incantations that would force demons to obey man. After the flood Ham the son of Noah unhappily discovered this and taught it to his sons. This became ingrained into the Egyptians, Persians, and Babylonians. Ham died shortly after the fall of the Tower of Babel. Nimrod, called Ninus by the Greeks, was handed this knowledge and by it caused men to go away from the worship of God and go into diverse and erratic superstitions and they began to be governed by the signs in the stars and motions of the planets. (Recognitions of Clement 4.26–29)

Nimrod turned the government into a tyranny and set up twelve idols of wood named after the twelve months of the year, each representing a sign of the Zodiac. He commanded everyone to worship each idol in its proper month. (Jasher 9:8–10; Ancient Post-Flood History—Ken Johnson, ThD)[i]

All Pagan Roads Lead to Babylon

As stated in the previous entry, Noah and his family were selected by God to be saved from the Flood on the ark because they remained genetically pure (or still fully human). Unfortunately, the purity did not extend to all of their minds as well. Resting within the safety of the ark lay the seeds of the arcane knowledge given by the Watchers of Genesis 6. Ham became a sleeper agent of darkness, if you will, infected with the forbidden knowledge that resulted in the severe judgment of God upon humanity. Within the mind and heart of Ham were the foundational concepts upon which Babylon and Egypt were built (and upon which the kingdom of the Antichrist is being built today).

We find in Genesis 9:20–23 that the seeds of the Watchers already began to sprout within the heart of Ham.

And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:

And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.

And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. (Genesis 9:20–23)

There is much speculation as to the actual sin of Ham contained in these verses. Was this sin the great dishonor and disrespect that Ham had shown to Noah? Alternatively, was it possible that he had sexually violated Noah in some way? Over the centuries, Christian theologians and rabbinical scholars have debated these issues. The New American Commentary dives into the subject and provides a sensible conclusion:

What was Ham’s sin? Why did Noah invoke curses against Canaan instead of the culprit, Ham ([Genesis 9]:25)? The meaning of the phrase “saw his father’s nakedness” has been variously interpreted. Both Jewish and Christian interpretation speculated that Ham’s deed was a sexual offense since the same language is found in the Pentateuch describing sexual transgressions. Further support was garnered from v. 25, which refers to what Ham “had done to him.” Many suppose that the original story contained the sordid details but that they were excised for reasons of propriety when later placed in the Torah. Castration was thought to have been the crime by some Jewish and Christian interpreters, and others argued for a homosexual act. Jewish midrash explained that physical abuse by Ham answered why the curse was directed against Canaan; this act prevented Noah from having a fourth son, and thus Canaan as Ham’s fourth son should suffer (Gen. Rab. 36.7). This may have been fueled by the absence of any notice that additional children were born to Noah, since all the other patriarchs are said to have had “other sons and daughters” (5:3–32; 11:10–25). This lack of reference to other children, however, may be due to the author’s desire to parallel the Sethite and Shemite lines, which both end with three sons (5:32; 11:26).

Concerning a homosexual desire or act, there is no indication that a sexual indiscretion occurred when Ham viewed his father or that Ham desired his father in an illicit way. Levitical language for the homosexual act is “to lie with a male,” which we do not find here. “Saw”…is the common term for observing and does not convey necessarily the idea of sexual lust; the term can be used in this way (cf. 6:2; 34:2), but such meaning must be derived from the context and not the term by itself. On the contrary, the expressions “to see…nakedness” (Lev 20:17) and “to uncover…nakedness” are used of heterosexual actions, not homosexual encounters. The expression in our passage is not a figurative statement since the two sons actually cover up the exposed nakedness of their father, who was in a drunken stupor in the tent. This is reinforced by the description “their faces were turned.” If in fact some lecherous deed occurred inside the tent, it is inexplicable why the covering of their father is in juxtaposition to Ham’s act. On other occasions Genesis is straightforward in its description of sexual misconduct (e.g., 19:5, 30–35; 34:2). There is no reason to assume that homosexuality or, for that matter, heterosexual misconduct would be described euphemistically by the author.

Ham’s reproach was not in seeing his father unclothed, though this was a shameful thing (cp. Hab 2:15), but in his outspoken delight at his father’s disgraceful condition. The penalty against Ham’s son may be thought too severe for mere sibling gossip, but this is because we fail to understand the gravity of Ham’s offense. We have commented elsewhere (see 2:25; 3:7) that nakedness was shameful in Hebrew culture. In later Israel specific prohibitions guarded against the public exposure of the genitals and buttocks (e.g., Exod 20:26; 28:42), and nakedness was commonly associated with public misconduct (e.g., Exod 32:25). It is not surprising then that the euphemism “nakedness” was used for the shameful travesty of incest. Ham ridiculed the “old man’s” downfall. In the ancient world insulting one’s parents was a serious matter that warranted the extreme penalty of death. Mosaic legislation reflected this sentiment. This patriarchal incident illustrated the abrogation of the Fifth Commandment, “Honor your father and mother.” To do so means divine retaliation, for the crime is not against parent alone but is viewed as contempt for God’s hierarchical order in creation. Shem and Japheth, unlike Ham, treated Noah with proper respect. They refused to take advantage of him despite his vulnerable condition.^[ii]

The book of James warns us about wisdom that does not come from God. This dark wisdom produces specific effects within the souls of men.

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. (James 3:15–16)

I believe that the dark wisdom of the Watchers was brewing within the mind of Ham. The result was that he became arrogant, boastful, and disrespectful (just to name a few). Instead of showing honor to his father and covering his nakedness, he mocked his father and made sure this disgrace was brought to everyone’s attention. Once Noah realized what had happened, he uttered a curse that flowed through Ham to his son Canaan. The rabbis of old have debated why this curse was directed upon Canaan and not Cush. Some have concluded that he was an active participant in the disgrace and held the tent open for all to see. This, of course, would be mere speculation as the Scriptures are silent regarding it.

And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. (Genesis 9:25) 

                                                                                                                                    

In the sad history of slavery in Great Britain and the United States, there were individuals who justified its practice by quoting Genesis 9:25. However, this misinterpretation does not bode well in the light of historical facts. Finis Dake provides us with a quick summary of the descendants of Ham and where they settled:

The Sons of Ham

1. Cush (Gen. 10:6–12; 1 Chr. 1:8–10; Isa. 11:11), progenitor of various Ethiopian tribes that settled south of Egypt and also overran Arabia, Babylonia, and India.

2. Mizraim (Gen. 10:6, 13–14; 1 Chr. 1:8–11), progenitor of various Egyptian tribes. Mizraim means “double.” Tribes of the double Egypt (upper and lower Egypt), called the land of Ham, came from him (Ps. 78:51; 105:23–27; 106:22). The Philistines also came from Mizraim (Gen. 10:14).

3. Phut (Gen. 10:6; Ezek. 27:10), progenitor of the Libyans and other tribes in northern Africa (Ezek. 27:10; 30:5; 38:5; Jer. 46:9; Nah. 3:9).

4. Canaan (Gen. 10:6,15–19; 9:18–27; 1 Chr. 1:8–13), progenitor of peoples that settled mainly in Palestine, Arabia, Tyre, Sidon, and other parts of the land promised to Abraham. These nations are often mentioned in connection with Israel (Gen. 10:15–19; 15:18–21; Dt. 7:1–3; Josh. 12).[iii]

Since Canaan’s descendants stayed primarily in the Middle East, there was no validity to their claim that this referred to the Africans sold into slavery. What we do find is that Ham’s children became major problems for God’s people throughout history, both in ancient times and today.

From a mystery religion[iv] point of view, we can examine how the Watchers’ seeds of defiance spread like wildfire through Ham’s children.

1. Cush

Cush is named in the Bible as the father of Nimrod. Ancient history tells us quite a bit more about this barely footnoted individual within the Word of God. Cush was a leading influence in both the formation of Babylon and in the construction of the Tower of Babel. As we begin to investigate Cush historically, it is obvious that the seeds of the Watchers had taken root and begun to spring forth. Alexander Hislop, in his classic work The Two Babylons, sheds light on both the activities of Cush and the various names he bore within ancient history:

Now, assuming that Ninus is Nimrod, the way in which that assumption explains what is otherwise inexplicable in the statements of ancient history greatly confirms the truth of that assumption itself. Ninus is said to have been the son of Belus or Bel, and Bel is said to have been the founder of Babylon. If Ninus was in reality the first king of Babylon, how could Belus or Bel, his father, be said to be the founder of it? Both might very well be, as will appear if we consider who was Bel, and what we can trace of his doings. If Ninus was Nimrod, who was the historical Bel? He must have been Cush; for “Cush begat Nimrod” (Gen[esis] 10:8); and Cush is generally represented as having been a ringleader in the great apostacy. But again, Cush, as the son of Ham, was Her-mes or Mercury; for Hermes is just an Egyptian synonym for the “son of Ham.”

Gregory attributes to Cush what was said more generally to have befallen his son; but his statement shows the belief in his day, which is amply confirmed from other sources, that Cush had a preeminent share in leading mankind away from the true worship of God. The composition of Her-mes is, first, from “Her,” which, in Chaldee, is synonymous with Ham, or Khem, “the burnt one.” As “her” also, like Ham, signified “The hot or burning one,” this name formed a foundation for covertly identifying Ham with the “Sun,” and so deifying the great patriarch, after whose name the land of Egypt was called, in connection with the sun. Khem, or Ham, in his own name was openly worshipped in later ages in the land of Ham; but this would have been too daring at first. By means of “Her,” the synonym, however, the way was paved for this. “Her” is the name of Horus, who is identified with the sun, which shows the real etymology of the name to be from the verb to which I have traced it. Then, secondly, “Mes,” is from Mesheh (or, without the last radical, which is omissible), Mesh, “to draw forth.” In Egyptian, we have Ms in the sense of “to bring forth”, which is evidently a different form of the same word. In the passive sense, also, we find Ms used. The radical meaning of Mesheh in Stockii Lexicon, is given in Latin “Extraxit,” and our English word “extraction,” as applied to birth or descent, shows a connection between the generic meaning of this word and birth. This derivation will be found to explain the meaning of the names of the Egyptian kings, Ramesses and Thothmes, the former evidently being “the son of Ra,” or the sun; the latter in like manner, being “the son of Thoth.” For the very same reason Her-mes is the “Son of Her, or Ham,” the burnt one—that is, Cush.

Now, Hermes was the great original prophet of idolatry; for he was recognised by the pagans as the author of their religious rites, and the interpreter of the gods. The distinguished Gesenius identifies him with the Babylonian Nebo, as the prophetic god; and a statement of Hyginus shows that he was known as the grand agent in that movement which produced the division of tongues. His words are these: “For many ages men lived under the government of Jove [evidently not the Roman Jupiter, but the Jehovah of the Hebrews], without cities and without laws, and all speaking one language. But after that Mercury interpreted the speeches of men (whence an interpreter is called Hermeneutes), the same individual distributed the nations. Then discord began.”[v] (Emphasis added)

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