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I have learned much from Michael Heiser, especially from his book, The Unseen Realm. Sadly, he passed away on February 20, 2023. Prior to his entrance into glory, I wrote him an email in which I challenged his view on the origin of the demonic hosts

As many of you know from reading his books, Heiser points to the fact that a wide range of Second Temple Jewish texts (i.e., extra-biblical, non-inspired documents, especially 1 Enoch and Jubilees) argue that demons are the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim.

“Specifically, the disembodied spirits released at the death of the giants [i.e., the Nephilim], the offspring of the union of the sons of God and mortal women, are the demons known in Second Temple texts and the New Testament Gospels” (112, n. 4).

Although this is certainly a possibility, it does raise several questions.

First, it is nowhere stated in the inspired biblical books of the OT. It is derived entirely from apocryphal texts of the Second Temple period. I am reluctant to build a doctrine in the absence of any explicit biblical text that teaches it.

Second, it does not appear that this would account for the plethora of demons that we read about in the NT. Recall that in the case of the Gadarene demoniac, a “legion” of demons indwelt him; i.e., 6,000; those demons in turn entered into more than 2,000 pigs. Were there really that many of the Nephilim that their disembodied spirits could constitute the totality of demons in the world?

Third, let’s not forget that the demonic hordes described in Revelation 9:13-19 numbered “twice ten thousand times ten thousand” (i.e., 200,000,000). Of course, this may be a highly figurative and exaggerated number, but it does suggest a massive demonic army. If the only demons that exist are the disembodied spirits of dead Nephilim and their giant-clan descendants, where did these 200,000,000 demons come from?

Fourth, why would not “the sons of God” who sinned so grievously in Genesis 6 themselves be demons? The fact that they are not so named in the OT does not negate the fact that they are spirit beings in rebellion against God. If so, the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim can’t be the first demons, as if none existed before the episode of Genesis 6.

Fifth, it is also hard to believe that the spirit-being who would later be given the name “Satan” was the lone rebel from among God’s divine council for some two thousand years of human history. In other words, Heiser’s thesis would mean that from the appearance of the “serpent” in the Garden to the time of the flood (some two thousand years?) there was only one “fallen” spirit-being (or angel). Whereas I grant that no biblical text explicitly states when numerous others from the divine council rebelled against God, it strains credulity to believe that the first “demons” did not appear until so long a time after the first one fell.

Sixth, I have one final concern. What is the nature of the “spirits” of the Nephilim? Are they not the spirits that exist as a result of the merger of fallen sons of God and human beings? So, would we not then conclude that “demons” are in some sense equally human as well as divine?

These concerns do not disprove Heiser’s thesis, but they are questions relevant to the case.

 

3 Comments

Point Three: In the mentioned Revelation verse, we see four angels have been restrained, then we see the “twice ten thousand times ten thousand”. We clearly see that there are exactly four angels mentioned and then as the restraints are lifted somehow the four morph into 200,000,000. So can we surmise that one angel represents 500,000 self replications? But if this is true then your point two could be easily explained. However, as per your first point we just don't really know 100%.
Beloved,
Praying all is well with your Soul, Sam. You and your Fam are always in my thoughts and prayers.
It would be wonderful to connect again. Blessings!
682-375-9337
Dr Storms,
I have not read any Michael Heiser books but am interested in your positions after reading your article on the 70th Week of Daniel.
On the topic of demons I would like to share the following verses for you to ponder:
Genesis 2:1, “ Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.” We see here that everything was finished. This aligns with Ecclesiastes 1:9-11, “ The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.“ Hosts are not exclusively heavenly beings: Exodus 12:41, “ And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.” These hosts had a specific purpose, to bring about “the last Adam”, Jesus. His hosts, while not perfect, came down Jacob’s ladder to accomplish the ‘LORD of hosts’ objective. The other hosts, Satan’s, come from beneath. John 8:23-24, “ And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.“ They were cast ‘beneath’ before Jesus was conceived: Revelation 12:4, “ And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.”
People don’t understand the truth because “many come in my name (Christ’s) and deceive many.
Do you see?

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