I fully get why many people will struggle to understand the content of this book, it goes deeper into the nuances of the ANE Worldview than many books of its kind. That said, I think the book is worth the struggle, because Heiser really does show in a remarkable way, that Jesus did not just come to pay for our sin, but also, to serve notice on those fallen Watchers, who came in Genesis 6:1-4 to ruin God's creation. There are different interpretations of that text; many say like Macarthur, that the Sons of God described, are really just ordinary men inhabited by the spirits of fallen angels, who then partner with women and create the Nephilim. But, if that were the case then how do you explain them being Giants.
I believe though, like Heiser, we need to take Genesis 6:1-4 at face value, the bible does not say that Angels cannot procreate, it just says in Matthew 22, that they should not marry, in a sense as part of the divine mandate, they were not allowed. Divine flesh, was not allowed to mix with human flesh, it was considered an abomination in God's eyes, hence the coming flood and the destruction of the earth. The Divine Council Worldview is new to most people, largely due to tradition being mostly taught in churches, rather than Scriptural truth. But if one reads Psalm 82, and Brian Godawa has done a good study on this, we see that there was indeed a Divine Council of gods, (Elohim plural), with one God, Yahweh (Elohim Singular) as the ruling God. Divine participation also is well described with Scriptural justification, not just in Psalm 82, but also in 1 Kings 22:19:23, where we have a council of divine beings leading to one putting a lying Spirit into the false prophets of Ahab.
This is not something as students of the bible, we can simply ignore. But what I really believe is revelatory about Heiser's work here; is his use of cosmic and land geography to illustrate his point of Jesus' underlying mission. In particular, the transfiguration on Mount Hermon, near Caesarea Philippi, which ironically is located in Bashan, meaning the place of the Serpent. This is where the Fallen Watchers came and took their oath to copulate with Human women, as written in the book of Enoch, which although not canonical or inspired, it was quoted in the letters of Peter and Jude. In fact quite extensively in Jude, which does indeed show how second temple Jews, viewed the coming of the Messiah and the mission he came to accomplish. When viewed in this context, we not only have a Saviour who came to pay for our sin, we have a conquering Saviour, who conquered all the evil powers and spirits, taking them captive through the streets, showing his glory, not just to the material realm, but the spiritual realm also.
One word of warning however, Heiser is an Arminian, which I believe subverts his theology. Listening to his lectures on the Supernatural at a recent seminar he did, which are very good overall, but in the second lecture where he tried to use 1 Samuel 23 as a case for free will, I felt this was deeply flawed, as David was God's chosen King, therefore it made sense for God warn to him, so he would be protected for the role God had chosen for him, this was not David's choice as Heiser tried to point out. This is actually spurious reasoning and ironically undermines his position, which indeed, does contain much sound biblical truth. So, if you have not read this book, please do, you will learn much, and stick with it, there is much depth and much to learn, just keep in mind Heiser's free will perspective, if you yourself do not follow that view.
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Leighton Medley
A Revelatory view on the Mission of Jesus
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 August 2020Verified Purchase
Lee
Huge help to my understanding
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 October 2019Verified Purchase
Rev47
Not worth it
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 August 2018Verified Purchase
Gideon
Ok
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 August 2019Verified Purchase
scooverdiver
A book to help you wrestle with the Book and its culture it was written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 April 2017Verified Purchase
