Michael S. Heiser's Blog, page 44

Online Database of Angels, Demons, and Ghosts in Rabbinic Texts

For real.

The site is called Elyonim veTachtonim. Here’s the description from the site:

Elyonim veTachtonim project web site. As of today the first version of the database is finally available on-line and:

covers the Babylonian Talmud [BT];
bases on the Soncino Babylonian Talmud (English) and Wikitext Talmud Bavli (Hebrew, Aramaic);
distinguishes between three classes of entities: angels [ang], demons [dem] and ghosts [gho];
(more or less) all the units involving dem of the BT are done; these with ang and gho are still in the stub form;
distinguishes between six genres: biblical anecdote [bib], rabbinic anecdote [rab], cultic protocol [cult], pragmatic advice [prag], proverb [prov] and statement [stat];
recognizes a number of entities and topics;
covers all the attitude types.

I don’t know if the database is searchable (I couldn’t find a way to do that), but it can be downloaded in Excel format.

The Current State of UFOlogy

This essay pretty much sums up the situation.

It ain’t good.

MJ-12—The Hoax That Quickly Became a Disinformation Operation

That’s the title of an essay by Robert Hastings. It’s well worth the read, as it does more than beat a dead horse. It has a number of salient details that should convince any clear-thinking person that the Majestic documents should not be trusted.

This paragraph captures the gist:

While [Barry] Greenwood and [Kevin] Randle believe that a simple hoax, designed to make money, was perpetrated by researcher Bill Moore and U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) Special Agent Richard Doty, I contend the available evidence strongly suggests that the MJ-12 fraud, while originating as a hoax, was quickly co-opted by AFOSI and perhaps other intelligence groups, as a means to disinform/misdirect ufologists and the public-at-large, regarding the nature and extent of the U.S. government’s involvement with the UFO phenomenon.

Robbie Graham on the Tom DeLonge Delusion, Part 2

Back in November I posted about an essay (Part 1) by Robbie Graham, author of the intriguing book, Silver Screen Saucers: Sorting Fact from Fantasy in Hollywood’s UFO Movies[image error]. Robbie’s post was about the misguided saga of Tom DeLonge, rock musician turned UFO Disclosure advocate.

Here’s Part 2 of Robbie’s thoughts on the Tom DeLonge delusion. It includes a nice review of the William Moore and Richard Doty disinformation fiasco (one reason the Majestic documents should not be trusted).

It’s all a sad, twisted saga about willing people being played like a fiddle.

Genetic Mythologies: “Nephilim DNA” from the Paracas skulls

The title of this post corresponds to an excellent post by Dr. Jennifer Raff on her personal blog. Dr. Raff is an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Kansas, and director and principal investigator at the University of Kansas laboratory of human population genetics. She has a dual PhD in cellular-molecular biology and anthropology. In other words, she’s the perfect person to evaluate claims about DNA testing on the elongated skulls from Paracas.

Spoiler alert: There’s nothing anomalous about the DNA of these skulls that points to aliens or nephilim.

Folks, the elongated skulls from Paracas and elsewhere have nothing to do with nephilim.

Mike Heiser Being Controversial on TV

Here’s a link to an experimental talk show on Faithlife TV (my employer). It’s an intentionally provocative TV talk show that focuses on questions or topics that Christians think about but don’t bring up so as to avoid controversy. I’m the co-host with my friend Johnny Cisneros. We don’t worry about creating controversy. Someone has to generate a discussion. But listen carefully, our motivation is to be part of the solution, not the problem. But you first have to recognize that something isn’t quite right.

The show is called Questions Aloud. There are six episodes. I hope you’ll watch one or two!

Naked Bible Podcast Episode 147: Ezekiel 33-34

Ezekiel 33-34 finalize the destruction of Jerusalem and the covenant failure of its leadership and people as the cause. But there is more than meets the eye. The notion of a “watchman” prominent in Ezekiel chapter 33 is found elsewhere and has possible connections to the divine council. Ezekiel chapter 34 is heavily re-purposed in the New Testament, especially in casting Jesus in the role of God, the true shepherd of Israel. Lastly, we get a hint of the “already but not yet” theme of biblical eschatology.

The episode is now live.

Naked Bible Podcast Episode 146: Ezekiel 32

Ezekiel 32 is a lament for the empire of Egypt, whose hubris was compared to a rebellious divine council member in the previous chapter (one of the “trees” of God’s garden in Lebanon/Eden). This episode focuses on two items in the chapter. Early in the chapter, the prophet casts pharaoh as both a sea dragon and a lion, two seemingly incompatible metaphors. Is this a mistake or is it meaningful? This episode also discusses whether Ezekiel 32:21-28 has anything to do with the origin of demons as the disembodied spirits of the giants.

The episode is now live.

Mike Interviewed about Astral Prophecy Material in Reversing Hermon

I was recently interviewed by Josh and Christina Peck about this aspect of my forthcoming book, Reversing Hermon: Enoch, the Watchers, and the Forgotten Mission of Jesus Christ[image error]. Enjoy!

 

Mark Combs Interviews Mike Heiser about his Novel, The Portent

Everyone — I did this interview a week ago. It’s always fun to talk about my novels. A sweet torture, as I really want to be into the third one. Hopefully I can say that I am this summer.