Michael S. Heiser's Blog, page 9

Mike’s Recent Interview on Help Me Believe: Divine Council and Other Stuff

Here’s the video of my interview with Haden Clark, host of Help Me Believe:

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Quick Note on Dr. Igal German’s Yesod Bible Center – Change in Course Time

Some who follow my site and social media were directed to the Yesod Bible Center’s courses. Those were created by a friend, Dr. Igal German. He asked me to let you know that the start date for the course “The Appointed Times of the Lord” has been moved to February 9, this coming Saturday, at 9pm EST. There is still time to register. The course will run on Saturdays at 9 PM EST. For information on the course, click here.

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The Kind of Emails I Get and Why My Audience is Awesome

Every once in a while I get an email from someone who simply cannot comprehend my email disclaimer — the one where I alert people to the fact that I’m always hundreds of emails behind, which means that, while I will see your email, I likely will not reply to it. This is particularly the case when someone emails me a few thousand words. Take this recent missive for example from Andre:

I’ve got a very important message for you Dr Heiser. If you, as you say you can’t and won’t read emails people took the trouble to compose and sent to you, you need to consider someone to do it for you. If you are too important for people like us common, dumb, Christians. then you should get out of the ministry and simply shut everything down.  I was led by The Lord to write to you. At first I was most reluctant as you appear to have some super intellect however after many sleepless nights I ventured to do what I needed to. However you completely ignored my letter to you although I sent it multiple times. You need to read it! you may learn something about yourself.



Sure, I might learning something about myself. But I already know a few things about myself: I’m human, not a robot. I have a regular FT job, manage a non-profit and a small home business, host a weekly podcast, have interviews to do every week (whether I feel like it or not, that’s part of my day job, too), try to blog something from time to time, and occasionally try to read, write, and be awake for people at home (they’re called “family”). I also know that, over the course of forty years of being a believer, God has shown himself perfectly capable of getting my attention through kind people. So I won’t read Andre’s tome (it was one of those overly long emails, and his attitude doesn’t strike me as kind).

Why am I telling you this? Two reasons. (1) Andre threatened to email his missive (and presumably my “sorry but I just can’t devote a couple hours to reading and responding to one email” reply to his initial irritated protestation to me — more email!) I encouraged him to do so and thought I’d help him out here. You can help him out as well by sending him an email at mamre.andre@gmail.com (and perhaps you can condense his long email for me after he posts it — if there’s really something in it I should see); (2) Because nearly all of you who email me understand my predicament. You’re humane and reasonable. I’m grateful you are. You’re awesome. And I know it.

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Wish You Could Find Out If People Who Live Near You Share Your Interest in Biblical Content? NOW YOU CAN.

I’m excited to introduce everyone to the MIQLAT Network!

For a couple years now I’ve been fielding emails and questions during live events from people who love the content I produce in books and the Naked Bible Podcast about how to find others who share that interest. A lot of people out there feel isolated. They either don’t have a church that is serious about biblical content, or they can’t seem to get others interested in serious study of Scripture in its own context.

Here’s how the network functions and where to find it.

You MUST be subscribed to my newsletter (the Miqlat Newsletter). There are no exceptions to this. The online network is created from metadata drawn from the newsletter database information.
Subscribing to the newsletter will get you access to a link that you must click to actually join the network. I will not publish this link online. You MUST subscribe to the newsletter . There is a special link to join the Miqlat Newsletter inside each issue of the newsletter (at the bottom). Once you click on that link you are entered in the network.
At the time of this writing, the next issue of the newsletter is due out the last week of January, 2019. New subscribers to the newsletter will NOT have to wait for that issue, though. New subscribers to the newsletter will receive the link within a response email generated by my email database client (Mail Chimp).
Once you click on that joining link, you’ll be taken to a page on the Miqlat.org website that is the gateway to the network. On that page there is (A) an explanatory video of how to use the network and contact people who near you geographically, and (B) a link to open the network map (it’s a map of the world) underneath the explanatory video.

Here is the explanatory video so you can at least see what you’re missing if you don’t subscribe to the newsletter. The Miqlat Network tool / map is a work in progress. We plan to tweak it in the future in response to user suggestions.

I hope this will encourage many who follow the podcast and this website to subscribe to the newsletter.

Thanks go to Jim K. and Greg L. of AllAboutGod.com for creating the network for Miqlat!

Please share the news!

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Why the Moundbuilder Myth is Wrong

Readers interested in ancient North America (and who are data-driven, not conspiracy-driven or fans of bad biblical interpretation) would do well to read this old (2011) essay by Kenneth Feder, Bradley T. Lepper, Terry A. Barnhart, and Deborah A. Bolnick:

Civilizations Lost and Found: Fabricating History – Part One: An Alternate Reality

The essay does a nice job of surveying how archaeologists are not mystified by claims made by talking heads on shows like Ancient Aliens and similar dreck. And before any of you post a comment to the effect that by recommending this essay I’m denigrating the Bible … Sorry, but the Bible makes no claims about civilizations and populations in North America. Zero. To think so is to be deeply misinformed.

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Some Great Year-End (and Christmas) Offers from Logos Bible Software

My employer, Logos Bible Software (Faithlife Corp) let me know today that they’ve put together some deeply-discounted items for the end of the year. I’m guessing someone out there will want to know, so here they are (each link is distinct from the others):

Base Package Sale: Faithlife is offering an additional $100 off the version 8 launch discount for first-time base package purchasers. That means new customers can get Logos 8 Starter for only $165.49. Also, anyone who purchases a base package will be able to gift Logos 7 Fundamentals to a friend. Available till the end of the year.

Zondervan Flash Sale: 40% off selected popular Zondervan resources. Sale ends December 28th.

Christmas Sale: Dozens of individual products on sale up to 50% off, including a free resource.

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FringePop321 YouTube Channel Now Has a Patreon Page!

Many of know about FringePop321, the YouTube channel my non-profit helps to support. I’m the host. The channel was created as a response to the panoply of fringe ideas out there on the internet and YouTube (“Middle Earth”). Our goal is to upload one episode per week. There are presently over thirty episodes on the Channel. Because we are working with an SEO (“Search Engine Optimization”) expert on the companion website for all the episodes, FringePop321 content already ranks on the first page of Google for hundreds of search terms related to fringe content. The goal is to on the first page of Google for every fringe topic there is. We’re well on the way. But we need your help for long-term success.

Other than subscribing to the FringePop321 channel, we need your financial support. Preparing the episode content, filming, and then editing each episode comes at a substantial cost of time and money to all of us involved. To that end, we’ve started a Patreon page. The page explains that there are tiered giving levels, each offering bonus access and content along with some giveaways.

Below are some episode examples. This sort of channel is desperately needed. Please support FringePop321 on Patreon!

The Urantia Book – Inspired Truth or Recycled Thoughts?

Mary Magdalene and Jesus – What Do Primary Sources Reveal?

 

Aliens in Ancient Egypt – What are We Really Seeing in the Artwork?

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The Logic of What I’m Publishing and Some Reviews of What Does God Want?

I’ve been asked the following many times when I’m out speaking:

Do you have small group material for people new to the content of Supernatural and Unseen Realm?
How can I teach other people in my church about this content?

The answer to the first is yes – What Does God Want?[image error] is the place to start. The answer to the second is to buy What Does God Want?[image error] for people.

I’m hoping readers realize what I’m doing with my content. The books I write are on a continuum. There’s a logical progression to several titles:

Entry Point:

What Does God Want?[image error] is for evangelizing the seeker and discipleship of the new believer (or completely un-discipled believer). It prepares people for …

Next Step:

Supernatural: What the Bible Teaches About the Unseen World – and Why It Matters[image error] – that’s for the average church attender.

Next Step:

The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible[image error] – that’s for the person who wants to get serious about understanding the narrative of Scripture.

Beyond Unseen Realm (books that drill down into some aspect of The Unseen Realm):

Reversing Hermon: Enoch, the Watchers, and the Forgotten Mission of Jesus Christ [image error]

Angels: What the Bible Really Says About God’s Heavenly Host [image error]

Demons, What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness (forthcoming in 2019)

Here are some Amazon reviews of What Does God Want? that illustrates that its readers understand the agenda:

From Ryan Riley: “Excellent Summary of the Bible, Gospel, and Discipleship.”

Dr. Heiser presents the overall narrative of the Bible clearly in a few short chapters. He then digs in on the gospel, what it is and isn’t. He does a great job using Scripture to back up his position. Lastly, he tackles discipleship with a clarity I have not found elsewhere. I very much appreciated this book for both its concise and plain spoken presentation of its subjects. This is a terrific book both for non-believers interested in understanding what the Bible and Jesus are all about, new believers wanting to know what is expected of them, and seasoned believers looking for a good refresher or tool to use in introducing Jesus and the Bible to others.

From Pastor Trey Roberts: “Ready to Clear the Clutter?”

Many people study and do so in great depth only to feel inundated with too much information and overwhelmed by never-ending questions with not enough life to gain all the answers. What Does God Want? will help to snap you back to what’s important, to what’s essential and offer you a primer of what to keep one’s spiritual eye on. God wants us. He always has. We must carry on His will and rescue our fellow imagers, loving and serving like Jesus and become more useful to His Kingdom.

From John Hannah: “For the new and older believer”

A very good presentation of the gospel and becoming a disciple of Jesus. Clear and forthright fo the new believer and those seeking to understand the faith. Also, a great reminder to older believers who have somehow fallen into the trap of performance based religion.

From John W. Daniels: “A great concise introduction to Christianity as well as a refresher for the seasoned believer”

This book is short (less than 100 pages). However, in that concise read, there is a wonderful explanation of what it means to be a Christian, how we can understand and be in a relationship with God, and how humanity has gotten to its current state. Highly recommended.

From Rhonda: “I love it!”

This book is a power tool for discipleship. It presents profound truth with such simplicity.

Hopefully these capture what I’m trying to do. What Does God Want?[image error] is an ideal Christmas gift for the seeker and new believer you know. It’s not the run-of-the-mill gospel presentation.

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Sanhedrin Invites Nikki Haley To Be “President Of Organization Of 70 Nations”

Hat tip to Tom Horn for this one. You can read the article here ((published at BreakingIsraelNews.com). Here’s a paragraph:

During their session during the recent Hanukkah holiday, the Sanhedrin decided to invite Nikki Haley, the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, to be the president of the Organization of 70 Nations. Their decision read as follows: “God established the borders of the world based on the 70 children of Israel who went down to Egypt and the 70 nations that came out from Noah. The concept of 70 Nations is from the Bible and symbolizes the basis for the organization while not being intended to imply a limit or requirement for participation.” The concept of 70 nations also appears in reference to the 70 oxen offered in the Temple throughout Sukkot (the feast of the tabernacles) which the Talmud (Sukkah 55b) teaches are for the merit of the 70 nations…

You have to love that. While the 70 nations language of course comes from the Hebrew Bible (it’s the number of nations in Genesis 10 per the Masoretic Text), the paragraph manages to screw up it’s significance (no reference to Deut 32:8-9) and miss the point of the 70 nations reference associated with Sukkot.

For the former, I invite people to read my journal article:

Heiser Deuteronomy 32 8 and the sons of God

For the latter, listen to this episode of the Naked Bible Podcast:

Episode 206: The 70 Bulls of the Feast of Tabernacles

 

 

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Bart Ehrman’s “Forged” Book About New Testament Pseudonymity: Extended Review by Ben Witherington

Hat tip to Shaun , who directed me to the fact that Ben Witherington blogged on each chapter of Bart’s book back when it came out, some years ago. The first of the series is here. I post this even though it’s well after the fact because I get a lot of questions about the book.

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