Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness

by Michael S. Heiser

The truth about demons is far stranger - and even more fascinating - than what's commonly believed.

Are demons real? Are they red creatures with goatees holding pitchforks and sitting on people's shoulders while whispering bad things? Did a third of the angels really rebel with Satan? Are demons and "principalities and powers" just terms for the same entities, or are they different members of the kingdom of darkness? Is the world a chaotic mess because of what happened in Eden, or is there more to the story of evil?

What people believed about evil spiritual forces in ancient biblical times is often very different than what people have been led to believe about them today. And this ancient worldview is missing from most attempts to treat the topic.

In Demons, Michael Heiser debunks popular presuppositions about the very real powers of darkness. Rather than traditions, stories, speculations, or myths, Demons is grounded in what ancient people of both the Old and New Testament eras believed about evil spiritual forces and in what the Bible actually says. You'll come away with a sound, biblical understanding of demons, supernatural rebellion, evil spirits, and spiritual warfare.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Nonfiction, Religion, Christianity, Biblical Studies, Audiobook

345 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Mike Heiser is a scholar in the fields of biblical studies and the ancient Near East. He is the Academic Editor of Logos Bible Software. Mike earned the M.A. and Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible and Semitic Languages at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2004. He has also earned an M.A. in Ancient History from the University of Pennsylvania (major fields: Ancient Israel and Egyptology). His main research interests are Israelite religion (especially Israel’s divine council), biblical theology, ancient Near Eastern religion, biblical & ancient Semitic languages, and ancient Jewish binitarian monotheism.

Mike blogs about biblical studies at The Naked Bible, and fringe beliefs about the ancient world at PaleoBabble. He offers courses to the public in Old Testament, biblical theology, Israelite religion, ancient languages, the Book of Enoch through his online institute, MEMRA.

Mike's other academic interests include the paranormal and the occult. His UFO Religions blog discusses how the pop cultural belief in aliens shape religious worldviews. Mike has been a frequent guest on a number of radio programs such as Coast to Coast AM. He is best known for his critique of the ancient astronaut theories of Zecharia Sitchin and his paranormal thriller, The Facade, which intertwines many of his interests.

Reviews

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been preparing this review for about 4 years. True, Heiser’s book has only been out around a year or so, but I knew he would write this book and I wanted to be ready. He does not disappoint. It is the only book of its kind. There are evangelical texts analyzing what the Bible teaches on demons, but they either repeat cliches or only engage with a surface level reading of the text. Unger’s is good, but he doesn’t get to the heart of the matter. Clinton Arnold’s work is fantastic, but only focused on the New Testament. Heiser’s is one of the first that deal with the best of critical scholarship, yet from an evangelical standpoint.

Demons and the Dead

Early OT language about the demonic overlaps with terms used for the realm of the dead. The key concept is that of the Rephaim. The Rephaim could be giants or shades of the dead (1 Chr. 20:4; Isa. 26:14; Job 26:5). At least at death they are seen as “supernatural residents of the underworld” (Heiser, loc. Cit. 345). They were part of the giant clans specifically targeted by Moses and Joshua (Deut. 3:11, 13; Josh. 12:4; 13:12). They are linked to the Anakim (Deut. 2:10-11). The Anakim, as you no doubt remember, descended from the Nephilim (Num. 13:33; Gen. 6:4).

Heiser later does linguistic analyses on “Spirits,” the ob, obot, oberim; “those who have passed over.” While there are locations such as Oboth and Abarim in the Transjordan, a tantalizing clue is given in Ezekiel 39:11, The Valley of the Travellers.” Archeology has shown the remains of megalithic minutes referring to the dead and the underworld.

Knowing one: Deut. 18:9-14 condemns sorcery, which is no surprise. One practice would have been “utilizing the services of so’el ob we-yiddeoni” (440). Lev. 19:31 links these knowing ones with the spirits of the oboth (side point: the KJV is actually a better translation on this one).

Azazel. One reason Azazel simply can’t be the goat offered in Leviticus 16 is that a goat is offered for Yahweh and another for Azazel. Leviticus 17 gives a bit more information, as it mentions “goat demons.” The key point is not that a sacrifice is being offered to a goat demon. Rather, the sins of Israel are being banished outside of the holy realm.

Original Rebel

This is largely a recap from his earlier works dealing with the passages in Isaiah and Ezekiel. He acknowledges that the passages originally address a human king. The point, though, is that the prophet’s speech draws upon elements of a primeval rebellion. Yes, he is talking to the king of Tyre/Babylon, but no one seriously believes the king of Tyre was in the garden of Eden at the beginning of time.

Some say it refers neither to angel nor king, but to Adam in the garden. There are some weaknesses to that approach. For one, Adam doesn’t appear anywhere in the texts. Further, as Heiser notes, we would have to presume “things about Adam that are not in the Genesis episode of the fall” (loc. 1497). Nor do we have any evidence that Adam ever served in the divine council or fancied himself a god.

As to the figure being thrown down to “earth,” Heiser notes places where eretz can mean the underworld (Jonah 2:6) “where ancient warrior-kings await their comrades in death” (Ezek. 32.21, 24-3o). The divine rebel was sent to the realm of the dead, the underworld.

Satan in Second Temple Judaism

Interestingly enough, Azazel in 1 Enoch functions as the Satan figure. The OT really didn’t make an overt identification between the Serpent and Satan. The Serpent was seen as God’s arch-enemy, but as satan was more of a common noun, few made the connection. This connection, however, is clearly seen by the time of the NT writers.

On the other hand, Azazel could function as the leader of the Watchers (Gen. 6:1-4; 1 En. 8:1). On the other hand, Azazel is the tenth fallen angel listed, so he probably isn’t the leader.

While the name Belial never refers to a personal being in the OT, it clearly does in the NT. How would NT writers and readers have made the connection? They did so by means of the intertestamental worldview (Martyr. Is. 2.4; 4.2, etc). By the time of the NT Belial is more or less the same as “Satan.”

Demons in Second Temple Judaism

This chapter summarizes largely technical concepts and reception of texts like 1 Enoch in the intertestamental period. The one new point that I noticed was his reference to the 3rd century African bishop Commodianus (ch. 3) who linked “the disembodied existence of the giants after their death” to the existence of demons. Does the Bible, though, say this? Not directly, but it does give a hint that any early reader would have seen. The Rephaim lived in the underworld and were the spirits of warrior-kings.

Third Divine Rebellion: Chaos in the Nations

As in his earlier works, he links the Tower of Babel incident with the “Deuteronomy 32 worldview.” I won’t repeat the arguments here. One question that always comes up with his take on Psalm 82 is “when” did this happen? When did God decide to judge the corrupt elohim? The Bible doesn’t directly say.

Cosmic Geography

Deut. 32:9 says Israel is Yahweh’s portion and “his allotted heritage.” With reference to Azazel, deserts are often thought to be the realm of demons (something the early church echoed). When David has to leave Israel, he says he has been “driven away from the inheritance of Yahweh” (1 Sam. 26:19).

Daniel 10:13, 20 gives the clearest, if briefest reference to cosmic geography.

The Devil and His Angels

If the Hebrew term shaitan was ambiguous, the Greek term Satanos is not. It clearly refers to the arch-rebel. It is interesting, however, that “Beelzebub,” the god of Ekron (2 Kgs 1:2-3) is now identified with Satanos. On the other hand, the lemma ba’al in the name could refer back to a more generic Hebrew reading, meaning prince on high, referring to Satan’s leadership.

It is not arbitrary that the devil tempts Jesus in the wilderness, as that is the home of Azazel and Lillith.

What is a demon?

One problem is that we think we already know what this term means. The fact that we don’t connect biblical dots and that we get our theology from post-Catholic pop culture only makes it worse. This lets Jungian gnostics and others reinterpret demon as “dark psyche” within all of us. And if you get your theology from pop culture, it’s hard to argue with them.

A demon is an evil spirit (Matt. 8:31). It’s also called “an unclean spirit.” Note that it is not called a fallen angel. Unclean spirit is far more precise and calls the reader back to how “clean/unclean” functioned in a biblical worldview. Something is unclean when it is an unnatural mixture and/or was in contact with dead corpses (hint: Nephilim).

The Ruling Powers

Paul’s language of “rulers, principalities, powers, dominions, thrones, world rulers” echoes the Deuteronomy 32 worldview. These are geographical terms. While they sometimes denote physical rulers, Ephesians 6:12, linking them to heavenly places, makes that impossible here.

Application

Heiser correctly notes that a Christian can’t be “possessed” by a demon. He also points out that possession is the wrong word, in any case. He also rebuts the Peter Wagner school of Strategic Level Warfare Ministry. Wagner correctly notes that the bible speaks of cosmic geography. The problem is that the NT authors never seem interested in casting out lieutenant demons before getting to the generals.

I agree with Heiser that the NT never lists exorcism as a weapon to use; the fact of the matter is that the NT does use it. But in any case, neither Heiser nor I would sanction the bizarre types of exorcism seen in Roman Catholic culture. The best antidote to demonic activity is simply spiritual hygiene.

Some Criticisms

While the book is easily the best of its kind, it does run into a few difficulties. There is a lot of repetition in this book, both from his earlier works and from within this work. Some of that can’t be helped. He assumes--with reason--that not all readers will have been familiar with his earlier works. That said, if you have read his earlier works then you more or less know the arguments relating to Enoch, apkallu, and the like.

That’s not to say there is no new material in the book. There is, and it is good.

[Jeremy]

See Wedgeworth's review at TGC, and see the comments below. See another review here.

[Matthew Talley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The late Dr. Michael Heiser has truly elevated my knowledge of the Near East, specifically, the Jewish people, their faith, and the cultures that surrounded them in that period. Michael was a scholar of the highest order in my humble opinion, not being afraid to go against the grain of his contemporaries.

There is simply too much to cover in this brief review of the book Demons. I'll only say, my view on the "Serpent" in Genesis 3 has been forever changed because of him. Michael shows us that, in the Faith we proclaim in the 20th/21st century contemporary Christianity, we may have worded or interpreted things somewhat differently than that of the ancient Hebrews, or those living in Second Temple Judaism, including the Apostle Paul's views on demons and the spiritual realm. There is a lot to be said regarding our popular knowledge of the Hebrews bible, but perhaps we may consider the idea that we may have erroneously read it with Western eyes.

Truly thought-provoking if you are a Christian or bible student. This book is a scholarly work, yet written with the layperson in mind.

[Jordan B Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

A provocative and worthwhile read. However, I'm simply not convinced of his thesis.

[JD Waggy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would like to give this 1.5 stars, but in the absence of halvsies I'm rounding down on this bludgeoning club of a dissertation in search of a purpose.

Here's the tl;dr for this because I read it at the behest of a friend and therefore have a LOT of notes: Heiser uses mostly apocryphal stories to tell a nebulous audience whose main defining characteristic is that they are religious evangelicals that demons are a thing and God spent most of the Bible in spiritual warfare so we should, too.

Now, let's get down to the eleven Post-It notes I have on this sucker. I'll put it under a spoiler tag just to clean up how long this is going to be:


• The subtitle is “What the Bible Really Says about the Powers of Darkness” and I am always hesitant about any book purporting to tell me what the Bible really says about anything because that’s a helluva stretch to know, so let me be honest by saying I looked at the cover and was already suspicious of its contents. Don’t judge a book by its cover? Bitch please.
• Ix: My academic brain is glad to see not only an Abbreviations page but one that includes Actual Good Resources like the Anchor Bible Dictionary, the Greek-English Lexicon, and the like. He may be arrogant, but he’s not stupid.
• Xv: My Wesleyan self bridles at his disdain for tradition (“Second, much of what we think we know is filtered through and guided by church tradition”) as though that isn’t what informs some 75% of everything, including demon lore. Translations themselves are guided by tradition.
• 5n2: “since he is a trusted evangelical scholar” is you telling me how to interpret your sources. Don’t. If his scholarship can’t stand on its own, don’t use him.
• 6: It’s fascinating that you bring up the Hebrew term ruah for these evil spirits but never once mention how that’s also the word used for the Spirit of God that gets Christianized into the Holy Spirit. Such duality of the word complicates matters, no? Apparently not.
• 6–7n3–6: I can already tell that if I take a shot every time you quote your own work, I’m going to be drunk by midway and dead of alcohol poisoning before the concluding chapter.
• 7: “One frequently misunderstood term”—you are seven pages in and already making so many assumptions and claims to support the purpose of your main arguments about what “most Christians” know and/or believe.
• 11: You start by talking about traditional beliefs about spirits and now it’s a Hebrew lesson. Seriously, who is your intended audience? Linguistic scholars don’t care about your assumptions, and assuming people do not have this depth of linguistics. Pick a lane.
• 12n20: “While the data points for the idea of hell are not connected in the Old Testament, the data points are nevertheless to be found there.” …what? You don’t actually complete your case here; the existence of a holding place for spirits does not automatically engender an afterlife for mortals in the way you’re construing. The argument is incomplete.
• 14: ba’al zebul, Prince Baal; okay, this is cool. I didn’t know the origins of the name Beelzebub. Now I know.
• 14n28: If you have to write a note to tell me to keep reading the book wherein you continue your argument, I think you know as well as I do that your book is boring AF. (I appreciate you having footnotes rather than endnotes, though.)
• 16n38: Same problem as 12n20; you’re reading “threatening” into the Hebrew cultural references, which is Christian eisegeses and has no place in a purportedly academic study.
• 18: You move on to Deuteronomy like your case is complete, but you didn’t actually make the case that the spirits themselves are evil, especially in light of your earlier assertion that God can order them around.
• 22: The Elohim/sedim comparison in which the Deuteronomical “sons of God” are gods themselves undermines your NT theory about humans as sons of God.
• Bibliography: Out of curiosity, I checked the works cited and there are fewer than 30 female authors represented in the 19 pages. Even taking in the idea that every author going by initials only is female (which is unlikely), that’s only about 3 of 19 PAGES. Do better.
• 24: I appreciate what this narrative of the sinister wilderness adds to my understanding of the Temptation of Christ in Mark.
• 31n86: SO MANY ASSUMPTIONS HERE. “For an ancient Israelite…if you failed to build walls to protect your city, your poor thinking was the reason for your vulnerability.” Ah, no. We cannot underestimate the depth of the mindset of supernatural involvement in the premodern era. We cannot imagine how God/gods were part of everything, right alongside common sense. There wasn’t anything like the separation/rationalization we have now, which is part of why things like pantheons made sense then in a way they don’t quite now.
• 34n93: Your apologetics is taking up way too much space in your book that isn’t about apologetics. Stop.
• 39 chart: Why are you translating the Hebrew but not pointing out the declensions of Greek? Do you assume your reader knows there are grammatical variations of the same word?
• 40 chart: I’m with you on the greater use of theos, but you’re misrepresenting the tenor of angelos—it’s “messenger,” which could indeed be a lesser god but has an inherent service aspect. (Also, despite how many times you’ve told me to read your book even 40 pages in, it would appear that you’re assuming I’ve read your “Angels” novel. Don’t assume that.)
• 41: “clear evidence that the rebellious Elohim and bene elim were construed as evil spirits.” What? What clear evidence? You made the case for them being spirits beyond lifeless idols, but never for a value judgment. Angels are neutral creations bound to the will of God, over and over.
• 41n8: Okay, I do appreciate this note on not reading modern notions of polytheism backward.
• 47: Don’t mix BC and CE as date markers, that’s weird. It’s BC/AD or BCE/CE. Choose one.
• 49n27: It is so weird that you explain nothing whatsoever about Greek’s grammatical structures while in this deep dive of linguistic passion, but you transliterate the Greek itself. Do you expect your readers to have at least rudimentary Greek or not? Either they have the grammar and the alphabet or they have neither.
• 54n41: Stop assuming authorial motive in Scripture; you can posit, but you can’t assert as though you had a chat with Joel the writer the other day. The move may be obscuration or denigration to you, but it may also be a deliberate theological statement; good academics always leaves a back door to the possibility of other interpretations.
• 56: “their relationship to Yahweh can’t be discerned from the translation.” Oh my stars, you actually finally admitted you can’t know a thing. Took you two chapters.
• 60: Wow, it’s almost like human myths develop over time with new experiences and cultural influences and—no? “God’s providential oversight”? Okay then.
• 61: Oh hell no. You did not just drag me through two full chapters of you insisting on word studies only within their time periods to now use the New Testament to prove a theological point in Genesis. The writer of Genesis had no concept of the Christian adversary and there is no link in the Genesis text to support your extra-created snake. This is a blatant attempt to shift the blame away from God and protect your notion of sovereignty. Stop.
• 62n3: Now “the text is clear” that it was the serpent’s fault? Okay, fine, but that then underscores the lack of reference to the devil/Satan, which makes your claims on p. 61 even more of an interpretation on your part. Interpretation is fine, but name what you’re doing rather than tossing out your reading and presenting it like it’s irrefutable fact.
• 64n14: Your argument against a Trinitarian reading on the grounds that the Trinity doesn’t confer with itself is false—see, e.g., Romans 8:27, “God knows the mind of the Spirit” and “the Spirit intercedes.” How is that not a conversation? It’s far more likely that the lack of Trinitarian doctrine in the Hebrew Bible is due to it being a late Christian doctrine that wouldn’t have been known at the time of writing this, though such ret-conning didn’t stop you back on p. 61.
• 65, esp. n116: You’re sidestepping the whole issue of theodicy by giving the angels free will? Did they come up with evil all by themselves, then? Your apologetics are trying so hard that they’re sloppy.
• 67: You refer to yourself in first and third person on the same page. Pick one, dude.
• 68: How on earth can you talk about these texts informing each other if you don’t care about source material or timeline? Throwing out historical context means you’re focusing on how they inform you, not each other.
• 72: “For our purposes”—right, but what are those purposes? Not only am I not sure who “our” is because your audience is still wildly unclear, I’m also fuzzy on what your thesis is. Is it that there are evil spirits? Is it that you just want to do a lot of linguistic deep-diving to show off your grammar skills?
o Also, way to continue the proud tradition of totally erasing Eve from the divine conversation (see also 74 and the dismissal of her as a possible reference and the completely lackluster explanation in 75n33 that utterly ignores the systemic reasons why Eve wouldn’t be mentioned with as much frequency as Adam in later Biblical books.
• 74: So, saying that this isn’t the place for the discussion you just spent three chapters having? Definitely a great move. (Where TF is your editor?)
• 78: I’m on board with your keeping space between Satan the persona and the generic concept of adversary, but tread lightly with how much you love yourself for it.
• 80–81: STOP WITH THE APOLOGETICS FFS. The torque of it is twisting your narrative out of any kind of alignment!
• 84n3: I appreciate your warning that the trajectory to monotheism isn’t a straight shot, cool.
• 91: Y’know, I’m still not totally sure why you’re spending so much time with the apocryphal 1 Enoch. Again, what’s your point in writing this? Sure, 2nd Temple literature informs the New Testament, but a lot of stuff did and you’re only covering this one small piece. Further, your tag on the front blinking cover is “what the Bible really tells us” and 1 Enoch being non-canonical means a solid third of your argument’s basis belies your subtitle. (94n33 tries to build something resembling a bridge, but it’s a bridge the same way a Lego is a concrete block.)
• 98n43: You were doing so well and then you had to go and rescue God again—if God doesn’t use or allow agents, how do you categorize Job’s experiences and the frame narrative of the wager? Is that acceptable because the Adversary asked first and therefore it kind of wasn’t God’s idea?
• 105n62: Did you just “the devil made me” all your Hebrew Bible heroes? Is your apologetics extending to the people now, too?
• 109: “It’s no secret that Genesis 6:1–4 is a controversial passage” that you just made worse by deliberately translating “human” as “man” and focusing exclusively on the sons because screw women, apparently. Also, don’t bring up the notion of “controversy” without any specifics about why or to whom, you myopic misogynist.
• 113: “there is no reason to conclude that the women were ungodly.” Glad you could rescue women this once from a COMPLETE BLANKET STATEMENT OF UNGODLINESS after spending 100 pages ignoring us in the Biblical narrative. Least you could do, and all.
• 114: “No sense that coercion is taking place” in a culture where women are literally property? GTFO and take your trash reference with you.
• 118: Wait, are you conflating Enmaduranki and Enoch? (p. 119 says yes)
o See n.21: he’s not making the claim himself but is hiding behind others who are
• 124: See, I’m all interesting in your apkallu theory and then you categorically state that your reading is the only correct one and I no longer care about the point, I just don’t like you.
• 128n3: You can’t make definitive statements based on “it’s true there is no definitive corroborating evidence.” You’re asserting by inference, which is historically a common practice but is not and cannot be the end of the conversation by any means.
• 133n14: Oh my stars, you quoted a woman and didn’t do so just to eviscerate her argument! Awww, what progress!
• 136: The anti-idolatry theory proposed here has merit.
• 142–143n36: OH LOOK MORE APOLOGETICS. FFS, dude, you’re going to hurt yourself bending this much. By abandoning canon to hare off after Enoch, this whole interlude serves to absolve us of the choice of evil (Satan is corrupting us) and absolve God of genocide (the flood was to kill the Nephilim and their followers, not just because God was angry and tired). What a neat bit of totally refusing to take on responsibility for the muddiness of relational texts.
• 146n1: Again, your argument against the Trinitarian interpretation is specious, as anyone who natters to themselves can attest—besides, the Trinity is all about relationship, which requires conversation. And why not exegetically three persons? Yes, the doctrine developed later, but it was pulled from Scriptural bases. You can’t deride a thing and not explain why it doesn’t work.
• 147: How in actual hell do you have a “correct” reading of texts pulled from oral traditions? “Accepted,” maybe, but that’s a different meaning. You, a linguist, should know that.
• 149n5: Did…did you really just explain “mutual” to me after 149 pages of multiple language studies? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO YOUR AUDIENCE IS?
• 150: “no overt attempt to evangelize” is a neat and tidy way to say “and the Israelites unflinchingly committed genocide several times over.”
• 152n7: When you say “a scholarly response,” I expect an array of scholars responding. Citing yourself is just “here’s how I defend my own statement” and is the textual equivalent of masturbation.
• 171: How can you bring up the land/sea chaos without noting that it’s a common creation motif of Ancient Near East culture? It has little to do with the demonic idea of the desert and much to do with a delayed chaotic subduing of nature reflecting the narratives surrounding Israel. Also, glad to see you’re almost 200 pages in and are finally discussing what the Bible “really” says about spirits/demons rather than the apocrypha.
• 172: “Second Temple Jewish thought embraced the sinister cosmic geography of the Old Testament.” ….that’s what I was supposed to get from all that? After you dragged me through a dichotomous lineage of evil at God’s allowance?
• 174: So you’re going to focus on Satan the coalesced person in the New Testament? That’s not “demons,” nor is it going to be a complete picture given how thoroughly you skipped Job, Hosea, and Isaiah.
• 177n8: Okay, the Baal/Bosheth thing is cool.

(There's another page and a half, but they won't fit here.)

[The Bold Movement · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author(s): Michael Heiser
Endorsed By: Tim Mackie, Michael Brown, Gerry Breshears, Frank Turek
Pages: 321
Publisher: Lexham Press
Publication Date: 2020
Price: $19.99

Michael Heiser has written a book on demons. If I am frank, I would have to say this is one of the most thought-provoking books I have ever read. While reading, I raised more questions than I could find answers. I found myself asking professors and pastors about the things Heiser said about demons because they were ideas I had not only never heard, but seemed unbelievable. This book is a provocative look at what someone says with demons. Although I did not agree with every sentence, or many to be honest, I truly enjoyed reading this book.

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I began conversations that would have never taken place had I not read this. One of those conversations was with a man from Uganda. After explaining some of the ideas in the book, he recommended Heiser visit Uganda and witch doctors then edit his writing.

I was challenged, which is always refreshing, and genuinely enjoyed looking into the ideas presented about demons and their roles in life. I would not recommend this book to a new Christian, but I believe new Christians or those who are not familiar with Scripture should start with learning the basics of the faith. However, for Christians interested in being challenged in their concept of demonic influence, proceed with caution — but progress.

Book Breakdown:

Section 1: Biblical Vocabulary for the Powers of Darkness
Hebrew Terms for Evil Spiritual Beings
It Was All Greek to Them, Too

Section 2: The Powers of Darkness in The Old Testament and Second Temple Judaism
The Original Rebel - I Will Be Like the Most High
Satan in Second Temple Judaism
The Second Divine Rebellion - Making Our Own Imagers
Depravity and Demons in Second Temple Judaism
The Third Divine Rebellion - Chaos in the Nations
Dark Powers over the Nations in Second Temple Judaism

Section 3: “The Devil and His Angles”: The Powers of Darkness in the New Testament
The Devil - His Dominion and Destiny
Evil Spirits - Demons and their Destiny
The Ruling Powers - Their Delegitimization and Destiny

Section 4: Common Questions and Misconceptions
Myths and Questions about the Powers of Darkness

Please Note: I did receive this book for free but was not required to give it a positive review.

[Shawn Durham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Demons, by Michael Heiser

Heiser, in his follow up to “Angels”, speaks of Biblical demonology, and goes in depth about how Old Testament & New Testaments authors alike spoke, not only about “Satan”, but other demonic figures. I found it very interesting how Heiser notes 3 separate demonic rebellions, the first being in Eden, the second being in Genesis 6 (the Sons of God), and the 3rd being at the Tower of Babel. His explanation on the Tower of Babel is very compelling, and to difficult to write in this short bio. To those who are interested in the “Sons of God” debate, Heiser offers 2 refutes that the Sons of God are (1) Sethites, or (2) Polygamous Kings.
•
What I finds most valuable in Heiser’s books (this is the 2nd I have read by him), is that he takes academic level materiel, and explains them in such a way that anyone can understand, whether you have formal theological training, or not.
•
Some of the most interesting aspects that I have found in this book are (1) Because Eden does not identify the Serpent as Satan, we should not think of the Serpent as the “chief demon”. (2) Cosmic Geography: I found this to be the most interesting idea, and that is the ancient audience understood the ground to be holy, which is why the Philistine Priest’s would not walk on a certain piece of ground after their god Dagon was destroyed after the Ark of the Covenant was placed before it. Lastly, just as he did in Angels, the last chapter is devoted to a Q&A!
•
Summed up, this, along with his book “Angels” are great books to read on the topic of Spiritual/Divine beings. Although I have not read “Unseen Realm” & Heiser’s other works, I plan do to so!

[Danny Tamez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book and great follow up to "The Unseen Realm" also by Heiser. This book focuses on the bad guys in the unseen realm. It clears up some misconceptions and clarifies what the Bible actually says about: the origin and fall of the devil; the origin and true nature of demons; the difference between demons and principalities; what is the true meaning of spiritual warfare.
Like "The Unseen Realm" this is an academic book with footnotes and scholarly depth of research. As such it sometimes seems like the discussion goes into the weeds for a while. But the depth is appreciated when you want to be able to confidently adopt a view or be able to teach or defend it.
All in all the book was an easy and enjoyable read that I believe I will reference in the future. Highly recommended for anyone that teaches the Bible.

[William Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I genuinely loved this book, I very much appreciate Heiser’s work on Biblical Theology and this is a worthy addition into his corpus. I sometimes have trouble following his writing, and when I’ve recommended his book to others I’ve heard similar things. This book followed that pattern, hence the 4 star review (though spiritually, it’s closer to a 4.5). I think everyone should read this book, but unless you’re committed to studying this specific vein of biblical thought you may end up leaving with more questions than answers

[Anne Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

A thorough investigation into a subject many find frightening or distasteful. It uncovers truths and puts the modern practice of spiritual warfare in perspective.

[Patrick Oben · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must commend Michael Heiser for his exceptional expertise in biblical scholarship. As a Christian minister, he is a fellow believer who displays a clear passion for the scriptures through his writings.

As a minister, I purchased this book to expand my understanding of what the Bible teaches about demons and to assist me in addressing demonic activities in the lives of those I minister to. However, I discovered that this book is more suited for Bible scholars interested in ancient Middle Eastern demonology for theological discussions and debates, rather than for preachers delivering sermons to individuals dealing with problems that sometimes involve demons. Similarly, it provides little to no assistance to believers ministering to people in their communities who will inevitably confront issues that require power, rather than scholarship, to resolve.

The book makes a significant claim that demons are the spirits of Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans. This claim originates from extrabiblical sources that influenced the worldview of biblical writers. The author defends this claim with expert scholarship and presents it to Christians as if it were biblical truth. However, this canonization of extra-biblical material is problematic because it imports views from texts outside the Bible. While some ancient Jewish oral and written traditions are not part of the Bible, they contain some truth, as seen in Peter and Jude's reference to the book of Enoch. In my view, the author is going beyond what God intended when he wrote the Bible.

As believers, we must accept that there are certain things that God purposefully did not reveal to us in the Bible, despite our insatiable desire for knowledge. It is important to avoid the pitfalls of seeking answers beyond what is given to us, as Adam and Eve discovered in the Garden. While I cannot confirm whether demons are the spirits of nephilims or not, I do know that it is not explicitly stated in the Bible. As a minister, my focus is on helping people deal with the challenges they face in their lives, and this information has little relevance to that work. The subtitle of the book in question is somewhat misleading, as it does not solely teach what the Bible says about the subject matter. Rather, it focuses on what the Bible and other texts teach about the power of darkness. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this approach, it is important for Christians to be aware that they are not receiving information directly from the Bible itself.

It is interesting to note that the author believes that casting out demons is not in line with Christian scripture. However, I can't help but wonder if our brother has ever gone out into the field to evangelize or dealt with the daily struggles that many Christians face. The purpose of a book titled "Demons" for Christians is to assist them in handling demon-related issues. Therefore, if the author, through expert research and methodology, concludes that casting out demons isn't scriptural, then the book loses its value for those who need it most. I believe that this book is more suited for academic centers, for theological or scholarly debates and discussions. This reminds me of the Jewish Doctors of Law, who were experts in the Old Testament, but failed to recognize Yahweh, the God of the Hebrew Scriptures, when He appeared to them as Jesus. It raises the question of where their scholarship went wrong.

I have mixed feelings about recommending this book. While it contains valuable information backed by expert research, it also makes some claims that could be potentially harmful for the average Christian. The book is presented in a respectable manner, which may make it challenging to distinguish between truth and falsehood. I suggest reading this book with caution, being mindful of what to accept and what to reject. Prior to exploring any potentially misleading resources, like this book, I encourage believers who are interested in demons to first conduct a thorough Topical Bible study on the topic to gain a solid understanding of what the Bible says.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Michael Heiser‘s book, “Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness”, is not what the average reader might come to expect from a book by this title. It reads like an academic book full of footnotes and cross-references, but is both intriguing and informative to those who want to put in the work of study.

First, the book assumes that the reader has some familiarity with the three cosmic rebellions of scripture, and a Deuteronomy 32 worldview in mind. Because of this, I would highly recommend that Heiser’s “The Unseen Realm” or at least his book “Supernatural” be prerequisites for reading “Demons” so that the reader begins with a thorough understanding of where Heiser is coming from when he talks about these rebellions, the Divine Council and Divine plurality. Although, Heiser explains these views in “Demons”, they are not as thoroughly explained here as they are in “The Unseen Realm”. One might get the idea, and in fact I have read some reviews that say as much, that Heiser was pulling these events out of his own imaginings when they have been thoroughly written about and discussed by Bible scholars for millennia.

Second, it is also organized for the researcher and academic. Where the casual reader might benefit more from a narrative essay, this book begins with a thorough glossary of terms. Heiser makes sure to define what he is discussing to make sure everyone is on the same page with the Old Testament writers, the Ugaritic and other ancient writers, along with those of 2nd Temple Judaism. For instance, his discussion of the term “nachash” or “serpent” in the Hebrew and all of its possible meanings and connotations is fascinating and almost leaves one with more questions than answers.

Third, Heiser makes reference to a lot of literature outside of the Bible both from the ancient world and Second Temple Judaism. I have also seen criticism of this. However, this is completely necessary in order to both fill in the gaps that Scripture leaves (it does not tell us everything about the history of the ancient world) as well as clue us into the mindset of New Testament writers like Peter, Paul, and Jude who had a thorough knowledge and even quote from pseudepigraphal texts. He also makes distinction between the Septuagint and Masoretic texts, which will differ, sometimes significantly, in what they include as well as in their interpretations.

There are terms that Heiser uses, which would easily be understood by an academic, but not so much the casual reader. For instance, he uses the common shorthand “LXX” to refer to the translators of the Septuagint because there were 70. He also uses the term “lemma” frequently without defining it. This is basically the key word or reference word used in linguistics study. Since Heiser is a Semitic language expert, it makes sense that he would use this term. It may be that Heiser writes from the perspective of someone who is an academic used to writing for other academics, but forgets that the majority of his readers do not have the background needed to fully understand his arguments.

Lastly, this is not a book merely about demons (shedim), which are just one type of dark entity defined in this book; but rather all of those “rulers” (archōn), “principalities” (archē), “powers”/“authorities” (exousia and dynamics), “dominions” (kyrios), “thrones” (thronos), “world rulers” (kosmokratōr). If you didn’t know there was a spiritual hierarchy already, or if you were wondering how they functioned, then this book will enlighten you.

Although I have said that I do not believe the book is intended for casual reading, If you like to research, then you will enjoy “Demons”. I found myself constantly reading the footnotes and many times going to the source texts. These are things any student should do. Because Heiser treats every reader as a scholar, he has made it easy to cross-check his work, and chase many rabbits down holes, which are endless.

[Ben Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent study from Heiser. He does a great job of demythologizing demons and the pantheon of gods found in most ancient cultures

[Christopher Desruisseau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scholarly treatise on the demonic world, if you want to know the difference between a demon and a power and principality, this author goes through an exhaustive word study.

[Kyle Grindberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enlightening!

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the past decade, the late Michael Heiser has had a growing influence on the interpretation of the supernatural. I read his most influential book "The Unseen Realm" earlier this year and appreciated a number of his insights, although I found the book overly self-aggrandizing at times.

"Demons" builds on the key insights of "The Unseen Realm," but is a much stronger book in my opinion. The book is more scholarly and less combative. In fact, while the title might have one think that the book will be a scintillating read, Heiser turns the heat on low and buries himself in the Hebrew text and ancient near east parallels.

While that style will repel readers looking for a more gripping read, I think it's Heiser at his best. Heiser builds on his argument that "evil spirits are members of God's heavenly host who have chosen to rebel against his will."

Heiser traces the development of the satan along with Azazel (a demon referenced in Leviticus 16) and the Nephilim (found in Ten 6). Heiser builds his interpretive argument by carefully analyzing the original Hebrew (and sometimes Greek) alongside other ancient near east pagan traditions (Canaanite, Meopotamium, Babylonian, etc).

Some of my favorite insights were in Heiser's analysis of the scapegoat sent to Azazel, which especially makes Jesus' battle against the satan in the wilderness come into new light. Heiser's reading of the text also lends to insights such as these: "Jesus chooses Mount Hermon to reveal his glory--a direct provocation of the demonic realm... Jesus is essentially picking a fight." And: "The story of the book of Acts is nothing less than the liberation of the peoples of the world held captive by the gods of the nations who enslaved them in their idolatry and unbelief."

While "Demons" is not the most accessible book and I certainly have some theological disagreements throughout, it is a great read for the patient reader who has some biblical studies background.

For more reviews see thebeehive.live

[Jordan Parmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

As we study the Bible, one of the questions we have to ask is, "Why do we see demons running amok in the New Testament but hardly ever in the Old Testament? What is going on there?" This has always been puzzling to me and for years I chalked it up to "must have simply been because of Jesus' presence". It's a subject matter I think many are afraid to touch (myself included up to this point) because it seems like a category that borders on a lot of the unknown or influenced too heavily by modern mysticism.

I stumbled across Heiser's research. When I first read the title, I was concerned it was going to be more of a pop-culture twist on supernatural powers. I was pleasantly surprised to instead find a scholarly, well-researched approach to this topic. Heiser explores the Old Testament Hebrew texts, Septuagint LLX texts, New Testament Greek texts, the Ugarit, Qumram (Dead Sea Scrolls), and some Pseudepigrapha literature. He explores language, Ancient Near East (ANE) culture surrounding the Israelites, and demonstrates the presence of spiritual beings throughout the entire Biblical narrative. He also breaks down common myths, misconceptions, and passed down traditions that have confused and muddied our understanding of demonology.

What a great read. This book really opened my mind to a facet I hadn't explored much in my previous research. This completely changed the way I understand certain passages. In fact, it makes a lot of otherwise confusing passages suddenly make sense. And just as I found answers, I also found a lot more questions. I'm glad I read this and will probably read through it a couple times in addition to some of his other works such as The Unseen Realm (which this book refers to quite a bit).

There was one aspect of this book that was challenging for me during my first reading. One of the goals is to show what cultural influences were loaded in context when Scripture was being written. Many ancient near east people held certain believes about death, the underworld, deities, etc. Heiser explores ANE literature to bring out these cultural influences and makes the point how the ancient writers would also be well versed in these influences. He spends a decent amount of time looking at passages from 1 Enoch and Jubilees (parts of the Pseudepigrapha). However, it isn't always clear what we are to make of that fact. How much stock should we put into the ANE beliefs and Pseudepigrapha manuscripts? How do we reconcile what Israelite writers believed versus their contemporaries? I hope to read through this book a few more times to pick up on these nuances. I think it is partly intentional to not force too many conclusions and to instead provide as much context as possible. Whichever the case, this was quite the interesting read.

UPDATE: Heiser's YouTube channel has videos that explain my latter questions: https://youtu.be/h5Z04SJENVE

[Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It was a little over my head in some parts, so I'll probably have to reread it at a later point in time. It was interesting to read, but not so much it kept me riveted to the book - I could put it down and come back to it at a later point in time. In the bright side, I was usually able to pick back up where I left off without too much confusion, so that is a good thing. It did take me a stretch of time to read because I read it in my free moments, which were not many in the last couple of weeks. The pacing is okay - it is a bit dry because it is academic in nature and he covers quite a bit of material in each chapter.

I think a definite plus for the books is the number of footnotes in each chapter as well as the twenty page bibliography at the end. I appreciate his referencing his sources. Granted, it is amusing to me that essentially one entire page is devoted to works that he has written - be they articles, papers, books, or blurbs for something specific (like an entry discussing a topic in a Study Bible). He quotes himself quite a bit, too, which feels funny to me on the one hand. I "get it" if he is really the only person writing about such topics, but it still feels "funny". Plus, in the various videos of his that I have watched (as a guest on another show or something he produced), he will often say that he merely pulls together what other people have said and presents it in a coherent fashion. However, as much as he quotes his works in some of the chapters makes it seem like it truly is more his thoughts and he's looking for other sources to back him up. But perhaps his works are the bridge linking disparate works together, so it is as he claims - he merely puts different pieces together to create a coherent message.

I felt the title was "misleading" in that it purports to be "what the Bible really says about the powers of darkness" but instead the author focuses quite a bit on apocryphal works as well as pseudepigrapha and the beliefs of other ancient Near Eastern religions (especially the Sumerians) before delving into biblical references about "demons". On the one hand, I realize he is laying the groundwork for presenting the influences of the time periods in which various works were written (such as how Genesis 6:1-6 is a "rebuttal" of sorts to the positive claims of ancient Sumerian texts about how the apkallu were humanity's friends and tried to save humanity from the gods). On the other hand, he does seem to base quite a bit of this book upon these non-biblical sources, so it does seem problematic to me to then claim that this book is about "what the Bible REALLY says" when it comes to demons.

I do think it is helpful to have the historical context for when a work was written to better understand the author's intent (or what God was intending to be revealed through the writing(s) of the author). We moderns do have a bad habit of interpreting ancient writings through the lens of our modern day understanding(s), experience(s), and bias(es). There are lessons we can learn from what is recorded in the Bible that are still applicable today, but we moderns do need to be wary of thinking that what was written was written for "us" (a modern day audience) and not the people who lived during the time the books/works were written. Also (and I do now know how "true" this is), but apparently Enoch talks about mansions (rooms) in Heaven for believers (or whatever the equivalent would be during Enoch's time), and the Jews living during the Second Temple period would be aware of this. And knowing this is supposed to make Jesus's comments about how He was going to prepare a place for His followers, how there are many rooms in Heaven for His followers, and if it were not so, He would have told them, more understandable. Timothy Alberino said that the only way Jesus's statement about many rooms/mansions makes sense is in the context of Enoch as no Old Testament prophet talks about Heaven like this but Enoch does. So, if that is true, then it does help put Jesus's words in a better, more understandable context. I have not read any of the translations of Enoch (Books I - III), so I cannot comment on the veracity of Alberino's statement, but it is an interesting statement on his part and would be cool if it were true.

I did find the book interesting, even fascinating. I appreciated his explanation about Azazel and the goat being driven into the wilderness, how it helped give me a better understanding (or appreciation) of Yahweh's intention(s) with that ceremony. I knew the idol of Dagon was destroyed when the Ark of the Covenant was placed at its feet in Dagon's temple; I did not realize the temple priests refused to walk over the ground where the Ark sat because it was "now" seen as "Yahweh's territory/ground" and conquered by Yahweh. That was pretty cool.

He does not go into "the divine council" quite as much (or as in depth) in this book as he did Unseen Realm and Angels, which is fine, but he does spend a little bit of time on the seventy nations being placed under the "control" (guidance) of "sons of God" and how they blew it (which makes some sense, considering the focus of this book); I had the impression he assumed readers had already read Unseen Realm if they were reading this book.

I do wish I had taken some notes; there were some moments in the book I was "I hadn't thought of that", so it was fun to have that moment of epiphany or revelation (or whatever you want to call it). I also enjoyed the final section of the book where he talks about "misunderstandings, myths, and false beliefs" (my words, not his -I loaned my copy of the book out, so I don't have it as a reference at the moment) and answers questions posed in this section. I thought he did a solid job with his answers. I liked how he pointed out Jesus does not call us to "have power encounters" or go on the attack against "spiritual powers in high places" as Jesus has already defeated them; we are to go into "enemy territory" and conquer through spreading the Gospel. This is not to say that there won't be "encounters", but one-on-one situations are different than "attacking" a spiritual entity that has dominion over a region or country (not doing a good job of explaining it). The disciples were told to go and make disciples; "power encounters" might happen but were not the focus or attention or goal. Saving souls was the goal. It's easy to forget that. Also, the discussion about "blasphemy" was interesting, too, and how we are not to be disrespectful when we are going about the Lord's business. I think that is a healthy bit of advice as well.

It is an interesting book. It was a fascinating read, on the one hand, but I don't know how "beneficial" it would be for somebody going through a tight spot in their Christian walk. It is more academic in nature and not very "life-oriented" or "action-oriented"; again, not saying it very well, but if somebody were struggling with various issues I would not recommend reading this book. I would probably rate this 3.3-3.5 rounded down to 3 stars; a bunch of it did feel like it went over my head, hahahah. Ultimately, though, I am glad I took a chance and read this book.

[Samuel G. Parkison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and convincing. Heiser is meticulous and dogged in his point-proving, which makes this book a dream for those in search of exhaustive answers about Satan and demons. The major strength of this book is that Heiser reclaims the supernatural cosmology the biblical authors were obviously working with. Heiser is not embarrassed by the stark reality of the supernatural realm that Scripture deals with, which makes him exasperating for those locked into the disenchanted metaphysic we’ve received from the Enlightenment, and a breath of fresh air for the rest of us who consider that hubris, bland worldview a bore.

I do think Heiser indulges in a little bit of a “brave rogue theologian” complex at points. He would have you believe that what one finds in these pages is the long-lost demonology that has been suffocated by tradition and pop-theology. As if this book breaks all the rules and goes against most deepest held convictions about demons. The truth is, first of all, most Christians simply don’t think about demonology very much at all (unfortunately, per my comments above), so it’s not likely this book will upset too many strongly held opinions today, and second, there’s a lot less daylight between traditional conceptions of demonology in Church History and Heiser’s findings here. Much ado about nothing.

Aside from this slightly exaggerated insinuation, owing more to a personality in writing than the substance of the book, this is a great book, and I recommend it heartily.

*I received this book from Lexham Press but was not asked to leave a positive review.

[Sarah Mcdonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can we defeat an enemy we have no real idea about? How can we dodge the enemies tactics without knowing the enemies tactics? How do we fight a battle against a fictional idea of the spirit realm? The answer to all three is is, we can’t.

This book is so complex, so good, and like nothing I’ve ever heard preached in church or read in a book before (other than books by him). We must know the power we have with the holy spirit and take hold of our authority in him while ALSO being aware of what we are up against. How can we fight the battle of a lifetime with little insight on how this battle came about and who the enemy is?

Oh how I love Michael!! He strips away any pretenses, biases, cultural norms, church movements, and common assumptions about the demonic and solely focuses on what the Bible says. This book will blow you away with how off our theology really is when it comes to the spirit realm. And isn’t that exactly what the devil wants? Isn’t that why the world hates each other and is in constant tension? We are hating each other instead of hating the force behind the problem. We are fighting a battle that our enemies are strategically putting us in and then laughing as they watch chaos ensue. Instead of hating the darkness we hate the person who is being manipulates by the darkness. I propose adding an addition to the ‘hate the sin, not the sinner’ mantra by saying ‘inform the sinner, hate the sin, fight against the root of that sin’.

I am so thankful to Michael for doing the digging and the research to bring to light the things few people really talk about.

[Keshia Swaim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another insightful look into what 1st century readers would have heard and understood from the Bible. Heiser does have a habit of quoting himself (reflective of how little has been written on the subject) so it almost feels redundant to read several of his works back-to-back. This has been an eye-opening rabbit hole, from which I may never recover.

[Jake Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good word study/ practical guide to what are the dark forces from a biblical worldview’s. Would recommend for anyone interested in something like this.

[Zachary Bemrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael S. Heiser's "Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness" is a scholarly yet accessible dive into one of the more enigmatic aspects of biblical theology - the nature, origin, and role of demons. This book represents a continuation of Heiser's broader exploration into the supernatural worldview of the Bible, building on his previous works like "The Unseen Realm" and "Angels."

**Content and Structure:**

Heiser structures his argument around the concept of three major divine rebellions described in Genesis 1-11: the fall in the Garden of Eden, the intermarriage of the sons of God with human women in Genesis 6, and the incident at the Tower of Babel. He links these narratives to the understanding of demons, proposing that these events form the theological backdrop for the biblical depiction of evil spiritual forces.

The book is divided into sections that explore:

- **Theological foundations:** Heiser delves into the scriptural portrayal of demons, contrasting it with popular culture and traditional Christian teachings. He challenges many presuppositions by grounding his analysis in ancient Near Eastern contexts and the text of the Bible itself.

- **Exegesis and interpretation:** He goes through various biblical texts, providing a detailed examination of terms and concepts related to demons, like "Rephaim" and "Nephilim," often misunderstood or misrepresented in modern interpretations. Heiser uses linguistic and textual analysis to unpack these elements, making it clear how ancient writers viewed these entities.

- **Historical and cultural context:** Heiser integrates insights from Second Temple Judaism, which he argues is crucial for understanding the New Testament's treatment of demons. He looks at texts like the Book of Enoch and other apocryphal writings to show how these influenced biblical authors' understanding of spiritual warfare.

- **Practical implications:** He discusses how this understanding should affect Christian practice, particularly in terms of spiritual warfare, exorcism, and the broader spiritual life of believers.

**Strengths:**

- **Scholarly Rigor:** Heiser is known for his academic approach, and this book is no exception. It's well-researched with extensive footnotes, providing readers with a wealth of further exploration resources.

- **Clarity and Accessibility:** Despite the complexity of the subject, Heiser makes the material understandable to lay readers, not just academics. He explains scholarly concepts in a way that invites curiosity and engagement.

- **Critical Engagement:** Heiser critically engages with both traditional views and modern misinterpretations, offering a fresh perspective that challenges readers to reconsider their understanding of the demonic.

**Criticisms:**

- **Repetition:** Some readers have noted that there is significant overlap with Heiser's previous works, which might feel redundant for those familiar with his other books.

- **Complexity:** For those new to biblical scholarship or Heiser's methodology, the text can be dense, requiring readers to invest time to fully grasp the nuances of his arguments.

**Conclusion:**

"Demons" by Michael S. Heiser is an enlightening read for anyone interested in biblical theology, especially those fascinated by the intersection of ancient Near Eastern culture and biblical narrative. It's particularly valuable for those looking to understand the biblical concept of demons from a perspective that strips away centuries of cultural overlay. Heiser's work encourages a reevaluation of traditional views, offering a more textually and historically grounded interpretation. While it might not be for everyone due to its academic nature, for those invested in biblical studies, this book is a significant contribution to the conversation about the unseen realm in Christianity.

[Phil Cotnoir · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason I was expecting this to be a popular-level book on the topic. Instead, like Unseen Realm, it was a substantive work of scholarship that delved deeply into the academic literature. That's fine with me, but it is good to know when considering recommending it to others. That being said, the audiobook version I listened to was very well done, with substantive footnotes being included while footnote citations were excluded. This approach came as close as it is possible to get to the experience of reading a physical copy.

I enjoyed the book, much as I enjoyed Unseen Realm. Indeed, there is a lot of overlap between the two books. He chronicles in detail his contention that there were three (instead of one) supernatural rebellions (Gen 3, Gen 6, and Gen 11), each of them by different sorts of beings and for different reasons, with different consequences that play out across the rest of Scripture's narrative.

Heiser's strength is also a cause for caution; he pays little heed to interpretive tradition after the NT era. Rather, he privileges Ancient Near Eastern and Second Temple Jewish understandings of these topics since he argues these were the formative influences guiding the thinking of the OT and NT writers. And he undoubtedly has a strong case. It's undeniable that the NT writers were familiar with this material, like 1 Enoch (referenced in Jude and 2 Peter).

In Heiser's telling, this 2nd Temple material synthesized the scattered and partial OT teaching on the powers of darkness into a more cohesive narrative. There is explanatory power in this since it's obvious that when we turn from the OT to the first pages of the NT, a significant shift has occurred in the way these spiritual forces are described.

But the concern this work raises is also worth considering. Heiser is perhaps too comfortable departing from the near-consensus of Christian thought throughout the centuries. His reliance on textual variants and extra-biblical sources to frame his narrative mean that we ought to be cautious about thinking we're on very solid ground. The fact is, despite my desire to understand all this, the topic is shrouded in much mystery. The evidence is scattered and ambiguous--seemingly deliberately.

One strength of the book is what so many have found so helpful about Heiser's work--he is not beholden to modernist anti-supernaturalism. Instead, he is refreshingly open to a thoroughly supernatural worldview all while being a careful scholar.

He has done much to chart a path forward for Christians to be unembarrassed in our affirmation of the supernatural while being intellectually rigorous. In other words, staying out of the ditch of kooky theories built on the flimsiest conjectures, a ditch with too many denizens already. For that, and for much else, I am thankful for Dr. Heiser's work.

[Andrei Rad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heiser never disappoints. The book popularises state of the art academical research in the domain of Bible exegesis in the cultural context. It enumerates an exhaustive list of rebellious spiritual beings found in the Bible. Mainly, it describes the power of darkness in the light of the 3 rebellions: the Serpent (original rebel), sons of God (the Watchers) with the Nephilims, and the gods that were allotted to nations at Babel. The methodology used by Heiser consists in filing Bible's gaps with ancient demonology taken both from the cultural context of the Old Testament (e.g. Mesopotamian, Akkadian) and from Second Temple Jewish texts (e.g. Jubilees, 1 Enoch). Heiser sees an evolution between the Old Testament and New Testament that is explained only if you consider the Second temple Jewish apocryphal texts. New Testament authors seem to use such themes too (2 Peter 2:4-5, Judah 6).

My problem with this approach is that although it might assume the cultural context of the age, Bible authors never develop a complex demonology. On the same note, I don't get what is the spiritual empirical importance of all of this. Sure, it sounds interesting, but spiritually unnecessary. So, I think it will be useful to describe these ideas in a modern language instead of relying solely on a language that we “forgot”. For example, J. Pageau and J. Vervaeke try to achive that in the discussion "Angels in scientific terms". Sure, "angel", strictly speaking, as Heiser will point out, is a functional term, not an ontological term, but language evolves over time. I'm not looking for some strict demythologization, but the description of the spiritual realm seems too anthropomorphic to me (too much like World of Warcraft) - God and its devine council is a mirror of the king and its regal council. I doubt that is a literal description of God's realities for which Paul couldn't find any words to describe.

At the end Heiser answers one of the most heated questions about demons. I especially liked his critique of "strategic spiritual warfare" i.e. the practice of "fighting demons and teritorial principalities" by shouting at them like a madman. Ephesians 6:10-20 and 2 Corinthians 4:14 are describing a different approach based on a set of virtues that form the armour and the weapon of the Christian in the spiritual warfare. Principalities are defeated by joining the Great Commission, that takes the light of Christ in the darkness and chaos of the world. Heiser is also addressing other preconceptions that we traditionally have about the demons (e.g. idea that 1/3 of the “angels” have fallen with Satan before the fall of man).

[DeAnna · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with the other two books I’ve read by Heiser, this one left me with my mind whirling in thought. I’m realizing how easily I have missed context by reading Scripture with my modern American eyes and how I’ve allowed tradition and popular assumptions to form my thoughts on the supernatural realm.

Heiser does an incredible job of pointing directly to Scripture and bringing context to light.

This book is academic. It is rich in etymology and historical, scholarly research of the Old and New Testaments. Heiser also compares the Biblical text to the Septuagint, Ugaritic texts and 2nd Temple Jewish literature as well as non-canonical books like Enoch and the Book of Jubilees for contextual purposes. In other words, this isn’t an easy, breezy Bible study. This book takes some of the common traditional but inaccurate beliefs we may have and brings to light what Scripture actually says about the dark side of the supernatural realm.

There’s no way I can spoon feed any of the information on these pages to you here without making a mess, so I’ll break off a few nuggets for you to chew on and just encourage you to pick this one up and read it for yourself 😉

📌 “Satan” is not a proper noun in Hebrew, it’s actually “the śātān”. When translated into English the article “the” is removed and we assume it refers to a proper personal name when it is most of the time a general term for “adversary” or “the accuser”.
📌 the serpent in Genesis that tempted Eve is not the same śātān of Job.
📌the origin of demons is tied to the second supernatural rebellion in Genesis 6:1-4.
📌Christians cannot be “possessed/owned” by demons-but they can be demonized. Demonization can take the forms of persecution, harassment, being captivated by false teaching, and enslavement to sin.

If you pick this one up have your Bible handy because you’ll be going back and forth as Scripture is heavily referenced throughout. Though it’s under 300 pages I’d recommend digesting this one slowly and taking your time. Like The Unseen Realm and Angels this one will give you lots of light bulb moments and a beautiful appreciation for the inerrant Word of God 💡

5/5 ⭐️- absolutely excellent!

[Noah Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly fascinating and helpful read on the what the biblical authors had in mind when writing about the dark forces in the spiritual realm. After reading unseen realm I had many questions about the “dark side” of the unseen realm, in particular about satan and demons, this book addressed them all in an enlightening and engaging fashion. I’m excited to read “Angels” next.

I did however have one question that was provoked and unsanswered. I’m planning on searching maybe the “naked bible podcast” or YouTube to get more of his in depth thoughts about it, but in a nutshell, in chapter 12, Heiser addresses myths and questions surrounding the topics of this book. included in this section is a bit on his response to things like deliverance ministry, and Christians casting out demons. Essentially, he doesn’t seem to believe Christians should do that sort of thing…. But rather, allegiance and discipleship to Jesus, and spreading the Gospel is our spiritual warfare. And I personally found his argument to be pretty unsatisfactory (though I do agree that that is our main objective as Christians) with very few scriptural references and not a lot of commentary in relation to those scriptures. I didn’t find it very compelling, maybe in part due to my experience as a pastor both hearing stories and experiencing what I would see as deliverance from demonic oppression, not to mention the scriptural precedent I see for it. This bothered me especially because right before this, he does speak on the fact that Christians can experience demonic influence in relation with sin. Obviously, that was not his main point in writing this book, which explains the brevity of commentary on the topic, and why it feels like sort of an afterthought at the end of the book. But as a pastor, I can’t help but hope to find practical ways to apply this information in ministry. Of course I have, but will have to do some searching to dig into more of his thoughts on this topic.

Outside of that, really enjoyed reading this book and have become a huge fan of Heiser’s work.

[Anne Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, Michael Heiser produces a treasury of accessible information—bringing out of academia a wealth of insight and careful interpretation.

Only right at the end, when he was commenting on spiritual warfare, did I disagree with a few of the points he made and felt they missed the significance of some Biblical incidents. I'd come looking for a book that would explain my experience and that of others I know and, in that, the book shed great light and offered superb insight.

The following are my personal notes, because the "Private Notes" section is not big enough:

pg 21 Hebyon may be a Canaanite deity, "the hidden", who is described as having horns and a tail.
pg 89 A day of judgment is declared for the armies of Azazel.
pg 93f Azazel is the tenth in a list of leaders of the fallen angel (as well as the 21st) in 1 Enoch 69. However in 1 Enoch 54, he's described as the overall leader—the ultimate evil authority.
pg 96 In the Book of Jubilees, the rebel leader is called Mastema.
pg 100 Belial is said to mean wickedness and in various texts to head the forces of darkness.
pg 101 Belial is also known as Melchi-rasha', king of wickedness
pg 106 Satan slanders God's integrity
pg 121 the Apkallu and the Watchers.
pg 123 Apkallu in foundations as watchers; ir - watcher in Aramaic; is this the same as jackal?
pg 129 the distinction between Azazel and Semyaza, the leaders of the Watchers.
pg 131 Azazel (Asael) as teacher
pg 141 giants and evil spirits
pg 142 the giants and Jesus (Mark 5:2)
pg 155f connection between land and a corresponding deity
pg 160 Masoretic text and the gods of the nations
pg 177 replacement of "baal" in names by "bosheth"
pg 205 in Synoptic gospels, the defeat of satan is shown in exorcisms; in John's gospel, through the Cross
pg 248 Pan among the Egyptians
pg 255 possession and demonisation

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heiser always takes me to school. The first 50 pages was an in depth dive into the Hebrew and Greek vocabulary used for evil spiritual beings and was a good reminder of the complexities hiding underneath our English translations.

There is a lot here that I haven’t fully grasped but some of the most compelling thoughts are:
- Heiser really posits the importance of Second Temple literature (e.g., 1 Enoch, Jubilees) as the bridge between OT and NT thought on demons. It is interesting and kind of confusing how “uninspired texts” (which Heiser has called 1 Enoch) can inspire “inspired texts” (e.g., the NT). But I guess we do see that pattern all throughout the OT with its setting in the ANE.
- There were three divine rebellions: 1. The “serpent” in Eden (later identified/realized as capital S Satan during second Temple period) 2. The “sons of God” (aka Watchers) who took human wives thereby creating the nephilim. This account itself is a polemic against the Mesopotamian apkallus believed to be heroes who saved humanity from Marduk. 3. The Tower of Babel when all nations other than Israel were “disinherited” by Yahweh and allotted to other members of the divine council.
- Demons aren’t fallen angles they are the spirits of dead Nephilim and their giant decedents…I’m still uncertain on this one.
- Satan taking a third of demons with him in his rebellion isn’t in scripture or second Temple thought.
- The fight against the principalities of darkness is won by spreading the Gospel not thru exorcism (whatever that actually is) or humans trying to take on demons in some manner.
- It’s a bit unclear if “possession” is even a thing. The term isn’t in the Bible and “demonized” is a more accurate term. However he didn’t discuss Satan “entering into” Judas.

[Jeff Brawner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heiser’s Unseen Realm ranks is one of the best books I have read in many years. His book on Demons, however, will not fall into that category. Most authors really have only one or two great books in them. I get the sense that reading, Unseen Realm gives the reader the bulk of what they need to know about his perspective on scripture.

Make no mistake, he has one of the most unique approaches to scripture I have seen in many years. Yet at the same time, I have come under conviction that after 2000 years of extremely godly men and women reading scripture, if something new is found, it’s wrong. Consequently, I cannot buy into what he says hook, line, and sinker.

However, his commitment to the recognition that there is a deeper aspect to scripture than what just happens here on earth is a good reminder of the spiritual realm.

He did not convince me that there are other gods. In a sense, he’s not really trying to say that anyway, but I think a new believer could become very confused with his wording. What he did remind me is that there are probably levels of demons, and some of the principalities and powers alluded to in scripture could easily be confusedwith deities.

His idea that spiritual warfare is actually evangelism resonates with me. His reminder that while we might not be able to be possessed as believers with demons, we certainly can be oppressed and influenced. His link with Luke chapter 10, and the tower of Babel, as well as act chapter 2 will probably be placed in my repertoire of how I teach missions strategy.

Skip it and read his other book, but read it with care if you are a new believer.