Entangled Kingdoms: Recent Episodes
Jeremie Wade
There exists one reality consisting of two realms: the seen and unseen.
And two kingdoms inhabit these realms: light and dark. It is often confusing to discern and untangle each of these kingdoms therefore join us as we explore the Entangled Kingdoms.
www.entangledkingdoms.com
Episode #26 of Entangled Kingdoms is now available!
Spiritual deception does not always look like darkness. Sometimes it sounds biblical, appears righteous, and even speaks the name of Jesus.
In this episode, we:
-
Examine Paul’s warning about “another Jesus,” a “different spirit,” and a “different gospel”
-
Explore Satan’s disguise as an “angel of light”
-
Contrast Christlike leadership with manipulation and self-exaltation
-
Consider how to test the voices shaping our faith
Counterfeit light is dangerous precisely because it looks familiar.
How can believers recognize deception without becoming cynical or suspicious of everyone?
Tune in as we continue to untangle the kingdoms and discover how to live in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Join the Conversation
What helps you distinguish faithful teaching from something that merely sounds Christian?
Leave a comment and join the conversation!
Resources
Articles
-
Peter Balla, “2 Corinthians: Paul and the False Apostles”
-
Sinclair Ferguson, “An Angel of Light?”
-
Rhyne R. Putman, “8 Ways to Spot False Teachers”
-
Sam Allberry, “Let’s Cultivate Honesty in Our Churches—Starting with Us”
Videos
-
2 Corinthians Overview — BibleProject
-
Is Evil Hiding Behind Light? Understanding 2 Corinthians 11:14 | Sean McDowell
Podcasts
-
True and False Prophets — BibleProject
-
How Can We Discern Who Is a True or False Prophet? — BibleProject
Books
-
A Model of Christian Maturity: An Exposition of 2 Corinthians 10–13 by D. A. Carson
-
The Second Epistle to the Corinthians by Paul Barnett
-
Powers of Darkness: Principalities and Powers in Paul’s Letters by Clinton E. Arnold
Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll explore liberation from Satan’s dominion, end-time deception, and Christ’s decisive victory over the powers of darkness.
Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe
Episode #25 of Entangled Kingdoms is now available!
In this episode, we examine Paul’s difficult language about delivering someone to Satan and the redemptive purpose of church discipline.
In this episode, we…
-
Examine 1 Corinthians 5 and 1 Timothy 1
-
Explore what it means to be “delivered to Satan”
-
Consider the severity of exclusion from the covenant community
-
Discuss discipline as a severe mercy aimed at repentance
-
Look at 2 Corinthians 2 and the church’s responsibility to forgive, comfort, and restore
Paul warns that Satan can exploit tolerance when repentance is absent—and unforgiveness when correction has been sufficient.
Tune in now as we continue to untangle the kingdoms and discover how to live in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Join the Conversation
I’d love to hear your thoughts on church discipline, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration!
Resources
Articles:
-
Colin G. Kruse, “The Offender and the Offence in 2 Corinthians 2:5 and 7:12”
-
Jonathan Merritt, “Shepherds, Shamers, and Shunners: The Rise of Church Discipline in America”
-
R. Albert Mohler Jr., “Church Discipline: The Missing Mark”
Videos:
-
1 Corinthians Overview — BibleProject
-
2 Corinthians Overview — BibleProject
-
1 Timothy Overview — BibleProject
-
Who is Satan and What are Demons in the Bible? — BibleProject
Podcasts:
-
A Community of Good News — Exploring My Strange Bible / BibleProject
-
The Unseen Spiritual Battle — Think Biblically with Sean McDowell
Books:
-
The Satan: How God’s Executioner Became the Enemy by Dr. Ryan E. Stokes
-
Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright
-
Paul and the Power of Grace by Dr. John M. G. Barclay
-
Satan and the Problem of Evil: Constructing a Trinitarian Warfare Theodicy — Gregory A. Boyd
Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll continue exploring Satan in Paul’s writings by considering his work inside the church through false apostles, distorted teaching, counterfeit righteousness, and spiritual deception disguised as light.
Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe
Episode #24 of Entangled Kingdoms is now available!
In this episode, we continue looking at Satan in the writings of Paul, this time focusing on spiritual warfare and what it actually means for ordinary Christian life.
We look at:
-
The “schemes of the devil” in Ephesians 6
-
The armor of God and Paul’s call to stand firm
-
How unresolved anger, bitterness, and division can give the devil a foothold
-
Paul’s thorn in the flesh and the mystery of Satan’s hostility alongside God’s sustaining grace
-
Why spiritual warfare is ultimately less about fear and speculation and more about remaining faithful to Christ
One thing that continues to stand out to me in Paul’s writings is how seriously he takes the Enemy without ever losing sight of Christ’s authority. Satan’s schemes are real, but they do not have the final word. God has given His people what we need to stand: His truth, His gospel, His Spirit, His Word, and His sufficient grace.
I hope this episode helps bring some clarity to a subject that can easily become sensationalized. Spiritual warfare is real, but Paul does not call us to panic or become fascinated with darkness. He calls us to know the Enemy’s schemes, put on the armor of God, and remain faithful to Christ.
Join the Conversation
Give it a listen and let me know what stood out to you. I’d especially love to hear your thoughts or questions about the armor of God, the devil’s footholds, or Paul’s thorn in the flesh.
Resources
Articles:
-
Suffering and the Reality of Spiritual Warfare — Seedbed
-
What Does It Mean to Give No Place to the Devil? — GotQuestions
-
What Was Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh? — GotQuestions
-
How Is God’s Strength Made Perfect in Weakness? — GotQuestions
-
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 12:2–10 — Working Preacher
Videos:
-
The Armor of God — BibleProject Classroom
-
Spiritual Warfare in Ephesians — Interview with Dr. Clinton E. Arnold
-
Quick Thought: Armor of God — Tim Mackie / BibleProject Clip
-
A Thorn in the Flesh — 2 Corinthians 12 — Gary Hamrick
Podcasts:
-
Spiritual Warfare — BibleProject Podcast
-
Spiritual Warfare and the Powers of Darkness — Sean McDowell / Think Biblically
-
Evil and Satan — The Naked Bible Podcast
Books:
-
Powers of Darkness: Principalities & Powers in Paul’s Letters by Dr. Clinton E. Arnold
-
Power and Magic: The Concept of Power in Ephesians by Dr. Clinton E. Arnold
-
Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness by Dr. Michael S. Heiser
-
The Satan: How God’s Executioner Became the Enemy by Dr. Ryan E. Stokes
-
Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright
-
Paul and the Power of Grace by Dr. John M. G. Barclay
Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll continue exploring Satan in Paul’s writings by considering his work inside the church through false apostles, distorted teaching, division, and the severe mercy of church discipline.
Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe
In this episode, we…
Explore Paul’s description of Satan as “the god of this age” who blinds unbelievers to the glory of Christ
Consider how Satan can hinder gospel ministry and oppose the strengthening of the church
Examine Satan’s role as the tempter, working through subtle deception, fear, discouragement, and distorted desires
Reflect on why Paul calls believers to vigilance, discernment, and ordinary faithfulness
See that Satan’s power is real, but limited—and that God’s grace is sufficient
Paul gives us a serious and sobering picture of spiritual conflict, but he never leaves us in fear. Satan blinds, but God gives light. Satan hinders, but he cannot stop the advance of Christ’s kingdom. Satan tempts, but God strengthens His people through truth, discernment, the fellowship of the church, and the grace of Christ.
Join the Conversation:
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Share your insights, questions, or reflections related to Satan’s activity in Paul’s letters, spiritual warfare, temptation, and the believer’s confidence in Christ.
Tune in now and join us as we continue to untangle the kingdoms and discover how to live in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Resources
Articles:
What Does It Mean that the God of This Age Has Blinded the Minds of Unbelievers? — GotQuestions
How Much Authority Does Satan Have in the World? — John Piper @ Desiring God
Resisting the Devil — Ephesians 2:1–3 — Dr. Craig S. Keener
Suffering and the Reality of Spiritual Warfare — Seedbed
Difficult Bible Passages: 2 Corinthians 4:4 — Bill Muehlenberg
Prepare for Spiritual Warfare with the Armor of God — Bible Gateway
Videos:
The Satan and Demons — BibleProject
The Satan and Demons Question/Response — BibleProject
What Ephesians 6 Says about Spiritual Warfare — Dr. Clinton E. Arnold
Ryan E. Stokes: The Satan: How God’s Executioner Became the Enemy
Podcasts:
Evil and Satan — The Naked Bible Podcast
Spiritual Warfare — BibleProject Podcast
Q+R: Nephilim, Enoch, Satan and Demons — BibleProject Podcast
Spiritual Warfare and the Powers of Darkness — Think Biblically Podcast with Dr. Clinton E. Arnold
Satan Unveiled — The After Class Podcast
Books:
Powers of Darkness: Principalities & Powers in Paul’s Letters by Dr. Clinton E. Arnold
The Satan: How God’s Executioner Became the Enemy by Dr. Ryan E. Stokes
Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright
Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness by Dr. Michael S. Heiser
An Introduction to Second Temple Judaism by Dr. Lester L. Grabbe
Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll continue exploring Satan in Paul’s writings by turning to the schemes of the devil, the armor of God, and Paul’s thorn in the flesh.
Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe
I’m excited to announce the release of Episode #22 of the Entangled Kingdoms podcast! In this episode, we dive deep into the portrayal of Satan in the New Testament's General Epistles. We…
-
Explore how Peter, James, John, Jude, and the author of Hebrews depict Satan and spiritual warfare
-
Uncover the transformative power of being born of God and its impact on our relationship with Satan
-
Gain insights into the reality of spiritual battles and the importance of vigilance
-
Discover the assurance of victory through Christ in the face of spiritual opposition
Whether you're a long-time believer or new to the faith, this episode offers valuable insights into the nature of spiritual conflict and our position in Christ.
Join the Conversation:
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Share your insights, questions, or personal experiences related to the topic on our social media platforms or in the comments section below.
Tune in now and join us as we continue to untangle the kingdoms and discover how to live in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Resources
Articles:
How Did Evil Begin - John Piper @ Desiring God*
Where Did Satan Come From - Mike McKinley @ The Good Book Co.*
The Absence of Satan in the Old Testament by Dr. Michael Heiser @ Naked Bible Blog*
Videos:
The Satan and Demons by the BibleProject*
The Satan and Demons Question/Response by the BibleProject*
Is the Fall of Satan really described in the Bible? by Honest Answers @ Southern Seminary*
The Case for Satan by Desiring God*
Podcasts:
Evil and Satan - The Naked Bible Podcast*
Satan vs Jesus- The After Class Podcast*
Satan Unveiled - The After Class Podcast*
Satan - The Dig Bible Podcast*
Books:
Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright*
Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness by Dr. Michael S. Heiser*
The Satan: How God’s Executioner Became the Enemy by Ryan Stokes*
*An Introduction to Second Temple Judaism by Dr. Lester L. Grabbe
Stay tuned for our next episode, where we'll explore Satan in Paul's Epistles!
Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe
I’m excited to announce the release of Episode 21 of the Entangled Kingdoms podcast, titled "Denizens of Darkness Part 6: Satan in The New Testament". Join me as we begin a survey into the New Testament understanding of Satan.
In this episode, we explore:
-
Various passages in the Gospels where Jesus engages with Satan and teaches about spiritual warfare.
-
The importance of vigilance, prayer, and faith in overcoming the influence of the kingdom of darkness.
-
The continuity and expansion of the understanding of Satan in the New Testament compared to Jewish beliefs during that time.
-
The authority of Jesus and the need to live in light of the gospel.
Listen to Episode 21 now and join us on this journey through the Entangled Kingdoms!
Episode Resources
Articles:
-
How Did Evil Begin - John Piper @ Desiring God
-
Where Did Satan Come From - Mike McKinley @ The Good Book Co.
-
The Absence of Satan in the Old Testament by Dr. Michael Heiser @ Naked Bible Blog
Videos:
-
The Satan and Demons by the BibleProject
-
The Satan and Demons Question/Response by the BibleProject
-
Is the Fall of Satan really described in the Bible? by Honest Answers @ Southern Seminary
-
The Case for Satan by Desiring God
Podcasts:
-
Evil and Satan - The Naked Bible Podcast
-
Satan vs Jesus- The After Class Podcast
-
Satan Unveiled - The After Class Podcast
-
Satan - The Dig Bible Podcast
Books:
-
Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright
-
Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness by Dr. Michael S. Heiser
-
The Satan: How God’s Executioner Became the Enemy by Ryan Stokes
-
An Introduction to Second Temple Judaism by Dr. Lester L. Grabbe
Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe
Here we go! We continue our look at the development of a doctrine of Satan, picking up by looking at 2nd Temple Jewish influences on those living at the time of Jesus, including his disciples and NT writers. I’ve included links to some primary sources down below and would just simply caution you to exercise great judgment. Protestants do not consider these canonical writings for good reason, however they still provide us an important framework for understanding the worldviews of our NT writers, and as such are important to read and be somewhat familiar with. We can rest easy, though, knowing that what YHWH has intended for us to learn and know about the Enemy, Satan, we can learn in our Bibles.
That said, I’m going to continue to ask that we allow our understanding of these topics to be shaped as we follow each domino as it falls in the Bible, through history. In other words, let’s connect the dots and follow the progression of God’s revelation of these truths, just as the biblical authors themselves experienced it.
I would also encourage everyone to check out the other resources below for further, personal study. As always, I’d love to hear your feedback! Let me know your thoughts by dropping a comment using the button below. Also, be sure to follow the Entangled Kingdoms Facebook page. And of course…share the podcast!
Articles:
-
“What Are the Deuterocanonical Books of the Bible?”
-
“Pseudepigrapha”
-
Read Pseudepigrapha and Apocrypha online
Books:
-
Huge list of curated books by Southeastern Baptist Seminary on 2nd Temple writings
-
Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright
-
An Introduction to Second Temple Judaism by Dr. Lester L. Grabbe
Videos:
Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe
Long time, no see! I pray that this episode makes up for the silence over the last couple months of holidays and the new year starting. I will say this…this episode is a doozy! So buckle up!
In this episode we are continuing to trace the development of the biblical authors understanding of “ha satan” and how, by the time of the NT, we have a singular figure known as Satan. This development doesn’t happen over night and is shaped by the experiences of the Israelites in captivity. Just as God uses our circumstances even today to teach and sanctify us, so He does with His people during this time period we’re looking at.
I’m going to continue to ask that we allow our understanding of these topics to be shaped as we follow each domino as it falls in the Bible, through history. In other words, let’s connect the dots and follow the progression of God’s revelation of these truths, just as the biblical authors themselves experienced it.
I would also encourage everyone to check out the resources below for further, personal study. As always, I’d love to hear your feedback! Let me know your thoughts by dropping a comment using the button below. Also, be sure to follow the Entangled Kingdoms Facebook page. And of course…share the podcast!
Articles:
-
"Satan" - from Strong's Dictionary
-
"The Enuma Elish" - the Babylonian creation myth
-
“Zoroastrianism” - the ancient, Persian religion
-
“Ancient Jewish History: The Birth and Evolution of Judaism”
Books:
-
The World Around the Old Testament, editors Bill Arnold and Brent Strawn
-
Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright
-
The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible by Dr. Michael Heiser
Videos:
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
This episode continues our series on the denizens of the kingdom of darkness! We are picking up on the title or descriptor “ha satan” in the Old Testament and developing our understanding of Satan, the chief rebel and enemy of YHWH. I’m going to ask that we continue to allow our understanding of these topics to be shaped as we follow each domino as it falls in the Bible. In other words, let’s connect the dots, following the progression of God’s revelation of these truths, just as the biblical authors themselves did.
I would also encourage everyone to check out the resources below for further, personal study. As always, I’d love to hear your feedback! Let me know your thoughts by dropping a comment using the button below. Also, be sure to follow the Entangled Kingdoms Facebook page. And of course…share the podcast!
Media:
Articles:
-
"Satan" in Strong's Dictionary
-
"The Story of Job" by Dr. Tim Mackie, The BibleProject
Books:
-
Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright
-
The Satan: How God's Executioner Became the Enemy by Ryan Stokes
-
The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible by Dr. Michael Heiser
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
Hello everyone! We continue our journey of surveying the denizens of the kingdom of darkness which began with the nameless “serpent” in Genesis 3. In today’s episode we’ll finish that conversation about the “serpent” tracing - very broadly -the “serpent” theme through the rest of scripture. These podcasts aren’t in depth studies, for that I would suggest you visit and utilize some of the additional resources linked over on the show’s notes at www.EntangledKingdoms.com.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
So it begins!! Over the next few episodes we will be diving into the various denizens of the kingdom of darkness. Who will we find lurking there? Well to start this series off, we will be looking at the “nacash” of Genesis 3. Though we will not have time in this one episode to trace the “serpent” from Genesis to Revelation, we’ll at least get a start on him. This episode will introduce the figure and we will discuss many of the qualities Moses ascribes of him, including the new ones given to him during the curse.
And yes, we all know him by his name “Satan” but keep in mind that it is not until much, much later in biblical history that the name “Satan” is given to this serpent figure we see in Genesis. That’s something John does in the book of Revelation, which we will discuss in our next episode. For now, I would encourage you to listen to this episode with fresh ears (eyes? or mind?) and let us see what we can start to learn about the “nacash”!
Videos:
Podcasts:
Snake in the Throne Room - BibleProject
Moses and the Bronze Serpent - NakedBible Podcast
Articles:
"Dragon" from "Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible"
"Leviathan" from "Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible"
“Origins of Serpent Worship”
Books:
Worship of the Serpent: Traced Throughout the World by John Bathurst Deane
Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright
The Lost World of Adam and Eve: Genesis 2-3 and the Human Origins Debate by Dr. John H. Walton
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
Hello EKers! Hope your summer is going well! I pray you are your families are finding ways to cool off this summer and stay safe.
In this episode of the podcast we spend a few minutes recapping where we’ve been and I wanted to circle back to the importance of understanding context. Also, we pick up where we left off in our look at the Tower of Babel rebellion by looking at more of Deuteronomy 32.
A couple times in the podcast I mention this blog post from earlier this year, so be sure to check it out too!
Resources
Video
Articles
Deuteronomy 32 and the Sons of God - Dr. Michael Heiser
Putting the Gods in Their Place - John Piper
Books
Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics: Foundations and Principles of Evangelical Biblical Interpretation - Graeme Goldsworthy
The Gods of the Nations: A Study in Ancient Near Eastern National Theology - Dr. Daniel Block
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
“The ziggurat was the most dominant buildings of the temple complex, so it is no surprise that it draws the attention of the author of Genesis. In summary, the project is a temple complex featuring a ziggurat, which was designed to make it convenient for the god to come down to his temple, bless his people, and receive their worship. This understanding of ziggurats makes an important point drawn from the ancient Near Eastern context to clarify the biblical text: the tower of Babel was not built for people to go up, but for the god to come down.” - John H. Walton, Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible
Morning everyone! I hope you are ready because this episode dives into the events surrounding chapters 10 and 11 in Genesis. I’m sure you know the story of the “Tower of Babel” but what is its significance? Why did mankind seek to build this tower? What was their motivations? How does the rebellion continue between YHWH’s earthy and heavenly families? Well, hopefully today’s episode will shed some light on these questions and more!
To dive into more, I’d recommend the below resources!
Video:
Articles:
“Nimrod Before and After the Bible”
“Xelua, Aztec History”
Books:
“The Gods of the Nations: Studies in Ancient Near Eastern National Theology”by Dr. Daniel Block
“The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible”by Dr. Michael Heiser
“Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible” by Dr. John Walton
“The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament”
“Myths and Legends of Babylonia and Assyria”by Lewis Spence
“The Chaldean Account of Genesis”by George Smith
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
“We need to be good listeners, to listen to the biblical authors on their own terms.” - Dr. Tim Mackie
This episode was a long time coming, and just skims the surface of this particular topic. I’m sure we’ll revisit some of this in the future, but for more information covered, I'd point you to the following resources:
Online Articles:
"Who Are the Nephilim and What Is Their Origin?”
"On the Origin of Watchers: A Comparative Study of the Antediluvian Wisdom in Mesopotamian and Jewish Traditions"
“The sons of God, the Nephilim, and the Mesopotamian Apkallu”
Books:
“The Origin of Evil Spirits: The Reception of Genesis 6:1-4 in Early Jewish Literature” by Dr. Archie Wright
“Demons and Spirits in Biblical Theology: Reading the Biblical Text in Its Cultural and Literary Context” by Dr. John Walton
“Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible” by Dr. John Walton
“Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An Illustrated Dictionary” by Jeremy Black and Anthony Green
Videos:
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
I have exciting news to share: You can now read Entangled Kingdoms in the new Substack app for iPhone.
With the app, you’ll have a dedicated Inbox for my Substack and any others you subscribe to. New posts will never get lost in your email filters, or stuck in spam. Longer posts will never cut-off by your email app. Comments and rich media will all work seamlessly. Overall, it’s a big upgrade to the reading experience.
The Substack app is currently available for iOS. If you don’t have an Apple device, you can join the Android waitlist here.
Today’s Episode
New episode is out! I want to thank you for listening, and I doubly-appreciate those who have been giving feedback. I'd love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to leave a comment here on Substack or over on Facebook. You can follow along over on Instagram as well! Be sure to share the podcast, too, if you've enjoyed it so far!
In today's episode we do a quick recap of where we've been and begin shifting gears. The podcast, at its heart, is a podcast concerning spiritual warfare and I don't know about you, but I know for much of my journey with Christ I have given woefully too little thought behind many of these issues. So I hope these podcasts are helping frame your understanding the nature of creation.
Today's episode also begins a conversation concerning the rebellion that creation - both divine and human - have participated in. We start with Genesis 3 today and in our next episode we'll cover additional scripture.
For more information covered, I'd point you to the following resources:
Books
The Origin of Evil Spirits: The Reception of Genesis 6:1-4 in Early Jewish Literature by Dr. Archie Wright
Demons and Spirits in Biblical Theology: Reading the Biblical Text in Its Cultural and Literary Context by Dr. John Walton
Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible by Dr. John Walton
The Unseen Realm by Dr. Michael Heiser
Videos
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
Our next episode is out, and it's a doozy. There is much to cover as we begin to dive into the two kingdoms. We continue to bridge the conversation by discussing the elohim present with God with him in the heavenly realm. We've talked about their creation and we’ve talked about the term “elohim” itself, but this episode dives a bit more into their purpose and some of their function in creation.
As we get more into the two Kingdoms we will be going into greater detail into their denizens. But here is where they all get their start....as members of God's heavenly assembly. They are tasked with worshipping, obeying and carrying out God's design for them. Unfortunately, as with mankind, some rebelled, as you'll see today. Which will lead us into our next series of podcasts on the Kingdom of Darkness.
In today's episode, though, we look at a few passages of scripture, but I'd draw your focus to two primary places of study: Psalm 82 and Deuteronomy 32. I didn't have time to address everything in the podcast, so i wanted to take a minute to address a textual issue you may run across while studying Deuteronomy 32 in particular. In Verse 8, depending on which translation you have, it may read "sons of Israel." Translations that use this reading are basing that on newer Hebrew texts, however the oldest texts we have all indicate the reading the ESV chooses, and that is "sons of God." The Septuagint, which Jesus and the apostles also used, favored this as well. It wasn't until the Jews adopted the Masoretic Text hundreds of years later that their tradition begin employing the "sons of Israel" reading, and in my opinion, this was likely due to the wide adoption of the Septuagint by the growing Christian church. In general, when you are translating ancient texts, we want to prefer the texts that are closest to the original authorship, which the Septuagint and Dead Sea Scrolls provide us here with this particular passage. Too, just contextually “sons of Israel” makes no sense seeing as how Israel did not exist when YHWH divided mankind.
For further study on the Divine Council there are plenty of academic papers available for free online, but I'd simply start with these provided below. Keep in mind that each of these podcasts will be building upon one another, so we’ll be addressing these topics and those tangental to it in the future.
Videos:
Web Links:
John Piper on Psalm 82 and the gods
A brief academic paper by Dr. Michael Heiser
BibleProject’s study notes on Spiritual Beings (including the Divine Council topic)
Books:
Unseen Realm by Dr. Michael Heiser
Gods of the Nations by Dr. Daniel Block
I’m still regaining lung strength and capacity, as you can probably tell in the recording. I’m pacing to post a new episode every two weeks for the next month or two until the lungs decide to play nicely. Appreciate your continued prayers. Also, more importantly, I appreciate you taking the time to listen and join me in this journey of studying the Entangled Kingdoms!
-Jer
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
Thanks again everyone for your prayers and for your patience. December and January have been quite the blur! But here we are, with tornados and covid behind us. What’s ahead of us? Well, following our conversations about world-views and about creation we now turn our attention specifically to the two realms and the kingdoms. Where to start? I think a great place to start is to piggy-back off our last podcast concerning the spiritual realm and the creation of spiritual beings.
You’ve probably noticed that I reference these spiritual beings as “elohim” - a word that most Christians consider simply a name for God. This is for good reason, but as you’ll see in today’s episode, this understanding risks being woefully inadequate and downplays the existence of other spiritual beings. This conversation about “elohim” will help begin to inform our understanding of their roles, and their activities in the two kingdoms (the Kingdom of Light, and the Kingdom of Darkness).
But, I confess, this podcast is an introduction to these topics, so I would highly encourage looking at these additional resources for further study:
BibleProject Podcast - “God” - first few episodes in particular
BibleProject Video Series: Spiritual Beings
“Unseen Realm” written by Dr. Michael Heiser - written by an evangelical OT theologian; it can be a bit academic, but there’s another book called “Supernatural” that’s for laymen
Dr. Michael Heiser’s website - links to academic papers, his podcast, blog posts, etc. To get a taste of his work, you can read this post by him over on the LOGOS website - https://blog.logos.com/who-are-elohim/
The next episode we will dive deeper specifically into the Divine Council idea and look at passages like Psalm 82, Job 1 and 2, etc.
Then, we begin a new series of podcasts hitting on these topics, centered on the various elohim of the Kingdom of Darkness:
The Enemy, “the Satan”, the dragon, etc
The Fallen “Sons of God”, Genesis 6, Deut 32, the gods of the nations
Demons and Evil Spirits, their creation, role, etc
After these topics, we’ll turn to the Kingdom of Light:
YHWH revisited, His desires and covenant demands
The “Two Powers in Heaven” - The Angel of the Lord, binitarianism in Judaism and the foundation of the Trinity in the NT
Jesus, the promised messiah
The Holy Spirit, our counselor
Looking forward to also inviting others into the conversation. Between these episodes, I’ll be recording and posting conversations with other pastors and friends about navigating some of these topics as well as just pursuing Christ in daily living.
Now for a little “elohim” humor….
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
In this week’s episode on Entangled Kingdoms, we begin our adventure into parts of Creation and Scripture that are likely very unfamiliar to most. As Westerners, thinking through spiritual and supernatural realities, and their origins, aren’t something we necessarily consider very often. You may remember from our conversations about worldviews, the “Haunted Worldview” in general had a much more “spiritual world” mindset. As Christians, we’d do well to open ourselves up to seeing more of the spiritual realities around us, because as you will hopefully begin to see in today’s episode, such realities are crucial in understanding the narrative of Scripture. The authors themselves were steeped in this knowledge and ways of thinking about the spiritual realm.
In this episode, then, we will cover three primary topics:
The eternal, uncreated nature of YHWH
How we are to think of, and interpret the creation of the “heavens” mentioned in Genesis 1:1
The creation of YHWH’s celestial family, the other spiritual beings we see throughout scripture
We’re quite a few episodes in and I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me at entangledkingdoms@pm.me. Drop me a line and let me know what you’ve enjoyed, what topics you’d like to see covered, or if you have any questions! Also, be sure to follow the podcast on social media (links below) and share with friends and family. We’re just getting started!
Once you finish this podcast episode, I would encourage you check out some of these resources:
Audio and Videos
BibleProject’s “God” podcast series
BibleProject’s “God” video
BibleProject’s “Spiritual Beings” video series
Books
“Eternal God” - Paul Helm
“The Gods of the Nations” - Dr. Daniel Block
“Unseen Realm” - Dr. Michael Heiser
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
Hello everyone! I pray you all have a wonderful 🦃Thanksgiving🦃 holiday with your family. Shameless plug: why not mention the podcast and share with them the journey we’ve been taking together? 😉
In this week’s episode on Entangled Kingdoms, we return to chapter 1 in Genesis and look at the literary context of the Bible’s creation account. Keep in mind what we’ve covered already regarding the possible cultural and historical contexts.
Once you finish the podcast, I would encourage you check out some of these resources:
Videos
Genesis - Chapters 1-11 with the BibleProject
Ancient Near Eastern
The Enuma Elish Creation Myth - https://www.sacred-texts.com/ane/enuma.htm
The Epic of Gilgamesh - https://uruk-warka.dk/Gilgamish/The%20Epic%20of%20Gilgamesh.pdf
Entangled Kingdoms Links
Link Tree
YouTube
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
Hello everyone! I appreciate your patience these last couple weeks, I’ve been aiming for Tuesday release dates for the podcast but due to some health issues within our family that schedule has shifted. We’ll get back into a Tuesday rhythm next week unless something unforeseeable happens.
In our last episode we visited Genesis 1 and began seeking to understand the Bible’s account of Creation. You may remember, too, we looked at couple other ANE (“Ancient Near East”) creation myths, that of the Egyptians and that of Babylon (Mesopotamian). As with all ancient creation myths around the globe, these two were firmly rooted in a Haunted worldview. One where creation is tied closely to the work of elohim, or spiritual beings.
In this week’s episode we turn our gaze forward in time and consider what our Western culture believes about creation, which draws heavily upon a WYSIWYG worldview.
Once you finish the podcast, I would encourage you check out some of these resources:
Videos
“Genesis 1 - Visual Commentary” - The BibleProject
Articles
Timothy Keller, “Creation, Evolution, and Christian Laypeople.” www.biologos.org/uploads/projects/Keller_white_paper.pdf - Daniel C. Harlow
“After Adam: Reading Genesis in an Age of Evolutionary Science” www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2010/PSCF9-10Harlow.pdf - John R. Schneider
“Recent Genetic Science and Christian Theology on Human Origins” www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2010/PSCF9-10Schneider.pdf - C. John Collins
“Adam and Eve as Historical People, and Why It Matters” - https://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2010/PSCF9-10Collins.pdf - C. John Collins
Entangled Kingdoms Links
Link Tree
YouTube
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
Hello everyone! I appreciate your patience with this next episode. I had hoped to have gotten it out this past week but due to some circumstances my family and I are navigating in life, that wasn’t possible. So I hope you enjoy this episode as we dive into Genesis chapter 1 and begin seeking to understand the creation account provided to us by LORD God.
In this episode we read chapter 1 and begin answering a couple questions:
Who wrote this?
Why did they write it?
After the break, we look at the creation accounts offered by the Egyptians and the Babylonians and look for any similarities. In the future, we’ll be looking at more of these, so this will just be a taste of how the ancient, “Haunted” worldview, reflected aspects of reality.
As always, be sure to connect with the podcast over on Facebook and Instagram!
EK Links - https://linktr.ee/EntangledKingdoms
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
In this episode I share how we will approach reading, studying and interpreting Scripture as we move forward on the podcast. We will follow this process for a biblical hermeneutic, or means of interpretation:
First, we will seek to understand the cultural, historical and literary context of the what is being studied.
Next, we then go the Bible and observe what it says - keeping in mind its context - by making note, especially of its genre and literary nature.
Lastly, armed with the observations concerning the authors message and intent for their original audience, we then seek to draw a bridge to OUR present circumstances and apply it to our lives.
When we fail to follow this process through, we risk taking verses out of context and - in doing so - risk missing exactly what God wants to teach us. Remember, his desire is that we read, understand and apply it to our lives SO THAT we look more and more like Jesus, who himself is the perfect embodiment of what a human should be like, living in righteousness and pursuing holiness.
If you haven’t yet, follow our Facebook page and check out all our social media links: https://linktr.ee/EntangledKingdoms
As a personal side note, I’ve enjoyed the time I’ve spent with Entangled Kingdoms and I’m glad to hear some of the feedback I’ve gotten so far. Please feel free to reach out to me and let me know your thoughts. I welcome critique and other viewpoints! You can email me at entangledkingoms@pm.me.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
To start today’s episode we reflect on 4 influences on worldview formation:
Culture - where someone is born
Education - how someone is taught
Religion - what someone believes, often tied to cultural norms
Emotions - when emotions override critical thinking, logic (ie. fear tactics)
We then look at 7 fundamental elements of a biblical worldview:
A creator God exists, his name is YHWH.
YHWH is all-powerful and created all things
YHWH created his family of mankind to be his image-bearers on earth
Unfortunately mankind joined in a rebellion against YHWH and are sinful
There exists, then, two kingdoms at war - God’s kingdom of light, against the rebellion manifested in the kingdom of darkness
Fortunately for us God has provided the means of salvation and finding a way of restoring us to our proper position as adopted sons of God, through sending Jesus.
Restoration requires submitting to the Bible’s authority, it must shape our lives.
We close the podcast touching on some dangers when thinking about our biblical worldview.
I hope this podcast is encouraging to you! I’m looking forward to the next episode: how we study and interpret Scripture. With these foundational pieces in place, we should be pretty set for tackling some fun topics, including:
The creation of the material and supernatural realms
Tracing the rebellion and the kingdom of darkness
How God’s kingdom emerges throughout scripture, and it’s culmination in Christ and his future return
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
In today’s episode we cover 5 broad categories of worldviews.
Haunted Worldview - such as polytheism, paganism, and neopaganism. The emphasis here is on the spirit.
WYSIWYG Worldview - short for “what-you-see-is-what-you-get”. The emphasis here is on the material world. Naturalism, materialism, agnosticism, and atheism all fall into this category.
Dueling-Yodas Worldview - such as Zoroastrianism, Taoism, stoicism and cynicism. These worldviews at least recognize that there exists a dual reality - between dark and light.
Omnipresent Supergalactic Oneness Worldview - these hold that all are one and that everything is connected together via spirit. Examples include pantheism, holism, monism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.
Designer Religions/Worldviews - these are cobbled together mostly to feel accepted by the culture.
Also, we take a look at some Barna research that shows how these worldviews have affected those calling themselves Christians.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
Hello listeners! In this episode we begin to explore the Entangled Kingdoms. The first topic we’ll start untangling over these first few episodes concerns our worldview. Today we start by examining these questions:
What is a worldview?
What is MY worldview?
Why should I be aware of my own worldview?
What shapes and forms my worldview?
Why is it important to answer these questions? Well, Paul encourages us in Colossians 2:8, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”
So let us head Jesus’s words from John 14:26 and ask the Holy Spirit to teach us. “…the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
Have a question or just want to leave me a comment? Feel free to reach out to me at this e-mail address: entangledkingdoms@pm.me.
Also, be sure to visit our Facebook page by clicking this link: https://www.facebook.com/entangledkingdoms/.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com
Have a question? Feel free to reach out to me at the e-mail address below. The first episode should hit next week! Thanks for joining me on this journey!
E-mail: entangledkingdoms@pm.me
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.entangledkingdoms.com