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

Satan, a fallen former archangel, leading a host of rebellious angels, (demons) may appear to be the cause of evil in the world to the average Bible-reading Christian. But is that what the Bible really teaches about Satan and demons, who they are and how they operate? And if so, how certain can we be when there’s so little explicit biblical texts on the subject?Michael Heiser, in his well-researched book Demons: What The Bible Actually Says About The Powers Of Darkness, takes us on a journey of exploration from the Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) world of the Old Testament, through the often-strange Intertestamental Period known as Second Temple Judaism, and on into the New Testament where we frequently find Jesus casting out demons while other territorial spirits are operating through government powers in opposition the Gospel.Visiting old familiar places with fresh eyes and pausing to gaze on overlooked passages of scripture that illuminate our traditional misunderstandings and bring fresh insight to the nature and operations of evil spirits, Heiser traces the scriptural evolution of understanding about these evil entities while weaving together a cohesive picture of what the Bible actually teaches about the forces of darkness and their operations in the unseen realm.Heiser’s unique contributions to understanding the occupants of the unseen spiritual realm lie in his insights derived from connecting data points from other biblical scholars and his comfort with interpreting biblical authors against their cultural backdrop and those of their idolatrous counterparts.Some might find it uncomfortable, for example, that Heiser often refers to non-canonical books from the Second Temple Judaism period, such as The Book of Enoch. However, he is clear in his conviction these are not inspired works but are helpful references for informing us of how Biblical the authors were interacting with the cultures around them to demonstrate superiority of the Hebrew/Christian God as LORD of Lords and GOD over all gods.While written for the layman, the book still gets a bit technical when addressing cross-cultural translations and etymologies deployed to clarify the evolving scriptural understanding of the powers of darkness. However, for those that are new to the ANE worldview and the spiritual realm, it’s well worth the effort to stay on track.The worldview of the Bible is heavily populated with spiritual beings that actively influence the human experience. Heiser Does us a great service by identifying these beings and bringing them into the foreground with strong scholarly arguments that help avoid spiritual error and excess.Seen from the perspective of the western mindset, the worldview of the biblical authors is actually pretty weird. Thankfully, the current scholarly movement to accurately interpret this worldview is enabling us to better understand the spiritual activities and influences promoting chaos in our world today.In this regard, Heiser’s book is a much-needed resource in knowing who and what the Christian is actually at war with and how one should strive to live in such a trying hour.

Although it was a little tedious following the ancient languages, it does shed light on the English translations and how important t is that context drives the proper word used to translate. Michael really gives food for thought particularly regarding the current state of the lower gods and their defeat at the cross. Particularly interesting were the closing misconceptions that the church holds regarding the realm of the fallen spiritual beings. His explanation of Paul's teaching on how to battle properly was very interesting. Rather than actively confronting the demonic Paul tells us that following Christ and living out our faith is our most potent weapon. While I absolutely believe that demons are present and active in our world today, I don't think it wise form us to pursue them or seek them out as the very presence of the Holy Spirit within us will flush them out. This requires maturity and discernment. When they present themselves deal with them, of course, but we should not practice demon hunting as a matter of course. Recall the seven downs of Sceva. All in all this book offers a glimpse of what is hidden in plain sight for those who choose to look. Understand that our position and His victory is complete and spread the Gospel as this is the surest way to engage in spiritual warfare and encroach on the territory of whose gates will of withstand.

I had purchased this book some time ago and I was apprehensive about reading it because a book about demons seemed a bit scary. Having previously read Supernatural, Unseen Realm and then Demons, I would definitely recommend reading the first two to gain some basic understanding of Heiser’s basic concepts and his perspective of the Bible. Be prepared with a highlighter and always have your Bible handy because these books are not an easy read for those of us without a biblical theology background. However, I have learned so much and I am amazed at what I didn’t learn after 10 years at a Baptist Christian school and attending church all 38 years of my life. Heiser has really brought my relationship with the Lord to a whole new level and having a better understanding of his word and the intricacies of the bible has grown my faith tremendously. This book was not scary, but showed the amazing connection between Jesus’ death and resurrection, and how the bible connects this spiritual battle with demonic forces from Old to New Testament.