There is a parable which I believe is not technically a parable- I believe it’s a true story- called The Rich Man and Lazarus. Jesus tells this story in Luke 16. And there’s a lot of strange things you could point out about this story, but what always sticks out to me is where Lazarus goes when he dies in this story.

Luke 16:22

So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.

And as you read the story, you find that a rich man died and went to a fiery place of torment called hades, but the beggar named Lazarus went to a better place called Abraham’s Bosom.

Now, we’ve all heard of going to heaven and hell when we die. And I don’t believe in purgatory. But what is Abraham’s Bosom?

And I’ll do you one better, where is Abraham’s Bosom?

And I’ll do you one better, why is Abraham’s Bosom in the Bible?

We’ll answer all these questions today, because I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

Turn to Isaiah 14, and let’s get weird.

0:00 - Intro

3:20 - Sheol

8:50 - Abraham’s Bosom

12:45 - Luke 16, The Rich Man and Lazarus

19:40 - Closing Thoughts

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Last week, we talked about where demons come from.

This week, I want to talk about why they’re still here.

So demons are the spirits of the giants in the Old Testament. Most of them probably lived prior to the flood. But they all died, and when they did, their spirits didn’t leave this planet. God left them right here on the earth to act as spirits of affliction against mankind.

These are demons. The ghosts of giants.

God literally says in Enoch 16, “thus shall they destroy until the day of the consummation, the great ⌈judgement⌉.”

And by the way- I’ll show you today that the Bible backs this up 100%.

But hold up. Why do we have to deal with them? The giants and their spirits are irredeemably evil. They do nothing but cause problems. The flood was supposed to give us a fresh start. Why not just send them on down to h-e-double-hockey-sticks and we can be done with them?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why the demons got left behind in the book of Enoch, as well as in our Bibles.

And not only that, it’s going to conclude our week-by-week journey through the Book of Enoch that we started in January.

So if you’re ready for that, turn to Matthew 18, and let’s get weird.

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Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction

3:25 - Basanizo

8:08 - Persons Without Bodies

16:45 - Enoch 16

22:20 - Types of Spirits

26:50 - Next Time

27:50 - Closing Thoughts

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Virtually all the theology books out there tell us: demons are fallen angels. This is the prevailing theory offered by most scholars, pastors and theologians today.

In GotQuestions.org's article titled “What Does the Bible Say about Demons?” The first four words are these: “Demons are fallen angels…”

And I love that website, but this is an area where I would disagree with them. But I bring that article up because that represents the conventional wisdom in modern times in the Western world. And it’s also what I believed most of my life. That when Satan rebelled against God, he took a third of the angels with him, and that these angels are the demons who make up his kingdom today- the same demons that Jesus was constantly casting out of people when He walked the earth 2,000 years ago.

The only problem is: the bible never says that. And that’s not what the ancient peoples believed. Don’t get me wrong: there is a Satan. There were indeed fallen angels. However, the ancient people- including the writers of the Bible- believed demons came from somewhere else.

In fact, by the end of today’s episode, you’ll see that Jesus Himself used an expression that tells us exactly where the demons came from- and we can prove from His own words that they are NOT fallen angels.

So why do people in modern times see things differently?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why this contemporary theory is NOT in the Bible.

Turn to Genesis 6, and let’s get weird.

The GotQuestions.org article I referenced: https://www.gotquestions.org/demons-Bible.html

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Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction

3:10 - The Genesis of the Giants

6:50 - Enoch 15

10:05 - The Genesis of the Demons

17:00 - Unclean Spirits

22:00 - What Does the Bible Say?

25:00 - Closing Thoughts

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

I Corinthians 11 is one of those really weird passages of Scripture that I would say 90% of Christians just kind of try to ignore.

It’s probably the most out-of-place chapter in the entire New Testament. It feels very counter-cultural, extremely outdated, and not super relevant to anything in modern church practice.

It’s a section that even the most conservative, Biblically faithful modern churches like to pretend isn’t there.

I’m talking about the chapter where Paul talks about head coverings.

He tells us in

I Corinthians 11:5

every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head

What are you talking about, Paul? Where is this coming from? Is this just a cultural thing, or is it a literal command for all believers anywhere, anytime?

And what’s even more strange is Paul’s reason for this statement, which he gives in

Verse 10

That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

Oh, ok then. Because of the angels. Great. Totally makes sense now.

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, PAUL?

Turns out, he’s talking about the Watchers. Those dudes we’ve been reading about this year in our book of Enoch study. Why is Paul referring to them in this section about head coverings, though?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

Turn to I Corinthians 11, and let’s get weird.

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Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction

3:05 - Revisiting this Odd Chapter

9:05 - Don’t Blur the Lines

18:10 - Ancient Pop Culture References

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

We have covered Psalm 82 on the podcast before. It’s the chapter where God holds His Divine Council to account. These are a group of higher-up spiritual beings. He has placed these principalities in charge of certain sectors of the world, yet they haven’t influenced humanity rightly.

So for those of us who like studying the weird stuff in the Bible, Psalm 82 is familiar territory.

And yet, it has this one really puzzling line in verse 7. God tells this group of disloyal beings “…like men you shall die…”

Now, what in the world could that mean? I know how a human can die. But how can eternal beings die? Wouldn’t a spiritual being be immortal?

The answer to that question is…complicated. It’s not a simple yes-or-no answer. The Scriptural journey this question takes us on is going to surprise you as you realize what the Bible actually says about angelic mortality.

I know it surprised me. And I find it to be weird, so I’d like to explore why the Bible has to say about it.

Turn to Psalm 82, and let’s get weird.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

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Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction

3:20 - The Watchers of Psalm 82

4:45 - The Watchers of Enoch 15

9:55 - The Physics of Spiritual Immortality

16:15 - Angelic Mortality

20:35 - Sustained by God

22:45 - Next Time

24:05 - Closing Thoughts

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

If you thought the Book of Enoch’s account of the Watchers who descended to earth was kinda spooky- or if you thought the stories of their bloodthirsty cannibalistic giant children were scary- or if you thought the description of their gloomy dark underworld prison sounded terrifying- just wait until what comes next.

Because Enoch is about to see something that shocks him more than zombie fallen angels, more than death cult nephilim, and more than the dungeons of hell.

Enoch…is going to see God.

And God ends up being more overwhelming than anything else Enoch has seen so far.

Now maybe you’re saying- wait a minute, Luke. Enoch couldn’t have seen God.

In exodus 33:20, God tells Moses

…you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.

So why do you expect me to believe that Enoch saw God and survived to tell us about it?

Well, that’s a good question. But Abraham saw God. Daniel saw God. Jacob saw God. Ezekiel saw God. Isaiah saw God. And they all lived to tell the tale. So how can that Exodus verse be true if several Bible figures themselves have seen God?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible. And yeah, we’ll also look at what Enoch wrote down as well when He met God face-to-face.

Turn to Ezekiel 1, and let’s get weird.

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Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - Beholding the Glory

5:15 - When Ezekiel Saw God

9:08 - When Isaiah and Job Saw God

12:25 - When Enoch Saw God

24:35 - Next Time

26:45 - Closing Thoughts

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

I know in these episodes I often talk about wacky spiritual things going on in the unseen realm. Angels and demons and spiritual legal rights and all that kinda stuff. And, of course, the Bible is our best source of information about all that.

Today, I want to talk about how we study our Bible. I hope you read your bible. I hope you pay attention to what you’re reading as you’re reading it. And if you’re listening to a podcast like this, I’m sure you are a Bible reader.

So for today’s episode, my challenge to myself is: how can I make your Bible study time just a little bit richer in the 20 or 30 minutes of this episode?

And you know what? We’ll also learn a bit today about our own role in the story God is telling with history.

How about a weird Scripture to kick us off, though?

I Peter 3:18-20

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

Now when did Jesus go and proclaim to the spirits in prison? Well this is during the time that Jesus’s body was dead for three days. Peter tells us what Jesus was doing during that time: he was visiting the Watchers- these fallen Sons of God that we’ve been reading about in the Book of Enoch- and makes proclamation to them. But what exactly did Jesus proclaim? The Bible doesn’t tell us directly, but the Book of Enoch might help us find that answer.

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible… and in the Book of Enoch.

But first, turn to Romans 5, and let’s get weird.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

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Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - What is Typology?

11:30 - Jesus, the Second Enoch

17:15 - The Bible’s use of Extrabiblical Sources

21:30 - Next Time

23:30 - Closing Thoughts

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Jesus tells us to love our enemies. To do good for those who hate you. To pray for those who persecute you.

Now, He said all this before they invented the Walmart parking lot, but I think it probably still applies for today.

However, when it comes to evil spirits, the Bible has a different game plan: we give them no quarter. When it comes to the devil, we don’t take any half measures. Zero tolerance.

They don’t get a redemption arc in the Bible’s story, and we aren’t supposed to even let them try.

So why the difference?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible. And not only that, the book of Enoch is going to show us God’s disposition toward evil spirits as well.

If you want to dig into that with me today, turn to Ephesians 6, and let’s get weird.

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Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - Enoch 13 & the Appeal of the Watchers

11:05 - Demons are Unrepentant

16:45 - How to Treat Evil Spirits

18:50 - Be Merciless with Evil Spirits

24:40 - Next Time

26:00 - Closing Thoughts

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!