The Sons of His Inheritance

Can you show someone Jesus from this?

When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel.
For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance.

Deuteronomy 32:8–9

This is Moses instructing the Israelis on their history. The history of the Jewish people includes them being chosen and set aside for the Lord by the Lord.

What many do not quite track in this passage… The “children of Israel” did not yet exist when the nations were formed. It helps to understand the background of this text. With that understanding, we gain some surprising insights into what an ancient Israeli might have known.

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words As the people journeyed from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.

Genesis 11:1–2

Yes, it’s the Tower of Babel event. It is at the time of the first world leader.

They said to each other, “Let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top will reach to heaven, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

Genesis 11:3–4

Babel means the gate of the gods. (See page 170 here.) Many were not taught the real significance of this particular event. The popular teaching is that the people were trying to reach up to God. But that is not the purpose of the tower.

To understand the tower’s purpose, we need a bit more background. And that comes a few chapters back in Genesis.

When men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair and took as wives any they chose. The Lord said, “My Spirit will not always strive with man, for he is flesh; yet his days will be a hundred and twenty years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

Genesis 6:1–4

Before the flood, angels came down to men. They took women in exchange for technology. That idea we pick up from the account of Cain’s progeny in the latter part of Genesis 4. It is my thinking that it was the progeny of Cain that commiserated with the fallen angels. That’s another discussion. For the idea at hand, it suffices that Angels came down to men and had progeny called Nephilim.

It didn’t work out well for those angels who did that. Those angels that came down and took women were then locked away.

Likewise, the angels who did not keep to their first domain, but forsook their own dwelling, He has kept in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.

Jude 6

It would seem to follow that the severity of punishment for coming down to take women and create progeny would serve as a deterrent.

Our text in Genesis 6 says this occurred before the flood… And would occur after. I would assert that things also changed after the flood, and it wasn’t so easy for angels to just come down to men as if they were instigating the exchange. The idea wouldn’t be attractive.

Then this tower, or gate of the gods, would be humans asking for the exchange. Humans would be the ones granting permission of rights. Hence the idea of building the gateway.

Concurrent with the incident here, we are introduced to another character important to Babel.

Cush was the father of Nimrod. He became a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, “Even like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.” The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Uruk, Akkad, and Kalneh in the land of Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, the city Rehoboth Ir, and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is the principal city).

Genesis 10:8–12

Nimrod, the first world leader… Became a mighty one. The underlying Hebrew text seems to indicate that he became like those Nephilim of old. The Hebrew also indicates that he wasn’t a mighty hunter of game, but one that assailed other humans.

I would say that the construction of the tower was to provide a place to perform rituals. These rituals would extend rights and permissions from humans to angels.

The tower was also believed to have a bed chamber in it. Almost always, these types of rituals are sexual in nature. It would seem to be the case here, and given the mighty hunter of men, I would also offer that is necessary (meaning a particularly sanguine fluid in human bodies.)

I know it’s macabre. I know it’s dark. But there is a real Hero, a real Man to defeat all of this.

The end purpose of the tower was to call the gods down to commiserate with men. What happened next?

But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of men built.

Genesis 11:5

Well, the gods don’t come. But the Most High God over all the other gods (see Psalm 82) comes down. It’s like an unexpected plot twist.

The Lord said, “The people are one and they have one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do; now nothing that they propose to do will be impossible for them.

Genesis 11:6

This text needs no explanation. The ingenuity of humanity is explained. It is a powerful force because humans work together with one language and can do extraordinary things. With one language, what can be imagined can be accomplished.

So what does God do?

Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they stopped building the city. Therefore the name of it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. From there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

Genesis 11:7–9

This is the establishment of the nations as explained by Moses in Deuteronomy 32 above. God gave 70 nations, established their lands, and assigned that as an inheritance. An inheritance to who?

Deuteronomy 32:8 says the children (or sons) of Israel. But Abraham wasn’t even born yet. How can that seeming conundrum be resolved?

Back before Jesus came, the common language was early Greek. Most Israelis at the time would know Greek but not Aramaic or Hebrew. At the behest of Ptolemy II, the Hebrew scriptures were translated into Greek by 72 Hebrew translators. There were six chosen from each tribe of Israel. That translation is commonly called the Septuagint.

I was always taught that the Septuagint was a post-Jesus forgery. A bit of pursuit in truth revealed that probably is not the case. Many of the quotations of the Hebrew Scriptures in the New Testament were from the Septuagint. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls also exposes the folly of what I was taught. Besides, the very line a virgin shall conceive comes to us from the Septuagint Greek and not the Tanakh’s original Hebrew.

How does the Septuagint help our conundrum?

With the understanding of the Hebrew translators and the ideas they held from the Tanakh, it came in the translation. Our passage in Deuteronomy 32 is no different.

When the Most High distributed nations as he scattered the descendants of Adam, he set up boundaries for the nations according to the number of the angels of God.

Deuteronomy 32:8, Lexham English Septuagint

Angels of God does also mean sons of God. In other words, God put angels in charge of physical property and humans to populate that property. They were to be stewards… But it is easy to infer that didn’t happen. It is probably the impetus for the plethora of religions. Again, that’s another idea for another time.

The nations were given as inheritance to the sons of God. That is the important thing. It follows that sons inherit their father’s things. In this case, the sons of God inherited the nations from the Father.

For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance.

Deuteronomy 32:9

There is the 71st nation, Israel. It is allotted as an inheritance to the Lord given by the Most High.

Fathers do not inherit. Sons do. Moses is pointing directly to Jesus.

So, when someone tells you that Jesus never claimed to be God. They are wholly incorrect and do not grasp the weight of Scriptural evidence that undergirds what Jesus says to the Pharisees

Jesus answered them, “Though I bear witness of Myself, My testimony is true. For I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one. Yet if I do judge, My judgment is true. For I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father that sent Me bears witness of Me.”

John 8:14–18

The Pharisees then pose another question to Jesus. They believe what they know.

Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”
Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as He taught in the temple. No one arrested Him, for His hour had not yet come.

John 8:19–20

John adds the commentary that nobody attempted to arrest Jesus. In this exchange, the Pharisees reveal that knew the identity of Jesus. This is evidenced by the addition of the personal pronoun your… “Where is Your Father?”

They knew Who He is, the Son of Inheritance. Tragically, they didn’t know Him or His Father.

Paneas and the Netherworld

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

Matthew 16:13

With the previous two posts (Read this first, then this,) there is enough background to look at the question. Jesus asks, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

There are great watersheds in history. The Bible is replete with them. The fall of man, Noah’s flood, the Exodus… These events are recorded for our learning. As great as they are, none compares to the birth of Jesus. And as His disciples ministered with Him intimately they were privy to an idea that may not have ever been given a voice. Here is Jesus asking a question to lead His friends to a particular personal watershed conclusion.

They said, “Some say that You are John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Matthew 16:14

The answer sounds pretty much academic. This is the answer many will give. It is just a matter of the facts. People are talking about Jesus.

Without thinking through it too much, the undercurrent in the response shows that the people expected some kind of resurrection. How else could Jesus be one of those as reincarnation is not real?

There must be a resurrection.

I don’t think that the identities of the folks mentioned were the answer He desired them to see. Jesus asks them a question that moves form academic third person to intimate first person.

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Matthew 16:15

Of any other watershed moment that we could think of, none compares to this question each of us must answer. Here’s why. Your eternity hinges on your response to it. It isn’t a coincidence that it was asked right at the Gates of Hell.

Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:16

As it is recorded, Peter doesn’t hesitate. He declares the truth. This is the matter, that it is the one most important question we encounter in this life… Who is Jesus Christ?

To some, He’s a good teacher. To others, He’s a mensch. There are still others that will deny He is even real.

To those who know Him, He is the King (Christ, Mashiach.) He is the Son of the living God. This isn’t the first such declaration of the disciples (see Matthew 14:33.)

This confession, though is slightly different. It’s a poignant phrase “Son of the living God.” It is a stark contrast to the unique location of veneration of pagan gods. Ones people worship here in spirit. But they are are not alive and have a body as Jesus is.

What I am saying is that Pan was a Titan. Pan was a real god-king… He is a nephilim.

But nephilim, having physical bodies die, their spirits do not. Nor are their spirits eligible for resurrection. These disembodied spirits are what the Bible calls demons. Demons are not fallen angels, and Nephilim are not fallen angels.

Jesus spoke of the entities.

When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through dry places seeking rest, but finds none.

Matthew 12:43

So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.”

Matthew 8:31

These demons look for bodies to inhabit. The account of the demoniac (Matthew 8:28-34) shows this plainly. When Jesus cast legion from the man, they asked permission to be put into a herd of swine. There are hints to other ideas here, demons exercise rights of having dominion. The other idea is the utter destruction they wreak.

All of what we have discussed is important to this location. It is the entrance to the netherworld of dead spirits. They’re dead because they no longer have bodies. Spirits do not die as the body does.

Now to drive up to another point… As we have discussed augmented humanity and the bondage that captivates many today. Reading Revelation 13, we see that there is a point where their is going to be a total rejection of Jesus. The control this coming prince will have will be an augmentation to humanity.

He causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, so that no one may buy or sell, except he who has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name.

Revelation 13:16–17

Clearly, people at that time are willingly taking on the identity of the beast. The scenes recorded in revelation are horrific and very spiritual. We are introduced to real spirits that hate humans.

The boom of Revelation is chiastic in nature, that means it isn’t necessarily linear. It’s linear accounts interwoven. When that is understood, we can examine a sentence that is often overlooked.

In those days men will seek death but will not find it. They will desire to die, but death will elude them.

Revelation 9:6

Death will elude them. Remember the promised augmentation from the serpent in the garden. The serpent promised she wouldn’t die, but would be augmented to be like God.

The educated conjecture is that the mark comes with a sort of biological enhancement that can hinder death. It is not a far stretch to think that this mark alters DNA to something human +. This would make the person that takes it to not have a Kinsman for redemption. After all, this is a seed war… A war of genetics.

Soon, we will discover how important this is. in the next installment, we will look at the response of Jesus.

Jesus is the only One Who has life to give.

Paneas Before the Advent of Jesus

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

Matthew 16:13

Now that we have an overview of Paneas replete with a summary of the plans of the enemy, let’s look at some of the things about Caesaria Philippi. In the Tanakh, this is known as Bashan.

Bashan

It is an area located east of the Jordan River. Bashan is the upper Transjordan east northeast of the Sea of Galilee and extends north to include Mount Hermon. The Israelites conquered the area in the days of Moses and Joshua.

Bashan was a stronghold ruled over by two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og. Both kings descended from the giant clans. Its two capital cities were Ashtaroth and Edrei.

Ashtoroth

Ashtaroth is derived from the name of the Greek goddess Astarte. Astarte is the equivalent of the East Semitic goddess Ishtar (from where we get the English word Easter.). Ishtar is the ancient Mesopotamian goddess Inanna.

Edrei

Edrei is a word that probably means stronghold. Edrei was elevated 20 feet above the plain. It was an impregnable natural fortress amidst a complex labyrinth of caves caused by volcanic activity. There is an underground “city” below Edrei which was probably carved for a safe refuge during an attack. Edrei is modern day Daraa.

Both cities are described in myth and ritual texts from Ugarit as the abode of the god Milku. Our Bibles use the name Molech. He is Saturn in the Roman Pantheon and Kronos in the Greek Pantheon. These cities, and all of Bashan, were associated with a broad underworld population of ancestor-gods. The Canaanite people believed Bashan to be the gateway to the underworld (Hades, or Hell.)

Giant Kings

Sihon and Og were descended from the Rephaim and Anakim. These are some of the Bible’s names for the giant clans. (For reference see Deuteronomy 2:10-11, 20-21; 3:11-13; Numbers 13:26–33; Joshua 12:4; 13:12; Amos 2:9–10.) Sihon and Og were definitely augmented-human Nephilim.

Much is to be said of the religion of the ancient Amorites.

From Kings to Gods

We have already mentioned two gods. Understanding the ideas represented here becomes rather mind-boggling. And I rely on work done by others as they’ve connected things. Specifically fitting is the book The Second Coming of Saturn by Derek P. Gilbert. Excerpts are available. Here is some background to understand. From Mr. Gilbert’s research, it seems as if the term Molech (like Ba’al) is not a proper name, but a title that roughly means chief god. As it pertains to our discussion, we are talking about Kronos/Saturn/El, the king of the underworld.

We know from the Bible that Molech is associated with a heinous practice of worship, child sacrifice. (For reference, see 1 Kings 11:7; Leviticus 20:1–5.) God called the practice detestable.

To the Detestable

For the sons of Judah have done evil in My sight, says the LORD. They have set their abominations in the house which is called by My name, to pollute it. 31 *They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My heart. Therefore, truly the days are coming, says the LORD, that it will no more be called Topheth, nor the Valley of Ben Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter; for they will bury in Topheth because there is no other place. The corpses of this people shall be food for the fowl of the heaven and for the beasts of the earth; and no one will frighten them away. Then I will cause to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of laughter and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land shall become desolate.

Jeremiah 7:30–34

It is bad enough to sacrifice the innocent for our own comfort. Sometimes, our modern mindsets miss the connections here. Look at how God references His sacrifice of these people to be as food. That is a hint necessary to understand why the practice is detestable. Part of the ritual of sacrifice is a shared meal. And if you are thinking cannibalism, that is right.

Remember what God said:

The LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, You are cursed above all livestock, and above every beast of the field; you will go on your belly, and you will eat dust all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”

Genesis 3:14–15

In my mind, and cannot unsee the connection to this:

Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.

Genesis 2:7

Serpents

The name Molech is found in a series of Ugaritic snakebite charms associated with Ashtaroth. The area of Bashan is definitely associated with serpents. Recently, it was discovered from Google Earth of all places, that there is a giant serpent mound in Bashan right in the vicinity of Gilgal Rephaim. More info is available here.

It’s just a coincidence, right?

This is a screen capture from Google Earth. It shows a long serpent-shaped roundabout 1/4 of a mile north of Gilgal Rephaim. The serpent mound is about 1 mile long.

In writing this, I can see the connection between the labyrinth at Gilgal Rephaim and that of Edrei. It could be that the entrance to the Netherworld is via a labyrinth.

This is God’s indictment of the Israelis.

They abandoned the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.

Judges 2:13

Conclusion

There is much to unpack about the reference to Caesarea Philippi. My hope is that this provides a foundation for understanding the significance of Matthew 16 as we move further. I also hope your mind, led by what the Holy Spirit has tucked into it, is making connections. We all play a part in understanding this.

Surprise!

Serpent mounds and serpent motifs are everywhere. Business logos incorporate them as an homage. Computer programming languages contain serpent references. SpaceX calls its rocket Dragon. As for those mounds, this is one from Ohio.

This is an aerial photo of the Great Serpent Mound in Ohio. It is breathtakingly clear, and megalithic. It is open to the public.
The Great Serpent Mound in Ohio. The details are profound in black and white.

As the entire mound is visible in the last photo, look closely at the head. What do you suppose the round object is, and what the mound symbolizes?

I see the serpent’s answer to the Promise in Genesis 3.

Thinking about the old adage about a snake in the grass… What do we do with easter eggs… But hide them in the grass.

Sorry. Not sorry.

Paneas and The Gates of Hell

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

Matthew 16:13 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Most of us are laser-focused on the question asked. That’s for a good reason. But there is a context here that is quite lost in modern times.

Jesus and His disciples came into the region of Caesarea Philippi. In the modern day, it is called the Golan Heights. Jesus will use a phrase a bit later in the account that will tell us exactly the location. (For a refresher, take time and read Matthew 16:13–28. This will help avoid spoiler alerts.)

The Gates of Hell

This location was home to a place called the Grotto of Pan. We have a “Disney-fied” idea of Pan, and a bit of poking around that may surprise some. The Grotto of Pan is a place called Paneas in the Greek and Banias in recent days. It was a town occupied for nearly 2,000 years until destroyed in the Six-Day War. The grotto is at the foot of Mt. Hermon.

It is the place from where hell is defended. You know who the goat-man Pan is.

Mt. Hermon

This is the place of infamy. The Bible often uses this particular mountain as the one that opposes the Mountain of God in Jerusalem. This is the place where angels fell and came down to Earth.

I’ve dropped hints before about fallen angels. There is much to tell, and much to write. I’ve neglected that not quite knowing how to organize my thoughts. Thanks for indulging me.

Anyway, Genesis 6:4–6 clearly tells us something terrible happened in pre-flood times. The important point, angels left heaven and took human wives. They created a hybrid race the Bible calls Nephilim (among other names.) These have more familiar names from other cultures. In Greek, these were the famed Titans.

Rabbit Trail Alert

Has it ever made you wonder why our society is enamored with ancient Greek culture?

Students read The Iliad in the first year of high school. It serves as a sort of primer. The Greek alphabet is memorized. Clubs that mirror secret societies are introduced. Greek terms are preferred in science. Western education systems are Greek in nature. Colleges have Greek culture normalizing the acceptance of exclusive groups with secrets. There are even full-blown secret clubs reserved for a select few.

This could just be a coincidence. Or it could be the subtle trail of the gods of this world (Titans) and how they plan to come back.

Some 50 years ago, the public was introduced to the flying saucer. It invaded many aspects of society. Then fringe stories of abductions came. As time progressed, these accounts increased many times over. Pop culture tells you these are our “sky brothers.” Some scientists believe life on this planet was seeded by other beings (they understand life comes from life.) The acronym UFO has been changed to UAP (Unidentified Arial Phenomenon.) Deftly moving it from the woo-woo into reality. The US has just recently shot down an unidentified object.

Recall a lot of the motion pictures and other entertainment of the last few decades. Then think of these Nephilim as augmented humans (human+angel) and not just as hybrids. These could easily be considered superheroes. Disney’s Hercules introduced your children to that idea 25 years ago. Since then, we have the gamut of both the DC and Marvel universes splashed on giant screens in darkened immersive cinemas.

These children grew up on this constant diet, and many love to cosplay. They dress like these characters, even completely parroting what they see on screen.

It looks like planned desensitization… Because it is. The idea is to normalize someone coming down to augment humanity.

For this Bible and prophecy nerd, I know augmented humanity is already a thing. The richest folks in the world are spending their money on furthering this science in hopes of achieving immortality. Think of the old lie, you shall be as Gods.

The enemy has plans. Plans to make humans after himself. He needs the numbers, as his side is severely outnumbered two-to-one (not counting God, of course.)

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! For God knows that on the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 3:4–5 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The enemy’s plan from the beginning is to delude humanity with the lie. Eve wanted the augmented knowledge the fruit gave. Humanity continues to stumble in that direction.

Back to Mt. Hermon

Some say that the Levant is the location of the garden of Eden. Mt. Hermon is a part of that place. My speculation is that Mt. Hermon is the place where Adam ate. It’s the place where the angels came down and augmented humanity. What is not my speculation is that it is the place of the gates of hell. Gates are defensive… They keep the bad guys outside, stopping an invasion.

I want you to think about how important understanding Paneas is. This is the place of warfare in which we are engaged. This is where the warning shot was given by Jesus.

One last thought, J.M. Barrie desensitized the world to Pan. He wrote Peter Pan. Perhaps the name of that character is a subtlety to point to the question Jesus asked Peter right here. “Who do you say I am?”

The Gates are being crashed! All know God wins! If you didn’t, you do now.