In this chapter, Dr. Mike is going to uncover a trifecta having only been recently connected up because the data behind the understanding is only recently known. This is critically important for us to understand. It means that we must have a mind that is ready, willing, and open enough to challenge what we have held firmly to—perhaps for our entire life until now.
OVERVIEW
1) The Mesopotamian cultural heroes, Apkallu (or Sumerian abgal), are seven beings with extraordinary wisdom. This knowledge includes wisdom, social forms, craftsmanship, omens, magic, medicine, and more. Their origins are associated with the underworld or abyss.
2) Apkallu are said to have knowledge of the workings of the world, they interacted with humans before the flood, and are considered key figures who civilized the world.
3) Mesopotamian kings claim their right to rule based on their association with the Apkallu, both in terms of wisdom and physical lineage. It implies that this lineage gives them access to beings like Apkallu, and is used to legitimize their status and power.
4) The connection between the divine and human through the Apkallu is significant to Mesopotamian understanding of civilization. One controversial perspective suggests that demon spirits repurpose the actual Enoch as one of the Apkallu.
5) Apkallu are thought responsible for transmitting pre-flood knowledge to post-flood people. Post-flood Babylonian scholars take great care to suggest that their knowledge has divine origins, which contributes to their greatness.
6) A common question is how pre-flood Apkallu knowledge survived the flood. This question points to a lineage of the Apkallu, which includes four post-flood Apkallu who are human by descent, but are also part divine.
7) According to the text, the Apkallu are under judgement as evil spirits, with pre-flood Apkallu regarded as heroes and post-flood Apkallu seen as evil spirits.
8) The Apkallu are compared to characters in the Epic of Gilgamesh, and are also thought to have been banished and punished due to rebellion.
9) The author suggests that post-flood Apkallu [sons of God?] are confined and judged. Yet, their knowledge lives on through their post-flood hybrid offspring.
10) The author also compares the Apkallu's divine nature to characters from other cultures' mythical texts.
11) In examining Genesis 6, the author argues that there is ancient literary evidence for elements found in Mesopotamian material. Additionally, evidence from the Book of Enoch is seen as consistent with Genesis 6.
12) The author emphasizes the importance of understanding Mesopotamian context in interpreting Genesis 6:1-4 and suggests that Jewish writers have inverted the Apkallu tradition to portray them as villains, rather than heroes, who caused [and continue to cause] damage to humanity.
The Brand New Old Baby
Until very recently, the Mesopotamian backstory to Genesis 6:1-4 was unknown to all but a handful of scholars. This means that what follows will not be found in the [1] writings of any modern denominational founder (Calvin, Luther, Wesley, etc.), nor [2] any commentary on Genesis (to date [March 2017]), nor [3] on the lips of any favorite preacher or Bible teacher. Without the knowledge of this backstory, interpreters fail to interpret Genesis 6:1-4 in its own context. [Instead] Insisting on non-supernatural interpretations ... violates the passages original intent and meaning.
EXAMPLE: The exact percentage of the ancient Persian tablets that have been translated is not clear due to the vast number of tablets discovered. However, it is known that thousands of these tablets and fragments remain untranslated. In 2007, it was reported that about 2,000 out of an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 tablets had been fully translated, suggesting that a large proportion remains untranslated. This means that less than 10% were fully translated as of that time, and work continues to fully understand the rest.
ALSO: The first major discovery of Akkadian texts was made between 1842 and 1854, during the British and French excavations at Nineveh, most notably by the British archaeologist Austen Henry Layard. The decipherment of cuneiform and hence the Akkadian language was largely accomplished by the British scholar Sir Henry Rawlinson in the 1850s.
KEY 5-1: Introducing the Apkallu
- Mesopotamian pre-flood cultural "heroes" (Sumerian abgal); total of seven beings; all endowed with extraordinary wisdom (heavenly secret knowledge)
- Secret knowledge taught: wisdom, social forms, craftsmanship, omens, magic, medicine, et al—direct parallel to 1 Enoch Watchers story.
- Meso-thought: "created in the deep" (i.e., primeval deep) located in the underworld or Abyss (Apsu or Abzu) realm of the dead (see Job 26:5-6).
- Meso-thought: Apkallu had knowledge of "how the world ticks".
- Meso-thought: Apkallu interactions with humanity: pre-flood "sages" who "civilized" the world; such critical beings that Meso-kings claim right to rule by both wisdom and physical lineage to the "sages".
- Meso-thought: Human or demigod lineage yields access to such beings (oracles?) and is used to legitimize status, power, and influence.
- Meso-thought: Cannot understate the importance of this divine-human connection as the basis for "greatness" in the "civilization" (e.g., Babylon).
- Clear telegraph of demon spirits repurposing actual Enoch as one of themselves (7th sage—7th from Adam) and the transmission of heavenly knowledge to men (forbidden by God of fallen Watchers, who violated this edict of God to them).
- Meso-thought: Apkallu (disembodied Nephilim) responsible for transmission of such data from pre-Flood to post-Flood peoples.
KEY 5-2: Transmission of divine knowledge via the Apkallu
- Bab-thought: Post-Flood Babylonian scholars painful care to link their knowledge as divinely-sourced pre-Flood knowledge, which results in their greatness—both King and country.
- Bab-thought: "Mechanism of Reception" (how did they get the knowledge?)—literary tactic of ascribing their writings to Apkallu using a formal textual format and protocol.
- Key thought: Meso-scribes used this linkage to support their claims to power and prestige—King and country.
- Key thought: This is a direct parallel to 1 Enoch Watchers who teach secret knowledge to men by which humanity becomes [even more] wicked and depraved [than they were otherwise].
- Closing question: But how did pre-Flood Apkallu knowledge survive the Flood?
KEY 5-3: Lineage of the Apkallu
- For Tablet W.20030, 7 see reference
- Four post-Flood Apkallu in Meso-literature—said to be of "human descent", but 4th is 2/3 Apkallu and 1/3 human.
- These sources imply sex between Apkallu and human women resulting in re-entry of Nephilim and giants and their attending access to unseen realm secret knowlege."and afterward, whenever ..." Gen 6:4
- Amar Annus 2010 work lays out more parallels between Meso-Apkallu and Genesis 6:1-4.
- Pre-flood Apkallu fully divine vs. Post-flood hybrids, which is direct parallel of 1 Enoch fully-divine Watchers and quasi-divine hybrid Nephilim/giants.
- Dead Nephilim spirit considered divine (Apkallu) and source of Jewish understanding of them as demons.
KEY 5-4: The Apkallu under judgment as evil spirits
- Meso-thought: Pre-Flood Apkallu/giants = heroes vs. Post-Flood Apkallu/giants = evil spirits.
- Amar Annus: discussion of both good and bad in Meso-gods and Apkallu: All living in the underworld (depths of the divine River).
- Babylonian Flood Story: direct parallels between this and Genesis flood story. The names are changed and the story twisted, but the essentials are all present.
- Parallels with Epic of Gilgamesh: Marduk trees and stones hidden vs Genesis blocking Eden vs Gilgamesh dream.
- See further to Ezekiel 28 and 31 imagery of mountain-garden-temple Eden with trees, stones, et al.
- Meso-thought aligns with scriptural picture of both men and "gods" (Apkallu) being banished from Eden and subsequent punishments for rebellion.
- Apkallu sent down to Apsu to be imprisoned and denied further access to the Divine Council of the heavenlies.
- Final point: Post-Flood Apkallu are confined and judged. Their knowledge lives on through their post-Flood hybrid unclean offspring.God calls knowledge "worthless", so is hybrid-knowledge even less useful because it is diluted? 1 Enoch 16:4
KEY 5-5: The Apkallu as giants and men of renown
- Post-Flood giants divine nature is perfect match, especially of Gilgamesh as 2/3rd divine and 1/3rd human.
- Gilgamesh ref'd by name in Book of Giants from Qumran.
- Other names from the Epic of Gilgamesh found in BoG.
KEY 5-6: Understanding and honoring the Genesis 6 polemic
- Meso-data provides direct ancient literary proof of:
-
- All Gen 6:1-4 elements found in Meso-mat'l
- All preserved in 1 Enoch
- All 1 Enoch sins of the Watchers consistent with Gen 6
- Peter/Jude ought not be criticized for use of 1 Enoch
- Meso-data provides rationale for Gen 6:1-4 being in OT.
- Jewish writers invert every element of Apkallu tradition linking the inversions to the fallen sons of God and resulting Nephilim and giants.or do they juxtapose source/oral traditions w/meso-Apkallu?
- PURPOSE: To ensure every Jewish family member knows the source of the damage done to humanity and it is not for the "betterment of humanity".
- Meso-story is of heroes vs. Jewish story of utter bad guys.
The verdict of all of this is inescapable. No interpretation of Genesis 6:1-4 that does not carefully observe and interact with the original Mesopotamian context can hope to be even remotely correct. Jews of the Second Temple period knew this. The New Testament writers were a part of that milieu. Consequently, it should be no surprise that the sins of the Watchers was in the back of their minds as they wrote about what the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth must, did, and would reverse at His coming and return.see Ch. 5 Enochian Watcher Template and Jesus total reversal by word and actions.