Reversing Hermon

Reviewing Part II, Chapter 4 Dr. Michael S. Heiser's outstanding follow-up to The Unseen Realm.

Posted by Admin on June 23rd, 2023
Chapter 3 Chapter 5 

Chapter 4

SUMMARY: How the birth of Messiah telegraphed that part of the Messiah's arrival signaled that the sin of the Watchers or sons of God described, respectively, in 1 Enoch and Genesis 6:1-4 would be dealt with.

OVERVIEW
The sections provide a comprehensive exploration of the birth of Christ, relating it to various biblical scriptures and concepts. This includes linking it to the sin of the Watchers in Genesis and 1 Enoch, discussing the belief that the heavens and the sky reveal knowledge, and emphasizing the representation of Virgin Israel, not Mary, in the events surrounding Jesus' birth. Additionally, Jesus' ascent to heaven is connected to his death, resurrection, and the concept of ruling the nations. The sections also delve into the symbolism of the Dragon as a symbol of chaos, highlight astronomical correlations with Jesus' birth like the constellation Leo and the planet Jupiter, and further investigate the significance of Jesus' supposed birth date (September 11, 3 B.C.). Noah's Flood story also plays an essential role, drawing parallels between Noah and Jesus' shared birthdays, viewing the appearance of specific constellations as a sign of the arrival of the "better Noah" - the Messiah shepherd-king.

Key 6-1: This section associates the birth of Christ to the sin of the Watchers and Genesis in the Bible and 1 Enoch. It indicates that the first century Jews would understand this connection due to their worldview.

Key 6-2 & 6-3: These sections highlight the assertions in Romans 10 and Psalms 19:1-4 that heavens and the sky possess a "voice”, "speech," and "words," which reveal knowledge.

Key 6-4: Here, Heiser refers to the Romans 10:5-18, reinforcing the concept that they have "heard" the voice of heavens.

Keys 6-5 & 6-6: These discuss the astronomical signs that correlate with the birth of Jesus, using references from Rev 12. It emphasizes the representation of a woman, not as Mary, but as Virgin Israel in the scriptures.

Key 6-7: This section identifies the Child in Rev 12:5 as Jesus and links his ascent to heaven to rule the nations with his death, burial, and resurrection.

In this key, the Dragon is framed as a symbol of "chaos" or a "sea monster." Heiser uses various references, including 1 Enoch 60:7-10, 24, to elaborate this concept.

Key 6-9: This part outlines other related signs connected with the birth of Jesus, such as the constellation Leo and the planet, Jupiter. It singles out one date as significant: September 11, 3 B.C.

Key 6-10: This section delves further into the significance of Jesus's alleged birth date (September 11, 3 B.C.) which is the Feast of Trumpets, linking it to events and symbols like Noah's Flood, Ark of Covenant, and the Watchers.

Key 6-11: The last key emphasizes the shared birthday of Noah and Jesus, associating the Messiah with the Genesis' Flood story. It suggests that the appearance of the Pleiades and Orion could be seen as a signal of the arrival of the "better Noah" (Messiah shepherd-king).

KEY 6-1: Linking the birth of Christ to 1 Enoch sin of the Watchers and Genesis 6:1-4 sounds odd to modern ears, but not the first century Jewish ears. The context of the first century worldview must be our guide.

KEY 6-2: Romans 10 (Psalm 19, Paul): "Their voice has gone out to all the earth ..."—whose voice? The heavens!

KEY 6-3: Psalms 19:1-4: heavens "declare"; sky "proclaims"; night "pours out speech" and "reveals knowledge"; heavens have a "voice", "speech", "words".

KEY 6-4: Heiser gives long quote of Romans 10:5-18, esp. v 18 asking "Have they not heard"—yes, they have (Psa 19)

  1. Isaiah 28:16, which is a cornerstone reference. 
  2. See also Ephesians 2:20 or 1 Peter 2:6-7, which are more cornerstone references.
  3. Again, these are pure OT and not Enochian or Jubilees refs.

KEY 6-5: Rev 12:1-7 yields real-time date for Jesus' birth

  1. Rev 12 = Astral Prophecy starting with star in Matt 2: Mistake.
  2. 1st century Jews connect Jesus' birth w/sins of Watchers
  3. Rev 12 items -> astronomical signs assoc. w/birth of Jesus
  4. The Woman, Child, Dragon, Other signs occurring with ...

KEY 6-6: The Woman

  1. Not Mary, but Virgin Israel
  2. Mary unknown to Jews, but Israel's place would be known
  3. Woman is "in heaven" related to sun and moon 
  4. Clothed with sun, 12 stars around her head, moon at her feet
  5. Clothed w/sun = sun passing neck/knees = 20 day per annum
  6. Constellation of virgin seen by Magi
  7. Magi would also know other "mother goddess" -> divine kings
  8. Moon at her feet simultaneous with clothed with sun
  9. 20-day window closes to 90-minutes for birth of Messiah

KEY 6-7: The Child

  1. Rev 12:5 the Child is Jesus
  2. Child caught up to heaven to rule the nations
  3. Allusion to Psa 2:7-9
  4. Ascent ref to death, burial, resurrection of Christ

KEY 6-8: The Dragon

  1. Dragon = OT term for "sea monster" -> chaos
  2. ANE "sea monster" = war good/evil, gods vs chaos
  3. Sea = chaos, abyss, death, unfathomable -> Leviathan/Dragon
  4. 1 Enoch 60:7-10, 24 Leviathan female sea monster
  5. Also—Behemoth male -> both destroyed at DotL
  6. Red color locates to southern sky
  7. South is region of the abyss (lacking stars) 
  8. Not "Draco" which is north pole constellation
  9. Better candidate = Corax (Raven) w/7 stars = 10 heads Rev 12
  10. Alt argument = Scorpio ancient dragon split in 237 BC to Libra and Scorpio
  11. Alt argument = Hydra, but unlike Scorpio, not at feet ready to devour
  12. Signs not esp rare, but other signs not mentioned by John help

KEY 6-9: The Other related signs

  1. Leo above virgins head
  2. Rev 5:5 confirms "lion-king" assoc
  3. Leo works also for ANE pagans as "royal constellation"
  4. Also: Regulus in Leo in conjunction with Jupiter (King planet)
  5. Combination of these other signs singles out one date: 9/11/3

Re: September 11th—September 11th is a potentially significant date both in NYC and in Jewish history because it might be the anniversary of the destruction of both the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem by the Babylonians and the Romans respectively. There are also unfounded claims that September 11th was the date when ancient Babylon was founded by Nimrod, who rebelled against God and built the Tower of Babel.

KEY 6-10: The Birth of Jesus on September 11, 3 B.C., the Day of Trumpets, and Noah’s Flood

  1. Even more points of correlation to Rev 12
  2. Preceding Rev 12 is Ark of Covenant = presence of God w/man
  3. 9/11/3 = 1 Tishri Jewish new year = Feast of Trumpets
  4. New Year Trumpet = ongoing hope in God's kingship
  5. Day of Trumpets (1 Tishri) = beginning of the world
  6. Day of Trumpets (1 Tishri) part of matrix ideas link sin of Watchers, Flood, Noah, et al
  7. Rosh Ha-Shanah (September/October) = Jewish New Year
  8. Exodus -> First month aligned with Passover
  9. Detached from harvest to national renewal after Exodus
  10. Important for us -> link this date to the Watchers/Gen 6.
  11. Noah's birthdate is Tishri 1—Jesus the new Noah
  12. Pleiades paired with Orion -> Orion = giant 
  13. Further link: Job 38:31 Orion = Nephila = Nephilim deriv src
  14. All from a Mesopotamian context of Gen 6
  15. Rising of Pleiades next month after Jesus Tishri 1 birth would signal arrival of God's shepherd-king
  16. What was needed was a new Noah. And so on Tishri 1, the traditional birthday of Noah, the heavens telegraphed the identity of the better Noah, Jesus of Nazareth, born as He was from Noah’s own bloodline (Luke 3:36). The permanent reversal of the ancient pact sealed on Mount Hermon had begun. 

In her fascinating scholarly essay, “The Pleiades, the Flood, and the Jewish New Year,” Dr. Ellen Robbins, a lecturer at the Johns Hopkins University, details how this ancient calendrical thinking factored into the interpretation of the Flood story—including its preamble about the sons of God and the Nephilim.[124]

Heiser, Michael S.. Reversing Hermon: Enoch, the Watchers, and the Forgotten Mission of Jesus Christ (pp. 83-84). Kindle Edition. 

KEY 6-11: Jesus and Noah share a birthday.

  1. The chronology of the Flood, the shared birthdate of Noah and Jesus, and the heliacal appearance of the Pleiades in the second month when Noah emerged from the Ark—details that leading ancient Jews to associate Messiah with the Flood story in Genesis 6:1-4.
  2. Pleiades (Amos 5:8; Job 9:9, 38:31) always paired with Orion.
  3. Orion = Giant — Qumran Job targum (Aramaic translation of Job) uses Naphila, which is where we get Nephilim (Job 38:31).
  4. Remember: Ancient Mesopotamian context for Genesis 6 and its preservation in 1 Enoch.
  5. re: #4 (above): Orion = "true shepherd of Anu"; Anu = chief god of the sky; shepherd motif = Kingship in ANE; Orion = Any chosen king.
  6. Polemic: For followers of Yahweh, Orion ≠ Shepherd King.
  7. Shepherd motif overtly Messianic.
  8. Israel: Shepherd-king motif ≈ adoption of king by diety; shepherd of people; David = model king; prototype of Messiah, ultimate shepherd-king.
  9. Yields: Messiah born on Tishri 1, followed by Pleiades + Orion = signal of Yahweh Messiah-king.
  10. Therefore, the heavens telegraph arrival of the "better Noah" (Messiah shepherd-king).