Episode 41 :: Michael Heiser :: The Gospel in "Stranger Things" and a World Turned Upside Down

I hope you are ready to be taken to school during today's episode. Today I am chatting with esteemed theologian Dr. Michael Heiser. Dr. Heiser has a very long list of credentials, degrees and experiences (that he does a much better job explaining in the episode) that make him one of the foremost experts on supernatural and spiritual worldview.

I hope you are ready to be taken to school during today’s episode. Today I am chatting with esteemed theologian Dr. Michael Heiser. Dr. Heiser has a very long list of credentials, degrees and experiences (that he does a much better job explaining in the episode) that make him one of the foremost experts on supernatural and spiritual worldview. What does that mean exactly? Basically, Dr. Heiser specializes in the unseen. At the time of this conversation, his most recent book that we talk about at length is about finding the Gospel in the show “Stranger Things.” So, for all my friends who are fans of this show, you are going to LOVE this. If you have never seen it, don’t worry, neither have I and this still is one of the most fascinating conversations I have ever been a part of not just on the podcast, but possible my entire adult life.

Dr. Heiser is one of those people that after speaking to them you realize there is just so much more to learn about the word of God. Since I had this conversation with Dr. Heiser, he released ANOTHER book, that is called Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Power of Darkness. A lot of what he shared today, especially in the second half of the episode, sets up the premise of this powerful book. I cannot say enough incredible things about it.

This conversation is FULL of incredible insight during a season where it can feel like the world is turned upside down. This word about who God is, and who exactly we are up against is needed and power packed. We must remember who the real enemy is and recount who God still is in the upside down.

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Resources:

-”Stranger Things”

-The World Turned Upside Down: Finding the Gospel in Stranger Things

-MP Seminars

-Lexham press

-The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible

-supernatural worldview

-Finding God in Lord Lord the Rings

-Finding God in the Hobbit

-”X-Files”

-”The Wonder Years”

-“Contact”

-“Arrival”

-“Signs”

-the Borg in “Star Trek”

-Dead Sea Scrolls

-pantheons/idolatry

-”The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.”- Charles Baudelaire

-The Screwtape Letters

-muslims who dream about Jesus (this is FASCINATING)

-Chronicles of Narnia

-Pilgrim’s Progress

-book of Enoch- the 70 shepherds

-Supernatural: What the Bible Teaches About the Unseen Realm and Why It Matters

-The Facade // The Portent

-The Simply Stories episode with Davis Bunn aka Thomas Locke

-”Gladiator”

-”Lord of the Rings” (“Ride now!”) but this is the best one from Aragon (“Hold your ground! Brothers, I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, and we forsake our friends, and we break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day… This day we FIGHT.”)

-”Independence Day”- (Arguably one of the top 5 best movie speeches ever. Did I cry re-watching it to link this? Yes. Yes I did. #WhitmoreforPresident2020)

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

Scripture References:

-Hebrews 2- Jesus enjoyed being human

-Esther (our reading of it on the podcast here!)

-Ruth “just so happened” (our reading of it on the podcast :))

-Revelation 20:7-10- we know how the Enemy’s story ends

-Ephesians 2:2- prince of darkness

-John 10:10

-1 Peter 5:8- a lion seeking to devour

-the Fall in Genesis 3

-Genesis 6:1-5-sons of God and daughters of men

-Genesis 11:1-9-the Tower of Babel