Weird Stuff in the Bible

And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.

You’ve probably heard those words before and thought, “Oh yeah, Genesis 6, the story of the Watchers- AKA the Sons of God- who came down and created the giants with human women.” If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while, you’ve heard those verses from Genesis 6 quoted countless times.

Only I wasn’t reading from Genesis 6 just now. I was reading from Enoch 6. And that portion of Enoch is not only almost word-for-word similar to how Genesis 6 begins, but then it goes off in another direction that informs us some of the details of the pre-flood world. Insights that will help us understand what was so bad about the days of Noah that caused God to want to wipe out virtually all life on the planet.

I mean, eradicating 99.9% of humanity? God doesn’t overreact. What was so bad about the world that required that degree of wiping it all away?

And remember: Enoch was Jesus’ history book. So could what we learn in Enoch 6 give us an idea of what Jesus meant when He said the end times would be as it was in the days of Noah?

I find Enoch 6 to be weird, and I’d like to explore what it helps us understand about our Bible. 

Turn to Genesis 6, 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:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

0:00 - Introduction

1:35 - The Desire of the Watchers

9:45 - Were the Women Willing?

14:40 - Enter Semjaza

17:50 - The Plan of the Watchers

22:05 - Next Time

24:10 - A Repeat of the Days of Noah?

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 [email protected]

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!

The Bible has a thing for name changes.

Abram gets an upgrade where he becomes Abraham. Simon gets a glow-up, too; Jesus changes his name to Peter, "the Rock." And Jacob goes medieval on an angel and he gets himself rebranded as Israel. 

And they aren’t the only ones. You get into the book of Revelation and Jesus says this:

(Revelation 2:17)

To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.

Wait, you get one of these new names, too! A super-secret name for forever and ever once you get to heaven.

Wait- what if you like your current name? Or what if you don’t like your new one? What’s with all these changing names in the Bible- and do you have to change your name once you get to heaven- and does the Book of Enoch perhaps shed some insight on this?

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

Turn to Revelation 2, 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:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

0:00 - Introduction

1:35 - Enoch 5 & Cursed Names

6:40 - Changing Names

8:15 - A New Name Written Down in Glory

18:00 - Your Role in Heaven

22:25 - Next Time

23:20 - The Rest of the Story

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 [email protected]

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!

Forever is a long time. 

It’s especially a long time if you’re in hell.

And so we need to make sure we’ve got this doctrine right.

Revelation 14:11 says of the people in hell

the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever

Jude 7 says Sodom and Gomorrah 

serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire

One of the traditional Christian teachings is that hell is (1) eternal, (2) conscious, and (3) torment. 

This is probably the mainline Christian teaching in most denominations, but yet, there are a number of Christians who don’t believe hell can last forever. Or if it does, that the people there couldn’t possibly be conscious. And if they are, then it must not be all torment.

And so they come up with alternative doctrines like annihilationism or purgatory- which may not be technically biblical, but they sound a whole lot more palatable to our modern 21st Century mindsets than the uncomfortable view of God sending people to an eternal wrath. 

That sounds a bit over-the-top. Would God really do that? Why would a finite amount of sins deserve an infinite amount of punishment. We gotta figure this out.

Because eternity is way too long to get this hell thing wrong.

I find this doctrine of eternal conscious torment be weird, and I’d like to explore whether it’s in the Bible. 

And also, whether the Book of Enoch might help us to shed a little more light on it.

Turn to Revelation 14, 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:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - Eternity is Too Long to be Wrong

6:15 - Objection 1, Annihilationism

10:40 - Objection 2, Hell isn’t Loving

14:10 - Enoch 2-5

19:05 - Objection 3, Infinite Punishment for Finite Sins

24:15 - Next Time

25:20 - 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 [email protected]

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!

Why should you study the book of Enoch? Does it hold any value to our faith walk? Is it ill-advised to read any collection of prophetic writings when it’s not part of the biblical canon?

Well, let’s answer that question with an observation: the book of Jude directly quotes from the book of Enoch.

Jude 14-15 say

14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

Perhaps you say, well, Enoch WAS in the Old Testament. And that’s correct. However, that quotation from him was not in the Old Testament. It’s only found in the ancient Book of Enoch.

So why is Jude quoting from prophetic writings that aren’t part of Scripture? And if the prophetic writings are true, then why not include them in Scripture?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why this prophecy of Enoch’s is in the Bible and why the rest of his book isn’t. 

Turn to Jude, 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:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - Did Jude Actually Quote Enoch?

10:10 - Peter & Jesus’ history book

14:00 - Why isn’t Enoch part of the Canon?

21:30 - Things to Come

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 [email protected]

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 have studied a fair amount of literature on the world before the flood, but none of it has made that world come alive to me like Brian Godawa’s theological works. He graciously joined me for an interview today to discuss some of his theological foundations; some of the topics discussed include:

- Did “gods” walk among men?

- The Sons of God and the Divine Council

- Michael Heiser’s influence on theology

- The Book of Enoch’s credibility

And a whole lot more! Welcome to a weird new year of the podcast!

Brian Godawa is the author of the Chronicles of the Nephilim series- including Noah Primeval- and a wide variety of other works. Learn about all that he does at Godawa.com

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

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

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 [email protected]

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!

Is it possible that dinosaurs are mentioned in the Bible itself?

Well that idea is a little too far out there for most people to even consider. 

Even those who believe in a young earth tend to believe that the dinosaurs died out either before or during the worldwide flood in Genesis, and that’s why all we have left of them today are fossils buried under layers of earth.

And if you believe in an old earth then you definitely don’t believe Adam was riding a T-Rex around the Garden of Eden because those creatures were millions of years old, according to science.

And yet, the book of Job describes a creature called Behemoth, which sounds an awful lot like a dinosaur. I mean, it doesn’t sound like it could be anything other than a dinosaur. It says it has a tail like a cedar and limbs like bars of iron.

But wait a minute- Job takes place after the flood of Noah. Which makes a dinosaur-sighting seem more out of place than Candace Owens at a bar mitzvah.

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

Turn to Job 40, 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:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

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.

0:00 - Introduction

5:00 - Job’s Science Quiz

14:00 - Next Time

16:00 - Closing Thoughts

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

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!

So I’ve been studying the book of Enoch for a series of episodes I’d like to begin next year, and I found something that just can’t wait until 2026. It’s too cool.

The Book of Enoch- which is a controversial book- which is not part of the biblical canon- which has a lot of legitimate questions about its authenticity- which was written before Jesus was born- predicts the timing of when the Messiah would come into this world.

I truly did not realize that a prophecy which was this specific was supposedly told to Enoch all the way back before the flood of Noah. 

And we can confirm it by the Bible itself, because Luke 3- which you may have read this month if you’ve been looking at the Christmas story this time of year- Luke 3 gives us a genealogy of all the generations from Adam to Jesus.

Genealogies are not usually the most interesting thing to read, but the Bible has a lot of them. And I find that to be weird, and I’d like to explore whether what the Book of Enoch predicts about the future correlates with what’s in the Bible. 

Turn to Luke 3, 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:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

Attribution for Christmas music at the end:

 🔻

Vlad Gluschenko - WINTER TIME is under a Creative Commons BY 3.0 license.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...

  / vgl9  

Music powered by BreakingCopyright:   • 🕊️ Christmas & Peaceful (Royalty Free Musi...  

🔎 Find more music here: https://breakingcopyright.com

🔺

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

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.

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - God’s Number

6:20 - Sixes and Sevens

14:20 - Preaching to the Spirits

18:05 - Next Time & Giveaway

20:20 - The 78th Generation

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

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!

What I like about Matthew’s Gospel is that he connects the Old Testament to the New. He’ll include a verse from the Old Testament and say something like, “As the prophet Jeremiah said…” or “As the prophet Isaiah said…” I appreciate that he cites his sources. 

Except for that time that, well, he didn’t. And we have no idea where it came from.

It’s in the Christmas story, Matthew chapter 2, where it says in

Verse 23

And he [Jesus] went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

That all sounds fine, except: which prophet said that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene? And it wasn’t just one; Matthew said it was “spoken by the prophets” which means more than one. And yet you can scour your Old Testament and you will never find a single verse that the Christ would be called a Nazarene. In fact, you won’t find a single mention of Nazareth at all.

So what prophecy is Matthew talking about?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s NOT in the Bible. 

Turn to Matthew 2, and let’s get weird.

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

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

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

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

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - The Context

5:10 - The Nazareth Prophecy

13:50 - Mailbag

18:00 - Next Time

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

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!

Coming up on today’s edition of Weird Stuff in the Bible, we have an interview with Remnant Radio’s Michael Miller. He’s going to help us answer the question: Can Christians be Possessed by Demons? 

Remnant Radio is a podcast with three pastors who teach on spiritual gifts and how to operate in them within the church.

What I like about Remnant Radio is that they (1) have first-hand experience in the things they talk about, and (2) they don’t get kooky about it. They keep things very grounded and biblical. 

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

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

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

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

0:00 - Introduction

4:00 - Oppression vs Possession

9:00 - Can Christians have Demons?

17:00 - How common is demonic manifestation during deliverance?

18:00 - Can a demon speak through a Christian?

19:40 - How do you determine whether an issue has a spiritual cause?

22:00 - Do you need to learn a demon’s name to cast it out?

27:20 - Can small children have demons?

29:00 - Tell everyone about Remnant Radio

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

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!

Normally on these episodes I start by introducing a Bible passage that’s bizarre, perplexing, or just plain weird. But we are reaching a milestone of 100 episodes, and I thought I would just take a step back this time and tell you the story of why I’m such a weirdo.

Why I like digging into the weird stuff in the Bible.

Why I think the weird stuff in the Bible matters.

And it all starts with a crazy experience I had in college when my friend got possessed by a demon and it started speaking to me.

Because from then on, my life was never the same. My Christian walk was never the same. And I probably wouldn’t be doing this podcast right now if it wasn’t for the story that I’m going to share today.

And just a warning in case you’ve got any kids around, and also in case the episode title didn’t clue you in, the story is a little dark and scary. Like, it literally happens on Friday the 13th. But if you think you can handle it, grab some popcorn and let’s get weird.

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

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

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

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

0:00 - Introduction

1:30 - My Story

14:35 - Why I Share This Story

20:20 - Mailbag

26:10 - Closing Thoughts

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

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!