An Old Testament theology of the powers of darkness connects sinister spiritual beings with death, the realm of the dead, and an ongoing assault on the harmony, order, and well-being the good God of all the earth desired in the world he had created for humankind. Michael Heiser

The approaches to the Tariaro Bridge were washed away by the floods in spring, so it was good to be able to ride one of my favourite routes again after a couple of months. The Namoi River is looking splendid today.

A loving God created the earth as his own abode-temple, intending humanity to be part of his family. Supernatural mutinies brought death, disaster, and disease to earth. Instead of all the earth becoming sacred space, darkness permeated the world. Michael Heiser

Windy start to the day. I tried a new route today, going past Bunnings then down Saleyards Lane, Balonne St, up past the Railway station, down around the High School and home. If I had extended the ride down to Riverbend it would have made a nice hour long ride.
The photo is at the newly refurbished railway station. #cycling #Narrabri

Contrary to many popular Christian traditions, there were three divine rebellions, not just one; of these, the first two framed ancient beliefs about Satan, the problem of human depravity, and the origin of demons. The third is the point of reference for the “princes” of Daniel 10 and Paul’s teaching on the principalities and powers. These divine rebels are distinct—the rebellions were not committed by the same entities.  Michael Heiser

In Scripture, darkness is a metaphor for negative, fearful human experiences. There are roughly two hundred references to darkness in Scripture, nearly all of which are used as a contrast to the God of the Bible—the source of love and life. It is no surprise, then, that death, the threat of death, and the realm of the dead itself are linked to supernatural entities expelled from God’s presence and service.  Michael Heiser

A nice ride this morning. The edge has gone off the heat, so very pleasant. A highlight was a very close encounter with a peewee flying across the road – he misjudged the trajectory and came within cms of hitting my face 🦅🚲😁

First, most of what we claim to know about the powers of darkness does not derive from close study of the original Hebrew and Greek texts. Second, much of what we think we know is filtered through and guided by church tradition—not the original, ancient contexts of the Old and New Testaments.  Michael Heiser

Nice ride ahead of a predicted hot day. Maximum is supposed to be 38 C, a bit of a shock in our unusually cool summer #cycling #Narrabri

We have to admit that we are prideful and we forget that it’s His greatness in us that causes the miraculous intervention of God to manifest in our lives. Becky Dvorak