Gilbert House Fellowship

THE TONE of this week’s psalms seems odd given the military victories of David that we studied last week. This is why we use a chronological reading order: We see in this week’s readings that David, despite his success on the battlefield, really grappled with the opposition he faced from enemies both from without and within his kingdom. But despite his occasional cries of despair, David always returned to give the Lord thanks and praise. Help us Build Barn Better! This is our project to convert our 1,200 square foot shop building from a place to park our yard tractor into usable studio and warehouse space. In 2023, we plan to fix the holes in the walls, replace windows, insulate the building, install an HVAC system, and move our studios and book/DVD warehouse and shipping office out of our home. If you are so led, you can donate by clicking here. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs, SciFriday, Unraveling Revelation, and A View from the Bunker. The app is avai

DAVID’S KINGDOM faced a strong test from his neighbors to the east and north as a coalition of Ammonites and Arameans tried to take down the new Israelite kingdom. We discuss the nearly identical accounts in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles and the wonderful attitude of David’s nephew and general Joab: “Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” Help us Build Barn Better! This is our project to convert our 1,200 square foot shop building from a place to park our yard tractor into usable studio and warehouse space. In 2023, we plan to fix the holes in the walls, replace windows, insulate the building, install an HVAC system, and move our studios and book/DVD warehouse and shipping office out of our home. If you are so led, you can donate by clicking here. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs, SciFriday, Unraveling Revelation, and A View from the Bunker. The app is available

DAVID’S KINGDOM expanded outward in all directions, possibly reaching as far as the Euphrates in northern Syria. This week, we read the records of David’s wars against the Arameans of Damascus and Zobah to the north, the small kingdoms east of the Jordan (Ammon, Moab, and Edom), and the Amalekites in the south. We discuss the historical context of David’s reign and the recent discovery of an Iron Age kingdom in southern Turkey and northern Syria, known from inscriptions as Palistin (and probably related to the Philistines who settled between Israel and Egypt), whose best-known king, Taita, may be the Toi/Tou mentioned in 2 Sam. 8 and 1 Chr. 18. We also discuss David’s kindness to Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, something that would have been unusual in a time when preserving the life of a male descendant of the former king, Saul, would have been unusual. Help us Build Barn Better! This is our project to convert our 1,200 square foot shop building from a place to park our yard tractor into usable studio

A SUPERNATURAL worldview was perfectly natural to King David. It’s clear from his psalms that he had a better understanding of the unseen realm. After recapitulating the prayer of David from last week’s reading of 2 Samuel 7, we discuss references in his psalms that point to spiritual beings, such as “heavenly beings,” the bene elim (literally, “sons of God”) of Psalm 29:1. For all of his faults, David knew Who is above all other elohim. Help us Build Barn Better! This is our project to convert our 1,200 square foot shop building from a place to park our yard tractor into usable studio and warehouse space. In 2023, we plan to fix the holes in the walls, replace windows, insulate the building, install an HVAC system, and move our studios and book/DVD warehouse and shipping office out of our home. If you are so led, you can donate by clicking here. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs, SciFriday, Unraveling Revelation, and A View from the Bunker. The app is avai

DAVID WAS not a perfect man by any measure, but if we draw anything from this week’s study it should be his example of humility when he realized that he’d become a little too full of himself. The narrative is another account of bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, which we previously studied in 1 Chronicles 13–16. Afterward, David proposed building a temple to God, but the Lord appeared to Nathan and directed the prophet to tell David that it was not for him to build the House of Yahweh—and to remind David just who was responsible for elevating him to the throne. David’s prayer in 2 Samuel 7:18–29 is a wonderful example of a man who realizes the source of his blessings and expresses his heartfelt, sincere gratitude for the blessings bestowed by God. Help us Build Barn Better! This is our project to convert our 1,200 square foot shop building from a place to park our yard tractor into usable studio and warehouse space. In 2023, we plan to fix the holes in the walls, replace windows, insulate the

DAVID KNEW that God had a divine council comprised of supernatural beings. We see more confirmation of that in this week’s study. Psalm 89 mentions the “holy ones” (Hebrew qedoshim) and “heavenly beings” (bene elim, literally “sons of God”) who are in his assembly. The psalmist goes on to praise God for His power in mastering the sea (Ps. 89:9–10). In Hebrew, that’s yam, the Canaanite name for the chaos-dragon of the sea—their version of Leviathan. Given the reference to Rahab in verse 10, this is more than just picturesque language describing God as more powerful than the ocean; the psalmist is referring to the chaoskampf, the conflict between God and Chaos (Leviathan). We also discuss the references to “the north and the south… Tabor and Hermon” in Psalm 89:12. The mountains mentioned were sites of cult worship in the ancient world, so we think the compass points north (tsaphon) and south (yamin) have spiritual significance as well. Zaphon was the mountain of Baal in what is today southern Turkey. “South”

THERE IS MORE spiritual warfare in the psalms than we realize! This week, we study three of David’s psalms that have more going on under the hood than is obvious at first read. Psalm 24 praises God for founding the earth “upon the seas and… the rivers.” In Canaanite religion, Baal became king of the gods after a battle with Yam (“Sea”), the embodiment of chaos (i.e., Leviathan), who is often called “Prince Yam [Sea] and Judge Nahar [River]” in Canaanite religious texts. So, David’s psalm is more than poetic language; it’s a rebuke of the pagan belief that Baal was the one who subdued primordial chaos. Psalm 47 is a song of triumph, encouraging all people to rejoice that God is King of all the earth, but Psalm 68 is, in our view, a prophecy of a future battle between God and the forces of darkness at a place known in the ancient world as the entrance to the netherworld, Bashan. It begins with the declaration that “God shall arise, His enemies shall be scattered; and all those who hate him shall flee before

THE PSALMS OF DAVID are often prophetic. We know this. But we often overlook just how supernatural they are. This week, we focus on two of the most profound and stunning psalms in the Bible. Psalm 22 begins with a line quoted by Jesus on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It’s widely acknowledged by Bible scholars that the 22nd Psalm is a prophecy of the Crucifixion written more than 600 years before the Persians invented that horrific method of execution. However, verses 12 and 13 are usually misinterpreted. They read: Many bulls encompass me;strong bulls of Bashan surround me;they open wide their mouths at me,like a ravening and roaring lion. (Psalm 22:12–13, ESV) Bible commentaries usually explain these verses as a reference to the well-fed livestock of ancient Bashan. That’s not what the passage means. Bashan was a terrible place to raise cattle, which would have starved on the poor pastureland available on that rocky, volcanic soil. Goats and sheep thrived in Bashan, but the anci

READING THE HEADLINES each day can cause anxiety, depression, and frustration at the plots and schemes of those who apparently feel qualified, if not entitled, to tell the rest of us how we should live. When the news is getting to you, remember these words: He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then He will speak to them in His wrath, and terrify them in His fury, saying, “As for Me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” (Psalm 2:3–4, ESV) We discuss David’s song of thanksgiving and note a reference that’s packed with supernatural meaning: The “worthless idols” of 1 Chr. 16:26 (Hebrew ĕlîlim) may well refer to the spirits loyal to Enlil (also known as El, Dagon, and Molech), who we believe was the Watcher chief Shemihazah, leader of the Genesis 6 rebellion. Here’s a link to a short chapter from Derek’s book The Second Coming of Saturn on “Isaiah’s Worthless Idols” (link opens PDF document). If you’re coming with us to Israel, we can’t wait to share the adventure with you

GOD IS enthroned above the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant. Failure to treat the ark with proper respect, according to the Law, cost a teamster his life. This week, we discuss the move of the ark to Jerusalem and a section of scripture in 1 Chronicles 13 that’s difficult for many to accept. Why was Uzzah killed by God for putting his hand on the ark to steady it? The answer: The ark was supposed to be treated with reverence, carried by Levites with poles made specifically for that purpose (Exodus 25:12–14; Numbers 4:5–6, 15). Instead, it had been loaded onto an oxcart, like cargo in an Iron Age U-haul van. We also discuss an interesting section of a psalm of joy and thankfulness that is more supernatural than it first appears. Psalm 107:3 refers to the people gathered “from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.” However, “north” is the Hebrew word tsaphon, a reference to “cosmic” north—the mountain sacred to the king of the Canaanite pantheon, Baal. And “south” is yam, usually

DAVID ASCENDS to the throne in Jerusalem, and we recount the history of Israel, including some startling examples of warfare in the unseen realm, in the psalms accompanying our study this week. First, we discuss the Jebusites and the city of Jebus, which apparently was the area around the stronghold of Zion, which is the City of David—the area just south of the Temple Mount. “Jebus” means “threshing floor,” from a verb meaning “to tread down,” as in treading out the grain. In the ancient world, as Sharon wrote in Veneration, threshing floors were believed to be portals to the spirit realm. This is an interesting connection to the Hurrian people, relevant because Araunah, owner of the threshing floor on Mount Moriah, is not a name but a title that means “lord” or “king.” The Hurrians believed that gods of the underworld, including spirits of the dead, had to be summoned from the underworld in an underground pit called the abi, from which the Hebrews got the word ôb (“medium”). It just happens that there is a

DAVID’S FRAME OF MIND was apparently much better by the time he wrote these psalms, which are dated to about the time he was anointed king over all Israel. That took place at Hebron, but shortly thereafter he marched against the Jebusite city of Jerusalem and made that his capital city. We discuss the Jebusites, why we believe they were Hurrians (Horites), and why that’s relevant to our understanding of the supernatural battle for control of God’s har moʿed (“mount of assembly”). We also note differences between the Septuagint and Masoretic accounts in 2 Samuel 5: the Septuagint makes no mention of a water shaft into the City of David, and the Valley of Rephaim southwest of Jerusalem, where David fought two battles against the Philistines, was translated into the Greek Septuagint as “Valley of Titans.” Help us to Build Barn Better! This is our project to convert our 1,200 square foot shop building from a place to park our yard tractor into usable studio and warehouse space. In 2023, we plan to fix t

Genealogy was important in ancient Israel. It was how the Israelites kept track of the heads of the tribes and who was eligible for service in the Temple. It also debunks the idea that the tribes of the northern kingdom were “lost” after the Assyrian invasion of 722 BC. This week, we study the records of six of the tribes, the family of Saul, and the genealogy of the returned exiles. Then we move to Psalm 102, titled, “A Prayer of One Afflicted, When he is Faint and Pours Out His Complaint Before the Lord.” That seems appropriate this week, as we learned that our good friend and mentor, Dr. Michael Heiser, is in the late stage of an aggressive pancreatic cancer. He is home, in hospice care, and at peace. You can read Mike’s open letter about his condition at Mike’s Facebook page. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs, SciFriday, Unraveling Revelation, and A View from the Bunker. The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores

Our ancestors 3,000 years ago dealt with the same pressures and problems we face today. This week, after reading the Chronicler’s list of the descendants of Levi, we study four psalms that illustrate the frustration of God that His people do not listen; the despair that comes from feeling separated from God like the demonic spirits of the Rephaim (Ps. 88:10: “departed” = rephaim); and the joy that results from acknowledging the sovereignty of God and praising His mighty works. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs, SciFriday, Unraveling Revelation, and A View from the Bunker. The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Please subscribe and share our YouTube channel, www.YouTube.com/GilbertHouse! Check out our online store! www.GilbertHouse.org/store is a virtual book table with books and DVDs related to our weekly Bible study. Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations a

Remembering where we came from is the theme of this week’s study, three psalms of Asaph, a contemporary of David, that lament the trials of the faithful in contrast to the apparent success of the wicked. Although the unrighteous appear to prosper, Asaph remembers that envy of the arrogant is a stumbling block, and that we must remember the mighty works of God in saving not just his people, but each of us—and that a day is coming when He will “receive [us] to glory.” We also discuss some aspects of these psalms that aren’t obvious unless you’re reading with the Divine Council in mind; for example, Psalm 78:47–50, which describe several of the plagues of Egypt during the Exodus, that mention entities known to the pagan Canaanites: Barad (“hail”), Resheph (“thunderbolts”), and Deber (“plague”). Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs, SciFriday, Unraveling Revelation, and A View from the Bunker. The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to

GENEALOGY WAS important to the Israelites. It was the basis for determining who was eligible to serve in the Temple and who was worthy to sit on the throne. This week, we study the descendants of David, emphasizing his role as the progenitor of the kings of Judah, and then the tribes of Judah, Simeon, Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh that lived east of the Jordan River. In the middle of the list of the Judahites, we find an anecdote about Jabez, two verses that were made famous by the David Wilkerson book, The Prayer of Jabez. We discuss the prayer itself and how it’s been misapplied by some. As with the Lord’s Prayer, the prayer of Jabez is not a formula that obligates God to respond in the way we want. That’s dangerously close to “magic.” Rather, it’s a template—an example of how we should pray, not a script of what we should say. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs, SciFriday, Unraveling Revelation, and A View from the Bunker. The app is availa

THE SONS OF KORAH were responsible for baking and gatekeeping in the Temple. They were also singers, and this week’s readings appears to be songs of lament and hymns of praise and joy. Psalm 43 is interesting in that it was probably part of the 42nd psalm originally, which appears to put the psalmist in the north of Israel—specifically in the region of Mount Hermon, which, spiritually speaking, was the heart of enemy territory. Taken together, this collection of psalms contrasts the troubles we endure in this life at the hands of the wicked, who foolishly “trust in their wealth” when “no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life” (Ps. 49:6–7) with the joy that awaits in Zion, the “dwelling place” of God. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs, SciFriday, Unraveling Revelation, and A View from the Bunker. The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Please subscribe and sh

GENEALOGY IS IMPORTANT in the Bible. It not only establishes Jesus as the descendant of David, and thus the rightful king, it also shows that he was fully human during his time on Earth. This week, we discuss the genealogies at the beginning of the chronicles, which scholars believe were written sometime after the Jews returned from Babylon beginning in 538 BC. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs, SciFriday, Unraveling Revelation, and A View from the Bunker. The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Please subscribe and share our YouTube channel, www.YouTube.com/GilbertHouse! Check out our online store! www.GilbertHouse.org/store is a virtual book table with books and DVDs related to our weekly Bible study. Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations and teachings based on our research at our new video on demand site! JOIN US IN ISRAEL! The Gilberts will be in the

THE PSALMS are filled with supernatural meaning that we often miss because we don’t have the worldview of the authors. This week, we dig into three psalms of David that appear, on first reading, related to his ascension to the kingship over all the tribes of Israel. They are that, but on a deeper level, we find references to the the unseen realm and those spirits who rejected God’s authority. For example, the “saints/holy people in the land” of Psalm 16:3 are, in our view, rebellious angels. The Hebrew word translated “saints” or “holy people,” qedoshim (literally “holy ones”), is used elsewhere in scripture of the Watchers (Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 4) and the heavenly beings of the divine assembly (Psalm 89:5–7; Job 15:15). The “excellent/noble ones” (Heb. addirim) are known from pagan texts from the time of the Judges, linked to the Rephaim and threshing floors, which were considered portals to the spirit realm in the ancient world. And “land” (Heb. eretz) means “underworld” as well as “the la

THE PSALMS we study this week are especially timely, coming as they do after a contentious midterm election in the United States. At the end of the day, regardless of how the vote turned out, God is still on His throne, and He, for one, was not surprised by the results. We also discuss a psalm not usually interpreted as messianic. Psalm 8 includes several verses quoted by the author of Hebrews: What is man that you are mindful of him,    and the son of man that you care for him?Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings    and crowned him with glory and honor.You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;    you have put all things under his feet… (Psalm 8:4–6, ESV) These verses are quoted in Hebrews 2:6–8, where it’s clear that “the son of man” refers to Jesus, the Messiah. Most Bible teachers don’t see it that way, for some reason. We dig deeper into the title “Son of Man” and how it emerged as a messianic title during the first century BC in the Book of Parables, chapters