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Episode #27 of Entangled Kingdoms is now available! Through Jesus Christ, God has rescued His people from the dominion of darkness and brought them into the kingdom of His beloved Son. Yet Satan’s defeat does not mean he has stopped deceiving, dividing, and opposing God’s people. In this episode, we look at: How Paul describes salvation as rescue from one dominion and entrance into another His warning about satanic power, counterfeit signs, and end-time deception Why a supernatural experience is not necessarily evidence of God’s approval The promise that the God of peace will crush Satan beneath the feet of His people Satan remains active, but his authority is limited and his end is already determined. How, then, can Christians take his deception seriously without becoming fearful or preoccupied with his power? Join us as we continue untangling the kingdoms and consider how the gospel teaches us to live with both vigilance and confidence. Join the Conversation What does it look like for the church to resist Satan’s deception while resting confidently in Christ’s victory? Leave a comment and join the conversation! Resources Articles * Clinton E. Arnold, “What Is Spiritual Warfare?” * Erik Raymond, “Called Out of and Into Something” * Andrew Wilson, “Would Someone Tell Me What 2 Thessalonians 2 Means?!” * Graham A. Cole, “10 Things You Should Know about Demons and Satan” * Mitch Chase, “6 Ways to Live in Light of the Serpent-Slayer Story” Videos * The Satan and Demons — BibleProject * 2 Thessalonians Overview — BibleProject * The Lie All Satanic Power Serves: 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12 — Desiring God Podcasts * Spiritual Warfare — BibleProject * Spiritual Warfare and the Powers of Darkness — Think Biblically * Are Angels and Demons Still Active Today? — Crossway * Teaching 2 Thessalonians with Matt Smethurst — Help Me Teach the Bible Books * Powers of Darkness: Principalities and Powers in Paul’s Letters by Clinton E. Arnold * Against the Darkness: The Doctrine of Angels, Satan, and Demons by Graham A. Cole Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll bring together everything Paul has taught us about Satan—his character, his schemes, the limits of his authority, and the meaning of his defeat through Jesus Christ. Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

Episode #26 of Entangled Kingdoms is now available! Spiritual deception does not always look like darkness. Sometimes it sounds biblical, appears righteous, and even speaks the name of Jesus. In this episode, we: * Examine Paul’s warning about “another Jesus,” a “different spirit,” and a “different gospel” * Explore Satan’s disguise as an “angel of light” * Contrast Christlike leadership with manipulation and self-exaltation * Consider how to test the voices shaping our faith Counterfeit light is dangerous precisely because it looks familiar. How can believers recognize deception without becoming cynical or suspicious of everyone? Tune in as we continue to untangle the kingdoms and discover how to live in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Join the Conversation What helps you distinguish faithful teaching from something that merely sounds Christian? Leave a comment and join the conversation! Resources Articles * Peter Balla, “2 Corinthians: Paul and the False Apostles” * Sinclair Ferguson, “An Angel of Light?” * Rhyne R. Putman, “8 Ways to Spot False Teachers” * Sam Allberry, “Let’s Cultivate Honesty in Our Churches—Starting with Us” Videos * 2 Corinthians Overview — BibleProject * Is Evil Hiding Behind Light? Understanding 2 Corinthians 11:14 | Sean McDowell Podcasts * True and False Prophets — BibleProject * How Can We Discern Who Is a True or False Prophet? — BibleProject Books * A Model of Christian Maturity: An Exposition of 2 Corinthians 10–13 by D. A. Carson * The Second Epistle to the Corinthians by Paul Barnett * Powers of Darkness: Principalities and Powers in Paul’s Letters by Clinton E. Arnold Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll explore liberation from Satan’s dominion, end-time deception, and Christ’s decisive victory over the powers of darkness. Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

Episode #25 of Entangled Kingdoms is now available! In this episode, we examine Paul’s difficult language about delivering someone to Satan and the redemptive purpose of church discipline. In this episode, we… * Examine 1 Corinthians 5 and 1 Timothy 1 * Explore what it means to be “delivered to Satan” * Consider the severity of exclusion from the covenant community * Discuss discipline as a severe mercy aimed at repentance * Look at 2 Corinthians 2 and the church’s responsibility to forgive, comfort, and restore Paul warns that Satan can exploit tolerance when repentance is absent—and unforgiveness when correction has been sufficient. Tune in now as we continue to untangle the kingdoms and discover how to live in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Join the Conversation I’d love to hear your thoughts on church discipline, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration! Resources Articles: * Colin G. Kruse, “The Offender and the Offence in 2 Corinthians 2:5 and 7:12” * Jonathan Merritt, “Shepherds, Shamers, and Shunners: The Rise of Church Discipline in America” * R. Albert Mohler Jr., “Church Discipline: The Missing Mark” Videos: * 1 Corinthians Overview — BibleProject * 2 Corinthians Overview — BibleProject * 1 Timothy Overview — BibleProject * Who is Satan and What are Demons in the Bible? — BibleProject Podcasts: * A Community of Good News — Exploring My Strange Bible / BibleProject * The Unseen Spiritual Battle — Think Biblically with Sean McDowell Books: * The Satan: How God’s Executioner Became the Enemy by Dr. Ryan E. Stokes * Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright * Paul and the Power of Grace by Dr. John M. G. Barclay * Satan and the Problem of Evil: Constructing a Trinitarian Warfare Theodicy — Gregory A. Boyd Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll continue exploring Satan in Paul’s writings by considering his work inside the church through false apostles, distorted teaching, counterfeit righteousness, and spiritual deception disguised as light. Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

Episode #24 of Entangled Kingdoms is now available! In this episode, we continue looking at Satan in the writings of Paul, this time focusing on spiritual warfare and what it actually means for ordinary Christian life. We look at: * The “schemes of the devil” in Ephesians 6 * The armor of God and Paul’s call to stand firm * How unresolved anger, bitterness, and division can give the devil a foothold * Paul’s thorn in the flesh and the mystery of Satan’s hostility alongside God’s sustaining grace * Why spiritual warfare is ultimately less about fear and speculation and more about remaining faithful to Christ One thing that continues to stand out to me in Paul’s writings is how seriously he takes the Enemy without ever losing sight of Christ’s authority. Satan’s schemes are real, but they do not have the final word. God has given His people what we need to stand: His truth, His gospel, His Spirit, His Word, and His sufficient grace. I hope this episode helps bring some clarity to a subject that can easily become sensationalized. Spiritual warfare is real, but Paul does not call us to panic or become fascinated with darkness. He calls us to know the Enemy’s schemes, put on the armor of God, and remain faithful to Christ. Join the Conversation Give it a listen and let me know what stood out to you. I’d especially love to hear your thoughts or questions about the armor of God, the devil’s footholds, or Paul’s thorn in the flesh. Resources Articles: * Suffering and the Reality of Spiritual Warfare — Seedbed * What Does It Mean to Give No Place to the Devil? — GotQuestions * What Was Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh? — GotQuestions * How Is God’s Strength Made Perfect in Weakness? — GotQuestions * Commentary on 2 Corinthians 12:2–10 — Working Preacher Videos: * The Armor of God — BibleProject Classroom * Spiritual Warfare in Ephesians — Interview with Dr. Clinton E. Arnold * Quick Thought: Armor of God — Tim Mackie / BibleProject Clip * A Thorn in the Flesh — 2 Corinthians 12 — Gary Hamrick Podcasts: * Spiritual Warfare — BibleProject Podcast * Spiritual Warfare and the Powers of Darkness — Sean McDowell / Think Biblically * Evil and Satan — The Naked Bible Podcast Books: * Powers of Darkness: Principalities & Powers in Paul’s Letters by Dr. Clinton E. Arnold * Power and Magic: The Concept of Power in Ephesians by Dr. Clinton E. Arnold * Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness by Dr. Michael S. Heiser * The Satan: How God’s Executioner Became the Enemy by Dr. Ryan E. Stokes * Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright * Paul and the Power of Grace by Dr. John M. G. Barclay Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll continue exploring Satan in Paul’s writings by considering his work inside the church through false apostles, distorted teaching, division, and the severe mercy of church discipline. Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

In this episode, we… Explore Paul’s description of Satan as “the god of this age” who blinds unbelievers to the glory of Christ Consider how Satan can hinder gospel ministry and oppose the strengthening of the church Examine Satan’s role as the tempter, working through subtle deception, fear, discouragement, and distorted desires Reflect on why Paul calls believers to vigilance, discernment, and ordinary faithfulness See that Satan’s power is real, but limited—and that God’s grace is sufficient Paul gives us a serious and sobering picture of spiritual conflict, but he never leaves us in fear. Satan blinds, but God gives light. Satan hinders, but he cannot stop the advance of Christ’s kingdom. Satan tempts, but God strengthens His people through truth, discernment, the fellowship of the church, and the grace of Christ. Join the Conversation: I’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Share your insights, questions, or reflections related to Satan’s activity in Paul’s letters, spiritual warfare, temptation, and the believer’s confidence in Christ. Tune in now and join us as we continue to untangle the kingdoms and discover how to live in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Resources Articles: What Does It Mean that the God of This Age Has Blinded the Minds of Unbelievers? — GotQuestions How Much Authority Does Satan Have in the World? — John Piper @ Desiring God Resisting the Devil — Ephesians 2:1–3 — Dr. Craig S. Keener Suffering and the Reality of Spiritual Warfare — Seedbed Difficult Bible Passages: 2 Corinthians 4:4 — Bill Muehlenberg Prepare for Spiritual Warfare with the Armor of God — Bible Gateway Videos: The Satan and Demons — BibleProject The Satan and Demons Question/Response — BibleProject What Ephesians 6 Says about Spiritual Warfare — Dr. Clinton E. Arnold Ryan E. Stokes: The Satan: How God’s Executioner Became the Enemy Podcasts: Evil and Satan — The Naked Bible Podcast Spiritual Warfare — BibleProject Podcast Q+R: Nephilim, Enoch, Satan and Demons — BibleProject Podcast Spiritual Warfare and the Powers of Darkness — Think Biblically Podcast with Dr. Clinton E. Arnold Satan Unveiled — The After Class Podcast Books: Powers of Darkness: Principalities & Powers in Paul’s Letters by Dr. Clinton E. Arnold The Satan: How God’s Executioner Became the Enemy by Dr. Ryan E. Stokes Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness by Dr. Michael S. Heiser An Introduction to Second Temple Judaism by Dr. Lester L. Grabbe Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll continue exploring Satan in Paul’s writings by turning to the schemes of the devil, the armor of God, and Paul’s thorn in the flesh. Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

I’m excited to announce the release of Episode #22 of the Entangled Kingdoms podcast! In this episode, we dive deep into the portrayal of Satan in the New Testament's General Epistles. We… * Explore how Peter, James, John, Jude, and the author of Hebrews depict Satan and spiritual warfare * Uncover the transformative power of being born of God and its impact on our relationship with Satan * Gain insights into the reality of spiritual battles and the importance of vigilance * Discover the assurance of victory through Christ in the face of spiritual opposition Whether you're a long-time believer or new to the faith, this episode offers valuable insights into the nature of spiritual conflict and our position in Christ. Join the Conversation: I’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Share your insights, questions, or personal experiences related to the topic on our social media platforms or in the comments section below. Tune in now and join us as we continue to untangle the kingdoms and discover how to live in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Resources Articles: * How Did Evil Begin - John Piper @ Desiring God * Where Did Satan Come From - Mike McKinley @ The Good Book Co. * The Absence of Satan in the Old Testament by Dr. Michael Heiser @ Naked Bible Blog Videos: * The Satan and Demons by the BibleProject * The Satan and Demons Question/Response by the BibleProject * Is the Fall of Satan really described in the Bible? by Honest Answers @ Southern Seminary * The Case for Satan by Desiring God Podcasts: * Evil and Satan - The Naked Bible Podcast * Satan vs Jesus- The After Class Podcast * Satan Unveiled - The After Class Podcast * Satan - The Dig Bible Podcast Books: * Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright * Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness by Dr. Michael S. Heiser * The Satan: How God’s Executioner Became the Enemy by Ryan Stokes * *An Introduction to Second Temple Judaism* by Dr. Lester L. Grabbe Stay tuned for our next episode, where we'll explore Satan in Paul's Epistles! Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

I’m excited to announce the release of Episode 21 of the Entangled Kingdoms podcast, titled "Denizens of Darkness Part 6: Satan in The New Testament". Join me as we begin a survey into the New Testament understanding of Satan. In this episode, we explore: * Various passages in the Gospels where Jesus engages with Satan and teaches about spiritual warfare. * The importance of vigilance, prayer, and faith in overcoming the influence of the kingdom of darkness. * The continuity and expansion of the understanding of Satan in the New Testament compared to Jewish beliefs during that time. * The authority of Jesus and the need to live in light of the gospel. Listen to Episode 21 now and join us on this journey through the Entangled Kingdoms! Episode Resources Articles: * How Did Evil Begin - John Piper @ Desiring God * Where Did Satan Come From - Mike McKinley @ The Good Book Co. * The Absence of Satan in the Old Testament by Dr. Michael Heiser @ Naked Bible Blog Videos: * The Satan and Demons by the BibleProject * The Satan and Demons Question/Response by the BibleProject * Is the Fall of Satan really described in the Bible? by Honest Answers @ Southern Seminary * The Case for Satan by Desiring God Podcasts: * Evil and Satan - The Naked Bible Podcast * Satan vs Jesus- The After Class Podcast * Satan Unveiled - The After Class Podcast * Satan - The Dig Bible Podcast Books: * Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright * Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness by Dr. Michael S. Heiser * The Satan: How God’s Executioner Became the Enemy by Ryan Stokes * An Introduction to Second Temple Judaism by Dr. Lester L. Grabbe Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

Here we go! We continue our look at the development of a doctrine of Satan, picking up by looking at 2nd Temple Jewish influences on those living at the time of Jesus, including his disciples and NT writers. I’ve included links to some primary sources down below and would just simply caution you to exercise great judgment. Protestants do not consider these canonical writings for good reason, however they still provide us an important framework for understanding the worldviews of our NT writers, and as such are important to read and be somewhat familiar with. We can rest easy, though, knowing that what YHWH has intended for us to learn and know about the Enemy, Satan, we can learn in our Bibles. That said, I’m going to continue to ask that we allow our understanding of these topics to be shaped as we follow each domino as it falls in the Bible, through history. In other words, let’s connect the dots and follow the progression of God’s revelation of these truths, just as the biblical authors themselves experienced it. I would also encourage everyone to check out the other resources below for further, personal study. As always, I’d love to hear your feedback! Let me know your thoughts by dropping a comment using the button below. Also, be sure to follow the Entangled Kingdoms Facebook page. And of course…share the podcast! Articles: * “What Are the Deuterocanonical Books of the Bible?” * “Pseudepigrapha” * Read Pseudepigrapha and Apocrypha online Books: * Huge list of curated books by Southeastern Baptist Seminary on 2nd Temple writings * Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright * An Introduction to Second Temple Judaism by Dr. Lester L. Grabbe Videos: Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

Long time, no see! I pray that this episode makes up for the silence over the last couple months of holidays and the new year starting. I will say this…this episode is a doozy! So buckle up! In this episode we are continuing to trace the development of the biblical authors understanding of “ha satan” and how, by the time of the NT, we have a singular figure known as Satan. This development doesn’t happen over night and is shaped by the experiences of the Israelites in captivity. Just as God uses our circumstances even today to teach and sanctify us, so He does with His people during this time period we’re looking at. I’m going to continue to ask that we allow our understanding of these topics to be shaped as we follow each domino as it falls in the Bible, through history. In other words, let’s connect the dots and follow the progression of God’s revelation of these truths, just as the biblical authors themselves experienced it. I would also encourage everyone to check out the resources below for further, personal study. As always, I’d love to hear your feedback! Let me know your thoughts by dropping a comment using the button below. Also, be sure to follow the Entangled Kingdoms Facebook page. And of course…share the podcast! Articles: * "Satan" - from Strong's Dictionary * "The Enuma Elish" - the Babylonian creation myth * “Zoroastrianism” - the ancient, Persian religion * “Ancient Jewish History: The Birth and Evolution of Judaism” Books: * The World Around the Old Testament, editors Bill Arnold and Brent Strawn * Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright * The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible by Dr. Michael Heiser Videos: Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

This episode continues our series on the denizens of the kingdom of darkness! We are picking up on the title or descriptor “ha satan” in the Old Testament and developing our understanding of Satan, the chief rebel and enemy of YHWH. I’m going to ask that we continue to allow our understanding of these topics to be shaped as we follow each domino as it falls in the Bible. In other words, let’s connect the dots, following the progression of God’s revelation of these truths, just as the biblical authors themselves did. I would also encourage everyone to check out the resources below for further, personal study. As always, I’d love to hear your feedback! Let me know your thoughts by dropping a comment using the button below. Also, be sure to follow the Entangled Kingdoms Facebook page. And of course…share the podcast! Media: Articles: * "Satan" in Strong's Dictionary * "The Story of Job" by Dr. Tim Mackie, The BibleProject Books: * Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright * The Satan: How God's Executioner Became the Enemy by Ryan Stokes * The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible by Dr. Michael Heiser Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

Hello everyone! We continue our journey of surveying the denizens of the kingdom of darkness which began with the nameless “serpent” in Genesis 3. In today’s episode we’ll finish that conversation about the “serpent” tracing - very broadly -the “serpent” theme through the rest of scripture. These podcasts aren’t in depth studies, for that I would suggest you visit and utilize some of the additional resources linked over on the show’s notes at www.EntangledKingdoms.com. Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

So it begins!! Over the next many episodes we will be diving into the various denizens of the kingdom of darkness. Who will we find lurking there? Well to start this series off, we will be looking at the “nacash” of Genesis 3. Though we will not have time in this one episode to trace the “serpent” from Genesis to Revelation, we’ll at least get a start on him. This episode will introduce the figure and we will discuss many of the qualities Moses ascribes of him, including the new ones given to him during the curse. And yes, we all know him by his name “Satan” but keep in mind that it is not until much, much later in biblical history that the name “Satan” is given to this serpent figure we see in Genesis. That’s something John does in the book of Revelation, which we will discuss in our next episode. For now, I would encourage you to listen to this episode with fresh ears (eyes? or mind?) and let us see what we can start to learn about the “nacash”! Videos: Podcasts: * Snake in the Throne Room - BibleProject * Moses and the Bronze Serpent - NakedBible Podcast Articles: * "Dragon" from "Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible" * "Leviathan" from "Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible" * “Origins of Serpent Worship” Books: * Worship of the Serpent: Traced Throughout the World by John Bathurst Deane * Satan and the Problem of Evil: From the Bible to the Early Church Fathers by Dr. Archie T. Wright * The Lost World of Adam and Eve: Genesis 2-3 and the Human Origins Debate by Dr. John H. Walton Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

Hello! Hope your summer is going well! I pray you are your families are finding ways to cool off this summer and stay safe. In this episode of the podcast we spend a few minutes recapping where we’ve been and I wanted to circle back to the importance of understanding context. Also, we pick up where we left off in our look at the Tower of Babel rebellion by looking at more of Deuteronomy 32. A couple times in the podcast I mention this blog post from earlier this year, so be sure to check it out too! Resources Video Articles * Deuteronomy 32 and the Sons of God - Dr. Michael Heiser * Putting the Gods in Their Place - John Piper Books * Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics: Foundations and Principles of Evangelical Biblical Interpretation - Graeme Goldsworthy * The Gods of the Nations: A Study in Ancient Near Eastern National Theology - Dr. Daniel Block Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

“The ziggurat was the most dominant buildings of the temple complex, so it is no surprise that it draws the attention of the author of Genesis. In summary, the project is a temple complex featuring a ziggurat, which was designed to make it convenient for the god to come down to his temple, bless his people, and receive their worship. This understanding of ziggurats makes an important point drawn from the ancient Near Eastern context to clarify the biblical text: the tower of Babel was not built for people to go up, but for the god to come down.” - John H. Walton, Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible Morning everyone! I hope you are ready because this episode dives into the events surrounding chapters 10 and 11 in Genesis. I’m sure you know the story of the “Tower of Babel” but what is its significance? Why did mankind seek to build this tower? What was their motivations? How does the rebellion continue between YHWH’s earthy and heavenly families? Well, hopefully today’s episode will shed some light on these questions and more! To dive into more, I’d recommend the below resources! Video: Articles: * “Nimrod Before and After the Bible” * “Xelua, Aztec History” Books: * “The Gods of the Nations: Studies in Ancient Near Eastern National Theology” by Dr. Daniel Block * “The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible” by Dr. Michael Heiser * “Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible” by Dr. John Walton * “The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament” * “Myths and Legends of Babylonia and Assyria” by Lewis Spence * “The Chaldean Account of Genesis” by George Smith Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe

This episode was a long time coming, and just skims the surface of this particular topic. I’m sure we’ll revisit some of this in the future, but for more information covered, I'd point you to the following resources: “We need to be good listeners, to listen to the biblical authors on their own terms.” - Dr. Tim Mackie Online Articles: * "Who Are the Nephilim and What Is Their Origin?” * "On the Origin of Watchers: A Comparative Study of the Antediluvian Wisdom in Mesopotamian and Jewish Traditions" * “The sons of God, the Nephilim, and the Mesopotamian Apkallu” Books: * “The Origin of Evil Spirits: The Reception of Genesis 6:1-4 in Early Jewish Literature” by Dr. Archie Wright * “Demons and Spirits in Biblical Theology: Reading the Biblical Text in Its Cultural and Literary Context” by Dr. John Walton * “Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible” by Dr. John Walton * “Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An Illustrated Dictionary” by Jeremy Black and Anthony Green Videos: Get full access to Entangled Kingdoms at www.entangledkingdoms.com/subscribe