LIVE EPIC: Why the Unseen World Matters

      I have spent several weeks walking through the foundation the first-century Jewish audience, which included the disciples and early church, had of the spirit realm. I took on this series to continue my goal with this column — to help fellow brothers and sisters in Christ stand firm, not just standing firm defensively but also going on the offensive — marching forth. This marching on is living the life Jesus invited the apostles into, which was to follow and fish. When we commit whole-heartedly to follow and fish, we will experience an epic life.

      This journey through the first-century Jewish view of the spirit world was for both — to stand firm and live epic. Throughout teachings about the end of the age, especially from Revelation, there is a ramping up of the angelic world. Along with that, there are major warnings against deception. Therefore, we have a scenario ripe for deception — the angelic world will intertwine more with the physical realm while we’ve suppressed teachings on the angelic and demonic realm.

      Interest in the supernatural world has increased in the United States, but the church hasn’t followed suit. That makes a treacherous situation, especially for younger generations who are left without an answer from Scripture.

      To be fair, the hesitation to address the angelic and demonic world is grounded in Scripture. In the Apostle Paul’s charge to Timothy, he warns that professed believers will be tempted to turn to myths over the truth. He warns that they’ll rather talk about myths than live out the gospel: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (II Tim. 4:2-4 NIV).

      I have no doubt that by “myths,” the angelic world, especially the Nephilim of Gen. 6:4, is at least partially intended. As we covered in previous articles, that event is the foundation of the mythologies of ancient cultures. The ancient people chose to worship the created angels and their offspring over the Creator. They chose to adore the rebels rather than the Holy One. This has happened throughout history, and we can easily fall into that trap today. As the passage in II Timothy also reveals, people turn to what their ears want to hear and these myths so they can continue in their sinful desires. Focusing on the unseen world and other non-convicting topics in Scripture allows one to feel “religious” and still never deal with their sin.

      Paul’s warning is justified. As I have taught this and worked with others who teach this topic over the last several years, I have seen so many fixate on the topic. Often, that fixation leads to going “over the ledge” into unbiblical assumptions. I warn you, as well, not to let an interest in the topic crowd out the gospel or lead you down the wrong path. The topic requires balance.

      Paul gave the warning about turning to myths in the same breath as a call to teach the Word of God. We must balance both. We don’t skip parts of the Bible, but we also don’t need to overemphasize what Scripture doesn’t.

      I believe addressing the supernatural world in the Bible helps us see just how epic the story of truth told in the Bible truly is. That is especially important for our children and youth. I recently had the chance to witness a teenager come to Christ through this topic.

      I traveled to North Carolina to preach a revival. On the way into the church that Sunday morning, the pastor turned to me and told me he was taking me to the youth room and was going to let them ask me stuff about the end times. I wasn’t prepared for that. It went just as you would expect. For the first several minutes, it was silent. No one had any questions. Then, a boy raised his hand and asked, “What about aliens?” I asked him to tell me more, and he shared how he had been watching “Ancient Aliens” on the History Channel. Because I’m weird, I have seen some episodes myself. If you haven’t seen the show, it travels to the sites of ancient civilizations and looks at how their mythologies all tell of this group of gods who came from the sky. They go away with a promise to return, but their children, lesser gods, take charge. The “experts” in the show claim that this first race of “gods” were aliens. The first-century Jewish view would be that this first race of “gods” were the rebellious angels from Gen. 6:1-4.

      Following the question, I shared this view of first-century Jews. The discussion took much of the time. Fast forward to the last day of the revival, which was also See You at the Pole. I was a bum and didn’t go to See You at the Pole, but when the pastor picked me up for lunch, he asked if I remembered the boy from Sunday School who asked about aliens. He said that was the first time the boy had ever talked at youth and, even better, the boy was saved that morning.

      Yes, a conversation about aliens, angels and Nephilim was a vehicle for a teenager to come to Christ. It wasn’t the aliens, but it was that the Bible had answers to the questions he faced “outside of the church” that helped him see that this story of truth is far more epic than we often make it, and therefore, following Jesus must be just as epic.

         — Jake is a state missionary and would love to share about the work in Northwest Arkansas and encourage your church to stand firm. (standfirmministries.com)