Chronicles of the Watchers

Watchers

On the Origin of the Watchers
By Amar Annus
Subtitle: “A Comparative Study of the Antediluvian Wisdom in Mesopotamian and Jewish Traditions.” From the Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha. Anyone taking seriously the notion of Watchers must engage with this scholarly paper. It is a fascinating study.

Divine Council Definition
Michael S. Heiser PhD
A good basic intro to the Divine Council of the Sons of God. These include the Watchers.

The Ancient Exegesis of Genesis 6:2, 4
Robert C. Newman (Grace Theological Journal)
Interpretation of the Sons of God and Nephilim in history.

Deuteronomy 32:8 and the Sons of God
Michael S. Heiser PhD, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages
An amazing explanation of the Divine Council and how the Sons of God are alotted territories by God to rule over.

The Sons of God in Gen 6.1-4: An Example of Evangelical Demythologization
Willem A. Van Gemeren (Westminster Journal).
A good summary of the views with critiques, and a defense of the supernatural interpretation

The Council of Yahweh
Wheeler Robinson
Introduction to the operations of the Divine Council in the Bible.

God and the Gods in Assembly: An Interpretation of Psalm 82
Maititiahu Tsevat
The gods in Psalm 82 are definitely supernatural Sons of God, NOT human rulers or judges.

Nephilim, Giants

Giants in Other Ancient Texts
A listing and translation of specific references compiled by Brian Godawa

The Meaning of the Word Nephilim: Fact Vs. Fantasy
Michael S. Heiser PhD, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages
The Nephilim in the Bible are giants, dude, they really are giants.

Giants in Ancient Warfare
Adrienne Mayor (The Quarterly Journal of Military History)
An historical article covering the Biblical period and into the Roman period and beyond.

Moses and Egypt

A Defense Of The Hyperbolic Interpretation Of Large Numbers In The Old Testament
David M. Fouts
This is the first of three articles here proposing different ways to interpret the unreasonably high census numbers for Israel and her army during the Exodus and Conquest. Fouts argues that the numbers are clearly symbolic, and addresses all the options, but takes no stance.

The Use of Large Numbers in the Old Testament (Dissertation)
David M. Fouts
This is the more in depth scholarly dissertation that the shorter article above summarizes. For those who want to go deeper.

Large Numbers in the Old Testament
J. W. Wenham
This is the second of three articles here proposing different ways to interpret the unreasonably high census numbers for Israel and her army during the Exodus and Conquest. Wenham argues that the Hebrew word for “thousand” should be interpreted as collective social units such as “military units” or “clans.”

The Number Of People In The Exodus From Egypt
Colin J. Humphreys
This is the third of three articles here proposing different ways to interpret the unreasonably high census numbers for Israel and her army during the Exodus and Conquest. Wenham argues that the Hebrew word for “thousand” should be interpreted as collective “troop” units.

Daniel and Babylon

The Bethlehem Star
Rick Larson
Bible-centered study arguing that the “Star of Bethlehem” can be investigated using Scripture, ancient historians, and modern astronomy—testing candidates (comets, meteors, novae, planets) against specific criteria, and then tracing how a “starry dance” could announce a royal birth, lead westward, and even appear to “stop.” It also expands to signs surrounding the crucifixion, engaging chronology and Daniel’s prophecy. The Babylonian connection is built into the story of the Magi—court scholars shaped by Mesopotamian/Babylonian sky-watching—suggesting God may have used even pagan astronomy to direct Gentile wise men to recognize Israel’s true King.

The Star of Bethlehem
Ernest Martin
A free book online from an Evangelical Christian perspective that argues that the biblical star was a real, extraordinary astronomical event recognized by the Magi, not a myth or mere symbol. Drawing on ancient history and modern astronomy, the book proposes that rare celestial phenomena around 3–2 B.C. align closely with Matthew’s account and the reign of Herod. Of particular interest to Christian readers is the claim that the Magi’s expectations were shaped by Hebrew prophecy—especially the Book of Daniel, which situates Jewish apocalyptic wisdom in Babylon and Persia. The study raises provocative questions about how God used the heavens as a prophetic sign and how Daniel’s legacy prepared Gentile watchers for the arrival of Israel’s Messiah.

MUL.BABBAR: The Star of Messiah
Dwight Hutchison
While Hutchison agrees with Martin above that the Bethlehem star was Jupiter, he does not agree with the rest of Martin’s thesis of dates for Christ’s conception and birth, as well as some of the astronomical signs. I include this website that has free books and materials online because he has done extensive research on the Babylonian understanding of astronomy. It is a worthy alternative.

The Seventy Weeks and the Great Tribulation
By Philip Mauro
A Study of the Last Two Visions of Daniel, and of the Olivet Discourse of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a classic book that interprets the Danielic prophecies through a preterist lens as opposed to the Premillennial or Dispensational interpretation. Boy, does this reveal how distorted much of modern day prophecy teaching really is.

Daniel’s Seventy Weeks: A Study of Daniel 9:24-27
Part one of five parts. See the web page for following articles.
By Kenneth Gentry
Excellent article about Daniel’s 70 weeks. This demolishes the Dispensational interpretation so popular in evangelicalism.

In the Days of These Kings
Jay Rogers
I used this scholarly book as a major resource for my Daniel novels, and my Chronicles of the Apocalypse series. 
My endorsement: “This fascinating verse-by-verse explanation of the detailed historical fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecies is a helpful corrective to the speculative sci-fi fantasy scenarios of modern-day prophecy pundits. Rogers reveals Daniel’s context in relation to the other prophets of the Old Testament as well as Jesus’ Olivet Discourse and Revelation. He shows how it all fits perfectly together. This is exactly what I have been longing for in my own research. I’m telling all my readers to get this book.” — Brian Godawa, Best-selling author, Chronicles of the Apocalypse

Daniel and End Times Prophecy
Brian Godawa
A series of free Youtube videos of me and Jared Chrestman going through the prophecies of Daniel exegetically.

Herod and the Magi

The Magi
By Edwin Yamauchi
This is a chapter out of his book, Persia and the Bible. It’s a great scholarly intro into the Magi of Babylon.

Books on China and God

The Discovery of Genesis
By Ethel R. Nelson
This linguistic analysis of the Chinese language suggests the ancient Chinese were well aware of the God of Abraham. Readers will discover the possibility that the Chinese were a remnant of the Tower of Babel dispersion. The authors start with the observance of some astonishing points of correspondence between certain characters in the Chinese language and elements of the Genesis account of man’s early beginnings. They go on to analyze dozens of the ideographic pictures that make up words in the Chinese language. The evidence they compile supports the thesis that the ancient picture writing of the Chinese language embodies memories of man’s earliest days. The characters when broken down into component parts, reflect elements of the story of God and man recorded in the early chapters of Genesis.

Finding God in Ancient China: How the Ancient Chinese Worshiped the God of the Bible
by Chan Kei Thong, Charlene L. Fu
While many consider early Chinese history to be composed of myths, fables, and legends, in Finding God in Ancient China author and scholar Chan Kei Thong believes that the language, stories, and rituals actually occurred during this time period and honored a creator who has since been forgotten in modern Chinese culture. According to Thong, after the division of nations at the Tower of Babel one of the groups journeyed across the Asian continent and settled in what is today the region of China. It was this group of people who established the first Chinese culture known as the Long Shan. And from this culture the first ruling dynasty, the Xia Dynasty, would emerge. Thong claims that the writings, beliefs, actions, and language conventions that were employed by the Xia Dynasty all point to a belief in the one true God; the same God who confused the languages at Babel and is today the God of the Christian faith.