Herein, we conclude considering Michael Heiser’s “Preliminary Investigation” and “brief overview” which contains some “very tentative” conclusions and some things about which he is “still thinking…and my views may change.” This is all in regards to “brief overview into the matter of serpentine / reptilian beings in the Hebrew Bible.” The previous segment left off with whether we have enough biblical information to conclude that “seraphim, cherubim, and Watchers” are described “as ‘human like beings clothed in white linen’” “(in Daniel)” (find my full write up here).
As it turns out, there is simply not enough, in fact no, information to conclude that “seraphim, cherubim, and Watchers” are described “as ‘human like beings clothed in white linen’” “(in Daniel).” Also, note that there are two references to Watchers in Daniel (and neither offers a description):
4:13 states:
I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven.
4:17 notes:
This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers…
4:23 follows up with:
And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven…
Some translations, such as the NASB, insert an italicized word into the texts of 4:17, 23 thusly, “an angelic Watcher.” Yet, these are the Aramaic portions of Daniel wherein the term Watcher is ‘iyr (Strong’s H5894).
The only other place within the Bible where watcher appears, in a supernatural or paranormal context, is in Job 7:20 which is simply a statement about the fact that YHVH watches us:
Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?
In this case, it is the Hebrew natsar (Strong’s H5341). The other usages are of people watching what have you or keeping, preserving, observing, etc. (such as in watching over/observing something to keep/preserve it).
Lastly, Michael Heiser notes that there is Egypt art that:
…describe and depict serpents. Many of them have the srf as having wings or flying. Others combine this description with fire (and so this may give rise to a dual wordplay in the Hebrew Bible – where seraphim refers to a luminous serpentine divine being). This seems most consistent.
As per the attached slideshow, Egyptian art certainly does this; some being serpents with arms, legs and wings.
The question is just how much trust can we put in very, very late dated Dead Sea Scrolls, 1 Enoch and Egyptian art that dates earlier than Dead Sea Scrolls and 1 Enoch but may much less reflect YHVH’s revelation as it was composed by a Pagan culture?
Isaiah 6 notes:
In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew… Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”
It is common knowledge (uh-oh) that biblically, names are descripting and not mere labels. This is particularly true of the supernatural realm (which denotes YHVH) and the paranormal realm (which denotes Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim, etc. who are not supernatural since they are part of the natural realm, the creation; they are creatures and not the one and only supernatural creator). For example, Angels are referred to as such because their job function is messengers. Cherubim are guardians. There is also the devil which means accuser aka satan which means adversary. Seraphim are well, that is the question is it not? Based on the Isaiah text, which is, arguably according to some, the only place they appear. The term appears in other texts such as: Numbers 21:6 and Deuteronomy 8:15 where saraph saraph (Strong’s H8314) is generally translated as “fiery serpents.”
Numbers 21:8 where saraph is generally translated as “fiery serpents” with serpent being implied from the context of verse 6.
And Isaiah 14:29 and Isaiah 30:6 where it is “flying serpent.”
Keep in mind that Michael Heiser had referred to the “hannechashim hasseraphim; ‘seraph serpents’” with the “ha” before each word meaning “the” (although, I am unsure as to where he got hannechashim hasseraphim) and noted that “The translation ‘seraph serpents’ is more accurate than ‘fiery serpents.’” That is, having also noted that saraph means “‘to burn’ – hence, seraphim would mean ‘burning ones’ or ‘fiery ones.’”
The one, certainly appearance of Seraphim (or Saraphim) notes that they “stood above” YHVH, they proclaim “Holy, Holy, Holy” and the function we see them perform is when one of them approaches Isaiah with “a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs.” Thus, they are, rightly, identified with fire as their function appears to be what we may term keepers of the flame or some such thing. Keep in mind that YHVH’s realm is reflected in the earthly tabernacle and there were priests in charge of the menorah, altar, etc.; implements that employed fire.
This seems to be the primary meaning of seraph. Their association with serpents needs not imply that they are in the least bit reptiles (after all, they have hands, feet and wings) or reptilian. Rather, the correlation is not between paranormal reptilian beings and earthy, animal, reptiles but between fire and burning or flames. The sting of a snake’s bit ran be referred to as the sensation of burning, also the manner in which the serpent moves about is much like the flicker of a flame and the serpent’s body may consist of flame-like colors.
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Here are links to Michael S. Heiser’s books:
The Façade (The Façade Saga) Volume 1
The Portent (The Façade Saga) Volume 2
I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible
When Giants Were Upon the Earth: The Watchers, the Nephilim, and the Biblical Cosmic
War of the Seed
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