John the Baptist, C.S. Lewis and the Bulls of Bashan - Michael Heiser

Michael reflects on growing up reading C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, drawing a vivid parallel between the White Witch—explicitly a giant in the books and a Satan-like figure leading hordes of cosmic evil against Aslan (the Christ figure) on the Stone Table—and the "bulls of Bashan" in Psalm 22, which symbolically represent not mere cattle but supernatural demonic forces encircling Jesus at the crucifixion, as evidenced by the psalm's imagery of ravening lions, evildoers, pierced hands and feet, and physical torment foreshadowing the cross. Transitioning to John's Gospel, the speaker highlights Exodus motifs at Jesus' baptism (echoing the Septuagint's Red Sea crossing language) and especially in John 3's Passover-timed encounter with Nicodemus, who approaches "by night" (evoking the death angel), where Jesus insists on being "born again" or "from above"—born of water (Jewish identity via the Exodus and Sinai covenant) yet insufficiently without being born of the Spirit (the new covenant prophesied in Ezekiel 36-37, fulfilled in the Messiah). As a teacher of Israel steeped in Torah and Exodus heritage—the formative event of Jewish deliverance through water to the promised land and God's mountain covenant—Nicodemus should recognize this call to transcend ethnic identity for kingdom entry through faith in the lifted-up Son of Man (like Moses' serpent), a truth he later grasps as a believer; this layered typology assumes Old Testament literacy, linking Mosaic events to pneumatic renewal, prophetic commissioning like John the Baptist's, and ultimately Psalm 22's cosmic battle where Baal-worshipping Bashan (home of high places honoring the "lord of the dead," a Satanic template like El Zabul or Belial) signifies demonic powers and human evildoers complicit in trapping and killing the Savior, unaware of his resurrection, much like Narnia's unwitting evil host. #CSLewis #JohnBaptist #BullsBashan #Psalm22 #SpiritualWar #Theology #Apologetics #BibleStudy #Christianity #scripture #inspiration #Prophecy #Crucifixion #Demons #Faith #Exegesis #Lament #Evil #Redemption #bashanti #messiah All rights to this material belong to their respective owners. Direct links to the original videos will always be provided when possible. This video is presented in combined format for ease of viewing and educational purposes. Channel Disclaimer: This channel is not operated by or affiliated with Dr Michael Heiser or his official platforms. Comments here do not reach Michael's team. I'm just a fan who saw a need to share his ideas in bite-sized form and make them more accessible for lay audiences here on YouTube, which I believe aligns with Dr Heiser's mission and honours his legacy. If you feel called to give back, please support the Michael S. Heiser Foundation. By joining the DRMSH Community, you are supporting the Michael S. Heiser Foundation. Your participation makes a real difference! Thank you so much, and let's keep Mike's legacy going! Join DRMSH Community here: https://community.drmsh.com/ I encourage you to visit: Dr Michael Heiser's site: http://drmsh.com/ Naked Bible Podcast: https://nakedbiblepodcast.com/