Why Are People Suspicious That The Bible Isn't Completely Trustworthy? – Michael Heiser | Part 6

00:00 – The historical context of Bible accessibility. 01:21 – Scripture as a guide for procedural thinking and wisdom. 02:00 – Israelite "trial by ordeal" vs. pagan practices. 02:50 – Analysis of Deuteronomy 21: Addressing polygamy in culture. 04:49 – The biblical ideal of monogamy vs. cultural reality. 06:46 – Distinguishing divinely ordained morality from cultural circumstances. 07:28 – The Torah as a system of crime and punishment. 08:00 – Exodus 22: Misinterpretations regarding valuation of life. 10:48 – Why Chronicles omits the sins of David and Solomon. 12:58 – The literary and theological goal of the Chronicler. 16:20 – Rebutting Canaanite theology in Daniel 7 (El vs. Baal). 18:13 – The significance of the "Cloud Rider" title in the ancient world. 20:36 – The "Two Powers in Heaven" doctrine in Daniel 7. 22:48 – Jesus' trial: Claiming the "Son of Man" identity from Daniel 7. 24:40 – Psalm 74: Yahweh’s defeat of chaos vs. the Baal cycle. Part 1: https://youtu.be/dQWk9K7N6N0 Part 2: https://youtu.be/xQePvk8Nt6A Part 3: https://youtu.be/v7IpWEgwnGg Part 4: https://youtu.be/I531Bey37dM Part 5: https://youtu.be/wkjDiZ6KiCI Part 7: https://youtu.be/yKRcYMfipp4 Michael Heiser argues that the Israelites in Moses’ day were not like modern believers with access to a Bible in every household; until the 1800s the Scriptures were rare, expensive, and largely in the hands of communal leadership, so the people depended on those leaders for theological guidance and procedural wisdom, which means their context was radically different from ours. Today we are awash in information and have a duty to absorb Scripture and make wise, though not perfect, decisions, sometimes by choosing inaction rather than a rash move, because much of the Bible is designed to help us think through issues and apply principles of just and godly living—things Israel did not have. Heiser then moves to the idea that Old Testament law often reflects the concrete circumstances of ancient Near Eastern life (like polygamy or trial‑by‑ordeal customs borrowed from pagan cultures) without endorsing them; Deuteronomy 21 assumes polygamous households but does not command polygamy, and later biblical revelation clearly moves toward monogamy as the revealed ideal. He also stresses that “divinely ordained morality” is distinct from “divinely ordained culture”: God’s moral standards are fixed, but how a culture expresses or enforces those standards varies, and the Torah itself mixes law, crime, and punishment in ways that modern readers must carefully distinguish. He briefly corrects the misuse of Exodus 21 (about a pregnant woman caught in a fight) by pro‑abortion readings, showing that differing penalties reflect ancient social‑class valuations, not a denial of fetal humanity, and then uses the Chronicler’s selective, David‑ and Solomon‑centric history to illustrate how later biblical writers present an idealized vision of the kingdom so that post‑exilic readers can hope for a future restoration under a true “son of David.” Finally, he turns to Daniel 7 and related imagery of the “one who rides the clouds,” demonstrating that this language originally belonged to Baal in Canaanite myth, but in Daniel it is transferred to the “son of man” as a theological rebuttal: Yahweh, not El and Baal, rules heaven, and the second Yahweh‑figure, the human‑like son of man, receives everlasting kingship, which later Jewish two‑powers debates and the trial of Jesus in Matthew 26 show is how early readers recognized Christ’s claim to divine status. #michaelheiser #bible #Jesus #God #Faith #Christ #Church #Prayer 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/