Chapter 3: The Mesopotamian Apkallu, the Watchers, and the Nephilim

Psalm 96:4-5 sets the Lord above every rival: the Lord is worthy of praise, the gods of the peoples are powerless idols, and the Lord made the heavens. The psalm is not trying to satisfy curiosity about every ancient religion. It calls people to worship the Creator and to reject anything that claims divine power apart from him. Read the two verses as a claim about who deserves trust and praise.

Chapter 3 of Reversing Hermon turns to Mesopotamian stories about the apkallu, legendary sages associated with the time before the flood. Heiser describes accounts in which these figures taught people crafts and divination, and in some versions mated with women and had giant offspring. He presents them as a counterpart to the Watchers and argues that Genesis 6 answers claims made in that cultural setting. These are Heiser’s proposals about how the traditions relate; the psalm itself does not mention the apkallu.

The comparison can help you notice that ancient stories compete to explain where knowledge, power, and human civilization come from. But be careful about moving too quickly from resemblance to proof. Two stories sharing a feature does not by itself show which one influenced the other, or exactly what a biblical author intended. Ask what the biblical passage actually says, what the comparison adds, and whether the evidence supports the connection.

Psalm 96 gives a clear center for that examination: the Lord made the heavens. A created being, a ruler, a spiritual power, or a source of secret knowledge cannot take the Creator’s place. That claim speaks to modern life too. We can treat achievement, status, technology, money, or our own expertise as if it deserves our deepest loyalty. The psalm calls us back to the One who gives life and rules over creation.

As you read the chapter, watch for the difference between Heiser’s description of Mesopotamian stories and his argument about Genesis. You can take the background seriously without treating every proposed link as settled. Let Scripture’s own message guide your response: God alone is worthy of worship. That does not require fear of every unfamiliar idea. It calls for discernment grounded in trust.

Try reading Psalm 96 beyond these two verses if you can. The psalm moves from worship to a call for the nations and all creation to rejoice because the Lord comes to judge the earth with righteousness and faithfulness. Its vision is larger than a contest among ancient stories. God’s rule is good news because his judgment is just. Bring that hope into your reading: human claims to greatness are limited, but the Creator’s faithful rule reaches the whole world.