THE PSALMS we study this week are especially timely, coming as they do after a contentious midterm election in the United States.

At the end of the day, regardless of how the vote turned out, God is still on His throne, and He, for one, was not surprised by the results.

We also discuss a psalm not usually interpreted as messianic. Psalm 8 includes several verses quoted by the author of Hebrews:

What is man that you are mindful of him,

    and the son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
    and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;

    you have put all things under his feet… ((Psalm 8:4–6, ESV)

These verses are quoted in Hebrews 2:6–8, where it’s clear that “the son of man” refers to Jesus, the Messiah. Most Bible teachers don’t see it that way, for some reason.

We dig deeper into the title “Son of Man” and how it emerged as a messianic title during the first century BC in the Book of Parables, chapters 37–71 of the Book of 1 Enoch. That was written by an Essene living near the Sea of Galilee before the end of the reign of Herod the Great—in other words, before the birth of Jesus.

Even though we only see the term used in a messianic context in Psalm 8:4 and Daniel 7:13 (where it’s a description—“one like a son of man”—not a title), the Book of Parables uses it 17 times of the messianic figure who is prophesied to execute judgment on the the wicked, both human and divine, and Jesus applied it to himself more than 80 times in the New Testament.

Significantly, “the son of man” does not appear in any Jewish literature from the first centuries BC or AD other than the Book of 1 Enoch and the New Testament.

For more details on the Essenes, the parables of Enoch, and their influence on the New Testament, we recommend the research of Dr. John Ben-Daniel.
——————
Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs, SciFriday, Unraveling Revelation, and A View from the Bunker. The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/.

Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations and teachings based on our research at our new video on demand site!

Check out our new online store! www.GilbertHouse.org/store is a virtual book table with books and DVDs related to our weekly Bible study. Take advantage of our monthly specials!
——————
JOIN US IN ISRAEL! The Gilberts will be in the Holy Land March 19-30, 2023. This is a tour like no other! We’ll visit Shiloh, Joshua’s altar, Gilgal Refaim, and more. For information and to reserve your place, log on to www.gilberthouse.org/travel.
——————
NEW DATES FOR OUR TOUR OF TURKEY: We’re planning a tour of the churches of Revelation, Göbekli Tepe, Abraham’s home town Harran, the “Gates of Hell,” Mount Nemrut, and more. Because of the political situation in Eastern Europe, we’ve moved the tour to October, 2023. The specific dates will be finalized by January. More information is available at www.gilberthouse.org/travel.
——————
Subscribe to our new YouTube channels!
Unraveling Revelation: www.YouTube.com/UnravelingRevelation
SciFriday: www.YouTube.com/SciFridayTV
These weekly studies and Derek’s podcast: www.YouTube.com/GilbertHouse
——————
Our favorite Bible study tools! Check the links in the right-hand column at www.GilbertHouse.org. For the complete Gilbert House Fellowship archive, go to www.spreaker.com/show/gilbert-house-fellowship.