David Ascendant Read online

  Here is what the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says of Asherah in the Ugaritic texts:

  In the Râs Shamrah texts Asherah is the consort of El, the supreme god. She is mentioned as “creatress of the gods” and as “Lady Asherah of the sea,” titles that are given to the most important goddess of the pantheon. In the Ugaritic Keret text Asherah is said to have a shrine in Tyre, which would indicate her supremacy there also. She is the adversary of Baal… As the role of Baal grows in importance and overshadows that of El, Asherah’s interest seems to shift more toward Baal. When a house is to be built for Baal, he and Anat, his sister-consort, bribe Asherah with gold and silver in order to persuade her to intervene for them before El, a mission she gladly undertakes. Again, in a myth stemming from the Late Bronze Age, Asherah attempts to seduce Baal.[45]

  The Asherah as a wooden cultic object has several explanations without a clear conclusion. The Septuagint translates the word Asherah as “groves” of trees. Thus some earlier scholars argued they were literal groves of trees. But as Day explains, “the OT often refers to the making of Asherim (1 Kgs 14:15; 16:33; 2 Kgs 17:16;21:3, 7; 2 Chr 33:3) and also of the building (1 Kgs 14:23) and erection (2 Kgs 17:10) of Asherim, which does not seem appropriate for trees.”[46] He concludes that the most widely held view is that the Asherim were wooden poles sacred to the goddess Asherah. But how they functioned and exactly what they looked like, no evidence can be found.

  About the Author

  Brian Godawa is the screenwriter for the award-winning feature film, To End All Wars, starring Kiefer Sutherland. It was awarded the Commander in Chief Medal of Service, Honor and Pride by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, won the first Heartland Film Festival by storm, and showcased the Cannes Film Festival Cinema for Peace.

  He also co-wrote Alleged, starring Brian Dennehy as Clarence Darrow and Fred Thompson as William Jennings Bryan. He previously adapted to film the best-selling supernatural thriller novel The Visitation by author Frank Peretti for Ralph Winter (X-Men, Wolverine), and wrote and directed Wall of Separation, a PBS documentary, and Lines That Divide, a documentary on stem cell research.

  Mr. Godawa’s scripts have won multiple awards in respected screenplay competitions, and his articles on movies and philosophy have been published around the world. He has traveled around the United States teaching on movies, worldviews, and culture to colleges, churches and community groups.

  His book, Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment has been released in a revised edition from InterVarsity Press. His book Word Pictures: Knowing God Through Story and Imagination (IVP) addresses the power of image and story in the pages of the Bible to transform the Christian life.

  Find out more about his other books, lecture tapes and dvds for sale at his website www.godawa.com.

  BOOKS BY BRIAN GODAWA

  When Giants Were Upon the Earth: The Watchers, Nephilim, and the Biblical Cosmic War of the Seed

  By Brian Godawa

  The Appendices of the Chronicles of the Nephilim Together in One Book.

  The bestselling Biblical fantasy novel series Chronicles of the Nephilim has opened a door for Christian imagination and theology like none other. But many have appreciated the appendices of each novel as much as the novels. In those appendices, author Brian Godawa shares the Biblical and ancient historical and mythical research that undergirds the fiction. Now all those appendices have been placed together in one book for those who want serious study of the topics of the Watchers, Nephilim, and the Biblical Cosmic War of the Seed.

  This book has the special bonus of a previously unpublished chapter on the Book of Enoch, as well as a newly expanded chapter on the Sons of God. But it also contains the appendices of the last two Chronicles, David Ascendant and Jesus Triumphant before their release!

  Chapters Include:

  1) The Book of Enoch: Scripture, Heresy or What? (Bonus Chapter)

  2) Sons of God (Newly expanded from Noah Primeval)

  3) The Nephilim (from Noah Primeval)

  4) Leviathan (from Noah Primeval)

  5) Mesopotamian Cosmic Geography in the Bible (from Noah Primeval)

  6) Retelling Bible Stories and Mythic Imagination (from Enoch Primordial)

  7) Gilgamesh and the Bible (from Gilgamesh Immortal)

  8) In Defense of Ancient Traditions (from Abraham Allegiant)

  9) Mythical Monsters in the Bible (from Joshua Valiant)

  10) Canaanite Ba’al and Old Testament Storytelling Polemics (Caleb Vigilant)

  11) Goliath was Not Alone (from David Ascendant)

  12) Jesus and the Cosmic War (from Jesus Triumphant)

  To order books and products by Brian Godawa,

  as well as FREE articles, just go to the STORE at:

  www.godawa.com

  Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment

  By Brian Godawa

  With the sensibilities of an award-winning Hollywood screenwriter and the sensitivities of a thoughtful Christian, Brian Godawa guides us through the place of redemption in film, the "tricks of the trade" that screenwriters use to communicate their worldview through their stories, and the mental and spiritual discipline required for watching movies. Hollywood Worldviews helps us enter a dialogue with Hollywood that leads to a happier ending, one that keeps us aware of our culture and awake to our faith.

  Endorsements:

  “Provocative and challenging. Even when I find myself disagreeing with Brian Godawa in his evaluation of a particular film, his cinematé and sophisticated point of view command attention.”

  — Michael Medved, Film critic and author of Hollywood Versus America.

  “Brian’s analysis is insightful and stimulating. Our Biblical values are colliding with worldviews in the movies, and Brian shows us why. Those values are also illuminated by intersecting with movies, and I find that especially exciting. We might even understand the Bible with more insight from seeing these connections.”

  — Ralph Winter, Producer X-Men 2, Planet of the Apes, X-Men

  To order books and products by Brian Godawa,

  as well as FREE articles, just go to the STORE at:

  www.godawa.com

  Word Pictures: Knowing God Through Story & Imagination

  By Brian Godawa

  In his refreshing and challenging book, Godawa helps you break free from the spiritual suffocation of heady faith. Without negating the importance of reason and doctrine, Godawa challenges you to move from understanding the Bible “literally” to “literarily” by exploring the poetry, parables and metaphors found in God's Word. Weaving historical insight, pop culture and personal narrative throughout, Godawa reveals the importance God places on imagination and creativity in the Scriptures, and provides a biblical foundation for Christians to pursue image, beauty, wonder and mystery in their faith.

  Endorsements:

  “Brian Godawa is that rare breed—a philosopher/artist—who opens our eyes to the aesthetic dimension of spirituality. Cogently argued and fun to read, Godawa shows convincingly that God interacts with us as whole persons, not only through didactic teaching but also through metaphor, symbol, and sacrament.”

  — Nancy R. Pearcey, Author, Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from its Cultural Captivity

  “A spirited and balanced defense of the imagination as a potential conveyer of truth. There is a lot of good literary theory in the book, as well as an autobiographical story line. The thoroughness of research makes the book a triumph of scholarship as well.”

  — Leland Ryken, Clyde S. Kilby Professor of English, Wheaton College, Illinois. Author, The Christian Imagination: The Practice of Faith in Literature & Writing.

  To order books and products by Brian Godawa,

  as well as FREE articles, just go to the STORE at:

  www.godawa.com

  Myth Became Fact: Storytelling, Imagination & Apologetics in the Bible

  By Brian Godawa

  A collection of essa
ys by Brian Godawa about storytelling, imagination, apologetics and the Bible. Some of them have appeared in the novel series, Chronicles of the Nephilim and some have been published in various magazines or journals.

  The Christian reader will gain inspiration from these insights to use more imagination in their own approach to defending the faith and glorifying God.

  Old Testament Storytelling Apologetics

  Israel shared mythopoeic images with their pagan neighbors: The sea dragon of chaos, and the Storm god. These are polemical concepts used by Biblical writers to show the incomparability of Yahweh.

  Biblical Creation and Storytelling: Cosmos, Combat and Covenant

  Creation stories in the ancient Near East and the Bible both express a primeval battle called Chaoskampf, the fight of deity to create order out of chaos. But how do they differ?

  The Universe in Ancient Imagination

  A detailed comparison and contrast of the Biblical picture of the universe with the ancient Mesopotamian one. Does God communicate material structure or theological meaning?

  New Testament Storytelling Apologetics

  Paul’s sermon to the pagans on Mars Hill is an example of subversion: Communicating the Gospel in terms of a pagan narrative with a view toward replacing their worldview.

  Mythopoeia in Prophecy and Apocalyptic Genre

  God uses mythical descriptions of future events to deliberately obscure his message while simultaneously proving his claim about the true meaning and purpose behind history.

  An Apologetic of Biblical Horror

  An exploration of the genre of horror to show how God uses it as a powerful moral tool to communicate serious spiritual, moral, and social defilement in the context of repentance from sin and redemptive victory over evil.

  To order books and products by Brian Godawa,

  as well as FREE articles, just go to the STORE at:

  www.godawa.com

  AUDIO LECTURES BY BRIAN GODAWA

  Brian has spoken around the world on the topic of movies, worldviews, and faith. Now you can purchase some of his presentations on downloadable MP3 directly from his website, www.godawa.com! Here are a sample of presentations:

  Art, Movies & Worldviews

  6-Lecture Series by Brian Godawa

  1. The Church and the Arts: Friends or Foes?

  2. From Bezalel to Jesus: Art in the Bible

  3. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang: Sex & Violence in the Movies

  4. That’s More Than Entertainment!: Redemption in the Movies

  5. Following Your Heart: Existentialism in the Movies

  6. Losing Our Grip on Reality: Postmodernism in the Movies

  Screenwriting for Christians

  A 9-Lecture Series by Brian Godawa

  Brian teaches the basic elements of storytelling used in writing screenplays from a Christian worldview, complete with examples and analysis of movies that illustrate the lessons. Comes with 30 pages of Student Handouts so you can follow along and take the class on tape! This was taught at YWAM's University of the Nations.

  1. Introduction/ Sex & Violence & the Bible

  2. Christian writer

  3. Basic Structure/ Premise/Theme

  4. Premise/Theme Part 2

  5. Character

  6. Plot

  7. Scene

  8. The Business and the Life of the Writer

  9. Analysis of first 10 pages of “The Sixth Sense”

  Storytelling, Worldviews & Persuasion

  2 Lectures by Brian Godawa

  Part 1: Incarnation

  The modern Christian exclusive concentration on logic, precision and rationality has missed a fuller Biblical approach. In the Scriptures, truth and persuasion are mediated through imagination and storytelling as well. Brian addresses the power of incarnation used in Biblical storytelling and imagery. Examples from film clips are used to illustrate.

  Part 2: Subversion

  Brian examines the Biblical usage of subversion through storytelling as a means of engaging culture and capturing it for Christ. He shows how the Apostle Paul used subversion to retell the Stoic story in Christian terms.

  Defense of the Faith

  12-Lecture Series by Brian Godawa

  This is a different approach to apologetics than the typical way that “proves” a generic theism, then “proves” the Bible, then “proves” the resurrection. This series addresses the weaknesses of typical apologetics and explores how to defend the faith on a deeper level, the level of the worldview of the unbeliever.

  1. Introduction to Apologetics

  2. Logic Part 1: Intro

  3. Logic Part 2: fallacies

  4. Logic Part 3: fallacies

  5. Faith and Reason

  6. Antithesis: Acts 17

  7. Worldviews Part 1

  8. Worldviews Part 2

  9. Authority and Truth

  10. Authority: Part 2

  11. Ethics

  12. Technique

  Bible Prophecy & the End Times: It’s Not When They Told You It Is

  10-Lecture Series by Brian Godawa

  The Book of Revelation is more like an Epic Horror Fantasy than a sermon. Brian explores the creative literary imagery of the First Century writings used in Revelation. The Left Behind novel series has made a gazillion dollars based on a popular view of the End Times. What would shock some Christians is to discover that this view is not Biblical. Brian examines the common beliefs of the Left Behind dogma and compares them to the Bible. He shows how the Bible itself explains how most of these prophecies have already been fulfilled. A partial preterist approach to Bible prophecy.

  Two options are available for purchase. You can either buy just the MP3 audio, or buy the DVD video versions that have the same audio, BUT ALSO lots of colorful and helpful PowerPoint visuals and film clips for a much richer presentation of the material.

  1. Interpreting Bible Prophecy

  2. Israel in Prophecy

  3. The Last Days

  4. The Rapture

  5. The Great Tribulation

  6. The Anti-Christ

  7. The Beast

  8. The Coming of Christ

  9. The Millennium Part 1

  10. The Millennium Part 2

  To order these audio lectures and other books and products by Brian Godawa, as well as FREE articles, just go to the STORE at:

  www.godawa.com

  Sex and Violence for Christian Storytellers

  Video or Audio Lecture with Q & A

  by Brian Godawa

  84 minutes

  In this latest version of his "Beyond Sex and Violence" talk, Brian talks to Christian writers and storytellers about their craft (with a focus on movies). He examines the Bible to see just how it deals with the sins of mankind and draws principles how to apply that in storytelling for those who wish to be faithful to their Biblical values without being inauthentic in their picture of the world. A very frank and popular lecture.

  Horror: A Biblical Genre

  Video or Audio Lecture with Q & A

  by Brian Godawa

  80 minutes

  God likes the horror genre, or else he wouldn’t have used so much of it in the Holy Bible! Brian takes a look at examples of the horror genre in the Bible and in movies and explains how similar they can be as well as the differences. Though this is not intended to turn you into a horror fan, it will be helpful in gaining a broader understanding of the Biblical power and high value that God places on the horror genre in communicating original sin, human nature, the consequences of sin, and prophetic social commentary.

  To order these audio lectures and other books and products by Brian Godawa, as well as FREE articles, just go to the STORE at:

  www.godawa.com

  Genesis To Revelation: Understanding the Bible as Story

  6 Audio Lectures

  Approx. 6 hours

  The Bible is not a textbook of systematic theology. It is a story, God’s story of how He saves His people. Genesis to Revelation: Underst
anding the Bible as Story is a 6-week class that provides a narrative approach to theology that will help you understand your own place as an actor in the unfolding drama of the Kingdom. You’ll take a rollercoaster ride through the ups and downs of the narrative of the entire Bible, exploring some of its exciting plot twists and how it ultimately relates to our lives.

  NOTE: A couple of the lectures had technical problems that caused some annoying sound problems, but all the lectures are entirely audible.

  1. Story: Understanding God through Narrative

  2. Creation: People, Land, Temple

  3. Fall: Primeval History, Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac & Jacob

  4. Israel: Election, Exodus, Exile, Return

  5. Messiah: New Covenant, New Creation,

  6. Church: New Israel, New Temple, New Jerusalem, Resurrection

  7. Student Worksheet and additional reading material for each lecture included.

  To order these audio lectures and other books and products by Brian Godawa, as well as FREE articles, just go to the STORE at:

  www.godawa.com

  DVD LECTURES by Brian Godawa

  The Book of Enoch: Scripture, Heresy or What?

  This dvd video lecture by Brian Godawa will be an introduction to the ancient book of 1Enoch, its content, its history, its affirmation in the New Testament, and its acceptance and rejection by the Christian Church. What is the Book of Enoch? Where did it come from? Why isn't it in the Bible? How does the Book of Enoch compare with the Bible?