Michael Heiser: highly commended as a scholar-communicator; divine council theory (Deut 32, Ps 82) personally rejected but engagement required

Mike praises Heiser for breaking down complex scholarship without dumbing it down and for giving laypeople access to primary sources—a rare and valuable skill. Heiser is a genuine believer. However, Mike does not accept the divine council worldview: the theory posits that God (Yahweh) delegated authority over nations to other elohim (divine beings, not God in the monotheistic sense). Mike acknowledges elohim has flexible semantic range (used of Samuel's spirit in 1 Sam 28, the witch of Endor passage). Key texts are Deuteronomy 32 and Psalm 82, which Mike interprets differently than Heiser. He has not done due diligence for a formal response and cautions against casual dismissal—Heiser's work requires serious engagement.