The Legends of History

Said to be spiritual beings of the highest order, those who serve as messengers or intermediaries to God, the angels are creatures that one might quite easily connote with goodness, enlightenment and perhaps even protection. Throughout the biblical text, angels are seen to be creatures that bestow peace, they bring mercy and relief and sometimes they bring judgement, serving as instruments of God’...

Readers of the Enochian legend will know all too well the idea of angels descending from the heavens to impregnate the mortal women, from which the woman bore giants; Nephilim, monstrous and destructive offspring that terrorised and desolated the earth. Many texts, including the Book of Enoch itself and other apocrypha including the likes of The Book of Jubilees describe the Nephilim as wicked, di...

After Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden for their disobedience, they entered a world stripped of paradise—a harsh land where toil, suffering, and mortality awaited them. From this exile came their sons, among them Cain, the firstborn and, tragically, the first murderer. After slaying his brother Abel in a fit of jealousy, Cain was cursed by God and condemned to wander the earth, mar...

It might please you to know that despite having already met demonic lions that cause and cure diseases, or grand dukes that ride upon crocodiles or even fallen angels that now style themselves as hunters in the wild, we still have quite the list of demons to get through in the Goetia… those that are just as eerie and fascinating as the last. One of the most compelling features I’ve found about the...

Sequestered away somewhere in early Christian and Gnostic thought, a provocative and enigmatic being known as Yaldabaoth resides. Regarded by many Gnostic sects as the malevolent creator of the material world, Yaldabaoth stands in stark contrast to the benevolent, transcendent God of orthodox Christianity. Often depicted as a lion-faced serpent or a blind and arrogant being known as the demiurge,...

In the shadowy fringes of Jewish mysticism, few figures are as simultaneously feared and fascinating as Samael. Often described in Kabbalistic and Zoharic literature as an angel of destruction, an adversarial entity and the ‘Venom of God’, Samael occupies a paradoxical space — both servant of ‘the most high’ and yet an opposition of humanity. Identified at times with the Angel of Death, the Accuse...

When most people think of Easter, you might think of the resurrection of Christ, celebrations of springtime, or just simply marked up commercialised eggs. Yet beneath the surface of this springtime holiday lies a far older and more shadowy tapestry of traditions. Before it became a celebration of Christ’s resurrection, Easter was woven into a world of firelit rituals, judgmental hares, and mysteri...

The First Book of Adam and Eve, otherwise known by its wordier title The Conflict of Adam and Eve With Satan, picks up after Adam and Eve's expulsion from Eden, covering their struggles, temptations, and the events leading up to Cain killing Abel. It describes their first home—the Cave of Treasures—their encounters with Satan, and the births of their children, including Cain, Abel, and their t...

Despite being the big bad antagonist in the bible and greater Christian belief, you’d be hard pressed to find a detailed description of Satan’s physical characteristics within the pages of scripture. In accordance with Christian traditions, many believe that this is because Satan does not have an original physical form, but that he can adopt forms in his efforts to deceive, like we see him do in t...

Whether or not an angel can act with their own intentions therefore is dependent on one’s beliefs. Yet, if we were to consult the first Book of Enoch, we see that angels - at least, a specific group of angels known as The Watchers, become infatuated with the mortal women on earth and go as far as to court them, seduce them and impregnate them. These angels are believed to evidently act independent...

The Mark of Cain has been a subject of mystery, debate, and speculation for centuries. According to the biblical account in Genesis, after Cain murdered his brother Abel, God placed a mark upon him so as to ensure that no one would take vengeance on him. The exact nature of this mark is unknown, but it is generally assumed to have been visible. The Hebrew word used for mark, is often translated as...

The First Book of Adam and Eve, otherwise known by its wordier title The Conflict of Adam and Eve With Satan, picks up after Adam and Eve's expulsion from Eden, covering their struggles, temptations, and the events leading up to Cain killing Abel. It describes their first home—the Cave of Treasures—their encounters with Satan, and the births of their children, including Cain, Abel, and their t...

We last saw that the great famine had spread through the land and that the sons of Jacob were sent back to Egypt so as to acquire more grain. However, you could say that this venture was anxiety inducing for all who were involved. First, it had been a requirement of Joseph (who had risen so high up on the Egyptian political ladder that not even his brothers could recognise him), that if the brothe...

One of the most fascinating things about biblical characters is how much material one can find that seeks to enrich such characters beyond what we are given in scripture. Sure, some like early church father Ireneaus will tell us it ’s blasphemous and indeed, considering certain traditions and narratives exist outside of the biblical text, they are ultimately rejected by believers and traditionalis...

The Lost Book of Og is a mysterious and enigmatic text that has captured the imagination of scholars, theologians, and conspiracy theorists alike. Said to be the writings of Og, a giant mentioned in ancient Hebrew texts, this supposed work is rumored to contain firsthand accounts of a pre-Flood world, tales of the Nephilim, and chilling insights into the lives of giants who were once said to walk...

The lore and mysticism that surrounds the philosophy of Thelema is truly something of a rabbit hole. The further one walks into the depths of such an occult practice, the more likely they will find themselves in a darker part of magical esotericism. Of course, at the centre of many such discoveries is the man who started it all: , the founder of the Thelemic movement in the early 20th century. At...

The Infancy Gospel of Thomas, a non-canonical text dating to the second century AD, offers a provocative glimpse into the childhood of Jesus—a period notably absent from the canonical gospels. Attributed pseudonymously to “Thomas the Israelite,” this apocryphal gospel is part of a broader tradition of early Christian writings that sought to fill in the narrative gaps left by the New Testament. Unl...

Most believers of today look to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke when considering the birth of Jesus Christ. In this tradition, Mary is seen to be impregnated by the power of the Holy Spirit which enables her to miraculously conceive and give birth to a baby Jesus. It’s a narrative that many will be familiar with and it’s a narrative that shapes much of modern day religion as far as the ‘origin’ of...

The Devil’s Mark. A blemish on the skin, a scar, a freckle, a birthmark—nothing more than a twist of flesh or a darkened spot. But in the age of fire and faith, it was something far worse. It was a brand burned into the flesh by the Devil himself, a sign of allegiance, proof that a soul had been sold and damned beyond redemption. For many, it was a death sentence inked into the flesh, waiting only...

The serpent in the Garden of Eden is one of those characters that despite their inherent wickedness, we cannot help but be fascinated by or curious of. Traditional believers may be quick to dismiss any such reflection pertaining to the serpent, but others can’t help but indulge in the exploration of such an entity - one who, as far as the biblical account is concerned, incited the ultimate downfal...

We know from the Enochian legend that angels (a specific category known as the Watchers), relinquish their heavenly dwelling in favour of the beauty and allure of mortal women. So tempted by the flesh of womankind, the angels disobey their God’s instructions to watch over the humans, and cannot help themselves from taking the women for themselves. The result of this unholy union are the Nephilim -...

According to The Book of Moses, a scriptural text within the Pearl of Great Price - a canonical work belonging to the Church of Latter Day Saints, we find an expansion on the biblical story of Cain, revealing a deeper and even more sinister dimension to his actions. In this account, Cain does not simply kill his brother Abel out of jealousy; rather, he is corrupted by the devil and enters into a s...

The legend of the ‘Wandering Jew’ has intrigued audiences as far back as the early 17th century, where the concept was reignited and began to take root in European folklore. Originating in medieval Christian traditions, the tale tells of a man condemned to walk the earth until the Second Coming after having insulted or taunted Jesus on His way to crucifixion. Over time, this legend evolved, transf...

The concept of the Jezebel Spirit is rooted in the biblical story of Queen Jezebel, where it has evolved into a somewhat loaded term usually used to describe a manipulative or evil woman. There are a variety of interpretations as to what constitutes a Jezebel Spirit, with some determining it can relate to the slyness of a woman, or the cunning of a woman or anything between her teaching of false d...

Cain’s story is one of the Bible’s most infamous accounts, marked by jealousy, betrayal, and murder. Branded by his heinous act of fratricide, Cain is often remembered as one of the bible’s worst characters and one who leaves something of a stain upon the rest of mankind. But what of his descendants? Did they follow in his footsteps, driven by the same envy and violence, or did they chart a differ...