The study of demons is a complex topic, as it taps into the most supernatural aspects of the monotheistic traditions. These mysterious beings have sparked countless legends, from tales about their origin, to perspectives that claim they can take hold of human consciousness and bodies. According to the biblical narrative, these fallen angels were originally created to serve God and communicate his presence in the world. The many apocryphal scriptures portray the missing stories in many of the biblical prophetic books and according to early Jewish mystic sources some angels went astray early in the creation of the universe. Books such as Enoch explain how the angels of the Lord and their many manifestations become the enemies of God, rebelling against him and since then have caused havoc among men.

The focus of this audiobook is the nature of demonology and demon possession in the time leading up to the second temple era. The period of the second temple was a time of turmoil, with competing revelations and perspectives. Sources such as the Talmud serve as repositories of the traditions that were prevalent before the aftermath of the destruction of the temple in 70 C.E. At the same time, the many mystical texts of that period exhibit a notable departure from previous approaches to the supernatural.

Since the biblical narrative does not describe dualistic concepts of good and evil, there must be an explanation for the prevalence of demonology at that time. My hypothesis is that the adoption of superstitious perspectives regarding the power of evil in the world were not based on influences from other near Eastern religions, but were disseminated as a form of addressing the impact of foreign deities in the Jewish communities of that day.