Regarding the stone carving shown
above, Dr. Heiser states: “Does the cylinder seal above convey the fact that
the Sumerians who fashioned it knew of 12 planets in our solar system?
That's what Zecharia Sitchin claims about the seal. But he's wrong, and it isn't difficult to demonstrate. All one
has to do to agree with Sitchin here is (a) ignore what the seal says; (b)
ignore what is known about Sumerian astronomy from cuneiform astronomical texts
(all published, but in scholarly books); and (c) ignore standard Sumerian
iconography -- artistic representations of stars. -- The cylinder seal above is
now on display in a museum in Berlin. It goes by the number "VA243". Here's an
analysis of the
seal in PDF. - http://www.sitchiniswrong.com/VA243seal.pdf
As I was researching the
Anunnaki, I came to the exact same understanding as did Dr. Heiser regarding
the meaning of the words Anunna and Anunnaki. And that is, that the name Anunnaki
does not mean “from heaven to earth they came”; which is what Zecharia Sitchin claims in his novels. The Anunnaki are
also referred to as “Anunna”, and “Anunna” means, “princely offspring”; and the
name “Annunnaki” means: “offspring of Heaven and Earth”. The Anunnaki are
powerful eternal divine beings (gods) who belong to the Divine Council. Their
history goes back for several Ages of the Universe. They are creator gods, they are not aliens living on a planet
named Nibiru. They are sons of the Most High, and are referenced to in Job 1.
Job 1:6-8 Now there came a day when the sons of God came to present
themselves before Yahweh, and Satan also came among them. And Yahweh said unto
Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered Yahweh and said,
"From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on
it." Then Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job,
that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who
fears Elohiym and shuns evil?"
The sons of God shown above are
Anunnaki. Notice that Satan is mentioned separately from the first group referred
to as “the sons of God”. This is because Satan, as coregent of Jehovah, holds a
superior position over the other Anunnaki. Jehovah even asks Satan to pass
judgment over Job, which would not be possible if Satan were merely a fallen
angel. However, because Satan is Jehovah’s coregent and adversary, He is
considerate of his judgment of Job, and also uses Satan as the Destroyer.
According to the Nag Hammadi Codices, before the Anunnaki were created, the Most High Father (who is pure Spirit and has always been alive and is not a created entity), existed along with his consort Sophia who contained physical matter within herself. It was her desire and will to create a physical Universe apart from her consort the Most High God, and as she perceived that she was "pregnant" with physical matter within her "body", also referred to as her "pleroma", she gave birth to the chaotic waters that we read about in Genesis 1:1.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning Elohiym created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of Elohiym was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then Elohiym said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 And Elohiym saw the light, that it was good; and Elohiym divided the light from the darkness. 5 Elohiym called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
Teachings from the Nag Hammadi
According to the Nag Hammadi, it was Sophia who injected light into the chaotic waters, and it was also she who created the first Anunnaki in order to help bring about order out of chaos. In the Nag Hammadi, this entity is called "Yaltabaoth". Because he was a physical entity, he was incapable of seeing both Sophia and the Most High God with his own physical eyes, and so he came to believe in his heart that he was the only existing God of the Universe.
Exerpt from the Nag Hammadi Codex entitled: "On the Origin of the World"
Seeing that everybody, gods of the world and mankind, say that nothing existed prior to chaos, I, in distinction to them, shall demonstrate that they are all mistaken, because they are not acquainted with the origin of chaos, nor with its root. Here is the demonstration.
How well it suits all men, on the subject of chaos, to say that it is a kind of darkness! But in fact it comes from a shadow, which has been called by the name 'darkness'. And the shadow comes from a product that has existed since the beginning. It is, moreover, clear that it existed before chaos came into being, and that the latter is posterior to the first product. Let us therefore concern ourselves with the facts of the matter; and furthermore, with the first product, from which chaos was projected. And in this way the truth will be clearly demonstrated.
After the natural structure of the immortal beings had completely developed out of the infinite, a likeness then emanated from Pistis (Faith); it is called Sophia (Wisdom). It exercised volition and became a product resembling the primeval light. And immediately her will manifested itself as a likeness of heaven, having an unimaginable magnitude; it was between the immortal beings and those things that came into being after them...she (Sophia) functioned as a veil dividing mankind from the things above.
Now the eternal realm [entity] of truth has no shadow outside it, for the limitless light is everywhere within it. But its exterior is shadow, which has been called by the name 'darkness'. From it, there appeared a force, presiding over the darkness. And the forces that came into being subsequent to them called the shadow 'the limitless chaos'. From it, every kind of divinity sprouted up [...] together with the entire place, so that also, shadow is posterior to the first product. It was <in> the abyss that it (shadow) appeared, deriving from the aforementioned Pistis.
Then shadow perceived there was something mightier than it, and felt envy; and when it had become pregnant of its own accord, suddenly it engendered jealousy. Since that day, the principle of jealousy amongst all the eternal realms and their worlds has been apparent. Now as for that jealousy, it was found to be an abortion without any spirit in it. Like a shadow, it came into existence in a vast watery substance. Then the bile that had come into being out of the shadow was thrown into a part of chaos. Since that day, a watery substance has been apparent. And what sank within it flowed away, being visible in chaos: as with a woman giving birth to a child - all her superfluities flow out; just so, matter came into being out of shadow, and was projected apart. And it did not depart from chaos; rather, matter was in chaos, being in a part of it.
And when these things had come to pass, then Pistis came and appeared over the matter of chaos, which had been expelled like an aborted fetus - since there was no spirit in it. For all of it (chaos) was limitless darkness and bottomless water. Now when Pistis saw what had resulted from her defect, she became disturbed. And the disturbance appeared, as a fearful product; it rushed to her in the chaos. She turned to it and blew into its face in the abyss, which is below all the heavens.
And when Pistis Sophia desired to cause the thing that had no spirit to be formed into a likeness and to rule over matter and over all her forces, there appeared for the first time a ruler, out of the waters, lion-like in appearance, androgynous, having great authority within him, and ignorant of whence he had come into being. Now when Pistis Sophia saw him moving about in the depth of the waters, she said to him, "Child, pass through to here," whose equivalent is 'yalda baoth'.
Since that day, there appeared the principle of verbal expression, which reached the gods and the angels and mankind. And what came into being as a result of verbal expression, the gods and the angels and mankind finished. Now as for the ruler Yaltabaoth, he is ignorant of the force of Pistis: he did not see her face, rather he saw in the water the likeness that spoke with him. And because of that voice, he called himself 'Yaldabaoth'. But 'Ariael' is what the perfect call him, for he was like a lion. Now when he had come to have authority over matter, Pistis Sophia withdrew up to her light.
When the ruler saw his magnitude - and it was only himself that he saw: he saw nothing else, except for water and darkness - then he supposed that it was he alone who existed. His will was completed by verbal expression: it appeared as a spirit moving to and fro upon the waters. And when that spirit appeared, the ruler set apart the watery substance. And what was dry was divided into another place. And from matter, he made for himself an abode, and he called it 'heaven'. And from matter, the ruler made a footstool, and he called it 'earth'.
According to the Nag Hammadi, at some point, Jehovah and and a vast number of angels and archangels were created. Some of these beings remained holy and benevolent, while many became devils. The texts also show that Jehovah repented from mistakes He had done because of his ignorance of the Most High, and was blessed with a throne in the seventh heaven. Now the most shocking information coming from this Codex, is that it states that Sabaoth (which is a reference to Jehovah), came from the primal parent Yaldabaoth, also called Samael, the "blind god".
Exerpt from the Nag Hammadi Codex entitled: "On the Origin of the World"
Then when Pistis saw the impiety of the chief ruler, she was filled with anger. She was invisible. She said, "You are mistaken, Samael," (that is, "blind god"). "There is an immortal man of light who has been in existence before you, and who will appear among your modelled forms; he will trample you to scorn, just as potter's clay is pounded. And you will descend to your mother, the abyss, along with those that belong to you. For at the consummation of your (pl.) works, the entire defect that has become visible out of the truth will be abolished, and it will cease to be, and will be like what has never been." Saying this, Pistis revealed her likeness of her greatness in the waters. And so doing, she withdrew up to her light.
Now when Sabaoth, the son of Yaldabaoth, heard the voice of Pistis, he sang praises to her, and he condemned the father [...] at the word of Pistis; and he praised her because she had instructed them about the immortal man and his light. Then Pistis Sophia stretched out her finger and poured upon him some light from her light, to be a condemnation of his father. Then when Sabaoth was illumined, he received great authority against all the forces of chaos. Since that day he has been called "Lord of the Forces".
He hated his father, the darkness, and his mother, the abyss, and loathed his sister, the thought of the prime parent, which moved to and fro upon the waters. And because of his light, all the authorities of chaos were jealous of him. And when they had become disturbed, they made a great war in the seven heavens. Then when Pistis Sophia had seen the war, she dispatched seven archangels to Sabaoth from her light. They snatched him up to the seventh heaven. They stood before him as attendants. Furthermore, she sent him three more archangels, and established the kingdom for him over everyone, so that he might dwell above the twelve gods of chaos.
Now when Sabaoth had taken up the place of repose in return for his repentance, Pistis also gave him her daughter Zoe (Life), together with great authority, so that she might instruct him about all things that exist in the eighth heaven. And as he had authority, he made himself first of all a mansion. It is huge, magnificent, seven times as great as all those that exist in the seven heavens.
And before his mansion he created a throne, which was huge and was upon a four-faced chariot called "Cherubin". Now the Cherubin has eight shapes per each of the four corners, lion forms and calf forms and human forms and eagle forms, so that all the forms amount to sixty-four forms - and seven archangels that stand before it; he is the eighth, and has authority. All the forms amount to seventy-two. Furthermore, from this chariot the seventy-two gods took shape; they took shape so that they might rule over the seventy-two languages of the peoples. And by that throne he created other, serpent-like angels, called "Seraphin", which praise him at all times.
Thereafter he created a congregation of angels, thousands and myriads, numberless, which resembled the congregation in the eighth heaven; and a firstborn called
Israel - which is, "the man that sees God"; and another being, called Jesus Christ, who resembles the savior above in the eighth heaven, and who sits at his right upon a revered throne. And at his left, there sits the virgin of the holy spirit, upon a throne and glorifying him.
History and Lineage of the Anunnaki according to the Sumerian Texts
I think
one of the easiest ways to understand the Anunnaki is to regard them more
as creative entities, or creator gods with a small "g". When these gods generate other gods, which they regard as
children, it is not at all the same as when a human gives birth to a child.
With human beings, their children become completely separate beings apart from their
parents. But with the gods this is not so; as each younger generation always
remains an extension of his parents. Below is a chart showing the Sumerian gods
divided by generations.
Because the
newer generation of gods are an extension of their parents, they retain a
spiritual “oneness” with their “ancestors”, and this is why Jehovah can claim
that He has always existed, because Jehovah is an extension of His primordial parents. Jehovah was not “created” by His parents, but rather “came forth” or
“evolved forth” as a more powerful extension of His parents. This is why John 1
tells us that all things were made through Christ, and why nothing was made
“without Him”; because the Son of God is actually a more powerful “extension” of his parent.
John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning
with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made
that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
In the
sixth generation of gods is where you will find hundreds of Anunnaki, as well
as several more tiers of lower angelics. The Bible teaches that there thousands
upon thousands of angels that exist.
Each of
the Anunnaki have specific powers and authority, for example: Enki is god over
the waters and the earth; Enlil is god over the air; Ningursah is goddess over the earth;
Ereshkigal is goddess over the Netherworld; Sin is god over the moon; Utu is
god over the sun; Nergal is god over the Underworld; Inanna is goddess over
sexual deviance, love and war, night creatures; etc. Below is a chart showing
how the Anunnaki have been named by different cultures throughout thousands of
years of world history.
Sumerian
(Anunnaki)
|
Babylonian
|
Egyptian
|
Greek
|
Roman
|
Hebrew
|
|
An/Anu
|
Anu
|
Geb
|
Uranus
|
Uranus
|
heaven
|
the god
of heaven, the stars, and the constellations;
supreme judge
|
Ki
|
Belit/Nintud
|
Nut
|
Ops
|
Rhea
|
earth
|
goddess
of all physical matter
|
Enlil
|
Asshur
|
Osiris
|
Kronos/
Cronus
|
Saturn
|
Baal/Satan
|
god of the power of the air
|
Enki
|
Ea
|
Ptah
|
Poseidon
|
Neptune
|
Yahweh/Jehovah
|
god of the seas and earth
|
Ninhursag
|
Ninkarak
|
Sekhmet
|
Gaia/
Gaea
|
Terra
|
earth
|
mother Earth
|
Marduk
|
Marduk/Bel
|
Imhotep
|
Zeus
|
Jupiter
|
Bel
|
god of magic |
Ereshkigal
|
Ereshkigal
|
Nephthys
|
Persephone
|
Dis Pater
|
sheol
|
queen of
the underworld
|
Nergal
|
Nergal
|
Anubis
|
Hades
|
Pluto
|
hell / pit
abyss
|
king of
the underworld
|
Ishkur
|
Adad
|
Set/Seth
|
Boreas (one of the 4 Anemoi)
|
Septentrio
(one of
the 4 venti)
|
Adad
|
god of
storms
and the
north wind
|
Ningishzida
|
Ningishzida
|
Thoth
|
Hermes
|
Mercury
|
sorcery
|
god of
magic, mathematics,
science, and genetic engineering
|
Ninurta
|
Ningirsu
|
Horus
|
Ares
|
Mars
|
war
|
god of
war
|
Ninazu
|
Ninazu
|
Apep
|
Apollo
|
Sol
|
Abaddon
|
angel of
the bottomless pit
|
Namtar
|
Namtar
|
Anubis
|
Thanatos
|
Mors
|
Death
|
god of diseases
and death
|
Inanna
|
Ishtar
|
Isis
|
Aphrodite
|
Venus
|
Lilith
|
goddess
of unclean birds and night creatures
|
Nanna
|
Sin
|
Khonsu
|
Selene
|
Moon
|
moon
|
god of
the moon
|
Utu
|
Shamash
|
Ra
|
Helios
|
Sol
|
sun
|
god of
the sun
|
The chart
above may contain errors as I am not a seasoned expert on this matter, but the main
intention is to show you that the Anunnaki have always been known by all the civilizations
of the world since the beginning of human written history. I am also confidently sure that the
Chinese, Indians, American Indians, and the Mesoamerican cultures also have
names for these gods.