BIBLICAL BRIEFS 76
Unfortunately, the owl is a symbol which represents bad luck and death in many religious and superstitious traditions. Uninformed people have erroneously demonized innocent animals such as snakes, scorpions and owls through folkloristic tradition. In spite of the fact that the Bible regards owls as unclean, they are symbolically associated with demonic activities (in Isa. 13:21, they are compared referred to as “field devils”), although it is symbolic. They are associated with wastelands (Ps. 102: 6), perhaps because there are more mice there. There is no truth found in the association of owls with the so-called “watchers”. Most information regarding this demonic connection has no biblical substance. Watchers, or messengers (as mentioned in Dan. 4), is a word used in the apocryphal Bible books (especially The book of Enoch) as a synonym for good and bad angels. There are people who associate the concept with the angels of Gen. 6 who had intercourse with earthly women and reproduced the giants (or Nephilim) (later known as the nation of Anak – Num. 13:33), but they probably carry a totally different (typological/symbolic/spiritual) meaning, because angels are undoubtedly spiritual beings (Heb. 1:14), and if there were communion and a mixing of seed between physically-carnal and non-material beings, why aren’t there any giants of this nature still in existence today? But, in hindsight – what do these two phenomena have to do with each other? I cannot think of any connection between the ‘watcher’ and the owl! Christians often create such superstitious beliefs which have no basis in the physical or spiritual realm. Back at the unwelcome watcher – it’s probably just a slightly confused owl.
Dr Tom Gouws
