Coming in December - will be posted to MySpace site - including complete exposition of Daniel 9:24-27.
A brand new interpretation - from Scripture only.
Startling, emphatic. Fully conclusive. Never before visualised. The churches are blind to the truth of Scritpure.
It will also confirm 1335 days of complete fulfillment of Daniel 12:12.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
New Understanding of 1335 days
November 8, 2007 - Thursday
New understanding of 1335 days
It has been quite some time since I wrote something in my blog. The first 16 are comments of the 'jewel' of all scripture, the kingdom of the heavens. But someone named Jean, sparked me to write down what I currently know. Her writing regarding the 1335 days, helps to answer a riddle that I could not figure out myself. Her explanation of the 1335 days that perplexed me for years, is answered through the celebrations of the Ancient Nation of Israel to their god who was YHWH. I saw WAS because if you ask a Jew today, they would not answer their god was YHWH, but rather a 'Lord' such as Adonai. Yet Adonai, was typically a man blessed with God's spirit in the manner of Melchezedek. Who had the right to bless Abraham. They in turn as SONS of Abraham ALSO worship Melchizedek or Adonai. This means, they unwittingly serve an archetype 'like' the King archetype of IESOUS, or Jesus. So this Michael, this prince of the peoples of Abraham is appropriately 'who is like God'. Very much a tongue in cheek to those who claim to know God, but really don't understand the origins of their own worship. I give you a discourse upon the passage that inspired me to write about the 1335 days. ..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
[quote]
"At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise [a] will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."
[/quote]
This passage speaks of a figure named 'Michael' which translates to: "Who is like {YHWH}" will arise. If we quantify arise, arise could mean something that was resurrected, however given that this is a vision of an actual entity, we can safely conclude, Michael never died, but was rather underground…
Then when this person appears on the world scene, there will be a great distress since the beginning of Nations (Meggido) until then.
Then the next statement gives consolation to the ones deemed worthy from the throne of the Soverign Lord YHWH. There will be an awakening of spirit beings. By what manifestation or rather IF they reappear in this existence it does not say. Then others are doomed to shame and contempt.
Then the passage speaks of those who are wise 'shine' like the brightness of the heavens. This speaks of wise ones who will be a refreshing contrast to the unintelligible ones that try to lead many with their half truths. Some will show people the path to righteousness and they too will also shine like stars.
Then the angel conveying these messages instructs Daniel (*who appropriately means 'God is my Judge') seals up this message for those who are able to decipher the deep meanings. This is how one knows one is from the soverign YHWH, that these wise men give off this light and increase knowledge among the afflicted and ignorant.
[quote]
5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. 6 One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?"
7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time, times and half a time. [b] When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed."
[/quote]
This is a recurring theme in visions. We have three central figures communing among themselves. The three figures here transcend to the 'Transfiguration' where the Disciples saw a continuance of this with Moses, Jesus and Elijah. All three spoke of an Exodus. An Exodus of what? That directly relates to the dialogue here as well. Yet the one on the other side "the Elijah counterpart" asks, a rhetorical question aimed at the generations to follow…'how long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?'
Now the central figure who of course overlays as Jesus in the Transifuration speaks according to his understanding of things to come in its fullness.
I will glaze over this part of the utterance because it gets really in depth as to the events that recur over and over again. But here is where the central figure gives a scope of work for these 'things' to be accomplished. It's this time frame that many religious leaders try to decipher but miss a component here or there.
[quote]
8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?"
9 He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.
11 "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.
[/quote]
Here is the real meat of the passage. Daniel, who is relaying this message does not understand, therefore, he could not possibly know what the inner message mean and as such, could not mastermind the prophecy. In addition, there is a logic presented here…
1. Those who understand are blessed, those that do not are wicked. Period.
2. The central figure establishes a time frame. Now according to a wonderful description from a friend of mine named 'Jean', I recommend reading the blog "1335 days of Dan. 12:12" as a primer.
Here is my current understanding of this description of days.
1. Understand that what was celebrated with the sons of Jacob, has a larger impact on us today…
2. a. By examining the actual celebrations, one comes to a deeper knowledge of the events happening.
b. I am reminded that the Paschal Lamb is selected by the father of the household and kept IN HOUSE for four days. On the fifth day, the lamb is slaughtered. This period of time fits within the greater order of the Israelite's deliverance.
c. The six months out of the year the feast of Tabernacles is a SEASONAL celebration, to coincide with the winder/summer equinox.
d. Then there is a uniformed period of time to 'digest' or understand deeper things from the Holy Spirit. This is the 70 men, 70 years of a complete understanding of all things that god has hidden for the wise ones. The 70 years is the number of years that Daniel discerned correctly must pass for the Isrealite to be liberated from their captive Nebuchadnezzar. During this captivity, the nation was thoroughly humiliated and humbled before their god who they left from serving. After this period of time, the reconstruction begins and a renewal toward serving God whole soul began. However, this iteration was short lived and this cycle must renew itself again, seven times.
[quote]
13 "As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."
[/quote]
This really is the hope that all faithful servants should possess. The hope of being remembered and given the appropriate allotted inheritance. In so many passages, the worker is depicted as a farmer that works in a field with 12 rows. In the inner workings between he Master and Apprentice, Elijah (my god is YHWH, finally finds his apprentice Elisha, working in the field). Most likely the very spirit that worked through Moses and Jesus finds such one working out the Will of YHWH and gives this Elisha the very 'mantle', authority to complete YHWH's will!
We are all so very privileged to breathe our daily bread during this very tumultuous, yet rewarding period of man's existence. Praise YHWH you people!
In conclusion, the 1335 takes into account ALL things that transpire to its greatest fulfillment. If you believe the 1260 days have completed and you still idolize another man or image of God, you are passing thorugh another period of time.
If you do not worship any of these things and understand the celebrations were a tutor to the greater fulfillment, you are instantly caught away to the heavens (see my previous blog regarding the third heaven) where you will get a birds eye (Enoch) view of things from another perspective.
In either event, the things written are being transpired and have transpired. That is the divine understanding and you will find great happiness now in your life.
Peace to the holy ones,
GB
New understanding of 1335 days
It has been quite some time since I wrote something in my blog. The first 16 are comments of the 'jewel' of all scripture, the kingdom of the heavens. But someone named Jean, sparked me to write down what I currently know. Her writing regarding the 1335 days, helps to answer a riddle that I could not figure out myself. Her explanation of the 1335 days that perplexed me for years, is answered through the celebrations of the Ancient Nation of Israel to their god who was YHWH. I saw WAS because if you ask a Jew today, they would not answer their god was YHWH, but rather a 'Lord' such as Adonai. Yet Adonai, was typically a man blessed with God's spirit in the manner of Melchezedek. Who had the right to bless Abraham. They in turn as SONS of Abraham ALSO worship Melchizedek or Adonai. This means, they unwittingly serve an archetype 'like' the King archetype of IESOUS, or Jesus. So this Michael, this prince of the peoples of Abraham is appropriately 'who is like God'. Very much a tongue in cheek to those who claim to know God, but really don't understand the origins of their own worship. I give you a discourse upon the passage that inspired me to write about the 1335 days. ..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
[quote]
"At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise [a] will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."
[/quote]
This passage speaks of a figure named 'Michael' which translates to: "Who is like {YHWH}" will arise. If we quantify arise, arise could mean something that was resurrected, however given that this is a vision of an actual entity, we can safely conclude, Michael never died, but was rather underground…
Then when this person appears on the world scene, there will be a great distress since the beginning of Nations (Meggido) until then.
Then the next statement gives consolation to the ones deemed worthy from the throne of the Soverign Lord YHWH. There will be an awakening of spirit beings. By what manifestation or rather IF they reappear in this existence it does not say. Then others are doomed to shame and contempt.
Then the passage speaks of those who are wise 'shine' like the brightness of the heavens. This speaks of wise ones who will be a refreshing contrast to the unintelligible ones that try to lead many with their half truths. Some will show people the path to righteousness and they too will also shine like stars.
Then the angel conveying these messages instructs Daniel (*who appropriately means 'God is my Judge') seals up this message for those who are able to decipher the deep meanings. This is how one knows one is from the soverign YHWH, that these wise men give off this light and increase knowledge among the afflicted and ignorant.
[quote]
5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. 6 One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?"
7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time, times and half a time. [b] When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed."
[/quote]
This is a recurring theme in visions. We have three central figures communing among themselves. The three figures here transcend to the 'Transfiguration' where the Disciples saw a continuance of this with Moses, Jesus and Elijah. All three spoke of an Exodus. An Exodus of what? That directly relates to the dialogue here as well. Yet the one on the other side "the Elijah counterpart" asks, a rhetorical question aimed at the generations to follow…'how long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?'
Now the central figure who of course overlays as Jesus in the Transifuration speaks according to his understanding of things to come in its fullness.
I will glaze over this part of the utterance because it gets really in depth as to the events that recur over and over again. But here is where the central figure gives a scope of work for these 'things' to be accomplished. It's this time frame that many religious leaders try to decipher but miss a component here or there.
[quote]
8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?"
9 He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.
11 "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.
[/quote]
Here is the real meat of the passage. Daniel, who is relaying this message does not understand, therefore, he could not possibly know what the inner message mean and as such, could not mastermind the prophecy. In addition, there is a logic presented here…
1. Those who understand are blessed, those that do not are wicked. Period.
2. The central figure establishes a time frame. Now according to a wonderful description from a friend of mine named 'Jean', I recommend reading the blog "1335 days of Dan. 12:12" as a primer.
Here is my current understanding of this description of days.
1. Understand that what was celebrated with the sons of Jacob, has a larger impact on us today…
2. a. By examining the actual celebrations, one comes to a deeper knowledge of the events happening.
b. I am reminded that the Paschal Lamb is selected by the father of the household and kept IN HOUSE for four days. On the fifth day, the lamb is slaughtered. This period of time fits within the greater order of the Israelite's deliverance.
c. The six months out of the year the feast of Tabernacles is a SEASONAL celebration, to coincide with the winder/summer equinox.
d. Then there is a uniformed period of time to 'digest' or understand deeper things from the Holy Spirit. This is the 70 men, 70 years of a complete understanding of all things that god has hidden for the wise ones. The 70 years is the number of years that Daniel discerned correctly must pass for the Isrealite to be liberated from their captive Nebuchadnezzar. During this captivity, the nation was thoroughly humiliated and humbled before their god who they left from serving. After this period of time, the reconstruction begins and a renewal toward serving God whole soul began. However, this iteration was short lived and this cycle must renew itself again, seven times.
[quote]
13 "As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."
[/quote]
This really is the hope that all faithful servants should possess. The hope of being remembered and given the appropriate allotted inheritance. In so many passages, the worker is depicted as a farmer that works in a field with 12 rows. In the inner workings between he Master and Apprentice, Elijah (my god is YHWH, finally finds his apprentice Elisha, working in the field). Most likely the very spirit that worked through Moses and Jesus finds such one working out the Will of YHWH and gives this Elisha the very 'mantle', authority to complete YHWH's will!
We are all so very privileged to breathe our daily bread during this very tumultuous, yet rewarding period of man's existence. Praise YHWH you people!
In conclusion, the 1335 takes into account ALL things that transpire to its greatest fulfillment. If you believe the 1260 days have completed and you still idolize another man or image of God, you are passing thorugh another period of time.
If you do not worship any of these things and understand the celebrations were a tutor to the greater fulfillment, you are instantly caught away to the heavens (see my previous blog regarding the third heaven) where you will get a birds eye (Enoch) view of things from another perspective.
In either event, the things written are being transpired and have transpired. That is the divine understanding and you will find great happiness now in your life.
Peace to the holy ones,
GB
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Q & A
Questions:
Here are some contrasts that I see between the natural types and the spiritual antitypes. Please let me know what your thoughts are.
The Passing of the Law in History showing in Christ - Externally Done Away in the Past FOR ALL.. or Internally Done Away in Christ FOR SOME :
"Old & New Jerusalem" - External, Historical Cities showing the Internal Condition of the Heart (Bondage/Free)
Aion = "Age to Come" - External Material Age for All showing Internal Kingdom "Without End" for Redeemed
Eretz = World/ Land - External Geographic Locale (Planet or Palestine) showing Internal Locale (The Kingdom Within)
"End of the Age" - External Destruction of the Mosaic Law "in AD70" showing Internal Overthrow of Old Things (2 Cor. 5:17)
The "New Heavens and Earth" - External Material World for All showing Internal Spiritual Renewal for Redeemed
"The Parousia of Christ" - An External, Historical Event "in AD70" showing Internal, Spiritual Presence of the Word
"At Hand" - External Historical Proximity showing Internal Spatial Proximity
Mystery Babylon - External Material City showing Internal Spirit of Antichrist
"The Temple" / Mt. Zion - External Center of Worship in Building showing the Internal Center of Worship in the Heart
"the Death", "the Sin" & "the Devil" - Externally Defeated For All "in AD70" showing Internal Spiritual Defeat on Behalf of Redeemed
"The Millennium" - External, Historical Epoch for All (AD30-70) showing Internal Era of transition for Redeemed
"Day of the Lord" - A Single Temporal, Historical Period of Judgment showing the Never-Ending Spiritual Judgment Seat of Christ
"The Return of High Priest" - Externally to those alive "in AD70" showing Internally to Each as Kingdom Comes to Them
"The Resurrection" - An Historical Event "in AD70" showing Internal, Spiritual Awakening in Christ
"The House of Israel" / Tabernacle of David - The External, Historical Nation Which Ceased "in AD70" showing Internal, Spiritual Nation of Redeemed
"The Gentiles" - The External, Not Racially Jewish, Nations showing Internal "Children of Disobedience" of all Races/Nations
Answer:
Thank you for your questions. Sorry for such a lengthy delay in answering you. I had been exceedingly busy and finding it hard to keep up the pace.
Many of your questions center on AD 70 when the Romans came against Jerusalem and destroyed it. These questions I cannot answer as there is no biblical record of that historical event and really no Biblical record of any other chronological historical event. For example, the seven days of creation is not a chronological event. The scriptures do not deal with historical chronology. That was not their forte. They use multiple types to explain what is best described as an abstract noun – a description of the quality of characteristics in life.
The writers delineated history to show the spiritual application with qualities being best described as abstract nouns. The Jerusalem that the Romans destroyed had rejected the antitypical lamb. Jerusalem had long abnegated the Oracles of God. The tenets of Judaism were literalised by the Pharisees and implemented by the Sadducees, persecuting the Messianic Body. The significance of the tenets had lapsed. They were described as having become diverse and stranged doctrines. The writers to the Hebrews said, “Be not carried about with divers and strong doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.” Heb. 13:9.
It is difficult to grasp that qualities are expressed by abstract nouns, that Biblical history is not chronological history. Antitypes using types point always to the elevated. Later the types recur, and again these qualities are abstract, perceived and just as real as former applications. These applications are seen working towards archetypes.
The Hebraic writings are directed at the height, breadth and, depth of the Spirit. The world that came to an end in the scriptural picture in the days of the Messianic Body was the world of the tenets of Judaism. The keeping of the Levitical laws, “a figure for the time then present” could not “save” anyone. The keeping of the strict laws and rituals disabled the creative element of society.
The form of spiritual antitypes are abstract but very real, they are genuine qualities of character. You see, spiritual things are intangible, you cannot put your finger on them literally. It is up to you to enliven them. The biblical writers did not pin any of their tutorial to a single historical chronological event, and each event pictured, portrayed the spiritual, through time – ever present. It can therefore be said that chronological history pertains to the flesh, and it is also very real in each age.
The narratives spelling out the success of transcendence and the downfall of mediocrity fill the pages of the Bible. An important point is that the Hebraic scripture is based on the days of the Jewish sacred year and do not align with the calendars. The Hebraic scripture pointed to the divine being played out alongside the secular. It is important to keep this methodology in mind when following the pathway bequeathed to us. Scriptural writers appealed to all sides of society as they sought genuine improvement.
For example, the Book of Daniel is full of numbers of days. They are all based on sanctuary or ceremonial in the sacred year over a seven-year-period. Many have erroneously calculated these days and endeavored to terminate them on a current calendar or an historical record. This is to miss the point.
Spiritual things are spiritually discerned – see 1 Cor. 2:14. And what are spiritual things you may well ask? It is a question each of us individually must strive to answer. It is like trying to interpret the statement, “Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fufil the lust of the flesh…” see Gal. 5:13-26. Here you see liberty versus license, reflective of duality in the great controversy. Rom. 8 is an excellent chapter on the Spirit and the flesh and is a good starting point.
A very brief answer to some of your questions:
Babylon - confusion and error – the Babylonians were idolatrous, today idolatry is literalism.
Temple - a pattern. Exd. 25:40 – we are the true Temple. 1 Cor. 3:16.
Millennium – one day is as thousand years. Ps. 90:4 and 2 Pet. 3:8
Lords day - Spiritual Pentecost in N.T. - day of new meat offering of O.T. – see Lev. 23: 15, 16 – 50th day after Passover.
Day of the Lord - see Rev, 1:10, 16:4 and 18:8.
High Priest – Christ Melchisedec high priest (spiritual of course) today – not Levitical now = Christ = King of righteousness, King of peace – see Heb. 6:19 and 7:1-3.
Gentiles and Jews today with circumcised heart are the spiritual Jew - see Rom. 2:28, 29, Gal. 5:13 and Eph. 2.
Do trust these few thoughts may help you.
Jean
Here are some contrasts that I see between the natural types and the spiritual antitypes. Please let me know what your thoughts are.
The Passing of the Law in History showing in Christ - Externally Done Away in the Past FOR ALL.. or Internally Done Away in Christ FOR SOME :
"Old & New Jerusalem" - External, Historical Cities showing the Internal Condition of the Heart (Bondage/Free)
Aion = "Age to Come" - External Material Age for All showing Internal Kingdom "Without End" for Redeemed
Eretz = World/ Land - External Geographic Locale (Planet or Palestine) showing Internal Locale (The Kingdom Within)
"End of the Age" - External Destruction of the Mosaic Law "in AD70" showing Internal Overthrow of Old Things (2 Cor. 5:17)
The "New Heavens and Earth" - External Material World for All showing Internal Spiritual Renewal for Redeemed
"The Parousia of Christ" - An External, Historical Event "in AD70" showing Internal, Spiritual Presence of the Word
"At Hand" - External Historical Proximity showing Internal Spatial Proximity
Mystery Babylon - External Material City showing Internal Spirit of Antichrist
"The Temple" / Mt. Zion - External Center of Worship in Building showing the Internal Center of Worship in the Heart
"the Death", "the Sin" & "the Devil" - Externally Defeated For All "in AD70" showing Internal Spiritual Defeat on Behalf of Redeemed
"The Millennium" - External, Historical Epoch for All (AD30-70) showing Internal Era of transition for Redeemed
"Day of the Lord" - A Single Temporal, Historical Period of Judgment showing the Never-Ending Spiritual Judgment Seat of Christ
"The Return of High Priest" - Externally to those alive "in AD70" showing Internally to Each as Kingdom Comes to Them
"The Resurrection" - An Historical Event "in AD70" showing Internal, Spiritual Awakening in Christ
"The House of Israel" / Tabernacle of David - The External, Historical Nation Which Ceased "in AD70" showing Internal, Spiritual Nation of Redeemed
"The Gentiles" - The External, Not Racially Jewish, Nations showing Internal "Children of Disobedience" of all Races/Nations
Answer:
Thank you for your questions. Sorry for such a lengthy delay in answering you. I had been exceedingly busy and finding it hard to keep up the pace.
Many of your questions center on AD 70 when the Romans came against Jerusalem and destroyed it. These questions I cannot answer as there is no biblical record of that historical event and really no Biblical record of any other chronological historical event. For example, the seven days of creation is not a chronological event. The scriptures do not deal with historical chronology. That was not their forte. They use multiple types to explain what is best described as an abstract noun – a description of the quality of characteristics in life.
The writers delineated history to show the spiritual application with qualities being best described as abstract nouns. The Jerusalem that the Romans destroyed had rejected the antitypical lamb. Jerusalem had long abnegated the Oracles of God. The tenets of Judaism were literalised by the Pharisees and implemented by the Sadducees, persecuting the Messianic Body. The significance of the tenets had lapsed. They were described as having become diverse and stranged doctrines. The writers to the Hebrews said, “Be not carried about with divers and strong doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.” Heb. 13:9.
It is difficult to grasp that qualities are expressed by abstract nouns, that Biblical history is not chronological history. Antitypes using types point always to the elevated. Later the types recur, and again these qualities are abstract, perceived and just as real as former applications. These applications are seen working towards archetypes.
The Hebraic writings are directed at the height, breadth and, depth of the Spirit. The world that came to an end in the scriptural picture in the days of the Messianic Body was the world of the tenets of Judaism. The keeping of the Levitical laws, “a figure for the time then present” could not “save” anyone. The keeping of the strict laws and rituals disabled the creative element of society.
The form of spiritual antitypes are abstract but very real, they are genuine qualities of character. You see, spiritual things are intangible, you cannot put your finger on them literally. It is up to you to enliven them. The biblical writers did not pin any of their tutorial to a single historical chronological event, and each event pictured, portrayed the spiritual, through time – ever present. It can therefore be said that chronological history pertains to the flesh, and it is also very real in each age.
The narratives spelling out the success of transcendence and the downfall of mediocrity fill the pages of the Bible. An important point is that the Hebraic scripture is based on the days of the Jewish sacred year and do not align with the calendars. The Hebraic scripture pointed to the divine being played out alongside the secular. It is important to keep this methodology in mind when following the pathway bequeathed to us. Scriptural writers appealed to all sides of society as they sought genuine improvement.
For example, the Book of Daniel is full of numbers of days. They are all based on sanctuary or ceremonial in the sacred year over a seven-year-period. Many have erroneously calculated these days and endeavored to terminate them on a current calendar or an historical record. This is to miss the point.
Spiritual things are spiritually discerned – see 1 Cor. 2:14. And what are spiritual things you may well ask? It is a question each of us individually must strive to answer. It is like trying to interpret the statement, “Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fufil the lust of the flesh…” see Gal. 5:13-26. Here you see liberty versus license, reflective of duality in the great controversy. Rom. 8 is an excellent chapter on the Spirit and the flesh and is a good starting point.
A very brief answer to some of your questions:
Babylon - confusion and error – the Babylonians were idolatrous, today idolatry is literalism.
Temple - a pattern. Exd. 25:40 – we are the true Temple. 1 Cor. 3:16.
Millennium – one day is as thousand years. Ps. 90:4 and 2 Pet. 3:8
Lords day - Spiritual Pentecost in N.T. - day of new meat offering of O.T. – see Lev. 23: 15, 16 – 50th day after Passover.
Day of the Lord - see Rev, 1:10, 16:4 and 18:8.
High Priest – Christ Melchisedec high priest (spiritual of course) today – not Levitical now = Christ = King of righteousness, King of peace – see Heb. 6:19 and 7:1-3.
Gentiles and Jews today with circumcised heart are the spiritual Jew - see Rom. 2:28, 29, Gal. 5:13 and Eph. 2.
Do trust these few thoughts may help you.
Jean
1335 Days of Daniel 12:12
Question from the paper “Abomination of Desolation”:
According to this interpretation of the 1290 days, what would be the significance of the 45 days after when the 1335 days are accomplished and those who have waited are blessed?
Answer:
“Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five days.” Dan. 12:12
This period of 1335 days gives an overall picture of the Hebrews’ struggle to obtain a peaceful happy land. Spiritually, it is a pattern for all generations.
The story starts in Egypt whilst in bondage. Preparing for the Exodus the congregation of Israel were to select the paschal lamb on 10/1 Abib, and keep it until 14/1 then kill it in the evening, now 15/1. See Exd. 12:1-7. This was the beginning of Passover, and eating of unleavened bread, and was introduced into the sanctuary service. The sacred year continued for 6 months ending on 15/7 Tishri, Feast of Tabernacles. 180 days each year for 7 years = 1260 days.
When starting to total a lengthy period of struggle with the ups and downs, and many graphic illustrations, the five days of keeping the paschal lamb is added, thus 1260 + 5 = 1265 days.
However, there is more, for this did not bring the desired freedom and happiness in pre-exilic days. Not until Judas Maccabeus’ victory over Antiochus Epiphanes in post-exilic days did this eventuate. The temple was then restored and the ceremonial services renewed. This celebration is called the Feast of Dedication on 25/9 Casleu. 2 Macc. 10:5 – an additional 70 days. The Kingdom of the Jews had the contented, liberated life they had sought for many years. See Macc. 14:8-13.
These days add up 1335:
1. 10/1 – 15/1 - choosing the Paschal lamb until it was killed = 5 days
2. 15/1 to 15/7 - 180 days X 7 half-years (over a seven year period = 1260 days
3. 15/7 to 25/9 = 70 days
As mentioned in the paper, “Abomination of Desolation”, Jereboam’s celebration of idolatry was 30 days after the Feast of Tabernacles then it was 40 days to the Feast of Dedication.
John 10:22 refers to the Feast of Dedication, “And it was at Jerusalem the feast of dedication, and it was winter.”
According to this interpretation of the 1290 days, what would be the significance of the 45 days after when the 1335 days are accomplished and those who have waited are blessed?
Answer:
“Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five days.” Dan. 12:12
This period of 1335 days gives an overall picture of the Hebrews’ struggle to obtain a peaceful happy land. Spiritually, it is a pattern for all generations.
The story starts in Egypt whilst in bondage. Preparing for the Exodus the congregation of Israel were to select the paschal lamb on 10/1 Abib, and keep it until 14/1 then kill it in the evening, now 15/1. See Exd. 12:1-7. This was the beginning of Passover, and eating of unleavened bread, and was introduced into the sanctuary service. The sacred year continued for 6 months ending on 15/7 Tishri, Feast of Tabernacles. 180 days each year for 7 years = 1260 days.
When starting to total a lengthy period of struggle with the ups and downs, and many graphic illustrations, the five days of keeping the paschal lamb is added, thus 1260 + 5 = 1265 days.
However, there is more, for this did not bring the desired freedom and happiness in pre-exilic days. Not until Judas Maccabeus’ victory over Antiochus Epiphanes in post-exilic days did this eventuate. The temple was then restored and the ceremonial services renewed. This celebration is called the Feast of Dedication on 25/9 Casleu. 2 Macc. 10:5 – an additional 70 days. The Kingdom of the Jews had the contented, liberated life they had sought for many years. See Macc. 14:8-13.
These days add up 1335:
1. 10/1 – 15/1 - choosing the Paschal lamb until it was killed = 5 days
2. 15/1 to 15/7 - 180 days X 7 half-years (over a seven year period = 1260 days
3. 15/7 to 25/9 = 70 days
As mentioned in the paper, “Abomination of Desolation”, Jereboam’s celebration of idolatry was 30 days after the Feast of Tabernacles then it was 40 days to the Feast of Dedication.
John 10:22 refers to the Feast of Dedication, “And it was at Jerusalem the feast of dedication, and it was winter.”
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Genesis’ Creation of Seven Days Reproduced in the Seven Heavenly Angels’ Messages of Revelation
Genesis’ Creation of Seven Days Reproduced in the Seven Heavenly Angels’ Messages of Revelation
Please view at:
www.myspace.com/jc13579
The paper contains a Table that is not viewable in this Blog's format.
Rgds
Jean
Please view at:
www.myspace.com/jc13579
The paper contains a Table that is not viewable in this Blog's format.
Rgds
Jean
Thursday, October 18, 2007
The Beast of Revelation 13:11 Part 2
1. Introduction to the Two Horned Beast of Rev. 13:11
[i]
Covered in the previous paper on the 1st Beast of Rev. 13 the days of Israel and Judah were used in that inscription to describe, or point to, the days of early Christianity. This 2nd Beast of Revelation takes the reign of the Kingdom of the Jews when the Pharisees and Sadducees ruled to show there would be a likeness to them in the latter days of the Christian Era. The two together, taken from Scripture only, enable us to begin to envisage the early and latter days of the Christian Era, as seen by these early inscribers.
Hence the 2nd Beast of Revelation will now consider Old Testament-come-New Testament illustrations during the time already mentioned above, when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to power in the Jewish Kingdom.
Firstly, a brief overall summary:-
Early Israel and Judah worshipped literal idols. This practice ended with Babylonian captivity.
The Kingdom of the Jews worshipped Judaism – making the literal exactions of the temple service their god. In Scriptural writings, Judaism crumbled when the Pharisees and Sadducees persucuted the Messianic Body, personified as Jesus the Christ and not in A.D. 70 when the Romans conquered a lost Jerusalem.
In this era (present tense) to the spiritual Jew, with circumcised heart, doctrine and dogma have continued to be worshipped. How this might end will, be judged in another paper.
It is during the time of the Kingdom of the Jews that the point of refraction occurs. The direction of light in the O.T. writings changes from a wide form (type), then converges and directly centres on the spiritual (antitype) in the Gospels. Once antitypes are later seen as objects hence becoming archetypes, the emanating light diverges and can ultimately reach a more global spiritual dimension.
2. Reflecting upon the First Beast of Rev. 13
The beasts of Daniel 7 represented kings and kingdoms of the ancient days of Israel. Daniel’s vision vividly told of a people ever backslidding into apostasy. It was written prophetically, taken from O.T. Bible-history, specifying a recurrence of like-circumstances. The wisdom of the writers (Daniel, God is judge) understood the compounding factors.
The first beast of Rev. 13 was written as a symbol for early Christianity, as a new Israel struggled for establishment.
Revelation notes a lack of knowledge (darkness) soon permeated the new landscape, as no one could open the little book, see Rev. 5:1-4. Thankfully, a message from the throne of heaven revealed that the Lion of the tribe of Judah (now the Comforter) would open the book.
Alas came reformation, as a man on a white horse. He had a bow (the new covenant), wore a crown (nobility of character) and went forth conquering and to conquer. Sadly the light faded, people clung to their idols. Respect for enthusiasm and understanding was lost.
3. The Beast of Rev. 13:11
The revelators, represented as a fugitive of Patmos, saw another beast make an image to the first beast and his infamy.
“And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon”
Following Judas Maccabeus’ victory over Antiochus Ephiphanes the Kingdom of the Jews became a well established entity. A prosperous, happy peaceful kingdom arose. Simon, brother of Judas, reigned in quiet days, his authority and honour pleased them well. They did till the ground in peace…ancient men sat all in the streets communing together…Simon provided victuals for the cities…made peace – every man sat under his vine and his fig tree, and there was none to fray them. See 1 Macc.14:4-12. Isa, 65:20-23 and Zech. 8:4-6 all describe the same time of peace and happiness.
Following these days the Pharisees emerged as the party of the synagogue. With strict adherence to ancient laws they demanded the people live “righteously” – forgetting those in need. The Sadducees also appeared representing the wealthy. They were a political party, and bought the position of high priest, controlling the priesthood. The church, a ritual law, conjoined with state, a civic law. A pious power was in the service of a secular authority. Beware grave danger in such a union. Things began to change. The two horns had met fulfillment as ruling powers. The horns were consistent with the horns on the beast in Daniel 7, - rulers.
The Sadducees
The Saducees ridiculed a spiritual life and did not believe in resurrection. There were seven brothers, one married and died having no children. The next brother married his wife and he died. This happened to all seven. Last of all the woman died. The petulant Sadducees using a trick question asked, “In the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven?’ Jesus spiritually answered, “In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels (messengers) of God in heaven (elevated).” See Matt. 22.25-30. “The kingdom of heaven is within you.” This story indicates a coming friction – the power of the dragon.
The Pharisees
Similarly Matt. 22 using dialogue, shows a major schism developing. The Pharisees taking over the questioning asked, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God…and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self.” The Pharisees demanded ritual exactions. Jesus said, “In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
In Matt. 23 begins the tyraid against the traditional dragonic Pharisees:- “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat, whatsoever they bid you observe, they say and do not, they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, they lay them on men’s shoulders, all their works they do to be seen of men, they make broad their phylateries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, they love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Ye devour widows houses, for a pretence make long prayer, ye fools and blind, etc,etc,etc. For more read Matt. 23.
The final straw
As the story goes, when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead many Jews had seen the things Jesus had done. Some told the Pharisees, “Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? For this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nations.” Caiaphas, the high priest said, “ye know nothing at all.” “And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest he prophesied (exercised his prophetic office) that Jesus should die for that nation. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.” See John 11:47-53.
The dragon had spoken.
The abomination of desolation now stood in the holy place. This is mentioned in Matt. 24:15. Flee into the mountains for safety when you see this imposition. Rev. 18:4 in a different illustration writes to the spiritual Jews in captivity, “Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins…”
This scene may have several compounds. It is important, not to forget, it may also compact.
The two horned beast
Yes, this two horned beast exercised all the power of the first beast, that in type looked like Solomon, and when most depraved, behaved as evil Jehoachin. This beast caused the earth, where the good seed had been sown, to worship the first beast. See Rev, 13:12.
And of the image beast it was said in Rev. 13:13,14 “and he doeth great wonders, miracles.” This is referring to the practice of self-opinionated predicting, including like practices foretelling lengthy prophetic periods of great literal events, that never evenuate. This duplicity can appear so accurate, miraculously hoped for. Many have thought, at times, that such speculation was wonderful, marvelous, even supernatural. But the God of Scripture writings is not a magician.
Statements in O.T. pertaining to sanctuary and service over a seven-year-period have been stretched into thousands of years, by some. This theory begins in the days of type, structure, form, and ends in antitype, purity, excellence and transcedence. How ridiculous and contrary to a simple principle showing a progression from literal (fundamentalism) to the spiritual (incorporeal).
The practice of divination or great presages was condemned in the very early days, centuries ago. “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder and the sign or wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke unto thee saying, Let us go after other gods, (turn to idols - literalism)… thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet…Walk after the Lord your God, and fear, him…” See Deut. 13:1-4. The word “come” is from BOW meaning depart, and “pass” from ABAR meaning, to cross over, fail, perish. Build the habitation of God through the Spirit. Eph. 2:22. There are those today prophesying about times and associating the Beasts with others, always others, never us of course.
The lamb-like beast said that all should make an image to the beast, (first beast) resembling days of Israel and Judah. The first beast had power to give life unto the image of the beast. The Pharisees and Sadducees were now the example of the image beast. In the two-horned beast is seen a mischievious union with godliness being subject to political edicts. Giving life to the image beast, to cause as many as would not conform to him, should be killed – from APOKETEINO, figuratively destroyed or soul destroying. This is an abomination. This is to worship an idol. The combined forces become very domineering, enforcing their rule upon others. They steal away the intrinsic right of liberty of conscience.
Is it evident in the past, that this depraved league, committed such evil? Read the Book of Acts, as it is full of such accounts of persecution. Stephen was stoned, Acts 7:54-60. “Herod (Agrippa) killed James and proceeded to take Peter,” but he was protected. Acts 12:1-3. Regarding the preaching and healing work of Peter and John, “the rules and elders and scribes said…What shall we do with these men?..a notable miracle has been done by them and is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in his name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” Acts 4:5,16-18. Does this ring a bell?
“No man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark or name of the beast.” Rev. 13:17.
The Beast with a number
Finally borrowing from O.T. type – Here is wisdom. “Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: (the first beast of Rev.) for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” Rev. 13:18. The first beast as already stated “had power to give life unto the image beast,” making them of the same ilk.
Since the dawn of civilization it has been customary to number a person by wealth, possessions, ownership, and income. This commenced with acquisition, the serpent or dragon at the beginning of a great symbolical overview of human behavior. “Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold.” Gen. 13:2. “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job…there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 oxen, 500 she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.” Job. 1:1-3.
Today men have a number. Of course you may be worth nothing. On the other hand your number may be a few hundred, thousands, millions, billions. Who was this man numbered six hundred threescore and six? “Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon (the leopard) in one year was six hundred three score and six talents of gold.” 1 Kings 10:14. Solomon also had mighty possessions.
Here is confirmation, absolute confirmation, of Solomon’s (the leopard’s) role in the first beast of Rev. 13. This beast was imaged by the second beast as it described the Pharisees and Sadducees. This is a good example of type defined and imaged in antitype.
4. Conclusion
We see in two parts the beasts of Rev. 13. These beasts are an enlargement of an illustrative scriptural interpretation of the out-stretch of an insidious dictatorial authoritarianism – a great pretense. Beware, the Patmos psyche has warned us using symbols. The two essays on the beasts of Revelation teach us not to start our study from the New Testament and then follow up by going to the Old Testament. It will not work. It cannot work. Start with the Old, a shadow, then proceed to the New, the great illumination.
www.myspace.com/jc13579
http://debunkingchristianitysydney.blogspot.com
Struth the Truth – Reclaiming the Light
[i]
Covered in the previous paper on the 1st Beast of Rev. 13 the days of Israel and Judah were used in that inscription to describe, or point to, the days of early Christianity. This 2nd Beast of Revelation takes the reign of the Kingdom of the Jews when the Pharisees and Sadducees ruled to show there would be a likeness to them in the latter days of the Christian Era. The two together, taken from Scripture only, enable us to begin to envisage the early and latter days of the Christian Era, as seen by these early inscribers.
Hence the 2nd Beast of Revelation will now consider Old Testament-come-New Testament illustrations during the time already mentioned above, when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to power in the Jewish Kingdom.
Firstly, a brief overall summary:-
Early Israel and Judah worshipped literal idols. This practice ended with Babylonian captivity.
The Kingdom of the Jews worshipped Judaism – making the literal exactions of the temple service their god. In Scriptural writings, Judaism crumbled when the Pharisees and Sadducees persucuted the Messianic Body, personified as Jesus the Christ and not in A.D. 70 when the Romans conquered a lost Jerusalem.
In this era (present tense) to the spiritual Jew, with circumcised heart, doctrine and dogma have continued to be worshipped. How this might end will, be judged in another paper.
It is during the time of the Kingdom of the Jews that the point of refraction occurs. The direction of light in the O.T. writings changes from a wide form (type), then converges and directly centres on the spiritual (antitype) in the Gospels. Once antitypes are later seen as objects hence becoming archetypes, the emanating light diverges and can ultimately reach a more global spiritual dimension.
2. Reflecting upon the First Beast of Rev. 13
The beasts of Daniel 7 represented kings and kingdoms of the ancient days of Israel. Daniel’s vision vividly told of a people ever backslidding into apostasy. It was written prophetically, taken from O.T. Bible-history, specifying a recurrence of like-circumstances. The wisdom of the writers (Daniel, God is judge) understood the compounding factors.
The first beast of Rev. 13 was written as a symbol for early Christianity, as a new Israel struggled for establishment.
Revelation notes a lack of knowledge (darkness) soon permeated the new landscape, as no one could open the little book, see Rev. 5:1-4. Thankfully, a message from the throne of heaven revealed that the Lion of the tribe of Judah (now the Comforter) would open the book.
Alas came reformation, as a man on a white horse. He had a bow (the new covenant), wore a crown (nobility of character) and went forth conquering and to conquer. Sadly the light faded, people clung to their idols. Respect for enthusiasm and understanding was lost.
3. The Beast of Rev. 13:11
The revelators, represented as a fugitive of Patmos, saw another beast make an image to the first beast and his infamy.
“And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon”
Following Judas Maccabeus’ victory over Antiochus Ephiphanes the Kingdom of the Jews became a well established entity. A prosperous, happy peaceful kingdom arose. Simon, brother of Judas, reigned in quiet days, his authority and honour pleased them well. They did till the ground in peace…ancient men sat all in the streets communing together…Simon provided victuals for the cities…made peace – every man sat under his vine and his fig tree, and there was none to fray them. See 1 Macc.14:4-12. Isa, 65:20-23 and Zech. 8:4-6 all describe the same time of peace and happiness.
Following these days the Pharisees emerged as the party of the synagogue. With strict adherence to ancient laws they demanded the people live “righteously” – forgetting those in need. The Sadducees also appeared representing the wealthy. They were a political party, and bought the position of high priest, controlling the priesthood. The church, a ritual law, conjoined with state, a civic law. A pious power was in the service of a secular authority. Beware grave danger in such a union. Things began to change. The two horns had met fulfillment as ruling powers. The horns were consistent with the horns on the beast in Daniel 7, - rulers.
The Sadducees
The Saducees ridiculed a spiritual life and did not believe in resurrection. There were seven brothers, one married and died having no children. The next brother married his wife and he died. This happened to all seven. Last of all the woman died. The petulant Sadducees using a trick question asked, “In the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven?’ Jesus spiritually answered, “In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels (messengers) of God in heaven (elevated).” See Matt. 22.25-30. “The kingdom of heaven is within you.” This story indicates a coming friction – the power of the dragon.
The Pharisees
Similarly Matt. 22 using dialogue, shows a major schism developing. The Pharisees taking over the questioning asked, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God…and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self.” The Pharisees demanded ritual exactions. Jesus said, “In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
In Matt. 23 begins the tyraid against the traditional dragonic Pharisees:- “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat, whatsoever they bid you observe, they say and do not, they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, they lay them on men’s shoulders, all their works they do to be seen of men, they make broad their phylateries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, they love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Ye devour widows houses, for a pretence make long prayer, ye fools and blind, etc,etc,etc. For more read Matt. 23.
The final straw
As the story goes, when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead many Jews had seen the things Jesus had done. Some told the Pharisees, “Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? For this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nations.” Caiaphas, the high priest said, “ye know nothing at all.” “And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest he prophesied (exercised his prophetic office) that Jesus should die for that nation. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.” See John 11:47-53.
The dragon had spoken.
The abomination of desolation now stood in the holy place. This is mentioned in Matt. 24:15. Flee into the mountains for safety when you see this imposition. Rev. 18:4 in a different illustration writes to the spiritual Jews in captivity, “Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins…”
This scene may have several compounds. It is important, not to forget, it may also compact.
The two horned beast
Yes, this two horned beast exercised all the power of the first beast, that in type looked like Solomon, and when most depraved, behaved as evil Jehoachin. This beast caused the earth, where the good seed had been sown, to worship the first beast. See Rev, 13:12.
And of the image beast it was said in Rev. 13:13,14 “and he doeth great wonders, miracles.” This is referring to the practice of self-opinionated predicting, including like practices foretelling lengthy prophetic periods of great literal events, that never evenuate. This duplicity can appear so accurate, miraculously hoped for. Many have thought, at times, that such speculation was wonderful, marvelous, even supernatural. But the God of Scripture writings is not a magician.
Statements in O.T. pertaining to sanctuary and service over a seven-year-period have been stretched into thousands of years, by some. This theory begins in the days of type, structure, form, and ends in antitype, purity, excellence and transcedence. How ridiculous and contrary to a simple principle showing a progression from literal (fundamentalism) to the spiritual (incorporeal).
The practice of divination or great presages was condemned in the very early days, centuries ago. “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder and the sign or wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke unto thee saying, Let us go after other gods, (turn to idols - literalism)… thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet…Walk after the Lord your God, and fear, him…” See Deut. 13:1-4. The word “come” is from BOW meaning depart, and “pass” from ABAR meaning, to cross over, fail, perish. Build the habitation of God through the Spirit. Eph. 2:22. There are those today prophesying about times and associating the Beasts with others, always others, never us of course.
The lamb-like beast said that all should make an image to the beast, (first beast) resembling days of Israel and Judah. The first beast had power to give life unto the image of the beast. The Pharisees and Sadducees were now the example of the image beast. In the two-horned beast is seen a mischievious union with godliness being subject to political edicts. Giving life to the image beast, to cause as many as would not conform to him, should be killed – from APOKETEINO, figuratively destroyed or soul destroying. This is an abomination. This is to worship an idol. The combined forces become very domineering, enforcing their rule upon others. They steal away the intrinsic right of liberty of conscience.
Is it evident in the past, that this depraved league, committed such evil? Read the Book of Acts, as it is full of such accounts of persecution. Stephen was stoned, Acts 7:54-60. “Herod (Agrippa) killed James and proceeded to take Peter,” but he was protected. Acts 12:1-3. Regarding the preaching and healing work of Peter and John, “the rules and elders and scribes said…What shall we do with these men?..a notable miracle has been done by them and is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in his name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” Acts 4:5,16-18. Does this ring a bell?
“No man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark or name of the beast.” Rev. 13:17.
The Beast with a number
Finally borrowing from O.T. type – Here is wisdom. “Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: (the first beast of Rev.) for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” Rev. 13:18. The first beast as already stated “had power to give life unto the image beast,” making them of the same ilk.
Since the dawn of civilization it has been customary to number a person by wealth, possessions, ownership, and income. This commenced with acquisition, the serpent or dragon at the beginning of a great symbolical overview of human behavior. “Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold.” Gen. 13:2. “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job…there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 oxen, 500 she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.” Job. 1:1-3.
Today men have a number. Of course you may be worth nothing. On the other hand your number may be a few hundred, thousands, millions, billions. Who was this man numbered six hundred threescore and six? “Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon (the leopard) in one year was six hundred three score and six talents of gold.” 1 Kings 10:14. Solomon also had mighty possessions.
Here is confirmation, absolute confirmation, of Solomon’s (the leopard’s) role in the first beast of Rev. 13. This beast was imaged by the second beast as it described the Pharisees and Sadducees. This is a good example of type defined and imaged in antitype.
4. Conclusion
We see in two parts the beasts of Rev. 13. These beasts are an enlargement of an illustrative scriptural interpretation of the out-stretch of an insidious dictatorial authoritarianism – a great pretense. Beware, the Patmos psyche has warned us using symbols. The two essays on the beasts of Revelation teach us not to start our study from the New Testament and then follow up by going to the Old Testament. It will not work. It cannot work. Start with the Old, a shadow, then proceed to the New, the great illumination.
www.myspace.com/jc13579
http://debunkingchristianitysydney.blogspot.com
Struth the Truth – Reclaiming the Light
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The Beast of Revelation 13:1-4 Part 1
1. Introduction to Composite Beast of Rev. 13:1-3
This paper will discover in detail the O.T. types that carry through to match the composite first beast in Rev. 13:1-3. The purpose of the methodology is to understand fully what period of O.T. “history” was referenced. This paper will not make any overall comment on the Book of Revelation, but only concentrate on the original types.
Firstly look at the appearance of the beast with the linkage parts underlined.
Rev. 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev. 13.2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev. 13.3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and the deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the beast.
O.T. recollected “history” records these particulars of the compositional beast. Once these elements are sufficiently identified the reader can draw the parallel spiritual application revealed in Revelation.
2. Finding the Lion, Bear, and the Leopard of Rev. 13.2 – 1st,2nd, & 3rd Beasts of Dan. 7
Turn now to the Book of Daniel. Daniel has a vision of four beasts: - lion, bear, leopard, and one dreadful and terrible – Dan. 7:3-8. When explaining the interpretation to Daniel, a minister (Dan. 7:10) said, “These great beasts which are four, are four kings which shall arise out of the earth.” Dan. 7:17. Earth in Chaldean is ARA = low and in Hebrew is ERETS = common, country, ground.
So Daniel gives us the hyperlink to four kings. Once we find the four kings mentioned, we will then understand the carriage of these four types through to the Book of Revelation.
Daniel’s vision of four beasts, concisely covers the ancient biblical pictures of Israel’s and Judah’s experiences. Daniel’s profound concern was for the kingdom of Judah now in Babylonian captivity. Judah’s rampant apostasy and merciless ruthlessness, together with idolatry, had brought captivity as a punishment from God, according to the Bible-temple account. Judah was seen to be the Davidian line, and believed that it would be redeemed by a saviour. “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” Gen. 49:10.
Identification of the Composite First Beast of Rev. 13.2 in Dan. 7
Each of the features must be specifically located to co-incide with one king, – to be perfectly consistent. The words of Dan. 7 are: “and four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.” Now to find these king beasts.
Daniel’s 1st Identification - the Lion King - Saul
We are told “the first was like a lion and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given it.” Dan. 7:4.
The features:
“lion” had “eagles wings” In Proverbs 23:4,5 regarding eagles wings, the writer inscribes, “Labour not to be rich…riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle towards heaven.” So this king, we need to identify, had riches.
“the wings thereof were plucked” The word plucked is from MERAT and means, peeled, polished (elegant, confident, skilled). Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish…“a mighty man of power” (substance, wealth). And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man and goodly. And there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he.” 1 Samuel 9:1,2.
“lifted up from the earth” and “stand upon the feet as a man” Referencing Daniel, the lion “was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man.” A lion standing upright upon his hind legs would be taller than all men. Saul, “from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.” 1 Sam.9:2.
“a man’s heart was given it” “And a man’s heart was given to it” (the lion). Samuel anointed Saul. 1 Sam. 10:1, “And it was so, that when he (Saul) had turned his back to go from Samuel God gave him another heart.” 1 Sam. 10:9.
Now to the next King recorded by Daniel and reflected in Rev. 13.2.
Daniel’s 2nd Identification - the Bear King - David
Consider the second king. “And behold another beast, a second like a bear, and it raised itself on one side (or raised up one dominion, according to the margin) and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it; and they said thus unto it, Arise devour much flesh.” Dan. 7:5.
The features:
“raised up itself on one side” “And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the people Israel’s sake.” 2 Sam. 5:12 and 2 Sam. 7:16.
“three ribs in it’s mouth” David smote Moab but did not destroy them, “the Moabites became David’s servants.” 2 Sam.2:8. The same is said of the Syrians in 2 Sam. 8:6 and the Edomites in 2 Sam. 8:14. The three ribs in the bear’s mouth referred to these three nations. The bear had not devoured these three ribs or peoples.
“devour much flesh” David did devour much flesh in his conquests especially that of Philistia. This is recorded in 2 Samuel and 1 Kings.
It is clearly seen that Daniel’s vision of the bear demonstrated king David.
Daniel’s 3rd Identification – the Leopard King - Solomon
“The third beast was like a leopard which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl.” And wings as already stated indicate wealth. “The beast had also four heads,” illustrating much wisdom as, “the wise man’s eyes are in his head,” Eccl. 2:14 - much perception. So the question is, “who was wealthy, who was wise?”
The features:
“four heads” and “four wings” The Bible tells us, “So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and wisdom.” 1 Kings 10:23. “Hiram king of Tyre said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.” 1 Kings 5:7.
This completes the identification of Rev. 13.2 where the composite beast is described “like unto a leopard” (Solomon), “feet of a bear” (David) and “mouth of a “lion” (Saul). There is plenty of scope here to visualize, this multi-faceted beast.
3. Finding the Types for Rev. 13.1 and 13.3 – 4th Beast of Daniel 7
Daniel’s 4th Identification – the Diverse Beast – Israel and Judah
There is no secret that one must start with Dan. 7 to find what the “minister” explained.
“After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns and behold there came up among them another little horn, before, whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horns were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” Dan. 7:7,8.
The features to find are:
“dreadful and terrible”
Amos 2:6,7,12 regarding the transgressions of Israel and Judah, “They sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes.” Micah 1-3 “O heads of Jacob, and ye princes (QATSIYN = magistrates, leaders, guides and rulers) who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; who also eat the flesh of my people…break their bones…the prophets make my people err, that bite with their teeth and cry, Peace…” Most of the prophetic books have much to say about Israel’s and Judah’s crimes recorded in O.T. history.
“diverse from all beasts that were before”
Daniel writes, “I would know the truth of the fourth beast which was diverse from all the others.” Dan. 7:19. The word diverse is from SHENA and means changed or made different. This change is explained as follows, Daniel was told regarding the four beasts, “These great beasts are four kings which shall arise.” The word king is from MELEK. When Daniel says, “I would know the truth of the fourth beast”…the interpreter says, “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth.” The word “kingdom” is from MALKUW. Note the difference, MELEK refers to “king”, MALKUW refers to kingdom.
The fourth beast was diverse, a non-descript beast consisting of two powers, Israel and Judah. They respectively regressed and were seen to devour the people. Bible “history” relates, that because of Solomon’s idolatry 1 Kings 11:4-11, the kingdom of Israel was divided. The northern kingdom of ten tribes became Israel with Samaria its capital. Jeroboam became king - 1 Kings 12:20. Jeroboam introduced the idolatry that the prophets condemned. Jeroboam made two calves of gold which the people worshipped. (See 1 Kings 12:25-33 and paper “Abomination of Desolation”). The southern kingdom of Judah with the small tribe of Benjamin, had its capital at Jerusalem. Rehoboam, son of Solomon, was their first king.
The fourth beast of the two kingdoms, both displayed the same cruel, ferocious characteristics with an emphasis on Judah following Israel’s demise, when it was assimulated into Assyria. All recorded in the Books of Kings and Chronicles.
“ten horns”
Daniel continued, “I would know the truth…of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and of mouth that spake very great things, and whose look was more stout than this fellows.” Dan. 7:20. The interpreting minister said, “The ten horns…are ten kings,” Dan 7:24. Micah 3:1 called them princes or royals when writing of the ten tribes of Israel. Rev, 13:1 reads “upon his horns ten crowns.” Returning to Dan. 7:24, “the ten horns…are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them…and shall subdue three kings.”
“there came up among them another little horn and there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots”, Dan.7:8.
Around the time the ten horns of Israel were lost to Assyria, Hezekiah became king of Judah. Hezekiah brought about a great reform – opening, restoring and cleansing the temple and its services that his idolatrous father Ahaz had polluted. Hezekiah having completed his cleansing of the temple invited all of Judah and Israel to come to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, 2 Chron. 30:5. Divers = man or mortals, of Asher, Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 2 Chron. 30:10,11. These are the three horns “plucked by the roots.” Their move to Jerusalem was permanent. “Before whom three fell” Dan. 7:20. “Fell” from the word NEPHAL means, was accepted.
With the passing of the reformer, Hezekiah, the panorama changes in this great shadow. The seven last kings of pre-exilic Judah reigned. With the exception of king Josiah, who conducted a partial correction (he repaired the temple) these kings did “evil in the sight of the Lord.” Together with the people they continued to pay homage to idols and the unwritten worship of gods (keep in mind the seven heads of Rev.13:1).. The little horn of Dan, 7:8, after the passing of Hezekiah, will be seen to represent the latter kings of Judah, he “had eyes like the eyes of man.” The word “eyes” from AYIN means outward appearance. A much later writer put this condition thus, “Having a form of goodliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.”
This horn had a mouth speaking great things, Dan. 7:8,20. Great things from the word RABRAB in Chaldean meaning domineering in character. “His look was more stout that his fellows = RAB = more mighty and domineering. See Jer. 23:1-40 for more details about the “great things” he spoke. “woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.” The same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them. Dan. 7:21. And that is putting it mildly.
The seven last kings of pre-exilic Judah:-
Mannasseh – shed innocent blood in Jerusalem 2 Kings 21:16
Amon – did evil ….2 Chron. 33:22
Josiah – great reformer, but people remained in idolatry 2 Kings 23:4-27 & 2 Chron.34: 22,25.
Jehoahaz – did evil…2 Kings 23:32
Jehoiakim – taxed the people…2 Kings 23:34-37. “They shall not lament him…he shall be buried with the burial of an ass….” Jer. 22:18,19.
Jehioachin – did evil 2 Kings 24:9 - “a despised broken idol…a vessel wherein is no pleasure.” Jer. 22:28-30.
Zedekiah – did evil – rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar with whom he made a covenant, then broke it, and was blindly lead into Babylonian captivity – 2 Kings 24:17.
Daniel chapter seven is a summation of the Bible – temple-history of pre-exilic Israel and Judah. The prophetic books tell us Judah was delivered from Babylonian captivity by a saviour in the form of the Persian king Cyrus, the righteous man from the east - Isa. 41:2, the Lord’s anointed – Isa, 45:1. But that is not the subject of this paper.
The Book of Daniel continued accounts in a latter era of contemporary neighbouring nations of the Kingdom of the Jews. The Greek Selucid king Antiochus Epiphanes, with the help of renegrade Jews, was juxtaposed with ancient Israel and Judah. This showed they were all ferocious and barbaric. They were all in principle of the same ilk. The true king of both apostate Jews and the Selucid soldiers was Antiochus Epiphanes. Rev. 9.11 speaking (antitypically now of course) of the Greek destroyer writes “And they had a king over them which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.”
The Old Testament covered two eras, pre and post exilic, in the days of ancient Israel. In the latter chapters of O.T. the inception of Kingdom of Jews, as an entity appears. The writers of Revelation, in the Christian era, utilized these shadows projecting emblematically their groundwork formulae. They apportioned their description of events to two beasts, only the first being covered in this paper.
4. Now to Parallel Daniel with Revelation
The beast of Rev. 13:1-3 arose out of the sea. This is because in the original type in Dan. 7:3 “four great beasts come out of the sea.” (Seas or waters represent peoples throughout Scripture, but is not documented in this article). Israel arose from a struggling confederacy of tribes to form a nation. Christianity also struggled with small communities. Some Jews realizing that a messianic movement had arisen still clung to the exactions of the sanctuary service, some did not. Gentiles embraced the new-found principles of compassion, charity justice and beneficence. Unfortunately the little groupings, portraying life symbolically, were swallowed up by hierarchical institutions that had great outward appearance of beneficence and piety. In time deep, deep dogma prevailed.
Rev. 13:1-4 includes the dragon and shows a break from beast. Having studied the beasts of Daniel 7, here the first beast of Rev. 13 shall be considered. Revelation looking backwards sees the kings of Israel in opposite order to Daniel who looked forward. Rev. 13:2 “The beast which I saw was like a leopard” (Solomon – Solomon was wealthy and wise), “his feet were as the feet of a bear.” (David - David did cover much ground in his conquests.) “His mouth as the mouth of a lion” (Saul - Saul had many faults, condemned David as he was jealous of him and wanted to kill him.)
Rev. 13:1 repeats the details of the fourth beast in Daniel with added information that is recorded in the books of Kings and Chronicles. This non-descript beast had “seven heads”. By tracing the Old Testament Bible-history, the last seven pre-exilic kings of Judah fit the illustration of idolatry and blasphemy, except Josiah, who did reform in repairing the temple. Regardless of Josiah’s reform the people continued to worship idols. This beast had “ten horns” representing the northern kingdom of Israel consisting of ten tribes. The ten horns have “ten crowns” indicating a time of reigning kings prior to Israel being captured by Assyria. Rev. 13:4 note: “one of the (seven) heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed.”
“Wounded to death” - “wounded” meaning a victim or maimed, and THAHATOS meaning made deadly silent and having no defense, “and his deadly wound was healed”. “Healed” is from THERAPENO meaning, to wait upon menially.
Who was this king? Jehoiachin was the sixth of the seven last kings of Judah before total captivity by Babylon. “At that time Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem…And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes…And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon. And Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king.” 2 Kings 24:8-17. What a dint to Jehoiachin’s ego. Jehoiachin’s dignity maimed, deadly silence followed, and there was no possible defense for Judah’s dethroned king.
Jeremiah, meaning God is high, wrote, “this man Coniah (Jehoiachin) a despised person, he is a vessel wherein there is no pleasure, they are cast out, he and his seed, cast into a land which they know not…write this man childless, a man that shall not prosper, no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.” See Jer. 22:24-30.
But regardless of this, “his deadly wound was healed.” “… it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah…that Evilmeridach king of Babylon…lifted up the head of Jeroiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison. And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life…” See Jer. 52:31-34.
“That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.” What a wonderful tutorial is type and antitype, to warn the just and wary!
The Dragon – Rev. 13:2
The dragon gave him (the beast) his power. Now to establish the identity of the dragon in O.T.
The words serpent, whale and dragon ( = NACHASH or = TANNIYM) in the Old Testament are the same as the DRAKON DRAGON = a fabulous kind of serpent, and from OPHIS = a snake, malicious person in the New Testament. Therefore we can refer to the word serpent, whale or dragon in the Old to determine the features of dragon in Rev. 13.2.
Initially, what did the dragon or serpent do? In Genesis the serpent deceived Eve, telling her to eat a forbidden fruit. The serpent said , “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods knowing good from evil.” When Eve saw the tree was good for food, pleasant and a tree to be desired she took of the fruit, and gave also to her husband. See Gen. 3:6. Just as the serpent deceived Eve likewise the dragon deceived the beast. You may discern from Old Testament figures where the serpent or dragon, first seen in the garden of Eden sketch, is lurking today.
This ingenuous allegory is expanded in Gen. 4:1. Eve conceived and bare Cain and said “I have gotten a man from the Lord.” Lord from YEHOVAH meaning, the eternal, the self existent, the beacon. The word Cain means acquisition. I have acquired knowledge of good and evil. So begins the struggle of good versus evil and continues throughout the entire Scriptures. What a curse, when the knowledge of possessions and ownership was born. Ownership makes one very great, very strong. Such a god is superlative, can judge, be mighty powerful and have rule over others for one’s own benefit. Acquisition is the more one could grab, the more control over others one could have. How enchanting and distracting a thought!
The Genesis scene is philosophically the beginning of a have and have-not world - an organized way of life, and society ruled by vehemence, disadvantaging the innate conscience. It heads for disaster. It is called Civilization by Kenneth Clark. Imagine such decadence in the hands of “justice” and “ethics”.
5. In Conclusion
The ancient writers believed the creative element would finally prevail. After disaster, calamity, captivity, would come a merciful deliverer. This is their story, their hope, our hope. Today, of course, deliverance comes not in the form of a person e.g. Hezekiah, Cyrus or Judas Maccabees. These stories are Old Testament-day shadows. Today the liberation of intuition, self-determination and dignity is the coming of understanding principles of genuine charity, mutual community interest and steadfast faithfulness to the pristine psyche. This is the indwelling God of love, this is the action of principle.
This essay has set out to establish in stone the type/antitype principle, layered within the Scriptures. It cuts asunder any exposition not based on type/antitype. No understanding of the N.T. can be acheived without a professional knowledge of the Old. We all learn by simple symbols, we all associate life with symbols. When it comes to symbolism, the ancient writers are the greatest teachers of a philosophy of history. Don’t you think so?
This paper will discover in detail the O.T. types that carry through to match the composite first beast in Rev. 13:1-3. The purpose of the methodology is to understand fully what period of O.T. “history” was referenced. This paper will not make any overall comment on the Book of Revelation, but only concentrate on the original types.
Firstly look at the appearance of the beast with the linkage parts underlined.
Rev. 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev. 13.2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev. 13.3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and the deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the beast.
O.T. recollected “history” records these particulars of the compositional beast. Once these elements are sufficiently identified the reader can draw the parallel spiritual application revealed in Revelation.
2. Finding the Lion, Bear, and the Leopard of Rev. 13.2 – 1st,2nd, & 3rd Beasts of Dan. 7
Turn now to the Book of Daniel. Daniel has a vision of four beasts: - lion, bear, leopard, and one dreadful and terrible – Dan. 7:3-8. When explaining the interpretation to Daniel, a minister (Dan. 7:10) said, “These great beasts which are four, are four kings which shall arise out of the earth.” Dan. 7:17. Earth in Chaldean is ARA = low and in Hebrew is ERETS = common, country, ground.
So Daniel gives us the hyperlink to four kings. Once we find the four kings mentioned, we will then understand the carriage of these four types through to the Book of Revelation.
Daniel’s vision of four beasts, concisely covers the ancient biblical pictures of Israel’s and Judah’s experiences. Daniel’s profound concern was for the kingdom of Judah now in Babylonian captivity. Judah’s rampant apostasy and merciless ruthlessness, together with idolatry, had brought captivity as a punishment from God, according to the Bible-temple account. Judah was seen to be the Davidian line, and believed that it would be redeemed by a saviour. “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” Gen. 49:10.
Identification of the Composite First Beast of Rev. 13.2 in Dan. 7
Each of the features must be specifically located to co-incide with one king, – to be perfectly consistent. The words of Dan. 7 are: “and four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.” Now to find these king beasts.
Daniel’s 1st Identification - the Lion King - Saul
We are told “the first was like a lion and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given it.” Dan. 7:4.
The features:
“lion” had “eagles wings” In Proverbs 23:4,5 regarding eagles wings, the writer inscribes, “Labour not to be rich…riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle towards heaven.” So this king, we need to identify, had riches.
“the wings thereof were plucked” The word plucked is from MERAT and means, peeled, polished (elegant, confident, skilled). Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish…“a mighty man of power” (substance, wealth). And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man and goodly. And there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he.” 1 Samuel 9:1,2.
“lifted up from the earth” and “stand upon the feet as a man” Referencing Daniel, the lion “was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man.” A lion standing upright upon his hind legs would be taller than all men. Saul, “from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.” 1 Sam.9:2.
“a man’s heart was given it” “And a man’s heart was given to it” (the lion). Samuel anointed Saul. 1 Sam. 10:1, “And it was so, that when he (Saul) had turned his back to go from Samuel God gave him another heart.” 1 Sam. 10:9.
Now to the next King recorded by Daniel and reflected in Rev. 13.2.
Daniel’s 2nd Identification - the Bear King - David
Consider the second king. “And behold another beast, a second like a bear, and it raised itself on one side (or raised up one dominion, according to the margin) and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it; and they said thus unto it, Arise devour much flesh.” Dan. 7:5.
The features:
“raised up itself on one side” “And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the people Israel’s sake.” 2 Sam. 5:12 and 2 Sam. 7:16.
“three ribs in it’s mouth” David smote Moab but did not destroy them, “the Moabites became David’s servants.” 2 Sam.2:8. The same is said of the Syrians in 2 Sam. 8:6 and the Edomites in 2 Sam. 8:14. The three ribs in the bear’s mouth referred to these three nations. The bear had not devoured these three ribs or peoples.
“devour much flesh” David did devour much flesh in his conquests especially that of Philistia. This is recorded in 2 Samuel and 1 Kings.
It is clearly seen that Daniel’s vision of the bear demonstrated king David.
Daniel’s 3rd Identification – the Leopard King - Solomon
“The third beast was like a leopard which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl.” And wings as already stated indicate wealth. “The beast had also four heads,” illustrating much wisdom as, “the wise man’s eyes are in his head,” Eccl. 2:14 - much perception. So the question is, “who was wealthy, who was wise?”
The features:
“four heads” and “four wings” The Bible tells us, “So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and wisdom.” 1 Kings 10:23. “Hiram king of Tyre said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.” 1 Kings 5:7.
This completes the identification of Rev. 13.2 where the composite beast is described “like unto a leopard” (Solomon), “feet of a bear” (David) and “mouth of a “lion” (Saul). There is plenty of scope here to visualize, this multi-faceted beast.
3. Finding the Types for Rev. 13.1 and 13.3 – 4th Beast of Daniel 7
Daniel’s 4th Identification – the Diverse Beast – Israel and Judah
There is no secret that one must start with Dan. 7 to find what the “minister” explained.
“After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns and behold there came up among them another little horn, before, whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horns were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” Dan. 7:7,8.
The features to find are:
“dreadful and terrible”
Amos 2:6,7,12 regarding the transgressions of Israel and Judah, “They sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes.” Micah 1-3 “O heads of Jacob, and ye princes (QATSIYN = magistrates, leaders, guides and rulers) who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; who also eat the flesh of my people…break their bones…the prophets make my people err, that bite with their teeth and cry, Peace…” Most of the prophetic books have much to say about Israel’s and Judah’s crimes recorded in O.T. history.
“diverse from all beasts that were before”
Daniel writes, “I would know the truth of the fourth beast which was diverse from all the others.” Dan. 7:19. The word diverse is from SHENA and means changed or made different. This change is explained as follows, Daniel was told regarding the four beasts, “These great beasts are four kings which shall arise.” The word king is from MELEK. When Daniel says, “I would know the truth of the fourth beast”…the interpreter says, “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth.” The word “kingdom” is from MALKUW. Note the difference, MELEK refers to “king”, MALKUW refers to kingdom.
The fourth beast was diverse, a non-descript beast consisting of two powers, Israel and Judah. They respectively regressed and were seen to devour the people. Bible “history” relates, that because of Solomon’s idolatry 1 Kings 11:4-11, the kingdom of Israel was divided. The northern kingdom of ten tribes became Israel with Samaria its capital. Jeroboam became king - 1 Kings 12:20. Jeroboam introduced the idolatry that the prophets condemned. Jeroboam made two calves of gold which the people worshipped. (See 1 Kings 12:25-33 and paper “Abomination of Desolation”). The southern kingdom of Judah with the small tribe of Benjamin, had its capital at Jerusalem. Rehoboam, son of Solomon, was their first king.
The fourth beast of the two kingdoms, both displayed the same cruel, ferocious characteristics with an emphasis on Judah following Israel’s demise, when it was assimulated into Assyria. All recorded in the Books of Kings and Chronicles.
“ten horns”
Daniel continued, “I would know the truth…of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and of mouth that spake very great things, and whose look was more stout than this fellows.” Dan. 7:20. The interpreting minister said, “The ten horns…are ten kings,” Dan 7:24. Micah 3:1 called them princes or royals when writing of the ten tribes of Israel. Rev, 13:1 reads “upon his horns ten crowns.” Returning to Dan. 7:24, “the ten horns…are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them…and shall subdue three kings.”
“there came up among them another little horn and there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots”, Dan.7:8.
Around the time the ten horns of Israel were lost to Assyria, Hezekiah became king of Judah. Hezekiah brought about a great reform – opening, restoring and cleansing the temple and its services that his idolatrous father Ahaz had polluted. Hezekiah having completed his cleansing of the temple invited all of Judah and Israel to come to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, 2 Chron. 30:5. Divers = man or mortals, of Asher, Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 2 Chron. 30:10,11. These are the three horns “plucked by the roots.” Their move to Jerusalem was permanent. “Before whom three fell” Dan. 7:20. “Fell” from the word NEPHAL means, was accepted.
With the passing of the reformer, Hezekiah, the panorama changes in this great shadow. The seven last kings of pre-exilic Judah reigned. With the exception of king Josiah, who conducted a partial correction (he repaired the temple) these kings did “evil in the sight of the Lord.” Together with the people they continued to pay homage to idols and the unwritten worship of gods (keep in mind the seven heads of Rev.13:1).. The little horn of Dan, 7:8, after the passing of Hezekiah, will be seen to represent the latter kings of Judah, he “had eyes like the eyes of man.” The word “eyes” from AYIN means outward appearance. A much later writer put this condition thus, “Having a form of goodliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.”
This horn had a mouth speaking great things, Dan. 7:8,20. Great things from the word RABRAB in Chaldean meaning domineering in character. “His look was more stout that his fellows = RAB = more mighty and domineering. See Jer. 23:1-40 for more details about the “great things” he spoke. “woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.” The same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them. Dan. 7:21. And that is putting it mildly.
The seven last kings of pre-exilic Judah:-
Mannasseh – shed innocent blood in Jerusalem 2 Kings 21:16
Amon – did evil ….2 Chron. 33:22
Josiah – great reformer, but people remained in idolatry 2 Kings 23:4-27 & 2 Chron.34: 22,25.
Jehoahaz – did evil…2 Kings 23:32
Jehoiakim – taxed the people…2 Kings 23:34-37. “They shall not lament him…he shall be buried with the burial of an ass….” Jer. 22:18,19.
Jehioachin – did evil 2 Kings 24:9 - “a despised broken idol…a vessel wherein is no pleasure.” Jer. 22:28-30.
Zedekiah – did evil – rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar with whom he made a covenant, then broke it, and was blindly lead into Babylonian captivity – 2 Kings 24:17.
Daniel chapter seven is a summation of the Bible – temple-history of pre-exilic Israel and Judah. The prophetic books tell us Judah was delivered from Babylonian captivity by a saviour in the form of the Persian king Cyrus, the righteous man from the east - Isa. 41:2, the Lord’s anointed – Isa, 45:1. But that is not the subject of this paper.
The Book of Daniel continued accounts in a latter era of contemporary neighbouring nations of the Kingdom of the Jews. The Greek Selucid king Antiochus Epiphanes, with the help of renegrade Jews, was juxtaposed with ancient Israel and Judah. This showed they were all ferocious and barbaric. They were all in principle of the same ilk. The true king of both apostate Jews and the Selucid soldiers was Antiochus Epiphanes. Rev. 9.11 speaking (antitypically now of course) of the Greek destroyer writes “And they had a king over them which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.”
The Old Testament covered two eras, pre and post exilic, in the days of ancient Israel. In the latter chapters of O.T. the inception of Kingdom of Jews, as an entity appears. The writers of Revelation, in the Christian era, utilized these shadows projecting emblematically their groundwork formulae. They apportioned their description of events to two beasts, only the first being covered in this paper.
4. Now to Parallel Daniel with Revelation
The beast of Rev. 13:1-3 arose out of the sea. This is because in the original type in Dan. 7:3 “four great beasts come out of the sea.” (Seas or waters represent peoples throughout Scripture, but is not documented in this article). Israel arose from a struggling confederacy of tribes to form a nation. Christianity also struggled with small communities. Some Jews realizing that a messianic movement had arisen still clung to the exactions of the sanctuary service, some did not. Gentiles embraced the new-found principles of compassion, charity justice and beneficence. Unfortunately the little groupings, portraying life symbolically, were swallowed up by hierarchical institutions that had great outward appearance of beneficence and piety. In time deep, deep dogma prevailed.
Rev. 13:1-4 includes the dragon and shows a break from beast. Having studied the beasts of Daniel 7, here the first beast of Rev. 13 shall be considered. Revelation looking backwards sees the kings of Israel in opposite order to Daniel who looked forward. Rev. 13:2 “The beast which I saw was like a leopard” (Solomon – Solomon was wealthy and wise), “his feet were as the feet of a bear.” (David - David did cover much ground in his conquests.) “His mouth as the mouth of a lion” (Saul - Saul had many faults, condemned David as he was jealous of him and wanted to kill him.)
Rev. 13:1 repeats the details of the fourth beast in Daniel with added information that is recorded in the books of Kings and Chronicles. This non-descript beast had “seven heads”. By tracing the Old Testament Bible-history, the last seven pre-exilic kings of Judah fit the illustration of idolatry and blasphemy, except Josiah, who did reform in repairing the temple. Regardless of Josiah’s reform the people continued to worship idols. This beast had “ten horns” representing the northern kingdom of Israel consisting of ten tribes. The ten horns have “ten crowns” indicating a time of reigning kings prior to Israel being captured by Assyria. Rev. 13:4 note: “one of the (seven) heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed.”
“Wounded to death” - “wounded” meaning a victim or maimed, and THAHATOS meaning made deadly silent and having no defense, “and his deadly wound was healed”. “Healed” is from THERAPENO meaning, to wait upon menially.
Who was this king? Jehoiachin was the sixth of the seven last kings of Judah before total captivity by Babylon. “At that time Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem…And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes…And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon. And Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king.” 2 Kings 24:8-17. What a dint to Jehoiachin’s ego. Jehoiachin’s dignity maimed, deadly silence followed, and there was no possible defense for Judah’s dethroned king.
Jeremiah, meaning God is high, wrote, “this man Coniah (Jehoiachin) a despised person, he is a vessel wherein there is no pleasure, they are cast out, he and his seed, cast into a land which they know not…write this man childless, a man that shall not prosper, no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.” See Jer. 22:24-30.
But regardless of this, “his deadly wound was healed.” “… it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah…that Evilmeridach king of Babylon…lifted up the head of Jeroiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison. And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life…” See Jer. 52:31-34.
“That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.” What a wonderful tutorial is type and antitype, to warn the just and wary!
The Dragon – Rev. 13:2
The dragon gave him (the beast) his power. Now to establish the identity of the dragon in O.T.
The words serpent, whale and dragon ( = NACHASH or = TANNIYM) in the Old Testament are the same as the DRAKON DRAGON = a fabulous kind of serpent, and from OPHIS = a snake, malicious person in the New Testament. Therefore we can refer to the word serpent, whale or dragon in the Old to determine the features of dragon in Rev. 13.2.
Initially, what did the dragon or serpent do? In Genesis the serpent deceived Eve, telling her to eat a forbidden fruit. The serpent said , “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods knowing good from evil.” When Eve saw the tree was good for food, pleasant and a tree to be desired she took of the fruit, and gave also to her husband. See Gen. 3:6. Just as the serpent deceived Eve likewise the dragon deceived the beast. You may discern from Old Testament figures where the serpent or dragon, first seen in the garden of Eden sketch, is lurking today.
This ingenuous allegory is expanded in Gen. 4:1. Eve conceived and bare Cain and said “I have gotten a man from the Lord.” Lord from YEHOVAH meaning, the eternal, the self existent, the beacon. The word Cain means acquisition. I have acquired knowledge of good and evil. So begins the struggle of good versus evil and continues throughout the entire Scriptures. What a curse, when the knowledge of possessions and ownership was born. Ownership makes one very great, very strong. Such a god is superlative, can judge, be mighty powerful and have rule over others for one’s own benefit. Acquisition is the more one could grab, the more control over others one could have. How enchanting and distracting a thought!
The Genesis scene is philosophically the beginning of a have and have-not world - an organized way of life, and society ruled by vehemence, disadvantaging the innate conscience. It heads for disaster. It is called Civilization by Kenneth Clark. Imagine such decadence in the hands of “justice” and “ethics”.
5. In Conclusion
The ancient writers believed the creative element would finally prevail. After disaster, calamity, captivity, would come a merciful deliverer. This is their story, their hope, our hope. Today, of course, deliverance comes not in the form of a person e.g. Hezekiah, Cyrus or Judas Maccabees. These stories are Old Testament-day shadows. Today the liberation of intuition, self-determination and dignity is the coming of understanding principles of genuine charity, mutual community interest and steadfast faithfulness to the pristine psyche. This is the indwelling God of love, this is the action of principle.
This essay has set out to establish in stone the type/antitype principle, layered within the Scriptures. It cuts asunder any exposition not based on type/antitype. No understanding of the N.T. can be acheived without a professional knowledge of the Old. We all learn by simple symbols, we all associate life with symbols. When it comes to symbolism, the ancient writers are the greatest teachers of a philosophy of history. Don’t you think so?
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Can a Spirit be "Put to Death", and What of "the Cross"?
The Gospel account of the “death” of Jesus of Nazareth is juxtaposed with the slaying of the Pashcal lamb at the Passover in the Jewish ceremonial. Jesus of Nazareth, the personification of a righteous Spirit was to be put to death. This is what we are told. But can a Spirit be “put to death” (Luke 18:33) - a literal death? Or does death have some other meaning?
In the story the words “put to death” have not been understood. This phrase comes from SUNIEMI – to put together (mentally) - Luke 18:34. Next ask what does “death” mean in this context? Notice the word “death” from Greek APOKTEINO means to slay - to kill outright. This word taken from the prefix OPO[1] usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion or reversal. Death can now in this context be understood. The Messianic Movement of the just and steadfast citizens must be psychologically separated from the staid mental furnishings of the rest of society. Effectively this meant they must differentiate themselves, depart or cease their cause and association.
The next question is what did Crucifixion mean?
The question became, how was this strengthening momentum (Reformation) against established traditions contained? By crucifixion was the answer. The word crucifixion is interchangeable with persecution, a point less than comprehended. This wider perception of meaning broadens the integrating dimensions of devious forms operating in society. Crucified from the word STAUROO, means extinguish and cross from STAUROS means, something upright. Also STAO[2] means to stand, set up, or stand by. From this, it can be gathered, something upright must be extinguished. However, we have been taught, crucifixion on a cross.
Confirmation of these thoughts is given by the fact that nowhere in the gospels, can we read that Jesus of Nazareth was nailed to a cross. In Acts, hanged on a tree, yes, but that is something very different. Let us stand aside momentarily from the word “cross” and briefly consider the meaning of the phrase “hanged on a tree”.
“Hanged on a tree” was chosen from Deut. 21:23. Hanged meaning, to remain in doubtful suspense, again to be taken figuratively. In Acts 5:30 it is a tree. To those possessing a torturous, injurious intent, the only tree they would have is a tree of the knowledge of evil, and of course, persecution is sadistically executed.
Speaking of Christ (a title) representing King of righteousness, King of peace, Peter said, “Who his own self bare our sins in his body to (margin) the tree…” The word “on” is written in the KJV text. The word “to” is written in the reference, as the word “on” is incorrect. This text in the Book of Peter has the word the (the definite article). The Revelator confirms this tree to be the tree of life (Rev. 22:14), “blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city”. Rev.22:14. So much for the myths taught and ingrained into our minds. It is not difficult to say that “venerable faith” cannot save when we see the absurdity of what it has taught.
Let us look at “cross upright and horizontal”. What did this mean?
As already stated, “cross” from the Greek word STAUROS, means - a stake or post as set upright. Coming from the base word HISTEMI it is used in various applications including stand-up - an upright and active position. We today might say, “stand up and be counted.”
If the cross has anything to do with the Spirit person, there needs be reference to a horizontal disposition also, to form a cross. You cannot have a cross without the intersection of the vertical with the horizontal. John 10:15-18 reads, “…I lay down my life for the sheep…I lay down my life that I might take it up again” (John 15:13). “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”.
Look up the original word for “lay” coming from the Greek TITHEMI and the primary word THEO meaning in a passive or horizontal posture. It indicated compassion. A curriculum of life would say, receiving or suffering without resistance, and in judgement, non-discriminatory.
Put the vertical upright with the horizontal compassion and we find a cross. But it is far from an actual, ritual cross. Was the purpose of Jesus of Nazareth solely to stand for justice, and to love and be helpful? No. His cross was a bit more purposeful in a missionary sense. And that is why, he did come not to send peace but a sword against darkness in high places. Nevertheless, the spirit person did heal and love from the heart and stand for justice.
Familiar to all, the word “cross” appears in several texts. Jesus advising the rich man said, “…take up the cross and follow me”. The spirit person also said, “if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”. The gospel of John gives this account of the Son of God, “And he bearing his cross went forth to a place called Golgotha.” Then there is the well-known text in Matthew at the time of Christ’s death. “If thou be the son of God come down from the cross”.
Ask, why use the word “cross” in these settings? It appears that the primary implication of these texts is to imply a cause, a commitment or an understanding. As there is no Gospel mention of Christ being put on a cross maybe we should examine the term “come down” for more elaboration. Yes, it means descend, get down, go down, step down, and fall down. In today’s parlance one might say, “Back off” “Drop dead”. Also if a voice of dissent be uttered the reaction might well be, “come down off your high horse”. I believe this is primarily the sentiment acrimony engenders. Where there is little debate, judgement becomes rife, and human progress in the light of love is extinguished.
Now a distortion regarding Cross.
However, there is one text that shows a blatant distortion in the translation of the New Testament - Phils. 2:8. In older versions this text reads regarding Christ Jesus, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”. Modern versions read as follows… “even the death on the cross”. This is wrong. The “cross” was a “cause” not a wooden object: “Take up the cause and follow me.” The word “of” is consistent with the original Gospel story. Lexicons also maintain the word “of” to be correct. It seems to me, theists in a virtually desperate and panic attempt to prolong their deception, have changed the rendition of this text to read “on the cross”. This alteration of the text appears in most of the recent versions. One could say, it is best to always research the original meanings of words. There is a need to see what the author thought and wrote, and not what the translators’ pre-conceived ecclesiastical view would have us believe.
Additionally, after much investigation, it becomes obvious the names of the characters tell us a great deal about the God-experience of biblical days. This has taught me that the intention of the scriptural writers was, to show imagination of spiritual implications or the essence of events. The writers artistically painted vivid pictures turning undertakings into memorial experiences to perceive living and personified behavioural principles of higher philosophy.
What did midrash say about “the Cross”?
Was the idea of the cross, related from midrash, or has it been assumed that a Roman custom was implemented? The Book of Obadiah gives an explicit narrated image of the time when Esau (at that time the confederacy of Edom), came against Jacob (or Jerusalem). Condemning Edom for violence against the children of Judah the servant of God writes, “Neither shouldst thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape…”. Finding that “crossway” from the Hebrew word PEREQ meant a fork in the road and in Greek “cross” is equivalent to “crossway”, I compared our English meaning. The dictionary reads, cross - across, anything that thwarts, obstructs, or perplexes, hindrance…not parallel, crosswise - cross one’s path. This signals to me an underlying meaning that would be heretical to some.
Cross and athwart.
Could the Gospel painters, in their lucid drawn recollection of the life-experience, of Jesus of Nazareth, the spirit person, see the Messianic Body as crossing the path of the untouchable elite status quo, the Pharisees and Sadducees. Was the Spirit-life athwart to the accepted traditions and doctrines of Judean ancestry, athwart to Judaism? The word “across” meant a hindrance that obstructed the passage of idolatrous, face-value legalism. This was athwart to the exacting of Levitical laws and ceremonials. In actuality the practicality of the Levitical laws were designed so that their significance would stimulate intellectual comprehension. Unfortunately restrictive Judean rhetoric took a very dogmatically orientated approach thus suffocating the very substance of faithfulness.
A Closure
Outspoken obstruction, causing bewilderment to many, must be silenced; it must be kept at bay! Crucify, meaning persecute or torment, was the cry. This suppression was carried out. By quelling the Messianic Body, thus quenching the Spirit, the subjugation of vox-populi was rife. Darkness covered the land. This shook the minds of many as an earthquake causes vibrations along a fault line. However, some did determine to stop and think again. They were quickened. The Sower had sowed the seed. The question became, would it germinate and rise again, to ignite the hearts of subsequent generations.
Articles available at:
http://www.myspace.com/jc13579
http://debunkingchristianitysydney.blogspot.com/
Struth The Truth – Reclaiming the Light
[1] Stong’s Concordance 615/575 a prim. Participle; “off”, ie away (from something near), in various senses of place, time relation
In the story the words “put to death” have not been understood. This phrase comes from SUNIEMI – to put together (mentally) - Luke 18:34. Next ask what does “death” mean in this context? Notice the word “death” from Greek APOKTEINO means to slay - to kill outright. This word taken from the prefix OPO[1] usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion or reversal. Death can now in this context be understood. The Messianic Movement of the just and steadfast citizens must be psychologically separated from the staid mental furnishings of the rest of society. Effectively this meant they must differentiate themselves, depart or cease their cause and association.
The next question is what did Crucifixion mean?
The question became, how was this strengthening momentum (Reformation) against established traditions contained? By crucifixion was the answer. The word crucifixion is interchangeable with persecution, a point less than comprehended. This wider perception of meaning broadens the integrating dimensions of devious forms operating in society. Crucified from the word STAUROO, means extinguish and cross from STAUROS means, something upright. Also STAO[2] means to stand, set up, or stand by. From this, it can be gathered, something upright must be extinguished. However, we have been taught, crucifixion on a cross.
Confirmation of these thoughts is given by the fact that nowhere in the gospels, can we read that Jesus of Nazareth was nailed to a cross. In Acts, hanged on a tree, yes, but that is something very different. Let us stand aside momentarily from the word “cross” and briefly consider the meaning of the phrase “hanged on a tree”.
“Hanged on a tree” was chosen from Deut. 21:23. Hanged meaning, to remain in doubtful suspense, again to be taken figuratively. In Acts 5:30 it is a tree. To those possessing a torturous, injurious intent, the only tree they would have is a tree of the knowledge of evil, and of course, persecution is sadistically executed.
Speaking of Christ (a title) representing King of righteousness, King of peace, Peter said, “Who his own self bare our sins in his body to (margin) the tree…” The word “on” is written in the KJV text. The word “to” is written in the reference, as the word “on” is incorrect. This text in the Book of Peter has the word the (the definite article). The Revelator confirms this tree to be the tree of life (Rev. 22:14), “blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city”. Rev.22:14. So much for the myths taught and ingrained into our minds. It is not difficult to say that “venerable faith” cannot save when we see the absurdity of what it has taught.
Let us look at “cross upright and horizontal”. What did this mean?
As already stated, “cross” from the Greek word STAUROS, means - a stake or post as set upright. Coming from the base word HISTEMI it is used in various applications including stand-up - an upright and active position. We today might say, “stand up and be counted.”
If the cross has anything to do with the Spirit person, there needs be reference to a horizontal disposition also, to form a cross. You cannot have a cross without the intersection of the vertical with the horizontal. John 10:15-18 reads, “…I lay down my life for the sheep…I lay down my life that I might take it up again” (John 15:13). “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”.
Look up the original word for “lay” coming from the Greek TITHEMI and the primary word THEO meaning in a passive or horizontal posture. It indicated compassion. A curriculum of life would say, receiving or suffering without resistance, and in judgement, non-discriminatory.
Put the vertical upright with the horizontal compassion and we find a cross. But it is far from an actual, ritual cross. Was the purpose of Jesus of Nazareth solely to stand for justice, and to love and be helpful? No. His cross was a bit more purposeful in a missionary sense. And that is why, he did come not to send peace but a sword against darkness in high places. Nevertheless, the spirit person did heal and love from the heart and stand for justice.
Familiar to all, the word “cross” appears in several texts. Jesus advising the rich man said, “…take up the cross and follow me”. The spirit person also said, “if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”. The gospel of John gives this account of the Son of God, “And he bearing his cross went forth to a place called Golgotha.” Then there is the well-known text in Matthew at the time of Christ’s death. “If thou be the son of God come down from the cross”.
Ask, why use the word “cross” in these settings? It appears that the primary implication of these texts is to imply a cause, a commitment or an understanding. As there is no Gospel mention of Christ being put on a cross maybe we should examine the term “come down” for more elaboration. Yes, it means descend, get down, go down, step down, and fall down. In today’s parlance one might say, “Back off” “Drop dead”. Also if a voice of dissent be uttered the reaction might well be, “come down off your high horse”. I believe this is primarily the sentiment acrimony engenders. Where there is little debate, judgement becomes rife, and human progress in the light of love is extinguished.
Now a distortion regarding Cross.
However, there is one text that shows a blatant distortion in the translation of the New Testament - Phils. 2:8. In older versions this text reads regarding Christ Jesus, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”. Modern versions read as follows… “even the death on the cross”. This is wrong. The “cross” was a “cause” not a wooden object: “Take up the cause and follow me.” The word “of” is consistent with the original Gospel story. Lexicons also maintain the word “of” to be correct. It seems to me, theists in a virtually desperate and panic attempt to prolong their deception, have changed the rendition of this text to read “on the cross”. This alteration of the text appears in most of the recent versions. One could say, it is best to always research the original meanings of words. There is a need to see what the author thought and wrote, and not what the translators’ pre-conceived ecclesiastical view would have us believe.
Additionally, after much investigation, it becomes obvious the names of the characters tell us a great deal about the God-experience of biblical days. This has taught me that the intention of the scriptural writers was, to show imagination of spiritual implications or the essence of events. The writers artistically painted vivid pictures turning undertakings into memorial experiences to perceive living and personified behavioural principles of higher philosophy.
What did midrash say about “the Cross”?
Was the idea of the cross, related from midrash, or has it been assumed that a Roman custom was implemented? The Book of Obadiah gives an explicit narrated image of the time when Esau (at that time the confederacy of Edom), came against Jacob (or Jerusalem). Condemning Edom for violence against the children of Judah the servant of God writes, “Neither shouldst thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape…”. Finding that “crossway” from the Hebrew word PEREQ meant a fork in the road and in Greek “cross” is equivalent to “crossway”, I compared our English meaning. The dictionary reads, cross - across, anything that thwarts, obstructs, or perplexes, hindrance…not parallel, crosswise - cross one’s path. This signals to me an underlying meaning that would be heretical to some.
Cross and athwart.
Could the Gospel painters, in their lucid drawn recollection of the life-experience, of Jesus of Nazareth, the spirit person, see the Messianic Body as crossing the path of the untouchable elite status quo, the Pharisees and Sadducees. Was the Spirit-life athwart to the accepted traditions and doctrines of Judean ancestry, athwart to Judaism? The word “across” meant a hindrance that obstructed the passage of idolatrous, face-value legalism. This was athwart to the exacting of Levitical laws and ceremonials. In actuality the practicality of the Levitical laws were designed so that their significance would stimulate intellectual comprehension. Unfortunately restrictive Judean rhetoric took a very dogmatically orientated approach thus suffocating the very substance of faithfulness.
A Closure
Outspoken obstruction, causing bewilderment to many, must be silenced; it must be kept at bay! Crucify, meaning persecute or torment, was the cry. This suppression was carried out. By quelling the Messianic Body, thus quenching the Spirit, the subjugation of vox-populi was rife. Darkness covered the land. This shook the minds of many as an earthquake causes vibrations along a fault line. However, some did determine to stop and think again. They were quickened. The Sower had sowed the seed. The question became, would it germinate and rise again, to ignite the hearts of subsequent generations.
Articles available at:
http://www.myspace.com/jc13579
http://debunkingchristianitysydney.blogspot.com/
Struth The Truth – Reclaiming the Light
[1] Stong’s Concordance 615/575 a prim. Participle; “off”, ie away (from something near), in various senses of place, time relation
Thursday, September 27, 2007
The Abomination of Desolation
This article will show that New Testament writers sourced information from the Old Testament. The abomination of desolation is certainly an unresolved mystery with several self-opinionated interpretations presented. The original form must be retrieved to clearly illustrate what the abomination of desolation heralds.
Run-of-the-mill explanations merely point back to Antiochus Epiphanes being the abomination, as he plundered the Jewish temple.
Announcing the clue to solving this puzzle is found in Dan. 12:11 and reads as follows. “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away and the abomination that maketh desolate set up there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.”
Understanding how the daily sacrifice was taken away in original O.T. type is essential, as a base. Those who only literalise falsely claim that Antiochus Epiphanes is biblically documented as the primary transgressor. But is this true?
The perennial question as to what expositors have written reams about is, “What is the daily sacrifice, and how/when was it “taken away?” O. T. prophetic writers borrowed recollections of the Bible temple-history including ceremonies as foundational models, as that is exactly what they were. The “tabernacle/temple” in Jerusalem was only a pattern of the Heavenly. Later prophetic writers projected these visions as spiritually ever-present circumstances in application, hence the compounding down the eras.
The O.T. daily sacrifice was the daily burnt offering. See Numbers 28:3,4. It was an evening and morning oblation, a continual burnt offering, Exd. 29:42. Yes, it was continual, it was a verb, part of action in Israel’s ceremonial token. This was demonstrating, each person had every right to determine individual sacrifice. They were given a choice. The burnt offering was a total sacrifice. It taught all that a complete individual sacrifice was of necessity if innate conscience were to be redeemed after a period of prohibition. The daily sacrifice offering, was part of the entirety of service to be calculated over a seven-year period. Seven Sabbaths of years, see Leviticus 25:8.
The Jewish sacred year consisted of twelve months of 30 days = 360 days a year. Every few years an intercalary month was added to align with the seasons. This month was not considered in reckoning times of feasts and sanctuary ceremonial over a seven-year period.
The sacred feasts commenced on 15/1 Abib with Passover and eating unleavened bread. Pentecost (new meat offering) was 50 days after Passover in third month Sivan. Day of Atonement 10/7 Tishri was followed by the great celebration of atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, commencing 15/7 and lasting 7 days. The ceremonial time of the year lasted 6 months from 15/1 to 15/7. Seven half-years is 180 x 7 = 1260 days. Atonement meant the children of Israel were cleansed of wrongdoing (missing the mark). To add to this service or take away would be the most highest sacrilege.
Remember the O.T. writers were writing to the children of Israel. They condemned their habitual regression into idolatry – turning away from the spiritual, time and time again. How can this idolatry be detected? Could such idolatry be the abomination of desolation? Did God’s people, the peculiar people, go wrong? Tut, tut, it is always the enemy who is in error, by following the Devil, not God’s elect, no. Is idolatry a desolation or stultifying of the mind? Now to see in detail the O.T. example of idolatry that describes the abomination of desolation.
Following Solomon’s reign the twelve tribe - kingdom was split into two. Israel of 10 tribes became the kingdom of Israel in the north whilst 2 tribes Judah and Benjamin became kingdom of Judah in the south. Jeroboam did not want the people of the north returning to the house of David and Rehoboam king of Judah. He thought they might kill him. So Jeroboam, “the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them (his people), It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of Egypt. He set one calf in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan…And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eight month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah…” See 1 Kings 12:25-33.
By making two objects of golden calves as gods of worship Jeroboam “took away” the daily sacrifice, the continual, ever-present burnt offering. He took away an individual’s innate right. Furthermore adding to this apostasy he ordained a feast 30 days after the Feast of Tabernacles, that great celebration of atonement or pardon. By Jeroboam ordaining a feast on 15/8 thirty days after the Feast of Tabernacles add 30 days to 1260 = 1290 days. “From the time the daily (1260 days) shall be taken away (by Jeroboam) and the abomination (idolatry) that maketh desolate (the mind) set up, there shall be 1290 days.” This was Israel’s literal idol-worship condemned unceasingly by their God of creation - Jehovah in the O.T. The children of Israel had literised and de-spiritualised a redeeming concept.
In the Book of Daniel, Antiochus Epiphanes, the little horn which came forth out of one of the four horns when the Grecian Empire divided, (see Dan. 8:1-12), “and an host given” him against the daily,” (The host was apostate Jews, see 1 Maccabees 1: 10-15 was a later fulfillment of this prophecy, as they plundered the temple. Certainly this was a type but it was not the foundational stone of plundering. The abomination is beginning to compound now.
Contemporary expositors point to Antiochus Epiphanes but they omit the apostate Jews. Their aim is to show it is “others” and not “us” that bring about notional ideas. But regression takes place within. When literalism abounds, spirituality is lost. Yes, Spirituality is a verb, not a noun. Action, create. This ability is the possession of the liberated.
Now Apply the New Testament
The abomination of desolation is mentioned in Matt. 24:15 and Mark 13:14. It is time to examine the declaration in Matthew.
Jesus, having been shown the buildings of the temple said to his disciples, “There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.” Remember the disciples world was Judaism. The stones of the temple represent the tenets of Judaism. The temple was a “pattern” of the original soul-Temple. The disciples, gripped by legalism wanted to know, “when shall these things be?”
Jesus speaks of many events such as false prophets rising, wars, famines, earthquakes etc. Then he announces, “This gospel of the kingdom (the gospel of peace - Rom. 10:15) shall be preached in all the world (OIKOUMENE = a place, cohabited, Roman Empire) then shall the end come.” The harvest is the end of the world. Matt. 13:39. This word “world” is from AION meaning (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future) eternal. Here in Matthew it was the end of the world the disciples knew. Being a foretelling, the prediction would compound in substance as it compacts with the passage of time.
However, the preaching of the gospel of peace was/is the trigger to incite a momentous apocalyse. It is the end of the world of superstition.
Jesus says, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whosoever readeth let him understand). Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains.” Matt. 24:15,16.
The abomination of desolation would stand in the holy place in the Roman-day setting. Matt. 24:15. Mark 13:14 writes, stand “where it ought not.” Where is the holy place, the HAGIOS? This is where the abomination (idol-worship) should not stand. The holy place is a consecrated place, a sacred place, the most holy place. The law of love, the law of liberty, is represented as placed in the ark in the tabernacle. Firstly it was written and placed in the original Temple, the soul-Temple. When the body is reunited with an innate soul the Creator’s law of consciousness, James 1:25, will be written in our hearts and in our minds. See Heb. 10:16. This is the holy place where no one must trespass.
The abomination did stand in the holy place in the Roman-day report as it demanded the quelling of the Messianic Spirit. The Pharisees and Sadducees were responsible for deceiving the populace. The Sadducean high priest had whipped the citizens of Jerusalem into mass hysteria, as the story goes. The life of benevolence, compassion, healing and teaching of the protagonist, Jesus, was silenced. This was a spiritual application – the great archetype. As the messianic message was rejected the teachings of Judaism crumbled, having no lasting meaning. Disregarding the true Temple-life destroyed in the temple in Jerusalem and its service. It had lost its value. It was time for harvest. A new age would emerge.
Don’t express your opinion if it is contrary to institutionalism’s status quo, for then you must be condemned. Today, applying to the Jew of the heart and mind, idolatry is the worship of the idols of doctrine and the dogma of literalism. Should this ever be challenged, what then?
To reiterate, this paper shows our spirituality has been taken away and replaced by the literal teachings of symbolic writings.
Articles also available at:
http://www.myspace.com/jc13579
http://debunkingchristianitysydney.blogspot.com/
Run-of-the-mill explanations merely point back to Antiochus Epiphanes being the abomination, as he plundered the Jewish temple.
Announcing the clue to solving this puzzle is found in Dan. 12:11 and reads as follows. “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away and the abomination that maketh desolate set up there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.”
Understanding how the daily sacrifice was taken away in original O.T. type is essential, as a base. Those who only literalise falsely claim that Antiochus Epiphanes is biblically documented as the primary transgressor. But is this true?
The perennial question as to what expositors have written reams about is, “What is the daily sacrifice, and how/when was it “taken away?” O. T. prophetic writers borrowed recollections of the Bible temple-history including ceremonies as foundational models, as that is exactly what they were. The “tabernacle/temple” in Jerusalem was only a pattern of the Heavenly. Later prophetic writers projected these visions as spiritually ever-present circumstances in application, hence the compounding down the eras.
The O.T. daily sacrifice was the daily burnt offering. See Numbers 28:3,4. It was an evening and morning oblation, a continual burnt offering, Exd. 29:42. Yes, it was continual, it was a verb, part of action in Israel’s ceremonial token. This was demonstrating, each person had every right to determine individual sacrifice. They were given a choice. The burnt offering was a total sacrifice. It taught all that a complete individual sacrifice was of necessity if innate conscience were to be redeemed after a period of prohibition. The daily sacrifice offering, was part of the entirety of service to be calculated over a seven-year period. Seven Sabbaths of years, see Leviticus 25:8.
The Jewish sacred year consisted of twelve months of 30 days = 360 days a year. Every few years an intercalary month was added to align with the seasons. This month was not considered in reckoning times of feasts and sanctuary ceremonial over a seven-year period.
The sacred feasts commenced on 15/1 Abib with Passover and eating unleavened bread. Pentecost (new meat offering) was 50 days after Passover in third month Sivan. Day of Atonement 10/7 Tishri was followed by the great celebration of atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, commencing 15/7 and lasting 7 days. The ceremonial time of the year lasted 6 months from 15/1 to 15/7. Seven half-years is 180 x 7 = 1260 days. Atonement meant the children of Israel were cleansed of wrongdoing (missing the mark). To add to this service or take away would be the most highest sacrilege.
Remember the O.T. writers were writing to the children of Israel. They condemned their habitual regression into idolatry – turning away from the spiritual, time and time again. How can this idolatry be detected? Could such idolatry be the abomination of desolation? Did God’s people, the peculiar people, go wrong? Tut, tut, it is always the enemy who is in error, by following the Devil, not God’s elect, no. Is idolatry a desolation or stultifying of the mind? Now to see in detail the O.T. example of idolatry that describes the abomination of desolation.
Following Solomon’s reign the twelve tribe - kingdom was split into two. Israel of 10 tribes became the kingdom of Israel in the north whilst 2 tribes Judah and Benjamin became kingdom of Judah in the south. Jeroboam did not want the people of the north returning to the house of David and Rehoboam king of Judah. He thought they might kill him. So Jeroboam, “the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them (his people), It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of Egypt. He set one calf in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan…And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eight month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah…” See 1 Kings 12:25-33.
By making two objects of golden calves as gods of worship Jeroboam “took away” the daily sacrifice, the continual, ever-present burnt offering. He took away an individual’s innate right. Furthermore adding to this apostasy he ordained a feast 30 days after the Feast of Tabernacles, that great celebration of atonement or pardon. By Jeroboam ordaining a feast on 15/8 thirty days after the Feast of Tabernacles add 30 days to 1260 = 1290 days. “From the time the daily (1260 days) shall be taken away (by Jeroboam) and the abomination (idolatry) that maketh desolate (the mind) set up, there shall be 1290 days.” This was Israel’s literal idol-worship condemned unceasingly by their God of creation - Jehovah in the O.T. The children of Israel had literised and de-spiritualised a redeeming concept.
In the Book of Daniel, Antiochus Epiphanes, the little horn which came forth out of one of the four horns when the Grecian Empire divided, (see Dan. 8:1-12), “and an host given” him against the daily,” (The host was apostate Jews, see 1 Maccabees 1: 10-15 was a later fulfillment of this prophecy, as they plundered the temple. Certainly this was a type but it was not the foundational stone of plundering. The abomination is beginning to compound now.
Contemporary expositors point to Antiochus Epiphanes but they omit the apostate Jews. Their aim is to show it is “others” and not “us” that bring about notional ideas. But regression takes place within. When literalism abounds, spirituality is lost. Yes, Spirituality is a verb, not a noun. Action, create. This ability is the possession of the liberated.
Now Apply the New Testament
The abomination of desolation is mentioned in Matt. 24:15 and Mark 13:14. It is time to examine the declaration in Matthew.
Jesus, having been shown the buildings of the temple said to his disciples, “There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.” Remember the disciples world was Judaism. The stones of the temple represent the tenets of Judaism. The temple was a “pattern” of the original soul-Temple. The disciples, gripped by legalism wanted to know, “when shall these things be?”
Jesus speaks of many events such as false prophets rising, wars, famines, earthquakes etc. Then he announces, “This gospel of the kingdom (the gospel of peace - Rom. 10:15) shall be preached in all the world (OIKOUMENE = a place, cohabited, Roman Empire) then shall the end come.” The harvest is the end of the world. Matt. 13:39. This word “world” is from AION meaning (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future) eternal. Here in Matthew it was the end of the world the disciples knew. Being a foretelling, the prediction would compound in substance as it compacts with the passage of time.
However, the preaching of the gospel of peace was/is the trigger to incite a momentous apocalyse. It is the end of the world of superstition.
Jesus says, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whosoever readeth let him understand). Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains.” Matt. 24:15,16.
The abomination of desolation would stand in the holy place in the Roman-day setting. Matt. 24:15. Mark 13:14 writes, stand “where it ought not.” Where is the holy place, the HAGIOS? This is where the abomination (idol-worship) should not stand. The holy place is a consecrated place, a sacred place, the most holy place. The law of love, the law of liberty, is represented as placed in the ark in the tabernacle. Firstly it was written and placed in the original Temple, the soul-Temple. When the body is reunited with an innate soul the Creator’s law of consciousness, James 1:25, will be written in our hearts and in our minds. See Heb. 10:16. This is the holy place where no one must trespass.
The abomination did stand in the holy place in the Roman-day report as it demanded the quelling of the Messianic Spirit. The Pharisees and Sadducees were responsible for deceiving the populace. The Sadducean high priest had whipped the citizens of Jerusalem into mass hysteria, as the story goes. The life of benevolence, compassion, healing and teaching of the protagonist, Jesus, was silenced. This was a spiritual application – the great archetype. As the messianic message was rejected the teachings of Judaism crumbled, having no lasting meaning. Disregarding the true Temple-life destroyed in the temple in Jerusalem and its service. It had lost its value. It was time for harvest. A new age would emerge.
Don’t express your opinion if it is contrary to institutionalism’s status quo, for then you must be condemned. Today, applying to the Jew of the heart and mind, idolatry is the worship of the idols of doctrine and the dogma of literalism. Should this ever be challenged, what then?
To reiterate, this paper shows our spirituality has been taken away and replaced by the literal teachings of symbolic writings.
Articles also available at:
http://www.myspace.com/jc13579
http://debunkingchristianitysydney.blogspot.com/
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Can a Camel go Through the Eye of a Needle?
This article will show that New Testament writers sourced information from the Old Testament. This empowered them to present instructive anecdotes. It is important to detail O.T. base types juxtaposed with N.T. antitypes. This enables a mirror image of the Old in the New. The eye-of-a-needle riddle is an example of an unsolved enigma. The form, a shadow, pointing to substance, must always be resolved.
In Matt. 19.24 we read, “…I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” If I asked, “Why is this so?,” many off-the-cuff answers would be given. We can learn from Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Another tip from John 3:19 may help us understand, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Maybe a camel does not love darkness and has no evil deeds?
In the same vein we have numerous statements along the following lines “And behold, one came and said unto him (Jesus) Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” Matt. 19:16. “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give it to the poor…and come and follow me.” Matt. 19:21.
We have not yet made much progress towards understanding, can a camel go through the eye of a needle. But we have been told, eternal life is not about good works of ritual and ceremony that I may have, but it is to give (to the poor). This advice has a multiple function. To give spiritually is paramount. This is achieved by the creative psyche. This psyche lives the compassionate Spirit, spiraling to sincerity, optimism and beneficence. Contributing to an innate resurrection, it associates both giver and recipient. This is peace. This is life - heaven. Contrastingly the rich man in principle is a “haver”. Note, the camel is still missing. However, the above parable does have a duality with a man seeking eternal life through good works and a camel with no pretence, no ambitions.
“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation,” or PARATERESIS = ocular evidence, not with outward show, ritual ceremony, piety. “The kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 1:20, 21. And we are told clearly that “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Cor. 15:50.
The word “eye” from Greek TRUPEMA means an aperture, opening, hole. We are not considering the pathway of a thread. An aperture, opening or hole gives one clue as to why a camel may have no trouble of entry.
So far, an explanation to the subject in question has not sourced the original base. Only then will a converse duality appear.
Taken from Ezekiel chapter eight, Ezekiel writes, “…the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me (“there” refers to Ezeliel’s vision of Jerusalem while in Babylonian captivity), and the spirit lifted me up…and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem…He said, Son of man seest thou what they do? Even the great abomination that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations. And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.” This word “hole” from Hebrew is CHOR or CHUR and means a cavity, a hole, hollowed out place. It is equivalent to the Greek word TRUPEMA. Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. See Ezekiel 8:1-18 for a fuller picture of the base type.
Now if the rich man in Jesus’ day could look through this hole in the wall of Jerusalem, that became a door, and seeing such abominations, would he enter? He was seeking the kingdom of heaven by some outward show. So, no, he would not go through the door. He would not want to tarnish himself. He was carnally minded, he was dead. “The canal mind is enmity against God.” He could not be a “giver”. His idea of righteousness and his riches, he did not see as idols, gods or abominations. Having eyes to see he had no perception.
In an opposing manner, the camel, not bound by precepts and statutes, (“would not give a stuff”) would willing go through the “eye” without compunction. The camel represents the person who is non-judgmental. He would enter Jerusalem amongst those oblivious to the “holy.”
Without O.T. texts, as a base, there is no way whatsoever of understanding the meaning of a camel going through the eye of a needle.
The O.T. and N.T. are put together as the perfect body and soul. O.T. is written in form, in pattern, and is a shadow, ever pointing to substance found in the N.T. “You can’t have one without the other.” Ezekiel plainly shows this.
Articles also available at:
http://www.myspace.com/jc13579
In Matt. 19.24 we read, “…I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” If I asked, “Why is this so?,” many off-the-cuff answers would be given. We can learn from Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Another tip from John 3:19 may help us understand, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Maybe a camel does not love darkness and has no evil deeds?
In the same vein we have numerous statements along the following lines “And behold, one came and said unto him (Jesus) Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” Matt. 19:16. “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give it to the poor…and come and follow me.” Matt. 19:21.
We have not yet made much progress towards understanding, can a camel go through the eye of a needle. But we have been told, eternal life is not about good works of ritual and ceremony that I may have, but it is to give (to the poor). This advice has a multiple function. To give spiritually is paramount. This is achieved by the creative psyche. This psyche lives the compassionate Spirit, spiraling to sincerity, optimism and beneficence. Contributing to an innate resurrection, it associates both giver and recipient. This is peace. This is life - heaven. Contrastingly the rich man in principle is a “haver”. Note, the camel is still missing. However, the above parable does have a duality with a man seeking eternal life through good works and a camel with no pretence, no ambitions.
“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation,” or PARATERESIS = ocular evidence, not with outward show, ritual ceremony, piety. “The kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 1:20, 21. And we are told clearly that “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Cor. 15:50.
The word “eye” from Greek TRUPEMA means an aperture, opening, hole. We are not considering the pathway of a thread. An aperture, opening or hole gives one clue as to why a camel may have no trouble of entry.
So far, an explanation to the subject in question has not sourced the original base. Only then will a converse duality appear.
Taken from Ezekiel chapter eight, Ezekiel writes, “…the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me (“there” refers to Ezeliel’s vision of Jerusalem while in Babylonian captivity), and the spirit lifted me up…and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem…He said, Son of man seest thou what they do? Even the great abomination that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations. And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.” This word “hole” from Hebrew is CHOR or CHUR and means a cavity, a hole, hollowed out place. It is equivalent to the Greek word TRUPEMA. Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. See Ezekiel 8:1-18 for a fuller picture of the base type.
Now if the rich man in Jesus’ day could look through this hole in the wall of Jerusalem, that became a door, and seeing such abominations, would he enter? He was seeking the kingdom of heaven by some outward show. So, no, he would not go through the door. He would not want to tarnish himself. He was carnally minded, he was dead. “The canal mind is enmity against God.” He could not be a “giver”. His idea of righteousness and his riches, he did not see as idols, gods or abominations. Having eyes to see he had no perception.
In an opposing manner, the camel, not bound by precepts and statutes, (“would not give a stuff”) would willing go through the “eye” without compunction. The camel represents the person who is non-judgmental. He would enter Jerusalem amongst those oblivious to the “holy.”
Without O.T. texts, as a base, there is no way whatsoever of understanding the meaning of a camel going through the eye of a needle.
The O.T. and N.T. are put together as the perfect body and soul. O.T. is written in form, in pattern, and is a shadow, ever pointing to substance found in the N.T. “You can’t have one without the other.” Ezekiel plainly shows this.
Articles also available at:
http://www.myspace.com/jc13579
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
The Naked Man
In this wonderful Scriptural, symbolic production we see Jesus coming to the Gadarenes. When leaving the ship immediately there met him out of the tombs (place of the dead) a man with an unclean spirit. No man could bind him not even with chains.
He had been bound in fetters and chains, just as people are today. They had been plucked asunder by him. Day and night he was in the mountains, and with the dead, crying and cutting himself with stones – quite out of his mind.
When this wild-man with an unclean spirit saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, saying, “What have I to do with thee Jesus, thou son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.”
Jesus said unto the unclean spirit, “Come out of him.” Then he asked the man, “What is your name?” He answered, “My name is Legion for we are many,” Mark 5:1-9. “We are many”. Legion was a personification of those with an unclean spirit. Jesus was also a personification of one Spirit – the Spirit of the God of love. Here the two spirits met face to face.
“There was a great herd of swine feeding near by. All the devils or unclean spirits besought Jesus saying, Send us unto the swine, that we may enter into them…And the unclean spirit went out and entered into the swine: the swine then ran violently down a steep place into the sea and were chocked.” See Mark 5:10-13.
When people came to Jesus to see what was done, and the “one” possessed with the devil, “They saw Legion sitting clothed in his right mind.” Matt. 5:15.
Now Legion (being many) prayed that he might be with Jesus. Jesus said go home and tell your friends. Legion departed and published in Decapolis, how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.” Legion had been converted. See Mark 5: 14-20.
Consider now the scene of Christ’s betrayal and arrest. Jesus said, “I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not…and all forsook him and fled.” “And there followed him a certain young man, (certain from TIS representing divers or different kinds of men/women) having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; could we say “clothed in his right mind?” “Young men laid hold of him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.” Mark 14: 51,52.
This certain young man having a linen cloth cast about him has great significance. Linen in Greek is from SIDON or BYSSOS from Hebrew BUWTS meaning to bleach, be white, fine white linen.
At Christ’s burial Joseph of Arimathaea wrapped Jesus body in a linen cloth (cloth same word as above).
Those who came to see Jesus’ body saw a young man sitting on the right side of the sepulcher, clothed in a long white garment…” See Mark 16:5. White from LEUKOS or LUKE and means light. “I am the light of the world.” This man was the “I am”. The word garment from STOLE was a long fitting gown, a mark of dignity.
Just as Legion, clothed in his right mind, wore a linen cloth, likewise all who experienced and witness resurrection or conversion have redeemed liberty and dignity, through the grace of the indwelling God.
The great apocalyptic book of the New Testament, Revelation, sees “seven angels coming out of the temple…clothed in pure and white linen…” They have work to do during the harvest. Linen in this text comes from the Greek word LINON meaning flax-linen, as linen is a product of flax = fine white linen.
Noted, in Rev. 19:8 & 21:2, is the marriage supper of the “Lamb” and his bride, the holy city, “new Jerusalem”. “To her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.”
You see, Legion, when converted and in his right mind, wanted to be with Jesus, Mark 5:18.
Seeing Jesus taken by authority to be silenced, Legion still wanted to be with him and followed him. Mark 14:51. Now Legion had a linen cloth cast about him, a symbol of the righteousness of saints. When the young men laid hold of him Legion left the linen cloth and fled from them. He left them righteousness. He left them all he had. It was a complete sacrifice, a burnt offering. Better than leaving them fetters and chains, don’t you think?
Articles also available at: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=216951117
http://debunkingchristianitysydney.blogspot.com/
He had been bound in fetters and chains, just as people are today. They had been plucked asunder by him. Day and night he was in the mountains, and with the dead, crying and cutting himself with stones – quite out of his mind.
When this wild-man with an unclean spirit saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, saying, “What have I to do with thee Jesus, thou son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.”
Jesus said unto the unclean spirit, “Come out of him.” Then he asked the man, “What is your name?” He answered, “My name is Legion for we are many,” Mark 5:1-9. “We are many”. Legion was a personification of those with an unclean spirit. Jesus was also a personification of one Spirit – the Spirit of the God of love. Here the two spirits met face to face.
“There was a great herd of swine feeding near by. All the devils or unclean spirits besought Jesus saying, Send us unto the swine, that we may enter into them…And the unclean spirit went out and entered into the swine: the swine then ran violently down a steep place into the sea and were chocked.” See Mark 5:10-13.
When people came to Jesus to see what was done, and the “one” possessed with the devil, “They saw Legion sitting clothed in his right mind.” Matt. 5:15.
Now Legion (being many) prayed that he might be with Jesus. Jesus said go home and tell your friends. Legion departed and published in Decapolis, how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.” Legion had been converted. See Mark 5: 14-20.
Consider now the scene of Christ’s betrayal and arrest. Jesus said, “I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not…and all forsook him and fled.” “And there followed him a certain young man, (certain from TIS representing divers or different kinds of men/women) having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; could we say “clothed in his right mind?” “Young men laid hold of him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.” Mark 14: 51,52.
This certain young man having a linen cloth cast about him has great significance. Linen in Greek is from SIDON or BYSSOS from Hebrew BUWTS meaning to bleach, be white, fine white linen.
At Christ’s burial Joseph of Arimathaea wrapped Jesus body in a linen cloth (cloth same word as above).
Those who came to see Jesus’ body saw a young man sitting on the right side of the sepulcher, clothed in a long white garment…” See Mark 16:5. White from LEUKOS or LUKE and means light. “I am the light of the world.” This man was the “I am”. The word garment from STOLE was a long fitting gown, a mark of dignity.
Just as Legion, clothed in his right mind, wore a linen cloth, likewise all who experienced and witness resurrection or conversion have redeemed liberty and dignity, through the grace of the indwelling God.
The great apocalyptic book of the New Testament, Revelation, sees “seven angels coming out of the temple…clothed in pure and white linen…” They have work to do during the harvest. Linen in this text comes from the Greek word LINON meaning flax-linen, as linen is a product of flax = fine white linen.
Noted, in Rev. 19:8 & 21:2, is the marriage supper of the “Lamb” and his bride, the holy city, “new Jerusalem”. “To her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.”
You see, Legion, when converted and in his right mind, wanted to be with Jesus, Mark 5:18.
Seeing Jesus taken by authority to be silenced, Legion still wanted to be with him and followed him. Mark 14:51. Now Legion had a linen cloth cast about him, a symbol of the righteousness of saints. When the young men laid hold of him Legion left the linen cloth and fled from them. He left them righteousness. He left them all he had. It was a complete sacrifice, a burnt offering. Better than leaving them fetters and chains, don’t you think?
Articles also available at: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=216951117
http://debunkingchristianitysydney.blogspot.com/
Friday, September 7, 2007
Was Peter the Rock?
Was Peter the Rock?
“He (Jesus) asked his disciples saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? Some say John the Baptist…or one of the prophets…But whom say ye that I am? Simon Peter answered, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus said, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonna: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter (PETROS) and upon this rock (PETRA) will I build my church…” Matt. 16:13-18.
Peter from PETROS means, a piece of rock. John’s account in 1:40-42 is as follows: “…Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother saith unto him, We have found Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought Peter to Jesus. He (Jesus) said, Thou art Simon (hearing) the son of Jona (a dove): thou shalt be called Cephas, which by interpretation, is a stone (PETROS – piece of rock). Cephas, the surname of Peter is from KEPHAS in Greek derived from KEPH in Hebrew meaning a hollow rock. So Peter Cephas means a stone, piece of rock or a hollow rock (see Strongs/Young concordance).
What then of the words, “upon this rock (PETRA) will I build my church”? Matt. 16:18. PETRA is the feminine of PETROS - feminine meaning life-giving, in figurative scripture. PETRA is a mass of rock - mass, a body, as in the messianic body. Would Christ build a church on a hollow-rock?
Peter was a small hollow rock or stone. “A sower went out to sow his seed…And some fell upon a rock (or stony places from PETRODES rocky, stone). As stated “Rock” derived from PETRA, being feminine, indicates a potential to bring forth new life. As soon as it, the seed that fell upon stony ground, was sprung up, it withered away because it lacked moisture (substance). Now here is Peter, when the heat was put on him: - “A damsel came unto him saying, Thou also was with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.” Matt. 26:69,70. Peter was not the “Rock” for he withered and denied Christ.
The word “Rock” (PETRA) must be investigated.
The writers of 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 have something to say about the “Rock” but keep in mind the Scriptures are symbolical writings, using objects to convey spiritual experience. In the story of the Exodus was a cloud that followed them and all passed through the sea. Seas, waters, flood, all refer to peoples. All in the Exodus passed through countries of people near Egypt without attack. This is how the description goes: “The Lord caused the sea to go back, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.” Exd. 14:21. “And did all eat the same spiritual meat.” Exd. 16: 5,35. “And did all drink the same spiritual drink.” Exd. 17:6 for they drank of that spiritual Rock (PETRA) that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
Christ, the faithful witness…to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen.” - (so be it).
Christ is also called “a living stone”, “a chief corner stone in Sion,” “the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner”. These texts are taken from 1 Pet. 2:4-7. The word “stone” is from LITHOS (NOT PETROS) and means a stone (lit. or fig.):- (mill, stumbling-) stone.
Ephesians chapter 2 telling of spiritual Jew and Gentile becoming one, writes, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood (kindred) of Christ…no more strangers…but fellow citizens with the saints…And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner (stone).” Eph. 2:20. The word “stone” is added here by translators. Stone in 1 Pet. 2 is LITHOS. Both 1 Pet. 2 and also Eph. 2:20 (added by translator) is borrowed from Ps. 118:22. “The stone (which) the builders refused is become the head (stone) of the corner.” “Stone here is Hebrew is EBEY meaning to build, or the builder.
It seems quiet clear that the statement, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” is the “ROCK” (PETRA) upon which “I (Christ) will build my church.”
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” 1 Cor. 12:27. “…Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” Eph. 5:23. Christ is our one body, our one Spirit, our one hope, and our one Lord. Eph. 4.
Bear in mind the word “Christ” is a title, Christ the anointed, messiah, and king. Christ is our Melchisedic king and high priest - King of righteousness, King of peace. What wonderful attributes. Christ is our first begotten of love, the Father of all, bringing forth beneficial substance and a new spiritual way. Redeeming happiness and prosperity is available for all.
“He (Jesus) asked his disciples saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? Some say John the Baptist…or one of the prophets…But whom say ye that I am? Simon Peter answered, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus said, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonna: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter (PETROS) and upon this rock (PETRA) will I build my church…” Matt. 16:13-18.
Peter from PETROS means, a piece of rock. John’s account in 1:40-42 is as follows: “…Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother saith unto him, We have found Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought Peter to Jesus. He (Jesus) said, Thou art Simon (hearing) the son of Jona (a dove): thou shalt be called Cephas, which by interpretation, is a stone (PETROS – piece of rock). Cephas, the surname of Peter is from KEPHAS in Greek derived from KEPH in Hebrew meaning a hollow rock. So Peter Cephas means a stone, piece of rock or a hollow rock (see Strongs/Young concordance).
What then of the words, “upon this rock (PETRA) will I build my church”? Matt. 16:18. PETRA is the feminine of PETROS - feminine meaning life-giving, in figurative scripture. PETRA is a mass of rock - mass, a body, as in the messianic body. Would Christ build a church on a hollow-rock?
Peter was a small hollow rock or stone. “A sower went out to sow his seed…And some fell upon a rock (or stony places from PETRODES rocky, stone). As stated “Rock” derived from PETRA, being feminine, indicates a potential to bring forth new life. As soon as it, the seed that fell upon stony ground, was sprung up, it withered away because it lacked moisture (substance). Now here is Peter, when the heat was put on him: - “A damsel came unto him saying, Thou also was with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.” Matt. 26:69,70. Peter was not the “Rock” for he withered and denied Christ.
The word “Rock” (PETRA) must be investigated.
The writers of 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 have something to say about the “Rock” but keep in mind the Scriptures are symbolical writings, using objects to convey spiritual experience. In the story of the Exodus was a cloud that followed them and all passed through the sea. Seas, waters, flood, all refer to peoples. All in the Exodus passed through countries of people near Egypt without attack. This is how the description goes: “The Lord caused the sea to go back, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.” Exd. 14:21. “And did all eat the same spiritual meat.” Exd. 16: 5,35. “And did all drink the same spiritual drink.” Exd. 17:6 for they drank of that spiritual Rock (PETRA) that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
Christ, the faithful witness…to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen.” - (so be it).
Christ is also called “a living stone”, “a chief corner stone in Sion,” “the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner”. These texts are taken from 1 Pet. 2:4-7. The word “stone” is from LITHOS (NOT PETROS) and means a stone (lit. or fig.):- (mill, stumbling-) stone.
Ephesians chapter 2 telling of spiritual Jew and Gentile becoming one, writes, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood (kindred) of Christ…no more strangers…but fellow citizens with the saints…And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner (stone).” Eph. 2:20. The word “stone” is added here by translators. Stone in 1 Pet. 2 is LITHOS. Both 1 Pet. 2 and also Eph. 2:20 (added by translator) is borrowed from Ps. 118:22. “The stone (which) the builders refused is become the head (stone) of the corner.” “Stone here is Hebrew is EBEY meaning to build, or the builder.
It seems quiet clear that the statement, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” is the “ROCK” (PETRA) upon which “I (Christ) will build my church.”
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” 1 Cor. 12:27. “…Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” Eph. 5:23. Christ is our one body, our one Spirit, our one hope, and our one Lord. Eph. 4.
Bear in mind the word “Christ” is a title, Christ the anointed, messiah, and king. Christ is our Melchisedic king and high priest - King of righteousness, King of peace. What wonderful attributes. Christ is our first begotten of love, the Father of all, bringing forth beneficial substance and a new spiritual way. Redeeming happiness and prosperity is available for all.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
A Glimpse into “The Beginning of Human Concept”
This article commences in Genesis chapter 2 and includes references to the creation story in chapter 1. Stating it very simplistically, symbols such as light = Day = love and darkness = Night = hate. Starting with Gen. 2:8 the speci man, called Adam (referring to both male and female - Gen. 1:27 and Gen. 5:1,2) having evolved to the height of conceptual thought is a conscious being, a living soul, in a garden eastward in Eden. As well as trees for food, there is also the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We must investigate what “eastward in Eden” signifies. What does “eastward” infer? This is a core example, of how to use the lexical sources to trace the original writers’ thoughts.
If we look closely at the Genesis stories we find each scene is subsequently followed with backup stories giving more details of a former narrative. The ancient engravings are like circles within circles, spiraling larger and larger in circumference and circumstance. Proceeding to travel through Genesis, little family groups multiply and diversify into larger families with a common ancestry, then intermixed as each lineage develops – e.g. Japheth’s son Tubal marries a Cain progeny and produces Tubal-cain.
In Gen. 1 man rises above his instinctive animal kingdom that was mentally without form and void of any moral consciousness. He arose being capable of applying virtuous conceptual thought, with complete, selective control over complacent, melancholic behavior. Here apposite characteristics were finally apparent - born physically alive was to laugh and to cry – to conquer death by life. Such diversified archetypal characteristics are distinguishing features – the rock of sublime quality. Coming from the soul they are perceived intangibles being abstract but just as real, eternal truths compared to that of objective forms. The ancient writers sought to convey this advancing distinctive aspiring stride as the great turning point of the human mind and heart. Such deft characteristics had become persuasive, and were innate within the individual and are very real. They are best called-up, remembered or brought to realization by using familiar objects. That is something seen, something known or something felt. Some of these symbols were the everyday - Day and Night, Heaven and Earth and earth divided into Earth and Sea. All these familiar objects are used as symbols throughout the graphic writing of the Scriptures. So with symbols, the working of the mind and the heart could be expressed and eventually recorded.
It was an honourable period before I or me began to dominate. It could be said to be the I of grace. Leading up to the emergent picture of man in the garden we read, “But the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth” - Gen. 2:5. Rain, waters, sea and flood are more images within the narrative scripture – see Jer. 46:7-8, Isa. 8:6-8, Isa. 28:1-2, Isa. 17:12-14 and Rev. 17-15. All these texts in some way pertain to human life. Bible symbols must be self-interpretive. Institutions of incrusting folly have had a vested interest in self-proliferation so avoiding any hard, detailed scholarship or revelation of liberty, or voice of conscience for the flock. My contention is that original word meanings must be strenuously sought to understand simple, straightforward messages of human behaviour that the writers left for all who care to know. My approach is not to give a personal interpretation but to use lexical sources only for tracing word interpretation. By doing this ego I, is taken out of the discipline.
Returning to the phrase, “not caused it to rain”. “Rain” here is taken from the word MATAR. Dealing with the word “rain”, Joel 2:23 speaks of the early or former rain. Former rain is from the word MOWREH meaning, teacher of righteousness. This phrase “not caused it to rain” tells us there was no teacher of righteousness, eastward in Eden. So immediately the original interpretation begins to be clarified. “But there went up a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground, Gen. 2:16. The word “mist”, from the original ED means an enveloping fog or vapor, representing a mental fog, mental darkness or a dimness of cognitive understanding. Here is pictured man with no learning, no teacher, no invention, no organization, no government and no ownership - just a dimness of base-level perception – supine or frozen intellect. It was noted that, “there was not a man to till the ground.” Such a necessity had not arisen. Every plant of the field was in the earth and every herb of the field grew. This indicated that pre-conceptual man was an agrarian hunter and gatherer with his hands.
Let’s investigate Eden. This portrait, we are told, was “eastward in Eden”. “Eastward” from QEDEM means, the forefront of time, antiquity, anciently, before east, before the sunrise on Eden. Have you ever heard an institution describe it that way? The original writer is saying primitive man was pre-Edenic – eastward of Eden. Eden means delightful and pleasant. Unfortunately the delight was in enchantment and the knowledge of how to live, shall I say, voluptuously – where vocation, the pivotal spot was unknown and insecurity abounded. The cause of the excitement of living luxuriously will unfold a little latter in this paper. But remember spiritually, this picture is a conditional state of mind and heart.
It is here that the early picture of mankind broadens a little. Woman or ISHA enters the scene. She is ISHA because she is taken out of man who is ISA. This is the first mention of division in human society, showing the woman of the populace, as life-givers and man, as law-givers. These are very important concepts in the ancient writers’ catalogue and have been taken more literally than symbolically by those obsessed by an ecclesiastical grip on subjugation, dullness and darkness.
In contrast woman’s communal bonds and constitution is not from dust but from the essence of the speci man. In other words the perennial life-giver is a reaction to the constituent lawgiver (continued in today’s duality or plurality). Woman’s personification and temperance is resultant from the essence of man. Woman’s embodiment is that of the complete psychosomatic separation from man. In marriage they co-exist despite the ongoing tension. It’s never been a truly subservient relationship, but two equally independent forces within the individual and society. The symbolic woman’s soul or mind is described as apparently outside the physical law, but prolifically signified. Man’s body (structure, law, form) was set as the foundation of the creative fountain of woman (mother of all living). Thus woman was distinctively drawn from the masculine.
What was the next etching of this duality to be considered by the writers? Pristine humanity was a free spirit, and was owned by nobody. The word “free” of course means liberty and not license as we see in I so often in freewill. But Adam, man, the law-giver and Eve, (CHAVAH - mother of all living - the life giver), took what was not theirs to take. “And when the woman saw that the tree (of knowledge of good and evil) was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband and he did eat.” - Gen. 3:6.
We have now covered the story of early, primitive society in a nutshell. Its ramifications are revealed and explained in more detail chapter-by-chapter in the Book of Genesis. By now in Genesis chapter 4, tribes were growing as narrated in the lineage of Cain. The meaning of “taking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil” is about to be magnified, as it gradually becomes multi-layered “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived and bare Cain, and said I have gotten a man from the Lord.” Cain means acquisition. Eve said, “I have gotten”. Yes acquisition had entered the heart and mind of early mankind. This temperament, to possess, came from the symbolic woman. Cain (acquisition) killed his brother Abel. Abel means keeper of the sheep - the shepherd. Acquisition is a deadly vice and it killed the spirit of loving care, typified as a shepherd’s tender care for his sheep. These were days of fight to the death. Historians called this epoch Savagery. The philosophical artists illustrated this time as pre-Edenic.
Cain was jealous of Abel’s major life contribution. Cain, being a tiller of the ground, made an offering of the fruit of the ground, but this was unacceptable. Abel brought an offering of his flock. This was acceptable. Abel’s offering illustrated, by bringing the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof that he was offering the richest or choicest part of his life’s work. Fat from CHELEB means richest or choicest part. The idea sought to be conveyed is simply the difference between those with a sacrificial, communal attitude compared to those without. To sacrifice the richest prime time of one’s life-activity, so as to endeavor to raise living conditions for others in the face of avaricious acquisition, it was believed, would bring betterment to mankind.
Overwhelmingly man’s fear of enslavement caused him to choose to fight for supremacy. This is the male influence within each individual – whether physically male or female. Likewise the female’s constitutional elements exist within social bonds, but as creativity requires resolute, reflective effort, it is easier to decide might is right, and even portrayed as the masculine way. How true the verse “Not by might, (from CHAYIL – army) nor by power, (KOWACH – force, strength, wealth) but by my spirit saith…” “a still small voice”.
Cain, too, had lost peace and tranquility and had to till the ground for his livelihood. Gen. 4:16 records, “Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.” This picturesque narrative is saying, acquisition took a backward step – going east of Eden to a place called Nod. Nod means wandering. This gives a sense of chaos and disorder. When studied carefully this story is clear. It is not the empty story of fundamentalism (a what will I get if I am good). As one travels carefully through the Scriptures it can be seen to be a very rich and fertile message of the honourableness of allocating time for self-sacrifice – or devoted to grace – an acceptance of the inherent voice of conscience. It is wasted on the inattentive thoughtless reader, who is easily influenced and lead to the darker side of life and who sees only desolation in his/her journey. Such a vocation fails to grasp anything beyond the needs of I.
The idea of the victorious conquering tribes possessing the captured and putting them to work, instead of being assimulated (life-giving), as once was the way, came from the members, of the tribes, not the leaders. Symbolically written this was woman – Eve taking of the forbidden fruit. Dominance and ruler-ship was enhanced by possession and gave the tribal leader or patriarch the idea to take complete charge of the defeated and appropriate them. Remember, it is said, Adam took the fruit “and did eat”. Thus arose a new commander stealing the voice of conscience.
Firstly, the members of the tribe had “gotten”. The “right” to possess had completely changed the serene nature of life. Secondly, the militarist commander or mighty hunter replaced the tribal god or patriarch. The inordinate revenge, the desire of taking possession without due regard to the rights of others began in the nomadic life of ancient tribes and then spread to the leaders. The nucleus of possession or ownership, “a gotten for me mentality” a distorted psyche, had reared its ugly head in many different fields. This was a very important development in societal relationships and is well documented graphically in Genesis. We do not know how many eons passed before it dawned on Homo sapiens that they could possess anything, but pre-Edenic conditions were no doubt lengthy.
The story of pristine man being a free spirit (without the ego of I) prior to bondage needed to be hidden. Such native freedom was too democratic and this would leave the peers of society, who taught I guaranteed freedom, without an obedient and meekly accepting flock. Hence came the centuries old deception in translations by turning metaphor into literal application. But even in the days of Nimrod, leaders, in a very blatant autocratic way, knew how to condition and deceive the genuine seeker. Some verses in Scripture have escaped mutilation by “the powers of darkness in heavenly places”. So in Genesis 11:3-4 we read “And they (HUW, HIY HEMMAH = a man) said one to another, Go to, let us make brick…And they (a man) said, Go to let us build a city…and let us make us a name”- very democratic indeed!
Now remember, early pristine humanity was a reconciled spirit and governed by nobody except the innate. Once genuine liberty is redeemed, then a government by the united spirit of the vocative consciousness, that is a government of the ever-present still small voice, would rightly be called theocracy. The rule of the liberated, creative Spirit is where the active God abides. So you see, the true God is a verb, benign thought plus action.
If we look closely at the Genesis stories we find each scene is subsequently followed with backup stories giving more details of a former narrative. The ancient engravings are like circles within circles, spiraling larger and larger in circumference and circumstance. Proceeding to travel through Genesis, little family groups multiply and diversify into larger families with a common ancestry, then intermixed as each lineage develops – e.g. Japheth’s son Tubal marries a Cain progeny and produces Tubal-cain.
In Gen. 1 man rises above his instinctive animal kingdom that was mentally without form and void of any moral consciousness. He arose being capable of applying virtuous conceptual thought, with complete, selective control over complacent, melancholic behavior. Here apposite characteristics were finally apparent - born physically alive was to laugh and to cry – to conquer death by life. Such diversified archetypal characteristics are distinguishing features – the rock of sublime quality. Coming from the soul they are perceived intangibles being abstract but just as real, eternal truths compared to that of objective forms. The ancient writers sought to convey this advancing distinctive aspiring stride as the great turning point of the human mind and heart. Such deft characteristics had become persuasive, and were innate within the individual and are very real. They are best called-up, remembered or brought to realization by using familiar objects. That is something seen, something known or something felt. Some of these symbols were the everyday - Day and Night, Heaven and Earth and earth divided into Earth and Sea. All these familiar objects are used as symbols throughout the graphic writing of the Scriptures. So with symbols, the working of the mind and the heart could be expressed and eventually recorded.
It was an honourable period before I or me began to dominate. It could be said to be the I of grace. Leading up to the emergent picture of man in the garden we read, “But the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth” - Gen. 2:5. Rain, waters, sea and flood are more images within the narrative scripture – see Jer. 46:7-8, Isa. 8:6-8, Isa. 28:1-2, Isa. 17:12-14 and Rev. 17-15. All these texts in some way pertain to human life. Bible symbols must be self-interpretive. Institutions of incrusting folly have had a vested interest in self-proliferation so avoiding any hard, detailed scholarship or revelation of liberty, or voice of conscience for the flock. My contention is that original word meanings must be strenuously sought to understand simple, straightforward messages of human behaviour that the writers left for all who care to know. My approach is not to give a personal interpretation but to use lexical sources only for tracing word interpretation. By doing this ego I, is taken out of the discipline.
Returning to the phrase, “not caused it to rain”. “Rain” here is taken from the word MATAR. Dealing with the word “rain”, Joel 2:23 speaks of the early or former rain. Former rain is from the word MOWREH meaning, teacher of righteousness. This phrase “not caused it to rain” tells us there was no teacher of righteousness, eastward in Eden. So immediately the original interpretation begins to be clarified. “But there went up a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground, Gen. 2:16. The word “mist”, from the original ED means an enveloping fog or vapor, representing a mental fog, mental darkness or a dimness of cognitive understanding. Here is pictured man with no learning, no teacher, no invention, no organization, no government and no ownership - just a dimness of base-level perception – supine or frozen intellect. It was noted that, “there was not a man to till the ground.” Such a necessity had not arisen. Every plant of the field was in the earth and every herb of the field grew. This indicated that pre-conceptual man was an agrarian hunter and gatherer with his hands.
Let’s investigate Eden. This portrait, we are told, was “eastward in Eden”. “Eastward” from QEDEM means, the forefront of time, antiquity, anciently, before east, before the sunrise on Eden. Have you ever heard an institution describe it that way? The original writer is saying primitive man was pre-Edenic – eastward of Eden. Eden means delightful and pleasant. Unfortunately the delight was in enchantment and the knowledge of how to live, shall I say, voluptuously – where vocation, the pivotal spot was unknown and insecurity abounded. The cause of the excitement of living luxuriously will unfold a little latter in this paper. But remember spiritually, this picture is a conditional state of mind and heart.
It is here that the early picture of mankind broadens a little. Woman or ISHA enters the scene. She is ISHA because she is taken out of man who is ISA. This is the first mention of division in human society, showing the woman of the populace, as life-givers and man, as law-givers. These are very important concepts in the ancient writers’ catalogue and have been taken more literally than symbolically by those obsessed by an ecclesiastical grip on subjugation, dullness and darkness.
In contrast woman’s communal bonds and constitution is not from dust but from the essence of the speci man. In other words the perennial life-giver is a reaction to the constituent lawgiver (continued in today’s duality or plurality). Woman’s personification and temperance is resultant from the essence of man. Woman’s embodiment is that of the complete psychosomatic separation from man. In marriage they co-exist despite the ongoing tension. It’s never been a truly subservient relationship, but two equally independent forces within the individual and society. The symbolic woman’s soul or mind is described as apparently outside the physical law, but prolifically signified. Man’s body (structure, law, form) was set as the foundation of the creative fountain of woman (mother of all living). Thus woman was distinctively drawn from the masculine.
What was the next etching of this duality to be considered by the writers? Pristine humanity was a free spirit, and was owned by nobody. The word “free” of course means liberty and not license as we see in I so often in freewill. But Adam, man, the law-giver and Eve, (CHAVAH - mother of all living - the life giver), took what was not theirs to take. “And when the woman saw that the tree (of knowledge of good and evil) was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband and he did eat.” - Gen. 3:6.
We have now covered the story of early, primitive society in a nutshell. Its ramifications are revealed and explained in more detail chapter-by-chapter in the Book of Genesis. By now in Genesis chapter 4, tribes were growing as narrated in the lineage of Cain. The meaning of “taking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil” is about to be magnified, as it gradually becomes multi-layered “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived and bare Cain, and said I have gotten a man from the Lord.” Cain means acquisition. Eve said, “I have gotten”. Yes acquisition had entered the heart and mind of early mankind. This temperament, to possess, came from the symbolic woman. Cain (acquisition) killed his brother Abel. Abel means keeper of the sheep - the shepherd. Acquisition is a deadly vice and it killed the spirit of loving care, typified as a shepherd’s tender care for his sheep. These were days of fight to the death. Historians called this epoch Savagery. The philosophical artists illustrated this time as pre-Edenic.
Cain was jealous of Abel’s major life contribution. Cain, being a tiller of the ground, made an offering of the fruit of the ground, but this was unacceptable. Abel brought an offering of his flock. This was acceptable. Abel’s offering illustrated, by bringing the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof that he was offering the richest or choicest part of his life’s work. Fat from CHELEB means richest or choicest part. The idea sought to be conveyed is simply the difference between those with a sacrificial, communal attitude compared to those without. To sacrifice the richest prime time of one’s life-activity, so as to endeavor to raise living conditions for others in the face of avaricious acquisition, it was believed, would bring betterment to mankind.
Overwhelmingly man’s fear of enslavement caused him to choose to fight for supremacy. This is the male influence within each individual – whether physically male or female. Likewise the female’s constitutional elements exist within social bonds, but as creativity requires resolute, reflective effort, it is easier to decide might is right, and even portrayed as the masculine way. How true the verse “Not by might, (from CHAYIL – army) nor by power, (KOWACH – force, strength, wealth) but by my spirit saith…” “a still small voice”.
Cain, too, had lost peace and tranquility and had to till the ground for his livelihood. Gen. 4:16 records, “Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.” This picturesque narrative is saying, acquisition took a backward step – going east of Eden to a place called Nod. Nod means wandering. This gives a sense of chaos and disorder. When studied carefully this story is clear. It is not the empty story of fundamentalism (a what will I get if I am good). As one travels carefully through the Scriptures it can be seen to be a very rich and fertile message of the honourableness of allocating time for self-sacrifice – or devoted to grace – an acceptance of the inherent voice of conscience. It is wasted on the inattentive thoughtless reader, who is easily influenced and lead to the darker side of life and who sees only desolation in his/her journey. Such a vocation fails to grasp anything beyond the needs of I.
The idea of the victorious conquering tribes possessing the captured and putting them to work, instead of being assimulated (life-giving), as once was the way, came from the members, of the tribes, not the leaders. Symbolically written this was woman – Eve taking of the forbidden fruit. Dominance and ruler-ship was enhanced by possession and gave the tribal leader or patriarch the idea to take complete charge of the defeated and appropriate them. Remember, it is said, Adam took the fruit “and did eat”. Thus arose a new commander stealing the voice of conscience.
Firstly, the members of the tribe had “gotten”. The “right” to possess had completely changed the serene nature of life. Secondly, the militarist commander or mighty hunter replaced the tribal god or patriarch. The inordinate revenge, the desire of taking possession without due regard to the rights of others began in the nomadic life of ancient tribes and then spread to the leaders. The nucleus of possession or ownership, “a gotten for me mentality” a distorted psyche, had reared its ugly head in many different fields. This was a very important development in societal relationships and is well documented graphically in Genesis. We do not know how many eons passed before it dawned on Homo sapiens that they could possess anything, but pre-Edenic conditions were no doubt lengthy.
The story of pristine man being a free spirit (without the ego of I) prior to bondage needed to be hidden. Such native freedom was too democratic and this would leave the peers of society, who taught I guaranteed freedom, without an obedient and meekly accepting flock. Hence came the centuries old deception in translations by turning metaphor into literal application. But even in the days of Nimrod, leaders, in a very blatant autocratic way, knew how to condition and deceive the genuine seeker. Some verses in Scripture have escaped mutilation by “the powers of darkness in heavenly places”. So in Genesis 11:3-4 we read “And they (HUW, HIY HEMMAH = a man) said one to another, Go to, let us make brick…And they (a man) said, Go to let us build a city…and let us make us a name”- very democratic indeed!
Now remember, early pristine humanity was a reconciled spirit and governed by nobody except the innate. Once genuine liberty is redeemed, then a government by the united spirit of the vocative consciousness, that is a government of the ever-present still small voice, would rightly be called theocracy. The rule of the liberated, creative Spirit is where the active God abides. So you see, the true God is a verb, benign thought plus action.
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