The Doctrine of Jezebel

Rev 2:19  I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

The Church at Thyatira seemed to be righteous in most things. Strangely, "works" encompasses charity, service, faith, and patience. "Works" is from the Greek ergon. In modern times, "ergonomics" is designing and arranging activities so that efficiency increases. That particular Church had some effectiveness with charity, service, faith, and patience. Charity is the work of love. Service to God is another work. Faith, although a gift, must be used for effectiveness. It too is a work (1 Thes 1:3). And I think we can agree, that patience is indeed hard work. 

We think of charity as a synonym for love. It is not. One can be generous for wrong reasons. We don't know the reasons why those at Thyatira were charitable but they were commended for their generosity.  Perhaps, they were a loving church!

In modern times, some denominations focus on the social gospel. They are faithful to give, serve, and be patient with sinners. Those are all noble things but not if the focus on Christ is neglected. Nothwithstanding those characteristics which are desirable, Jesus has a few things against Thyatira. Those few things was the doctrine of Jezebel. Her doctrine was a series of obediences to the law of sin:

Rev 2:24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine (of Jezebel), and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

What does Scripture say about Jezebel?

2 Kings 9:22 What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? 1 Kings 21:25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

Jezebel, among others things, brought lasciviousness, witchcraft, and  mischief-making unto King Ahab's realm - Israel. Ahab took for a wife Jezebel and proceeded to serve Baal - her god (1 Kings 16:31). It seems likely that false worship was in the Church of Thyatira. Ahab never gave up God, but had other gods before Him - a violation of the First Commandment. His people - Israel - served two masters, neglecting the Great One for the lesser (Mat 6:24).

Essentially, Israel's two gods were JHVH and themselves. The doctrine of Jezebel is "doing what is right in their own eyes" (Deut 12:8). 

Jezebel "cut off (slayed) the prophets of the Lord" (1 Kings 18:4). She missed Elijah for some reason. The main sin of Jezebel was, "ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim" (1 Kings 18:18).

Baal was associated with solar cults and pantheism - the worship of many gods. As did earlier civilizations who presented Baal as Yahweh, it seems that the Church at Thyatira did some mixing of doctrine. Baalim are the many gods of Baal who were "Lords".

Unlike Yahweh, Baal condones and even appreciates varies and sundry sins. Jezebel is known for her artificiality - decked out in fine apparel, fancy hair style, and extravagant make-up (2 Kings 9:30). Jezebel was the church "whore". Yes, the early Church had their Jezebels. 

I recall a pious friend of mine who was crying at work. I asked the reason to which he replied, "The women at church dress so provocatively that I look at them and sin. "The Spirit was willing but his flesh was weak" (Mat 26:41). Having visited his church before, I had noticed those young women, all sitting in a row. I retorted: "You mean the hooker pew?" Without asking how I knew, he just responded, "yes." 

I don't know if those girls were promiscuous or not. They could have been faithful, patient, servile, and charitable -  just like those at Thyatira. However, they dressed and looked like hookers. Regardless of their righteousness, their appearance and immodesty caused anguish on the part of this old Christian man. There needs to be standards of dress and decorum for God's people. I'm not the one who sets the standards but modesty is aptly described in the Bible.

What is the problem of excesses in dress, makeup, and hair? It's self-indulgences. The focus is on the individual selves rather than God. We must be God-centered, not self-centered. It appears that those at the Church of Thyatira were self-indulgent and did as they please. The modern Church, although faithful to God, are somewhat syncretic - they worship God and themselves. I believe self-importance is the most significant doctrine of Jezebel, notwithstanding her witchcraft and many gods.

God isn't jealous of false gods. He can topple any that he wishes with one thought. On the other hand, God is jealous of us (Exod 20:5). As such, when we are our own god, doing our will, God doesn't want to destroy us. His desire is that "none should perish" (John 3:16). What does God do with us who esteem ourselves so highly? He warns us as He did the Church at Thyatira. That is being merciful. 

Revelation was written as a warning to the world. Jesus will judge us, and the penalty will be paid. In that book we are told of the possible outcomes - eschatology. We have a choice to make, and God's warning is the knowledge we need to do God's will so that we shall be saved.

Sin in the Church is reprehensible. Women, don't be offended. There are men "Jezebels" as well. King Ahab did Jezebel's will! Scripture is to rebuke any and all who act like Jezebels even if they are faithful to the Lord. People with her doctrine will die "except they repent of their deeds." (Rev 2:22).

Don't think of the doctrine of Jezebel as purely one of immodesty and lasciviousness. She brought other gods to Israel. Among them were astrology, necromancy, and all sorts of intrigues. In the modern Church, even Christians do Yoga, horoscopes, and such. Many listen to false doctrine, and bring the doctrine of Satan to Church with them. The desire to be entertained at Church, I believe, is a doctrine of Baal. 

Who is Baal? The gods who represent the law of sin. They are Satan's serpents through which he speaks. Jezebel was a sort of priestess of Baal, bringing Satan's doctrine into the Church. Ahab was his priest.

Nature of Christ

God is supra-natural. Jesus is the natural aspect of him, and Is His Substance. Theologians refer to the three homeostasis - substances of God. That is commonly referred to as "the Holy Trinity". Even "substances" are inaccurate because they are the elements which were created by God. God was not created, but always Was, Is, and Will Be. God is without Name, and merely said "I Am That I Am":

Rev 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.

Hence, God is Existence. He is a composite of everything "good" as "only God is good"  (Mat 9:17).
"Was", "Is", and "Be" are tenses of "I Am".  Thus, God is Infinite in both time and space. That majestic condition is called omnipresence - "present in all places at all times" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

"Goodness" is God's character, being the entirety of all his attributes. His character is made up of knowledge, wisdom, kindness, justice, patience, empathy, grace, mercy, power, and ultimate love, called agape in the Greek. Those attributes are just a few. God is everything "good" and His "goodness" in unlimited. On the other hand there is no evil in Him at all as He cannot even look upon evil:

Hab 1:13 Thou (God) art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously...

When God looks at the creation, He doesn't see the evil. He only looks upon the persons who do evil. What does God see? 

1 Kings 8:39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men).

This knowledge of the heart is called omniscience - knowing everything. Everything apparently does not include evil. God knows the ways of the heart of everyone. As such He knows the will of all mankind who ever existed, even on a personal level. The evil in each person's heart or will is called iniquity. That is how Satan has influenced us by "the law of sin".

God is just. He judges our heart - or our will. The measure by which God judges is God's will. Scripture refers to God's will as "the law of God". The metrics of His law is love. The greatest love is loving God with all our strength, mind, heart, and soul (Luke 10:27), and others as ourselves. Because God saw man's heart with original sin, he knows how much mankind loves Himself. He buys into that under one condition: that we love others to the same degree!

God's Laws, or His will, is metricized with the Ten Commandments. They were written on stone by the finger of God (Exod 31:18). He wrote them because they are His will. They were written on stone to be everlasting. They are fulfilled by loving God and others. Why does God want us to love him with all our strength, mind, heart, and soul? Because he loves us that much (John 3:16). He demonstrated the depth of His love by allowing Himself to be crucified. In order to feel our pain, temptations, isolation, and desperation, God took on flesh to be like His creatures. God took on the nature of man, maintaining his supra-nature and power. On the cross, he sacrificed his Flesh, Soul, and Power on our behalf by taking on the iniquity of all mankind of all ages. He bore physical and spiritual death so that we would not need to.

Jesus is God's nature. We were created in God's image (Gen 1:27). Our flesh, clouded that image. Jesus is God's image:

2 Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Jesus was made like us, ironically, after we were made in the same image he was!

Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 

So Jesus was made in the image of God, as we were as well, but then Jesus was born like us. One big difference is that Jesus was born without sin!

2 Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

Mankind was born with sin (Psalm 51:5). Jesus took on sin for our sakes to be like us. Before Jesus, God couldn't even look at sin, but God became flesh to bear our sins - all of them.

Jesus's nature is God's nature since Jesus is God. John 1:1,14 bears that out. It is never God and Jesus but Jesus Is God and God Is Jesus.

Jesus said "I Am":

Mat 14:27 (YLT) ...and immediately Jesus spake to them, saying, `Be of good courage, I am , be not afraid.' 

"I Am" is from this literal translation. Hence, Jesus is the Great "I Am' - God's Existence.  God in the flesh is "called Jesus"! (Mat 1:25). God was all supra-natural until he became flesh. God became natural. The natural substance of God is referred to as the "Son of Man". The supra-natural Existence is referred to as the "Son of God". On the other hand, Jesus Is God and Jesus Is Man. He is not half man and half God but fully man and fully God. God is not three persons or even two. He is One Existence with three characteristics. He is one person called Jesus.

Why called? Because he Is Existence. Being God Jesus "IS". I AM THAT I AM is JHWH. That is the God's Hebrew description transliterated into the English. JHWH is also transliterated as JHVH. We pronounce that "Jehovah" a combination of the English letters for I AM THAT I AM and Adonay. Hence, God, to avoid using his "Name", is called Adonai, rather than JHVH. 

Jesus is the English transliteration for the Hebrew Yeshua, meaning "Jah is salvation". Jah, in turn, is the shortened Greek pronunciation of Yahweh - JHWH. You see, the etymology of the Name Jesus Is JHWH!

They say Yahweh (JHWH), we say Jehovah (JHVH). Both are what God is called, and it Is God who saves: Jesus - Jah is salvation. Names mean things in scripture, and God made it clear that He Is Jesus!

We don't like it, but not only does Jesus love mankind but also metes out justice. Jesus is "good" because as God who is good, Jesus is good. Likewise, God is just and Jesus is as well. 

Mat 25:41 Then shall he (Jesus) say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels...

That's not very nice from our perspective but it is just.  Jesus gives us enumerable chances - seventy times seven (Mat 18:22).  With that degree of fairness we are without excuse (Rom 1:20).

Jesus didn't learn the Scripture from anyone. He repeated what he so often had said long before. John said he is "the Word" (John 1:14) which of course, is what is written in Scripture. Jesus was born with the entire body of knowledge of God because he Is God! He spoke to John the Baptist even in the womb. We know that because John leaped within Elizabeth's womb (Luke 1:41) and Elizabeth was filled with Jesus's "Holy Ghost". Jesus transferred some of his power to Elizabeth, and subsequently John.

Jesus was a Nazarite. (See Num 6). He was set apart for God's work. Like Samson and John the Baptist, Jesus was never known to have drank wine. Neither did Jesus ever touch the dead unless he made them alive! In the only "picture" of Jesus I've seen he had moderately long fair as did the Nazarites. However, his strength lied not in his hair but in his Holy Spirit! (Note: Pilate apparently gave Caesar a signet ring with Jesus's likeness in it. That picture is below.)

Jesus the Christ

In order to be saved, we must know Jesus (John 14:6) because he is the Way to eternal life. My hope is that you know Jesus by this time. One thing which must be known is that God Created existence, and Jesus was right there speaking it into being! The creation manifests God:

Rom 1:21 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse...

The creation is evidence that God Exists. If anyone doesn't believe that God was Creator, they deny Jesus. That is not the Way to be saved! One thing the Word Jesus is not; he is not a liar. That characteristic belongs to Satan - the father of lies. The Word said that "in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth". Jesus doesn't lie! It is his nature to be truthful:

John 14:16 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Seeing God in Jesus

Rev 2:18 ...These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass...

This vision was seen long before, likewise in a vision by Daniel:

Dan 10:4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; 5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

The river Hiddekel is interpreted to be the Tigress by Gensenius.  This was one of four streams which flowed out of Eden from its headwaters. Normally, rivers flow into waters from the mountains. These rivers flowed out of the waters into the land. Since the land was much different at the creation, I believe that at that time, all the four rivers flowed from the Mediterranean sea ( http://kentuckyherrin.blogspot.com/2016/10/eden-pangea.html).

However, the location of Daniel has no meaning other than he seems to be on one of the rivers of God. "The River of God", I believe was Gihon Spring which flows from the Kidron Valley into the Pool of Siloam in the City of David. It's name means "fountain of the virgin" . This Spring was the livelihood of Jerusalem since its beginning. Obviously, the Gihon Spring is the "living water" of Jesus who was born of the virgin Mary.

I believe that the Gihon Spring was the river Gihon (Gen 2:13) which flowed from the head waters. (It is to be noted that I have learned much more about Eden since the time I wrote the commentary on Pangea.) What I'm saying is that the Garden of Eden is the Old City of David, and perhaps the Gihon Spring is the River of God:

Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life.

From all this seemingly diverse material, it is implied that the vision of the Son of God (Rev 2:18) above was the Tree of Life who is God manifested.  As Daniel looked on the Hiddekel, it was water which flowed from the throne of God and the Lamb. Scripture says that Heaven is God's throne and the earth His footstool (Isa 61:6) but they were connected (2 Chron 9:18). Hence, Eden on earth where Daniel stood at God's footstool is Heaven where the Throne of God is.

My contention is that just as God ascended to heaven, and sits on His throne, that long before the Garden had ascended as well to prepare for Jesus a place, just as he prepares for us a place. That notion is reinforced by the City of God as New Jerusalem which will someday descend into it's place:

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

It would seem that John saw his vision from Patmos on the Mediterranean, which I believe to be the headwaters of the rivers of the Garden. Daniel saw the same vision from one of it's four branches.

What is the significance, then, of the fine brass (Rev 2:18) and the polished brass (Dan 10:6)? Both were descriptions of Jesus's feet. Bronze was in those days more specifically brass according to Easton's Bible Dictionary. The bronze snake from John 3 was symbolic of Jesus Christ, and those who looked upon it were safe. The bronze - brass snake was the color red, representing the blood of Jesus. The laver for the water in the tabernacle had feet of bronze just as Jesus does here. Jesus is the source of living water, represented by the still water in the laver whose turbulence, when applied, washed the priests clean.

Thus, I believe the bronze feet represented Jesus' power to wash away sin by his atoning blood.

What about "his eyes like unto a flame of fire"?  Daniel described them as, "his eyes as lamps of fire" (Dan 10:6).

Isaiah spoke of the last days:

Isa 66:14 And when ye see this (the man child), your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. 15 For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

That explains both the fire and the sword!

The "eyes of fire" which John saw symbolizes justice. Ironically, although many deny it, God's metrics for love are the Commandments written on stone - to endure forever. We find God "as of fire" writing the Laws of God on stone. The following is Moses encounter with him on "the mountain of God" Mount Horeb.

Exod 3:2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

Horeb is the place where Moses struck the rock and the water of life flowed from it (Exod 17:6).  I contend that the Burning Bush represents the Holy Trinity just as the Tree of Life does. There are three parts to each: the unseen, the seen, and the power. For the Tree of Life, the Tree represents Jesus, the Root of the Tree - God and the underground stream - the Holy Spirit. With the Burning Bush, the Mountain - God, the Bush - Jesus and the Flame - the Holy Spirit. As such when one looked at the flaming eyes of God (Rev 2) it was Jesus who is seen! Moses couldn't look God in the face but he could look at the burning bush with no reason to avert his gaze (Exod 3:3).

John saw God's face. Moses could too! However, it was Jesus manifested in both cases. God showed Daniel his face as well. When you see Jesus you are looking at God:

Col 1:15 Who (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature...

Whenever any biblical patriarch saw images of God, it was Jesus who they saw. Most of the time, when the image of God spoke, He was "the Angel of God". The description in Rev 2:18 was the same Angel of God with whom Jacob wrestled, Samson's parents spoke, Shadrack and his brothers walked with in the fiery furnace and so on! In fact, the bronze feet was the power to walk through that furnace, and save the three brothers.

Now I have explained the vision John saw as he wrote to the angel of the Church at Thyatira. I hope you see God finally. We can see him in Jesus!

Vindication and Blaming

My brother and I got into mischief as children. He was more responsible, being three years older. We were both misbehaving, and knowing that Dad was privy to secret knowledge, that I would get into trouble. Therefore, like Adam before me, I sought to blame. Adam blamed Eve, and I blamed my brother.

I went to Dad to vindicate myself. I said to him, "Carroll was playing with matches." That was the truth! Dad responded, "Tell Carroll to come see me." Dutifully, I marched out and returned with my older brother. 

Dad queried, "Carroll, were you playing with matches?" To which he responded, "Yes, and Larry was too." 

Dad continued as Perry Mason: "Is that true, Larry?"

I responded like a typical Democrat, "I'm not saying any more!"

This is not political, so please keep on reading.

"Blaming" is holding someone else accountable for you being the cause of some action or behavior. For Adam, it was eating of the forbidden fruit. He sought to take the focus off his own misbehavior by focusing on Eve. Not to be outdone, Eve blamed the serpent (see Gen 3). Eve was a participant in mischief. So was the serpent. However, their shared guiltiness with Adam did not vindicate Adam. Carroll's playing with matches did not vindicate me either! I could blame him all that I wanted but I was still guilty!

"Vindication" is "being freed from allegation or blame" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). God didn't buy into Adam's excuse, and Dad didn't buy into mine! Because Adam and Carroll were guilty did not free me from guiltiness. We were all partners in crime.

Adults play this game all the time. Not to dismiss true assault and intimidation, many of the actresses who accused someone of sexual harassment set themselves up. Feminists will get angry here, and so will some Christian women. However, there is a "law of sin". It's not a set of rules and regulations, but a lack of any. It's doing what is right in one's own eyes:

Deut 12:8 Ye shall not do after all the things (sins) that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.

Compare this to what the Hebrews were to do: 

Deut 12:1 These (rules) are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land...

The statutes and judgments are God's will for His people, and are "the Law of God". Paul spoke of them both in the same sentence:

Rom 7:25 ...with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. 

The law of sin is easy to do: it is no more than neglecting the Law of God. Now for the application to my commentary.

There is always one main or "root cause" for any effect. For instance, the "root cause" of  car accidents is most often inattentiveness on the part of someone.  The car most often had little bearing on the injury to it's passenger, or the passengers in the other car if more than one is involved. Seldom does anyone blame the car unless it has been investigated and found to have a malfunction. That is most often not the case. If one blames the innocent car every time an accident happened, there would never be any remedial action. Driving schools to improve driving habits wouldn't exist.

In mass shootings, death and injuries are the effect. There is always a root-cause for the effect. Is the root-cause the gun? That will be silly to blame the gun for being a gun. There must be a reasonable and rational true root-cause. Obviously, there is something wrong with the shooters. However, that is not the root-cause. It lies deeper than that! 

It could be insanity. Courts determine that by psychological evaluation. On the other hand, it could be something as simple as hatred - summarily desiring to have one's way. Like it or not, hatred starts with neglect of God's Laws. Whether the reader sees them as divine or practical is beside the point. "Thou shalt not kill," is a great and necessary Law. Our civil law in the west comes from the Laws of God. Thus, as a civilized country - non-barbarous - killing at one time was monstrous!

The respect for life has been diminished with abortion and euthanasia. Perhaps we need to examine these mass murderers lack of respect for life. I would bet that it is dismissal of God's Laws as non-punitive. However, murder and respect for live is not the scope of this commentary. Neglect of the Law of God is!

Those accused of sexual harassment in politics and entertainment are not to be excused. However, there is a root-cause of their behavior. It all starts with neglect of the Law of God in favor of the law of sin. I turn to David's sin to further explain: David entered into temptation by looking from the roof, he lusted, and the consequences were adultery and murder. What was his temptation? Bathsheba bathing naked fully exposed to anyone who looked her way. Bathsheba wasn't stupid. She saw the palace there, knew David or anyone else would be able to see her, but bathed in plain view without regard to God's will.

Who do you think placed naked Bathsheba in full view? Was it God, or was it Satan? Since the result was sin, it was the law of sin which used Bathsheba to tempt  (Read 2 Sam 11). Nothing has changed  since those days. Not all but some sexual harassment was caused by the law of sin. To wit: the immodesty and provocativeness of some of the accusers. I'm sure they had no desire to be sexually harassed but their neglect of the Law of God certainly does not help!

1 Tim 2:9 ...that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

Paul advised Timothy of the will of God - the source of the Law of God. You've come a long way, baby! Paul was worried about braided hair, gold jewelry, pearls, and fancy clothes. God's way is simplicity and modesty in dress and undress. It goes without saying that bearing the "full Monty" is out of the question! Bathsheba bore it all, and so do many women who tantalize the men.

Using my own reasoning, none of the men can be excused because blaming the women can never vindicate them. The men and women both ignore the Law of God, and do whatever it is they desire to do. Why would women dress provocatively, or act in parts which are provocative? The answer to the former is to attract men. The answer to the latter is for the love of money! Both are of the law of sin. 

The root-cause of sexual harassment is Satan. He tempts men and women to "do what they wilt!" which is how Satanists say it. I don't fault only the women who accuse nor only the accused men. Neither are either vindicated - both are at fault. Newton's Third Law - actually God's Law - is that "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. " As such, for every interaction there are a pair of forces acting. This is called in theology "dualism". 

David wasn't acting alone when he stared at the forbidden fruit. The fruit was there tempting. The two forces were both Satan's will. There was a reaction for both David and Bathsheba. Bathsheba wanted to be admired, and David wanted to admire. Both got their wishes! Are all these things conscious thought? Not necessarily, although they can be. We become acclimated to sin, and our nature is to do the dance with which we are born. David said it well: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Psalm 51:5).

We are born to sin! Since sin is our nature, hard work is required to overcome sin. To make the work harder, we are tempted. The "victim" and the "victimized" in the aforementioned cases may just be doing what they are mutated to do! The Designer's intent was that we be pure. Satan's will is that we be not! We are born impure. 

I like the phrase, "It takes two to tango." This is Newton's Third Law, and God's Law, in slang. In order to not dance the dance of Salome, don't go to the dance. Indeed, everyone needs to ask God, "deliver us from evil" (Luke 11:4).

A New Secret Name

Sometimes scripture has such hidden meaning that the unstudied cannot decipher it. In ancient times, especially in the Bible, names mean things. God has a plan for all of us, and throughout time his plan for people were in their names. Take for instance Moses - "to draw out of the water".  Thus, Moses, a few months later, was drawn out of the water for God's purpose - to save his people. Since, Moses has been symbolic of God the Father. He was selected to present God's Law to mankind. 

If we continue in this vein, the Law was written on stone because it was to be everlasting. We don't know if it was white stone or not, but regardless, coming from God, it was pure. White is always associated with purity:

Dan 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

Mark 9:2 ...he was transfigured before them. 3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. 4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

Mat 28:2  And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow...

Rev 1:13 ...one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow...

Jesus was in these four verses: (1) the ancient of days, (2) Jesus transfigured, (3) Jesus resurrected, and (4) Jesus glorified - ascended unto glory, respectively. Even Jesus's name has deep meaning - "deliverance", very fitting for the Deliverer!

The only point to be made here is that white represents the purity of God, and is manifested in Jesus. Note that from the ancient of days unto glorification the One without Name received a name - he was "called Jesus" (Luke 2:21). It may be stretching it a bit but the ancient of days was JHVH, God in the flesh was called Jesus, and God Glorified was called the Comforter - the "Ghost of Jesus" (John 14:26) and was sent in Jesus's Name. Like it or not, the crucified Spirit was the Ghost of Jesus. 

Thus, in Christ's case, when God's purpose changed, his Name changed with his purpose. Likewise, with his children, upon adoption, there comes a change in name - most notably, Simon became Peter, and Saul became Paul. Not always did converts receive name changes as far as we know, but obviously Jesus had specific purposes for those two! He does for us as well!

Guess what Peter's name means? Stone! Jesus was the cornerstone of the church (Psalm 118:22). Many of the Old and New Testament writers prophesied or spoke of the Cornerstone - Jesus Christ. But Peter was "the Stone" as well!

1 Pet 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Just as the twelve leaders of the tribes of Israel were to set up twelve stones:

Deut 27:1 And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day. 2 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister: 3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee. 4 Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister. 5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the Lord thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them. 6 Thou shalt build the altar of the Lord thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord thy God: 7 And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the Lord thy God.

We know that when Jacob wrestled with God and won, his name was changed to Israel. His twelve male heirs made up the names of the new land - the land of milk and honey. As the tribes passed over the Jordon, Canaan was transformed, a new nation, into Israel. The whitewashed stones may very well be the meaning of today's key verse:

Rev 2:17 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

This passage commences with an Old Testament concept - manna from heaven which preserved the Israelites (Psalm 78:24). However, the New Testament speaks of a different name for the same bread:

John 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

The bread spoken of in Rev 2:17 is the bread of John 6:57, it had a different purpose than the bread of life whose Name is Jesus.  Like the twelve tribes who overcame the wilderness, crossed the Jordan, and set up white stones, as they entered into "paradise"; we are given a white stone as well as we pass over into Paradise!

Canaanland got a new name - Israel. So will we! On that white stone a new name will be written. I don't know mine yet, and neither do you. My thought is in Heaven I will get a new name:

Paul told the Church about this transformation:

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

New creatures get new names! "Old things are passed away." That includes our names because "all things become new."  Paul was validated by John's revelation:

Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

I know, I have sort of meandered through this one, but I believe the conclusion is that we are made white as snow at glorification - just like Jesus, and that in Paradise we will have a new name. I like to think that I will bear my name somewhere on my glorified person just as those who are damned will bear the mark of the beast - 666.

Paul bore a mark:

Gal 6:17 I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. 

Notice that Paul's "mark" was not on his flesh but as he said, "in my body". That mark is the scar of a circumcised heart as Paul became a new person!  Perhaps, because we will be as white as snow when we're glorified, our soul will bear a new name, and that name will be only known to me.