Christmas is different; it belongs to the world now. What caused the difference? There are many contributors to losing the meaning of Christmas. This time, I'm not even referring to the best way to worship Christ; I'm referring to family time.
In years past, there was a patriarch and/or matriarch who was the oldest living member of the family. Ours was Mom and Dad. Christmas, although about Jesus's birth, was focused on honoring Dad and Mom. They did without commencing with the Great Depression which never really ended. Everyone loved and respected my parents. They gave many of our relatives and even strangers an economic start In Indiana as they moved from less prosperous Kentucky.
Hence, our Christmas was based on the First and Fifth Commandments because we were honoring our Father in Heaven and our parents on earth. We realized that the purpose of the occasion was thanking Jesus for being born to die for us (redemption), and Dad and Mom who lived for their children. Dad and Mom never provoked their children to wrath, and consequently all the children loved them; so much that we would travel hundreds of miles on Christmas to honor them.
Those reasons for the seasons are lost. At that time, Christmas was about Jesus and family. Not for everyone but for many. Now it's all about people. In other words it is so commercialized that many don't even honor Jesus on Christmas Day! Furthermore, neither are the matriarchs and patriarchs honored. What has divided the traditional family? For many, the search for prosperity. For instance, I have moved state to state twice. Even with that, I always came back home for Christmas because that is where family was. With Dad and Mom departed, that reason is lost. However, I continue the trip most years to be with family. Family bonds keeps traditions.
Migration for better jobs divides families. I did it twice never realizing what I was losing. My own children never fully got to experience Dad and Mom. They knew them well but failed to comprehend how important the older generation was. We all spoiled Mom and Dad with gifts; nothing expensive, to see the joy on their faces. They had little luxury items in their lives due to poverty, and we all gave many gifts just to see the delight on their faces. They didn't really care for the gifts but the loves which surrounded them. My siblings all loved our parents dearly. They are gone, and that focal point is lost. Thus, younger children need their own patriarchs and matriarchs with whom to share and love. Many younger people have them, but fail to have the same reverence. There again are those two reasons: (1) geographical separation, and (2) blended families.
Before I moved around, I never realized the consequences of migration. I separated my kids from their matriarch and patriarch. That cost me too fold: (1) they never had their example, nor (2) appreciated grandfatherly and grandmotherly types of love. Neither have my own grandchildren for the same reason. Although a recent great-grandfather, I still am not a patriarch because patriarchs sit on the family throne and distributes love for love on return.
My job caused me to even miss being a good father. Corporations care little about the family. When my children were young, I often worked seven twelves plus overtime. General Motors robbed my family life. I traded love for prosperity not realizing that God would have taken care of me if I had changed jobs. It's too late for me now, but career isn't everything! I also learned that promotion means little. I longed for promotions in my early years but after moving twice, I turned down a total of eleven promotions, most from one state to another. I didn't want to disrupt my children's lives again nor separate myself from them. With poetic justice, vocations and the search for good pay stole all my children from me. They all moved away. I lost my patriarchy because of economic reasons.
The other most terribly divisive tactic in the Devil's toolbox is blended families. Specifically, those blended by divorce. I consequence of divorce is a divided family. The division is seen most horribly on Thanksgiving and Christmas. As we try to honor Jesus, Satan laughs at all the chaos he caused with blended families. Divorce separates families, and remarriage blends them. Nowadays children have six, seven, eight, or more "grandparents". Some of them are not even blood related. Patriarchy and matriarchy is lost with divorce and remarriage.
Before divorce became so rampant, families generally lived in the same proximity. The family would visit my parents for dinner, and her parents for supper. That was because people dis not massively move all over the U.S. for jobs. Families were more important than a minor promotion and a few dollars more! I mad that mistake; it was indeed a huge mistake. Besides God, families are the greatest gift anyone can receive on Christmas.
I miss traditional Christmas. I am supposed to be elated on Christmas day. That is difficult because the best gift would be the presence of my siblings and children. Sure, I can travel to see them, which I most often do, but it would be fantastic if I could be in my home with those I love the most. We came to Grandpa's house for Christmas; everyone did. We all knew where we were going and to whom we were honoring. Now, few even know where they will be at Christmas nor with whom they will be, if anyone at all!
I dread Christmas. Macy's, Walmart, and Best Buy love Christmas for the same reason I dread it. They are honored, but I don't believe that presents are the way to honor. At Christmas I care little for the materialism. It can never replace love and honor. To be truthful, I am not as honored by a trinket or clothing little compared to three words: I love you.
Jesus received three presents at his birth. It wasn't the gifts which honored him but that he was honored. The magi traveled hundreds of miles probably on camels to honor Jesus - THE Patriarch of mankind. The gifts were not really gold, frankincense, and myrrh bit honoring his Supremacy (Kingship), his life (ministry), and his death (suffering). Those wise men knew that that Jesus would only be around for a short time, and came to honor his death at his birth. The tradition for Christmas, of course, should be on honoring Jesus together. There is power in unity, and how much more powerful it would be if families were in one accord with the focus on Jesus!
Saturday, December 22, 2018
Friday, December 21, 2018
Lilith: Eating Your Children
My commentary today is on the screech owl - Lilith - from the Book of Isaiah chapter 34. She is included in a list of unclean "animals". Is it important to know who Lilith was/is? Certainly, or she would not be listed in the Bible. Isaiah saw Lilith as a creature in the future who was there in the past. One thing is certain: Lilith was not a screech owl but her nature was of one. Why would translators call Lilith a screech owl? The Hebrew word is Zilil which is pronounced lee-leeth' and means "night spectre". "She" was not an owl, but Isaiah surely thought of the annoying sound of her voice. A "spectre" is " a visible disembodied spirit, or something that haunts or perturbs the mind" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).
According to Mesopotamian writings, Lilith was a female goddess. In Christianity, that makes her a female demon. Likewise, in the Babylonian Talmud "Lilith is often envisioned as a dangerous demon of the night, who is sexually wanton, and who steals babies in the darkness" (Wikipedia; "Lilith"). I have already written on her as the first feminist and as a model for feminists because of the abortion issue. See the following links in "Herrin Daily Thoughts" on the web:
Isaiah chapter 34 deals with a prophecy of Edom after its eminent defeat by Nebuchadnezzar who destroyed Judah and the Temple. Edomites were of the line of Esaw, brother to Jacob, renamed Israel. The people were distant cousins, but the Edomites not only had JHVH as God but several other false gods. They were part of Judah, but sided with Babylonia when Judah was destroyed. Edomites were traitors both in a civil sense and spiritually. Isaiah predicted their punishment. It would seem that certain demons would haunt when Edom would be destroyed.
Theologians compare Edom to the kingdom of the Antichrist who seems to be a Christ but is not. Isaiah, as usual, refers to the near future and applies it to the end of times, as he does in that chapter. We know that by his description of Jesus who will come long after Edom has been destroyed. Thus, Edom represents the last days in the Great Tribulation period of the Book of Revelation.
The Great tribulation will not come on suddenly after Christians are raptured, but slowly and with stealth until the times are as in the days of Noah. Those were evil times. Imagine if you will, Hollywood with its rampant sin and total denial of Christian values. As did the righteous line of Seth who lusted after the sins of the line of Cain (Books of Adam and Eve), even Christians look on Hollywood and their sinful productions without even realizing that they too are lusting after sin from their holy condition. Like Seth's line, Christians today gradually succumb to iniquity so slowly that they fail to realize it!
I attended a holiness (not Pentecostal) church in my youth. They discouraged Christians from watching television because they believed it to be corrupting. I ignored that teaching as silliness when I was a teen. Many others in that denomination did as well, and now they are not any different than mainstream denominations. Hollywood has captured the hearts of Christians. I believe that most Christians prefer what Hollywood has to offer than what God provides. That can be seen in their viewing habits.
What does this have to do with Lilith? Lilith, the night demon, steals the young of others. That is abortion, of course, but many other things. She is referred to as a shadow. Working her works in darkness, few realize that she is there along with the other vultures. I'm speaking of stealing our children's hearts. Lilith is hidden in entertainment, education, and even liberal churches which endow her with power. I don't believe women are biblically called to preach. That is against scripture. (Research that yourself for it is in there!)
Although many women preachers are exemplary Christians, that vocation is reserved for men. On the other hand, most often, women bishops are the most prone to have other teachings in opposition to scripture. Many liberal denominations have women ministers and deacons. Those are the same denominations which condone homosexuality and abortion and are proponents of feminism. Without question, feminism is antipathetic to the will of God. Not equality, but the arrogance and belligerence of rabid feminists, especially their spokeswomen!
Where can Lilith be found? She is hidden in the shadows so you will never see her. Recently, Chelsea Clinton went on record as a representative of Lilith; she declared pro-life viewpoints as unchristian. She has said that witches should be respected. Lilith is accepted by witches as one of their spirit guides! Abortion proponents use Lilith the "screech owl" as their mentor. Those are the people your children see as leaders. Lilith is in the shadows as proponents of liberal ideas are presented to them in stealth.
I have used the example on several occasions: In my first semester in college, Professor Sharchburg declared: "Man is no more than a tree of a frog." I saw and heard the man Scharchburg, but Lilith was there with that vulture, feeding on the young people in my class. Evolution is Lilithian. Her proponents even believe in some type of existence before the biblical creation. Teachings to our young people on such matters as evolution, abortion, homosexuality, and sexual freedom is Lilith speaking from the shadows. She was there with the Edomites, was there with Adam, will be there in the end of days, and is with your children right now!
I believe that Lilith is the most effective of all Satan's demons. She has already stolen many female children from their nests and is nibbling away at the men children. That can even be seen in voting patterns: abortion rights is the main and most important issue to women. They vote Democrat mainly for that reason. Like Lilith, their offspring are just a product of pleasure.
Wherever pleasure is, there is the demon Lilith. Rabid feminists are the epitome of screech owls. They are always there subtly copying the cunning Serpent, eating away at the young with falsehoods. For instance, Megan Fox, on a documentary special I watched recently, was twisting truth as she listened to speculation and hunches. Before the Viking Women special was over, speculation became fact, and she presented hunches as truth. She also went into the forest and opened her mind in meditation to the spirits there. I believe Lilith was there in the shadows speaking to that naïve woman.
Who cares? It seems no one, but if she doesn't change, Ms. Fox will go the way of Edom. She will belong to the antichrist if she doesn't already. Lilith belongs to the Antichrist. She's his "screech owl" always there in the shadows deceiving. Uur children must cease being educated and entertained by those who speak for Lilith. Christian adults are effected as well. Many sit there watching Hollywood movies where Lilith silently screeches her subliminal messages through the shadows disrupted only by the movie projector.
According to Mesopotamian writings, Lilith was a female goddess. In Christianity, that makes her a female demon. Likewise, in the Babylonian Talmud "Lilith is often envisioned as a dangerous demon of the night, who is sexually wanton, and who steals babies in the darkness" (Wikipedia; "Lilith"). I have already written on her as the first feminist and as a model for feminists because of the abortion issue. See the following links in "Herrin Daily Thoughts" on the web:
Now read the scripture associated with Lilith:
The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest. There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate. (Isa 34:14-15)
 |
| Painting of Lilith by John Colyer |
Isaiah chapter 34 deals with a prophecy of Edom after its eminent defeat by Nebuchadnezzar who destroyed Judah and the Temple. Edomites were of the line of Esaw, brother to Jacob, renamed Israel. The people were distant cousins, but the Edomites not only had JHVH as God but several other false gods. They were part of Judah, but sided with Babylonia when Judah was destroyed. Edomites were traitors both in a civil sense and spiritually. Isaiah predicted their punishment. It would seem that certain demons would haunt when Edom would be destroyed.
Theologians compare Edom to the kingdom of the Antichrist who seems to be a Christ but is not. Isaiah, as usual, refers to the near future and applies it to the end of times, as he does in that chapter. We know that by his description of Jesus who will come long after Edom has been destroyed. Thus, Edom represents the last days in the Great Tribulation period of the Book of Revelation.
The Great tribulation will not come on suddenly after Christians are raptured, but slowly and with stealth until the times are as in the days of Noah. Those were evil times. Imagine if you will, Hollywood with its rampant sin and total denial of Christian values. As did the righteous line of Seth who lusted after the sins of the line of Cain (Books of Adam and Eve), even Christians look on Hollywood and their sinful productions without even realizing that they too are lusting after sin from their holy condition. Like Seth's line, Christians today gradually succumb to iniquity so slowly that they fail to realize it!
I attended a holiness (not Pentecostal) church in my youth. They discouraged Christians from watching television because they believed it to be corrupting. I ignored that teaching as silliness when I was a teen. Many others in that denomination did as well, and now they are not any different than mainstream denominations. Hollywood has captured the hearts of Christians. I believe that most Christians prefer what Hollywood has to offer than what God provides. That can be seen in their viewing habits.
What does this have to do with Lilith? Lilith, the night demon, steals the young of others. That is abortion, of course, but many other things. She is referred to as a shadow. Working her works in darkness, few realize that she is there along with the other vultures. I'm speaking of stealing our children's hearts. Lilith is hidden in entertainment, education, and even liberal churches which endow her with power. I don't believe women are biblically called to preach. That is against scripture. (Research that yourself for it is in there!)
Although many women preachers are exemplary Christians, that vocation is reserved for men. On the other hand, most often, women bishops are the most prone to have other teachings in opposition to scripture. Many liberal denominations have women ministers and deacons. Those are the same denominations which condone homosexuality and abortion and are proponents of feminism. Without question, feminism is antipathetic to the will of God. Not equality, but the arrogance and belligerence of rabid feminists, especially their spokeswomen!
Where can Lilith be found? She is hidden in the shadows so you will never see her. Recently, Chelsea Clinton went on record as a representative of Lilith; she declared pro-life viewpoints as unchristian. She has said that witches should be respected. Lilith is accepted by witches as one of their spirit guides! Abortion proponents use Lilith the "screech owl" as their mentor. Those are the people your children see as leaders. Lilith is in the shadows as proponents of liberal ideas are presented to them in stealth.
I have used the example on several occasions: In my first semester in college, Professor Sharchburg declared: "Man is no more than a tree of a frog." I saw and heard the man Scharchburg, but Lilith was there with that vulture, feeding on the young people in my class. Evolution is Lilithian. Her proponents even believe in some type of existence before the biblical creation. Teachings to our young people on such matters as evolution, abortion, homosexuality, and sexual freedom is Lilith speaking from the shadows. She was there with the Edomites, was there with Adam, will be there in the end of days, and is with your children right now!
I believe that Lilith is the most effective of all Satan's demons. She has already stolen many female children from their nests and is nibbling away at the men children. That can even be seen in voting patterns: abortion rights is the main and most important issue to women. They vote Democrat mainly for that reason. Like Lilith, their offspring are just a product of pleasure.
Wherever pleasure is, there is the demon Lilith. Rabid feminists are the epitome of screech owls. They are always there subtly copying the cunning Serpent, eating away at the young with falsehoods. For instance, Megan Fox, on a documentary special I watched recently, was twisting truth as she listened to speculation and hunches. Before the Viking Women special was over, speculation became fact, and she presented hunches as truth. She also went into the forest and opened her mind in meditation to the spirits there. I believe Lilith was there in the shadows speaking to that naïve woman.
Who cares? It seems no one, but if she doesn't change, Ms. Fox will go the way of Edom. She will belong to the antichrist if she doesn't already. Lilith belongs to the Antichrist. She's his "screech owl" always there in the shadows deceiving. Uur children must cease being educated and entertained by those who speak for Lilith. Christian adults are effected as well. Many sit there watching Hollywood movies where Lilith silently screeches her subliminal messages through the shadows disrupted only by the movie projector.
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Political Correctness: Spiritual Wrongness
There are three "orders" on earth: (1) the doctrine of the world, (2) the Doctrine of Christ, and (3) chaos. The doctrine of the world is referred to as "the law of sin," and the doctrine of Christ is "the Law of God" (Rom 7:25): "With the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." Chaos is lawlessness: "The law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient" (1 Tim 1:9). The latter is "doing what is right in their own eyes" (Jud 21:25) as if there is no law.
The Law of God is doing God's will: "Ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you" (Rom 6:17). Of course, that "doctrine" is of God and contrasts to one's own doctrine: "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John 7:17). Libertarianism is self-law or lawlessness when taken to the extreme.
When people develop their own doctrine, take it from scripture; they will be deceived! To be honest, Satan well knows the Doctrine of Christ; he uses truth and manipulates it so as to pervert it. Most evil ideas are based on truth with an infusion of lies; that is called deception. The modern term for that is a narrative.
For instance, the "religion" of the world is philosophy - the love of wisdom; it comes from the Tree of Knowledge. Philosophy, in modern times, is mostly through psychology. Psychology was once attractive enough to me that I took graduate studies in that study. I was blessed because at the same time I read my Bible throughout, and the Word of God is the "sword" which I came to wield often in class (Ephes 6:17). What was happening I know now:
Psychology is "the study of the soul" and those who prefer psychology to Christianity, have a love of wisdom which is philosophy. Their "soul" is the human "conscience". The Tree of Knowledge just as easily be called the Philosophy Tree! All religions require a God. The God of Christianity created mankind whereas in philosophy, mankind created their own "god". Reason is their "god" and she uses the name Libertas or "Liberty" in English. Her doctrine is reason - the insight obtained from the Tree of Knowledge.
Why is that discussion so important? Because nothing has changed in all the thousands of years of existence. Mankind still stands beneath the Philosophy Tree as God sheds tears at the Tree of Truth (The Tree of Life). The war is between three entities: Philosophy, Christology, and Chaos. Satan's goal is chaos - the elimination of order. Whose order do you suppose that is? God's order - the Doctrine of Christ. The spiritual war condenses to the forces of evil against the army of God.
People weren't created foolish. That grows on people. They would never except outright unadulterated hatred. It must be tempered with love. Let me now define a new idea - the Paradox of Hatred. A paradox is a contradictory or absurd statement. In order for the world to accept hatred, it must be presented under the pretext of love. That paradox is the manner in which "political correctness" is implemented. Hatred, to be accepted and institutionalized must done under the pretext of love!
What is "political correctness" (PC)? It's a term which "refer(s) to avoiding language or behavior that can be seen as excluding, marginalizing, or insulting groups of people considered disadvantaged or discriminated against, especially groups defined by sex or race. (Wikipedia; "Political Correctness").
Face it, PC is on the surface is a good thing. People have no decision in their gender nor race. However, PC as implemented adds much more: homosexuality, transsexuality, nationality, ideology, religion, and even globalism and economics to its rules of order. Not included are the institutions. There is no PC in how Christians, Jews, capitalists, nations, and the whiter races are treated. Why so? We are the historically the institutions and those who keep order.
George Soros has the concept of an open society. We see that today with open borders. Soros's mentor was Karl Popper, the author of Popper's Paradox of Tolerance: "In order to maintain a tolerant society, the society must be intolerant of intolerance." Since tolerance is the world's way of demonstrating love, then the way to create love is to destroy those who love differently. This corresponds quote well to my own coined "Paradox of Hatred". Kopper perceived his idea as the epitome of love but his paradox requires hatred. To whom? To those with whom society disagrees.
Unfortunately, the PC police consider Americans a stupid people. They package their "tolerance" in such a way that it doesn't seem to be intolerant. The manner in which they do that is hatred for institutions, mainly the wealthy, capitalism, Christianity, and patriotism. Joe Biden flipped the purpose of the American Revolution upside down when he remarked, "Paying taxes is patriotic." Slavery to unfair taxation is why the war was fought. Indeed, unfair taxation is most unpatriotic! However, that's the type of narrative PC cops use on the foolish every day.
Who, then, is the father of PC? Karl Popper. He was a British philosopher. If you read his biographical information, Popper was eclectic. He took ideas from socialism, libertarianism, and liberalism, and blended them with conservatism to make them palpable. He even blended in Judaism and Christianity to increase their credibility. Popper created a new religion in combining philosophy and Judeo-Christianity. He took branches from the Tree of Knowledge and grafted them onto the Tree of Life. He created a new humanistic religion with God not in it.
PC is a combination of the law of sin with the Law of God with God nowhere in sight. In fact, PC hides the only True God and displays the many false gods prominently. Therefore, political correctness is spiritual wrongness! PC is against the first commandment: "You shall not have other gods besides God" or "in His face". Christians accept PC easily because it presents itself as the epitome of love. However, PC is the ideology of Karl Popper, George Soros, Barry Obama, and all the other gurus in God's face. What I mean by that is they propagate a different type - false love - right in on God's face.
Popper's Paradox of Tolerance is congruent to Herrin's Paradox of Hatred. It merely allows hatred to exist in stealth so as not to be detected. Jesus is the tolerant one in the Bible. He tolerates us sinners to the nth degree, but he never ever tolerates sin. For mankind, love is not about tolerance but obedience. Love is not about accepting behaviors but rebuking and correcting those with sinful behaviors. Those are two of the several purposes of Holy Scripture.
We are even encouraged to be intolerant of sin: "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear" (1 Tim 5:20). The Bible is all about hating sin but loving the sinner! That is the theme of the entire Bible. The PC police see Christians as intolerant. Wanting that "none should perish" (John 3:16) is the most profound love. Thus, rebuking those who sin, what the world considers intolerant, is the most effective way to love others; it's tough love because sinners don't want to hear it, and so as to protect their sensitivity, society ostracizes those who speak truthfully.
Since, the truth will set us free, PC will enslave us. Nowadays, Christians cannot speak the truth without being hated. PC is worse than sin. It is chaotic! There seems to be no rules at all; the world has become lawless. Not only do the PC police want open borders, but an open society unfortunately closed to the Word of God.
The Law of God is doing God's will: "Ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you" (Rom 6:17). Of course, that "doctrine" is of God and contrasts to one's own doctrine: "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John 7:17). Libertarianism is self-law or lawlessness when taken to the extreme.
When people develop their own doctrine, take it from scripture; they will be deceived! To be honest, Satan well knows the Doctrine of Christ; he uses truth and manipulates it so as to pervert it. Most evil ideas are based on truth with an infusion of lies; that is called deception. The modern term for that is a narrative.
For instance, the "religion" of the world is philosophy - the love of wisdom; it comes from the Tree of Knowledge. Philosophy, in modern times, is mostly through psychology. Psychology was once attractive enough to me that I took graduate studies in that study. I was blessed because at the same time I read my Bible throughout, and the Word of God is the "sword" which I came to wield often in class (Ephes 6:17). What was happening I know now:
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Heb 4:12)The human "soul" is the empty void which is assigned to each individual because "He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world" (Ephes 1:4), who are in the image of Christ who was also "foreordained before the foundation of the world" (1 Pet 1:20). All mankind were "known" before they were created, even before Adam was created. The "soul" is human potential and is what sets humans apart from the other animals. Life is sacrosanct since before conception, God had a plan for each person. Birth unites a body with the soul. Souls need to be filled. Since everyone is born iniquitous (Psalm 51:5), and sin begins to fill the soul.
Psychology is "the study of the soul" and those who prefer psychology to Christianity, have a love of wisdom which is philosophy. Their "soul" is the human "conscience". The Tree of Knowledge just as easily be called the Philosophy Tree! All religions require a God. The God of Christianity created mankind whereas in philosophy, mankind created their own "god". Reason is their "god" and she uses the name Libertas or "Liberty" in English. Her doctrine is reason - the insight obtained from the Tree of Knowledge.
Why is that discussion so important? Because nothing has changed in all the thousands of years of existence. Mankind still stands beneath the Philosophy Tree as God sheds tears at the Tree of Truth (The Tree of Life). The war is between three entities: Philosophy, Christology, and Chaos. Satan's goal is chaos - the elimination of order. Whose order do you suppose that is? God's order - the Doctrine of Christ. The spiritual war condenses to the forces of evil against the army of God.
People weren't created foolish. That grows on people. They would never except outright unadulterated hatred. It must be tempered with love. Let me now define a new idea - the Paradox of Hatred. A paradox is a contradictory or absurd statement. In order for the world to accept hatred, it must be presented under the pretext of love. That paradox is the manner in which "political correctness" is implemented. Hatred, to be accepted and institutionalized must done under the pretext of love!
What is "political correctness" (PC)? It's a term which "refer(s) to avoiding language or behavior that can be seen as excluding, marginalizing, or insulting groups of people considered disadvantaged or discriminated against, especially groups defined by sex or race. (Wikipedia; "Political Correctness").
Face it, PC is on the surface is a good thing. People have no decision in their gender nor race. However, PC as implemented adds much more: homosexuality, transsexuality, nationality, ideology, religion, and even globalism and economics to its rules of order. Not included are the institutions. There is no PC in how Christians, Jews, capitalists, nations, and the whiter races are treated. Why so? We are the historically the institutions and those who keep order.
George Soros has the concept of an open society. We see that today with open borders. Soros's mentor was Karl Popper, the author of Popper's Paradox of Tolerance: "In order to maintain a tolerant society, the society must be intolerant of intolerance." Since tolerance is the world's way of demonstrating love, then the way to create love is to destroy those who love differently. This corresponds quote well to my own coined "Paradox of Hatred". Kopper perceived his idea as the epitome of love but his paradox requires hatred. To whom? To those with whom society disagrees.
Unfortunately, the PC police consider Americans a stupid people. They package their "tolerance" in such a way that it doesn't seem to be intolerant. The manner in which they do that is hatred for institutions, mainly the wealthy, capitalism, Christianity, and patriotism. Joe Biden flipped the purpose of the American Revolution upside down when he remarked, "Paying taxes is patriotic." Slavery to unfair taxation is why the war was fought. Indeed, unfair taxation is most unpatriotic! However, that's the type of narrative PC cops use on the foolish every day.
Who, then, is the father of PC? Karl Popper. He was a British philosopher. If you read his biographical information, Popper was eclectic. He took ideas from socialism, libertarianism, and liberalism, and blended them with conservatism to make them palpable. He even blended in Judaism and Christianity to increase their credibility. Popper created a new religion in combining philosophy and Judeo-Christianity. He took branches from the Tree of Knowledge and grafted them onto the Tree of Life. He created a new humanistic religion with God not in it.
PC is a combination of the law of sin with the Law of God with God nowhere in sight. In fact, PC hides the only True God and displays the many false gods prominently. Therefore, political correctness is spiritual wrongness! PC is against the first commandment: "You shall not have other gods besides God" or "in His face". Christians accept PC easily because it presents itself as the epitome of love. However, PC is the ideology of Karl Popper, George Soros, Barry Obama, and all the other gurus in God's face. What I mean by that is they propagate a different type - false love - right in on God's face.
Popper's Paradox of Tolerance is congruent to Herrin's Paradox of Hatred. It merely allows hatred to exist in stealth so as not to be detected. Jesus is the tolerant one in the Bible. He tolerates us sinners to the nth degree, but he never ever tolerates sin. For mankind, love is not about tolerance but obedience. Love is not about accepting behaviors but rebuking and correcting those with sinful behaviors. Those are two of the several purposes of Holy Scripture.
We are even encouraged to be intolerant of sin: "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear" (1 Tim 5:20). The Bible is all about hating sin but loving the sinner! That is the theme of the entire Bible. The PC police see Christians as intolerant. Wanting that "none should perish" (John 3:16) is the most profound love. Thus, rebuking those who sin, what the world considers intolerant, is the most effective way to love others; it's tough love because sinners don't want to hear it, and so as to protect their sensitivity, society ostracizes those who speak truthfully.
Since, the truth will set us free, PC will enslave us. Nowadays, Christians cannot speak the truth without being hated. PC is worse than sin. It is chaotic! There seems to be no rules at all; the world has become lawless. Not only do the PC police want open borders, but an open society unfortunately closed to the Word of God.
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
The Churls and the Righteous
Isaiah saw through the transparent sea of glass beneath the throne of God (Rev 4:6). It was transparent for him because Isaiah had a bright nature with bright eyes. And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken (Isa 32:3). On the other hand the churls cannot see what Isaiah saw nor hear what he did. Of course, you are thinking, what are churls? Ceorls were the lowest rank of free men in England at the time the King James Version was written. They had a reputation, and from their behavior, the word "churl" was derived: "an impolite and mean-spirited person" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).
Strong's Dictionary defines it as stingy. I would say it is more self-centered and self-interested people who do not care about others. Generally, they would elevate themselves higher than they really were. Life would be all about them!
I can visualize the churls as low-status Americans living as if they are nobility, but having to spend on themselves what little they have to appear prosperous. Churls live the lie. Imagine, if you will, a wealthy person throwing a few silver dollars in a crowd of peasants with them behaving as dogs hoarding a few crumbs, then arising from the fray all content and proud for having taken the most silver, even from the other poor dogs who scurried with them.
Now let's examine churls from Isaiah's perspective:
Thus, we have Lucifer, born low, who sees himself as high-born or even divine royalty, but on the other hand, Jesus was born King but made himself lowly:
"Satan" is the royal title taken on by Lucifer. We say "devil" because Lucifer is not truly royalty but a creature, not from Hell, but bound for it! Devil's are from Hell. After being bound a thousand years, Satan will then be THE Devil. Until then, he is merely acting as royalty, and his true nature will be revealed right before he is destroyed.
No one should want to be a churl but many are! The best description of a churl nowadays comes from Jesus: "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me" (Mat 15:7-8). Not by coincidence, Esaias is a rendition of Isaiah. Jesus paraphrased Isaiah 29:13 "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men." It is clear to me that Jesus's "hypocrite" terminology was Isaiah's "churl".
Hypocrites - churls - are more like Satan than God.. They endeavor to elevate themselves beyond their stature. In the Kingdom of God, ironically, churls and hypocrites fail to even have the rank of coerl because that classification was only for free men. Churls and hypocrites are in slavery and fail to even realize that. Why so? Because Lucifer is better at "churling" than people are! Lucifer out hypocrites frail humans. He is better at playing the role of Prince than we are, although we put on a fairly good act as well!
Churls belong in church. Some use hypocrites as an excuse NOT to attend church. Where do churls belong? In church! Church is the threshing floor where God will tread out the good grain from the bad, and winnow out the chaff. Being a miracle worker, Jesus can make a new hybrid out of the bad grain. That miracle is turning the old creature into a new one, regenerating sinners, not back to their original birth state but back to the Designer's intent. I will continue to compare "regeneration" to a "re-genesis" because it came to me that God doesn't want us as babies, born in iniquity (Psalm 51:5), but as Adams and Eves, both created in His image. That re-genesis is a return to bright natures with bright eyes: "The eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken."
The "old creature" before a re-genesis is in the image of Satan: "He deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right." The old creature lies and manipulates to elevate himself, just as their father the Devil. On the other hand, the new creature - those born again - have a new nature, or actually supra-nature: "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever."
To put it simply, the person who is born again must actually be remade, not pretend to be! Their nature must change from coerl to servant - a reduction in actual rank. When Jesus was explaining what he meant by "born again" to Nicodemus (John 3), he referred to the time Moses held up the brass snake on a pole. All that looked to the lifeless serpent would be saved from the real serpents even though bitten. In other word's we are not to be churls, but are to diminish ourselves to servanthood - our reasonable position - as we lift up God.
Strong's Dictionary defines it as stingy. I would say it is more self-centered and self-interested people who do not care about others. Generally, they would elevate themselves higher than they really were. Life would be all about them!
I can visualize the churls as low-status Americans living as if they are nobility, but having to spend on themselves what little they have to appear prosperous. Churls live the lie. Imagine, if you will, a wealthy person throwing a few silver dollars in a crowd of peasants with them behaving as dogs hoarding a few crumbs, then arising from the fray all content and proud for having taken the most silver, even from the other poor dogs who scurried with them.
Now let's examine churls from Isaiah's perspective:
Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment... And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken... The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right... And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. (Isa 32:1,3, 7, 17)Churls deviseth wicked ways. I see that all the time. The way of the world is manipulation - pulling the strings of those who are not astute in such a way to obtain gain or power. Original sin, back in the Garden of Eden, is the first example of a "churl" at work. The Serpent was a churl. He thought himself the highest of the angels but he was only a churl. His rank in the Kingdom of God was not as an archangel such as Michael and Gabriel, but he saw himself in a different light:
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. (Isa 14:12-15)Not only was the Serpent elevating himself to godhood, but he was encouraging Adam and Eve to view themselves as gods themselves. In King James's fiefdom, Lucifer was no more than the Coerl - the Ceorl of coerls. His nature was that of a churl. He personified the very word churl. Ezekiel saw the nature of Lucifer very well:
Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. (Ezek 28:17).That is how churls consider themselves. They have a false perception of who they are! That passage exemplifies the churl in King James's court. He saw their pitiful self-aggrandizing fantasy. Coerls, in James' court lived the lie. Lucifer, in God's realm is the epitome of liar-hood: "When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44b).
Thus, we have Lucifer, born low, who sees himself as high-born or even divine royalty, but on the other hand, Jesus was born King but made himself lowly:
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Heb 2:9)Churls are more like THE Churl: "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him" (John 8:44a). Thus, Isaiah was comparing the mean-spirited people of the end of days as mean-spirited like their father the Devil.
"Satan" is the royal title taken on by Lucifer. We say "devil" because Lucifer is not truly royalty but a creature, not from Hell, but bound for it! Devil's are from Hell. After being bound a thousand years, Satan will then be THE Devil. Until then, he is merely acting as royalty, and his true nature will be revealed right before he is destroyed.
No one should want to be a churl but many are! The best description of a churl nowadays comes from Jesus: "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me" (Mat 15:7-8). Not by coincidence, Esaias is a rendition of Isaiah. Jesus paraphrased Isaiah 29:13 "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men." It is clear to me that Jesus's "hypocrite" terminology was Isaiah's "churl".
Hypocrites - churls - are more like Satan than God.. They endeavor to elevate themselves beyond their stature. In the Kingdom of God, ironically, churls and hypocrites fail to even have the rank of coerl because that classification was only for free men. Churls and hypocrites are in slavery and fail to even realize that. Why so? Because Lucifer is better at "churling" than people are! Lucifer out hypocrites frail humans. He is better at playing the role of Prince than we are, although we put on a fairly good act as well!
Churls belong in church. Some use hypocrites as an excuse NOT to attend church. Where do churls belong? In church! Church is the threshing floor where God will tread out the good grain from the bad, and winnow out the chaff. Being a miracle worker, Jesus can make a new hybrid out of the bad grain. That miracle is turning the old creature into a new one, regenerating sinners, not back to their original birth state but back to the Designer's intent. I will continue to compare "regeneration" to a "re-genesis" because it came to me that God doesn't want us as babies, born in iniquity (Psalm 51:5), but as Adams and Eves, both created in His image. That re-genesis is a return to bright natures with bright eyes: "The eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken."
The "old creature" before a re-genesis is in the image of Satan: "He deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right." The old creature lies and manipulates to elevate himself, just as their father the Devil. On the other hand, the new creature - those born again - have a new nature, or actually supra-nature: "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever."
To put it simply, the person who is born again must actually be remade, not pretend to be! Their nature must change from coerl to servant - a reduction in actual rank. When Jesus was explaining what he meant by "born again" to Nicodemus (John 3), he referred to the time Moses held up the brass snake on a pole. All that looked to the lifeless serpent would be saved from the real serpents even though bitten. In other word's we are not to be churls, but are to diminish ourselves to servanthood - our reasonable position - as we lift up God.
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
The Parable of the Olive Tree
THE "Olive Tree" is God in His three substances: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, but since it is the "tree" which is manifested, the THE visible Olive Tree represents Jesus Christ. As was commented yesterday, Jesus saw people as "trees". It should be obvious that the Garden of Eden is analogous to the Kingdom of God, both on earth as well as Heaven. Indeed, Jesus said that we were to pray that way: "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as in Heaven" (Mat 6:10).
Thus, the trees of the Garden represents real people: The olive tree - Jesus, the fig tree - Satan, and the other trees real people.
We also have seen that the Book of Judges speaks of "bramble". Those are obviously like the "tares', in this case undesirable "bushes" which will be burned (Mat 13:30; "Parable of the Sower"). Those who are born again are regenerated or "re-genesised" back into the image of God (Gen 1:27). Therefore, the image of Christians is likened to "wheat" in the Parable of the Sower, is also a sort of branch of the olive tree:
On the other hand, it makes sense that the two "witnesses" are those who saw Jesus do something. Elijah and Moses saw Jesus transfigured on Mount Herman, the "Holy Mountain" of sacred literature which was the abode of Seth's righteous line. They were to make for God three "tabernacles" or Churches: one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. It makes sense that two of the candlesticks or tabernacles (churches) will stand before God with His tabernacle (Church) (Mat 17:1-9).
Although Mount Herman is the most accepted location for the transfiguration, there are two other candidates for that: Mount Tabor and the Mount of Olives. The latter makes more sense given the comparison of the olive trees from Revelation and the transfiguration. It would make sense that the two olive trees would go to the Mount of Olives to see Jesus transformed. The Mount of Olives, as I have written before, would be in the midst of the Garden of Eden, and it is right outside the Old City walls.
With that given, the Mount of Olives may have been in the midst of the Garden where THE Olive Tree stood tall, it could be where Jesus was transformed back to the Tree of Life (God in three substances), and the place where the tabernacle to God would be built (the Church) for those in the two holy churches to worship. Certainly the Mount of Olives seems to be THE place for the Olive Tree to be "replanted" so to speak.
From Scripture, the fig tree represents the nation of Israel as well as the Serpent's tree. That is one reason that I believe Jerusalem is "the harlot Babylon", but it shall be made holy when New Jerusalem comes down and the fig tree becomes part of the "vine"; that is righteous Israel. Of course, Israel represents the Church which must be threshed out in the end when the seven "candlesticks" are reduced to two.
Now let is look at the Parable of the Olive Tree:
The first fruits would be the twelve fruits, but the whole lump of fruit - the righteous - would be holy, as well as the root and branches. God is the root:
What emanates from the roots? The Tree and its branches. Of course, the Tree is Jesus and the branches are those who are like Jesus. Elijah and Moses would be two of the most prominent lower branches and all the righteous would be lesser higher branches. It's not the apostles, it seems, who would sit next to Jesus in Heaven, but it seems a prophet and a patriarch!
The entire Tree is the Church built from the Root, with Jesus manifested, and the many branches. The earliest "branches" were the prophets and those who understood Jesus all along - the Messianic Christians. The "wild olive tree" would be the Gentile people to which Paul spoke. They were the grafted onto the Tree (onto Jesus). That was spoken of long ago: "God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant" (Gen 9:27).
The Jews came from Shem and the Gentiles from Japheth and Canaan. The Roman people to whom Paul spoke were mostly Japhethites, mixed in with their servants from conquered nations - primarily those who would be northern African Cushites (from Canaan). The Parable of the Olive Tree was foretold a couple of thousand years before with that passsage!
The unbelievers in the Jewish community were those branches which were broken off. Those limbs from the olive tree will be thrown into the bottomless pit to burn save 144,000 (from the Book of Revelation). The Jews were the "natural branches" and were not spared. Paul warns the Romans, as grafted or non-natural branches, that they too can be cut off. It does seem that five of the seven churches, mostly made up of Gentiles, will be cut off in the last days.
The Gentiles were told to "continue in His goodness" or be cut off as well. They were continue practicing the many fruits of the spirit. It is implied that they could issue forth bad fruit. the fig-type fruit:
Lastly, Paul quoted Jesus. The Gentiles must continue as well or they too will be cut off; not to be proud because the Jews will be saved as well. Paul implies that just as Jesus was not only for the chosen people which are the Jews but for all peculiar people - Gentiles as well. Of course, Revelation reveals when the Jewish "olive branches" will be grafted back to their place.
I could go on and on about all the "trees" of the Garden, but perhaps, we all can learn more as we study. What I write is not gospel, but makes sense from God's Word. Some differ. I didn't check their insight before writing my own. This is my take, and my take only, on the significance of all the "trees" in the Garden which mankind is to dress and keep. My wish is that it provides insight to the reader, and of course, the reader should test all I write using scripture, of which I provided much.
Thus, the trees of the Garden represents real people: The olive tree - Jesus, the fig tree - Satan, and the other trees real people.
We also have seen that the Book of Judges speaks of "bramble". Those are obviously like the "tares', in this case undesirable "bushes" which will be burned (Mat 13:30; "Parable of the Sower"). Those who are born again are regenerated or "re-genesised" back into the image of God (Gen 1:27). Therefore, the image of Christians is likened to "wheat" in the Parable of the Sower, is also a sort of branch of the olive tree:
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. (Rev 11:3-5).The Church, which consists of all those who would desire to enter the Kingdom of God, are those who look at the prize, to re-enter Paradise by the one entry gate (Jesus) which is guarded by cherubim. (Gen 3:29). Not all the Church can enter there, There are those within the Church (see the seven churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation, which are the candlestick or Menorah) who will be threshed out. I believe the two "candlesticks" are representative of two of the seven types of churches as those in Asia whose lamps are still burning brightly. I will go no further into which of the seven it is for that is for another day.
On the other hand, it makes sense that the two "witnesses" are those who saw Jesus do something. Elijah and Moses saw Jesus transfigured on Mount Herman, the "Holy Mountain" of sacred literature which was the abode of Seth's righteous line. They were to make for God three "tabernacles" or Churches: one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. It makes sense that two of the candlesticks or tabernacles (churches) will stand before God with His tabernacle (Church) (Mat 17:1-9).
Although Mount Herman is the most accepted location for the transfiguration, there are two other candidates for that: Mount Tabor and the Mount of Olives. The latter makes more sense given the comparison of the olive trees from Revelation and the transfiguration. It would make sense that the two olive trees would go to the Mount of Olives to see Jesus transformed. The Mount of Olives, as I have written before, would be in the midst of the Garden of Eden, and it is right outside the Old City walls.
With that given, the Mount of Olives may have been in the midst of the Garden where THE Olive Tree stood tall, it could be where Jesus was transformed back to the Tree of Life (God in three substances), and the place where the tabernacle to God would be built (the Church) for those in the two holy churches to worship. Certainly the Mount of Olives seems to be THE place for the Olive Tree to be "replanted" so to speak.
From Scripture, the fig tree represents the nation of Israel as well as the Serpent's tree. That is one reason that I believe Jerusalem is "the harlot Babylon", but it shall be made holy when New Jerusalem comes down and the fig tree becomes part of the "vine"; that is righteous Israel. Of course, Israel represents the Church which must be threshed out in the end when the seven "candlesticks" are reduced to two.
Now let is look at the Parable of the Olive Tree:
For I (Paul) speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (Rom 11:13-27)Paul is describing THE Olive Tree: the Tree itself, the Root, and the Branches. Also mentioned are the fruits of the tree. (My book The Skull of Adam presents this same analogy.) The latter is the evidences of the Holy Spirit and are the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit (Rev 22:2) which are: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faith, modesty, self-control, and chastity (Gal 5:22-23 Vulgate Version). Thus, the olives, represent the fruits of the spirit, and manifests the Holy Ghost who was seen after Jesus "gave up the ghost".
The first fruits would be the twelve fruits, but the whole lump of fruit - the righteous - would be holy, as well as the root and branches. God is the root:
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. (Jer 17:7-8)Therein the blessed man - the regenerated righteous man - is compared to the root of a tree. Made in the image of God, the regenerated man becomes like the Root in spirituality. Of course, God is THE Root. The fruit mentioned in that passage would be the same twelve fruits from the Holy Spirit.
What emanates from the roots? The Tree and its branches. Of course, the Tree is Jesus and the branches are those who are like Jesus. Elijah and Moses would be two of the most prominent lower branches and all the righteous would be lesser higher branches. It's not the apostles, it seems, who would sit next to Jesus in Heaven, but it seems a prophet and a patriarch!
The entire Tree is the Church built from the Root, with Jesus manifested, and the many branches. The earliest "branches" were the prophets and those who understood Jesus all along - the Messianic Christians. The "wild olive tree" would be the Gentile people to which Paul spoke. They were the grafted onto the Tree (onto Jesus). That was spoken of long ago: "God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant" (Gen 9:27).
The Jews came from Shem and the Gentiles from Japheth and Canaan. The Roman people to whom Paul spoke were mostly Japhethites, mixed in with their servants from conquered nations - primarily those who would be northern African Cushites (from Canaan). The Parable of the Olive Tree was foretold a couple of thousand years before with that passsage!
The unbelievers in the Jewish community were those branches which were broken off. Those limbs from the olive tree will be thrown into the bottomless pit to burn save 144,000 (from the Book of Revelation). The Jews were the "natural branches" and were not spared. Paul warns the Romans, as grafted or non-natural branches, that they too can be cut off. It does seem that five of the seven churches, mostly made up of Gentiles, will be cut off in the last days.
The Gentiles were told to "continue in His goodness" or be cut off as well. They were continue practicing the many fruits of the spirit. It is implied that they could issue forth bad fruit. the fig-type fruit:
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21)A "tree" can be recognized by its fruit. I have compared the olive fruits with the fig fruits. Paul was warning the Romans: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles" (Mat 7:16). Jesus made it simple: he named the world's fruits: grapes and figs. Grapes are from the "vine" (spiritual Israel) and figs are the world's fruit which Jesus said cannot be gathered from thistles (perhaps bramble bushes from Judges 7).
Lastly, Paul quoted Jesus. The Gentiles must continue as well or they too will be cut off; not to be proud because the Jews will be saved as well. Paul implies that just as Jesus was not only for the chosen people which are the Jews but for all peculiar people - Gentiles as well. Of course, Revelation reveals when the Jewish "olive branches" will be grafted back to their place.
I could go on and on about all the "trees" of the Garden, but perhaps, we all can learn more as we study. What I write is not gospel, but makes sense from God's Word. Some differ. I didn't check their insight before writing my own. This is my take, and my take only, on the significance of all the "trees" in the Garden which mankind is to dress and keep. My wish is that it provides insight to the reader, and of course, the reader should test all I write using scripture, of which I provided much.
Monday, December 17, 2018
Best Tree is the Oldest: Olive
The second tree in the midst of the Garden, it seems, is the olive tree. It is the one representative of God, and the visible part of the tree is symbolic of God manifested. In whatever form God shows Himself, that visualization is Jesus Christ. Not that God and Jesus are two different existences, but that Jesus is what God is called when He chooses to show himself to mankind. That is validated by what else God is called - Emmanuel, which is "God with us". Being a literalist when it is not obviously a parable, it is expedient to believe the trees in the Garden were indeed actual living trees, but at the same time were symbolic what was yet remained unseen.
Did the trees talk to Adam and Eve in the Garden? We see that it was the Serpent in the Tree which spoke to the two. It was an animate being. Was it a real Serpent - a snake? Likely so, but that "snake" was Lucifer manifested. In the Garden, before sin, it can be assumed that Adam and Eve could see God. Why so? It does not say that they could not, but we soon find out after sin, that they merely heard his Voice (Gen 3:8). They were changed, from bright natures with bright eyes to dark natures with dim eyes. I suspect that the fruit, after they ate it, changed them, and the most noticeable is that they could no longer see God! They could, however, still recognize his Voice, and they knew he was displeased.
Because all mankind inherited Adam's flesh, none of us can see God. On the other hand, many can still hear His Voice. It is softly spoken as we recall his Words from Holy Scripture. For instance, when I read scripture in the morning, God expands my understanding as the day wears on. Like the silent scream of an unborn baby who fears danger, God has a silent Voice which only those who love and fear Him can hear. Even those who are not Christians "hear" God's calling until he tires of calling out of rejection (2 Pet 1:10). That silent Voice sinners hear in their conscience is God's silent scream for us to come to Him (Mat 11:28). That is an important verse because God will give rest from the heavy burden we carry. What is the burden? Guilt! The unrepentant who are calloused to guilt and cease to listen to God's Voice are reprobate (Rom 1:28) and no longer sense guilt. They become spiritually psychopathic!
Just as the reprobate are as well as damned, those who heed God's Voice are safe, but as good as saved unless they blaspheme. Blasphemy is knowing God but denying Him. I believe that the Fifth Commandment is blasphemy, not by saying God's name without purpose - in vain - but taking His Name - Jesus - and his Purpose frivolously. What is Jesus's Purpose: to redeem sinners from eternal death. The Book of Genesis is so important because the sin instituted therein caused God to put on Flesh and die in our stead. Therefore, Jesus's Purpose was foreknown before the foundation of the world (1 Pet 1:20). At that time, God knew that He would need to manifest Himself as Jesus. The apostle John said that Jesus was there at the beginning of the world (John 1-2, 14). Where was Jesus? Walking in the Garden unseen, but before that in full view for both sets of bright eyes to see!
It seems that knowing in advance that He would be sinned against, God created a special Tree to represent Jesus until he came. Jesus's Purpose was revealed by the Tree of Life. That was revealed in the apostle John's Revelation (Rev 22:2). Jesus's Purpose was the healing of man. His Name is theophoric: "Yeshua is salvation". Salvation is healing from death. The Tree of Life represents both Jesus and His Purpose - the Doctrine of Christ. His Purpose was fulfilled on the cross which scripture identifies as a tree: "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree" (Acts 5:30). The Tree of Life was not actually Jesus because "Jesus" walked in the Garden, but represented his Purpose - to provide life!
Jesus's Purpose can be described with one word - Peace! When the angels proclaimed, "Peace on earth, goodwill toward men," (Luke 2:14), that "Peace" is Jesus's Purpose. God knew His Purpose for coming would not come about as Jesus said, "I came not to send peace, but a sword" (Mat 10:24). God knew that Jesus's Purpose would not be massively acted upon. The word angels used to describe Jesus's Purpose was "Peace". The olive branch represents peace just about everywhere. Let's look at the identity of that peaceful tree (Wikipedia; "Olive Tree"):
Jesus used the olive tree in the Parable of the Olive Tree to convince the Romans of the need to seek holiness:
All the "trees" were born outside the Garden. The blind man whose sight was restored by Jesus compared men as "trees": "And he looked up, and said, 'I see men as trees, walking'" (Mark 8:34). Jesus did not correct him, and that comparison had a purpose!
Adam's purpose was to dress and keep the "trees" as a type of Christ. God's second son, Adam, didn't do that, so His first Son, Jesus did. Jesus came from the beginning to his birth to dress and keep us human "trees"! Jesus did the job assigned to Adam, but by Adam sin came into the world: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Rom 5:12). Incidentally, by the law of primogeniture, it is the first son who superintended the land and received the inheritance. Mankind has never understood that it is only Jesus, the eldest son of God who does the work and whose land it is. We only inherit the "land" if we are adopted by God, and still do not deserve the inheritance but obtain it!
The Tree of Life brought forth good fruit for Jesus said, "only God is good" (Mat 19:17). The fig tree bears the corrupt fruit; it is the tree of the world. Jesus expounded upon that: "Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit" (Mat 7:17). However, Jesus was comparing those who ate of the Tree of Life (himself) to those who ate of the forbidden tree (the Serpent's fig tree) or the things and pleasures of the world. Some of each of mankind are good fruit, but most are bad fruit. Jesus came to make everyone good fruit", and Satan to spoil all the "fruit"!
Tomorrow, the Parable of the Olive Tree.
Did the trees talk to Adam and Eve in the Garden? We see that it was the Serpent in the Tree which spoke to the two. It was an animate being. Was it a real Serpent - a snake? Likely so, but that "snake" was Lucifer manifested. In the Garden, before sin, it can be assumed that Adam and Eve could see God. Why so? It does not say that they could not, but we soon find out after sin, that they merely heard his Voice (Gen 3:8). They were changed, from bright natures with bright eyes to dark natures with dim eyes. I suspect that the fruit, after they ate it, changed them, and the most noticeable is that they could no longer see God! They could, however, still recognize his Voice, and they knew he was displeased.
Because all mankind inherited Adam's flesh, none of us can see God. On the other hand, many can still hear His Voice. It is softly spoken as we recall his Words from Holy Scripture. For instance, when I read scripture in the morning, God expands my understanding as the day wears on. Like the silent scream of an unborn baby who fears danger, God has a silent Voice which only those who love and fear Him can hear. Even those who are not Christians "hear" God's calling until he tires of calling out of rejection (2 Pet 1:10). That silent Voice sinners hear in their conscience is God's silent scream for us to come to Him (Mat 11:28). That is an important verse because God will give rest from the heavy burden we carry. What is the burden? Guilt! The unrepentant who are calloused to guilt and cease to listen to God's Voice are reprobate (Rom 1:28) and no longer sense guilt. They become spiritually psychopathic!
Just as the reprobate are as well as damned, those who heed God's Voice are safe, but as good as saved unless they blaspheme. Blasphemy is knowing God but denying Him. I believe that the Fifth Commandment is blasphemy, not by saying God's name without purpose - in vain - but taking His Name - Jesus - and his Purpose frivolously. What is Jesus's Purpose: to redeem sinners from eternal death. The Book of Genesis is so important because the sin instituted therein caused God to put on Flesh and die in our stead. Therefore, Jesus's Purpose was foreknown before the foundation of the world (1 Pet 1:20). At that time, God knew that He would need to manifest Himself as Jesus. The apostle John said that Jesus was there at the beginning of the world (John 1-2, 14). Where was Jesus? Walking in the Garden unseen, but before that in full view for both sets of bright eyes to see!
It seems that knowing in advance that He would be sinned against, God created a special Tree to represent Jesus until he came. Jesus's Purpose was revealed by the Tree of Life. That was revealed in the apostle John's Revelation (Rev 22:2). Jesus's Purpose was the healing of man. His Name is theophoric: "Yeshua is salvation". Salvation is healing from death. The Tree of Life represents both Jesus and His Purpose - the Doctrine of Christ. His Purpose was fulfilled on the cross which scripture identifies as a tree: "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree" (Acts 5:30). The Tree of Life was not actually Jesus because "Jesus" walked in the Garden, but represented his Purpose - to provide life!
Jesus's Purpose can be described with one word - Peace! When the angels proclaimed, "Peace on earth, goodwill toward men," (Luke 2:14), that "Peace" is Jesus's Purpose. God knew His Purpose for coming would not come about as Jesus said, "I came not to send peace, but a sword" (Mat 10:24). God knew that Jesus's Purpose would not be massively acted upon. The word angels used to describe Jesus's Purpose was "Peace". The olive branch represents peace just about everywhere. Let's look at the identity of that peaceful tree (Wikipedia; "Olive Tree"):
- The olive tree is an evergreen tree or shrub native to the Mediterranean, Asia, and Africa. It is short and squat, and rarely exceeds 8–15 m (26–49 ft) in height.
- The fruit is a small drupe or a fruit with a stone which are preceded by white flowers.
- Olives are used for eating and for its oil. The oil is said to have the power for healing.
- The olive plant later was first cultivated some 7,000 years ago in Mediterranean regions. (We'll take that time. It's close to 6000 years when it originated.)
- Olive oil has long been considered sacred. The olive branch was often a symbol of abundance, glory, and peace. The leafy branches of the olive tree were ritually offered to deities and powerful figures as emblems of benediction and purification, and they were used to crown the victors of friendly games and bloody wars. Today, olive oil is still used in many religious ceremonies. Over the years, the olive has also been used to symbolize wisdom, fertility, power, and purity.
- Olive oil was used to anoint kings and athletes in ancient Greece. It was burnt in the sacred lamps of temples and was the "eternal flame" of the original Olympic games. Victors in these games were crowned with its leaves.
In the Roman Forum the olive tree shadow was used for shade.- Olive trees in the groves around the Mediterranean Sea are centuries old, with some dated to 2000 years.The olive tree of Vouves in Crete has an age estimated between 2000 and 4000 years. Lebanon claims to have the oldest olive trees in the world (4000 BC for the oldest),
- Several trees in the Garden of Gethsemane (from the Hebrew words gat shemanim or olive press) in Jerusalem are claimed to date back to the purported time of Jesus.[ A study conducted by the National Research Council of Italy in 2012 used carbon dating on older parts of the trunks of three trees from Gethsemane and came up with the dates of 1092, 1166, and 1198 AD, while DNA tests show that the trees were originally planted from the same parent plant. According to molecular analysis, the tested trees showed the same allelic profile at all microsatellite loci analyzed which furthermore may indicate attempt to keep the lineage of an older species intact. However, Bernabei writes, “All the tree trunks are hollow inside so that the central, older wood is missing . . . In the end, only three from a total of eight olive trees could be successfully dated. The dated ancient olive trees do, however, not allow any hypothesis to be made with regard to the age of the remaining five giant olive trees.” Babcox concludes, “The roots of the eight oldest trees are possibly much older.
Without the inside of the trees extant to measure age, the olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem could have been trees indigenous to the Garden of Eden. Of course, my premise is that Jerusalem, if not all the Kingdom of David, was the Garden of Eden and Eden was the created land from (Gen 1:1).
The Garden of Gethsemane would be "in the midst of the garden" (Gen 2:9). Biblically the Mount of Olives is a Holy Mount and the Garden of Gethsemane the very center of it! Even the word Gethsemane means "oil press". Essentially, the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden was a type of oil press - requiring a decision to eat of the olive tree or the fig! The choice between the two trees represent man's free will to decide his or her eternal destinations. For me and my house, we seek peace, and that is only obtained through the blood of Jesus! That shed blood is Peace, and it is available to all who drink of living water which in scripture is exemplified by olive oil:
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. (Jas 5:14)There are many verses in the bible in reference to oil (which was olive oil), and many are in reference to healing or healing from demons. Oil in the Bible represents safety, and is the condition for those who drink of the living water until salvation is attained!
Jesus used the olive tree in the Parable of the Olive Tree to convince the Romans of the need to seek holiness:
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (Rom 11:13-27)Tomorrow I will comment on the meaning of that parable, but for now let's look at the other trees in the Garden of Eden. "And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it" (Gen 2:15). I have always contended that there were other "trees" in the Garden for Adam to dress and keep. These were not people as that time, but would soon be after their multiplication came about. God intended that mankind have other "trees" in the Garden, but that happened outside the Garden. However, the "trees" within the Garden surely represented the souls of Cain, Abel, Seth, and other sons and daughters (Gen 5:3-4). Sacred Literature names two of the daughters: Luluwa and Aklia (Adam and Eve and the Conflict with Satan).
All the "trees" were born outside the Garden. The blind man whose sight was restored by Jesus compared men as "trees": "And he looked up, and said, 'I see men as trees, walking'" (Mark 8:34). Jesus did not correct him, and that comparison had a purpose!
Adam's purpose was to dress and keep the "trees" as a type of Christ. God's second son, Adam, didn't do that, so His first Son, Jesus did. Jesus came from the beginning to his birth to dress and keep us human "trees"! Jesus did the job assigned to Adam, but by Adam sin came into the world: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Rom 5:12). Incidentally, by the law of primogeniture, it is the first son who superintended the land and received the inheritance. Mankind has never understood that it is only Jesus, the eldest son of God who does the work and whose land it is. We only inherit the "land" if we are adopted by God, and still do not deserve the inheritance but obtain it!
The Tree of Life brought forth good fruit for Jesus said, "only God is good" (Mat 19:17). The fig tree bears the corrupt fruit; it is the tree of the world. Jesus expounded upon that: "Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit" (Mat 7:17). However, Jesus was comparing those who ate of the Tree of Life (himself) to those who ate of the forbidden tree (the Serpent's fig tree) or the things and pleasures of the world. Some of each of mankind are good fruit, but most are bad fruit. Jesus came to make everyone good fruit", and Satan to spoil all the "fruit"!
Tomorrow, the Parable of the Olive Tree.
 |
| Olive Tree in Garden of Gethsemane (Etsy - WPThayerFineArt) |
 |
| Olive Fruit (Bibleplaces.com) |
Sunday, December 16, 2018
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)