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dionysia-ta-astika · 4 years

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Sing, O Muses,

of the son of Zeus and Maia,

Lord of Kyllene and Arkadia rich in flocks,

The Luck-bringing Messenger of the Deathless Gods…

Sure-footed and swift, the son of Maia paused to survey the wide plains of Troy. All around him the sounds of battle rang out, mingled with cries both mortal and divine. Many long years of war had left scars upon the land and the Earth herself bore witness to the conflict that now engulfed gods and men. From the edge of the Dardanelles, across the wounded plains and farmlands, to the very walls of Troy, armies readied themselves or were engaged in battle.

Rising behind the city far to the southeast, ancient Mount Ida loomed over the battlefield leaning towards Troy in anticipation. Though the topmost peak was obscured by clouds, Wily Hermes was not fooled. Zeus, King of the Gods, was surely keeping a close eye upon the progress of the war from atop the sacred mountain.

A sigh escaped the Slayer of Argos. More often than not he was privy to his father’s mind - after all, being the Messenger of the Gods had its privileges - but Zeus’ deeper purpose for this war escaped him. Hermes’ queries had gone mostly ignored.

“You will know your part when the time comes.”

Zeus could be as cryptic as the Morai.

“Not even the gods can escape their fate; we must show the way until the mortals are ready.”

Very few of the gods remained outside the conflict. Hestia maintained the fires of Olympos while trying to keep one eye on Dionysos, but most of the other gods had been forced to take sides in the war. Hermes had lobbied to remain neutral, but Zeus and Hera were both adamant. Hermes was on the side of the Achaeans and that was that. War was always a hectic time, even for the god called ‘The Busy One,’ and he was needed. While the battle raged many prayers were said to Diaktoros, but Hermes had the most to do between battles. Conducting souls to the Underworld had kept him so occupied the last ten years he hardly had time for anything else. The fires of Olympos seemed far, far away.

Hermes cast his gaze wide resuming his search for Eudoros. Being on the side of the Achaeans had given him the chance to check on his son now and then. The Luck Bringer had enjoyed spending time with Eudoros and watching him distinguish himself among the Achaean commanders. There were many mortals on the battlefields of Troy with divine protection, but few were as swift as Hermes’ son.

In the distance Keen-Sighted Hermes could see the river Skamandros rising up against its banks. Achilleus and the River God were dueling amidst a throng of Achaean and Trojan colors. Hermes could see his son not far from Achilleus, marshaling his command to reinforce the general. Even the Son of Thetis would not last long toe-to-toe against a god and all the Achaeans were in danger of being drowned by the wrath of Skamandros.

“So, Achilleus has rejoined the battle.”

The voice startled Hermes, few indeed could steal upon the God of Thieves unaware. Hermes turned, curious which god or goddess had gotten the better of him, to find a veiled figure looking toward the melee on the far river bank. Her veil, held in place by a small starry diadem, covered her entire upper body and fell well past her waist. The fabric was not opaque but seemed to shimmer as if it were a pool of water reflecting a dark starry sky before dawn. Her bearing was regal, assured, but without pretense.

“Yes, Fair Leto, perhaps we are nearing the beginning of the end.”

“Son of Maia, though we stand on opposing sides of this war, allow me to advise you. You must call your son away from the battle of Achilleus and Skamandros, or else he will meet an untimely end.”

Hermes gauged Leto’s words. There was no untruth in them, but Hermes the Deceiver knew that truth told the best lies. It was not yet Eudoros’ time to die. Leto could be trying to trick him, to call Achilleus’ forces away, tipping the battle in favor of the Trojans. The ancient titaness often came across as aloof and formal, but she was never known to be insincere. Eudoros’ forces were gathering under his command, readying to bolster Achilleus’ flank. Whatever happened next would determine the course of the battle.

Hermes made his decision in less time then it took to blink.

Across the vast Ilion Plains, over the heads of Achaean and Trojan forces alike, past the raging Skamandros, the words of Hermes flew directly to the heart and mind of Eudoros.

“Draw your forces back, my son. Beware the river.”

Eudoros, startled for only a moment, quickly began to rouse his men to higher ground. Calling out, he led his company away from the flooding Skamandros. The banks of the river seethed and churned while the trees twisted in a rising gale. The sudden storm shook everything along the river with a dry, hot wind. What had been drenched and flooded just moments before became parched and desiccated.

“Behold the wrath of Hera. She has loosed the forge of Hephaistos against the river god Skamandros.”

Wind and fire rained down along the banks of the river consuming tree, flower, and bush. The water itself seemed to catch alight. Both Trojan and Achaean perished in flame and flood. The heat cracked and charred the riverbank forcing Skamandros to abandon Achilleus and recede.

Hermes watched Eudoros gather his forces and follow Achilleus. The battle would continue, but everything had changed. The truce that had stayed the hands of the gods from engaging in direct conflict had been broken. From this point on the war could only become more brutal and more desperate.

Leto’s gaze had not left the banks of the river. Hermes considered her history with the Mighty Hera. Officially, Leto lived on Olympos with Apollon and Artemis under the blessing and protection of Zeus himself. In reality, Hermes rarely saw her in public. She never drew attention to herself and her reputation for modesty was hard earned. Whether learned or instinctual, knowing the moods of Hera and predicting her movements must have served Leto well.

“Thank-you.”

Leto gave Hermes a silent, veiled nod. Her focus remained fixed on something happening far away. Hermes followed her gaze, though he could guess what held Leto’s attention. Near the banks of the now chastened river stood Apollon and Poseidon. The gods were locked in a heated argument, though neither made a move to attack the other. Further beyond, the outer walls of Troy rose up behind them. Poseidon gestured to Apollon and then towards Troy. Apollon shook his head in refusal, neither advancing nor retreating.

“My brother will not be goaded into breaking our Father’s command. He will not attack first.”

“Poseidon knows that if my son were to enter combat on behalf of the Trojans, Zeus himself would be forced to aid the Achaeans.”

Leto spoke no idle boast. Of all the gods that sided with the Trojans, Apollon was by far the most formidable. Even while caught in a stalemate with Poseidon, Apollon’s influence spread far over the battlefield. His presence strengthened the Trojans, giving them courage to face the mighty Achaean forces. His priests tended to the wounded and even the most gravely injured Trojan warriors often made miraculous recoveries. Within the walls of their city the Trojan people called out to Paean and were comforted, while outside the Achaeans suffered plague and famine.

“Still, he will not strike first.”

Leto nodded silently and continued her vigil.

Hermes cast his gaze further down the Ilion Plains. Battles raged, large and small, up and down the fields of Troy. A trail of wounded and dying followed Achilleus making him easy to spot. And near the Achaean champion two other Olympians circled intent upon testing each other.

“Athene and Ares, however, already have weapons drawn. The gods of war will not let this chance to spar slip their grasp.”

Leto did not turn or acknowledge Hermes’ words. Resigned, he turned his attention back to his siblings’ contest. The battle games of Ares and Athene were legendary, but Leto would not be distracted or take comfort while one of her children remained in peril. Hermes, however, was eager to see who would emerge victorious. He had wagered on Athene while Dionysos had placed his bet on Ares. Athene seemed like the safer of the two, especially if Nike was with her, but Hermes knew better than to discount his brother. Ares was far better at strategy than he was given credit for and Athene far stronger than she looked.

For what seemed like hours, the siblings sparred neither giving ground. Though he was watching from a great distance, Hermes’ keen eye could see every spark that flew from sword or spear upon shield. Sweat poured off the bronzed brow of Ares as his sword pummeled again and again upon his sister’s aegis. The gray eyes of Athene narrowed searching for advantage which never seemed to come, despite her longer reach. Hermes pondered how evenly matched they were; their speed and ferocity reminded him of two great dragons locked in combat.

“Like two dancing serpents…”

Leto did not acknowledge his musings, but continued her veiled watch.

The armies of both the Acheans and the Trojans had reformed around the gods of war, though Hermes knew the mortals could not see them, and reengaged their own conflicts. The gathered armies seemed to sway to the time of the siblings’ battle. Athene thrust her spear and the Acheans charged forward. Ares dodged while his sword landed a blow that shook Athene’s shield, the Trojans flanked the Achean’s charge and pressed them back. Hermes could hear cries of “Pallas!” and “Ænyalios!” rising up from the battlefield. Even though they could not see them, the mortals surely felt the presence of the warring Olympians.

“And so the hearts of men are swayed.”

Leto had not turned toward the battle but she could sense the divine influence upon the mortal armies just as keenly as Hermes could. Hermes wasn’t sure she could actually see anything through that veil, but he knew better than to bring it up. He was about to ask if she would be interested in placing a little wager on the outcome but he didn’t get the chance.

“No.”

Leto’s whisper pulled Hermes’ attention away from the battle. Poseidon and Apollon were still locked in a stalemate, neither making a direct move against the other, but something had changed. The air seemed heavy, as if a hot fog enveloped them. The two Olympians retreated from each other, making room for some unseen presence. And then, as if she had always been, Hera was there.

“Potnia.”

It occurred to Hermes that even after all Hera had done to impede the birth of Apollon and Artemis, Leto always showed Hera the utmost respect and honor. She was cautious, yes. Reserved, definitely, but she never gave even a veiled slight to the Queen of Olympos. Would all her care be undone in a moment, Hermes wondered. Unlike Leto, Hera’s mood seemed anything but restrained as she joined Poseidon in taunting Apollon. Leto’s normally regal bearing had become tense and stiff. Hermes was certain she was holding her breath.

“Even the jibes of Queenly Hera will not find their mark upon my brother. Be at ease, Gracious Leto. Or if you will not, go to him and stand by his side.”

Leto seemed torn, it was obvious that she wanted nothing more than to be with her children. But something kept her from joining them. Hermes turned his gaze back to Mount Ida, clouds still obscured the peak but now and then a flash of lightening broke through the darkness. The mountain seemed even closer than before, it loomed over the battlefields of Troy silent and unflinching. The Mighty Zeus was surely watching everything and Hermes wondered if he was pleased.

“Father!”

Hermes turned his gaze from Mount Ida to the source of the call. Eudoros, separated from his command, was swiftly approaching the hilltop where the two deities surveyed the battles of the plains below.

“We are ever bound up in our children; are we not, Herald?”

Hermes sighed. Eudoros’ presence could be problematic. It was easy enough for an Immortal to safeguard their children from most mundane dangers. Throw another Immortal into the equation and outcomes tended to become much less predictable and far messier. Hermes gauged his reply carefully.

“Though my children may not shine as splendidly as yours, Honored Wife of Zeus, they are no less dear.”

Hermes could hear the sound of air being sucked quickly across veiled teeth. While technically accurate, using that title could be misconstrued as a power play on Leto’s part. Hermes’ formal tone barely masked the threat.

“Father, are you well? We could use your hel—“

Eudoros stopped short as he came close. He had not seen Leto as he approached and her sudden ‘appearance’ had startled him.

“Do you need my assistance, Lord Father? My sword is ready.”

Eudoros’ hand moved to the hilt of his sword but Hermes’ gesture put him at ease.

“No need for that, son. Little good it would do you anyway. You stand in the presence of a wife of Zeus: Leto the Mild, Mother of Phoebus and Phoebe.”

“But Father?”

“Yes, Eudoros?”

“Isn’t she…”

“A goddess? Yes.”

“No. I mean, yes she is. A goddess. But isn’t she…”

“Fair? Oh yes, one of the fairest on Olympus, my son.”

“No! I mean, yes. I mean, I don’t know. Oh…”

Whether Eudoros’ blushing was from embarrassment or frustration, Hermes wasn’t certain. Either way, it was fun to watch.

“Isn’t she on the side of Troy?”

“Oh, that. Yes, yes she is. What of it?”

“Father, the Trojans are our enemy.”

“Hmmn? Well, yes, I suppose you are right. This ‘enemy,’ however, is partly responsible for you being here.”

“What do you mean?” Eudoros’ narrowed his gaze. He could tell when his father was up to something, one didn’t survive as a son of Hermes without developing a sixth sense for trouble.

“Gracious Leto warned me of Queen Hera’s attack. You and your men may have perished otherwise.”

Eudoros paused to consider the implication of his father’s words, but only briefly. Hermes was pleased his son came to the only sensible conclusion.

“Then I owe a debt to you, Blessed Leto. For my life and the lives of my men, many wives and children will make offerings to you.”

“Children are my especial care, Son of Hermes. It pleases me to hear the prayers of your son and daughter.”

Leto had not moved or turned to face Eudoros, her veiled gaze remained firmly fixed on her own son, but the kindness of her voice disarmed him. Leto’s beauty was not just in her appearance. Eudoros was so taken by the sound of her voice that it took him a moment to respond.

“Daughter? But I have only a son.”

“A daughter you also have. And she prays for your safe return every night, as does her brother. Barely nine years and yet she has never seen her father. So long, this war…“

Before Eudoros could get a confirmation from his father, a great cry rose up from the Trojan forces and drew their attention back to the battlefield below. Ares had disarmed Athene and pressed her downriver. The Acheans were falling back to their camps by the sea as the Trojans began to close in. Spearless and using her shield as a bludgeon, Athene managed to catch Ares off balance. The Trojan forces were being led, without knowing it, exactly where the Acheans wanted them. Ares fell but leapt up again almost instantly, in a moment he would be upon her. Certain in victory, the Trojan army charged the Achean encampments. In one swift motion Athene threw a handful of ash and dirt in Ares’ eyes. The Achean archers shot flaming arrows igniting pits of tar and debris that smoked and blinded the Trojan advance. Laughing, Athene moved to disarm her brother before he could recover. The Achean army began to flank their pursuers, turning the hunter into the hunted.

The laughter of the goddess was cut short by the blast of a salpinx echoing off the walls of Troy and down the Plains of Ilion. Hermes turned to see a great race of Trojan chariots riding quickly to cut off the Achean ambush. So swift was their approach that a cloud of dust obscured the city behind them. The lead chariot had outpaced the others and nearly reached Athene and Ares. Hermes could see two armored figures, both female, urging their team of horses forward.

“No mortal chariot could ride so swiftly!”

Eudoros’ tone of disbelief made Hermes smile. He could not know that a goddess drove the chariot, it was too far for mortal eyes to discern, but he could see the line it cut across the Plains of Ilion clearly enough.

“The Daughters of Ares will not abandon their father upon the field of battle, though they must fight Pallas herself. And neither will his lover, for she has taken his name, Areia, and speeds to his side.”

Hermes could see that Leto was right. Aphrodite and Penthesileia, armed and armored, were driving directly for Athene. The other chariots carrying the Amazonian reinforcements were heading for the Acheans. It seemed the day’s battles were not yet done.

The speeding chariot forced Athene away from the recovering Ares and pulled around for another pass. Aphrodite’s intentions were clear, she meant to plow Athene into the dusty plains. But she was unaccustomed to driving the clumsy vehicle of war, each turn and charge of the chariot was more erratic than the last. Penthesileia could do little more than hold on for her life.

Hermes could already see a strategy forming and he knew that Athene would not be disadvantaged for long. Athene’s moves were calculated and pragmatic, Aphrodite’s frantic and impulsive: one acting from the heart, the other from the head. Pallas had already maneuvered close to where her spear had fallen, one more pass from the chariot was all she needed. With one fluid motion she dodged, picked up the spear, turned, and threw. The speed and force of her throw took Hermes breath away. This spear would not be denied, it was seeking flesh and it was heading straight for the exposed back of Aphrodite.

Penthesileia was prepared. Raising her shield, she covered the back of the unsuspecting Goddess of Love. It was a desperate move, no mortal shield could turn aside a divine weapon thrown by a goddess herself. Penthesileia knew this, but the daughter of Ares was a soldier. She was prepared to sacrifice her life without regret.

But Penthesileia was not the only one to correctly read Athene’s strategy and she was not the only one prepared to sacrifice. Leaping in front of his lover and his daughter, the Mighty Ares caught the spear of Athene in both hands even as it dug into his abdomen. Bleeding, he collapsed onto the chariot.

Quickly securing her father despite her surprise, Penthesileia adjured Aphrodite towards Troy. Ares would do no more fighting this day. Turning the chariot back the way they came, the Foam-borne Goddess lifted a large conch shell to her lips. Nearby Trojan and Amazonian forces lifted their own trumpets. The sound of horns echoed down the plains and what was left of the great Trojan army began to retreat.

Hermes wondered if Dionysos would dispute Athene’s victory, when he noticed Leto was shaking. Knowing better than to ask, he turned his attention back up river toward Troy and the trio of gods gathered outside her walls.

Apollon was cornered. By their gestures and body language, Hermes could tell that Poseidon and Hera were jeering and taunting his brother. In any other situation Apollon could not have ignored such blatant attacks to his honor, but the Will of Zeus bound him and he refused to disobey. He endured the insults and without reply turned to leave. Hera seemed to take great offense at his retreat and moved to cut off his escape. With all the force of a hurricane the Mighty Hera slapped Phoebus in the face. The sound of her strike cracked the air twice as it echoed off the walls of Troy. Immortals and humans alike paused in their warring and looked for the source of the cloudless thunder. Hermes could not read Leto’s expression, but it seemed she stiffened in both anticipation and pride.

Apollon had not flinched.

Hera and Poseidon seemed taken aback. The full force of Hera’s strike had landed squarely on Apollon’s face, yet he did not yield or even recoil. Hermes stifled a laugh as he watched Hera nurse her hand. Poseidon suddenly seemed less eager to engage his nephew in direct combat. Apollon had not moved, and Hermes wondered if Hera’s blow had dazed him after all. Then the Far-Reaching Apollon turned to the southeast, his eyes resting on the sacred mountain.

Following his brother’s gaze, Hermes looked for some clue hidden under the clouds that had gone dark and quiet at the mountain’s peak. No light escaped from the summit. There was no doubt that Zeus, King of the Gods, was there and intently watching the scene below. Even the average mortal could sense the unusual power emanating from the sacred mountain. But for what purpose that power moved, few could tell. Hermes could augur no answers and wondered if Apollon was having better luck divining the will of their father.

“He goes.”

The relief in Leto’s voice was like a single ray of sunlight breaking through a cloud of worry. Temporary, perhaps, but welcome all the same.

Apollon had begun to move back towards Troy. His presence there would bolster the city and help reinvigorate the Trojan forces for the next battle. Hermes watched as Hera turned her back on the retreating son of Zeus. Her gaze spread far over the Plains of Ilion. Hermes was certain that, unlike her son Ares, the Queen of Olympos was not done with battle.

A word from Hera snapped Poseidon to attention. Her right hand curled into a fist and she began barking orders. Poseidon lifted his trident and struck the ground. The earth rippled in a wave that spread out across the plains, down the river valley, and finally to the sea. The quake was not large, but every soldier, every phalanx, every retreating chariot, and every Immortal had stopped in their tracks. In the space a few seconds Hera had captured the attention of everyone from the walls of Troy to the Aegean Sea. The words she spoke filled every ear, Achaean and Trojan alike:

“Crush them.”

It was a command to the loyal and a promise to the defiant. Even Apollon had stopped in his tracks, hesitating to abandon the Trojans still on the plains. Hera had found a way to test his resolve, and it was no empty threat. The armies had begun to move again, and Hermes could see they had a renewed sense of urgency. The retreating Trojans had quickened their pace, desperate for the safety of the divinely built city walls. Behind them the Achaean forces had begun to stir from the safety of their encampments. The Amazonian chariots had won the Trojans a significant head start, but the Achaeans had received a direct order from Hera herself; none of them had any intention of disappointing the Queen of Olympos.

“Kori, no…

Leto’s voice trailed off, she had not moved but suddenly seemed small and frail. Hermes looked back toward Troy to see Artemis, Protectress of the Young, his sister, leaping from the walls of the city to the plains below. The Huntress had been charged with maintaining the city’s fortifications but the events unfolding outside were too dire for her to remain on the sidelines. Hermes suspected that Artemis would have preferred leading the charge of Amazons but Aphrodite had beaten her to it. Golden bow in hand and quiver at her side, the Huntress was closing in on Apollon’s position.

Hermes did not hear the words that Artemis said, but he could see Apollon’s face redden.

Striding past her brother Artemis placed an arrow to her bow, raised it high, and released it without pause. As if waiting for her cue a cloud of arrows rose from the walls of Troy. With uncanny accuracy the bolts of the Trojan archers speedily found their marks. The Achean pursuit of the retreating Trojans began to falter as soldier after soldier fell wounded, crippled, or dead. A second and a third cloud of arrows rained down from the walls of Troy. Artemis’ arrow, however, had arched high above the battlefield. Reaching its apex the arrow seemed to hang weightless above the Plains of Ilion. Then, as if guided by some unseen hand, the arrow turned downward and, like a falling star, began to plummet toward the battlefield below.

Hermes scanned the plains looking for his sister’s intended target and nearly knocked Eudoros over when he found it.

“Father!”

“Whoops. But my, that’s bold, even for your aunt!”

“What, Father?”

Eudoros squinted, searching for what his father saw. Eudoros had better eyes than most humans, but his vision was not as keen as a god’s. Hermes passed his wand through Eudoros’ line of sight and pointed toward the retreating Trojan and Amazonian forces.

“There! Can you see your cousin and uncle? Their chariot is being pursued, can you see?”

“Yes! Mighty Pallas is gaining!”

Eudoros’ voice was full of wonder for now he saw across vast distances; but more than that, he was also seeing the deities battling amongst the mortals. The gods and goddesses were both larger and grander than life itself, yet somehow removed and distant. The human armies flowing around them seemed like children’s toys in comparison. He could now clearly make out that Athene was not just in pursuit, she was nearly upon the trio - despite being on foot.

“Father, we must warn her! The arrow will hit her!”

Eudoros was right, the arrow of Artemis was plummeting to the exact spot where Athene would overtake the chariot. Hermes knew that Athene was so intent on her goal that nothing would deter her, save the command of Zeus himself. Direct intervention on his part wasn’t possible, but the Lord of Luck also knew that a serpent has many skins. Raising his wand again, Hermes began to mutter words under his breath that Eudoros could not understand. Then as quickly as he had begun the chanting stopped. Hermes smiled smugly.

“Some of my best work, if I do say so.”

“Father?”

“Watch.”

Eudoros turned back toward the scene below. Athene was now close enough to jump into the chariot. She crouched low, muscles tensing for the pounce. Just as she was about to close the distance, the serpents on Hermes’ caduceus hissed as if about to strike. The horses pulling the chariot suddenly lurched in a different direction, spooked by some unseen threat. Athene tried to pivot and adjust her jump, but the best she could manage was to desperately reach for her target while falling in the opposite direction. Athene began to rise only to immediately fall over again. Hermes stifled what sounded like a giggle. The heel of Athene’s sandal had been pierced and firmly pinned to the ground by Artemis’ arrow. It had missed the Goddess of War by a centimeter or less. Cursing, Pallas pulled the bolt out of her sandal and tossed it aside. Lifting herself up Athene resumed her pursuit, but the opportunity had passed. Ares, Aphrodite, and Pentheseleia would reach the safety of the city before Athene could overtake them again.

“Ah, well, so it goes. It’s a thankless job.”

Hermes seemed very satisfied.

“Father! You helped them get away.”

”Yes, well it was either that or let your aunt get skewered. Which would you have preferred?”

“'Boldness is the beginning of action…’”

Leto’s words cut off whatever Eudoros had been planning to say in retort. She hadn’t turned to watch the chase, but Hermes knew she kept at least one keen eye on her daughter’s arrow. He was learning that very little escaped the veiled gaze of Leto the Mild, and Hermes never had to learn a lesson twice.

“'But Fortune determines the end.'”

Hermes finished the proverb with a sly nod to the titaness. He would have to gauge his next few moves with great care.

“Father, Lord Apollon is gone!”

Hermes could see that Eudoros was correct. Apollon has slipped away while everyone was distracted by Artemis’ display. Hera, too, was realizing that Phoebus had escaped her grasp. Left unchecked Apollon’s influence alone could tip the tide of battle. Hera barked another set of orders to the Earth-shaker who turned and disappeared, presumably to search for his nephew.

Leto’s silent tension was beginning to crescendo again, though she made no movement or sound. Hermes was getting better at reading her moods, and Leto’s worry could only mean one thing: Hera had set her sights on one of Leto’s children. Hermes watched as the Queen of Olympos turned to confront his sister with a frenzied madness in her eyes. Artemis was focused on inspecting her bow, trying to find an explanation as to why her shot had missed its mark. Hera’s assault took her completely by surprise.

Grabbing the bow from Artemis, Olympia began to use it as a bludgeon. Artemis was knocked down, stunned at first, and then swiftly rolled away from her attacker. Hera pursued, waving the bow wildly.

Hermes whistled low. Having been denied Apollon, Hera set all her rage on Artemis. It was not a pretty sight.

“Our good Queen may have just lost it…”

“Look, Father!”

Eudoros pointed toward the top of the city walls. The Trojan archers had ceased their assault on the Acheans below. They were too busy fending off an unexpected attack themselves. Birds of every sort pecked, scratched, and clawed at the stunned archers. Hermes could even make out a few harpies in the frenzy. This was beginning to get out of hand.

“Father?”

All the color had drained from Eudoros’ face. His enhanced sight was taking a toll. There was too much to see, most of it gruesome. The din of battle was no stranger to him, but wherever he turned Eudoros saw every conflict, every exchange, every blow as if he was standing in the midst of it. The divine assaults overlaid upon the mortal conflicts were proving more taxing for his mind than was probably safe. Hermes blocked his son’s vision with his wand once again.

“Father, is that what you see all the time? Is that how we look to you?”

Hermes put a steadying arm around his son’s shoulder while helping him to sit.

“Oh no, my son, we see so much more. We see you as you are, as you were, and as you will be.”

“And as you could be.”

Leto’s words were so soft Hermes doubted Eudoros heard them.

“Rest for now, son.”

“Yes, Father.”

With Eudoros safely sidelined, Hermes rose and returned his full attention to the conflict on the fields below. Hera’s assault continued, but Artemis was no meek maiden. Her guard was up and she began to weave a dance around her attacker, dodging and blocking blows with a boxer’s weathered experience. She was bruised, but not beaten. Ducking a wild swing, Artemis used her shoulder to ram Hera and both went tumbling. As they rolled, the goddesses struggled for the bow, each trying to lever it against the other.

The Trojan archers were beginning to regroup and train their arrows on their assailants. Wounded birds began to fall to the ground below. Those that survived the fall were greeted by roaming packs of wild animals. Feather and fur collided on the dusty Ilion Plains. Things were getting desperate, Nature was being pitted against Herself as the two goddesses struggled to gain advantage. Their battle devolved into a tug-of-war over the golden bow, each pulling or pushing, trying to wrench the weapon out of the other’s hands. Then one goddess pulled while the other twisted sending the bow flying from both their grasps. It arched high into the air, propelled by the might of two immortals. Both divinities watched for a brief moment before resuming their struggle. Their contest continued regardless of where the bow landed.

But land it did, at the feet of Leto the Mild.

“The time is come, Son of Maia.”

With her back still to Hermes, Leto moved to pick up her daughter’s golden bow. As she straightened, she gathered her veil draping it back and to the side. She turned and for the first time faced her opponent squarely. Eudoros’ gasp revealed that he needed no divinely enhanced eyes to appreciate the majesty of the goddess before him.

She had come dressed for battle. Her veil had completely concealed her armor; now exposed, it caught the light in a dazzling display of craftsmanship. Hermes recognized Hephaistos’ handiwork at its finest. The breast piece was decorated with a scene depicting Apollon and Artemis, bows in hand, surrounded by the bodies of seven men and seven women - arrows in their sides. At the shoulders wolves howled and a row of mongoose bordered the bottom edge of the plate. At the goddess’ hip hung a full quiver of arrows fletched with quail feathers. She met Hermes’ gaze without a hint of meekness or reservation. Her voice held only resolve.

“You have delayed me here long enough, Lord of Thieves. Engage me in battle so that I may aid my daughter. The Will of Zeus compels you.”

Eudoros was glad he was already sitting down. Leto’s starry diadem was glowing brighter and the sky behind it seemed to be slowly spinning.

Hermes sighed.

“Why should I stop you? I would rather you did help my sister.”

“Do not toy with me. You well know I cannot. Only the winner between us may remain on the battle field.”

Hermes had wondered why he and Leto had so many rules added to their duel. Zeus hadn’t been very forthcoming, but Hermes had guessed that Hera had something to do with it. It was just like the Queen of Olympos to arrange for Leto to watch helplessly from the sidelines as her children went into battle. Even now, as she and Artemis wrestled in the muck, Hera was probably gloating. Hermes could appreciate the planning and calculation that went into the scheme, if not the outcome.

“Eudoros.”

“Yes, Father?”

“Lend me your sword, son.”

Eudoros unsheathed his sword and handed it to his father. He looked as if he was going to say something further, but decided against it. Hermes looked at the simple but well-made weapon. Taking the corner of his chlamys, Hermes used his cloak to polish the blade. Eudoros gasped as Hermes lifted the sword up to inspect it; instead of a battle-weathered weapon of bronze and iron, a golden blade shone with a piercing, divine light. An uneasy feeling swept over Eudoros as his gaze moved down the length of the sword. Embedded into the hilt sat a single, golden eye.

“Panoptes!“

Hermes winked at his son.

“Don’t stare, Eudoros. It’s rude.”

Hermes gave the weapon a single slash through the air, testing its balance. Eudoros wasn’t able to keep his eyes on the sword, it moved so fast in his father’s hands.

“Hypnos, Thanatos: bring my armor.”

The serpents on Hermes’ staff unwound themselves and slithered to the ground. Eudoros blinked and instead of serpents two winged youths - one light, the other dark - stood in front of his father holding a set of armor. Without a word, they began to dress the god for battle. Thorax secured, one youth reattached Hermes’ chlamys while the other knelt to fasten the god’s winged greaves. Eudoros could make out a crouching, muscular figure on his father’s cuirass which dominated the breast plate. The figure held a sphere of seven stars on his shoulders that adorned the nape of the armor, while one foot rested on the back of a tortoise. Eudoros thought he could make out several small, dancing figures around the giant’s foot; maybe a satyr with a syrinx, but he wasn’t sure.

Their task complete, the two winged youths stepped backwards and were gone. The wand in Hermes’ left hand was once again serpent-twined. Turning to face his opponent, the Son of Maia pulled his petasos down over his brow and disappeared. Only the golden sword and its unblinking eye were still visible as it moved towards the waiting Leto, arrow docked and bow drawn.

“Now you will learn, Atlantiadon, from she who taught the Archer and the Huntress their skills!”

Leto trained her arrow on the spot where Hermes had disappeared and released. The golden sword bobbed playfully in the air while Leto’s arrow sailed off into the distance.

“I am a quick study, Koiogeneia.”

The god’s voice seemed to have no origin, giving Eudoros no clue as to his father’s location. But Leto did not hesitate. A second arrow ready, she aimed at another spot and fired again. Hermes’ laughter burst from all directions. The golden sword began to swing wider and faster and then disappeared altogether. Leto grimaced as she loosed another arrow, and then another. Her eyes darted frantically searching for her invisible opponent.

The golden sword reappeared behind the goddess, an invisible hand raising it to strike.

“Father! No!”

Eudoros’ cry took both deities by surprise. Rising to his feet, Eudoros steadied himself as he called out again.

“Father!”

Hermes reappeared beside his son.

“Eudoros, best not to interfere in the affairs of the gods. You’re not thinking clearly right now.”

Hermes’ tone was stern but still warm. Concern showed on the god’s face. Eudoros might be more disoriented than he realized.

“No, you’re right, Father. I shouldn’t get involved…”

A familiar twinkle danced across Eudoros’ eyes. Hermes wondered where he had seen that look before.

“…that’s why you can’t use my sword.”

“What do you mean, I can’t?”

“If my sword harms the Fair Leto, I am partly to blame..”

“I suppo…”

Eudoros didn’t let his father finish the thought.

“So then won’t Lord Apollon have to avenge his mother? And since you are using my sword, he’d most certainly have to punish me. Like you said, Father, better to not get involved in the affairs of the gods.”

Hermes couldn’t help smiling at being quoted back his own words.

“And don’t forget that I am indebted to Blessed Leto, Father. You told me she helped save my life. What honor would there be in me letting you use my sword against her?”

Hermes put one hand on his son’s shoulder.

“Are you sure about this, Eudoros? It means a victory for the Trojans, she’s the ‘enemy,’ remember?”

Eudoros shook his head as his gaze passed over the plains below. His vision had returned to normal but the memory of the day’s battles - both mortal and divine - still haunted him.

“Very well.”

Hermes turned toward the goddess and laid his son’s sword at her feet.

“I concede victory to you, Leto the Fair.”

Thunder pealed across the sky followed by a single word:

“ENOUGH.”

Eudoros was sure that he woke up several hours later. The sun had fallen low in the sky and night was near. Fires were beginning to dot the plains and he could tell that the fighting had ceased for now. The grim job of collecting the dead and wounded had begun.

“You should rejoin your men, son. It should be safe enough.”

Eudoros turned to see his father sitting beside him. There was no sign of Leto or any other Immortal, though Eudoros knew he couldn’t trust his own eyes on that account.

“Was that?”

“Yes. It was him. All Immortals called back to Mount Ida. Well, all but me, obviously. 'No more interfering with the affairs of mortals,’ or something to that effect. ‘Let things play out as the Fates decree.’ Probably for the best, things were getting out of hand.”

Eudoros found that he could stand without feeling nauseated. He felt completely normal, in fact.

“General Achilleus will be wondering where you are, as will the men under your command.”

Eudoros nodded, but didn’t make any move to depart.

“Come, I’ll walk with you a ways.”

Father and son moved down the hillside in the direction of the Achean encampments.

“Father?”

“Yes, son?”

“When the gods go to war, do they ever get tired of fighting?”

“Yes, we do, Eudoros.”

“What do you do?”

“We try to find another way.”

Eudoros walked in silence, thinking on his father’s words. Reaching the bottom of the hill, they paused.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about home lately and it makes me…”

Hermes waited as his son found the words.

“It makes me want to find another way.”

“I think you will, Eudoros.”

Lost in thought, Eudoros resumed his walk without realizing his father had stayed behind. The mortal’s day was coming to an end, but for Hermes a long night lay ahead.

Hermes watched his son moving across the wounded fields of Troy before turning briefly toward Mount Ida. Ambrosia was being administered to the wounded Ares while Athene debated battle tactics with him. Leto had dressed her daughter’s wounds and offered to do the same for Hera. The Queen of the Gods had surprised everyone and accepted Leto’s offer. Hermes sighed again and turned back to the waiting dead.

“Was it enough, Father?”

In the distance a crash of thunder answered him.

Satisfied, Hermes - the Guide of Souls - resumed his work.

“Against Leto, Hermes stood, grave guard, in peace and war, of human beings…” -The Iliad, Book XX

“Meanwhile the Guide, Hermes, addressed Leto, ‘Leto, I will not fight with you; since it is a hard thing to come to blows with the brides of Zeus who gathers the clouds. No sooner you may freely speak among the immortal gods, and claim that you were stronger than I, and beat me.’” -The Iliad Book XXI

#retellings #tw violence #submission

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dailyaudiobible · 3 years

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01/02/2021 DAB Transcript

Genesis 3:1-4:26, Matthew 2:13-3:6, Psalms 2:1-12, Proverbs 1:7-9

Today is the 2nd day of January welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I'm Brian it is a great to be here with you today on the second day of our journey. We have just set sail in our new year. It’s like we left the docks yesterday and we’re just a little bit out in the harbor now moving toward the open sea, but we can still see the people on the shoreline waving. Like we’re just getting started and what joy it is to be on this voyage together as we move through the Bible and as we move through life together and as the Bible shapes that life together in community as…as we move forward. It is a privilege to be here with you today for day two. So, yesterday we started the book of Genesis and we talked about the book of Genesis and got some orientation there as the first book of the Old Testament. And I mentioned, you know, when we were starting Genesis and we were starting Matthew and we were starting the Psalms, and we were starting the Proverbs yesterday. So, it’s gonna take a couple of days for us to get moved into all of these books. But we talked about Genesis yesterday. So, we don't need to do that today. But when we get to the book of Matthew we’ll talk about the Gospels and we’ll talk about what we’re reading in the New Testament. But first we’re reading from the New Living Translation this week, which is today. Genesis chapters 3 and 4.

Introduction to the book of Matthew:

Okay. So, we have reached our New Testament portion of Scripture today to read. And normally we would just move right into that, but we encountered a brand-new book because everything is new. We’re starting all the new territory of the Bible. And, so, we began yesterday the book of Matthew, which is the first book in the New Testament, but is also the first book in a subgrouping inside of the New Testament known as the Gospels. And the Gospels are the first four books of the New Testament - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And the Gospels, each of these books give us an account of…of Jesus life who is the Savior. So, the person Matthew was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus. One of his 12 disciples. We haven’t got to that part of the story yet, but one of his 12 disciples. And, so, he was there. He had first-hand knowledge. He witnessed what Jesus ministry looked like, and then some of these things were written down. And as it turns out, Matthew was not a liked person in his culture. He was a tax collector. But when Jesus called him, he left his lucrative business behind. He left everything behind to follow Him. So, this is a person writing this gospel who gave up a life that was a pretty decent lucrative life. He gave up everything that he knew in exchange for a leap of faith to follow this man who he believed was the Messiah, the son of the living God. Matthew’s writing is particularly aimed at Hebrew people. And it's gonna to take a little bit of time for us to kind of unpack all of the metanarratives that are going on, all of the subplots and stories that are going on. But one thing that we should understand is that the Bible is written from a Hebrew perspective and that even the New Testament, Jesus was born into a Hebrew perspective and commented, and taught on the Hebrew Scriptures and was a Jewish rabbi. And, so, this context and the culture and the customs and the rituals, they are all Hebrew in nature, So, if you have never heard the story before, ever, then some of the customs, some of the stuff is gonna sound strange or different or unusual, or whatever, but it's this context that is sort of like…like an atmosphere. The atmosphere of the Bible is within this context. And, so, as we go forward day by day step-by-step, it will all start to snap into place, all of the different things begin to snap into the place…into place. But Matthew was written to Hebrews so that they might understand the good news of Jesus coming and what it represented. And here's why this matters now. We've begun the book of Genesis, we are working our way through the Torah, we are working our way through the Hebrew Scriptures. When Matthews being written there isn't a New Testament. It's…it's being written. So it doesn't actually exist as the New Testament yet. And, so, when Matthew writes this all down he refers back to the Old Testament the Hebrew Scriptures more than any of the other Gospels do because he's trying to show the connection. He’s trying to show that Jesus fulfills prophecies that are ancient and that were to be expected so that the Hebrew people wouldn’t just reject the good news outright as some kind of newfangled religion. The point is to try to say this is the ancient story that has been prophesied and has been calming and now it's here, let's not miss this. And what we’ll also see in the book of Matthew…well…we’ll get introduced to this Jesus. Who is this man? Like…maybe we’ve been walking with the Lord for very long time and we know Jesus, but we also might be here just wanting to know the Bible says. So, what's the big deal about this Jesus guy. Well, we’re gonna be camping out with Jesus here for the next while as we move through the Gospels and we’re gonna get to know His personality and His character. And what we will ultimately realize is that this is God made flesh. This is God the Creator the one we’re reading about in Genesis who condescended Himself down into a body to become a human being so that he might relate directly with humanity and in the process He's modeling for us what we are supposed to look like, what the intention was when God made everything very good. Well…things got very bad. And we don't have to look around that much to know that. Jesus comes and models what humanity is supposed to look like, what humanity is supposed to be doing, how humanity is supposed to be behaving toward one another. We might say that Jesus shows us a new way to be human or even the original correct way to be human, the one that was intended all along. So, something to pay close attention to indeed. And one of the distinct characteristics that we will begin to observe about Jesus is that He’s always looking at what's going on behind the story, what's motivating the story that's being told. He's always like behind it all, where the truth is because we as human beings, we know we can say anything, we can say anything convincingly…convincingly but that doesn’t mean it's completely true, or true at all. We keep a lot of things hidden. Jesus had a way of looking back behind it all into the darkness and calling the truth out. It made lots of people very, very angry because who wants to be exposed? And yet that's the point that Jesus is trying to make, you don't have to hide. Human beings weren't made to live his duplicity where like nothing is ever real, it's always in flux. Jesus calls out the truth because we were made to live true. And we will see that one of the ways that Jesus calls the truth now is He uses what's known as parables. They’re illustration stories, they’re like rhetorical stories. They’re meant to teach something, to expose something, to creatively put us in a mindset where all the sudden we can finally see things as they are. And we’ll encounter more than 20 parables in the book of Matthew the Jesus taught and we will also begin to hear the rumblings of Jesus central message that permeates the Gospels and that is the message of the kingdom of heaven of the kingdom of God, and that it is coming, and that it is near, and that it is here now in us and among us. And, so our reading for today. Matthew chapter 2 verse 13 through 3 verse 6.

Commentary:

Okay, so I know we've already talked about the book of Matthew and spent some time and conversation today but I just want to point out what we read in…in Genesis today because it's really deeply important, It shapes the rest of everything. It shapes even today. And that is what happened?? Like what happened to us? If what God made was good, even very good and it was pleasing and it was right, and things were as they were intended to be, and all was working appropriately then what happened? And we read that in the third chapter of Genesis today. There’s these two trees in the garden. One is the tree of life, and one is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And we witnessed a conversation, the deceiver, the serpent, the deceiver is there having a conversation Eve, “you’re not supposed to eat from this?” And she's like, “no. No…we can't. we can’t even touch it. If…if we touch it…if we eat it God says we’ll die.” And then we see really the first spin on reality coming from the voice of the deceiver. What we see is that it was deception that began things to go wrong. Deception led to an action that led on a destructive path. Could we just stop there and look at our own lives? Deception is the thing that takes us down. It leads us into actions that lead us into destructive behaviors that ultimately lead us to destruction. So, the deceiver's there and is like, “you can’t eat from this?” And she’s like, “no we’ll die.” And then the…the serpent is like, “you're not gonna die.” And then there's this spin, this invitation to consider an alternate reality. “You're not gonna die. God knows that if you eat this fruit your eyes will be open and you will be like God.” And that was an effective spin on reality, an effective presentation of an alternative reality, one in which they could become like God. And the deception was so convincing that they forgot that they were created in the image of God. They already were like God. And, so, they ate, and they made a trade and it's been a devastating trade. They had God perfectly in a perfect union, in a perfect relationship as things were intended to be from the beginning. They traded that in exchange for knowledge. Knowledge. And that's been the story ever since. We’ve been trying to find our way into a relationship with God through the knowledge of good and evil when God was always beyond that and will never be bound by any human category. This is the most-high God we’re talking about. And we begin to get some clues here right at the beginning in this very, very early story in the Bible about the heart of God because we can very, very easily, like we were talking about yesterday, just feel like God is perpetually angry with us because we are perpetual failures in some way or another, as though He is only ever upset with us. He was upset. He was upset when He found the man and woman hiding from Him, because as soon as their eyes were opened what did they experience? Shame. How much as shame shaped our lives? And it was never the original intention. So, mankind makes this trade and then their eyes are opened and they have this knowledge and they realize their naked and they feel shame and they hide and God comes looking for them. Where are you? And Adams like, “I heard you coming, and I hid because I was naked.” That my friends is…that’s the plight. We run, we hide because we’re afraid to be exposed. We’re ashamed. That's the cloud that fell down over humanity. Remember when were talking about Jesus looking behind the story to find the truth, looking behind the disguise to find the truth? That's where this redemptive story begins. An invitation to be true, an invitation to stop with the shame and the hiding. And when we think about it, does it not explain so much of our lives. And, so, once again, the Bible…we’re just at day two…is speaking loud and clear as we continue to move out into the deeps together this year.

Prayer:

Father we thank You for Your word. We thank You for what it does, the way that it exposes all of the games that we play and the motives for it - our fear our shame. And You have come to redeem us. Make us righteous before You. Do away with the need for all of that so that we might be true. So, come Holy Spirit into what we’ve read today and plant it in our hearts that we might consider and meditate upon it. Let it be a part of the thoughts of this day as we continue this journey forward. And we thank You for this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base, it's the website, it’s where you find out what's going on around here. And we got a brand-new year in front of us. So, a lot of moving into do as we settle into the new rhythm for the new year. So, definitely be aware of the website. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app and certainly recommend that that is the best experience to go through the Bible with the Daily Audio Bible. So, download the free app but you can get to all these things in the Daily Audio Bible app as well.

Yesterday we…well…we’ve had Daily Audio Bible kids for a very very long time, but yesterday we relaunched Daily Audio Bible kids with Ezekiel, our son, beginning to read there. So, if you have kids and wanna give them the opportunity to kind of experience the Bible among kids for kids by kids, check out Daily Audio Bible kids. It's through the New Testament in a year. And, wo, going through the New Testament portion that we are reading every day by kids. It’s worth listening to as an adult out of the mouth of babes for sure, but it's short and doesn't take too much of an attention span for kids. It’s a great resource for going to bed or going to school. So, be aware of that, that's in the Daily Audio Bible app, Daily Audio Bible kids.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com. There is a link on the homepage. I thank you for your partnership. This is a community experience that we are engaged in together going through the Bible. It…it wouldn't exist if we were not in this together. So, there's a link on the homepage. If you are using the Daily Audio Bible app you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner, or the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174. And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement you can hit the hotline button in the app, which is the little red button at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that's it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

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lawrenceop · 4 years

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HOMILY for Sun in the Octave of the Ascension (Dominican rite)

1 Pt 4:7-11; John 15:26, 27; 16:1-4

Dom Prosper Gueranger, in his classic commentaries on the Liturgy, says that today’s Sunday Liturgy, coming between the Lord’s Ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, is one in which “the Church is yearning for the Lord, she feels the pangs of separation.” Thus the Officium, the Entrance chant, says: “my heart has said to Thee, I have sought Thy face, Thy face, O Lord, I will seek: turn not away Thy face from me.”

Many of you might say that this has been your refrain these long weeks while the churches have been closed up, and the Sacred Liturgy has become largely inaccessible. Today’s Liturgy, therefore, expresses in a particularly poignant way this year the deep yearning and longing in your heart for the Eucharistic Lord. So, yes, this year we share the experience of the first Christian community who, as Gueranger says, “yearns for Christ, and directs her gaze upward to her heavenly King; [and the Church] awaits the Holy Ghost with prolonged prayer.”

However, I think that the Officium expresses something even more profound, and touching not merely our Christian state of being, but rather the fundamental human condition. Due to original sin, all humanity has been separated from God and so experiences a certain existential angst. The classic expression of this comes from St Augustine who said: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” The restlessness of the human heart is alluded to in the Entrance chant: “my heart has said to Thee, I have sought Thy face.” The whole human quest for happiness and indeed, for any kind of lasting joy, is in fact a quest for the face of God, a deep intrinsic desire in Man to see the face of God. As St Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord.” Therefore, Man, having lost his friendship with God through the sin of Adam and Eve, is separated from God, and so he is fundamentally restless, always seeking happiness but never really finding it in the created world.

Not that God is absent from his world, for all that exists is good, and is held in being by the good and loving God. However the tragedy of sin is that our hearts become insensitive to the goodness of God, we become blind to his beauty, we can no longer see the One whose face we seek even when he is present to us. In this sinful state, the human quest for happiness, for God, leads us to try and find God in the pleasures and distractions of this world. We have a God-shaped hole, so to speak, in our lives, but we try to fill that with things and persons who are not God. And so the restlessness remains, the dissatisfaction, and the yearning, ultimately, for love. Tragically, Man – and so many of our contemporaries – do not know their fundamental intrinsic need for God and for his love. So many have fallen for the lie of the ancient Serpent, the Devil, who deceived even Adam and Eve into thinking that God is the enemy of my happiness and freedom, and that I can find joy and human fulfillment without God. But this is a lie. It is impossible. For “you have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless unless they rest in you.”

Therefore, St Augustine realises at last that “you [God] were within and I was in the external world and sought you there, and in my unlovely state I plunged into those lovely created things which you made. You were with me, and I was not with you. The lovely things kept me far from you, though if they did not have their existence in you, they had no existence at all. [But] You called and cried out loud and shattered my deafness. You were radiant and resplendent, you put to flight my blindness.“

Notice that it is God who calls out to Augustine. It is vital that we realise that although we can speak of our human life as one long quest for God, and although we often speak of the Christian life as our journey towards God, it is important to remember, as St Augustine does, that everything begins with the divine initiative. It is God who creates us; it is God who holds us in existence through his love; and it is God who saves us, and who moves us to seek him, and who touches our hardened hearts. St Augustine speaks of the inbreaking of God’s grace, of the effect of the grace of conversion in a way that is both bodily and spiritual because the whole human person longs for God. He says: “you lavished your fragrance, I gasped, and now I pant for you; I tasted you, and I hunger and thirst; you touched me, and I burned for your peace.”

So, yes, the Christian soul, and the whole Church, now longs and yearns for the Lord as Gueranger says. And today’s Liturgy expresses this longing: “Thy face, O Lord, I will seek: turn not away Thy face from me.”

But one has to wonder, sometimes, if we really long for God. Do we actually actively seek his face? Could we say, with St Augustine, that we gasp and pant for God; that we hunger and thirst for him; that we burn with desire for him? Or is it just his favours that we want; his consolations; the way he makes me feel; the things I can get from him? As a wise Dominican sister said to me when I was a novice: Do not confuse the God of consolations with the consolations of God. Because, if we really long for God, then we need to pray. In the epistle today, therefore, we hear the exhortation of St Peter: “be vigilant in prayer.” This doesn’t mean, necessarily, that we need to spend more time in prayer, or say more words in prayer, or even more novenas. St Thomas Aquinas, in fact, said that prayer shouldn’t last too long lest it becomes tedious, nor too brief so that it is distracted and irreverent, but rather it should be long enough to increase our love and desire for God. For that is the aim of true prayer: that we should yearn for God himself with a deeper love. And this is the yearning that today’s Liturgy speaks of; the deep love of the Church, of Our Lady and the apostles who gathered in prayer in the Upper Room of Jerusalem for the first and only necessary Novena of prayer. For, following Our Lord’s instructions to “stay in the city”, (Lk 24:49b) they “devoted themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14), awaiting the Holy Spirit, the “power [of God’s love] from on high”. (cf Lk 24:49c)

Therefore, in this time between the Ascension and Pentecost, the Liturgy invites us to be united with Our Lady and the apostles in prayer. We need not necessarily spend more hours in prayer – although I would encourage us to persevere with a daily Rosary at least – but, more importantly, we’re called to pray more intensely, more devotedly, more completely with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. (cf Lk 10:27). In the epistle St Peter thus speaks of prayer in a way that involves the whole human person: “practice hospitality… minister the grace you have received from God, one to another… [speak and serve] by the strength that God supplies” so that our whole life gives glory to God. (cf 1 Pt 4:9-11) Our whole Christian life, therefore, is lived in a state of prayer. For the yearning for God in true prayer fills us with his love, which empowers us to live a life of love for God and neighbour. For it is thus that prayer can be said to suffuse our whole lives; thus that we can be told to “pray constantly”, as St Paul does. (1 Thess 5:17)

The fruit of genuine Christian prayer; the fruit of this active love and graced service, is that we are united to Christ, to the God for whom we long. St Augustine puts it this way: “Why do we on earth not strive to find rest with him in heaven even now, through the faith, hope and love that unites us to him? While in heaven he is also with us; and we while on earth are with him. He is here with us by his divinity, his power and his love. We cannot be in heaven, as he is on earth, by divinity, but in him, we can be there by love.”

Therefore, the Lord commanded us, before he departed from us, to love another as he has loved us. And he promised to send us the Holy Spirit, who is the personal Love of God, who comes to inflame our hearts with love. For only the love of God satisfies the deepest longings of the human heart. Our hearts are restless until they rest in God, in him who is Love. Hence, in these days of the first novena, let us pray: “Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts and minds of Thy faithful servants and enkindle in them the fire of Thy Divine love.” For “my heart has said to Thee, I have sought Thy face”… So, come, Holy Spirit. Amen.

#prayer #love #charity #service #grace #St Augustine #Aquinas

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pamphletstoinspire · 5 years

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An Exorcist Describes Death, Judgement, and Our Everlasting Life

Heaven, the Kingdom of Love

I wish to include some basic notions of Christian eschatology, which, because of the Resurrection of Christ give a reason for great hope to everyone — in particular, to those who suffer from evil spells. Our life, our earthly pilgrimage, and our suffering are not the fruit of a blind randomness; rather, they are ordered for our greater good and definitive friendship with God.

Let us begin, then, precisely from paradise, the final goal and the reason for which we have been created. “Those who die in God’s grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for ever, for they ‘see him as he is,’ face to face,” (CCC 1023).

Our Faith guarantees that in paradise we shall enjoy the vision of God; that is, we shall become participants in that same happiness that the divine Persons enjoy among themselves:

“The life of the blessed consists in the full and perfect possession of the fruits of the redemption accomplished by Christ. He makes partners in his heavenly glorification those who have believed in him and remained faithful to his will. Heaven is the blessed community of all who are perfectly incorporated into Christ” (CCC, no. 1026).

A question arises spontaneously: What need did the Trinity have for creatures, for men and angels, when It was already perfect and absolutely sufficient in Itself? The Trinity did it solely out of love, gratuitous and unconditional love for us. The advantage is solely ours: love, joy, and happiness, for all, in paradise.

There are degrees of participation in the joy and love of God. This degree of rank is given according to the level of sanctity each person has reached during his lifetime: the joy of St. Francis of Assisi, for example, will be different from that of the good thief. There is a difference between men on earth, and there will be a difference in paradise.

It is similar to what happens with the stars in heaven: there are those that shine brighter and those that shine a little less. So also it will be with men in the glorious resurrection: all of us shall be resplendent, but each one with a different proportion. Each one will have that maximum of splendor and happiness that he is personally capable of, based on how he has lived his life. Some will have a greater capacity and others less, but without envy or jealousy toward each other.

Indeed, each one will know complete joy. A verse from Dante’s Divine Comedy comes to mind: “In his will is our peace.” In paradise there is no jealousy; each one is in the will of God, and in His will there is peace. Eternal peace is definitive, where each tear, each sorrow, and all envy will be wiped away.

The Souls in Purgatory

Purgatory is the place, or, better, the state to which come the souls that have need of a purification and therefore have not been immediately admitted to contemplate the face of God. This purification is necessary in order to arrive at sanctity, the condition that heaven requires. The Catechism speaks of the souls in purgatory: “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (no. 1030).

We can understand that there are gradations or diverse states in purgatory; each one accommodates the situation of the soul that arrives there. There are the lower strata, more terrible because they are closer to hell, and the more elevated that are less terrible because they are much closer to the happiness of paradise. The level of purification is linked to this state.

The souls in purgatory are in a state of great suffering. We know, in fact, that they can pray for us and that they can obtain many graces for us, but they can no longer merit anything for themselves. The time for meriting graces finishes with death.

Purged souls can, however, receive our help in order to abbreviate their period of purification. This occurs in a powerful way through our prayers, with the offering of our sufferings, paying attention at Mass, specifically at funerals or at Gregorian Masses, celebrated for thirty consecutive days.

This last practice was introduced by St. Gregory the Great in the sixth century, inspired by a vision he had of a confrere who died without confessing himself and, having gone to purgatory, appeared to him, asking him to celebrate some Masses in his favor. The pope celebrated them for thirty days. At that point, the deceased appeared to him again, happy for having been admitted to paradise. One must take care: this does not mean that it will always work this way: that would be a magical attitude, unacceptable and erroneous toward a sacrament. In fact, it is solely God who decides these matters when He wills it through His divine mercy.

On the subject of Masses, it is necessary to say that they can be applied to a particular deceased, but, at the last moment, it is God who destines them to those who have a real need. For example, I often celebrate Masses for my parents, whom I believe in my conscience are already in paradise. Only God in His mercy will destine the benefits of my Masses to those who have more need, each one according to the criteria of justice and goodness reached during his life.

Regarding all that I have said, I wish warmly to advise that it is better to expiate suffering in this life and become a saint than, in a minimalist way, to aspire to purgatory, where the pains are long-lasting and heavy.

The Pains of Hell

The book of Revelation says that “the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world — he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him” (Rev. 12:9).

Why were they hurled down to the earth? Because the punishment they were given is that of persecuting men, trying to lead them to eternal hell, rendering them their unfortunate companions for an eternity of suffering and torment.

How can this drama, which involves everyone, enter into the plans of God? As we have said, the next reason is the liberty granted by God to His creatures. Certainly we know that the mission of Satan and his acolytes is to ruin man, to seduce him, to lead him toward sin, and to distance him from the full participation in divine life, to which we have all been called, which is paradise.

Then there is hell, the state in which the demons and the condemned are distanced from the Creator, the angels, and the saints in a permanent and eternal condition of damnation. Hell, after all, is self-exclusion from communion with God. As the Catechism states: “We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves” (no. 1033). The one who dies in mortal sin without repenting goes to hell; in an impenitent way, he has not loved. It is not God who predestines a soul to hell; the soul chooses it with the way [the person] has lived his life.

We have some stories about hell that, because they are taken from private revelations or experiences, do not bind the faithful, but, nevertheless, have a notable value. I have spoken on more occasions in my books and in my interviews of the experience of St. Faustina Kowalska, who in her diary writes of her spiritual journey to hell.

It is shocking.

Stories and visions like these have to make us reflect. For this reason Our Lady of Fatima said to the seers: “Pray and offer sacrifices; too many souls go to hell because there is no one to pray and offer sacrifices for them.”

Being in the kingdom of hate, damned souls are subjected to the torment of the demons and to the sufferings they reciprocally inflict on one another. In the course of my exorcisms I have understood that there is a hierarchy of demons, just as there is with angels. More than once I have found myself involved with demons who were possessing a person and who demonstrated a terror toward their leaders.

One day, after having done many exorcisms on a poor woman, I asked the minor demon who was possessing her: “Why don’t you go away?” And he replied: “Because if I go away from here, my leader, Satan, will punish me.” There exists in hell a subjugation dictated by terror and hatred. This is the abysmal contrast with paradise, the place where everyone loves one another and where, if a soul sees someone holier, that soul is immensely happy because of the benefit it receives from the happiness of another.

Some say that hell is empty. The response to this affirmation is found in chapter 25 of Matthew’s Gospel, where it speaks of the Last Judgment: the upright will go to eternal life and the others, the cursed, will go to the eternal fire. We can certainly hope that hell is empty, because God does not wish the death of a sinner but that he convert and live (see Ezek. 33:11). For this He offers His mercy and saving grace to each one. In the Gospel of John Jesus says: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:23); thus He insists on our continuous conversion supported by the grace of the sacraments, in particular the sacrament of Penance.

Returning to the question of hell, whether it is empty or not: unfortunately, I fear that many souls go there, all those who persevere in their choice of distancing themselves from God to the end. Let us meditate often on this. Pascal said it well: “Meditation on hell has filled paradise with saints.”

The Judgment on Life

The Catechism speaks of the particular judgment: “The New Testament speaks of judgment primarily in its aspect of the final encounter with Christ in his second coming, but also repeatedly affirms that each will be rewarded immediately after death in accordance with his works and faith” (no. 1021).

And further on it adds: “Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven — through a purification or immediately — or immediate and everlasting damnation” (no. 1022). Then it adds the criterion with which this judgment will occur, taken from the writings of St. John of the Cross: “At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love.”

The first thing that I would emphasize is precisely this last: the final criterion of our judgment will be the love that we have had toward God and toward our brothers and sisters. How, then, will this particular judgment occur?

At times, I run into persons who are convinced that immediately after death they will meet Jesus in person and that He will give them a piece of His mind for some of their dolorous affairs. Frankly, I do not think that it will happen like this. Rather, I believe that, immediately after death, each of us will appear before Jesus, but it will not be the Lord who will review our lives and examine the good and the bad each of us has done. We ourselves shall do it, in truth and honesty.

Each one will have before himself the complete vision of his life, and he will immediately see the real spiritual state of his soul and will go where his situation will bring him. It will be a solemn moment of self-truth, a tremendous and definitive moment, as definitive as the place where we shall be sent. Let us consider the case of the person who goes to purgatory.

It will involve the sorrow of not immediately going to paradise that will make him understand that his purification on earth was not complete, and he will feel the immediate need of purifying himself. His desire of acceding to the vision of God will be strong, and the desire for liberation from the weight of the pains accumulated during his earthly life will be compelling.

The Last Judgment: It Will Be Love That Will Judge Us

Let us end with the universal judgment:

The Last Judgment will come when Christ returns in glory. Only the Father knows the day and the hour; only he determines the moment of its coming. Then through his Son Jesus Christ he will pronounce the final word on all history. We shall know the ultimate meaning of the whole work of creation and of the entire economy of salvation and understand the marvelous ways by which his Providence led everything towards its final end. (CCC, no. 1040)

This is one of the most difficult realities to understand. The Last Judgment coincides with the return of Christ; however we do not know the precise time it will occur. We know that it will be preceded immediately by the resurrection of the dead. In that precise moment, the history of the world will definitively and globally end. The Catechism again specifies: “In the presence of Christ, who is Truth itself, the truth of each man’s relationship with God will be laid bare [cf. John 12:49]” (no. 1039).

The essential question is: What is the concrete rapport that each man has with God? As I have mentioned, the solemn response is found in the Gospel of Mathew. The saved and the damned will be chosen on the basis of their recognition or rejection of Christ in the infirm, in the hungry, and in the poor (Matt. 25:31–46). Two essential elements emerge from this. The first is a division, a schism, between those going to paradise and those going to hell, between the saved and the condemned. The second regards the manner in which this judgment will be accomplished — with love. God’s Commandments and every other precept are summarized solely in one commandment: “[L]ove one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12).

We can easily understand that this command is addressed to each human conscience in every age, including those who lived before Christ and those, who today, as in centuries past, never heard anyone speak of the Son of Man. Therefore, the finale of this stupendous passage is the beautiful passage from Mathew: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (Matt. 25:40).

If each man — apart from his religion, his culture, his epoch, and any other circumstance — has loved his neighbor, he has also loved the Lord Jesus in person. Any rapport with our brothers and sisters in any locality, any age, or any situation is, all in all, a rapport with Jesus Christ in person. Each human creature who achieves fulfillment in his human relationships is, at the same time, relating to God. For this reason, the love of neighbor is the fundamental precept of life. John the Evangelist helps us to understand that we cannot say that we love God, whom we cannot see, if we do not love our brother, whom we can see (cf. 1 John 4:20).

The love that will judge us will be the same love that we have (or have not) practiced toward others, the same love that Jesus lived in His earthly experience and taught us in the Gospels, the same love to which we are entitled through the sacraments, through prayer, and through a life of faith. The ability to love comes from grace, and it is much reduced in those who do not know Christ; and even more so in those who know Him but do not follow Him, a choice that assumes a serious sin. Indeed, Jesus said: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

On the other hand, in announcing the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis reminds us that the other fundamental aspect of the question is that the love with which we shall be judged will be the Love of mercy. “Mercy is the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us.” This mercy, he says, “is the bridge that connects God and man and opens our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness.”

God’s compassionate glance and His desire to live in total communion with us opens our hearts to the hope that each sin and each failure inflicted on man by his great enemy, Satan, will be looked upon with the eyes of a loving and accepting Father. Therefore, let us live full of hope, because we know that, even in the difficulties of our life’s journey, God will wipe away all the tears from our eyes. On that day “death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4).

FR. GABRIELE AMORTH

#final judgement

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daily-invites · 5 years

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04.11.19 ~ Testimony

“The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” - Revelation 19:10 NASB

The spoken or written record of whatever Jesus has done carries the prophetic anointing to cause a change in events in the spirit realm so that the miracle spoken of can happen again.

Indeed, a testimony often carries the actual voice of the Lord. Learning to recognize it will enable us to accommodate and cooperate with the move of His Spirit that was released in the testimony.

Revelation 12:7-12 (Passion)

Then a terrible war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the great dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back. But the dragon did not have the power to win and they could not regain their place in heaven. So the great dragon was thrown down once and for all. He was the serpent, the ancient snake called the devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole earth. He was cast down into the earth and his angels along with him.

Then I heard a triumphant voice in heaven proclaiming:

“Now salvation and power are set in place, and the kingdom reign of our God and the ruling authority of his Anointed One are established. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who relentlessly accused them day and night before our God, has now been defeated—cast out once and for all! They conquered him completely through the blood of the Lamb and the powerful word of his testimony. They triumphed because they did not love and cling to their own lives, even when faced with death. So rejoice, you heavens, and every heavenly being! But woe to the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you with great fury, because he knows his time is short.”

Revelation 19:9-10 (NASB)

Then the angel said to me, “Write these words: Wonderfully blessed are those who are invited to feast at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” And then he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

At this I fell facedown at the angel’s feet to worship him, but he stopped me and said, “Don’t do this! For I am only a fellow servant with you and one of your brothers and sisters who cling to what Jesus testifies. Worship God. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

1 Timothy 6:11-16 (Passion)

Timothy, you are God’s man, so run from all these errors. Instead, chase after true holiness, justice, faithfulness, love, hope, and tender humility. So fight with faith for the winner’s prize! Lay your hands upon eternal life, for this is your calling—celebrating in faith before the multitude of witnesses!

So now, I instruct you before the God of resurrection life and before Jesus, the Anointed One, who demonstrated a beautiful testimony even before Pontius Pilate, that you follow this commission faithfully with a clear conscience and without blemish until the appearing of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah.

Yes, God will make his appearing in his own divine timing, for he is the exalted God, the only powerful One, the King over every king, and the Lord of power! He alone is the immortal God, living in the unapproachable light of divine glory! No one has ever seen his fullness, nor can they, for all the glory and endless authority of the universe belongs to him, forever and ever. Amen!

Questions: ~ What is my own testimony? What do I consistently testify to about God and His work in my life? ~ What has God been teaching me about the power of my own testimony? Do I believe that what He has done for me has power? ~ When was the last time I gave my testimony?

Prayer:

Father - Thank you for saving me and working in my life every day. Help me to see and tell of your good works and grace, so that I can help encourage others to find their own testimony. Let all I say about you be to your glory, forever and ever. Yes + Amen.

#faithtumblr #dailyqt #friendship with God #language of the Spirit #listening #learning #testimony #prophecy #faith #God #God's voice #christian

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claudinei-de-jesus · 3 years

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Satan

Some claim that there is no such being, the devil; but after observing the evil that exists in the world, it is logical to ask: "Who continues to do the work of Satan during his absence, if he does not exist? The scriptures reveal to us:

1. Its origin.

Read Isa. 14: 12-15; Ezeq. 28: 12-19. The popular conception of a horned, crowbar, and horrible-looking devil had its origins in pagan mythology and not in the Bible. According to Scripture, Satan was originally Lucifer (literally, "the one who brings light"), the most glorious of angels. But he proudly aspired to be "like the Most High" and fell into "the condemnation of the devil" (1 Tim. 3: 6). Note the historical background in chapters 14 of Isaiah and 28 of Ezekiel. Many have asked, "Why are the kings of Babylon and Tyreus mentioned first, before the fall of Satan is reported?" The answer is: the prophet described Satan's fall for a practical purpose. Some of the kings of Babylon and Tire claimed worship as divine beings, which is blasphemy (See Dan. 3: 1-12; Rev. 13:15; Ezek. 28: 2; Acts 12: 20-23), and did of his subjects the game of his cruel ambition. In order to admonish those, the inspired prophets of God removed the veil from the dark past and described the fall of the rebellious angel, who said: "I will be like God." This is the practical lesson: If God punished the blasphemous pride of this high-ranking angel, how can he stop judging any king who dares to usurp his place? Notice how Satan sought to infect our first parents with his pride. (See Ge 3: 5; Isa. 14:14). Let us note how frustrated pride and ambition still consume him, to the point of wanting to be worshiped (Matt. 4: 9) as "god of this world" (2 Cor. 4: 4), an ambition that will be temporarily satisfied when he incarnates the antichrist. . (Rev. 13: 4.) As a punishment for his wickedness, Satan was cast out of heaven, along with a group of angels that he had enlisted in his rebellion. (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 12: 7; Ephesians 2: 2; Matt. 12:24.) He sought to win Eve as his ally; however, God thwarted the plan and said, "I will put enmity between you and the woman" (Gen. 3:15).

2. Your character.

The qualifications of Satan's character are indicated by the following titles and names by which he is known:

(a) Satan literally means "adversary" and describes his malicious and persistent attempts to obstruct God's purposes. This opposition was manifested especially in his attempts to thwart God's plan by seeking to destroy the chosen lineage, from which the Messiah would come - an activity predicted in Gen. 3:15. And from the beginning he has persisted in this struggle. Cain, Eve's first son, "was of the evil one and killed his brother" (1 John 3:12).

God gave Eve another son, Sete, who became the chosen seed from which the Deliverer of the world would proceed. But the venom of the serpent was still having an effect on the human race, and, over time, the lineage of Sete gave in to bad influences and deteriorated. The result was the universal wickedness that resulted in the Flood. God's plan, however, was not frustrated because there was at least one righteous person, Noah, whose family became the origin of a new race. In this way Satan's purpose of destroying the human race and impeding God's plan failed.

From Shem, son of Noah, Abraham, the progenitor of a chosen people, descended through which God would save the world. Naturally the enemy's efforts were directed against this particular family. One writer traces Satan's cunning opposition in the following incidents: Ishmael's opposition to Isaac, Esau's intention to kill Jacob; and Pharaoh's oppression of the Israelites. Satan is described as seeking to destroy the church in two ways: inwardly, by introducing false teachings (1 Tim. 4: 1; see Matt. 13: 38,39), and outwardly by persecution (Rev. 2:10).

This was the case with Israel, the Old Testament church of God. The worship of the golden calf at the beginning of its national life is a typical case that has constantly occurred throughout its history; and in the book of Esther we have an example of an effort made to destroy the chosen people. But God's chosen people have survived both the corruption of idolatry and the fury of the persecutor, and this is because of the divine grace that has always preserved a faithful remnant. When the time was up, the Redeemer came into the world, and the evil Herod planned to kill him; however, once again God prevailed and Satan's plan failed.

In the desert, Satan sought to oppose the Anointed One of God and divert him from his saving mission, but he was defeated; and his Conqueror "went about doing good, and healing all the oppressed of the devil." This secular conflict will reach its climax when Satan incarnates in the antichrist and is destroyed at the time of Christ's coming.

(b) Devil literally means "slanderer". Satan is called that because he slanders both God (Gen. 3: 2,4,5) and man (Rev. 12:10; John 1: 9; Zac. 3: 1, 2; Luc. 22:31) .

(c) Destroyer is the meaning of the word "Apollyon" (Greek), "Abaddon" (Hebrew) (Rev. 9:11). Filled with hatred against the Creator and his works, the devil wanted to establish himself as the god of destruction.

(d) Snake. "That ancient serpent, called the devil" (Rev. 12: 9) reminds us of the one who, in antiquity, used a serpent as his agent to bring about the fall of man.

(it's tempting. (Matt. 4: 3.) "Trying" literally means to prove or test, and the term is also used in connection with God's dealings (Gen. 22: 1). But, while God tests men for their own good - to purify and develop their character - Satan tempts them with the malicious purpose of destroying them.

(f) Prince and god of this world. (John 12:31; 2 Cor. 4: 4.) These titles suggest their influence on organized society outside or apart from the influence of God's will. "The whole world is in the evil one" (in the power of the evil one) (1 John 5:19) and is influenced by him. (1 John 2:16.) The Scriptures describe the world as a vast set of human activities, the trilogy of which is summed up in these words: fame, pleasure and goods.

To these three objectives everything is subordinate. Skillful arguments in defense of them create the illusion of being truly worthy. These objectives also enjoy the advantage of a vast literary, commercial and governmental apparatus, which constantly demands from the citizens of the world the cult of these objectives, which, in their minds, are associated with the highest values. The applause of the people is dedicated to those who succeed. The judgment of things is by the apparent aspect and success, based on false postulates of honor and by false ideas of pleasure, values and the dignity of wealth. Furthermore, there is a strong appeal to the lower instincts of our nature, a call that pretends to be in language (?)

3. Your activities.

(a) The nature of the activities. Satan disturbs the work of God (1 Thess. 2:18); opposes the Gospel (Matt. 13:19; 2 Cor. 4: 4); dominates, blinds, deceives and snares the wicked (Luke 22: 3; 2 Cor. 4: 4; Rev. 20: 7, 8; 1 Tim. 3: 7). He afflicts (John 1:12) and tries (1 Thess. 3: 5) the saints of God. He is described as presumptuous (Matt. 4: 4, 5); proud (1 Tim. 3: 6); powerful (Eph. 2: 2); evil (John 2: 4); cunning (Gen. 3: 1 and 2 Cor. 11: 3); deceiver (Eph. 6:11); fierce and cruel (1 Pet. 5: 8).

(b) The sphere of activities. The devil does not limit his operations to the wicked and the depraved. He often acts in the higher circles as "an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14). Indeed, he even attends religious meetings, which is indicated by his presence in the gathering of angels (John chapter 1), and by the use of the terms: "doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4: 1) and "the synagogue of Satan "(Rev. 2: 9). Often his agents pose as "ministers of justice" (2 Cor. 11:15). The reason that he attends religious meetings is his malicious attempt to destroy the church, because he knows that once the salt of the earth loses its flavor, man becomes a victim in his unscrupulous hands.

(c) the reason for the activities. Why is Satan so interested in our ruin? José Hussiein replies: "He hates the image of God in us. He hates even the human nature that we possess, with which the Son of God was clothed. He hates the external glory of God, for the promotion of which we have been created and for which we will achieve our own eternal happiness. He hates his own happiness, for which we are destined, because he himself has lost it forever. He hates us for a thousand reasons and he envies us. " Thus said an ancient Jewish scribe: "Out of the devil's envy death came into the world: and those who follow him are beside him."

(d) Activity restrictions. While recognizing that Satan is strong, we must be careful not to exaggerate his power. For those who believe in Christ, he is already a defeated enemy (John 12:31), and he is strong only for those who give in to temptation. Despite his roaring fury he is a coward, for James said, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (Aunt. 4: 7). It has power, but limited. he cannot try (Matt. 4: 1), afflict (John 1:16), kill (John 2: 6; Heb. 2:14), or touch the believer without God's permission.

4. Your destiny.

From the beginning God predicted and decreed the defeat of that power that had caused man to fall (Gen. 3:15), and the serpent's punishment to the dust of the earth was a prophetic glimpse of the degradation and final defeat of this "old serpent, the devil". Satan's career is always on the decline. In the beginning he was expelled from heaven; during the Tribulation he will be thrown from the heavenly sphere to the earth (Rev. 12: 9); during the Millennium he will be imprisoned in the abyss, and after a thousand years, he will be thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10). In this way, the Word of God assures us of the final defeat of evil. ... Satanãs

Alguns afirmam que não existe tal ser, o diabo; mas depois de observar-se o mal que existe no mundo, é lógico que se pergunte: "Quem continua a fazer a obra de Satanás durante a sua ausência, se é que ele não existe? As escrituras nos revelam:

1. Sua origem.

Leia Isa. 14: 12-15; Ezeq. 28: 12-19. A concepção popular de um diabo com chifres, pés de cabra, e de aparência horrível teve sua origem na mitologia pagã e não na Bíblia. De acordo com as Escrituras, Satanás era certo Lúcifer (literalmente, "o que leva luz"), o mais glorioso dos anjos. Mas ele, orgulhosamente, aspirou a ser "como o Altíssimo" e caiu na "condenação do diabo" (1 Tim. 3: 6). Notemos os antecedentes históricos nos capítulos 14 de Isaias e 28 de Ezequiel. Muitos têm perguntado: "Por que os reis da Babilônia e de Tiro são importantes, antes de relatar-se a queda de Satanás?" A resposta é: o profeta enunciadosu a queda de Satanás tendo em vista um propósito prático. Alguns dos reis de Babilônia e Tiro reivindicaram adoração como seres divinos, o que é uma blasfêmia (Vide Dan. 3: 1-12; Apoc. 13:15; Ezeq. 28: 2; Atos 12: 20-23), e faziam de seus súditos o jogo de sua ambição cruel. Para poder admoestar os tais, os inspirados profetas de Deus afastaram o véu do obscuro passado e descreveram a queda do anjo rebelde, que disse: "Eu ser igual a Deus." Esta é uma lição prática: Se Deus castigou o blasfemo orgulho desse anjo de tão alta categoria, como deixar de julgar a qualquer rei que se atreva a usurpar o seu lugar? Notemos como Satanás preparo contagiar nossos primeiros pais com o seu orgulho. (Vide Gên 3: 5; Isa. 14:14). Notemos como o frustrado orgulho e ambição ainda o consomem, um ponto de desejar ser adorado (Mat. 4: 9) como "deus deste mundo" (2 Cor. 4: 4), uma ambição que temporariamente será satisfeita quando ele encarnar o anticristo . (Apo. 13: 4.) Como castigo por sua maldade, Satanás foi lançado fora do céu, juntamente com um grupo de anjos que ele havia alistado em sua rebelião. (Mat. 25:41; Apoc. 12: 7; Efés. 2: 2; Mat. 12:24.) Ele espera ganhar Eva como sua aliada; porém, Deus frustrou o plano e disse: "Porei inimizade entre ti e a mulher" (Gên. 3:15).

2. Seu caráter.

As qualificações do caráter de Satanás são indicadas pelos seguintes nomes e nomes pelos quais é conhecido:

(a) Satanás significa literalmente "adversário" e ensaios seus intentos maliciosos e persistentes de obstruir os propósitos de Deus. Essa distinção se manifesta especialmente nas suas restrições ao plano de Deus ao procurar destruir uma linhagem escolhida, da qual viria o Messias - atividade predita em Gên. 3:15. E desde o princípio ele tem persistido nesta luta. Caim, o primeiro filho de Eva, "era do maligno e matou a seu irmão" (1 João 3:12).

Deus deu a Eva outro filho, Sete, que veio a ser a semente escolhida da qual procederia o Libertador do mundo. Mas o veneno da serpente ainda estava surtindo efeito na raça humana, e, no transcurso do tempo a linhagem de Sete cedeu às más influências e se deteriorou. O resultado foi uma impiedade universal da qual resultou o Dilúvio. O plano de Deus, não obstante, não foi frustrado porque havia pelo menos uma pessoa justa, Noé, cuja família se tornou origem de uma nova raça. Dessa maneira fracassou o propósito de Satanás de destruir a raça humana e impedir o plano de Deus.

De Sem, filho de Noé, descendeu Abraão, o progenitor de um povo escolhido, por meio do qual Deus salvaria o mundo. Naturalmente os esforços do inimigo se dirigem contra esta família em particular. Certo escritor traça a astuta indicada de Satanás nos seguintes incidentes: A nomeação de Ismael a Isaque, a intenção de Esaú de matar Jacó; e a opressão de Faraó aos israelitas. Satanás é descrito como procurar destruir a igreja, de duas maneiras: interiormente, pela introdução de falsos ensinos (1 Tim. 4: 1; vide Mat. 13: 38,39), e exteriormente pela perseguição (Apoc. 2:10).

Foi o que se verificou com Israel, a igreja de Deus do Antigo Testamento. A adoração do abaixo de ouro no princípio de sua vida nacional é um caso típico de ocorrências ocorridas de toda a sua história; e no livro de Ester temos o exemplo de um esforço feito para destruir o povo escolhido. Mas o povo escolhido de Deus tem sobrevivido tanto à corrupção da idolatria, quanto à fúria do perseguidor, e isso por causa da graça divina que sempre tem preservado um restante fiel. Quando se cumpriu o tempo, o Redentor veio ao mundo, e o malvado Herodes planejou matá-lo; porém, mais uma vez Deus prevaleceu and the plan of Satanás fracassou.

No deserto, Satanás espera opor-se ao Ungido de Deus e desviá-lo de sua missão salvadora, porém foi derrotado; e seu Conquistador "andou fazendo o bem, e curando a todos os oprimidos do diabo". Este conflito secular chegará ao seu clímax quando Satanás se encarnar no anticristo e for destruído na ocasião da vinda de Cristo.

(b) Diabo significa literalmente "caluniador". Satanás é chamado assim porque calunia tanto a Deus (Gên. 3: 2,4,5) como ao homem (Apoc. 12:10; Jo 1: 9; Zac. 3: 1, 2; Luc. 22:31).

(c) Destruidor é o sentido da palavra "Apollyon" (grego), "Abaddon" (hebraico) (Apoc. 9:11). Cheio de ódio contra o Criador e suas obras, ou diabo desejava estabelecer-se como o deus da destruição.

(d) Serpente. "Essa antiga serpente, chamada o diabo" (Apoc. 12: 9) nos faz lembrar aquele, na antiguidade, como uma serpente como seu agente para ocasionar uma queda do homem.

(e) Tentador. (Mat. 4: 3.) "Tentar" significa literalmente provar ou testar, e o termo é usado também em relação aos tratos de Deus (Gên. 22: 1). Mas, enquanto Deus põe à prova os homens para seu próprio bem - para purificar e desenvolver o seu caráter - Satanás tenta-os com o propósito malicioso de destruir.

(f) Príncipe e deus deste mundo. (João 12:31; 2 Cor. 4: 4.) Esses graus de pontuação sua prioridade sobre a sociedade organizada fora ou à parte da influência da vontade de Deus. "Todo o mundo está no maligno" (no poder do maligno) (1 João 5:19) e está influenciado por ele. (1 João 2:16.) As Escrituras descrevem o mundo como sendo qual vasto conjunto de atividades humanas, cuja trilogia se resume a essas palavras: fama, prazer e bens.

A esses três objetivos tudo está subordinado. Hábeis argumentos em defesa dos mesmos criam a ilusão de serem realmente dignos. Esses objetivos gozam ainda da vantagem de vastíssimo aparato literário, comercial e governamental, o qualifica constantemente reclamações dos cidadãos do mundo o culto a esses objetivos, que, na mente, se associam aos mais elevados valores. Os aplausos do povo se dedicam àqueles que os conseguem. O juízes das coisas é pelo aspecto e o êxito aparentes, fundado sobre falsos postulados de honra e mediante falsas idéias de prazer, de valores e da dignidade da riqueza. Ademais, faz-se veemente apelo aos instintos inferiores da nossa natureza, apelo que se reveste da linguagem pretensamente (?)

3. Suas atividades.

(a) A natureza das atividades. Satanás perturba a obra de Deus (1 Tess. 2:18); opõe-se ao Evangelho (Mat. 13:19; 2 Cor. 4: 4); domina, cega, engana e laça os ímpios (Luc. 22: 3; 2 Cor. 4: 4; Apoc. 20: 7, 8; 1 Tim. 3: 7). Ele aflige (Jo 1:12) e tenta (1 Tess. 3: 5) os santos de Deus. Ele é descrito como presunçoso (Mat. 4: 4, 5); orgulhoso (1Tm 3: 6); poderoso (Efés. 2: 2); maligno (Jo 2: 4); astuto (Gên. 3: 1 e 2 Cor. 11: 3); enganador (Efés. 6:11); feroz e cruel (1 Ped. 5: 8).

(b) A esfera das atividades. O diabo não limita as suas operações aos ímpios e depravados. Muitas vezes idade nos círculos mais elevados como "um anjo de luz" (2 Cor. 11:14). Deveras, até assiste às reuniões religiosas, o que é indicado pela sua presença no ajuntamento dos anjos (Jo capítulo 1), e pelo uso dos termos: "doutrinas de demônios" (1 Tim. 4: 1) e "a sinagoga de Satanás "(Apoc. 2: 9). Freqüentemente seus agentes se fazem passar como "ministros de justiça" (2 Cor. 11:15). A razão que o leva a freqüentar as reuniões religiosas é o seu malicioso intento de destruir uma igreja, porque ele sabe que uma vez perdendo o sal da terra o seu sabor, o homem torna-se vitima nas suas mãos inescrupulosas.

(c) O motivo das atividades. Por que está tão interessado em nossa ruína? Responde José Hussiein: "Ele aborrece a imagem de Deus em nós. Odeia até mesmo a natureza humana que possuímos, com a qual se revestiu o Filho de Deus. Odeia a glória externa de Deus, para a promoção da qual temos sido criados e pela qual alcançaremos a nossa própria felicidade eterna. Ele odeia a própria felicidade, para a qual estamos prestando, porque ele mesmo a perdeu para sempre. Ele tem ódio de nós por mil razões e de nós tem inveja. " Assim disse um antigo escriba judeu: "Pela inveja do diabo veio a morte ao mundo: e os que seguem estão a seu lado."

(d) As restrições das atividades. Ao mesmo tempo que reconhecemos que Satanás é forte, devemos ter cuidado de não exagerar o seu poder. Para aqueles que crêem em Cristo, ele já é um inimigo derrotado (João 12:31), e é forte somente para aqueles que cedem à tentação. Apesar de sua fúria rugidora ele é um covarde, pois Tiago disse: "Resisti ao diabo e ele fugirá de vós" (Tia. 4: 7). Ele tem poder, porém limitado. não pode tentar (Mat. 4: 1), afligir (Jo 1:16), matar (Jo 2: 6; Hb 2:14), nem tocar no crente sem a permissão de Deus.

4. Seu destino.

Desde o princípio Deus predisse e decretou a derrota daquele poder que ocorreram a queda do homem (Gên. 3:15), e o castigo da serpente até o pó da terra foi um vislumbre profético da degradação e derrota final dessa "velha serpente, o diabo ". A carreira de Satanás está em descensão sempre. No princípio foi expulso do céu; durante a Tribulação será lançada da esfera celeste à terra (Apoc. 12: 9); durante o Milênio será aprisionado no abismo, e depois de mil anos, será lançado ao lago de fogo (Apoc. 20:10). Dessa maneira a Palavra de Deus nos locais a derrota final do mal.

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sirtravisjacksonoftexas · 3 years

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Was Satan the Serpent in the Garden? UM, YES, and the Oaks of Mamre Will Show you Why…

250,000 BC.

Studying the Mesopotamian midnight sky, Eve considered the constellations, smiling as she deciphered their shapes. One looked like a giant with his arms raised, another a lion. One resembled a fish, one a bear with a tail, and one that resembled…a serpent.

“The Serpent.” She said, her curly red hair caught in the air, covering her freckled face. Flicking her hair away, she turned, walking between two glistening white bushes, their red flowers larger than her head. Sniffing several, she enjoyed their citrus scent, resembling that of an open orange. Plucking one, she walked forwards, twirling around Adam as he tended to a dark tree. Admiring his overly muscular form, Eve raised an eyebrow and smirked. Turning away, she sniffed the red flower in her hands…then froze.

“Forbidden tree…” She whispered, her amber eyes wide.

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was considered anathema in the Garden. Monkeys, including the huge howlers, never leaped onto its branches. Horned owls never perched on it, Tarsiers never climbed it. Even angels wouldn’t dare draw near it. It wasn’t really off-limits, and the only beings that were not allowed to eat its round, purple-skinned fruit were Adam and Eve, and yet…most kept their distance. Being caretakers of the Garden, Adam and Eve didn’t have that luxury. They had to tend its branches, water it. Thus, they were the only creatures who dared approach the tree.

They…and the serpent.

Cocking her head, Eve dropped the flower, then approached.

Studying the ground, she stepped over several of the tree’s crimson roots, many of which arched over the grass. Its bark was just as red, albeit a bit darker and more rugged in appearance. Golden sap bled from its bark, creating several pools on the ground that Eve hopped over. Its bright green leaves each bore seven points, all of which now and again generated a spark. Whenever the wind struck them, the leaves would speak words, many of which neither Adam nor Eve could understand. Eve recalled some of those words as she studied the leaves, which tonight were so far silent:

“Get the elephants on board! The rain is coming, Ham, the rain is coming…”

“I don’t care how many workers perish, I want that pyramid built…”

“Take the infants, offer them to Chemosh…”

“Eurystheus, why do you complain so much about your new wife? Just beat her into submission and be done with it…”

“The Plague…the Plague in Paris…”

“Burn, witch! Burn…

“Welcome to Auschwitz, everyone…”

“The second tower…has fallen…”

Shaking her head, eve turned to the nearest of its fruits.

“How can such a twisted, troubled tree bear such beautiful delights…”

The garden was suddenly filled with light. As Eve looked around, the ground shook, several trees snapping in the distance. A coarse, gravelly roar scattered ravens into the air, making Eve put her hands on her ears. As more and more trees snapped, she turned and looked to the north, seeing something rise above the bushes, its head twenty feet off the ground. Eve’s eyes went across its scales, which were darker than the night sky, darker than any shadow and yet…generated light. She noted its dark blue tongue, which reached ten feet when it flicked. It’s saber fangs stretched far below its mouth, dripping venom that generated flame. As it opened its crimson eyes, Eve smiled.

“I…I didn’t expect you awake at this hour…” Eve said, blinking as she put her hand on her chin.

“My child, other serpents sleep.” the serpent said, his voice deep, penetrating,

“I spend my nights plotting instead.”

“Plotting? What does “plotting” mean?” Eve said, failing to understand. Smirking, the serpent slithered around the tree, lowering his head until his eyes were level with hers. Suddenly, his tongue darted, less than an inch away from her ear.

“Oh, you’ve never heard of that word before, have you?.”

As Eve shook her head, the tip of the Serpent’s tail moved through her hair. Wrapping his tail around her, the serpent moved his head forwards, his mouth now an inch from hers.

“Why, plotting deals with secret plans, my dear, plans designed to…make things more interesting. It makes for great sport.”

“Wow! It sounds fun. Can you teach us?” Eve said, her voice enthusiastic as she nodded to Adam, who was oblivious to their conversation. The serpent laughed.

“Unbelievable. Yahweh…makes such funny creatures. My, of course I will teach you both.”

“When? Tonight?” Eve said.

“Soon.”

“What is the secret plan that you’ve been plot…plotting?”

The serpent laughed again.

“I can’t tell you, child. It’s a secret, for now.”

“Can you at least give me a hint?”

An eastern gust blew into the garden. Both Eve and the serpent turned to the tree, hearing its leaves speak. While Eve winced, the serpent smiled and closed his eyes, the voice of future human miseries making his body warm. Opening his eyes, he looked at one of the tree’s fruits.

“Well…let’s just say that you’ll play an important part in it…”

The serpent is the original bad boy of the Bible, a critter that’s partially responsible for all the miseries and sins of the world. Though Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and thus brought spiritual death into the world, they wouldn’t have done so if the serpent hadn’t tempted Eve. Indeed, when God questioned Adam about eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, he pointed the finger at Eve, who in turn pointed the finger at the Serpent (Genesis 3:1113)- who, of course, didn’t have a leg to stand on.

I know, it’s an old joke, but still a good one.

Incidentally, the serpent was the first judged by God after Eve spilled the beans. Eve was then judged, then Adam (Genesis 3:11-19). This makes an inverted parallel with was we see in Genesis 3:11-13.

Nevertheless, the sin of the serpent was of a far different nature than those of Adam and Eve: While Adam and Eve fell due to temptation, the serpent fell due to malicious intent. He had intended to tempt Adam and Eve, plotting both their spiritual downfall and the sorrow to follow. This makes his actions far more evil. Unlike Adam and Eve, he had planned his sin. Adam and Eve fell into the temptation of the moment, while the serpent had mentally worked his sin out. Is it really any wonder that, during the Second Temple Period (538 BC to 70 AD), Jews identified the serpent with the Devil? Indeed, even the first people who heard the story being read from the Torah, around the time of Moses (about 1400 BC), would have considered the serpent as more than just an animal: snakes don’t talk, let alone plot the spiritual downfall of mankind. And since when do animals get judged by God for sins, when they are not even born with a sinful nature, don’t know the concept of right and wrong, and just flat out are incapable of sin? How could the serpent sin when all other animals are incapable of it? Along with this, snakes have no limbs, and yet this one is punished by, among other things, being forced to crawl on its belly (Genesis 3:14). This seems to indicate that the serpent once had limbs. Josephus, the ancient Jewish Historian, stated that the serpent had feet, and that he was deprived of their use (possibly meaning that he lost them), and thus why he had to crawl on the ground from then on (See Josephus’ “Antiquities of the Jews”, 1.4.50 (Curiously, Najash rionegrina, a prehistoric snake that lived 95 million years ago, had both hips and functioning hind legs. It was named after the Hebrew name for the Edenic Serpent (Nahash in Hebrew) due to the fact that it seemingly also had limbs. Several other prehistoric snakes likewise had limbs, but unlike others of its time, Najash lived on land).

Let’s face it: the Serpent of Eden was no mere snake. Indeed, the fact that it’s called “The Serpent” may indicate that it is The Serpent, the Serpent par-excellence, indicating that it is in some way unique among snakes.

In what way would it be unique? Is it just the fact that it could talk, that it had at least human intelligence and that it seemingly had limbs?

Or it is because its supernatural?

Both Revelation 12:9 and 20:2 spills the beans on who, and what, the Serpent really was:

“And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” Revelation 12:9 (Emphasis mine).

“And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,” Revelation 20:2 (emphasis mine).

So, biblically speaking, the case is closed: the Serpent of Eden was actually…the Devil himself!

Keep in mind, this interpretation has backing from extra-biblical Jewish religious texts of the Second Temple Period (538 BC-AD 70).

However, skeptics of the Bible (in particular skeptics of Christian interpretation of the Bible) will say “Not so fast! The context of Genesis 2 and 3 indicates that the Serpent is actually an animal, albeit a very unusual animal, and thus the New Testament is wrong!”

Why do they say this?

First, let’s look at Genesis 2:18-20:

“Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.” (emphasis mine).

Next, let’s look at Genesis 3:1:

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” (Emphasis mine)

Now let’s look at Genesis 3:14-15:

“The Lord God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

cursed are you above all livestock

and above all beasts of the field;

on your belly you shall go,

and dust you shall eat

all the days of your life.

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring[a] and her offspring;

he shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise his heel.” (emphasis mine)

In these passages, the Serpent is classed alongside the animals of the Garden, specifically in the “Beast of the Field” category. Given the context, it seems, at first glance, highly unlikely that the Serpent was originally intended to be seen as a spirit entity, let alone the Devil.

Thus, skeptics argue, the New Testament is wrong, therefore the Christian Bible is wrong, nah nah nah!

But…is it?

Um…NO, and here is why:

1. THE EDENIC SIDEWINDER…

Many people in the world, including many, if not most, Christians, have the mistaken belief that only the New Testament identifies the Serpent as supernatural. However, the Old Testament likewise indicates that its supernatural. For starters, as previously mentioned, the serpent talks, which immediately indicates that something is not kosher in Denmark. The fact that it was seducing Eve to eat of the fruit, knowing that it would lead to her ruin and the fall of humanity, is another indicator that this is not some regular critter of the animal kingdom. However, there are other signs in the passage that shows that the Serpent is truly supernatural, signs that are lost in translation.

The Biblical Hebrew word for Serpent is “Nahash”. Nahash does indeed mean serpent, but it can all be used as the root word for both divination and deception (The Serpent is deceiving Eve…). It can also mean “The Shining One”. This latter point is interesting, considering that not only can snake scales shine in sunlight, but that supernatural beings, including Jesus, are at times depicted as radiating light (Exodus 13:21-22, 19:18, 24:17, 40:34-38, Isaiah 14:12 (remember this passage later), Ezekiel 1:7, Daniel 10:6, Habakkuk 3:3-4, Matthew 17:1-8, Luke 2:9-10, Acts 12:7, 26:13-15, Revelation 10:1, 18:1-2, 21:23-25, etc). Nahash is not simply meant to convey “serpent” here. In this passage, It’s a triple Entrende, conveying three meanings. It’s a deceiving serpent who happens to glow or shine.

Now, this sounds like a pretty freaky snake to a modern reader. However, it must be remembered that the Bible wasn’t written in the modern world, let alone the modern west. Instead, it was written in the ancient near east, and people from that time period would catch things in the scripture that most modern people would not. Indeed, when an ancient Israelite read this passage, a regular garden variety snake would not come to their mind.

A Seraphim, however, would.

Seraphim angels are among the most impressive supernatural beings found in scripture. In Isaiah chapter 6:1-13, Isaiah has a vision where he sees both God and several Seraphim. Each Seraphim angel had 6 wings and, seemingly at first glance, an otherwise human appearance, with hands and feet (Isaiah 6:2, 6). At first, these seems like a juiced-up version of the kind of angel we usually have in mind, human-like save for wings (in this case, 6 instead of the usual 2 that we normally think of).

However, these angels are even more remarkable when we consider the original Hebrew. The Hebrew word “Seraph” aka “saraf” (the singular form of “Seraphim”) means “He/it burns”, which brings to mind an angel that is radiating fire (which fits with other passages where supernatural being emit light). However, Seraph also means (drum roll)…

…snake.

Repeat: SNAKE!

Thus, the plural “Seraphim” can mean: SNAKES!

Something tells the that Indiana Jones wouldn’t like Heaven much…

Oh, by the way: we actually have several ancient Israelite depictions of Seraphim, two of which depict scenes that are strikingly similar to what Isaiah describes in the sixth chapter of his book. One of these latter two was owned by Ashna, who was a courtier for King Ahaz of Judah. Isaiah actually prophesied to this king (Isaiah 7), and had close connections to his court (Isaiah 7-9). Now, keep in mind, Jerusalem during this period was a bit small. Perhaps not Martindale Texas small, but…small. And, funny thing, when it comes to small towns…everybody often knows everybody. They’re like the bar in the TV show “Cheers”: its “where everybody knows your name”. When you combine this with the fact that both Isaiah and Ashna knew the king, that Isaiah had connections with the king’s court, and that Ashna was a courtier…well, one can conclude that these two historical figures had met each other.

Why is all of this important?

Well, because the Seraphim are not depicted in any of these ancient artworks as winged humans.

They’re depicted as snakes.

In the vast majority of cases, winged snakes.

Now, this is striking on so many levels. I mean, angels appearing as…flying snakes? Makes one look at God’s throne room in a far different light! But what’s also striking is the fact that the Bible actually mentions flying snakes elsewhere. Indeed, it mentions fiery flying snakes (Isaiah 14:29, 30:6), something that some bible translations mistakenly don’t convey properly or, in some cases, get it 100% wrong (translations like the Amplified Version and the ESV have the correct rendering).

And what word do these passages use for “serpent”?

Seraph.

Now, remember, Seraph means both “snake” and “he/it burns”. Just as “Serpent” in Genesis 3 has three meanings, Seraphim has a dual meaning in Isaiah 6, conveying both fire and snake. Now, why are these two connected? Why would snakes and fire be associated with each other? Well, some snake venom (such as that of a cobra), can cause a “burning” sensation. Thus, it would make sense for Seraphim, which were depicted as serpentine, to likewise be associated with fire.

Curiously, Ashna’s depiction of Seraphim lack wings. This is at odds with most depictions, including another that, like Ashna’s, bears similarities with the vision in Isaiah 6. However, there is something else that’s curious about Ashna’s Seraphim. If you look at them closely, the area between their heads and lower bodies are very wide, wider than the rest of their bodies. Its almost as if this section of their bodies are…expanding.

Sounds so familiar…

As I mentioned earlier, cobra’s have a “fiery” venom. They also have skin flanges that can expand, making it look larger than it actually is. True, Cobras don’t have wings, but the things is, in the ancient world, a cobra’s skin flanges were called…wings.

Could this have been what Isaiah saw in his vision? Supernatural beings that took the form of flying cobras, each bearing six skin flanges, as well as hands and feet (perhaps even limbs)? Or did Ashna, upon hearing or reading this prophecy, take artistic license and depict the seraphim as supernatural cobras? Its interesting to note that the biblical seraphim share many similarities with the Uraeus Serpent of Egyptian myth. This mythic cobra war originally an eye of Ra. Ra took this eye out of his head and turned it into a goddess. Later, he put it on his crown and turned it into a cobra (which had characteristics of two real life cobra species). Though this cobra symbolized the goddess Wadjet (as well as kingship), both Sekhmet and Hathor were manifestations of this entity. Pharaohs had this serpent depicted on their crowns, and for good reason: Wadjet was a divine bodyguard of pharaohs, spitting fire at those that threatened them. This belief was held during the time when Pharaohs were thought to be manifestations of the God Ra. Thus, the Uraeus was also Ra’s protector. Now, this doesn’t mean that the Seraphim are purely imaginary beings inspired by the myth of the Uraeus. However, this Egyptian connection reveals the ancient near eastern historical and cultural context of the Isaiah Seraphim passages. The original readers and hearers of Isaiah chapter 6 would have seen these angels as serpentine throne guardians. Though God himself doesn’t actually need guards, he also doesn’t need humans to spread the gospel either, yet he uses them to do so.

The connection between serpents and the supernatural (including Seraphim) was noted in extra-biblical literature as well. In 1 Enoch, the terms “serpents” and “Seraphim” are used interchangeably. Likewise, The Visions of Amram, an ancient Aramaic text, describes a vision where the Prince of Darkness (i.e. Satan) appears…in serpentine form.

Cue Twilight Zone Music!

But what other evidence is there to show that the Serpent in the Garden was supernatural? What evidence actually links it to the Devil?

Read on…

2. THE DEVIL YOU KNOW…

There are two passages in the Old Testament that have interesting parallels with both the story of the Serpent and the Serpentine Seraphim of Isaiah, passages that are, to this day, thought by some to describe the Devil himself.

Ezekiel 28:1-19, and Isaiah 14:3-23.

At first glance, these passages seem to be about God passing judgment on a prince of Tyre and a Babylon king, respectively. And, to be fair, this is true, but…both passages are borrowing imagery from a far older tale, a tale about a fallen supernatural being, in order to do so.

First, let’s look at Isaiah 14:3-23:

“When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:

“How the oppressor has ceased,

the insolent fury ceased!

The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,

the scepter of rulers,

that struck the peoples in wrath

with unceasing blows,

that ruled the nations in anger

with unrelenting persecution.

The whole earth is at rest and quiet;

they break forth into singing.

The cypresses rejoice at you,

the cedars of Lebanon, saying,

‘Since you were laid low,

no woodcutter comes up against us.’

Sheol beneath is stirred up

to meet you when you come;

it rouses the shades to greet you,

all who were leaders of the earth;

it raises from their thrones

all who were kings of the nations.

All of them will answer

and say to you:

‘You too have become as weak as we!

You have become like us!’

Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,

the sound of your harps;

maggots are laid as a bed beneath you,

and worms are your covers.

“How you are fallen from heaven,

O Day Star, son of Dawn!

How you are cut down to the ground,

you who laid the nations low!

You said in your heart,

‘I will ascend to heaven;

above the stars of God

I will set my throne on high;

I will sit on the mount of assembly

in the far reaches of the north;

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.’

But you are brought down to Sheol,

to the far reaches of the pit.

Those who see you will stare at you

and ponder over you:

‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,

who shook kingdoms,

who made the world like a desert

and overthrew its cities,

who did not let his prisoners go home?’

All the kings of the nations lie in glory,

each in his own tomb;[c]

but you are cast out, away from your grave,

like a loathed branch,

clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword,

who go down to the stones of the pit,

like a dead body trampled underfoot.

You will not be joined with them in burial,

because you have destroyed your land,

you have slain your people.

“May the offspring of evildoers

nevermore be named!

Prepare slaughter for his sons

because of the guilt of their fathers,

lest they rise and possess the earth,

and fill the face of the world with cities.”

“I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and posterity,” declares the Lord. “And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of hosts.”

You’ll notice that the being that the King of Babylon is being compared to is called “Daystar” in verse 12 (“Lucifer” in the King James Version). This is indicative of light, of radiating light or glowing, just like many other supernatural beings in scripture. Keep this in mind as we now look at Ezekiel 28:1-19:

“The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord God:

“Because your heart is proud,

and you have said, ‘I am a god,

I sit in the seat of the gods,

in the heart of the seas,’

yet you are but a man, and no god,

though you make your heart like the heart of a god—

you are indeed wiser than Daniel;

no secret is hidden from you;

by your wisdom and your understanding

you have made wealth for yourself,

and have gathered gold and silver

into your treasuries;

by your great wisdom in your trade

you have increased your wealth,

and your heart has become proud in your wealth—

therefore thus says the Lord God:

Because you make your heart

like the heart of a god,

therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you,

the most ruthless of the nations;

and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom

and defile your splendor.

They shall thrust you down into the pit,

and you shall die the death of the slain

in the heart of the seas.

Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’

in the presence of those who kill you,

though you are but a man, and no god,

in the hands of those who slay you?

You shall die the death of the uncircumcised

by the hand of foreigners;

for I have spoken, declares the Lord God.”

A Lament over the King of Tyre

Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God:

“You were the signet of perfection,

full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

You were in Eden, the garden of God;

every precious stone was your covering,

sardius, topaz, and diamond,

beryl, onyx, and jasper,

sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle;

and crafted in gold were your settings

and your engravings.

On the day that you were created

they were prepared.

You were an anointed guardian cherub.

I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God;

in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.

You were blameless in your ways

from the day you were created,

till unrighteousness was found in you.

In the abundance of your trade

you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned;

so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God,

and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub,

from the midst of the stones of fire.

Your heart was proud because of your beauty;

you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.

I cast you to the ground;

I exposed you before kings,

to feast their eyes on you.

By the multitude of your iniquities,

in the unrighteousness of your trade

you profaned your sanctuaries;

so I brought fire out from your midst;

it consumed you,

and I turned you to ashes on the earth

in the sight of all who saw you.

All who know you among the peoples

are appalled at you;

you have come to a dreadful end

and shall be no more forever.”

Now, both of these passages in Isaiah and Ezekiel are obviously using the story of a fallen supernatural being to describe royals who sinned against God. Indeed, in Ezekiel’s passage, the Prince of Tyre is compared to a cherub, and Cherubim were supernatural entities (more on them later). Now, many bible scholars try to pass these two passages off as Adam himself, but…he just doesn’t fit with them. Among other things, Adam was a mortal man, not a Cherubim, and his job in the garden entailed keeping said garden, not acting as a divine throne guardian. Though he was tempted to eat the forbidden fruit, in order to become like “gods” (Hebrew Elohim, generally meaning a being from the spirit realm), knowing good and evil, he didn’t want to become higher than the stars of God (the Lord’s divine council). The passages fit better with a supernatural being instead of Adam.

But what kind of being was it?

Recall that Ezekiel 28:14 states that the being it is discussing is a cherub. Many people think of Cherubs or Cherubim as little babies or toddlers with wings, similar to depictions of the Roman God Cupid. However, the Biblical cherubim were anything but winged toddlers. Indeed, they not only pulled God’s chariot and guarded the Tree of Life, they were also divine throne guardians, creatures of vast power that were depicted in hybrid forms. The “living creatures” of Ezekiel 1 (Identified as Cherubim in Ezekiel 10:15) each had four faces (human, eagle, bull and lion), four wings, calves’ hooves for feet, and human hands under their wings (Ezekiel 1:1-14). In Ezekiel 10:14, the face of a bull is replaced with the face of a “Cherub”, perhaps implying that one of its faces was actually four faces in and of itself, human, bull, lion and eagle. Pagans in the ancient near east likewise knew of the Cherubim (Kuribu, an Akkadian word for throne guardian, is the source of the Hebrew word for Cherub), and they depicted them in various hybrid forms.

And…what was one of those forms?

A snake dragon.

Now, despite this similarity, there seems to be a problem: Ezekiel 28:14 states that this rebel being is a Cherubim, not a Seraphim. These are two kinds of angelic beings, right? They can’t actually be the same thing, right?

Wrong!

While Seraphims are a kind of angel, “Cherubim” represents a job that an angel can have. Its not indicative of a kind of a supernatural being, only a role that a supernatural being can attain. One might compare the position of Cherubim to that of a palace guard or secret service agent. Thus, the occupation was open to all kinds of angelic beings, including…Seraphim, which share serpentine imagery with some depictions of Cherubim.

The serpent imagery grows even stronger when we consider Ezekiel 28:12:

“Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord GOD: “You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.”

This passage has been…a bit of a pain in the butt to translate. The focus of this academic frustration is the term “signet of perfection” (in some translations “seal of perfection”). The Hebrew word used here for “signet” or “seal” (Chatham or Hotem)is…a bit of an odd fit in the passage. However, this conundrum could be solved if the last letter in this word, the Hebrew equivalent of an “m”…is silent. This actually occurs on rare occasions in ancient Semitic texts, with a “m” at the end of a word being rendered a silent letter. This doesn’t happen most of the time when an m is at the end of a word, but it was occasionally so. If this is what is intended in Ezekiel 28:12, if the last letter of hotem is meant to be silent…then the word takes on a far different meaning. You see, if the M is silent, then the word changes to “hwt”, which doesn’t mean “signet” or “seal”.

It means…snake.

Indeed, its another Hebrew word for snake.

Though we cannot prove with certainty that the “m” at the end of Hotem in this passage is meant to be silent, such a rendering would cure the headaches that this passage causes translators (as well as better fit the Edenic imagery in the passage). It would fix all the issues.

Interesting stuff for sure, but…are we really sure that the fallen rebel of Ezekiel 28 is the same as the fallen rebel of Isaiah 14? Can we really be sure that both have a connection to the Serpent in the Garden of Eden?

Well, let’s look at how these passages (along with Isaiah 6) compare:

1. All four chapters are in a Divine Council setting (Eden was thought to be a place where the Divine Council, composed of God and some angelic beings, were thought to meet).

2. All have inhuman intelligent beings talking.

3. While the Serpent is called “crafty” in Genesis 3:1, the Cherub in Ezekiel 28 is called “wise” (verse 12. Serpents were symbolic of wisdom in the ancient world (Matthew 10:16).

4. The Seraphim in Isaiah 6 are depicted as “fiery” (possibly indicating radiance). The Serpent is “The Shining One”. The rebel being in Isaiah 14 is called “Day-star” and “son of Dawn (verse 12), both of which connote shining light. The rebel in Ezekiel 28 is said to be covered in multiple precious stones (which of course shine. These could also be metaphorical for scales).

5. Ezekiel 28:13-14 identifies the Garden of Eden with a Mountain. This fits the ancient near eastern context; in that age and region, gods were thought to live in either gardens or mountains. The rebel in Isaiah 14 talks about sitting on the “mount of assembly” in the far north (Isaiah 14:13). Eden was thought to have been where the Divine Council met on Earth.

6. The Rebel in Ezekiel 28 was brought to the ground and turned to ashes on the earth (verses 17-18. Keep in mind, the Hebrew word for ground here, “eres” can also mean Sheol, the Hebrew Underworld, which was thought to be below ground). The Rebel in Isaiah 14 was sent down to Sheol (verse 15). Isaiah 26:19 refers to the spirits of the dead as “dwelling in dust”. Job 17:16 likewise links Sheol and dust. Keep in mind, dust and ashes have some morphological similarities. Also keep in mind that ashes are of course linked with fire (the fiery nature of the Seraphim comes to mind). The Serpent in Eden was made to crawl on its belly (thus cast to Earth, which can also denote Sheol), and eat dust (dust was thought to have been cuisine for the spirits of the dead in the Underworld, as seen in the Epic of Gilgamesh).

7. Both the rebels in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14 are noted for their pride, which came before their fall (Ezekiel 28:1, 17, Isaiah 14:13-16).

8. The Serpent, as well as the rebels of Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14, were humiliated (Perhaps, in the Serpent’s case, in more ways than one. Keep reading…).

Now, if anyone has read my anti-Jesus Mythicist articles, you’ll know that I often say that parallels, in and of themselves, are not indicative of one story or text borrowing from another. This is true, but in this case, we have evidence that both Ezekiel and Isaiah were writing down prophecies that drew imagery from the story of the Garden of Eden (Ezekiel 28:13 even mentions Eden!!!). The same Hebraic culture that gave us the story of the Serpent in Genesis also gave us the prophecies of Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14, and when we see these multiple connections with four passages (including serpentine imagery), along with their ancient near eastern historical and cultural background, we can conclude that the prophecies of Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 are not only about the same fallen rebel being, but that both are harkening back to the story of the Garden of Eden, to a supernatural rebel that fell.

The only being that fits such a bill in the Genesis account…is the serpent.

Combined with evidence from the New Testament, second temple Jewish texts, and ancient depictions of Cherubim and Seraphim…we can finally understand the Satanic candidacy for the identity of the Serpent of Eden.

But, given this is the case, how can this be reconciled with passages like Genesis 2:19, 3:1 and 3:14, which together seem to indicate that the Serpent is an animal?

Read on…

3. SUPERNATURAL...OR NATURAL?

One way people have tried to reconcile these two factors is by stating that the serpent was a real snake that was possessed by Satan. However, whenever Jesus encountered people that were possessed, he didn’t rebuke the person who was possessed; he rebuked the demons who were within the person (Mark 5:1-20, Luke 4:33-36, 9:37-43, etc). Why would God judge a snake, instead of the demon that possessed it? Others may say that it was a real (albeit HIGHLY unusual) snake that, like Judas, was influenced by the Devil to carry out his deed. The Bible states that Satan “entered” Judas (Luke 22:3, John 13:27). This need not be interpreted as literally demonic possession. Instead, it could be figurative, the Devil influencing Judas to betray Christ (Jesus already noted that Judas as “a devil” (John 6:70-71). Indeed, before the Devil had “entered” Judas, he had put the idea of betraying Christ in Judas’ heart (John 13:2, compare a similar passage about Ananias in Acts 5:3). Thus, Satan was encouraging, tempting Judas to take the bait, and at one moment during the last supper…he gave in to the Devil’s prodding. Likewise, the Serpent, according to this idea, likewise gave in to temptation. Indeed, one could imagine the Devil making him talk the way God made Balaam’s Donkey talk (Numbers 22:22-30). He could potentially do this without possessing the serpent, just as God made Balaam’s donkey talk without possessing him. However, Revelation 12:9 states that the Serpent WAS Satan, not simply a serpent that Satan empowered. Now, if one wants to argue that Judas was indeed possessed by Satan when the scripture states that he entered him, then one could argue that, while Judas was already committed to carrying out his deed, Satan later possessed him to join in on the “fun”. Is this what happened to the Serpent? Had he already decided to deceive Eve, only for Satan to later literally enter him, joining in the effort? Could both theories, in this regard, be true?

Well, if so, then we have to explain how a snake would have the intelligence to think such a course through, and how it could actually talk (Eve obviously wasn’t shocked that it could, implying that she had heard it talk before). Even if Satan had possessed the serpent before, making it talk to the point where Eve didn’t find it shocking, this wouldn’t explain the serpent plotting Adam and Eve’s ultimate demise before Satan entered him (remember, Judas plotted his betrayal of Christ before Satan entered him). This implies a superb intelligence that was in the serpent before this possession could happen. Thus, in order for this idea to work, we may have to invoke the existence of a cryptoterrestrial, an inhuman intelligent lifeform native to Earth. The late Mac Tonnies, an author and blogger, wrote about the subject in his book “The cryptoterrestrials: A Meditation on Indigenous Humanoids and the Aliens Among Us”.

In it, he argued that supposed Extraterrestrials (like Greys and other aliens supposedly encountered by eyewitnesses) were not from other planets, but from Earth. In his view, such creatures would be non-human sentient species native to our own world. This concept is not really new, with many stories in folklore and myth telling about physical, intelligent creatures that are inhuman (such as cyclops, centaurs, trolls, dwarves, etc). Most, if not all fantasy books, and most Fantasy films, such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, has the same basic concept (orcs, elves, hobbits, Ents, etc, all non-human intelligent species).

So…are we really going with the cryptoterrestrial hypothesis? Was there a species of sentient snake in the ancient world? Is it still around today, lurking in the shadows, undetected by modern science? It sounds like something out of a science fiction novel! I mean, can we get any weirder here?

Actually…we can!

You see, we could also perhaps invoke the idea that the serpent was a genetic mutant, a freak who was born with both an unusual brain and advanced vocal cords that enabled speech. Or we could invoke that God made a single snake with these features in the Garden.

However, I don’t think we don’t necessarily need to invoke mutants and cryptoterrestrials to figure out what the Serpent was.

We can simply use metaphor to do that.

Ben Stanhope, a biblical scholar, has stated that a double meaning is in view in the story of the serpent. Wordplay, rhetorical parallels and metaphor is in use, a “flesh and blood snake” being paralleled with the tempter’s (originally) noble, yet serpentine, nature. Thus, we shouldn’t interpret the passage literally as referring to a flesh and blood snake. The context thus cannot be used to argue for the Serpent to be a flesh and blood animal.

This not only solves the issues with Revelation 12:9, it also solves the issue of Genesis 2:19, where it talks of animals being made out of the ground, harkening back to Genesis 1:24-25 (it would be highly unlikely for all the animals in the garden to actually be angels in disguise. Indeed, at least some angels were created before the creation week of Genesis 1 began (compare Genesis 1:1-2 with Job 38:4-11, note especially verses 8-11). Indeed, being made from the ground or dust can convey mortality, thus being made out of the mortal world or realm, something with doesn’t jive with supernatural beings who live forever.

However, there is another, intriguing way that the supernatural interpretation of the Serpent with Genesis 2:19 can be reconciled, a way that could shed light on the Serpent’s motivation.

Keep reading…

4. THE OAKS OF MAMRE.

Although God is spirit (John 4:24), and although angels are spirits, there are at times in the Bible where both appear in physical form. God and two of his angels met up with Abraham near the Oaks of Mamre (Genesis 18:1-2). When Abraham saw them, he immediately knew that one of them was God, laying in prostrate and praying to him (Genesis 18:2-3). God and his angels enjoyed Abraham’s hospitality, who gave them bread, beef, curds, milk and water, the latter to wash their feet with (Genesis 18:4-8).

Now…did you catch something funny going on here?

God, and two angels…are not only eating and drinking…they are washing their own feet.

How can spirits eat?

How can they wash their feet, when they are pure spirit beings, not physical?

Course, God, being omnipotent, could do these things, as well as enable lesser spirits to do them, but, keep in mind, one reason why Jesus ate in front of his disciples after the resurrection is to prove that he wasn’t a spirit (Luke 24:36-43). Indeed, one way God could enable spirits to eat and wash their feet is if he created temporary bodies for them to inhabit.

Later, the two angels went to Sodom, where Lot showed them hospitality as well, and once again they…ate (Genesis 19:3). Indeed, they seem to have physical hands, which they used to grab and pull Lot inside his home as an angry crowd stood outside, wanting to rape the angels (Genesis 19:4-10). Later, they use these same hands to drag Lot, his wife and their two daughters out of Sodom (Genesis 19:15-16).

There were other episodes in the Old Testament were God himself took on a physical form. He appeared to Minoah and his wife, the parents of Samson, before the latter was even conceived (Judges 13). Likewise, he wrestled with Jacob in Genesis 32:22-30. We know that the being that Jacob wrestled with was God because of what Jacob said in verse 30:

“So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”

Now, at first, this seems to contradict Hosea 12:4, which states that Jacob wrestled an angel. However, the “angel” in Hosea 12:4 is no mere angel, but a mysterious being known in other parts of the bible as the “Angel of the Lord”. While the term can refer to a regular angel, it also can refer to God in physical form. In the story of Minoah, the Angel of the Lord was the one who visited them. After Minoah made a burnt offering, their unusual guest rose up into the flames (Judges 13:20).

We read something very startling in verses 21-23:

“The angel of the Lord appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord. And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.” But his wife said to him, “If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.” (emphasis mine).

Now, compare this to Jacob, who called the site of his wrestling match with God “Peniel”, for he had seen the face of God…and lived. God told Moses that none could see his face and live (33:20), but that seemingly meant seeing the full spiritual face of God, not the face of a human body that God made to walk among men in.

Kind of makes you think about Jesus, how he was God in the flesh, and none died seeing his face…

…Um…you connecting the dots here…?

Oh, and by the way: remember that passage in Hosea 12:4? The context of that passage is very enlightening:

“The LORD has an indictment against Judah and will punish Jacob according to his ways; he will repay him according to his deeds. In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God.” (Emphasis mine).

He strove with God…in his manhood?

Just like it says in Genesis 32:30?

Get out of town!

Thus, God took on human form now and again in the Old Testament. Case closed, no problem.

However, when it comes to angels taking on physical bodies…some see a problem.

Remember when I mentioned Jesus eating fish before his disciples, so that they could believe? He also told them to touch and feel his resurrected body, noting that spirits don’t have flesh and bones (verse 39). To be fair, the disciples thought that they were seeing a ghost, not an angel, but along with this, Jesus ate a fish, to further show that he wasn’t a spirit.

Angels, in the stories of Sodom and the Oaks of Mamre, could eat. They appeared in physical form…

Thus, this opens up the door to the accusation that Jesus wasn’t really before the disciples, but a demon in disguise who was trying to lead them astray. If all angels, including demons, can make and inhabit a physical body, then the proofs Jesus made for his resurrection, that he himself has risen from the dead…mean nothing.

However, this is not an issue if we not only consider that only God and God alone is the creator (angels can’t create living tissue. None are gods, let alone creator gods), but that God can create bodies for angels to inhabit. Angels can’t do it on their own; they need God to make the bodies for them. And why would God do demons any favors by making bodies for them? Thus, there is no conflict between stories of angels in human bodies in Genesis, and Jesus saying in the Gospel of Luke that spirits don’t have flesh and blood bodies.

So, if a spirit wants to take on physical form, they have two choices:

1. Possess people (Without God’s aid to make a body for them, how else would demons take physical shape?).

2. Have a body created by God.

And if God can create human bodies for angels to inhabit…why couldn’t he make animal bodies for them to inhabit?

Recall how Seraphim and Cherubim took on hybrid forms? Though they merely appeared as such while in supernatural form, is it too much of a stretch of the imagination that God might, if he desired, give them animal bodies to inhabit? Perhaps even hybrid bodies?

Could the Devil, before the Fall, have been given a physical body by God to inhabit?

A…serpent’s body?

And if so…for what reason?

Perhaps…punishment for sinful pride.

Recall that in both Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14, Satan’s pride is noted. Let’s look closely at the verses that mention this:

“Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas,’ yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god” Ezekiel 28:2 (remember, the prince of Tyre is being described in the imagery of Satan’s fall).

“Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.” Ezekiel 28:17

“You said in your heart,

‘I will ascend to heaven;

above the stars of God

I will set my throne on high;

I will sit on the mount of assembly

in the far reaches of the north;

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.” Isaiah 14:13-14

In the latter passage, Satan wanted to be above the “stars of God” (angels were at times called “stars” in the Bible (Revelation 12:3-4). He wanted a high throne, wanting to sit on the mount of assembly (the meeting place of the Divine Council, which at this time was in the Garden of Eden, located on a mountain). He also wanted to make himself like the “Most High”, like God himself. This indicates both unleashed pride and unrestricted ambition. He not only wanted on the divine council, he wanted to have equal standing with God. Now, surprisingly, I wouldn’t be shocked if God allowed Satan to work his way to the divine council, despite his sinful reasons for wanting on it. After all, Jesus allowed Judas into his movement, knowing that he was figuratively speaking “a devil” (John 6:70-71). Indeed, Judas, who was in charge of Jesus’ ministry money, would take some of that money for himself (John 12:6). Obvious Jesus, being omniscient, would have known this, but he’s not shown as confronting Judas about it. Still, Judas probably cringed every time Jesus brought up sin, both in sermons and in lessons to his disciples, feeling condemnation for his wickedness from the Son of God, who all-to-well knew of his dark secret. Likewise, I could see God not condemning Satan’s pride right off the bat, perhaps even allowing him to join the Divine Council despite his growing wicked nature. However…God very well could have eventually called him out on it, indeed perhaps punishing him for his sin.

And what better way to punish the pride of Lucifer…than making him inhabit the body of a lowly snake, one specifically created by God for him?

Keep in mind, animals were brought before Adam, who named them (Genesis 2:19). If there is no metaphor in his description, then the Serpent would have had to be one of these animals. This is key to understanding his actions, for in the ancient world, if a person named someone or something, it indicated that he had ownership and rule over that person or thing. When Nebuchadnezzar first conquered Judah, (before he invaded a second time, destroying Jerusalem in 586 BC), he replaced King Jehoiachin with his uncle Mattaniah, renaming him Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:17). This implied that King “Zedekiah” was under the authority of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. It was a way to show who was really top dog. Zedekiah was a vassal king, Nebuchadnezzar was his emperor. Likewise, if Adam, a mortal man lower than the angels…had named the serpent, it would imply that he had dominion over the serpent, just as he had dominion over every other animal.

If this is what truly happened, then the serpent’s actions start to make sense. If Satan, a being that wanted to be on the Divine Council, who eventually got there, who wanted to be higher than all the other Bene Elohim, who wanted to be equal with God…was made lower than a flesh and blood human being, who had nowhere near as much power or intelligence as he did…well, of course that would tick him off! Have you ever had your parents tell you that you had to obey your younger sibling while doing a chore, as a punishment? My father did this to my older brother, putting me in charge of an errand we were doing at an apartments complex. I…didn’t take advantage of my newfound power, not wanting my older brother to later pound me into a pancake, so I did my best to be kind. Thankfully, my brother didn’t get irate with me despite my nice attitude over the situation, but he was still steaming over it.

Now imagine how Satan would feel, if he was suddenly not only in the body of an animal, but made subject to a mere man?

Indeed, there is evidence to show that humans were likewise supposed to have been a part of the Divine Council, which likewise would have potentially made Satan scoff. I could just imagine him complaining about this: “Humans, these weak, pitiful things, on OUR divine council? What is God thinking? What could they possibly bring to our highly intelligent discussions? What kind of input could they possibly give? Why, eventually, with humans eventually breeding in great numbers, there could be countless humans on our council, perhaps one day outnumbering us! This can’t be allowed to pass…”

This humiliation, combined with humans intended by God to sit on the divine council along with angelic beings, could have motivated the Serpent into action. His pride was hurt, and the council that he sat on was, possibly in his view, threatened by the addition of what the incredible Hulk would call, “puny humans”.

How could his pride be healed?

How could he get revenge, at both mankind and God?

How could he “save” his beloved Divine Council?

Simple: cause Adam and Eve to fall.

Thus, the motive for the Serpent’s actions become quite clear.

Indeed, this may even partially explain the underworld imagery, with the serpent being cast to the earth (possibly underworld) and made to “eat dust”; instead of simply being removed from the snake body, perhaps God literally killed it, giving Satan not only the death of a “lowly” physical creature, but then sending him (for a time) into Sheol, the Underworld.

Now, I’m not saying that this is exactly what happened; I’m simply proposing a theory. Indeed, the other theory that the Serpent is being compared to earthly snakes, and being grouped in the animal kingdom, is metaphorical is a strong possibility. However, the idea that Satan was made a lowly serpent, one that was submissive to humans, creatures which God intended to join the Divine Council…happens to fit the facts like a glove. It is revelatory when it comes to the Serpent’s motives. It gives a criminal motive for him, indeed more than one.

Nevertheless, whether one accepts that the language of Genesis 3 for the Serpent is metaphorical, or whether one accepts that Satan was made to inhabit a snake’s body, either way, the biblical, cultural and historical evidence all point to the same conclusion; the Serpent in the Garden was…indeed…the Devil.

Hence, why the first messianic prophecy is found in its story.

5. THE WOMAN’S SEED…

The relationship between Eve and the Serpent is a very complicated one. Not only did the Serpent approach Eve instead of Adam (Genesis 3:1), but, when God later interrogated Adam and Eve, the latter was the one who put the partial blame on the Serpent, saying that the serpent deceived her (Genesis 3:13). God judged the Serpent, then Eve, then Adam (Genesis 3:14-19). As I mentioned this before, this created an inverted parallel, with Adam blaming Eve, Eve blaming the Serpent, and yet…God judges the Serpent first, then Eve, then Adam. Taken together, we see three parts of this passage where Eve and the Serpent are closely associated.

However, if you look more closely, you’ll see a fourth:

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15

This part of the Serpent’s sentence is very peculiar. Once again, he is paired with Eve, this time with a prophetic statement that shows that enmity will be not only between the Serpent and Eve, but between their offspring. When it comes to Satan, he has no biological offspring (unless he fathered some of the post-flood Nephilim without for some reason suffering the same fate as the angels who fathered them before the Flood (Compare Genesis 6:1-4 and Numbers 13:33. The angels who mated with mortal women and sired Nephilim offspring before the Flood are currently bound in chains in the Underworld, not free to roam like Lucifer (Jude 1:6, 1 Peter 3:19-20 (For more info on this, see sources section below on “the IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament”). However, humans who live lives of sin can be figuratively called Satan’s children (1 John 3:10), and, of course, demons who follow him could also be called, in this sense, his “offspring”. Thus, Eve’s “seed” isn’t just a reference to all mankind: it’s a reference to those who follow the Lord properly.

However, there is a deeper meaning here.

Did you notice that, though enmity will exist between the Serpent and Eve, and between his offspring and hers…that the Serpent himself will eventually clash with one of Eve’s offspring? Look at the passage again:

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15

This is indicative of a future conflict between the Serpent and one of Eve’s offspring. One would have expected the Serpent to be shown in conflict with Eve, with both being listed as ultimate ancestors of offspring right before the combat or dual language in the verse. And yet…one of Eve’s offspring, a male descendant, will engage in battle with the Serpent.

Who would this descendant be?

Who would clash with the Devil?

Which descendant of Eve was killed by the Devil’s schemes…only to defeat the Devil in return?

Hmmm…

As I mentioned earlier, Satan put the idea of betraying Jesus in Judas’ heart, only to later enter said heart, reinforcing his resolve (John 13:2, 27 (see also Luke 22:3). Satan had gotten the ball rolling when it came to Jesus’ execution. He had planned it, set it up, strategized it, somehow knowing that Jesus wouldn’t resist. We don’t know what Satan was thinking exactly, but he thought he was about to win some battle of revenge against almighty God, that he was going to somehow bring about God’s defeat. He wouldn’t have thought that he could overthrow God or replace him on his throne, becoming the new God, but he must have had an idea that somehow, his plan would give himself some kind of triumph over the lord.

He thought wrong.

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” Hebrews 2:14-15

Before Christ’s death and resurrection, the Devil held sway over humanity. Satan had guaranteed spiritual death for Adam, Eve and their descendants, ending humanity’s untarnished relationship with God, end our chance at eternal life (Genesis 3:14-24). But Jesus’ death and resurrection ended his spiritual stranglehold on humanity. It was the greatest backfire in history. Jesus indicated that this was coming before he was crucified, stating that a judgment was coming, and that “…now will the ruler of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31). This was the reason that he had come into the world (1 John 3:8), not to condemn the world, but to save the world (John 3:17). Though Paul called Satan the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), and though John stated that the whole world was under Satan’s power (1 John 5:19), anyone who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior can leave his authority, becoming a child of God instead of a child of darkness (Acts 28:16). God has freed us from Satan’s kingdom, making us citizens of Jesus’ everlasting kingdom (Colossians 1:13).

Thus, Satan caused Christ’s death…which lead to Satan’s downfall. Though his kingdom on earth still exists, it crumbles more and more everyday as the gospel continues to spread, as more and more people accept Christ as Lord and savior. The moment a person accepts Jesus into their heart, they defeat the Devil through Christ. Just as Jesus crushed the Serpent’s head at the cross and the empty tomb, we likewise crush the Serpent’s head when we accept Jesus into our hearts and lives.

This brings us to the second meaning on Genesis 3:15.

Paul makes a reference to this passage in Romans 16:20, adding a bit of a twist to it:

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”

By Jesus, we can defeat the Devil. Through Jesus, we can overcome the Prince of Darkness. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). Though the final defeat of the Devil is in the future, whenever we accept Jesus as our lord and savior, we likewise crush the Serpent’s head. We succeed where Adam and Eve failed, courtesy of Christ. Though Jesus, we can overcome the Devil, we can overcome the world.

Through Jesus, we have victory.

Sources:

“Supernatural” by Michael S. Heiser, 35-41, 124-136, 147-55, 163-67

“The Unseen World” by Michael S. Heiser, 44-55, 73-109, 183-93, 221-228

“Demons” by Michael S. Heiser, 59-145, 175-94

“The Way to Eternity: Egyptian Myth” by Fergus Fleming and Alan Lothian (Consultant: Dr. Joann Fletcher), 28, 103

“The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament” by John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews and Mark W. Chavalas, 32, 33 (compare latter with 411).

“The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament” (Second edition), by Craig S. Keener, 694, 721

“The Hebrew Bible: A Translation With Commentary (Volume 2: the Prophets)” by Robert Alter,641, 671

“The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible: Red Letter Edition” by James Strong LL.D S.T.D., and John R. Kohlenberger, III, 776 and 789 of the concordance, 101 and 292 of the Hebrew and Aramaic Dictionary

“Josephus: the Complete Works”, translated by William Whiston, A.M., 34-35

https://mfa.gov.il/mfa/aboutisrael/history/pages/history-%20the%20second%20temple.aspx

https://www.bibleodyssey.org/en/tools/timeline-gallery/s/second-temple-judaism

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9020-oldest-snake-fossil-shows-a-bit-of-leg/

https://www.ualberta.ca/folio/2019/11/commentary--extraordinary-skull-fossil-reveals-secrets-of-snake-evolution.html#:~:text=Fossil%20history,where%20the%20fossils%20were%20discovered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72T2bW8bkfA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO13BSSjsYU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw2LCTQHMUI&t=880s

https://biblehub.com/isaiah/30-6.htm

https://biblehub.com/isaiah/14-29.htm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4925324/

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drpaulmacdonaldrnma · 3 years

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The Law of God Before Sinai

Paul MacDonald RN MA Dipl

For the purposes of this discussion, let us distinguish between the broadly "moral" and "ethical" laws from the ceremonial laws (priests and Tabernacle laws) and the jurisprudence laws. The moral/ethical laws summarized in the 10 commandments and also by the two great "love laws" of Deuteronomy 6:4 & Leviticus 19:18 were well known before Sinai.

The following (far from exhaustive) list shows that people knew of the law and ten commandments well before the formal giving at Mt Sinai. Indeed, we have the very general comment –

Genesis 26:5, because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.

1st Commandment Worship only YHWH:

Genesis 22:5, 24:26, 48, 52 all describe worship of the true God of heaven, YHWH.

Genesis 35:1-4 – Jacob instructs his whole household to eliminate all foreign gods

2nd Commandment – Idolatry prohibited

Genesis 31:32-35 – Jacob clearly understood that idolatry was forbidden.

Genesis 35:1-4 – Jacob instructs his whole household to eliminate all foreign gods

3rd Commandment –Cursing and taking the name of the LORD in vain prohibited

Job 1:5 – When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

4th Commandment– Sabbath worship

Genesis 2:1-3 – Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.

Genesis 16 also records the incident with manna and that collecting manna on the seventh-day Sabbath was forbidden

5th Commandment – Respect for parents, elders and authority

Genesis 28:6, 7 tells of the story of Jacob following his mother’s advice. Respect for parents is built into the very fabric of the patriarchal stories in Genesis.

6th Commandment– Sanctity of Human life

Genesis 4:8-12, 15 records Cain’s punishment for the sin of murder

Genesis 9:5, 6 records that murder was prohibited under the ancient Noahide covenant

7th Commandment – Adultery prohibited

Genesis 12:10-20, 20:1-17, 26:6-11 all record “adultery narratives” in which the patriarch is (correctly) chided for almost tricking a pagan king into committing adultery

Genesis 7:9 records the appalling events involving attempted pack-rape of the two angels

Genesis 39:7-9 – Joseph calls Potiphar’s wife proposal “a great evil and sin against God”.

Genesis 49:4 – Reuben is scalded for his sin of incest

Genesis 34 – the story of Dinah records a heinous incident involving her defilement (plus murder and lying)

8th Commandment – Stealing prohibited and respect for property

Genesis 30:33 – Laban and Jacob discuss the problem of stealing of wages and property

Genesis 31:32-35 – Laban is angry about the sin of stealing the household gods

9th Commandment – Lying prohibited; insistence of honesty and integrity

Genesis 4 – the story of Cain being punished, among other things for not being honest with Abel and God in his statements

Genesis 12:10-20, 20:1-17, 26:6-11 all record “adultery narratives” in which the patriarch is (correctly) chided for lying to a pagan king about their marital status

In the story of Jacob, he is pejoratively called Jacob = “deceiver”, Genesis 27:36. Commandment #10 – Coveting prohibited

Genesis 3:6 – the woman is tricked by the serpent using the sin of covetousness Other Laws

Even the probation against eating blood is listed among the requirements in the Noahide covenant, Genesis 9:4, 5.

The early story of Moses in the Court of Pharaoh during the contest of the gods - the "magic arts" of the court magicians is clearly spoken about in a pejorative sense and thus the prohibition against such practices as "divination" in its numerous forms.

Genesis 32:33 also shows that the Torah took over some earlier practices as well

Paul MacDonald RN MA Dipl

Israel Institute of Biblical Studies

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dfroza · 3 years

Text

A miraculous birth

(A protected seed of rebirth)

is seen in Today’s reading of the Scriptures with chapter 12 of the book of Revelation:

As I looked, a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman came into view clothed in the radiance of the sun, standing with the moon under her feet, and she was crowned with a wreath of twelve stars on her head. She was painfully pregnant and was crying out in the agony of labor. Then a second sign appeared in heaven, ominous, foreboding: a great red dragon, with seven crowned heads and ten horns. The dragon’s tail brushed one-third of the stars from the sky and hurled them down to the earth. The dragon crouched in front of the laboring woman, waiting to devour her child the moment it was born.

She gave birth to a male child, who is destined to rule the nations with an iron scepter. Before the dragon could bite and devour her son, the child was whisked away and brought to God and His throne. The woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place of refuge and safety where she could find sustenance for 1,260 days.

A battle broke out in heaven. Michael, along with his heavenly messengers, clashed against the dragon. The dragon and his messengers returned the fight, but they did not prevail and were defeated. As a result, there was no place left for them in heaven. So the great dragon, that ancient serpent who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, was cast down to the earth along with his messengers. Then I heard a great voice in heaven.

A Voice: Now the salvation and the power

and the kingdom of our God

and the authority of His Anointed One have come.

For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,

who relentlessly accuses them day and night before our God,

has been cast down and silenced.

By the blood of the Lamb

and the word of their witnesses,

they have become victorious over him,

For they did not hold on to their lives, even under threat of death.

Therefore, rejoice, all you heavens;

celebrate, all you who live in them.

But disaster will befall the earth and the sea,

for the devil has come down to your spheres,

And he is incredibly angry

because he knows his time is nearly over.

When the dragon realized he had been cast down to the earth, he pursued the mother of the male infant. In order to escape the serpent, she was given the two wings of the great eagle to fly deeper into the wilderness to her own special place where she would find sustenance for a time, and times, and half a time. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a raging river that chased after the woman, trying to sweep her away in the flood. But the earth came to her rescue. It opened its gaping mouth and swallowed the river that spewed from the dragon’s mouth. As a result, the dragon was enraged at the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children—those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to the testimony of Jesus.

And [the dragon] stood waiting on the sand of the seashore.

The Book of Revelation, Chapter 12 (The Voice)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 23rd chapter of 2nd Chronicles that describes a new young king and the end of Athalia’s terror:

In the seventh year the priest Jehoiada decided to make his move and worked out a strategy with certain influential officers in the army. He picked Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zicri as his associates. They dispersed throughout Judah and called in the Levites from all the towns in Judah along with the heads of families. They met in Jerusalem. The gathering met in The Temple of God. They made a covenant there in The Temple.

The priest Jehoiada showed them the young prince and addressed them: “Here he is—the son of the king. He is going to rule just as God promised regarding the sons of David. Now this is what you must do: A third of you priests and Levites who come on duty on the Sabbath are to be posted as security guards at the gates; another third will guard the palace; and the other third will guard the foundation gate. All the people will gather in the courtyards of The Temple of God. No one may enter The Temple of God except the priests and designated Levites—they are permitted in because they’ve been consecrated, but all the people must do the work assigned them. The Levites are to form a ring around the young king, weapons at the ready. Kill anyone who tries to break through your ranks. Your job is to stay with the king at all times and places, coming and going.”

All the Levites and officers obeyed the orders of Jehoiada the priest. Each took charge of his men, both those who came on duty on the Sabbath and those who went off duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest hadn’t exempted any of them from duty. Then the priest armed the officers with spears and the large and small shields originally belonging to King David that were stored in The Temple of God. Well-armed, the guards took up their assigned positions for protecting the king, from one end of The Temple to the other, surrounding both Altar and Temple.

Then the priest brought the prince into view, crowned him, handed him the scroll of God’s covenant, and made him king. As Jehoiada and his sons anointed him they shouted, “Long live the king!”

Athaliah, hearing all the commotion, the people running around and praising the king, came to The Temple to see what was going on. Astonished, she saw the young king standing at the entrance flanked by the captains and heralds, with everybody beside themselves with joy, trumpets blaring, the choir and orchestra leading the praise. Athaliah ripped her robes in dismay and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”

Jehoiada the priest ordered the military officers, “Drag her outside—and kill anyone who tries to follow her!” (The priest had said, “Don’t kill her inside The Temple of God.”) So they dragged her out to the palace’s horse corral and there they killed her.

Jehoiada now made a covenant between himself and the king and the people: they were to be God’s special people.

The people poured into the temple of Baal and tore it down, smashing altar and images to smithereens. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altar.

Jehoiada turned the care of God’s Temple over to the priests and Levites, the way David had directed originally. They were to offer the Whole-Burnt-Offerings of God as set out in The Revelation of Moses, and with praise and song as directed by David. He also assigned security guards at the gates of God’s Temple so that no one who was unprepared could enter. Then he got everyone together—officers, nobles, governors, and the people themselves—and escorted the king down from The Temple of God, through the Upper Gate, and placed him on the royal throne. Everybody celebrated the event. And the city was safe and undisturbed—Athaliah had been killed; no more Athaliah terror.

The Book of 2nd Chronicles, Chapter 23 (The Message)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for Saturday, february 20 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible, along with Today’s Psalms and Proverbs

A personal poetic memory that mentions victory over a lying dragon:

A set of posts by John Parsons that takes a look at open and willing hearts and the treasure of the Temple:

The materials needed for the creation of the Sanctuary were supplied by contributions (תְּרוּמוֹת) freely given by those whose hearts were moved (Exod. 25:2, Matt. 6:21). In a sense, God “needs” the willing heart to celebrate the glory of his love. It is the nature of love to be shared, and that implies vulnerability, even for God Himself (Luke 14:16-23). The "house" of the Lord is created from the willing heart, just as the goal of God's creative activity is the building of a kingdom based on divine love (i.e., malkhut ha’Elohim: מַלְכוּת הָאֱלהִים). As King David wrote, עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה / olam chesed yibaneh: "The world is built with love" (Psalm 89:3[h]). This is the meaning of "sanctuary," after all, that our lives are built on the solid foundation of God's grace and love (i.e., chesed: חֶסֶד). It is said that all the world was created for Messiah, since He is the "corner stone" of creation (i.e., rosh pinnah: ראשׁ פִּנָּה), and the house itself is built up in the love of God given in Him. [Hebrew for Christians]

2.19.21 • Facebook

The Scriptures reveal that the Mishkan (or “Tabernacle”) was intended to provide an elaborate “parable” or “pattern” that points to the salvation of our God (יְשׁוּעַת אֱלהֵינוּ). First, the Mishkan designated a central and sacred place (מִקְדָּשׁ) representing the Divine Presence, with the tribes carefully arrayed on each side (east, west, north, and south), and the four families of the Levites arrayed on each side of the courtyard (Num. 2). The gate to the Mishkan opened from the east, where the tribe of Judah was positioned (Gen. 49:10) and where the Kohanim (priests) had their camp just outside the court (Heb. 7:14). As you entered the Mishkan itself, you would immediately behold the mizbe’ach (i.e., copper altar), which revealed the “korban principle,” namely, that the only way to draw near to God is by means of sacrificial blood offered in exchange for the sinner, as stated in the Torah, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life” (Lev. 17:11), and “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Heb. 9:22).

In this connection note that it is God who gives us the blood for atonement, and indeed the central (and ongoing) sacrifice on the altar was the daily offering of a defect-free male lamb along with unleavened bread and wine called “korban tamid” (קָרְבַּן תָּמִיד). The korban tamid commemorates the Lamb of God and the deeper meaning of the Passover, which the LORD called “my Offering, my Bread” (see Num. 28:1-8). Note further that the sacrifice of the lamb upon the altar was openly displayed in the courtyard, just as the cross of Messiah was a public display (John 19:16; Col. 2:14-15), though the atonement for sin was made only after the High Priest sprinkled sacrificial blood upon the covering of the Ark of the Covenant that held the testimony of the law during the Yom Kippur service. Unlike the public sacrifice of the lamb upon the altar, the Yom Kippur ritual pictures the “hidden offering” of the blood before the Throne of God in the holy of holies “made without hands,” that is, the greater priesthood of the Messiah who secures for us an eternal atonement (Heb. 10). Therefore understand that the Mishkan (and later the Temple) was a provisional pattern designed by God to foretell the Substance and Reality to come, as it is written: “the Word became flesh and tabernacled with us” (John 1:14), and “when our Messiah appeared as the high priest of the good things that have come, He passed through the greater and more perfect Mishkan not made with hands (τῆς μείζονος καὶ τελειοτέρας σκηνῆς οὐ χειροποιήτου), that is, not of this creation, and entered once for all into the most holy place not by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood, and so he himself secured eternal redemption” (Heb. 9:11-12). [Hebrew for Christians]

For more see:

2.19.21 • Facebook

In our Torah portion for this Shabbat (i.e., parashat Terumah), God provides instructions about creating the great "Ark of the Covenant" (אֲרוֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָה). Note that the Hebrew text says “they shall make an ark of acacia wood” (Exod. 25:10). Unlike other furnishings of the Tabernacle that were made by Betzalel, the text uses the plural verb here: “they shall make an ark” (וְעָשׂוּ אֲרוֹן), which implies that every person had a part in upholding the Torah. More - each person had a part in the place of blood atonement offered upon the kapporet - the cover of the Ark - which again symbolizes that Yeshua offered his life for the sins of all who would trust in him (1 John 2:2).

Note further that the Ark’s dimensions were given in fractional measurements, “half-cubits” used to describe its length, width, and height, as we read: “They shall make an ark of acacia wood (עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים); two cubits and a half (וָחֵצִי) shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height” (Exod. 25:10). The sages comment that the “half-cubit” is symbolic of our fractional understanding, alluding to mystery and even paradox. “You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a crown of gold (זֵר זָהָב) around it” (Exod. 25:11). The heart of the Tabernacle held the law of God, a picture of Yeshua who bore the law of God within his heart (Matt. 5:17-18). And though the Ark was made of wood from the common thorntree, it was covered inside and out with pure gold and bore a “crown” where the sacrificial blood was offered for atonement, a picture of Yeshua who clothed himself in our humanity, bore the crown of thorns, and shed his blood for our eternal atonement (Heb. 9:12). [Hebrew for Christians]

2.19.21 • Facebook

Today’s message from the Institute for Creation Research

February 20, 2021

Fear of Witnessing

“And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 4:18)

Every Christian knows that he or she should witness for Christ, but most are very reluctant to speak in His name very often. The most obvious reason for this hesitancy is fear. Sometimes we may be actually forbidden, as were the apostles, to teach of Him, but their courageous answer was: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), and so they prayed: “Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word” (Acts 4:29).

More common than fear of physical persecution or personal harm, however, is fear of ridicule, or loss of prestige or position. Such fear is out of character for real Christians, “for God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). If we love the Lord and those for whom He died, we must learn to conquer our fear of men.

One of the saddest rebukes that could come to a Christian is the indictment lodged against those believers who, because of their high position, refused to take an open stand for Christ: “Among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42-43). How often do modern professional and business men—even theologians— compromise their stand for Christ and His inerrant Word because of fear of peer pressure in what should be their spheres of influence and testimony?

May God give us the courage of Paul. “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,” he wrote, “for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16). HMM

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