THE ATTRIBUTES OF HEAVEN AND EARTH
An interpretive theology of the realms of spirit and matter, Deity, creation,
humanity, the earth, their past and future, based on Sacred Scripture.
DANIEL H. SHUBIN
Copyright 1998
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
PROLOGUE
PART ONE: THE ATTRIBUTES OF HEAVEN
PART TWO: THE ATTRIBUTES OF EARTH
PART THREE: THE CAREER OF EMMANUEL
PART FOUR: THE EARTHLY LIFE
PART FIVE: THE JUDGEMENT AND RESTORATION
PART SIX: DEPARTURE FROM SCRIPTURE IN HISTORY
EPILOGUE
PROLOGUE
The purpose of this treatise is to provide to the reader an interpretive
theology of Sacred Scripture known as the Holy Bible. This author deals with
the topics of the realm of spirit and the realm of matter. The topics covered
under the realm of spirit include Jehovah God and the invisible world of
heaven; the realm of matter is the material created universe, including
humanity, the earth, and all creation, its purpose and future. Along with this
is provided a sketch on the career of Jesus son of God, beginning with his
birth of his Father in heaven and through his incarnation and life on earth,
and concluding with his present role and work in heaven. This volume concludes
with a section dealing with the deviation of historical and contemporary
Christianity from the original concepts as defined by Sacred Scripture and as
codified in this treatise. This author is convicted of the truth of all
interpretations provided to the reader, that they are in accord with the
inspired word of Jehovah God as revealed in His Holy Bible.
The interpretations of the various subjects covered are the result of 25 years
of Bible study and Bible teaching by the author, with a parallel study of both
secular and religious history. This author considers the conclusions drawn over
the years to be valuable for other students of the Bible and Christian church
history. This volume does not cover all the intended topics. If the Lord be
willing a second volume will subsequently be published to cover the kingdoms
and covenants of Scripture, with a life of Jesus the Saviour.
The author considers this an interpretive theology because of the manner that
the various topics are discussed. It is more of a narrative form. To appreciate
the approach of the author regarding this interpretive theology the entirety of
the volume must be read before drawing final conclusions on its worthiness or
accuracy. The reason is due to the situation that all the topics covered are
interwoven with each other. The volume is like a painted landscape scene. To
paint such a portrait, a beginning is made on the canvas and continues on until
completed. Likewise the viewer begins at a point and inspects the painting from
one side to another and top to bottom. So with compiling this interpretive
theology: The discussion begins at one point discussed and then is followed by
related points. The topics are interwoven to the point that the fabric cannot
be cut into distinct sections without a disruption. A conclusion drawn in one
section may be continued in discussion in another section until all is
canvassed.
This volume is not intended to repeat the contents of other volumes on
theology, many of which are excellent, thorough and far more informative and
exhaustive. The intent of this author is to present his own convictions
regarding Jehovah God and His material and immaterial creation, its contents,
purpose and involvement with ourselves. This author has excluded from his
concepts any influence or intervention from sources outside Scripture. For this
reason many of the conclusions drawn and concepts provided may seem alien or
flawed by the reader whose background stems from historical and contemporary
schools of Christianity. Only in the section on Deviation have sources from
outside the Bible been quoted and utilized.
The theme of sola-Scriptura or back to the Bible had been preached by many. Yet
to uproot and discard generations of doctrines alien to Scripture is near
impossible, especially since much of this has been considered Orthodox for
centuries. First required is an intensive and non-biased study of Scripture and
developing concepts and doctrines based on the study. A second or parallel
important study is that of history, the same eras when the inspired word was
spoken or written. This forces the student to understand the inspired word in
its historical context. The primary necessity of this approach is to be able to
understand the message in the same manner as the listeners of the inspired
prophet or apostle. The correct understanding of Scripture is in its historical
context.
It is especially the gospels and letters of Paul apostle that are
misinterpreted more than any other section in Scripture. The gospels in
temporary sermons are not read in the historical context of Judea of the 1st
century under Roman military occupation. Paul apostle has been rewritten by
scholars, no longer understood in terms as defined by the Hebrew OT and Jewish
sages, but according to Hellenic philosophy.
The final section of this volume is brief and provides a detailed and accurate
study on the incorporation of alien concepts and doctrines into Christians
assemblies as history progressed from the apostolic assemblies of the mid 2nd
century and through the beginning of the 5th century. This section utilizes
primarily the writings of the apologists and Nicene Fathers up to the Council
of Chalcedon. Parallel with this historical perspective is the attitude of
anti-Semitism in the same period. The importance of the inclusion of
anti-Semitism is for the reader to realize its effect on the attitude of the
apologists and early church Fathers. It was the heavy influence of Greek
philosophy combined with anti-Semitism that provided the impetus for the
creeds, theology and christology of the early Ecumenical Councils, which then
became the bedrock of historical Christianity and established Christian
doctrines for future generations of Church theologians and reformers.
The epilogue is the author’s thoughts of accepting the concepts of Scripture as
defined in this volume, and its advantage to the person and the community. May
Jehovah God bless every person who would read and consider the content of this
volume.
PART ONE
THE ATTRIBUTES OF HEAVEN
THE REALM OF SPIRIT
There exists another world than the world that we reside in. This world is
apart and dissociated from the world that created humanity resides in. This
other world is another realm of another nature and another constitution than
the one created humanity is affixed to. This other world or realm is the realm
of spirit. It is not a material world made of matter, as is the world of the
created material universe. It is a world composed of another substance which is
immaterial, meaning not of matter. It is not distant because it envelops the
same space as the material creation, but in a different frame.
This realm of spirit is alien from the capability of a human to experience,
except in part with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Even this experience is so
infinitesimal it is only a witness to its existence. The human is designed by
Jehovah God with senses to experience and interact with the physical world of
their environment. The human in their present state is not designed to reside
in or interact with the realm of spirit, because the human is material. The
real world is not the created universe of sight and sound and touch and human
experience. It is the realm of spirit which is the real world. It is permanent,
immortal and consistent. Our material world is plastic; the divine realm is
genuine and concrete. There exists an invisible gulf of chasm between the
material realm and divine realm, but not a chasm that is material which can be
seen or felt, but a division of 2 incompatible and alien time-substance-energy
systems. This material world is transitory and ever under development, but is a
witness to the real world
HEAVEN
The Bible refers to this realm of spirit as heaven. One difficulty in Bible
interpretation is that one word exists in Hebrew for both sky and heaven. The
reason is obvious: God resides “out there” somewhere. It is a matter of
semantics whether the Hebrew shamayin should refer to sky or outer space, or
refer to heaven as the unseen divine realm. In the KJV Old Testament, shamayin
is rendered 398 times as heaven, and 21 times as air. In the Greek, the
equivalent word is ouranos. The KJV New Testament renders this word 10 times as
air, 5 times as sky, and 268 times as heaven. More contemporary versions of the
bible utilize the renderings of air and sky more frequently due to the context
of the passages:
Birds are in the sky not heaven. Jer 4:25. Matt 8:20.
Stars are in outer space, not heaven. Gen 26:4. Matt 2:2, 24:29.
The relationship between the realms is defined by David Psalmist:
As for the heavens the heavens belong to Jehovah. But the earth He gave to
humans. Ps 115:16.
This heaven or divine realm of spirit is the residence of Jehovah God and the
spirit entities. They are the messengers and sons of Jehovah God.
The concepts of a material and bodily existence do not exist in heaven: death,
decay, sickness, hate, anger, or any other characteristic of human nature or
the created world humanity resides in. All the emotion, conscience or
experience of a human does not and can not exist in heaven, because all of this
evolves from a material creation. The attributes of the material realm reside
with the created universe, and because they are material, are alien and
inapplicable to the nature and environment of the realm of spirit, heaven. Time
as we know it does not exist in heaven. All is infinite.
The goal and purpose of heaven is the generation of the material realm and its
active progress through time and indefinitely into the future. This realm of
spirit is administration and execution of every movement or thought in our
material realm. Heaven is power and knowledge and organization on behalf of the
material universe. It is this unseen and divine realm that defines and
generates the infinite progress of this world: second by second on every parcel
of ground on every planet and body in the universe.
The evidence of heaven or the administration of the divine realm over the
material universe is found in life. There exists a distinction between what is
considered alive and what is considered dead. There is an unseen essence that
resides in the creature when it is alive, which does not when it is dead. This
is the spirit of animation gifted to every living and breathing creature at the
time of its birth. Whether it be a human or an animal that is killed or dies
from natural causes, during the process of dying some invisible substance exists
the live creature.
This is the evidence of the divine realm. Life evolves from it and is dependent
on it.
THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE OF HEAVEN
For a human to enter and view the divine realm, heaven, the person must be
divinely altered in nature. This is not a physical or psychological
alternation, but one of entering into a state of ability to identify and
communicate with this realm. John apostle defined it in this manner:
I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day. Rev 1:10.
At once I was in the spirit. Rev 4:2.
And he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. Rev 17:3.
The Spirit of Jehovah God enveloped John apostle to allow him to observe
revelations of the divine realm, but only in allegories and hyperbolas. John
apostle could not personally enter the divine realm, because he is material,
but he was able to grasp its contents through revelation in visions. Paul
apostle defined this realm of spirit as the Third Heaven. 2 Cor 12:2. This can
be interpreted as follows: The First heaven is the sky; the Second heaven is
outer space. The Third would then be beyond it, but not in a material sense,
and would pertain to heaven, the realm of spirit. Not having a more accurate
manner of defining such an environment, Paul apostle followed the tradition of
his rabbis as describing it as if beyond the limits of the physical universe.
Much like John apostle he experienced this divine realm in or out of the body,
meaning, in the body but in the Spirit transmitting him into this divine realm
of heaven.
Isaiah prophet likewise was “in the Spirit” with his vision of Jehovah God upon
His throne. Is 6:1. The same with Daniel prophet with his similar vision. Dan
7:9-14. Ezekiel wrote the following:
The Spirit lifted me up and took me away. Eze 3:14.
And the Spirit lifted me up between heaven and earth, and brought me in the
visions of God to Jerusalem. Eze 8:3.
These visions are all allegories used to convey understandably to the human
mind the activities of heaven. Since heaven is spirit, there are no material
thrones or Seraphim with wings, neither is Jehovah God actually as described.
This is the manner that Jehovah God has selected to portray the objects and
entities and activity of His divine realm to obedient created humanity.
EL AND ELOHIM
The Hebrew has 2 words that refer to deity and divinity: El and Elohim. The
latter is the plural form of the former, but is used often in a singular tense.
This is comparably to the use of English words group or assembly. Elohim
encompasses the pantheon of the divine realm. El is specific. For example,
“Jehovah, the Elohim of your fathers, the El of Abraham, the El of Isaac, and
the El of Jacob.” Ex 3:15. The molten calf was spoken of by Aaron in the
manner, “This is your elohim, Israel, who brought you out of Egypt.” Ex 32:3. The
calf represented the pantheon of deity in the divine realm. The Aramaic form of
El is Eloah and is primarily found in the book of Daniel.
JEHOVAH GOD AS SPIRIT
Jehovah God is a definite entity with self-consciousness and identity. He has a
specific residence in the divine realm. It is much like any individual in the
material realm having a residence, or the central government of a nation
located in the capital city. Jehovah God also has contact and omniscience of
all that occurs in His universe, in both the divine and material realms. The
spirit that pervades the divine realm relates to Jehovah God all that
transpires, His spirit omnipresent. As an entity Jehovah God resides in this
divine realm, heaven. Paul described it as follows:
Who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has
ever seen or can see. 1 Tim 6:16.
Where can I flee from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from you presence? If I
ascend to heaven, You are there. If make by bed in Sheol, You are there. Ps
139:7-8.
No matter where an individual may travel or hide, the spirit of this divine
realm is present.
Jesus Messiah spoke of Jehovah God in this manner, “God is spirit.” John 4:26.
The substance of the composition of Jehovah God is that of spirit: invisible, ethereal,
immaterial, but very tangible. The entities of heaven and including Jehovah God
Himself have no figure or form, because they are spirit. Material entities
require figure and form as part of the material existence. Jehovah God and the
entities of heaven are likewise sexless. There is no need for a division of
genders in the divine realm. The male and female were created by Jehovah God as
part of human existence for marriage, social needs and procreation. None of
this applies in heaven. Jehovah God does not need gender, a figure or hands,
arms, legs, feet or a torso; because He is spirit. The Scriptures do regularly
attribute to Jehovah God human traits and characteristics. This is done by the
inspired authors to portray Jehovah God in a manner that can be easily
understood by humans. This includes the visions of Him sitting on a throne or
soaring through the sky.
THE NATURE OF JEHOVAH GOD
The nature of Jehovah God is sacrifice, an eternally living entity dedicated to
an eternal purpose on behalf of His creation, which purpose is conceived,
initiated and accomplished on His own. Jehovah God is not a dead sacrifice,
like those of voluntary martyrdom, or those perishing in persecution or
inquisition or combat. The nature of Jehovah God is that of an eternal living
sacrifice. His dedication in heaven is a selfless entity, meaning, void of
personal ambition or gain. His eternal effort is in the best interest of His
creation. It is the constant and total administration of innumerable spirit
entities for the daily and long term progress and history of the material realm
and especially created humanity.
If we could make Jehovah God on His throne comparable to a person in some
equivalent business capacity, He would be Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Operations Officer. He would be working around the clock planning births and
deaths, lives and interactions; people of stature and people insignificant;
events in countries and the progress of history with the most miniscule of
detail, periods of war and distress and havoc, and periods of peace and harmony
and success; famines and abundance; calm and storm; plague and health. The life
of every person equally important since His personal involvement places him and
her in history, all accomplished according to the counsel of His own will. He
indefatigably administrating all the messengers and sons of God in heaven to
execute His counsel for the progress of billions of years of activity in the
created universe. From the movement of the atom to the generation of a galaxy;
from the sperm entering the ovum to the dictates of the despot to the slave who
both evolve from the same; from the child playing to the adult massacring; from
the physician saving to the military conscript devastating; from the activities
of a typical day to the interweave of international affairs over a millennium;
all of this executed in an incomparable order, well orchestrated by the supreme
deity. All creation and history attests to His dedication and administration on
behalf of His creation.
The nature of Jehovah God is love. There is no deviation from this nature of
His. He is immutable in this nature of His. But for love to be genuine there
must exists objects of love and subsequently a benefit to be provided to the
objects of His love. To manifest His nature the creation is brought into
existence, and especially conscious existence.
Jehovah God is by nature a creator. This is the manner of the expression of His
love: the creation of objects of his love. The entirety of the realm of spirit
and the entirety of the material universe, and especially created humanity, is
the object of the natural and inherent love of Jehovah God. The nature of
Jehovah God as a creator does not cease with the initial development of the
realms of spirit and matter, but continues with the ability to reproduce. This
gift or installation of reproduction of living species is a further creation of
Jehovah God in order to continue production of objects of His love. All living
organisms without exception have the ability to reproduce, and this ability is
Jehovah God the creator materializing in His creation. From the smallest of
single-celled organisms, which reproduce by asexual cell division, to the
higher animals with a division of the genders which conceive through union of
sperm and ovum, this reflects the nature of Jehovah God as a creator.
Ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature, namely, His eternal
power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made.
Rom 1:20.
This ability to reproduce is a part of that image and likeness of Jehovah God
upon all living creatures, and especially created humanity. Every organism that
reproduces sexually has the ability to produce hundreds or thousands of the
same species. Jehovah God uses natural organisms, both plants and animal, to
reflect His nature as an eternal creator, since with the ability to reproduce
all species of every living organisms can live forever.
JEHOVAH – SOLE DEITY
From its initial words Scripture indicates the existence of a sole supreme or
only deity. This supreme deity is a living entity. The deity is genderless, but
for sake of convenience the male pronoun is used to refer to Jehovah as “He” or
“Him”. The supreme deity has a name to identify Himself, a name consisting of 4
Hebrew letters, transliterated into English as YHWH, commonly pronounced as
Jehovah, or as Yaveh or Yahweh. This is His personal name and a name to
identify Him as opposed to any other entity. The name YHWH is used about 6,600
times in OT Scripture. Because the inter-Testamental books (Apocrypha) and NT
are in Greek, the name is not found, although in some manuscripts the name in
Hebrew is inserted into the Greek text. The Greek Kyrios, Lord, as the
equivalent to the Hebrew Adonai, is rendered as a translation of the Hebrew
YHWH in 137 places in the NT. For example: Matt 1:20-24. Luke 1:67. Acts
2:20-39. This conclusion is based on the usage of the Greek Kyrios compared to
its equivalent use in the Hebrew OT. Luke 1:67, as the equivalent of Ps 72:18, could
just as easily be rendered as “Blessed be Jehovah – the deity of Israel.”
“I have sworn to Jehovah, the supreme Deity (El), Sovereign of heaven and
earth,” said Abraham in Gen 14:22.
The important point made clear to the ancient saints was that Jehovah God was
the sole deity existing in the universe, and that all other so-called “gods”
were the fabrication of people’s imagination and superstition. Only Jehovah God
is self-sufficient and self-propagating. All else that exists in the universe,
both in the material realm and spiritual realm, acquired its existence from
Jehovah God and is dependant on Him for its continuation.
That Jehovah God is sole deity is regularly indicated in Scripture, both OT and
NT. The one passage most referenced is also the one passage of variant
interpretation between the Jewish sages and the patristic fathers of the early
church. Deut 6:4. The author’s rendering is as follows:
Listen Israel, Jehovah our Deity is sole deity. Deut 6:4. (Author’s rendering)
Other translations support this rendering.
Hear O Israel, Yahweh is our God – Yahweh alone. (Rotherhams).
Hear O Israel, Jehovah is our God, Jehovah alone. (American Revised 1901.
margin)
Hear O Israel, The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. (Tanakh, the Jewish Bible)
That this is the intended reading is attested to by several other texts dealing
with the same topic in the OT and NT: There is only one deity and that is
Jehovah Elohim.
To you it was shown that you might know that Jehovah is God (Elohim = deity):
there is no other besides Him. Deut 4:35.
So now O Jehovah our God, I beseech You, save us from his hand, that all the
kingdoms of the earth may know that You Jehovah are alone God. 2 King 19:19 and
15.
Let them know that You alone, whose name is Jehovah, are Supreme over all the
earth. Ps 83:18.
How can you believe who receive glory from one another and do not seek the
glory that comes from the only God? John 5:44.
You believe there is one God, you do well. Jam 2:19.
One God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. Eph
4:6.
The point made by Jehovah God in Deut 6:4 is that He is sole deity, and that no
other deity exists. This passage does not deal with the “oneness” of God. The
intent of the word “one” in this verse is that of “only one” or “sole.” The
idea of having to state the concept of supreme deity as a “oneness” is
purposeless. For this reason the command was given:
Do not have any gods besides Me. Ex 20:3.
Plainly, there is no other deity beside Jehovah God to be recognized. Although
Scripture does refer to the deities of other nations as gods. Josh 10:16. Ps
77:13. This was utilized by the inspired authors to convey to their readers
that Jehovah God and the deity of Israel was superior to anything or anyone
else that others may venerate or obey.
THE NAME OF GOD
That Jehovah God allows Himself to be called by His personal name is indicative
of His desire to be close to created humanity, in order that they could
identify with a creator who is close to His creation. This was in contradistinction
to the alien pseudo-deities who were distant and isolated from the people who
claimed their reverence. The concept of a name attached to the entity who is
supreme deity banishes the concept of a “god” who is nebulous or undefined,
such as Plato’s supreme one, or the Christian triune godhead, or as the
personification of a philosophical concept or element of nature. To refer to
Jehovah only in terms of “God” causes Him to be distant and vague. “God” is an
office or position, like president or prime minister. The judges and men of
high authority in Israel are labeled gods, in Hebrew elohim. Ps 82:1-8. The
judges of ancient Israel are also referred to as god. Ex 21:6, 22:8. Moses is
also called god. Ex 7:1. This was because of his authority to stand in the
presence of Pharaoh to speak on behalf of Jehovah God. To always refer to the
ruler of our nation as president is fine as long as only the office or position
is dealt with in a business or official manner, but there is no identification
of the president as a person or individual. An individual cannot know the
president on a personal basis if he is always referred to as president and not
by his name. Only if the president has a name and individuals refer to him by
this name can he be known personally and become a friend, and then can a
relationship develop. A relationship cannot develop with a nebulous or vague or
distant office, but only with someone that can be identified with on a personal
basis.
The correct reference to our supreme creator should be Yahweh Elohim or Jehovah
Deity, much like referring to the original supreme ruler of America as
President Washington. This phrase is the correct manner that Jehovah God wants
to be referred to and so is used in Scripture. The Hebrew adonai, translated as
“Lord” is not the name of the supreme deity. It is His capacity and is
equivalent to the English master. Referring to Jehovah God solely as Adonai has
the same evasive impact as using “God,” it does not convey the ability to
identify with the supreme deity as does the use of His personal name. The term
Yahweh Elohim is used about 540 times in Scripture, and is commonly translated
as Lord God.
The terms “name of God,” or “the name of the Lord,” or a variant forms, is
utilized in Scripture at lest 110 times. Ex 15:3. Ps 83:8. Ex 6:3. Translators
of popular and contemporary versions have failed to identify the supreme deity
correctly by changing His identity: He no longer has a personal name, but only
a title. This obliteration of His name and subsequent use of a title
deliberately locates the supreme deity at a distance and defines Him as vague
and nebulous. This intent is the direct purpose of the translators, and in
order to easily be able to divide or redefined Him as a triune godhead.
Translators replacing His personal identity with some cognitive title deprive
Him of a personal identity. This is especially noticeable in the Greek
Septuagint, where the name Jehovah is rendered as Kyrios, Lord, the equivalent
of the Hebrew Adonai.
In OT eras, individuals publicly “Announced the name Jehovah.” This is the
proper rendering of “Call on the name of the Lord”. Gen 4:26. Abraham called on
the name Jehovah. Gen 12:8. David likewise. Ps 116:4. Others proclaimed the
name Jehovah. Deut 32:3. David wanted to build a house for the name Jehovah. 1
King 5:3. The enigma of Bible translation lies in the conflict of calling upon
the name of someone and then replacing that name with a title. Some literal
Bible translations render YHWH as Jehovah (Young’s Literal, American Revised of
1901); or as Yahweh (Rotherham’s Emphasized).
ANTHROPOMORPHISM AND ANTHROPOPATHISM
The included description of Jehovah God scattered throughout Scripture often
attributes to Him the characteristics of created humanity, as well as the
better attributes of creatures. Even though Jehovah God is a spirit without
form or gender, such descriptions are provided by inspired authors of
Scripture. The 2 terms of the title of this section deal with the application
of physical characteristics and non-physical characteristics of a person to a
non-material entity. The purpose of inspired authors is easy enough to
understand: For the individual to be able to identify with a superior entity
residing in another realm in terms of themselves. This identification of
characteristics between a spirit entity and human would bring the deity close
to his created humanity.
Ex 6:6. Num 11:23. Jehovah God is described as having an outstretched and
strong arm.
Ex 9:9. Jehovah God has a hand. 1 Sam 12:15. Ps 75:8.
Gen 6:8. Jehovah God has eyes to see goodness in certain individuals. Ps 34:15.
1 King 16:25. Jehovah God has eyes to see evil in certain individuals.
Ps 5:21. Jehovah God sees all that occurs in the life of His created humanity.
Lev 24:12. Jehovah God has a mind with which to think. Rom 11:34. 1 Cor 2:16.
Ex 4:14. Jehovah God becomes angry from violation of His law by His people.
Josh 7:1. Jer 4:8.
Jer 50:15, 28. Jehovah God takes vengeance against the wicked. Jer 51:11.
Pr 3:11-12. Jehovah God disciplines His children in the same manner as a
legitimate and loving parent. Heb 12:5-7. Deut 8:5.
Ex 19:4. Jehovah God carried the people of Israel on the wings of an eagle in
their exodus from Egypt.
These are just a few isolated examples of attributing physical and emotional
human traits to the supreme deity Jehovah God in order for created humanity to
be able to identity with Him and so feel close to Him.
There are 2 apparitions of Jehovah God in Scripture that are difficult but
explainable. Both of these occurred in His appearance to Moses. The first is in
Ex 24:9-11. The covenant between Jehovah God and Israel is instituted in verses
6-7. Then the elders ascend mount Horeb with Moses to personally meet with the
entity with whom they concluded this covenant. In this passage elders of Israel
ate and drank in the presence of the God of Israel. This was a covenant meal
with both parties present. To the general public Jehovah God revealed Himself
in the thunder, lightning, smoke, trumpet and earthquake as the indication of
His presence and majesty. But to a private few, He manifested Himself in some
type of semi-material or ghost-like figure. Since Jehovah God is spirit, this
appearance was made in a manner the balance of elders could perceive His
personal presence. Jehovah God as a spirit migrated from the realm of spirit,
heaven, and manifested Himself in this perceivable form, to be recorded for
future generations. All would know with Whom their fathers concluded the
covenant at Horeb.
The second apparition is that of Ex 33:17-23. In this apparition similar to the
one above Jehovah God appeared in a semi-material form, just enough for Moses
to acknowledge the immediate presence of Jehovah God. He hid behind a rock on
the side of a cliff while Moses walked by, seeing His person but not actually
seeing His face. Moses could not have seen His face anyway. Jehovah God being a
spirit has no face. A face is human for earthly identity and identification.
This is why Jehovah God told Moses he could not see His face. What would Moses
see? Jehovah God transcends earthly identify or identification. He cannot have
an earthly face.
SPIRIT OF JEHOVAH GOD
The one word Spirit is used in the English language to describe a myriad of
functional entities and energies in heaven and on earth. Jehovah God is spirit,
and He possesses a spirit which is omnipresent. The messengers are spirit.
There is a spirit which causes life in the material realm, a spirit of
animation. Even the mind or mental capacity of a human is termed spirit in
Scripture. The New Testament repeated speaks of Holy Spirit. This use of a
single word to apply to many areas and facets likewise causes difficulty in
definition. Throughout this treatise the variations and types of spirit will be
individually discussed.
Holy Spirit is that living and active spirit from Jehovah God which is the
transition and connection between heaven and believing humanity. It is part of
His consecrated nature and divine energy which emanates from His person to
enliven with a divine impulse those believing in Him. Holy Spirit is that
animating power of the living Jehovah God that migrates from Jehovah God in His
divine realm of spirit and into the body of believing humanity in the created
universe. Holy Spirit is not the spirit of animation residing in all living
creation: this is an enlivening of the body. Holy Spirit transcends the human
spirit of animation and witnesses to the realm of spirit and testifies to the
nature of Jehovah God. Holy Spirit is the presence in a believing human of an
attribute of Jehovah God.
The euphemisms of Holy Spirit are many in Scripture and all pertain to the
same: Spirit of Jehovah (i.e. spirit of the LORD) or Spirit of holiness, in the
Old Testament; Spirit of God and Spirit of Jesus Messiah or plainly Spirit of
Messiah, in the New Testament. Holy Spirit is the presence of the living God in
our world. Jehovah God has always had a presence in the material world in the
human body of believers, and it is through this Spirit which emanates out of
Him that His presence is felt and provided for created humanity.
By revelation Holy Spirit inspires. It is the message of Jehovah God to
prophets and those capable of receiving revelation from Him, including apostles
and others noted in Scripture. The living essence of Jehovah God migrates into
our material realm and fills the body of believers. This is the Holy Spirit of
Scripture. This has occurred regularly beginning with the progenitors Adam and
Eve and in every generation to the present. Not all are noted in Scripture, only
a few such as the schools of prophets of Elisha’s era or the apostolic
community. Holy Spirit emanates out of Jehovah God and materializes in the
baptism of Spirit. It becomes encouragement, strength, and comfort for His
people.
Holy Spirit is not a distinct entity or independent from Jehovah God in
respect, and is not a facet or portion of Him; neither is it a separate person
comprising an indivisible part of Him. Holy Spirit is His living essence which
appears in created humanity and resides in believers, whenever and wherever
Jehovah God decides. Like Jehovah God Himself, Holy Spirit is genderless. It
has no attributes of its own, because it emanates from Jehovah God as His
essence. The attributes noted in Scripture pertaining to Holy Spirit are a reflection
of the attributes of Jehovah God Himself, since it is through His Holy Spirit
that He reveals Himself to His believers. Holy Spirit has no form, personality,
mind, thoughts or character of its own, other than that of Jehovah God.
Properly Holy Spirit should be referred to as “It” in Scripture rather than
“He,” since Holy Spirit is not a distinct creature or entity with gender, but
an invisible arm of the nature of Jehovah God.
Holy Spirit is to be experienced by being “in the Spirit” as were the prophets
and apostles and believers of Bible times. The error in defining Holy Spirit as
a person of a triune Deity by theologians, philosophers and scholars results
from the lack or deprivation of the baptism of Spirit. A person immersed into
Holy Spirit experiences the living essence of Jehovah God Himself, the pledge
of our inheritance, the power of our resurrection from death, a revelation and
witness of heaven the origin of Holy Spirit. A lack of this experience results
in an incorrect interpretation. These have an inability to compare spiritual
items with spiritual. Holy Spirit baptism is the experience of the true
believer in Jehovah God and His Son Jesus Messiah leading to a proper knowledge
of deity and the realm of spirit and the interaction between these two arenas.
JEHOVAH GOD AS SOLE SOURCE
If there is an attitude that is noticeable in the saints from the age it is the
acknowledgement that Jehovah God is sole source. He is the source and
responsible party of all that occurs on earth, whether natural elements, birth,
death, and the various tragedies and blessings that surface in a person’s life.
There was no room in the life of the ancient saints for supernatural
mythological entities that were identified with the elements or disease or
death or blessing. There was no devil or satan as a genuine spirit entity that
tempted individuals and led them to criminal activity.
Hannah the mother of Samuel likewise concluded the same in 1 Sam 2:6-7, and so
did Eliphaz the friend of Job in Job 5:18. Jehovah God Himself claimed
responsibility for the congenital handicaps of a person. Ex 4:11. Jehovah God
adamantly states the he is the source of all success, as well as the source of
vengeance and penalty against the criminal. Deut 32:39. Is 45:7. Amos 3:6.
The saints in ancient times acknowledged that Jehovah God was the source of
both success and failure, blessing and curse, benefit and tragedy. But He was
not to be blamed or charged with injustice. As the supreme deity all His effort
on earth occurred according to the council of His own will. Eph 1:11. His
judgements are just and proper. Rev 15:3. Ps 145:17. Jehovah God was never the
one to be charged with some injustice as a result of what occurred on earth.
Some did charge Jehovah God with injustice. Job did in Job 12:13-25, but to no
avail.
A parallel event is noted in 1 Kings 22:5-23. This lying spirit in the mouths
of some 400 prophets of Jehovah God only confirmed the attitude which both
kings already had in order for them to face their penalty. They were beyond the
point of any repentance. Ahab was to die to answer with his own life the life
of Naboth, for whose death he and his wife Jezebel were responsible. 1 King
21:17-19. Jezebel died in a hideous manner sometime later. Both of their
premature deaths fulfilled the prophecy of Elijah.
Jehovah God was the source of the just penalty of these individuals and many
more and solely because of the crimes they willingly committed against Israel.
Likewise Jehovah God is the source of all blessing and benefit on earth unto
those obedient and faithful to Him.
SONS OF GOD
There are 2 classes or sorts of creation or entities within the realm of
spirit. The first are the sons of God; the second are the Messengers. Both are
spirit: formless, genderless, immaterial and ethereal since they are entities
of heaven. The proper translation of malak in the Hebrew, and aggelos in the
Greek, is messenger. (At some later date the Greek word aggelos was
transliterated into the English Angel in Bible translations at the discretion
of the translators. Rotherham in his Emphasized Bible correctly and throughout
renders these terms as messenger.) The difference between the 2 classes are
primarily in generation, and the secondary reason is that of purpose. One is a
product of Jehovah God, the other is a creation. Jehovah God is Father of the
sons of God, while He is creator of Messengers.
The difference in generation of the 2 classes has a material comparison. A
married couple through sexual union can produce a child just like themselves:
of the same nature - flesh, same features – human, and same form. The same
married couple can also take some pre-existing material and build some operable
equipment, work of art, structure, etc. Both classes are creations of the
married couple, but the former is derived of the identical substance and nature
of the couple and evolves from the womb of the mother, while the latter is
manufactured or assembled.
The sons of God are similar to the former class. Although genderless and not a
product of a union, they have nevertheless evolved or emanated directly out of
Jehovah God. They have the same nature as their Father Jehovah God and are made
of the same substance. The concept is difficult to grasp because the human mind
can not visualize a spirit entity who is a genderless parent give birth or
cause another spirit entity to emanate. In this case the parent is Jehovah God,
and the offspring he engenders and produces are His sons, although in reality
they are genderless. These have the ability of independent thought and action
as part of the nature of their Father inherited by them. They are in the
fullness of the image and likeness of their parent Jehovah God. This concept
also applies to Emmanuel the first-born son of Jehovah God, who is Jesus.
Who among the sons of God is like Jehovah? Ps 89:5.
Sons of God are also mentioned in Job 1:6, 2:1, and 38:7, as residing in heaven
and having access to Jehovah God their Father.
MESSENGERS
The latter class are the Messengers. These Jehovah God created as entities out
of His pre-existent spirit. Although they are spirit beings, they would be
considered manufactured entities and then programmed to automatically fulfill
the will and counsel of Jehovah God. They have no ability to think or act
independently of Jehovah God their Creator. They are created as needed to
fulfill the assigned task and then retired. They are referred to as spirits.
Who makes His messengers spirits, and His servants flames of fire. Heb 1:8
quote from Ps 104:4.
A few examples of spirits manifesting as messengers follow:
Gen 16:7-14. In this passage a pregnant Hagar flees from her mistress and
Sarah. In the desert Hagar meets with a messenger of Jehovah. The messenger is
a materialization of a spirit entity in the appearance of a human, and conveys
a personal message of Jehovah God to Hagar, for her to return to Sarah. He also
relays to her the promise of a large progeny.
Gen 18:1-33. The portrayal here is 3 messengers meeting with Abraham and Sarah.
They have the appearance of humans. Gen 18:22. The chapter and meeting is
divided in to 2 parts: First is the promise of a son to the aged couple; the
second is the destruction of Sodom. A point to be noticed here is that the
messengers of Jehovah possess His name. Gen 18:1 reads, “Jehovah appeared to
[Abraham].” These entities from heaven, composed of the spirit of Jehovah God,
speak in the first person. After 2 of the messengers departs for Sodom in verse
22, the third speaks in the first person, “And Jehovah said.” Gen 18:26. These
messengers speak on behalf of the Supreme Deity. This phenomenon is mentioned
in the following passage.
Behold I send my messenger before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you
to the place which I have prepared. Give heed to him and hearken to his voice,
do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your violation; for My name is
in him. Ex 23:20-21.
This is the same situation as with the messenger with Abraham; the name of
Jehovah God was in him, meaning that he could speak in the first person as
Jehovah God because he spoke as His regent or representative. The messenger was
the means by which Jehovah God personally conveyed His word and instruction
unto the people. The messenger was the earthly mouthpiece of Jehovah God.
Ex 3:1-16. This is the famous burning bush passage where the messenger of
Jehovah (angel of the LORD) appears to Moses. So he is called in verse 2. Later
in the passage the entity identifies himself as the God of the patriarchs,
Jehovah. Verses 6-7. Now it is Jehovah God speaking to Moses. As in the above
occurrence, the messenger is a spirit entity who is the mouthpiece of Jehovah
God materializing in the presence of Moses to convey a personal message.
In another respect the messenger of Jehovah is much like the Spirit of truth
which is to be sent by Jesus Messiah and which proceeds from Jehovah God. John
15:26.
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you unto all the truth; for he
will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak and he
will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13.
The pronoun is masculine as so translated as “he,” although the Spirit is
genderless as are the messengers genderless. The Holy Spirit can be equated
with the messenger of Jehovah speaking through the person of a prophet. He can
likewise speak in the first person as Jehovah God, since the Spirit of truth is
utilizing this person as Its mouthpiece.
RELATED MESSENGERS
Other manifestations of heavenly messengers are mentioned in Scripture. The
heavenly Messengers are ministering Spirit-entities who appear in some
apparition or form to assist the believers in times of crises or need.
Appearing in the form of a human, they were the materialization of a spirit
entity as the mouthpiece of Jehovah God, to convey a message in the first
person, having His name in them.
Gen 28:12. Jacob’s dream of the ladder reaching to heaven with messengers
ascending and descending on it. Jacob refers to this incident later in his life
in Gen 48:5.
Gen 32:24-30. Such was the man who wrestled with Jacob during the night.
Josh 5:13-15. The commander of the army of Jehovah who appeared to Joshua.
Judg 13:1-21. The messenger who promised the birth of Samson to his parents.
Luke 1:11-20. Gabriel and his message to Zechariah.
Luke 1:26-37. Gabriel and his message to Mary of Nazareth.
Acts 12:6-11. A divine messenger appears to Peter apostle in prison. He opens
the prison and city gates for Peter and leads him to safety.
Acts 27:23.-24. A messenger appeared to Paul apostle during the night and
informed him that they would be delivered from ship wreak.
Heb 13:2. There were occasions when Jehovah God sent a messenger as a test of
the hospitality of those who claimed to be believers.
Rev 19:9-10. An angel appeared to John apostle with words for John to write.
John wanted to worship the messenger but he would not allow John, telling John
that he was likewise a fellow servant of God.
Rev 22:8-9. John apostle a second time attempts to worship the messenger
revealing to him these secrets of God, but was not permitted.
Dan 3:25,28. When Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fiery furnace to see what he
thought were the charred remains of the 3 young men of Israel, he saw them
alive along with another entity he described as “like a son of the gods.” This
entity was later defined by Nebuchadnezzar as being the Messenger (angel) of
the God of the 3 Israelite young men. To protect and assure His believers under
duress and persecution, Jehovah God sent a messenger from heaven and who
materialized in a form visible to the 3 young men and to the King of Babylon.
Apparently the Messenger had some supernatural form or distinguishing
characteristic for Nebuchadnezzer to identity him as “a son of the gods.” (This
is in contradistinction to the form seen in the vision of Dan 7:13, which is
described as a son of humanity, or human.)
There are several passages in Scripture where the Hebrew malak refers to
humans.
2 Chron 36:15-16, Obo 1:1. The prophets as messengers of Jehovah God.
Eccl 5:6. A human messenger.
Is 42:19. Israel as the messenger.
Hag 1:13. Haggai is messenger of Jehovah God.
Mal 2:7. Priest is messenger of Jehovah God.
Mal 3:1. Matt 11:10. John Baptizer is the messenger.
Interesting to note that the word malak is used in both Gen 32:1 and 3; but
translators have rendered it as angels in verse 1, while messengers in verse 3.
It is just as easy to understand the malak in verse 1 to be earthly Messengers
sent by Jehovah God. It is by interpretation whether to apply malak to a
heavenly Messenger or earthly one.
EMANATION OF THE SON OF JEHOVAH ELOHIM
Jehovah God has a son, and his name is Emmanuel. His popular designation is
Jesus Messiah. He is not unlike the spirit entities termed sons of God; however
he is distinct from the messengers or the ministering spirits. He is a new
entity evolving or emanating out of His Father. The comparison is with physical
childbirth, the child inheriting the identical nature of the parents. Jesus
Messiah is homo-ousian with his father Jehovah God.
Prior to the birth of the son, Jehovah God could not be called a father. He
became a father with the birth of His son, a new entity. Jesus not a creation
or creature. He is very God of very God and was born of His father Jehovah God,
before all in existence. Jesus is divine. He is divinity because His father
gave birth to him in order for him to have these qualities and characteristics.
Jesus was begotten a god because this is what Jehovah God determined to do.
Only Jesus Messiah was begotten in this manner, given birth to, and no other
creature or entity in heaven. There are 2 passages to note regarding this. One
is the Messianic Psalm 2, also utilized by Paul apostle. The second is the
Septuagint and Aramaic reading of another Messianic Psalm.
He (Jehovah) said to me, “You are My son, today I have begotten you. Ps 2:7.
Acts 13:33.
Out of the womb before the morning star I gave you birth. Ps 110:3 (LXX,
Vulgate. Syriac).
Arrayed in the beauty of holiness from the womb, I have begotten thee as a
child from the ages. Ps 110:10. (Aramaic translation by George Lamsa).
The sons of Jehovah God mentioned above and in Scripture are of spirit
substance, but are not of the exact nature and substance as is Jehovah God.
These balance of sons of God are not divine. The sons of Jehovah God are independent
entities, but subject to Jesus Messiah. He is called only-begotten son as a
result of His inheritance and possession of the nature and substance of Jehovah
God his father.
John apostle call him “the only begotten god (Gk. Theos).” John 1:18. But in
the same gospel and later Jesus refers to himself as “The only begotten son.”
John apostle refers to “The son Jesus Messiah. This is the true god and eternal
life.” 1 John 5:20. He is called god by John apostle in these 2 passages for
good reason, but not to lead us to confuse him with Jehovah God, or lead us to
think that he is identical to Jehovah God or a facet of Him.
The balance of the sons of Jehovah God are direct products of Him but they do
not carry an identical semblance of the Father Jehovah God. Jesus is referred
to as god in these passages because of the divinity he inherited from his
Father at his ascension. Never once in Scripture does Jesus refer to himself as
Jehovah God or as a facet or person part of a triune deity. The term son of God
is used 45 times in the NT to refer to Jesus Messiah. There is throughout the
NT a vein of expression that Jesus the son has a distinct and conscience
existence from Jehovah God his father. That Jesus Messiah was born before other
spirit entities is definitely stated.
The beginning of the creation of God. Rev 3:14.
The first born of all creation. Col 1:15.
One verse refers to his appearance on earth:
And again when He brings the first born into the world, he says, “Let all God’s
messengers worship him.” Heb 1:6.
The Gk. oikoumenos is used in this verse and not the Gk. kosmos. The oikoumenos
is the inhabited earth or land. This reference in Hebrews is to the birth of
Jesus Messiah in Bethlehem. At that time heaven’s messengers were summoned to
worship him. Luke 2:13.
JESUS SON OF JEHOVAH GOD
Emmanuel is actually the proper name for Jesus son of God, as he is God with
us, in accord with the prophetic words of Is 7:14. This would be applicable for
his personal name for all ages. The name Jesus was primarily for his earthly
career to save his people, the nation Israel, from the consequences of their
sins. Matt 1:21,25. He however would have actually been named Yashua in the
traditional Hebrew by his parents, the equivalent of the English Joshua. Jesus
is the Greek equivalent of Yashua, a very popular name in Israel, such as Jesus
son of Sirach, the Jewish sage, and Bar-Jesus, a Jewish false-prophet of
Cyprus. Act 13:6.
Because of the custom in Christianity and the English translations that render
the name of Son of God as Jesus, this will be followed in this book.
In light of the description above of the birth of the sons of God, Jesus was
the first to be born of all his brethren. Rom 8:29. Because he was the
first-born he had a special or greater portion, if this be possible, of the
image and likeness of his Father. When the term only-begotten is used by Jesus
referring to himself, John 3:16, this applies to his birth on earth. He was the
only son of Jehovah God to be incarnated as a human. Jesus also possessed the
fullness of the divinity of his Father. Col 2:9. The fact that Jehovah God is
his Father is clear.
We always thank God, the Father of our Adonai, Jesus Messiah, when we pray for
you. Col 1:3.
Some manuscripts render John apostle’s words as follows. “The only-begotten God
who is in the bosom of the Father…” John 1:17. This statement as well as the
typical statement without the word “begotten” is quite true. A difficulty in
expounding this passage clearly lies in the limited number of words available
in English regarding deity. The word God is better replaced by divinity. Jesus
is divinity because of the authority given to him by his Father Jehovah, and
because Jesus has the nature and substance of his Father Jehovah God. To
simplify, Jesus has a divinity-nature because he is of the same nature and
substance as his Father as also the other sons of God.
JESUS SUBJECT TO A SUPERIOR DEITY
Because Jehovah God is Supreme Deity all that exists in the created realms,
both heaven and earth, is subject to him. All His creation renders to Him honor
and praise and loyalty.
Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You
created all and by Your will they exist and were created. Rev 4:11.
The sons of Jehovah God likewise are under subjection to Him, not only as to a
Father but also as Supreme Deity. Emmanuel, or Jesus Messiah, is likewise
subject to Jehovah God as Deity. This is mentioned several times in Scripture
by both Paul apostle and Peter apostle, and by Jesus himself.
That together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Rom 15:6.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Messiah, the Father of mercies
and God of all comfort. 2 Cor 1:3.
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I
do not lie. 2 Cor 11:31.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Messiah. Eph 1:4.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Messiah, the Father of glory. Eph 1:17.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Messiah. 1 Pet 1:3.
“I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God,” said
Jesus to Mary Magdalene. John 20:17.
Jesus Messiah does have a god he is subject to and whom he must venerate. The
above passages by Paul and Peter apostles were composed after the ascension of
Jesus to heaven. The personal stature of Jesus in heaven is described in the
following.
He is the radiance of His glory and the exact impress of His nature
(hypostasis). Heb 1:3.
Jesus Messiah is an image of the glory of His Father and maintains this
resemblance. He possesses the hypostasis of Jehovah God, His very substance and
nature. Yet Jesus is still subservient to his Father both in heaven and on
earth today and always.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FATHER AND SON
The relationship between the Father Jehovah God and His son Jesus Messiah is
clearly defined in many passages of Scripture, which will be here discussed.
The noticeable relationship between the 2 is that one is superior and the other
is inferior. The superior Jehovah God is the entity who gives birth, delegates,
sends, bestows, commands, teaches, sets the example, consecrates, resurrects,
is self-sufficient, and who is Supreme Deity. The inferior in the relationship
is Jesus His son. He is born; he is delegated to; he receives, accepts, is
commanded, is taught, is consecrated, needs a example to emulate, is
resurrected from death, is dependant on Jehovah God His Father for his
existence, and is subject to Deity above himself. The relationship between the
2 indicates a subjection of one unto the other; an obedience of one to the
other. The one born was dependant on the one giving birth for existence; the
one sent is subject to the sender; the one delegated to is subject to the one
who delegates; the one who receives or accepts receives and accepts because he
originally lacks these items; the one commanded is under authority, and must
fulfill the command and without excuse or debate; the one who is taught needs
teaching because of a lack of original education, and needs an example because
of original incapability of correct conduct and action; and etc. Of course,
this or any relationship can only occur between 2 independent and distinct
entities.
A few of the passages dealing with this relationship are as follows:
Matt 24:36. Mark 13:32. The son does not know the time of the ends, neither do
the messengers. Only the Father knows.
John 3:16-17. Jehovah God gave His son to the world and sent His son into the
world to deliver it.
John 3:35. Jehovah God gave all things to His son.
John 5:19. Jehovah God set the example of action for His son.
John 5:22. Jehovah God has delegated trial and sentence or reward to His son in
order the honor attributed to Jehovah God as judge and executor would likewise
we attributed to His son. Part of his education would have been for Jesus to
learn to become a just judge.
John 5:26. Jehovah God is self-sufficient for His own existence. The son was
granted this capability of being self-sufficient by His Father. Earlier the son
was dependant on His Father for his permanence, but then received this
capability of being self-sufficient from His Father. John 6:57.
John 5:30, 6:38. The son has his own will independent of his Father. The son
however has abandoned his own will in favor of fulfilling the will of his
Father. All that Jesus did was a fulfillment of his Father’s intent and desire.
His own was set aside in favor of his Father’s. Matt 26:39.
John 6:46. The son viewed his Father in the realm of spirit, heaven. The son
saw the characteristics and activities of his Father. Because Jesus Messiah saw
the fullness of his Father he can disclose and proclaim his Father to the
people.
John 6:57, 7:28. It is Jehovah God who sent His son. The decision to enter the
physical world was not the decision of the son, but the decision of the Father.
John 7:16, 12:49-50. Jesus taught what was given to him by his Father; he did
not teach what he derived on his own.
John 8:29. The efforts of Jesus was to accomplish that which would be pleasing
to his Father.
John 10:36. It was Jehovah God who consecrated His son, anointed him with the
Holy Spirit for him to possess the sanctification necessary to fulfill his
ministry.
John 10:38. Jehovah God in Jesus and Jesus in Jehovah God indicates a harmony
and agreement of attitude that pervaded both father and son. Each had identical
thinking and intent and conclusion as the others. For this reason Jesus could
act as agent on behalf of Jehovah God.
John 14:28. Jesus Messiah acknowledges the superiority of His Father Jehovah
God, and the inferiority of himself in the relationship, and acknowledges his
subjection to his Father.
John 17:17. Jehovah God is supreme deity even to His son Jesus Messiah. The son
must also revere and pay homage to Jehovah God, not only as father but also as
deity.
Acts 2:24, 31, 3:15. The son was resurrected from death by His Father. Also Eph
1:20.
Acts 5:31. It was Jehovah God who exalted His son making him leader and savior
after his resurrection from death and ascension to heaven.
1 Cor 1:30. God made Jesus Messiah our wisdom, rectitude, sanctification and
redemption.
1 Cor 15:24. The time will come at the consummation when Jesus Messiah will
complete his delegated work and deliver the kingdom to his Father. The kingdom
at this time will have attained the perfection and fullness desired of Jehovah
God.
1 Cor 15:28. At the consummation the subjection of the son Jesus Messiah and
all perfected creation will reach its pinnacle.
2 Cor 5:18-19. God was in Jesus Messiah reconciling the world to Himself.
2 Cor 5:21. God made Jesus Messiah to be sin, who knew no sin.
Phil 2:9-11. Jehovah God exalted his Son Jesus Messiah after accomplishing on
earth the task delegated to him. He gave him a name to which all should subject
themselves and to which all must give homage. Confessing that Jesus Messiah is
Master is to the credit of Jehovah God his Father.
Col 1:15, Heb 1:3. Jesus is the image of his Father. The image is not the same
as the original. An image is another item which is a replica. Jesus was not the
same entity as his Father. He was a reflection of all that the Father consists
of. Note also 2 Cor 4:4.
Col 1:19, 2:9. The fullness of Jehovah God resided in Jesus.
Heb 1:4. With the ascension of Jesus Messiah to heaven he became superior to
the messengers, now having acquired his superior rank.
Heb 3:2. Jehovah God appointed Jesus Messiah to fulfill certain
responsibilities, and he was faithful to Him in this appointment.
Heb 9:24. Jesus appeared before his Father as the sacrifice for the sins of the
people. Jehovah God accepted Jesus as the sacrifice for sin.
1 John 5:18. Jesus was born of God.
Rev 1:18. Jesus Messiah died. He had the capability of dying. Now with his
exaltation, he is alive for evermore, no longer subject to termination of his
life.
Rev 2:21. Earlier Jesus Messiah was not sitting on the throne with Jehovah God
his Father. Now with his victory, his Father has granted him to sit alongside
Him on His throne. Also Eph 1:20.
The capacity of Jesus Messiah mentioned in most of these passages refers to his
residence in heaven, in the realm of spirit prior to his incarnation. A few
deal with the years of his life on earth after his 30th birthday when he began
his ministry. In heaven it was his Father Jehovah God who instructed him,
delegated to him, sent him, commanded him, taught him, and set the example for
him. The relationship defined in Scripture is such: Jesus Messiah was inferior
to and subject to the authority of His Father Jehovah God. Realizing this and
being an independent entity distinct from his Father, Jesus Messiah accepted
the command and delegated responsibility. To fulfill the command He had to
abandon his own will and intentions in favor of his Father’s will and
intentions for him. Jesus subjected himself to the authority of his Father and disclosed
this to Jews and his apostles during his ministry.
The same interpretation can be applied to the resurrection of Jesus Messiah
from death. Jesus did not resurrect himself. Although as son of Jehovah God he
could have arranged it. John 10:18. However he did not utilize his power in
this situation. Again he relieved himself of his divine authority in order to
die the death of all men. Jesus depended on his Father to resurrect him. Had
Jehovah God decided not to resurrect him (only for argument sake), Jesus would
have remained in this state of termination of life.
John 6:27. The seal on a document in ancient times was equivalent to the
present day use of a corporate seal on a contract or the stamp of a
professional engineer on a drawing. The stamp authenticates and validates the
document or drawings and give it an authority of its own, to be guaranteed by
the corporate officers or by the professional engineer. So it is with the
Messiah. Jehovah God has placed His personal corporate stamp upon him giving
him an authority of his own guaranteed by his Father.
ACCUSATION OF THE PHARISEES
Statements of Jesus during his ministry indicate an equality with his Father.
These must be interpreted together with the passages above and not separate
from them.
Jesus called Jehovah God his father. He did not call himself God or call
himself the Father or supreme deity or a facet of an indivisibly divided
divinity. John 5:17-18. When Jews heard this statement the equality with
Jehovah God was that of authority. Jesus claimed to have the same authority as
Jehovah God because he was Messiah, the anointed of Jehovah God and thereby
rightful heir and agent. The topic in John 5:18 dealt with Sabbath observance,
not theology. As far as the Pharisees were concerned, Jesus worked on the day
of rest. He justified his work on that day because of it being an act of
charity or philanthropy, and Jehovah God would have conducted Himself likewise.
This was a violation of the 4th commandment according to Pharisees, but which
Jesus felt was permissible. Pharisees felt this reinterpretation of Sabbath
observance belonged only to Jehovah God, who instituted the day and
commandment. A person who took the authority to alter or modify it claimed
equal authority with Jehovah God who originally instituted it. For this reason
Pharisees concluded and accused Jesus of placing himself on an equal level of
authority as Jehovah God.
The accusation of Jews mentioned in John 10:33, that Jesus made himself “God”
must be understood in the context of the conversation. Jesus in his ministry
had the same authority as did Jehovah God, speaking on His behalf as His agent,
since he was Messiah. This was the rebuke of Jesus to the Pharisees, quoting Ps
82:1,6. David refers to judges in authority as gods, and the same would apply
to Messiah.
The facts of the relationship should be accepted as written and in the context
of the conversations between Messiah and Pharisees. The unity of the person of
Jesus Messiah in the realm of spirit and in the incarnation is not a mystery,
but is clearly defined by Scripture. The passages quoted witness to this
subordination of Jesus unto His Father as the result of their relationship
between them, that of father and son. The unity between the 2 provided Messiah
the capability to act as agent on behalf of His Father. This was the argument
of Pharisees against him. The discussions were not of a theological basis
dealing with persons of a multi-faceted indivisible deity, but with the right
of Messiah to speak and act as agent of Jehovah God.
UNITY OF FATHER AND SON
The cohesive unity and harmony between Jehovah God and Jesus Messiah is
described as a unity.
I am my father are one. John 10:30.
This short statement does not deal with a unity of persons into an indivisible
entity, but is a continuation of the passage beginning at John 10:25. Jesus
spoke with the Pharisees regarding his right and privilege to act as agent on
behalf of Jehovah God because he is Messiah. The thinking, that is, attitude of
both father and son was identical on every matter. This Jesus stated in the
words, “The father is in me and I am in the father.” John 10:38. A physical
correlation to this is community law of a married couple. (In California either
spouse has legal right to make legal decisions on behalf of both of them, and
the other spouse is obligated to follow suit without question. This is similar
to joint bank accounts, where both have equal access to deposit, withdraw, and
decide on allocation of funds. Either spouse can make a legally binding contract
on behalf of both of them. The wife can speak on behalf of her husband and the
husband can do likewise because they are legally married.) The Bible considers
a legally married couple one person. Gen 2:24. Even though they are 2 distinct
and separate entities, the Bible refers to them as one person. This is not
because of the physical union, but due to a psychological and intellectual
union and harmony that develops as a result of the marriage. A husband and wife
should know each other well enough that one can act as agent for another and
the other trusting the decision without doubt.
In a spiritual sense the same concept can apply to a father and son. The
example provided by the Jewish sages is the following:
Though his father die, yet he is as though not dead: for he has left one behind
him who is like himself. Sirach 30:4.
In this passage of Jewish wisdom, this son inherited all the non-material
qualities of his father, that when the father passed away the son continued in
his footsteps, having identical attitude, intent, and intellect as did the
father. The Pharisees were no doubt familiar with the passage and so were able
to make the connection very easy when Jesus stated he was son of Jehovah God.
This harmony is further mentioned in the following passages.
Holy father, keep them in your name which You have given me, that they may be
one even as we are one. John 17:11.
That they may be one even as you Father are in me and I am in You, that they
also may be in us, so that the world may believe that You have sent me. The
glory which You have given me I have given to them that they may be one even as
we are one. I in them and You in me that they may become perfectly one, so that
the world may know that You have sent me and have loved them even as You have
loved me. John 17:21-23.
This is a psychological and intellectual harmony and cohesion between the
apostles and Jehovah God their father, learning about the Father from Jesus to
such an extent that a familiarity forms. They know the Father so well that they
can speak on His behalf. The apostles knowing Jehovah God so well as the type
of son mentioned above would be a witness of Jesus as sent by Jehovah God. This
spiritual union is the unity or “one” that is described in this prayer.
Paul apostle attained this unity or “one” with Messiah Jesus where he said: But
we have the mind of Messiah. 1 Cor 2:16. He felt that a person can draw so
close to Jesus Messiah, know him so well, possess his Spirit, that a person can
think in the same manner that Jesus would think.
SON OF MAN
A lack of Hebrew and Aramaic scholarship affects the proper understanding of
many words and phrases of Scripture. This is especially true pertaining to the
gospel. As mentioned earlier, Jesus and his disciples spoke Aramaic in general
conversation, and especially Jesus with the crowds and individuals that sought
his advise. In the synagogue and temple Jesus would have spoken Hebrew. The
gospels as we know them are actually a translation from the Aramaic and Hebrew
and into Greek. To properly understand the message and teaching of Jesus the
original Aramaic is required. The term “son of man” will be discussed at this
time.
Bar-Nasha is an Aramaic word derived from bar which means son and nasha man.
Bar-Nasha means son of man. This term is also used to mean mankind, humanity, a
man, human being, an ordinary man. When an Oriental declines honors and homage,
he says, I do not deserve this honor, I am nothing, I am just a man, a plain
working man. (George M. Lamsa, Gospel Light)
The Aramaic Bar-nasha used in general conversation means this person or this
human. The equivalent term in Hebrew is ben adam. It is used to refer to
Ezekiel prophet. Eze 2:1, 4:1. The Aramaic term bar nasha is used in Dan 7:13
to indicate that the entity seen by Daniel prophet in his vision appeared as a
human, in contrast to the beast previously seen and Jehovah God sitting on His
throne. The equivalent terms in Hebrew and Aramaic for son of man are used 107
times total in the OT, and in every occasion is the equivalent of the English
human being. Both Balaam diviner and David king used the equivalent Hebrew
term:
God is not a man (Heb. nos) that He should lie or a son of man (Heb. ben adam)
that He should repent. Num 23:19.
What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You consider
him. Heb 2:6 quote from Ps 8:4.
In both these passages the term son of man is used in poetic form to refer to
humans.
Since the historical used of bar nasha in Scripture is that of human being, the
conclusion to be drawn is that Jesus used this term to refer to himself without
the use of the word “I”. A comparison of gospel texts indicate that Jesus used
the term son of man to be understood as referring to himself.
Who do men say that the son of man is? Matt 16:13.
Who do people say that I am? Luke 8:18.
Since both passages are translations from the Aramaic and into Greek, Matthew
rendered his literally, while Luke in translating into Greek was more direct
with the intent of Jesus. It is obvious that this use of the term son of man in
the Aramaic world of Jesus was a polite manner of referring to oneself without
the specific term “I”.
JOHN 1:1-18
This author’s concept of the interpretation of John 1:1-18, must be understood
in terms of the typical audience of the era, how a typical Jew living dispersed
in the Roman Empire after the Jewish War would understand it. Logos must not be
assigned meanings determined by the Greek philosophers or the Hellenistic
Jewish philosopher Philo. The reader of the NT must remember that the gospel
writers were Jews with a Jewish cultural background, heritage, and an education
based on the wisdom of their sages and Rabbis. John apostle was self educated
from attending synagogue services over the years. He definitely had some contact
with the priests and Rabbis of Jerusalem since he was known by the high priest
Caiaphas. John 18:15.
Logos has 24 different rendering in the KJV New Testament. Primarily word, but
also: speech, saying, account, matter, rumor, and utterance. The Greek word
logos is primarily a translation of the Hebrew dabar, and occasionally emer.
The OT utilizes the phrase “Word of the LORD “ (dabar YHWH) 241 times, and this
is predominantly translated in the LXX as “logos adonai.” Dabar is also
rendered in the Hebrew as commandment, referring to the 10 Commandments, in Ex
34:28, Deut 4:13, 10:4.
The correct understanding then of the logos of John 1 is: The divine
instruction of Jehovah God communicated to His people Israel through the
prophets. The error of Christian commentators is applying a meaning to logos
based on Greek philosophy and the Jewish Philo. Based on the context of John
apostle’s gospel, Jesus’ purpose was to reveal his Father to the people of
Israel, meaning to educate the people in the divine instruction and moral code.
This was the word of John 1:1. The proper rendering of the initial passage of
John’s gospel is as follows:
Originally was the word, and the word was toward God, and the word was God. The
same was originally with God. John 1:1-2. (Based on Rotherham’s Emphasized
Bible and Knock’s Concordant Literal).
The word “originally” can also be rendered “from time immemorial.” This refers
to the original divine instruction and moral code introduced into the world
with the progenitors Adam and Eve. “In the beginning” of human residence, or at
the “original” habitation of the newly created earth, did Jehovah God educate
the initial residents regarding Himself. Jehovah God revealed Himself in terms
of a moral code and then transmitted to Adam and Eve His divine instruction for
their life. The word was directed “toward God.” This phrase, the Greek pros tos
theos, has a correct rendering of “toward God,” and not “with God.” A study of
the use of the Greek “pros” will prove its use as a direction: unto (338
times), toward (10 times), to (176 times), in the KJV Bible.
The “all things” of John 1:3 must correlate with life and light. This author
contends that the “all things” John refers to is the system of divine religion
beginning with the sacrificial offering of the sons of Adam and Eve, Cain and
Abel. The true religious system of all ages from the fall was instituted by
Jehovah God as light, meaning divine enlightenment, and life, meaning long term
prosperity, joy and longevity on earth. The darkness of John 1:5, refers to
false religion, superstition and ignorance of the moral code and divine
instruction.
JESUS AS THE WORD OF GOD
The ministry of Jesus essentially began with his immersion into the water of
the Jordan River by John Baptizer. At this time, this author contends, the
entirety of divine instruction was embodied in Jesus of Nazareth.
And the word became flesh and resided among us. And we gazed upon his glory, a
glory as an only-begotten from his Father, full of favor and truth. John 1:14.
When the Holy Spirit descended and settled upon Jesus, it entered his body and
filled his soul with the entirety of the dictates, commands, moral code and
instruction of Jehovah God. Jesus was the true enlightenment bringing to the
people of Israel the correct and reliable knowledge of Jehovah God his Father
and divine instruction for the salvation of their life. Paul apostle correlates
the incarnation of the word or divine instruction in Jesus Messiah as follows:
In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Col 2:3.
The world of John 1:10, is not the entire world, it is the world of John
apostle, referring to the Jewish world of Palestine and the dispersion. This
Jewish world was created by the promises of Jehovah God, by His word ages ago,
and which Jewish world refused the message of the embodiment of the same word.
To try and apply this section of Scripture to some metaphysical and esoteric
logos of Plato and Philo and other philosophers departs from the intent of John
apostle. He was trying to explain to readers that Jehovah God embodied the
entirety of His divine instruction and moral code into His son appearing as a
human having the name Jesus of Nazareth. Having total possession of the
instruction of Jehovah God, he expounded it authoritatively and was able to
legislate and introduce interpretation of this word to the people. This is why
the Pharisees accused Jesus of claiming he was God. John 5:18. Only Jehovah God
had the authority to legislate new dictates and laws and instruction. For Jesus
of Nazareth to do this was blasphemous; he was usurping authority which only
belonged to Jehovah God. By introducing new interpretations of the law given to
Israel by Moses, and abrogating the sacrificial system, priesthood and temple
services of this law, Jesus placed himself on the same level of the divine
entity who instituted all of this. Jesus was able to do this, and because he
was delegated so and was the incarnation of this word.
YASHUA ADONAI
When the Jews of the civilized world gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate
Pentecost, on this particular holiday many of them heard the sermon of Peter
apostle. As Jews awaiting their Messiah, some of them already accepting Jesus
of Nazareth as Messiah, and others still undecided, they listened intently to
the words of Peter.
For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says, “The Lord said to my
Lord (Jehovah said to my Adonai), Sit at my right side until I make your
enemies a stool for your feet.” Let all the house of Israel therefore know for
sure that God has made him our Lord and Christ (Adonai and Messiah), this Jesus
whom you crucified. Acts 2:34-35.
The resurrection of Jesus from death and his ascension to heaven was the
verification that Jehovah their God made Jesus of Nazareth Adonai and Messiah.
The Greek kyrios used here in the Greek Acts is the equivalent of the Hebrew
Adonai, both meaning lord or master. The sermon of Peter apostle would have
been in Hebrew, or at least in Aramaic with the quotations from Scripture in
Hebrew. Peter actually used the words Adonai and Messiah in his sermon. The use
of the word Adonai pertaining to Jesus in based on the Messianic Psalm.
Jehovah says to my Adonai, “Sit at my right side until I make your enemies your
footstool.” Ps 110:1.
The typical Jew listening to Peter apostle that day understood exactly what he
meant. The enemies were those who conspired against Jesus and executed him. The
victory was his resurrection from death. Jesus of Nazareth was the lord
(Adonai) that David submitted to. The balance of the Psalm dealt with the
Messiah attaining the priesthood of Melchizedek and ascending the throne of
authority over the kingdoms of the world. Jesus of Nazareth was the Adonai and
Messiah of Ps 110.
The term repeatedly used in the NT, Lord Jesus Christ, in Hebrew is Adonai
Yashua ha-Messiah. Whenever this term was mentioned, or the reduced form of
Lord Jesus or even just Lord, the reference was to Jesus of Nazareth as person
spoken of in Ps 110:1. This is how the typical Jew understood these words when
spoken by a Jewish Christian. This was the intended meaning conveyed by the
apostles when using this term in their letters.
Because the NT was written in Greek, a translation from the Hebrew and Aramaic
actually spoken by Jesus and the others, all such terms were translated into
their equivalent Greek. Adonai became Kyrios and Messiah became Christ, and
Yashua became Jesus. In Greek, Acts 2:34 reads, “Kyrios says to my kyrios,”
which is hardly intelligible. Likewise Matt 22:43. Because the word Kyrios was
also the translation of YHWH in the OT Greek translation, to avoid confusion
the apostles in their NT letters always referred to Jehovah God as God or
Father.
Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom
we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ (Hebrew: Adonai Yashua Messiah), through
whom are all things and through whom we exist. 1 Cor 8:6.
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Messiah Jesus our Adonai. 2 Tim
1:2.
The apostles utilized this method of writing in order to distinguish Jehovah
God from His Son, whom He exalted to be lord and anointed savior unto His
people Israel.
PART TWO
THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE EARTH
TIME
The concept of time is well defined in Scripture and the chronology of the ages
can be understood by correlating time as we know it in the universe with
Scripture.
Before all time, now and for ever. Jude 25
This verse refers to the existence of Jehovah God from before the beginning of
time and into the infinite future.
Time as we know it surfaced some 15 to 20 billion years ago coincident with the
material creation. The derivation of this date or event is discussed in more
detail in the section on creation. Prior to the material creation time as we
know it did not exist. The reason is because there was no need of time since
there was no material creation. There is no indication that the material
universe will ever terminate its existence. When a person views the stars in
the night sky, what is actually seen is the light that was emitted anywhere
from several hours earlier, several years earlier, or several million years
earlier. It is old light that is actually seen and not the object itself.
Jehovah God Himself transcends time. He is beyond and outside the frame and
constraints of time. Within the realm of spirit, heaven, there is no concept or
existence of the progress of time as we know it. Time as it exists on earth and
in the material universe has progressed billions of light years of existence,
but having no relative comparison with the realm of spirit. The creation of
time was coincidental with the creation of the material universe. It was a
necessity for the regular and further development of galaxies, solar systems
and living organisms. It is time that allows the development of life to
progress on earth. It was Jehovah God who created time as we know it. The 2
words in Scripture pertaining to time are the following: Hebrew olam and Greek
equivalent aeon. They are both translated as age, some interval of time of
either definite or indefinite length.
But in these last days He has spoken to us by a Son, whom He appointed the heir
of all things, through whom also He created the ages. Heb 1:2.
Similar uses of the Greek aeon is also found in the letters of Paul apostle.
The plan of the mystery hidden from the ages in God who created all things. Eph
3:9.
This was according to the purpose of the ages which He has realized in Messiah
Jesus our Lord. Eph 3:11.
These passages deal with the mystery of how the gentiles would be admitted into
the covenant. This was a secret hidden from people from its conception from
ancient times.
There is no word in Hebrew that means eternal or forever or of infinite time
duration. This applies to time both infinitely into the future as well as into
the past. The Jews understood history in terms of successive internals or
periods of time, each one an olam. All length of time is described in Hebrew OT
using olam or its Greek cognate eon in the NT. Bible translators have taken the
liberty to render these 2 words into as many meanings as they consider adequate
to complement their particular inclinations. It is possible by interpretation
to prove that infinity is implied in various passages, but this is not the
literal rendering. A few examples will be provided. (World was used for aeon by
the translators of the KJV Bible, but has been corrected to age in more
contemporary and literal versions.)
Gen 17:7. The covenant with Abraham lasted for the olam, it was effective for a
long duration and then was terminated.
Ex 12:24. Putting blood on the lintel and door posts was not for ever, but for
the age of Moses. It was only observed until the advent of the Messiah.
Ps 90:1-2. Literally rendered, “From the age and unto the age, You are Elohim.”
By interpretation this passage states that Jehovah God is deity from the
beginning of time and to the end of time.
Philemon 15. Actually meaning: For the age. Since neither Philemon or Onesimus
would live forever the indication is for some long and undefined duration.
Onesimus would be the property of Philemon as a slave until the finally dies,
which would terminate the age.
The Greek adjective aionious or aeonion, is derived from the noun eon, and
follows the same semantics. It refers to something of age-long duration. This
adjective describes the noun as existing for some long and undefined length of
time into the distant future. Whether it is infinite is based on
interpretation, and not always so.
Literal translations of the Bible render olam and aeon as age or eon, and
render aeonian as age-long or transliterated as eonian. These Bibles are the
Concordant Version of A.E. Knoch; the Emphasized Bible of J.B. Rotherham; and
the Emphatic Diaglott of B. Wilson.
CREATION
In order to have creation there must be material in order to sustain creation.
The material creation is composed of matter. The source of matter of the
present material universe is Jehovah God Himself. Jehovah God took some of the
substance existing within the realm of spirit – spirit - and made something new
out of it – matter. Creation could not have been ex nihilo – out of nothing. A
vacuum is a void, it is an absence of matter. There is nothing in a void or
vacuum from which to create.
By faith we understand that the ages were formed by the word of God, so that
what is seen was made out of that which is unseen. Heb 11:3.
The point to be made by the writer of Hebrews is that the unseen is spirit, and
what is seen is the material universe. The creation was made out of
pre-existent invisible spirit of Jehovah God. He as master builder and
architect has the capability to transform one type of material into another
type, in this case, spirit into matter. Some 18 billion years ago according to
time as we know it, Jehovah God took some of that spirit that pervades and composes
the realm of heaven and transformed it into matter. Scientists have designated
this phenomenon as the “big bang.” But why it would even occur has not yet been
defined by the same scientists, or the origin of the material that composed the
big bang, or the state of the universe prior to the big bang.
Matter is actually energy surrounded by space. This is the state of the atom, a
small mass of energy. Infinitesimally small electrons that spin around protons
and neutrons is an atom. The majority of the mass of the atom is empty space,
but many of them together constitute matter. This is the basis for Jehovah God
creating matter. The spirit was converted into energy particles and
subsequently into atoms, the basic building block of matter. This ability and
the subsequent creation witnesses to the energy, creativity and intellect of an
infinite creator, and only the supreme deity Jehovah God.
Evolution is impossible because nothing can ascend on its own power. The 2nd
law of thermodynamics witnesses to the existence of an infinitely scientific
divine genius with infinite power to generate a universe.
The Jewish sages viewed it in this manner;
And I (Ezra) said, O Lord, You spoke from the beginning of creation, even the
1st day, and said: “Let heaven and earth be made.” And Your word was perfect
work. 2 Esd 6:38.
He who lives for ever created all things in general. Sirach 18:1.
With the event known as the big bang time as we know it began. At that moment
the clock of the material universe starting ticking.
MATERIAL EXISTENCE
The success of living organisms in any environment are dependent on the factors
that promote its growth and propagation. This concurrent number of factors was
taken into consideration with the development of the present earth to allow it
to be habitable. A few of these factors pertaining to our planet and solar
system follow:
1. Diameter and mass of the earth.
2. Distance from sun.
3. Daily length of rotation on its axis.
4. Yearly length of rotation of the solar cycle.
5. Elliptical orbit.
6. Mass of sun.
7. Energy output of the sun.
8. Atmosphere of the earth.
9. Conditions of the earth.
If any one of these factors were to change, it would have to be compensated by
a modification in a relative manner of another factor. If not, life on earth
would not be possible. Earth would then become a Venus or Mars or other
lifeless planet.
The words of Jehovah God in Job 38 and Ps 8:22-31, refer to Jehovah God’s
scientific knowledge and expertise in creation. He can expertly combine all factors
as required coincidentally in order to create a residence suitable for
organisms. Combined with this are the elements and primarily water. Water at a
specific quantity and natural temperature to be able to absorb heat from the
sun to cool the earth, and qualities corresponding to its states of ice, liquid
and steam, and solubility in air as humidity.
The human likewise functions at a specific temperature couple together with the
surface temperature of the earth. The alternate form of life on earth is the
salt water creation. A complex reinvention of the organism from fresh water
creation, which on its own would have been ludicrous at least.
GENESIS ONE
This author contends that Moses in writing Gen 1, was concerned with the
process of development of the surface of the earth for habitation by living
organisms, from the smallest and to the largest. A restoration from its
previous condition. Moses was not concerned with the universe in general; this
is covered in other passages in Scriptures. Jehovah God inspired Moses to
record the analytical manner that the earth was restored, prepared as a
residence for the human, the pinnacle of the creation of organisms. The phrase,
“In the beginning,” refers to the beginning of the restoration of the earth for
habitation and history. Gen 1:1. The first verse of the Bible could just as
easily be translated in this manner:
In the beginning God created the sky and land. Gen 1:1.
This is also the concept provided by Jewish sages in 2 Esd 6:38-59.
All this I (Ezra) have spoken before You Lord, because You made the world for
our sake. 2 Esd 6:55.
Even though the earth itself is billions of years old, up to 18 billion years,
the age of the universe, it was about 6,000 years ago that Jehovah God began
its restoration for habitation. No doubt the surface of the earth at that time
resembled that of the moon or Mars. Ancient, potmarked with craters, lacking an
atmosphere, lacking vegetation, and void of any living organism. “Creating the
heavens and the earth,” can be interpreted as installing first an atmosphere
and sky, and a stratosphere, the essential equivalent of firmament. Then
Jehovah God proceeded to restore the surface of the earth for plant growth,
provide rivers, lakes, depressions for oceans and seas, mountains and valleys,
deserts and jungles, and all else required to beautify it. Continents,
mountains and oceans all arranged in a manner to provide certain areas as prime
inhabitable property for human, but also every parcel capable of habitation by
the creature designed for that parcel by Jehovah God.
This treatise will not deal with the specifics of the 6 days of creation or
development, except for a few comments. This author is of the conviction that
all said in Gen 1 and 2 is the truth of Jehovah God regarding the restoration
of the earth for the residence of humanity, plants and animals. This would
include locating the earth in this solar system and the orbit at present, along
with the sun, moon and balance of planets, moons and asteroids and comets. All
in a delicate balance so as to support and develop life on earth and to
beautify the universe. The installment of the sun and earth in its orbits with
the moon would be the work of the 4th day. This is described in Gen 1:14-17.
The days of the first week of creation may well have been of length greater
than 24 hours. Since the installment of the sun as timekeeper for the solar day
and year not occurring until the 4th day, these first 4 days may well have been
millions of years long. This would have been time plenty as we know it for
Jehovah God to develop the earth for residence and to create the species and
fill the earth with them.
ORIGIN OF SPECIES
The origin of animal species begins on the 5th day and concludes on the 6th day
with humans. Jehovah God personally and with the assistance or means of His
spirit entities and sons of God designed each of the species on an individual
basis. The heavenly entities determined which category each would be located in
mammal, fish, bird, reptile or amphibian, or a lessor organism. They decided
their size, appearance, diet, life-span, method of reproduction, development
from embryonic stage to adult state, and etc. The word “kind” used in Gen 1:21,
24,-25, could well be replaced with the word “species”. This is the meaning of
the Hebrew word “min” used in these verses. This is the intent of the inspired
author: Jehovah God is the designer and developer of the species. Each of the
species was an important part of the ecological cycle and environmental balance
of the earth. This was factored into their creation by Jehovah God: to provide
an animal population from the equator to the poles; from the depths of the
oceans to fresh water, to every climate and environment on earth. The species
were gifted an ability to adapt to a certain amount minor changes in climate
and environment. This adaptation capability allows species to survive and
continue to flourish generation after generation regardless of the effects or
changes of nature and the elements. New species are not created. Since the
conclusion of the 6th day of creation week, no new species of an animal capable
of reproduction has appeared. (The mule is not considered a species since it
cannot reproduce; the nectarine is a hybrid.) The progenitor of every species
was instilled with a spirit of animation, which guarantees the species life and
reproduction. Whether the smallest of amoebae or the large of whales, Jehovah
God instills with spirit this mass of formed and designed soil to match the
particular species and the creature is alive, perspiring, converting food into
energy, and independent, active, and with the ability to reproduce.
Like humans, the animal and plant population were created from soil. The sons
of God using their power gathered the soil together and formed each specie into
its designated shape and with the ability to reproduce. The original male and
female of the species of each animal created on the 5th and 6th day, and plants
on the 3rd day, were created with the ability to reproduce.
This is the primary flaw in the theory of evolution, making it improbable. When
did reproduction begin and how did it begin? With an evolutionary process the
first creature would have originally acquired the ability to reproduce, whether
sexually or asexually. But if the original organism reproduced asexually, then
why did the organism decide to all of a sudden generate a male and female for
the next generation each with the necessary paraphernalia necessary to
complement the other for sexual reproduction? There is no reason why. Natural
evolution of any sort is impossible, because an organism on its own cannot
develop an ability to reproduce, and especially within its short and terminal
life span. The only manner of acquiring an ability to reproduce at the
origination of life is by supernatural and original acquisition, and with the
division of the genders each gender having an ability to complement the other.
The first generation of all species had this ability to reproduce: sexually in
the higher animals, and asexually with the lower organisms. All of this was
designed and installed by Jehovah God for the eternal regular population of the
earth.
DINOSAURS AND CAVE MEN
The one enigma baffling paleontologists and geologists are dinosaurs. Creatures
large and small of which today only fossils remain. This author provides the
following concept. The dinosaurs and all other creatures identified as
pre-historic were likewise created on the 5th and 6th days of creation week.
They served a purpose during the early earth, that period of time up to the
flood of Noah. At that time Jehovah God determined that their purpose was at an
end and so they were not included in the number that entered the ark. All the
dinosaurs and such pre-historic creatures perished in the flood.
That some of the behemoth mammoths froze in the arctic regions in solid blocks
of ice is indicative of the sudden change of temperature and climate at the
beginning of the flood of Noah. The balance of dinosaurs drowned and slowly
decayed in the water. Their bones were covered by silt and soil, only to be
rediscovered by paleontologists when the earth rose above the waters. This is
the best conclusion that this author can draw correlating Scripture with
geological and paleontological discoveries.
Some scholars have focused on the indefinite length of days 5 through 7 of
creation week, perhaps millions of years long, to justify the existence of
dinosaurs during pre-historic times. But this is just conjecture. The idea of
cave men supposedly living tens of thousands of years into the past is also
ludicrous. These people lived during the era between creation and the flood,
and were probably no different than some of the aboriginal and native tribes
dwelling presently in remote areas of central Africa, Australia, Indonesia and
the Amazon. The so-called bones of such people supposedly dating back to such
eras is likewise ludicrous. Entire skeletons have never been uncovered of any
missing link or of pre-historic people. Bones cannot endure intact the length
of time advocated by such researches. Eventually they decay into dust when
exposed to the elements. Many of these so-called discoveries have been exposed
as frauds, scientists so desperate to make a name for themselves.
The fool says in his heart. “There is no God.” Ps 14:1.
THE DAYS
The use of a creation week in Gen 1 and 2 was utilized by Moses to establish a
pattern for the life of created humanity. Jehovah God in reality does not need
6 days to create and a day to rest. Jehovah God needs no rest: He is
indefatigable. In this passage Moses deliberately divided the development of
the earth and its occupation into 7 periods as an example for created humanity.
A divinely inspired pattern was developed in this passage for future
generations.
A division between the days had also to be established. Jehovah God decided
that sundown meant the conclusion of the day. Later Jewish sages became more
concerned about the time that the old day concluded. Their concern was due to
the fact that work was proscribed on Sabbaths. For this reason the precise
moment was necessary so that work would cease before the new day, if it was a
Sabbath, would begin. The conclusion of the Jewish sages was the appearance of
3 stars in the sky; this determined sunset and the end of the old day and beginning
of the next.
The most important matter for observance of every day is the statement repeated
several times.
And Jehovah God saw that it was good. Gen 1:12,18,25,31.
All that Jehovah God created at this time was “good”. This He expressed after a
surveillance of His creation efforts that day. Whether be the weather cycle,
ecological cycle, the species and nature of plants and animals, or the texture
and condition of the surface of the earth, it was “good.”
IMMORTAL CREATION
Whether the original creation was designed for true immortality or designed to
regular replenishment is not clearly defined in Scripture. There appears to be
evidence and witness to equally tip the scale in each direction. This author
leans in the direction that created humanity was designed to be regularly
replaced, but not until a short interval of a state of immortality. This would
allow many to have the opportunity to live, prosper and continually populate
the earth, after an example of perfection is provided. This concept will be
discussed. Paul apostle implies a deliberate change from immortality to
mortality in order to increase the population for others to share in the
blessings of Jehovah God.
For God has consigned all people to disobedience that he may have mercy upon
all. Rom 11:33.
The concept of original immortality is the general course of interpretation of
most Bible students and teachers and Jewish sages.
The original creation, according to the Jewish sages, was designed and
established to be permanent: without decay due to age, without termination:
For God made not death: neither has He pleasure in the death of the living. For
He created all things that they might have their being; and the generations of
the world were healthful; and there is no poison of destruction in them, nor
the dominion of death upon the earth. Wisdom 1:12-13.
For God created man to be immortal, and made him to be an image of His own
eternity. Wisdom 2:23.
Apparently all creation would live to maturity and reproduce and increase their
individual species on the earth. Somehow the natural growth of the species
would curtail at some point of maturity and so remain there eternally and
without end. The same would apply with created humanity. Somehow the world
would be able to occupy comfortably all the increase of species over the
progress of millions of years. But these are only conjectures. We will probably
never know exactly the intentions of Jehovah God in the settlement of the earth
for long-term existence and increase of population, and how this would be
accomplished on a finite land mass such as the earth.
How long of a period transpired between the initial Sabbath and entrance of the
snake into the garden is only a conjecture. The author would have the
impression that about 100 or 200 years had transpired. The progress during this
interim can only be defined by those passages that foretell life and the
condition of the earth after the restoration. If the earth is to revert back to
original creation at some defined point in the future, then we can conclude
that these same passages can likewise apply to the original creation.
THE PINNACLE OF THE CREATION OF JEHOVAH GOD
The human, both male and female, is the pinnacle of Jehovah God’s creative
process. All was complete on earth for their introduction into it toward
evening of the 6th day of creation week. It is because of the human that the
earth was restored for residence by Jehovah God, and in turn, the human would
glorify God for His goodness and life. Jehovah God would be glorified more in
the human than any other specie of plant and animal life, because the human
possessed the image and likeness of the Elohim, the Godhead-deity. No other
creation can claim this blessing or title, only the human, and the human can
claim it throughout their life, only if they do not disclaim or reject it. The
balance of species are original, each one was created based on its own species.
Gen 1:21, 24. That the human is the pinnacle of the creation of Jehovah God is
clearly expressed.
What is a person that You are mindful of him, and the human that You care for
him? Yet You have made him a little less than gods, but crowned him with honor
and glory. Ps 8:4-5.
This passage is repeated in Heb 2:6-7, except that the word gods (Heb. elohim)
is replaced by the Greek aggelos (messenger or commonly angels).
No other creature has the characteristics or attributes of the human that so
much reflect and retain the same characteristics and attributes of Jehovah God
who created them. The concern of the creator for the human is beyond the
ability of the human to comprehend. They are the pinnacle of His creative
abilities and each one contains a personal imprint of the hands of the creator
Himself.
That all humanity evolves from the progenitors Adam and Eve is based on the
statement that “Eve is the mother of every one living.” Gen 3:20.
THE HUMAN
The composition of the human is very clearly explained and in detail by
Scripture. Soil constitutes the material human body. According to Scripture,
all living creation is constituted from soil.
You are dust, and to dust you return. Gen 3:19
For He knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. Ps 103:14.
Remember that You have made me of clay, and You will turn me to dust again. Did
You not pour me out like milk, and curdle me like cheese? You clothed me with
skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. You have granted me
life and steadfast love; and Your care has preserved my spirit. Job 10:9-12
May the God of peace sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body
be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thess
5:23.
Paul apostle’s brief note on the 3 parts that constitute a living human is the
bedrock of understanding: spirit, soul and body. A person is soil formed into a
human form possessing a spirit of animation and an identity, called soul. The
constitution of man is soil and at the termination of life returns back to the
soil he and she was originally created of. The question as to whether
conscience existence exists after the termination of life will be discussed
after investigating the constitution of humans.
Moses by divine inspiration describes the creation of original humanity.
Then Jehovah God formed the human from dust from the ground, and breathed into
his nostrils the breath of life; and the human became a living soul. Gen 2:7.
The Jewish sages felt likewise:
And all humans are from the ground, and Adam was created of earth. Sirach
33:10.
Job martyr in his grief describes his own origination in similar terms:
The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Behold I am toward God as you are; I too was formed from a piece of clay. Job
33:4,6.
If we could imagine Jehovah God as the great artist or sculptor in the garden
of Eden, the home which He prepared for the pinnacle of His creation. He takes
some of the soil and clay and with His hands molds a figure of a person, an
adult male, and this author would suppose a young adult in the prime of his
life. But the figure of clay and soil is lifeless: no motion, no sensation, no
consciousness, like a mannequin or wax figure. But Jehovah God is pleased in
what He has formed. Jehovah God then blows upon the figure and breathes into
his nostrils. This author would think it be similar to resuscitation of a
drowning victim. The breath exists Jehovah God through His lips and enters the
human figure. The figure begins to breathe on its own, breathe the air of the
atmosphere, its heart begins to pump, the blood is flowing to all parts of the
body and the brain begins its deliberations. The cold and morbid clay figure is
now warm, reaching normal body temperature. His eyes open and he looks around
him. This breathe of Jehovah God is the spirit of animation possessed by all
living creatures. Paul apostle states that God is the source of all life. 1 Tim
6:13.
Adam is now a conscious entity, he is a living soul. Adam has conscious
existence, distinct from the lifeless mannequin he was earlier. Jehovah God
created a special spirit of animation with the creation of living entities,
whether human or animal, as distinct from that of plants. When a body possesses
this spirit of animation, it is alive. When this spirit vacates the body, it is
dead. This passage with the creation of the original human defines his
constituency: body, soul, spirit. When Jehovah God decided to terminate
conscious existence He removed His spirit of animation from Adam and Adam
returned back to the original components of his composition. Adam then was no
longer a living soul. Adam’s state was now the same as it was prior to his
creation.
Only by way of biological reproduction is life created. But life is not
actually created in procreation. Life is transmitted by the animated creature
or organism through sexual or asexual reproduction to the new creature or
organism. This is the method ordained by Jehovah God for the reproduction of
life. This unseen energy force of life is spirit of animation from the realm of
spirit, from heaven, which is sent and infused as required to give life, and
subsequently removed when the termination of life is decreed.
BODY
The body is soil reconstituted into skin, tissue, organs, bone, blood and
muscle and fat and nerves. The brain is the same, and cannot exist on its own.
The heart pumps blood and nothing more. Surgeries are performed regularly and
these have no effect on identity or personality or individualism. Transplants,
organs moved from a donor to a recipient, even a heart, blood transfusions,
occur regularly. But never does the character or identity of the person change
or alter as a result of the foreign organ relocated into a new body.
The body also renovates itself in cell reproduction. The parts of the body that
do not renovate themselves are the muscles, nerves and bone. The cells of the
balance of the body reproduce and then die, replaced by new cells that
reproduce from old cells. In reality a person is not the same body they were
gifted with at birth, at least 90% of it. Every 7 years or so about 90% of the
cells in the body are exchanged for new cells.
The purpose of the above short treatise on the body is to indicate that the
body is not the origin or location of any emotion, sensation, motivation or
character. All of this evolves from the ethereal and invisible object, soul.
The fact that the heart is used as the source of love or affection is only in a
poetic sense. The heart only pumps blood and has no emotion to display. In
reality, not the heart nor the kidneys have any ability to display emotions,
because they are strictly organs of the body. The use of kidneys is in Ps 16:7,
Rev 2:23, and other passages, through translated as reins. The kidneys only
cleanse blood and have no fortitude of their own. It is poetic license to
assign emotion to certain organs of the body.
SOUL
Adam has an identity and this identity is his soul. The living Adam is soul.
The same identity will never again in history arise or exist on earth. A person
is a soul. To exist and be a conscious entity, that is, to be a living soul, it
must possess a body assigned to it and spirit of animation to make that body a
living body, a functional body. You are a soul and this soul is your identity
as a distinct conscious entity. This soul is you.
The soul is everything that a person consists of in life. Not only identity,
but what a person likes and dislikes, prefers and objects, what is satisfying
and what is unsatisfying. Soul is individualism and personality and character.
Soul is what makes you unique, special and different from every other on earth,
present, past and future. Soul is you as a self-conscious entity, realizing
that you are you, alive, breathing, functioning, and having a future. Soul
places you in a frame of time, place and relation to the balance of the
universe. Soul is the personal realization of conscious existence.
Soul is invisible; it is non-existent as a defined entity or object when
absence from a functional and living body. Soul is immaterial and ethereal, but
real and concrete in the realm of spirit. The identity of a deceased individual
does not vanish nor is forever terminated. It continues in the memory of
Jehovah God on a list in the annals of heaven, but no more than this.
The soul contains emotions and sensations that the person possesses. Soul is
what makes a person happy on one occasion and sorrowful on another. Soul is the
personal experience that gives a person purpose and goal to live long, or
self-negation or fatalism that results in suicide. Soul is the character of the
person; soul causes anger and patience and forgiveness. Soul is high or low
self-esteem, having or not having self-confidence. The molding of the soul
becomes the drive to philanthropy, self-sacrifice and edification, or becomes
the motivation to crime and violence. Soul is the love that the person possesses
and the hate. A person is whatever our soul makes it, molds it, and directs it.
You have conscious existence only as long as the body which Jehovah God gives
you is capable of functioning. All of its organs and especially the vital
organs must be in good operating condition. Once the body is no longer capable
of functioning, the spirit of animation vacates it and the soul is no longer
conscious. In the state of death, the soul is reduced to an identity that is
stored in the massive vaults of the memory of Jehovah God awaiting the final
judgment of the great white throne.
PEOPLE AS SOULS
In general Scripture refers to living individuals as souls. The soul is not
viewed as a separate facet divisible from the body, that a concern for the soul
is anything other than concern for the entire person. Souls mean entities, and
the total life of the individual is reflected in identifying a person as a
soul.
Gen 12:5. Abraham acquired people (souls) in Haran.
Gen 46:26. Forty-six individuals (souls) belonging to Jacob entered Egypt.
Gen 37:21. Ruben did not want his brothers to take Joseph’s life (soul).
Matt 6:25. Food is for the soul and clothing is for the body.
Acts 2:41. About 3,000 individuals (souls) were added to the Apostolic
community.
Heb 13:17. Leaders of the assembly are concerned for the welfare of the entire
person (soul).
1 Pet 1:9. The result of faith is the salvation of the total person (soul) in
all facets of their life.
Matt 10:28. They can kill the body but not the soul. Here the soul is used
figuratively to symbolize the beliefs or convictions of a person.
Rev 12:11. They loved not their soul (life) even unto death, meaning they were
willing to die for their faith as martyrs.
Acts 2:27. When David died he was buried. He did not ascend to heaven. In this
Messianic passage, the person of Jesus of Nazareth did not remain long in the
sepulcher.
SPIRIT OF ANIMATION
Once born and breathing the child is now a living soul with its own identity.
If a living child dies its identity vanishes, since the child has not lived
long enough to accept or realize conscious existence.
The spirit of animation that enters a new born and allows it to breathe on its
own is the spirit of Jehovah God breathed into the child. Now indwelling in the
child it impels it to live. Children want to live. Children want to play,
learn, discover, exercise. Often they refuse to go to sleep, because they want
to experience life. This spirit is an inherent impulse that drives the body to
live. It keeps the rhythm of the heart steady – that message from the brain to
the muscles of the heart, to drive the heart to pump blood. This spirit drives
the muscles of the chest to flex the lungs, to draw air and expel air. This
spirit causes every organ and tissue of the body to function and in unison with
the body as a whole to provide the opportunity for life.
This spirit of animation drives the body to live even to old age. This spirit
will not leave the body unless it absolutely has to, because Jehovah God
assigns it to that body for the length of its natural life. It will reside
there until some occurrence that weakens or damages the body to the point no
strength remains to retain this divinely assigned life-spirit. The spirit only
leaves the body when the body disintegrates or fails so it can no longer
function. Some bacteria infects the body and disrupts the function of some
organ, until that organ fails. The heart or brain arteries or veins are blocked
to prevent movement of blood: that part of the heart or brain fails due to lack
of oxygen. In an accident, blood is lost from bleeding, or some other damage to
tissue occurs, to the point that the body is irreparable and no longer
operational, and then the spirit departs. Old age slowly causes the body to
weaken, much like a piece of steel slowly rusting until the load can no longer
be supported or wood in water slowly rotting. Likewise the body in old age:
when no more strength remains in it to retain the powerful special spirit of
animation bequeathed to that person at their birth, the spirit departs.
Even the simplest of living organisms, such as a plant or single cell organism,
has a definite distinction between the states of life and death. A laboratory
can not infuse this invisible force energy into some material object and cause it
to live. Never has a laboratory been able to achieve animation of an inanimate
object. It is impossible. It has never been accomplished because there is no
control over the spirit of animation by a person. The spirit that causes
animation is a product of and is indigenous to heaven.
Healing of destroyed or severed tissue, or healing from sickness, is the work
of the same special spirit of animation in the body, to drive the body to live.
Jehovah God has installed in the body the ability for this spirit to heal minor
damage and infections. Within these limits the body can recover. When a person
cuts himself, it is the spirit that drives the cells and tissue to repair the
damage. Likewise with surgery, the physician assists the divine ability for
damage repair using that knowledge of medicine and surgery gifted by Jehovah
God.
Honor a physician with the honor due unto him for the uses which you may have
of him, for the Lord has created him. For of the Most High comes healing and he
shall receive honor of the king. The skill of the physician shall life up his
head and in the sight of great men he shall be in admiration. The Lord created
medicines out of the earth and he that is wise will not reject them. Sirach
38:1-4.
But no human has a guarantee from Jehovah God regarding the body or soul that
they receive. Maladies and physical defects abound in every created person. It
is not the right attitude of the human to complain to Jehovah God or feel sorry
for ones own self because the body they receive is not perfect in every
respect. A complaint because the body they receive may have a flaw, a
congenital birth defect, or some inherited trait that the person finds
objectionable, is ingratitude to the creator.
Jehovah said to [Moses], “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him dumb, or
deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, Jehovah?” Ex 4:11.
Every person must thank Jehovah God for the opportunity of conscious existence
that Jehovah God has gifted them. Every human must make the most of the life
that Jehovah God has given them as a result of His love. Whether the life be
long or short, in whatever age in history or location on earth; whichever
family they are born in, financial status, religion or race, whatever the
circumstances a person is placed in by Jehovah God, they must always bless
Jehovah God by thanking Him for the opportunity to live, to have a conscious
existence. Gratitude is always offered to Jehovah God for His effort in the
creation of ourselves. Such individuals He will bless in their life.
IMAGE OF JEHOVAH GOD
The image and likeness of Jehovah God will be defined and then compared with
animals who have not this feature. This image and likeness is not a physical
attribute. Jehovah God, the sons of Jehovah God, messengers, and the heavenly
hosts are incorporeal. The character of Jehovah God is the basic constituency
of the image and likeness of Himself, also inherent in spirit entities. Both
this image and likeness of Jehovah God is unseen, invisible, and an attribute
that materializes in attitude and conduct. All of this applies to both genders
equally, and without exception.
To the image of Jehovah God this author will assign the moral nature of Jehovah
God and the related psychological attributes of His character. To the likeness
of Jehovah God, this author will assign the creativity of Jehovah God, the
mental faculties. Through these 2 qualities Jehovah God could look from heaven
and see Himself in the human.
An image is a replica of the original. Although a replica is not the original,
by viewing its appearance it resembles the original: it has superficial
qualities of the original. This author feels it appropriate to attribute the
moral nature of Jehovah God as his image upon the human, both male and female.
The moral nature upon earth is a sense of right and wrong; acceptable conduct
and unacceptable; what is beneficial and what is injurious; what is edifying
and what is detrimental. The moral nature of the human reflects the moral
nature of Jehovah God. It is because of the moral nature that humanity issues
laws and statutes. For all humanity to live in harmony and mutual benefit is
this gift impressed on the nature of every human at their birth. Because of
this moral nature humans gather together in common causes for long term and
mutual benefit. Governments are formed, judicial systems are instituted, and
hospitals for the ill. All of this to initiate life, liberty and pursuit of
happiness.
The justice of Jehovah God is evident in the human as the demand for justice on
earth. A penalty is imposed upon the violator of the life, property or
possessions of another. Just as Jehovah God is a god who imposes retribution
upon every criminal to the extent of their violation of His divine instruction,
so does government installed by humans impose a penalty upon the criminal for
their crime against another or against society. For every individual to take
responsibility for their actions, laws are legislated as penalties.
When the human reverts to animal behavior, then they lose the image and
likeness of Jehovah God. It is replaced by that nature of animals. They act by
instinct, instead of by knowledge and reason; they fight for survival, instead
of live in cooperation and peaceful coexistence. Amoral conduct, and especially
sexual deviation, is the loss of the image of Jehovah God
THE HUMAN AS A FREE MORAL AGENT
A parallel notion with the human possessing the moral nature of Jehovah God as
His image upon them is the fact that the human is a free moral agent. A human
has the choice of moral conduct. An individual chooses their conduct or mode of
behavior or physical expression or life style. A human has the capacity to make
a choice and decision in regard to their words, deeds and attitudes. Free
choice of conduct is an inherent part of the constituency of the human and this
is also the image of Jehovah God. Just as no entity can force Jehovah God to so
anything without it already in accord with the determined counsel of his will,
so with humans. Nobody forces you to do anything against your will without your
agreement and submission. Our volition is given to us free and uncontrolled to
do with as we please.
In simple terms, nobody forces you to do some thing. Every motion, movement,
word, act, attitude is the result of the voluntary choice of the individual or
resulting from this choice. What occurs is the result of a person’s volition,
directly or indirectly. No choice in Jehovah God’s view is involuntary or the
result of coercion. Every choice is the result of a premeditated decision, the
personal volition of a free moral agent.
The devil is not the source of sin or crime. The devil does not force an
individual to do anything that is against that person’s will to do. The devil
in Scripture is the personification of temptation. Matt 4:3. Temptation leads
people to violate the law of Jehovah God, or injure others or themselves, but
the final choice lies upon the individual who succumbs to temptation. One
choice is to sin and voluntarily succumb to the influence of temptation. The
other choice is to resist - and this also is a free choice - and the devil will
flee from you. Jam 4:7.
As a free moral agent blame cannot be placed on another for any decision or
choice made. Although the benefit of possessing the image of Jehovah God is
that of reflecting His moral nature, as well as having a free volition in
choice, the disadvantage is that an individual must assume total responsibility
for every action. Blame cannot be placed on Jehovah God or anyone else or
anything else for what may occur in a person’s life. Jehovah God transcends
blame or accusation.
CONSCIENCE
Conscience is that agent in a human installed by Jehovah God as part of His
image. This deals with the moral facet of Jehovah God imparted to created
humanity. The conscience serves to impress upon the human conduct that may be
harmful or inappropriate. With no other education or formal training in conduct
or the law of Jehovah God the conscience can guide an individual to proper
conduct by impressing a feeling of guilt whenever behavior is wrong. To listen
to ones conscience is acceptable only with no knowledge of the moral code or
standards legislated by Jehovah God regarding that particular matter. This way
no individual can claim an excuse for harm or injury or a crime committed. This
is the basic, most fundamental purpose of Jehovah God gifting created humanity
a personal conscience: for no person to be able to circumvent responsibility
for a violation.
All who have sinned without the law will perish without the law, and all who
have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. Rom 2:12.
This was the manner selected by Jehovah God in order for His created human to
feel guilt and remorse for injury or harm or a crime committed. If it were not
for conscience, their would be no drive for repentance, for confession. If
there were no conscience, a person would never sense that anything wrong was
committed should they commit a crime.
In one respect, conscience is a type of human instinct. But unlike animals who
will not face an inquiry, the human will face an inquiry into actions. If no
other standard is available for determining proper or acceptable behavior, then
conscience becomes the standard. This becomes the law of Jehovah God or the
moral code by which an individual will be judged. This explanation was provided
by Paul apostle to Romans, a superstitious people without a moral law for their
nation. The standard Jehovah God will use to judge them as pagans or barbarians
will be their conscience.
When gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are
a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that what
the law requires is written on their hears, while their conscience also bears
witness and their conflicting thoughts either accuse or excuse them – on that
day when according to my gospel God judges the secrets of men by Messiah Jesus.
Rom 2:14-16.
Conscience is only beneficial when an individual allows it to do the work
assigned to it by Jehovah God: guilt. By training the conscience to keep us
aware of offenses, it is possible to become very sensitive to the circumstances
of others. A person can early sense if an action or mode of conduct is not
beneficial to the other party. Empathy will then increase.
But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their faculties trained by
practice to distinguish good from evil. Heb 5:14.
A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will
take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Exe
36:26.
The allegory provided by Ezekiel prophet is that a heart of stone is inanimate
and therefore has no feelings or empathy, but a heart of flesh does.
Just as a person can train their conscience to be sensitive to the needs of
others, the conscience can also be made insensitive. By rejecting the feelings
of guilt and acting otherwise, by continuing in injury and crime, the work of
the conscience can be smothered or annulled. Paul apostle wrote of this:
Through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared. 1 Tim 4:2.
To sear is to scorch or dry up with intense heat, as with a hot iron or
branding iron. Such individuals by training have mortified the conscience.
There is no more sense of guilt whenever harm or injury or crime is committed.
Such people have no conscience. They cannot sense emotion arising from the
intended or unintended suffering of another. It does not bother them to afflict
injury or even to murder. Since they have no moral standard and no conscience
remaining they are judged as though dead in their sins. Eph 2:1-3. When Paul
apostle wrote about individuals who will be judged without the law, he was
referring to these. Since they have no moral standard and no sense of guilt the
strictest and severest penalty will be imposed upon them.
In one respect empathy is a derivative of conscience. It allows a person to
understand the feelings of another by directing or imposing the same
circumstance upon themselves.
HUMANS AND ANIMALS
The human varies most in size as opposed to the other species of animals. In
general, a species of animals are all about the same size, weight, and length,
and variations are minor. But with the human, the size varies from the short to
tall, thin to robust, small frame to large.
Jehovah God deliberately created the human to have such a variety in size and
shape in both male and female in order for each person to be unique; to realize
that in both physical and immaterial qualities he and she are unique from every
other person on earth. There is no other person on earth that looks just like
you. Every individual has a unique appearance, combined with color of eyes and
hair. The extent and type of facial hair on the male adds to his uniqueness
that there is no other person like himself in all the world. In this manner
every person realizes that their creation was a personal work of Jehovah God,
and not some assembly line stereotype. A persons’ unique physical features adds
to their personal identity.
The human body is designed to wear clothes. It is susceptible to illness from
exposure to cold and is frail in its defense against heat and sunlight. Clothes
beautify the human. So-called nudist camps are few and far between, often
temporal like a novelty for a family or individual. Clothing is the norm for
humans, and this author is convinced that the more clothing a person wears, the
more beautiful they look. Clothes cover the body to make the human body
beautiful, and so Jehovah God gave humans the talent, both to male and female,
to make clothes for the body. In reality, the human figure is unsightly. With
only a few exceptions, none of us would be able to stand the sight of others
without clothing. The genitalia likewise of both male and female is unsightly,
and definitely is designed to be covered and hidden from public view. Jehovah
God created the human in such a fashion that they would use their talent to
beautify the human body through proper attire.
Children at an early age must be protected from the elements and taken well
care of by parents. This type of care does not exist among animals. Children
must be dressed, fed, and protected until such an age they can handle such
matters on their own. There is no evidence of immaturity in adult animals, or
mental illness.
Humans have a sense of appreciation for beauty. We decorate homes, plant
gardens, and treasure natural wonders and resources. Humans enjoy parks and
forests and beaches, the snow and the desert, and can glean a picturesque
beauty in all of them. Likewise the opposite is present. Humans dislike and are
repulsed by tastelessness, vulgarity, crudeness, including that of sexual
perversion and pornography. Animals have no sense of beauty or appreciation.
In the same vein humans have an inclination toward friendship and orderly
conduct. This is also reflected in our manners. Courtesy, amicability,
cooperation, are traits of humans, not animals. All of these evolving from the
image of Jehovah God upon the human; not existing in animals.
The human is the only creature that has a sense of shame. The human sense of
shame does not allow them to function as an animal. Only the human must attend
to toilet needs in private and then clean themselves. Only humans have
instituted rules in regard to decency. Only humans must wear clothes to protect
their body from the elements and to beautify their body. The human alone was
created without natural clothing, and so must make and wear clothes. The
segregation of the sexes in sleeping, bathing and natural function exist only
among humans, and such rules are made by the community. In general, facilities
are segregated for the genders in any area where clothing is to be removed:
toilet and bath and sleeping quarters. The only exception is that of a married
couple.
Animals have no moral nature and no conscience. There is no concept of right or
wrong for an animal; no code of conduct defining what is acceptable and what is
not. Animals exist for purposes of survival based on their instinct. An animal
cannot sense guilt or feel blame for some injurious action. An animal has no conscience
to impress guilt on it for some injurious act. Animals react based on their
instinct. They are born, grow and beautify the earth, fulfill their purpose in
the ecosystem and environment; they reproduce and subsequently die. Their death
is due to some inherent reason part of their nature, or else are killed for
food, either by humans or by some other animal. They attack only to defend
themselves when threatened or for food. They have no remorse for attacking
their prey. If an animal kills a human while defending itself, or kills a
defenseless human for food, the animal is not guilty of murder. An animal does
not sense a wrong in depriving a person of their life. Animals have no basis
for a moral nature. They live in the open, and bathe, defecate, and copulate in
the open. They wear only the natural clothing that Jehovah God has naturally
provided them and with no separation of the genders. An animal then has no
sense of shame or embarrassment. It is not part of their nature to sense shame
or embarrassment, only the human does. It is an animal that can give birth,
deliver its young, without assistance of any type.
LIKENESS OF JEHOVAH GOD
The likeness of Jehovah Elohim this author will define as the creative ability
of the human, and their related mental and educational development. This
likewise is an invisible and inherent part of the nature of both male and
female. The human is like Jehovah God because of their ability of being an
innovator, a creator of original design and mechanisms, art and architecture, a
developer of ideas and concepts, a discoverer and researcher. All of this that
is not part of the nature of species other than the human.
Parallel with this is the fact that the human needs an education. Without
training and schooling by the previous generation a human is incapable of
achieving or accomplishing anything, much less survive. A child must be taught
from an early age to care for itself. A child must be taught to dress, to read
and write, taught arithmetic and science, taught what to eat, what to drink,
and to stay away from strangers. None of this is naturally acquired. For a
human to survive the elements a compete education is required. A child must
also be taught conduct, morals and ethics, and must be trained to behave in a
certain manner acceptable and beneficial to the society and culture they are
part of. Children are naturally inquisitive. The questions of why and how come,
a desire to expand in knowledge and satisfy the void of ignorance. It is only
the human with this mind of requiring and demanding education, and advancing in
knowledge and its application. The human with its ability to learn and to
create what is new or different is the likeness of Jehovah God upon them.
Some individuals can acquire more knowledge than others, achieve greater
scholastic goals, progress in technology, culture and business. Even among the
genders the female is actually more capable of advancing in knowledge than the
male. The ability for some to advance scholastically further than others persists
on an individual basis, for every individual to be distinct from every other.
It is not based on race, culture, nationality or ethnic background. Provided
that education is available, along with a proper domestic and social
environment, progress in scholastics is achievable for every person, regardless
of race, culture, nationality or ethnic background.
The likeness of Jehovah God is original creativity., inasmuch as Jehovah God is
a creator. He mentally developed the original concept of a material universe
and its materialization and progress for the infinite future. Jehovah God took
some of His own nature as a creator and gifted it to created humanity. When a
person receives an education and puts to use this education in some facet of
their society, Jehovah God can view a reflection of Himself in that person.
This likeness of Jehovah God in original creativity extends to many areas and
not just construction. It can be applied to the arts and literature, history
and geography, liberal arts and philosophy, and science and engineering. All of
these fields utilize individuals possessing the likeness of Jehovah God upon
themselves, who have proceeded to develop it and practice it.
Just as becoming amoral causes a person to lose the image of Jehovah God, so
does the person who destroys and devastates the efforts of previous generations
and who suppresses educational advancement lose the likeness of Jehovah God.
War, the most effective manner of destruction of peoples, cultures and
civilizations, is indicative of a lack of the likeness of Jehovah God. These
individuals, like the amoral, do not even behave as animals behave which follow
their divine instinct. Both the amoral and devastators of advancement are
sub-human, depriving themselves and rejecting the image and likeness of Jehovah
God which they were gifted with at their birth.
Jehovah God will bless those who utilize to a beneficial purpose the gifts of
His image and likeness upon them, which will proceed generations into the
future.
MEMORY
A miraculous capability of the human and to a minor extent animals is memory.
Jehovah God has created the human with the ability to retain images,
information, experiences and thoughts. Not just a short term retention, but
over decades of life. As the human develops the memory follows, the earliest
retention for most is beginning at age 5 or 6. Maximum capacity of retention
and adsorption is at about age 20. The information is retained for use at lest
to age 40, although absorption begins to decline in early 20’s. Passing away at
an old age was preferred because the faculties of memory would decrease along
with the weakening of the body. Due to this degradation of the faculties the
person is hardly or not at all aware of their own existence, environment or
condition of health. Passing away in old age is painless and in comfort, like
falling asleep.
Memory is a facet of the image of Jehovah God gifted to humans. It could not
have developed on its own. Without memory a human could not survive on earth.
Animals live in the present. Humans have a memory to be able to grasp the past
and to develop a future. Humans have a memory to transmit information acquired
to future generations.
THE TREES OF EDEN
At some point in time during the early earth, during the life of the progenitors
Adam and Eve, a massive transformation occurred on earth effecting the life and
progress of the entire population, civilizations, and plant and animal life for
the ages to come. This upheaval is commonly termed the fall. In the passages
that describe the conflict that resulted in this tragedy, part are allegorical
and the balance is literal. Within the entire scope of events a vein of
spiritual instruction exists applicable to and reiterated in every generation
since the progenitors.
Jewish tradition indicates that Moses prophet and leader composed the book of
Genesis during their sojourn in the deserts of Sinai during those 40 years.
Moses saw during these years the many who suffered and died, perhaps a million,
perhaps 2 million. Their camp was a small city in transit through deserts of
Arabia. Moses watched how people succumbed to temptation and shortly thereafter
died, a premature and eventual death. Every situation was a repeat of the
first: temptation and succumbing to the temptation. Each one felt that their
own decision was superior to the dictate of Jehovah God. “I won’t die,” were
words Moses heard year after year, time and time again.
Two trees are mentioned in Gen 2:9. These can be understood allegorically. The
fruit of the tree of life is the instruction of Jehovah God. If a person lives
according to this divine instruction, the revealed will of Jehovah God,
according to his word and law, that person will be blessed and live long upon
the earth.
The tree of knowledge of good and evil symbolizes rebellion against Jehovah
God. The tree is an allegory for independence from divine and inspired
instruction. A person that denies the inspired will of Jehovah God as
authoritative and binding, and decides instead to follow his own inclinations,
eats the fruit of this tree. When a person determines for himself what is good
and what is evil, independent of Jehovah God, he and she eats of the fruit of
this tree. Pr 14:12, 16:25. To depend on a persons own inclinations instead of
Jehovah God’s will only cause error in a persons life. Due to the human’s lack
of instruction and lack of education in all matters and a lack of restraint of
lust and control of emotions and attitudes, the result is self-imposed ruin,
injury, devastation and premature death.
For this reason Jehovah God informed the original couple that when they eat of
the fruit of the tree prohibited by Jehovah God, they will begin to die the
death. Although most translations render Gen 2:17, as “This day you shall die.”
The literal and more correct rendering is, “You shall begin to die the death.”
This is exactly what occurs, the very day a person decides to abandon the
divine instruction they begin to morally degenerate. This is how James apostle
describes it as follows:
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own lust. Then
lust when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is fully
developed produces death. Jam 1:14-15.
This is eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
There is no doubt in the mind of this author that Jehovah God gave the
progenitors a complete education upon creation and settlement in Eden. This
consisted in the instruction of his inspired moral law, and all else required
for earthly prosperity. Adam and Eve received all that was required of Jehovah
God to lead a benevolent and productive and gratifying life on earth, and
especially one acceptable to Jehovah God their creator.
THE VIOLATION OF ADAM AND EVE
Adam and Eve were created as free moral agents with an uncontrolled volition
and a capability to choose according to their own personal desire and without
coercion. The author contends that temptation existed from the beginning in the
garden of Eden, because the snake, which represents temptation, was also in the
garden. As long as Adam and Eve resisted temptation all went well for them.
The most debated questions of the ages surfaces here without clear or simple
resolution. Were the progenitors Adam and Eve originally created with the
natural capability or impulse to sin? And, Why was the temptation even
permitted if Jehovah God foreknew their act of disobedience? The pros and cons
of both these questions have consumed pages and volumes of treatises over the
millennia. So as not to bore the reader, this author will present his theory
only in brief.
The tree of life is an allegory. It symbolizes the eternity and immortality of
the garden of Eden. As long as access existed to this tree it provided the
residents and environment indefinite and blessed existence. None of the decay
or evils or difficulties of the later post-fall era existed at this time. The
purpose of Moses in this passage was to convey to the reader that because of
one disobedience sin entered the world and because of one sinner all sinned.
Rom 5:12,18. This is an encapsulation: Moses presenting to his people and
future generations the results of disobedience and succumbing to temptation.
Results that they themselves are effected by and so future generations to the
restoration, and without exception. The results of the disobedience did not
only effect the violators Adam and Eve, but all of future posterity. Since they
are the original progenitors of all future humanity, and since the curse
effected their substance and constitution, their nature as a whole, their
offspring would also carry on the traits and nature of the parents. This can be
compared to an original congenital defect or mutation in the genes that is
transmitted generation to generation without any type of correction possible.
Pseudo-Ezra in his book reflects the attitude of the Jewish sages of the era:
O Adam, what have you done? For though it was you that sinned, you are not
alone fallen, but all of us descended from you. 2 Esd 7:46.
If both Adam and Eve knew the extensive effect of their disobedience on future
generations, they would not have disobeyed the command of Jehovah God. This
author contends equal responsibility for both Adam and Eve, of the opinion that
Moses wanted both every male and female to realize a responsibility in their own
life for their actions: that one could not shift the blame onto the other. This
is apparent in both their attempts to avoid responsibility. Their
near-sightedness is no different than that of any other person of any other
generation. The same pathetic and general attitude seems to pervade every
generation: little care is taken on the impact of our decisions on children or
grandchildren or future posterity. Sometimes this author wonders whether the
complaint of pseudo-Ezra is actually a vented attack or a deep seated spite
toward Adam for ruining life for the balance of his posterity. But this is just
conjecture.
THE CURSE UPON THE SERPENT
The curse does not refer specifically to the snake as an animal, since there
was no physical alteration of its body. As it was created on the 5th day, so
does it exist today. The curse applies to the reputation of the snake as
compared to other animals.
Cursed are you above all cattle and above all wild animals. Gen 3:14.
None of the balance of animals has a reputation like the snake This is the most
malicious of all animal identities that can be applied to a human. To call a
person a snake refers to him as being sly, underhanded, crafty, treacherous, a
person who will poison with his venom even the most unsuspecting victim, and
then slither away seeking some new victim without remorse. A person can be
identified with other animals, such as the pig, dog, donkey, weasel or turkey,
but there is nothing more inconsiderate and offensive and damaging than
identifying a person with the snake. This allegorical use of snake in the grass
places this creature at ground level, or cursed beyond that of all other
creatures. The ancient snake is also a dragon. Rev 12:9. In this vision John
apostle identifies the snake with the dragon with 7 heads and 10 horns, because
of the amount of damage that it can cause. But the dragon is still an allegory,
and refers to an institution of such character.
The snake still represents temptation, it can cause damage and ruin and injury
to individuals and families and societies to the extend of a dragon. The person
succumbing to temptation can cause ruin and injury to themselves and others
comparable to a dragon. The snake is called slanderer and adversary, the root
meanings of devil and satan. Rev 12:9. This is the evil impulse in sinful man
that opposes the goodness of Jehovah God and opposes the saints of Jehovah God.
The animosity or enmity between the snake and the woman is allegorical and
symbolizes the attempt by false-religion to corrupt true religion. Gen 3:15.
All throughout Scripture inroads are made by superstition, idolatry and
paganism into the true worship of Jehovah God.
The posterity of the snake are the Pharisees. John 8:44. The relationship
between the snake and Eve is solely one of spiritual seduction. There is no
evidence whatsoever to justify a physical relationship. Paul apostle mentions
that the relationship between the snake and Eve was that of tempter and victim.
2 Cor 11:3. The entire scenario must be understood in the terms that Moses
intended for the people of Israel during their sojourn in the deserts and for
the future generations of Israelites. Every person is a Adam in his own right
and every woman is an Eve with the ability to withstand temptation or succumb
to it.
The conflict of Gen 3:15, between the posterity of the snake and the posterity
of the woman, surfaced during the ministry of Jesus Messiah. The Pharisees bit
at the heel of the Messiah by having him executed, but the Messiah crushed the
head of the snake by resurrecting from the dead.
Then the God of peace will soon crush satan (the adversary) under your feet.
Rom 16:20. Heb 2:14.
In the above manner are the words of Jehovah God to the snake fulfilled.
THE CURSE UPON EVE
The curse upon the female is noted in Gen 3:16, and consists primarily in 2
items. First is pain during childbirth. In order to understand properly this
statement, Eve had to have delivered at least 1 or preferable more children
without pain of labor. No doubt after the delivery of Seth, Eve was definitely
repentant of his disobedience, but nothing could be done at this time.
The second item is the reduction of the status of a female. Up to this time the
female was equal to the male in every respect. This was discussed earlier. But
now and due to this disobedience Eve was relegated to a lessor status and now
subject to the male. This can be best understood using examples. First, women
want to get married. Although not the absolute rule, but in general this is
definitely the natural attitude. Women are raised from a early age to expect
marriage and develop an attitude of desiring marriage within a certain time
frame. Often it doesn't especially matter to whom, as long as the male appears
decent, treats her well, and will make the commitment. Women have married
almost total strangers, men they hardly knew, men they even disliked or
objected, and only for the sake of the state of matrimony. Many marry for no
other reason except not to be alone or be branded as a spinster or undesirable.
A lack of marriage partner can make a woman feel as if they are less of a woman
for not having a husband. For this reason the "woman's desire is for her
husband and he will rule over her." Gen 3:16.
THE CURSE UPON ADAM AND CREATION
The specific reason for Adam's disobedience is noted in Gen 3:17: he failed to
fulfill the role of leadership and courage that was divinely assigned to the
male. Instead of taking personal responsibility for his choice he decided to
evade accepting blame. This author does not consider it important that it was
the wife that the husband allowed to dictate to him how to conduct himself. The
important facet is that the husband gave up his divinely attributed capability
of choice and allowed someone else to make the choice for him. He allowed
another person to dictate his thinking and to control his actions and
manipulate him.
The entire nature of the earth was changed with the verdict of Jehovah God upon
Adam and his male descendents.
“Cursed is the ground because of you, in toil you shall eat of it all the days
of your life;. Thorns and thistles it shall being forth to you and you shall
eat the plants of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread.”
Gen 3:17-19.
The moment that Jehovah God recited these words the ground became temporal and
all that evolved from it became temporal, and every evil and failure existing
upon earth materialized. Everything that can possibly ruin and interfere with
the success, prosperity and health of a person entered history when Jehovah God
cursed the ground. Prior to this time the ground and soil was blessed of
Jehovah God. The soil was eternal and all that evolved from it was eternal,
ageless, permanent. This pertained to all living organisms, plants and animals,
and the entire structure and composition of the earth. Now all of the original
nature of creation changed.
The variant weather patterns existing on earth were initiated on earth at this
time: violent weather or dry spells or deluges. Likewise the rise of the
various plant diseases and fungi that can destroy crops, and insects such as
locusts and flies and worms appeared on earth subsequent to these words of
Jehovah God.
The tragedies of nature: the hurricane, tornado, monsoon, flood, drought or
famine, intense heat or extreme cold, all entered this world this day. The
human is very weak and fragile compared with the forces of nature. The human is
no match. Under these conditions the human must live and must adapt his life.
As long as the human subjects himself to the authority of Jehovah God by
submitting himself to the authority of divine instruction, all will go well
with him in spite of these upheavals of nature. Moses mentions this Ps 90:9-10.
So much of the time that Jehovah God allots a person to life is absorbed by
failure and difficulty in life until he finally passes away. Very little time
is actually available for some happiness, prosperity and personal achievement.
Living under difficult circumstances until the human passes away was the result
of Jehovah God's curse of the ground.
All possible failure entered the world this day. Labor is no more a pleasure,
but now a difficulty, a chore, with regular futility and failure in work
accomplished. Beginning at this time men began to face failure in the effort
they exert. They are injured and exhausted in their work and face the elements
with uncertainty, worry and finally desperation. This verse is the reason for
the far reaching incident of the collapse of economies and banks and
businesses; the loss of fortunes on bad deals and losses on debts.
Since the ground was cursed of Jehovah God and underwent a massive change in
structure from eternal to temporal, so now all creation that would evolve from
the earth would also be temporal. All humanity, every individual, will reach a
point in life that the body will no longer be able to sustain life, and life
will terminate. This likewise pertains to all plant life and all organic matter
which evolves from the soil, all will eventually decay and decompose and return
to the constituents of soil. This cycle has continued for many millennia and
will continue so until the restoration.
EXILE FROM EDEN
The banishment from Eden culminates the sentence of Jehovah God on Adam and
Eve. This perfect and ideal environment now became history. All that remained
of Eden was memories. Regret now dominated the mind of the progenitors as they
gathered their belongings and migrated to some other area to life. This author
contends that the banishment from Eden is an allegory created by Moses under to
symbolize loss and deprivation of the perfect environment for humanity. In
reality the permanent exile from the perfection of environment occurred when
nature changed its state from eternal to temporal. Once they awoke to a new
temporal world that next morning they were outside the borders of Eden the
garden of Jehovah God, never to enter again. It did not take long for the
results of their disobedience to affect them and for them to fully realize the
consequences of their actions. That they no longer resided in Eden became more
and more apparent as time passed and when the first weeds sprouted in the
cultivated fields overnight; when the progenitors were first stung by a
mosquito and were subsequently inflected with malaria: fever, chills,
sleeplessness, sweat; when Adam caught a cold and laid in bed with his runny
nose, sore throat, headache and fever; when Adam caught dysentery from drinking
unboiled water; when Adam worked hard in the fields and only physically
exhausted himself and watched his crops ruined by heavy rain or drought or
devoured by locusts or destroyed by frost; when Eve endured the pain of labor
during the delivery of Seth; when Eve suffered a miscarriage; when Even found
herself mistreated by Adam for failing in his domestic and marital expectations
of herself; when Eve felt insecure day after day worrying over Adam; when Eve
drifted into depression from the stress of raising children; when their bodies
began to change as they grew older, became weak and more susceptible to injury
and the elements; and when they finally passed away.
No more will there be access to again eat of the tree of life until the
restoration. It is this sin - disobedience - which separates a human from
Jehovah God. The promise to again gain the access to this tree to again restore
immortality abides in the victory over sin through Jesus Messiah. 1 Cor 15:55.
Rev 2:7. To this victor, that is to this person, both male and female, who
gains the victory over sin, to him and her is access allowed to again eat of
the fruit of this tree and to live forever. All this to occur in the
restoration.
DEATH AND DYING
All organisms, whether plant or animal or human, whether amoebae or bacteria or
fungi, have their origin from the soil. The original constituents and source of
all organic matter is the soil. "From the earth you were taken." Gen
3:17. The words of Jehovah God. The essence that determines if these organic
entities are "alive" is their possession of the spirit of life or
animation, the breath that Jehovah God personally breathes into them. Once the
spirit is removed, then the organism returns to its original state: it decays
and decomposes into soil. All creatures have a limited life span, though some
shorter and other longer. The creation is designed such by Jehovah God to
reproduce and then terminate existence. The newly-born organisms will grow and
at maturity subsequently reproduce and repeat the same cycle. This life span is
predetermined for all creatures. The human follows the same pattern as all
other organisms in this cycle.
Solomon describes the similarity of demise of both human and animal in
identical terms.
For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of animals is the same; as one
dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage
over the animals; for all is vanity. For all go to the same place; all are from
the dust and all turn to dust again. Eccl 3:19-20.
The final chapter of Ecclesiastics describes in poetic and symbolic language
the final moment of a person's conscious existence and his passage into
oblivion and demise. Eccl 12:5-7. The silver cord is symbolic of the dictate of
Jehovah God regarding length of life bestowed upon a person.
As a person grows older the faculties slowly erode and response is deterred.
Death still seems distant for many in this condition, because the reality of it
is also at a distance, and again due to erosion of the faculties. Under such
conditions of frailty of body and mind a person passes away without notice of
what is occurring, painlessly, The spirit of animation slowly migrates out of
the body while respiration decreases and ceases. The most painful or shocking
termination would be that of a serious accident, or suicide by impact, such as
jumping off a bridge into icy water or concrete, or electrocution. In this
situation the spirit is wrenched out of the body like a car at high speed
impacts a block wall. The body reverts into neural convulsions, a shock and
pain so excruciating that the person loses consciousness and lapses into lifelessness
in moments. Execution by guillotine may sever the head from the torso, but the
body would continue alive for a few moments until the spirit departs. The eyes
in the severed head may even see the area from the basket with the other heads,
while the heart continues to pump blood out the arteries in the neck. This also
seems to be a reason why the ancient saints wanted a death in old age, so they
would not have to suffer a painful death in younger years with their faculties
in excellent condition.
There is a distinct difference in the state of the body in the seconds before
death and the seconds after death. The migration of the spirit out of the body
could last from a few seconds in a person with a fatal illness or old age or
failure of vital organs, or immediate with a person terminating life in some
violent manner. The individual loses identity at this point, meaning that the
soul lapses into oblivion, not having a functioning body to reside in. The fact
that certain body functions may continue for some short period, such as hair or
fingernail growth, these body functions would be compared to a plant broken at
the stem: withering, yet still growing until all the cells die on a individual
basis. The Jewish sages likewise taught the termination of life at death. This
was the accepted teaching of Scripture during the era of Jesus.
From the dead, as from one who does not exist, thanksgiving has ceased. Sirach
17:28.
Job awaited his own demise as a means of relief from his pain and anguish. He
describes the state he was to transfer to in Job 3:17-19.
Death as Job described it is a state of withdrawal from the effects of pain and
emotion. With the neural system inactive and not functional, there is no pain,
and there cannot be pain in the body any longer. Pain can only exist if there
is an active and functional nervous system to convey to the brain such
sensations. Death terminates the functions of the nervous system. In the
interim state the soul or identity has no means of sensing pain since it is a
immaterial and ethereal object. The spirit of animation cannot experience pain
either since it is spirit.
DEAD SOULS
That the soul dies was understood typically throughout the Bible, and this
phrase was used on a regular basis. The most popular passage is that of Ezekiel
prophet.
The soul that sins shall die. Eze 18:4, 20.
In this passage the soul refers to the person as an identity. Death as a result
of the violation of the law of Jehovah God was the termination of life. Corpses
are likewise referred to as dead souls in the original Hebrew of the following
passages.
You shall not make marks in your flesh for a dead soul. Lev 19:28.
Unto no souls of the dead shall [the priest] approach. Lev 21:11.
[The Nazarite] shall not approach a dead soul all the days of his separation
unto Jehovah. Num 6:6.
Every person that touches a dead soul, a person who has died… Num 19:11,13.
If any one is unclean by touching a dead soul… Hag 2:13.
One passage worth investigating is in Revelations
I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God
and for the witness they had borne. Rev 6:9.
This pile of corpses in front of the altar are those mentioned by Jesus Messiah
in Matt 23:29-35 and John 16:2. These passages refer to all those who died for
the word of Jehovah God and their testimony. Rev 1:9. Because the corpses are
piled in front of the altar indicates that they were a sacrifice unto Jehovah
God, unwilling to compromise or deny true deity or true faith in Jehovah God.
These were the lambs led to the slaughter. Rom 8:36. The voice emanating from
these corpses is their wait for vengeance, and can be compared to the voice of
the blood of Abel that cried from the ground seeking vengeance. Gen 4:10. These
were told that the vengeance of Jehovah God on their behalf was in the future,
and that more persecution was yet to come. When the point arrives that Jehovah
God can no longer tolerate the death of His saints at the hands of sinners,
then He will intervene and execute His sentence upon them..
This passage along with the balance of the book of Revelations is interpreted
allegorically, and does not serve as any indication of conscious existence
during the interim.
THE INTERIM STATE
Several passages in the NT are often interpreted such to lay claim to conscious
existence during the interim state, to indicate evidence of consciousness. If
this is so they would contradict the earlier passages noted above, also from
Scripture. The excuse or justification for this is termed progressive
revelation, meaning that not the entirety of knowledge in all areas was
revealed at one time, but subsequent as time progressed. The author agrees with
this concept and it definitely applies to some important topics and concepts,
such as the resurrection, priesthood, covenants, arrival of the Messiah, and
many others. But new revelation must not contradict previous revelation, but
should further explain the concept. New revelation must be able to be
interpreted in light of previous revelation, not contradicted. In this situation
of dealing with the interim state the same approach must be taken. Any new
revelation regarding the interim state located in the gospels and letters of
the Apostles must not contradict any previous divine revelation.
The interim state is adequately described:
But the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward; but the memory of them
is lost. Eccl 9:5.
For there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, where you go.
Eccl 9:10.
When his breath departs he returns to his earth; on that very day his thoughts
perish. Ps 146:6
For then I would have laid down and been quiet; I would sleep; then I would be
at rest. There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at
rest, there the prisoners are at ease together; they hear not the voice of the
taskmaster. Job 3:13, 17-18.
There is no indication or witness at all in the Hebrew or Greek Scriptures
regarding any conscious existence of a person during the interim state. This is
because the specific revelation of Jehovah God clearly teaches in both OT and
NT that every human is in a state of unconscious oblivion or inert activity
during this period. In essence the human reverts back to his state prior to
their conception. All that remains of the human is his identity and conduct recorded
in annals in heaven inscribed in the memory of Jehovah God. As the Scriptures
teach, the spirit returns to Jehovah God and the body returns to the earth. The
soul or identity has no conscious existence at this time and so does not travel
or return anywhere. (The fallacy of the concept of immortal soul is dealt with
in a later chapter.) The reason for this was noted earlier, that conscious
existence for a human is possible only with a living body, and depends on a
body in a healthy condition. This author contends that the state of the dead,
or the interim state, has not changed since the demise of the first human,
Abel, to our time and will remain the same until the restoration. The concept
of conscious existence in the interim was unknown to the people of Jehovah God
in OT and NT eras. A few passages will be investigated
Luke 16:19-31. The parable of Dives and Lazarus. This passage is definitely a
parable. As indicated in another passage, Jesus said nothing without the use of
a parable, and this specific narrative is at the conclusion of 9 parables in
Luke 14-16, and is followed by more parables. Even taking serious consideration
of the narrative, the rich man is buried but angels transport Lazarus. If one
is buried and the other is carried to some distant area, how can they see and
talk and hear one another, and especially with a gulf between them? And what
about the billions of others that have died? Are they also in the same
circumstances. Should not Dives also have been transported by angels or demons
to hell fire? Dives suggesting to Lazarus that he deliver a message to living
people, the family of Dives, sounds most improbable. Dives would have asked
this only if this was possible. Likewise, Dives asking Abraham for water can
hardly be realistic. What value is water in hell fire? Material water is
useless in the realm of the interim, because it is not a materiel realm. Any
attempt to utilize this passage as a reality of conscious existence in the
interim is absurd. It does however have many benefits if interpreted as a
parable.
Luke 23:43. The words of Jesus to the thief on the cross. The word paradise is
a loan from Persian meaning garden. In this passage, Jesus Messiah tells the
thief that both of them will be buried that day in a local garden. This will be
discussed later in more detail.
Phil 1:21-24. Paul apostle wrote to the Philippians while imprisoned at
Caesarea. There under the guard of Roman soldiers he sat in a prison cell for
about 2 years. The poor conditions of existence, exposure to the elements, made
life seem hopeless and futile for Paul apostle. This author contends that Paul
apostle felt he reached that point in life that his ministry had ended: he
would sit in prison until he died. He could not be released on his own
cognizance, and so was at the mercy of the Roman procurator and the Jewish
elders for any possible chance of release. For this reason he states that he is
perplexed whether to continue to live or just plain die while imprisoned. By
dying he is freed from the misery and suffering of confinement, both physical
and psychological. By dying he will await and eventually greet Jesus Messiah at
the resurrection, and his gain here is release from the torment of prison
incarceration. But he realized that his death would be a savage blow to the
faith of many. For this reason he would prefer to persevere to remain alive in
prison.
The only other section that some utilize to attempt to prove conscious
existence during the interim is the book of Revelations. This book is solely
one of countless symbolism and allegory from beginning to end. There is no more
a lake of fire than a beast with 7 heads and 10 horns, or the number 666
engraved on hands and foreheads or people waving palm branches standing in
front of the throne of Jehovah God. This author finds it absurd that any
passage in this book would be interpreted and applied literally.
NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES
So-called near death experiences or death experiences can likewise be
explained. During sleep, for example, the brain continues to function, but in a
reduced state, and a person can dream. These dreams are imaginations generated
from an uncontrolled brain, because the body is asleep. The brain likewise
generates uncontrolled imaginations or hallucinations, images, during these seconds
of the spirit of animation migrating out of the body. If the body can be made
functional again, by some stimulation of the heart, the spirit of animation
returns and the body again lives. If the body cannot be made functional,
damaged beyond repair or brain-dead, or having some other failure of the heart
or vital organs, then once the spirit departs nothing can be done to revive or
resuscitate the body. But if the body is functional and an immediate
stimulation is performed, it may revive with the return of the spirit. During
this short interval of perhaps seconds or minutes, the brain generates
uncontrolled images. These are still retained in the memory even after recovery
from the near-death state and the patient can still remember these images. The fact
that many experience the same type of experience, or brain generated
imagination, it is because the brain at this time generates the same type of
image or hallucination.
After investigating volumes of recorded incidences of this type, this author does
not see any evidence of post-death conscious existence beyond a few minutes
while the brain decays and generates hallucinations.
This author remembers the personal experience of his sister passing away at the
age of 47 from cancer, only 2 weeks after she was diagnosed. During this period
our family watched the slow decay of her body. She lapsed into a coma about 2
days before her death. She was then disconnected from the artificial breathing
mechanism. I watched my sister take her last breath and stop breathing. Then I
watched the equipment monitoring her heartbeat: from about 40 beats per minute,
it reached zero in about a minute. Once the spirit of animation vacated her
body as we watched, she became lifeless. Her soul or identity was now history
on earth, now nothing more than a record in heavenly annals, that such a person
lived at this time, place, with a record of her activities during her career of
47 years. We buried her 3 days later. The author also watched his father pass
away from cancer at the age of 77, and watched him struggling to breath, until
he could no longer.
This event particularly assisted this author in compiling his concept of the
interim state. Even after years of Bible study the conclusion kept slipping
away because of the heavy influence of Protestant and Catholic notions of
heaven and hell, paradise and purgatory. With the passage of such a close
member of the family, and personal involvement in the funeral, the truth of
Scripture became evident. This author was able to reject the incorrect notions
of Protestant and Catholic Christianity, and fully grasp and accept the concept
as related in Scripture.
SLEEP AS A EUPHEMISM FOR DEATH
Jesus Messiah, during his ministry on earth, referred to the state of the
deceased as sleep.
"Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep and I go to wake him from
sleep." John 11:11.
Paul apostle also referred to the deceased as those asleep in the Lord.
Most of whom are still alive though some have fallen asleep.1 Cor 15:6.
Then those also who have fallen asleep… 1 Cor 15:18.
But we would not have you ignorant brethren, concerning those fallen asleep. 1
Thess 4:13.
Gospel writer Matthew refers to those long dead saints of the ages who
resurrected with Jesus Messiah as asleep. Matt 27:51. John apostle also
inferred this when he recorded the words of the messenger, “Blessed are the
dead who die in the Lord,... they rest from their labors.” Rev 14:13. In this
selection of NT passages, death is compared to the state of an individual when
they are asleep.
When a person falls asleep and in a sound sleep, he is oblivious to all that
occurs around him, and is even unaware of his own existence. A person goes to
bed in the evening knowing this and fully convinced that they will awake in the
morning. So it is with the saints of Jehovah God. These fall asleep knowing
that they will be awakened in the future. Sometime in the distant future and
unknown to all, at the restoration they will be awakened from oblivion.
LAZARUS
This author has often wondered what Lazarus would have said if asked to
describe his 4 days of death. There was no doubt that he was dead. When the
stone was rolled away from the tomb the people nearby smelled the stench of his
decomposing body. John 11:39. What would he have said to his audience? Would he
have described these 4 days as floating about on clouds with wings and a harp
in his hand? Or perhaps in a fiery pit with bright red demons bouncing about
with pointed tails and horns holding pitchforks? Or perhaps relaxing in some
luxurious environment of a garden with every imaginable pleasure available?
This author contends that the reply of Lazarus to his inquisitive friends would
have been something in the following manner:
"I was very ill and the pain in my body increased. The pain and discomfort
and burning in my head and inside my body increased. It reached a point I could
no longer tolerate. My spirit wanted to leave but my body kept enduring, my
heart kept pumping and the pain increased. Once I reached that plateau of total
inability to endure the pain I felt this massive relief. My heart slowed down
and within a few heartbeats ceased to function. Something evacuated my body and
abandoned me. I don't know what it was, but as it migrated out I began to lapse
into a sleep, a quiet undisturbed state and became oblivious to all sensation
and emotion. I became cold and very cold. The next moment I lapsed into total
unconsciousness and mental inactivity. My memory stops there. I cannot say how
long I remained in this condition. Time came to a standstill."
A comparable parallel for individuals lapsing into death who are not under
massive pain or accidental death could be that of the effects of general
anesthesia prior to a hospital surgery, or the effect of sodium pentathol prior
to oral surgery. After surgery and the effects of the anesthesia wear off, the
patient remembers nothing and has felt no pain during the surgery.
If a person can undergo massive surgeries, and feel and sense and remember
nothing during this period under anesthesia, how much less would consciousness
exist when all the organs and nervous system of the body cease to function? And
it is only in an active and functional body that sensation can exist. Lazarus
would have continued the story of his resurrection as follows:
"All of a sudden I heard a voice. ‘Lazarus come forth.’ With these words I
began to slowly regain consciousness. Some ethereal substance was emerging into
my lifeless limbs and my heart began beating. I was very cold at first but then
after a minute my body warmed up. I opened my eyes. I realized I was awake. For
a few minutes I laid still, wondering what it was that had occurred to me. It
took a while before I came to the complete realization that I had regained
total consciousness and I was my old self again, alive as I was earlier. It was
a shock at first but then I adjusted. I looked about the room and it was dark.
I realized that I was in a tomb of some sort; I did see some light at one end,
which I surmised to be an entrance. The slab I was laying on was cold and
seemed to draw the new warmth I acquired out of my body. I had to get up. It
was difficult getting up because I was wrapped up tight in graveclothes. Once I
was up I walked toward the light and out into broad daylight."
So did the death and resurrection of Lazarus occur.
SAUL AND THE NECROMANCER OF ENDOR
The final point to be considered in this section is that of Saul and
necromancer of Endor. 1 Sam 28. The narrative is a description of the attempt
by the desperate Saul to acquire council from Samuel prophet. He was desperate
for divine advice to try and salvage what remained of his kingdom and gain a
victory over Philistines. This medium or necromancer definitely had these
demonic capabilities to awaken the dead and conjure them up to communicate with
them on earth. There was no doubt in anybody's mind at this session that this
personage was Samuel, and so what they saw was an apparition of the man. The
medium best describes him as a god coming out of the earth. The use of the term
god is in contradistinction to the term son of man, which is used to refer to
someone appearing in the figure of a human. What the necromancer saw was a
ghost-like figure without a definite human shape, but yet had features
sufficient to be recognizable. This identity of Samuel, his soul, was roused
from its inactivity in the realm of the immaterial world, enlivened from its
unconscious sleep, as Samuel himself states, "Why have you disturbed me by
bringing me up?" 1 Sam 28:15. Samuel was in some unconscious state, and this
necromancer had the capability to retrieve his identity, his soul, from its
residence and cause it to surface in their presence.
At the conclusion of their conversation Samuel says, "Tomorrow you and
your sons shall be with me." 1 Sam 18:19. These words mean exactly what
they say. Wherever Samuel was abiding prior to this session, and where he is
now returning, so also Saul and Jonathan and Abinadab and Matchishum will
arrive there after their demise on the battlefield. This place cannot refer to
heaven or hell, but to the grave in general, and their identity or soul to be
transported to a state of inactivity for the indefinite future.
DEATH AS A PRISON
Death is a prison. It is as if the person is locked in a secured dungeon,
lifeless, dark, cold and forgotten. Jehovah God asked Job martyr about the
residence of the dead in words similar.
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Job 38:17.
Once an individual is confined to this eternal incarceration, not he nor any
other person can release him. The fetters, chains, gate and lock are beyond the
strength of the powerless victim.
The true Christian has the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Matt 16:19. In
reality though, the keys are in the hands of Jesus Messiah. Rev 1:18. This
means he has the capability to permit escape from this prison. He has the
necessary means of removing the chains and fetters, unlocking the lock on the
gates, and opening the gates and freeing the prisoners from the prison of the
grave.
That death is a prison and not a paradise or purgatory is also attested to by
Peter in his statement about the spirits in prison. 1 Pet 3:19. Exactly how
Jesus preached to the remains of those disobedient to the preaching of Noah and
who died in the flood is not apparent. This author surmises that all the dead
of the ages were made aware of His crucifixion and subsequent resurrection
during these 3 days and 3 nights, including those who perished in the flood.
The reason the balance of the dead are not mentioned by Peter apostle is that
the conclusion intended was baptism in 1 Pet 3:22, which flood was an
allegorical antecedent. It was from these spirits in the death-prison the Jesus
Messiah selected those to resurrect along with him, all those obedient to
Jehovah God throughout the ages. This was discussed earlier.
ANIMALS
Animals differ from humans in the areas mentioned in several areas above. The
most important single point of distinction is that an animal does not have an
identity as does a human. An animal is a body and a spirit of animation. It has
no individual identity, nor does it possess self-consciousness. An animal only
exists due to its generation as offspring.
Like the human though, the initial animals created on the 5th and 6th days of
creation week were created complete, male and female, and with the ability to
reproduce. Each was an original design, a species. Every animal is also
composed of spirit, soul and body. But there are important differences.
An animal does not have the type of soul as a human does. The extent of the
soul in an animal is to contain the divinely gifted instinct. This is the use
of the term soul when referring to animals. Rev 8:8, 16:3. The instinct
possessed by the animal is not part of its flesh or its spirit. The animal
likewise begins to exist as an independent entity at its birth; at this point
divine instinct for that particular species is installed. But there is no
personal identity with the animal. It does not know that it exists.
An animal is not a free moral agent. It has no ability to decide right or
wrong, it cannot answer to someone else for its conduct. Its conduct and
reaction and activity is long previously determined and programmed into it
through the instinct for that species. It reacts as the instinct causes it to
react: flee or defend itself from danger; eat when it is hungry; shelter itself
from the elements; and procreate during the season intended for it to continue
the species.
An animal has no conscience. It cannot sense guilt. Neither can it sense joy or
personal fulfillment or gratification. An animal cannot hate, love, despise,
pretend, have sympathy, or take vengeance. It is programmed to react in a
certain manner and without personal reflection or emotion and without
consideration of right or wrong. An animal has no sense of time, not past, not
future, only the immediate. It has no grasp of temporality or eternity. It no
doubt knows when it is dying, and struggles to live. This spirit of animation
that drives the animal to live is the same spirit in the human. Both drive the
animal to survive, to heal its wounds, and reproduce.
When the animal dies its soul vanishes into the ethereal realm; its instinct
has completed its purpose and so terminates its existence. Like the human, the
animal dies when the spirit of animation vacates the body. This is the
explanation of Solomon.
For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same: as one dies
so dies the other. They all have the same breath; for all is vanity. All go to
one place; all are from the dust and all turn to dust. Who knows whether the
spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down to the earth.
Eccl 3:19-21
The point made by Solomon is that the manner of death is common for both
animals and humans. When the spirit vacates the body the identity ceases, and
the body begins its composition. The difference to be noted though with the
human is also brought out by Solomon in the concluding verses of his portrayal
of life. Eccl 11:9, and 12:13-14. The human will face a judgement; the animal
will not. This is because the human soul is a self-conscious identity, while
the animal is not. With death, the identity of the animal terminates and
vanishes as if it never existed. It must occur in this manner, otherwise clean
animals could not be used for food.
INSTINCT
An animal is born with instinct. The extent of the soul of an animal is its
instinct. This is the invisible and inherent knowledge that every animal is
born with. No animal is born without a complete education to guide it from
birth to death. From the moment of birth, all knowledge and ability that the
animal needs to survive, mate and reproduce, rear its young, build or find
shelter, defend itself from the elements and enemies is inherent. Instinct is
congenital. This instinct resides in every creature, from amoebae to elephant
to zebra, from the smallest single cell organism to the most complex of massive
land and sea creature. Not one needs a day of education, nor needs to recognize
one letter of an alphabet. If means of communication exists between those of
the same species, it is naturally contained in their nature.
An animal also has an ability beyond that of a human to naturally adapt to
environment. With its natural clothing as an insulation, it can easier
withstand changes in climate, temperature and endure exposure to the elements.
PLANTS
Plants have a spirit, but one specially created by Jehovah God for the various
species. This spirit causes the seed to germinate or spore to grow into a new
plant, likewise with the ability to reproduce. As long as the environment is
suitable the species will continue forever. Even with a change in climate,
seeds can last several years in the ground before geminating. This spirit of
plants causes cell division and growth. Like animals and humans, the plant
spirit will remain in the plant as long as the body of the plant is capable of
retaining life. If the plant is deprived of water and nutrients, or exposed to
extreme climate, or is damaged to the point that the plant can no longer
sustain life, this spirit departs and the plant returns to soil.
Like living organisms created during creation week, Jehovah God created the
plant species. Each species was created on an original basis. With the original
creation, every plant was gifted with the ability to reproduce. The original
tree, fruit, bush or vine, was created by Jehovah God with the ability to
reproduce itself.
PART THREE
LIFE AND CAREER OF IMMANUEL
INTRODUCTION
The purpose for the son of Jehovah God Emmanuel, or Jesus Messiah, to become human
is stated in the words of the messenger Gabriel to Joseph of Nazareth engaged
to Mary along with the prophecy of Isaiah prophet.
For he shall save his people from their sins. Matt 1:21
For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be
upon his shoulders, and his name will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and
of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and rectitude. Is 9:6-7.
This primary purpose was his ministry and career as Messiah, to introduce and
establish among his people the Jews the spiritual kingdom and initiate the new
covenant, and as a result save the nation from their annihilation. Prior to
discussing his ministry as Messiah there are 2 facets of his personal being as
son of Jehovah God which impact on the necessity of the incarnation. These are
the 2 categories of king and priest. Both of these will be treated separately
at first to explain the requirement for this ethereal entity of the realm of
spirit to materialize as a human being.
It is an absolute requirement in both these arenas of rule and intercession for
Jesus to have appeared as a human, lived as a human, exerted effort in a
ministry among his people, be convicted as a criminal and then be executed.
At some point in time, and probably at a time so far into the distant past that
time as we know it did not then exist, Jesus made the decision to vacate his
own will in favor of the Father’s. At some time, Jesus abandoned his personal
wants, desires, ambitions, and intentions, in favor of the divine purpose and
counsel of Jehovah God his Father. The result of this decision was attaining the
fullness of the glory of Jehovah God his Father. But this was not without a
price. The price to be paid was the intention itself, an immense sacrifice of
himself in now fulfilling the counsel and purpose as dictated to him by his
Father. Within the activity of Jehovah God, there is no room for personal
ambition. There is only room for sacrifice.
The ministry of Jesus in heaven and on earth encompasses 2 primary purposes.
First, to magnify the Father Jehovah God among created humanity. Secondly, to
bring created humanity to acknowledge the love of Jehovah God towards them, and
to inform them regarding their creator.
Upon executing this personal decision, Jesus was designated by his Father to
fulfill a ministry on earth on behalf of His people Israel. This ministry on
earth was comprised of the above 2 primary purposes but was focused on the
nation Israel. Jesus was to magnify the Father in their presence and was to
reveal the Father, their God, to them, meaning, to educate the people about
Jehovah their sole deity. To accomplish this God delegated to Jesus His divine
instruction for his earthly career.
ATTAINING THE RULE
If we could imagine a kingdom in heaven, in this realm of spirit, where sits
the King on His throne. He is Jehovah God, having the jurisdiction and
administration over all the universe. He has the omnipotent authority over all
time and eternity, and the despotic dominion over His own creation. However He
is a good king and all His creation recognizes Him as such and voluntarily
subjects themselves to His authority for their own benefit. And this king has
many sons.
If we could imagine a time in heaven that this king is now old. His sons and
especially His first born have been learning about rule from the Father all the
eons of time from their beginning. They have watched their Father create
matter, utilize this new material to create universes and then worlds, and then
develop these worlds for habitation and then populate them with creatures of
His own design. His sons were with Him, watching and learning all that creation
consisted of. All of His decisions He explained to them. His sons observed
every move in His administration and jurisdiction pertaining to the creation on
earth.
If we could imagine Jehovah God as a distinguished elder statesman having
reached the pinnacle and conclusion of His career. Silver headed, full white
beard, with many eons of wrinkles on His face. He wants His son, His first-born
to inherit the earth. The heavenly kingdom will always be the Father’s. However
there is an inheritance for the first-born and the inheritance is the people of
Jehovah God and the earth as their residence. Jehovah God wants His son to
inherit the legacy bequeathed to Him which He has worked hard to develop, and
has worked hard to train His first-born in its rule from heaven. The time had
now arrived for the Father to vacate His throne of rule over the earth and
allow His son to inherit the throne, the administration and jurisdiction over
the earth. There are 2 passages that refer to this:
Ask of Me and I will make the nations your inheritance, and the ends of the
earth your possession. Ps 2:8.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Supreme; and Jehovah God
will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the
house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1:32-33.
Before the son can actually sit with the Father upon His throne, there are
prerequisites. To be a good and capable ruler, the ruler must know the needs of
his people. He must be familiar and understand his subjects. He must identify
and empathize with the conditions of life of his subjects and how life
progresses. The Father required this prerequisite, for His son to experience
the life of a typical subject of His realm, from birth to death, in order to
inherit the rule.
For the heir this course of personal education and experience as a subject of
his own realm would prepare him for efficient and beneficial rule. Only after
finishing the course without failure, and not a minute sooner, would the legacy
be transferred to him. This the son, Jesus Messiah, agreed to do.
ATTAINING THE INTERCESSION
As high priest intercessor on behalf of his people, the purpose for the
incarnation parallels that of the ruler. As priest in heaven, Jesus Messiah
accepts the prayers of the people and passes them on to the Father for Him to
grant their request. But there was no ability for Jesus Messiah to directly
identify with those on whose behalf he acted as intercessor. He also had to
fulfill the life of a human to understand the needs of the people in their
prayers and petitions, to fully identify with them. The following passages
relate to the Messiah as High Priest under the new covenant.
Jehovah has sworn and will not change His mind, “You are a priest for ever
after the order of Melchizedek.” Ps 110:4. Heb 5:5-6.
And I will set up over them one Shepherd, My servant David, and he shall feed
them; he shall feed them and be their Shepherd. Eze 34:23(-31).
The earthly mediators, these priests of Israel, were effective because they
were human themselves and understood the difficulties and trials of their own
people. The earthly high priest could directly identify with the people he
would pray on behalf of since he was human himself. The priest was a husband,
father, grandfather, educator, with responsibilities, weaknesses,
susceptibility to disease, accidents, old age and death. Identifying with his
parishioners the earthly priest was effective in his ministry, understanding
them and their situations and circumstances. The mediator on behalf of Jehovah
God’s people on earth was compassionate and empathetic.
None of this however applied to the son of Jehovah God in heaven.
Jesus in the heavens as mediator lacked this ability to identify with the
suffering of His people. Because of his love for his people, he realized that
to be perfect in his ministry of heavenly supreme mediator he would have to
become one of them, and become one of them in every possible aspect. Though he
was son of Jehovah God his earthly experience would have to be typical of any
and all humans to understand their plight and grasp the reasons for their
prayer and petition.
But what could Jesus Messiah have lacked in the heavens?
JESUS MESSIAH IN HEAVEN
We must realize that the entities of the flesh in the material world and the
entities of spirit in the heavens are of different constitution, and because of
this they are alien one from another. Since the spirit entities have no body of
flesh they cannot experience the same things that humans do and cannot even
identify with them. The spirit entities, the sons of Jehovah God, do not sense
or feel what the human senses or feels because the sons of Jehovah God are
spirit and not flesh. The sons of Jehovah God cannot understand or identify
with pain, illness, deprivation, hunger, thirst, hate, distrust, bigotry,
ignorance, loneliness, abuse, or any type of psychological devastation, mental
illness; congenital defects or neurological maladies, because they are spirit
and these afflictions stem from the flesh of a material body. Especially alien
from the entities of spirit is the prime tragedy of human existence, death, the
termination of life, because in heaven there is no death. The spirit entities
have not the emotion or conscience that humans possess and cannot identify with
them, because emotion and conscience is a trait of the human flesh. A spirit
entity cannot show sympathy or empathy, since these proceed from the soul of a
human.
None of the above flaws of human constitution or difficulties of earthly life
exist in the realm of the spirit, because they are attributes of the flesh in a
material realm. A spirit entity cannot identify with human tragedy because it
is a spirit and so cannot feel anything that is attributed to the human flesh.
The nervous system exists in humans and not in heavenly messengers or the sons
of Jehovah God. The necessity of incarnation to rectify this deficiency is
mentioned by the author of Hebrews.
Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered, and being
made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. Heb
5:8-9.
To be an effective mediator who could identify with petitioners, Jesus had to
become flesh and experience all that a typical human experiences, from
conception and through burial. Only after this experience could he be an
efficient mediator and empathize with the people on whose behalf he accepts
petitions to present to his father Jehovah God.
The betrayal by Judas also constitutes part of this earthly experience. This
author contends that Jesus did know specifically which of the apostles would
betray him, until close to the final Passover. Jesus had to experience
betrayal, what it was life to have someone close to you betray you as enemy for
money. No doubt this was psychologically devastating for Jesus, who selected
Judas Iscariot, trained him to become an apostle, bestowed upon him the power
of the spirit, and felt he was trusted by him. In this manner Jesus what it was
life to have someone deceive you their entire career.
METHOD OF INCARNATION OF JESUS MESSIAH
In heaven Jesus was a living entity with his own personal identity. In one
respect he could be called a soul of the realm of spirit. Jehovah God His
Father according to the counsel of His own will formulated a plan by which His
son could appear as a human and fulfill his obligations, and assigned this plan
to him.
But when the time had fully arrived God sent His son born of a woman, born
under the law. Gal 4:4
The messenger [Gabriel] said to [Mary], “You will conceive in your womb and
bear a son, and you will call his name Jesus.” And Mary said to the messenger,
“How can this be, since I have no husband?” The messenger said to her, “The
Holy Spirit will descend upon you, and the power of the Supreme will overshadow
you; therefore the child to be born of you will be called Holy, Son of God.
Luke 1:31,34-35.
Since Jesus was already an existing entity, but in heaven, a means was required
to make him into a human. When the messenger Gabriel entered the home of Mary
he kissed her. Mary was at this time engaged to the older gentleman Joseph.
When Gabriel kissed Mary, Jesus as a soul was transferred from heaven and
through the messenger Gabriel and into Mary. This soul entered an ova of Mary
and fertilized it. Now a chaste virgin had conceived of the Holy Spirit. Jesus
was no longer in heaven, no longer with his Father or the messengers or sons of
Jehovah God. He was now an embryo, in process of development into a human. This
was the manner that Jehovah God selected for His son to become human, by taking
a body of flesh through Mary of Nazareth.
Since Jesus had no earthly father, he took his physical attributes from Mary’s
side of the family. Jesus would have resembled his maternal grandfather and to
some extent Mary his mother. Since Mary was Jewish, Jesus had the features of a
typical Jew of that era, with a middle eastern complexion.
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise
partook of the same nature… Heb 2:14.
And the word became flesh and resided among us, full of grace and truth. John
1:14.
The above passages make clear that the body of Jesus Messiah was the same body
that the balance of created humanity possesses. It was not special, not
supernatural, not superhuman. His body was just like yours and mine. It had to
be just like yours and mine in order for Jesus to experience being a human just
like you and me. He was susceptible to everything that a normal human is
susceptible to: failure, disease, mistakes, accidents, temptation, betrayal,
and sin. Yes, sin. If Jesus was not susceptible to sin he would not have been
human.
THE KENOSIS
The passage of Paul apostle in Phil 2:6-11 describes accurately the voluntary
removal or deprivation of the divinity and glory of heaven which Jesus
possessed and his condescension to a body of human flesh.
Jesus Messiah, though he was in a form of deity, did not consider equality with
[Jehovah] God something to be seized. He emptied himself, taking a form of a slave,
and became human. Humbling himself as a human he was obedient unto death, death
on the stake. Phil 2:5-8.
The divine nature of Jesus remained in heaven. He did not bring it to earth
with him. The only remnant of his divinity was the memory of it. With his
baptism by the Holy Spirit this divinity was returned to him to accomplish his
commission, but it was still restrained by the body of flesh.
JOSEPH AND MARY OF NAZARETH
According to early Christian tradition, Joseph was an older gentleman never having
been married, probably in his late 20’ or early 30’s. Mary was in her late
teens when she became engaged to Joseph. This author contends that this was an
arranged marriage, very typical for the era and Jewish tradition. The local
matchmaker realized it was time for Joseph to marry, and found for him a girl
of good reputation from a traditional Jewish family. The parents of both sides
made the preliminary arrangements, and set a wedding date perhaps a few months
to a year in the future. Joseph would have been very conservative in his
religious beliefs and quiet, hard working, but not attracted to the opposite
sex. Mary was probably a very domestic type and not very extrovert. They made a
good match.
No doubt there was something special about both of them that Jehovah God would
select them to raise His son on earth. Jehovah God in heaven was not about to
just let any couple on earth raise His son, Not at all. The couple had to have
certain attributes and characteristics that would be utilized in his upbringing.
The domestic training of Jesus would have to be oriented towards his work in
the future, the ministry as Messiah. The home had to be traditionally Jewish,
and the parents would be the type to show love and affection towards their
children. The father would be dedicated to the Jewish tradition, honest with a
good reputation, and hard working. The father would teach his sons the Torah
and the Hebrew prophets and the wisdom of their sages. The mother would be
faithful and loyal as their tradition required of mothers.
It wasn’t just any couple chosen by Jehovah God to raise His son on earth, but
the type who would raise him just as Jehovah God would want any member of
Israel raised on earth: taught to believe in Jehovah God and to fear Him; to
believe in the covenant established with Israel; to want to continue in the
faith of their forefathers and sages; and to await their Messiah. Of course,
Joseph and Mary were not superhuman or supernatural. They were a couple whose
engagement was arranged, who were planning to marry and be part of their
traditional religious community. They could have been anybody with the
spiritual and religious convictions to raise children according to the Torah
and wisdom of their sages.
JESUS IS BORN
Shortly after the visit of Gabriel to the home of Mary, she left to visit her
relative Elizabeth. According to the record Mary was a descendent of David
king, of the genealogy of Judah, while Elizabeth was of the genealogy of Levi.
Luke 1:5. The age difference between Mary and Elizabeth could have been 40 or
50 years. Elizabeth was elderly and well past child-bearing age, a retired
couple. Elizabeth was probably a sister to a grandmother of Mary. Mary visited
with her relative about 3 months. Luke 1:56.
When Mary returned to Nazareth it was obvious to the town folk that she was
pregnant. No doubt they felt that she had become involved with a person and
attempted to run to another part of the country, but now returned. Mary found
it hard if not impossible to explain to them her conception of the Holy Spirit.
If Mary was weak in character, this rejection by family and community would
have devastated her, perhaps even leading to suicide. But she had that special
strength to endure the censure. She had no doubt in the words of messenger
Gabriel and knew that all would work itself out in order that the will of
Jehovah God be accomplished.
Joseph wanted to quietly divorce Mary after discovering about her pregnancy, in
order not to ruin his reputation or ruin her life any more than necessary. But
a messenger appeared to him in a dream and told him:
“Do not fear to take Mary to be your wife, for her conception is of the Holy
Spirit.” Matt 1:20.
Shortly after receiving this revelation he married Mary. The people no doubt
assumed that either Joseph was engaged in a premarital affair with Mary and
married her quickly, or else that he married her to protect her out of his love
for her, willing to forgive her of her affair. We can only conjecture at this
point. What is definite though is that people were aware of her pregnancy prior
to marriage, and which would be brought to the attention of Jesus in later
years during his ministry.
We are unaware of the type of wedding ceremony held for Joseph and Mary, but it
was definitely not a celebration of the traditional type, like the one attended
in later years in Cana by Jesus and his disciples. Under the circumstances the
couple probably lived in some quiet part of Nazareth with little social life.
This continued for the next 6 or so months.
This author has no reason to debate Scripture record regarding the census. Luke
no doubt investigated the matter and was a contemporary of that era. Whatever
the reason for the journey to Bethlehem, it was required for Messiah to be born
there in accord with the prophetic word. Micah 5:2, Jer 31:15. This author is
convinced that Joseph and Mary were forbidden to lodge at the hotel that
evening because the owner and guests felt that the child she was to deliver was
conceived out of wedlock. They were not about to permit an illegitimate child
to be born at their hotel. “Some bastard,” they thought. “So what if a man was
willing to feel sorry for her and marry her. She can have her baby in the
barn,” they felt, “that’s what she deserves. No room in this hotel for people
of her repute.” This attitude was totally opposite to the hospitality normally
shown toward out-of-towners, and especially a young wife ready to deliver. Judg
19:16-21.
Stables of that era were very filthy and open to the elements. The animals were
defecating and urinating next to the overnight guests; the stable was cold and
damp, and full of flies. Under these conditions Mary gave birth to her first
child, a son. With no one available to assist Mary, Joseph performed the
delivery. The season of the year was probably middle or late fall, coinciding
with the holidays of the latter rain, about October. This would be a secondary
reason for Bethlehem hotels to be full. Travelers were residing there during
the festival season, and just a few miles from Jerusalem. The shepherds outside
Bethlehem watched over sheep that would be sold at the temple market place to
out-of-towners for sacrifice.
This is the reason the heavenly messengers informed the shepherds that the
Messiah would be born that evening in a stable. Luke 2:8-12. The shepherds knew
that nobody in their right mind would allow their wife or any other female to
deliver a child in such a filthy area. So when the shepherds arrived at the
stable they were surprised at a new born with mother and father in such
unsanitary conditions.
The next morning Joseph no doubt found a suitable house to rent for his new
family and began looking for work as a carpenter.
THE TEMPLE VISIT
The initial obligation of circumcision was fulfilled 8 days after the birth of
Jesus. Either the father Joseph or another qualified individual in the area was
called upon to fulfill the rite commanded Abraham patriarch. Gen 17:9-14.
Although the child knew nothing of the representation of this mutilation, he
had now accepted the sign of the covenant between Jehovah God and his people –
that of severance from the world and a dedication unto the purpose of Jehovah
God and life according to His dictates. As noted in Luke 2:21, the child was
then given a name according to the desire of the parents. In this case Jesus,
as was commanded by Gabriel messenger. Luke 1:21. The name in Hebrew meaning
Jehovah is salvation: Yah-shua.
The visit of the family of Joseph and Mary to the Jerusalem temple as noted in
Like 2:22-24 was to fulfill the obligations imposed upon all women after
childbirth as well as a certain obligation on all the firstborn males of the
people of Israel, the descendents of the 12 sons of Jacob. The visit to the
temple occurred about after 40 days from the birth of Jesus. Since Bethlehem is
a short distance from Jerusalem, about 15 miles, it would have been convenient
to remain there until after this necessary visit for the fulfillment of these
divine rites.
The first of the 2 obligations of the new family in their visit is based on the
command of Lev 12:2-8. This was the purification of Mary from her unsanitary
condition due to childbirth. According to the dictate, after delivery, 40 days
for a boy, 80 days for a girl, the mother was to offer a burnt offering as an
atonement for her. The first 7 days are considered an uncleanness, or
unsanitary state, and the following period through the end are considered days
of purification. After this period the mother was to bring an offering to again
be united to the grace of Jehovah God and the community of Israel and likewise
be again to physically unite with her husband.
At the temple Mary would have appeared in the area designated as the Women’s
Court and near the door to the area known as the Men’s Court. There the priest
took the birds from Mary. Luke 2:24. He would enter the temple and kill them on
the alter by tearing off the head from the body with his hands. He then
returned to Mary with some of the blood to sprinkle on her. Thus she was
cleansed. The offering of the 2 birds, either doves or pigeons, indicate that
Joseph and Mary were in the lower income class or even poverty level at this
time. This was typical of new families, and especially one relocated such a
distance from their home. This first obligation dealt only with Mary. As an
observant Jew she also would have fulfilled this with all of her remaining
children
The second reason for the temple visit was for the redemption of their
firstborn son Jesus. This law of redemption affected legitimate Israelite
families only once in their lifetime, shortly after the birth of their
firstborn son. This same law also affected the firstborn of cattle, sheep and
other domestic animals. Deut 15:19. God endeavored to impress upon the people
that He was the origin of all life. This law of redemption was the means of
impressing this on them. Since all creation is the property of Jehovah God the
Creator, He instituted the buy-back or redemption, of the firstborn males among
humans and unclean animals. Cattle and other clean animals were to be offered
to Jehovah God as sacrifice.
Every thing that opens the womb of all flesh whether man or animal, which they
offer to Jehovah, shall be yours (the Levites); nevertheless the firstborn of
man you shall redeem and the firstling of unclean animals you shall redeem. And
their redemption price you shall fix at 5 shekels in silver, at a month old you
shall redeem them. Num 18:15-16.
In accord with the above and at this convenient time, since Mary was required
to appear there anyway, the second obligation was fulfilled. Joseph and Mary
entered the Woman’s Court of the temple. A priest would appear who would stand
as Jehovah God’s representative in this matter. Joseph would give the child to
the priest as a symbolic gesture of offering the child to Jehovah God. Then
Joseph would give the priest 5 shekels in silver to redeem – buy-back – his
son. The priest would then return the child to the father. The priest would
take the redemption money and pronounced 2 blessings on the new family:
1. A blessing on the happy event of now having a son. He would continue the
family name, and take care of the parents in their old age.
2. A blessing in regard to the redemption, to impress upon the parents that
this child is a creation of Jehovah God, and their responsibility to raise him
accordingly.
The meeting with Simon the righteous and Anna prophetess occurred as Joseph and
Mary entered the temple area. Luke 2:25-38.
After the completion of their obligations the family returned to Bethlehem. At
this point Joseph and Mary would have consummated their marriage and begin
normal marital activity. This is the reason Scripture refers to Jesus as her
firstborn, because of other children in the family. Luke 2:7. Matt 13:55-56.
Remaining in Bethlehem for some time after, perhaps another year or two, Joseph
and Mary would have had an additional child, one that Joseph could truly call
his, along with the others to follow. Why the family did not return to Nazareth
immediately is not known. Perhaps waiting awhile was best under the circumstances.
THE MAGI
At some time after settling in a home in Bethlehem, visitors arrived in
Jerusalem from some foreign country. Matt 2:1-12. There is no real explanation
of who these men were, where they came from and what their long term purpose was
in journeying the many miles from “the east” to Bethlehem. It is a poor
conjecture that there were 3 of them and that they were from Persia and
Zoroastrian. This author contends there were about 30 of them or even more
including servants: a long caravan and massive retinue that would be worthy of
a visit to the future king of Israel. If only 3 this would hardly cause a stir
in Jerusalem and even less concern Herod the Great. A number of them with many
servants and camels would. They were probably from the Jewish colony in
Babylon, and seeking the star mentioned by Balaam.
I see him but not now; I behold him but not here. A star will arise out of
Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel. Num 24:17.
The greatest of Jewish sages remained in Babylon after the captivity and the
city had the greatest population of Jews in the world, far more than Jerusalem.
While religious leaders in Judea were broiling over politics, Romans,
traditions and temple services, those in Babylon were studiously involved in prophecy
pertaining to the Messiah.
The visit to Bethlehem would have been a most unusual sight for the local
residents, although their stay was brief. They visited the family in the house
they were living in. Matt 2:11. The gifts were definitely useful in the near
future for the family. For a carpenter alone in a small village away from his
home, and with a new family, the gold was needed. These gifts financed the
midnight escape and trip to Egypt. This would help the family reestablish
themselves in their new home in that foreign country.
Since the decision of Herod the Great was to put to death all the children 2
years and younger, Jesus was probably from 6 months to 1-1/2 years old. Mary
may have even had another child by this time. Of what is known of the
population of the environs of Bethlehem, and calculating the number of children
in the area 2 years and under, the number put to death by Herod’s soldiers was
probably about 10 or 20. Not many, but still tragic.
After a temporary sojourn in Egypt of some 2 to 4 years the family returned to
Judea and then traveled on to Nazareth their home town. There they settled in a
house. By this time the family of Joseph and Mary would have grown to 2 or 3
children in addition to Jesus. With such a family it was easier for them to
again be accepted in the circle of relatives and friends, attend synagogue and
establish a business.
JESUS’ EXPOSURE
To a typical visitor or traveler through Nazareth Jesus was just another child
in town. He looked like the other boys his age, he attended synagogue with his
father and the rest of his family every Sabbath. His life as a child was
identical with and no different from any other child of the era living in the
area. He helped his father in the carpenter shop and at installations at other
people’s homes. On Sabbath afternoons and summer evenings Jesus walked in the
fields near his home and meditated.
The largest city of Galilee and a provincial capital was Sepphoris, about 5
miles to the north. Much of Joseph’s work would have been done there. It was a
Roman city having an amphitheater, a forum, hot baths, paved roads, and many
public building. A large city such as Sepphoris with its population of wealthy
Romans and Jewish businessmen would keep an aggressive and talented carpenter
steadily busy. Sepphoris was burned down in about 3 AD by Roman troops. The
rebuilding of the city would have kept Joseph busy for several years. It would
also give Jesus good insight into the lives of the gentiles of Judea and their
attitude towards the Jews. Joseph would also have worked in the other cities of
Galilee, including Capernaum, Cana, and Tiberias. There Jesus was likewise
exposed to the friction between Romans and Jews. He saw the maltreatment of
Jews by Roman soldiers: public beatings, forced servitude, over-taxation. A
regular sight was the crucifixion of revolutionary Jews by Roman soldiers. He
watched likewise how hard his father worked to run an honest business, and how
he was taken advantage of, not paid for work and materials, and treated poorly
because of his residence in Nazareth.
He overheard his father talking with townsmen about the events of the day, the
political turmoil of Galilee with its occupation by Roman soldiers;
revolutionaries in the city of Gishala stirring up the Jewish population to
rebel against Roman authority. No doubt he heard of the burning of Sepphoris
and the public crucifixion of the Jewish revolutionaries by Roman soldiers.
This occurred during the years that Jesus was in Egypt.
Jesus saw the poverty of his people: the leper colonies located distant from
populated areas filled with the variously diseased; the helpless blind and deaf
and mute; the underprivileged orphans and widows; and the many with no
knowledge of the law of Jehovah God or the moral code. Visiting Jerusalem with
the family during the regular festivals, Jesus became familiar with the
Pharisees and their superficial piety, their haughtiness and their contempt
toward Galileans. He spoke with Sadducees and their self-ordained religious
aristocracy, their rejection of the Jewish Scripture outside the Torah; their
compromise with the Roman governors to control the temple and its services;
their control of the temple as a business. He saw the bickering and bartering
of the money changers and purveyors of animals for sacrifice; how the divine
worship of Jehovah God had turned into a lucrative business for the
aristocratic and religious family of Annas, high priest emeritus. The
corruption was so prominent and there was nothing that the common people could
do about it. But Jesus also saw the beauty in the services and its value in
deliverance of the people from sin. He realized that the divine religion was
the embodiment of the gifts of Jehovah God to His people, and could be a
blessing to Israel if they were to follow in His law and moral code.
By combining his exposures to Romans, Gallileans, Jews of Jerusalem and their
attitudes one to another, he saw in the distant future the devastation of
Israel. To save the people from annihilation from the Romans, it would take a
special person. It was no doubt the Messiah that Scripture spoke of, that their
sages wrote about, and the people awaited, who would deliver the people. All of
this Jesus meditated about in his early years in Nazareth.
JESUS’ CHILDHOOD
What is important is the personal experience of Jesus as a human to understand
in all practical aspects what it is to be human. This author denies all the
accounts of the infancy gospels and the Gnostic gospels. These are pipe
dreamers, wanting to create narratives of missing years that did not exist and
attribute supernatural power to a child as though a prodigy.
Jesus could not have any noticeable characteristics that would identify him as
special or as a prodigy. I feel the opposite would be the real situation. To
experience childhood for all children, that is, to know this in every respect,
Jesus would have been physically weaker than others his age, and perhaps slower
educationally, and succumbing more to illness, but at the same time acute to events
and circumstances occurring around him. Jesus had to endure every childhood
illness common at the time, including dysentery from bacteria laden well water,
malaria from a mosquito in a local swamp, perhaps measles and chicken pox,
typical injuries from sports events, accidents at work and home. In addition to
this would have been the continual harassment due to the questionable
circumstances of his conception.
In every physical aspect, Jesus was no different than any other Jewish child.
This would equally apply to his emotional and mental faculties up to
adolescence. Although he was son of Jehovah God, his cognizance of this was
restrained by the body of flesh. In later years of childhood he developed this
cognizance slowly, only as his mental faculties developed, just as with any
other human. He knew at first he was different than the other boys, but to
define it he could not. The reality was disclosed to him from within himself as
time progressed in maturity and development of his faculties. The memory of
most individuals records events going back to about age 8, or in some age 6.
Memory is later still in a greater part of the population in terms of personal
identification and cognizance of choice and existence. The same would pertain
to Jesus in the body of flesh, it would have been at about age 10 or 12 that he
began to realize that he was different from the other children: that Joseph was
not really his father, but that Jehovah God was. This revelation was gradual
and as it grew in him he feared a different purpose for his life, different
than the dreams and ambitions of his contemporaries. At this time there was
nothing that he could do, since he was restrained by his body of flesh. He
still had to attend school at he synagogue and services there every Sabbath; he
still had to work with his father, and he still was susceptible to and
succumbed to sickness and accidents and worry and mistakes and every facet of
childhood and adolescent experience.
As the revelation and cognizance increased so did Jesus understanding of his
future purpose increase. Sometime into the future, at about the age of 30, he
would be commissioned as Messiah. At that time he would fulfil the embassage,
the responsibility assigned him by Jehovah God his Father. Then he would die,
he concluded. But shortly after his Father would resurrect him from death and
he would eventually return to his home in heaven. But as a teenage this was
just a dream, an imagination that lurked in his mind or implanted in the
recesses of his memory. It was almost as if he could remember back to the life
in heaven, but not quite. So it was with Jesus in his teenage years, his true
identity still vague and not totally disclosed to him.
THE FAMILY OF JOSEPH AND MARY
This author contends that sublime family strife existed in the home of Joseph
and Mary, but not to a point of actual dissociation. Jesus was the first-born
of Mary, but their next son, perhaps James mentioned in Matt 13:55, was the
first-born of both Joseph and Mary. Perhaps the first-born of both Joseph and
Mary felt he should have the preeminence among the siblings, rather then the
brother who may not have been the son of their father Joseph. This caused
bitter animosity between the 2 older boys.
Mary kept the sayings spoken to her by the divine messenger and prophetic words
in her heart. Luke 1:38, 2:51. Mary knew that Jesus was special but not exactly
how. The words spoken to her by Gabriel needed to have a fulfillment, but how
this would occur was further away in Mary’s mind than even in Jesus’. His birth
in a stable, their initial years in Bethlehem and the years in Egypt, created a
special attachment toward Jesus. It was made stronger by the fact that Mary was
in her late teens when Jesus was born, and the age difference was minor. For this
reason, this author contends that Mary showed favoritism toward Jesus, and the
other sons resented this favoritism. No doubt they were aware of the
questionable circumstances that surrounded their bother’s conception. This
bitterness extended also to their mother, “How could she actually believe that
Jesus was divine,” no doubt they thought. It could be compared to the situation
with Jacob and his favoritism towards Joseph, which only created a resentment
with his other brothers.
This bitterness of his half-brothers toward him increased with the disclosure
of Jesus to the population that he was the awaited Messiah. This is noticeable
in John 7:1-9. This bitterness reached such a extremity that the brothers
severed all association with him and possibly with Mary their mother also.
Finally toward the end of his life Mary was alone with her son at his
crucifixion. Jesus told John disciple to take Mary to his home for the
remainder of her life. John 19:26-27. Apparently her other children had
abandoned her as a result of all that occurred. (This author contends that the
books of James and Jude in the NT bear the names of apostles James son of
Alphaeus and Judas who is also Thaddaeus, and not the brothers of Jesus.)
JESUS PROGRESSING IN LIFE
By the time Jesus reached his late teens, he had gained full cognizance of
himself as Emmanuel, son of Jehovah God. His mental faculties were perfected
and disclosure was permitted by Jehovah God. This allowed him to remember the
entirety of his existence in the realm of the spirit, with the messengers and
ministering spirits and the other sons of Jehovah God. He remembered the
creation of the messengers and how He planned and executed the creation of the
material universe. He remembered how all of them in heaven developed the earth
for habitation and created the progenitors of the human race. Jesus remembered
his purpose as the eternal living sacrifice, to fulfill on earth life as a
human unto death, and the ministry as Messiah.
But this was all still distant from him. All of this was like the remnants of a
dream after waking. He was still restrained by his body of flesh, and still had
no power of Jehovah God as he had earlier and was again to inherit in the
future. He had nothing to disclose himself as special compared to others. He
never mentioned one word of any of this to anybody, except perhaps his mother
Mary. Who would believe him even if he tried? They would just throw at him the
questionable circumstances of his conception. And why Nazareth and not
Jerusalem? And why Joseph and Mary, and not the family of Annas or the
Hasmonaens? He realized he was human and had to continue and persist in that
body of weak flesh until beginning his ministry. But even that was not an end,
but another beginning for something greater he had to accomplish, and without
failure.
This author contends that sometime after the birth of Mary and Joseph’s final
child, or even during Mary’s pregnancy of their final child, Joseph died. He
raised Jesus to adulthood from a child. No other person cared for him as much
as did Joseph of Nazareth. This now made Jesus of Nazareth the head of the
household, perhaps in his early 20’s. There is no mention in Scripture of
Joseph after their visit to Jerusalem at his age of 12, and John mentions the
family moving to Capernaum at the beginning of his ministry as Messiah. John
2:12. The impact on his family of his disclosure and initiation of his ministry
as Messiah was immense, causing suspicion and spite from neighbors and
residents in Nazareth. This required them to relocated. This animosity again
surfaces in a later visit to Nazareth. Matt 13:54-58.
Although being son of Jehovah God was still impressed on his mind along with
his future ministry, the matters at hand were demanding and pressing. After the
death of the only father Jesus knew on earth he took over the obligation of
father over his half-brothers and half-sisters still at home. Some of them may
have married by this time. Jesus now inherited greater responsibilities: caring
for siblings; raising the older children in the tradition of the Jewish sages
and religion of Israel; continuing the family carpentry business and teaching
it to his younger brothers; sheltering the family from the influence of
Hellenism; marrying his sisters to acceptable young men of their own religion
and culture; marrying his brothers to virgins of their own Jewish community;
and helping console his mother in her grief caused by the death of Joseph, her
husband of some 20 years. Along with this was the yearly trip to Jerusalem with
the entire family to fulfill the Passover sacrifice and festival.
Joseph may have even died early enough after their final child for Jesus to
have the responsibility of taking his mother to Jerusalem to offer the
sacrifice to purify her from her after-birth unsanitary condition.
These were the earthly domestic demands on Jesus day to day, year after years,
until that point in time when his Father disclosed to him that his purpose and
ministry as Messiah was to begin. Jesus was about 30 years old. Luke 3:23.
JESUS AND DEATH
Two situations of psychological impact upon Jesus of Nazareth that he had to
deal with must be mentioned at this time. The first is the death of father
Joseph, or the death of another close relative.
In heaven there is no death. This phenomenon is restricted to the earthly
existence. The termination of life is totally alien to the eternal existence of
the sons of Jehovah God in heaven. The fact that a living entity was temporal,
that they would cease conscious existence and terminate identity had the
greatest psychological impact on Jesus than any other event in his early life.
Dealing with the death of his father Joseph was especially devastating because
this was the person Jesus grew up accepting as father, and who called Jesus son,
who treated him as if he actually was his son. The death of others earlier in
his life, such as a grandparent or elder of the synagogue began a disclosure to
Jesus regarding death, but Joseph his father would have been the primary. This
disclosed to Jesus about the temporality of his own life, his own earthly
conscious existence. One day he would also die and be buried in the same
manner, and be mourned over by considerate family and friends.
Although Jesus was son of Jehovah God, his eternal existence applied only to
heaven when he was a residence there as a spirit entity. That state in heaven
precluded any termination of life. But in the body of flesh he had inherited
the curse of his progenitor Adam, to work for sustenance by the sweat of his
brow until death. As a human Jesus was destined to follow the pattern of all
humanity possessing the effects of the sin of the progenitors and so terminate
conscious existence.
As an observant Jew in the tradition of the patriarchs Joseph would have laid
his hands upon the heads of his children to bless them, including Jesus, prior
to his death, as did Isaac. Gen 27:27.
Viewing the aged body of Joseph was a immense education for Jesus, seeing what
the elements had done to him over the years as he “earned bread by the sweat of
his brow,” and his sacrifice for his wife and children, and at the same time
adhering to the faith of his forefathers trying to enjoy the blessings of
Jehovah God upon himself and his family. With hospitals and convalescent homes
unknown, Jesus and his brothers would have been at the bedside of their father
in their family home when he passed away, just as with Jacob patriarch. Gen
49:33. The impact no doubt lingered for several days or weeks, or until the
family was again stabilized in their normal regimen, now with Jesus as head of
the household. Mary would have advocated this, although Jesus assuming this
position may also have lead to strife with his brothers.
JESUS AND MARRIAGE
The second situation of psychological impact was marriage and his relation to
the opposite gender. What would have been the reaction of Jesus as adolescence
came along and sexual drive began in him when he came in close proximity to an
attractive girl? Since Jesus was a male with the same constituents as any other
male, the sexual drive and development in him was the same. No doubt girls
flirted with him as he matured, and perhaps eyes of a matchmaker were in motion
to find some young lady as a spouse for Jesus. If he did not have the same
drive as a normal heterosexual male, Jesus would not have shared in flesh and
blood and partook of the sake nature as humanity. Heb 2:14. As a mature adult
male he definitely was capable of normal marital relations and fathering a
child. His children would have been patterned after his mother’s side of the
family, just as he was.
But Jesus’ marrying is improbable for three reasons.
First was that Jesus himself found it inconceivable that he should marry.
Knowing that he was son of Jehovah God, the idea of having a marital relationship
with a female over the balance of his life was alien to his basic nature. Not
alien to his human nature, as mentioned above, but alien to his previous life
in heaven as a spirit entity. In that realm, there is no marriage, no sex, no
childbirth, no love between husband and wife. These are characteristics and
facets of the earthly life for procreation. Jesus transcended physical
procreation. The thought of himself, a divine entity embodied in flesh,
impregnating a wife was beyond his mental ability to grasp.
Second, marriage would have interfered with his ministry of Messiah. Knowing
that his early life was a preparation for his future work, and that he would be
soon commissioned as Messiah, and his total person would be enveloped in this
matter, marriage would only have interfered. He could not keep a wife supported
and happy and raised children at the same time he was travelling throughout
Israel preaching the gospel of the kingdom. His treason by Judas Iscariot,
trial by the Sanhedrin, sentence by the Roman governor, and execution by
crucifixion, would have been devastating for his wife and children. It would be
better to spare them from this upheaval in their life.
Third, the earthly responsibilities of raising the family of his step-father
Joseph after his death was an adequate substitute or proxy family for Jesus. He
was close to his mother and had equal domestic and parental responsibilities as
any other father. In addition to this was running the business and supporting
the family. All of this was an adequate substitution for a family of Jesus’
own.
A secondary but minor point to be mentioned is that attitude of other families
toward Jesus and his questionable conception. Few families of observant and
conservative reputation would have allowed their daughter to marry Jesus. This
is a minor point, and it may or may not have surfaced.
JESUS’ ATTITUDE TOWARD WOMEN
Jehovah God routed Jesus’ life on earth in the family of Joseph and Mary such
that he could still experience all aspects of human life even without marriage
and his own personal wife and children. As a result of this, Jesus learned
early to treat the female as an equal to the male. His close relationship to
his mother and having to raise his sisters developed this in him. He also saw
how Greek women were treated in Sepphoris, in households with no morals. No
doubt he saw the dilemma of women who condescended to selling themselves to
survive, and how poorly they were treated by clients, and the damage it caused
in households.
According to the Jewish sages a female was equal to the male in every earthly
aspect, and was to be treated likewise. This is the reason he could deal with
prostitutes during his ministry, since he viewed them as equal humans, not as
objects for the gratification of males. The females were attracted to Jesus for
this reason. Luke 8:2-3. They found a man of high religious rank who did not
condescend to them or discredit them. He had compassion for them, realizing the
difficult straits they were in, how poorly many of them were treated by
fathers, husbands, masters and lovers. These women found in Jesus a teacher of
divine instruction and moral law who was genuinely interested in their welfare;
a person they could trust; a man of integrity without any intention of taking
advantage of them. They were willing to support him in his important work.
First as a means of gratitude, and second, knowing that he would benefit others
and especially other women just as he had benefited them. The incident of the
woman of ill repute who washed the feet of Jesus with her hair and tears is a
good example of how women felt toward Jesus. Luke 7:36-50. He helped them in
their personal life, giving them hope and the opportunity to repent and enter
the spiritual kingdom. In return she showed her love and gratitude with this
public act of affection. She knew no other manner of showing gratitude for what
Jesus did for her.
Another incident is Mary sister of Lazarus, who poured a fragrant perfume on
the body of Jesus at their home. John 12:3-8. In this manner did Mary show
public gratitude for what Jesus did for their family in resurrecting brother
Lazarus from death.
JESUS AND SIN
In all the situations of life that Jesus experienced, in the religious,
business, and domestic areas, and society and personal associations, he did not
sin, meaning, he did not deliberately violate law or commit crime. That Jesus
could have sinned is inherent in his state, the body of flesh, this earthly
residence of his. He inherited the curse of Adam, and so was liable to every
weakness and temptation that can surface in a person, or any that they can
succumb to.
It is necessary to define Jesus as a flawless or perfect person. This is not in
regard to the general physical weaknesses of the typical body of flesh, as
mentioned above dealing with disease, accidents, and etc. Also a mistake or an
accident should not be classified as sin. These occur on a regular basis and
effect every person in their life. Every person makes mistakes and bad
judgement calls, and injures himself and on occasion another. Jesus likewise
would have endured this in his regular life. But this is not sin. No doubt
Jesus did make many mistakes while growing up and maturing, whether school or
business, in carpentry, or even in the prescribed rituals of the demands of the
priests. But these are not sin.
The deliberate violation of the divine instruction and moral law is sin or
crime against Jehovah God. This Jesus of Nazareth did not do. Not once in his
life did he succumb to temptation and deliberately violate another person:
Commandments 5 through 10. Never in his life did he violate the dictates of his
Father Jehovah God: Commandments 1 through 4. In every respect he had a concern
for the welfare of others: the commandment to love his associate. In no respect
did he advocate another deity or religion, other than Jehovah God and the
divine religion of Israel: the commandment to love Jehovah God. In this respect
are the words of Heb 4:15 true. He never sinned insofar as a deliberate or
premeditated violation of the divine instruction or moral law. In this aspect
he was flawless and perfect as a human.
The initial indication of the capability for Jesus to violate the law is the
temptation in the desert. At the conclusion of a 40 day fast a tempter came to
him 3 times. Matt 4:1-11. The tempter would have approached Jesus only if there
was the possibility of him succumbing. Jesus had to deal with this to
understand what sincere people of Jehovah God have to endure when they are
faced with temptation, and must prevail over it. Jesus resisted the tempter and
he fled from him.
If Jesus could not have sinned, then temptation is senseless. Why should
temptation tempt a person to violate some law or dictate if that person is
incapable of violation, or has a nature that is alien to infraction or offense.
Temptation was provided to Jesus as a regular occurrence specifically to lead
him to sin by the tempter. Jesus had to experience the same type of temptation
that any other person would deal with, whether it be the opportunity to cheat
or defraud in business; or commit some crime; or the opportunity to commit some
sexual sin; or some domestic violence or abuse; or even personal abuse. Jesus
was faced with all of it, and could have violated the divine instruction and
moral law, but made the decision not to. Scripture witnesses to this.
For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sinning.
Heb 4:15.
He committed no sin; no guile was found on his lips. 1 Pet 2:22.
For our sake He made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might
become the rectitude of God. 2 Cor 5:21.
If Jesus could not have sinned, then his body of flesh was not the same as
ours. Jesus overcame sin in the flesh by regularly deciding to adhere to the
divine instruction and moral law. This is the reason John Baptizer initially
refused to baptize Jesus in the Jordan River. Matt 3:14-15. John Baptizer knew
his cousin well and knew that Jesus never committed a crime or violated any law
of Jehovah God. Jesus had nothing to repent of. Jesus took careful
consideration of every situation and adhered to the moral law. He did not allow
politics, business demands, pressure from family or peers to interfere with
doing what he knew was correct as defined by Scripture. He did not allow
opinions or distractions or manipulation by others to sway his emotions or
attitudes away from the rectitude of the moral law.
At an early age Jesus trained his senses, his attitudes, to conform to the will
of his Father. He set aside his own personal ambitions, opinions, convictions
as a human which he developed over the years living in Nazareth of Galilee, all
in favor of the Father’s. No doubt there was an internal struggle within the
person of Jesus. His flesh was demanding and dictating certain attitudes and
actions based on the environment and political climate of his era, while his
personal identity was instructing him to prepare to his ministry as Messiah. Jesus
knew that he could not be effective as an itinerant Rabbi among the people, a
teacher and prophet, with a tainted history, with a criminal background, or bad
reputation. To accomplish his embassage, his mission, he had to have a clean
record. He could not put himself in a position for a priest or elder or citizen
to question his moral integrity. To successfully accomplish his commission as
Messiah, Jesus had to overcome every temptation and so appear to Israel without
the stain of violation of divine instruction and moral code. In this regard
Jesus sinned not.
This was likewise an example for all others of the era and future generations.
Jesus proved to humanity that a person in the flesh born by the word and spirit
can progress through life and not sin, not commit a crime. John apostle
mentions this.
No one born of God commits sin, because God’s nature resides in them, and they
cannot sin because they are born of God. 1 John 3:9.
We know that any one born of God does not sin, because He who was born of God
preserves him, and the evil one does not touch him. 1 John 5:18.
Because Jesus was able to conduct himself in accord with the divine instruction
and commandments of God, others can also, and he was a human just as any other
human. This is an important facet of his earthly career, to prove ability for
obedience to God.
BAPTISM OF JESUS OF NAZARETH
Until the day that John Baptizer immersed Jesus in the water of Jordan river,
when the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus on the shore after he walked out of
the river, Jesus had no supernatural power. All he had was the cognizance of
this identity and the gradual revelation of his life in heaven until his
conception in Mary of Nazareth. Then all was a blank until later years growing
in Nazareth as a child when gradual these secrets were disclosed. Isaiah
prophet defines the 7 facets of the spirit of Jehovah God which were bestowed
upon Jesus of Nazareth: wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, fear
of Jehovah, and a delight in the fear of Jehovah. Is 11:2-3. He also received
the fullness of the deity at this time. Col 2:9. However, the exercise of all
these gifts and divinity was restrained by his body of flesh. Matt 13:58.
At the descent of the Spirit several things occurred.
Jehovah God anointed Jesus of Nazareth; this was his official commission as
Messiah. It was the assignment of authority by Jehovah God to fulfill the
prophecies pertaining to the suffering servant, to institute the new covenant,
to establish the spiritual kingdom in Israel, and to deliver the nation from
their sins and future devastation. This also gave him the authority and ability
to select apostles and bestow on them the power of the Spirit, for them to
expand his ministry and continue it after his ascension.
He acquired the complete knowledge of his previous existence from the time of
his birth of Jehovah God, and all that occurred in heaven during the eons.
Previously it was vague; like the remnants of a dream after waking.
He acquired a concept of his work for the next 3 or 4 years. He was to teach
the rectitude of the divine instruction and moral law of his Father Jehovah God
to the people, to disclose to the people the attributes of his Father, His
attitude and His expectations of His nation. He would also have to reprimand
the religious elders of their hypocrisy and failure to uphold their divine
obligation. He knew that one whom he would select as a disciple would betray
him, but not exactly how, and this would have its psychological devastation on
him, to understand betrayal and envy. Included in this earthly experience was
rejection by elders, an illegal pseudo-trial, sentence and then execution. He
knew he would have to face a death to typify all death to prove his love for
created humanity and especially his nation Israel.
He accepted from Jehovah God the power of the Holy Spirit to enable him to
perform healing, discard demons, return life to the dead, and view the intents
and secrets contained in the minds of people. This included an authority over
nature, above and beyond that of physical healing.
He acquired the spirit of prophesy. Jesus saw what no other person saw as the
result of the course the Jewish leaders and commoners were taking. If they were
to continue as they were the nation would be annihilated by the merciless and
ruthless Roman army. What occurred with Israel with the invasions and defeat by
Assyria, what occurred with Judea with the invasions and defeat by Babylon, was
also to occur to that generation and their children. They would then be dispersed
as in earlier eras. He was to be another Jeremiah, teaching reconciliation and
peaceful coexistence with enemies for their own salvation. Jesus saw all of
this in his prophetic vision, and it was added to his list of obligations to
fulfill on earth in order to accomplish the commission assigned him and then
return home to heaven. Yet he still did not know when the judgement on Israel
would occur. Matt 24:36.
The voice from heaven was a public pronouncement from Jehovah God regarding the
commission of His son as Messiah.
This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Matt 3:17.
What John Baptizer saw in the sky that he compared to a dove has perplexed this
author from the first day he read it. Did he see a dove, or something like a
dove? Most probably the spirit of Jehovah God materialized as a cloud shaped
like a bird, and landed upon the person of Jesus as he stood on the bank of the
Jordan. The cloud as a materialization of the spirit of Jehovah God on earth is
found at the dedication of the tabernacle by Moses. Ex 40:34. And at the
dedication of the temple by Solomon. 1 King 8:10.
DEATH OF JESUS MESSIAH
There is no doubt that the most hideous of situations for Jesus to deal with
while in the early years of his earthly career was the expectation of his own
death, the termination of his life, ceasing to exist as a conscious entity.
Since Jesus was human, a human, he would terminate or conclude life in the same
manner as all of humanity beginning with the initial death, Abel, murdered by
his brother Cain. His spirit would leave the body and render the body lifeless.
His soul or identity would reside in oblivion until such time that the command
of God would reconstitute his body again and spirit return to it. Because Jesus
was a human he was dealt with as a human until such time that he would return
back to the realm of the spirit, back to heaven. This is why Jesus is indicated
in Scripture as dead or having died, and not specifically referring to only the
body of Jesus, but to Jesus as a conscious entity. He had no conscious
existence these 3 days and nights.
I died, and behold I am alive for evermore. Rev 1:18.
Christ died for our sins according to Scripture, that he was buried, that he
was raised on the third day in accordance with Scripture. 1 Cor 15:3-4.
Jesus’ personal fear of death was no doubt greater than his fear of the
incarnation, when he had to conclude life in heaven in order to be conceived as
a human in the uterus of Mary. The fact that Jesus cried for Lazarus at his
death is indicative of Jesus’ understanding of the state of Lazarus in the
tomb. John 11:35. Jesus’ own personal fear of death is noted in his words in
the garden of Gethsemane.
“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as
I will, but as You will. Matt 26:39.
The cup represents suicide. To drink of this cup was an idiom used referring to
voluntary and premeditated suicide. The analogy is derived from people drinking
some poison to commit suicide. The most infamous of all suicides of the era is
that of Socrates, who drank hemlock from a cup. This analogy persisted as an
idiom in the Hellenistic world, that to drink of the cup meant suicide by
poisoning.
Jesus was at a fork in the road during these final minutes in the garden of
Gethsemane, He could avoid or circumvent death of he so chose to. Since he was
the son of Jehovah God he could have used his authority to command a countless
number of heavenly messengers to rescue him at this time and return him to his
previous residence in heaven and so be reinstated in some capacity as a son of
Jehovah God. But to have done this would be to reject the will of the Father
for him and to do his own will. He would have become a disappointment to his
Father and the sons of Jehovah God and ministering spirits in heaven, not
completing the course assigned him to complete as a human on earth.
Jesus making the decision to fulfill the will of his Father would result in a
premature and hideous death. This decision to allow the soldiers to arrest him
and take him to trial was the beginning of the end for Jesus. There was no
turning back once the decision was made to proceed with his arrest. This is why
his spirit was willing while his flesh was weak. Matt 26:41. His faith in his
own resurrection from the state of death had to overcome the fear of enduring
termination of life; his flesh sought survival in terms of the near future, the
immediate future, which was to escape from Gethsemane and flee. The flesh would
be satisfied if he were to flee in the opposite direction away from arrest and
shame and execution or flee back into heaven into the safe realm of internal
safety and immortality. By prayer and contemplation of the situation and future
of himself and others, Jesus was able to overcome the immediate struggle for
survival of his flesh and proceed with fulfillment of his purpose. His decision
was suicidal. Shortly after this prayer for strength messengers arrived to
assist him and assure him in his decision. Matt 26:43.
This author contends that the Holy Spirit received by Jesus at the time of his
baptism by John the Baptizer at the Jordan River, along with his divinity, left
the presence of Jesus’ body at some just prior to his arrest at Gethsemane. The
Holy Spirit of power had to be removed from the presence of Jesus during his
trial and conviction and until the conclusion of his execution in order for
Jesus to feel the pain of rejection, betrayal, innocent conviction, public
shame and death in the same manner as any other human caught in similar circumstances;
to experience this as would any other human not having the power and comfort of
the Holy Spirit. If Jesus had special assistance from heaven or special
strength and comfort from the Holy Spirit during this final day of his life,
then he would not have been like unto his brethren in all things. Heb 2:14. To
reach the goal he gave up and had to give up the Holy Spirit and his divinity
sometime prior to his arrest. The arrival of these messengers to strengthen him
was the last of any divine intervention into his career until his resurrection.
EXECUTION OF JESUS MESSIAH
The execution of criminals by Roman soldiery was performed with the victim
stark naked. As far as the Roman sentries were concerned the victim was a
convicted criminal. He had no rights; he abandoned any civil rights he may have
had once his crime was committed. He did not even have need for clothing; his
public shame and exposure would contribute to the public display of his
criminal nature. The Roman soldiers stationed at the base of the crucifixion
stakes upon which hung the convicted criminals gambled for the clothing of the
victims. This is the evidence indicating the crucifixion of Jesus stark naked:
the soldiers removed his clothing and gambled for them. Matt 27:35.
The victim hung on a single vertical pole, not on a cross as usually portrayed.
One nail was inserted into both hands below the wrist between the radius and
the ulna. The victim hung on this nail. A second nail was inserted through the
shins between the tibia and the fibula. This kept the victim’s feet secured to
the stake and prevented him from jumping off the stake and escaping. The feet
were only a foot or two above the ground. The victim would hang in this
position in public display until they would finally expire. (Contemporary
portrayals of Jesus crucified do not correctly portray his position.) The fact
that the women are distant from the place of crucifixion is due to this obscene
scenario. At the beginning of the crucifixion they are close enough to speak.
John 20:26-27. But later they are described standing and viewing the scene in
the distance. Matt 27:55. Apparently once the clothing was removed and the
bodies placed in public display the women were forced to stand at a distance.
The final words of Jesus Messiah on the cross were these:
“Father into Your hands I commit my spirit.” And having said this he breathed
his last. Luke 23:46.
When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished.” And he bowed
his head and gave up the spirit. John 19:30.
“Father into Your hands I commit my spirit.” And having said this he breathed
his last. Luke 23:46. And then Jesus cried with a loud voice and yielded his
spirit. Matt 27:50.
The demise of Jesus occurred when the spirit of animation vacated his body,
after about 6 hours of torture hanging on this stake in public display. His
body was now lifeless, his life terminated. His identity or soul was now stored
in some recess of the memory of Jehovah God, in the annals of the book of life
in heaven.
Jesus was dead for 3 days and 3 nights according to Scripture.
This author contends that Jehovah God was well pleased that His son was
completing the responsibility assigned him in heaven. Jehovah God was filled
with pleasure knowing that His son did not fail in any respect any item he was
required to accomplish during his career. John 18:4. Jehovah God in heaven
cheered and rooted for his son during his final hours as he hung on the
crucifixion stake, just as a contemporary parent would cheer and root for their
son in some contest or match. Like the elation of a parent when their son
crosses the finish line in a race or wins against the competitor in a match, so
was the elation of Jehovah God in heaven with the exclamation of His son, “It
is finished.” John 19:30. Jesus had run the race and finished his course and
fought the good fight of faith and won.
Like with most of his career, this final stretch was one that Jesus had to
complete on his own. The father could not do this for him any more than a
parent completing a race in a stadium for their son. No doubt Jesus felt alone
during these final hours, beginning with his arrest in Gethsemane. But he had
to accomplish it on his own.
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Matt 27:48.
During the final moments of life, Jesus felt abandoned by all: his disciples,
his relatives, the religious leaders, and especially by Jehovah God his Father.
However the course had to be completed and entirely on his own. David king felt
the same way when he was persecuted by Saul king. Ps 22:1. But Jehovah God
never did abandon David, and neither did he abandon Jesus. During these finial
minutes of the career of His son, Jehovah God was viewing with great
satisfaction and intensity his son winning the good fight of faith, heroically
defeating temptation, accomplishing the eternal redemption of all who would
believe in him, and on his own.
For our sake He made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might
become the rectitude of God. 2 Cor 5:21.
Jesus Messiah as mentioned about was impeccable in his earthly career, law
observant in all respects. He knew no sin, meaning he never participated in or
committed a crime or deliberate violation of the moral law of his Father
Jehovah God. The sin that Jehovah God made him become is noted by Paul apostle.
Messiah redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us,
for it is written, “Cursed be every person who hangs on a tree. Gal 3:13.
Sentenced to execution as criminal and executed as a criminal by the Romans is
how Jesus Messiah became sin or became crime.
THE DEATH OF JESUS MESSIAH
The author contends that Jesus had no conscious existence during these 3 days
and 3 nights, in accord with his own words. Rev 1:18. He was in the same state
of initial decay as any other human who would die, that state described in the
earlier sections on the interim state. Embalming his body in about 100 lbs. of
a perfumed cream did retard the initial stages of decay. John 19:39. If Jesus
had not resurrected his body eventually would have decayed back into the
natural elements of composition of dust and the identity of Jesus would have
remained only in the memory of his Father Jehovah God. He would await the
general resurrection of the dead, just as the balance of created humanity. Such
was his state during the 3 days and 3 nights.
Jesus knew that he could have arranged his own resurrection having access to
the powers of heaven as a son of Jehovah God. But Jesus did not allow himself
this option, because to exercise this option would interfere with the
fulfillment of the prophetic words regarding the length of time he was to spend
in the grave dead. John 2:19, Hosea 6:2. As a human he had to be revived or
reinstated to life by the spirit sent from Jehovah God.
The discussion with the thief also in crucifixion as recorded in Luke 23:43,
has posed a difficult resolution. “This day you shall be with me in the
garden,” is a better rendering of the statement of Jesus rather than using the
Persian word paradise. This word paradise is a loan word from the Persian
language meaning garden. This criminal being executed by crucifixion alongside
Jesus had a vain hope thinking that only acknowledgement of guilt will gain him
entrance into the kingdom of God. He was definitely guilty of committing some capital
crime and so was sentenced to death by a Roman court, and even admitted that
his execution was the result of the crime he committed. In their conversation
Jesus essentially reprimands him for having this vain hope by telling him that
just as he was to die and be buried, so the convicted thief would also die that
day and be buried. The use of the word garden, the author contends, referred to
the cemetery of the both of them. Even in our own era most cemeteries have a
garden or park appearance and comfortable environment. Paul apostle uses the
word paradise in 2 Cor 12:3, referring to the garden Eden, as seen in a vision.
The Biblical record can easily prove that all the theories that attempt to
circumvent the actual death of Jesus due to execution by crucifixion are false.
The one Roman soldier that noticed that Jesus had died was not about to be
deceived or distracted by the events of the evening. Knowing well that the
victim should hang in such a position days before expiring he quickly
ascertained that something could possibly be wrong with the condition of the
victim, perhaps lapsing into a coma. Criminals sentenced to crucifixion
normally do not die in a matter of a few hours. Blood loss is at a very slow
pace. As time progresses the muscles slowly tighten and torture the victim. The
vital organs slowly fail. Death is the result of long term exhaustion and
exposure to the elements, after at least 2 days and as long as 4 or 5,
depending on the severity of the exposure and health of the individual. The
victim’s legs were sometimes broken to speed up the process. Blood would fill
up the cavity created by the broken bones, and now the body was totally
suspended by the nail through the wrists. Since the victim was only a foot or 2
above ground, it was easy to break the legs. The heart was under massive stress
to pump blood to the feet and back again. The upper limbs in their vertical
position also made blood circulation difficult.
Not about to allow the body to be removed without positive indication of death
the soldier plunged his spear underneath the rib cage of Jesus on his left
side, shredding the skin and flesh. The lower ribs of Jesus would have been at
about shoulder height of the soldier. He then plunged the spear deep into the
heart and punctured it; as the soldier withdrew his spear the contents of the
heart spilled out. Coagulated blood and what appeared to be a clear fluid
spilled out through the tear in Jesus’ limp torso. The clear fluid was most
likely blood plasma remaining from the coagulation of the blood, or perhaps
lymph fluid in the heart. Another possibility is pleural fluid in the cavity
surrounding the lungs, which would have collected the fluid as a result of
congestive heart failure. Jesus most probably died of congestive heart failure,
a heart attack, early during the crucifixion. The penetration of the spear into
the heart of Jesus, and the contents of the heart eliminated and in public
display, was total and satisfactory proof to the soldier that Jesus was dead.
The soldier then confirmed the death of Jesus of Nazareth to Pilate and
permitted the removal of the body for disposal.
The blood and clear fluid spilled out of the heart and flowed down the side of
Jesus’ left leg and dripped into the ground at the base of the stake off his
feet. The blood soaked into the soil and eventually decayed. The disciples
standing locally and watching the events totally gave up hope at this point
seeing the person they considered and who claimed to be Messiah of Jehovah God
dead. Disciples John and Thomas were 2 of those who witnessed the demise of
Jesus of Nazareth.
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS MESSIAH
After 3 days and 3 nights spirit was sent by Jehovah God to reconstitute the
body of Jesus to prepare it and allow it to live again. The spirit entered it
and Jesus again became conscious and felt personal identity. His body was
reconstituted back into its original nature, but yet much is still unknown as
to whether it was the type of body that Paul apostle writes about in 1 Cor
15:49, or whether it returned back to exactly the same constitution as just
prior to his death.
The author is of the opinion that the immediate resurrected body of Jesus was
identical to his earlier body in order to prove to the disciples that he was
the same person. Although on occasion he used his power for some special
effect, this was only for a specific purpose. This would be to enter a locked
room where the disciples were hiding in fear of Jews. John 20:19. Or that his 2
travelling companions on the road to Emmaus would not recognize him. Luke
24:31. Or that the disciples who returned to fishing in Lake Galilee also would
not recognize him. John 22:12.
When Jesus opened his eyes and regained consciousness, much like a person
waking from a deep sleep or from anesthesia, he probably yawned and looked
about at the darkness of the sepulcher. He then sat up and took the napkin or
cloth wrapped around his head off, and set it off to the side. He then
proceeded to unwrap the strips of cloth his body was wrapped in; these he left
off to the side in a pile. John 20:5-7. The graveclothes were laying in one
part of the sepulcher in a pile with the head cover in another area.
THE OTHER RESURRECTION
Another resurrection also occurred at this time that is often overlooked by
readers, noted as follows
And the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep
were raised. And coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered
the holy city and appeared to many. Matt 27:51-52.
These people are not identified. The writer of Hebrews refers to these
resurrected saints as, “the spirits of the righteous made perfect.” Heb 12:23.
Any attempt to identify them is pure conjecture. In general they are the first
fruits who are stated in 1 Cor 15:23. This phrase first fruits refers to the
initial ripened produce that was offered to the priests at the location of the
tabernacle and temple under the old covenant. The necessity of this
resurrection was to prove to the people that he as Messiah was the fulfillment
of Old Covenant prophesies such as Dan 12:2, pertaining to the hope of the Old
Covenant saints. These may have been those who attained the salvation of God
under the covenants beginning with Adam and Eve. The Messiah, whom they
awaited, now led them out of the grave. How they identified themselves to the
public with proof of their resurrection, how long of a time they were on earth,
and what subsequently occurred is unknown. Earlier attempts have identified
them with the 144,000 of Rev 7:3-8, and those redeemed from the earth of Rev
14:1. But this cannot be substantiated.
The author contends that all of these eventually ascended into heaven in a
manner similar to Jesus. They will return with Jesus Messiah to establish his
kingdom on earth at the time of the restoration. These will be those whom we
will greet on earth or in the clouds. 1 Thess 4:14.
MARY MAGDALENE AND ASCERTAINING THOMAS
This treatise will not deal with the numerous appearances of Jesus Messiah to
disciples and friends and their chronology, as this is well detailed by other
authors. Only the appearances to Mary Magdalene and disciple Thomas will be
discussed.
Shortly after leaving the tomb Jesus was greeted by Mary Magdalene and by
another Mary. Mary Magdalene recognized him. John 20:16-17. She was so
overjoyed at his presence that she fell down to ground, grabbed him by the feet
and held him tight. Jesus then said to her, ”Cling not unto me, because I have
not yet ascended to my father and your father, to my God and your God.” Matt
28:9-10. The ladies then released him and went unto Jerusalem to inform the
other disciples.
To call Thomas disciple “doubting Thomas” is a misnomer and also an insult. He
should be properly labeled “verifying Thomas” or “ascertaining Thomas”. He was
no doubt one of the more intelligent and acute of the apostles and was not
about to allow some imposter or charlatan pose as the resurrected Messiah.
Because of his firm demand for verification his witness is the single most
reliable witness in the gospels to the resurrection of Jesus Messiah. No doubt
Thomas was at Golgotha during the crucifixion and witnessed the soldier thrust
his spear under the ribs of Jesus and into his heart. Thomas saw with his own
eyes the contents of the heart spill out. Thomas saw the nails in the hands and
feet of Jesus as he hung on the stake. Now a week later he was not about to let
someone surface claiming to be the same person and so deceive him and others.
The author wonders whether others who also heard of the statements of Jesus
Messiah regarding his resurrection from death wanted to gain fame by claiming
to be him alive again. Thomas wanted undeniable proof that this person who was
now claiming to the other disciples that he was the resurrected Jesus Messiah
was the same person whom Thomas saw nailed, crucified and pierced. Thomas was
no fool.
Then [Jesus] said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands; and put
out your hand and place it in my side…” John 20:27.
This is the reason Jesus offered his hands and feet to Thomas, to verify that
he was not a fraud or imposter. Thomas then placed his own finger into the hole
that the nails made in the hands of Jesus and in his feet. But this was
insufficient evidence. Any person that escaped crucifixion would have such
holes. Jesus Messiah then told him to place his hand in the ribs, which Thomas
also took advantage of, placing his entire hand under the rib cage of Jesus and
placing a finger directly into the heart through the hole made by the spear.
Thomas was overwhelmed by what he felt. This was the reason for the exclamation
of Thomas, “My lord and my god.” John 20:28. There was no doubt about it, this
was the same and identical person whom Thomas saw die about a week earlier, but
now alive and well. The disciple John recorded this event for future
generations. This served as evidence for all the disciples and the others in
the same room regarding Jesus’ resurrection.
According to the Bible record, Jesus Messiah proved himself alive after his
death by many undeniable proofs. Acts 1:3. This author likewise accepts their
witness that Jesus of Nazareth, who died by crucifixion, resurrected unto life
for 40 days until his ascension into heaven.
THE BODY OF JESUS
For the Jews to better understand the sacrifice of Jesus of Nazareth, referring
to the display upon the cross at Golgotha, he is compared to the Passover lamb.
This is first mentioned by John Baptizer to the crowd gathered at the Jordan
River.
Behold the lamb of God which removes the sins of the world. John 1:29.
Although the body of Jesus is identical in composition to the body of any other
human, the writer of Hebrews utilizes the scene at Golgotha as a means of the
Jews understanding Jesus of Nazareth as the sacrifice of all ages, that as
Messiah he is the fulfillment of the institution of animal sacrifice in the
divine religion of Israel.
And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of
Jesus Messiah once for all. Heb 10:10.
The entire passage of Heb 10:1-18 deals with the Messiah as the consummate sacrifice
in a manner that the Jews of the era could understand.
JESUS RETURNS TO HEAVEN
Shortly after his appearance, Jesus made the statement to Mary Magdalene that
he still had not ascended to his Father and God. Matt 28:9-10. No doubt it was
after this incident that Jesus ascended to the invisible realm of heaven and
appeared before Jehovah God his Father. There is no indication how this
occurred with Jesus in his body, except that by some supernatural miracle his
body temporarily dissolved until his return to the material realm on earth and
then he reassumed his bodily nature. In terms of earthly time this would have
occurred over the course of the first day of the week, after his appearance to
the 2 woman and Peter, but before meeting with Luke and Cleopas on the road to
Emmaus. Since the realm of the spirit transcends time, much more could have
occurred in heaven.
There are several passages that describe what occurred when Jesus returned to
the presence of Jehovah God in heaven shortly after his resurrection.
Behold with the clouds of heaven there came one appearing as a person, and he
came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to him was
given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples should serve him. His
dominion is an eternal dominion which will never pass away, and his kingdom is
one that will never be destroyed. Dan 7:13-14.
Just as I have conquered and sat down with the Father on His throne. Rev 3:21.
For completing to the satisfaction of the Father human life and knowing now the
needs of his subjects, he was now capable of assuming the rule over them.
Jehovah God delegated to His son the reign over the kingdom and the subjection
of the people to him. He was seated upon the throne next to his Father.
God has highly exalted him and bestowed upon him a name which is above every
name, that at the name of Yah-shua every knee will bend, in heaven and on earth
and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Messiah is Adonai
(Lord), to the glory of [Jehovah] God the Father. Phil 2:9-11. Also Eph
1:21-22.
Very similar to the above passage pertaining to Jesus’ exaltation, but this
passage deals with his justification after his discredit. The fact that Jesus
would be unjustly persecuted and discredited and finally shamed by the
authorities of the era before the general population is recorded in Is 52. Now
that Jesus Messiah is justified by Jehovah God before his enemies they are
forced to now accept him for exactly what he claimed himself to be, King of
Israel. His enemies are forced to subject themselves and render homage to the
same person that they earlier discredited and shamed. This triumph was
fulfilled in the resurrection, as an indication to Jehovah God’s enemies that
Jesus is rightful heir to the throne and judge of all peoples.
For the Messiah has entered, not into a sanctuary constructed, a copy of the
real one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of [Jehovah]
God on our behalf. Heb 9:24.
When he made purification for sins, he sat at the right side of the Majesty
above. Heb 1:4.
The 3rd purpose of Jesus ascending to heaven at this time is here stated. He
brought at this time his own eternal life - symbolized by blood - before
Jehovah God. In the capacity of both high priest and sacrifice he procured
eternal redemption for those who accept him as high priest and his sacrifice on
their behalf. On earth it was a human, Jesus of Nazareth, who died, and which
event represented a greater event in heaven, Jesus son of Jehovah God presenting
himself as both eternal priest and living sacrifice on behalf of his people.
What occurred on earth to him as a human was a type of what occurred in heaven
to him as a spirit entity at his ascension. This can be explained as follows:
The physical blood of Jesus flowed down his body, onto the stake and on the
ground. There in the ground the physical blood of Jesus eventually decayed and
reverted back into the elements of soil, just as with the blood of any other
human. The blood of heaven was symbolic of the life of Jesus himself. Just as
he dedicated the final years of his life on earth on behalf of his people
Israel, so in heaven he dedicates his life likewise for all eternity.
This author, having watched ticker-tapes parades for heroes and military parades
with great honor bestowed upon the victors after some war, wonders whether such
may have occurred in heaven. With the return of the son of Jehovah God home
after such an ordeal on earth, could the messengers and ministering spirits and
sons of Jehovah God have lined the access or path to the throne of Jehovah God,
shouting praises at him while waving and clapping their hands? The scene of Rev
5:11-12, portraying the hosts of heaven giving praise to the Lamb can well be
applied here.
After all this triumph was completed in heaven Jesus returned to the earth and
reassumed his former body. He showed himself first to the 2 disciples on the
road to Emmaus, and then to the others for the balance of 40 days.
THE ACTIVITY OF JESUS AT PRESENT
With the ascension of Jesus Messiah to heaven, he ascended the throne of glory
of his Father Jehovah God. Rev 3:21. His work as high priest on behalf of the
people of the New Covenant began. Heb 4:14. And his work as judge began in
preparation for the great day. Acts 17:31.
All in all the progress in the heavens continues now as it did 2,000 or 6,000
years ago. It is the progress on earth that seems to continually change
generation after generation. Heaven cannot change, it must be stable to provide
a concrete and dependable basis for the millennia and eons of history in the
material spheres, the life on earth and the universal creation. For this reason
the author of Hebrews states:
Jesus Messiah [is] the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Heb 13:8.
Today Jesus son of Jehovah God, the high priest of our profession, stands
before Jehovah God who sits upon His throne. Here Jesus tells his father, “Have
mercy upon these people father, Have mercy upon those who strive to live
according to Your will and covenant and moral code. Have mercy upon them for my
sake. Send to them strength, grace and the comfort of Your Holy Spirit. Send it
to those who repent and believe in You, who ask in my name. I know what it is
like down there. I was one of them.”
Jehovah God grants his son - the mediator on their behalf - their petition.
Jehovah God receives the request of His son, is cooperative with the son in
granting his request, and proceeds to fulfill it and do all necessary for the
petitioners. The Holy Spirit flows from the Father to the believer on earth at
the request of His son, the supreme mediator. John 14:26.
Jehovah God is willing to be cooperative with the son in fulfilling His
requests because of 2 reasons. The initial reason is the concern of the son for
his people. The son is an eternally living sacrifice on behalf of his people.
The son realizes the needs of his people having experienced the same and
knowing their needs. The second reason Jehovah God grants the request of His
son is because the son was willing to become one of them. The son was willing
and did accomplish the dictate of the Father. The son vacated his exalted
position in heaven to become a human, and was a human experiencing all typical
circumstances that apply to a human, even to a death to typify the death of
every person on earth. Jehovah God grants the request of His son because the
incarnation though death experience proved beyond doubt the sincerity of the
son in wanting to help his people.
The most difficult concept for members of Christianity to acknowledge is that
Jesus has ascended to heaven and resides as a spirit in the heavens. He is no
longer in a manger and no longer hangs on a cross. Stephen noted this in the
words of his admonishment to the religious leaders:
But he full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and
Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Acts 7:55.
The vision of John apostle in Rev 1:13-16, provides us with the Jesus of today,
or as he has been since the day of his ascension to heaven 40 days after his resurrection.
This is the real Jesus allegorically described: aged, strong, authoritative,
wearing a garment symbolic of royalty and priestly service. Maturity of the
true Christian will only occur when the maturity of Jesus is accepted, when the
images of Jesus in a manger or on a cross are finally reduced to their place in
past history, and he is acknowledged as attaining the fullness of his Father
Jehovah.
WHO KILLED JESUS ?
Opinions vary regarding the party or individual responsible for the death of Jesus
son of Jehovah God. The Scriptures however are very specific about this topic.
And how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death,
and crucified him. Luke 24:20.
None of the rulers of this age understood this; for it they had they would not
have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Cor 2:8.
Men of Israel,… this Jesus,… you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless
men. Acts 2:23. Similar statements are also made by Peter in Acts 2:13, and
4:28.
In the first 2 passages the specific reference is to the governing hierarchy of
the priesthood. It was the senior priests and elders having the authority who
are specifically designated as taking the active effort in prosecution and
demanding the sentence of capital punishment. These were the mob who stood
before Pontius Pilate and cried, “Away with him, away with him. Let him be
crucified.” John 19:15. And also, “Let his blood be upon us and our children.”
Matt 27:25.
The general population of Israel were in their homes that night while the trial
against Jesus was underway in the Sanhedrin and later in the palace of Herod.
They were eating the Passover and could not leave their homes in accord with Ex
12:22. None of the general population was allowed in public that evening. It
was however the priests that violated this rule and deliberately in order that
the population not know what was occurring. This is the reason the priests
would not enter the chambers of Pilate at his palace, they did not want to
defile themselves since they still had to eat the Passover with their families
that evening. John 18:28. This also indicates that Jesus Messiah celebrated the
Passover with his disciples at the same time as the balance of Jews in
Jerusalem. Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem earlier that evening in order
to allow the priests and soldiers to arrest him and conclude the trial without
upsetting the Jerusalem population that special festival evening.
It was not the general population that was directly responsible, but solely the
religious hierarchy. For this reason anti-Semitism is a distortion of
Scripture. It is not Jews of previous or later generations, or Jews of other
areas, or even those of the era who were not aware of the trial and sentence,
who are implicated in the death of Jesus. The Jews responsible for the murder
of Jesus were strictly those at this trial by the Sanhedrin, those demanding
his execution, and those who discredited him during crucifixion. All of them
faced judgement for their crime during the siege and destruction of Jerusalem
about 40 years later. His blood was upon them and their children. These
prophetic words of the Sadducees were fulfilled.
PART FOUR
THE EARTHLY LIFE
PURPOSE OF CREATION
There are 2 primary reasons for the development of the earth and its population.
Some of this has been noted earlier.
1. Jehovah God is a creator by nature. This is the result of His nature of
love. For Jehovah God to love is to create. Jehovah God manifests His love by
creating an inhabitable world, by beautifying it with natural features. He
beautified the earth by populating it with animals of various design and
purpose.
2. The creation magnifies Jehovah God. All of existence serves to glorify its
creator. It is much like a painting, a magnificent work of art, that discloses
to every viewer the talent of the artist, the sculpture that advertises the
ability of the sculptor. Like a work of art, a textbook in mathematics, a piece
of literature well-written, or a volume of research, all attest to the talent
and ability of their authors, and so does creation with Jehovah God.
Likewise all of the exact creation nature, plants and animals, the terrain of
the earth, its balance of weather, and all involved to continue its infinite
existence, all attest to the wisdom, strength and purpose of the supreme
creator Jehovah God. It glorifies and magnifies its creator.
The heavens announce the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims His
craftsmanship. Ps 18:1.
In bestowing names upon the progenitors of created humanity, Jehovah God selected
the most appropriate that he could find: earth or soil (adam) and life (eva).
Since all life evolved from the earth, and Eve was the mother of all living,
Adam and Eve are the single progenitors of all created humanity. There is no
evidence to testify of other parallel human creation or evolution. Adam and Eve
were created as adults based on the command to marry and begin procreation.
Some of the early life patterns of Adam and Eve can be only ascertained from
the changes and curses that were pronounced by Jehovah God after the fall.
Based on the change brought about by Jehovah God, we can determine in general
theory what the original pattern of life consisted of in the garden of Eden.
This pattern of life which reverted to difficulty is not defined in every
aspect, but at least in the areas of labor; childbirth; attitude of a married
couple; and termination of life. Each of these will be discussed in this
section.
The difficulties of life that entered the world are not a total deprivation of
happiness during our temporary earthly life, nor a lack of a reason to work for
success. This author views this as signs of Jehovah God's sovereignty over the
elements and his creation, and to impress upon man his necessity of subjection
to Jehovah God as the wise and omnipotent. The human can easily inflate their
ego and substantially, and become haughty and rude due to success. Often it
doesn't take much success for a person to think of himself more highly than
they should. An individual becomes very self-reliant noticing that personal and
financial prosperity is the result of his efforts. Pride destroys the life of
the individual and those whom they influence and those who surround them. To
help reduce pride and haughtiness and self-reliance Jehovah God utilizes the
elements so subdue the human, to impress upon the human that he is relatively
hopeless compared to the omnipotent strength of Jehovah God as manifested in
the elements of nature. All of the disastrous effects of nature are implemented
by Jehovah God to impress upon the human the necessity of accepting the
sovereignty of Jehovah God over our life and the earth.
LABOR
For Adam work in Eden was a pleasure. The modern person seems to enjoin a good
work-out at a health club or at some exercise, at a spa, participating in some
sport. All of these exercises exert effort, burn calories, cause sweat, and use
and develop muscles. They also tire an individual to the point they need rest,
and so sleep well that night.
This would be an adequate manner to describe work in the garden of Eden. Here
both male and female enjoyed the exertion of effort. It is a self-satisfying
and gratifying pleasure to wake in the morning, fulfill the obligations of the
day, and retire in the evening, to be able to look at a person’s own
constructive effort of that day and be able to say just as Jehovah God did,
“This is good.” Every challenge would be successful. Failure would be unknown.
For many individuals a hobby is gratifying and mentally constructive for those
not physically equipped or gifted. Perhaps the desk job in Eden could be
compared to the effort exerted mentally in a hobby. At the conclusion of the
day a similar type of sense of accomplishment can also be felt. But all of this
ended with the words, “Cursed is the earth as a result of you.” Gen 3:17.
From this point on work was no longer a pleasure, but a necessity, a drudgery,
a demanding effort that would exhaust man and woman both. Failure materialized
at this moment of time. An exhaustion and pressure that would drive a person to
despair as he fought against the elements to earn a living, this applying to
every occupation. There are hazards and dangers no matter what type of physical
work is performed, and just as many psychological pressures can apply to a
non-physical occupation. Work causes injury and accidents, mistakes and errors.
Non-physical occupations have their share of mental stress, boredom, fatigue
and strain, the diseases that result from worry and anxiety. Failure is costly
and psychologically and physically devastating.
The early life of Adam and Eve and no doubt their sons and daughters was
occupied with farming and raising cattle, an agrarian society. They achieved a
personal fulfillment from their occupation, always a success.
MARRIAGE AND CHILDBIRTH
The concept of marriage was divinely instituted with the creation of the first
couple, whom Jehovah God wedded in Eden. As all that Jehovah God does is for
the benefit of His creation, and especially for created humanity, this concept
of marriage is the pinnacle of a social state for humans.
Animals do not possess such a concept as marriage. Animals mate due to instinct
or impulse as Jehovah God has instilled in them, in order to propagate their
species. There is no love involved, no mutual commitment or respect, and no
long term purpose. In some species one male animal can have control over a
harem and defend his harem from intruders. Females of some species will mate
with several males until she is sure of conception. And all of this without
shame or conscience. A few species, such as the dove and pigeon, will have a
life long mate. This author feels this exception is designed to be an example
for humans.
The primary reasons for the division of the genders and the reunification of
them in marriage are social, procreative, purpose, and trust. With 2 genders
each having assigned traits, as well as distinguishable shape and appearance,
the opposites can interest themselves in the opposite sex. Men with men are no
variety, and women with women are no variety. But a male with a female serves
as a variety and the motivation to learn and acquaint themselves with the
opposite genders. Social interest is more attractive when a person is with
someone different than yourself but of the same species.
Most children up to adolescence prefer the company of the same gender.
Beginning with adolescence the natural impulse in any person is toward
heterosexuality. The period of adolescence is a transfer of this social
preference to the opposite gender. Much of this is chemical and physical, with
the development of the reproductive organs in both male and female. Chemicals
are generated by the body of each gender during adolescence as a result of the
divinely-created drive for sexual union. The attention of each gender is directed
toward the opposite because of the variety in shape and appearance and because
of the purpose the other is created.
Before the sentence of Jehovah God upon the female, childbirth was a pleasure.
With the pain of labor and delivery we would include the nuisance of the
menstrual cycle, which likewise had no reason to exist in the early life.
Childbirth was painless and a pleasant if not an ecstatic experience. Just as
Jehovah God would attain a personal joy at the creation of new life, so the
female at this time would have felt a pleasure at delivery, and perhaps even
comparable to her personal climax achieved during marital relations when the
child was conceived.
The conclusion brought to light at this point is that Adam and Eve were engaged
in marital relations shortly after their settlement in Eden. Since the
faculties for engaging in marital relations were part of male and female
anatomy, as well as the necessity of such personal involvement with the
opposite sex for conception and procreation, Jehovah God no doubt united the 2
in a holy matrimony during the week following creation. They then would have
immediately began fulfillment of the divine command, “Be productive and
increase and fill the earth.” Gen 1:28. Jehovah God created sexual relations
and for reasons both of matrimonial pleasure and procreation, and promoted it
within their legitimate matrimony. Marital relations is a blessing of Jehovah
God for His created humanity.
This author contends that the offspring of Adam and Eve were conceived and
delivered prior to the temptation by the snake. This consisted of at least 2
sons and as many daughters. If it were otherwise Eve would have no reason to
regret the sentence of Jehovah God upon her. She would not be able to
understand the curse she brought upon all the future generations of women as a
result of her disobedience.
Both Adam and Eve were created as complete individuals in a psychological
sense. They lacked nothing: high self esteem, self respect, emotional
stability, excellent mental health, without any character flaws or psychotic
maladies. This changed with the words, “Yet your desire shall be for your
husband and he shall rule over you.” Gen 3:16.
With these words a portion of that personal stability and psychological
independence was removed from the female. Now she would need a husband in order
to feel “fulfilled.” Most women, if not all, want to get married, have a home,
have a family. In Eden each gender and especially the female was complete in
itself. Neither party lacked emotionally, physically or psychologically, either
in marriage or out of marriage. Each had high self esteem and respect and
mental stability and balance.
GENDERS
The genders were created by Jehovah God for the success of humanity during
their earth career. One gender is not superior over the other. Both have the
image and likeness of Jehovah God. Gen 5:1. Each gender has distinguishing
traits and features as a physical divine image, as a separation of the genders,
and each has an assigned role and responsibility for their life on earth
defined by Jehovah God. The female is called the weaker sex by Peter apostle. 1
Pet 3:7. This applies to physical weakness, and not moral or psychological, in
which the female is often the stronger. The female also requires the support of
the male, her husband, to fulfill her role as assistant, mother and parent.
Each of the genders is created with attributes for their specific purpose. The
male is designed primarily for physical labor. His physique demands short hair.
1 Cor 12:14. This is the general tradition among males of the civilized
societies: the hair of the male above the ears. The beard is also part of the
physical image of the male. The patriarchs wore a beard. Scripture specifically
refers to the beard of Aaron. Ps 133:2. Ezekial. Eze 5:1. David. 1 Sam 21:13.
Ezra. Ezra 9:3. And to the beard of the servants of David. 2 Sam 10:4-5.
Jehovah God forbid the Israelite men from turning their beards into a fashion
by trimming. Lev 19:27.
Clement of Alexandria wrote about 200 AD, regarding the hair and beard for the
believers of that era:
The hair of the head [of the male], that it may not grow so long as to come
down and interfere with the eyes,… But the hair on the chin is not to be
disturbed, as it gives no trouble, and lends to the face dignity and paternal
terror.
But God wished women to be smooth, and rejoice in their locks alone growing
spontaneously, as a horse in his mane; but has adorned man like the lions with
a beard, and endowed him, as an attribute of manhood, with shaggy breasts, a
sign this of strength and rule.
For it is not lawful to pluck out the beard, man’s natural and noble ornament.
The female is likewise endowed with attributes for her role and responsibility
as an assistant to the male and for child bearing and child raising. 1 Tim
2:15. The hair on the female is to be longer than the male’s. 1 Cor 12:15.
This separation of the sexes also pertains to attire. The man to have an attire
commensurate with his masculine nature, and distinguished from the that of the
female, in accord with their culture. The female likewise. A confusion of the
genders in attributes and attire is antithesis to the intent of Jehovah God in
the creation of the genders and their assigned role and responsibility. Modern
fashions should not incline the believer, both male and female, from accepting
the image bestowed upon them by the creator Jehovah God.
The division of the sexes and the mechanism of reproduction is the greatest
enigma in evolutionary theory. Why are there 2 genders? And why is marital
relations between these 2 genders required for procreation? Since one organism
capable of reproduction is the prerequisite for any future evolutionary
progression, when and how did this single reproductive organism decide to reproduce
itself this time into 2 genders: Each unable to reproduce itself individually,
but each one with half the capability and means for the 2 to unite for
reproduction, and then reproduce one or the other of the genders?
This is the unresolveable enigma of evolutionary theory, that all of this
should occur in only one generation, on its own without outside premeditated
planning or design. No organism can develop this on its own. The only
resolution is that Jehovah God, the supreme creator, deliberately created the
genders as part of His original creation, with their ability to reproduce one
just like themselves.
Reproduction exists likewise in plants. When Jehovah God created plants, He
likewise created them with the natural ability to reproduce: seeds. Gen
1:11-12. Every plant that Jehovah God planted in the earth, every one had an
original capability to reproduce an identical product, which likewise contained
this reproductive capability. This is a miracle of eternal life in a sense,
that every species of plant and animal can live into the infinite future.
DOMINION OVER THE EARTH
These words in Gen 1:27-28 indicate the ability of man to have the control over
all that is on earth, and not the opposite. In Eden he could dominate and tame
all living creatures on earth. The life of the garden of Eden was in harmony
with nature, reconciliation with all animals. There no animosity existed
between human and animal, and between animals. That every animal was brought to
Adam by Jehovah God is indicative of the human’s dominion over the animal
kingdom. The human was at the head, and not subservient in any manner. The
nature that presently exists with animals did not exist at that time. Animals
did not kill to eat, or fight to defend their habitation or residence, or fight
for survival, or fight for mates, or fight to be head of a heard. There was no
need for animals to have defense mechanisms or the anatomy for self-defense or
self-preservation. No venom in snakes, spiders, wasps or bees.
The dominion would have also pertained to weather and the elements. Although
the human would not have direct control over weather and the elements, the
concept of dominion would have applied likewise. A harmony prevailed between
the human and the environment in every facet. Storms, earthquakes, typhoons,
hurricanes, monsoons, floods, famines, or uncomfortable climate, did not exist.
Disease is the result of bacteria and pathogens, and since none of this existed
in Eden no illness existed at that time. Such bacteria and disease causing
cells were not in a pathological condition. No plagues, no water contamination,
no epidemics. The human was in perfect health and in harmony with their
environment.
All of this changed with the curse upon the earth in Gen 3:17.
DEATH
The attitude of the Jewish sages was quoted earlier. The human, along with the
plant and animal kingdoms did not face decay and death as time progresses. The
constitution of living creation was such that the organism could live
indefinitely. It was because of the eternal spirit of Jehovah God in His
creation that restrained deterioration due to age, illness, injury, or stress.
For the spirit of the Lord fills the world. Wisdom 1:7.
For Your incorruptible spirit is in all things. Wisdom 12:1.
It is because death was absent in Eden and the early life before the fall that
causes this author to conclude that this era of environmental, physical and
moral perfection was designed to be temporal. This interim of perfection was
intended not as a permanent state for creation and created humanity, but to
serve as the intention of Jehovah God for the restoration at the conclusion of
the ages. This original installation lasting perhaps 100 or 200 years to allow
humanity at that time to experience the perfection of Jehovah God for His
creation was sufficient for the record for future generations. The later
generations would have this to look forward to in the resurrection and
restoration. This was the intent of Jehovah God: to first establish the world
of environmental and moral perfection, and then intervene in order to alter it
to a condition of temporality and decay, but not without His blessing. With the
condition of temporality, humans regularly have the opportunity to enjoin the
blessings of life and view the flaws and failures of the present life and
environment. The purpose is still to populate the earth and to be productive in
life, for more to have the opportunity to live, and hope and perhaps attain the
perfect world in the restoration. At the present rate of population growth, and
with the incidences of disease, war and disasters of the elements of nature,
the present world will never overpopulate. Under present conditions many have
the opportunity to live and have the opportunity to enter the future perfect
world.
JEHOVAH GOD AND HISTORY
Jehovah God views time over the progress of billions of years the way a person
views a map or a portrait painting or a piece of scenery. As a person views
these printed and drawn items from left to right and top to bottom, noticing
the lines and figures and colors, so in the same manner does Jehovah God view
the history and progress of billions of years. He views them from beginning to
end from one end of the universe to the other, and the meticulous and precise
movements and activities occurring.
The progress of time of billions of years did not evolve on its own
independently and self-sufficiently. Nothing material or spiritual can evolve
on its own, and especially the events of such a long duration of time in
millions of galaxies. Just as a mapmaker designed and printed a map, and just
as an artist conceived of and painted a portrait or scenery, so did Jehovah God
develop and implement the progress of history from its beginning and infinitely
into the future.
Who performed this and accomplished this, calling the generations from the
beginning? I, Jehovah, the first, and with the last, I am he. Is 41:4.
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times, events not yet
occurring. Is 46:10.
The orderly progress of events in the universe is the evidence of a master
architect and constructor.
The method of indicating uninterruption for the indefinite future is by way of
a negative. Never and none is used in this general context for some situation
that will continue long indefinitely.
Where their worms do not die, and where the fire does not cease. Mark 9:48
For their worn will not die and their fire will not be quenched, and they will
become a revulsion to all flesh. Is 66:24.
In the above examples the negative is used to indicate that the punishment will
continue without termination. The reference is to the Jerusalem city dump,
where the caretakers would place sulfur on the trash to keep the flames alive
until all the trash was consumed and only ashes were left. Likewise any organic
matter bred worms, and so worms were always to be found in the city dump in the
carcasses of dead animals and in decaying organic matter. But eventually the
dump came to its termination. The “never” was only applicable as long as the
dump was operating.
Never since the world began has it been heard that any one opened the eyes of a
man born blind. John 9:32.
Throughout Scripture the terms forever and ever is used, primarily in the NT.
Literally the term is for ages of ages, or, for the eons of eons. The term
appears especially in Revelations.
Rev 19:10. The smoke from the fire consuming the worshippers of the beast and
its image ascended for the ages of ages.
Rev 19:3. The smoke from the fire consuming the prostitute church ascends for
ages of ages.
Rev 20:10. The torment of the devil thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone
is to last for ages of ages.
Rev 21:5. The reign of the saints in the holy new Jerusalem is for ages of
ages.
These passages can be interpreted as follows: The smoke will continue until the
victims and pseudo-church and devil are consumed and only ashes remain. The
memory will be retained without end. Likewise the reign of the saints will
continue indefinitely.
ETERNAL LIFE
The concept of life eternal is not the same in the age of the OT and NT as it
is understood today. At the present time and beginning with the apologists of
the latter 2nd century, when the term eternal life (zoe aionious) is read it is
understood as life in the millennial and eternal kingdom evolving from our
resurrection and translation. Life eternal today means life continuous without
termination. This would be true only if the word translated as eternal actually
meant that. In Greek the word aionious is actually the English eonion or
age-lasting, referring to a duration of time of long indefinite length.
The words rendered as life eternal from the Greek are zoe aionious. The
understanding in Greek of this term is life of a long duration. This is the
understanding of this term in the NT. Wherever zoe aionious is mentioned in the
NT by Jesus Messiah and the apostles, it is the promise of a long life. This is
one of the many promises of Jehovah God, that His people will live long, see
prosperity and happiness to a ripe old age, and pass away in relative comfort.
Ex 20:12. The promise for obedience and honor to parents is a long life in the
promised land.
Deut 30:19-20. Loving God and being obedient will bring a long life in the
promised land.
Pr 3:2, 4:10. Observance of the commands of Jehovah God will bring a long life
and prosperity.
This is in contradiction to living a short life, incurring premature death,
which is the curse of Jehovah God upon the disobedient.
Deut 4:26, 30:18. The disobedience will incur an early death as a result of
their repulsive life style and sinful conduct.
Life for the olam or eon was the hope and goal of the believer in Jehovah God
and follower of the divine instruction and moral law. Life for the olam or eon
is summarized in Ps 128. Abraham was the example living to 175, while Sarah
living to 127.
Life for the olam or eon was to live long, in good health, with prosperity,
peace and harmony, with marital and domestic success. This is the Scriptural
definition. During the 1st century AD, the life span was about 40 for both male
and female. Along with this was a high infant mortality rate, about 50% to
adulthood or child-bearing age. The reasons for such a short life span were
poor living and environmental conditions: disease, war, deviate weather
patterns, malnutrition, poverty, and exposure to the elements. This the people
interpreted as the curse of Jehovah God.
When the rich young ruler in Matt 19:16-19, asked Jesus Messiah what he should
do to inherit life aionious, he wanted to know how to conduct himself so he
inherits the promise of Jehovah God to live long on the land of the promise.
This man wanted the promises of Ps 128 to be fulfilled in him. He did not want
to suffer as did much of the balance of the population of his era and die
prematurely. In reply to his question Jesus Messiah quoted certain of the 10
commandments, and the one commandment regarding love. If the young man was to
conduct himself in this manner he would inherit life aionious. These commands
comprise a portion of the covenant of Jehovah God: to the extent His people
would observe and uphold these commandments, to that extent Jehovah God would
bless His people.
This is the proper understanding whenever in Scripture life eternal or
everlasting is promised.
The idea of life aionious referring to life after death in the resurrection was
unknown to the general population. The disciples did not understand Jesus
Messiah when he would tell them of his resurrection from death. Mark 9:32. Luke
18:33-34. It was not until later in history that the interpretation of zoe
aionious changed from a long life on earth to the era of the restoration.
LIFE ON EARTH
In one respect death allows a cycle of life existence on earth to progress
generation after generation. This is the opportunity to be born, grow, fulfill a
vocation and raise a family, or whatever we have on our mind to do for the
years that Jehovah God assigns us, until such time that age or some other
incident occurs so that our life should terminate. For individuals to purpose
their life for accomplishment during the years of capability is a test of
Jehovah God of His creation. Knowing that all of us do have a definite life
span, one that is not eternal, what we do with our life is very important to
Jehovah God. It determines whether we think highly of Jehovah God who gives us
the opportunity to life and enjoy life's blessings, or whether we despise
existence. If a person views his life in despair, or as vain or futile, this
also indicates their regret that Jehovah God ever gave them conscious
existence. Such an attitude on the part of a human, whether male or female,
grieves Jehovah God, makes Him sad and causes Him also to regret that he took
such an effort to create a world for created humanity, and that He created this
specific individual and placed him in this world as the object of His love.
The object of passing away at a ripe old age would create a sense of
accomplishment for the individual who lives within the will of Jehovah God and
according to His will. The accomplishment could be in terms of marriage,
family, business, culture, or some vocation of a general or specific benefit to
society. The accomplishment could also be of some private or personal nature,
but yet still something remaining behind on earth after that person terminates
their life, a legacy of benefit as an indication that Jehovah God made the
right decision to create this person, that some credit was given to Jehovah God
as a result of that person's existence through his or her efforts or life style
on earth.
The term used in Scripture for “fear of God,” does not evolve from an immediate
threat to the live of a person, but one distant into the future. For a person
to have a Fear of God means to realize that the person will answer to Jehovah
God for any wrong committed. The fear is due to a threat of survival, but the
materialization of the threat will not occur until sometime in the future. To
conduct yourself having a fear of God is to realize that the deprivation of
life may occur if your life is not according to Scripture. The spirit striving
for long term residence in the body will drive the person to live according to
the law of Jehovah God and His moral code. In this manner security is acquired
for the long term future.
LOSING THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF JEHOVAH GOD
A person is well able to lose the image and likeness of Jehovah God which they
are gifted with at their birth. This occurs when a person suppresses or ignores
the natural emotions of fear and conscience; when a person conducts themselves
in a barbarian or bestial manner. Since the human is a free moral agent, each
decides whether to possess the image and likeness of Jehovah God or not. The
result of ignoring and suppressing fear and conscience and morals and ethics
and knowledge and creativity causes a person to revert to a soulless entity –
only spirit and body. The result of a lack of the divine image and likeness is
not a reversion to that of an animal, but worse.
Humans outside the divine image and likeness act totally without concern for
anybody and anything, the conduct is unconscionable. This results in
uncontrollable anger, murder, robbery, violence, war, destruction, and
rebellion against authority. Pertaining to the person itself it results in
suicide, drug abuse, alcoholism, immorality, homosexuality and other sexual
perversions. In the society it surfaces as incest, pornography, domestic
violence, child and spousal abuse; and the non-violent damage resulting from
intimidation, manipulation, competition. In addition are the many attitudes
that are internal and not always obvious: spite, bigotry, prejudice, racism,
envy, desire for revenge, malice.
All of this results from the choice of the person to reject the divinely gifted
image and likeness of their creator Jehovah God. It also proves that once the
human as a free moral agent makes such an arbitrary and treacherous decision to
ignore fear and conscience and the moral code, the divine image and likeness is
removed from them automatically: they deprive themselves of it. The inevitable
result is their ruin and the ruin of the society they associate with. The human
becomes sub-human.
For this reason Paul apostle wrote to the Messianic community at Ephesus the
following.
And put on the new nature created after the likeness of God in true rectitude
and holiness. Eph 4:24.
As a result of living outside the will, covenant and moral code of Jehovah God,
the residents had long lost the divine image and likeness. By accepting the
gospel of the spiritual kingdom and entering the covenant, they were gradually
restoring this divine image and likeness. Paul apostle compares it to a person
removing old clothes and attiring himself in a new suit. The balance of the
chapter, Eph 4:25-32, focuses on the new life and conduct of the people, now
having acquired the new nature.
LIFE IN THE FLESH
To live in the flesh is to discard that facet of the image of Jehovah God which
is the moral nature. Just as the conscience can be seared so it no longer
impresses sympathy or remorse or guilt, so the moral nature can also be
suppressed or mortified so a person becomes totally amoral. At this point the
survival impulse envelopes their entire nature, so an individual’s concern is
their own temporary existence, their sole survival. This attitude results in
conceit, pride, selfishness, self-centeredness. This attitude routes a person’s
concern inward, seeking only their own favor, and focused solely on the present
and immediate state and circumstances. This survival impulse now reverts to an
evil impulse.
Life in the flesh mentioned in Rom 6-8 can be defined as the immediate
gratification of the urge and demands of the body without regard for the
future, for another person, and without fear of reprisal by Jehovah God,
judgement. All of the above description of the amoral excesses of the Roman
Empire were on the mind of Paul apostle when he penned his famous passage.
For I know that nothing good resides within me, that is, in my flesh. I can
will what is right, but I cannot do it. Rom 7:18.
If by the spirit you mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body you will
live. Rom 8:14.
The attitude taken by Paul apostle in the first passage is not the vein of the
Jewish sages, but is the attitude of much of the philosophy of Rome and Greece.
The early philosophers taught that the body was inherently evil, and to achieve
any type of sanctity it was necessary to deprive the body of the luxuries of
life. There was no moral code to be adhered to in the early Roman and Greek
philosophies. Paul apostle utilized this amoral trend prevalent in the empire to
impress upon the Messianic community that the only manner for the populace
engaged in such conduct to sever themselves from it was to spiritual execute
it. Accepting the baptism of the Holy Spirit would then be for them a spiritual
resurrection unto a moral life. Paul apostle used the terms of their own
philosophies as a means of describing repentance and conversion and severance
from the amoral and corrupt conduct prevailing in the Roman Empire.
SEXUAL DRIVE
Jehovah God created the sexual impulse in both men and women and it is good. If
it were not for the impulse and drive for gratification there would be no
reproduction. Jehovah God has designed both human genders such that the climax
of the sexual drive be the manner of conception for the propagation of the
human species. A male achieves his personal fulfillment as a male in normal
marital relations and coincidentally with the means of formation of a new
creature, a child, physically patterned after image and likeness of its parents
and spiritually patterned after the image and likeness of Jehovah God. The
female likewise achieves ultimate fulfillment as a female in normal marital
relations with the goal of conception. The two together become one physically
during the progress of physical love. Because of the deep psychological impact
of such a divinely implemented union, this was to be confined to a legitimately
married couple, wedded in holy matrimony, in order that love, the mutual
concern for the welfare of each other, would prevail during pregnancy, delivery
and parenthood. Jehovah God referred to this as good on the evening of the 6th
day when He command the progenitors to “Be productive and populate the earth.”
Gen 1:28.
For this reason marital relations are to be taken seriously in every culture
and community. The culture and couple that follows the dictates of a monogamous
marriage within a Scripture based life is promised the blessings of Jehovah
God, generation after generation.
Any deviation from the above pattern will shorten the life span of either sex
and cause both psychological and physical degradation. Celibacy, homosexuality,
sexual deviates and promiscuity are all a departure from the divinely inspired
state of proper relationship between the sexes.
LIFE AND SURVIVAL
The human has an impulse to live. The spirit Jehovah God has bequeathed the
human impels the body to live. From conception, at which point a new entity
begins formation, the spirit of animation acts to generate growth. A fetus is
not a unique entity. From the point of conception and until independent
respiration after delivery the offspring has no real conscious existence. It is
not a living soul, an independent and unique entity. Not until Jehovah God
breathes into the child following delivery and the child breathes on its own
does it become a living soul. Only then does it acquire an identity as a
person.
Your hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may
learn Your commandments. Ps 119:73
For you formed my inward parts. You arranged me together in my mother’s womb.
Ps 139:13-16.
While in the womb the fetus does possess life: it is alive and in preparation
to become an independent human. It is dependent on its mother for survival
during this period of formation and development. It is still alive, though not
having a personal identify. The premeditated death of a fetus, or its death as
a result of a crime, is considered a crime in Scripture, though not to the same
extent of the deliberate death of a human. Ex 21:22. It is not a tissue that
can be indiscriminately discarded at the discretion of the mother or a
physician. This non-accidental death of a fetus does not carry the same penalty
as the premeditated death of a human, but the fine indicates that the fetus is
recognized as a living entity. Aborting a fetus is to deprive it of the
opportunity to become a human soul. This is the judgement of Jehovah God that
such a person will have to face: the deliberate deprivation of the opportunity
for a person to be born and live. The mother of the aborted fetus, the father,
and nurse and doctor, and all who legislate in favor of it, will answer to
Jehovah God for their inhumane action.
Still-borns or spontaneous abortions, miscarriages, are never assigned an
identity since they are not carried to full term or born alive.
PAIN, FEAR AND ANGER
Every person has an impulse of survival that dwells in their body of flesh.
This is that special spirit of animation enlivening the human that drives it to
live, as mentioned above. This spirit is impelled to reside in the body as long
as possible. This drive of this special spirit to remain in the body results in
the immaterial attribute of fear when threatened. This has a side effect of a
survival tendency for the human: to run from danger, to defend themselves from
harm, to seek assistance when in difficult circumstances, to eat when hungry,
and many other reactions for survival.
Pain is common to all creation. Physical pain first. This would include the
effects of hunger, that is, the pain internally a human feels when gastric
juices fill the cavity of the stomach and begin to irritate the lining. Pain is
also produced from disease, an internal or external injury, or failure or
malfunction of a vital organ. Pain is the result of the transmission of
impulses by the nerves from the area affected and to the brain, to inform the
soul that the body is in danger or in the process of injury or threat of
damage. This will motivate a reaction for personal survival or escape. Jehovah
God created a nerve system in humans far exceeding that of any other creature.
The human is far more sensitive and aware of changes and threats to their
well-being than any other creature. Since the human body does not have a
natural clothing, the skin is more sensitive to heat, cold and injury.
Psychological and emotional pain follows the same vein. It is an impression
upon the soul of immediate danger or the threat of danger. It impresses upon
the person the loss of security or happiness. This occurs with the death or
illness of a close friend or relative. Emotion allows a person to be
empathetic. It allows them to identity with the struggles and losses and
difficulties of another. With a injury upon the soul, such as betrayal or
violation of personal trust, the emotional pain is a warning against future
involvement of unstable or unsure relationships, and a command for greater
concern for a person’s own long term survival.
Fear is the basis of the impulse to survive. Animals and humans both have a
fear facet of their nature. Jehovah God created this facet of fear as part of
the body’s reflexes for survival. Fear warns the person of a threat to their
life in order to make provisions to react in a survival mode: attack, defend,
flee or reconcile. Fear is a good response because its concern is the safety
and survival of the person. It will restrain a person from inflicting harm upon
themselves. Fear of the possible result from drug abuse, promiscuity, suicide,
deprivation, carelessness or negligence, motivates a person to live safely and
conservatively.
Anger results from fear and demand for survival. Anger is the response of the
body to the threat of survival. Anger is that emotion created by Jehovah God
for the human in order for them to want to banish from existence or society or
the vicinity anything that poses as a threat to survival.
For the anger of a person does not work the rectitude of God. Jam 1:20.
Anger is good if it is controlled and not allowed to affect someone
unnecessarily or unintentionally. Latent anger is what generates laws
penalizing criminals, establishes a judicial system and tribunals. Latent anger
is the basis for developing an organized and trained police force. All of this
because of the spirit wanting the body to survive. The anger is directly at
those within the society that pose a threat to the safety of the residents.
Violent anger is anger without control by the soul and leads to development of
the evil impulse. This impulse drives a person into an offensive attach against
threats to their safety and survival. This causes havoc and ruin for the person
themselves and their victims. The evil impulse evolves from the desire for
survival with the conscious subdued and the image of Jehovah God discarded. A
person in this condition becomes the “devil prowling about like a hungry lion
seeking whom he can devour. 1 Pet 5:8. The work or Jehovah God can only be
effectively accomplished in a calm and controlled environment.
THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
The one controversy plaguing both the simple and intellectual of the ages has been
the reason for evil. In this context evil would refer to all the difficulties
of life: the obstacles to success, health, wealth and longevity. This question
posed a quandry to several authors of the OT.
Moses: For all our days pass away under Your wrath, our years come to an end
like a sigh. Ps 90:7.
Job: Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He
proceeds like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow, and continues not.
Job 14:1-2.
Solomon: For all his days are full of pain, and his work is a vexation; even in
the night his mind does not rest. This also is vanity and striving after wind.
Eccl 2:23.
The entrance of evil and failure into the world occurred at the words of
Jehovah God to Adam, “Cursed is the ground as a result of you.” Gen 3:17. This
was discussed earlier. It is easy to place the blame or responsibility of all
evil that affects a person on the Supreme Deity the Creator, Jehovah God. But
this attitude is shallow. The question, “Why does God permit evil?” should
never surface on the lips of any person, since then Jehovah God becomes the
source and initiator of all suffering, difficulty, temptation, evil and
failure. According to James apostle, personal evil evolves from the person
himself. Jam 1:13-15.
Jehovah God transcends evil. What occurs on earth transcends the omnipotent
Supreme Deity. The earth progresses in a specific manner and orderly according
to the plan of the ages of Jehovah God. For a person to complain to Jehovah God
is like the pot complaining to the potter.
Why have you made me so? Rom 9:20.
The monologue of Elihu in Job 32-37 attempted to resolve the dilemma of job.
His conclusion was that every human is routed through a certain course of life
as determined by Jehovah God. Every person should bo their best and take
advantage of whatever their situation is for their own personal welfare. This
author agrees with the conclusion of Elihu A person should not complain of any
situation of failure or any effect of evil or disaster. As a created being, every
person should be thankful for the opportunity to life and so deal in the best
way possible with every situation that affects him and her.
Job’s other 3 “friends” were correct in their summary of the dilemma of evil,
except that it did not apply to Jehovah God. Most evil and failure people bring
upon themselves, Zophar the friend of Job concluded.
As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. By the
breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed. Job
4:8-9.
Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves. Job 11:6.
What more than often occurs to a person is the result of their own error, their
own violation, their own ignorance and their pride. Most tragedy of society is
the result of the individual members own free volition: they cause the evil to
occur. They subsequently have to deal with the inevitable consequences of their
decision. This was the conclusion of Zophar: Every person must eventually deal
with the consequences of his their decision. This is a good conclusion which
applies to much of humanity.
JEHOVAH GOD AND EVIL
The reply of Jehovah God to the complaint of Job is recorded in Job 38-42. In
one respect it is a continuation of the attitude of Elihu. The balance of the divine
rhetoric is Jehovah God giving evidence to Job of His imperviousness and
transcendence to the complaints of humans.
The elements of disease, weather, chance and fate, all exist to impress upon
the human the omnipotence of Jehovah God. Parallel with this is the inability
and futility of a human attempting to defy the Supreme Deity with a deliberate
violation of His divine instruction and moral code. There is no way for a
person to oppose predetermined destiny implemented by Jehovah God, and a person
is even more futile to suppose some complaint or allocation of blame will be of
any benefit. All a person can do is best deal with every storm for the outcome
to be as little disruptive as possible.
The best of every situation can be handled with a observance of the moral code
of Jehovah God. Matt 7:24-27. Then a person has their life, their family, their
community, built upon a rock, and they will personally endure to the end of
their life without abandoning faith in the true and living God.
THE SATAN
An immortal rebel living in the realm of spirit or in heaven is an
impossibility. There is no place for such a concept in divine theology. The
fact that Jehovah God is the sole source of all existence, as discussed earlier
in this treatise, leaves no room for a concept of a spirit adversary. The fact
that Jehovah God would create such an entity or even permit such a revolt in
the heavens against His authority, as popularized in Christian sermons and
commentaries, is ludicrous. Jehovah God could never proceed with the
fulfillment of the counsel of His will if every move had to face an obstacle
and adversary that had to be defeated or fought. Jehovah God would likewise not
have sole authority and possession in the realm of spirit if it had to be
shared with another authority whose intent was only to disrupt and interfere
with His intents. Bible translators have arbitrarily rendered the Hebrew word
satan as adversary when referring to a person, or as a transliteration into
satan to refer to a personal entity, depending on their purpose.
Generally speaking, Satan does not occupy in Judaism the central place that he
takes in Christianity; Satan in Christianity is almost like the God of Evil of
the Persians.
The Hebrew satan means adversary or enemy. It is used throughout the OT and NT
to refer directly to people or as the embodiment of evil. A few examples will
indicate this.
Num 22:22, 32. The word satan is first used in the Bible in this passage of
Balaam and his donkey. Here it refers to a messenger of heaven who appeared to
Balaam as an adversary to hinder his travel to Balak. The heavenly messenger is
not a personal satan; he appears here as an adversary to Balaam.
1 Sam 24:4. David king would be an adversary (Heb. satan) to the Philistines in
the battle against Saul.
2 Sam 19:22. Abishai, a son of Zeruiah, was an adversary (Heb. satan) to David,
in his effort to secure stability for his kingdom.
1 King 11:14. Jehovah God moved Hadad the Edomite to become an adversary (Heb.
satan) to Solomon. The same word is used also 1 King 11:23,25.
1 Chron 21:1 compared with 2 Sam 24:1. Jehovah God sent some person as an
adversary (Heb. satan) to urge David to conduct a census.
Matt 16:23. Peter apostle could not grasp the necessity of the criminal
execution of Jesus. He was called an adversary (Gk. satana) to Jesus’ purpose
by him.
2 Cor 12:7. A physical malady was an adversary, satan, to Paul apostle, to
restrain him from becoming over elated or egocentric as a result of his
revelations. This thorn in the flesh may have been his poor eyesight. Gal
4:13,15.
The messenger that had the idea of testing Job to determine the intent of Job’s
faith and loyalty to Jehovah God was called satan or adversary. But Job did not
attribute any of the calamities that befell him to the satan or adversary. Job
1:22, 2:10.
The word satan is also used allegorically as the embodiment of evil and
temptation, including the corruption of the Roman Empire.
1 Tim 1:20. Hymenaeus and Alexander were excommunicated from the Messianic
community.
1 Tim 5:15. The unmarried young widows began to conduct themselves immorally,
not having a legitimate husband in the faith.
Acts 5:3. Ananais succumbed to temptation to hoard money from the sale of his
property.
Rev 2:13. An great adversary of the purpose of Jehovah God resided in the city
Pergamum and who had considerable influence and authority.
In all these examples, typical of Scripture, the Hebrew satan is used to either
refer to a person who served as an adversary to some purpose, some instigator,
a malady, and is used to refer to evil or temptation in general.
THE DEVIL
The actual meaning of the Greek diabolos is calumniator or [false] accuser.
Much like the word satan, it is translated based on the whims of translators,
depending whether the passage can incline toward proving a personal devil. In
actual usage in the NT, it refers to people who serve as false-accusers and as
the embodiment of evil. Just as Jesus referred to Peter as an adversary (Heb.
satana), he referred to Judas as an accuser (Gr. diabolos). Judas in his
betrayal of Jesus proved to be a false-accuser.
2 Tim 3:3. Men of Christian office should not be false accusers (Gk. diaboloi).
2 Tim 3:11. Titus 2:3. Wives of deacons and the aged women are not to be
slanderers. (Gk. diabolos).
Rev 2:9-10, used conjointly with satan. Some false-accusers were present in
Smyrna, who were to condemn to prison certain Christians.
In other passages the word diabolos is used as the embodiment of evil. The
result of succumbing to temptation, committing a crime, involvement in sin, all
of this is reflected in the word devil.
1 John 3:3. Heb 2:14. The actual authority over life, its beginning and through
its termination, is the possession of Jehovah God. He as creator determines the
beginning of a persons life and its termination. Deut 32:39. Matt 10:29. The
practice of sin and crime by a person leads to the premature termination of
their life. Rom 6:23. This is the devil, the embodiment of the evil impulse in
a person. Jesus came to destroy him that had the power of death, the accuser
(diabolos). By overcoming sin, death is destroyed. Through Jesus a person can
gain the victory over sin and temptation and so triumph. 1 Cor 15:55, 57.
He who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil sinned from the
beginning. The reason the son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the
devil. 1 John 3:8.
This statement is true and in accord with Rom 6:12. Whoever conducts themselves
inappropriately, in sin and crime and vice is a slave to the devil, to the evil
impulse evolving from their body. It is not some supernatural spirit of
other-world entity that tempts or leads a person into self-destruction, it is
the person themselves. Jam 1:14-15.
Rev 12:7 and 9, using both terms, adversary and false-accuser (satan and
devil). They signify temptation and the destructiveness of succumbing to
temptation. This is equally represented by the figure of a great dragon. With
the resurrection of Jesus a person can withstand and endure temptation and not
succumb to it.
The passage of Is 14:12-20 does not prove any rebellion in the realm of spirit
by some magnificent angel with his subsequent fall and banishment. This passage
pertains to the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. It is also addressed in Dan
4:1-37, in his vision of the tree that toppled over. Because of his success
Nebuchadnezzar became proud. Jehovah God then defeated his pride and reduced
him to a state of an animal to impress upon him the sovereignty of Jehovah God.
The passage of Exe 28:11-19, follows the same vein here pertaining to the king
of Tyre.
There is no evidence in Scripture to indicate existence of some evil force in
the realm of spirit.
DEMONS
The pseudo-gods of mythology and superstition are referred to as devils and
demons in Scripture. The idols or material representations of these
pseudo-deities are also called devils and demons. This is apparent initially in
OT passages.
Deut 32:7. Ps 106:36-38. Translated as demons, the Heb. shed, actually means
spoiler or destroyer.
Ps 96:5. The gods of the gentiles are figments of their imagination.
In the NT the same vein continues with the use of demons and devils referring
to the pseudo-deities of mythology and superstition.
1 Cor 10:20-21. The adherents of cult mystery religions of Greece and Rome
dedicated their feasts and sacrifices to their particular deity. The Christians
were to dedicate their supper to Jehovah God the sole and supreme deity, and
were not to participate in feasts or sacrifices honoring some pseudo-deity or
superstition.
1 Tim 4:1. The doctrine of demons are those of the cult mystery religions.
The other use of demons is that of the physically and mentally ill. It was the
general consensus of the population of early eras that diseases were the result
of demon possession. Today we know that disease is organic in nature, caused by
bacteria or virus, neural damage or abnormal fetal development, effects of
foreign chemicals on the body, and other similar causes. Mental illness is the
result of chemical imbalance or the effects of a damaging social environment.
Pain leading to abnormal behavior was discussed above.
Matt 17:15-18. Jesus cured an epileptic. Matthew describes it in the terms of
his day, as Jesus expelling a demon or foreign entity residing in the person.
The demon in this situation is the person’s neural damage.
Matt 12:22, Mark 9:17. The people felt that deafness, blindness, dumbness, were
caused by a demon residing in the person. The people viewed the healing as
though the malady-possessing demon was vacating the body.
Matt 8:30-31. The 2 demoniacs of Gadara had some loathsome disease that
definitely caused them much pain and discomfort, to the point that it affected
their personality and their ability to act normally. For this reason they were
labeled demoniac. When these men were healed, their disease was transferred
into the swine. This disease then affected the swine, causing them pain and
anguish. They became disoriented as they ran and so all went off the edge of a
cliff and into the sea.
Jesus in casting out demons was removing the foreign substance causing the
disease or deformity. All the uses of demons in Scripture can be explained in
logical terms. Even though not every healing was discussed the concept of this
section would equally apply to them and can be logically explained.
PART FIVE
JUDGEMENT AND RESTORATION
JUDGMENT
There are several passages in Scripture that indicate a serious inquiry in
retrospect. This is the judgment of Jehovah God: every individual will face the
results of their actions and words and will have to reap the results of them.
These are the most important of passages that dealing with this unavoidable
event. With actions of a beneficial nature the judgment is concluded with a
reward. With actions of an injurious nature the judgment is concluded with
appropriate discipline or punishment.
For he will render to very person according to their works. Rom 2:6.
For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each may
receive good or evil, according to what they have done in the body. 2 Cor 5:10
Behold I come quickly and bring my recompense with me to render to every person
for what they have done. Rev 22:12.
And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had
done. Rev 20:12.
For this Person will come with his messengers in the glory of his Father, and
then he will recompense every person for what they have done. Matt 16:27.
All of these passages may or may not refer to the same event. This is not
important. The point to be made is that judgment by Jehovah God is definite and
inevitable. There definitely will be occurrences in our life for Jehovah God to
intervene with his judgment. This pertains to this life as well as the future.
Jehovah God may intervene at any time into a person's life to execute His
purpose. The judgment of Jehovah God extends to all created humanity of all
ages, generations, nations, races, and religions. There are no exceptions to
the rule of judgment. Once an individual reaches that age where they can
distinguish conduct, when they can recognize why certain conduct is acceptable
and other conduct is not, then the judgment is instituted. The standards are
not imposed in their entirety at one time, but gradually as a person matures
and develops the ability to accept responsibility.
The only exceptions to judgement are that of physical retardation and mental
impairment. In these situations the individual is physically incapable of
distinguishing types of conduct.
With Jehovah God the popular modern claim of innocence by reason of insanity
has no validity. Mental illness and insanity is a personal choice. That
individual is still responsible for their conduct. The author contends that the
first character trait of Rev 21:8, refers to the so-called mentally ill.
Regularly translated as fearful or cowardly, it refers to those that claim
excuse from their criminal activities due to some psychological impairment or
neurosis or psychotic state. This author rejects all mental illness as valid
reason or excuse not to live and conduct one self as a decent, law-abiding and
moral citizen, and they are equally subject to the judgment as any other mature
adult.
SIN AS CRIME
Sin is a word that has lost its original meaning and impact. No longer does the
population call some inappropriate activity sinful or that some specific
activity was sin. The word itself in the Hebrew means to miss the mark. It is
also translated in the negative form in Judg 20:16, where the passage refers to
some left-handed men who could sling a stone and not miss the mark. The Hebrew
word chata, is translated sin about 200 times, and in related ways in the
balance of uses. For our modern usage it would be more accurate to replace the
word sin with its contemporary equivalent of crime. Sin is crime, because it is
missing the mark of fulfillment of the law of Jehovah God. When Jehovah God
judges the people because of their sins, it is because of their crimes. When a
person commits a sin he is committing a crime, a violation of the law of
Jehovah God.
THE REASON FOR JUDGEMENT
Before dealing with the manner that Jehovah God will execute judgment, the
reason for the necessity of judgment must first be dealt with. In simple terms
the reason can be stated: Jehovah God must impress upon every individual the
need for personal responsibility for actions. The basis for personal
responsibility stems from the fact that every individual is a free moral agent.
Humans are created with the ability to choose, to decide for themselves their
actions, attitudes, opinions and intentions. This is a great gift that Jehovah
God has given to every created human. As a free moral agent every human can act
as he or she so chooses. Decisions are made based on the desire or motivation
or interest of the individual. This is free will or volition. So in this light
Jehovah God views all actions as the result of the free volition of an
individual, meaning, that every act is directly or indirectly the result of a
choice by the individual.
Nobody and nothing can force an individual to act in any manner against their
will. Somewhere along the line the individual will make the choice to either
yield and succumb to some influence, temptation, deception, intimidation,
threat or torture, or else will decide to resist. Even with pressure applied
the decision to yield is one of the will. The difficulty to force people to act
in a manner opposite to their will has annoyed investigators, inquisitors,
torturers and persecutors throughout the ages. The will is an immaterial
entity, while the flesh is material. The 2 are alien substances, and the impact
of pain upon the flesh will not necessarily force the will to comply. In
history, individuals have endured the most cruel and inhumane tortures devised
rather than submit their will to another. Torture racks, burning at the stake,
incarceration, public shame and disgrace, exile, and every possible method
devised has been utilized to change some person's mind about a matter or for
them to conduct themselves differently. But the human will has withstood all
efforts and claims, and can if it so chooses regardless of the consequences.
The choices a person makes depending on personal preference or external
influence occurs regularly, day to day, and several times each day if not each
hour. What a person decides to do with their life, education, vocation, family,
business, religion, is a freedom that is immeasurable. Many of these choices
are moral decisions: right or wrong. But it is not without its consequences.
Free will is invaluable, but there is a steep price to be paid for it, and that
price is personal responsibility. Free will is inseparable from responsibility.
This is the basis for the necessity of a judgment. For every harm, injury, or
infraction, the crime committed against another, or even self-inflicted injury,
there must be personal responsibility for the results. The personal
responsibility will surface in either repentance and restitution, or in
judgment resulting in an appropriate penalty.
How will judgement be executed? Some how, some where, and at some time, Jehovah
God will intervene in a manner of His own selection and impress upon that
individual their responsibility for the crime and its long term results by way
of a penalty and discipline. Jehovah God will impose the penalty on the
individual by way of some physical punishment, psychological depression,
deprivation of freedom, health or status, or even by way of the deprivation of
life, execution. In this manner will Jehovah God demand an account from
individuals for crimes committed, whether against another individual, against
themselves, against nature and the environment or against the safety and
welfare of society. This judgment can equally apply to crimes committed to a
family, city, religion or nation, just as much as to an individual.
In various periods and recently, a tragedy occurring to an individual has not
been considered as the sentence of Jehovah God for a crime committed. It was
just some occurrence that resulted on its own: accident, illness, injury or
even death, but it seems not and never because of the displeasure of Jehovah
God. Accidents do occur on a regular basis that have serious results and
consequences. But the focus here is that Jehovah God definitely intervenes into
a person's life and will require an account from that person. The natural
consequences of defying and violating the divine instruction of Jehovah God is
the sentence and execution of Jehovah God. However a person refuses to
acknowledge all of the above and many others, for any crime committed, for
unrepentant sin, Jehovah God will impose His penalty. The list of crimes
continues: those related to theft, deceit and fraud; those related to violence,
abuse, and murder; those related to manipulation, lying and connivance; those
related to false-religion, paganism and superstition; and personal secret vices
that harm the individual and others. The vices leading to judgement and penalty
are innumerable. Upon them all is the swift and prolonged executed sentence of
Jehovah God and inescapable under the circumstances.
In all these situations, unless a heartfelt repentance and conversion is
carried out in due time Jehovah God will intervene with His penalty, to force
them to accept personal responsibility for crimes committed. On an individual
basis each will suffer the identical anguish and pain of their victim. Each
will experience the results of the maltreatment or infraction or infringement
imposed on the other until such time that the sentence is completed and
accomplishes the purpose in discipline and penalty.
JUDGEMENT AND THE CONSCIENCE
One facet of human nature bestowed on His created humanity is the conscious. It
acts as a means of indicating guilt in those areas where the revealed divine
instruction of Jehovah God is either unavailable or not specific to the situation.
The role of the conscious applies to those nations where the divine instruction
is not available. Paul apostle writes of their judgment in these terms:
All who have sinned (committed crimes) without the law will also perish without
the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law… on
that day when according to my gospel God judges the secrets of men by Messiah
Jesus. Rom 2:12, 16.
They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while the
conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps
excuse them. Rom 2:15.
In these societies where the principles of conduct and behavior are established
based on the conscience the judgment of Jehovah God is based on the same code.
This first pertains to the individual, and second to the society. To what
extent an individual may be excused for some conduct considered unacceptable or
criminal in the law of Jehovah God but considered acceptable in that barbarian
or aboriginal society cannot be determined. Every individual must only realize
that the judgment of Jehovah God is and will be just, and justice will be
served in every situation.
To be judged outside the law is an individual committing a crime in defiance to
their own conscience. Paul apostle mentions the following characteristic of
some:
"whose consciences are seared with a hot iron." 1 Tim 4:2
Individuals do exist whose consciences have been evacuated of any emotion or
sensation. They have no conscience. To commit a crime does not impose on them
any remorse or feeling of guilt or feeling of any wrongdoing. There is no
identification with the victims of their crime. Such people are judged by
Jehovah God outside the law because their crime was committed outside the law,
with a seared conscience. This is also mentioned in Eze 36:26. Stone is
inanimate. The heart of stone has no feeling or sensation. For a person to have
feeling and sensation, they must have a heart of flesh. Such a heart will have
sympathy, remorse, guilt and generate repentance and conversion.
THE GREAT WHITE THRONE
The responsibility of the judgement of the living and the dead at the
conclusion of the existing age and at the initiation of the age of restoration
and eternity rests with Emmanuel, Jesus Messiah son of God. This delegation of
responsibility is noted in Scripture. The following are the words of Jesus
himself, Paul apostle and Peter apostle.
The Father judges no one but has given all judgement to the son. John 5:22.
But now [God] commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a
day on which He will judge the world in rectitude by a person whom He has
appointed, and of this He has given assurance to all people by raising him from
death. Acts 17:30-31.
And [God] commanded us to preach to people and to testify that [Jesus] is the
one ordained by God to be judge of the living and dead. Acts 10:42.
Because of Jesus’ life on earth as a human, having experienced all that a human
will experience, he becomes the most appropriate candidate for the responsibility
of judge.
And I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it, and from him presence
earth and sky fled and no place was found for them. Rev 20:11.
The pain that the convicted will endure when the penalty is executed upon this
will be no less than as if they were in a lake of fire. Rev 20:15, 21:8. This
is the Scriptural allegory that is used to describe the pain and anguish,
whether physical or psychological, that is to be endured by the convicted in
their execution. In this torment the victim will feel the pain and anguish and
suffering that was imposed on others as a result of their crime.
The author wonders whether the cries at this time and the pain will be due to
the personal punishment imposed for the crime or violation, or due to the regret
by the convicted for having committed such a crime once they answer for their
actions at the white throne. Regret for committing some crime and especially a
heinous crime has forced perpetrators to suicide after realizing the intensity
of the crime. This author wonders whether this is the intent of the books at
the judgement of the great white throne. The books are symbolic of the infinite
memory of Jehovah God, and opening these books symbolizes reminding every
person standing before the throne of their activity on earth. And not just the
activity but their effects and impact on others into the future. The one
reminded of all this with its intense impact on their emotion, and without any
defense of their own, stands as if naked. Rev 16:15. So did Adam stand naked
before Jehovah God after his sin. Gen 3:11. He had lost his clothing of
righteousness. The pain to be endured at this time is only comparable to a lake
of fire.
Jehovah God summarily executes the sentence upon the unrepentant both in this
life and in the life to come. It is executed in this life in order for the
violator or criminal to cease their misconduct so as not to harm or damage any
more lives, and this will serve as a threat to others. In the future life also
will such a judgement manifest itself, so no individual would ever think that
they can escape a crime.
You have blotted out their name for ever and ever… The very memory of them has
perished. Ps 9:5-6.
But the wicked perish. The enemies of Jehovah are like the glory of the
pastures: they vanish, like smoke they vanish away. Ps 37:20.
The second death is just as much a reality as their first death. A person
cannot live long in a fire: it devours the body and the bones and only ashes
remain. This is the final termination and total annihilation of the individual
whose name is not written in the book of life in the possession of the Lamb.
The regret or conscious penalty for crimes committed will last but a short time
after the verdict is served by the One sitting on the great white throne. Then
the spirit will again leave the body never to enliven it again and the body
will dissolve into the elements. The soul or identity of the individual
vanishes at this time, as if it never existed.
BOOK OF LIFE
The fact that there is some type of record in the realm of the spirit, heaven,
that deals with life and performance on earth should be no surprise. A book in
allegorical terms refers to memory. Jehovah God has an infinite memory. As
mentioned earlier, Jehovah God views the progress of billions of years time in
the same manner as a person views a map. Viewing the past in this manner it is
easy for Jehovah God to bring to the attention of any person in any age and in
any area his previous conduct. This record of the activity of every person is mentioned
in Rev 20:12-13. It is one of those books that were opened so every human could
be judged by his conduct in the earthly life. The repentant who enter the city
Jerusalem which descends from heaven have their names written in the book of
life in the possession of the Lamb.
But nothing unclean shall enter it;… but only those who are written in the
Lamb’s book of life. Rev 21:27.
Another book is termed the book of life. This is the record in heaven of those
who are to enter the new holy city Jerusalem, there to receive eternal life.
They are part of Jehovah God's spiritual kingdom, or those who are the
spiritual sons and daughters of Jehovah God, however that Jehovah God should
determine that a certain person should enter His city for permanent eternal
residence. Those that meet this criteria have their names recorded in this
book. And the converse is also true, those who will not enter this city
Jerusalem in the restoration are deleted from entry in this book of life.
The initial mention of such a record is in the passage where Moses intercedes
for the people of Israel after they defy and deny Jehovah God by creating a
molten calf. They acknowledged this molten calf as representing the deity which
freed them from slavery in Egypt. Out of the concern that Moses has for his
people, realizing the type of people they are, Moses tells Jehovah God.
“But now if You will forgive their sin – and if not blot me, I pray of you, out
of Your book which You have written.” Ex 32:32.
But the reply of Jehovah God to Moses is. “Whoever has sinned against me, him
will I blot out of My book.” Ex 32:33.
The result is the removal or erasure of the names of the perpetrators. The fact
that they no longer proceeded with the people of Israel, dying at the foot of
the mountain Sinai in the period immediately following the incident, is
parallel with Rev 21:27: that the spiritually unclean have no share in the city
of Jehovah God. David Psalm-writer in Ps 69:22-28, beseeches Jehovah God to
impose His penalty on the criminals and enemies of Jehovah God of his era. One
of the penalties requested of David is that their name be blotted out of the
book of the living. Ps 69:28. Meaning that they have no more share with those
alive, but now their fate is with the deceased. This would likewise apply to
the future promises of Jehovah God to live again as the following passage
indicates.
Both Jesus Messiah and Daniel prophet mention the deliverance of people whose
name is discovered written in a book.
And at that time your people, every one who is found written in the book, will
be rescued. Dan 12:1-2.
"Rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20.
Again the same record in heaven and the subsequent reward after the deliverance
is the resurrection to life. Dan 12:3. Those who names are not discovered in
this book will face shame and endless contempt.
The author contends that the members of the assembly of the first-born who are
enrolled in heaven are those whose names are written in this book of life. This
passage in Heb 12:23, has been translated various ways, but in essence it is
the membership list of the assembly of the living God.
Paul apostle mentions that the names of his fellow believers are written in the
book of life. Phil 4:3.
THE MEMORY OF JEHOVAH GOD
The memory of Jehovah God is infinite in accord with His capacity of supreme
creator. He knows the end from the beginning. Is 46:10. This is because He
initiated all history for its fulfillment on earth. It is people who forget
because memory is organic, and only to the extent of the capability and
development of the human mind. With Jehovah God, His memory is infinite.
In order for judgement to be effective the memory of the events first must not
be forgotten. It must be kept in detail regarding the time, place and extent of
crime as well as the extent of injury to the victims. The judgement will
pertain to all perpetrators involved, whether directly or indirectly involved,
along with the effect of the crime or violation on others, both directly or
indirectly affected. All of this is retained in the memory of Jehovah God. A
book is used in Scripture allegorically to pertain to the memory of Jehovah
God.
In Your book were written every one of them, the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there were none of them. Ps 139:16.
Then those who feared Jehovah spoke with one another; Jehovah heeded and heard
them and a book of remembrance was written in His presence of those who feared
Jehovah and thought on His name. Mal 3:16.
And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had
done. Rev 20:12. Dan 7:10.
The second primary ability for the judgement to be effective is the ability of
Jehovah God to make the perpetrator and violator aware of the crime and sin and
its impact on others. The person standing before judgement at the great white
throne must have all their faculties restored after resurrection in order to
understand the indictment and evidence. Somehow the indictment will be read
with the evidence, recorded for centuries or millennia. The indictment will
penetrate the soul of the person who must answer for their action.
This ability to make a person fully cognizant of their crime and its effect on
others is an important facet for the sentence and execution to be effective and
legitimate. This is because of denial. The human has an infinite capacity of
denial. This was noticed by psychologists researching the life of perpetrators
of atrocities, holocausts, genocides, organized extermination of human lives,
and ruthless killers. The ability to deny ever harming another person is deep
rooted in the instinct of survival. Denial is prevalent among those who commit
the most heinous of crimes, to those who commit the most petty.
The ability of Jehovah God is not only to present acts of distant past to the
person on trial, but also to open up that person’s own memory, their awareness,
of the event. Jehovah God will cause every person at judgement to remember
themselves in detail, their own deed and its effect on others. The judgement
becomes self-fulfilling. With no longer any ability to deny what occurred the
person is left to face the consequences of their own deed. The impact of
realization will cause the defendant, now with no defense, to dissolve into the
elements.
THE REPENTANT AT JUDGEMENT
With a sincere repentance and conversion the sins of these people are no longer
recorded in the annals of heaven. Their crime, violations, vices and other acts
of impropriety have been erased from the memory of Jehovah God.
I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not
remember your sins. Is 43:25.
Repent therefore and return that your sins may be erased, in order that times
of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19.
In their place will be recorded activities of virtue, benevolence, philanthropy
and kindness. Rather than discredit heard on the day of judgement, a confession
of their merits will be announced on behalf of the repentant. They will hear an
invitation to enter the eternal kingdom.
Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world. Matt 25:34.
They will enter the new holy city Jerusalem as their new residence, which shall
descend out of heaven and onto the restored earth.
RESTORATION
The conversion or restoration of the earth at the beginning of the distant age
yet to arrive is a fact that is heralded throughout the Scriptures from its
beginnings. This concept is dealt with throughout the Bible. This is the hope
that humanity longs for. Humanity of every generation, locale, gender, race and
nationality have sensed a need and the necessity of world restoration. There
has not been a time in the life of any individual that he or she has not felt
the absolute necessity of a conversion or restoration of this world to a state
of perfect environment. Not only feeling or sensing such a need, but knowing as
a concrete fact that at some time in distant future there definitely will occur
a massive upheaval in the environment, in the constituency and nature of all
living creation that will result in a perfect climate, environment, and state
of human and animal existence. This new state will be one of both physical and
moral perfection. First pertaining to immortality: an environment without
disease, injury, weakness, age, or any physical flaws or handicaps. The second
pertains to its moral condition: an environment without hate, malice, war,
bloodshed, psychological or mental illness, disrespect or even discourtesy.
This innate conviction stems from a natural realization inherent in the human
constitution that existence cannot continue forever the way the world has and
is progressing. Every person views and experiences the flaws and shortcoming in
their life and concludes what Jehovah God has impressed upon their minds, that
it can be better and will be and one day all creation and environment will
experience a massive metamorphosis for the better.
He has also put eternity into a person’s mind, yet so they cannot find out what
God has done from beginning to end. Eccl 3:11.
Such impulse resides not only in humans but also in animals and other
organisms. This is an invisible attribute that forms part of the nature of
organisms, a similar realism of decay and flaw combined with a desire to attain
that era of perfection.
Because the creation will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the
glorious liberty of the children of God. Rom 8:21.
The prophecy for such restoration no doubt stems back to the era just after the
fall or initial catastrophe that altered the condition of existence and
environment to the present condition, although no record exists. The general
passages of restoration are primarily the words of Isaiah prophet and Ezekiel
prophet. Later John apostle received such a revelation. Rev 21. When this will
occur is not evident, nor is it revealed to us in any passage of Scripture. The
concept of time for Jehovah God is different than the concept that exists on
earth and other areas of the universe.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass
away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the
earth and the words that are upon it will be burned up. 2 Pet 3:10,12.
The manner for such a violent metamorphosis is described by Peter apostle: A
new environment will arise out of the ashes of the old. This concept was held
by many Jews of that time, just as Martha replied to Jesus Messiah regarding
her brother Lazarus.
I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. John 11:24.
The devout Jews of the era were aware of a massive upheaval of the imperfect
world at its termination for it to be replaced and to initiate the perfect
world. Martha was well aware of this.
THE NEW SETTLEMENT
The new resettlement of the earth can be compared to the situation of Noah
after the flood: out of his sole family Jehovah God was to populate the new
world. With this one family Jehovah God was to create a righteous humanity
which would fill the earth generation after generation. The same intent applies
to the era after the restoration: one family will survive the upheaval of
nature and environment. One family will survive the annihilation of the present
temporal and flawed creation, an annihilation by fire. The new family to resettle
the new world is the family of Jehovah God, His sons and daughters who have
attained maturity during their earthly career. This family has Jesus Messiah as
their eldest brother. Rom 8:29. The initial population will consist of his
younger brethren who he has led unto maturity, unto the fullness of his own
stature as son of Jehovah God. Eph 4:13. This new family will be a new Adam and
Eve, new progenitors of a new righteous humanity to continue generation after
generation. What Adam and Eve failed to do, their future counterparts will
accomplish.
Noah with his wife, sons and daughters-in-law began a new life on earth after
the upheaval of the world-wide flood, a land devastated, consisting of mud and
swamp, the stench of decayed corpses of millions of souls who drowned in the
waters. The surviving residents were to learn from the mistakes of those who
perished. Hopefully the future generations would not repeat the same. Yet they
overcame all obstacles and began a new civilization. So will the new family of
Jehovah God enter a world of ashes and charred remains of cities and
civilizations and corpses of those sentenced to die. Is 66:16,24.
One passage of Isaiah prophet applies to this era of reconstruction. Is
33:17-24. The remains of hospitals and cemeteries, fortresses and munitions’
factories and military bases will remind the new inhabitants of the doomed
failure of previous generations who violated the covenant of Jehovah God. The
ruins of coliseums, skyscrapers, granite government buildings, churches and
cathedrals with towering steeples and massive domes will witness to the failure
of previous generations to develop a righteous humanity, one based on their own
terms and concepts and not those of Jehovah God. These remains of the failure
of previous eras will be relics of the temporal age, a reminder to the new
eternal kingdom. The ruins of cemeteries and mausoleums and tombstones will
witness to the sentence of Jehovah God upon the sinful nature of the human of
earlier ages. The inhabitants of the new eternal world will view the artifacts
of previous ages as a museum of ancient history and civilization, to remind
them what does occur to created humanity and environment and civilization
should they turn against the divine instruction of Jehovah God and follow their
own inclination.
The eternal kingdom will arise on this earth, the residence which Jehovah God
prepared for created humanity. The manner of continuous population or
procreation during this eternal era is a point not readily defined by Scripture
or distinguishable. The reason apparently being, Jehovah God retaining such
secrets for this future era, not to be divulged to any human of the present
age. Jesus Messiah made the statement, that in the resurrection, those who
accept such a transformed body will in some way match or be identified with the
messengers of Jehovah God who reside in heaven, the realm of spirit.
For those who attain the resurrection will not marry or be given in marriage,
since they will be like the messengers in heaven. Matt 22:30.
Whether this excludes marital relations as the manner of conception, or
excludes marriage totally or even childbirth cannot be fully ascertained. The
passages is ambiguous for several reasons. One is that the attributes of
messengers in heaven that pertain to marriage is not clearly defined. A second
is that the translation from Aramaic into Greek may have lost some of the
substance of his words. That some interpreters construe this to mean that the
resurrected individual will fly about with wings in the clouds wearing a white
robe, a halo and strumming a harp deviates from its intended meaning and is not
consistent with the balance of Scripture.
One item to be gleaned from this passage is that the carnal facet of marital
relations will not be present, since the transformed body will no longer retain
this capacity. No doubt in both these situations an attitude between the
genders of greater perfection will replace one based on impulse of sexual union
and desire for procreation as a means of survival of themselves through their
offspring. Likewise the need for marriage and procreation as a personal
fulfillment of being male and female will likewise dissipate. Every male and
every female will be complete in themselves. The relationship will be a perfect
one. (This author personally finds it difficult to visualize marital relations
continuing in the eternal world.) But exactly how this will be perfected is yet
undefined and will remain so until those worthy enough to attain the
resurrection finally do so.
Any more description beyond this is conjecture. This author considers this
amount to be sufficient for the reader without hypothesizing on what may or may
not occur during this eternal era without Scriptural evidence.
THE NEW WORLD TO COME
The final witness to the restoration is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor
2:10. This is the evidence of the world to come gifted to every believer. It is
through the manifestation of the Spirit of Jehovah God in ourselves that the
belief in the restoration is permanently etched upon the mind and heart of
every member of the spiritual Israel. The Spirit testifies that the sons and
daughters of Jehovah God will attain the maturity destined for him and her
during this eternal era of restoration. This maturity begun on earth in our
mortal body will attain a perfection in the immortal body. The intent of
Jehovah God for the long term purpose of the millions of years into the future
is not defined by Scripture. This eternal life is millions of years or even
billions of years long according to time as we measure it. Unaging and
development unto a perfection while involved in activities that give growth to
the kingdom.
The specific activities of this eternal era is not defined in Scripture,
neither is the long term purpose. It would not be conjecture though to conclude
that some divine intent is reserved as far as ascension further into the
maturity that belongs to Jehovah God. To attain unto that fullness and stature
and maturity of Jesus Messiah son of Jehovah God is not without purpose.
Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and to the knowledge of the son
of God, to a mature person, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the
fullness of Messiah. Eph 4:13.
This could possibly be only conjecture that such a route is required for those
Jehovah God has predestined in order to raise them unto divinity. This would
occur not for their own sake, but as fulfillment of greater purpose or
responsibility in the future as determined for them by Jehovah God.
Then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after
destroying every rule and authority and power…. When all things are subjected
to Him, then the son himself will also be subjected to Him who put all things
under him, that God may be all in all. 1 Cor 15:24, 28.
That you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Eph 3:19.
The universe contains millions of fully equipped galaxies. Each galaxy contains
millions of stars, each star representative of a solar system like our own.
This author will only conjecture here that these millions of solar system
planets like our own may have to be developed for habitation, and a complete
environmental system implemented, and plants and animals created to fill the
planet, and then populated with human like ourselves. Could this conjecture
possibly be the future of the human residing within the will of Jehovah God and
His covenant? For him and her to eventually accept the responsibility of
further development of other planets will have the purpose to even more glorify
and magnify Jehovah God for His overabounding love for all creation.
RESURRECTION
The resurrection or resuscitation of a corpse unto life is less or just as
improbable than the generation of new original life from sperm and ovum. If a person
can accept original generation proceeding from marital relations of the 2
genders, it is equally possible to accept the reconstitution of a person who
was alive at some earlier period. As discussed earlier, the person, the
individual, is the soul. This soul is the identity of that person. But for the
soul to have consciousness it must have a tangible and healthy body: either
male or female. As humans, the tendency is to identify the body as the person,
because every person looks different. The body becomes the identity of the
person. If this same soul or identity was assigned to a body having a different
appearance or shape, we would not accept it. Paul apostle describes it as
follows:
For our residence is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for the Savior,
the Lord Jesus Messiah, who will transform our wasted body to be identical with
the body of his glory, by the exertion of the power he has to subject all
things to himself. Phil 3:20-21.
If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from death resides in you, He who raised
Messiah Jesus from death will give life to your mortal bodies also through His
Spirit which resides in you. Rom 8:11.
The initial facet of resurrection is reconstitution. At this assigned time,
Jehovah God will dictate the order to His Spirits, those that fulfill His
activity of creation. They will reassemble a body with similar appearance and
form as their previous body. The work will proceed in the same manner as
progenitors Adam and Eve were formed. Into this reconstituted body the breathe
of the Almighty will again enter and the soul assigned this appearance and form
will gain consciousness. Specifically what age or what stature or what
semblance of that person of his or her early life will constitute their
physical image is yet to be determined. What will change will be the physical
nature and moral nature of the individual. Paul apostle used the best terms he
possible could in his era to describe the constitution of the new body, a
physical nature adapted for immortal existence. 1 Cor 15:35-41.
The 2nd facet of resurrection pertains to the experience of the individual
himself in regaining the life departed from him or her for millennia or
minutes. The experience of Lazarus in resurrection as expected was discussed
earlier in this volume: his lapse into oblivion and subsequent reconstitution
and wakening. In addition, this author will utilize 2 basic events that a
typical human experiences that will convey the closest parallel to regaining
consciousness.
This author several years ago had to undergo oral surgery to remove wisdom
teeth. The oral surgeon recommended sodium penathol as the best anesthesia for
the surgery. As the sodium penathol was pumped into my body the physician asked
me to begin counting. As I counted I lapsed into a state of total oblivion. How
much time passed under anesthesia I could not determine. The next mental
acknowledgement was that of waking up, recovering from anesthesia. Even though
this appeared to be timeless oblivion without awareness or sensation of pain or
even existence, several hours had passed. I remembered and felt absolutely
nothing between the time I lapsed under the effect of the anesthesia and when I
began to regain consciousness. The pain I would have felt during surgery had I
not been under anesthesia I would not have been able to tolerate. This author
considers this as the same personal experience of death and resurrection. As a
person terminates their life they pass unto their eternal sleep, and as a
person resurrects they regain their consciousness.
THE DAY OF THE TRUMPET
Another description utilized in Scripture is the sudden wake due to the sound
of a trumpet. In both the ancient and contemporary military recruits are
wakened in the morning by a trumpet call. A recruit could be fast asleep, in a
sound sleep, and suddenly this loud blast of sound penetrates his ears and he
suddenly awakens. Likewise the sound of thunder or some other loud noise at
night will startle the sound sleeper and quickly waken them. We open our eyes
and look about us and wonder what it was that wakened us. It is not unusual for
a person very tired in the evening to lay his head on a pillow and fall asleep
so soundly that the alarm seems to ring no sooner than when their eyes closed,
and it is already morning.
These are the analogies of Scripture.
Then the 7th angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven
saying, “The kingdom of the world has become that of our Lord and of His
Messiah, and he shall reign for ever and ever.” Rev 11:15.
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the
archangel’s call and with the sound of the trumpet of God. 1 Thess 4:16.
In these passages the authors make use of the trumpet sound as a means of
summoning people to gather for a special event. Just as the audible sound of a
trumpet blasted from Mount Sinai to summon the nation of old Israel to
rendezvous Jehovah God, so a spiritual trumpet will sound from the heavens to
summon the entirety of the people of both the old and new Israel and all the
deceased saints from the age to rendezvous the descent of the powers of heaven
for the resurrection of the dead, transformation of the living, and restoration
of the earth. This trumpet blast will be spiritual, it will be the inspiration
or motivation of the Spirit to the living and the loud volume of spiritual
sound will waken the sleeping spirits of the deceased saints. This is the final
trumpet mentioned in 1 Cor 15:52, or 7th trumpet mentioned in Rev 11:15, which
will herald the close of the imperfect age and introduce the eternal and
perfect age.
The trumpet so familiar to the military and civilians of the Roman Empire was
used as an allegory to waken the deceased saints and initiate the restoration.
This author feels the above examples to be reliable to propose as the personal
experience of resurrection.
PART 6
DEPARTURE FROM SCRIPTURE IN HISTORY
INTRODUCTION
This section deals with the deviation from concepts covered in the initial
sections of this volume. This author contends that the previous sections are
accurate, reliable and in total accord with the truth of Jehovah God as
revealed in Sacred Scripture. This author has no doubt that the reader has
noticed a variation between the concepts of this volume with that of historical
and contemporary Christianity. The variation between this volume and historical
Christianity include practically every concept covered.
This section is a historical analysis regarding the deviation of doctrinal
concepts from Scripture to that of historical Christianity. This author
contends that shortly after the 2nd Jewish War of 132-135 AD, the newly formed
churches gradually departed from a Scriptural basis of doctrines and concepts
which existed in the original Messianic communities. These churches that deviated
from the original state of the spiritual Israel were primarily gentile, or
non-Jewish, in membership. The deviation from Scripturally correct concepts
were due to 2 influences and attitudes that prevailed in the gentile membership
and especially in the new generation of non-Jewish church leaders and
apologists.
1. Anti-Semitism.
2. Greek philosophy.
These 2 influences and attitudes which resided in the gentile membership of
Churches operated coincidentally in the following manner: The attitude of anti-Semitism
caused a reduction of respect for the authority of the OT, which subsequently
caused a void in its use and application for deriving Scriptural truth. This
caused an incorrect or incomplete interpretation of the NT. The void was then
filled by Greek philosophy. The anti-Semitism equally affected the Jewish
Messianic communities, who were branded as Judaizers, Ebionites, and heretics.
The defeat of Israel as a nation and their exile from the domain of Jerusalem
shortly after the failed 2nd revolt, that under Semeon bar Kochba in 132-135
BC, inflated the ego of many a gentile preacher of the gospel. Their attitude
was a haughty display of spite against the defeated Israel, that they finally
reaped as they had sown. This likewise gave the non-Jewish membership
justification to promote themselves as the rightful heirs to the kingdom and
promises. But this haughty attitude of gentile church leaders only alienated
them from OT Scripture and all else that comprised the Jewish religion.
This section will not deal with the historical or psychological reasons for
racial or religious prejudice. These aspects of racism and bigotry is well
covered by many authors, especially that dealing with the phenomenon of
anti-Semitism. This section will deal with its historical progress beginning
with the Roman victory over the Jews in both wars of 66-70 AD, and 132-135 AD.
As a comparison, to the extent anti-Semitism exists today in contemporary
Christianity, to the same extent it existed in the latter decades of the 1st
century and succeeding centuries.
ROOTS OF ANTI-SEMITISM
The gentile church was easily able to identify the several defeats of the
Jewish nation as a fulfillment of the prophetic words of Matt 27:25, “His blood
be upon us and our children.” For the typical non-Jew sitting in the pew in
church year after year hearing the same words recited outside of their
historical content the impression would be deep and grave. The parishioner
would easily conclude that the term “us” referred to world-wide Jewry of the
era, and that the term “and our children,” referred to the unending descendents
of these same Jews. The Jews of previous generations were likewise equally
guilty, since they persecuted the earlier prophets. Matt 23:31. This was the
conclusion of the gentile listener: all Jews past and present and into the
infinite future were guilty of the murder of the son of Jehovah God, the hands
of every one of them were stained with the blood of Jesus. This attitude has
been inculcated into the minds of parishioners now for 19 centuries and still
continues.
CLEMENT
The earliest of the letters of the post-apostolic period does not reflect the
anti-Semitic tendency so prevalent beginning with the 2nd century apologists.
The letter of Clement of Rome, composed about 96 AD, still includes some
vestiges of the attitude of the original Messianic communities toward Jews.
"These things therefore being manifest to us, and since we look into the
depths of the divine knowledge, it behooves us to be all things in their proper
order, which the Lord has commanded us to perform at stated times. He has
enjoined offerings to be presented and service to be performed to Him, and that
not thoughtlessly or irregularly but at the appointed times and hours."
The early Messianic communities continued to abide by those obligations still
in effect, those services not abrogated by Jesus Messiah, but now in the light
of the new covenant.
THE BIRTH OF THE SON OF JEHOVAH GOD
The earliest extant documents of the post-apostolic age indicate a belief in
the divine birth of the son from the Father, similar to the concepts stated in
earlier sections of this volume. The following excerpts from Clement of Rome
and Ignatius to Magnesians will indicate this.
"But concerning His Son the Lord spoke thus, “Thou art my Son, today have
I begotten Thee. Ask of Me and I will give Thee the heathen for Thine
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession."
"Do ye therefore all run together as into one temple of God, as to one
altar, as to one Jesus Christ, who came forth from one Father, and is with and
has gone to God."
The author of the 2nd Letter of Clement acknowledges the existence of Jesus as
a Spirit prior to his incarnation.
LETTER OF DIOGNETUS
Beginning with the conclusion of the 2nd Jewish War, writings surfaced with
evidence of anti-Semitism. The anonymous letter to Diognetus excellently
summarizes the anti-Semitic sentiments of the 2nd century AD.
"But as to their scrupulosity concerning meats, and their superstition as
respects the Sabbaths, and their boasting about circumcision, and their fancies
about fasting and the new moons, which are utterly ridiculous and unworthy of
notice."
This letter was composed shortly after the conclusion of the 2nd Jewish War. It
reflects the attitude of gentiles towards Jews prevalent at the time. The
famous philosopher Bertrand Russell also notes the same attitude:
"After the first century, Christianity also crystallized, and the
relations of Judaism and Christianity were wholly hostile and external; as we
shall see, Christianity powerfully stimulated anti-Semitism."
"As soon as the state became Christian, anti-Semitism, in its medieval
form, began, nominally as a manifestation of Christian zeal."
This attitude of superiority and prejudice of non-Jewish members of the
Christian churches toward Jews is well documented, and which was created by the
new generation of Christian leaders themselves.
JUSTIN OF CAESAREA
The apologists of the early church reflected the attitude of the era. These
“Christian” writers were very influential in the Roman world, and so defined
the attitude of the Christian church toward Jews for future generations. Justin
martyr at the early date of 150-165 AD, wrote his Dialogue with Trypho, a Jew.
This massive treatise was intended to convey to the reader the superiority of
Christ and the new Christian church over the Jew and his religion. The dialogue
is actually manufactured and Trypho was no doubt a fictitious character, a
creation of Justin in order to devise comments and rhetoric to the disadvantage
of the Jew of the era and inclined toward Justin’s definition of the new
gentile Christian faith. Interwoven in the treatise is discredit and criticism
of Jews and their religion.
"For the law promulgated on Horeb is now old, and belongs to yourselves
(Jews) alone; but this (gospel) is for all universally."
"For the circumcision according to the flesh, which is from Abraham, was
given for a sign; that you may be separated from other nations and from us; and
that you alone may suffer that which you now justly suffer; and that your land
may be desolate and you cities burned with fire; and that strangers may eat
your fruit in your presence, and not one of you may go up to Jerusalem."
"Moreover you were commanded to abstain from certain kinds of food, in
order that you might keep God before your eyes while you ate and drank, seeing
that you were prone and very ready to depart from his knowledge."
"Moreover that God enjoined you to keep the Sabbath, and impose on you
other precepts for a sign, as I have already said, on account of your
unrighteousness, and that of your fathers."
The attitude of Justin toward Jews is so clear in these passages: God
deliberately placed Jews in the shackles and chains of the law of Moses to restrain
their inherent rebellious nature. Jews, according to Justin, had a natural
tendency to disobedience to God and inclination to sin and insubordination.
They were this way from their very beginning, and so God legislated laws to
counteract their nature. These laws were intended to put Jews in a religious
slavery to restrain them from sin and subdue their rebellion. None of this
applied to gentiles. According to Justin, this natural drive toward sin and
disobedience did not exist in the nature of gentiles.
People of the era and later actually believed his conclusions, that if God did
not legislate these laws then the Jews would have long ago destroyed themselves
as a result of their rebellious nature. This made more reason for the gentiles
to develop a racism against Jews and place less authority on the OT.
TERTULLIAN AND JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
Tertullian writing about 200 AD, was also vehemently anti-Semitic. Tertullian
argues that all the commandments of the Torah were given to the Jews to curb
their tendency to idolatry, sensuality, and greed – a tendency unique to them
and not shared with the rest of the human race, an attitude similar to that of
Justin mentioned above. Their trail of crimes had culminated in the killing of
Christ. The Jews had always conducted themselves unworthily of their election,
and finally lost it. God’s choice was transferred to another people, gentiles,
capable of living by higher standards than those that had been imposed on the
Jews.
This anti-Semitic attitude was also prevalent among other popular Christian
figures of the early centuries, such as John Chrysostom, Cyril of Alexandria,
and Augustine. John Chrysostom, presbyter at Antioch and later bishop of
Constantinople, delivered a series of sermons against Jews. Two years after
Chrysostom delivered these sermons, a Christian mob, led by the local bishop,
destroyed a Jewish synagogue.
Cyril’s virulent anti-Semitism, and the anti-Judaism of Christian theologians
of his day, seems to have been inflamed by fears of Judaism’s legitimate claim
to be the continuation of the biblical Israel.
The anti-Jewish rhetoric of the apologists of these initial centuries during
the rise of the gentile churches has been repeated by later Catholic and
Protestant theologians and is still echoed in the modern age.
THE ENIGMA OF THE APOLOGISTS
Of course this perplexes this author, why the balance of treatises and
discourses of the apologists are venerated by students and teachers of the
Bible. With the attitude of anti-Semitism so obvious and vocal, the entire vein
of conclusions and doctrines of these apologists is inclined in a direction
away from any interpretation or application of OT that was held by the nation
of Israel in earlier ages. In essence the entire OT now has a stigma attached to
it.
The typical parishioner, after listening to anti-Jewish rhetoric and
manipulation of prophetic passages, develops a preconception of the nation of
Israel: they persecuted the ancient saints and prophets and were the ancestors
of those who killed the son of God, these are the predecessors of the
Christ-killers. They had a natural inclination toward sin and rebellion which
God had to restrain with ceremonial laws. This same parishioner continued this
prejudice outside the church in social, business and civic areas. No
association with Jews, no business with Jews, and instituting laws precluding
and restraining the involvement of Jews in civic affairs.
The new gentile attitude was that Jehovah God deliberately enslaved the nation
of Israel from Moses to Christ in a type of ceremonial and religious slavery.
Only with the advent of Christ was this yoke of slavery removed. Irenaeus in
his treatise Against Heresies mentions this.
"For in that which He says, “I will not now call you servants,” He
indicates in the most marked manner that it was Himself who did originally
appoint for men that bondage with respect to God through the law, and then
afterwards conferred upon them freedom. And in that He says, “The servant
knoweth not what his lord doeth,” He points out, by means of His own advent,
the ignorance of a people in a servile condition."
"The laws of bondage, however, were one by one promulgated to the people
by Moses, suited for their instruction or for their punishment, as Moses
himself declared, “And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes
and judgments.” These things, therefore, which were given for bondage, and for
a sign to them, he cancelled by the new covenant of liberty."
The attitude of the gentile Christians towards Jews in the years after the 2nd
Jewish War is well described by the apologist: typical of their ancestors, they
persisted in sin and rebellion by refusing Christ as Savior.
GNOSTICISM
The next step in the deviation from Scriptural accuracy was to divide the sole
God of the Bible into a god of the OT and a god of the NT. Thus the OT god or
Supreme Deity was different from the god or Supreme Deity of the NT. This led
to the organized denial of the authority of the Old Testament god and
subsequently depriving the OT of any authority, except for those passages
interpreted as Messianic. This theory advanced beginning in the 2nd century
from the influence of gnosticism.
This religious philosophy taught the creation of the world by an inferior god,
while salvation and freedom was attained through the superior god. The god of
the OT was an inferior and evil god known as the Demiurge. The superior God was
the God of the NT, who brought grace and truth and forgiveness to the world.
Tillich describes it best as follows:
"For the gnostics the created world is evil; it was created by an evil god
whom they equated with the god of the Old Testament. Therefore salvation is
liberation from the world, and had to be accomplished through ascetic
means."
This inferior god was the Demiurge. Gnosticism was very prevalent in the Roman
Empire and especially in the area of North Africa and middle east. It much
influenced the apologists and adherents of the post-apostolic communities.
Gnosticism deprived the OT of its authority by equating Jehovah God of the OT
with the inferior and evil god Demiurge. The god of the OT was full of
vengeance and required blood sacrifices to appease his wrath. He seemed to be
intent on punishing people for their sins with stoning and exile. The god of
the NT was full of forgiveness and taught an entrance into a heavenly kingdom.
The god of the NT sent his son into the world to save it, not to condemn it.
This was the manner of separation between the OT and NT that was promoted by
gnosticism. The gradual influence of this facet of gnosticism on Christianity
is well documented by scholars.
This subordinate god, called the Demiurge, is identified with the God of the
Old Testament and is described as an inferior, limited, passionate and vengeful
being. He is contrasted with the supreme god, the source of goodness, virtue
and truth, who revealed Himself in Christ.
In any event its massive rejection of the God of the Old Testament appealed to
Gentile Christians radically disaffected from Jewish traditions or stung by Jewish
repudiation of their message.
The influence of gnosticism caused a greater breach with the OT, and caused the
OT to be inferior in doctrine and instruction as compared to the NT. It also
caused a distortion of the person of Jehovah, thinking that He was a “bad
deity” who had to be appeased with sacrifices and who imposed ruthless penalty
for disobedience. This created a misunderstanding of the purpose for the OT
religious system and so further distanced the gentile Christians from OT
validity or actual annulled it.
MARCION
Subsequent to the influence of gnosticism was the popular teacher Marcion. His
primary objective was the abrogation of OT Sacred Scripture. He was heavily
influenced by gnosticism. Marcion taught that the god of the OT Jehovah was
intent on enslaving people, taking out His vengeance on them, and could only be
appeased by blood sacrifice. The god of the NT was loving and forgiving,
sending His son to die on the cross for His people. It was the people loyal to
the Demiurge, the God of the OT, who were motivated to kill Jesus, the son of
the good god of the NT. The God and Father of Jesus was not the same God the
creator and giver of the law to Moses in the OT. In essence, Marcion taught
that the Jews worshipped a different God than the one Christians worshipped.
The god of the OT was different from the god of the NT. This made the Jewish
religion and its OT Scripture a different religion than Christianity. Only
faith was required in the new God and His son.
Marcion abandoned the entirety of OT Scripture. He even condensed his NT to
solely a condensed version of the gospel of Luke and the writings of Paul
apostle. The rest of the books of the NT he rejected, feeling they were tainted
by the influences of the OT god Jehovah.
Although Marcion was condemned by the primary apologists as a heretic his
influence pervaded the gentile Christian sphere. It caused a separation: the
God of the OT for Jews, the God of the NT and His son Jesus for Christians.
This same attitude prevails today. The theology of Marcion is actually the
Christian gospel of the present era.
This platform of Marcion implemented a new definition for Bible understanding
and which also served as the pattern of belief for later and present
Christianity. The result of Marcion’s teaching is that Jews worshipped a
different and inferior god than did Christians, and that Judaism and the Mosaic
OT religion was a completely different and separate religion from the Christian
church. Since now the OT god was recognized as the inferior god of a different
religion the void of a NT god had to be filled by a superior god. This superior
God then surfaced as the god of Plato, the One of Aristotle, in Christian garb.
Even though Marcion was later declared heretic by the ecumenical councils, his
influence was still great during the 3rd and 4th centuries.
USE OF OLD TESTAMENT
The church could not however reject or denounce the body of writings known as
the OT, as much as they would have liked to. Then the gentile church would
jeopardize its position as the New Israel, the heir of the status as the new
people of God.
In response to this the OT was utilized for its prophesies pertaining to Jesus,
and the balance was allegorized as a shadow of the coming of Christ. In this
manner anything the new generation of Christian leaders and coverts did not
agree with or did not want to accept or implement could be allegorized. All of
it now only pertained to Jews and its observance in every respect was abrogated
for Christians, and all of it now to be understood as a massive allegory. The
additional benefit of keeping the Bible intact allowed gentile Christians to
use the OT as a weapon against Jews. The sections of reprimand and denouncement
of Jews came in handy on a regular basis whenever Christians sought a scapegoat
for some evil or crime. Resurrecting such passages keep alive among Christians
the tradition of Jews as persistently disobedient and rebellious.
The effect of this anti-Jewish rhetoric is noticeable especially in the
attitude towards the use of the word “law” (nomos) in the NT. Now whenever the
word nomos was heard it referred to the entire body of the divine instruction
from Exodus to Deuteronomy. Unless there existed a specific injunction for
observance in the NT, and especially by Paul apostle, that instruction was
either allegorized out of observance or just discarded.
No longer was Messiah goal of the Torah. Rom 10:2. Instead Christ was the
termination of the law. Christ freed gentiles from bondage to the law. Gal 4:9,
5:11. This applied to the entirety of the OT divine instruction, even though
the topic in this treatise of Paul apostle is circumcision. Gal 5:6, 6:12.
THE HEBREW LANGUAGE
The Hebrew language also came under discredit and attack in the same vein. Few
of the apologists spoke or read Hebrew. They were mainly Greek or Latin fluent.
The Greek Septuagint translation of the OT became the divinely inspired OT for
the Greek speaking gentile Christians. This likewise included the books known
as Apocrypha. All the apologists and including Augustine quoted equally from
these books as from the balance of the Hebrew Scripture. Augustine accepted the
story of the miraculous agreement of the 70 independent translators and
accepted this as proof of the divine inspiration of the Septuagint.
Tertullian utilized only the Septuagint, as Dr. Holmes comments in the
introduction to his translation. “Be this as it may, it is manifest that
Tertullian’s Scripture passages never resemble the Hebrew, but in nearly every
instance the Septuagint.”
Irenaeus in his treatise Against Heresies mentions apostolic recognition of the
Septuagint as divinely inspired, which was especially to be utilized by the
gentile Church. This attitude became a justification for the apologists and
preachers not to utilize the original Hebrew texts in formulating their
doctrines, and so not to even learn Hebrew. The same stigma of anti-Semitism
was applied to the Hebrew language and original Hebrew texts of the OT. The
apologists applied the same attitude of inspiration to the Latin Vulgate,
translated by Jerome.
THE NAME OF GOD
This lack of study of the OT in its original Hebrew and Aramaic counterparts
caused the readers to distance themselves from the original divine concept of
the Supreme Deity. This was due to the flaw in the Septuagint translation
regarding the translation of the name of the supreme deity Jehovah God. In the
Greek the name YHWH was replaced by kyrios, lord, the equivalent of the Hebrew
adonai. The name Jehovah or tetragrameton is not to be found in the Greek
Septuagint. The reader of the Greek OT would conclude much the same as a reader
of a contemporary English Bible, that the Supreme Deity either has no name, or
His name is unknown, or His name is Lord. Therefore He is simply God or Lord
God. In English Bibles there is an absence of YHWH or Jehovah. The OT Supreme
Deity is simply God or Lord God.
With the name of the Supreme Deity deleted from Scripture, combined with the
anti-Semitism of the apologists, the attitude toward Jehovah turned for the
worse. Justin Martyr in both his First and Second Apology states his attitude.
"For no one can utter the name of the ineffable God; and if any one dare
to say that there is a name, he raves with a hopeless madness."
"For God cannot be called by any proper name… On this account then, as I
before said, God did not, when He sent Moses to the Hebrews, mention any name,
but by a participle he mystically teaches them that He is the one and only God.
But to the Father of all, who is unbegotten, there is no name given."
"And we have been taught, and are convinced, and do believe, that He
accepts those only who imitate the excellencies which reside in Him,
temperance, and justice, and philanthropy, and as many virtues as are peculiar
to a God who is called by no proper name."
Once the name Jehovah God, the Supreme Deity, was deleted from Scripture, He
lost His position as supreme deity. Jehovah God now lost His personal identity
and so was deposed from His capacity as sole deity by the apologists. The
person of Jehovah was no longer recognized as the Supreme Deity of the OT and
Father of Jesus Messiah, and as creator. As a result of His name expunged from
Scripture, His authority in divine instruction was also reduced. (The OT
Scripture contains the name Jehovah about 7,800 times.) He was subsequently
replaced by a nebulous and distant entity without personal identity; a deity
undefinable, known only as God. Jehovah became the Jewish God, while the triune
Lord God became the Christian God. Jehovah was now replaced by the Holy Trinity
of Christianity.
Translators of the Bible in this respect have not been faithful to their
vocation. The attitude of Bible translators cane be summarized in the following
words, part of the preface to the RSV translation.
"The use of any proper name for the one and only God, as though there were
other gods from whom He had to be distinguished, was discontinued in Judaism
before the Christian era and is entirely inappropriate for the universal faith
of the Christian Church."
Quite the contrary this author contends. It is very appropriate to use the name
Jehovah or Yahweh. This statement by the translators is included as a pretext
to cover up anti-Semitism. Translations are available that are far more
accurate than contemporary versions, but these are either little utilized or
branded as heretic or cultic. The name of God is rendered as Jehovah in Young’s
Literal, the American Standard of 1901, and the New World. The name is rendered
Yahweh is Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible; and as Ieue in Adolf Knoch’s Concordant
Version. Few translators have been faithful to their vocation and have not
allowed the attitude of anti-Semitism to influence them in correct Bible
translation.
CHRIST OR MESSIAH
Next in importance to depriving the Supreme Deity of His name is depriving
Jesus of his title of Messiah. The general attitude of Christianity is, “But
isn’t Christ the same as Messiah?” No, it is not. Messiah is a Hebrew term with
certain connotations that are not conveyed when using the appelation Christ.
The term Messiah was used by Jewish sages subsequent to the Roman conquest of
Judea about 65 BC under Pompey. The words has its origin in several passages of
OT prophecy, and is expanded by the sages as documented in the Mishna. The word
Messiah is derived from the Hebrew masah, to anoint. The term Messiah
definitely has Jewish roots. The Messiah identifies Jesus as the awaited
deliverer of the Jewish nation, a deliverance from the enemy, the occupation
forces of Roman soldiers. He was to initiate the new age of his spiritual
kingdom. As discussed earlier, the Messiah would conclude the age of Moses and
initiate the new covenant. This covenant under the Messiah would spread to all
the world, to fulfill the blessing of Abraham upon all nations.
The appelation Christ does not convey the same meaning. For most Christians the
word Christ has no actual meaning or application. It is almost his surname or a
mystic title. The appelation Christ is distant and alien from the intended
meaning of Messiah as defined by the OT prophets and Jewish sages. By replacing
Messiah with Christ, Jesus was deprived of his Jewishness, deprived of his
purpose of teaching the gospel of the spiritual kingdom to his countrymen to
deliver them from devastation.
It was no longer understood that Christ was a translation of Messiah, and meant
that Jesus was the Lord of the age of redemption; the title simply became a
proper name.
The 1st and early 2nd century Greek speaking Jewish and gentile population were
able to understand the intended meaning in the translation of Messiah into
Christ. By the middle of the 2nd century, after the 2nd Jewish War, this
identity was lost and especially among the new generation of non-Jewish
apologists with their attitude of anti-Semitism. This new generation of
apologists and preachers created a new purpose and new intention for a new
Christ, one deprived of his Jewishness, one alien and opposite to the original
Jewish hope in the Messiah. A new Christ was introduced, a Christ now appearing
to initiate a new religion to replace the religion of the OT. This new Christ
was a person Greeks and Romans could identify with. This new interpretation of
Jesus the Christ was based on the teachings of gnosticism and Marcion, and was
likewise more easily adaptable into neo-Platonism that the Jewish Messiah. A
Greek Christ could be defined in terms of neo-Platonism while a Jewish Messiah
could not.
CHRISTIANITY: A NEW RELIGION
An important note to consider is that all the apologists were originally
students of the philosophy of Plato under the development of neo-Platonism as
formulated by Plotinus; many were also disciples of Mani. With the rejection of
the concept of Jehovah as Supreme Deity and Jesus as His only-born son – this
in a real sense and not in a mystic or gnostic – these same apologists utilized
their previous education in Greek philosophy and influence of gnosticism to
redefine the concept of God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, the human, and etc. Their
anti-Semitism was a mental block, hindering them using the OT Scripture and
wisdom of Jewish sages to understand the value and correct application of Torah
to the Messianic community and new spiritual Israel. These new concepts of the
apologists were propagated to the masses of gentile Christian parishioners and so
became the basis and definition of a new religion: Christianity, distinct and
separate from Judaism. This new religion surfaced toward the conclusion of the
2nd century AD and was in full development by the middle of the 3rd century AD.
The new religion no longer retained any of its Jewish roots.
The typical non-Jewish parishioner who would approach Jesus as the Christ,
beginning the 3rd century AD, could not identify Jesus as Jewish. The
apologists deprived Jesus of his Jewishness. The typical non-Jewish parishioner
could not relate to Jesus of Nazareth as having an upbringing as a Jewish
child, having a adult life of a devout Jew, and conducting himself as a
respected Jewish Rabbi, prophet and healer among his countrymen. This new
Christ appeared to establish a new religion and to abolish the old religion and
Israel. The same can be applied to Paul apostle. He was no longer a Jewish
rabbi who accepted Jesus of Nazareth as the fulfillment of the hope of Israel,
the Messiah. Paul apostle was no longer the teacher to bring the gospel of the
spiritual kingdom of Jehovah God to the gentiles, for them to accept Jesus of
Nazareth as Messiah and join Messianic community as their salvation from the
sins of society. Paul apostle under the apologists became the founder of a new
religion: Christianity, distinct and separate from Judaism.
Ignatius mentions this in a brief passage, composed about 105 AD, in his Letter
to the Magnesians.
"Lay aside therefore the evil, the old, the corrupt leaven, and be ye
changed into the new leaven of grace. Abide in Christ, that the stranger may
not have dominion over you. It is absurd to speak of Jesus Christ with the
tongue and to cherish in the mind a Judaism which has now come to an end. For
where there is Christianity there cannot be Judaism."
It is apparent that the efforts of the apologists were to create a new religion
without any ties to Judaism and with a Jesus uprooted from his Jewish
background. Christianity as the movement that developed into the Catholic
church of history was definitely not founded by Jesus, since it contains too
many anti-Jewish ideas almost inseparable from it. This redefined movement is
largely the creation of the second century apologists. It even has little in
common theologically with the work of Paul.
This basis of creating a new religion based on a non-Jewish Jesus with a
severance from the OT Scripture and the writings of Jewish sages caused a lack
of true understanding of the mission and purpose of the Messiah. Uprooting
Jesus from his Jewish environment and the historic background of the era caused
likewise new meanings to be attached to his parables. All of this was
reinterpreted anew by the apologists, now in the light of their gnostic and
philosophic inheritance. With the new gentile church now deprived of Jewish
culture, tradition, expectations and history, there was no way to correctly
interpret the teachings and prophesies of Jesus except to redefine them in the
light of their own gentile culture, tradition and philosophy.
GREEK PHILOSOPHY
This author from early childhood attended Sunday School where he learned all
the stories of the Bible, from the OT and NT. This author likewise had his
children attend the same until their mid-teenage years. The apologists however
did not advocate the study of OT Bible stories for their students. Rather the
study of Greek philosophy was promoted. Because the population was entrenched
in the various philosophies, including Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Pythagorus,
Plotinus, Epicurus, and Zeno, they felt a knowledge of this was more applicable
to the understanding of the NT and “Christian doctrine” rather than a fluency
in the OT. Perhaps they feared being branded as Judaizers if they were to
emphasize the OT Jewish history, law and praises, rather than their own
non-Jewish philosophic sages. Clement of Alexandria felt that Greek philosophy
had its origin and derivation from God. He even went to the extreme of stating
that Plato was a Greek Moses.
"The Greek preparatory culture, therefore, with philosophy itself, is
shown to have come down from God to men.
And in general terms, we shall not err in alleging that all things necessary
and profitable for life came to us from God, and that philosophy more
especially was given to the Greeks, as a covenant peculiar to them – being, as
it is, a stepping-stone to the philosophy which is according to Christ."
"It is He who also gave philosophy to the Greeks by means of the inferior
angels. For by an ancient and divine order the angels are distributed among the
nations."
"For what is Plato, but Moses speaking in Attic Greek?"
Origin in his Letter to Gregory, whom he referred to as a son, likewise
promoted the study of philosophy as a means of better understanding and
interpreting the Bible.
"But I am anxious that you should devote all the strength of your natural
good parts to Christianity for your end; and in order to this, I wish to ask
you to extract from the philosophy of the Greeks what may serve as a course of
study or a preparation for Christianity, and from geometry and astronomy what
will serve to explain the sacred Scriptures."
As a result of this emphasis on study of non-Biblical literature, the theories
and concepts of Plato were transferred to Christianity, rather than the
concepts found in the OT Scripture. Eventually the god of Plato and Aristotle
became the Christian god. Paul Tillich, the noted theologian, states this.
"Clement’s thought is a great example of a synthesis of Christian thinking
and Greek philosophy. Christianity had to cope with Neo-Platonism as a
universal and extremely impressive system…. Clement and Origen were both Greek
philosophers, and at the same time faithful and obedient members of the
Christian church. They had no doubt that it is possible to combine these two
things."
"Later the Aristotelian God, as the highest form, entered into Christian
theology and exerted a tremendous influence upon it."
When Clement speaks of philosophy, he does not have in mind a particular
philosophy, but that which is true in all philosophies. In this thought many
elements from Greek philosophy are mixed with biblical materials. He quoted
whole sections from Stoic sources.
Justin of Caesarea likewise taught that the Christians were followers of Plato.
"To state the attitude of the apologists more correctly, it was they who
used Greek philosophy instead of the OT and NT to define the new religion of
Christianity, by selecting those facets of philosophy that could be used to
justify their new religion. This is the essence of Justin’s Heathen Analogies
to Christian Doctrine, chapter 20 of his First Apology, to show that the new
Christianity is a conglomeration of points and doctrines already prevailing in
paganism, mythology and philosophy."
THE GOD OF PLATO THE NEW GOD OF CHRISTIANITY
Although the claim by the apologists is that Plato received his teaching from
Moses, the concepts provided by Plato regarding theology are all antithesis to
what was provided by Moses and the other authors of Sacred Scripture. Plotinus
with his philosophy labeled neo-Platonism was the primary contributor for the
theology of the new religion called Christianity. The apologists, having
rejected what Scripture provides in its original and Hebrew form for theology,
but not wanting to discard it, now utilized bits and pieces from it to justify
the theology of the new religion. This new religion was dependent on Plato and
gnosticism and not the Bible.
Dean Inge, in his invaluable book on Plotinus, rightly emphasizes what
Christianity owes to him. “Platonism, he says, “is part of the vital structure
of Christian theology, with which no other philosophy, I venture to say, can
work without friction,” There is, he says, an “utter impossibility of excising
Platonism from Christianity without tearing Christianity to pieces.
The new definition of God was not Jehovah God of the Bible as expounded in
previous sections of this volume, but derived from Plato. This was the source
for the apologists in their treatises regarding the Deity. Irenaeus for
example, as a theologian was still a man of his time. For him, God the Father
was a simple being, without parts, without passions – in other words, the One
of Later Platonism in Christian dress – and God the Son, the Logos, is his
revelation.
Clement, and the whole Alexandrian school, have no hesitation at all in using
Platonism and Stoicism to explain and interpret the Christian tradition. He
actually refers to God the Father as the One, adding that he is beyond form,
beyond limit, beyond conception, beyond description. In his writings there are
many passages where it would be very difficult (unless one knew the author) to
decide of one were reading the work of a Christian or a hard-line Platonist.
The Son he refers to as Mind – the Divine Mind of Later Platonism – and this
Mind became man in order to provide the human race with the most complete and
perfect revelation possible, and enable humankind to progress slowly but
steadily in the knowledge of God.
The new Christian God was essentially a central power, distant and vague. He
was no longer an entity whom a believer could identity with.
NEO-PLATONISM, THE PREDECESSOR OF CHRISTIANITY
Origen lived about 185-254 AD, and Plotinus lived about 204-270 AD. Both were
disciples of Ammonius Saccas the founder of neo-Platonism, a further development
of the doctrines provided by Plato. Both men were reared in Alexandria, Egypt,
and spent their years teaching there. Plotinus continued in the area of
neo-Platonism and developed it more fully. This philosophy became very
prevalent and accepted by many in the Roman Empire. Origen adhered to the newly
formed Christianity, and then utilized his education in neo-Platonism to define
various concepts dealing with the new religion.
To all of them, Christians and pagans alike, the world of practical affairs seemed
to offer no hope, and only the Other World seemed worthy of allegiance. To the
Christian, the Other World was the Kingdom of Heaven, to be enjoyed after
death; to the Platonist, it was the eternal world of ideas, the real world as
opposed to that of illusory appearance. Christian theologians combined these
points of view, and embodied much of the philosophy of Plotinus.
With their lack of OT and Hebrew scholarship and this prevalence of
anti-Semitism, the apologists were better able to adopt Platonic ideas into the
new Christian theology.
THE HOLY TRINITY
The Christian concept of the holy trinity, or Triune Godhead, has an important
advocate in Plotinus. His discourses provided reasoning that could be adapted
easily into the concept of the triune godhead. This volume will not discuss in
detail the neo-Platonism of Plotinus, but only will briefly note its concepts
to provide the reader the evidence that the doctrine of the holy trinity has
its roots and derivation from him.
The 1st person is the One. The 2nd which is spirit, Plotinus identified with
the mind. The mind was then equated with the logos. The lowest member is the
soul. The synopsis of neo-Platonism was subsequently modified by the apologists
of following generations until it evolved in the Christian Holy Trinity: God
the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Plotinus regarded the first two emanations to radiate from the One as divine,
since they enabled us to know and to participate in the life of God. Together
with the One, they formed a Triad of divinity which was in some ways close to
the final Christian solution of the Trinity.
Since the logos was identified as the 2nd person of Plotinus’ triad the
emanation or generation was eternal into the past and eternal into the future.
The emanation or generation of the logos or mind was always in process. It
never had a beginning but was occurring from the time infinitely into the past.
The concept of the emanation of the logos from the One was transferred from
neo-Platonism into the new Christian theology. Beginning with Tertullian, the
void for a definition of deity for the new Christian religion was filled by
this neo-Platonic concept of the One and the eternal emanation of the logos
from the One, now identified as the Father, and the logos now identified as the
Son. Tertullian then took the next step in designating this emanation of the
logos as another person. Tertullian explains this process in his treatise
Against Praxeas, first as a comparison of a person’s own speech in relation to
himself, and then the same application to the One.
"Thus in a certain sense, the word is a second person within you, through
which in thinking you utter speech, and through which also (by reciprocity of
process,) in uttering speech you generate thought. The word is itself a
different thing from yourself…. I may therefore without rashness first lay this
down (as a fixed principle) that even then before the creation of the universe
God was not alone, since He had within Himself both Reason, and, inherent in
Reason, His Word, which he made send to Himself by agitating it within
Himself."
"This will be the prolation [appendage], taught by the truth, the guardian
of the Unity, wherein we declare that the Son is a prolation from the Father,
without being separated from Him."
The error made by Tertullian in this chapter is his designation of the mind or
expression of the Father, which he designates as the son, as a separate person
from the Father. This is not sola-Scriptura, it is neo-Platonism. The logos of
Jehovah God is His mind or expression or word, but when emanated from the
Father it does not constitute a separate person. Jehovah God does have a mind,
but the expression or word that results from the mind of Jehovah God is the
same. It is a command or disclosure of the mind of Jehovah God, but is not a
separate entity or person. This concept can be compared with ourselves. The
ideas of our mind when brought into public are our expression or word. It is
the public disclosure of what a person has on their mind. It is not another
entity within us and yet distinct from us. Our word is the expression of
ourselves.
The error of Tertullian and other apologists in applying Plotinus to definition
of Deity is due to a disregard and lack of knowledge of OT and especially in
Hebrew, and the purpose of Messiah. The explanation of John 1:1-18 was dealt
with in a previous section in detail. With the baptism of the Holy Spirit
Jehovah God delivered His message, the message which existed from the beginning
in His dealings with Israel, to Jesus Messiah to disclose to the nation Israel.
This is also repeated in Heb 1:1-2. Nothing spoken in the OT regarding Jehovah
God was applied in this new doctrine.
With Tertullian and subsequent apologists into the future this eternal generation
of the word-son became orthodox truth for the new Christian religion. The
immediate problem was to still somehow profess 1 God when now 2 emanations are
professed which are likewise designated persons. The solution was more
philosophic rhetoric.
THE NEW GODS OF CHRISTIANITY
This author contends that the trinity of Tertullian and subsequent apologists
and theologians is absurd and ludicrous. The efforts exerted toward the
theology of a Christian deity diverted the people from the understanding of
Jehovah God as clearly defined in the OT and the relationship of Jesus Messiah
to his Father and his role in Israel as defined in the NT.
In subsequent generations Jehovah God completely lost his identity as Supreme
Deity. There is no place for Jehovah God in the new theology of Christian
deity. He was replaced by the One, or First Principal, a distant and nebulous
entity, who at the same time had a emanation continually in process: the
Word/Son. A second emanation was likewise in process, the Holy Spirit. These
emanations being persons of equal state and condition as the One/Father but
indivisible from Him. Jesus was likewise no longer viewed as a son born of
Jehovah God, but as the 2nd person of this Holy Trinity, a separate person with
his own identity from the Father but indivisible from Him. This theology of the
emanation of the Word/Son replaced the identity of Emmanuel.
It was impossible for the apologists to accept the concept of a birth in the
realm of the spirit, because the ideas of neo-Platonism were vague and
nebulous; God was indefinable, distant, with no real substance or essence, an
impersonal central power. How could something of intangible and ethereal
substance produce another entity like itself? This was the dilemma of the
apologists with their philosophic background. Eternal emanation can only
generate an impersonal emanation of intangible substance like itself, but not a
separate entity of real spirit substance.
Even though Tertullian quoted texts regarding Jesus as the only-begotten in his
treatise Against Praxeas, he immediately denies this by advocating eternal
generation. This is not birth!
Origen admits to the existence of the son as a tangible entity in heaven, a
servant of the Father in the creation of the universe. Origen likewise confirms
the kenosis, Jesus abandoning his heavenly glory and majesty to become human
and subsequently die. But then the flaw arises later in De Principiis where the
son is identified eternally into the past as the wisdom or word of the Father.
"For we must of a necessity hold that there is something exceptional and
worthy of God which does not admit of any comparison at all not merely in
things, but which cannot even be conceived by thought or discovered by
perception, so that a human mind should be able to apprehend how the unbegotten
God is made the Father of the only-begotten Son. Because His generation is as
eternal and everlasting as the brilliancy which is produced from the sun. For
it is not by receiving the breath of life that he is made a Son, by any outward
act, but by his own nature."
Although several times Origen states correct conclusions in the evolution of
Jesus from his Father, but then he rescinds into the same neo-Platonic and
gnostic trap of eternal generation.
KENOSIS OF THE 2ND PERSON OF THE TRIUNE DEITY
The kenosis or deprivation of glory of Jesus Messiah does not comply with the
theories of emanation. If Jesus is eternally the Word/Son, 2nd person of a
Triune indivisible Deity, then he has no capability to empty himself of such a
glory because it is his inherent state. Jesus cannot be both eternally
emanating from the Father and vacating his deity to become human. The same
apologists denied the passage of Phil 2:6-12, indicating that it was
impossible. In order for this kenosis to be executed, Jesus could not be an
eternal emanation of Word/Son from the Father. He would have to be separate and
distinct. It was easier for the apologists to interpret away the kenosis
passage, than to admit a flaw in their theology. The eminent theologian Louis
Berkhof, comments on the kenosis in its true sense.
"It means a virtual destruction of the Trinity, and therefore takes away
our very God. The humanized Son, self-emptied of His divine attributes, could
no longer be a divine subsistence in the trinitarian life."
Both concepts cannot prevail simultaneously. Either the kenosis occurred or it
did not. Paul apostle was correct in this passage regarding the
self-humiliation of Jesus. He did deny himself and deprive himself of all his
glory and majesty in heaven and became human just as any other person on earth.
This was earlier discussed. To do this Jesus had to be a separate and distinct
entity from the Father. He could not be a continuous emanation in order to
become human.
THE PARADOX
If the conclusion of the apologists is correct there was no Jesus in heaven
prior to the incarnation of the logos. There was no personal entity Jesus
alongside Father. Rather, there was a nebulous mind or expression that emanated
from the One, but not a Jesus. In heaven there was the One Father and an
impersonal logos non-entity and a spirit. Clement of Alexandria attempts to
philosophize away the paradox in the following, in Book 7 of his Stromata:
"He is the true Only-begotten, the express image of the glory of the
universal King and Almighty Father, who impresses on the Gnostic the seal of
the perfect contemplation, according to his own image; so that there is now a
third divine image, made as far as possible like the Second Cause, the
Essential Life, through which we live the true life.
"And among intellectual ideas, what is oldest in origin, the timeless and
unoriginated First Principal, and Beginning of existences – the Son – from whom
we are to learn the remoter Cause, the Father, of the universe, the most
ancient and the most beneficent of all."
This is solely gnostic jargon of absurd elucidation. The Christian philosopher
Athenagoras in his Plea For The Christians describes the paradox in this
manner.
"But if in your surpassing intelligence, it occurs to you to inquire what
is meant by the Son, I will state briefly that he is the first product of the
Father, not as having been brought into existence, for from the beginning, God,
who is the eternal mind, had the logos in Himself, being from eternity instinct
with Logos; but inasmuch as he came forth to be the idea and energizing power
of all material things, which lay like a nature without attributes, and an
inactive earth, the grosser particles being mixed up with the lighter."
No matter how the paradox of the non-existence of Jesus in heaven coincident
with the existence of the emanating logos is viewed or attempted to be
explained, it is still gnostic, not Biblical. The apologists realized their
inability to rationalize or reason the paradox of an emanating Word/Son without
the existence of a Jesus. Rather than admit possible misunderstanding in their
theology, to cover up the paradox was easier. So they labeled it the mystery of
the trinity. Tertullian admits the paradox and labels it a mystery in his
treatise Against Praxaes.
As if in this way also one were not All, in that All are of One, by unity (that
is) of substance; while the mystery of the dispensation is still guarded, which
distributed the Unity into a Trinity, placing in their order the three Persons
– the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
In the final chapter of Against Praxeas, Tertullian states that the doctrine of
the trinity constitutes the primary difference between Judaism and
Christianity. He is only so true in this statement, the Supreme Deity of the
Bible now replaced by gnostic rhetoric.
CONSTANTINE THE GREAT
The controversy within the Christian church was viewed by Constantine the Great
as a threat to the stability of his empire. He knew that a nation fragmented
and feuding over religion would not contribute to the cohesion and harmony of
his reign. What would help he felt was a council of these elders to conclude
this controversy in some amiable manner and acquire a unified church to the
benefit of his empire.
Arius, who was the primary developer of the controversy that bears his name,
was actually closer to the truth in regards to Deity than the Cappadocian
Fathers or any of his opponents. He was also a student of Origin and
voraciously consumed all his writings. This author does not claim orthodoxy for
either Arius or the Cappadocian Fathers. The error of each can be summarized as
follows. Arius was correct is concluding that Jesus was a distinct entity born
of Jehovah God at some point in the infinite past. The flaw of his concept lies
in that he could not attribute to this new entity the nature or substance of
Jehovah God. This deprived Jesus of being of the hypostasis of God and
homo-ousian (the same) as Jehovah God. Arius did however assign true deity to
Jesus, but as an inheritance and not as a matter of generation from the Father.
Arius was not denying the divinity of Christ; indeed, he called Jesus “strong
God” and “Full God.” But he argued that it was blasphemous to think that he was
divine by nature: Jesus had specifically said that the Father was greater than
he.
According to Arius, the logos took the place of the soul in Christ. Arius has
been discredited far too much by the apologists and Nicene Fathers, and with no
sensible reason except to their unwillingness to acknowledge Scripture in its
correct sense. The theology of Arius was easily understood by the masses, while
the apologists promoted a God that could not be grasped by human intellect.
With Arius the parishioners could identify with God; which tendency was
curtailed by the apologists with their nebulous and impersonal Triune emanating
Deity.
The Cappadocian fathers focused on the Trinity as primarily defined by
Tertullian. It was their conclusion that gained the victory at the 1st
Ecumenical Council. But this did not settle the question of the state of Jesus
the incarnate word during his earthly ministry.
THE CHRISTOLOGICAL CONTROVERSY
Further discussions on the incarnation of the logos/son emanation lead to what
is known as the Christological controversy. These were a series of
confrontations among Christian theologians of the 4th and 5th centuries to try
to accurately explain the incarnation of a facet of the new triune deity into a
distinct human with his own mind and will. Who Jesus was in his incarnation
could not be easily defined since the logos was not an entity but the mind of
the Father. Since a human is a soul which is his identity, where did Jesus
acquire a soul or identity if he was mind or logos? According to Origin the
Father assigned to the Logos/Son a soul at the incarnation.
"And so we must believe that there existed in Christ a human and rational
soul, without supposing that it had any feeling or possibility of sin."
Now that the Logos/Son merged with a soul to allow his existence as a human,
this made him a distinct identity separate from the Father, and he is now
assigned the name Jesus. Prior to the incarnation there was no actual Jesus
according to the theology of the apologists, because the neo-Platonic system
could not recognize a distinct entity such as Jesus. With the appearance of
this man-god-logos-2nd person of trinity, confusion erupted in the
Christological controversies. This surrounded the topics of Jesus’ wills and
natures.
The flaw in the theology of the Nicene and ante-Nicene Fathers consisted in not
accepting the Supreme Deity as a personal entity named Jehovah, who generated
another distinct entity identical to Himself consisting of the same substance
whom He designated His son, and to whom he assigned His nature and deity. The
fact that this derivation of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity as defined by the
early ecumenical councils is not to be located in the NT and was developed over
the years heavily dependant on neo-Platonism is clearly admitted by every major
scholar studying the history of the development of Christian theology,
including the apologists themselves.
The Church had to wait for more than three hundred years for a final synthesis,
for not until the council of Constantinople (381) was the formula of one God
existing in three co-equal Persons formally ratified.
The statement of Constantinople was a take it or leave it conclusion by the
attending membership: The indivisible triune deity of 3 separate persons which
was a mystery to the human mind. It was to be accepted for the future without
further debate. Those that accepted it would be considered orthodox and
consistent with historical Christianity; those who would not would be branded
as heretic or unorthodox. No further discussions were permitted on the subject.
But this did not resolve the original conflict. The conclusion is stated best
in the following.
In this way the trinitarian dogma became a sacred mystery. The sacred mystery
was placed on the altar, so to speak, and adored. It was introduced into the
icons, the pictures which are so important for the cult in the Eastern church,
into liturgical formulae and hymns, and there the mystery has liver ever since.
However, it lost its power to interpret the meaning of the living God.
In later years, other theologians, such as Augustine, would compose volumes on
the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, but never trying to prove it. It was accepted
as a fact by blind faith. No further discussion was necessary. The Trinitarian
Creed of Constantinople became the bedrock of future generations of Christian
theology.
THE COUNCIL OF CHALCEDON
The Christological controversy in the hierarchy of the ecumenical church
continued on until its superficial resolution at the Council of Chalcedon in
451 AD. The question focused on Jesus as human. To what extent was he divine
and human? While in the flesh how could be still be the 2nd person of an
indivisible deity? The Nicene fathers proceeded on the basis that the man Jesus
was just a temporary entity: from birth to death to ascension. All his
statements of subjection and weakness and need of strength and comfort only
pertained to the man Jesus, not to the 2nd person of the Trinity. The person of
Jesus was generated with the conception and dissolved with the ascension. This
was the doctrine of the 2 natures and the 2 wills, one human and one divine:
both living together in the body of this person, separate and unmixed but
united together in one body. The logos became the soul of the person Jesus on
earth. In essence Jesus Christ was just a body by which the logos/son was
incarnated.
The Council of Chalcedon was considered the triumph of Christology. But it did
not explain or resolve the controversy. Like the Trinitarian Creed of
Constantinople, the decision of Chalcedon was a “take it or leave it.” It was
to be accepted as a statement of fact without further discussion, and the basis
of orthodox and historical Christianity for future generations. If the
conclusion of Chalcedon is to be taken seriously, there is still no real person
Jesus in heaven. The 2nd person of the Trinity, the Logos/Son, now has a name
assigned to it, but he is still not an entity, because Jesus dissolved with the
ascension!!
For the serious Bible student, the triumph of Chalcedon only caused more questions
to surface. Did Jesus really die? Not if he was the indivisible 2nd person of
the Holy Trinity. Since God cannot die, and no part of God can actually
terminate existence, then Jesus did not die. In the theory of Chalcedon, only
his body died, but he as the Logos/Son continued to live and so preached to the
spirits in hades during this interval. The Logos/Son then returned back to the
body of Jesus after about 3 days, Jesus being just a body in which resided the
Logos/Son. If the doctrines of Chalcedon be true, there was no Jesus son of
Jehovah God who died for our sins!!
The great obstacle to the feasibility of the Holy Trinity and the Nature of
Christ as defined at Chlacedon is the role of Jehovah God. He has no more role!
He cannot have a role! There is no place for the person of Jehovah nor for
Emmanuel in the Chalcedon doctrine of the Holy Trinity or in the Nature of
Christ. Once a Supreme Deity who is a personal entity is introduced, the entire
foundation of sand washes away and the edifice constructed by the Apologists
and Nicene fathers collapses. As long as the philosophy of neo-Platonism ruled
in the intellect of the apologists and Nicene-Fathers, the controversy could be
concluded with their rhetoric. But nowhere was any mention of Jehovah of the
Bible, but always God defined in their Platonic terms. They fought against any
concept that would collide or disagree with their preconceived theology of the
emanations and would label it Jewish. There was no room for a Jewish God in the
new theology of the Christian church.
THE NEW HUMAN SOUL
It was not only in regard to theology that Greek philosophy and anti-Semitism
had its influence and impact, but also in regard to anthropology, the
constitution of the human. No longer did the human consist of body and soul
(identity) and spirit. This was replaced by the 2-fold constitution of spirit
and body, the soul now identified as the spirit. It was Tertullian who equated
the soul with the spirit. This he explains in his Treatise on the Soul.
"Therefore this entire process, both of breathing and living, belongs to
that to which living belongs, that is, to the soul. How much firmer ground have
you for believing that the soul and the spirit are one, since you assign to
them no difference; so that the soul is itself the spirit, respiration being
the function of that of which life also is?… But the nature of my present
inquiry obliges me to call the soul spirit or breath."
Tertullian could not grasp the concept of a human being as a living soul in
accord with Gen 2:7, the soul being the identity of that human. The person in
their entirety now became spirit and body. This new concept for the Christian
realm became the pivot point for the immortality of the soul. Tertullian
preferred to agree with Plato in regard to the composition of the human, rather
than the Bible.
THE SOUL FROM MORTAL TO IMMORTAL
The earliest of the apologists, not completely enveloped by neo-Platonism and
anti-Semitism, still acknowledged the temporality of the soul. Such was Tatian,
which he mentions in his Address to the Greeks.
"The soul is not in itself immortal, O Greeks, but mortal. Yet it is
possible for it not to die."
Tatian lived about 110-172 AD; he was an Assyrian, and not Greek. The concept
of the immortality of the soul enters into Christian doctrine after this time.
It was easy to make the spirit-soul facet of a human immortal by indicating
that spirit cannot die. Since soul is really spirit, and spirit cannot die,
therefore the soul is immortal, so was their argument. This spirit/soul just
returns to God. Eccl 12:7. Tertullian subsequently promoted the immortality of
the soul based on his own arguments, the same arguments as Plato.
"Whereas the soul is immortal; and being immortal, it is therefore
indissoluble; and being indissoluble, it is figureless: for it, on the
contrary, if had figure, it would be of a composite and structural
formation."
Following the logic of Tertullian, other apologists likewise taught the same.
Hyppolytus in Book 3 of his Refutation of all Heresies mentions the correlation
between the new Christian view of the immoral soul and Plato’s.
It is no secret to historians that this entire concept of the immortality of
the soul in Christian doctrine had its derivation from Plato. Bible texts
dealing with the demise of the soul were all eventually allegorized or were
interpreted such that they only pertained to the earthly life.
First of all it shows that the apostolic fathers did not believe in the
immortality of the soul. There is no natural immortality, otherwise it would be
meaningless for them to speak about immortal life which Christ offers. They
believed that man is naturally mortal…. In light of this we can conclude that
our traditional way of speaking of the immortality of the soul is not classically
Christian doctrine, but a distortion of it, not in a genuine, but in a
pseudo-Platonic sense.
This concept of Plato adopted by the apologists eventually became part of
orthodox Christian doctrine. Eternal consciousness became the new state of every
human born into this world.
THE NEW DEATH
Once the apologists published their interpretation of the human having eternal
consciousness, the state of death had to be redefined. No longer could death be
the termination of life. Death was defined in Platonic terms as separation.
Death now became the separation of the body from the spirit, which is also
soul. The body would decay into the earth from which it was taken, while the
spirit-soul would live on in some distant undefined place. Tertullian defined
this clearly in his Treatise on the Soul.
"But the operation of death is plain and obvious: it is the separation of
body and soul…. The truth is the soul is indivisible, because it is immortal;
[and this fact] compels us to believe that death itself is an indivisible
process, accruing indivisibly to the soul, not indeed because it is immortal,
but because it is indivisible.
Such then is the work of death – the separation of the soul from the
body."
The above is aligned with earlier philosophy:
"Death, says Socrates, is the separation of soul and body."
The mention of indivisibility in Tertullian’s above account refers to the
separation of soul from spirit. Since the two are equated in his previous
statements, death likewise cannot sever the two, since spirit is immortal.
Therefore the soul attached to spirit continues in consciousness after
separation from the body. Excellent Platonic rhetoric but not in accord with
Scripture.
AFTER DEATH
Once the apologists established the eternal consciousness of an individual
after death, or better said, the continued consciousness after the departure of
the soul-spirit from the body, they had to define their new environment.
Instead of the grave as the residence until the resurrection, the apologist
adapted from paganism the various states and recesses of heaven and hell for
the departed soul-spirits. To justify their existence they were given names
found in Scripture. The departed spirit-souls descended to hades, which was
divided into 2 regions: a place of torment and Paradise. In his pseudo-Dialogue
with Trypho Justin of Caesarea states:
"The souls of the pious remain in a better place, while those of the
unjust and wicked are in a worse, waiting for the time of judgement. Thus some
which have appeared worthy of God never die; but others are punished so long as
God will them to exist and to be punished."
Justin felt that the soul was not immortal by nature, but made such if willed
by God. Yet he was convinced along with Plato of a punishment and reward in the
environment after death. That the spirit-soul did experience consciousness is
stated by Tertullian along with advocating a punishment or discipline for its
sins in this environment of hades, in his Treatise on the Soul.
"Full well then, does the soul even in Hades know how to joy and to sorrow
even without the body; since when in the flesh it feels pain when it likes,
though the body is unhurt; and when it likes it feels joy though the body is in
pain. Now if such sensations occur at its will during life, how much rather may
they not happen after death by the judicial appointment of God…. Therefore,
even for this cause it is most fitting that the soul, without at all waiting
for the flesh, should be punished for what it has done without the partnership
of the flesh….No one will hesitate to believe that the soul undergoes in Hades
some compensatory discipline."
Plato felt that true perfection could only be gained in the after-world. The
cares and difficulties of the present life hindered the advancement of the
soul, the material world served as an obstacle to attain true wisdom. The
after-life ascension of Plato is comparable to the Christian’s heaven. This he
learned from his mentor Socrates.
"The soul of the true philosopher, which has, in life, been liberated from
thralldom to the flesh, will, after death, depart to the invisible world, to
live in bliss in the company of the gods…. Only the true philosopher goes to
heaven when he dies."
At last he (Socrates) describes the fate of souls after death: the good to
heaven, the bad to hell, the intermediate to purgatory… His (Socrates’) courage
in the face of death would have been more remarkable if he had not believed
that he was going to enjoy eternal bliss in the company of gods.
The Christian philosopher Hyppolytus likewise states the similarities between
the existing concept of Plato and the new doctrine of the Christians in his
Refutation Against all Heresies.
"Those however who assert the immortality of the soul are especially
strengthened in their opinion by those passages (in Plato’s writings). Where he
says, that both there are judgments after death, and tribunals of justice in
Hades, and that the virtuous (souls) receive a good reward, while the wicked
(ones) suitable punishment."
Historians likewise concluded the apologists’ derivation of the environment of
a heaven for reward from the concepts provided by Plato. The Alexandrian
tradition tended to think of heaven as the realm of the Platonic Ideas, of the
perfect archetypes of the imperfect realities here below.
The Idea of hell as a place of torment was still foreign to the Old Testament,
and was adopted only much later from Iranian sources. It is called Gehenna,
after the Valley of Hinnom, where children were sacrificed to Moloch in olden
times.
The concept of “going to heaven” when a person dies still leaves many questions
unresolved: Where is this heaven? Why go to heaven if there is a resurrection?
THE NEW HUMAN NATURE
The Jewish sages taught that a human had both a good impulse and evil impulse.
The evil impulse was actually a survival or defense mechanism. The person
progressed with his life based on which impulse they allowed control over their
body. Essentially the human was good from the start, even though the capability
to do evil was inherent in their nature. A person had a choice to do good or
evil, turn to God or deny him. Many early students of Scripture accepted this
concept, but it conflicted with the new doctrines of the apologists. In later
years the ante-Nicene Fathers labeled this concept of human nature as
Pelagianism, named after its promoter in the 4th century, Pelagius. They
branded Pelegianism as heresy later in the 5th century.
Tertullian in his early years adhered to the teaching of Montanus, a very
conservative group, though considered to be non-Orthodox. He taught that man
was originally created good, and fell to sin due to his own freedom. Sin was
spiritual, as well as carnal, he taught. Tertullian however was affected by the
impact of Montanus in regard to a regimented life. Montanus taught celibacy and
extreme deprivation of worldly pleasures.
Although himself married, Tertullian views marriage as good, but that celibacy
is preferred.
The attitude towards the body or human nature in general changed with the apologists.
As with a new concept of the human soul, a new concept of human nature surfaced
in the writings of the apologists, likewise a result of gnostic and Platonic
ideas. The human body was now inherently and congenitally evil or naturally
inclined toward evil. There was no hope for the human on their own volition. As
mentioned earlier, the gnostics taught that the body was a creation of the
inferior god, the Demiurge, along with the earth.
The views of Marcion, mentioned earlier, was influential on a popular teacher
from Persia, Mani, who synthesized the various concepts of gnosticism into an
organized religion. Main called himself an apostle of Jesus Christ and his
religion became known as Manicheism. He taught against marriage, against eating
meat, and advocated living a ascetic life, one of austerity. Since he felt that
the human body was evil, and that the original nature of created humanity was
inclined toward sin, salvation was by asceticism: deprivation of the flesh of
the joys of life and subjection of the flesh to a austere and regimented rule
of life.
Much Puritanism in Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox history has been founded
on the belief that matter, the physical, the body and its appetites, are
fundamentally evil. Such a belief is Gnostic, contrary to the faith which is a
basic tenet of both Judaism and Christianity, that when God created his
physical universe, he looked upon his word and saw it was very good.
The same was true, later of Manicheism, through which Saint Augustine come to the
Catholic faith. Manicheism combined Christian and Zoroastrian elements,
teaching that evil is a positive principle, embodied in matter, while the good
principle is embodied in spirit. It condemned meat-eating, and all sex, even in
marriage.
This began trends in the new Christianity of asceticism, such as the desert
hermits of Egypt, and celibacy. No longer was the human body a means of
enjoying the blessings of God, and especially marriage. The human body became
the cause of sin and salvation was attained by deprivation.
AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO
As the religion of Mani spread throughout the world it influenced many teachers
of the new Christian church. One of these, Augustine, was a Manichee for 12
years, prior to his conversion to the Catholic faith. Augustine brought with
him into the Christian church many of the teachings of Mani and gnosticism.
These concepts later flourished in the writings of Augustine of Hippo in his
doctrine of original sin.
Augustine believed that God had condemned humanity to an eternal damnation,
simply because of Adam’s one sin. The inherited guilt was passed on to all his
descendants through the sexual act, which was polluted by what Augustine called
“concupiscence.”
Augustine’s obsession with sex as the source of lust and spiritual defilement
is so rampant that he taught the reason of the necessity for a virgin birth was
to keep Christ’s conception undefiled from the sexual pleasure that normal
parents enjoy during procreation.
The conclusion of Augustine in regard to his doctrine of original sin was also
due to his own personal failure in a relationship with a female. He had a
concubine for most of his early life, and bore a son through her. This was
primarily during his years as a disciple of Mani. His son died sometime late in
his teenage years. After converting to the Catholic church, Augustine’s mother
Monica arranged a legitimate marriage for him to an Italian lady from a
respectable family. He had to release his concubine, whom then later died. His
mother Monica died about this time also. Augustine’s relationship with his new
and legitimate wife was short lived. They eventually separated and Augustine
retreated to a monastery and became a monk. These sour and psychologically
devastating experiences with woman contributed to his formulation of the
doctrine of original sin. Since Augustine could not develop a stable home and
relationship with another women, he concluded that the human body was
inherently evil and women were the great temptation leading humanity to sin. Augustine’s
conclusion is summarized as follows:
"Woman’s only function was the childbearing, which passed the contagion of
Original Sin to the next generation, like a venereal disease." (Armstrong,
History of God)
Augustine gained the victory in Rome in his controversy with Pelagius, a monk
from Britain. His doctrine, labeled Pelagianism, was declared heresy. This
impressed the Christian church with its doctrines of the natural moral
corruption of every born individual. It also made celibacy mandatory for priests
and all clergy in the Catholic church. The Eastern church also imposes celibacy
on all its higher clergy. Personal austerity was popularized by the Catholic
church.
A second though important effect of the teaching of Augustine was the demotion
of women to that of the temptress. Woman became the temptation to man, leading
man away from God and into sin and the world. The female became the source of
lust in the male gender. Lust was carnal, inherited from Adam as a result of
the temptation by Eve. As with Tertullian, marriage was only acceptable to
Augustine provided sexual intercourse was performed solely for procreation and
not for reasons of marital pleasure. Virtue or holiness could only be attained
with a mortification of the sexual drive, according to Augustine.
DEVILS AND DEMONS AND ANGELS
The devil and demons entered into Christian theology as a result of the
ignorance and superstition of the people. The people of the era attributed
illness, congenital deformities, and other malignancies, to unseen evil
spirits. They at that time had no understanding of biology or medicine, that
disease was organic in nature. Mental disease was considered possession of a
demon or evil spirit. These superstitions of invisible demons and devils
carried over into Christian theology.
"The devil himself was a product of Zoroastrian influence, which slowly
permeated Christianity from the east. Mani, who combined elements of both
Christ and Zoroaster, promoted a devil having tremendous power. Augustine
continued the thinking of Mani in regard to a personal devil. He taught that a
Christian was in a continual struggle with the devil and his demons and so have
to be defeated. Augustine taught that God was restraining the power of this
superhuman creature, and if the devil was fully unleashed he would morally
destroy the entire Christian church."
Demonology was not without its effect by Plato. Originally demons were a type
of angelic entity in Plato’s philosophy. There intermediaries between man and
the gods. Later he taught that the demons were the living spirits of men who
died valiantly in war, or attained some special virtue or triumph. Contemporary
angelology is actually Plato’s demons redefined using the language of the Bible
pertaining to spirit messengers.
Demons and the devil as the instigator of sin or temptation to sin was the
result of a combination of these influences on the early Christian church.
COMPETITION OF THE APOLOGISTS WITH THE JEWISH SAGES
This author sometimes wonders whether a type of competition may have surfaced
in the Roman Empire of the 3rd century between the new generation of
“Christian” apologists and the Jewish redactors of the Mishna. This book was
completed about 220 AD, and was a compilation of Jewish wisdom, instruction,
laws and traditions. It was distributed throughout the Jewish communities of
the Roman Empire and Middle East with great success. The wisdom and debates of
the foremost of Jewish scholars of the era were reflected in the Mishna, the
new Jewish Scripture. These were Rabbis Hillel, Shammai, and Gamaliel I, of the
1st century, and Rabbis Johannan ben Zakkai, Akiva, Meir, Gamaliel II, of the
2nd century. Rabban Judah ha Nazi (the Prince) was the primary redactor of the
Mishna. His contemporaries were the learned Rabbis Eleazar ben Simeon, Simeon
ben Eleazar, and Rabbi Nathan. The contemporaries of Rabbi Judah ha Nazi
continued Jewish education and scholarship after the publication of the Mishna.
These scholars are known in Jewish history as the Tannaim, teachers of the Mishna.
The 4th century likewise produced many talented and scholarly Jewish educators.
These became known as the Amoraim, teachers of the Gemara, the commentary on
the Mishna.
Jews enjoyed some rest and harmony in their communities during the years after
the 2nd Jewish War of 132-135 AD, and until about 235 AD, with the death of
Alexander Severus. The next 50 years were political chaos in the Roman Empire,
but which had little effect on Jews. Peace was again established about 284 AD,
with the reign of Diocletian. Although anti-Semitism did prevail in the Roman
Empire, it was without the type of violence as occurred in the period of 66 AD
to 135 AD. Any persecution or oppression was sporadic but not major. This
harmony, or gentile tolerance of Jews, ended about 425 AD, with the abolishment
of the Jewish Patriarchate.
The greatest of Jewish sages during this era was Rabbi Johannan bar Napha, who
died about 279 AD. He was considered the supreme Palestinian sage of the
Talmudic era. He was head of the Jewish academy at Tiberius, and was very
influential in the later Talmud.
It is no wonder that the apologists of the same eras had to work overtime on
their refutation of heresies and their apologies, and composing fictitious
dialogues with Jews, to prove their new religion as superior and the successor
to Judaism. Such apologists as Tertullian, Origin, Clement, Irenaeus and
Cyprian had for competition the Tannaim and Amoraim, a new and advanced
generation of scholars of the Jewish academy. The apologists had to provide
evidence that the new Jewish religion, now known as Rabbinic Judaism, was
inferior to their Christianity. As noted in above passages regarding
anti-Semitism, the apologists and church fathers did not shy from any type of
libel or distortion of the Jewish religion and their beliefs to discredit the
remnants of Old Covenant Israel.
This author sometimes wonders whether the new generation of gentile apologists,
educated in Greek philosophy but not in OT Hebrew and Scripture, were perhaps
envious of their contemporary Jewish sages and Rabbis. Envious to the point of
using blood-libel as an attack, and pressing the Roman government to legislate
laws against Jews. Since the apologists with their new religion and new
churches had difficulty in attaining the community and domestic success of the
disciples of Jewish sages, they had to resort to denunciation and persecution
to prove themselves right.
CONCLUSION
A greater success would have been achieved if the attitude of anti-Semitism was
set aside and the study of Greek philosophy abandoned. A theology of Sacred
Scripture in accord with the concepts outlined in the initial sections of this
volume would then develop among them. The spiritual kingdom would arise and
last forever with the grace and blessing of Jehovah God abounding in the life
and community of us all.
Based on the conclusions drawn in this volume, it was not the intention of
Jesus or his apostles to create a new theology or a new religion separate from
Israel. The theology proposed by the writers of the NT continues that already
established in the OT with the inclusion of Emmanuel, Jesus Messiah. The
apostles and Paul especially explained the capacity and role of the son of
Jehovah God in the realm of spirit to both Jews and gentiles. It is especially
the Book to the Hebrews that expounded the Deity and position of Jesus in
divine theology to Messianic Jews.
That a new religion should arise separate and distinct from Israel, the faith
of the Scriptures, was totally alien in the mind of Jesus and his apostles,
including Paul apostle. The term Christianity is a paradox, because never did
Jesus organize or direct anybody toward establishing a new religion having that
designation. This author contends that sufficient evidence was provided to
prove that historical and orthodox Christian theology since the era of the
apologists is the materialization of the philosophy of neo-Platonism along with
some pagan inclusions. The new religion of the apologists culminating in the
dictates of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 325 AD, is a church rooted
in anti-Semitism and neo-Platonism.
The renovation of the religion under the new covenant and the establishment of
the spiritual kingdom continued under the apostles and their later successors
and adherents to their original message. It has always resided in individuals
and groups throughout the ages who have discarded the inroads of philosophy and
adhered to the original theology of the Scripture of the Old and New
Testaments, and likewise also resides in the present era.
EPILOGUE
When Jesus prayed unto his Father at the Passover he said.
And this is eternal life, that they know You the only true God, and Jesus
Messiah, whom You have sent. John 17:3.
The manner of attaining a long and prosperous and successful life blessed of
Jehovah God is by way of a knowledge of Him and His son Emmanuel. They want to
be known personally. Jehovah God wants us to be close with Him, as close as
Moses who spoke with Him face to face. Num 12:7-8. It is through Jesus Messiah
that we gain a knowledge of his Father. He in his ministry and through his
apostles brings the knowledge of his Father to us.
And no one knows the Father except the son, and any one to whom the son chooses
to reveal Him. Matt 11:27.
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and
godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and
excellence. 2 Pet 1:3.
Jehovah God wants us to know Him as heavenly Father as well as we know our
earthly Father. Then we can understand His expectations of us, His dictates to
us, His love towards us, and His intended future for us, and receive His gifts
and blessings.
May Jehovah bless you and keep you.
May Jehovah make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
May Jehovah make His presence among you and give you peace. Amen.
Num 6:24-26.
November 24, 1998.
