Explaining about Baptism of the Holy Spirit and Fire

One of the common practices and teachings among Pentecostal, Holiness and Charismatic Christian congregations is the doctrine of Holy Spirit and Fire baptism, just like the apostles received on “Pentecost Day” after the Feast of Passover, when the LORD Jesus was crucified. This study will review biblical texts to get a perspective as to see how such a theological perspective originated.

 Matthew 3: 11-12

I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come One who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Cp. Luke 3: 16b).

NOTE: Before trying to understand the context it is necessary to start back at verse 7, paying careful attention to the narrative, as in the following:

Matthew 3: 7-8, 10

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire (Cp. Luke 3: 7,-8, 9).

Matthew 7: 16a, 17, 19

By their fruit you will recognize them. Likewise every good tree bears good [fresh] fruit, but a bad tree bears bad [rotten] fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Luke 3: 17

His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

NOTE: What has been presented so far is a series of contrasts: baptism of the Holy Spirit/fire; good fruit/bad fruit; and wheat/chaff.

Acts 1: 3-5

After His suffering, He showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised, which you have heard Me speak about (Cp. Luke 24: 49). For John baptized with water; but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Cp. Acts 11: 16).

NOTE: Jesus did not say that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire, too.

Acts 2: 2-3

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting. They “saw” what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues [languages] as the Spirit enabled [empowered, directed, guided] them.

CONCLUSION: In all due respects to my Spirit-filled, tongues-speaking Christian brethren it is all a matter of rightly dividing the word of truth (Cp. 2 Timothy 2: 15). Jesus mentioned to His disciples (apostles) before His ascension back to heaven that they were to tarry in the city (Jerusalem) until they be imbued [clothed] with power from on High. Jesus said that John baptized in water but that they would be baptized by the Holy Spirit, and there was no mention about fire. What the apostles experienced on “Pentecost” was a unique and extraordinary gift of divine grace that was given to them as the special emissaries of the LORD Jesus and messengers of His gospel to the world. Other believers subsequently spoke in tongues but the scriptures does not have any record of a person or group who heard a violent rushing wind or sound [perhaps like that of a hurricane, whirlwind, or tornado] and actually “saw” some kind of supernatural manifestation described as “tongues of fire” that afterward separated and quantities or aspects of that ‘something’ came and rested upon any of them. Lastly, this accounts for the “baptism” of the Holy Spirit part to which all believers experience presently, however, in a different way from the ‘original’ apostles but the remaining “fire” [baptism] will occur at the end of the Age.

Revelation 20: 11-12, 15

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of Life. The dead were judged according to what they had done according to the books. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Robert Randle

776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
May 19, 2013
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

A perspective on Christian Persecution in the Roman Empire

In the controversial new book, "The Myth of Persecution: How Early Christians Invented a Story of Martyrdom," University of Notre Dame Professor of Christianity Candida Moss says that many of the stories of Christians defying an imperial world power to the point of death is mostly exaggeration and historical embellishment. No populist movement, be it religious, political, or otherwise, is immune from occasional literary and oral propaganda or expansion. The idea of suffering is almost hardwired into the believer’s spiritual DNA, especially thousands of years ago, but does such a mindset promulgate the kind of behavior leading to a predictable outcome that is in conflict with societal values and expectations? The most important component of Roman society was respect for law and the Pax Romana, or civil peace. Since the empire was heterogeneous and consisted of people from many different ethnicities and cultures with disparate religious beliefs and practices, it mattered not to Roman officials what they did as long as they weren’t trying to undermine the social order and break lawful ordinances and statutes as administered by the local authorities.

The Roman religion was more or less a civil one where every citizen was to respect deity only as far as it pertains to ensuring the welfare and prosperity of the state or empire, and not so much about having ‘faith’ in or experiencing a personal relationship with any of the Roman gods as such. To offer sacrifice on one of the altars was more or less a pledge of allegiance to the state, and to Caesar as the representative head of government, ruler of the people and commander of the Roman legions, and to faithfully abide by all laws as a loyal Roman citizen. Whether a person believed in the gods was not so much an issue, but  when someone chose to show public disdain for the practice through some overt action, it was seen as not supporting societal values or norms, and being against everything that Rome offered; like freedom, peace, prosperity, security, and so forth.

I am not aware of any decree that someone was required to worship any member of the Roman pantheon of gods or if there were temples dedicated to them where attendance was compulsory. There were various cults associated with many pagan religious practices as well as the more esoteric and mystery religions of Egypt, Babylon, or Greece. The thing is, though, why were these groups able to operate under the radar of the government and the Christians singled out for such horrible mistreatment? A possible answer could be the “overemphasis” on persecution, suffering, trial, imprisonment, and tribulation narrated in the Scriptures and taught by the early followers of Jesus’ disciples and apostles where the actions that believers take or the way they live among people, created the kind of violent reaction from others in society where martyrdom becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. Also, another point is found in Acts 17: 6b, 7 which reads: “These men have caused trouble all over the world [empire]. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees [laws], saying that there is another king, Jesus.” Now think upon that statement for a moment. What upset the people and authorities were not Christian believers practicing their religion but rather breaking the laws, and most importantly, saying that there was another king besides Caesar.

Let’s try and look at how this might have looked to the average Greek or Roman citizen. If Caesar is not a true king then his rule is illegitimate because there is someone else who is a legitimate or true king; in fact someone who is King of kings.. If Caesar is a usurper, imposter, or unauthorized to rule then his laws or creeds are null and void. Ignoring heretofore royal and legal decrees as well as saying that there is a higher or greater throne to pay allegiance to would doubtless be viewed as subversive, insurrection, anarchistic, and the whole structure of governance throughout the empire could unravel, destroying the Pax Romana. Whenever an authoritarian, autocratic regime is in jeopardy of some kind of potential threat or revolt sometimes extreme measures have to be taken to discourage such attacks by setting an example to warn future dissidents of the consequences of rebellion; and also because most leaders are insecure and fearful of assassinations, poisonings, or other measures to get rid of them.

 It is time to make some comparisons and contrasts, starting with the apostle Paul:

 Acts 21: 38

Aren’t you that Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists (“jihadists or insurgents”) into the desert some time ago?

 Acts 24: 5

We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world [empire]. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect.

 Romans 13: 1-5

Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong [rebellion, rioting, insurrection, anarchy??]. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong [disobey the laws], be afraid. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath [cruel, inhumane, violent treatment or torture] to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of punishment.

NOTE: Do the authorities include living in obedience to corrupt authoritarian, democratic, socialist, communist, illiberal democracies, and dictatorships who deny civil liberties, civil rights, and perpetrate ‘genocide’ and “ethnic cleansing” violating international human rights laws as war criminals?

1 Thessalonians 4: 11a

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and mind your own business.

1Timothy 2: 1-3

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone-for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior.

1 Peter 2: 13-14, 17

Submit yourselves for the LORD’s sake to every authority instituted among men; whether to the king, as the supreme authority [in the empire], or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. Show the proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear, honor the king [earthly ruler, government official or ruler].

1 Peter 3: 13-14a

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even “IF” you should [not always will] suffer for what is right, you are blessed.

While not wanting to minimize the noble sacrifices of the nameless Christian martyrs who are not listed in the books of classical or medieval history or writings of the Church Fathers, there is the other side of the story that has to be acknowledged, too. After Christianity became the state religion by a pagan Roman Emperor who saw a vision of a “cross” in the sky the persecuted became the persecutors. Pagans who did not submit to belief in Jesus as the Son of God were treated with abuses that were just as vicious, brutal, and merciless as the ones they had received when the shoe was on the other foot. In fact, hundreds of thousands who resisted the word of God at the edge of a sword or barrel of a gun were slaughtered, and their lands taken as well as all the precious minerals and other goods or resources to fill papal coffers and royal treasuries [kings and queens who funded the expeditions of conquest and conversion to find riches in new undiscovered lands] in the home countries of Christian missionaries and explorers.  Christians even punished other believers deemed as ‘heretics’ who did not go along with the theological party line through torture, banishment, seizure of property, and execution. It is not a pretty picture and of course it is much easier to sell if it is one-sided and through the experience of ‘victimology.’

Another important thing to look at is the earthly life of Jesus in His contemporary time. He lived under an occupation force of a foreign world power and hegemony, and the people are anxious for deliverance so much that they lived with a siege mentality. The people were desperate as evidenced in Luke 3: 15, where it says: The people were waiting expectantly [with a sense of urgency or importance] and were wondering in their hearts if John might be the Christ [“Messiah/Deliver’]. Interestingly, Jesus did not give attention to the political situation of the day, although He mentioned frequently about the “kingdom of God.” As human nature proves, though, anxiety, frustration and impatience can spill over into clashes with authorities, civil disobedience, and if it is not contained by a strong show of force, sometimes excessive, can lead to anarchy and the destruction of state political, social, religious, and economic institutions.  

Applying this analysis to Christian martyrs, it is entirely possible that quite a few of them might have been massacred due more to “anti-social” conduct and not strictly because of their [superstitious] religious beliefs and practices. What needs to be kept in mind is proportionality of the punishment to the offense and was government action arbitrary or capricious, and over how long of a time frame. Notwithstanding, believers come in all types and there could have been a few influential radicals whose fiery rhetoric can fan the flames of people’s discontent, much like the leaders of al-Qaida or the Taliban. Consequently, someone can walk into the arena or coliseum and be torn apart, one limb or body part at a time from a half-starved animal, or have their flesh burn away while in the center of a bonfire because they want to go to heaven and see their LORD Jesus. This seems to be one side of an extreme anti-life perspective that sees the entire world as evil and nothing for good, but it may very well be that such severe punishment is more the result of law-breaking than faith- practicing.

 

Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
May 4, 2013
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Exegesis of the Book of Jeremiah

One of the important things to keep in mind when studying or reading any ancient document, inspired or not, is that the transmission of the information or historical narrative was in oral form, or storytelling. Unlike in modern times, content was probably more valuable than chronology as the teaching and reenactments of these stories had a significant affect upon the people, as well as their social, religious, cultural development and history. The past and present are as one unbreakable chain of iron and sinewy flesh to maintain an ethnic identity that will never be extinguished. So, in a broad overview of the Jeremiah scroll (book) it is worth noting that the events make more sense if arranged out of the normal order and read within a certain sequence that seems to capture the flow of the story better. This is of course, not a perfect organizational work but approximates a best guess as far as within the Biblical structure of the narrative.

Jeremiah 1: 1
The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. The word of the LORD came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah, and through the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.

Jeremiah 3: 18
In those days the house of Judah will join the house of Israel, and together they will come from a northern land (??) to the land I gave to your forefathers as an inheritance (Cp. 16: 15).

Jeremiah 20: 1
The priest Pashhur son of Immer, the chief officer in the temple of the LORD.

Jeremiah 21: 1
The LORD spoke his word to Jeremiah when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur son of Malkijah, and the priest Zephaniah son of Masseiah, to Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 22: 18, 24
Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah. Jehoiachin son of Jehoiachim king of Judah.

Jeremiah 23: 3
I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture.

Jeremiah 24: 1
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took Jehoiakin (son of King Jehoiakim of Judah), the princes of Judah, the skilled workers, and the builders from Jerusalem into captivity and brought them to Babylon

Jeremiah 25: 1, 8
The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Therefore the LORD Almighty says this: “Because you have not listened to my words, I will summon all the people of the north (Babylon/Iraq) and My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (Cp. 27: 6).”

Jeremiah 26: 1
Early in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah.

Jeremiah 35: 1, 3-4, 6
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD during the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah. So I went to get Jaazaniah and his brothers, and all his sons-the entire family of the Recabites. I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the rooms of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God. It was next to the room of the officials which was over that of Maaseiah son of Shallum the doorkeeper. Our father Jonadab son of Recab.

Jeremiah 36: 1, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 22, 26
In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah the word came to Jeremiah from the LORD. Baruch son of Neriah. In the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah. Gemariah son of Shaphan the secretary. Micaiah son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan. Elishama the secretary, Delaiah son of Shemiah, Elnathan son of Achor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah and all the other officials. Jehudi son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi. It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment. Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet.

Jeremiah 45: 1a
This is what Jeremiah the prophet told Baruch son of Neriah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, after Baruch had written on a scroll the words Jeremiah was then dictating.

Jeremiah 46: 2, 13-14a, 25a
Concerning Egypt: This is the message against the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah. This is the message the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to attack Egypt: Announce this in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol: proclaim it also in Memphis and Tahpanhes. The LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to bring punishment on Amon god of Thebes, on Pharaoh, on Egypt and her gods and kings, and on those who rely on Pharaoh.

Jeremiah 37: 1, 3, 5, 7, 13, 15
Zedekiah son of Josiah was made king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He reigned in place of Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim. King Zedekiah, however, sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah with the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah the prophet with this message: “Please pray to the LORD our God for us.” Pharaoh’s army had marched out of Egypt, and when the Babylonians who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem. This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: “Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to support you will go back to its own land, to Egypt. But when he (Jeremiah) reached the Benjamin gate, the captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah, arrested him and said, “You are deserting to the Babylonians.” They were angry with Jeremiah and had him beaten and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the secretary, which they had made into a prison.

NOTE: Zedekiah was Jehoiachin’s uncle (Cp. 2 Chronicles 9-10).

Jeremiah 27: 1
Early in the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah.

Jeremiah 38: 16, 7, 19
Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah. So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. But Ebed-Melech, a Cushite, an official in the royal palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have gone over to the Babylonians, for the Babylonians may hand me over to them and they will mistreat me.

Jeremiah 26: 24
Ahikam, son of Shaphat.

Jeremiah 28: 1
In the fifth month of the same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azur, who was from Gibeon.

Jeremiah 29: 10, 21, 24
This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place.” Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Masseiah. Shemaiah the Nehelamite.

Jeremiah 30: 3
The days are coming, declares the LORD, “When I will bring back my people Israel from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their forefathers to possess (Cp. 31: 23).”

Jeremiah 52: 27b-30
So Judah went into captivity, away from her land. This is the number of the people Nebuchadnezzar carried into exile. In the seventh year [of Zedekiah] 3,023 Jews: In Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem. In his twenty-third year, 745 Jews were taken into exile by Nebuzaradan the commander of the imperial guard. There were 4,600 people in all.

Ezra 2: 1, 2b, 64a
Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town). The list of the men of the people of Israel: The whole company numbered 42, 360.

NOTE: Jeremiah chapter 52 says that 4,600 people went into Babylonian captivity and 70 years later somewhere around seven times or more that number of the men returned back to the region of Jerusalem and Judea [as recorded in Nehemiah and Ezra]. The numbers of men add up to 29,818 and with the servants, singers and animals the total is 45,491. In Nehemiah chapter 7, the number of the men of Israel adds up to 31,089 (Cp. Nehemiah. 7: 6-62). If you include the servants, singers and animals the number rises to 46, 807 instead of what is given in the Biblical record (Cp. Nehemiah 7: 66-69).

2 Chronicles 24: 14-16
He (Nebuchadnezzar) captured all Jerusalem, all of the generals, all the soldiers (10,000 prisoners), and all the craftsmen and smiths. Only the poorest people of the land were left. He took the king’s mother, wives, eunuchs, and the leading citizens of the land from Jerusalem as captives to Babylon. The king of Babylon brought all 7,000 of the prominent landowners, 1,000 craftsmen and smiths, and all the men who could fight in war as captives to Babylon.

NOTE: Since there were 10,000 prisoners total, subtracting 7,000 of the prominent landowners and 1,000 craftsmen and smiths would only leave roughly 2,000 remaining of the population from Jerusalem and Judea taken captive to Babylon (including, the king’s mother, wives and royal family, court officials and nobles, eunuchs, and the leading citizens, all of the generals and soldiers who could still fight).

Jeremiah 39: 1-7, 9-10
In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through. When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and headed toward the Arabah. But the Babylonian army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon. Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him, and the rest of the people. But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

NOTE: The fall of Jerusalem is repeated again, almost word-for-word in Chapter 52.

Jeremiah 32: 1, 7, 12
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah said, “The word of the LORD came to me: Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is going to come to you and say, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth, because as nearest relative it is your right and duty to buy it.’” Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah (Masseiah??).

Jeremiah 39: 11-14
Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: Take him and look after him; don’t harm him but do for him whatever he asks (why??). So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers of the king of Babylon sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard. They turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him back to his house. So he remained among his own people.

NOTE: Why would the King of Babylon be concerned about the welfare of a Jewish prophet?

Jeremiah 40: 1a, 5, 8, 11-12
The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan, commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah. Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please. They came to Gedaliah at Mizpah-Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Eohal the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, and their men. When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them. They all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

NOTE: Are these last two verses the partial or complete fulfillment of Jeremiah 16: 15; 23: 3; 29: 10; 30: 3 and 31: 23?

Jeremiah 40: 14, 15b
Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant in Judah to perish?

Jeremiah 41: 1-4
In the seventh month Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood and had been one of the king’s officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating together there, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land. Ishmael also killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Babylonian soldiers who were there. The day after Gedaliah’s assassination before anyone knew about it, eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria, bringing grain offerings and incense with them to the house of the LORD [at Mizpah].

Jeremiah 42: 1
Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah.

Jeremiah 52: 31-34
In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Evil-Merodach became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah and freed him from prison on the twenty-fifth day of the eleventh month. He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table. Day by day the king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived, till the day of his death.

NOTE: Why did Evil-Merodach treat Jehoiachin so well?

CONCLUSION: The prophesy of Jeremiah, along with references from the books of Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah details the last days of rebellious Jerusalem/Judah before they were chastised by God through being led captive into Babylon. The temple was ransacked and then set on fire, and the city wall was broken down. The Hebrews, Jews or children of Israel lost their national identity as their sister land of Israel was carried into Assyrian captivity earlier. Nevertheless, God promised to bring them back into the land after seventy years, and as biblical numerical goes, this number would correspond to a cycle of completion; and so it was. This was the last time that Israel was driven from the land and this experience must have make quite an impact because it transformed the people into what they are today, and their greatest contribution to the world is the preservation of the sacred writings that have reshaped the world.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
March 15, 2013
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

The Angel of Jehovah

In any standard reading of the Bible there are quite a few curious narrative depictions of supernatural events, unusual circumstances, or heroic individuals but one of the two great mysteries, starting way back in the Old Testament book of Genesis is the identity of the Angel of the LORD [Elohim/Yahveh]. This being has the authority of God and even God warns Moses that this one has the divine Name in Him and to obey His voice because He would not pardon their rebellions. There are times when God will say something and the next time it will be the Angel of the LORD speaking with the same authority, and not as the familiar angelic messengers from heaven that we are most familiar with, like Michael or Gabriel.

Besides a few unnamed ones here and there, such as the one who lost the wrestling match to Jacob in his dream or the Celestial Watchers who pronounced Heaven’s judgment against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, whereby he would take on the nature of a beast of the field for a time because of his pride, until he humbled himself before God and recognized that He alone is sovereign and ruled in the kingdom of men (Cp. Daniel 4: 13-17). Among the scholarly circles and fundamental theological teaching in the Christian Church the Angel of the LORD is believed to be one of the pre-incarnate appearances (“theophany’s”) of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament period. That sounds quite plausible and there are certainly a few textual passages that seem to suggest just the very point, except the first chapter of Hebrews, which is included at the end of this study. Be that as it may, it is still a fascinating and at a the same time baffling point to fully understand.

Genesis 16: 7a, 9-10
The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert. The angel of the LORD told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” The angel added, “I will increase your descendants that they be too numerous to count.”

Genesis 22: 2, 9-12
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay your hand on the boy,” He said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God because you have not withheld from Me your son, your only son.”

Exodus 3: 1-6
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight-why the bush does not burn up.” When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am!” “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”

Exodus 23: 20-22a
“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay attention to Him and listen to what He says. Do not rebel against Him; He will not forgive your rebellion, since My name is in Him. If you listen carefully to what He says and do all that I say. . .”

NOTE: The name of God revealed to Moses was ‘Ehyeh’ (Exodus 3: 14) or the derivative, “Yah” (Psalms 68: 4; 83: 18).

Numbers 22: 20, 31, 34-35
That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.” Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned; I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.” The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Deuteronomy 23: 5
Nevertheless, the LORD your God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing unto you because the LORD your God loved you.

Joshua 5: 13-15
Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or our enemies?” “Neither,” He replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my LORD have for His servant?” The commander of the LORD’S army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Revelations 22: 8, 9a, 9b
And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship [do reverence] before the feet of the Angel, which showed me these things. Then He said to me, “See that you do it not; worship God (Revelations 19: 10; Colossians 2: 18).”

Judges 2: 1, 2b
The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to your forefathers. I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you. Yet you have disobeyed Me. Why have you done this?’ ”

Judges 6: 19-23
Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them to him under the oak. The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And Gideon did so. With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock consuming the meat and bread. The angel of the LORD disappeared. When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, “Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!” But the LORD said to him, “”Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.”

Judges 13: 15-20, 21b-23
Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat for you.” The angel of the LORD replied, “Even though you detain Me, I will not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD.” (Manoah did not realize that it was the angel of the LORD). Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that we may honor You when Your word comes true?” He replied, “Why do you ask My name? It is beyond understanding [ineffable].” Then Manoah took a young goat, together with the grain offering, and sacrificed it on a rock to the LORD. And the LORD did an amazing thing while Manoah and his wife watched: As the flame blazed up from the altar toward heaven (the sky), the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame. Seeing this, Manoah and his wife fell with their faces to the ground. Manoah realized it was the angel of the LORD. “We are doomed to die!” he said to his wife. “We have seen God.”

Exodus 33: 20
But God said, “You cannot see My face, for no man shall see Me and live!”

Hebrews 1: 2-5
In these last days [God] has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. Who being the brightness of His glory and the very image of His substance, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had by Himself purged our sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Being made so much better than the angels, He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels did He ever say, You are My Son, today I have begotten You? And again, I shall be a Father to Him and He shall be a Son to Me? And when He again brings the Firstborn into the world, He says, “And let all the angels of God [Elohim] worship Him.”


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
March 15, 2013
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

A tale of two Old Testament cities

Although this is not a Dicken's classic the narratives do contain a bit of irony.It seems the gay rights debate will be the defining issue of this country for many decades to follow, eclipsing even that of the Civil Rights legislation of the 1960’s. This controversy won’t go away and several Christian denominations have split over openly gay clergy or other involvement in church functions. To those believers who have attended bible classes or worship services, even infrequently, have either read or heard preachers quote the book of Genesis in the Old Testament about God destroying Sodom and the surrounding cities or towns. Progressive Churches that are more about acceptance, being non-judgmental and welcoming say there is another side to this event that is rarely mentioned instead of demonizing and condemning same-sexual relationships. What the focus of this study is in the way of contrast, that is, two different outcomes from essentially the same types of behaviors and no explanationn offered as to the outpouring of divine wrath in one case, and in another, silence.Some passage rereads are in the following:

Genesis 19: 1-8a’
The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house.” You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go your way early in the morning.” “No.” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.” But he insisted so strongly [that the strange visitors not stay there] that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate. Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom-both young and old-surrounded the house. They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we can have sex with them.” Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, “No, my friends don’t do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who are virgins. Let me bring them out to you and you can do what you like with them, but don’t do anything to these men.”

NOTE: Most, if not all the time the real emphasis of the story starts at verse 4 and nothing is hardly thought about verses 1 through 3.

Now, let’s look at another example that is almost identical but the results are far from what one would have expected.

Judges 19: 11-18
When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, “Come, let us stop at this city of the Jebusites and spend the night.” His master replied, No. we won’t go into an alien city, whose people are not Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.” He added, “Come, let us try to reach Gibeah or Ramah and spend the night in one of those places.” So they went on, and the sun set as they neared Gibeah in Benjamin. There they stopped to spend the night. They went and sat in the city square, but no one took them into his home for the night. That evening an old man from the hill country of Ephraim, who was living in Gibeah (the men of the place were Benjamites), came in from his work in the fields. When he looked and saw the travelers in the city square, the old man asked, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?” He answered, “We are on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim where I live. I have been to Bethlehem in Judah and now I am going to the house of the LORD. No one has taken me into his house.

Judges 19: 20, 22-24
“You are welcome at my house,” the old man said. Let me supply whatever you need. Only don’t spend the night in the square.” While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city (Gibeah) surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house so that we can have sex with him [the man had a servant so it would be ‘them,’ wouldn’t it??]. The owner of the house went outside and said to them, “No, my friends don’t be so vile (wicked). Since this man is my guest, don’t do this disgraceful thing. Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But to this man, don’t do such a disgraceful thing.”

NOTE: In this instance there was no divine wrath of fire and brimstone leveled on these people of the covenant (“Benjamites”) as opposed to Sodom and the other surrounding cities.

Ezekiel 16: 49-50
Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and the needy [or strangers at the gate??]. They were haughty and did detestable things before Me.

CONCLUSION: There you have it. Some liberal and progressive Bible scholars believe that the sins of the Sodomites was not sexual in nature but rather one of lacking to show hospitality and respect to the strangers who sat in the town square all night, but is this really plausible? Both the texts of Genesis and Judges depict almost verbatim the same event, but the response from on High was surprising different; silence in the case of the latter. Not only that, but in the Genesis account why was Lot so insistent on his unexpected guests not spending the night at the town square, and certainly the inhabitants of Sodom should not have been hostile toward one of their neighbor’s [although an alien resident] practicing hospitality; just like the old man of Gibeah in the book of Judges? The inhabitants of Sodom deemed Lot’s interventionist part to be some kind of judgment or moral superiority which was met with resistance and threats of harm to him and doubtless his family, too. It’s like they could do whatever they wanted with impunity, without fear of the consequences, and that is what being ‘haughty’ is. So, whether the alternative emphasis will dissuade anyone from changing their view about homosexuality is not under consideration in this study, but rather to reintroduce it in a different light and let the reader decide what the right answer is for them.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
March 10, 2013
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

The gospel according to the Church of Oprah

Oprah Winfrey has certainly received praise from her millions of followers but she gets criticized also. Probably the latest and ongoing controversy is the issue regarding her religious, oops, I mean, spiritual perspective. Some detractors feel that because of her public statements she should lose support from fans and corporate sponsors alike; but is this fair? This is America and a person is free to believe or not believe whatever they want to. Before summarizing a few of Miss O’s views the usual response is to line up several passages from the Bible to refute everything Oprah says, but that might not be necessary. Oprah claims that Jesus didn’t come to die on the cross for our sins but rather, to teach us “Christ Consciousness.” This term is not new and has been around for a long time, centuries before its popularity in America by the New Age Movement or Western-style Eastern mysticism. Jesus is seen as just another spiritual teacher in a long procession of others, dating back from millennia, who appeared on the scene to teach humanity some vital truth about reality, our purpose, social relationships, life and death, and about the Creator. Jesus wants us to attain this awareness within ‘ourselves’ and as I try to explain it to the best of my understanding, it’s like falling in love-you can’t put the feeling into words but you know it when you feel it. As Oprah says, “It’s what you come to know for yourself;” in other words, it’s your truth that is real, personal, and you don’t have to explain or prove it to someone else.

Another point she brings out is that God, or rather, knowing God is a ‘feeling’ experience and not a ‘believing’ experience. This statement would make any Christian cringe because “belief” is the foundation of our faith and it is the center from where we project ourselves into this world and social order that we are a part of. She continues, “Religion is all about a ‘believing experience’ then it’s truly not of God.” Oprah, I think, is trying to make too fine a distinction between the two twin pillars of believing and feeling and separating either one of them seems like a Mission Impossible. She does have a point that in some Christian circles there is an overabundance of stressing the word, “BELIEVE” without delineating what the response, expectation, and responsibilities are that go along with this choice. Oprah challenges the notion, or exclusivist proclamation that there is only ‘one’ way or path to God, but to her there are ‘many’ paths to God. Now, before the community of faith condemns her too harshly let’s take an inward look at ourselves before we pass judgment. I mean, how many Christian denominations are there with their own distinct religious literature, theology, liturgy that range anywhere from Hebraic Christians, Mormons, Pentecostals, Jehovah Witnesses, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodist, Quakers, Seventh-day Adventists, Salvation Army, affiliated and non-affiliated, ad infinitim; yet all of us claim to be serving and worshipping the same God and will be joining each other in Heaven, although we separate ourselves and do not fellowship one another while here on earth.

Getting back to the point about “Christ consciousness” an audience member said that to her it is having a deeper, inner connection to the ‘purpose’ that Jesus came to reveal, which is how to be fully human, as opposed to Him coming to die on the cross for sin. If one were to take such a position then Jesus, in fact, need not to have come at all because he didn’t reveal anything new. There were teachers of wisdom long before he came on the scene and have distilled much deeper, exquisite, esoteric and more practical teaching and knowledge than preserved in the gospels. The virtues of Eastern mysticism and Greek Philosophy are more profound than anywhere in the New Testament; so the three and one half year of Jesus’ ministry that culminated in His death just to perform a few miracles and astound mostly uneducated, simple working-class Galilean laborers and other peasants, would seem a great sacrifice if that was all there was to it. The audience member went on to say that if you don’t follow your spiritual calling, then you are lesser of a human. This is almost verbatim from Buddhism which says that a person’s goal in life is to find out what their work (“tikkun”) is in life to fulfill their purpose.

It seems “sin” is a word that makes people feel uncomfortable and it is much easier to simply exclude it from discussion. There are substitutes which men like Dr. Wayne Dyer and Eckhart Tolle like to use instead, like behavior resulting from having negative thoughts or something like that; and even God is presented as  impersonal cosmic power, consciousness, or intelligence referred to as the “Source.” Al Gore once said, “We aren’t human beings having a spiritual experience but spiritual beings having a human experience.” To some of the Gnostics or spiritualists, Jesus Christ is a divine principle, concept, or idea that was made known but not so much a personal being; and the same thinking is applied to God as being-ness and without anthropological characteristics such as hearing, feeling, seeing, and so on. While it is true that the ‘spark’ of divinity resides within the human body to animate our physical life, innate moral capacity and sentience (“conscious awareness”), still we are flawed, imperfect, and broken in a spiritual sense compared to the perfectness and holy nature of God, our Father and Creator.

As a last point, at least on the merit of it, the most salient point is: “Man has made God in his own image-the eternal, infinite, unnamable was reduced to a mental ‘’idol’ that you had to believe in as God.” Enough cannot be written to counter the damaging psychological effect of European Renaissance religious imagery, iconography and art in portraying supernatural beings graven as images from man’s imagination, regardless of how ‘inspired’ the claims are, or out of the most pious devotion, reverence, and act of worship. It was not without good reason the prohibition in Exodus 20 was given by God regarding making images and idols of anything in heaven. There are even those who worship the angels as heavenly intermediaries between themselves and God and represent these beings in paintings, sculptures, and the like.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
March 10, 2013
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Is Mystery Babylon Rome or Jerusalem?

The traditional interpretation among the Protestant Christian theology in the book of Revelation is that “Mystery Babylon” or the “Great Harlot” of chapter 17 refers to the Roman Catholic Church, but that might just be more of Reformation Movement bias than critical exegesis. While it cannot be denied from an Ecclesiastical and secular historical standpoint that Christians were martyred in the Roman coliseums and elsewhere, was this European city portrayed in the Revelation of John’s narrative? Now it could very well be that it is of importance and included as a crucial piece in the unfolding Eschatological events, but one cannot forget Jerusalem, either. In fact, it seems that the ‘holy city’ is a better fit to the puzzle than Rome. As far as the color purple is concerned, it was just a sign of wealth and used in the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Cp. Luke 16: 17-31). The golden cup that is mentioned in Revelation 17 can be found in Jeremiah 51 where Babylon was a golden cup in the hand of the LORD, instead of the cup used by the Pope during the “Eucharist” or holy communion. Also, as far as harlotry or prostitution is concerned, the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel strongly and graphically (in some instances) condemn the practices and infidelity of Samaria (Israel) and Jerusalem.

 Revelation 11: 8

Their bodies will lie in the street of that great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also our LORD was crucified.

 Luke 13: 33b

For surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem.
NOTE: Was Jesus crucified in Vatican City, Rome or outside Jerusalem?

 Isaiah 3: 8a, 9

Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling. The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it.

 Jeremiah 23: 14b

They are all like Sodom to Me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.

 Revelation 14: 6-7

I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her I was greatly amazed (astonished).

 NOTE: It is doubtful that the author would have been amazed about the city of Rome but Jerusalem, on the other hand, now that would have been quite a shock.

 Revelation 18: 10, 20, 22, 22b, 23a, 24

“Woe! Woe, O great city. O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!” Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she has treated you. The music of harpists and musicians, flute players and trumpeters will never be heard in you again. The sound of a millstone (Cp. Matthew 24: 41; Luke 17: 35) will never be heard in you again. The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride (Cp. John 3: 29) will never be heard in you again. In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all who had been killed on the earth.

 NOTE: Jeremiah 25: 3-11 refers to Jerusalem being led into Babylonian captivity and about the voices of the bride and bridegroom, light of the lamp, and the sound of millstones.

 Matthew 23: 35, 37a

And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah (Cp. Zechariah 1: 1), whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.” “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you. . .”

 Luke 11: 47-51a

“Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of this, God in His wisdom said, “I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary.”

 Jeremiah 22: 8

People from many nations will pass by this city and will ask one another, “Why has the LORD done such a thing to this great city?”

 Lamentations 2: 15

All who pass your way clap their hands at you; they scoff and shake their heads at the Daughter of Jerusalem. Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth?”

 

CONCLUSION: Outside of the ‘great city’ of Nineveh mentioned several times in the book of Jonah (Cp. Jonah 1: 2; 3: 2; and 4: 11). Jerusalem seems to be the best candidate and not papal Rome. Although these examples may be far from conclusive in the minds of some, yet the information seems to strongly suggest that John was in shock and awe that the beloved city of the great King and that has the name of God recorded in it could be portrayed so horribly. Be that as it may, this is not a condemnation of those religious Jews who faithfully serve their God but rather the secular, militaristic and political Israelis (“Edomites”) whose interests are not spiritual, but rather to be an integral part of a global consortium (government  or council) that wants to rule the world.

 Robert Randle

776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
March 9, 2013
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

 

Jesus' appearance to His Disciples in the gospel of MARK

Bible scholars and theologians have debated the seemingly confusing ending to Mark’s gospel, accepting the first eight verses in chapter sixteen, while rejecting the remaining verses because they don’t appear in the earliest manuscripts and writings of the early Church Fathers or Ecclesiastical authorities. Be that as it may, a systematic and analytical reading of this last chapter alongside other gospel narratives relating to Jesus’ resurrection seem to more strongly support, at least as it pertains to the early post Sabbath events, some parts of the disputed latter portion over the earlier verses.

Mark 16: 1-8
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene (Cp. Matthew 2: 23; Acts 24: 5), who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go; tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see Him, just as he told You.’” Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

NOTE: For whatever reason the Christian Church seems to accept this traditional and more controversial ending version as more authentically plausible, but not the alternative scenario starting at verse 9 and following. The one person quite unlikely to withhold spreading the good news about an empty tomb because of fear, bewilderment, or astonishment when told by a mysterious stranger about Jesus’ resurrection is Mary Magdalene, as in the following:

John 20: 18
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the LORD!” And she told them that He had said these things to her.

Mark 16: 9-12
When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen Him, they did not believe it [they did not believe her]. Afterward Jesus appeared in another form to two of them while they were walking in the country.

Luke 24: 13-23
Now that same day, two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing Him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas (Cp. John 19: 25), asked Him, “Are you only a visitor and do not know the things that have happened in these days?” “What things?” He asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests of our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him; but we had hoped that He was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find His body. They came and told us they had seen a vision of angels, who said He was alive.

Luke 24: 10-11
When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

Luke 24: 24
Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but Him they did not see.”

Luke 24: 11
Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

John 20: 1-8
Early on the first day of the week while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the LORD out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him!” So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He [the other/beloved disciple] bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb, He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside.

Luke 24: 28-31
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged Him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening: the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them. When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight.

Luke 24: 33-35
They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true!” The LORD has arisen and appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread (Cp. Luke 22: 19).

Mark 16: 13-14
These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; He rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal (hardness of heart) to believe those who had seen Him after His resurrection.

 Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
February 24, 2013
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Liturgy of the Eucharist

The celebration of the LORD’S Supper is the most solemn event in the Christian Church and holiest of sacraments, and yet do we pay attention the words spoken by a member of the clergy surrounding the communion table. This is besides the fact that is some denominations a loaf of bread is used which is not the unleavened bread (“matzo”) that is mentioned in the Old Testament during Passover, where we derive our observance. Anyway, when an individual presides over the table one is prone to quote 1 Corinthians 11: 23-24 where the Apostle Paul quotes Jesus as saying, “Take eat, this is My body, which is broken for you.” The thing is, though, the closest narrative to this is found in the gospel of Luke 22: 9, where Jesus says, “This is My body, which is given for you.”

Even Matthew and Mark don’t even go that far.The reason to bring attention to this little detail is that using the word “broken” gives a connotation that is inconsistent with the rest of scripture. It would seem more appropriate for the verse to use words like: given up /delivered up, ransomed, or even sacrificed for you. And while Jesus was certainly subjected to humiliation and torture, yet His body (or spirit for that matter) was not ‘broken’ in the usual sense of the word. The most important part is that which Paul transposes from Luke’s gospel, namely, “Do this in remembrance (or as a memorial) to Me.” How fortunate we are as believers that this most precious privilege and rite was left on the pages of inspiration by authors who weren’t even among Jesus’ disciples,but nevertheless passed it on for future generations to follow in this most blessed experience of partaking of the flesh and blood of the Son of Man (John 6: 51-54).


Exodus 34: 20
You shall not break (Heb. thish) any bone (Heb. estem) of it [the Passover lamb].

Psalms 34: 20
He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken (Heb. nish’barah).

John 19: 36
These things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled; not one of his bones (Heb. estem) will be broken (Heb. thish).

Matthew 26: 26
While they were eating, Jesus took bread (Heb. lechem), and after blessing it, He broke (Heb. yiph’ros) and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take eat, this is My body.”

Mark 14: 22
While they were eating, Jesus took bread (Heb. lechem), and after blessing it, He broke (Heb. yiph’tsa) and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take eat, this is My body.”

Luke 22: 19
And when he had taken the bread (Heb. ha lechem) and given thanks, He broke (Heb. yib’tsa) and gave it to them (Heb. lahem), saying, “This is My body which [is given] for you; do this in remembrance
(Heb. zik’riy) of Me.
NOTE: There is no Hebrew translation for [is given] and doubtless was placed there to make more sense.

1 Corinthians 11: 23-24
For I have received of the LORD that which I deliver unto you, that the LORD Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks He broke (Heb. yib’tsa) it and said, “Take eat, this is My body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance (Heb. zik’riy) of Me.”

1 Corinthians 5: 7b
For even Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed (Heb. nizbach) for us.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
February 9, 2013
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Who are the family of Jesus mentioned in Mark’s gospel?

Genesis 7: 1a
The LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family.

Judges 24: 15
As for me and my household/family (Heb. u beythi), we will serve the LORD.

Mark 9: 33a
Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus was at home.

Mark 3: 20-21a
Then Jesus went home (Heb. ha bay’tha). Another crowd gathered so that Jesus and His disciples could not even eat. When His own family (Heb. q’ro bayu) heard about this, they went to get Him.

Mark 3: 31a
Then His mother and brothers arrived. They stood outside and sent someone to ask Him to come out.

Mark 6: 1, 4
Jesus left that place and went to His hometown [“Nazareth”-Luke 4: 16]. Jesus said to them, “The only place a prophet is not honored is in his hometown, among his own relatives (Heb. q’ro bayu), and in his own household/family (Heb. q’ro beytho).

John 7: 5b
Even His brothers didn’t believe in Him.

DISCUSSION: Most, if not all Christians and people of faith throughout the world would consider it quite improbable that Jesus the Son of God and Jewish Messiah would have family responsibilities. Now, if He were a mortal, though an extraordinarily gifted one, it would not be too much of a stretch of the imagination that he would follow the social custom of His time and be married with children. At a first glance the third chapter of Mark’s gospel seems to strongly suggest what might at once though to be sacrilegious to many. However, upon close examination of the text and other references, one has to conclude that the family that is being described refers to Jesus’ relatives who arrive on the scene some ten verses later. As intriguing as it might be, one can only speculate how this would have worked out anyway. It all comes down to a translation of the word “family” and one of those words is ‘bayu’ which is the same Hebrew word for “relative.” So, another reading of Mark 3: 21a is: When His relatives heard bout it, they went to get Him. And His mother Mary and His brothers came to the rescue afterwards; or least they made the attempt to gain access to Him but could not.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 24, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Exactly what was the curse of Noah all about?

There is perhaps no greater misunderstanding of a text in the Bible than the one pertaining to Noah cursing his son Ham, or rather one of his sons by the name of Canaan. This is the first appearance of the word “slave” or bondservant in Scripture and consequently, the interpretation has lead to justification of a practice of servitude where a person and their family can be bought and sold or traded for, as a piece of property. Unfortunately, people of color and especially Black people whose ancestors were from the Continent of Africa, especially African- Americans in the United States, have been the most significantly affected. The thing is, though, upon closer examination of the passage in Genesis 9 as well as Genesis 10, this “curse” does not fall upon the shoulders of the so-called Negro or Black race, as such.

The sons of Ham usually associated with being Black or African are Cush and Mizraim. However, Cush the son of Ham is the father of Nimrod and Babylon [Iraq], not to mention, Assyria. Mizraim the son of Ham is another name for Egypt and an ancestor of the Philistines who probably lived in Crete (Caphtor) from antiquity. Put is another son of Ham who is the ancestor of the people from Libya and the city of Cyrene. Canaan the son of Ham is more about a territory as well as the people who occupied this area. The land stretched between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River reaching from the brook of Egypt to the area around Ugarit in Syria, or to the Euphrates River. HOLMAN Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Holman Publishers, 2003. Now, let’s reread the Biblical narrative as below:



Genesis 9: 20-27
Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s nakedness. When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves is he to his brothers.” He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be his slave. May God extend the territory of Japheth; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave.”

Genesis 10: 8
The sons of Ham: Cush, Mzraim, Put and Canaan.

Genesis 10: 15-19
Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amonites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites. Later the Canaanite clans scattered and the borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.

NOTE: The Canaanite descendants who lived in such places as Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim the LORD completely wiped them out in His fierce wrath (Deuteronomy 29: 23).

Genesis 15: 18-21
At that time the LORD made a promise to Abram. He said, “I will give this land to your descendants. It is the land of Egypt from the river of Egypt [Nile] to the great river, the Euphrates. It is the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

Deuteronomy 7: 1
The LORD your God will bring you to the land you’re about to enter and take possession of. He will force many nations out of your way: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites-seven nations larger and more powerful than you.

Joshua 3: 10
Joshua continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will certainly force the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites out of your way.”

Judges 1: 21
The men of Benjamin did not force out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem. The Jebusites still live with the tribe of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

Judges 1: 29
The tribe of Ephraim did not force out those who lived at Kitron or Nahalol. So the Canaanites continued to live with them in Gezer.


CONCLUSION: According to this narrative the tribes consisting of Manasseh, Zebulun, Naphtali, Asher and Dan were not able to drive the people out of their lands and territory. Those indigenous descendants of Ham through his son Canaan, namely the Canaanites and Amorites were forced to be slaves (Judges 1: 27-35) in this instance, fulfilling to an extent the words of Noah in Genesis 9. It is interesting to read in Acts 13: 19 that God destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave it to the Israelites as an inheritance, when it says in the following Old testament book of Joshua:

Judges 3: 1-3, 5
These are the nations the LORD left behind to test all the Israelites who had not experienced any war in Canaan. The LORD left them to teach Israel’s descendants about war, at least those who had not known anything about it in the past. He left the five rulers of the Philistines (Joshua 13: 3-Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, Ekron), all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal Hermon to the border of Hamath. So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. The Israelites allowed their sons and daughters to marry these people. Israel also served their gods.

1 Kings 9: 20-22
The Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites had been left in the land because the Israelites had not been able to claim them for God by destroying them. They were not Israelites, but they had descendants who were still in the land. Solomon drafted them for slave labor (they are still slaves until this day).


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 21, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Homosexuality in the Old and New Testament

Leviticus 18: 20a
You shall not lie (Heb. sh’k’bey) with a male as one lies with a female.

Leviticus 20: 13a
As for a man who lies (Heb. yishkbay) with a male as those who lie
(Heb. mishkbey) with a woman. Both of them have committed a detestable act (abomination).

NOTE: The words for lie/lay carnally are from the primitive root words, shakab (#7901) and shekobeth (#7903) in Strong’s Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary. The primary meaning in both instances relate to having sexual relations. And the Hebrew word “ish” translates as man.

Genesis 19: 5
And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may lay/lie (Heb. ned’ ‘ah) with them.”

Judges 19: 22b
And they spoke to the old man, the owner of the house, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house that we may know (Heb. ned‘a) him.

Genesis 19: 8a
“Now behold, I have two daughters who [are virgins] have not had sexual/carnal relations (Heb. yad’ ‘u) with a man.

Judges 19: 25
But the men were not willing to listen to him. So the man took hold of his concubine and brought her out to them; and they knew (Heb. yed’ ‘u) her, and abused her all night until morning, then they sent her away when the dawn rose.

WORD VOCABULARY:
Leviticus 20: 7
Holy (Heb. Qdoshim)

Deuteronomy 23: 17
Sodomite (Heb. Qadesh)

1 Kings 14: 24
Sodomites (Heb. Qadesh)

1 Kings 15: 12
The Sodomites (Heb. ha Q’deshim)

1 Kings 22: 46
The Sodomites (Heb. ha Qadesh)

*2 Kings 23: 7a*
He tore down the houses of the male temple prostitutes (Heb. ha Q’deshim) who were in the LORD’S temple.

1 Corinthians 6: 9
Effeminate (Heb. haq’deshiym); abusers (Heb. shok’biym); mankind (Heb. zakar)

NOTE: The word used for “effeminate” is the same Old Testament word for temple prostitute (Heb. Qdeshiym) in 2 Kings 23: 7.

1Timothy 1: 10
Immoral [spec. “sexual sins”] (Heb. zoniym); homosexuals [males] (Heb. shok’biym zakar)

DISCUSSION: Reference- http://www.bayithamashiyach.com/scriptures.html
The Hebrew word “Qadesh” (pl. Q’deshim) translated as sodomite, also means male temple prostitute. Interestingly, this word is similar to “Qodesh/Qadash” (pl. ‘Qdoshim’) which means holy. It would seem from these references that the use of different Hebrew root words such as ishkbay, yad’ ‘u/yeh’ ‘u, ned’a, qadesh, shak’biym-shek’biym-shok’biym, or some derivative has the main connotation of a sexual encounter between males, mostly, and usually associated with pagan religious customs that is explicitly revealed in the respective narratives. In Genesis 4 and Judges 19, these accounts are about brutality, rape, degradation, sexual abuse, humiliation, and violence. To be sure, nowhere in the entire Bible is equivalent Hebrew roots for modern terms such as homosexual, faggot or the acronym GLBTQ (Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender-Queer). The Scriptures are not so much concerned about labels as it is regarding conduct and personal responsibility. However, it is interesting to note that in 1 Timothy 1: 9 are the folowing words and their roots: "unholy" (t'me'iym; "profane" (n'baliym); "lawless" ((hapsh'iym); and "rebellious" (hamor'diym)

There are two main considerations in this matter that cannot be understated, namely, the theological and physiological. Either the standard translation is in error, the interpretation, or both; hence, any hermeneutical techniques will be of little value. On the other side of this issue is the assumption that people engaged in same-sex relations have a “choice” and it is something that can be ‘cured’ if one accepts some form of radically invasive psychotherapy, including exorcism, or merely just come to Jesus and He will deliver you from this way of life. The Christian Church has to take a firm and definitive stand on this matter and send a clear message of its position which allows it to be inclusive, compassionate, loving, supportive and welcoming to any and all who come among us instead of being hostile, judgmental, uncomfortable and condemning. At the same time we should not be apologizing for God nor compromising His word for the sake of political correctness. A closing thought has to do with the friendship between David and Jonathan, son of King Saul, as in the following:

1 Samuel 1: 26
I am heartbroken over you, my brother Jonathan. You were my great delight. Your love was more wonderful to me than the love of women.

‘Continued-
No one in their right mind would even think for a moment that David and Jonathan had some kind of same-sex encounter, although they shared a very strong bond of affection that was probably quite remarkable.

Leviticus 18: 1-3, 24; 20: 23
Then the LORD (YHVH) spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘I am YHVH your God (El). You shall not do according to the doings of the land of Egypt in which you lived; and you shall not do according to the doings of the land of Canaan where I am bringing you there; and you shall not walk in their statutes.’ ” “Do not defile yourself with any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled.” “Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I shall drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them.”

CLOSING THOUGHT:
No one really knows for sure why someone is attracted to someone of the same sex or chooses to be a drag queen, bisexual, etc. Despite all the theology, psychology, sociology, anthropology, sexology, anatomy and biology, people are what they are. Perhaps more of us should listen to the words in Lady Gaga’s hit song, “Born This Way” because quite frankly, none of us have a clue to what the real deal is, anyway. Besides, according to Sex and Gender Sociology, roughly 1-2% of all births in the United States are sexually indeterminate. What this means in layman’s terms is that three to six million people are born with gender misidentification-they are in the wrong body. All we do is look at them and frown up our faces; we say or think something offensive, or avoid any sort of physical contact or go out of our way not to be in too close proximity as though contagious, without ever trying to imagine what it must be like to be hated or shunned in that way.

In far too many instances believers preach one thing but practice the opposite and forget that our LORD Jesus was routinely criticized by the traditional established church of His time of being in the company of and a friend to those marginalized persons whom society has rejected and called ‘sinners.’ Sometimes we forget the spirit of the Law, which is all about love and forgiveness and since there really isn’t one Scripture in the entire Bible that directly forbids or condemns as inherently sinful a loving, monogamous relationship between two same-sex life partners as far as translation is concerned, although some words may be interpreted this way. Now, as a final thought, consider the following:

Romans 4: 15a
For where there is no law there is no transgression.

1 John 3: 4
Whoever commits sin transgresses the law. For sin is a transgression of the law.

ADDENDUM:
Jesus said, “For some are eunuchs because they were born that way (Cp. Matthew 19: 12a).” Doesn’t that statement sound somewhat familiar? A “eunuch” is a man who is born without his external male genitalia and usually served in a sultan’s harem or in some royal service (Cp. 2 Kings 20: 18; Jeremiah 38: 7; Daniel 1: 3; Acts 8: 27). The critically important point here is not the occupation but the orientation. This is probably the only passage in the entire Bible which can perhaps be used to explain that a person can have their sexual orientation or gender identity determined at birth. If someone were missing the sexual organs appropriate to their biological appearance or had them surgically altered or removed at birth, this would affect their psycho-social development. Even the underproduction or overproduction of sex hormones can affect the physical features as well as behavior of a person.

What the apostle Paul writes about in Romans 1: 18-27, at least the parts that make sense are found in verses 26b-27, where he affirms the “natural” state of attraction between a man and a woman; this much is true. However, because of the particular circumstances in which some of us are born into as an act of ‘nature’ and beyond our control, some people are destined to be attracted to others of the same biology or act in other ways that are outside the way that one would if their births had been different. If a pregnant female was a drug user and gave birth to a crack baby or one addicted to heroin from the womb, should that person be blamed or condemned if they grew up with substance abuse issues? The problem with the whole conversation about this subject is placing a label on someone and leaving it up to others to attach meaning to it. To reiterate: “unnatural” in this context does not mean something disgusting, deplorable, and profane or that God hates and rejects, but rather, that which is “different” but in no way is it less in terms quality or value than that which is its other side.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 16, 2012
robertrandle51@yahoo.com