Genesis 16: 12
And he [Ishmael] shall be as a wild ass among men: his hand will be against every man and every man’s hand against him; and he shall live to the east and on the borders of his kinsmen [Jews??]. (Amplified Bible)
17: 20
“As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall begat twelve princes, and I will make him a great [Arab??] nation.”
25: 6
But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines who Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac, to the country of the East.
27: 43
“Now therefore, my son, obey my voice: arise, flee to my brother Laban in Haran.”
NOTE: Laban was called a “Syrian” (Cp. Genesis 25: 20).
28: 2
“Arise, go to Padan Aram [Syria], to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father. . .”
29: 2
So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East.
Judges 6: 3b, 33b
The people of the East. . .
1 Kings 4: 30
Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the people of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
Job 1: 1a, 3b
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. . . this man was the greatest of all the men in the east.
Judges 7: 12
Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley. . .
Ezekiel 25: 3a, 4a
“Say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the LORD God! Thus says the LORD God; “Indeed, therefore, I will deliver you as a possession to the men of the East, and they shall set their encampments among you and make their dwelling among you; they shall eat your fruit and drink your milk.”
COMMENTARY: The one thing which seems abundantly clear is that “the people of the East” is a designation for not only a people but an entire geographical region to the East of Judea, in Mesopotamia [Greek for between the two rivers of the Tigris and Euphrates]. Sometimes a specific country or tribal clan is used and at other times the generic term, “the people or sons of the East” are mentioned. Be that as it may, using the reference material in the Bible Dictionary by Smith and Peloubet, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1948, and a Bible Atlas or Map Index in most Bible versions, would seem to reveal that the territory occupied by ancient Middle Eastern tribes in the area are today populated by their descendants, who are: the people of Syria, Jordan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq [Babylon], and even Iran [Persia]; for the most part.
Arabs trace their lineage to Ishmael, the Patriarch Abraham’s firstborn son and his descendants and their territory is delineated in Genesis 16: 12; 25: 12, 13b-16, 18a.
Just think of the incredible irony: that while these same Arab nations want to destroy Israel and wipe all Jews off the planet Earth, but according to the Bible, there were 3 astrologers [most likely and almost undeniably Arabs] that left their country and traveled for perhaps several months or longer to arrive at the little town of Bethlehem. Upon their arrival they inquired and searched until they came to the house of a couple where the wife had given birth to a young Child around two years of age, who they believed was the King of the Jews. Upon entering and seeing the young male Child with His mother they praised God [I believe] while offering expensive and precious gifts, and they fell down prostrate on their knees, hands and face [emphasis mine] and worshipped a Jewish Messiah who is also, incidentally, the blessed Savior of the world.
Matthew 2: 1-2, 11a
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He Who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East [at its rising], and have come to worship Him. And going into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother and they fell down and worshipped Him. (Amplified Bible)
As a freebie, although it probably hadn’t occurred to many people when they read about the person of “Job” in the Old Testament [TANAKH], he is not Jewish but in all likelihood an Arab (Cp. Job 1: 1a, 3b), but yet this book is one of the greatest treatises in the entire Bible, not only about suffering but on perhaps the very character of God Himself. And just to think of its inclusion in the Jewish sacred Scriptures shows how greatly it is valued and without its great spiritual insights and moral lessons, we as human beings would certainly be the poorer for it.
This “son of the east” [Arab] is so highly esteemed that he is listed with some of the most righteous men in the Bible, as Ezekiel 14: 14, 20a says: “Even if these three men, Noah [Gentile], Daniel [Jew], and Job [Arab] were in it [the land], they would save but their own lives by their righteousness- their uprightness and right standing with Me- says the LORD God. “Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live says the LORD God, they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would but deliver their own lives by their righteousness.” (Amplified Bible)
Jews, Christians and Arabs may need to rethink their preconceived and religiously distorted attitudes towards each others “faith” because there is a tie that binds us all together, not just to a “common” human family but towards a belief in the same Creator and God who is one [echad] and the heavenly Father of us all [ha Shem, Jehovah, and Allah].
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
August 19, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Friday, August 20, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Taking a closer look at the Midianites
According to Genesis 25: 1-2, it says: Abraham took another wife [because Sarah had died], whose name was Keturah (incense), and one of the sons she bore was ‘Midian.’ In Genesis 37: 28 it reads: The Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. There is an interesting breakdown in the Book of Judges as to the ethnicity of the Midianites. In Judges 8: 10-12, esp. verse 10, they are called, “people of the East” and verse 12 refers to the two kings [Zebah and Zalmunna] that Gideon captures as “Midians;” 8: 21b mentions, “crescent ornaments” [a crescent is one of the symbols associated with several Arab nations, Iran {Persia} and the religion of Islam]; 24b describes golden earrings [found on the dead bodies of the Midian army] and identifies the wearers as “Ishmaelites;” and 26b again mentions, crescent ornaments and kings of Midian.
In Exodus 2: 15-21; 3: 1 Moses flees from Pharaoh and goes to the land of Midian, which is thought to be somewhere in the Sinai Peninsula. Moses later marries Zipporah [sparrow of the Lord??], one of the daughters of Reuel [friend of God] or Jethro [his Excellency], who was also a priest [although some think he might be an Arab tribal or clan leader/elder]. This Jethro seems to not only have certain reverence for God but knowledgeable about worshipping Him as in Exodus 18: 12, which reads: Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
NOTE: This offering and sacrifice by Jethro was before Moses received God’s Law [Torah] from Mount Sinai and Horeb with the statutes, judgments and ordinances pertaining as how to approach His holy presence with such gifts.
In Numbers 31: 8, it says: They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed- Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of the Midianites. . . in Joshua 13: 21, it reads: All the cities of the plain and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses had struck with the princes of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, who were princes of Sihon dwelling in the land (??). One can only wonder how Moses felt waging war against a people that had once offered him refuge and protection from Pharaoh’s justice for forty years but more important than that, how did his wife Zipporah, sons Gershom and Eleazar, and father-in-law Reuel feel about his actions that slaughtered their countrymen and relatives?
Not only that, but pouring more salt on the wound is found in Numbers 31: 7, 9a, 15, 17-18, which states: And they warred against the Midianites, just as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed all the males [young, old, sickly, infirm, peacenik, warrior, priest, educator, skilled laborer, healer, etc,]. And the children of Israel took the women of Midian captive, with their little ones. . And Moses said to them: “Have you kept all the women alive? “Now therefore, ‘kill every male among the little ones [adolescents, toddlers, infants and new-born babies], and kill every “woman” [elderly, infirm, widow, infirm, wise crone, menopausal, teacher, healer, artist, etc,] who has known man intimately [had sexual intercourse]. “But keep alive for yourselves [to do what with them??] all the “young girls” who have not known man intimately [virgins].
COMMENTARY: This passage is probably one of the more disturbing in the entire Bible, and one wonders if God really commanded this and it certainly diminishes the heretofore noble character of the great Lawgiver Moses. Also, how are the Israelite soldiers supposed to know if a Midianite woman is sexually experienced or not; how does one go about making a determination or examining her like an OB-GYN physician would? It seems the only way that a primitive warring man could do in the situation is to engage in non-consensual sexual penetration [rape] because it is unlikely that the women wore some kind of clothing [preferably white??], had body piercing or a tattoo that indicated her virginity.
Also, the reaction and ill-advised response of king Sihon and the Midianite kings might be understandable given the fact that the local wilderness grapevine reports a large group of people are heading your way that have just devastated mighty Egypt. This mixed multitude group of people cover the land like locusts, and possibly depleting vital natural resources, leaving nothing behind but a swath of destruction. Of course there is always the fear among other clans and tribes in the region that these Israelites could join the ranks of your enemy so the thinking is to get them first before they get you.
ENDNOTE: In the Bible Dictionary by Smith and Peloubet, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1948, the Midianites are called “Arabians” whose southern border extended along the eastern shore of the Gulf of Eyleh and northward along the eastern frontier of Palestine.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
August 18, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
In Exodus 2: 15-21; 3: 1 Moses flees from Pharaoh and goes to the land of Midian, which is thought to be somewhere in the Sinai Peninsula. Moses later marries Zipporah [sparrow of the Lord??], one of the daughters of Reuel [friend of God] or Jethro [his Excellency], who was also a priest [although some think he might be an Arab tribal or clan leader/elder]. This Jethro seems to not only have certain reverence for God but knowledgeable about worshipping Him as in Exodus 18: 12, which reads: Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
NOTE: This offering and sacrifice by Jethro was before Moses received God’s Law [Torah] from Mount Sinai and Horeb with the statutes, judgments and ordinances pertaining as how to approach His holy presence with such gifts.
In Numbers 31: 8, it says: They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed- Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of the Midianites. . . in Joshua 13: 21, it reads: All the cities of the plain and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses had struck with the princes of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, who were princes of Sihon dwelling in the land (??). One can only wonder how Moses felt waging war against a people that had once offered him refuge and protection from Pharaoh’s justice for forty years but more important than that, how did his wife Zipporah, sons Gershom and Eleazar, and father-in-law Reuel feel about his actions that slaughtered their countrymen and relatives?
Not only that, but pouring more salt on the wound is found in Numbers 31: 7, 9a, 15, 17-18, which states: And they warred against the Midianites, just as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed all the males [young, old, sickly, infirm, peacenik, warrior, priest, educator, skilled laborer, healer, etc,]. And the children of Israel took the women of Midian captive, with their little ones. . And Moses said to them: “Have you kept all the women alive? “Now therefore, ‘kill every male among the little ones [adolescents, toddlers, infants and new-born babies], and kill every “woman” [elderly, infirm, widow, infirm, wise crone, menopausal, teacher, healer, artist, etc,] who has known man intimately [had sexual intercourse]. “But keep alive for yourselves [to do what with them??] all the “young girls” who have not known man intimately [virgins].
COMMENTARY: This passage is probably one of the more disturbing in the entire Bible, and one wonders if God really commanded this and it certainly diminishes the heretofore noble character of the great Lawgiver Moses. Also, how are the Israelite soldiers supposed to know if a Midianite woman is sexually experienced or not; how does one go about making a determination or examining her like an OB-GYN physician would? It seems the only way that a primitive warring man could do in the situation is to engage in non-consensual sexual penetration [rape] because it is unlikely that the women wore some kind of clothing [preferably white??], had body piercing or a tattoo that indicated her virginity.
Also, the reaction and ill-advised response of king Sihon and the Midianite kings might be understandable given the fact that the local wilderness grapevine reports a large group of people are heading your way that have just devastated mighty Egypt. This mixed multitude group of people cover the land like locusts, and possibly depleting vital natural resources, leaving nothing behind but a swath of destruction. Of course there is always the fear among other clans and tribes in the region that these Israelites could join the ranks of your enemy so the thinking is to get them first before they get you.
ENDNOTE: In the Bible Dictionary by Smith and Peloubet, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1948, the Midianites are called “Arabians” whose southern border extended along the eastern shore of the Gulf of Eyleh and northward along the eastern frontier of Palestine.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
August 18, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
A Christian talks about having a Near Death Experience
A Christian is taught to believe that once you die, you are sent to a place to await Judgment Day, and that any other experience outside of that is to be rejected altogether; but is this necessarily true? Even King Herod Antipas thought that Jesus was John the Baptist returned back to life in that body. It is even a belief among the Jews that one of the prophets could be sent back from the grave and inhabit the body of another person, as the disciples thought Jesus was Jeremiah, Isaiah, Elijah, etc. It not always so cut-and-dry when it comes to such matters and although one would scarcely endorse the doctrine of reincarnation, yet, there is the belief in what is called "Transmigration of Souls," which is doubtless what those in Biblical days believed. So here goes my little story, as in the following:
I remember watching "Oprah" one day many years ago, and all these White people were on the show talking about their own personal near death experiences and of course, everyone has to write a book about it. In fact, at one time, books of this kind of phenomenon were quite popular and bestsellers on The New York Times booklist; no doubt spearheaded by Marianne Williamson's book, "Return to Love" (which incidentally, I purchased and it influenced me, too). After watching a few interviews of the guests, I wondered, "how come no Black people have these near death experiences?" I was more than a little cynical and stated that I guess when we die, we don't get to come back and tell about it. This is where the Creator says, "THAT'S ALL FOLKS," "END OF THE LINE," or something like that. As the old oriental saying goes, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."
One day, by accident or perhaps it was more than that, I met a man who was trying to get government funding to study the effects of TM ("transcendental meditation"), and he was looking for volunteers. After he and I talked about the subject matter, this experience seemed to be a perfect vehicle for me to achieve cosmic awareness. However, the funding did not come through for the project and we lost touch with one another soon afterward. It was later that I remembered his words to me about "effortless effort", but I didn't understand the meaning at the time. It seemed so puzzling and enigmatic to me; how can you initiate something without trying in the first place? From the brief encounter with the stranger, I learned that TM techniques involve being in a relaxed state as to transcend this mortal plane of illusion (called 'Maia' in Hindu philosophy) and become one with the universe; easier said than done, I might add. I tried several times, but without any success. However, I think part of the process is to still the mind, and in the society in which we live, amid all the noise and other distractions of everyday living, this would be very hard to accomplish. I more of less gave up on trying to achieve "enlightenment," and after a few failed attempts, I forgot all about it.
In the meantime, I continued to read more books and I think at this time I was reflecting on something that I read in Egyptian history or mythology having to do with the symbolism of the pyramid; "You have to go down before you can go up." I thought about the words of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who said something about "going into your closet to pray and God who sees in secret will reward you openly." Anyway, on this particular day I was not pondering anything profound, at least not on a conscious level, when it suddenly happened! I was lying on my bed, my body quite relaxed, my mind calm, when I took a seemingly normal exhalation, and everything changed; I thought forever! As best as I can describe it, although it has been many years since, and I am not so sure that even at this moment, I am entirely comfortable describing what occurred. To start with, I felt as if my essence or 'being' was pulled or drawn out of my physical body, in a downward direction, if you want to call it that. Not only was this pull almost the feel of something like that of a magnet, maybe because the sheer sudden and unexpected nature of it.
This inexplicable force pulled my essence from the body, and it seemed to me at least, through the bed, the floor, everything; but it was seemed like a rip or tear in the very fabric of material reality itself. The curious thing is that it seemed for a moment that I was conscious of still being in my body, and it was immobile and felt heavy, very heavy, like it weighed a ton. Afterward, I experienced what could be something like a cosmic blink, and I was no longer in my former body, or even in the reality or universe that I was formerly part of; that much I realized as my eyes opened ("spiritually-speaking"). No, I didn't see that bright light at the end of some tunnel or meet any angelic messenger or guardian spirit, nor did I see deceased relatives or other people I knew back on earth in their glorified bodies.
It seemed to me that I was part of something that I can't even find the words for.
I suppose that I was becoming more consciously aware of "Essential" things, but not thinking about anything in the human sense of the word. I knew that I existed, but without the physical body that I previously had. I experienced a brief, albeit fleeting consideration of what I might be (as far as form) and what I likened it to was if someone could picture a 'thought' or 'consciousness,' something like that; then that what I was, or part of, but on a universal scale; at least, that's what it seemed to me.The experience was beyond anything to compare it to or conceivable in the imagination of mortals, because there is no human vocabulary to describe it. In the words of the Chinese Daoist in portraying the Tao: "If you experience it, you can't describe it; if you can describe it, then you haven't experienced it." There was the sense of everything all-at-once, and yet, N-O-T-H-I-N-G-N-E-S-S.
As I write this, I can still glimpse that part of it that will always remain within me, but I still can't put it into exact words because there is no conceptual framework on which to use as a guidepost. Interestingly enough, although I don't really know why, but I started to rationalize or started thinking, and realized that I wasn't breathing (in the human sense) because I existed is some form other than a physical one as far as I could perceive. Instead of continuing to experience the timeless moment, for some unknown reason I just couldn't wait to get back and tell somebody or anybody what this was like. Then suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, it dawned on me that I might not get the chance, ever again! Then a sense of awe and finality filled my being and I thought,"Oh My God!" The next thing I remember was a re-awakening (in a sense) and being in my physical body, conscious and sentient, but still not breathing as of yet. Then suddenly, I took the deepest inhalation, possibly similar to the breath of life ("neshamah" in the Hebrew) as recorded in the Jewish Old Testament; this is my best guess of the experience because I did not remember how to start the process of respiration [breathing].
After what seemed like timeless moments, I came back from where I emerged from to where I had been, and I pondered for some days over the meaning and purpose of what happened to me because I did not converse with any celestial being or archangel and so I wasn't quite so sure what to make of it all. I shared the experience with a few acquaintances that are knowledgeable in metaphysical things; some of them having had a near death experience or out of body experience (OBE), which is what I had. The only difference between the two may simply be one of degrees or duration, because in my case, I don't believe that I was "clinically dead". I think what happened is that for a moment, my body and mind were so relaxed that I was allowed to slip past the normal boundary of reality and experience something akin to "enlightenment;" or ascendancy on some higher plane of existence; probably what the ancient yogis, priests, hierophants, and monks aspired to, and which some did achieve.
Maybe what I experienced was attaining a 'oneness' with what some might call the "Group Soul" or "Universal Mind", which is the Collective Conscience of all human experience that each of us, based on our experience and lessons on earth, leave a record of. So, what great message did I bring back from beyond this veil of reality? Well, not much; just this: "Love is the total absence of fear." Perhaps Marianne Williamson is right after all. Love is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning of all things and the end of all things. Although, as a believing Christian I know the Scriptures don't appear to substantiate what happened to me, but nevertheless I cannot deny the profound thing I experienced which was an "epiphany," nor will I attempt to devalue it just for the sake of appeasement to some of the doubters. All I know is that it was deeply moving, spiritual, unforgettable, and I will never be able to view LIFE or DEATH again in the same way as I did before.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
pbks@hotmail.com
I remember watching "Oprah" one day many years ago, and all these White people were on the show talking about their own personal near death experiences and of course, everyone has to write a book about it. In fact, at one time, books of this kind of phenomenon were quite popular and bestsellers on The New York Times booklist; no doubt spearheaded by Marianne Williamson's book, "Return to Love" (which incidentally, I purchased and it influenced me, too). After watching a few interviews of the guests, I wondered, "how come no Black people have these near death experiences?" I was more than a little cynical and stated that I guess when we die, we don't get to come back and tell about it. This is where the Creator says, "THAT'S ALL FOLKS," "END OF THE LINE," or something like that. As the old oriental saying goes, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."
One day, by accident or perhaps it was more than that, I met a man who was trying to get government funding to study the effects of TM ("transcendental meditation"), and he was looking for volunteers. After he and I talked about the subject matter, this experience seemed to be a perfect vehicle for me to achieve cosmic awareness. However, the funding did not come through for the project and we lost touch with one another soon afterward. It was later that I remembered his words to me about "effortless effort", but I didn't understand the meaning at the time. It seemed so puzzling and enigmatic to me; how can you initiate something without trying in the first place? From the brief encounter with the stranger, I learned that TM techniques involve being in a relaxed state as to transcend this mortal plane of illusion (called 'Maia' in Hindu philosophy) and become one with the universe; easier said than done, I might add. I tried several times, but without any success. However, I think part of the process is to still the mind, and in the society in which we live, amid all the noise and other distractions of everyday living, this would be very hard to accomplish. I more of less gave up on trying to achieve "enlightenment," and after a few failed attempts, I forgot all about it.
In the meantime, I continued to read more books and I think at this time I was reflecting on something that I read in Egyptian history or mythology having to do with the symbolism of the pyramid; "You have to go down before you can go up." I thought about the words of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who said something about "going into your closet to pray and God who sees in secret will reward you openly." Anyway, on this particular day I was not pondering anything profound, at least not on a conscious level, when it suddenly happened! I was lying on my bed, my body quite relaxed, my mind calm, when I took a seemingly normal exhalation, and everything changed; I thought forever! As best as I can describe it, although it has been many years since, and I am not so sure that even at this moment, I am entirely comfortable describing what occurred. To start with, I felt as if my essence or 'being' was pulled or drawn out of my physical body, in a downward direction, if you want to call it that. Not only was this pull almost the feel of something like that of a magnet, maybe because the sheer sudden and unexpected nature of it.
This inexplicable force pulled my essence from the body, and it seemed to me at least, through the bed, the floor, everything; but it was seemed like a rip or tear in the very fabric of material reality itself. The curious thing is that it seemed for a moment that I was conscious of still being in my body, and it was immobile and felt heavy, very heavy, like it weighed a ton. Afterward, I experienced what could be something like a cosmic blink, and I was no longer in my former body, or even in the reality or universe that I was formerly part of; that much I realized as my eyes opened ("spiritually-speaking"). No, I didn't see that bright light at the end of some tunnel or meet any angelic messenger or guardian spirit, nor did I see deceased relatives or other people I knew back on earth in their glorified bodies.
It seemed to me that I was part of something that I can't even find the words for.
I suppose that I was becoming more consciously aware of "Essential" things, but not thinking about anything in the human sense of the word. I knew that I existed, but without the physical body that I previously had. I experienced a brief, albeit fleeting consideration of what I might be (as far as form) and what I likened it to was if someone could picture a 'thought' or 'consciousness,' something like that; then that what I was, or part of, but on a universal scale; at least, that's what it seemed to me.The experience was beyond anything to compare it to or conceivable in the imagination of mortals, because there is no human vocabulary to describe it. In the words of the Chinese Daoist in portraying the Tao: "If you experience it, you can't describe it; if you can describe it, then you haven't experienced it." There was the sense of everything all-at-once, and yet, N-O-T-H-I-N-G-N-E-S-S.
As I write this, I can still glimpse that part of it that will always remain within me, but I still can't put it into exact words because there is no conceptual framework on which to use as a guidepost. Interestingly enough, although I don't really know why, but I started to rationalize or started thinking, and realized that I wasn't breathing (in the human sense) because I existed is some form other than a physical one as far as I could perceive. Instead of continuing to experience the timeless moment, for some unknown reason I just couldn't wait to get back and tell somebody or anybody what this was like. Then suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, it dawned on me that I might not get the chance, ever again! Then a sense of awe and finality filled my being and I thought,"Oh My God!" The next thing I remember was a re-awakening (in a sense) and being in my physical body, conscious and sentient, but still not breathing as of yet. Then suddenly, I took the deepest inhalation, possibly similar to the breath of life ("neshamah" in the Hebrew) as recorded in the Jewish Old Testament; this is my best guess of the experience because I did not remember how to start the process of respiration [breathing].
After what seemed like timeless moments, I came back from where I emerged from to where I had been, and I pondered for some days over the meaning and purpose of what happened to me because I did not converse with any celestial being or archangel and so I wasn't quite so sure what to make of it all. I shared the experience with a few acquaintances that are knowledgeable in metaphysical things; some of them having had a near death experience or out of body experience (OBE), which is what I had. The only difference between the two may simply be one of degrees or duration, because in my case, I don't believe that I was "clinically dead". I think what happened is that for a moment, my body and mind were so relaxed that I was allowed to slip past the normal boundary of reality and experience something akin to "enlightenment;" or ascendancy on some higher plane of existence; probably what the ancient yogis, priests, hierophants, and monks aspired to, and which some did achieve.
Maybe what I experienced was attaining a 'oneness' with what some might call the "Group Soul" or "Universal Mind", which is the Collective Conscience of all human experience that each of us, based on our experience and lessons on earth, leave a record of. So, what great message did I bring back from beyond this veil of reality? Well, not much; just this: "Love is the total absence of fear." Perhaps Marianne Williamson is right after all. Love is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning of all things and the end of all things. Although, as a believing Christian I know the Scriptures don't appear to substantiate what happened to me, but nevertheless I cannot deny the profound thing I experienced which was an "epiphany," nor will I attempt to devalue it just for the sake of appeasement to some of the doubters. All I know is that it was deeply moving, spiritual, unforgettable, and I will never be able to view LIFE or DEATH again in the same way as I did before.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
pbks@hotmail.com
Monday, August 9, 2010
Taking a Second look at the Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread
Exodus 12: 1-3, 6, 8
Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, “This month shall be your beginnings of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to the entire congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. ‘Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
15a, 18
Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening.
25-28
“It shall come to pass when you come to the land which the LORD will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep this service. And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ “That you shall say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’“ So the people bowed their heads and worshipped. Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
43, 48
And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall it.” “And when a resident alien lives with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it.
Leviticus 23: 5-8
“On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD’S Passover. ‘And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. ‘On the first day you shall have a holy convocation [dress rehearsal]; you shall do no customary [occupational] work on it. ‘But you shall offer “an offering made by fire” to the LORD for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation [dress rehearsal]; you shall do no customary [occupational] work on it.’ “
NOTE: The “offering by fire” is the Burnt Offering, which in this instance consists of 2 lambs, 1/10 an ephah of flour mixed with 1/4 a hin of pressed oil [olive??], and 1/4 a hin of wine as a drink offering. It is an additional offering that is not found in Exodus 12, but it is enumerated to in Numbers 15: 1-12, which mentions at least 4 aspects of this particular offering, namely, that it is to be either, (1) a sacrificial offering; or (2) to fulfill a vow; or as (3) a freewill offering; and as (4) part of the appointed feasts.
Exodus 29: 38-45 (The Daily Offerings)
“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar [for a fire offering]: two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. “One lamb you shall offer in the morning and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. “With the one lamb shall be (1) one-tenth of an ephah of the flour mixed with (2) one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil, and (3) one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering. “And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and you shall offer with it “the Grain Offering and the drink offering,” as in the morning, for a sweet aroma, “AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE” to the LORD. “THIS SHALL BE A CONTINUAL BURNT OFFERING” throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you to speak with you.”
NOTE: The Daily Offering is part of the “Offering by Fire” (Cp. Numbers 28: 20) which is also the Burnt Offering, and is now incorporated into the Passover (Cp. Leviticus 23: 5-8).
Leviticus 1: 1-17 (The Burnt Offering)
1-3, 10, 14
Now the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of livestock- of the herd and of the flock. ‘If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD. ‘If his offering is of the flocks- of the sheep or of the goats- as a burnt sacrifice, he shall bring a male without blemish. ‘And if the burnt sacrifice of his offering to the LORD is of birds, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves or young pigeons.
NOTE: This is different from the requirement in Exodus 29: 38-45.
Leviticus 2: 1-16 (The Grain Offering)
2: 1
When anyone offers a grain offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. And he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it.
NOTE: The addition of “frankincense” is not mentioned previously.
Numbers 28: 16-25
“On the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the LORD. ‘And on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast; unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days. ‘On the first day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work. ‘And you shall present “an offering made by fire as a burnt offering” (Cp. Exodus 29: 45a) to the LORD; two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year; be sure they are without blemish. ‘Their “Grain Offering” shall be of fine flour mixed with oil [what kind??]; three-tenths of an ephah you shall offer for a bull, and two-tenths for a ram; you shall offer one-tenth of an ephah for each of the seven lambs; also one goat as a “Sin Offering,” to make atonement for you. ‘And you shall offer these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a regular “Burnt Offering” (Cp. Exodus 29: 38-45; esp. verses 38, 42; Numbers 28: 1-8; esp. verses 3b-4, 6??). ‘In this manner you shall offer the food [grain or first fruits??] of the “Offering made by Fire” daily for seven days as a sweet aroma to the LORD; it shall be offered besides the regular burnt offering and its Drink offering. ‘And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work.
NOTE: It would seem that the Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread has gotten a lot more elaborate and became part of other celebrations like the Grain Offering (Cp. Leviticus 2: 1a), Burnt Offering (Cp. Leviticus 1: 1-3, 10, 14, 17b), the Monthly offerings (Cp. Numbers 28: 11-15), and the Daily Offerings (Cp. Exodus 29: 38-45), Passover [expanded] (Cp. Numbers 28: 16-25; esp. verse 24b).
Leviticus 4: 1-35 (The Sin Offering)
4: 1-2, 27-28, 32
Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the LORD in anything which ought not to be done, and does any of them, ‘If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally by doing something against any of the commandments of the LORD in anything which ought not to be done, and is guilty, ‘or if his sin which he has committed comes to his knowledge, then he shall bring as his offering a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed. ‘If he brings a lamb as his sin offering, he shall bring a female without blemish.”
NOTE: The Sin Offering only atoned for unintentional sins but presumptuous or willful sins were not forgiven (Numbers 15: 30-31). Interestingly, too, that the Sin offering is to be “female” instead of a “male” and the categories are: the sin of an anointed priest; the whole congregation; a ruler of the people; and the common person.
Deuteronomy 16: 1-8 (The Feast of Passover)
NOTE: A repeat of the original and simpler instructions found in Exodus 12: 1-8.
COMMENTARY: At a first glance, especially reading the Books of Exodus 12 and Deuteronomy 16, it would seem that Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread was a rather simple and straightforward affair, but the celebration expanded to incorporate other Offerings as well. One wonders if these additional components listed in the other Books of the Torah (Leviticus & Numbers, esp.,) were added much later by some unknown editor [redactor], or were these newer instructions the result of “progressive revelation?” Did the people in the Wilderness of Sinai and the land of Moab (Cp. Deuteronomy 29: 1) observe the Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread as it was originally commanded in its simpler form as opposed to the more comprehensive regulations later? The reason for the merging of these other regulations into “Passover” is a beautiful spiritually symbolic teaching about the future work that the Messiah would perform, by being a substitute for sin in behalf of the people and all nations. Romans 3: 23-25, says: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus [Yeshua Moshiach], whom God set forth as a propitiation [“mercy seat”] by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had “passed over” the sins that were previously committed.
Ephesians 5: 2
And walk in love, as Christ [Messiah] also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
NOTE: This is the meaning in Leviticus 1: 17b, which says: “It is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire [on the altar], a sweet [smelling] aroma to the LORD.
ADDENDUM: In all the sacrifices and offerings found in Exodus 29: 41b-42; Leviticus 1: 17b; Numbers 28: 24b; the one thing that stands out is that it is to be presented to God as “a sweet-smelling aroma.” Also, reading Leviticus 2: 12 is the following: As for the offering of the first-fruits, you shall offer them to the LORD, but “THEY SHALL NOT BE BURNED ON THE ALTAR” for a sweet [smelling] aroma. This is because the first-fruits represent, firstly, the risen LORD Jesus, and then those believers in Christ who are brought forth from the grave (Cp. 1 Corinthians 15: 20, 23; James 1: 18).
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
August 7, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, “This month shall be your beginnings of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to the entire congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. ‘Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
15a, 18
Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening.
25-28
“It shall come to pass when you come to the land which the LORD will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep this service. And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ “That you shall say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’“ So the people bowed their heads and worshipped. Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
43, 48
And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall it.” “And when a resident alien lives with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it.
Leviticus 23: 5-8
“On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD’S Passover. ‘And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. ‘On the first day you shall have a holy convocation [dress rehearsal]; you shall do no customary [occupational] work on it. ‘But you shall offer “an offering made by fire” to the LORD for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation [dress rehearsal]; you shall do no customary [occupational] work on it.’ “
NOTE: The “offering by fire” is the Burnt Offering, which in this instance consists of 2 lambs, 1/10 an ephah of flour mixed with 1/4 a hin of pressed oil [olive??], and 1/4 a hin of wine as a drink offering. It is an additional offering that is not found in Exodus 12, but it is enumerated to in Numbers 15: 1-12, which mentions at least 4 aspects of this particular offering, namely, that it is to be either, (1) a sacrificial offering; or (2) to fulfill a vow; or as (3) a freewill offering; and as (4) part of the appointed feasts.
Exodus 29: 38-45 (The Daily Offerings)
“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar [for a fire offering]: two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. “One lamb you shall offer in the morning and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. “With the one lamb shall be (1) one-tenth of an ephah of the flour mixed with (2) one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil, and (3) one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering. “And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and you shall offer with it “the Grain Offering and the drink offering,” as in the morning, for a sweet aroma, “AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE” to the LORD. “THIS SHALL BE A CONTINUAL BURNT OFFERING” throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you to speak with you.”
NOTE: The Daily Offering is part of the “Offering by Fire” (Cp. Numbers 28: 20) which is also the Burnt Offering, and is now incorporated into the Passover (Cp. Leviticus 23: 5-8).
Leviticus 1: 1-17 (The Burnt Offering)
1-3, 10, 14
Now the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of livestock- of the herd and of the flock. ‘If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD. ‘If his offering is of the flocks- of the sheep or of the goats- as a burnt sacrifice, he shall bring a male without blemish. ‘And if the burnt sacrifice of his offering to the LORD is of birds, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves or young pigeons.
NOTE: This is different from the requirement in Exodus 29: 38-45.
Leviticus 2: 1-16 (The Grain Offering)
2: 1
When anyone offers a grain offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. And he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it.
NOTE: The addition of “frankincense” is not mentioned previously.
Numbers 28: 16-25
“On the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the LORD. ‘And on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast; unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days. ‘On the first day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work. ‘And you shall present “an offering made by fire as a burnt offering” (Cp. Exodus 29: 45a) to the LORD; two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year; be sure they are without blemish. ‘Their “Grain Offering” shall be of fine flour mixed with oil [what kind??]; three-tenths of an ephah you shall offer for a bull, and two-tenths for a ram; you shall offer one-tenth of an ephah for each of the seven lambs; also one goat as a “Sin Offering,” to make atonement for you. ‘And you shall offer these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a regular “Burnt Offering” (Cp. Exodus 29: 38-45; esp. verses 38, 42; Numbers 28: 1-8; esp. verses 3b-4, 6??). ‘In this manner you shall offer the food [grain or first fruits??] of the “Offering made by Fire” daily for seven days as a sweet aroma to the LORD; it shall be offered besides the regular burnt offering and its Drink offering. ‘And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work.
NOTE: It would seem that the Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread has gotten a lot more elaborate and became part of other celebrations like the Grain Offering (Cp. Leviticus 2: 1a), Burnt Offering (Cp. Leviticus 1: 1-3, 10, 14, 17b), the Monthly offerings (Cp. Numbers 28: 11-15), and the Daily Offerings (Cp. Exodus 29: 38-45), Passover [expanded] (Cp. Numbers 28: 16-25; esp. verse 24b).
Leviticus 4: 1-35 (The Sin Offering)
4: 1-2, 27-28, 32
Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the LORD in anything which ought not to be done, and does any of them, ‘If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally by doing something against any of the commandments of the LORD in anything which ought not to be done, and is guilty, ‘or if his sin which he has committed comes to his knowledge, then he shall bring as his offering a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed. ‘If he brings a lamb as his sin offering, he shall bring a female without blemish.”
NOTE: The Sin Offering only atoned for unintentional sins but presumptuous or willful sins were not forgiven (Numbers 15: 30-31). Interestingly, too, that the Sin offering is to be “female” instead of a “male” and the categories are: the sin of an anointed priest; the whole congregation; a ruler of the people; and the common person.
Deuteronomy 16: 1-8 (The Feast of Passover)
NOTE: A repeat of the original and simpler instructions found in Exodus 12: 1-8.
COMMENTARY: At a first glance, especially reading the Books of Exodus 12 and Deuteronomy 16, it would seem that Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread was a rather simple and straightforward affair, but the celebration expanded to incorporate other Offerings as well. One wonders if these additional components listed in the other Books of the Torah (Leviticus & Numbers, esp.,) were added much later by some unknown editor [redactor], or were these newer instructions the result of “progressive revelation?” Did the people in the Wilderness of Sinai and the land of Moab (Cp. Deuteronomy 29: 1) observe the Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread as it was originally commanded in its simpler form as opposed to the more comprehensive regulations later? The reason for the merging of these other regulations into “Passover” is a beautiful spiritually symbolic teaching about the future work that the Messiah would perform, by being a substitute for sin in behalf of the people and all nations. Romans 3: 23-25, says: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus [Yeshua Moshiach], whom God set forth as a propitiation [“mercy seat”] by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had “passed over” the sins that were previously committed.
Ephesians 5: 2
And walk in love, as Christ [Messiah] also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
NOTE: This is the meaning in Leviticus 1: 17b, which says: “It is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire [on the altar], a sweet [smelling] aroma to the LORD.
ADDENDUM: In all the sacrifices and offerings found in Exodus 29: 41b-42; Leviticus 1: 17b; Numbers 28: 24b; the one thing that stands out is that it is to be presented to God as “a sweet-smelling aroma.” Also, reading Leviticus 2: 12 is the following: As for the offering of the first-fruits, you shall offer them to the LORD, but “THEY SHALL NOT BE BURNED ON THE ALTAR” for a sweet [smelling] aroma. This is because the first-fruits represent, firstly, the risen LORD Jesus, and then those believers in Christ who are brought forth from the grave (Cp. 1 Corinthians 15: 20, 23; James 1: 18).
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
August 7, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Is Marriage established by God or human cultural experience and tradition?
American society is complex and diverse with a myriad of social issues that do not always have a simple solution that disparate and partisan groups agree with, and subsequently a few people have come up with a sort of shorthand to bring about some guideline or perspective to a particularly difficult problem by coining the phrase, “What would Jesus Do or What would Jesus Say?” Well, on this particular HOT BUTTON topic, here is a glimpse into an answer to this vexing question about marriage; starting with His very words in the following:
Mark 10: 6-8
“But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. ‘For this reason [Marriage] a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ‘and the two shall become “one” flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.”
*Malachi 2: 14b-15b*
Yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant. But did He not make them one (Cp. Genesis 2: 2), having a remnant of the Spirit? And why “one”? He seeks godly offspring.
Genesis 1: 27-28a
So God blessed mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created him [Adam], male and female created He them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them [the male and female], “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. . .”
Genesis 4: 1a
Then Adam [the male] knew his wife [the female] and she conceived. . .
NOTE: The divine purpose for the union between a male and female and to subsequently produce children in a family structure of biologically differentiated parents is circumvented by same-sex couples who adopt children or when a lesbian female undergoes in-vitro fertilization; whereas it was not meant to be so “from the beginning.”
Psalms 119: 89
Forever, O LORD, Your word is established in Heaven.
NOTE: There is I think an applicable principle found in Matthew 15: 2, which says: He answered and said unto them, “Why do you make void [annul] the commandment of God because of your traditions [cultural experience, history, social values, Legislature, Judiciary, Constitution, etc.]
John 12: 48
“He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which will judge him- the word that I have spoken shall judge him in the last day.
Isaiah 62: 5
For as a young man marries a virgin [young maiden], So shall your sons marry you; And as the bridegroom [male] rejoices over the bride [female], So shall your God rejoice over you.
Proverbs 5: 1, 18-19
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth. As a loving deer and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; And always be enraptured by her love.
Exodus 21: 9
And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters.
22: 16
If a man entices a virgin [young maiden] who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely pay the bride-price for her to be his wife.
Leviticus 18: 22
You shall not lie with a man as with a woman. It is an abomination (Cp. 20: 13a).
Exodus 20: 7a
And what man is there who is betrothed to a woman and has not married her?
Isaiah 54: 5a, 6
“For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of Hosts is His name; For the LORD has called you, like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused, “says your God.
Jeremiah 3: 20
“Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, so have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel,” says the LORD.
COMMENTARY: So, in a nutshell is the encapsulation of the divine origin of “marriage” and how it is to be enjoined, as far as type and antitype is concerned. On a symbolically spiritual level it is portrayed in God’s relationship to the Israelites as her divine Husband, and on the physical or material plane in the creation of Adam and Eve as husband and wife, the archetypal primordial married pair for the subsequent generations of human offspring until the end of the world. Although these references are not an indictment or judgment about any particular lifestyle, private intimacy practice or gender identity, it is abundantly clear, however, that the overarching orientation within the boundaries of this sacred institution, explicit and implicit is that of a ‘male’ and ‘female;’ and in the words of Jesus: “What God has joined together, let not man cast asunder [dismantle, change, or disregard].”
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
August 5, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Mark 10: 6-8
“But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. ‘For this reason [Marriage] a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ‘and the two shall become “one” flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.”
*Malachi 2: 14b-15b*
Yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant. But did He not make them one (Cp. Genesis 2: 2), having a remnant of the Spirit? And why “one”? He seeks godly offspring.
Genesis 1: 27-28a
So God blessed mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created him [Adam], male and female created He them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them [the male and female], “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. . .”
Genesis 4: 1a
Then Adam [the male] knew his wife [the female] and she conceived. . .
NOTE: The divine purpose for the union between a male and female and to subsequently produce children in a family structure of biologically differentiated parents is circumvented by same-sex couples who adopt children or when a lesbian female undergoes in-vitro fertilization; whereas it was not meant to be so “from the beginning.”
Psalms 119: 89
Forever, O LORD, Your word is established in Heaven.
NOTE: There is I think an applicable principle found in Matthew 15: 2, which says: He answered and said unto them, “Why do you make void [annul] the commandment of God because of your traditions [cultural experience, history, social values, Legislature, Judiciary, Constitution, etc.]
John 12: 48
“He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which will judge him- the word that I have spoken shall judge him in the last day.
Isaiah 62: 5
For as a young man marries a virgin [young maiden], So shall your sons marry you; And as the bridegroom [male] rejoices over the bride [female], So shall your God rejoice over you.
Proverbs 5: 1, 18-19
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth. As a loving deer and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; And always be enraptured by her love.
Exodus 21: 9
And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters.
22: 16
If a man entices a virgin [young maiden] who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely pay the bride-price for her to be his wife.
Leviticus 18: 22
You shall not lie with a man as with a woman. It is an abomination (Cp. 20: 13a).
Exodus 20: 7a
And what man is there who is betrothed to a woman and has not married her?
Isaiah 54: 5a, 6
“For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of Hosts is His name; For the LORD has called you, like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused, “says your God.
Jeremiah 3: 20
“Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, so have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel,” says the LORD.
COMMENTARY: So, in a nutshell is the encapsulation of the divine origin of “marriage” and how it is to be enjoined, as far as type and antitype is concerned. On a symbolically spiritual level it is portrayed in God’s relationship to the Israelites as her divine Husband, and on the physical or material plane in the creation of Adam and Eve as husband and wife, the archetypal primordial married pair for the subsequent generations of human offspring until the end of the world. Although these references are not an indictment or judgment about any particular lifestyle, private intimacy practice or gender identity, it is abundantly clear, however, that the overarching orientation within the boundaries of this sacred institution, explicit and implicit is that of a ‘male’ and ‘female;’ and in the words of Jesus: “What God has joined together, let not man cast asunder [dismantle, change, or disregard].”
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
August 5, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The miracle-working rod of Aaron
For most Bile students and those who have watched made-for-television movies, it is usually the rod of Moses that is imbued with the miracle-working power of God, but few realize that Aaron’s rod was also used; perhaps even just as much as Moses’ rod.
Exodus 4: 1-4, 17
Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’ “ So the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A rod.” And He said, “Cast it to the ground.” So he cast it to the ground and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” (and he reached out his hand it became a rod [again] in his hand). “And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do signs.”
7: 8-10b, 12b
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, “Show a miracle for yourselves, ‘then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’ “ And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
NOTE: Where did Aaron’s rod come from?
19
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they might become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.’ “
8: 5-6
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, “Stretch out your hand with your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’ “ So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.
16
So the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it might become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.’ ”
NOTE: Moses performed the following miracles with his rod: Fire mingled with hail (9: 22-26); The Locusts (10: 12-15); Thick Darkness (10: 21-23??).
Exodus 11: 10a
So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh. . .
NOTE: Afterwards, Moses raised his rod to part the Sea of Reeds (14: 15-16) or Red Sea and used the rod of God in the defeat of King Amalek (17: 8-13).
Numbers 17: 8
Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the Tabernacle of Witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds.
COMMENTARY: It would seem that contrary to popular opinion and tradition, God used Aaron to perform just as many miraculous signs as He did with Moses, and Exodus 4: 1-10 gives an interesting background glimpse into things that just might go unnoticed for the most part, and of which 5: 28-31a says: So Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he [Aaron??] did the signs in the sight of the people. So the people believed. . .
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
August 4, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Exodus 4: 1-4, 17
Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’ “ So the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A rod.” And He said, “Cast it to the ground.” So he cast it to the ground and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” (and he reached out his hand it became a rod [again] in his hand). “And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do signs.”
7: 8-10b, 12b
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, “Show a miracle for yourselves, ‘then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’ “ And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
NOTE: Where did Aaron’s rod come from?
19
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they might become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.’ “
8: 5-6
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, “Stretch out your hand with your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’ “ So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.
16
So the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it might become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.’ ”
NOTE: Moses performed the following miracles with his rod: Fire mingled with hail (9: 22-26); The Locusts (10: 12-15); Thick Darkness (10: 21-23??).
Exodus 11: 10a
So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh. . .
NOTE: Afterwards, Moses raised his rod to part the Sea of Reeds (14: 15-16) or Red Sea and used the rod of God in the defeat of King Amalek (17: 8-13).
Numbers 17: 8
Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the Tabernacle of Witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds.
COMMENTARY: It would seem that contrary to popular opinion and tradition, God used Aaron to perform just as many miraculous signs as He did with Moses, and Exodus 4: 1-10 gives an interesting background glimpse into things that just might go unnoticed for the most part, and of which 5: 28-31a says: So Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he [Aaron??] did the signs in the sight of the people. So the people believed. . .
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
August 4, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
King Solomon: Some things you might not know
Solomon was the fourth son of King David and Bathsheba, who was born to him in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 3: 5). Solomon also had another name, Jedidiah ("Beloved of the LORD"), in 2 Samuel 12: 24-25, where both names are used; but in 1 Chronicles 22:9, only the name Solomon is used, which means "Peaceful." ( King David had six other sons when he ruled all Israel from Hebron [1 Chronicles 3: 1-4]). Because of David’s failing health and approaching death, he had Solomon anointed as King at Gihon (1 Kings 1: 33-34, 3-40). Before King David had died, he told Solomon, “I go the way of the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. “And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn (1 Kings 2: 2-3).”
Solomon makes a treaty with Pharaoh King of Egypt, marries his daughter and then brings her to live in the City of David (1 Kings 3: 1). This act seems to violate the principle of Exodus 34: 12, 16 where the children of Israel are forbidden to make a covenant [treaty] with the inhabitants of Canaan, lest they be led astray from serving the LORD God. It says in 1 Kings 3: 3-5a: And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, “EXCEPT” that he sacrificed and burned incense at the [pagan] high places (Cp. Leviticus 26: 30; Numbers 33: 52). Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place [for pagan worship in the region].
*1 Chronicles 21: 29*
For the tabernacle of the LORD and the altar of the burnt offering, which Moses had made in the wilderness, were at that time at the high place in Gibeon.
Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar. At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. Solomon asked for wisdom and understanding to be able to discern and judge between good and evil in order to judge the people of Israel, and the LORD said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and not asked for long life for yourself, nor have you asked for riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, “behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. “So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will strengthen your days (1 Kings 3: 9-14).” Curiously, Solomon comes to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Covenant and offered burnt and peace offerings (1 Kings 3: 15), but why didn’t he do that at first instead of going to the high places [and sacred groves] at Gibeon? Solomon had a daughter named Taphath (1 Kings 4: 11b), and another one by the name Basemath (1 Kings 4: 15b). The extent of Solomon’s reign was from the River [Euphrates] to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt (1 Kings 4: 21).
1 Kings 4: 29-34
And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. Thus Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men- than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish. And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who heard of his wisdom, came to hear the Wisdom of Solomon.
NOTE: Perhaps literary talent runs in the family because his father King David composed quite a few lyrical compositions in the Psalms that he wrote.
When King Solomon decided to build the Temple of the LORD, he made a labor force of 30, 000 men which he sent to Lebanon in shifts; 70, 000 carried burdens; 80, 000 quarried stone in the mountains (1 Kings 5 13-17).
NOTE: These forced laborers, however, were not Israelites (Cp. 1 Kings 9: 20-22).
1 Kings 8: 1, 4
Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring the ark of the Covenant of the LORD from the City of David, which is Zion. Then they brought up the ark of the LORD, the Tabernacle of Meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up (Cp. 2 Chronicles 5: 2-5).
*1 Kings 8: 62-66 & 2 Chronicles 7: 1-10*
The Feast of Dedication [of the Temple]
NOTE: This particular celebration in the seventh month of the Jewish sacred calendar (September-October) also occurs during the times of the Day of Atonement (Cp. Leviticus 23: 23: 26-32) and Feast of Tabernacles (Cp. Leviticus 23: 33-36).
1 Chronicles 15: 1, 25
David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it. So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-Edom with joy.
2 Chronicles 3: 1
Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite [in Jerusalem; Cp. 1 Chronicles 21: 15-17].
NOTE: Abraham offered his son Isaac as a burnt offering on one of the mountains in the land of Moriah (Cp. Genesis 22: 1-2), so if the House [Temple] that Solomon dedicated to God, on which of the mountains was it, and was this the same mountain where the threshing floor of Ornan was located (Cp. 1 Chronicles 21: 15b) and where God had appeared to David?
1 Kings 9: 2-9
The LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, “then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’ “But if you or your sons at all turn from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, “then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight. Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all people. “And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and will hiss, and say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?’ “Then they will answer, ‘Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, and worshipped them and served them; therefore the LORD has brought all this calamity on them.’ “
NOTE: This ominous warning basically came true (Cp. 1 Kings 11: 1-13). And as a side note, It is interesting that of all the wives and concubines that Solomon had, only two daughters (1 Kings 4: 11b, 15b) and one son are mentioned (1 Kings 11: 43).
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 29, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Solomon makes a treaty with Pharaoh King of Egypt, marries his daughter and then brings her to live in the City of David (1 Kings 3: 1). This act seems to violate the principle of Exodus 34: 12, 16 where the children of Israel are forbidden to make a covenant [treaty] with the inhabitants of Canaan, lest they be led astray from serving the LORD God. It says in 1 Kings 3: 3-5a: And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, “EXCEPT” that he sacrificed and burned incense at the [pagan] high places (Cp. Leviticus 26: 30; Numbers 33: 52). Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place [for pagan worship in the region].
*1 Chronicles 21: 29*
For the tabernacle of the LORD and the altar of the burnt offering, which Moses had made in the wilderness, were at that time at the high place in Gibeon.
Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar. At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. Solomon asked for wisdom and understanding to be able to discern and judge between good and evil in order to judge the people of Israel, and the LORD said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and not asked for long life for yourself, nor have you asked for riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, “behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. “So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will strengthen your days (1 Kings 3: 9-14).” Curiously, Solomon comes to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Covenant and offered burnt and peace offerings (1 Kings 3: 15), but why didn’t he do that at first instead of going to the high places [and sacred groves] at Gibeon? Solomon had a daughter named Taphath (1 Kings 4: 11b), and another one by the name Basemath (1 Kings 4: 15b). The extent of Solomon’s reign was from the River [Euphrates] to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt (1 Kings 4: 21).
1 Kings 4: 29-34
And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. Thus Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men- than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish. And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who heard of his wisdom, came to hear the Wisdom of Solomon.
NOTE: Perhaps literary talent runs in the family because his father King David composed quite a few lyrical compositions in the Psalms that he wrote.
When King Solomon decided to build the Temple of the LORD, he made a labor force of 30, 000 men which he sent to Lebanon in shifts; 70, 000 carried burdens; 80, 000 quarried stone in the mountains (1 Kings 5 13-17).
NOTE: These forced laborers, however, were not Israelites (Cp. 1 Kings 9: 20-22).
1 Kings 8: 1, 4
Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring the ark of the Covenant of the LORD from the City of David, which is Zion. Then they brought up the ark of the LORD, the Tabernacle of Meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up (Cp. 2 Chronicles 5: 2-5).
*1 Kings 8: 62-66 & 2 Chronicles 7: 1-10*
The Feast of Dedication [of the Temple]
NOTE: This particular celebration in the seventh month of the Jewish sacred calendar (September-October) also occurs during the times of the Day of Atonement (Cp. Leviticus 23: 23: 26-32) and Feast of Tabernacles (Cp. Leviticus 23: 33-36).
1 Chronicles 15: 1, 25
David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it. So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-Edom with joy.
2 Chronicles 3: 1
Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite [in Jerusalem; Cp. 1 Chronicles 21: 15-17].
NOTE: Abraham offered his son Isaac as a burnt offering on one of the mountains in the land of Moriah (Cp. Genesis 22: 1-2), so if the House [Temple] that Solomon dedicated to God, on which of the mountains was it, and was this the same mountain where the threshing floor of Ornan was located (Cp. 1 Chronicles 21: 15b) and where God had appeared to David?
1 Kings 9: 2-9
The LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, “then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’ “But if you or your sons at all turn from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, “then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight. Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all people. “And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and will hiss, and say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?’ “Then they will answer, ‘Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, and worshipped them and served them; therefore the LORD has brought all this calamity on them.’ “
NOTE: This ominous warning basically came true (Cp. 1 Kings 11: 1-13). And as a side note, It is interesting that of all the wives and concubines that Solomon had, only two daughters (1 Kings 4: 11b, 15b) and one son are mentioned (1 Kings 11: 43).
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 29, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Ark of God and construction of the Temple on Mount Moriah
2 Samuel 5: 25; 6: 6-7, 10 (Cp. 1 Chronicles 15: 25)
And David did so, as the LORD commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer (Cp. 1 Chronicles 14: 16). And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor [in Gibeon??], Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the LORD was was aroused against Uzzah and God struck him there for his error [irreverence]; and he died there by the ark of God. So David would not move the ark of the LORD with him into the city of David [Jerusalem]; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite [in Gibeon, too??].
1 Kings 3: 3-5a
And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, “except” that he sacrificed and burned incense at the [pagan] high places (Cp. Leviticus 26: 30; Numbers 33: 52). Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place [for pagan worship in the region??].
NOTE: Why was this "except" included when it delineates Solomon walking in the [godly] statutes of his father King David and sacrificing at the [pagan] "high places" of Gibeon. Perhaps the youthful and inexperienced young ruler didn't know any better and thought that wherever the Ark of God was located nearby, then it sanctified the entire place or region, even pagan worship sites.
1 Kings 3: 15
Solomon came to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Covenant and offered burnt and peace offerings
NOTE: Solomon sacrificed at the high places of Gibeon (1 Kings 3: 3-5a) because the most holiest symbol of Jewish worship, the Ark of God was probably located somwehere in the area, at the threshing floor of Obed-Edom (1 Chronicles 15: 25-26, 29: 16: 1). Fifteen verses later, the Ark of the Covenant was now in Jerusalem and Solomon stood before it and made sacrificial offerings to God.
1 Kings 8: 1, 4
Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from the City of David, which is Zion. Then they brought up the ark of the LORD, the Tabernacle of Meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up [to Mount Moriah??] (Cp. 2 Chronicles 5: 2-5).
NOTE: From now on in the Biblical record the tabernacle of meeting, the Ark of the Covenant, and all the holy furnishings [including the altar of burnt offering??] are situated at Jerusalem.
1 Chronicles 15: 1, 25
David built houses for himself in the City of David [Jerusalem]; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it. So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-Edom [in Gibeon??] with joy.
*1 Chronicles 21: 29*
For the tabernacle of the LORD and the altar of the burnt offering, which Moses had made in the wilderness, were at that time at the high place in Gibeon [why??].
NOTE: It seems in these narratives that the tabernacle [excluding the ark of God??] and the altar of burnt offering were located in Gibeon at this time, but according to 1 Chronicles 15: 25-26, 29: 16: 1, the ark of God was transported from the threshing floor of Obed-Edom to the city of David [Jerusalem] and placed inside the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Even before that time it is also quite plausible that the ark of God was still located in Kirjath Jearim; one of the four cities of the Gibeonites (Cp. Joshua 9: 17) where the ark remained for twenty years (Cp. 1 Samuel 7: 2).
2 Chronicles 3: 1
Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite [in Jerusalem; Cp. 1 Chronicles 21: 15-17].
NOTE: Abraham offered his son Isaac as a burnt offering on one of the mountains in the land of Moriah (Cp. Genesis 22: 1-2), so was the House [Temple] that Solomon dedicated to God, the same mountain where the threshing floor of Ornan was located (Cp. 1 Chronicles 21: 15b), and where God had appeared to David?
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 29, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
And David did so, as the LORD commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer (Cp. 1 Chronicles 14: 16). And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor [in Gibeon??], Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the LORD was was aroused against Uzzah and God struck him there for his error [irreverence]; and he died there by the ark of God. So David would not move the ark of the LORD with him into the city of David [Jerusalem]; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite [in Gibeon, too??].
1 Kings 3: 3-5a
And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, “except” that he sacrificed and burned incense at the [pagan] high places (Cp. Leviticus 26: 30; Numbers 33: 52). Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place [for pagan worship in the region??].
NOTE: Why was this "except" included when it delineates Solomon walking in the [godly] statutes of his father King David and sacrificing at the [pagan] "high places" of Gibeon. Perhaps the youthful and inexperienced young ruler didn't know any better and thought that wherever the Ark of God was located nearby, then it sanctified the entire place or region, even pagan worship sites.
1 Kings 3: 15
Solomon came to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Covenant and offered burnt and peace offerings
NOTE: Solomon sacrificed at the high places of Gibeon (1 Kings 3: 3-5a) because the most holiest symbol of Jewish worship, the Ark of God was probably located somwehere in the area, at the threshing floor of Obed-Edom (1 Chronicles 15: 25-26, 29: 16: 1). Fifteen verses later, the Ark of the Covenant was now in Jerusalem and Solomon stood before it and made sacrificial offerings to God.
1 Kings 8: 1, 4
Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from the City of David, which is Zion. Then they brought up the ark of the LORD, the Tabernacle of Meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up [to Mount Moriah??] (Cp. 2 Chronicles 5: 2-5).
NOTE: From now on in the Biblical record the tabernacle of meeting, the Ark of the Covenant, and all the holy furnishings [including the altar of burnt offering??] are situated at Jerusalem.
1 Chronicles 15: 1, 25
David built houses for himself in the City of David [Jerusalem]; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it. So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-Edom [in Gibeon??] with joy.
*1 Chronicles 21: 29*
For the tabernacle of the LORD and the altar of the burnt offering, which Moses had made in the wilderness, were at that time at the high place in Gibeon [why??].
NOTE: It seems in these narratives that the tabernacle [excluding the ark of God??] and the altar of burnt offering were located in Gibeon at this time, but according to 1 Chronicles 15: 25-26, 29: 16: 1, the ark of God was transported from the threshing floor of Obed-Edom to the city of David [Jerusalem] and placed inside the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Even before that time it is also quite plausible that the ark of God was still located in Kirjath Jearim; one of the four cities of the Gibeonites (Cp. Joshua 9: 17) where the ark remained for twenty years (Cp. 1 Samuel 7: 2).
2 Chronicles 3: 1
Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite [in Jerusalem; Cp. 1 Chronicles 21: 15-17].
NOTE: Abraham offered his son Isaac as a burnt offering on one of the mountains in the land of Moriah (Cp. Genesis 22: 1-2), so was the House [Temple] that Solomon dedicated to God, the same mountain where the threshing floor of Ornan was located (Cp. 1 Chronicles 21: 15b), and where God had appeared to David?
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 29, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
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