Posts
post 086
So what about the Bible makes me and our founders such as Chief Justice John Jay (previous post) so convinced that it is worthy of all confidence?
Of all the world’s religions what is it that makes the Bible true?
“It is to be regretted, but so I believe the facts to be, that except the Bible there is not a true history in the world. Whatever may be the virtue, discernment, and industry of the writers, I am persuaded that truth and error (though in different degrees) will imperceptibly become and remain mixed and blended until they shall be separated forever by the great and last refining fire.” John Jay, First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court - to Jedidiah Morse, 28 Feb 1797 from the book "John Jay" by Walter Stahr
As my previous post indicated, perspective has a whole lot to do with how we interpret what we are seeing. With all the various interpretations of reality, from all the various perspectives out there, how can we know for sure what is true? In previous post 064 “What Is Truth?” we discovered “Truth is that which conforms to reality” But how do we interpret reality correctly?
This is a question that only a few years ago would suggest the questioner was on drugs but today this question is legitimate and needs a valid answer. We are now a people who have so much variety in deeply ingrained foundational concepts that the reality I see has a different interpretation than what you see yet it is the same event!
If you and I both look at the same event but come up with two, not just different but opposing reactions, how are we to ever find what is actually true? John Jay’s statement above is not discussing intentional deception as much as unintentional misinterpretation, but it is also suggesting that in the end real truth will be found and the consequences distributed justly. Yet if you and I cannot agree on what we have both just witnessed in the present, this might suggest correct interpretation is now impossible. Yet there is something even more sure than personal visual observation of reality!
* * *
“And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place…” II Peter 1:18-19
In this passage Peter was relating a personal experience. Something he and the others saw and heard first hand. First hand witnesses are the substance of how we on this earth relate to reality, expecting it to be as close to truth as is possible. By established law, men are put to death by first hand testimony. Yet history suggests that even such a sure indication of truth can be wrong. We do the best we can but there is always room for human error. Peter recognized this fact, though it was he himself who saw and heard what he was reporting first hand as fact. He knew what he saw was true and he placed weight on his own observation.
But then he made an interesting statement; “We have also a more sure word of prophecy…”. Peter, the guy who saw it first hand, states that although his eyewitness is valid, prophesy is even more sure than his first hand eyewitness and is to be added to that witness just like light shining into a dark place. He is effectively saying that prophesy takes precedence even over an eyewitness if the two are in conflict, and if not in conflict the prophecy clearly explains what might otherwise be shrouded in darkness! How is it possible that prophecy should take such precedence over eyewitness?
* * *
I have long been a bit frustrated with gleaning a prophetic truth of God through reading His Scriptures, yet finding that the limitations and potential error of interpretation diminish the value of the prophesy for us… IF we are to use them before they are fulfilled.
In questioning this it occurred to me that rarely in scripture did the revelation of prophesy change the hearts or events of those to whom the prophesy was given, unless the specific interpretation was also given thereby avoiding misinterpretation *1. So my mind began to ask; “What then is the primary purpose of prophesy and how can it be ‘more sure’ than eyewitness as Peter declared?”
Since prophecy is about an event before it happens, we wrongly jump to the conclusion that it must be so we can act with knowledge and change the event. But historically this does not seem to be the primary result or purpose. So what other purpose might the Creator have for giving prophecy to us? Peter gives us the answer in the above verse; Truth, which is more sure than eye witness.
Stay with me.
Peter was sure that Jesus was the promised Messiah not because of the miracles he saw first hand, nor because Jesus spoke convincingly, and not even because he and his friends heard a voice from heaven! These were surely good indicators but the more sure evidence added to what he saw and experienced was the many prophecies which had to come true for him to be the messiah.
One obscure prophecy can be easily explained by some event in a few hundred years of history; One of Nastradamus’ famous prophesies of “Hister” is used to prove he predicted Hitler with bad spelling. But even this single fulfillment of prophecy has to ignore the fact that Hister was the Latin name of the Danube River in his day, and the prophecy in the original clearly indicates this was his intent *2. But my post is not intended to discredit a seer who was less than 40% right, but to show that true prophecy must be proven to be irrefutable by the honest truth seeking mind, even if skeptical.
There are more than 800 bible prophecies of Jesus the Messiah that all must be 100% true if we are to believe them (note: just because one is yet unfulfilled does not make it wrong). The whole premise of the Christian religion is that God is not a liar and he cannot make mistakes since he is truth itself. This of course should be easily proven wrong, especially because we have scientific and historical verification that the original scriptures have not been changed or altered over time *3. Surely out of 800 there should be a few we can easily debunk, but try as they might it has not yet been done, excluding lies and deception and intentional error as their tools which defeats the whole purpose of the debunking.
The trick to fake prophecy is to make it so obscure that the odds go way up over time that some event will eventually fulfill it: “One day a man will find a blue marble.” Or to make it so obscure it could mean nearly anything: "As on wings, the stone was present in the midst."
But what if there was a prophecy written very nearly 571 years before it was fulfilled and 93 years before the counting of the prophecy was to even begin.... by specific events that were nearly impossible to take place?
And what if this complex prophecy of counting was not so vague as to predict an approximate time frame, not by years nor months nor weeks, but prophecied the EXACT DAY it would be fulfilled 173,880 days after the counting was to begin?! “Are you kidding me?!” Yet this is but one of hundreds of prophesies that came true regarding Jesus the Messiah *4.
Other prophesies regarding Jesus:
His lineage - Geneses 17:19, 18:18, 49:10
His circumstances of conception - Isaiah 7:14
His city of birth - Mica 5:2
His rejection by the Jews - Isaiah 53:3
The specific way he presented himself as king - Zechariah 9:9
His betrayal by a friend - Psalm 41:9
The exact value of that betrayal - Zechariah 11:12-13
His type and purpose of death - Isaiah 53:4-5,12, Psalm 22:16, 34:20, Zechariah 12:10
And on and on and on.
The more complex the prophecy, the easier it should be to debunk it, and never was there a more complex prophesy than those of the Messiah. The proofs of these fulfillments are documented not only in the history recorded in the Bible but also in secular history as well as history exhumed from the buried chambers of antiquity. The odds of all these hundreds of very specific and complex prophecies coming to pass, can only be a successful accident to the mind that actually believes purposeless, designless, creationless evolution is possible. An idea that is purely unscientific foolishness, but a real mindframe none the less. It is no less foolish that believing Rhett Butler came up with his immortal lines without the aid of an author!
If Evolution actually is the way we got here, explain all these prophecies written before the unguided accidental events took place. THIS is the “more sure word of prophesy” which Peter was speaking of. The proof of prophesy fulfilled is so superior to the interpretation of observed reality, that if science and the bible are in conflict, you can be sure that science has misinterpreted something.
Did you know that God through the prophecy of the Bible predicted all the Global Dominate Empires to affect Israel? *5. How many would you expect in 6000+ years of human history? God said there would be 7. He named 5 of them very specifically *6, and gave lots of clues to the identity of the others. In fact the predictions were so specific that Alexander The Great recognized himself in the prophesy and he used it to his advantage and courage to defeat the Persians at the river Granicus in 334 BC *7, before he died in his prime leaving his kingdom “to the strong” (4 of his generals prevailed in battle for 4 parts of Greece) just as prophesied *8.
There are soooo many specific prophecies, not counting the confusing and cryptic. God has been 100% right so far and we are now waiting for kingdom #7.5 *9.
These prophecies are a more sure proof that the creator God foreknows every detail of events in the cosmos. The prophecies are give to us for the purpose of giving us confidence that the bible can be trusted with our very lives.
Our founders grew up being educated in the bible, including studies such as this.
Can you imagine going to school to study deeply world history through prophecy?
I have just finished my second year of retirement dedicated to this study and have in no way exhausted the topic!
What I have learned about prophecy past, is that prophecy future is just as sure.
Only the Bible has the ability to exclude human error in history; although penned by human hand, it was dictated by the Holy Spirit of God. Its complete lack of errors is proof of that.
Scientifically, prophecy is the proof of God.
“…Who hath established all the ends of the earth?” Proverbs 30:4
“For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?” Ecclesiastes 6:12
It is with this confidence in scripture that our founders felt a keen awareness and conviction that they will surely one day account to their Creator for all their deeds.
It is with this confidence that the warnings in scripture were taken very seriously.
It is with this confidence that this nation was established in humility before that maker.
You have not been provided the education to have such confidence,
But you are still accountable to the Creator, just as they were.
Unlike our founders, you have been denied such an education, which our founders determined you should have. Your education in this matter is now up to you.
I have provided a reasonable stimulation to inspire you to seek such knowledge.
Will you take the challenge?
* * * * * * *
*1 Prophecy and Interpretation:
Genesis 41:25 “And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaph what he is about to do.”
Daniel 2:28-29 “But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days….and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.”
*2 Latin Hister: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hister)
*3 The Dead Sea scrolls are scripture found after the events prophesied yet translated into Greek and hidden before the events occurred, making the possibility of altering the prophecy after the fact virtually impossible.
*4 The Messiah’s Arrival:
Daniel 9:25 “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Price shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.” Written approximately 538 years before Jesus fulfilled this perfectly. (In ancient Hebrew the word “weeks” represented groups of 7, in this case years. All ancient calendars used 360 days per year until 701 AD, and don’t forget to subtract for leap years in your calculation!).
Nehemiah 2:1-9 “And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king… I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchers, that I may build it… Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters.” History shows this date was March 14, 445 BC. This date began the counting.
Mark 11:1-11 “…And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest….” This very song was prophesied of the messiah. Jesus riding into Jerusalem, on the colt, with this song, is the fulfillment of other prophesies of the messiah. But this specific day was the fulfillment of the exact day prophesied approximately 571 years before. Jesus Rode into Jerusalem as king on the exact day prophecied!
There is a whole lot of very complex and detailed parts to this prophesy which are utterly fascinating. If you are curious, you must read; “The Coming Prince” by Sir Robert Anderson, a reprint found at Amazon.com for about $10.00
*5 The Global Dominate Empires: Daniel 2:31-45, Revelation 17:7-18
*6 The identified and interpreted GDEs (Global Dominate Empires):
Daniel 8:37-38 “Thou, O king, (Nebuchadnezzar) art a king of kings: …Thou art this head of Gold” (the 3rd of all 7 Global Dominant Empires).
Daniel 8:20 “The ram which thou sawest (in his dream) having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. (prophesied before they took domination as the 4th GDE) And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: (to arrive even later as the 5th GDE) and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king (of Greece; Alexander the Great)”.
*7 Alexander the Great:
Daniel 8:6 “And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.”
Although pictorial, this prophesy is not vague in that both ram and goat were already identified as Medo-Persia and Greece, and the horn as the first mighty king of Greece (Daniel 8:20-21). - Granicus (http://1stmuse.com/frames/index.html)
*8 The early end of Alexander:
Daniel 8:8 “Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.”
*9 The almost 8th GDE:
See last kingdom of *5 found in Revelation 17:11. The scriptures have very much to say about this kingdom that will take a whole book to cover. We will eventually get to that in this ongoing study.
*
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Perspective
post 085
The Promised Blessing
“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Revelation 1:3
After 2+ years of diligent study, it has finally dawned on me what I am seeing.
My lengthy study of prophesy has been really affecting me in a deep and good way, but I have been unable to put my finger on just how it relates to every day life, until now.
It recently became clear that by this study I have begun to see world history more through God’s eyes, and not man’s eyes.
To God, human history is a novel he wrote. As the author, he is intimately familiar with every page, he knows the whole story beginning to end, and the details of every individual character.
To mankind, “a character in the story”, our history is a series of long and unrelated events we experience one page to the next. We tend only to be concerned with the page we are presently on, and as evolutionists, it is all just random accidents with no meaning, a complex novel with no author.
This is because our “sight” is simplistically narrow to just “me” for each man.
And that is because we savor the things of men, and not the things of God. *1
I am now seeing how the choices of a king, in a far away land, a long time ago, has affected me today, as if it was directly related!
I see how the cause and effect that related to him, also relates to me, and how the chain reaction of cause and effect has resulted in what I experience today. I see this in nearly every event in history.
I am seeing how everything is directly related in God’s eyes, because to him it is all just one story, with one purpose. He sees the affect of current events, in the scope of the whole story, much like the complications of plots and subplots all make connective sense only at the end of a good movie.
I believe the blessing promised from the reading of prophesy, is the ability to look at the world from God’s perspective.
Have you noticed the simple mind of a child, and his very short attention span?
We who are not exercising our senses daily in the things of God,*2 and especially the scriptures, are as simple minded, and short sighted as that child.
We just don’t have enough attention span to even want to be curious about how God sees things. To that man, the events of 3000 years ago is so unrelated to him, he couldn’t care less. Heck, the events of 200 years ago are no concern to him either; he is only interested in getting home in time to watch the game, or the completion of his current project. *3
I am finally seeing more clearly how our founders were very familiar with God’s perspective on history, and so they saw how the living conditions of ancient Israel was directly related to its obedience of God, and they saw how that directly applied to America as well.
This is why our founders saw America’s departure from England as the simile of Israel departing Egypt. With the same curses and the same blessings available to us as to them.
This is why as a pitiful collection of fledgling colonies they had the courage and confidence to defy the world dominate king of England, and the boldness to take up arms in defense, with the expectation of success!
Now with such a concept in mind, lets read a few lines from the Declaration of Independence;
"We, therefore, the Representatives of the United states of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions..."
"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,..."
These are not flowery words of embellishment to a meaningless document.
This document was an action which could result in nothing short of virtual annihilation, unless the Supreme Judge provided Divine protection.
And that providence was provided.
The success of their actions through faith is why Mosses can be seen prominently chiseled in stone above the United States Supreme Court House, shown taking the greatest seat among the world’s wisdom.
The amazing part is that this building was not even built until 1935(?) Clearly although still somewhat religious, America had already fallen far below the standard of faith our fathers possessed and expected.
Reading many commentaries today on this display of Moses, I am saddened by the godless reaching of the writers to suggest no significant meaning was intended.
Look at it for yourself and ask; how better could Moses be displayed to suggest significance or importance to our system of justice?
The United States Supreme Courthouse
.
.
“It is to be regretted, but so I believe the facts to be, that except the Bible there is not a true history in the world. Whatever may be the virtue, discernment, and industry of the writers, I am persuaded that truth and error (though in different degrees) will imperceptibly become and remain mixed and blended until they shall be separated forever by the great and last refining fire.” John Jay - First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court - to Jedidiah Morse, 28 Feb 1797 *5
The problem then becomes interpreting the words and actions of those in the past, through the eyes of those in the present. This has always been and will continue to be the problem while trying to understand what we are seeing.
As John Jay so eloquently stated, only the Bible, which has been proven to be historically unaltered and true, is able to provide a true history in the world.
We must become deeply familiar with it and its author before we can expect to have significant understanding of where we came from, and thereby know where we are going.
Washington DC, the seat of our nations government, is full of Biblical references chiseled in stone for us to see if we only would.
If America is to Abandon it’s God, it will be willful through ignorance by simply shutting our eyes to the monuments of the acts and words of our forefathers.
Our nation is not “unsustainable” (as Obama and his kind love to declare) because of what was established, but because of the corruption of what was established.
“Change” is not what we need, but “Restoring”.
Restoring comes only by a diligent search of what was original, and how it was changed.
The longer we wait, the harder the job becomes to distinguish true history from false.
To change the changes is but further folly. To restore what was once proven good by experience, is the only way to recovery.
Viewing world history through the eyes of the creator, is the only way to discover what has been forgotten. *4
"A proper history of the United States would have much to recommend it: in some respects it would be … unlike all others; it would develop the great plan of Providence, for causing this extensive part of our world to be discovered, and these "uttermost parts of the earth" to be gradually filled with civilized and Christian people and nations.… The historian, in the course of the work, is never to lose sight of that great plan." - John Jay to Jedidiah Morse, 16 August 1809
* * *
1
Matthew 16:23 "But he (Jesus) turned, and said unto Peter (a follower who had the wrong focus), Get thee behind me Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."
2
Hebrews 5:14 "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
3
Matthew 13:22 "He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful."
4
II Kings 22 The entire chapter needs to be read, but I include here;
v.13 "And the king commanded...Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us."
5
"John Jay" by Walter Stahr
The Promised Blessing
“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Revelation 1:3
After 2+ years of diligent study, it has finally dawned on me what I am seeing.
My lengthy study of prophesy has been really affecting me in a deep and good way, but I have been unable to put my finger on just how it relates to every day life, until now.
It recently became clear that by this study I have begun to see world history more through God’s eyes, and not man’s eyes.
To God, human history is a novel he wrote. As the author, he is intimately familiar with every page, he knows the whole story beginning to end, and the details of every individual character.
To mankind, “a character in the story”, our history is a series of long and unrelated events we experience one page to the next. We tend only to be concerned with the page we are presently on, and as evolutionists, it is all just random accidents with no meaning, a complex novel with no author.
This is because our “sight” is simplistically narrow to just “me” for each man.
And that is because we savor the things of men, and not the things of God. *1
I am now seeing how the choices of a king, in a far away land, a long time ago, has affected me today, as if it was directly related!
I see how the cause and effect that related to him, also relates to me, and how the chain reaction of cause and effect has resulted in what I experience today. I see this in nearly every event in history.
I am seeing how everything is directly related in God’s eyes, because to him it is all just one story, with one purpose. He sees the affect of current events, in the scope of the whole story, much like the complications of plots and subplots all make connective sense only at the end of a good movie.
I believe the blessing promised from the reading of prophesy, is the ability to look at the world from God’s perspective.
Have you noticed the simple mind of a child, and his very short attention span?
We who are not exercising our senses daily in the things of God,*2 and especially the scriptures, are as simple minded, and short sighted as that child.
We just don’t have enough attention span to even want to be curious about how God sees things. To that man, the events of 3000 years ago is so unrelated to him, he couldn’t care less. Heck, the events of 200 years ago are no concern to him either; he is only interested in getting home in time to watch the game, or the completion of his current project. *3
I am finally seeing more clearly how our founders were very familiar with God’s perspective on history, and so they saw how the living conditions of ancient Israel was directly related to its obedience of God, and they saw how that directly applied to America as well.
This is why our founders saw America’s departure from England as the simile of Israel departing Egypt. With the same curses and the same blessings available to us as to them.
This is why as a pitiful collection of fledgling colonies they had the courage and confidence to defy the world dominate king of England, and the boldness to take up arms in defense, with the expectation of success!
Now with such a concept in mind, lets read a few lines from the Declaration of Independence;
"We, therefore, the Representatives of the United states of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions..."
"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,..."
These are not flowery words of embellishment to a meaningless document.
This document was an action which could result in nothing short of virtual annihilation, unless the Supreme Judge provided Divine protection.
And that providence was provided.
The success of their actions through faith is why Mosses can be seen prominently chiseled in stone above the United States Supreme Court House, shown taking the greatest seat among the world’s wisdom.
The amazing part is that this building was not even built until 1935(?) Clearly although still somewhat religious, America had already fallen far below the standard of faith our fathers possessed and expected.
Reading many commentaries today on this display of Moses, I am saddened by the godless reaching of the writers to suggest no significant meaning was intended.
Look at it for yourself and ask; how better could Moses be displayed to suggest significance or importance to our system of justice?
The United States Supreme Courthouse
.
.
“It is to be regretted, but so I believe the facts to be, that except the Bible there is not a true history in the world. Whatever may be the virtue, discernment, and industry of the writers, I am persuaded that truth and error (though in different degrees) will imperceptibly become and remain mixed and blended until they shall be separated forever by the great and last refining fire.” John Jay - First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court - to Jedidiah Morse, 28 Feb 1797 *5
The problem then becomes interpreting the words and actions of those in the past, through the eyes of those in the present. This has always been and will continue to be the problem while trying to understand what we are seeing.
As John Jay so eloquently stated, only the Bible, which has been proven to be historically unaltered and true, is able to provide a true history in the world.
We must become deeply familiar with it and its author before we can expect to have significant understanding of where we came from, and thereby know where we are going.
Washington DC, the seat of our nations government, is full of Biblical references chiseled in stone for us to see if we only would.
If America is to Abandon it’s God, it will be willful through ignorance by simply shutting our eyes to the monuments of the acts and words of our forefathers.
Our nation is not “unsustainable” (as Obama and his kind love to declare) because of what was established, but because of the corruption of what was established.
“Change” is not what we need, but “Restoring”.
Restoring comes only by a diligent search of what was original, and how it was changed.
The longer we wait, the harder the job becomes to distinguish true history from false.
To change the changes is but further folly. To restore what was once proven good by experience, is the only way to recovery.
Viewing world history through the eyes of the creator, is the only way to discover what has been forgotten. *4
"A proper history of the United States would have much to recommend it: in some respects it would be … unlike all others; it would develop the great plan of Providence, for causing this extensive part of our world to be discovered, and these "uttermost parts of the earth" to be gradually filled with civilized and Christian people and nations.… The historian, in the course of the work, is never to lose sight of that great plan." - John Jay to Jedidiah Morse, 16 August 1809
* * *
1
Matthew 16:23 "But he (Jesus) turned, and said unto Peter (a follower who had the wrong focus), Get thee behind me Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."
2
Hebrews 5:14 "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
3
Matthew 13:22 "He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful."
4
II Kings 22 The entire chapter needs to be read, but I include here;
v.13 "And the king commanded...Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us."
5
"John Jay" by Walter Stahr
Monday, September 13, 2010
The Book of Eli
and the burning of the Qur’an
post 084
I was recently invited by so-called Christian friends to watch this wonderful movie honoring the Bible. Skeptically, I was eager to watch it for my review.
The very first thing I noticed was our hero, played by Denzel Washington, walking into town with a white scarf check with black type markings clearly of the Muslim brand of Smagh or head covering. *1
But he sold it right away and nothing further came of it, so I let it slide as curious.
The rest of the very simple movie plot, was this guy killing people to protect the book and his mission to get the book to its destination, “Our only hope is in my hands… I will kill to protect it.” and he did… often.
At the end, it is reveled to us that the book is actually the Christian Bible. And the hero recognizes he got a little off track in his vigilance.
And the crowed goes wild!
Christians rejoice that Hollywood has produced a movie honoring the scriptures.
Hardly.
Though Christianity has been at war with Islam pretty much since it conquered the Holy Land,*2 It is Islam's determined murder and oppression of non-Muslims that is the cause of that war, and all following wars with Islam.
This very long and very consistent history shows that Islam has always striven to rule the earth by force, not Christians.
But is it the Muslims natural right as a power to attempt to do this?
It is.
Just as all world dominant kingdoms such as Assyria, Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome did.
But it is also the right of Christians to defend the defenseless, and de-tooth the oppressor if they can. Isaiah 59:19 *3, Jeremiah 48:10 *4 The USMC at Tripoli.*5
The cause and actions of this conflict is very controversial. Which side of this issue you find yourself on, is directly proportional to whose history you read, just as the current problems over the nation of Israel.*12
But it does not take much actual study to realize who is telling the truth, and who is telling lies.
All you need is a willingness to look at facts from a clear perspective;
Allah bragged by calling himself the Greatest of all deceivers.*6 while Christ did not just claim to have truth, but to actually BE truth. *7
If your God is a proud deceiver, how can you trust what he says?
Islam commends lies and deception, the bible condemns it.
Islam rewards murder by suicide with sure access to heaven, the bible condemns that too. The Qur’an demands the murder or oppression of all non-Muslims, while the bible promotes each man free to choose his own path, to its own end.
The Jews just want their tiny ancient homeland back to have some place they can live in peace, while the huge Muslim nations want all Jews dead, or “driven into the sea”, presumably because they cannot afford to give up that tiny sliver of land.
Islam is the source of nearly ALL terrorism worldwide, Christianity… not once.
Yet Islam calls itself the religion of peace, while Christianity shows itself to be.
Go figure.
But of course Islam the religion of death and oppression will feel wronged by those who fight against them, this is the nature of dispute, otherwise there is no dispute.
The Nazi soldier felt the American soldier was evil and was willing to kill him, even though it was the Nazis who were conquering nations, and the Americans were just trying to stop them. The thinking mind must go beyond the propaganda to look for the evidences of truth.
Re-writing Christian History as oppressive and violent, while re-writing Islamic History as the religion of peace, has now begun in earnest. *8
This is perhaps how the prophesy might begin to be fulfilled; “…if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matthew 24:24) Trying hard to believe God, the lies of re-written history make it near impossible to know God’s actual involvement among the actual conduct of his followers.
Our own American history has already been re-written to exclude God from our government as I have shown in previous posts, and today Americans have no idea how God has played the determining role in our successes, and therefore incapable of recognizing his reprimands when they come.
Book Of Eli trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKfZrbS79To
At the end of the trailer, the word “Eli” is the center of an obscured “Believe”.
Creative, but intentionally misleading as to just what we are to believe.
Believe in Christianity? Or the “Christianity” of the movie?
Not the same thing!
And now we have a probability of the intentional hidden meaning in the hero appearing with a Muslim scarf. Is this representative of the Muslim handling of Christianity? Perhaps.
The movie's thorough misuse of Christianity appears to suggest that possibility.
A week after posting this writing, I looked up the Hughes Brothers, directors of this film, and was not surprised to find the Tehran Iranian link to the Muslim connection I theorized previously:
"The Hughes brothers were born in Detroit, Michigan to an African American father and an Armenian American mother, Aida, whose family were Iranian Armenians from Tehran...
The brothers embrace their African-American and Armenian heritage. Albert has stated that although 'People wanted to hear from us because we were black not because we were half Armenian,' he considers his artistic ability to come from the Armenian side of his family.*11
I am not going all conspiracy theory on you, It is highly possible the writers,and these directors have no specific Islamic plan in mind.
But the battle between good and evil rages on, all of us are players, on one side or the other. Since America has elected to reject our God, another god will take his place in our society. The Iranian influences these men openly credit for their creativity, influences their production, and therefore the watcher.
This Movie is a part of the brainwashing to alter the perception of the Bible in America.
Today NY school children are being taught a new history, showing Christianity as the fool hearty religion of violence and oppression trying to control everyone, while Islam is the saving religion of peace to rescue the world from Christianity.*8
Today, most movie watching Christians are so unfamiliar with the very fundamentals of Christianity and the Bible, that they think this is a great film honoring the Bible.
It is the exact opposite. This movie undermines the truths of the scriptures in the eyes of the watcher, while they think it strengthens them!
If you do not know the truth, you will believe the lie. The movie’s Eli is that lie in the center of “Believe”. II Thessalonians 2:11 “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:”
Only a fool lets Hollywood teach them doctrine, but so many are doing just that!
* * *
Now we have a misguided Christian pastor in FL. openly burning the Qur’an on 9-11. *9 and as always the government has the wrong focus;
“Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Kabul, took the rare step of a military leader taking a position on a domestic matter when he warned in an e-mail to The Associated Press that "images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan — and around the world — to inflame public opinion and incite violence."
Does he not realize the so-called extremists need no such inflammation to carry out their evils? The fear of retribution is no reason to avoid doing something we feel is right.
But is burning the Qur’an the right thing to do?
This is not after the teachings of Christ, or any scripture.
This is a violation of the principles of Christ, and must be opposed by actual Christians everywhere.
This is not the conduct of a mature follower of Christ.
We Christians have no fear of loyal Bible believing Christians killing us for opposing this burning. That is the practice of Muslims, the religion of peace.
This pastor while perhaps meaning well, has missed all that Jesus has taught.
How does his actions fit with Matthew 5:44 “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you”?
It doesn’t.
Where is the example of Christ, or his Apostles acting in such a precedent?
There is none.
This pastor's actions are not Christian, and not sanctioned by Christ.
Going to war with Islam to battle their temporal actions of oppression and violence is the conduct of honorable men, Christian or not.
Desecrating their religion because we don’t like it, is far from honorable or Christian.
The Book of Eli movie is only Christian, to people wholly ignorant of Christianity, such as this pastor intent on burning the Qur’an.
America's problem is not the threat of Islam, but our own ignorance of the faith on which we were created and held accountable to. In other words, our problem is offending God.*10
* * * * * * *
I do not know why this blog will not link to these sites. I have included the long form so you can copy and paste them to your browser;
1 Smagh or Shimagh http://www.hilalplaza.com/mensshimaghheadscarf.aspx
2 the First Crusade http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Crusade
3 "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him." Isaiah 59:19
4 "Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood." as the standard raised in note 3.
5 The USMC was created in 1775 for the purpose of defeating Muslim Piracy, slavery and tribute USMC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps the Barbary wars of 1801-1815 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_Wars
6 Qur'an 3:54 "And the disbelievers planned, but Allah planned. And Allah is the best of planners." Sahih International. The English version mistranslates the original phrase Khayrul-Makireen which literally means The Greatest of all Deceivers."God's War On Terror" page 65
7 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6
8 NY Islamic education http://www.amren.com/mtnews/archives/2010/09/diversity_perve.php
9 Qur’an burning news http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100908/ap_on_re_us/quran_burning
10 "And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I (God) will punish you seven times more for your sins. And I will break the pride of your power;..." Leviticus 26:18-19
11 Hughes Brothers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_brothers
12 “It is to be regretted, but so I believe the facts to be, that except the Bible there is not a true history in the world. Whatever may be the virtue, discernment, and industry of the writers, I am persuaded that truth and error (though in different degrees) will imperceptibly become and remain mixed and blended until they shall be separated forever by the great and last refining fire.” John Jay - First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
post 084
I was recently invited by so-called Christian friends to watch this wonderful movie honoring the Bible. Skeptically, I was eager to watch it for my review.
The very first thing I noticed was our hero, played by Denzel Washington, walking into town with a white scarf check with black type markings clearly of the Muslim brand of Smagh or head covering. *1
But he sold it right away and nothing further came of it, so I let it slide as curious.
The rest of the very simple movie plot, was this guy killing people to protect the book and his mission to get the book to its destination, “Our only hope is in my hands… I will kill to protect it.” and he did… often.
At the end, it is reveled to us that the book is actually the Christian Bible. And the hero recognizes he got a little off track in his vigilance.
And the crowed goes wild!
Christians rejoice that Hollywood has produced a movie honoring the scriptures.
Hardly.
Though Christianity has been at war with Islam pretty much since it conquered the Holy Land,*2 It is Islam's determined murder and oppression of non-Muslims that is the cause of that war, and all following wars with Islam.
This very long and very consistent history shows that Islam has always striven to rule the earth by force, not Christians.
But is it the Muslims natural right as a power to attempt to do this?
It is.
Just as all world dominant kingdoms such as Assyria, Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome did.
But it is also the right of Christians to defend the defenseless, and de-tooth the oppressor if they can. Isaiah 59:19 *3, Jeremiah 48:10 *4 The USMC at Tripoli.*5
The cause and actions of this conflict is very controversial. Which side of this issue you find yourself on, is directly proportional to whose history you read, just as the current problems over the nation of Israel.*12
But it does not take much actual study to realize who is telling the truth, and who is telling lies.
All you need is a willingness to look at facts from a clear perspective;
Allah bragged by calling himself the Greatest of all deceivers.*6 while Christ did not just claim to have truth, but to actually BE truth. *7
If your God is a proud deceiver, how can you trust what he says?
Islam commends lies and deception, the bible condemns it.
Islam rewards murder by suicide with sure access to heaven, the bible condemns that too. The Qur’an demands the murder or oppression of all non-Muslims, while the bible promotes each man free to choose his own path, to its own end.
The Jews just want their tiny ancient homeland back to have some place they can live in peace, while the huge Muslim nations want all Jews dead, or “driven into the sea”, presumably because they cannot afford to give up that tiny sliver of land.
Islam is the source of nearly ALL terrorism worldwide, Christianity… not once.
Yet Islam calls itself the religion of peace, while Christianity shows itself to be.
Go figure.
But of course Islam the religion of death and oppression will feel wronged by those who fight against them, this is the nature of dispute, otherwise there is no dispute.
The Nazi soldier felt the American soldier was evil and was willing to kill him, even though it was the Nazis who were conquering nations, and the Americans were just trying to stop them. The thinking mind must go beyond the propaganda to look for the evidences of truth.
Re-writing Christian History as oppressive and violent, while re-writing Islamic History as the religion of peace, has now begun in earnest. *8
This is perhaps how the prophesy might begin to be fulfilled; “…if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matthew 24:24) Trying hard to believe God, the lies of re-written history make it near impossible to know God’s actual involvement among the actual conduct of his followers.
Our own American history has already been re-written to exclude God from our government as I have shown in previous posts, and today Americans have no idea how God has played the determining role in our successes, and therefore incapable of recognizing his reprimands when they come.
Book Of Eli trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKfZrbS79To
At the end of the trailer, the word “Eli” is the center of an obscured “Believe”.
Creative, but intentionally misleading as to just what we are to believe.
Believe in Christianity? Or the “Christianity” of the movie?
Not the same thing!
And now we have a probability of the intentional hidden meaning in the hero appearing with a Muslim scarf. Is this representative of the Muslim handling of Christianity? Perhaps.
The movie's thorough misuse of Christianity appears to suggest that possibility.
A week after posting this writing, I looked up the Hughes Brothers, directors of this film, and was not surprised to find the Tehran Iranian link to the Muslim connection I theorized previously:
"The Hughes brothers were born in Detroit, Michigan to an African American father and an Armenian American mother, Aida, whose family were Iranian Armenians from Tehran...
The brothers embrace their African-American and Armenian heritage. Albert has stated that although 'People wanted to hear from us because we were black not because we were half Armenian,' he considers his artistic ability to come from the Armenian side of his family.*11
I am not going all conspiracy theory on you, It is highly possible the writers,and these directors have no specific Islamic plan in mind.
But the battle between good and evil rages on, all of us are players, on one side or the other. Since America has elected to reject our God, another god will take his place in our society. The Iranian influences these men openly credit for their creativity, influences their production, and therefore the watcher.
This Movie is a part of the brainwashing to alter the perception of the Bible in America.
Today NY school children are being taught a new history, showing Christianity as the fool hearty religion of violence and oppression trying to control everyone, while Islam is the saving religion of peace to rescue the world from Christianity.*8
Today, most movie watching Christians are so unfamiliar with the very fundamentals of Christianity and the Bible, that they think this is a great film honoring the Bible.
It is the exact opposite. This movie undermines the truths of the scriptures in the eyes of the watcher, while they think it strengthens them!
If you do not know the truth, you will believe the lie. The movie’s Eli is that lie in the center of “Believe”. II Thessalonians 2:11 “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:”
Only a fool lets Hollywood teach them doctrine, but so many are doing just that!
* * *
Now we have a misguided Christian pastor in FL. openly burning the Qur’an on 9-11. *9 and as always the government has the wrong focus;
“Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Kabul, took the rare step of a military leader taking a position on a domestic matter when he warned in an e-mail to The Associated Press that "images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan — and around the world — to inflame public opinion and incite violence."
Does he not realize the so-called extremists need no such inflammation to carry out their evils? The fear of retribution is no reason to avoid doing something we feel is right.
But is burning the Qur’an the right thing to do?
This is not after the teachings of Christ, or any scripture.
This is a violation of the principles of Christ, and must be opposed by actual Christians everywhere.
This is not the conduct of a mature follower of Christ.
We Christians have no fear of loyal Bible believing Christians killing us for opposing this burning. That is the practice of Muslims, the religion of peace.
This pastor while perhaps meaning well, has missed all that Jesus has taught.
How does his actions fit with Matthew 5:44 “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you”?
It doesn’t.
Where is the example of Christ, or his Apostles acting in such a precedent?
There is none.
This pastor's actions are not Christian, and not sanctioned by Christ.
Going to war with Islam to battle their temporal actions of oppression and violence is the conduct of honorable men, Christian or not.
Desecrating their religion because we don’t like it, is far from honorable or Christian.
The Book of Eli movie is only Christian, to people wholly ignorant of Christianity, such as this pastor intent on burning the Qur’an.
America's problem is not the threat of Islam, but our own ignorance of the faith on which we were created and held accountable to. In other words, our problem is offending God.*10
* * * * * * *
I do not know why this blog will not link to these sites. I have included the long form so you can copy and paste them to your browser;
1 Smagh or Shimagh http://www.hilalplaza.com/mensshimaghheadscarf.aspx
2 the First Crusade http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Crusade
3 "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him." Isaiah 59:19
4 "Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood." as the standard raised in note 3.
5 The USMC was created in 1775 for the purpose of defeating Muslim Piracy, slavery and tribute USMC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps the Barbary wars of 1801-1815 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_Wars
6 Qur'an 3:54 "And the disbelievers planned, but Allah planned. And Allah is the best of planners." Sahih International. The English version mistranslates the original phrase Khayrul-Makireen which literally means The Greatest of all Deceivers."God's War On Terror" page 65
7 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6
8 NY Islamic education http://www.amren.com/mtnews/archives/2010/09/diversity_perve.php
9 Qur’an burning news http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100908/ap_on_re_us/quran_burning
10 "And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I (God) will punish you seven times more for your sins. And I will break the pride of your power;..." Leviticus 26:18-19
11 Hughes Brothers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_brothers
12 “It is to be regretted, but so I believe the facts to be, that except the Bible there is not a true history in the world. Whatever may be the virtue, discernment, and industry of the writers, I am persuaded that truth and error (though in different degrees) will imperceptibly become and remain mixed and blended until they shall be separated forever by the great and last refining fire.” John Jay - First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
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