Kingdom Come

Key precept: “In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.” Douglas Adams

“In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

Good writing starts with a thesis on which everything else in the account rests. The Bible’s thesis is that God created everything. Every single element in the rest of the story, which builds systematically from The Beginning in Genesis through The End in Revelation, rests on this fundamental premise.

This is the only real basis for trust in his author-ity in what has been documented that he did in the past, and will do in the future. Every statement made in the Bible, every theological belief drawn from the Bible, derives its credibility (the virgin birth) and legitimacy (ye must be born again) from the first statement that God created everything.

Most of all, the claim that the God who created the entire living universe in the first place has the power to recreate it, and to resurrect individual human beings after death.

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea…And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (Revelation 21:11-22:5)

So why isn’t this SuperBeing in control? you ask.  Why do bad things happen? Why is there death and hell for some beings? And what’s the deal with “no more sea”?

That’s the story. Plot twists and turns.

“Every story has to have conflict. A story without conflict is boring. I don’t want to read about how someone has it all together.”

Continue reading “1) The Beginning”

Precept: God put mankind in charge of creation.

“And God said, Let us make man…and let them have dominion” (Genesis 1:26)

To have “dominion” by definition means to dominate those that oppose you. And here’s the inevitable conflict that makes for a story.

1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
3. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 
4. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” (Genesis 1:2-5)

And right at the second sentence of the Bible we encounter different interpretations of what the passage means. One interpretation is that God created a formless, void, and dark earth, like a black hole, then exploded it, consistent with science’s Big Bang of energy and lights.

Another interpretation, The Gap Theory, teaches that right after God created a formed and enlightened heaven and earth (verse 1), the phrase “it was” means –  as in every other instance in which it is used to indicate a sequence of events, including six times in the first chapter of the Bible – “it became”. In this first instance of the phrase in verse 2, a fully organized heaven and earth became formless and void. The theory proposes a “gap” in the account of what happened between verses 1 and 2 and provides an explanation. I will not take time to reproduce the arguments for and against, the reader can follow the link provided if desired.

One of the main arguments against the Gap Theory is that all the unaccounted time happening in the gap can be used to reconcile the biblical account of creation with the immense years of time required for evolution, and that this is a slippery slope inevitably leading to a full embrace of evolution and discarding of faith. Opponents of the Gap Theory generally fiercely defend creationism by insisting that everything in Genesis 1 occurred in seven 24-hour days.

Let’s not get caught up in rationalizations and arguments, and simply let the record speak for itself.

Continue reading “2) King’s Dominion”

Key precept: A son of God is a being who is created, like God, with immortality, power, and righteousness.

The designation of “son of God” as any being who is “a chip off the old block”, made in the likeness of God, having his attributes, is easily understood when we compare this with the designation “son of man” or “wo-man” which signifies being made in the likeness of man. Note, this is not the same as image, which is  appearance. This concept will be developed in greater detail below.

“In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him…And Adam…begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image…” (Genesis 5:1-3)

Immortality is a major likeness of God, achieved and maintained by being right-eous, truthful, and holy, which, logically, prevents destruction. This is not a religious requirement or mere morality, it is a natural imperative, one we teach our children as in not running into the street where they might be hit by a car, not playing with fire, not running with scissors or sticks in their hands, etc. 

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (Joh 4:24)

“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;” (I Pet 1:15)

I think we are all familiar with the Lord’s Prayer, AKA The Our Father. Are we as familiar with the introduction, which lists the qualifications for calling the Lord God “our” father?

“And seeing the multitudes, he / Yeshua, YHVH’s Savior went up into a mountain…and taught them, saying,

• Blessed are the poor [acknowledging their need] in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
• Blessed are they that mourn [over sin]: for they shall be comforted.
• Blessed are the meek: [like Moses, gentle with his charges despite wielding the unlimited power of Almighty God himself] for they shall inherit the earth.
• Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
• Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
• Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
• Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
• Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven…except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven…

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Be ye therefore perfect / complete, faithfully reproducing the original, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect…

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven…For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matthew 5-6) 

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”, so blandly recited in the Lord’s Prayer, is essential to understanding the underlying conflict between heaven and earth throughout all of earth’s history.

In hermetic magic this concept is phrased “as above, so below“ and is the essence of acknowledging the source of power – with a twist.

The practitioners of hermetic magic reject God’s will being done and replace it with the magician’s will being done through secret knowledge of rituals and incantations.  Such an individual is clearly not a “son of God” but, as we shall see, may be a “son of a god”.

Because humans are called sons of God, some people have the mistaken impression that all sons of God are human. This is neither logical nor factual, and causes the holder of this false assumption to miss essential information. Remember, names identify characteristics and capabilities which can be found in many different individuals, like “Mr. President”. This is a key concept, so file that thought away.

Continue reading “3) In Earth As It Is In Heaven”

Key precept: Humanity has a relentless enemy who uses covert action to infiltrate and destroy us.

There was one son of God who was made so closely in God’s likeness that he was named after God’s key attribute. Compare the Adversary’s description to the description of God himself, God’s High Priest, Melchizedek in whom the Spirit of God resides (more on him later), and the new Jerusalem, God’s eternal residence.

“O Lucifer / Bringer of light, son of the morning!” (Isaiah 14:12)

“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (I John 1:5) 

“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, the day star arise in your hearts:” (II Peter 1:19)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness…That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”” (John 1:1-9)

“Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy [musical] tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.” (Ezekiel 28:12-14)

“…behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.” (Revelation 4:2-3)

“as the LORD commanded Moses. And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled. And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row. And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings. And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.” (Exodus 39:7-14)

“And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones…jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolyte, beryl, topaz, chrysoprasus, jacinth, amethyst, pearls…and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass…the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof…and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.” (Revelation 21:19-24)

Lucifer was flying high.  Then he heard about God’s plan to promote the powerless mortal people made with bodies of clay, i.e. “mud people“, above the mighty immortal angels, to make us God’s family and heirs, give us dominion and power and glory while keeping the likes of him mere servants.

“What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and [yet] hast crowned him with glory and honour.  Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:” (Psalm 8:4-6)

Lucifer’s rivalry with Adam is laid out for us in Sumerian documents, where Adam is called Enlil, the third of the three most powerful gods.

Continue reading “4) Light and Life”

Key precept: Love conquers all, even death.

Satan can’t actually win the competition that he set in motion, but he doesn’t have to.  As has been so well demonstrated in politics, he only has to destroy the opposition.  And God placed the weapon in Satan’s hands when he placed forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden.

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying…of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen 2:16-17)

All Satan had to do to was convince two guileless human beings to eat the fruit.  And for that, all he had to do was tell a lie.

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (Joh 8:44)

The fundamental lie, perpetrated by religion and science since time began, is that humans don’t need Almighty Creator and Sustainer God – godhood is intrinsic to the self. Humans only need to learn how to access their godhood to transcend human limitations and gain access to hyper dimensional power and immortality.

“Now the serpent…said unto the woman…Ye shall not surely die…ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil [able to judge what is beneficial or destructive to you.]” (Gen 3:1-6)

“Love not the world [material environment], neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh [tree was good for food], and the lust of the eyes [pleasant to the eyes], and the pride of life [desired to make one independent], is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (I Joh 2:15-17)

The belief that one can become a self-sufficient immortal god by unraveling the details of a mystical process is called Gnosticism.

Certain movements, such as Tantrism, Kundalini and Gnosticism, recognize the role of the pineal gland in the spiritual process. The spiritual / instinctive force was seen as a snake, because of the physical structure extending from the genitals, through the spine in one all-seeing eye in the pineal gland. These spiritual systems had focused on the raising of this primordial serpent energy, located in the genitals and lying at the base of the reproductive process. Through certain yoga exercises, breathing techniques, energy and toning exercises this energy can be reversed. It then travels through the spinal cord to the third eye and causes possible “enlightenment.”

“…the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of the Chosen One / Messiah / Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (II Cor 4:4)

Graham Hancock is a researcher into ancient history. A gnostic himself, he presents a very informative lecture on Gnosticism from the most ancient times. In this lecture he equates modern aliens with ancient gods, and is convinced that altered states of consciousness induced by natural substances like ayahuasca breaks the barrier between the physical and spiritual dimension. As I said, informative.

Science explains that physical death is encoded in our genes.  We can deduce that when the woman ate the fruit, some substance in the fruit triggered a mutation in the DNA or an epigenetic process where existing genes are turned on or off. As telomeres began breaking off, at the cellular level the body was no longer able to indefinitely maintain itself for respiration and metabolism of necessary substances. and the woman’s biological clock began ticking down to death.

But to fully understand the death that occurred “in the day” that the woman ate the fruit, we first need to understand what life is.

According to NASA,

Continue reading “5) Lust Kills. Love Dies.”

Key precept: Paradoxically, death is humanity’s greatest strength against immortals.

We can envision the plot of the entire Bible – the conflict between God and the Adversary for rule over all of creation – as God and Satan playing a deadly cosmic chess match where the winner takes all, literally. On one side we have the white king – no, not God but his human son, to whom he gave the kingdom, the power, and the glory. On the other side we have the black king, the Adversary, who was deeply offended by God’s choice of heir.

It appeared that Satan won the very first match when he lured humanity into a death trap.

But he was mistaken. As the plot develops, we will find that every move that Satan makes, God successfully counters. That’s because God has a long range  strategy and sees the end from the beginning, and Satan is constantly playing catchup.

“I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.” (Isa 46:9-11)

This most specifically and especially includes the decision to

“make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over…all the earth.” (Genesis 1:26) 

Although we currently interchange the words image and likeness as defining the reproduction of someone’s appearance in a work of art, we need to ensure the meanings in this fundamental revelation.

Continue reading “6) The King is Dead. Long Live the King!”

Key precept: Humans are not action figures  –  the results of our actions reverberate through our world.

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time The Chosen One / Messiah / Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, The Chosen One / Messiah / Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Romans 5:6-9)

To understand how Messiah’s death saves us from sin, we need to understand what sin is, and what it had to do with death being imposed on humanity just because they ate the fruit.

Continue reading “7) Forgiveness of Sin”

Key precept: Freedom isn’t free.

Remission and atonement allows us to re-establish a relationship with God.  But what about that relationship humanity established with Satan when our ancestors sold themselves into slavery to sin? Human freedom, ownership and dominion had to be bought back, or redeemed, from the one to whom it was sold.

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us…

• And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament [testimony, tangible proof, legal evidence of commitment to accomplish something, like a last will and testament]
• that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament [death as a consequence of transgressing God’s moral and physical law], they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. ” (Heb 9:12-15)

Continue reading “8) Redemption and Restoration”

Key precept: Freedom is won through the birth of a baby.

“And the LORD God said unto the serpent…I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head [therefore destroy you], and thou shalt bruise his heel [merely slow down progress ].” (Genesis 3:15)

When God calls his Savior “the seed of the woman,” he is obviously leaving out the fatherhood. The meaning would have been perfectly clear to his audience.

Satan, Adam and his helpmeet would have understood that the woman would be a single parent.

After all, single parenting was the only known form of reproduction in the entire universe at this time. God had materialized himself as a host of spiritual sons of God and two humans.

“God created [the] man  [הָֽ-אָדָֽם, reading the Hebrew letters backwards, ha-adam] in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:27)

It is assumed from this reading that at the moment that God created “them”, one of them had male reproductive organs and the other had female reproductive organs. But is that correct? It is grammatically correct to understand this sentence as meaning that God created each of them in his own singular image as male and female, i.e. as hermaphrodites.

Are you aghast at this idea? This actually has startling implications for understanding our current sexually chaotic social situation, so stick with me. You know the most effective lies have an element of truth. Do you want to cling to what is comfortable and familiar, or do you want to know the truth? Follow along as we study what the Bible says instead of assuming we, or our favorite denomination, already knows everything there is to know.

Think about it. Where did Eve get her femininity if not from God? 

“…in the image of God created he…female…” (Genesis 1:27)

Continue reading “9) The Seed of the Woman”