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paralambano
Canada
2816 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Oct 2004 : 7:07:32 PM
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Leaf;
Hi.
Peace. 
While you’re waiting for Holy Brother’s reply, might you settle for one by me in the meantime? If so, it has to do with what you wrote about the Day of the Lord being what might be meant by Luke 4:18-19,
The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
As you probably know, Jesus was quoting Isaiah by it in the synagogue in Nazareth:
The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, [and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn] (Isaiah 61:1-2)
You can see that Jesus stopped short of quoting the (my doing) bracketed “day of vengeance . . ” in Luke because He had not come for this then. The day of vengeance is the Day of the Lord:
The Day of the Lord, Woe to you that desire the day of the LORD! To what end [is] it for you? The day of the LORD [is] darkness, and not light (Amos 5:18).
But it will be one day which will be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it will come to pass, [that] at evening it will be light. (Zechariah 14:7)
The word “year” in “to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” means a spiritual season. I doubt it means a literal ‘day’ however some may interpret the following: To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day [1] when salvation and the favors of God profusely abound.(1) (Thayer), since I believe Thayer wasn’t referring to only one day here.
What you might have remembered is this:
(For he said, I have heard You in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured You: behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)
The “acceptable year of the Lord” in Luke is an allusion to the Feast of Jubilees which occurred every fifty years:
Then you will cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth [day] of the seventh month, in the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And you will hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout [all] the land to all the inhabitants thereof: it will be a jubilee to you; and you will return every man to his possession, and you will return every man to his family.(Leviticus 25:9-10)
It was a holy year where debts were remitted and slaves freed among other things.
As for John being in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, this could hardly mean the Day of the Lord I think. That he “saw” that day I don’t doubt. The early church would gather much as it does today, likewise:
Then the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace [be] unto you (John 20:19).
And upon the first [day] of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together (Acts 20:7-8).
Upon the first [day] of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as [God] has prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. (1 Corinthians 16:2).
This is Sunday.
10, 9, 8, 7, . . . |
Edited by - paralambano on 26 Oct 2004 7:17:05 PM |
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boullan
USA
10894 Posts |
Posted - 26 Oct 2004 : 10:45:35 PM
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To Leaf,
So glad you jumped in. I will now add some startling remarks.
Further along, I may offend some prudes; but I will not conceal what
I consider a sound spiritual truth.
quote:
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands;
Without Boullan having already gently led us into having an understanding I think I would have missed the importance of the 'turned to see' part of this verse. This may indicate that like Moses, whom was able to speak to God face to face, those in the kingdom i.e. the bondservants, are also able to look upon and speak with God directly via Christ, due to the intimate connection that exists between Christ and God.
The phrase is most odd, "turned to see the voice." One cannot "see"
a "voice" can one? Well, you might think he meant to say, "turned to
see the one whose voice...." He does not say that, though.
Again, I go to Genesis for a similar odd expression:
Genesis 3:8 - And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
It is possible, perhaps, to translate this as "they heard the sound of
the LORD God walking...." It is possible also to understand it as
they heard the Voice walking. Now, I adopt this view. I do not think
that Almighty God Himself would walk in a garden; but I can believe
His minister, the Word, might.
quote:
13 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.
The phrase here of 'in the middle of the lampstands' causes me to think of the disciples who wanted to sit to the right hand side of Jesus when he came into his kingdom. Some of the lampstands must be to the right and to the left. Furthermore, it would seem to indicate that some of the bond-servants through their thoughts, behaviors, and words find more favor than some of the other bond-servants. The favored ones would be to the right, and the less favored would be to the left.
Since this verse does not indicate that the lampstands are lined up in a row, then the lampstands could form the shape of a circle with Christ in the middle acting as a hub of a wheel with all the bond-servants revolving around Christ. Though, I don't think this is the image that will be protrayed later.
Personally, I lean towards the lampstands being lined up in a row because in other versions/editions of the Bible these lampstands are referred to as candlesticks, and the candlesticks in a menorah (which holds 7 candles) are lined up in a row. Another reason for my thinking that there are lampstands to the right and left of Christ is because of later verses in the book of Revelation that indicate that some will be 'spewed from his mouth.' This comment is, to me, a direct indication that some of the bond-servant's serving leaves something to be desired.
I have thought long and hard over this same problem. My usual
indecisive attitude leaves me to think both have advantages.
What can we say about the Menorah, though?
The Menorah has seven lamps, and the central one is the tallest and
called shemesh. The typical explanation for this is that this
means "minister" but really it means "sun" since that is the Hebrew
word for sun. This main lamp is the principle source of light here,
just as a king's minister is his primary servant. This is the
spiritual source of Light, not the physical sun; this is the spiritual
sun. Other solar details soon follow.
Along the bottom of the lampstand runs two tubes, one to the left and
one to the right. Through these two tubes, the oil runs to the other
six lamps. (Compare to Zec 4:12 - And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?) Each
tube must be hollow, signifying freedom from ego and personal
obsessions, so that they may receive the oil of the Holy Spirit and
pass it through them to the 3 lamps on the left and the 3 on the
right.
I would characterize those on the left as those of severity, law and
justice; those on the right as love, mercy and forgiveness. Both
are needed. The left is said, by the kaballists, to be law and justice, the central is that of messiah and the kingdom; the right is
of mercy and love. Now, when speaking of Peter, James and John,
they are always given in that order except once. When Paul speaks of
them of them as "seeming pillars" the order is precisely that of
the pillars: The left pillar being represented by James the Just,
the central by Peter who was given the keys to the kingdom on earth,
and by John the Beloved and disciple of love.
It appears that those churches under the principle of law may be
less favored; and in a sense, they are, for the moment.
quote:
Next we see that John writes I saw one like a son of man,. He saw one like a son of man? hmmm Is it not Jesus whom said of himself that he was the Son of Man? If this is not Jesus who is it? Could it be the essense of the Christ Spirit itself or could this 'one' be the Ancient of Days? I find this part of this verse to be curious, even though it also validates my view that those who are in the kingdom, like John here, readily recognize another whom is in the kingdom as well.
Yes, he does not say this is the son of man. It is one like a son of
man. Daniel speaks of the Ancient of Days and then also of "one
like unto the son of man." This is one aspect of the whole picture,
one snapshot view of the son of man.
quote:
14 His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire.
Elsewhere, we have discussed the Ancient of Days, and this description sounds a great deal like him. Boullan, please help me out here... is the Ancient of Days and Jesus one and the same? Jesus did say that he and the Father were one, so... I guess we can just agree that in this instance and throughout the book of Revelation that these kinds of references are to Jesus. (Did I just think out loud?)
No, they are not the same; but they resemble one another remarkably,
do they not? Do note the hair white like wool. It is like the
Lamb's. Hidden here is the first clue to the Lamb.
quote:
His head and hair here being white indicates to me the possession of wisdom. Now, this part of the verse: His eyes were like a flame of fire is important to me because it indicates the ability to see through. That the sight is clear, intense and burns through that which is false. Or to put it another way, the son of man can look into a see the state of another's soul.
The wisdom of the Lamb is being as wise as the serpent but as gentle
as the dove. The LION, seen later as a solar symbol, Leo being
governed by the Sun, is replaced by the Lamb.
Aye, these eyes penetrate. The sinful cannot stand before this gaze
as their conscience condemns them; and they would self-destruct or
be consumed by this Presence. Those who are entirely righteous can
receive this gaze and rejoice in it.
quote:
15 His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.
Again, without Boullan's previously posted guidance I don't know that I could make heads or tails out of this verse. I had always wondered about the feet. I predominately use the KJV of the bible, and it reads that the feet are like 'fine brass'. So, using the insight of the KJV's description and Boullan's comment of: At the entrance to the Tabernacle and Temple, you find the brass basins where all things were washed and purified. This corresponds to the function of the kidneys of removing poisons and the color of brass is indicative of urine. We can see that all things are purified at Jesus' feet...meaning easy for him to accomplish.
LOL, when I first read that the color of brass is indicative of urine, I thought: "Only if a person isn't drinking enough water!" And then a lightbulb goes off inside my little brain. Without the life giving water of Christ, the 'waters', which are the emotions, are toxic, just like a person's urine saturated with toxin is the color of brass.
Yes, now I was reading the other day that the Torah says that the
Tabernacle when finished with all its details and furnishings formed
one whole. While we live in an imperfect world, it is necessary to
have a way of removing the toxic.
To shift gears now, we must ask what does this all mean? Well, it
must relate to the way God intends to save the earth. There is one
detail which drew my attention. In the Old Testament, this figure
is portrayed as having legs and feet of burning brass. Here, only the
feet are said to be so, the legs being covered by the garment--not
said to be white, but it doubtlessly is. Why? What had changed?
Well, what had changed was that the white garment made it possible
to stand in the Presence at these levels without being consumed.
The garments thus made it possible for the Power of God to penetrate
lower and closer to earth without consuming the earth with its
burning.
Consider now the golden girdle. I must pick a quarrel with the
translation given here because the Greek word is "mastos" and not
"stethos." I hope not to outrage anyone; but I can inform you that
there exist some early paintings of Jesus with female breasts, representing what I think a correct spiritual principle. Some
strange rabbis have said that at a given step in spiritual advancement, study is of no use--one must attach self to God and
absorb directly from Him, just as a babe feeds from his mother.
I am justified in this view by the word used. Mastos is related
directly to our word mastectomy and so on. Stethos is related to
our word stethoscope. Mastos is used twice by Luke, both clearly
meaning breasts:
Lu 11:27 - And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
Lu 23:29 - For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Stethos is used in these passages:
Lu 18:13 - And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Lu 23:48 - And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.
Joh 13:25 - He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
Joh 21:20 - Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
A third word, translated "bosom," also exists, and it implies
the emotional closeness of the heart:
Lu 6:38 - Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Lu 16:22 - And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Lu 16:23 - And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Joh 1:18 - No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Joh 13:23 - Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
I maintain then that this figure has female breasts and if anyone
is offended, I do not see why. It is a glorious thing in my mind,
not one of lust or shame. There is neither male nor female in
heaven; but the two are one. It is quite right to think of
spiritual authority as the law-giving father and as the nurturing
mother. If we stumble at this, what shall be say of the "male virgins" we find later? The word "virgin" is used elsewhere only
of women; but Revelation has it "male virgins."
The gold girdle separates the upper part or most heavenly part of
this manifestation. Gold is the metal of the sun. The upper half
is the manifestation of the spiritual sun; and the brass feet
represent the benevolent influence of the Morning Star, Venus being
called this and copper or brass being the corresponding metal.
The fiery serpents bit the Israelites; and Moses made the brass or
copper serpent and raised it on a pole so that all who saw it were
healed. Jesus correctly compared himself to this serpent of Moses
when he said if he was lifted up.... The passage clearly states he
was referring to the manner of his death; but people do not interpret it so.
There is the raging lion of satan and the lion of Judah; there is
the fallen serpent impostor and the risen serpent with healing in
its wings. There is Lucifer the lightbearer who seems to have
stopped doing his job; and there is Jesus who came into world to
bring the Light. There is the incorrect and the correct "morning
star." As long as we are in the world of "good and evil," I suppose
such duality is to be expected.
See how consistent the imagery is in the Bible? The brass serpent
healed the people bitten by venomous snakes. The brass basins are
meant also to represent the removal of poisons; and the flaming
brass feet should purify the earth. The heavens have already been
changed considerably; but it is now possible to access the Divine
in the lower sections of heaven. They all shall thoroughly be purified later; but it is enough for now that enough have been cleansed that heaven can touch earth in a certain way. Much of
the "wickedness in high places" has been put down; but much remains,
also.
Boullan |
Edited by - boullan on 26 Oct 2004 10:52:47 PM |
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Leaf
USA
2604 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2004 : 3:02:19 PM
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Dear Paralambano,
Hello, and peace be with you.
While you’re waiting for Holy Brother’s reply, might you settle for one by me in the meantime?
I would not consider anything you have to offer as 'settling'. I appreciate your input.
quote:
If so, it has to do with what you wrote about the Day of the Lord being what might be meant by Luke 4:18-19,
The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
As you probably know, Jesus was quoting Isaiah by it in the synagogue in Nazareth:
Yes.
quote:
The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, [and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn] (Isaiah 61:1-2)
You can see that Jesus stopped short of quoting the (my doing) bracketed “day of vengeance . . ” in Luke because He had not come for this then. The day of vengeance is the Day of the Lord:
Yes.
quote:
The Day of the Lord, Woe to you that desire the day of the LORD! To what end [is] it for you? The day of the LORD [is] darkness, and not light (Amos 5:18).
But it will be one day which will be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it will come to pass, [that] at evening it will be light. (Zechariah 14:7)
Does it seem odd to you that these two verses has me recalling this verse: O LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You think of him? Psalm 144:3
quote:
The word “year” in “to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” means a spiritual season. I doubt it means a literal ‘day’ however some may interpret the following: To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day [1] when salvation and the favors of God profusely abound.(1) (Thayer), since I believe Thayer wasn’t referring to only one day here.
Though that day may be seared into a person's memory, I have to agree that it is indeed a season.
quote:
What you might have remembered is this:
(For he said, I have heard You in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured You: behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)
Ah! Perhaps so! Thank you!  (Pausing to read all of Chapter 6, 2 Corinthians.) <smiles>
quote:
As for John being in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, this could hardly mean the Day of the Lord I think. That he “saw” that day I don’t doubt.
Indeed.
quote:
The early church would gather much as it does today, likewise:
Then the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace [be] unto you (John 20:19).
And upon the first [day] of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together (Acts 20:7-8).
Upon the first [day] of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as [God] has prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. (1 Corinthians 16:2).
This is Sunday.
Hmmmm. Perhaps so. If I could recall clearly, Boullan had listed some different days of the week showing the symbolism for each of the days listed, which showed Sunday as the Solar day. Surely, I just butchered the description he provided, but it would relate also to the brilliant and blinding countenance with which the Son of Man is described as having. Not good to look up the brilliance (of the Sun  ) if not having the eyes to do so with.
<sitting to ponder a bit...> In the various religions/traditions it seems that each has their own day declared as their day of worship. I had not connected the dots between those two verses showing that Sunday is the Lord's Day, and have been content to consider each day the Lord's Day since I could not come to a reason-filled reason why one day would be preferred above another. Perhaps there is more than that which meets the eye for why each religion has a particular set day for their 'time of worship.' I do know that I am going to look again at that list Boullan provided with different eyes.
Blessings,
Leaf
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Leaf
USA
2604 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2004 : 3:43:39 PM
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Dear Boullan,
I have read your very informative and insightful reply. At the moment I lack the ability to respond. (I wanted to say due to prudishness, but didn't want to cast myself in such a light.  )
Perhaps later in the evening I will be able to comment.
Blessings,
Leaf |
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paralambano
Canada
2816 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2004 : 7:36:18 PM
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Leaf;
Hi, again.
Peace in Jesus’ Name;
Thank you for your kindnesses.
quote:
Does it seem odd to you that these two verses has me recalling this verse: O LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You think of him? Psalm 144:3
David asked it another way here:
What is man, that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and have crowned him with glory and honour. (Psalm 8:4-5)
It may be that you connect them with giving yourself over to God’s mercy. Humility this way leads to salvation I believe. You might be saying as one may interpret David to be asking: How is it we deserve God’s mercy, yet He gives it? So those with faith are commanded: Not to fear therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows (Matthew 10:31). David asks to be delivered of his enemies, we from God’s condemnation. We have a reason to hope.
quote:
I had not connected the dots between those two verses showing that Sunday is the Lord's Day, and have been content to consider each day the Lord's Day
It’s good to believe as you do.
quote:
since I could not come to a reason-filled reason why one day would be preferred above another.
Leaf, I’m not sure the ‘Lord’s Day’ has any other significance in Revelation 1:10 than a Sunday was meant by it. John may have written “one day” instead and not altered the meaning of anything following by it, but I do believe the early church would have understood it to mean the first day of the week, the day of the resurrection.It seems incredible to me that this extraordinary day would not have been set apart somehow. We have extra-biblical evidence as early as possibly 80 AD that it was:
But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. (Didache: The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, Chapter14: 1, 80 - 180 AD?)
On the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together in one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read.... Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead.(Justin Martyr, First Apology, 67)
This [custom], of not bending the knee upon Sunday, is a symbol of the resurrection, through which we have been set free, by the grace of Christ, from sins, and from death, which has been put to death under Him. Now this custom took its rise from apostolic times, as the blessed Irenaeus, the martyr and bishop of Lyons, declares in his treatise On Easter, in which he makes mention of Pentecost also; upon which [feast] we do not bend the knee, because it is of equal significance with the Lord's day, for the reason already alleged concerning it." (Ignatius, Fragments, VII, 250 AD)
There are other examples, I won’t belabour the point but to leave off with these verses:
For the LORD God [is] a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good [thing] will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. (Psalm 84:1)
For, behold, the day approaches, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yes, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that comes shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But to you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.(Malachi 4:1-2)
The Sun of Righteousness has indeed risen on a Sunday, the Lord's Day.
10, 9, 8, 7, . . . |
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Leaf
USA
2604 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2004 : 10:42:33 AM
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Greetings Dear Boullan,
Have I told you that I greatly admire and appreciate your understanding of symbolism? Well, I do; and even though I can see the consistency that the bible uses this symbolism in its mental imagery, I find it challenging to first understand what the symbolism means and then to translate those meanings into what we may call "today's language." This is a very difficult task and I rejoice that we are involved in this discussion of this highly symbolic book of Revelation so that the symbolism will be shown to be personally relative.
quote:
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands;
The phrase is most odd, "turned to see the voice." One cannot "see"
a "voice" can one? Well, you might think he meant to say, "turned to
see the one whose voice...." He does not say that, though.
Again, I go to Genesis for a similar odd expression:
Genesis 3:8 - And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
It is possible, perhaps, to translate this as "they heard the sound of the LORD God walking...." It is possible also to understand it as
they heard the Voice walking. Now, I adopt this view. I do not think
that Almighty God Himself would walk in a garden; but I can believe
His minister, the Word, might.
Oh, I like how you described this. The Voice is God's minister the Word, and in this case the Voice/Minister/Word is the Son of Man, and I would put forth that this is so in all cases as well.
quote:
quote:
13 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.
The phrase here of 'in the middle of the lampstands' causes me to think of the disciples who wanted to sit to the right hand side of Jesus when he came into his kingdom. Some of the lampstands must be to the right and to the left. Furthermore, it would seem to indicate that some of the bond-servants through their thoughts, behaviors, and words find more favor than some of the other bond-servants. The favored ones would be to the right, and the less favored would be to the left.
Since this verse does not indicate that the lampstands are lined up in a row, then the lampstands could form the shape of a circle with Christ in the middle acting as a hub of a wheel with all the bond-servants revolving around Christ. Though, I don't think this is the image that will be protrayed later.
Personally, I lean towards the lampstands being lined up in a row because in other versions/editions of the Bible these lampstands are referred to as candlesticks, and the candlesticks in a menorah (which holds 7 candles) are lined up in a row. Another reason for my thinking that there are lampstands to the right and left of Christ is because of later verses in the book of Revelation that indicate that some will be 'spewed from his mouth.' This comment is, to me, a direct indication that some of the bond-servant's serving leaves something to be desired.
I have thought long and hard over this same problem. My usual
indecisive attitude leaves me to think both have advantages.
What can we say about the Menorah, though?
The Menorah has seven lamps, and the central one is the tallest and
called shemesh. The typical explanation for this is that this
means "minister" but really it means "sun" since that is the Hebrew
word for sun. This main lamp is the principle source of light here,
just as a king's minister is his primary servant. This is the
spiritual source of Light, not the physical sun; this is the spiritual sun. Other solar details soon follow.
Along the bottom of the lampstand runs two tubes, one to the left and
one to the right. Through these two tubes, the oil runs to the other
six lamps. (Compare to Zec 4:12 - And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?) Each tube must be hollow, signifying freedom from ego and personal
obsessions, so that they may receive the oil of the Holy Spirit and
pass it through them to the 3 lamps on the left and the 3 on the
right.
I would characterize those on the left as those of severity, law and
justice; those on the right as love, mercy and forgiveness. Both
are needed. The left is said, by the kaballists, to be law and justice, the central is that of messiah and the kingdom; the right is
of mercy and love. Now, when speaking of Peter, James and John,
they are always given in that order except once. When Paul speaks of
them of them as "seeming pillars" the order is precisely that of
the pillars: The left pillar being represented by James the Just,
the central by Peter who was given the keys to the kingdom on earth,
and by John the Beloved and disciple of love.
I do agree that both images of Christ being the hub of a wheel as well as being in the middle with the Apostles, the bond-servants, lined up to the right and to the left of him have advantages. As the hub, Christ is always pulling on any that may be out of alignment with him.
Using the image of the menorah, however, I find we can be more in alignment with the Kaballistic image of the Tree of Life, which as you described have to the left the feminine qualities and to the right the masculine qualities, with all these qualities being merged into perfect balance in the middle pillar wherein is Christ, and the kingdom.
Before anyone who is reading along gets upset that the qualities listed as masculine would more aptly describe women, I wish to point out that God is the masculine, and that HE provides/gives these qualities of mercy, love and forgiveness to all races of peoples whom are the FEMININE receivers of that mercy, love and forgiveness. And that the feminine does live in this world of severity, law and justice.
Boullan, you stated that Peter who was given the keys to the kingdom on earth as the bible has indicated also, and in an upcoming verse, verse 18, it is said that the Alpha and Omega (Jesus) has the keys of hell and of death. Can you tell me what having the 'keys' means specifically when referring to Peter? What can be unlocked, and what can be locked? What are the 'keys'?
And also thank you for pointing out that it is the oil, that is the Holy Spirit, that fuels these lampstands, which I am coming to consider the Apostles, the bond-servants.
I see that in previewing my reply that this posting is begining to appear odd looking, and so I will have to make this reply in two parts so as to maintain ease of reading for the reader.
Blessings,
Leaf |
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Leaf
USA
2604 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2004 : 10:53:15 AM
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Dear Boullan,
This is the continuance of my reply that the first part of is probably on page 4. For some reason the reply began to look odd when previewing it and so I considered that page 4 had run out of room. So, here we are with the 2nd part of my reply.
quote:
15 His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.
To shift gears now, we must ask what does this all mean? Well, it
must relate to the way God intends to save the earth. There is one
detail which drew my attention. In the Old Testament, this figure
is portrayed as having legs and feet of burning brass. Here, only the
feet are said to be so, the legs being covered by the garment--not
said to be white, but it doubtlessly is. Why? What had changed?
Well, what had changed was that the white garment made it possible
to stand in the Presence at these levels without being consumed.
The garments thus made it possible for the Power of God to penetrate
lower and closer to earth without consuming the earth with its
burning.
Yes, I had noticed that change of description also. In other threads you have referred to this without referring to this. Yes, I know that didn't make sense. What I am remembering is that prior to the Age of Piceas you have mentioned that a person had to resolve all of their karma before ascending, and that with the change of the ages from Aries to Piceas signified by Jesus, that it was no longer a requirement.
This in a fashion is somewhat confusing to me because I have a limiting thought, which is: how did someone in the past, prior to the age of Piceas make contact spiritually if not through the use of the will, which is how it is done now. Or, am I mistaken? Would now be a good time to go into this a little further?
I just drifted off for a moment thinking of the wonder of the time when the garment will cover the feet as well, and the glory that will fill the earth.
quote:
Consider now the golden girdle. I must pick a quarrel with the translation given here because the Greek word is "mastos" and not
"stethos." I hope not to outrage anyone; but I can inform you that
there exist some early paintings of Jesus with female breasts, representing what I think a correct spiritual principle. Some
strange rabbis have said that at a given step in spiritual advancement, study is of no use--one must attach self to God and
absorb directly from Him, just as a babe feeds from his mother.
I am so pleased that you noticed that I did not address this part of the verse. I meant to by saying: that even though these might appear as just details, I am sure that they have a meaning which I don't recognize. This was an oversight on my part.
I do not have a problem with perceiving Christ as the union of the male and the female principles. And strange as it might seem for those rabbis to say so, I have to agree with them. What is not known are just minor details.
quote:
I am justified in this view by the word used. Mastos is related
directly to our word mastectomy and so on. Stethos is related to
our word stethoscope. Mastos is used twice by Luke, both clearly
meaning breasts:
A third word, translated "bosom," also exists, and it implies
the emotional closeness of the heart:
Thank you for this education.
quote:
I maintain then that this figure has female breasts and if anyone is offended, I do not see why. It is a glorious thing in my mind,not one of lust or shame. There is neither male nor female in
heaven; but the two are one. It is quite right to think of
spiritual authority as the law-giving father and as the nurturing
mother. If we stumble at this, what shall be say of the "male virgins" we find later? The word "virgin" is used elsewhere only
of women; but Revelation has it "male virgins."
Indeed, it is a glorious thing in my mind as well. We are told over and over that God is neither a He or a She, but is an amalgamation. So, why would it be offending that God's ministers are also an amalgamation, a perfect blending of the dualities of the sexes?
I had hoped to address these next three comments of yours, Boullan, but I have just received a phone call a few minutes ago informing me that I have some guests due to arrive very soon. It is my hope that I will have the opportunity to address these later in the day.
quote:
The gold girdle separates the upper part or most heavenly part of
this manifestation. Gold is the metal of the sun. The upper half
is the manifestation of the spiritual sun; and the brass feet
represent the benevolent influence of the Morning Star, Venus being
called this and copper or brass being the corresponding metal.
The fiery serpents bit the Israelites; and Moses made the brass or
copper serpent and raised it on a pole so that all who saw it were
healed. Jesus correctly compared himself to this serpent of Moses
when he said if he was lifted up.... The passage clearly states he
was referring to the manner of his death; but people do not interpret it so.
quote:
There is the raging lion of satan and the lion of Judah; there is
the fallen serpent impostor and the risen serpent with healing in
its wings. There is Lucifer the lightbearer who seems to have
stopped doing his job; and there is Jesus who came into world to
bring the Light. There is the incorrect and the correct "morning
star." As long as we are in the world of "good and evil," I suppose
such duality is to be expected.
quote:
See how consistent the imagery is in the Bible? The brass serpent
healed the people bitten by venomous snakes. The brass basins are
meant also to represent the removal of poisons; and the flaming
brass feet should purify the earth. The heavens have already been
changed considerably; but it is now possible to access the Divine
in the lower sections of heaven. They all shall thoroughly be purified later; but it is enough for now that enough have been cleansed that heaven can touch earth in a certain way. Much of
the "wickedness in high places" has been put down; but much remains,
also.
Peace be with you,
Leaf |
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eva
USA
3233 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2004 : 1:55:40 PM
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Hi Leaf and boullan,
Just wanted to let you both know that I am reading and pondering what you have been saying. But the election has got me extremely busy right now. I find that when I study the Bible, I get the most out of it when I am able to prayerfully consider what is being said in a meditative state. And right now, I am having using my prayer and meditation to keep my sanity. But I really do appeciate what you are saying and the time you are giving this. I will have a lot of catching up!
In Christ...eva |
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boullan
USA
10894 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2004 : 8:52:37 PM
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To Eva,
Perhaps I can lay the question to rest a bit for you, although I may be guessing wrongly what is bothering you. People apply
a false logic to this one text which sounds convincing.
People read that one passage about foreknowing, predestining, calling,
justifying and glorifying correctly applying to the elect; but the
passage does not say the OPPOSITE is true for the non-elect. That is
a rash and bold assumption.
Just because YOU have accepted God's plan and may be under His protection, destined for final glory DOES NOT MEAN that someone
who has not yet accepted is doomed. The case is prsented with a
logical fallacy--that if God intends this for the saints, then He
must intend the opposite for the sinners. I don't buy that fallacy;
and the passage speaks only of God's promises to those who already
belong to Him--yes, even sometimes before they were born.
There are those ones who have been elect since the very beginning of
the current world age. There are those also who have been added onto
this number. Read Paul where he writes of the olive tree with the
natural and wild branches. Branches are grafted in and pruned off.
I hope this helps. The text which says "God is not willing that any
should perish" is an easy text; and there is not doubt in my mind
it is true. Peter reminds us of the difficulty of some of Paul's
writings; and I do not myself understand all of Paul. What I will not
do then is to interpret anything of Paul in contradiction to those
things which are clear to me from the Scriptures.
God is a God of Love, as you know; and the doctrine concerning the
election of the saints MUST have a loving purpose. It does. The
elect are here to master the conditions of this world so they can
lead the non-elect to God.
Think of it. Jesus came to a world doomed to death, made himself
subject to dying himself and to suffering, so death and suffering
could be removed from the world. His life mattered. Ours do, too.
The elect do not come into the world to suffer meaninglessly: They
are witnesses to the non-elect, so they might be saved.
Thus, I interpret the teaching about the "election of the saints"
to be in agreement with the passage "God is not willing that any
should perish."
I hope this helped; but perhaps you had other concerns?
Boullan
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Edited by - boullan on 28 Oct 2004 9:24:47 PM |
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boullan
USA
10894 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2004 : 10:48:09 PM
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To Leaf,
quote:
Boullan, you stated that Peter who was given the keys to the kingdom on earth as the bible has indicated also, and in an upcoming verse, verse 18, it is said that the Alpha and Omega (Jesus) has the keys of hell and of death. Can you tell me what having the 'keys' means specifically when referring to Peter? What can be unlocked, and what can be locked? What are the 'keys'?
The question will arise later when the "keys of David" are mentioned.
The keys given to Peter are of heaven, not over hell and death.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
A similar passage is found elsewhere, where Peter is not talking to
Peter specifically:
Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Let us not forget that Jesus was also called the Rock. He came as
a man to stand upon the earth and to make covenant with God. Since
dominion over the earth was given to man, a man MUST ASK for God's
participation in earthly affairs. Men today still possess the right
to exercise dominion and may summon either angel or demon.
Those who are under the power of darkness are rather disorganized,
as that "kingdom" is dog-eat-dog or every-man-for-himself. It is
a kingdom divided against itself; and Jesus mocked it when he was
accused of casting out demons by demonic power. Who would want to
be part of such a system? I would not. I would count myself lucky,
if I wished to practice black magic, to be able to count on ten
demons obedience even temporarily. I would not trust even one to be
faithful and honest over a period of time.
The saint has an advantage then. He is part of the "whole man" whose
parts or members act as one harmonious whole. If in a state of grace,
he would not ask for anything which disrupted the whole body; and if
he was misled into asking for something wrong, his prayer would be
anyway, "if this is possible."
Great latitude and liberty are granted each saint then. Almost anything they ask for can be given to them. It might take some time,
that is all. If his request does not conflict with heaven, ALL OF
HEAVEN'S RESOURCES are at his command. The saint who has grown like
the little mustard seed up, up, up into heaven has the angels finding
rest in his branches. That saint who stands in heaven as well as on
earth is a crucial BRIDGE.
Now do notice that the promise is that HEAVEN will follow EARTH.
It does not say anyone can bind something in heaven and have it
happen on earth. It says if you want something on earth, then heaven
will follow you. If you bind some evil on earth, the angels will
assist you in and from the heavens. If you loose some evil so it
may be resolved, then heaven will not interfere.
Peter had become the Rock. Thus, we see a "merging" of identities
between Jesus and Peter. You've got the "two" there; and Peter also
was an Apostle and head of a church--emanating from the original
source and in agreement with it. The right to bind and to loose
is not unique to Rome, let me say. It depends on whether the "two"
are "one" or whether the saint is in the oneness of the whole body
of Christ.
The stipulation is that one must be ON EARTH. God does nothing by
force or fiat. For the divine to influence any level of existence,
someone must be in embodiment there asking for God to take action
there. Yes, the kingdom of God is all harmony and not established
by force.
What can be bound and loosed on earth, then? Anything you please.
I know that sounds extravagant; but it is God's pleasure to see what
you ask for.
Luke 11:5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
It is perfectly true too that sometimes we don't know how to pray
rightly.
Mt 6:8 - Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
One may enter into the oneness of the Body of Christ and pray, "Thy
will be done." This does not mean, however, that we cannot ask for
specific things. Sometimes the best way to go is to pray for
guidance on how to pray and what to pray for. While this sounds silly, what it does is to focus the mind keenly; and when the angels
answer you, they have a much better idea of what to do.
I can hear objections to this last statement. Some will undoubtedly
say that angels do not answer people directly when they pray. This
is true, if you do not possess the Seal of God. The angels may hear
you, but they will take no action without consulting the heavenly
hierarchy. The angels respond automatically to the saint who does
possess the Seal of God. Why wouldn't they?
I know very well that the following translation is not popular with
many people; you can read the whole chapter and decide for yourself
which tense of verb is intended:
Isaiah 45:11 - Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.
The word "command" may confound many; but it is poetic, is it not?
The effect is the same as a command, since God will keep His promises.
When man desires to have GOD-IN-HIM exercising dominion over the earth, it shall be so.
The keys over death and hell are another matter; but the same principle holds. One must embody at a level or be able to take
an appropriate body to that level in order to affect it. These are
the keys of David, I hope to show when we reach that section.
Boullan
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Edited by - boullan on 28 Oct 2004 10:50:15 PM |
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eva
USA
3233 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2004 : 05:01:47 AM
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Hi boullan,
quote:
I hope this helped; but perhaps you had other concerns?
That was an excellent description of the election. And this is something I have had questions on.
But, the election I was referring to is the presidential election. My job is such that I was recently enlisted to help out in the County I live in. Perhaps you have read the news about the things that are happening in Broward County?
Thank you though for the explanation of election.
In Christ...Eva |
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Leaf
USA
2604 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2004 : 3:04:32 PM
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Greetings Dear Boullan,
Ahhh... finally, a block of time to call my own.
quote:
The gold girdle separates the upper part or most heavenly part of
this manifestation. Gold is the metal of the sun. The upper half
is the manifestation of the spiritual sun; and the brass feet
represent the benevolent influence of the Morning Star, Venus being
called this and copper or brass being the corresponding metal.
The fiery serpents bit the Israelites; and Moses made the brass or
copper serpent and raised it on a pole so that all who saw it were
healed. Jesus correctly compared himself to this serpent of Moses
when he said if he was lifted up.... The passage clearly states he
was referring to the manner of his death; but people do not interpret it so.
There is the raging lion of satan and the lion of Judah; there is
the fallen serpent impostor and the risen serpent with healing in
its wings. There is Lucifer the lightbearer who seems to have
stopped doing his job; and there is Jesus who came into world to
bring the Light. There is the incorrect and the correct "morning
star." As long as we are in the world of "good and evil," I suppose
such duality is to be expected.
As you have probably noticed I can be quite obtuse when it comes to symbolism. Not always, but generally this is my handicap. All of what you have written above would not have made any 'real' sense to me if I had not of already extensively looked into the various literature written from the Hindu perspective. I find that it is hard to apply this biblical information into having a personal application. And, since this has been the case for me, I imagine that it has been and is the case for others as well. Due to this, I will be using perhaps each of your above sentences to expound on.
For you see, I remember clearly the day when I said that the caduceus, the symbol of the medical profession, has more to it; that I thought it had something to do with the serpent that Moses lifted up in the desert; and, that the intertwined serpents greatly resembled a strand of DNA. Even though I had this awareness, I lacked the knowledge to help me tie it in with the bible, spirituality and with Jesus specifically. Yes, this is one of the areas that I am gratefully indebted to you.
In the above two paragraphs you have written very concisely on this subject, and as is the case with conciseness, oftentimes, a whole paragraph is needed to expound. I too have been faced with this: one written sentence that when said it wasn't understood, to have to then write several paragraphs to explain that one sentence. I do hope that you don't think I am trying to correct you, but to only to help increase understanding for those whom might be following along. And, by all means if I make a conjecture that you don't agree with, please say so.
Though to others is may appear as though we have taken a detour from the discussion at hand, I put forth as a reminder to those following along that we are discussing the verse of Rev. 1:13-15 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.
Now, to expound on what you have written:
The gold girdle separates the upper part or most heavenly part of this manifestation. This is an important distinction since at this level of the chest is the energies of the heart chakra. Jesus the Christ, as we know, came to teach about love, and of him it is often written: The Sacred Heart of Jesus. This heart chakra area is interestingly enough the bridge between strictly personal issues and those of the spiritual issues since it lies in the middle of the major energy systems of the body with 3 energy systems below the heart and 3 energy systems above the heart. And Jesus is considered the bridge between ourselves and God, the mediator for all mankind.
Until we each individually begin to look upon the world with the energies of our heart, we are being unconsciously controlled by the energies of the chakras below that of the heart. These lower energies are concerned only with that of the body and it's survival whether that be of our own self image or that of our own preservation of life. We see how these are played out in the 'fights to be right' and in the 'fights to maintain personal territory' whether that territory perceived to be ours is a person, land, ideas, our life, etc.
Gold is the metal of the sun. The upper half is the manifestation of the spiritual sun; I once mentioned to you that gold and glass share the same root word, which is ghel: to shine. Yes, and once the heart is opened the spiritual gold begins to shine as part of our personality. And what's more, we begin to be able to see into heaven as if it were 'glass'. The true and false is beginning to be clearly seen. As the 3 energy centers above the heart is also engaged the spiritual sun shines brighter and brighter with more 'clair'-ity.
and the brass feet represent the benevolent influence of the Morning Star, Venus being called this and copper or brass being the corresponding metal. Yes, with the influence of our desire to be repentant of our base desires as influenced by the 3 energy centers below the heart, which the feet could also indicate; the toxins of our perceptions (brass signifying the toxin filled color of urine-a waste product) are purified by the motivation to live the noble life as taught by Jesus the Christ, and other avatars by becoming motivated by love, i.e. Venus, instead of selfishness.
The fiery serpents bit the Israelites; and Moses made the brass or copper serpent and raised it on a pole so that all who saw it were healed. The fiery serpents are what could be called actions opposed to a beneficial life with the bites being the consequences of those actions. The fiery serpents are also in reference to what is known as kundalini in hinduism. Kundalini is known as the fiery serpent that is stored in the base of our spines (the pole). The energy available to us provided by the kundalini, the serpent, is used by the majority of peoples for the base desires and ego driven behaviors known as selfishness.
However, this is not the best use of energy. So, the serpent is lifted up, which is the rising of the kundalini. With the unleashing of the fiery kundalini energy, which is normally only stored in the base of the spine, there occurs a purification of the energy centers as the fire travels through them and we are healed as the toxins of our misperceptions are eliminated. An important note needs to be mentioned here is that this energy must be looked upon and seen meaning that the energy must travel all the way up our spines, reach and go out the crown energy center, which is above the eyes.
From what I have read it can be quite tragic for the energy to be blocked and not be able to travel unhindered up the spine. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 1 Corinthians 15:51 So, apparently... some have died over this ordeal of the restructuring of not only our perceptions, but our very DNA as well.
Jesus correctly compared himself to this serpent of Moses
when he said if he was lifted up.... The passage clearly states he
was referring to the manner of his death; but people do not interpret it so. And rightly so did he compare himself to this; and I agree, he was referring to his death.
There is the raging lion of satan and the lion of Judah; there is
the fallen serpent impostor and the risen serpent with healing in
its wings. There is Lucifer the lightbearer who seems to have
stopped doing his job; and there is Jesus who came into world to
bring the Light. There is the incorrect and the correct "morning
star." As long as we are in the world of "good and evil," I suppose
such duality is to be expected.
It is unfortunate that the images of the bible are so easily used by the forces of satan and the imposter energy of the serpent, but alas I have figured what better way to know the true nature of a person's heart but by what they let come out of their mouth?
I like that you said that it 'seems' that Lucifer has stopped doing his job. I tend to think that the improper use of free will is designed to show us that we aren't all that smart with it. But, as you say, it is to be expected.
See how consistent the imagery is in the Bible? The brass serpent
healed the people bitten by venomous snakes. I do not doubt that this event actually occured, but I do also think that the story was included for the mystical symbolism that the story also provides. And, it is fortunate that the symbolism is consistent so that it can be tied together neatly.
I do think that I have gone on long enough. I do hope that I have provided some clarity and not confusion.
Blessings,
Leaf |
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boullan
USA
10894 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2004 : 10:07:31 PM
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To Leaf,
In the Hebrew the words for serpent and messiah and the expression Shiloh will come (Shiloh meaning peace) all
equal 358.
Some may think it odd to say the serpent in the Garden of Eden may
have had wings; but we can say for certain that if he was cursed to go with his belly on the dust, this must not have been so before.
The references are obscure; but the imagery of the flying serpent
is Biblical:
Isa 14:29 - Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.
Isa 30:6 - The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.
The pasage from Malachi refers to the winged serpent also, does it not, "with healing in his wings"? The topic arises again when we
reach the vision of the Woman clothed in the Sun.
If we place the four cherubim in their correct spots along the
earth's ecliptic, we have Leo the Lion ahead of us, Aquarius the Man
behind, Taurus the Bull (or Calf) to the right, and Scorpio which
contains also Aquila the Eagle to the left. Above us would be the
North Pole and around that circles the constellation Draconis, depicted either as a dragon (as in Chinese lure) or a serpent with
its tail in its mouth. This corresponds to the crown chakra which
is present with the saints. Below us, and corresponding to the
base chakra with its four petals lies the Southern Cross.
While you have discussed the problem as relating to each person's
chakras, you can extend this to the whole earth and its centers of
light. The implication is that Earth shall ascend into the light
when light penetrates to the very southern reaches. The connections
between the three "heavens" and "matter" lie at the base chakra.
All "miracles" depend on this chakra functioning properly. MATTER
itself must be "crucified." It will then dissolve into the light
out of which it is truly made. I am rushing ahead; but that
is how I see the end of Revelation. All things which contain any
darkness are dissolved back into the light.
Boullan |
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boullan
USA
10894 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2004 : 10:09:46 PM
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To Eva,
Oh no, not Broward County. I heard they're arguing again already.
I am hoping things are not so close this time so there's not such
a ruckus later.
Boullan |
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boullan
USA
10894 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2004 : 12:11:25 PM
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To Eva and Leaf,
I was driving along in my car and remembered I hadn't responded to
Eva's question, do we go up towards God or does He come down?
Suddenly, it related also to yet another arrangement of the seven
principles.
I think the answer is both. It is written, yes, that we do not come
to God unless He draws us; but how is that done? Surely, it involves
the spark of God within us all, too. We are all made in the image and
likeness of God; and when that spark begins to wonder where it came
from and what its purpose is, when it begins to seek..., is this not
God looking for God in one way?
The symbol which came to mind is the Star of David. I will present
what I believe to be its true meaning. Its number is both six and
seven, as we shall see.
The Star of David is properly two triangles; and at times, you will
see it depicted that way, as two triangles interwoven. One triangle
points downwards and one upwards. Before this Star is formed,
the two triangles do not intersect. The triangle up above is descending and the triangle below is ascending. Why triangles?
It does not have to do with the Trinity, let me say. It has to do
with the Power or Will of God, the Wisdom or Intelligence of God, and
the Love of God. When these three attributes are expressed in perfect harmony in any being, flowing through him from the Divine,
a balance is achieved. The triangle is solid and stable.
Paul refers to these three attributes, I believe, as Faith, Hope and
Charity. That may be difficult to see; but I'll resist trying to
explain what I think the connections are.
As we draw nigh unto God, He draws nigh unto us; and ultimately,
the Divine above meets the Human below; and this is represented by
the Star of David. This accounts for the six. Where is the seven?
Properly drawn, the Star may include a tiny dot in the center.
The seventh principle is the immortalization of the soul by spirit.
When the Bridegroom overlaps and coincides in time and space with
the Bride, the two become one, and the "new creature" is born.
Boullan
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Revelation
