ANGELS : SOME ARE NOT WHAT YOU THINK THEY ARE

Scriptures are blue.
by Gene Sprehe, Jr

There is a profound statement in the “New Testament” (NT), a professed statement, alleged to “Jesus Christ,”{1} claiming that angels do not have gender:

Mark 12:25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.{2}

This is a false declaration because there is scriptural evidence of the gender differences between angels. However, there is humongous chasm in spirits having gender differences and spirits having sexual relations. Note that in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old “Testament”) we find the correct distinction:
Zechariah 5:9-11 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; {3} for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. So I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?” And he (the male angel) said to me, “To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base.”

This Scripture clearly shows that angels have gender differences, some are male, and some are female. The two angels who are carrying the basket are female. The angel that is talking is male. Therefore, when righteous humans are awakened from the dust of the earth, they will be spirit beings that will retain their gender. They will be just as are the angels in this respect, even though neither will have sexual relations.

In general, angels act as messengers and carry out orders--whether of protection, guidance, or of destruction.

Usually, when you think of angels, what comes to mind, is it those beautiful winged spirit beings? However, followed by almost the same thought, you think of the fallen angels better known in the NT as “devils” or “demons.” If the following appears to be subliminal advertising, you are on the right track. The word “devils” only appears four times in the King James Version of the “Old Testament;” but, it is listed fifty-one times in the NT. In fact, the singular word “devil” does not even appear in the Hebrew Scriptures. Yet, it is meticulously embedded within the NT a stunning sixty times.

With all of this negativity in church atmospheres every SUN-day, it is a good thing that we have the “Old Testaments” angels to assure us of protection from all of those wicked “devils” in the NT books of “Christianity” that are just roaming the earth

Angels Of The ‘ “Old Testament” Are Not Named!
However, if you have been a subscriber to the Hope Of Israel for any length of time, or have read widely on this site, you know that whatever you read in the NT, it must correspond with the Hebrew Scriptures, otherwise it is nothing more than the product of the church of Rome! The word angel is no exception.
First, this article will describe the characteristics of the angels of the Hebrew Scriptures. Then, it will compare the same against the angels of the NT. If the attributes of the angels from both “Testaments” do not match, then the angels of the NT are nothing more than “devils’” in disguise.

Surprisingly, in contrast to the NT, the angels of the Hebrew Scriptures are not known (in Scripture) by their names because they are not given.

The only place in the Hebrew Scriptures that organized religions turn to in their defense of angelic names is in the book of Daniel. There are two individuals mentioned who need to be addressed for whom they really are. They are Gabriel and Michael respectively.

What about Gabriel?
Gabriel is only referred to in two places in the Hebrew Scriptures:
Daniel 8:15-18 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision [H2377] and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision [#4758]. ” 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.” {4}18 Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright.
In this passage, Daniel is having a vision, a dream while sound asleep. The first English word “vision” comes from the Hebrew word{5} “chazow” (Strong’s H2377 ‘ khaw-zone´’ from Strong’s H2377 ‘ khaw-zaw´’) and they mean “a dream, revelation, or oracle; mentally to perceive specially to have a vision of.” Gesenius{6} adds “specially a vision from ‘ God’ respecting future events, a prophetic vision.”

The second English word “vision” comes from the Hebrew word “mar´eh” (Strong’s H4758 ‘ mar-eh´’ from H7200 ‘ mar-eh´’) and they mean “the thing seen, an appearance whether real or mental, to see, literally or figuratively.” Mar’eh means, “to see, but it could either be literally or figuratively.” However, verse eighteen specifically states that Daniel was having this vision in a deep sleep! Thus, he only saw the man figuratively in a dream.

Meaning of the Word Man
Thus far, we have discovered that Daniel was in a deep sleep and having a vision; we will repeat the verses with a focus on the word MAN. The words that have a strike through such as make, are NOT in the Hebrew and have been added by the King James boys;
Daniel 8:15-17 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance [H4758] of a MAN [#1397]. 16 And I heard a MAN’s [H120] voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man [H120], that the vision refers to the time of the end.”

In verse 15, the English word “appearance” comes from the Hebrew “mar´eh”, as explained above, showing that the “one with the appearance of as man” is part of the total vision.

The first English word “man” in verse 15 comes from the Hebrew word “geber” (Strong’s H1396 “gheh´ber” from H1397 “gaw-bar´”) and they mean “a strong valiant man or warrior; generally a person simply.” Gesenius adds for H1397 “a man, Homo Sapiens, [as] opposed to ‘ God’ compare Job 4:17.”

The first English word “man” in verse 16 comes from the Hebrew word “`adam” (Strong’s H120 “aw-dawm´” from H119 “aw-dam´”) and means “to show blood in the face, i.e. flush or turn rosy, ruddy i.e. a human being.”

In verse 16, I marked through the words make and man to show these words are not in the actual Hebrew. They were probally added by the King James Boys to make sense to them, by trying to force the text to show a difference between Gabriel and a man.

The English word “man” in verse 17 is also H120 “`adam,” a human being.

Gabriel the Angel?
The other Hebrew Scripture concerning Gabriel is:
Daniel 9:21 Yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the MAN (H376) Gabriel [H1403], whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly (H3286) swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering.

Two defining clarifications are needed here. In verse twenty-one, Gabriel is designated as being “a MAN.” This English word “man” is from the Hebrew word “iysh” (Strong’s H376 “eesh” is from H582) and means “man as an individual or a male person, a contraction of H582 [simply] meaning a mortal in general” and thus differing from the more dignified H120.”

The feminine of “iysh” is “ishshah” (H802 in Strong’s) and means “a woman, each, every female.” Both words come form H852 “en-oshe´” showing that both are mortal.

The other word, which needs to be clearly defined in Daniel 9.21, is the English word “fly.” It comes from the Hebrew word “ya´aph” (H3286 Strong’s) and means, “to tire (as if from wearisome flight).” The Hebrew word “ya´aph” is used ten times in Scripture and is translated nine of those times as “tired” or “weary.” AND NOT "fly."

In addition, Gesenius [a Hebrew Scholar, in his Lexicon] makes a statement about translating the word “ya´aph” into “fly.”
In Arabian, it means, “to go swiftly, to run.” In the Hebrew “To be fatigued, wearied out (compare Jer 2:24). In Daniel 9:21, others following LXX [Septuagint], Theodoret, Vulgate, and Syriac translate it “flying” [using] a different root, but this is unsuitable.”

Therefore, “ya´aph” does not mean, “to fly through the air.”
Besides that, angels do not become tired or wearisome!

The Companion Bible{7} has two notes on the word “Gabriel”:

Note for Dan 8:17 states for the word ‘ Gabriel,’--The first of two angels who are named in Scripture (compare 9:21 and Luke 1:19, 26).

Note for Dan 9:21 states for the word ‘ Gabriel,’ “This prophecy is not given by a ‘ prophet,’ but by an angel or hierophant (who shows sacred things) to a prophet. It is therefore a most transcendent{8} prophecy.
Before we let a “‘ Christian’ scholar” of The Companion Bible stampede us into a hasty decision let us first do our homework:

In the note for Dan 8:17, there is no Scriptural proof of his statement, so the scholar tries to back it up by the “New Testament.”

In the note for Dan 9:21, the scholar first states that a prophecy is not given by a prophet. That is true, as a true prophet just does not make stuff up, it is revealed to him by ETERNAL, a vision from ETERNAL, or one of ETERNAL’s angels.{9} So far so good, but then, he states an angel or a “hierophant” revealed this prophecy.
Mr. Webster’s states that a “hierophant” (her-o-fant):
in ancient Greece, was a priest of a mystery cult.
is a person confidently expounding, explaining, or promoting something mysterious or obscure as though he was appointed to do so. Therefore, this time the scholar backs his statement up by saying it is a Greek, mystery cult priest that produces a fantasy.

Gabriel the Man
The English word “Gabriel” comes from the compound Hebrew word “Gabriy`el” (Strong’s H1403 “gab-ree-ale´”) and means “a man of ‘ God.’”

The first part of the compound word is “Gabriy´” and is derived from “geber” (Strong’s H1397 “gheh´-ber) and “gabar” (Strong’s H1396 “gaw-bar´”) which means "a valiant man or warrior; generally a person who is strong and will prevail.”

To review, the word "man" in verse fifteen of Daniel 8, comes from (H1397); and "man's" in verse sixteen comes from (H120)--Adam, a human being referring to a man’s voice. The former usage is referring to the one having the appearance and voice of a man (Gabriel). The latter indication (verse 16 with man in italics) is referring to Daniel! In addition, the word “man’s” in verse sixteen, which is regarding the hearing of a man’s voice, comes from (H120)--Adam, a human being. Adam comes from (H119)--Adam, to show blood in the face or to turn rosy. The verdict is that all of these individuals are human.

The second part of the compound Hebrew word is (H410)--“el” to be mighty, which comes from (H352)--“ayil” anything strong. Ayil is from the same as (H193)--“uwl” to twist (as being rolled together) to be strong. Regarding the use of “el” in this scripture, keep in mind that “el” is usually used as a prefix or a suffix used to denote powerfulness. It is a characteristic of a divine nature when used with a root word, as in the “Living G-d” “Chay El” (Hosea 1:10){10}.

What about Michael?
The world’s organized religions claim that in Daniel 12:1, the archangel Michael is revealed and named. To begin with, the word “archangel” does not even appear in the Hebrew Scriptures. Archangel only appears twice in the NT, and the compound word originally comes from Latin,{11}. Now, this just happens to be the language of the “Catholic mass.” In addition, the word arch is a feminine form of the word arc.{12} Therefore, Michael has a feminine connection, which will be revealed in a future related article.

Arch is also used in geometric terms, the shape of a crescent moon--a pagan symbol! It is used as the top of tall, slender windows and doors--which are also pagan symbols, a “phallic”!

The name Michael appears thirteen times in the Hebrew Scriptures. The word is (H4317)--Miyka’el, and means “who is like ‘.God.’” This is the same name (and meaning) of nine other human Israelites found in the Hebrew Scriptures. “Miyka’el” comes from (H3588){13}--kiy, which means “casual relations of all kinds.” This would not seem applicable to an angel of ETERNAL SOVEREIGN. Additionally, Miyka’el comes from (H410) which has already been explained in the section describing Gabriel.

The Michael of the book of Daniel is mentioned three times: in Daniel 10:13, 10:21, and 12:1. In this section of Daniel, the time period is that the Jews were still in captivity of the kingdom of Persia, which was post-Babylon.{14} In each of these three verses, Michael is referred to as a prince. This word is (H8269)--sar, which means a head person of rank. Sar comes from (H8323)--sarar, which means to have dominion. Regarding angels, the word dominion will come back to haunt “Christians” before the end of this article.

Since the Almighty CREATOR shares His power (dominion) with no one else,{15} then this Michael must mean a human prince. Additionally, sar is used in four hundred twenty other places throughout the Hebrew Scriptures to refer to flesh and blood mortals. Notice two places where Sar is used:
Joshua 5:14 So He [Sar] said, "No, but as Commander of the army of ETERNAL I have now come."
Isa 9:6 God, The everlasting Father, The Prince [Sar] of Peace.

All through the Hebrew Scriptures, the CREATOR of the universe refers to His angels just as they are--angels. There is no logical reason for ETERNAL to call these spirit beings by any other word--man or prince--particularly in only these five instances (referring to Gabriel and Michael).

To cover the verses in Daniel mentioned above, take note that Daniel was praying as to when the captivity would be over and ETERNAL sent Michael (a man who is like G-d) to tell him. Since Daniel and Michael were both captives in Persia it stands to reason that in Dan 10:13, 21 Michael might have to fight Persians to get to Daniel with the explanation from ETERNAL, and then fight his way back to where he was residing. In Daniel 12, the use of the word Michael is probally allegorical referring to the Mashiach (Messiah).

The other named angels of the worldly religions are Raphael, Uriel, and in Islam Izra’il. However, these alleged angels are not mentioned in either the Hebrew Scriptures or the New Testament. Raphael and Uriel are found in what is called the Apocryphia{16} Raphael is mentioned in the book of Tobit (a book that is embraced by Catholics). Uriel is found in the book of 2 Esdras.{17} As far as Izra’il is concerned, he is the Islamic archangel of death. By the way, Izra’il is not named in the Koran, but is found in non-Koranic mythology.{18}

ETERNAL’s Angels Not to be Known
Most importantly, ETERNAL has provided a detailed account where the names of His angels are not to be known in this age. The entire chapter of Judges 13 reveals this crucial clarification.
The angel of ETERNAL visits Samson’s future parents (Manoah and his wife) not once, but twice to announce the upcoming conception and birth of their own son. In both visitations, the angel refused to tell Manoah and his wife his name, and he gave the reason why!
Judges 13:6 So the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A Man of [our] SOVEREIGN came to me, and His countenance was like the countenance of the Angel of [our] SOVEREIGN, very awesome; but I did not ask Him where He was from, and He did not tell me His name...
In this verse it can be seen that the angel was a male angel, for Man in “Man of [our] ‘ God’” is translated from (H376)--iysh, which simply means the male gender. In this application, iysh is explicitly speaking of a male angel of ETERNAL.

Additionally, in this (first) visit, the angel did not reveal his (own) name to Monoah’s wife. However, during the second visit to both Manoah and his wife, the angel of ETERNAL absolutely refused to tell them his name, even when pressed by Manoah to do so.
Judges 13:17-18 Then Manoah said to the Angel of ETERNAL, “What is your name, that when your words come to pass we may honor you?” And the Angel of ETERNAL said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?”

The KJV in verse eighteen translates the word wonderful as “secret.” Secret comes from (H6383)--piliy or paliy, remarkable, which comes from (H6381)--pala, which means to keep separate. Therefore, if this angel’s name was not to be known by righteous Manoah and his wife, who were about to be granted a miracle; why would ETERNAL change the plan later regarding Gabriel and Michael? This scripture clearly shows that at least for now, angels’ names are to be pala (H6381)--a secret, to be separate, unknown to the human vocabulary!

What Is An Angel Of ETERNAL Like?
In the Hebrew Scriptures the word for angel is (H4397)--“mal´ak” which means, “to dispatch{19} as a deputy,{20} or a messenger specifically of ETERNAL.” Pay close attention for there are characteristics here that are almost totally overlooked by most people. These attributes need to be remembered when they are later compared to those of the “so called” angels of the NT.
Once an angel of ETERNAL receives an order, unless it is afterward modified by the Almighty SOVEREIGN before being carried out, the angel will fulfill the order--as ordered, undeterred. It is like a laser guided missile that is fired and cannot be taken back. Nothing, except ETERNAL, can stop the angel from the objective in mind.

One example when ETERNAL changed an angel’s mission is in Exodus 32:7-14. The Israelites made and worshipped the golden calf and our CREATOR decided to destroy them. However, Moses pleaded with ETERNAL to spare their lives, which He did. Another example of our ETERNAL Savior changing His mind, and showing compassion, and change an angel’s orders after they were originally given:
2 Samuel 24:15-16 So ETERNAL sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died. And when the angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, ETERNAL relented from the destruction, and said to the angel, who was destroying the people, “It is enough; now restrain your hand.” And the angel of ETERNAL was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

Regarding chastisement or any order, unless amended by ETERNAL, angels are admonished to fully carry out their original orders. Bear in mind that angels are strictly forbidden to change their orders themselves. One example where an angel of ETERNAL fully executed his orders is found in:
Isa 37:36 Then the angel of ETERNAL went out and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses--all dead.

Angels also carry out functions of compassion and protection. One example of this is in Exodus 23:20-22 where an angel was deputized to do a particular job.
Ex 23:20-22 Behold, I send an angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him and obey his voice; do not provoke him, for he will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in him. But, if you indeed obey his (the deputized angel’s) voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

Another act of ETERNAL’s compassion through an angel is the time Hagar was greatly helped and comforted in the wilderness with her son Ishmael in Genesis 16:7-9. In addition, the CREATOR promises that His angels will protect people who earnestly seek Him (Psalm 91:9-12). However, here is a word of warning: If you vow a promise to the Almighty, you had better keep it, or face the wrath that will be sent by one of His angels, notice:
Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 (KJV) When thou vowest a vow unto ETERNAL, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin: neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should ETERNAL be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

Three Types Of Angels Of ETERNAL CREATOR
Since the Hebrew Scriptures do not specify rank, type is a better word to use to describe different angels. The ranking of angels is a NT (man-made) invention that we will discuss later. Every angel of the CREATOR is as equally important as any other. Only their functions distinguish their differences. One type of angel found in the Hebrew Scriptures is the seraphim. They are described in:
Isa 6:1-2,6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I (Isaiah) saw ETERNAL sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the Temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two, he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal, which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.
A seraph is (H8314)--“saraph” and means “burning (from their copper color).” The word saraph comes from (H8313) which is “to be on fire,” no doubt to denote brilliancy. According to Isaiah, seraphim are positioned above the throne (in opposite rows) and aid ETERNAL. They have a face, a voice, feet, and hands. Seraphim realize that a human is cleansed before serving,{21} as was the case regarding Isaiah’s unclean lips (Isaiah 6:1-9).

Another type of angel described in the Hebrew Scriptures is the cherub (plural is cherubim). There are two forms of cherubim mentioned: those alive who serve the Almighty SOVEREIGN, and those depicted in (two and three-dimensional) artwork as directed by ETERNAL. The latter would include artwork on the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle.

The word cherubim is (H3742)--“keruwb.” Cherubim (who are also brilliant) are described in Ezekiel chapters one and ten. They have four wings and four faces (one face on each side of their head). They turn not, but simply move toward the direction they wish to travel. They are able to accomplish this because one of their faces is always turned to the direction they wish to travel.

Their four faces are very intriguing, not only because of the physical description, but also for the personality trait that goes with each face.
Ezek 1:10-11 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man: each of the four (angels) had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. Thus, were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies.

A closer analysis of the Hebrew word for each of their four faces will shed light on the cherubim personality traits. From the above scripture, the first face--man, comes from (H120)--Adam, and means ruddy, the face of a man. The word Adam comes from (H119), which is to show blood in the face. Thus, the front face of the cherubim is that of a man, for man was created in the image of ETERNAL.

On the right side of their head, cherubim have the face of a lion. In this application, lion is (H738)--“ariy,” which means “that cherubim can be destructive.” Ariy comes from (H717)--“arah,” “to pluck.”

On the left side of their head, cherubim have the face of an ox. This word is from (H7794)--“showr,” which is defined as “a bullock as a traveller.” Showr is from (H7788) and (H7789)--“shuwr,” “to travel about in order to spy, survey, or travel around for inspection.” Therefore, you can always rest assured that you are NEVER alone!

The last of the four faces of the cherubim is that of an eagle. That word comes from (H5404)--“nesher,” and means “to lacerate.” It is quite apparent that the primary function of the cherubim is to guard and protect, for they spread their wings outward on both sides of ETERNAL’s throne.{22} In Genesis 3:24, cherubim were placed at the east of the garden of Eden with a flaming sword to guard the tree of life.

If the three-dimensional artwork depicting the cherubim in the inner sanctuary of the Temple, King Solomon built, is an indication of their size, then they are very huge:
1 Kings 6:23-26 Inside the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits{23} high. One wing of the cherub was five cubits, and the other wing of the cherub five cubits: ten cubits from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. And the other cherub was ten cubits; both cherubim were of the same size and shape. The height of one cherub was ten cubits, and so was the other cherub.

On a smaller two-dimensional scale, cherubim were made for the “mercy” seat that was positioned on top of the ark of the covenant that contained the Testimony given to Moses (Exodus 25:17-22). It is also stated that ETERNAL Himself rode on the back of a cherub (2 Samuel 22:11 and Psalm 18:10).

The other angels of ETERNAL are the rest of those mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures, which are not seraphim or cherubim. It is interesting to note that in these OT scriptures, in almost every verse where an angel is referred to, it is specified as being an angel of ETERNAL or the Almighty. This means that those angels are loyal and chose to follow the SOVEREIGN of the universe rather than the adversary, which some angels did when “Lucifer” rebelled (Isaiah 14:12-15).{24}


Angels Of the New “Testament” Are a Motley Crew!
Going back to the beginning of the article regarding the alleged “Jesus Christ’s” statement:
Luke 20:35-36 “Jesus” answered and said to them, The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of “God,” being sons of the resurrection.{25}
Since this is stated in two other gospels (Matthew 22:30 and Mark 12:25), then there is a grave NT contradiction, in the book of Luke. Notice carefully what happens when Gabriel visits Mary to announce her upcoming impromptu pregnancy.
Luke 1:26-29 (KJV) And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from “God” unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. and the angel “came in unto her,” [G1525] And said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the “Lord" is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, “she was troubled” [G1298] at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

The phrase “came in unto her” or ”he knew her,” as well as “he knew his wife” were common phrases which specifically meant to have sexual intercourse!{26} However, the intercourse in the Hebrew Scriptures was between male and female humans; not between spirits and humans, which is what Luke 1:28 states.

The English words “came in unto her” come from the Greek word “eiserchomai” (Strong’s G1525 ice-er´-khom-ahee) and means, “to enter.” G1525 comes from “eis” (Strong’s G1519 ice) and among its meanings are “into, to enter (indicating the point entered), in, and unto. [It is] often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion [such as in and out].” G1525 also comes from “erchomai” (Strong’s G2064 er´-khom-ahee) and among its meanings are “a principle verb (used only in the present and imperfect tenses, the others being supplied by a kindred ... act, to come or go (in a great variety of applications), to come enter, fall out, and grow.”

Realistically, the context from which this verse comes from is an ancient heathen custom where temple virgins were impregnated by priests, such as was done in Egypt previously. These Egyptian priests were known as “fathers of the god.” In fact, Gabriel’s name also means, “divine husband.”{27}

Verse twenty-nine states about Mary that “she was troubled” about the approach and the action that had been taken of her. The words “she was troubled” come from the Greek word “diatarasso” (Strong’s G1298 dee-at-ar-as´-so) and means “to disturb wholly, i.e. agitate (with alarm).” G1298 comes from “dia” (Strong’s G1519 dee-ah´) means “a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal or occasional).” G1298 also comes from “tarasso” (Strong’s G5015 tar-as´-so) and means “to stir or agitate.” Therefore, to say “she was troubled” is putting it lightly.


How ETERNAL Brings About A Human Birth
To find out how ETERNAL brings a human life into the world by a special miracle, particularly someone who will is righteous, two examples follow.
In Genesis 18:9-15 the story is told of the forthcoming birth of Isaac by Abraham and Sarah. The (human) conception and birth is found in Genesis 21:1-8.

The other example is the birth of Samuel by his parents Elka´nah and Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:9-20. In this case, Hannah prayed for a son and vowed to dedicate him to ETERNAL as a servant. Elka’nah knew his wife (she conceived) and in due time she bore a son and named him Samuel because she asked for him from ETERNAL (verse 20).
With both of these miracles from the CREATOR, the pattern is that both children were planned for well in advance; they were both fathered by their own human fathers; and the children were greatly desired.
They were not the product of some mythological chaos where a shameful act was forced upon a virgin who had little choice in the matter of being taken advantage of by a spirit being that came in unto her! Wake up and use common sense; almost every mythological birth--whether Roman, Greek, Egyptian, or Indian (Hindu)--was the result of the rape of some helpless virgin by some overpowering “god.” Remember now, that j-sus was quoted at the beginning of this article by stating that spirits do not have sex!

Returning to the Gabriel of the NT, he (Gabriel) visits Zacharias to announce the birth of John the Baptist in Luke 1:11-20. However, something out of character happens here as the result of a simple question. Take note of what Zacharias asks:
Luke 1:18-20 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of “God,” and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold (now), you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

As the result of a simple question from Zacharias, Gabriel (according to the church of Rome) took it upon himself to strike Zacharias with muteness. First, this is not consistent with what should have happened. For in Genesis 17:17-21 Abraham asked ETERNAL Himself the exact same question. The CREATOR did not rebuke Abraham, but compassionately explained what would take place one year later--the birth of Isaac, although Abraham was laughing in glee when his question was answered!

The other problem with Gabriel rebuking Zacharias is that it was not Gabriel’s place to make the decision to do so; it would have been “God’s,” but Gabriel called the words that were questioned his (Gabriel’s) words. Angels of our ETERNAL CREATOR of the Hebrew Scriptures have a full set of orders that come from the Throne, and cannot be changed except by the Almighty Himself. The accounts in Luke surrounding Gabriel are totally “off base” compared to what ETERNAL CREATOR would have commanded.

Additionally, Gabriel in the NT is not mentioned as being an archangel. However, in uninspired other literature he is.{28} {29} Other things worth noting about the NT angel Gabriel is that he is an angel of great importance in “three major organized” worldly religions.

In Islam, Gabriel is held in very high esteem. He is recognized in that faith as the angel who gave Muhammad the Koran and who allegedly took Muhammad to heaven on the Night Journey. This journey consisted of two phases: First, Gabriel took Muhammad to Jerusalem where the prophet prayed at the site of Solomon’s temple with Abraham, Moses, and “Jesus.”

Afterward, they (Gabriel and Muhammad) ascended to heaven where “God” commanded that men should pray fifty times a day. However, Moses suggested to Muhammad to return to “God” and request that the number be reduced. The result is that Muslims are required to pray only five times every day.{30} It should be noted that the Night Journey that Muslims accept without question is a contradiction to what the “Christians” believe from their NT doctrine. For John 3:13 says that no man has ascended to heaven.

The Jews also consider Gabriel an angel of extreme importance (via the Apocrypha). It seems impossible for three major religions (each with different beliefs) to employ the same angel! ETERNAL CREATOR of the universe does not operate on a mercenary or exchange student (angel) program!

The book of Luke is the only place where the angel Gabriel is mentioned in the NT. The book was written almost 175 years after its alleged events took place by the author Luke--who not only lacked first hand knowledge of what he was writing about, but he was also a Syrian from Antioch,{31} which was the northern frontier of Palestine.

Gabriel, by the way, has his own Feast Day--March 24th and most religions honor him as the trumpeter on the last day.{32} This violates the first two Commandments of the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:1-17 and Deut 5:6-21). Our ETERNAL SOVEREIGN does not share His prestige with any one else, as already shown. Also, the observation of a Feast Day for an angel or any other individual violates ETERNAL’s Command (Deut 4:2; 12:32) that we are warned to not add or take away from what our SOVEREIGN has commanded us to observe.

What about Michael?
In the NT the word Michael (Strong’s G3413) is mentioned two times: once in Jude 9 as the archangel, and in Revelation 12:7 with no title. As revealed earlier, the Latin word arch is the feminine of arc. The American College Dictionary defines arch as, “a curved structure resting on supports at both extremities used to sustain weight....” In other words, arch is a (crescent moon shaped) half circle opening, which represents a feminine characteristic. This will be explained in more detail in an upcoming article in a future issue. Jude 9 should raise a red flag to anyone seriously reading the context:
Jude 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in “contending” [G1252] with the devil, when he “disputed” [G1256] about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The ‘Lord’ rebuke you!”
Michael and the “devil” are arguing over a situation that is a closed matter. ETERNAL Himself buried Moses (Deut. 34:5-6). Besides, angels of ETERNAL do not waste time debating with the “devil.” They are too busy carrying out their orders from the Throne Room.

To prove that these two individuals were arguing, the defining of some words here would be a benefit. First, “contending” (from Jude 9) comes from (G1252)--“diakrino,” to separate, withdraw from or oppose. Diakrino comes from two other words: (G1223)--“dia,” the channel of an act; and (G2919)--“krino,” to distinguish or decide. Regarding the body of Moses, what was there to decide?

Secondly, the word “disputed” of Jude 9 comes from (G1256)--“dialegomai,” to say thoroughly as in an argument. Dialegomai comes from two words: the same (G1223) from above, and (G3004)--“lego,” to lay forth in relating in words a set discourse. There is not one verse, in the Hebrew Scriptures, which show where an angel of ETERNAL ever argued with anyone--especially the “devil.” The other place Michael is mentioned in the NT is:
Rev 12:7-8 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.

the angels that are with Michael are spoken of as his (Michael’s) angels. In the Hebrew Scriptures, there is no reference where one angel owns or has the loyalty of other angels.

the Greek word for Michael’s (good) angels is the same Greek word for the dragon’s (evil) angels.
In the NT, that word “angel” comes from (G32)--“aggelos,” “to bring tidings; a messenger.” Aggelos comes from two other very important words: (G71)--“ago,” “to lead, to bring, to drive, or to induce (to lead away)”; the other word is (G34)--“agele,” “a drove, as in a herd or group.”

Therefore, according to the Greek rendering, the angels of the NT are messengers that drive the masses (of people) away! Away from what? The angels of the NT are to lead the people away from ETERNAL CREATOR’s truth found in the Hebrew Scriptures that were inspired long before the error-riddled inconsistent NT was conceived. The NT is a mixture of the “knowledge of good and evil,” (with much more evil than good) and is equivalent to the other tree in the center of the Garden of Eden which, is the tree of death!

This is quite pivotal because the shepherds of “Christianity” have committed the same abomination by leading their flocks away from the truth in droves. Ezekiel chapters 13 and 34 severely warn the priests and ministers of today’s organized religions who have led their flocks away from ETERNAL’s Commandments. These false prophets are also warned and held accountable in Jeremiah 23. If you are doing that, then this is your warning.

As mentioned before, there is no indication of the rank of angels in the Hebrew Scriptures. However, somewhat in contrast, the NT does classify angels in this manner. However, the ranking of angels is a fabricated scheme that will shortly be pointed out. There are two NT verses “Christians” stand on to defend their classification of NT angels:
Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of “God” might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.

The rank of “principalities” is from (G746)--“arche,” “a commencement or chief in various applications.” The rank of “powers” is from (G1849)--“exousia,” “privilege, force, capacity, freedom, or superhuman,” to name a few applications. The is other verse “Christians” use to rank their angels:
Col 1:16 For by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether “thrones” or “dominions” or principalities or powers. All things were created through him and for him.

The rank of “thrones” is from (G2362)--“thronos,” “a stately seat, power, or a potentate.” Shockingly, the other rank of “dominions” is from (G2963)--“kuriotes,” “mastery, as in a governing ruler.” What is intriguing is that “kuriotes” is from (G2962)--“kurios,” which means “supreme in authority, as controller.” Kurios just happens to be the same Greek word in the NT that “Lord” as in “Lord Jesus Christ” comes from, which is (G2962)--kurios!

Therefore, if “dominions” is a NT rank of angels (as xians claim), then they and j-sus have the same power, authority, and status! This is polytheism in the NT and violates the first two Commandments of the Ten as stated in Exodus 20:3-5. That is, to have no other gods except ETERNAL; this includes “Jesus Christ” and the synonymous “dominions (angels)” that share the exact same word with j-sus.

However, largely, the classification of ranking angels is a human invention aside from the NT. This has been achieved by three major religious faiths. Chronologically, it began with the Babylonian religion of “Zoroastrianism.”{33}

The hierarchy of angels can also be found in Jewish literature that is in the Jewish apocalypses (in the books of Enoch and the Ascension of Isaiah).{34}

However, the most recent and widely accepted division of angels has come to us through the ages by the founding fathers of the church in Rome and in medieval angelogy.{35} According to Man, Myth, and Magic, page 102 states:
In the 5th century AD Dionysius the Areopagite, now generally known as Pseudo-Dionysius, put the Christian angels in order. To the seven orders linked with the seven heavens, he added the Seraphim and Cherubim from the Old Testament to make a total of nine orders, a satisfactory total as the number of the Trinity three times repeated.

He arranged them in three choirs or hierarchies. The highest were the Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones, who spent their time in contemplation of the Almighty. Next came the Dominions, Virtues, and Powers, who ran “God’s” universe. Third were the Principalities, Archangels, and Angels, who busied themselves in carrying out the orders of their superiors. St. Augustine believed that angels had material bodies, but Pseudo-Dionysius said they were purely spiritual in nature, and this was approved by St. Thomas Aquinas.”

Therefore, it can be clearly seen that the rank of angels was the concoction of men, and whatever ETERNAL CREATOR of the universe had to say about it did not matter!

The Gender of Angels Has A More Profound Meaning
As this article began with the proclamation that angels do have gender, additional scripture regarding the woman in the basket will now be introduced:
Zechariah 5:5-11 (Tanakh) Then the angel that spoke with me went forth, and said unto me: “Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.” And I said: “What is it?” And he said: “This is the measure (basket) that goeth forth.” He said moreover: “This is their eye in all the land”--and, behold, there was lifted up a round piece of lead--and “this is a woman sitting in the midst of the measure.” And he said: “This is Wickedness.” And he cast her down into the midst of the measure, and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there came forth two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork; and they lifted up the measure between the earth and the heaven. Then said I to the angel that spoke with me: “Whither do these bear the measure?” And he said unto me: “To build her a house in the land of Shinar; and when it is prepared, she shall be set there in her own place.”
The angel speaking in this passage is describing a number of things other than the fact that angels have gender. This passage states that two female angels carried the Wickedness within the basket away. These female angels had wings like that of a stork.

It is evident that these two women (female) angels are not angels of ETERNAL CREATOR for the following reasons:

they are not seraphim, for seraphim have six wings; they cannot be cherubim, because those angels have four wings. These two female angels that are mentioned in this scripture, have two wings

there is no other supporting passage in the Hebrew Scriptures that state that any of ETERNAL’s angels (male or female) have wings of this sort; that being wings like a stork (not to be confused with the number of wings).

The angel that was doing the talking is described as:
Zech 1:11,12 Then the Angel of ETERNAL and he is the angel that spoke in Zech 5:5.
Earlier in this article, it was shown that in essentially every Hebrew Scripture where one of ETERNAL’s angels is mentioned, it is labeled with the distinction as being an angel of ETERNAL or The Almighty. The two female angels carrying the basket of Wickedness do not have that privileged designation. They are escorting this Wickedness--which also happens to be female--to the land of Shinar so that a house can be prepared for her (Wickedness). Angels of ETERNAL SOVEREIGN would not escort wickedness of any nature; therefore, these two female angels must be fallen (wicked) angels themselves.

Two words of importance within this passage need to be defined to set the stage for part two of this series. The word “house” comes from (H1004)--“bavith,” “a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) or following.” Bavith comes from (H1129)--“banah,” “a primary root word to build, or to set up.”

The other word of extreme importance is the word Shinar--the place to which the female angels were escorting this woman of (called) Wickedness. Shinar is the land that would later become better known as BABYLON!{36}



Footnotes
{1} There is only One Supreme SOVEREIGN who does not share His power with any other being (Deut 4:35; 6:4-6; 2 Sam 7:22; Ps. 73:25; 78:41). In addition, He commands us not to speak the names of false gods (Ex 23:13; Josh 23:7; Ps 16:4; Jer 23:26-27). We believe that spelling the names of false gods is included in the ban. Therefore, for clarity in reading, if we use such names, they will be place within quotation marks to indicate that their use in this article are the words from other origins and not our own. Other words that have a pagan connection such as “devil” will also be listed as such.
{2} Also see Mat 22:30 and Luke 20:35. Unless specified, all scriptures used are from the New King James Version and all emphasis is the authors.

{3} Wind is from (H7307)--ruwach, exhalation, a region of the sky; Wings is from (H3671)——kanaph, an edge or extremity; a wing or flap: from (H3670)—-kanaph, to project laterally. Thus, these were angels, but they were female.

{4} To see the explanation of the vision see our article “Does Daniel Nine prove that “Jesus’ is the ‘ Christ’?”

{5} All Hebrew and Greek words and numbers that we use that state Strong’s are from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible, Dictionaries of The Hebrew And Greek Words of The Original; by James Strong; Riverside Book and Bible House; Iowa Falls, Iowa ISBN *0-917006-01-1.

{6} All Hebrew words and numbers that we use that state Gesenius are from Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament; by H. W. F. Gesenius; Baker Book House Company, PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI, 49516. ISBN: 0-8010-3736-0.

{7} The Companion Bible being the authorized version of 1611 with STRUCTURES and Critical and Explanatory Notes with 198 Appendixes; Zondervan Bible Publishers; Grand Rapids, MI, 49506.

{8} All true prophecy is transcendent (tran´ sendent) because it transcends the limits of possible physical experience and comes only from the Ancient of Days.

{9} Do not get lost, we are not trying to disprove there are angels, but only to show that the angels have gender and that they are not named.

{10} Living comes from (H2416)--“Chay.” G-d comes from (410) “El” in Hosea 1:10; thus the “Living G-d.” This is only one of other examples found in the Hebrew Scriptures.

{11} Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary; Merriam--Webster, Inc., Springfield, MA; 1985, pg., 100.

{12} The American College Dictionary; Random House; New York; 1964; pg., 64.

{13} Op. cid. Strong (H4317).

{14} Double footnote: Unger’s Bible Dictionary, by Merrill F. Unger; Moody Press, Chicago; 1985, Third Edition; pg., 238. Also, see our article, “Does Daniel Nine Prove That ‘ Jesus’ Is the Christ?”

{15} See Isaiah 42:8, 48:11, 45:14-25, Hosea 13:4, and Exodus 20:4-5.

{16} Op. cid. Unger pgs. 70—71. The Apocrypha is a set of fourteen books named by Jerome in the Greek Septuagint which do not belong in the Sacred Canon. The Apocrypha was written after the “Old Testament” Canon was closed; it is rejected as inspired scripture because of many flaws.

{17} Man, Myth, & Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia 0f Mythology, Religion and the Unknown; Marshall Cavendish; NY, 1995; vol. 1, pg., 101.

{18} The Concise Encyclopedia Of Islam, by Cyril Glasse; Harper Collins Publishers; San Francisco; 1989 by Stacey International and C. Glasse; pg., 202.

{19} Webster’s dictionary defines dispatch as “a prompt settlement; quick riddance; promptness and efficiency in performance or transmission; an important official message sent with speed.”

{20} Webster’s says “the word is better understood as an individual appointed as a substitute with power to act.” When the Almighty SOVEREIGN gives an order or a mission to one of His angel’s, he will execute the order with precision, efficiency, and speed.

{21} Op. cid. Unger; pgs. 996—997 under “Seraphim.”

{22} See 2 Kings 19:15, Psalm 80:1 and 99:1.

{23} One cubit is approximately eighteen inches. Also, see 2 Chron 3:8-14. Ten cubits would be roughly 15 feet.

{24} Request our tape In The Beginning.

{25} The word “resurrection” is of Egyptian origin and is not found in the Hebrew Scriptures: “The King’s Chamber in Cheops’ Pyramid is thus an Egyptian ‘ Holy of Holies.’ On the days of the Mysteries of Initiation, the candidate, representing the solar god, had to descend into the Sarcophagus, and represent the energizing ray, entering into the fecund womb of Nature. Emerging from it on the following morning, he typified the resurrection of life after the change called Death. In the great Mysteries his figurative death lasted two days, when with the Sun he arose on the third morning, after a last night of the most cruel trials. While the postulant represented the Sun--the all--vivifying Orb that ‘ resurrects’ every morning but to impart life to all--the Sarcophagus was symbolic of the female principle. This in Egypt; its form and shape changed with every country, provided it remained a vessel, a symbolic navis or boat--shaped vehicle, and a container, symbolically, of germs, or the germ of life.” From The Secret Doctrine, vol. 2; by H. P. Blavatsky; The Theosophical Publishing House; Wheaton, IL; 1888; pg. 462. As an additional note: The Egyptian word “resurrection” found its way into the “New Testament” through the Latin Vulgate. From Isis Unveiled, vol. 2; Theology, by H. P. Blavatsky; The Theosophical Publishing House; Wheaton, IL; 1877; pg. 496.

Editors Note: The Hebrew Scriptures use other words to indicate a person rising from the dead; such as to rise up, to come up, to sprout, or spring forth.

{26} See Genesis 16:1-4, 38:8-9, Deuteronomy 22:13-21, 1 Chronicles 7:23, and Proverbs 6:29.

{27} The Women’s Encyclopedia Of Myths and Secrets, by Barbara Walker; Harper Publications; SF, 1983; pg. 331 (Gabriel).

{28} The Illustrated Bible Dictionary; Inter-Varsity Press; Tyndale House Publishers; Wheaton, IL; 1980; vol. 1, pg. 532.

{29} The Encyclopedia Britannica; 11th Edition; 1910; vol. 2; pg. 5.

{30} Op. cid. Glasse, pg. 301 (under Night Journey).

{31} The New American Bible; World Catholic Press; 1970; by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington D.C., revised 1986; pgs. 1720-1.

{32} Columbia Viking Desk Encyclopedia; 3rd Edition; Viking Press; 1968; NY; Columbia University Press; pg. 392 (Gabriel). In addition most religions give Gabriel the exalted of be the being the trumpeter an the last day.

{33} Op. cid. Britannica; pgs. 5-6.

{34} Op. cid. The American College Dictionary; pg. 48 (Angels).

{35} Ibid., pgs. 5-6.

{36} Op. cid. Unger; pg. 1017 (Shinar).

JAMES, BROTHER OF JESUS?

Book by Robert Eisenman
Book Report and Commentary by Barbara Schuknecht-Rodriguez


Information found in the Dead Sea Scrolls substantiate Jewish perspective of those living during harsh and brutal times under Roman domination. James, Brother of Jesus presents conjecture concerning the brother of "Jesus." 1

During the times of The Herods: appointees and descendants collaborating with Rome held control of Jerusalem and the Temple. Earlier Herod the Great had effectively smothered Messianic and national hopes, aroused by the Maccabees two hundred years before, by his own enforced intermarriage into the royal family of the High Priesthood. At long last, the people looked to the pious family of "Jesus," whose appointed successor was his brother James, known as James the Just [and as The Righteous One of the Dead Sea Scrolls]. Brothers Simon and Judas were known as Zealots. Followers of the brotherhood, identified as Ebionites, called themselves "the poor" and "the meek." These followers aspired to the "Way of Righteousness" as taught by James.

James lived as a Nazarite under vows of purity and chastity. He opposed the [Roman] Establishment with its appointees while preaching to the people from the steps of the Temple which provoked the collaborating High Priesthood to plan and cause his murder.

An interloper, Saul a descendant of the Herods, later to exchange his Jewish name for that of Paul, appeared with self appointing claims to leadership, all the while maintaining important contacts with Roman officials, becoming a double agent for them. Often defending foreign ways, Paul chose some (i.e., Cornelious) to become cofounders for his new brotherhood of believers into a new religion, not just for Jews only, nor centered from Jerusalem, the sacred city of the Jews, but from a new base, the foreign city of Antioch, thereby establishing the newly amalgamated religion acceptable to foreigners, called "Christianity."

Many of James' followers, born Jews, fled eastward into the desert "land of Damascus," eventually to become known as the site of Qumran. Sermons of James found among the Dead Sea Scrolls thundered against "the Enemy" and "the Liar," referring to someone daring to teach differently than the cherished standards of observant Jews while he, James, continued to teach and extol the "Way of Righteousness."

Adversarial letters went out accompanied by blatant denials with skillfully rearranged events and place names in parodies devised to belittle James and his message. Later they became known as the "Epistles of Paul." Paul, admittedly a mixed-breed Herodian, had also claimed to be "a Pharisee of the Pharisees," yet introduced co-mingling of foreign Mystery Religion rituals. The Jewish Passover became subject to rearrangement, intermixed with the very ancient sacrificial meal of blood/wine and body/bread of a dying foreign god.

The brothers, Zealots as they were, would not remain living long in their opposition to Roman foreign standards. Simon fled eastward outside the jurisdiction of Rome. Judas (retold as "John the Baptist") was beheaded. Only James remained tending alternately between those at Qumran and the populous at the Temple in Jerusalem, becoming the high priest the Jewish people looked to, still teaching Messianic hopes and the Way of Righteousness. He was waylaid by the nonreligious political Establishment Priesthood. Upon making Atonement in the Holy of Holies, he was taken and hurled from the pinnacle of the Temple Mount and stoned to death below the Temple steps (retold as Stephen.) Wherever "Jesus" steps went, James was close beside. Were they actually two? Was there ever a "Jesus?"

James' death lit the fuse of Zealot led revolution, which led directly to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple after seven years. Those at Qumran fled further to Masada, still to perish before the Romans. Yet, they left hidden records in the Judean hills and caves, unseen and unknown for two thousand years.

A few prominent Jews survived by voluntarily subjugating themselves to the Romans by publicly avowing that the Romans were appointed of "God." Those that did not were not allowed to live. Notables among the survivors were: Yohanen ben Zacchai, acknowledged founder of Judaism, and Josephus, erstwhile Essene and Zealot, the subsequent historian for the Romans.

Further writings by foreigners additionally distorted the Jewish roots of Jesus' family. Displacing details with ancient legends, foreign titles and names also lead to distinct anti-Semitism with foreign opposing theology, later to be rerouted through Rome. These are known today as the Gospels and Acts of the New Testament.

LUCUBRATIONS ABOUT OUR CREATOR AND REDEEMER

by Jorge Robles Olarte 2

When we read in the Hebrew Scriptures: "You have established Your people Israel as Your very own people forever; and You, O YHWH, have become their Deity." Is it possible that we may think that II Samuel 7:24 is speaking of j-sus, the man, and that he, the man, is our CREATOR? I believe not, and if you do, let me say that you are wrong!

Let us read something that the general people seem to have forgotten:
Mal. 1:6 (Tanakh) 3 "'A son should honor his father, and a slave his master. Now if I am a Father (the Father speaking here), where is the honor due Me? And if I am a Master, where is the reverence due Me?' said YHWH of Hosts to you."

In these few words, we can see that we are not paying due honor to our CREATOR. This world pays honor to j-sus, the man (a man out of many), to Mary, and to the "Holy Spirit," the triad. Yes, this is the triad of the achurch of Rome, but inside the Protestant movement it is different. It is the "Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Yes, it is different because it is a differenct grouping. But we must remember always that the CREATOR is Spirit and that spirit is eternal, the ETERNAL of Hosts, the CREATOR of Israel, the Living CREATOR, the King of the Universe, and The Mighty One of Israel. The CREATOR that is full of mercy, grace, and the sublime CREATOR who dwells in eternity, Whose name is High and Righteous, and Who is above ALL created beings.

I know that it is not easy to unlearn the learned, but we must be conscientious that we pay honor and fidelity only to the one CREATOR, Savior and Redeemer, the Only One Father, ther Mighty One of Israel. In addition be aware the the "father which art in heaven" spoken of in the NT is the cheif of the Babylonial triad and is NOT the CREATOR feferred in the Hebrew Scriptures.

If we read very carefully the Scriptures, the "bad" "Old Testament" (as called by the world of the church in Rome), we can be sure that there is but one CREATOR, Savior, and Redeemer. This being is not the j-sus of the "New Testament."
Exodus 6:6 "...I [ETERNAL] 4 will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through extraordinary chastisements"

Deut. 7:8 "...the ETERNAL freed you with a mighty hand and rescued you from the house of bondage"

Deut. 32:39 "...I am He: there is no CREATOR beside Me. I deal death and give life; I wounded and I will heal; none can deliver from My hand."

Through these verses we can see perfectly that who is speaking is the CREATOR and not j-sus, the man; if otherwise, then the Father would be out of the picture.
2 Sam. 7:23 "Your people Israel, a unique nation on earth, whom CREATOR went and redeemed as His people, winning renown for Himself."

Do we want more clarity? Who are the people of the CREATOR, Israel or the gentile nations? You have the answer. More of the truth follows.
Isa. 41:14 "Fear not, O worm Jacob, O men of Israel: I will help you, I your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."

Isa. 43:1 "But now thus said the ETERNAL Who created you, O Jacob, Who formed you, O Israel: fear not, for I will redeem you; I have singled you out by name, you are Mine."

Isa. 43:10-11 "...and believe in Me, and understand that I am He: Before Me no g-d was formed, And after Me none SHALL EXIST--none but Me, the ETERNAL; Beside Me, none can grant triumph."

Isa. 43:13-14 "...and I am CREATOR. Ever since day was, I am He; none can deliver from my hand. When I act, who can reverse it? Thus said the ETERNAL, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."

The CREATOR is the Holy One of Israel and not the same god of the gentile nations:
Isa. 43:25 "It is I, I who for My own sake wipe your transgressions away and remember your sins NO MORE."

Isa. 44:6 "Thus said the ETERNAL, the King of Israel, their Redeemer, the ETERNAL of Hosts: I am the FIRST and I am the LAST, and there is no god but Me."

Can we want it any clearer? It is impossible! We CANNOT ARGUE that j-sus, the man, is the first and the last because if that is so, then where can we situate Israel's salvation, and therefore the gentiles' salvation?
Isa. 44:24 "Thus said the ETERNAL, your Redeemer, Who formed you in the womb: it is I, the ETERNAL, Who made everything, Who alone stretched out the heavens and unaided (meaning no second or third member of a "godhead" or "trinity or twinity") spread out the earth."

These words are crystal clear. It is the CREATOR only Who can create, Who stretches out the heavens and spreads out, unaided, the earth, and not a mere j-sus, the man, a creation himself:
Isa. 41:4 "...I, the ETERNAL, Who was first and will be with the last as well,"

Isa. 44:22 "...come back to Me, for I redeem you"

Isa. 43:3 "For I the ETERNAL am your CREATOR, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..." (Our only Savior is the ETERNAL, the CREATOR, the Father, not j-sus the man.)

All of us have been taught that we need an intercessor to obtain salvation. But, is this the truth? Let us read what the Scriptures say:
Isa. 47:4 "And let no man intercede. Our Redeemer - ETERNAL of Hosts is His name - is the Holy One of Israel."

Isa. 45: 21, 22 "Speak up, compare testimony--was it not I the ETERNAL? Then there is no god beside Me, no god exists beside Me, Who foretells truly and grants success. Turn to Me and gain success, all the ends of the earth. For I am CREATOR, and there is none else."

The wrightine in John 1:3 in the New Testament says the opposite. Regardless of the words written by men, it was the CREATOR Father, not j-sus, Who created all things. "We must say with all our heart that the ETERNAL has redeemed His servant Jacob." This is Israel's reality.

How then can we think that this is j-sus and not the CREATOR Father who can save? That is what we see within the world of the church in Rome. However, do not be fooled.

The "Chr-stian" world, though, is taught that j-sus, not the Father, was the redeemer. Quoting from Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, Oct. 1994

"His death (j-sus' death--the CREATOR cannot die) was an expiatory sacrifice by which those (of us) who avail themselves of it are literally redeemed from the wrath of 'God' that rested on them, and from all other effects of sin. It is Paul who works out this idea most systematically, though all the NT writers share it. The immediate effect of chr-st's redeeming death is to free from guilt and annul condemnation (Rom. 8:1, 33, 34) ...ultimately from death itself' (Rom. 8:23).
Isa. 49:26 "...and all mankind shall know that I the ETERNAL am your Savior, the Mighty One of Jacob, your Redeemer."
Is there another one? Do not forget that the dead cannot save.
Isa. 48:12"Listen to Me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am He--I am the first, and I am the last as well."

Isa. 49:7 "Thus said the ETERNAL, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to the despised one, to the abhorred nations, to the slave of rulers: Kings shall see and stand up; nobles, and they shall prostrate themselves to the honor of the ETERNAL, Who is faithful, to the Holy one of Israel Who chose you."

Look at what the ETERNAL will do in the future to those who do not want to admit that there is not but one CREATOR and ETERNAL:
Isa. 49:26 "I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh. They shall be drunk with their blood as with wine, and all mankind shall know that I the ETERNAL am your Savior, the Mighty One of Jacob, your Redeemer.

Do any of us believe that we need to pay some price for our salvation? Then be very attentive to these words. "For thus said the ETERNAL: you were sold for no price, and shall be redeemed without money" (Isa. 52:3). Is our CREATOR angry with us? "In slight anger, for a moment, I hid My face from you; but with kindness everlasting I will take you back in love, said the ETERNAL your Redeemer" (Isa. 54:8). Yes, our Father now has a slight anger with us, but we cannot cry to j-sus for help, for he does not exist.

Isa. 59:20 "He [the ETERNAL] shall come as Redeemer to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn back from sin, declares the ETERNAL"

There it is! We must turn back to our CREATOR! And then?
Isa. 60:16"You shall suck the milk of the nations, suckle at royal breasts. And you shall know that I am the ETERNAL your Savior, I, the Mighty One of Jacob, am your Redeemer."

Isa. 66:1 "Thus said the ETERNAL: The heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool: what place could serve as My abode? All this was made by My hand, and thus it all came into being, declares the ETERNAL."

Is there something stronger than being dead? Well, we know the answer.
Jer. 31:11 "For the ETERNAL will ransom Jacob, Redeem him from one ("death") too strong for him."

Why will He do this?
Jer. 50:34 "Their Redeemer is mighty, His name is ETERNAL of Hosts. He will champion their cause, so as to give rest to the earth, and unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon."

Hosea 12:6-7 "Yet the ETERNAL, the CREATOR of Hosts, must be invoked as ETERNAL. You must return to your CREATOR." (The "Chrstian" world has been too long away from its CREATOR, the One True Father CREATOR. Instead it has followed a man, j-sus; and a woman, Mary; and a "holy ghost.")

Speaking further to His people, the CREATOR says,
Hos. 13:4"Only I the ETERNAL have been your CREATOR, ever since the land of Egypt; you have never known a true CREATOR but Me. You have never had a helper other than Me."

Speaking of Moses, and to us as well, Nehemiah says to us,
Nehemiah 1:10"For they are Your servants, and Your people whom You Redeemed by Your great power and Your mighty hand, O ETERNAL."

However, there are even more promises to us from our CREATOR.
Zech. 10:8"I will whistle to them and gather them for I will redeem them; they shall increase and continue increasing." Have we yet seen these promises fulfilled in our lives? Of course not.

When David prayed to the CREATOR, he said to Him:

Psa. 19:15 "May the words of my mouth and the prayer of my heart be acceptable to You, O ETERNAL, my Rock and my Redeemer"

Psa. 49:16 "But CREATOR will redeem my life from the clutches of Sheol, for He will take me."
Psa. 78:35 "They remembered that CREATOR was their Rock, CREATOR Most High, their Redeemer."
Psa. 103:1-5 "Bless the ETERNAL, O my soul (Heb. nephesh, "life, person, mind, self" - not something immortal), all my being. His Holy Name...He redeems your life from the pit...He satisfies you with good things..."
Brothers and sisters, why can't we see the same thing? Let us remember that:
Psa. 118:27-29"The ETERNAL is the ETERNAL; He has given us light; ...praise the ETERNAL for He is good."

We must do the same thing that David did. The Psalmist continues.
Psa. 130:7, 8 "O Israel, wait for the ETERNAL; for with the ETERNAL is steadfast love and great power to redeem. It is He Who will redeem Israel from all their iniquities."

Psa. 135:5, 6 "For I know that the ETERNAL is great, that our ETERNAL is greater than all gods. Whatever the ETERNAL desires, He does in heaven and earth, in the seas and all the depths."

Job gives us another viewpoint in:
Job 19:25 "But I know that my Vindicator lives; in the end He will testify on earth...."
It is the same CREATOR, the Father, Who will testify before the world and the universe and He has all the reason in the world to do it. Our CREATOR and Father is our only One Vindicator or Redeemer.

That same CREATOR advises us:
Isa. 43:10, 11, 13, 14 "My witnesses are you, declares the ETERNAL; My servant whom I have chosen...none but Me, the ETERNAL; beside Me, none can grant triumph...and I am CREATOR. Ever since day was, I am He...thus said the ETERNAL, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."

Can we believe these words? Then let us do it.
Deut. 13:1-5 says, "Be careful to observe only that which I enjoin upon you: neither add to it nor take away from it. If there appears among you a prophet or a dream-diviner and he gives you a sign or a portent, saying, 'Let us follow and worship another god whom you have not experienced,' even if the sign or portent that he named to you comes true, do not heed the words of that prophet or that dream-diviner. For the ETERNAL your CREATOR is testing 5 you to see whether you really love the ETERNAL your CREATOR with all your heart and soul. Follow none but the ETERNAL your CREATOR, and revere none but Him; observe His commandments alone, and heed only His orders; worship none but Him, and hold fast to Him."
To answer the question asked at the beginning, we definitely are not speaking of j-sus the man when we use terminology such as "Redeemer," "Savior," the "First and the Last," and the "Interceder."

Let us end this lucubration by remembering some words of the prophet Jeremiah:
Jer. 3:22 "Turn back, O rebellious children, I will heal your afflictions!"
Jer. 5:22 "Should you not revere Me, says the ETERNAL, should you not tremble before Me?"

These are wise words. We can obtain these promises and blessings if we turn back our understanding and love to the Only One CREATOR, Savior, and Redeemer. The Mighty ONE of Israel.


Footnotes
1. Editor's Note: Lucubrate (loke brahete) - To write in a scholarly fashion; produce scholarship; a learned or carefully elaborated work. Lucubration (loke brahen,) n.
1. The act of lucubrating, laborious work, study, or writing, esp. that done late at night.
2. Something produced by such study, American Heritage Dictionary, Electronic Version
2. Editor's Note: Jorge Robles Olarte is a member in Columbia, South America, who is teaching himself English and typing.

3. All quotes are from The Tanakh, The Holy Scriptures, (Philadelphia, Jerusalem: Jewish Publication Society) 1985.

4. "ETERNAL" replaces "Lord" throughout; "CREATOR" replaces "God" throughout.

5. Read our article "The Test."







When we read in the Hebrew Scriptures: "You have established Your people Israel as Your very own people forever; and You, O YHWH, have become their Deity." Is it possible that we may think that II Samuel 7:24 is speaking of j-sus, the man, and that he, the man, is our CREATOR? I believe not, and if you do, let me say that you are wrong!

Let us read something that the general people seem to have forgotten:
Mal. 1:6 (Tanakh) 3 "'A son should honor his father, and a slave his master. Now if I am a Father (the Father speaking here), where is the honor due Me? And if I am a Master, where is the reverence due Me?' said YHWH of Hosts to you."

In these few words, we can see that we are not paying due honor to our CREATOR. This world pays honor to j-sus, the man (a man out of many), to Mary, and to the "Holy Spirit," the triad. Yes, this is the triad of the achurch of Rome, but inside the Protestant movement it is different. It is the "Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Yes, it is different because it is a differenct grouping. But we must remember always that the CREATOR is Spirit and that spirit is eternal, the ETERNAL of Hosts, the CREATOR of Israel, the Living CREATOR, the King of the Universe, and The Mighty One of Israel. The CREATOR that is full of mercy, grace, and the sublime CREATOR who dwells in eternity, Whose name is High and Righteous, and Who is above ALL created beings.

I know that it is not easy to unlearn the learned, but we must be conscientious that we pay honor and fidelity only to the one CREATOR, Savior and Redeemer, the Only One Father, ther Mighty One of Israel. In addition be aware the the "father which art in heaven" spoken of in the NT is the cheif of the Babylonial triad and is NOT the CREATOR feferred in the Hebrew Scriptures.

If we read very carefully the Scriptures, the "bad" "Old Testament" (as called by the world of the church in Rome), we can be sure that there is but one CREATOR, Savior, and Redeemer. This being is not the j-sus of the "New Testament."
Exodus 6:6 "...I [ETERNAL] 4 will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through extraordinary chastisements"

Deut. 7:8 "...the ETERNAL freed you with a mighty hand and rescued you from the house of bondage"

Deut. 32:39 "...I am He: there is no CREATOR beside Me. I deal death and give life; I wounded and I will heal; none can deliver from My hand."

Through these verses we can see perfectly that who is speaking is the CREATOR and not j-sus, the man; if otherwise, then the Father would be out of the picture.
2 Sam. 7:23 "Your people Israel, a unique nation on earth, whom CREATOR went and redeemed as His people, winning renown for Himself."

Do we want more clarity? Who are the people of the CREATOR, Israel or the gentile nations? You have the answer. More of the truth follows.
Isa. 41:14 "Fear not, O worm Jacob, O men of Israel: I will help you, I your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."

Isa. 43:1 "But now thus said the ETERNAL Who created you, O Jacob, Who formed you, O Israel: fear not, for I will redeem you; I have singled you out by name, you are Mine."

Isa. 43:10-11 "...and believe in Me, and understand that I am He: Before Me no g-d was formed, And after Me none SHALL EXIST--none but Me, the ETERNAL; Beside Me, none can grant triumph."

Isa. 43:13-14 "...and I am CREATOR. Ever since day was, I am He; none can deliver from my hand. When I act, who can reverse it? Thus said the ETERNAL, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."

The CREATOR is the Holy One of Israel and not the same god of the gentile nations:
Isa. 43:25 "It is I, I who for My own sake wipe your transgressions away and remember your sins NO MORE."

Isa. 44:6 "Thus said the ETERNAL, the King of Israel, their Redeemer, the ETERNAL of Hosts: I am the FIRST and I am the LAST, and there is no god but Me."

Can we want it any clearer? It is impossible! We CANNOT ARGUE that j-sus, the man, is the first and the last because if that is so, then where can we situate Israel's salvation, and therefore the gentiles' salvation?
Isa. 44:24 "Thus said the ETERNAL, your Redeemer, Who formed you in the womb: it is I, the ETERNAL, Who made everything, Who alone stretched out the heavens and unaided (meaning no second or third member of a "godhead" or "trinity or twinity") spread out the earth."

These words are crystal clear. It is the CREATOR only Who can create, Who stretches out the heavens and spreads out, unaided, the earth, and not a mere j-sus, the man, a creation himself:
Isa. 41:4 "...I, the ETERNAL, Who was first and will be with the last as well,"

Isa. 44:22 "...come back to Me, for I redeem you"

Isa. 43:3 "For I the ETERNAL am your CREATOR, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..." (Our only Savior is the ETERNAL, the CREATOR, the Father, not j-sus the man.)

All of us have been taught that we need an intercessor to obtain salvation. But, is this the truth? Let us read what the Scriptures say:
Isa. 47:4 "And let no man intercede. Our Redeemer - ETERNAL of Hosts is His name - is the Holy One of Israel."

Isa. 45: 21, 22 "Speak up, compare testimony--was it not I the ETERNAL? Then there is no god beside Me, no god exists beside Me, Who foretells truly and grants success. Turn to Me and gain success, all the ends of the earth. For I am CREATOR, and there is none else."

The wrightine in John 1:3 in the New Testament says the opposite. Regardless of the words written by men, it was the CREATOR Father, not j-sus, Who created all things. "We must say with all our heart that the ETERNAL has redeemed His servant Jacob." This is Israel's reality.

How then can we think that this is j-sus and not the CREATOR Father who can save? That is what we see within the world of the church in Rome. However, do not be fooled.

The "Chr-stian" world, though, is taught that j-sus, not the Father, was the redeemer. Quoting from Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, Oct. 1994

"His death (j-sus' death--the CREATOR cannot die) was an expiatory sacrifice by which those (of us) who avail themselves of it are literally redeemed from the wrath of 'God' that rested on them, and from all other effects of sin. It is Paul who works out this idea most systematically, though all the NT writers share it. The immediate effect of chr-st's redeeming death is to free from guilt and annul condemnation (Rom. 8:1, 33, 34) ...ultimately from death itself' (Rom. 8:23).
Isa. 49:26 "...and all mankind shall know that I the ETERNAL am your Savior, the Mighty One of Jacob, your Redeemer."
Is there another one? Do not forget that the dead cannot save.
Isa. 48:12"Listen to Me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am He--I am the first, and I am the last as well."

Isa. 49:7 "Thus said the ETERNAL, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to the despised one, to the abhorred nations, to the slave of rulers: Kings shall see and stand up; nobles, and they shall prostrate themselves to the honor of the ETERNAL, Who is faithful, to the Holy one of Israel Who chose you."

Look at what the ETERNAL will do in the future to those who do not want to admit that there is not but one CREATOR and ETERNAL:
Isa. 49:26 "I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh. They shall be drunk with their blood as with wine, and all mankind shall know that I the ETERNAL am your Savior, the Mighty One of Jacob, your Redeemer.

Do any of us believe that we need to pay some price for our salvation? Then be very attentive to these words. "For thus said the ETERNAL: you were sold for no price, and shall be redeemed without money" (Isa. 52:3). Is our CREATOR angry with us? "In slight anger, for a moment, I hid My face from you; but with kindness everlasting I will take you back in love, said the ETERNAL your Redeemer" (Isa. 54:8). Yes, our Father now has a slight anger with us, but we cannot cry to j-sus for help, for he does not exist.

Isa. 59:20 "He [the ETERNAL] shall come as Redeemer to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn back from sin, declares the ETERNAL"

There it is! We must turn back to our CREATOR! And then?
Isa. 60:16"You shall suck the milk of the nations, suckle at royal breasts. And you shall know that I am the ETERNAL your Savior, I, the Mighty One of Jacob, am your Redeemer."

Isa. 66:1 "Thus said the ETERNAL: The heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool: what place could serve as My abode? All this was made by My hand, and thus it all came into being, declares the ETERNAL."

Is there something stronger than being dead? Well, we know the answer.
Jer. 31:11 "For the ETERNAL will ransom Jacob, Redeem him from one ("death") too strong for him."

Why will He do this?
Jer. 50:34 "Their Redeemer is mighty, His name is ETERNAL of Hosts. He will champion their cause, so as to give rest to the earth, and unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon."

Hosea 12:6-7 "Yet the ETERNAL, the CREATOR of Hosts, must be invoked as ETERNAL. You must return to your CREATOR." (The "Chrstian" world has been too long away from its CREATOR, the One True Father CREATOR. Instead it has followed a man, j-sus; and a woman, Mary; and a "holy ghost.")

Speaking further to His people, the CREATOR says,
Hos. 13:4"Only I the ETERNAL have been your CREATOR, ever since the land of Egypt; you have never known a true CREATOR but Me. You have never had a helper other than Me."

Speaking of Moses, and to us as well, Nehemiah says to us,
Nehemiah 1:10"For they are Your servants, and Your people whom You Redeemed by Your great power and Your mighty hand, O ETERNAL."
However, there are even more promises to us from our CREATOR.
Zech. 10:8"I will whistle to them and gather them for I will redeem them; they shall increase and continue increasing." Have we yet seen these promises fulfilled in our lives? Of course not.

When David prayed to the CREATOR, he said to Him:

Psa. 19:15 "May the words of my mouth and the prayer of my heart be acceptable to You, O ETERNAL, my Rock and my Redeemer"
Psa. 49:16 "But CREATOR will redeem my life from the clutches of Sheol, for He will take me."
Psa. 78:35 "They remembered that CREATOR was their Rock, CREATOR Most High, their Redeemer."
Psa. 103:1-5 "Bless the ETERNAL, O my soul (Heb. nephesh, "life, person, mind, self" - not something immortal), all my being. His Holy Name...He redeems your life from the pit...He satisfies you with good things..."
Brothers and sisters, why can't we see the same thing? Let us remember that:
Psa. 118:27-29"The ETERNAL is the ETERNAL; He has given us light; ...praise the ETERNAL for He is good."

We must do the same thing that David did. The Psalmist continues.
Psa. 130:7, 8 "O Israel, wait for the ETERNAL; for with the ETERNAL is steadfast love and great power to redeem. It is He Who will redeem Israel from all their iniquities."

Psa. 135:5, 6 "For I know that the ETERNAL is great, that our ETERNAL is greater than all gods. Whatever the ETERNAL desires, He does in heaven and earth, in the seas and all the depths."

Job gives us another viewpoint in:
Job 19:25 "But I know that my Vindicator lives; in the end He will testify on earth...."
It is the same CREATOR, the Father, Who will testify before the world and the universe and He has all the reason in the world to do it. Our CREATOR and Father is our only One Vindicator or Redeemer.

That same CREATOR advises us:
Isa. 43:10, 11, 13, 14 "My witnesses are you, declares the ETERNAL; My servant whom I have chosen...none but Me, the ETERNAL; beside Me, none can grant triumph...and I am CREATOR. Ever since day was, I am He...thus said the ETERNAL, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."

Can we believe these words? Then let us do it.
Deut. 13:1-5 says, "Be careful to observe only that which I enjoin upon you: neither add to it nor take away from it. If there appears among you a prophet or a dream-diviner and he gives you a sign or a portent, saying, 'Let us follow and worship another god whom you have not experienced,' even if the sign or portent that he named to you comes true, do not heed the words of that prophet or that dream-diviner. For the ETERNAL your CREATOR is testing 5 you to see whether you really love the ETERNAL your CREATOR with all your heart and soul. Follow none but the ETERNAL your CREATOR, and revere none but Him; observe His commandments alone, and heed only His orders; worship none but Him, and hold fast to Him."
To answer the question asked at the beginning, we definitely are not speaking of j-sus the man when we use terminology such as "Redeemer," "Savior," the "First and the Last," and the "Interceder."

Let us end this lucubration by remembering some words of the prophet Jeremiah:
Jer. 3:22 "Turn back, O rebellious children, I will heal your afflictions!"
Jer. 5:22 "Should you not revere Me, says the ETERNAL, should you not tremble before Me?"

These are wise words. We can obtain these promises and blessings if we turn back our understanding and love to the Only One CREATOR, Savior, and Redeemer. The Mighty ONE of Israel.




Footnotes
1. Editor's Note: Lucubrate (loke brahete) - To write in a scholarly fashion; produce scholarship; a learned or carefully elaborated work. Lucubration (loke brahen,) n.
1. The act of lucubrating, laborious work, study, or writing, esp. that done late at night.
2. Something produced by such study, American Heritage Dictionary, Electronic Version

3. All quotes are from The Tanakh, The Holy Scriptures, (Philadelphia, Jerusalem: Jewish Publication Society) 1985.

4. "ETERNAL" replaces "Lord" throughout; "CREATOR" replaces "God" throughout.

5. Read our article "The Test."

THE OTHER EXODUS : FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF THE DANITE EXODUS FROM EGIPT!

I

n the days of the Pharaohs, we read of an adventurous hero named Danaos and his followers who dwelled in Egypt. Then came an event, or series of events, now corrupted by the mists of time, which caused them to be exiled by the Egyptians. Recorded history then tells us that they boarded ships in Egypt and sailed away to establish new homes in Greece.

The beginning of Greek history is often dated to this “exile” of Danaos and his followers, called Danaoi or Danaan, from Egypt. This event has been dated by historians to about 1450 to 1493 B.C. However, it is significant that the Hebrew exodus from Egypt is dated to the very same time-period: 1447 to 1491 B.C. Are these two events related? Could indeed the Danaan “exile” from Egypt have been a part of the Hebrew “exodus”? An analysis of ancient records indicates that this was indeed the case.

The Hebrew Exodus

The exodus — that wondrous event by which “the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt,” Exodus 12:51 — has been called Israel’s Indepen­dence Day and the turning point in world history. The starting point of their journey was the city of Rameses, located about six miles from the present Egyptian capital of Cairo. As God’s people set forth on their trek out of Egypt to the Promised Land, Pharaoh pursued with 600 chariots, Exodus 14:7, a mighty host that must have stretched a half-mile long at three abreast, plus an unknown large number of foot soldiers. Into an opening of the Red Sea they rushed! God temporarily held back the flood, creating a dry pathway long enough to allow His covenant people to escape, but Pharaoh and his army perished as the sea returned. This miraculous event is memorialized in the Song of Moses, Exodus 15:1-18, and sung in victory by the redeemed Overcomers in the Millennial scene of Revelation 15. It is therefore a type or shadow of the New Covenant victory of Christians over unbelief, sin and evil, and contains lessons for us all to benefit from today.

First century, B.C., Greek historian, Diodorus Siculus, gave collaborating evi­dence from the Egyptian point-of-view for the truth of the Bible’s exodus account. Of the Hebrews, he said, “Their forefathers had been banished out of the whole of Egypt . . . in order to purify the land,” The History Of Antiquity, p. 458. There was some truth to this assertion, after Egypt had endured the horrible swarms of insects and pestilential diseases of the ten plagues!

Early Greek geographer and historian, Strabo (born 63 B.C.), also lent support to the Biblical account, saying, “Moses told them and taught that the Egyptians were not right in representing the divinity as a wild or domes­ticated animal, nor the Libyans, nor were the Hellenes wise in giving gods the form of men. For only the One was God which surrounds us all . . . By such doctrines Moses con­vinc­ed not a few men of reason, and led them to the place where Jerusalem now is,” (ibid., p. 459). These “doctrines” of Moses are known as the Ten Commandments. You can read them yourself in Exodus 20 and Deuter­onomy 5.

A Second Exodus

Some historians say that the Egyptians left no contemporary surviving accounts of the presence of Hebrews and the exodus. The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia (iv:7) reports, however, that as early as the 15th century [B.C.], “Egyptian texts mention a foreign people called ‘Apuriu’ residing in Egypt and per­form­­ing the service of slaves.” The en­cyclo­pedia further states that these people are identified by many scholars as the Habiru or Hebrews. Ancient records also report that a Semitic people called Danaan were expelled from Egypt, and sailed to Greece to establish the early Greek civilization. Could the fabled Danaan be a reference to the Biblical Hebrew tribe of Dan? William Ridgeway’s Early Age of Greece (p. 220) dated the Danaan exodus from Egypt as 1450 B.C. This is virtually identical to the date of the Hebrew exodus, which is dated to 1447 B.C. by Dr. Stephen E. Jones and 1453 B.C. in Dr. Adam Ruther­ford’s Bible Chronology (p. 120). Other historians use slightly differing dates: The History of Etruria (p. 95) by Mrs. Hamilton Gray dates the Danaan exile at 1493 B.C., which compares to a Hebrew exodus of 1491 B.C. according to Bishop Usher’s dating (McClintock & Strong’s Encyclopedia, III: 396). Two unrelated Egyptian exoduses did not occur at the same time! Historic evidence indicates that the Danaan were the seafaring Biblical tribe of Dan and were therefore part of the Hebrew Exodus. The Bible tells us that the tribe of Dan were seafarers who “stayed in their ships,” Judges 5:17. The Bible also gives much other evidence of Hebrew sea­faring in ancient times, as related in our companion study, “Ancient Hebrew Sea Migrations.”

It should be mentioned that some Christian expositors date the exodus two centuries later, around 1225-1275 B.C., trying to fit a full 400-year captivity entirely within Egypt through a misunderstanding of the Scripture record. (See Secrets Of Time, by Dr. Stephen E. Jones for details on this issue.) Many scholars agree that this date is too late, and conflicts with the time of the Judges. In addition, Egyptian monuments during the 14th century refer to a region of western Galilee as “Aseru,” which was settled by the Hebrew tribe of Asher after the settlement of Canaan (Jewish Encyclopedia 2:180). There­fore, Israel had to have already settled Canaan by that time. The Jewish Encyclo­pedia also points out that “I Kings 6:1 fixes the interval between the exodus and the building of the Temple at over 480 years.

Rehoboam — 41 years after the building of the Temple (I Kings 14:25) — is contemp­or­aneous with Shishak, the first king of the twenty-second dynasty (c. 950 B.C.). This would give about 1470 B.C. for the Exodus. The finding by Flinders Petrie (1896) of an inscription by Merneptah I, in which for the first time Isir’l occurs in an Egyptian text, as well as the contents of the El-Amarna tablets, has corroborated the virtual correctness of the date given above” (5:296). This date of 1470 B.C. is exactly in the middle of the narrow date range given by other scholars for both the Hebrew exodus and the Danaan exile from Egypt.

The Semitic Danaan, the Tribe of Dan


The Semitic identity of the ancient Dan­aan sailors has been commented on by historians. G.F. Schomann stated, “Even among the ancients, some considered that the [Danaan] settlers who arrived [in Greece] from Egypt were at any rate not of Egyptian descent, but adventurers of Semitic race, who, having been expelled from Egypt, had some of them turned towards Greece,” (Antiquities of Greece, p. 12).

These Danaan were not only Semitic; they were Hebrews, according to ancient Egyptian records. Professor Max Duncker, in The History of Antiquity (I:456-466), gave fascin­ating details of a two-fold land/sea exodus as told in an ancient Egyptian account: “The narrative of Hecataeus of Abdera, who was in Egypt in the time of Ptolemy I, and wrote an Egyptian history, gives us the most unpreju­diced account, composed from the widest point of view, and connects the emigration of the Hebrews, whom he does not consider Egyptians, with the supposed emigration from Egypt to Greece.

[Hecataeus says,] “Once, when a pestil­ence had broken out in Egypt, the cause of the visitation was generally ascribed to the anger of the gods. [Editor’s Note: The Ten Plagues are called a “pestilence” in Exodus 9:14-15, and were indeed caused by God!] As many strangers dwelt in Egypt, and observed different customs in religion and sacrifice, it came to pass that the hereditary worship of the gods was being given up in Egypt. The Egyptians, therefore, were of opinion that they would obtain no alleviation of the evil unless they removed the people of foreign extraction. [Note: This “removal” is the Egyptian ap­pella­tion for the exodus of Scripture.] When they were driven out, the noblest and bravest part of them, as some say, under noble and renowned leaders, Danaus and Cadmus, came to Hellas [Greece]; but the great bulk of them migrated into the land, not far removed from Egypt, which is now called Judea. These emigrants were led by Moses, who was the most distinguished among them for wisdom and bravery.” Hecataeus of Abdera was a Greek historian living in fourth century B.C. Egypt under Ptolemy I, a general of Alexander the Great.

In the extract above, this ancient historian clearly connected both the Hebrews and the Danaan as part of the same exodus. Therefore, the Danaan were in fact the Biblical tribe of Dan — a seafaring tribe and part of the Hebrew exodus.

Another marvelous account, although also spoken with a decidedly Egyptian bias, is that of Lysimachus of Alexandria (355-281 B.C.), whose history was preserved by Flavius Josephus in Contra Apionem: “At the time of king Bocchoris [possibly the Greek name for the Pharaoh of the exodus], unclean and leprous men had come into the temples to beg for food. Hence there was a blight on the land; and Bocchoris received a response from Ammon [an Egyptian god], that the temples must be purified. The lepers, as if the sun were angry at their existence, were to be plunged into the sea, and the unclean were to be driven out of the land. Hence the lepers were . . . thrown into the sea; but the unclean were driven out helpless into the desert. These met together in council; in the night they lit fires and lights, and called, fasting, upon the gods to save them. Then a certain Moses advised them to go through the desert till they came to inhabited regions . . . they established a city Hierosyla [Jerusalem] in Judea . . .” (ibid., p. 463).

This ancient historic document provides evidence that the exodus involved two distinct groups with different destinations. Some of the Hebrews expelled from Egypt in the exodus were “thrown into the sea” and sailed north across the Mediterranean to found the earliest civilization in Greece, while Moses led the rest of Israel eastward “helpless into the desert” of the Wilderness.

The Exile From Egypt

What happened to cause Danaus and his followers to be expelled from Egypt? The reason handed down from the mists of time has obvious corruption to it. The Egyptian accounts refer to two brothers, Danaus and Aegyptus. Danaus was said to have 50 sons, who each married one of the 50 daughters of Aegyptus. According to the legend, each of the daughters then slew their husbands on their wedding night (Encyclopedia Britan­nica, 11th ed., 7:793). Aegyptus was also said to have “driven out” Danaus from Egypt. Danaus therefore designates some people who had dwelled in Egypt, and Aegyptus seems to indicate a personification of the land of Egypt itself. This strange and contorted legend, if rooted on an actual historic event, seems to indicate that some form of mass slaughter had occurred. It is far more likely that we have here evidence of the tenth plague on Egypt, the slaughter of the firstborn. This event was indeed the decisive event that caused Pharaoh to order the Hebrews to leave the land of Egypt, Exodus 12:29-33.

The waterway systems of ancient Egypt played an important part, since the Danaan went into exile on sea-going ships. The modern Suez Canal, linking the Red Sea northward to the Mediterranean, had not yet been built. Instead, a series of canals and waterways linked the Nile River eastward to the Red Sea. The Encyclopedia Britannica, in an article on the Suez Canal, states: “And so it is that the earliest canals of which history has mention were constructed to link the Nile valley to the Red sea and not to pierce the narrow neck of land which separated the latter from the Mediterranean. As early as 2000 B.C., a canal linked the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, via the Wadi Tumilat, with the Bitter Lakes, whence another channel was dug to the Red sea.”

Historian Alexander Wheelock Thayer, in The Hebrews In Egypt And Their Exodus, presents evidence that on the night the exodus began, Moses had a Hebrew force seize the boats on the Nile as well as those on the canal leading to the Red Sea. Thayer says, “This may reasonably have been, to seize all the shipping and boats on the canal and Jam Suph about Pithom, to hasten the business of cross­ing” the Red Sea. Thayer assumes that Moses would have been unaware that God would open a footpath through the Red Sea, and originally planned to cross by boat. It also assumes that Moses planned to patiently ferry, presumably in many hundreds of trips, all of the hundreds of thousands of people, animals, and belongings of Israel across the Red Sea while fleeing Egyptian pursuit! This would have been impractical, since “the total number of Israelites [were] probably about two millions. This number is accepted by the best critics” (Biblical Encyclopedia by Gray and Adams I:191).

For whatever reason, a Red Sea crossing by boat was never attempted, for the Bible does not record the presence of any boats as the Israelites approached the Sea. Therefore, if Egyptian boats were seized for the exodus, a different plan was in place. The boats were apparently used instead by the Danite sailors as vehicles to escape from Egypt. The exodus was most probably two-pronged. It was an escape by both land and sea from the land of Pharaoh!

Danite Migrations To Europe

Whether it was their original intention or not, the Danaan sailed their ships north to the secluded bay of Argos in the Greek Pelo­pon­nesus. The Encyclopedia Judaica (5:1257) quotes a leading Israeli archaeologist, Y. Yadin, who states, “. . . there is a close rela­tion­ship between the tribe of Dan and the tribe of Danaoi whose members were clearly seafarers.” Also, “the name Dan should be regarded as a short form of Dan(ann)iel or the like” (5:1255). Again the connection with the Greek Danaan is unmistakable.

Dr. Robert Latham, one of the most re­spected 19th century authorities, firmly stated that the Danaan of Greece were the Israelite Tribe of Dan. In his Ethnology of Europe, Latham commented, “Neither do I think that the eponymus [i.e., founder] of the Argive [Greek] Danai was other than that of the Israelite tribe of Dan; only we are so used to confine ourselves to the soil of Palestine in our consideration of the history of the Israelites, that we . . . ignore the share they may have taken in the ordinary history of the world” (p. 137).

Archaeologist Dr. Cyrus Gordon states that they later sailed from Greece to other European coastlands, including Ireland and Denmark. In his book, Before Columbus, Gordon relates, “A group of Sea People bore the name of ‘Dan.’ The Bible tells how a segment of the seafaring (Judges 5:17) Danites [were part of] the tribal system of ancient Israel. . . . The Danites were wide­spread. Cyprus was called Ia-Dnan ‘The Island of Dan(an).’ The same people were called Danuna, and under this name they appear as rulers of the Plain of Adana in Cilicia. Greek tradition has their eponymous ancestor, Danaos (Dan), migrating from the Nile delta to Greece . . .” (p. 108). Note that the Israelites did in fact emigrate from Egypt. Cyrus Gordon added, “Virgil also designated the Greeks as ‘Danai.’ Bold scholars see the influence of the Danites in Irish folk lore . . . and in the name of Danmark (‘Denmark’): the land of Dan . . .” (p. 111).

There is indeed strong evidence that the Danaan of Ireland, Cornwall and Scotland, the Danaan of Greece and Italy, as well as the Danes of Denmark, were Israelites of the tribe of Dan. W. Ewart Gladstone in Juventus Mundi states that the Tuatha de Danaan of Ireland came from the Danaan of Greece. The similarity of name would itself seem conclusive; but is there other evidence that these two groups of Danaan were related?

Dr. H.R. Hall, in The Civilization of Greece In The Bronze Age, stated concerning the Greeks of the age of Homer, “Athenian funerary lekythoi [painted vases] give us coppery-red or brown hair side by side with dark-brown or black, and generally fair complexions, re­semb­ling a certain Irish Celtic type” (p. 288).

Keating’s History of Ireland says, “The Dannans were a people of great learning, they had overmuch gold and silver. They left Greece after a battle with the Assyrians, and for fear of falling into the hands of the Assyrians came to Norway and Denmark (Dannemark) and thence passed over to Ireland” (p. 40).

The Annals of Ireland by the Four Masters explains, “The colony called Tuatha-de-Dannan conquered the Firbolgs and became masters of Ireland. were highly skilled in architecture and other arts from their long residence in Greece and intercourse with the Phoenicians” (p. 121).

They have left their names in many places; we find Dannonia, Caledonia, and Dona­ghadee in the Lough of Belfast. We can see by now it is no coincidence that the early Greeks resembled the Irish Celts, because the Tuatha de Danaan of early Ireland descended from Greek “Danaan” colonists who sailed westward in search of new lands.

These Danaan colonists did indeed settle in Denmark, which name means, ‘Dan’s Mark’ or ‘Dan’s Land.’ In ancient times, Denmark was settled by a tribe called the “Dani,” according to early Roman historian, Procopius (fifth century, A.D.), who recorded that the Dani were a group of tribes inhabiting the Danish peninsula (VI.xv.1-6). That these were part of the Hebrew tribe of Dan may be seen in the fact mentioned previously that Biblical Dan was called, “Dani-el or Danan­niel,” a variation of ‘Dani’ or ‘Danaan.’