Mark 16 – Added Verses? Thus, Suspect Ending.

The story has changed, quite a bit, compared to Matthew. In Matthew, an earthquake rolls the giant stone away from Jesus tomb. In Mark, the Mary’s find it open already. In Matthew a sparking, electrical “angel” sits on top of the rock explaining that Jesus has risen and left and to seek him out. In Mark, a young man sitting on the “right side” dressed in white explains to them Jesus has risen and left and to seek him out.

An “angel” vs a young man. That is one big difference. I wonder how the other 2 gospels will handle the identity and description of this mysterious tomb character.

Mark 16:8 – And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

WARNING: In early manuscripts, 16:8 is the LAST verse of Mark. So where do verses 9-20 come in? Obviously they were ADDED to these early manuscripts, and I wonder if there is some “oh, how convenient” context put into the later verse to make the stories match up more. Aka the manipulation of man, the presence of the hand of man and his twisting and turning of the context to fit their needs.

Let’s think about this last verse though. Supposing that at one time, this was the only copy of a gospel that some people may have possessed, what does it infer? Jesus is no longer in the tomb, a simple “young man” who scares the Marys tells them he has risen (no proof) and tells them to go find Peter and the disciples, but they run off and speak nothing to anyone in fear. THE END. This was the end of the story. The reader at some ancient time might be amazed at the story, possibly concluding that the kingdom of God did indeed come for Jesus, the 12 disciples, and the chosen sheep. Many mythologies have wild stories of previous “ages” or “epochs” and at one time, this gospel may have just been just that: an old tale of a past age of a hero Messiah who saved his world and his people.

Back to the story as laid out in KJV. Let’s look at 9-20. Jesus first appears to Mary Magdalene. He then appears in ANOTHER form to two unnamed disciples in the country. Then he appeared to the 11 of them and NOW this is where I find Jesus’ words highly suspect! Why? Because it was added in later.

Did the original writer know his story was going to be altered with more text? What would he have thought? What would YOU think if someone added to your story?

In my opinion, and this based on both the ending of Matthew AND Mark, the story just crashes and burns here. Here’s why:

First, the words of resurrected Jesus to his disciples in the added verses to Mark pretty much say “go and preach, the believers will be saved from damnation, the unbelievers will be damned…” but nothing about the impending kingdom of heaven which he told them they would see ALIVE! Here’s some new trap verses:

16:17 – And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Total trap verses: These verses imply that anyone who is a “believer” will be able to do these things. Hence the Christian snake handler type cults of recent generations that take these verses so literally they handle snakes, get bit and die. Victims of trap verse!

This whole story almost seems like a sick practical joke to see just how much they can manipulate people into putting themselves in bad situations. Which is sad because many people who flock to these teachings are in bad places, desperate for help, sick, depressed, suicidal, dying, etc. They then reach out to these words and trap verses, become faithful, and believe one day their prayers will be answered.

After Jesus gives them this last earthly, and seemingly perpetual command, he returns to heaven sitting at the right hand of God, and the disciples went forth teaching. So now that he’s on the right hand side he should be coming any day now, while the disciples and Caiphas are alive right? After all he told them they’d witness before most of them “tasted death”. These endings so far have really strayed away from the impending kingdom of heaven arriving timeline, and I believe that’s why people today think it’s still on its way, because these gospels end with zero mention of the arrival, when in fact, Jesus was preparing everyone (he chose) around them for it.

What a mystery so far. I’m hoping Luke and John will fill in some holes here, however I’m not having much faith they will, because it might tear a hole in Matthew and Mark.

Hosea 1 – 14; 13:6 Samaria’s Children Dashed into Rocks, Ripped Up in the Womb Prophecy

Ok, this is absolutely MADDENING. We went from a time in Babylonian captivity in Daniel ALL THE WAY BACK to the time of the kings of Judah we were in with the book of Isaiah.

WHY DID THE BIBLE COLLATORS DO THIS?!

Isaiah 60 plus chapters clearly laid out, over and over and over, what was to come. It’s been established, and since it has, I’m going to run through Hosea only pointing out any major differences or verses of note. This is all history and it’s so mundane the bible collators expected us to go through it AGAIN.

Hosea 1

Establishes how the kingdom of Israel ceased to exist thanks to Jezreel. Jehovah however states he will have mercy on Judah. Eventually reuniting both, at the time of Jezreel (which didn’t happen).

Hosea 2 – Begging for Judah

Jehovah tells those of Judah to plea with themselves to return to him, or face punishment. He also admits, once again, he set them up to worship Baal (or himself as Baal)

2:8 – For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.

Jehovah is mad because Judah “forgot” him and served Baal, even though he provided the materials for Baal offerings. He is going to seduce Judah into the wilderness (2:14), give her good things (2:15) and then:

2:16 – And it shall be at that day, saith Jehovah, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.

Baali = Baal? Jehovah will take on the name Ishi? Having to leave KJV and look at other modern translation it sounds more like “you will call me husband, and shalt call me no more master.” Just more symbolic and poetic interpretation of Judah returning to Jerusalem, because this prophecy has already been established. I will ignore these from now on, I just thought this one was interesting.

Hosea 3 – Prophecy of Israel returning to Jehovah

Hosea 4 – Warning to Israel not to influence Judah, but go ahead and carry on their “whoredoms”. Ephraim is “joined to idols: let him alone.”

Hosea 5 – Prophecy of both kingdoms punished

Hosea 6 – More of the same

Hosea 7 – Jehovah has accused Ephraim of saying “lies” about him (7:13) but doesn’t go into the juicy details (a shame.)

Hosea 8 – 12 – Jehovah laments on Ephraim (Israel)

Hosea 13 – (13:16) – Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her *elohe* (god): they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.

What is it with this gods fascination with children being dashed against rocks, and ripping pregnant women open in the womb? This is sentence against his own people, Samaria the capitol of Israel representing the kingdom of Israel.

Hosea 14 – Plea for Israel to return to Jehovah

Hosea done. Nothing surprising here, even though we get another disgusting look into the mind of “God” who wants the children of his own people dashed against rocks and pregnant women ripped up before disobeying him.

Isaiah 48 – 50; 50 – Massive Translation Issues

Jehovah sternly lectures his people, Jacob. Reminding them of all the things he has done that should’ve proven his superiority. Of course, either Jehovah was not powerful enough to prove himself, or the people accepted the misery Jehovah brought to them, preferring to worship the other gods as well.

48:18 – Jehovah explains that if they had only listened to his commandments, they would have peace and righteousness.

The logic of this is kind of odd. The people had always questioned him, from the time Moses disappeared from sight and the people built a golden calf, to the time of captivity in Assyria and Babylon. However the biggest event was Solomon. Here’s the logic.

Solomon is chosen to be king. Solomon asks for wisdom, Jehovah obliges. The now Wise Solomon then later worships other gods as well. Was Solomon truly wise by doing so? Is this the authors way of saying “Look, this man was given wisdom by a god, and in that wisdom he learned it was best to worship the other gods as well.” It is wise to distance from Jehovah, and find solace and comfort with the other gods of the land?

Yes I know for modern religion that is blasphemous, but the authors aren’t here to tell us what they meant.

Isaiah 49 – Some interesting verses but little context.

Isaiah 50 – Who Gave You What? The Lord and the Lord Lord?!

Isaiah 50:1 Starts off with the phrase “Thus saith the Lord...” he seems to be speaking to his people about the “divorcement” between him and his people. No one else is speaking. I didn’t use the word Jehovah as I usually do because I’m not so sure he is the one talking here. Here’s why:

Isaiah 50:4 – The Yahweh (lord) Adonay (lord) hath given me the tongue of the learned… (using original Hebrew words that KJV translates as “Lord God.)

I skipped the rest because what’s of importance is the distinction between “the Lord” speaking and the “Lord Lord” who gave the “Lord” the tongue of the learned, among other things. Is Jehovah the “Lord” or is he the “Lord Lord” because he cant be both. Even though the KJV translates Yahweh Adonay as “Lord God” that’s not what the original Hebrew interlinear states. Yahweh and Adonay BOTH have been previously translated to “Lord” in the KJV. Adonay has also translated as lower case “lord”. So when is it “Lord” and not “lord” when it’s the same freaking word?! And why did KJV translators use “God” when neither El or its variants was used in the original Hebrew, which is EXACTLY how the translators translated in the past?!

Imagine that we have MULTIPLE entities/deities/gods speaking in the original stories, and the authors have decided to fix the translation turning references to them all into one entity! The end result: Bad translation where the “Lord” receives power from the “Lord Lord” and we have no idea who either one is, because they can’t be the same Lord, and the translators took liberties at lazily translating words into English that they haven’t translated to in the past to make the story fit.

Wow! The KJV has just gone down a serious notch. Looking at the biblehub.com Parallel for the other modern versions doesn’t help, they’ve ignored the Hebrew double Lord use and just lazily translated to almighty/sovereign god.

Now, the only way this would work thus far, with the idea that Jehovah is Yahweh Adonay “Lord Lord”, is that the first “Lord” of 50:1 is a “lord” at which point it does make sense that this “lord” received the gift from the “Lord Lord.” But that’s not what the original Hebrew shows. It says Yahweh was speaking (50:1) and that he states he received the gift from Yahweh Adonay (50:4) which makes zero sense unless Yahweh Adonay is another entity separate from Jehovah.

How can I trust the KJV version now? Has the context been altered because the translators and collators of this text have taken liberties on assigning, arbitrarily, different translations for the same word to fit their intended belief system!

Did the translators remove references to other deities so that they could elevate their tribal deity to the status of the supreme, and attributing actions of the rest of the elohim in the original stories as all being of Jehovah (who ironically “chose” them as his own, artificially elevating THEMSELVES in the process) ? Seems so more than ever now.

I’ve seen this before, half way around the world. A wandering tribe ended up becoming a great developed nation. Once they were established as a powerful nation, they elevated their tribal god to the supreme god of the land, elevating their status as the most powerful people in the land. I didn’t think I’d see vestiges of this same type of story in the bible, but here I am.

At this point I want to close this bible up and move on. I can’t trust these translations, especially when the original Hebrew points to massive human manipulation of the story. No wonder so many versions have to be printed, and so much confusion lies within translations all over the world, the hands of man have “polluted” this book, likely from the start.

Isaiah 17 – The Burden of Damascus: FULFILLED in 2 Kings 16. NOT For Today!

This prophecy drives me crazy, so much, because of how it’s abused today. Every time Damascus or Syria is bombed by Israel, people scream “bible prophecy” is happening. They don’t mention Ahaz, Pekah, and Rezin, kings that are directly involved with this prophecy, as written in the very book they profess to claim their knowledge from.

I’ve shown Christians the corresponding verses that show, and can prove, that this prophecy was fulfilled in 2 Kings 16. I get a lot of hate and accusations of manipulating scriptures. Even Biblehub.com acknowledges that Damascus fell in 2 Kings 16:

These are the verses/steps to take to understand the who/what/where/when and how the Burden of Damascus is fulfilled:

• Isaiah 1:1 – the kings of Judah that Isaiah served (which includes Ahaz)
• Isaiah 7:1 – the players and reasons why Jehovah is angry and will punish Damascus AND Ephraim (Syria and kingdom of Israel). Syria and Israel plan to invade Ahaz/Jerusalem together, angering Jehovah
• 2 Kings 16:5 – verification of Isaiah 7:1
• Isaiah 7:8 – Jehovah lays out the figurative titles for each kingdom (Syria=Damascus=Rezin; Ephraim=Israel=Pekah)
  • Note that Isaiah 7:8 also tells us that Ephraim (Israel), for their role in wanting to invade Jerusalem/Ahaz, will be punished WITHIN 65 years. Not 2020 and beyond. It’s LUDICROUS to think that Damascus will be punished today for what happened in the time of Ahaz.
• Isaiah 17 – Describes Jehovah’s poetic take on the “Burden of Damascus”
• 2 Kings 16:8 – FULFILLS THE PROPHECY OF THE BURDEN OF DAMASCUS when we are told Tiglathpiliser of Assyria destroys Damascus and kills king Rezin.

Prophecy Fulfilled.

Just because Isaiah’s prophecy of Damascus comes AFTER 2 Kings 16 as a chapter in the bible, doesn’t mean the context is different. All one has to do is follow the verses above to get all one needs to realize this is the case.

If Damascus is bombed into oblivion today, it’s not because it’s bible prophecy being fulfilled, it’s because people THINK it’s supposed to be fulfilled and attempt to make it happen. Which is a damn disgrace because we are talking about innocent lives being lost because people can’t read the Bible correctly.

Bad Prophecy for Today

I’ve had multiple end-time-is-now Christians tell me that this prophecy has yet to be fulfilled because “Damascus shall be a ruinous heap, for ever.” I ask them which bible version says “forever” and they don’t know, but they sure as hell know it’s true. Now THAT is some poison being fed to the masses. A quick trip to the Parallel option of Isaiah 17:1 on biblehub.com (a GREAT resource) shows ZERO versions saying that Damascus will be destroyed forever:

This is just a sample but I welcome the reader to visit biblehub.com and view the list for themselves

To believe bombing Damascus today is biblical because someone read ONE verse and ignored the rest of the verses around it is absolutely maddening.

Regardless, we have yet another prophecy fulfilled, and I hope the truth is told about Isaiah 17:1 and the world learns that bombing Damascus in 2020 is not bible prophecy and only causes needless death, destruction, and perpetual war that this world does not need.

Isaiah 8 – 9: Isaiah 7 AND 8 Immanuel Prophecy Fulfilled. Not Jesus.

Isaiah 8: Isaiah 7 Fulfilled. Immanuel = Maher-shalal-hash-baz

Isaiah is still in the process of receiving prophecy from Jehovah to speak to Ahaz king of Judah (reference 2 Kings 16 for context). Isaiah is instructed to write down information in a scroll about Maher-shalal-hash-baz. Just who is this? You guessed it: Immanuel/Emmanuel.

Emmanuel was born in Isaiah 8. Not in the Gospels.

Isaiah 8:3 – And I (Isaiah) went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said Jehovah to me, Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

Considering we are in the same situation where Jehovah is speaking to prophet Isaiah situation in verse 7 (which promised a child born), verse 8 tells us that the child was indeed born, and:

8:4 – For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.

There it is, the fulfillment of part of the prophecy of Isaiah 7:

Isaiah 7:16 – For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

“Both” kings in 7:16 refers to “Damascus” and “Samaria” in 8:4. This prophecy is being fulfilled as we speak.

The context of Immanuel aka Maher-shalal-hash-baz, ends here in chapter 8. Just what is he going to do as part of the Judah/Syria/Israel dilemma? The rest of the chapter provides little context, it just goes into a general idea of what is about to happen in the land, in the usual poetic form, which as already mentioned, has been fulfilled.

Isaiah 9 – More Fulfilled Prophecy

Isaiah starts off with more poetry about the situation of the land, which also seems to include the old united Israel as a whole. But, Jehovah has a plan, and this Immanuel who is already born, seems to be a part of it:

Isaiah 9:6 – For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty *El* (god), the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

This is not Jesus of the New Testament, this is Immanuel/Maher-shalal-hash-baz who was prophesied in Isaiah 7 and born in Isaiah 8. Isaiah 8 proves this.

Apparently Immanuel/Maher isn’t just sent to Judah but, in verse 8 references “Jacob” and “Israel”, so maybe he is a uniting force. BUT WAIT? There is no mention of any of this in Esther-Ezra. Is this a broken prophecy? Seems so. OR, are we missing biblical books that fill in this hole about Israels role in the life of Immanuel. Also, in case ANYONE is still doubting all this talk of Immanuel and a “child is born” is related to anything but Maher- and the current events of Isaiah and 2 Kings 16, the prophecy actually adds this verse for context:

9:11 – Therefore Jehovah shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together.

Immanuel and all these prophecies are simply about king Rezin and king Pekah wanting to war against king Ahaz. We are still well before the fulfillment of prophecy in 2 Kings 16. The evidence that this is not in reference to Jesus piles on. This is all in regards to the current events. The rest of the chapter continues. Remembering that we are still PRE-CAPTIVITY, the rest of prophecy discusses things that WILL and WERE FULFILLED in previous books. Not things to come.

Again, I have to note that I find it terrible that the collators and organizers of the modern bible have purposely chosen to place the books of the prophets so far past the books that actually match with them in the historical timeline. I still find myself reading parts of Isaiah as if they are prophecies yet to come, a bad habit I learned from my youth. Still being taught today, and I think that’s a travesty, if not blasphemy at the church level.

Pearls of Proverbs: Part 2 – False Verses; More of the Female Wisdom, Sophia, Gnostic Connections

As I did with Psalms, I will pick a few select verses that are proven to be wrong, note them, and then move on from finding more and focusing on “pearls” found in Proverbs. Here’s the first one. Remember how all the anointed kings screwed up so much? I made the note there was NEVER any correction from Jehovah, it was up to the individual, and some did. Then we have this:

Proverbs 3:12 – For whom Jehovah loveth, he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

I made the comment early on that the relationship between Jehovah and his people was sort of father-like. However, I changed that to what I call the man-god system. There was very little, if any, characteristics of a loving father found in Jehovah.

Proverbs 3:19 – Jehovah by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

Remember “wisdom” is feminine and this can also be read “Jehovah by her hath founded the earth…” Really starting to sound Gnostic, Jehovah and “Wisdom” parallel to the Demiurge and Sophia.

Proverbs 6:16 lists 6 things Jehovah hates: A proud look, *a lying tongue*, and hands that *shed innocent blood*, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are swift to run to mischief.

He really must’ve hated Jacob lying to his blind father, or himself for killing so many innocent people when he sent a plague on his people when David called for a census. This verse: FALSE

Proverbs 7:4 – We are told both “wisdom” AND “understanding” are feminine. and Solomon warns of “strange” women, which I’m assuming would be the opposite of wisdom and understanding.

Proverbs 8 – Another good example of Wisdom manifesting as a woman who physically stands in the gates, speaking and seeking out those who will accept her. A quote “By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.”

I’m still getting feelings that these were once the words of the god-wife of El or the wife/feminine counterpart to an earlier version of Jehovah. Why? She even sorts of admits to it:

8:22 – Jehovah possessed me in the *beginning* of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

It almost sounds like she was there with Jehovah before his old days, from the beginning… but does he possess her now? (also note how similar this verse with the concept that Jesus was also there “from the beginning.” To be honest, Jehovah from the start of his covenant with his inheritance, did not seem very wise. He seems very unwise without her. Wisdom as an entity was never mentioned early on. Did Jehovah divorce himself from Wisdom the entity? And Solomon knew this, taught his son about it, and eventually left the monotheism of the Jehovah cult to later worship the rest of the Elohim, as this Wisdom that he knew so much about, allowed? That’s what it sounds like to me! Maybe Solomon truly was wise. No I have to rethink the entire Solomon story and him supposedly “betraying” Jehovah by taking in the rest of the gods.

One last REAL good pearl regarding Wisdom and the sense that Gnosticism as it is defined today is found in Proverbs:

9:1 – Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars.

Is this a reference to 7 levels of heaven? 7 planets known to the people of this time make up our Solar System? This smacks so much of Gnosticism, and I bet it’s already been well discussed by scholars. Very interesting and coincidental! I believe we are seeing the remnants of lost or removed beliefs system in the polytheistic cultures of this time, shaved down to fit into the Jehovah-only narrative. Later Gnostics revived it, and included the role of Jesus in the Gnostic-man system. Maybe the authors did this on purpose, changed the stories up a bit to make it *sound* Jehovah only but left hints that it wasn’t always this way. This was a neat discovery to come across!

As much as I’d really like to sit down and compare Proverbs to the Gnostic knowledge base of Sophia/Wisdom, my main goal here is to complete the New Testament now, so I will continue speeding through Proverbs.

It seems that Proverbs 1-9 is focused on Wisdom. Proverbs 10 starts off with the “proverbs of Solomon” so it looks like the focus has changed.

THE GEM of Psalms: Psalms 82 – Gods in the Council of Judging Gods; Dead Gods?

I’ve been waiting to get to this one from the start. As I read through the bible the first of the 5 times I’ve gone through it in the past few years, I started to notice all those little polytheistic nuances present, however I would just brush them off at the time. That is, until I got to this chapter and said WOAH! “I thought there was only one God!!!”

This is a Psalm of Asaph, who was chief musician to David. We are taken to a place that doesn’t sound like it’s on this planet, a “congregation of the mighty” or in the original Hebrew “congregation of el/god”. To really figure out the context of this whole chapter, one REALLY needs to look at the KJV and compare it to the Parallel bible versions for each individual verse (easily navigated on biblehub.com.) No specificity to any named god is made however we do get dual use of el/elohim/god/gods.

82:1 – Elohim stands in the congregation of El (singular “god”. KJV “mighty”); he judgeth among the Elohim.

The first elohim seems singular, and the congregation has to be plural (though the singular el is used), and yet the third mention of elohim is plural. Confused yet?

Some god/gods, stand in the congregation of the gods, and are judging among the gods.

82:2 – How long will ye judge unjustly, and *accept* the persons of the wicked? Selah

The second I read this verse I thought: Jehovah! Jehovah accepts the persons of the wicked, most of the patriarchs and his kings were evil and wicked. Yeah, he would punish them, but he’d always RETURN to defend and more importantly *ACCEPT* them back. Thus, is Jehovah being judged? If so, he very well may be being judged by a council of gods, or one supreme god (the Most High?)

Which ever god/gods being judged is then told that they should: defend the poor, fatherless, do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy out of the hand of the wicked… Here’s one viewpoint of how the man/god relationship should work, from the very mouth of a judging god who sees man and the earth in an imbalance:

82:5 – They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

The people who need the gods help the most walk in darkness, and if you believe the plural form of elohim regrew the earth in Genesis 1 (as I do), we see that their earth is “out of course.” In other words, things are bad, and it’s the fault of the gods being judged. They, being part of the Elohim that “created” the earth, have now caused it to go out of course, out of balance.

Next, it almost seems like judgement is being laid out:

82:6 – I have said, Ye are gods (elohim); and all of you are children of the Most High (el*yown).

He’s recognized their divinity and we get another mention of the children of the Most High. Now comes the sentence:

82:7 – But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.

In verse 6 there is ONE god voice speaking and judging, and he references a plural “gods” aka the children of the Most High. And, if Jehovah is the right hand of the Most High as David inferred, Jehovah just might be one of the gods/sons of the most high being judged.

A Set of Gods are Being Judged (Quite Possibly Including Jehovah)

So here’s my initial translation: The gods stand in the congregation of THE god (Most High, father of the sons of God) and the council is judging among the gods being accused.

These gods were accused of judging unjustly and accepting wickedness in man. They are supposed to be doing good things, godly things to help those that need it, yet they are meddling with the wicked (a power struggle among the gods?)

The creation of the gods, both earth and mankind, is in turmoil. Man walks in darkness and the earth is off course.

The gods being judged are reminded of their godly status, but they receive their sentence by the council:

“But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.”

The guilty gods have been rendered mortal, sentenced to fall and die like man. Thus the introduction of the idea of the death of gods.

Overall Viewpoint; god/Jehovah is Dead

It was after a few times getting to this chapter that I thought of one thing: Jehovah has fallen, and may be dead as a god. I often proposed the question of “Just where is Jehovah and his voice?” during the time of the captivity of the Jews (Judah and Benjamin) under the Persian Empire according to the books thus far. Now I think we will see some words in some of the books of the prophets, but for the most part, reading Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther I got the impression the cult of Jehovah was dead, and those of the Persian captivity were trying to resurrect a dead religion, and quite possibly, a dead god. A true attempt at religious revival, bringing a god and his worship back to life.

Now when I say “dead” I don’t necessarily mean he is non-existent. He may have been removed from the council of the Elohim. He may have gone back to wherever he came from and not allowed to reign over any people or land on this earth. Or he could literally be dead. Gods die in other religious beliefs. It’s not that far fetched. Much like when man dies, we believe our spirit goes to another realm, same with the ‘gods’?

One might even go far and say is that, after this “death” he tried to revive his kingdom through Jesus and the Gospels, and then so later with the prophet Mohamed and the Quran, all 3 religions clearly stating their god is the god of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Is Jehovah/Yahweh/Jah/Ellah/Allah really still around? The systems he put in place when he was (supposedly) here on earth are long gone, and the 3 religions calling upon him are all variants of that original system, and so much to the point they fight among each other instead of finding a peace they should find knowing they are following the same god. As well each of the three has branched into countless variations where just about any translation and ideology is represented.

His prophets are gone, his tabernacle and ark are gone. His house is gone, his priesthood is gone, his inheritance is shattered. He is no longer ministered with incense, and blood and burnt offerings. He may have been judged among his godly peers and removed from the Elohim “gods”. He has thousands if not hundreds of thousands of churches, synagogues, and mosques trying to revive him, all while they spill each others blood and squabble among themselves and among their own brothers and sisters.

Did Jehovah receive a death sentence in Psalm 82 and eventually leave this earth? Die? Is Jehovah the “Father” Jesus and the apostles refer to in the New Testament? Seems likely, at this point, the “Most High” who had children just might be the Father, not Jehovah.

One might say: but he still existed after David and Asaph? Yes, but look what happened to his covenant and the kingdoms: shattered. This may have been part of his sentence, his god system “falls” into pieces and his inheritance (the land and the people) now belong to someone else. Like most sentences, the punishment can usually take some time to play out.

Very interesting chapter to come across: nice and short, yet vague (intentional?) enough to really skew the original meaning AND provide a multitude of interpretations to provide conflicting translations among the churches that continue to follow the text.

Gems of Psalms: Part 5; Jehovah vs the Pantheon? Angels Food

Psalms 77 – The Right Hand of the Most High = Jehovah?

Again, David starts out by crying out to Elohim. Then, in verse 7, he turns his speech to speak not to, but ABOUT Jehovah, asking if Jehovah is ever going to be favorable to him again. So apparently David is all alone and Jehovah is not helping him. Here’s more of David’s interesting plea:

77:10 – And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High (el*elyown). I will remember the works of Jehovah: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

It seems as if David is calling Jehovah the right hand of the Most High. This makes sense with my theory, Jehovah is either a SON of the Most High (El*elyown) or the Elohim (gods) THUS this also makes sense that Jehovah could be the “right hand” of the Most High. He can’t be right hand to himself! Let’s look at this verse and just how well it meshes with the Deuteronomy verse:

Deuteronomy 32:7 – Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. 8When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of God (sons of God?). 9For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

Jehovah received his inheritance from the Most High, who separated these inheritances based on the “number of the children of Elohim.” Were they his children? Or just children of all the gods UNDER Most High, Jehovah being one of them.

This also makes me wonder about Jehovah’s status in this hierarchy of gods and why he is so jealous not wanting the other gods “before” him. Was he a 2nd born, and thus JEALOUS of the 1st born god? And he takes out his frustration on the first born of every man and animal on earth, including his own people? He really hated Esau and Ishmael got a bad rap, both first borns. The 2nd borns were the ones he favored.

This theory would lead to the idea there is an entire PANTHEON of gods and deities here, we are merely getting a microcosm story focused on Jehovah and his particular inheritance. Archaeological finds in the Levant and other parts of the middle east show the nations that inhabited the lands at this time were fundamentally polytheistic, gods were shared and brought from other lands.

Then the BIG one for me.. the “groves” and “pillars” that Jehovah hates so much. The physical material records tells us these were called “asherah” (as I’ve noted in previous blog posts.) These are related to Ashtarte/Ishtar, and other feminine goddesses among these Middle Eastern pantheons, if not the outright wife/queen to the highest ranking god. And yes, we will see her and just how the Israelites view her when we get into the books of the prophets, specifically Jeremiah. If there is a King of Heaven, then surely there will be a Queen of Heaven?

Psalms 78 – Angels Food? Manna

We are taken back to the time of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. They are hungry and not sure if Jehovah will be able to feed him. Of course, he becomes angry as usual, and then “opens up the heavens” so that the “corn of heaven” will come down:

78:25 – Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.

This is interesting, the concept of “other worldly” food, not food grown on the ground, cut from an animal, or pulled from a tree. But food from heaven/outer space, whatever you want to call it. Why would angels need food though? A quick look at Strong’s Hebrew interlinear shows that the word used for angels actually means “valiant, strong, strong like bulls” which may be referring to a type of angel? Because the word here is not the usual angel/messenger word. I’m thinking this is another type of angel, a stronger angel than the usual “messenger”.

There is a version of the bible I’ve just noted called the “New Heart English” bible, and in both of the gems I’ve listed above, it seems to have matched up with my thoughts on the verse. I only really knew details of or read KJV, NSV, ASV, and NKJV, but it was interesting to see at least one of many bible versions parallels with what I think I’m seeing in the context of these texts.

So maybe we are dealing with “the food of the mightier angels”…

Job 2 – 5; The Discourse Begins; Holy Ones? Other Entities?! Helpers of Man?

Job 2 – Jehovah & Satan vs Job Part 2

Another day comes when the “sons of Elohim” present themselves to Jehovah, so much that the verses pretty much match what we saw in Job 1. However, it is noted that Job has already passed one test. Pay attention closely to Jehovah’s words here:

Job 2:3 – And Jehovah said unto Satan/satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth Elohim, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although *thou* hast movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

First off, Jehovah is admitting that HE is destroying Job, not Satan. Not only that, he blames Satan for it! What in the world?! Satan tells Jehovah to “put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.”

Satan seems to really understand the nature of man, and we are going to see yet another example of Job being put under duress, and so much in fear he will still not speak out against Jehovah, who is basically torturing him to prove a point to Satan. Satan, knowing mans nature, believes Job will curse Jehovah for the torture he’s being put through.

So now Job has been touched by Jehovah, and is now covered in sore boils, from head to toe. Job sits in ashes, and begins to scratch himself with a shard of pottery. Job’s wife tells him to go ahead and curse Elohim and face the consequences and die, because even she knows that once Job speaks out against the deity that is torturing, this deity will just kill him. And people say he performed these feats as honorable devotion to Jehovah the torturer?

Job does a Jehovah Deflection with another flowery saying, proving my earlier point that evil does not come from Satan:

2:10 … What? shall we receive good at the hand of Elohim, and shall we not receive evil?

It comes from the gods, from Jehovah. Evil. Not from Satan. Job receives a visit from 3 of his friends who sit and mourn with him.

Job 3 – Cursing His Own Life, Admitting the Evilness of the Situation

Job curses the day and night he was born, and then goes into a flowery diatribe about how he shouldn’t have been born, why he should’ve died in the womb, etc. etc.

Job 3:25 – For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. I was not in safety, neither I had rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.

Read between the lines! Yes, Job, trouble came to you, and his name was Jehovah! Job is admitting he did nothing to deserve this torture, but the “thing” called “trouble” came. This “thing” and “trouble” named Jehovah. Job is not admitting this is a good god, he’s telling us how evil this god is without naming names, in the attempt to preserve his life.

Job 4 – Eliphaz Answers Job; Mystery Messenger

Eliphaz responds with some interesting information: he was visited by a spirit, which scared him so that “the hair of my flesh stood up.” Something that he couldn’t recognize is in front of him and then begins to speak on the man-god/creator relationship.

To sum up: It’s the creator god that blasts men and causes his death and death in the animal kingdom. He trusts no one, even his own angels who he “charges with folly.” If he treats his servants and angels like that, imagine how he is going to treat mankind?

In other words Eliphaz, the man-deity relationship is a detriment to the man because the creator god is imperfect. What an abusive relationship to have to exist in. Was this the belief of the people of that day? Living every day being abused, not knowing if the “blast of god” was coming to kill them for no reason?

And, just WHO was this messenger? Was it an angel? It was some sort of familial or other heavenly spirit? I’m really hoping we see more of this. We might actually have another type of entity that appears to be actual “messengers” of messages not from Elohim or Jehovah. Interesting!

Job 5 – Eliphaz Answer Continues; Seek god for help? The Same god of Job 4?

Eliphaz’s scathing description of “god” Elohim is over. His advice to Job is to call out to anyone who will answer him, even to the “saints” (was this who appeared to Eliphaz)?

Just who are these saints? Are they human? Heavenly? Hybrid?! Let’s analyze the word “saint” here. Strong’s Hebrew 6918 “saint” means “holy ones.” Just who are these holy ones? Other angels? Another set of entities outside of the system of Jehovah? Ones that don’t want to torture his people to make a point, but help people? This gets even better. Remember Eliphaz’s description of the god/creator. Who in the world is he talking about here?:

Job 5:8 – I would seek unto Elohim, and unto Elohim would I commit my cause:

Eliphaz then goes on to describe all the great things Elohim does for the good of people who turn to him/them. Is he speaking of the same “elohim” now as he did in chapter 4? Is he asking Job to turn to the same entity that is torturing him? Or to another one?

I’m getting the odd impression this is the case, especially if elohim is plural, and we are missing some qualifiers before the word “elohim” that distinguish chapter 4 elohim from chapter 5 elohim. Or he could just be telling Job to reach out to his torturer. Hopefully more context comes about these possible other holy/heavenly entities/gods.

2 Chronicles 23 – 24; Bible Organization Confounded?

2 Chronicles 23 (2 Kings 11)

Jehoiada (who I had to back to figure out just who he was, a priest of Judah) “strengthens himself” (just what does THAT mean?) and begins to gather captains and Levites and the congregation and they all head to Jerusalem to renew the covenant with Jehovah. He assigns them all roles, arms the captains, and brought out the recently hidden Joash. They proclaim him king and place a crown on him.

His possible mother, Athaliah, and yells “Treason, Treason” and was taken by the soldiers, and killed (not destroyed!) at the entering of the horse gate. The house of Baal was destroyed (not killed), and Mattan the priest of Baal was also killed. The king is then placed on his throne (he must be sitting on staves or he is in some sort of container being carried to have to be “put on” the throne.)

2 Chronicles 24 (2 Kings 12)

Joash was 7 years old at the time of him being put on the throne. He does good in the eyes of Jehovah, and later goes on to marry and have children, and intends to repair the house of Jehovah, which was damaged by Athaliah when she set up worship to Baal.

Jehoida his priest eventually dies. After this, princes of Judah come to pay obedience to king Joash, however they leave and go and serve “idols” and “groves” (remember that groves is also the name used to describe the goddess Asherah, and specifically the wooden idol made in her image.) So we can make the argument that the princes of Judah are worshipping Asherah.

Because of this, wrath came to Judah and Jerusalem (instead of just punishing the princes.) Again, it seems as Jehovah isn’t running properly aka “being ministered to” and now lashes out like a poorly running machine at the whole of Judah, instead of just the guilty players. Joash sends prophets out to the princes to tell them that what they are doing is wrong, but they don’t listen. Zechariah, son of the priest Jehoida tells them that Jehovah has forsaken them, but they stone him to death.

I don’t think this is the prophet Zechariah who has his own book later on, but we will see, it has been noted for future reference.

Apparently, for Zechariah’s failure, Joash kills Jehoiada’s son, thus Zechariah’s brother, which makes more sense.) As the son died, he tells Joash “Jehovah look upon it, and require it.”

For this brutal action of Joash, Jehovah sends the Syrian army to Damascus, and they kill the princes of Judah, loot them, and send all the spoils back to Damascus. They leave Joash alive, but diseased, who was then killed (not destroyed) by his own servants for the blood of Jehoida’s son who he killed.)

Flashback: going back to corresponding 2 Kings, we get much more context into what happened between Joash and Syria (king Hazael).

MY QUESTION: Are there actual texts that put the bible in PROPER chronological timeline? Where both books detailing the times of the Judges and Kings, and prophets are side by side, referencing the SOURCE of the information as it is placed in chronological order? It almost seems as if the placement of the books in the bible are intended to confuse and confound the reader! I mean, there are very important prophets being listed in these books, but the organizers of the bible lumped their books into a section set much later in the chapters of the bible.

Can you imagine the clarity we’d get if this were done!? Putting the books and prophecies of the prophets of the judges and kings among the books of the judges and kings? That way pointing the context of all these end time prophecies set to the context of the time of these judges and kings where they belong. Instead, we have thousands if not millions of bible readers that think these prophecies have relevance to today instead.

Maybe that was the intention of the “organizers” of the chapters of the modern bible. Confusion