Thursday, October 28, 2010

My Halloween Post: Those Awesome Cherubim

Yep, it's that time of the year again when folks celebrate dead creatures and stuff that terrify. But since hubby and I finished Revelations last week, I figured I'd do something on Living Creatures who terrify. (Honestly, who fears dead stuff? Maybe corpses bring diseases and contamination but other than that...the dead are not particularly troublesome.) And no I'm not gonna talk about demons either. True, they're living creatures in their own way because they have immortal life. But they are evil. What I want to right about is Terrifying holiness.

With God is terrible majesty! With God is terrifying majesty!

God made many type of creatures, creatures who can live in the three-dimensional world and in other dimensionalities. And he also made the Cherubim. The Cherubim live in heaven...in fact they live in God's throne room and are never out of the presence of God. God rides on the Cherubim, He is seated above the Cherubim. (Satan himself was the cherubim that covered the throne while the other cherubs surrounded it or were under it. But I digress.)

The weird thing is that as heavenly as Cherubim are, they are weirdly intertwined in human affairs. What their purpose is God alone (and great Bible students) know. They are carved over the mercy seat...which represents their place in heaven. They represent life forms on earth: tame animals, wild animals, humans, and birds. (No fish or creeping thing, but again, I digress.)

So this is what I want to talk about the Cherubim. Now, on earth we have one way of being: we are spirit, body, mind, but we are all in one visible package. Because God is above and beyond the third dimension, God can see our bodies, our minds, and our spirits.  But we humans can only see each other's bodies. (Okay, if we have a gift we can see into spirits but I digress.)  Back to the Cherubim.

As we see them in the Book of Ezekiel, (the first time I believe in the Bible) we are told they all have one likeness:

The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness.  The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. " (Ezekiel 1:1, 4-5,15-16, NKJV)

That is: they all look alike.


Under each of their four wings I could see human hands. So each of the four beings had four faces and four wings. 9The wings of each living being touched the wings of the beings beside it. Each one moved straight forward in any direction without turning around.
10Each had a human face in the front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle at the back. 11Each had two pairs of outstretched wings—one pair stretched out to touch the wings of the living beings on either side of it, and the other pair covered its body. 12They went in whatever direction the spirit chose, and they moved straight forward in any direction without turning around.  Ezekiel 1: 8-12



Okay, so we accept this. One being has four faces, feet straight down so they don't ever turn their face from God, and eyes everywhere just in case...so they don't miss anything. And then there's that pesky wheel-within-the-wheel which hints at all kinds of things.

The other thing we have to note is that these Cherubim move about in groups of four. Each four is one entity: a singular entity made up of four sub-entities who all look alike. This is something we can't even begin to figure out. I mean, on earth a marriage is an entity but the hubby and the woman are not really alike to such an extreme.




Anyway, we accept this...and ponder and ponder. But then what happens when we arrive in Revelations?

In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. 7The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight.8Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,  Rev  4: 6-8



There are two changes here:
The first: the number of wings: two pairs each in Ezekiel's vision, and 6 wings (not said if they come in pairs) in Revelations.
The second: The cherubim are now separate, kinda. . .and fully themselves but still a unity of four.

They're still unified but one is fully human with six wings, one is fully a bird (with six wings), one is fully a lion (with six wings) and one is fully an ox (with six wings.

Again, they have all the eyes.  Now if there is any confusion here about these creatures: Ezekiel calls these living creatures "Cherubim" and John calls them "living creatures."

Ezekiel 10:20 These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar River, and I realized that they were cherubim.
Revelation 4:6 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.


But, what's interesting here is how these cherubim are part of each other and a unity. Not a trinity but a Quatrinity (I just invented that word, I think.) On earth we can't begin to understand beings who are part of each other and who can dismantle and reassemble themselves in different patterns....but wow! this is heaven! A spiritual sphere! A world of dimensionalities we cannot begin to understand. Question: do they really "look" like this? Or is the way they look the only way our human minds with its limited understanding of what a "person" is can understand? 


And may I say, these are terrifying. I have never seen a cherubim -- especially when it/they is in their one from column a, one from column b, one from column c, one from column D ---and yet one-single-entity mode  And know what? I do not want to see them.


In Daniel, the angel Gabriel is often called "The man Gabriel." He stands before God, in the presence of God. Just like the cherubim are always before God. And honestly, if God wants to send anyone to talk to humans, I think he knows enough of human fear to send someone who looks like one of us: Gabriel.


How terrifying and majestic holiness is! I imagine the eyes of the cherubim, always seeing God and yet possibly seeing all on the earth, seeing through the eyes of all on the earth, seeing the evil being done on the earth. 


Yeah, no ghost or demon matches the terrifying majesty of God. 



Monday, October 25, 2010

WTF Moment in Bible Study: Jesus' Dogs

Yeah, I know...another WTF moment in Bible study.

So, hubby and I have finished Revelations and now we're back in Psalms! YAY!! A triumphant return in less than a year.

So anyway, I haven't done a WTF moment in Bible Study in a while although I've come up across some interesting doozies. But it is fitting that at the end of the Bible, a dramatic one should present itself.

Now, going from the gospels, the epistles, and what all in the New Testament, Jesus called folks "dogs" twice.   Dog apparently was a slang used back in the day (In Jesus' day) which means, "Strangers, foreigners, folks not like us."

This was the term Jesus used when a foreign woman came up to him asking healing for her daughter:
He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." Matthew 15:26

It's the kinda thing that makes little ethnic me a bit antzy...and depending on how spiritual I'm being, I pretty much accepted it as Jesus (the son of God) just testing the woman and urging her on to faith. Or Jesus (the son of Man) having a little more growing in favor to do and working out his provincial kinks. After all, this is the Saviour of the world who when he heard the Greeks say, "We want to see Jesus" heard the call that "the world wants to see me, so I must prepare myself to die for the world. So, yeah, he loved people...all people.

But then, up comes this:
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves and makes a lie. Rev 22:15


Aargh, YES, the Lord of all life has not gotten rid of the old slang. John the Revelator has Jesus -- white hair, sword coming out of his mouth, sitting on a throne-- using an epithet for stranger. 


Dang! That's scary! Okay, I can deal with folks being called fornicators, sorcerers, idolatoers.
I can deal with the cowardly and unbelieving and all liars having their part in the lake of fire.
I can even deal with the question of why are there gates to a city if no one is outside it or wait a second why are there trees for healing if no one gets sick so there really must be some kind of person not quite saved enough to get into heaven. (Won't go into detail about the priests in Ezekiel's vision who can't see the Prince's face although they serve him forever. Won't go into detail about what exactly does God do with all those people who were born in the millenium but not under the holy spirit and who joined Satan during the 1000 year Little Season because although Satan hadn't been loosed to tempt them, they still had the unredeemed human spirit that was at war with God.)


But this dogs thing! ??? Wow, what an insult to be outside the kingdom! Now it's a spiritual kingdom and folks are still the "strangers"...well, in a spiritual non-ethnic way, you're not Jewish and not in the Chosen People kinda way. True, I don't think folks in heaven will always be talking about the "dogs" outside the gates (Not even sure if they're outside the gates or in hell. One of those annoying places where the Greek punctuation isn't really known) But the fact that Jesus was so harsh here, that even in his spiritual ascended self he uses this phrase.


So who are these dogs? Well, I'm still gonna go with the stranger hypothesis. But they might be saved dogs, if you know what I mean. People who knew Jesus but who kept indulging in their sins and returning to their sin like a dog returns to his vomit. 


Either way, it certainly is a shocker when one ponders it. All the tribes of the world are in heaven in Revelations  -- and Jesus is grown up, the lamb of God (for the world) the lion of Judah and son of David (for Jews) and yet, the wounding comment he had used against the Syro-Phenician woman to show her non-belongingness still exists...and is one of the last words on his lips.... Well, near to "And the Spirit says, 'Come.'"


Yeah, it blows the mind. Well, it blows MY mind. I've never liked being an outsider, you know. Strive to enter, folks. Don't want Jesus calling us "dogs" now, do we? 

Thanksgiving...and pondering the freedom to eat whatever

Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes. For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you. Deuteronomy 12:8,9

You are not to do things then in the way in which we now do them here, every man as it seems right to him: For you have not come to the rest and the heritage which the Lord your God is giving you. Deuteronomy 12:8,9

Of course in Judges, that's all the people do.
Therefore I swore in My anger, Truly they shall not enter into My rest."


"Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart. Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water." Deuteronomy 12:15-16


Uhm... St Paul speaks to Christians (those who have finally entered into God's rest) that everything of God is holy if it be prayed for with thanksgiving. The apostles in ACTS 15: didn't put all the law onto the new gentile Christians but said, "Eat anything but not with the blood."

But still...this seems to apply only to stuff caught in hunting. Not to pigs and shellfish. Aaargh.



"Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise." Deuteronomy 12:30

Okay, so no..."let me go exploring other cultural spirituality" crap.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

In Search of the True Light



In Search of the True Light 

by Mike Shreve



  • Paperback: 334 pages

  • Publisher: Pivotal Publications (July 2003)

  • ISBN-10: 094250738X

  • ISBN-13: 978-0942507386


  • During a time of deep introspection, Mike Shreve turned to Far Eastern religions seeking the true experience of God. Eventually, he became a teacher of Kundalini Yoga at four universities. Then a dramatic revelation of Ultimate Reality changed the course of his life. This pivotal experience caused him to re-examine concepts foundational to his worldview, such as: the origin of the universe, the true nature of God, pantheism and monism, karma and reincarnation, the path to enlightenment, plans of existence man’s divinity and ultimate destiny, universal cycles and ages and more.
    This book is the product of profound spiritual insights received over a period of thirty years. Read it, absorb it, mediate on it – and you, too will be guided into the "True Light."








    Thursday, October 14, 2010

    Believe not every spirit but Try The Spirits

    Okay, so hubby and I were in 1 John as we wend our way through the Bible and we come upon this:

    "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1"


    Now, what a world! John actually expects us to be seeing spirits. Oh sure, some folks will say that he meant "the spirit of the prophet" but I don't think so. If one reads the verse plain and simple, it seems as if John is actually believing that part of the Christian life is to live under an open heaven where folks will see spirits. And not only will believers in Christ -- who are the sons of God-- see spirits (and angels going up and down into heaven) but we will see them so often that we have to know how to deal with what he seems to be implying is a common experience. (Strange that the supernatural side of Christianity has been robbed from us) 


    But then he tells us that although we'll be seeing spirits, we have to try them. Okay, this requires a bit of boldness. I mean we are trained by modern Christianity to reverence any old spirit or angel who just happens to walk by. But here John tells us to be bold and to try the spirits. Really? Oh sure an angel puts one in awe and the typical angel says, "Don't be afraid, don't worship me" etc. But really...if one sees a spirit, will one have the Biblical knowledge, the gumption, the wherewithal, the strength to actually test it. 


    This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 1 John 4:2


    Okay, so what does that mean? I mean at face value it seems to say "Was there a historical Jesus?" And even the antichrist might attest to that. So if one is bold enough to challenge an angel of light, one should know what one is saying. Looking back at the passage, I think John is saying we should ask the spirit something like this: "Did God send His son Jesus to earth as a human being to live and die as a human being so that through Jesus all the world would be saved? And do you believe that the blood of Jesus covers me and testifies to that truth? Do you believe the Word of God testifies to this truth? Do you believe the Spirit of God testifies to this truth? Do you believe they testify to this truth on earth and in heaven?"  


    Mohammed didn't test the spirit, I think. The angel said it was Gabriel and he believed it. Joseph Smith didn't test the spirit, I think. The angel said it was Moroni, and Joseph Smith believed it.  And if it's not a spirit that passes the test, then it's a spirit of antiChrist whose purpose is to deceive and to create deceiving prophets. But how exactly are we to test it? John tells us this:




    Islam                                                                               Mormonism


    One God                                                                         Many Gods


    The Bible is corrupted                                                    The Bible is corrupted/badly translated


    Only the Koran has truth                                                 Only the Book of Mormon has truth


    Polygamist                                                                      Polygamist


    In Heaven, women used for sex                                      In Heaven, women used for sex


    Mohammed is God's prophet                                          Joseph Smith is God's prophet


    One goes to heaven by Works                                       One goes to heaven by Works


    As for the God of Islam and the God of the Mormon Church: 


    The Creator God of Islam is unapproachable, holy, distant. But He is not Love. He cannot even be described as a father because even that is insulting to the Moslem.         


    The Creator God of Mormonism is unknown because he is either way back in a long line of Gods who created gods who created gods who created gods. Ultimately, the immediate Creator God (of planet earth) is not the uncaused causer of all things...so He is unapproachable.   Plus He isn't beyond sexuality. 



    Okay, I'll admit it: I once pulled this on a spirit. Not one I actually say though. I was too flabbergasted by the angel I saw to do anything but look at him shellshocked. But if he had said anything, I think I would've been annoying enough to actually try him. And I think he would have allowed it. But there was a time I tried it. My friend Tiina was table-tipping and I was sitting across the table from her. Table-tipping and certain other flaky activities never worked through me and I am glad. God was protecting this little idiot from all sorts of troubles. But they worked through Tiina and she could tell all sorts of things... well, the spirit would tell her stuff and she would know it. Anyway, one day a spirit comes and starts up with, "Peace, Love, and Truth to you all." Something like that. I forget the exact greeting, but I thought.. "Well, that is all very nice but...." Then I launched into the test. And what did the spirit do? It stopped talking. The table stopped tipping. Then Tiina turned around and glared at me: "You offended it!" Yes, alas, little old 19 year old me had hurt the feelings of a thousand year old spirit. The spirit never came back. Am I sorry? Heck no!

    The upshot: 


    But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! Galatians 1:8

    Friday, October 08, 2010

    Who I’ve Become Is NOT Who I Am


    by Sonya Visor, founder of TruU Ministries.

    About the Book

    Who are you when nobody’s looking? It’s time to take off what hides who you truly are…the mask! Are you tired of going around family, friends and church folk with a frozen smile and a broken heart? Unmask your true identity and learn your real name as pastor’s wife and playwright Sonya Visor cuts to the heart with dynamic testimony of sexual molestation at a young age.
    BEING SILENT GAVE POWER to the hands that touched her life. Can hands meant to protect you also have the power to crush your identity? YES! But when we stop allowing a mask of shame to hold us captive with CLOSED mouths, WE CAN let Jesus be real in our lives.
    Discover who you have become and embrace who you really are in a book that goes past the pews and what other’s think about you — to bring glory to God by being transparent and transformed. It’s time to take off your mask and let the true you show up!

    About the Author

    Sonya Visor is a vessel of God who is Real, Transparent, Anointed, “Compassionate but Tough”– these are a few words to describe Co-pastor, playwright, workshop presenter, conference speaker and author Sonya Visor. 
    She is the co-pastor of New Covenant Church, Racine, WI. She is a powerful preacher and teacher of the Word of God. She is the president of CHP – Covenant House Press, a Christian publishing company that produces books, plays, greeting cards and DVD entertainment that bring glory to God.
    Sonya shares her heart with her husband, Pastor Tony Visor, who she calls her better half, for nineteen years. She and her husband have ministered effectively in the city of Racine together at NCC since 1999. Sonya is blessed to love two sons, Jason and Tony, Jr.
    Who I’ve Become is NOT who I AM, is Sonya’s first non-fiction book. Her passion is to minister to the people who hide behind masks. Sonya’s calling is to break and destroy the yokes of bondage, releasing the power of God into the lives of others by the preached Word and prayers of deliverance. When you can find the strength, to step into who you truly are; you can find the strength to BE THE (TRU U). TRU U is the women’s ministry that God has charged her with to help other’s become free.
    Visit her online at sonyavisor.com or truuministries.com.


    Sunday, October 03, 2010

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