Theology of Nuance; Struggling with God and Man and Overcoming

Concerning your contention that the Hebrew personal name for God, i.e. Yahweh, was not used in the New Testament; you have not considered the fact Yahweh was not just a ‘personal name’, but it was also a “statement of being.”
And therefore, with an understood meaning, His name translates as it crosses language & cultural boundaries.
God’s answer is a statement to Moses question.
And it is understood to be God’s “raison d’etre.” God’s very existence is self-sufficient for all matters that Moses can imagine. “I am, that I am!” “That is enough!” by God’s perspective.

• Look at Exodus 3:14-15, 14 God replied, “I Am the One Who Always Is.*(Or I Am Who I Am, or I Will Be What I Will Be.) Just tell them, ‘I Am has sent me to you.’ ” 15 God also said, “Tell them, ‘The Lord,*(Hebrew Yahweh; traditionally rendered Jehovah.) the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This will be my name forever; it has always been my name, and it will be used throughout all generations.

Now, if we start with the right premise we may stand a better chance at getting to the right answer, as you, quite appropriately, have stated.
Do we see, in the New Testament, the Hebrew words for “I am”? The answer is obviously “No”, but you wouldn’t logically expect to see the New Testament people speaking Hebrew in conversations, since the Jewish people spoke principally Aramaic in all daily activities.
This is an important issue.
It would be similar to future generations looking at our American language of 2006 and making the claim that “thou” did not exist in America in 2006. We might want to tell them ‘Hey, we use the word “You” in America of 2006, not “thou”.’ Good translation skills are in order. Right?

The Jewish people spoke Aramaic, because Babylonians, Medes, and Persians had ruled them for hundreds of years. Each of these nations spoke Aramaic. However, the Greeks crushed the Persians, Alexander crushed them, to be precise. The Jews had to learn a new language. And they did just that. Greek was the language of “Law and Commerce”, but Aramaic was still the spoken tongue in Judah. Then along came Rome, and you can guess what happens. A new language is introduced to the milieu.
Latin was just beginning to displace the previous two languages, i.e. Aramaic & Greek.
So, obviously, there are factors to the claim that you’ve posed. Is “Yahweh” mentioned in the New Testament or not?
The answer is “Yes”! Emphatically “Yes”!
Where then is Yahweh mentioned?
Well, since we know that the words that were put together by God mean “I am”. Those are the words we should look for.
Right?
God made a statement of His Being.
So, are there any statements of God’s being in the New Testament?
As you mention you should get out your Strong’s Concordance and look up “I am.” You will find it all over the Gospels.

Look at Matthew 22:32 and Mark 12:26-27

• Mark 12:26, But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—haven’t you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses,* ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’* 27 So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error.”
• Look at Mark 14:62-63, 62 Jesus said, “I am, and you will see me, the Son of Man, sitting at God’s right hand in the place of power and coming back on the clouds of heaven.” 63 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses?

Why do you suppose that the high priest tore his clothing? It is because the high priest heard “Yahweh” from Jesus lips. The high priest knew what it appears that you have misunderstood.

Look at the Gospel of John all through this gospel account we read Jesus telling us and His hearers that “I am.”

• John 6: 35, 41, 48, 51, Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in me will never thirst. 41 Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread from heaven.” 48 Yes, I am the bread of life! 51 I am the living bread that came down out of heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; this bread is my flesh, offered so the world may live.” 58 I am the true bread from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever and not die as your ancestors did, even though they ate the manna.”
• Look at John 8:12, 18, 19, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 12 Jesus said to the people, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” 18 I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.” 19 “Where is your father?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, then you would know my Father, too.” 23 Then he said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not. 24 That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am who I say I am, you will die in your sins.”

John 8:24 is a perfect Aramaic and Greek translation of the “statement of being” that God made to Moses at the burning bush.

• John 8:28, So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will realize that I am he and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak what the Father taught me. 29 And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do those things that are pleasing to him.” 30 Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.

They heard Jesus make the claim of “BEING.” And many believed in Him. The I AM keeps telling us that HE IS. I hope that I have spurred you to reexamine what the conjoined Hebrew words Yahweh really means. Because, the New Testament is as full of the I AM (Yahweh) as were the writings tribal Hebrews.

I may continue this latter, but I think that you have enough information.

But, the paradox is undeniable, from a human stand point. Even if, one understands Yahweh to be a different entity than God/Jesus/Eloahim/Holy Spirit/Father/Dios/Theos/Deity/Trinity.

God bless,

DSM

This is an answer to an anonymous response I received a couple of weeks ago to my essay “And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name…”. The issues that the writer raised are very important, dealing with the identity of Yahweh and Jesus. I will be publishing this treatise in two separate posts because the information is extensive.

First, let me say that I am not disturbed by what I am characterizing as “God’s Paradoxical Nature.”
I don’t really believe that God is a paradox or that He contradicts Himself in any way or at any time.
I am quite happy with the nuance of God. This really gets to the “nitty-gritty” of my theses in this web log “Theology of Nuance.”
And it is my contention that God does not teach or demand issues of “black or white”, “right or wrong”, “good or bad” per se. If this sounds shocking or too much like heresy, then you should probably read on, because you will likely find that I am not really saying anything outside the bounds of what holy scriptures tell us. Don’t stop reading because you are offended, please.
In other words “good deeds”, done with wrong motives are not “good.”
Remember 1 Corinthians 13:1ff

• “If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn’t love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal.”

So, “right and wrong” are not just personal actions, but they are a matter of intent as much as deeds. Human or carnal wisdom tells me that ‘If one does such and such, then he is GOOD. But, if one does the antitheses of such and such, then he is BAD.’
God’s wisdom is therefore, different than carnal wisdom. It is “Nuanced” and appears, to humans, to be a paradox.
This issue is similar to a debate that I am having with a good friend on another of my essays. What is the value of a soul? My point to my friend is that the Creator of the soul is the only one who has the authority to determine the value of a soul.
Here, in this discussion, humans should not use the term “paradox”, with respect to the modus operandi of our Creator. Ultimately we are the “paradox” to God, because He is the standard.
But, for the purposes of our carnal nature, I am using and embracing the “paradoxes/paradice of our Creator” knowing that this is in-fact a paradox ‘in and of itself’.

Look at Luke 12:51-53, because this speaks to the purpose of Jesus and it is a paradox, that cannot be denied or ignored.
Can we say that there is no paradox between (Galatians 5:22-23)‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control’ and the following verses?

• (Luke 12:51-53)51 Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to bring strife and division! 52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or the other way around. 53 There will be a division between father and son, mother and daughter, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.”

Therefore, it is certainly a paradox to my carnal nature that Jesus/God was willing to give up His position as the creator of all things (Colossians 1:15-23) and lay down His life for us His creation. Read this passage and you too shall see the paradox to the wisdom of humankind.

• 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation. * (Greek He is the firstborn of all creation.)16 Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. 17 He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.
  18 Christ is the head of the church, which is his body. He is the first of all who will rise from the dead,*(Greek He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.) so he is first in everything. 19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross. 21 This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, 22 yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. 23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand in it firmly. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.

Anonymous, I have a feeling from the explanation that you gave for the distinction between Eloahim and Yahweh, that you believe that these are either two disparate entities or that Yahweh was no different than the idol/gods of the many other Neareast city-states. The city-states possessed gods as their patron. (Incidently, I believe that this was Jacob’s plan in that wrestling match with the angel. Genesis 32:24-30 Jacob requests the name of God, so that he may possess God as his patron, just as all other families did, look at Gen 31:19 as Rachel stole her father’s household gods. I did not highlight this point in that essay, however one should take note; that God DID NOT tell Jacob His name, when asked. God’s name is not revealed until Moses asks, out of pure motives, at the bush that appears to burn. Why do you suppose God made the commandment about “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain…”? God is warning the Hebrew people about assuming that they have power to “invoke” the name Yahweh to do their personal bidding. Yahweh does serve man…, but never for useless carnal pleasures as humans might be tempted to call on, for selfish desires.)
I do not believe that this can be supported by a biblical or an extra-biblical study of the several factors involved in your thesis.
Some of these critical factors are:

1. Knowledge of the culture for each of the writers of biblical text.
2. Knowledge of, or at a minimum, a familiarity with, the distinct languages that the biblical text was written in, as well as knowledge of the spoken languages of the individuals that are written about.
3. Knowledge of language translation processes.
4. Knowledge of literature types that are used by the human agents.

Look for the continuation in Part 2.

God Bless,
DSM

Ezekiel 36:26-27 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep mine ordinances, and do them.”

There is irony in mankind requiring a “heart of flesh” from a spiritual God. And it speaks to the masks that are in Sacha Baron Cohen’s characters and
Thomas Merton’s “false selves”.
We hide our true self behind a “heart of stone”; a heart that feels no…

• pain, shame, compassion, love, empathy, sympathy, & mercy

But, it rather feels far too much…

• self-pride, self-righteousness, sanctimony, arrogance, hatred, rage, contempt, derision,

Do you remember that Old Testament story of Jacob receiving his “new name”?

Genesis 32:24-30 This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until dawn. When the man saw that he couldn’t win the match, he struck Jacob’s hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is dawn.” But Jacob panted, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” “What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob.” “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “It is now Israel (he, who struggles with God), because you have struggled with both God and men and have won.” “What is your name?” Jacob asked him. “Why do you ask?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. Jacob named the place Peniel—“face of God”—for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”

I know, that you know what it means to struggle with God. I think also that you have been knocked “out-of-joint” as well.
This passage is, again, another nuance and paradox.
Why is this story in the bible?
Why does it say that Jacob struggled with God?
Why does it say that God couldn’t win the match against Jacob?
Why does God bless Jacob, as a reward for the wrestling match?

These are profound questions to a confusing paradox.
I will admit that for many years I have hated this passage, with painful contempt. It flies in the face of everything in my carnal being. It is simply not logical.
Jacob should not wrestle with God!
God should not wrestle with a man!
God should punish Jacob for impudence and audacity!
God should flip him over and pin his shoulders to the ground with a mere wink!
Jacob should fall flat on his stomach and worship God and beg for pardon!

Israel? Your name will be “Israel,” because “you have struggled with both God and men and have won.” Maybe he won against “man”, but there’s no way he could win against God.

Right?
How, God?

How am I supposed to cope with this story in the bible?

Please, tell me that there was a transcription error, something is wrong. Right?

Well, I have come to a point in my life, where I am beginning to accept more of the paradoxes of God. I am not a shill for a fraudulent snake oil salesman. I am simply beginning to understand that God’s grace is far greater than my jaded experience (a.k.a carnal nature) will allow.
This is what I see from the event with Jacob and God.

• 1. God does not punish us for struggling with Him
  2. God expects the struggle.
  3. God cherishes the struggle.
  4. God respects our struggle.
  5. God understands our struggle.
  6. God freely grants us the opportunity to struggle.
  7. God’s only requirement is that we not “give-up” our struggle.

I know that God can pin my ears back. But, God doesn’t want to do that. The same is true with Jacob.

This exact event occurs in my house every week. My son and daughter love to “get me down.” And we wrestle around in the floor until I am out of breath or until it’s time for a bath. (Which tends to coincide with regularity.) I struggle with my kids and enjoy the struggle, because I love them.
Yes, I am sometimes hurt by our struggles and sometimes they are hurt by our struggles.
But, so long as they are willing to come back and not give-up, our wrestling will build strength, character, love and trust.

• What happens if I pin my son or daughter on the ground with no effort and no struggle?
• Will they trust me more?
• Will they respect me more?
• Will they love me more?
• What happens if God pins Jacob to the ground?
• What happens if God pins me to the ground?
• What happens if God pins you to the ground?

I don’t think that I am taking this too far. God could beat us if that were his purpose.
But, we know what his purpose is now. Don’t we?
Through Jesus Christ, the Father’s purpose is to “seek and save” John 3:17 “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.”

Jesus could have pinned our ears back. But, the goal was more in line with a 41 year-old dad wrestling with his 3 and 7 year-old on the living room floor.

Finally, the issue of the mask and the name, Jacob was the name that he was given at birth. He moved around behind it, and operated with it as a defense to protect him from the world. But, it was replaced with God’s name.
I know the purpose of the name in this context.
When one “knows” our name, it will allow them to control us. This was an important point to the people of Jacob’s day. And it even continues in the modern day as well.
It is not thought of in these terms anymore. But, less than two generations ago, children were taught that it was disrespectful to use an elder’s “Christian name.” We should instead use the proper title with their surname. Remember?

This “name issue” gives control to a person.
When Jacob told God his carnal name, he granted authority to God. God subsequently changes his name, to “Israel.”

Revelation 2:17
“Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Everyone who is victorious will eat of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it. (Emphasis added)

The new name was “a blessing” to Jacob, it is a blessing to all who give God authority. Israel was blessed to not have to hide behind the mask of Jacob. Jacob treated people with contempt, just as “Borat” does.

God bless,

DSM

So much of my thinking is tied up in “the Purpose”.

I suspect that there are enough people out there who disagree with my “one track mind.” I have kind of been on a personal campaign to press for followers of Jesus to accept His focus, as our personal goal and passion. “Whether we are buying a loaf of bread or catching a 10 lb fish, our goal is to glorify Jesus.”

(My 3-year-old son caught a 10 lb flathead catfish last week. He really glorified Jesus that day. The fish was as long as he is and half his weight.)

Concerning the “the Purpose”, I have written and talked about this, and the reasons for my thinking on this issue before. So, I won’t write it again. It would be overload, because my thinking comes out in all of my postings.

However, I would like to assent in my understanding to those who have other passions and enjoy feeding those desires.

I don’t believe that God expects us to give up our desire for those things, which captivate us.

God knows that life is fun; after all He made it thus.

I watched a theatrical presentation of Matthew about 1-½ years ago, and I was intrigued by the direction and portrayal of Jesus as a very happy and fun loving man. I had always seen him and imagined him to be very somber. It served me well to see Jesus, the Creator, as laughing and joyful.

He did not give us thrilling drama in our lives and then expect us to be downcast and grim always.

Have you ever had a big, and I mean BIG, fish on the line. What went through your heart when that creature went airborne? Did you think you had Moby Dick on 8 lb test? That was joy! And then you landed that hideous lunker and you kissed him, as if he were your blushing bride!

And on that note, how many of you have been married? This was the most wonderful and spectacular event of my life. The day was surreal in its beauty. I have never seen a more perfect marriage ceremony, and I have seen more weddings than you can shake a stick at (I’m addicted to America’s Funniest Videos.)

How many have had a child? Do you remember the first thoughts as you looked at your son or daughter? I remember my first thoughts. I became a man, when my daughter was born. I am who I am, because of my son and daughter. My most difficult mission started with fatherhood.

God gives us these events to enjoy.

If I haven’t said it before, I tend to obsess. This blog is an obsession. My computer has been an obsession. My guns and ammo have been obsessions.

It is in my character to move slowly from passion to obsession. It is a trying personality defect. But, at least I am not washing my hands over and over.

Anyway, back to my point, I am attempting to yoke my obsessions and bring them under a solitary pennant.

“May Jesus be glorified!” As long as I am honoring Him, I am doing what the Father has intended for me.

If I hurt people, then I am failing my assignment.

If I am pushing or pulling my wife away from God, then I am missing my calling.

If I am provoking my children to anger or despair, then I am taking a punch at my Lord.

If I am condemning my fellow man or woman, then I am telling Jesus, ‘You may not have been sent into the world to condemn the world (Jn 3:17). But, you should stand aside Lord, because I am up to the challenge, which you were not.’

I hope to lift you up and not bring you down.

The Father tells me that I am worth the blood and life of Jesus the Messiah.

The Father tells me that you are worth the blood and life of Jesus Christ.

Please take the Father’s word; you are worth more than all the universe of things and power.

I will not condemn you.

Jesus will not condemn you.

The Father will not condemn you.

Please don’t condemn yourself.

God bless,

DSM

(Satan has both sides of this dilemma in his hands and plays me alternately, when I allow it.)
The issue of being a religion of lists is not in Yahweh’s nature.
He rebuked Israel many times in the prophets for only going through the motions of religion.
Malachi records this ritual of going through the motions.
The priests have a list of “things to do”, but they are devoid of heart. “Their hearts are not in it” and so God tells them in verse ten,

(The words here and below that are posted in small gray text have been added because of an editorial request of my wife)

Well, here we are again. This is a follow-up to last weeks’ posting on symbols and God.

The issue of symbols in communication is necessarily implied. All communication is symbolic. These letters are symbols, put together in a certain order to represent abstract ideas or concrete things in reality. So, you see it is not so extraordinary to talk about God using various symbols to represent and convey deeper meanings.
However, the issue is so very important, necessarily because it is absolutely fundamental to humanity and God.
Humanity is different from all of creation by one simple & tangible principle. We have language for communication. This truly sets us apart. Animals communicate by various means, but none have language.
This measure is basic and it includes sign language, spoken oratory/auditory, and written pictographical/alphabetical.
I believe that this issue of language and Symbology is a key to human sin. Sin begins as a breakdown of trust in the thoughts and feelings that are conveyed by our symbols of language. Let’s consider some questions to see if you can understand my point on sin and language.
What is the purpose of language? Is it not to accurately convey thoughts from one to another? I might refer you back to an earlier posting on Quantum Mechanics to get to the idea of our space & time dimensional universe.
Symbols allow us to communicate across time, whether it is days, years, or even aeons.
They allow us to communicate across vast distances in space, whether the symbols are exchanged between a husband and wife separated by a war, oceans and continents or between NASA mission control and the astronauts in a spacecraft.
Our thoughts are formed and exist primarily in a Spiritual realm, but we must convey them or transfer them across a physical dimension and into another Spiritual mind and heart. The goal of our communication by language is to create a unity of mind between one another.
This, hope for unity, results in pain if our thoughts are rejected by those with whom we try to create the union. We may become defensive and perceive the rejection as an attack. Sin at this point is beginning to become manifest.
There are a lot of obstacles to overcome in this transference of thought and feelings.
And still, all the while these thoughts and feelings are being carried into and across the very domain of our enemy, and God’s “would-be” rival, “the prince of the air”, “the prince of this world”, Satan.

To communicate with you, I must take my thoughts and convert them to symbols that we mutually understand. When you hear or read these symbols, an idea or thought is created in your mind. That thought, in your mind, if communication is done correctly (My wife corrected me on this point and I concur, so I want to include this caveat. “Perfect” communication is not possible in our 3D universe, therefore, the idea of “correctly done communication” is only in a perfect world, e.g. Heaven.) , will perfectly match the thought that I had in my mind.
Good communication is very cumbersome in our universe.
How often do you misunderstand your spouse, children, employer, etc?
How often does your spouse, children, employer, etc misunderstand you?
You get the point.
Now we need to deal with another element of communication, which is deceit.
If we are in agreement, that the purpose of language is to accurately convey thoughts from one to another, what does this imply about deceit? (I know that I am presuming that we will agree on the above point, but if you would like to debate the point, I am certainly willing to listen to the other side of the issue. That being, that the purpose of language is not to accurately convey thought, but rather inaccurately convey thought or obscure thoughts. Please post an alternate view if you can support it.)
Nevertheless, I will presume that we are attempting to accurately convey thought. Thus, when we read John 8:44 we see why I believe that deceit is the foundation of all sin. And, it’s not that deceit has necessarily occurred in-fact, but that there may become a presumption that deceit has occurred.
44 For you are the children of your father the Devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! 46 Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Anyone whose Father is God listens gladly to the words of God. Since you don’t, it proves you aren’t God’s children.”

Also, when we read the account of the sin of Eve and Adam in Genesis 3, we see that the communication was working effectively, until they were persuaded, by Satan, that God was using language to inaccurately convey thought or obscure truth, e.g. “You won’t die!” the serpent hissed. “God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil.”

We should not presume that people are trying to deceive us, as Adam and Eve did concerning God. We should give our fellowman the benefit of the doubt and always assume the best. Also, we should never attempt to deceive as the serpent did and neither should we ever encourage any to presume the worst of others, as he did. (My wife asked a very good question on this point. “Should they have assumed Satan to be a liar? If so, then this becomes a paradox. My answer to this point almost made it into the original post, because I recognize the “seeming” paradox. However, we have four (4) potential options to resolve this problem. There are only four options of which I am aware that will adequately address all of the data for this problem. When we apply logic to the puzzle, we may resolve the “paradox” more easily.

1. We may assume that our Creator is lying and Satan is telling the truth.

   With option 1, which Satan implies is the answer, we do have a Creator who is all-knowing [omniscient], but who is not all-good [omnibenevolent], because he is deceitful, paranoid and suspicious of others. This does not fit my experience with God. But, even more to the logic issue, if I believe this about God, it robs me of Joy. I am forever looking over my shoulder for an all-powerful God who knows everything, but is mean, hateful and paranoid. This is how many live in our world, but it is not a joyful existence and it is not logical to give oneself over to a belief that may or may not be real, but will certainly lead to my despair, as I try to “outwit” my idea of a capricious God.

2. We may assume that Satan is lying and the Creator is telling the truth.

   With option 2, which I advised, in the original post, as being not acceptable, we do have an all-knowing and all-good Creator, but Satan is the deceiver. This option is a good possibility, but for one salient point, the devil doesn’t work independently of carnal beings. Satan tempts God’s creatures to do his bidding for him. The serpent certainly has culpability in these unfolding events, but the words spoken through him were not his words. Furthermore it is not necessary to accuse him of deceit. The man and woman could have said ‘You are ignorant of the facts Mr. Serpent, because God has told us that we should not eat.’

3. We may assume that Yahweh is ignorant of the facts concerning the tree, but Satan has the full knowledge. With option 3, logic must immediately rule against this. The created being, Satan, cannot possess more knowledge than the Creator.
4. We may assume that Satan is ignorant of the facts, while God has complete knowledge. Only option 4 meets the logic and the standard for glorifying God. Furthermore, in the New Testament book of Jude, we find this curious admonition and rebuke from Jesus’ brother in verse 9; “But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’” It is not in our purpose or job description, to condemn or bring charges of accusation. Interestingly enough, that job description is reserved for one being in creation, Satan. His very name means “accuser.” From wikipedia; “Satan, from the Hebrew word for “accuser” {Standard Hebrew: שָׂטָן.}

[I want to briefly relate a true story about a businessman with which my company once had dealings. We had done a project for the man and after submitting the invoice he attempted to negotiate the cost of the invoice, but because he and I had already agreed to the price for the work, I refused to revise the invoice. After six months had passed someone asked one of the officers of my company about this other gentleman's company. The response was, paraphrasing 'Well, I think John Doe is having financial trouble, because they haven't been able to pay a little invoice that we submitted.' The businessman got word that my company was telling people that he was having money trouble. He called us and expressed anger that this supposition was being told to others. The simple answer to him was this, 'Mr. Doe, either I can tell them that you are having money troubles or I can tell them that you're a thief. You should tell me now, what answer should I give the next time someone asks.' The response, as I recall was silence followed by a check within the week. The man realized that he had been granted the benefit of the doubt, but his pride was so big that he would have preferred to be thought of as shrewd, deceitful and "more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made", rather than being thought of as an honest man who is struggling with finances.]

I don’t know if this response is common, however, I do know that this response brings glory to God. It allows the person the option of making the honorable decision, albeit after-the-fact, because it does not condemn them at the outset of the event.

I believe that the moral choice taken late is better than the evil choice condemned prematurely.

The symbols that God uses are all intended to reveal truth. And everything in our physical creation is symbolic and represents something deep and more real in the realm of heaven.
What does the ocean reveal about God?
What do the mountains reveal?
What do the trees tell us?
What do the stars and constellations say?

God is wild and fearless. He’s no stranger to risk. He is passionate. Yet, he is peaceful. And He is an adventurer.

What does marriage tell us about God? What does motherhood tell us? What does childhood say? What about fatherhood?

God is romantic and nourishing. God is vivacious and exuberant. God is strong and faithful.

The symbol of marriage is used for God and Israel many times in the Prophets, with God as husband and Israel as an unfaithful wife. You should read Hosea. Look at Jeremiah 3:1ff, “If a man divorces a woman and she marries someone else, he is not to take her back again, for that would surely corrupt the land. But you have prostituted yourself with many lovers, says the Lord. Yet I am still calling you to come back to me.”
And Ezekiel 16:15-17, 15 But you thought you could get along without me, so you trusted instead in your fame and beauty. You gave yourself as a prostitute to every man who came along. Your beauty was theirs for the asking! 16 You used the lovely things I gave you to make shrines for idols, where you carried out your acts of prostitution. Unbelievable! How could such a thing ever happen? 17 You took the very jewels and gold and silver ornaments I had given you and made statues of men and worshiped them, which is adultery against me.

I don’t want to labor the point by giving too many passages, as background for my point. But, the simple point is made that the Church is called the bride of Christ. We are married to the savior. This is the symbol that God himself has chosen for our relationship to Jesus. Why do you suppose this is portrayed to us so vividly? Why has God instituted the union of marriage from the beginning? Is marriage only a convenient means of propagating our species?
This could have been achieved by many other equally effective means. So, why did He chose marriage and why the method of “union”?
My belief is that Unity is represented throughout the New Testament books and it is intensely portrayed by Jesus’ final prayer before the passion, John 17. Unity is the word. Union is the symbol of marriage, in our wedding bands. The two shall become one flesh.
God is three in the Trinity, the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son. My contention is that That God teaches us by His symbols. The marriage is also a symbol for Yahweh’s divine relationship, which exists within God. The Father is one with the Holy Spirit and both are unified to Jesus the Son.

Finally, in this symbol we see the Father choosing the bride (the Church) for Jesus the Son. The Father, by the sacrifice of the Son and the nourishing/nurturing power of the Holy Spirit (the Mother), sanctify the Church and make her holy for marriage to Jesus.

These are the symbols that I believe are revealed in God’s plan for our redemption.
I know that many will feel that I have taken the symbols too far.

But, I am convinced that the reason why Satan attacks our families, so relentlessly, is because it is the perfect carnal representation of Yahweh’s holy nature. And so long as our families remain true and sound, it is an affront, an insult to Satan, who could never take part in the divine nature, as humanity can. Satan is proud and angry that we mortal humans have caught the eye of the creator.
And the devil resents the fact that our creator loves us so passionately and so romantically that He will, literally, move heaven and earth to see that our wedding to Jesus takes place.
This life that we slog through is nothing less than the cosmic & heroic love story of all eternity.
We are God’s captivating love.

Symbols of God…

God bless,
DSM