There’s not much you can do. The Devil attacks whomever he wants, as it says in Daniel, in the latter times he’ll wear out the saints. If you’re not prepared to martial against him, or suffer for the cross, you’re not prepared to enter into the kingdom.
As it is, Christ shepherds us to the kingdom, in no way does He promise us health, wealth and happiness here on Earth, but rather, John says we will mourn upon the Earth.
Satan brings disease, death, destruction, wasting… as he’s a liar, thief and murderer. And that’s all there is to it. He destroys whom he pleases—that’s Satan—and like Job, he tries us in the furnace of affliction. If we come out purified, not as silver, but a worthy lump of precious metal, we are saved and therefore spared from the wrath to come.
I’d fear more having all the fortune, health and joy in the world, and risk going to hell, as the world rejoices in its foolishness, and squalor. Just look at the Kardashians or Tech billionaires. They spoil all love, but are happy and carefree. And the world does. It rejoices. It will rejoice, like a pig wallowing in the mud, and making sure everyone else is dirty, too. But, we being sheep, have nowhere to turn. Our fleeces aren’t being shorn, our nails aren’t being trimmed, our sores aren’t being balmmed, our wounds aren’t being cleaned, because the shepherds are spoiling the flock. And therefore, the goats have all the oats, as the shepherd doesn’t feed the one standing still, or balm their wounds, or seek after the kids of the flock, and they feed from our meat, telling us to feed them, but they don’t feed us.
So, it’s just a fact, suffer a little here, and be filled with good fruit, and though you are tormented by Satan, that’s to be expected. As this life is merely a furnace to burn away the dross.
As Jesus also says, there’s the thorns and rocks. Those who have the cares of this world, and it chokes out the riches and promise of the kingdom of God. Or those who spring up early on the rocks, and turn away due to offense and persecution. In the Early Church, but really all throughout history, except for about 200 years, the church has been persecuted. There’s been a time of rest, from about 1800 - 2000, where the saints were the greatest upon the planet, and had the riches of this life, and fed peacefully. But, sin crept in, and stole that away from the Earth, and it grows darker. So, we must be ready to die, be poor, and be meek and mild. Not to fight in wars. And if God prospers us, rejoice. For God can prosper whom He wishes. And He can restore one to full health, wealth and joy… but the LORD can also cause the fuller’s soap to wash over you, and to cleans you with lye, not for your sin, but because the world has wounded you, and has left you barren. And if you ever had soap against a wound it stings. But, that’s due to careless shepherds. Therefore, Christ is the Good Shepherd, and will shorn your fleece, and cut your nails, and balm and cleanse your wound, and feed you with the finest milk and grains. For you need Christ.
Tag: Jesus
Exposition on the Whole Bible
Genesis (Old Testament begins)
So, Genesis is a collection of stories, from the Patriarchal line, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It details things like the Creation of the World, and gives several Allegorical reflections, through the lens of History. Not much unlike Plutarch or Herodotus would. It’s the tradition, handed down through the Patriarchs of the Hebrews, when they made their migrations from Mesopotamia and then into Egypt. Featured in this book are Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.
Exodus
Exodus is probably the second most famous book of the Old Testament, next to Genesis. It’s the story of Moses. Basically, the giving of the Law, the diaspora out of Egypt and into the Wilderness. The reason why they had to spend 40 years wandering the desert, all culminating into the birth of the Nation of Israel.
Leviticus
Is a book of Law. Basically, it’s all the law of the Old Testament. What the Jews followed. It finds roots in Abraham’s system, handed down to Hammurabi, which is why you find parallels in Old Amorite Law of the same thing as the Bible. Because Abraham was an Amorite, and that law was handed down to Moses through manuscripts probably written by Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Joseph.
Numbers
Numbers is a list of numbers, of the tribes, and various genealogies. It’s really the most boring book of the Bible, but it has some high moments, like Korah and Balaam. Some stories are in here, but not very many, and I’d recommend most people shy away from Numbers altogether, unless you’re a very serious Bible Student already and know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. It can lead to nasty habits like Divination, as you might think the throwing of lots is still a thing—it’s not. It’s a very very boring book. Probably one of the most boring things to read in history, and I’d recommend avoiding it, until you’re no longer even intermediate. It also has some of the Jewish laws regarding the tabernacle.
Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy is a book like Leviticus. It has the same laws, found in the end of Exodus, and the same ones in Leviticus—Exodus also has some of the Hebraic law, too, which I forgot to mention. It’s more advanced than Leviticus, and probably like all parts of the Bible, it’s repeated through multiple attestations of witnesses, and written records. Which is why everything in the Bible seems to be repeated more than once, it’s because it’s being compiled by two or more sources each, to create a testimony based on multiple witnesses.
Joshua
Joshua was the person after Moses, given command to lead the nation. It’s a story of the wars of Canaan and the justification of the battles, which is that Canaan was sinning and they did all sorts of wicked crimes imaginable. So, Joshua was given directive to conquer the land of Canaan, and give it to the Israelites. Not because of their righteousness, but because of the lands wickedness, so it says in Deuteronomy. Jericho is in this book.
Judges
Is the story of the line of Judges—basically warrior kings who restored order in the land. Israel was called to live only by the Law, and that was their only law. And they had judges who executed the law, and delivered them from their enemies. Gideon and Samson are in this book.
Ruth
Is about the woman Ruth—David's grandmother—and how she fell in love with Boaz, and married him, and basically was made into his wife through a beautiful story. And this shows that a person of a race that isn't necessarily of the law, if they give up their heritage, are grafted into the Nation of Israel completely, like they never were anything but an Israelite totally.
1 Samuel
This follows the Prophet Samuel who picks Saul as king. And 1 Samuel is Saul's story.
2 Samuel
This follows the Prophet Samuel who picks David as King, and David's exploits, which Saul was not a good authority, so he lost it, and was given his kingdom to David. And then David's various sins.
1 Kings
This deals with a block of Jewish history.
2 Kings
This deals with the latter block of Jewish History.
1 Chronicles
This deals with the whole of Jewish History, the first part.
2 Chronicles
This deals with the whole of Jewish History the second part. As a note both books of Chronicles are repetitions of the stories in the books of Samuel and Kings.
Ezra
Ezra is the history after the Captivity to Babylon.
Nehemiah
Is also the history after the Captivity to Babylon.
Esther
Is a history of the Jews in Babylon, and how Mordicai saved them from being utterly destroyed, through his adopted Daughter Esther.
Job
Is probably the third most famous book in the Bible. It's the book where God brings disaster on a man, who's faithful, and the man has to patiently endure it. It's a dialogue on the Theodicy. Basically, God's God, and Job has to trust in His righteousness alone to deliver him, not Job's righteousness.
Psalms (The middle of the Bible*)
This is a book of hymns sung by the Psalters of the Jewish People. Very popular among Christians. And also full of prophecies about prosperity and righteousness.
Proverbs
Is wisdom literature, giving a bunch of aphoristic sayings that are compiled in an order, to create a theme. Some of the most profound literature in history, is found here.
Ecclesiastes
This is everyone's favorite book outside of the Gospels. It's just a wisdom literature, reversing wisdom, and seeing what's actually purposeful in this life. And it gives a VERY good answer.
Song of Solomon
A book of wisdom on the passion of love, and God's relationship with the Church. Basically, the Shulamite has to choose the Shepherd over Solomon and his gold, And the Shepherd has to come and basically take her away from Solomon's harem. It's basically the plot point of every lifetime movie. The snarky, rich jerk gets put aside for the woman's true love, who is the provincial farm boy who actually can care about her. And the two must spar for her hand.
Isaiah
This gets into the most important part of the Bible. The prophecies. Isaiah is a description of Prophecies regarding fighting back, even though you've sinned. Assyria has captured the Northern kingdom of Israel—both kingdoms split after Solomon, with Rehoboam, and so the Northern Kingdom was conquered by Assyria, due to its sin, and Hezekiah had a revival of the Israelite People's faith, and restored the kingdom to faith so it was saved from disaster.
Jeremiah
Is a little different. Judah is going into captivity, but Jeremiah is pleading with it so it won't. Another good example of the Theodicy, is a good man having misfortune because of a bad culture. Jeremiah has a horrible life, and is thrown in prison, and taken against his will to do what God explicitly forbade him to do. And Jeremiah is a victim of a cruel culture, which ultimately catalyzes in Jerusalem's fall.
Lamentations
A prophecy of the fall of Jerusalem, and a lamentation about sin.
Ezekiel
Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel is prophesying the fall of Jerusalem, and is prophesying the horrid things that will happen to it. It's already going to be destroyed, and he's telling the people who were taken to Babylon to not look back, but to look forward and make their lives in Babylon because they aren't going back to Jerusalem. But a remnant will be restored, and brought back to Jerusalem, at the end.
Daniel
Daniel is probably one of the most important books of the Bible. It has a ton of End Days Prophecies, and it gets into all the most important stuff. Also Shadrach Meshack and Abedinigo are here, and so is the story of Daniel and the Lion's den. Basically, Daniel is made Satrap because of his righteousness, and it's a story telling us how we're to gain our possession of life, in an unrighteous society, which is not budging on the truth.
Hosea
Talks about the Christian's walk. You either walk as Judah, Israel or Ephraim, and it's a pattern of the Christian's walk, and redemption. It's an allegory through prophecy of the trial of a Christian.
Joel
Joel talks about the ministry of the Two Olives in Revelation, and the War of Armageddon.
Amos
Is a prophecy detailing the sins of all the nations, that leads Babylon to Conquer it.
Obadiah
Is a short prophecy about Edom, which is a principality against Israel. It comes from Jacob's Brother Ishmael, and how they persecuted Israel during their captivity, and this will lead to their destruction. It's probably about Abaddon.
Jonah
Probably the fourth most famous book in the Old Testament, is Jonah, which is just a book about Jonah's prophecy to Nineveh, which caused it to be restored and Jonah was quite mad about this, actually. But, he prophesied, and Nineveh wasn't destroyed through his prophecies. I'm sure God rewarded him after his temper tantrum. He was a reluctant prophet, showing the compulsion of prophecy, that if you have a prophetic burden, God will cause you no matter what to fulfill it. NO MATTER WHAT. God will cause you to fulfill your prophetic ministry if you have one.
Micah
Is about the prophets of the End Days, the two Olive Trees, and their ministry.
Nahum
Is about one of the three end days figures.
Habakkuk
Habakkuk is too.
Zephaniah
So is Zephaniah.
Haggai
Is about rebuilding the temple, and about doing what's right, and restoring the temple to its former condition, after the captivity.
Zechariah
Is an end days prophecy concerning the War of Armageddon and various curses that will happen, and also various blessings.
Malachi
Is about another of the two Olive Trees.
Matthew (New Testament begins)
Matthew is the first book of the New Testament, and is about The Ministry of Jesus, in the framework of a Jewish Messiah.
Mark
Is another Gospel, about the Works of Jesus, and how good He is. Mark is snappy, phenomenal, and is one of my absolute favorite, if not my all time favorite, book of the Bible. It's just the Gospel in the most simple, and concise, and action packed way possible.
Luke
Is another Gospel, about the Messiah Jesus and His Ministry in the framework of a Savior of the Gentiles.
John
Is a book of Jesus' secret teachings, and His most in depth, and most esoteric sayings, that only John records, but this is probably the most important Gospel of them all, as it tells you, explicitly, salvation is in faith alone, through Christ's work, and the one who Believes on Jesus, that is the one who is saved.
Acts
Is about the Apostles—only some of them, as many of them don't make an appearance—and their ministry throughout the world. And this is where Paul gets introduced. Paul is the replacement of Judas Iscariot. And Paul has a ministry to the Gentiles, and you see Peter, Paul and James' ministry, as well as some of the others.
Romans
Is about the way Salvation works. And some of the Laws not taught in the Gospels, it's found in Romans. It's basically the method by which you're saved, which is much of Paul's writings, is telling you about how salvation works.
1 Corinthians
Is a diatribe against sin in the church, and how we're not to be sinners, or do unlawful deeds. And also how grace works.
2 Corinthians
Is a follow up, where Paul talks more about how grace works, and admonishes the church for its excesses and its lascivious lifestyle.
Galatians
Is a polemic against the Jewish Law. We're no longer to follow it. At all. Like, all those books of Moses, those are good stories, but our primary Law is found in the Gospel. Nowhere else.
Ephesians
Is a work telling you how Grace Works, and God's election. And also commends you to put on Christ, and defeat the world.
Philippians
Is a book exhorting you to a life of godliness, and good works and charity, while distinguishing you to do what's right. This is probably the one book I've studied least, actually, as I drew a blank with it.
Colossians
Is a book that tells you not to obey the Hebraic laws, again. It tells you explicitly that the Gospel is in Christ Jesus, and the Law in the New Testament alone.
1 Thessalonians
Is talking to the church in Thessalonians, and it's talking about living righteously, and faith.
2 Thessalonians
Is talking about the life of a Believer, and how to identify the Antichrist when he comes.
1 Timothy
Is a book exhorting Pastoral Care, and giving teachings to Ministry, and teaching Church Organization.
2 Timothy
Is another book exhorting Pastoral Care, and giving teachings to ministry, and teaching Church Organization.
Titus
Is another book exhorting Pastoral Care, and giving teachings to ministry, and teaching Church Organization.
Philemon
Is a master class on the Gospel. It tells us how to break the law in love, in order to exhort our fellow members of Christ, and do what's good in mercy.
Hebrews
Is a way of explaining the how the Law prophesied Christ, and gives very unique pictures of how the Old Testament foreshadowed Christ's coming and His work of Salvation, throughout the whole Hebrew Law.
James
Is a book of wisdom, teaching you righteous living.
1 Peter
Is the teachings of Peter, exhorting you to a life of righteousness.
2 Peter
Is another book teaching you righteousness, but he deals with the end days, and makes many prophecies concerning Antichrist in this book.
1 John
Is an exhortation of Christian love and charity, and how we're to work works of righteousness in Christ, and love our brother, and it also teaches us how to identify Antichrist when he comes.
2 John
Is a short exhortation to righteousness.
3 John
Is an exhortation to a good man, to have godly prosperity.
Jude
Is one of the most esoteric books in the Bible, but it deals primarily with living righteously, and letting go of all sin, how faith cannot be mixed with unrighteousness or the fruits of ungodliness.
Revelation
Is a prophecy of John's, dealing with the entire mode of the End Days, which will follow in chronological order of the events it describes. So, it's basically a chronology of the sufferings of this world, created by Antichrist in order to destroy the world, and it's the testing of the Elect's salvation and fruits.
Vacation Bible School
i. The Palestinian Woman
Christ came to her at the well,
And asked her to draw water.
She said, "I worship on this mountain
"And your people worship on that."
Christ said, "Verily, Verily,
"There will come a day when
"They will neither worship on this mountain
"Or that, but in the Spirit of Truth.
"For God is a Spirit, and those who worship
"Him in Truth are saved.
"For we Christians know what we worship
"But you Muslims do not.
"Therefore, Worship the Father in Truth."
And He told her everything she ever did.
Dedicated to Pashtmaj mac Umaill
ii. Oh Thou Simple Man
Oh thou simple man, lying at Bethesda
Crippled and in sorrow, and cannot be
Put in the water. You are healed.
The Law is now not fitted
For no longer does the angel stir the water.
The authorities ask you,
"Who healed you?"
And you not knowing or understanding
Why they asked, learned who it was.
So, you went and told them.
But they were angered at Christ
For a thing of naught, and you
Oh simple man, not a villain,
But a naïve man who knows nothing
Of great ambition, power or prestige
Told them who it was that healed you.
In that there is no condemnation for you
Though the Protestant calls you lazy
And a fool, you are simply a humble man
Who was healed, and broken, and unable
To understand the powers before you.
iii. A Life of Poetry
Savior of the World,
Your life was a book of poetry.
Every action You did
Was meticulous and masterful.
Your sermons were not selfish
Nor were You unwilling to speak to fools...
You had compassion, and did
Live a life of poverty for us.
You were like Pythagoras
Or Kerouac, and then You asked,
"Eat my flesh, and drink my blood."
Living, You lived, and You died
With living waters pouring out of Your heart.
You were perfect poetry,
Living poetry, a life very very few ever live.
And You lived it for me,
For I am incapable of emulating it.
iv. The "Mad Man" of Nazareth
John's Gospel is true,
For it almost makes Christ look mad.
You hear the arguments made,
And you see it through the Jew's eyes
That this mad Samaritan came
And called Himself the Messiah.
A madman himself
Enlightened me to this nuance---
Yet, the fact remains, Christ
Performed real and many miracles.
And He taught salient teachings
More coherent than any sage before Him.
And He was a sober man
You see in the Gospels---
And He was filled with Compassion.
I know no more merciful man than He
Who could look at a Samaritan woman
A woman caught in adultery
And a lame man laying by a pool
And have utmost compassion on them.
And a Blind man, whom the Pharisees were
Furious to find was healed.
v. At the Garden
Christ, that Garden, like my beloved Pinchot,
Judas knew You took refuge there.
And the place You enjoyed and loved,
A place of joy, and of peace, You prayed
And He came and took You away
To Pilate, where in the most sober
Words, and salient tongue,
Pilate asked You if You were King,
And You told Him Your kingdom
Was not of this world, but the next.
I await to go to that world too,
Oh LORD Made Flesh...
God's Eternal Word,
The Sabbath of my heart...
You are Begotten not made
And Your Word is the Father's
And Your Flesh is the embodiment
Of the Father's Word,
Since You were pierced,
And then raised to eternal glory and fame.
vi. Pilate
Pilate begs the crowd to free Jesus,
Whips Him, scourges Him,
Trying to appease the Jew's
And save Christ's life.
But, a voice cries out,
"He made Himself a King
"And if you don't kill Him
"You are no friend of Caesar's!"
A lone, false witness from the crowd
Who twisted Christ's words;
For Christ Himself said
His kingdom was not of the World
But in the hereafter.
And the crowd wanted Him dead.
So Pilate washed His hands of it
And gave Christ over to them
For it was not in Pilate's power
To free or kill Him, but in Christ alone
And the false witness of the Jewish People.
vii. The Wine and The Grain
Jesus was a man who loved to feast;
He drank salubrious wine at weddings,
Ate perfectly roasted fish with salt and mustard,
Rubbed a head of grain from the stalk
And ate those finest grains.
Perhaps this is why they didn't like Him?
Was that He was no prude, but a man
Who taught us how to enjoy life
Though the world would never let us have it?
And that was His message,
Was how much better the world could be
If men were allowed to enjoy the good things
Instead of the lofty and high things?
But, because all was made lofty and high
That you could have no life unless you sought it,
Not to seek your life here,
But rather in the next.
viii. Rejoicing!
He meets Mary in the tomb,
And He walks through the walls.
He makes Thomas touch His hands and side.
Touch.
I was on a boat, with Peter,
And we were fishing, but caught no fish.
So, Jesus did what He did before,
And told us to cast over the other side.
And He did. I came running out of the boat
With Peter, and there was a fire
Upon the sand, which Jesus kindled.
And so, we cooked the fish over the spit
With salt, mustard and ginger.
We ate to our fill, and talked
And rejoiced...
I feel like the one who leaned on His bosom
And asked, "Is it I?"
No... it is not I.
I feel like a betrayer, but cannot be;
For the LORD loves me.
*Note: I use first person pronouns, but only metaphorically. Like my Midrash about Judas Son of James, this is just a poetic expression of how I feel. Nothing more.
Close Enough
1. Dogwood and Matzah Bread The Matzah's holes and chars are like our Christ's Wounds and bruises. It breaks, like Christ's body. The dogwood's flowers, like a ray of sun Had told me today, are wilted on its Four petals, for "Christ was crucified on Dogwood." Though not true, in either case, twain, They are beautiful little thoughts which prove Christ in their own, strange; fascinating ways. That the Hawkish prudishness which doubts this And must take every metaphor for a Holy Writ, getting offended at lore Which is beautiful, expounds upon man's Linear thinking. Not even complex Equations solve so prudishly---why does It have to be literal? Christ was hanged On an olive tree, yet the dark wrinkles Of the Dogwood's bloom can remind us of Those four wounds Christ took in his hands and feet. Same is the skeptic's who say Christ could not Have been crucified, for scripture did not Mention ropes. That is another kind of Prudishness. Everyone knew how men were Crucified. Rather, both kinds of rigid Thinking are epitomes of stupid. Maybe things of literary merit Need not be exact, but remind us that It did, indeed, happen once in history? 2. Old Atheists There is nothing so handsome As the look of confidence on an old Atheist's sneering face, Just as there is nothing so serene As the look of satisfaction on an old Christian's. Both men have uncovered many truths Yet the first is bitter while the second breathes a second breath. 3. Modern Music Modern music is tinged with sadness. Every breath is big, epic... yet melancholy. Yet the older music, at its saddest Was still a celebratory feast. 4. The Perfume of the Wild Flowers The perfume of the wildflowers Carries with the scent of the woods. My lover's musk is like that of this breeze. The April mowings brim in the warmer Zephyrs of the sun's bath and periwinkle flood Of sky; My lover, you are more pleasant than these. 5. Major Third The minute I am vulnerable In a poem, I just want to delete the son of a gun. I feel a tight pull somewhere outside my chest. It is my spirit breaking... Don't make me have to do this To earn my bread. I am distant--- My prophecy erring For the same reason Jonah's did. I want to keep my reader away. I don't want them attuned to my heart. I don't want them knowing where I hurt. I want to talk about lofty things. I want to speculate on things far away. I don't want to talk about feelings If there is nothing good to feel. I don't want to sing songs like this. They're popular... Everyone loves them. Everyone loves to hear the heartache Everyone wants to see the vulnerabilities. Don't you understand I'd rather talk politics And religion And philosophy And art And science And math And sociology And psychology And history And mythology And nature And not talk about my feelings? I'd rather not talk about my feelings. An autobiography of life Is not something I want to write. Everyone wants an autobiography. My life's too painful to write it. Save in fables. 6. I–V–vi–IV I walk with you through the valley Walk with me one step more. I saved you once, my daddy, Don't make living into a dark chore. Believe in my songs and future Believe in my fortune and gift. Don't throw me away with the soothers Don't hate me or cause a rift. I want to see my future I want the good things of this world. I have always been a straight shooter And you an ever shining pearl. I don't want great fame Or money or vice. I don't want my name To be flashing with lights. But, God gave me a talent That you said not to burry. So, don't think I'm a rapscallion For not wanting to worry About my work which I have made. This work I am called to, see; Come what will or what may. 7. Karma Doesn't Exist Karma is just the social opinion Others have of you. It is unforgiving, Unjust, biased Without mercy toward completely innocent people--- It justifies a serial killer and makes him feel no shame. It constantly breaks and destroys an innocent man. Do untouchables do untouchable things? Did Genghis Kahn suffer anything? What about the other countless dictators And Mass Murderers in Asia and Africa? Did Stalin receive Karma? Did Mao? People still love him to this day. He starved, slaughtered and imprisoned almost five-hundred million people. Yet, his Karma is so good, For half the world sings his praise. Karma is a cur. Because it has no justice And no mercy. It's as much a backward fable as the Koran. 8. God is Going to Bless Me God is going to bless me This I know is true. For when I stand for Jesus All things I fear will cool; The fires of hell surround me But Christ my compass reigns. In Him I am a man freed From sin's bondage and its chains. *** "Let me never turn again..." T. S. Eliot in "Ash Wednesday" *** "Evil is ancient, just like good." B. K. Neifert *** 9. The Daughter of Zion I, Christ's bride, wish to know the LORD. I, rejected by my wife of youth, wish to be married To the Land of Zion. I wish to call Zion "Beulah." I, a son of Zion, wish to be married to her, I wish to cling, and become a nation. I, a meek man, wish to become a clan. I wish to Kiss the Son, so He is not angry with me. LORD, answer me. LORD, peer into the lattice for me; Let thy hands drip with myrrh. A Thousand Talents are yours, Solomon, Let leave the LORD and I to lean one upon another, While coming up from the wildernesses. 10. Falsely Called Our modern age Looks upon every truth And claims it is a lie. Then, with the truth cast aside, It invents a falsehood, saying it is science. 11. So You Want to be a Christian? Do not be a Christian, and sin. Do not come to Jesus, if sin Is the thing you love above all. Get your short life, and fill it good; Suffer eternity in hell. For if you will say you are a Christian And choose to keep on sinning, you shall heap Up evil upon yourself, and also Those you love. For you shall say, "Come this way!" But it is a slippery slope, which will Break you. And it will kill those you do love. For they shall be led by you, believing They have good from heaven, yet in their sins Remain they dead to heavenly abodes. Rather, heap up for yourselves heavenly Treasure, by living righteously and true. Even if you are an offence to your Brother, at least you live with blessings true. You show them the path, and, yes, it is hard. You wrestle with God like Jacob, to wounds Yet, you cling even though your hip is touched And you are wounded, broken, bruised--- you cling. And those who are undaunted by your life Will follow in your footsteps, those behind Christ's. 12. Why We Need Jesus Man had learned what sin is When he ate from the Tree of Knowledge. From that point onward, man was cursed Because not only could he sin, He knowingly could now justify his sin. And with that, man would have no way To save himself, for he would be corrupt By way of having knowledge of sin. So, God repented of making man; He was sorry for having created us. Therefore, He gave us a way out Of our miserable state, that on acceptance We should be empowered to live a life Worthy of Him. Through choosing the sprout Of David, we would have redemption through Christ. For man, having no choice but to sin--- For sin is compulsory in this world--- Need have a way to be forgiven And therefore not suffer for his knowingly committing it. Not only for his knowing it, But for his justification of it. For by biting the fruit, We now could rationalize our sin And make it right in our own eyes. That is the knowledge of judgment. And that is a sin worthy of eternal damnation To say, "I have done no wrong, "But rather, whomever I hurt, I am in the right." 13. Joshua's Altar Kosher bones, ashes, it's a sacrificial altar. It is built exactly as Joshua said it was. It has a ramp, therefore, is not a pagan altar. It has scarab Beetles, explaining the Egyptian Tie. Ironically, those same beetles are found throughout All of Israel. T'was dated 1200BC, Predating Josiah or Persian restoration; Actually built at the exact time Joshua lived. It is built exactly where Joshua said it was. A tablet was found, made of lead, for permanence, With three letters of the Tetragrammaton written In the proto-Hebrew alphabet. True evidence. The lead tablet has curses written on it, just like The Bible says. Joshua said, "Choose this day whom you serve." For, by passing the mount Hubaal, one chooses the LORD And leaves sin behind them, at the altar, once for all. There is also evidence of Jeremiah, and Hezekiah having lived in Israel, as well. What does it prove? That Israel was a people. Long Before Josiah, long before Cyrus the Great, and It proves Israel has been a people, forgotten Once, as Hosea said, but now remembered and found. 14. Falsely Called Science I While reading my commentary on Milton The thought entered into my head--- Creation Science is the thing falsely called. Which, men professing, have strayed from the faith. Do we not believe in an omnipotent God? It was said by one, "Wouldn't God be a liar "If he created the Earth in six days, but made "It look like six billion years?" To which, I had no answer. I still believed in God---yet, I'm not foolish enough To gamble my life against science. Science seems will win That bout, unless the Earth is flat, and all science is magic. God is real because Nietzsche is right;--- By being right, we can plainly observe he is wrong. Good and Evil are inherent, and easily observed. Therefore, I say, "God merely died--- "He's as much alive today as any of us living." II Yet, now that we have trusted science and not God Had not science become something of a god? Need men a deity as cruel and ruthless? One which gives no justice, save man's faulty laws? One which confuses man from wo, and causes sodomy To be praised higher than conception? Science which calls human life a sin? Science which says of a baby, "It should die "If it will suffer long in this life." There is nothing worse than the dual edged sword. At first, science claimed, "There is not a god," To which, science then ceased to be science. It claimed, "A man is a woman if he so believes." Why? If I believe I can fly, and throw myself off a cliff Will I not fall like any other man? If I walk on water Will I not sink? To answer this question, One stops believing in science, and starts believing in magic. One starts believing in faith. My remark to one who crosses The bridge from natural to supernatural is, "Will science then moot itself in the future "And bring us back to a pitiful dark age?" Therefore, let the damned fly and walk on water;--- Let the innocent walk on water and fly to prove their faith. What difference does it make? If we make all things possible By means of magic, science no longer means anything. If I walked on water, and a sinner could walk on water, Then Jesus' miracle is moot. Is it not? And science with it. Therefore, let me live by what truly is science So when a healing comes, I can attest that it was not I, But Jesus living within me. And man can remain amazed That the physics which he rightly knows to be Law Was violated in the name of good. Not evil. 15. Something Christians Ought not Say Do not say, "Satan is the god of this world." If I had twenty dollars for every time a pastor said this I'd be well compensated. For, do pastors know what they say? Paul had said it first, and being who he is He must have meant to bring shock to his readers. The same way I will say things to subvert common wisdom. But, Satan is not the god of this world. If he is, then he has lordship over you. Why make him your head? Unless it is to throw you into hell? Rather, Christ is the God of this world. Satan is but a prince who suzerains, And is in rebellion against his dominion. Do we call the prince a god? In those states which do, they are worshipping Baalim. Do you wish to worship a Baalim? Also, when Paul said, "Satan was the God of this world," He also said, "As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.." Do we then say, "Paul is a Gnostic!" Paul was not a gnostic, but subverted the expectation of his reader. Just as I am not an atheist, but use common atheistic wisdom To subvert my reader. Just as Paul says "Satan is the god of this world," He does not mean literally, but that Satan is the god the world worships And not our Creator. Cease saying it, lest you make Satan your god, and incur wrath on yourself. *** "For if you love your neighboring kingdom as your own, "you will have less occasion to do them injustice "and thereby have less war." --- --- Mo Tzu from the Mozi *** "There is no absolute wisdom in this life; "things that ought not be, often are, "and things that ought be, often aren't. "Rather, hold onto your faith and let go of all illusions." --- --- B. K. Neifert *** 16. Poetry An engineer is a poet of sorts, Precisely ordering her concepts Through strings of operations. A poet is an engineer of words Laying down an idea, Using his deductive proof Of conjunctions and copulas, Of phrases and clauses, To describe something true about human existence.. Wise men are the ones who like them--- Common folk don't do math in their free time So also they don't read poetry. However, for those who are engineers, And doctors, and lawyers, And priests, and poets, and professors, And students of life... We take enjoyment from the big concepts. So, those in the STEM field Don't say a poem is useless--- Look at it like a riddle which needs solved. And that riddle will reveal deeper things About the human cosmos swirling around us. It fills a mind like a cup as sweet As milk and honey. It fills a mind with meaning. I pray to God that it is not a curse To think deeply, and see wisely. For, if it were, I would remain saddened By the loss of my mind. The only thing sweeter than poetry Is love--- And Poetry teaches me how to love For it forces me to listen carefully to what other people are saying And it teaches me the joy of other people's ideas. 17. Stupid People It was brought to my attention That a stupid person was one Who was misfortunate. And being unfortunate, They brought misfortune on others. I thought long and hard on it--- Only a stupid person would Create an x/y graph, and link Fortune with intelligence. Good Character ought to bring fortune Whether someone were not intelligent Or someone were. Yet, it is not always the case. For some people, with exceptionally bad character, Bring fortune to themselves and all around them. There are some with exceptionally good character Like Jesus, who being gifted with God's intelligence Are extremely unfortunate. Is it intelligence which brings fortune? Not always... men with iqs of 200 are extremely Unfortunate, and do nothing with their lives Beside farm---though they are very wise For what else is there? They are unfortunate In the sense that they are not household names They are not great innovators solving problems. They are unfortunate. Really, there is no causal link between Good Character, Fortune and Intelligence. Each is a positive attribute to have As desirable as the next. To have good fortune is highly prized. Intelligence is highly prized. Character is highly prized. In free societies, good character ought to bring good fortune. This is true. There ought to be that causal link And where good character cannot bring fortune--- And rather brings misfortune---that society is called corrupt. Where bad character brings fortune And not misfortune that society is corrupt. Really, fortune is as much a lot As a die cast---and depending on what you do with it Determines your own prowess. Yet, even prowess is not the same as fortune. And prowess is not the same as intelligence. There are many things and diversities. Fortune, though, is primarily linked To willpower or luck, depending on whether A society were benevolent or corrupt. In that sense, it is linked---but only with good character And never with intelligence. 18. Guangwu Recorded in Chinese History, On the Seventh Year of Guangwu In the Fourth Month---which is exactly at Passover--- It is exactly 31AD. And the sun darkened According to the historical text. The text prophesied that one man Would bear the sins of the entire world, And pardoning on the whole world would be accomplished. It is in the actual text. "The sins of all the people are on one man "And pardon is proclaimed to all who are under heaven." "Man from heaven died." The miraculous thing about this is that The next Solar Eclipse would be in 33ad. Therefore, Christ was crucified in 31ad And Chinese Historians had chronicled The darkening of the sun on that exact day. A year which did not have a solar eclipse. It is actual historical evidence of the darkening Which happened during the crucifixion. Found in the history of the latter Hans Record number 18. 19. Reparations There was a good man, who was poor. He waited for work every day, for daily hire, Yet for his appearance and poverty None would seek his hire. The LORD walked by him, seeing his poverty And his good heart, and thought to lay a test, "This man's people have been sorely treated "And I shall give him the just recompense "Of his ancestor's dearth. I shall fairly treat him." Thus, the man received just compensation For his ancestor's slavery, and the LORD was pleased. Yet, he had no lack whatsoever, He began to oppress his neighbors He began to steal,---having his heart fattened By the wealth his ancestors had lost He began to become wicked, and his good heart Was turned toward evil and malice. Until, he had killed a man in cold blood. The LORD looked upon the Earth, and said, "Even if I give these people what they deserve, "They shall destroy themselves with it. "Therefore, I cannot give it to them, "For they have hearts prone to doing evil "And must first learn to stop oppressing their neighbors. "For, there are ample opportunities for them to be rich "But lo, their oppression of their brethren "Causes them to have wayward hearts "And causes them to shed blood, which I have not commanded them." *** "Cram them full of noncombustible data, "chock them so damned full of 'facts' "they feel stuffed, but absolutely "brilliant' with information." "Beatty to Guy Montag --- In Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 *** "Where I have to fear "for an unpopular or incorrect opinion, "or am spied on for having such, "it is no longer a free society." --- B. K. Neifert *** 20. A Final Thought Written words are so bare--- Let some thoughts exist Which will be unrecorded. Speak them, in oral poetry Which cannot be censored. Learn to hone your life In listening, and short phrases. Learn to be interested in others. Poetry is my voice, and I am tired of it. Rather, I like to listen to a thousand voices All speaking their minds---I miss it. Other people's wisdom. Let me be silent now, And peer into my silent lips With wisdom spoken by others. Attune to the oral poetry Of life, and stop writing every thought Every detail---the robin was beautiful Upon the deck, its fat belly filled with eggs. Yet, speak a word of poetry or two Which can be for only one or two ears. Do not, always, be recording your thoughts. Do not always be throwing your thoughts To the wind. Who is it for? Listen, why don't you? Listen to the wind, the voices of the ones you love. Listen, and you will feel the swelling within your ileum. If I be a poet, I must learn to listen. For only by listening, have I anything worthwhile to say. And say some things once, and don't write it. Say things once, for one ear, for one time Let it evaporate, and return later as a planted Seed. Then, be silent, as the rain comes With the lightning's fertilization And it comes with a mellow silence; A tattoo of pitter patter tapping against the roof. Listen to it, and the voices of those around you. Stay silent. For speech destroys the pleasant reverie; It disturbs our peace. 21. Fallen by the Way I prayed for you to meet me... In prophetic verse you did greet me. Yet, tangled with Jezebel you did your dance. My heart hurts, and looks on with soldier's eyes... You were a friend, instantly, yet she Sought to fire her devices upon my brow--- She did not seek my life, but the barbarians Whom she kept company with would hate my soul. And you, taken with dry loves had forsaken our friendship. I wish to comfort you; I wish to give you the bread of peace. But, danger lurks on every corner, and the gnarly trap Lays deep within your flesh---I cannot save you. With knowledge you sinned, and severed from us Divine friendship. I would hasten to help you To bring you into fields of freshly grown moss And pleasant water brooks. Yet, you sinned. It was not you but the choices you made And the danger you placed me in. I must have hidden my soul from destruction For you did your dance with Jezebel, And would not entreat my company in the woods Where we could have fled the troubles of this world. Yet, you also dashed my hopes to pieces... You knew my dreams, and my divine purpose And took to taunting me before my face With all. You took my kindness and entreated it lightly. You mocked me before my face---for that I could forgive you. Yet, the company you kept, it is dangerous And ready to fail---wishing to end the cycle of reincarnation That immoral politics; for death was her highest hope And not life. And you chose her instead of me. 22. American Sonnet I found Christ the day I believed, and loved Him fervently, my beloved. I found His name as both Priest and King, in the book of Zechariah. I saw him foretold, in Isaiah Fifty-Three, Who bore our gross sin. I saw Him in Psalm Twenty-Two that soldiers would divide His Garments. In Jeremiah, I saw was there a new covenant prophesied. To be established in Abraham's seed, I saw that covenant nigh. The serpent bit Christ's ankle, the Seed of Eve, I saw once in a poem. Guangwu, a Chinese King saw darkness on Passover, and made Christ known. Good and evil are both self-evident, yet Who but Jesus can judge? Job cried out for a mediator between man and God, when sores rubbed. Science and math's tautology need be established in God's wisdom. Miracles exist in great numbers, which break man's laws and his theorems. The stars are patterned to tell God's story, like a Child Christ had drawn. In order for there to be real love, God must be believed and His Son. 23. Treasure Common Things Treasure common things. Cherish the dandelion flower Over the hibiscus or rose. Cherish the dogwood and Red Buds Every spring, and cherish the mulberry's fruit; Cherish the fruit in season But have a taste for some fruits out of season, Those commonly sold at market. Splendor over the amethyst and not the diamond; Dig your hand into the stone bucket And cherish the variegated colors of those common rocks; Don't seek after the Ruby or Sapphire or Peridot or Emerald. Cherish the Zebra Coral, Unakite and Blue Quartz and Pink Howlite. When the bluebells appear in the forest, cherish them. When the helicopter leaves fall, cherish them. Cherish the dandelion fuzz and the Queen Anne's Lace. Find chestnuts, and walnuts, and hedge apples, And wild violets and wild strawberries and Veronica flowers; When they are in bunches, the common blue violets are a most beautiful sight. In the fall, cherish the golden and blazen leaves. In the winter cherish the snow. In the summer cherish the summer storms. Love chess boards, and old pictures of family and friends, Love the curtains that hang in your home, Love the common items you always see Those which you have possessed all your years. These I must say treasure, before you lose them. Be exhilarated over Susan B. Anthonys and Golden Sacajaweas; And Bicentennials which make change from the vending machines. Love the variegated state quarters And the different nickels, And the common pieces of art that hang in your home, The ones that family had made. Love those people around you, Who you commonly associate with. Love your coworkers and classmates And bosses and neighbors, And yes, even your job. Be satisfied with your TV And Computer with the key missing And broken keyboard that doesn't type. Love what is common and readily available to you Over rare and priceless things. For, if you seek out rare and priceless things You shall always be impoverished by their lack. 24. The Men From York Two men from York stand nigh a woman Whom in great offense had slain free speech. They, in their indignation, sought to bury The bones of Elijah underneath the Broom Tree; There, they sought their war, and exiled The good and the bad and the ugly From off the Earth. Jude and Thomas Sat aghast, asking, "Why did the world "Not accept you?" "LORD, they have seen like I!" Yet, faith departed from the Earth as the two men from York Sung their hymns, with Mary in great offense betwixt. "Speak no more, and lie dead---For men are no longer "Free to pursue truth, but must accept all words "Canon to the world they have become yoked to." Jude, Judas and Thomas slept Sharing one another's dreams; Jude, Judas and Thomas All wrote their poetry; Yet, Judas decried, "The stars are a lie!" And he, in the dead of night Walked the streets And turned Thomas to try his tormented tyrannies. He did it once to Jude, who in confusion Bought the book most beloved of Benjamin To see the stars were accorded to their clockwork And the hands moved in their precious courses; All was on time. Thus, Jude and Thomas said, "Let me never turn again. "Let us never go back to our former sin--- "Let us not see Judas' treachery any longer!" As it was, that thing we abhor is nailed to Christ. Yet, Mary said, "I am offended at thee!" Thus, the exile was fierce. Jude and Thomas both believed And like Daniel, were unharmed by the Lion. Jude having once stepped on a serpent's brood And though it bit, it was like naught. Thomas, seeing the treachery of Judas Iscariot Awoke, and like a dream, it was like naught. The two men from York succored Mary In great offense at Jude and Thomas--- Beleaguered, with Judas Iscariot Their Captain. Thomas said, "They see!" And Jude said, "Why doth the world reject you?" *** "But if at first God is said to have made formless, "and through void He makes form, "He does not contradict Himself; "He is able to determine what precedes eternity, "whether in time, by His volition,--- "and where it originates in Eternity, God precedes it all..." --- St. Augustine, from his Confessions "God is omnipotent; trying to understand Genesis "through our linear way of thinking "is like trying to make unequal lines literally "equal, in intersecting chords." --- B. K. Neifert *** 25. Guangwu They changed Guangwu before my very eyes. I have documented proof, if only for myself. Christ was crucified in 31AD, and the darkening was Not a solar eclipse. Someone is literally changing The facts as we speak. Google literally said According to yesterday's date, 5/4/22 "A solar eclipse on Passover Would have been impossible." End quote. Do we now change astronomy to sate the world's delusions? 26. Monseigneur A Tale of Two Cities, The dystopian nightmare... Monseigneur kills while he drives His carriage, and doesn't flinch. Men in lower social class Were considered expendable By those in higher social class. Lawless, unaccountable... A little baby was his victim. It took me a while to understand The story. I didn't like Dickens at first. Now, I see a tapestry of the time before times. Poor flooding the street to drink a filthy flagon of wine, Prisons where men sit in solitary confinement, Marquises murdering maliciously like mountebanks. There is no great past--- And there is no great future--- There is only now. Let us not spoil it with our greed... Poem dedicated to my best friend Jonathan 27. A Connecticut Yankee Mark Twain was no fool--- He looked at the records of the past The Dark Ages--- Even without the amenities Of iPhones, computers and tvs. It had indoor plumbing, Was gaslit, a comfortable place. There, in King Arthur's dystopian courts--- For the work is a dystopian Science fiction about time travel--- Men were held in dungeons, Queens killed with impunity, Knights rode around aimlessly And killed one another for profit. The Church censored, and ruled With an iron fist. I read it, and am chilled by it. I read two works of Feudalism; Giving me an idea what it was really like. The cruelty, inhumanity, The callousness, the lawlessness, The gross things people did to one another. Believing in magic and mysticism Which fully believed by the nobility Strewn its luck throughout the kingdom In disastrous chains of misfortune. I've seen all I want to see of Feudalism. Let kings be antiquated, Capitalism flourish And let the poor be fed by their own work. As socialism in practice Is just Feudalism disguised. 28. A True Poet To be a true poet You must command a meaning With every word. Not Word associations Or random vocab lessons. 29. Blushed Facts Weak faith had I, when every truth Brought the blush of cherry tomatoes To my peachskin face. I looked And every good fact doubted. I held to faith... Would cut truth, And in faithless backbiting Tear down every bastion of knowledge. A fire, burning the chaff Of miracles, truth and beautiful exegesis. 30. Feud of the Avatars The painful stroke of marginalized Artists, making 50,000 florins, Taking up the apprenticeship of sire; Walking the path his father gave... When the two great masters met They hated one another, competing To best an adversary. Bitter and spiteful, Like Southey and Byron, Wordsworth and Shelley, Leonardo and Michelangelo... I watch like Raphael, Wondering at their chafe. Their unbridled hate. For all genius is welcome to me... I will applaud it. Yet, the modern sage says Michelangelo's unfinished Pieta is better than the one set in St. Peter's Basilica; Better than Moses and David For that, there can be no Raphael now... For the sophist says That exegesis is deferred to the reader And their capricious whims. I told him, I'd "burn my entire library "And everything I'd ever wrote "If you are right." Yet, his musings were divine... It was not jealousy, just the disrespect To communicated thought. Were Leonardo and Michelangelo Different? Were they not the same, Dissecting corpses, and both experts? Yet, Leonardo was jealous of the craft Of Sculpture, and Michelangelo Defiant in his defense. Why do I write? I tenderly ask this question when I see the sophist Has reign over the modern age. While I do not wish a scientist to determine the language--- While I do not want an algorithm to determine my meaning--- He says, "Language is not an algorithm, it expands, contracts..." I say to him, there is one thing I disagree with. One thing. I said that words can be understood. And for that, he ignored me. For we are not engines, but human beings; We can indeed understand. Like Leonardo's disrespect for Michelangelo's Sculpture, the terrific thing is that I am not Simply caked with dust like a baker. I form with words the sculpture of my architecture... And I wish them to mean something. Not just be a kaleidoscope of feeling. 31. Otherness My love, I had forgotten Smerdis was that Death, And Death my Doppelganger throughout my odes. My poem decries the cycle of civilization. How there is always a vacuum left where power begins to fail. In the Histories, Cambyses campaigned in Egypt, After his sire Cyrus had freed all his subjects; Cambyses sought to reconquer them. Thus, Smerdis arose to usurp power from his brother Cambyses--- Yet Smerdis was killed by Darius, So was justified because Smerdis was a changeling As the story goes---drawing a comparison with Smerdis To the Androgynous mobs of Death. Yet, I felt the presence of the poem, That its meaning defied even me... It was born from this author But---as the Archer told me in his village--- It had a sense of strange otherness. What I had made was beyond even my own interpretation. How I could forget something so key, There it was, beyond me, something I made and could now rediscover--- A poem I wrote had intrinsic meaning... Even its author need rediscover it. It was, then, its own being, Like I had given birth And the child grew. There the child was, Born of my seed, But something else. *** "Wrong does not cease to be wrong "because the majority share it." --- Leo Tolstoy *** "Look at a good poem like a proof, "and the single sentence summating its thought "the solution." --- B. K. Neifert *** 32. My Audience You are my poetry. I listen... what do those thoughts inspire? I know not anymore what they mean--- Only what you say about them. Do not come to me, and ask, "Does your poem mean, thus..." I do not know. I want to hear your words And interpret them like I do Eliot or Wordsworth. I want to listen. Do you not understand? I wrote so much to listen to you Tell me what they mean. I know what I meant by them... What do you see by them? I can listen, and understand you. You listen, and understand me. I wish to listen to you... Just tell me your honest thoughts. Know only one thing about me. I believe in Christ. But, tell me what you see in my poems And reveal to me mysteries I had not even fathomed. Reveal to me the hidden parcels of wisdom I did not see, nor conceive. Show me what they mean--- For do you not understand, Words have meaning? I say this over and over again--- Thoughts have meaning. Precise meanings. Do not shy away from telling me your thoughts. I will think over them, Mull over them... For that is what I want. I want you to think And speak important words. Not sit idly and talk about nonsense. Talk about something deep, And if poetry draws that out of you, I wish to listen and see the chrysalis of your thoughts. See, those reading my poems, You are my poetry. To have never had an audience To listen to, To never hear you tell me what they mean--- I am tired of my own thoughts... Do not make me blue. I wish to place wisdom Onto your lips, and make it rain forth. 33. To Understand a Poet The primary thing to understand About poets, is that "Love is not All" By Edna St. Vincent, I understand That when she wrote, "I do not "Think I would", it meant she wouldn't. There is no might about it. Also see it hopefully, That though love is not everything, It is still as necessary as all the rest. “The first principle of value that we need to rediscover is this: that all reality hinges on moral foundations. "In other words, that this is a moral universe, and that there are moral laws of the universe just as abiding as the physical laws." Rev. Dr. M. L. King Jr.
Some of the Evidence for Jesus
Why would Abraham want to sacrifice Isaac, if not a picture that God would provide a sacrificial lamb? Why would Leviticus condone human sacrifice in Leviticus 27:29, when such sacrifice is unlawful? Except in the context that it meant One Devoted to God? That Being Immanuel? Why would Nehemiah tell the people to eat fat? From what I understand that's unlawful. Unless, it was to establish that the Jews were in waiting for a New Covenant? Why would Abraham be told, "Your Seed shall bless all nations?" Who is that Seed? Jacob didn't bless all nations. Rather, it seems quite clear that by Jacob, all the nations of the world were condemned to die. Why wouldn't "Almah" or "Maid" mean "Virgin"? Don't some words have two meanings? And if they do, wouldn't it make sense that a Virgin give birth to the promised Hier, whose coming would destroy Assyria? Rather than a harlot? I've heard it said that the woman was a harlot, but then that's only if you don't interpret the word "Almah" as "Virgin". What is the "Newly Created Thing" referred to twice in Isaiah? Why does it tell you to forget the old? Who's Soul is to be made an offering for our sins? Who was "pierced for our transgressions?" Why must we kiss the Pure, the One Begotten by God? My Bible says "Son", but you translate "Bar" as "Pure". So, obviously it makes more sense that the word be translated as "Son". Because a "Son" is Begotten. Why are there two everlasting covenants? Why did Jeremiah proclaim a new covenant? Why did Ezekiel say "Arise" to dry bones? If there is not a resurrection? Why did Zechariah name Jesus as the Messiah twice? As, Uzziah tried to reign as both priest and king, and was stricken with Leprosy. Why is "Joshua" in this instance, allowed to reign as both priest and king? Why did Job want a mediator between him and God? Why did Xerxes receive a dream that sounds like God's voice in Herodotus? Why did the conquering of the Aztecs look exactly like the Prophetic campaign of Joshua? Why did at the same miracles occur? Five hundred Conquistadors would defeat armies upward of five to one hundred thousand without any aid. Plagues descended which did not touch the Conquistadors or most of their armies? If the Aztec used inferior weapons, and that's why they were severely beaten, why did La Triste Noche happen? Why, in 1561 in Nuremberg, did two crosses do battle over the eye of the sun, and St. Paul's Cathedral was struck with lightning? Why is there a picture of the Dragon from Revelation on a Hindu Temple, and why does it look like an alien? How did Milton predict Atomic Bombs and the movement of the Universe, and also predict Postmodernism? Why does Orion have a sling and look like David? Why is there a giant figure---looks like a five year old's drawing---that raises up on the horizon in the direction of Orion's sling? Why is there a triangle in the summer, called the Summer Triangle, and there's an arrow at the one point of the triangle, and it points to a cross at the other? Why is the North Star very dim, when it used to be taught that it was one of the brightest in the Nighttime sky? Why does Cassiopeia look like a woman giving birth? Why is there only infinity existing in vacuum? Why does math work, and prove itself in the real world, even out to the most obscure equations? Why are we able to communicate? Why do all of the greatest sages in history come to ideas similar to that of the Bible's? Why do poets like Virgil and Lucretius find truths, logically prove them, and those truths are what the Bible had said? Why is faith called the "Evidence of things unseen, and the substance of things hoped for."? Why did the Hundred Years War and Black Plague follow a time period where a Pope was martyred, and Homosexuality was normal? Why is Christ's law in Matthew 5 - 8 so self evident, if He is not God Come in the Flesh? Why is Isaiah 53 in the Dead Sea Scrolls? Why doesn't the Nebuchadnezzar Chronicles prove Judah was a principality prior to Babylonian Captivity? Why does the Tel Dan Stele give verbatim the most obscure Biblical detail, and it gets it right? How does a feather evolve over even a trillion years? Can a frog turn into a toad, unless God made it so? Why did the Hammurabi's code get established right where the Biblical Genealogies date Abraham? Why did Hebrews worshipped God's Son before Christ? Why were El and El's Son worshipped in Mesopotamia at the time of Hammurabi's Code? Why does Moses line up with the cult of Aten in the Biblical Geneologies? If God were real, why wouldn't He reveal Himself? Why are there miraculous events described in Roman and Greek Historians which directly correspond to places where God would work? Such as Hannibal's invasion of Rome the sun blackened and the shields sweat blood, or the Sacrifice of virgins turning rivers to blood and made a moondog? Are we to believe that didn't happen? Why did George Floyd's monument get destroyed by lightning? Why does the complete History as given by Ancient Astronaut Theorists sound like it was describing demons instead of aliens? Why are there so many myths and stories that resemble one another? Why does every civilization, on every continent, have a mythology about a global flood?' If all things are vibrations, and Word is a vibration of air, and Jesus is the Word Who holds all things together,---what, exactly, can science do except prove that Jesus is the Word? Why would aliens demand human sacrifice, if they were not demons instead? Who would ultimately hold mankind responsible for all the suffering it created, if God did not exist? How could a man ever be forgiven without Christ? If sin must be punished, how else could a man escape Judgment unless that punishment were placed on Immanuel? Will you make the decision to accept Jesus as your personal Lord and savior, and will you repent of ALL sin.
Why I Cannot Be
Why I can't be an Atheist Is that I believe in good. I believe in evil. I believe in the supernatural. I believe in truth. I believe in a common shared experience. I believe in a moral certainty. I believe in sexual fidelity. I believe in monogamy. I believe in inherent values. Why I cannot be a Muslim Is because the religion teaches its adherents to lie. Frankly, this one concept in Islam is so blasphemous to my ears That in the face of persecution, Muslims are allowed to lie. To me, God's standard is truth. If you were a Muslim, and that God were true You'd almost be compelled to tell the truth. Also, I cannot see myself bowing to a rock; If not for the flawed laws in the Koran The constant prostration to a rock in the middle of a desert Shows to me, at least, that the religion is centered around idolatry And is nothing more than statecraft. Why I cannot be a Hindu--- Though there is no other religion I'd be If not for Christianity, the only other one Enticing to me is Hinduism. But, its myths have bad ideas about charity. It praises the prince who capriciously gives Two mountains of gold to two passer yonders Rather than to the prince who labors For twenty-four hours to give based on the poor's needs. It seems the religion advocates lazy charity; And it also believes in a Manichaeism, Making good equal to evil in strength. Which, I cannot believe either. And the very notion of becoming a god Is petulant, self serving and dangerous. I cannot believe in any religion That would turn its adherents into gods. Thereby, giving authority to men What is unjust to give them Due to our fallible and finite nature. I also cannot stomach Dharma or Reincarnation As if all life were, is about ending it, I find this view horrible and immoral. I think life ought to be celebrated, And rewarded for a good one with eternal bliss. I also find Dharma insufficient And lazy, so as to excuse the suffering of the poor And to excuse injustice, and so tidily chalk it up With reincarnation, giving justice to pointless abuses. Why I cannot be a Buddhist Is because I find no meaning in suffering. There can be no meaning in suffering. To me, suffering is pointless, and is to be avoided. I find the religion's founder to be gross; As he would sit among battlefields And meditate among the rotting corpses. He would sit in graveyards and meditate. He seemed, almost, so inured and disassociated from the world. He, rather than help others, simply bore great grief And I find that kind of inaction pointless And even dangerous, and at the highest degree Buddhism is self serving in every aspect as a religion. Why I cannot be a Shinto or Zoroaster Is the same reason. I cannot believe In an ordering of spirits To where evil ones are given equal weight to good. I cannot believe it, because I believe good is strongest And evil is simply a disfiguration of what is good. Evil is a distortion of the good, or it's something That distorts and therefore, is negative rather than something Positive. I find evil must be destroyed one day Fully, and that it cannot be dualistic Giving equal weight to both good and evil. I believe that good must be stronger than evil And one day destroy it, otherwise, I cannot believe in God, if God is in part equally strong as evil. Why I cannot be a Pagan Is that it is banal to me to believe That many gods and goddesses are warring Among one another. That they are all benevolent And thereby, each having its own aim Wars with the other gods, giving license to one hero And they all vote upon the virtues of man. I find this contradicts the very spirit of Good To say that good is compartmentalized In metaphors about war, love, oceans or hell. That is all Pagan gods and goddesses are To me, are metaphors. And I cannot believe Metaphors are powerful enough for me to believe In and worship---as that's a kind of idolatry which I will never succumb to. I cannot be a Mormon or Jehovah's Witness Because I believe in the Trinity. I find God must exist in Three Persons. Thereby, if One God exists And carries all the attributes of God Commonly attributed to Him, Then God must exist in three Persons. Thereby, I cannot also worship Michael, As both these Arian religions worship him. I believe no angel deserves our worship And that God the Father and God the Son Are coeternal, uncreated And existing for eterniy. Why I cannot be agnostic is Because I know a god exists. Why I cannot be a gnostic Is because I believe we must Do good here upon the Earth. I believe we must abstain from evil. I do not believe we ought to Simply live our lives however we want. I believe we should, Instead, be fruitful, give generously, Abstain from sexual sin and violence. I cannot, again, believe in Dualistic ideas Of a demiurge and aeon. Of a physical and spiritual world; As my entire philosophy on life Is that both the spiritual and physical Exist intertwined, and mutually coexisting; As intricately woven together As God is in the Flesh of Jesus Christ,
Veritable Divinity
The Pharisee would walk the streets with his hands Over his eyes, in order to avoid the sight Of a beautiful woman or a sinful idol, Which would catch an ever wandering eye. Confucius said suffer a woman to drown Rather than take her by the hand to save her. For tradition to these men was the way to cleanse souls. Was Confucius a Pharisee, probably. However, good, he had concluded, Is self evidently so; and good must Be part of one's daily habit. For tradition Finds its root in ancient established laws. For he saw that goodness established customs And then those customs would be later core To the felicity of human government. Just like Moses' law established justice So did the law Confucius base his judgments On establish. For, good is good by the sake Of its being inherently good. 'tis A tautology, sufficient in itself; For reason cannot exist without tautology Or self evident truth; thus, Confucius based His philosophy on self evident truths That man needs to love and so order his Respect with those filial bonds which are formed For the sake of human happiness. Yet, like all men with an ideology He and the Pharisees forgot the exceptions To the rules established; that if a rule Contradicted the course of humanity's love It was to be rejected; and this is why Christ Is preeminently divine, that though Confucius saw the Legalists as fools He invariably was one. And Christ is not.
My Search for Absolute Truth
At the beginning of my journey I wrote stories about Utopia. I had planned it To create a working society. I had also destroyed that society. I also was steeped in number theory Throughout my tenure at High School. I understood numbers are subjective And are simply arbitrary placements--- Yet, when arranged they create symmetry And patterns which can be predicted with absolute certainty. I took Music Theory courses And found that symmetry was on a piano; I found that symmetry was in nature; I fond that symmetry---later in life--- Was also in aesthetics. Then, while sitting in my little guard shack, Drinking excesses of Green Tea, Air Conditioning blasting at its highest level, I took a piece of string and a quarter And I wrapped the string around the quarter. Then I measured it. It came out to about 3.14 inches. I then realized Pi is the diameter of a circle Whose circumference is one. Later in life, I bought Euclid's Elements And I studied them. I found certainty within the principles Of forming triangles, And later I would study the Quadratic Equation Picking it apart to see the formula and how it works. I would then study the principles of Calculus Then the principles of Phi, E and Pi. Discovering within them axioms of truth. I then discovered that same precision When reading William Wordsworth. That he conveyed a precise meaning; Yes it was layered in nuance, It was layered in obscure names of places and people, But it---with their associations of history--- It conveyed a certain message which was Undeniable. There could be no misinterpreting it When the language was studied And the words were taken for their meanings. I then studied Confucius, Mozi, Lao Tsu, Aristotle, Socrates, Plato,--- I read the mythologies of Greece The mythologies of Britain, The modern novels and literatures Of the last five hundred years. I discovered within them were principles That validated themselves through self evident Evaluation. And the closer they came to self evident truth The closer it resembled the LORD's. For within the logic of these writers Were the proofs of their arguments. That within their essays, novels and poems The self evident truths were proven. Then I found that even when an artist was obscure A meaning could be found. I found when someone spoke It could be understood No matter how complex it was. For truths are shared, and those same truths Being shared prove a universality of truth. That if one understands the truths And if given the right amount of education and time. The truths are there expressed Regardless of whether someone understands them or not. That truth is permanent, unwavering, Existing outside of us, and only to be discovered. That even within the meaning of words The mere fact that they are comprehended Validates an objective, metaphysical world Bound to a material world. I then discovered that in moral philosophy The Golden Rule was paramount And was itself a universal truth. That it was persuasive above all other truth And that from it, could be established a moral system. Yet I also found disagreement--- Yet, in the disagreement there was a certain degree Of Truth, that even if not expressed or persuaded Presided over our conversation. In effect, I found humans discover truths Both moral and physical, Yet there are truths they will not discover on their own. It became clear to me, that if I were to be a Christian, I must see if the truths discovered by these other philosophers Lined up with the truths I found in the Bible. And they always did. I found invisible strings Of connective tissue linking all events in the world To a moral philosophy which the great sages had observed. Yet each of them were wrong in very specific ways But only one man, Jesus Christ Had discovered the whole of truth... Even when He said, "I come not to bring peace, but the sword." That there is a time when even good men must fight. For overreaching all truths Was that sin creates suffering in the world. And that is why it is sin. For the more people sin, the more people suffer, Until cataclysmic shifts in societies, by wars and purges and pestilences Created by belligerence or negligence Whether it be by the people's sociopathic aggression Or their mistreatment of the soil to bring on famine or locuts, Or their laziness which causes the environs to be foul and dirty And thus creates disease. For Thomas Jefferson said, "We hold these truths to be self evident," And lo, truth is self evident. For truth, if we tap into it, Is a means to prevent the human race from suffering. And if we tap into that truth, We eerily find, more and more, it validates The supreme command of scripture. For the atheists say, "God cannot be Omniscient, "Omnibenevolent, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent." They would be right, except if God Himself Dwelt in Three Persons, which each could Attain to these attributes all at once And exist separate, yet equal and also altogether one. And I had found, in the end, That my search ended with the Man Jesus Christ. For what He lived, and died, and suffered, And conquered, and raised from, It is a story which resonates with the ages And all of the knowledge of civilizations. It all resonates, in a collective whole, And when one takes all of man's theories And cognitions, and ideas and bring them together--- As men collectively can pinpoint every truth all the time--- All of the mythologies, all of the knowledge, All of the stories, the histories, the rapid shifts in mankind and their movements, All knowledge, source and wisdom, It all becomes hinged on the one fulcrum Of that Man Jesus Christ.
Odes of Strangers XX
The net is set before, And the Fowler garners his devices. Oh! Steel trap! It is sprung and wound taught. He seethes with venom And with his black veil He shows himself as violet light! He dawns the clergy's robe And stands above Beyond, with his fowler's instrument set. The congregation dances in their red hooves And cloven feet, As the witches draw their enneagrams. They do their dances Ecstatic with the tongues of asps. They bow, they raise They dance to the light of their own fires And they say, "I see." The Black Priest Raises, in the robes of Baptist's flannel They shout their glorious shouts In ecstasies, They gorge and smoke their peace pipes Outside of their Holy Cloisters. They speak of life now, And they speak of prosperity To call forth holy visions to bring them their good Fortune, and their just deserts. He draws his cup, with the pentagon Pits at the back of his church Where he sacrifices the goats. He destroys the content man's life With his counsel he gives to the man's wife Impregnating her with her desire for life. He implants this same desire in his whole flock As the fanatics bear their arms And draw forth their swords Ready to wage the Holy War of Armageddon. He calls forth his armies from the woods Whom he has also impregnated with the desire to live. He speaks of gaining beauty in the wife And of physique and flesh. He sways in his black robes And hood dawned which prevents his face from being seen. He is the Judas Priest Presiding over the Black Sabbaths. He is our modern Preacher Preaching the good work of self content And prosperity, likening this fallen world To the land of milk and honey. He says, "Heaven is a place on earth," And he tells his troop to take it To slurp down the victuals and to feast upon The sea's fats. Prosperity, beauty, contentment, These are his sermons To a lost generation. Saying to them, "Receive your bounty "For you shall provide for yourself! "The poor are a scourge upon the earth "And the rich are the inheritors of the land. "The meek are all sinners "And those who mourn are chief among the blasphemers. "Those who are poor in spirit, they are the filth that we despise "And those who are peace makers, they we hate because we love war." The congregation spins in their pews, And dance to the beats They sing their magical chaunts, They shout their "Hallelujah" To the Jesus of Suburbia. And though they sprout wings The net flung into the air. And only the righteous escaped.
God’s Plane and Scale
Mr. Emerson, may I just attain What you said about circles. It makes me first get offended. As is true with all wisdom All truth, we resist it at first. We do not like things to be So simple, nor do we appreciate Patterns we ourselves have not attained. Yet, looking at the mountains The trees, my palm, my fingers My gloves, the rocks, My calves, the cow's horns The lizard's ovular body The worms, the fly's which are Shaped like eggs, The grasshoppers which are shaped Like fingers, the bird's Which are shaped almost ovular The frogs, which when scrunched Are like a little oval The bushes which are ovular too... And cats and dogs and horses when they lie down. I do say I see the pattern as well. And I do believe I have a theory on why. Pi---being infinite, as is the infinite measurement of the curve--- Must inherently be the natural order of geometry. So everything, running off, and smoothing over by rain And evolving over time, Naturally must produce a circle. As, Pi is the natural shape, the natural Number of nature, by which all other things are dictated. Surely, it has its subtle imperfections Making each specimen different, But given the natural shape of all things Are likened to a circle--- And what is straight Often we can assume was man made, How men create things in squares And nature its circles--- I do say it's an offensive little thought. That I hadn't attained it first--- Maybe I equal you in genius For giving an explanation as to why--- Is it the infinite reality of Pi Which causes this? That number naturally representing The geometry of a curve Therefore, randomness must Inherently, be shaped into curves. For, the patterns in nature show That all things, built by God, Are as a curve. Men build in squares And God builds with circles. Because men must shape our environment To order, and God must shape His environment To the natural world toward that infinite Shape, that infinite number Pi. And Mr. Emerson I do not plagiarize you Rather, as you said about great poets Writing in an age where there are few, We take all things and make them our own. But, my solemn task is finding in the past Things which ought to be remembered by all For a better future. Another peculiar thought. It seems that man is the only creation Of God's which is like a rectangle. For, the Golden ratio By which men create and shape their world, Is dictated by the rectangular shape of our body. No other creature is dictated by its rectangular Form. None which I know. For, they are either cones, spheroids Or outright shaped like circles. The Human body, when standing upright Exhibits the Golden Ratio;--- That being Five to two. So do trees, so do bushes, But only human bodies seem to be nature's rectangle Which may be why we prefer them in our creations. But this strange ratio has been told to me By a much beloved professor When describing the Acropolis Which is fitted to our human shape;--- Which does appears in nature;--- Perhaps it is nature's rectangle Which we men are formed closer to---- Yes, it is most defined in our human form. For, perhaps these two measurements The measurement of Pi And the measurement of Phi, Perhaps these numbers are scientific Facts, oblong and shaping the world Through their infinite order. Perhaps Pi is nature's curve And Phi is nature's rectangle Both working together In their infinite measurements As if planed and scaled by God Like the Bible said, "Wisdom was with God when he Planed the Scale of the Earth". For, by observing this order, I am confident that God exists. For, these measurements create Upon the earth, and define all Aesthetic Beauty. That, and of course, Fibonacci's sequence; Which repeats itself through all natural shapes. For some reason, these numbers lay down the law Of how our natural world gets shaped by the Eons of textures and winds, and rains. And, certainly, to have such geometric certainty As this---for randomness cannot truly occur in nature According to these principles--- It must be that an architect, by design Created our world. And as certain as these mathematical principles are Which are observed in everything from trees To mountains, to rock formations And even the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls, So are the moral principles laid down by Christ As certain. Which, Mr. Emerson, Is my scientific foundation for believing in Him.
B. K. Neifert 