This is the following text that you can read after considering my first post.
Please, read with an understanding that my words are not of my own contrivance, but from inspired men of God spanning at least four thousand years of our history.
SLepore
Spiritual Warfare
What many today refuse to acknowledge is the existence of a Creator and that this being is spiritual by nature. However, what is even more pertinent is this being’s lack of any whim in His actions and absence of anything short of going against Himself and anyone who seeks Him. Nevertheless, what this does not mean is that whenever someone simply starts believing in a Creator and even begins praying to their concepts of a Creator that only the real McCoy will answer. Why? Because there is a spiritual battle occurring outside of the direct sight of man. This stems from two most basic worldviews: 1) First comes the supernatural world, God the creator and designer. This supernatural being is a spirit. A spirit is an intelligent being, which exists outside of time and space and yet can interact with the latter if it chooses. From the Creator all else flows, or comes into existence and is with purpose. 2) First comes the material world by a manner that excludes the presence of a creator/designer. It can be eternal, which means it does not have a beginning. The supernatural is modeled after man’s nature and his needs in order to cope with the natural world.
Let’s even simplify it some more:
Viewpoint # 1 From the Supernatural comes the Natural / God ► man.
Viewpoint # 2 From the Natural comes the Supernatural / man ► God.
There is a third viewpoint that poses as an alternate solution but really is the second viewpoint in disguise: Pantheism, commonly known as Gnosticism. This concept merely equates the created with the creator. This is masked within the saying “God is everything and everything is God” So; there really are only the two viewpoints.
These viewpoints are our world-views. It is this, which will determine the course of a man’s life, ultimately.
The Bible teaches about a spiritual warfare.
[3] For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
[4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)[5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ [2nd Corinthians 10].
[10]Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. [11]Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [12]For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. [Ephesians 6:10-12]
It starts shortly after the beginning of the world as God punishes the sin of Adam and Eve, sending them out of Eden. He prophesies the struggle between Jesus and Satan.
[15]And I will put enmity between thee [Satan] and the woman, and between thy seed[antichrist-666]and her seed[Jesus]; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. [Genesis 3:15]
It is important to make note that a woman bears an egg, not a seed. From a skeptical world-view, this poses a problem in the text. Looking at it in the light of what it is really saying Mary bears the miracle of the virgin birth, hence the masculine seed application.
When, earlier, Satan causes doubt in the minds of Adam and Eve, as they decide to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil the two infect their oneness with life. However, I am not writing of that life in how we today see it. God is Life. We see nature as life. This is the difference! God is one. Adam and Eve is one with Him in the garden of a perfection invisible to our eyes and minds. The other tree, the tree of life, is a symbolic prefiguring of Jesus on the cross and as the vine, with us as the branches.
[1]I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. [2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. [3] Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. [5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.[John 15]
Jesus’ crucifixion is laden with O.T. prophesy.
27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet[*], They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. [Matthew 27:35]
[*]Psalm 22:14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. 22:17 I may tell all my bones: they look [and] stare upon me. 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
Satan is the one-time most beautiful of the angels and is Lucifer. This alludes to the Day Star, or Morning Star in Isaiah 14:12.
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Such a passage can fall in context with Babylon. This makes sense as will be seen in the section of Noah.
Jesus is found in the same O.T. manuscript:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of [his] government and peace [there shall be] no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.[Isaiah9:6,7]
After the expulsion from Eden, God slays an animal possibly reminiscent to a ram or sheep for its hide. Since this animal is from Eden it is perfect and without blemish. God covers the pair with this hide. This unblemished creature had to shed its blood for the sin of Adam/Eve. God says in Genesis 3:15 there is a conflict between Satan and Eve’s offspring. Both are hurt, Satan in the head and Jesus in the heel. The lowest part of Jesus is bruised whereas the highest part of Satan is. The heel is referring to Christ’s flesh. Also, the ground is place of our feet and this is symbolic of the earth and place of all flesh. This is the playground of Satan. It is also God’s footstool. It is at the foot of His throne.
Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?[Isaiah 66:1]
The whole issue regarding the need for the shedding of innocent blood of an unblemished offering stems from the fact that Adam and Eve are now both physically and spiritually dead. Originally they were whole, made perfect in God’s eyes. They dwelt with Him and had no fear of death- remember the tree of life. Unfortunately Adam and Eve are made divided. They are separate from God and everlasting life because in their veins courses that dividing factor exemplified as 2 things-the knowledge of 1.good and 2.evil.
Whereas, before, they were one with God and they were single, whole. Now, their blood is cursed and God announces it. He did not put this on them. Adam and Eve put that curse in their mouths with their own hands. God is the first messenger and Satan the liar. So, the blood is worthless and now Adam and Eve are made a duality of sorts with respect to conflicting flesh and spirit. Their flesh now bears the blood of death and so they are ‘already’ dead. The only way to fix this is by the letting of innocent blood of an unblemished, perfect sacrifice. Otherwise, Adam and Eve would have to let out all their blood. The O.T is filled with such animal sacrifices. However, Jesus put an end to this with Himself as the perfect retributive solution set in motion since the incident in Eden.
Indeed, the animal sacrifices of practically every known ancient people in light of the Gospel parallels the story of Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel. The very need to ‘sacrifice to the gods’ testifies much.
Abel imitates God’s example with his animal offering from one of his sheep (he was a shepherd). Cain tries with a vegetal offering, which precariously resembles his parent’s efforts in hiding themselves in vegetation, whereas God puts animal hide to use. As a result more innocent blood is shed as Cain who is made angry of God’s favorite choice kills his brother.
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