I began this blog several years ago because of a deep concern that the traditional teachings of the denominations of Christianity and institutional churches had embedded false dogma, false belief systems into God’s word, twisting how to read and study God’s word, and was causing many to misunderstand God’s prophesies in the Bible.
My posts have mostly been directed toward the twisted teachings of “end times” and “end of days” or “end of the world” doctrines that are not found in the Scriptures. These false doctrines were founded upon pre-conceived ideas, misapplied scripture, and biases picked up from incorrectly attributing false ideas and pagan theology onto God’s word. It is critical to know how to read the scriptures from the first audience perspective so that God’s word can be correctly divided and understood.
During this process I discovered some other ideas that I had been taught in church which were also not according to the word of God. I had heard them taught by preachers while sitting in church pews over many years, and they were scripted, traditional teachings that many churches still teach every Sunday.
The problem with these preconceived and learned biases is that they blind us to God’s true meanings so that when we read His words we do not really see them. We assume His words mean what preachers or pastors or other trained teachers of men have told us for years. We relied upon trained, schooled, doctored theologians to tell us what to think.
We have to learn how to look up the original words in the Hebrew and Greek dictionaries, concordances, and lexicons in order to unlearn the false ideas planted in our minds. We have to compare the different versions of the translations to see the best meanings. We have to keep the scriptures in the proper context, and in their contemporary historical setting.
We have to learn to think for ourselves and question everything we have been taught from the pulpits to see which are true, and which are false. (Testing the spirits) Some of the traditional church teachings of God’s word are true, but some are not.
Many of the commentaries have the same false indoctrinated teachings and must also be weeded out. So we cannot rely completely on the commentaries either as they are teaching the same indoctrinated dogmas learned through the last 2,000 years from the institutions of men. That is not to say they are all wrong, but when it comes to the prophetic scriptures many miss the mark. They miss the mark in other areas as well.
One of the problems that cause us to misunderstand God’s word is that we in the western world are taught to be very literal minded and we were taught to read a document of eastern world origin, written in ancient times for an eastern pictographic mindset as if every word was supposed to be understood as literal. Many of us are learning to understand that God’s prophesies and much of His word contain many pictures of metaphors, similes, and much hyperbole. We have looked at some at this blog, but there is more to unlearn.
I want to take a hard look at a section of scripture that is causing many people to miss the spiritual metaphors that God used. Please bear with me as this takes some time.
Ephesians 6:10-20,
“10 As to the rest, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; 11 put on the whole armour of God, for your being able to stand against the wiles of the devil,
12 because we have not the wrestling with blood and flesh, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, with the spiritual things of the evil in the heavenly places;
13 because of this take ye up the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to resist in the day of the evil, and all things having done — to stand. 14 Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about in truth, and having put on the breastplate of the righteousness,
15 and having the feet shod in the preparation of the good-news of the peace; 16 above all, having taken up the shield of the faith, in which ye shall be able all the fiery darts of the evil one to quench,
17 and the helmet of the salvation receive, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the saying of God, 18 through all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and in regard to this same, watching in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints —
19 and in behalf of me, that to me may be given a word in the opening of my mouth, in freedom, to make known the secret of the good news, 20 for which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I may speak freely — as it behoveth me to speak.” (YLT)
What was Paul telling us to use as our weapons in this battle that he said is not against flesh and blood? Was Paul telling the Ephesians to pick up a knife, or a bow and arrow, or swords and clubs to fight an unseen spiritual demonic being? What is our weapon in this battle but the truth of God’s word, the words of the Holy Spirit, the saying of God, the two-edged sword of the gospel of Christ, which Paul said was our armor and shield.
So, their (and our) weapons are the words of God, the breath (pneuma) of God, the Spirit of truth (1 John 4:6). And what did John tell us to do? We are to test or prove the spirits (1 John 4:1). I went over this in the first part I of Testing the Spirits and showed how these spirits are not some demonic non-physical entity, but are the words of false prophets, the words of men, the words they speak, their breath that goes out into the world. If they do not speak the truth of God’s breath, then they are false spirits, false accusers, evil spirits or liars (devils and demons).
So, what does Paul say our battle is against? We battle the words or spirits of principalities, authorities, and world-rulers. These are men who speak falsely, who tyrannize people with their laws and regulations and rules and ordinances that they speak into the air and use enforcers to strip the people of their wealth, their property, and their lives just as pirates and robbers do. Especially, these are men who speak false doctrines, false religion, breathing their lies out into the air of the world to deceive the weak minded and turn them away from God.
This is a spiritual battle we are told to fight with the Holy Spirit’s words of truth. What did Paul ask them to do for him? Vs. 19. pray, “..that to me may be given a word in the opening of my mouth…”
The word translated as “world-rulers” in vs. 12 is Strong’s Gr. 2888, “kosmokrator”, and it means a ruler of this earthly world. (Biblehub) Thayer’s says that it refers to the devil and demons, and refer to the verses at John 12:31 (the ruler of this world), and 2 2 Cor. 4:4 (the god of this age). They say that this word is used in ecclesiastical writings of Satan, and in rabbinical writings for both human rulers and of the angel of death. Are the traditional writings of men scripture?
The Expositor’s Greek explains the use of “kosmokrator” as “The noun κοσμοκράτωρ is found in the Orphic Hymns (iii., 3, of Satan), in inscriptions (C. I., 5892, with ref. to the emperor), in Gnostic writings (of the devil), and in the Rabbinical literature in transliterated Hebrew form (of the angel of death, and of kings like the four pursued by Abraham, and Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-Merodach, Belshazzar; cf. Wetstein, in loc.; Fischer’s Buxtorf, Lex., p. 996, etc.). According to usage as well as formation, therefore, it means not merely rulers (Eth., Goth.), but world-rulers, powers dominating the world as such and working everywhere.” (Biblehub)
May we ask ourselves please to consider the sources of these writings? Orphic Hymns were written by men, as were the Gnostic writings, and the Rabbinical literature. Does that make them scripture given by the Holy Spirit? Did this meaning come from another bible verse or scripture source? This is the only time this word was used in scripture, so the context has to be our guide.
Each of the commentaries Eph. 6:12 at Biblehub.com (Biblehub) attribute these world-rulers to the same misunderstanding of “spiritual hosts of evil” (Ellicott’s); or “the mighty princes of all the infernal legions” (Benson); or “devil” and “Satan” (Matthew Henry’s); or “invisible spirits of wickedness” (Barnes’ Notes); or “Satan” and “demons” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown); or “malicious spirits” (Gill’s Exposition); or “evil angels” (Geneva Study Bible); or “superhuman and superterrestrial enemies” (Meyer’s NT Commentary); or “demonic authorities” (Expositor’s Greek); or “personal evil spirits as members and leaders of an organized spirit-world” (Cambridge Bible); or “evil spirits that lurk behind men” (Bengel’s Gnomen); and “invisible foes” (Pulpit Commentary).
Friends, does consensus mean truth? If they all agree because they have all been influenced by a false idea does that mean their agreement is infallible?
The antithesis (opposite) of “flesh and blood” in Eph. 6:12 is not some unseen invisible spirit entity, but is instead the words of the false prophets, false teachers, false accusers (diabolos / devil), and liars. We are not fighting this battle against their physical bodies, but we are fighting their false words, their false spirits with the armor of God’s word, and God’s Spirit.
The meaning and use of “heavenly places” depends upon the context. In prophesy, God used the “heavens” for the kingdoms of men when He sent a prophet to warn a nation or king of coming judgment (Isa. 13:5, 13). That king’s dominion was his piece of God’s earth, and that king’s rule over that nation or territory was a small type of “heaven”, a small part of God’s rule over all the earth from God’s heavenly throne above.
So, heavenly places of world-rulers and principalities are their dominion on this earth over which they rule. The world-rulers have power over their nations, and rule from a high palace position – their heavenly places. The world rulers do not sit in God’s heaven above.
Strong’s Gr. 2032 is “epouranios”, and means heavenly, celestial, in the heavenly sphere, in the sphere of spiritual activities; metaphor – divine, spiritual. Thayer’s definition for Eph. 6:12 is at 1.b, the lower heavens, or the heavens of the clouds. (Biblehub) The lower heavens? Aren’t the palaces of kings a lower heaven?
Many insist that this usage in Eph. 6:12 must be the same as used in Eph. 1:20, but that is not consistent with proper application of hermeneutic principles. Context is always key. Eph. 1:20 speaks of where Jesus sits and rules at the right hand of our Father. Eph. 6:12 speaks of where world-rulers sit and rule from their thrones on this earth. Both are called “heavenly places” as they are positions of power and rule. But one of them is in our Father’s heaven above, and the other are those smaller dominions ruled by men here on earth. Specifically, and in context at the time the book of Ephesians was written it referred to those rulers of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem and the Roman emperors and magistrates of “that” world before the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
All of this confusion comes from the influence that the Jews picked up from their association during the Babylonian captivity with the Babylonian and Persian pagan beliefs of a two-god religion with a good god and a bad god of the underworld, idol gods, demi-gods, and demons. It is not from scripture; it is not from God’s word. This belief was picked up and has been laid over God’s word and has distorted the teachings of God’s word to cause great fear that is completely unnecessary.
The Adversary (Hebrew ha satan) is anyone who opposes God or God’s people, and it is men who oppose God. The Jewish mysticism has caused all of this pagan nonsense and it was picked up by early Christians in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD during pagan Roman and Greek cultures.
Please note, the Adversary of Job is not the “devil” or “serpent” of Genesis 3. Job’s adversary works for God, is an agent of God, and must ask God’s permission before he acts against any of us (Job 1:12, 2:6; Luke 22:31). That adversary is under God’s control, and part of the heavenly host.
The evil we witness in this world is caused by selfish, greedy men, by human actions which have consequences. They need to be held fully accountable for their actions, which God will do at their judgment day when they pass from this earthly realm. Blaming a disembodied evil spirit named “Satan” or the “Devil” for their actions is shifting sin away from the sinner. It is mankind that fell into sin, not the heavenly messengers.
This has been an extra-long discussion, but I feel it is necessary so that people may re-consider what they have always believed. Please read my posts on “Testing the Spirits – Part VI (a), (b), (c): Demons, Devils, & Idols” from August 2022 as well as Part IV (a) and (b): “Slandering Angels.” Please also read my post from July 9, 2016, “The God of This Age…” as it referred to the “god” that ruled their world in the first century AD, either Caesar Nero who claimed to be a god, or the High Priest in Jerusalem. Always remember the first audience perspective.
There is much to discover and relearn; much to discard and correct to get rid of all of the pagan doctrines that have been applied to God’s word for centuries.
The Jews began with a better understanding of “the devil” as a personification of man’s inclination to sin. The Jewish “yetzer hara” is the traditional belief that is the human inclination toward self gratification which drives the impulse to do evil. It is based upon God’s statement in Gen.6:5 that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually evil. It is the internal will of our minds that causes us to rebel against God’s divine will, and to become disobedient children.
“13 Let no one say, being tempted — `From God I am tempted,’ for God is not tempted of evil, and Himself doth tempt no one, 14 and each one is tempted, by his own desires being led away and enticed, 15 afterward the desire having conceived, doth give birth to sin, and the sin having been perfected, doth bring forth death.” James 1:13-15, YLT)
The “yetzer hara” – our own desires and inclinations to sin.
After some time the rabbis took off into flights of fancy and pure imagination to go beyond God’s word and invented much mystic, secret tales. It is the Jewish Kabbalistic sources that expanded the view of Satan and the devil in portraying a demonic realm, with forces of evil in the world, a ruler of the underworld, and how to ward off these evil beings with various forms of magic and amulets. (https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/satan-the-adversary/)
Jesus defeated that old serpent, the Adversary and devil when He conquered our sins through His sacrifice, and tore down that old “heaven and earth” temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. He provided the way out of the sin we caused through our own actions so that we may have eternal life, and thereby defeated death.
It is my hope that this post will be examined with a true and sincere heart. Blessings to all.
Edited Feb. 28, 2024. Updated the title as I find that I must make this into a two part series.
More on the Jewish beliefs of their Kabbalah can be found at these links: (informational only, none of which I endorse)
The Origins of Kabbalah, an excerpt from Rabbi Dr Naftali Brawer’s book – https://www.thejc.com/life-and-culture/books/the-origins-of-kabbalah-hevgsk50
Jewish mysticism, secret teachings, invented tales that are not scripture, not taught in the Bible, but are said to be “hints” that can be deduced. These are said to be ancient, but some appear to date from the 2nd century AD. Generally, the Kabbala, or “Tradition” is an oral tradition dated to the 12th century AD, and is recognized as esoteric Jewish mysticism. Said to be “secret knowledge of unwritten Torah from divine revelation that was communicated by God to Moses and Adam…. providing a means of approaching God directly.” (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kabbala) The earliest forms may have been from the Merkava mysticism dating back to the 1st century AD in Palestine.
There is a youtube video on the BimBam channel that provides a brief history the beginnings of Kabbalah teachings and Jewish mysticism here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOmDIoHD3yw
This is a similar tale of how the Qur’an was written from secret revelations from “Allah,” and also how Joseph Smith relayed the book of Mormon from secret revelations.
The Birth of the Good Inclination by Jeffrey Spitzer – https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-birth-of-the-good-inclination/
“The rabbinic duality of yetzer hara, the so-called “evil inclination,” and yetzer hatov, the “good inclination,” is more subtle than the names connote. Yetzer hara is not a demonic force that pushes a person to do evil, but rather a drive toward pleasure or property or security, which if left unlimited, can lead to evil (cf. Genesis Rabbah 9:7). “
The Jewish midrash teaches that the good inclination, the yetzer hatov only enters a person at 13 years of age, and so begins a battle in the person to control his physical urges. As the inclination to do evil, the yetzer hara was present at birth (or conception) it is believed to be 13 years older than the yetzer hatov and therefore is stronger.
Shredding The Veil 
Hello Gina, Psalms 82 reference .s God judging His angels b/c the context of Psa 82 is the unfair judgment being practiced by the Israelite people. The company of God in Psa 82 is the nation of Israel. I’m under the impression that Israel isn’t even a nation yet because of the Tower of Babel and before Abraham Promise, so I’m confused you would use Israel as people when psalms 82 is referenced before that covenant. Thanks
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Psa. 82 is commonly misunderstood b/c of language usage. This is an example of when literal language does not take into consideration God’s metaphors and Hebrew idioms. YHVH several times referred to the Levite priesthood as “gods” b/c He delegated to them the tasks of teaching His word to the ppl, and the function of judging. The word “elohim” is Strong’s H430 and is better understood here as judges. The delegation is explained in Ex. 4:16 and in Ex. 7:1 where God assigned Moses as a “god” in His place. The meaning is that God is standing in the company of His appointed judges and His ppl Israel.
Psa 82 is a psalm of Asaph, who was one of the 3 Levite chief musicians serving under David. As such this Psa was probably written after David’s death, possibly during Jehoshaphat’s reign. See 2 Chron. 19:6-7 which uses almost the same words that open this Psa. Therefore the Psa was definitely written when Israel was a nation. And, the subject is not of heavenly messengers as many falsely assume, but about the Levite priests and the kings appointed magistrates / princes who were not judging the ppl righteously.
Psa. 82:6-7, “6 I — I have said, `Gods ye [are], And sons of the Most High — all of you, 7 But as man ye die, and as one of the heads ye fall,” (YLT)
“as men” means in their condition of being earth born men, they will die and they will face their own judgment. Compare the different translations against Young’s Literal, against the RSV and the CJB. I very rarely check the NIV as it has too many errors, and has deleted too many original words. See Clarke’s commentary here: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/acc/psalms-82.html. Also see Biblehub commentaries here: https://biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/82-1.htm
Keep in mind that the Anglicized word “angel” is many times misleading. It is not correctly translated, but is a corruption of the Greek “aggelos” and simply means “messenger,” or one who is sent. There are heavenly messengers which we call “angels” and there are earthly human messengers. The human messengers are of course the prophets, the Levitical priests, Christ himself, and the disciples and apostles. Context determines which is which. Please see my posts “Testing the Spirits – Parts IV (a) and (b) from July 2022.
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Hello Gina. When I became aware of the many Jewish “uninspired” writings that took place between the testaments I realized that they reflected the way in which people in that day believed (the Book of Enoch for example). Specifically, that demons were real and were the supposed cause of various issues that they could not make sense of – mental illnesses that man wouldn’t understand for millennia.
As you have said before, the Jews were significantly influenced by their pagan neighbors (Persians, Greeks, and Romans), and these intertestimental writings reflect this. As a result, everyone growing up in the first century AD grew up in an era where these mythical ideas and beliefs in demons etc were accepted as true. People were just products of their environment.
That said, I have two questions. Do you think the disciples, like others in that day and age, also believed in these things? It would make sense that they did. Also, do you think that Jesus simply met people where they were at in their limited understanding of the scientific and medical world, and chose to focus on bringing in a much higher truth: the gospel and their need to trust in Him as the prophesized Messiah? It would make sense that Jesus did not try to explain to people the truth on demons because He had bigger fish to fry.
Anyhow, thanks for your information on this blog. It’s very helpful. Peace – Jonathan
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My third post – Part VI (c) – of Demons, Devils, & Idols answers these two questions fairly well. The Jerusalem Talmud shows very little discussion of “demons” the way that the English word is used. However, the Babylonian Talmud picks up the Chaldean & Persian beliefs and includes those pagan ideas. Orthodox & Reform Judaism does not believe in demons. Except for Judas, the disciples were from Galilee which was Jesus’ home territory, and where He spent much of ministry. So, I tend to think that the 12 disciples would have been much exposed to the pagan beliefs of demons / idols. But, Jesus chose them, stated that His Father gave them to Him, so it may be they were not as influenced with pagan ideas. The second link in that post discusses the geographical locations of the “demon possessions” which were mostly in the northern areas centered around Galilee, and not in Jerusalem or Judea. This ties with the information we have that the Jerusalem Talmud does not have that Babylonian pagan influence.
Jesus’ method for correcting these false ideas was to show His power over all things. As I stated in my post it would not have been very effective for Him to sit down and reason with an insane mind on why the scientific or medical causes of their insanity. Instead He demonstrated power which they could see and therefor could believe immediately.
It was the exposure to the Babylonian, Persian and Greek pagan beliefs that encouraged the intertestamental uninspired writings. These were evident in the remnants found at Qumran and other scraps pieces together after the Maccabean revolt. The pieces that have been organized into the “Book of Enoch” originated under the Hellenistic influence of the Seleucid dynasty and Antiochus Epiphanes’ occupation of Judea.
I don’t think we can make a blanket statement that “everyone” believed these mythical pagan ideas, but they were certainly a product of that period. And, they have proliferated throughout the centuries under the teachings of the Catholic system especially during the Middle Ages. Today most ppl are convinced of these false pagan beliefs.
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Nice post – really enjoyed the explanations. I wanted to get your take on the prince of Persia. The popular opinion is that this “prince” was a demonic entity. I don’t share that opinion and wanted to see how you explain it because I would like to try to educate a friend of mine on the subject. Thanks
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No, I do not take “the prince of Persia” in Dan. 10:13 to be a “demon” as I have already demonstrated at some length in my posts on Demons, Devils, & Idols in Part VI of my Testing The Spirits series. Nor, do I believe that first “prince” to be another heavenly “angel” that stood against Gabriel b/c Psa. 103:20 states that the heavenly messengers (angels) do the will of our Father in heaven. Therefore, if the Hebrew word “prince” meant a different angel overseeing the kingdom of Persia then that angel would be fighting against Gabriel, which means he would not be doing the will of the Father.
Many of the commentaries cite 1 Cor. 10:20 in support of the idea that demons exist and rule over the political affairs of nations which I have already debunked in the Demon, Devils, & Idols series of posts. Nor can I support the idea of the same word always meaning the same at every use of it even in the same verse. The Hebrew word “prince” (H8269) in Dan. 10:13 means head ruler, captain, governor, chief, keeper, lord, steward, commander, etc. If that first prince of Persia fought against either Gabriel or Michael then he would be insubordinate to the instructions of our Father in heaven. So, I understand this one use in the first part of the verse to be a man that was preventing something. And, that is the way the Geneva Study Bible presents it as Cambyses, son of Cyrus, who was preventing the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/daniel/10-13.htm)
The rest of the commentaries are in the same vein as those who swallowed the pagan beliefs of demons and devils ruling over this earth which false teaching they pull from a misunderstanding of 2 Cor. 4 “the god of this age”. I have debunked that false teaching in my post of that title from July 2016.
Nor can they justly base the idea of “demon gods” ruling nations from Psa. 82, or that Psa 82 means that “God in the company of God” means God judging His angels b/c the context of Psa 82 is the unfair judgment being practiced by the Israelite people. The company of God in Psa 82 is the nation of Israel. And, vs. 7, “But as man ye die…” clearly defines vs. 6 “God’s ye are, sons of the Most High…” as earthly men. They were “gods” meaning rulers over the people, teachers of His law, leaders. Not heavenly angels.
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Found you on bible hermeneutics and was stuped by the requirements to post. . I’m surprised that the devils on that site even let you in. Damn Daniel, the corruption of our faith over time makes us all look like fantasizers. Something about the “dog that didn’t bark” re: 70 AD. This devil, he is… me. it can grow if I don’t actively subdue it. With 1st counting blessings. I thought he came from outside of me. It seems I’ll never be rid of this worm. I guess if I were God I would appreciate folks searching for me exhaustively. Thanks for doing so much of it for me. I believe I can recognize God and the Prophet’s words. It seems the Bible is full of insertions and deletions. Nothing else could explain it but corruption. But please, the more I understand, it doesn’t seem any easier. Alcoholic 40 years sober 2.
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Welcome, Harlan. The folks at stackexchange/biblicalhermeneutics allow me to post, but I get many down votes. It is difficult to swim against the stream of the traditional “church” teachings. Please know that the Bible is correct, & has been proved over & over to be the inspired word of YHVH. I would refer you to ApologeticsPress.org to see their posts on the validity of God’s word. The problem is that the teachings of men have twisted the scriptures to insert their biases & preconceived ideas as part of God’s word, & those teachings have been corrupted by pagan beliefs for many, many generations. The words of God are still true. How they are taught are often not true.
Another problem is that some of the translations have deliberately deleted & changed some words & verses, specifically the NIV, and now the recent Chinese versions that remove anything that speaks against their communist control of the people. But, if we stay just with the word of YHVH, just the scriptures, & exert strict discipline, we can know the truth according to the Bible. We just have to weed out the false teachings of it.
Congratulations on your self-control over that weakness. The absolute basis of evil is selfishness, which is why “evil comes from within the heart of man.” All those that choose to satisfy their selfish wishes and put themselves first above all others are the true evil ones (devils). As long as we can choose to follow after God, and practice self control, containing our own selfish desires for the love of our family and neighbors and friends, then that “devil” is contained. That is our constant struggle during this carnal existence.
Rev. 14:13, “…Happy are the dead who in the Lord are dying from this time!’ `Yes, (saith the Spirit,) That they may rest from their labours — and their works do follow them!'” It is a life long battle for constant self control, but ever since that temple was destroyed in AD70 those who die in the Lord are changed in the twinkling of an eye, and gathered into heaven to be with all of the saints that have gone before us. We Can Rejoice!
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So much research from you to my benefit. RE: selfishness. Can it not be said that we all feel inferior? Seeing all the things everybody has. I always felt inferior and so I attempted to be superior in every way to make up for it. Couldn’t this Satan be causing everyone to feel inferior and thus creating this lust for gain. Because everyone talks about fear and anger. I think my progress has been helped by ) best trying to identify my thoughts and feelings. Me searching all the time for gain to compensate for my everlasting and incurable physical inferiority. Being short has tormented me all my life. I strive only to be content now.. I joked- when folks say they’re bored, wait until some calamity and then say “at least it isn’t boring”. In other words when I’m bored I’m safe and have peace of mind. But something from somewhere says different. I could never sit still as a child or adult.
QUESTION PLEASE learned one: How come it’s so hard for me to count my blessings? I try to imagine others suffering but it doesn’t work so well. Does Satan do something where we are always forgetful of our blessings? I hate myself for not being better at it. Thanks for your work. Of course no one wants to hear your words. Making them more intriguing.
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Harlan, I am not worthy of accolades. There are many who are more learned than I. We study God’s word to show ourselves approved (2 Tim. 2:15). Too many ppl want to use God’s word to support their own ideas, saying that there are many interpretations or many opinions; which is not true as only God interprets His word (Dan. 2:19-23). Or they have itching ears & only want to hear soft things. Or, they are lazy and do not want to put in the time and effort to study, so they want others to tell them what to think or believe. I am always puzzled that those who engage with questions and answers at stackexchange/biblicalhermeneutics seem to seek out those answers that they like, or that agree with their opinions instead of actually using hermeneutic principles to understand God’s word. That site is mostly a popularity contest. It is not my words they do not want to hear; it is God’s words they disagree with.
I would counsel you that the best counsel you can find is God’s word. The Psalms & the Proverbs have much to guide us through each day. Every day that we awake is a blessing, & is another day that we can live for God to do God’s will. We are to focus on others around us, on what we can do for others. Follow Daniel’s example of praying morning, noon, and night thanking God for the best blessing we have in Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins.
Remember that we are not seeking the approval of men, but of God, and that God always uses the smallest, or the weakest, or the foolish things by man’s reasoning to show forth His power and strength (1 Cor. 1:27). David was the smallest of his family, & yet was valiant enough to defeat Goliath with God’s strength & power (1 Sam. 17). God pared down Gideon’s army to just 300 men to defeat the Philistines (Judges 7). The men of the tribes of Israel were smaller & weaker than those giants they defeated in Canaan, & their victory was entirely due to God’s power. The ppl of Canaan knew that it wasn’t the Israelite who defeated those giants.
So, be of good cheer. God does not look upon our outward appearance, but always upon inward appearance (1 Sam. 16:7). You should not see yourself as someone who is inferior, or smaller, or less than anyone else b/c it is your heart that God sees and will use. Grow in the study and knowledge of His word and focus on others around you and how you can serve them. Blessings to you.
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Not to nitpick, but I came to your blog via an answer you left on stackexchange.com. I appreciate your work, but I would just like to point out something to give your posts more credibility. Many readers will not take you seriously if you don’t know the difference between “prophesy” and “prophecy.” You are consistently using the term “prophesy” as a noun, when it is a verb. For example, it is incorrect to say the “he who heeds the words of this prophesy” because prophesy means to speak a prophecy. I can prophesy (prof-i-sigh or prof-uh-sigh) about something and then it becomes a prophecy (prof-uh-see). The same is true of the plural which I saw right away in this post. “Prophesies” is not multiple prophecies. It is simply the verb properly conjugated to fit the subject of the sentence. For examples, “he who prophesies” will speak in prophecies. I may sound nitpicky here, but it will really clear up some of what you’re trying to say. Good luck with your future posts.
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Thank you. Sometimes I make typos. I will try better in future.
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You wrote, “The antithesis (opposite) of “flesh and blood” in Eph. 6:12 is not some unseen invisible spirit entity, but is instead the words of the false prophets, false teachers, false accusers (diabolos / devil), and liars. We are not fighting this battle against their physical bodies, but we are fighting their false words, their false spirits with the armor of God’s word, and God’s Spirit.”
If we follow this line of thinking you’ve taken, then we could come to the final conclusion that even God who is supposedly literally Spirit is a mere concept formed by words.
Your interpretation is in opposition to what the apostle Paul actually wrote. He did not specify like you did that the believers’ adversary were merely words and concepts of false prophets without the direction of the antagonistic spirit world. In fact he specified that it was a wrestling with principalities, authorities, world rulers of the darkness of that age, and the spiritual things of the evil in heavenly places. Of course man’s wilful desires play a role as James pointed out but it does not nullify the existence of an antagonistic spirit realm that the Bible (even those documented in the dead sea scrolls) is very explicit about. We can however debate if these contrarian spirits still exist in the new heaven and earth.
Putting on the full armour of God is none other than putting on Christ just as the mortal putting on the immortal. This is the ultimate armour given to mankind against evil. We who are in Christ demonstrate it daily as we have been spiritually resurrected. These are not mere concepts but true crossing from one world to the other. The natural man is one who can only perceive within the limits of his sensory faculties is of this world while the spiritual man who has crossed over can perceive beyond that because of the Spirit of God within. The spiritual man perceives ‘all things’ as in both physical and spiritual realities and not just the physical reality like the natural man. (paraphrasing 1 Cor. 2)
I’ve read many of your writings on this blog on the subject of ‘the last days’ and concur rejoicingly with your understanding according to the law and the prophets as well as Christ and His messengers of the N.T. that God indeed fulfilled His prophesies of the end of the age in A.D. 70.
However, you and other Preterists I’ve read seem to be in the dark where Scripture is full of light on the subject of the spiritual realm through which God who is truly Spirit had revealed to mankind. However, it is for those with ears to hear (spiritual people). I may be wrong but I suspect that you’ve all inadvertently fallen prey to the material scientific approach of the enlightenment movement in your investigation of the spirit realm so that you’re bound to do the impossible split every time you tackle the subject of God and the rest of the spiritual beings spoken of in the Bible. It shows in your writing on these subjects.
I pray that you’d one day come to see the light on this matter and not brush them off carelessly as mere Hollywood sensationalism just because they exploit the subject so well.
Granted, that the satan, documented as the spiritual adversary against God’s salvation of ancient Israel, spiritual death as well as Sheol are destroyed, but the fact remains that there is still evil on earth and the fact that the body of Christ (spiritual man) continues here is evidence of God’s purpose of increasing the reign of Christ which we read as having no end.
But this much I know, whether it means there are other illegal principalities of the spirit world as in the old age still at large to be subdued or if mankind is sorely just plagued psychologically by their inborn evil, Christ is able to conquer both and that He does so by armouring those that believe in Him. And that armour is not merely a concept but Christ Himself.
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I understand your position, and am not brushing anything off. I also know that many ppl are going to see this the same way that you do, and I once did as well. Heavenly places are not just in a “spiritual realm” as I showed in part II about Jesus’ temptations. All of this understanding is based upon Jewish expansion in the 3 – 1st centuries BC and the 1 and 2nd century AD which developed this concept of an evil spiritual underworld with fallen angels whom God kicked out of heaven. I have written about these ideas and their origins in the posts on Testing The Spirits which I referenced here. The concept of the “devil” as a fallen angel who rules this “world” or earthly realm is not real. I wish you would read those posts on Slandering Angels and Demons, Devils, and Idols. I have not come to this realization lightly. How many Gods do you believe in? I believe that God is in complete control of the spiritual realm, that every being of the heavenly host acts in accordance with God’s will, that He has an agent that acts under His instructions as an adversary to use for His will, but that being is not the “devil” of some underworld. I believe we are spirits in a carnal body and that our spirits can be act as evil beings, or can act in accordance with God’s commands, and that Christ is our only way to salvation.
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I always appreciate you!
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Thank you, Daniel.
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Although they claim to wise they become fools.
All good ~ there are no evil spirits or beings (please please pretty please 🙏🏻). Just bad evil people!
Yet you still want me to believe in your god ? Oh yes he’s really real oh and I’m really good too! Oh and everyone who believes what I believe and teach them!
I wonder what Jesus was actually casting out of many people ~ these devils they had? I wonder what devil came and tested Him in the desert after 40 days fasting?
His own evil inclinations??
Pontificating about others twisting The Scriptures and quoting Jewish rabbis that are anti christ!
In The Beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Elohim ~ several different uses
God, gods, angels, demons, Samuel ~ all spiritual beings
Yes The Scriptures are written that God is overall and in control even when evil comes like 7th Oct
To suggest that their god is not real but say God is?
Galatians 1 v 8 ~ the Islamic begins exactly like this as does Mormonism.
Genesis 3 Adam Sinned by following Eve who was deceived through the serpent who is shown in Revelation 12
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I sense you are perturbed and being a little sarcastic. You jumped the gun on me a little bit regarding Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. Please see today’s post – Part II. I examine many things that other people say, and if I write about them I will cite their information as a source so that my readers know I am not making false claims, or inventing things. Just because I cite these other sources does not mean I believe them or endorse them. I do so in order that others may find where I am getting the information. My God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our Father in heaven, our Creator, the Great I AM.
It seems you have not read the other posts recommended in this one to find the other information I have already covered. But since you seem to have a problem with a woman investigating God’s word and teaching about it, you might also want to read my post “Is a Woman Commanded to Keep Silent…” from Jan 2, 2017 as I believe you may find it interesting. Also check out the post “The One True God…” from Oct. 7, 2015. “Allah” is an invention of man.
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