Monday, June 13, 2011

When Angels Mated With Humans




“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation (oiketerion= spirit body), He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day”  Jude 6

“There were giants (nephalim) in the earth in those days (pre-flood); and also after that (post-flood), when the sons of God (fallen angels) came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.”  Gen 6:4

     Early in the history of the universe, Lucifer led a rebellion against God.  He enlisted the support of one third of the angelic hierarchy in an unsuccessful bid to overthrow heaven and overtake the universe.  God put down the mutiny and pronounced judgment upon the traitors.  This resulted in the global cataclysm recorded in Genesis 1:2 (for more information on this, read The Secret History of Earth and the Universe).
     Lucifer appealed the judgment.  He impugned the character of God, arguing that a Loving Creator could not possibly condemn his creatures—he basically called God a liar, implying that God never loved him.
     God granted Lucifer an appeal trial and agreed to put His Word to the test.  The only way Lucifer wins the appeal trial is if he can somehow show that God is a liar, a futile proposition.
     God re-created the earth in the seven literal days of Genesis and renewed it with life.  God created man under the same conditions as the angels, to resolve the appeal trial of Lucifer.  God endowed man with free will to choose either for or against Him.  Humans have the unique opportunity to serve as witnesses for either grace or evil.
     Round one went to Satan (Lucifer’s new name in his fallen state) after he persuaded Adam and Eve to eat of the tree of knowledge.    Their disobedience toward God resulted in immediate spiritual death—they were cut off from communion and fellowship with God and exiled from the Garden.  Physical death would eventually follow, and this is the curse we all inherit from birth.  We are all born spiritually dead, cut off from God and in need of regeneration by faith.  We are also destined to die physically.
     But God did not leave us totally without hope.  From the beginning, a redeemer was promised.  God said that a man would rise up, someone born of the “seed of a woman” who would crush the head of Satan and totally destroy his power over death (Gen 3:15; 1 Cor 15:26).  This was revealed immediately after the fall, that a Messiah would be born, a man (seed of the woman) who would defeat the works of the devil.
     Thus began the epic battle throughout time.  Satan would try to prove God a liar by preventing the coming of Messiah.  Since God first said that Messiah would come of the “seed of the woman” (i.e. be a fellow human), Satan and the fallen angels interbred with humans in an effort to pollute the pedigree of the Messiah.  The offspring of humans and angels were giants of supernatural strength, knowledge, and abilities.  Genesis 6:4 records two irruptions, one before the flood and one after: “There were giants (nephalim) in the earth in those days (pre-flood) and also after that (post-flood).”
     The Hebrew word “Nephalim” translates as “fallen ones.”  The first demonic assault was directed at the whole human race “in the days of Noah” (1 Pet 3:20; 2 Pet 2:7).  Only Noah and his family preserved their pedigree pure from Adam.  The rest of the human race had been corrupted with angelic seed: “Noah was a just man and perfect (tamim) in his generations.”  The Hebrew word “tamim” means “without spot or blemish” and is the technical word for bodily and physical perfection, not moral.  Noah and his family were the last remaining “uncorrupted” human bloodlines on the planet (compare Gen 6:9 with Gen 6:12, 13). The flood was necessary to destroy the Nephalim and preserve the human race.
     But a funny thing happens.  We see the Nephalim again in Numbers 13:33—“there we saw the giants (nephalim), the sons of Anak, which come of the giants (nephalim).”    
     How could this be?  If the flood was meant to wipe out the Nephalim, how do we see them in the post-flood era?  Again, Genesis 6:4 speaks of two irruptions of angelic-human offspring, one pre-flood and one post-flood: “there were Nephalim in the days of Noah and also after that.
     The second irruption was smaller in scope and scale.  It was not directed at the whole human race but at Abraham and his descendents. For God revealed that in Abraham “all families of the earth (shall) be blessed” (Gen 12:3). Satan sought to frustrate the plan of God by occupying the land of Caanan in advance of Abraham’s arrival. 
     The fallen angels polluted the bloodlines of the various peoples in the land of Canaan.  Their offspring go by many names, such as Nephalim from Anak and Raphaim from Rapha.  In Deut 2:10 we see the description: “The Emmims (translated ‘terrible ones’) dwelt therein in times past, a people great and many and tall as the Anakims; which were accounted giants (Rephaim) as the Anakims but the Moabites call them Emmims.”
     A problem arises because various translations of the Bible render “Raphaim” as “giants,” “dead ones,” or “deceased.”  But one must understand that these Raphaim were a branch of the Nephalim, another sect of fallen angel progeny.
     Israel was commanded to “utterly destroy” them without exception (Deut 20:17). Without the contextual understanding that the peoples of Canaan were superhuman giants descended from fallen angels, one might think it cruel of God to tell Israel to kill every man, woman, and child with the sword.  But Israel failed to carry out this command (Josh 13:13, 15:63, 16:10, 17:18; Judges 1:19, 20, 28, 29; 2:1-5; 3:17). This eventually left God to destroy the mongrels on His own (Isa 26:14).
     It was Mark Twain who said that truth is stranger than fiction.  Superhuman giants descended from fallen angels may sound preposterous, but the Bible record is clear.  The Nephalim occupied Canaan in advance of Abraham (Gen 12:6).  The Rephaim were a branch of the Nephalim (Deut 2:10).  They inspired great fear in the ten spies who reported back to Moses (Num 13:28-33).  They were of such large and intimidating stature that the Israelites are compared to as “grasshoppers in their sight” (Num 13:33).
     How big were these monstrosities?  We are provided a partial explanation in Deut 3:11.  King Og, a descendent of the Rephaim, is described as a giant who slept in a bed that was nine cubits long by four cubits wide.  A cubit is the length of a man’s elbow to his middle finger, which works out to approximately 18 inches.  So just imagine, King Og slept in a bed that was 13 ½ feet long by 6 feet wide.  He was about as big wide as a modern man is tall!
     The Rephaim are further mentioned in Isaiah 26:14 and verse 19 as having no resurrection.  In KJV Bibles, the words “deceased” in verse 14 and “the dead” in verse 19 are translations of the proper noun “Rephaim.”

     “…they are deceased (Rephaim), they shall not rise” Isa 26:14

“Thy dead men (Hebrew word methim= Jehovah’s dead) shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise… and the earth shall cast out the dead (the Rephaim)”
Isa 26:19

     The fallen angel progeny receive no resurrection, as God has already, “visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish” (Isa 26:14).  As for the original fallen angel forefathers who interbred with women, they are “reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6).
     History becomes quite fascinating with a proper contextual understanding of fallen angel progeny.  Greek and Roman mythologies were no mere inventions of the human imagination but represent a remnant of corrupted truth that grew out of the memories, stories, and legends of these mighty demigods. 
     The construction of the great monuments in Egypt—specifically how giant stones were transported several miles and put together with such great technological precision—has always baffled engineers.  Mysteries such as how the Great Pyramid configures to pi, the magnetic poles, and certain astronomical scales have never been explained.  Many of these feats would be impossible to accomplish even by today’s standards.  A possible solution exists when you consider these creatures of supernatural strength, knowledge, and abilities roamed the earth.  Stonehenge, the Great Pyramid at Gaza, and other megaliths could be their enduring legacy to our modern age.
     To review, recall that Satan’s whole purpose in polluting the human bloodline was to prevent a pure lineage for Messiah’s birth. Genesis 6:9 says that Noah was “perfect (tamim) in his generations.”   “Tamim” is usually rendered “without blemish” or “without spot” in most instances (See Exod. 12:5, 29:1; Lev. 1,3, 14:10; Num 19:2 28:3, etc.).  All other flesh on the earth had been corrupted (Gen. 6:11), so God eradicated the first irruption of angelic progeny with the flood. 
     When it became clear that Messiah would come through Abraham (Gen 12:3), Satan occupied the land of Caanan in advance of his coming.  God later commanded Israel to eradicate the second irruption of angelic progeny with the sword, but they failed in this regard.  Thus God said He would make the angelic progeny a constant “thorn” for Israel (Judges 2:3) until He eventually eradicated the half-breeds on His own (See Isa 26:14; the word rendered “deceased” is the proper noun “Raphaim).
     How far these creatures migrated or how long they lived is unknown.  But we do know that scripture testifies of two irruptions of half-human, half-angelic offspring.  These two irruptions represented attempts by Satan to prevent Messiah’s coming and frustrate the plan of God.  Their purpose was to prevent the fulfillment of scripture, thus showing God as a liar and winning their appeal trial by demonstrating its chief accusation.
     But we already know the outcome of this trial and are blessed with the opportunity to take part, providing testimony for the Lord.  We are endowed with free will and our situation mirrors that under which the angels fell.  Anytime we exercise faith and resist temptation we become witnesses for Christ as the angels gaze at us through the windows of time.
     I hope and pray that this study has been informative, stimulating, and enlightening.  May the Peace and Love of Christ enrich your walk and lead you in the paths to righteous living.
Larry Word



Sunday, June 12, 2011

The Secret History of Earth and the Universe

“And the earth was (‘hayah’) without form (‘tohu’) and void (‘bohu’).” 
Gen 1:2

“…God Himself that formed the earth and made it… He created it not in vain (‘tohu’—same word as Gen 1:2)” Isa. 45:18

     A few notes before we begin our study:  the “without form” of Genesis 1:2 and the “in vain” of Isaiah 45:18 are translations of the same Hebrew word, “tohu.”  According to Strongs’ Concordance, “tohu” means to be in a state of “waste” or “desolation.”  Similarly, the Hebrew word “bohu,” translated “void” in Genesis 1:2, means to be “ruined” or totally “empty.”  Finally, the verb “was” in Genesis 1:2, as in the earth “was” without form, is the Hebrew word “hayah.”  The word “hayah” may be translated as “was,” “became,” or “came to pass.”  The translators must decide by context whether “was,” “became,” or “came to pass” is the correct rendering (“hayah” translated as “became” in Gen 2:7, 4:3, 9:15, 19:26, Exod. 32:1, Deut 27:9, etc; “hayah” translated “came to pass” in Gen 4:14, 22:1, 23:1, 27:1, Josh 4:1, 5:1, 1 Kings 13:32, etc.).
     Hebrew does not conjugate the verb “to be.”  Old KJV Bibles render words such as “is,” “are,” “was,” “were,” “shall be,” etc. in italics to inform the reader that the text does not appear in the original scriptures.  The Revised Version stopped this practice and renders all such words in common type.  But the lesson here is that the Hebrew word “hayah” does not specifically denote verb tense and the lack of a Hebrew word for “to be” leaves it open to interpretation whether “hayah” should be rendered “was,” “became,” or “came to pass” as illustrated in the above examples.
     A better rendering of Genesis 1:2 would have been “became”:  “and the earth became ‘tohu’ (waste)”; We know this because Isaiah 45:18 explicitly declares that God did not create the earth “tohu” (KJV renders “tohu” as “in vain” in Isa 45:18).  Therefore, if God did not create the earth “tohu,” then it must have become “tohu.”
     So what happened?  Before we explore this, a recap of our scriptures with their enhanced renderings:

Tohu= “waste”

Bohu= “desolate” or “ruined”

Hayah= “was” or “became” or “came to pass” depending on context

Isa 45:18—“…He created it not ‘tohu’”


Gen 1:2—“and the earth was/became ‘tohu’ (waste) and ‘bohu’ (desolate)”

Conclusion—Earth not created “tohu” therefore it must have become “tohu” in Gen 1:2—which is exactly what the original Hebrew states—the “was” of Gen 1:2 should be rendered “became.”

     In eternity past, prior to the creation of man, God’s most beautiful and intelligent creature—the anointed cherub Lucifer (Ezek. 28:14)—conspired with one third of the angelic host (Rev 12:4) to usurp the throne of heaven and mutiny against God.  God put down the revolt and sentenced the traitors to eternal torment.  For their insolence and iniquity, they would be eternally damned, cast into the lake of fire, never to see the glorious face of the Creator again (Rev. 20:10).
     Lucifer appealed the sentence.  In his fallen state, he impugned the character of God, arguing that a Loving Creator could not possibly condemn His creatures.  He basically called God a liar by insisting the verdict was unjust and unfair.  This is evidenced in Lucifer’s new name.  After he fell, Lucifer the “Light-bearer” became Satan the “Accuser” or “Adversary.”
     God granted Satan and his cronies an appeal trial.  Execution of sentence is stayed and currently held in abeyance pending the outcome of the trial.  The only way that Satan can win his appeal is if he can prove God a liar, which is both impossible and futile.  God’s Word will be vindicated as true.  And, God will eventually annihilate the entire cosmic system and re-create a new heaven and earth at the conclusion of the trial (2 Pet 3:7, 10; Rev 21:1).
     So if we recap the secret history of earth and the universe, our planet was originally the abode of angels.  Lucifer the “Light-bearer” was God’s most powerful created being.  He had access to heaven and roamed through Eden, the garden of God (Ezek. 28:13).  The angelic revolt resulted in a cataclysm of epic proportion (Gen 1:2).  We do not know when judgment came, but we can conclude that the Bible says that earth became a desolate waste.
     But God regenerated the planet in seven literal days.  He created humans within those seven days, approximately 6,000 years ago.  Man was created in response to the angelic conflict.  We have been endowed with free will to choose either for God or the devil.  We fell just like the angels, but are offered redemption through a Savior, an opportunity to one day be born into a new heaven and earth.  God promises us a way back to Him through faith: “the just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:17).
     The Bible also alludes to the possibility of angelic redemption (compare Col 1:16 with 1:20).  The sacrifice of Christ is sufficient to reconcile all things to Himself, both the things in heaven and on earth.  The apparent offer of angelic salvation, if there was one, probably took place in eternity past and is no longer a valid or relevant issue.  The relevant issue now is that man has been created to mirror the exact conditions under which the angels sinned.
     Humans have the unique opportunity to become living testimonies in the appeal trial of the fallen angels.  By Grace, through trusting God, we are promised a position one day that is even more exalted than the angels.  We shall be coheirs and co-rulers in the Kingdom to come, born into the family of God with the likeness of Christ.  For those who receive and respond to this calling upon their hearts, the Kingdom of Heaven is already born within.  One day it shall be made manifest as a physical reality at His glorious appearance in the sky. Amen.
     Fundamentalists cite Exodus 20:11 as proof that God created the heaven and earth during the seven days of Genesis: “…for in six days the Lord made (asah) heaven and earth… and rested on the seventh” (Exod 20:11).  However, the word “made” in this passage is the Hebrew word “asah,” which means to form, decorate, assemble, or put together—exactly what God did after the judgment of Genesis 1:2.  It does not imply original creation.
     Genesis 1:1 uses a different word: “In the beginning God created (bara) the heaven and the earth” (Gen 1:1).  Here, the “created” is the Hebrew word “bara,” which means to create something out of nothing.
     Science does not disagree with scripture as much as we might think.  The earth and universe are of ancient antiquity.  Fossil remains are indeed millions of years old, remnants of a time prior to the great cataclysm of Genesis 1:2.  This cataclysm came as a result of war in heaven, the angelic conflict, and God pronouncing judgment.  Humans were created in response to Satan impugning the character of God, to demonstrate that God is both Loving and Just.  We are given the opportunity to become witnesses at the appeal trial of Satan.  Every time we overcome temptation, every time we walk the life of faith we testify for God and become recipients of His Grace.  Every word that God has spoken will be vindicated as faithful and true, proving that it is Satan, and not God, who is the liar.
     Finally, I am not the first one to come up with this notion about earth and the universe being of ancient antiquity.  What I have argued herein is commonly known as “Gap theory,” and it is supported by many prominent theologians such as J. Vernon McGee, R. B. Thieme, and the Scoffield, Bullinger, and Dake’s Study Bibles.  It is known as “Gap theory” because of the “gap” of unknown time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.
     When I first heard about this theory, I thought it nothing more than speculation, an attempt by man to reconcile science with scripture.  However, upon researching the scriptures involved and studying the original Hebrew text, I am now convinced that this is more than mere “theory.”  It is an irrefutable fact expressly declared in scripture.  There is no other way to reconcile Isaiah 45:18 with Genesis 1:2 without rendering “was” (‘hayah’) as “became.” I invite anyone interested to research this matter and judge for themselves.  May the Holy Spirit be your guide, and may the Lord of Glory reveal to you the light of Truth.  Amen.
Larry Word

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Stairway to Heaven, Highway to Hell

No Interpretation Written.  Share your own?

Naked with Backs Turned

No Interpretation Written.  Share your own?

Affectionately Affianced

Affectionately Affianced is the antithesis of modern Christianity’s reduction of God to a mere theoretical framework, something best ascertained through scriptural knowledge and moral dogma.  On the contrary, God is more than an abstract ideal or the inference of His creation.  He constitutes reality itself and pulsates communal Love-energy through the universe, found in the quietude of each moment.  Most professing believers file God away in the back of their minds and refer to Him for perhaps a couple hours a week.  But the Bible declares that God can be experienced.  He can be heard, felt, and touched: “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps 34:8).  The sheep hear the sound of His voice (Jn 10:3,27).  God can be sensed through the spiritual faculties.  Those who grope for God in their minds have no concept of the company of His presence in their hearts, what it means to be affectionately affianced.
     Marriage is an apt analogy that illustrates the intimacy of a communal relationship with Christ, where the twain become one body and all consciousness of separation dissolves.  At center appears Christ performing a wedding ceremony between Adam and Eve in the garden.  God said it was not good for the man to be alone, so He created a companion that was bone of Adam’s bone, flesh of Adam’s flesh, fashioned from the rib of his side.  This pictures the earthly marriage, a foreshadow of Christ marrying the believer in heaven (Rev 19:9, 21:2).  Like Eve, believers are (re)created in the likeness of the husband, Christ.  Similar to Adam’s rib, the church is born from the spear that pierced Christ’s side, the blood and water symbolizing atonement for sin and the Holy Spirit of eternal life.
     That dragon, the serpent, also known as the devil, looks on at the wedding ceremony in the garden.  When God said that eating of the tree of knowledge would result in death, Satan questioned Eve, “Did God say?” (Gen 3:1).  From the moment the first couple ate of the forbidden fruit, they lost communion with God.  Expelled from the garden of Eden, they were all too aware of the painful separation associated with sin, the sense of loss and forlorn abandonment.  Their decedents were born in their likeness, a fallen state marred by corruption.  The kingdom of earth originally bestowed to Adam passed over to Satan.
     But God promised redemption.  A Messiah would come, one who would crush the power of Satan underfoot.  He would depose the physical creation and perfect a spiritual universe free of sin and corruption.  His resurrection paved the way for spiritual union between God and man.  The believer mysteriously adopts the body and blood of Christ, the alchemical marriage wherein the twain become one essence.  Christ asks for your soul in marriage in exchange for His Spirit and a resurrected body in His likeness.  In the words of the late pop icon Biggie Smalls, “If you don’t know… now you know.”  You have been affectionately affianced, betrothed to the Master of the Universe.
     A bride-to-be is given an engagement ring as a token of promise toward a future wedding.  By this symbol, the groom reserves the woman as his own.  Similarly, Christ proposes marriage to humanity on earth, promising to accept people as they are, despite what they have done.  He wipes the slate clean from sin and offers every person a new beginning.  For those who accept His proposal, He stands at the door of the heart with an engagement ring, a token that represents His promise to return to earth and consummate the relationship into a single body, a Holy union.  The Holy Spirit is the seal of our betrothal, the engagement ring that guarantees our future redemption: “Now He who has prepared this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee” (2 Cor 5:5); “…having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance” (Eph 1:13-14).
     The artwork depicts several engagement rings hoped around a series of skyscrapers.  The skyscrapers resemble fingers of the earth, digits protruding from a hand.  Believers fly off the buildings, propellers mounted on their backs, and ascend up to meet Christ in the heavens.  They all pass through one of the engagement rings, signifying that they were sealed with the Holy Spirit.  Another believer flies off a ship at center right, carrying His engagement ring to Christ.  These scenes portray “The Rapture,” wherein Christ returns to earth for His fiancĂ©.  Believers from the corners of the globe will simultaneously be summoned to the sky, dramatically vanishing out of the world to leave the unbelievers behind: “Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left” (Mat 24:40-41); “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thes 4:17).
     A new believer trusts in Christ at center and is zapped by the Holy Spirit.  His arms are outstretched in the form of a crucifix and an engagement ring drops from the sky.  He becomes affectionately affianced, joining a larger collective body of believers worldwide who share a private and intimate relationship with Christ.  The skyscrapers, In-n-Out Burger, and Amoeba Music are various renditions of the world, consumerism, and materialistic pursuits.  Unlike the “lost” and wandering soul to his right, the new believer lives in the world but is no longer of the world.  He possesses a heavenly inheritance, a direct frequency channel of communication to God.  He enjoys “Peak Experiences” of divine awareness and Holy Communion, experiencing God.
     The same “zapped” squiggly lines repeat in the form of a bridge that connects the world with a lake of Living Waters, a symbol of the Holy Spirit.  The bridge proceeds from a caption that speaks of the Promised Land: “Go Forth from your Land and from your birthplace and from your father’s house, to the Land that I will show you” (Gen 12:1).  Believers understand that this Promised Land is the inheritance of those with the engagement ring, a heavenly city, a spiritual home of eternal bliss.  We are called to forsake our earthly heritage and renounce all Love for this world.  We exchange our kindred blood ties for our husband Christ and the stronger bonds of faith that connect believers as brothers and sisters in His Spirit, parts of one collective body.  The Promised Land of heaven shall have no tears or pain, no sun or moon.  The face of Christ, the Shekinah glory of God shall always be visible in the sky, and we shall be clothed in His righteousness (Rev 21:23; 22:1, 4).
     Not everybody will accept Christ’s marriage proposal.  Scripture states that although Light came into the world, many preferred the darkness because their deeds were evil (Jn 3:19).  They would rather maintain a love affair with sin than turn to Christ.  Like the parable, they declare, “We will not have this man rule over us” (Luke 19:14).  This spirit of disobedience is illustrated at bottom left, wherein two ranks of soldiers and a tank prepare to meet Christ on the battlefield.  The adjacent caption reads, “The Revelation… How will you deal with it?”  A machine-gun toting Christ states, “I Love you… and I know where you live.”  For those who refuse Love’s invitation; for those who pursue evil and eschew righteousness, God will slay them with the breath of His mouth (Rev 19:15).
     Children hang from closed windows in heaven, appearing in the upper corners of the artwork.  At the rapture, those without engagement rings, without the sealing of the Holy Spirit, will be left behind.  In contrast to believers who fly up to the Lord in the sky, these children of disobedience hang from the locked windows, unable to enter heaven.  Gravity seemingly pulls them downward away from the Lord, suggesting a bottomless pit.
     The Bible gives us a description of things to come.  God’s written Word was penned not by men but God Himself: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Tim 3:16).  This is suggested at bottom right.  Christ holds a pencil, scrawling in an open Bible.  He authored all sixty-six books of the Bible, moving His Spirit through men to communicate exactly what He intended.  He proposes marriage to humans, offering the engagement ring of His Holy Spirit, a down-payment on His promise to save us from this dying world.  In His Love, we are blessed, sanctified for His purpose, set apart and protected from evil.  We experience Him in communion, sense His presence in our hearts.  We are wonderfully made, spiritually regenerated in His likeness. We are affectionately affianced, awaiting His return to earth wherein He will consummate the marriage of our salvation in whole.   
Larry Word