Santa Claus - Pretender to the Throne - Part 4

Many thanks to Carol Brooks and Dr. Terry Watkins, bringing so much research under one umbrella and compiling it all in this paper.  Great research, and hopefully, the elimination of this imposter from our celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Part II. Santa Vs. The Bible

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. [Isaiah 14:14]

A Beard As White As Snow

The Bible:

And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs [BEARD] were white like wool, as white as snow;. . . Revelation 1:13-15.
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: . . . Daniel 7:9.

Santa Claus:
The poem The Night Before Christmas describes Old St. Nick as:
"He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes – how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;"

A Suit of Red

The Bible:

Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? Isaiah 63:1-2
Santa Claus:

Who wears boots and a suit of red
Santa wears boots and a suit of red
Cap on head, suit that's red
Special night, beard that's white
Must be Santa Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Clause 

A Carpenter

The Bible:

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judah, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. Mark 6:3
Santa Claus:

Santa is a carpenter. 

A House In The North

The Bible:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O day-star, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, that didst lay low the nations And thou saidst in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; and I will sit upon the mount of congregation, in the uttermost parts of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. [Isaiah 14:12-14. Emphasis Added]

Santa Claus:

Santa lives in the North Pole. The origin of Santa’s home at the North Pole is uncertain, but in “Santa and His Works” Nast may have been the first illustrator to so identify the locale. (An 1857 illustration in Harper’s Weekly shows Santa preparing to leave a snowy but unnamed homeland.) [74]

Interestingly

Since Thor’s element was fire, he was made into the god for the Yule tide. Thor was a friendly god and during the Yule tide season, he delivered presents through the chimney because the hearth, being used for fire, was especially sacred to him. In a chariot driven by two goats, Cracker and Gnasher, Thor roared across the heavens causing thunder. Thor was described as heavy built, with a long white beard and was dressed in red in keeping with his association with fire. In a place called “Northland”, Thor lived in a palace surrounded by icebergs. Thus Thor was a winter god who gave people encouragement during the bleak winter months. [75] Emphasis Added

Santa not only lives in the North Pole, he gives people encouragement during the winter months.

The Challenge of Thor [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]
I AM the God Thor,
I am the War God,
I am the Thunderer!
Here in my Northland,
My fastness and fortress,
Reign I forever!
Here amid icebergs
Rule I the nations; …   

A Holly Wreath

From The ancient Chinese to the Druids [who thought holly berries were thought to represent the sacred blood of their Goddess] and Romans, holly has been the subject of myths, legends, and traditional observances for centuries.

Many today believe that the actual "crown of thorns" worn by the Lord Jesus Christ, was the familiar "holly" wreath. In fact, in Germany, the Hawthorn is still known as Christdorn or "Christ's crown of thorns."

Ancient history says that the Druids used holly in their religious rites long before the custom came to the European continent. The Druids of ancient Britain and Gaul held the English holly tree sacred. The "holy" connotation continued in later days in Europe, where the plant was widely believed to repel evil spirits. People planted trees and used their branches as protection against witchcraft, mad dogs, and other evils.
Sometime in the past, the pagans of Europe took sprays of holly into their homes so that the tiny, imaginary peoples of the woodland would be safe from the cold of winter in the evergreen boughs. Later, holly was used as holiday decor that gave the good fairies and elves a place to hide as they did their good deeds. [Holly In Holiday Tradition.]
With the coming of Christianity, the use of holly was condemned as a pagan ritual and forbidden by the Christian council. But Christian Romans continued to decorate with holly during festive seasons. European Christian symbolism included the belief that the spiny leaves and red berries were a reminder of the crown of thorns and the blood of Christ. The Pennsylvania Dutch held that the plant's white flowers represented Jesus' purity. The Germans called this plant Christdorn, Christ's crown of thorns. They thought holly had white berries until they were stained by Christ's blood. [76]

Santa Claus: Santa Wears a Wreath of Holly.
Originating in England, Father Christmas was depicted as a friendly fellow wearing a crown of holly and a scarlet or green fur-lined robe. To many, this wreath of holly represented the crown of thorns that Jesus wore when He was crucified and the red berries are symbolic of the blood He shed." [77]

A White Horse!

The Bible:

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. [Revelation 19:11]
Santa Claus:  
Most people are not aware that until the nineteenth century, Santa flew through the sky, visiting housetop to housetop, not in a sled drawn by reindeers — but on a white horse. It wasn’t until the poem, The Children’s Friend, was published in 1821 that the magical white horse was transformed into reindeer.
On the eve of December 6, the myth told that this bearded, white-haired old “saint,” clad in a wide mantel, rode through the skies on a white horse. [78]

In Revelation 6, the Antichrist also appears on a white horse.

And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. [Revelation 6:2].

Ho, ho, ho

The Bible:

Ho, ho, flee from the land of the north, saith Jehovah; for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, saith Jehovah. Ho Zion, escape, thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. (Zechariah 2:6,7)

The Hebrew word translated Ho is [hôy ] and means oh! ah, alas, O, woe.

Santa Claus: Santa famous trademark is Ho! Ho! Ho!

Remember the Miracle plays.

In these [Miracle] plays, the devil's common entry line, known as the "devil's bluster," was "Ho! Ho! Hoh!" [79]

Santa And His Sleigh

The Bible:

There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his
Excellency on the sky. Deuteronomy 33:26.
Santa Claus:

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too

It’s also interesting in Ephesians 2:2, Satan, following the I will be like the most high script and mimicking the Lord, is depicted as "the prince of the power of the air. . ."

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Ephesians 2:2.

Santa is Virtually Omniscient (All-knowing).

The Bible:

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Proverbs 15:3
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 2 Chronicles 16:9.
"The LORD is a God of knowledge..." (1Samuel.2:3)
Will not God search this out? For he knoweth the secrets of the heart. [Psalm 44:21]
Santa Claus:

Children are taught that Santa knows things that only God Almighty can know.
He sees you when you're sleeping, He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good So be good for goodness sake
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Bobby wants a pair of skates,
Suzy wants a sled
Nellie wants a picture book,
yellow, blue, and red
Now I think I'll leave to you
what to give the rest
Choose for me, dear Santa Claus;
you will know the best.
"Jolly Old St. Nick"
Be not therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. [Matthew 6:8. Emphasis Addded].

Besides which…

Santa Rewards According to Works.

The Bible:

So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Romans 14:12
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelation 20:12
Santa Claus: But the children are accountable to Santa
He's making a list, He's checking it twice
He's gonna find out Who's naughty or nice.  

Santa is Virtually Omnipotent (All-powerful).

The Bible:

Is anything too hard for the LORD? [Genesis 18:14]
Santa Claus:

Children are taught that no feat is too great for their Santa. No storm is big enough to stop his amazing ability to deliver gifts around the world in a twinkling of an eye. He defies the laws of nature and comes down the most narrow (and hottest) of chimneys. Lets not forget the millions upon millions of gifts produced in his ‘workshop’ and delivered each to the correct child.
To the average child - Santa can do anything. Apart from requests for this doll or that train, Santa also gets some heartbreaking appeals for the restored health of a parent or sibling, the saving of a parents marriage, for peace in the house.
Is anything too hard for Santa?

Santa is Virtually Omnipresent (Present Everywhere).

The Bible:

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. [Psalm 139:7-8]
Santa Claus:

To visit so many homes all over the world in one evening, requires nothing less than omnipresence. Prior to Christmas, Santa also appears at hundreds of street corners and shopping centers at the same time.
Santa is Everywhere.  

Santa Can Give You Anything. . Just Ask.

The Bible:

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. . .[Matthew 7:7-8]
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. [Matthew 21:22]
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. [Psalm 37:4]
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? [Matthew 7:11]
Santa Claus:
 Each Christmas the U.S. Postal Service receives millions of letters addressed to "Santa Claus" In the weeks before Christmas millions of children around the globe with either/or write to Santa or visit him ‘in person’ with a list of their dearest desires. They will climb in to his lap and whisper and disclose the yearnings of their hearts. And come Christmas morning they will jump out of bed with gleeful anticipation to see what Santa has brought them.
Lean your ear this way!Don't you tell a single soul
What I'm going to say;
Christmas Eve is coming soon;
Now, you dear old man,
Whisper what you'll bring to me;Tell me if you can.
"Jolly Old St. Nick"

Santa is the great Giver of Gifts.. All you need to do is believe. Do You Believe in Santa??

[On the other hand A child may receive little or nothing from Santa because his/her parents are poor. Unfortunately, the child has probably already learned that bad children get nothing from Santa, and come to the conclusion that he/she is ‘bad’].

The Fear of …Santa?

The Bible:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:. . . Psalms 111:10
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Psalm 34:11.
Santa Claus:

But Children the world over are taught to fear Santa. "You’d better behave. Santa is watching and writing it all down. You might not get anything for Christmas."
You better watch out,
You better not cry
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why Santa Claus is comin' to town
He's making a list,
He's checking it twice
He's gonna find out
Who's naughty or nice.  

Bring The Little Children Unto Me

The Bible:

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Mark 10:13-14.

We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Santa Claus:

Oh, how he loves the little children.

All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
They are precious in his site.
Santa loves the little children of the world. 

Santa’s ‘Throne’

The Bible:

The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. [Psalm 11:4]
And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. [1 Kings 22:19]
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelation 20:11-12

Santa Claus:

Almost every local mall in the US has a Santa sitting on his ‘throne’ with the children lined up to sit on his lap and be asked the question "Have you been a good little boy [or girl]?" There are other thrones in Scripture.
For thou [Lucifer] 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: [Isaiah 14:13].

Satan’s Ultimate Goal is Worship.

The Bible:

All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. [Luke 4:6,7]
Santa Claus: 
  Millions of children love Santa with all their little hearts and quite literally worship him. Santa has replaced God at Christmas … aided and abetted by their parents.
They stand in line to sit in his lap. They delight in having their picture taken with Santa. They love whispering in Santa’s ear.

“The distinguished anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss has provided a wonderful pen portrait of this Christmas icon: "Father Christmas is dressed in scarlet: he is a king. His white beard, his furs and his boots, the sleigh in which he travels evoke winter. He is called 'Father' and he is an old man, thus he incarnates the benevolent form of the authority of the ancients." Importantly, says Lévi-Strauss, children believe in him, paying homage to him with letters and prayers, while adults do not:” [80]

But the Bible tells us

And Jesus answered and said unto him, It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. [Luke 4:8] 

Believe In Santa

The Bible:

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:31
The heart of the Christian faith is "believing" in the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is believing In Jesus Christ.
Santa Claus:

Yet, Many many more children will be asked at Christmas whether they believe in Santa than will be asked if they believe in Jesus. Santa will be preached hundreds of times more than Jesus… with parents as the chief evangelicals. "Little Boy, Little Girl, DO You Believe In Santa?"

If the Christian world had, even a small drop of the faith the average child has in Santa – we’d have revival overnight!

A Point to consider …

“If you once believed in a man who knew what you were doing, who had amazing abilities, and who gave you nice things, and he turned out to be a fake, why should you believe in another man who knows what you are doing, has amazing abilities, gives you nice things--Jesus Christ? If you get burned once, why get burned the second time? Wouldn’t it be better to be honest with our children right from the start, and teach them the difference between truth and make-believe?” [81].  

Ho! Ho! Ho! I Am God. . .

In 1994, the satire magazine The Onion carried a parody of Santa Claus titled "Ho! Ho! Ho! I Am God". Even though, it was written as a blasphemous parody much truth rings from the article. The article says:

"I love visiting each and every one of your homes, stuffing your stockings with toys, and enjoying the milk and cookies you leave for me. But mostly I love Christmas because it's the celebration of the birth of my son, Jesus the Christ. You see, I'm God. . . Don't I look familiar? I'm old, I have a white beard, I love everyone. I'm the same God as the one you and your mommy and daddy worship on Sundays. . .
Okay, I admit it. I'm not God. But I'm better than God. I'm jollier, and I give you real toys, not boring old psalms and empty promises you can only collect on when you die. Worship me, not Him! Worship Santa! I am God!" [82]

So he disguises the lie in a nice little package of make-believe and fantasy. He creates a harmless ol' jolly fellow that just loves little children. And most parents think, "Now what could be wrong with that?"

This Christmas Eve millions and millions of little children will climb into their beds "looking for their blessed hope and the glorious appearing" of Santa Claus.

There is not a Christian on the face of this earth looking for and longing for the Lord Jesus Christ as much as the average child is longing for their god Santa! A child's stolen faith in the coming of Santa puts the Christian's faith to shame.

They get so excited. . . Santa is coming! Satan is coming! 

Conclusion

But It Is Just Fantasy. . .

“How long will people dodge the issue by saying this legend is a harmless tradition?

Who is this person whose jovial face greets us everywhere in our Christmas festivities, stores, schools, and cards? This is Santa, the god of Christmas, the children's friend, who is so imbedded in the hearts that we thrill to:

"T'was the night before Christmas..."

A charming legend, an innocent fantasy? But whose place has he taken in the hearts of children? If we strip him of his disguise, we find a masterpiece of SATAN's subtlety, for the harmless, fun-provoking Santa has usurped the throne of childhood's heart and the charming legend has replaced "the sweetest story ever told."

This is the legend in brief that we recite and sing and picture to our children:

Away up in the ice and snow lives Santa Claus in a great house of many rooms filled with every delightful thing that children love. Santa Claus is all-seeing and all-knowing. He sees what the children do. He hears all they say. He keeps a "Book of Remembrance" in which he records their words and their actions. Santa Claus comes down from the sky in a sleigh drawn by swift reindeer that "fly upon the wings of the wind and ride upon the clouds." It is filled with wonderful gifts. His coming is secret. When he comes he brings rewards to all good children and the gifts they have asked for.

What is the children's reaction to such a legend? "Santa Claus is our friend: he has all the good things we want, and he will give them to us if we are good."

is it any wonder they open their hearts to Santa Claus, strive to please him, talk and dream about him and wait and watch eagerly for him?

What about Jesus? He said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me," but we have put before our children that awful thing against which Sinai thundered; we have put another god before Him!

We have opened our homes to a thief, and have stood by and offered no resistance while he stole the heart of childhood. We have raised no voice in protest as he corrupted the minds and hearts of our children with a false image and a living imagination.

Why have we not lifted the standard of Jesus, the true God and tender Friend of children, who is not willing that "one of these little ones should perish." Why have we not feared lest we should "offend one of these little ones which believe" on Him?

The True Story

Christian mother, what has happened? You substitute the pagan legend of Santa Claus for the true story of God's love! How can you let Santa Claus take the place of Jesus in your child's heart? How can you encourage him to look to another for his joys rather than to Jesus, "the giver of every good and perfect gift?"

The clouds of judgment hang heavy. Terrible things are happening. Let us hasten to enthrone Jesus in our homes and tell the matchless story of God's "Unspeakable gift" to the world.

Instead of the vulgar Santa Claus, with his "nose like a cherry, and his little round belly that shakes...like a bowl full of jelly," let us captivate our children's imagination with the altogether lovely One, the "dear little Stranger, born in a manger." Let us delight their fancy with the story of the guiding star, with the Magi and their gifts for the new-born King. Let us inspire our children to give gifts to Him and in His name. Let us make Christmas "holy ground" in our homes this year”. [83]

Having eyes, see ye not" Mark 8:18

Read the full article at - http://www.inplainsite.org/html/santa_claus.html#Popularity

End Notes:

[74] Robert C. Kennedy. Santa Claus and His Works.
http://www.harpweek.com/09Cartoon/BrowseByDateCartoon.asp?Month=December&Date=25

[75] http://ottawa.humanists.net/Origins_files/Christmas.htm.

[76] Holly In Holiday Tradition. , Virginia Klara Nathan. Virginia Cooperative Extension.
http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/envirohort/factsheets2/landsnurs/dec93pr1.html

[77] "Santalady's Favorite Antique Post Cards and Related Traditions Picture," www.santalady.com/cards.html

[78] Renterghem, Tony van. When Santa Was a Shaman. St. Paul: Llewellyn Pub., 1995, p. 111

[79] Siefker, Phyllis. Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men: The Origins and Evolution of Saint Nicholas. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1997, p. 69

[80] Roger Highfield.. science editor of The Daily Telegraph in London. Modern Santa and Meaning The Physics of Christmas.
http://www.enotalone.com/article/4019.html

[81] http://rumela.com/events/christmas_santa.htm

[82] Santa Claus, "Ho! Ho! Ho! I Am God!" The Onion, 29 Nov. - 5 Dec., 1994, p. 7

[83] Santa, The Imposter. http://www.baptistpillar.com/bd0282.html

Selah - Light of the Stable

 

The Shinar Directive - Part Two

by Dr. Michael Lake

---

In chapter two of The Shinar Directive, we uncover a gold mine of information encoded into the stories presented in the Torah (especially in the book of Genesis). The sages of Israel understood these hidden mysteries and taught that it would take a faithful student of the Word a lifetime just to discover some of the secrets God presented to us in Genesis 1–3. 

Over the years, several of my students have attempted to develop an exhaustive study of the book of Genesis for their doctoral dissertations. As they examined the original language of the Hebrew text and discovered such a treasure trove of information, they concluded that their dissertations could only cover a fraction of what is available in just the first chapter. Even then, many of their papers far surpassed the required standard length of a doctoral dissertation. What God can say in one sentence can become a lifetime of study for any serious student of the Word.

The perfect example of the power of one sentence from God is when Jesus made a seemingly simple statement in Matthew 24:37:

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:37)

Jesus was speaking of the last days. In the verse that preceded this statement, we find:

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (Matthew 24:36)

Since we have been so deprived of our Hebraic heritage, most students of the Bible miss the fact that Jesus had just used a Hebraic idiom that connected what He was sharing with the Feast of Trumpets. The language He continued to use in verses 40–42 confirms this fact for those who use the tools of hermeneutical[i] research to understand the cultural setting in which Jesus taught. Although the purpose of this entry is not to teach on the importance of cultural idioms[ii] and their proper use within our exegetical[iii] exercises to glean truth from the Word of God, I hope I have sparked your interest enough to promote expansion of your hermeneutical toolbox. We need to realize that Jesus did not minister in the streets of Detroit or the country hills of Kentucky. He spoke to a culture that had a deep and enriched heritage cultivated by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and nourished by a study of Torah. Biblical scholar Dr. John Garr makes this observation regarding our habitual dismissal of the cultural setting in our interpretative processes:

The problem is that practically all societies and people groups have read their own concepts and cultures into the Bible rather than drawing out of the Holy Scriptures the truths that have always been there. The church’s approach to Holy Writ has been ignorant at best and disingenuous at worst. When interpreting the Bible, Christians have engaged in eisegesis [interpreting a text or portion of text in such a way that the process introduces one's own presuppositions, agendas, or biases ] rather than exegesis [the exposition or explanation of a text based on a careful, objective analysis] by injecting their preconceived notions into Scripture rather than extracting from the text what it clearly says.

Texts without context have become pretexts for proof texts! The grammar of the Scriptures (the Hebrew language of the first testament and the Hebrew thought underlying the Greek language of the second testament) has been largely minimized if not downright ignored. Likewise, the history and culture of the people through whom and to whom the sacred texts were committed have been virtually ignored. Entire theologies have been based upon a “criterion of dissimilarity” in which texts in the Apostolic Scriptures that have clear connections with the Hebrew Scriptures have been dismissed by some scholars as not being the authentic words of Jesus and the apostles but the work of subsequent redactors. It is as though Jesus had to have been born and lived in a vacuum and never influenced by his native language and culture. The very idea has given rise to a Christianity that has been wretched from its theological and historical moorings and set adrift in a maelstrom of nonbiblical—in far too many cases, anti-Biblical—traditions, including postmodernism, consequentialism, secular humanism, and even demonic perversion.[iv]

If the cultural context within Scripture is so essential to the formation of the practics of our faith, is it not equally paramount in our understanding of Bible prophecy? Such casual dismissals caused prophecy teachers in the past century to declare anyone teaching that Israel would once again become a nation as a promoter of heresy. When Israel became a nation overnight in 1948, it shook the very foundations of many evangelical prophecy ministries worldwide. We need to learn from these mistakes and incorporate a Hebraic understanding into our hermeneutical process.

I said all of that to make a point: When Jesus spoke of the “days of Noah,” it served as a memory trigger to all of the hearers who could tap into over one thousand years of teaching regarding every aspect of the Noah narrative. In the times of Jesus, there were not chapters and verses to Scripture; these would not be added until the twelfth century by Stephen Langton with the introduction of the Latin Vulgate Bible. The sages of Israel would use a word or phrase to take the hearers to the portion of Scripture they were referring to. This is especially true with the Torah. Thus, as diligent students of God’s Word, we must labor to hear with Hebraic ears and dig deep into Noah’s story to properly ascertain all that Jesus was referring to. Which was...

 

Read the rest of this article at  - http://www.raidersnewsupdate.com/Shinar2.htm

 

Because John Philpot Didn't Run, He Burned

When Queen Mary Tudor came to the English throne in 1553, everyone expected she would restore the Roman Church to a nation which had become Protestant. Fearing brutality, some clergymen fled. One who stayed in England was John Philpot, archdeacon of Winchester. Assured that he could speak freely, he debated Roman apologists in a convocation.

Philpot was a man of great learning, with knowledge not only of the Bible but of its languages, especially Hebrew. To persuade him to recant his Protestant beliefs would have been a signal victory. However, contemporaries say Philpot more than held his own in the debates.

Almost at once, his words were turned against him. He was arrested as a heretic and bullied by Story, Bonner and other agents of the queen. Bishop Gardiner, one of Mary's leading persecutors, had reason to resent Protestants. Gardiner had been bishop of Winchester until deposed by the Protestant king, Edward VI.

Philpot was sometimes held in Bishop Bonner's coal house and sometimes in a tower. One day he might be loaded with chains, the next placed in the stocks. His opponents vowed openly to bring him to the stake, but at the same time sought to persuade him to recant his heresies. John Philpot held fast to his convictions through fourteen examinations.

Eighteen months passed in this imprisonment. There was no sign his resolve would weaken. Philpot managed to preserve secret notes about his hearings. Much of this material was later printed by John Foxe in his Actes and Monuments (better known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs).

On December 16th, Bishop Bonner passed the death sentence on his victim. Philpot was taken to Newgate and loaded with so many chains by the prison keeper that he had to send a servant to ask the sheriff to relieve him. The sheriff ordered the extra chains removed. On the 17th, while he ate supper, Philpot was told he must die the next day. To this he replied joyfully, "I am ready: God grant me strength and a joyful resurrection."

Thanking God that he was counted worthy to suffer for truth, he went into his room. Did his mind run back to his participated in the examination and burning of the deluded Joan of Kent?
We do not know. However, on this day, December 18, 1555, he met the sheriff's men joyfully at eight and proceeded to the stake in Smithfield. The path was muddy and the sheriff's men offered to carry him. He refused, saying, "I am content to go to my journey's end on foot."

He knelt when he came to the place of execution and kissed the stake. Then he recited psalms 106, 107 and 108, was chained to the stake, and died in the flame that mounted around his body.

Bibliography:

1. Foxe, John. Book of Martyrs. Various editions available.
2. "Philpot, John." The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Edited by F. L. Cross and E. A. Livingstone. Oxford, 1997.
3. Various internet articles.

Read this article at - http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/because-john-philpot-didnt-run-he-burned-11629991.html

Remember that Pre-Election Ebola Scare that Dropped Right Off the Radar Afterward…?

by Joseph P. Farrell

If you lived in the United States during the past three to four months, you probably remember the big Ebola Scare of 2014. You’ll recall how strange it seemed that the Obama Regime was doing little to nothing to stop the spread of the disease inside the country by taking the necessary steps to restrict travel to the infected area in Africa, and you’ll probably also recall how the American television and radio media drew almost daily if not hourly attention to this fact in the weeks prior to the congressional and state (s)elections occurring round the country as voters piled into the voting box to register their votes into computerized results which could then be adjusted to fit the predetermined outcome….  Then when the pre-arranged dust had settled, the Republithugs had swept the Dummycrooks out of the US Senate, and captured several statehouses. Amid all this typical American pre-(s)election theater, in my opinion, a bit of media-driven social engineering to achieve a particular result, which it did. And the Ebola story was the instrument.
Then, it dropped right off the radar, which, of course, it would not have done, if the oligarchy was really concerned about it, which they’re not, and perhaps this is why:
Evidence shows MIT had cure for Ebola back in 2011
Now, ponder that one for a moment. Consider the sweeping implications of these allegations:

“A major breakthrough out of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) shows incredible promise as a cure for virtually every kind of viral infection known to man. But the mainstream media has chosen to stick with hype, fear and, more recently, the ominous threat of martial law when it comes to dealing with alleged viral threats like H1N1 and Ebola.
“Scientists from the school’s Lincoln Laboratory basically came up with a method of targeting viruses that destroys infected cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed, similar to how antiviral nutrients function. But here’s the kicker: The discovery was made in 2011, three years before the current Ebola outbreak, though it hasn’t received any media attention whatsoever.
“Published in the journal PLOS ONE, a groundbreaking study on this novel therapeutic explains how existing antiviral medications are scarce, and many of them largely ineffective. Viable treatments for the common cold, for example, are practically nonexistent, while newer diseases like SARS are regarded by public health officials as basically untreatable.
“‘In theory, it should work against all viruses,‘ stated Todd Rider, a senior staff scientist from the Lincoln Laboratory’s Chemical, Biological and Nanoscale Technologies Group and inventor of the technology, to MIT News.” (emphases added)

And how does that work? Very simply:

“So what is this mysterious technological advancement? The paper calls them DRACOs, which is short for Double-stranded RNA Activated Caspase Oligomerizers. In essence, it is a substance that induces apoptosis, or cell death, in cells containing viral dsRNA, the double-stranded RNA produced by viruses for the purpose of replication.
“Human cells are naturally pre-programmed to create special proteins that destroy these dsRNA strands, but viruses can mutate to outsmart and bypass this safeguard. This is where DRACOs come in, adding an additional protein into the mix that triggers apoptosis in infected cells. This combined approach is not only effective against virtually all tested viruses, but it also eliminates the possibility of viral resistance.”

Here’s the best part:

“The best part about DRACO technology is that it leaves uninfected cells alone, which can’t be said for the array of pharmaceuticals currently on the market, including chemotherapy drugs that kill everything in their path. Tests conducted both in vitro (in a test tube) and in vivo (in living organisms) show that DRACO is capable of killing the H1N1 influenza virus without causing any harm.”

But not surprisingly,

“…DRACOs have received little media attention since they were first announced. Though they obviously require much more extensive testing to ensure safety, DRACOs appear to have taken a back seat to vaccines, which are the only type of intervention that government health officials seem to care about these days.”

Precisely!

We tend to think of hidden technologies and science as being restricted solely to the sphere of space technologies, or advanced exotic energy technologies or directed energy weapons. But we’d do well to remember, that the existence of black budgets, hidden systems of finance, off-the-books hidden technologies and hidden physics also implies hidden medical technologies and science, and, should these things occasionally rear their big-pharma anti-vaccine heads in public, they are quickly and quite decisively ignored, for the implications of those technologies – DRACO being a case in point – are sweeping: One does not hear of electro-magnetic medicine (think only of Royal Ramond Rife or Alain Priorie here folks)or any of these technologies for a reason, for the oligarchy is heavily invested not only in oil but in pharmaceuticals.

Imagine a technology that would render vaccinations against various viruses from the cold to all types of flu to measles, HIV, Ebola, Marburg, and so on, entirely ineffective. It would mean, likewise, the annual virus hysteria over the favored “disease of the moment” – SARS, bird flu, swine flu – would cease to be of any social engineering utility to the powers that be. We’re watching, in other words, the slow dissolution of the old playbook of fears-to-be-trotted-out-every-so-often. and the rise of new fears.

But the next time they trot out the Most Favored Virus before an election, remember to ask them about the progress of DRACO technologies. Chances are, SeeBS, Faux News, and the other lamestream media haven’t even heard of it. After all, they didn’t mention a peep about it during the Ebola hysteria.

 

Read this article at - http://gizadeathstar.com/2014/12/remember-pre-election-ebola-scare-dropped-right-off-radar-afterward/

Bolsheviks Bore Down on Orthodox

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From 1721, in the days of Peter the Great, the Russian Orthodox Church was governed by a Holy Synod appointed by the czars. But the last czar, Tsar Nicholas II and his family, under the sway of the "holy devil" Rasputin, governed so badly that the Russians revolted. The nation's Orthodox leaders actually welcomed the revolution of March 1917, which announced religious freedom.
The church saw the czar's removal as an opportunity to free itself of state controls. No longer would it be a puppet of secular authorities. In August, Russian Orthodoxy reintroduced its earlier patriarchal system of government and in December elected Patriarch Tikhon. Churchmen did not realize that a bad system was about to be replaced with a worse.

In a revolution within a revolution, the Bolsheviks (Communists) under Lenin seized control of Russia. Communism is hostile to religion. A central teaching of its "prophet" Marx was that religion reflects the world of class societies; institutional religion impedes progress towards a classless society, the goal of Marxism. As the Bolsheviks consolidated their power, they placed more and more restrictions on the church.

On December 4, 1917, the Bolsheviks confiscated church lands. A week later, they took control of schools that had once provided religious education. Students would now be force-fed Communist propaganda. On this day, December 18, 1917 the Communists completed their first offensive campaign against the church by making marriage a civil, not a religious, ordinance.

Over the next two years the Communists murdered 28 bishops and countless priests. By 1938, the Communists had closed 70,000 Russian Orthodox churches and chapels and all of the monasteries and seminaries. 280 bishops and at least 45,000 priests had perished.

As the Communists piled outrage upon outrage, Patriarch Tikhon remonstrated, "Think what you are doing, you madmen! Stop your bloody outrages! Your acts are not merely cruel, they are the works of Satan, for which you will burn in hell fire in the life hereafter and will be cursed by future generations in this life." But the Bolsheviks showed little concern for such warnings.

For eighty years, a brutal repression of religion by the Communists continued. Late in the twentieth century there was a tremendous change in the political and religious situation in Russia. Thanks to the bravery of East European Christians, the resistance of Muslims to Soviet occupation and to the clearheaded policies of an American president, the tyranny broke.

During those years of awful suffering, the church showed an amazing power to survive--a power that the Communists had not factored into their materialistic equations. Communism collapsed but the church lived on. Christians know that the survival of the church is owing to the power of Christ at work in common people.

Bibliography:

1. Adapted from an earlier Christian History Institute story.
2. Hutten, Kurt. Iron Curtain Christians. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing, 1967.
3. Janz, Denis R. World Christianity and Marxism. New York: Oxford University, 1998.

Read this article at - http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1901-2000/bolsheviks-bore-down-on-orthodox-11630717.html

The military is developing robotic soldiers, planes, and ships that may not need a human to guide them

By The Week Staff

Howdy, soldiers (and robo-soldier). (John Moore/Getty Images)

How advanced are today's weapons? Modern soldiers are equipped with a wide array of highly sophisticated, computer-enhanced weapons systems that would have been unthinkable just a generation ago. About 40 percent of the U.S. aerial fleet consists of unmanned combat drones, and the Air Force now trains more drone operators than bomber or fighter pilots. Robotic ground vehicles have also flooded the battlefield, with more than 6,000 deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan to haul gear, climb over obstacles, and provide advanced reconnaissance. The military is now testing a more advanced version called a Legged Squad Supports Systems robot that looks like a mechanical mule, and can carry 400 pounds of cargo over uneven terrain. With even more futuristic devices in the pipeline, some officials are estimating that up to 25 percent of infantry forces could be replaced by robots in the coming decades. Like aerial drones, most of the current systems are operated by remote control, but experts say some devices will soon be capable of carrying out designated tasks with minimal human oversight.
 

What will the next generation look like? This summer, the Navy began testing unmanned patrol boats that can escort and defend warships traveling through hostile waters. Adapted from NASA's Mars rovers, these boats are programmed to move in sync with other vessels, select routes, and avoid obstacles without a human at the controls. This summer, the Air Force unveiled the X-47B, a stealth-enabled drone capable of taking off, flying, and landing on an aircraft carrier without the assistance of a remote pilot. Micro drones that can work together like a swarm of deadly bees are also in the works, as is a fully autonomous humanoid robot that could someday go into battle in the place of a human soldier (see below). "An autonomous weapons arms race is already taking place," says Steve Omohundro, an artificial-intelligence expert at Self-Aware Systems in California.
 

Will there be killer robots? Most experts say the deployment of fully autonomous weapons systems is at least five years away, but others contend early versions of them exist. Britain's Brimstone missiles, for example, can distinguish while in the air among different types of targets, such as a car, bus, or tank, and can choose among those targets without human oversight. The Israelis' Harpy drone, which was deployed over Gaza this summer, patrols a given territory searching for enemy radar signals, then fires on the source of those signals entirely on its own. Since 2006, South Korea has deployed "robotic sentries" along its border with North Korea. The stationary robots ask any person who comes into range for a password. If the wrong answer is given, the robot is capable of opening fire on its own, but South Korea says that decision still rests with a human operator.

(Want more in-depth briefings? Try 4 risk-free issues of The Week magazine.)
 

Will humans always be involved?No country is openly developing fully automated weapons systems designed to target humans. But since such weapons are technologically possible, many fear their development is inevitable. The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, launched in 2013 by Human Rights Watch and several other nongovernmental organizations, hopes to make such weapons illegal under international law. These activists argue that artificial intelligence, no matter how advanced, will never be capable of effectively distinguishing between combatants and civilians. They also contend that it is fundamentally immoral to give machines the power to make life-and-death decisions, and that using robots in combat will make it too easy to go to war. "War without reflection is mechanized slaughter," says Christof Heyns, the U.N.'s Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings. "If there's ever going to be a time to regulate or stop these weapons, it's now."

 

jRead the rest of this article at - http://theweek.com/article/index/273431/the-mechanized-future-of-warfare