scripture pic

scripture pic

Monday, March 30, 2015

Sodom; Rape and Evil Behavior; Witchcraft

Just because we have been told a story over and over again does not mean we are actually hearing the true story; and just because a famous preacher comments about a particular story does not mean he actually knows the full story. We have studied this subject in the past, but we will take another look at some of the aspects of Sodom and why Jesus pointed out that on the Day of Judgment Sodom would fare better than other places. We also want to explore the possibility that Sodom and its cities had a behavioral pattern that still exists in the world today. What cultures behave like Sodom in our modern era? The behavior of Sodom and its surrounding cities is one of manipulation, intimidation, and domination, which are all aspects of witchcraft. We see that someone has blown smoke or clouded over the truth as to the sins of Sodom and until we readjust our thinking we will continue believing a lie.

Who were the people of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim? These people were technically sons of Ham, Canaanites, but also descendants of fallen angels. They were also under two curses from Noah. One was due to the division of the land among Noah’s three sons, where he placed a curse on anyone who would live in land that was not divided to him.  The second of Noah’s curses was specifically against Canaan who was Ham’s fourth born. Since Ham “uncovered” his father’s nakedness, or castrated Noah when he was drunk so that there would not be any more heirs, Noah cursed Ham’s fourth born.  

Gen 10:18-20 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.20 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations. KJV

Keep in mind that the Canaanites were rather tall people as were some of the others in the region. Also, remember that in later years Abraham married Keturah, a Canaanite, and had six sons with her. Abraham specifically told his sons to move south as those people would be destroyed. That was Joshua’s mission. Let’s look at the Book of Jasher, chapters 18 & 19 for some detailed perspective on how these people lived.

Jasher 18:11In those days all the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, and of the whole five cities, were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord and they provoked the Lord with their abominations, and they strengthened in aging abominably and scornfully before the Lord, and their wickedness and crimes were in those days great before the Lord.

As the communities grew older (as the people aged), they became stronger in their bad behaviors. Here are some of the things they did.

And they had in their land a very extensive valley, about half a day's walk, and in it there were fountains of water and a great deal of herbage surrounding the water. And all the people of Sodom and Gomorrah went there four times in the year, with their wives and children and all belonging to them, and they rejoiced there with timbrels and dances. And in the time of rejoicing they would all rise and lay hold of their neighbor's wives, and some, the virgin daughters of their neighbors, and they enjoyed them, and each man saw his wife and daughter in the hands of his neighbor and did not say a word. And they did so from morning to night, and they afterward returned home each man to his house and each woman to her tent; so they always did four times in the year.

First of all, it seems like this herbage was something that enhanced the partying. One might think marijuana or something similar. Using drugs in and of itself is witchcraft, kashaph in Hebrew, pharmakeia, in Greek. They did something comparable to a swingers club, as a community, four times per year. In other words they copulated with whomever they wished. Clearly here the connotation is men with women, whether wives or virgin daughters, and everyone partook. This type of fornication and adultery between adults is not a big issue for Yahweh as noted in the Old Testament behaviors of many people. There are two aspects of this that may be bothersome to Yahweh. One is that we have no indication how young the virgins were. Were they five years old, ten years old, fifteen years old? Second, was this forced on the women? Were people allowed not to participate? What if a woman or a young girl did not want to be with a certain man? These are important questions and many people overlook them because they wish to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The partying aspect is something we see from the stories of the sons of Cain, which is something to keep in mind. So not only is there an element of drugs which is manipulation, there is an element of domination here as well.

From our Old Testament records, there were some serious cases of rape, adultery, and fornications, but the difference seems to be that forced sex is wrong. It is an act of domination, not love. Compare Judges 19 to David and Bath-sheba. The Benjamites wanted to rape the Levite (yes that is in your Bible) but instead they raped his wife until she died, whereas David practiced voyeurism and when David connected with her we are not told that Bath-sheba objected in any way. Compare Joseph and Potiphar’s wife to Judah and Tamar. Potiphar’s wife sexually harassed Joseph and eventually falsely accused him, but Judah visited someone he thought was a prostitute which turned out to be his daughter–in-law. Abraham, Jacob, Esau, David, and Solomon had multiple women partners, some wives, some not. So clearly Yahweh does not seem to have a problem with the sexual act itself, but more importantly the forcing of oneself on another. Consensual sex versus forced sex or rape. This is not the only issue these cities had, it is only one aspect. Think about our modern civilization, is there a group of people who regularly deny rights to women, rape women and young girls, and call it all good? Is there a group of people on earth that band together in a religious manner and call this behavior acceptable? This would be intimidation and domination. Let’s go on.

Also when a stranger came into their cities and brought goods which he had purchased with a view to dispose of there, the people of these cities would assemble, men, women and children, young and old, and go to the man and take his goods by force, giving a little to each man until there was an end to all the goods of the owner which he had brought into the land. And if the owner of the goods quarreled with them, saying, What is this work which you have done to me, then they would approach to him one by one, and each would show him the little which he took and taunt him, saying, I only took that little which thou didst give me; and when he heard this from them all, he would arise and go from them in sorrow and bitterness of soul, when they would all arise and go after him, and drive him out of the city with great noise and tumult.

When a merchant came to town to sell his goods, people stole from him and split up the stolen merchandise among so many people that there were too many people to contend with. All the people claimed that the merchant gave them the little bit of merchandise they had. How could one person fight with so many people? Look at the extent of the manipulation, the whole city was involved in this behavior, not just one or two people. The craftiness of this behavior is not absent in our modern era. Is there a group that steals without conscience from others? Is there a group of people who are actually told they are allowed to steal from people not of their religious persuasion? Is it backward and twisted to steal from a stranger rather than treat a stranger with kindness? From the Old Testament we see that traveling strangers were shown hospitality. Remember Jesus’ words regarding the Good Samaritan? And like Abraham, we may be entertaining angels unaware, Hebrews 13:2, when we are kind to strangers. This behavior contains all three aspects of witchcraft: intimidation, manipulation, and domination.

And there was a man from the country of Elam who was leisurely going on the road, seated upon his ass, which carried a fine mantle of divers colors, and the mantle was bound with a cord upon the ass. And the man was on his journey passing through the street of Sodom when the sun set in the evening, and he remained there in order to abide during the night, but no one would let him into his house; and at that time there was in Sodom a wicked and mischievous man, one skillful to do evil, and his name was Hedad.

Notice the mention that Hedad was skillful to do evil, that would mean he probably mastered the art of manipulation. Notice that no one would let this man into their house which was the culture of other cities as we see in the Old Testament. 

And he lifted up his eyes and saw the traveler in the street of the city, and he came to him and said, Whence comest thou and whither dost thou go? And the man said to him, I am traveling from Hebron to Elam where I belong, and as I passed the sun set and no one would suffer me to enter his house, though I had bread and water and also straw and provender for my ass, and am short of nothing.

The traveler had everything he needed for himself and his animal but notice what happens next.

And Hedad answered and said to him, All that thou shalt want shall be supplied by me, but in the street thou shalt not abide all night. And Hedad brought him to his house, and he took off the mantle from the ass with the cord, and brought them to his house, and he gave the ass straw and provender whilst the traveler ate and drank in Hedad's house, and he abode there that night. And in the morning the traveler rose up early to continue his journey, when Hedad said to him, Wait, comfort thy heart with a morsel of bread and then go, and the man did so; and he remained with him, and they both ate and drank together during the day, when the man rose up to go. And Hedad said to him, Behold now the day is declining, thou hadst better remain all night that thy heart may be comforted; and he pressed him so that he tarried there all night, and on the second day he rose up early to go away, when Hedad pressed him, saying, Comfort thy heart with a morsel of bread and then go, and he remained and ate with him also the second day, and then the man rose up to continue his journey. And Hedad said to him, Behold now the day is declining, remain with me to comfort thy heart and in the morning rise up early and go thy way.

Even while the traveler had everything he needed Hedad gave him food and hay, but while Hedad seems nice, he has a scheme in mind.

And the man would not remain, but rose and saddled his ass, and whilst he was saddling his ass the wife of Hedad said to her husband, Behold this man has remained with us for two days eating and drinking and he has given us nothing, and now shall he go away from us without giving anything? and Hedad said to her, Be silent. And the man saddled his ass to go, and he asked Hedad to give him the cord and mantle to tie it upon the ass.

Watch this closely.

And Hedad said to him, What sayest thou? And he said to him, That thou my lord shalt give me the cord and the mantle made with divers colors which thou didst conceal with thee in thy house to take care of it. And Hedad answered the man, saying, This is the interpretation of thy dream, the cord which thou didst see, means that thy life will be lengthened out like a cord, and having seen the mantle colored with all sorts of colors, means that thou shalt have a vineyard in which thou wilt plant trees of all fruits. And the traveler answered, saying, Not so my lord, for I was awake when I gave thee the cord and also a mantle woven with different colors, which thou didst take off the ass to put them by for me; and Hedad answered and said, Surely I have told thee the interpretation of thy dream and it is a good dream, and this is the interpretation thereof. Now the sons of men give me four pieces of silver, which is my charge for interpreting dreams, and of thee only I require three pieces of silver.

Notice the twist here, the man simply wanted his mantle but Hedad keeps pretending to interpret a dream. What skill! What manipulation! The poor traveler just wanted to leave, and now Hedad is asking for money for interpreting a dream the traveler never had.

And the man was provoked at the words of Hedad, and he cried bitterly, and he brought Hedad to Serak judge of Sodom. And the man laid his cause before Serak the judge, when Hedad replied, saying, It is not so, but thus the matter stands; and the judge said to the traveler, This man Hedad telleth thee truth, for he is famed in the cities for the accurate interpretation of dreams. And the man cried at the word of the judge, and he said, Not so my Lord, for it was in the day that I gave him the cord and mantle which was upon the ass, in order to put them by in his house; and they both disputed before the judge, the one saying, Thus the matter was, and the other declaring otherwise. And Hedad said to the man, Give me four pieces of silver that I charge for my interpretations of dreams; I will not make any allowance; and give me the expense of the four meals that thou didst eat in my house. And the man said to Hedad, Truly I will pay thee for what I ate in thy house, only give me the cord and mantle which thou didst conceal in thy house. And Hedad replied before the judge and said to the man, Did I not tell thee the interpretation of thy dream? the cord means that thy days shall be prolonged like a cord, and the mantle, that thou wilt have a vineyard in which thou wilt plant all kinds of fruit trees. This is the proper interpretation of thy dream, now give me the four pieces of silver that I require as a compensation, for I will make thee no allowance. And the man cried at the words of Hedad and they both quarreled before the judge, and the judge gave orders to his servants, who drove them rashly from the house. And they went away quarreling from the judge, when the people of Sodom heard them, and they gathered about them and they exclaimed against the stranger, and they drove him rashly from the city. And the man continued his journey upon his ass with bitterness of soul, lamenting and weeping. And whilst he was going along he wept at what had happened to him in the corrupt city of Sodom. http://www.ccel.org/a/anonymous/jasher/18.htm

The traveler thought he could get some justice from the judge in Sodom, but he found out that Hedad would continue to manipulate the situation and there was no justice in Sodom. Unjust behaviors are common but have you ever heard news stories in our modern day of someone stealing from someone then accusing the victim of doing something wrong. The victim is victimized twice. This happens in many places where there is a culture that allows for this behavior. This same religious culture has their own laws and judges and these religious people attempt to set up their own justice system within countries that are not their own. We can see the disease of Sodom is still alive in parts of the world. Manipulation is a crafty, underhanded way of getting something but that is not Yahweh’s way of doing things.   

And the cities of Sodom had four judges to four cities, and these were their names, Serak in the city of Sodom, Sharkad in Gomorrah, Zabnac in Admah, and Menon in Zeboyim. And Eliezer Abraham's servant applied to them different names, and he converted Serak to Shakra, Sharkad to Shakrura, Zebnac to Kezobim, and Menon to Matzlodin.And by desire of their four judges the people of Sodom and Gomorrah had beds erected in the streets of the cities, and if a man came to these places they laid hold of him and brought him to one of their beds, and by force made him to lie in them. And as he lay down, three men would stand at his head and three at his feet, and measure him by the length of the bed, and if the man was less than the bed these six men would stretch him at each end, and when he cried out to them they would not answer him. And if he was longer than the bed they would draw together the two sides of the bed at each end, until the man had reached the gates of death. And if he continued to cry out to them, they would answer him, saying, Thus shall it be done to a man that cometh into our land. And when men heard all these things that the people of the cities of Sodom did, they refrained from coming there.

Look at the strange way the cities of Sodom treated people by forcing them to lie in beds and stretching them or torturing them so that no one wanted to go there. Again the idea of rape and injustice seems to be the opposite of what we see in the surrounding countries at that time. It seems like these cities had their own twisted way of living. Remember, these are four cities, and they were descendants of Ham, but also descendants of fallen angels. There is a key point here which we will explore, but first let’s continue with the crazy behaviors of these people. Domination, taking control over another person physically, is what we see here.

And when a poor man came to their land they would give him silver and gold, and cause a proclamation in the whole city not to give him a morsel of bread to eat, and if the stranger should remain there some days, and die from hunger, not having been able to obtain a morsel of bread, then at his death all the people of the city would come and take their silver and gold which they had given to him. And those that could recognize the silver or gold which they had given him took it back, and at his death they also stripped him of his garments, and they would fight about them, and he that prevailed over his neighbor took them. They would after that carry him and bury him under some of the shrubs in the deserts; so they did all the days to any one that came to them and died in their land.

Again, a strange way to treat people who came to the cities, giving visitors silver and gold but not letting them eat. Then taking their clothes and burying them under some shrubs. Intimidation is key here, along with manipulation. I do have to wonder how many people snuck away from these cities in the dark of night with nothing, just to spare their own lives. It seems strange that Lot would want to remain in that area. Clearly, Sarah was concerned for him and sent Eliezer to see how he was.

And in the course of time Sarah sent Eliezer to Sodom, to see Lot and inquire after his welfare. And Eliezer went to Sodom, and he met a man of Sodom fighting with a stranger, and the man of Sodom stripped the poor man of all his clothes and went away. And this poor man cried to Eliezer and supplicated his favor on account of what the man of Sodom had done to him.

Eliezer was Abraham’s servant and he was doing what was right as far as the rest of the world at that time was concerned. The idea that Eliezer was helping a stranger put him in danger.

And he said to him, Why dost thou act thus to the poor man who came to thy land? And the man of Sodom answered Eliezer, saying, Is this man thy brother, or have the people of Sodom made thee a judge this day, that thou speakest about this man? And Eliezer strove with the man of Sodom on account of the poor man, and when Eliezer approached to recover the poor man's clothes from the man of Sodom, he hastened and with a stone smote Eliezer in the forehead. And the blood flowed copiously from Eliezer's forehead, and when the man saw the blood he caught hold of Eliezer, saying, Give me my hire for having rid thee of this bad blood that was in thy forehead, for such is the custom and the law in our land.

What? Isn’t this backwards?

And Eliezer said to him, Thou hast wounded me and requirest me to pay thee thy hire; and Eliezer would not hearken to the words of the man of Sodom. And the man laid hold of Eliezer and brought him to Shakra the judge of Sodom for judgment. And the man spoke to the judge, saying, I beseech thee my lord, thus has this man done, for I smote him with a stone that the blood flowed from his forehead, and he is unwilling to give me my hire.And the judge said to Eliezer, This man speaketh truth to thee, give him his hire, for this is the custom in our land; and Eliezer heard the words of the judge, and he lifted up a stone and smote the judge, and the stone struck on his forehead, and the blood flowed copiously from the forehead of the judge, and Eliezer said, If this then is the custom in your land give thou unto this man what I should have given him, for this has been thy decision, thou didst decree it. And Eliezer left the man of Sodom with the judge, and he went away.

Again, this behavior is the opposite of what should be taking place. Witchcraft is always the opposite of what is good and right. Calling bad behavior good is what witchcraft is all about. Think about our modern times, are there countries that behave the opposite of the rest of the world? Do the people take advantage of the innocent? Have you ever heard of a women who went to a bar or club in one of these countries only to be drugged and raped, then brought before the courts only to be thrown in jail for having unmarried sex with the rapists? We in the west shake our heads, but truly this contrary thinking and living is still going on today.

And when the kings of Elam had made war with the kings of Sodom, the kings of Elam captured all the property of Sodom, and they took Lot captive, with his property, and when it was told to Abraham he went and made war with the kings of Elam, and he recovered from their hands all the property of Lot as well as the property of Sodom.

Consider how evil Sodom was, yet Abraham went to save Lot and consequently helped Sodom. We have to ask ourselves why Lot was still living in Sodom, even after Abraham saved him from the kings of Elam. This would have been Lot’s chance to leave but he did not. 

At that time the wife of Lot bare him a daughter, and he called her name Paltith, saying, Because God had delivered him and his whole household from the kings of Elam; and Paltith daughter of Lot grew up, and one of the men of Sodom took her for a wife. And a poor man came into the city to seek a maintenance, and he remained in the city some days, and all the people of Sodom caused a proclamation of their custom not to give this man a morsel of bread to eat, until he dropped dead upon the earth, and they did so. And Paltith the daughter of Lot saw this man lying in the streets starved with hunger, and no one would give him any thing to keep him alive, and he was just upon the point of death. And her soul was filled with pity on account of the man, and she fed him secretly with bread for many days, and the soul of this man was revived. For when she went forth to fetch water she would put the bread in the water pitcher, and when she came to the place where the poor man was, she took the bread from the pitcher and gave it him to eat; so she did many days. And all the people of Sodom and Gomorrah wondered how this man could bear starvation for so many days. And they said to each other, This can only be that he eats and drinks, for no man can bear starvation for so many days or live as this man has, without even his countenance changing; and three men concealed themselves in a place where the poor man was stationed, to know who it was that brought him bread to eat. And Paltith daughter of Lot went forth that day to fetch water, and she put bread into her pitcher of water, and she went to draw water by the poor man's place, and she took out the bread from the pitcher and gave it to the poor man and he ate it. And the three men saw what Paltith did to the poor man, and they said to her, It is thou then who hast supported him, and therefore has he not starved, nor changed in appearance nor died like the rest. And the three men went out of the place in which they were concealed, and they seized Paltith and the bread which was in the poor man's hand. And they took Paltith and brought her before their judges, and they said to them, Thus did she do, and it is she who supplied the poor man with bread, therefore did he not die all this time; now therefore declare to us the punishment due to this woman for having transgressed our law. And the people of Sodom and Gomorrah assembled and kindled a fire in the street of the city, and they took the woman and cast her into the fire and she was burned to ashes.

Now that Lot’s daughter was murdered one might think Lot would leave, but still he did not. It is understandable that Lot came out of Babylon when Nimrod was king, and we know that the behaviors and practices of Babylon were not Godly, but it seems Lot was perfectly comfortable living in Sodom. Babylon had its own style of witchcraft, but not to this extreme. Another one of the cities of Sodom has a story about it. 

And in the city of Admah there was a woman to whom they did the like. For a traveler came into the city of Admah to abide there all night, with the intention of going home in the morning, and he sat opposite the door of the house of the young woman's father, to remain there, as the sun had set when be had reached that place; and the young woman saw him sitting by the door of the house. And he asked her for a drink of water and she said to him, Who art thou? and he said to her, I was this day going on the road, and reached here when the sun set, so I will abide here all night, and in the morning I will arise early and continue my journey. And the young woman went into the house and fetched the man bread and water to eat and drink. And this affair became known to the people of Admah, and they assembled and brought the young woman before the judges, that they should judge her for this act. And the judge said, The judgment of death must pass upon this woman because she transgressed our law, and this therefore is the decision concerning her. And the people of those cities assembled and brought out the young woman, and anointed her with honey from head to foot, as the judge had decreed, and they placed her before a swarm of bees which were then in their hives, and the bees flew upon her and stung her that her whole body was swelled. And the young woman cried out on account of the bees, but no one took notice of her or pitied her, and her cries ascended to heaven.

Why would anyone have laws that one cannot help strangers and travelers? It seems that Yahweh was not pleased. Who is the father of witchcraft and how is it that people think that witchcraft is better than Yahweh’s way?

And the Lord was provoked at this and at all the works of the cities of Sodom, for they had abundance of food, and had tranquility amongst them, and still would not sustain the poor and the needy, and in those days their evil doings and sins became great before the Lord.

Let’s pay attention to this statement, the cities of Sodom had food and peace but did not help the poor and needy. Their sins became great before the Lord indicates that Yahweh takes note of these practices. We have to keep this in mind because we have somehow distorted this terribly and we miss something so profound; that the Bible seems like a book of contradictory ideas and that somehow Yahweh is like a schizophrenic wack-a-mole Elohim. Isn’t that exactly what witchcraft does, turns the truth into a lie and lies into truth? Who would want to do that? Let’s go on.

And the Lord sent for two of the angels that had come to Abraham's house, to destroy Sodom and its cities. And the angels rose up from the door of Abraham's tent, after they had eaten and drunk, and they reached Sodom in the evening, and Lot was then sitting in the gate of Sodom, and when he saw them he rose to meet them, and he bowed down to the ground. And he pressed them greatly and brought them into his house, and he gave them victuals which they ate, and they abode all night in his house. And the angels said to Lot, Arise, go forth from this place, thou and all belonging to thee, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of this city, for the Lord will destroy this place. And the angels laid hold upon the hand of Lot and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hands of his children, and all belonging to him, and they brought him forth and set him without the cities. And they said to Lot, Escape for thy life, and he fled and all belonging to him. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah and upon all these cities brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. And he overthrew these cities, all the plain and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground; and Ado the wife of Lot looked back to see the destruction of the cities, for her compassion was moved on account of her daughters who remained in Sodom, for they did not go with her. And when she looked back she became a pillar of salt, and it is yet in that place unto this day. http://www.ccel.org/a/anonymous/jasher/19.htm


Genesis gives us some further indications as to why we think Sodom and its surrounding cities were only about homosexuality; but the twist is that homosexuality has been magnified and the rest of the manipulations have been hidden. Witchcraft, manipulations, intimidations, and dominations are the issue here.   

Gen 19:1-5 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know [3045] them. KJV

OT:3045 yada` (yaw-dah'); a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.) [as follow]: KJV - acknowledge, acquaintance (-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, [un-] awares, can [-not], certainly, comprehend, consider,  could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be [ig-] norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have [knowledge], (be, make, make to be, makeself) known,  be learned,  lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to,  prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have [understanding],  will be, wist, wit, wot.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Here is the Aramaic:

Genesis 19:5. And they called out to Lot and told him, "Where are those men who came to you in the night? Bring them out, let us get to know them." http://www.v-a.com/bible/supporters/genesis_17-20.html

Let’s look at the Septuagint:

Genesis 19:5 And they called out Lot, and said to him, Where are the men that went in to thee this night? bring them out to us that we may be with them. http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/Genesis/index.htm

Genesis 19:5 G2532AndG1573.1they called forth G3588 G*Lot. G2532And G3004they said G4314to G1473him, G4226Where G1510.2.6are they, G3588the G435men, G3588the ones G1525entering G4314to G1473you G3588 G3571this night? G1806Lead G1473them G4314to G1473us,G2443that G4773.1we may be intimate G1473with them! http://studybible.info/ABP_Strongs/Genesis%2019

NT:4773 suggenes (soong-ghen-ace'); from NT:4862 and NT:1085; a relative (by blood); by extension, a fellow countryman: KJV - cousin, kin (-sfolk, -sman).
NT:4862sun (soon); a primary preposition denoting union; with or together (but much closer than NT:3326 or NT:3844), i.e. by association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality, addition, etc.: KJV - beside, with. In composition it has similar applications, including completeness.
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

The Greek uses a different word in verse 5 for “to know” than in verse 8 regarding Lot’s daughters. The Hebrew uses the same word yada for both.

Gen 19:6-8 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known [3045] man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

Genesis 19:8 G1510.2.6But there are G1161 G1473to me G1417two G2364daughters G3739who G3756knew not G1097 G435a man. G1806I will lead G1473them G4314toG1473 you,G2532and G5530you treat G1473them G2505as G302 G700pleases G1473you! G3440Only G1519to G3588 G435these men G3778 G3361you should not G4160doG94unjust, G3739because G1752 G1525they entered G5259under G3588the G4629.2protection G3588 G1385of my beams. http://studybible.info/ABP_Strongs/Genesis%2019

NT:1097 ginosko (ghin-oce'-ko); a prolonged form of a primary verb; to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as follow, with others not thus clearly expressed):KJV - allow, be aware (of), feel, (have) know (-ledge), perceived, be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

What kind of a Father was Lot to offer his virgin daughters to be gang raped? Lot must have recognized that these men were angels rather than just mortals. In any event, we see that the men of Sodom wanted to take hold of the angels and put them on their community beds, and Lot was very willing to give up his virgin daughters to these men. But as we have seen, the culture was not for the men of the cities to rape city dwellers, just strangers.

Gen 19:9-11 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. KJV

The angels caused blindness to all the men, both small and great. This could be young and old, as well as important and non-important men from Sodom. The men were not completely blind, they simply couldn’t find the door, so this was localized blindness. In other words, the door disappeared. Why were the men of Sodom smitten? Because they wanted to rape the angels. At one time, before and after the flood, angels took earth women and created a hybrid race known as the Nephilim. The descendants of the Nephilim were those who resided in Canaan. Why was Yahweh set to destroy them? Because of the way they treated people. Rape can be homosexual or heterosexual, but rape is the issue not homosexuality, and not consensual fornication or adultery. It is a sensitive subject for men to recognize that being a victim of rape is horrid. Women have been saying that for ages. Rape is the issue, and this is why we know that Sodom’s destruction was due to despicable treatment of others: because male prostitution as well as female prostitution existed in the Temple for over 300 years alongside the glory of God. This is bombshell revelation that we have studied and worked but have not necessarily put into perspective.

2 Kings 23:4-9 Then the king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, his associate priest, and The Temple sentries to clean house — to get rid of everything in The Temple of God that had been made for worshiping Baal and Asherah and the cosmic powers. He had them burned outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and then disposed of the ashes in Bethel. 5 He fired the pagan priests whom the kings of Judah had hired to supervise the local sex-and-religion shrines in the towns of Judah and neighborhoods of Jerusalem. In a stroke he swept the country clean of the polluting stench of the round-the-clock worship of Baal, sun and moon, stars — all the so-called cosmic powers. 6 He took the obscene phallic Asherah pole from The Temple of God to the Valley of Kidron outside Jerusalem, burned it up, then ground up the ashes and scattered them in the cemetery. 7 He tore out the rooms of the male sacred prostitutes that had been set up in The Temple of God; women also used these rooms for weavings for Asherah. 8 He swept the outlying towns of Judah clean of priests and smashed the sex-and-religion shrines where they worked their trade from one end of the country to the other — all the way from Geba to Beersheba. He smashed the sex-and-religion shrine that had been set up just to the left of the city gate for the private use of Joshua, the city mayor. 9 Even though these sex-and-religion priests did not defile the Altar in The Temple itself, they were part of the general priestly corruption and had to go.
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Josiah, Hezekiah, and Asa all tried to clean up the Temple that became defiled at or before the time of Rehoboam. However, the Glory of God resided there in the Temple among all of the male and female prostitution acts until the time of Ezekiel, when quite dramatically the Glory left. Consensual prostitution, both male and female, is different than rape. The evil ways Sodom and the surrounding cities treated people as a whole, is far more complex than an issue of homosexuality. Witchcraft is the basis of Sodom’s destruction. Manipulations, intimidations, and dominations and the twisting and spinning of truth are the reasons for Yahweh destroying them. Now we have to ask ourselves, how it is that some of this unusual behavior still infiltrates the Middle East and why are we so afraid to say that it is wrong thinking and wrong behavior? It is not right to kidnap young girls and boys and make them complete slaves. Why do some people claiming to be religious insist on setting up their own system of law in countries that are not their own. Why do some who claim to be following their religion steal from others and then claim the victim is at fault. How is it that we refuse to acknowledge these behaviors as wrong? Think about Eastern religions for a moment, where behaviors and actions are to be kind and non-manipulative. I would guess that those philosophies became dominant after Sodom was destroyed so as not to fall into that way of thinking. We have to remember what Jesus said. Jesus notes that if the miracles he did were done in Sodom, they would have believed and therefore it will be better for Sodom than for other cities on the Day of Judgment. We will explore that next week as well as what Ezekiel, Solomon, Ezra, Peter, and Jude say regarding Sodom, which we all have overlooked. Evil behavior, witchcraft, and rape is the sin of Sodom.

End Notes
Blogs on Witchcraft:

Monday, March 23, 2015

Magic, Bewitching, and Seducing; Clouding Over Truth

Have you ever seen a magic show where the magician is so good you really cannot figure out how he did his tricks? Knowing that the magician is doing something that is an optical illusion, but not seeing how it is done is part of the fun. But what if you were going about your day and someone played a trick on you, but you were unaware that it was a trick? The illusion is not fun or enjoyable because your response is to deal with a situation that really doesn’t exist. This can be a positive thing or a negative, such as “you won a million dollars, just give us your bank account number”. The positive is the money, the negative is the scam that will cost you all your savings. In this situation one’s actions are a response to an illusion; the actions in response are real, while the reason for the action is false. Manipulation can be seen everywhere in our society. Life is a mine field of manipulative illusions, and we have to learn to navigate to be safe and successful. Think for a moment what happens when one believes a lie and lives as if that lie is real, making decisions based on that false idea. That blindness keeps that one under delusion. Clouding over the truth like a smoke screen causes people to believe wrongly and to live their lives in divergent directions from the truth.

An exceptionally sad but real example is a recent house fire in Brooklyn, NY; where seven children died because of the observance of the Sabbath and not being able to turn on or off electric appliances. Defining “work” on the Sabbath, Jesus pointed out that people took their animals out to water on the Sabbath or rescued their animals on the Sabbath, but somehow someone defined “work” as light switches and electric appliances. Most people in light of this tragedy would say that this is a ridiculous way to define “work”. Others would say that the Creator would not be mad at anyone who turns off electric appliances on the Sabbath and it is a stupid manmade observance. My Grandfather used to go into his neighbors’ house (a Rabbi) and turn off his lights and appliances for him on the Sabbath. Does it seem odd that someone who believes God would be mad about turning off appliances would allow someone else to turn off appliances since God would be mad at the person doing the Sabbath observer a favor as well? Wouldn’t the Rabbi want to take the burden of punishment from God so that others could be found acceptable in God’s sight? Or is the Creator a brutal taskmaster that expects obedience even if children burn to death in a fire? Maybe it is not the Creator who instituted this delusion, maybe the god of this world, the elohim of evil, spins and twists ideas and influences people in all types of misleading directions and blames the Creator.    

When Judah was close to going into Babylonian captivity, the prophet Jeremiah told people not to believe the false prophets who say that they shall not serve the king of Babylon. I’m sure the prophecies sounded so good that many people based their lives on that lie. Jeremiah uses several words for these people, we will look at a couple of them closely. Translators switched the words used, but by looking at the original meanings we can see what the Holy Spirit was communicating. Notice that the KJV has a broader application for this word awnan.  

Jer 27:9-10 Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters [6049], nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:10 For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish. KJV

OT:6049 `anan (aw-nan'); a primitive root; to cover; used only as a denominative from OT:6051, to cloud over; figuratively, to act covertly, i.e. practise magic: KJV -  bring, enchanter, Meonemin, observe (-r of) times, soothsayer, sorcerer. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

There were several types of people speaking this false prophecy, prophets, diviners, dreamers, enchanters and sorcerers. Enchanters act covertly and cover ideas as with a cloud. This is the same “covering over” that is used in Genesis 9 when Elohim spoke to Noah. It is used in the translated phrase “when I bring”. Elohim will covertly cloud over the earth. A modern day expression that we use to communicate the idea that someone is trying to hide something is “he’s blowing smoke”.

Gen 9:14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring [6049] a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: KJV

Genesis 9:14G2532And G1510.8.3it will be G1722in G3588 G4921.2my collecting together G1473 G3507the clouds G1909upon G3588the G1093earth, G3708[3will be seen G35881the G51152bow] G1722inG3588the G3507cloud. http://studybible.info/ABP_Strongs/Genesis%209

The idea is to cover something so that its view is obscured. In Jeremiah, the enchanters sounded positive. What great news, Judah would not serve the Babylonian king. Deuteronomy takes a twist in the Hebrew and uses the idea of an observer of times as this type of covert magic while the word enchanter is used as someone who whispers magic spells.

Deut 18:10-14 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times [6049], or an enchanter [5172], or a witch,11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.13 Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times [6049], and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. KJV

OT:5172nachash (naw-khash'); a primitive root; properly, to hiss, i.e. whisper a (magic) spell; generally, to prognosticate: KJV -  certainly, divine, enchanter, (use)  enchantment, learn by experience,  indeed, diligently observe.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

This is a list that Yahweh didn’t want His people to participate in, but as we will see they were doing these things anyway. The “observer of times” was practicing magic by covering over or using covert practices to lead people astray. Here in Deuteronomy the enchanter is a prognosticator, one who predicts with signs and whispers spells.

In Leviticus, one is not to predict things by signs and cover or obscure things. It is clearer in the Septuagint as it is not about blood, but the high places one goes to participate in these magic practices.

Lev 19:26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment [5172], nor observe times [6949].  KJV

Lev 19:26 Eat not on the mountains, nor shall ye employ auguries, nor divine by inspection of birds. http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/Leviticus/index.htm

Lev 19:26 G3361Eat not G2068 G1909upon G3588the G3735mountains! G2532And G3756you shall not G3634.3foretell, G3761nor G3732.2use augury. http://studybible.info/ABP_Strongs/Leviticus%2019

Someone was trying to promote their religious beliefs here regarding blood, as that is not the word in the oldest texts. Considering that the Masoretic texts used the Septuagint to scribe back to Hebrew, and as we know the Masorete’s changed a great many words, it is clear that this was changed. While the Bible does say not to eat blood, the context here is different and it does not say that in this verse. Men always feel like they have to somehow help Yahweh, but it is a distortion to do so.

Manasseh openly practiced magic in the temple and the high places (mountains). Why do some people tend to fall into evil practices? One would think a king wouldn’t need these practices as he is already in power over others.

2 Kings 21:1-6 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzi-bah.2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times [6949], and used enchantments[5172], and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger. KJV

Now we understand that by the time of Jeremiah that the enchanters we falsely declaring that they would not go into captivity in Babylon. As we have studied previously the temple was defiled with unholy practices since the time that the kingdom split, such as male and female prostitution, human sacrifice, worship of the cherubim, worship of the stars, and worship of idols. What a surprise it must have been to have been taken captive and led into Babylon. What makes people so blind that they don’t recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit or the leading of the Creator? What makes people want to listen to other humans rather than Yahweh? Sometimes it is the god of this world.

2 Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded [5186] the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. KJV

NT:5186 tuphloo (toof-lo'-o); from NT:5185; to make blind, i.e. (figuratively) to obscure:KJV - blind. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Paul is clear regarding who is blinding people that do not believe Jesus is the Messiah, but sometimes we are misled by things people did long ago. This next look at blindness has a few textual errors as it is a quote in John from Isaiah. On the surface it seems that John and Isaiah are saying Yahweh made people blind, but after a deeper look we see it is the people themselves who made themselves blind, yet someone has put the blame on Yahweh. Who would want to do that?

John 12:38-40 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,40 He hath blinded [5186] their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. KJV

The Message translates this correctly.

John 12:39-40 First they wouldn't believe, then they couldn't — again, just as Isaiah said: 40 Their eyes are blinded, their hearts are hardened, So that they wouldn't see with their eyes and perceive with their hearts, And turn to me, God, so I could heal them.  (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Here is the section in Isaiah in the King James.

Isa 6:8-10 Also I heard {Aleph Tav} the voice of the Lord {Yahweh}, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.10 Make the heart of this people {became} fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. KJV

Now here is this section in the Septuagint.

Isaiah 6:8 And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people? And I said, behold, I am here, send me. And he said, Go, and say to this people, 9 Ye shall hear indeed, but ye shall not understand; and ye shall see indeed, but ye shall not perceive. 10 For the heart of this people has become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/Esaias/index.htm

From a casual look at John and Isaiah we might think that Yahweh is blinding people just so he can heal them, but in truth the god of this world has distorted these people’s minds. Again the god of this world has distorted the scripture as well to put blame on Yahweh which is the covering, enchanting, magic whispers that he uses to blind and delude people. Think this through; after the temple was destroyed, people may have thought it would be better to claim Yahweh blinded the Israelites so that they didn’t have to take responsibility for their own actions. Certainly if Yahweh did it then they cannot be blamed for the loss of the temple and the loss of control over Jerusalem and Israel. While in some instances Yahweh may not show the entire picture to people, Yahweh does not hide Himself, the Messiah, from anyone who wants to know him. Let’s read this in context from the Message which smooth’s this section in Romans out.

Rom 11:1-10 Does this mean, then, that God is so fed up with Israel that he'll have nothing more to do with them? Hardly. Remember that I, the one writing these things, am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham out of the tribe of Benjamin. You can't get much more Semitic than that! 2 So we're not talking about repudiation. God has been too long involved with Israel, has too much invested, to simply wash his hands of them.

Do you remember the time that Elijah was agonizing over this same Israel and cried out in prayer?

3 God, they murdered your prophets,
They trashed your altars;
I'm the only one left and now they're after me!

4 And do you remember God's answer?
I still have seven thousand who haven't quit,
Seven thousand who are loyal to the finish.

5 It's the same today. There's a fiercely loyal minority still — not many, perhaps, but probably more than you think. 6 They're holding on, not because of what they think they're going to get out of it, but because they're convinced of God's grace and purpose in choosing them. If they were only thinking of their own immediate self-interest, they would have left long ago.

7 And then what happened? Well, when Israel tried to be right with God on her own, pursuing her own self-interest, she didn't succeed. The chosen ones of God were those who let God pursue his interest in them, and as a result received his stamp of legitimacy. The "self-interest Israel" became thick-skinned [4456] toward God. 8 Moses and Isaiah both commented on this:

Fed up with their quarrelsome, self-centered ways,
God blurred their eyes and dulled their ears,
Shut them in on themselves in a hall of mirrors,
and they're there to this day.

9 David was upset about the same thing:

I hope they get sick eating self-serving meals,
break a leg walking their self-serving ways.
10 I hope they go blind staring in their mirrors,
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

NT:4456 poroo (po-ro'-o); apparently from poros (a kind of stone); to petrify, i.e. (figuratively) to indurate (render stupid or callous): KJV - blind, harden. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

The self-interested Israeli’s became thick skinned and petrified. David hoped they would get sick, break their leg, go blind, and get ulcers, but by the time of Jesus they had become so stupid or indurate (physically or morally hardened) that they believed their laws were superior to the Messiah. Their minds became blinded just as when Moses came down from the mountain, their minds are still stony today.

2 Cor 3:14 But their minds were blinded [4456]: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. KJV

What we see is that everything regarding Yahweh, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is twisted and that people have become blind and hard. The Jewish leaders thought Jesus was a deceiver. The devil’s twist was that Jesus was misleading people and what the people believed was a delusion. The Jewish leaders went to Pilate to discuss precautions to take regarding Jesus’ body.

Matt 27:63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver [4108] said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. 64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error [4106] shall be worse than the first. KJV

NT:4108 planos (plan'-os); of uncertain affinity; roving (as a tramp), i.e. (by implication) an impostor or misleader; KJV - deceiver, seducing. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

NT:4106 plane (plan'-ay); feminine of NT:4108 (as abstractly); objectively, fraudulence; subjectively, a straying from orthodoxy or piety: KJV - deceit, to deceive, delusion, error. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Isn’t it interesting that the religious leaders had attributed their own actions to Jesus? The religious leaders were misleading people, causing people to be in error, and adding to blinded minds and hearts, yet they accuse Jesus of doing that very thing. Paul tells us not to be deceived. 

Eph 4:14-15 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight [2940] of men, and cunning craftiness [3834], whereby they lie in wait to deceive [4106];15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:KJV

NT:2940 kubeia (koo-bi'-ah); from kubos (a "cube", i.e. die for playing); gambling, i.e. (figuratively) artifice or fraud: KJV - sleight.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

NT:3834 panourgia (pan-oorg-ee'-ah); from NT:3835; adroitness, i.e. (in a bad sense) trickery or sophistry: KJV - (cunning) craftiness, subtilty.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

The idea that men are behaving in a misleading way to intentionally keep people from Jesus Christ is something we have to be aware of. Who is clouding over the information that Jesus is the Messiah? Who has an interest in misleading others and keeping people from this knowledge? Using this same word planos for Jesus seducing people, Paul tells us spirits seduce people.

1 Tim 4:1-3 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing [4108] spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. KJV

Not only do spirits seduce, but they also have doctrines. These doctrines are hypocritical. Isn’t that what we are seeing? Who listens to seducing spirits? People whose minds are blinded because they believe not as Paul told us in 2Corinthians4:4. The problem in not believing is that one is susceptible to magic clouds, smoke and mirrors, and whispered spells. People harden their hearts and fill themselves with other things and then it seems they truly are blind.  

There is something we have to consider, if a religious group denies Jesus as Messiah, should we ask them to teach us the Bible? Should we peruse learning from latter texts that were not scribed under the authority of a High Priest and have been altered repeatedly? What kind of doctrines will we learn from this type of group? Will we learn that it is sinful to turn off electric appliances on the Sabbath? Will we put our trust in people who believe Jesus seduced us? The magic clouds that hide the truth are always swirling around us. While the Israeli’s were told not to partake in enchantments and the like, they did them anyway, without remorse. That caused the hardened hearts, the blinded minds, and the stony attitude towards the Messiah.


Taking this idea of covering or clouding over the truth a step further, so that we are not tossed around, we have a great example of seducing and manipulative behaviors in the stories of Sodom. What we have been taught is not quite correct. If we look at the historical records, we will see the reason for the cover up. There are people who have a vested interest in the masses not knowing the truth regarding these types of manipulations, so it is important to look closely at what was going on in Sodom and the surrounding cities to understand why they were destroyed. We will look at those stories next week.