Epistles; Living Books; Carved by the Holy Spirit

You may remember the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, which is ironically written about a future where books are not allowed. In this story, the firemen burn books and the possessions of those who are found to have books. One fireman hides some of the books that he finds when burning down the homes of others; but he is caught and is then commanded to burn down his own house. In the end, the fireman escapes to the countryside where he finds exiled people living and memorizing books, specifically for the purpose of being able to rewrite them when society is ready to read books again. Will there ever be a time that books would be burned again, like in Germany in 1933, or in China in 1966? What if there was a ban on Christian books and materials, what would we do? Today, Christianity is growing amazingly fast in China. What we see in China did not take place because of a plethora of Bibles, but instead because there was a lack of bibles. Why is that? Are there people peddling fear regarding Christian literature being banned? How can closed countries have so many people receiving Jesus as Lord if they don’t have Bibles? Let’s explore.

We know from history that the earliest physical writings (not including the gospel written in the stars) regarding Yahweh were written by Enoch. Enoch was the first to author instructions from Yahweh for humans to follow. While some people condemn the few writings of Enoch that we have, and attempt to dissuade people from reading these texts, these few books were re-written as part of the scribing that Ptolemy commissioned for the Library of Alexandria (300 BCE). These writings were also found in the caves at Qumran, telling us that these were books well known through the years of Greek rule, into the years of Roman rule. In a review of the biblical time line, from pre-flood to our modern time, that puts these writings as the longest lasting religious books since the time of Adam, or about 4,000 years. Yet from those writings to the time of Moses, people had to rely on something else for the fine tuning of their walk with the Lord. What did Shem and Eber teach? What did Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob do? They went to school.

Jasher 16:11 And Adonizedek king of Jerusalem, the same was Shem, went out with his men to meet Abram and his people, with bread and wine, and they remained together in the valley of Melech. 12 And Adonizedek blessed Abram, and Abram gave him a tenth from all that he had brought from the spoil of his enemies, for Adonizedek was a priest before God.

Adonizedek, Lord of the Zedeks’ (Ha-sidic’’s) from the valley of Melech (peace), is the priest before God that Abraham lived with until he was nearly 40 years old. Abraham lived with Noah and Shem so that Nimrod would not kill him. Abraham financed Shem’s school by giving a tenth of the spoils to him. Then Abraham sends Isaac to learn from Shem. He uses the idea of sending Isaac to Shem so that he could take Isaac up on Moriah, and when they come down, Isaac spends three years learning with Shem and Eber until Eliezer brings Rebekah to Canaan.   

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-god-who-walks-with-man-melchizedek.html  http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2016/01/prophet-school-miracle-power-called-out.html

Jasher 23:5 My son Isaac is grown up and he has not for some time studied the service of his God, now tomorrow I will go and bring him to Shem, and Eber his son, and there he will learn the ways of the Lord, for they will teach him to know the Lord as well as to know that when he prayeth continually before the Lord, he will answer him, therefore there he will know the way of serving the Lord his God.

Jasher 24:17 And when the days of their mourning passed by Abraham sent away his son Isaac, and he went to the house of Shem and Eber, to learn the ways of the Lord and his instructions, and Abraham remained there three years.

Abraham grew up with Shem and Noah, learning about the Lord from them. When he left their house Abraham had to learn to walk with Yahweh on his own. Then Isaac was sent to learn from Shem and Eber. What we see is that Rebekah seemed to be spiritual as well, consulting with Shem and Eber regarding her barrenness, and then again later regarding her twins that were fighting in her womb. Isaac sent Jacob to learn from Shem.

Jasher 28:18 At that time Isaac sent his younger son Jacob to the house of Shem and Eber, and he learned the instructions of the Lord, and Jacob remained in the house of Shem and Eber for thirty-two years, and Esau his brother did not go, for he was not willing to go, and he remained in his father's house in the land of Canaan.

Notice that Jacob was there thirty-two years, serving in tents, or dwelling in tents as the Bible says. Once again, after Jacob left the school, he had to learn to walk with Yahweh on his own. By Jacob’s later years we see him prophesying over his children. This quick look at Abraham, Isaac and Jacob shows us that, with very little written material, these patriarchs developed their personal relationship with Yahweh. Noah prophesied that Japheth’s heirs would dwell in the tents of Shem. What did that mean? It meant that Shem’s tents were spiritual dwellings (where Jacob dwelt) for worship and learning, and Japheth’s heirs would also partake in that learning and worship in the tabernacles of Shem.  

Genesis 9:27G4115May God widen G3588 G2316 G3588 G*to Japheth, G2532and G2730let him dwell G1722in G3588the G4638tents G3588 G*of Shem, G2532and G1096let Canaan become G* G3816their servant. G1473

σκήνωμα skēnōma skay'-no-mah From G4637; an encampment, that is, (figuratively) the Temple (as God’s residence), the body (as a tenement for the soul) KJV Usage: tabernacle.

Shem is the head of the order of the Priests and Prophets that did not partake in the bondage in Egypt, or in the Exodus, or in the forty years of wandering in the wilderness. The order of the Zedeks was established in the land of Jebus (later known as Jerusalem) and continued there until David attempted to merge the Zedeks with the tabernacle. Solomon attempted to do the same once the Temple was built, but what we see is that Schools of the Prophets were established in several different areas of Israel, keeping the Prophets separate from the defilements taking place in the temple. Enoch, Noah, Shem, Eber, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did not live under Mosaic Law. They did not have the written tablets and commands. Jacob’s heirs were the ones that were given the tablets and commands, not the former Patriarchs. Moses wrote several books (some not included in the canon of our Bible), for the people to remember history. Once the laws were written they were then amended for society. When we look at the Book of Leviticus we can recognize that there was repetitions of both laws and instructions. Theologians believe that this was because there were several copies of the laws merged into one book. After Moses’ death, someone started documenting history and wrote more books. But what if there were no more books regarding history and God? Paul gives us the answer, and it is not unlike the ways of the Patriarchs.   

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2016/07/scriptures-moses-destroyed-scripture.html

2 Cor 3:1-3 Does it sound like we're patting ourselves on the back, insisting on our credentials, asserting our authority? Well, we're not. Neither do we need letters of endorsement, either to you or from you. 2 You yourselves are all the endorsement we need. Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. 3 Christ himself wrote it — not with ink, but with God's living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives — and we publish it.  (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

It might be, that we or our future generations will have to live with the letters written by Jesus Christ, carved into our lives by the Holy Spirit. Let’s look at some of these ideas more closely.

2 Corinthians 3:1G756Do we begin G3825again G1438to commend ourselves, G4921 G1508unless G5535we need, G5613as G5100some, G4956of introductory G1992letters G4314to G1473you, G2228or G1537[²from G1473³you G4956¹introductory letters]?

2G3588 G1992[³our letter G1473 G1473¹You G1510.2.5²are] G1449being written G1722in G3588 G2588our hearts, G1473 G1097being known G2532and G314being read G5259by G3956all G444men;

3G5319being manifested G3754that G1510.2.5you are G1992[²letter G5547¹Christ's] G1247served G5259by G1473us, G1449having been written G3756not G3188with ink, G235but G4151by spirit G2316of the living God; G2198 G3756not G1722on G4109tablets G3035of stones, G235but G1722on G4109[²tablets G2588³of the heart G4560¹fleshly].

5319 LSJ Gloss:nφανερόω to make manifest

Dodson: φανερόω I make clear, visible, or manifest I make clear (visible, manifest), make known.

φανερόω  phaneroō  fan-er-o'-o  From G5318; to render apparent (literally or figuratively) KJV Usage: appear, manifestly declare, (make) manifest (forth), shew (self).

1992 ἐπιστολή epistolē ep-is-tol-ay' From G1989; a written message KJV Usage: ” epistle”, letter.

5547 Χριστός  Christos  khris-tos'  From G5548; anointed, that is, the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus KJV Usage: Christ.

1247 διακονέω diakoneō dee-ak-on-eh'-o From G1249; to be an attendant, that is, wait upon (menially or as a host, friend or [figuratively] teacher); technically to act as a Christian deacon KJV Usage: (ad-) minister (unto), serve, use the office of a deacon

1449 ἐγγράφω eggraphō eng-graf'-o From G1722 and G1125; to “engrave”, that is, inscribe KJV Usage: write (in).

3188 μέλαν melan mel'-an Neuter of G3189 as noun; ink KJV Usage: ink.

4109 πλάξ plax plax From G4111; a moulding board, that is, flat surface (“plate”, or tablet, literally or figuratively) KJV Usage: table.

3035 λίθινος lithinos lith'-ee-nos From G3037; stony, that is, made of stone KJV Usage: of stone.

2588 καρδία kardia kar-dee'-ah Prolonged from a primary κάρ kar (Latin cor , “heart”); the heart, that is, (figuratively) the thoughts or feelings (mind); also (by analogy) the middle KJV Usage: (+ broken-) heart (-ed).

4560 σάρκινος sarkinos sar'-kee-nos From G4561; similar to flesh, that is, (by analogy) soft KJV Usage: fleshly.

Being visible, you are Christs’ engraved message, ministered and served from us (Paul), engraved by the Holy Spirit of the Living God, not on plates of stone but plates of the flesh of the kardia. The flesh of the heart is where the letters and books of Christ are written. Not written with ink but with the Holy Spirit. Not tattooed on the outside flesh but engraved into the heart, the very center of our being. Remember, we have the mind of the heart and the mind of the head, or technically the brain of the heart and the brain of the head.

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2016/01/dimensions-eternity-image-of-man.html

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2015/10/mind-of-heart-ignorance-calloused.html

The letters and books we have now can be written in the intelligence center of our heart. This is the Holy Spirit’s work, making us living walking books for Christ. Abraham may not have had Enoch’s books, but he walked a life that honored Yahweh, and others followed Abraham. Isaac may have gone to school to learn about Yahweh and worship to Him, but he didn’t have a group of letters, laws, commands, or inspirations to read and reread every day. Jacob may have spent thirty two years with Shem and Eber, in the meeting places of God, but he probably didn’t have any written letters from Shem and Eber when he went to Laban’s house. The point here is that even if we have schools and books, we still have to have the Spirit of the Living God write these letters on our hearts. The books are nice, the letters are great, the instructions are helpful, and the inspirations are uplifting, but the engraving of the letters must exist on our hearts so that others can read us! Yes people are reading you, whether you believe it or not, and what they read when they look at you is your manifested service to humanity, believers or non-believers. 

The question we should ponder is ‘what are people reading when they see me?’ Could people read Jesus on us even if there was no Bible in our hand? Could people read love and compassion from our heart instead of anger and bitterness? When people look at us do they read fear? Do they read superstition? Do they read impatience? Or do they read that ‘Jesus died for me and I am not shaken by anything.’ Do they read worship to God from a pure heart? Do they read mercy and longsuffering? I guess we should wonder what people read when they read our Facebook timeline or Twitter feed as well.

Since the Holy Spirit is engraving letters on our heart, one person’s letter might be different than another person’s letter. One person may have more letters than another. What if we are all different? That is exactly the hindrance of the printed letters. The Bible tells people in one place to cover their heads, then tells others not to cover their heads, cultural differences may not be observed in a letter or book. What the Holy Spirit writes on each of our hearts is between us and Him, not between us and everyone who disagrees or agrees with what He engraved in our heart. We each have the opportunity to be written on by the Holy Spirit, and to be read by the world. If there were no Christian books or materials, the Holy Spirit would continue to simply write in us. Shouldn’t our “book” be better than those written two thousand years ago? Let’s read this in the Amplified.

2 Cor 3:1-3 ARE WE starting to commend ourselves again? Or we do not, like some [false teachers], need written credentials or letters of recommendation to you or from you, [do we]? 2 [No] you yourselves are our letter of recommendation (our credentials), written in your hearts, to be known (perceived, recognized) and read by everybody. 3 You show and make obvious that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, not written with ink but with [the] Spirit of [the] living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. [Ex 24:12; 31:18; 32:15,16; Jer 31:33.] AMP

In the end of the book Fahrenheit 451 a nuclear war kills everyone except those who lived in the countryside. What would that be like, if the majority of people were gone as well as those who destroyed books? Could the Holy Spirit inspire people to write physical books again? Certainly.

2 Peter 1:21 For no prophecy ever originated because some man willed it [to do so — it never came by human impulse], but men spoke from God who were borne along (moved and impelled) by the Holy Spirit.  AMP

2 Peter 1:21G3756For not G1063 G2307by will G444of man G5342was [²borne G4218³at some time or other G4394¹prophecy], G235but G5259by G4151[²spirit G39¹holy] G5342being borne G2980[⁵spoke G3588¹the G39²holy G2316⁴of God G444³men]

There are holy people hearing from God today. There are Prophets who are speaking for God today. There are plenty of people who can write or record what a person is speaking from God. Therefore books could be written for that generation. It is the Holy Spirits job to do the engraving in our hearts, and ours to be readable by the world, and if the time came for more holy books to be written, then the Holy Spirit will bear along people who will speak and write. Jeremiah did just that.

Jer 30:1-3 THE WORD that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write all the words that I have spoken to you in a book. 3 For, note well, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will release from captivity My people Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they will possess it. AMP

Yet in the future kingdom there will be no need for schools and books to learn about the Lord.

Jer 31:33-34 But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, says the Lord, I will put My law within them, and on their hearts will I write it; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. 34 And they will no more teach each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they will all know Me [recognize, understand, and be acquainted with Me], from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will [seriously] remember their sin no more. [Heb 8:8-12; 10:16,17.] AMP

Yahweh will write his precepts in their minds and hearts. Let’s look at this.

Jeremiah 31:33G3754For G3778this G3588 G1242is my covenant G1473 G3739which G1303I shall ordain G3588with G3624the house G*of Israel G3326after G3588 G2250those days, G1565 G5346says G2962the lord; G1325I will put G3551my laws G1473 G1519into G3588 G1271their mind, G1473 G2532and G1909[³upon G2588⁴their hearts G1473 G1125¹I will write G1473²them]; G2532and G1510.8.1I will be G1473to them G1519for G2316God, G2532and G1473they G1510.8.6will be G1473to me G1519for G2992a people.

3551 νόμος nomos nom'-os  From a primary word νέμω nemō (to parcel out, especially food or grazing to animals); law(through the idea of prescriptive usage), generally (regulation), specifically (of Moses [including the volume]; also of the Gospel), or figuratively (a principle) KJV Usage: law.

1271 διάνοια dianoia dee-an'-oy-ah From G1223 and G3563; deep thought, properly the faculty (mind or its disposition), by implication its exercise KJV Usage: imagination, mind, understanding.

2588 καρδία kardia kar-dee'-ah Prolonged from a primary κάρ kar (Latin cor , “heart”); the heart, that is, (figuratively) the thoughts or feelings (mind); also (by analogy) the middle KJV Usage: (+ broken-) heart (-ed).

1125 γράφω graphō graf'-o A primary verb; to “grave”, especially to write; figuratively to describe KJV Usage: describe, write (-ing, -ten).

We can see the difference between the Septuagint and the NA27; the Septuagint uses the word mind. Yahweh will write ideas, ordinances, and the gospel on people’s hearts in the Millennial Kingdom. So if we consider this, today there may be Jewish people who reject Jesus as the Christ and therefore the Holy Spirit is not writing on their hearts, but during the Millennial Kingdom the Jews will have Yahweh’s words written inside them just like we do. This shows that engraving His words into the human heart is a benefit that we have and that others will have as well. This is a desired state, not for only a “special few”, but for all those who believe on Jesus as Lord.

The problem we see with written words in letters and books is that over the years people have altered things they didn’t like. Some have made judgements about written books, like the books we have from Enoch, and have told others not to read them. Those who have altered the words of the Holy Spirit have changed truth for everyone for years to come. We can see the benefit of engraving words in our hearts, as no human can erase them. Let’s read Jeremiah’s words again in the Septuagint. We should notice that the Masoretic alterations are due to the rejection of the Prophets of Shem, the Zedeks. Instead they “sided” with the Levites, even with all the defilements in the temple and the compromise of allowing a non-Aaronite in the temple as High Priest, exposing themselves, as Jesus said, as impostors. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2016/09/blood-of-righteous-abel-righteous-to.html

Jeremiah 31 in the Masoretic Text is really Jeremiah 38 in the older Septuagint. If we read the Septuagint version of Jeremiah rather than the Masoretic Text (which the TR and NA27 are written from) we will note some very interesting prophecies.

Jeremiah 38:31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Juda: 32 not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day when I took hold of their hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; for they abode not in my covenant, and I disregarded them, saith the Lord. 33 For this is my covenant which I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will surely put my laws into their mind, and write them on their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. 34 And they shall not at all teach every one his fellow citizen, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them: for I will be merciful to their iniquities, and their sins I will remember no more. 35 Thus saith the Lord, who gives the sun for a light by day, the moon and the stars for a light by night, and makes a roaring in the sea, so that the waves thereof roar; the Lord Almighty is his name: 36 if these ordinances cease from before me, saith the Lord, then shall the family of Israel cease to be a nation before me forever.

37 Though the sky should be raised to a greater height, saith the Lord, and though the ground of the earth should be sunk lower beneath, yet I will not cast off the family of Israel, saith the Lord, for all that they have done.

38 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Anameel to the gate of the corner. 39 And the measurement of it shall proceed in front of them as far as the hills of Gareb, and it shall be compassed with a circular wall of choice stones. 40 And all the Asaremoth even to Nachal Kedron, as far as the corner of the horse-gate eastward, shall be holiness to the Lord; and it shall not fail any more, and shall not be destroyed forever.

Jeremiah gives us a wonderful prophecy, written as the Lord instructed. If this book was destroyed or altered forever, it would not change the future. The plans of the Lord are not subject to our fallibility to keep them preserved in writing. This is why it is essential for us to know what is written in our heart.

Another alteration in Jeremiah shows up in Chapter 17. The first five verses seem to have been added in the Masoretic Text. They imply that Jeremiah wrote that “Judah’s sin was written in their heart, and on the horns of the altar”. Since that is added, it would seem they were trying to imply that sin is written in the heart, but the Septuagint does not say that sin is written in the heart. The Holy Spirit does not write sin into one’s heart. The devil does not have the ability to write sin into one’s heart. A person may be sinful and do sinful things from their own heart, but it is not written, engraved, or scribed in the heart.  

Ecclesiasticus in Greek means “preacher”; the Book of Ecclesiasticus is written by someone named “Jesus (Joshua) son of Sirach of Jerusalem”. The King James Version is slightly different from the Douay-Rheims version, but the ideas are the same, Jesus, son of Sirach wrote this book, pouring forth wisdom from his heart.

Ecclus 50:27-29 Jesus the son of Sirach of Jerusalem hath written in this book the instruction of understanding and knowledge, who out of his heart poured forth wisdom.28 Blessed is he that shall be exercised in these things; and he that layeth them up in his heart shall become wise.29 For if he do them, he shall be strong to all things: for the light of the Lord leadeth him, who giveth wisdom to the godly. Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever. Amen, Amen. [A Prayer of Jesus the son of Sirach.]KJV

Ecclus 50:29-31 Jesus the son of Sirach, of Jerusalem, hath written in this book the doctrine of wisdom and instruction, who renewed wisdom from his heart.30 Blessed is he that is conversant in these good things: and he that layeth them up in his heart, shall be wise always.31 For if he do them, he shall be strong to do all things: because the light of God guideth his steps. Douay-Rheims

Wisdom, the Spirit of Wisdom, engraves in our hearts and people pour out what has been written for others. This is how we can and should learn to live. Allowing the Holy Spirit’s words to pour out of our hearts for others to read. We are the living books. We are the living Word of God. If there were ever to come a time when Christian books and writings were no longer available to us, we could still live as Christian books (living epistles) because the Holy Spirit engraved knowledge and wisdom and understanding in our hearts. So no matter what our future holds, if there are Bibles and Christian books or no Bibles and Christian books, we are the living books. Just like closed countries that reject Jesus and the Bible, the Holy Spirit works at carving words into people’s hearts, and they become saved, spirit filled believers, and all hell can’t stop them from entering Heaven.

Scriptures; Moses Destroyed Scripture; Jesus Quoted Scripture; Pharisees Did Not Know Scripture

What is scripture and what does it mean to us? Many people put their trust in a set of written documents but reject other documents without understanding what they are about. If we look at the front of our Bibles we will see varying content. Protestant Bibles have less material than Catholic Bibles, and Jewish Bibles have even less material. Which Bible collection is best for students of Biblical study? Which individual works should we look at? To start out, we have to understand that all works written are all helpful to our understanding in different ways. If we start eliminating what we don’t understand we will never gain understanding. Therefore, before we throw out entire works we need to put them into our timeline of biblical history. Scripture is a written document, a letter, or a book. It really is lines of words. We have then made the word scripture into something holy in our personal understanding. That is not exactly the original meaning of the word. The Greek word graphe is translated as stylus and writing. The Hebrew uses words like ketav, katav, and midrash. These are alterations that the Masoretic Rabbis made to the text that the Temple Scribes wrote while they were under the direction of the High Priest. The Temple Scribes wrote around 300 BCE, while the Masorete’s wrote between 300 CE and 1000 CE. If we recognize that there is a 600 to 1300 year gap between those writings we will start to make sense of our scripture.

1124 LSJ Gloss: γραφή representation by means of lines

Dodson: γραφή a writing, passage of scripture, the scriptures (a) a writing, (b) a passage of scripture; plur: the scriptures.

Strong's: γραφή a document, i.e. holy Writ (or its contents or a statement in it) Derivation: from G1125; KJV Usage: scripture.

G1125 Thayer: 1) a writing, thing written  2) the Scripture, used to denote either the book itself, or its contents  3) a certain portion or section of the Holy Scripture

γραφή  graphē  graf-ay'  From G1125; a document, that is, holy Writ (or its contents or a statement in it) KJV Usage: scripture.

The word we use for scripture is the word graphe in the Greek. We get words like graph and graphite from this word. There are many people who attempt to spiritualize the word scripture, as if what someone combined into a book in 300 CE or 1000 CE is better than all other extra biblical writings. But the first usage of this word may shatter the idea that what we call scripture is extra holy. The first usage of a word in text usually sets the stage for the rest of the usages in the bible. The first usage of scripture is a bit of a surprise.

Ex 32:4 And he received the gold at their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it a molten calf; and they said, These are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!  AMP

Exodus 32:4G2532And G1209he took them G1537from out of G3588 G5495their hands, G1473 G2532and G4111he shaped G1473them G1722with G3588the G1124.1stylus. G2532And G4160he made G1473it G3448[²calf G5560.8¹a molten]. G2532And G2036they said, G3778These are G3588 G2316your gods, G1473 G*O Israel, G3748who G307hauled G1473you G1537from out of G1093the land G*of Egypt

Aaron used a stylus, graphe, to make a golden calf, and called it Israel’s gods, theos/elohim. The idea that the stylus Aaron used is scripture would tell us it was not holy writ from Yahweh, but simply something Aaron wrote to appease the people. This tells us that some things may be called scripture but they are not holy or sacred writings.  

Ex 32:15-16 And Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tables of the Testimony in his hand, tables or tablets that were written on both sides.  16 The tables were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.  AMP

Exodus 32:16 G2532And G3588the G4109tablets G2041[²a work G2316³of God G1510.7.6¹were], G2532and G3588the G1124writing, G1124[²a writing G2316³of God G1510.2.3¹is] G2850.3chiseled G1722in G3588the G4109tablets

These tablets were the work of Theos/Elohim, these were sacred writing. You would think that he would take extra care with these tablets as they were from Yahweh, however Moses smashed them. While Moses may have felt the writing on the tablets was important, he didn’t value them as if they were sacred, but rather Moses valued the salvation of the people even more. This brings up an important point, if we had the tablets on earth today someone would have put them in a museum and people would have made an idol out of them. But they were not so important that Moses handled them carefully, he did not value the tablets more than getting the people on the right track. Therefore, today we can value the commands, but in the end the salvation of the people is far more important. If we keep that in mind, Jesus is the only salvation for humanity. Jews today have no salvation, there is no temple so they cannot atone for their sins. So while Jews may value and idolize the law, they have no salvation. Moses’ example is a good one here.  

1 Chron 28:19 All this the Lord made me understand by the writing by His hand upon me, all the work to be done according to the plan.  AMP

1 Chronicles 28:19 G3956All G1722in G1124the writing G1537by G5495the hand G2962of the lord G1325David gave G* G3588to G*Solomon, G2596according to G3588the G4018.3advantage G1473to him G4907for understanding G3588of the G2716.1working out G3588of the G3855.2plan.

Notice the discrepancy between the Amplified and the Greek. Should we have a purest attitude and only read the Greek text? Is it alright to get the overall idea reading a text that does not read as exact as the oldest text? Those are good questions aren’t they? David says that the writing, scripture, was by the hand of Yahweh. It was the plans for the temple and what it was to look like. David gave the scripture to Solomon so that he would understand the plans for the temple. In this case the scripture was the temple plans. Again if we had these scriptures in our possession we might idolize them.

1 Kings 6:28-29 Solomon overlaid the cherubim with gold. 29 He carved all the walls of the house (these two holy rooms) round about with figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, within and without. AMP

1 Kings 6:29 G2532And G3956all G3588the G5109walls G3588of the G3624house G2945round about G1462.5[²sculptures G1125¹he depicted] G1722with G1124.1a stylus --G5502 cherubim, G2532and G5404palms G2532and G1276.1[²opened and spread out G4070.2¹leaves] G3588to the G2082inner G2532and G3588to the G1857.2outer

Yet again we see the idea of a stylus being scripture, in that what it represents, in this case a cherubim, is a witness to something. It is scripture without words. This scripture was destroyed when the temple was destroyed. As we have studied previously, there was over three hundred years of abominations in the temple, such as male and female prostitution, abortions, and the worshipping of stars, angels and cherubim. We can see that sometimes what is sculpted can become an idol, just as the golden calf was, and the cherubim became one also. We can understand why some people made alterations to scripture, it was to cover up their sins. 

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2014/03/passover-male-prostitution-in-temple.html

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2014/11/lucifer-worship-of-cherubim-star-gospel.html

2 Chron 21:12-15 And there came a letter to Jehoram from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father [forefather]: Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 But have walked in the ways of Israel's kings, and made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem play the harlot like the [spiritual] harlotry of Ahab's house, and also have slain your brothers of your father's house, who were better than you, 14 Behold, the Lord will smite your people, and your children, your wives, and all your possessions with a great plague. 15 And you yourself shall have a severe illness because of an intestinal disease, until your bowels fall out because of the sickness, day after day.  AMP

2 Chronicles 21:12 G2532And G2064there came G1473to him G1722in G1124writing G3844words by G*Elijah G3588the G4396prophet, G3004saying, G3592Thus G3004says G2962the lord, G3588the G2316God G*of David G3588 G3962your father, G1473 G446.2Because G3756you did not G4198go G1722in G3598the way G*of Jehoshaphat G3588 G3962your father, G1473 G2532and G1722in G3598the ways G*of Asa G935king G*of Judah

Elijah wrote a letter to Jehoram which is called scripture. Elijah is a prophet, and most of the books in our Bible are written by prophets. This letter was not “good news” or the gospel, it was a death sentence to Jehoram who forsook Yahweh and brought idolatry into Judah. This understanding is that sometimes scripture is not good news.

One of the hard parts for us to deal with is the obvious disconnect between the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testement was written in several separate books and started in Paleo Hebrew and ancient Hebrew. During the Babylonian captivity Hebrew changed again to block Hebrew. After the Greeks took over the region, Ptolemy commissioned the scribing of the Hebrew texts for archiving in the Library at Alexandria, 300 BCE. The books were copied and also sent out to synagogues throughout the region. Meanwhile the dominant spoken language was Aramaic, as Assyria had taken the Northern kingdom into captivity, then allowed others to inhabit the northern region. The dominant written language was Greek. There were copies written at the time in Aramaic as well. The New Testament was not written in Hebrew, but Greek and Aramaic only. By the time of the first century, no one wrote in Hebrew any longer and very few read Hebrew. The Essenes kept Hebrew alive and translated all the works they had into common languages, Greek, Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopian. The Septuagint Greek is the same Greek language as the New Testament Greek. This makes for consistency between both Old and New Testament. The disconnect took place when Latin translators in the 1600’s CE thought to use the Masoretic text for the Old Testament, not recognizing that one thousand years of rabbinic alterations to the Old Testament would cause us some trouble today. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2014/12/erasing-jesus-intentional-sabotage.html

All the scrolls that were being read in the synagogues were written in Greek. Therefore when Jesus refers to scripture, what is he referring to? The Greek, not the Hebrew. People in the first century were expected to know the scriptures in the Greek.    

Matt 21:42-43 Jesus asked them, Have you never read in the Scriptures: The very Stone which the builders rejected and threw away has become the Cornerstone; this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? [Ps 118:22,23.] 43 I tell you, for this reason the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce the fruits of it. AMP

Matthew 21:42 G3004[²says G1473³to them G3588 G*¹Jesus], G3763At no time G314did you read G1722in G3588the G1124scriptures? G3037The stone G3739which G593[³rejected G3588¹the ones G3618²building], G3778this one G1096became G1519as G2776head G1137corner stone; G3844by G2962the Lord G1096this happened, G3778 G2532and G1510.2.3it is G2298wonderful G1722in G3788our eyes. G1473

Because the Pharisees, chief priests, and elders didn’t know the scriptures, they will lose the kingdom, and it will be given to those who produce fruits. They should have memorized the scriptures of the prophets. Who were the prophets? Those from the school of the prophets starting with Shem and Eber, through Samuel, Elijah, and Elisha, etc. The prophets were well respected by the Essenes, the Nazarenes, the Therapeutaes, and the Damascus community. To review history, a split occurred among the Jews between 200 BCE to 100 BCE. Some people stayed in Jerusalem and served in the temple even though a high priest was appointed who was not of the line of Aaron. This was an abomination and the Holy Spirit led the prophets and others out of the city to outer regions. Those who stayed in temple service lost the Holy Spirit due to their compromise, and there were no longer any prophets among them. They were known as the Pharisees. Those who were prophets left Jerusalem; some went north to Damascus, northwest to Nazareth, east into the wilderness, and south to Egypt. Most of these communities had already been established before and after the southern kingdom’s captivity, and these prophets were later known as the Essenes, the Nazarenes and the Therapeutaes. The Pharisees and Sadducees had stopped expecting the words of the prophets to be fulfilled. Compromise and dismissing the Holy Spirit cause people to become hardened and stubborn spiritually. By this time, as Jesus points out, they didn’t know the scriptures.

This is the contention; it is not between some guy claiming to be the Messiah and a bunch of high profile scripturally correct religious leaders. That is a spin someone wants us to believe. The contention is between the prophets of Yahweh, and those religious leaders who rejected Yahweh. Just like in the Old Testament times. It is the same story. After the civil war in Jerusalem, the Romans came in and destroyed the temple in 70 CE. The Jews were driven out of Jerusalem and the Pharisees and priests went southwest to start a Yeshiva, a school. By this time they recognized that the things that Jesus had said were true and they made the decision to attempt to erase Jesus from the Old Testament. Today it seems our misconception of the first century coming of Jesus is a dispute between knowledgeable religious leaders and some strange guy claiming to be Messiah. Instead it is about the misguided religious leaders rejecting their last chance at saving Jerusalem, themselves, and their future.

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-choice-aleph-and-tav-part-1-of.html

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/12/jesus-name-in-old-testament-messiah.html

Matt 26:53-56 Do you suppose that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will immediately provide Me with more than twelve legions [more than 80,000] of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must come about this way? 55 At that moment Jesus said to the crowds, Have you come out with swords and clubs as [you would] against a robber to capture Me? Day after day I was accustomed to sit in the porches and courts of the temple teaching, and you did not arrest Me. 56 But all this has taken place in order that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples deserted Him and, fleeing, escaped. AMP

Matthew 26:54G4459How G3767then G4137should [³be fulfilled G3588¹the G1124²scriptures], G3754that G3779thus G1163it must G1096take place?

54G4459How G3767then G4137should [³be fulfilled G3588¹the G1124²scriptures], G3754that G3779thus G1163it must G1096take place?

 55G1722In G1565that G3588 G5610hour G2036Jesus said G3588 G* G3588to the G3793multitudes, G5613As G1909against G3027a robber G1831do you come forth G3326with G3162swords G2532and G3586wood spears G4815to seize G1473me? G2596Daily G2250 G4314with G1473you G2516I sat G1321teaching G1722in G3588the G2413temple, G2532and G3756you did not G2902seize G1473me.

 56G3778But this G1161 G3650entire thing G1096has happened, G2443that G4137[⁵should be fulfilled G3588¹the G1124²scriptures G3588³of the G4396⁴prophets]. G5119Then G3588[²the G3101³disciples G3956¹all] G863leaving G1473him, G5343fled.

Even though Jesus’ disciples knew the scriptures, they didn’t want to see him crucified. Jesus knew what had to take place, but the short sightedness of the people motivated them to think that it would be better to keep Jesus alive. But we know Jesus had to rescue the dead by redeeming them from Hades. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/09/eden-garden-of-god-jesus-plan-for-lower.html

Luke 4:17-21 And there was handed to Him [the roll of] the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened (unrolled) the book and found the place where it was written, [Isa 61:1,2.] 18 The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity], 19 To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound.]  [Isa 61:1,2.] 20 Then He rolled up the book and gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were gazing [attentively] at Him. 21 And He began to speak to them: Today this Scripture has been fulfilled while you are present and hearing. AMP

Luke 4:21G756And he beganG1161 G3004to sayG4314toG1473themG3754that,G4594TodayG4137[²has been fulfilledG3588 G1124¹this scripture]G3778 G1722inG3588 G3775your ears.G1473

Look at Isaiah 61:1 in the Septuagint and compare it to the King James Version which comes from the Masoretic text.

Isaiah 61:1G4151SpiritG2962of the lordG1909is uponG1473me,G3739 G1752becauseG5548he anointedG1473meG2097to announce good newsG4434to the poor.G649He has sentG1473meG2390to healG3588the onesG4937being brokenG3588in theG2588heart;G2784to proclaimG164[²to captivesG859¹a release],G2532andG5185[²to the blindG309¹recovery of sight];

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; KJV

As we have studied before, the phrase “recovery of sight to the blind” has been erased from the Masoretic texts in Isaiah 61. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2014/10/recovery-of-sight-to-blind-isaiah-61.html

We have to recognize that Jesus was quoting the Septuagint. He told the people that that day Isaiah 61:1 & 2 was fulfilled. Jesus was walking through a script that had been written as far back as two thousand years before his birth. Jesus was fulfilling everything the prophets said about him. It is hard enough for us to go back and document these things that were written, but Jesus, without having his own Bible, scrolls, or electronic device with scripture in it, pointed out he was fulfilling the words of the prophets.  

Luke 24:27 Then beginning with Moses and [throughout] all the Prophets, He went on explaining and interpreting to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning and referring to Himself. AMP

Luke 24:27G2532And G756beginning G575from G*Moses, G2532and G575from G3956all G3588of the G4396prophets, G1329he interpreted G1473to them G1722in G3956all G3588the G1124scriptures G3588the things G4012concerning G1438himself.

Wouldn’t we love to have a recording of that conversation? There were probably other writings that Jesus referenced to these two guys, books like Enoch, Jubilees, or the Wisdom of Solomon or 2-4 Ezra. The two men mention that Jesus opened wide to them the scriptures. Jesus also opens the minds of his disciples.

Luke 24:32G2532And G2036they said G4314to G240one another, G3780[²not G3588 G2588³our heart G1473 G2545⁴burning G1510.7.3¹Was] G1722inG1473us G5613as G2980he was speaking G1473to us G1722in G3588the G3598way, G2532and G5613as G1272he opened wide G1473to us G3588the G1124scriptures?

Luke 24:45 G5119Then G1272he opened wide G1473their G3588 G3563mind G3588 G4920to perceive G3588the G1124scriptures.

There is something clear here from people’s testimonies, there are times when someone has to open another person’s mind. People close off their minds for all kinds of reasons, but at some point people’s minds can be opened to understanding the ancient prophetic writings. We have seen the ancient writings as sculptures, tablets, as plans for the temple, as prophetic death sentences, and as prophetic foretelling. We also see that the foretelling’s that were written about the Messiah were a script that Jesus walked through; and people were held accountable for not knowing those words. There is also another type of prophetic foretelling that was in existence before the flood. It is the witness of the stars and the stories of their names. The story that the heavens tell is the same story that the prophets wrote about. Jesus tells us that if we believe on him like the scripture says then out of our bellies will flow rivers of living water.

John 7:38 He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water. AMP

John 7:38G3588The one G4100believing G1519in G1473me, G2531as G2036[³said G3588¹the G1124²scripture], G4215[⁴rivers G1537¹From out of G3588 G2836²his belly G1473 G4482³shall flow G5204⁶water G2198⁵of living]

That scripture is written in the constellation of Aquarius. Aquarius is the constellation story of the water bearer. We will develop this further in the next few weeks. But before there were written prophetic words, there were stars that were given names and across all ancient languages, those star names remain the same. They tell of a virgin who would bring a savior into the world, who would fight for the sheep, impart the power of the Holy Spirit on the sheep, and then take the sheep home. Just like Jesus walked through a script that the prophets wrote, the script in the heavens is the story we all are walking through, whether we realize it or not. And just like our physical writings, we have to put the story of the stars into a timeline format. The oldest understandings come out of Chaldean, Hebrew, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Egypt. Later distortions came during the Greek and Roman era. If we go back to the oldest stories we get an accurate look at the scripture in the stars. 

During the time of the first century the people who walked with Jesus either wrote or orated the stories of Jesus’ time on earth. Luke, who was not an eyewitness, is said to have interviewed others (primarily Thomas) and wrote his account of walking with Jesus. Then, as people converted from Judaism to Christianity, others wrote of their knowledge. Not all were prophets such as the Shepherd of Hermas, whose visions were recorded, canonized, and widely distributed at that time. Some were prophets, such as Paul and John. At various times in history there were different texts included in the canon of Christian writings. The Essenes translated and scribed many texts in an attempt to preserve them. With this in mind, we have to wonder how many texts have been lost forever. 

All ancient texts are profitable for our learning. Whether we choose to believe they are prophetic or not is another matter, but all writings give us insights into people of the time period. What we should always consider very strongly is how much altered text we should believe which was written by people who rejected Jesus as Messiah and have made many attempts to cover up his Messiahship. At the very least, 134 alterations to the name Yahweh have caused so much confusion that other religions have sprung up; they gather up more followers all under the intentional alterations of the name Yahweh. I understand that after being evicted from Jerusalem the religious leaders attempted to preserve Judaism as a religion, but today we can look back and recognize that the outcome of their behavior causes people to die in their sins. The Romans canonized what they thought was important, the Jews canonized what they thought was important, and the Protestants canonized what they thought was important. Maybe instead of only this group or that group of writings, we should think inclusively and judge by way of the Holy Spirit, what can teach us something and what cannot. Could it be “both and” instead of “either or”? And in the case of Moses, the actual scripture written by the hand of God was not as important as salvation for the children of Israel. Maybe that is the correct perspective.