As a Christian, my beliefs are structured by the Bible and daily communication with God. Every real Christian experiences this type of guidance. Sometimes messages can be subtle, but they may also include prophetic dreams, visions and even direct encounters with the other world.
In addition to receiving signals from Heaven, many of us can detect God in things outside the religious sector. For instance, we can view a secular motion picture and gain supernatural insight. Or we might observe our normal surroundings and perceive things that are hidden to most. The same applies when we might read divinely inspired literature. Some Greek poets who wrote the Classic Myths were deemed by the Apostle Paul as credible witnesses of God, even though they were not Christians. So if you've picked up the Odyssey and noticed its comparisons with Holy Scripture, you're not mistaken.
The Greeks were not the only ones outside of Israel whom God regularly communicated with. Balaam of the Old Testament was not a Jew, nor did he follow Jewish laws, yet the Bible says God talked to him and even appeared to him, quite often.
When you read the myths line for line as many beginning college students might, you can especially make connections between some of its heroes and the God of the Bible. Such legends predicted the birth, death and resurrection of God as He came to Earth in flesh, bearing the name, Jesus Christ. However, despite the Greeks knowledge of God, the Apostle Paul said they worshipped Him in ignorance, which means among many things, they misinterpreted everything God told them. These days, Christians are only expected to accept knowledge that lines up with the Bible. Yet a true believer cannot deny when God is talking, because such a person lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
Though it is not necessary to delve into myth, it is not forbidden either. And I figure if it's good enough for God to quote in His good book, then it won't hurt to keep it in my library.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
The Olympians
Below are historical references that point out Biblical angels who are hidden in Greek Myth. Colossians 2:18 implies that some ancient people had the nasty habit of worshipping angels as gods. Many of whom came in contact with human society on a regular basis. What I hope you take from this post is the awareness that many casual things in life are actually the product of the unseen.
Prometheus - In myth, Prometheus was among the first generation of Greek gods called the titans. In Judaic religion, he was among a class of angels called the Gibborim or simply, The Watcher Angels. It was The Watchers job to watch over the affairs of humanity from a close distance. The scapegoat mentioned in the Book of Leviticus is a popular Christian term that in reality refers to this Watcher, who is now a fallen angel. His Hebrew name is Azazel and he appears in the original translation of Leviticus 16:8. The ancient Jews wrote that he was cast out of Heaven for leading the second angelic rebellion against God. Azazel taught mankind forbidden knowledge such as the use of fire to forge precious metals into weapons and tools. Ultimately, he was placed in a region of the Underworld known as Tartarus for an even greater sin… sexual involvement with the human race which led to superhuman offspring (an event recorded in Genesis and the Book of Jude). In ancient Greece, he was known as the titan, Prometheus. As Prometheus, he was seen as a hero for unlawfully giving the use of fire to mortals, and his punishment for doing so was viewed as a tragedy. But his intention for teaching dark arts to humans on Earth was anything but altruistic. He knew what damage he was doing to the human race when he turned them from the devotion of God by distracting them merchandise of destruction. Today, he is the cause for the spawn of demons that infest the Earth, for they are the dead souls of angelic-human offspring resulting from his sexual unions with mortal women. Many of these demons are known in the Old Testament as satyrs (goat demons in Hebrew translations). These particular spirits have even been mentioned to haunt regions where sin is amplified. Besides producing such vermin, Azazel is behind many other abominations that have placed this world out of order. Without him, life could have been a lot easier, but with every curse he's left behind, help is available through the dominant power in the world, Jesus Christ.
Hades – Both Death and Hell are considered by many to be actual spirit beings and not just abstract things. Even Scripture gives personal descriptions of them that many believe are beyond metaphorical. Death as personified by the Greeks was named Thanatos and to the ancient Jews, he was a principality (ruling angel) who was responsible for transporting deceased humans to the underworld. Hell was also deemed as a principality and was named Hades by Greeks and Jews alike. His role was delegated ruler and keeper of the Underworld. Hades as God's warden of Hell is often confused with the fallen angel Satan, but he is a separate being altogether. In fact, Hades will soon keep Satan within the confines of his domain once Christ comes again to finally imprison him (Revelation 20:1-3). For now, Satan serves as the Prince of the Powers of the Air while Hades serves as a Prince of prisons below. Hades was among the principalities mentioned in Colossians 2:15 when Jesus descended into Hell and overtook them by force. This is where Jesus attained the keys of Death and Hell. The key of Hades has been a well-known relic in Greek Myth since prehistoric times, and in the Bible, Jesus was later recorded to have taken it as a spoil of war, leaving Hades 2nd in command to his own post. The fate of this demonic creature is written in Revelation 20:14, where Jesus Christ has His second violent confrontation with him by throwing him into the lake of everlasting fire. But for now, both Death and Hell are listed among the riders in the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who are now at work in these last days leading up to Christ's return (Revelation 6:8).
Aphrodite – Ever been courted by a desirable admirer when you're trying to stay out of trouble? It might be a lure to do the wrong thing, which is to say it could be a personal trap set by an offending spirit. To the ancient Jews, Sin was originally known as a demon. Breaking God’s law gave this creature the legal right to enter and possess its victims. As an evil spirit being, it had many forms, including that of a man and that of a woman. Sin was personified in Genesis, first being described in the masculine gender but was not limited in expressions of its sexual identity. In feminine form, this demon was often depicted in the nude. Idols of her were found in the ancient ruins of the Babylonian empire where it was named Ishtar (among other aliases). Ishtar was later adopted by the Greeks as their goddess of love, Aphrodite. In both cultures, Aphrodite was worshipped through ritualistic sex where by prostitutes served as priestesses in temples that served as brothels. She even parallels with the Bible's descriptions of a loose woman in Proverbs 7:26, where the passage says, "For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her." Compare this Scripture with Greek playwright Euripides, where he says, "The murderous goddess of love, who sent to their graves the warriors of both Troy and Greece." And according to Christian author Roger Mills, Aphrodite made a modern day appearance during one of his multiple out of body tours through Hell with Christ. Jesus told Roger how amidst descending into Hell and fighting angelic forces, He locked Sin into a chamber and restricted her from separating God’s people from Him, unless they invited her to. Until then, all souls went to the Underworld, but after the cross, only those who restored Sin’s powers over them would be taken there. Mills describes the spirit of Sin in the form of a most attractive woman whose appearance sexually aroused him, even in the presence of Jesus.
Hermes - God's personal herald Gabriel. See the article titled "Wisdom Personified" for a brief description.
Athena - See the article titled "Wisdom Personified" for full details.
Hera - See the article titled "The True Queen of Heaven."
Ares - The Biblical figure called the Angel of the Lord (Malakh YHWY) whom the Israelites affectionately addressed as the "Man of War." He is the Destroyer mentioned in Exodus and the rider of the red horse in the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. A most intriguing expression of God. And unique to the other angels named in this post, Malakh YHWY is a manifestation of God whom received proper worship from God's people. Article is forth coming.
Prometheus - In myth, Prometheus was among the first generation of Greek gods called the titans. In Judaic religion, he was among a class of angels called the Gibborim or simply, The Watcher Angels. It was The Watchers job to watch over the affairs of humanity from a close distance. The scapegoat mentioned in the Book of Leviticus is a popular Christian term that in reality refers to this Watcher, who is now a fallen angel. His Hebrew name is Azazel and he appears in the original translation of Leviticus 16:8. The ancient Jews wrote that he was cast out of Heaven for leading the second angelic rebellion against God. Azazel taught mankind forbidden knowledge such as the use of fire to forge precious metals into weapons and tools. Ultimately, he was placed in a region of the Underworld known as Tartarus for an even greater sin… sexual involvement with the human race which led to superhuman offspring (an event recorded in Genesis and the Book of Jude). In ancient Greece, he was known as the titan, Prometheus. As Prometheus, he was seen as a hero for unlawfully giving the use of fire to mortals, and his punishment for doing so was viewed as a tragedy. But his intention for teaching dark arts to humans on Earth was anything but altruistic. He knew what damage he was doing to the human race when he turned them from the devotion of God by distracting them merchandise of destruction. Today, he is the cause for the spawn of demons that infest the Earth, for they are the dead souls of angelic-human offspring resulting from his sexual unions with mortal women. Many of these demons are known in the Old Testament as satyrs (goat demons in Hebrew translations). These particular spirits have even been mentioned to haunt regions where sin is amplified. Besides producing such vermin, Azazel is behind many other abominations that have placed this world out of order. Without him, life could have been a lot easier, but with every curse he's left behind, help is available through the dominant power in the world, Jesus Christ.
Hades – Both Death and Hell are considered by many to be actual spirit beings and not just abstract things. Even Scripture gives personal descriptions of them that many believe are beyond metaphorical. Death as personified by the Greeks was named Thanatos and to the ancient Jews, he was a principality (ruling angel) who was responsible for transporting deceased humans to the underworld. Hell was also deemed as a principality and was named Hades by Greeks and Jews alike. His role was delegated ruler and keeper of the Underworld. Hades as God's warden of Hell is often confused with the fallen angel Satan, but he is a separate being altogether. In fact, Hades will soon keep Satan within the confines of his domain once Christ comes again to finally imprison him (Revelation 20:1-3). For now, Satan serves as the Prince of the Powers of the Air while Hades serves as a Prince of prisons below. Hades was among the principalities mentioned in Colossians 2:15 when Jesus descended into Hell and overtook them by force. This is where Jesus attained the keys of Death and Hell. The key of Hades has been a well-known relic in Greek Myth since prehistoric times, and in the Bible, Jesus was later recorded to have taken it as a spoil of war, leaving Hades 2nd in command to his own post. The fate of this demonic creature is written in Revelation 20:14, where Jesus Christ has His second violent confrontation with him by throwing him into the lake of everlasting fire. But for now, both Death and Hell are listed among the riders in the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who are now at work in these last days leading up to Christ's return (Revelation 6:8).
Aphrodite – Ever been courted by a desirable admirer when you're trying to stay out of trouble? It might be a lure to do the wrong thing, which is to say it could be a personal trap set by an offending spirit. To the ancient Jews, Sin was originally known as a demon. Breaking God’s law gave this creature the legal right to enter and possess its victims. As an evil spirit being, it had many forms, including that of a man and that of a woman. Sin was personified in Genesis, first being described in the masculine gender but was not limited in expressions of its sexual identity. In feminine form, this demon was often depicted in the nude. Idols of her were found in the ancient ruins of the Babylonian empire where it was named Ishtar (among other aliases). Ishtar was later adopted by the Greeks as their goddess of love, Aphrodite. In both cultures, Aphrodite was worshipped through ritualistic sex where by prostitutes served as priestesses in temples that served as brothels. She even parallels with the Bible's descriptions of a loose woman in Proverbs 7:26, where the passage says, "For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her." Compare this Scripture with Greek playwright Euripides, where he says, "The murderous goddess of love, who sent to their graves the warriors of both Troy and Greece." And according to Christian author Roger Mills, Aphrodite made a modern day appearance during one of his multiple out of body tours through Hell with Christ. Jesus told Roger how amidst descending into Hell and fighting angelic forces, He locked Sin into a chamber and restricted her from separating God’s people from Him, unless they invited her to. Until then, all souls went to the Underworld, but after the cross, only those who restored Sin’s powers over them would be taken there. Mills describes the spirit of Sin in the form of a most attractive woman whose appearance sexually aroused him, even in the presence of Jesus.
Hermes - God's personal herald Gabriel. See the article titled "Wisdom Personified" for a brief description.
Athena - See the article titled "Wisdom Personified" for full details.
Hera - See the article titled "The True Queen of Heaven."
Ares - The Biblical figure called the Angel of the Lord (Malakh YHWY) whom the Israelites affectionately addressed as the "Man of War." He is the Destroyer mentioned in Exodus and the rider of the red horse in the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. A most intriguing expression of God. And unique to the other angels named in this post, Malakh YHWY is a manifestation of God whom received proper worship from God's people. Article is forth coming.
Wisdom Personified
Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
Proverbs 8:1-4
The personification of Wisdom according to much of the Book of Proverbs is often seen as a metaphorical description of man’s need for knowledge, understanding and sound judgment. However, there is reason to believe Proverbs in many instances may be describing the existence of an angelic being.
Debunking Myths
Not the Mama – Besides other errors, there are some who mistakenly believe Wisdom, particularly in Proverbs 8, represents the Holy Spirit. This is not true. Not only does the New Testament address the Holy Spirit in the masculine gender instead of the feminine as Proverbs does Wisdom, but further information disproving the association of Proverbs' Wisdom with the identity of God is found in Proverbs 8:22, where the original Hebrew language is translated saying: “The LORD created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old...” Since God including Christ and the Holy Spirit have no beginning and no end (Hebrews 7:3), this cannot be Him. The text is describing a creation and not the Creator.
Not a Metaphor - Since God never changes and is written to be all-wise, we can assume that wisdom itself, always belonged to Him, but Wisdom as described in Proverbs was created somewhere in time, so how can wisdom which is uncreated be created? And since God who was all-wise, has no beginning but Wisdom according to Proverbs does have a beginning, then Wisdom according to this Scripture must definitely be referring to something other than a notion. If wisdom itself was already with God, then all things considered, the only possible alternative to an abstract description of Proverbs 8, is that of a personal description.
History lines up with Scripture
Even secular history supports the notion of Wisdom as a personified being. Let me go off the subject a bit to explain how the Gentiles related to Jews; the Greeks in art and literature showed many unquestionable comparisons with Judaic beliefs. The comparisons are so sharp that some falsely accuse the Jews of plagiarism. To answer the confusion, the Bible confirms that the ancient world knew God even before the Nation of Israel was formed(Romans 1:19-24). This explains why Judaic beliefs and myth sound so similar. Like a nomad, God simply wandered from nation to nation until He found a people who could love Him, best.
The book of Acts even goes as far as validating certain Greek poets as men who were inspired by God. But before examining Greek prose relating to insight about Wisdom, let us first consider the validity of an ancient Greek poem that was later quoted by Apostle Paul about Christ:
"They fashioned a tomb for thee, O holy and high one— / The Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies! / But thou art not dead: thou livest and abidest forever, / For in thee we live and move and have our being.”
The above poem was written by non-Christian Greek writer, Epimenides in 6th Century B.C. The Apostle Paul, who also said that the Cretans were liars, as Epimenides did, mentions the passage many years later in Acts 17:28. Here he says to the Greeks:
“For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring."
We find yet another correlation between Scripture and Ancient Greek prose with this passage:
“…consequently it is a difficult attainment to report each one of his deeds in a worthy manner and to present a record which shall be on a level with labours so great, the magnitude of which won for him the prize of immortality.”
The above poem comes from Diodorus Siculus, Library of History (Books III - VIII). It compares to John 21:25, which refers to Christ, yet it was written long before His time on Earth. Now that undeniable matches between Jewish and Greek religious literature have been presented, compare the following historical texts to Scripture concerning, Wisdom:
Athena – Worshipped by ancient Greeks as the goddess of wisdom. Her name meant, “the mind of God.”
Counsel
History - "Athena goes to each man's side, speaks and rouses the spirit and heart of each man---" Odyssey 8.7. Homer, circa 8th century B.C.
Holy Scripture - Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud: "To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.
Proverbs 8:1-4
Preferential Love
History - "If only the bright-eyed goddess chose to love you just as she lavished care on brave Odysseus...I've never seen the immortals show so much affection as Pallas (Athena) openly showed him..." Odyssey 3: 247. Homer, circa 8th century B.C.
… She (Athena) always favored Odysseus. She loved his cunning mind and shrewd ways, and she was always willing to help him. Homer’s Odyssey, circa 8th century B.C.
"For never yet have I seen the Gods so manifestly showing love, as Pallas Athena did to him (Odysseus), standing manifest by his side..."
Odyssey 3.222. Homer, circa 8th century B.C.
Holy Scripture - I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.
Proverbs 8:17
Battle Strategy
History – During the Trojan War, Athena who represented intellectual tactics in battle, defeated Ares the Greek god of war, who represented chaotic violence and slaughter. Homer, circa 8th century B.C.
Holy Scripture - "Wisdom prevails over strength, knowledge over brute force; for wars are won by skillful strategy, and victory is the fruit of long planning." Proverbs 24: 5-6
History - "Then down they (Athena and Oddysseus) sat by the sacred olive's trunk to plot the death of the high and mighty suitors. The bright eyed goddess Athena led the way..." Odyssey 13: 426. Homer, circa 8th century B.C.
Holy Scripture (repeated) - "Wisdom prevails over strength, knowledge over brute force; for wars are won by skillful strategy, and victory is the fruit of long planning." Proverbs 24: 5-6
Besides Athena’s basic functions, she was also known as a protector of cities under the name Athena Polias. The Biblical title of a Principality applies to certain of God’s angels, fallen angels and even authorities on earth, all who rule over specific domains and guard certain individuals.
The Forbidden Worship of Angels
The Bible says that many pagans worshipped angels (Colossians 2:18). This confirms that not all idols were forged from human imagination, but the knowledge of actual celestial creatures made known to the world. The Greeks who worshipped Wisdom under the name Athena, were committing a shameful act. Angels are our allies and brethren. They are not to be our gods. The Apostle John who spent intimate time with God in the form of Jesus Christ even fell to the sin of angel worship (Revelation 22:8). When he bowed down before his angelic guide in the book of Revelations, the angel was quick to correct him, but the Greeks were abandoned to their ongoing abomination of idol worship.
Not only did certain Greeks worship the angel Wisdom, but they worshipped other angels that were later made known to the Christian world. This includes the worship of the popularized and well known Herald Angel, Gabriel who announced the birth of Christ and appeared to Old Testament prophets. The Greeks identified Gabriel as Hermes, the swift and wing footed messenger god of travelers. Ultimately, the Greeks even subjected God Himself to idol worship. Almighty God was not only addressed by Greeks as the Unknown God from Acts 17:23, but He was also known as some of the most revered figures in ancient legend. However, pagan methods of worship and recognition were considered carnal and are unacceptable to Him.
Acts 17:22-31 asserts that God winked at such ignorance as the ancient Greeks demonstrated in terms of the knowledge of the unseen world and service to God, but since the birth, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ, all are responsible for knowing God accurately and fully. His heavenly hosts should no longer be overlooked or misrepresented, but identified for who they really are and how they truly function. Hopefully, this article helps to put such things into proper perspective.
Proverbs 8:1-4
The personification of Wisdom according to much of the Book of Proverbs is often seen as a metaphorical description of man’s need for knowledge, understanding and sound judgment. However, there is reason to believe Proverbs in many instances may be describing the existence of an angelic being.
Debunking Myths
Not the Mama – Besides other errors, there are some who mistakenly believe Wisdom, particularly in Proverbs 8, represents the Holy Spirit. This is not true. Not only does the New Testament address the Holy Spirit in the masculine gender instead of the feminine as Proverbs does Wisdom, but further information disproving the association of Proverbs' Wisdom with the identity of God is found in Proverbs 8:22, where the original Hebrew language is translated saying: “The LORD created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old...” Since God including Christ and the Holy Spirit have no beginning and no end (Hebrews 7:3), this cannot be Him. The text is describing a creation and not the Creator.
Not a Metaphor - Since God never changes and is written to be all-wise, we can assume that wisdom itself, always belonged to Him, but Wisdom as described in Proverbs was created somewhere in time, so how can wisdom which is uncreated be created? And since God who was all-wise, has no beginning but Wisdom according to Proverbs does have a beginning, then Wisdom according to this Scripture must definitely be referring to something other than a notion. If wisdom itself was already with God, then all things considered, the only possible alternative to an abstract description of Proverbs 8, is that of a personal description.
History lines up with Scripture
Even secular history supports the notion of Wisdom as a personified being. Let me go off the subject a bit to explain how the Gentiles related to Jews; the Greeks in art and literature showed many unquestionable comparisons with Judaic beliefs. The comparisons are so sharp that some falsely accuse the Jews of plagiarism. To answer the confusion, the Bible confirms that the ancient world knew God even before the Nation of Israel was formed(Romans 1:19-24). This explains why Judaic beliefs and myth sound so similar. Like a nomad, God simply wandered from nation to nation until He found a people who could love Him, best.
The book of Acts even goes as far as validating certain Greek poets as men who were inspired by God. But before examining Greek prose relating to insight about Wisdom, let us first consider the validity of an ancient Greek poem that was later quoted by Apostle Paul about Christ:
"They fashioned a tomb for thee, O holy and high one— / The Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies! / But thou art not dead: thou livest and abidest forever, / For in thee we live and move and have our being.”
The above poem was written by non-Christian Greek writer, Epimenides in 6th Century B.C. The Apostle Paul, who also said that the Cretans were liars, as Epimenides did, mentions the passage many years later in Acts 17:28. Here he says to the Greeks:
“For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring."
We find yet another correlation between Scripture and Ancient Greek prose with this passage:
“…consequently it is a difficult attainment to report each one of his deeds in a worthy manner and to present a record which shall be on a level with labours so great, the magnitude of which won for him the prize of immortality.”
The above poem comes from Diodorus Siculus, Library of History (Books III - VIII). It compares to John 21:25, which refers to Christ, yet it was written long before His time on Earth. Now that undeniable matches between Jewish and Greek religious literature have been presented, compare the following historical texts to Scripture concerning, Wisdom:
Athena – Worshipped by ancient Greeks as the goddess of wisdom. Her name meant, “the mind of God.”
Counsel
History - "Athena goes to each man's side, speaks and rouses the spirit and heart of each man---" Odyssey 8.7. Homer, circa 8th century B.C.
Holy Scripture - Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud: "To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.
Proverbs 8:1-4
Preferential Love
History - "If only the bright-eyed goddess chose to love you just as she lavished care on brave Odysseus...I've never seen the immortals show so much affection as Pallas (Athena) openly showed him..." Odyssey 3: 247. Homer, circa 8th century B.C.
… She (Athena) always favored Odysseus. She loved his cunning mind and shrewd ways, and she was always willing to help him. Homer’s Odyssey, circa 8th century B.C.
"For never yet have I seen the Gods so manifestly showing love, as Pallas Athena did to him (Odysseus), standing manifest by his side..."
Odyssey 3.222. Homer, circa 8th century B.C.
Holy Scripture - I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.
Proverbs 8:17
Battle Strategy
History – During the Trojan War, Athena who represented intellectual tactics in battle, defeated Ares the Greek god of war, who represented chaotic violence and slaughter. Homer, circa 8th century B.C.
Holy Scripture - "Wisdom prevails over strength, knowledge over brute force; for wars are won by skillful strategy, and victory is the fruit of long planning." Proverbs 24: 5-6
History - "Then down they (Athena and Oddysseus) sat by the sacred olive's trunk to plot the death of the high and mighty suitors. The bright eyed goddess Athena led the way..." Odyssey 13: 426. Homer, circa 8th century B.C.
Holy Scripture (repeated) - "Wisdom prevails over strength, knowledge over brute force; for wars are won by skillful strategy, and victory is the fruit of long planning." Proverbs 24: 5-6
Besides Athena’s basic functions, she was also known as a protector of cities under the name Athena Polias. The Biblical title of a Principality applies to certain of God’s angels, fallen angels and even authorities on earth, all who rule over specific domains and guard certain individuals.
The Forbidden Worship of Angels
The Bible says that many pagans worshipped angels (Colossians 2:18). This confirms that not all idols were forged from human imagination, but the knowledge of actual celestial creatures made known to the world. The Greeks who worshipped Wisdom under the name Athena, were committing a shameful act. Angels are our allies and brethren. They are not to be our gods. The Apostle John who spent intimate time with God in the form of Jesus Christ even fell to the sin of angel worship (Revelation 22:8). When he bowed down before his angelic guide in the book of Revelations, the angel was quick to correct him, but the Greeks were abandoned to their ongoing abomination of idol worship.
Not only did certain Greeks worship the angel Wisdom, but they worshipped other angels that were later made known to the Christian world. This includes the worship of the popularized and well known Herald Angel, Gabriel who announced the birth of Christ and appeared to Old Testament prophets. The Greeks identified Gabriel as Hermes, the swift and wing footed messenger god of travelers. Ultimately, the Greeks even subjected God Himself to idol worship. Almighty God was not only addressed by Greeks as the Unknown God from Acts 17:23, but He was also known as some of the most revered figures in ancient legend. However, pagan methods of worship and recognition were considered carnal and are unacceptable to Him.
Acts 17:22-31 asserts that God winked at such ignorance as the ancient Greeks demonstrated in terms of the knowledge of the unseen world and service to God, but since the birth, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ, all are responsible for knowing God accurately and fully. His heavenly hosts should no longer be overlooked or misrepresented, but identified for who they really are and how they truly function. Hopefully, this article helps to put such things into proper perspective.
The Queen of Heaven
The derogatory definition of a "queen" depicts a flamboyant male who draws attention to himself for gratification. Adorned with exaggerations of feminine beauty, he is often campy and possesses a false sense of pride. Considering that pride also comes before a fall, it can be said that “queen” identifies a particular well known religious figure who is recognized for his grand exit from Heaven.
Satan, the once beautiful angel known for his virtues and flawless appearance had the most desirable position of all: The position of consort to God Almighty. Who wouldn't have wanted to be the creature whose company God enjoyed the most? Who wouldn't want to be preferred in such a way over all of their peers? But a bigger question is who would dare to throw it all away?
The union between God and His beloved was set apart for the deepest kind of intimacy. The first angel on record, found in Proverbs 8 had the privilege of being God’s eldest daughter. Perhaps next in line to her was Gabriel, who served as God’s personal ambassador. But Lucifer was God’s covering, which is a title associated with the relationship between husbands and wives according to 1 Corinthians 11. Out of all the hosts of Heaven, Lucifer was most enviable.
I often reference sacred texts from Greek poets that line up with Scripture, and I have found that Satan parallels with Hera, wife of Zeus, king of the gods. As for pride matching that of the Devil’s, Hera’s sacred bird was the peacock, which is a worldwide symbol for egotism. She was also known as the most beautiful maiden on Mount Olympus, home of the Greek gods. Likewise, Lucifer was the most beautiful angel in Heaven. But what many do not know is that Hera led a rebellion to overthrow her husband in the same fashion as Satan, and as both of them failed, they were violently cast down from above.
For foolishly trying to usurp the king of the gods, Hera was removed from Mount Olympus and suspended in the sky, hung by royal golden chains. After Satan was cast from the Mount of God (Ezekiel 28:14 NIV), he was situated in the sky as well. By then he became known as the Prince of the Powers of the Air (Ephesians 2:2). Likewise, Hera was synonymous with the sky and held the title of Sky Goddess in some translations of Greek prose. Hera eventually returned to Olympus and Satan was once again spotted in Heaven with God and the angels in the Book of Job and Revelation.
Besides being contenders against the Supreme Being, both Satan and Hera were known as adversaries to the general public. In Greek legend, every time someone became a target of Zeus' affections, Hera pursued them relentlessly. For example, once when Zeus impregnated his mistress with a son, Hera made sure no place would let her give birth to him. This account is identical to the story of how the pregnant Virgin Mary was refused lodging on the night she was to give birth to the son of God, Jesus Christ. And Hera tried to kill Zeus' other son Hercules when he was just an infant, which relates to the story of baby Jesus and King Herod.
In today's perspective of myth, Hera is often perceived as a good-natured wife and mother figure. But in reality, Greeks saw her as a jealous lover and a conniving witch. By the way, her daughters were the goddesses of hate and destruction which are also in league with satanic themes.
In closing, we've observed that the initial crimes of Satan and his Greek counterpart were pride and envy. Knowing these abominations are not far from human reach, we should watch the impulses we act upon. The lesson here... don't be a queen.
References: Isaiah 14:12-19 & Ezekiel 28:12-19
Monday, July 5, 2010
The Hero Archetype
Since civilization began, there has been word of an event when God would take on human form and personally rescue mankind from oncoming destruction. Many versions of this prophecy have existed for years, each painting the hero with a different face and acting out a different scenario. But ultimately, all of these lessons with their illustrated characters point to one person who would actually carry out the plan of what was written. In the end, it would be He who would prove to be the mystery man destined to save the world.
Jesus was born a poor, panethnic Arab of the Jewish nation, Circa 5 B.C. He was wise, handsome, strong, muscular and looked nothing like His Rennaisance paintings. He was a perfect specimen who stood out among all those around Him like an exquisite young bull surrounded by common cattle. Growing up, Jesus was well liked in His community until the day He rose to fame. It was then that His people began to hate Him because He revealed His true identity as the only man ever to be sired by God Himself. Rejection of His claims was notably predicted in the story of Dionysus, whose father was Zeus and mother was a mortal woman, yet no one believed it. To persuade his doubting family, Dionysus was written to have caused wine to spring from the ground and perform frightening miracles, but he suffered persecution despite it all, even unto death. According to the Greeks, this mark of suffering and isolation was a badge of honor that only belonged to true heroes. And this kind of suffering is something Jesus knows more than anyone who has ever lived.
Among other suffering heroes whose legends foretold the coming of Jesus, was Hercules. Just like Jesus, he too was the son of the most high god by a mortal woman. At birth, young Hercules escaped infantcide at the hands of a jealous ruler like King Herod, and as a young man he did many superhuman feats including raising the dead. In death, he was betrayed by the closest person to him, who like Judas Iscariot committed suicide by hanging due to grief. When Hercules companions returned to the site of his death to collect his remains, they found no bones because he had returned to life and become a god. It was then that they remembered an oracle who said Hercules would rise again and ascend to a throne in Heaven as reward for his earthly tasks.
In addition to Scripture, Hercules' story even compares with modern day prophecy about Christ. For instance, evangelist Jesse Duplantis claims that in a vision of Jesus, he was told that Christ's worst day is yet to come. By this, He was speaking of the day when Jesus will send His own creation to Hell on Judgment Day. Jesse goes on to say Jesus was weeping in front of him and showing that He doesn't want to send his own children to the what Scripture calls, the Second Death, but it's destiny. Likewise, Hercules final labor was to slaughter his own children to which he said after all that he had accomplished, nothing else had caused him to weep.
Another hero was Orion, who was also fathered by a god. Orion was known to walk on water (the waves in fact) and he was considered to be the fairest of all mortals. Likewise, Jesus is called the Fairest of 10,000. And also like Jesus, Orion died but returned to life rising into the night sky as an immortal. And yet, another heroic representation of Jesus is found in the origin of the Golden Fleece, which is about an innocent lamb born to willingly sacrifice himself for the sake of children who were sentenced to death.
I am not saying that any of these fabled heroes are the Messiah, but rather that they were pointing to Jesus as the fulfilment of what they had been set to predict all along. Even King David described vivid and accurate details about the unborn Jesus. Foreknowledge about Christ was divinely inspired. It was classified information that could have only come from God, and the poets of ancient Greece drew from this same source of inspiration. The only difference in delivery was their interpretation, which is why the Apostle Paul agreed that the Greeks worshipped the same God as He did, but that they worshipped Him in ignorance (Acts 17:23).
So what threat was Jesus really saving mankind from? Well aside from myth and legend, the real deal says that humans needed to be rescued from a spiritual law that sentenced their souls to the Underworld. You see, God has many enemies, and when they saw that they couldn't hurt Him directly, they targeted those He loved: humans. The scheme went like this: Lucifer, God's former covering (companion) broke laws that required his own incarceration (Hell). So he set God's new lover up for the same sticky end. This was a demonstration of a spurned woman's jealousy. Now after Satan's success at tripping mankind, the law stated that the human race was sentenced to die in order to satisfy the law of the spirit. So as a token of love, and a sarcastic jab at His ex, God assumed human form to take the death penalty on Himself. With God in man's place, the death sentence would be fulfilled without any additional humans having to set foot in Hell. There are so many legends that tell of this, but their meanings must be carefully decoded. For instance, Hercules was said to have journeyed to Hades (Hell) to set two captives free; Theseus and Pirithous. Theseus was pure and did no wrong. However, Pirithous was a wrong-doer. Hercules returned to the Land of the Living with the righteous man, but had to leave the guilty man behind. Another such story is found in the Golden Fleece. When the Golden Ram rescued the two children sentenced to die, he flew them over the sea. One held on to the ram's fleece while the other did not. She fell off the rams back and drowned in the sea while her brother completed the flight over the waters. The one taken one left behind theme is told in Jesus' parables and was actually performed when He freed the righteous souls from prisons in Hell and left the sinners behind. This goes for the time Jesus died on the cross as well as the time He returns to remove His followers from yet another foretold disaster. Further references are found in Luke 17:26 and Matthew 24:40.
The heroes of legend die in many different ways. Hercules dies on a burning funeral pyre, Orion is shot by an arrow and the Golden Ram is slain with a sword before having his fleece fastened to a tree in the grove of Ares, god of slaughter. But the real death took place on a wooden cross on a hill called Golgotha (The Skull). Notice the similarities. Scripture says, cursed is he who hangs on a tree. And Jesus was indeed cursed.
But this was all a part of the plan. God has played the dark horse many times, only to surprise His enemies. This is best described by Colossians 2:15 where God finally unleashes wrath that He had previously held back. Upon His descent into Hell, Scriptures say He spoiled principalities and powers (angelic rulers and armies). The fact that it says "spoiled" means that there was a battle after which God took their goods by force (spoil is a war term). Why doesn't anybody talk about this war in Hell? Anyways, not only did God engage these mighty beings with violence, but Scripture says He embarrassed them in front of spectators. Among the spoil were captive humans as well as treasure items belonging to the two major angelic princes who rule over the dead, even to this day. The mentioned items taken were keys belonging to Death and Hell. These demonic beings are otherwise known as Thanatos and Lord Hades to the Greeks. After Iesou fulfilled the law with His own death, He took rights over all souls who passed on to the other side. As He brutally injured the fallen angels, He rescued the humans He had come for. Iesou left Hell as a one man army, gloating over His defeated enemies. And for this He is called the hero that set the pattern of heroism for all time.
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