allegory

THE TEMPTATION

Jacob Israel23 Comments

THE TEMPTATION

You may be surprised to hear that the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness is actually an allegory of the temptations we face each and every day…

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You may be surprised to hear that the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness is actually an allegory of the temptations we face each and every day… That is NOT to say that there was not a literal man named Jesus, who was literally tempted in the wilderness. The point to this essay people is this… IT DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER OR NOT THE STORY IS LITERAL. What matters is what the story means spiritually for us.

A reader shared a great line with me the other day, they said, we need to be mindful of the MYSTERY not get hung up in the HISTORY. YES! So much truth in those words. The Mystery of the Kingdom of God is what we are after, NOT THE HISTORY of what happened.

For example, it doesn’t matter if there was a literal boy who cried wolf or not. What matters is the SPIRIT of the story. I know I use that example a lot but it really does help to make this point. We don’t profit from proving that there was a boy and wolf in the past. We profit when we understand that we shouldn’t lie or embellish because there might be terrible consequences. This, this my friends is what my essays are all about. Sharing the SPIRIT of the story, not simply repeating the history of it.

It is only when we understand the spirit of the story that we find our way. The LETTER (literal understanding) kills, it is only the SPIRIT that gives life.

2 Corinthians 3:6
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

We need to learn the difference between things we can take literally and things we must discern spiritually. And that can be tricky sometimes. However, if we allow the spirit of truth and love to lead us it is easier than you may think. It is true that the scriptures can have both literal and spiritual interpretations.

Example: “Thou shalt not kill” – Of course this is meant to be understood literally, but it also has a spiritual meaning. For you can Kill the Spirit of someone or something just as you can take the life of another.

When David fought Goliath, if you see the story spiritually, you see a Picture of Christ destroying the Carnal man. The symbolism of this story is beautiful, a smooth stone hitting and killing Goliath with one blow to the head (which is symbolic of the mind and how we think), then David taking the Giant’s sword and cutting off Goliath’s head (which is the authority of the carnal man). Whenever we are presented with stories in scripture where someone is cutting off another’s head, whether it is Goliath, John the Baptist, or crushing the head of the serpent, it is always symbolic of destroying the authority and rule of what that “person or thing” represents spiritually.

Every one of these stories is indeed an allegory for our waking life. We learn from these stories literally as well as spiritually. The trick is finding when we should take something at its word and when to look deeper, or both.

Now you may have been told that Jesus, the man, was perfect and did not sin. That Jesus, the man, never doubted and never struggled the way we struggle. Well, if we take the scriptures at their word, we find, LITERALLY, that it couldn’t be farther from the truth.

God does not play favorites, what one must endure all endure.

Romans 2:11
For there is no respect of persons with God.

Mental note: If God is no respecter of persons, we should be as well.

Now, if you really want to take the scriptures at their literal word, JESUS SINNED, just as we sinned… In fact, Jesus BECAME sin for us. Now let us think about how this “Jesus” became sin for us.

AN IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER: The idea of a literal Jesus that is separate and unique from us is indeed SIN (a foolish thought) for us… Something to chew on for later.

Let me explain the ways “Jesus” has become sin for us.

We have been taught that Jesus had a different birth than us, that he had a different relationship with God than us, that Jesus did what we could not do, that Jesus TOOK upon himself the SINS of the world to save us, if only we put our faith in him. But this is simply what religion has sold us, and IT ISN’T TRUE.

The scriptures command that we should not make any image as to what God looks like, talks like, seems like. The scriptures are clear, we are NOT to compare God to a “corruptible physical man”, that we should not Compare God (The creator) with the created, because God is beyond the created thing. We are commanded not to make any image of God, whether birds of the air, fish of the sea, anything in the sky, the earth, or the deep… YET, every religion has its idols… Jesus, the six-foot tall, handsome, bearded, blue-eyed, hollywood man is perhaps the best marketed name on planet earth. But the scriptures if we take them at their literal word tell us this is A HUGE MISTAKE.

Romans 1:22-24
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Exodus 20:2-4
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 “You shall HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth

Yet, you don’t have to go far to see images of God as a man. Just google the word God on an image search and you will see a man named Jesus everywhere, or an old muscle-bound guy who looks like an angry Santa Claus. YET, the ONLY GOD there is, IS WITHIN US… not outside of.

Luke 17:20-22
20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’[a] For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

We have been sold a lie. We have been told that in a single man from two thousand years ago our salvation is found. As opposed to understanding that “that man” is a symbol of all of us. For we and he (jesus) are the same. This is when our love is perfected, when we realize this.

1 John 4:17
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because AS HE IS, SO ARE WE in this world.

It has never been about believing THAT HE IS OUR SAVIOR, or that what he did somehow wipes away all of our sin (foolish thoughts) as many say. There are countless Christians that have believed this who continue on in misery and continue to do horrible things. We don’t find salvation by simply believing that what is recounted in scripture is all literally true, we find salvation by FOLLOWING THE PATH, THE WAY, and FINDING THE LIGHT AND TRUTH that is within us all.

It is about understanding that His way is the only way, his path is our path, a path we must take. We must die to our ego and rise again. We too must Go to our Father, for God is greater than who we think we are. We too must say, Not my Will, But thine be done. We too must lay down our egotistical lives to have the true life within us all to rise again!

Many say Jesus the Man is God. Yet scriptures teach us… God is NOT A MAN, nor the SON OF MAN!

Numbers 23:19
“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent.

Man is an image that God created. And Jesus is an image that man has created in man’s image and called God. That is a big mistake. Because it puts salvation in the hands of someone or something else, as opposed to putting salvation where it needs to be… and that is within us all. The power of life and death is within us all, it is in our thoughts and tongues. Salvation is in the hands of the spirit of Life, truth and love, salvation is God’s and God’s alone.

Now God created Man in His Image, which means, he made mankind the way he thinks he is. In other words, God had an idea of what God could be or is and decided to make man that way…. Now ironically we have done a similar thing. Consider our ego.

Our EGO is an idea or image of who we think we are. However our EGO it is not WHO we are. Our EGO is merely the image we created for ourselves. That alone is a great revelation that I will try to share a bit later, but sadly, I don’t believe many are ready to receive the full extent of it.

So let’s start by unwrapping how Jesus is actually us. What happened to him happened to us, how he came into this world, we came into this world, what he did we do or will do…

Jesus is said to have taken upon himself the “sins of the world”.

This is exactly what WE all have done as well. Didn’t we ALSO take upon ourselves the sins (cares) of the world when we were born. Didn’t we also trade in joy and peace and unity for the nonsense we began to believe was life on planet earth. Isn’t this why we now cry and seek salvation and redemption? Of course it is the same story. Jesus’ story is our story, and our story is His.

I put to you, as I have done many times before, that JESUS THE MAN, whether historically literally true or not, is A SYMBOL for all of us… about all of us. Just as Buddha, Krishna, and any other avatar that has been written about is.

We ALL have SINNED (Thought foolishly) and come short of the Glory of God. Which is the revelation of the mystery that IS God… We all sinned by believing our salvation laid in the hands of another and not the spirit of truth and love, which is God, that is the center of us all.

Did not God say that he is our Savior! That no one else is our salvation, but God alone?

Read this next passage in Isaiah very carefully. Because it is the Truth of who is within us all and who is the ONLY Savior there is.

Isaiah 45:14-15
They will make supplication to you, saying, ‘Surely GOD IS IN YOU,
And there is NO OTHER; There is NO OTHER GOD. (BUT THE GOD THAT IS IN YOU)”
15 Truly You ARE GOD, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior!

The Only God and Savior there is, IS IN YOU. This God is a God who HIDES IN YOU!

That’s right, there is no one that has walked this earth who had it all figured out. So many have painted this picture of Jesus as someone who knew everything, as God knows everything… AND YET…

Mark 13:32
But of that day and that hour knoweth NO MAN, no, not the angels which are in heaven, NEITHER THE SON, but the Father.

It’s time we let go of this idea that a man named Jesus was so much greater than we are. That what he did we can not do, when in fact the majority of scripture teaches quite the opposite. We are in fact told very clearly in scripture that if we do not do as Jesus did, believe as he believed, live as he lived, and see as he saw, that we are none of his.

Mark 8:34
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

So let’s put this idea that Jesus was some sort of superman to rest. Let’s start with the fact that he was TEMPTED!!!!

AND LADIES AD GENTLEMEN, to be tempted means YOU ARE DRAWN AWAY BY YOUR OWN LUSTS!

James 1:14
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

That’s right even Jesus was “drawn away by his own lust”. Just as we are drawn away by our lusts.

And what are these lusts? You ask.

1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

So the long and short of it is, Jesus being tempted by the devil is just another story to help us understand our story.

Our temptations are his and his temptations are ours. Because, IF TRUTH BE TOLD, Jesus is just the name we have chosen to identify the SPIRIT OF GOD’S SON (child) that is WITHIN US ALL.

We have been duped to believe that Jesus alone is God’s son… yet Adam was declared to be God’s son, David was declared to be God’s Son, All of Israel was declared to be God’s son, and we should know by now we are all Israel. We are all God’s son (heir/child/offspring).

Just as ADAM is A SYMBOL of all of mankind in his first nature (ignorance), JESUS (the 2nd Adam/Man) is a SYMBOL of all of mankind rising to his perfected state.

So when we are persecuted, Jesus is persecuted, just as when Jesus was crucified we were crucified.

Galatians 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Let’s discuss this above scripture (Gal 2:20). Please re-read GAL 2:20 again if you skimmed over it and then let me explain how I understand it.

“Christ” is our TRUE NATURE, Christ is our “LIFE force” if you will.

Colossians 3:4
When Christ, who IS OUR LIFE, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

We (who we think we are=how we identify ourselves from others)are crucified with our TRUE NATURE (Christ).

Now that doesn’t mean our sense of being (or ego) no longer exists, we still live our life as the person we believe ourselves to be… HOWEVER we understand that although we seem to exist, in fact it is CHRIST (the power and wisdom of God) which is really living within that idea of who we think we are.

So once we come to the understanding that who we REALLY are is so much more than who we THOUGHT WE WERE we begin living with the faith that we are indeed GOD’S SON (child).

And if God’s child, then we TOO are GOD’S SON… AND IF THAT BE TRUE….

We are the SON who loved “the idea of who we thought we were” so much, that who “we really are and were (God’s son)” gave himself for us.

Okay, I don’t know if I can even really put in words what I am trying to state here.

Let me try it this way. When you were born who you were isn’t who you began to believe yourself to be. You were given a name which you began to identify as you, you had experiences growing up which molded you into becoming the person you began to think you were. But what really happened within, is who you REALLY were and ARE, began to love the idea of who you began to think yourself to be so much that YOU allowed your true nature to be put to death for the one you began to think yourself to be… BUT ARE NOT… Deep right?

In other words, “Christ (your true nature) DIED so that YOU (who you think you are) could LIVE” – get it?

Let’s put it another way.

Elohim (plural/many-as we are many) said, “let US make man in OUR image”, and “THEY” made mankind in the IMAGE of who THEY thought they were. Remember an IMAGE is only a representation of its creator. It may look like the creator, sound like the creator, feel like the creator, but the image is not the creator, IT CAN NEVER BE.

In other words, Your EGO (who you think you are) may look like, feel like and sound like YOU… but it can’t be, because your ego isn’t you. It is merely a representation of who you REALLY ARE in this world. YOUR EGO is nothing compared to who you are. You are so much greater than the image of who you are.

Okay, I know what I am sharing may seem far-fetched. But think about this… Isn’t our ego an image of who we believe ourselves to be? And can’t we, LIKE GOD, repent of the person we then became by destroying that image/person and starting again?

Genesis 6:5-7
5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

Don’t we all at one point or another in our lives say, “I don’t like the person I have become”, “I don’t like the way I think”, “the way I live”, “I don’t want to be the person I am anymore”, “I want to recreate myself?”

And then don’t we then set out to change who we were to become a new and better person? Don’t we set out to destroy the person we made on the earth with every negative thought and bad habit that went along with it?

Of course we do.

So when I stated earlier that Jesus is simply a representation of who we REALLY are, I wasn’t expressing myself metaphorically, I was being literal about the metaphor of Jesus… who is really US.

Now I have written about this for years, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when I say the Temptation of Jesus by the devil in the wilderness is really our temptation to begin with.

We need to first understand that the WILDERNESS that we are tempted in is OUR WAKING LIFE. It is the life we are living right now WITHOUT the full understanding of who we are and what we are capable of.

The wilderness is our waking life which feels more like a journey that goes on and on until we find the promise land.

Think about that for a moment. Isn’t everyone here waiting to die to go to heaven? As if on some journey where the end result is the promiseland?

The irony is WE ARE THE PROMISE LAND. The light and life of God is WITHIN, IT IS ALREADY WHO WE TRULY ARE. And while we are searching high and low for peace outside of us, PEACE has always been within and never far. While we are trying to FIND OURSELVES we have ALWAYS BEEN OURSELVES but refused to believe that.

This world has become OUR WILDERNESS in which we are tempted, because of our EGO (who we think we are).

This world should feel like paradise because we are paradise. I believe it WILL feel this way once AGAIN. the instant we embrace who we really are and let go of WHO WE THINK WE ARE. Our EGO has turned this paradise into a wilderness where we are suffering, struggling to make ends meet, and worse. This is written right there in the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah 14:16-18
16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man who made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; 17 THAT MADE THE WORLD AS A WILDERNESS.

AND SO, NOW to correct all of this, we have become the VOICE CRYING OUT IN THE WILDERNESS…

Isaiah 40:3
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

The reason we are shouting, “prepare the way of the Lord and to make straight a path for our God” is because we want to live right, we want to know the truth, WE WANT TO BE FREE! So we are actively preparing and taking steps for this great day. The day when the truth of who we are is finally revealed.

So when I state that Jesus’ temptation is our temptation, and our temptation is Jesus’ temptation, I am being quite literal. For Jesus is the name we have given to the salvation of self-realization. Jesus is just the name we used to eventually lead us to the savior that is within us all… SO THAT WHEN WE BELIEVE ON HIM (WHO WE REALLY ARE) WE WILL BE SAVED!

Our journey has never been about putting our faith in another, especially putting our faith in someone from thousands of years ago who supposedly did all the work for us. Our journey is to find that…

1 John 4:17
… as HE is, so are WE in this world.

Your salvation from your fear, worry, doubt, and suffering is not found in believing that some man from thousands of years ago died for you. It is realizing the truth of who you are died so who you think you are can live. And that is why you MUST follow the example laid out before you and LAY down the person you think you are to allow the truth of who you really are to live.

Matthew 16:24
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

To DENY something is to state “It doesn’t exist”. It doesn’t say “deprive” yourself, it states you need to “DENY YOURSELF, TAKE UP THE CROSS AND FOLLOW THE PATH”. To DENY who you think you are, take up your cross from death to life and follow the example laid out before you.

When Jesus was asked, what is the way to the father… He said very clearly. I AM THE WAY.

Now that does not mean you have to believe on him and that it’s all good because he did it already. It means HE IS THE WAY, what “HE” did “YOU” must do, what “HE” found out “YOU” must find out… And you have to BELIEVE this if you will ever have a chance of finding salvation in this world.

And what was one of the first things Jesus found out first before his true ministry began?

Matthew 17:5
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

We too, must understand that WE ARE GOD’S ONLY BEGOTTEN SON IN WHOM GOD IS WELL PLEASED! And immediately after we do this, just as the story of Jesus details, we too will be tempted in the wilderness of our lives.

But it is essential that you understand the symbolism of this temptation and not feel compelled to simply accept the Hollywood version as historical fact. There was no literal snake whispering in Jesus’ ear. This is allegory people and my essays have always been about trying to uncover what that means.

There is so much more for us all to learn from these stories when we don’t rely on private interpretation, or should I say “literal interpretation”. We need to rely on spiritual inspiration.

I tell you the truth when I say the spiritual meaning of these stories is life-giving and wonderful. While trying to make these allegories literally true becomes a stumbling block for all.

In addition once you understand this, you will also see that like scripture, our lives are an allegory as well. Whatever we face has a much deeper spiritual meaning for us to learn. This is why the scriptures teach us that God is known by the physical things around us.

But let me get back to the original point of this essay. The Temptation of Jesus in the wilderness.

Because I have an interesting thing to put before you. In the story of the Temptation Jesus is whisked away by the Devil and basically promised that Jesus could have it all, if he would simply bow down and worship him.

Isn’t it ironic that the Christian Church also teaches that if you worship Jesus, your problems will go away and you can be blessed beyond measure?

Matthew 4:8
8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

Now I am not saying Jesus is the devil here, I want to be clear. I am saying Man’s EGO is the Devil, and Man’s EGO is tricking you into worshipping someone else to have it all. Now I know there are many that even read this blog that “worship” Jesus… But when tempted in the wilderness, pay attention to the words Jesus used.

10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you,[d] Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’

Jesus did not say, it is written YOU SHALL WORSHIP ME (JESUS) AND JESUS ALONE SHALL YOU SERVE… NO! Jesus said very clearly that YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD, YOUR GOD (the devils/egos God), and GOD ALONE SHALL YOU SERVE.

This means people, and PAY ATTENTION… YOUR EGO MUST SERVE GOD! Your TRUE NATURE is in control of YOUR EGO!

WHO YOU ARE TRUMPS WHO YOU THINK YOU ARE!

You are not a helpless victim. You do not need anyone or anything to help you find the peace and freedom you crave. All you need to do is BELIEVE ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!

Matthew 19:26
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

The temptation is to turn stones (religious laws) into Bread (life-giving food). The Temptation is to bow down and serve your ego and you can have it all, but your EGO/Devil is your prison in which you have the power to not only escape but put under your true control. The temptation is to believe you are helpless and that only if you bow down and serve another that you will find freedom and peace. The temptation is you can live the way you want without consequences. The temptation is to accept yourself as you are and call yourself perfect when you know deep down living out of your ego is far from perfection. The temptation is to believe everything the media feeds you, to believe if you only have this or that you will finally be happy. The temptation is designed to keep you focused on everything that is outside of you, when everything there is has always been within.

YOU ARE MORE THAN YOUR EGO. You are more than you could ever believe. When Jesus said, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me” – He was stating a fact that is true for us all.

For God is everything, and Everything is God. You and every single person share something unique and wonderful in common. YOU ARE ALL THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING, AS AM I. The day begins and ends with each of us. We ARE the center of everything, we are IN THE FATHER AND THE FATHER IS IN US…

A good way to describe that is to look at the world outside of you. You are in this world, but also the world is IN YOU… Because the only way the world and everything in it is known, is by how it is processed within. Everything you see, is actually formed within, everything you hear, EVERYTHING OUTSIDE OF YOU is scientifically proven to be INSIDE OF YOU. And with out YOU nothing would ever exist.

I don’t know how many people are truly ready to see past the temptation of putting your faith outside of yourself. But I do know once you put your faith within and accept that you are so much more than who you think you, then you will know salvation and God in all God’s glory.

John 8:32
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

FIND THE TRUTH PEOPLE!

Thank you again for spending some time on my ladder! 🙂
Jacob

For my novel, The Calling
http://www.JacobIsrael.org

Hidden Wisdom From Above

Jacob Israel10 Comments



Hidden Wisdom From Above

This morning I just had a real strong desire to write. I did not know what to write, in fact the last time I had something that I truly wanted to share, I just didn’t have the time to write it as I started a new job and have been working many hours. Instead I posted a brief “thought for the day” on my facebook about it. It was something that I found to be truly wonderful and yet I was surprised it didn’t get the attention that I thought it would.

As you all know by now, I love it when the “SPIRIT” of the scriptures are uncovered. Because as we all know by now it is the SPIRIT OF THE STORY that gives us life, not the LETTER (literal) understanding of it. We are meant to be ministers of the SPIRIT, of the heart of truth and love, not ministers of historical fact or literal repetition.

2 Corinthians 3:6
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

It is the SPIRIT that gives one peace. It is that AHA moment, when you finally understand what it all means that changes a person’s heart. The focus should never be on the reciting of a particular story or accepting it to be literally true. The focus should always be on what IT ALL MEANS. It is the SPIRIT of the story that has been hidden away within the story that we are destined to share.

We are to share the meaning of the GOSPEL (good news) not simply the repetition of it. What does it matter if you can repeat every single word of the nativity story, if you don’t realize that THIS STORY is YOUR STORY. What does it matter if you can repeat page after page of scripture if you don’t first know what it means?

WHAT IS THE MYSTERY THAT HAS BEEN HIDDEN? That is what we must share. THE SPIRIT of the mystery tucked away neatly within the author’s story.

1 Corinthians 2:7
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory

And this mystery is CHRIST IN YOU! But merely repeating those words means nothing, IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU!

Proverbs 26:7
The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

This simple passage reveals a great mystery. The Author is telling you what a LAME man is. Re-read the passage… now what is the LAME man a symbol of?

RIGHT! A FOOL! One who does not know the TRUTH. One who has yet to have the SPIRIT of the PARABLE revealed. One who has yet to have the TRUTH heal his FOOLISH AFFLICTION. And CHRIST (the TRUTH reveals in mankind) HEALS the LAME.

So what I wanted to share recently was the parable of the man with the withered hand. Jesus healed him on the sabbath. This was the short poem I posted, in hopes someone would pick up on its hidden meaning.

When Jesus healed the man with the withered hand, the point wasn’t just to prove that on the Sabbath God had a different plan. The point was to show, that all it takes is compassion for anyone’s hand to grow. This is all allegory you see, for the spiritually and emotionally crippled to be free, all it takes is love and charity. This is why before the man was healed he was first told to “stretch forth his hand”… This for everyone is God’s plan. What we do for others we do for ourselves. This is the key to freedom and how all those hurting will be made well… Our Hand has been withered for far too long, our authority and power needs to be restored so we can begin to sing a new song. We too need to STRETCH FORTH OUR HAND to those in need and I promise when we do our hand that has been withered by lies and greed will be made whole and the peace we have all longed for we will finally see. So today I will Stretch forth your hand, not just for you but for me.

What I was trying to do was show people the SPIRIT of this story. Look, it doesn’t matter one bit whether a man named Jesus literally healed a person’s hand. HOW DOES BELIEVING THIS CHANGE A PERSON? The answer is… IT DOESN’T. All it creates is confusion. Because “as Jesus is so are we in this world.”

1 John 4:17
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Now if this be true, then why can’t you or I just go up to someone without a limb, or who is lame and instantly heal them? The answer is, because the literal healing of the person IS NOT WHAT IS IMPORTANT! God only wants two things from us, LOVE GOD, LOVE OTHERS. If you do this, all of God’s law and spirit is fulfilled.

So how does one see that LOVE is the answer in these stories of people being healed?

One must see the parable! One must learn the hidden wisdom of God.

We must look at each word in scripture and find out what they represent. For the sake of time, I will only share one scripture as a description.

Let’s look at that scripture.

Luke 6:6
And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.

The SABBATH is when we are meant to enter into REST. Meaning we have no more fear, we have hope, peace, we have stopped our works (vain effort) and we trust in God.

However, here we see that MAN (us) on the SABBATH (when we should be resting) found ourselves to have a right hand that was withered.

Now we understand that CHRIST (The TRUTH/Way/Life) of God is the RIGHT HAND OF GOD… So this must mean, that the TRUTH of God is of none effect in our lives. The authority of Love has withered, when it should be whole. Now watch how we begin to unravel the meaning of the withered hand.

The HAND = One Power, Ability, Influence

Exodus 15:6
Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in POWER

The MAN is the story, is always a representation of US. FOR we are the MEN AND WOMEN of scripture.

To have the Power of God withered in your life, means you are not ruled by the TRUTH. When something withers it is first starved of water (doctrine/teaching/understanding). The good news is, there is a way to heal this. And that is found in STRETCHING OUT YOUR HAND.

I hope by now you see that this ALLEGORY is about how the authority and power and love of God is restored when the MAN (us) begins to STRETCH OUT OUR HANDS!!!! Meaning we must LOVE OTHERS! When we do this we are made whole again and the power and authority of God’s truth is restored whole in our lives so we can finally do GOOD!

Because we MUST do good on the sabbath, not evil. We should be resting, we should be loving, we should be trusting, and to do this we MUST understand the SPIRIT of the story. Not just of scripture but of our lives.

Gal 4
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants

The LITERAL is slavery, but the SPIRITUAL iS LIFE! It is time for us to look past the literal and see the SPIRIT of it all.

Every writer loves to delve into allegory as it does more than just paint the picture for you, it allows the picture to unfold into your imagination into something that lives.

Let me explain what I mean by using the classic “Moby Dick” to illustrate. In Melville’s amazing tale, the White Whale and the journey to hunt it down means so much more than just some man trying to get revenge.

For those that don’t know the story, here is a brief synopsis from good ole Wikipedia…

The story tells the adventures of wandering sailor Ishmael, and his voyage on the whaleship Pequod, commanded by Captain Ahab. Ishmael soon learns that Ahab has one purpose on this voyage: to seek out Moby Dick, a ferocious, enigmatic white sperm whale. In a previous encounter, the whale destroyed Ahab’s boat and bit off his leg, which now drives Ahab to take revenge.

Now on one level this story tells an exciting tale, but if one were to just take this story at face value, the true meaning would forever be lost. Because this “White Whale” is not just a literal whale. It symbolizes something greater. Whether it is inner conflict or worldly pressures, well that depends greatly on what the reader needs to learn at the moment.

Every element of Moby Dick, as well as many others classic tales, contain great hidden wisdom. That goes also for Ahab’s “Leg” which was more than just a literal leg but the ability to move on, or “The ship”, “The Crew”, “Ishmael” himself, all of which has a deeper, allegorical meaning.

When the greater truth of a story is uncovered the life of the reader can be changed… Or so that is the hope of every author.

Within my novel, The Calling, characters, locations and scenarios all have a deeper meaning. It was my desire for people to read this novel again and again and have the ability to take something new away from it. This is the same way I read the scriptures.

However, if one were to read my novel, strictly as a literal story, sure it would be an exciting ride but they would miss the “LIFE/SPIRIT” of the story, which I believe could truly make a difference in their lives, much like Melville’s tale, or “Tom Sawyer” and of course the greatest book of them all, The Bible (IN MY HUMBLE OPINION).

But how can one experience change and learn this great wisdom from above, if one doesn’t pray for IT and seek after the deeper meaning.

The question is, how do we SEE this deeper meaning? Who holds the keys to unlocking the treasures hidden away from “literal” sight?

Isaiah 48:6
…I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.

We are being shown things all the time. But in the past we didn’t really pay attention. However, today is different, today MANY are waking up. Many are seeing God and the truth of God in a new LIGHT (a new way of seeing the scriptures). Where once people didn’t know how to find the truth within now they are learning that all one needs to do is ask.

“Teach me the Truth Lord, No Matter What The Cost!” – This was my prayer, but that prayer was first a desire that was planted within me. I did not ask for this desire, it was a gift. A gift all of you have been wonderfully given as well.

Psalm 21:2
Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips.

This is the gift of God, lest any man should boast.

Proverbs 25:14
Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain

There is no one more anointed than you. There is no one more special or gifted than you. If only people could see that their salvation (freedom from their ignorant suffering and false ego) lies within. If only people could see that the truth of God does not live in others alone and that the truth of God is not for a special chosen lot who people flock to every sunday. If only people could see that the truth of God is not for those who parade around in the churches, wearing expensive clothes, who love the praise of men and the riches of the world…

Luke 20:46
Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts

If only people could see that TRUTH of God is for us all. It is within us all and waiting to be discovered by us all.

Yet, you will never be free, you will never have hope and peace, until you let go of everything you thought you knew about God and sincerely desire the truth of God.

The good news is many of you reading this right now are already there. In addition you also know it was not by your will alone that brought you to this point.

Romans 9:16
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy

This is great news. This is reason for us all to stand up and shout…

Psalm 62:1
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation

No matter what we are going through, regardless of where we are, THE HAND OF THE LORD is WITH US and there is a work taking place within us that no one can destroy.

Isaiah 14:27
For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

Now that is great new, isn’t it? WE CAN’T FAIL PEOPLE! No one is too lost to be found, no one is to hurt to be healed, no one is to consumed with anger to forgive, NO ONE IS OUTSIDE OF THE PURPOSE THAT IS WITHIN US ALL.

Sure it may take time for others to see the Light, but that doesn’t mean the light isn’t within them already waiting for their experiences to open the door of their understanding so they can see it and express it to others.

You see God makes everything beautiful in its time. More importantly, God has ALREADY done it.

Ecclesiastes 3:11
He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:

Isn’t it time for us to stop arguing over what is literal and what is not. Isn’t it time for us to see to the heart of God so in turn we can show the heart of God to others. It is time for us to finally have HOPE!

Romans 5:5
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

GOD IS LOVE AND TRUTH! And the HIDDEN WISDOM of God is found in every story, in every life, in every situation, in every heart, in every minute or every day. So seek the SPIRIT of the story, not the letter of it all. Seek the WISDOM from above and remember what God’s wisdom truly is.

JAMES 3
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

For those that want to condemn others, persecute others, tear down others, this is the path to a life of despair. But for those who love all, accept all, and stretch their hands toward all… this is the wisdom that is above all.

It is my great hope, that this WISDOM which is PURE, PEACEABLE, GENTLE, EASY, FILLED WITH MERCY, WITHOUT PARTIALITY, AND WITHOUT HYPOCRISY… it is THIS WISDOM I pray you will seek, as you seek the SPIRIT OF IT ALL!

(If you enjoyed this article please feel free to share with other. Please subscribe, it is free and you will be updated with every new article or video I post here. And for those that have supported the “Voice in the Dead Woods” and continue to do so, I am so thankful to you, it is beyond words.)

Jacob
http://www.JacobIsrael.org

DON’T FALL AMONG THIEVES

Jacob Israel9 Comments

DON’T FALL AMONG THIEVES

In study, the other night, I was reading Luke’s Gospel and remembered a certain verse that was quickened (saw clearly the meaning of) to me some years ago. It dealt with the story of the Man who fell among thieves. Jesus used this story to picture who “our Neighbor” was.

Years ago, when I read this story I thought it was pretty cut and dry. Some guy comes up to Jesus and says, “Hey, what do I have to do to inherit eternal life.” Jesus says, “What do you think? What does the Law say?” The guy responds, “Love God, and Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Simple right? Well, no… Because, then the guy goes onto justify himself by asking, “And just whoooooo, is my neighbor?”

Now, Jesus could have said, “Are you kidding me lawyer Man? Look around you, everyone you see is your neighbor.” However, he didn’t. In typical Jesus form, he started in with his parables… I always thought Jesus would have made an excellent elementary school teacher, as he taught things so simply using these wonderful word pictures, and stories, to make his point. A child could understand, but not us smarty pants religious adults. I, too, find myself saying, after looking at a particular verse… “Master, what dost thou meanest?” Believe it or not, that is EXACTLY how I ask… Because I like to get my old English freak on when dealing the things of the God. You can thank Mr. King James for that.

Okay, enough of the silly talk… back to the point of this essay/parable. Which is easy to understand, if you understand that it’s a parable, not so simple, if you think it be literal.

In many cases, the problem is, over the years, mankind has begun to think these stories to be literally true. In fact, a majority of scripture is looked at this way, even though Jesus taught the kingdom if a mystery, and mysteries need to be uncovered. Come on Nancy Drew Keep up!

In fact, in many parables Jesus gives, describing the kingdom, it is HIDDEN. “Treasure hidden in a field” “Seed hidden in the ground” “Leaven hidden in meal”

What I am getting at here is not everything is so cut and dry. Not everything is understood by a literal reading of it.

I often use the story of the boy who cried wolf as an example of what these parables are like. If the story is taken literally then the meaning and message is lost. It become a tragic tale of some kid eaten by a wolf… But when it is understood allegorically, the reader knows that exaggerating and lying can get you in BIG trouble… The same is true for every parable Jesus spoke.

He said to his disciples (those being taught by the WORD/truth) – “Unto YOU it is given to KNOW the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. Unto them that are without… ALL THINGS ARE DONE IN PARABLE.” <-

Mind you scripture does not say, Jesus spoke SOME THINGS in parable … Scripture states to the masses Jesus ONLY spoke in parable. (NOT LITERALLY, a story that must be spiritually discerned, a story that uses symbols to get across a point, a story that can only be understood by revelation. Which is the revealed meaning of the hidden truth inside the parable.) And Jesus ONLY spoke to the masses in parable.

Matthew 13:34
All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them

Why did he do this?

Matthew 13:13
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

He spoke in Parable – WHICH IS WHY WE CANNOT TAKE EVERYTHING LITERALLY PEOPLE! The Letter (which means literal understanding) KILLS (makes you ignorant). You see Jesus spoke in Parable so that people would not rely on their understanding, the meaning would have to come like lightning from heaven (insight/revelation within). For years you may not understand something, and then in an instant the truth and meaning floods your thoughts. This is expressed perfectly in the nest passage where we see, Jesus having to expound these things he spoke (parables) to his disciples.

Mark 4:34
But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples

Notice the words, when they were ALONE. Now follow me, if Christ is IN you, this is the hope of Glory. That means that WITHIN YOU the spirit of Wisdom and Power (which is Christ) will expound the meaning of these things to you. And then after going up that ladder to heaven, you can then come down again and express what you have learned to those around you, and those with ears to hear will hear. And usually those that hear (understand) are those that are in his BOSOM (AN ALLEGORY for instruction/nursing/teaching).

Mark 4:11
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables

Basically, Jesus is saying, those that know the Truth will see (understand the HEART of these allegorical tales and be set free. But those who do not know the TRUTH (Christ REVEALS) will see only the literal story. And in HEARING they will not hear, and in SEEING they will not see.

The problem arises when the story becomes the important part, as opposed to the heart of the story which is WHAT THE PARABLE IS ABOUT. We need to LOOK TO THE HEART of things as God looks to the HEART of us all. If looked to the outward man (how we act, what we do) and not to the inward man (who we truly are) God would see a hot mess in his creation, but God looks to the heart, he looks to the TRUTH within the PARABLE that is US.

Okay, that being said and done… Let’s dig into this parable of the good Samaritan. Because there is something more for us to learn from it, when the eyes of our understanding can SEE IT.

Luke 10:25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?

What a weird question, don’t you think? Shouldn’t it be obvious? Well, no! First, consider who is asking the question.

Luke 10:25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and TEMPTED him

This was NOT a sincere question from a sincere man. He was TEMPTING HIM. Which means, he was trying to discredit and open the door for Jesus to sin (THINK AND ACT FOOLISHLY). As we know, “when we are tempted we are drawn away by our own lusts.” This insincere man was also trying to justify himself, which simply means, he wanted to prove he was right and Jesus was wrong.

The LAWYERS of the day, weren’t known for their sincerity in the faith. In fact quite the opposite. They were known as people who used the scriptures as a bat and not a shepherd’s staff. Know some people like that? People who always have to be right and will throw one scripture out after another to prove that our God is not a God of Love.

Luke 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers REJECTED the counsel of God.

You see the Lawyers of that day, and the people who use the scriptures as a way to justify themselves and beat down everyone else, especially those that are unique and different, REJECT THE COUNSEL OF GOD. Which is to LOVE OTHERS AS YOURSELF, DO GOOD UNTO OTHERS, DO TO OTHERS AS YOU WANT DONE TO YOURSELF.

The Lawyers are a parabolic picture of those, who study the LETTER of the LAW and condemn those on every single point yet they themselves refuse the TRUTH OF GOD. Could the same be said for many calling themselves men and women of God today? I sadly would have to say yes.

The Lawyers are a picture of the Religious Elite who consider themselves beyond reproach because of their scrutinizing study of the mosaic Law. We have lots of them today, with their “the bible says this”, and “the bible LITERALLY says that”, and yet they don’t have the first inkling of what God is speaking through these scriptures.

John 5:39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me

Many today don’t understand the Spirit of the scriptures which should come alive with revelation when read. Instead, they rely on the dead letter (literal) of the scriptures, which they use to condemn and justify themselves as authorities on the things of God. Much like our lawyer in the Samaritan story.

As an author, I am sad when I see this. Let’s put aside the majority of evidence in scripture that gives each of us the keys to understanding the scriptures. Let’s put aside the fact that the scriptures states clearly “God opens his mouth in parable, in dark sayings” “That it is the glory of God to CONCEAL a thing”, And Christ (The power and wisdom of God) COMES (is revealed) in the Glory of God (The hidden parable of scripture and our waking life).

In my novel, “The Calling”, I tell a thrilling story about a boy who was purposed to change the world from birth, as we are all purposed from birth. His life becomes incredibly difficult. Now, THE CALLING is a great book, but this FICTION is not meant to be taken LITERALLY… IT IS AN ALLEGORY! On one level we see a Child who suffers abuse and hardship and we follow him on a fantastic journey that brings the world hope. But on another level, a deeper level, everything is speaking of something spiritual. And only a few will see the deeper meaning of what is written, because like the scriptures I prayed to write a novel that would also need to be spiritually discerned. Hey that is what book clubs are all about, finding out what the author is REALLY TRYING TO SAY! And the scriptures are no different.

However, regardless of how clever the story telling in the The Calling is, regardless of how believable it seems to be, it is simply an allegory that I hope further a persons spiritual journey. The Calling is not a true story, sure most of it is based on aspects of my life but it is NOT A TRUE STORY that is meant to be taken literally. It is an ALLEGORY.

But consider this, what if thousands of years go by, and someone finds this book and starts teaching that all of it literally happened (which it didn’t). Then everyone will focus on the fantastic elements of the books as literal and miss the fantastic TRUTH that is ONLY UNDERSTOOD by moving past what seemed to literally happen to what REALLY MATTERS!

I don’t know about you but I want LIFE not DEATH. I want REVELATION not Regurgitation.

Back to the LAWYER… I want to point out that studying the scriptures as well as other holy books is great, but no amount of study MAKES YOU GOD’S CHILD. We are justified by our Faith, like Abraham was, not by how many scriptures we can quote.

The Lawyers of Jesus day were known for being cruel and judgmental, so Jesus knew the intent of this Lawyers heart.

The man asking Jesus, “what shall I do to inherit eternal life” … was TEMPTING HIM. He didn’t want to know the truth. He simply was testing Christ’s knowledge… He was putting Jesus on the spot. How many put us on the spot for our beliefs? They don’t really want to know what we believe to be true they want to find a crack in our beliefs to wiggle in and exploit. They want to prove us wrong, so they can prove to themselves and others they are right.

And yes, this is what has become of religion today, a bunch of people running around looking for who is with them, and condemning anyone who sees things differently. Well, I for one don’t mind being condemned if what God is revealing to me is foreign to what the local church, mosque, or kingdom hall is teaching. What about you? Do you want more than Religion? Do you want the know the Truth of God no matter what the cost? Then to do this, you need to SEEK AND FIND, and when you SEEK AND FIND as the Gospel of Thomas states, you will be disturbed. Because everything you thought you knew was never true. And like Paul, when the revelation of Christ came you too, will become BLIND (meaning you will realize you know nothing about God) and you will need to be led by a child and restored by those who God sends your way, or restored by allowing what God is revealing to you to reside in your thoughts. And when that happens you will get rid of everything that you once held dear, you will empty that ship because you know you only need Christ.

Matthew 13:44
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field

So when the lawyer tempted Jesus, in typical Messiah fashion, Jesus flipped the switch quick on him.

“He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?”

Christ was appealing to the man’s vanity. He knew the Lawyer believed he had the answers, he knew the Lawyer couldn’t WAIT to tell Jesus how everyone needs to WORK THEIR WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE…. WORKS, phewy!

And when the Lawyer answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”

Jesus said, “You answered right. Do this and LIVE”. Notice Jesus didn’t say, “do this and have eternal life” – There is a good reason. Because ETERNAL LIFE is NOT what most think it to be.

Many believe Eternal Life is playing shuffle board in Heaven with the saints and Patriarchs and eating all the ice cream and fried oreo cookies they want without ever putting on a pound. (That does sound good, I have to admit) However, THAT IS NOT ETERNAL LIFE!

The Lawyer wanted to know what to do, TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. Jesus said, you answered right DO THAT AND LIVE.

ETERNAL LIFE = TO LIVE

And the ONLY WAY to truly LIVE is to know God and the TRUTH! We are LITERALLY told what Eternal life is, in John.

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

ETERNAL LIFE is to KNOW GOD and CHRIST. There it is, in Black and White. And To know this, you MUST LOVE GOD and LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR as yourself. That alone is a revelation… For if you want to KNOW GOD and CHRIST you need only LOVE GOD and your NEIGHBOR. That is a HUGE TRUTH if you can see it… hope you can. If not, no worries, I’ll have some seven page paper on what that means soon I’m sure. 🙂

Jesus is the RESURRECTION and the LIFE, if you BELIEVE on CHRIST (God’s wisdom and power) even though you were DEAD (Ignorant/carnal) you shall LIVE (Be enlightened)

John 11:25
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in (For/Unto) me, though he were dead, yet shall he live

And if I have said it once, it isn’t enough. It isn’t about believing in a literal man from thousands of years ago, it is believing as HE believes. It is believing IN (which means literally UNTO or FOR) him. You need to come to stature of the perfect man, and full understanding as Jesus had. You need to come to the unity of the faith.

Ephesians 4:13
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ

But listening to the LAWYERS of Jesus’ day or today, won’t bring you there. Religious pride and arrogance and bias won’t help you LIVE. In fact, quite the opposite. If someone has the “it’s my way or the highway” mentality, you will never be free. You will be BOUND BY THEIR CHAINS. You will be YOLKED by their ignorance and abuse.

2 Corinthians 6:14
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

You know very well that if your beliefs don’t line up with an “unbelievers” particular beliefs they will condemn you for it. Not exactly what everyone should get when looking for peace in their life, huh?

You see, this LAWYER didn’t really want to know Eternal Life (God and Christ) he wanted to discredit Jesus. That was his motive.

Jesus then goes on to tell a story, about who is your NEIGHBOR. This ain’t no Mr. Rogers were talking about… this is JESUS people, so Listen up!

Luke 10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

You got to love how Jesus always starts his parable off with “a certain man” –

The reason, is that CERTAIN MAN is EVERY MAN/WOMAN – it is no one in particular and everyone in particular.

Now, upon a simple reading of this you would think this story is about some poor guy who got robbed and only one person helped him. But like I stated earlier, not everything is as it literally seems.

This parable has more to do with FAITH and BELIEF than it has to do with literally being robbed. So, let’s tear these scriptures apart and SEE (understand) what is REALLY going on.

Luke 10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves.

We can learn something from the description of where this “certain man” left, Jerusalem, which in HEBREW means “Teaching of PEACE”.

So this “certain man” left the “TEACHING OF PEACE “(Jerusalem) to go to Jericho, which means “It’s MOON” – Symbolic of the FALSE LIGHT. The MOON is symbolic of MAN’S SOUL as it simply REFLECTS the SON/SUN. The MOON is not the SOURCE of LIGHT (Truth) it is a very dim reflection of it.

The SUN is to the SON as the Moon is to MANS WAYS/TEACHING.

This is interesting to note because this CERTAIN MAN left JERUSALEM to go to JERICHO… This certain man LEFT THE TEACHING OF PEACE for the FALSE LIGHT. And this is what so many people are ignorantly doing. God wakes them up inside, they want to know God, and unfortunately they leave what is being taught within and go to “religion”. AND THEY GET ROBBED AND BEATEN AND ABUSED FOR IT!

Been there, done that myself.

This is allegorical of MANKIND leaving the TRUTH of God for the IMITATION/Religion – BADDDDD RELIGION…. And yes, most of us do this very same thing. I did it, you probably did it, or you are doing it now.

Oh, I know what you’re saying, “That’s a stretch, Jacob.. Jerusalem and Jericho are literal places, the meaning of their names isn’t significant at all… YOUR CRAZZZZZZY!… CRAZY LIKE CHRIST I SAY!

I would have used Fox, but you know, them foxes (religious/political leaders-look it up) always spoiling the vine and such… Anyway, regardless of what your thinking about the names of those places and their meanings follow this paper and see if the meanings of these names be what they be.

Lets look at the next line…

Luke 10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves.

This CERTAIN MAN left Jerusalem for Jericho and fell among THIEVES. Oh, sure you could say that he was just robbed literally… BUT, THAT DOESN’T HELP YOU SPIRITUALLY DOES IT?

Our literal possessions don’t matter to God or Christ.

Matthew 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt…

Jesus is TEACHING about how to inherit ETERNAL LIFE not about how to avoid getting robbed or some self-defense technique… I think Peter had some kind of Karate class going on with Paul for a while, but they never agreed on whether the pork dumplings and stir fry was acceptable for end of the year Karate Mixer… <-insert laugh here for bad apostolic joke.

As I said earlier, this is a story of “MANKIND” leaving THE TEACHING OF PEACE (Jerusalem) for MAN’S TEACHINGS (The Moon/Jericho).

Now we know, there is only ONE WAY to find the FATHER and that is THROUGH THE SON. This is what Jesus is telling the lawyer. He is actually showing the lawyer that the LAWYER was a THIEF to begin with.

Of course the Lawyers and Pharisees of the world could never see this because they are too busy keeping people from the Kingdom. That was their thing, all about straining for gnats and swallowing camels… Hazing was NUTS back in the day! 🙂

So, let’s say I’m right… That this story is about Mankind leaving the TRUTH for MAN’S TEACHINGS and getting robbed spiritually… If this be so, who then are the THIEVES?

Well, Jesus tells us…

John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

Look at that, Jesus says THOSE THAT TRY and ENTER THE KINGDOM ANY OTHER WAY than HIM… Is a THIEF AND A ROBBER.

Isn’t that something? This paper is about MANKIND leaving GOD’S TRUTH for MAN’S LIES and they FALL AMONG THIEVES… and Jesus says, the thieves are liars who promise entrance into the Kingdom another way, without CHRIST, without the TRUTH.

Now, let me just point out. Just because you “Literally” say “Jesus is your Lord and Savior” and go to church every Sunday and read your bible and pray… that DOES NOT MEAN you worship GOD. Don’t get angry, these aren’t my words… Take it up with the Lord!

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

That means a literal belief in a literal Man is not having the TRUTH. The hope of Glory if CHRIST IN YOU. Salvation is believing on his name (nature) … Salvation is UNDERSTANDING THE TRUTH about God.

There are hundreds of denominations in Christianity that claim Jesus as their Lord and Savior, who are as lost as those who worship the bark off a tree. This is why we MUST ask God, “Teach me the Truth, no matter what the cost” and daily seek His Face (NOT LITERALLY HIS FACE… COME ON PEOPLE :). To seek God’s face, is to RECOGNIZE the TRUTH.

And when we SEEK GOD, we MUST get rid of EVERY THING else we have held unto and believed to be true, that was not TRUE. We must let go of everything man has taught us, for what the Holy Spirit WITHIN US teaches us. Time to lets those Idols go; but not American Idol’s come on, it’s the only show the whole family agrees on. And now that Paula and Simon are gone, perhaps it’s time for us to move on.

SO, to be saved we HAVE TO LET GO OF ANY THING THAT IS NOT TRUE. We must be purged of the OLD MAN, the OLD THINKING, WE MUST PUT ON THE MIND OF CHRIST, and get rid of everything else.

We saw how Paul had those on his Prison Ship get rid of everything in the boat that was WEIGHING them down so the STORM would not overtake them. A perfect picture of how we have to get rid of all the lies we have believed over the years and allow Christ the TRUTH to set us free.

But back to our story here.

Luke 10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves.

You see, when we first enter religion… many of us, fall among THIEVES. We enter in thinking we will get closer to God but these so-called Teachers end up stealing from us. They rob us of so much, our spirit, our finances, our friends, our fun, our routines, like the FROGS that plagued Egypt (if you have eyes to see this) these CROAKING RELIGIOUS LEADERS get into everything, our food, our bedroom, every aspect of our lives these Religious Leaders try to control. This is what Jesus’ parable is about, Bad Religion.

Let’s go to rest of this verse.

…which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead

RAIMENT is a key word here people… Once again, we are not talking about some real life thugs robbing a guy and stealing his clothes. No, we are talking about a covering, “spiritual Raiment” – and all we need to do is go to scripture to find out what it really is.

Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment;

RAIMENT is another word for clothes. Clothes we put on and take off. God clothes us with TRUTH and HUMILITY.

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

You see, here is another allegory for us to uncover. Many people, wanting to have a relationship with God, ignorantly leave Godly beliefs like humility, acceptance, forgiveness, for the love for Religious pride, condemnation, judgment, and more.

So, this “Certain Man” went to Religion to find God and ended up being robbed and stripped of every good thought he had when he was in JERUSALEM (the teaching of peace)

These Thieves are bad, bad, bad, RELIGIOUS leaders, who lure you in and take, take, take from you. And they leave you HALF DEAD (Carnal and ignorant) – As the LAWYER in this story, most certainly did on a regular basis.

Whenever you leave the TRUTH OF GOD for the WAYS OF MAN, you will always find some Thief waiting to rob you.

This puts a whole new spin, however on the crucifixion. As Christ was right there IN BETWEEN TWO THIEVES…

You see, even the THIEVES can repent and find their dwelling in paradise in Christ.

Moving on:

“And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.”

By now, you should understand why the Priest and Levite passed the robbed, naked, beaten, half dead man on the other side. They weren’t going to help this “certain man” at all. For they were THIEVES themselves. If however, the man had something to OFFER THEM, they would… But at this point, he had nothing.

Bad Religious Leaders cannot help those abused by other Bad Religious Leaders. The Priest and Levite, claimed the things of God, claimed to know God, but ignored the hurt member of their faith. They can’t see the pain bad religion causes, they can’t see the damage they are doing to their blind flock. Because they are blind themselves.

Jesus said, when I was naked you DID NOT clothe me. This is a picture of the BODY OF CHRIST, being robbed of the TRUTH of God they should be CLOTHED IN!

WISDOM is what the half dead need. And this parable speaks it clearly.

“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”

This is the NEIGHBOR who we must LOVE AS OURSELVES. Those being abused and robbed of the TRUTH in BAD RELIGION. And that pretty much sums up everyone, from every faith, and those without faith, bad religion has robbed the world blind!

We, are to be like the SAMARITAN which comes from the Hebrew ROOT word “GUARDIANSHIP” – We appear to the Lawyers and Pharisees of the world as “Heretics” who don’t know the God of the Hebrews, but a TREE IF KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT… And this SAMARITAN fruit was SWEET.

We are to be the GUARDIANS of the day. We are to be the bringer of LIGHT, if CHRIST be in us. There are many hurting today, many that Religion has robbed and abused, WE MUST PICK UP THE PIECES FOR THEM WITH LOVE.

The word COMPASSION, means to SUFFER WITH. We MUST ANSWER their SUFFERING and BIND UP THEIR WOUNDS.

How do we do it? You ask.

WITH OIL AND WINE! – Yes, this is another allegory. Of course, Neosporin would help a healing wound better than oil and wine, so we must see what is truly being USED TO HEAL here.

OIL is a symbol. It is used on the sick and used to anoint Kings. First consider how oil is made, it is the ESSENCE of the OLIVE, and our symbolic “OIL” that WE must pour out is the ESSENCE of CHRIST, which is TRUTH/WISDOM.

OIL is a symbol for WISDOM.

Psalm 104:15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.

OIL makes a face SHINE …Want to see what else causes a man’s face to shine?


Ecclesiastes 8:1 Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine,

WISDOM makes a face to SHINE.

This puts a whole new spin on why Moses’ face was shining after coming down from the mountain of God. And why Jesus’ face was shining on the Mount of Transfiguration. WISDOM IS THE KEY, A TREE OF LIFE, OF ALL THERE IS TO GET, GET WISDOM! 🙂

OIL = WISDOM

WINE = SPIRIT OF TRUTH

This is what we use to heal the wounds of those who have fallen among THIEVES (those who try to enter the Kingdom any other way than Christ)

When BAD RELIGION steals, we BIND UP.

When they are left NAKED, we CLOTHE THEM with the WISDOM OF THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH!

This is what it means, to LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. Now go and do likewise, as the J-man says!

1 Corinthians 1:27
“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;”
Peace to you and yours,

JACOB

http://www.JacobIsrael.org
For more info about my novel “The Calling.”

SIGN and WONDERS – POEM/ESSAY

Jacob Israel3 Comments


  SIGNS AND WONDERS CRUSADES – A POEM/ESSAY


“Step right up, one and all. Step right up, just enter in, be pushed over and fall. Get your ticket for the latest show, Signs and Wonders, don’t you know? They say God is here, don’t you feel it too? Your miracle is right this way I just need twenty eight dollars as a love gift from you. Sign and Wonders yes indeed, look over there, my how they have increased. These Signs and Wonders are just for you, believe, receive, step right up who cares if it isn’t really true. We’ll knock you down, sing songs and pray for you. We’ll anoint you will oil, speak in tongues, dance, kick, and push until you believe in what we say we do. So step right up for the Signs and Wonders crusade, even though these Signs and Wonders are strictly man made!”

Luke 11:29
As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.

So what is a wicked generation, what have they done so terribly wrong? Is it more than believing the lies of the world just to fit in and belong? I mean really, how many of us have asked God for a sign? If I were to say I haven’t in the past than I too would be lying.

The wicked are those who do not believe, and yes some persecute, some lie, cheat and decieve. In scripture they are always pictured, when it comes to God’s truth, as people who don’t percieve. They are also called God’s sword, you see God uses all things to bring us closer to his Word. But I pray today, that I will keep God’s ways, and show all of you why we should stay away from these so-called signs and wonders crusades.

Psalm 18:21
For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

Today people come out in droves for the “Signs” they promise to show. Scores of people looking for “Signs and Wonders” but they will never find any proof and have nothing Godly or substantial to show. We hear these “Sign” stories in all divisions of Christianity and other Religions and faiths today, I must say. Religious leaders promising great things, sight to the blind, hearing to deaf, legs to the lame, it’s always the same.

They preach with arms reached, “Ask for a sign, expect the miraculous, and force God to give it to you.” Even though these religious leaders words aren’t at all true.

We hear about big name evangelists rising people from the grave, months go by and then we hear how they truly behave. Drugs, prostitution, adultery, and more, then after a couple of months the blind congregations come together and demand that they be restored. For people said God healed through them without ever seeing proof, but all they really cared for was the rumors, big talk, and theatrics, all dressed up in a fancy suit.

At these crusades many respected reporters have done exposes and turned up nothing, nada, zilch! I have met many of these so-called prophets and healers and I have to tell you most of them are pills. They have pushed on my belly to “cure” my Crohn’s disease, never once thinking that perhaps my Crohn’s was God given, to heal me SPIRITUALLY!

They feed the multitude lie upon lie. So much so, it should make all of us cry. For you’ll find no physical or financial healing at a crusade, but in the back room you’ll find the thousands of your hard earned dollars being counted at a table they made, selling lies is their trade.

However, we can’t fault these Profits and Dealers for doing so. After all, God did send the spirit of lies in the mouths many of these profits, this many of us don’t know.

19And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel…20Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him…. 21  He said, I will go out, and be a LYING SPIRIT in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.  

When Elijah cried Lord, Lord, they have torn down your altars and now all they preach are lies. This is how God replies, “I have reserved seven thousand that have not bowed down to Baal.”  –  These seven thousand are a symbol for a complete remnant freshly released from this carnal jail. God’s truth no longer held captive by fear in their mouth. This is the time to release the WISDOM that enticed the Queen of the South… Let me be a herald of sorts, in poem I’ll speak of how we shouldn’t believe these lies in their mouths.

Today I see the crowd increased to get their “healing, their kids off drugs, to find some peace.” But Jesus said, a Wicked generation asks for a sign. But what, and who, are the wicked, but those when it comes to God’s truth is ignorantly blind.


Proverbs 4:19
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

This is why the WICKED stamp their feet and come together in hundreds and thousands to meet. They come from miles around, because they heard the Miracle healer gave the deaf man his first sound. But many of these so called religious men and women never have doctrine, never truth, only private jets, million dollar mansions, and thousand dollar suits, and yet people keep going to them placing their bets.

Then you have the others, who aren’t quiet as big or well known. So they shout from the rooftops they too heal so they make bold claims and try to get their name out like a telemarketer pestering you at home.

Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

Adultery is a symbol of mankind leaving God’s truth for Man’s carnal thinking and ways. Yes many have gone astray. What we see in the physical is a wonderful symbol of mankind and how he worships God today. This is why adultery is used in such an allegorical way. For as a Wife cheats on a Husband, or Husband cheats on a wife. This is what adultery means when we follow after man’s carnal teachings and leave the Truth for an ignorant life.


Jeremiah 23:14
I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies:

So, why do people believe in these Signs and Wonders crusades. In the Gospel’s it is plain as the big nose on my face. “NO SIGN SHALL BE GIVEN” and those that promote such should be ashamed.

So, one must ask, why buy a ticket to such a show. When it is the TRUTH of God, which is CHRIST WITHIN, it is WISDOM we should ONLY want to know. And this TRUTH cannot be sold. It is within, so pray for faith and grab hold. Because these signs and wonders are getting old.

Many come for jibber jabber, or some gold dust outpouring. But for me, their preaching is sour, lacking and completely boring. Others come to get drunk in the spirit, they slur their words, can’t you hear it? They come to get prayed for, to get the sign of a miracle healing. Whether it is someone walking on water or a painting crying tears of blood from its eyes on the ceiling. Whether statues dripping with oil, or hundreds “SLAIN IN THE SPIRIT” in all the aisles… Regardless remember, God has clearly said, to this IGNORANT GENERATION to you I will give ONLY ONE SIGN!

THE SIGN OF JONAH, is what I am hear to show you. Not that God will have us swallowed by a great fish. It is the SYMBOLISM of this I don’t want any of you to miss.

Now did this literally happen? Was it an allegory, could it be both? You see, none of this matters to me if some reluctant prophet is literally swallowed by a fish after being thrown from a boat… What matters is the story hidden between the lines, what matters is the revelation of Jonah’s story to those that have become God blind.

We shouldn’t put our faith in that which is seen. The world around you is an illusion, it will turn to dust is what I mean. We are to have faith and hope in the infinite and the unseen, not to put our hope in Signs and Wonders crusades, which is simply putting your faith in carnal temporal things and carnals ways.


2 Corinthians 4:18
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

You see the LITERAL doesn’t matter at all, this is perhaps the reason for Mankinds fall. In fact, believing the Letter will kill you dead, that is at least what the Apostle Paul said. For if we hope in things we hear, smell, touch, taste, or see, there truly is no hope for you and me… And if, Christ is the HOPE OF GLORY as well it should and must be. Let’s not get hung up on if Jonah’s story is literal or allegory.

Luke 11: 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.

So this is ONLY SIGN to come, now let’s break down the book of Jonah and have some good old fashion, mother goose type of fun.

Matthew 12:40
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the great fish’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the HEART OF THE EARTH.

For those who want me to sum it up quick, I’ll do my best to interpret it. I’ll then go on to explain the parable of the reluctant prophet his journey into belly Hell and what it all means.

So here are the CLIFF NOTES Folks… Let’s start with how long he was in that Fish, for being so terribly wrong. God said go to Ninevah and tell them to repent, I can hear Jonah’s voice screaming in my head.

“Jacob, don’t do it, they’ll kill you, they call you a false prophet, a liar, and do everything to publically embarrass you. Those Ninevites are EVIL they’ll even hate you for your name, because let’s face Jacob, you’re Christian you’re not even a jew!”

Yes, like Jonah, I too feel like God has said “go and tell the world to repent”. But before today, I was always scared of what they’d say, and besides my job has to pay the rent. But now even this reluctant prophet (although I will never claim this to be) will spread the word of how bogus these people are who sell their “signs and Wonders” crusades.

Back to Jonah and his three days… Isn’t something how the number three is mentioned in such a way. The reason is simple, and yes like everything else its a symbol, and a great picture of how long it takes to give birth. You see, every pregnant woman suffers a tri-mester and the closer her delivery the more it hurts.

These 3 days and nights we hear about are a symbol of a spiritual birth that takes place WITHIN not WITHOUT. Jonah is a picture of CHRIST, the Truth that has been cast away by men and swallowed up in carnality and sin. For we are the GREAT FISH, this Fish is mankind, the belly Christ is trapped in is our carnality and all the lusts within it you find.

This is the story of how CHRIST is delivered from the pit, or you can call it our ignorant soul, hell, and yes even the belly of the fish. It is the story of how after we suffer the pangs of birth and deliver things finally get better not worse.

We learn to turn away from the lies that cause our hearts and souls to burn. But THREE days and nights, is not the only symbolic number for birth in this long poem you’ll learn.

Forty less one lashes before the cross. Forty days and Forty nights. a time of testing, trials, a time to be lost. But after these FORTY DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS, OR YEARS, our promise land we enter, which is God’s truth finally made clear. Yes these are all symbols of Christ’s Birth within us I want you all to hear.

For forty weeks a child grows in the womb, the SIGN OF JONAH is Christ being birth after the symbolic 3 days and 3 night in our ignorant soulish tomb.

Tis the season when man gives birth to Jesus again. But let’s remember the parable of how his birth was not allowed in the INN. For that is a SYMBOL of prideful men and women. In those that are FULL, and believe they know it all, Christ will not be allowed to resurrect until they stumble and fall. And why is the INN so full you may ask, it is because the whole world is following after “Sign and Wonders” like a carrot dangled in front of a dumb ass.

Matthew 12:39
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

I will end tonight with something that may cause some of you to receive TRUE SIGHT, and for others perhaps anger and fright. When Jesus healed, the blind, deaf, dumb and diseased, these were all allegorical pictures of the spiritual sickness keeping us from knowing his peace.

It is understanding, wisdom and revelation God wants known, he doesn’t care if the literal blind man can literally find his literal way home.

These are the only healings God wants us to get. I hope soon more can “see” which means to (percieve or understand) all of that.

The Flesh profits nothing, the outward man perishes day by day, but it is the inward man that is infinite and here to stay. So for now, I will leave you with this true thought. Soon, I will finish my study on Jonah, the one I pray the Holy Spirit taught.

There is NO SIGN GIVEN but that of JONAH. This is what I want to show you. There is only ONE SIGN we are going to get and the story of Jonah is a symbol of our journey and how within us, CHRIST RESURRECTS!

— More to come. Peace Jacob.