Which character of the Bible is the most pitiable?

 

"Which character of the Bible is the most pitiable?"

My choices are the seven Sons of Benjamin that were handed over to the Gibeonites to end a three-year drought. 

The Gibeonites lied to seal a covenant with Joshua, but a covenant is a man’s word, and in this case, God’s word. It must stand.

But when the inhabitants of Giv‘ah heard what Y’hoshua had done to Yericho and ‘Ai, they developed a clever deception: they made themselves look as if they had been on a long journey by putting old sacks on their donkeys and taking used wineskins that had burst and been mended back together. They put old, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes; and took as provisions nothing but dried-up bread that was crumbling to pieces. Then they went to Y’hoshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Isra’el, “We have come from a country far away. Now, make a covenant with us.” The men of Isra’el said to the Hivi, “How do we know that you don’t live here among us? If you do, we don’t want to make a covenant with you.” Joshua 9:3–7 (CJB)

King Saul zealously attacked and murdered the Gibeonites. Their spilt blood had to be avenged to keep God’s word undefiled. 

In David’s time there was a famine that lasted three years, and David consulted Adonai. Adonai said, “It is because of Sha’ul and his bloodstained house, because he put to death the people of Giv‘on.” The king summoned the Giv‘onim and said to them — these Giv‘onim were not part of the people of Isra’el but from the remnant of the Emori; and the people of Isra’el had sworn to them; but Sha’ul, in his zeal for the people of Isra’el and Y’hudah, had sought to exterminate them — David said to the Giv‘onim, “What should I do for you? With what should I make atonement, so that you will be able to bless Adonai’s heritage?” The Giv‘onim said to him, “Our dispute with Sha’ul can’t be resolved with silver or gold; and we don’t have the right to put anyone in Isra’el to death.” He said, “So, what do you say that I should do for you?” They answered the king, “The man who ruined us, who schemed against us so that we would cease to exist anywhere in Isra’el’s territory — have seven of his male descendants handed over to us, and we will put them to death by hanging before Adonai in Giv‘ah of Sha’ul, whom Adonai chose.” The king said, “I will hand them over.” But the king spared M’fivoshet, the son of Y’honatan the son of Sha’ul, because of the oath before Adonai between David and Y’honatan the son of Sha’ul. The king took the two sons of Ritzpah the daughter of Ayah, whom she bore to Sha’ul, Armoni and M’fivoshet; and the five sons of Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul, whom she bore to Adri’el the son of Barzillai the Mecholati. 2 Samuel 21:1–8 (CJB)

In the Bible, its very rare to execute the sons for the sins of their fathers.

"Fathers are not to be executed for the children, nor are children to be executed for the fathers; every person will be executed for his own sin.  Deuteronomy 24:16 (CJB)

The person who sins is the one that will die - a son is not to bear his father's guilt with him, nor is the father to bear his son's guilt with him; but the righteousness of the righteous will be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked will be his own. Ezekiel 18:20 (CJB)

The seven Benjamites had to die because King Saul broke a covenant that God had instituted. 

God’s word must be kept sanctified.

and handed them over to the Giv‘onim, who hanged them on the hill before Adonai. All seven died; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest season, at the beginning of the barley harvest [just before Passover]. 2 Samuel 21:9 (CJB)

Shalom! 

https://www.quora.com/Which-character-of-the-Bible-is-the-most-pitiable/answer/Joel-Blackford

If you accept the Noah and the ark story, are all of us descended from Noah and his family inbreeding?

"If you accept the Noah and the ark story, are all of us descended from Noah and his family inbreeding?"

I accept the narrative from the Bible about the generations and ages at death because it is logical pertaining to mutations and the shortening of life for plant life or animals.

First, we need to agree that mutations occur in plants and animals, and that the mutations are similar when studied over a timeline, okay?

Let’s assume Adam and Eve were created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) with a flawless genetic code, which means they could live forever potentially. Then, the Satan fell on the second day (Genesis 1:6–8) and came to the garden to tempt them to fall. Once they fell, they would die…eventually.

This introduced corruption or mutation into a perfect genetic code. Thus, the age of death would shorten each generation, very gradually.

Let’s examine the age of death in proceeding generations:

Adam-930, Seth-912, Enosh-905, Kenan-910, Mahalalel-895, Jared-962, Enoch-365 (he didn’t die), Methuselah-969 (aberrations occur), Lamech-777, and Noah-950 (a genetic bottleneck).

Noah was the last of the pre-flood fathers with long lifespans. Afterward, the maximum lifespan gradually shortens from nearly 1,000 years to Moses, who lived 120 years.

The first fall was when the Satan fell and it occurred on the second day of creation, because it wasn’t a good day.

God said, “Let there be a dome in the middle of the water; let it divide the water from the water.” God made the dome and divided the water under the dome from the water above the dome; that is how it was, and God called the dome Sky. So there was evening, and there was morning, a second day. Genesis 1:6–8 (CJB)

The second fall was when the sons of God, the angels, fell and began breeding with human women. This produced Nephilim, or giants, which were hybrid creatures that needed to be destroyed by the flood.

In time, when men began to multiply on earth, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were attractive; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Adonai said, “My Spirit will not live in human beings forever, for they too are flesh; therefore their life span is to be 120 years.” The N’filim were on the earth in those days, and also afterwards, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them; these were the ancient heroes, men of renown. Genesis 6:1–4 (CJB)

Noah was perfect in his generation, which means he had no hybrid angelic DNA. The flood eliminated most of the angelic DNA, but inbreeding caused a dramatic shortening of humanity’s lifespan.

Here is the history of Noach. In his generation, Noach was a man righteous and wholehearted; Noach walked with God. Genesis 6:9 (CJB)

After Noah, there was a genetic bottleneck which lowered human’s life expectancy dramatically. Noah fathered Shem:

Shem-600, Arphaxad-438, Salah-433, Eber-464, Peleg-239, Reu-239, Serug-230, Nahor-148, Terah-205, Abram/Abraham-175, Isaac-180, Jacob-130, Joseph-110, Moses-120, and Joshua-110.

The Nephilim and the falls are my opinions, but the genetic mutation evidence is presented here:

About Mendel | mendel

Shalom!

https://www.quora.com/If-you-accept-the-Noah-and-the-ark-story-are-all-of-us-descended-from-Noah-and-his-family-inbreeding/answer/Joel-Blackford

What is the strangest archaeological object ever found?

“What is the strangest archaeological object ever found?”

In my opinion, it’s the Shroud of Turin.

If the Shroud of Turin is a forgery, it’s an interesting deception. Why would someone create such a fake? Why didn’t the owners use it to win battles, or make money, like other scoundrels?

I’ve studied the Shroud for years and I think its a fake. However, there is someone else with a different opinion of the Shroud.

I review many prophetic messages and I interview many modern day prophets. I would say 95% of them are frauds.

I have interviewed a woman named Rebecca Sterling from Nashville twice in 2015 and 2020 about her visions from 1999. Her visions sounded preposterous in 2015–2019.

According to Rebecca, in a few years the pope will call a conference in Rome to announce the crowning of the Antichrist. He will use DNA from the Shroud of Turin to match the Antichrist’s DNA to prove he’s a descendant of Jesus.

Matching the DNA from the Shroud to the Antichrist to establish a Messianic lineage sounds preposterous, doesn’t it? After surviving 2020, I believe anything can happen.

I doubt what I just presented, but I’m watching the world for news anyway.

For the curious, here’s her video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5sAyz_bUJk

Shalom!

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-strangest-archaeological-object-ever-found/answer/Joel-Blackford?prompt_topic_bio=1

I keep seeing videos on YouTube about the rapture & people saying that Jesus is coming now. How true is this?

“I keep seeing videos on YouTube about the rapture & people saying that Jesus is coming now. How true is this?”

One of the problems with early Christianity was Gentiles wanted to create their own religion, completely separate from Judaism. This has been called Replacement Theology, where the Gentile Church replaced Israel.

Replacement Theology reached it’s peak prior to 1948, when Israel was birthed in one day (Isaiah 66:8). Then, those pesky Jews ruined the Gentile’s belief system and their (no Jews allowed) Pre-Tribulation Rapture Party.

The Pre-Tribulation Rapture Doctrine was created by a Pastor named John Nelson Darby in 1830 after he fell off his horse and hurt his head. Also, Darby created Dispensationalism, which is a lie from the pit of hell, describing fictitious ages where God changes His mind and breaks old covenants and makes new ones with only Gentiles. Jews and Israel are spiritualized because no one could fathom a rebirthed Israel after Mark Twain cursed it as “…A desolate country... a silent mournful expanse....” in 1867. Israel was that bad in 1867, but the rains retuned as the Jews returned after (Herzl) November 10, 1895, after 666,000 days of no rain dating exactly from Av 9, 70 CE.

The Pre-Tribulation Rapture was added to the CI Scofield Study Bible in 1909 by Oxford University Press. Nearly every American Pastor from 1909 learned his Bible commentaries from CI Scofield during seminary.

After Revelation chapter 3, due to the lack of finding the Greek word ekklesia, which means congregation (but King James in 1611 foisted the word “church” on us forever), Darby and Scofield believed the Church was raptured out before God’s wrath plagued the earth in the form of Seven Seals, Trumpets and Bowls. This is preposterous.

Honest Bible scholars agree, there are no verses that state an exact timing of the resurrection and the coming of the Messiah. It is assumed that these events will occur after the final seven years of tribulation because many verses state a Post-Tribulation resurrection. 

But, the Pre-Tribulation Rapture sells books, movies and conferences because its escapism and people love the concept of good Christians being raptured and the bad Jews getting the hell kicked out of them by the Antichrist for rejecting and killing Jesus. That sells!

The truth is that Pre-Tribulation Rapture Christians are getting nervous because Trump is their Messiah and he may leave the presidency soon. Covid-19 lock-downs have them scared. And, the world is changing for the worse. Wars are expected. They are publishing all kinds of silly prophesies that sell like hotcakes. They want their Pre-Tribulation Rapture now! That’s not how it works. 

There will be a Melo haGoyim, Fullness of the Gentiles moment at the end of days, where God returns his focus on Jerusalem and His people. We will all be tested.

It will sound like this:

“When that time comes, Mikha’el, the great prince who champions your people, will stand up; and there will be a time of distress unparalleled between the time they became a nation and that moment. At that time, your people [read: Jews] will be delivered, everyone whose name is found written in the book. Many of those sleeping in the dust of the earth will awaken, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame and abhorrence. But those who can discern will shine like the brightness of heaven’s dome, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:1–3 (CJB)

Shalom!

https://www.quora.com/I-keep-seeing-videos-on-YouTube-about-the-rapture-people-saying-that-Jesus-is-coming-now-How-true-is-this/answer/Joel-Blackford

Has the Antichrist finally arrived in 2020?

 

“Has the Antichrist finally arrived in 2020?”

Yes, it’s possible to read the Bible in the Hebrew, looking for the right clues, and discern who he is. I know who he is. He’s a busy man selling peace. It’s better to discuss the other players first because he will arrive last and finish the age.

I’ve interviewed a few people that either saw him is a vision, or discerned his presence in prayer, and all of us concur: It’s not the time or the forum to reveal him.

Daniel 7 describes the four kingdoms (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome) to come into power until Jerusalem is destroyed and the diaspora begins in 70 CE. Also, it describes the Little Horn that speaks boastfully. That is the Antichrist. He will persecute the saints, those of us with the greatest faith.

Daniel 8 describes the two leaders of Medo-Persia and Greece, but it also describes the end of days pertaining to two men vying for the throne of power. One will be a ram, which is a religious leader, the False Prophet, with two horns and the other is a shaggy goat, the Antichrist, with one horn that will conquer the world and be the final leader before Messiah arrives.

The scenes in Daniel 7 and 8 are set in ancient days and quickly morph into modern times, which the Bible calls the eschatos in the Greek, and the achareith hayomim in the Hebrew. Both terms refer to the final days.

Ezekiel 38–39 describes Gog from Magog when he marshals the seventy nations to invade and destroy all the remaining sons of Abraham on the planet. He will nearly succeed.

There will be other players on the world’s stage during the end of days, but these three are the most brutal to humanity. Did you notice that I didn’t cite Revelation to posit any of my claims? My friends the Rabbis know these men are due soon. They know their plans too.

The False Prophet and Gog will soon be our greatest problems. The False Prophet, Rabbis call Edom, will gather all peoples into one false faith via signs, wonders and miracles. Then, he will hand off the peoples to the Antichrist. Gog will work to subvert and destabilize the governments and the economies of the world until they beg for a leader that will solve all their problems.

Shalom!

https://www.quora.com/Has-the-Antichrist-finally-arrived-in-2020/answer/Joel-Blackford

The conjunction between Saturn and Jupiter is supposed to be a repeat of the biblical star. Does this mean we can expect some kind of miracle or coming?

 

"The conjunction between Saturn and Jupiter is supposed to be a repeat of the biblical star. Does this mean we can expect some kind of miracle or coming?"

I follow the news, ancient and modern prophets (most are highly questionable) and the Bible very closely. The December 2020 Saturn Jupiter Conjunction is amazing to view, but it’s not That Star.

Based on my research, biblical stars could have been planets or stars in the Hebrew and the Greek. Here’s the problem: The ancients knew the difference between planets and stars because they kept detailed records of everything. The Jews, Babylonians and Chinese all have ancient records of the stars, planets and comets. The Bible clearly recorded constellations of stars and planets as being separate entities, listing many by name.

I would argue that the ancients observed and recorded the planets, stars and asteroid’s movements better than today because everyone used the stars for travels and geographic locations. Accurately analyzing the night skies was life or death for them on land or water.

There are a few instances of asteroids hanging in the skies, like a Rhomphaia Judgment Sword (Greek long sword used by a horseman or a charioteer) when God was messaging them.

In the Septuagint (LXX-Greek Old Testament), when King David sinned by taking a census, God offered him three options. King David chose the third option, which was the Rhomphaia of God killing 70,000 of his people. 

David raised his eyes and saw the angel of *Adonai* standing between the earth and the sky, and in his hand was a drawn sword [LXX Gr. Rhomphaia-long sword] stretched out over Yerushalayim. Then David and the leaders, wearing sackcloth, fell on their faces. David said to God, “Wasn’t it I who ordered the census of the people? Yes, I am the one who has sinned and done something very wicked. But these sheep, what have they done? Please! Let your hand be against me and my father’s family, but not against your people, striking them with this plague!” 1 Chronicles 21:16–17 (CJB)

Josephus in his Book “of the War” "Thus it was that the wretched people were deluded at that time by charlatans and pretended messengers of the deity; while they neither heeded nor believed in the manifest portents that foretold the coming desolation, but, as if thunderstruck and bereft of eyes and mind, disregarded the plain warnings of God. So it was when a star [Gr. Astarte], resembling a sword [Gr. Rhomphaia-long sword], stood over the city, and a comet which continued for a year." (War 6.5.4 288-289)

I argue that these incidents, and others, were comets or asteroids. I argue that the Bethlehem Star was a comet or an asteroid. They were rare and horrifying.

The timing of the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn would’ve occurred in 7 BCE, based on data available. That’s too early for the birth. And the conjunction is too insignificant.

The recent conjunction was never frightening in bygone days. They knew when the planets would conjoin with accurate precision.

The only people frightened by the 2017 Revelation Sign during Rosh Hashanah or the recent conjunction were end time’s date setters.

It’s best to ignore date-setters.

Shalom! 

https://www.quora.com/The-conjunction-between-Saturn-and-Jupiter-is-supposed-to-be-a-repeat-of-the-biblical-star-Does-this-mean-we-can-expect-some-kind-of-miracle-or-coming/answer/Joel-Blackford?prompt_topic_bio=1

Author Colin Nicholl Reveals The Christmas Star Was A Comet In His Book "The Great Christ Comet'. Start at 26 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TLnZ0yqJxg

What would reverse Judaism look like?

 

"What would reverse Judaism look like?"

In my estimation, being a Good Jew is living according to the Torah.

Every morning and every night Orthodox Jews pray the Shema, which is from Deuteronomy 6, 11 and Numbers 15, found in the Torah. The prayer defines a healthy relationship between God and Jews.

This passage defines Judaism and the seventy nation’s relationship to God and His people.

Now Adonai said to Avram, “Get yourself out of your country, away from your kinsmen and away from your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, I will bless you, and I will make your name great; and you are to be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3

The reverse of this comes from Ezekiel 38–39 about Gog marshalling the seventy nations against Israel at the end of days, and Paul in the New Testament, as he defines anomia, which describes how the antichrist will be anti-Torah. Anything that comes against God, His Torah or Judaism is the reverse of Judaism regardless if the Jews are living by Torah or not. 

But in connection with the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and our gathering together to meet him, we ask you, brothers, not to be easily shaken in your thinking or anxious because of a spirit or a spoken message or a letter supposedly from us claiming that the Day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way.

For the Day will not come until after the Apostasy has come and the man who separates himself from Torah has been revealed, the one destined for doom. He will oppose himself to everything that people call a god or make an object of worship; he will put himself above them all, so that he will sit in the Temple of God and proclaim that he himself is God.[a]

Don’t you remember that when I was still with you, I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is restraining, so that he may be revealed in his own time. For already this separating from Torah is at work secretly, but it will be secretly only until he who is restraining is out of the way. Then the one who embodies separation from Torah will be revealed, the one whom the Lord Yeshua will slay with the breath of his mouth[b] and destroy by the glory of his coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:1–8 (CJB)

Paul is warning us that someday the Beast, we call the Antichrist will operate against the Torah in conniving ways as he betrays those Jews he claims to love.

Another end times anti-hero is Gog from Ezekiel 38–39. These verses are read during Sukkot every year as we envision the seventy nations being led by God to wipe out Israel while Israel is slaughtering seventy bulls to represent the seventy nations.

The word of Adonai came to me: “Human being, turn your face toward Gog (of the land of Magog), chief prince of Meshekh and Tuval; and prophesy against him. Say that Adonai Elohim says, ‘I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshekh and Tuval. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all completely equipped, a great horde with breastplates and shields, all wielding swords. Paras, Ethiopia and Put are with them, all with breastplates and helmets; Gomer with all its troops; the house of Togarmah in the far reaches of the north, with all its troops — many peoples are with you. Prepare yourself, get ready, you and all your crowd gathered around you; and take charge of them. After many days have passed, you will be mustered for service; in later years you will invade the land which has been brought back from the sword, gathered out of many peoples, the mountains of Isra’el. They had been lying in ruins for a long time, but now Isra’el has been extracted from the peoples and all of them are living there securely. You will come up like a storm, you will be like a cloud covering the land — you and all your troops, and many other peoples with you.’ Ezekiel 38:1–9 (CJB)

It’s my opinion that all of the end time’s players are alive and ready to assemble on the world’s stage. They will sell us “Peace and Safety” while drastically reducing our freedoms and fomenting war against Israel.

The False Prophet is a worldwide religious leader at war with his church’s traditions. 

Gog is a recovering US Politician that loathes Israel. 

The antichrist is alive and active, but will remain unnamed for a few years. (I won’t reveal him.)

Shalom!

https://www.quora.com/What-would-reverse-Judaism-look-like/answer/Joel-Blackford?prompt_topic_bio=1

Did King David and King Solomon of ancient Israel ever reach the same level of power militarily as the Pharaohs of Egypt or the kings of Babylon and Persia?

"Did King David and King Solomon of ancient Israel ever reach the same level of power militarily as the Pharaohs of Egypt or the kings of Babylon and Persia?"

The history of most ancient nations was to conquer distant nations and be conquered.

The great ancient empires in order were:

Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. Each one conquered outside their lands and eventually were conquered.

Egypt was the Bank of those times because of its vast wealth and plenteous cash crops. Each nation needed to conquer Egypt first (or soon) to build up their war chest to fund more far flung wars.

Israel didn't operate in the same manner.

There was a time when King David conquered lands inside his prescribed eretz (land of) Israel boundaries and created a dynasty, based on the geographic region as stated by Moses. King Solomon ruled over a dynasty in that region too, but he married into relative shalom (peace). Their wars were more like uprisings within their lands.

Other than conquering and keeping territory that was their natural boundaries, ancient Israel wasn’t interested in invading other nations. They formed alliances via marriages and trade deals with many warring nations. There were wars between Judah, the two and a half tribes in the south and Israel, the ten tribes of the north, but that was confined to the land of Israel. It was a Civil War.

I would say that King David and King Solomon were prominent because of the Bible, and not because they conquered most of the known world, as all of the other empires did.  David and Solomon knew they weren’t supposed to live like the other nations, in lifestyle or wars, so their prominence was diminished in ancient non-biblical accounts.

It’s my feeling that ancient Israel lived in peace when they would love God, keep the Torah and not inter-marry. When ancient Israel sinned, God sent the other nations to war against Israel to cause their repentance.

The other nations had their own gods and lived without Torah, so their military exploits were more prolific. The nations you listed conquered most of the known world during their glory days. Ancient Israel had a higher calling.

Shalom!

https://www.quora.com/Did-King-David-and-King-Solomon-of-ancient-Israel-ever-reach-the-same-level-of-power-militarily-as-the-Pharaohs-of-Egypt-or-the-kings-of-Babylon-and-Persia/answer/Joel-Blackford?prompt_topic_bio=1

Where in the Old Testament does it say that when the Messiah comes we must accept him...?

Where in the Old Testament does it say that when the Messiah comes we must accept him to be saved and if we reject him we’ll be damned? When the Messiah comes with the Messianic kingdom, won’t everybody just recognize and know it?

Your answer is found in Deuteronomy:

 “Adonai will raise up for you a prophet like me from among yourselves, from your own kinsmen. You are to pay attention to him, just as when you were assembled at Horev and requested Adonai your God, ‘Don’t let me hear the voice of Adonai my God any more, or let me see this great fire ever again; if I do, I will die!’ On that occasion Adonai said to me, ‘They are right in what they are saying. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I order him. Whoever doesn’t listen to my words, which he will speak in my name, will have to account for himself to me. Deut. 18:15–19 (CJB)

If God’s people reject a prophet that speaks only the words of Torah God gives him, they are rejecting God Himself. They will resurrect, but to contempt and shame.

There are two types of rejection:

First, rejection of the Torah spoken by a man walking in God’s Spirit. If you’re a Jew and you reject Torah, God help you.

Secondly, rejection of the Torah embodied in a living man. If you’re a Christian and you reject:

The Word became a human being and lived with us, and we saw his Sh’khinah, the Sh’khinah of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.

Yochanan witnessed concerning him when he cried out, “This is the man I was talking about when I said, ‘The one coming after me has come to rank ahead of me, because he existed before me.’”

We have all received from his fullness, yes, grace upon grace. For the Torah was given through Moshe; grace and truth came through Yeshua the Messiah. John 1:14–17 (CJB)

…then God help that Christian.

There is an accountability for all, of all persuasions:

Yes, he will pay back misery and anguish to every human being who does evil, to the Jew first, then to the Gentile; but glory and honor and shalom to everyone who keeps doing what is good, to the Jew first, then to the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism. All who have sinned outside the framework of Torah will die outside the framework of Torah; and all who have sinned within the framework of Torah will be judged by Torah. For it is not merely the hearers of Torah whom God considers righteous; rather, it is the doers of what Torah says who will be made righteous in God’s sight. For whenever Gentiles, who have no Torah, do naturally what the Torah requires, then these, even though they don’t have Torah, for themselves are Torah! For their lives show that the conduct the Torah dictates is written in their hearts. Their consciences also bear witness to this, for their conflicting thoughts sometimes accuse them and sometimes defend them on a day when God passes judgment on people’s inmost secrets. (According to the Good News as I proclaim it, he does this through the Messiah Yeshua.) Romans 2:9–16 (CJB)

It is my contention that Jews reject the Prophet speaking pure Torah. They have an excuse because God placed a veil over their eyes to allow Gentiles to come into faith in God.

For, brothers, I want you to understand this truth which God formerly concealed but has now revealed, so that you won’t imagine you know more than you actually do. It is that stoniness, to a degree, has come upon Isra’el, until the Gentile world enters in its fullness; Romans 11:25 (CJB)

It is my contention that Christians reject that Torah became a man, and that man lived among us.

My advice to Jews is to learn and live Torah.

My advice to Christians is to learn and live Torah as your Prophet did.

There will be a resurrection. When you awaken, which side will you be on?

When that time comes, Mikha’el, the great prince who champions your people, will stand up; and there will be a time of distress unparalleled between the time they became a nation and that moment. At that time, your people will be delivered, everyone whose name is found written in the book. Many of those sleeping in the dust of the earth will awaken, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame and abhorrence. But those who can discern will shine like the brightness of heaven’s dome, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:1-3

Shalom!

https://www.quora.com/Where-in-the-Old-Testament-does-it-say-that-when-the-Messiah-comes-we-must-accept-him-to-be-saved-and-if-we-reject-him-we-ll-be-damned-When-the-Messiah-comes-with-the-Messianic-kingdom-won-t-everybody-just-recognize/answer/Joel-Blackford?prompt_topic_bio=1 

What are the differences between the Jew Yahoshua Hamashiach of Judaism and the Christian Jesus Christ of Christianity?

 

What are the differences between the Jew Yahoshua Hamashiach of Judaism and the Christian Jesus Christ of Christianity?

As I meet with Reformed Jews, BuJews (Buddhist Jews), Secular Jews and Orthodox Jews, one theme unites them: disgust of Yeshua from Netzaret. By the time I explain my answer, all the Christians may be disgusted too.

What unites Jews of every persuasion about Yeshua is that he claimed to be God, and likewise the Son of God and the son of man. Muslims regard Yashua as a prophet, but they believe God has no sons. Face it, most people on the earth are disgusted by Yeshua.

Christians claim he was a God, and they tend to forget he was a man. They may claim he was fully-God and fully-man, but they frequently overlook that he was a man.

Let’s analyze Yeshua the man, the son of man.

Yeshua seemed to be a man. He was birthed, suckled, brought to the Temple as a child and raised as a child. He was abused, thrown up on a stake, and died. I believe he resurrected. I believe ALL people will resurrect, some to shame and some to glory.

You can’t birth God. You can’t suckle God. God doesn’t eat food or water. God doesn’t need to be raised as a child. God doesn’t need his nose or rear wiped. You can’t torture God. You can’t kill God.

Actual men can be born, grow up, suffer and die. Therefore Yeshua was a man.

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not acknowledge Yeshua the Messiah’s coming as a human being. Such a person is a deceiver and an anti-Messiah. 2 john 1:7 (CJB)

Secondly, let’s analyze prophets bearing God’s Spirit.

Then Eliyahu took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it; and the water divided itself to the left and to the right; so that they crossed on dry ground. After they had crossed, Eliyahu said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away from you.” Elisha said, **“Please! Let a double share of your spirit be on me!**” He replied, “You have requested a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, you will get what you asked for; but if not, you won’t.” 2 Kings 2:8–10

If a prophet can carry one spirit of God upon himself, then why not two spirits, like Elisha? Why can’t a man carry seven spirits, the fullness of spirits?

But a branch will emerge from the trunk of Yishai, a shoot will grow from his roots. The Spirit of *Adonai* will rest on him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and power, the Spirit of knowledge and fearing *Adonai* — he will be inspired by fearing *Adonai*. He will not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear, but he will judge the impoverished justly; he will decide fairly for the humble of the land. He will strike the land with a rod from his mouth and slay the wicked with a breath from his lips. Justice will be the belt around his waist, faithfulness the sash around his hips. Isaiah 11:1–5 (CJB)

Isaiah 11 describes the Messiah as wearing ALL seven spirts of God. If Eliyahu can wear one spirit, and Elisha can wear a double portion, why couldn’t a man named Yeshua wear all seven spirits? If he was wearing the fullness of all seven spirits, does that make him God? You decide. 

Finally, Adam had no umbilical cord. He was a son of God. Angels are created beings called the sons of God. God has sons.

If it was possible for God to create Adam from the dust of the earth, why would conceiving Yeshua via Mary be impossible to fathom?

I believe I’ve harmonized between Jew's and Christian's thoughts about Yeshua.

I hope the Messiah will explain everything when he arrives someday soon. 

Shalom!

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-the-Jew-Yahoshua-Hamashiach-of-Judaism-and-the-Christian-Jesus-Christ-of-Christianity/answer/Joel-Blackford?prompt_topic_bio=1

Is it true that if the apostle Paul had let his past as Saul effect a lot during his ministry as a missionary, he would not have been nearly as effective?

 

Is it true that if the apostle Paul had let his past as Saul effect a lot during his ministry as a missionary, he would not have been nearly as effective?

No. Rabbi Sha’ul (Paul) was a zealot for Judaism before he became a zealot for Yeshua, and The Way.

Rabbi Sha’ul remained a zealot for the Torah his whole life. In Acts 18 and 21 we see Rabbi Sha’ul being tested by Jews and willingly taking the Nazir Vow and later sacrificing animals for himself and four other men, worth about $15,000 today.

But when Gallio became the Roman governor of Achaia, the unbelieving Jews made a concerted attack on Sha’ul and took him to court, saying, “This man is trying to persuade people to worship God in ways that violate the *Torah*.” Sha’ul was just about to open his mouth, when Gallio said to the Jews, “Listen, you Jews, if this were a case of inflicted injury or a serious crime, I could reasonably be expected to hear you out patiently. But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law, then you must deal with it yourselves. I flatly refuse to judge such matters.” And he had them ejected from the court. They all grabbed Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, and gave him a beating in full view of the bench; but Gallio showed no concern whatever. Sha’ul remained for some time, then said good-bye to the brothers and sailed off to Syria, after having his hair cut short [end of Nazir Vow from Numbers 6] in Cenchrea, because he had taken a [Nazir] vow; with him were Priscilla and Aquila. Acts 18:12–18 (CJB)

“What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow. Take them with you, be purified with them, and pay the expenses connected with having their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to these rumors which they have heard about you; but that, on the contrary, you yourself stay in line and keep the *Torah*. “However, in regard to the *Goyim* who have come to trust in Yeshua, we all joined in writing them a letter with our decision that they should abstain from what had been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled and from fornication.” The next day Sha’ul took the men, purified himself along with them and entered the Temple to give notice of when the period of purification would be finished and the offering would have to be made for each of them. The seven days were almost up when some unbelieving Jews from the province of Asia saw him in the Temple, stirred up all the crowd and grabbed him. “Men of Isra’el, help!” they shouted. “This is the man who goes everywhere teaching everyone things against the people, against the *Torah* and against this place! And now he has even brought some *Goyim* into the Temple and defiled this holy place!” acts 21:22–28 (CJB)

Today’s pastors twist Sha’ul to sound like a Gentile. Peter warns:  And think of our Lord’s patience as deliverance, just as our dear brother Sha’ul also wrote you, following the wisdom God gave him. Indeed, he speaks about these things in all his letters. They contain some things that are hard to understand, things which the uninstructed and unstable distort, to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 2 Peter 3:15–16 (CJB)

It’s clearly stated Rabbi Sha’ul sacrificed animals for himself and four others after Yeshua resurrected. There was no need for a Christian convert to keep the Nazir Vow. Christians have never advocated for keeping the sacrifices. He remained zealous Jew for Torah!

Who in the Bible had six fingers and six toes?

Who in the Bible had six fingers and six toes?

Nephilim, and other Bible names. They were the offspring of angels and human women. 

In time, when men began to multiply on earth, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were attractive; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.  Adonai said, “My Spirit will not live in human beings forever, for they too are flesh; therefore their life span is to be 120 years.” The N’filim were on the earth in those days, and also afterwards, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them; these were the ancient heroes, men of renown. Adonai saw that the people on earth were very wicked, that all the imaginings of their hearts were always of evil only. Adonai regretted that he had made humankind on the earth; it grieved his heart. Adonai said, “I will wipe out humankind, whom I have created, from the whole earth; and not only human beings, but animals, creeping things and birds in the air; for I regret that I ever made them.” But Noach found grace in the sight of Adonai. Genesis 6:1–8

In 2 Samuel, during the reign of King David (1010–970 BCE) we read about the third son of Goliath, supposedly named Exadactylus, that was killed.

A while after this there was again war with the P’lishtim, at Gov. Sibkhai the Hushati killed Saf, one of the sons of the giant. There was more war with the P’lishtim at Gov; and Elchanan the son of Ya‘arei-Orgim, the Beit-Lachmi, killed Golyat the Gitti, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s beam. There was again war at Gat, where there was a belligerent man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot — twenty-four in all — and he too was a son of the giant. When he mocked Isra’el, Y’honatan the son of Shim‘ah David’s brother killed him. These four were sons of the giant in Gat; they fell at the hands of David and his servants. 2 Samuel 21:18–22 (CJB)

There are too many Bible stories about giants to dismiss them all.

According to Revelation 9, these nine feet tall giants will return during the end of days.

The fifth angel sounded his shofar; and I saw a star that had fallen out of heaven onto the earth, and he was given the key to the shaft leading down to the Abyss. He opened the shaft of the Abyss, and there went up smoke from the shaft like the smoke of a huge furnace; the sun was darkened, and the sky too, by the smoke from the shaft. Then out of the smoke onto the earth came locusts, and they were given power like the power scorpions have on earth. They were instructed not to harm the grass on the earth, any green plant or any tree, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. The locusts were not allowed to kill them, only to inflict pain on them for five months; and the pain they caused was like the pain of a scorpion sting. In those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. Now these locusts looked like horses outfitted for battle. On their heads were what looked like crowns of gold, and their faces were like human faces. They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions. Their chests were like iron breastplates, and the sound their wings made was like the roar of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. They had tails like those of scorpions, with stings; and in their tails was their power to hurt people for five months. They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is “Abaddon” and in our language, “Destroyer.” Revelation 9:1–11 (CJB)

Every dog has his day. Will every giant have his last stand?

Shalom! 

Question: “If humans were created for the glory of God, why did he destroy the Earth with water before and prophesied to destroy it again with fire?”

 

Question: “If humans were created for the glory of God, why did he destroy the Earth with water before and prophesied to destroy it again with fire?”

Purity.

According to Scholar Dr. Michael Heiser, there were three falls in Genesis. The first fall was when the Satan (not his name) fell from being a covering cherub in the face of God, and a few, maybe two hundred, angels fell with him.

Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till unrighteousness was found in thee. By the multitude of thy traffic they filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned; therefore have I cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God; and I have destroyed thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness; I have cast thee to the ground, I have laid thee before kings, that they may gaze upon thee. Ezekiel 28:15–17

The second fall was when the serpent tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

The third fall was when Nimrod build his ziggurat in Babel.

After the second fall, as Genesis 6 states:

And the LORD said: ‘My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for that he also is flesh; therefore shall his days be a hundred and twenty years.’ The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them; the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown. Genesis 6:3–4

God created the heavens and the earth, keeping many things separate, like angels separate from mankind. When the angels co-mingled with humanity, it caused defilement. The flood was like a huge mikva, or baptism, for the world to cleanse it from sin.

There were Nephilim after the flood, as stated above.

There will be Nephilim during the end of days.

Now these locusts looked like horses outfitted for battle. On their heads were what looked like crowns of gold, and their faces were like human faces. They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions. Their chests were like iron breastplates, and the sound their wings made was like the roar of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. They had tails like those of scorpions, with stings; and in their tails was their power to hurt people for five months. They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is “*Abaddon*” and in our language, “Destroyer.” Revelation 9:7–11

According to the Bible, close to the midpoint of the final seven years, Nephilim will be unchained from Tartarus and invade humanity.

In their greed they will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their punishment, decreed long ago, is not idle; their destruction is not asleep! For God did not spare the angels who sinned; on the contrary, he put them in gloomy dungeons lower than Sh'ol [Tartarus] to be held for judgment. And he did not spare the ancient world; on the contrary, he preserved Noach, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, and brought the Flood upon a world of ungodly people. 2 Peter 2:3–5

According to two women I’ve interviewed, the Nephilim will be nine feet tall and their king Abaddon will be twelve feet tall. They will torture, for five months, all who lack the Mark of God on their foreheads. It will be a time of great wickedness.

God intends to burn with fire all the end time’s filth to cleanse it from sin. The end time’s flood of fire will be like a huge mikva, or baptism, for the world to cleanse it from sin.

Shalom!

https://www.quora.com/If-humans-were-created-for-the-glory-of-God-why-did-he-destroy-the-Earth-with-water-before-and-prophesied-to-destroy-it-again-with-fire/answer/Joel-Blackford?prompt_topic_bio=1

Question: "Why Were The 144,000 Chosen In Revelations?"

 

Question: Why were the 144,000 chosen in Revelations?

Revelation 14 is part of a biblical mathematical equation. Let’s solve for X, based on Torah guidelines (Note: Yeshua quoted Deuteronomy when tempted by the Satan for example).

The 144,000 are described as First Fruits (Hebrew: Bikor or Bikorim, pl. or T’rumah) in Revelation 14. What does God request from the Hebrews as they leave Egypt?

Adonai said to Moshe, “Set aside for me all the firstborn [Hebrew-Bikor, Greek-Prototokon]. Whatever is first from the womb among the people of Isra’el, both of humans and of animals, belongs to me.” Moshe said to the people, “Remember this day, on which you left Egypt, the abode of slavery; because Adonai, by the strength of his hand, has brought you out of this place. Do not eat hametz. Exodus 13:1–3

There were approximately 7,200,000 Jews in Jerusalem in 70 CE when the Second Temple was destroyed.

The 144,000 in Revelation should be set aside to reflect 2% of the total harvest, based on Mishnah T’rumot 4:3, where the rabbinic sages state it was one fiftieth of the total harvest. Solving for X, if 144,000 is 2%, then the total harvest should be 7,200,000.

They were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living beings and the elders, and no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who have been ransomed from the world. These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins; they follow the Lamb wherever he goes; they have been ransomed from among humanity as firstfruits [Greek-Aparche] for God and the Lamb; Revelation 14:3–4

The Prophet Zechariah delivers the bad news that two thirds of Hebrews and Jews are slated to be murdered in the end of days by Haman-type world leaders. Gog from Magog seems to be their greatest enemy as stated in Ezekiel 38–39. However, the Beast, called the Antichrist, and the other Beast, called the False Prophet, will inflict casualties too.

In time, throughout that land,” says Adonai, “two-thirds of those in it will be destroyed — they will die, but one-third will remain. That third part I will bring through the fire; I will refine them as silver is refined, I will test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is my people’ and they will say, ‘Adonai is my God.’” Zechariah 13:8–9

Solving for X again, 7,200,000 times 3 equals 21,600,000 Hebrews and Jews begin the Great Tribulation and 14,400,000 or two thirds die during the refining.

If you’re keeping count, one fourth or 1,944,444,444 billion of the Gentiles will die during the Fourth Seal in Revelation 6:8, and one third or 2,000,000,000 will die during the Sixth Trumpet in Revelation 9:15.

Shalom!

https://www.quora.com/Why-were-the-144-000-chosen-in-Revelations/answer/Joel-Blackford

When AI becomes the Image of Life?

In the beginning, God created our cosmos for six days. He created mankind uniquely in the Image of God. He desired us to be separate from other creatures and relate in a special way with Him, something like a God Consciousness. It was good (tov). Look carefully and notice how He separated the heavens from the earth, the waters from the waters, angels from mankind, and other separations. It was good (tov).

So G-d created humankind in His own tzelem [Greek-Ikon], in the tzelem [Greek-Ikon] Elohim (image of G-d) created He him; zachar (male) and nekevah (female) created He them. Genesis 1:27

It deceives the people living on earth by the miracles it is allowed to perform in the presence of the beast, and it tells them to make an image [Greek-Ikon, Hebrew-Tzelem] honoring the beast that was struck by the sword but came alive again. It was allowed to put breath into the image [Greek-Ikon, Hebrew-Tzelem] of the beast, so that the image [Greek-Ikon, Hebrew-Tzelem] of the beast could even speak; and it was allowed to cause anyone who would not worship the image [Greek-Ikon, Hebrew-Tzelem] of the beast to be put to death. Re. 13:14–15

And Hashem Elohim formed the adam [man] of the aphar [dust] min haadamah [of the earth], and breathed into his nostrils the nishmat chayyim [neshamah-God consciousness of life]; and the adam [man] became a nefesh chayyah [nefesh-animal soul of the living]. Genesis 2:7

Think of the Nephesh, the Animal Soul, as basic programming, like your dog is programmed to love you, eat, poop and bite enemies. But your dog can’t pray to God because he has no Neshamah, or God Consciousness.

The Falls:

First, the angels fell on day two, because it wasn’t described as good (tov). Then, man fell in Gan Eden. Later on, man attempted to unite to defy God under Nimrod in Babel. Mankind was dispersed by God.

Man is uniting like ancient Babel under the cloud of AI Tech. We may disregard God, but that doesn't diminish God. Rather, it causes a final conflict: Armageddon (read: Ezekiel 38–39).

Before the end, the final frontiers are:

Solving what Love is?

Solving what consciousness is?

Solving what energy is (Defining energy isn’t creating and deploying atoms)?

I sell AI Tech in my vocation. It’s amazing how AI Tech is evolving! Right now, our software may be tasked with: opening a Chrome window, credentialing in, writing perfectly to an application, closing the window, and quickly proceeding to the next task after basic programming. 

Present-day AI isn’t life, but it could resemble life in a few years.

Scientists may be able to program life-like existence, like an Animal Soul Nephesh, but they can’t breathe life, called God Consciousness, into a computer or a hybrid creature.

That final frontier will be broken when the Beast, we call him the Antichrist, will breathe life into a hybrid creature. This defiance against God will cause Armageddon, the greatest of all the wars. God help us all.

Shalom! 

The Great Tribulation, Called The Final Week Of Years, Didn't Start In 2020

Every year at the end of the month of Cheshvan (November-ish), I realize we haven’t entered the final seven years, called Tribulation or Great Tribulation.

We’ll see what 2021 brings, huh?

The Spring Hebrew Festivals of Passover, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits have been fulfilled by Yeshua’s sinless life, death and resurrection.

The Summer Hebrew Festival of Shavuot/Pentecost has been fulfilled by Acts 2.

The Fall Hebrew Festivals of Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot remain unfulfilled. Many scholars believe the Messiah will arrive on one of these festivals.

I thought Fall 2017 would be the year because of the Jubilee Year. Nothing.

I thought Fall 2018 would be the year because it was the year after the Jubilee Year. Nothing.

I thought Fall 2019 would be the year because Aviv/Nisan (Passover month) was prophetically active with Obama traveling to Berlin on Nisan 1 and Notre Dame burning on Nisan 10. Nothing.

I thought Fall 2020 would be the year because of Covid-19 and lock downs worldwide.

The best thing to do is be patient and wait for the Fall of 2021 to see if anything happens.

The final seven years are divided into two periods of 1,260 days, forty-two months or time, times and half a time. That is 2,520 days in the Bible.

Sukkot 2027 will begin in the evening of Friday, October 15 and ends in the evening of Friday, October 22.

I don’t think the final seven years will begin during the next ten days.

We’ll see you next fall!

Shalom!

Belial. Jewishencyclopedia.com

BELIAL.

By: Morris Jastrow, Jr., Gerson B. Levi, Marcus Jastrow, Kaufmann Kohler

—Biblical Data:

A term occurring often in the Old Testament and applied, as would seem from the context in I Sam. x. 27; II Sam. xvi. 7, xx. 1; II Chron. xiii. 7; Job xxxiv. 18, to any one opposing the established authority, whether civil, as in the above passages, or religious, as in Judges xix. 22; I Kings xxi. 10, 13; Prov. xvi. 27, xix. 28; Deut. xiii. 14, xv. 9; II Sam. xxiii. 6. A somewhat weaker sense, that of "wicked" or "worthless," is found in I Sam. i. 16, ii. 12, xxv. 17, xxx. 22. The use of the word in II Sam. xxii. 5 is somewhat puzzling. Cheyne explains it as "rivers of the under world," while more conservative scholars render "destructive rivers."

The etymology of this word has been variously given. The Talmud (Sanh. 111b) regards it as a compound word, made up of "beli" and "'ol" (without a yoke). This derivation is accepted by Rashi (on Deut. xiii. 14). Gesenius ("Dict." s.v.) finds the derivation in "beli" and "yo'il" (without advantage; i.e., worthless). Ibn Ezra (on Deut. xv. 9), without venturing on an etymology, contents himself with the remark that "Belial" is a noun, and quotes the opinion of some one else that it is a verb with a precative force, "May he have no rising." Cheyne ("Expository Times," 1897, pp. 423 et seq.) seeks to identify Belial with the Babylonian goddess Belili (Jastrow, "Religion of Babylonia," pp. 588, 589). Hebrew writers, according to this view, took up "Belili" and scornfully converted it into "Belial" in order to suggest "worthlessness." Hommel ("Expository Times," viii. 472) agrees in the equation Belial = Belili, but argues that the Babylonians borrowed from the western Semites and not vice versa. This derivation, however, is opposed by Baudissin and Jensen ("Expository Times," ix. 40, 283).

In Apocalyptic Literature.

—In Rabbinical and Apocryphal Literature:

In the Ḥasidic circles from which the apocalyptic literature emanated and where all angelologic and demonologic lore was faithfully preserved, Belial held a very prominent position, being identified altogether with Satan. In the Book of Jubilees (i. 20), Belial is, like Satan, the accuser and father of all idolatrous nations: "Let not the spirit of Belial ["Beliar" corrupted into "Belhor"] rule over them to accuse them before thee." The uncircumcised heathen are "the sons of Belial" (ib. xv. 32). In the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Belial is the archfiend from whom emanate the seven spirits of seduction that enter man at his birth (Reuben ii.; Levi iii.; Zebulun ix.; Dan. i.; Naphtali ii.; Benjamin vi., vii.), the source of impurity and lying (Reuben iv., vi.; Simeon v.; Issachar vi.-vii.: Dan. v.; Asher i., iii.), "the spirit of darkness" (Levi xix.; Joseph vii., xx.). He will, like Azazel in Enoch, be opposed and bound by theMessiah (Levi xviii.), "and cast into the fire forever" (Judah xxv.); "and the souls captured by him will then be wrested from his power." In the Ascensio Isaiæ, Belial is identified with Samael (Malkira [Dan. v.]; possibly Malak ra = the Evil Angel [i. 9]), and called "the angel of lawlessness"—"the ruler of this world, whose name is Matanbuchus" (a corrupt form of "Angro-mainyush" or Ahriman?) (ii. 4). In Sibyllines, iv. 2 (which part is of Christian origin) Belial descends from heaven as Antichrist and appears as Nero, the slayer of his mother. In the Sibyllines, iii. 63 (compare ii. 166) Belial is the seducer who, as the pseudo Messiah, will appear among the Samaritans, leading many into error by his miraculous powers, but who "will be burned up by heavenly fire carried along by the sea to the land [an earthquake?] to destroy his followers," "at the time when a woman [Cleopatra] will rule over the world."

In regard to the meaning and etymology of the word "Belial" there has always been a wide difference of opinion. The Septuagint, in translating it "lawlessness"—ἀνόμημα (Deut. xv. 9), ἀνομία (II Sam. xxii. 5), or παράνομος (Deut. xiii. 14; Judges xix. 22; and elsewhere)—follows a rabbinical tradition which interpreted it as "beli 'ol" the one who has thrown off the yoke of heaven (Sifre, Deut. 93; Sanh. 111b; Midr. Sam. vi.; Yalḳ. to II. Sam. xxiii. 6; so also Jerome on Judges xix. 22, "absque jugo." Belial was accordingly considered the opponent of the rule of God; that is, Satan, or the antagonist of God (see Antichrist). Aquilas (LXX., I Kings xxi. 13) translates it ἀποστασία = sedition, in the same manner that the "naḥash bariaḥ," or dragon ( = Satan), is described as the apostate. The various modern etymologies, taking the word as a combination of "beli yo'il" (without worth) (Gesenius), or of "beli ya'al" (never to rise)—that is, never to do well (Ibn Ezra, Lagarde, Hupfeld, Fürst)—are alike rejected by Moore as extremely dubious (commentary to Judges, p. 419). Theodotion to Judges xx. 13, Ibn Ezra (Deut. xv. 9), and so Luther and the A. V. occasionally take Belial as a proper noun. It was Bäthgen (commentary to Ps. xviii. 5) who first translated Belial, "the land from which there is no return," and then Cheyne (in "Expositor," 1895, pp. 435-439, and in the "Encyc. Bibl." s. v. "Belial"). They proved it to be the exact equivalent of the Assyrian "matu la tarat" (the land without return). Tiamat, the dragon of the abyss, having been identified with Satan, thus gave rise to the various uses of the word, and the legends of Belial Antichrist. Baudissin, in Hauck-Herzog's "Realencyklopädie," s. v., still takes a skeptical attitude as to the mythical character of Belial in the Old Testament, without, however, explaining the peculiar history of the word. Compare Satan.

Bibliography:

T. K. Cheyne, The Development of the Meanings of Belial, in The Expositor, 1895, i. 435-439;

idem, in Encyc. Bibl. s.v.;

Bousset, Antichrist, 1895, pp. 86, 99-101;

Charles, The Ascension of Isaiah, li.-lxxii. and pp. 6-8;

Riehm and Hauck-Herzog's Realencyklopädie, s.v. Belial.

http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/2805-belial