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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 21 2007 : 01:30:52 AM
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Hi Guys,
Does anyone know what the seven seals are?
And does anyone know why Christ said that the first shall be the last and the last shall be the first? |
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VIL
USA
586 Posts |
Posted - Jan 21 2007 : 07:41:41 AM
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Thanks for clarifying, Doc:  And I wanted to thank you for your generosity and wisdom. I especially enjoyed this:
quote:
The Holy Spirit is said to rest within a person in seven distinct ways: as Indwelling Holy Wisdom, Divine Understanding, Higher Knowledge, Loving Counsel, Sacred Presence, Spiritual Power, and Respect for God.
Our desire should be that the Holy Spirit will rest within us in the same seven ways.
Doc
Hey, Christi, I've done a lot of research, but certainly don't know it all and can only give you my opinion on this subject.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life". Rev. 22: 13-17
In Kabbalah "the root" is associated with the last Sephiroth on the Tree of Life, called Malkhut/Malchut, The Kingdom of God, and is also associated with David/Faith/the Feet.
As we can see from the above Scripture, Christ is stating that He is the "root and the offspring of David". Now we can take that a couple of ways; since, in the literal sense, Christ was from the blood line of David, and we also know that Christ represented Faith, as did David. But there is a difference between Christ and David, in that Christ was the absolute personification/embodiment/perfection of Faith, any yet was beyond this attribute, as attested by His message/example throughout the scriptures. 'I am all things to all people'. Meaning that His message applied to the whole and not the part in releation to his example and Teaching. In my opinion, that's how you can tell if someone is truly Realized, or not, by their universalality or ego-lessness of their Writings.
Anyway, you'll also notice that the above scripture states, "the Spirit and the Bride say come"; which denotes a separation between "Spirit" (the Crown/Keter) and "Bride" (Malkhut/Kundalini), and yet, there is also a connection between the two. The First, the Spirit representing Christ, or absolute Faith, completeness, masculine energy, located on the tree of Life as a Crown (Keter) and the Last, the Kingdom representing David (Malkhut), feminine energy, the Bride, or Kundalini, located at the feet or base of the spine, depending on the source.
In Kabbalah, there is always a connection between the (first) upper and (last) lower Sephiroth. The lower gross form of energy reflecting the upper more subtle experience of prana, 'As in Heaven, also upon earth', 'The end is enshrined in the beginning', and the upper encapsulating the lower.
(There is a lot to this concerning the first and last, between Keter and Malkhut - many many articles).
In my opinion, there is no difference between this and the Chakra System, since they both speak about the culmination between the masculine and feminine energies. The difference being in the various interpretations of experience of the same expression of Divinity within the body and its location. And the reliance (Faith) of the lower Chakra Centers upon the upper Chakras, until their is a convergence or completeness.
I look at affect of the Kundalini on the body like that of a thermometer, or you can equate it to the superstring theory. Once our Kundalini is stretched to the crown, God will pluck our heart strings.
Edit: I would also like to add that I find that there is a lot of confusion related to Enlightenment/God Realization, et al, in my opinion, due to there being different levels of experience. In other words, it's hard for someone who has reached the apex of the Mineral Kingdom to understand someone who has reached the apex of the Divine Kingdom. In other words, using my example from above of a thermometer, we can note the different expressions that various people experience dependent on the location of this energy within the body.
Base - Sex
Heart - Bliss
Crown - Love
Nothingness/Egoless/Christ Consciousness/Emptiness/Oneness
So, you can see how the same energy transformed from gross expression to subtle expression. The same applies to any other of God's Attributes:
Base - Doubt
Heart - Belief
Crown - Faith
Egoless
Or:
Base - Female
Heart - Female/Male
Crown - Male
Nothingness
Or:
Base - Past
Heart - Present
Crown - Future
Egoless
Or:
Base - Awake State
Heart - Dream State
Crown - Deep Sleep State
Egoless
Or:
Base - Mineral Kingdom
Heart - Animal Kingdom
Crown - Human Kingdom
Nothingness/Divine
Anyway, you can do more research online, since I think that this post is long enough.
Take care:
VIL
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Edited by - VIL on Jan 21 2007 09:33:23 AM |
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weaver
832 Posts |
Posted - Jan 21 2007 : 10:03:40 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Christi
Hi Guys,
Does anyone know what the seven seals are?
Hi Christi,
I did a search and found some comprehensive information here http://www.tslpl.org/Sanatkumara12.html "The book is the book of the living Christ. The seven seals seal the seven spheres of the Cosmic Christ consciousness which are his to transfer through the path of initiation on the Ruby Ray to the sons and daughters of God." |
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VIL
USA
586 Posts |
Posted - Jan 21 2007 : 5:59:23 PM
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The word "lust" is often equated with sexual desire and adultery. I was wondering how people view this in light of a Christian/Gnostic/Kabbalist or Whatever perspective.
I've done a lot of research on the word and it seems like Biblical Usage is closer to "covet" and really has nothing to do with the actual sexual desire or act in many circumstances.
It's also interesting to note that Christ abrogated the Mosaic Law on Divorce and that in the time of Moses it was permissible for a man to have more than one wife. So, it seems logical that "lust" has nothing to do with God or a persons sexual proclivities, (unless taken to an extreme where someones desire is obsessive, to the point of coveting, where another person gets hurt - common sense), and also doesn't have anything to do with adultery. Since it was okay, in Moses time, for a man to have, or desire, sex with with more than one woman and it wasn't a sin.
"What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." Romans 7:7-13
Although I may not agree with its entirety, I thought this website made an interesting point.
quote:
The Greek word here is, of course, epithumia, which also means "covet" and is the word used by the translators of the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew, chamad, in Ex. 21:17 "Thou shalt not COVET ." It is not coincidence, by the way, that "neighbor's wife" is included with the other PROPERTY listed in this text...like neighbors ox etc...
In this case, Jesus was asserting that adultery does not consist primarily of sexual union of two people, at least one of which is married, but it consists rather in the intention, accomplished or not, to take what belongs to another. The purpose of the verse is to show no one is free of sin, but the nature of sin lies in impurity of the heart (taking from another man his wife) rather than the physical act itself.
http://www.libchrist.com/bible/lust.html
Btw, if you can't tell, I've given up celibacy:
Anyway, I would be interested in other peoples view on this subject.
VIL
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Edited by - VIL on Jan 21 2007 6:24:57 PM |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Jan 21 2007 : 10:52:15 PM
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VIL,
I'm not going to take any solid position on what the writers of those old texts meant by 'lust'. However, in these times, I would entreat people not to use condemnatory words for sexual desire, or to carry related notions. Your desire mechanism works as it does. From an evolutionary point-of-view, sexual desire is meant to be intense. I believe any condemnation of its natural funcion is foolish and unconstructive.
People have ideals about a man only being attracted to one woman, or vice-versa. Ideals are fine -- when it starts to go wrong is when sexual desire -- which doesn't necessarily agree with those ideals -- is condemned. Which is what the word "lust" has frequently been used for in practice.
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VIL
USA
586 Posts |
Posted - Jan 22 2007 : 07:27:29 AM
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quote:
david_obsidian:
VIL,
I'm not going to take any solid position on what the writers of those old texts meant by 'lust'. However, in these times, I would entreat people not to use condemnatory words for sexual desire, or to carry related notions. Your desire mechanism works as it does. From an evolutionary point-of-view, sexual desire is meant to be intense. I believe any condemnation of its natural funcion is foolish and unconstructive.
People have ideals about a man only being attracted to one woman, or vice-versa. Ideals are fine -- when it starts to go wrong is when sexual desire -- which doesn't necessarily agree with those ideals --is condemned. Which is what the word "lust" has frequently been used for in practice.
Great point, david. I agree 100%.
VIL |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
Posted - Jan 23 2007 : 06:01:26 AM
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Hi Vil,
Thanks for the reply. Very informative. So all that stuff: I am the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omaga, is about the union of Siva and Shakti? I might of guessed.
Hi Weaver,
Thanks for the post on the seven seals. I will follow up the thread tomorrow.
quote:
The seven seals seal the seven spheres of the Cosmic Christ consciousness which are his to transfer through the path of initiation on the Ruby Ray to the sons and daughters of God."
This looks like it needs some investigating .
Christi |
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VIL
USA
586 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2007 : 5:27:07 PM
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Homosexual Relationships in the Bible
quote:
Ruth 1:16-17 and 2:10-11 describe their close friendship Perhaps the best known passage from this book is Ruth 1:16-17 which is often read out during opposite-sex and same-sex marriage and union ceremonies:
"Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." (NIV)
Ruth 1:14, referring to the relationship between Ruth and Naomi, mentions that "Ruth clave onto her." (KJV) The Hebrew word translated here as "clave" is identical to that used in the description of a heterosexual marriage in Genesis 2:24: " Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (KJV)
1 Samuel 18:3-4
"And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt." (NIV)
Since people in those days did not wear underwear, Jonathan stripped himself naked in front of David. That would be considered extremely unusual behavior (then and now) unless their relationship was physical.
1 Samuel 20:41
"After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with is face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together - but David wept the most."
The original Hebrew text says that they kissed each other and wept together until David became great. The word which means "great" in this passage is "gadal" in the original Hebrew. The same word is used elsewhere in the Hebrew Scriptures to refer to King Solomon being greater than all other kings. Some theologians interpret "gadal" in this verse as indicating that David had an erection. However, the thoughts of David becoming sexually aroused after kissing Jonathan may have been too threatening for Bible translators. They either deleted the ending entirely or created one of their own.
2 Samuel 1:26
"I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women."
In the society of ancient Israel, it was not considered proper for a man and woman to have a platonic relationship. Men and women rarely spoke to each other in public. Since David's only relationships with women would have been sexual in nature, then he must be referring to sexual love here.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_bmar.htm#rut
I was wondering if anyone had an opinion on the matter.
VIL
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Edited by - VIL on Jan 28 2007 6:23:09 PM |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2007 : 10:34:47 AM
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Hi VIL, you put up the biggest fundie-bait imaginable, and nothing happens. Maybe it's because everyone is exhausted after nine pages -- our biggest topic so far, I think.
(fundie = fundamentalist )
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VIL
USA
586 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2007 : 4:58:37 PM
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quote:
david_obsidian: Hi VIL, you put up the biggest fundie-bait imaginable, and nothing happens. Maybe it's because everyone is exhausted after nine pages -- our biggest topic so far, I think.
(fundie = fundamentalist )
I guess it could be perceived that way and maybe that was my original intention when I posted the topic, but I couldn't find anything written by Christ where he specifically mentioned homosexuals, although it stands to reason that he was well aware of the prevalence of homosexuality at the time. The same goes with Krishna, Bahaullah, Zoroaster, Buddha, Etc.; Although their followers, of these Enlightened Souls decided to condemn homosexuality based on their own conceptions, interpretations, regardless that the leader of their Faiths hadn't specifically mentioned homosexuality. So, it stands to reason that sexual orientation had/has less to do with spirituality and more to do with apostle/disciple/follower ignorance influenced by their own cultural/personal belief systems of what was considered "right" and "wrong" behavior.
VIL
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Edited by - VIL on Jan 31 2007 5:18:05 PM |
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Kirtanman
USA
1651 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2007 : 04:21:24 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Christi
Hi Guys,
Does anyone know what the seven seals are?
And does anyone know why Christ said that the first shall be the last and the last shall be the first?
Hey Christi,
Seven Seals
If you Google the words seven, seals and chakras (I remembered something about the Seven Seals referring to the Chakras, at least in some peoples' belief -- and so, "Googled accordingly   ) ... you will find a whole lotta info, much of it involving (alleged) ascended masters and/or their (purported) Earthly channels.
One of the more interesting articles I found, is located at:
http://laluni.helloyou.ws/netnews/b...erc1031.html
It's a Theosophical (i.e. Alice Bailey) overview, which ties together the Seven Seals with the chakras, as well as with Greek mythology (the Seven Labors of Hercules) and modern endrocinology and neurophysiology.
The Last Shall Be First, Etc. Etc.
I have no clue.
My personal hypothesis is:
Jesus was messing with us.
Having some insight as to the workings of the human ego, and its attendant neurophysiological and psychological support systems, the teacher known in the West as Jesus Christ tossed out the statement in question, as a koan-like inquiry tool.
People will ask, discuss, debate, theorize, etc. etc. etc. about what he meant, what he could have meant, what he must have meant, and so on and so forth ... until a blessed moment occurs, in which all of one's related mental processing goes "Urk!" - and figuratively speaking, the wheels come flying off the bus (any mental processes which may have been sorta linear before the wheel-flying, are now in a state of ... "Urk!").
Since thoughts cannot be processed in such a state, insight may actually be able to wander in, unmolested, without getting flattened like a stray squirrel meandering onto an eight lane freeway.
On the other hand, Jesus might simply have meant that those are first in the world (leaders, military heroes, product spokespeople, Paris Hilton, etc.) will be last with respect to realizing the Kingdom of Heaven (because they've never turned within - most of them don't even know there is a "within") - and that the last (the poor, the meek, the humble, the AYPers, the mystics, etc. ;-) ) in terms of the world, will be first in the Kingdom of Heaven - because they had the good fortune to learn that turning within is (literally) "where it's at".
Or, I could be entirely and utterly wrong in both cases.
"Ya just never know ...."
Peace & Namaste,
Kirtanman |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2007 : 03:51:28 AM
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Hi Kirtanman,
Thanks for doing the research.
quote:
If you Google the words seven, seals and chakras (I remembered something about the Seven Seals referring to the Chakras, at least in some peoples' belief -- and so, "Googled accordingly ) ... you will find a whole lotta info, much of it involving (alleged) ascended masters and/or their (purported) Earthly channels.
As far as I can tell, the seven seals seems to be one of those enigmatic phrases, where it means different things for different people. If you type "seven seals chakras"into google, you will get a very different explanation than if you type "seven seals bible codes"for example, or "seven seals lost world of Atlantis". But at least whatever we get... its pretty amazing.
I was interested to see if there was an official (?) Christian explanation for the referance to the seven seals in the bible as the Christians do not generally ferer to the Chakras, or the spine as a spiritual entity, or to many things that seem to happen to most people who are on the spiritual path. Pretty amazing really when you think about it.
quote:
The Last Shall Be First, Etc. Etc.
I have no clue.
My personal hypothesis is:
Jesus was messing with us.
Having some insight as to the workings of the human ego, and its attendant neurophysiological and psychological support systems, the teacher known in the West as Jesus Christ tossed out the statement in question, as a koan-like inquiry tool.
People will ask, discuss, debate, theorize, etc. etc. etc. about what he meant, what he could have meant, what he must have meant, and so on and so forth ... until a blessed moment occurs, in which all of one's related mental processing goes "Urk!" - and figuratively speaking, the wheels come flying off the bus (any mental processes which may have been sorta linear before the wheel-flying, are now in a state of ... "Urk!").
 Love it.
So Jesus was a zen master? I certainly havn't ruled this option out!
Christi |
Edited by - Christi on Feb 07 2007 04:44:17 AM |
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Doc
USA
394 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2007 : 4:45:11 PM
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WOW! I am amazed and somewhat amused that this thread continues to discuss Christian eschatology from the perspective of nearly every known source of interpretation except actual Christian apocalyptic interpretation. What a hoot!
To me, many of the posts on this thread imply either subtle undertones of or overt expressions of anti-Christian sentiment which assumes that anything Christian can't possibly have any validity, even in regards to specifically Christian topics.  Only non-Christian swamis, gnostics, theosophists, kabbalists, et al, have the correct interpretations of these topics, right?  I wonder how many of you have ever actually read "The Apocalypse of St. John the Divine"...i.e. "The Book of Revelation" 
From a strictly Christian perspective, six popular exegetical methods of apocalyptic biblical interpretaion have found substantial followings. The first of these is the Preterist view, which believes that the prophecies of Revelation were all fulfilled in the 1st Century AD, culminating in the Roman destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD, thereby inaugurating God's Kingdom on Earth.
The second is the Futurist view, which believes that the prophecies of Revelation will be fulfilled at some time in the future prior to the Second Coming of Christ, immediately preceded by the Great Tribulation, a seven year period of Christian persecution, and the Rapture, whereby all true Christians will be strengthened, purified, and taken from the Earth to be spared the "time of God's wrath" before returning to the Earth as part of God's Kingdom.
The third method is the Historic view, which sees apocalyptic prophecies as spanning the time period between the end of the 1st Century AD to the Second Coming of Christ, manifested via documented historical events such as the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, followed by a divided Europe in the West, the rise of Muslim dominance in the East, and the gradual disintegration of the Eastern Roman/Byzantine Empire, all of which have already come to pass. The Historic interpretations tend to be millenialistic, based on the belief that a Golden Age of a Thousand Years will manifest as a Paradise on Earth, ruled by Christ after His Second Coming, prior to the Final Judgement and subsequent Eternal State, as they believe is implied in Revelation 20:1-6.
The fourth method is the Spiritualist or Esoteric view, which interprets the apocalyptic prophecies as eternal spiritual truths which are manifested repeatedly throughout human history by the Grace of God's Divine Providence for the sake of a spiritually bankrupt mankind. The prophecies are not viewed as actual historical events, and are therefore not considered predictive in any way either.
The fifth method is the Anglican view, which sees the Book of Revelation as inspirational religious literature that uses symbolic imagery to provide hope for Christians who were or still are persecuted for their beliefs, so they may know that their Faith will ultimately be rewarded by God. Simultaneously, Revelation serves as a warning to non-Christians of impending judgement.
The sixth and oldest Christian view of escatological events is the Greek/Eastern Orthodox method. Orthodox Christianity perceives that the apocalyptic prophecies of the Book of Revelation describe contemporary events common to every era of history, and that current events foreshadow future occurances. However, no attempt is made to predict current events through divination of the prophecies in any way.
Instead, the contents of the text of Revelation is seen as a simple but profound warning to all humanity regarding spiritual and moral preparedness. Again, the symbology of the text is not used as a mystical or magical cipher for esoteric analysis separated from its original context, since the simple message of St.John is quickly and easily obscured intellectually by adding layers of interpretive conjecture.
The REVELATION MESSAGE has essentially always been one that says "MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AWAKE AND PREPARE YOURSELF SPIRITUALLY, FOR IT IS MUCH LATER THAN YOU THINK!" 
Please note that the author of the Book of Revelation, St. John the Divine, is unique among New Testament writers in a number of ways. (1) He was one of the original Apostles of Jesus; (2) He was the only Apostle who didn't suffer a violent martyr's death, living to 120 years of age, believed by his contemporaries to be his love reward for being the only Apostle who didn't abandon Jesus during His interrogation, torture, and crucifixion; (3) He was the personal guardian and caretaker of the elderly Mary, Blessed Mother of Jesus, until her death, by Jesus's personal request from the cross; and (4) He was an Orthodox Christian Elder of incomparable status among the earliest Christians, because of the above mentioned facts, yet John rejected all attempts to make him a Patriarch, a Bishop, or other Church leader throughout his lifetime, preferring instead to merely write and speak of his close, personal relationship with Jesus, and of his personal spiritual experience in practicing the Teachings of Jesus. As a result, most of what Greek Orthodox Eastern Christianity teaches regarding his works was initially received directly from St. John himself, and retained through Apostolic Succession to the present time.
Since the ancient Hebrew and Greek alphabets lack separate characters for numbers, alphabet letters in both languages are also used as numbers, with each letter having an assigned numerical value. For example, the Hebrew letter equivalent of the English letter "w" is "vav" or "waw", with a numerical value of "6", an imperfect or incomplete material, earthly number....in contrast to the spiritually complete and perfect, Divine number of "7".
Thus, the number "666" represents the ultimate imperfection of man in body, mind, and soul, and the ultimate imperfection of all things physical, material and earthly....like the World Wide Web..."www" (666) LOL..., whereas the number "777" represents God and all spiritual things Divinely perfected.
As such, some have interpreted the Opening of the 7 Seals of Revelation as breaking down the physical and mental barriers to perfection of the soul and the subsequent open illumination of one's spiritual consciousness. In Eastern Christianity, this is accomplished by completely opening all the doors of physical, mental, and spiritual perception through contemplative prayer and meditation in order to fully discern God's Presence in our lives...thereby merging with God in perfect At-One-ment. In this way, Body, Mind and Soul unite with God once again in complete synchronicity of the five physical senses, the single minded intellect, and the individual soul to form the unsealed equation....5+1+1=ONE! Novel concept, eh?
Doc |
Edited by - Doc on Feb 10 2007 5:25:42 PM |
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VIL
USA
586 Posts |
Posted - Feb 10 2007 : 06:07:59 AM
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Glad to have you back, Doc! You've been missed!
Thank you, for sharing your wisdom concerning the number 7. Bahai's consider the number 9 the most complete number, since it incorporates the 9 Major Religions and also for this reason:
quote:
Number nine (9) is the last number and it is the greatest number. Number ten (10) is simply the continuation of the number one (1) because number 10 is 1 and 100 is 1. Place the units up to 10 and we simply return to the number 1, but they will be ended at 9. One cannot find any number greater than 9 written in one digit, and of all numbers it is the highest. Also, in the tens 90 is the highest, and in the hundreds 900 is the highest. Then see if you can find any number greater than 9 to be written. In a digit. All other numbers are simply a repetition of other digits. So number 9 is the highest, and from it all other numbers are made. Write all the digits up to the number 9. Now, through adding 0 one can reach any number one likes. It simply originates from number 1 to 9. For example, the calculation of the number of the word "Báb" is number 5, and Bahá is 9. Now, if you multiply 9 by 5 you have 45. Now 45 is the Arabic numerical value of the word Adam.
As Adam is the Father of humanity, and means the real man, therefore the product of the Báb and Bahá is equal to the number Adam. There is no great difference between the Greatest Name and the name of Adam. In their nature they are one. (The digits of 45 added equal 9.) Also, 1 plus 2 equals 3; 3 plus 3 equals 6; 6 plus 4 equals 10; 10 plus 5 equals 15; 15 is the number of Eve. By the physical marriage of Adam and Eve the race originated, and by the appearance of the Manifestation (Bahá’u’lláh) and the Báb, the Spiritual Generation had its origin. Therefore there is great knowledge and understanding when the two names are made into one, because if you add from 1 to 9 consecutively, the result is equal to the number of Bahá and the Báb multiplied together, which equals 45, and it is equal to the number of Adam; and this is the wisdom in it. The name of God which Christ gave to His disciples was the Name of the Kingdom of Bahá’u’lláh. It was the same spiritually, but it was a Name which was never pronounced. All the Bible was written for Bahá’u’lláh. Everywhere, “Lord of Hosts” refers to the Manifestation.
The highest expression of the life of man on this planet in this age and many ages to come is Celestial: that is, to live and act in accord with the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh and to be steadfast in the love of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’. The principles of the Religion of the Blessed Perfection adorn the spirit with the highest attributes of the Kingdom of ‘Abhá, illumine the heart with the Sun of the love of God, make him a servant of the world of humanity, a standard-bearer of Universal Peace, and an orb shining from the heaven of righteousness.
http://bahai-library.org/pilgrims/brittingham.html
VIL
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Doc
USA
394 Posts |
Posted - Feb 10 2007 : 09:24:28 AM
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Hi VIL!
Interesting post. Thanks for sharing it.
The Orthodox Christian perspective views the primary odd number digits...1, 3, 5, 7, and 9...as Divine or Spiritual numbers, while the primary even number digits...2, 4, 6, 8, and 10...are considered material or physical numbers.
As such, it is believed that there is only One God (1), Who is of One Essence, the One Divine Source of All That Is, and to Whom All return ultimately.
God manifests Himself in Three Persons (3): as Father (The Divine Mind or Divine Consciousness of Creative Thought)...as Son (The Divine Word of Creative Manifestation and Holy Wisdom)...and as Holy Spirit (The Unifying Spirit of God's Personal Presence, Power, and Consciousness in all, everywhere, at all times, unto the ages of ages).
Five (5) represents the balanced equilibrium of the Divine between the Self-Sustaining, Self-Manifesting, Eternally Existent "I AM", One God, without a second or any need of another, and the Divinely created existence of All That Is, which emanates from God.
Seven (7) represents the Number of Completion in God's Creative Manifestation, as in the Seven Days or Stages of the Original Creation, and other processes of Divine Manifestation such as the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Seven Sacred Mysteries, the Seven Holy Hours of the Divine Office, the Opening of Seven Seals and the Sounding of Seven Trumpets in the Book of Revelation, and so forth.
Nine (9) is the highest number of God's Personal Expression as the Beginning and the End of All, the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega. This is because the number Nine (9) is the only number that can be multiplied by any number, however large, and will always produce a resultant number whose individual digits will always add up to or reduce to the single digit number of nine again. For example, 2x9=18>1+8=9; 3x9=27>2+7=9; 4x9=36>3+6=9; and so forth to infinity. No matter how large the number multiplied by nine, the result of the equation will always add up in this way to the single digit nine (9). The number nine is unique in this regard, and resonates to the highest spiritual vibration of all numbers, since God alone emanates from and returns unto Himself in this same way.
Thus, One God is the source of All That Is (1) and to which all returns (9), so truly "the first shall be last and the last shall be first", beginning and ending in God..."I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA". Orthodox believe that this is why the Divine Word of Holy Wisdom can be found as Universal Truth expressed similarly in many different religious or spiritual traditions worldwide throughout the history of mankind.
Doc |
Edited by - Doc on Feb 10 2007 5:58:13 PM |
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VIL
USA
586 Posts |
Posted - Feb 10 2007 : 9:40:27 PM
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Great post, Doc:
VIL |
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Doc
USA
394 Posts |
Posted - Feb 10 2007 : 10:27:52 PM
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Thanks, VIL!
I sincerely appreciate your continuing positive feedback.
Warm regards ~
Doc |
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VIL
USA
586 Posts |
Posted - Feb 10 2007 : 11:16:09 PM
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quote:
Doc: Thanks, VIL!
I sincerely appreciate your continuing positive feedback.
Warm regards ~
Doc
VIL |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2007 : 05:50:15 AM
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quote:
WOW! I am amazed and somewhat amused that this thread continues to discuss Christian eschatology from the perspective of nearly every known source of interpretation except actual Christian apocalyptic interpretation. What a hoot!
To me, many of the posts on this thread imply either subtle undertones of or overt expressions of anti-Christian sentiment which assumes that anything Christian can't possibly have any validity, even in regards to specifically Christian topics. Only non-Christian swamis, gnostics, theosophists, kabbalists, et al, have the correct interpretations of these topics, right? I wonder how many of you have ever actually read "The Apocalypse of St. John the Divine"...i.e. "The Book of Revelation"
Hi Doc,
Thanks for the reply. I don’t think it’s anti-Christian to take an eclectic approach to the study of the bible. And I don’t think anyone is not interested in the orthodox Christian interpretation of ecclesiastical works. Personally I find your posts very interesting and informative – so many thanks for that.
Actually in my last post to Kirtanman I specifically said that I was interested in trying to understand the official Christian interpretation of the seven seals as the Lost City of Atlantis approach doesn’t quite sit right with me. I met a man a couple of weeks ago who told me that he had broken the seventh seal using scrabble pieces! I’m not joking. And he wasn’t joking either. He has written two books about it and has his own website.
No, I haven’t read the book of revelations, although I have tried to several times. I actually wonder if anyone has read it. Of course many people will have read the words. But reading the words without actually understanding the meaning that the words hold or the symbolism portrayed by the words can hardly count as having read something. It would seem that given the number of different interpretations of this book by Christians, that most Christians don’t understand what it is getting at, and are kind of groping in the dark.
quote:
The sixth and oldest Christian view of escatological events is the Greek/Eastern Orthodox method. Orthodox Christianity perceives that the apocalyptic prophecies of the Book of Revelation describe contemporary events common to every era of history, and that current events foreshadow future occurances. However, no attempt is made to predict current events through divination of the prophecies in any way.
I assume that as you are of the Eastern Orthodox tradition, that you therefore hold to option six… that the book of Revelations portrays a continual state of affairs, applicable in any current situation.
quote:
As such, some have interpreted the Opening of the 7 Seals of Revelation as breaking down the physical and mental barriers to perfection of the soul and the subsequent open illumination of one's spiritual consciousness. In Eastern Christianity, this is accomplished by completely opening all the doors of physical, mental, and spiritual perception through contemplative prayer and meditation in order to fully discern God's Presence in our lives...thereby merging with God in perfect At-One-ment.
This is interesting. My intuition would lead towards this interpretation of the seven seals, rather than the chakra explanation, or the bible code stuff. After all why would anyone call a chakra a seal? It doesn’t make much sense. Vortex maybe, or wheel, or portal, spiral, opening, energetic convergence, anything really but not seal.
I assume that the dissolution of the physical into the vital would be the breaking of the first seal; the dissolution of the vital into the mental would be the breaking of the second seal, and so on up to the level of Pure Divine Consciousness (the Atmic, the seventh realm of being). It can’t just be seven seals because seven is a holy number, after all, 3 is a holy number, and so are eleven and thirteen.
I assume also that this (the breaking of the seven seals) is the opposite process of Genesis, the creation of the world in seven days? The seven days thing doesn’t make much sense otherwise. Is this how you see it?
And whilst you are being so helpful, do you know why Christians don’t talk about chakras? Everything else is there, they shake, they experience the Spirit of God moving through them, they see lights, visions, speak in tongues, they talk about rods, staffs, pillars and columns, snakes and serpants, even fire, but if you mention the word chakra to them, they think you are part of some weird demonic cult and run a mile. They must experience the opening of the chakras during prayer, so why the big denial thing?
And one more thing Doc, what did Jesus mean by the “first shall be the last and the last shall be the first?” Was he just talking about the number 9, or is there something deeper going on?
Thanks for all your help.
Christi
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Doc
USA
394 Posts |
Posted - Feb 12 2007 : 5:30:54 PM
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Dear Christi:
Of course, there is nothing wrong with using an eclectic approach to Bible study, per se. There is a strong probability, however, that drawing upon many divergent and often opposing sources of information and interpretation will inevitably lead to some degree of confusion about it all. This has been clearly demonstrated even in the course of this thread, IMO.
Thus, Eastern Orthodox Christianity is not opposed to researching all available resources of such information or interpretation, but merely cautions Orthodox Faithful to weigh the eclectic material so accessed in the Light of Orthodox Theology established by the Ecumenical Councils of the early centuries, and thereafter maintained and transmitted in Holy Tradition through legitimate Apostolic Succession to the present time. In other words, that which was thoroughly defined by and unanimously accepted as correct belief (orthodoxis) and correct practice (orthopraxis) by those who were blessed with the closest personal relationships with Jesus and His Personal Teaching among them, always holds far more authority than the singular opinions of those who are not in harmony with Holy Tradition. 
The vast number of alternative interpretations of Holy Scripture seen today are mostly the offspring of Western Fundamentalist Protestant Christianity, and diverse non-Christian sources. Most of these sources, both Christian and non-Christian alike, totally ignore the theology of the original Eastern Christianity altogether!
Interestingly, Greek Orthodox Christianity has always been very much an Eastern Religion. As such, it bears many similarities to other Religions of the Near East and Far East, unlike Western Christianity in general or Protestant Christianity in particular. Orthodoxy views the various Western Christian Churches to have either added erroneous dogma to their official theology, notably as witnessed in the Roman Catholic Tradition of the past three centuries, or to have edited and deleted too many core tenets of the original Christianity theology, as witnessed in all of the Protestant Traditions. Each denomination in the latter group retains at least one of the core original beliefs, but none of these denominations retain the fullness of the original theology as established by the Early Church Fathers in the Ecumenical Councils.
The basic elements of Eastern Orthodox Christian belief and practice usually feel more comfortable to those with previous backgrounds in other Eastern Spiritual Traditions, and easily resonate as Divine Truth and Holy Wisdom in the hearts and minds of such individuals more than the basic elements of most Western Christian Churches do. This is particularly true for Jewish Faithful in particular since the Jewish leaders of early Christianity viewed the Teachings of Christ as the fulfillment of their Jewish Faith, not as a new and separate religion, and thus retained the major elements of Jewish Theology and of the Jewish Liturgical Rites and Ceremonies of Synagogue Worship.
All major Christian Church Organizations, however, agree that Spiritual Salvation comes only by the Grace of God's Infinite Love, Compassion and Mercy for mankind. This can be assisted through a life centered on the Lord Jesus, and grounded in His Teachings, but is never secured solely through human efforts, since nobody has ever apparently been able to follow the Ten Commandments. Salvation is also never solely dependent upon church membership. However, a loving, righteous life based on Jesus's Teaching, and the spiritual fellowship of other like minded individuals can be tremendously supportive in generating greater inner receptivity to the Presence and Manifestation of God's Grace and the attendant Blessings of Divine Providence.
In Eastern Christianity, this is experienced in the Belief and Practice of Orthodoxy...One God, One Church, One Way. In Western Christianity, religious experience is multiplied in the beliefs and practices of many churches, many variations of belief, and many methods of practice and worship, ranging from the major church denominations to the eclectic, individual 'church of me' founded by somebody with a mail-order Doctor of Divinity Degree (D.D.)!
The question of Chakras not being mentioned or employed in Christian Tradition is simply due to the fact that Jesus did not present His Teachings with any reference to chakras or other non-Jewish points of reference. His audience was almost exclusively a devout Jewish following, who related to all matters of religion and spirituality through familiar Jewish theology, liturgical language, spiritual symbology, and the generally accepted scriptural interpretation of those days. As such, yogic terminology and practices weren't even on the radar screen, and would have been totally unfamiliar to nearly everyone who heard Christ speak.
On the other hand, however, according to the Holy Tradition of Orthodox Apostolic Succession, such an audience understood very clearly that when Jesus said "I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA", that the "I AM" was in direct reference to the forbidden Name of God given to Moses in the Torah Scriptures, Exodus 3:13-15. They would also have clearly understood in the context of this statement, as in saying on another occaision..."The first shall be last and the last shall be first", that Jesus was reminding all present to remember that all things come from God (alpha/first) and ultimately return to God (omega/last). This was also intended to remind all present to begin (alpha) and end (omega) each day by lifting up their arms and hands toward God in reverent prayer, dedicating all thoughts, all words, and all actions each day to the praise, honor and glory of God, and to give thanks unto God for the blessings bestowed upon them each day.
In speaking the Divine Name, which was normally reserved for use by the Temple High Priests during Liturigical Rituals and Ceremonies on rare occaisions, it was additionally understood by most of those present that Jesus was personally identifying Himself with the Holy One of Israel, the Lord of Hosts, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This was essentially a claim to Divinity which many present would have viewed as blasphemous, accept for the fact that this particular person, Jesus (Yeshua), exuded a personal spiritual presence of such power and magnitude, spoke with such wisdom and authority, and manifesteded such divinely miraculous demonstrations. It had to have been awesomely impressive to have spiritually influenced so many individuals so profoundly for so many centuries.
Doc
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Edited by - Doc on Feb 12 2007 11:36:38 PM |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
Posted - Feb 13 2007 : 02:38:33 AM
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Hi Doc,
Thanks for the very informative reply.
quote:
Thus, Eastern Orthodox Christianity is not opposed to researching all available resources of such information or interpretation, but merely cautions Orthodox Faithful to weigh the eclectic material so accessed in the Light of Orthodox Theology established by the Ecumenical Councils of the early centuries, and thereafter maintained and transmitted in Holy Tradition through legitimate Apostolic Succession to the present time. In other words, that which was thoroughly defined by and unanimously accepted as correct belief (orthodoxis) and correct practice (orthopraxis) by those who were blessed with the closest personal relationships with Jesus and His Personal Teaching among them, always holds far more authority than the singular opinions of those who are not in harmony with Holy Tradition.
Well... certainly what came out of the councils was unanimously agreed upon by all those that were not exiled from the councils, excommunicated and who had all their scriptures burned! I think in this day and age we would not necessarily use the word "unanimous" to describe that kind of agreement!
And.. some of these councils (and possibly the most influential one in terms of shaping the future of Christianity), took place hundreds of years after the death of Jesus, so the people involved could hardly have been hanging on the every word of Christ in person. Unless people lived for three of four hundred years in those days? As for legitimate apostolic succession, the passing of teachings from Master to disciple, I think anyone who has played Chinese whispers will know what a source of folly and confusion this can be. Please don't think me impertinent, I am just trying to point out that if we are shining the light of reason on the situation, someone who is not of the Orthodox faithful, such as myself, could have many reasons to believe that there are potentially huge areas where confusion could have arisen in the history of all Christian churches, east or west.
That being said, I would agree with you that the eastern Orthodox Christian tradition may well represent the closest representation that we can find today to the original Christian teachings. The only other contender IMO would be the Gnostic Christian tradition. I also find that these two Christian traditions are the most accessible to someone with an Eastern background in spirituality.
quote:
On the other hand, however, according to the Holy Tradition of Orthodox Apostolic Succession, such an audience understood very clearly that when Jesus said "I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA", that the "I AM" was in direct reference to the forbidden Name of God given to Moses in the Torah Scriptures, Exodus 3:13-15. They would also have clearly understood in the context of this statement, as in saying on another occasion..."The first shall be last and the last shall be first", that Jesus was reminding all present to remember that all things come from God (alpha/first) and ultimately return to God (omega/last). This was also intended to remind all present to begin (alpha) and end (omega) each day by lifting up their arms and hands toward God in reverent prayer, dedicating all thoughts, all words, and all actions each day to the praise, honor and glory of God, and to give thanks unto God for the blessings bestowed upon them each day.
Thanks for that... this makes a lot of sense.
One more question, I hope you don't mind, what are the "wheels within wheels" then?
Christi
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Edited by - Christi on Feb 13 2007 12:32:26 PM |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Feb 13 2007 : 10:21:51 AM
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Christi said:
<Clipped>
Christi, I think you should clip that out as being politically provocative, funny though it might be....
I appreciate your post, though.
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Edited by - david_obsidian on Feb 13 2007 1:20:16 PM |
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Doc
USA
394 Posts |
Posted - Feb 14 2007 : 2:42:07 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Christi:
"Well... certainly what came out of the councils was unanimously agreed upon by all those that were not exiled from the councils, excommunicated and who had all their scriptures burned! I think in this day and age we would not necessarily use the word "unanimous" to describe that kind of agreement!"
Dear Christi:
With all due respect for your personal opinion, I am afraid that your knowledge of Church History is a bit "fuzzy", to say the least. To believe that a supposedly arbitrary and unfair process was employed in the formation of the original Orthodox Christian Doctrine, and in the selection of texts to be included in the official list of New Testament Holy Scriptures quite simply is NOT TRUE, although it is an opinion shared by many, both Christian and non-Christian alike, who are unfamiliar with authentic Christian Church History and Doctrine, and therefore believe that it is theologically acceptable and philosophically desirable to draw upon an eclectic variety of works from any and all sources.
Without question, certain books and texts that were considered for inclusion did not make the official canonical list, by a majority consensus of both the clergy and the laity alike. A very small number of these texts were rejected outright as being overtly spurious works which simply did not harmonize either theologically or historically with the vast majority of other texts and generally accepted Articles of Faith among Christian communities everywhere, prior to Formal Proclamation of these in the Seven Ecumenical Councils.
The vast majority of texts which were not included in the canonical list of scriptures, however, were certainly not banned or burned  , and continued to be used as deutero-canonical or apocryphal works very well suited for private, personal devotional and inspirational use, as they still are among Orthodox Christian Faithful even today. The major works that fall into this category have always been included in Orthodox Bibles, and many other Bibles as well nowadays, usually identified as Holy Bible with Apocrypha.
Other Deutero-Canonical or Apocryphal Works were excluded because they had been used primarily as Jewish Liturgical Texts only by the High Priests of the Temple in Jerusalem, were generally unfamiliar to others, and were never included in the official list of Jewish Canonical Scriptures for Synagogue, and still are not.
Ecumenical Councils
"At an Ecumenical Council, the bishops of the entire Church recognize what the truth is and proclaim it. The proclamation is then verified by the agreement of the whole Christian people. Both the bishop's recognition and the people's verification, is believed to be inspired by God.
The whole people of God—bishops, clergy, and laity together—are the guardian of the faith. The bishop is the divinely appointed teacher of the faith. By this, bishops, clergy, or the laity can call and participate in a council, but only the bishops can, by their consensus, come up with the proclamation of the council.
The truth of the proclamation of the council is the only criterion of infallibility. The Spirit of Truth must be present at the council. To the Orthodox, the Church is the miracle of the presence of God among men. Infallibility is not materialized in the letter of Scripture, or in the person of a Pope, but in God, living mysteriously in the Church. If the Church does not see truth in the proclamation of a council, the council will not be called ecumenical by the Church."
Perhaps the following links will be some interest, and further inform you regarding these Councils.
http://home.it.net.au/~jgrapsas/pag...Councils.htm
http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF2-14/TOC.htm
Light and Love to All ~
Doc
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Edited by - Doc on Feb 14 2007 9:01:43 PM |
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Philip
45 Posts |
Posted - Feb 14 2007 : 2:44:06 PM
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I understand Revelation has a book that describes both the processes of the development and death of the Earth, and in Man.
The Apocalypse of Saint John is a book sealed with seven seals. The book is Man itself. No one except the Lamb, the Innermost which lies within us, can open this book and remove the Seven Seals.
Currently, our mind, our house, our lives, is sealed with seven seals that does not permit the light to shine, that does not allow love to freely be received and given, that does not allow the "new" to be received without judgment, labeling, and the processes of identification, fascination and psychological sleep.
The seven churches are seven nerve centers in the spinal column. These are, of course, the chakras.
Every creation is related to numbers.
The two that show up the most are 3 and 7.
Three is the number of creation. There are always three forces present in the creation of anything, even a thought: thesis, anti-thesis, and synthesis, for example.. the three primary forces of the universe: +, -, and neutral... man, woman, and sexuality...
Seven, as it has been stated, is a number of completion. Seven is the number of organization. So, everything is created by the 3, and organized by the 7: 7 days of creation, 7 colors, 7 tones, etc., etc.
There are 7 Thrones, or Seven Primary Elohim (Logoic Arch-Angels) that direct and "father" the millions of souls via the "Seven Rays" of Daath.
The 12 Tribes are the 12 Zodiacal Houses.
The 24 Elders are those intelligent regents of the 12 Tribes, 2 for each.
Let us now go a little more in depth. Let us quote the Book, with comments in brackets:
And I saw [with the spiritual inner-sight of the awakened Eye of Shiva] in in the right hand [solar force of pingala] of him that sat on the throne [spinal column] a book written within and on the backside [spinal column], sealed with seven seals [via the Seven Logoi].
Remember, friends, that the throne of god in all the seven bodies is the spinal column. It is obvious that the spinal column is the center of all the nervous systems. Within the spinal column the fire of the Holy Spirit, the Kundalini, rises. When that Fire rises, that is the Intelligence of God (Binah in Kabbalah) that is transforming from a potential state to an actualized state, a self-realized state. This is why the spinal column is quite literally the "throne" of God.
And I saw [with the spiritual vision] a strong angel [from Yesod] proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? [Who has the heart of a dove and the wisdom of a serpent to ascend the Kundalini?]
And no [heavenly] man in heaven, nor [any earthly man] in earth, neither under the earth [in Klipoth, the souls in Hell], was able to open the book, neither to look [with their degenerated inner spiritual vision of the third eye] thereon.
The strength ALWAYS comes through Yesod, the "foundation." Remember that Yesod is the strength that manifests from Binah, El-Shaddai, the "Almighty God," the Holy Spirit! That Strong Angel is the same Cherub who guards the "Garden of Eden". That Cherub has a flaming sword that blocks the entrance to those unworthy.
And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Behold, the Lion [sign of Leo, the King Astrological House, which is the Regent of the Sun] of the tribe of Judah [the Ain Soph Aur or the Light of Leo, the heart or core of any Solar System], the Root of David [and any Solar King, meaning, the Power of any Reincarnated Malachim], has prevailed to open [the chakras in each of your Seven Solar Bodies or] the [human] book, and to loose [the light force of wisdom of Christ from the mysteries of] the seven [Logoic] seals thereof.
The Ain Soph Air is the "Limitless Light", the Light of the World, in other words, in Christian terms: Christ. |
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Doc
USA
394 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2007 : 02:05:26 AM
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Philip:
Your posts represent some of the most outrageously eclectic material on these topics that I have ever read. You presume to interpret and explain Christian subject matter and terminology, yet your material isn't really Christian. You also make interpretive references to Kabbalah subject matter and terminology, but your material isn't really Kabbalah, and you make interpretive references to Hindu and Yogic subject matter and terminology, but your material isn't really these either.
In my humble opinion, that leaves your information neither here nor there, in a "no man's land" which these Traditions never shared as common ground in the way that you have presented their relationship with one another. Your so-called 'gnostic' material looks to me like a "Jack of all trades, but master of none" shotgun approach to theology and spiritual philosophy. 
Although the Hindu and Yogic material and terminology you make references to has been in use within those Traditions since ancient times, they certainly were never a part of Christian Tradition in any way. Additionally, the Kabbalah was always based solely on the Torah and Old Testament Scriptures, and used exclusively in regards to mystical interpretation of same, never in correlation to Chrisitan or Hindu Theology and Spirituality.
Most interesting, however, is the fact that both the Kabbalah material and terminology you so frequently refer to, and the Gnostic use of Kabbalah ideas, as we see today, and in the way that you employ them, didn't even exist as formally structured Traditions until the Middle Ages. As such, neither was a part of anything Christian, secret or otherwise, in the Early Church. Thus, such claims totally defy historic credibility, IMO.
Perhaps the following material will be informative to readers here in this regard:
Kabbalah
{kab - uh - lah'}
General Information
Kabbalah, the Hebrew word for tradition, originally designated the legal tradition of Judaism, but it was later applied to the Jewish mystical tradition, especially the system of esoteric mystical speculation and practice that developed during the 12th and 13th centuries. The speculative aspects of Kabbalah (Kabbalah iyyunit) were stressed in southern European schools; more practical, socioethical, and sometimes magical themes (Kabbalah maasit) were emphasized in northern European circles. Kabbalistic interest, at first confined to a select few, became the preoccupation of large numbers of Jews following their expulsion from Spain (1492) and Portugal (1495). The teachings of Kabbalah, as developed by the visionary Isaac ben Solomon Luria, are credited with giving rise to the Sabbatean movement led by Sabbatai Zevi.
Like every other Jewish religious expression, Kabbalah was based on the Old Testament revelation. The revealed text was interpreted with the aid of various hermeneutic techniques. Of the many methods available, the Kabbalists most frequently used three forms of letter and number symbolism: gematria, notarikon, and temurah.
BELIEVE
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The Kabbalists developed distinctive doctrines of creation and of redemption. Their doctrine of creation was built on a theory of emanations and asserted that the world derived from the transcendent and unknowable God (En Soph) through a series of increasingly material manifestations (sephirot). The manifestations were repeated, in some versions of Kabbalah, in four interlocking series or "worlds": emanation (atzilut), creation (beriah), formation (yetzirah), and action or making (assiyah). By the sin of Adam and the later sins of humankind, the immanent aspect of God, or the Shekhinah (divine presence), was exiled in the final sephirah, malkhut (kingdom). The sexual imagery of Kabbalah treats Shekhinah (the word is feminine in gender) as the female aspect of divinity; it symbolically expresses the idea of the restoration of harmony (tikkun) as the reunion of the male and female aspects of the divine, that is, as the reunion of divine transcendence and immanence.
The classic document of the Kabbalistic tradition, the Zohar, was compiled by Moses de Leon about 1290. A more systematic presentation of the basic doctrine is contained in Moses Cordovero's Pardes rimmonim (Garden of Pomegranates, 1548). Kabbalah was a major influence in the development of Hasidism and still has adherents among Hasidic Jews.
Joseph L Blau
Kabbalah
Advanced Information
(Heb. qabal, "to receive, tradition"). An esoteric mystic lore of Judaism, passed as secret doctrine to only the chosen few. Its origin is lost in antiquity, but one sees traces of ancient Jewish apocalyptic, talmudic, and midrashic literature and non Jewish sources of Gnosticism and Neoplatonism in Kabbalah. Its first systematic development occurred among the Babylonian Jewish Gaonim scholars (600 - 1000 AD). As the Babylonian center waned, other areas became prominent, Italy, Spain, southern France, and Germany, and the development continued in the 1100s and 1200s. The most prominent book of Kabbalah is the Zohar, which appeared in 1300 under Moses de Leon. Once this material was recorded, everyone was able to study it. Further development occurred in the sixteenth century in Safed, Israel, under Isaac Luria, who initiated a distinctive emphasis of redemption and messianism. Rabbis at times denounced this form of study as so much speculation that would only lead Jewish people away from mainline Judaism's three great emphases: repentance, prayer, and good deeds to man and God.
Christians in the Middle Ages also became interested in Kabbalah, e.g., Lully, Pico della Mirandela, and John Reuchlin. As with Jewish people, there was also a reaction among some Christians against sterile belief, and it was thought that Kabbalah was a valid corrective. Christians also studied this material to find verification of their mystical beliefs.
Kabbalah pictures God as being above all existence; through a series of ten emanations the world was created. The system is somewhat pantheistic since everything that exists has its place in God. Through good deeds a pious Jew supposedly affects the various emanations, ultimately affecting God on behalf of mankind.
Kabbalah includes reincarnation. The pure soul, once the body dies, will be present among the emanations who control the world. An impure soul must be reborn in another body, and the process continues until it has been made pure. Evil is only the negation of good, and in the Jewish setting evil is overcome through the three great emphases, along with strict adherence to the law.
What is most distinctive is the hermeneutical principle of finding hidden meanings in the texts of Scriptures. Human language in Scripture is examined not only allegorically and analogically, but also through the interpretation of words and letters according to their numerical equivalents, and by interchanging numerical equivalents new letters and words could be created, thereby allowing for new interpretations.
Kabbalah influenced Jewish messianic movements, principally Hasidism, which developed a joyful religious expression that avoided sterile legalism.
L Goldberg
(Elwell Evangelical Dictionary)
"Let there be Light." Genesis 1:3
Doc |
Edited by - Doc on Feb 15 2007 09:05:13 AM |
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Kabbalah, Gnosticism and Christianity
