DOCSLIB.ORG

The Sacrifice of the Firstborn in the Hebrew Bible

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Sacrifice of the Firstborn in the Hebrew Bible The Sacrifice of the Firstborn in the Hebrew Bible By Gnanadas Danam A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Sheffield Department of Philosophy September 2018 Abstract This research examines the central question: what is the meaning of the demand that all that first opens the womb should be given to the God of the Hebrew Bible? The research studies in detail the concept of the firstborn in the Hebrew Bible and in the Ancient Near Eastern context. It concludes that though children may have been sacrificed to Yahweh, the God of the Hebrew Bible, the statement ‘all that opens the womb belongs to me’ has the function of opposing the existing practice of child sacrifice. Critical analysis of the Molech cult concludes that sacrifice of children to Molech was commonly practised. Molech is presented in the Hebrew Bible as the god of human sacrifice, a common practice amongst the people of the surrounding nations. The authors of the Hebrew Bible purposefully personified the sacrifice to Molech and presented it in a way to dissuade people from the continuing practice of human sacrifice. The writers explain that this practice is abhorrent to Yahweh. It is noticed that there was no demand for the firstborn specifically in the molech sacrifice. It is observed that the Book of Genesis, with a polemic view on child sacrifice, presents the story of the near-sacrifice of Isaac. This is to demonstrate that Abraham, the founding father of the nation of Israel, did not actually sacrifice his son Isaac because Yahweh himself provided a substitute, a lamb. The story is presented in this way not only to explain clearly that child sacrifice is not needed, but also to introduce the theme of substitution. The current study also found that the Passover story is presented as a way to show the origin of setting apart the firstborn. Here the word ‘consecrate’ or ‘give’ does not imply ‘sacrifice,’ but rather, ‘set apart.’ There is no demand for a firstborn as the Passover sacrifice. It is stated clearly in the text that a lamb is used as a substitute. The redemption of the firstborn of clean and unclean animals is also compared with the rules pertaining to human firstborn. It is stated that the concepts of redemption and substitution were emphatically promoted in order to stop the existing practice of child sacrifice. Thus, the research found that, the demand for ‘everything that opens the womb’ was a device used by the authors of the Hebrew Bible to remove the existing practice of child sacrifice. The writers were successful and child sacrifice totally eradicated from the religion of the Hebrew Bible. Contents 1. Introduction………………..…………………….……………………………...... 1 1.1. Thesis Rationale ………………..…………………………………………..... 1 1.2. Firstborn in the Hebrew Bible .......................................................................... 3 1.3. Outline of the Thesis ........................................................................................ 5 2. Cult of Molech…………………………………………………………………...... 11 2.1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………... 11 2.2. History of Research…………………………………………………….……... 12 2.3. Evaluation and conclusion of the discussion ……………………………….... 28 3. Firstborn and the Cult of Molech…………………………………....…………… 35 3.1. Introduction………………………………………………………...………….. 35 3.2. History of Research ………………………………………………...……......... 36 3.3. Evaluation of the scholarly discussion on firstborn sacrifices………....…….... 55 3.4. Analysis of Two Hebrew Words ....………………..…………………..…….... 69 3.5. Conclusion ……………………………………………………………..…….... 72 4. The Demand of the Deity (Genesis 22): Abraham and the Near Sacrifice of Isaac 80 4.1. Introduction…………………………………………………….……………… 80 4.2. Scope and Limitations …………………………………………....…………... 81 4.3. History of Research …………………………………………….…………….. 82 4.4. The God of Abraham and His Demand for Child Sacrifice……..……………. 85 4.5. The Interpretation of Genesis 22…………………….………………………… 93 4.6. The Demand of the Deity and Possible Reasons……………………………… 96 4.7. The Deity’s Demand and Words used………………………………………… 101 4.7.1. ‘Your only son’ ……………………………...………………….. 101 4.7.2. ‘The Beloved Son’ / ‘the only son’ …………….…………………. 102 4.7.3. ‘Whom you love’ ……………………………….…………………. 106 4.7.4. ‘Please’ ………………………………………….....………………… 107 4.8. Evaluation ………………………………………………….………………….. 109 4.9. Conclusion …………………………………………………….………………. 114 5. The Firstborn and the Passover……………………….…………………………. 118 5.1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………. 118 5.2. History of Research …………………………………………………………… 122 5.2.1. Nomadic Pastoral Thanksgiving Festival ……………………………… 124 5.2.2. Spring Festival …………………………………………………………. 129 5.2.2.1. Nomadic Shepherd’s Spring Festival ………………………….. 129 5.2.2.2. One Day Spring Festival ………………………………………. 130 5.2.2.3. Spring Festival of the Tribal League…………………………… 131 5.2.3. Ritualized Slaughter ……………………………………………………. 132 5.2.4. Firstborn Sanctification Ritual …………………………………………. 135 5.3. Etymology ……………………………………………………………..………. 137 5.3.1. Introduction……………………………………………………..…..….. 137 Various forms in the Hebrew Texts…………………………...…. 137 :פסח .5.3.2 in Exodus 12 and 13………………………………………………. 138 פסח .5.3.3 5.3.4. Summary ………………………………………………………………. 141 5.4. Analysis of Biblical Passages Relating to Passover…………………………… 143 5.4.1. Exodus 12:1-13:16…………………………………………...……….... 144 5.4.2. Exodus 34:25………………………………………………………….... 150 5.4.3. Numbers 9:1-14: ……………………………………………………….. 152 5.4.4. Numbers 28:16 ………………………………………………………..... 155 5.4.5. Deuteronomy 16:1-8. ……………………………………………….….. 156 5.5. Texts outside the Pentateuch …………………………………………….….… 162 5.6. Firstborn and the Exodus Event …………… …………………………….…… 164 5.6.1. Replacement Theory …………………………………………………… 166 5.6.2. The Apotropaic Theory ……………………………………………… 167 5.6.3. A Pastoral Nomadic Theory ……………………………………….…… 169 5.7. Historical Passover ………………………………………………………..…… 171 5.8. Evaluation and Conclusion … ………….………………………………....……. 173 6. First-Born Animals Due to Yahweh and Their Redemption/Sacrifice……......... 178 6.1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………. 178 6.2. The Clean and the Unclean Animals …………...……………………………….. 180 6.3. The Firstborn and Clean Animals and Unclean Animals.......………………….. 182 6.3.1. The Law concerning the Firstling of the Clean Animals. ………………. 183 6.3.2. The Law concerning the Firstling of the Unclean Animals. ……………. 192 6.4. Firstborn Animal Sacrifice: The Roles of Priest and People ………………...… 197 6.5. The Principles of Redemption and Killing ……………………………….....…. 204 6.6. Conclusion ………………………………………………………………….….. 208 7. The firstborn humans given to Yahweh and their redemption ……………….... 211 7.1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………. 211 7.2. Hebrew words used for Consecration of Human Firstborn ……………………. 215 Natan ………………………………………………………………… 215 :נָתַן .7.2.1 Qodesh …………………………………………………………….. 221 :קֹדֶׁש .7.2.2 7.2.3. : Padah ………………………………………………………………. 226 7.3. The Firstborn and the Substitution: Numbers 3 ………………………………. 231 7.4. Consecration of the Human Firstborn: Analysis of Key Hebrew Texts……..…. 240 7.4.1. Exodus 13……………………………………………………………….. 242 7.4.2. Exodus 22:28-29 …………….…………………………………………. 250 7.4.3. Ex. 34:19-20 …..…...…………………………………………………… 252 7.4.4. Numbers 8:16-19 …...…………………………………………………… 254 7.4.5. Numbers 18:12-17……..………………………………………………… 260 7.4.6. 2 Kings 3:26-27 …...…………………………………………………….. 264 7.4.7. Micah 6:1-8 …………....………………………………………………… 267 7.4.8. Passing Children Through Fire ………………………………………….. 270 7.4.9. Topheth and Child Sacrifice in Jeremiah and Deuteronomy ……………. 273 7.4.10. Child Sacrifice in Ezekiel ……………………………………………….. 276 7.5. Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………… 279 8. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………... 284 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………. 296 Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1. Thesis Rationale Exodus 13:2 reads, “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn; whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is Mine.” There is no hint of a redemption clause in this passage as one may find in other passages (Ex. 34:19, 20). In the absence of a redemption clause, Ex. 13:2 can be taken to suggest that the God of the Hebrew Bible was demanding that all the firstborn, both animal and human, be sacrificed to himself. This leads to the question as to whether the sacrifice of the firstborn was in fact part of the religious practice of Ancient Israel. On this point, scholars vary in their opinions.1 There are a variety of interpretations of the consecration of the firstborn, from the possible existence of a firstborn sacrifice to a merely symbolic allusion to some past experience. In addition to the demand for the firstborn by the deity of the Hebrew Bible, there are special rights and privileges assigned to the firstborn, such as a double portion of the patrimony and headship of the household or clan after the death of the father or head of clan. These show that the firstborn held a prominent place in the family and in wider society in Ancient Israel. However, there remain many questions related to the rights and privileges of the firstborn and how these might relate to the question of their sacrifice. The principles of primogeniture and the special status of the firstborn can be traced among other ancient near eastern peoples, the neighbours of 1 For example, Francesca Stavrakopoulou, King Manasseh and Child Sacrifice: A Biblical Distortion of Historical Realities (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2004); Jon Douglas Levenson, The Death and Resurrection of The Beloved Son (London:
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Asherah in the Hebrew Bible and Northwest Semitic Literature Author(S): John Day Source: Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol
    Asherah in the Hebrew Bible and Northwest Semitic Literature Author(s): John Day Source: Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 105, No. 3 (Sep., 1986), pp. 385-408 Published by: The Society of Biblical Literature Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3260509 . Accessed: 11/05/2013 22:44 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. The Society of Biblical Literature is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Biblical Literature. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 143.207.2.50 on Sat, 11 May 2013 22:44:00 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions JBL 105/3 (1986) 385-408 ASHERAH IN THE HEBREW BIBLE AND NORTHWEST SEMITIC LITERATURE* JOHN DAY Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, England, OX2 6QA The late lamented Mitchell Dahood was noted for the use he made of the Ugaritic and other Northwest Semitic texts in the interpretation of the Hebrew Bible. Although many of his views are open to question, it is indisputable that the Ugaritic and other Northwest Semitic texts have revolutionized our understanding of the Bible. One matter in which this is certainly the case is the subject of this paper, Asherah.' Until the discovery of the Ugaritic texts in 1929 and subsequent years it was common for scholars to deny the very existence of the goddess Asherah, whether in or outside the Bible, and many of those who did accept her existence wrongly equated her with Astarte.
    [Show full text]
  • TOUR DE FER 20 Colour: Greens of the Stone Age / Weight: 14.80Kg
    TOUR DE FER 20 Colour: Greens Of The Stone Age / Weight: 14.80Kg SPECS Frame Reynolds 725 Heat-Treated Chromoly FEATURES Fork Genesis Full Chromoly - Reynolds 725 CrMo tubeset. Headset PT-1770 EC34 Upper / EC34 Lower - Shimano 3x10 speed drivetrain. Hanger Integraded - Shimano dynamo hub with B&M lights. COMPONENTS - Schwalbe Marathon touring tyres. Handlebars Genesis Alloy 18mm Rise, 8 Deg Backsweep, XS = 580mm, S/M = 600mm, L/XL = 620mm - Mudguards included. Stem Genesis Alloy, 31.8mm, -6 Deg, 100mm - Tubus rear rack, Atranvelo front rack. Grips/Tape Genesis Vexgel Saddle Genesis Adventure Seatpost Genesis Alloy 27.2mm XS/S/M = 350mm, L/XL = 400mm Pedals NW-99k With Cage DRIVE TRAIN Shifters Shimano Deore SL-M6000 3x10spd GEOMETRY XS S M L XL Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore RD-M6000-SGS Seat Tube 450 480 510 530 570 Front Derailleur Shimano Deore FD-T6000-L-3 Top Tube 533 547 578 604 636 Chainset Shimano FC-T611 44/32/24t, 170mm Frame Reach 365 375 395 415 435 BB Shimano BB-ES300 Frame Stack 566 580 599 618 637 Chain KMC X10 Head Tube 125 140 160 180 200 Cassette Shimano CS-HG500 11-34t Head Angle 71 71 71 71 71 BRAKES Seat Angle 73.5 73.5 73 73 72.5 Brakes Promax DSK-717RA Chainstay 455 455 455 455 455 Brake Levers Promax XL-91 BB Drop 75 75 75 75 75 Rotors Promax DT-160G, 160mm, 6 bolt Wheelbase 1041 1056 1083 1109 1136 WHEELS & TYRES Fork Offset 55 55 55 55 55 Rims Sun Ringle Rhyno Lite Standover 758 778 799 807 843 Hubs Shimano Front - DH-3D37 Dynamo Hub / Rear - FH-M4050 Stem 100 100 100 100 100 Spokes Steel 14g Handlebar 580 600 600 620 620 Tyres Schwalbe Marathon, 700 x 37c Crankarm 170 170 170 170 170 * The image above is for illustration purposes only.
    [Show full text]
  • 2021 GV80 Getting Started Guide
    GETTING STARTED GUIDE GENESIS GV80 GETTING STARTED GUIDE AUDIO, CONNECTIVITY, AND NAVIGATION Thank you for joining the Genesis family. This easy-to-follow guide will show you how to use various Genesis GV80 features and how to adjust their settings to your preferences. We hope you enjoy the distinctive luxury of a customized and convenient ownership experience. TABLE OF CONTENTS PHONE PROJECTION 3 PHONE PAIRING 4 CUSTOM BUTTON 6 MAKING A CALL 7 NAVIGATION 10 DYNAMIC VOICE Recognition 13 Dual VOICE Recognition 14 MAP DISPLAYS 15 Advanced DRIVER Assistance SYstems 17 Main menu PHONE PROJECTION Android AutoTM and Apple CarPlay® allow you to access the most commonly used smartphone features, including calling, navigation, text messaging, and playing music all from your driver’s seat. 1. ‘Connect’ a USB data cable from your phone to the vehicle’s USB port.* Android Auto APPLE CARPLAY 2. ‘Allow permission’ from your phone to connect to your vehicle. Please note that your phone must be unlocked. Android Auto APPLE CARPLAY 3. Enjoy using the applications displayed on your vehicle’s multimedia screen. Android Auto APPLE CARPLAY Note Android Auto users will be prompted to view a tutorial. Select your option and proceed. *USB data port will typically be located in or near the front in-dash console. Check your vehicle’s owner’s manual for specific location. Data cable for iOS device is required for Apple CarPlay. OEM data cables are recommended. Apple CarPlay is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. Android Auto is a trademark of Google LLC. 3 ONLINE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION AT MYGENESIS.COM Main menu PHONE PAIRING 1.
    [Show full text]
  • The Structure of Salvation: Part 12 – Tabernacle and Priesthood P a G E | 1
    The Structure of Salvation: Part 12 – Tabernacle and Priesthood P a g e | 1 The Aspects of the Tabernacle I. The Space A. Holy of Holies (Ex. 26:33-34) 1. The heart of the whole worship of God. It is the place in which God dwells among His people. 2. Represents heaven and the Garden of Eden; with cherubim around the throne of God (ark) and guarding the entrance (woven into the veil separating it from the holy place (Ex. 26:1, 31)). 3. Only the high priest can enter and only once a year to make atonement. B. Holy Place (Ex. 26:33-34) 1. Houses the altar of incense, the lampstand, and the table of showbread. 2. Only the priests may enter to do the duties of worship. C. Outer court (Ex. 27:9-19) 1. Has the altar of burnt offering and the wash basin. 2. Items made of bronze, as opposed to gold in the holy place and holy of holies. 3. Non-priests may enter but only to bring offerings. II. The Articles A. Ark. God’s figurative throne on earth (Ex. 25:20-22; Psa. 80:1; 99:1). The place where God grants atonement once a year for His people (Lev. 16:15-16). B. Altar of incense. The priests were to keep incense burning continually before the veil (Ex. 30:7- 8). The smoke represents the prayers of God’s people ascending to Him (Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4). C. Lampstand. 7-headed lamp, in the image of a tree (Ex.
    [Show full text]
  • Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Central Vista.Pdf
    RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN and the Central Vista © Sondeep Shankar Delhi is not one city, but many. In the 3,000 years of its existence, the many deliberations, decided on two architects to design name ‘Delhi’ (or Dhillika, Dilli, Dehli,) has been applied to these many New Delhi. Edwin Landseer Lutyens, till then known mainly as an cities, all more or less adjoining each other in their physical boundary, architect of English country homes, was one. The other was Herbert some overlapping others. Invaders and newcomers to the throne, anxious Baker, the architect of the Union buildings at Pretoria. to leave imprints of their sovereign status, built citadels and settlements Lutyens’ vision was to plan a city on lines similar to other great here like Jahanpanah, Siri, Firozabad, Shahjahanabad … and, capitals of the world: Paris, Rome, and Washington DC. Broad, long eventually, New Delhi. In December 1911, the city hosted the Delhi avenues flanked by sprawling lawns, with impressive monuments Durbar (a grand assembly), to mark the coronation of King George V. punctuating the avenue, and the symbolic seat of power at the end— At the end of the Durbar on 12 December, 1911, King George made an this was what Lutyens aimed for, and he found the perfect geographical announcement that the capital of India was to be shifted from Calcutta location in the low Raisina Hill, west of Dinpanah (Purana Qila). to Delhi. There were many reasons behind this decision. Calcutta had Lutyens noticed that a straight line could connect Raisina Hill to become difficult to rule from, with the partition of Bengal and the Purana Qila (thus, symbolically, connecting the old with the new).
    [Show full text]
  • Idolatry in the Ancient Near East1
    Idolatry in the Ancient Near East1 Ancient Near Eastern Pantheons Ammonite Pantheon The chief god was Moloch/Molech/Milcom. Assyrian Pantheon The chief god was Asshur. Babylonian Pantheon At Lagash - Anu, the god of heaven and his wife Antu. At Eridu - Enlil, god of earth who was later succeeded by Marduk, and his wife Damkina. Marduk was their son. Other gods included: Sin, the moon god; Ningal, wife of Sin; Ishtar, the fertility goddess and her husband Tammuz; Allatu, goddess of the underworld ocean; Nabu, the patron of science/learning and Nusku, god of fire. Canaanite Pantheon The Canaanites borrowed heavily from the Assyrians. According to Ugaritic literature, the Canaanite pantheon was headed by El, the creator god, whose wife was Asherah. Their offspring were Baal, Anath (The OT indicates that Ashtoreth, a.k.a. Ishtar, was Baal’s wife), Mot & Ashtoreth. Dagon, Resheph, Shulman and Koshar were other gods of this pantheon. The cultic practices included animal sacrifices at high places; sacred groves, trees or carved wooden images of Asherah. Divination, snake worship and ritual prostitution were practiced. Sexual rites were supposed to ensure fertility of people, animals and lands. Edomite Pantheon The primary Edomite deity was Qos (a.k.a. Quas). Many Edomite personal names included Qos in the suffix much like YHWH is used in Hebrew names. Egyptian Pantheon2 Egyptian religion was never unified. Typically deities were prominent by locale. Only priests worshipped in the temples of the great gods and only when the gods were on parade did the populace get to worship them. These 'great gods' were treated like human kings by the priesthood: awakened in the morning with song; washed and dressed the image; served breakfast, lunch and dinner.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Download
    Nisan / The Levantine Review Volume 4 Number 2 (Winter 2015) Identity and Peoples in History Speculating on Ancient Mediterranean Mysteries Mordechai Nisan* We are familiar with a philo-Semitic disposition characterizing a number of communities, including Phoenicians/Lebanese, Kabyles/Berbers, and Ismailis/Druze, raising the question of a historical foundation binding them all together. The ethnic threads began in the Galilee and Mount Lebanon and later conceivably wound themselves back there in the persona of Al-Muwahiddun [Unitarian] Druze. While DNA testing is a fascinating methodology to verify the similarity or identity of a shared gene pool among ostensibly disparate peoples, we will primarily pursue our inquiry using conventional historical materials, without however—at the end—avoiding the clues offered by modern science. Our thesis seeks to substantiate an intuition, a reading of the contours of tales emanating from the eastern Mediterranean basin, the Levantine area, to Africa and Egypt, and returning to Israel and Lebanon. The story unfolds with ancient biblical tribes of Israel in the north of their country mixing with, or becoming Lebanese Phoenicians, travelling to North Africa—Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya in particular— assimilating among Kabyle Berbers, later fusing with Shi’a Ismailis in the Maghreb, who would then migrate to Egypt, and during the Fatimid period evolve as the Druze. The latter would later flee Egypt and return to Lebanon—the place where their (biological) ancestors had once dwelt. The original core group was composed of Hebrews/Jews, toward whom various communities evince affinity and identity today with the Jewish people and the state of Israel.
    [Show full text]
  • Complete Dissertation
    VU Research Portal Abraham in Narrative Worldviews: Doing Comparative Theology through Christian- Muslim Dialogue in Turkey Bristow, G.F.V. 2015 document version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication in VU Research Portal citation for published version (APA) Bristow, G. F. V. (2015). Abraham in Narrative Worldviews: Doing Comparative Theology through Christian- Muslim Dialogue in Turkey. General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. E-mail address: [email protected] Download date: 03. Oct. 2021 VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT Abraham in Narrative Worldviews: Doing Comparative Theology through Christian-Muslim Dialogue in Turkey ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad Doctor aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, op gezag van de rector magnificus prof.dr. F.A. van der Duyn Schouten, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van de promotiecommissie van de Faculteit der Godgeleerdheid op donderdag 28 mei, 2015 om 11.45 uur in de aula van de universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105 door George Farquhar Vance Bristow Jr geboren te Pennsylvania, Verenigde Staten promotoren: prof.dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Holy Anointing Oil in the Bible
    Holy anointing oil in the bible Continue James 5:14 Are any of you sick? Then he must call upon the elders of the church, and they must pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; Mark 6:13 And they banished many demons and oiled many sick people and healed them. Jews 1:9 You loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore, God, Your God, anointed you with the oil of gladty over your comrades. Ruth 3:3 Wash yourself so, and anoint yourself and put on the best clothes, and go down to the floor threshing; but don't make yourself aware of the man until he has finished eating and drinking. Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord is God upon me, because the Lord anointed me to bring good news to the guardian; He sent me to tie a broken heart, to proclaim freedom to prisoners and freedom to prisoners; Psalm 45:7 You loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, anointed you with the oil of joy over your comrades. 1 John 2:27 As far as you are concerned, the anointing you have received from Him is in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about everything, and it is true and not a lie, and just as he taught you, you are in Him. Luke 10:34 and came up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put it on his beast, and brought him to the hotel and took care of him.
    [Show full text]
  • Significance of Prophet Abraham in World Scriptures of Hebrew, Christian, Muslim and Hindu Religions
    Significance of Prophet Abraham in World Scriptures of Hebrew, Christian, Muslim and Hindu Religions The reader is forewarned that certain parts of this article may be considered as slightly graphic, as those parts explain for clarity, the actual ritualistic practices within paganism, regarding human sacrifice. These are almost unbelievable historical facts of common practice, which happened many thousands of years ago. Many times when any topic under discussion concerns Prophet Abraham, most people immediately relate Prophet Abraham to that incident, when he almost sacrificed his first-born son. Rarely do people analyse the absolute greatness of this prophet, as the Father of Humanity. This article goes deeper in appreciating that Prophet Abraham was the first prophet who pioneered the modern day concept of One God; and to do this he walked out on his sire1 after destroying all the idols, save one the chief idol and placed the axe next to the chief idol; Prophet Abraham wilfully left the chief idol intact to bear witness and to explain who destroyed the colony of idols in the pagan temple. His sire (who was also head priest over the idols)2 told Prophet Abraham not to be stupid, because the chief idol was a man-made, lifeless and powerless cold statue, sculptured out of stone; and that the idol could not see, hear, speak, feel or taste or have the powers of discretion to bear witness. Of course, Prophet Abraham told his sire not to worship such useless, powerless and defenceless idols. Thereafter he fought many skirmishes with so many of the idol worshiping communities, and he was also banished from his town of usual residence.
    [Show full text]
  • Transcendence of God
    TRANSCENDENCE OF GOD A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE QUR’AN BY STEPHEN MYONGSU KIM A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE PHILOSOPHIAE DOCTOR (PhD) IN BIBLICAL AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES IN THE FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA SUPERVISOR: PROF. DJ HUMAN CO-SUPERVISOR: PROF. PGJ MEIRING JUNE 2009 © University of Pretoria DEDICATION To my love, Miae our children Yein, Stephen, and David and the Peacemakers around the world. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I thank God for the opportunity and privilege to study the subject of divinity. Without acknowledging God’s grace, this study would be futile. I would like to thank my family for their outstanding tolerance of my late studies which takes away our family time. Without their support and kind endurance, I could not have completed this prolonged task. I am grateful to the staffs of University of Pretoria who have provided all the essential process of official matter. Without their kind help, my studies would have been difficult. Many thanks go to my fellow teachers in the Nairobi International School of Theology. I thank David and Sarah O’Brien for their painstaking proofreading of my thesis. Furthermore, I appreciate Dr Wayne Johnson and Dr Paul Mumo for their suggestions in my early stage of thesis writing. I also thank my students with whom I discussed and developed many insights of God’s relationship with mankind during the Hebrew Exegesis lectures. I also remember my former teachers from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, especially from the OT Department who have shaped my academic stand and inspired to pursue the subject of this thesis.
    [Show full text]
  • The Qanon Conspiracy
    THE QANON CONSPIRACY: Destroying Families, Dividing Communities, Undermining Democracy THE QANON CONSPIRACY: PRESENTED BY Destroying Families, Dividing Communities, Undermining Democracy NETWORK CONTAGION RESEARCH INSTITUTE POLARIZATION AND EXTREMISM RESEARCH POWERED BY (NCRI) INNOVATION LAB (PERIL) Alex Goldenberg Brian Hughes Lead Intelligence Analyst, The Network Contagion Research Institute Caleb Cain Congressman Denver Riggleman Meili Criezis Jason Baumgartner Kesa White The Network Contagion Research Institute Cynthia Miller-Idriss Lea Marchl Alexander Reid-Ross Joel Finkelstein Director, The Network Contagion Research Institute Senior Research Fellow, Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience, Rutgers University SPECIAL THANKS TO THE PERIL QANON ADVISORY BOARD Jaclyn Fox Sarah Hightower Douglas Rushkoff Linda Schegel THE QANON CONSPIRACY ● A CONTAGION AND IDEOLOGY REPORT FOREWORD “A lie doesn’t become truth, wrong doesn’t become right, and evil doesn’t become good just because it’s accepted by the majority.” –Booker T. Washington As a GOP Congressman, I have been uniquely positioned to experience a tumultuous two years on Capitol Hill. I voted to end the longest government shut down in history, was on the floor during impeachment, read the Mueller Report, governed during the COVID-19 pandemic, officiated a same-sex wedding (first sitting GOP congressman to do so), and eventually became the only Republican Congressman to speak out on the floor against the encroaching and insidious digital virus of conspiracy theories related to QAnon. Certainly, I can list the various theories that nest under the QAnon banner. Democrats participate in a deep state cabal as Satan worshiping pedophiles and harvesting adrenochrome from children. President-Elect Joe Biden ordered the killing of Seal Team 6.
    [Show full text]