Poetic Justice in the Bible

Poetic justice is the thing we all love to see, let's discover why its so satisfying and how it's used in the Word of God

Poetic justice is "an outcome in which vice is punished and virtue rewarded usually in a manner peculiarly or ironically appropriate."[1] Essentially poetic justice is what someone gets what they deserve. We love to see this because it's the neat ending we alway want to see: we want to see the good guy lifted up and the bad guy punished. The first secular example that came to my mind while I was studying this topic was Ever After, a realistic version of Cinderella. In Ever After, the stepmother forces Cinderella into servant hood and mistreats her, but in the end Cinderella is married to the prince and the stepmother is forced to become a servant.

Biblical Examples

Jacob & Esau	Jacob tricks Isaac into giving him Esau's blessing; Laban tricks Jacob into 14 years of work and marrying the wrong daughter
Death of the Firstborns	Pharaoh has Israelite children killed; God punishes Egypt by killing the firstborns in the final plague
Esther	Haman tries to get Mordecai and the Jews killed; Mordecai is exalted and Haman is killed
The Whole Bible	The whole purpose of the Bible is the concept of the righteous gaining paradise and the serpent who took it from us being cast out forever

References

1. "Poetic Justice". Merriam Webster Dictionary; visited May 2022

Allegory in the Bible

Sometimes a rose isn't just a rose, a woman isn't just a woman and a passage in the Bible is actually illustrating a larger theme or event in the text.

I used to hate when my teacher told me a rose wasn't just a rose. I didn't trust that she knew what the author was thinking and didn't understand the point of guessing outside of what was explicitly written. As I've grown over the years, I've learn to appreciate hidden meanings in texts a lot more. In the Bible, a lot of the individual stories are allegories for larger themes. One of the biggest clues to helping me find these allegories can be found in Jeremiah 6:2. In this verse, we are explicitly told a woman symbolizes God's holy city was really is His holy people. In the New Testament, you see confirmation of this when the Church constantly being refered to as "the Bride of Christ." When I started plugging "the Church" in for women in Biblical narratives, a whole new layer started to unravel for me. Below are just a few examples of allegory in the Bible. Can you come up with more?

Passage	Allegory
The Book of Esther	Represents the transition of the Old Covenant into the New Covenant and redemption of God's people King Ahauserus --> God Queen Vashti --> Israel in rebellion Esther --> The New Testament Church Haman --> Satan Purim --> The Marriage Supper of the Lamb to the Church
The Fall of Man	Represents Christ coming to earth as a man to suffer to save the Church Adam --> Christ (notably Christ doesn't sin as Adam did) Eve --> the Church Eden --> Heaven/Paradise
The Feast Days	Represents the mission of Christ Passover (Salvation from Egypt) --> Crucifixion (Salvation from sin) Feast of Unleavened Bread (Firstfruits) --> The resurrected dead + Christ (Matthew 27:50-53) Pentacost (Giving of the law) --> Receiving the Holy Spirit Feast of Trumpets --> Warnings of Christ's second return (Matthew 24; Revelation 8-11) Day of Atonement (High Priest redeems Israel for their sacrifice) --> The sealing of the saints in Revelation Feast of Tabernacles (commemorates when God dwelt with Israel during their 40 years) --> Living in paradise in union with the Most High/The Millenium

References

1. "Allegory". Merriam Webster Dictionary; visited March 2022

Tips on Studying the Bible as a Literary Anthology

The Bible is actually an anthology full of literary devices! Studying it with that in mind is a game changer.

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV

The Bible is an anthology[1]; it is several books, each of which serves a different function, compiled into one larger work. Each book was written at a different time period, and meant to convey a different message. The tone and context varies from book to book, author to author. It's imporant to remember this when reading the Bible. Even more important is the fact that inside each books is a ton of literary devices (e.g., allegories, allusions, archetypes, imagery, metaphors, symbolism, etc.). Recognizing these literary devices can help you understand the Bible on a much deeper level. That is the purpose of this study! Check out a list of literary devices in the image below—throughout the series we're going to touch on a few of these.

References

1. "Anthology". Merriam Webster Dictionary; visited February 2022

Are You A Christian?

Do you identify yourself as Christian? What does it mean to you? Better yet, what does it mean to others?

¹⁵“Beware of the false prophets! They come to you wearing sheep’s clothing, but underneath they are hungry wolves! ¹⁶You will recognize them by their fruit. Can people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷Likewise, every healthy tree produces good fruit, but a poor tree produces bad fruit. ¹⁸A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, or a poor tree good fruit. 19 Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire! ²⁰So you will recognize them by their fruit. Matthew 7:15-20 CJB

What does it tell you if I call myself a Christian? How much of what you think is tells you is assumption versus Biblical fact and further, how much of that Biblical fact am I actually following?

Identifying As A Christian

I find it difficult to identify as a Christian because it doesn't mean the same thing to everybody. Technically, it means "follower of Christ," which means it should be applied to someone who follows the teachings of the Messiah. However, many people claim the title without following the teachings of Christ—a large number of Christian get their sole teachings from a pastor not the scriptures and therefore don't actually know the teachings of Christ. Yet still, even for those of following the teachings, there are many things people disagree on which means following the teachings of Christ can look different. The person hearing me identify as a Christian defines what he/she believes that means and that may or may not be what I mean.

By The Fruit

Matthew 7 tells us a true prophet is known by the fruit; this applies to disciples too. Anyone can call themselves a Christian but it is the fruit of the Spirit that proves us to be His. My grandfather used to say "let the deeds I've done speak for me." That's how I identify: "let the fruit I bear, speak for me."

Lack of Motivation in Finding a New Local Church

Are you ready to go back to Church? I'm not.

He has told you, mortal one, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8 NASB

Truth is, I'm not super motivated to find a local church. In this video I'm talking about 4 (and sort of 5) reasons why I haven't been particularly motivated to find a church here in TX.

Important Verses to Remember

James 1:27 - Defining pure and undefiled religion

Micah 6:8 - Our responsibilities as believers

Exodus 12:38 - The Mixed Multitude joining Israel

Leviticus 19:34 - The treatment of strangers in Israel

Galatians 3:8 - Race, gender, etc. should not effect how a person is treated within the Body of Christ

Galatians 2 - Peter and Paul disagree (there will always be disagreements)

Astrology & the Zodiac

Is it weird that everyone is trying to predict their future by looking at the stars? Or is it a place of common knowledge?

Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and they shall serve as signs and for seasons, and for days and years; Genesis 1:14 NASB

Most people are familiar with Western astrology, some know about the Chinese zodiac, but did you know almost every culture has some kind of Zodiac tradition? Caution: the Bible warns against worshiping the stars or believing the stars are controlling events—but the Bible also says that they are for signs (and seasons)

Relevant Verses

A few relevant verses on the topic:

• Genesis 1:14
• Deuteronomy 4:19
• Judges 5:20
• Ezekiel 32:7
• Psalm 97:6
• Revelation 6:13
• Revelation 8:12

In Other Cultures

The following is a list of a few cultural astrology traditions.

• Agricultural astrology
• Arab and Persian astrology
• Babylonian astrology
• Burmese Astrology
• Celtic astrology
• Chinese Astrology
• Egyptian astrology
• Hellenistic astrology
• Mayan astrology
• Indian astrology
• Islamic astrology
• Sri Lankan Astrology
• Tibetan astrology
• Western astrology

References

1. "List of Astrological Traditions, Types, and Systems". Wikipedia; visited September 2021
2. "Zodiac". Encyclopedia Britannica; visited September 2021
3. Dadhichi. "Astrology in Different Cultures". Astrology.com. February 19, 2018

Like A Good Neighbor

Love God and love your neighbor--on these two hang the whole of the commandments.

³¹“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. ³² And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; ³³and He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left.

³⁴“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; ³⁶naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ ³⁷Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ³⁸And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ³⁹And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’

⁴¹“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; ⁴² for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; ⁴³ I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ ⁴⁴Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ ⁴⁵ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for Me, either.’ ⁴⁶These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-46 NASB

Following God's commandments are important. Discerning truth is important. Understanding history and prophecy is important. However if we can give a detailed history of paganism in the church (with a little c), lies told, signs of the times, linguistics, and prophecy, but can't show up with that same energy to help our neighbors, we missed the point. (See also: Matthew 7:15-23)

Powerful Water Creatures

The ocean is one of the most mysterious places on earth, and every culture seems to think there's something magical beneath the waves. From Leviathan to Atlantis to Mermaids...let's talk about what everyone seems to know about life in the deep blue sea.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Revelation 21:1 KJV

Sea Monsters

I started out thinking this episode was going to be on sea monsters like the Leviathan, so lets talk about those first.

Leviathan

The primary source for the leviathan is found in Job 41, though it is also mentioned in Job 3:8, Psalms 74:13; 104:26, and Isaiah 27:1. Using Blue Letter Bible to determine the meaning of the original Hebrew לִוְיָתָן which is translated to leviathan, I found a few interesting things. This definition acknowledges similarities to plesiosaurus and esentially defines leviathan as a serpentine sea monster, as we would expect. However, it also ties the word to the constellation of the dragon () and Babylon—which is often cited as a city that is in opposition to the Kingdom of YHWH.[1] In short, leviathan is described a fearsome sea serpent, with parallels to the dragon (Isaiah 27:1).

Jewish tradition holds more beliefs about leviathan that are not found in the Bible.[5]

Nessie (The Loch Ness Monster)

The Loch Ness Monster, often called Nessie, is also portrayed as a plesiasaurus, drawing parallels to the leviathan. Legends of Nessie are found in Scotland. While most scientist argue against a large sea creature in the Loch Ness and at least one phone has been declared a hoax, many people still flock to Ireland in hopes of catching a glimpse of the creature.[2]

Plesiasaurus

The plesiosaur or plesiosaurus is a dinosaur-era marine creature.[3][4] Many people think the legends about sea monsters stem from this creature. These massive reptiles, at one point, could grow up to 40 ft. long!

A Lost Kingdom?

So as I was trying to figure out how to make this episode more interesting and what this episode should really look like, my mind driffed from leviathan to Atlantis (mainly because Disney's Atlantis: the Lost Empire has a creature they call leviathan guarding the city of Atlantis). Of course from there my mind driffed to Atlantica, the home of Disney's The Little Mermaid—yes, I watched way too much Disney in my lifetime. Nonetheless, this got the wheels griding in my mind.

Many people know about the legend of Atlantis, but what many have never heard are Christians preaching against "the marine kingdom," a demonic kingdom of water spirits. I don't know enough about the topic to make a clear statement about it, but in the research I have done on it in the past plus what everyone seems to know about water spirits, it does make you think. plus Revelation 21:1 says that after the judgment, there will be no more sea...

Water Spirits

In the US we grew up with mermaids, and mostly mermaids like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, but around the world, the legends of mermaids or other water spirit are not so bubbly and cute.[6][9][10][11]

• Atargtis (Mesopotamia)
• Jengu (Iara)
• Mami Wata (Africa--and the African Diaspora)
• Melusine (French)
• Merrow (Ireland)
• Ningyo (Japan)
• Njuzu (Zimbabwe)
• Rusalka (Slavic)
• Sirens (Greek)
• Selkie (Celtic/Norse)

References

1. "Strong's H3882. לִוְיָתָן". Blue Letter Bible; visited September 5, 2021
2. Loch Ness Monster, Legendary Creature". Encyclopedia Britannica; visited September 2021
3. Plesiosaur". Encyclopedia Britannica; visited September 2021
4. "Plesiosaurs Pictures and Faces". The Dinosaur Database; visited September 2021
5. "Leviathan". Mythical Realm. 2012
6. "Mermaid". Wikipedia; visited September 2021
7. Emily Madriga. "12 Facts About The Ningen, The Creepiest ‘Animal’ You’ve Never Heard Of". Thought Catalog. March 2018
8. Regina Hansen. "Why We Keep Telling Legends of Sea Monsters". The Wall Street Journal. June 24, 2021
9. "Marakihau". The Journal of the Polynesian Society: Vol 66, No 1. 1957
10. Gillian Finklea. "9 Mermaid Legends From Around the World". Mental Floss. February 29, 2016
11. "Mermaid". Encyclopedia Britannica; visited September 2021

The Afterlife

Could knowledge about what happens after we die be common knowledge?

For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; there is no longer any reward for them, because all memory of them is lost. Ecclesiastes 9:5 CJB

For as far back as we can find, people have had ceremonies for burying the dad and some kind of belief in a hereafter. Every culture seems to understand that there has to be more to our existence than what we experience here on Earth. Why do you think that is? I think it's common knowledge; life has meaning and is merely a chapter in our ultimate destination!

Beliefs

Here are a few different views of the afterlife, from around the world and throughout time

• Egyptians mumified bodies and buried people with their possessions/treasures in belief that it would serve them in the afterlife.
• Nirvana - Buddhism and Hinduism
• Valhalla - Norse Mythology
• Sheol - Judaism / Christianity
• Heaven/Hell - Christianity
• Purgatory - Catholicism
• Hades - Greek Mythology

References

1. "Afterlife Religion". Encyclopedia Britannica; visited August 2021
2. "How the Major Religions View the Afterlife". Encyclopedia; visited August 2021
3. "Death and Afterlife in Ancient Egypt". Museum of Art and Archaeology; visited August 2021

Too Much Talking

Do your words get you introuble? Let's talk about communication.

The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
Proverbs 15:28 NASB

Recently I read a book called Keep It Shut (I posted a review here on the blog), and it's had me accutely aware of how easy it is to miscommunicate. Despite how easily angered/offended most of us are, it's really easy to mean well but say something that riles people up. In this episode I wanted to explore that.

Highlighted Scenarios & Thoughts

• Culture plays a major role in how we communicate (e.g., I have offended people by saying "ma'am/sir" and I have offended people by not saying "ma'am/sir")
• Our past can cause us to be sensitive about certain topics (e.g., I have a male friend who is 5'2"; he goes from 0 to 100 when he perceives someone to be referencing his height)
• We are each responsible for our own self: it is my responsiblity to manage my expectations and to express when something bothers me; it is also my responsibility to respect others and try to understand their view point
• There are lots of Bible verses about the dangers of the tongue!

Feminism & Religion (Pt. 1)

There are so many conotations of the term "feminism" that its rare to find people on the same page. Because of that, we're going to dive into the definition and history of feminism a little before we actually start talking about how it relates to religion.

¹¹However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. ¹²For as the woman originated from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God. 1 Corinthians 11:11-12 NASB

I've actually heard a lot of Christian men (and women!) bashing feminism, and generally if they open up about what they're complaining about it's usually a subset of feminism or their perception of what feminism is. So before we start talking about how religion views women, I thought we should spend some time talking about feminism. In this episode we'll briefly touch on the history of women and some ideas that sprang up in the various feminist movements. This is by no means an exhaustive coverage of feminism or the nuances within feminism. This is simply a pre-conversation to get us on the same page for the next.

Official Definition

definition

Feminism [2]

noun

: belief in and advocacy of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests

First Wave

• Generally known as "Women's Suffrage"
• The first women's rights conference was held in 1848
• The conference was mostly organized by Quakers, in fact one woman was a Quaker preacher
• Focused on the right to vote, equality in education
• In England, the Matrimonial Causes Act (passed in 1878), is what gave women the right to leave abusive husbands[6]
• It wasn't until 1920 that all US states considered it illegal for a husband to beat his wife[4]
• Rape within a marriage didn't become illegal until 1993 (even though I talked about it mostly during the beginning)[5]

Second Wave

• Equality in employment opportunities
• Stronger emergence of pushback against "white feminism" (though there were women from other races fighting early own, their voices were often supressed)
• Considered the begining of Global Feminism
• Begining of the sexual revolution

Third Wave

• Focus on body positivity, media portrayals of women, double standards
• Beginning to recognize intersectionality; attempts to be more inclusive
• Popularization of reclaiming symbols/words previously seen as sexist
• Continuation of sexual liberation
• Tackling harassment (particularly at work) and the #MeToo movement (possible 4th Wave)

References

1. Elinor Burkett and Laura Burell. "Feminism". Encyclopedia Britannica. March 24, 2021
2. "Feminism". Merriam Webster; visited July 2021
3. "Women in Computer Science: Getting Involved in STEM". ComputerScience.org. May 5, 2021
4. Cheryl Hanna. "Domestic Violence". Encyclopedia. May 29, 2018
5. "This Woman Fought To End Minnesota's 'Marital Rape' Exception, And Won". NPR. May 4, 2019
6. Matrimonial Causes Act of 1878, via Irish Statute Book
7. "Women in Computer Science: Getting Involved in STEM". ComputerScience.org. May 5, 2021

Life Lessons from a Band Geek

The things I learned in Marching Band had a profound effect on who I am today and how I approach Christianity.

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd. John 10:16 NASB

It sounds crazy but, the things I learned in Marching Band had a profound effect on who I am today and how I approach Christianity. God's truth is eternal. When Christ said there are sheep of a different fold that hear His voice, I think He was referencing the fact that if your ear is searching for truth you will find God's truth in places you'd least expect. I've previously shared a few things I learned from Greek life that I thought I should have learned from Church. Today, I'm sharing what I learned from middle/high school band.

Summary of Lessons

1. Look at problems from different angles and be willing to accept that you might have to take a different route
   I forgot to elaborate on why I told you the story of not being able to make a sound of the flute. From that experienced I learned two things: when a problem occurs, don't be afraid to take in all the evidence and look at the problem from a different angle; also, just because you can't do something the same way someone else does, doesn't mean you can't do it—take a different path
2. When in doubt, leave it out (conditionally)
3. Delayed gratification
4. Have a winners mindset
5. Early is on time, on time is late
6. Leave a place better than you found it
7. Let the things you love anchor you
8. Keeping a code of loyalty and love
9. Perspective is the key to harmony

Bible Verses

Below are the Biblical references I alluded to in the video

• Sheep of a different fold -> John 10:16
• 10 wise/foolish virgins -> Matthew 25
• Store up your treasures in the Kingdom -> Matthew 6:20

Food and Health

Many religions have standards about what can and can't be consumed. Collectively, the world knows that there something important about what eat. In this episode, we're going to explore that.

16 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not [o]eat, for on the day that you eat from it you will certainly die.” Genesis 2:16-17 NASB

27 Health Problems Cause by Poor Diet

1. Hypertension (high blood pressure)
2. Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia
3. Coronary Heart Disease
4. Stroke
5. Gall Bladder Disease
6. Osteoarthritis
7. Sleep Apnea
8. Respiratory Problems
9. Endometrial Cancer
10. Breast Cancer
11. Prostate Cancer
12. Colon Cancer
13. Dyslipidemia (an abnormal amount of lipids, or fat, in the blood)
14. Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (liver inflammation caused by a buildup of fat in the liver)
15. Insulin Resistance
16. Asthma
17. Hyperuricemia (an abnormally high level of uric acid in the blood)
18. Reproductive Hormone Abnormalities
19. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
20. Impaired Fertility
21. Adult Onset Diabetes (Type 2)
22. Depression
23. Anxiety
24. Low energy levels/fatigue
25. Tooth decay
26. Acne
27. Digestive health issues

Abrahamic Faiths

Judaism

• Food must be Kosher
• Bible outlines clean vs. unclean meat
• Fat is not to be consumed
• Diary and meat can't be mixed

Islam

• Requires halal food
• No pork, meat must be halal
• Halal is similar to kosher but not quite the same

Christianity

• Technically, Christianity has Kosher laws as well, despite the fact that most Chrsitians don't adhere to them (search the blog for more info on why we should)
• Most food restrictions in Christianity are debated, such as alcohol and caffeine

Hinduism

• Mostly vegetarian
• Regards the cow as sacred so meat eaters do not eat beef
• Also stays away from fat

Sikhism

• Many vegetarians
• May not eat meat killed accroding to other religious laws (e.g., Kosher)

Jainism

• Vegetarian or vegan

Rastafari

• Vegetarian or pescatarian
• Concered about eating quality food
• Avoid processed foods

References

1. Kate Eller. "These 27 medical problems are caused by a poor diet". Health News; visited July 2021
2. Sarah Patience. "Religion and dietary choices". Independenct Nurse. September 19, 2016
3. "For Rastas, Eating Pure Food From the Earth is a Sacred Duty". National Geographic. July 19, 2016
4. "Poor Nutrition". CDC; visited July 2021

The Great Flood

Practically every culture around the world has a story about a worldwide flood. This definitely seems like a common knowledge event.

Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation. Genesis 7:1 CSB

All around the world, people know there was a flood. Practically every culture has a story about it. In some ways they're very different and in some ways, they're very similar.

Abrahamic Faiths

The Abrahamic religions share the story of Noah and the Ark

Sumerian

• the epic of Gilgamesh (most often brought up)
• recorded on 12 stone tablets
• Gilgamesh reigned for 126 years; was afraid of death and searched for immortality
• Utnapishtim was an immortal man met by Gilgamesh; his story is similar to Noah
• Utnapishtim was given immortality after building a ship called “preserver of Life” and surviving the great flood. He brought his relatives and all the species aboard the ship
  • Note, someone like Noah would seem immortal to people who lived after him and had significantly shorter lifespans!

Aztec

• Titlacauan (an Aztec god) warns a man and his wife of a flood
• They are sealed inside a cypress tree
• In this story the people aren’t killed in the flood, they’re turned into fish!
• The man and woman disobey Titlacauan (who told them only to eat one ear of maize) and eat fish
  • This is reminiscent of the Garden of Eden where God told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
  • They are punished for disobedience; Titlacauan turns them into dogs
• Then the world starts over (somehow)

Greeks

• Zeus is the angry god
• Zeus has Deucalion (the son of Prometheus) construct an ark for him an his wife
• The flood is 9 days long and the world is destroyed (the Biblical flood lasts about a year)
• The ark rests on Mount Parnassus
• After the waters recede, Deucalion offer sacrifice to Zeus
• Zeus tells them to throw stones over their shoulders to repopulate the earth; those thrown by Deucalion become men and those thrown behind his wife became women

Hindu

• a fish (perhaps a deity) tells a man the world is to be destroyed in a great flood
• He builds a boat and ties it to the horn of the fish
• This boat is guided to a mountain
• He performs a sacrifice
• A woman rises from the sea and that who he repopulates the earth with

China

• a farmer captures and imprisons a thunder god
• the farmer's his children release the thunder god
• so the thunder god warned them there would be a flood
• they hid in a gourd he gave him that would keep them safe
• the brother and sister are the only survivors
• multiple endings exists (mostly to get around incest)—one says the repopulated the human race by creating them from clay
  • Remember God created humans from the dust of the earth, othen referred to as clay

Norse

• Earth flooded with blood, not water, when Odin and his brothers killed a giant
  • Giants are first mentioned in the Bible at the time of Noah's flood
  • Revelation 14:20 talks about blood running so deep it reaches the horses' bridles
• a couple made an ark and were saved

Aboriginal

• a frog drank all the water causing a drought
• the other animals tried making him laugh
• when he laughed the water came out and flooded the land
• his laughter sounds like thunder (thunder seems to be a running theme)

Buddhist

• Samudda-vāṇija Jātaka
• 1000 Dishonest carpenters, they upset the village by taking money without delivering
  • Interesting that they are carpenters (Messiah is also a carpenter)
• they built a ship to leave and arrive on an island haunted by spirits
• the spirits give them on rule: bury their human waste to keep the island clean
• They ignored the rules, so the spirits decide to flood the island
• one spirit becomes a ball of light in the sky and warns them they should flee
• another spirit told them the first spirit was joking
• there was a wise ruler and a foolish ruler over the carpenters
• the wise ruler told his people to build a ship; the wise man and his people set sail, while the foolish man and his people died

First Nations

Waynaboozhoo survived a flood caused by the great spirit via a raft

He floated for a month

he sends animals into the water to get mud from the old world to rebuild

3 different animals attempt to get the mud (reminds of the 3 with the dove to find land in the Biblical account)

the mud grew on a turtles back until it was the size of the whole earth

“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man: Luke 17:26 CSB

References

1. Lennlee Keep. "A Flood of Myths and Stories". PBS. February 14, 2020
2. "World Flood Myths". Ark Encounter; visited June 2021

The Life is in the Blood

Blood is physical, its spiritual... Blood is our life force. Today, we're talking about how views on the blood have evolved and how they tie in with the gospel!

But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. Genesis 9:4 NASB

This episode talks about all the ways humans have viewed blood, what our blood tells us, and how that relates to the Word! Spoiler alert: everything points to the gospel. It points to Yeshua/Jesus/Christ/Messiah! It points to YHWH's heart! It points to the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Bible Verses on Blood and Life

• Genesis 9:4
• Leviticus 17:11, 14
• Deuteronomy 12:23
• Psalm 72:14
• Ezekiel 33:5
• John 6:53-54
• Revelation 12:11

References

1. "Blood offerings". Britannica; visited June 2021
2. Maria Cohut. "Bloodletting: Why doctors used to bleed their patients for health". Medical News Today. November 16, 2020
3. Dennis J Mcarthy. "The Symbolism of Blood and Sacrifice". Journal of Biblical Literature. June 1969

Condemnation, Correction, & Conviction

Do you know the difference between condemnation, correction, and conviction? How about where they fit in our journey as Christians and how the interplay with one another? Let's talk about these 3 important C's

⁷One who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,
And one who rebukes a wicked person gets [a]insults for himself.
⁸Do not rebuke a scoffer, or he will hate you;
Rebuke a wise person and he will love you.
⁹ Give instruction to a wise person and he will become still wiser;
Teach a righteous person and he will increase his insight. Acts 2:42 NASB

Condemnation

• Bible Verses on condmenation
  • Job 10:2
  • Proverbs 12:2
• Condemnation can be a judgment by God or a weapon weilded by Satan
• Satan tries to convince us we are condemned and unworthy of salvation; Satan is a liar
• We should never condmen anyone, instead focus on forgiveness (Matthew 18:22-35)

Correction

• Bible Verses on correction
  • Proverbs 9:7-9
  • Proverbs 13:24
• Correction is needed to help us grow
• It must be delivered in love, however

Conviction

• Must be internal
• The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin
• This is what gives us the motivation to change and be more Christ-like

References

1. "Condmenation". Merriam-Webster; visited June 2021
2. "Correction". Merriam-Webster; visited June 2021
3. "Conviction". Merriam-Webster; visited June 2021

How Real Church Should Look

Church is not a building. It's the people of God and the community they build. I've been blessed to experience what real Church looks like and from this environment I was able to truly able to grow in Christ.

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42 NASB

The first Century church, as described in Acts, did life together. They didn't just see each other on Sabbath for a few hours; they ate meals together, laughed together, cried together, sold their belongs to support each other, and most importantly, worshiped together. Luckily, I've had friends like this my whole life, which I credit as part of the reason I've been able to develop such a strong relationship with God.

In my teenage years, the spiritual aspect of these friendships was spearheaded by adults. So while my friends and I maintained a relationship similar to the first century church, we weren't actively cultivating our relationship with God. It wasn't until recently that I met a group of people I could truly live this experience with. It was life changing, and I wish every Christian could have that opportunity.

References

1. Adorned by Adanna Website
2. Styled by Jah Instagram

Climate Change & Christianity

The Word of God places the responsibility of the Earth in our hands, so why don't churches talk about environmental issues? Why aren't we mobilizing against the pollution of our planet the way we mobilize against other issues?

²⁶Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.” ²⁷So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:26-28 NASB

definition

Dominion [1]

noun

1. : DOMAIN
2. law : supreme authority : SOVEREIGNTY
   having dominion over the natural world
3. dominions plural, Christianity : an order of angels
   — see CELESTIAL HIERARCHY
4. often capitalized, government : a self-governing nation of the Commonwealth of Nations other than the United Kingdom that acknowledges the British monarch as chief of state
5. law : absolute ownership

Our Responsibility

• Mankind was given dominion over the earth
• It is our responsibility to care for the Earth
• As we fall deeper into sin, we fail at the initial task God gave us: rule over the Earth
• Our sins are what lead to the final judgment, which is to be proceeded by cataclysmic events (Matthew 24; Revelation)
• Many of the events prophesied to occur during the end times sound a lot like Climate Change...

Climate Change	End Times
caused by people's actions	casued by people's actions (sin)
affects the climate of the Earth, can cause storms, earthquakes, famines, etc.	earthquakes, wars, famines, pestilence

Important Documentaries to Watch

• The Devil We Know
• A Plastic Ocean

Both are on Netflix

The Devil We Know

• Teflon was created by 3M and DuPont, and began distribution in the 1940's[2]
• Cancer rates have been drastically increasing since at least the 1970's (note, Teflon pans were "ok'd" for cooking in the 60s)[3]
• The creation of Teflon requires the productions of PFOA, PFAS, and/or C8 (all of which are carcinogenic)
• 3M warned DuPont about the hazards of these chemicals in the 1980s and by the 1990s, DuPont knew they were carcinogenic[4]
• DuPont continues to produce PFOA, PFAS, and/or C8 in the making of Teflon until 2015, when they were finally "held accountable" in court[4]
• DuPont dumped these chemicals in the Ohio River and polluted the entire world between the beginning of Teflon in 1940 until 2015
• No one was sentenced to jail[4]
• DuPont was given a 3 year period to phase out the use of PFOA, PFAS, and C8 in producing Teflon
• Now they produce GenX[5]
  • Inital studies show that GenX is also carcinogenic
  • It has been found in the water of North Carolina where DuPont has a facility
• Further Reading:
  • Dark Waters Tells the True Story of the Lawyer Who Took DuPont to Court and Won. But Rob Bilott’s Fight Is Far From Over
  • Study Links Teflon Chemical to Higher Cancer Rates"

A Plastic Ocean

• Plastic doesn't break down and is ending up in our ocean
• Bacteria grows on the plastic and toxins leech out into the fish in the ocean[6]
• The toxins released into fish, are then consumed by humans eating said fish[6]
• Fish and birds are consuming and dying from this plastic
• China started refusing our recycling[7]

Our Fault

• The environmental issues in our world are caused by greed and selfishness
• Both greed and selfishness are sins the Bible warns us about (specifically in the last days!)
• 1 Timothy 6:10

For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 2 Timothy 3:2 NASB

The Importance of Water

• Scientifically, water is the sole reason for life on Earth
• Let's look at water in the Bible:
  • God's Spirit hoovers over the waters at Creation (Genesis 1)
  • God destroys the world with water during the flood (Genesis 6)
  • Baptism by water represents salvation and points to eternal life (Matthew 3:16)
  • Yeshua/Jesus—the living water—is sent to bring salvation and eternal life (John 4:10)
  • In the final days, the water will be poisoned (Revelation 8:11)

The star is named Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the waters because they were made bitter. Revelation 8:11 NASB

• The implications of destroying our water supply are being fulfilled both literally and symbolically

References

1. "Dominion". Merriam Webster; visited May 2021
2. "Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), Teflon, and Related Chemicals". Cancer.org; visited May 2021
3. William A. Haseltine. "Cancer Rates Are On The Rise In Adolescents And Young Adults New Study Shows". Forbes. December 9, 2020
4. Nathaniel Rich. "The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare". New York Times. January 6, 2016
5. Alex Formuzis. "EPA: GenX Nearly as Toxic as Notorious Non-Stick Chemicals It Replaced". Environmental Working Group. November 14, 2018
6. Gianna Andrews. "Plastics in the Ocean Affecting Human Health. Geology and Human Health; visited May 2021
7. Kenneth Rapoza. "China Doesn’t Want The World’s Trash Anymore. Including ‘Recyclable’ Goods.". Forbes. November 29, 2020

Why I Miss the Segregated Church

Sometimes God has a message for the 1 and we're the 99 that's left behind.

As children we are taught to be tolerant and inclusive. It is in our very nature (well, for most of us at least) to reject the idea of being exclusionary. Yet, not quite a year ago, I found myself deeply missing the segregated churches I grew up in. I missed Negro Spirituals and Black History programs. I missed how black pastors related the trials of the Israelites to the trials of black people today. I missed the fact that the people at city hall fighting for justice where the same people sitting in the congregation. I missed the unity that comes from shedding some aspects of diversity.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back

Last May, after the death of Ahmaud Arbery, Breona Taylor, and George Floyd, mayhem insued. I don't mean the riots. I mean the conversations between members of "the church." We were 2 months in to COVID, and where the church was already struggling to maintain meaningful communication, the fracture of race and culture became truly apparent. It felt like every day some non-black church member was saying something insensitive. Leadership was quiet and when those of us with a short fuse (like myself) chose to speak, we were repremainded. The ire I felt culminated with me blurting out that I no longer wanted to attend a multicultural church and removing myself from all church communication.

I thought I was reacting in the moment. I thought a month would pass, and the feeling along with it. I thought I didn't really mean it...

Months passed, and to my surprise, I ended up in a few more heated conversations. I didn't feel any different, and realized I actually do miss attending an all African-American church.

The History of Racism and the Church

The western church (re: Catholicism and it's offspring, known as Protestantism) is responsible for racism. Europeans twisted the curse of Canaan into a non-existant curse on Ham and attempted to legitimize the mistreatment of Africans based on this fradulent interpretation. From there, we saw "devout" Christians torture, maime, brand, rape, and otherwise dehumanize black people. From Europeans whitewashing the people discussed in the Bible during the renissance, to white Americans refusing to let blacks worship in the same spaces, to the KKK, racism and Christianity in America are almost synonymous. I did a three part series going over some of this history along with my personal experiences last year. I'm linking them below instead of repeating myself.

Previous Blogs on Racism in the Church

• A Personal History of Racism in Church
• Healing the Wounds
• Promoting a Culture of Inclusion

The Colorblind Church

Instead of admitting to the role white America has played in racism, there is a push to leave it in the past. Instead of white pastors openly admitting that the white man pictured in churches and homes accross the world is not Christ, they defend those who don't want to part with the tradition of breaking the second commandment to honor some random European man. Instead of addressing white flight, pastors ask minority congregants to make sure they invite their white friends. Instead of uttering a truth that might offend one group, we stick to sugar coated messages that don't challenge anyone. And while churches are fighting desperately to create these diverse congregations to show they are colorblind, black youth are leaving God becuase the message they need to hear is too much for the white people who put us in this position in the first place.

A Lesson In Colorblindness

I've known for a long time that homes owned by black people appraise for less than similar homes owned by whites. We're not going to derail the post by getting too deep into that (I'm sure you're already confused as to why I brought it up, just go with me for a minute). If you're curious about the validity of my statement, read up on some of the recent incidents involving the appraisal of black homes.[1][2]

I'm currently in the process of selling my house to move and for the first time, had to assess the "blackness" of my home.

There was a portrait of an African woman I painted with my friends that needed to come down, as well as a professional painting of a black Southern Belle. Of course any and all personal photographs of me or my family. Just as I'd tucked away all the photos, a book on my bookshelf caught my eye: How Long Til Black Future Month Scanning the shelves, I saw enough black literature to open a library. So I started removing the obvious ones: Is Christianity the White Man's Religion, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, The Autobiography of Malcom X, a collection of African folk tales, everything by Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston, Nikki Giovanni...

As I struggled to move the heavy box to the garage, I passed my DVD collection. I stopped to remove the obviously black DVDs from the shelf: The Boondocks (season 1-3), The Babershop, First Sunday, Eve's Bayou, For Colored Girls..., Drumline, Stomp the Yard... It was too many to fit in a box. So I loaded the self back up, and stacked Disney movies in front of them. Then placed a decorative candle on the now empty Disney shelf.

I thought I could finally relax, so I went to my bathroom to take a relaxing bath. There I was greeted by my bonnet, the various oils and moisturizers for my afro-textured curly hair, the wide tooth comb and wooden-handled brush... This was obviously the bathroom of a black woman.

Every where I looked my house testified to the fact that I am black. Even after removing as much as I could, there are still things that made it into the staging (e.g., the poodles that decorate my house which are actually a reference to my sorority, which has non-black members but is a historically black sorority). In the end, I could not completely separate who I am from the space I live in without getting rid of everything.

As I stared at the house that only represented a fraction of me, I felt empty and unsettled. It no longer feels like home and wash day means I have to trek all the way to the garage to dig out my deep conditioner. As I reflected on the inconvience, I realized my life is like this house.

One of the posts above talks about my experience with racisim in the church, but it doesn't detail all my experiences with racism—we might need a book for all of that. Nonetheless, these traumas, hurts, lessons, and conversations have shaped who I am. It is from these experiences that I have the boundaries I have. It is from these experiences that I react the way I do. It is from these experiences that I value this or that. It is from these experiences that this passage hits differently than when you hear it...

When I approach the throne of YHWH, the Most High God, those expereinces come with me. YHWH was there when I watched my grandmother panic over the possibility of white men taking our family's land. YHWH was there with me when little white kids were calling me a n*****. YHWH was there with me when my Asian aunt told me she was glad her half-black daughter didn't have hair like me. YHWH was there when my white teacher said I'd end up pregnant or in jail because that's what happens to black youth. YHWH was there the Asian department chair told me I didn't have what it took to earn a PhD (and YHWH walked across the stage with me when I earned that PhD). YHWH was there when I learned to love my hair. YHWH was there when I learned not to shrink myself into a corner trying to blend into the whiteness around me. YHWH understands my blackness, my womanness, my Americanness, my singlness...

And sometimes YHWH has a message just for me.

“What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains, and go and search for the one that is lost? Matthew 18:12

Leaving the 99

A few weeks ago, I watched a sermon that spoke straight to my heart.[3][4] Seven men and women of God spoke on the last seven things Christ said before He died on the cross. Each message was tied into justice and the black experience here in America. The speakers were black, the audience was black, and the message was specifically for black people. It ranged from a reminder about forgiveness, to a warning about protecting our spirit. There were messages and nuggets of truth that anyone could (and should) appreciate, but the core of the message was a message of hope for the down troddened souls of black America. It was a reminder that YHWH is our YHWH too.

As I listened to the sermon, I realized that was what I was longing for. I wanted to hear that message that God had for me in my time of need. Contemporary churches love to sing "Reckless Love" and belt out the line about Him leaving the 99 to search for the one, but we often forget we're not always the one. In a society where certain groups of people are being mistreated, abused, and belittled, those groups are the people God is going after. He's going after the black person longing for justice. He's going after the people in the LGBT community with questions. He's going after the Asain person scared to step out of their house. He's going after the women who have been abused. He's going after the immigrants who were locked in cages. He's going after the refugees that survived brutal wars. He's going after the poor/homeless, the drug addict, the orphan, etc. And that message may hurt your feelings—it may hurt my feelings—because maybe we didn't do enough for that group, maybe we are part of the reason that group is hurt... But it's not about us, it's about the message for the one.

Finding Love in Diversity

Most of my friend circles have been characterized by diversity. Even here, in South Florida where 90% of my friend group is black, there is diversity—some are Jamacian, some Hatian, some Bahamian, and some Canadian. It is amazing to learn about different cultures and to experience the world through someone else's eyes. It is equally heartbreaking to expreince trauma in the midst of people who refuse to acknowledge the trauma (or the history of that trauma). You cannot obstruct the message for the one because the 99 aren't ready to admit the church has played a role in the suffering of the one. A year later, and I understand where that longing is coming from. I can't say what type of church I'll seek out when I move in 3 weeks, but I can say I want to belong to a body that isn't afraid to leave the 99 to go after the one.

References & Footnotes

1. Julian Glover. "Black California couple lowballed by $500K in home appraisal, believe race was a factor". ABC 7 News. February 12, 2021
2. Debra Kamin. "Black Homeowners Face Discrimination in Appraisals". The New York Times. August 25, 2020
3. Mount Sinai Church. "The Seven Words of Justice". YouTube. April 2, 2021
4. No one is perfect; we're all human. If I gave a sermon, my human-ness would creep in as well. The only reason I'm pointing out this particular nitpick is because it's about doctrinal truth and since I'm "promoting" the sermon, I need to point out what I disagree with doctrinally. Good Friday is tied to the pagan Easter. Passover was last week (March 28). Even if the Bible asked us to celebrate "Good Friday," based on Biblical doctrine, it should occur before Passover and would have been last week.