(03/01/2020) Why Is Passover Important?

Today, the reply is on the Passover event that was carried out by divinity in Egypt to sanctify the heirs of Abraham. The Passover memorialized by the preparation and sacrifice of a lamb eaten in a meal to seal a perpetual covenant relationship with divinity demonstrated the authority of GOD as Creator, Judge, Redeemer and Savior as well as the Sole Possessor and Sovereign who may apportion and deny inheritance of the earth to mankind. It is written: Exodus 12: 11-13 King James Version (KJV): 11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’s passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. A fighter in the “Yahoo! Answers” public forum on Religion & Spirituality who used the ID “Anonymous” (no profile data shared) posted the following:

The importance of the Passover?

THE GOLDEN ARROW: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. (Exodus 19: 4-6, KJV)

THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Joseph Received Divine Spirit (01/16/2020); Moses Was Not Divine (04/24/2019); Abraham In Divine Judgment (03/10/2019); Divinity Embodied In Flesh (12/30/2018); The Priesthood of Adam (11/02/2018); Eating and Drinking Christ? (07/03/2017); Passover After The Cross? (03/09/2016)

“Anonymous”, here are some points that may be helpful: The Passover continued the priesthood granted to Adam, received by Abraham, and fulfilled in Jesus Christ as a divine High Priest. Mature Christian believers acknowledge the Passover introduced to mankind through divine interventions on behalf of the twelve tribes of Jacob as one of the most important sacred events (miracles) preparing humanity (the sons of Adam) to receive divinity using the form and flesh of a created being (we say, the Incarnation; the Revelation of Jesus Christ; the new creation). Thought of by many as only a deliverance of the Jews from the cruelty of a tyrannical ruler (the Pharaoh of Egypt), the Passover identified the GOD of Abraham, who had judged and destroyed Sodom, Gomorrah and the cities of the plains as also a savior, as a keeper of covenant promises, and as a divinity to be acknowledged as a loving father who blesses his children with inheritance. During the years of famine seen by Pharaoh in a dream that was interpreted for him by Joseph, the people of Egypt sold their livestock, their land, and themselves to become slaves of the Pharaoh. Just as no Egyptian families except that of Pharaoh would have inheritance within the one-world-empire, no Hebrew families or citizens whose origin were other nations would have part in the wealth of Egypt through its law. In addition to the ethnic arrogance, bigotry, injustice, and prejudice that were practiced because of the separation of the Hebrews to the living area of Goshen, Jews were despised as keepers of sheep, rather than bulls, horses, and other cattle. As within other early empires, there were many forms of idol worship, occult practices, spiritual confusion, superstition, and witchcraft among the Egyptians. Hebrews were denied rights to serve the living GOD as Abraham had done, digging wells for water, building altars, and offering animals and sacrifices of blood. An exodus of some 3 million men, women and children would be carried out to set the Hebrews apart as a peculiar people through the operations of GOD. The twelve tribes would be reconfigured to exist as a single nation responding to a shared law, and a sacred inheritance from GOD. Consider the following that uses language from the Bible, and a selection from the music ministry of Donnie McClurkin:

(1.) Genesis 46: 31-34, King James Version (KJV): 31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; 32 And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. 33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? 34 That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

(2.) Exodus 4: 21-23, KJV: 21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. 22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

(3.) Exodus 12: 21-27, KJV: 21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. 22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. 23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. 24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. 25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. 26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? 27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

(4.) 1^st Corinthians 5: 7-8, KJV: 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

(5.) Hebrews 9: 19-28, KJV: 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.  27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

There is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended. (For example (6.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ub_krMDExk.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.

Image downloaded 8:11 PM, February 29, 2020 @ https://i0.wp.com/www.quantumtorah.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/PESACH-blood-on-the-door.jpg

THE BLACK PHOENIX

Washington, DC

(10/22/2017) Will There Be Diversity?

From The Greatest Story Ever Told - Simon of Cyrene,
an African carries the cross of a Jew

Today, reply is made that racism and other operations of sin do not display an authentic image of GOD.  Only those belonging to Christ through his death on the cross and their receiving of the Holy Spirit will be admitted into heaven as the redeemed of Christ.  The imparted Spirit of GOD has never been the origin of arrogance, cruelty, injustice, exaggerated pride, and selfishness such as we see in expressions of racism.  Diversity and plurality appear throughout the history of those blessed by GOD as partners in covenant relationship.  Thus, we see a mixed multitude (Gentiles) also left Egypt with Moses and the twelve tribes of Jacob; and those who received the Holy Ghost at Pentecost were from various cultures, language groups, and nations.  Bigotry and prejudice come against balance, edification, godliness, and the healthy growth of church congregations in the same way as idolatry, inordinate affection and hate, false witness, presumption, counterfeit judgment, and fear.  The racism that may continue to exist indefinitely within developing Christians is usually suppressed and effectively eliminated by the believer carrying out the will of GOD, demonstrating obedience to divine law instead of self-will, and achieving their own highest possible level of spiritual maturity before being instantly transformed at the coming of Jesus.  A young fighter at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Jonathan” (Level 1 with 98 points, a member since October 18, 2014) posted the following:

Would racists be accepted in heaven?

Here s the catch: My dad is a Christian. Even Christians make mistakes and are imperfect, like all of us because we are human. I acknowledge that fact, but I don t tolerate the fact that my dad is a Christian who s racist. I know that God wouldn t accept any hatred or superiority of people in heaven. But would God accept racists?

THE GOLDEN ARROW:  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;  Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.  Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.  (Acts 17:  24-31, King James Version, KJV)

THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Accepting Christ, Accepting Change (10/20/2017); Joy, Survival and Worship (06/21/2017); Fulfillment of His Dream? (04/05/2017); No Less GOD’s Creation (12/01/2016); Diversity and Divine Purpose (08/28/2016); Can Christians Be Racists? (07/25/2016); Not Yet Delivered From Racism? (12/21/2014); Racism Is Not From GOD (12/22/2014)

“Jonathan”, our lessons from Creation include the incredible variety of the rose and the tulip.  The requirements and standards for entrance into heaven do not center on attitudes, behavior, and issues that are carnal, material, secular, and social.  Foremost is containing and actively displaying the image of GOD that appears through a full endowment of divine “life essence” (breath, spirit, word).  The process of salvation is to establish mankind with the oneness without sameness that exists among the persons of the GODhead (the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit).  The conflicts, disputes and divisions that arise through ethnic arrogance, bigotry, hate crimes, and racism have the same effect as iniquity and transgressions of sacred law.  Like the operations of sin, evil surmising (i.e., distrust, intolerance, slander, suspicion), gossip, and prejudice oppose the fulfillment of eternal purposes; corrupt the necessary continuity of communication, exchange and interaction that are established through praise and prayer; and disrupt the transforming relationships with divinity (e.g., adoption, fellowship, priesthood, rebirth, stewardship).

The work of the final judgment is to identify those who will be eternal companions to an immortal, incorruptible GOD as well as those that must be totally destroyed because they can no longer be separated from sin.  Inseparable aspects of the divine makeup will appear within those who are ripe (mature) for the harvest and return of Jesus Christ (we say, the Rapture, the Second Coming).  Included are faith, forbearance, longsuffering, lovingkindness, respect, reverence, wisdom, and wrath against sin.  Many of the operations of GOD to accomplish the recovery of Creation from sin are fixed, immutable and unchanging.  There must be divine order, predetermined conditions, and well-tested structure.  Even so, there also is diversity that provides flexibility, fluidity, and freshness.

Accepting and acknowledging differences are a nonnegotiable duty within the body of Christ (the church).  The work of the Gospel goes beyond celebrating, rejoicing, and sharing good things.  The new life as a believer also includes enduring hardship, unselfish giving to others, passing through periods of darkness, overcoming persecution, resisting sin, continuing to show resilience in  spite of temptations and trial, and suffering.  Those “born again” must “grow up again” to assist and serve one another as the divine offspring containing the “active presence” who is GOD.  Thereby sinners become believers, and believers are never alone or separated from the fullness of GOD.  Consider again the following that uses language from the Bible:

(1.)  Galatians 3:  27-29, King James Version (KJV):  27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female:  for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.  29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

(2.)  Colossians 3:  9-15, KJV:  9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;  10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:  11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free:  but Christ is all, and in all.  12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any:  even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.  15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

(3.)  Romans 8:  5-9, KJV:  5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:  for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.  9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

There is far more to be said, correctly practiced by those who believe, properly applied, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, (4.)  Malachi 3:  16-18, KJV:  16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another:  and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.  17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.  18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC

(08/17/2017) George Washington Owned Slaves

John Trumbull, 1780 - George Washington and William Lee, the enslaved personal servant, who for many years spent more time in Washington’s presence than any other man.

Today, in response to a recent statement from President Trump, topics include cultural history, sins of America’s past, our present-day accountability, and spiritual confusion.  The President could be discerned to be warning the public against impassioned, yet, ungodly pursuit of judgment.  The process and substance of judgment that would meet the standards from GOD must include balance, clarity, impartiality, integrity, thoroughness, and transparency.  In speaking about the tragic event in Charlottesville, Virginia where Heather Heyer was killed during what were to have been lawful protest demonstrations for and against continuing civil war memorials, the President did not condemn any specific groups and organizations thought responsible for the violence.  When challenged by the media, President Trump cautioned that attacks against historical figures such as Robert E. Lee (the West Point graduate who led the Confederate Army during the Civil War), may also be made against others including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.  By asking, Where will it end?, the President suggested that many who were indispensable to establishing the principles for what has been the world’s most enduring democratic government also advocated and practiced many of the attitudes and prejudices of their times that we now condemn; and none of our early “heroes” will be found guiltless and without flaws.  Thus, for example, on February 2, 2017, PBS News broadcasted that five American Presidents owned slaves while they were in office:  President George Washington (1789-1797), Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809), James Madison (1809-1817), James Monroe (1817-1825), and Andrew Jackson (1829-1837).  Christian believers are not to rush to judgment, as the third world continues to do, condemning every American leader, and all Americans who ever were or ever will be.  The following was downloaded from Wikipedia, the online Internet encyclopedia 1:37 PM, August 16, 2017 from the article George Washington and slavery:


George Washington, the first President of the United States, held people in slavery for virtually all of his life. His will provided for freeing the enslaved people he held upon the death of his widow Martha Washington. In January 1801 Martha freed her husband’s slaves, just over a year after his death.[1] However, while she lived, Martha did not emancipate any of the people she held, because she held only the lifetime use of them. When she died, on May 22, 1802, at the age of 70, all of those enslaved people went to the descendants of her first husband, Daniel Parke Custis.

When Washington was eleven years old, he inherited ten slaves;[3] by the time of his death, 317 slaves lived at Mount Vernon,[4] including 123 owned by Washington, 40 leased from a neighbor, and an additional 153 "dower slaves." While these dower slaves were designated for Martha's use during her lifetime, they were part of the estate of her first husband Daniel Parke Custis, and the Washingtons could not sell or manumit them.[5] As on other plantations during that era, Washington's slaves worked from dawn until dusk unless injured or ill; they could be whipped for running away or for other infractions. They were fed, clothed, and housed as inexpensively as possible, in conditions that were probably meager.[citation needed]

Visitors recorded varying impressions of slave life at Mount Vernon: one visitor in 1798 wrote that Washington treated his slaves "with more severity" than his neighbors, while another around the same time stated that "Washington treat[ed] his slaves far more humanely than did his fellow citizens of Virginia.


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son:  the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.  But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.  All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him:  in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.  Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD:  and not that he should return from his ways, and live?  But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned:  in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.  Yet ye say, The way of the LORD is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?  When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.  Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.  Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.  (Ezekiel 18:  20-28, King James Version, KJV)


THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Righteousness Exalts A Nation (07/04/2017); Fulfillment of His Dream? (04/05/2017);  Joy, Survival and Worship (06/21/2017); Divine Law Expresses Love (05/10/2017); Covetousness, Slavery and Sin (09/16/2016); Called Slaves by GOD? (02/10/2016); The Provision Against Racists? (01/19/2016); Slaves to Sin? (04/13/2015) 


(1.)  Even where we attempt to apply the patterns and standards from the holy writings, law and the judgment of men on the basis of their deeds and works must be approached as involving multiple occasions—and the likelihood for—irreversible error.  Often, no single event or set of actions can be identified as including the full panorama of any man’s accomplishments, desires, efforts, expressions, motives, quality, and value.  With this in view, the determination to be made when courts and juries assemble are the actuality of specific contributions and participation of an individual during specific events, and is not a matter of their overall eternal value, merit and worth.

(2.)  Mature Christian believers usually agree that awareness and self-will may be dominated by sin.  The operations of sin may be invisibly embedded within customs and traditions, and can be regularly expressed through cultural, interpersonal, political, and social practices that appear historically acceptable, natural, and normal; and sin will not appear to be contrary to human character, continued existence, godliness, and truth. 

(3.)  Slavery as an institution to decimate and exploit Africans began in the markets of Portugal, Europe, fifty years before Columbus would land in the New World seeking to become wealthy through slaves and spices.  As practiced in America, slavery was a form of imperial idolatry likely begun in Egypt where, during the years of famine, in order to survive, the Egyptian people (and not the Jews) sold everything they had to Pharaoh:  their livestock, their property and themselves.  Using dynasty and inheritance, the Pharaohs exercised a control that amounted to abuse, promoting themselves as gods over their own people.  Using bigotry, discrimination, racism, and hate there have been those promoting an American nightmare in place of the American Dream.

(4.)  Growing up under the influence of Jesus Christ in my life, I have been able to truthfully say neither that every Black person is my friend, nor that every White person is my enemy.  The issues of belonging, brotherhood, and separation because of ethnicity, origin, race, and skin color repeatedly destroy confidence, curiosity, discovery, flexibility, belief in a future, and hope for the higher levels of accomplishment among the young.  Anger and hate are thought to be forms of strength that allow us to confront death, however, the serious work of growth and learning that must be done to maintain life requires balance, concentration, dispassion, level-headedness, maturity, and sobriety.  Like many others, here in America, I discovered the more correct focus in deciding affiliation and to whom I connect has been the separation because of differences in sacred commitment, and ones own endowment of spirit content from the makeup of GOD.

(5.)  Patriotism and love of ones homeland are passing and temporal.  They even may be seen as a form of idolatry.  In the understanding of mature Christian believers, all have sinned and come short of the glory of GOD.  There can be no lasting display of mercy and righteousness without divine judgment; and the provisions of GOD through Jesus Christ include atonement, forgiveness, redemption and repentance as well as reconciliation.  For George Washington, Robert E. Lee, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, the “escape” from “all or nothing” condemnation that we will embrace as victims of our own cultural and historical limitations comes by continuing in sound covenant relationship and the testament of sacred blood.

There is far more to be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, (6.)  In our god-given oneness without sameness, every American wants to be free.  It would be fitting that the President of the United States issue a new call to end equivocation regarding American slavery.  While it continues to be correct to acknowledge George Washington, the founders of the Nation, and the many others who have contributed and served to create a way of life that may ultimately become a standard for the universe, none are to be celebrated, lauded, or regarded as having lawful justification in our present system for their earlier crimes against Africa, America, and all mankind.  Because we have distance, maturity, perspective and sobriety, we now can see more correctly their actual achievements and errors; and, because we seek to give and receive forgiveness, to maintain reasonable balance, and to go forward on the diverse paths of prosperity, we are to call “sin” by its proper name.  Continuing the commitment necessary to deal with the lawful issues of differences among us, diversity, and “State’s rights” while putting aside all issues of anyone being “holier than thou,” (1) there can be no equivocation; and, (2) there can be forgiveness:  There are no “kind” and “understanding” slave-owners; there are no men of honor and higher nobility who maintain others as slaves; there have never been, are none now, and will never be “good” and “wise” leaders of men who make merchandise of others, that feed on the misery and pain of others, and who arrogantly traffic in other men’s lives.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC