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Vindication – “Fair Use” Wins the Day!

07/16/2010 3 Comments


I was informed by You Tube today that my original video that Ken Klein Productions filed a Digital Millennium Copyright Act complaint on has been restored.

The owner of copyright has the right to reproduce or to authorize others to reproduce their  own work. However, this right is subject to certain limitations found in sections 107 through 118 of the copyright law (title 17, U. S. Code). Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.[i]

Criticism, comment, teaching and scholarship were certainly the purpose of the video. I praise God that YouTube ruled in my favor.

Please note, I believe in religious freedom and Ken certainly has the right to believe and teach anything he wants.  However when he represents it as biblical or Christian, he invites the attention of apologists because it’s neither. As far as I am concerned, I have done my duty in exposing his error and I am ready to move on.

Accordingly, I am working on a “challenge.” I am going to present a minimal facts case for the resurrection of Christ on YouTube and challenge the skeptics to explain the evidence with an alternate theory that accounts for the known facts. I plan to post part 3 of “Why Eschatology Matters” soon as well. Thanks for your support and comments and God Bless.

[i] http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html

Filed Under Apologetics

Ken Klein Productions, Channeling and the Doctrines of Demons

07/12/2010 1 Comment

Throughout this strange confrontation with Mr. Klein I have wondered, ‘Where does he get this kooky stuff?” Unfortunately, Ken is following the typical profile of a cult by manufacturing new revelations that “correct” orthodox Christian beliefs. I thought I had found my answer when I researched the heresies of Origen and Mormon founder Joseph Smith. I assumed that Ken was perhaps relying on Mormon exegesis. I’m afraid it is not that simple. It now appears to be more overtly demonic. 1 Timothy 4:

1Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,

In a rather astonishing attempt to rationalize his teaching that humanity preexisted as fallen angels Ken had one of his “PhD staff members ” send me their exposition of Romans 5, which was a text I employed to refute Ken’s denial of the orthodox doctrine of original sin. Paul is explicit that “sin came into the world through one man” (Rom 5:12). It’s simply astonishing, because it now appears that Ken’s doctrinal position is more like a syncretism of Christianity and New Age mysticism. From the correspondence I received, Ken’s alleged PhD bible scholar appears to be a new age channeler. The exposition of Romans 5 begins with:

“NOW COMES THE BOOK OF ROMANS MANIFEST ALIVE BY THE INTERPRETATION OF A MANIFESTER”

The idea of a “Manifester” stems from the belief that there are states of consciousness in which it is possible to access spiritual knowledge. This has led to the emergence of ritualized means of  manifesting spiritual revelations, generally termed “channeling”. According to the Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism:

In traditional cultures throughout the world religious specialists have functioned as links between human beings and what each culture understands to be spiritual reality. The New Age counterpart of this process of prophetic revelation is generally known as channeling. Channeled messages generally convey a synthesis of psychology and religion, a pattern of syncretism that has permeated much Western religious thought in general over the last century.[i]

I highly recommend Christian J. Pinto’s documentary Meggido II for a Christian treatment of New Age occultism and channeled revelation. According to Pinto’s well documented research, many influential and well recognized people of the modern era (including Charles Darwin, Thomas Edison, Adolf Hitler and Hillary Clinton) have been influenced by channeled material. Now you can add Ken Klein and all of those who are deceived by his video Angel Wars.  I quote influential Pastor Dr David Jeremiah,

Channeling is a sophisticated term for spirit possession. It occurs when humans willingly give their minds and bodies to spirit beings that enter and control them. The spirits use the mouths of channelers to give spiritual teachings to the listener. To be a channeler is to be a modern-day demon-possessed person or, in some cases, a plain fraud.[ii]

I believe this is likely what we have going on in the theology of Ken Klein Productions. These ideas from Ken’s “Manifester” are fraud or demon possession, take your pick. Personally, I am open to either interpretation. Now I ask the reader to bear in mind this is supposed to be an explanation of Romans 5 . This is the exact text of an email from Ken Klein Productions staff “Manifester”:

Note:  If you don’t feel like subjecting yourself to reading all of it; the last paragraph is quite revealing.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

From one of our PhD staff members who is a major contributor to our research and developing department (Romans).

webmaster <kenkleinproductions@——-.com> Wed, Jul 7, 2010 at 11:02 PM
To: Cris Putnam <keptprivate@gmail.com>

Ah…THE BOOK OF ROMANS FOREVER: Romans 5:12…”Wherefore”, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. (KJV). NOW COMES THE BOOK OF ROMANS MANIFEST ALIVE BY THE INTERPRETATION OF A MANIFESTER:

“Wherefore”KJV (”Therefore”,NIV same value), a term when contextually used after a statement which is to be followed by a related statement which is a causation connected to the statement to follow,or as it may be said: a word used meaning that the statement of point that preceded the statement to follow is the causation for the event of the statement which follows the word “Wherefore”. The question then,

what is the statement that is a causation for Romans 5:12? The following is the collective statement:

1. God commended His Love toward the spirits who now are living in human bodies while they were still sinners and still Ophannim angels [Ezekiel 10-13, “wheels” in Hebrews “Ophannim”, (for all had sinned [past tense] and come short of the glory of God) Romans 5:13 MIV.
We humans existed as Ophannim Morning Star Angels before this Earth was formed: Job 38:4-7 and Job 38:21 NIV, Revelation 12:3-7 KJV or NIV, Romans 8:19-23, Romans 8:29-30 KJV, Ephesians 1:3-5 KJV. God commended His Love through Yahvael the Christ Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the cosmos (world, stars of the heavens), Revelation 13:8 KJV, see Cosmos for world in Strong’s Greek Concordance #2886 from #2889.

2. Those angels who sinned at the foundations of the Cosmos are to be justified and saved from wrath, Romans 5:9 MIV. Compare, Romans 8:29-30 KJV.

3.Those same mortals (previously Angels) due to their sin become enemies to Yahvael (Christ) but are to be reconciled by the offering of the Son. (Romans 5:10 MIV)

4. Joy is to be given to the overcomer angels (now Mortals) who had become enemies to Yahvael the Christ Lamb. Romans 5:11 MIV. Compare, Isaiah 63:9-10, and Isaiah 63:16 KJV
So then, the term “Wherefore”, used in Romans 5:12, purposes that all of 1-4 statements above preceding the “wherefore” scripture are the causation for the “wherefore” verse in Romans 5:12. With that being said it is evident that “sin” entered into the world not as a result of anything that happened on Earth but rather because of something that was a cause exceptional to this Earth. This fact is further accentuated in 1 John 3:8 KJV: He that committed sin (past tense) is of the devil (Lucifer, Satan, the Dragon, the Serpent); for the devil sinneth from the “BEGINNING” from Strong’s Greek Concordance, “beginning”= #746 “First Estate”also see #7 5 6 = precedence. Compare: Jude 6, “First Estate” forsaken by the angels (under Satan the devil’s influence). For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil.

When one considers the statement in Romans 5:12: By one man sin entered the world. It must be determined as to the meaning of “man”. When used in the english language. Man can represent both genders of male or female, such as mankind. This is a language fact and if that was not true the women would be left out of most benefits of the Word of God in the Bible. When someone says: well it is obvious this scripture is talking about “Adam”. However, the word “adam” means “man”. And the word “adam” personified to mean a particular person means at least three persons: ADAM the son of God, Luke 3:38 KJV, Eve, – ADAM Genesis 5:2 KJV, for Eve’s name was also ADAM…And the other ADAM was Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:45 KJV. This is especially interesting since in…1 Timothy 2:14 this scripture says that Adam was not deceived and did not commit transgression.

So then why did Adam, the son of God, choose to take on himself the sins of the failed messenger angels, the Ophannim Wheels, who existed before the foundation of the Earth, (Job 38:1-7,21KJV), and as well the transgression of Eve Adam his wife? First he took on the sins of the fallen angels to manifest in the flesh the extent of sin they committed and to manifest it as such. See Romans 7:13 KJV, because Adam Loved Eve and had become one flesh with her, making him Eve’s kinsman redeemer. The Bible repeats the question…Who are the mortals (what is man) that You God are so mindful of them?

Romans 5:12 continues: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world AND DEATH BY SIN. The history of ancient bones prove that on Earth death was a common state before Adam and Eve were even created and therefore their actions had nothing to do with the cause of death as exceptional to the expectation of death for many reasons. If Adam and Eve already had eternal life but lost it due to sin, that flies crooked in the face of “The Tree of Life” which if eaten would allow continous life, but which Adam and Eve never partook of.

And so death passed upon all mortals, because all mortals as failed angels had sinned (have/had past tense) before coming to Earth. MIV THE EMPIRE OF ROME WAS A THOUSAND YEARS, THE BOOK OF ROMANS FOREVER…..

Stop preaching to God about what Am is to do for you, seek that space between transmitting and receiving which is meditation. Go there and wait, for there is coming a sound as of a great Inner Rain. When this Inner Rain is flowing you will be able to change every mental base element into spiritual gold. This is a Word from God that one day all things will become possible for you. When this happens a Holy Ghost telescope will be mounted in your brain so you can see beyond the beyond. Come touch this compass for it is a compass of a “to be” sweeping spiritual Manifest movement. For then shall God sweeten the juices of your spirit and flower the exercises of your altitude.

Regards,

Staff
[i] Hanegraaff, Wouter J. Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esoteriscism. Leiden, The Netherlands: Koninklijke Brill NV, 2006, 889.

[ii]David Jeremiah and Carole C. Carlson, Invasion of Other Gods : The Seduction of New Age Spirituality (Dallas: Word, 1995), 61.

Filed Under Apologetics Tagged With Angel Wars and the Fallen Creators, Channeling, Ken Klein, Ken Klein Productions, Meggido II, New Age

The Real Angel Wars – Exposing An Ancient Heresy

07/06/2010 3 Comments

THE REAL ANGEL WARS

According to Scripture, the origin of sin is found in free will. God gave us the power of choice, which in itself is a good thing. Tragically, human beings misuse their God-given freedom. CS Lewis wrote, “If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.”

Actually, Ken is somewhat correct in that evil originated in heaven before it did on earth. Evil was born in the pride of an archangel in the presence of God. This is a tremendous mystery, but it is, nonetheless, the essence of Christian teaching on the source of evil.  Isaiah 14:12 records the fall of Lucifer, which most conservative scholars agree is Satan.

How you are fallen from heaven,

O Day Star, son of Dawn!

How you are cut down to the ground,

you who laid the nations low!

While most contemporary critical scholars believe that this passage, in context, refers to “the king of Babylon” (v. 4), biblical prophecy has a way of leaving its immediate context for a heavenly one. That is certainly the case here. Consequently, the fall of man is a repeat of the choices of  Satan, who rebelled against God by a similar but primeval arrogance and disobedience. Paul interprets for us, “[An overseer] must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil” (1 Tim. 3:6). According to Revelation, other angels followed suit. A third of them rebelled with Lucifer and became his minions:

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon.

And the dragon and his angels fought back,  but he was defeated,

and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.

And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent,

who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth,

and his angels were thrown down with him.

(Revelation 12:7–9)

Obviously sin was in the universe before it was in the world; So Ken is right that there was sin in heaven before there was sin on earth. But the term “original sin” is applied to humanity. According to Genesis 1–2, Adam and Eve were created with complete innocence. They had no evil in their natures or their environment. They “were not ashamed” (Gen. 2:2 ), and they were ignorant “good and evil” (Gen. 3:5). Furthermore, the very temptation to “be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:5) implies they did not know evil before they fell. I hope you can see now how Ken’s theory is opposed to the very foundations of biblical theology.

Adam was free in that his actions were self-determined; God specifically said, “You are free” (Gen. 2:16).  It is significant that Adam and Eve were not enticed to lie, cheat, steal, or kill. Because they were innocent as I have shown, their moral nature was uncorrupted; thus, they were simply not vulnerable to these kinds of temptations. The command not to eat the forbidden fruit was not a command to stay away from what was intrinsically evil. They weren’t tempted by overt evil. What they were vulnerable to was a test. Would they obey God simply because He said it? Satan asked, “Hath God said?” (Gen. 3:1). No evil from within or from without drew them to original sin, only their freedom. In his book The Problem of Pain CS Lewis wrote, “The lost enjoy forever the horrible freedom they have demanded.”

A NEW SPIN ON AN ANCIENT HERESY



Documentation:

Here’s a link to see the Anathemas Against Origen.

Here’s the teaching of Mormon founder Joseph Smith, which is again remarkably similar to Ken’s

“[T]he soul—the mind of man—the immortal spirit. Where did it come from? All learned men and doctors of divinity say that God created it in the beginning; but it is not so: the very idea lessens man in my estimation…. We say that God himself is a self-existent being…. Man does exist upon the same principles…. [The Bible] does not say in the Hebrew that God created the spirit of man. It says ‘God made man out of the earth and put into him Adam’s spirit, and so became a living body.’ The mind or the intelligence which man possesses is co-equal with God himself…. Is it logical to say that the intelligence of spirits is immortal, and yet that it had a beginning? The intelligence of spirits had not beginning, neither will it have an end. That is good logic. That which has a beginning may have an end. There never was a time when there were not spirits; for they are co-equal [co-eternal] with our Father in heaven.” ~ Joseph Smith, April 7, 1844

full text of Joseph Smith’s discourse on pre-existence

References:

Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Three: Sin, Salvation (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2004), 82-90.

Brigham Young University. http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=5321 (accessed 7/02/2010).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-existence (accessed 7/02/2010).

Filed Under Apologetics Tagged With Angel Wars and the Fallen Creators, Joseph Smith, Ken Klein, Ken Klein Productions, Lost Legend of Enoch, Origen, Pre-existence heresy

Blogging With Kenny

06/28/2010 35 Comments

Ken Klein sent me a reply today asking me to apologize for my video commentary to his heretical teaching on original sin. The issue is that Ken denies the orthodox biblical doctrine of original sin, as the clips in the video evidence. He opposes the clear teaching of the Apostle Paul and I called him on it. Now he is threatening to sick his attorney’s on me.  Ken’s posts are indented in block quotes, my responses are marked Logos:

—————————–

****Due the length of Ken’s post and the fact that he basically defends his use of elohim for a plurality of angelic beings, something I never disputed, it is linked here.  ****

I am impressed to say for the sake of a laying a foundation:  Jesus is my Lord and Savior.  Jesus Christ is the common denominator that gives union to all believers even through their are differences of view points.  Yes, I believe in the Trinity and I do embrace an insight on that subject.

It is unfortunate that you have not done due diligence on who I am before trying to assassinate my character.  I would ask you to take down the video because it violates copyright laws, youtube policies, and includes slanderous accusations as to my motives and character.

I forgive you.
Ken

——————————-

Logos:

Sorry but this does not address the issue that sin entered the world through Adam, through one man not because we are fallen angels working off past rebellion. Paul makes that crystal clear.  You don’t have a biblical leg to stand on.

——————————

Ken:

Expected a more thoughtful response from someone who calls themselves Logos.

———————————

Logos:

I was brief, I am really busy at the seminary this week. I don’t see how any of this addresses the real issue. I made it clear in the video: http://www.logosapologia.org/?p=206.  I am familiar with the Divine Council concept and have studied the work of Dr Michael Heiser, so the idea of little ‘g’ gods is nothing new. That was never my problem with your theology. It’s that you blatanly mocked the doctrine of original sin Ken.

THE BIBLICAL BASIS FOR THE ORIGINAL STATE OF INNOCENCE AND PERFECTION

According to Genesis 1–2, Adam and Eve were created with complete innocence. They had no evil in their natures or their environment. They “were not ashamed” (Gen. 2:25 nasb), and they did not yet know “good and evil” (3:5). In short, they were not only guiltless of any sin but also innocent of sin.

Further, the very temptation to “be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:5) implies they did not know evil before they fell. Indeed, when they ate the forbidden fruit, “the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves” (3:7). According to the New Testament, by disobedience Adam and Eve became sinful (Rom. 5:12; 1 Tim. 2:14) and brought condemnation on themselves and their posterity: “The result of one trespass was condemnation for all men” (Rom. 5:18).3 Before this, they were flawless.

Source: Geisler, Norman L.: Systematic Theology, Volume Three: Sin, Salvation. Minneapolis, MN : Bethany House Publishers, 2004, S. 17

In your video it wasn’t Adam’s sin. No, you said that wasn’t fair of God. Your words Ken, “It’s not fair!”  So you created this new revelation that it was our sin as as pre-incarnate angels? You are directly contradicting the Apostle Paul’s teaching.  That’s what I was responding to Ken, it was clear enough. You do not have the authority to “correct” Paul because you don’t think it’s fair, Ken.

As far as taking down the video look into : Fair use is a doctrine in United States copyright law that allows limited use of copyrighted material without requiring permission from the rights holders, such as for commentary, criticism, news reporting, research, teaching or scholarship.

——————————

Ken:

Consider the very scripture you brought up to support your interpretive doctrine of “Original Sin”.  If sin had to enter through Adam, then sin had to already be in existence, and by definition cannot be original.  For something that doesn’t exist cannot enter.

“By the way it was Eve that sinned according to Timothy.  So how did sin enter through Adam?”

We are not mocking the terrible nature of sin, but rather how the current and traditional Christian doctrine of sin is such a feeble representation of the magnitude of sin.  And the way it is represented, makes God out to look like a cruel rather than loving God.

His very nature is maligned by the poorly interpreted doctrine that you hold to.

Ken

P.S. I’m very aware of “fair usage laws” as a film producer and you aren’t in alignment with those laws.  If you still refuse to take it down then you will hear from my attorney.

————————————–

This was the  point where I decided to take it public. I will stand on the Fair Use provision. Ken is threatening me with his attorney. I am clearly using clips of his video for criticism and commentary which is the very reason the fair use provision was enacted. You tube isn’t too sympathetic about false DMCA’s being filed.  But what is really important is exposing Ken’s false teaching and bad theology.

_______________________

Ken: Consider the very scripture you brought up to support your interpretive doctrine of “Original Sin”.  If sin had to enter through Adam, then sin had to already be in existence, and by definition cannot be original.  For something that doesn’t exist cannot enter.

————————————

Logos:

This is really your argument? Sin is a metaphysical bogeyman that pre-existed Adam. Seriously? Sin means disobedience to God’s standard. It was original to humanity, Adam being the first human. Due to that, today we have an inherited sin nature but as Dr Geisler pointed out in the entry above there was a state of innocence in the original creation.  This is not an interpretative matter Ken. You teach that all of humanity sinned as pre-incarnate angels and we are here on earth working off our error by our own righteous choice. That is wrong on many levels. It qualifies as heresy and it is the duty of apologists to refute such error. The Bible explicitly says that one transgression led to the condemnation for all men.

“Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. ” (Romans 5:18–19, ESV)

How do you explain this scripture Ken?

Ken: “By the way it was Eve that sinned according to Timothy.  So how did sin enter through Adam?”

According to Timothy? Sorry Ken but the Apostle Paul (the same guy that wrote “by one man’s disobedience”) wrote 1st Timothy.  I suppose you are referring to “For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. ” (1 Timothy 2:13–14, ESV) Paul’s point here is that Eve was deceived by the Serpent. Adam was not deceived, he knew better. Adam willfully chose to disobey. A man is the spiritual leader of his household by God’s design and when God inquired (Gen 3:9) he called Adam’s name. That’s the distinction Paul was making. This is really basic biblical theology Ken. You should know better.

Ken: We are not mocking the terrible nature of sin, but rather how the current and traditional Christian doctrine of sin is such a feeble representation of the magnitude of sin.  And the way it is represented, makes God out to look like a cruel rather than loving God.

His very nature is maligned by the poorly interpreted doctrine that you hold to.

It’s not just the “current and traditional” doctrine. It’s the apostolic teaching. It’s at the core of Biblical Christianity. It’s a non negotiable. Ken, I believe God’s revealed truth in holy scripture, “as one trespass led to condemnation for all men,” it is not an interpretive matter. You either believe the Bible or you do not. It’s a matter of submission to Biblical authority. You said that you don’t think it was fair that you inherited Adam’s sin. Ken you are the one maligning God’s character with, “It’s not fair”.  Actually, it’s really not fair that Jesus died for me. So I am glad it’s not fair. If it was really fair, I would go to hell.  No Ken, I didn’t choose to work off my pre-incarnate angelic transgressions. God was merciful. Ken you simply reject the clear teaching of scripture and have manufactured a new revelation to “correct” it. It’s nothing new. So did Joseph Smith, Alice Bailey, Mary Baker Eddy, David Koresh and Muhammad.  That’s what cults do Ken.


Filed Under Apologetics Tagged With Apologetics, Fallen Angels, False Doctrine, Gateway to the Galaxy, Heresy, Heretic, Ken Kline, Kosmokrators, Lost Legend of Enoch, Message From the Stars, Sin, theology

The First Jesus… Oh Really?

05/13/2010 10 Comments

He was referred to as the King of the Jews. Many of his followers believed he was the long awaited Messiah. After being executed by the Romans just before Passover, some contend it was prophesied on an ancient stone tablet by the Angel Gabriel  that he would be resurrected in three days. Of course this is Jesus, right? Now here is a radical claim, it was not Jesus! His name was Simon of Peraea and he died about the time Jesus was born in 4 BCE! This claim is made in a 2009 National Geographic documentary called The First Jesus.

Simon was undoubtedly a real historical figure mentioned by Josephus as a self-crowned revolutionary and failed Messiah.

In Perea also, Simon, one of the servants to the king, relying upon the handsome appearance, and tallness of his body, put a diadem upon his own head also; he also went about with a company of robbers that he had gotten together, and burnt down the royal palace that was at Jericho, and many other costly edifices besides, and procured himself very easily spoils by rapine, as snatching them out of the fire;[i]

The radical claims espoused in the documentary are hardly surprising coming from National Geographic, well known for their lunatic fringe anti-christian rhetoric. The dubious theory is derived from the discovery of a three foot stone tablet mythologized as Gabriel’s Revelation or the Jeselsohn Stone which was excavated near the Dead Sea in the year 2000. It is associated with the same community that produced the Dead Sea Scrolls.  It contains eighty seven lines of Hebrew text written in ink dated paleographically to the first century BCE. Ink on stone is a very unusual find. Needless to say, there is considerable debate as to its authenticity.

Israel Knohl, an expert in biblical languages at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University, controversially reads the inscription at line eighty as a command from the angel Gabriel for the rebel Simon, beheaded by the Romans in 4 BCE,  “to rise from the dead within three days”.   He asserts that Jesus of Nazareth, aware of Simon’s story, set about a devious act of copycatting .  Consequently, Knohl calls for a complete reassessment of all previous scholarship on the Messianic claims of Christianity. Here is a transcription of the Hebrew text in question:

Column A

(Lines 1-6 are unintelligible)

7. [… ]the sons of Israel …[…]…

8. […]… […]…

9. [… ]the word of YHW[H …]…[…]

10. […]… I\you asked …

11. YHWH, you ask me. Thus said the Lord of Hosts:

12. […]… from my(?) house, Israel, and I will tell the greatness(es?) of Jerusalem.

13. [Thus] said YHWH, the Lord of Israel: Behold, all the nations are

14. … against(?)\to(?) Jerusalem and …,

15. [o]ne, two, three, fourty(?) prophets(?) and the returners(?),

16. [and] the Hasidin(?). My servant, David, asked from before Ephraim(?)

17. [to?] put the sign(?) I ask from you. Because He said, (namely,)

18. [Y]HWH of Hosts, the Lord of Israel: …

19. sanctity(?)\sanctify(?) Israel! In three days you shall know, that(?)\for(?) He said,

20. (namely,) YHWH the Lord of Hosts, the Lord of Israel: The evil broke (down)

21. before justice. Ask me and I will tell you what 22this bad 21plant is,

22. lwbnsd/r/k (=? [To me? in libation?]) you are standing, the messenger\angel. He

23. … (= will ordain you?) to Torah(?). Blessed be the Glory of YHWH the Lord, from

24. his seat. “In a little while”, qyTuT (=a brawl?\ tiny?) it is, “and I will shake the

25. … of? heaven and the earth”. Here is the Glory of YHWH the Lord of

26. Hosts, the Lord of Israel. These are the chariots, seven,

27. [un]to(?) the gate(?) of Jerusalem, and the gates of Judah, and … for the

sake of

28. … His(?) angel, Michael, and to all the others(?) ask\asked

29. …. Thus He said, YHWH the Lord of Hosts, the Lord of

30. Israel: One, two, three, four, five, six,

31. [se]ven, these(?) are(?) His(?) angel …. ‘What is it’, said the blossom(?)\diadem(?)

32. …[…]… and (the?) … (= leader?/ruler?), the second,

33. … Jerusalem…. three, in\of the greatness(es?) of

34. […]…[…]…

35. […]…, who saw a man … working(?) and […]…

36. that he … […]… from(?) Jerusalem(?)

37. … on(?) … the exile(?) of …,

38. the exile(?) of …, Lord …, and I will see

39. …[…] Jerusalem, He will say, YHWH of

40. Hosts, …

41. […]… that will lift(?) …

42. […]… in all the

43. […]…

44. […]…

 Column B

(Lines 45-50 are unintelligible)

51. Your people(?)\with you(?) …[…]

52. … the [me]ssengers(?)\[a]ngels(?)[ …]…

53. on\against His/My people. And …[…]…

54. [… ]three days(?). This is (that) which(?) …[… ]He(?)

55. the Lord(?)\these(?)[ …]…[…]

56. see(?) …[…]

57. closed(?). The blood of the slaughters(?)\sacrifices(?) of Jerusalem. For He said,

YHWH of Hos[ts],

58. the Lord of Israel: For He said, YHWH of Hosts, the Lord of

59. Israel: …

60. […]… me(?) the spirit?\wind of(?) …

61. …[…]…

62. in it(?) …[…]…[…]

63. …[…]…[…]

64. …[…]… loved(?)/… …[…]

65. The three saints of the world\eternity from\of …[…]

66. […]… peace he? said, to\in you we trust(?) …

67. Inform him of the blood of this chariot of them(?) …[…]

68. Many lovers He has, YHWH of Hosts, the Lord of Israel …

69. Thus He said, (namely,) YHWH of Hosts, the Lord of Israel …:

70. Prophets have I sent to my people, three. And I say

71. that I have seen …[…]…

72. the place for the sake of(?) David the servant of YHWH[ …]…[…]

73. the heaven and the earth. Blessed be …[…]

74. men(?). “Showing mercy unto thousands”, … mercy […].

75. Three shepherds went out to?/of? Israel …[…].

76. If there is a priest, if there are sons of saints …[…]

77. Who am I(?), I (am?) Gabri’el the …(=angel?)… […]

78. You(?) will save them, …[…]…

79. from before You, the three si[gn]s(?), three …[….]

80. In three days li[ve], I, Gabri’el …[?],

81. the Prince of Princes, …, narrow holes(?) …[…]…

82. to/for … […]… and the …

83. to me(?), out of three – the small one, whom(?) I took, I, Gabri’el.

84. YHWH of Hosts, the Lord of(?)[ Israel …]…[….]

85. Then you will stand …[…]…

86. …\

87. in(?) … eternity(?)/… \

\

A serious problem for this radical claim is that the translation of line 80 as “in three days li[ve]” is pure speculation. According to the documentary no other scholars agree with him. In spite of their best efforts, further testing has failed to reveal the missing letter(s).

However the principle problem (the fatal one)  is that it fails to address the evidence for Jesus of Nazareth. To refute the idea that Jesus copied Simon I will appeal to prophecy. Jesus fulfilled prophecies that he had no control over, like being born in Bethlehem.

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (Micah 5:2)

Born in the tribe of Judah, line of David,

“You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’ ” Selah ” (Psalm 89:3–4)

Sorry Simon but you just can”t pick your parents and place of birth… and Simon fails on all accounts. Furthermore, Jesus fulfilled hundreds more.  For example, the description in Isaiah 53 is nothing like Simon and fits Jesus perfectly, even describing the substitutionary atonement.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. (Isaiah 53:5-7)

This was all written centuries in advance and we even have a carbon dated copy form the Dead Sea scrolls dated at 125 BCE.[ii] It describes the humble lamb of God not a self crowned violent revolutionary who made  Messianic claims yet failed to deliver.  There is only one Jesus that matches Isaiah’s prophecy. John the Baptist was nobody’s fool. He lived during Simon’s lifetime and he knew who he was waiting for,

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ” (John 1:29)

[i]Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1996, c1987). The works of Josephus : Complete and unabridged. Includes index. (Wars 2.57). Peabody: Hendrickson.

[ii] http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/31_masorite.html (accessed 05/13/2010)

Filed Under Apologetics Tagged With Hebrew, Israel Knohl, Jesus, National Geographic, Simon of Perea, The First Jesus, The Jeselsohn Stone
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