#isaiah 41:8-9

[graceandpeacejoanne]

Isaiah 41: God's Elect

The pith of this teaching on election explains that God is sovereign, God controls and guides all events for God’s glory and for the good of God’s people. #Isaiah41 #IsraelGodsElect #JacobandEsau

God’s Promise of Care After speaking to all the nations, God now turns to one nation, God’s own people. But you, Israel, my servant,    Jacob, whom I have chosen,    the offspring of Abraham, my friend;you whom I took from the ends of the earth    and called from its farthest corners,saying to you, “You are my servant;    I have chosen you and not cast you off” Isaiah 41:8-9 (NRSV) In the…

[walkswithmyfather]

“But the LORD abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment. And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity. The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble; And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.” —Psalm 9:7-10

“Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands.” —Psalm 119:90

“‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’” —Jeremiah 29:11

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” —Romans 8:28

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” —Hebrews 4:15

“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” —Isaiah 41:10

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” —Psalm 46:1

“God Inspires Our Trust” By In Touch Ministries:

“Our Father in heaven always keeps His promises and never leaves us alone.”

“As far as children can tell, their mom and dad know everything and can do anything. And kids typically don’t question that assumption without reason (for example, if they see a parent mishandle a situation or someone else influences their level of trust). Parents demonstrate reliability by consistently providing shelter, food, and safety—and also by lovingly teaching, comforting, and guiding their sons and daughters. Then the children can sleep in peace, knowing their needs will be met.

Likewise, we know that we can trust our heavenly Father because He has shown Himself trustworthy from the beginning of time. Psalm 119:90 says, “[God’s] faithfulness continues throughout generations.” He has never broken a promise, and His plans for us have always been for our good (Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28). What’s more, God understands our weaknesses and never asks us to do anything that He won’t help us accomplish (Hebrews 4:15; Isaiah 41:10). We can trust that even in the worst situations, He will be with us (Psalm 46:1).

What does trusting God look like in your life this week? Where can you relinquish control to Him?”

[All Bible verses are in the NASB1995 Translation.]

[dwuerch-blog]

He is Here -- Right Now!

It’s hard to comprehend that we are a full-fledged “blood sibling” with Jesus Christ, our big Brother. Fully God. Fully Man. We are one with Him. We belong to Him. He lives in me. He lives in you! Please don’t skip through this blog quickly today. I know that many of my readers simply scan the words and move on. That’s what we have done for most of our lives. We’ve heard words, but we haven’t…

[influencingforjohn]

Bible verses for protection

1. "The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." (Psalm 121:7-8)

2. "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." (Psalm 32:7)

3. "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)

4. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." (Proverbs 18:10)

5. "Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be frightened, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

6. "You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday." (Psalm 91:5-6)

7. "The Lord will protect you from all evil; he will keep your soul safe." (Psalm 121:7)

8. "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." (Psalm 55:22)

9. "The Lord is my rock, my refuge and my savior—my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge." (Psalm 18:2)

10. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)

Remember, God's protection is not limited to these verses, and His love and care for you are infinite. May these scriptures bring you comfort and peace!

[girlbloggercher]

how to read the Bible

this is in order!

1. John

2. Mark

3. Matthew

4. Luke

5. Genesis

6. Exodus

7. Leviticus

8. Numbers

9. Dueteronomy

10. Romans

11. Galatians

12. Colossians

13. Proverbs

14. Ecclesiastes

15. Job

16. 1 Peter

17. 1 Corinthians

18. 2 Corinthians

19. Ephesians

20. Philippians

21. 1 Thessalonians

22. 2 Thessalonians

23. 1 Timothy

24. 2 Timothy

25. James

26. 2 Peter

27. 1 John

28. 2 John

29. 3 John

30. Jude

31. Psalms

32. Joshua

33. Judges

34. 1 Samuel

35. 2 Samuel

36. 1 Kings

37. 2 Kings

38. 1 Chronicles

39. 2 Chronicles

40. Ezra

41. Nehemiah

42. Jeremiah

43. Lamentations

44. Ezekiel

45. Joel

46. Amos

47. Obadiah

48. Nahum

49. Habakkuk

50. Zephaniah

51. Haggai

52. Zechariah

53. Malachi

54. Micah

55. Hosea

56. Luke

57. Esther

58. Jonah

59. Song of Solomon

60. Acts

61. Titus

62. Philemon

63. Hebrew

64. Isaiah

65. Daniel

66. Revelation

[nastasya--filippovna]

WHO IS CROWLEY AFTER THE FALL (PART2)

Here it is finally.

So what is the Leviathan.

In mythology and theology the Leviathan is a sea-serpent and is mentioned in several books of the Hebrew Bible such as the Book of Job and Book Isaiah and Book of Enoch. The Leviathan of the Book of Job is a reflection of the older Canaanite Lotan, a primeval monster defeated by the god Baal Hadad. Parallels to the role of Mesopotamian Tiamat defeated by Marduk have long been drawn in comparative mythology, as have been wider comparisons to dragon and world serpent narratives such as Indra slaying Vrtra or Thor slaying Jörmungandr.

Once again we see the pattern of Biblical creatures being “inspired” from pagan ones.

Thomas Aquinas described Leviathan as the demon of envy, first in punishing the corresponding sinners. Peter Binsfeld likewise classified Leviathan as the demon of envy, as one of the seven Princes of Hell corresponding to the seven deadly sins. Leviathan became associated with, and may originally have been referred to by, the visual motif of the Hellmouth, a monstrous animal into whose mouth the damned disappear at the Last Judgment, found in Anglo-Saxon art from about 800, and later all over Europe.

In the Book of Enoch, The Leviathan is a female giant chaos serpent that lives deep in the ocean, while her mate, Behemoth, is a male giant chaos beast (based off of a hippopotamus or water-ox) who lives in the mythical desert of Duidain, East of Eden.

Ring any bells. Chaos mongering (fomenting), ox, eastern gate of eden…. 

The Hebrew word that translates to Leviathan (Livyatan) appears six times in the Old Testament. One of them is in Job 41. The word is derived from the root Iwy or ‘ twist, coil’ and means ‘the sinuous one.’ So I think we can establish that this creature is at least indicated to be snake-like. Scholars trace the etymology of whale and crocodile 

In the Book of Isaiah it is mentioned that the beast will rise from the water and will be defeated by God on the Last Day. However, quite interestingly nowhere in the Old Testament is the Leviathan written as evil. Only later scholars have equated it with the devil so that the battle between God and Chaos can be interpreted as the battle between God and the Devil.

Now let’s make this more interesting: The Gnostic sect venerate the biblical serpent of the Garden of Eden as a symbol of wisdom, which the malevolent Demiurge tried to hide from Adam and Eve. They identify the Leviathan as the serpent of Eden and in this belief system the Leviathan appears as an Ouroboros, separating the divine realm from humanity by enveloping or permeating the material world.

I mean I don’t even need to say anything further.  

And he does show up in GO Season 2. The matchbox.

Here 

When did this happen, I wonder……hmmmmmm

Oh YES!

Crowley wearing Aziraphale’s face

     

Here’s the rest of the passage from Job

1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

2 Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?

3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?

4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?

5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?

6 Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?

7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?

8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.

9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?

10 None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?

11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.

12 I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.

13 Who can discover the face of his garment? (penetrate his coat of armor)  or who can come to him with his double bridle?

14 Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.

15 His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.

16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.

17 They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.

18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.

20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.

21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

22 In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.

23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.

24 His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.

25 When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.

26 The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.

27 He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.

28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.

29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.

30 Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.

31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.

32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.

33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.

34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.

The Leviathan is a magnificent creature. And the very fact that God goes to so much trouble to describe the magnanimity of this creature is to show what God has created and hence Her magnanimity must be even greater in comparison for the Creator is always superior to the Creation. And if God can so easily abuse and humiliate this beautiful monster, then God must be worshipped and feared.

Though to the unsuspecting eye these passages may ring no familiar bells, a closer look makes you realize how Crowley-coded they are. And to think that in a story where Neil has never witten or shown anything that wasn’t woven in finely with the characters, I alwsy wondered why he chose the Book of Job for the minisode when he could have included any other one.  

But it reminded me that Crowleys character is truly unrelenting. He’s a nether millstone. He won’t give up that easily. He absolutely won’t submit to anyone, and he’s shown time and time again that his vociferous litanies about running away disappear as soon as someone or something he cares about is in danger (i.e. Aziraphale). And the second coming will also threaten his creation (the universe). His refusal to submit to authority, the refusal to be subjugated is the reason he fell in the first place. And quite interestingly he doesn’t own Hell either. He resists that too. For him it’s not Heaven or Hell that matters but the resistance to Power.  

I also think it’s also fitting that the Leviathan is perceived to be a monster that must be slain or enslaved but in reality is another of God’s creations just like the sun and the stars and the rivers and the mountains.  

And it makes me think of how Crowley has always been labeled as evil because he fell. I think of how, at heart, he is truly gentle and kind, he’s a starmaker. But his fall, his appearance, his desire to be autonomous and his grey moral campus make him feared and a target. And that has made him the embodiment of chaos. His refusal to submit himself to the uniformity of both worlds, to the rules and guidelines that create this illusion of order sets him apart from them. He embraces the chaos that grayness offers, that being ‘human’ brings. And hence the final battle will be between God and chaos with God justifies as being the battle between good and evil because, well, he’s a demon.    

The Leviathan being historically associated with the sin of envy is again I think written into the plot very carefully. He is envious of humanity’s ability to question God, to have choices to not be doomed to heaven or hell for all eternity. He is envious of what Maggie and Nina have. He’s envious of what Beelz and Gabe have.

“I mean if Gabriel and Beelzebub can go off together…..”

And then him rejecting Azirapahle’s offer— he has spent his life (a long, long life) rejecting power and authority. In his relationship with Aziraphale he found his sanctuary, a relation clean of power dynamics. Up till now they were both equal. But this new offer jeopardizes that.

And I love how his ego and pride come to play here. He would never accept being “second in command to anyone”. And his envy of how God’s mercy is free for some but wholly denied to him.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Word of the Lord, Your Redeemer

This is what the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: I am Yahweh your God, who teaches you for your benefit, who leads you in the way you should go. — Isaiah 48:17 | Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers. All rights reserved. Cross References: Genesis 24:48; Psalm 32:8; Isaiah 28:9; Isaiah 30:21; Isaiah 41:14; Isaiah 43:14; Isaiah 45:11

Read full chapter

Isaiah 48:17 Commentaries

[writing-whump]

Fic Masterlist 1-90

1. Sick and hurt Matthew, Isaiah and reluctant Seline help

2. Matthew defends Seline and gets sick

3. Matthew helping sick Isaiah

4. Matthew helping sick Isaiah p.2 (Isaiah's pov)

5. Matthew with stomach flu + caretaker Seline

6. Seline sick with Isaiah on the road

7. Seline sick p.2 + Isaiah and Matthew

8. Food poisoning Matthew + caretaker Isaiah

9. Isaiah poisoned at an event p.1 + Sonny and Matthew

10. Isaiah poisoned p.2 + Seline and Matthew as caretakers

11. Recovering Isaiah, panicked Matthew, moving in together idea

12. Sick Seline with a headache + Isaiah

13. Matthew mixing milk with bubbly drinks + Seline as caretaker

14. Matthew sick from roller coaster ride + Isaiah as caretaker

15. Isaiah stress sick during a movie night + Seline as caretaker

16. Hector with a broken leg + Isaiah reluctantly helps

17. Late night visit with bleeding hand Reuben + Isaiah angsting

18. Caleb sick from fear + Seline + Matthew

19. Seline crying + upset sick Matthew + Isaiah as caretaker

20. Hector sick from Seline's protective wards

21. Isaiah sick from a nightmare + Seline

22. Matthew sick from hiding an infected injury + Seline + worried Isaiah

23. Matthew with a stomach bug calls Isaiah to pick him up + awkward comfort Seline

24. Isaiah catches Matthew's bug + Seline + bellyrubs

25. Seline with a cold + Isaiah + fluff

26. Flashback: upset 18 years old Isaiah can't stop throwing up + crying + reluctant caretaker Sonny

27. Feverish Matthew + backstory reveal + Isaiah and Seline for comfort

28. Arnie with ear infection + Isaiah as caretaker + brotherly reunion

29. Isaiah + heart episode + sick at night + Matthew for help

30. Flashback fic: 17 years old Isaiah, abusive father, Reuben as prisoner

31. Drunk sick emotional Arnie + angry worried Hector

32. Emberassed in denial Isaiah sick from a gory movie + worried angry Matthew

33. Hector with food poisoning + guilty anxious Arnie + calling Isaiah for help

34. Hector recovering from food poisoning + emotional talk with Isaiah

35. Hurt Matt + Hector helps + brings him to Isaiah

36. Seline crying and stressing over trains + Matthew with a concussion for comfort

37. Isaiah comes home to find Seline and Matt huddled together in bed

38. Isaiah with a high fever and a nosebleed + calls Seline to come home to help

39. Hector with bruised ribs + Arnie sick with the flu hiding from he so he doesn't catch it

40. Part 2: Isaiah helping sick Arnie and hurt Hector

41. Seline with upset tummy + Isaiah gives her bellyrubs + fluff

42. Matt sick with heatstroke + Isaiah for comfort

43. Isaiah with heart episode at an event + meeting Matt's sister + Hector trying to help

44. Part 2: Isaiah with heart episode + Hector + Matthew argue

45. Burpy with little indigestion Isaiah + Seline fluff

46. Hector claustrophobic and motion sick on the subway + meeting Olive

47. Flashback: Seline and Isaiah first meeting + magic emeto

48. Hector and Arnie find out the truth about Isaiah + stress sick Hector + Arnie for comfort + angst

49. Feverish Seline cuddling with the boys

50. Stress sick Hector talks with Isaiah about the revelation

51. Arnie with a migraine at night from the revelation + Hector caretaker

52. Isaiah breaks down after the reveal + Matt and Seline for comfort

53. Hector invites Isaiah for breakfast with Arnie + emotional whump + crying + comfort

54. Seline argues with witches + gets attacked by their wolves + Isaiah for rescue

55. Cinema motion sick Matt + Seline + Isaiah

56. Hector gets sick + appendicitis + Arnie for comfort

57. Hector after appendicitis in pain + Isaiah + Arnie

58. Hector with appendicitis part 3

59. Isaiah overeats while visiting Seline's parents + Seline for comfort

60. Isaiah finds Matt coming down with something after the trip

61. Matt gets super sick and emotional during the night + Isaiah for comfort

62. Dylan meets Rip + sick from a hit to the stomach

63. Dylan with a cold + meets Isaiah + caretaker Seline

64. Sick Seline and Isaiah with Dylan's flu + Matthew caretaker

65. Hector + Arnie in a car accident

66. Arnie with stress migraine after the accident + Isaiah

67. Stress sick Isaiah angsting over the accident + Seline

68. Hurt Hector calls Isaiah for help in the middle of the night

69. Hurt Hector part 2: Isaiah, Matthew and Seline help

70. Seline emotional angsting + Isaiah mild food poisoning

71. Isaiah meets with Levi + Rip sick from nearly drowning + Dylan

72. Isaiah hurt hand + sick from pain + Matthew caretaker

73. Matthew with a brutal stomach bug + Isaiah

74. Isaiah violently sick with Arnie part 1

75. Isaiah super sick + Hector part 2

76. Isaiah sick part 3 + stress nauseous Hector + Arnie with a headache + Matt and Seline help out

77. Rip with a silver knife wound to his stomach + Dylan for help

78. Rip silver knife wound part 2: Dylan and Seline for comfort

79. Rip hurt part 3 + Dylan + Isaiah + Rip's backstory

80. Arnie with concussion + Hector and Isaiah angst/fluff

81. Matt sick from his shadow + Isaiah for comfort

82. Seline with period cramps at cinema with Isaiah + Hector and Arnie show up

83. Rip with a stress headache after a fight with Dylan + Isaiah

84. Matt passes out in the park + Hector + Olive

85. Matt fluff and comfort with Seline and Isaiah

86. Fluffy Isaiah and Seline date + slight overeating

87. Isaiah collapses from heart attack + Matt and Seline at the hospital

88. Waiting at the hospital Sel + Matt angst

89. Isaiah wakes up after the operation + nauseous Matt + Seline

90. Isaiah more coherent after surgery + super nausous + Matt

[cheerfullycatholic]

More Of My God and All I Ask of You Obsession

Imagine for a moment...

God

No more talk of darkness, (1 John 1:5)

Forget these wide-eyed fears

I'm here, nothing can harm you

my words will warm and calm you (Isaiah 41:10)

Let me be your freedom, (2 Corinthians 3:17)

let daylight dry your tears. (Revelation 21:4)

I'm here with you, beside you, (Joshua 1:9)

to guard you (2 Thessalonians 3:3) and to guide you... (Isaiah 58:11)

Us

Say you love me every waking moment,

turn my head with talk of summertime...

Say you need me with you now and always...

Promise me that all you say is true

that's all I ask of you

God

Let me be your shelter (Psalm 91:4)

let me be your light (John 8:12)

You're safe, No one will find you

your fears are far behind you... (Psalm 27:1)

Us

All I want is freedom,

a world with no more night

and you, always beside me, to hold me and to hide me...

God

Then say you'll share with me

one love, one lifetime (1 John 4:16)

let me lead you from your solitude

Say you need me with you here, beside you...

anywhere you go, let me go too (Psalm 145:18)

Christine, that's all I ask of you...

Us

Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime...

say the word and I will follow you...

Both

Share each day with me,

each night, each morning...

Us

Say you love me...

God

You know I do... (John 3:16)

Both

Love me - that's all I ask of you

Anywhere you go let me go too

Love me - that's all I ask of you...

May add or change things later. If you have any Bible verses that you think fit, please share them!

[apilgrimpassingby]

Demons of the Hebrew Bible

Since today is also the day for Lord of Spiritsposting, I've decided to make a post I considered yesterday - the demons of the Hebrew Bible. This will be a long post, so I'm inserting a "Keep Reading".

Azazel: Appears only once in Leviticus 16, as the being in the wilderness to whom the goat with the people's sins laid on it in the Day of Atonement ritual is given (this isn't sacrifice, because the animal isn't killed or offered on an altar, among other things). Becomes a Devil figure in some later Jewish literature like the Book of Enoch, and is associated with deserts, sin and goats - the name literally means "the goat that goes away" (an archaic translation gives us the word "scapegoat"), and the seemingly-random reference to goat demons in Leviticus 17:7 comes just after Azazel's appearance.

Deber: The most prominent of the gang, appearing (usually in conjunction with other figures on this list) in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos, Habakkuk and the Pentateuch a total of 49 times, usually unleashed as punishment for some sin by Israel (compare "handing people over to Satan" in St. Paul's letters - 1 Corinthians 5:5, 1 Timothy 1:20). A nocturnal demon of pestilence and destruction associated with the underworld in Canaanite mythology.

Hereb: Rendered as "the sword" in English; the next most prominent one, appearing 29 times and, like Deber, in conjunction with the others. A demon of violence and destruction associated with blood-drinking (Isaiah 34:5, Jeremiah 46:10) and flesh-eating (Deuteronomy 32:42, Jeremiah 12:12) and probably the rider on a red horse from Revelation 6:3-4.

Lilit: Appears just once, Isaiah 34:14, where she's dwelling in some ruins. Usually translated as "screech owl" or "night bird", but some use "Lilith". In Mesopotamian mythology, the lili are a class of nocturnal female demons associated who kill babies and are associated with owls, so the translation as "screech owl" is acceptable. The Songs of the Sage from the Dead Sea Scrolls refer to liliyot (feminine plural) as a class of demons: "And I, the Instructor, proclaim His glorious splendour so as to frighten and to te[rrify] all the spirits of the destroying angels, spirits of the bastards, demons, liliths, howlers...

Livyatan: Usually anglicised as Leviathan, and appears five times: Job 3:8 and chapter 41, Psalms 74:12-14 and 104:26 and Isaiah 27:1. Based on those appearances, he's a multi-headed fire-breathing sea serpent immune to weapons who battles with Yahweh and (of course) always loses. The myth of a god fighting a sea serpent is a staple of world mythology. Likely correlates to the beast from the sea of Revelation 13:1-10, since Leviathan is paired with a beast from the earth (Behemoth; Job 40:15-24) - also compare Revelation 13:4 ("Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”) to Job 41:33-34 ("On earth there is not his like, a creature without fear. He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride").

Nephilim: Famously appear in Genesis 6:1-4 as the warriors born of the sons of God and the daughters of men, understood in Second Temple Jewish texts such as the Book of Enoch and the Septuagint to be giants born of fallen angels and human women. They appear by the name Anakim or Rephaim in Genesis 14:5, 15:20, Deuteronomy 1:28, 2:10-11, 2:20-21, 3:11, 3;13, 9:2 and Joshua 11:21-22, 12:4, 13:12, 14:12, 14:15 and 15:8 and war with giants appears in 2 Samuel 21:16-22, 1 Chronicles 20:4-8 and, of course, 1 Samuel 17 (the David and Goliath story).

Qeteb: Appears just 4 times (Deuteronomy 32:24; Psalm 91:6; Isaiah 28:2; Hosea 13:14), together with Deber in the Psalms and Hosea appearances and together with Resheph in Deuteronomy; if there's any lesson from this post so far, it's that plague demons hunt in packs. A diurnal plague demon whose name is rendered in English as "destruction"; nothing more to be said.

Ra'av: The third most prominent one, appearing 35 times; a famine demon whose name is rendered in English as "famine" or "hunger" who is unleashed on Israel as punishment together with (surprise!) Hereb and either Deber or Resheph. Probably the rider on a black horse from Revelation 6:5-6.

Rephaim: The spirits of dead kings who dwell in the underworld not doing much, translated in the ESV as shades and appearing in Isaiah 14:9 and 26:14; the same imagery and concept is being used by Ezekiel 32:20-30.

Resheph: A demon of plague and conquest worshipped as a god in Canaanite and Egyptian culture, depicted as a bearded archer on a white horse. Appears just 6 times in the Hebrew Bible (Deuteronomy 32:24; Habakkuk 3:5 Psalm 78:48; Job 5:7, Song of Songs 8:6); the name is rendered as "plague" or "pestilence" or occasionally "fire" or "sparks" because the name literally means "burning". Probably the rider on a white horse from Revelation 6:2.

Sources and Further Reading

"Before Him Went Pestilence (Hab. 3:5) - Biblical Lexis and Semantic Field of Epidemics" by Jozef Jankovic for The Old Testament Society of South Africa

"A Land of Giants" by Frs. Andrew Stephen Damick and Stephen DeYoung on The Lord of Spirits

"War, Famine, Disease, Death and Hades" by Fr. Stephen DeYoung on The Whole Counsel of God

"Who is Azazel?" by Fr. Stephen DeYoung on The Whole Counsel of God

Who is Lilith - Ancient Development and Origins of the Demon Queen by Dr. Justin Sledge on ESOTERICA

Or in short - stop making it all about Lilith. Use some other Hebrew Bible demons.

[walkswithmyfather]

“12 Promises of God to Lean On” By Instaencouragements.com:

“Leaning on the promises of God means relying on the assurances that He has given us through His Word, the Bible.

God's promises are trustworthy and provide comfort, guidance, and hope to believers.

When we lean on these promises and trust in God's faithfulness, we find peace. Peace that passes all human understanding. Peace that sustains us in the midst of difficult circumstances. Peace that assures us that God is in control.

It's important that we read and meditate on God's Word regularly. When we do, we will be reminded of His promises and to deepen our trust in Him.

​Today, let's look at 12 of His promises and meditate on the Scripture where they are found.

12 promises of God we can confidently lean on today:

1. God will fight for you: “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” —Exodus 14:14

2. God will go before you: “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” —Deuteronomy 31:8

3. God will be with you: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:9

4. God will renew you: “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” —Isaiah 40:31

5. God will strengthen you: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” —Isaiah 41:10

6. God will be your Shepherd: “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” —Psalm 23:1

7. God will deliver you: “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” —Psalm 34:17

8. God will counsel you: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” —Psalm 32:8

9. God loves you: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” —John 3:16

10. God will make all things work for your good: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” —Romans 8:28

11. God will never leave you: “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.” —Hebrews 13:5

12. God will guard you: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:7

[apocrypals]

Previously, on Apocrypals part 5: The Fifth One

As we begin our sixth (!) calendar year of Apocrypals, here is a list of the texts we have covered so far on the show in case you want to read along or catch up. They’re arranged in a way that appeases my systematic nature.  

Tanakh/Old Testament:

Genesis (episodes 16-20)

Exodus (episodes 33 and 35)

Leviticus (episode 59)

Numbers (episode 62)

Deuteronomy (episode 65)

Joshua (episode 73)

Judges (episode 80)

Ruth (episode 45)

1 Samuel (episode 89)

2 Samuel (episode 90-91)

1 Kings (episode 99)

2 Kings (episode 106)

Esther (episode 37)

Job (episode 101)

Ecclesiastes (episode 52)

Song of Songs (episode 34)

Isaiah (episode 4)

Jeremiah (episode 43-44)

Lamentations (episode 48)

Ezekiel (episode 55-56)

Daniel (episode 2)

Hosea (episode 108)

Jonah (episode 31)

Micah (episode 74)

Nahum (episode 74)

Deuterocanon/capital-A Apocrypha:

Tobit (episode 13)

Judith (episode 22)

Greek Additions to Esther (episode 37)

1 Maccabees (episode 27)

2 Maccabees (episode 28)

3 Maccabees (episode 53)

4 Maccabees (episode 78)

The Prayer of Azariah aka the Song of the Three Holy Children (episode 2)

Susanna (episode 2)

Bel and the Dragon (episode 2)

The Prayer of Manasseh (episode 6)

New Testament:

Matthew (episodes 8-9)

Mark (episode 7)

Luke (episode 10)

John (episode 11-12)

Acts of the Apostles (episode 1)

Romans (episode 5)

1 Corinthians (episode 25)

2 Corinthians (episode 42)

Galatians (episode 72)

Ephesians (episode 81)

Hebrews (episode 104)

1 John (episode 49)

2 John (episode 49)

3 John (episode 49)

Revelation (episode 50)

Pseudepigrapha (Jewish apocrypha):

The Testament of Solomon (episode 24)

The Story of Ahikar (episode 14)

The Ascension of Isaiah (episode 6)

1 Enoch (episode 39-40)

2 Enoch (episode 61)

3 Enoch (episode 86-87)

Jubilees (episodes 82 and 83)

The Letter of Aristeas (episode 70)

The War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness (episode 71)

Joseph and Aseneth (episode 93)

New Testament apocrypha:

The Protevangelium aka Infancy Gospel of James (episode 29)

The Acts of Pilate/Gospel of Nicodemus (episode 23)

Mors Pilati/Death of Pilate (episode 23)

The Acts of Paul and Thecla (episode 22)

The Acts of Peter (episode 3)

The Acts of Peter and Paul (episode 3)

The Acts of Andrew and Matthias (episode 60)

The Acts of Thomas and His Wonderworking Skin (episode 66)

The Life of Xanthippe, Polyxena, and Rebecca (episode 57)

Questions of Bartholomew (episode 41)

Resurrection of Jesus Christ by Bartholomew (episode 41)

The Book of Bartholomew (episode 67)

Acts of John (episode 46)

The Acts of Andrew (episode 97)

Syriac Infancy Gospel (episode 47)

Infancy Gospel of Thomas (episode 54)

Infancy Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew (episode 79)

The Adoration of the Magi (2020 Christmas bonus episode)

The History of Joseph the Carpenter (episode 103)

The First Apocryphal Apocalypse of John (episode 68)

The Second Apocryphal Apocalypse of John (episode 68)

The Third Apocryphal Apocalypse of John (episode 68)

The Apocalypse of Peter (episode 75)

The Apocalypse of Paul (episode 95)

The Gospel of Philip (episode 92)

The Gospel of Mary (episode 92)

The Gospel of Jesus’s Wife (episode 92)

The Gospel of Judas (episode 100)

The Greater Questions of Mary (episode Secret 69)

The Golden Legend of Jacobus de Voragine:

The Life of Saint Nicholas (episode 26)

The Life of Saint Lucy (episode 26)

The Life of Saint Christopher (episode 15)

The Life of Saint Benedict (episode 15)

excerpts from The Passion of the Lord (episode 23)

The Life of Saint Sebastian (episode 58)

The Life of Saint Blaise (episode 58)

The Life of Saint Agatha (episode 58)

The Life of Saint Roch (episode 63)

The Life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria (episode 77)

The Life of Saint Barbara (episode 77)

The Life of Saint Dunstan (episode 85)

The Life of Mary Magdalene (episode 94)

The Life of Saint Martha of Bethany (episode 102)

The Life of Saint Margaret of Antioch (episode 102)

Other:

Historia Trium Regum/The Legend of the Three Kings by John of Hildesheim (episode 30)

Muirchu’s Life of Saint Patrick (episode 36)

The Life of Saint Guinefort (episode 63)

The Life of Saint Mary of Egypt (episode 69)

The Life of Saint Pelagia (episode 69)

The Life of Saint Martin by Sulpicius Severus (episode 76)

The Life of Saint Columba (episode 84)

The Life of Saint Wilgefortis (episode 94)

Lives of cephalophoric saints (bonus episode cephalo4)

Stories of the Baal Shem Tov from The Golden Mountain (episode 96)

More stories of the Baal Shem Tov from The Golden Mountain (episode 107)

Solomon and Ashmedai (bonus episode double chai)

Listener questions (episode 32)

Bible trivia questions (episode 38)

Halloween-themed Chick tracts (episode 51)

Christmas-themed Chick tracts (episode 98)

Bible Adventures and the Wisdom Tree catalogue of video games (episode 64)

The Da Vinci Code, the movie (episode 88)

Guess the Bible character from Persona 5 (bonus episode Persona 5)

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron (episode 105)

You can find links to all these episodes with show notes and more on the Apocrypals wiki

[hiswordsarekisses]

In Psalm 50 God says “You thought I was like you.”

In Isaiah 55 He says to forsake our own thoughts

- He says His thoughts and ways are not like our thoughts and ways, but much higher.

As I grew in my understanding of this it increased my trust in His heart. This kind of faith comes from hearing the Word of God with the heart. (Do a word study on Romans 10:17)

That’s why we do not often understand what He does, or allows - or what prayers He seems not to answer. He sees what we do my see, and this kind of understanding comes from only Him by revelation of His Word and maturing through having our minds renewed. (Do a word study on Roman’s 12:2)

In divine wisdom - beyond anything we could ever imagine - God, through Jesus (John 1:3), created this whole universe and everything in it.

……He created it to work together perfectly and in a certain, holy way. Because He understood we are human, He left us instructions. He knew that if we thought He was like us, or followed our own way - things would not go well for us at all, and His desire was that we would be blessed with abundant life in every way.

……Yet many refuse to pick up the instructions and learn to know and understand them. And unfortunately, many think they already do. (1 Corinthians 8:2) And many think that if something makes them happy then surely it has to be in God’s mind, but fail to know God’s mind through His Word, so most times they are wrong.

You are free to create your own Jesus if you want to - one who thinks like you do - but that’s not the Jesus that saves. And, in your freedom, if that’s the way you choose to live your life, then one day the true Messiah of the Bible will say “depart from me, I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:22-24)

Then what good did it do for you to follow your imagined Jesus?

To know God we must know His Word. (John 1:1, 1 Corinthians 2:16) He wants to write it on our heart (Hebrews 10:16) - and in so doing, change our core nature by renewing our minds with it to be like Him. (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18)

After 61 years of life, and 41 years of walking with Him, the single most important thing I have learned is how the MOST important thing is to devotionally read and study God’s written word daily. Tuck it deep in our heart where the Holy Spirit can bring it to my mind when I need it. (John 14:26)

The more I have become grounded in His Word, the more it comes to me like that just as He promised. It has been saving me from deceiving doctrines and the voice of the enemy who likes to speak lies over and over.

The more I have studied it, and read it, and loved it - the more I have noticed right away when something does not line up with it… sometimes it is in His whisper, and more like an uneasiness that takes me longer to grasp - but He has never failed me. (1 Kings 19:11)

The first thing the devil will try to take from us is our time in the Word because even HE knows how powerful it makes us against his shenanigans and lying words. Those who are deceived, are deceived because they lack a love for the truth, and secondly they lack time with God in a genuine devotional study of His Word. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10)

2 Thessalonians talks about a great deception that will come on the whole world, and only the love of the truth will be able to save us from it. To love the truth is to want it more than we want our own truth. It is to want to know if we are wrong, and it is a desire to know the truth even if we think we might hate it.

It is for the truth to be most important - over being right - over our pride - over all of it.

Tell me, what do we have without it??

What good is a lie?

In the end what will anything matter if we have not followed the truth?! (Jeremiah 5:31)

One day all the stuff we do every day will be gone, and all that will be left is what we have with Him.

So make sure that you are safe when the end comes. Pray every day to love and to know the truth and stay abiding in His Word.

Please do not neglect spending time daily in His Word. Your spiritual life and your eternity depends on it.

When we put Him first - before all that we have to do each day (even if it means getting up even earlier) - it’s like He miraculously multiplies the time in our day. He makes sure we have time for all that we need to do, and then some, when we put Him first. (Matthew 6:33)

Now there definitely will be times that you will find that not be the case - in those times the Lord allows us to be tested. (James 1:3, Revelation 3:10)

The enemy will try to discourage us at times to try to keep us out of the Word. Fight that with every bit of determination you can muster and pray for strength, because on the other side of that testing is blessing beyond your imagination. (Matthew 4:4)

I went through a time about 10 years ago, where it seemed that every time I tried to create a routine of putting Him first in my day, literally something bad would happen!! It got to the point where I was actually scared to pick up my Bible and press in because I didn’t know what might happen next…… that went on for several months!

Eventually, after a whole lot of prayer, God showed me it was the enemy. He challenged me to push forward in spite of him, ensuring me that no matter what the enemy threw at me He would always be right there to help. And He allowed me to become desperate enough for Him that I finally threw caution to the wind and I dove in head first as deep as I could go. I can testify to you this day that since THAT day I have never turned back or given in to anymore tormenting attacks of the enemy - and God has blessed me. As far as I am given strength to control it, nothing will ever keep me from His Word again. It is life. (John 6:63, Deuteronomy 32:47)

There are so many more scriptures I want to share, but this has gotten pretty long, so I will just make some pictures with them. 😁

“His words are like kisses,

His kisses are like words.

Everything about him

delights and thrills me, through and through.”

(Song of Solomon)

[ruebdelic]

Collective Energy Massage 3/8/24

Greetings Friends! I have a collective reading that will help ease tension in your Mental, Physical , and Spiritual body. Let's get into it !

Card Decks Used; Thoth Tarot Deck & Beyond Lemuria

Mental Body:

Cards Pulled: 5 of disk/ 6 of cups/ 30. Healing Song Shuffled : 360 baby - by Dizzy fat Relax Your Mind - by Cookie Kawaii

There may be a lot worry around material resources and you questioning your ability to manage and maintain what you have. Focus on what you do have versus what you don't have or what is not working. The more you become mentally aware of what is not working you also have the ability to start becoming aware of what is working for you! Transmute anxiety into excitement of the future regarding your home and money. Anxiety can be viewed as fear of not knowing what is coming next and excitement can be viewed as the joy of not knowing what is coming next.

Physical body:

Cards pulled: 9 of swords/ Prince of swords/41. Realm Bridger Songs Shuffled : Flight 99 - by Please wait Karma - by Sir feat. Isaiah Rashad

It seems that strength has been a focus for the body. Thinking about all the different ways your body shows up for you every single day , there are no real rest days for the body(even in sleep your body is in repair mode). "Everywhere you go ...there you are". You only get one body! Ways to take care of the one you have been recently brought to your attention either by health challenges or just being inspired to do better by seeing someone else health improve or be challenged. Getting sunlight and or vitamin D may be able to help you feel less tension in your physical body. Stretching at the beginning and end of your day could be beneficial. Waking up slowly can also be helpful to start your day on a balanced and peaceful note. Waking up and immediately going to work or mental processing can be setting the tone for the rest of your day feel rushed and hectic. The body is a machine that your are in charge of and have more creative control than you think! Pulling from the song that was shuffled flight 99 mentions in the lyrics let's start fresh towards the end of the song.

Spiritual Body:

Cards Pulled: 3 of disk/ knight of wands/prince of cups/48.Surrender Songs Shuffled: Talking with Gawd - by Potatohead people Fluttering - by Telemakus

Your Spiritual body want to feel included! There may be tension surrounding your emotions and how you interact with them. The energy I am picking up on is inner self discovery of some sorts. Realizing that there is no way around spiritual work that no one can do for you. You may have been wanting to feel like you have more control over your emotions but your emotions aren't meant for you to control or avoid, they are what you spirit is experiencing in this human experience. Your emotions can be managed but only if you are willing to feel them and not attach them to your identity. Careful what you claim in your speech with phrases that start with " I AM". For example instead of saying "I am sad" try using " I feel sad" that way you are declaring that you are then feeling and you are NOT your feelings. Trusting your own walk with God or the universe or how ever you connect to the part of yourself that is not physical or mental, get curious. Consuming more than you are creating can possibly cause tension, try creating more, consuming less .

[versebyverse]

2025 Bible Read Through:

Prophets

Week 1

Joshua

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Week 2

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Week 3

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

Week 4

Judges

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Week 5

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Week 6

17

18

19

20

21

1 Samuel

1

2

Week 7

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Week 8

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Week 9

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

Week 10

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Week 11

31

2 Samuel

1

2

3

4

5

6

Week 12

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Week 13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Week 14

21

22

23

24

1 Kings

1

2

3

Week 15

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Week 16

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

Week 17

18

19

20

21

22

2 Kings

1

2

Week 18

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Week 19

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Week 20

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

Week 21

24

25

Isaiah

1

2

3

4

5

Week 22

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Week 23

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

Week 24

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

Week 25

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

Week 26

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

Week 27

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

Week 28

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

Jeremiah

1

2

Week 29

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Week 30

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

Week 31

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Week 32

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

Week 33

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

Week 34

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

Week 35

52

Ezekiel

1

2

3

4

5

6

Week 36

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Week37

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Week 38

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

Week 39

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

Week 40

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

Week 41

Hosea

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Week 42

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

Week 43

Joel

1

2

3

Amos

1

2

3

4

Week 44

5

6

7

8

9

Obadiah

1

Jonah

1

Week45

2

3

4

Micah

1

2

3

4

Week 46

5

6

7

8

9

10

Nahum

1

Week 47

2

3

Habakkuk

1

2

3

Zephaniah

1

2

Week 48

3

Haggai

1

2

Zechariah

1

2

3

4

Week 49

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Week 50

12

13

14

Malachi

1

2

3

4

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Crisis for Saul

1-2 But Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the High Priest and begged him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the Way, whether men or women, he could bring them back to Jerusalem as prisoners.

3-4 But on his journey, as he neared Damascus, a light from Heaven suddenly blazed around him, and he fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice speaking to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” he asked.

6 “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,” was the reply. “But now stand up and go into the city and there you will be told what you must do.”

7-9 His companions on the journey stood there speechless, for they had heard the voice but could see no one. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. There he remained sightless for three days, and during that time he had nothing either to eat or drink.

God’s preparation for the converted Saul

10 Now in Damascus there was a disciple by the name of Ananias. The Lord spoke to this man in a dream. calling him by his name. “I am here, Lord,” he replied.

11-12 Then the Lord said to him, “Get up and go down to the street called Straight, and enquire at the house of Judas for a man named Saul from Tarsus. At this moment he is praying and he sees in his mind’s eye a man by the name of Ananias coming into the house, and placing his hands upon him to restore his sight.”

13-14 But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard on all hands about this man and how much harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem! Why even now he holds powers from the chief priests to arrest all who call upon your name.”

15-16 But the Lord said to him, “Go on your way, for this man is my chosen instrument to bear my name before the Gentiles and their kings, as well as to the sons of Israel. Indeed, I myself will show him what he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

17 Then Ananias set out and went to the house, and there he laid his hands upon Saul, and said, “Saul, brother, the Lord has sent me—Jesus who appeared to you on your journey here—so that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

18-19a Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got to his feet and was baptised. Then he took some food and regained his strength.

Saul’s conversion astounds the disciples

19b-21 Saul stayed with the disciples in Damascus for some time. Without delay he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues declaring that he is the Son of God. All his hearers were staggered and kept saying, “Isn’t this the man who so bitterly persecuted those who called on the name in Jerusalem, and came down here with the sole object of taking back all such people as prisoners before the chief priests?” — Acts 9:1-21b | J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS) The New Testament in Modern English by J.B Phillips copyright © 1960, 1972 J. B. Phillips. Cross References: Genesis 14:15; 1 Samuel 16:3; Psalm 27:12; Isaiah 6:8; Daniel 10:7; Mark 5:23; Luke 1:41; Luke 1:67; John 12:29; John 15:21; Acts 7:59; Acts 8:3; Acts 9:27; Acts 10:3; Acts 10:14; Acts 10:17; Acts 11:25; Acts 13:2; Acts 14:22; Acts 20:23; Acts 22:11; Acts 22:13; 2 Corinthians 11:32; Galatians 1:17

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From Persecutor Saul To Apostle Paul