#zophim

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Balaam’s First Oracle

1 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” 2 Balak did as Balaam had said and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offerings while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me. Whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height.

4 Then God met Balaam, and Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and have offered a bull and a ram on each altar.” 5 The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and this is what you must say.” 6 So he returned to Balak, who was standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. 7 Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying,

“Balak has brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: ‘Come, curse Jacob for me. Come, denounce Israel!’ 8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced? 9 For from the top of the crags I see him; from the hills I behold him. Here is a people living alone and not reckoning itself among the nations! 10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the dust cloud of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!”

11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but now you have done nothing but bless them.” 12 He answered, “Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth?”

Balaam’s Second Oracle

13 So Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only part of them and shall not see them all; then curse them for me from there.” 14 So he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah. He built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offerings, while I meet the Lord over there.” 16 The Lord met Balaam, put a word into his mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and this is what you shall say.” 17 When he came to him, he was standing beside his burnt offerings with the officials of Moab. Balak said to him, “What has the Lord said?” 18 Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying,

“Rise, Balak, and hear; listen to me, O son of Zippor: 19 God is not a human being, that he should lie, or a mortal, that he should change his mind. Has he promised, and will he not do it? Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? 20 See, I received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it. 21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The Lord their God is with them, acclaimed as a king among them. 22 God, who brings them out of Egypt, is like the horns of a wild ox for them. 23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘See what God has done!’ 24 Look, a people rising up like a lioness and rousing itself like a lion! It does not lie down until it has eaten the prey and drunk the blood of the slain.”

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.” 26 But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Whatever the Lord says, that is what I must do’?”

27 So Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland. 29 Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” 30 So Balak did as Balaam had said and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. — Numbers 23 | New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE) New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved worldwide. Cross References: Genesis 12:2; Genesis 13:16; Genesis 49:9; Exodus 3:12; Exodus 4:15; Numbers 22:5-6; Numbers 21:20; Numbers 22:12; Numbers 22:18; Numbers 22:20; Numbers 22:41; Numbers 24:1 Deuteronomy 3:27; Deuteronomy 32:8; Joshua 2:10; Joshua 13:22; 1 Chronicles 15:26; Nehemiah 13:2; Job 42:8; Ezekiel 45:23; Matthew 4:8; Romans 9:6

[vinceleemiller]

Insignificant Yet Significant | 1 Samuel 1:1-3

Do you feel small, like a nobody from nowhere?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

We are in a brand new series on 1 Samuel. As I mentioned yesterday, we will do an overview of the chapter on Mondays and then, for the following six days, a closer look at that chapter. The theme we are looking at in chapter one is the six people who influenced Samuel's life. The first of these is Elkanah, his father.

What's interesting about Elkanah is that he is a nobody from nowhere. We know little about him and his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, all named in the text. Here are verses 1-3.

There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. — 1 Samuel 1:1-3

What does stand out when we read this text is that Elkanah had two wives.

This is such a glaring observation that we should probably address it. Many of you know he's not the only man in the Bible who had more than one wife. Several prominent men in the Old Testament, like Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon, and others, had more than one wife.

There were about three reasons for this:

The first apparent reason is personal pleasure and power. Such was the case with Solomon and his over 700 concubines.

Second, it's worth noting that in patriarchal societies, unmarried women faced significant challenges in providing for themselves. They were often uneducated and untrained and relied heavily on male family members like fathers, brothers, or husbands for support and protection. Unfortunately, when this was absent, it led to desperate measures, like turning to prostitution or slavery. Therefore, sometimes marriage was a way to rescue a woman, another reason some men had multiple wives.

The third reason is the instance here. Elkanah and his first wife, Hannah, were unable to conceive. Therefore, they probably agreed to take another wife (which should sound familiar because Abraham and Sarah did the same thing). Thus, Elkanah took another wife for reasons of family continuity.

What is interesting about polygamy is that the Bible does not expressly condemn it. But fellas, before you get any crazy ideas, the Bible is very clear about the prescription of a godly marital relationship: one man with one woman (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6).

Like Abraham and Sarah, Elkanah and Hannah inherited problems that stemmed from their lack of faith. That's the bottom line of this situation. They lacked faith in believing God would provide, so they provided for themselves, which is what we do sometimes. When we don't have faith trusting God to provide, we try to provide for ourselves. And when we provide for ourselves, we incur the problems of providing for ourselves and not letting God provide. As we will see further down in chapter one, they incurred family tension, sexual insecurities, competition, contention, and shame.

With this in mind, I would like to point out one tiny detail about Elkanah worth our attention: He is an Ephrathite. This area was later known as Bethlehem and became the birthplace of two other great men. This means the Prophet Samuel, King David, and the Messiah were all born in the same tiny, seemingly insignificant town and were great men in the great story of God.

I love it when God does stuff like this. I would not put it past God for all three men to be born in the same location.

Believers too often fail to see the opportunity for greatness in the small events of our lives. I know I do. With small seeds of faith in insignificant places and from apparent unimportant people, God can produce incredible things. So, if you feel insignificant, inconsequential, like you are standing at an impasse, instead of taking matters into your hands, hold on in faith. Cast your concerns to God. He sees things you do not. Trust in him. Don't get in his way. Great things are birthed in small seeds of faith.

God, we bring our small seeds of faith to you today. We confess that, at times, we act like Elkanah, taking matters into our own hands. We recognize that your divine sight sees things that we cannot. Instead of doing things our way today, we are choosing to do them your way—by faith. Strengthen our faith and show us your ways. Do great things with us and through us. Amen.

#FaithInSmallBeginnings #TrustGodsTiming #FindingPurpose

ASK THIS:

How can Elkanah's story inspire us to trust God's timing and provision in our own lives, especially when faced with challenges or uncertainties?

In what areas of our lives do we tend to take matters into our own hands, like Elkanah did, instead of relying on God's guidance and provision? How can we surrender those areas to God and walk in faith instead of self-reliance?

DO THIS: Pray for faith this week.

PRAY THIS: Lord, help me trust in Your timing and provision, even when I feel insignificant or lost. Guide me to surrender my doubts and fears to You, believing that great things can be birthed from small seeds of faith. Amen.

PLAY THIS: Give Me Faith.

Check out this episode!

[craftylovegentlemen]

Numbers

Chapter 23

1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. 2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram. 3 And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place. 4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. 5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak. 6 And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab. 7 And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel. 8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied? 9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. 10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!

11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether. 12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth? 13 And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence. 14 And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. 15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder. 16 And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus. 17 And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken? 18 And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: 19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? 20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. 22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. 23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! 24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain. 25 And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all. 26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do? 27 And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence. 28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon. 29 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. 30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

Numbers 23

Diane Beauford

[kdmiller55]

1  There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. ­ 3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to…

[lordgodjehovahsway]

Numbers 23: God Sends His First Message To Balak Through Balaam

1 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” 

2 Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went off to a barren height.

4 God met with him, and Balaam said, “I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”

5 The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”

6 So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials. 

7 Then Balaam spoke his message:

“Balak brought me from Aram,     the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me;     come, denounce Israel.’

8 How can I curse     those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce     those whom the Lord has not denounced?

9 From the rocky peaks I see them,     from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart     and do not consider themselves one of the nations.

10 Who can count the dust of Jacob     or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous,     and may my final end be like theirs!”

11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!”

12 He answered, “Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”

Balaam’s Second Message

13 Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp. And from there, curse them for me.” 

14 So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there.”

16 The Lord met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”

17 So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the Moabite officials. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

18 Then he spoke his message:

“Arise, Balak, and listen;     hear me, son of Zippor.

19 God is not human, that he should lie,     not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act?     Does he promise and not fulfill?

20 I have received a command to bless;     he has blessed, and I cannot change it.

21 “No misfortune is seen in Jacob,     no misery observed in Israel. The Lord their God is with them;     the shout of the King is among them.

22 God brought them out of Egypt;     they have the strength of a wild ox.

23 There is no divination against Jacob,     no evil omens against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob     and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’

24 The people rise like a lioness;     they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till it devours its prey     and drinks the blood of its victims.”

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”

26 Balaam answered, “Did I not tell you I must do whatever the Lord says?”

Balaam’s Third Message

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there.” 

28 And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland.

29 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” 

30 Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

[a-child-turned-monstrosity]

OC-Tober Rework! Day 3!

//This one is a personal project of mine that I feel like I'll end up returning to someday. This character is from a story I'm writing and I think this might be a better design for him than what I was thinking up back then. In an effort to keep his story more to myself, I'm also gonna be vague on this, but anyone who's curious is free to ask me about it!

Meet Zophim!

Zophim is the main-character/protag of a story I was making back when I was in HS. Along with the current email I use as my main, he's something near and dear to my heart. His story is something I would actually consider using for a manga or anime if I could. I don't know if I ever would roleplay him, unlike the others you've seen here, but I think his world and his story could be fun to see explored.

The little bit I will say about him is this. He's a hero and he is trying to stop the doom he's seen.

[444names]

Names generated from theological angels and demons, including the letter "Z"

Abyzon Addonzu Alimonzon Amyaz Amyaziel Anianzu Anzoaval Anzoavy Anzon Anzophiel Anzophim Anzou Anzuzu Arazaphou Arazi Arazie Arielzeth Asbezebus Assyazi Asyaz Azach Azachiel Azaddomal Azaddonge Azademol Azadkiel Azagieles Azaphalas Azaphor Azeblik Azebue Azeli Azepahron Azepai Azepazra Azephal Azephar Azephiel Azephimet Azephsiel Azept Azetann Azeth Azethron Aziel Azies Azimalpha Azimerax Azimiel Azrabel Azrachons Azrah Azrahah Azrakshya Azramat Azrammol Azramsiel Azran Azrandael Azrandan Azrandra Azraphis Azrax Azuzu Azuzzi Azuzziel Azuzzim...

Babezbel Baddonzu Badyazra Balberaz Banzoavy Basbezbel Bathanzu Berepazi Betzach Betzadran Betzag Betzaph Bezbel Bezbeth Bezel Bezelept Bezeleya Bezephias Bezephiel Bezephou Bezeth Bezetzach Busabyzou Bushanzon Canzou Chetzach Chonzu Chusonzu Cithyazi Daelzept Dalbezel Danzou Daraz Davronzon Davronzu Demyaz Deusionzu Drazie Drithanzu Dzoaval Dzoavron Dzoavy Dzongenn Dzonggin Dzonzuzzi Dzophas Dzophax Dzophes Dzophiax Dzophiel Dzophon Dzophoul Dzophqies Dzophsiar Dzophsiel Dzoulock Erepazel Flabyzon Forazepar Gabrazel Gadyaz Gakabyzou Ganzou Ganzu Glabezeth Grazepar Grazu Habyzon Harazaz Hetzac Ipazac Ipazaphus Ipaziel Ipazies Ipazrah Ipazu Kerazel Kerazimal Kronzu Lepaz Lepaziel Letzagel Leyaziel Leyazu Mallyonzu Manzon Manzu Maremoraz Melzeph Methyazim Metzacron Metzaphax Metzazu Monzu Morazepar Muraziel Murganzou Nabyzon Nabyzou Nanzou Nanzuzzim Nielzel Nionzuzu Nuronzu Oritronzu Oronzu Parielzel Pazaphes Paziel Pazies Pazras Pazuzzi Pelzetzaz Polamyaz Ponzu Prielzel Pronzu Raelzel Ragabyzou Razel Razuzziel Remonzu Ronzou Sabezbel Sadyaziel Sagorazu Saraelzel Shmeraz Shyazepar Shyazi Sianzon Thyazu Tzacha Tzachiah Tzachoel Tzacrons Tzaddon Tzadrabra Tzadres Tzaphes Tzapheus Tzaphiel Tzaphius Tzaphoel Tzapos Tzapurax Tzapurth Tzazac Tzazago Tzazept Tzazi Tzaziel Tzazra Tzazrak Tzazrax Urazi Uzuzuzu Uzuzzi Uzuzziel Uzziellas Uzzies Uzzieshym Uzzim Uzzimiel Vaphonzu Vepaz Vepazim Xezbehoel Xezbehon Xezbehus Xezbel Xezber Xezbera Xezberies Xezberits Xezbers Xezeban Xezebliki Xezebub Xezel Xezepah Xezepahma Xezepaii Xezepar Xezephae Xezephel Xezephos Xezept Xezet Xezethiel Yetzadra Yetzaph Yetzaz Zachael Zachar Zachas Zachaum Zachax Zachem Zachemoth Zacheneth Zacheris Zachet Zacheth Zachiel Zachim Zachimiel Zachin Zachon Zachria Zachu Zachus Zacriel Zacrock Zacron Zaddomael Zaddomor Zaddon Zaddons Zademoris Zademory Zadkinin Zadkir Zadra Zadrael Zadrap Zadraurch Zadre Zadrel Zadres Zadri Zadriel Zadrocel Zadroth Zadya Zadyalits Zadyaz Zagabif Zagadeus Zagadras Zagadrel Zagal Zagala Zagiel Zagomel Zagono Zagorphin Zagos Zagus Zapha Zaphaac Zaphael Zaphar Zapharax Zaphas Zaphax Zaphediel Zaphegi Zaphego Zapherit Zaphes Zapheus Zaphiel Zaphies Zaphim Zaphimin Zaphius Zaphomias Zaphon Zaphonzu Zaphory Zaphqiel Zaphsiel Zaphsih Zaphsits Zaphus Zapolas Zapon Zapur Zazadrie Zazazel Zazazim Zazazran Zazepaz Zazept Zaziel Zazra Zazrajer Zazramel Zebangree Zebare Zebat Zebli Zeblia Zeblil Zeblis Zeblist Zebliusih Zebubiel Zebue Zebukar Zebukavan Zebus Zelechon Zeleyazi Zeliki Zelilil Zelion Zellucim Zelphemon Zepah Zepai Zepaiel Zepaim Zepal Zeparon Zeparunan Zepaziel Zepazrax Zepha Zephaka Zephalas Zephamael Zephas Zephennin Zepherel Zephiath Zephiel Zephies Zephinin Zephius Zephoman Zephqiel Zephul Zetatron Zetentu Zeterazim Zetha Zethielim Zethim Zethimaas Zethym Zielab Zielese Zieluch Zimannine Zimara Zimaras Zimephius Zimeriel Zimin Ziminiese Zoava Zoavang Zoavange Zoavani Zoavas Zoavil Zoavir Zoavre Zoavrono Zoavy Zones Zonex Zonolas Zonove Zopha Zophah Zophanzu Zophax Zopheuson Zophiel Zophim Zophou Zophus Zoulaki Zoulsur

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Saturday, Spetember 2, 2023

august 20_september 2

THE PROPHET SAMUEL (6th c. B.C.)

The Prophet Samuel was the fifteenth and last of the Judges of Israel, living more than 1146 years before the Birth of Christ. He was descended from the Tribe of Levi, and was the son of Elkanah from Ramathaim-Zophim of Mount Ephraim. He was born, having been besought from the Lord through the prayers of his mother Hannah (therefore he received the name Samuel, which means “besought from God”). Even before birth, he was dedicated to God. Her song, “My heart exults in the Lord,” is the third Old Testament ode of the Canon (1 Sam/1 Kings 2:1-10).

When the boy reached the age of three, his mother went with him to Shiloh and in accord with her vow dedicated him to the worship of God. She gave him into the care of the High Priest Eli, who at this time was a judge over Israel. The prophet grew in the fear of God, and at twelve years of age he had a revelation that God would punish the house of the High Priest Eli, because he did not restrain the impiety of his sons. Eli’s whole family was wiped out in a single day.

The prophecy was fulfilled when the Philistines, having slain in battle 30,000 Israelites (among them Hophni and Phinees, the sons of Eli the High Priest), gained victory and captured the Ark of the Covenant. Hearing this, the High Priest Eli fell backwards from his seat at the gate, and breaking his back, he died. The wife of Phinees, upon hearing what had happened in this very hour, gave birth to a son (Ichabod) and died with the words: “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God is taken away” (1 Sam/1 Kgs 4: 22).

Upon the death of Eli, Samuel became the judge of the nation of Israel. The Ark of God was returned by the Philistines on their own initiative. After returning to God, the Israelites returned to all the cities that the Philistines had taken. In his old age, the Prophet Samuel made his sons Joel and Abiah judges over Israel, but they did not follow the integrity and righteous judgment of their father, since they were motivated by greed.

Then the elders of Israel, wanting the nation of God to be “like other nations” (1 Sam/1 Kgs 8: 20), demanded of the Prophet Samuel that they have a king. The Prophet Samuel anointed Saul as king, but saw in this a downfall of the people, whom God Himself had governed until this time, announcing His will through “judges,” His chosen saints. Resigning the position of judge, the Prophet Samuel asked the people if they consented to his continued governance, but no one stepped forward for him.

After denouncing the first king, Saul, for his disobedience to God, the Prophet Samuel anointed David as king. He had offered David asylum, saving him from the pursuit of King Saul. The Prophet Samuel died in extreme old age. His life is recorded in the Bible (1 Sam/1 Kgs; Sirach 46:13-20).

In the year 406 A.D. the relics of the Prophet Samuel were transferred from Judea to Constantinople.

HIEROMARTYR PHILIP, BISHOP OF HERACLEA, AND WITH HIM MARTYRS SEVERUS, MEMNON, AND 37 SOLDIERS AT PLOVDIV IN THRACE (304)

Saint Philip was Bishop of Heraclea, and suffered martyrdom with Saints Severus, Memnon, and thirty-seven others in Thrace during the third century. They all suffered in Philippopolis, Thrace under the emperor Diocletian (284-305).

When the governor learned that the Saint Severus had converted the centurion Memnon to Christ, he ordered that Memnon be tortured. They cut three strips of skin from Saint Memnon’s back.

Saint Severus was raked with iron hooks. Then they put red-hot rings on his fingers and girded him with a red-hot iron belt. After these tortures, he was blinded.

Bishop Philip and the others had their hands and feet cut off and were thrown into a fiery oven. Their names are Orion, Antilinus, Molias, Eudemon, Silvanus, Sabinus, Eustathius, Straton, Bosua of Byzantium, Timothy, Palmatus, Mestus, Nikon, Difilus, Dometian, Maximus, Neophytus, Victor, Rinus, Satorninus, Epaphroditus, Cercanus, Gaius, Zoticus, Cronion, Anthony, Horus, Zoilus, Tyrannus, Agathon, Panstenus [Parthenias], Achilles, Panthyrias, Chrysanthus, Athenodorus, Pantoleon, Theosebius, Genephlius of Philippopolis.

1 CORINTHIANS 2:6-9

6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written:

MATTHEW 22:15-22

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the tax money. So they brought Him a denarius. 20 And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" 21 They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." 22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

[artxeevee]

Made an new oc named Zop! Boy is an absolute feral in the spooky woods and possibly in local towns, but he can’t help it if peeps have their lights out in the open to steal them.

[melias-cimitiere]

Hello, hope youre doing good :)

My family raised me christian and obviously as a child i learned about the nephilim in a bad light. And i was wondering if you could give me insight on what actually happened? As ive come to know there are gonna be some demons that dont care for or want to do bad to humans, and was wondering if that was actually the case or if the angels (or demons, im not rly clear on that) actually cared for the human women they had relations with? And another question i have is were the nephilim actually bad and just wanted to hurt people, or were they like most canaanites living normal lives, (since i was told that it happened in canaan, not sure if thats true) but just being physically bigger and stronger?

Hello, thank you :) Well, let me just say that the Nephilim are the children of the Watchers (Zophim) with humans. So basically, no matter what you have read or heard, they are neither all good or all bad; they are like people, each had their own peculiarity and disposition. Certainly not evil as the religious texts tend to portray them (Enoch book). They had different abilities, not just bigger or stronger. Some were very fast, some could do telekinetics, etc depending on the abilities of the Watcher parent they inherited. And they were not just in Canaan, but all over the world. Nephilim is another word for demigods. And yes, they cared a lot for the humans, which is one of the reasons of their "fall"; it was not lust, but love, that led to attachment. Sometimes, this attachment made them throw their lots in with the particular human community they lived in, helping them against external enemies, and so on. This happened a lot, and so the people lacking "superhuman champions" got a bit sour and negative on the whole issue. But several ancient civilisations had such Nephilim or demigods.

[vinceleemiller]

Undeniable Influences | 1 Samuel 1

GET THE 1 SAMUEL JOURNAL HERE: 👉🏼 https://bit.ly/1SamuelJournal

Who are the people who have undeniably influenced your life?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

We are in a brand new series on 1 Samuel. As this is a rich and expansive story, I will provide a birds-eye view of the chapter each Monday, followed by six devotionals from that chapter for the next 31 weeks. This will allow us to explore the larger story at the beginning of the week and the smaller details for the remainder of the week.

1 Samuel is divided into three major parts that discuss three important men:

Part One: The Story of Samuel (1 Samuel 1-8)

Part Two: The Story of Saul (1 Samuel 9-14)

Part Three: The Story of Saul and David (1 Samuel 15-31)

But we begin in chapter one, and here are the first few verses:

There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the other was Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. — 1 Samuel 1:1-2

The story begins with Samuel's father and the events surrounding Samuel's birth. In chapter one, we read about six different people—six men and women with undeniable influence. Over the next few days, we explore the lives of these characters, each with a unique story and impact. For some, it was a positive and spiritual influence, and for others, not so much. Stay tuned as we uncover and discover their roles in this story.

As I have already hinted, this book predominantly tells the story of Samuel, a man with incredible spiritual influence.

But here's the immediate backdrop.

It's about 1050 B.C. Leadership was a burning issue in the minds of the people of Israel. For over 200 years after entering the promised land, Israel went through intense social turmoil, bordering on chaos, a little like the social turmoil we are experiencing in our country today but far worse. Joshua was the man who led them from the Desert to the Promised Land, but as we learn, people were not listening or following God because spiritual drift does not take long.

Just before 1 Samuel, we discover a sobering observation at the end of the Book of Judges:

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.—Judges 21:25.

Israel was in the middle of a profound leadership crisis. But right on time, Samuel was born and emerged as one of the greatest Judges and Prophets in the history of Israel who would transition the nation from a Theocracy to a Monarchy led by three subsequent kings: Saul, David, and Solomon.

Samuel would indeed be one of the great influencers in all of the Old Testament, but in chapter one, there are people who influenced him even before he was born. These people played a role in this story and had an influence, good or bad, on the events of his early life. We will look in detail at these people.

But again let me ask that question, that I asked at the start:

Who are the people who have undeniably influenced your life?

There are people influencing you. Some positive and others negative. Their character, their attitudes, their lifestyles, their proximity, their choices, and their faith have an impact on you. So, who are you spending time with?

At the same time, we are all leaders in some capacity, and we influence others. So the other side of this question is, how are you influencing the people around you? Does your character, attitude, lifestyle, proximity, choices, and faith positively impact those around you?

As we read chapter one over the next week, I encourage you to take a personal assessment of those influencing you and the influence you have, and let's see what we learn and discover together from 1 Samuel 1.

#InfluentialEncounters #ImpactfulConnections #UndeniableInfluences

ASK THIS:

Reflect on the positive influences in your life. How can you express gratitude to those who have shaped you for the better?

Consider the negative influences you've encountered. What steps can you take to minimize their impact and surround yourself with more positive influences?

DO THIS: Reflect on influence this week.

PRAY THIS: Lord, thank you for the people you've placed in my life, both those who inspire me and those who challenge me. Help me to discern their influence wisely and to be a positive force in the lives of others. Amen.

PLAY THIS: Jehovah.

Check out this episode!

[scarletarosa]

The Angelic Hierarchies 

The word “angel” (meaning “messenger”) is an umbrella term for a vast category of different species of spirits; but due to the rise of monotheism, these spirits were written as simplified entities in order to hide the truth of what they are. This information is an account of my experiences in the astral and of communing with these fascinating spirits in order to learn about them. This topic is extremely complex, so the following will be general knowledge. 

History of the Angels:

As stated above, “Angel” is an umbrella term for many different spirits. Therefore, Angel is not a species but a title for many different groups of spirits who work with one another. The “types of angels” (Archangel, Cherub, etc) are not different species, but different job titles. There are however beings in this group called “angels” who are their own species and act solely as messengers, but this will be discussed later on. 

The Source (called Atum in Egypt and Brahman in India) is the beginning of all things. They have always existed and they are formless. The Source is the supreme god who is pure consciousness and is all-powerful and all-wise, as well as the creator of the first gods, who became the first Angels. The counterpart to Atum (Source) is the Queen of Heaven (the Cosmic Womb) who was created from Atum and then she embodied pieces of herself into all of the goddesses (some more than others). When this Universe was created, Lucifer was the firstborn god who emerged as burning and radiant light. After many ages, more gods were created as well, and they were led by Lucifer. 

As time went on, more beings came into existence, with additional gods and semi-divine entities called angels (the humanoid messenger species) being created from the elder gods. The Angels who emerged from the farther reaches of the Universe look more alien in appearance; these are the ones who have multiple wings and eyes. With all this, Atum granted roles to these trusted beings and made them Angels (agents of the Source) with different categories which contained different roles based off their personal specialties. Plenty of Angels were granted more than one role (so some are both Archangel and Seraph, etc). Those Angels whose names end in “el” primarily serve the Source; those whose names end in “ah” primarily serve the Queen of Heaven.

When the day came that a powerful creator god named Jehovah arrived, he attempted to usurp the Earth and the Throne of the Universe, which sparked the rebellion of many Angels. After a painful and horrible battle, Jehovah succeeded and banished the rebels into the nightmarish realm of Hell after destroying their homeland, then he continued to Earth where he presented himself as the Source. Here he manipulated humans into destroying one another and betraying their own gods. Since the purpose of Existence is to learn and evolve through trials, the Source allowed this and observed the actions of both gods and humans alike as they struggled. This should not be mistaken as being uncaring, as the Source can see all things and possibilities; their mind is utterly incomprehensible and strategic. 

The First Sphere:

The following three categories of Angels are the closest to the Source and can best understand the Divine Will. They are made up of the following categories:

Seraphim: These are the highest of the Angels and their role is to manage the Watchers and act as wise mentors towards Illumination. The Seraphim (meaning the “flaming serpents”) are made up of both gods and dragons (mostly dragons) and they dwell in a realm of ever-lasting fire where they can be seen flying through enormous flames. Some of these gods don’t look human at all, while others (like Lucifer) appear humanoid. The most commonly known form the non-draconic Seraphim take is of an Angel with four wings that make a diamond shape, in the centre of these wings is a round ivory-coloured face. The leader of the Seraphim was Lucifer, before he Fell during the rebellion. Other notable members: Satan and Azazel (also a Watcher). 

Lucifer as an Angel had several different roles and is the most complex and beautiful of all the Universal gods, with his wife Lilith as his only equal (as she embodies the Queen of Heaven). He held the role of leader of the Seraphim, was also an Archangel, and he was a Destroying Angel as well. When he was banished to Hell by the Usurper, he became one of the three High Kings (the other two being Satan and Leviathan), with each owning their own kingdom. These entities did not turn evil (only became more dark in nature due to trauma), but were wrongly accused of many things by a tyrant god who sought to diminish them. 

Cherubim: These entities serve as guardians and soldiers. They are steadfast protectors of a great many things, including gates, doorways, the arts, sacred locations, etc. They are made up of the following different spirit species: lamassu, sphinxes, griffins, and angels. This is why many ancient cultures built statues of these beings at special locations. A notable member of this group is Gabriel (she is also an Archangel and is the co-leader of the Celestial army). A notable (ex) member is the demon Belial, who had joined Lucifer during the rebellion. 

Thrones: These Angels hold the role of passing on decrees from Atum (Source) and of teleporting the other Angels from one area of the Universe to the other. The Thrones are all deities who appear as giant rotating spheres of rings with many eyes. 

The Second Sphere:

These categories of Angels act as mediators for the 1st and 3rd Spheres.

Dominions: This group of entities hold the role of supervising virtues and assisting mortal beings in becoming more morally aware and wise. This group is made up of the following spirit species: gods, dragons, and angels (messenger deities and semi-divine beings). 

Virtues: This group teaches virtues (such as compassion and courage) to mortals in ways that they can understand. This group is made up of both gods and angels. 

Powers: These Angels solidify energy beams from Atum in order to perform specific magick, which they then give to the Principalities and Archangels, who then use it to assist mortals. The entities who are part of the Powers category are gods and angels. 

The Third Sphere:

These categories of Angels work the most closely with mortal beings, as their roles are to assist in guiding, teaching, defending, and even destroying. 

Principalities: These entities hold the role of organizing and guiding Platonic ideas (love, faithfulness, determination, etc) to mortals. Principalities also assist in the Universal Song, which creates everything. This group is made up of the following spirit species: gods, dragons, angels, and elves. 

Archangels: This group of Angels is entirely made up of gods (elder and lesser) who hold various different roles such as planetary guardians, military leaders, and mentors to mortals. Some notable members include Lucifer (ex member), Mikael, Anael, Gabriel, Raphael, Asariel, Azrael, Kamael, Sandalphon, Tzadkiel, Tzafkiel, Raziel, and Metatron. 

Angels: These are the lesser gods and semi-divine race of beings who operate as messengers and helpers to mortals. They comprise the majority of the Angels known to humans (with the exception of the notable Archangels). The angels appear as humanoid beings with white wings. 

Watchers: This is yet another umbrella term for a vast category of different roles for Angels upon the planets. Overall, Watchers (Zophim) hold the role of protecting mortals and acting as their wise mentors. A large amount of the Watchers fell in love with humans, with whom were born the Nephilim (demi-gods). The species of entities who make up the Watchers include gods, dragons, and angels. 

There are different categories for specific jobs of Watchers since some are guardians of mortals, some watch over life-process, and others teach different things to mortal beings. The leader of the Watchers was originally Azazel, who was punished by the Usurper (Jehovah) for falling in love with a human woman. As punishment, Azazel was splintered in half, with his other self becoming known as the demon Paimon. So while Azazel is more fiery and impulsive, Paimon is more calm and level-headed.  Other notable members: Tiamat and Leviathan (ex member) - both of these are draconic deities.

Jehovah’s Angels:

When Jehovah took the Throne of the Universe, he began creating a new type of “angel” that would serve only him and form his army. While the true angels have free-will and can be either kind or aggressive, Jehovah’s angels are robotic and cold; they feel nothing and do nothing but what he commands. These robotic angels had at times been mentioned in the Bible, even being described as looking metallic and showing no emotion, whereas other angels are much different. The tasks of these robotic angels are to either target humans who are trying to leave an Abrahamic religion, or to help Jehovah kill spirits who oppose him. 

Additional Information:

When an Angel loses their status, there are two things they can become known as: a fallen or a demon. Most people are confused due to religious texts implying that all fallen angels went to Hell, but this is not quite so. The severity of the reason behind the Fall determines the fate of the Angel, as well as if they defied the Usurper or not. The following describes the differences:

Fallen: An Angel who did not participate in the Rebellion against Jehovah but instead fell due to other reasons. These reasons can be many things such as turning corrupt, neglecting divine duties, betraying orders, etc. They do not have their forms change to become more dark and intense the way demons do. 

Demons: These are the Angels who participated in the Rebellion against the Usurper, Jehovah (although many demons are the children of other demons, and so were born into this race). They were punished by him by being thrown into Hell- a land where unspeakable horrors are that can drive most humans mad upon seeing them. The three gods Lucifer, Satan, and Leviathan took over different areas of this vast land and built their own kingdoms, planning the continuation of the long war against Jehovah. Due to their banishment to Hell, the demons became made of different energy than Angels and changed in appearance to have blackened wings and horns. 

Despite what religious texts say, Hell is meant only for the truly evil beings and it does not matter what religion they have (even a Christian will go to Hell if they are corrupt). So the demons are basically the sacred rebels who teach Illumination through adversity, for change and rebirth can only be gained through suffering. They are punishers of the wicked and stand for freedom, strength, and truth. 

[kdmiller55]

Sovereign Over All

13 And Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.” 14 And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering, while…

[eyzoa]

heya could i get some eye(or the act of watching) themed names? some english nouns and verbs are ok but try to get creative! thank you so much -👁

╚»★ EYE / WATCHING THEMED NAMES

Bazar (Sight, Eyes)

Caz (Watcher)

Gergeli (Watcher)

Mizpeh (Watcher)

Macula (Eyes)

Drish (Sight)

Ikshan (Sight)

Excubia (Watcher)

Iris (Eyes)

Maitho (Eyes, Sight)

Ojal (Sight)

Lens (Eyes)

Vela (Vigilent, Watcher)

Zophim (Watcher)

Leolin (Watcher)

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

1 And Balaam said unto Balak, “Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.”

2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

3 And Balaam said unto Balak, “Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatsoever He showeth me I will tell thee.” And he went to a high place.

4 And God met Balaam; and he said unto Him, “I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.”

5 And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.”

6 And he returned unto him, and lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he and all the princes of Moab.

7 And he took up his parable and said: “Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, ‘Come, curse for me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.’

8 How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not defied?

9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him; lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!”

11 And Balak said unto Balaam, “What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.”

12 And he answered and said, “Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?”

13 And Balak said unto him, “Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place from whence thou mayest see them. Thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all; and curse them for me from thence.”

14 And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

15 And he said unto Balak, “Stand here by thy burnt offering while I meet the Lord yonder.”

16 And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth and said, “Go again unto Balak, and say thus.”

17 And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, “What hath the Lord spoken?”

18 And he took up his parable and said: “Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor.

19 God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent. Hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?

20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless; and He hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel; the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a King is among them.

22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath, as it were, the strength of a unicorn.

23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel. According to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘What hath God wrought!’

24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion; he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey and drink the blood of the slain.”

25 And Balak said unto Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.”

26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, “Told not I thee, saying, ‘All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do’?”

27 And Balak said unto Balaam, “Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place. Perhaps it will please God that thou mayest curse them for me from thence.”

28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.

29 And Balaam said unto Balak, “Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.”

30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. — Numbers 23 | 21st Century King James Version (KJV21) The Holy Bible; 21st Century King James Version Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc. Cross References: Genesis 12:2; Genesis 13:16; Genesis 49:9; Exodus 3:12; Exodus 4:15; Numbers 22:5-6; Numbers 21:20; Numbers 22:12; Numbers 22:18; Numbers 22:20; Numbers 22:41; Numbers 24:1 Deuteronomy 3:27; Deuteronomy 32:8; Joshua 2:10; Joshua 13:22; 1 Chronicles 15:26; Nehemiah 13:2; Job 42:8; Ezekiel 45:23; Matthew 4:8; Romans 9:6