Monday, October 31, 2016

The Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament Church

This is a paper I wrote concerning "pneumatology" for my Theology 1 Class for Central Baptist College, Conway, Arkansas. I added some color to the text to make the quotations stand out.

The Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament Church
Jason L. Weatherly (C) 2016
 
 
             The gift of the Holy Spirit was first poured out upon New Testament believers on the day of Pentecost following the crucifixion of Christ. The book of Acts describes this event as “suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:2-4). This phenomenon was first prophesied of in the Old Testament by Isaiah who spoke, “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear” (Isaiah 28:11-12).
            The “baptism with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 1:5) was manifested by the supernatural manifestation of “speaking in tongues” as the Spirit gives utterance (Acts 2:4; 10:46; 19:6). Although “speaking in tongues” is not specifically mentioned in the revival in Samaria, Simon the sorcerer saw a visible manifestation of the Spirit when the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:18 states, “And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money.” A.T. Robertson commented on this passage, When Simon saw (Idōn de ho Simōn). This participle (second aorist active of horaō) shows plainly that those who received the gift of the Holy Spirit spoke with tongues. Simon now saw power transferred to others. Hence he was determined to get this new power” (Robertson). In fact, “speaking in tongues” was how the Jews knew that the Holy Spirit had fallen upon the Gentiles. Acts 10:45-46 records, “And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.” The word “for” in the statement “for they heard them speak with tongues” is from the Greek preposition “gar” which denotes “cause or reason” (Bauer, Arndt and Gingrich). In other words, the Jews knew that the Holy Spirit had fallen upon the Gentiles because they heard them speak with tongues. Notice that it was unbelievers who spoke in tongues in the presence of believers, and not the other way around. This shows that speaking in tongues was not for the purpose of miraculously preaching the gospel in foreign languages, but was the evidence of the Spirit being poured out upon individuals. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown concurred, “The tongues used on this occasion were clearly not intended for the preaching of the Gospel, but merely as incontestable evidence that the Holy Spirit was resting on them” (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown).
            On the day of Pentecost, the supernatural manifestation of “speaking in tongues” was heard by unbelieving Jews in their own native language (Acts 2:8). That is, the ones who spoke in tongues spoke in languages unknown to the speaker, but native to those who heard them—at least 15 different languages, possibly more as implied by the statement “in the parts of Libya about Cyrene” (Acts 2:10). However, this was a special phenomenon on Pentecost and does not necessitate that “speaking in tongues” is always in an actual language recognizable to the hearer as is evident by the fact that the infilling of the Spirit on Pentecost was also manifested by a “rushing mighty wind” and “cloven tongues of fire” (Acts 2:2-3) which are never again mentioned in any other occurrence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In fact, Paul described speaking in tongues as speaking “not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 14:2 ESV). Philip Schaff acknowledged that the phenomenon of Pentecost differed from other occurrences of speaking in tongues, “The miracle of the ‘gift of tongues,’ as described on that memorable Pentecost, really differed in few particulars from those strange manifestations of the Spirit St. Paul writes of in his First Corinthian Epistle. The ‘tongues’ in the Corinthian Church needed an interpreter, either the speaker himself or else some other inspired person, as the utterances were in a language not understood by the bystanders. At that ‘Pentecost,’ however, no such interpreter was needed. The inspired ones spoke then as the Spirit gave them utterance, in new languages certainly; but on that occasion each new language was addressed to groups of pilgrims and travellers familiar with the sounds” (Schaff). Bauer’s lexicon also acknowledged that “a special problem in posed by the technical term glōssai, gene glōssōn, en glōssē(-ais) laein 1 Cor 14:1-27, 39; 12:10, 28, 30; 13:1, 8 Ac 10:46; 19:6. Always without the article. There is no doubt about the thing referred to, namely the broken speech of persons in religious ecstasy” (Bauer, Arndt and Gingrich). In 1 Corinthians 14:18-19, Paul contrasted speaking with tongues with words that could be understood, showing that speaking in tongues is not necessarily a language that is understood by the hearers—hence the KJV translators (as well as others) translate lalōn glōssē as “speaks in an unknown tongue.”
            In the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians, Paul illustrated the supremacy of love in that whereas one day the miraculous gifts, such as faith, prophecy, speaking in tongues, and a word of knowledge, will one day cease (1 Corinthians 13:8), love will never cease. The word “cease” in 1 Corinthians 13:8 in Greek is the future indicative pausontai, which simply expresses that in some future time from Paul’s day speaking in tongues would cease. When that time is, is nowhere implied in the verb itself. The context of 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 is that the miraculous gifts (those things “in part”) will fail, cease, and vanish away “when that which is perfect is come.” Cessationist, typically, view these miraculous gifts (which includes speaking in tongues) as having ceased at the time period of the completion of the New Testament canon. However, this does fit the context of 1 Corinthians 13:10. Paul declared that the miraculous gifts would cease when that which is perfect is “come” (erchomai). The Greek verb erchomai (come) is used over 125 times of Jesus Christ, but never of a completed canon. First century believers lived in expectation of the second “coming” of Jesus Christ, not the coming of a completed New Testament. Secondly, the conditions of “when that which is perfect is come” is described as seeing “face to face” not “face to book!” The expression “face to face” (prosōpon pros prosōpon) is from a Hebrew idiom that means “to see one’s face, see him personally” (Thayer). Likewise, Paul expressed that when that which is perfect is come, “then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Thayer noted that this phrase “undoubtedly refers to the knowledge of God, and Nösselt has correctly rendered the passage: there we shall all know perfectly, even as God perfectly knows us” (Winer). This describes events that can only be fulfilled in the Second Coming of Christ—“ when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as he is” (1 John 3:2), that is “face to face.” Even noted Cessationist, James Burton Coffman, understood that “face to face” can only occur at the Second Coming of Christ: “Then face to face . . . In the resurrection, we shall behold the face of the Beloved. ‘We know that if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is’ (1 John 3:2)” (Coffman) [ellipsis his – JLW]. Thus, the phrase “when that which is perfect is come” cannot refer to a time of the completion of the New Testament canon, but describes “the perfect state of all things, to be ushered in by the return of Christ from heaven, 1 Co. xiii. 10” (Thayer). Therefore, the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, including speaking in tongues, are to remain in the church until “that which is perfect is come” i.e. the return of Christ from heaven, when we shall Jesus “face to face,” and know even as God knows us for we will be like Him.
            Some object that the phrase “that which is perfect” can refer to Jesus Christ because the phrase to telion in Greek is neuter singular, and not masculine. However, the fact that to telion (that which is perfect) is neuter singular disproves the idea that “that which is perfect” refers to the completed Scriptures because the Greek words used to describe the New Testament writings (law—nomos and writing—graphē) are masculine or feminine singular, whereas Christ is referred to several times in the neuter singular: “that holy thing” (Luke 1:35); “that which was from the beginning” (1 John 1:1), and “lamb—arnion” (Revelation 5:6, 8, 12-13; 6:1, 16; etc.). Therefore, there is no valid grammatical or contextual reason not to understand “that which is perfect is come” as the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Thus, the gifts of the spirit, including speaking in tongues, are to continue in the church until the return of Christ from heaven.
            Recently, some Cessationist, such as John MacArthur, have expressed that “that which is perfect” in 1 Corinthians 13:10 is a reference to the Second Coming of Christ, however, they teach that speaking in tongues (and apparently other miraculous gifts of which they pick and choose) ceased at the end of the First Century – around the time of the death of the last apostle. MacArthur’s proof of tongues ceasing before the Parousia of Christ is, “It should be noted that 1 Corinthians 13:8 itself does not say when tongues were to cease. Although 1 Corinthians 13:9-10 teaches that prophecy and knowledge will cease when the ‘perfect’ (i.e., the eternal state) comes, the language of the passage – particularly the middle voice of the Greek verb translated ‘will cease’ – puts tongues in a category apart from these gifts. Paul writes that while prophecy and knowledge will be ‘done away’ (passive voice) by the ‘perfect,’ the gift of tongues ‘will cease’ in and of itself (middle voice) prior to the time that ‘the perfect’ arrives” (MacArthur, The Gift of Tongues). However, D.A. Carson fully addressed this grammatical fallacy that the middle voice indicates that tongues will cease sometime before “that which is perfect is come.” Carson noted, “it (cease – middle voice) never unambiguously bears the meaning ‘to cease of itself’ (i.e., because of something intrinsic in the nature of the subject); and several passages rule out such overtones as the automatic semantic force of the middle voice form of this verb” (Carson). Carson points out that cease (middle voice) is also used in Luke 8:24 where Jesus rebuked the wind and raging water and they “ceased” (middle voice). Clearly the wind and raging water did not cease “in and of themselves,” rather they ceased in obedience of the command of Jesus. In Acts 21:32 the rioters “ceased” (middle voice) from beating Paul, not “in and of themselves,” but because they saw the soldiers and centurions. In like manner, tongues will “cease,” not in and of themselves, but like all the rest of the spiritual gifts – “when that which is perfect is come” (1 Corinthians 13:8). The change from passive to middle voice in regards to cessation of the spiritual gifts may indicate the reason these gifts cease. Prophecy will “fail” (passive) because there will be nothing left to prophesy and everything that has been prophesied will have been fulfilled. Word of Knowledge will “vanish away” (passive) because we will no longer have a “word” of knowledge, rather we will “know even as we are known” (vs. 12). However, with the gift of tongues there may not be any underlying “reason” why they are done away other than they simply “cease” (middle voice) when that which is perfect is come.
            Therefore, there is nothing in the grammar of 1 Corinthians13:8 to indicate that tongues will cease prior to the time that “that which is perfect is come.” In fact, 1 Corinthians 1:7 Paul stated, “So that ye come behind in no gift (charismata); waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:” Several translations (CENT, ISV, LEB, etc) render this, “So that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly await the revelation (apokalupsis) of our Lord Jesus Christ.” There will never be a time when one of the miraculous spiritual gifts ceases to function in the church while others continue. The church is admonished to not lack any spiritual gifts (charismata) awaiting the coming of Christ. God placed the spiritual gifts in the church (1 Corinthians 12:28) and they will remain in the church until the church is caught up at the Parousia of Jesus Christ. There is NO passage in the Bible that indicates any spiritual gifts would cease before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Work Cited
 
Bauer, Walter, et al. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: Univesity of Chicago Press, 1979. Print.
Carson, D.A. Exegettical Fallacies. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996. Print.
Coffman, James Burton. Coffman's Commentary on the BIble. n.d. Internet. 26 October 2016. <www.studylight.org>.
Jamieson, Robert, Andrew Fausset and David Brown. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. 1871. E-Sword Module.
MacArthur, John. The Gift of Tongues. 2001. Internet. 26 October 2016. <www.gty.org>.
—. The MacArthur Study Bible. Word Publishing, 1997. Print.
Robertson, A.T. Word Pictures of the New Testament. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids: Baker , 1930. Print.
Schaff, Philip. "Popular Commentary of the New Testament." Excursus A. On the Pentecostal Miracle. New York: T&T Clark, 1890. E-Sword Module.
Thayer, Joseph. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1977. Print.
Winer, G.B. A Grammar of the Idiom of the New Testament. Ed. Joseph Thayer. Philadelphia: Smith, English, & Co., 1869. Print.

 


The Shekinah: An Apostolic Study on the Shikeniah


The Skekinah
An Apostolic Study on the Shekinah
originally printed by Jason L. Weatherly (C) 2006
Introduction

            What is the “SHEKINAH”? Many ministers use this term today, but what exactly is the “SHEKINAH”? No doubt you have heard countless times ministers speaking of entering into the “SHEKINAH GLORY” while in prayer or having the “SHEKINAH GLORY” fall in their church services. What exactly do these terms mean?

            Many ministers use the term “SHEKINAH” in relation to the Holy Ghost or the Spirit of God. Is the “SHEKINAH” the Holy Ghost? Ask a minister what the Shekinah is, and no doubt they will tell you the Shekinah is the “Glory of the Holy Ghost” or the “Brightness of God” etc., but is that really what the Shekinah is?

            We hear the term “SHEKINAH” used so often in church services that we really do not even question its definition. The term “SHEKINAH” sounds Jewish enough, and we have become so accustomed to hearing about the “SHEKINAH GLORY” that most really do not even question whether or not the Shekinah is the Holy Ghost or not.

            Where does the term “SHEKINAH” come from? Did the word “SHEKINAH” originate from the pages of the Bible? If the term “SHEKINAH” is not found in the Bible, then where did it come from?  I hope that at this point you are questioning in your mind, “What is the SHEKINAH?”

Shekinah is not in the Bible


            The term “SHEKINAH” is not found in the Bible. Look up the word “Shekinah” in a concordance. You will not find it. Look up the word “Shekinah” in a Strong's Hebrew and Greek dictionary. It is not there. Then why do so many ministers use the term “Shekinah” in their preaching?

            One of the many arguments used by Oneness ministers to prove that the doctrine of the Trinity is unbiblical, is the fact that the term “Trinity” is not even found in the Bible. Yet, at the same time these Oneness ministers are pointing out that the word “Trinity” is not found in the Bible, they will turn right around and refer to the “Shekinah Glory of God”; although the term “Shekinah” is not found in the Bible.

            The fact that the term “Shekinah” is not found in the Bible carries more weight than the fact that the term “Trinity” is not found in the Bible. The reason being is that the term “Shekinah” was widely used in Rabbinical Judaism during the time of Christ and His apostles, whereas the term “Trinity” was not—the term “Trinity” would not be invented until approximately 200 years after Christ. The term “Shekinah” was first used in the Targums, which were the Aramaic interpretations of the Old Testament. The word “Targum” is simply the Aramaic word for “translation,” but is used to refer to those “Aramaic translations/interpretations” of the Old Testament—Targum Onkelos & Targum Jonathan (pseudo-Jonathan).  Targum fragments found in the Dead Sea Scrolls indicate that use of written Targumim can be dated to pre-Christian times. Jewish traditions trace the Aramaic Targums to the time period of Ezra (The Jewish Encyclopedia, “Targum”). The Masoretic text of the Old Testament in Isaiah 53:3 states,

“He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of torments and acquainted with infirmity, and like one from whom hides his face, he was despised and we esteemed him not.”

            The Targum (Aramaic interpretation) translates Isaiah 53:3 as,

“Then he shall be contemptuous of, and bring to an end, the glory of all the kingdoms; they shall become weak and afflicted, lo, like a man in pain and accustomed to illness, and like us, when the Shekinah had departed from us, leaving us despised and without esteem.”

            You can see that from this perverse translation (the Targum) that the truth of the Messiah being “despised and rejected” was twisted into the Messiah bringing to the end the nations (kingdoms) which would become as a man in pain. Also, we notice the interpolation of the word “Shekinah” into the text, a term that is foreign to the original text. The Targum translations were widely used by the Rabbis and teachers in the days of Christ and His apostles. So, the term “SHEKINAH” was not foreign to the early Church.

            The fact that neither Jesus nor His apostles ever used the term “SHEKINAH” should at least make us question its use our preaching. Unlike the term “Trinity;” the term “SHEKINAH” was not foreign to the ears of the apostles. If, indeed, the Shekinah is the Holy Ghost, do you not think that at least one New Testament writer would have stated so? If the Holy Ghost is the Shekinah, then why is this term absent from our Bible? Something else to consider is that whenever Jesus or the apostles quoted from the Old Testament; they never quoted from the perverse Aramaic translations (the Targums). Whenever Christ or the apostles quoted the Old Law they almost always quoted from the Septuagint or Greek translation of the Old Law. The New Testament quotes the Old Testament 320 times. Out of these 320 quotes, only 22 do not agree with the Septuagint. Out of those 22 instances, 14 do not agree with either the Hebrew (Masoretic) Text or the Septuagint (Greek) Text we have today. So, those quotes come from some Hebrew or Greek text we no longer have copies of. Therefore, out of 320 quotes, only 8 can be proven not to be quotes from the Greek (Septuagint) Text.

            Since neither Jesus nor His apostles ever equated the Holy Ghost with the Shekinah, then why do ministers do so today? If the “SHEKINAH” is not a part of the “doctrine of Christ” (Heb. 6:1), then why do ministers try to make it a part of their churches? We find no record of the early church inviting the “SHEKINAH GLORY” into their services. The term “SHEKINAH” is not found anywhere in the New Testament. Therefore, the “SHEKINAH” cannot be a part of the “Apostles’ Doctrine” (Acts 2:46). Understand the term “SHEKINAH” was in wide use at the time of the writing of the New Testament. Yet, not one New Testament writer ever used it in their writings. If the New Testament writers were careful not to use the term “SHEKINAH” in their writings, shouldn’t ministers be careful not to use it in their preaching?

             Since we find no record of the apostles equating the Shekinah with the Holy Ghost, then what exactly is the “SHEKINAH”? One might say that the “SHEKINAH” is the Holy Ghost to the Jewish mind. Not so, out of the approximate eight New Testament writers, seven were Jewish. Surely, if the “SHEKINAH” were the Holy Ghost in Jewish thought, this would have been manifested in these Jewish Apostolic writings. So, what exactly is the “SHEKINAH”? To fully understand what the “SHEKINAH” is, we must first consider the history of Judaism.

Two Forms of Judaism


            Within the Old Testament there are two forms of Judaism. The first form of Judaism is Mosaic Judaism. Mosaic Judaism is the Judaism of the Old Law of Moses. The children of Israel had been put under Egyptian bondage, when God called forth Moses to set His people free. Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt on Nisan 14 (Exodus 12:6, 31). Moses led the children of Israel for forty-six days through the wilderness arriving in the wilderness of Sinai on the forty-seventh day (Sivan 1 see Exodus 19:1). Three days later (Sivan 4) Moses received the Old Testament Law on Mount Sinai. That is Moses received the Old Testament Law on the fiftieth day after Passover. This would later be called the day of Pentecost (Lev. 23:16 cf. Acts 2:1). The receiving of the Old Law on Mount Sinai was manifested by thunder and lightning, a cloud and a great voice (Exodus 19:16). Thus, Mosaic Judaism is simply the true Judaism of the Old Testament. However, this Old Mosaic Law and Mosaic Judaism were to be fulfilled by the coming Messiah.

“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John” (Matthew 11:13).

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17).

Christ the Messiah fulfilled the Old Mosaic Law with His crucifixion on Calvary.

“For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4).

            Not only did Jesus Christ fulfill the Old Mosaic Law with His death, but He also “confirmed” the Abrahamic Covenant.

“Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the father” (Romans 15:8, cf. Daniel 9:27).

            The old Mosaic Law was fulfilled in Christ, and nailed to the Cross at Calvary.

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that were against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross” (Colossians 2:14).

            With the Old Testament (Covenant) nailed to the Cross, Christ ushered in the New Testament (Covenant). The New Testament (Covenant) replaced the Old Testament (Covenant).

“For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:28-29).

            God spent forty days with Moses instructing him in the ways of the Old Law. Moses, then, received the Old Law on Mt. Sinai on the fiftieth day after Passover (i.e. the day of Pentecost). Jesus spent forty days with His apostles instruction them in the ways of the Kingdom of God. The Church received the New Law in the upper room on Mt. Zion on the day of Pentecost. The Old Law was manifested on Mt. Sinai by lightning, a cloud, and a great voice. The New Law was manifest on Mt. Zion by tongues of fire, a sound from heaven, and a mighty rushing wind. Thus, Mt. Zion replaced Mt. Sinai. The New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant. The New Israel of God replaced the Old Israel of God. Therefore, Messianic Judaism replaced Mosaic Judaism.

            Messianic Judaism is the only true Judaism of today. Messianic Judaism is the doctrine that Jesus only is the Messiah, and that salvation is in the name of Jesus Only.

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:38-39).

Messianic Judaism is the only true form of Judaism today. Any so-called “Judaism” that does not teach that Jesus Only is the Messiah and that salvation is in the name of Jesus Only (Acts 2:38; 4:12) is false “Judaism.”

“For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outwardly: but he is a Jew, which is one INWARDLY; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God” (Romans 2:28-20).

            The Apostle Paul said that through the blood of Christ, we (the Gentiles) are now made citizens of the commonwealth of Israel.

“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: BUT NOW in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:12-13).

            The New Testament Church (the “Stone” hewn out of Mt. Zion, Daniel 2:45) is the true Israel of God. Apostle Paul even refers to the church as the “Israel of God.”

“And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy, and (kai—Greek even) upon the ISRAEL OF GOD” (Galatians 6:16).

            The true form of Judaism in the Old Testament (Mosaic Judaism) was fulfilled in the true form of Judaism in the New Testament (Messianic Judaism) i.e. the New Testament Church – the True Israel of God.

            The second form of Judaism in the Old Testament is called Talmudic Judaism. Talmudic Judaism has its origins in the Babylonian Captivity. Because of the sins and idolatry of Israel, God gave Israel and Jerusalem over to Assyrian and Babylonian Captivity (2 Chronicles 36:14-20). During the time of “the Captivity”, the books of Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, and most “minor prophets” were written. These are called “Captivity Writings.” Those Jews who were under Babylonian captivity soon forgot about Jerusalem and the Mosaic Law. The Jews in captivity began studying and following the “Mystery Babylon Religion.” Hosea prophesied of this.

“And she (Israel) shall follow after her lovers (Babylon), but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them . . .” (Hosea 2:7).

            Ask yourself this question, why was Daniel the only Jew thrown in the den of lions (Daniel 6:16)? The obvious answer is because Daniel was the only Jew who had not stopped praying to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Daniel 6:10). Why were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego the only three Jews thrown into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:15)? The obvious answer is because all the other Jews were bowing down and worshipping the gods of Babylon. Those Jews who were studying the Mystery Babylon Religion began to apply this “mystical” teaching to the Old Mosaic Law.

“A great number of Jewish families remained permanently in their new country; and one of the most celebrated of their schools was at Babylon. They were soon familiarized with the doctrine of Zoraster, which itself was more ancient than Kuros. From the Zend-Avesta they borrowed, and subsequently gave large development to everything that could be reconciled with their own faith; and these additions to the old doctrine were soon spread, by the constant intercourse of commerce into Syria and Palestine” (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, p. 256).

“Now the dominating philosophic doctrine among the Chaldeans...was absolute pantheism...the cult of the ‘deified man’, which was the basis of Chaldean pantheism...Chaldean thought acted powerfully upon Orthodox Judaism and determined the growth of a sect in its midst which was to transform Israel...This sect was that of the Pharisees...What they borrowed from the Chaldeans in fact...was the essence of the Pantheistic doctrine...It was then that was formed from these borrowings that KABBALAH OF THE PHARISEES which was long time transmitted orally from Master to disciple, and was 800 years later, to inspire the compilation of the Talmud, and fount it’s completest expression in the ‘Zohar’. . . This religion of the ‘defied man,’ with which were impregnated in Babylon, was only conceived as benefiting the Jew, superior and predestined being...The expected Messiah...was to be a temporal King, all bloody from battle, who would make Israel master of the world and trample all people under the wheels of his chariot” (Les Juifs et le Talmud, 1913).

The Kabbalah


            This new “mystical” teaching of the Mosaic Law was called the Kabbalah (also spelled Cabala, Kabala, Qabbalah, etc.). The word “Kabbalah” (meaning “traditions”) comes from the Hebrew word “kabal” (Strongs 3025), which means, “to twist, intertwine, or plait.” Thus, the Kabbalah is a twisting or intertwining of the Mystery Babylon Religion into the Old Mosaic Law. These Kabbalist then rewrote the Old Testament into their own interpretations i.e. the Targums. This new “mystical” interpretation of the Mosaic Law (the Kabbalah) brought with it a new type of teacher of the Law: the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees. The Kabbalah was the “Traditions of the Elders” that Jesus and the Apostles so violently opposed.

“But he (Jesus) answered and said unto them, Why do you transgress the commandments of God by your TRADITIONS? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have you made the commandments of God of none effect by your TRADITIONS” (Matthew 15:3-6).

“He (Jesus) answered and said unto then, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you, hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the COMMANDMENTS OF MEN. For laying aside the commandments of God, ye hold fast the TRADITIONS OF MEN, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject (Greek frustrate or confuse”) the commandments of God, that ye may keep your TRADITIONS” (Mark 7:6-9).

            These “traditions” were the Kabbalah or the “oral law” of the Jews. These “oral laws” were later written down, after the time of Christ, into the Talmud i.e. the Gemara and the Mishna. It was Talmudic Judaism that crucified Christ (Matthew 27:25). It was the antichrist forces of Talmudic Judaism that persecuted the early Church (Acts 4:1-6). The “law” of Talmudic Judaism IS NOT the Law of Moses. Rather, it is the Kabbalah, which was written down into the Talmud. Talmudic Judaism considers the Talmud to be more sacred that the Old Mosaic Law.

“The Talmud, then, is the written form of that which, in the time of Jesus was called the traditions of the elders and to which he makes frequent allusions” (Michael Eodkinson, History of the Talmud, p. 70).

“The teachings of the Talmud stand above all other laws. They are more important than the law of Moses” (Rabbi Ishmael).

            The Kabbalah i.e. Talmud is the source of all false doctrine.

“The Kabalah is the key of the occult science; and the Gnostics were born of the Kabalist” (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, p. 626).

“All truly dogmatic religions have issued from the Kabalah and return to it: everything scientific and grand in the religious dreams of all the illuminati, Jacob Boehme, Swendenborg, Saint Martin, and others, is borrowed from the Kabalah; all the Masonic associations owe to it their Secrets and their Symbols” (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, p. 744).

            The Kabbalah is responsible of the birth of the Illuminati, Freemasonry, Rosicrucians, Serpent Seed Doctrine, Tarot Cards, Zodiac Signs, Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc. and also the doctrine of the Shekinah. The Kabbalah is the Law of Talmudic Judaism. Talmudic Judaism became Phariseeism, and Phariseeism became modern-day Judaism.

“The Jewish religion as it is today traces its decent, without break, through all the centuries, from the Pharisees. . .The Talmud is the largest and most important single member of that literature . . . and the study of it is essential for any real understanding of Phariseeism” (Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, article “Pharisees”).

            It is from the Kabbalah and Talmudic Judaism that the doctrine of “Shekinah” originates. Remember that we have already pointed out that the term “SHEKINAH” was first used in the Targum, the Aramaic (Babylonian) interpretations of the Old Testament. Thus, the “SHEKINAH” comes neither from Mosaic Judaism, nor Messianic Judaism. It is the offspring of Talmudic Judaism and the Kabbalah.

Shekinah the “She Presence”


            The term “SHEKINAH” is a feminine Hebrew/Aramaic word, which literally interpreted, means “SHE PRESENCE or SHE DWELLING.” In Talmudic Judaism there were different views concerning the “SHEKINAH”. One school of thought held that the “SHEKINAH” was a being created by God.

“The Shekinah refers not to God Himself, nor to any part of His Essence, but rather to an independent entity, created by God” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jerusalem, vol. 14, 1974, p. 1352).

“This glory of God is called the Kavod & is understood by the mystics of this period to be not the creator himself, but the first creation, the SHEKINAH” (Charles Ponce, Kabbalah, p. 61).

            The most uniform school of thought held that God (the En-Sof) has both male and female attributes. This school of thought considers the “SHEKINAH” to be the feminine nature of God.

“In Kabbalistic mysticism, the Shekinah is conceived as the FEMALE ELEMENT of God” (Encyclopedia Britannica, micropedia, vol. 9, p. 127).

“It is in this world that the union of God & his SHEKINAH, his FEMINIE COUNTERPART takes place” (Charles Ponce, Kabbalah, p. 65).

“It is in this work (Book Bahir) that two doctrinal statements of speculative Kabbbalism appear...the relating of the Sefiroth...& the identification & deification of a FEMININE PRINCIPLE in God, the SHEKHINAH, who not only represents the spiritual body of Israel, but the soul of man itself” (Charles Ponce, Kabbalah, p. 71).

“In Kabbalah, the basic elements of the kabbalistic concept of the Shekinah are found in the earliest kabbalistic work, the Sefer ha-Bahir, where the Shekinah, or Malkhut, is described as the DAUGHTER, the PRINCESS, the FEMALE PRINCIPLE in the world of the divine Sefirot . . . The Shekinah, or Malkut, is the tenth and last hierarchy of the Sefirot. In the divine world it represents the FEMALE PRINCIPLE, while Tiferet (the sixth Sefirah) and Yersod (the ninth) represent the masculine principle...The main goal of the realm of the Sefirot (and of religious life as a whole) is to restore the true unity of God the union of the MASCULINE PRINCIPLE (mainly Tiferet) and the SHEKINAH, which was originally constant and undisturbed by was broken by the sins of Israel...The symbolism describing the Shekinah is the most developed in kabbalist literature...In kabbalistic theology the Shekinah is the divine principle of the people of Israel. Everything that happens to Israel in the earthly world is therefore reflected upon the Shekinah who waxes and wanes with every good deed and every sin of each individual Jew and the people as a whole; on the other hand everything that happens to the Shekinah, HER relationship with Tiferet and other Sefirot and HER battle against evil powers, is reflected in the status of Israel in the earthly world. Study of the Torah and prayer bring a Jew near the Shekinah, for SHE is symbolized as the ORAL LAW” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jerusalem, vol. 14, 1974, p. 1353).



            To explain this quote better, in Talmudic Judaism, the Kabbalist believe that God represents Himself through ten “EMANATIONS,” “RAYS,” or “OUT-FLOWINGS” called “SEPHIROTH”. Out of ten “EMANATIONS” or “SEPHIROTH”, nine are grouped into three groups of three or “TRINITIES.” Each of these “TRINITIES OF THE SEPHIROTH” (The Jewish Encyclopedia, Funk & Wagnall, vol. 3, 1902, p 475) is composed of a “Father, Mother, and Son”.

 


The Sefirothic Tree, from Paulus Ricius, Porta Lucis, Augsberg, 1516

“In the Kabalah, or the Hebrew traditional philosophy, the Infinite Deity, beyond the reach of Human Intellect, and without Name, Form, or Limitation, was represented as developing Himself, in order to create, and by self-limitations, in ten emanations or out-flowings, called SEPHIROTH, or rays. The first of these, in the world AZILUTH, that is, with the Deity, was KETHER, or the Crown, by which we understand the Divine Will or Potency. Next came, as a pair, HAKEMAH and BAINAH, ordinarily translated ‘Wisdom’ and ‘Intelligence,’ the former termed the FATHER and the latter the MOTHER. HAKEMAH is the active Power or Energy of Deity, by which He produces within Himself Intellection or Thinking: and Bainah, the passive Capacity, from which, acted on by the Power, the Intellection flows. This Intellection is called DAATH: and is the ‘Word’, of Plato and the Gnostics; the unuttered word, within Deity. HERE IS THE ORIGIN OF THE TRINITY of the Father, the Mother or Holy Spirit, and the Son or Word” (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, p. 552).

“The kabbalistic system is far more complicated. True, it also represents the divine substance as the unique substance, the inexhaustible source from which all life, all light, and all existence flow eternally; but instead of three manifestations, three general forms of the Infinite Being, it recognizes ten—the ten Sefiroth, which subdivide into THREE TRINITIES, and then unite in one single TRINITY and one supreme form” (Adolphe Franck, The Kabbalah, p.50).

“The Kabbalah is important because the Christian doctrine of the trinity may be found ‘hidden’ there” (Charles Ponce, Kabbalah, p. 228).

The object of religion, the goal of our prayers, can only be ‘the God of Israel’ and its unity or union of his SHEKINAH. From this original dualism some Sabbatians developed a TRINITY of the unknown God, the God of Israel and the Shekinah, and it did not take long for the idea to develop that the completion of Salvation is dependent upon the appearance of a Messiah for each of these three aspects of Trinity, with a FEMALE MESSIAH for the last!” (Gershom Scholem, Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, p. 320).



The Ten Sephirot connected by Twenty-two Hebrew letters

            These ten SEPHIROT are connected together by the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet to make thirty-two paths (or degrees), which connect the finite to the infinite. These thirty-two paths (or degrees) are the paths in which the SHEKINAH travels to be united with the masculine part of God. The thirty-third path (degree) is the final path (degree) to unity. Freemasonry borrowed this concept from the Kabbalah to get their thirty-three degrees of the Masonic Lodge.

“Step by step men must advance toward Perfection; and each Masonic Degree is meant to be one of those steps” (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, p. 136).

            The concept of the Shekinah, the feminine principle of God, is borrowed from Babylonian goddess worship. The Babylonians worshipped Ashtoreth as the “Queen of Heaven” (Jeremiah 44:15-19). Those Jews under Babylonian Captivity intertwined this “goddess worship” into their concept of the Godhead. Thus Talmudic Judaism gave God both masculine (“Tifereth”) and feminine (“Shekinah”) attributes. The Talmudic Rabbis then interpolated the doctrine of the “Shekinah,” “she presence,” or “female principle” into their Aramaic translations i.e. the Targums. In many places the word “Shekinah” was used in place of the name of God (Ehyeh—“I AM”). The “Shekinah” is also closely related to the “Tetragrammaton,” the “four-letter” name of God YHVH [yod, he, vau, he], which was also invented by the Kabbalist.


The Tetragrammaton in relation to the Sephiroth

“Because the Hebrew language does not employ vowels in its written form, the correct pronunciation of this ineffable name of God was lost & not rediscovered until about 300 c.e. by the Kabbalist who gave it the title Tetragrammaton, ‘the word of four letters’ & ‘the square name’ or more simply, ‘the square.’ At that time the Shem ha-meforash became represented by the simpler form YHVH” (Charles Ponce, Kabbalah, p. 175).

“In terms of the Sefiroth, the SHEKINAH . . . is also known as the SUPERIOR SUPERNAL MOTHER & the Inferior or Infernal Mother, the MOTHER & DAUGHTER, the upper Shekinah & the lower Shekinah – all appellations referring to the Sefiroth Binah & Malkuth respectively. She therefore also figures in the figure of the TETRAGRAMMATON, the upper (first) & lower (last) He” (Charles Ponce, Kabbalah, p. 217-219).

            The “Shekinah” or “She Presence of God” was said to have rested in the Temple over the mercy seat. In the Talmud, each Jew is said to have the “Shekinah” or “She Presence of God” abiding in them. Thus, Israel is seen as the “Shekinah,” the wife (and daughter) of God; or the FEMININE aspect of God.

“The Shekinah is not only spoken of as a divine entity in its own right, a portion of God himself, but as a FEMINIE POWER… Furthermore, the mystical ecclesia of Israel, the religious community, is the Shekinah as well” (Charles Ponce, Kabbalah, p. 72).


“Shekinah” shackled by the wrist between God and man, Robert Fludd, Collectio Operum, 1617

            According to the Talmud, the “Shekinah” or “She Presence of God” departed from the Temple due to the sins of Israel, and both Israel and the “Shekinah” went into exile. Thus the “Shekinah” or “feminine principle” of God was separated from the male principle, “Tifereth.”

“We also mention the Kabbalist later took up this idea of a presence & made of it part of God, a FEMININE PART, pointing out that when the Biblical statement was made to the effect that God’s Shekinah went into exile with Israel, a portion of God Himself went into exile. The redemption of the FEMININE HELPMATE of God is actually the redemption of a portion of God Himself” (Charles Ponce, Kabbalah, p. 219).


Charles Ponce, Kabbalah, p. 271, 1973

            After following the thirty-two paths of the “Sephiroth” Israel is united sexually with the divine.

The goal of mysticism is the union of the human with the divine. Since in the Jewish mystical tradition the Divinity, insofar as it relates to creation, is known as the female SHEKINAH, it is with her that the Jewish mystic strives for union. This of course simply continues the ancient Hebrew tradition of Hokmah being God vis-à-vis creation, with whom union was avidly south by human beings. In one instance in the Zohar this union of a human being (Moses – he was the only case) with the Shekinah was described as having taken place in terms of sexual intercourse,” (Leonard Swidler, Biblical Affirmations of Woman, p. 56).

The Matronit (synonym for Shekinah) … became mated with Moses. Moses had intercourse while he was in the body of the moon (the moon is a symbol of the Shekinah)” (Zohar 1.21b – 22a).

            Kabbalist teach that God came to the “Shekinah” at midnight on the Sabbath in Paradise, and that is when He had fellowship (intercourse) with her.

“Some Kabbalist even go as far as to say that when God enters paradise every midnight to converse with the righteous, he also performs SACRED UNION with his SHEKINAH...It is for this reason that students of the Torah who dedicate themselves to their studies for six days of the week, & are therefore in constant presence of the Shekinah because of their righteousness, are obliged to ‘gladden their wives for the sake of honoring the Shekinah’” (Charles Ponce, Kabbalah, pp. 256, 220 respectively).

Because of this, it is customary among Talmudic Jews for a man to “cheer up his wife” on the Sabbath day in commemoration of God “cheering up” the “Shekinah”. The ten emanations of the “Sephiroth” are actually ten steps of sexual perfection reaching from the divine into the lower material world, and from the material world reaching up through ten levels of sexual perfection into the divine. This is where Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church & a Freemason, got his teaching of having children to obtain Godhead.

“To have God’s name upon them, they teach, they must fulfill their ‘sacred’ duty to have offspring, for that is their first step to perfection. Only through sex can they climb the ten-runged ladder of the ‘tree of life’ to the perfection of the SHEKINAH, that is the state of perfect liberty in sexual expression...Christians often use the term SHEKINAH to describe the glory of God or the fire of this presence. The word IS NOT found in the Bible, but it comes from a Hebrew word shakan (to dwell), and the Jews relate it to shakab (to lie down sexually). Thus in Judaism those who learn the perfect methods of performing the sex act attain the glory of the Shekinah” (Stephen Jones, The Babylonian Connection, p. 144).

            In Kabbalah, the “Tifereth” or male principle of God was represented as a black triangle pointing down. The “Shekinah” or female principle of God was represented as a white triangle pointing up. Their union (intercourse) was shown in the black triangle being intertwined with the white triangle in the symbol of the “hex” or “six-pointed star.” This is the thirty-third or final path of the “Sefiroth” where the “Shekinah” (Israel) becomes the “god-mother” or “Queen of Heaven.”



“Tifereth” and “Shekinah” intertwined into the Hexagram or “Star of David”

            One might be blown away at such perverse sexualism tied into the Talmudic doctrine of the “Shekinah,” but remember Talmudic Judaism is nothing more than “Mystery Babylon the Great.” The “Babylon Mystery Religion” was full of sexual perversions; and this filtered right into Talmudism where the doctrine of the “Shekinah” originated.

            Many, today, now associate the “Shekinah” with the Holy Ghost, never knowing that this term contains a mystical background. It is simply due to ignorance that Ministers refer to the Holy Ghost as the “Shekinah.” Most use this term simply because it gives them a “Jewish twang;” thinking this will make them sound impressive; never knowing that the “twang” is Talmudic Judaism i.e. Kabbalah. Is the “Shekinah” the Holy Ghost? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

“There is also an affinity between the Shekinah and the Holy Spirit, though the two are NOT IDENTICAL” (Encyclopedia Britannica, micropedia, vol. 9, p. 127).

            I plead with every minister; STOP PREACHING ABOUT THE “SHEKINAH”! Stop inviting the “Shekinah Glory” into your churches. You are actually invoking upon Babylonian mysticism. Preach about the Holy Ghost. Preach about the presence of the Lord. Preach about the Glory of the Lord, but STOP PREACHING ABOUT THE “SHEKINAH”!

CONCLUSION


“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter . . .” (Eccl. 12:13).

10 GOOD REASONS NOT TO USE THE TERM SHEKINAH


1.      The word SHEKINAH is not found in the Bible: If one of the Oneness proofs against the doctrine of the Trinity is the fact that the word “trinity” is not found in the Bible, then why not the doctrine of the “SHEKINAH.”

2.      The idea of SHEKINAH comes from the Talmud: As we have shown the first use of the term SHEKINAH is found in the Targum (Aramaic) translations and the development of the SHEKINAH is found in the Talmud.

3.      Jesus never called the Holy Ghost the SHEKINAH: If the SHEKINAH is not a part of the “doctrine of Christ,” then we should not make it part of it.

4.      Although the term was widely used by the Rabbis, no Apostle ever called the Holy Ghost the “SHEKINAH.” If the Apostles were careful not to use the term “Shekinah” in their writings, then we should not try to make it apart of the “Apostles Doctrine.”

5.      SHEKINAH is the female principle of God.  The SHEKINAH doctrine, from Kabbalah, teaches that God has both masculine and feminine attributes (hermaphrodite).

6.      SHEKINAH comes from Jewish mysticism. As we have shown, the SHEKINAH or “She Presence” is based upon the mystical teachings of the Kabbalah.

7.      SHEKINAH is associated with the Trinity. The ten emanations of the Sefiroth, of which the SHEKINAH travels, is composed of three Trinities: Father, Mother, & Intellect.

8.      SHEKINAH applies to God a perverse sexualism. The Jews related the SHEKINAH to the term shakab, “to lie down sexually,” and believe God copulated with the SHEKINAH in paradise.

9.      SHEKINAH is based upon the “Traditions of the Elders”. Jesus said the “traditions of the elders” made the word of God of none effect. Why would we want to preach something that makes the word of God null & void?

10.  SHEKINAH takes away from the real Truth of the Holy Ghost. Since the Bible never equates the Holy Ghost with the SHEKINAH, then why not just stop preaching about the SHEKINAH.