Faithful Writers

My dual point of view answer that some did not care for. A recent discussion I was involved in where my answer confused and angered some people because my answer is a dual one for this question: Does God request us to repent, obey and believe or does He command it? (paraphrasing) Believe me, my answer did not go down well with some people. My thoughts on the matter: Why can’t it be both? Maybe I’m wrong, I don’t know yet, but here is my reasoning. First, we are not puppets, we have free will to choose to believe, obey and follow. God lets us know exactly what he wants done, and if we do it, it shows our love and commitment to Him and we receive His grace and ultimately Heaven in the end. But it is still a choice even with it being a command. We have to make this choice, this is on us to do and sadly some don’t, and that's a simple fact. When we choose to believe, follow and obey - like really fully follow Him and want to be more Christ-like in our lives, we begin the process of learning and following His commandments. I describe it as a “pull;" we feel pulled to be more Christ-like. I believe it is both a request directed to us, asked of us, then Him also telling us this is a command that we has placed before all of us. A request and a demand are two different things but they can go hand in hand with each other. To me, it is ok and makes sense for this topic to have dual understanding and meaning at the same time. Remember, we are given the commandments to follow; commandments are not forced upon us. It is still a choice; therefore that’s why I believe it is a dual answer. He is requesting and demanding that we repent and believe at the same time. © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook.

ChatGPT It’s easy to assume pastors, preachers, and priests are always right. They look polished, confident, and are well-versed in Scripture. They’ve immersed themselves in countless hours of study and claim to seek God’s will. But here’s a terrifying reality: many aren’t teaching the Word of God anymore. They’re teaching a version of Christ they created, a version that satisfies something within their nature, and this should scare you.  More and more leaders act like they’re God’s mouthpiece on Earth, untouchable and unquestionable. But the blame doesn’t land solely on the leadership. It rests on their congregations, too. I’ve sat in pews and watched in horror as congregations went along with whatever the leader (s)  decided or demanded, no matter how clearly off-course it was. I’ve spoken up, I’ve challenged unbiblical teachings and behavior.  Those were crushing days for me, when God whispered, No more, it’s time to go. I had said what needed to be said, called out the false teaching, but my words weren’t meant to break through hardened hearts that day. They were seeds. My Unique Experience What many don’t realize is that I’ve attended A LOT of churches across all denominations, including many sub-denominations, and in a few states. For years, I couldn’t understand why God kept bouncing me around, and this isn’t a brag about how many churches I’ve attended; it’s simply a fact that proves very useful at times. And it’s starting to make sense now. I have seen it all, the good, the twisted, and everything in between. I’ve witnessed the rare beauty of genuine faith, and I’ve also seen the dark underbelly of churches. A Mob In Place Of Congregation Have you ever looked up the terms “ mob mentality ” or “herd mentality” by chance? Well, I did one day. I’ll pass on some of what I learned. “the tendency of the people in a group to think and behave in ways that conform with others in the group rather than as individuals” (1) “ Herd mentality, also known as mob mentality or crowd mentality, refers to the phenomenon where individuals in a group often adopt behaviors and attitudes that differ significantly from their own personal beliefs or morals.” (2) Starting to sound familiar? There’s so, so much more to learn about this psychology, but I won’t blow this up with quotes. To read more, check out the links I’ll include at the end. The Domino effect Ever be chilling with your friends when one of them just goes completely unhinged? They start tossing out stupid ideas, say mean stuff about someone behind their back, or just straight-up lie through their teeth? You know  it’s wrong. You feel  it in your gut. But you   stay  silent. And because you don’t speak up, the next person doesn’t either, then the next one follows suit etc. etc. etc. And, bam, just like that, you have a whole bunch of grown adults folding like lawn chairs, because none of them have a backbone and are weak-minded. That’s what I like to call the domino effect. From where I’m standing, churches are starting to look like a trail of fallen dominoes, one goes down, then another, and so on. Leaders push the boundaries of what they can get away with, and the congregation lets it happen. Meanwhile, congregations spend more time reading the room than reading the Bible, trying to fit in instead of trying to be Christlike, and that energy circles back and empowers the leader even more. It’s a closed loop of delusion dressed up in church clothes, all wrapped up pretty in church language, religious rituals, and holier-than-thou attitudes. Domino effect, hamster wheel, snowballing. Whatever metaphor you want to use, it’s happening, and it’s happening fast. Why? Because leaders are no longer bowing to God, and neither are their congregations. They’re bowing to public opinion, politics, personal feelings, and DEI talking points. We are now drowning in “Christian” churches that have zero to do with Christ. Zero. Mob/Herd mentality isn’t some rare psychological phenomenon only talked about in medical schools or a therapist's office; it’s alive and well in many churches.  We’ve Been Warned And they would know this if they spent time with their noses in their Bible and not anywhere else. “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” 2 Timothy 4:3 © Jane Isley Sources & those recommended reads. (1) Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Herd Mentality (2) EBSCO Research Starters: Herd mentality (mob mentality) Phil Cooke: The Internet and the Rise of Christian Mobs Psychology Today: The Psychology of Mob Mentality WebMD: What Is Mob Mentality? Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook.

unsplash.com It’s very common for people who have either walked away from God in the past or have always known He’s there but never quite reached out to take His hand to feel as though when they finally want that connection, they aren’t deserving of it. They question, or even fully believe, that they are beyond God’s reach because they didn’t say yes  at first. That's where flesh and spirit collide. That’s your flesh doing that to you, and that's satan getting right up in there, wreaking havoc, and taking advantage of those fears and doubts. He thrives on that conflict. I could quote you a ton of verses (and I will eventually include a few key ones at the end) , but sometimes you just need to hear from another Christian that they, too, have battled those same thoughts, fears, and demons. See, I wasn’t born a Christian; in fact, I was born completely human. Glorious flaws and all. But here’s the thing: God knew about all that, my flaws, my choices, and even my stupidity, long before I did anything. I walked away at one point, I’ve token practiced my faith, and just basically been a full-blown human that has messed up countless times.  Yet…..Here I am, worthy, forgiven, loved, and a valued child of Christ. Think about that for a moment, I'm a sinner, yet beloved. We are all given the breath of life, a precious and beautiful gift that no one else can even come close to giving us. He was the first to ever love us. Sometimes it’s almost impossible for us to comprehend (or even believe)  that there is such a thing as unconditional love, automatic worth, and forgiveness for everyone.  It’s a us problem going on. It’s how we perceive the world that can get in the way of believing and feeling His unconditional love, and just how worthy and valuable we are to Him.  We do that, and satan loves to take that for one hell of a roller coaster ride on us, especially if we are in the midst of this battle. That’s spiritual warfare at its worst.  Satan is going to fight tooth and nail to keep you doubting your worth, your value, and God’s forgiveness. He’ll use whatever is out there in the world to keep spreading that and infecting your mind with even more doubts. Here’s something you may never have been told, but need to hear. We don’t see what God sees; we see through human eyes, not divine eyes. Because we can’t fathom the intensity of his unconditional love, the most profound way God demonstrates that for us is that we are all  born with  free will. To be given the gift to choose of our volition is the truest form of love, respect, and worth that God can show us. That free will is an open invitation to come back to Him at any time. You can come home no matter your past. Satan is always going to be there, sometimes in the background waiting to pounce or right up in your face, “love” bombing you. Tell him to shut it and flee from you.  If you are having doubts that He will welcome you back, that doesn’t disqualify you from anything. I have battled that doubt, and I have had satan swamp me with intrusions and nastiest out there in the world to try to take me down and away from God. Stop having conversations with satan.  When you feel those doubts coming on, you turn them around and control them.  Start talking to God instead.  Stand there in the middle of your living room if you must, and open your mouth and talk to God. Tell Him what you are doubting, fearing, or worrying about. There is absolutely nothing you can say that He hasn’t heard. Want to know what to do with satan when he’s throwing everything at you? You resist. And he will flee from you in Jesus’ name, because even if you are having doubts, those doubts do not disqualify you from the armor of God and the strength you have in Him. Nothing in your past will ever close that door to God. “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;” Acts 3:19 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),” Ephesians 2:4–5 “And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook.

unslpash.com This is the second of those three sayings I live by that I mentioned in Music Is My Melody .  How do I know Joy supersedes all situations? Because I have been there. But first, I want to point out how joy and happiness are related, but can have profoundly different meanings to a believer. Happiness is a good thing, but it can often be a fleeting emotion. One moment you can be happy and the next mad, upset, hurt, annoyed ect… Joy is something else; it is deeper, it is anchored to your soul, not your heart. Joy allows a person to feel intense contentment and long-lasting happiness, no matter the situation they are in in life. I regularly describe Joy as a state of being in the soul. You can meet people battling some of humanity's worst storms, but they have joy, and it shines; they are a lamp unto this world fueled by Joy. That is a state of being, to be in a place of Joy when happiness is hard to find, that is a heart in line with the Father, and that goes beyond mere happiness.  The two are rooted together, but Joy. That is something else altogether. I have gone through many storms where I barely kept my feet on the ground, but I had Joy in my heart, and I held onto the Joy that only God could give me.  That Joy became my strength, then became my smile, then my laughter, my thankfulness, and finally my strength that I needed. Joy can stop your mind from racing out of control, it can stop satan at the threshold, it can help you see God in everything, even the mundane. You become thankful.  With thanksgiving in your heart, you see the Lord in everything, and no matter your storm or situation, you can surrender with Joy that God has you, He has a plan, and you can joyfully follow His lead. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:4 © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook.

Interesting question, let’s see. Do I believe this question directly impacts our salvation? No. Do I think it’s a good and fun question to ask to help our understanding? Absolutely!  So let’s see what the Bible tells us. First, I’ve decided to use the terms “being” and “angel,” because there are different created entities mentioned in the Bible.  So what we know from Scripture is that angels can look human, and even more fascinating is this: “Do not neglect hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Heb 13:2 Talk about keeping you on your toes. At least that's what I read from this verse. Who’s to say how many of us have hosted or come across an angel unknowingly?  Think about this one for a moment, how would you defend yourself to God on judgment day when asked why you turned away a stranger in need or treated someone poorly when in fact it was an angel? Just food for thought. Anyway, angels and wings. The Bible does not explicitly state that angels have wings, and I also don’t believe that references to wings for other beings are purely symbolic, especially considering the numerous physical descriptions of Cherubim in the Bible. This honestly makes sense to me because every kind that God created has unique differences and roles within that kind. The beings we commonly know about from Scripture. First up is Gabriel, who is only thought  to have wings, based on the passage from Dan 9:21 , “Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight.” He is described as a human in appearance, but no literal mention of wings in any verses he is in, not referred to as an archangel, and scared the poo out of Daniel because of his appearance when he saw him. ( Mary and Zechariah, too.) Not a clue exactly what kind he is because we are never told that explicitly, we just know he is referred to as an angel , and delivers a lot of messages. Then we have Michael, the   only  archangel mentioned in the Bible, btw, and he is never said to have wings either. But he is a warrior and protector angelic being; words such as “ one of the chief princes” and  “great prince who protects your people” are used to describe him. (3)  Here are three fun nuggets. Here is when we learn that Michael is not the only “ chief prince,”  but he must be a pretty awesome baddy because he has already taken satan on once about Moses' body (4)  and will again when he leads his army against him in the future.  (5) Michael only says four words in the whole Bible. “The Lord rebuke you!” (well, in Greek  it was actually three words) And Michael and Gabriel are the only two named angelic beings in the whole Bible, except Abaddon, from the book of Revelation, but that is also a title, not just a name, and a whole different conversation. Anyway, back to wings. We see many other divine messengers of God throughout the Bible who looked human, didn’t have wings, and delivered messages to people, but weren’t named like Gabriel and Michael; instead were simply called angels (messengers). For example, in Gen 19:1 “The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening,” the Hebrew word is “ malak ”, which literally means “angel, messengers, messenger” but they didn’t have wings. And in Acts, we have an angel   (same meaning as malak, just in Greek),  no wings, committing some B&E and getting Peter and his disciples out of jail.  ChatGPT So, what does have wings, then, for sure? We know for certain that the Seraphim have six wings, which are their own distinct kind (1), and Cherubim, also a distinct kind, have four wings. (And four faces, but we’re just chatting about their wings today, not trying to sort that one out toda y. ( 2) Remember, church tradition and Jewish tradition consider the Cherubim and Seraphim as types of angels, not the Bible per se. Wrapping things up. The question I asked is: Do all angels have wings?  Well, that’s actually a loaded question because you have to ask the question with the right word first.  Angel (Messenger), Seraphim, Cherubim, or Archangel. Angels are the messengers of God (literally, that is the definition), and the winged beings are their own class of something, but are never called angels in the Bible. Michael and Gabriel are never specified as having wings, but are called angels, not Cherubim or Seraphim, with Michael being the only Archangel. Winging it. The wing culture comes from a blending of the verse, “ came to me in swift flight,” the Cheribum and Seraphim descriptions, what angels are capable of doing, and artwork over the centuries that kept it going. Could they all have wings, and somehow the angels are able to keep theirs invisible?   Sure, why not?  These are beings who can pack of heck of a spiritual punch, and God loves to give us mysteries to ponder on, but at the same time, we are told which beings do have wings. Like I said in the beginning. Does this affect your salvation if you believe angels have wings? No, but it is fun, fascinating, and helps a person see the Bible, not tradition. Hope you enjoyed! Sources: And yup, they’re out of order in the article. (1) Isaiah 6:2 (2) Ezekiel 10:21 (3) Biblestudytools: Archangel Michael in the Bible . (4) Jude 1:9 , (5) Revelation 12: 7–9 (6) Acts 5:17–22 Biblestudytools: Bible Verses about Cherubim Cherub | hak-kə-ru-ḇîm | kerub Seraphim | śə-rā-p̄îm | saraph

I don’t know, but let’s do the math. 1 Samuel 17:4  tells us:  “A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.” Awesome.👍 So, how tall was Goliath in American terms then? I’d love to tell you it is one simple answer, but I learned it wasn’t quite that simple. So, typically, a cubit was the length between the elbow and the tip of the middle finger. But there are other sources that say it can also be an elbow to the little finger and an elbow to the outstretched thumb. Then I discovered that there were two types of cubit lengths in the Bible.  Now, Goliath wasn’t measured using the “cubit of the sanctuary”  (1) measurement, which is the longer one. I just wanted to throw that little nugget in there because I didn’t even realize there was a difference till Ezekiel popped up in my searching. Putting all that aside, and not wanting to conduct an extensive hair-pulling analysis, let’s try to clarify the general consensus on what a cubit and span are. According to Britannica.com  a cubit is “generally taken as equal to 18 inches” and “In some ancient cultures it was as long as 21 inches.”  We’ll be conservative and go with 18”. Then we have a “span,” and that is considered to be from the tip of the little finger and the thumb when you fully extend your hand. From sources, it is generally 8” — 10”, but I’m going with one source’s conservative decision because hand sizes can vary. We’ll go with 6" for a span. So 18” and 6” — where does that put us? 6 x 18” = 108”, then we’ll add another 6” for span, and we come to 114". Doesn’t sound like a lot, but for a visual comparison, I’m 69” (5’9”) and my husband is 75” (6’3”), we are both tall for our genders according to our national average standards and worldwide average standards. Goliath trumps both of us. Using the conservative numbers, Goliath comes in at a whopping 9’ 5”. (at minimum I would say, in my personal opinion) www.heightcomparison.com Yeah. He really was a big, big guy, who got taken out by a young kid. Never underestimate the power of God when He sets you to a task; there is no mountain or person who can stand in His way. Hope you enjoyed! © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook. Sources and References: (1) The Cubit: A History and Measurement Commentary thegaurdian.com ; How long is a biblical cubit? Goliath’s Spear: What is a Cubit?

Good question, happy you asked. According to the book of Exodus, manna was provided by God to the Israelites as they wandered in the desert after getting the heck out of Egypt. The Israelites were hungry and complained to Moses about their lack of food. In response, God promised to rain down bread from heaven for them to eat.  But what exactly was it, though? Well, no one knows 100%, but I can tell you what we do know and a couple of theories. If you need a refresher on the story, click here . “Then the Lord said to Moses, 'I will rain down bread from heaven for you.” ChatGPT First, I looked up the word bread, and it actually does mean bread —  lechem  is the Hebrew word, if you want to check it out.  I also know in Psalms 78:24  the word grain was used, so I looked that up for more context. The Hebrew word used there is dagan , which does, in fact, mean grain and corn.  So, we have some type of grain-like substance that rained down from Heaven, which can also mean the sky btw, that the Israelites used to make bread or cooked in a pot, maybe like a porridge we would prepare now? (2) From Scripture, we know: “The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin” (2),  and “thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor,” it was sweet, “ and tasted like wafers made with honey.” (1) also, they didn’t recognize it. (new to them) It was good for a day, but when some tried to keep extra, it rotted. On the sixth day, God laid His hand on the manna, and it kept it from rotting. (can’t tell me that wasn’t a miracle, this may have been a natural substance, but this shows God’s hand behind it) God also provided quail at one point, so we know God can and does use the natural world. Here’s a condensed bullet point list of a few possibilities. The digestive byproduct of insects that feed on the sap of the Haloxylon salicornicum plant. (yup, you read that right) (3) Substance from the Tamarisk tree. (3) (4) This one sounds like a species name for a werewolf if I’m honest — Lecanora esculenta Nees (desert lichen) (4) It was literally grain, one never rained down again. Everything I’ve run across either involves bugs, sap, or trees, which makes sense given the environment they were in, and I learned that manna is still well-known in some areas and used in cooking. Amazing conclusion: I don’t doubt God was behind this miracle. A day, a week, a month, I could see as a natural event blip, but this event went on for forty whole years! He rained something down for them, literal grain or not. We honestly don’t know for sure which plant, bug, or combo of, or if it was something completely different that God put His hands on to produce that much manna for 600,000 people , for 40 years, without fail.  And it doesn’t matter because you know why?  Nothing affected this miracle for 40 years, and science still can’t explain the one day of the week that the manna did not rot. © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook. Sources: (1) Exodus 16: 1–36   (2) Numbers 11: 7–9   (3)  Jewish World, Talk of the Table, Winter Issue 2019   (4) The Biblical Manna  Exodus 12:37 , Joshua 5:12 , Psalms 78:2 4

unsplash.com I know from my Dementia and CDCP training how powerful music can be for people living with dementia. It has an incredible ability to reach them in ways other methods can’t. In fact, more and more studies are being done on this, and music is now being used more often as part of dementia care. Music therapy is also gaining traction as a helpful tool in supporting mental health. God is always a few steps ahead of us. God knew what He was doing when He created music to be a part of our lives. Some may not realize this, but the Psalms is the longest book in the Bible, and it is filled with songs, hymns, and prayers that were meant to be sung. Music leads to singing, singing leads to worship, and worship leads to joy. I have three sayings in my life that I live by honestly, because I am neurodivergent, I need help in different ways than a neurotypical person to connect, feel, and focus. Today's focus is “Music Is My Melody.” Music does some pretty awesome stuff to us, just check this screenshot out when I was looking up “what does music do to the brain” My Melody. Music is my melody, it is my connection to God, it is my outlet, my movement, my pure enjoyment. Whether it’s this insanely large Christian playlist on YouTube that my daughter, Maia Vashti , and I keep adding to constantly, my vetted clean playlist, or the Christian station playing in the car, I surround myself with good music. What we fill our ears with is important. If you spend the day listening to pop music with all those gross suggestions and sometimes very blunt terminology, how is that good for you? The Bible is filled with stories of people breaking out in song, dance, and worship. Give it a try, next time you get in your car, turn off the pop music, turn off the news, and find a Christian station, and just sing and worship. You won’t regret that connection to God, sing at the top of your lungs if you want, feel the Holy Spirit touch you, cry, smile, and let the joy in. We are given music for a reason; let us use it wisely for His glory. © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook.

Nimrod represents a pattern of what the anti-Christ will be like when he finally appears on the world stage. There have been many types of Antichrists who have already appeared. Pharaoh whom Moses stood down in the Book of Exodus could be considered a type of Anti-Christ. Antiochus Epiphanies' who desecrated the second Jewish temple, could also be considered an anti-Christ. Hitler was definitely a type of anti-Christ. In fact, many thought he was the anti-Christ. Now is it not interesting that the anti-Christ will be called the “ man of lawlessness ”? Did you get that? He will be called a man against the Law of God. He will be anti-Torah. The devil has already done a great job in fooling the Christian church into believing the first five books of their Bibles have no relevance to their walk with the Lord. Starting with the Roman catholic church era, paganism invaded the first church in Jerusalem to the point where it would be barely recognizable to any of the original members. Nimrod foreshadows the Antichrist, who will attempt the same mission. The anti-Christ will try to bring the whole world under a one-government rule. Right now, we see the whole world moving in this direction. In preaching tolerance, world harmony, peace at any cost… And promoting the teaching the Torah has been done away with… And that instead we should just trust the goodness of our hearts… The modern church has unknowingly played into the devil’s hands… And is helping bringing about the satanic one-government rule prophesied in the Scriptures. Those who have ears to hear, pay heed! CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time .” - 1 John 2:18 © Richoka

ChatGPT To read Part 1, click here . This article is really a supplement to part 1. The reason for part 2. There are so many posts from women who have had bad experiences with misogyny, and many, not all, deduce that the Bible teaches that the girl child , whatever her age, is a second-rate Creation in God’s eyes. There is no doubt that violence against women and children is not a new phenomenon. In my immediate family, there have been prolonged periods of violence against my mother and my sister. As well as my brother-in-law, who married my sister. The good old days were not so good for some people. But there are other stories for another time. My goal here, if I manage it, is to show further Biblical evidence of where God stands on the issue of women. I’m not ashamed to appeal to the Written Word of God as my ultimate Authority. There are professing C hristians, even on this Medium platform, who say, “ We know more now. ” Non-believers may be able to use that argument, but professing believers have no leg to stand on. Sexuality at birth is not the same as race. There are different societies and cultures in the world, but only one human race, consisting of different groups having different amounts of melanin. Humans are created in God’s Image, so by default, they must be shown dignity. (Genesis 1:26–28) How many sexes are there? There are two sexes, male and female, based on genetics (X- and Y- chromosomes) and Genesis 1:26–28, where it is written: "Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So, God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” There is mention of different sexes here, but no mention of different races. There is mention of subduing the Earth, but no mention of raping it. Let’s get down to tin-tax. Does God place a higher value on Males than He does on females? Women walk with Highly Esteemed Company Old Testament example (Dead Sea Scrolls) It is written in Genesis 2:18 " And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper " (H5828 — `ezer, עֵזֶר ) comparable to him (H5048 — neḡeḏ) H5828 — `ezer = helping carry the load. H5048 — neḡeḏ = what is in front of, corresponding to, opposite , and before, parallel to. NOT INFERIOR! (Septuagint) Genesis 2:18 " And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper (G998 — boēthos, βοηθός) comparable to him.” The Greek has the same flavour but not the grunt of the Hebrew because it doesn’t include the comparison, but read on. New Testament example It is written in Hebrews 13:6 " So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper (G998 — boēthos, βοηθός); I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Jesus is our Helper, βοηθὸς boēthos , as shown in Figure 1. Eve was Adam’s boēthos . In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, God gave Adam a helper, βοηθὸς boēthos in Genesis 2:20, shown in Figure 2. This is the same word as in Hebrews 13:6! Obviously, the task given to women is no trivial thing. Does a boy child have more value to God than a girl child? No. The offering demanded by YHVH is identical for both the girl and the boy. It is written in Leviticus 12:6–8 “When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. He shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood. “‘ These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. But if she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’” Using the Leviticus 12:6–8 perspective to review the apparent Divine Edicts against women in Scripture shows that they are protections for women in a misogynistic society. The women are protected from husbands who try to rush them into sex after a girl child in order to get a boy child as quickly as possible. Having this insight, it is well worth re-visiting Divine Ordinances, which appear to show that women are unclean humans. In a God-fearing Society, the tiniest female is protected from the biggest bruiser, randy male, by the phrase, “It is against God’s Law.” From which sex was the Messiah intended to come? Not the male. YHVH informed the Shining One, as is written in Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." This is a Prophecy of a spectacular miracle because, in nature, the male provides the seed and the female the egg. When the Messiah came, the Holy Spirit supernaturally eliminated the need for the man. In Genesis 3:15 the promise is made about the “Seed of the Woman.” In Matthew 1 and Luke 3 , the promise is kept with the “Woman of the Seed,” as shown in Figure 3. The thread of Scripture from there shows that Satan planned to eliminate the Bloodline of the Messiah right up to the Cross. Part of the process was the subjugation of women because one of them would be the one through whom the Messiah would come. So why does Satan keep trying when he’s been defeated? After the Triumph of the Cross, Paul uses the prophetic term “ Fullness of the Gentiles ” (God’s predetermined number of Gentile Christians) as the trigger for the beginning of the Final Judgement. (Romans 11:25) There is another Prophecy (Hosea 3:4–5), which states that the Children of Israel will return to the Land and seek the Lord their God and David their king. Then He will come. For both of these to come to pass, there must be children born. If Gentiles could be obstructed from breeding and converting, Satan thinks he still has a chance. The same if Jews can be wiped off the map. This is covered in much more detail in part 1. Does God have favourites in the Ecclesia? No. It is written in Galatians 3:28 " There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." This verse actually elevates the status of women in the culture of the Acts Church — before that time, their value had been stolen by the misogynists under the influence of Satan. Why could a Hebrew wife not divorce her husband, but vice versa was allowed? Examination of the Scriptures shows that, in God’s eyes, marriage is a type of the Christ and His Church. ( Ephesians 5:31–33 ) The names given to the Church are “Bride” and “Body.” These melt into the “Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh,” of Genesis 2:23. She can’t divorce Him and He won’t divorce her, i.e., a model of Eternal Security. Satan has been causing trouble since Genesis 3. Why all the fuss about sex and adultery? In the spiritual realm, God’s abhorrence of profane sexual activity is concerned with worshipping other gods . Man and wife — Adam and Eve — Israel as the wife of YHVH — the Church as the Bride of Christ — are all models of the relationship between God and mortals. Our Lord is a El Kanna , a Jealous God. He is jealous of what is His. He will share our affection with no one. He knows that no one can love each of us like He can. Ancient Hebrew Teachings [Unfortunately, I have lost the reference for the next three paragraphs. They were told to me by someone who had studied in Israel.] The original concept of the Bride Price WAS NOT, as some say, to pay the father of the bride for maintaining a valueless person, a daughter, until a husband would take her out of his hands. It was potential alimony paid by the husband in advance. He paid the money to his bride (not her parents), and it was not refundable. She would lease/buy a field to generate income that was disposed of at her discretion — and hers alone. It was her guarantee against being cast aside. Unfortunately, this concept was hijacked by man. The Bride Price was not the same as the Dowry. The purpose of the latter was that the parents of the Bride gave seed money to the son-in-law so that he could generate income to maintain their daughter adequately. This was also allowed to be hijacked by Satan. When a Hebrew couple was newly married ( Deuteronomy 24:5 ), the husband was exempt from military and other duties for a year so that he could establish a relationship with his new bride. Early Talmudic writings mentioned that sex was forbidden while a woman was menstruating. This was a protection from God that prevented the husband from forcing himself on his wife when she did not feel comfortable. The rituals were that, at the end of the flow, the woman would cleanse herself by bathing in pure flowing water. She was then regarded as being a virgin bride, and her husband was expected to treat her as such. So, while he was no longer exempt from external responsibilities, the husband was expected to treat his wife as a virgin bride for a year. But the process was repeated every month, so the husband was expected to treat his wife as a virgin bride, and the wife was expected to act as a virgin bride until death do them part. That is God’s plan for keeping a marriage spicy. It is common knowledge that the marriage between man and woman is the shadow model for the relationship between Jesus and His Church. The Song of Solomon shows that Jesus desires primitive passion from His Spotless Bride. Conclusion It is clear from Scripture, at least to me, that husband and wife are synergistic (i.e., the whole is greater than the sum of the parts), but someone must take responsibility. In Genesis 3, it is Eve who initiated the Fall, but Romans 5:12–19 makes it clear that Adam is the one upon whom the weight of responsibility lies. Satan has done a good job of getting each of the spouses to snarl at each other, but that was not God’s Plan. There is an old management proverb, “It is surprising what can be accomplished when it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.” It is obvious that most men, though not all, do not treat women well. Christian men misinterpret the Scripture because of poor teaching. It is not so obvious that women mistreat men in a more subtle way by undermining the authority of men and demanding what the ‘culture’ says is their right. Because of these corruptions, both sexes of Christians will lose rewards at the Bema Seat before Christ. The Pulpit has much to answer for in the Church. Good teaching would protect many women and children from needless suffering. Where are the Teaching Priests? (I feel the love.) What sort of Marriage would it be if each side made a habit of trying to out-bless the other? HOWEVER, THE BIG QUESTION Why did/does God allow it to happen?! Why doesn’t He just do a better job!!!!? A perfectly valid question about many things. I have to admit that I don’t know the answer. The only thing I know is that it must be the best way because His Redemption Plan has cost Him so much. You may think that is a piss-willy answer, but it’s the best I can do. The foregoing evidence has not been presented to convince any reader but to allow a personal decision to be made. There is much more to know about this subject. Perhaps you’ll pay another visit, sometime. All Glory to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (We all have a plank in our eye. It’s bigger than we think.) © ネ Brad Banardict First published in The Dove on Medium. Revised and edited by Jane Isley.