Deceiver & Deceived

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Living With A Monster - A Journey of Faith

Personal Journal - All Alone With a Monster

July 10, 1997 –Thursday Evening

Fortunately throughout this experience I am not frightened, I am not afraid to die or be killed.  As much as I am hated it is obviously by divine intervention in ways that will never be know that I am alive today.

I truly do not understand why I am allowed to be tormented and tortured by the United States Government.  I must always be on guard and extremely careful.  They constantly dig pits for me – my only trust and hope is in God.

July 16, 1997 – Wednesday Morning

I have been in this place which I call a zoo, for so long I hold no expectations of ever being freed.  With this perspective it makes it difficult to even ponder what my feelings would be – I have grown so accustom to this type of life.  I could never have survived these past four years if it had not been for the Bible Study which I do each day on my own being as one taught by God, through His word; I follow His trail through the wilderness which takes a very sharp eye to see. It has been an escape and a passion for me.  I truly love the work and amazingly never tire of it.

I will pray – for God’s mercy and compassion and most importantly for His guidance and counsel.

I wish I knew where the stink of the allergens was coming from.  I wish God would do something.   Yet, I am so grateful to God for the Bible Study, it occupies my day and time in a most enjoyable way, even thought I am condemned and tortured for doing it.  There is still so much work to be done – and that delights my soul, because if the time I spend here extends though out Clinton’s term – there will yet be hope.

January 20, 1998 – Tuesday Morning

My little cat Alex woke up gagging and snorting.  This went off and on for about an hour.  They must have increased the allergen level while I was sleeping.  I as well have an excessive amount of allergen film.

January 22, 1998 – Thursday Morning

Alex was choke coughing – and sneezed blood out of his nose.  My breath is very short –    Oh, God – please help me!  All I ask for is air to breath – that should never be too much to ask for.  Please help your servant God – this cross is such a heavy load.  If Your will prescribes me to carry this further yet – than I have no alternative.  If so – then give me strength to endure to the very end.  Open doors God – please open doors.  I am so weary of suffering –

April 18, 1998 – Saturday Evening

Alex is very sick – he got sick again yesterday – and has not recovered.  His little heart is pumping very fast – he hasn’t eaten since Friday – this is the second day.  I need to get some fluid in him – and an extra dose of his high calorie vitamin supplement.  I increased his prednisone to 2 tablets – one in the morning – one in the evening.  He is not improving – I am so worried about him.  I don’t want him to die-

I’ve prayed to God – all day.  I know it’s up to God – I hope He lets Alex live.  I’m doing everything I can to block the allergens.  I really want to die – I’m not feeling well myself because of the allergens – and every task is a mountain.

May 17, 1998 – Saturday sometime towards evening.

(Life as a prisoner in America)

It could have been all over for me today.  I was so ill last night- all night long.  I was sick from the “allergen sickness” that I spoke of before – lasting an hour or so, but this lasted all night.  I am being tortured.

Then this morning I heard a bunch of doors slamming – it is a message for my tormenters - the usual message – “You’re not getting out of here.”  They use it as symbolism to convey their message, kind of like slamming the door in one’s face.  Of course they then turned the allergens up – and I was beginning to really get sick – the spasms started.  My arms and head were jerking, because the allergens had reached my central nervous system.  And I coughed up a great amount of mucus.

They then cut the power off – all of my thirteen air purifiers where shut down.   I had purchased these one at a time (through the “Easy Living Store” who subsequently made me sign a release for buying so many)  thinking that the next one would over power the allergens that my tormentors were filling the trailer with.  My Universal Life Policy was sacrificed in the purchase of these purifiers. You can’t see the allergens but they are in the air, some of the have a scent. 

I had placed the window fan from the living room into the hall way to try to suck out some of the sickening air.  And now all the power was turned off – and my utility payments were up to date.  No air purifiers - now no fan.  I didn’t have any choice but to go outside.  I took Alex my cat with me because he is allergic to these allergens as well.

So here I am on a sheet I spread out on the concrete.  Alex is right beside me.  I haven’t eaten much over the last week.

I plan to spend the night out here.  I have the dog collar that I kept after my dog Missy died, so I’m going to put her collar around Alex’s middle – with a make shift leash – towards the time of evening.  I have no idea what time it is.  When the sun begins to set – I’ll take Alex, as well as his water and litter inside – I don’t want another cat to share his things for the chance of his contracting feline leukemia.  I will be extremely careful about him.

I’m very weak – I need to sleep – but I will wait until after it gets dark.

Alex is being very cooperative – he’s just resting on the sheet.

May 18, 2011 – Sunday Morning Sometime at Day Break

The birds woke me up singing before day break.  Camping out here leisurely during the day can be tolerated, I’m not so certain however about spending the night openly, that people may know, so I will get up before full sun.

Alex has a lot of allergen residue around his nose – it’s from the inside of his nose.  Other than his nose running he appears to be okay.  I placed Missy’s collar around his middle and attached a leash, which I then tied to my wrist.  That’s the way we slept – he attached to my writs in case he got up during the night – then I would feel the tug and he would as well be restrained.

Alex seems to be adjusting well – he’s snuggled here right beside me under the sheet.

Unfortunately, I must consider this to be a possible way of life for us, Alex and myself.

I’m suffering from occasional asthmatic attacks – my guess is residue allergen in my bronchial tubes or lungs.  Alex is still snorting – and has discharge from his nose.  His hair is a total mess, he is so matted.  He let me groom him a bit as we wasted away the evening together yesterday – being exiled from the house.  We are being tortured by the United States Government under Clinton’s watch. 

Right at the moment Ales is asleep in my lap – he need’s the security – with this new environment.

The most difficult part of this is just to accept this as a reality … and a way of life.  I must pan wisely and be prepared … certainly I can survive.

My chin is breaking out in a rash – to be expected.

Why can’t this persecution be stopped?  The government has no right – I am not a criminal, I’ve done nothing wrong.

May 6, 2011 – The Monster Still Reigns in America

Alex has long since died.  We both camped out in the yard for the entire summer until early November of that same year.  One morning three police men came into my yard.  I was backed up against the side of the trailer; one police man was to my right, the other to my left and one dead center.  They said some people wanted to talk to me. I was escorted to Truman Medical Center for a psyche evaluation.  There in went my credibility.  There is much more to the summer’s account in my daily journal which I kept.  I did write a personal account of this to Dr. Arturo Quiason, in Independence, Missouri.  Those records should be in his file.  Also, the court order gives a true account of this event.

Even to this very day, they are using allergens.   At present I am suffering from a sinus infection onset by a very powerful allergen.  I am on an antibiotic, but they are still saturating the house with their deadly poison.  I am still alone in this struggle. 

This very night I am once again exiled from my home at least for this night.  I am being tortured and inhumanely treated.  The sad part of it is, I am a United States citizen.

Medicine Man

All Alone With a Monster

The Dragon and the Woman

The Woman and the Dragon

Revelation 12:13-17 “And when the dragon saw that he was cast onto the earth, he pursued the woman who bore the male.”


“One of the darkest stains of the history of mankind has been the persistent specter of anti-Semitism. Over the centuries the Jews have faced more hatred and persecution than any other people.” - John MacArthur

“But the darkest hour in the long history of anti-Semitism was yet to come. In the early 1930’s the Nazi party came to power in Germany and their insane racial theories became public policy. Unlike others who had persecuted the Jewish people, the Nazis and their maniacal leader, Adolf Hitler, did not merely seek to persecute the Jews, but to eliminate them.”

“It is the fervent hope of the Jewish people that the horrors of the Holocaust will never again be repeated. The Bible warns that a time of suffering lies ahead for Israel that will be worse than anything the nation has endured in the past. Jeremiah called that time ‘the time of Jacob’s distress’ (Jer. 30:7). Jesus described it as ‘a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will’ (Matt. 24:21).”

During the days of the Tribulation Satan will make his last, desperate attempt to eliminate the Israel of God.

“Following his defeat by Michael and the holy angels the dragon (Satan) was thrown down to the earth. Frustrated and enraged by his ejection from heaven and desperate, ‘knowing that he has only a short time’ left to oppose God’s plans before he is incarcerated in the abyss, the devil furiously persecuted the woman, who gave birth to the male child. The Greek verb translated persecuted means ‘to pursue,’ ‘to chase,’ or ‘to hunt’.” -John MacArthur

Verse 14 “And were given to the woman two wings of the great eagle (symbolizing strength and speed), that she may fly into the wilderness, (an uninhabited, uncultivated track of land) to the place of her, where she is nourished (provided provisions, perhaps taught by God) there a time, and times, and half a time, from (the) face (aims and objectives, the purpose of mind) of the serpent (turning all his energies against the Israel of God).”

Holman Commentary – “Sky-drama has turned into earth-drama. The dragon’s angels have faded away; the woman who had given birth to the male child reappears. There is a great contest between the two. If the dragon cannot prevail against Michael, perhaps he can destroy the woman.”

Verse 15 “And the serpent cast water out of his mouth like a river after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried off by the river (seeking to ruin, consume and destroy her by that which comes out of his mouth – evil teachings - attributing to himself the attributes of God, so as God to sit). And the earth helped the woman, and opened the earth the mouth of it and swallowed the river (of religious debauchery) which the dragon cast out of the mouth of him.”

John MacArthur- “But just as He sheltered Israel from Satan’s initial onslaught, so also will God defeat this second assault. In dramatic fashion, the earth helped the woman; it opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth. The imagery is reminiscent of Moses’ description of God’s destruction of Pharaoh’s army in Exodus 15:12: ‘You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them.” Another Old Testament parallel is the dramatic story of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, whose rebellion against Moses was crushed by God in a shocking, dramatic fashion:

Moses said, ‘By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing. If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the Lord.’

Then it came about as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground that was under them split open; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. So they and all that belonged to them wend down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. (Num. 16:28-33)” -John MacArthur

Verse 17 “And the dragon was enraged over the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of the seed of her, those keeping the commandments of God and having the witness of Jesus Christ.”

War in Heaven

Michael vs. Satan

Michael vs Satan

Revelation 12:7-9 “And occurred war (hostile conflict) in Heaven, Michael and the angels of him made war against the dragon.  And the dragon warred (he fought back), and the angels of him, and not they had strength (the equivalence of God to prevail) not even place was found of them still in Heaven.

The conclusion being: The prerequisite of ethical perfection is obedience to God.

Revelation 12:9-12 “And was cast the great dragon, the old serpent, being called Devil and Satan the (one) deceiving the whole habitable world, was cast onto the earth, and the angels of him with him were cast. And I heard a great voice saying in Heaven, ‘Now has come into being the salvation and the power and the kingdom of the God of us, and the authority of the Christ of Him, because is thrown down the accuser of the brothers of us (holding to the law and obeying the command of God), the (one) (Satan) accusing them before the God of us day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb (who obeyed the command and will of God unto death) and because of the word of the witness of them; and they did not love their soul even until death. Because of this, be glad, the heavens and those tabernacling in them. Woe to the ones dwelling on the earth, and in the sea, because the Devil came down to you having great anger, knowing that he has a little time!'”

Again, the conclusion being: The prerequisite of ethical perfection is obedience to God.

Satan vs Jesus

New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:22 “I (John) did not see a temple (a building) in the city (of New Jerusalem), because the (pristine glory of the) Lord God Almighty and the Lamb (the light bearer) are its temple.”

Revelation 21: 25 “And the [praiseworthy] gates of it [viewed as emblems of justice- seen as symbols of “Grace” and hope for all humanity] not at all may be shut by day- for night will not be there [for the pristine glory of the Lord illumines the city and will reign for ever]- and they [those keeping to the paths of justice- safeguarding the rights and liberties of others while maintaining the boundaries of the law] will [in such a posture] bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.”

 

The Woman and the Dragon

The Woman and the Dragon


Revelation 12:4-9 “And the dragon stood before the woman being about to bear, that, when she bears, the child of her he may devour (completely consuming, thus destroy him). And she bore a son, a male, who is about to shepherd all the nations (oppressing the Israel of God) with an iron staff. And was seized the child of her to God and the throne of Him (which signifies God’s acceptance of his future redemptive work of saving the nation Israel from an apparent irreversible decline, by thwarting the malignant intentions of the Red Dragon).”

Verse 6 “And the woman fled into the wilderness (an uninhabited, uncultivated track of land), where she has a place having been prepared from God, that there they might nourish her days a thousand two hundred (and) sixty.”

The 1200 days is the same duration of time as that of the “Two Witnesses” revealed in Chapter 11. There is a great deal of difference of onion as to the identity of the two witnesses, but their identity is essential for the understanding of this book.

Perhaps, while in the wilderness, the women has seen them, in a figurative sense, in the early days of their testimony, being they are two unknown witnesses- that is, they have had no previous existence, and they have not yet appeared on the scene. It is certain that they are human witnesses from the description of them.

Possibly the “two witnesses” are a symbolic represention of two of the “beheaded one’s” (men who were unjustly punished and utterly defeated by the Church), who attempted to rule with Christ for 1,000 years before the Great Tribulation. In such a posture they could have been viewed as, men untouched by the spirit of idolatry.

“And it shall be in that day, not there shall be light; the glorious ones will shrink. And it will be one day which shall be known to Jehovah; not day and not night, but it will be at the time of evening, there will be light”. Zechariah 13:6-6 Could this verse suggest God’s use of “film”, for instance, to provide insight to the woman during her days in the wilderness?
Consider: http://mytheological.blogspot.com/2009/10/ezekiels-vision.html

Perhaps she saw visions or prophetic revelations in a way that no one had ever seen before and in such a manner she received nourishment while in the trackless waste.

“(As Israel’s King), I and the Father, are One.”

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The Great Tribulation

The UFO sightings in Jerusalem were certainly sparking debates. The first thought that came into my mind upon hearing of the sighting was the word of Paul: “…God will send to them a working of error, for them to believe the lie.”

Personally I do not believe in UFO’s, but at the same time I do not underestimate the power of God. But the testimony of God reveals that when He created the heavens and the earth He found no other beings.

“You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides Me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.” (Isaiah 44:8)

“Before Me no god was formed, nor will there be one after Me.” (Isaiah 43:10)
“Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name.” (Isaiah 40:26)

What then of the UFO sightings in Jerusalem? A hoax? Or was it a “working of error, for them to believe the lie.” And if so, who is the “them” that is being referred to? I, must confess that I do not believe that the UFO sighting was a powerful delusion from God. Still, the word of Paul is a curiosity? And why would God do that anyway?

From this point, I decided to look very closely at the verse. If there is a “working of error” sent by God it seem imperative to try to find it. That is so unlike God to do such a thing! Why? What is it about?
A bit of background history: When Paul made the statement about the “working of error” he was preaching the gospel to new converts at a seaport town in Thessalonica. He was advising them to stand firm in the faith, and not be alarmed at the rumors they heard concerning the expected “second coming” of Christ, because, previously to this coming, there would be a great renunciation from the true faith, and the manifestation of a very bad man destined to everlasting punishment. Here’s what Paul wrote:

2 Thessalonians 2:2 “…we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. (Note: The day of the Lord, is used by the prophets to refer to any specific period of time in which the God of Israel intervenes in human affairs to save and judge.) Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.”

What rebellion? The original word used for “rebellion” was “apostasy”. The word is frequently employed to indicate the “abandonment,” or “rejection” of God. The practice of idolatry is “abandoning” God.
Who then abandons God? The Jews? The Christians?

Note: It is offensive to the Jewish religion and considered idolatry to give God a form. The early Christians did not assert that Jesus was God. FOR many years, there had been much opposition on Biblical grounds to the developing idea that Jesus was God. To try to solve the dispute, Roman emperor Constantine who lived from 274 to 337 A.D. summoned all bishops to Nicaea. About 300, a fraction of the total, actually attended.
Constantine demanded that the 300 bishops make a decision by majority vote defining who Jesus Christ is. Constantine commanded them to create a “creed” doctrine that all of Christianity would follow and obey a doctrine that would be called the “Nicene Creed” upheld by the Church and enforced by the Emperor. The bishops voted to make the full deity of Christ the accepted position for the church.

It has been suggested that this decision back in 300 A.D, could fit in with what the apostle Paul foretold would follow after his time. They said that there would be an apostasy, a deviation, a falling away from true worship.

Did the forefathers of Christianity abandon God when they elected 300 years after his ascension to deify him? But there is support within the Old Testament to the deity of Jesus.

“For a child is born to us; a son is given to us; and is the government on his shoulder; and is called His name wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of peace.” Isaiah 9:5-6

The prophet Isaiah said that God would be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem (clinging to the House of David) He would be a trap and a snare.
“Is called his name … the Mighty God.” Reading this verse, as a simple prophetic fact holds to truth, for at the deification of Christ the Christians would, did and still do call his name Mighty God.

Furthermore, this doctrine places Jesus in a very precarious position, one that could be confused with that of Lucifer. For it is Lucifer who exalted himself saying, “I will go up to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God…, I will be likened to (God) the Most High.” The sons of Israel have been likened to “stars”. Is such a posture Lucifer becomes the figure of the Anti-Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 “… God will send to them a working (an undertaking directed to produce and accomplish the task ) of error (a working that will lead them out of the right way, or the right path, in a sense of a distortion of the truth) for (the misleading of ) them to (turn away from obedience to firmly) believe the lie (changing the truth of God for a falsehood, by the making of an idol)…”

Some sort of apostasy from the true faith, such as the “working of error”, will lead the way for the man of lawlessness. He will exalt himself above all divine authority taking on God’s attribute of theocratic power and vengeance. In such a posture he will have the highest place of authority within the Christian Church, as it pertains, perhaps to an underground vein of wickedness known as the Synagogue of Satan.
There is a system of corrupt doctrine which will lead to the general apostasy, already in existence, but it has remained a mystery. We can however catch up with Satan, in the Book of Revelation.


“A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.” Revelation 12:1-2

“The ancients believed that heavenly signs signaled changes on earth. The magi followed a star a great distance to see the new king of the Jews. Because Herod knew the importance of such an omen, he gathered information about the star in order to kill his potential rival to the throne.” – M. Wilson

“That the woman was clothed with the sun reflects redeemed Israel’s unique glory, brilliance, and dignity because of her exalted status. The twelve stars on the woman’s head refer to the twelve tribes of Israel (10 tribes from the House of Israel, the Christians, and 2 tribes from the House of Judah, representing the Jews). Also, the reference to “the rest of her children,” those “who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus” shows that this woman is a symbolic mother.”

Her children hold to the Ten Commandments. The sins forbidden in the first commandment are; idolatry, in having or worshiping more gods than one, or any with or instead of the true God. It would appear that she represents the nation Israel in a non-idolatrous state, viewed as those who come out the great tribulation, having washed their robes white in the blood of the lamb.

Just like a pregnant woman in labor feels pain, so the nation of Israel was in pain, waiting for the Sun of Righteousness to come forth and rise with curative medicine in his wings.

“The cause of some of the pain for the woman is the persecution by Satan, who attempts to destroy the mother. Having described the woman’s agonizing labor pains, John introduces the cause of her suffering.”
“And was seen another sign in Heaven, and behold, a great red dragon (identified in verse 9 as “Satan”), having seven heads (pointing to the time of fulfillment by figurative representation of fallen and active world empires that oppressed the nation of Israel over the course of history) and ten horns (symbolizing that this particular society of the beast derived its great power and support directly from the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom – the Christians, though perhaps in an underground context of the Synagogue of Satan), and seven crowns on the heads of him (denoting kingly or royal authority of the fallen and active world empires that oppressed Israel)...”

• Crowned Heads
• (1) Egypt
• (2) Assyria
• (3) Ancient Babylon
• (4) Persia
• (5) The Greek Kingdoms, Alexander the Great
• (6) Rome
• (7) Babylon the Great – the center of secular power of a secret underground society seeking one world order being the active, current empire. (In other words this would occur during the time of reign of Babylon.)
• “His (Satan’s) tail (the end extremity of his great strength) swept a third of the stars (the select son’s of Israel who washed their robes white in the blood of the lamb) out of the sky and flung them to the earth (rebuking them as illegitimate son’s of Israel). The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child (the prevailer), who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And was seized the child of her to God and the throne of Him.”

Curative Medicine: Jesus taught, “And as (accordingly) Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so to must be lifted up the son of man that everyone believing in him may not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:14

(NOTE:  There are two video's below.  Advance the arrow at the end of the first to continue.  It may take more than one attempt to get it to play.  If it takes you to a "web" page, try again.  It will eventually play,)

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Jesus Rebuilds the Temple

John 2:12-20 “After this he (Jesus) went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.”
“When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!’”
“His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’”
“Then the Jews demanded of him, ‘What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?’”
“Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’”
“The Jews replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’"

Jeremiah 17:12-13 “A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary. O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake You will be put to shame.”


Isaiah 53:10 “But Jehovah pleased [as His desired will] to crush him, to make him sick [inundated and beleaguered], if he shall put his soul a guilt offering [a ransom payment- for the sins of the nation], he shall see seed [for with his blood he shall purchase men for God to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God], he shall prolong days [of the dispersion] and the pleasure [the desired will] of Jehovah in his hand shall prosper.”
Verse 11 “Of the travail [the laborious effort, the great anguish] of his soul he shall see [accounting to the murderous conspiracy of the people the stroke was to him]; he shall be satisfied [justifying righteous- those who believe- and what generation shall consider this]. By his knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many [by consuming the impurities within the Levitical Priesthood], and their iniquities he shall bear [in accordance to righteous demands of the law].”

EXODUS 28:38 “And it (the turban) shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things (the sacred gifts, whatever they may be), which sanctify (free from punishment) the sons of Israel, to all (the iniquity associated with) their holy gifts; and it shall be on his forehead continually, for acceptance for them before Jehovah.”

QUOTE: “Such is the dilemma, the malignant wisdom of an evil that we seem doomed to serve whichever way we turn. Humanity is caught in this bondage, caught without even being able to name it directly. We know not what we do.”

MALACHI 3:2-4 “’Behold, he [the “Messiah”] comes, ‘ says Jehovah of hosts, ‘But who can endure the day of his coming [into his everlasting dominion]? And who (will be) standing at his appearing [when he has gained conquest]? For he (is) like a refiners fire and like fullers soap [to wash white the stain that is there]. And he shall sit [in the posture of] a refiner and purifier of silver [to consume the impurities within]; and he shall purify the sons of Levi [the great company of priest], and purge them like gold and like silver, that they may be to Jehovah presenters of offering [of atonements] in [accordance to] righteousness.’”

The reconstructed temple, according to the above criteria, would be cleansed of impurities, benefits derived from the cross, which would lead to the unification of Israel. Jesus would accomplish this feat in three days.

New Jerusalem
Revelation 21:22 “I (John) did not see a temple (a building) in the city (of New Jerusalem), because the (pristine glory of the) Lord God Almighty and the Lamb (the light bearer of the Church) are its temple.”

Revelation 21: 25 “And the [praiseworthy] gates of it [viewed as emblems of justice- seen as symbols of “Grace” and hope for all humanity] not at all may be shut by day- for night will not be there [for the pristine glory of the Lord illumines the city and will reign for ever]- and they [those keeping to the paths of justice- safeguarding the rights and liberties of others while maintaining the boundaries of the law] will [in such a posture] bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.”

How can the glory and the honor of the nations be brought into the New Jerusalem?

Revelation 22:2 “And the leaves of the tree [providing a divinely sanctioned Ethical Norm as a shelter of protection for all peoples] (will be) for healing [restorative medicine] of the nations.

Secular Ethical Norm
(Encyclopedia Version)

 Do not murder
 Do not commit adultery
 Do not bear false witness
 Do not steal (Insures right to own personal property)
 Do not covet
 In all things do judgment –
In summary, the non-corrosive tempering agent of “righteousness,” keeps the standard of the law in tack, yet, provides a judicial “balance” for the maintenance of moral purity. In this capacity, the doing of judgment for the maintenance of righteousness- can surpass the letter of the law. Righteousness is a fruit of just judgment; the two go hand in hand.
 Do not lift vengeance (rather, make application of the "Golden Rule" in accordance to the above criteria)

Revelation 21:27 “And not at all may enter into it all profaning (showing disrespect for the law and the doing of judgment for the maintenance of righteousness) and (any) making an abomination (a desolating trespass in defiance of righteousness) and (making) a lie (a crafty error - an ethical principle that is not consistent with legal and morally correct conduct, causing the stumbling of others), except (may enter) those (the righteous - keeping to the paths of justice) having been written in the Scroll of Life of the Lamb.”

Is your name written the Scroll of Life of the Lamb?
[Note: Obedience to the voice of God’s command insured eternal life for Adam and Eve. In a fallen state- all humanity had been barred access to the tree of life. Access could only be obtained through the “Grace of God.” The only one’s barred from entrance through the “Pearly Gates”, were the evilly wicked.

Jesus set the way, as witnessed through the salvation of God, manifest in his ascension. Jesus lead the way, becoming the way to truth and life.]

LIFE IN CHRIST
(Catechism of the Catholic Church)

The Ten Commandments

“Teacher, what must I do…?”
2052 “Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?” To the young man who asked this question, Jesus answers first by invoking the necessity to recognize God as the “One there is who is good,” as the supreme Good and the source of all good. Then Jesus tells him: “If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” And he cites for his questioner the precepts that concern love of neighbor: “You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.” Finally Jesus sums up these commandments positively: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Based on the testimony of Jesus, two fundamental elements temper and stabilize the moral standard of the law: (1) the testimony of the Prophets – by way of the “Word of God”; (2) and righteousness – through the application of the Golden Rule - keeping to the paths of justice- safeguarding the rights and liberties of others, while maintaining the boundaries of the law, as a non-corrosive admixture used as a principle designed for the maintenance of “moral rightness” – at times when a rigid law fails to be a boarder of defense for the innocent and becomes instead a malicious tool for the wicked. In such a posture the non-corrosive admixture of just judgment owes its flourish state to the rightness of an action under a particular circumstance or situation.

Analysis
Review
Based on the testimony of Jesus, two fundamental elements temper and stabilize the moral standard of the law: (1) the testimony of the Prophets – the “Word of God”; and (2) righteousness, as a non-corrosive admixture used as a principle designed for the maintenance of “moral rightness” – at times when a rigid law has failed.

Consequently, the last two “fruits” associated with the “tree of Life” – have a direct reference to the “prophets,” (the “Word of God”) and the tempering element of “righteous judgment,” geared toward the maintenance of moral purity in its highest standard- thus successfully surpassing the law in moral virtue. As two fruits of the tree of life they could symbolize: (1) The “Word of God,” the testimony of Jesus and the Prophets; and (2) the doing of “judgment” for the maintenance of righteousness.
Ø In all things do judgment –

In summary, the non-corrosive tempering agent of “righteousness,” keeps the standard of the law in tack, yet, provides a judicial “balance” for the maintenance of moral purity. In this capacity, the doing of judgment for the maintenance of righteousness- can surpass the letter of the law. Righteousness is a fruit of just judgment; the two go hand in hand.
Ø Obey the word of God: Do not lift vengeance (rather, make application of the "Golden Rule" in accordance to the above criteria).

“Teacher, what must I do…?”

Then Jesus tells him: “If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” And he cites for his questioner the precepts that concern love of neighbor: “You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.” Finally Jesus sums up these commandments positively: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
“The ethic of reciprocity (mutual exchange, something done in return), also known as the Golden Rule, is an ethical code that states one has a right to just treatment, and a responsibility to ensure justice for others. Reciprocity is arguably the most essential basis for the modern concept of human rights, though it has it critics. A key element of the golden rule is that a person attempting to live by this rule treats all people, not just members of his or her in-group, with consideration.”

“Therefore the "Golden Rule" presents God as having unconditional positive regard for all human beings. In order to be perfect as he is perfect, and to be "sons of the Most High, " we are to emulate the purest altruism and uncompromising impartiality of the Father, who seeks only the good of his creatures.”

Secular Ethical Norm

Revelation 22:2 “And the leaves of the tree [providing a divinely sanctioned Ethical Norm as a shelter of protection for all peoples] (will be) for healing [restorative medicine] of the nations.

Secular Ethical Norm
(Encyclopedia Version)

 Do not murder
 Do not commit adultery
 Do not bear false witness
 Do not steal (Insures right to own personal property)
 Do not covet
 In all things do judgment –
In summary, the non-corrosive tempering agent of “righteousness,” keeps the standard of the law in tack, yet, provides a judicial “balance” for the maintenance of moral purity. In this capacity, the doing of judgment for the maintenance of righteousness- can surpass the letter of the law. Righteousness is a fruit of just judgment; the two go hand in hand.
 Do not lift vengeance (rather, make application of the "Golden Rule" in accordance to the above criteria)

THE TREE Of LIFE - Universal Ethical Norm

(A Future Prophecy in Nahum’s Day)
Nahum 2 “Behold, upon the mountains the feet of him bearing good news, are making peace heard! Celebrate, O Judah, your feasts; fulfill your vows; for not will continue any more to pass through among you the worthless; completely he is cut off (brought to an end).’”

MacArthur Commentary.- mountains … feet. The verse echoes Isaiah 52:7, where it refers to those who announced the deliverance from Babylon.

“’And now what do I have here?’
Declares the Lord.
‘For My people have been
Taken away for nothing,
And those who rule them
Mock,’
Declares the Lord.
‘And all day long
My name is constantly
Blasphemed.
Therefore My people will
Know My name;
Therefore in that day they
Will know
That it is I who foretold it.
Yes, it is I.’”

“How beautiful on the
Mountains
Are the feet of those who
Bring good news,
Who proclaim peace,
Who bring good tidings,
Who proclaim salvation,
Who say to Zion,
‘Your God reigns!’
Listen! Your watchmen lift up
Their voices;
Together they shout for joy.
When the Lord returns to
Zion,
They will see it with their
Own eyes.
Burst into songs of joy
Together,
You ruins of Jerusalem,
For the Lord has comforted His
People,
He has redeemed
Jerusalem.
The Lord will lay bare His holy
Arm
In the sight of all the
Nations,
And all the ends of the earth
Will see
The salvation of our God.”
Isaiah 52:5-10

McGee Commentary.- Isaiah spoke this in reference to the destruction of Babylon as he wrote to the southern kingdom of Judah. Nahum, writing to the northern kingdom, says the same thing but concerning Assyria.

Barnes Commentary.- Nahum joins on this signal complete deliverance from a temporal enemy, to the final deliverance of the people of God. The invasion of the Assyrian king was an avowed conflict with God Himself. It was a defiance of God.
The Assyrian king would make God’s people, his; he would cut them off, that it be no more a people, and that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

“The prophet, with irony and satire, ordered the Assyrians to prepare for the coming invasion …”

(Continuing Nahum 2) Verse 2 “Guard the rampart, watch the way, strengthen the loins (prepare all your strength for conflict), exceedingly firm up the power. For Jehovah has turned (aside) the glory (the honored position) of Jacob (the ancestor, the tribal head of the nation Israel), like the glory of Israel (illuminating the Law & holy standard of God). For those emptying (the people of God of their occupied habitation of righteousness) have emptied them, and their branches (their judicial system and courts extending or from the expansion of their personal interests or activities through the practice of a free and equal representation of the people as a righteous and just system of civil government) they have destroyed.”

(Review)
ISAIAH 14:1-2 “For Jehovah will have pity on Jacob, and will chose yet among Israel, and give them rest on their [home] land. And the alien [left helpless in the face of oppression- who of necessity relied upon others for justice, since they were not in a position to demand it, or mete it out themselves] shall be joined to them; and they shall cling to the house of Jacob [in the thick of the battle of life- for Jacob is in enemy territory and threatened by a hostile world]. And peoples [strong in righteousness] shall take them and bring them to their place. And the house of Israel [whose very covenant safeguards the liberties of others] shall possess them [in an ethical sense] on the land of Jehovah for slaves and slave girls [who meekly accept being ruled by the laws of a free and democratic society], and they shall be [socially restrained] captives of their [law enforcing] captors [restoring and maintaining the boundaries of the law], and [in such a social posture] they shall rule over their [lawless and cruel] oppressors [the ruthless Babylonians- a formidable political world power of underground organized crime- involved in a secret bid for worldwide domination].”

McGee Commentary.- “It is very interesting that Nahum, with biting sarcasm, tells Assyria, ‘You sure had better fortify yourself. The Assyrians (the best fighting machine - ferocious looters, building their state by robbing other nations) spared no one, and they thought that their capital was impregnable and that they could withstand any kind of a judgment. But God is saying to this nation, ‘You are going to be destroyed.’”

Barnes Commentary.- For the emptiers (the Assyrians) have emptied them out. Unlike the world, their emptiness is their fullness, as the fullness of the world is its emptiness. The Church falls, but to arise; for the Lord has restored the excellency of Jacob; for the emptiers have emptied them out and marred their vine branches, i.e., its fruit-bearing branches.

(The Assyrains forces molded into an irrestable fighting machine - sought to reduce the whole civilized world into a single empire)

Barnes Commentary.- The Assyrian King then was not a picture only, he was the agent of Satan, who used his hands, feet, tongue, to blaspheme God and war against His people.

“After He has employed these nations, as Nineveh and Babylon, for a time to fulfill His purpose, He lays them aside. But, He, in the case of His elect people (whose very covenant safeguards the civil liberties of the alien), restores them to His favor again (illuminating the Law & holy standard of God, “signifying the nation’s restoration to the promised position” – far from the corporation of tyrannical imperialism)."

Henry Commentary.- Here is an alarm of war sent to Nineveh. The prophet speaks of it as just at hand, for it is neither doubtful nor far distant. O Nineveh! Keep the munitions’; secure your towers and magazines: watch the way; set guards upon all the avenues to the city; make your loins strong; encourage your soldiers; animate (rouse) yourself and them (into activity); fortify your power mightily, as cities do when an enemy is advancing against them: (this is spoken ironically); “do the utmost you can, yet you shall not be able to put by (prevail against) the stroke of this judgment, for there is not counsel of strength against the Lord.”
A manifesto published, showing the causes of the war: The Lord has turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel, that is, the Assyrians have been abusive to Jacob, the two tribes (the Assyrians have humbled and mortified them), have emptied them, and marred their vine-branches. For this God will reckon with them; though done long since, it shall come into the account now against the kingdom, and Nineveh the head-city of it. Emptiers have emptied the cities, and marred the vine-branches in the country of Jacob and Israel; and must not the excellency of Nineveh, that is so much her pride, be turned away too?

Calvin Commentary.- The Prophet again teaches us, that whatever he prophesied respecting the destruction of the city Nineveh, was for this end,- that God, by this remarkable evidence, might show that He had a care for His people, and that He was not unmindful of the covenant He had made with the children of Abraham. This prophecy would have otherwise produced no salutary (beneficial) effect on the Israelites; they might have thought that it was by chance, or by some fatal revolution or through some other cause, that Nineveh had been overthrown. Hence the Prophet shows, that the ruin of the city, and of the monarchy of Nineveh, would be a proof of the paternal love of God towards His chosen people, and that such a change was to be made for the sake of one people… because God…purposed that some seed should remain; for it would have been inconsistent, that the covenant, which was to be inviolate (unaltered, kept pure, not subject to change or destruction), should be abolished. We now then understand the Prophet’s object, and how this verse is to be connected with the rest of the context.
Behold, he says, on the mountains the feet of him who announces peace. There would be now free liberty to proclaim peace on the highest places.

Barker – Bailey Commentary (Expounded).- God promised the cessation of hostility and the restoration of autonomy (existence as independent moral agents) to the people of Judah (via the exclusivism of the covenant). No more would the wicked invade the people of Judah. They (the Assyrians) would be completely cut off, a word of assurance that Judah’s subservience to Assyria would soon end. Literally, the Hebrew reads, “for not again still to pass over you Belial.”
In this chapter the prophet warned the city of the coming destruction “with biting irony…” Like almost everyone in Judah, he looked and hoped for the destruction of Nineveh.

“An attacker advances against you, (Nineveh).
Guard the fortress,
Watch the road,
Brace yourselves,
Marshal all your strength!”

For Nahum the ultimate shatter was God Himself. No matter who the human agent of destruction might be, God rendered the Assyrians powerless (in an ethical sense). He planned to rescue the peoples of the world and particularly to rescue His chosen people from the iron hand of the oppressor.
God had decreed the destruction of Nineveh. The only thing the people of Nineveh could do was attempt to defend themselves. Human nature demands that citizens fight to defend their lives and their property even when the cause is hopeless.


“The Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob
Like the splendor of Israel,
Though destroyers have laid them waste
And have ruined their vines.”

Here is Nahum’s final word directed overtly to Judah. From this verse all else flows. Because God has decided to restore Judah’s splendor, the battle must be engaged. Nineveh’s splendor must vanish from the earth. Destruction for Nineveh meant comfort for Judah.
The message of the book is one of comfort to Judah by ending the oppression of Nineveh. Jacob will be restored because Nineveh’s oppression will end. In fact, all the peoples will feel restoration at the fall of the oppressor. When the peoples hear the word of Assyria’s demise, they will clap their hands, for all had felt the cruelty of the Assyrian power.

Robertson Commentary.- Nahum had been called of God to stand against the powers that be. But he did not discharge his duty of prophetic proclamation in a perfunctory (hasty or superficial) manner. Instead, he summoned the full force of his fertile imagination to communicate the fact that the mighty oppressor, still hovering over its cowed victims, would crumble into dust.

McComisky Commentary.- Nahum now relates a vision that he has received from God. It describes the demise of Nineveh. Nahum sees the end clearly; there is no doubt about the outcome. This one vividly portrays the confusion and horror that will come on the inhabitants of Nineveh when they meet their fate.
We imagine Nahum once again viewing the attacking army from the watchtower of Nineveh. As he does, he is caught up in a vision of the end of that city. Although he wrote these words years before the event, it is as if he were there. This vision imparts to the reader a feeling of certainty that what it depicts will be fulfilled. God has allowed the prophet to see the demise of Nineveh in vivid detail. There is no doubt that this event will take place.
(Continuing Nahum 2) Verse 4 “The (defensive) shield (the protective guard) of his mighty ones (raised in the defense of his battle axe, used for the hacking down of others for self-advancement and dominion) has become red (the color associated with blood and war); the men of valor (the men of courage, especially that shown in war or battle) (are) clothed in scarlet (the color of spilled blood as an ornamented ideological covering); with the (burning) fire of iron (irresistible war machines) (shall be) the chariots (symbolizing the doctrine or dogma upon which many ride) in that day of his preparation (of arraying for battle); and the cypresses (symbolizing men who conform to the authoritative standard of God) are made to quiver.”

A Teaching for Consideration – (A Disclaimer to Antichrist’s Claims)
Consider the Cypress

RIGHTEOUSNESS- is defined as holy and upright living, in accordance with God’s standard. The word “righteousness” comes from a root word that means “straightness.” It refers to a state that conforms to an authoritative standard. Righteousness is a moral concept. God’s character is the definition and source of all righteousness. Therefore, the righteousness of human beings is defined in terms of God’s.

CORPORATE UNITY OF MAN WITH GOD
HOSEA 14:9 “’I (Jehovah) am as a green cypress. From Me your fruit [the state of bearing a tree of like kind] is found.”

The corporate unity of Man with God is tied to purity of heart and moral rectitude of life; being and doing right. The righteousness or justice of God is the divine holiness applied in moral government and the domain of law. As an attribute of God it is united with His holiness as being essential in His nature; it is legislative, as He is the righteous governor of all; and is administrative or judicial, as He is a just dispenser of rewards and punishments.
In theology, as in the Scriptures, the terms justice and righteousness are used synonymously. The justice of God is both an essential and relative attribute of the divine existence. It is a necessary outflow from the holiness of God.

In summary, the non-corrosive tempering agent of “righteousness,” keeps the standard of the law in tack, yet, provides a judicial “balance” for the maintenance of moral purity. In this capacity, the doing of judgment for the maintenance of righteousness- can surpass the letter of the law. Righteousness is a fruit of just judgment; the two go hand in hand.

Revelation 22:14-15 “Blessed [favored for success] (are) those doing the command of Him [fearing the Lord, walking in His ways and obeying Him], that will be the authority of them over the tree of life, and by the gates [of “Grace and Hope” for all humanity] they [(those) applying the Golden Rule - keeping to the paths of justice- safeguarding the rights and liberties of others, while maintaining the boundaries of the law] may enter into the city [of refuge]. But the dogs (are) outside [wickedly enraged and unpitying malicious wretches who hound the god fearers to their doom]…”

Key to World Peace

Universal Ethical Norm

The people of Israel were themselves once immigrants and God had told them in Leviticus (19:33-34): "When an alien (a nonmember of the covenant community) resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself (do unto him as you would have him do unto you), for you were once aliens in the land of Egypt."


Global Ethic

The Old Testament. The term "Golden Rule" is not found in Scripture, but is the popular way of referring to the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31. Jesus states, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." With regard to the Old Testament, two main points prevail. Matthew's citation presents the Golden Rule as encapsulating the teachings of the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12 reads, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Second, even though the Golden Rule addresses human interpersonal relationships, its message is essentially theo- logical, serving as the “ethical bridge” that joins the Golden Rule with the message of the Old Testament. For these two points, the sum of the law and the cultural superior nature of the Golden Rule, are both found here. When asked what was the greatest commandment, Jesus claimed that to love God totally and to love one's neighbor as oneself was the sum of the Law and the Prophets. Obeying the mandate to love one's neighbor ( Lev 19:18 ) essentially conveys the Golden Rule.

The immediate context of the Golden Rule in Leviticus 19:18 is restricted to the covenant community upholding the Divine Law as the Ethical rule of conduct, thusly protecting religious freedoms, values and interests. The Golden Rule then is an ethical code that states one has a right to just treatment, regardless of race, sex or religion, along with the responsibility to ensure justice for others. The “alien” in Israel is not to be mistreated, but is to be regarded as a native-born Israeli. “When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19: 33-34)

A key element of the golden rule is that a person attempting to live by this rule treats all people, not just members of his or her in-group, with consideration. Defined another way, it “refers to the balance in an interactive system such that each party has both rights and duties, and that one’s rights are the other’s obligation."

There is to be no respecting of persons. Likewise Exodus 34:6 represents an often repeated theme in the Old Testament. God's love, mercy, and grace far exceed His desire to punish the wicked.

God's benevolence to Israel is paradigmatic of his goodwill toward all humans. His compassion for people is seen in His love for the aliens among Israel, pagan nations.

Therefore the "Golden Rule" presents God as having unconditional positive regard for all human beings. In order to be perfect as He is perfect, and to be "sons of the Most High, " we are to emulate the purest altruism and uncompromising impartiality of the Father, who seeks only the good of his creatures.

Several passages in the New Testament quote Jesus of Nazareth espousing the golden rule, including the following:

Matthew 7:12
12Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Luke 6:31
31And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

Luke 10:25-28
25And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 28And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

Jesus taught: “If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” In all truth, how could it be otherwise.
What by measure has surpassed the law in moral value?

THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW
Consider the Word’s of Jesus
MATTHEW 5:17-20 “’Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the (testimony of the) Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Revelation 7:9-17 “After these things I (John) saw, and behold, a great crowd which no one was able to number them, out of every nation, even tribes and peoples and tongues standing in front of the throne, and before the Lamb, having been clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. And they cry with a great voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb.’”
Verse 11 “And all the angels and of the elders and of the four living creatures stood around the throne. And they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God, saying, ‘Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Verse 13 “And one of the elders answered, saying to me, ‘These, the ones having been clothed in white robes, who are they, and from where did they come?’”
Verse 14 “And I (John) said to him, ‘Sir, you know.’”
“And he said to me, ‘These are those coming out of the great affliction [commencing at the crucifixion and ascension of Jesus- a time when the brotherhood had been broken between Israel and Judah], and whitened e robes of them in the [innocent] blood of the Lamb [who set the course of human history toward reconciliation with God]. Therefore they [those inside the confines of the city] are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night [continually and unceasingly] in the temple of Him. And the (One) sitting on the throne tabernacled over them.”
Verse 16 “Not they will hunger longer, nor will they thirst longer, nor not shall fall on them the (relentless scorching of the garish) sun, nor every (kind of) heat (unrelenting judgment) because the Lamb in the midst of the throne will shepherd them, and will lead them upon fountains (the source) of living waters [reviving afflicted souls], and God will wipe off every tear from the eyes of them.”

WILL THE LIVING WATER LEAD US TO THE “TREE OF LIFE”?
(FOLLOWING THE TRAIL – A WILDERNESS PILGRIMAGE to the TREE Of LIFE)


REVELATION 22:1-6 “And he [the messenger of God] showed me [John] a clean river [in a moral sense] of water of life [waters of blessing, sustaining, reviving and invigorating provision], bright light crystal [free from impurity] coming forth out of the throne [the judgment seat] of God, and of the Lamb.”
Verse 2 “In (among the) midst of the street (the thoroughfare) of it, and of the river, from here and from there (on either side), a tree of life producing twelve fruits according to one month (the applicable season) yielding the (ripened) fruit of it.”

TREE of LIFE.- “The tree of life is an image of life and immortality, but also of irretrievable loss. Except for four metaphoric references in Proverbs, reference to the tree of life occurs only in Genesis and Revelation. The tree of life thus connects the creation of the world to the re-created world that is to come.

Proverbs 3:18 “She (Wisdom) is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who hold her fast.”

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy Ones [the prophets of Jehovah giving witness to the word of God] is understanding.”

Proverbs 8:13 “To fear the Lord is to hate evil…”

Proverbs 3:19 “By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place…”



SUMMARY:
Wisdom, hatred of evil is a tree of life.

Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the just is a tree of life and he who wins souls is wise.
Proverbs 15:4 “A healing tongue [a word of godly counsel] is a tree of life, but perversity in it [distorting the course of justice] is a breaking in the spirit.”

CONCLUSSION: The Tree of Life represents, morally principled words of godly counsel, respectable, upright words, based upon the hatred of evil: The counsel of true wisdom.

The Fruit of the Tree of Life
How to Obtain Eternal Life – Teachings of Jesus

Matthew 19:16-22 “Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?’”
Verse 17 “’Why do you ask me about what is good?’ Jesus replied, ‘There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.’”
Verse 18 “’Which ones?’ the man inquired.”
“Jesus replied, ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and ‘love your neighbor (the aliens) as yourself.’’”
“’All these I have kept,’ the young man said, ‘What do I still lack?’”
“’Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.’”
Verse 22 “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

Jesus told the man to keep the Ten Commandments. As the First Commandment forbids the worship of any false god, seen or unseen, it is here forbidden to worship an image of any sort, whether the figure of a false deity or one in any way symbolical of Jehovah. Only One is good. Obey God. Do good to the alien. This Christ declared to be the second commandment of the law.

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself
Mark 12:28-31 “And one of the scribes come and heard them arguing, and recognizing that he (Jesus) had answered them well, ask him, ‘What commandment is the foremost of all?’ Jesus answered, “The foremost is, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God in one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

JOHN 13:34-35 (Jesus Taught) “’A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’”

LIFE IN CHRIST
(Catechism of the Catholic Church)
The Ten Commandments

“Teacher, what must I do…?”

2052 “Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?” To the young man who asked this question, Jesus answers first by invoking the necessity to recognize God as the “One there is who is good,” as the supreme Good and the source of all good. Then Jesus tells him: “If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” And he cites for his questioner the precepts that concern love of neighbor: “You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.” Finally Jesus sums up these commandments positively: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Based on the testimony of Jesus, two fundamental elements temper and stabilize the moral standard of the law: (1) the testimony of the Prophets – by way of the “Word of God”; (2) and righteousness – through the application of the Golden Rule - keeping to the paths of justice- safeguarding the rights and liberties of others, while maintaining the boundaries of the law, as a non-corrosive admixture used as a principle designed for the maintenance of “moral rightness” – at times when a rigid law fails to be a boarder of defense for the innocent and becomes instead a malicious tool for the wicked. In such a posture the non-corrosive admixture of just judgment owes its flourish state to the rightness of an action under a particular circumstance or situation.

Example:
In a comparative analogy- the only “corrosion-resistance” admixture within the scope of ethics is “righteousness.” For example, the law of God was written on “stone,” but the law in and of itself is not corrosion-resistant- it can fail.

In certain circumstance the law can fall short in its objective to maintain a border of defense for the innocent and actually became- instead a malicious tool for the wicked. For example, the law says, “Thou shalt not lie.” Written on stone it is a cold hard and brittle Law. The question arises, “Would it be wrong to tell a lie even to a would-be murderer who came to your door seeking to kill an innocent person hidden in your house.” This kind of situation illustrates the following testimony of Jesus.

Could it be imagined that the “Ten Commandments” are symbolized as the first of the ten “fruits” of the tree of life? Jesus taught: “If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” In all truth, how could it be otherwise.

“Teacher, what must I do…?”

2052 “Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?” To the young man who asked this question, Jesus answers first by invoking the necessity to recognize God as the “One there is who is good,” as the supreme Good and the source of all good. Then Jesus tells him: “If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” And he cites for his questioner the precepts that concern love of neighbor: “You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.” Finally Jesus sums up these commandments positively: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Analysis
Review
Based on the testimony of Jesus, two fundamental elements temper and stabilize the moral standard of the law: (1) the testimony of the Prophets – the “Word of God”; and (2) righteousness, as a non-corrosive admixture used as a principle designed for the maintenance of “moral rightness” – at times when a rigid law has failed.

Consequently, the last two “fruits” associated with the “tree of Life” – have a direct reference to the “prophets,” (the “Word of God”) and the tempering element of “righteous judgment,” geared toward the maintenance of moral purity in its highest standard- thus successfully surpassing the law in moral virtue. As two fruits of the tree of life they could symbolize: (1) The “Word of God,” the testimony of Jesus and the Prophets; and (2) the doing of “judgment” for the maintenance of righteousness.

(Continuing Revelation 22:1-6) Verse 2 “In (among the) midst of the street (the thoroughfare) of it, and of the river, from here and from there (on either side), a tree of life producing twelve fruits [(1-10) the ten legislative enactments: the “Ten Commandments”’ followed by (11) the fruit of the ” Word of God”, viewed as the testimony of Jesus and the Old Testament Prophets; (12) righteousness – through the application of the Golden Rule - keeping to the paths of justice- safeguarding the rights and liberties of others, while maintaining the boundaries of the law, as a non-corrosive admixture used as a principle designed for the maintenance of “moral rightness”) (each) according to one month (the applicable season) yielding the (ripened) fruit of it. And the leaves of the tree [providing a divinely sectioned Ethical Norm as a shelter of protection for all peoples] (will be) for healing [restorative medicine] of the nations. And every curse will not be longer [for those having set in order his moral duty and obligation aright].”

“ Empathy is at the root of kindness, compassion, understanding and respect – qualities that we all appreciate being shown, whoever we are, whatever we think and wherever we come from. And although it isn’t possible to know what it really feels like to be a different person or live in different circumstances and have different life experiences, it isn’t difficult for most of us to imagine what would cause us suffering and to try to avoid causing suffering to others. For this reason many people find the Golden Rule’s corollary – “do not treat people in a way you would not wish to be treated yourself” – more pragmatic. [29]

The Golden rule appears to have an evolutionary basis, having a common descent from the teaching of God, boarding the scope of ethical responsibilities of the Jews as it pertains to reciprocal relationships toward all mankind.

The golden rule has its roots in a wide range of world cultures, and is a standard which different cultures use to resolve conflicts; it was present in the philosophies of ancient India, Greece, Judea and China. Principal philosophers and religious figures have stated it in different ways, but its most common English phrasing is attributed to Jesus of Nazareth in the Biblical book of Matthew: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."