The Second Biggest Lie in Christianity -Maybe!

  About a year ago, I wrote the blog post that I had been contemplating and waiting to write for a year. It was about the lie of eternal conscious torment and a place we've learned about called Hell.  (The Biggest Most Egregious Lie )   I had spent over a year looking for this place called hell in the Bible, and I could not find it as we've been described.  I searched the Scriptures and did numerous searches from Bible teachers.  The only thing I found were twisted Scriptures taken out of context which were never meant to devise this place called Hell that man made up.  Today, many more people are finding out the truth about this lie.  Sadly, too many people want this lie to be the truth.  I have to admit there are times when I see someone's evil activity under the sun and wish there was a hell with eternal concious torment, but wishing something to be true does not make it true.  

    Well, I'm on a new quest this year to find out if there really is a heaven as we know it.  Now, I know the Bible speaks of heaven, but it speaks of it in three different means.  There's the sky above, outer space, and the place where YHVH GOD dwells, but is it a place where humans go when they die.  I've searched again and again, and I cannot find where Jesus/Yeshua said that we go there right after we die.  Sure, there's that place called Paradise that he mentioned to the thief on the cross next to him, however, the Greek language back then had no punctuation, so if you read the Scripture with the correct grammar it could say, And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you today,  you will be with Me in Paradise.”  In other words, today meant the day he said it, not that he would be in Paradise that day with him, because we all know that Jesus did NOT go to Paradise that day.  In fact, three days later, after he was resurrected, he told Mary in "John 20:17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’  So, the thief on the cross could not have been with Jesus in Paradise on that day because we know Jesus did not ascend until 40 days after He was resurrected.  

    Paul said over and over again he was persecuted for speaking about "the Resurrection" as if it not had happened yet.  The Bible says in Revelation that there will be a first resurrection after the Tribulation and the wrath of GOD and before the 1,000 year reign of Christ.  How can there be a first resurrection if there's been millions with each passing death?  Sure, there's those two passages Paul speaks of when he says, "To die is gain to live is Christ," or that he wish to depart and be with the LORD."  Who doesn't wish to depart and be with GOD?  Apart from the body does mean to be with GOD, consciously, but is it immediate.  Yet, he also said that those who died have "fallen asleep."  So what does this fallen asleep mean?  I asked YHVH GOD this question, and I think I got the answer.  Now, I'm not saying this is the absolute truth, facts, and divine revelation, however, I was reminded of the 10-plus times that I've had general anesthesia.  Immediately, a memory flashed before me and I evaluated that memory as if maybe the Holy Spirit was having me do that.  

   Every time I go to sleep, I dream. I am not exaggerating, I thought this was normal, but apparantly not everyone who closes their eyes starts to dream, but I always have.  I am aware of time when I am dreaming. I am semi-conscious.  I wake up several times a night, remember my dream for a few seconds before I go back to sleep and dream some more.  Sometimes, I even know when I am dreaming. Let me tell you, those are scarier moments, because I'm aware this dream could turn into a night terror to which I've been plagued all of my life.  Most times during those night terrors where I am aware that I am dreaming I am unable to wake myself up.  Many a night terror when I realized I was having a nightmare I have tried over and over to wake myself up.  So, while I'm asleep, I am aware of time and space.  What does this have to do with general anesthesia?  Well, all the  times that I have had general anesthesia I remember being given the drugs to fall asleep.  I remember fighting the effects, the last seconds before I sleep, then I only remember waking up in the recovery room.  I have been put out for as short as 30 minutes to as long as six hours.  Maybe the Holy Spirit was telling me that falling asleep under general anesthesia is like dying.  There is only the memory of the last few seconds until we wake up at The Resurrection. Ecclesiastes tells us that the dead know nothing, they remember nothing. 

   We've all heard story after story of people who have died and had a memory of going to heaven or hell, but those are people's stories of dying and coming back.  Maybe they weren't truly dead.  I honestly do not know.  I know one person whose heart stopped and was brought back, and she said all she remember was seeing total pitch dark.  But, the point is she remembers and she lived another four years before she died permanently.  Ecclesiastes says that the dead have no memory. 

  The point of this blog post to get you to think, not to answer your questions, because I too have questions.  Scripture does not say that we immediately go to heaven. It says that we obtain eternal life for trusting in Jesus, but it does not say when.  Christianity has implicated that we do go immediately based on a few Scriptures that do not expressly say that.  It is interpretation by a religion, not absolute fact written in words.  Paul once mentions going to the third heaven whether in the body or not.  Maybe he did die and was given a brief explanation of what is to come in the Resurrection or maybe it was a dream.  I know that I have had two such dreams and one was similar to Paul's.  I knew it was a dream after I woke up, however, it was too incredible to describe in mere words.  Maybe in my dream YHVH GOD was giving me a glimpse of the Resurrection, because at the time, I was in a very dark and depressed time of my life where all I wanted to do was die.  Maybe, He was showing me what to live for, that my reward would come, but there's is no promise that the reward is immediate.  The other dream I had I was conscious of the fact that the end of my life was coming, but there was no heaven at the end, just a blank space of peace.  (The Best Dream I Ever Had ). 

   Scripture tells us a parable, and that is all it truly is, a parable of Lazarus and the rich man, where Lazarus is comforted in Abraham's bosom. There is no mention of Paradise. There were so many reasons for him to tell that parable based on their present culture. It wasn't about whether there is a hell or heaven, but who was eligible for eternal life. In those days, those ancient people assumed only the rich would be resurrected to Paradise just because blessings in this life meant blessings in the after life. They assumed that the poor were cursed. Jesus was telling them what they thought was wrong. 

  I am still in the research stages, but to tell you the truth, I am comforted at the fact that when I do die, whether or not I remember the days, months, or years that I am in the grave, one day I will wake up to be with my GOD and my Savior.  Soul sleep sounds pretty good to me if it's anything like general anesthesia, because right now, my memories of what has been are pretty painful because of what this mama of 8 has lost.  I've lost those precious little babies and children to some full grown wonderful adults, but I still miss those babies who are gone forever.  

NO SUCH THING AS FAILING GOD!

     As a former leftist, liberal, feminist, then uppity church pew dweller, then prodigal, and all around screw-up, I know about as much about YHVH GOD, who created the universe as the average human screw-up. I'm far from an expert, but I have studied the Bible inside, outside, and upside down. I've studied the historicity of it and how GOD dealt with His people throughout the ages, especially His heroes who were total screw-ups. (They were all men, by the way, no women screw-ups in his heroine list that I could find!) I have lived in the fiery furnace of affliction for decades, some by my own doing, some not, and there is one thing that keeps coming back to me, and it's as old as Genesis. GOD predicted man's downfall and need for redemption before he even created the first man. He foreknew of their need deliverance. There is not one event or period of apostasy that GOD did not predict and even anticipate for his people and for each individual. The plan was set, but man being a dense as he is, he had to learn the hard way. I'm like that. I learn by trial and error, mostly error. What I'm going to tell you isn't rocket science, so it is not going to require a very long explanation. (But don't count on that from a writer!)

       GOD IS OMNISCIENT!

   What does Omniscient mean?  Well, it means that before you were born, GOD knew every mistake you would make. He knew about that mathematical error on your first grade math paper, to the low score on your SAT's because you were out partying the night before the exam.  He knew about the D you got in Geology 101 as a college freshman, because you skipped class that was the maps portion of the course and you turned in a blank final exam.  He also knew about that girl or boy that you would charm into bed because, well, they were hot, and you were dumped by the love of your life. He knew about that bad marriage and all the mistakes you would make in it.  He knew that child you screwed up the first time around parenting because you had awful parents and you had no idea what you were doing as a new parent.  He knew about that guy you fell head-over-heals in love with right after your husband dumped you.  He knew that you'd cave into your heart's desire even though you knew how wrong it was.  He also knew the pain you would suffer for that decision for years to come, and that's what brought real spiritual growth in your life.  He knew that after the biggest mistake of your life you would dedicate your life to Him, even if that meant a lonely existence with no new love in your life for the rest of your days.  

  Are you catching on?  He knew all the mistakes you were going to make. As a matter of fact, He actually weaved the lessons you would learn from them into your life to teach you how to be a better person and servant.  He loved and corrected you like a son or a daughter, because He knew that you would be a devoted one.  GOD knew that all your mistakes would get you a PhD in the college of Hard Knocks, and you would turn it all around and write a block buster book that would go viral after you left this earth.  The whole time you were screwing up, He knew that there would be other screw-ups who would someday need a screw-up to look up to!  Learn this one fact, there is no way to fail GOD, because even if you did not do all those things like I did,  He knew that He had a purpose for your life, and He was going to accomplish it whether you wanted Him to or not.  And, here's the kicker, for those outside the family of GOD, you did not fail Him either, because He knew that you would never turn to Him and want to turn your life around to do something good for the Kingdom.  It's impossible to fail someone who knows your every thought, word and deed before you were even born.  

     If you are a parent, tell me, do you love your children?  Are they perfect?  Did you ever stop loving them with each mistake they made?  When they were born did you expect them to be perfect, or did you know that there would be a lifetime of mistakes that they would make before they turned thirty? It is just like you understand your rebellious teen because it's a phase, one you yourself went through.  Your child did not fail you when they went through that awkward stage of thinking they knew more than you at the ripe old age of fourteen.  We cannot fail the Omniscient Creator who knew long before you took your first breath that you would be total screw-up, but one that He loved enough to send His Son for so you could live with Him forever in Paradise.  The next time you see a post where someone confesses to fail GOD, send them my way, so I can straighten them out, because that's my job.  

 RIZPAH AND OTHER UNKONWNS (Part 2) 

   Since beginning the new wonderful job GOD has given me, I've not written a single word in almost nine months, but that doesn't mean I've not contemplated a thousand things.  This one theme of "nobodies" has been on my mind for a very long time, and I knew that my previous post Rizpah and Other Unknowns Part 1 needed a part 2.  I just had to wait until the Almighty gave it to me.  This story of Naomi has been on my mind for sometime, as I myself have many times considered myself a Naomi, a Mara, bitter because of one man's decision.  Many times, I have felt abandoned by GOD, however, I know that "emotions have no intellect and facts have no feelings;" a truth my Savior taught me many, many years ago.  

    A few years back, I studied this book with my favorite TORAH teacher.  For your studying pleasure, may I suggest you listen and learn from this great teacher.  The Book of Ruth.  In that wonderful study, I learned more about this books true message from the Hebrew aspect.   When I studied it in the Christian church, I learned a completely different lesson from it.  That is true for all of Scripture.  If we do not know the true ancient Hebrew mindset from the writer's and listener's perspective, we miss the most meaningful truths from Scripture.  We must take off our 21st Century lenses, our contemporary (Christian) glasses and see it from the writer's perspective, the listener's perspective and from those living out these wonderful stories.  The premises of this post is about people who are nobodies in people's eyes, but somebodies in YHVH GOD's eyes.  The Most High has a Name, He gave it to Moses because He wanted it known to His people.  It is Yod Hey Vav Hey.  He wants His name known, and He does it with nobodies. The nobody I'm referring today is called Naomi, or Mara, in her own words. 

    This poor woman was subject to the sin of her husband and sons.  Yes, I said sin.  Her husband left the Holy land of Bethlehem and went to a foreign land, one he was told never to dwell in.  He went because of a famine, instead of trusting YHVH GOD to be his Provider. He went to provide for himself and his family.  Then, after he earned for himself, he kept his family in that foreign land instead of returning to the place from which YHVH GOD had placed him.  Not only did he commit this sin of self-reliance, but he taught his sons the same sin.  YHVH GOD's judgment fell upon him and he died.  So, what did his sons do?  Did they return to the Holy land and bring their mother home? Did they choose obedience to marry only  their own kind?  We know the answer to that.  They married Moabite women, which they knew was a sin against GOD.  So, GOD's judgment fell upon them, also.  Not only were they not allowed sons of their own in the ten years they were married, but they were taken out by GOD Himself, and rightly so.  

    Naomi, the nobody in a foreign land, who was not allowed to do her own thing in a man's world back then, did what she knew to be correct after the judgment of GOD fell upon her husband and sons.  She returned to the land which GOD told them to dwell, and she took her daughters-in-law with her, because when a daughter joins a family in marriage, they become part of that family for life.  One foolishly returned to her own land and family, but one wisely chose the better route.  Maybe she did because her mother-in-law taught her of this Wonderful GOD she worshiped and obeyed.  The nobody named Naomi submitted to the male authority in her life, her husband, because that was what was expected of her, but when GOD took away that authority, she did the next best thing, gave herself back to her Creator.  He, in turn, did not let her down, although, from her perspective, she saw it differently.  

     She saw herself cursed of GOD, but her perspective did not matter to her God, because YHVH GOD had a better plan, a better redemption that was awaiting her when she obeyed.  She was an old woman, too old to be married again in order to reproduce, but not too old to be redeemed.  The book of Ruth is the name for the book, but it is not the main theme of the book.  The book's main character and theme is really about Naomi's redemption,  and the ancient Hebrews would have known this.  The Leverite Marriage law's purpose was to extend a family's heritage. Naomi was too old to have more children, so that responsibility to extend the family's heritage fell upon her daughter-in-law Ruth. 

  Most Christians have adopted this book as a book about a gentile woman grafted in to the Israelite branch, just as they are grafted in by Yeshua into the Vine.  Sadly, some Christian denominations think they have replaced the Vine and have become the vine themselves, hence replacement theology.  Isn't it ironic that some gentile Christian churches  have replaced the true theme of a Hebrew book with a gentile main character, when the true meaning of the book is about a faithful Hebrew woman, discarded by men, but protected by YHVH GOD.  Naomi, a nobody widow who was somebody to GOD,  somebody enough for Him to rescue from a foreign land who practice pagan god worship, and brought her back to redemption through His Patriarchal Laws for the provision for women. 

    It is call the Levirate Marriage Law, and it is to protect women, because GOD honors women more than man likes to admit or obey.  I learned for over two decades that the theme of the book of Ruth is about a kinsman redeemer, a Hebrew named Boaz, for a gentile named Ruth.  Boaz  is a predecessor for a gentile's Kinsmen Redeemer who is the true Israelite Messiah for the Hebrews and also the gentiles.  Yeshua is the  Kinsman Redeemer for a people grafted into the Israelite Vine.  Gentiles are the branches grafted in, not the vine themselves.  Note, Ruth did not take Boaz home to Moab, instead, she was grafted into the Israelite religion and custom and under the Laws of Moses.  So, again, this post is about two nobodies who were rescued and redeemed by The Most High, one a true Hebrew, and one a gentile. Yet, these two nobodies, back then,  now live in infamy because of their obedience.   Ruth was just a recipient and benefactor of Naomi's obedience. We too can benefit from that spirit of obedience and humility as nobodies to men but somebodies to YHVH GOD.  Our obedience does not only benefit us, but those watching us, also.