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This is God's ideal for the world. But look what happens at Babel. There the energy of human beings is directed at maintaining unity, God seeks diversity; human beings seek one centre; God seeks dispersal; Human beings want to be safe with homogeneity; God welcomes pluralism. Here in the story that emerges in chapter 11 the centrifugal energy of God is in conflict with the centripetal force of human beings.

But before we get there, a wee word on another city builder, this time it's Nimrod the hero.

In Chapter 4 of Genesis, Cain builds the first city and intends it as a city of refuge in an attempt to escape the judgment of God. Cities emerge as places to hide. Here the cities built by Nimrod are launchpads for Empire.

It is as if Cain, exiled from the environment of his origins, seeks to construct one of his own bounded this time not by rivers but by walls. If the open reaches of the creation were to be places of threat and condemnation for him, then he chooses instead to establish a secure community, where that threat, which was part of God’s judgment, is removed.

Given time however, the security of the walls of the city are breached, not by outside enemies but from within the family itself, with the violence of Lamech who glorifies his actions in song, one of the cultural developments of the city. It seems that violence is never far from the one who is alienated.

The story moves on then to the great hunter Nimrod. He is described as a ‘mighty warrior’ (Gen 10:8) who grew to be a ‘mighty hunter before the Lord’ (Gen 8:9). Unlike his ancestor Cain, who sought refuge from violence in the building of a city, Nimrod becomes the first empire builder and builds cities as the staging posts for his expansion.

“The first centres of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Ninevah, Rehoboth Ir, Calah and Resen, which is between Ninevah and Cala; that is, the great city.” (Gen 10:10-12)

Jacques Ellul draws our attention to the curious phrase ‘a mighty hunter before the Lord’ (Gen 10:9) and argues that ‘before the Lord’ may indicate some sense of condemnation or approbation and that, in reality, Nimrod is separated from the Lord His designation as hunter may also be termed ‘plunderer’ or ‘conqueror’. Ellul thus argues that Nimrod is a man of violence who launches his mission of empire building in defiance of, or distance, from God. Whatever the merits of this argument, it is clear that city building becomes the means by which Nimrod gains a formidible reputation and this leads Ellul to comment that,

“The city is now a centre from which war is raged. Urban civilisation is a warring civilisation. Conqueror and builder are no longer distinct. Both are included in one man, and both are an expression of that desire for might which is revolt against the Lord.”

The centrifugal force of the creation mandate is opposed by the centripetal force of human will expressed in urbanisation, and the conflict is centred on the city of Babel.

So, my question is...Where did we get our modern day "Nimrod?"

Originally Posted by David Ben-Ariel The Church of God needs to clarify and make widely known the biblical position on race and grace.

Response by talkingchristian Yes. God is the author of the wonderful diversity of human existence, and this diversity can only be preserved, and the unique contributions of each group fully realised, within national and sovereign homelands. The cultural marxist (pc) agenda wishes to erase all distinctions of race and gender, and Christians promoting this are fighting God and promoting the doctrine of Babel and Nimrod.
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The Plain Truth About Race And Responsibility

Also, does anyone else laugh at the poor jackarses who buy Suburbans and do notknow how to park them? I watched this nimrod take 5 shots at parking his suburban cattle van so that he would NOT park inside the lines. This arse purposely parks in an end spot so his giant truck can spill out into traffic.

Dude- no one wants to hit your door with their door, but did you stop to think of the people who are driving who may take out the other side of your vehicle? I think I might need to ask about it...I'll keep you informed.

The (UK) Government has responded by stating that it remains committed to the MRA4 Nimrod replacement programme.

The current Nimrod MR2 has become of a matter of concern, with a number of relatively recent media stories referring to problems with the aircraft, and concerns over leaks in the fuel system. In September 2006, 14 crew members died (12 based at RAF Kinloss) when their aircraft crashed in service in Afghanistan.

Although the aircraft has seen considerable upgrading over the years, to extend its life, and the operator has said that it is operating satisfactorily, suggestions that the replacement programme be scrapped, without an alternative, have led to calls that such a move could put lives at risk if the existing aircraft are subsequently obliged to extend their operating lives even further than currently expected.

These days, I can still get a hard copy of the Post - three days late - but surfing and blogging are a fair substitute.

Something to share while I got do a crossword (online, since my local Sunday paper hasn't made it here yet) is this little tidbit from Your Three Cents (via that radio babe who definitely doesn't have a face for radio, Miss Cellania)

 And to be fair to our president (I still refuse to capitalize the title while that f**kwit's in office), our own former governor Jim Gilmore showed his own continuing fiscal prudence in the news last week.

Who'da thunk that, after running Virginia's transportation system into the ground and adding another $100 million annual burden to our state budget, that Gilmore would have been given a chance to preside over another good financial screwing?

(fom Associated Press, via Yahoo News)

RICHMOND, Va. - Former Gov. Jim Gilmore, who was criticized for his handling of state finances, was chairman of a Bear Stearns subsidiary set up to market some of its highest-risk securities tied to the home mortgage industry meltdown.

One money manager said Gilmore's involvement in Everquest Financial Ltd. reflected his "naivete" in finance. Gilmore, a Republican, is now running for U.S. Senate.

Two troubled hedge funds managed by Bear Stearns owned a 60 percent share of Everquest when it was created in 2006. Everquest withdrew its bid for an initial public offering last June amid criticism of the hedge funds — which saw the mortgages underlying the bonds in some of their holdings fall sharply in value because of increased mortgage defaults.

I can't wait to see the vote tally in our senatorial election.

Stilletto can appreciate this little side story. I got to watch one of the final public appearances of Jim Gilmore in our fine corner of Virginia before that idiot sailed off into hopefully permanent public oblivion. After presenting a big foam core check for some funding with which he had essentially noting to do with obtaining, Gilmore stood around for an hour in a chapel at what was then Clinch Valley College. He and his aides picked at the table of refreshments, half-heartedly nibbling at mini-muffins or cookies and drinking canned soda while waiting for the fog to lift so they could catch a plane out of town.

Several lawmakers who attended the event didn't stay to talk with the governor - they beat it as soon as the presentation was over. After a few folks who just wanted to be able to say they shook hands with the governor did so, the chapel emptied in about 5 minutes.

Hemingway might have written; "His party stood alone. In the chapel. In the fog."

I would have written; "What goes around comes around, with an extra 200 knots."

Abraão
Primeiro dos patriarcas, ele moldou a fé monoteísta e estendeu sua influência até os dias de hoje. Mas apesar de toda essa importância, a ciência acredita que ele jamais tenha existido.

O primeiro dos patriarcas bíblicos mudou para sempre o pensamento religioso da humanidade, ao introduzir a crença em um Deus único e onipresente. Tornou-se modelo de fé incondicional e da unidade entre os povos para seguidores do judaísmo, do cristianismo e do islamismo. Saiba o que a ciência já descobriu a respeito do Abraão histórico

O mundo espera, ansioso, a gradual concretização do plano de paz entre o governo israelense e organizações palestinas, que parece finalmente deixar o rol das boas intenções para se tornar realidade. Tal plano, chamado de "mapa de estrada", pretende pôr fim a décadas de conflitos sangrentos e atentados terroristas na região, apostando no cessar-fogo e na criação de um Estado palestino até 2005. A almejada paz entre judeus e muçulmanos, israelenses e árabes, remete à história de um homem que se tornou símbolo da fé desapegada e da unidade entre as nações e que, hoje, anda um tanto esquecido sob a poeira dos combates e da discórdia na Terra Santa. Esse homem é Abraão, o primeiro dos patriarcas bíblicos, considerado pai biológico, adotivo e ético de todos os povos. Figura fundamental nas três grandes tradições monoteístas - judaísmo, cristianismo e Islã -, carrega em si a idéia primordial da paz: se todas as nações são irmãs entre si, filhas de um único pai, por que existe ainda tanta guerra?

Conta o Gênesis, o primeiro livro da Bíblia, que Deus chamou Abraão e lhe disse: "Sai da tua terra, da tua parentela e da casa de teu pai e vai para a terra que te mostrarei. Eu farei de ti um grande povo, eu te abençoarei, engrandecerei teu nome. Sê tu uma bênção". Naquela época, Abraão era ainda Abrão, um homem de 75 anos de idade que vivia em Harã, importante centro comercial do mundo antigo e cidade da atual Turquia. Mesmo sem garantias prévias da dupla promessa de terra e descendência, Abraão acreditou em Javé, o Deus único, invisível e onipresente. Partiu sem saber para onde ia. Não levava nas mãos qualquer contrato que garantisse a posse de um trecho de terra. E, embora sua esposa Sara fosse estéril, não duvidou, em momento algum, que teria uma posteridade mais numerosa que as estrelas do céu. Foi sua fé plena e irrestrita em Javé que deu origem à tradição religiosa monoteísta, que prega a existência e a adoração de um só Deus, algo inovador no mundo antigo.

Hoje é impossível conceber o mundo sem o monoteísmo (mesmo que você não partilhe dessa concepção) - e sem Abraão.

A ciência ainda busca pistas sobre a existência desse personagem. Atualmente, historiadores, arqueólogos e estudiosos dos textos bíblicos admitem que provavelmente um homem chamado Abraão tenha vivido na chamada era dos patriarcas, período histórico que remete à Idade do Bronze, entre 2000 a.C. e 1500 a.C. Tabuinhas de argila encontradas em cidades próximas ao rio Eufrates, onde na Antiguidade se localizava a Mesopotâmia e hoje estão a Síria e o Iraque, indicam que os eventos da vida de Abraão, presentes no relato bíblico, podem ter realmente acontecido, mas não necessariamente protagonizados por um único homem.

O que hoje os especialistas afirmam é que um Abraão, chefe de um grupo seminômade, realmente existiu - talvez menos heróico e formidável que o Abraão bíblico, porém não menos importante para a história do seu povo. Assim como tantos outros chefes seminômades, o Abraão histórico deve ter deixado um legado fundamental para o seu clã. Sua história, contada de pai para filho, acabou prevalecendo sobre as demais e incorporando elementos, alheios à saga original, de outros personagens também conhecidos pelos povos da época. Talvez historicamente não tenha existido um só Abraão, mas vários, que ajudaram a compor o Abraão bíblico. Bem-vindo à história da bem-sucedida jornada rumo à Terra Prometida e à descendência numerosa. Uma jornada que ainda não acabou - nem para os fiéis, nem para a ciência.

A religião de Abraão

São 14 capítulos do Gênesis dedicados a Abraão. Ao contrário de outros profetas e personagens do Antigo Testamento, cuja saga começa a ser narrada a partir do nascimento, Abraão estréia já adulto. No início do relato, ele vive com seu pai, Terá, seus irmãos e sua esposa, Sara, em Ur, uma das cidades mais importantes do mundo antigo, localizada ao sul do rio Eufrates (veja mapa na página 44). Não tem filhos, porque Sara era estéril. Certo dia, Terá reúne Abraão, Sara e Ló, sobrinho do patriarca, e resolve seguir com a família para as terras de Canaã, que se estendiam do sudoeste da Síria até o Egito. Ao chegarem à cidade de Harã, depois de uma viagem longa e exaustiva, decidem ficar por lá mesmo. Terá morre. Abraão ouve pela primeira vez o chamado de Deus, que lhe promete terra e descendência. Sem pestanejar, ele deixa Harã e parte rumo à terra dos cananeus.

O relato bíblico narra o episódio como se Abraão fosse monoteísta desde sempre, segundo a concepção que temos hoje. No entanto, o Alcorão, livro sagrado dos muçulmanos, evoca passagens da vida do patriarca que não constam da Bíblia e que explicitam como se deu a adesão ao Deus único e o rompimento com a crença dos antepassados. Abraão (ou Ibrahim, como é chamado no Islã), ainda jovem, inicia seu itinerário religioso recusando a adoração dos astros. Nega os deuses petrificados como estátuas e parte para uma verdadeira batalha de fé contra a idolatria dos seus antepassados, destruindo os ídolos locais e pregando a existência de um único Deus - como fez o profeta Maomé mais de 20 séculos depois, quando o Estado Árabe estava se constituindo. O povo condenou Abraão à fogueira e, milagrosamente, ele se salvou. "Por revelação divina, Abraão sabia que deveria divulgar o Deus único, o monoteísmo", diz o xeque Ali Abdune, da Associação Mundial da Juventude Islâmica, em São Paulo.

"A aceitação dele ao chamado de Deus significou submissão total e voluntária à vontade divina. Abraão deixou tudo - por isso, se tornou o patriarca, o amigo de Deus."

Narrativas semelhantes são encontradas em textos apócrifos, como o Apocalipse de Abraão, e em histórias da tradição oral judaica, compiladas no Talmude. Uma das passagens relata que tanto o nascimento do patriarca quanto sua luta pessoal contra os ídolos foram previstos por astrólogos, que logo avisaram o rei Nimrod. Este decidiu matar o menino assim que ele nascesse, mas Terá, o pai, o escondeu numa caverna. Abraão ficou no esconderijo durante alguns anos. Ao sair, quando viu o Sol pela primeira vez, pensou consigo mesmo: "Deve ser este o Deus que criou o céu, a terra e a mim". E rezou o dia inteiro ao sol. À tarde, ao ver o astro desaparecer, pensou: "Não é um Deus". Avistou a Lua, à noite, e cogitou que talvez fosse ela a senhora do mundo. Durante a noite inteira, fez orações à Lua. Pela manhã, observou que ela havia sumido. Levantou as mãos ao céu e disse: "Não, não são esses os criadores do mundo. Só um Deus existe no céu, que reina sobre todos os outros.

A Ele orarei e perante Ele me curvarei". Surgia, aos olhos da fé judaica, a concepção monoteísta.

Mas não para a ciência. Achados arqueológicos mostram que os povos da região do Crescente Fértil - como ficaram conhecidas as terras produtivas que se estendiam da antiga Mesopotâmia ao Egito - não acreditavam em um Deus único e soberano. No período patriarcal, que vai de 2000 a.C. a 1500 a.C., vigorava o politeísmo. Os seminômades, porém, eram henoteístas, ou seja, adoravam apenas uma divindade, mas admitiam a existência de outras. "Cada clã cultuava o seu próprio deus", diz o pastor luterano Milton Schwantes, cientista da religião da Universidade Metodista de São Paulo. "A cultura seminômade não permitia uma diversidade grande de concepções de mundo."

Segundo Milton, o politeísmo surge porque vários subgrupos, dentro de uma grande população, requisitam funções diferentes da divindade - deus da guerra, deus da colheita, deus do poço... Como a população do clã é pequena e homogênea, uma diferenciação como essa poderia pôr em risco o grupo social. "Daí a tendência a um só caminho religioso", afirma Milton. "Mas isso não significa que exista um pensamento teórico monoteísta no mundo antigo. Existe, sim, um monoteísmo de adesão, em que cada grupo adere a um único deus."

Abraão interpretado

Segundo o narrador do Gênesis, o Deus de Abraão é Javé (Iahweh, em hebraico). No entanto, os exegetas, como são chamados os estudiosos dos textos sagrados, reconhecem que se trata de um anacronismo, um acréscimo posterior feito ao relato. No período patriarcal, a denominação mais comum de Deus seria El, como comprovam achados arqueológicos da época. Para entender por que El (o Deus da vida) se tornou Javé (o Deus libertador), você precisa voltar no tempo e mais precisamente ao início da formação do povo de Israel, entre 1250 a.C. e 1000 a.C., quando os primeiros cinco livros da Bíblia, que também formam a Torá judaica, começaram a ser redigidos.

Até aquela época, as narrativas eram basicamente orais. Circulavam várias histórias sobre Abraão e os demais patriarcas. Aos poucos, esses relatos começaram a ser escritos, obviamente sofrendo influências literárias e ideológicas de acordo com o momento histórico que o povo vivia. A versão final do Gênesis e dos demais livros data de 400 a.C., mais de mil anos depois da época em que Abraão teria vivido. "Nesse período, houve um grande movimento para considerar o povo de Israel uma raça única e Javé, o Deus único. Era preciso consolidar a teocracia, e esse tipo de instituição exigia a existência de um Deus absoluto para justificar o poder do rei", afirma o padre Shige Nakanose, biblista do Centro Bíblico Verbo, em São Paulo.

Até então, havia vários nomes para Deus e Javé era um deles. Referia-se a uma divindade masculina cultuada ao lado da deusa Aserá em um período posterior ao patriarcal. Javé era o Deus adorado pelos grupos que escaparam da escravidão e do exílio e que se juntaram ao incipiente povo de Israel. Assim, quando as últimas versões do Gênesis foram escritas, os redatores tentaram substituir referências às divindades da região de Canaã - como o nome El - por invocações a Iahweh.

Interferências como essa também moldaram a figura do Abraão bíblico. "Originalmente, existiam diversas tradições orais sobre os patriarcas. Eram narrativas curtas e independentes, que falavam do sacrifício de Isaac, da visita dos três estrangeiros à tenda de Abraão, da destruição de Sodoma e Gomorra e assim por diante", diz o padre Shige. Essas narrativas tinham, inclusive, uma função pedagógica para o grupo e traziam mensagens intimamente relacionadas com o contexto da época. Pouco a pouco, tais memórias foram sendo reunidas e adaptadas conforme a intenção do redator. "Vários clãs contavam as histórias dos seus pais e fundadores. A história de Abraão foi a que prevaleceu e acabou absorvendo as demais", afirma o biblista.

Por isso, ao longo do relato do Gênesis sobre o patriarca, existem versões de uma mesma história e vários anacronismos, como as passagens que citam o uso de camelos (esses animais só foram domesticados em torno de 1100 a.C.) ou mesmo as promessas divinas de terra e de descendência numerosa. "São promessas recentes no contexto bíblico, porque pressupõem um Estado. Para o chefe de um clã, a promessa de muita gente é um problema, já que ele pode alimentar uma quantidade restrita de bocas. E a necessidade de terra é muito mais agrícola que seminômade", diz Milton Schwantes. "A promessa de um descendente faz parte da história de Abraão. Mas as outras, de posteridade e de terra, referem-se a um povo. Um país, para dar certo, precisa de terra e gente."

O Abraão bíblico crê em Javé e mantém-se fiel a Ele, mas não consegue imaginar a concretização das promessas. Ele não tem filhos e sua esposa é estéril - como, então, sua descendência será tão numerosa quanto as estrelas do céu? Diversos povos já habitavam a Terra Prometida - como ele poderia possuí-la? Deus, então, sela duas alianças com o patriarca. A primeira, pela terra, envolve o sacrifício de animais. Abraão toma uma novilha, uma cabra e um carneiro e divide-os ao meio, colocando as metades umas diante das outras. Oferece também dois pássaros, sem dividi-los. "Eu dou esta terra aos teus descendentes, desde a torrente do Egito até o grande rio Eufrates", diz o Senhor.

Mais tarde, Deus firma a segunda aliança, dessa vez pela descendência. E propõe a circuncisão de todos os homens do clã e de todos os meninos no oitavo dia a partir do nascimento. Até aquele momento, o nome do patriarca era Abrão, que significa "pai elevado" ou "pai erguido". A partir daí, Deus o chama de Abraão, "pai de uma multidão". Para simbolizar a dimensão do acordo entre ambos, Deus também muda o nome de Sarai para Sara. "Eu a abençoarei e dela te darei um filho. Eu a abençoarei e ela será a mãe de nações e dela sairão reis." A promessa se realizou e Sara gerou Isaac.

A Era Patriarca

A dimensão religiosa das figuras de Abraão e de Sara é enorme - mas o que a ciência tem a dizer sobre "o pai de uma multidão" e "a mãe das nações"? "Existem achados arqueológicos que comprovam que existiu, sim, um período patriarcal no qual podem ter ocorrido todos os eventos que são descritos no Gênesis", afirma a historiadora Ruth Leftel, da Universidade de São Paulo. "Nomes, costumes e normas de comportamento dos patriarcas do relato bíblico eram realmente aqueles. O que não foi comprovado é a existência física de Abraão, Isaac e Jacó, esposas e filhos como figuras históricas."

Hoje se sabe que os patriarcas habitaram o lado ocidental da Mesopotâmia, a oeste do rio Eufrates, e partilharam o mundo material, cultural e ritual dos povos conhecidos como semitas ocidentais. As tabuinhas de argila encontradas em escavações na região referem-se a eles como amuru, que significa: "homens" (am) e "ocidente" (uru).

As descobertas esclarecem certos procedimentos presentes na história de Abraão. Na primeira aliança firmada com Deus, por exemplo, o patriarca matou alguns mamíferos e os cortou ao meio, colocando as metades uma na frente da outra. "Como na época não havia tabelião para reconhecer firma ou legitimar contratos, uma aliança entre dois chefes de tribo ou dois governantes de cidades precisava ser feita entre as metades de um burro para ter validade", afirma Ruth. Os animais do relato bíblico são outros, porque na época da redação já existiam certas prescrições quanto aos animais, mas o costume é rigorosamente igual. Outro exemplo é a atitude de Sara. Como ela era estéril, cedeu uma de suas servas, chamada Agar, a Abraão para que ele garantisse a descendência. Nas tabuinhas de argila, a lei é bem clara: a mulher permanente ou temporariamente estéril era obrigada a escolher uma filha ou uma escrava para dormir com o marido e assim gerar descendentes.

Também os nomes que constam do Gênesis são idênticos àqueles atribuídos aos amuru, formados por um verbo e uma denominação de Deus, em geral El. "Os nomes dos patriarcas têm relação com a história e os atos da vida deles. Foram colocados posteriormente", diz Ruth. Um exemplo é o nome do filho de Abraão com a escrava Agar, o primogênito Ismael. Vem de Ishma-El e significa "Deus ouve", em referência à passagem em que Agar está no deserto, grávida, e Deus aparece e a ampara. Já o filho nascido da promessa divina é Ytzhak-El, na forma abreviada Isaac, que quer dizer "Deus ri". Tanto Abraão quanto Sara riram, quando Deus lhes prometeu uma posteridade numerosa, porque ambos eram idosos e não imaginavam como poderiam gerar um filho.

Hoje se sabe que os patriarcas, assim como os amuru, viviam de fato em clãs seminômades e mantinham elos econômicos com as cidades - troca de produtos dos rebanhos pelos manufaturados. Apesar da relação comercial, as tabuinhas mostram que os amuru não podiam participar da vida das cidades nem ser considerados cidadãos de Canaã. Eles não tinham direitos e não podiam fixar-se numa cidade, a não ser que o governante fosse benevolente e permitisse que levantassem tenda por um tempo determinado. As leis eram claras: um cidadão livre, para ter direitos, precisa ser dono de terras e ser sedentário há gerações. "Isso explica por que os patriarcas não podiam se fixar e ficavam circulando durante todo o tempo", diz Ruth Leftel.

Se as tabuinhas não podem garantir se algum Abraão se destacou entre os amuru, outros registros arqueológicos comprovam que a história do patriarca alcançou outros povos da Antiguidade. "A dúvida sobre a existência de Abraão é nossa, mas não dos antigos", afirma o historiador André Chevitarese, da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. "Eles se relacionam com o passado de modo bastante diferente. A fé justifica tudo. Acreditam que Deus - ou os deuses - intervém em torno de determinadas figuras, transformando-as em heróis fundadores."

Amuletos de uso mágico de origem desconhecida encontrados em escavações piratas estampam a figura de um jovem carregando um cutelo. Há uma criança e um altar. Uma mão sai do céu e aponta para um arbusto, onde está preso um cordeiro. Não há dúvidas: trata-se da passagem do sacrifício de Isaac, uma das mais marcantes do Gênesis, em que Deus põe Abraão à prova, pedindo que ele sacrifique o filho tão amado. Abraão obedece. No momento em que ergue o cutelo, Deus o interrompe e salva Isaac. Um carneiro, então, é oferecido em holocausto. Nas costas dos amuletos, um alfabeto semítico, provavelmente com palavras em hebraico e samaritano, sem significado aparente. "Se não há significado, são palavras mágicas. Só quem usava o amuleto as conhecia", diz André.

Para ele, a existência desse tipo de material e a invocação do nome de Abraão em fórmulas mágicas são provas de que ele existiu. Além disso, o fato de estarem em hebraico demonstra que o uso é próprio de quem está inserido na narrativa e acredita nela. "Quem fez e quem usou o amuleto muito provavelmente é um judeu", afirma ele. Referências a Abraão também aparecem em textos de magia escritos em papiros e usados para submeter demônios, unir namorados etc. Chamar pelo "Deus de Abraão, Isaac e Jacó" era uma prática bastante freqüente, o que revela a influência cotidiana dessas histórias.

O legado de Abraão

De acordo com a Bíblia, Abraão morreu aos 175 anos de idade e foi enterrado por seus filhos Ismael e Isaac onde estava o túmulo de Sara, nos arredores da cidade de Hebron. Seu legado espiritual independe da existência histórica. Para milhões de fiéis no mundo todo, basta o exemplo de fé e obediência do patriarca. "Abraão introduziu o revolucionário conceito de monoteísmo ético", diz o rabino Henry Sobel, da Congregação Israelita Paulista. "Ético porque acreditar em um único Deus exige assumir a igualdade entre todos os filhos dele. Todos os povos, portanto, são iguais. E, embora tenhamos um único Deus, Deus tem mais do que um único povo."

Para o psicólogo Henry Abramovitch, da Universidade Tel Aviv, em Israel, a saga de Abraão foi uma verdadeira viagem em busca do autoconhecimento - que ainda se mantém como fonte de inspiração para muita gente. Abramovitch, cujo nome em russo significa "filho de Abraão", escreveu o livro The First Father ("O primeiro pai", ainda sem tradução em português), no qual traça um estudo psicológico sobre o patriarca. "Ele tinha tudo e deixou esse tudo a fim de buscar um novo destino. As palavras do chamado divino, em hebreu Lech Lekha, podem ser lidas literalmente como 'Vá para si mesmo'", afirma o psicólogo. "Assim, ele se torna o protótipo da jornada ao conhecimento de si mesmo e da individualização." Abraão não é um homem que simplesmente segue ordens. Pelo contrário, ele ensina como estar em contato com o self, o âmago de si mesmo.

Uma das passagens mais célebres da história do patriarca, o sacrifício de Isaac, inspirou o filósofo dinamarquês Sören Kierkegaard a refletir, na obra Temor e Tremor, sobre o que é a fé. O livro lançou as bases para uma nova teologia no século 20, voltada ao mesmo tempo para a transcendência e a ação no mundo. "Abraão acredita que deve obedecer a ordem divina e sacrificar seu filho, mas tem a certeza de que Deus não vai abandoná-lo", diz o filósofo e cientista da religião Ricardo Quadros Gouvêa, da Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie de São Paulo. Situação a princípio absurda, Kierkegaard parte daí para concluir que a fé vai além da capacidade da razão, não se resume à ética e aos valores universais e, especialmente, exige um engajamento no momento presente. "Abraão sabia que teria Isaac de volta. Demonstrou, ao mesmo tempo, desprendimento e compromisso", afirma Ricardo.

Na mística islâmica, o patriarca representa um símbolo da busca pelo centro de si mesmo. Ele é o amigo íntimo de Deus, o jovem herói que destrói os ídolos internos e instaura a unidade de cada indivíduo. "A característica essencial de cada ser humano é a ligação com o sagrado. Você é um jeito de Deus aparecer - isso é monoteísmo, o um que está presente em cada pessoa", diz a psicóloga Beatriz Machado, da USP, que pesquisa as obras do mestre sufi Ibn 'Arabî. Para os estudiosos da Cabala, a mística judaica, Abraão também apresenta aspectos simbólicos. "Ele está relacionado à expansão de fronteiras, à superação das próprias limitações e ao princípio de que tudo está relacionado com tudo", afirma Roberto Natan, professor de meditação cabalística na Academia de Cabala Rav Meir, no Rio de Janeiro.

A unidade é um tema recorrente quando o assunto é Abraão. Primeiro, porque ele é considerado pai espiritual das três grandes tradições monoteístas. Depois, por deter, de acordo com o relato bíblico, a paternidade biológica de judeus, por meio do filho Isaac, e de árabes, pela linhagem do primogênito Ismael. A ciência vem agora corroborar essa tese. Uma pesquisa, realizada em conjunto por cientistas de cinco países, entre eles Estados Unidos e Israel, mostrou que palestinos, sírios, libaneses e judeus têm forte parentesco genético entre si. O estudo, que comparou o DNA de 1 300 homens árabes e judeus de 30 países, revelou também que esses povos possuem um ancestral comum, possivelmente os semitas ocidentais, que teriam habitado o Oriente Médio há pelo menos 4 mil anos. Seriam todos eles descendentes do mesmo patriarca?

Enquanto os cientistas ainda não têm a resposta para tal pergunta, judeus, cristãos e muçulmanos continuam a buscar cada qual o "seu" próprio Abraão. Em cada crença, um aspecto do patriarca é ressaltado. "Abraão pode ser comparado a um moderno meio de comunicação que apresenta diferentes mensagens, de acordo com os paradigmas de cada religião e cultura", afirma Reuven Firestone, especialista em judaísmo e Islã do Hebrew Union College, nos Estados Unidos. "Mas ele pode ser também a ponte entre as três tradições. Afinal, Abraão é um legado de todos." Firestone lembra o capítulo 18 do Gênesis. O patriarca está diante de sua tenda, descansando, quando percebe a chegada de três homens. Hospitaleiro, recebe-os com distinção. Não pergunta quem são nem se têm dinheiro. Simplesmente lhes oferece pão, leite, manteiga e um novilho preparado na hora. "Eis uma herança de Abraão: o exemplo de acolhida e hospitalidade", diz Firestone. Que todos os filhos sejam bem-vindos na grande tenda do patriarca.

Mulheres de Abraão

O que seria de Abraão se não fossem Sara, a esposa, e Agar, a escrava? Figuras fundamentais na saga do patriarca, elas protagonizam alguns dos mais importantes capítulos do Gênesis. "O que movimenta o texto bíblico e as promessas são os filhos", diz a pastora metodista Nancy Cardoso Pereira, teóloga especialista em Bíblia Hebraica. As memórias femininas, no entanto, são contidas pela tradição patriarcal. Abraão mente a respeito de Sara, dizendo que ela é sua irmã, em duas versões da mesma história. Quer salvar a própria pele. Muito bonita, Sara chama a atenção do faraó e, em outra ocasião, do rei Abimelec, que a tomam como concubina. Deus, porém, os castiga. Eles descobrem a farsa e repreendem Abraão. Sara não diz uma palavra - não argumenta nem lamenta.

As duas mulheres se confrontam quando o assunto é o primogênito de Abraão. Seguindo um costume comum no período patriarcal, a estéril Sara cede uma das servas ao marido para que a descendência se garanta. Agar engravida e, segundo o relato bíblico, passa a esnobar a sua senhora. Por causa disso, Sara se ressente e castiga a escrava, expulsando-a do clã. Agar foge, então, para o deserto. Num dos mais belos trechos do Gênesis, Deus surge a Agar próximo a um poço, no meio do deserto, e pede que ela volte para casa. (O "Deus do poço" é uma imagem bastante recorrente na religiosidade do período patriarcal.) Também a ela Deus promete: "Multiplicarei tua descendência de tal forma e será tão numerosa que não se poderá contar". Isso acontecerá por meio de Ismael, filho que ela carrega no ventre. Agradecida, Agar nomeia o Deus que conversou com ela de El-roí, o "Deus que me vê".

"É possível que a esterilidade de Sara e de outras mulheres do período esteja relacionada a uma tradição mesopotâmica das sacerdotisas, que não engravidavam para se dedicar ao culto da divindade", diz Nancy. "Para contar essa história, não mais no contexto da autonomia religiosa daquelas mulheres, o registro narrativo as apresenta como estéreis."

Filhos de Abraão

Segundo o Gênesis, Ismael, o filho de Agar e Abraão, deu origem aos povos árabes. O profeta Mohammad, ou Maomé, teria vindo dessa linhagem. Para os muçulmanos, o itinerário de Abraão vai além das terras de Canaã e do Egito. "Abraão passou pela Palestina, pela Arábia Saudita e por Meca, onde teve de deixar sua segunda esposa, Agar, e Ismael", afirma o xeque Ali Abdune. "Segundo as escrituras sagradas, separar-se do filho primogênito foi um teste que Abraão teve de passar."

Agar foi expulsa duas vezes por Sara - a segunda vez por um motivo que o texto bíblico não esclarece direito. Diz o Gênesis que Ismael brincava com o irmão Isaac. Sara, ao ver a cena, temeu pela herança do seu próprio filho e pediu a Abraão que expulsasse a escrava e Ismael (que aparece no texto ora como um adolescente, ora como uma criança). Ambos foram parar no deserto. A água acabou e Agar, desesperada, começou a chorar. Deus, então, apareceu e disse: "Não temas, pois Deus ouviu os gritos do menino do lugar onde ele está. Ergue-te! Levanta a criança, segura-a firmemente porque eu farei dela uma grande nação".

Para o mundo judaico-cristão, o filho da promessa de descendência numerosa é Isaac. Foi ele que Abraão quase sacrificou na colina de Moriá, local que a tradição encarregou-se de associar ao monte em que se edificou o Templo de Jerusalém. De Isaac, o segundo patriarca, se originou o povo de Israel. Para o Islã, porém, Deus testa de maneira semelhante a fé de Abraão, mas o nome do filho e o lugar não são mencionados. Numa passagem do Alcorão, o patriarca diz: "Ó filho meu, sonhei que te oferecia em sacrifício". Quando Abraão demonstra que vai se submeter à ordem divina, outro filho lhe é prometido, Isaac. Por isso, a maioria dos muçulmanos acredita que Ismael foi o menino quase oferecido em holocausto.

Transciption of seven 1-hour audio cassette messages
by John Daniel, author of “Scarlet and the Beast“ 

Turn in your Bible to Revelation 3:14-22. I'll be reading from the old King James version.

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Laodicea means "the people speak or the people rule." It's opposite of Nicolaitane where the priesthood rules. So powerful was the Protestant Reformation against Nicolaitanism that the pendulum of political rule in both government and the church swung to the opposite extreme. Hence, the Laodicean church is ruled by a democracy of the people in stark contrast to the autocracy of the priesthood in the Thyatira church period. Walter Scott in his exposition of the Revelation of Jesus Christ wrote that Laodicea also means "the people's rights" which is essentially what was won by the political revolutions during the Sardis and Philadelphia church period. With these rights came individual autonomy, not only politically but also spiritually. In our day and with few exceptions, the congregation rules in most Protestant churches, not the priest, pastor, elders, deacons nor the board. Every decision made in most Protestant churches is finalized by a majority vote of the congregation. The people speak, or in today's vernacular, the people express their voice through their vote. As a result, we find a vicious individualism in Laodicean assemblies that sometimes split churches or we see a constant movement of people from church to church which was prophesied by the apostle Paul to occur during the time of the Laodicean church period. I quote Paul's prophecy found in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 — "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

A church run by congregational vote whose membership runs the gamut of individual preferences of the color of carpet to what kind of sermons the pastor will preach is the final church period which becomes lukewarm towards the things desired by Christ. In fact, Christ has been voted out for in Revelation 3:20 we find our Savior outside the church door knocking for reentry. Following is an example of this happening in our day:

In the early 1980s a brother in Christ and personal friend of mine was preparing for the evangelical ministry; I was on his board. One of the other board members was an evangelical Southern Baptist pastor whose congregation had financed building the largest church in town with a gymnasium attached. Start-up funding came primarily from several wealthy high Masons who were irritated Sunday after Sunday by the pastor's message of repentance and salvation. Finally, these benefactors suggested to the Board of Deacons that they approach the pastor and tell him to tone down the messages. The deacons, most of whom were Lodge brothers of the benefactors, did as instructed. When the pastor refused, the benefactors reverted to intimidation and threatened to split the church and dump the payments of the gymnasium on those who remained. Sunday after Sunday the pastor preached salvation and Sunday after Sunday the Board demanded the pastor preach a social gospel. Finally, the anointed of God was discharged by majority vote of the congregation and with that vote Christ was also voted out. This is Laodicea, the wealthy, lukewarm church of the last days in which the people rule by majority vote.

The Laodicean church period is the last before Christ returns; we are living in that day. I date the beginning of this church period at the end of WWII when massive government spending began to make America affluent which affluence crept into the church. Hence, the headquarters of the wealthy Laodicean church can only be in the US for the combined wealth of the Protestant churches in our nation far exceed the shrinking wealth of the Catholic Church.

The first century church at Laodicea of Asia Minor was likewise wealthy. Its prosperity was also made possible by the city's wealth. Laodicea was situated along the banks of a river and stood at the junction of three great roads traversing Asia Minor. The location of the city was conducive to commercial enterprise, hence it prospered as a large industrial administrative center specializing in banking, textile manufacturing and medicine. Many wealthy people attended the Laodicean church which, of course, caused the church to prosper. Evidence of this prosperity is found in the present day ruins of three large church buildings dating back to the early days of Christianity. Laodicea's economy was fueled by a textile industry that manufactured from the wool of black sheep, soft, sleek, black garments and carpets that were popular both locally and in the surrounding region. The medical school was likewise famous for successfully mixing chemicals to cure diseases. Its physicians, whose allegiance was to the serpent god Asklepios, produced an ointment for the ears and eyes. Especially famous was the Laodicean eye salve for healing certain forms of blindness. The banking industry likewise flourished in Laodicea because of the city's prosperous economy. Like ancient Sardis, ancient Laodicea was devastated by an earthquake in 62 AD. But unlike Sardis, which had hot springs heated by underground molten lava, Laodicea was noted for its lukewarm springs, pleasant for bathing but sickening to drink. As for the church at Laodicea, it was not known for immorality, idolatry or open apostasy although there may have been these conditions. It was known for its wealth and its spiritual complacency which Christ calls lukewarmness.

This brings us to Christ's characteristic for the Laodicean church period. As you recall in our previous studies, the characteristics of Christ are recorded in Revelation 1:10-18. It is significant to note that none of these apply to Laodicea; we find a new set of characteristics which contradict ancient Laodicea and likewise condemns the church period of our day. Follow me as I read Revelation 3:14 — "These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God." Amen is not used as an adverb here but as a noun and it figuratively means "trustworthy" and in this sense is a title given to Christ, the Amen, the trustworthy one. This characteristic of Christ is further strengthened by the phrase that follows: "the faithful and true witness." In Greek "witness" means "martyr." Christ was the first true martyr of the church; he faithfully went to the cross without protest and without asserting his rights. In contrast, the Laodicean people's rights church is lukewarm toward the one who died to make atonement for their sin. They are neither trustworthy nor faithful nor true witnesses. Consequently, Christ finds nothing good in this church, it's a total failure because its thoughts are not those of urgency to evangelize nor of anticipating Christ's imminent return. Rather, it is one of spiritual complacency at it strives for wealth.

The third phrase to characterize Christ is that he is the beginning of the creation of God. This doesn't suggest that Jesus was created by God as some cults teach. In Greek "beginning" means "the magistrate, the chief cornerstone, the power which preceded creation or the one who ruled over creation." In other words, Christ is the creator and ruler over creation. The apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians in 1:16 — "For by Christ were all things created." Again in John 1:3 the apostle John wrote of Christ that "all things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made." Christ's characteristic as the creator condemns lukewarm Laodicea for their complacency toward him. Christ has no commendation for Laodicea; there is nothing in its ministry that honors the Lord or brings his favor and blessing, there is only condemnation and that condemnation addresses Laodicea's works. Found in Revelation 3:15-16 it reads "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." Unlike the nonexistent works of Sardis Christians, Laodicean Christians have works but their works are lukewarm and nauseate our Savior and he is about to vomit for "spue thee out of my mouth" means to vomit.

If Christ spues lukewarm Christians out of his mouth, does this mean they lose their salvation or were they never Christians to begin with? One author on Laodicea states that "Lukewarm refers to those who profess to be Christians but clearly are not and face the consequences of an eternity without God and without hope." I don't agree with this author for we shall see that Christ calls this church to repentance, not repentance to salvation but repentance from lukewarm works caused by an opulent lifestyle to one of hot works. The ancient Laodicean church was orthodox, it had not denied the cross and the gospel, it had not denied the deity of Christ, it had not denied the fact of sin, it knew the world was lost; it simply was indifferent to these facts. Likewise, the Laodicean church of our day is lukewarm toward the job Christ gave it to do. Because it's not faithful in witnessing, Christ is nauseated. Although Christ says "I will spue you out of my mouth" the word "will" in Greek is not imperative, it's a probability or possibility. Christ says "I'm about to, I'm ready to, I have it in my mind to" implying graciously the possibility of the threat not being executed if only the Laodiceans repent at once. Christ's dealings toward them will depend upon their dealings toward him. Our Savior doesn't work this way with the unsaved.

In Revelation 3:17 Christ addresses the prosperous condition of the Laodicean church — "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Here we find three conditions that cause complacency in the Laodicean church: First, the church is proud of its wealth and brags about it saying "I am rich and increased with goods." In many churches today, the prosperity doctrine is preached. If Christ is consulted at all it's to assist in creating wealth. When wealth is achieved by following a certain formula, it's flaunted as a blessing from God. Let's compare this wealth with the poverty of the Philadelphia church period and you decide if wealth is a gift from God that brings souls to Christ. As you recall, Philadelphia successfully evangelized the world with little strength, little funds and little training. Today Philadelphia missionaries still have little strength, little funds and some training but their funds have not increased in proportion to the wealth of Laodicean churches yet these churches find plenty of funds to increase building budgets for larger sanctuaries, gymnasiums and schools. And in these churches are millionaire Laodiceans who don't increase their support of missions in the percent that their wealth increases. Christ says that because more emphasis is placed on creating wealth, the works of the Laodicean Christians are lukewarm meaning indifferent toward evangelism and missions.

The second condition that causes complacency in the Laodicean church is their self-confidence. People with wealth say "I have need of nothing." Jesus said in John 15:1 "Without me ye can do nothing." It's obvious that material abundance is not conducive to spiritual vitality.

The third condition which causes complacency in the Laodicean church is that they are self-righteous. Christ counters in verse 17 and 18 with a description of their poverty stricken spiritual state followed by the riches he has for them to purchase: "thou knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." Four of these five spiritual poverty stricken states have no expanded meaning in the Greek. "Poor," however, carries the idea of being "scared or frightened." Wealthy people are always portrayed as being scared of losing their wealth; their entire focus is in the protection of the wealth and growth of that wealth. Since they are lukewarm, they don't invest in spiritual things because it brings no earthly gain. In the Greek text, Christ says they are miserable in their wealth, they are pitiful, frightened beggars, blind to their spiritual nudity.

The spiritual condition of the Laodicean church is summed up in two surveys taken recently: (1)In 1985 it was reported that only 15% of Christians read their Bible and pray daily; (2) in 1987 a survey revealed that Christians place a higher value on their lifestyle than on their church. What caused such a drastic change from the fiery Philadelphia heritage to a lukewarm Laodicean finale? Although Christ mentions no secret society influence in the Laodicean church to cause it to become lukewarm there is other scripture relating to the end-time church which suggest Masonic influence. I've already quoted the scripture earlier in this study and I shall quote it again. Found in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 it reads "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." The Greek rendering of three words in this passage reveal that Masonic materialism and Masonic doctrine have crept into the church of the last days. Those words are "lusts," "heap" and "fables." Webster's definition of "lust" carries only the idea of sexual desire. In Greek, however, it gives a broader meaning which is "longing for what is forbidden." This could either be forbidden physical lust or forbidden spiritual lust. In context with the thought of this scripture, it means lust for something other than sound doctrine. The second word "heap" in Greek means "to seek additional information." The additional information being sought is found in the word "fables" which means "to initiate into a myth." "Fable" comes from the Greek word "mysteries" which means "to shut the mouth; a secret through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites." There is no question as to what this is referencing. The teachers that end-time Laodiceans heap to themselves are Masonic instructors who initiate them into the additional information of Masonic mysteries for which they lust. Not only is there scriptural evidence that secret societies have infiltrated the end-time church, there is also historic evidence that Freemasonry planned to destroy the effect of the church in America by turning it materialistic.

Freemasonry began its move against the Laodicean church during the Philadelphia church period when our Lord said that he would cause the synagogue of Satan to worship alongside of evangelical Christians. When Masons fulfilled that prophecy, some came to church with orders from the Masonic hierarchy to weaken the Philadelphia church through materialism and liberalism. The church didn't have the spiritual discernment to recognize that some of the Masons were not repentant, but rather were infiltrators. Charles G. Finney himself who was at the forefront of the anti-Masonic movement was shocked after WWII to discover that Freemasonry had rebounded in greater numbers than before. For this reason, Finney wrote his book on Freemasonry to warn the church that it had been infiltrated. But his warning fell on deaf ears for materialism had already set in during the industrial revolution and by the turn of the 20th century, mainline churches had already begun to turn lukewarm. Today these churches are filled with Masons who teach Sunday School classes, who hold administrative and ruling positions. Most appalling are Masons behind the pulpit calling themselves pastors. As a result, the fiery hot messages of yesteryear have died to lukewarm embers of Masonic toleration.

What I am about to reveal next cannot be found in secular or Protestant history for it's been suppressed by collaborating authors yet the plan of Freemasonry to render the fiery Philadelphia church impotent is well documented in a controlled circulation of Masonic history. Detailed documentation can be found in my trilogy of books entitled "Scarlet and the Beast." This story began when the Philadelphia church in America was about to embark on its second great awakening. In 1816 at age 24, Charles G. Finney received his Masonic degrees in Meridian Sun Lodge #32 in Warren, CT. In 1818, he moved to NY and in June made his first visit to the Rising Sun Lodge #125 at Adams, NY where he was made a member two years later on December 14, 1820. On May 24th in the year 1824 after his conversion to Christianity and his licensing as a minister at the St. Lawrence Presbytery, Finney was discharged from the Masonic Lodge by his own request. Two years later he began conducting revivals throughout the Middle and Eastern US. He wrote and preached anti-Masonry wherever he went and with former 33rd degree Mason Jonathan Blanchard, a Presbyterian minister and President of Wheaton College, published an anti-Masonic newspaper called "The Christian Sinecure." As a result of Finney's and others' preaching and publications, the synagogue of Satan, those who say they are Jews and are not, bowed its knee to the Philadelphia church. From 1851 to 1865 Finney was President of Oberlin College, a Christian institution in Ohio. In 1868, both Finney and Blanchard along with Bishop David Edwards, formed the National Christian Association with the express purpose of opposing all secret societies. This grew into the American Party in 1872 and ran candidates in the 1876 and 1880 national elections. A century later, Freemasonry scoffed at the futile attempt of Charles G. Finney to crush Freemasonry. This mockery is an indictment against blind Laodicean Christians of today. I quote the Masonic author's 1958 boast of infiltrating Finney's great work: "Were Finney alive today," he wrote, "how surprised he would be to learn that there are more Masons among the undergraduates and graduates of Oberlin College than existed during the Morgan Affair in the entire state of New York." As you recall from our study of the Philadelphia church period, the Morgan Affair occurred in 1826, two years following the conversion of Finney. Capt. William Morgan, a Freemason of 30 years, published a book in 1825 exposing Masonic secrets. In 1826 Morgan was indicted and tried by a secret Masonic court. After the trial, three Masons tied him with iron weights, rode him by boat out into Lake Superior in the dead of night and pushed him overboard. The disappearance of Morgan so aroused Americans against Freemasonry that it gave rise to the anti-Masonic party of 1826-1835 which opposed Freemasonry in civil affairs. In 1831, the party held a anti-Masonic presidential convention with most states represented. At the convention, William Wort (ph) of Maryland, a former Mason, was nominated for the president of the US. During this time, 141 anti-Masonic newspapers were published throughout America. Families, churches and communities were split when 40,000 Masons publicly disavowed their membership. As a result, 2,000 lodges closed their doors; those that kept operating went underground. In NY where there were 500 lodges in 1826, there were only 49 in 1834.

As the memory of the past fades, Masonry brags of its comeback. It says that by 1860 NY had 432 lodges and 25,000 members, 10,000 more than in 1820. Masonry was not dead and with its comeback it returned with a vengeance, not to destroy the church but to turn it away from evangelism and toward Masonic liberalism. The devastating blow of the anti-Masonic movement caused the 10,000 remaining diehard Masons to call on European Freemasonry to come to its aid. In my book "Scarlet and the Beast" I document six secret Supreme Council meetings held in Paris, France from 1841 to 1845 to determine how to remedy the Masonic problem in America. Their decision was to fall back on their motto "order out of chaos." The Masonic Supreme Council would create chaos and while the populace was focused on the crisis, Freemasonry in America would rebuild its ranks. After the crisis, Freemasonry would bring Masonic order out of the chaos. The created chaos which I document in detail in volume 3 of "Scarlet and the Beast" was our civil war. After the war, the Masonic plan for order meaning Masonic control of government, business, banking, schools and churches would take a century. The common saying in the European revolutionary lodges is "the soldier dies but the war continues."

The Masonic conspiracy to recapture America and render the church impotent had eight phases: phase one: build the ranks of Freemasonry in America during civil war; phase two: turn primary and secondary schools in America, which are under the control of parents, into public schools funded by the government but under control of Freemasonry; phase three: control public school teachers through a union controlled by Freemasonry; phase four: infiltrate the church with materialism by creating easy credit through central banking in America; phase five: infiltrate the pastorate with infidels; phase six: infiltrate church congregations with Masons; phase seven: create a Masonic controlled national council of churches to control mainline denominations; phase eight: stack the Supreme Court with Masons who are willing to reinterpret the Constitution so that Christian principles can never be taught in public schools. These eight phases are listed in order as they occurred historically not as they were planned. As I relate the story, I shall attempt to stick to the historic dates. In some cases, however, I may deviate from that order to connect phases that relate.

The first phase was primarily to build the ranks of Freemasonry during civil war. To start the civil war, a cause was needed. Abolition of slavery was that cause. To trigger civil war, American Masonry under the control of 33rd degree Albert Pike, solicited assistance from two European Masons, 33rd degree Joseph Mazzini, head of Italian Freemasonry and 33rd degree Lord Henry Palmerston, head of English Freemasonry. Mazzini supplied the expertise of the young societies to train revolutionary youth in America on how to turn the abolitionist movement into mayhem. Former Freemason and Abolitionist, John Brown, was Mazzini's star student. You know the history of Brown's Massacres which erupted into civil war. Two years before civil war began, Albert Pike was made sovereign Grand Commander of the Southern Jurisdiction of Scottish Rite Freemasonry. Beginning in December of 1859 and continuing through the first quarter of 1860, Pike called for the secession of 11 Southern states. Governors of those states were all Masons obligated by oath to obey their Grand Commander. English Freemasonry's role was to fund the South against the North while attempting to establish a central bank in the North. Several Masonic books tell how Freemasonry built its ranks during a crisis. One in my library specifically relates to the civil war. In short, it was through a guarantee of the preservation of life that Freemasonry increased its membership in America. By the end of the war, Freemasonry had rebounded to greater numbers than before the Morgan Affair. For example, in NY alone when the Morgan Affair broke on America in 1826, there were 15,000 Masons and 500 lodges, by 1834 there were only 49 lodges in NY with less than 500 members. After the civil war, however, there were more than 900 NY lodges with more than 35,000 members, a 700% increase in membership in five years. Multiply similar percentages throughout all the states and you can see how crisis builds Masonic membership.

Phase two of Freemasonry's war against the church in America was to turn parent controlled and funded primary and secondary schools into Masonic controlled public schools funded by the federal government. Freemasonry began its takeover of schools in 1809, 17 years before the Morgan Affair. It was a state by state Grand Lodge effort which began in NY. There, Masonic lodges initiated the drive to fund what they called free schools. At first, Masons stood on street corners to collect donations to fund the schools. In 1817, the free school system was formally established under state supervision and further support from the Masonic fraternity was no longer required. As designed, the character of teaching in NY significantly changed from supernaturalist philosophy to naturalist philosophy. Consequently, the Northeast was liberalized a century before the rest of America.

Phase three coincided with phase two. During the second great awakening in America most parents were Bible believing Christians who insisted that teachers of their children be of the Christian faith and teach the precepts of Holy Scripture, primary the Ten Commandments. Scottish Rite Freemasonry usurped that role in 1857 by founding the National Education Association better known as the NEA. Not until the teacher's union had been sufficiently liberalized did the Scottish Rite Supreme Council relinquish its control of the NEA's powerful secretariat. Today the liberal NEA with over two million members is one of Freemasonry's strongest lobby organizations. In 1920, Freemasonry made its next move to solidify federal control of public schools. That year, the Southern Jurisdiction of Scottish Rite Freemasonry openly declared itself in favor of the creation of the Department of Education with a Secretary in the President's Cabinet. The Secretary, of course, would be a Mason. Freemasonry takes sole credit for the passage of the Smith-Tower Educational Bill which also furnished federal aid to the public schools. After the passage of this bill Freemasonry declared its belief in compulsory attendance to public schools of all children including children of Christian parents. Through its New Age Magazine, the Scottish Rite gave orders to all Masons to be active on school boards and to encourage parents to make the public schools so efficient that their superiority over church schools should be so obvious that every parent will have to send their children to the public schools. At that time, 33rd degree Freemason Earl Warren was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of California. He had not yet received his appointment as Chief Justice to the Supreme Court during the court stacking years. In his 1936 annual address to the brethren in California he said:

The education of our youth can best be done, indeed it can only be done, by a system of free public education. It is for this reason that the Grand Lodge of California ever striving as it does to replace darkness with light, is so vitally interested in the public schools of our state. By destroying the religion of faith and planting reason in its place, it prepares the foundation of a liberty loving people for a free government.

Phase eight, although belated, was part of phases two and three. It called for stacking our Supreme Court with Masons who would reinterpret our Constitution so that nothing in the Holy Scriptures would ever be taught in public schools again. Thirty-second degree Freemason Franklin D. Roosevelt was chosen for the task. As President of the US, one of his functions would be to appoint justices to the Supreme Court when a seat was vacated by death or resignation. It appeared to Freemasonry that 12 years was needed for enough seated justices to die off so that a majority of Masons could be appointed to the bench. By the time Roosevelt died in 1945, he had appointed five justices all of whom were his Scottish Rite buddies and the remaining four shared Masonic views. From 1941 to 1971, five to eight Masons sat on the Supreme Court in any given year. Their first agenda was to change the first amendment guarantee of freedom of religion to read separation of church and state. However to alter an amendment would be an act of treason, therefore, the Masonic justices simply ruled that separation of church and state was implied in the first amendment. One Roosevelt appointee to the Supreme Court was 32nd degree Freemason Robert H. Jackson. Jackson blatantly said that "the Constitution and its amendments are what the judges say they are." Therefore, the reinterpretation of the first amendment not only forbade government of funding church schools, it paved the way for outlawing prayer and Bible reading in public schools. One of the problems that confronted Masonry's control of public schools was the vast number of small school systems throughout our land. Therefore, after WWII Freemasonry began lobbying government to consolidate the public school system. James B. Conant, a 33rd degree Freemason and member of the NEAs Educational Policy Commission as well as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, was sent on a public speaking tour to promote consolidation. In advance of Conant the Scottish Rite openly advertised to all school systems to compel parents to attend the meetings. Secretly, Freemasonry ordered all Masons to attend Conant's meetings. After the tours, parents throughout the US marched to the polls and voted themselves out of control of what their children would be taught. As planned by Freemasonry, 259,000 parent controlled public school districts were consolidated into 1,600 NEA controlled districts. The Parent Teacher Association better known as the PTA, was belatedly founded to promote mutual understanding and to increase the effectiveness of the educational program. However, the PTA had no impact on what the children are taught because of the underlying control of the teacher's union by Freemasonry and the high number of PTA parents who are Masons. A sobering statement made by NEA President Katherine Barrett, articulates the weakness of the PTA and the strength of the new revolutionary role of teachers: "The teacher will be the conveyor of values, a philosopher. Teachers no longer will be victims of change [meaning controlled by parents]. We will be agents of change." In 1959, Freemasonry published its victory over parents. That year the Scottish Rite New Age Magazine boldly printed the following:

Every Mason becomes a teacher of Masonic philosophy to the community and the craft is the missionary of the new order, a liberal order in which Masons become high priests. We proclaim that this Masonic philosophy which has brought forth a new order, has become a reality by the establishment of the public school systems financed by the state.

I document in my book "Scarlet and the Beast" that from 1959 to 1964 the Supreme Council of Scottish Rite Freemasonry began selecting textbooks for the consolidated school systems. In 1964 the fatal blow to our youth was landed by the Masonic stacked Supreme Court when it outlawed Bible reading and prayer in public schools. In its place the Masonic NEA taught a new morality called "situation ethics: if it feels good, do it." The Supreme Court then legalized pornography. Free and open sex became the order of the day for our school children. To curtail the problem of so many unwed mothers, the Supreme Court authorized abortions, then authorized children to have abortions without parental consent, then authorized schools to distribute contraceptives to children without parental consent. Today immorality pervades every walk of American society including the Christian community. In 1968, Freemasonry sounded its victory trumpet in its New Age Magazine:

The keynote of Masonic religious thinking is naturalism which sees all life and thought ever developing and evolutionary. The Bible is not today what it once was. Current higher criticism has made obsolete the idea that the Bible is a unique revelation of supernatural truth.

This brings us to phases four through seven — Freemasonry's direct attack against the evangelical Philadelphia church in America to turn it into the lukewarm Laodicean church. Phase four was planned by Freemasonry to turn the heart of Americans materialistic. A materialistic society would naturally turn the churches materialistic as precedented at ancient church in Laodicea. Thirty-third degree Albert Pike initiated the plan. Pike was one of the 10,000 Masons that had weathered the anti-Masonic storm of the 1830s and 1840s. For Freemasonry to survive in America, Pike knew that the lodge would have to curtail the forward progress of the Philadelphia evangelicals. Universal Freemasonry assisted as it had done during the planning of our civil war. Pike took his plan to the floor of an international Masonic convention held in Paris, France in October of 1885. I quote Pike's plan which he delivered in Orphic terms:

Supernaturalism meaning Christianity, authority [meaning monarchies] and anti-Masonic activity must be destroyed. To accomplish this there must be materialism of conscience, of education and of the state. This must be imposed upon the family, the nation and on humanity by every means whatever they may be. One must impose first on the family, then on the nation in order to achieve the aim of imposing on humanity.

The instrument used for the imposition of materialism of conscience in America was central banking. It would give the public easy access to credit so that it could benefit immediately from material things. Masonic bankers would likewise benefit on the addictive nature of credit, piling loan upon loan and interest upon interest making them wealthy. Following the Paris convention, the totally Masonic staffed Rothschild Bank in London, England wrote a letter to the Masonic bankers of NY explaining how the plan would benefit them:

The few who understand the system will either be so interested in its profits or so dependent upon its favors, that there will be no opposition from that class while on the other hand, the great body of people mentally incapable of comprehending the tremendous advantages that capital derives from the system, will bear its burdens without complaint and perhaps without even suspecting the system is inimical to their interests.

Material success came to Freemasonry in 1913 as it lobbied and pushed through Congress the passage of the Federal Reserve Act. This Act established a permanent central bank on our soil which gave Americans easy access to credit culminating in the materialism of conscience in our nation today. This conscience was carried into our churches by wealthy benefactors, hence, Freemasonry is indirectly responsible for turning the Laodicean church materialistic, wealthy and in need of nothing.

This brings us to phases five through six — the infiltration of the church with infidel pastors and the creation of a Masonic controlled national council of churches. In 1907, illuminated Freemasonry in America financed Dr. Harry F. Ward, a professor at Union Theological Seminary, in founding the Methodist Foundation of Social Services. Ward's job was to teach bright young men to become so-called ministers of Christ and place them as pastors of churches. Reverend Ward taught them how to very subtly and craftily preach to their congregations that the entire story of Christ is a myth, to cast doubts on the divinity of Christ, to cast doubts about the virgin Mary. In short, to cast doubts on Christianity as a whole. It was not to be a direct attack, but much of it by crafty insinuation that was to be applied in particular to the youth in the Sunday Schools. In 1908, the Methodist Foundation of Social Services changed its name to the Federal Council of Churches. By 1950 the Federal Council of Churches was becoming suspect as being a Communist front so it changed its name to the National Council of Churches. In 1975, former 33rd degree Freemason Reverend Jim Shaw exposed the link between Freemasonry and the NCC. He says that "a preacher in the National Council of Churches is really not in until he's a Mason." He said, "I have served in lodge with them. I have a list of many NCC pastors who are working for the Masonic monster with all the strength they have. They are not interested in the Lord Jesus Christ though they pretend to be." In January, 1983 the Reader's Digest exposed the National Council of Churches in an article entitled "Do You Know Where Your Church Offerings Go?" The article revealed, among other things, that over one million dollars of church-goers money in 1981 was sent by the NCC to political activist organizations such as the PLO, Communists in Latin America, Asia and Africa and to several violent prone fringe groups in the US. The article also accused the NCC of rewriting the Bible to conform to a male/female god religion so as to eliminate reference to gender, or as an alternative, to spread the gender around. Jesus no longer would be identified as the son of God, but rather as the child of God. The United Methodist Church, the largest contributor to the NCC has the highest density of Masons and Masonic pastors per capita than any other denomination. Hence, it was the first to fall. The Associated Press reported on December 10, 1983 that the governing body of the United Methodist Church in Nashville, TN had approved guidelines on Biblical and theological language that suggests that fewer male nouns and pronouns be used in referring to Jesus. In 1986, the Rocky Mountain region of the United Methodist Church adopted a new policy prohibiting ministry candidates from referring to God as exclusively male in church paperwork and interviews. The policy allowed for the historical Jesus to be called "he" but prohibits any exclusive male reference to the divine or Messianic Jesus. The policy also calls for phrases such as "divine light," a Masonic term, to be used in place of Father, king or Lord. Candidates are allowed to refer to God as mother and father or as he and she. The NCC then began to work on our youth. On May 9, 1989 USA Today reported that the NCC supports a provision in the Congregational Child Care Bill that says parents who receive federal subsidies may send their children to programs in churches that avoid religious instruction. On May 22, 1989 in the religion section of Time Magazine, Dr. Richard Mao (ph) of California's Fuller Theological Seminary is quoted as saying that the mainline churches that are members of the NCC are now teaching magic and the occult in the new age. He says of these churches that there is a return to the pre-modern world view. A Masonic pastor of the First Congressional Church of Salt Lake City sums up the attitude of many Masonic pastors and Masonic laymen of today. He is quoted in the Masonic book "The Clergy and the Craft" as saying "I am in a mighty army of men who have committed themselves to minimize the importance of moral and ethical teaching."

This brings us to phase seven — the Masonic infiltration of American churches. In 1926 the Scottish Rite published an article in its January New Age Magazine ordering Masons to join Christian churches. It was an order coming directly from the Supreme Council, the headquarters of all Masonic lodges. Written by W. B. Zimmerman, the article entitled "Let There Be Light" stated that every Mason should cast his lot with the church to help vitalize it, liberalize it, modernize it and render it aggressive and efficient. To do less is treason to your country, to your creator and to the obligation you have promised to obey." A Mason's Masonic obligation is more powerful than any law of the land. Under oath, Masons obligate themselves to carry out all orders given them by the Masonic hierarchy. Consequently, following the publishing of this article in 1926, Masons throughout the US flocked to join Protestant churches. In time, these Masons worked their way into church leadership and in time, they turned the evangelical churches lukewarm. Freemasonry's war against evangelical pastors is summed up in three testimonies by Southern Baptist pastors who were voted out of their church by a predominantly Masonic congregation for refusing to cease preaching the salvation message. Their testimonies are published in an appendix of a reprint of Charles G. Finney's book of 1869 entitled "The Character Claims and Practical Workings of Freemasonry."

Yes, Freemasonry has succeeded in turning the red hot Philadelphia church into the lukewarm Laodicean church. However, Christ does not put the blame on Masons. His condemnation and exhortation is directed toward Laodicean Christians who have allowed materialism to make them indifferent toward spiritual things. I quote again Revelation 3:17-18 — "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.'

The first phrase "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich" speaks of judgment past for the word "tried" is past tense. Whose judgment could that be but God's judgment of the sins of mankind placed on Christ at the cross. Christ emerged from that judgment as pure gold. Paraphrased, Christ says "buy of that gold, appropriate my righteousness so that when your works are tried they come out as my works." If we don't apply Christ's golden works to our lifestyle, our own future works will be judged in heaven. This isn't the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of the millennium but rather the judgment seat of Christ where we Christians are judged according to our works here on earth. In 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 Paul is referring to the Christians as he paints a word picture of that judgment: "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

The second phase speaks of living a righteous lifestyle here on earth — "I counsel thee to buy of me white raiment that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear." The clothing that was worn by the "in crowd" at ancient Laodicea was sleek, black wool. In contrast, Christ says "buy of me white raiment." Spiritually, white raiment represents the righteous living of the saints. Laodicean Christians are not wearing white raiment. In fact, the Greek rendition of the word "naked" is "absolutely and completely naked." This means that they are wearing no spiritual garments at all, neither white as did the Philadelphia Christians nor defiled garments as did the Sardis Christians. Laodicean Christians are completely naked from the neck down; they only have on their helmet of salvation. Consequently, the average unsaved onlooker can tell no difference between his lifestyle and that of the Laodicean Christian: both smoke, drink, dance and curse, both read pornographic magazines and wear scanty clothes with the private parts pronounced, both live licentious lifestyles and have abortions, both go to bars, go to x-rated movies and watch filth on television, both are dishonest in business deals, cheat on their income tax, lie to others, cheat others, steal from others and both go to church. Christ says Laodiceans are spiritually naked. He desires that we cover our nakedness with his righteousness so that the shame of our nakedness isn't exposed. Translated in Greek, this last phrase which in reality is a warning, means "so that the disgrace and dishonesty of our lifestyle is not publicly exposed."

Finally, the phrase "anoint thine eyes with eyesalve that thou mayest see" speaks of spiritual blindness, blindness as to what is spiritually important. For example, the word "eyes" carries the idea of "envy or jealous side glances." Within the context of the Laodicean church problem of acquiring wealth, envious or jealous side glances suggest that there are lukewarm Christians covetous of others wealth rather than covetous of spiritual riches discussed in the first part of this verse.

Christ's warning is found in Revelation 3:19 — "as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore and repent." Philadelphia, as you recall, was given the promise "I will keep you from the tribulation." Laodicean Christians, however, are threatened with judgment if we don't repent. In Luke 18:8 we read the grim reality of the Laodicean church period: "when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" This is a rhetorical question with an obvious answer of no, there won't be any faith found. Hence, Tim Lahaye wrote "We should not expect to see revival as in the days of Moody, Finney and others but an apostasy on the part of the Laodicean church." Christ gives no prophecy of another national great awakening as he had done to the Philadelphia church period. There is a message of revival, however, to the individual Christian: "be zealous therefore and repent." A better translation of "zealous" counters the condition of the lukewarm and indifferent Laodicean church, "be hot, be jealous, have a feeling for or against what is important. "If you don't" says Jesus, "I rebuke and chasten those I love."

In our last study we discussed Christ's character as holy and true. This means that he is right no matter what he does. When the Ephesus church failed to repent, Christ was right in giving it 300 years of persecution. When the Sardis church failed to repent, Christ was right in giving it 300 years of revolution and two world wars. Therefore, if the Laodicean church fails to repent, Christ will be right in his judgment of this final church period. The history of Christ's warnings have not been idle threats. Therefore, we can rely on his character of being holy and true, of being consistent in what he says he will do if we don't repent. Consequently, if I am a lukewarm Laodicean Christian and refuse to apply to my life Christ's exhortation of anointing my spiritual eyes with spiritual eyesalve so that I can see myself as Christ sees me, that is wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked, and if I refuse to put on white robes which are symbolic of righteous living, I can count on judgment here on earth if I live to the end of the church age. Unlike the prophecies of the six previous church periods which are now historic, the prophecy of Christ's judgment of the Laodicean church is still future since it is the last church period before the rapture. Therefore, we can only speculate what that judgment might be and when it might occur.

Pretribulation rapturists have their opinion. They have coined the phrase "true church" and "false church." They have all seven church periods running through history concurrently as I have portrayed with one predominant during each church period as I also have portrayed. They claim, as I have, that only evangelical Christians who practice evangelism in word and deed have the Christ-promised right not to experience the tribulation. Where we differ is in their coin phrase "true church" and "false church." They claim that the "true church" is only Philadelphia and that the remaining six churches are false churches which will all be purified in the tribulation. Therefore, the Laodicean judgment according to pre-tribbers is the tribulation. Mid-tribulation rapturists see all seven church periods judged and purified during the first half of the seven year tribulation. At mid-trib, the purified church will be raptured just before the wrath of God is poured out on the wicked world. Mid-tribbers teach that the promise Christ gave the Philadelphia church was to keep it from the great tribulation which is the last 3 1/2 years, the wrath of God, the other six churches must go through the last 3 1/2 years. Post-tribulation rapturists see all seven church periods going through the entire seven years of tribulation with only the Philadelphia church divinely protected while the six remaining churches are purified in the holocaust. Partial tribulation rapturists see three phases of the rapture: (1) pre-trib; (2) mid-trib and (3) post-trib. They teach that evangelical Philadelphians are raptured pre-trib, the rest are tested during the first half of the tribulation. At mid-trib, those at that time found to be evangelical are raptured. The testing continues throughout the last half of the tribulation at the end of which the third phase of the rapture takes place.

Notice in all four viewpoints only evangelicals in name and deed are raptured pre-trib or protected from the last half of the tribulation or protected through the entire seven years of the tribulation. Therefore, it matters not where you stand on your belief of when the rapture will occur if you are a lukewarm Laodicean, you have no basis in any of the rapture teachings to expect to escape the tribulation. The fact remains Christ will bring judgment on the Laodicean church period if it doesn't repent and whatever that judgment might be or when it might occur, it won't be pleasant.

There is a solution to this problem and that solution rests with the Laodicean church, the democratic church that voted Christ out of its assembly. In Revelation 3:20 our Savior is knocking for reentry: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Many use this scripture as a salvation verse suggesting that Christ is knocking at the heart's door of an unsaved person. I have no objection of using this scripture in that manner for many have come to know Christ because of it. However, the verse is taken out of context. In context, this scripture applies to the door of a lukewarm Laodicean church Christ has been voted out, yet he faithfully knocks for reentry. It doesn't take a vote of the majority to open the door, just one person can do it for Christ says "if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me." How sad it is that the majority of the Laodicean church are not listening or even care or even know that the Savior is absent from their midst. In Matthew 18:20 Christ says "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." A Laodicean church doesn't even have two people in its assembly gathered in the name of Christ for Christ is outside the door. There is hope, however, for Christ will come in and have communion with one if one person will open the door. And perchance the spark lit by that one person will ignite into a flame and turn the lukewarm church hot for the glory of God. It takes only one person. I shall give one example of the success of a Christian who opened the door of a Laodicean church.

The story is about a young married man who after graduating from seminary applied for the position of youth pastor in about 20 churches. I shall name him Paul. Paul is a Philadelphia Christian that not only witnesses Christ in word and deed but in lifestyle as well. He tries to obey all of God's laws as well as all civil laws including the speed limit. Paul is recognized by people who know him as righteous but not self-righteous. A large Cumberland Presbyterian church responded to Paul's application; membership is 2,000, church attendance is 1,000 with two Sunday morning services. The congregation is peppered with millionaires living in luxury and in need of nothing. Paul was first interviewed by phone by the head of the Search Committee. The church then brought Paul and his wife in for an interview by the pastor and his staff as well as to meet the 20 volunteer youth workers. The pastor is what is termed a hyper-Calvinist meaning that God has predestined everything including sin. The pastor preaches that one cannot stop sinning if it is predestined by God so why battle against sin. The pastor and his wife both drink, in staff meetings the pastor spews foul language that would embarrass a sailor and his staff responds in like manner. The 20 youth workers also use foul language in front of youth, drink in front of the youth and take the youth to R-rated movies for entertainment. This wealthy Laodicean church accepted Paul as youth pastor and offered him a survival salary. When Paul asked if he could subsidize his income by writing for Christian youth magazines, the wealthy church leader said he could but demanded that the writing fee be put in the church treasury. Paul took the position of youth pastor as a challenge and a mission. When Paul settled in, he knew he could do nothing about the lifestyle of his pastor and his pastor's staff but he set righteous standards for his youth workers to follow. If they would not, they would be replaced. Within one year, five were let go. One was a female who got pregnant by one of the youth, one was a lesbian who he had to pray out because the session refused him permission to fire her, the other three refused to stop their foul language and drinking in front of the youth. One of the three never attended church, her father was a Mason on the session and he, likewise, never attended church. When Paul terminated his daughter, however, this Mason showed up one Sunday morning, singled out Paul and told him that he would make sure he was fired. From that moment on Paul was criticized for everything he did. Two years later the pastor asked for his resignation. During that two years, however, Paul had faithfully opened that church door to Christ's knocking. Christ entered and fellowshipped with Paul. As a result, Paul had the strength to endure the pressure and many youth were saved. In addition, a core group of 20 youth dedicated their lives to prayer and Bible study. The head of the Search Committee who initially recruited Paul was a millionaire who by the testimony of Paul, came to walk with Christ in a personal way. When Paul was asked to resign, this man met with Paul, embraced him in Christian love and with tears in his eyes said "You have lit a spark in this lukewarm church that will ignite into a flame." All Christ asks is that one person open the church door for him to enter. What about your church? Has Christ been voted out? When he knocks for reentry you could be the one to hear his voice and open the door. This will begin your evangelical ministry and perhaps you will be a Laodicean overcomer.

This brings us to the eternal occupation of the Laodicean overcomer. Found in Revelation 3:21 — "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." How does a Laodicean overcome? The scripture says "as Christ also overcame." Christ never sought after wealth; his life was one of self-denial. He likewise overcame temptation for he was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin. And finally, Christ willingly gave up his life. It has been said that it is easier to live a Christian life in poverty or under a suppressive government than it is to live righteously in an opulent society, a democratic society, a society where people's rights are protected. Laodicean means "people's rights." A Christian who seeks after wealth and political rights will not submit himself to picking up his cross of no rights and following Jesus. On the other hand, the Laodicean overcomer will not seek those rights but instead will seek the will of God through daily communion and Bible study and prayer. This gives him the mind of Christ which enables him to overcome as Christ overcame. He has anointed his eyes with spiritual eyesalve. He sees black as black and white as white and no shades of gray. He plays no games of reason about sin. He flees from evil and the appearance of evil and if he does sin, the sun never sets without asking forgiveness. Material things are of no consequence although he may be wealthy. If not wealthy, he never envies another's fortune. He's a hot Christian as opposed to lukewarmness. Finally, he has no fear of boldly witnessing Christ wherever the occasion arises. The Laodicean overcomer shall have the highest position in heaven under Christ. His eternal occupation is found in Revelation 3:21 "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."

This concludes our study on the seven churches of Revelation. May God bless you as you work on your eternal occupation.

1. Tape 1 - The Secret Society at the Church of Ephesus
2. Tape 2 - The Secret Society at the Church of Smyrna
3. Tape 3 - The Secret Society at the Church of Pergamos
4. Tape 4 - The Secret Society at the Church of Thyatira
5. Tape 5 - The Secret Society at the Church of Sardis
6. Tape 6 - The Secret Society at the Church of Philadelphia
7. Tape 7 - The Secret Society at the Church of Laodicea

References:
http://philologos.org/__eb-jki/

Transciption of seven 1-hour audio cassette messages
by John Daniel, author of “Scarlet and the Beast“  

Turn in your Bible to Revelation chapter 3 verse 7-13. I'll be reading from the old King James version.

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Philadelphia means "brotherly love." In the year 189 BC, King Eumenes II of Pergamos completed building the city of Philadelphia in honor of his loyal brother Philadelphus who he deeply loved. King Eumenes selected the location of the city for its strategic position of being a natural crossroads and planned for Philadelphia to be a gateway to the ancient world for spreading Greek culture throughout Asian provinces. During the time of the apostles, the strategic position of Philadelphia enabled the local church to evangelize the known world and those from distant lands traveling through the city came into contact with the Philadelphia evangelicals. Some were saved, discipled and commissioned to take the gospel back to their homeland and establish new churches.

When we apply the evangelism of the local church at Philadelphia to the broader Philadelphia church period, we recognize a time in church history beginning in 1730 when great revivals broke out in England and the American colonies. Following these revivals, numerous missionary movements sprang up in both England and the newly formed United States of America which spread the gospel of Christ around the globe during the next two centuries. And like Philadelphia of old, England during those days was the center of world travel. America has held that position since shortly after our civil war. Hence, the Philadelphia church period is characterized by the evangelical and missionary thrust that began to grow in 1730 as a result of the revivals in both England and America. This period of church history came to a close at the end of WWII after which the church became lukewarm and materialistic.

In ancient Philadelphia the pagans worshiped Asklepios, the serpent god, and Dionysus, the vile Greek god of revelry and licentious orgies. The Christians, however, took no part in the festivals of these pagan gods for there was no idolatry in the Philadelphia church. Because of their faithfulness in spreading the gospel, Philadelphia Christians were divinely protected through that period of martyrdom under the Roman Emperors. Even as late as the Middle Ages when the Moslem hoard swept Asia Minor, Philadelphia is known to have successfully resisted Moslem influence. In fact, while other surrounding cities fell to the Moslems, Philadelphia remained Christian until the 14th century.

This brings us to Christ's characteristic for this church period which is found in the first part of Revelation 3:7 — "he that is holy, he that is true." This description of our Savior as being holy and true means that he is completely right in whatever he does. He was right when he died for us, he IS right in giving us eternal life when we accept his as Savior and he will be right in sending unbelievers to an eternal hell because they have rejected him as Savior. While the phrase holy and true describes the character of Christ as being right, the words taken separately give us more insight into his character. "True" in Greek means "truthful as in not concealing anything." We have witnessed how Christ's promises and warnings during the last five church periods were not concealed, that they occurred just as he said they would and when he said they would.

Christ's character is not only true it's also holy. In Greek the word "holy" as used in this verse means "blameless." When Christ punished the Smyrna Christians with martyrdom for abandoning evangelism during the Ephesus church period, he was blameless because he had warned them in advance. Martyred souls throughout the church age recognize this blameless character in Jesus Christ. In Revelation 6:9-10 when the fifth seal is broken just before the middle of the seven year tribulation, the martyrs unanimously call our Lord holy and true. I quote their prayer of recognition: "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" Christ's answer also confirms his character of being right in his punishment of the wicked. Martyrs are told to wait a while longer until the death of all martyrs be fulfilled, then God's judgment will fall on the wicked. That period of awful testing is referred to as the Great Tribulation in Matthew 24:21 and as the Wrath of God in Revelation 15 and 16. Since Christ's holy and true character is blameless while chastising Christians who don't evangelize, we can rely on his unchanging character in protecting those who do evangelize. For example, when Christ says he will keep the Philadelphia church period from that awful time of tribulation, evangelicals and missionaries can count on his holy and true character of doing just that.

The second characteristic of Christ is found in the latter half of verse 7 — "he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth." This characteristic confirms that our Savior is in complete control of when and where we are to spread the gospel. He opens and closes doors to evangelism with the key of David. What is the key of David?

As pertaining to salvation there are three keys mentioned in scripture. First is the key of knowledge found in Luke 11:52. In this verse Christ rebukes the scribes and Pharisees for taking away the key of knowledge, meaning the law of Moses and the prophets, the whole of the Old Testament. In its place, the Pharisees added cumbersome man-made laws. This key of knowledge is not the key of David. The second key is plural and is found in Matthew 16:19; they are keys to the kingdom of heaven which Christ gives to the church. Notice that these are not keys to heaven but keys to the kingdom of heaven. Bible commentator E. Skyler English writes that these keys are not the keys to the Old Testament knowledge but rather are keys which refer to the means of making the truth about Christ known. These keys unlock the truths found in the New Testament, truths about the mystery of the gospel of salvation. The keys to the kingdom of heaven are not the key of David.

The key of David is mentioned only in one other scripture, Isaiah 22:20-25. Eliakim, a steward over at King Hezekiah's household, was given the key of David and with it the authority to open and close the door of the King's treasure house. Dr. English writes that Isaiah looked beyond Eliakim and saw the Lord Jesus Christ who holds the key of David that unlocks the door to the treasure house of God. What do you suppose is God's most valuable treasure? The answer is given in John 3:16, there the apostle informs us that "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son" to die for the redemption of our souls. God's most valuable treasures then are the souls of mankind. All parables about the kingdom of heaven speak to this. In Matthew 13 when Christ says the kingdom of heaven is like a man who does this or that, our Savior is referring to himself as a man. For example, the kingdom of heaven is like a man, Jesus Christ, who sows good seed. The kingdom of heaven is like a man, Jesus Christ, who takes a grain of mustard seed. And the kingdom of heaven is like a man, Jesus Christ, who seeks goodly pearls and sells all he has meaning he gave up his glory in heaven, came to earth and laid down his life to buy a pearl of great price, a lost soul. All these parables refer to our Savior laying down his life to purchase the souls of mankind for the kingdom of heaven. Souls are God's most valuable treasure. To Christ, God gave the key of David to open the doors to his treasure house of souls.

According to most authors on this subject, the key of David opens doors to nations. To the church, God has given the keys to the kingdom of heaven which unlocks the truths of salvation in the New Testament. When Christ unlocks the doors of nations, the Philadelphia church has been faithful to walk through those doors and preach the gospel of redemption to lost souls. As a child I grew up in a home mission setting. My father pastured a church 12 months out of the year and during the summer months he directed a children's Bible camp. Our family lived on campus and there I matured with five brothers and three sisters. Our heroes were missionaries who dined at our table year round. Each week of camp a different missionary would tell of his or her ventures in spreading the gospel to all corners of the earth. All had stories of victory and defeat, all would encourage us to commit our lives to missionary work. The most memorable part of this experience was a missionary's open door and closed door clichés. As a small child my eyes would open wide with wonder as the missionaries would say "The Lord has opened the door to this nation" or "The Lord has closed the door to that nation." I would look at the kitchen door and wonder how big the door to a nation was. I could visualize an enormous Jesus opening a mighty big door and at his feet were thousands of tiny missionaries rushing through. Yes, Christ holds the key of David and it's through his authority alone that doors of nations are opened and closed to the gospel. Christians need only to be ready to walk through those open doors to preach the gospel of purchased salvation to lost souls.

We recently witnessed this miraculous phenomenon as the Soviet Union fell. Almost overnight all doors to those former Communist nations opened wide to the gospel of Christ. Philadelphia missionaries from almost every denomination and independent missionary society faithfully rushed through those doors. How long the doors will remain open in Russia, is the decision of the one who holds the key of David.

This brings us to Christ's commendation found in Revelation 3:8 — "I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." During the Sardis church period the word of God had died and with that death many preachers and laymen joined secret societies and renounced Christ's name. This left the church weakened, with little strength; it needed resurrection and God miraculously did that for them. For "little strength" in Greek means "a small number were given miraculous power." After Christ gave them miraculous power, he then opened the door to local communities and local churches for revival before missionary activity could begin. In Greek the word "openeth" means "to first open locally, severally and repetitiously." History reveals that the first half of the Philadelphia church period is characterized by great revivals that swept both England and the Americas in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In England it began with the Wesley brothers. John Wesley was born June, 1703 in Epworth, England. His father was a preacher and his remarkable mother a woman of deep Christian convictions, raised her children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Consequently, when young John Wesley attended Oxford, he was already a spiritual leader and during the latter part of his education, was one of the founders of the Holy Club, an organization of serious minded students who vowed to live righteous lives before God and man. Some years after college, John Wesley studied Luther's writings which inspired him to preach. In 1730, he and his brother Charles were sent by the British Society for the propagation of the gospel to the colony of Georgia in the Americas. There the brothers developed their preaching skills. Upon their return to England, John Wesley became an associate of George Whitefield and became a popular evangelist. Wesley was known for his persistent, laborious love for men's souls. For the next 50 years he rose at four o'clock every morning and began preaching at five o'clock. He preached twice a day and sometimes three and four times, then traveled to the next town. Most of his travel was on horseback accumulating 4,500 miles annually. At a time when the church of England had lost sight of Christ as Redeemer, Wesley preached the renewing of the soul through belief in Jesus Christ. As a result, tens of thousands of the humbler class of English people who before were exceedingly ignorant and full of evil habits, responded to the gospel message and after salvation became earnest, faithful Christians. Following each revival, Wesley ordained preachers to disciple the converts, then he traveled to the next town to preach another revival.

The small churches which were left in his wake throughout the British Empire became known as Wesley Fellowships. In 1744, Wesley established an annual conference for his Fellowships. Throughout the year he disseminated useful knowledge to them, he planned for the psychological culture for his traveling preachers and local exhorters. He also planned the curriculum for his schools of instruction for future teachers of the Fellowship. He organized and then published his best sermons and various theological works so that his successful method of preaching and teaching would be transferred to future generations. As a result of the ingenious methods he developed for the Fellowships and the way he enforced them almost with military precision, the name Methodist became attached to the Fellowships.

After his death, Wesley Fellowships became known as the Methodist Church. When John Wesley died in 1791 at the age of 88, his preaching had brought sinners to repentance throughout the reign of three British Monarchs. England was now prepared to send missionaries around the world through foreign mission boards founded by Wesley.

The American colonies needed revival as well, which broke out between 1740 and 1750 and is known as the Great Awakening. These revivals remarkably increased the growth of Congregational, Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist churches. Following are a few of the revivalists and evangelists who faithfully walked through this open door in the Americas.

Beginning in 1739, George Whitefield became a popular preacher in both England and the American colonies. With the Wesley brothers, he worked for revival in the church. His preaching tours in American helped kindle the Great Awakening. During that same time Jonathan Edwards, a Congregational minister, became one of the most influential theologians and evangelists in American history. One of his best known sermons was "Sinners in the hands of an angry God." His preaching was an important factor in the Great Awakening in New England. As the most learned scholar of his generation, Edwards became president of a Christian college known today as Princeton University.

So powerful were these revivals that by the time our Constitution was written and passed by Congress in 1787, 2/3 of the three million citizens in the USA were professing Christians. Revival didn't stop with this first generation but was passed to the second generation and the revival fires kept burning. Men like Francis Asbury, the first bishop of the Methodist church in America, and Peter Cartwright, Timothy Dwight and Lyman Beecher led the way to the second Great Awakening. In 1824, Charles G. Finney inherited the leadership bringing great revival to the Eastern United States. His meetings were characterized by deep and open mourning over sin. During the latter half of the 19th century, Dwight L. Moody held great crusades throughout America and England. He was the forerunner to Billy Sunday and Billy Graham of the 20th century. Dwight L. Moody founded Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.

While the 18th and 19th century Philadelphia church period was being revived from its Sardis death by the two Great Awakenings, the entire 19th and 20th centuries became one great big missionary movement. And this was Christ's doing for he said "Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." As stated earlier, "little strength" in Greek means "small in number with miraculous power." The Philadelphia church was like a person coming back to life who was still weak. Here again we see Christ's awesome power and faithfulness in sustaining the obedient missionaries who with little strength, with little financing, with little preparation rushed through the open door to do a mighty work in a hostile land that offered no medical facilities nor psychiatric counseling to counter cultural shock. It was indeed a miracle.

The last phrase of verse 8 is significant in understanding the transition from the Sardis church period to the Philadelphia church period for it counters the problem inherent in the Sardis church: thou "hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." "Kept my word" in Greek means "they guarded the divine expression from loss or injury." If we keep God's word, we will not deny Christ's name. The few who did not apostatize during the Sardis church period preserved God's word and opened the Philadelphia church period with great revivals. What followed was a world wide missionary movement. When there is complete obedience to Christ's first and only commandment to the church, we find no condemnation of that church period.

While Christ revived the hearts of men and women to prepare them for missionary work in foreign fields, he simultaneously prepared the world wide political and commercial presence of England and America to make a way to send out the missionaries. Ancient Philadelphia is the prototype. From this city of crossroads, missionaries were sent to every kingdom and empire in the known world. Likewise, England as the center of world travel during the first half of the Philadelphia church period, shipped missionaries to all parts of the world. God engineered two historic events which permitted this to happen the result of which opened the doors of Eastern and Western countries to the gospel.

First, Great Britain spread her Empire around the globe through colonization. Second, colonization was made possible by Great Britain's mighty merchant marines. From the year 1603 to the year 1873, the British East India Company, the world's largest merchant marine co-op, was the sole responsible entity that carried the British flag around the world. England's primary trade was in fabrics. Cotton from her southern plantations in American was shipped to England where it was manufactured into fabric. From there, it was shipped to the Orient and traded for silk. As silk and spices were shipped back from the Orient to Europe and to the Americas, the merchant ships stopped by the coast of Africa to pick up slaves and the cycle began again. With these rugged merchant marines, sailed missionaries from the British Isles and to the Americas to destinations both East and West. In 1873 when the British East India Company went out of business, the USA became the center of world travel and from our land the missionary movement continued to mushroom.

Although world travel was made available from England as earlier as 1603 by the creation of the British East India Company, we know from the history of the Sardis church period that Protestant churches of the 17th and 18th century were slow to undertake missions outside of Europe. However, following the first great revivals that swept England and the Americas in the late 18th century and the early 19th century, interest in missions exploded, not in churches but among individuals and small groups. And through them, several voluntary missions were organized before churches got involved. For example, in 1793 the world's first modern missionary, an English shoe cobbler named William Cary (ph), sailed from London to India and found there an open door. He is known as the father of modern missions. One of his legacies is the development of mission societies or voluntary societies that send missionaries out to evangelize in the far corners of the earth. As a gifted linguist, Cary was personally involved in translating the Bible into 36 languages of South Asia.

American foreign missions began in 1806 with Samuel J. Mills, a student at Williams College. Mills gathered about himself four fellow students who felt a burden for the heathen world. One day while weathering a thunderstorm in the shelter of a haystack, they passed the time in prayer for the salvation of the world and resolved to be missionaries. Later, these young men went to Andover Theological Seminary where Adoniram Judson joined them. On June 29, 1810 they sent a petition to the Massachusetts Congregational Association at Bradford offering themselves as missionaries and asking whether they might expect financial support from a missionary society in American or should they apply to a British missionary society. In response to this appeal, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was formed. But there was still a touch of Sardis in the Mission Board, for t