Inerrant Lie #74

Another lie from "God's ineffable, inerrant word":

The anonymous writer of the book of Hebrews writes of angels, "if the word spoken by angels was stedfast [Hebrews 2:2a]": indicting the word of angels as 'loose talk'. However, this runs contradictory to the scriptures themselves, it seems; and it was just this sort of attitude about angels for which Zacharias (father of John the Baptist) was made "dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things [were] performed, because [he believed] not [the angel's] words, which [were] fulfilled in their season [Luke 1:20]." 

It's beside the point (though in counterpoint to it), that unlike Zacharias, the Blessed Virgin did not challenge the angel to give her a sign of his credibility. She simply accepted what she was told by the angel graciously, and got on with it. "Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer," someone once said, who obviously thought it was a good thing to be kissed on the lips by other men. He probably thought this because he was a king of "Sodom [Revelation 11:8]."

Perhaps the sorcery some call sex and others call religion (both together in observances, "in Jesus' precious name,"-- globally– every Sunday morning) has this residual effect on it's practitioners: they become cynical where angels and sprits are concerned; while simultaneously worshipping men "as God [2 Thessalonians 2:4]." Perhaps they're so spiritual, in their own esteem of themselves, vis a vis all others, that even– especially– God has to take a number and get in line; and that only to be disregarded as 'unspiritual' and unworthy of the audience, when it is granted. At any rate, this incredulous esteem of the words of angels does seem to be a trademark of the (spiritual- and genetic-) children of Abraham: the second chapter of the book of Judges being one case in point; the conversation of contemporary Christianity being another.

Judges 2 begins with an angelic appearance and visitation (in the days of Joshua) wherein the children of Israel are upbraided by the angel for their disobedience to the word of the LORD. This disobedience is recorded at least twice: at Peor (Numbers 25); and in the matter of the Hivites of "Gibeon, and and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim" (Joshua 9).

The final word of this angel's 'hard sermon' is recorded to have been: "ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? 3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive [the inhabitants of this land] out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you [Judges 2:2c - 3]." This disparaging word, "ye have not obeyed my voice" is contradicted by scribe and LORD alike.

One of the final words of the book of Joshua is, "Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel [Joshua 24:31]." This is consistent with the tenor of the book of Joshua generally; though it is nonetheless a lie: and an indictment of the angel's testimony in Judges 2.

In fact, in Judges 2 alone, the testimony of "Bochim [Judges 2:5, et. al.]" is refuted not fewer than three times: once presumably by the LORD. Four verses after the end of the record of Bochim– after "Joshua had let the people go [Judges 2:6a]"-- it is again alleged that "the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel [Judges 2:7]." Ten verses later, the scribes 'double- down' on this same lie, saying, "they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so [Judges 2:17d - f]." Then the LORD, himself, allegedly validates the same lie while simultaneously seeming to confirm the word of the angel at Bochim.

In Judges 2:20 & 21 (after the deaths of Joshua and all his contemporaries, according to the text), the scribes allege: "20 …the LORD… said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; 21 I also will not [(Note the next word.)] henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died [Judges 2:20 & 21]:" in seeming confirmation of the angel's testimony at Bochim; though it is explicitly an anachronistic irregularity, in light of the fact that Joshua was extant when the angel pronounced judgement at Bochim; and his entire generation– and the one after it– long- dead at the time of this alleged word of the LORD.

This raises the question: Who's angel was it at Bochim? The text of Judges 2 says it was "an angel of the LORD [Judges 2:1a]." But verse 21 of the same chapter indicates a difference in opinion between the LORD and his angel, if that were the case: in light of the word "henceforth" in verse 21, above. Perhaps the real lie, here, is that it was an angel of the LORD at Bochim. Perhaps the real lie of the canon is that the LORD is not the Devil.

In the final two verses of Judges 2, the scribes allege the LORD gives his rationalization for allowing the nations (who preceded the Jews in the promised land) to remain– as a 'test': "22 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. 23 Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua [Judges 2:22 & 23]."

In verse 22, the LORD is thus characterized as confirming the lie that a generation of Jewry "hearkened unto [his] voice," with the words "their fathers did keep it." In verse 23, the scribe attempts to resolve the foregoing 'word of the LORD' with the words of the angel at Bochim, writing, "neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua"; but if that were so: why did the LORD say the generation to which the angel spoke so disparagingly 'kept the way of the LORD?'

Never in the canon is this presumed obedience recorded, except in lie form. Even when Moses "was king in Jeshurun [Deuteronomy 33:5a]," he told the people, "Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes [Deuteronomy 12:8]." This echoes the thesis and final word of the book of Judges, itself, concerning the apostasy described therein: "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes [Judges 21:25, et. al.]." Again, Moses, in his final oration before his death, says to the Jewry: "thou art a stiffnecked people [Deuteronomy 9:6b]."

Finally, the reason "the elders that outlived Joshua" are cited in Joshua and Judges (above) is that Joshua's entire generation was allegedly wiped- out in the wilderness for disobedience. [In the New Testament, the descendants of these same people murdered him whom they called (et. al.) "the Holy One of God."] And Moses again said, "Ye have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you [Deuteronomy 9:24]."

For these reasons and more, I say: the angel at Bochim told the truth; and all who say otherwise are lying. Either way, these various witnesses of the events and times spoken of by the angel do not agree. Someone or somebody is lying. The "more sure word of prophecy" is the word of angels. How else would Daniel have known anything?

Inerrant Lie #73

Another lie from "God's ineffable, inerrant word":

Jesus said: "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true [John 5:31]." Every time I recall Jesus saying this, I'm reminded how many times Moses bore witness of himself; and, in turn how many times he did so– presumably– at the LORD's insistence. Every time Moses told his people, "I am the LORD your God," he did so because he was told to, he says. Moses also says the LORD told him, "[Aaron] shall be thy spokesman unto the people ["prophet" (Exodus 7:1)]… and thou shalt be to him instead of God [Exodus 4:16]." Moses also writes of himself, "(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) [Numbers 12:3];" this last, apparently, of his own volition.

Moses' epitaph, in Deuteronomy, says, "Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated [Deuteronomy 34:7]." He may have died as sexy as James Dean; however, Deuteronomy reads like Moses' memory was slipping a bit; and his epitaph in the New Testament seems to read, "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."

There are numerous places in Deuteronomy where Moses remembers things differently than they were originally recorded by him. The whole of Deuteronomy is the record of Moses' final oration to his people before being presumably killed by the LORD, personally, (while Michael and Satan "disputed about the body of Moses," according to Jude).

In this instance, Moses is rehearsing the events which allegedly occurred "in Horeb [Deuteronomy 5:2]" what time the children of Israel received 'the ten commandments' from the LORD. In Deuteronomy, Moses says, "(I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to shew you the work of the LORD: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) [Deuteronomy 5:5]". This does not equate with the record of these things written by Moses in Exodus. Here, in Deuteronomy, Moses says he "stood between the LORD and [the people]" because of the people's fear. In Exodus, Moses says the LORD, shall we say, made him do it.

The text in Exodus relevant to these events begins in chapter 19, three days before the day on which 'the ten commandments' were allegedly spoken from the mount. In Exodus, Moses says the reason the LORD delivered 'the ten commandments' in the dramatic fashion in which he allegedly did so was for the purpose of obtaining for Moses eternal credibility with "the people" by being real impressive with a show; but this is no ordinary song- and- dance. Moses and his people have to play along. The LORD's a real special guy, so everyone has to be clean and show proper respect. The LORD requires a number of things from "the people"-- compliance with a threat of death among these– without which it will be impossible for him to do Moses this 'solid'.

In formulating his requirements, the LORD tells Moses, in part, "thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death [Exodus 19:12]:" this three days before the special day he's set aside in legalese praise of Moses.

The day of this shocking- and- aweing, rocking 'n' rolling party in praise and support of Moses, Moses says he went up the mount, and the LORD told him, "Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish [Exodus 19:21]." To which, Moses says he responds, "The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it [Exodus 19:23b - f]." He's done what he's been told to do. Why does he have to do what he's told to: especially on the holiday observed in his own honor?

According to Moses (in Exodus), the LORD responds to Moses' presumption upon his own honor, as it were, with: "Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them [Exodus 19:24b - h]." Furthermore, in Exodus, Moses goes on to say, "So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them [Exodus 19:25]": as he was told to.

Yet, in Deuteronomy, Moses says, "I stood between the LORD and you… for ye were afraid… and went not up into the mount;" as if– instead of setting boundaries– he were taunting them with their fear, on the day of the event; not only on the day of his own death.

Inerrant Lie #72

Another lie from "God's ineffable, inerrant word":

Moses informs us of a number of lies he blames the Lord for. One of these has to do with the age at which a Levite is required to go to work in "the tabernacle of the congregation."

Moses' book entitled 'Numbers' tells of three censuses allegedly taken of the Levites by Moses during their likewise- alleged forty- year wander through the wilderness between Egypt and Canaan. In the precedent- setting first census taken by Moses, Moses says the LORD told him to number the Levites, "every male from a month old and upward [Numbers 3:15c, et. al.]."

In the second census of the Levites performed by Moses, Moses says the LORD told him to: "2 Take the sum of… the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers, 3 From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation [Numbers 4:2 & 3, et. al.]." Thus, in this second census, the length of the career of a given Levite is presumably limited by the LORD to twenty years. 

(The third census of the Levites, as the first, numbers "all males from a month old and upward [Numbers 26:62b]:" and is of no consequence in the current controversy.)

Unlike American jurisprudence, which is supposedly precedent- based, the LORD apparently makes up the rules as he goes along. Sometime between the second and third censuses of the Levites, Moses says the LORD (in assigning the Levites their duties- by- family) told him: "24 This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation 25 And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: 26 But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge [Numbers 8:24 - 26]." This is a pretty notable departure from the LORD's first word on this topic.

In the first census of Levites, the LORD allegedly limited the career of the Levites to twenty years: thirty years old- to- fifty years old. In assigning the Levites their several duties, the LORD sets the bounds of service from twenty- five years (five years younger than previously)- to- death, basically. Ministry (Numbers 8:26, above) is work, after all, even if it isn't what the LORD calls "service." Talk about 'bait 'n' switch.

What is the LORD– a used car salesman?

Inerrant Lie #71

Another lie from "God's ineffable, inerrant word":

Genesis 20 relates a story from the life of Abraham which is not only peculiar but (presumably) incestuous; as well as being one example of how Abraham was, presumably, accursed under Moses' law [Deuteronomy 27:22] (which law Moses says he received of the LORD). Moses, in Genesis 20, tells us that, after the destruction of Sodom, Abraham "sojourned in Gerar [Genesis 20:1c]." Mischief follows.

While in Gerar, Abraham and Sarah went as brother and sister– not as husband and wife, which in fact they were. According to the text of Genesis 20, this conspiracy to defraud was a longstanding covenant between Abe and Sarah. Verse 13 has Abe telling Abimelech, the king of Gerar, "And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto [Sarah], This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother."

However, when Abimelech asked Abraham why they had so done, "Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake [Genesis 20:11]." Abraham goes on to say, "...yet indeed [Sarah] is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife [Genesis 20:12]."

This is, perhaps, beside the point, but if this last word from Abraham is true, Moses– through Joshua and the people who entered with him into the promised land– cursed Abe (and, by extension, all of his children, themselves and Christians [Romans 4:16] included) from mount Ebal with the words, "Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people [presumably said], Amen [Deuteronomy 27:22]." This cursing is recorded in Joshua 8:30 - 35. In light of Genesis 12:3a & b ["I will… curse him that curseth thee"]: does the cursing from mount Ebal imply Abraham was cursed for cursing himself? and that before the LORD ever made any covenant with him? Perhaps one must be accursed to make a covenant with the LORD.

At any rate, inasmuch as he knew not that Abe and Sarah were married, "Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah [Genesis 20:2c & d]", whom he found attractive enough to take, even though (presumably) Sarah was already an old maid [Genesis 17:17] and perhaps past any thought of being able to enjoy sex [Genesis 18:11]. Nonetheless, Abimelech "took" Sarah, and this abduction as it were expedited a nighttime visit and death threat from "God" to Abimelech, according to Moses who wrote Genesis.

Moses says God told Abimelech, "restore [Abraham] his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine [Genesis 20:7]." Any place Moses refers to God, in any of his writings, is of singular interest: inasmuch as Moses more generally refers to "the LORD," or "the LORD God." The thing which may immediately be observed about this Mosaic reference to God therefore is that the one speaking as God to Abimelech refers to a deceiver (Abraham, by name) as "a prophet."

The upshot of this scandalous controversy, as Moses records it, is that Abraham is enriched by virtue of shakedown for deceiving Abimelech, and Abimelech is coerced into participating in the shakedown by the "God" who tells Abimelech "[Abe] shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live [v. 7, above]." Abimelech's 'participation' in this shakedown is recorded in verses 14 & 15, thus: "14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. 15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee."

In return for Abimelech's cooperation, "17 Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. 18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife [Genesis 20:17 & 18]." Notice how "God" heals the damage done to Abimelech by "the LORD," according to this passage.

All the forgoing, from Genesis 20, is naught but precipitating action in regards to the lie here under examination, and is only included that you might understand the lie presently illucidated, which comes to us in succeeding chapters.

In chapter 21 of Genesis– allegedly after the birth of Abraham's second son, Isaac, and about the time Abraham's firstborn son, Ishmael, was married– Moses says, "...that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest: 23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned [Genesis 21:22b - 23]." This, Abe presumably swears to, indemnifying himself and, by extension, his children to "not deal falsely" with the Philistines of Gerar unto Abimelech's third generation.

In Genesis 26, (after the death of Abraham, chapter 25) Moses writes that Abraham's second son, Isaac, after marrying his cousin Rebekah and the resultant birth of their twins, Esau and Jacob– like his father Abraham– at the behest of the LORD, sojourned in Gerar. "And the men of the place asked [Isaac] of his wife; and he [like Abe] said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon [Genesis 26:7]." Like father like son.

"Abimelech king of the Philistines [v. 8]" subsequently discerns Isaac's Abrahamic deception and calls him out on it. After rebuking Isaac for his deceptive foolishness, "Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death [Genesis 26:11]." The text says nothing of the LORD (or God) saying anything to Abimelech about Rebekah or Isaac either before or after their deception is found out, but it does say, "the LORD blessed [Isaac (Genesis 26:12c)]" after these things.

What's more, the text says Isaac "...waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: 14 For he had possession of flocks, and possessions of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him [Genesis 26:13 & 14]." Though Moses doesn't directly credit Abimelech for any of Isaac's wealth, as in Abe's earlier shakedown he did.

Nor does Moses mention the simple fact that Isaac and Rebekah's deception amounts to nothing less than a breach of the covenant Abraham made with Abimelech in chapter 21. Neither does Moses indicate whether or not the Abimelech in Gerar in chapter 26 is the same Abimelech Abraham swore to in chapter 21. The reader is led to assume, however, that it's the same Abimelech in both cases. After all, the name of the latter Abimelech's "chief captain of his army" is– as the former Abimelech's was– Phicol. Assuming both Abimelechs are the same, it's reasonable to assume Abimelech was older than Isaac, but quite a bit younger than Abe.

The insidious element of the foregoing lie is that it was the LORD– who, throughout the canon (especially in the books of the prophets), rails on the Jews as covenant- breakers, adulterers, truce breakers, etc.-- who 'taught' Isaac to break the covenants made by his father Abraham: as the Sanhedrin "taught" the Romans to lie about the body of Jesus [Matthew 28:15]. Why is it assumed that when the LORD lies (by teaching and commanding his children to lie on his behalf, in some cases) the lie was necessary and righteous? Does conspiracy wash the hands of the wicked? I thought it was the filth thereof.