Sunday, April 12, 2015

"Mankind" / "Son of Man" / "Man' of Lawlessness"

A QUESTION:
"I have been looking at "the man of Lawlessness" (2Thess.2:3-10), although I understand the meaning of this (the beast made up of non-anointed gentiles/elders), I was wondering though; why it is referred to as a man?"

MY REPLY:
        (PLEASE read all the scriptures)
          [When you see an asterisk (*), it refers to a footnote at the bottom of the post.
                  Footnotes will be added when the post is completed.]

If you ask this because you wonder if this "man" is a single person, then it helps to read 2Thess.2:6,7,8...
"And now you perceive the restraint which will be revealed in it's time. The underhanded power of this lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now restrains will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming".
What we learn from verse 7, is that this identity was already at work in the first century. We learn in verse 8, that this identity will be present when Christ overthrows it at the time of his coming.   The "man of lawlessness" is an element that spans much longer than a single human lifetime. It therefore consists of many individuals, all of whom bear its' traits, and who work collectively to develop the demonic purposes that the Destroyer has assigned to this Satanic "son"** (2Thess2:3) 
[(** Greek of 2Thess.2:3 literally reads, "son (not "man doomed to") of apOleias" = "son of destruction" = form of "Apollyon") (Rev.9:11)]
(John17:12 (also "son of Destruction"...not "man doomed to"); John13:27; 6:70; Luke22:3).

This idea of a collective is not unusual within scripture. Think of the singular body of Christ, consisting of many individuals (1Cor.12:27). 
The body of the Antichrist (singular), also consists of many individuals over time (1John2:18). So too, the members of the "man of lawlessness".
All those belonging to Christ come together to form one body (1Cor.10:17; 12:14,25; Rom.15:14; Eph.4:11,12). 
Just as The Temple of God is also shown to be a collective; (1Pet.2:5; Eph.2:20,21,22)... 
so too, is the "synagogue of Satan" (Rev.2:9; 3:9).

But there is much more which the scriptures contain pertaining to the reason why this entity is designated as a "man". It is worth uncovering whatever we are presently able. Since you have studied about this "man" as being the same identity as the Wild Beast of Rev.13:1; You may wonder why is it symbolically referred to as being a beast, and at the same time, a "man" of lawlessness.

MANKIND

When Revelation speaks of mankind (Greek: "anthropos"), God's Word is referring to what God considers mankind to be. If we glean from God's words, what God's definition of "mankind" is; that deeper understanding will open our interpretation of this term "anthropos", when it is used within the prophetic symbolism of Revelation...
(Rev.5:9; 8:11; 9:4,6,10; 13:13,18; 14:4; 16:2,8,9,18,21; 18:13; 19:18; 21:3) 
(As you can see from the foregoing verses, "anthropos" is translated inconsistently in most Bible versions)
(I have left out verses from the foregoing list which commonly include a translation of "mankind" or "men", even though in actuality, the original Greek of those verses did not contain "anthropos".)

First, we should accept that God considers "mankind" to authentically be a creation made in His image. Therefore, according to God's definition, authentic "mankind" is free of sin (1Pet.1:16) (Col.3:5,7,8,9,10; Matt.5:48; Rev.4:8)

"Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.' So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day." (Gen.1:26,27,31) 
"This is the written account of Adam’s family line.
When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created." (Gen.5:1,2)

What is the essence of mankind, according to God's definition?
How did God create our original parent?
The perfect, immortal*(2), human organism... "mankind"...
       what does it consist of ?

FLESH AND SPIRIT

"Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." (Gen.2:7)

What was this "breath of life" that made Adam into an eternal*
(1) being?
Jesus leads us into understanding the answer, at John20:21,22...
"Then said Jesus to them again, Peace unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, 
Receive ye the Holy Spirit."

The original Greek words which are translated as "Holy Spirit" (John20:22), are "hagion pneuma"
The word meaning "spirit", is "pneuma", which means breath. Holy Spirit then, means the breath of God which contains the force of life (John6:63; 2Cor.3:6; Rom.8:2; 1Cor.15:45; Gal.5:25). When instilled, it gave eternal life to the lifeless corpse which God had formed out of the dust of the ground 
(Gen.2:7; Job 10:9; Gen.3:23; 2Sam.14:14; Gal.4:4,5; John1:14). 
  Adam had become the first of "mankind"...made in the perfect and holy image of God.
(Ps.104:29; 146:4; Ec.12:7; Job 34:12,14,15; James2:26; Luke23:46)
[IN RESPONSE TO COMMENT: As we know, life and health cannot be accomplished in a corpse
                   by air alone. If it could, we could resurrect the dead with an air pump. (Ec.12:7; Job 34:14,15)]
Review:
Mankind's Original Essence: (spirit of God combined with flesh = incorruptible soul / "mankind" as defined by God - Gen.5:1,2) 
"Mankind" would have lived eternally, if God's spirit remained within.*(1)

Did God's spirit remain within Adam and Eve?
As we know, Adam and Eve chose to sin, and that resulted in consequences (Gal.6:7; Ps.5:4,5,6; 34:16; Prov.15:29)
They chose to eat of the fruit / "knowledge', of the great Deceiver 
(Gen.2:17; 3:6,13; James1:15; Hosea10:13; 6:7; 2Cor.11:3; James3:15; 1Tim.4:1; Rev.20:7,8; 16:14), 
rather than from the Tree of Life.
("Two Trees") (John12:48; Eph.5:9; Prov.3:13,18)

The spirit of God, along with eternal life and it's sustaining "Tree", were removed from Adam and Eve's grasp (Gen.3:23,24,17,19; Ps.104:29; Job 34:14,15). Death resulted to all who were generated from Adam and Eve (Ps.51:5; Job 14:4; 15:14; Rom.3:23). 
Those originally created as "mankind", had replaced the guidance and spirit of God, with the guidance and spirit of the Destroyer (Eph.2:1,2,3; Heb.2:14 c; 1John3:8 a,b). 
"Mankind" was now corrupted, defiled, cursed... 
mere mortals subject to death 
       (Ps.14:3; 90:3; Gen.3:17; 5:29; Rom.8:13; Jer.13:25)... 
and no longer possessing the spirit or image of God. As a result of their chosen adulteration, they were no longer sons of God, but rather, dying sons of Satan 
(Rom.1:25; John8:44; Rom.5:12; Deut.32:5; Isa.24:5; Acts2:40)
  As soon as sin was accomplished (Gen.2:17; 3:6; James1:14,15); Satan's corrupt and dying lineage of seed had been initiated and generated (Rom.8:20; Job 14:1). From then on, Satan's seed would be in conflict and at enmity 
with those who gain and harbor the Spirit of God (Gen.3:15; Rev.12:17; Rom.16:20; 1Cor.15:45) 

(1John3:12; Heb.11:4; Prov.29:10; John8:40; 15:20; 3:20) 

(2Cor.10:3,4,5; 2Tim.4:7; 2:3) (Rev.20:7,8; 16:14,13,16; 17:14; Eph.5:11; 6:12; Rev.19:11,14,8; 12:7; Prov.28:4).

("What is Armageddon?")
(http://armageddon-obadiah.blogspot.com/)

PART TWO  
(Done editing -- found the mistakes)

Two spirits / two fathers / two tables / two seed

Adam and Eve deviated from God's original design of mankind... that of being made in God's image, because they 
no longer resembled God's sinless spirit. God's life-giving spirit no longer resided within them, nor could they regain it through the tree of life (Eph.2:1; James1:15; Gen.3:13,19,24; Ps.104:29). Their existence became adulterated and temporary, based upon the corrupt and dying spirit of their master, Satan, who now owned them. 
Through them, humanity became mere earthly, mortal flesh... not belonging to Holy Spirit... being lead by their unclean earthly desires of lust, greed, lying, and injurious domination. 
Rather than resembling the original sinless condition of their Father's creation of "mankind" (Luke3:38); their spirit resembles those of lower, untamed creatures (Jude1:10,19; 1Cor.2:14; 2Pet.2:12; Rev.17:8; 13:11; 22:15; Jer.12:9; 15:3; Rev.19:17,18,21; 18:2; Eze.39:17) (Rev.9:3,7,10; Joel2:4,1,2,3; Isa.33:4; Job 39:19,20; Joel1:4,6,7; Rev.9:8; Eze.2:6; Rev.9:10). 
Humanity came under the control of lying wicked spirits, who general humanity has come to resemble...
 (John8:44; James3:15; 2Cor.11:14,15; John13:27; Matt.26:48,49; Eph.2:2,3; 1John5:19; Ps.74:20), 
...due to their rebellious hearts 
(Jer.2:5; Eph.4:17,18,19; Luke8:11,12; James4:4; 1John2:15,16,17; 4:5; John15:19; Rom.1:21,20; 8:5,6,13; Gal.5:17,19,20,21; Matt.26:41). 
Having the spirit of Satan, these come to resemble the father of sin (Isa.27:1; 57:20; Rev.12:9; Matt.23:33; 25:41) (1Pet.5:8; Prov.28:15; Eze.22:25; Ps.58:6; 3:7; 57:4; 17:12,13; 10:2,8,9; Rev.9:8; Joel1:6) 
(Isa.27:1; 57:20; Rev.13:1,4; Eze.29:4,5; 38:4,2; Rev.20:8)
...as his sons and slaves. (Rev.9:11; 2Thess2:3; 1John3:12; 2Pet.2:2; John8:44; Matt.23:33) 

Such comparisons to other creatures can also be favorably made, in order to symbolize positive traits 
(Rev.14:1; 4:7,8; Eze.34:31; Ps.74:19; Canticles6:9; Rev.12:14; Job 39:27,29). 

When speaking of the confrontation the wicked have with God's people,
the Bible symbolically describes them according to their inner spirit, which God no longer views as measuring up to His concept of "mankind", but rather as wicked and rebellious scorpions, locusts, wild beasts, serpents, fish, etc.

------- PART THREE ------
Done Editing

Jesus told us that the hearts of both the wicked and the good prophets, would be producing "fruits" (Matt.24:5,24,25; 7:15,16,17,18,19,20; Luke6:43,45). Luke defines that fruit, as the sayings/teachings, which proceed from the spirit within each heart... either good (Phil.1:9,11; Eze.36:26,27; Rom.5:5; Acts2:18) or bad (Mark7:23,21; Matt.15:19; 12:34; Rev.13:11; Deut.32:33; Jer.51:7; 2Cor.11:13,14,15). The difference between these two sorts of prophets, would be discernable by the "fruit" (sayings/teachings) that each produced. The fruit of lips (Heb.13:15; Hosea14:2; Mal.3:3,4; 1Pet.2:5) would either be sourced in the spirit of God (Matt.10:20; 1Cor.3:16; Rom.8:9) or the spirit/breath, of demons/Satan (Rev.16:13,14; John8:44; 1John3:8; 2Tim.3:5,7,8,9; 1Tim.4:1,7; Titus1:11; 2Pet.2:3). That demonic spirit/breath, can instill itself into the workings of men (Rev.13:15; 19:20; 16:13,16; 20:7,8) (Luke22:3,4; Rev.12:9; 1John5:19; 4:1; 2Pet.2:1,2,3; Dan.8:12). 
The fruit of each side would be offered on symbolic tables (1Cor.10:21; Rev.2:20), for others to "ingest" into their own heart (Prov.23:19; 4:23; Matt.15:9). Spiritual fruit also contains seed within it (Gen.1:11). The seed remains after the fruit is eaten. That seed will be cultivated in the heart...
good (James1:21,25; 1Cor.3:9,6; John15:1,2) 
or bad (James1:15), 
or sprouts can be weeded out (Eph.4:22; 1Pet.2:1), depending upon the desires of each heart. (Luke8:11,12,13,14,15; 10:16; Matt.13:8,9; 1Thess.4:8; 2:13; John12:48). 
(http://4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com/2014/04/wheat-and-weed-seeds-grow-up-and-mature.html)
  Whichever fruit/seed is cultivated within, will result in either a slave of God's Laws ("wheat"), or a slave of the devil's laws ("weeds") (Matt.13:37,38,39,40; Rom.8:2; 6:22,18). 
Such slaves receive a spiritual mark, identifying the master that owns their heart (Deut.6:6,8; 11:18; Ex.13:9; Rev.7:3; 14:1; 19:5) (Rev.13:16,7,8; Isa.44:20; Rev.14:9,10; 19:20). The fruit eaten contains it's own seed, which takes root...either perpetuating corruption and resulting in destruction (Gen.3:6; Rom.5:12; 2:8; James1:14; 2Thess.1:8; 2:12), or incorruption and eternal life (Rom.8:2,13; 6:17; James1:21; 1Pet.1:22,23; John6:63).

As slaves, they will either obey the truth, or the lie (Rom.6:16; 2Pet.2:19; John8:34; 2Thess.2:9,10,11,12; Isa.44:20; Rev.13:16
(1Pet.1:14; Acts17:30; Rom.6:13; 12:1). 
They learn to imitate either the father of truth (1Cor.6:11; 2:12; Col.3:10; Rom.8:15,29; Eph.2:10; 4:24) and become restored into the image of God (Gen.1:27; Col.3:10; Rom.8:29; 13:14) --("clothed with Christ" -Rev.12:1; Luke1:78,79);
or retain the spirit and image of the father of lies (Isa.50:3; 2John1:7; 1John2:26; 2Tim.3:13; Eph.5:6; 2:2; 4:18; Col.2:4,8; John8:44; Gal.4:3; 2Cor.4:4; 11:14,15). 
As such imitators (Eph.5:1; Matt.5:48; Phil.2:15), they become seed / offspring, either of God and Christ (Rev.14:4; James1:18; Heb.12:22,23; Rom.8:14), or of the Devil. 
Just as God foretold us, these two Seeds have always be at enmity 
[(LINK) ("Wheat or Weeds?") ("What is Armageddon?")]
as soon as both sorts came into existence (Gen.3:15). That enmity continues until the end [Dan.9:26; 11:22; Matt.24:6; Luke21:22; 2Chron.16:9 B; (Rev.13:7,8,10; Col.2:8; 1Tim.4:1); 1Cor.11:19; Rev.12:17,7; 16:13,14,15,16; 17:14; 19:11,14,8; 2Cor.10:4,5; 6:7; 2Tim.2:3,4; Rev.11:18; Eze.7:14; Joel3:14,2,9,12,13; Jer.25:30,29,31; Rev.19:15; 14:18,19; Joel2:1,2; Rev.8:6; Isa.58:1]
because God's nation has been enslaved to an Idol... the "Image" of the Wild Beast Organization! 
  Now that Satan has been released from the Abyss, that composite entity is empowered (Rev.13:1,4; 9:3,10) to capture, restrain, trample, and enslave God's Chosen, until they are rescued by Christ/Michael (Heb.1:6; Acts3:21; Luke1:78; 2Pet.1:19; Dan.12:1; Rev.12:7,10,11; 17:14; Jer.30:7; Matt.24:21; Joel2:2; Rev.9:7,9,10; Eze.2:6; Rev.13:4,7,8; Dan.7:23; 2:40; 8:12,11; Rev.11:2; Isa.52:1; Rev.21:27; Col.1:13,14).
------------------------------------------------------------
To Be Continued

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2 comments:

  1. Hello Pearl, I have just finished reading, I still have a few of the scriptures I need to read but thankyou kindly for such a great indepth article, it was very explanatory & you made it easy to understand especially for those ones who may not have known about this or who stuggling to grasp the context of this subject & it's meaning. Great job! Thankyou again for your hard work!

    Warm & loving
    Daz

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Daz,
      Thank you. I do appreciate when you express to me any benefit you have derived from my effort. The article is only almost half done though. I am striving to lay the best foundation I can to the full explanation which is coming. I knew that some disagreed with my assertion of Revelation's "mankind" symbolism, so I thought I would do best by covering that first. It will be difficult to also cover the "man of lawlessness" within the same article, because in actuality, that definition is the opposite of the definition of "man/mankind", and it must be explained by means of scripture, why this is so.
      While this may seem impossible (for the same word to have opposite meanings), I hope my explanation and the scriptures which accompany it, teach the truth clearly, reasonably, and convincingly. The meanings of these symbols are not obvious, intentionally so. God has hidden the truth from the proud. Only those who are in full subjection to the scriptures will be open to the truth, no matter how it conflicts with the Satanic propaganda to which they have grown accustomed, and assume is the truth, without even rethinking it under scriptural light.
      It drives me crazy sometimes, when those who argue with an obvious truth, do so on the basis of a falsehood that is accepted by them to be truth. It is so hard to unravel the veil Satan has created, especially for those who don't put forth the needed effort to understand.

      In these things, you may be at a great advantage, having spend less time and effort in getting to know "Satan's deep things" (Rev.2:24). They don't seem to influence your perception, as they commonly assert over the typical JW. Yet of course, the granting of perception and understanding is a grace of God, whose light can save even those in the deepest recesses of the abyss.

      So I hope you will stick with the article until it is done. Then your "meal" will be complete. I only wish I could still work as I did only two years ago. I got a large post up every day back then. Now it is more tedious and strenuous, ever since the first internet attack. It seems to leave a permanent damage to my abilities each time it occurs. Although this makes my work more difficult, I am still able, and so, each of us continue until we cannot go on. We remember Jesus, as he struggled to carry his stake along the path to his death. Although he fell along the way, he kept getting up, and never wavered from his desire to fulfill his Father's will. He is our glorious model, and if we strive to imitate him faithfully, we are his children.
      I thank you again for helping me to get the posts edited. I desire them to be the best quality possible.
      May the Father's spirit be with you today... helping you to cope, grow in the knowledge of Him, and equipping you to serve the Truth.
      Love,
      Pearl

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