Yom - Creative Days

The creative work was accomplished in six time periods called days, each beginning with an evening, when the creative work for that period is undefined, and ending in the brightness of a morning, as the glory of the creative work becomes clearly manifest.

The fact is that the Hebrew word yowm translated “day” can mean various lengths of time, not just a 24-hour period. For example, when summarizing God’s creative work, Moses refers to all six creative days as one day. (Genesis 2:4)

In addition, on the first creative day, “God began calling the light Day, but the darkness he called Night.” (Genesis 1:5) Here, only a portion of a 24-hour period is defined by the term “day.” Certainly, there is no basis in Scripture for arbitrarily stating that each creative day was 24 hours long.

Moses wrote his account in Hebrew, and he wrote it from the perspective of a person standing on the surface of the earth. These two facts, combined with the knowledge that the universe existed before the beginning of the creative periods, or “days,” help to defuse much of the controversy surrounding the creation account. How so?

A careful consideration of the Genesis account reveals that events starting during one “day” continued into one or more of the following days. For example, before the first creative “day” started, light from the already existing sun was somehow prevented from reaching the earth’s surface, possibly by thick clouds. (Job 38:9) During the first “day,” this barrier began to clear, allowing diffused light to penetrate the atmosphere.

On the second “day,” the atmosphere evidently continued to clear, creating a space between the thick clouds above and the ocean below. On the fourth “day,” the atmosphere had gradually cleared to such an extent that the sun and the moon were made to appear “in the expanse of the heavens.” (Genesis 1:14-16) In other words, from the perspective of a person on earth, the sun and moon began to be discernible. These events happened gradually.

The Genesis account also relates that as the atmosphere continued to clear, flying creatures—including insects and membrane-winged creatures—started to appear on the fifth “day.” However, the Bible indicates that during the sixth “day,” God was still in the process of “forming from the ground every wild beast of the field and every flying creature of the heavens.”—Genesis 2:19.

Clearly, the Bible’s language makes room for the possibility of some major events during each “day,” or creative period, to have occurred gradually rather than instantly, perhaps some of them even lasting into the following creative “days.”

When light from the Andromeda nebula takes about 2,000,000 years for that light to reach the earth, this is indicative of the fact that the universe must be at least millions of years old. Also the end products of radioactive decay in rocks in the earth testify that some rock formations have been undisturbed for billions of years.

Genesis 1:3-31 is not discussing the original creation of matter or of the heavenly bodies. It describes the preparation of the already existing earth for human habitation. This included creation of the basic kinds of vegetation, marine life, flying creatures, land animals, and the first human pair. All of this is said to have been done within a period of six “days.” However, the word yowm has meanings, which include ‘a long time; the time covering an extraordinary event.’ (Old Testament Word Studies, Grand Rapids, Mich.; 1978, W. Wilson, p. 109) The term used allows for the thought that each “day” could have been thousands of years in length.

The "Lexical Aids for the Old Testament" edited by Spiros Zodhiates for yowm expands on Strong's comments and repeatedly emphasizes that yowm can be a period of time.

As early as Genesis 2:4 we see yowm in the singular with an attached infinitive used to indicate an extended period of time. Strong's does not show this since the King James Versions retain the translation of day, but other translations recognize that in this case yowm refers to the time of the entire creation of the heavens and earth as recognized by the The Bible: An American Translation and others, "At the time when God made the earth and the heavens."

Studies are out there which show that the period called days does not mean a literal 24 hour period, but epoch’s of time. Couple that with geological studies, we can be sure that a creative day is thousands of years in length and the creation of the universe covers a time period of millions or more years.

The Congregator's Words Christians Hate the Most

Dabar qoheleth - The words of the congregator, the assembler – the Tanakh rightly footnotes its transliterated "koheleth" with "probably the assembler; i.e., the hearer of sayings".

It is a title, not a name.

Qohelet is a Qal participle from the verb qahal, which in the Niphal means, "to come together" and in the Hiphil, "to bring together", and in its noun form, relates to an "assembly" – as the word is preceded by the definite article "ha" in Eccl 12:8, give credence to the claim that word is intended as a title and a description, but not a personal name.

The words of the congregator.

Tradition holds that the congregator mentioned, the ha'qoheleth, was Solomon. This is based in part no doubt that there was only one "son of David", namely Solomon, who was the "king over Israel in Jerusalem", for kings after Solomon did not rule over all Israel – Eccl 1:12

It is also likely the most sobering written words to nearly all subscribers of the Hebrew and Christian Greek scriptures who hold fast to a belief that man (or woman) is inherently immortality (e.g., that something of man transcends death, and continues on following the death of the body).

If the congregator is clear on one thing, he is clear on death.

It is the final point in each one's ma'aseh (deed, work, action that which comprises one's life) and is the one immutable event that each and every human, animal and other organism must succumb to, and it cuts cleanly across all categories of morality and class. And it is keenly in agreement with other portions of the Bible that treat the same subjects.

For example, it agrees with Genesis on man being made up of a body composed of dust of the ground and being animated by the very life-force of Yhwh and the breath that sustains it (Eccl 3:20-21, Eccl 12:7; Genesis 2:7; Genesis 7:22; Isaiah 42:5).

It affirms the biblical teaching that man was created upright, but willfully chose a path away from his creator, to disobey the life instructions given to him by his creator (Eccl 7:29; Genesis 1:31; Genesis 3:17; De 32:4-5), and it acknowledges Yhwh as the creator (Eccl 12:1; Genesis 1:1).

And it concurs with the rest of the Bible as to the state of the dead.

"For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten." Eccl 9:5 [NKJV]

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." - Eccl 9:10 [NIV]

"His [God's] spirit goes out, he [man] goes back to his ground; In that day his thoughts do perish." - Psalms 146:4

"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou [art], and unto dust shalt thou return" - Genesis 3:19 [KJV]

"The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence" – Psalms 115:17 [KJV]

"He said these things, and after this he said to them: "Laz´a•rus our friend has gone to rest, but I am journeying there to awaken him from sleep." Therefore the disciples said to him: "Lord, if he has gone to rest, he will get well." Jesus had spoken, however, about his death. But they imagined he was speaking about taking rest in sleep. At that time, therefore, Jesus said to them outspokenly: "Laz´a•rus has died" - John 11:11-14

In the Bereshit (Genesis), where was Adam before Jehovah created him from the dust? He was nowhere - he simply did not exist – God formed him from the dust of the ground. So when Jehovah said that Adam would "return to the ground," he meant exactly that - that Adam would die and return to the elements in the ground. There was never any mention Adam would mystically cross over to the spirit realm. At death Adam would once again be nonexistent. His punishment after all was death—absence of life—not a transfer to another realm to continue living .— Romans 6:23.

If you have been following Plotz' bible blog of the Hebrew Scriptures, and you are a Christian, you might do well to note that you are now 85 percent of the way through – and there is no mention of an immortal soul, or immortal spirit, for mankind – as the Qoheleth so correctly notes –

"For there is an eventuality as respects the sons of mankind and an eventuality as respects the, and they have the same eventuality. As one dies, so the other dies; and they all have but one spirit, so there is no superiority of the man over the beast … all are going to one place - they have all come to be from the dust, and they all are returning to the dust." – Eccl 3:19-20.

And of course, without an immortal spirit, the falsehood of a place for eternal torment for people who have died as "unbelievers" or anyone else - becomes impotent and exposed. You would think it would give cause to a small spark of thought to the average believer in the biblical texts that those two such important doctrines in Christianity (and to a lesser degree modern Rabbincal Judaism) as the immortal soul of man and eternal punishment in hell – are never spoken of in the Hebrew words of Yhwh.

Mystery Religions and Death by Immortality

The great mystery religions believe that all religious text is allegory, and all reality illusion, and mere shadow of unseen truth - all "layers", if you will, which are a representation of what is unseen in this world of illusion that we live. And these stories, or allegories, can not be understood or "peeled back" except by the those initiated through ritual into the mystery - such religious initiation is not available to the common public person.

This premise is often adopted by modern Pagan-Christianity, as indeed that is its roots, that unless one is taken over by the holy "ghost", and aparition, or mysterious spirit, no truth will be revealed and comprehension never reached. The Bible teaches quite the opposite.

Here is a post from June of last year (I think) - it is rather long - but that's because I could not sleep that night anyway. I see an obvious irony in what the Bibile teaches as compared to modren day religions, and to that effect, I refer to it as "Death by Immortality".

Dominion is not Superiority

"if both animals and humans ARE souls, how does one have dominion over the other ?

"From below, Eccl 3:18, "For there is one eventuality as respects the sons of mankind and an eventuality as respects the beast, and they have the same eventuality. As the one dies, so the other dies, and they all have but one spirit, so there is no superiority of the man over the beast, for everything is vanity. All are going to one place, they have all come to be from dust, and they are all returning to dust."

Superiority is quite different from dominion - superiority, in the quote above, the Hebrew word mowthar, which basically means a profit type advantage - contextually it is quite clear, mankind has no advantage in anyway over an animal - both share the exact same fate in the end - they die.

The text for setting dominion (Bereshit 1:26, and again in 28), the word used is rada, and it is used in conjunction with kabash in verse 26 (subjection). A fox is more cunning than a snail, a bird more free than a barnacle, a dog more compassionate than a frog, and so on.

Rabbi Hirsch states, "But man has been given the position [of rada], not [mowthar], to exercise his mastery over living creatures, and on the earth itself, to bring some of them out of their free independence under his hand for the fulfillment of his human assignment. If man approaches the world as rada and demands its service only in the serive of God, then the earth gladly renders it, gladly recognizes man as its ruler, jis mastery is no enslavement or degradation, but rather a raising and elevation of all earthly material elements into the sphere of free-willed God-serving purposes. But if man misuses his position, if he does not approach the world as rada, as the assigned representative of God, but under his own power and mastery, or mowthar, then the earth, and animals too, will reject and oppose him, for he has attempted enslavement versus stewardship."

According to the Hebrew Scriptures, man was assigned, indeed, created for, the very purpose of stewardship and headship over the creation, in an image similar to how Yhwh has dominion over man.There is an established hierarchy in all of nature, which when implemented correctly, establishes pure balance, yet when deviated from, creates chaos and imbalance of the worst sort.


"does dominion over the earth give us the right to pollute it wantonly ?"

Does being given the keys to your neighbors house, to watch over it, and care for it, while they are gone, include the right to trash it, partially or completely destroy it, even knock down walls and paint or remodel it?


"is the hope of an after-life just that i.e. a hope, a vanity ? (was it "borrowed" ?)"

In the sense of being in vain, no matter what you do in this life, no matter how much you accumulate, no matter if you are good or bad, your end fate is no different than the slug, or the fox, or the dog - you will eventually die, and return to dust.To the Hebrew, an "after-life" was not a transcending of death to some place on a cloud to play harps and eat grapes - the "after-life" was purely a hope of perhaps being remembered by Yhwh himself, and raised back (resurrected), not to some esoteric plane of existence, but back to "life", right here, on earth.


"I mean well you know the Romans had their own agenda interesting the schism between Greek and Latin. And it's just that they seem so nice and pious and all but how much of the truth is lost in all that pomp and circumstance ?"

Well, that's just it - depends on your subjective personal conclusions regarding the god of the Bible. The development of modern Christianity is quite easy to back-trace - it was quite weel documented - biases and all. Layers can in fact be pealed back, and have been, and likely more layers still remain to be pealed back, but the major ones occurred years ago - that being "hell", and an "immortal soul" for mankind, and a triunal godhead of divine unity. Eliminate these three foundationally Pagan traditions from not only the translations (where they primarily exist), but your western head as well, and you will find a quite different Bible written by Hebrews and Jews exists than that which you thought you knew existed.

God Deprecates "Hell", and a Few Finer Points

As Plotz scuttles to present a political message from his favored sponsor (i.e., whether a person who warns his nation should be considered a traitor or a patriot) – he casually skims over a few details.

Since I do not speak on the politics of this or any country, I thought I could at least explore some of the minor details skimmed over by Plotz in pursuit of his political agenda. For example, in Jeremiah 19:2-6 [bible.oremus.org] we see Jehovah deprecating "hell" (that is, denouncing it as a thing which never came up upon his mind or heart).

That's right.

"Hell" was never an idea of concept of Jehovah. Specifically, Jehovah commands Jeremiah to organize a field trip of sorts by purchasing a potters jug (or flask) and escorting a few of the elders of the people and some of the senior priests to valley just outside of Jerusalem – destination – "valley of the son of Hinnom" - that's geh'hinnom in Hebrew by the way. Here, Jeremiah is to present them with a few additional charges aside from those already covered in earlier Chapters of Jeremiah, such as; failure to abstain from idol worship; solicitation and participation in religious prostitution; general adultery; institutional corruption and unjust gain; reluctance to keep the Sabbath; encouraging general and institutionalized apostasy; bloodguilt; grafting themselves to foreign political parties; basking in the blanket of amnesia towards God; and producing and honoring false prophets (all originally forbidden in Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers).

As though these were not enough to make even the most reluctant district attorney giddy, there are a few other charges – building altars and images in honor of Ba'al and Molech at Topheth in the Valley of the Sons of Hinnom - that's geh'hinnom in Hebrew by the way - and sacrificing their children (sons and daughters) by burning them alive in fire as encouraged by Ahaz and Mannasseh.To prevent its use again for such religious purposes, King Josiah had the valley polluted, particularly the part called Topheth (2 Kings 23:10).

The Jewish commentator David Kimhi (1160 C.E) writes about this valley, "It is a place in the land adjoining Jerusalem, and it is a loathsome place, and they throw there unclean things and carcasses. Also, there was a continual fire there to burn the unclean things and the bones of carcasses. Hence the judgment of the wicked ones is parabolically called Gehinnom. "The Valley became the dumping place and incinerator for the filth of Jerusalem.

Not unlike the use of the mote surrounding the Tower of London, bodies of dead animals were thrown in to be consumed in the fires to which sulpher or brimstone was added to assist in the fires – and bodies of executed criminals, and others, who were considered undeserving of a decent burial in a memorial tomb mnêmeion [www.perseus.tufts.edu]. We can even go along, of sorts, on this filed trip, as the Hebrew Bible provides some rough coordinates of the Valley of the Sons of Hinnom - that's geh'hinnom in Hebrew by the way - in Johsua 15:8 [bible.oremus.org], and Joshua 18:16 [bible.oremus.org] - and if you are more visually oriented, you can view photos of geh'hinnom here [en.wikipedia.org], and again here [en.wikipedia.org], and even a neat topographic rendition here [www.blueletterbible.org] (look to lower bottom for the Valley of Hinnom as it lays to the west and south of ancient Jerusalem).

In addition to the images and alters and child sacrifice, at Topheth was practiced sorcery, magic, soothsaying and augury, often employing mediums, and wizards – and these thing too Jehovah found disgusting and in specific violation with the commands previously given.But it is not the sorcery, magic, soothsaying and augury which is so emotionally confronted to the field-tripping elders and priests – no, it is the burning of people, alive, in fire that seems to most disturb Jehovah about the atrocities performed in the Valley.

In Jeremiah 32:35 [bible.oremus.org] it states, "They built the high places of Baal in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter my mind that they should do this abomination".And in Jeremiah 7:30-32 [bible.oremus.org] it states nearly the same, "For the people of Judah have done evil in my sight, says the LORD; they have set their abominations in the house that is called by my name, defiling it. 31 And they go on building the high place* of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire—which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind".

In both Jeremiah 32:35, and 7:30-32, the word rendered by the NRVS above for "mind", is the Hebrew word lev, which literally means heart [fray.slate.com]. The burning of people, alive, in torturous fire – is not a thing which came up unto Jehovah's heart.

So here, Christians who have adopted the Zoroastrism belief in an endless, conscious, torturous punishment in a fiery "hell" in the 4th century C.E. for all non-believers and other assorted sinners following death, to be in direct conflict with the very heart of God. Seems God's heart is not inclined to burning of people alive in fire.

I'll be darned.

In the Greek form of the Hebrew word "geh'hinnom, is simply "gehenna". In Joshua 18:16, where Valley of Hinnon occurs, the Septuagint [en.wikipedia.org] reads "Gehenna". The same word occurs 12 times in Christian Greek Scriptures, first appearing in Matthew 5:22, then in Matthew 5:22, 29, 30, 10:28, 18:9, 23:15, 23:33, and in Mark 9:43, 9:45, 9:47; and in Luke 12:5; and James 3:6.Jesus often used this place (geh Hinnom) in his warnings of where one would not wish to be sent upon one's death, as culturally, it was a loathsome place, a place for executed criminals, and basic ones rejected – those not fit to be buried in a memorial tomb (John 5:28-29, ironically renders mnêmeion [www.perseus.tufts.edu] – a memorial, or memorial tomb).

Those not deemed worthy Jews were tossed into Gehenna following death – and their dead bodies were consumed, and they had no memorial tomb – hence they would not be "remembered" by their God when the time for resurrection came about. Jehovah did not much care for the Valley of the Sons of Hinnon, and it even became a cursed place, in Jeremiah 7:32, it is stated, "Therefore, the days are surely coming, says the LORD, when it will no more be called Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter: for they will bury in Topheth until there is no more room".

If you were a Jew, this would not be where you would want to end up. Jesus was a Jew, and so his figurative use of Gehenna did not indicate the "hell" so well known by the Pagan and especially the Zoroasters – for after all, Jesus also knew the scriptures, and knew death meant non-existence, the opposite of life, knowing nothing, nothing at all (Ecclesiastes 9:5).

Qanah

The word you are looking for in Proverbs 8:22 is qanah (often rendered created, brought forth) which comes from the parent root qen which means "nest" - qen in its concrete paleo applies literally as, "a gathering [the Quph - the horizon, the gathering place] for the seeds [the Nun - the seed, meaning continuance].

Just as a bird before laying eggs will go around gathering and aquiring materials and bind them together to construct a nest.

Proverbs 27:8, "As a bird that wandereth from her nest [qen], so is a man that wandereth from his place".Its child root, qanah, suffixes with the Hey, which in its paleo form was that of a little man, with his arms raised, one beholding an incredible sight. Qanah means literally, to build a nest, to bring forth from the process of gathering and acquiring in preparation for the seed of an incredible sight.

Tanakh renders qanah in Bereshit 14:19 as "Blessed be Abraham of God Most High, creator [qanah] of heaven and earth". The main usage in Ugaritic for qen, was also to "bring forth" through procedural aquiring and gaterhing - The NIV in Proverbs 8:22, renders qanah as "The Lord possessed me .." with the footnote "Or, 'The Lord brought me forth ."

God acquires things by means of creating them, which is why the LXX translates this to ektisen, which translates directly as created. Further reading, we find that Wisdom in Proverbs is spoken of as being brought forth as with labor pains (Proverbs 8:24, and again at 25), or brought to birth. The Bible in Basic English renders it here as "given birth." (The NLT, "I was born", the NIV, "I was given birth", the JPS Tanakh renders it "before the hills I was born").

The JPS Tanakh renders Proverbs 8:22, "The LORD created (qanah) me at the beginning of his course". In fact, Qanah, refers to acquisitional gathering by any means, including creation, as noted in verse 22. It is also clear from verse 23, "in the distant past I was fashioned". (JPS TNK).

Proverbs 8:22-31

Colossians 1:15-17, "He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, {both} in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things" - NASB

John 17:4-5, "I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given me to do. And now, O Father, glorify me together with yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was". – KKJV

"Where did you happen to be when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you do know understanding. Who set its measurements, in case you know, or who stretched out upon it the measuring line? Into what have its socket pedestals been sunk down, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars joyfully cried out together, and all of the sons of God began shouting in applause?" - NWT

Proverbs 8:22-31, "The Lord [Yhwh} created me at the beginning of his course. As the first of his works of old. In the distant past I was fashioned, at the beginning, at the origin of earth. There was still no deep when I was brought forth, no springs rich in water; before {the foundation of] the mountains were sunk, before the hills I was born. He had not yet made earth and fields, or the world's first clumps of clay. I was there when He first set the heavens into place; when he fixed the horizon upon the deep; when he made the heavens above firm, and the fountains of the deep gushed forth; when he assigned the sea its limits, so that's its waters never transgress His command; when he fixed the foundations of the earth, I was with Him as a confidant, a source of delight everyday, rejoicing before Him at all times, rejoicing in His inhabited world, finding delight with mankind." – Tanakh – JPS Oxford (tetra indicator - mine).

Thoughts? Discussions? Trinitarians?

Who exactly does Jesus think he is? A son of God who applauded at the world's creation? The first son of God? Maybe even the only "begotten" son of God (or as John calls him, monogenes theos)? Interesting questions.Why do so many Christians not feel that the Hebrew Scriptures have anything to offer them?

Point of View About Sex in Christianity

"so that its somehow considered 'good' or 'desireable' for a man to reach the age of 30 and be completely asexual?"

"Good" and "desirable" were not the consideration at all, for since procreation (which is accomplished through sexual intercourse in most cases), was a directive of God himself, it is not khate (see Genesis 1:28).

According to the Hebrew and Christian Greek Scriptures, at the time of Adam's departure from tsadiyq [fray.slate.com] and his being sentenced to death, his offspring, or entire race of humans, were all unborn in his loins, and so all died with him (compare Hebrews 7:4-10, also Romans Romans 5:12-19). Jesus, as a tov tsadiyq man, "the last Adam" (1 Co 15:45), had a race or offspring of humans unborn in his loins, and when he died as a perfect human sacrifice, this potential human race died with him. He had willingly abstained from producing a family of his own by natural procreation.

Instead, jesus uses the authority granted him by Yhwh on the basis of his ransom to give life to all those of Adam's offspring who will suffer death simply because they were born of a man condemned to die – through procreation, death spread to all men (and women), through no fault of their own, they were born to die (compare Romans 5;15-17 to 1 Co 15:45). Remember the law, a life for a life.Jesus served as a corresponding ransom – not for the redemption of the one – Adam – but for the redemption from the "law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2, 5:21, and 6:23, James 1:14-17)) for those who have descended from Adam. He has repurchased them, so that they could become his family, doing this by presenting the full value of his ransom sacrifice to the God of absolute justice, who does not pick and choose the applicability of his own laws (Hebrews 9:24).

He thereby gains "a bride", a heavenly congregation, formed of his immediate followers (compare Eph 5:23-27; Revelation 1:5-6; Revelation 5:9-10; and 14:3-4). Messianic prophecies also show he will have "offspring" and an "Eternal Father" (Isaiah 53:10-12, and 9:6-7). To be such, his ransom must embrace more than those of his "bride". In addition to those "bought from among mankind as firstfruits to form that heavenly congregation, therefore, others are to benefit from his ransom sacrifice and gain everlasting life (not immortality) through their release from the law of sin and death to which they now slave (Rev 14:4; 1 John 2:1-2). Since those of the heavenly congregation serve with the Christ as priests and kings "over the earth", such other recipients of the ransom benefits must be earthly subjects of Christ's kingdom, and as children of an "eternal father" they attain everlasting life (Rev 5:10, Rev 20:6; 21:2-4, 21:9-10; and 22:17, compare Psalms 103:2-5).

The one who has died is freed from the law of sin through his death (Romans 6:7), but he is now dead (i.e., no life is in them) – the entire arrangement manifests Yhwh's wisdom and his righteousness in perfectly balancing the scales of justice while also showing undeserved kindness and forgiveness (Romans 3:21-26).