Originally posted by Shadowflux
reply to post by XXXN3O
I get my understanding from passionate study, not only of scripture but of history, language and the occult. In this sense I use the meaning of
"occult" as "hidden" as all great knowledge is closely guarded from the ravages of the ignorant and foolish. My passion for my studies comes
simply from an intense desire to know and to understand as much as I can about the world in which I live.
If I were to point you in a direction I would suggest starting with something you are intensely interested in, it could be anything, all history is
interconnected and following one path will lead you to many more questions which open yet more paths of knowledge and understanding.
If I were to suggest Biblical study I would say you should acquaint yourself well with the Gospels and then read some Apocrypha, perhaps the Gospel of
Thomas, also known as the Secret Teaching of Jesus. Read the Book of Enoch as it fills in many gaps present in Genesis. Read up on the beliefs of
religions contemporary to early Christianity such as Mithraism and Hermeticism, although Melissa would claim such study to be evil.
Im not ignorant of history and I know where christianity came from. I understand how certain pagan holidays were used to ease the transition from
pagan religions into christianity hundreds of years ago. That does not mean anything other than a state meddling in affairs.
You seem to be calling out a believer in Christ by trying to push occult knowledge on them, let me share something with you that includes some history
and I would recommend that you read it based on some of your posts I have read through in relation to Melissa's threads.
Looking at biblical Jewish wedding ceremonies and looking at the message the bible gives for a reader to understand it should open itself up...
The Match (also known as Shidduch)
1st - The father gets a matchmaker to help them pick the bride, this is called "the match" in english and Shidduch in traditional Jewish
language.
John 15:6 "You did not chose me, but I chose you"
John 6 v33-37 "All that the father gives to me will come to me... No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him"
God matched us to Jesus in other words and the bride must accept the fathers proposal.
The Bride Price (also known as Mohar)
2nd - The Bride Price, this was decided between the two parties and the groom would pay the price for his bride.
1Corinthians 6:20 "You are not your own. For you have been bought with a price.."
1Peter 1:18 "Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things... but with the precious blood.. the blood of Christ"
Jesus died for everyone, that was what we were worth and he paid it so that we might accept him, love or what? wow.
The Love Gifts (also known as Mattan)
3rd - The Love Gifts, this is where the groom would offer the bride gifts that were voluntary as an expression of love.
John 10:27-28 "My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one
shall snatch them out of my hand"
John 14: 27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.."
John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrightousness"
John 15:11 "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete"
Jesus gave us eternal life, peace, forgiveness and joy as gifts for us accepting him.
He did not have to do this, it was completely voluntary. (pretty good gifts huh?)
The Dowry (also known as Shallen, spoken as "Shelloween")
4th - The Dowry, this is where the father of the groom would give gifts to the bride, specifically to help equip her in a new life with the groom.
John 14:16-17 "And I will ask the Father and He will give you another helper...That is the spirit of truth"
This is a gift from God to help you live for Jesus.
Romans 12:6 "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us"
This is an actual person specific gift given to you to serve Jesus.
2Corinthians 1:21 - 22 "Now He who established us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts
as pledge"
This word Pledge, translated into Greek is ARRABWN which is the word for ENGAGEMENT RING!
This is the gifts that God gives as the Father.
The Marriage Contract also known as (Ketubah)
5th - The marriage contract, this was a legal document outlining the bride price, the promises of the groom and the rights of the bride. At this point
in the marriage ceromany the groom would offer the bride a cup but she did not have to take it, if she did take it she was saying she agrees to marry
forever.
Guess what that is??
1Corinthians 11:25 "In the same way, He took the cup also after supper, saying "This cup is the new covenant in My Blood; do this as often as you
drink it, in remembrance of Me"
He is saying that this is the new contract signed with my blood, he paid the price with his blood, do you accept?
The Betrothal (Kiddushin)
6th - The Betrothal, after the marriage contract was signed, this meant that they were legally married but they still did not live together. Two
things had to happen at this point,
1) The groom had to go away and make preparations for their lives together. During that time the Bride had to demonstrate their purity and prove that
they would not sell themselves out to other suitors.
2) The groom would go back to the Fathers house and had to build an addition onto the Fathers house called the Bridal Chamber. If a Jewish Father had
5 kids, 5 additions would be added to the house if they got married. They lived in mansions over time as families grew. The father had to be satisfied
that the Bridal Chamber was good enough or too his liking before they could move into it.
John 14: 2 - 3 "In my Fathers house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you and if I
go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and recieve you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."
If it took God 6 days to create the universe, can you imagine what is waiting for us after over 2000 years of making??
The Taking also known as (The Nissuin)
7th Stage - The Taking, once the bridal chamber was completed and the Father had inspected it, he would tell the son to go and get his bride. This
could take a week, a month or years in the making as the Bridal chamber had to be perfect and to the Fathers satisfaction with the craftsmanship etc.
Nobody knew the hour that the decision would be made because only the Father knew.
The Bride would wait, with no contact with the groom during this time and no idea when the groom was coming to take you away. When the groom came
(anytime, during the night or day) you had to be ready to leave for good, the bridegroom would blow a horn and shout, that heralded his arrival for
the bride and she would run out to join him, she would be taken away to the fathers house.
1Thessalonians 4:16,17 "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout..then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord
With all of this mentioned, where does it once say that you need to focus on anything else in order to live with Christ?
If you choose to understand other areas of life that is your choice but it does not say anywhere in a bible that you must study occult knowledge to
gain an understanding as I have just shown above.
With regards to the postings about dates, nobody can tell the hour as I have just shown above as well using scripture. You can still guess of course
as you have free will, if anyone were to say that it is God's word, thats an entirely different thing and would be false teachings because it
contradicts the bible.
[edit on 5-3-2010 by XXXN3O]