#babylonian captivity

[nickysfacts]

Satan, the powerful demotic ruler of the earth who loves giving people moral pop quizzes!😄

🔥🐐🔥

[didanawisgi]

Zerubbabel displays a plan of Jerusalem to Cyrus the Great by Jacob van Loo.

[didanawisgi]

The Question Of Psalm 104

Written by Alden Bacuzmo

“This story begins in ancient Egypt with Amenhotep IV. (l350-1334 BC). He has been identified as uniquely the first "monotheist" worshipping his single god "Aten", the Sun. Aten, similar to the ancient Egyptian god "Ra", was represented by the sun-disk, was the creator of all life, and was a god of goodness and divine benevolence. Amenhotep was so sincere that he changed his name to Akenaten [also spelled Iknaten].

In each of the three divisions of the Egyptian empire Egypt, Kush, and Syria, he built a temple consecrated to Aten. He took up residence in a city he had built called Akhetaten, known today as the Tell el-Armarna in the southeastern part of Egypt. Aten represented a universal power that paralleled the Pharaoh's growing power over the known world. Akenaten actually paid individuals to proselytize his cult of Aten. However, the faith never became popular.

During Akenaten's reign, Egypt's power significantly declined. When Akenaten died, his temples were destroyed. Among the few remains of his cult were hymns found written in the tombs of the proselytes at Amarna. The longest of these hymns to Aten is noted to be similar to the Psalm 104, written for the Bible hundreds of years later. There are a few possibilities for how this might have come about. It is fairly certain that, even previous to the time of Moses, fleeing slaves in groups of various sizes, had wondered into the Sinai Peninsula. As the emigrants walked, they sang to keep up their spirits. One of the songs they sang may have been Akenaten's hymn to the Sun. Oral tradition could have perpetuated the elements of his hymn for 600 years. For those who are unconvinced about the similarity of these two documents, Jacob's descent into Egypt, described in the Bible, recalls the Hyksos dynasties, where the Iron age Canaanites conquered Egypt and ruled for several generations as Pharaohs. When the descendants of the original rulers regrouped and repelled the Hyksos, both the conquerors and the large Semitic population that had entered as migrant workers before and during the foreign dynasty were either driven out or placed in bondage. This was the beginning of the 400 years of slavery. Through those who were driven out, Hymns to the Sun were introduced into Canaan. Probably due to this, worship of the Sun is forbidden in the Bible.

Another possibility stems from the evidence of Persian names in residence at Amarna. These were literate people who may have transcribed Akenaten's poems. This would have placed the essence of this poem in Babylon, a world center for literature, by 600BC when the Jews were in exile, and the early Hebrew bible was assembled. Dr. H. Brugsch collected quite a few epithets and quotes from Egyptian scripture around fifty years ago and published them in his work, 'Religion and Mythology'. Much of Psalm 104 is vaguely similar to Egyptian Hymns, such as the following hymn to Ra from the Papyrus of Hu-nefer:

O thou who art crowned king amongst the gods...

[Here is expressed the polytheistic point of view]

Thou art the lord of heaven, Thou art the lord of the earth; Thou art the creator of those who dwell in the heights, and Those who dwell in the depths. Thou art the One God who came into being at the beginning of time.

[monotheism was beginning throughout the world with the idea of the "God of Gods", and is consistent with the concept of G-d in the Pentateuch]

Thou didst create the earth, Thou dist fashion the man, Thou didst make the watery abyss of the sky... Thou dost travel across the sky with thy heart swelling in joy; The great deep of heaven is content thereat..."

"the watery abyss of the sky" is similar to the Sumerian creation story, of 1500 years previous, where gods parted the water to create the world with a third god [see History begins at Sumer, by Noah Kramer]. This idea is repeated in Genesis with the actions of one God. The idea of water being above and below solves the enigma of where rain comes from. The Veda, Hindu scripture, considered this Sumerian story but concluded: "who cares" and left the process of creation unanswered.

Attributing the Lord with the characteristics of the sun. The Psalm 104 starts out attributing the Lord with the characteristics of the Sun. This is found nowhere else in the Scriptures.

[2. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment; Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain. 3. Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters. Who maketh the clouds his chariot; Who walketh on the wings of the wind; Who maketh winds his messengers; Flames of fire his ministers.]

A search for references in the Bible to the sun is within our grasp. You may skim over the following scripture of the types of references to the Sun:

* The sun as a symbol of permanency and endurance: Psalms 72:5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. Psalms 72:17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and [men] shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. Psalms 89:36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

* The Sun must not become an object of worship: Deuteronomy 4:19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to [even] all the host of heaven. Ezekiel 8:16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, [were] about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. 8:17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen [this], O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here?

* The sun was darkened at the time of Jesus' crucifixion, and will be darkened again at the time of his return to judge the world: Matthew 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. Mark 13:24 (But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,) Mark 13:25 (And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.) Mark 13:26 (And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.) Mark 13:27 (And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.)

* Sunlight as splendor: "Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, And array yourself with glory and beauty." [Job 40:10] "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear." [Matthew 13:43]

* Speaking of Jesus when He was with Moses and Elijah in the mount with His disciples: "And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light." [Matthew 17:2]

* Paul in talking about what he saw on the road to Damascus, and learned that He was seeing Jesus at the right hand of the 'Majesty' of God: "...at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me." [Acts 26:13]

* In describing the One like the Son of Man, John in Revelation says this: "He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength." [this is similar to a typical Egyptian sun poem] [Revelation 1:16] "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." [Revelation 21:23] "And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever." [Revelation 22:5]

Only in Psalm 104 could the chosen description of the Lord be construed as that of the sun..

The eight points of comparison: Psalm 104 and the Hymn to Aten The following text in [parenthesis] is from Psalm 104 while the remainder is quoted translation by J.H.Breasted, from Cambridge Ancient History, Vol. II, Chapters 5 & 6.. and "The Rock Tombs of Tell el Armarna", Archeological Survey, Egyptian Exploration Society (6vol, 1903) N. de G. Davis.

The tradition of Egyptian, Hindu, and Hebrew cultures starts the day at sunset. Today the day normally starts at sunrise.

Akenhaten's Hymn to the Sun When thou settest in the western horizon of the sky, [1st comparison, verse 20] The earth is in darkness like the dead. They sleep in their chambers Their heads are wrapped up. Their nostrils are stopped And none see the other. While all their things are stolen Which are under their heads And they know it not Every Lion cometh forth from his den [2nd comparison, verse 21] All Serpents they sting Darkness The world is in silence. He that made them resteth in his horizon.

[22. The Sun riseth, they get them away, and lay them down in their dens.] [23. Man goeth forth unto his work And to his labor until the evening.]

Bright is the earth when thou riseth in the horizon. [3rd comparison, verse 22] When thou shinest as Aten by day Thou drivest away the darkness. When thou sendest forth thy rays The two lands (Egypt) are in daily festivity. Awake and standing upon their feet When thou has raised them up. Their limbs bathed they take their clothing Their arms uplifted in adoration to thy dawning Then in all the world they do their work.. [4th comparison, verse 23] All cattle rest upon their pasturage The trees and the plants flourish

[12. By them the birds of the heavens have their habitation. They sing among the branches.]

The birds flutter in their marshes, [5th comparison, verse 12] Their wings uplifted in adoration to thee. All sheep dance on their feet. All winged things fly, They live when thou hast shone upon them.

[25. Yonder is the sea great and wide. Wherein are things creeping innumerable. Both small and great beasts.] [26. There go the ships.]

The barges sail upstream and downstream alike. [6th comparison, verse 26] Every highway is open because thou dawnest. The fish in the river leap before thee. Thy rays are in the midst of the great green sea. Creator of the germ in woman Maker of the seed in man Giving life to the son in the body of his mother Soothing him that he may not weep. Nurse (even) in the womb.

[29. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled. Thou takest away their breath and they die. And return to their dust.]

Giver of breath to animals, every one that he maketh When he cometh forth from the womb [7th comparison, verse 29] On the day of their birth Thou openest his mouth in speech

[27. These wait all for thee. That thou may give them food in due season.]

Thou suppliest his necessities. [8th comparison, verse 27] When the fledgling in the egg chirps in the shell Thou givest him breath there-in to preserve him alive. When thou hast brought him together to (the point of) bursting it in the egg To chirp with all his might, He goeth about on his two feet When he hath come forth therefrom.

How manifold are thy works, They are hidden from before (us) O Sole God, whose powers no other possesseth. Thou didst create the earth according to thy heart While thou wast alone Man, all cattle, large and small All that are upon the earth That go about on their feet (All) That are on high That fly with their wings The foreign countries, Syria and Kush, The land of Egypt Thou settest every man into his place Thou suppliest their necessities Everyone has his possessions And his days are reckoned The tongues are divers in speech Their forms likewise and their skins are distinguished (For) thou makest different the strangers.

There is no doubt that the evolution of ideas throughout the history of human endeavors is a combination of past knowledge and original thinking. However, as short as sixty years ago, there is little doubt that the archaeologists who discovered the similarities in ancient texts were astounded since they had been raised to believe in the Bible as the "only word of God". The importance that The Measure of Truth assigns to this study is not to denigrate any of these early beliefs, but to examine why the Biblical scripture has lasted to be arguably the most read and influential literature in the history of mankind.” - Alden Bacuzmo

[didanawisgi]

Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the Lord.

Ezra 3:8

[goethefaustworld]

"Slaves worship their god. And I serve only you"

I gotta respect the Jewish: they managed to not be consumed by their captors during the Babylonian captivity. Despite other captives assimilating so much they actually disappeared

Gotta respect the dedication.

[locustheologicus]

"The Avignon Papacy"

Rome Reports officially reports on news related to the Holy See and the Catholic Church throughout the world. The report above is confirming that, shortly in the wake of Pope Leo's address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See on January 9, the U.S. Undersecretary of War Elbridge Colby summoned Cardinal Pierre—then Papal Nuncio to the United States—to the Pentagon for a meeting. Allegedly, no Vatican official has ever had a meeting at the Pentagon before.

According to a controversial report from the journalist Christopher Hale, the Pentagon summoned Cardinal Pierre not only to interrogate him about Pope Leo's January address—which it saw as an indirect but clear attack on Trump's foreign policy—but also to threaten military action against the Vatican if it failed to step in line with current U.S. foreign policy.

While we are only getting snippets of what Cardinal Pierre heard at this meeting reference keeps surfacing that the Pentagon threatened the Church by referencing to the “Avignon Papacy.” Newsweek explains this further below.

Avignon papacy explained: What reported US threat to pope and Vatican means

The reference might be obscure for many but would have been immediately understood by church leaders as a not-so-veiled threat.

There is no doubt that a reference to the “Avignon papacy” by a Pentagon official was meant to make the Vatican feel uneasy about crossing the Trump administration. Some have suggested that the reference of this chapter of medieval history might signal the Trump administration’s intention to trigger a new schism, while others think it would suggest its willingness to use military force against the Holy See. Ferraresi, however, said that interpreting it as a military threat is “just absurd.” According to Mike Young, author of a newsletter on civic accountability, the mention of the “Avignon papacy” was a reference to “an implicit model for what happens to religious institutions that oppose state power.”

America magazine also reported on this in the following article.

Pentagon disputes report senior officials lectured Vatican diplomat about Pope Leo

The top Vatican diplomat in the U.S. was brought to the Pentagon in January for a “bitter lecture” about comments from Pope Leo XIV that som

As a Church historian the reference to the “Avignon Papacy” is well known and although we do not have the full context of how this treat was made to Cardinal Pierre what is clear is that the Church took this as a threat.

This historical reference is very clear for me. It is a reference to a state holding the Church hostage. Pope Boniface VIII battled with King Philip IV of France and even excommunicated him. The king however battled the Pope and captured him where he died in 1303. Afterwards a weak Pope was nominated, Clement V, who became a puppet of the King and then was held captive.

I do not believe it should be viewed as a threat as much as a political expectation that the Trump regime has to have the Church in its pocket just like the Kingdom of France did from 1309 to 1377. This period was known as the “Avignon Papacy” or the “Babylonian Captivity of the Church.” Not only did the Popes reside in a palace at Avignon but they were puppets of the French monarchy.

Church historian Justo Gonzalez tells us the unfortunate repercussions this episode had for the Church. Gonzalez treats this very thoroughly.

In summary, the long period of the popes’ residence in Avignon had disastrous consequences for the life of the church. Since this was the time of the Hundred Years’ War, and the popes were tools of French policies, those countries which were at war with France grew accustomed to seeing the papacy as a foreign power, and in them nationalism was soon linked with resentment towards the papacy. Since the court at Avignon, and the constant wars and intrigues in which it was involved, required abundant funds, John XXII and his successors devised means to acquire them. When a position was vacant, its income for one year was to be sent to Avignon. If the vacancy lasted longer, the income continued going to Avignon. Therefore, the popes had a vested interest in frequent and unfilled vacancies. This did not benefit the pastoral ministry of the Church, which was repeatedly interrupted by frequent and prolonged vacancies. To this was added the sale of ecclesiastical posts - the very simony that Gregory VII and other advocates of reform deplored. Since ecclesiastical positions proved a good means of income, there were some who held several of them, and who therefore were usually absent from their charges. The evils of simony, pluralism, and absenteeism, were compounded by another practice for which many popes set the example: nepotism- the naming of relatives to positions of power. By the end of the “Babylonian Captivity of the Church,” there were many who were clamoring for a reformation of the church. (Gonzalez, pg. 401)

The reference suggests that the Trump administration would like to tempt the Church to consider the financial benefits of succumbing to an “American Captivity.” This of course means that they must align with American foreign policies and be moral tools for the Trump administration.

In 1309 the Catholic Church was run by a notoriously weak pontiff, Pope Clement V. He could not resist the power of King Philip the IV of France (who had destroyed his predecessor). King Philip forced the Church to destroy its own military order, the Templars, and held the weak Pope captive in their Avignon palace. Perhaps Trump believes that they could tempt Pope Leo XIV to do the same but if we see how Pope Leo has responded to U.S. policies this does not seem to the case. Especially if we consider the recent Urbi et Orbi statement. Perhaps Trump is threatening to destroy Pope Leo in the same way that King Philip did to Pope Boniface VII. We certainly do need to be vigilant.

But luckily the leaders of the American Church (with a few exceptions) are siding with our Holy Father and we see that today with Archbishop Coakley, the head of the USCCB, who follow-up with Pope Leo’s Easter statement by offering his own video message on the Trump administration after they presented their aggressive stance against Iran. I am referring to the night when Trump said, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” The other day Archbishop Coakley said the following:

The threat of destroying a whole civilization and the intentional targeting of civilian infrastructure cannot be morally justified. There are other ways to resolve conflict between peoples. I call on President Trump to step back from the precipice of war and negotiate a just settlement for the sake of peace and before more lives are lost.   

The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin, called on Christians to become “voices of peace” who do not leave Pope Leo XIV standing alone in his opposition to war.

Vatican urges Catholics not to leave Pope Leo XIV alone in opposing war

The Vatican Secretary of State said the pope’s appeals for peace need concrete support.

Cardinal Parolin, in a recent interview with Italian Catholic Action, "said the voice of the pope is 'prophetic' but risks becoming 'a voice crying in the wilderness if it is not supported and helped concretely.' Furthermore, he promoted the social agenda that he hopes, Catholics will universally adopt within the current social context.

There is a need for more voices of peace, more voices against the madness of the rush toward rearmament, more voices raised in favor of our poorest brothers and sisters, more voices and more proposals — I am thinking, for example, of the world of Catholic universities — for new economic models inspired by justice and care for the weakest instead of the idolatry of money.

It is unthinkable that an American administration would threaten the Church overtly in the way that is being reported and yet, that seems to be the case. Catholics need to remember that God comes before the State and if forced to choose between Church and State we dare not align with a political system that will limit the Gospel to its own partisan ideology. Our Church leaders are resisting this and we should see all Catholics stand strong with them.

[articlesforchristians]

Understanding Daniel's Stand: Purity Amidst Adversity

When Babylon captured Judah it took trophies – treasures from the house of God and Children (youth). The treasures from the house of God was placed in the treasure house of their god. Daniel 1:1-5 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of…

Understanding Daniel's Stand: Purity Amidst Adversity

[ambient-entropy]