CHAPTER THREE
A MYSTERY OF GOD
An introduction to the Levites;
The name ‘Levite” means ‘associate’ and we see the reason for their name at the birth of Levi and being named by Leah his mother to mean joined or associate.
And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. Ge:29:34:
The mention of this very special group of people is in Exodus 32:26 where all the sons of Levi slew three thousand of their own people who had made gods of gold or committed idolatry.
And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf. And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. : And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. Ex:32:22-28:
As a reward for killing three thousand of their own people for committing idolatry, the Levites are given special powers over the Ark of the Tabernacle, and this covenant is fashioned in Numbers 1:47
But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. Nu:1:47-51:
We learn also that the Levites are not numbered in with the twelve tribes of Israel but are given special dispensation and charge over the Tabernacle. They are joined (as their name suggests) by reason of their insights into the truth of Israel. They are the custodians of the secret, kept in the inner sanctum or the holy of holies that no person can approach on pain of death.
From this early beginning the Levites therefore grow into a formidable group which really become the reins of Israel. They guide the religion into peace and war and changes and uphold the secret of the Holy of Holies. They know the ‘mystery of god’ and bring all their special knowledge to bear in due course, with the grooming of Jesus and John the Baptist.
WOMAN:
By this time the Israel religion was likened to that of a woman and was even said to be an adulterous woman who had committed fornication by constantly worshipping other gods or idolatry. Such things are well recorded in all the Old Testament Prophets. This was a time before Islam was even thought of and Jesus was yet to emerge.
Israel as a Harlot:
The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. Jer:3:6:
Israel as a WOMAN:
For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. Isa:54:5-6:
It was considered by the Levites that Israel was rebellious, and by the time of Jesus Christ, was therefore given the identity of ‘Mary’ a word which means ‘rebellious’. Israel had always been likened to the figure of a woman ever since the creation of Eve in the Garden of Eden.
Eve was the exact creation of ‘WOMAN” which means ‘OUT OF MAN’ but we shall see that this becomes a metaphor for the religion ‘Mary’ of rebellious Israel.
Israel as Rebellious:
I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; Isa:65:2:
But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. Jer:5:23:
And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. Eze:2:3:
It is not an unusual thing to think of Religion as a WOMAN which means “Out of Man”. All civilisations known on earth have created their own religions. Even tribal societies have their own belief systems. Thus it can truly be said that Religion came ‘out of man’ and in this the Bible does not lie, this is true for the Adam and Eve story as well as we shall discuss below.
In order to see this we must reveal the whole story, the creation of Adam as well as the creation of Eve.
There is a statement in 1 Corinthians which implies that the first Adam was a society rather than a single person or man.
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 1Co:15:45:
In this verse Paul is alluding to the last Adam as Christianity being made a quickening spirit but in so doing he implies that the first Adam (the Hebrews) was made a living soul. This can be substantiated by looking to Jesus and the parable of the sower.
In this parable Jesus explains what the “Mystery of God” is.
The mystery of God
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: M'r:4:11:
And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Lu:8:10:
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. M't:13:11:
This mystery was not explained to the general public but was only told to the disciples. It is to do with the parable of the sower.
The parable of the sower
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. M't:13:3-9:
But what does it all mean? Jesus also tells us the meaning. In fact there are three different accounts of the meaning in the three Gospels where it is recorded.
In Matthew it says:
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. M't:13:19-23:
In Mark it says:
The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. M'r:4:14-20:
And finally in Luke:
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Lu:8:11-15:
The Meaning:
He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. M't:13:39:
The meaning is this
The SOWER is the Son of Man
The SEED is the WORD of God
It is Sown in the HEARTS of the people
The FIELD in which the seed is sown
Is the Population of the earth
In other words God’s field is the population of the earth in which the seed (righteousness) of God is sown in the hearts of the people.
What has this to do with the creation of Adam? The name ADAM means “Of the Ground” and it becomes apparent that this ‘ground’ is Gods ground or field in other words the population (the ground in which the seed is sown). Adam was made from a population by the sowing of the seed of God into the hearts of the people.
Let us look at Genesis to confirm this. Firstly in Genesis Chapter one, we see the creation of the ‘ground’ or ‘field of god’ as the creation of all the population of earth.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Ge:1:26-28:
This first mention is in Genesis chapter one wherein all men and woman are created on the sixth day of creation. This creation of men and women precedes the creation of Adam which is a completely separate creation in chapter two. Adam is not explained until chapter two. However in chapter one, we see the plural form used to represent all the people of the earth “male and female created he them”. This is not surprising since this forms the ‘Ground’ in which the seed of God is to be sown. Adam is this seed as we shall soon discover.
The creation of man, from the dust of the ground, or from the dust of god’s field or population can now happen in chapter two.
And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Ge:2:5-7:
The link here is twofold, firstly the ground must be watered and the seed must be sown, prior to the creation of the living soul of man. This sowing or watering is likened to that of the baptism, which is a good example of watering, or sowing the word or seed of God, into God’s field or ground. It is this process which ‘breathes into his nostrils the breath of life’. Adam (of the ground) was taken from the ‘field of God’ which Jesus says is the population where the seed is sown in their hearts. Adam therefore represents a society of people (also male and female) taken from the larger population of earth, who now have a living soul.
This constitutes the mystery of God. Adam is not one person but is in fact a society, male and female, just as it says in chapter one, taken from the larger field or population of the earth. This describes the followers of god whom are separate from the rest of the population by their belief. Now that verse from 1 Corinthians makes more sense.
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 1Co:15:45:
But if Adam ‘Of the ground’ is both male and female what then is Eve?
Eve is called WOMAN which means ‘OUT OF MAN’ already discussed above. Since all civilizations have created their own religion it is truly said that religion is taken ‘OUT OF MAN’ but is Eve religion? We have already seen that the religion of Israel was termed ‘WOMAN’
For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. Isa:54:5-6:
This is the crux of the matter that the religion is seen as a ‘WOMAN’ which was taken ‘OUT OF MAN’ and was called EVE which means ‘Foundation of all Living’. Jesus also spoke of himself as the ‘Foundation of Life’.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Joh:14:6:
Of course now we speak of Christianity which is the religion of Jesus Christ. She too is seen as a ‘WOMAN’ as the foundation of life and as the BRIDE of God.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Re:21:2:
The WOMAN imagery is also referred to in Revelations again as a whore or Harlot that has corrupted the word of God.
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. Re:17:6-7:
See below for this mystery spoken of is easily explained. Next Christianity is said to be a WOMAN ‘OUT OF MAN’ which is in travail and ready to be delivered (Baptism). Again in Revelation we witness such imagery.
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. Re:12:1-2:
This pregnancy is referring to the BAPTISM which is the re-birth into a new life. Everybody who has ever been baptised, has been into the womb of Christianity and has been re-born.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Joh:3:3-4:
Here we see Jesus explaining the Baptism to Nicodemus that it is a rebirth and that we are to be born again in a spiritual way.
Now it is possible to see the ‘mystery of the woman’ of Revelations.
And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. Re:12:3-4:
This WOMAN (out of man) is Christianity, pregnant with the Baptism, in labour and pained to be delivered. The Dragon is also the same religion which is ready to devour the child as soon as it is born. In other words as soon as one is baptised, they are indoctrinated by the same doctrine that baptised them. In this way the child is devoured as soon as it is born.
The same imagery that of a woman is used to portray Christianity which has become corrupted by worshipping God as an idol or through committing idolatry.
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Re:17:3-5:
So we understand that religion is likened to that of the figure of a WOMAN (out of man) which is seen as the bride or wife of humanity. This is also true for Adam and Eve’s account in Genesis.
And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Ge:2:22-24:
Adam and Eve are said to be one flesh, Jesus was also likened to that of FLESH.
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. Joh:6:51-55:
The bread and the flesh as we know from the Eucharist is representative of Jesus own DOCTRINE or daily bread which we eat by reading His words and digesting them.
Joh:6:54: Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
So we learn that Jesus words are his flesh or doctrine, and just as Eve, was made from Adams flesh or his doctrine, so too was Christianity made from Christs flesh or His doctrine.
WOMAN therefore was taken out of the community of people to represent religious FLESH or doctrine. Unless we eat the FLESH of Christ we will never come to the knowledge of the truth or this Mystery of God. This Flesh becomes the word of God and we can only ever hope to understand it, by adopting the same spirit, of reading metaphors and imagery which are found in the New Testament.
It was doctrine written on velum (flesh or goat skin) that the scriptures were made. This doctrine is known as the Gospels or the word of God. It is the New Testament.