Tag: Psalms

  • INTRO to our Story of The Gardener, the Shepherd and the Hunter

    INTRO to our Story of The Gardener, the Shepherd and the Hunter

    INTRODUCTION: Once upon a time...

    I love a story that begins, Once upon a time, don’t you?

    Your parents may have used different names for stories like this:

    • Fairy Tales, Fables, Adventures, Fantasies, Science fiction. (I think Disney has a ‘LAND‘ for every one of them.)
    • Romances… (You know, “.. AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER.”)
    • SuperHERO stories, cartoons, comics, games, and movies.

    As a parent if I were to tell you our secret about any Once upon a timeSTORY, then I must confess that even though we call them CHILDREN’S STORIES, almost EVERY parent loves these stories too.

    Once upon a timeSTORIES are FICTION.

    That is to say, they are NOT TRUE. And even some grown-ups forget that.

    BUT.. these stories may tell an important truth to us.

    ANY STORY may include an illustration of times in life beyond the bounds of time and place – a picture of some person at some time in some place that we cannot see, hear or touch.

    These stories may have men or women, boys or girls..

    sometimes even animals we might like to be like.. or must be careful not to be..

    or worse yet, those people, creatures and things we must stay away from altogether.

    HEROES or VILLAINS (good or bad) may have been like someone we know (or don’t want to know). They may be just like real people who lived ‘once upon a time’ who we have never met.

    THIS ‘once upon a time’ story, although it is FICTION, also includes some NON-FICTION characters at times – men and women who teach us good things for these times from their REAL lives a time long ago.. or even a time after any of us can imagine.


    Parables, Allegories, Myths and more

    As part of my introduction to The Gardener, the Shepherd and the Hunter my intent is not to instruct you in literature, but rather to provoke additional thought about Scripture and my serial story which follows. - Roger Harned

    a Parable

    You have read or heard many parables, especially those told by JESUS, written down for our instruction in the Gospels of the Bible.

    • DID JESUS REALLY SEE THESE THINGS HAPPEN?
      • NO, I think. (I cannot be certain.)
    • DO THE PARABLES OF JESUS illustrate TRUTH?
      • YES, Jesus paints pictures in His Words of absolute inviolable truths.
    I will open my mouth in a parable;
    I will tell riddles of old,
    Which we have heard and known,
    And our fathers have told us.
    We will not conceal them from their children,
    But we will tell the generation to come the praises of the LORD,
    And His power and His wondrous works that He has done. 

    CLICK HERE FOR ALL of Psalm 78 A contemplative, moral instructive song of Asaph.
    Listen, my people, to my instruction;
    Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

    an Allegory

    • a story, play, picture, etc. in which each character or event is a symbol representing an idea or a quality, such as truth, evil, death, etc.
      • source: the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

    Some Bible Stories are allegories.

    The Holy Bible also contains fictional truths told as allegories in addition to many oral (or verbal) histories — each told, then later recorded in writing, as accounts of TRUE history, i.e. non-fiction.

    I believe that Moses' creation narrative may be an allegory -- a most accurate illustration of the truths of God and creation, good and evil; 
    a screenshot outside of time (to update his picture) of THAT WHICH NO MAN can see of life (eternal or otherwise) and death.

    Theologians have debated such truths of the Bible for millennia; but we must not dismiss God’s Truth by any misconception of man which debates the literal and symbolic of any of God’s Scripture. – RH

    Your COMMENT is welcome about God, Creation, Moses, JESUS or the Bible.

    Roger@TalkofJESUS.com
    The Gardener, the Shepherd and the Hunter

    The story I introduce here today is neither parable or allegory, but quotes Biblical truth.

    However, if you would like to sample a classic allegory from English literature, check out the best-loved Christian allegory of all time:

    The Pilgrim's Progress of John Bunyan

    CLICK HERE to READ this classic English allegory,

    “The Pilgrim’s Progress”


    Myths and Fables

    • myth
    • a story from ancient times, especially one that was told to explain natural events or to describe the early history of a people; this type of story; SYNONYM legend
      • ancient Greek myths
      • a creation myth (= that explains how the world began)
      • the heroes of myth and legend
        • source: the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary
    Permit me just one comment on this widely accepted definition of myth:  
    
    Ancient Greek, Roman and eastern religion myths include gods (idols), legendary heroes (often gods or early icons of the faith), and a creation myth which includes one or more of the above. 
    
    Many will attempt to dismiss ALL explanations of creation as false BECAUSE THESE ARE 'CREATION MYTHS;' however one explanation of creation must be TRUE (for the heavens and earth exist). 

    The stories of the LORD GOD and creation describe life beyond the bounds of time and place;

    therefore creatures that we are, man can neither prove nor refute the eternal and immeasurable beyond this brief mortal life.

    Roger@TalkofJESUS.com
    • fables
    • a fictitious narrative or statement: such as
      • a legendary story of supernatural happenings
      • a narration intended to enforce a useful truth
        • especially : one in which animals speak and act like human beings
      • FALSEHOOD, LIE
      • source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary,

    Fantasies

    Many will know of or have read a famous Christian fantasy:

    visit Narnia.com

    C.S. Lewis also tells a favorite of mine appropriate for teens and especially adults, a story about two devils: Screwtape and his bumbling apprentice, Wormwood.

    C.S. Lewis delves into moral questions about good v. evil, temptation, repentance and grace. - source:

    A TIMELESS CLASSIC ON ‘HELL’S LATEST NOVELTIES AND HEAVEN’S UNANSWERABLE ANSWER’. 


    our Story of Three Characters

    It's up to you to solve the mystery of each to learn who they are.
    The Gardener the Shepherd and the Hunter - Introduction to a story by Roger Harned

    The Gardener, the Shepherd and the Hunter

    NEXT: ACT 1: The Gardener


  • Confidence in Troubled Times – Psalm 94

    Confidence in Troubled Times – Psalm 94

    (from times Before Christ)

    You give them relief from troubled times
    until a pit is dug to capture the wicked.

    Psalm 94:3 New Living Translation

    Confidence in troubled times (even Before Christ)

    WE THE PEOPLE of every nation have heard it before. ‘NO CONFIDENCE’

    Australian Parliament debate in troubled times of COVID
    Today's Short Take on Scripture for ASH WEDNESDAY in the year of our LORD 2022 may help your perception of confidence in these contemporary troubled times.
    
    Our Scriptures from Psalm 94 and another context from history in 2 Chronicles 15 are linked to 5 language translations:
    
    • English: Authorized (King James) Version
    • Псалми Ukrainian Bible
    • Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
    • 诗篇 Revised Chinese Union Version (Simplified Script) Shen Edition
    • Псалтирь New Russian Translation
    from a troubled 2020 election to troubled times: Joe Biden Presidential Oath of Office sworn on Douay-Rheims Bible (1899) of his Roman Catholic faith

    The Heavy Hand of Authority

    Click here for Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (incorrectly linked on link below)

    Psalm 94:

    O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth;
    O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself..

    They break in pieces thy people, O Lord,
    and afflict thine heritage.
    6 They slay the widow and the stranger,
    and murder the fatherless.
    Yet they say, The Lord shall not see..

    2 Chronicles 15:

    Prophesy of Troubled Times:

    And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:

    Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.

    During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land. Nation fought against nation, and city against city, for God was troubling them with every kind of problem.

    2 Chronicles 15:5-6 New Living Translation

    12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.


    BBC News TODAY: Babyn Yar: Anger as Kyiv’s Holocaust memorial is attacked

    Confidence in Christ Jesus

    jerusalem

    “Teacher, look! What wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!”

    Things to Come from the Good News of Mark:

    And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

    ..

    And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and they will mislead many.

    Mark 13:5b-6 NASB20 [Click for context]

    “And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.
    “Watch out, stay alert; for you do not know when the appointed time is…

    Mark 13:10 & 13;33 – The word of the Lord Jesus..

    What’s your short take on these Scriptures and events of Ash Wednesday,

    in the year of our Lord 2022?

  • a Year of Disaster & Death for the earth

    a Year of Disaster & Death for the earth

    January 6, in the year of our Lord, 2022: Remembering a Year of Disaster

    Note: Realizing that this 'quick take' includes several statistics, a quick scan of these will get you to the point of these few Scriptures and their implication for our future at the mercy of our Lord. 
    
    (I also project some political opinion which may offend both sides of these issues in the U.S. & the world. 
    Glad to hear your opinion IF it connects to Scripture. RH)
    
    
    debate stage Trump - Biden

    “They have lied about the LORD
    and said, ‘He won’t bother us!
    No disasters will come upon us.
    There will be no war or famine.

    The Prophet Jeremiah 5:12 NLT

    WORLD POPULATION = 7 [BILLION], 918 [MILLION},291,561 *Current – Source: worldometers.info

    Considering the Disaster of A.D. 2021

    These are the 10 deadliest natural disasters of 2021:

    1. August 2021: Earthquake Kills 2,248 in Haiti
    2. December 2021: Super Typhoon Rai Kills 375 in the Philippines
    3. July 2021: Floods, Landslides in China Kill at Least 302
    4. July 2021: Floods Kill More than 200 in Germany, Belgium
    5. April 2021: Cyclone Seroja Kills at Least 222 Indonesia, East Timor, Australia
    6. October 2021: Flash Floods, Landslides Kill 201 in India, Nepal
    7. May 2021: Cyclone Tauktae Kills at Least 200 in India
    8. August 2021: Hurricane Ida Kills 91 Across 9 U.S. States
    9. December 2021: Tornado Kills 90 Across 5 U.S. States
    10. December 2021: Volcano Eruption Kills 45 in Indonesia

    Source: U.S. News & World Report

    source:
    • SARS‑CoV‑2 − (COVID-19)
      • 5.4–21.4 million total deaths (in ALL years) (as of December 2021)
    • Deaths by #choice of unborn babies worldwide according to World ‘Health’ Organization:
      • 40-50 million abortions average per year
      • Approximately 125,000 abortion deaths of babies per day

    More A.D. 2021 Disaster

    FOOD

    • 857,534,461 Undernourished people in the world

    Refugees (migrants, illegal aliens, immigrants – Men, Women & Children without homes or a place to go)

    • 281 million: The estimated number of international migrants in the world2
    • 50.4 million: The number of internally displaced persons
    • 26 million: Estimated number of refugees in the world

    Trump State of the union address with Speaker Pelosi tearing up the President's speech text

    Don’t let liars prosper here in our land.
    Cause great disasters to fall on the violent.

    Psalm 140:11 NLT

    “So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will never be found again.

    The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 18:21b

    “Now behold, I Myself am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which there is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish.

    Genesis 6:17The word of the LORD to Noah.

    Disaster and Death: Judgment of Sin and Wickedness!

    Genesis 7

    • 12 The rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights.
    • 20 The water prevailed fifteen cubits higher, and the mountains were covered.
    • 21 So all creatures that moved on the earth perished:
      • birds, livestock, animals, and every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth,
      • and all mankind;
    • 22 of all that was on the dry land, all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died.

    So He wiped out [all existence] every living thing that was upon the face of the land, from mankind to animals, to crawling things, and the birds of the sky, and they were wiped out from the earth; and only Noah was left, together with those that were with him in the ark.

    Genesis 7:23 NASB20

    The water prevailed upon the earth for 150 days.

    וַיִּגְבְּרוּ הַמַּיִם עַל־הָאָרֶץ חֲמִשִּׁים וּמְאַת יֹום׃

    Surely righteous people are praising your name;
    the godly will live in your presence.

    Psalm 140: 13
    What is your short take on this look at violence from Genesis, Jeremiah, Psalm 140 & Revelation?
    Which disaster from A.D. 2021 impacted you most. And what do you think God will do about it SOON?
    
    
    ASK your question in the Comments below OR give us your short take on the God of Creation.
    
    ALL COMMENTS ARE WELCOME, but MODERATED. And all links provided for your further study are secure.
    
    Roger@TalkofJESUS.COM 
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