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Continuing our discussion from part one, this entire concept regarding Spirit and Energy goes right along with a number of other things I have heard concerning the Ark of the Covenant, which housed the tablets on which were inscribed the Lord's Commandments, Aaron's rod, some manna and other things. For example, the Scriptures inform us that when the enemies of the children of Israel foolish stole the Ark of the Covenant from them after defeating them in battle, those same enemies -- meaning the Philistines -- were slain by some invisible force which caused them to become afflicted with hemorrhoids or tumors of some kind. The Bible refers to it as "emerods". You will find this story in 1 Samuel chapters four through six, if you wish to read it.

While it may seem a bit crazy, it makes me wonder if the Ark of the Covenant radiated some kind of energy which, if one was not properly protected from it, could possibly result in these afflictions. I am reminded of how a strong overdose of radiation can cause cancer and other maladies in our current day. You may recall that during the early days of testing -- and in the case of the US military, actually using -- atomic bombs, the affects of ionizing radiation were not yet fully understood. As a result, some people who were exposed to the radiation -- such as the Japanese -- eventually developed an array of maladies, including leukemia, cancer of the stomach, lung, liver and breasts, brain tumors, heart failure, stroke, asthma, bronchitis, and other things. Sadly, with regards to the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, it has been reported that children are still being born with some of their limbs missing, and with even more horrendous genetic mutations.

But concerning the Ark of the Covenant, I have heard theories which suggest that if we take into consideration the actual shape and types of materials which were used to construct the Ark -- such as a lot of gold for example, which, as you may know, is an excellent conductor -- it may have acted like a large battery or power reservoir of some sort. Or perhaps in some way it just drew Spiritual Energy from the Other Side; meaning from the Spirit Realm. After all, we do know that the Lord did in fact appear to Moses, as He sat on the Mercy Seat between the wings of the two cherubim. What we also know -- because the Scriptures plainly tell us so -- is that when the wrong people touched the Ark, they would die. This becomes evident by the following group of verses which are found in 1 Samuel chapter six:

"And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day. And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me? So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite."


But exactly how did Uzzah die? Is it possible that the Lord allowed a spark of Invisible Energy, or Spirit, to arc over and electrocute him? Good question. All we know for certain is that Uzzah died right there on the spot. But regardless of exactly how Uzzah died, it is clear that the incident freaked out King David; so much so that he refused to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. It would be interesting to conduct a study of the garments which were worn by Aaron the high priest and his successors. Is it possible that the priestly garments served to protect them in some way from the High Voltage of the Most High? Again, an interesting question without a clear answer.

Another example I have shared in other articles concerns the transfer of Power between the Prophet Elijah and his servant Elisha, which is discussed in the second chapter of 2 Kings. Somehow, just by gaining possession of the Prophet's mantle, Elisha acquired a greater anointing that Elijah. Following are the key verses which provide us with an account of that amazing event:

"And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him."


I am convinced that there is some kind of link between what the Bible refers to as Spirit, and what we today call energy and electricity. There is something there; I am just not sure what it is. Please remember what the Apostle Paul said in his Epistle to the Romans:

"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"


So basically, Paul is saying that the visible is a type of reflection of the invisible, and is proof of God's existence. If there is one thing of which I am certain, it is that there are a lot of things in the Bible which we have barely begun to grasp. The connection between Spirit, energy, light and electricity is certainly one of them. While the mechanics of the Spiritual Universe are beyond our human comprehension, I can't help but wonder if man isn't beginning to tinker with their most basic elements in his exploration of physics and other related disciplines. This is a topic which I discuss in a few other articles, such as "Science and Technology: The Forbidden Knowledge?", which you will find listed at the end of this same series.

Occasionally, we come across certain movies in which it seems that someone has discovered some bit of truth which they are trying share with us in a science fiction or fantasy-like setting. I think "Raiders of the Lost Ark" may have had some of this. The brilliant, glowing nature of the Antarians in the two "Cocoon" movies also made me pause to wonder. If we equate Spirit with some form of energy, as I have done, and consider that brilliant light itself is also a by-product of released energy -- or Spirit? -- then the description we find of Jesus in His glorified body in the Book of Revelation -- in which He has eyes like fire and feet like polished brass -- certainly seems to bare a slight similarity to what we see in the "Cocoon" movies. Consider the following set of verses:

"And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength."


Wow! Just look at that! It says "and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." That, my friends, is very bright! In fact, let us also not forget how Jesus' appearance changed while He was talking to Moses and Elijah on what has become known as the Mount of Transfiguration. Consider the following intriguing verses:

"And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light."


"And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering."


Think of the brightness of the Sun. Think of the brightness of a nuclear explosion. Then think of these descriptions of Jesus in His spiritual body in the Bible. Is the similarity just a coincidence? Is this why we can no more look at the Sun, or at a nuclear explosion, with our bare eyes, than we can look at God and live? You might want to read my article "The Seeing God Face-to-Face Dilemma".

Then, of course, there are the following interesting verses as well, which tell us that God is pure light. Why is that? Because He is Spirit. He is some form of energy -- just as Jesus told the Samaritan woman in John chapter four -- and Spirit, or radiated energy, produces light:

"This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."


"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."


"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. GOD IS A SPIRIT: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."


"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire."


Please notice that we are not only told that God is light; we are also told that He is "the Father of lights". Exactly what does that mean? Well, in my view, there are two ways in which we can understand that phrase. First, it could simply mean He is the brightest, most brilliant of them all, just as the Sun is likewise the brightest celestial object in our immediate neighborhood. Another way to look at the verse is that it may also mean that He is OUR Father, because we are in fact the Children of Light, who shine as lights in this evil world. Thus, God is the Father of lights. This is a subject which I discuss more at length in the article entitled "The Children of Light: Are You One of Us?". But for now, consider the following verses:

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."


"While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them."


"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children . . . For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light . . . And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."


"That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;"


"But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness."


Last of all, I am also reminded of Moses' appearance after he descended from Horeb -- or Mount Sinai -- after having spent forty days with the Lord. Consider the following very interesting group of verses. It seems as if Moses actually absorbed the Lord's light and energy during those forty days and nights that he spent on the summit of that mountain. We are told that his face glowed so much, that people could not even bare to look at him directly, and were afraid to come near him. Consider these verses:

"And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai. And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him."


One common denominator which all of these Scriptural examples share is that they involve contact with the Divine Spirit -- or energy -- and brilliant light. In every single case. That obviously must mean something. Exactly what, I am not sure. Something else which I also mention in my article entitled "This Little Light, Glory of the Lord and Our Bright Future", is that the brightness of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, is so extreme, that in the closing chapters of the Book of Revelation, John informs us that the Heavenly City -- that is, New Jerusalem -- has no need of the Sun or of the Moon, because the City will be entirely lit by the glory of the Father and the Son, as we see by these verses:

"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."


"And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever . . . I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."


I think it is also important to mention that there is also an evil side to this whole concept of equating verbal words with spiritual energy. In the case of God the Father and Jesus Christ, it is primarily a positive creative force; although God can also use His words to expose sin, chastise and even destroy, if need be. I am reminded of the two-edged sword we find in the following verse:

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."


I discuss this concept more fully in the article "Beholding the Evil and the Good". However, in the case of the Devil, his spoken word is a purely negative and destructive force. Consider, for example, when Satan made his first utterance to Eve in Genesis chapter three. The purpose of his words was to destroy and to tear down the creation of God; and he has been working at it ever since. It is no wonder then that Jesus told the unbelieving Jews that the Devil is the father of lies, as we can determine by the following verse. Notice that Jesus says that the Devil has been doing this "from the beginning":

"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."


Just as positive energy -- or Spirit -- flows from the mouths of God's children, we are also told that the opposite is true with regards to the Devil's children. Negative energy -- lies and deceptions -- flow from their mouths. We see an excellent symbolic picture of this concept in the "unholy trinity" that is found in the Book of Revelation. Consider the following two verses:

"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."


If you would like to see an excellent example of this war of words, and the negative spiritual warfare that's being waged right now in our very day, just turn on your television set, or your radio, or your computer. The airwaves, cell phone towers, telephone lines, fiber optics and coaxial cables are constantly carrying loads of this negative propaganda right into your home, courtesy of the Prince of the Power of the Air. From politicians to merchants trying to sell something, whether it is an idea, or a position, or some product, our lives are constantly being bombarded every single day. All of this daily, nonstop confusion can easily block out the still, small voice of God. Consider how the Prophet Elijah experienced God's Voice:

"And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice."


While we have taken a slight detour from our main topic of discussion, let's return now to the original theme of this series. That is, the baptism of Jesus Christ. In my quest to conduct thorough research regarding the subject, I continued looking through the four Gospels for additional clues. In so doing, I found the following accounts which seem to likewise suggest that perhaps Jesus did not have to wait until His baptism by John the Baptist in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit:

"And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:"


Notice that Matthew doesn't specifically say that it is the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit. He just calls it "the Spirit of God". Could Matthew possibly be referring to an Angelic Being which came to minister to Jesus? As I have mentioned on previous occasions, depending on a translator's personal preference, just changing the word "the" to the word "a" can make a very big difference in meaning, and how we understand a particular verse. For example, "the Spirit" and "a spirit" can mean two very different things, can't they?

Now, at this point, some of my readers who possess very keen observation skills might point out the obvious fact that in Matthew 3:16 it clearly says "lighting upon him". This point might lead some people to ask "So, are you suggesting that an Angel lighted upon -- or landed upon -- Jesus?" Patience, my dear friends. I have got my bases covered. Just continue reading and I'll drop another "Scriptural bomb" momentarily.

As I pointed out in part one, there are indications that in some places, perhaps a capital "S" should have been used in place of a small "s". Could the exact opposite also apply as in the previous verse? In other words, in all the verses in which we find the actual Holy Ghost mentioned, a capital "S" should be used. Whereas in all other verses, when referring to lesser Angels or spirits, a small "s" should be used.

I have also always wondered why the writers of the Gospels compared the Spirit to a dove. Was it because it was white? Or because it was a being with wings? Or because it gently came down upon Jesus from up in the sky? Or because it was something else which had wings and flew? Now, while a lot of Christian paintings tend to draw a literal dove above Jesus, just as they also paint literal tongues of fire above the Apostles' heads in paintings which depict the Pentecost, I tend to believe that these words were chosen simply because they are the closest terms which the early writers could find to describe something totally unexplainable which they had never seen or experienced before.

In other words, the writers are making a comparison by using something with which they are each familiar. The phrase "like a dove" is what is known as a simile. It is when you compare one thing to something else. So perhaps the writers are not saying that what they saw was actually a dove. Rather, it was something which they only knew how to describe as being like a dove. They were describing something totally supernatural in meager human terms. Something pure white with wings. In describing the very same scene regarding Jesus' baptism by John, the Gospel of Mark uses almost the same exact words as Matthew. Please consider the following verse:

"And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:"


I find the description of the heavens opening interesting as well. Does this verse simply mean that the clouds parted and something white, and possibly with wings, appeared, and then came down to settle upon Jesus? What exactly did they see? Or is it possible that some kind of interdimensional bridge or vortex opened up as I describe in "The Manipulation of Time and Space"? Did this interdimensional opening result in the formation of some type of luminescent cloud, which a number of people refer to as the "Shekinah Glory"? I discuss this subject more at length in articles such as "Have You Been Slain in the Spirit?". But just to pique your curiosity, let me share the following verses with you. Please notice that the verses say that the "cloud" was bright, and that Peter, James and John entered into the "cloud". This was NOT an ordinary cloud:

"And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, A BRIGHT CLOUD OVERSHADOWED THEM: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead."


"And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared AS THEY ENTERED INTO THE CLOUD. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen."


Turning our attention again to Jesus' water baptism by John the Baptist, and the "dove", the writer Luke describes this very same event in the following manner:

"And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."


Please notice that Luke is the only writer to specifically state that it is the Holy Ghost. I will be addressing this particular issue in part three of this series. Notice Luke's use of the words "bodily shape". This is a clear indication that something very real, and very visible, was in the sky which they could all see. Whether or not it was actually physical is hard to say. Personally, I am not convinced that it was. I think it was something spiritual. But whatever it was, they were able to make out a shape, which they compared to a white dove. It is then that Luke goes on to describe the voice which came down from heaven -- or from the sky -- just as Matthew and Mark had done.

Please go to part three for the continuation of this series.

⇒ Go To The Next Part . . .

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