The Beauty Of The Divine Feminine

"For the Shekinah in the time of Abraham our father is called Sarah and in the time of Isaac our father is called Rebecca and in the time of Jacob our father is called Rachel..." (Rabbi Joseph Gikatilla)

THE MATRIARCHS OF ISRAEL

The recorded stories of the Matriarchs of Israel were written in the volume of the Torah to teach the children of Israel the beauty and relationship that exists with the Divine Feminine.  Just as the woman is the glory of the man, the divine feminine is called Shekinah or the Glory of God.  This principle of balance and oneness between the male and female is exemplified in the words of the apostle Paul (Shaul):

"For a man indeed ought not to have his head covered, because he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man" (1 Corinthians 11:7)

The divine feminine, Shekinah, or the "SHE" aspect of God (Elohiym) is personified in the sacrifices, behaviors, and struggles of these Holy Matriarchs. Whether it be the story of Chava and the Serpent, Sariah and the coming forth of Isaac, Rebekah at the well, the jubilee of Leah, or Rachel in her struggle to bring forth children the stories portrayed are not happenstance, but a window into the veiled mystery that is both woman and the Divine Feminine.

"She" or the Shekinah is pictured as Rachel weeping for her children:

"Thus says the LORD:“A voice is heard in Ramah,lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children;she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” (Jeremiah 31:15)

"She" is pictured in the laughter of Sarah:

"So Sarah laughed to herself, saying:

 “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”" (Genesis 18:12)

"She" is Chava (Eve) declaring:

 "Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient." (Moses 5:11)

She is Miryam (Mary) questioning:

 “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.?” (Luke 1:38)

She is Deborah singing:

"The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel" (Judges 5:7)

As the Zohar states:

"She is sometimes called Daughter and sometimes Sister and her she is called Mother and she is indeed all of these." (Zohar)

The power to bless, the power to see, and the power of giving life rests in connection with the Divine Feminine.  In the traditions of Israel her importance is portrayed as Sarah in her tent whose lamp does not go out in the darkness of night.  She is Hagar who is visited by the angel of "The God Who Sees".  "She" is Rebekah pouring out living water at the well to the servant of Abraham who seeks the bride for his Son of Promise.  "She" is Rachel shepherding her flock and whose beauty inspires Jacob to become a willing servant in promise to receive her fulness. "She" is Leah and Rachel who are the mothers of nations and the hen whose wings cover her children.  It is in the images and actions of these holy women that the beauty and majesty of the Divine Feminine is revealed.

The revelation of the divine feminine or Shekinah to mankind was to demonstrate the beauty and the power of oneness.  The revelation of this oneness aptly declared by Paul:

"Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the YHVH" (1 Corinthians 11:11)

and revealed by YHVH himself in the greatest commandment:

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

In her Wisdom pure knowledge is revealed. In her arms of Mercy her children find salvation. In her Grace weakness is made strong.  And it is upon the foundation of her firstborn son that deliverance is extended:

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." (Helaman 5:12)

She calls upon her daughters to walk in holy paths, adorning themselves in the wedding garment, and to shine as lamps in the darkest of hours.  She inspires honor and endows wisdom to her sons who like young warriors are taught, "that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them".  Indeed an ancient proverb reveals her splendor as wisdom and her covering as understanding:

"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

© 2018 Robert Kay

All rights reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced in any form without permission from the article except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

THE BOOK OF MORMON: THE KEY TO THE "IMMIGRATION PROBLEM"

There is a lot of talk these days about illegal immigrants, building walls, and deportation.  Fear is running high and tension is mounting.  What will the United States of America look like in next 20 to 30 years?  Will there be a UNITED States of America or a DIVIDED States of America?  Some say throw out the immigrants while others want an America without borders.

The United States of America is a land of covenant as was the land of Israel.  The Nation itself exists by virtue of a covenant and the willingness of the people to be ONE PEOPLE under that covenant.  Just as the Torah was the covenant document which united all Israel under God we too have a covenant document inspired by God that is meant to accomplish the same thing:

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

Our willingness to be ONE people under God despite our cultural and ethnic differences is what distinguishes a covenant people of God from the other nations with the goal of securing the blessings of Liberty not only to ourselves but our posterity.  Because of the designs of evil men in high places, this Liberty is in jeopardy.

So how do we "FIX" the problem?  How do we secure the borders of the American Zion while at the same time blessing our brothers and sisters who are seeking the same Liberty with which the American Zion has so generously blessed us with?  As followers of Christ and lover's of freedom of liberty would we not want the same for a brother, sister, or child who is coming to us seeking the same blessings which God designs for all men to have?

ANSWER:  
THE ANTI-NEPHI-LEHIS AKA THE PANIYM NEPHI LECHI

The answer to this problem may be staring us right in the face.  The Book of Mormon documents the saga of a group of immigrants who left their lands because of persecution, potential danger and warfare, and who sought the same liberty to serve God.  Led by their leader King Lamoni and the Sons of Alma (Ancient Son's of Liberty), this large group of immigrants fled to the borders of the Nephites seeking refuge from their own brothers who were trying to subjugate, enslave, and kill them.  So earnest was their desire for freedom and love for God this group was even willing to become the slaves of the Nephites so that they might also enjoy some measure of freedom under God.  But like the United States of Ameria now, the Nephites did not have a system of slavery.  Rather they followed an interesting formula that finds its foundation in the Torah:

1. THEY TAUGHT THEM THE COVENANT LAW OF THE LAND:

"And thus they might go forth and preach the word according to their desires, for the king had been converted unto the Lord, and all his household; therefore he sent his proclamation throughout the land unto his people, that the word of God might have no obstruction, but that it might go forth throughout all the land, that his people might be convinced concerning the wicked traditions of their fathers, and that they might be convinced that they were all brethren, and that they ought not to murder, nor to plunder, nor to steal, nor to commit adultery, nor to commit any manner of wickedness."  (Alma 23:3)

Teachers were sent among the immigrants to teach them history and covenant ideology. 

"And thousands were brought to the knowledge of the Lord, yea, thousands were brought to believe in the traditions of the Nephites; and they were taught the records and prophecies which were handed down even to the present time." (Alma 23:5)

This band of immigrants was first taught the Torah of Israel which contained the the history, laws/commandments.  Just as the Torah provides Oneness with God and with each other so too does our Constitution provide the foundation for Oneness. Those who would be part of a covenant land must be taught the terms of the covenant.  For the United States of America this covenant document is the Constitution. By aggressively educating and converting these immigrants to the history, covenant, and laws we provide them foundation for freedom both civil and religious.

At the end of our United States naturalization process, all immigrants are required to take a public oath of to the Constitution. In doing so they make an oath and covenant to publicly uphold the principles of foundation upon which this nation was established. This oath represents a kind of constitutional allegiance.  Instead of being a mass of immigrants with no shared ethnic identity, religion or culture they become law abiding citizens that uphold the ideology of  that all men are created equal, that they endowed with fixed inalienable rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.   

2. CITIES OF DWELLING AND PROTECTION:

In the Book of Mormon, many bands of immigrants were granted cities of dwelling and military protection from their brothers who sought to harm them.  Instead of holding camps, once converted, these immigrants were given cities of dwelling wherein the law of the land was upheld (not Mexican Law, not Costa Rican Law,  Not Sharia Law, etc.) but the Constitutional law of their land.

The gift of dwelling in safety under laws designed to uphold domestic tranquility is an endowment of life. As we take the endowment of life and freedom given to us and extend it to others, the power and salvation of God is Magnified.  In this magnification we fulfill the commandment to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. 

THE PANIYM NEPHI LECHI

As a result of the Nephite naturalization process the Lamanites from the Land of Ishmael ceased to be called Lamanites but took upon themselves the name Anti-Nephi-Lehi's or in Hebrew PANIYM NEPHI LECHI.  In old english the word anti did not mean "against or opposed to" but meant opposite of as someone looking in a mirror. This same expression is captured in the Hebrew word Paniym which means countenance. In this case these immigrants took on the countenance of the founding fathers of the Nephites- Nephi and Lehi.  

The Prophets Lehi and Nephi were the founding fathers of freedom in the land we now call the United States of America.  This freedom was established by their keeping the commandments/laws of God which they carried with them in the form of the Plates of Laban.  The strict preservation and observance of God's law provided them a civilized society upon which life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness were established.  This adherence to the terms of the covenant made them a "white and delightsome" people which is a Hebrew Idiomatic expression for "civil and law abiding" people.  This covenant oath to uphold constitutional law is the pivotal difference between immigrant and invader.  Without taking upon themselves the covenant image of their founding fathers and making an oath to live in peace, these Lamanites would have been invaders instead of brothers. By filling their lands with invaders the Nephite civilization would have been short lived.  But in embracing them as covenant brothers, the sons of these people became some of the strongest defenders of liberty.  And during the times of greatest threat, these sons (known as the Son's of Helaman.) stepped forth to defend the Nephite Nation against dangers both domestic and abroad.

Perhaps instead of looking at immigrants as an US versus Them issue, we can look upon them as children of God seeking the same blessings and freedom we ourselves enjoy with the understanding that these blessings are only enjoyed and preserved upon the foundation of our Covenant before God- The Constitution.   It is in the gift of this covenant of charity that this American Zion stands a light upon a hill (a nation of light) as expressed by Emma Lazarus an American Jewish woman descended from immigrants:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

THE DEATH OF NATION?

" And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity. For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off." (Ether 2:9-10)

This land is a covenant land with covenant stipulations. We can make political and emotional appeals all day, but in the end they may not matter when the terms of God's covenant are broken and the consequences come about on everyone-- gay, straight, black, white, Jew, Gentile.  Often times political propaganda appeals to the emotions and ideals of equal rights, but lawlessness is lawlessness (iniquity) no matter what label it comes under. The results of sustaining any form of iniquity are never good.

The Land of the United States of America is a land of promise.  In a Hebraic context a "land of promise" is a covenant land grant.  As such the conditions for dwelling in the land are very different as all people who reside on the land grand must obey the terms God has set out for residency. The result of breaking the covenant is forever the same--THE CURSES OF THE COVENANT ARE POURED OUT UNTIL THE PEOPLE EITHER REPENT OR ARE SWEPT OFF!

The Point of No Return- The Sorrowing of the Damned

There is a point of no return that is coming in fact it may already be here.  It is the point where it becomes unlawful to recommend the people to God because they sorrow that they can no longer continue in their lawlessness (iniquity) instead of sorrowing unto repentance.  Let's see how we compare to the Nephites in their condition of iniquity (Mormon 2):

10 And it came to pass that the Nephites began to repent of their iniquity, and began to cry even as had been prophesied by Samuel the prophet; for behold no man could keep that which was his own, for the thieves, and the robbers, and the murderers, and the magic art, and the witchcraft which was in the land.


*No man could keep that which was his own-- whether it be through financial impropriety, speculative bubbles, or conspiracy the peoples wealth becomes slippery.  Sounds familiar to American Economy!

*Thieves, robbers, and murderers-- Interesting as in the days of the Nephites the Gadianton robbers had gained control of the Government and the Church.  It is easy for us to accept the robbers controlling the government, but the reality is that they have also gained control of the church (body of believers and their institutions) as well.

*Magic Art and Witchcraft - Spiritualism, Divination, and  other forbidden practices fill our land even as people lose faith.  Those things which were instituted by God are put down even as evil is declared "good".

 11 Thus there began to be a mourning and a lamentation in all the land because of these things, and more especially among the people of Nephi.

 12 And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation and their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them that they would again become a righteous people.

*Are we seeing the waves of lamentation, mourning, and sorrowing that lead to the demise of our nation?  Right now many are seduced by comfort, complacency, and Apathy.  Remember-- "ALL IS WELL IN ZION!  STAY ASLEEP! YOU ARE SAFE BECAUSE YOU ARE IN THE ONE TRUE _____________________  (FILL IN THE BLANK:  CHURCH/GROUP/RELIGION!)

13 But behold this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not unto repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin.

 14 And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did curse God, and wish to die. Nevertheless they would struggle with the sword for their lives.

15 And it came to pass that my sorrow did return unto me again, and I saw that the day of grace was passed with them, both temporally and spiritually...."

Mitigating the Judgment

Like God's judgment upon the Tower of Babel we are about to see judgments of like severity poured out upon our Nation.  Even in the midst of the darkness of impending judgment there is the possibility of the light of salvation.  What will it take--Men and Women who will walk in the Path of Covenant Intercessors like the Brother of Jared.  Rather than choosing death they choose life in taking upon them the name of Christ--they choosing repentance rather than destruction.  Make no mistake the judgments are sure, but an Exodus under the covering of the God of Israel is still available.  Before that day comes though, there must be people like the Brother of Jared who have have walked in the path of God's covenant, interceded for their people under the terms of the covenant, and obtained the Rest of God. I guess in the end the doctrine of the two ways still holds firm as in the ancient days-- Sorrowing unto true repentance or the sorrowing of the damned.  It seems we still have a choice.

Many people are looking to the President, The Senate, The House of Representatives, etc to "save us", but in the end the responsibility resides with the people and the individual effort and choices we make every day.  The cause of Zion is not just a religious matter but the matter of a Nation who upholds God and the ideology:

"ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!"

*The title of this article is called "Death of Nation" intentionally.  The path of repentance and the path of destruction is the same for all Nations with whom God has extended covenant.

© 2018 Robert Kay



All rights reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Pathways Of The Prophetic: The Knowledge of God

When we practice the presence of God and trust him as being active in our lives we begin to develop the sight to see the presence of God in all that we do and experience.  One of the greatest lessons taught in the ancient schools of the prophets was the lesson that each person could come to experience or "know" God for themselves.  To know God required that Heaven and Earth connect where sacred space was created.  These sacred spaces where God had placed his name were like Jacob's ladder in that at such a juncture people and angels could ascend and descend to partake of and minister light and truth.

These teachings were passed down through various traditions in the House of Israel.  One such master teacher was Rabbi Yisrael Ben Eliezer also known as the Ba'al Shem Tov or Master of the Great Name.  The Ba'al Shem Tov was the founder of the the Hasidic Movement and among his teachings was that soul thus prepared could ascend into the Seventh Heaven and stand before God face to face. He taught that this ascent or "knowing" God could be experienced by anyone willing to make the "effort and sacrifices" to do so. (Teachings of Rabi Yisrael Ben Eliezer)

This same sentiment was expressed by the Prophet Joseph Smith in his famed King Follet Discourse:

"It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God, and to know that we may converse with Him as one man converses with another..."

In the Hebraic mind to know something is to experience something first hand.  This same sentiment of experiencing the knowledge of God which is equated with salvation was also expressed in the Lectures on Faith:

"5 For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, requires more than mere belief, or supposition that he is doing the will of God, but actual knowledge: realizing, that when these sufferings are ended he will enter into eternal rest; and be a partaker of the glory of God.

6 For unless a person does know that he is walking according to the will of God, it would be offering an insult to the dignity of the Creator, were he to say that he would be a partaker of his glory when he should be done with the things of this life. But when he has this knowledge, and most assuredly knows that he is doing the will of God, his confidence can be equally strong that he will be a partaker of the glory of God.

7 Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things: it was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things, that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has, for the truth's sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice, because he seeks to do his will, he does know most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life." (Lectures on Faith, Lecture 6)

We often think of sacrifice in terms of the performance of great acts or the endurance of events of great suffering.  While sacrifices may be accompanied by great acts or events of suffering, the actual sacrifice is the willing offering or pouring out of life as symbolized in the many sacrifices performed in ancient Israel. If we accept the value of these teachings, then the foundation is laid that through an understanding that we may ALL know or experience God, and that it takes effort and sacrifice, then our labors to bond with God will not be in vain.  This bonding (devekut) with God is the gate to prophesy.  This same teaching was expressed by John in the Book of Revelation:

"And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."


© 2018 Robert Kay

All rights reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.