THE WISE OLD BIRD . . . and his number is Six hundred threescore and six (Part V)

$1 EURO CAPTURING THE IMAGE OF THE OWL 

I apologize that this blog has taken so long to produce. My time has been directed towards other matters and it has taken some additional time to study this topic. For me, it was worthwhile. Before proceeding, the reader is encouraged to review, in the order shown below, previous blogs concerning this same topic:

1. THE SEALED BOOK UNFOLDED TO VIEW

2. HIS NUMBER IS 666

3. THE FOOLISH BEAST

4. THE INCARNATION OF MOLOCH

5. THE MIDAS TOUCH

A WISE OLD OWL

If a random sample of individuals were asked, "What do you associate most with Solomon?", nearly all would respond, "Wisdom!" In this regard, Solomon gets far more credit than he deserves. I'll explain in a moment. If the same random sample of individuals were asked to associate the attribute of wisdom with one other thing, many would undoubtedly identify the owl. But, why? I've never personally met an owl that appears wiser than any other bird. Many claim the following poem to be the source of the idea that owls deserve to be revered as wise:

A wise old owl lived in an oak
The more he saw the less he spoke
The less he spoke the more he heard.
Why can't we all be like that wise old bird? (Opie and P. Opie, The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1951, 2nd ed., 1997, pp. 340-1)

I first heard this poem many years ago quoted by Katherine Hepburn who played the minister's daughter, Eula Goodnight, in the movie Rooster Cogburn, starring John Wayne (aka Marion Robert Morrison). Although this is a nice, little poem, I find it hard to believe that a 75-year old nursery rhyme is the reason that owls are acknowledged as "wise" today.

In recent years, the owl is making a comeback in the form of stick pins, clip art, apparel branding, advertising, and such things. During the writing of this blog, I have been helping one of my neighbors paint several rooms in his home and even the color of the paint is "Owl Gray." Notwithstanding this recent comeback, the owl is a symbol of ancient origin and its associations are not as innocuous as those conjured by the foregoing nursery rhyme. It is among the abominable birds listed in Leviticus 11:13-19 (compare Deuteronomy 14:12-19), is associated with beasts and dragons in Micah 1:8, Job 30:29, Isaiah 34:13 and Isaiah 43:20, and is noted as a bird of eternal darkness (see Jeremiah 50:39-40; compare Jude 1:7). For several millennium, it has been used in sorcery and black magic; one of the principle reasons why the covert owl trade continues today.

STOLAS, A GREAT PRINCE OF HELL

The owl also has an apparent connection to king Solomon; why else would I have spent so much of this blog discussing the owl. Of particular interest, the Hebrew for "owl" is "bath", meaning "daughter". It was used in the parable given by the prophet Samuel to describe the single ewe lamb that was to its poor owner "like unto a daughter" (see 2 Samuel 12:3). It is the Hebrew equivalent of the first part of the name of the woman to whom Samuel referred, and with whom king David had engaged in illicit relations. It is the first part of the name of David's lover and Solomon's mother, Bath-sheba. It is also symbolic of Stolas, a great prince of Hell, and one of the demons called forth by Solomon and put to work in building the temple (see The Testaments of Solomon, Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Jewish Quarterly Review, October, 1898).

Although it is not likely that the Testaments of Solomon were penned by him, the fact that Solomon was identified by the apostle John as the latter-day Antichrist and was one of the few individuals of whom the Lord made disparaging remarks, provides some credibility to the contents of the text. The text purports to be Solomon's own account of his experiences while building the Temple. More particularly, it catalogues 72 demons summoned by him and describes how they were brought under his control by invoking angels and other magical incantations and techniques. Afterwards, each of these demons were placed in servitude to building the temple. At the end of the text, Solomon's fall into idolatry, and his consequent loss of power over the demons, are attributed to his foolish passion for a Jebusite woman who acquired power over him by magic. The concluding passages of the text are worthwhile, whereas, the rest of the text isn't worth a dime:

And I Solomon glorified God, and adorned the Temple of the Lord with all fair-seeming. And I was glad in spirit in my kingdom, and there was peace in my days. And I took wives of my own from every land, who were numberless. And I marched against the Jebusaeans, and there I saw Jebusaean, daughter of a man: and fell violently in love with her, and desired to take her to wife along with my other wives. And I said to their priests: "Give me the Sonmanites (i.e. Shunammite) to wife." But the priests of Moloch said to me: "If thou lovest this maiden, go in and worship our gods, the great god Raphan and the god called Moloch." I therefore was in fear of the glory of God, and did not follow to worship. And I said to them: "I will not worship a strange god. What is this proposal, that ye compel me to do so much?" But they said: ". . . . . by our fathers."

MOLOCH, AN IDOL OF CHILD SACRIFICE

And when I answered that I would on no account worship strange gods, they told the maiden not to sleep with me until I complied and sacrificed to the gods. I then was moved, but crafty Eros brought and laid by her for me five grasshoppers, saying: "Take these grasshoppers, and crush them together in the name of the god Moloch; and then will I sleep with you." And this I actually did. And at once the Spirit of God departed from me, and I became weak as well as foolish in my words. And after that I was obliged by her to build a temple of idols to Baal, and to Rapha, and to Moloch, and to the other idols. . . .

I then, wretch that I am, followed her advice, and the glory of God quite departed from me; and my spirit was darkened, and I became the sport of idols and demons.

The belief that Solomon had power over demons is not a recent understanding. It was adequately noted by the Jewish historian, Josephus, in his historical work entitled Antiquities of the Jews (see Volume 8, Chapter 2, § 5). Importantly, what Josephus wrote contributes to the conclusion that the wisdom of Solomon was, indeed, a wisdom with which you and I are not acquainted. Before referencing Josephus' remarks concerning Solomon's wisdom, a few scriptural verses explaining the wisdom of Solomon will be helpful.

THE SEA

In the King James translation of Revelation 13:1, the apostle John noted that he "stood upon the sand of the sea" where he saw a beast, having seven heads and ten horns, rise up out of the sea. From this description, it would be easy to conclude that the apostle John was standing on one of the few beaches that surround the Isle of Patmos when he received this part of the vision. This conclusion, however, is not true. The Joseph Smith translation substantially alters this verse and places the beast, rather than John, upon the sand:

And I saw another sign, in the likeness of the kingdoms of the earth; a beast rise up out of the sea, and he stood upon the sand of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns" (JST Revelation 13:1).

The fact that the beast, rather than John, stands upon the sand of the sea is quite meaningful . . . and it makes more sense that John would write about where the beast stood, rather than noting his specific locale when he received the revelation.

JOSEPH SMITH, THE PROPHET

There are scattered throughout the book of Revelation twenty-two references to "the sea." The first is found in Revelation 4:6 wherein John saw "before the throne . . . a sea of glass like unto crystal." In an explanation given to the prophet Joseph Smith, this sea of glass which John saw "is the earth, in its sanctified, immortal, and eternal state" (D&C 77:1). This conclusion is supported by D&C 130:9 wherein it states that "this earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon . . .." Hence, the sea that is "not of glass" is this earth in its unholy, temporal, and fallen condition; or, in other words, the world in which we now live. Based on the fact that the beast "in the likeness of the kingdoms of the earth" was the image which John saw come up out of the sea, this interpretation of "the sea" is logical and sound.

It is also instructive to note that the apostle John described the sea as that place where the ships of Tarshish sailed (see Revelation 18:17). As noted in the blog entitled THE MIDAS TOUCH, these were ships sent by Solomon every three years to obtain riches of the earth and return them to his possession.

Corresponding to each of these interpretations, "the sea" is also defined as hell. Expressing this view, the apostle John wrote:

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death (Revelation 20:13-14; compare Revelation 21:1 wherein John wrote that the sea, or temporary condition in which the wicked dwell, will pass away).

BRIGHAM YOUNG

A number of latter-day prophets have confirmed that the earth and hell are, indeed, one and the same locale. One of these prophets, President Brigham Young, noted that the wicked spirits that leave here go into the spirit world and continue to be wicked there (DNW, 27 Aug. 1856, 3). In a series of questions and answers, , "Where is the spirit world?, President Young declared: "It is right here...Do [spirits of the departed] go beyond the boundaries of the organized earth? No, they do not...Can you see it with your natural eyes? No. Can you see spirits in this room? No. Suppose the Lord should touch your eyes that you might see, could you then see the spirits? Yes, as plainly as you now see bodies." (Widtsoe, John A. (ed.) (1925) Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 577). He further identified this earth as the spirit world, and that "if the Lord would permit it, and it was his will that it should be done, you could see the spirits that have departed from this world, as plainly as you now see bodies with your natural eyes" (DBY, 376–77). Hence, when the earth gives up the dead which are in it and every man is judged according to his works, this earth will be sanctified and death and hell . . . and the temporal arena of those seeking for riches . . . will be no longer. 

Hence, the sea is 1) the earth in its its sanctified, immortal, and eternal state, 2) the earth in its present and temporal state, 3) the place where the ships of Tarshish set sail to gather the riches of the earth, and 4) the location and state of hell.

THE SAND OF THE SEA

The apostle Paul taught that, individually, we are God’s building--the temple of God (see 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16). Paul further noted that Jesus Christ is the foundation upon which our house must be built (see 1 Corinthians 3:10-11). Being more express concerning the foundation upon which we must build, the prophet Helaman wrote:

THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS

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).

It is instrumental to note that within the preceding verse, a distinction is made between the rock upon which one must built versus the person, Jesus Christ. Although "the rock" upon which one must build is, in any final conclusion, God's Son, the "rock of our Redeemer" denotes a more express view . . . that the rock upon which one must build is the "GOSPEL OF OUR REDEEMER" with Him as THE TRUTH embraced by all other truths (see D&C 88:40; or THAT TRUTH WHICH IS CIRCUMSCRIBED BY ALL OTHERS INTO ONE GREAT WHOLE" (see D&C 93:21-26, 30; compare Welch, John, Study, Faith, and the Book of Mormon, BYU Speeches, May 10, 1998). This correlation between "the rock" and "the gospel" is confirmed by the Savior to his disciples in America (see 3 Nephi 27:8-11).

SAND ON THE SEA SHORE

Conversely, sand is formed by a mechanical breakdown and weathering of rocks. The principle weathering components that cause rocks to erode into small particles are heat, pressure, rain, winds, waves, floods, and storms. Just as each of these are seen in nature as things that weather rocks, each is also portrayed in scripture as spiritually-weathering and corrosive elements (see Helaman 5:12; compare D&C 123:16). Since, within the scriptural environment, "the rock" is symbolic of the gospel of Jesus Christ, sand would be symbolic of ideals that originate from the rock but which, over time, have become detached due to the spiritually-weathering processes. In short, sand is symbolic of the philosophies of men that are mingled with scriptures from whence those philosophies come. Hence, the fact that the beast comes up out of the sea to stand on the sand has significant meaning; it portrays the foundation of that beast. It also establishes an important relationship between this beast and the foolish man who built his house upon the sand, as spoken of by the Savior (see Matthew 7:26)--that they are one and the same!

Drawing on this simplified understanding of how sand is formed and the idea that both the foolish man and the beast have sand as their building's foundation, the scriptural description of the wisdom of Solomon is also most meaningful. In 1 Kings 4:29, it is recorded that "God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, EVEN AS THE SAND THAT IS ON THE SEA SHORE". Although most who read this verse ordinarily assume that its reference to sand is intended to imply the variety and scope of Solomon's wisdom, I suggest that it is intended to imply the quality of his wisdom, as well. And if quality is not implied here, then other prophets who have written have used the term "sand" from this verse to develop concepts that implicate the quality of his wisdom. To support this conclusion, the verses that follow 1 Kings 4:29 expressly define the both the variety, scope and quality of the wisdom and understanding given to Solomon:

And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the EAST COUNTRY, and all the wisdom of EGYPT. 

For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was IN ALL NATIONS roundabout.

And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from ALL THE KINGS OF THE EARTH, which had heard of his wisdom. (1 Kings 4:29-34; emphasis added)

PHARAOH, KING OF EGYPT

According to the Pulpit Commentary, the phrase "children of the east country" was employed in this verse to "designate all the Arabian tribes east and southeast of Palestine - Sabaeans, Idumeans, Temanites, Chaldeans" (see Jos., Ant. 8:02.5; Herod. 2:109. 160. Wilkinson, "Ancient Egyptians" vol. 2. pp. 316-465). Further, as noted in previous blogs, Egypt is symbolic of the Gentile nations (see Jeremiah 46:1-2). The name is Chaldean in origin and denotes "that which is forbidden" (see Abraham 1:23). By the apostle Peter, such Gentiles were referred to as "common or unclean" and were idiomatically referred to in the Standard Works as "beasts, . . . fowl, . . . creeping things, and . . . fishes" (see 1 Kings 4:33, compare Acts 10:11-13). And Isaiah declares that "Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit." (Isaiah 31:3)
Although forbidden, the Pulpit Commentary notes that "the learning of Egypt was of great repute in the Old World. It differed considerably from the wisdom of Kedem (i.e., Chaldean), being scientific rather than gnomic (i.e., pertaining to the development of aphorisms) (see Isaiah 19:11, 12; Isaiah 31:2, 8; and Acts 7:22) and including geometry, astronomy, magic, and medicine." (Ibid). Concerning the nations roundabout wherein his fame was sounded and the illicit relationship they enjoyed with Lady Babylon, the apostle John wrote that "all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her" (Revelation 18:3). Using "kings of the nations" as an idiom for "hell", Isaiah noted how hell from beneath will one day be moved to greet the king of Babylon when he is broken and cast down and ask of him the question: "Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?" (Isaiah 14:4-10).

Returning, now, to the writings of Josephus, it is clear that he was using the prior verses out of 1 Kings 4 to help assemble his history of the Jewish people inasmuch as he refers to "Ethan, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol" therein. However, Josephus provided a more detailed explanation of these verses that is very helpful in further understanding the wisdom of Solomon. Although somewhat lengthy, its inclusion is worthwhile. Reading them will also permit you to be the judge as to the quality of the wisdom Solomon possessed:

Now the sagacity and wisdom which God had bestowed on Solomon was so great, that he exceeded the ancients; insomuch that he was no way inferior to the Egyptians, who are said to have been beyond all men in understanding; nay, indeed, it is evident that their sagacity was very much inferior to that of the king's. He also excelled and distinguished himself in wisdom above those who were most eminent among the Hebrews at that time for shrewdness; those I mean were Ethan, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. He also composed books of odes and songs a thousand and five, of parables and similitudes three thousand; for he spake a parable upon every sort of tree, from the hyssop to the cedar; and in like manner also about beasts, about all sorts of living creatures, whether upon the earth, or in the seas, or in the air; for he was not unacquainted with any of their natures, nor omitted inquiries about them, but described them all like a philosopher, and demonstrated his exquisite knowledge of their several properties. God also enabled him to learn that skill which expels demons, which is a science useful and sanative to men. He composed such incantations also by which distempers are alleviated. And he left behind him the manner of using exorcisms, by which they drive away demons, so that they never return; and this method of cure is of great force unto this day; for I have seen a certain man of my own country, whose name was Eleazar, releasing people that were demoniacal in the presence of Vespasian, and his sons, and his captains, and the whole multitude of his soldiers. The manner of the cure was this: He put a ring that had a Foot of one of those sorts mentioned by Solomon to the nostrils of the demoniac, after which he drew out the demon through his nostrils; and when the man fell down immediately, he abjured him to return into him no more, making still mention of Solomon, and reciting the incantations which he composed. And when Eleazar would persuade and demonstrate to the spectators that he had such a power, he set a little way off a cup or basin full of water, and commanded the demon, as he went out of the man, to overturn it, and thereby to let the spectators know that he had left the man; and when this was done, the skill and wisdom of Solomon was shown very manifestly: for which reason it is, that all men may know the vastness of Solomon's abilities, and how he was beloved of God, and that the extraordinary virtues of every kind with which this king was endowed may not be unknown to any people under the sun for this reason, I say, it is that we have proceeded to speak so largely of these matters.(see Volume 8, Chapter 2, § 5).

THE FOOLISH MAN

In the New Testament, three individuals make disparaging comments regarding Solomon: John, Paul, and Jesus Christ. John's comments regarding Solomon are subtle and require understanding Old Testament symbolism to interpret. Christ's comments are direct, clear, and unmistakable; they require no interpretation or analogy. The apostle Paul tended to take a middle ground. In reference to the true and living temple of God, the apostle noted:

For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

THE APOSTLE PAUL

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 

Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is 

If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 

If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 

TEMPLES OF GOD

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Corinthians 3:9-16).

The works by which we build our temples, Paul noted, will be tried by fire and the fire will manifest their quality; will manifest whether our works are temporal or whether they are eternal. If our works are works of gold, silver, or precious stones, the fire will serve to refine them. If our works are of wood, hay, or stubble, they will only add fuel to the fire. The fire that serves to test our works, of what sort they are, was described by Isaiah as "wickedness." "Wickedness burneth as the fire," he wrote. "It shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire . . .." (Isaiah 9:18-19). Wickedness is the great sorter and trier of our works.

Quite amazingly, it was Solomon who identified several works of gold that serve to refine the temple of God and build an eternal edifice. In Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, he wrote:

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

FATHER TO THE FATHERLESS

Being more express of a work that comes under the category of "Fearing God", the apostle James noted that "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit James 1:27; compare D&C 59:8-14). The apostle Paul likewise expressed that fulfillment of the Law of the Gospel is discovered in the bearing of one another's burdens (see Galatians 6:2; compare Mosiah 2:17). Such works of service refine the temple of God. Although other works can be identified, I believe all works that serve to refine the temple of God can be placed into one of two camps: 1) works focused on saving ourselves through the atonement of Jesus Christ (i.e., the ordinances of the temple), and 2) works that center on saving others, whether living or dead, through the atonement of Jesus Christ (e.g., the ordinances of the temple) (see Isaiah 58:6-7). These works for self and others form our efforts in the "work and glory of God" (see Moses 1:39).

At the conclusion of his letter to the Corinthians concerning the temple of God, the apostle Paul gave a warning to all who seek to defile the temple of God with works that add fuel to the fire. Such works that are temporal . . . that disappear with the flip of a switch . . . certainly include the viewing of pornography, the undisciplined playing of video games, countless hours spent Facebooking, Tweeting, Blogging, or Skyping. The electronic tools that prove so useful and save so much of our time are the very tools on which we waste so much of our time. In saying this, I am even cognizant of the time I am spending on writing this blog. I hope it does not fall into the category of fruitless works.

Returning to Paul's warning, Paul identified another work that truly defiles and corrupts the whole

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 

And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain (1 Corinthians 3:17-20).

What defiles the temple of God? The wisdom of the world! It is the philosophies of men that corrupt, absolutely, because they strike at pure motives and pervert the right ways of the Lord. They are the mainspring of all corruption and, according to the prophet Joseph Smith, are "an iron yoke, . . . a strong band; they are the very handcuffs, and chains, and shackles, and fetters of hell" (see D&C 123:7-8).

Who defiled the temple of God? Solomon! What defiled the temple of God? His wisdom! It is little wonder that the Lord, in reference to Solomon, gave this solemn warning concerning those who adhere to the philosophies of men and mingle them with scripture:

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 

Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them. 

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. 

Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them: I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock--

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand--

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it (3 Nephi 14:15-27).

Following this warning, Matthew noted something that many pass by, but which is actually quite instrumental in confirming that Jesus Christ was speaking of Solomon in the foregoing verses. He wrote: "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes (Matthew 7:28-29).

Anciently, the scribes were those who derived their authority from that which was written. Today, ministers who preach the gospel on the basis that the Bible, or that which is written, is their authority for doing so are those who would be referred to as scribes. Where did Solomon obtain authority to build a temple of God? Where did he obtain authority to dedicate a temple of God (see 1 Kings 8:22-54)--a right and responsibility heretofore and since reserved to ordained prophets, seers, and revelators? Who authorized Solomon to officiate at the altars of the Lord, a privilege reserved for the Levitical High Priest? (see 2 Chronicles 7:4-7) Yes, he was anointed king of Israel, but that was the extent of his office and duties. Of all the kings in Israel, only Solomon presumed such authority. From where did he receive such great authority? FROM THAT WHICH WAS WRITTEN! (see 2 Chronicles 6:7-10; compare 1 Kings 5:5-6). Little wonder that several of the princes serving under Solomon's reign were Elihoreph and Ahiah, scribes, and Jehoshaphat, the recorder (see 1 Kings 4:1-3).

Indeed, Solomon was wise! But the wisdom he possessed, even though given by God, was not the wisdom of God, Rather, it was the wisdom of the world that God gave to him BECAUSE SOLOMON DESIRED IT!

THE INCARNATION OF MOLOCH (Part III)

MOLOCH

Before proceeding, the reader is encouraged to review, in the order shown below, previous blogs concerning this same topic:

1. THE SEALED BOOK UNFOLDED TO VIEW

2. HIS NUMBER IS 666

3. THE FOOLISH BEAST

THE INCARNATION OF MOLOCH 

Although many consider Solomon to be a righteous leader during the initial years of his reign, the scriptures suggest otherwise . . . as does his conduct. It is true that God blessed him, but it was't because Solomon had qualified himself for such blessings through righteous living. His throne was secured through bloodshed (see 1 Kings 2:12-25, 28-34, 36-46), his kingdom was built upon the back of Israelite slaves (see 1 Kings 5:13-16) and, as depicted in the picture shown to the left, he was the first king to build up the altar of Moloch, whereby, he introduced child-sacrifice as a form of worship to Israel (see Leviticus 18:21 and Leviticus 20:1-5; compare 1 Kings 11:7 and Moloch).

Although his name means "peaceable", Solomon was no less of a tyrant to Israel than Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and no less of a butcher than Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. No other person can measure up to his extreme moral wickedness. For this reason, he has been revealed in scripture that we may expose Lucifer and his methods of treachery.

WINSTON CHURCHILL

Other literary works have also referred to him in conjunction with his pagan god, Moloch. In The Gathering Storm (1948), the first volume of Winston Churchill's history of World War II, Churchill compares Solomon's pagan god with Hitler's triumph at the moment he finally achieved total power in 1933:

ADOLPH HITLER

He had called from the depths of defeat the dark and savage furies latent in the most numerous, most serviceable, ruthless, contradictory and ill-starred race in Europe. He had conjured up the fearful idol of an all-devouring Moloch of which he was the priest and incarnation (Churchill, Winston S., The Gathering Storm (The Second World War), Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY, 1948, p. 64).

JOHN MILTON

Likewise, in John Milton's poetic masterpiece containing more than ten thousand verses of Biblical history regarding the fall of man, Moloch is depicted as a brutish spirit, obsessed with war and violence. He urges the devils to return to battle Heaven even after their defeat has landed them in Hell. Important for purposes of this blog, Milton portrayed Moloch as the fallen angel who caused Solomon to build a temple against God wherein children, in sacrifice to his idol, were burned alive:

HINNOM, TOPHET, GEHENNA, or HELL

First MOLOCH, horrid King besmear'd with blood
Of human sacrifice, and parents tears,
Though, for the noyse of Drums and Timbrels loud,
Their children's cries unheard that passed through fire
To his grim Idol. Him the AMMONITE
Worshipt in RABBA and her watry Plain,
In ARGOB and in BASAN, to the stream
Of utmost ARNON. Nor content with such
Audacious neighbourhood, the wisest heart
Of SOLOMON he led by fraud to build
His Temple right against the Temple of God
On that opprobrious Hill, and made his Grove
The pleasant Vally of HINNOM, TOPHET thence
And black GEHENNA call'd, the Type of Hell (Milton, John, Paradise Lost, Book I, 392-405). 

SATAN CAST OUT

In this literary work, Moloch is further listed among the chief of Satan's angels and, to those cast out of Heaven and assembled at the parliament of Hell, argues for immediate warfare against God. Although somewhat lengthy, this appeal is worthwhile reading (note: to facilitate understanding, the plain-english translation in used below):

SATAN SUMMONS HIS COUNCILS

Satan sat on his throne.

It was fancier than the richest kings of Persia or India had. He had become the king of evil.

It was more than he hoped for, and now he was greedy for more.

Instead of learning from his defeat, he just wanted to fight God some more.

So he began to tell his dream to the assembly.Gods of Heaven! - I still call you that because no place, however deep and dark, can weaken immortal power.

I'm not giving up on Heaven.

We will rise up more glorious and more feared than if we never fell, and not be afraid that we might lose again. 

Heaven's law made me your leader. The rights of justice gave us free will. And our achievements gave us honor and glory. 

Now we have it all back again, and in a much safer place. He willingly gave us this kingdom. Nobody would want to take it away from us. 

The powers that rule in the comfort of Heaven might be envied, but who's going to envy whoever rules in Hell and is in constant pain and under constant threat of attack from above? 

Where there's nothing to steal, there are no thieves. Nobody wants to gain worse pain for himself than he already has. 

That makes us more firmly united. Now we can fight for what is rightly ours. 

We have a better chance of succeeding now than when we were in the comforts of Heaven. Now it's just a matter of deciding how to go about it. Who wants to speak?

Moloch stood up. He was the strongest and fiercest angel in the war.

He wanted to be as strong as God, otherwise to him life wasn't worth living.

He was willing to risk everything.

MOLOCH

I vote for war, he said. I don't know anything about trickery. Those of you who want to sit around conspiring, do it on your own time! What do you expect the rest of us to do--sit around and wait in this hell-hole while our warden sits above on his comfortable throne? No! Let's take these damned hell-flames and attack his angels with them. He invented these tortures. Let's return them to him and dump sulfur and black fire on his throne. It won't be as hard as you think. Being chased downward and falling like we did is unnatural to us. But we can fly upward more easily, and take them by surprise. Are you afraid to make him mad again? What more can he do to us? What's worse than this?--where fire tortures us without end, and we're slaves at his mercy to punish whenever and in whatever way he wants. How much worse could things get? If he decides to kill us, let him. At least we'll be out of here. And if we really are immortal and can't die, then we can make his life miserable with repeated attacks forever. If not victory, at least we can get our revenge (Milton, John, Paradise Lost, Book II, 1-105).

To the people he served, Solomon was the INCARNATION OF MOLOCH.

THAT WHICH THEY DESIRED

So . . . why did the Lord bless one whose kingdom was full of darkness?

Whatever work

SOLOMON'S WIVES AND IDOLATRY

God desired to accomplish with Israel, He generally sought to do so through those who had power over them. Hence, there was an occasional changing of the guard. At times, those placed in power were foreign nations used to chasten God's people; at times, prophets and kings from within were placed as rulers that God might bless His people. At this specific time in Israel's history, the Lord blessed a king from within--Solomon--to chasten His people; and that the words of the prophet Samuel would not fall to the ground (see 1 Samuel 3:19). Surely, God could have removed Solomon out of his place. Nevertheless, God chose to retain Solomon because he was what God's people desired. 

When the Book of Mormon prophet, Mosiah, neared death, he established judges to reign over the Nephites according to the commandments of God (see Mosiah 29:21-27). This political structure, however, was not an original idea. Following the death of Joshua, the Bible notes that "the Lord raised up judges, which delivered [Israel] out of the hand of those that spoiled them. And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them" (Judges 2:16, 18). True to form, the record states that the Lord's people . . .

SAMUEL DEDICATED BY HANNAH

. . . would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so.

And when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubbornway (Judges 2:17, 19)

This form of leadership continued until Samuel, the prophet. Unfortunately, those of Samuel's sons who were appointed judges in Israel "walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment" (1 Samuel 8:2-3). By then, Israel had grown weary of this particular form of leadership. As a result, all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came and said unto Samuel, "Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations" (1 Samuel 8:4-5). Their simple request marked a critical turning point for Israel. Although displeased and discouraged, Samuel took the matter to the Lord:

And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. 

Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them (1 Samuel 8:7-9).

Samuel returned and, as requested, rehearsed to the elders the manner of king that would reign over them. Neither the first nor second kings of Israel fit within Samuel's description. Solomon, however, fits his description in every detail. Following each verse of the description Samuel gave, a fulfillment of his description, as it pertains to Solomon, is provided below:

He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. (1 Kings 4:26-28; 1 Kings 9:19; 2 Chronicles 1:14, 17; 2 Chronicles 8:6; 2 Chronicles 9:25).

And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. (1 Kings 9:22, 27; 2 Chronicles 8:9-10).

And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. (1 Kings 4:7, 22-23, 27; 1 Kings 10:5; 2 Chronicles 9:4)

And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. (2 Chronicles 2:15; 2 Chronicles 9:7)

And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. (1 Kings 4:2-19)

And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. (1 Kings 5:13-16; 2 Chronicles 2:2)

He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. (1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chronicles 5:6; 2 Chronicles 7:4-5)

And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.

Nevertheless, it is recorded that ". . . the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles" (1 Samuel 8:11-20).

It is at this point, that an important lesson should be brought to the forefront: God grants to men according to the desires of their hearts, whether they desire good or whether they desire evil. After declaring his wish to cry repentance unto every people (Alma 29:1) that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth (Alma 29:2), the Book of Mormon prophet, Alma, mildly rescinded his declaration:

I ought not to harrow up in my desires the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction.

Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience (Alma 29:4-5).

The Israelites were raised in an environment whereby they knew good from evil, and to them it was given according to the desires of their heart. Hence, when Samuel rehearsed all that he had heard from the elders, the Lord said to Samuel, "Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king" (1 Samuel 8:21-22). A king he did make, and as Solomon began his reign, the Lord plainly declared that He was not pleased with Solomon, but was willing to prosper him because the people desired it:

And the Lord was not pleased with Solomon, for he made affinity with Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter to wife, and brought her into the house of David until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about. And the Lord blessed Solomon for the people's sake only (JST 1 Kings 3:1; emphasis conspicuously added).[1]

Hence, the first and ONLY reason the Lord prospered Solomon was for the people's sake. 

ACQUIRING ALL THINGS

Of the seven things which Solomon received in the likeness of Christ, I wish to address RICHES first. This is because doing so provides the most immediate and obvious connection to the antichrist of which John speaks.

To be continued in Part IV . . .

ENDNOTES

[1] The emphasized elements of the foregoing verse are contributions by the prophet, Joseph Smith. The fact that they did not find their way into the footnotes of the LDS edition of the Old Testament is an unfortunate mishap, for they provide the best doctrinal explanation as to why Solomon received power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory, and blessing from God.