#King Ezekiel imagines

[justanoasisimagines]

I don’t want to sleep alone -Preference- Set B

Warnings; Mentions of anxiety and past trauma, typical canon violence, mentions of manlipuation and obsession. A/N; Requests are open! Guidlines are pinned at the top of my page Credit to @cafekitsune for the divider and banner

Daryl Dixon; After you and Daryl reunite after the prison fell, neither one of you wants to be out of each other's sight. Except you are both too nervous to admit it. However, one night before you go to bed, Daryl starts moving your stuff closer to his. He's not always great with words, yet his actions speak for him.

Milton Mamet; It occurs after your and Milton's third date. He drops it suddenly, and you ask him if he's positive. Milton is adamant, he even makes the promise of breakfast with coffee. When you tell him you need to grab your things, he offers to escort you.

Glenn Rhee; Glenn and you are setting up camp on the farm. making sure everyone had a tent and a space to sleep. As you go to put up your tent, Glenn suddenly gets tongue-tied. He doesn't want to sleep alone anymore. He blurts the question at you. You laugh, but ask him where he wants to sleep.

Morgan Jones; Morgan's sitting outside admiring the view. He enjoys sitting back, reflecting on the day's events and the possibilities of the future. When you step out, he immediately turns adjusting in his chair holding his hand out for you. When you tell Morgan you don't want to sleep alone, Morgan tells you, you don't have to, but asks for five more minutes

Ceasar Martinez; Ceasar and you argued. It was over your safety. He didn't want you to go on patrol but you were insistent on attempting to prove yourself. Ceasar's well aware of your capabilities, but he's terrified of losing you. He's trying to fall asleep on the couch when you walk over to him and hold out your hand. Ceasar doesn't say anything as he follows you. He's just grateful he'll be able to sleep tonight.

Ozzy; Ozzy comes to your room after a night full of tossing and turning. He needs his mind to settle and there's only one person to successfully help him. It's you. He doesn't know how you do it. Maybe it's the way you run your hands through his hair lightly tugging or how right it feels when you sleep beside him.

Spencer Monroe; Spencer comes to you after he's completed his chores. Ever since he spent the night with you he's struggled to sleep. He doesn't have anymore on his mind than usual. His body is screaming at him to sleep, but sleep evades him. It's got to be you. He can't be tired like this all the time anymore. So he heads to your place so he can crawl into bed beside you.

Brandon; Brandon is watching you as you slowly begin to nod off. He goes to make his way out of your room when you grab hold of his arm. When you ask him not to leave, Brandon unlaces his boots, shedding his clothes and gets into bed sides you. He pulls you close and quickly drifts off with you in his arms.

King Ezekiel; Ezekiel has a lot of pressure on his shoulders. He has an entire community of people to look after. Naturally, sometimes he needs to be looked after. It's late when you remind Ezekiel to go to bed. Instinctively he begins to protest. You remain firm reminding him, he's no good to anyone if he's dead on his feet. Reluctantly he agrees as long as you come with him

Dwight; Dwight thought he'd lost you. He's walking through the Sanctuary when he sees you. His heart is racing as he approaches you. His mind cannot fathom it's truly you, even after you're in his arms holding onto him for dear life. He's not going to let you out of his sight from now on. Where he goes you go and vice versa.

Aaron; It's your fifth date when Aaron finally asks you if you would like to sleep over. He knows you don't live very far away, but he would like to wake up beside you. Perhaps you could go for an early morning walk before the two of you get some breakfast before your day truly begins.

Tyreese Williams; Tyreese tells you he doesn't want to sleep alone on the first night he arrives at the prison. You're both in a new place with new dynamics. You both need something familiar. Secondly with you close by, he'll be able to keep you safe. Tyreese is still trying to figure out if the prison is a safe place for you all.

Simon; Simon's becoming more and more infatuated with you. You are everything to him. His focus is solely centered on you. He refuses to let you out of his sight. He asks you to sleep in his room so he can keep his eye on you, to keep you safe.

Phillip 'The Governor' Blake; When you approach the Governor tell him you don't want to sleep alone, the governor smirks, explaining you don't have to. Slowly his plan is coming together. Soon he'll have you in the palm of his hands. To access where your old group is currently hiding. So he can move in and take over.

Dante; Dante was supposed to be working on the inside for the Whispers, however, he never intended to meet someone or fall for them. Yet here you were. You walk into the infirmary one day with a smile on your face to ask him if he has any plans. When he reveals he does you ask him if he'd want to stay at yours. He agrees.

Bob Stookley; Bob has a lot of demons. He's fighting to be a better partner to you and a proactive member of the group. Some days are worse than others, so as you go settle for the night he asks you. You don't say a word as you grab his hand and lead him towards his cell.

Aiden Monroe; When you tell Aiden you don't want to sleep alone, he finds it endearing. He knows his parents won't mind you staying over. They adore you. Besides both of you are always so nice, it's nice to spend some time with you, even if you both are technically asleep. Aiden plans to make you breakfast in the morning.

Otis; When Rick's group comes to the farm, Everything is pure chaos. You hadn't been feeling the most comfortable with all the new people dotted around the place When you stepped into Otis's room that night, he was quick to reassure you. To provide you with a quiet space to breathe and accept the changes going on around you.

Paul "Jesus" Rovia; It had been a rough day dealing with the Saviours. Everyone was tired and stressed out. One by one everyone begins to turn in for the night. When you go to head in Jesus entwines your fingers together, asking you to come to bed with him. You nod as he leads you towards his room.

[storywriter12]

How they cuddle you🥰

Rick⬆️

Daryl⬆️

Negan⬆️

Simon⬆️(just imagine hims coming home from a long day)

Glenn⬆️

Paul rovia "Jesus" ⬆️ he will always be away and you will miss him so everytime he comes back you will drop everything and jump into his arms and he will catch you

Abraham ⬆️he likes to hug you from behind he dies this in the mornings when you are making breakfast he woukd sneak up behind you and wrap his arms around you, you will jump "shh it's only me" he would say in your ear and kiss you on the cheek then your neck.

Dwight⬆️

King ezekiel⬆️

[paintyoureyeswithavividmind]

close to home | chapter forty seven

close to home | chapter forty seven

plot: the reader arrives at the Kingdom

series masterlist

Pairing: Eventual Daryl Dixon x f!reader Word Count: 1,502 Warnings: violence, blood, typical twd A/N: thank you for reading!!! I'm going to Boston this weekend to see 5sos and won't be home till Monday, so I won't be updating again until early next week--sorry lovelies!! Gonna try and update twice today if I can

When the horse led you through the gates of the Kingdom, you truly did feel like you were entering one. You felt more level-headed when they’d given you food and water on the ride back. 

There were people around, and you tried to take in as much as possible. Gardens and schoolchildren were sitting outside. There was a choir singing somewhere. And there was laughter. So much laughter. 

When you saw Morgan standing with a blond haired boy, you wanted to cry at the familiar sight. You climbed off the horse and set Tora down before running to Morgan. 

“(Y/N),” Morgan laughed when you crushed him into a hug. You were never particularly close to him, but he was a part of your group and your family. 

“Dianne said Daryl was here and supposed to stay here. Where is he?” You asked desperately as you pulled away from the hug. 

But the look on his face was enough to tell you he wasn’t here. “He left this morning. I’m sorry. “

You laughed, though, for the first time in a while. “It’s okay. It’s okay. He got out. He went to Hilltop, right?”

Morgan nodded and smiled at you. “Yes. Come on, we need to have the doctor look at you. And you will need to meet the King.” 

You looked at Morgan in confusion as he wrapped his arm around your shoulders. “The who?”

***

After getting an all-clear from the Kingdom’s doctor, and scarfing down as much food as you and Tora possibly could, Morgan led you to where the King was. You learned his name was Ezekiel, and he was a bit out there. 

But Morgan vouched for him, so you followed him into the ‘throne room’ with Tora by your side. When you walked into the room, your eyes widened, and you grabbed Morgan’s arm at the sight of a tiger. 

“What the fuck?” You breathed out. 

“Fair maiden,” King Ezekiel shouted, “I am honored to have you a guest in our fair Kingdom. I welcome you. And your furry beast.” 

You glanced at Tora, and started jogging up to catch her before she ventured too close to an animal that could kill her in a second. “I uh, um, thank you, sir. Your honor. King.” You stumbled over your words. 

“Our dear friends from the great Alexandria told me of your situation, and what happened. Although the Kingdom did not play a part in your troubles, you have its sorrow and thought.” King Ezekiel said. 

“Thank you,” You said, running your hand through Tora’s fur and trying to keep her settled. “I like your tiger.”

King Ezekiel smiled, “Her name is Shiva. And yours?”

“This is Tora; she’s been with me since before. Shiva?”

“The same as you,” The king said. He stood up and quietly told the man to his right something. You assumed it was to put Shiva somewhere because the man took the chains and led the big cat out of the room. 

Then he gracefully jumped from the stage and approached you. You got a better look at his face and admired it for a moment as he scratched Tora behind the ear. “I invite you and Tora to spend the eve with us here at the Kingdom. I can imagine you must want to get to the Hilltop as quick as you can. But I insist you take the night to recover.”

You glanced at Morgan, and he nodded, so you did as well. You were almost friends. You knew it. You knew in your bones that you didn’t have anything to fear from the Kingdom or its people. Morgan was here; he obviously liked it here. You were with friends. And that made you smile the biggest smile. “We can stay.”

***

King Ezekiel requested your presence after Morgan settled you in a room across from his. You opted to leave Tora in the room for a little while because you weren’t sure where the tiger was and didn’t want to risk it. 

Dianne came by with the message from the King, and she also brought you a fresh set of clothes. You’d never been more thankful when she told you to wash up first and brought you to the showers. 

So now, twenty minutes later, you were dressed in a black tank top and a flannel, leggings, and a near pair boots.They were used, but it made it better, because they were already worn in. 

The King sat across from you, and Morgan and a guy named Jerry sat with you. 

“Tell me, miss (Y/N), how you came to be with your group? I would love to know your tale.” 

You didn’t have any hesitation about telling him. Aside from the fact that you already considered him a friend, you felt like you could trust him and this place. So you told him about your life before and after the world's end. You told him about the prison after it ended and watched their horrified expression as you told them about Terminus. 

You didn’t tell them about the people you lost because even though it’s been some time, all the wounds reopened when discussed. 

And then, finally, you told them about Alexandria, how you got there, and what happened afterward. 

Your story took you through dinner, an assortment of chicken, and the freshest vegetables you’ve had in a long time. It was mouth-watering. You made sure to fold plenty of the chicken into a napkin, so you could take it to Tora. 

“Your journey is of greatness, and I am honored to have such a warrior amongst us,” The King said. 

“Do you like cobbler?” Jerry asked you. 

“Jerry,” The King said. 

Their exchange made you laugh, and you looked at Jerry, “Yes, I do.”

***

You sat with the King, Morgan, and Jerry for quite some time before the King suggested he give you a tour. You weren’t sure there was a point to it because you would be leaving in the morning, but you accepted because he made you feel like a friend. And with Sherry gone and not seeing your family in weeks, you desperately needed it. 

King Ezekiel showed you around the Kingdom, with Jerry and Morgan following closely behind. He pointed out the gardens, the apartments where most everyone resided. He should you the wells for water, in case you needed some, and the training ground for their ‘royal army’. You could see how proud he was. You believed him to be an accomplished leader. 

The sun was nearly set when the tour ended outside the building you would be staying in. You thanked both Jerry and the King profusely. 

“In the morn, I will have Dianne pack your supplies for the road and give you a weapon. I cannot, in good conscience, let you go out without one.” King Ezekiel said. “And, of course, my people know the way to the Hilltop. I will have a map provided and see if they can get you a car.”

“I don’t know how to repay you for this, but thank you, King Ezekiel.” You told him. 

He and Jerry bid their goodnights, and you and Morgan entered the building. 

“I feel like I’m in a fairytale here,” You playfully joked. “But I actually like it. It’s fun.”

“Many people do, I think that’s why they go along with it,” Morgan told you as you walked. 

When you got to the doors, you looked at Morgan. “Rick was here to get them to fight, wasn’t he? And the King said no?”

Morgan nodded, and you could see the contemplation on his face. “The Hilltop stands with Alexandria. Rick asked me to talk to the King about joining, but…”

You nodded, knowing how he felt about killing. “I think he will. He just needs to be pushed. Goodnight, Morgan. I’ll see you in the morning.”

***

Dianne brought you a bag with more than enough supplies in the morning. Enough to last you for at least a week. You made her take a decent amount of it back. You couldn’t take advantage of their hospitality like that. 

You met with the King for one last meal together, and while he tried to persuade him to stay, you wouldn’t budge. So he led you to the front gate, where a few guards were waiting. They succeeded in bringing you a car. 

“Thank you, King Ezekiel. Really.” You said. “I don’t think I’ve met someone like you for a long while. I really hope I get to see you again.” You told him. 

The King smiled and bid his goodbye, and you gave Morgan and even Jerry a hug. Then you and Tora climbed into the car. With one last look in the rearview mirror, you left the Kingdom, and headed towards home.

[alliamistrash]

Why is The King and The Paladin so qijiu coded?

Just imagine Shen Jiu amassing all this power, getting his retribution against his enslavers and just being convinced that Yue Qingyuan betrayed him and that he is ruining his life by forcing him to marry him but unable to let him go.

And then Yue Qingyuan is just in the corner having a great time being consort. Super proud and deeply in love with his girl boss, gaslight, gatekeep Xiao Jiu.

Legit the only difference between YQY and Ezekiel is that Ezekiel is happy to explain the past and offers multiple times to meanwhile YQY would still have guilt over failing to find SJ and say there is no point in explaining

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Oracle of Nineveh

1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

2 A jealous and avenging God is Jehovah: an avenger is Jehovah, and full of fury: Jehovah taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

3 Jehovah is slow to anger, and great in power, and doth not at all clear the guilty: Jehovah, his way is in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

5 The mountains quake before him, and the hills melt, and the earth is upheaved at his presence, and the world, and all that dwell therein.

6 Who shall stand before his indignation? and who shall abide in the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken asunder by him.

7 Jehovah is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

8 But with an overrunning flood he will make a full end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

9 What do ye imagine against Jehovah? He will make a full end: trouble shall not rise up the second time.

10 Though they be tangled together as thorns, and be as drenched from their drink, they shall be devoured as dry stubble, completely.

11 Out of thee is gone forth one that imagineth evil against Jehovah, a wicked counsellor.

12 Thus saith Jehovah: Though they be complete in number, and many as they be, even so shall they be cut down, and he shall pass away; and though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

13 And now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds asunder.

14 And Jehovah hath given commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy god will I cut off the graven image, and the molten image: I will prepare thy grave; for thou art vile.

15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth glad tidings, that publisheth peace! Celebrate thy feasts, Judah, perform thy vows: for the wicked one shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off. — Nahum 1 | Literal Emphasis Translation (LET) The Literal Emphasis Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Genesis 8:1; Exodus 19:16; Exodus 19:18; Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:6; Leviticus 23:2; Deuteronomy 7:10; 2 Samuel 23:6; 1 Kings 19:11; 2 Kings 19:36; Job 13:9; Job 18:17; Psalm 2:1; Psalm 107:14; Psalm 109:13; Psalm 118:12; Isaiah 9:4; Isaiah 10:7; Isaiah 10:16; Isaiah 10:33; Isaiah 13:1; Isaiah 13:10; Isaiah 28:22; Jeremiah 51:64; Ezekiel 7:5; Ezekiel 11:2; Matthew 8:26; John 10:14; Romans 10:15; 2 Timothy 2:19; Revelation 6:14; Revelation 6:17

Commentary on Nahum 1

[thurifer-at-heart]

Perhaps the most significant character in any story of resistance is the prophet.

Biblically speaking, a prophet isn’t a fortune-teller or soothsayer who predicts the future, but rather a truth-teller who sees things as they really are—past, present, and future—and who challenges their community to both accept that reality and imagine a better one. "It is the vocation of the prophet to keep alive the ministry of imagination," wrote [Walter] Brueggemann in his landmark book, The Prophetic Imagination, “to keep on conjuring and proposing futures alternative to the single one the king wants to urge as the only thinkable one.” The prophets directed their most stinging critiques at the leaders of their own community (see Ezekiel 16:49). … Even the religious elites were not exempt from prophetic critique (see Amos 5:21-24). Alongside ... cries of anguish and anger, condemnation and critique, the prophets deliver what is perhaps the most subversive element of any resistance movement: hope. Employing language and imagery charged with theological meaning, the prophet asserted, despite all evidence to the contrary, that the God of Israel—the God of slaves and exiles and despised religious minorities—remains present and powerful, enthroned over all creation and above every empire.

—Rachel Held Evans, Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again, p. 119-122

[papakhan]

im really sorry if this question was asked before 😭 but im super interested in khans' relationship with animals. not only like, in the religious way, but with pets and cattle. would love to hear your thoughts on that

Sorry this took me forever to reply I wanted to draw some things for it first but I feel like I'll forget if I don't post now :')

I think the Khans have a lot of different relationships to animals, I think it's pretty interesting how at multiple points they have had some relation to dogs, with their leader even having a guard (who I hc that he considered as his right-hand man, only because there aren't any named New Khans in that role) and in FNV there's cut NCR reports mentioning the Khans hunting dogs (the report actually mentions possible a dozen one group! 12! that's a lot of dogs!)

Personally, I hc that the Khans have their own standard breed of dogs similar to the Legion mongrel that's descendant from Darion's baddog, and you could probably trace its ancestry back to the guard dogs/pets of Vault 15. I think they have a lot of working dogs tho! I already have an oc whos the Khans newest houndmaster, but I think they also have pets, I think working dogs are very valuable to them though

In my story Sun gets given Rex by the King, leading the King to have an unexpected alliance with the Khans because 1. he had no idea who Sun was and just thought Rex seemed happier with him after Sun helped get his brain fixed and 2. Papa was so pleased and IMPRESSED about this other (smaller) gang leader giving his son a working animal/guard dog, I imagine he sent the Kings some real tanners, leather workers and armorers to reinforce their leather jackets or something

Sun also loves his new pubby (and has no idea that he's 200 years old LMAO)

Speaking of dogs, Papa Khan specifically has an association with wolves that isn't really seen anywhere else with the Khans, unless you count Baddog (which the Chosen One isn't even sure IS a dog) which I think is cute and fun for him, the way he calls the courier a cub and the Longhouse the wolf's den. Part of me hcs that it could be something to do with him being a different bloodline to the Death Hand linage but idk I haven't got very far with that. I don't think its a reglious thing, since the Khans have been shown to be areligious from the start, maybe just a splinter group of New Khans he was part of? idk I'm probably overthinking I do think its also interesting that the other 2 raider groups from Vault 15 picked animals to represent themselves and the Khans didnt

I'm gonna write about other animals under the cut because I just rambled about dogs :')

As for other animals, I know its not in game but I think the Khans 100% farm brahmin, at least a little, if only for their dung to make jet. I know the Khans are eating brahmin steak and have brahmin over spits but I think if its their dung specifically that makes jet then they probably would want to avoid killing them just for meat. So maybe brahmin are more like Jack's pets and he names them and loves them so so much. I think the Khans farming bighorners or something would be fun, especially since those are pretty regional to the Mojave so it'd mean that the Khans have picked up on it in the 14 years since they arrived, which is nice for them and something I could totally see them doing

CHICKENS as well this is some really old art I had for fallout chickens and I think the Khans would have them. Maybe not so many though, I think the Khans lost a lot of their animals in Bitter Springs either because they ran off, they got killed or because the Khans had to eat them when they first arrived in Red Rock with no other supplies.

I've also seen some people talk about Khan falconers which I think is SO COOL I'd love them to have that. I know that hunting with eagles is a thing in Mongolia so maybe they could pick it up from the book you get from Ezekiel? Please. I haven't really done anything with it personally but I SHOULD

Last but not least, horses. I think the Khans very much do have horses (because I believe in a horseful fallout) Again, I think a lot of their herd bolted during Bitter Springs but I think the Khans have been working to get them all back. I hc that Khans will insist on a person learning to ride a horse before learning to ride a motorbike because to them it teaches balance (strengthens the right muscles) and co-ordination and also a horse can take you home and bikes use up precious fuel and are usually reserved for the Khans messengers or long distance raiders A lot of the Khan's horses will have NCR branding on their flanks which the Khans usually cover either with their own branding or some other decoration. I think they'd be considered very skilled riders with an average Khan being just as if not more skilled on a horse than an NCR ranger. They do a lot of sport involving horses like their own version of jousting and also shooting on horseback. I hc that a lot of Khans will have their own horse but will also share, the fastest horses are often gifted to people involved in the Khan's communication who need something more subtle then a motorbike, like negotiators or scouts. Horses also pull their carts when the Khans are moving their location. Here's a drawing of Suns other dad Min and his caravan

Thank you for coming to my Khans and animals conference THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[carniv0reev]

ezekiel’s intro post !!

general !

hellooo you can call me zeke if you’d like! i’m 19 and trans, i go by he/him pronouns and i am questioning my sexuality. i am currently single so feel free to flirt with me genuinely or just playfully lol.

interest !

warrior cats, true crime, wings of fire, avatar, atla, the legend of korra, jjba, mha, demon slayer, american horror story, supernatural, marvel, the arcane, godzilla, jurassic world, chucky, dsmp, the boys, star wars, stranger things. lord of the things|the hobbit, the walking dead, beastars, danganronpa, detroit become human, attack on titan, saiki k, fnaf, the conjuringverse, dinosaurs, insects, marine biology.

i loveee alice in chains, mitski, nine inch nails, ALEX G, the cure, the smiths, the neighborhood, modern baseball, current joys, imagine dragons, LORD HURON, DEFTONES, black sabbath, kings of leon, tame impala, 21 savage, odetari, the weekend, lana del ray, billie eilish, weezer, pantera, adrianne lenker, tyler the creator, hoizer, artic monkeys, melanie martinez, mother mother, childish gambino, glass animals, missio, unlike pluto, barns courtney, local natives. that’s all i’ll put for now

boundaries/triggers !

i honestly don’t get triggered so i can say i have no triggers, and it’s hard to upset me. all i ask is to not joke too harshly about me and my interest, just treat me how you’d want to be treated. don’t disrespect me.

obviously don’t flirt with me if you’re a minor LOL we can be friends ofc just no flirting bc that’s just weird

other things

i am a inf/tj, i say that bc i get both whenever i take tests LMAOO. im a questioning osdd system, im a capricorn.

i’m very adhd my memory isn’t always the best bare with me, but please talk to me about your interest!! i love to hear it, and i know people always want to share their interest with others.

i have my own fish tank and a blue tongued skink named dune !!

[garfieldbussys]

sooo how is season seven going so far now that you’ve watched ep one 😁

praying for you honestly because i dont think it ever calms down unless its for a few eps once in a while tbh

goodluck queen 😘🫶

mentally, i haven’t recovered.

i’m on ep 4 and i HATE that negan is funny. plus hes jdm?!?! how am i supposed to hate the glenn killer when he’s saying ‘little pig, little pig’ and ‘freaky deaky.’

AND THE AMOUNT OF TIMES THEY PLAYED EASY STREET IN LIKE EP 3?! i couldn’t it was seriously getting to me. i can’t imagine how daryl felt 😭😭

and king ezekiel has a whole ass tiger?!?! like WHAT?? season 7 is just genuine chaos so far and i just dk how to coherently place this all together 😭😭

and thank you ml i think i’m gonna need all the luck i can find 🙈💝

[uboat53]

A thought occurs, SHORT RANT (TM) time? No titles or sections on this one, it's more of a stream-of-consciousness rant.

We talk a lot about the way that Christianity interacts with politics, but has anyone else noticed the sheer arrogance of fundamentalist/evangelical Christians here in the US?

I'm not talking about normal arrogance, the kind that we have day-to-day. Heck, I'm sure many of you think (and some of you accurately) that I'm pretty arrogant myself! No, I'm talking about a deep and abiding arrogance beyond the realm of man. Can you imagine telling someone that you have perfectly understood the mind of God?

They won't say it like that, but that's what they mean if you put the pieces together. They say that they're just reading the Bible, but how many people do you know who agree on exactly what every single passage of the Bible means after studying it for a lifetime, let alone just reading it a few times? I can tell you, as a Jew, that the parts of the Bible that are shared are not remotely agreed upon by Jewish scholars even after millennia of study and debate. They also say that the Bible is inerrant, but how do they know which version? Is it the King James Version? The New International Version? Is it the version that the Council of Nicea agreed upon? Is it the few scraps and passages that have survived in the original Aramaic from the first century CE?

And even when they do get a little bit of focus and clarity, they don't use it to pursue a deeper understanding. They'll say that the story of Sodom and Gomorah tells you that God rejects homosexuality, ignoring the passage in Ezekiel that describes the sin of these two cities as refusing to use their wealth to help the poor and needy. They'll say that the story of Onan and Tamar in the Book of Genesis tells you that God detests masturbation, ignoring the scholarly consensus that Onan's sin was actually his refusal to fulfil his obligation to Tamar and his brother's family line by providing her with a child.

And, despite all of the issues with how they arrive at their perfect understanding of the mind of God they're not shy about enforcing any of it. These things they've perfectly understood from the mind of God aren't just things that they think that Christians should do, they think that the force of law and the violence of the state should be brought to bear to force every single person, regardless of their beliefs, to follow their understanding of the mind of God as well. After all, if they've perfectly understood it, then why shouldn't it be enforced with all possible power?

And that's the arrogance of it. It's not just that they think that the mind of God is perfectly understandable or that they think that the will of God should be enforced, it's that they think that they and only they have perfectly understood the mind of God and, therefore, their understanding must be forced on everyone else no matter the cost.

Even at my worst, I'm not that arrogant.

[justanoasisimagines]

Dear Y/N

credit to @cafekitsune for the banner and the divider

Requests are open, requestiing guidlines are pinned on the top of my page.

I am writing to you on this fine day, to ask if you would like to join me on a walk through the Kingdom. I can promise you a scenic route with tantalizing conversation. At the end of our walk, we shall enjoy a picnic with my special homemade lemonade.

If you would like to attend, meet me in the courtyard around noon. I look forward to seeing you, Ezekiel.

[haggishlyhagging]

Sexuality is a very complex phenomenon. At once social and physical, "nature" and "culture," it defies categorization. Pagan religions saw sexuality as part of the natural order, part of the same generative force that ultimately resulted in fertility. Erotic attraction had an integral place in the workings of the cosmos. Sexuality could be sacred, part of the continuation of the cosmos, as in the Sumerian sacred marriage ritual. In this ritual, the expression of sexual emotions could be associated with the experience of divinity, and the songs and poems connected with the sacred marriage provided a religious setting for the expression and celebration of sexual desire. Even ordinary sex could be seen as godlike, for the stories of the sexual adventures and misadventures of the gods provided a divine parallel for sexuality. These stories showed that gods also felt these drives and performed these acts. Sexual behavior did not make people less like the gods; on the contrary, it reinforced their resemblance to the upper orders of being. The male gods could be models of male virility and sexual potency, their behavior paradigms of proper (and sometimes of improper) sexual activity.

Ancient pagan religion also portrayed the sexual impulse as a goddess of sexual attraction. Male gods, figures of potency, can express sexual activity; they cannot fully express sexual attraction in a predominantly heterosexual, androcentric society. The figure of Inanna/Ishtar provides a way to conceptualize the erotic impulse, a vocabulary to celebrate its presence, and an image with which to comprehend the human experience of sexual desire. Sexual desire comes from the presence of Ishtar. When she is absent,

The Bull springs not upon the cow, the ass does not inseminate the Jenny. In the street man does not inseminate young woman. The man lies down in his (own) chamber the woman lies down on her side.

Sexuality was part of the divine realm, most specifically of the female divine. Even when other functions of goddesses were absorbed by male gods, sexuality could not be absorbed into male divinity. Ishtar remained the representative and divine patron of sexual attraction and activity.

All of this religious dimension of sexuality disappears in biblical monotheism. There is no sexual dimension of divine experience. Instead of gods and goddesses interrelating with each other, there is only the one God of Israel. YHWH, moreover, is a predominantly male god, referred to by the masculine pronoun (never by the feminine), and often conceived of in such quintessentially masculine images as warrior and king. In the earliest biblical poem, the Song of the Sea, God is "man of war." God is also king, the prime metaphor of mastery. This, too, has a masculine connotation. But these masculine qualities of God are social male-gender characteristics. The monotheist God is not sexually a male. He is not at all phallic, and does not represent male virility. Biblical anthropomorphic language uses corporeal images of the arm of God, the right hand of God, God's back, and God's tears. God is not imagined below the waist. In Moses' vision at Mount Sinai, God covered Moses with his hand until he had passed by, and Moses saw only his back. In Elijah's vision, there was nothing to be seen, only a "small still voice." In Isaiah's vision (chapter 6), two seraphim hide Gods "feet" (normally taken as a euphemism), and in Ezekiel's vision (chapters 1-3), there is only fire below the loins. God is asexual, or transsexual, or metasexual (depending on how we view this phenomenon), but "he" is never sexed.

God does not behave in sexual ways. In the powerful marital metaphor, God is the "husband" of Israel. But this husband-God does not kiss, embrace, fondle, or otherwise express physical affection for Israel, even within the poetic license of the metaphor. Such reticence is not demanded by rhetorical usage, for in the other erotic metaphor, that describing the attachment of men to Lady Wisdom, there is no hesitation to use a physical image, "hug her to you and she will exult you, she will bring you honor if you embrace her." Wisdom is clearly a woman-figure, and can be metaphorically embraced as a woman. But God is not a sexual male, and therefore even the erotic metaphor of passion reveals a lack of physicality. God is not imaged in erotic terms, and sexuality was simply not part of the divine order.

God is not sexed, God does not model sexuality, and God does not bestow sexual power. God, who is the giver of fertility, procreation, abundance, health, does not explicitly give potency. God does not promise the men of Israel that they will be sexually active or competent. Biblical thought does not see sexuality as a gift of God. To the Bible, the sexual and divine realms have nothing to do with each other. Indeed, the Bible is concerned to maintain their separation, to demarcate the sexual and sacred experiences and to interpose space and time between them. God would not reveal godself or God's purpose on Mount Sinai until Israel abstained from sexual activity for three days. This temporal separation between the sexual and the sacred also underlies the story of David's request for food during his days of fleeing from King Saul. David assured the priest Ahimelech that his men were eligible to eat hallowed bread by asserting that they had been away from women for three days. Sexual activity brings people into a realm of experience which is unlike God; conversely, in order to approach God one has to leave the sexual realm.

-Tikva Frymer-Kensky, In the Wake of the Goddesses: Women, Culture, and the Biblical Transformation of Pagan Myth

[apenitentialprayer]

tsêlâ, from the verb tsâla'' means...

side or rib?

In theory, it could mean both, and I believe that is the stance that Strong's Hebrew takes on it. It is often translated as "rib" in Genesis 2, where Eve is made from Adam's צֵלָע.

If you want, we can look at the other contexts in which צֵלָע is used. For example, the word gets translated as "sides" in Exodus 25. In this context, the author is describing how to create the Ark of the Covenant, including where the gold rings should be installed - two on one "side," and two on the opposite "side." Exodus 26, which describes the creation of the tabernacle, also uses צֵלָע in the sense of "sides." Exodus 27:7 also talks about placing poles on the "sides" of the altar, and later instances of צֵלָע also have it translated as "sides," as the later uses of the phrase are in passages describing the actual creation of these objects rather than the blueprints describes in the chapters I mentioned.

1 Kings also uses צֵלָע in a context of constructing things - this time, Solomon building the Temple in chapter 6. And again, it is translated as "sides" in most of the earlier part of that chapter. But then something interesting happens - צֵלָע starts to refer not to "sides" in the sense of the abstract concept, but to the wooden panels and boards that actually support the structure. In 6:16, these panels enclose the Holy of Holies, while in 6:34 two "panels" are hinged together to construct doors.

Ezekiel also uses צֵלָע in reference to architecture; how about we move onto how it's applied to living things?

Besides Genesis 3, well, we have Job 18:12 and Jeremiah 20:10. Translations of Jeremiah 20:10 seem to read צֵלָע as "slip" or "stumble," which is very different from the senses it was used in the previously mentioned instances. Job 18:12 is variously translated as "calamity is at their side" or "calamity is ready for their stumbling," so.... ???

I do not know enough about extra-Biblical Hebrew texts to say whether there are contemporary uses of the word צֵלָע to mean "rib." You could argue that the panels of a structure are analogous to "ribs" in the anatomy of a creature, but that seems like a bit of a stretch.

The Greek Septuagint translates צֵלָע as πλευρά, which means "side" - but in the way that it's used in the New Testament, πλευρά can also mean ribs. After He dies, Jesus is pierced in the πλευρά, which gets translated as "side" in most translations, but we're imagining His heart (and, presumably before that, His ribs) is getting pierced.

Peter also has an angel appear at his πλευρά, his "side" in the abstract sense (i.e., the angel appears beside him), but when πλευρά is used to refer to a corporal, bodily part, it seems that ribs would be a fair translation. And the translator of Genesis into the Greek chose πλευρά to render צֵלָע.

[nicosraf]

Hi! I'm currently drawing a fanart of your Lucifer and i can't for the life of me find which gemstones he had on and i wondered if you would be so kind as to tell me ?

Thank you so much !

Hello!! Thank you!! Lucifer's exact gemstones are actually listed in the original Chapter 1, and I think the line was cut but here it is:

Sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, jasper, and sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle, and gold.

It's taken from the King James Ezekiel 28, which describes the cherub in Eden that people tend to associate with Lucifer (Also the ABM eprigraph):

The sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold

I think you are super super free to put whatever gemstones you like on him though! I imagine he changes his gemstones often anyway. Thank you so much!!! :') <333

[mey-rin-is-fabulous]

I did it. I finished Hidden King. I started rereading it months ago but just never finished it. God that ending is so satisfying but it does leave me with questions about Asa and why the change of heart. Manfred being chased by the Flames as leopards is hilarious and exactly what he deserved. I can just imagine Lyell, Amy and Charlie going home to number 9 and Lyell slamming the door open and being like 'mother I'm home!" But knowing Grizelda she's probably not there and is with her sisters because much like Ezekiel Bloor she is also a terrible person, a bad parent, a bad grandparent and an awful sister. Paton is the only valid yewbeam and I hope Emma's aunt gives him all the kisses.

[aintashes]

‘ what are you drinking, and why aren't you sharing? ’ — sent by peter ( @platiinums )

a sip is taken from his mason jar, a clear liquid sloshing slowly back and forth within as daryl's attention moves to the newcomer. he must admit, when he'd heard that the kingdom was making moonshine of all things, it came as a big surprise to him. if he's honest, he didn't think that king ezekiel and queen carol would really call something like moonshine a priority.

but then again, ezekiel is quite the dreamer. he can just imagine how the conversation might have gone with carol— how the king would have pulled out all of that shakespearean verbiage to convince her that alcohol was a fun sort of necessity, and one that they can afford to produce now. the trade with other communities would be a welcome change, too. either way, daryl isn't complaining.

‘ 'shine, ’ he responds— perhaps a little too curtly. sometimes daryl misses some kind of conversational cue that would tell him whether or not this introduction was supposed to be funny and lighthearted. if it was, it is immediately lost on him. he swishes the jar a little. ‘ y'can get yer own. ’