#mentioned a wrathful spirit who’s the king of the dead and the first mortal to die.

[jonahmagnus]

I know too much about the inspiration and the author of fnaf man. Eye know too much . It hurts how much eye know

[wyked-ao3]

Your OC: Tenshi

Tenshi is a 431 year old celestial archangel (still a youngster. Translates to 20 in Earth Realm), son of the sun goddess Amaterasu. One of the powers bestowed upon him during the immaculate conception was the Gift of Raiden—so, he is attuned to lightning. His brothers, the Archangels, were tasked with training Tenshi and honing his righteous power in order to protect the Earth Realm….but the methods of the Seven Archangels were a bit….harsh.

Tenshi, finally growing impatient with his lack of progress, escapes the Heavenly Realms to hide on Earth from his brothers. Donning a mortal disguise, he lands in a futile forest in Japan, hitting just about every branch on the way down (he’s fine). Now, finally a “human,” he is free to explore the Earth Realm, practice his powers in secret, all while trying to maintain a low profile so his brothers don’t fin, catch, and drag him back to the Heavenly Realms

My OC: Amon rún

Amon rún is a 17 year old spirit fae, son of the queen and king of the spirit fae (unnamed as of yet) he was abandoned and left for dead when he had his first vision and only the females in the royal family are supposed to have vision's (he was thirteen) he has excellent control over his powers but he can not change everything that he See's and he has points that are shadows in his visions ;) he has a younger brother who is supposed to inherit the crown since Amon was banished. He is a little naive about some things and jaded about others...but overall sweet,loyal and sarcastic (He has seen a lot of shit even if it was avoided)

Amon was rescued by the pirates aboard deaths redemption and quickly became the navigation specialist due to his powers. He has no interest in ever returning to the fae and is quite hostile when someone mentions it, the crew is equally against it since they adopted him. He may not be high ranking but both the captain and the quarter master listen to what he has to say especially if it is a warning. His powers are not that well known off of the vessel, but everyone knows better than to mess with him less they want to bring down the wrath of the whole crew ... including the cook who usually stays out of the conflict .

Their Interaction:

Amon would probably see tenshi coming and what he was, he would warn the captain about it but overall he would not be to concerned about an angel on board the ship. I think that they would bond over their messed up families and tenshi would end up joining the crew in a unofficial capacity kinda like Amon and Heather (the cook/herbalist/surgeon) who tend to be left out of anything involving fighting or other pirate activity... Amon gets left out since he is clumsy and well not exactly a good pirate... although he is trying to work on that.

Tenshi would probably be baffled by Amon's friend Morana who is a shaman (animism and druidism based with a sprinkle of shamanism) I could definitely see them teaching the other about their different beliefs about nature. Amon would join in on the lessons because as a fae he has a different connection to it than they do and he is connected to the spirit realm just as much as he is to his visions (partially why he is a bad pirate...he's not so good at dealing with the freshly dead... especially if he was the one to kill them ....) so he would definitely add on the fae beliefs and culture that he grew up with. The rest of the crew would be watching the "kids/clueless ones" fondly and with amusement and killing any threat to them.

@the-golden-comet thank you for the open tag :)

@sunglasses-in-the-bentley

+open tag for whoever wants to interact with Amon

✨OC Interaction Tag✨

Thank you @willtheweaver for this tag here ✨

Your OC: Leif

Leif is a senior hunter for Fernstan village. As he spends most of his time out in the forest, he rarely interacts with the other foxes of the village, apart from other hunters and the border guards. His honesty can sometimes cross over to bluntness, and his social interaction can leave a lot to be desired. Some members of the village also go out of their way to avoid interacting with Leif as he is an agnostic. Even with these shortcomings, his skills as a hunter and tracker are impressive, and the village elders have entrusted him with training new hunters and guiding them on their first hunt. He does not play favorites and is considered strict but fair. Although he does not show it, he deeply cares for those under his charge, and will do what he can to ensure their success.

My OC: Tenshi

Tenshi is a 431 year old celestial archangel (still a youngster. Translates to 20 in Earth Realm), son of the sun goddess Amaterasu. One of the powers bestowed upon him during the immaculate conception was the Gift of Raiden—so, he is attuned to lightning. His brothers, the Archangels, were tasked with training Tenshi and honing his righteous power in order to protect the Earth Realm….but the methods of the Seven Archangels were a bit….harsh.

Tenshi, finally growing impatient with his lack of progress, escapes the Heavenly Realms to hide on Earth from his brothers. Donning a mortal disguise, he lands in a futile forest in Japan, hitting just about every branch on the way down (he’s fine). Now, finally a “human,” he is free to explore the Earth Realm, practice his powers in secret, all while trying to maintain a low profile so his brothers don’t find, catch, and drag him back to the Heavenly Realms.

Their Interaction:

Now THIS is an interesting pair indeed! Tenshi, trying to hide his celestial nature, runs into Leif as a mentor hunter in the woods. Tenshi lives in a forest where Shintoistic happenings occur as typical as a Sunday morning, so this checks out. Since Tenshi is used to looking for mentor figures, he would respectfully listen to Leif and regard him as his senior, open to train under his authority. However, I feel Leif would start to get suspicious as soon as Tenshi excels beyond what could be reasonable for a “person” his stature.

Tenshi meanwhile would be panicking because he doesn’t want to be found out. Once he hears that Leif is agnostic, he breathes a sigh of relief: “whew, okay. Good. He won’t suspect me, then. Just play it cool, act normal. Act HUMAN….er…how would a human respond here?✨”

That was fun! I’m leaving the tag +open for anyone wishing to interact with Tenshi some more 💖💫

[necronomapple]

Diablo Angel Name Etymology

@mal-likes-biscuits​, I was planning on doing a post regarding the etymologies and implications of the archangel’s names but seems like you beat me to the punch. Regardless, here are some additional insights I gathered from my research that you might find interesting:

Imperius

It’s certainly logical to conclude that his name derives from the Latin imprīmīs and subsequent English derivatives, however, there is a less obvious suggestion that I believe is more compelling.

The Empyrean, which in ancient cosmology was the highest sphere of heaven and thought to be a realm beyond the physical universe made of pure fire and light.

Derives from the Medieval Latin empȳreus.

Further from the Ancient Greek ἐμπύριος (empúrios), from ἐν (en, “in”) + πῦρ (pûr, “fire”), meaning “in the fire” (from this the English pyre is derived).

In Dante's Paradiso, Dante journeys from the Primum Mobile sphere to the Empyrean which is the dwelling of God, the angels (including Gabriel), and the blessed souls of the Celestial Rose (Canto XXX - XXXIII).

Piecing this together, it seems likely that Imperius’s name is meant to evoke the image of the highest divinities, of god (Anu in this case), and of celestial eminence.

As well as the connotation of being the angel “in the fire”, not only because he wields fire magic but also because he’s nearly always depicted in the heat of battle against demons, and thus in the line of “fire” if you will. Such is his role as Valor, leader of the Heavenly Host.

Furthermore, the Ancient Greeks regarded fire (pûr) as one of the four Classical Elements posited by Empedocles.

Hippocrates of Kos (or some say Kosm) was the first to apply the Elements to the ancient medical theory of humorism, which proposed that the imbalance of four bodily fluids, or humours, (each corresponding to an Element) effected one’s health and temperament.

The bodily humour attributed to fire was yellow bile.  An excess of yellow bile was believed to generate feelings of anger, aggression, and vengeance. This was regarded as the choleric temperament.

However, stemming from Galen’s theories of temperament, choleric individuals we’re also regarded as ambitious, confident, extroverted personalities that served well as natural leaders.

So yes, Imperius has too much yellow bile and needs to chill the fuck out.

Lore Tidbit: It’s canon that the mortals of the Diablo universe apply the Theory of the Four Humours to explain shifts in behavior, or at least had done so in the past. In D3, we find a mention of this in King Leoric’s Journal, Part 2:

“A fetid, pallid malaise has fallen over the manor we now call home. Young Albrecht seems to be enjoying himself in our new home, however. Perhaps I am simply suffering from an imbalance of humours brought on by the recent change of clime.”

 Itherael

You may recall I had mentioned there being only four Classical Elements. Turns out there’s actually a fifth element, aether, introduced by Aristotle in his natural philosophy treatise, On the Heavens. It’s not too farfetched to speculate that Itherael’s name probably stems from this quintessence.

Aether, from the Anceint Greek αἰθήρ (aithēr) meaning “pure air” or “clear sky” (derived further from the root αἴθω (aíthō) meaning "to burn, to kindle"), was a substance thought to fill the upper regions of space that the gods breathed. Likewise, the Empyrean itself was alleged to be composed entirely of pure aether.

First proposed in the 1600s, luminiferous aether (“light-bearing” ether) was the theoretical medium thought to fill the vacuum of space and allow for the transmission of wave-based light.

However, the aether theory was later discredited by the results of the 1887 Michelson–Morley experiment. This led to the development of special relativity, which proposed that light traveled through a vacuum at a constant speed c (no medium necessary).

I suppose this all seems rather extraneous, however, let us consider the nature of Fate:

As the Archangel of Fate, Itherael was able to read the destinies of immortal beings of Creation and as such, the ultimate outcome of the Eternal Conflict. In this way, it could be said that Itherael had “clear” or “pure” insight into the workings of universe, unobscured by the fog of uncertainty.

However, his grasp on the future began to slip away once the nephalem entered the equation.

Talus’ar, the “medium” by which he was able to construe fates, ceased to provide a clear picture of the future when its prophecies failed to pass, unable to account for the intervention of the nephalem.

Likewise, Itherael’s predictions of the future become tenuous and insubstantial, one might even say ethereal, as his vision was forever blurred by the existence of the nephalem—beings whose fates remain ambiguous.

 Auriel

The Diablo series tends to draw heavily on the lore of the Judeo-Christian theology, particularly in the naming conventions of angels and demons.

Auriel’s name seems to be a conglomeration of two angelic names from Judeo-Christian lore: Uriel and Ariel.

1). Uriel translates from Hebrew as “fire of god” or “god is my light”.

Although he doesn’t appear in the Judeo biblical canon, Archangel Uriel is mentioned across various biblical apocrypha, gnostic texts, and Dead Sea Scrolls (including the Book of Enoch).

Uriel’s role and title seems to vary across all his mentions. However, the relevant ones boil down to the “angel of the earth” (in Heywood's Hierarchy of Blessed Angels), the “the keeper of beauty and light” (in Episcopal traditions), and “archangel of earth” linked with natural flora (in angelic mysticism of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn).

The recurring motifs of “earth” and “beauty” suggest Uriel’s prominence in protecting natural creation. It could be said that Auriel occupies a similar niche within the High Heavens as the overseer of the Gardens of Hope, a realm that is already a reflection of natural earthly beauty and resplendent with light.

2). Ariel translates from Hebrew as “lion of god”.

Canonically, Ariel was used in reference to the city of Jerusalem (Isaiah 29) however in subsequent apocryphal and gnostic texts (e.g. Pistis Sophia), Ariel is considered the name of an angel who punished sinners.

In later mysticism, Ariel is regarded as the “angel of nature” or “Earth’s great lord” (sometimes considered an archangel). Ariel is said to hold power over aspects of the natural world, Empedoclean elements, and wildlife.

In essence, Ariel acts as a guardian and healer of wild animals and protector of the environment, a role which echoes Auriel’s own in the Heavens as the keeper of the Gardens and tender to the wounded.

The implication as a “lion of god” could also be applied to Auriel, whom, as we’ve seen in the Wrath animation, is no pacifist and wields considerable power in battle. Canonically, she is also said to settle quarrels between Imperius and Tyrael which, I’d imagine, demands considerable courage and fortitude: traits befitting of a lion.

Ariel is also associated with the color pink. Likewise, Auriel’s wings are sometimes depicted as pink, although at other times blue or teal, perhaps to further allude to Auriel’s close connection with nature and flora.

 Tyrael

Drawing from Judeo-Christian tradition, Tyrael’s name seems to derive from angel Turiel, whose name means “rock of god” or “mountain of god”.

According to the Book of Enoch, Turiel had been one of the Watchers, antediluvian angels who were sent to earth to watch over humanity.

However, the Watchers fell when they took human women as wives and taught humanity the forbidden knowledge of astrology, pharmacology, weaponry, cosmetics, medical sorcery, and various other arts and sciences. Their human wives also bore hybrid offspring called the Nephilim, indubitably the major inspiration for Diablo’s Nephalem.

This draws a nice parallel with Tyrael’s story, whom, like Turiel and the Watchers, fell from grace when he became too invested in humanity, becoming a pariah among his own kind.

Also similarly to the Watchers, Tyrael entrusted secret knowledge and artifacts (the Soulstones) to his chosen group of mortals, the Horadrim, without the approval of the Angiris Council.

Recall, Tyrael was the founder of the Horadrim, assuming a role as guide to humanity’s affairs with demons, and subsequently, as a mentor to the New Horadrim, serving overall as a sort of moral anchor for his nephalem companions.

Considering this, it is not such a stretch to suggest that he is a “rock” or “mountain” of moral fortitude and stability among both mortals and angels.

Supposedly, there exists a manuscript called The Secret Grimoire of Turiel which contains symbols of medieval magic and rituals on how to evoke angelic spirits, including Turiel himself.

While not directly analogous, the Book of Tyrael detail’s Tyreal’s own obscure knowledge of the Heavens, the Hells, and the history of Sanctuary.

 Malthael

It was difficult to find anything substantial regarding Malthael’s etymology beyond “mal is bad”.

However, if we assume for a moment that the root of Malthael’s name is not mal- but rather malth- or maltha-, then we might be able to infer another meaning.

It’s a bit of a stretch but let us assume his name actually derives from the Ancient Greek μαλθακός (malthakós) which means “soft”.

This further derives from the Ancient Greek μαλακός (malakós, “soft”, “mild”) which is where we get the English malacology from.

This “softness” could be insinuating Malthael’s taciturn and rather soft-spoken nature as the Archangel of Wisdom, as well as his penchant for sneaking up on others with soft steps, unheard.

Alternatively, his name could derive from the Ancient Greek μάλθα (máltha) which was the name used for a mineral pitch or tar or rather any mixture serving as cement, mortar stucco, or similar mineral pastes.

Two implications here:

1). Pitch and tar are both deeply black substances (from which we get the phrase “pitch black”). Moreover, tar pits are infamous for their ability to ensnare animals that stray out too far, leading to their slow and imminent deaths as they sink and starve.

This connotation could allude to Malthael’s own decent into madness, his mind “sinking” into dark thoughts, “starved” of the wisdom he once knew. In a sense, he “strayed off” too far from the path of Wisdom. This of course led to him embracing Death.

As the angel of Death, Malthael dons far darker armor and robes than what he had worn as the aspect of Wisdom. At the height of his madness he consumes the black Soulstone, an artifact which you could say is “pitch black”. Here, he has fully sunken into the tar.

2). Cement, mortar, and the like are mineral binding agents that are used in construction to hold assemblies together and provide overall structural integrity.

By this analogy, Malthael himself was that mortar, that maltha, that bound the Angiris Council together into one cohesive structure. He was the original leader whose wisdom brought stability and surety to the angels. It’s only after he left that the Council’s unity dissolved and eventually led to the fall of Tyrael.

So you see, our resident edgelord doesn’t have to be all bad.

Hopefully I’ve been able to further shed some light on the significance of the archangels’ names. Whether or not it had been Blizzard’s intentions for us to draw these parallels, it nevertheless grant us further insight into the complex natures of these seemingly enigmatic characters.

[silmarillionwritersguild]

Holiday Feast - The final round-up

Happy New Year! Our holiday feast challenge came to an end on January 10. We hope you all had a good start to 2019. Thank you for sticking with us through 2018! We′re looking forward to discussing, enjoying and sharing our excitement for the Legendarium and for Silmarillion fanfiction with you in this new year. In this final round-up, we′re going to give you the answers to the scavenger hunt for the Starter course and celebrate the participants who joined our little feast by reading, commenting, writing stories and meta, or producing fanart and playlists. Thanks for joining us – we hope you enjoyed your meal!

Reading

For the starter course, we gave you a couple of first lines to search. Participants didn′t have to find them all, but discover at least one and read the corresponding chapter (or work). For everyone who didn′t manage to hunt down all of them and is curious, here are the answers:

There was a cold wind blowing off the North Star when they got near the world’s edge, and the chilly spray of the waterfalls splashed over them. ~Roverandom, Chapter 4

In that time were made those things that afterwards were most renowned of all the works of the Elves. ~The Silmarillion, "Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor"

’Well, master, we’re in a fix and no mistake,’ said Sam Gamgee. ~The Two Towers, "The Taming of Sméagol"

In the South from sleep | to swift fury / a storm was stirred, | striding northward / over leagues of water | loud with thunder / and roaring rain | it rushed onward. ~The Fall of Arthur, III

Ægidius de Hammo was a man who lived in the midmost parts of the Island of Britain. ~Farmer Giles of Ham

It is said that Beren and Lúthien returned to the northern lands of Middle-earth, and dwelt together for a time as living man and woman; and they took up again their mortal form in Doriath. ~The Silmarillion, "Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad"

In the days of the Dark Kings, when a man could still walk dry-shod from the Rising of the Sun to the Sea of its setting, there lived in the fenced town of his people in the green hills of Agar an old man, by name Hazad Longbeard. ~The Peoples of Middle-earth, "Tal-Elmar"

Grundy, Zdenka, Independence1776, StarSpray and Nienna have let us know that they′ve completed the full Reading menu. Great job! Mysterious_jedi completed the cheese course. Well done!

Commenting

Of course, everybody who commented on at least one of the fanworks created for this challenge took a nibble of the cheese course for this aspect of the menu. Accordingly, Silver Trails, StarSpray, Kimaracretak, Himring, Gabriel, CeeCee, BaileyBoyBee, Dawn Felagund, Oshun and yours truly have already earned a Commenting stamp for this challenge.

Grundy, Zdenka, Independence1776 and Nienna have managed to complete the entire Commenting menu. Again, congratulations! If you, too, have completed one of the Reading or Commenting prompts – or even completed all five courses – and we′ve somehow missed it or you haven′t told us yet, please drop us a comment here or on LJ, send us an ask or mail us at moderator@silmarillionwritersguild.org.

***

We were hoping for a splendid array of responses for our Artwork, Meta and Writing prompts, and you did not disappoint. 38 pieces have been newly created for these aspects of the challenge – a spectacular holiday buffet that we present you now. If you enjoy an author's work, please consider dropping them a comment to let them know!

Artwork

Starter:

Gil-galad with Palantír  by hennethgalad.

"They’re out there." - first line of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest". (digital art)

Arien/Ilmarë Playlist by Nienna324.

It is a little harder to fit the prompts with fanmixes, but it sort of fits in three ways. One, some of it takes place before or in the beginning of time. Two, it could be thought of as the start of a relationship or at least a few of the songs are. And three, my prompt for this course was "It was a pleasure to burn"-Ray Bradbury. This made me think of Fëanor, but also Arien.

Fish:

Tropical Waters Uinen by Hrymfaxe (watercolour)

Temperate Waters Uinen by Hrymfaxe (watercolour)

Númenor Playlist by Nienna324.

A Youtube playlist for the Art challenge of the Holiday Feast Fish Course.(fanmix)

Main:

Never Fade Away by Nienna324.

A Youtube playlist for the rebellion and exile of the Noldor. (fanmix)

Dessert:

And She Might Know Me Well by Kimaracretak.

This mix is dedicated to Elleth, the one who got me into the world of Tolkien-fandom-on-the-internet in the first place. She requested something with Goldberry femslash, because "eldritch river spirits are always good". A Goldberry/Lady of the Blue Brooch sad eldritch ex-girlfriends mix, set in my AU where the Lady becomes a Black Rider! (fanmix)

Maglor and the Twins Playlist by Nienna324.

A gift for independence1776. (fanmix)

Cheese:

Beren and Lúthien Playlist by Nienna324.

I know Beren and Lúthien were listed for the reading challenge, but as far as "scene that you think they would ham up the most" is concerned this would be it, so I think it fits either way. (fanmix)

Meta

Starter:

A New Day: The Dawn of the Second Age by Grundy.

While the Silmarillion includes the Akallabêth, and an account of the line of Elros is included in the Unfinished Tales, very little is written about the early years of the Second Age. (Part of the Collection "Food for Thought: A Meta Feast")

Fish:

Naming the Sea-Elves by Grundy.

The text is concerned primarily with the Noldor and presents most events from their point of view. Nowhere is this more readily apparent than in the treatment of the third group of elves to undertake the Great Journey – first named as the ‘Teleri’. (Part of the Collection "Food for Thought: A Meta Feast") Main:

Blinded by the Light by Grundy.

If there is one thing that stands out about the Noldor, it is how important light is to them. (Part of the Collection "Food for Thought: A Meta Feast")

Fate and Free Will in Arda by Lyra.

An informal bibliography with tongue-in-cheek commentary.

Dessert:

Sugar in Middle-earth by Grundy.

We don’t have much to base our knowledge on in the First or Second Ages, but The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings give glimpses of the food of late Third Age Middle-earth, including sweet dishes and desserts. (Part of the Collection "Food for Thought: A Meta Feast")

Sweet Speculations by Grundy.

Random headcanon that may or may not be in any way defensible. (Part of the Collection "Food for Thought: A Meta Feast")

Cheese:

What It Says On The Tin by Grundy.

I searched out all mentions of cheese I could find in the books. (Part of the Collection "Food for Thought: A Meta Feast")

Writing

Starter:

Moments of Healing by eris_of_imladris.

Nerdanel receives comfort and healing from an unexpected source.

The season will not wait by quillingmesoftly.

Elwing does paperwork.

All That May Become by Grundy.

After the Sack of Eregion, the situation for the elves is dire. Celeborn's army is on the verge of being caught by Sauron when unexpected help arrives.

Negotiations by arafinwean.

Haleth looks at Caranthir and wonders what he's lost.

A Trace of Light by Silver Trails.

Glorfindel misses his cousins and feels lonely after Fëanor is exiled to Formenos.

Lovely, Dark and Deep by StarSpray.

Elwë gets sidetracked on his way to visit Finwë.

Fish:

From Sleep to Swift Fury by Raiyana.

Ossë's rebellion.

Missing the Past by StarSpray.

"But no, it is not ruins or pottery I am interested in. They told me that Maglor was living on Himling." (also covers some Main Course themes)

Times of Change by hennethgalad.

Ereinion Gil-galad sets out for the Falas.

Long Time Passing by Grundy.

Eärwen's thoughts on a journey to Alqualondë prior to the War of Wrath.

Music and Song by Silver Trails.

Little Maglor hears Omar's and Salmar's music for the first time in his life.

Main:

Kinship by hennethgalad.

Gil-galad, Idril Celebrindal and Celebrimbor meet on the Isle of Balar.

By Any Other Name by Grundy.

After the Sack of Eregion, Celebrían is trying to reach the valley where her father's forces have taken refuge. The situation is grim until she gets some unexpected help.

Light and Darkness by Silver Trails.

Caranthir and Aegnor meet again after the crossing of the Helcaraxë.

Dessert:

Yule 3018 by hennethgalad.

The Fellowship have just left Imladris... (for anneway-nithiniel)

The Dance of the Lights by Narya.

Aredhel and Egalmoth share a quiet moment on the Grinding Ice. (for Tolkien Secret Santa 2018)

Smoldering by Grundy.

Finrod discovers at least one family feud he'd hoped was settled hasn't been laid to rest yet. (for gabriel-seven)

The King′s Peace by Idrils Scribe.

In the dead of Hithlum's icy winter, a battered Maedhros restores what peace he can to himself and his people, much to his brothers' chagrin. (for Dawn Felagund)

Still a Child by Silver Trails.

Findekáno wants to go out and meet his cousins. (for Mor2904)

Cheese:

Ode to Gil-galad. by hennethgalad.

Cheesy ode for the cheese course of Holiday Feast.

The Cheese Stands Alone by Grundy.

The twins thought Arwen would enjoy the lesson on Beren and Luthien. They were rather surprised...

Writing a Song by Silver Trails.

Daeron reflects about love and time. Maglor tries to help him.

As you can see, Nienna324 has created a fanmix for every course of the Artwork menu and Silver Trails has written a piece of fic for all five Writing course.

Hennethgalad has created content for every course across different prompt sets.

Grundy, on top of her achievements in Reading and Commenting, has written an amazing six pieces of meta and five stories for the Meta and Writing menues. Awesome work!

***

Whether you felt inspired to comment, read or create, and whether you created several pieces or one, we′d like to thank you for joining our holiday feast! We hope you had fun and found something to your tastes. And if you were too busy to take part in this or any of the previous challenges, take heart! As we already announced in our newsletter, the January challenge will be dedicated to beginning another year of creative accomplishment on the right foot. For our first challenge of 2019, participants can choose to complete any of the previous year's challenges. Did you miss a challenge you wanted to complete? Do it now. Did you start a fanwork for a challenge but never completed it? Here is your chance to finish. If you didn't leave any unrealized or unfinished projects behind you (congratulations!), choose from any previous prompt and start the year by creating a new fanwork. You will receive a stamp on your 2018 collection for any 2018 challenges that you complete now, as well as a stamp for this challenge on your 2019 collection. So this is your chance to catch up on challenges that you didn′t manage to fulfil last year!

The official announcement will be posted on January 15. See you then!

[dfroza]

A Letter written to illuminate the truth of the Son

was the clear intent of Paul.

rebirth and eternal life is only possible through Love’s pure truth that fully cleanses the heart from all sin.

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 1st chapter of the Letter of Romans:

Paul, a servant of Jesus the Anointed called by God to be His emissary and appointed to tell the good news of the things promised long ago by God, spoken by prophets, and recorded in the Holy Scriptures. All of this good news is about His Son: who was (from a human perspective) born of David’s royal line and ultimately designated to be the true Son of God with power upon His resurrection from the dead by the Spirit of holiness. I am speaking of Jesus, the Anointed One, our Lord.

And here’s what He’s done: He has graced us and sanctioned us as His emissaries whose mission is to spread the one true and obedient faith to all people in the name of Jesus. This includes you: you have been called by Jesus, God’s Anointed.

To all those who are God’s beloved saints in Rome:

May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, surround you.

First, I thank my God through Jesus the Anointed for all of you because we are joined by faith as family, and your faith is spreading across the world. For I call God as my witness—whom I worship in my spirit and serve in making known the gospel—He alone knows how often I mention you in my prayers. I find myself constantly praying for you and hoping it’s in God’s will for me to be with you soon. I desperately want to see you so that I can share some gift of the Spirit to strengthen you. Plus I know that when we come together something beautiful will happen as we are encouraged by each other’s faith.

If, my brothers and sisters, you did not already know, my plans were set to meet you in Rome, but time and circumstances have forced every trip to be canceled until now. I have deeply desired to see some good fruit among you just as I have seen with so many non-Jewish believers. You see, I am in tremendous debt to those of various nationalities, from non-Jews to barbarians, from the wisest of the wise to the idle wanderer. So you can imagine how eager I am to join you and to teach the good news in the mighty and diverse city of Rome.

For I am not the least bit embarrassed about the gospel. I won’t shy away from it, because it is God’s power to save every person who believes: first the Jew, and then the non-Jew. You see, in the good news, God’s restorative justice is revealed. And as we will see, it begins with and ends in faith. As the Scripture declares, “By faith the just will obtain life.”

For the wrath of God is breaking through from heaven, opposing all manifestations of ungodliness and wickedness by the people who do wrong to keep God’s truth in check. These people are not ignorant about what can be known of God, because He has shown it to them with great clarity. From the beginning, creation in its magnificence enlightens us to His nature. Creation itself makes His undying power and divine identity clear, even though they are invisible; and it voids the excuses and ignorant claims of these people because, despite the fact that they knew the one true God, they have failed to show the love, honor, and appreciation due to the One who created them! Instead, their lives are consumed by vain thoughts that poison their foolish hearts. They claim to be wise; but they have been exposed as fools, frauds, and con artists— only a fool would trade the splendor and beauty of the immortal God to worship images of the common man or woman, bird or reptile, or the next beast that tromps along.

So God gave them just what their lustful hearts desired. As a result, they violated their bodies and invited shame into their lives. How? By choosing a foolish lie over God’s truth. They gave their lives and devotion to the creature rather than to the Creator Himself, who is blessed forever and ever. Amen. This is why God released them to their own vile pursuits, and this is what happened: they chose sexual counterfeits—women had sexual relations with other women and men committed unnatural, shameful acts because they burned with lust for other men. This sin was rife, and they suffered painful consequences.

Since they had no mind to recognize God, He turned them loose to follow the unseemly designs of their depraved minds and to do things that should not be done. Their days are filled with all sorts of godless living, wicked schemes, greed, hatred, endless desire for more, murder, violence, deceit, and spitefulness. And, as if that were not enough, they are gossiping, slanderous, God-hating, rude, egotistical, smug people who are always coming up with even more dreadful ways to treat one another. They don’t listen to their parents; they lack understanding and character. They are simple-minded, covenant-breaking, heartless, and unmerciful; they are not to be trusted. Despite the fact that they are fully aware that God’s law says this way of life deserves death, they fail to stop. And worse—they applaud others on this destructive path.

The Letter of Romans, Chapter 1 (The Voice)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 20th chapter of the book (scroll) of Isaiah where Isaiah is told to become a physical warning sign of nakedness and shame:

In the year the field commander, sent by King Sargon of Assyria, came to Ashdod and fought and took it, God told Isaiah son of Amoz, “Go, take off your clothes and sandals,” and Isaiah did it, going about naked and barefooted.

Then God said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has walked around town naked and barefooted for three years as a warning sign to Egypt and Ethiopia, so the king of Assyria is going to come and take the Egyptians as captives and the Ethiopians as exiles. He’ll take young and old alike and march them out of there naked and barefooted, exposed to mockery and jeers—the bared buttocks of Egypt on parade! Everyone who has put hope in Ethiopia and expected help from Egypt will be thrown into confusion. Everyone who lives along this coast will say, ‘Look at them! Naked and barefooted, shuffling off to exile! And we thought they were our best hope, that they’d rescue us from the king of Assyria. Now what’s going to happen to us? How are we going to get out of this?’”

The Book (Scroll) of Isaiah, Chapter 20 (The Message)

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for monday, june 28 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons that defines our worth in being identified by grace through faith:

One of the main strategies of the devil is to induce a sense of forgetfulness, apathy, and hopelessness... The devil wants you to lose sight of what is real and who you really are. The truth is your weapon against the cascade of lies that pours forth from the world and its princes. The entire venture of teshuvah (repentance) presupposes that you are created "in the image of God," that you are related to him, and therefore you have infinite value and dignity. This is all the more evident in light of the awesome ransom that Yeshua gave to reconcile your soul with God. Therefore hold fast to the truth, friends; "da lifnei mi attah omed" - "know before Whom you stand." Turn to what is real, refuse the lies and despair of this fallen world, and review what will abide the test of Eternity.... [Hebrew for Christians]

6.28.21 • Facebook

and another about how humility is required to see clear:

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Eternal One, the LORD, is the Creator of the ends of the earth (בּוֹרֵא קְצוֹת הָאָרֶץ). He does not faint nor grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength” (Isa. 40:28-29). Human reason has no objection that God can impart strength, but it objects that strength is found in those who are broken and weary – that is, to those mortally wounded in the battle against evil. The principle of the self-life, the ego, religious observance, "doing the law," etc., is a spiritual dead-end. The word is this: God gives strength to the weary, to the faint, to those who are without potency or power. But this means that we first must be emptied, broken, and stripped of our self-sufficiency before the strength of God is manifest in us: "My power is made perfect (τελειοῦται) in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9).

God's way is first to break us, to make us weaker and weaker, so that he can then fill us with the miraculous divine nature. Like all sacrifices that were brought to the altar, we must pass through death to life by means of our union with the Messiah at the cross... It is only after the cross that it may be said, "It is no longer 'I' who lives; now it is Messiah who lives His life in me." There is indeed strength, power, and victory – but such comes after the cross, after we reckon carnal energy as useless. Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says Adonai Tzeva’ot (Zech. 4:6).

Where we read, "Messiah who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20), we emphasize the object of God's redeeming love; we stress that this word is being spoken to "me," and that Messiah's love is poured out "for me." But how can we justify doing so, in light of the innumerable souls that have been brought forth in the world? The Mishnah asks, "Why was man created alone?" and answers so that each person must say the world was created for me. "Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world; and whoever saves a soul, it is considered as if he saved an entire world..." [Hebrew for Christians]

6.27.21 • Facebook

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

June 28, 2021

Abiding Words

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7)

In order for the words of the Lord really to abide in us, it seems clear that we should commit as many of them to memory— not only in our minds but in our hearts—as we possibly can. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart,” the psalmist said, “that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11).

There are many promises of blessing to those who have God’s Word in their hearts. “For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips” (Proverbs 22:18). “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;...Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:1, 5).

Both the apostle Paul and the apostle Peter have noted the importance of Scripture memorization. Paul says: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).

Peter’s exhortation is as follows: “This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets [i.e., the Old Testament Scriptures], and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour [i.e., the New Testament Scriptures]” (2 Peter 3:1-2). The words “be mindful” mean essentially “recall to mind.”

Since the Scriptures cannot be recalled to mind unless they’ve first been installed in the mind, and since they cannot abide in our hearts unless we first hide them in our hearts, it is surely pleasing and honoring to God that we learn “by heart” as much of His Word as we can. HMM

A tweet by illumiNations:

@IlluminationsBT: With your prayers and gifts, the ApMa people will gain access to Scripture in their own language!

Learn more at: https://bit.ly/2Sgv9o6

6.28.21 • 12:02pm • Twitter

[lunamanar]

Can you talk about lions? In the FF8 world, are they rare, mythical, extinct? Do they all have wings? (I don't recall anyone ever referring to Griever as a "winged lion," perhaps because his wings are normal for a lion?) For that matter, are there any wild animals besides monsters?

Lions! Yes, let’s talk about lions in FFVIII, shall we?

So, first of all, briefly–I do think the lions, along with many other animal predators, are extinct in FFVIII’s world. Or if they still do are incredibly rare. Almost no one in the game ever references wild animals, and while we see plenty of pets…everything we run into while wandering in the wilderness are monstrous creatures. The only non-monstrous wild animals we see are birds (flying alongside Garden after it takes off) and a lone, startled chital. 

Basically, there is no evidence in the game that they do exist, so my tendency is to assume that they do not. You could easily make the argument that we just didn’t see them, or chalk it up to graphical limitations…all perfectly fair. But I’m the sort of person who views an absence of evidence as evidence of absence. 

If you need actual evidence to support the claim of absence, consider this: When speaking of Griever, Rinoa seems…completely unaware of what a lion even is. She calls Griever as pictured on Squall’s ring “some kind of monster”–which would make sense, if you live in a world where most aggressive-looking wild creatures are monsters. And when Squall finally corrects her and says it’s a lion, she s o u n d s  i t  o u t like she’s never heard it before, and may even be making fun of this weird word that is new to her. 

But! All that said, I think they did exist. Not just because of Griever, but because of some of FFVIII’s mythological background and some of the locations that background references. 

Obviously, a great deal of (particularly older) architecture in FFVIII’s world is Greco-Roman. In fact, before you read on, you might want to visit that link, first. 

But there’s also a lot that isn’t, and it’s actually that section–namely, Esthar–where the world’s ties to lion symbology become important. 

I think people often miss, probably because they’re less familiar with it, the very strong references to Mesopotamian mythology in the latter half of the game (I’m not saying you haven’t noticed, and this may not be news to you at all, but I think a lot of people haven’t, because I never, ever see it talked about, even on tumblr). And that’s a shame, because picking up on those references is absolutely crucial to getting the most out of the story, in my opinion.

So, follow me for just a bit: 

“Priestess of Ishtar” by Victor Adame [VictorAdameArt on DA]

I’ll start with something more well-known: that Esthar is likely a reference to Ishtar, a goddess of love, fertility and sexuality, and the patron deity of hunters. 

Less understood, unless you delve into her: she’s daughter to Anu, the Sumerian god-king (or king-god, rather, as he wasn’t king of the gods, but something of an absolute king (and protector) of men, and divine judge for mortal wrongdoers). She possesses wings, and her most well-known symbols, found on monuments that reference her, are the lion, the white flower, and the eight-pointed star.

These symbols are also found on the Gate of Ishtar–the fabled eighth and final gate to the underworld.

(An unrelated side-note: King Nebuchadnezzar II, who reconstructed the gate based on the myth, also (purportedly) rebuilt the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, shown below.

Familiar design choices, no?)

Ishtar is also prominent figure in the Epic of Gilgamesh, where her advances are spurned by Gilgamesh. She coerces her father Anu to give her Gugalanna, the Great Bull of Heaven, to avenge this “wrongdoing.”

The Bull in Ishtar’s hands is an agent of destruction, the nature of which should also be familiar to FFVIII fans; in the process of causing widespread ruin, it reduces lakes to basins of salt, and punches giant craters in the earth.

Under Ishtar’s command, it has been called the monster of the eighth gate. What gate is familiar in regards to FFVIII’s Esthar?

The Lunar Gate. 

Basically, I believe the Lunar Cry is an indirect reference to the Bull of Heaven, and it’s not the only one. I could make an entire post about that, alone, really.  Okay okay, though, bulls. But: lions? Stay with me. 

So Ishtar throws a fit and the Bull of Heaven is stomping cities into the ground. However, Gilgamesh and his comrade, Enkidu, defeat the bull. They dismember it, and Enkidu threatens Ishtar with the same if he should catch her misbehaving again. For this impiety–as often happened to Ishtar’s servant lions when they displeased her–Enkidu was struck dead, and his spirit sent through “the gate,” (no number is mentioned on the tablets, but my friend-who-studies-Summerian-and-Akkaidian-mythologies confirms that this is most likely in reference to the eighth gate) to the underworld.

What sucks is that, although Gilgamesh vows to find a way to get Enkidu back, and he does have a little bit of luck with a magi who lets him talk to Enkidu in the underworld, we’re missing the parts of the story where he would have actually rescued him, or failed to do so. There are later tablets that show Enkidu alive and well, but they seem to be by different authors and may simply be…yes…Gilgamesh fanfiction.  

So…Enkidu is Dead theories abound. It’s an ongoing argument among interested humanities. 

…There are a great many parallels between Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and Seifer and Squall, respectively. I think it’s no accident at all that the FF version of Gilgamesh is the one who interrupts their last battle.

There are also many connections between Ishtar and the depiction of sorceresses in FFVIII. At once selfish and wrathful, and deeply empathetic with a great love for her subjects, Ishtar causes great pain and destruction, while also doing everything she can to rescue those she sees wronged and fighting against corruption in society. She is the antagonist in the above story, but if you want a good example of her benevolence, look up her involvement with Asushunamir.  Whatever she does, she does honestly. The same could easily be said of Rinoa, Edea, Adel or even Ultimecia. Every sorceress we learn of is, in her way, an analogue for this troubled demigoddess, for whom lions–winged lions, if she’d deemed them fit to carry her–are a recurring symbol. 

So, did lions really exist in FFVIII’s world? Yes, I think they did, but I think they were, like so many other “normal” predatory animals, outclassed and pushed to extinction by the arrival of the first few Lunar Cries. Now they’re little more than legends. 

Were there winged lions? I think, if you go with Ishtar’s mythology as an analogue, most lions did not have wings, but perhaps certain sorceresses who fancied them saw fit to gift them with a pair. Rampant winged lions were probably a popular symbol at some point in time, and I imagine Griever is modeled after those symbols.

And finally, are there any other wild animals besides monsters? The FMVs would seem to say yes, what with the birds and the deer. I think, of all things, prey animals probably adapted a lot better to the introduction of monsters, simply because…they’re used to being prey…and they wouldn’t have to compete with monsters for resources other than land and water sources. Predators, though, would have a much harder time of it. Faced with aggressive beasts wielding powerful magic, not many native carnivores would have stood much of a chance. 

Birds–flying creatures in general–and sea-bound critters (dolphins, sharks, as seen in the Deep Sea Research Center) seem to have had an easier time of it; most monsters seem to be land-dwellers primarily, and anyone who can swim or fly away can probably survive fairly well without too many negative consequences. 

Although I rambled a bit (a lot) and kind of used lions as a springboard for my Mesopotamian jabber, I hope you enjoyed my completely over-thought response to your questions, and my justifications thereof. 

[mrlnsfrt]

God With Us - Part 2 - The Return

God longs for community.

The fact that God longs for community is clear from the very beginning of Genesis. In Genesis 1-2 we read about God creating the whole world. God spends six days creating and organizing and filling, and on the seventh day God creates sacred time. God created a day just for us to spend it together. The culmination of the creation week is a big emphasis on relationships, relationship with God and one another. It should be no surprise that love for God and for one another sums up the whole law. (Mark 12:28-31) We see this principle at work from the very beginning. God created us because he was interested in having a loving relationship with us.

The Problem

In order for us to freely chose to be in a relationship with God we must also be free to chose to rebel against God, we must be free to reject His love and plans for our lives. God created a perfect world and especially a garden for Adam and Eve and the tree of life was planted in the midst of the garden (Genesis 2:8-9). Everything was perfect. However, should Adam and Eve wish to reject God and His blessings and His plans for them, God also placed what I personally see as an exit door, a way out. Should Adam and Eve not want to live in harmony with God they had a way out, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve had knowledge of good, but were ignorant of Evil. They could trust that God was good and follow His advice, or disregard His advice choosing to believe that God was somehow withholding something good from them.

So the problem that came form eating the fruit, rebelling against God, mistrusting God, choosing to follow the serpent, a being other than God, was death! Now here is the challenge. What is death? Romans 6:23 Paul refers to death as the wages of sin. So God gives life and without Him we have death. Death exists because of sin, it is an intruder, God placed eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). God’s plan was for us to live forever! That’s why He place the tree of life in the center of the garden. In Genesis 2:17 God warns Adam that the day he eats of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, “dying he will die.” What does that mean? According to Genesis 3:22-24 God placed Adam and Eve outside the garden and placed and angel to guard the way to the tree of life.

The way I read this story it seems to me that we as humans do not possess eternal life in and of ourselves. We needed access tot he tree of life in order to live forever. Interestingly in Revelation 22:2 we read a description of the New Jerusalem and John mentions the tree of life being there in the center of the city. The text seems to strongly indicate that humans need access to the tree of life in order to live. I also find it interesting how the lying serpent tried to convince Eve otherwise when the serpent told eve that “You will not surely die.” (Genesis 3:4)

Keep this information in the back of your mind and let us turn to the New Testament and what Jesus had to say regarding life.

The Solution

Many are familiar with Jesus’ words recorded in John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

The New King James Version. (1982). (Jn 3:16–17). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Jesus came to save us from death which is the wage of sin, by giving us life with is the gift of God!

​

The New King James Version Chapter 6

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus gives us more details in John 14.

​

The New King James Version Chapter 14

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

Jesus came as a baby, Jesus lived and walked among us as one of us, died for our sins, was raised form the dead and ascended to heaven. However, we continue to die. We still lack access to the tree of life.

Death

Death is the enemy, not the portal to heaven. Imagine the conversation with Adam if things were different.

God warns Adam about the death.

Adam asks God what death is.

God explains to Adam how the physical world is less than ideal and full of suffering and how life is so much better in spirit, free from physical limitations. Not only that, Adam will only experience a better life after he dies. But he must do everything he can to not die because killing himself would be cheating. Also, after he dies he spends eternity with God like an angel, living in paradise while witnessing the suffering of his descendants while they live in the physical world.

Sometimes I wonder if this misunderstanding of death is what leads people to neglect the message of the second coming of Jesus. Many churches dedicate the whole month of December to talking about Jesus coming as a baby, and I don’t have a problem with that. Many will also dedicate a whole month to talking about Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection. I also don’t have a problem with that. But where is the emphasis on His second coming?

Well, if you believe that when you die you go straight to haven, then you have little need for Jesus to come again.

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:3

Would would Jesus say these words? Why not say I go to prepare a place for you that when you die you may be with me forever? But remember, you’re not allowed to kill yourself. It only counts if you die while trying to live.

Let’s read from 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 and what Paul has to say about us being reunited with Jesus.

​

The New King James Version Chapter 15

51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55 “O Death, where is your sting?

O Hades, where is your victory?”

Paul describes death being defeated at the last trumpet.

Paul explains it even better in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Talking about those who have dies or fallen asleep, he says.

​

The New King James Version Chapter 4

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

We will always be with the Lord after He comes back for us. Jesus is coming for those of us who are alive as well as for those who have fallen asleep/died. Paul tells us to comfort each other with these words. We are to comfort one another with the promise of the second coming of Jesus. Otherwise, would Paul not tell us to comfort one another with the knowledge that our loved ones are currently in paradise in the presence of Jesus?

Jesus and Paul are in agreement that in order for us to be forever with God Jesus must come again.

God with us is the message of the Bible. The Bible tells the story of a God who wants to be with us. A God who created a perfect world for us, and when we rebelled came and sought us out. A God who was a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night when Israel came out of Egypt. A God who was born as a baby in a manger because He wanted to be with us, to save us from our sins. A God who is coming again that we may be together forever.

The Blessed Hope

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

15 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

Titus 2:11-15 NKJV (bold mine)

Too often the second coming of Jesus is associated with catastrophe and great suffering. Many end up becoming afraid of the second coming of Jesus. Instead of quoting from Titus 2:13 and talking about the blessed hope or from John 14:1-4 and Jesus coming to be with us, people tend to quote Zephaniah 1:14-18

The great day of the Lord is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out. 15 That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 A day of trumpet and alarm Against the fortified cities And against the high towers.

17 “I will bring distress upon men, And they shall walk like blind men, Because they have sinned against the Lord; Their blood shall be poured out like dust, And their flesh like refuse.”

18 Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the Lord’s wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His jealousy, For He will make speedy riddance Of all those who dwell in the land. - Zephaiah 1:14-18 NKJV

Zephaniah is focusing on the fate of those who refused Jesus and trust in their power and might and wealth to save themselves. While the other passages I mentioned above focus on the experience from the perspective of those who love Jesus and depend completely on Him for their salvation. The event is the same, what changes the experience is your personal relationship with Jesus.

[romancatholicreflections]

11th Oct >> Daily Reflection/Commentary on Today’s First Reading (Jonah 4:1-11) for Roman Catholics on Wednesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Commentary on Jonah 4:1-11

After having single-handedly (with some help from the Lord, of course) converted a city of 120,000 people from the king downwards, one would have thought that Jonah would have been filled with a wonderful sense of achievement. At best, he would have thanked and praised God for his wonderful works; at the least, he would have been patting himself on the back for being such an effective prophet.

Instead, we find him in a foul humour and very angry. He is angry that God could have compassion on a longstanding enemy of Israel, one who had caused great suffering to God’s people. God’s goodness should be shown only to Israelites, not to Gentiles and certainly not to Assyrians.

His self-righteous world has been turned upside down. As a devout Hebrew, one of God’s chosen and a prophet to boot, he has regarded all unbelieving Gentiles as deserving only of God’s fiercest punishments. That was why he did not want to have anything to do with them; that was why he wanted to flee as far from them as he could get.

He is very disappointed in his God but attributes it to God’s basic weakness. “Please, Yahweh, isn’t this what I said would happen when I was still in my own country? That is why I first tried to flee to Tarshish, since I knew you were a tender, compassionate God, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, who relents about inflicting disaster.” This description of Yahweh is one which God himself gave to Moses (Exod 34:6-7) at Sinai and becomes a formula repeated more than once in the Old Testament.  God’s gentle patience is in strong contrast to Jonah’s anger.

“So now, Yahweh, please take my life, for I might as well be dead as go on living.” To Jonah, God’s mercy to the Ninevites means an end to Israel’s favoured standing with him. Jonah shortly before has rejoiced in his deliverance from death in the sea, but now that the pagan and sinful Nineveh lives, in anger and frustration he prefers to die. But Yahweh asks, “Are you right to be angry?” He is angry because God has not treated the Ninevites the way Jonah thinks they deserve.

Jonah then leaves the city and sits down to the east of the city where he makes a shelter for himself. He wants to see what is going to happen to the city. He expects and hopes that a terrible destruction is going to come down on it. After all, at the beginning of the story God had said how angry he was with the Ninevites.

His shelter does not seem to have been very effective because Yahweh God then ordains that a castor-oil plant should grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head and soothe his bad humour. This is the first of three occasions in the paragraph where something happens because Yahweh “ordains” it.

Jonah is delighted with the shelter the castor-oil plant provides. A castor oil plant is a shrub growing over 4 metres high with large, shady leaves. God graciously increases the comfort of his stubbornly defiant prophet. Jonah sees no contradiction between God being kind to him, when he disobeys Yahweh, and his being kind to the Ninevites who have promised to give up their sinful ways and disobedience.

But, just when Jonah is enjoying the shade of the tree, God “ordains” that it should be attacked by a worm which causes the tree to wither. On top of that, Yahweh further “ordains” that there should be a scorching east wind blowing in from the desert. Without shelter and under the blazing sun, Jonah feels absolutely miserable: “I might as well be dead as to go on living.”

God then quietly asks Jonah, “Are you right to be angry about the castor-oil plant?” Jonah replies, “I have every right to be angry, mortally angry!” But it is now time for Jonah to learn his lesson. The message is clear. Everything is God’s doing. He is the ultimate Lord. He gives and he takes away. And he gives and takes to whomever he will – Jew or Gentile.

Jonah has got all worked up over a tree which, without any effort on his part, appeared overnight and just as quickly disappeared. Why should Yahweh, then, not be concerned for Nineveh, a city of 120,000 people, “who cannot tell their right hand from their left”, not to mention the animals.

Jonah can only see wilfully wicked people but Yahweh sees a people, who, like small children, need a father’s gentle compassion to point them in the right direction.

The message of the story is clear. It says that God’s compassion reaches out to every single person. Jonah, representing a certain class of Israelite, whom we see later in the Gospel, could not extend God’s compassion to the Gentile. Jonah and his countrymen traditionally rejoiced in God’s special mercies to Israel but wished only his wrath on their enemies. God here rebukes such hardness and proclaims his own graciousness.

In the story, God takes compassion on Jonah, when he is thrown into the stormy sea, on Nineveh which repented of its sin and even on the prophet in his moment of self-pity. At the end, Yahweh explains with gentle irony how his solicitude extends even to the animals – how much more then to men, women and children, “who cannot tell their right hand from their left”. The story thus prepares the way for the Gospel: God IS Love (cf. 1 John 4).

And this is the lesson of the whole book. It is a lesson in tolerance. It is a lesson that others besides God’s chosen people can be forgiven their sin, that they can repent of their sin, that they can be open to the influence of God and do good things.

In this book we are very close to the spirit of the New Testament where Jesus comes to save and not to condemn. The first Christians were all Jews and it came as something of a surprise to them that Gentiles could receive and respond to the Spirit of Jesus just as well as they could.

Jonah is a book attacking narrow-minded bigotry and sectarianism. As such its message is still all too relevant in a world where cynics say that the world would be better off without religions which are the source of so much suffering, violence and divisiveness. Let us remove all bigotry and intolerance from our Christian lives. Let us rejoice to see the Spirit working in other people and be happy to work with them to bring about the Kingdom.