Is Satan a Reality or a Myth? Was there a War in Heaven? Who is Michael Referred in the Bible?

In the Bible, there are two books which keep intriguing Christian scholars for quite some time due to the immense scope they provide for speculations. 

The first one is the Book of Daniel which is part of the Old Testament Bible and the second one is the Book of Revelations, which is part of the New Testament and also the last book of the Bible.

Do Christians Really Follow Jesus?

[Picture Courtsey: Sunil Mathew]

Both these books contain some shrouded revelations about some mysteries, some events and some personalities about which the readers can only speculate. Let me quote some of those statements that are relevant in this context:

The first one is from Chapter-10 of the Book of Daniel. In verse 12 of this chapter, it is written like this:

Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael,one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”

Chapter-12 of the Book of Daniel  begins like this:

“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.  Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.  Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.  But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”

Now let me take your attention to Chapter-12 of the last book of Bible, the Book of Revelation: In verses-7 to 9 we read like this:

Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.  But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Carefully reading this much, we can safely deduce a few things as given below:

1. Bible does not elaborate much about the personality named Michael, except that he is introduced as one of the Chief Princes and he has angels under his command. This implies that Michael was not a human being, but an invisible celestial personality.

2. There is another Prince who is referred as the prince of the Persian kingdom who was preventing the narrator for nearly 21 days from reaching Daniel (if you read preceding narrations in the book of Daniel carefully, you could perhaps realize that it was an angelic revelator who was explaining certain mysteries to Daniel in his vision). The angelic narrator tells Daniel that it was the the Chief Prince, Michael who helped him to overcome the resistance of the prince of Persia. Obviously, the personality referred here as the Prince of Persia is not a human being, but an invisible celestial personality and he too was a kind of prince or a ruler. But the personality referred as Michael was one of the Chief Princes and powers greater than the former.  

3. For some reasons, the angelic prince of Persia and the celestial Chief Prince, Michael were not in agreement to each other.

4. There was some kind of a war in the celestial world or heavens. The war was between the dragon or Satan and his angels and Michael and his angels.

5. The Satanic group was not any match to the powers of the Michael's group and thus, the outcome of the heavenly war that happened long ago was not in favor of the former. Consequently, the former group was removed from the heaven ( or heavenly worlds) and confined to earth. Perhaps on earth they got some powers  of celestial superintendence over the kingdoms of human beings. The prince of Persia as referred may be such a celestial personality. 

6. The celestial group which got castigated and confined to earth after the war in the heavens have been somehow leading the whole world (of humans) astray (away from the right path).

The whole Bible is a collection of books with several accounts that depict the history of human evolution over the centuries with human progress towards civilization. The Biblical narrations take a small sample of human communities of the Hebrews, Persians, Arabs, Greeks, etc settled around the Babylonian region as the subjects for detailed discussions. Objectively it shows how the human concepts progress towards the understanding of the spiritual empire of God and the relationship between God and man. The Bible, for a serious student is a collection of several books containing immense study material that exposes truthful treasures of knowledge that matters humans and their relationship with God. Unlike many other religious books, the human authors of the bible books from the past had written what they wanted to communicate to others in a simple manner without the use of fantasies or imaginative exaggerations.

Nevertheless, the Bible is a book of records written by human beings who lived during a long span of time covering several centuries with the last included book authored some 1900 years ago. The authors of the bible books were people who believed in the existence of an unseen God who mysteriously maintained a relationship with humans as a father through his messengers and angels. Bible books are indeed recorded history of human civilizational struggles giving human trials, tribulations and achievements with God as the central theme.

Yet, human civilization had been passing through centuries of dark ages. Humans in general have been in existence as brutal savages fighting and killing each other for the silliest of reasons. Humanity in humans have been developing very slowly. Even in the modern times, we cannot say that we are fully civilized peoples who have acquired divine qualities of universal brotherhood. We lack the qualities of divine love to a great extent.

In my opinion, we are not able to acquire the divine brotherhood of love due to various reasons. Some of these are due to our own weaknesses in assessing truth from falsehoods. 

To add to this problem is an external invisible force that is working against the divine plans. Remember what the Biblical narrations above stated. There is the presence and nefarious activities of invisible castigated celestial princes and angels on earth that have been happening without the humans not realizing much directly.

Humans with weak mind qualities easily fall prey to these nefarious forces  enhancing the problems of earth. Besides there are human beings who themselves have mind qualities that are similar to the castigated angels. They knowingly or unknowingly work against the divine plans of God. Simply stated they work against the divine human quality of love and compassion or twist the real meanings of love and compassion in their own ways.

It is not my intention to go in to a scholastic commentary of the Bible narrations that I mentioned above. There are several such articles and essays by Bible theologians all of whom giving their commentaries from their own studies and thoughts. 

Nevertheless, as a layman reader, let me point out some of the thoughts that come in to my mind in this context:

1. The Bible contains writings of several persons who lived several centuries ago. Perhaps their writings contain thoughts of their own mixed with certain truths that they received within their minds as provided by some divine communication channels. These writers of the books of the Bible lived thousands of years ago when the human knowledge, culture and civilization were vastly different from the present. There is also a possibility of several missing links. With the advancement of human knowledge in the field of science, it is quite natural that atleast a few modern human minds desire for some clarifications to the contents of the ancient religious texts lest they discard them as pure nonsense originating from the minds of the ancient underdeveloped humans.

2. The depictions of the Bible with regard to the war in heaven, Satan and Michael and their relations to God are not very clear. The modern human mind could discard these as myths unless their inner curiosities are not satisfactorily addressed.

3. The Bible narrations with regard to human history and human evolution seem have some contradictions  with the evolved scientific knowledge of the present day.

4. Languages and meanings have changed much in the last several centuries which necessitates some kind of authentic knowledge that would supplement our knowledge about the Bible contents and perhaps remove our wrong notions authentically.

5. If God exists and has been a kind of guiding force for the authors of the Bible books, would it be erroneous to think that God would not act to remove human misconceptions at a later era?

The 20th century humans are fortunate (only if they so desire!) that they have now a celestially authored and humanly published book that is capable of removing human doubts and misconceptions about the role of humans not only on earth but also in the whole of the universe. 

The beauty and the reality is that God exists and He is eternal and loving to all His creations, even for the lowly humans. God is not hiding from humans. On the contrary, it is the human inherent limitations that prevent humans from comprehending the infinite God of the Universe. That inherent limitation coupled with the confusions caused by some lesser creations of God causes humans to go astray from God.

I have gained much insight on this from this new book. The Bible and for that matter most of the religious texts contain truths coupled with exaggerations and errors crept in due to the inadequacies of human minds. But just as we comprehend more of a book with the help of a good dictionary or an encyclopedia, these texts become more understandable with the help of the guidance provided by this 20th century guide book whose contents come from several super human minds. The only requirement for a human being to enhance his or her knowledge is an open and seeking mind devoid of preconceived notions!

Let me now reproduce below a couple of statements from this superior explanatory book which now gives a kind of complimentary clarification to what have been written in the Bible :

“There was war in heaven; Michael's commander and his angels fought against the dragon (Lucifer, Satan, and the apostate princes); and the dragon and his rebellious angels fought but prevailed not.” This "war in heaven" was not a physical battle as such a conflict might be conceived on earth. In the early days of the struggle Lucifer held forth (talked) continuously in the planetary amphitheater. Gabriel conducted an unceasing exposure of the rebel sophistries from his headquarters taken up near at hand. The various personalities present on the sphere who were in doubt as to their attitude would journey back and forth between these discussions until they arrived at a final decision. 

"But this war in heaven was very terrible and very real. While displaying none of the barbarities so characteristic of physical warfare on the immature worlds, this conflict was far more deadly; material life is in jeopardy in material combat, but the war in heaven was fought in terms of life eternal".

There are much more things to be learnt. For paucity of space and time I am not venturing to write all those. Let me tell you in brief what I learnt now with the help of the new book:

1. Lucifer had been  a celestial prince or ruler. He is not just an angel, but was a celestial administrator vested with divine powers to rule material worlds on and behalf of his superior divine administrators all of whom under the general delegation of powers according to the never changing laws of the Supreme Creator God of the Universe . There are innumerable lower order angels under his command. To be precise he was the celestial ruler of hundreds of evolutionary planets where human life flourished. Satan was his immediate administrative assistant. They also had the planetary princes for each of the material worlds under their command, including our earth of the solar system. Innumerable numbers of subordinate celestial personalities for various functions worked under them such as the so-called angels. 

2. Michaels are an order of Divine Sons of God who are delegated with the powers to create and organize material universes from the non material energy sources of the universe originating from God. Innumerable orders of intelligent celestial beings execute the task of creation under the overall supervision of the Creator Sons of God. The material creation domain of each Michael is too huge that it in itself is called a local universe which could contain millions of stars, dark bodies, barren planets and planets that can sustain and evolve material life. There could be over 10 million such material life sustaining planets in one local universe. 1000 local universe spaces constitute one super universe and the whole of the known space is divided in to 7 super universe regions. As mentioned in the Bible, there is a Michael who is the Creator of the universe space in which our earth belongs and he is the Chief Prince or the Chief ruler of this universe space. As such, Lucifer, Satan and other such subordinate celestial rulers gained their authority from this Michael. Just as our universe space have a creator prince originating from God the first source of everything, there are other such creator princes for other material universe spaces.

3. Michael is not an angel, but a divine creator and ruler directly originating from God. He is the creative head of material universe spaces and the living beings that are contained within those spaces. All the 7000 universe spaces have a Creator Son of God as their respective Chief. Thus, what the Bible says as, Michael-one of the Chief Princes- is right. The creative chief prince of a universe space, later becomes the Sovereign Ruler of that universe space, after he fulfills certain divine stipulations. Our earth belongs to such a universe space where such a Michael reigns. He is our Sovereign Lord.

My dear readers! I have written this only to point out to you about the vast knowledge that exists that would enhance our minds and enable us to find out the real purpose of human lives. But for that we need to open out our rigid minds a bit and be receptive to new thoughts and information that our heavenly father so kindly provides us. At the same time we should realize the dangers of external sophistries that play around to hoodwink us from realities and truths. Remember, the expelled celestial prince and his associates are still doing their subtle acts to distract humans from God. He will keep doing that for some more time till he is fully prevented from doing so.

But we have God given powers to distinguish truths from untruths provided we honestly desire so. When we do not use that judiciously we get immersed in mind confusions caused by the mixture of truths and untruths. That causes us to depart from divine paths.

That is what the dethroned prince who is now roaming on earth wants.

What Benefits the Christians Get By Converting Others to Christianity?

Religion and religion based politics are nothing new to our world now. Religion based conflicts keep happening. Had it been God who determined the human affairs of religion on earth, then perhaps religious conflicts would not have arisen at all. At least that is my simple logic.

Extending that logic further, it could perhaps be concluded that God has no real place in religious affairs of the men and women of earth as it stands today. Isn't it the people who determine about the who-what-how of God rather than God Himself ? Perhaps God has determined to leave this to the people themselves for the time being till they realize the truths! But realization of the truths perfectly can happen only after all the people get truly matured in their mind capacities!

Anyway, that is not going to happen in the near future. It might take many centuries ahead before all men and women of earth develop to some equitable status in their mind capabilities as determined by their character and competence. 

Till that time they keep creating situations of conflicts among them due to varying degrees of misunderstandings arising out of imperfect comprehension of truths and untruths. The immature ones would not even allow the peace loving, mature folks among them to live in an environment of social brotherhood of peace, friendship and service!

You may be wondering why I wrote all this? Be patient, and read ahead.

I am branded as a Christian in my country India, not because I am a true follower of Jesus Christ, but because I happened to be born to parents who were too branded likewise. I have no idea about those of my ancestors who got converted to this religion abandoning whatever faith or faithlessness they had. I do not even know why they did that. Did they do that under inducements of money, power or force as some now believe? I have no idea. There are no records either.

Yet I am happy for that great decision of my ancestors. I am happy that I now belong to an indigenous Christian church, the Mar Thoma Syrian Church, which takes pride not only in its Indian character but also in its centuries' old Syrian cultural ancestry and progressive christian values. Even though it is a mere accident of time, I can't help thanking the Almighty that I got the opportunity to be born and brought up in a family that believed in Christian values rather than in any other faith systems that exist today.

Christians world over believe and practice (in varying degrees of conviction and effort) the command that Jesus Christ had believed to have told his followers as recorded in the first book of the New Testament Bible, in the gospel according to St.Matthew @ (28:19):

" Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father (God Almighty) and of the Son and the Holy Spirit" 

Just as my non-Christian friends, I too had unanswered doubts lingering in my mind for many years about the manner in which Christian missionaries and evangelists convert non-Christians to Christianity. 

What is the real motive behind Christian proselytism? 

Did Jesus really instruct his followers to baptize  all people of all nations as his disciples? Why did Jesus gave such an instruction? What did he actually mean by it? Is this the reason why Christian churches, individual evangelists and groups keep on carrying out their so-called gospel missions and conversion activities?

Why do Christian churches sponsor missionaries and try to convert non-Christians to their fold? Are they doing this for their selfish benefits? Are they doing this for taking control of all nations and making their own super power? Is it a political agenda by some vicious Christian leaders to subjugate all other religions and peoples? 

Modern democratic leaders and for that matter, even the dictators or monarchs of the world, gain power from the majority people. So, being in a majority is commonly thought as having some advantage by the minorities. It may not be a fact, but when in minority, it is always possible for the minorities to consider themselves being exploited for one reason or the other. It is not possible to form a cohesive and equitable society of people when people are all individually different in some physical or mental attributes! It is easy for clever people to inject thought poisons to divide a group of otherwise innocent individuals having varying mind capacities!

The mechanics of 'divide and rule' is nothing new in our world! 

When Christians became a majority in the world order by their centuries old collective and individualized proselytism activities, they happened to be viewed as a threat by those who happened to be in the minority faiths. Christians were a persecuted minority in the past, but in many regions of the world over the centuries, they emerged as a well-to-do and progressive class in general. Divisions in the society did not get eliminated in nations and regions even when all people became Christians. Emerging new religions and divisions within the Christendom caused conflicts to keep happening.

Where they are a minority, Christians are generally labelled as a potential threat by radical thought provokers of modern times who keep postulating their theories very convincingly. The Christian haters do get opportunities to bash the former as Christians too are nothing very different from their other human brethren with regard to their maturity levels!

In the modern world, Christian proselytism is opposed by counter proselytism which adopts both peaceful and violent means. A major Indian political party's right wing cadres have thought it best to launch mass campaigns to bring back the lost members of their faith back to their fold by controversial programs such as the 'Ghar Wapsi' (Home coming). 

In the Christian dominated western countries, the new thought is to stick to secularism as the guiding principle of democratic politics and governance rather than having governments under the banner of the dominant religion. Since that idea is again perceived as originating from the affluent Christian dominated nations, non-Christian majority nations and thinkers are apparently not very much enthusiastic to discuss about it. 

'It was their time earlier, but now it's our time!'. Such a thought also seems very logical for many. 

Writers, thinkers and leaders keep debating over these issues. I keep reading what the so-called learned men have to say about the issue of religious conversions.

Here is one such essay by a a foreign writer, perhaps from a Christian background.  

In my country, many influential writers from all faiths keep expressing their own ideas and opinions.

For example in today's Economic Times, I happen to read an article by a well known Hindu educationist, business leader and writer, Mr. T V Mohandas Pai. For the benefit of my readers, I reproduce a photo scan of what he had written, below:

In his article, he is lamenting about the inaction of the people of his community for not making use of the huge wealth of the Hindu temples for social benefits of the Hindu community which, according to him, is giving the opportunity to the Christians to lure the poor Hindus to become vulnerable to Christian proselytism.

Is he or for that matter all those who think in that lines, to conclude that it is the money and such other inducements that force the non-Christian folks to adopt Christianity? Are the evangelists using foreign funds for their missionary acts to lure and convert the hapless victims? Else, what other techniques they adopt to make this happen?

As I have written here above, I too have been thinking about the reasons behind the religious conversions that are initiated by Christian evangelists and missionaries, just as Mr Pai. Mr Pai might not have attended any Christian congregation or church or even interacted with any of those so-called evangelists or missionaries. But I have.

And to be very frank, I am surprised. I do not find any logic in any person, rich or poor, to convert to another faith because of lures of money, inducements, threats or other such influences in these modern times. At the same time I do not deny the fact about the existence of a few such persons who switch their faith for temporary material benefits. But I have not yet come across a person of that sort. If there are some, they are perhaps people with no self esteem just like those who do any thing for money, fame or for some other very selfish non-spiritual gains.

I have studied other religions very closely. Had the other religions been better to satisfy my inner spiritual urge, I would perhaps had overcome the social stigma to get converted to any one of those where I found that satisfaction! 

Perhaps people who get converted to Christianity or other religions are doing that for quenching their spiritual thirsts more than the material thirsts. In my opinion, the material or social prospects alone would not make a person in this modern times to change their faith. In most cases, they overcome the societal stigma of changing faith and convert to another religion because of some inner spiritual awakening about which only they can explain.

Since, voluntary faith conversions take place more to Christianity than to any other religion, there should be some thing special with Christianity that makes it possible.

I had the opportunity to meet several well-to-do and not-so-well-to-do  people who have converted voluntarily to Christianity in the recent times. I do get overwhelmed by their spiritual enthusiasm in their newly acquired faith and religion- some thing that either me or the lot like me do not have. In the times we live, religion and faith are very sensitive issues and therefore, I know the various difficulties they might have faced in taking the decisions to convert to Christianity. Unlike those who do religious conversions for purely temporal or beneficial physical gains such as marriage, those who do it for apparent spiritual benefits face much embarrassment in life. Yet many keep doing it. It is perhaps difficult for many to understand the logic or purpose behind it in pure material terms.

I also know several people who while outwardly retaining their original religious affiliations, remain inwardly as faithful followers of Jesus Christ. I also had occasions when a few such individuals trying to convince me- a branded Christian- to convert to the version of the christian faith that they believe as true. I often wonder why they have more of the christian faith than me!

It is not possible in these days to make a person to fall in line with your thoughts, whatever inducements you try to adopt, unless they themselves have taken such a decision willfully. Human beings are will creatures. The mere fact that they are poor or downtrodden does not change that. It is a mere foolishness to think that the poor class are will-less slaves!

Under physical force and also under conditions of torture, it might be possible to make some people to do some religious rituals or to make them verbally pronounce or denounce their faiths. But that would not make their minds to change, unless they themselves decide for a change. But, true followers of Christ have a legacy of withstanding even great violence and torture! They apparently possess a stronger will that could withstand all physical problems.

The Christian faith is based on the reality of God and the reality of life after death. By combining the old and the new together, the Christian Bible makes one understand the evolutionary aspects of faith under love, compassion and service. The contrasts between the old and the new together with the fatherly love of God to all his creations are great help for all spiritually starved persons to realize the reality of God as their divine father. The history of Jesus as depicted makes one understand the way Jesus made his followers understand the power of simplicity, service, love and humility rather than the material power.  Physical power is easier to perceive and understand, while spiritual power, though superior, is difficult to perceive. 

As with any other religion, Christianity too have been used by evil forces for meeting their vested interests. But it also possessed the self healing systems within itself to overcome such difficulties and to function as a great agent of modern civilization and progress. Perhaps it enjoyed some divine over-care during times of difficulties.

As with any faith, Christians are also not a unified or cohesive force in this world. There are several groups, churches or denominations and all have their differences and agreements of thoughts. Many follow a religion about Jesus Christ and not necessarily the religion of Jesus Christ. Yet, Christianity as it stand today is a religion that essentially nurtures human personality, values and character rather than chaining its followers under regressive mores, rituals or traditions. While they have institutionalized the churches, the churches are all essentially democratic and the individuals members enjoy freedom of expression and thought.

The foremost principle of being a Christian is the principle of loving service to fellow beings, not necessarily fellow Christians. So those who are in Christian faith are more willing to share their wealth for common good. While they contribute for a common cause, very often they are neither doing so for gaining some immediate material gain from a satisfied deity nor to please a God who would otherwise become angry.

I am a member of an Indian church. All members contribute voluntarily to the church for various purposes. Funds are required for maintaining the common infrastructure for the church as well as for doing welfare measures for others in the society who might benefit from it. Those contributions from the members help the churches to build hospitals, schools, training centers and such other things for areas and peoples who really need it. Just as the Indian Christians, all Christians in the world do it as a part of their small commitment towards making a bit difference in the lives of several of their unfortunate human brothers and sisters. Besides, most Christians feel the internal joy of sharing the spiritual wellness of being a follower of Jesus that actually helped them to become an individual capable of sharing both physically and spiritually.

St.Thomas School, Ranchi witnessing a sports meet 

for the underprivileged children of the remote schools the church members started just an year ago

At times, some Christians become too ecstatic in sharing their spiritual joy and for any onlooker it might appear as an effort by them to induce others to their fold. But as I explained, it is not possible for any one to change a person's mind by material inducements alone. I have reasons to believe that human faith under voluntary conditions can change only with some unseen divine intervention! Christians commonly believe this as the work of the all pervading effect of what they call and identify as the act of the Holy Spirit.

Once a senior bureaucrat and a Hindu by faith who was a fellow air passenger with me on a flight from Port Blair told me some thing he found as difficult to explain by any simple logic. He was the government commissioner of the Nicobar islands. How could the many remote islanders of Nicobar become Christians several decades or centuries ago? Who converted them and by what method at a time when there was no modern communication methods available? Even with all government support, he said, these islands are difficult to reach. Then how these people speaking different languages or dialects were contacted so that they changed to a new faith in large numbers? He had no answer, nor had I.

But that is the manner in which the world population got converted to Christianity. It started with the Jews, Greeks, Egyptians and the elite Romans some 1900 odd years ago. Human inducement or divine intervention? I do not know. But humans alone cannot do it. That I am sure.

If my fellow Christians start discarding their faith and embrace other faiths in large numbers, I would not get angry. I believe religious faith is a matter of personal choice. But I would be perplexed and puzzled to know the reason. My human curiosity would try finding the reasons by talking to those of my fellows who changed their faith. If I get convinced, I too would perhaps join them. Otherwise not. But would I ever get convinced to overcome the various barriers to take the decision for a conversion? I doubt. I would need an irresistible spiritual boost to over come the mind barrier. If it is like that for me, it might apply to others as well.

Why did Jesus tell his disciples the way it is written in the Bible? He was not interested in becoming the king or the emperor. But then why did he tell that way? Why did he want the whole nations of the earth as his disciples? For political power or for some thing else?

I was curious to know the details of what he might have actually told. Then quite surprisingly I got the answer in my favorite book (the Urantia Book). The book says that Jesus taught most authoritatively after he got resurrected the third day after his death on the cross. One day before his ascension, he instructed his followers about preaching the good news and about the realities of the kingdom of God to all people who live in ignorance.

Let me quote what is written in this book:

"Peace be upon you. For a full week have I tarried that I might appear again when you were all present to hear once more the commission to go into all the world and preach this gospel of the kingdom. Again I tell you: As the Father sent me into the world, so send I you. As I have revealed the Father, so shall you reveal the divine love, not merely with words, but in your daily living. I send you forth, not to love the souls of men, but rather to love men. You are not merely to proclaim the joys of heaven but also to exhibit in your daily experience these spirit realities of the divine life since you already have eternal life, as the gift of God, through faith. When you have faith, when power from on high, the Spirit of Truth, has come upon you, you will not hide your light here behind closed doors; you will make known the love and the mercy of God to all mankind. Through fear you now flee from the facts of a disagreeable experience, but when you shall have been baptized with the Spirit of Truth, you will bravely and joyously go forth to meet the new experiences of proclaiming the good news of eternal life in the kingdom of God. You may tarry here and in Galilee for a short season while you recover from the shock of the transition from the false security of the authority of traditionalism to the new order of the authority of facts, truth, and faith in the supreme realities of living experience. Your mission to the world is founded on the fact that I lived a God-revealing life among you; on the truth that you and all other men are the sons of God; and it shall consist in the life which you will live among men—the actual and living experience of loving men and serving them, even as I have loved and served you. Let faith reveal your light to the world; let the revelation of truth open the eyes blinded by tradition; let your loving service effectually destroy the prejudice engendered by ignorance. By so drawing close to your fellow men in understanding sympathy and with unselfish devotion, you will lead them into a saving knowledge of the Father's love. The Jews have extolled goodness; the Greeks have exalted beauty; the Hindus preach devotion; the faraway ascetics teach reverence; the Romans demand loyalty; but I require of my disciples life, even a life of loving service for your brothers in the flesh".[The Urantia Book, Paper 191:5.3]

My dear reader! I now have the answer to the question that was in my mind for so long. Christians are not there to defend and protect their religion or their god. It is the God that acts through many of them, if not all of them. The baptism that Jesus preached was about the baptism of the mind and a change from ignorance to wisdom and loving service. Since all men and women are children of God, there is no need for any one to make a formal declaration or a physical ritual to embrace the good things that he revealed.   

Read the above quote once again. You would know the difference!

Jesus Cleansing the Jerusalem Temple: More Details to Learn and Meditate!

 Many of you might have heard or read the incident as given in a few passages in the gospels of the New Testament Bible that describe briefly about the public act of Jesus Christ in which he used some kind of physical force against the money changers and traders inside the Jerusalem temple. 

Is there a need to cleanse your temples now?

Many bible scholars and Christian theologians keep discussing this and giving us their views, versions and scholarly findings about this incident which is now well known as the act of cleansing of the temple.

As the gospel authors wrote about these from what they had learnt in later years, there could naturally be some mismatch here and there about the true nature of the incident, though the intentions of the biblical authors cannot be disputed.

But fortunately, now we have the detailed chronology of events written down for us by a more authoritative group of authors. When I read from this new book, I get the feeling of moving back in history to the times of when this incident really happened. 

According to this new book (my favorite book of life guidance) this incident happened on the Monday, the 3rd April, AD 30. 

For those of you who might be a little inclined to know more, I am reproducing* the relevant passages from this book with a little bit adaptation to render it somewhat simplified:

Early on this Monday morning, Jesus and the apostles assembled at the home of Simon in Bethany, and after a brief conference they started their journey to Jerusalem. The twelve were strangely silent as they journeyed on toward the Jerusalem temple; they had not recovered from the experience of the preceding Sunday when Jesus surprised them by riding the donkey on the streets. They were expectant, fearful, and profoundly affected by a certain feeling of detachment growing out of the Master’s (Jesus’) sudden change of tactics, coupled with his instruction that they were to engage in no public teaching throughout this Passover week.

It was about nine o’clock on this beautiful morning when these men arrived at the temple. They went at once to the large court where Jesus so often taught, and after greeting the believers who were awaiting him, Jesus mounted one of the teaching platforms and began to address the gathering crowd. The apostles withdrew for a short distance and awaited developments.

A huge commercial traffic had grown up in association with the services and ceremonies of the temple worship.

There was the business of providing suitable animals for the various sacrifices. Though it was permissible for a worshiper to provide his own sacrifice, the Jewish religious customs required that this animal must be free from all defects.

This was to be certified by and interpreted by official inspectors of the temple.

Many times worshippers had experienced the humiliation of having their supposedly perfect animal rejected by the temple examiners. It therefore became the more general practice to purchase sacrificial animals at the temple, and although there were several stations on near-by Olivet where they could be bought, it had become the accepted practice to buy these animals directly from the temple’s own animal shelters.

Gradually there had grown up this custom of selling all kinds of sacrificial animals in the temple courts. An extensive business, in which enormous profits were made, had thus been brought into existence. Part of these gains was reserved for the temple treasury, but the larger part went indirectly into the hands of the ruling high-priestly families.

This sale of animals in the temple prospered because, when the worshiper purchased such an animal, although the price might be somewhat high, no more fees had to be paid, and he could be sure about the intended sacrifice not getting rejected on the ground of possessing any blemishes. At one time or another, systems of exorbitant overcharge were practiced upon the common people, especially during the great national feasts. At one time the greedy priests went so far as to demand the equivalent of the value of a week’s labor for a pair of doves which should have been sold to the poor for a few pennies. The kin of the high priests had already begun to establish their bazaars in the temple precincts, those very merchandise marts which persisted to the time of their final overthrow by a mob three years before the destruction of the Jerusalem temple some years later.

But trading in sacrificial animals and sundry merchandise was not the only way in which the courts of the temple were corrupted.

At this time there was fostered an extensive system of banking and commercial exchange which was carried on right within the temple precincts.

And this all came about in the following manner: The Jews coined their own silver money, and it had become the practice to require the temple dues of one-half shekel and all other temple fees to be paid with this Jewish coin.

This regulation necessitated that money-changers be licensed to exchange the many sorts of currency in circulation throughout Palestine and other provinces of the Roman Empire for this orthodox shekel of Jewish coining.

The temple head tax, payable by all except women, slaves, and minors, was one-half shekel, a coin about the size of a ten-cent piece (that existed in the US in the early 1920s) but twice as thick. By the times of Jesus the priests had also been exempted from the payment of temple dues. Accordingly, from the 15^th to the 25^th of the month preceding the Passover, accredited money-changers erected their booths in the principal cities of Palestine for the purpose of providing the Jewish people with proper money to meet the temple dues after they had reached Jerusalem.

After this ten-day period these money-changers moved on to Jerusalem and proceeded to set up their exchange tables in the courts of the temple. They were permitted to charge the equivalent of from three to four cents commission for the exchange of a coin valued at about ten cents, and in case a coin of larger value was offered for exchange, they were allowed to collect double. Likewise did these temple bankers profit from the exchange of all money intended for the purchase of sacrificial animals and for the payment of vows and the making of offerings.

These temple money-changers not only conducted a regular banking business for profit in the exchange of more than twenty sorts of money which the visiting pilgrims would periodically bring to Jerusalem, but they also engaged in all other kinds of transactions pertaining to the banking business. Both the temple treasury and the temple rulers profited tremendously from these commercial activities. It was not uncommon for the temple treasury to hold upwards of ten million dollars while the common people languished in poverty and continued to pay these unjust levies.

In the midst of this noisy aggregation of money-changers, merchandisers, and cattle sellers, Jesus, on this Monday morning, attempted to teach the gospel of the heavenly kingdom. He was not alone in resenting this profanation of the temple; the common people, especially the Jewish visitors from foreign provinces, also heartily resented this profiteering desecration of their national house of worship.

As Jesus was about to begin his address, two things happened to arrest his attention. At the money table of a near-by exchanger a violent and heated argument had arisen over the alleged overcharging of a Jew from Alexandria.  At the same moment the air was filled by the bellowing of some one hundred bullocks that were being driven from one section of the animal pens to another.

To the amazement of his apostles, standing near at hand, who refrained from participation in what so soon followed, Jesus stepped down from the teaching platform and, going over to the lad who was driving the cattle through the court, took from him his whip of cords and swiftly drove the animals from the temple. But that was not all; he strode majestically before the wondering gaze of the thousands assembled in the temple court to the farthest cattle pen and proceeded to open the gates of every stall and to drive out the imprisoned animals.

By this time the assembled pilgrims were electrified, and with uproarious shouting they moved toward the bazaars and began to overturn the tables of the money-changers. In less than five minutes all commerce had been swept from the temple. By the time the near-by Roman guards had appeared on the scene, all was quiet, and the crowds had become orderly.

Jesus, returning to the speaker’s stand, spoke to the multitude: “You have this day witnessed that which is written in the Scriptures: ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations, but you have made it a den of robbers.’

But before he could utter other words, the great assembly broke out in hosannas of praise, and presently a throng of youths stepped out from the crowd to sing grateful hymns of appreciation that the profane and profiteering merchandisers had been ejected from the sacred temple. By this time certain of the priests had arrived on the scene, and one of them said to Jesus, “Do you not hear what the children of the Levites say?” And the Master replied, “Have not you ever read, ‘Out of the mouths of babies had praise been perfected’?” 

And all the rest of that day while Jesus taught, guards set by the people stood watch at every archway, and they would not permit anyone to carry even an empty vessel across the temple courts.

When the chief priests and the scribes heard about these happenings, they were dumfounded.

All the more they feared the Master, and all the more they determined to destroy him. But they were perplexed. They did not know how to accomplish his death, for they greatly feared the people, who were now so outspoken in their approval of his overthrow of the profane profiteers.

And all this day, a day of quiet and peace in the temple courts, the people heard Jesus’ teaching and literally hung on his words.

This cleansing of the temple discloses the Master’s attitude toward commercializing the practices of religion as well as his disapproval of all forms of unfairness and profiteering at the expense of the poor and the unlearned.

This episode also demonstrates that Jesus did not look with approval upon the refusal to employ force to protect the majority of any given human group against the unfair and enslaving practices of unjust minorities who may be able to entrench themselves behind political, financial, or religious power.

Shrewd, wicked, and designing men are not to be permitted to organize themselves for the exploitation and oppression of those simple kind of good, peace loving people.

My dear reader, did this narrative give you any impetus for learning more? 

[* From Paper-173 of the Urantia Book]

Teachings of Jesus about Marriage and Divorce!

The following is a passage from the gospel according to St.Matthew as given in the New Testament Bible [ NT Bible, Matthew 19:3-12]

One day the Pharisees ( with an intention to irritate him) asked Jesus this question: 

“Is it legal for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”

He answered, “Haven’t you read in your (scriptures) that the Creator originally made man and woman for each other, male and female? And because of this, a man leaves father and mother and is firmly bonded to his wife, becoming one flesh—no longer two bodies but one. Because God created this organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart.”

They shot back in rebuttal, “If that’s so, why did Moses (in the scriptures) give instructions for divorce papers and divorce procedures?”

Jesus said, “Moses provided for divorce as a concession to your hardheartedness, but it is not part of God’s original plan. I’m holding you to the original plan, and holding you liable for adultery if you divorce your faithful wife and then marry someone else. I make an exception in cases where the spouse has committed adultery.”

Jesus’ disciples objected, “If those are the terms of marriage, we’re stuck. Why get married?”

But Jesus said, “Not everyone is mature enough to live a married life. It requires a certain aptitude and grace. Marriage isn’t for everyone. Some, from birth seemingly, never give marriage a thought. Others never get asked—or accepted. And some decide not to get married for kingdom reasons. But if you’re capable of growing into the largeness of marriage, do it.”

Now let us see the explanation related to this incident as told to the 20th century people of earth by the invisible, superhuman authors of my supreme book of life guidance: (The Urantia Book Paper 167) 

That night, in Jericho, the unfriendly Pharisees (members of the ancient Jewish Sect who followed strict religious traditions and laws) sought to entrap the Master (Jesus) by inducing him to discuss marriage and divorce, as did their fellows one time in Galilee, but Jesus artfully avoided their efforts to bring him into conflict with their laws concerning divorce. 

As the publican (keeper of the Jewish place of worship) and the Pharisee illustrated good and bad religion, their divorce practices served to contrast the better marriage laws of the Jewish code with the disgraceful laxity of the Pharisaic interpretations of these Mosaic (rules stipulated in the Jewish Bible believed as written by Moses) divorce statutes. 

The Pharisee judged himself by the lowest standard; the publican squared himself by the highest ideal. Devotion, to the Pharisee, was a means of inducing self-righteous inactivity and the assurance of false spiritual security; devotion, to the publican, was a means of stirring up his soul to the realization of the need for repentance, confession, and the acceptance, by faith, of merciful forgiveness. The Pharisee sought justice; the publican sought mercy. 

The law of the universe is: Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find.

Though Jesus refused to be drawn into a controversy with the Pharisees concerning divorce, he did proclaim a positive teaching of the highest ideals regarding marriage. 

He exalted marriage as the most ideal and highest of all human relationships. 

Likewise, he intimated strong disapproval of the lax and unfair divorce practices of the Jerusalem Jews, who at that time permitted a man to divorce his wife for the most trifling of reasons, such as being a poor cook, a faulty housekeeper, or for no better reason than that he had become enamored of a better-looking woman.

The Pharisees had even gone so far as to teach that divorce of this easy variety was a special dispensation granted to the Jewish people, particularly the Pharisees. And so, while Jesus refused to make pronouncements dealing with marriage and divorce, he did most bitterly denounce these shameful floutings of the marriage relationship and pointed out their injustice to women and children.

He never sanctioned any divorce practice which gave man any advantage over woman; the Master countenanced only those teachings which accorded women equality with men.

Although Jesus did not offer new mandates governing marriage and divorce, he did urge the Jews to live up to their own laws and higher teachings. 

He constantly appealed to the written Scriptures in his effort to improve their practices along these social lines. While thus upholding the high and ideal concepts of marriage, Jesus skillfully avoided clashing with his questioners about the social practices represented by either their written laws or their much-cherished divorce privileges.

It was very difficult for the apostles (disciples of Jesus) to understand the Master’s reluctance to make positive pronouncements relative to scientific, social, economic, and political problems. 

They did not fully realize that his earth mission was exclusively concerned with revelations of spiritual and religious truths.

After Jesus had talked about marriage and divorce, later on that evening his apostles privately asked many additional questions, and his answers to these inquiries relieved their minds of many misconceptions. 

At the conclusion of this conference Jesus said: 

“Marriage is honorable and is to be desired by all men. The fact that the Son of Man (Jesus often preferred to address himself like this) pursues his earth mission alone is in no way a reflection on the desirability of marriage. 

"That I should so work is the Father’s (God's) will, but this same Father has directed the creation of male and female, and it is the divine will that men and women should find their highest service and consequent joy in the establishment of homes for the reception and training of children, in the creation of whom these parents become co-partners with the Makers of heaven and earth. 

"And for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall become as one.”

And in this way Jesus relieved the minds of the apostles of many worries about marriage and cleared up many misunderstandings regarding divorce; at the same time he did much to exalt their ideals of social union and to augment their respect for women and children and for the home.

I earnestly hope that you ( who read it patiently with the spiritual curiosity that compelled you from within) could get some valuable insight.

Share it with those of whom who might be receptive to the true teachings of Jesus.