In the context of these visions, any admixture of Jewish identity with foreign ways represented not only just such a hypocritical failure to trust God in all things but, ultimately, a decision to vanish from history. First, Ezekiel reminds his audience, the nations closely related to Israel failed through jealousy, pride, and treason. Next, he prophesies that the great merchant cities of Phoenicia are eventually doomed to ruin in the fullness of

164-72). Though this dramatization is rather simple, it is still quite deeply meaningful and profound, according to Block; the depiction of Jerusalem that Ezekiel is commanded to draw on the tablet, his rigidly controlled dietary intake, and the lying in two directions signifying his lamentation are all effective means of making more visceral and more physical the siege of the city and the collapse of the Hebrew people due

Personal Power Though the figure and invocation of God is of course central to the power and purpose of Ezekiel's prophecies against the foreign nations, and indeed in all of his prophecies as a whole, there is also necessarily a great deal of personal power in the voice and words of the prophet. Without this, his exhortations and condemnations would not be heard or heeded. This leads to a third possibility

Gnostics believed that they belonged to the "true church" of an elect few who were worthy; the orthodox Christians would not be saved because they were blind to the truth. Part E -- Content - if we then combine the historical outline of the "reason" for John's writings with the overall message, we can conclude that there are at least five major paradigms present that are important in a contextual

religious dualism and contrasts it to Bibles teachings and understanding of the existence of Both God and Satan. It explores the authenticity of dualism as a doctrine while providing strong Biblical evidence of the supremacy of God. The paper highlights Biblical origin of Satan and prophesies of his end. Satan's limitations are also highlighted as a proof that he is not God's equal but is in fact subservient to

They could only be disposed of, as it were, by leases till the year of jubilee, and were then to return to the seller or his heir." This would preserve familial and tribal heritage as well as prevent the wealthy from being able to incur large masses of land, thus keeping certain families in extreme poverty. It gives all Israelites their liberty, as well as treats them all as equals,