SEPARATING THE SPIRITUAL FROM THE PHYSICAL
THE HIDDEN MEANING
INTRODUCTION
In these next scriptures, we at VAL-TE’ believe occurs when one culture brings under domination or control of another, conquering its population and exploiting it, often while forcing its own language and cultural values upon its people. Indeed Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon, With fine branches that shaded the forest, And of high stature; And its top was among the thick boughs. The waters made it grow; Underground waters gave it height, With their rivers running around the place where it was planted, And sent out rivulets to all the trees of the field. Therefore its height was exalted above all the trees of the field; Its boughs were multiplied, And its branches became long because of the abundance of water, As it sent them out. All the birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs; Under its branches all the beasts of the field brought forth their young; And in its shadow all great nations made their home. ‘Thus it was beautiful in greatness and in the length of its branches, Because its roots reached to abundant waters. The cedars in the garden of God could not hide it; The fir trees were not like its boughs, And the chestnut trees were not like its branches; No tree in the garden of God was like it in beauty. I made it beautiful with a multitude of branches, So that all the trees of Eden envied it, That were in the garden of God’. Ezekiel 31: 3-9 NKJV
Biblical Word
TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL – This is the word that the LORD has spoken against him: The Virgin Daughter of Zion despises you and mocks you. The Daughter of Jerusalem tosses her head as you flee. Who is it you have insulted and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel! By your messengers you have heaped insults on the Lord. And you have said, “With my many chariots I have ascended the heights of the mountains, the utmost heights of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the choicest of its pines. I have reached its remotest parts, the finest of its forests. I have dug wells in foreign lands and drunk the water there. With soles of my feet I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.” ‘Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, that you have turned fortified cities into piles of stone. Their people, drained of power, are dismayed and put to shame. They are like plants in the field, like tender green shoots, like grass sprouting on the roof, scorched before it grows up. But I know where you stay and when you come and go and how you rage against me. Because you rage against me and your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came.’ 2Kings 19: 21-28 NIV
Reference
Habakkuk 2: 5-8 – Wealth is deceitful. Greedy people are proud and restless – like death itself they are never satisfied. That is why they conquer nation after nation for themselves. The conquered people will taunt their conquerors and show their scorn for them. They will say, “You take what isn’t yours, but you are doomed! How long will you go on getting rich by forcing your debtors to pay up?” But before you know it, you that have conquered others, will be in debt yourselves and be forced to pay interest. Enemies will come and make you tremble. They will plunder you! You have plundered the people of many nations, but now those who have survived will plunder you because of the murders you have committed and because of your violence against the people of the world and its cities. GNT
Significance
Colonialism (To make submissive) – We at VAL-TE’ also believe it is not about who you are but rather who you are willing to become. I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all with what our lives will be a testament to what will be revealed to us. All of creation waits with eager longing for God to reveal His children. For creation was condemned to lose its purpose, not of its own will, but because God willed it to be so. Yet there was the hope that creation itself would one day set free those who were slaves all their lives because of their fear of death and would share the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that in all things God works for good with those who love Him, those whom He has called according to His purpose. Those whom God had already chosen He also set apart to become like His Son, so that the Son would be the first among many believers. And so those whom God set apart He called; and those He called, He put right with himself, and share each of our lives as a living testament to His greatness with them.
