Most of us live on a planet which is revolving in space with no grounding in a material substance. Who originated this planet? Who gave our planet the 'name' EARTH? Was it a person? Who is the SOURCE? Who is the Prime Mover? Can we derive some answers from history?
My viewpoint on theology, philosophy, and human history is based upon the IDEA that a CREATOR rules this planet (that which we call planet Earth). This CREATOR is invisible to one's observation. Why? Because this CREATOR is a Spirit Being who lives outside of our material universe. I observe our universe and our planet as objects in motion (within space). These objects are material and VISIBLE. What is not visible is our Spirit Being who acts as CREATOR and Prime Mover. This BEING is real and present (within our consciousness) but NOT VISIBLE. What does this all mean?
My CHOICE for our CREATOR is based upon the evidence of prior history. Prior history reveals (to me) that a CREATOR produced all the objects which I witness outside my consciousness. Trees and flowers are observable evidence. Animals (all types) are evidence. The sky and our stars are evidence. And most of all LIFE is evidence. Life, for me, derives from prior LIFE. Our CREATOR is the ultimate SOURCE of LIFE imo. This, to me, is axiomatic (self evident). Common sense says that some INVISIBLE source is behind all that I observe. So who might this Source be?
Who would this CREATOR BEING be? What is the evidence of history that leads me to the conclusion that I hold? Let's point to some evidence from history for this missive. What historical persons experienced a CREATOR within their lifetimes. What did they experience?
Messiah's who experienced a CREATOR person during their lifetime were:
King David, Cyrus the Great of Persia, Yeshua of Nazareth were three obvious historical person's who were also viewed as Messiah's during their lifetime (by many persons).
King David ruled around 1,000 B.C. (some 40 years as King over the twelve tribes of Israel). We have evidence of his life and his various experiences from today's archeology (over in Israel). He obviously lived on planet Earth. He is viewed as one who believed in Yahweh, the God of Israel, as our Creator. His son, Solomon, was anointed to built the FIRST TEMPLE building to the God of Israel (Yahweh). This was accomplished after the death of King David around 960 B.C. King David obviously experienced the invisible God of Israel during his lifetime.
Cyrus the Great of Persia was another historical King who received words from the God of Israel (Yahweh). He was called a Messiah person by the prophets of Israel. Cyrus reigned from around 559 - 530 B.C. Cyrus was born around 600 B.C. and lived some 70 years on planet Earth. The Empire of Cyrus was in today's land of Iran/Iraq. Cyrus authorized the return of the Israelites back to Jerusalem and this ended the 70 year captivity which had occurred under Nebuchanezzar. Cyrus obviously experienced the invisible spirit of Yahweh God. His words are evidence.
Yeshua of Nazareth lived on planet Earth from around 4 B.C. to around 33 A.D. Yeshua was an Aramaic Jew from the tribe of Judah (one of the twelve tribes of Israel). This Jew served as a Prophet and a Rabbi while living on planet Earth. Many have exalted this person to the level of Messiah (since his death). Yeshua preached about the coming Kingdom of his God and he also died at Golgotha after his short life span on planet Earth. He then was gradually exalted to a Divine Person (some say Son of God and some say God Almighty). Others, like the Ebionites and Pharisees (believers in Yahweh) viewed Yeshua as less than God. The Ebionites viewed Jesus (Yeshua) as a prophet like Moses but not Son of God or God. Many theological viewpoints are held about this prior historical person who lived on our planet. Who knows what is actual reality and what is fake deceptions? Our internet is full of theories and viewpoints!
Prophets who experienced the God of Israel (Yahweh) during their lifetime:
Some prophets which we have evidence of that lived and experienced the God of Israel are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Malachi, Amos, Zephaniah, Zechariah, and John of Patmos.
Isaiah was born in the 8th century B.C. and wrote the book under his name in the Bible. Isaiah prophesied that Cyrus the Great would eventually restore the nation of Israel to the land of Israel. The book of Isaiah is quoted many times by New Testament writers and also by writings within Islamic theology (although not in the Koran). Hezekiah was King during the lifetime of Isaiah and this King did listen to the prophets voice. It seems obvious to me that Isaiah experienced the God of Israel and viewed this God as our CREATOR.
Jeremiah lived from around 650 - 570 B.C. This prophet authored the book of Jeremiah in our Bible. Some say he also authored the Books of Kings and Lamentations (with assistance from others). Jeremiah was viewed as another Moses to many. According to some, Jeremiah was the father of Ezekiel. The book of Revelation, mostly chapter 18, is based on prophecies of Jeremiah. Some would view Mystery Babylon, which the prophet John revealed in his vision as today's America. I tend to agree with this viewpoint. Jeremiah prophesied the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem and a 70 year period of captivity for those who were taken to Babylon. It is obvious to me that Jeremiah was a real person who lived on planet Earth.
Ezekiel lived around 622 B.C. and died in 570 B.C. He apparently was the son of Jeremiah. Ezekiel is mostly a prophet to the House of Israel and the House of Judah. Ezekiel received words from his God (Yahweh) which led to his visions and his message to his people. He prophesied on issues of judgement for the people of Israel and for the future nation of Israel. The Gog/Magog war is a future prophesy that many are now expecting to happen soon. Is the Ukraine war with Russia part of this prophecy? Many say yes. This war could start the coming Great Tribulation. Is Putin Rosh within this prophecy? Anyway, Ezekiel was a person who lived on our planet and which experienced the God of Israel directly.
The prophet, John of Patmos, lived on our planet around 9 A.D. to 100 A.D. John was exiled to the island of Patmos by Emperor Domitian around 95 A.D. where he had a VISION of what might happen in the latter years of Church history (some say his vision was of current events not a future prophecy). He wrote this book that we call Revelation. This revelation was (apparently) from Yahweh God via the glorified Yeshua via an angel who gave this vision to John on Patmos. John was a real person of history but scholars do not know precisely his relationship to the other historical apostles of Yeshua. Many eschatological thinkers assume that Revelation is relevant for today's current events. My sense is that this is partially valid. The end of the Church Age is part of this vision and the beginning of the Kingdom Age is also part of this vision. John is obviously a historical person and this means he did live on planet Earth.
History of Israel which provides us evidence of a Creator God:
The historical story of Israel is that they lived in Egypt (some 400 years) and then were saved from slavery by this historical person called Moses. Was Moses a real person who lived on our planet? I think so! We have evidence of Mount Sinai and the life of Moses during the 40 year exile in the Sinai desert. Mount Nebo is where Moses died and this mountain is in today's nation of Jordan. We all know the reality of the 10 Commandments. It is highly unlikely that people would adopt these 10 Commandments as real if they were fake words of man. The words reveal that Yahweh God is the author of these commandments. Moses was a real person and his life ended around 1406 B.C. on Mount Nebo (a real place on today's planet). The words of Moses after descending from Sinai reveal that the God of Israel was real and is real today.
Personally, I view Noah as another historical person who lived on our planet. The dates are uncertain but we now have much evidence that a FLOOD occurred some time in the past. Current estimates of the date of the flood are around 2457 B.C. The global flood apparently happened some 1,543 years after Adam's creation (Noah was apparently 600 years of age). I am assuming that Adam's creation was around 4,000 B.C. All is conjecture to a degree as there was no calendar for us to witness during this time-period. My sense, however, is that Noah and his wife and three sons and their wives did repopulate the planet after the great flood. I am a descendant of Noah's family and I suggest so are you. The lifetime of Noah proves, to me, that life derives from a Higher Intelligence which I call our Creator. Who was this CREATOR GOD?
It is rather obvious, to me, that our CREATOR GOD is this God of history which I read about and study about. This God was also called the God of Israel (after the days of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob). Was this God the same God as the God of Adam and Noah? I think so! Today, most scholars of history believe that the God of History can be called Yahweh. We have evidence of Yahweh from the TWO Temple's which existed. The First Temple was from the days of Solomon to the Exile into Babylon and the Second Temple was from the days after Cyrus the Great to the destruction (of this Temple) by Rome in 70 A.D. This history is real and the many person's which experienced this history are those above.
So WHO is the GOD of HISTORY and WHO is our CREATOR GOD? My sense is that this GOD is none other than the God of Israel, also called Yahweh God in the Hebrew language, and Father God in our English language. Some TITLES of this God are the following:
1. God Almighty
2. The Father
3. Yahweh (some say Jehovah)
4. Ancient of Days
5. Most High God
6. Creator of planet Earth
7. The invisible KING
8. Our Higher Intelligence
9. The Spirit Being within us (within our consciousness)
10. The Sovereign Source (also called the LOGOS)
We have ample evidence that the above is our God and our Source. If this is valid, then we all must eventually recognize this SOURCE as our Sovereign King and Almighty Creator. Should Biden, Putin, and Xi be governing our planet given the above? My sense is absolutely NOT. The politicians are merely PLAYING GOD. Playing God is not valid when we understand reality as noted above. That is my viewpoint. Think for yourself on all these issues of life.
I am: Donald B. Swenson, Economist/Philosopher, donaldswenson.blogspot.com.
http://kingdomecon.wordpress.com
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