Pasi K Pohjala, religion of Dragon in Old Testament, Jan 05, 2013 GOD IS LIKE FIRE WHERE THERE IS DIVINE DRAGON (Seraph) This statement is, of course, theologically much heavier and more substantial than merely likening appearance of God with description of burning fire like smelter’s fire. Thus we consider some aspects of the mysterious Temple Vision of Isaiah 6; the mystery of Qedusha liturgy and Trishagion. We approach this mysterious text by quoting one very learned current consensus translation from the Tanakh “In the year that king Uzziah died, I beheld my Lord seated on a high and lofty throne; and the skirts of His robe filled the Temple. Seraphim stood in attendance on Him. Each of them had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his legs, and with two he would fly. And one would call to the other Holy, Holy, Holy! The Lord of Hosts! His presence fills all the earth! The doorposts would sake at the sound of the one who called, and the House kept filling with smoke” (the Tanakh translation of Isaiah 6:1-4) This Encountering the Divine is truly powerful. Importance of this profound event is continuously repeated in Jewish Qedusha and Christian Trishagion and Sanctus. The time of whole world would not be sufficient to properly contemplate this hallowed event. We make thus here only some very concise although informative remarks. In the whole Old Testament, this Encountering the Divine is the specifically important episode where Seraphim are noticed. The main question now is whether we reasonably here find that Seraphim merely were attendants of God; or if God Himself thus is here coming forward qua Seraphim. Of course we remember the plural grammatical form of ELOHIM that in Old Testament so usually notices the ONE God. In the Hebrew Bible, the place of these Seraphs is described stating WARAH AT ADNJ JSB YL KSA RM WNSA…(I beheld my Lord…) SRPJM YMDJM MMYL Literally, this Hebrew MMYL not at all designates that such Seraphim were “in attendance” of God; such translation is actually really misleading and erroneous but more ideologically motivated, trying to prevent discussions whether the Lord here Encountered actually IS HIMSELF those Seraphs (clearly Readers may not suppose that beings who are merely “in attendance” of Lord would actually be Lord Himself). But Hebrew text states here the MMYL that usually denotes a place, “there up” or “there in heights”. Readers can easily be fully confirmed of this rendering simply by looking the BDB 751 where the “above” is usual translation for MIMMAL. Neither does this place Seraphs in place higher compared with appeared God and thus create separation of visions of God and Seraphs. Usual lexical meaning of MMYL now actually places these Seraphim exactly there where God appears, sitting upon elevated throne JSB YL KSA RM, and the YL –MMYL here emphasise the same place of these appearances. Well motivated is following traditions that here comprehend that the One God encountered HIMSELF WAS THESE SERAPHS, these winged divine DRAGONS, arising upon the throne. This short study cannot in full detail comment this magnificent Encountering the Divine; this is more left to religious contemplation and prayer of every Reader. Importantly, the Readers now should compare this powerful Encountering the Divine with earlier traditions of Israelite religion of Encountering the Divine during the Wilderness wandering in the OHEL MOED. The Book of Exodus 38 in detail describes the constitution of Tabernacle and OHEL MOED; and we specially now notice the ADNJ parts of the OHEL MOED. These ADNJ parts of OHEL MOED are in detail noticed in Exodus 38, and quite usual modern translation is “sockets”. This is of course a really funny translation but this, and words quite synonymous with this, are usually presented to notice some devices usual for tent style edifices. The Hebrew word ADNJ in Exodus 38 is with same consonants written as the word ADNJ we notice in this sanctified Encountering the Divine in Isaiah 6. We of course remember the meticulous carefulness for every letter of Hebrew Bible by the devoted Scribes and Rabbis and Hebrew Readers. The Hebrew letters ADNJ (Adonay) are the same in Isaiah 6 noticing the Lord appearing in the Temple, and in Exodus 38 where Readers without Hebrew knowledge are misled to think thereby of some fittings for devices of edifice of Tent like structure (in the BDB lexicon see p. 10-11). Notoriously, these ADNJ are well noticed parts of the Tabernacle, especially the OHEL MOED. These ADNJ were apparently very precious, the 38:27 notices “The 100 talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary (ADNJ HQDS) and the sockets for the curtain (ADNJ HKPRT), 100 sockets to the 100 talents, a talent a socket” (Tanakh translation). Thus one talent of silver was used for casting one ADNJ and these ADNJ were apparently thus specially precious, so that translating ADNJ with “socket” is quite misleading. Undoubtedly these ADNJ were divine figurines of the Tabernacle. In the Hebrew text of Exodus we now find the important ADNJ in 38:30 noticing WJYS BH AT ADNJ PTH AHL MWYD WAT MZBH HNHST Thus is described something beside or adjacent or near to the door of the OHEL MOED, thus noticing these ADNJ, and the NHS snake figurine decorated copper altar (in the Biblical Hebrew the NHS means copper, snakes and snake figurines). Then are noticed more in 38:31 WAT ADNJ HHZR SBJB WAT ADNJ SYR HHZR Readers now notice here ADNJ HHZRSBJB where the ZRB apparently alludes to SERAPH; and in this statement describing the hallowed place of Encountering the Divine of Israelite religion in time of Wilderness wandering, we notice the ADNJ and SERAPH, notoriously very similarly with vision of ADNJ and SERAPHIM in the Isaiah 6. The circumstances noticed in Isaiah 6 are, of course, those of the Temple. The SERAPH is importantly mentioned in traditions of Wilderness wandering, importantly in the famous episode of Numeri 21 where is described the Brazen Serpent that healed “The Lord sent seraph serpents against the people. They bit the people and many of the Israelites died… And Moses interceded for the people. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a seraph figure and mount it on a standard. And if anyone who is bitten looks at it, he shall recover. Moses made a copper serpent and mounted it on a standard; and when anyone was bitten by a serpent, he would look at the copper serpent and recover” (the Tanakh translation of Num 21:6-9) This modern Tanakh translation of this famous episode of Wilderness wandering more specifically discloses to modern Readers some important details of the old Hebrew text. For the current study notable is that this modern English translation well distinguishes the types of snakes noticed in the Hebrew text, SERAPH serpents and NHS copper snake or snake figure of copper. In the recent study of Book of Haggay, the current author Pasi K. Pohjala more studied this description for this description of making signs (SEMEION) and comparing with ancient methods of making signs and visions in Temple or temples with methods of magnifying projecting of visions with methods of producing cinema style visions. NOW we notice in the current study of snake and serpent religion in Old Testament that indeed here is SERAPH serpent noticed. Here Hebrew Num 21:6 writes WJSLH JHWH BYM AT HNHSJM HSRPJM WJNSKW AT HYM WJMT YM RB MJSRAL KAI APESTEILEN KURIOS EIS TON LAON TOUS OFEIS TOUS THANATOUNTAS KAI EDAKNON TON LAON KAI APETHANEN LAOS POLUS TOON HUIOON ISRAEL This famous statement specifies that SRP are NHS snakes or snake type beings. Usual comprehension of such SRP snakes is that such are specially venomous snakes (see BDB 977); and here is emphasised their lethal effects. Accordingly the Septuagint tradition somewhat descriptively renders the SRP with THANATOUNTAS referring to KAI APETHANEN then noticed; but this is explanatory rendering of SRP. It is now really notable that divine command then was to place a SRP or SERAPH style snake there, Hebrew Bible writing then in Num 21:8 that WJAMR JHWH AL MSH YSH LK SRP WSJM ATW YL NS Famous detail in Hebrew Bible is that these two mentions are thus concerning SRP serpents, BUT THEREAFTER Hebrew Bible in this episode notices a copper snake WJYS MSH NHS NHST WJSMHW YL HNS…WHBJT AL NHS HNHST WHJ Also the Greek Septuagint tradition here knows in Num 21:8 that KAI EPOIEESEN MOUSES OFIN KHALKOUN KAI ESTEESEN AUTON EPI SEEMEIOU KAI EGENETO OTAN EDAKNEN OFIS ANTHROOPON KAI EPEBLEPSEN EPI TON OFIN TON KHALKOUN KAI EZEE Hebrew text here writes of NHS NHST, this marking important detail in comparison with the preceding mentions of SRP snakes. This is important and famous mention of SERAPH cult in the Wilderness traditions. We find in 2 Kings 23 a truly shocking mention of SUN SHIPS in ancient Israelite religion, the MERKAVOT HASHEMESH (MRKBWT HSMS), and this specified with the SRP. Hebrew Bible writes namely here in 2 Kings 23:11-12 that WAT MRKBWT HSMS SRP BAS Now it is important to recognise via the usual Arabic tradition that MERKABA is usual noun for SHIPS; this is here essential understanding even if usual translation tradition comprehends in Old Testament traditions Merkavot as chariots- and Readers usually really do not assume that Chariots would have any relevance at all with seafaring and ships- but here the usual and wide Arabic tradition of Merkavot informs us that indeed here is SUN SHIP described. Readers now are alarmed that here may the famous Egyptian SOLAR BARK of Solar God AMUN be described; and consideration of this context emphasises this being here indeed the case. For the current study of religion of snakes and dragons now is essential that this Biblical statement specifically writes SRP in writing of SOLAR BARK. This being recorded in the 2 Kings 23, such use of SRP is also very much specifying the hallowed Temple Vision of SERAPHIM in Isaiah 6 where actually the God Lord is presented as SERAPHIM. In such cultic context of Isaiah 6 and 2 Kings 23, the SRP thus is specified as dragon or snake god who protects the SOLAR BARK of AMUN. Importantly, 2 Kings 23 describes religious reforms and practises of king Josiah, and in these histories describes quite in detail various then practised religious cults. we, for example, notice how king Josiah is here described practising cult of ASHERAH in Ashera cultic centre of Wadi QIDRON, pruning some branches of the growing Ashera tree, and burning these to ashes and grinding the burnt wood, obviously thus preparing good quality fertiliser, and scattering that around apparently as fertiliser. The ancient ASHERA cult was important cult of living trees and growing living trees, and here is nicely attested king Josiah’s good Ashera cult practises of using burnt tree as fertiliser for new growth (2 Kings 23:6); and this attests flourishing and strong religious practises of this ancient advanced ASHERA cult that promoted great and highly productive agricultural practises, and especially was connected with the ancient agricultural superpower QEDAR, some east of Jordan river. The current Author Pasi K. Pohjala has recently published more comprehensive study of Book of JOEL where ancient advanced agricultural methods were discussed and such ancient religious cults and rituals were discussed, also the ancient and famous ASHERA cult. The 2 Kings 23 thus describes how religiously advanced and knowledgeable king Josiah was, so we understand here important mentions of religiosity connected with Egypt, Palestinian southern powerful neighbour, or actually the de facto ruler of Palestine. Thus we read especially concerning SUN worship in this context stated 2 Kings 23:11 “He did away with the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance of the House of the Lord, near the chamber of the eunuch NATHAN-MELECH, which was in the precincts. He burned the chariots of the sun.” (Tanakh translation of 2 Kings 23:11) Hebrew Bible here writes WJSBT AT HSWSJM ASR NTNW MLKJ JHWDH LSMS MBA BJT JHWH AL LSBT NTN MLK HSRJS ASR BPRWRJM WAT MRKBWT HSMS SRP BAS The 23:6 described beautifully king Josiah’s practising of cult of ASHERA in shrine at Wadi Qidron; and now here 23:11 also beautifully describes some cultic practises of solar cult in THE TEMPLE, performed there by King Josiah. Apparently king Josiah thus was knowledgeably practising these important ancient religious cults. Notice well that here is JHWH specified as JHWH AL LSBT or JHWH- the GOD of SNAKE STAFF Well attested the SBT denotes staffs and rods in Hebrew Bible, also snake staffs (the Caduceus). Here is very beautifully described great practises of Solar God AMUN in the TEMPLE of JHWH. Here is described CULT OF APPEARING OF SUN (LSMS MBA), centrally important in ancient Egyptian religion of solar god AMUN; understandably this important ritual of APPEARING OF SUN here is specially mentioned. Then the Solar Bark of Amun commenced its glorious burning journey, and here indeed 2 Kings 23:11 notices how the MERKABA solar bark was SRP in fire. In many Egyptian sources is presented how actually huge snake carries forward the solar bark of AMUN; this is apparently represented in the SBT snake staff. We thus find in this actual description of cult of the Temple that SRP Seraph represents the burning of sun in the travelling of the Solar Bark. Important with regard to the apparent Egyptian religiosity described in this statement is that King OSIRIS here is mentioned- MLK HSRJS; in Egyptian religion, Osiris quite usually is indeed connected with Serapis. This is important historical description of religious life and religious cults of times of Josiah, thus also highly relevant for comprehending the mention of SERAPH in Temple Vision of Isa 6. Considering religious developments of times more modern than time of writing of Septuagint and Hebrew Bible we may notice that in the Rabbinical Judaism of course the celebration of SHABBATH