Posted in bible, brain chemistry, dopamine, lust, satan, sin

Eve’s sin: lust. A very special kind of lust (part 2)

Yesterday we looked at the biblical background for the moment when Eve sinned. That was Part 1, and I recommend you read it or at least skim it to get the context and flavor if what I am going to say next.

The central verse we’re exploring is this one, “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.” (Gen 6:6a).

We mentioned yesterday that biologically, the eyes see the world but in the verse it is a metaphor for the mind’s eye, and that mind’s eye is connected to the heart. It is a heart connection. Jesus said “Where your heart is there your treasure shall be also.” That verse in Matthew 6:22 is preceded by talk of eternal treasure and followed by talk of a good eye and a bad eye.

We noted yesterday that the Hebrew word for ‘pleasant’ to the eyes was much more than the seemingly benign pleasantness of a piece of fruit. It means literally she saw the fruit through eyes that were lusting exceedingly and greedily. Wait, all that over fruit? I’d asked, Eve saw that fruit every day. Why were they drooling over it now? What was the difference? Satan. I have an idea of one of the schemes he uses to reduce the unwary to a lusting, slavering greedy sinner. He doesn’t use it every time with all sinners, it actually is a method that is used in few instances, but of that moment with Eve, I think he did it. What is it, then? For the answer, let’s look at vampires.

I am sure that you have heard, or read, or watched a movie or even a crime show where the conversation revolves around a criminal or an evil person, and they say “He has such a hypnotic stare”. Or the sociopath has “such penetrating eyes”, “piercing eyes.” “One glance and she was under his spell,” as they say in the romance novels. The current fascination with vampirism firmly centers on how the vampire looks at the hapless woman, “pinned under his penetrating gaze.” Accompanying the hypnotic stare is the erotic element so familiar to any vampire aficionado.

The first story in English of a vampire was written by John Polidori. This publication also spawned the Gothic genre of literature. Not only was the story in English for the first time, but up until the publication of The Vampyre, the undead beast had been universally seen as a demonic kind of thing, to be feared and run away from. Polidori’s depiction introduced the vampire as: “characterised in folklore: from the peasant classes, living a rural existence, uneducated, dirty and quite frankly having no appeal whatsoever for its victims. This is clearly the Nosferatu, a violent scavenger, a brainless revenant seeking only for the blood it needs to survive. … At this time however the Nosferatu was the familiar shape for the vampire to take.”

“With the advent of Polidori the figure of the vampire took a dramatic leap forward, leaving behind the shabby, stupid, blundering image of the Nosferatu for a more sophisticated and refined social animal, the Toreador or Byronic vampire. Here is a creature in strictly human form, with no huge teeth in the front of its mouth (the canine fangs were a later invention), and no bald head or pointed ears, a creature with human emotions and human drives, a creature that can pass freely in the world of men and need not fear detection in the enlightened society through which he stalks. The aristocratic figure who mingles in high society, delighting and thrilling all with his strange mannerisms and moods, is a far cry from the lonely beast rampaging through the forest tearing out the throat of any passing creature in order to carry on his vile existence. Here instead we have a creature altogether more terrifying in its sheer plausibility: it looks human, acts almost human, talks like a human, and moves among the highest echelons of society. Surely the menace inherent in such a creature is of a more insidious and horrifying kind than that of the weird, supernatural entity of the Nosferatu.” (Source)

Who’s going to get further with a woman, the lumbering beast or the dashing gentleman with the hypnotic gaze? That when he gazes at you, makes you swoon with eroticism and lust? We are all familiar with the cultural references of the link between eroticism and the pull of the vampire’s gaze. It is the same across cultures, the vampire is lusty. I believe that cultural ubiquitousness exists because there is a germ of truth to it. I believe satan (and all the fallen angels) have an ability to gaze into a human’s eyes and manipulate the physiology to the degree where you are reduced to a puddle of lusting flesh, insensible to your true surroundings to the point where you simply succumb to the sinful pheromones now coursing through your body. I think satan did that to Eve.

Angels have a different physiology than humans. They exist on a different plane or dimension than we do. They are endowed with powers that far outstrip ours. I mentioned some of their powers in the essay on Angels. All these are biblical facts. That satan could look into our eyes and manipulate the brain chemistry is something that is entirely possible.

Biologically, the optic nerve is the pathway to brain and then the central nervous system. It IS the lamp of the body. We know that human interaction includes chemistries and one of those are pheromones, which are simply secreted or excreted chemical factors that trigger a social response in members of the same species. Dopamine is the brain’s natural neurotransmitter in triggering arousal and desire. Suddenly Eve ‘saw’ the fruit, it was ‘pleasant’ to the eyes, and she ‘desired’ it. How easy would it be for an evil angel to manipulate brain chemicals within our biology? Let loose a little dopamine and watch us swell up with sexual desire, swooning for more and tied begging for more of that pleasant drug that is behind the fallen angel’s eyes? Easypeasy. The optic nerve, also called cranial nerve II, transmits visual information from the retina to the brain. This is interesting news from 2007: “A neuroscientist believes a little-known cranial nerve may be the secret to lust, and evidence suggests it may be the conduit for sex pheromones.” Hmmm.

Dr. Robert Hare wrote in his book “Without Conscience, The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us” that psychopaths often make very intense eye contact, or have unusually piercing eyes. Other researchers have also mentioned the “reptilian gaze” of the psychopath, resembling that of a predator about to consume his or her prey. Victims of the psychopath also often refer to the ‘laser beam stare.’ Strangely enough, women often confuse this gaze with sexuality, and find it attractive. Many films depicting seductive yet immoral creatures such as vampires, often depict the vampire as having a very strong, psychopathic stare. Some psychologists have compared the psychopath to the vampire, or state that the psychopath has a ‘vampiric personality’ or lifestyle, as well as being parasitic.” Note that the author chose to present his book with a cover illustrating the hypnotic eyes.

What if satan pierces Eve with his gaze, inducing a lustful response – one which we know was different from all the other times she had looked at the fruit- and after all, the bible shows that she had a strong and inappropriate reaction to it?

“Pheromones are odorless, airborne chemical signals that are released by an individual into the environment. These chemicals affect the physiology or behavior of other members of the same species. Although pheromones have been shown to exist in virtually all species of insects and mammals, they also control the behavior of humans, acting as sexual attractants.” (Source) More on brain chemistry here.

There is a reason vampires and romance heroes are said to have a hypnotic, powerful, penetrating, or otherwise piercing gaze. There is a reason why eroticism and loosened inhibitions are included in the descriptions and depictions of vampires. Remember at the beginning of this essay when Polidori’s Vampyre story showed not a lumbering beast but a ‘sophisticated and refined social animal, … a creature in strictly human form, …with human emotions and human drives, a creature that can pass freely in the world of men and need not fear detection in the enlightened society through which he stalks. The aristocratic figure who mingles in high society, delighting and thrilling all with his strange mannerisms and moods…” And we are reminded of the Hebrews 13:2 verse that says “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” “And no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Cor 11:14) so we know they delight in appearing as human and for the fallen ones, they delight in tricking us.

Remember the verse that says “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest __ the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them” (2 Cor 4:4) and here blinded the mind means “blowing smoke which causes (spiritual) blindness, i.e. experiencing “clouded vision.”

I think satan and his fallen angels, when they incarnate and pass for human to do their work of lying and destruction, can look into a human’s eyes and make them drip with lust and swoon with cloudy brain to do and say all sorts of things they might not otherwise.

NO, I am NOT saying that Eve is not at fault. She is. We all are responsible for our own sins! But vampires have to be invited in, (According to the lore anyway), and that old fallen angel Lucifer would not have gotten as far as he did if Eve had done the correct thing and responded to satan’s question “Hath God really said…” with “YES, HE SAID, now go away.” She didn’t, and this was satan’s invitation to press further. We know the rest.

The verses in Matthew 6 about the eye being the lamp of the body allude to a heart condition. Satan severs the eye from the heart and suddenly when you look at something you are lusting for it and excluding God. Your eyes should not be on the things of the earth but on the treasures of heaven. That is the doctrinal message of these two part of the essay about Eve. The supernatural message is that the vampire stories in my opinion have a grain of truth and that grain is in the ability of fallen angels to look into our eyes and manipulate our brain chemistry to sway under their spell. I think this will be a common method for them after the rapture, with so many willing participants in the lusts of the earth that post-rapture living will be. Third, I think they are here now, doing it in smaller measure. If you run across someone who has this marvelous way of looking at you that excites you beyond normal capacities and for no reason…RUN! Like Joseph shedding his cloak from Mrs Potiphar, run away immediately. Do not look, for entertaining their double-tongued talk and gazing into those hypnotic eyes will only lead to destruction.

Prayer: O, Lord,
“Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.”
Psalm 119:36-37
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Posted in bible jesus, prophecy, satan, slander

Satan’s merchandise: lies and gossip

I’m in the midst of watching The Fuel Project, a series of short videos explaining the roots of satan’s evil and his influence in the form of all the false religions of the world from Genesis to Revelation when he is finally defeated.  Kim from The Mystery of the Ages sent it to me and I’ve watched 40 parts already and have found it to be interesting when describing the secular and biblically sound when referring to the bible.

In the first 7 parts, Satan’s fall is explained, why and how. The narrator focused on Ezekiel 28 and especially verse 16 to describe how satan convinced 1/3 of the angels to follow him into rebellion against a Holy God whom they personally knew and  worshiped. I’ve often wondered how angels who saw God’s power in the creation (Job 1:6-7) and who visited the throne room (Ex 37:9) could possibly follow satan? What did he tell them exactly to make them a better offer?? That is answered in Ezekiel 28:14-16 —

“You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned.”

The scene here is a prophecy against the King of Tyre. The previous chapter is spent lamenting the city of Tyre (Lebanon) and its earthly ruler. But as we know from so many examples and passages in the bible, satan is often the puppet master pulling the strings behind the power that is shown through the earthly ruler. The Prince of Persia is another example. Satan is the power behind the throne, so to speak, in many cases. He is the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4), prince of the powers of the air (earth and near environs; Eph 6:12) and at one point remember, he offered Jesus every kingdom on earth (Mt 4:8-9).

In the Ezekiel chapter the scene sifts from the earthly ruler in the flesh (Prince of Tyre, ch. 27) to the supernatural power of the King of Tyre (satan, ch. 28). It is said that wickedness was found in him and through his “widespread trade” he was filled with violence. In this case, the widespread trade does not mean economic traffic. Does one believe there were shops in heaven, with checkouts and money exchanged? No, surely not! What would satan possess that would be better than hat the angels already had? No, instead, the phrase widespread trade comes from the Hebrew word r’kullah, the main word rakil, meaning slander.

Satan went on a whispering campaign against God, the same as he did later to Eve (“Hath God said? Genesis 3). he went around and around and around ceaselessly to the angels, whispering that God was a tyrant, He was egotistical, He was withholding from them the good stuff, whatever that was. With Eve we know satan insinuated God was withholding the knowledge of good and evil. Whatever satan said to the 1/3 of the heavenly host that ended up following satan, it was lies and we know that he was a liar from the beginning.

“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44). Devil means slanderer.

Revelation 18:12-14 alludes to this satanic lying bill of merchandise. When Babylon the false economic system is fallen, satan is accused of trading in “merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men.” The last phrase, souls of men, is a merchandise not in the physical but in the celestial. A good, short study on ‘Satan’s Celestial Slander’ is from Dr. Richard Davidson from Andrews Theological Seminary (7th Day Adventist) here. If you want a thorough examination of the Hebrew word for merchandising used in this context of Ezekiel 28 and the wider exhortations in the bible not to be a slanderer, go here. (Truth Magazine).

A whispering campaign according to Wikipedia, is “A whispering campaign or whisper campaign is a method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are spread about the target, while the source of the rumors seeks to avoid being detected while spreading them.” Whisper campaigns are considered unethical, but are used frequently in political campaigning as a strategy. If you apply all the corruption, lies, and unethical behavior from any current Presidential campaign in the US to satan’s original merchandising campaign of busily flitting from angel to angel, painting himself as the better candidate for God-hood, you have the idea of the meaning behind the Ezekiel verse and satan’s method of achieving it. No wonder there are so many prohibitions against slander in the bible!

Agostino Carracci, Whispering Angels

His relentless whispering campaign worked. A third of the angels were swayed, followed satan, and are now forever damned.

If you also put in your mind the energy expended in any political campaign, and think of the Ezekiel verse where the visual image is of satan going all around heaven whispering his bill of goods to the angels, several other scriptures come to mind.

Job 1:1 “The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”
Job: 2:2 And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”

Dan 12:4 “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.””

It is the eternal restlessness of a fallen angel, now a demon, who seeks his will above all and is relentless in stalking the world and its inhabitants. One of the names for satan is Beelzebub (Baal-zebub) and the entire name is Lord of the Flies and zebub means fly. This kind of fly is a hard-to-kill, strong and biting fly that lives entirely by sucking blood of cattle or people. It is the zebub and also known as tsetse fly in Africa. Satan was given that name because he was supposed to be able to be lord over these much-feared flies that caused destruction to cattle and sickness to people. It is one of the reasons God sent a plague of flies to Pharaoh, to show HIS mastery over the flies in the face of helpless false gods. This name was given to the god because he was supposed to be able to avert the plague of flies which in that region was to be feared.Flies never settle for very long Anyone who is not saved will feel that eternal restlessness n his spirit as well. Satan is truly Baal-zebub, Lord of the Flies.

That is satan, flying here and there, to and fro, roaming up and down, claiming blood from victims and buzzing in your ear. There are two lessons here. One: satan is relentless. Flies always come back to garbage no matter how often you swat them away. Second: satan’s lies are powerful. He cold sway angels who knew God in person, in heaven, for perhaps eons. Do you think he cannot sway you? I know he can sway me, if I let him. I use my flyswatter often: studying the Word. It is, after all, how Jesus rebuffed that pestilential fly, He repeated the Word back to satan in each temptation.

Jesus has won the victory. Satan is merely a created being who was completely crushed at the cross and only has been in his frenetic death throes this last 2000 years. But the time the Tribulation comes, he really panics, for he knows he has but a short time. (Rev 12:12). For us, though, beware slandering each other, engaging in ‘widespread trade.’ Do not be a fly, going here and there, whispering things that murder someone’s reputation. Certainly be sterling in all your communications about the LORD. Because His are perfect unto us! And that is a campaign worth participating in!






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Posted in angel, end time, entertain angels unaware, prophecy, satan

About entertaining angels unawares

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13:2 KJV)

From the bible, we know that God created angels. (Colossians 1:16-17) We know that angels interact with humans at the behest of God. (Luke 1:26-38) They deliver messages. (Daniel 9:20-23). They fight for territory. (Daniel 10:20). They guard humans (Matthew 18:10) and report to God on the actions of children, anyway (Matt. 18:1-14) and perhaps to individually minister to adult Christians also (Hebrews 1:14). Angels are divided into hierarchies and troops,  including both good and evil angels, and special categories such as cherubim, seraphim, and the archangel. They are invisible. (2 Kings 6:17). They look like men sometimes, (Gen 18:1-2) and other times they look like glory (Matthew 28:2-4) and other times they look like metal and lightning (Daniel 10:5-6) and still there are other angels who look completely unusual and beyond description (Revelation 4:6-8). [For the record, with one debatable exception, angels are not biblically described as having any wings]

Surely, it is a blessing that there is a class of created being whom God uses for His glory and for our help. It is a blessing also to think that we may entertain one of them at some point in our lives!

But do not forget, there is another class of angels. There was a rebellion in heaven, and the highest angel, one created to guard the throne itself, tried to vault himself above God and was kicked out of heaven for it. His name is Lucifer, whose title is now the devil, adversary, satan. And even though a third of the multitudes of angels lived with God, and saw His glory and knew His heart, Lucifer was apparently so convincing that they sided with him against God, and so they were kicked out too. (Revelation 12:3-4,9)

Not everything supernatural is from God! If you entertain angels unawares, it may be a good angel sent to minister to you. Or it may be a fallen angel, sent by satan to thwart you, deceive you, or hinder you. ( also 1 Tim.4:1-3; 2 Cor.11:13-15) “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)

If you are reading this before the rapture, Christian and non-believer, be aware that deceit comes in a guise wrapped in a beautiful package. Fallen angels would look just like the glorious angels, as stated above in the Corinthians verse. If you are a Christian, you should be praying daily to receive wisdom, and it will be given to you without reproach. You should be in the Word daily so that you will know the truth from a lie. If you are a non-believer reading this after the rapture, know that your odds of learning the truth have diminished but you can pray to Jesus to forgive you of your sins (if you are truly sorry for your bad acts and thoughts, that is) and He will forgive you. He will send the Holy Spirit to you to help you discern the truth from a lie. Without His help, you are at the mercy of an adversary who can and does ‘appear to us unawares’ and always for the purpose of destroying us!

NOT EVERYTHING SUPERNATURAL IS FROM GOD! “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders,” (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Angels might surround you unawares, but YOU should not be unaware of satan and his angels’ counterfeiting abilities!