Nov 27, 1998
Finishing Verse One
LeLona wrote a good summary so far as follows:
“Now, let me see if I have this straight.
“Rev. 13:1: And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
“The sea is people, us.
“The beast is unjust, unearned, blind authority.
“Seven heads: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome and now many authority figures of the world under numerous kingdoms as one head.
“Ten Horns: North America; Central & South America; United Kingdom; Europe; Russia + neighbors; Africa; India; China and Taiwan; Japan and Korea; The Middle East.
“The ten crowns are: Roman Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church; Protestant religions; Judaism; Islam; Shinto, Taoist; Confucian; Buddhist and Hindu.
“The names of blasphemy: His/Her Royal Majesty; His/Her Excellency; Holy Father; King of Kings, etc.
“The purpose of finding out about the beast: ‘the beast is really us, humanity as a whole, who is having difficulty leaving the old form and moving on to the kingdom of God. We (the sea of people) create the beast mainly by the power of our combined desire to be ruled by what we feel from the solar plexus rather than what we think from the heart and mind.
“Is that about it in a nutshell?”
That’s very good. You’ve been paying attention. We just need to elaborate a little on the names of blasphemy. As indicated in Glenys’ posting, the great name of blasphemy was that the Emperor Caesar went beyond Augustus, to being called Lord, and being deified as a God. Once a year each citizen had to appear before authorities and acknowledge that Caesar was virtually God. Once one did this then he could go worship according to his choice, undisturbed. But if one put Jesus or some other version of God above Caesar, then he was seen as a danger to the state and was usually punished.
The most blasphemous name on the beast is when a flesh and blood man like the rest of us is called and worshiped as a God. It is true that even Jesus said that men are Gods (John 10:34), but he was speaking of God in all of us with equality whether they be great and small. Caesar was declared God as one who was special and unique among men. Caesar demanded to be worshipped and it is blasphemy for one man to worship another man, or even seeing another person as having more rights than he himself possesses.
The interesting thing about the emperors of Rome is that it was not the government who initiated the idea of calling the emperor a God, but it was the people. The early emperors thought it was a silly thing for the people to do. Eventually they were called God long enough and with enough repetition that they began to believe it. The emperors could also see the idea would secure more political power.
One does not need to go to the extreme of calling himself a God to his fellow men and women to have a name of blasphemy, but any name that brings you a reverential respect takes away from the glory that belongs to God alone. As I mentioned earlier Jesus was very cautious about not taking away from the respect due God alone.
I’ll repeat an earlier example:
A man addressed Jesus as “good master.” To this he responded: “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God.” Matt 19:16-17 Jesus did not even want to take the chance of looking too “good” to his followers, but now the mindless followers think it is blasphemy to call Him anything less than the goodest, most perfect creator God of the universe.
Here is another example:
But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, [even] Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no [man] your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, [even] Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Matt 23: 5-14
Isn’t it interesting how clearly Jesus tried to teach the principle of not using a name or title that exalts one person above another because “ye are all brethren.” The Catholic Church has certainly disregarded the command of “call no man your father…” Using the title or name of Reverend violates the same principle and is blasphemous. One man is to be revered no more than another because “we are brethren” as Jesus taught. Many religions use the title of Holiness or Holy in reference to their leaders. Many New Agers use the title Master when talking about a teacher, but there is one Master and that is the Christ within all of us. If a teacher does not speak to that center within us then we should ignore him.
Talking of a master as one who has mastered a skill is legitimate as well as referring to someone as a teacher, follower, disciple or things that describe a person’s work in a way that does not place him above another just because of position.
Royalty uses all kinds of blasphemous names to God such as Your Highness, Your Majesty, Your Excellency, and so on. Even the idea of one being a king or the divine right of kings is blasphemous. One person has no more divine right to be a king than does another.
Then there are many titles that are not blasphemous because they do not indicate that man is taking the place of God. A title is correct if it merely indicates the job he is attempting to do in this life: President, Mayor, Judge, Senator, Doctor, Professor etc. There is nothing untruthful or disrespectful about these names.
You will find, however, that wherever unjust authority rears its ugly head, the person exercising it will revel in the chance to be called by some title that belongs to God alone.
Then there are religious and political organizations where blasphemous names are not allowed, yet if the leader is still revered as one who is infallible or able to commune with God in a way that the average guy cannot, it corresponds to a name of blasphemy. It will be just a matter of time before the illusionary name surfaces to fit the thoughtform.
Truly great leaders are examples of what we are to become, not examples of holiness that we cannot attain. When is the last time you heard a person with a Godlike title speak in such a way that it spoke to your inner Christ and caused your heart to burn? Probably never.
Yet many of you felt an inner stirring from reading The Immortal, written as fiction by a man with no title, making no claims. I am content because this is the greatest honor that one person can give to another: to have that which is within the soul of one, light the soul of another like the passing of a candle.
Copyright by J J Dewey
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