ONE NATION ABOVE GOD
       by: Jarrett Yahkel

The United States prides itself on being the only land founded by a quest for religious freedoms, yet somewhere along the course of American history, God and his word, the Bible, became separate entities.  Public Law 97-280 96 STAT. 1211 states, “Biblical teachings inspired concepts of civil government that are contained in our Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States”.  It furthermore declares that the Bible is indeed the word of God and should be regarded as such; for this nation voluntarily applies(ed) these teachings of the Scriptures in the everyday lives of individuals, families, and societies.  In laymen’s terms: we were officially declaring that America, as a whole, for lack of a better expression, was a “Christian” country.  The aforementioned public law of the 97^th Congress leaves no uncertainty concerning whether this country was, is, and will continue to be, a country based on a strong belief in the Bible and God. 

But even if that law had never been passed, it’s not very difficult to see the influence of the Almighty God on this nation called America.  At least a few of the founding fathers must’ve heard the God rumors and felt they were true enough to at least give the man upstairs a nod of appreciation.  God gets mad props in nearly every document ever written by the people who founded this land; not to mention on our currency and in Patriotic hymns and songs.  And yes, while it’s evident that Biblical teachings inspired the founding documents of the country, somehow within the past century, in nearly every newly-passed law and act of legislature, the word of God has been contradicted, even blatantly defied.  This country’s formation was undoubtedly built on a belief and trust in a god, but given that our current laws no longer reflect the teachings of the Bible, we need to ask ourselves: have we stopped serving the God of the Bible and become our own self-serving gods?  Are we too busy consuming our lives away to even notice or care?  Or perhaps you feel it is possible to believe in the true God yet only abide by His rules when convenient?  God forbid.  That sort of deliberate disobedience would not be tolerated in any other situation, so what makes us think God is so lenient? 

The sad and unmistakable truth is: America has turned away from God.  The Bible is no longer our (society as a whole) definitive source for resolving issues and conflicts concerning morality.  But if God and the Bible are no longer entrusted with determining what’s right and wrong, then whom can we trust to arbitrate these ethical norms?  The Bible says that no one has the authority to determine what is truly good or evil, apart from the one true perfect God; therefore attempting to override his authoritative position on any matter whatsoever is futile.  Unfortunately for true believers of the word of God, society’s collective efforts have shifted the power into the hands of corrupted government s and maladjusted celebrities when creating social and moral boundaries.  As much as our culture wants to pretend that we are “updating” and “improving” on the Bible’s teachings, not disregarding it, in reality, we are serving two masters.  One makes the rules, and the other tells you it’s ok to break them… remember how Satan tricked Eve in the garden?  Are we listening to another little voice saying that we can be our own god?

Throughout the history of this decadent nation we’ve seen countless laws, regulations, and standards that have been irrefutably evil; yet we still hold fast in our belief that the system is always right and can never be flawed.  Do we forget this is the same governing system that allowed, encouraged, endorsed, and implemented the African slave trade?  For 400 years America committed countless atrocities and spilled rivers of innocent blood on American soil.  And while it’s been reported but of course never historically officially documented (considering an entire race was stolen from a continent, robbed of their culture, families, and traditions), more lives of black Africans were lost while being transported alone, from conditions on slave ships to America than total number of Jews killed in the entire Holocaust.  We look at Hitler and the Nazis as horrible terrible people, yet we see America as this amazing great nation!  Did you read what I said?  MORE DEATHS ON THE RIDE OVER ALONE!  Yes, I know, both genocides were horrible, that goes without saying, but one is downplayed in the history books… naturally, the one at home with a much more massive body count.  This was the greatest travesty ever committed to a people, it happened in America, and yet it’s downplayed as if it was a Caribbean Cruise.  And Jesus has a message to those who pronounce, “oh but I never participated in that!” (See Matthew 23:29)

How can we possibly depend on imperfect individuals, people who (have) kill(ed) for pleasure, to dictate the way we live our lives and determine what is in our best interest?  Unlike laws made by man, God’s laws have never needed any amendments or bills or acts; nor have they ever been proved contradictory or unjust.  Who do you trust?  I know my answer.  But is it our naivety, or insubordination to God, which allows us to blindly follow rules that contradict God’s word without repentance or remorse?  Given the notorious history of human existence: our deceitful, depraved, and overall disgusting nature, how can you willfully decide to succeed to another human’s moral obligations as your own when your eternal future is at stake?  Did it ever enter into your mind that all humans are fallible, and therefore the only trustworthy judge and law/moral maker is the word of God?  Surely this makes perfect sense to anyone who is mildly intelligent.  Thus anyone who is a strong-willed servant of the most-high God, the only logical and practical thing to do is resist; resist all forces that try to lead you away from the word of God.  Standing firm in your opposition towards laws that defy the word of God is the only choice we have if we have any hope for saving our souls.  Starting now it’s up to you; you can take the path of resistance or acceptance.  Are you willing to sacrifice your place in God’s kingdom for acceptance in a world that is headed on a path to destruction?

            In the next pages I will illustrate just a few of the countless contradictions to the word of God.  Socially accepted norms and manufactured thought; ideas imbedded into American society, most of which are upheld by our criminal justice system.  All scriptures cited appear in their entirety, taken from the Holy Bible (King James Version).  All laws and history facts can be confirmed and researched quite easily, and I suggest you do so.  Don’t take my word for any of this; the facts will hold more meaning when you discover it for yourself, so let this be a guide to your own revelations.  Admittedly, some of the issues raised are frightening.  Your faith will more than likely be challenged while reading this.  You won’t believe what I am saying could be true, or you may not even believe in God to begin with.  However, while you read keep in mind that these are God’s words, not mine.  I don’t set the rules; I only follow His to the absolute best of my ability.  But how can we fully serve God if we are being forced to disobey him by the people supposedly chosen to represent our best interest and us?  Not complying with a tyrannical government could mean fines, or even jail.  If they no longer represent us, is it not our obligation to confront this tyranny?  The final religious persecution of the TRUE believers of God has begun, just as it was written over 2000 years ago.  In these final days, stay true to your faith.  But in order to do so, you must let loose of their lies.  They can only (wrongfully) imprison you for your belief in God for so long… however, Heaven or Hell is eternal.  Let loose of those lies, and hold on to your faith.

This first passage comes from the book of Matthew chapter 5: Jesus’ sermon-on-the-mount.  In the opening verses, He addresses the persecution that we, the true believers, must be willing to face and overcome to resist the evils of the world and pursue righteousness.

Matthew 5

¹ And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: ² And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, ³ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. ⁶ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. ¹⁰ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

            These subsequent verses, taken from the same chapter of Matthew, are what I consider some of the most important sections in the Bible.  Many people are living under the misconception that because Jesus died for our sins, we no longer have to follow God’s law because we are automatically redeemed through his sacrifice.  Jesus explains that this “free-ride mentality” has no Biblical founding.  Not only must we follow God’s perfect law, we must NOT follow the laws of the scribes (ones trained in law and traditions aka lawyers) and Pharisees (Princes, Presidents, rulers).  Jesus Christ explicitly instructs that our righteousness must exceed that thereof lawmakers and rulers.  In more simplified terms, Jesus is trying to tell us that the people in power, these beings the ones whom rule over us and create our laws, are not righteous, but the opposite.  Furthermore, if we follow the laws of the wicked and not the law of God, we will not enter into God’s kingdom.  From Genesis to Revelation, God’s word is unchanged, so why do we take it upon ourselves to assume that for some reason, 2000 years later, God has all of the sudden changed his mind and decided that the lawmakers, princes, and presidents which we blindly follow are righteous?  Why do we find it hard to believe that the separation of church and state wasn’t to benefit the church and keep it holy, but to keep the masses from ever finding out the truth regarding the Bible and its position pertaining to governments?  Why do we find it hard to believe that God wouldn’t want us to follow any political, judicial, or financial systems or institutions, when in Exodus 20, it is explicitly stated that we should not bow down or serve anything other than God.  All of this is extremely hard for most people to come to terms with.  This is probably because the people that Jesus is warning us about are the same ones who sign our paychecks (Revelation 13)...

¹⁷ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. ¹⁸ For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. ¹⁹ Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

²⁵ Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. ²⁶ Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

            Contrary to what you may believe, the persecution of the children of God continues to this very day.  Just as Jesus stated, our foes will deliver us into the hands of the “criminal justice system” and you will be thrown until prison, never permitted to come out until you pay every last cent of your fines.  You don’t think that is happening this very day, and for centuries?  Think back to the time of slavery: some individuals knew the laws created which said blacks were to be property, not humans, were immoral in God’s eyes.  These brave souls helped some blacks gain freedom, although they faced great persecution and prosecution for it.  The rest of society who followed only man’s laws, not taking any consideration for what God would think of this inhumane practice of human torture, would deliver these “criminals” to the authorities if they were caught breaking the law (helping slaves).  The ones who followed God’s law of love were punished and persecuted, while the ones who followed man’s law were rewarded for their good deeds.  Does this still happen today?  Are the “war on drugs” and the “war on terrorism” real wars, or are they fabricated wars to enslave the people of God?  Remember in the book of Revelation, Jesus warned us there shall be “wars and rumors of wars”… a rumor by definition is a piece of unverified information of uncertain origin spread by word of mouth.  Certainly then, the wars on drugs and terrorism are rumors of war, for all of the information concerning them are completely unverified, uncertain, and spread by lies, myth, and gossip.  Laws to place us in bondage like the Patriot Act, Homeland Security, et cetera… Jesus foretold it all. 

            The 23^rd chapter of Matthew is one of the few places where Jesus vividly expresses his utter disgust and disapproval of the land’s appointed leaders and the systems, which they created: organized religions, governments, et cetera.  Yes, organized religions.  But how can this be?  Certainly he doesn’t mean your church or your priest or your pastor?  Again I say until you, yes.  You see, most people, including myself, are never taught these things for a very simple reason: those who have the power wish to stay in power.  At a turning point in history, presumably around the time of what I like to refer to as “the great bribe” (when Jesus rose from the dead and the Pharisees and scribes paid men to say that Jesus did not rise but his disciples stole him from the grave), some prominent men had a meeting and came to a realization: knowledge spoils corruption.  So the only thing for them to do was confine the real truth to priests, scribes, and other elites, then create their own truth so the rest of society would be resigned to serve them.  You see, if the rabble ever heard the truth about Jesus or the true, un-perverted, word of God, they would organize against the power-privileged wealth, and turn their backs on the ones who needed them the most and serve only God.  In order to appease the situation before it became volatile, the rich and powerful created their own system of churches, to satisfy man’s need for God, yet at the same time only speaking half-truths and never fully teaching the word of God.  This let the masses have a partial understanding of God, creating false hope that working for and worshipping the leaders in power would one day set them free from the bondage.  Did it occur to you that it’s exactly the same today?  We are in bondage.  We consume our lives like we are thankful for what we’ve been forced into.  God’s plan was not for us to slave for market and industry.  God’s plan was not for us to serve and salute nations, governments, politicians, priests, pastors, churches, flags, or the big carved image that sits out front of your church that you continually worship despite God’s command in Exodus chapter 20.  Jesus said many would come in his name and deceive many, while only few will ever hear the truth and be saved.  People have said to me, “you are saying things I’ve never heard any of my religious leaders ever say, this way of thinking can’t possibly be correct, how can we be sure that you aren’t the one deceiving?”  Verily I say until you, if I was to deceive every person whom had an ear to hear what I am saying, how many throughout the history of human existence will I have deceived?  Could a few thousand people (at most) out of the billions upon billions of people who had ever lived on earth be considered MANY deceived?  Conversely, if the things I say are true, yet you don’t take heed and you all continue to serve other masters besides God, would the billions of people who will perish by the hands of the false teachings of the world’s church be MANY deceived?  Would the few who believed what I was saying and kept God’s commandments and turned away from this decaying society be a part of the thousands saved?  Be not mistaken, God says he will only show mercy upon thousands, not million or billions, thousands.  God is just and forgiving, but only to those who keep his commandments.  When he brought the floods upon the earth in the time of Noah, he did not save any besides Noah and his kin, because they served only him and not the world.  Everyone else was eating and drinking and having a good time, not knowing what was about to happen.  When Noah told them the truth, they laughed.  Only a few were saved.  Jesus had only twelve disciples, not because others didn’t also believe in Him, many believed (as He said, the devils also believe) yet they were unwilling to turn away from their wickedness and serve only God.  Faith without works is dead; for many are called, yet few are chosen.  Are you one of the few chosen to enter God’s kingdom, or are you enjoying life in the kingdom of Pharisees and scribes?  Being able to fully grasp this concept is extremely vital in understanding the true message and meaning of the Bible…

Matthew 23

¹ Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, ² Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: ³ All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. ⁴ For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. ⁵ But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, ⁶ And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, ⁷ And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
⁸ But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. ⁹ And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. ¹⁰ Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

            In these opening verses, Jesus tells us to observe (watch, scrutinize) what the scribes and Pharisees do, but do not follow their works (works in the Bible only refer to acts done for God, keeping his commandments, spreading his word, etc) because they are unrighteous hypocrites.  They say but they do not do.  Great words won’t cover ugly actions.  He says these men in power only do God’s work when it’s for people to see, to inflate their egos and gain praise of others.  Jesus goes on to say that these people in power will force us to do all of their tasks and jobs, yet they themselves will not lift a finger (sound familiar?).  These men will love power, recognition, and of course wealth, desiring the uppermost rooms at feasts (fancy dining, luxuries).  Lastly Jesus warns of the ones who wish to be called Rabbi.  A Rabbi is a Jewish priest, yet Jesus did not only mean Hebrews.  He was speaking of all men, (priests, pastors, “fathers”) who claim to be godly men and desire any type of higher recognition, praise, or title.  Christ says that there is only one who is worthy of such a name, our true Master, who we all serve and all men are brethren beneath Him.  Your pastors, priests, fathers, etc are all deliberately defying the word of God, yet you continue to trust them with providing you with the truth?

¹¹ But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. ¹² And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.  ¹³ 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. ¹⁴ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. ¹⁵ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

This is one of the most chilling passages of the Bible.  Here Jesus is speaking directly to the ones in power, calling them hypocrites and exposing the evil, which they do onto the world through their iniquities.  He says they have denied men access to the kingdom of heaven because they themselves have no concern in it, nor do they allow those who wish to serve God to do so.  Proselyte is the title given to a people who have been conformed to embrace a certain religion, world view, ideology, or custom… for example: some would say the world has been conformed into one mass proselyte, valuing a false sense of freedom prescribed in a doctrine called “democracy” more than valuing true freedom in God, while others call it globalization.  Either way, Jesus says that the ones who fall into this trap will be twofold more the child of hell than the systems that they chose to follow rather than choosing to follow God.

¹⁶ Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! ¹⁷ Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
¹⁸ And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. ¹⁹ Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?  ²⁰ Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. ²¹ And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. ²² And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. ²³ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

            And again, Jesus warns us of the hypocrites who appear to follow part of God’s law, yet they only pick and choose what and when they want to obey.  I liken this to a mother who instructs her child to obey her because God’s law says Honor your mother and father.  Should the child obey a mother’s ungodly instruction?  Should a child murder is instructed to do so?  God Forbid.  Hypocrites love to omit the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith, while giving a righteous façade using other commands of God.  Jesus said the most important commandment is to love and serve God.  If honoring your mother means you will be disobeying other commandments of God, you have to decide if you are serving Him or your unrighteous parents.

²⁴ Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. ²⁵ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. ²⁶ Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. ²⁷ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. ²⁸ Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

            This speaks for itself.  Good frames won’t save bad paintings, and singing in the church choir or being an usher for your congregation won’t save any of you from your hypocrisy. 

²⁹ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, ³⁰ And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. ³¹ Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. ³² Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. ³³ Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? ³⁴ Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: ³⁵ That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
³⁶ Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. ³⁷ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! ³⁸ Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. ³⁹ For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

            “How long must they kill our prophets while we stand aside and look?”  Unfortunately, this will never cease.  In order to fulfill the word of God, all things must come to pass.  Will I too be killed for the testimony I have spoken?  For I have already faced on-going persecution, was scourged in my (former) church, and was delivered into the hands of my accusers by my brethren.  All of the Lord’s words have been fulfilled to this point, in due season, all will be revealed. 

PART II

            The first direct order from God given to man in the Bible was to not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  This first rule was the one and ONLY time throughout the entire Bible where God prohibits the consumption of any food, herb, meat, or drink.  Contrary to what people believe, God does not even prohibit the drinking of wine, but rather being drunk from wine (alcohol).  But if the Bible doesn’t prohibit consuming anything on earth that He has given us, why has the United States given themselves the authority, above God’s own law, which allows them to determine what they consider to be good for us to consume, when God has already said we should have all things that are from Him?  Ironically (or ingeniously), the only plant to ever be banned, prohibited, or otherwise in the history of the United States is the same plant that has been used throughout the entire world since the beginning of time as a sacred herb.  Western Christianity is the only religion that has not embraced this as a holy sacrament, primarily due to the criminalization of growing or owning this plant.  Yes, a simple plant.  How could a plant be so menacing that a country would choose to ban it?  What powers does this plant possess?  These burning questions are what led me on my search through the Bible to find the answers regarding this supposedly holy plant.

GENESIS 1

¹¹ And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. ¹² And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ²⁸ And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. ²⁹ And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. ³⁰ And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

“Meat”, as it is stated in Genesis 1:29 as well as numerous other places throughout the Bible means “solid foods for nourishment".  In the very first chapter of the Bible, God says that ALL herbs, which bear a seed, are good for man.  Obviously this plant is an herb that bears a seed, so already we know that the government is yet again defying the word of God by denying us the means of this divine nourishment.  Meat did not mean the flesh of an animal like one may assume.  Until the time of the great flood, there was no flesh eating.  Sometimes people attempt to use these verses to misconstrue God's intentions, but they are quite clear once you read the next passages.

GENESIS 9
 
 ¹ And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. ² And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. ³ Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. ⁴ But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. ⁵ And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. ⁶ Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

            And so we have it, in the first book of the Bible, God gave man ALL plants that bear seed, and after the flood he permitted us to also eat animals.  However he did not say abuse or torture these animals.  Anything on this earth, which is from God, is for meat; our nourishment: physically, mentally, and spiritually.  How people who call themselves believers of God justify prohibition laws or religions whose doctrine teaches abstaining from foods (or marriage, sorry Catholics, God’s words not mine) is beyond me.  Thankfully, God knows all and He saw this coming in advance, so he gave us warning:

1 TIMOTHY 4

¹ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; ² Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; ³ Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. ⁴ For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: ⁵ For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. ⁶ If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. ⁷ But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. ⁸ For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

            Are you one of them: giving heed to the doctrines of devils, which forbid and command to abstain (prohibit) the consumption of meats that God put on earth to be received by those who know the truth?  Let me reiterate – NOTHING PLACED ON THIS EARTH BY GOD IS TO BE REFUSED IF IT IS RECEIVED WITH THANKSGIVING.  If God has given it to you, give thanks and receive it.  Do not reject it because devils have commanded you to abstain… God says it is good!  Does this mean that everything is for everyone?  No of course not.  Do you like all foods?  I personally do not care for onions, yet would I prohibit someone from eating them because I do not enjoy the taste or smell of them?  So why do we let others tell us what we can or can’t consume when God has already said we can have everything?  How can you truly believe in the word of God if you submit to the scribes and Pharisees who contradict God?  You cannot.  On the other hand, don’t misuse or abuse God’s words; rebelling against unjust authority is only permitted when the laws go against God’s commands.  For example, you cannot drive your car recklessly just because you don’t want to obey laws that are not God’s.  God did not make cars, man created them.  Therefore, if you choose to participate or own possessions belonging to the world, you must abide by the world’s customs.  Jesus showed us by example in Matthew chapters 17 and 22.

 Matthew 17

²⁴ And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? ²⁵ He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? ²⁶ Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. ²⁷ Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

            Here, we see Simon Peter and Jesus entering into Capernaum.  To enter into the city, tribute money (church offering) must be paid.  When Jesus did not pay, the toll collectors asked Peter if He was not going to pay, and he said yes.  Jesus then asked him about the customs, and he explained that strangers pay tribute when entering, so in order not to offend the customs, he complied.  If you notice however, Jesus had no money, nor does he ever have any money.  Why?  Because everything he needed was given to him from the Lord.  The Jews (follows of Christ and believers in God) did not touch or have money, because it was not of God.  Even when Jesus agreed to pay the tribute money, he had someone else retrieve it from a fish to pay the fare.  This is where the ridiculous stereotype of Jews being cheap and stingy with money originated.  Since they were never seen spending or buying or holding money, it was assumed they were cheap or stingy, when in reality, they had no need for money because God provided for them.  Revelation 13 tells us that in the end times, “the beast” will cause all men to require a mark (currency) to be able to buy or sell things, even things given by God.

Matthew 22

¹⁵ Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. ¹⁶ And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. ¹⁷ Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? ¹⁸ But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? ¹⁹ Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. ²⁰ And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? ²¹ They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. ²² When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

            I’ve heard this passage taught in numerous churches and studies, and every time it’s misinterpreted.  Jesus was not a friend of the earth’s rulers.  Yet, if you hear this taught in a church study, I’m sure they will explain this to you by saying “Jesus said to render until Caesar what is his, so that means we must pay our taxes and follow the government”.  Wouldn’t that contradict everything Jesus has said concerning who we should follow?  When I posed this question to ministers who were supposedly well versed in the Bible, their response was: “I have never heard it taught that way”.  This is a major problem in the modern day church; traditional thought over cedes intelligent thought.  Don’t let tradition become a mental snare, emancipate yourself.  Here is a more intelligent explanation… The Pharisees greatly despised Jesus, so they always tried to contradict him or discredit him.  They did not appreciate Him telling their “citizens” (servants) not to serve these princes and presidents and rulers but to only serve God.  In this instance, they asked Jesus whether or not it was lawful to pay taxes (give tribute to Caesar).  If Jesus had simply said yes, then he would be contradicting himself, condoning the rulers and their system; yet if he said no, those in power would have reason to kill him.  His answer however was perfect and irrefutable: if God provides you with something, you return a portion back; if you receive something from earth’s kings, give them back what’s theirs as well.  Jesus never gave tribute to the kings because he never received anything from them, and therefore they hated him.

³⁵ Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, ³⁶ Master, which is the great commandment in the law? ³⁷ Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. ⁴¹ While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ⁴² Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. ⁴³ He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, ⁴⁴ The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? ⁴⁵ If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? ⁴⁶ And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

            If David called Jesus, Lord, then how could Jesus be his son?  Because Jesus was (and is) the true living God in human form.  Jesus had the flesh of a man, but His soul was the Holy Spirit.  The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one but separate.  This concept is mind-blowing and confusing yet at the same time, unmistakably obvious and easy to understand.

            Again, I digress from the point… the next page touches on a controversial chapter.  While you read it, keep in mind the words of God expressed in Genesis 1:29, as well as Genesis 1:1… if God can create heaven and earth, then what else can He create: a sacred plant that feeds, heals, anoints, etc?

In Exodus 30, God describes to Moses how to make a holy ointment.  This compound was anointing oil compromised of a number of spices, herbs, and oil, and made after the art of apothecary (apothecary means: one that prepares and sells drugs and other medicines; pharmacist).  It was recently discovered that one of the herbs mentioned, an aromatic reed plant named calamus, was incorrectly translated from the Hebrew text o Greek.  This error was first discovered in 1936 (before the ban of the herb in the United States) by Sula Benet.  Benet was a little known Polish etymologist from the Institute of Anthropological Sciences in Warsaw.  The word cannabis was generally thought to be of Scythian origin, but Benet showed that it has a much earlier origin in Semitic languages like Hebrew.  She explained, "in the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament there are references to hemp, both as incense (oil), which was an integral part of religious celebration, and as an intoxicant."  Benet demonstrated that the traditional Hebrew word for cannabis had been mistranslated as calamus, a common marsh plant with little monetary value that does not have the qualities or value ascribed to what is being described, however the cannabis plant does.  Just to see how easily (or not so) this mistake could have happened, I obtained several Hebrew computer-text scripts.  I then generated the Hebrew words for calamus and cannabis side by side for evaluating.  I am not an etymologist; however anyone with a decent pair of eyes can see that the words are nearly identical.  What once was a non-secular part of God's holiest oil, is now replaced by common marsh having no value… After you examine the scriptures, take notice of the striking similarities in the words.  If you don't read Hebrew, go find a Rabbi and ask him to translate so you know I am not just trying to pull a fast one.

Exodus 30

²² Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ²³ Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, ²⁴ And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: ²⁵ And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. ²⁶ And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, ²⁷ And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, ²⁸ And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. ²⁹ And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. ³⁰ And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. ³¹ And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. ³² Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. ³³ Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people. ³⁴ And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: ³⁵ And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: ³⁶ And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy. ³⁷ And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD. ³⁸ Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.

            Is all this undisputable evidence that cannabis is indeed the holy plant?  Every non-western Bible believing culture seems to think so, reaping it’s benefits while Christians in America try to discredit or deny such a plant exists, claiming the Bible “is not meant to be understood”.  Why do Americans always try to disprove or discredit the Bible when it exposes or attacks their deepest, darkest, vices and vanities?  It seems every time God condemns our acts, we scramble desperately looking for science or government to have our back when God doesn’t. 

Whether you choose to believe that cannabis is the holy plant or not, a few things are not up for debate.  Cannabis is indeed an herb that bears a seed.  In Genesis chapter 1 verse 29, God gave man ALL herb bearing seed…  not, “all minus cannabis”, as the United States government likes to translate.  Anyone who goes against God’s word is against God.  Your own eternal destiny is in your hands, but do not deny others a way to find God.

Titus 1

¹⁵ Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. ¹⁶ They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

 

            Leviticus is yet another important book in determining what (if any) plant is indeed holy.  By now we should be in agreement that there is a “special” plant, there are many verses in which God tells us about its features, but what is the plant?  And more importantly, IF cannabis is not this sacred plant, where is the plant that possesses these characteristics; surely it didn’t just disappear from the planet or go extinct, considering all the other plants, animals, rivers, landmarks, et cetera mentioned in the Bible are still around.  Before we examine Leviticus, let’s look at what God says about this plant in Ezekiel:

Ezekiel 47:12 – And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

            Here it seems obvious what plant is being referred to, but for the untrained eye let’s look closer… a leaf that shall not fade, neither shall the fruits be consumed, and it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months.  This section is obviously referring to cannabis and it’s infinite ability to grow, live, and reproduce.  One cannabis seed will continually yield a harvest for life.  It is the world’s only 100% infinitely renewable natural resource.  No other plant has the ability to renew itself, over and over for eternity, neither will the plant ever die, wilt, nor fade once it has began to yield its fruits.  Even after harvesting the fruits of the cannabis plant, unlike other plants, it will not die or rot.  You can store harvested fruit from cannabis for months on end without the need of preservatives or any special consideration.  Can any other plants do that?  Not only will one plant yield a harvest for eternity, it will also produce seeds within itself, which can then bring forth other offspring; one cannabis seed, in actuality, holds the possibly for infinite plants and infinite crops.  God then reiterates the intended uses of this magnificent plant, telling us that the fruits should be for meat (food) and the leaf for medicine… just as the cannabis plant is used still to this day as has been for centuries. 

            In the days of old, long before we (humans in general) were all forced to buy our land and food and water, things that God provided to us, people farmed, tilled the land, and raised animals.  In order to give thanks to Him for all He had given to us, God passed down a set of instructions on how to do so in the book of Leviticus.   The third book of the Bible contains specific instructions passed down to Moses from God, pertaining information on performing these sacred rituals.  The main reason these rituals (offerings, sacrifices) were to be performed was forgiveness of sins.  All of these rituals, with the exception of the meat offering, require (non-human) bloodshed.  So in order to redeem yours sins, the best of your flock, whatever type of animal you raised or were able to acquire, was slain as an offering to God.  Why?  Because the wage of sin is death; the only way to atone your sins is by spilling innocent blood.  The animal would then be slain as an offering to God and your sins forgiven.  Why is a blood offering no longer required?  When Jesus Christ shed his blood for us, He was offered to the world as the ultimate blood sacrifice, to pay for the all the sins of the entire existence of humanity; which is why we no longer need to sacrifice animals to be forgiven of our sins, we pray to Jesus and he sends our prayers to God.  His blood has redeemed all sins.  But what about the meat offering?  We don’t have sin or trespass offerings anymore because Jesus has paid for our sins, but how about the meat offerings?  Did God say that Jesus has redeemed that as well?  First, let’s look at what exactly is meat by a “meat offering”. 

Leviticus 6

⁴ And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar. ¹⁵ And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour, even the memorial of it, unto the LORD. ¹⁶ And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it. ¹⁷ It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering. ¹⁸ All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy. ¹⁹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ²⁰ This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night. ²¹ In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the LORD. ²² And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the LORD; it shall be wholly burnt. ²³ For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.

            And there it is, in full detail, the meat (meal/food) offering.  There are a few lines I am going to elaborate on, the first is the reiteration of meat being herbs, as stated in Genesis chapter 1.  So at the beginning of Leviticus 6, God is telling us to take these herbs, grind them up very fine (like flour), add oil (to start the combustion needed to produce fire), add incense, and burn it as a sweet savour to the Lord.  The remainder of the plant would be eaten.  Verse 18 explains why this offering, unlike the sin and trespass offerings, are to be kept to this day… “a statute for ever in your generations”.  Not until Christ, but FOR EVER.  Before, during, after, always.  This notion also goes against what many so-called Christians believe concerning the Old Testament, that all of God’s laws are dead, and believing in Jesus will save you… wrong.  Keeping God’s laws and commandments as well as the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross will save you.  Faith without works is dead.  When is the last time you burned your incense and made your meal offering unto the Lord?  But why would God require this?  What is the significance?  The sin and trespass offerings were sacrifices to replenish your soul and the meat offering was no different.  However, instead of bloodshed, the meat offering is the offering of a “living sacrifice”.  The holy plant, physically, would be returned to the earth and to God by this fire sacrifice; at the same time providing spiritual nourishment in you.  This living sacrifice is mentioned briefly in Romans 12:1, and is also the kind of sacrifice Christ gave during His earthly ministry.  As stated in John 4:34, “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work”; and again:

John 6

²⁷ Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. ²⁸ Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? ²⁹ Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. ³⁰ They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? ³¹ Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. ³² Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

            And just in case you think that there’s another way to a true relationship with God, Revelation 8 tells us how God receives prayers:

 

Revelation 8

¹ And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. ² And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. ³ And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. ⁴ And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. ⁵ And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. ⁶ And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

 

Let’s get real here… could there be another herb that possesses all these qualities?  If you still skeptical regarding whether cannabis is the holy herb, try to think of another plant that possess all these qualities: food, medicine, incense, and spiritual enhancer.  Now try to come up with a plant that has been by the United States government.  Only one plant fits both categories.  Could this just be a coincidence?

            It’s been said, “the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he didn’t exist”.  Many people believe that Satan, the devil, whichever name you wish to call him, doesn’t actually exist or play a part in the events of the world.  The Bible tells us that this is not true and Satan is undoubtedly alive and well.  Can you name any other time in the history of existence where Satan has used his influence over man to trick us into going against God’s word regarding food consumption?  He was very sly in convincing Eve, could it be that now he has convinced everyone not to partake in God’s holiest gift?  If you believe in God, you must believe in Satan and vice versa… there is no good without evil, or light without dark.  Assuming that cannabis IS indeed the holy plant (given the history of the plant taken from the Bible, and the way in which it was eventually prohibited in 1937), wouldn’t Satan (knowing the truth about the plant) do everything and anything in his power to stop everyone and anyone from receiving God’s gift?   Laws/customs/traditions that are of Satan and not God are indeed doctrines of devils (1 Timothy 4).

            In summation, if by some chance, in 50 years another plant is discovered which even more closely resembles the one mentioned in the Bible, and it’s learned that cannabis is NOT the herb talked about from Genesis to Revelation, yet still it’s brought thousands (hundreds? At least one) of people to have an understanding and personal relationship with God… HOW CAN THAT POSSIBLY BE CONSIDERED A NEGATIVE THING???