“You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm” (Deuteronomy 5:15 NAS).
Many times throughout Scripture the children of Israel are commanded to remember that they were once slaves in the land of Egypt. And better understanding what Egypt means and/or represents will help them remember their slavery and why it took the extraordinary and miraculous “hand” and “outstretched arm” of the Almighty to accomplish their deliverance. The word “Egypt” has a complex etymology and seems to break down to roughly this definition: “a place where the projection of an attribute of divinity [an aspect of God] manifested via the physical projection of the soul.”
As might be ascertained via this definition, a projection of soul is equated with an attribute of divinity; and herein lies an intractable problem—and consequently—the need for extraordinary deliverance. The entrenched but false divinity of the human soul is not easily extracted. And it is a condition that still plagues humankind today. Symbolically, slavery in Egypt continues as the human soul reigns supreme in the majority of people. Television shows glorifying “heroes” and “supermen” and those with “evolved powers” dominates the airwaves. Adhering to the idea of the evolution of man (an unfounded theory), rather than the devolution of man (an established fact), is the delusion of our time.
Looking into the etymology of the word “hero,” we discover an insidious and pervasive error concerning humankind and their inherent powers. The word “hero” means severally a “man of superhuman strength or physical courage, a demi-god, or an illustrious man.” Undoubtedly, God has bestowed upon some powers beyond the ability of normal humanity; their exploits are mentioned throughout Scripture, and specifically in the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews. But the apostle Peter, after lifting a lame man to his feet while declaring in the name of Jesus Christ that he walk, did not think for a minute that he did anything special. In fact, he redirected the people’s wonder and amazement off of him and onto Jesus Christ. He asked the crowd, “Why are you amazed at this? Why are you staring at us as if we made him walk by our own power or piety?” (Acts 3:12 CEB). And herein is the rub! Humankind’s power and piety is nonexistent; supermen, heroes, and demi-gods are fiction today, were fiction yesterday, and will be fiction tomorrow.
The divine spark left over in the wake of the fall of humankind exists only to see God’s “true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (John 1:9). It is not there to be stoked into a conflagration, to be one’s own private and selfish large-and-in-charge inner light; no, it is not there to inflame people to be the best version of themselves. That is all fool’s gold! The only “hope of glory” is Christ in us; vain is the glory of man (whether an illustrious man or common man, it makes no difference).
Symbolically, to be delivered from Egypt, is to begin the salvation process; the slavery to the world aspect that Egypt also represents, is about being delivered from self (and the delusions—things of a transitory nature—that self still clings to). Eventually, “All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” will pass away, “but the one who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:16-17). Demi-gods and heroes, however—no matter how powerful they become in their vaporous life here on earth—will pass away and be as though they were never here.
I have often heard the saying that God delivered His people out of Egypt, but not Egypt out of the people; and sadly, it is true of most of us. As the ancient Israelites were, so are we; many of them, and many of us, would rather be enslaved then delivered. We’d rather be our own persons, supermen, demi-gods, heroes; we’d rather thrive in our own vain imaginations, then struggle in Christ to remain humble and weak and dependent on God. Ultimately the man of sin, the 666 man, for whatever else he may be, is certainly going to be a developed and accomplished man (but only within his first Adam self, a self that God has already condemned). The Herods of the New Testament are an interesting example of what the 666 man might look like.
Of special note is the fact that the name “Herod” has “hero” in its etymology; also, all the Herods (there were six of them—the number of man) were Edomites, “red-men” (men of red clay, or dirt) derived from Esau’s stock. They were antagonistic to Jacob’s children, the Jews. The fifth Herod died a violent and apropos death. “And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, ‘It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.’ And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost” (Acts 12:21-23 KJV).
Finally, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind’” (Jeremiah 17:5).
Many times throughout Scripture the children of Israel are commanded to remember that they were once slaves in the land of Egypt. And better understanding what Egypt means and/or represents will help them remember their slavery and why it took the extraordinary and miraculous “hand” and “outstretched arm” of the Almighty to accomplish their deliverance. The word “Egypt” has a complex etymology and seems to break down to roughly this definition: “a place where the projection of an attribute of divinity [an aspect of God] manifested via the physical projection of the soul.”
As might be ascertained via this definition, a projection of soul is equated with an attribute of divinity; and herein lies an intractable problem—and consequently—the need for extraordinary deliverance. The entrenched but false divinity of the human soul is not easily extracted. And it is a condition that still plagues humankind today. Symbolically, slavery in Egypt continues as the human soul reigns supreme in the majority of people. Television shows glorifying “heroes” and “supermen” and those with “evolved powers” dominates the airwaves. Adhering to the idea of the evolution of man (an unfounded theory), rather than the devolution of man (an established fact), is the delusion of our time.
Looking into the etymology of the word “hero,” we discover an insidious and pervasive error concerning humankind and their inherent powers. The word “hero” means severally a “man of superhuman strength or physical courage, a demi-god, or an illustrious man.” Undoubtedly, God has bestowed upon some powers beyond the ability of normal humanity; their exploits are mentioned throughout Scripture, and specifically in the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews. But the apostle Peter, after lifting a lame man to his feet while declaring in the name of Jesus Christ that he walk, did not think for a minute that he did anything special. In fact, he redirected the people’s wonder and amazement off of him and onto Jesus Christ. He asked the crowd, “Why are you amazed at this? Why are you staring at us as if we made him walk by our own power or piety?” (Acts 3:12 CEB). And herein is the rub! Humankind’s power and piety is nonexistent; supermen, heroes, and demi-gods are fiction today, were fiction yesterday, and will be fiction tomorrow.
The divine spark left over in the wake of the fall of humankind exists only to see God’s “true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (John 1:9). It is not there to be stoked into a conflagration, to be one’s own private and selfish large-and-in-charge inner light; no, it is not there to inflame people to be the best version of themselves. That is all fool’s gold! The only “hope of glory” is Christ in us; vain is the glory of man (whether an illustrious man or common man, it makes no difference).
Symbolically, to be delivered from Egypt, is to begin the salvation process; the slavery to the world aspect that Egypt also represents, is about being delivered from self (and the delusions—things of a transitory nature—that self still clings to). Eventually, “All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” will pass away, “but the one who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:16-17). Demi-gods and heroes, however—no matter how powerful they become in their vaporous life here on earth—will pass away and be as though they were never here.
I have often heard the saying that God delivered His people out of Egypt, but not Egypt out of the people; and sadly, it is true of most of us. As the ancient Israelites were, so are we; many of them, and many of us, would rather be enslaved then delivered. We’d rather be our own persons, supermen, demi-gods, heroes; we’d rather thrive in our own vain imaginations, then struggle in Christ to remain humble and weak and dependent on God. Ultimately the man of sin, the 666 man, for whatever else he may be, is certainly going to be a developed and accomplished man (but only within his first Adam self, a self that God has already condemned). The Herods of the New Testament are an interesting example of what the 666 man might look like.
Of special note is the fact that the name “Herod” has “hero” in its etymology; also, all the Herods (there were six of them—the number of man) were Edomites, “red-men” (men of red clay, or dirt) derived from Esau’s stock. They were antagonistic to Jacob’s children, the Jews. The fifth Herod died a violent and apropos death. “And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, ‘It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.’ And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost” (Acts 12:21-23 KJV).
Finally, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind’” (Jeremiah 17:5).
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