BIBLICAL SYMBOLISM IN THE SCRIPTURES
We begin this writing with a scripture from the Bible:
“Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants ...”
-Galatians 4:24
Right here were are told in plain simple terms, that the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar, is an allegory. It is metaphorical. Myth ... with a hidden deeper meaning rather than a physical literal and historical event. And yet, whether this was a literal and historical event is irrelevant. This is a story of symbolic value. It isn't commentary, it is saying to us that it is allegorical. There is symbolism in this myth that is intended for discovery by those who have eyes to see, and ears to hear.
This goes hand-in-hand with us being told in scripture NOT to take the letter (scripture/hand written letter) literally by reminding us to NOT be a Minister of the letter. The Bible communicates to us in Parables, Proverbs, Allegories, and Dark Sayings. Modern day Archaeologists from the University of Tel Aviv have even told us the Bible stories are symbolic and allegorical. There was no captivity in Egypt. Egypt is a metaphor for our own dark ego animal based mind. “Aigyptos” (Egypt) in Greek meant “dark place.” It was a symbol of base nature man.
The Exodus, was allegory. Leaving the darkness (Egypt) and entering the Promised Land (Is-Ra-El) and Jerusalem (yeru-shalom) the place of peace. Again, this is what takes place within us as we transmute from base nature to Divine. Generations have searched for the literal places in the Bible but to no avail. Either they were built and named in honour of the symbolism afterwards, or they simply did not exist. The Ten Commandments (the negative commandments) were derived directly from King Hammurabi's Code. A list of negative commandments of things NOT to do that preceded the Hebrews by hundreds of years. These codes are currently on display in the British Museum.
Joshua of the Old Testament, the one who conquered Israel, is the same story as Jesus of the New Testament. The very name itself is the same. Joshua from the Hebrew, and Jesus from the Greek, are “Yehoshua, Yeshu, Yeshua” literally a word composed of Hebrew aleph-bet (alphabet) symbols that mean “God is Saviour - or God saves.” There was wandering in the desert for 40 years in the OT, there was a flood of 40 days and 40 nights in the OT, Jesus wandered in the wilderness for 40 days in the NT ... this is ALL symbolism. 40 weeks is the gestation period of a human being (9 months). From conception, to birth ... the time necessary to create a new person with new beginnings. A “born again” time frame. Everything is symbolic.
Even top officials from Universities in Israel today will tell us the Bible stories and the history of the Hebrews are not specifically real literal historical events. Joshua could not have knocked down the walls of Jericho because Jericho didn't exist at that time. Jesus could not have been “of Nazareth” because there was no Nazareth at that time (it meant Nazarene/Nozrim). Camels were not domesticated at that time.
So if so many of these stories never literally and historically happened, then what do they mean? There must be something of importance deeper than the surface story. These secret Truths were taught to initiates who entered the Mystery School of old. And by taking these stories to be literal, it has wreaked havoc all over the world, and divided people for centuries. War and violence, degradation of women, child abuse, lies and deceptions, and a total misunderstanding and mistranslation of the true nature of Life, and the Truth of ourselves as being the “Light of the world.”
The Bible characters, locations, stories, miracles, crucifixion, resurrection, raising of the dead, ascension, transfiguration, crossing of the Red Sea, Mt. Sinai ... all have much deeper meaning on a metaphysical level. They are used as metaphor. Myth ... “Mythos” in the Greek. Joseph Campbell put it wisely when he described "myth" as “something that never was, yet always is.” We must go beyond the name, places, and events ... deep between the black and white letter, and find the pearl of great price. The Truth, that lies in waiting ... for Revelation - to be revealed, uncovered, unhidden. “The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth Life.”
Just a thought ...
Justin Taylor, ORDM.
