by Chuck
Missler
We continue to
get many questions which derive from the popular but shamefully blasphemous
novel by Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code. Despite the fact that it is a work of fiction, it
has raised many troubling questions, especially among the less informed.
Because of our widely distributed text, Cosmic Codes, many continue to turn to us for a response. 1
We also
understand that director Ron Howard is working on a major motion picture with
Columbia on this subject, so the book will continue to be a popular topic of
conversation. The Da Vinci Code has challenged many in their understanding of the
Biblical texts and in dealing with some of the malicious heresies that have
been twisted from a highly flawed view of the history - and related medieval
legends that have sprung up through the centuries - surrounding the events
described in the book.
The Plot
It is easy to see
why this book made all the "Best Seller" lists. It's an engaging,
fast-paced thriller with an exotic mix of secret societies, mysterious
assassins, intrigues involving famous historical figures and controversial
institutions, all linked together with a delicious series of secret codes and
riddles to figure out. And behind it all emerges the most astonishing (and
outrageous) "conspiracy theory" anyone could possibly imagine.
The story opens
with the murder of the curator of Paris' most famous museum, during which he
leaves enigmatic clues in the form of codes that our hero, Robert Langdon, an
expert on occult symbology, and Sofie Neveu, a professional cryptologist who
joins him, must solve.
Several of these
clues involve hidden messages among the sketches and paintings of Leonardo da
Vinci, from which the novel gets its name (see "The
Vitruvian Man"
figure).
As it develops,
our hero Langdon is being viewed as the prime suspect himself, and the urgency
of solving the increasingly complex sequence of subsequent codes, riddles, and
clues intensifies. The hidden agenda of a secret order behind the Knights
Templar and the sinister intentions of committed operatives of Opus Dei, an
official arm of the Roman Catholic Church, all weave a tapestry of intrigue and
rapidly developing dangers.
It is quite a
challenging ride. Short, engaging chapters - each unfolding a new mystery or
plot twist - make this book virtually impossible to put down. (However, even
after 105 chapters, the principal plot elements are not really resolved.)
Entertaining
fiction has captured our imagination ever since Homer's epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, so many centuries ago. In addition to challenging
entertainment, a well-written historical novel is often an enjoyable
sugarcoated way to experience a glimpse of history. However, that presumes that
the thread of the fictional story is entwined within a tapestry of competent
historical research.
The Problem
What makes any
critique of Dan Brown's book particularly disturbing is his deliberate attempt
to pass on the view that it is based on fact. The reader is immediately
confronted with a preliminary page declaring certain parts of the book to be
factual (see text
box):
His last sentence on that page is, unfortunately, not true and is a major contributor to the confusion
surrounding this shameful and blasphemous challenge for the uninitiated reader.
Beyond simply
twisting history to suit his purposes and relying on falsified documents of
disputed origins, Dan Brown's book raises thought-provoking questions about
very real fundamental issues including:
The reliability of the
Bible.
The true nature of Jesus
Christ.
The origin of Christian
beliefs.
The realities within the
early church.
The role of the
"lost books of the Bible" and the many spurious heretical attempts to
undermine the Gospels of the first century.
These issues are
not incidental to the novel: they are central to its theme and constitute an intentional attack on
Jesus Christ personally and on His church. This became particularly apparent
during Dan Brown's public interviews in an ABC News Special and during his interview on Good Morning America. 2 His intentions were clearly deliberate and targeted.
Fortunately, Dan
Brown's cleverly contrived romp has been brutally assaulted by numerous real
facts and can only survive among the uninformed. The popularity of the novel,
however, can open meaningful and constructive discussions regarding the
foundations of the Christian faith and the reality of just who Jesus Christ
really is. But, as always, one needs to be prepared.
The Underlying
Premise
The fundamental
theme lying behind (pun intended) the entire chain of events is the infamous
Merovingian Heresy: that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a child that ultimately
resulted in the bloodline of the Merovingian kings of medieval France and which
still continues behind the intrigues throughout the Europe of today.
Much of this was
adapted from a book by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln, Holy
Blood, Holy Grail , published in
1982. (The name of one of the key "experts" in Brown's novel, Leigh
Teabing, is an anagram involving Leigh and Baigent.)
The mysterious
secrets surrounding the fabled search for the "Holy Grail," according
to the "expert" explanations embedded in Brown's novel, were but
coded references to this bloodline.
The Da Vinci
Connection
As an example of
the several da Vinci-related "codes" suggested in the novel, from
which it gets its name, is the notion that in the famous painting,
The Last Supper,
the person seated to Christ's right is not John (as is commonly assumed) but a
woman! And this, of course, and other features are contrived to support the
elevation of Mary Magdalene as His consort and "right hand." The Mona
Lisa and the Madonna
on the Rocks also participate
in Brown's contrived twists to support his tale.
The novel doesn't
limit itself to classical art objects alone: there are several
"cryptexes," 3 the use of Hebrew atbash codes, 4 and assorted riddles and anagrams, etc. One cannot
deny the clever exploitation of these intriguing plot devices to carry the
reader along.
But despite these
colorful devices, and although the numerous scholastic rebuttals easily shred
the many twisted and contrived allusions that are fostered to support Brown's
engaging tale, serious foundational issues remain to unsettle any thoughtful
reader.
Some Questions
Raised
Who was Mary Magdalene?
How do we know that Jesus wasn't married?
Why do we rely on the
four Gospels and reject others? How and why were they chosen?
What were the Gnostic
Gospels and why were they - and the "lost books of the Bible" -
rejected?
Was there an editorial
conspiracy within the early church?
Does the Priory of Sion
really exist? What is its agenda?
Is there a "Merovingian"
agenda behind the "New Europe"?
* * *
Part 2 of 'The
DaVinci Deception'
Mary, Mary? Quite Contrary!
The popular but
shamefully blasphemous novel by Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code, has raised many
troubling questions, particularly among the less informed. Since Ron Howard is
planning to bring it out as a major motion picture with Columbia next summer,
this book will continue to be a popular topic of conversation, and it will
continue to challenge many in their understanding of the Biblical texts.
Review
Dan Brown's
fictional story opens with the murder of the curator of Paris' most famous
museum, in which the victim leaves enigmatic clues in the form of codes that
our hero, Robert Langdon, an expert on occult symbology, and Sofie Neveu, a
professional cryptologist who joins him, must solve. Several of these clues
involve hidden messages among the sketches and paintings of Leonardo da Vinci,
from which the novel gets its name.
As the story
develops, Langdon is viewed as the prime suspect, and the urgency of solving
the increasingly complex sequence of subsequent codes, riddles, and clues
becomes intensified. The hidden agenda of a secret order behind the fabled
Knights Templar, and the sinister maneuvers of committed operatives of Opus
Dei, an ostensible arm of the Roman Catholic Church, all weave a tapestry of
intrigue and rapidly developing dangers.
What has ignited
a serious controversy among uninformed readers is that this work of fiction
poses as factual and constitutes a deliberate, blasphemous attack on
Christianity, the Bible, and Jesus Christ Himself.
The Priory of
Sion
The reader of
Brown's book is immediately confronted with a preliminary page declaring:
"FACT: The Priory of Sion - a European secret society founded in 1099 - is
a real organization. In 1975 Paris's Bibliothque Nationale discovered
parchments known as Les Dossiers Secrets, identifying numerous members of the
Priory of Sion, including Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and
Leonardo da Vinci..."
It is this
introductory presentation, which positions these "facts" as
foundational truths, that compromises Brown's novel as simply a work of fiction
and has caused confusion among so many.
It turns out that
"the Priory of Sion" was organized in 1956, with Pierre Plantard as
its Grand Master, an anti-Semite with a criminal record for fraud. Its
background was, indeed, "proven" by a cache of documents that were
"discovered" in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris.
However, they
were planted there by Pierre Plantard himself! One of his henchmen admitted to
assisting him in the fabrication of these materials, including the genealogical
tables and lists of the Priory's grand masters. This hoax was exposed in a
series of French books and a BBC documentary in 1996.
To claim
membership of these famous persons is actually an assault on their respective
memories and reputations. And Leonardo da Vinci's alleged involvement is, of
course, fundamental to Brown's storyline.
The alleged
mission of the "Priory" is the protection of a deep secret which, it
is insisted, would jeopardize the entire Christian Church as we know it: that Jesus
Christ was married to Mary Magdalene, and a daughter born to them was secreted
off to (what is now) France and subsequently led to the Merovingian dynasty of
kings.
The Knights
Templar is presented as the military arm of the Priory of Sion, charged with
protecting this bloodline and its attendant secrets. The "Holy Grail"
(Graal, Old French for "cup") is, thus, not the legendary chalice,
but a code name for this bloodline (Sang Real, "Holy Blood").
Many twists on
the legends, fables, and controversies surrounding the Knights Templar are
exploited to embroider Brown's tale and to support the blasphemous myth it
promotes. (The many misstatements and distortions concerning this Brotherhood
lie outside our purposes here and are incidental to the main themes of Brown's
book.)
The Merovingians
The Merovingians
were a dynasty of Frankish kings from the 5th to the 8th centuries. According
to tradition, they descended from Merovech, chief of the Salian Franks, whose
son was Childeric I and whose grandson was Clovis I, the founder of the
Frankish monarchy, who died in A.D. 511. They are sometimes called "the
first race of the kings of France."
The allegation
that they descended from the union of Jesus and Mary Magdalene lacks any
credible evidence whatsoever. However, there are those who claim their lineage
links many of the major royal families of Europe and belief in these legends
may lie behind some of the activism toward the "New Europe." (These
fables were popularized by a book by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry
Lincoln, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, published in 1982.)
Opus Dei
Offsetting the
intrigues of the Priory of Sion in Brown's novel are the machinations of Opus
Dei. The "Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei" ("Work of
God") was founded in Spain in 1928 by a 26-year-old Catholic priest,
Josemaria Escriva, who died in 1975 and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in
2002. This organization helps its 80,000 recruited and indoctrinated members,
and others, to a call to holiness by means of a rigorous daily routine,
retreats, courses, and other undertakings. Fabulously wealthy and highly
secretive, in Brown's novel the operatives of the Priory of Sion are subject to
the intrigues - even assassinations - by ostensible operatives of Opus Dei, painted
as a kind of "Vatican Mafia" for the purposes of Brown's plot
tensions.
Magdalene
Maligned
A
spate of books has been published to catalog the numerous misstatements,
distortions, and deliberate deceptions in Brown's book. But the primary offense
- among many - is his trumpeting the Magdalene Heresy. This clearly is the
central issue.
To
add to the confusion, there are more than six Marys in the Scripture who are
often misidentified:
1) Mary the
Mother of Jesus (deified by Catholics and virtually ignored by Protestants); 1
2) Mary, Mother
of John Mark, 2 prominent in the Jerusalem church, related to
Barnabas, 3 and owned a large home used for assembly; 4
3) Mary of
Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus, contrasted with her sister Martha in her
devotion 5 and remembered for her memorial anointing.6 [Often also confused with a similar event in Galilee
at a Pharisee's home also named Simon; 7 the location, occasion, motivation, and atmosphere
there seems distinct from the Bethany episode].
4) Mary, Mother
of James and Joseph, 8 one of the group of Galilean women who supported
Jesus financially 9 and were present at the crucifixion, entombment, and
witnessed the resurrection.
5) Mary of Rome.
Having served Paul and his party well elsewhere, moved to Rome; 10 and, of course,
6) Mary Magdalene, much maligned in both reputation and, here, ironically, in
blasphemous libel. She was identified by her native city, Magdala, on the
northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. She was healed by Jesus of seven demons 11 and was a person of means and a leader among the
women. However, in A.D. 591, Pope Gregory the Great gave an Easter sermon in
which he erroneously declared that the prostitute of Luke 7 was Mary Magdalene
of Luke 8. In 1969, The Vatican corrected centuries of misrepresentation by
acknowledging that there was no basis for her identification as a prostitute.
Mary
Magdalene is very visible in the Gospel record: She followed Jesus from
Galilee, ministered to Him, 12 beheld the crucifixion from afar, 13 stood by the cross, 14 located and watched the tomb, 15 came early to the tomb with spices, 16 was first to see the risen Lord, 17 and reported the resurrection to the disciples. 18
There
is no basis to even suggest that Jesus was married, or that He had an
"affair" with Mary Magdalene. This very notion demonstrates that the
author has no concept of just Who Jesus is! Or what He was all about.
The Magdalene
Heresy
Legends about
Jesus and Mary Magdalene began to emerge in southern France during the 9th
century, some even linking with the pagan goddess, Isis, etc. (Also, these were
accompanied by myths about John the Baptist, whose successor was thought to be
the Gnostic sex magician, Simon Magnus. 19 )
Brown's novel
attempts to support these outrageous notions by allusions from the Gnostic
Gospels, in particular The Gospel of Philip. An out-of-context fragmentary
reference to a kiss - in which Jesus kissed his other students as well - still
suggests nothing about marriage or any sexual innuendos. Brown leans on a word
in the "Aramaic" (although The Gospel of Philip came to us in Coptic)
that he maintains means "spouse." The word happens to be a loan word
from Greek, koinonia, which can mean
companion, as in fellowship, etc.
The Gospel of
Philip makes no reference that supports any of Brown's contentions. But even if
it did, it would be irrelevant since it was written more than two centuries
after the Gospel period, under a pseudonym posing as someone he wasn't. No
serious scholar can take it seriously as having any historical merit.
But the reliance
on The Gnostic Gospels, and twisted distortions of the early church councils,
all raise serious questions: What makes us so confident that our Bible is what
it purports to be? How do we know? What about these "missing" books
of the Bible?
We will continue
this series next month with a review of these "missing books," and
some contemporary implications of the Magdalene Heresy and the associated
Merovingian Myths, and their ostensible role in the unification of the New
Europe today. We will also highlight some bizarre speculations regarding a 150
ft. statue of "Mary Magdalene" that graces an international port
today. And we will also unveil the ultimate "code" that will be
evident only to the most discerning reader! Stay tuned. "Film at
eleven."
Notes:
1. Cf. 2 John as John's personal letter to her!
2. Acts 12:12.
3. Colossians 4:10.
4. Acts 12:12; mention of servants v.13.
5. John 11, 12.
6. John 12:3, Matthew 26:1-13; Mark 14:3-9.
7. Luke 7:36-50.
8. Matthew 27:56; 28:1; Mark 15:40,47.
9. Mark 15:40; Luke 8:2,3.
10. Romans 16:6.
11. Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2.
12. Matthew 27:56.
13. Mark 15:40.
14. John 19:25.
15. Matthew 27:61.
16. Mark 16:1, John 20:1.
17. Mark 16:9.
18. Luke 24:10, John 20:18. Acts 8:9-25.
Part 3 of 'The Da Vinci Deception':
''Another Gospel''?
As we said
before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than
that ye have received, let him be accursed. --Galatians 1:9
As we've said in
our previous two issues, the popular but shamefully blasphemous novel by Dan
Brown, The Da Vinci Code,
has raised many troubling questions, particularly among the less informed, and
with a major motion picture in the works, this subject will be a popular topic
of conversation for months to come.
In his novel, Dan
Brown attempts to support his outrageous notions by using allusions from the Gnostic
Gospels and twisted distortions
of the early church councils, all of which raise serious questions: What makes
us so confident that our Bible is what it purports to be? How do we know? What about these "missing" books
of the Bible?
Brown's
distortion of history is rampant throughout his novel. He assumes that
Constantine made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire - rather,
he simply granted freedom of worship in his Edict of Milan in A.D. 313. It was
a subsequent successor, Theodosius (379-395), who made Christianity the state
religion in 381. Brown's Constantine "upgraded a mortal Christ to
deity," and "secured male dominance and suppression of women"...
"converting the world from matriarchal paganism to patriarchal
Christianity." He insists that Constantine canonized selected favorable
Gospels from "more than 80 available." His deliberate distortions
are, of course, contradicted by clear historical records.
Council of Nicaea
The Council of
Nicaea was convened in A.D. 325 with 318 bishops to settle disputes about Christology,
not to dispute or modify the "canon." ("Canon," meaning
standard, refers to those Scriptures that were accepted by the early churches
as God-breathed, or inspired.) The principal precipitating issue was between
Arius and Athanasius. Arius argued that Jesus was simply a created being. He
was a great communicator and was causing deep disputes throughout the Empire.
Athanasius argued for the full deity of Christ and was clearly vindicated by
the proceedings of the Council (as exemplified by the famous Nicene
Creed).
Brown's Version
"It was at
the Council of Nicaea in 325 that Church leaders decided by vote to make Jesus
divine...Until that moment in history, Jesus was viewed by His followers as a
mortal prophet."
And, according to
Brown, it was a "close vote"! According to him, the presently
accepted Gospels were selected from "more than 80" available. All of
this is deliberate misrepresentation to support his attack on Jesus Christ and
His church.
Twenty rulings
were issued at the Council of Nicaea and the contents of all of them are still
in existence: not one of them involved issues regarding the canon.
As for the vote
that was finally taken, only 5 out of 318 dissented; only two of those refused to sign the
resulting resolutions, which reaffirmed the deity of Christ, not issues
regarding the canonical Gospels.
If Christ was not
fully God, then God was not the Redeemer of mankind.
For by him
were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:
all things were created by him, and for him: --Colossians 1:16 (Also, see Jn 1:1; Rom 9:5; Heb 1:1-8;
etc.)
During the 1st
century-two centuries before
the Council of Nicaea - even before the end of His earthly ministry, Christ's
divinity was already being acknowledged, as evidenced by Thomas: "My Lord
and my God!" 1
During the 2nd century
- still a hundred years before the Council of Nicaea - we have ample quotes
from the early church fathers:
Ignatius, Bishop
of Antioch (A.D. 110): "There is One God who manifests himself through
Jesus Christ his son"; "Son of Mary and Son of God. Jesus Christ our
Lord. Jesus Incarnate Christ God," etc.
Polycarp of
Bishop of Smyrna (A.D. 112-118), in his letter to the church at Philippi,
assumes the divinity of Jesus, His glorification, etc.
Justin Martyr
(~A.D. 150): "being the first-begotten Word of God, is even God" 2; "...both God and Lord of hosts." 3
Irenaeus (~A.D.
185): "our Lord, and God, and Savior, and King." 4
Clement of
Alexandria (~A.D. 200): "truly most manifest Deity, He that is made equal
to the Lord of the universe; because he was His Son." 5
Another of the
often-overlooked rebuttals to those who deny Christ's claim to deity were the
persecutions in Rome, and the voluntary martyrdom of the early Christians for
their refusal to worship the emperor. Their martyrdom was a result of their
exclusive commitment to Christ as God.
How We Got the
New Testament
The New Testament
was canonized in the 1st century while the apostles were alive and all facts
could be checked out (Lk 1:2; Acts 1:21,22; 1 Jn 2:3). It was endorsed by
Christ in advance (Jn 14:25-26) and was considered a "more sure word of
prophecy" (2 Pet 1:16-19).
The Process
Letters were
received and then circulated by the early church, and a growing group of them
became recognized as authoritative (Apostolic) and in harmony with accepted
doctrine. All 27 books were accepted by the end of the 1st century and every
New Testament book was cited as authoritative by a church father within one
generation.
The Gnostic
Gospels
The term
"gnostic" refers to gnosis , or knowledge. However, here it refers to the
concept of hidden, secret, or special knowledge. The Gnostics were a growing
problem in the early church and many of the New Testament epistles, as well as
the numerous quotes from the early church fathers, were in rebuttal to the
several heresies promoted by the Gnostics.
(In fact, Paul's
second letter to the Thessalonians was a response to a forgery being circulated
as if from him. 6)
For the time
will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts
shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall
turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. --2 Timothy 4:3
A large number of
spurious documents emerged during the centuries following the ministries of the
Apostles and were universally rejected by the early church. Copies of a group
of these were found at Nag Hammadi (in Egypt) dating from the 3rd and 4th
centuries, and these are uncritically accepted by Brown as accurate. These
include The Gospel of Thomas,
The Gospel of Philip, The Gospel of Mary, The Gospel of Truth , and about four dozen others.
They are not
"Gospels" at all, but rather speculative opinions, totally devoid of
any verifiable facts. Furthermore, they were written under false pseudonyms in
an attempt to gain legitimacy. The early church rejected any documents under
pseudonyms as being inconsistent with the concept of God-breathed inspiration. 7
Lastly, they were
all written centuries after
the Gospel period - in contrast to the contemporaneous eyewitness accounts in
the New Testament - and make no pretense of being actual records of events - in
fact, they are anti-historical
rather than simply non
-historical!
In particular,
Brown leans on The Gospel of Philip and its out-of-context fragmentary reference to a
kiss - in which Jesus ostensibly kissed his other students as well - but this
still suggests nothing about marriage or any sexual innuendo. Brown leans on a
word in the "Aramaic" (although The Gospel of Philip came to us in Coptic!) that he maintains means
"spouse." The word actually happens to be a loan word from the Greek:
koinonia , which can mean
companion, as in fellowship, etc.
The Gospel of
Philip makes no
reference that supports any of Brown's contentions. But even if it did, it
would be irrelevant
since it was written more than two centuries after the Gospel period, under a
pseudonym posing as someone he wasn't. No serious scholar can take it seriously
as having any historical merit.
(Many would seem
to accept Napoleon's cynical perspective: "What is history, but a fable
agreed upon?")
The popular novel
is, indeed, malicious, deliberate fiction - posing subtly as factual - and is
clearly, itself, a fulfillment of prophecy:
Even as there
shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves
swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of
whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall
they with feigned words make merchandise of you: --2 Peter 2:1-3
But it can also
be a blessing by causing serious Christians to "do their homework"
and find out just how the Bible came into being and the process by which the
New Testament achieved codification during their early years. 8
For there must
be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest
among you. --1 Corinthians
11:19
Codes Brown
Didn't Include
We will continue
this series with a review of some surprising aspects involving the Tribe of
Dan, the associated Merovingian Myths, and some of the contemporary
implications of the Magdalene Heresy and their possible role in the unification
of the New Europe today. We will also highlight some bizarre speculations
regarding a 150 ft. statue of "Mary Magdalene," wearing a toga and
holding the "Holy Graal," that graces an international port to this
day. Stay tuned.
Notes
1. John 20:28. See also John 1:1; Titus 2:13; Hebrews
1:8-10; 1 Peter 1:1, et al.
2. First Apology , ch. 63.
3. Dialogue with Trypho , ch 36.
4. Against Heresies , bk1, ch 10.
5. Exhortation to the Heathen, ch 10, Vol 2. All of these references can be found
in Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, The Ante-Nicene Fathers :
Translations of the Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325, 10 Vols.
6. 2 Thessalonians 2:2.
7. The Epistle to the Hebrews is the notable exception.
It appears to be the 3rd of a trilogy on Habakkuk 2:4, along with Romans and
Galatians.
Part 4 of 'The
Da Vinci Deception':
Eagles and Bees?
For the time
will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts
shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall
turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. --2 Timothy 4:3,4
In our series of
articles reviewing some of the background behind Dan Brown's book, The Da
Vinci Code, we have
explored his deceitful presentation of the so-called "Facts"
precedent to the novel itself, the blasphemous heresies regarding Mary
Magdalene and the related Merovingian legends, as well as the false
representations from the spurious "Gnostic Gospels."
What makes all
this disinformation even more disturbing is that there are powerful leaders
behind the emergence of the "New Europe" who take these myths
seriously.
In this final
article, we will explore some of the "codes" that Dan Brown hasn't resorted to (at least not yet!).
One of the
curious facets of the Merovingian legends was their apparent obsession with the
Tribe of Dan. While this aspect didn't emerge in Dan Brown's novel, it has a
high likelihood of coming up in some of the related fanciful speculations that
will emerge in the days ahead.
The Tribe of Dan
Although we do
not take the myths of the "Ten Lost Tribes" of Israel seriously, 1 it is interesting to examine the strange maneuvers of
the Tribe of Dan. Their disappointing performance seems to have been
anticipated, enigmatically, by Jacob on his deathbed as he prophesied over each
of his sons:
Dan shall be a
serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that
his rider shall fall backward. --Genesis 49:17
This
identification with a serpent was changed by Ahiezer, the leader of the Tribe
of Dan during the Exodus, to an eagle with a serpent in its mouth as their
tribal ensign. 2
When the conquest
of Canaan was completed and the tribes received their land allocations, the
Tribe of Dan was given the land west of Benjamin, placing them between
Jerusalem and the Philistines. (Even though Dan was one of the largest tribes,
it received one of the smallest - and most troublesome - allocations.)
The primary hero
of this tribe is, of course, Samson. Although the subject of several colorful
episodes, he actually accomplishes little of practical value. His riddle
involving bees resulted in an additional identity idiom for his tribe. 3
After Samson's
death, the tribe was unable to adequately deal with their Philistine
adversaries 4 and sought an alternative location, which was
ultimately found in the North. 5
It is interesting
that in the "Song of Deborah," commemorating the victory over Sisera,
Dan is chided for his distancing himself from the perils of the emerging
nation:
Gilead abode
beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea
shore, and abode in his breaches.-- Judges 5:17
Dan's descendants
apparently became skilled sailors and migrated north and westward to seek their
own futures. It is remarkable that Moses had previously anticipated this in his
prophetic summary:
And of Dan he
said, Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan. --Deuteronomy 33:22
How could he
"leap from Bashan" (the Golan Heights) if he had been officially
allocated the area west of Jerusalem? This prophecy by Moses anticipated his
relocating to the North!
Editorial
Derision?
The Tribe of Dan
was the first to fall into idolatry. 6 Dan's disconnection from the commonwealth seems to be
anticipated by the Holy Spirit in His dealing with the tribe throughout
Scripture: the names of his sons are omitted in genealogies; 7 Dan is either mentioned last, 8 or his name is blotted out altogether! 9
His omission from
the list of tribes in Revelation 7 is a well-known mystery. Irenaeus explains
this omission by suggesting that the Antichrist is to come from the tribe of
Dan - a belief which he bases on Jeremiah 8:16 from the Septuagint version
("from Dan shall we hear the noise of his swift horses").10
The Bee Identity
When the tomb of
one of the earliest Merovingian kings was unearthed, a treasure including 300
tiny gold bees was discovered. These bees are regarded as a symbol of the Tribe
of Dan, linked with Samson's riddle. 11
When Napoleon was
crowned, he insisted that his coronation cloak included the 300 bees
embroidered into it, apparently evidencing his desiring an identity with the Merovingians
and the Tribe of Dan. When he married Marie Louise Habsburg, he insisted that
these same bees be embroidered into her wedding gown.
The Merovingian
legends - and the Magdalene heresy - are taken seriously by many of the royal
families in Europe and among some of the powerful activists behind the European
Union today.
(It is also
interesting that the Mormon Church accepts the Magdalene heresy and that the
state symbol of Utah is the bee.)
The Eagle
Identity
It is also worth
noting that the ensign of Israel's enemies always seems to be that of an eagle:
Herod, the Romans, the Germans, the Czars, et al. (It is interesting that even
Sparta and Troy may have links with the Tribe of Dan! 12)
It disturbs some
to note that the symbol of the United States is also, of course, the eagle. The
apparent Masonic symbolism on the Great Seal of the United States also disturbs
many (look at your dollar bill and consult these images: 1,2,3,4):
The 32 feathers
of the right wing are said to represent the 32 degrees of the Freemasonry. The
33 feathers on the left wing include the honorary 33rd degree of the Scottish
Rite. The nine tail feathers are said to highlight the Council of Nine when the
Illuminati merged with the Freemasons on May 1, 1776.
The ostensible
occultic significance seems even more pronounced on the reverse side: the All
Seeing Eye (the "Open Eye" of Egypt and the "Mind's Eye" of
the Gnostics) and the Latin phrases "Annuit Coeptis" (announcing the
birth of) "Novus Ordo Seclorum" (New World Order).
The occult agenda
behind world politics should surprise no serious student of Daniel Chapter 10.
Satan seems to love symbols.
More Surprises
Coming?
Did you know that
there appears to be a 151 ft. statue of Mary Magdalene, dressed in a Roman
toga, holding the "Holy Grail" as a torch, in one of the most
prominent international harbors today? Designed by Auguste Bartholdi, it was
privately funded by the French Freemasons and presently adorns New York Harbor.
Are there other
occultic surprises around the corner? Will the rise of paganism and apostasy in
America bring about a final evil twist as we plunge into the End Times? Will
America ultimately join the world in challenging the Abrahamic Covenant by also
turning against Israel?
We must not take
our Christian heritage for granted. It came at a very high price, paid by those
who invested in their posterity. We must take our responsibilities seriously,
or we will be disenfranchising our children and grandchildren. (See David
Barton's article here.)
NOTES
1. This unbiblical myth arises from confusing the
original geographical allocations with the subsequent individual commingling
resulting from the disruptions from the separation of the Northern and Southern
Kingdoms after Solomon's death. Those who wanted to remain faithful to the
Temple worship migrated to the South. Those who favored idol worship migrated
to the North (2 Chronicles 11:13-17). For a complete discussion of the myth of
the "Ten Lost Tribes," see our Expositional Commentary on the Twelve Tribes,
appended to our Commentary on Joshua. This is also summarized in our
Expositional Commentary on James.
2. Numbers 1:12 2:25 10:25;1 Chronicles 12:3. Merrill F.
Unger, Unger's Bible Dictionary, Moody Press, Chicago, 1966, pp. 235-236.
3. Judges 14:14.
4. Judges 16 - 21.
5. Judges 19:47.
6. Judges 18:30; Golden Calves: 1 Kings 12:28,29; 2 Kings
10:29.
7. Genesis 46:23; Numbers 26:42; Hushim?, Shuham? =
"pit digger."
8. Numbers 10:25; Joshua 19:47-49; 1 Chronicles 27:16-22.
9. 1 Chronicles 1-10; Revelation 7.
10. Adv. Haer. 5. 30. 2
11. Judges 14:14. 1 Maccabees 12:5-23; 14:20-23; Josephus,
Antiquities of the Jews Bk 12:4; 13:5.
Briefing Package
available from Koinonia House, http://khouse.org
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