Hi Kat
You talk about labor pains.
Well I saw it happen in someone just today!
An elderly man and his friend came into my shop. Those who know me know I have my books, Bibles, notes on my table during the day.
Anyway, back to the labor pains. The man asked me what Bible I use. I explained that I refer to many Bibles and named a few...this seemed to trigger him into a tirade of explaining all about Lucifer and Adam and Eve being perfect and and and...Poor chap! I knew arguing was pointless. But agreeing with him, well that is our perogative to withhold. So...realising the barriers, I asked him to look at my Bible and opened it at Isaiah in which there is a magnificent foot note explanation.
He and his friend poured over the opened Bible reading what I had pointed out. I could see the shock, pain and fear..... I could not show them Ray Smiths teaching. That would have been like a cesarean and they were in no mood to take any pain killing injections! It was a now moment and Rays teachings were in my book case far to far away from this crisis to try to retrieve for them anyway. Here is what they read:
"The Hebrew for this expression - "light-bringer" or "shining one" - is translated ":Lucifer in The Latin Vulgate, and is thus translated in the King James Version. But because of the association of that name with Satan, it is NOT NOW USED IN THIS AND OTHER TRANSLATIONS. Some students feel that the application of the name Lucifer to Satan, in spite of the long and confident teaching to that effect, IS ERRONEOUS. The application of the name to Satan has existed since the third century A D and is based on the SUPPOSITION that Luke 10 : 18 is an explanation of Isa. 14 : 12, which many authorities BELIEVE IS NOT TRUE. "Lucifer, " the light-bringer is the Latin equivalent of the Greek word "Phosphorous," which is used as a title of Christ in 2 Pet 1: 19 and corresponds to the name "radiant and brilliant Morning Star" in Rev 22 : 16, a name Jesus called Himself. This passage here in Isa 14:13 CLEARLY APPLIES TO THE KING OF BABYLON. The city of Babylon was in the midst of a very fertile area, and it would have seemed reasonable to suppose that, regardless of what happened to the population, the region would always furnish pasturage for flocks. But Isaiah said it would become the possession of wild animals and would be covered with "marshes and pools of water. " This is how that prophecy was literally fulfilled: after Babylon was taken, the whole area around the city was put under water from neglect of the canals and dikes of the Euphrates River. It became stagnant "marshes and pools of water" among ruins haunted by wild animals, proclaiming to any who might see it that "surely, as the Lord has thought and planned, so shall it come to pass. Isa 14:24 Caps mine to present emphasis.
I am not trying to ridicule this man that the labour pain of the truth tearing down his false beliefs caused him pain. I pointed out that to believe that Lucifer is Satan is to believe God is a fool and impotent. When that connection struck him, he went straight into denial but had no basis for defence against what he has believed to be the truth which is actually the error and the lie. I simply observed the horror and can empathise with the revelation of nakedness and terror that briefly showed across his face.
As he paid for the goods he was purchasing he asked me where God was. I said everywhere. I explained that God is Spirit. Again it appeared to me as a mother, that he lapsed into an intense like labour pain so deep, as he repeated what he had falsly believed which was that God is A Spirit. No I reassured him. God is not A Spirit. GOD IS SPIRIT. Again, to my mothers eyes it seemed like labour pains tweekied and a fleeting shadow of pain etched again across his face. He just could not stand in the same spot at the same time and seemed like he wanted to jump out of his skin.
He said he would be back again....I wonder? The wonderful thing about all this is that he said he does not go to Church or belong to one as he seemed to dash out of my shop telling me on his hurried way out that he had to be somewhere....
Peace to you Sister
Arcturus