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al·le·go·ry
(²l"¹-gôr"¶, -g½r"¶) n., pl. al·le·go·ries. 1.a. A literary, dramatic, or pictorial device in which characters and events stand for abstract ideas, principles, or forces, so that the literal sense has or suggests a parallel, deeper symbolic sense. b. A story, picture, or play in which this device is used. John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress and Herman Melville's Moby Dick are allegories. 2. A symbolic representation. --al"le·go"rist n.The American Heritage Dictionary _____________________________________________
Ode of Solomon 7: [4] The Lord hath caused me to know Himself, without grudging, by His simplicity [5] He became like me, in order that I might receive Him: He was reckoned like myself in order that I might put Him on; [8] Like my nature He became that I might learn Him and like my form, that I might not turn back from Him: [9] The Father of knowledge is the word of knowledge: [14] He hath given Him to be seen of them that are His, in order that they may recognize Him that made them: and that they might not suppose that they came of themselves: [15] For knowledge He hath appointed as its way, hath widened it and extended it; and brought to all perfection; [16] And set over it the traces of His light, and I walked therein from the beginning even to the end.
A co-worker wrote:
One of the respondents accused our content of being too "allegorical". How else can God communicate with us if not by allegory? Since God is everywhere and not limited to the human eye, He has to use "small" visible objects to show us His invisible thoughts Romans 1:20. When men are likened to trees, it is because the tree is being used to highlight a particular function that God has in mind. An astute student could see this as an expression of our birthright, where He is the Tree of Life and men are His offspring as trees of righteousness, Psalm 82:6-8; Isaiah 61:3; Matthew 23:9; Romans 5:18. How else would God show us what is on His mind except to use things we are familiar with? Parables also serve to hide these things from those who should not have them.
It is written that Jesus communicated to his disciples "in parables". A parable is an allegorical expression used to display and explain God's invisible operations and His thought. Objects are used as symbols to make the invisible concepts in God's mind "visible" to us in our minds as "picture images". Words serve the same function. Their sound and written form evoke "picture images" in our minds. The correct picture image is called "understanding".
Since everything is a product of His being, everything is an outgrowth of His mind. Anything can be used in an allegorical fashion to show the progress of things in God's mind and to communicate those ideas to us. A "word" is also used to represent that object and both will evoke the same picture image. Thus when we see the word, "t-r-e-e-", a picture of an "upright object with bark, branches and green leaves" pops into our minds. The kind of tree we visualize may vary. This is called communication.
People want to hear God speak in terms such as 2 + 2 = 4. But even numbers are symbols (marks), standing for something else - in this case quantities.
How could God convey to us what is in His mind (when there was as yet nothing) except to build objects and make them carry and represent His thinking? He had to create us and devise a way to communicate with us so that we could grasp His concepts. That's not an easy thing to do when you start off with an "empty" universe and you are the only "thing" in it (see The Beginning).
Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.KJV Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again
the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will we do, if God permit.This document is not about "milk" (in Italics in red print). If you are a milk-baby, take your bottle and crawl over to your crib. This document is too much for you!
Matthew 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Psalm 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: 3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
Numbers 12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. 7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. 8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
Jesus said, "He that has ears to hear, let him hear". A fair question to ask this reader is, "Do you have ears to hear"? I would hope the question would humble his thinking.
Opening the Eyes of the Blind
We are using two instances where Jesus opened the eyes of the blind:
And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.In both instances Jesus used "spit" (water) from his mouth. In these analogies we know water refers to the "words" he speaks or to those already written in the gospels. In the text in Mark, Jesus does this directly and it requires two touches from his hands. Jesus’ hands are Body members. Upper hands are angels and lower hands are select men under Christ’s control. Therefore a man may hear the voice of Christ as he knocks at the door of his heart. Then an angelic teacher confirms Christ’s words. Sometimes a human hand under the direction of Jesus will second the motion, and the recipient of those words will understand it perfectly. Heaven uses "team-work".
John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Revelation 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
In the John text, "spit in clay" refers to a man of God employed by Jesus and filled with his Word. The clay sticking to the eyes shows that this person continually reads what this messenger has to say without deviation or interruption. Some rare men of God are like rivers of water. When a man with clay on his eyes falls in with one of God’s ordained "rivers", that man will see clearly. Here are texts, which get to the point:
Isaiah 32:2 And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. 3 And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken. 4 The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Notice closely that the greatest things from Heaven are free! Those who see do not pay a nickel or a dime to obtain their sight. Jesus threw out all sellers, buyers and money changers. If you think you can buy the real light with money or an "offering" you do not recognize God’s true emissaries, Isaiah 55:1-4; Acts 8:20. Sellers and buyers do not qualify for the greatest riches, Luke 16:10-13. Those asking for cash for their literature and doctrines are not true "men of God"!
Analysis
In the first stage, the blind man saw men "as trees walking". In other words he saw them in terms of a symbol, metaphorically. This alludes to the fact that men in their primary learning step do not see men as sons of God. Only in the second stage did he see men CLEARLY. This means Jesus' second touch opens one's eyes to see men as true sons of the Almighty Father. Blessed are all of you who have received a second touch from Jesus' hand. You know all men are true sons and daughters of God! We are not something "different" and "apart" from God!
Jesus used CLAY (our temporal state) to open the man's eyes and he was told to wash himself in a pool. This means you may receive words of light from a (clay) "man of God" and have them before your eyes as you read. Then he CLEARED his eyes to see men truly after he washed in a pool. Washing in a pool means help from the Holy Spirit. The sound of their voices is like "many waters"! Revelation 14:2. Allegory and symbol are tools of the first phase of education to focus the eyes, and men see clearly in the second phase through the work of the Holy Spirits on high.
How Good Are Your Eyes?
A classic example of God’s use of allegory is His conversation with Enoch on how He created man. A blind man, or blind men on certain religious councils, which convened to determine divine authenticity a few centuries ago, will not see and could not see nor appreciate God’s use of the veil (blue and purple word-cloths) to seal His work from the unworthy. Enoch’s writings are loaded with symbolic language.
Secrets of Enoch 30:8 On the sixth day I commanded my wisdom to create man from seven consistencies: one his flesh from the earth; two, his blood from the dew; three, his eyes from the sun; four, his bones from stone; five, his intelligence from the swiftness of the angels and from cloud; six, his veins and his hair from the grass of the earth; seven, his soul from my breath and from the wind. 9 And I gave him seven natures: to the flesh hearing, the eyes for sight, to the soul smell, the veins for touch, the blood for taste, the bones for endurance, to the intelligence sweetness (sc. enjoyment). 10 I conceived a cunning saying to say, I created man from invisible and from visible nature, of both are his death and life and image, the knows speech like some created thing, small in greatness 11 and again great in smallness, and I placed him on earth, a second angel, honourable, great 12 and glorious, and I appointed him as ruler to rule on earth and to have my wisdom, and there was none like him of earth of all my existing creatures.
What is God saying to YOU in this text? Apply these definitions:
Earth: clay, sand, or "dirt". Scientists call it "star dust"!
Dew: Enoch 39:5 Here mine eyes saw their dwellings with His righteous angels, And their resting-places with the holy. And they petitioned and interceded and prayed for the children of men, And righteousness flowed before them as water, And mercy like dew upon the earth: Thus it is amongst them for ever and ever.
Eyes: KJV 2Ch 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him.
KJV Revelation 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow [was] upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
Stone: KJV Pro 9:1 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:
Enoch 20 1, 2 And these are the names of the holy angels who watch. Uriel, one of the holy angels, who is 3 over the world and over Tartarus. Raphael, one of the holy angels, who is over the spirits of men. 4, 5 Raguel, one of the holy angels who takes vengeance on the world of the luminaries. Michael, one 6 of the holy angels, to wit, he that is set over the best part of mankind and over chaos. Saraqael, 7 one of the holy angels, who is set over the spirits, who sin in the spirit. Gabriel, one of the holy 8 angels, who is over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim. Remiel, one of the holy angels, whom God set over those who rise.
Matthew 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Angels and cloud: Angels are the guardians, consciences, and teachers of men. Cloud is one of their symbols.
KJV Psalm 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in [their] hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
KJV Revelation 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
Genesis 6:3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Grass: Isaiah 40:6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: 7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. 8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
Hair is a covering, a "crown" for the head. We learn from our parents and other other men by accepting their ideas, culture and history. The grass as "hair" analogy is appropriate.
God’s breath and wind: Wisdom of Solomon 8:24 For Wisdom is more mobile than any motion; because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things. 25 For she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the power of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. … 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
How do you see men walking? as trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord? Isaiah 61:3, or as sons and daughters of the Almighty Father? Matthew 23:9. If you have eyes to see, you should be able to turn those keys and discover the hidden message God told Enoch about the creation of man.
From the beginning God told Enoch that He was creating man in an allegorical fashion. It is in our hair, our bones, our blood ... to learn about our self and to see our image. Jesus thanked God for revealing things to simple babes. Isaiah says God will show this to every man so that men will not need to teach one another eventually. How is God doing this? He is using trees, rocks, wars, oceans, water, and blood in an allegorical fashion. So we do not have to be physicists (with their arcane concepts) or mathematicians (memorizing numbers) to learn of God. Everyone can learn. He is using the everyday things of which we are aware, and this includes ourselves. Jesus came "in the middle of the week" (Daniel 9:27) and used simple stories and objects to teach men.
God also uses whole nations on the earth-stage to "act" prophetic revelations. The "psychodrama" ACT starring Pharaoh, Moses, the Egyptian people, and the Israelites was a revelation for our analysis Romans 15:4. It was a long, drawn-out allegory referring to devils, God, and ALL HUMANITY. Pharaoh symbolized Satan in his role. The Egyptian people represented the kingdom of devils everywhere, and Israel parabolized all of mankind in every generation of TIME. NOW ... YOU must go back and reconsider that episode to understand what God was revealing to His Heavenly students about our earthly situation (see ISRAEL and EGYPT: What It All Means).
God also casts men in repeating roles to teach His newly risen students redeemed from the earth as the "daily sacrifice". Moses observed that, "We spend our days as a tale that is told", Psalm 90:9. A quick example to whet your appetite is Jonah sent to preach to the Ninevites. He was upset when God spared these people just like "elder son" preachers today. The reverse is Peter, "the son of Jonah", sent to speak to Cornelius and to reveal to his ignorance that God loves ALL His sons and daughters, not just the Jews only. There are many more tutorial "living parables", incidents in the daily lives of men designed for didactic purposes. If you want to see more of them, go to our document Some of the Living Parables of the Bible.
KJV Matthew 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Psalm 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: 3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
KJV Numbers 12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. 7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. 8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
Some of the Living Parables of the Bible and The Parabolic Gospel are great documents for any reader with eyes to see, if you want to know what your Father is saying and if you want to learn the details.
Conclusion
Allegory is a simple way of using things we are aware of to tell a story. No one is a better Teacher than God, and His use of similes, metaphors, parables, and living parables is a superb means of explaining complex things to the simple minds of babies. Blessed are all those who have Jesus’ spit or his clay on their eyes. May you all fall into a "river", Revelation 19:2-6, 22:1!