December Holiday Celebrations

Christmas, coming from humble beginnings, has evolved into arguably the largest celebration in the world. Roman Catholics and Protestants celebrate the birth of Jesus on Dec. 25. 

The familiar Nativity scene seen around town every year refers to the biblical story. According to accounts in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary in the city of Bethlehem, in what is now known as the West Bank. 

Christians believe Jesus is the son of God, sent to Earth to wipe clean the sins of mankind, and that his birth fulfilled prophecies made hundreds of years earlier. Over time, Christmas celebrations adopted many of the traditions still celebrated today, such as the Christmas tree, Santa Claus and giving gifts.

In Hebrew, the word "Hanukkah" means "dedication." It is also known as the Festival of Lights, and is an eight-day Jewish holiday. It begins every year on the 25th day of the month of Kislev, which falls between late November and late December.

The holiday commemorates the rededication of the holy temple in Jerusalem after the Jews' victory over the Hellenist Syrians in 165 B.C.E. This festival of Hanukkah is observed in Jewish homes by lighting the eight candles on the menorah each night of the holiday, one on the first night, two on the second night, etc., from the ninth, larger candle, called the "shamash," or "servant."

Kwanzaa is not a celebration where you buy gifts or decorate your home. It is a celebration of unity and family, and doing special things for one another. Kwanzaa is a growing tradition, created in 1966. 

The word Kwanzaa is Swahili for "first fruits." It is a celebration of the African harvest, observed from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.

The seven-day observance encourages African-American families to re-explore and strengthen their heritage, and do special things for each other. A candle is lit every day during the seven days of Kwanzaa. The candles represent: Unity; Self-determination; Responsibility; Economics; Purpose; Creativity; Faith.

Wishing All a Happy Holiday Season from Who's ? Right

[Above article curtesy of Orlando News 13. For further reading please visit: http://mynews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/on-the-town/holidays/holiday-history.html ] 

“The Oracles”

[Excerpt taken from Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions & the End Times by Kelly Warman-Stallings]

An “oracle” is the term given to an ancient seer who was given revelations and prophecies straight from the gods (polytheistic) or the Creator himself (monotheistic). Many ancient and modern oracles from different races and creeds, as well as diverse cultures, have accurately predicted various events throughout world history, including seeing a final apocalypse for mankind. Several prophecies concerning doomsday have been circulating for hundreds of centuries; some of the prophecies have been fulfilled, while others are still yet to come.

The Ancient Oracles:

Oracles of Apollo – the most well-known of the oracles came from Greece, in the small village of Delphi, about 100 miles northwest of present-day Athens, near the Corinthian Sea and just south of Mount Parnassos’ (Panassus) summit. According to scholars, the oracle was inspired to be a priest/priestess by the god Apollo, and bestowed with power to see into the future. From the 8th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D., pilgrims traveled there from throughout the Mediterranean to pose questions to the priest/priestess. The oracle of Delphi would enter an underground chamber, surround themselves with clouds of incense and go into a trance. In this altered state, the priest/priestess would produce prophecies. The Grecian population continued to consult the oracles until the 4th century A. D. when Theolosius ordered the temples of the prophetic deities to be closed.

In 1998 (A.D.), geological teams discovered two fault lines running beneath the Temple of Delphi in Greece in which ethylene gas was produced. Ethylene gas causes a mild euphoria in small doses, while larger quantities can produce hallucinations, visions, and incoherent mumblings. Some skeptics believe the affects of this natural gas caused coincidental predictions and did not warrant justifiable means for authentic and precise predictions. However, other scholars and theologians agree that the Oracle of Delphi correctly predicted: 1) the fame of Socrates, years before he was born; 2) the defeat of the Persian invasion of Greece in 480 B.C.; and, 3) the conquest of the known world by Alexander the Great. The oracle also foresaw a great and distant apocalypse of extreme measures for mankind. 

The Sybil – an oracle from the ancient Roman Empire, who was reputed to live in a cave near present-day Maples in the 6th century B.C. She was respected by the noble aristocrats who would consult with her on everything from war to domestic affairs. It was said the Sybil would go into a trance and the god Apollo would take over her body. 

The oracle from ancient Rome wrote The Sybilline Prophecies upon scrolls, which were housed at the Temple of Jupiter. A few predictions included: 1) the invasion of Italy by Hannibal (700 years before it happened); 2) the rise of Emperor Constantine and called him by name (800 years before his birth); and, 3) the coming birth of Jesus (20 years before his birth). 

This particular vision of the Messiah was cherished by the early Christians. The Sybil also made dismal predictions of a distant apocalypse. She predicted the world would last for nine periods of 800 years each and the generation would begin approximately 2000 (A.D.) and be the last period. 

“These things in the tenth generation shall come to pass. The earth shall be shaken by a great earthquake that throws many cities into the sea. There shall be war. Fire shall come flashing forth from the heavens, and many cities will burn. Black ash shall fill the great sky. Then know the anger of the Gods.” - The Sybilline Prophecies-Book 4

St. John the Divine – (aka: John of Patmos) was the author of Revelation [in the Christian Bible], an enigmatic book of warnings and words of advice. John received a series of ominous visions of an apocalyptic world while in exile on the Island of Patmos. The divine oracle foresaw such occurrences as: 1) diseases claiming one-fourth of mankind; 2) global warfare centered in the Middle East; and, 3) the rise of an evil world dictator. Some skeptics believe the prophecies of the ancient oracle from the 1st century A. D. were in reference to St. John’s own lifetime and most of his forewarnings have already been fulfilled. However, controversy arises in such a theory for John of Patmos not only foretold of a horrendous war, widespread death on earth and cosmic disturbances, but described happenstances unimaginable in the ancient world. Whether you are a believer or a skeptic, the book of Revelation is one of the most controversial books of the Christian’s Holy Bible. 

“And  the  shapes of  the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and  on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails; and their power was to hurt men five months.”- Revelation 9:7-10

In the aforementioned verses, interpretations vary when it comes to the scholars and theologians, but most agree St. John is describing a horrendous battle among mankind in which the ancient seer tried to describe what he had seen and transcribe it in accordance with analogies of his day. Today, St. John is one of the most noted of all oracles and considered by many to be a prophet and personal messenger of the Creator. His doomsday scenario, outlined in the book of Revelation, carries this sect's most powerfully prophetic warning of the End Times.

The ancient oracles made predictions of future events, born of divine inspiration, that were remarkably precise. Many of the prophecies, foretold by the seers of antiquity, seem to have been fulfilled in the last 100 years. This could explain why the Christians await Jesus’ second coming, the Muslims watch for the return of their savior, Mohammad, and the Jewish nation still prays for the appearance of their long-awaited Messiah.

Gabriel the Angel

Gabriel is recognized in the Abrahamic religions as an angel who serves as a messenger sent from the Creator to certain people, such as the prophet Daniel, the virgin Mary and the prophet Muhammad. Literally translated, his name means: "God is my strength". He is mentioned in the Jewish Tanakh, the Old and New Testament of the Christian Bible and the Islamic Qur'an. While Gabriel is not mentioned in the Christian Bible as an archangel, he is revered as a saint in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches. In the Qur'an this certain angel is known as Jibra'il, who is one of four archangels whom Allah sent a divine message to through various Islamic prophets, including Muhammad.

In Judaism:                                                       

Archangel Gabriel. A fresco from the Tsalenjikha
Cathedral  by Cyrus Emanuel Eugenicus.
(14th century)

In the Book of Daniel and the Book of Ezekiel, Gabriel is interpreted by the Rabbanim as "the man in linen". Gabriel was the heavenly host who interpreted Daniel's visions and the angel who was sent to destroy Jerusalem (according to Ezekiel) because of the transgression of the Israelites. 

In Kabbalah, this angel is identified with the sephirot of Yesod and plays a prominent role as one of Yahweh's archangels. [In Judaism, five archangels are recognized.] Gabriel is also portrayed in Kabbalah as working with the archangel Michael in the Creator's heavenly court.

In the First Book of Enoch it states that Gabriel "saw much blood shed upon the earth" (Enoch 9:1) and heard the souls of men cry, "Bring our cause before the Most High" (Enoch 9:3). The Creator's response was this:

And the Lord said to Gabriel: "Proceed against the bastards and the reprobates, and against the children of fornication: and destroy[the children of fornication and] the children of the Watchers from amongst men [and cause them to go forth]: send them one against the other that they may destroy each other in battle: for length of days shall they not have." 1 Enoch 10:9

According to the First Book of Enoch, Gabriel is the third of the five angels and it states that he is the one who keeps watch over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim (1 Enoch 20:7) Later, in the Book of Enoch, he [Enoch] encounters four heavenly figures and questioned the Creator about who they were:

"And he said to me: 'This first is Michael, the merciful and long-suffering: and the second, who is set over all the diseases and all the wounds of the children of men, is Raphael: and the third, who is set over all the powers, is Gabriel: and the fourth, who is set over the repentance unto hope of those who inherit eternal life, is named Phanuel.' And these are the four angels of the Lord of Spirits and the four voices I heard in those days." (Enoch 40:9)

The fifth archangel in Judaism is known as Uriel. During the ancient era, roughly between 200 B.C. - 50 A.D. (also called the intertestamental period) a wealth of informative literature was produced, with much of it including an apocalyptic orientation. The names of the angels were greatly expanded by rank, and each had particular duties and a holy status before God.

For more information, please visit: Gabriel in Judaism

In Christianity:                                   

  Icon of Gabriel, 
Byzantine, c/1387–1395 
(Tretyakov Gallery)

As mentioned above, the Christian Bible does not refer to Gabriel as an 'archangel'; the only one mentioned as an archangel is Michael (Jude 1:9). In fact, Gabriel and Michael are the only "named angels" in the New Testament. In reference to the Old Testament, Gabriel is seen as a guardian angel who carried out the behests of the Creator which included special commissions regarding men and secular affairs. 

In Genesis 18-19, there are two angels of the Lord that act as the executors of God's wrath against Sodom and Gomorrah; they were also instrumental in helping Lot and his family escape from the carnage of that wrath. Gabriel is perceived as being one of those angels.

There are other passages in the Old Testament where Gabriel is recognized as the angel that God sent to go before Moses when the patriarch of the exodus was given instructions to take the people to "the land flowing with milk and honey". (Exodus 3:8) Later in the Christian Bible, the story of Tobias is associated with the commentary on Psalms 91:11 where it is stated: "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." Once again, Gabriel is thought to be the angel who was given charge. In Daniel 10, there are certain angels entrusted with the care of particular territories and while Michael is termed as "one of the chief princes", Gabriel is perceived as one of the other "chief princes".

The New Testament also mentions Gabriel as the angel who first visited Zachariah, father of John the Baptist (Luke 1:11-12 and Luke 1:19) and later visited Mary, mother of Jesus (Luke 1:26-31). In both instances, Gabriel announces that the Creator has found favor with them; Zachariah's wife Elizabeth (well stricken with age) and young Mary would conceive male children. When Zachariah questioned the sincerity of Gabriel's words, for he knew his wife was long past the years of barring children, his doubt was rewarded with silence:

"And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season." - Luke 1:20

Mary, on the other hand, accepted such a fate that had been bestowed upon her and believed the message the angel Gabriel had delivered to her:   

"And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her." - Luke 1:38

There was also an angel that visited Mary's betrothed, Joseph, encouraging him to wed Mary, for she was impregnated by the Holy Spirit and carried the 'holy child of God', but Matthew does not elaborate on who that angel was. (Matthew 1:20-21)

It is also interesting to note in Mormonism (a branch of Christianity), Gabriel was believed to have lived a mortal life as Noah, in both the pre-flood and post-flood world. The two are regarded as the same person: Noah being his mortal name and Gabriel being his heavenly name.

For more information, please visit: Gabriel in Christianity

In Islam:                            

Muhammad receiving his first revelation from
the angel Gabriel. This illustration (published
in 1307 AD).is from the book Jami' al-awarikh
by Rashid-al-Din Hamadani, 

According to Islamic tradition, Allah sent the sacred scriptures of the Qur'an to the prophet Muhammad through His angel, Jibra'il (Gabriel). It is believed that Gabriel sent messages to all Islamic prophets throughout history in which he revealed the obligations that was expected from these chosen holy men. Gabriel is mentioned several times in the Qur'an (such as, 66:4) and revered highly by the Muslim nation.

“Say, "Whoever is hostile to Gabriel—it is he who revealed it to your heart by Allah’s leave, confirming what preceded it, and guidance and good news for the believers.” Qur'an 2:97

Muslim tradition considers Gabriel to be one of the four primary archangels. The primary archangels in Islam are Gabriel, Michael, Israfil and Azrael. Gabriel is believed to be one of the three angels that appeared to Abraham to inform him of Isaac's impending birth and he was also the angel that came to Zachariah and Mary to announce the births of John the Baptist and Jesus, respectively. 

Gabriel told Zachariah:

[He was told], "O Zechariah, indeed We give you good tidings of a boy whose name will be John. We have not assigned to any before [this] name." He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy when my wife has been barren and I have reached extreme old age?" [An angel] said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, for I created you before, while you were nothing.' " [Zechariah] said, "My Lord, make for me a sign." He said, "Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three nights, [being] sound." - Qur'an 19:7-10

Gabriel told Mary:

He said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy." She said, "How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?" He said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.'" - Qur'an 19:19-21

Tafsir (or Exegesis) narrates that Muhammad witnessed the angel Gabriel in his full angelic splendor twice; the first time being when he received his first revelation. It is also interesting to note that Gabriel makes an appearance in the Hadith of Gabriel, where he quizzes Muhammad on the core tenets of Islam.

While some Christian denominations believe that Gabriel will be the one to blow the trumpet to indicate the return of Jesus, Islamic tradition teaches it will be Israfil, not Gabriel, who will sound the trump of doom. 

For more information, please visit: Gabriel in Islam

Gabriel in Literature:

While there are many books, poems and various other literature where Gabriel [the angel] is the point of attention, below lists a few of those examples (taken from Wikipedia.com):

• In his epic poem Paradise Lost, John Milton made Gabriel chief of the angelic guards placed over Paradise
• The Hebrew poem "Elifelet" (אליפלט) by Nathan Alterman, put to music and often heard on the Israeli Radio, tells of a heroic, self-sacrificing Israeli soldier being killed in battle. Upon the protagonist's death, the angel Gabriel descends to Earth, in order to comfort the spirit of the fallen hero and take him up to Heaven 
• Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses has his main character be the modern incarnation of Gabriel 
• "End of the Beginning", an epic fantasy novel by Jon Snyder chronicles the final events of the angelic race's reign on earth and shows the main character, a humble Gabrius rise to become Gabriel, the angel of legend as he unravels the growing corruption of Lucifer

Gabriel is undoubtedly one of the Creator's greatest head angels in the hierarchy of the heavenly host, as his mysterious appearances to various people and the determined messages he carried to them are referred to in all three of the Abrahamic religions.

The Seven Empires

[The following excerpt was taken from Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions & The End Times by Kelly Warman-Stallings]

While there are many people of various faiths and creeds who believe in an “End Times” scenario and base their opinions upon individual views, the theory of the “Seven Empires” are also based upon personal interpretation and open for debate.

John of Patmos informed mankind, through his visions, that humanity would be granted seven empires during their reign on the earth. “And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.” (Revelation 17:10)

Six major empires have come and gone and, according to some intellectuals of religion, the seventh empire is currently rising. During the ancient era of St. John the Divine [John of Patmos] the five empires that had already fallen were:

1) Egyptian Empire – according to some scholars, the history of the empire extends back to 3500 B.C., long before Noah and the Great Flood. The Pharaoh ruled the dynasty until the Egyptians were conquered by Cambyses I, King of Persia, in 520. While Rameses II was probably one of the most well-known rulers (noted for his horrid oppression of the Hebrew nation), it was his successor, Merneptah, who was pharaoh during the exodus of the Hebrews [led by Moses]. The Egyptian Empire ruled the then-known world for over 3,000 years.

2) Assyrian Empire – was established around 1320 B.C. by Tiglath Pileser I, who expanded the dominion over western Asia. This empire was at its greatest during the reign of Esar-Haddon in 681, who further extended the kingdom to include Egypt and large parts of northern Africa. The Assyrian Empire is credited with dividing the year into twelve months and dividing the week into seven days. In 606, the fall of Nineveh (taken by the Medes and Babylonians) became the downfall of the empire. Sarakos was the last emperor of this dynasty. This ancient empire ruled for 714 years.

3) Babylonian Empire – some scholars claim this ancient empire came about before 2500 B.C., yet no documentation survives to authenticate the actual rise of this kingdom. One of the earlier leaders was purported to be Nimrod (from the lineage of Ham, Noah's son). The empire’s greatest prosperity included Assyria, Mesopotamia and a big portion of western Asia. The most well-known king of the Babylonian Empire was Nebuchadnezzar (604-561), who challenged the prophet Daniel to interpret his strange dreams. The empire flourished for at least 2,000 years and the world capital was Babylon the Great for 1,700 years. The kingdom was conquered by Cyrus II, King of Persia, in 538.

4) Persian Empire – also referred to as the Medo-Persian Empire, was officially established by King Cyrus II in 538 B.C., but was considered a nation as early as 708. In 558, King Cyrus rebelled against the Medes and his successive wars may have destroyed the kingdom’s former glory, but it made Persia a mighty empire. The boundaries of this ancient dynasty included Syria, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Egypt, Macedonia, Cyprus and Tyre. Darius III, who began his reign in 336, was the last king of Persia. Alexander the Great overthrew the empire in 330 (which resulted from the slaying of King Darius III) and made it a part of the Grecian Empire. The Persian Empire last 208 years.

5) Grecian Empire – dates back to 3rd century B.C. when Alexander the Great conquered the Persians and made his kingdom larger by annexing parts of Asia, Africa and Europe. While this empire attained its height of prosperity under Alexander, his reign was a short one (330-323). After the death of Alexander the Great the vast empire was divided among his generals. Ptolemy I, most famous of his commanders, founded a dynasty in Egypt. In 279, the Gauls invaded and threatened the kingdom’s stance when states rose in the West. It wasn’t until 146 [and the capture of Corinth] when the Grecian Empire fell and became part of a Roman province. The empire endured for 184 years.

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The established empire that was reigning during St. John’s ancient era of the 1st century A.D. was:

6) Roman Empire – officially declared an empire in 31 B.C., it was a vast dominion as early as 753 B.C. The grand kingdom extended from the Euphrates River to the east to the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and from the deserts of Africa to the south to the Danube and Rhine Rivers to the north. Romulus (founder of Rome) was the first of its many emperors and the dominion remained a kingdom until 509. From 509-31 this land was considered a republic. Ancient Rome was completely destroyed by the Gauls in 390, but soon after rebuilt the grand city. Rome reached the height of its glory and became an empire under the reign of Augustus Caesar (30 B.C.-14 A.D.) The fall of the Roman Empire in 476 A.D. occurred when the last emperor, Romulus Augustulus, yielded to the Byzantium nation and brought about the great kingdom’s collapse. Rome remained the capital under Byzantium rule until 800 A.D. when it reverted to Italy. While the Roman Empire lasted 507 years, the dominion of Rome ruled for 1,229 years.

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These six mighty empires have long since come and gone. The last empire to rule upon Earth is commonly referred to as:

7) Revived Roman Empire – will rise out of ten nations and become a great one-world power. Many scholars and philosophers believe this final empire has been making a gradual entry into our modern day world since the mid 20th century. 

Some view the United Nations (UN), which was formally organized in 1945 to maintain peace and security, as being the forerunner for the Revived Roman Empire. Others believe the European Union (EU), which came about through the “Treaty of Rome” in 1957, will rise to that great one-world power.

In the Christian Bible, the book of Daniel (7:7-8) reveals that the last empire will be exceedingly strong, as well as diverse, and consist of ten kingdoms (referred to as “horns”). Both the UN and EU are strong international organizations with much ethnic diversity among its members. While the EU consists of more than 27 countries, the ten nations of the Western European Alliance have a completely separate status as “permanent members.” The other nations who joined after the permanent (or original) members have only an associate membership or observer status. Likewise, the UN is made up of ten bio-regions that have been established around the world. Daniel’s prophecy of the Revived Roman Empire states that the Anti-Christ will rise to great power from out of the ten “kingdoms”.

“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.”– Revelation 17:12-13 (KJV)

The last and final kingdom to reign on Earth will ultimately fall and evil will be obliterated. Then, according to Christian, Islamic and Jewish religions, a judgment day for all mankind will be conducted by the great Creator, followed by the Messianic Era. 

“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy works thou shalt be condemned.” - Matthew 12:35-37 (New Testament)

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“Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.” - Surat 3:185 (Qur'an)

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“The Davar that Yeshayah ben Amotz saw concerning Yehudah and Yerushalayim. And it shall come to pass in the acharit hayamim, that the Har Beis Hashem shall be established as the rosh of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all the Goyim shall flow unto it. And amim rabbim (many peoples) shall come and say, Come ye, and let us go up to Har Hashem, to the Beis Elohei Ya’akov; and He will teach us of His Derakhim, and we will walk in His Orakhot; for out of Tziyon shall go forth the torah, and the Devar Hashem from Yerushalayim. And He shall judge among the Goyim, and shall arbitrate for amim rabbim; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Goy shall not lift up cherev against Goy, neither shall they train for milchamah any more. O Bais Ya’akov, come ye, and let us walk in the Ohr Hashem.” - Nevi'im: Isaiah 2:1-5 (Tanakh)

The prophets and oracles of antiquity forewarned of the “End Times” so long ago. Today, the scholars, theologians and philosophers (who believe mankind is currently living during the time of the end) continue to implore us [mankind] to take into consideration the Holy Books of the world encourages humanity to not only be aware of the signs of the times, but to diligently watch for them. In doing so, mankind adheres to the warnings and thus prepares for a great holocaust that will one day affect the entire race of humanity.

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” - Luke 21:28 (KJV)