Table of Contents

Dedication
Introduction
Chapter I. Genesis and its Purpose
      Garden of Eden
      Cain and Abel
      Noah
Chapter II. Exodus: Struggles of men Then and Now
Chapter III. Sword, Division, and Not Peace
      ---with Judaism
      ---with Islam 
      ---with Catholicism
      ---with Hinduism
      ---with Taoism/Buddhism
      Summary of Chapter III
Chapter IV. Dominance of Christ
      Old Testaments' Prophetic Congruence
      of Jesus Christ
     The Vine
     The Root of David
Chapter V. The Law for All Times
Chapter VI. Satan's Doom
      Accounts of Job and Jesus at  the Mountain
      Triumph of the Holy Seat Over the Ancient of Times 
Chapter VII. World Commerce-Employing The Symbiotic
      Output Resource Technology or S.O.R.T.
      Thesis-The Proposal
      Global Intergovernmental Department Coordination
      Objectives, Courses of Action, Strengths, Weaknesses
Chapter VIII. New Heaven and New Earth
      The Lord's Prayer-Granted, Claimed
Acknowledgments

Dedication

To the Almighty God-Yahweh-Allah-Adonai-Jehovah, the creator of heaven and earth, the One who is and was and is to come, and to all authorities of churches and governments, and its people.

To families, and friends.

Introduction

  I welcome you to the Iron Scepter.  Let me open up the book by sharing a little bit about its title.  I’ve gone across the words, Iron Scepter from my readings of the magnificent Psalms of King David http://bible.cc/psalms/2-9.htm.  Who, as we all know the Islam and Jewish faiths emulate--an ancestor of Jesus Christ.  These two words so captured my interest with the universality it possess that encompass both the old and the new.  You would notice that the words “Iron Scepter” can be read in the Old Testament/Torah and can also be found in the book of Revelation of the Holy Bible as well http://bible.cc/revelation/2-27.htm. These findings struck me in a manner suggesting a junction that was there since time immemorial about the fruition of the life we face ahead. 

 The Iron Scepter is composed of chapters explaining how people long ago struggled and fought against dictates of primitive times.  How they managed to find ways to survive and refine political, judicial, and religious persuasions which in turn became lore of legacy that we enjoy right now.

 

    The book uncovers life’s history with realistic approach about accounts of the past for the sole purpose of qualifying and defining man’s destiny.  Interesting questions like where really is the Garden of Eden or the Promised Land; is there really anything wrong about knowing good and evil?  If so, why do we now enjoy the fruits of knowing the difference between the two? Did God really bring about confusion among men through peoples’ diverse language?

  Answers to these questions and onto astonishing exposé about Judgment Day-when God shall be with man and be their God http://bible.cc/revelation/21-3.htm (Revelation 21:3).  Will each government ever find solutions to the age-old problems like poverty and crime?  Shall the union of nations in the embodiment of the United Nations, with its noble aims and policies in upholding wellness of each country be fully realized?

  With a premise that we, as men, are of the same human race and under one God, this book wishes to be a potent catalyst between diverse religious beliefs and structures of government to form an ultimate harmony for a better world-a world like nothing we have ever known http://bible.cc/daniel/2-44.htm (Daniel 2:44), .http://bible.cc/psalms/145-13.htm (Psalms 145:13) .

  Though, no matter how “secular” government may want themselves distinguished, apart from the church-this book would insinuate how both operate as conduits of goodwill and collective harmony.    And no matter how their approaches are, church and government have always been a reflection and almost often than not, accountable for peoples’ decency of conduct, standard of morality, and suitable contribution for a more productive living.  It also underscores their roles on how they are vested with utmost responsibility in molding people across the globe to absolute amiability.  This book guides our conscience to attain finest indulgence in respect, and love for a better and brighter world-holy and acceptable before our Almighty God.

  The book’s contents internalize peoples, places and events which have continuously influenced written documents that were cornerstones of principles of beliefs that is shaping the minds and spirit of men up to this time.  With pragmatic proportions, this book establishes a common resolve to attain unity around the world, eliciting care for one another, as well as empathy to sustain each and every nation’s advancement that would converge into a common, amicable and feasible ground of human understanding of both religion and government.

Chapter I. Genesis and Its Purpose

Genesis as we all know is about-“beginning.”  This first documented book of the bible delivers enormous impact of shaping peoples’ behavior, reasoning, and respect we give to God.  Through the ages, the acceptance of God and peoples' faith in Him have taken its course in various forms or groups of religion, as well as diverse governmental persuasions known to man.  Whether one accepts it or not, the Holy Scriptures were the very foundation of every civility found across the lands, being it the most oldest celebrated rule of social graces as a standard of both moral and ethical behavior.

  
  His words inspired me to pose challenging questions in life about His supremacy and sovereignty, in the light of His grace in relation to life’s struggles-its irony all together.  I ask myself, how come men suffer when our Creator-our God is said to be of LOVE.

  As the Spirit of God is encompassing, and as the book of creation is broad, Genesis jump-starts the depiction of God’s overwhelming supremacy.  Storming the readers of His astonishing power and love and gracious benevolence by forming a haven for men-even before He created men.  Then, I asked myself where the accounts of creation may have come from, and who may have written it, when even heaven and earth were non-existent yet?

  Abraham came to me more than anyone else to be the author of the book of creation, since in a chronological point of view, with regard to the accounts and characters of the bible, Abraham was the first to have been documented in history’s time line.  There are a number of facets, which brought to my attention as to why Abraham was responsible for the order of accounts of Genesis.  Genesis with its writer figuratively crafted with an explicit and vivid imagination in a spiritual magnanimity the order of creation.  I have discussed these events with a friend named Jeannie Hoffman in a small borough in Pennsylvania, who, at this time of writing, is aspiring to become a nun and is presently in the novitiate of a monastery in New York.   I am now as eager as when I first revealed these findings to her, which I am about to tell you.  This topic is imperative to our attention, as they are bases and bearing for subsequent areas of discussions.

  

  It is of a strong argument that there was somebody-a person-to have written the accounts of creation.  Secondly, Abraham being vested upon to be the father of all nations assumes every responsibility concomitant thereof.  Hence, all eventualities therein.  Abraham has had a life, convenient enough to have written the book of creation and everything within his lifetime-out of his own blessed life, well educated in Chaldea-a patriarch.

  

  Thirdly, as you read certain accounts of Abraham’s movement from Ur to Shechem, you can come across at what has been written to be the “great tree of Moreh.”  http://bible.cc/genesis/12-6.htm  Through my readings of the book of creation, one time, I have been awe-struck by a deep sense of reckoning between the accounts of Noah and Abraham.

  There are two reasons why I open and read the Holy Scripture. First, just to read and be encouraged by the words, second, to locate chapters and verses for knowledge.  You see, this time, the day when I finally linked Noah’s story and Abraham’s experience I was looking for answers about where the human race really have started.  Driven by lose-end controversies to open-ended conclusions regarding our true fore-parents.  Then, upon coming across with the author’s (Genesis) impression about Great Tree of Moreh http://bible.cc/genesis/12-6.htm, coupled with the strong figure of the Most Beautiful Tree in the Garden http://bible.cc/genesis/2-9.htm, and my personal opinion that certain accounts of the Scriptures are figurative-I just came into a conclusion all together, that Abraham was responsible for every single account of the Creation in Genesis.  My deduction is that the Great Tree of Moreh could very well be the controversial tree of the Garden of Eden, not only because it was mentioned several times with an amplified adjective great, but also, its retaining power in the memory of a figure if it has been a redeeming object of refuge in time of distress and in essence, relating the unauthenticated accounts of creation to real time places and events about Abraham’s travel.  He may have conceived stories from this great tree of Moreh and have imaginatively expounded the place, which he used as the tree in the middle of the

Garden.  He may have used prior characters-Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel and Noah-and switched his personal experiences into legend-like proportions.

  Theologians and bible scholars consider climate condition may have been the cause of detour by Abraham’s family to Haran.  Interestingly enough, Abraham also sought refuge in Haran where Mt Ararat is, and, where Noah was surprisingly, accounted to be, after the great flood.  There is a close resemblance or similarity of eventualities.  And as an affluent rancher who dealt with livestock, Abraham must have gathered “a pair of each” livestock to secure a harboring area (Haran) at a time when they were moving close to the Mediterranean Sea where they encounter terrible climate change or perhaps a great storm which the place is documented to have taken place.   Abraham with his graceful imagination to amplify repercussions of wickedness and highlight God’s mercy and favor through righteous living, used the character Noah.  Thus, came the account of the Great Flood.  And as we all know, the saved pairs of different species were to illustrate hope that God is giving for all living creatures to multiply blessedly, and the rainbow to even signify the same.

  To move further on, when Abraham reached Shecem, which is just by the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, along these shores are where earliest civilization begun and have served a vital trade route for thousand of years where the term Babel or confusion could be read http://bible.cc/genesis/11-7.htm.  This was where Abraham found immense diversity of people and speech.  Following the train of thought of Abraham’s travel, it clearly implies how he expressed innocence http://bible.cc/genesis/11-1.htm (Genesis 11:1) about the co-existence of people around.  An initial reaction of Abraham when he noticed, there exist people who speak differently than that of his own language. Hence, the writer called the place Babel or otherwise known as confusion brought about by God. Since in those primal ages, travel of information was mediocre, if anything at all, without any technological medium, where knowledge comes only, when a person sees or hears first hand.

  I give credit to Abraham's works that involve complex detailed intricacies, though, tough, but The Iron Scepter would unlock them and serve them good for all the people.  The intent of the book's cause is evident in the succeeding chapters, topics, and subtopics about the rest of the saints and prophets.  All I know is that all of them thrived giving great distinction between God and the repercussions apart from Him.

 In the account of the tower of Babel, you may ask, why then, God had made people to believe that He brought confusion to men?  There is more to it than sin that befallen man, as what we were told the reason behind the confusion.  My deduction to it is this: it is more about a generational molding of heart and mind-set within peoples across the earth.  God just wanted people to learn and develop how to acknowledge value, appreciate, and honor, and love everything and everyone they belong to.  In being able to possess these self-worth, and regard towards themselves as a member of a micro-unit of society, would then translate to greater capabilities of learning to extend these appreciations and understanding towards the macro-settings of life.

  In other words, knowing to care and be able to love oneself is the beginning of knowing how to love and care for others.  With this strong words in the holy scriptures (God brought about confusion) amplifies the encouragement to the sub-conscious of men, the assurance of security and happiness within what is familiar in the peripheral micro environment to the individual.  In other words, God wanted men to appreciate and acknowledge what is of his own before men could appreciate others.  For purposes of enlightenment and as a reminder, our God shall never confuse men.  Remember that the main thrust of this book is to bring wisdom by qualifying and clarifying words and stories of the bible and Holy Scriptures of major religions to attain universal understanding.

  Categorized by events and influenced by Abraham’s own experience, the accounts of the Garden of Eden, Cain and Abel, Noah and his Ark and family are joined together forming a design amplifying the grace, and orderly precepts of God from the very start.

Garden of Eden

  As the book of creation presents and gleans establishment of perfection in all fronts of living, again, to my own deductions, Adam and Eve were representatives of the life Abram and Sarah's beginnings as a couple.  The infancy of their relationship as a couple.  Picturing Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, in almost all circumstances, if not always, any given couple of today, let alone by themselves, could practically be naked before each other.  A reality which occurs in a life of any couple, which the Scriptures description of Adam and Eve. It is also too obvious to mention that it is how we all were when we came out from our mothers’ womb.  An edifice of a true beginning at life with all its purity. This though, is just a tip of the iceberg. Here we would cover how "two people live in paradise."  Astonishing facts derived from personal experience of Abraham with his wife-he translated as the accounts we know of as mystifying events.  We may see description of life’s destiny in both the Old Testament and the New Testament as well as both in the Torah and Qur’an.  It is what is termed paradise.  In these books, paradise is also otherwise known as the Garden of Eden, Heaven or the New Heaven and the New Earth, a City of Kings and Priests, The New Jerusalem http://bible.cc/revelation/21-2.htm (Revelation 21:2) http://quran.com/22/56 (Kuran 22:56).  Paradise, coming from a personal point of view, could therefore be likewise realized by every individual. 

  Abraham and Sarah as a couple, and any couple for that matter who would have or expect any company, would get dressed and cover up their nakedness.  And in Adam and Eve’s case who were bound to multiply, Abraham used these level of parallelism of his own life.  Hence, the "noticing of nakedness and sin."  Not by the standards of being alone by themselves, but for considerations of how the norm of being proper among other people.

  As truths of reality dictate, so as the story of daily struggle from childbearing, to sweat pouring from toiling, were present in the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Abraham orchestrated an ensemble of fine drama of reality, blending them within the sacred quest in the peripheral realm of divine intervention.  A kind of a scenario that has the right combination to give distinction between right and wrong-repercussions and retribution, and of course, supremacy and authority.  As soft as a cat’s fur is God’s grace and His will harder than flint, the first impression of His power, love, care-truly is a work of art displayed in the book of creation to have encouraged and imposed discipline in mind, heart and body.

  Now, I would like to explain a little bit about a natural element the book of creation contains-the thunder. Thunder is always known to have its shocking qualities and aftermath, as it could really destroy or electrocute any living creature.  Such characteristic was dovetailed with the “angry voice of God” to describe how thunders roared when God spoke about Adam and Eve’s disobedience.  The sense of feel was involved in the pictured equation.

  Feeling is also the subject matter and a major factor when we talk of stimulation to sexual inclination.  Adam and Eve may have enjoyed the pleasures of being alone naked together, without any inhibition of things they can do together.  And not to dismiss, in the lighter sense, for purposes of illustrating the sense of feel, the purity and innocence of children would also be appropriate to mention.  The emphasis of the sense of feeling is enormous and great in the story.    Especially with its pounding, and vibrating effects which definitely would startle anybody at a commanding level. 

  The display of God’s Supremacy and Might had to be illustrated, and had to start somewhere. And it really was started indeed, from grass-roots level, when the characters Adam and Eve were just themselves-like, times when we are without guard, in the truest sense of the word, like, in our “birthday clothes.”

  Besides, you would see in the discussions ahead how major accounts in Holy Scriptures are fully given to life with a unique form of literature using natural elements as tools to qualify and attain utmost degree of expression and a certain casual form of understanding.   

  Fear-provoking accounts of in the Garden of Eden did men learn to consider greatest propensity towards obedience and respect to God.  As an innate reaction to survival we learn from past mistakes.  Our elders give Adam and Eve’s ordeals as an example, to illustrate the supreme sovereignty of God.  We can see children's books as well as films emphasizing the book of creation.  This shaped peoples’ lives in how we revere holiness and have lived a long way towards progress and harmony in society.  A common knowledge since we were kids that, though, very trivial and casual, have formed part in the deep recesses of our personal lives.

  In knowing good from evil we thrive at a dynamic pace to the next higher level of standards of living. Since the time of Adam and Eve until now, people have acknowledged it (knowledge of good and evil) like treasured jewels.  Again, I say, the display of God’s Supremacy and might has to be illustrated, and had to start somewhere.    And Genesis being the first book of the bible which means “beginning,” with the accounts of Adam and Eve were so graciously potent enough, to make men shun evil and learn from past mistakes.

  Today, our awareness with our forefathers’ teachings from set laws in our respective lands, are outcome of those found in the Holy Scriptures  (Books of Laws in the Bible/Torah)-an offshoot of goodness and justice.  Thus, establishing peace among all the people, gleaning obedience to authority, and eliciting respect to and from men. Now, what about the serpent and Satan, where does it come in or go out, you might ask.  We'd touch the subject in the chapters ahead.

Cain and Abel

  The story of these two brothers epitomizes the importance of value a person puts in his offerings to God.  I want you to take notice of the relationship and meaning of Cain's name with our subject matter: about pleasing and acceptable offering.  The name Cain is sounding like the Hebrew word “brought forth or acquired.” Cain’s account is an illustration that has something to do with material possessions, which the story and the meaning of the name imply.  As people derive offering from their own possessions and personal wealth, the story of Cain and Abel envelopes this act of submission to God through their act of offering.

  One may wander why has Cain, after murdering his brother (the first killing accounted for in the Holy Scriptures), still has received immunity from death and extending this inviolable precept of protection from any person who shall murder him http://bible.cc/genesis/4-15.htm (Genesis 4:15).  Being classified as a murderer, why has he been a predecessor of Enoch who was documented to have lived righteously and was taken by God?  Once again, if we parallel Abraham’s life to the story of Cain and Abel-if we closely look at the mind and stature of Abraham, being in a monarchy, it also has its justice system, and as a patriarch, Abraham likewise exercised governance and prevailed justice.  Cain’s character is similar to governments’ personality as Cain was equated with.  Since, any government has the capacity to take away lives-in death penalties at a national level or  engaging war to whom it may feel threatened externally. Yet, possess perennial local domain and enjoys sovereignty before other nations.  Speaking of domain and imminent domain, the sounding Hebrew word of Cain, again, means “acquire.”  Abraham’s exercise of power is no lesser than any government’s capacity in acquiring anything and exhuming relief from criminality to a system where death was practiced http://quran.com/2/258 (Kuran 2:258).

  This is true considering that these times were developmental stages of spiritual, social and environmental consciousness, Abraham’s unyielding faith in God, by which passing a death verdict only means renewed hope to the good and just.  Primitive situations came also primitive justice system.  Cain’s contriteness thinking that God would hide away from him is relative to the mourning, discomfort and discontent of government of how it feels each time it kills (death penalty) through the contemporary due process of the law of most lands.  Governments are composed of human beings too, who are, contrite and humane enough, to get saddened whenever death occurs.  Cain felt the discomfort of his action, yet, he was spared from total destruction.  I have often wandered and expressed this similarity in character of Cain with forms of government.  It is amazing that no matter how any government may have wronged people in history, it still thrives and continues to represent its people.  And better yet, they do not “die” or loose its domain.      

  As far as the account of Cain and Abel’s story is concerned, it is undated and similar metaphorical approach liken to the Garden of Eden, this, Abraham must have influenced and crafted. 

  If we closely internalize social settings of that ancient age, convicting the guilty with a verdict of a major crime was always death-for even now, we still see government practicing death sentences.

  Imbibing utmost consideration to holiness and acceptability before God, the story of Cain and Abel singles out one thing: telling us how man, in spite of its horrible past could still manage to hone righteousness and nurture pleasing descendants before God, as the story of Enoch further teaches us.

If we look closely to the character of Cain, his manifested recognition of God’s sovereignty and omniscience in his own life, he thought God would hide from him and that he would be vulnerable to death.  Execution and practice of death therefore, in this account, shows a balance structure of mind-set.  Whether death emanated from a verdict of higher authority or may it be borne of a criminal act, the omniscience of God always remains within who inflicts death.  Generally, criminals on the other side of the scale, commit such acts for survival just so to satisfy a need-whatever need it may be. 

  Abraham has performed a Herculean task, with so much grace, to have caused enormous impact to elicit men’s inclination to shun evil, and to garner absolute praise to God.   By grace, he created explicit places, combining spiritually pressing issues, through wonderful three-dimensional events using his very own experiences.  He summed up all to an absolute blueprint of life, showcasing his reverence to the might of God.  Like King David on the Book of Job, Abraham may not wanted himself documented as the author of major accounts of Genesis for it contain such personal phenomenon. This topic is further covered in chapter IV-Satan’s Doom.

Noah

  The discussions earlier about Abraham’s journey to Shecem and the direction they took to Haran, where mountains of Ararat are in same proximity, further supplied my inquest that Abraham combined stories and events in Genesis.  More so, from undated accounts, to exact similar places and environment that were affected by natural disturbances, such as, annual change of climate to that of the accounts of Abraham’s journey, likewise confirmed my inquest’s validity.  Genesis, being one of the books of “the law”, the story of Noah is yet again about avoiding evil, rewards and promises in doing so, and consequences of sin. 

  God brought hope and ultimately manifested his love assuring that never again will He destroy the living creatures and curse the land-an illustrative form of redemption in the form of a rainbow.  The compilation of accounts in Genesis is a graduation of story from one to the next that escalate into a favorable climax with a constant lesson being learned and the standard of holiness impressed in every turn.

  The True Genesis and Its Purpose-convey the core rationale of the book of Genesis-establishing the sovereignty of God over all the earth.  It accounts how our surroundings came about because of Him for us to enjoy and inhabit.  That, being instilled through generations upon generations, this chapter wishes to continually support God’s faithfulness and goodness to His creation.  The purpose of Genesis may have contained tragic accounts of disobedience, but, by which, made men prudent along the way. God’s divine omniscience has come a long and effective way in keeping men upright and civil in social ethical standards.

  Crafty as it may seem Abraham could get, the new findings I have in this chapter which I shared with you, are all relevant in the pursuit of common understanding among all men.  I claim all of them to be a vital part of my contribution to a renewed sense of spiritual realism which is the vanguard of knowledge for all to learn and love one another-as we yet to uncover more about the Iron Scepter, as we read and journey along.

  As intrepid a character Abraham is with his works, he also subjects himself to obedience and showcased his unswerving faith in God.  It is especially conveyed in his account with Isaac.  The story goes where both Abraham and the son Isaac are characters wherein the focus of their fate is about how a father would have to lead his son, to a cause called for, by God.

  Isaac as a child must have been like any other children in their growing years-full of zest, assertiveness and have also gotten into mischief in the years of exploring his surroundings and satisfying certain curiosities.  I remember myself when I was young.  I once caused my Dad terrible anger one summer vacation in Las Pinas-a city in the Philippines where I grew up.  My father told me not to leave the house and did not heed his instruction.  As a matter of fact, I was being grounded at home on the account of always coming home late in the mornings, as in, I coming home the following day, late in the morning, from staying out late with friends-late in the morning kind of stuff.  Well, it is summer vacation, I thought.  Then, one day not realizing the consequence and from being mere naive, I left home to go to a friend’s house and watch a VHS  movie (a video format in the 80's) at one of my friends' house.  Not realizing that when I got home my Dad was  indeed waiting and infuriated by my disobedience. 

  With teeth gnashing, he pulled his gun from his waist as I walked near him, and he confronted me with a question while pointing his handgun at me, saying, “do you want me to pull this trigger, shoot you and then, myself, so I will have no problems with you anymore!”

Comparably, with those who experienced some disciplinary moments with their fathers/parents, Isaac had his days also like any other child.  And Isaac must have caused Abraham to be so angered to a point where he did what my Dad has done.  Metaphorically, the ram on the other hand, if you look at the reference and footnotes of the Holy Scriptures, you would find that the word “horn” means power.  Where the young Isaac clearly represented by the young ram with its power.  A power yet, still not full grown and honed-it was the narrative of how the young Isaac had its disciplinary moments-for spiritual strength and power were set in Isaac’s life and in the lives of his clan.  Not to mention the innate power a child has, that demands care, love and discipline from parents.  Abraham felt it necessary to equate the power and qualities of the ram and the haywire ways of Isaac.

  And as we all know, at the end, Abraham ended up not sacrificing or killing Isaac but the ram instead-which is the “animal” in Isaac.  Further more, this story imbibes great illustration of submission to God-where a person could really go to that extent of killing one’s son for the sake of discipline.  This level of parallelism with great metaphoric proportions is not far from impossible with Abraham, because he grew up in Chaldea, a region of Babylon, where studies of the luminaries (astrology) originated.  A study which used animal symbols to equate general and personal influences. 

  I am equally astonished and compelled to write these revelations in the hopes to liberate all religions of its utmost spiritual discernment which is key to harmony in secular living and spiritual truth and understanding.  We already have garnered full potentials in mind, body, and soul, through and from the luxury we derive from this “digital age.”   It is already unbearable to let strife exist on earth, just because of division and uncertainty about the Holy Scriptures we all share and a solemn subject, at that. 

There is no other time best suited for enlightenment than today.  We enjoy quick and fast services and conveniences in the speed of a light, basically, yet, we see people with meager resources and countries torn by social, political, and economic unrest.  This chapter is just the onset to reinvigorate us, of our God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Who is always gracious in leading us to His Kingdom- that Paradise for all http://bible.cc/exodus/19-5.htm (Exodus 19:5); http://quran.com/2/82 (Kuran, Surat 2:82).