They Followed The Stars And Found The Tree Of Life: Part 2

Every subsequent generation brings things from afar into clearer view.

Balaam is considered to have been a prophet (someone God chose to speak to and through).

Part 1 suggests Zoroaster was possibly a Hebrew personality.

If a Hebrew personality, perhaps a 'Hebrew' prophet that came to be called by another name.

If not ethnically Hebrew, perhaps a prophet like or similar Balaam.

Part 1 also suggested that perhaps certain portions of Zoroaster's message were inspired by Hebraic content.

What of the possibility that it was through Zoroaster certain portions of God's testimony came to be found in the Hebrew testimony?

Either way should be less of an issue when the Law is considered and concepts discerned in the Light of Christ.

It is this articles premise to affirm these possibilities in order to demystify things popularly considered at 'wrong' or unable to be resolved.

What may be considered mysterious may have been purposed by God.

Consider the fact that Balaam's testimony is found in the Bible.

Consider the lessons derived from it that teach us about God.

The fact that God spoke through someone outside Israel's camp is significant.

Consider the lessons about right from wrong.

This article explores the suggestion that Zoroaster may have been someone like a Balaam.

Like Balaam in the sense of God speaking to / through him and that testimony making its way into the Hebrew narrative.

The gift of prophecy can be simply explained as this: God choosing to speak to someone, for a moment, or a time, or for their entire lives.

It is possible someone's descendants are also kept in communion with God in some fashion.

It is less a matter of prestige or preeminence, but rather the will of God to bring people from all places into spiritual communion with Himself.

This is, after all, the Gospel testimony of reconciling all men to Himself... from all places they have wandered / journeyed to.

The testimony that reveals the God of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and John the Baptist is the Lord thy God mankind has always sought to find.

When God appeared on earth as Messiah in the Name of Salvation (Yeshua), that seeking and finding was made known.

Mankind is found (and in turn, they find God).

God makes it clearly known to any given person chosen by Him when it is, in fact, He that is communicating to / with them.

Men cannot 'choose' to be prophets.

No person can assume to be a prophet no matter what they fill their minds with.

No matter how much a person desires to find or have God talk to them, it is God who chooses.

False prophets, according to Scripture's litmus test, can be easily identified.

You will also know these by their fruits.

It is possible, when looking at Balaam and his mistakes, that although a man sins, his conveyance of God's message can remain true.

In contrast, it is also possible for a religious person (or a religious ideology) to forward portions of God's message while no prophet ever existed or lived among them.

Stated another way: God's message can travel from place to place by word of mouth, or more poetically and powerfully stated, because:

He mounted the cherubim and flew; 

He soared on the wings of the wind. 

- Psalm 18: 10

'He' is the Word of God.

God chooses whom to bless and keep in His grace... and whom to keep in the dark.

As time passes, mankind has come to understand that God is in full control and Sovereign over all things.

God's message has gone out into all the world time and time again.

Initially started with Adam and through his progeny (yet some of it was confused or entirely lost among some descendants of Adam).

Continued and carried with Noah (and sadly also confused and lost among some of Noah's descendants).

Reestablished and renewed with Abraham.

Made very detailed, in greater increments over time, through Isaac (and his descendants through Jacob, named Israel by God).

In this we take comfort... since it has already been mentioned how God would bring all things under Christ:

As the heavens are higher than the earth, 

so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. 

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, 

and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, 

so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 

so is My Word that goes out from My Mouth: 

It will not return to Me empty, 

but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 

- Isaiah 55: 9-11

Consider such things when looking at how God has surveyed the world through His Word.

Accept the yield when removing the chaff.

The yield is testimony that can be found in odd or strange origins, yet they render parts of God's message.

The chaff is what men add or confuse with their ideas (religion).

All peoples are, by blood, descendants of Noah.

Those who come to believe in the risen Lord - Immanuel - Yeshua the Lord thy God, are those individuals who have come to know God when learning from Him directly (the faith that Abraham had).

Matters of the heart.

Balaam is attested to having been gifted the high honor (and weighty responsibility) of forwarding some of God's message.

He did this, according to Bible sources, without clouding God's message.

Unfortunately for him and those affected by his sin, he was also found to have acted wickedly.

Such an example holds many lessons.

One lesson is how sin can impact not only the sinner, but also an entire community.

Balaam chose to use the insights he learned from communicating with God for evil.

The interesting point regarding this article's premise is that he was not part of Israel proper, yet God used him in a certain way.

Keep this in mind when considering the complimenting / mirroring religious concepts mentioned in Zoroastrianism and other religions / ideologies.

Although Balaam was not a descendant of Israel, Israel's testimony mentions God speaking to / through him.

It is often assumed that Israel was the only community on earth whom God was communicating with at that time.

However, we read in the Bible that God has had several witnesses outside of that or any given community.

It should be recognized that God's testimony has moved among, or has been spoken to, certain peoples throughout history.

Those testimonies eventually came to be included in the Hebrew testimony about God.

To be clear, the Hebrew testimony about God is the basis of learning God's Law, God's nature, God's will, and what God has established.

To be even clearer: the culmination of God's will and Law is revealed in Christ.

It is a significant reality to ponder 'how' God brought about certain messages from among the Gentiles.

Pondering such may help the believer open wider their hearts to all people.

We should look for similarities before arguing over differences.

Job is one of several persons who had an experience with God, yet he was a man from 'outside' the Israelite community.

When reading about Job, we see God loved him and he had a relationship with God.

Job knew the God of Israel (and more importantly, God knew him).

Job understood that God was Just, Righteous, Holy, and other attributes that are most clearly revealed in Christ.

Job acknowledged God as the Lord.

We may guess that Job's faith was similar to how Abraham's faith is described regarding an obedient relationship with God.

We this obedience and faith when Job, although troubled in severe ways, didn't dishonor the Lord.

Notice how profoundly Job's testimony grants a specific understanding about God and how God works.

God's covenant(s) with mankind, or certain individuals and their progeny, is coming into clearer view.

Evidence that God's message can be found in part or in piecemeal portions among all of mankind is being made clearer.

I think such a reality is briefly mentioned here:

For it is not those who hear the Law who are righteous in God’s sight, 

but it is those who obey the Law who will be declared righteous. 

(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the Law, 

do by nature things required by the Law, 

they are a law for themselves, 

even though they do not have the Law. 

They show that the requirements of the Law are written on their hearts, 

their consciences also bearing witness, 

and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 

This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Yeshua Christ, as my gospel declares. 

-  Romans 2: 13-16

This can be construed as a foreshadowing of how the grafting in of Gentiles into spiritual Israel comes about.

Work that God seems to have begun since Noah.

Work fulfilled Today the moment the Gospel is heard and believed by those made alive in the flesh.

Work reflected in men whom God, in some amazing way, retained a portion of Himself in their hearts throughout the ages.

This can be seen when surveying ancient records through the eyes and love of Christ.

Faith.

Science has finally come to terms with the fact that all mankind is, in the very least, descendants of Noah.

Thus, it is also about time those who believe in the Lord of heaven and earth (Yeshua) to look more at what others have in common.

Doing so may assist the breaking down of walls in our hearts and minds.

This grants us an insight into, perhaps, how God also spoke to a variety of peoples in a variety of places throughout time.

Insight according to portions of ancient testimonies that agree with God's testimony as depicted in the Bible.

The Word of God is the litmus test.

This is what I see when looking at the highlights of Zoroastrianism when connecting the Magi's visit to Yeshua.

The effort being to find and exemplify the 'good' or positive aspects of ancient testimonies and ideas and concepts.

Looking for God's fingerprints, since He is Sovereign and Lord over all.

We get a glimpse of this regarding how Balaam was utilized to call a blessing upon Israel.

How has the message or religious content of what is called Zoroastrianism (or any other religious construct) added or complimented the Hebrew testimony?

As this article series aims to explain: in ways that reveal God's Sovereignty over all mankind.

God reaching men, speaking to men, according to their specific ideas and notions in their given times and places.

Exactly how Christ spoke to both opponents and followers: according to their weaknesses and nearsightedness.

As with Balaam, a man not directly associated with Israel, he was used to add testimony about God to Israel (and by extension, to all those who believe in the risen Christ).

I see this similar effort when looking at Zoroastrianism and searching for God's fingerprints.

The same should be done when looking through the various points of views of men.

Thus, it matters less about a man's ethnic identity, or brand of religion, when identifying evidence of testimony complementing God's eternal testimony in His Word.

A question for you derived from Scripture:

Is the believer “… old enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong…” ?

Religions aim to explain God.

Christ teaches 'who' and 'how' God is.

Christ reveals that men believe according to God enabling their conscience.

Christ proclaims to engulf the hearts with His Spirit when planting His Word.

Thus, it is God who teaches men directly according to the mystery of God in Christ.

Somehow, and in some mysterious way, the Magi knew that God would appear in the flesh.

The Magi (and God only knows who else) came to believe Messiah had arrived.

Thus why in some religious texts, although seemingly authored by a variety of peoples, can be found items complimentary to God's testimony.

It is likely God spoke, or somehow messaged, unknown peoples regarding things that were to come about... even the message of Messiah bringing soul salvation.

What is wrong can be identified and taught to be ignored, or resolved through what is complimentary.

The clarity of God's Light disassembles what is contradictory or false.

It is possible, from at least a literal interpretation of things, to find exactly what God commanded and what God has not commanded.

As the Gospel declares, such comparing and contrasting is done through Christ.

Continue to Part 3.

Read Part 1.