Friday, February 20, 2009

On the migrations of the tribes of Israel into Europe, and the similarities of Norse mythology to the Old Testament and Babylonian religion



An Interesting read:

The Old Testament Roots of Norse Mythology

The central figure of Norse Mythology is the hero known as Odin. He is believed to be an historic figure, the king who led his tribes northwestward from their former residence in a city called Asgard to their new home in Western Europe. Asgard literally means "city of God," and perhaps by implication, "the city of God's people." Although it has never been identified by archaeologists, it is believed to have been located either in southern Russia or Northern Assyria, placing it in the region where the ten tribes were lost to history. After Odin's death, his great deeds were expanded until he took on godhood in the folk memory of the people.

[...]

The Norse myths recount a remarkable account of creation, which differs from the Bible in that the flood was said to be caused by the blood of a slain giant. However, in Genesis 6, verse 4, the Bible does speak about the Nephilim, or giants, during the account of the flood. In the Norse account, the world is wiped out in this catastrophe, with the exception of one household who escaped on a skiff or boat, and from whom is descended the new race from which the god Odin came.

Odin is also called the "Rafnagud," or Raven-god, because he is said to have two ravens named Hugin and Munin, which he sends out into the world each day, returning at nightfall to tell him what they observed.

This bears an unmistakable similarity with the account in Genesis chapter eight of Noah sending two birds out into the world, one of them the raven which Noah was anxious for, because he did not return.

There are many other interesting legends in the Norse sagas, such as Thor conquering a serpent-monster, while dying in the process. (see illustration) This was prophesied of Israel's Messiah in Genesis 3:15, who conquered the serpent's seed by his own death. Other Norse religious traditions come from the Old Testament, as well. Odin is referred to as "the law-giver." This is a title our heavenly father, Yahveh, could well claim, who gave Moses upon Mount Sinai the laws for the nation.

Another important Norse god was Loki, the author of all evil, who was said to have originated in a land to the south. This may well be Israel's remembrance of the Edomites of Palestine. An interesting parallel exists between Loki, who is said to lead the forces of evil in the last great battle in Norse mythology, and the Edomites of Bible prophecy at the end of the age. In Ezekiel chapters 36 to 39, in the last great battle, the Edomites (also known as “Mt. Seir” or “Idumea”) are prominent in the forces of evil which come against God's Israel.

The number twelve also must have been held in sacred significance to the Norse, for we read in the book, "Germanic Origins," that Odin arrived in Svithoid, or Scythia, with twelve chief priests. The presence of these twelve priests corresponds representatively to the twelve original tribal patriarchs of Israel.

Early Norse scholar, Snorri Sturluson, translator of many ancient Scandinavian legends, compiled the Heimskringla, or Home Chronicles. He says that just before Odin died he let himself be marked or wounded with a spear-point and that he was the owner of all men slain with weapons, and would go to Godheim (the world of the gods) and there welcome his friends. The comparisons with the Bible are again unmistakable. The Old Testament contains over one hundred prophecies relating to the coming of our God in the flesh, our "Immanuel," or "God with us." We find many of these in Norse mythology transferred to the character, Odin. In our Bibles we read that our coming God was to be sacrificed, (Zechariah 13:7), that he was to be pierced (Zechariah 12:10), but would have no broken bones (Psalm 34:20, and Exodus 12:46 where Passover is a type of Christ). And whereas our Savior was sacrificed on the tree (in 1Peter 2:23, the word translated "cross" literally means a tree) for nine hours (Psalm 22 and Matthew 27:46), Odin is said to have hung on a tree for nine days.

[...]

The Norse legends prominently refer to the end-times. They say that in the end of the world a great battle called Gotterdammerung, or the "Twilight of the gods," will take place between the forces of good and evil. In this great battle, all of the forces of good will be killed except for one called the "All-father."

This brings me to my most important point. "Bulfinch's Mythology" states that "the Scandinavians had an idea of a deity superior to Odin, uncreated and eternal," which they called the Alfadur or "All-father." For although the Norse mythology allows for a pantheon of gods, yet only ONE GOD is said to be immortal. Thor, Odin, and the others are mortal and die at some point in the sagas.

But above Odin was said to be the one eternal true God - unnamed except to be called the "All-father," meaning the "ever-lasting father," as he is called in our Bibles in Isaiah 9:6 and other places. In the original language of the Old Testament, God's name was YAHVEH, which Ferrar Fenton translates as meaning, "the Ever-Living." The Norse called the 'All-father' by no other name, believing that his personal name was too sacred to be spoken, although they apparently didn't have any memory or record of what that name was. Yes, although the Norse mythology was corrupted with the religion of Assyria and Canaan, yet the proofs are there that they were indeed "the people of the Book."




Other Articles of Interest:

- The Hebrew-Israelite Origins of Europe: Sea-faring Israelites fleeing the Assyrians in 8th century B.C. fled to Greece, Europe, and British Isles
-The Mystery of the True Descendants of the Israelites - The White Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, Scandinavian, and Kindred Peoples
- The Hebrew-Israelite-Canaanite Origins of Druidism & Norse, Teutonic, and Celtic paganism
- 'Jesus may have visited England', says Scottish academic
- English and other Germanic Languages, as well as Greek, Latin and Runic, Have Their Origin in Hebrew
- All Posts on Israelite Identity Christianity

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