ANCIENT SUMERIANS RECORDED THE DIVIDE OF HEAVEN AND EARTH IN ACCORD WITH THE BIBLE

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Before Adam ate the forbidden fruit, the heavenly (spiritual) dimension, and the earthly dimension were one realm— one domain, one plane of existence in which God, angels, and man had open communication and relationship; There was no separation between the spiritual realm, and the physical realm. There was perfect compatibility and agreement between them, an idea also found in Mesopotamian literature: “Heaven talked with Earth. Earth talked with Heaven.” (The Xianhua Wang Metamorphosis of Enlil (Satan) in Early Mesopotamia Pg. 152)

“Anu (the creator god) carried off heaven while Enlil carried off the earth and assumed most of An’s powers.” (Kramer, Samuel Noah The Sumerians The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1963. Pg. 37-41)

“Enlil … was at about the same time cosmologically considered the deity who separated Heaven from Earth and Earth from Heaven.” (Xianhua Wang The Metamorphosis of Enlil in Early Mesopotamia. Pg. 100.)

God walked in the Garden, and man could look at his face and endure God’s fire and lightning. Man’s transgression brought decay, degeneration, and death. God’s perfection and the fallen physical, earthly realm became incompatible. Now God’s fiery presence would scorch the ground like when He descended on Mt. Sinai (The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. Psalms 97: 5). Now man could no longer see God’s face and live. The Garden of Eden, where God, angels, and man could commune together was gone. Open, unveiled fellowship became impossible. This divide of heaven and Earth caused by Satan (Enlil) was recorded by the ancient Sumerians ( Kramer, Samuel Noah The Sumerians The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1963. Pg. 37-41).

After The Fall, when God came into the Garden in the cool of the evening, Adam and Eve were compelled to hide themselves. Why? The first sign of disconnect was when they realised they were naked. They had been clothed with light like God covers himself “with light as with a garment” (Psalms 104: 2). They observed the glow in which they had previously been clothed was fading. This reality was displayed after Moses spent forty days with God and upon coming down the mountain, he “did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him” (Exodus 34: 29). When the congregation saw him, “The skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him” (Exodus 34: 30).

After God announced the consequences of man’s actions, God had to remove Himself from his own creation, lest His fire destroy it. This removal is what the Scriptures call the veil. It is what marks the boundary between our earthly, physical domain and the spiritual domain. Isaiah first spoke of its removal: “And He will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces” (Isaiah 25: 7– 8). The prophet Isaiah also pined: “Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down” (Isaiah 64: 1). Whatever the veil is, it can be torn and removed.

There are four other distinct places where the veil (heavens) was opened: “I saw the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God” (Ezekiel 1: 1). “Jesus came up … and the heavens were opened to Him” (Matthew 3: 16). Stephen: “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” (Acts 7: 55– 56). John: “I saw heaven opened … Jesus was on a white horse” (Revelation 19: 11).

Since The Fall the cosmos exists as two realms— the one in which we live, and the other where spirit-based beings live and where God’s presence is manifest. The one realm was split into two: the earthly dimension is what Satan rules, he is the god of this world; the heavenly or spiritual dimension is where God rules. (God rules all, of course, but Satan has authority in the earthly realm.)

God did not curse the ground because of Adam; rather, like a reporter, He simply presented the consequence of the degenerative decay-death reaction that Adam triggered (Genesis 2: 17). God said, “Cursed is the ground for your sake” (Genesis 3: 17).

God created Adam from the adamáh (earth); Adam was the earth-man, the federal head of creation. Adam and the adamáh were linked physically and hence their fates were linked. When Adam ate from the fruit, death, degeneration, and decay happened upon Adam and upon the Earth and material cosmos as well. Decay permeated the entire creation from the invisible world of cells and DNA to all the animals, birds, and fish that God had formed out of the adamáh. Degeneration began within all living and non-living matter; the atoms of every tree, flower, blade of grass, rock, mountain, planet, and star. The complete composition of all physical creation became incompatible with God’s fiery presence.

I have found it liberating to understand the true history of God and His Cosmos and that the ancient world like the Sumerians recorded it in accord with God’s Word. I hope you find it liberating as well.

The information in this post has been extracted from Douglas Hamp’s book, Corrupting the Image 2: Hybrids, Hades, and the Mt Hermon Connection. Eskaton Media Group. There is a third book in the series: Corrupting the Image 3: Singularity, Superhumans, and The Second Coming of Jesus. I have not read it as yet but I am sure I will find some gems in it.

MORE EVIDENCE FOR A CREATOR

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Michael Behe, John Lennox, and Steven Meyer are three leading voices in science and academia on the case for an intelligent designer of the universe and everything in it (including us). In this wide-ranging conversation, they point out the flaws in Darwin’s theory and the increasing amount of evidence uncovered by a rigorous application of the scientific method that points to an intentional design and creation of the physical world.

You will need over an hour to watch this video but I suggest you will be glad you did. In particular, I like John Lennox for his pearls of wisdom, and rating the three men as to what gems I learned, it would be 1. John Lennox, 2. Stephen Meyer and 3. Michael Behe. I need to watch the video again at least once more, to make notes, of the information I will incorporate to improve my argument for the God of the Bible’s existence.

THE POWER BEHIND CHRISTIANITY

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Jesus told the disciples not to do anything until the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. The third person of the Trinity is the reason Christianity grew to be the major religion in the world. Do the traditional/institutional churches really acknowledge that fact?

Despite evolution, most people still believe in a Supreme Being. Also, most people believe Jesus Christ lived on this Earth 2,000 years ago. We have our calendar to testify to that fact (2024). Moreover, we have many descriptions of Jesus in the New Testament such that we, like the first converts have good grounds to conclude that he is something more than a prophet. Other historians like Josephus testify to his life and ministry. However, it is quite another thing to believe that God is three. There is a Third person, a ghostly wind of God, Holy Spirit.

The Bible words for “spirit,” in both Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament), also mean “breath” and “wind.” So it is symbolically apt that when the early Christians were awaiting the promised Spirit in an upstairs room in Jerusalem on Pentecost Sunday, there came the sound of a violent wind. That sound was accompanied by a visual symbol. Over each person’s head, a flame or “tongue” as of fire came to rest, also symbolic of the presence of God—as in the Old Testament fire of Mount Sinai and the pillar of fire that led ancient Israel toward the Promised Land.

On the night he was betrayed and arrested, Jesus told the twelve disciples (John 14-16, John 16:7) that He would go away and it was better that He went away. Why? Jesus said that he would ask the Father for Another One to come. And this One would do even better than what Jesus did. Who is this “Another One” who will come? He is the Holy Spirit. He will come to dwell within us so that we can perform miracles, proclaim the gospel, and live as examples to the world.

How many institutional/traditional churches believe we can do the things the Bible says the Holy Spirit will empower us to do? He will produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) in our lives: love, joy, peace, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, kindness, patience, and self-control. He will provide the gifts of the Spirit for ministry:

“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

The Holy Spirit continues to this day to manifest himself—in the spectacular gifts given in this Scripture but also more commonly in other gifts, such as (effective) teaching, evangelism, leadership, service, and hospitality. Are these signs manifest in your church? If not, can I suggest you look for a church where they are evident.

 The Holy Spirit continues to give people the New Birth. God animates us by his Spirit: anima in Latin means “the breath of life,” hence animal. And then God by the Holy Spirit, in the process of sanctification (sanctus being Latin for “holy”) makes us mature children of God.

ANSWERS TO THE LATEST SO-CALLED SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION

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The videos being produced by both Creation Ministries International (CMI) http://www.creation.com and Answers in Genesis (AIG) http://www.answersingenesis.org are brilliant and they need to be promoted and used.

In the first video, Don Batten answers many of the common arguments used to criticize a Biblical worldview. Can I suggest you use this video clip when ministering to family and friends. CMI is producing many of these clips for use on social media: particularly YouTube and more recently TikTok.

The following video is one produced by AIG each Monday at 2 p.m. (ET) on YouTube or later that day on Answers TV for Answers News. It addresses current events from a Biblical worldview. For example, NBC is promoting in June (Pride Month in the USA), a video on Queer Animals suggesting that of all the animals only humans have a stigma towards being queer. After all, what can be more natural than following who you are? AIG does a great job showing the absurdity of this view.

HOW FOOLISH IT IS TO CURSE ISRAEL?

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More powerful revelations from Jonathan Cahn – behind the world events of our time – The recent striking down of the Iranian President: could this be related to ancient prophecies? Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash just one month after he sent missiles into Israel. We know that God said that He will curse those who curse Israel. Are we seeing that happen in our time? What about the Turkish lawmaker who declared that Israel “will suffer the wrath of Allah” went into cardiac arrest and collapsed on the floor of Parliament mere moments after delivering the curse.

Jonathan Cahn is God’s prophet in our time. What he reveals in this video is Biblical end-times prophecy unfolding in our time. We are getting closer to the Jesus return. How exciting it is to live at this time.

“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3

“Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!” Genesis 27:29

“And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” Zechariah 12;9

MEDIA CRUCIFY NFL STAR FOR SHARING HIS FAITH

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Most Americans were probably surprised to hear the media cover a Kansas City Chief not named Travis Kelce. But while Taylor Swift’s latest boyfriend is away on her European tour, the mob stayed very busy crucifying his Catholic teammate, kicker Harrison Butker. His crime? Daring to talk about his faith on a college campus that shares it.

Once clips of the speech started circulating, out came the media buzzsaw. Feminists, leftists, and well-known personalities skewered Harrison as misogynistic, extremist, hypocritical, sexist, homophobic — and those were the kind adjectives. LGBT activists at GLAAD described the kicker’s comments as “a clear miss” and “woefully out of step with Americans…” — an assessment that fans wasted no time debunking.

Butker’s sin, at least in the eyes of the far-left, is refusing to keep quiet about the woke cancer eating its way through American culture.

To the graduates of Benedictine College in Atchison, the three-time Super Bowl champion spoke plainly — about Joe Biden’s phony Catholicism, about the horrors of transgenderism and abortion, about the church’s refusal to speak into the moral issues of the day.

“These are the sorts of things we are told in polite society to not bring up,” he admitted to the Class of 2024. “You know, the difficult and unpleasant things. But if we are going to be men and women for this time in history, we need to stop pretending that the ‘Church of Nice’ is a winning proposition. We must always speak and act in charity, but never mistake charity for cowardice.”

He explained that he “never envisioned” himself, “nor wanted, to have this sort of platform, but God has given it to me, so I have no other choice but to embrace it and preach more hard truths…” But the reality, he told the crowd, is that faith “has always been countercultural.” “Our Lord, along with countless followers, were all put to death for their adherence to her teachings. The world around us says that we should keep our beliefs to ourselves whenever they go against the tyranny of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We fear speaking truth, because now, unfortunately, truth is in the minority.” The time has come, Harrison urged, “to [say] the difficult stuff out loud.”

What Butker said is so important as Scripture shows us that we are living in the time of the end when persecution of Christians intensifies.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14

“Affirming motherhood and praising your wife,” Tavia continued, “as well as highlighting the sacrifice and dedication it takes to be a mother, is not bigoted. It is empowering to acknowledge that a woman’s hard work in raising children is not in vain. Countless highly educated women devote their lives to nurturing and guiding their children. Someone disagreeing with you doesn’t make them hateful; it simply means they have a different opinion.”

Her daughter, Grace, echoed those comments on “Fox and Friends,” telling the audience that she was blessed by her own experience growing up with a stay-at-home mom. “And I understand that there are many women out there who can’t make that decision but for me in my life, I know it was really formative in shaping me and my siblings to be who we are.” Steve Doocy asked, “So you understand what [Butker] was talking about?” “For sure,” she replied, “and I really respect Harrison and his Christian faith and what he’s accomplished on and off the field.”

Some surprising celebrities also came to Harrison’s defense, including firebrand Whoopie Goldberg, who stunned viewers by suggesting, “These are his beliefs, and he’s welcome to them. I don’t have to believe them,” she pointed out. “I don’t have [to] accept them.”

Outlets like the Babylon Bee mocked the NFL’s double standard — bashing a positive role model on one hand while elevating questionable characters on the other. “Harrison Butker does not reflect our values,’ says League of Woman Beaters,” the parody account jabbed. Others, like the New York Post’s Kirsten Fleming, piled on. “Never mind the NFL could support its own police blotter every season. Players charged with domestic assault or drunk driving aren’t uncommon. Dolphins star Tyreek Hill, who pleaded guilty to domestic violence in 2015 and was briefly suspended by the Chiefs in 2019 during a child abuse investigation, had two paternity suits slapped on him last year. But we need to get rid of a man who teared up while speaking lovingly of his wife’s unconditional support?”

Meanwhile, as the PR storm swirls on, visitors to Butker’s X account will see a single pinned tweet: “We mustn’t squander this period of the world’s history which God has entrusted to each one of us (St. Josemaria Escriva).” It’s safe to say the only thing squandered was the media’s chance to respect truth when it finally encountered some. 

BIBLICAL PROPHESIED END TIMES SIGNS

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Watching the anti-Israel protests raging on campuses across the country reveals the demonic nature of the hatred of the Jewish people and their control of the land that God has given them. It also shows how easily the entire world under the influence of Satan can believe a lie, and then turn on any group and hate them. Jesus reminds us that we are destined to face this before His return. Regardless, the gospel will be preached worldwide, and the end will only come then.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14

MASS BAPTISM OF 12,000 PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA

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A recent massive gathering of Christians across California reportedly broke a record when participants collectively held the world’s largest-ever baptism. Baptize California, an event that unfolded over a Saturday and Sunday at various locations throughout the Golden State saw a historic number of people immersed at individual churches and during a main-stage event at Huntington Beach. The two-day extravaganza showcases countless examples of life change and spiritual renewal, featured speakers, worship music from leaders like Sean Feucht, and more. According to preliminary numbers, there were over 6,000 people baptized at the Huntington Beach location, alone, with an additional 6,000 people immersed in churches across the state. “You can smell another Great Awakening in the air like rain before it hits,” Pastor Francey, who founded the event said. “God lit a match! If God can do this in the church in California, it can — and it will — happen in the rest of America!”

“It was a surreal and extraordinary day!” Francey told CBN News. “It felt like we were living in the pages of the book of Acts!” And the individual stories coming from Baptize California are truly incredible. Francey shared just one such story, telling CBN News how a Satanist accepted Jesus and “immediately got water baptized.” “You could see the change immediately,” he said. The preacher said 1,000 people accepted Jesus at Huntington Beach, with thousands coming to watch the event unfold. “The crowd steadily swelled to — at one point — as much as 14,000,” Francey said. “Hundreds of churches linked arms to accomplish what happened.”

Remarkably, this prompting happened before the Asbury University revival took form — and before Francey found out about “Jesus Revolution,” the feature film about Greg Laurie’s life and the Jesus movement. The movie, which made more than $52 million at the box office, sparked mass intrigue and spiritual fervour in many nationwide. All of this was confirmation for Francey that God was at work. Just weeks after Baptize SoCal took place May 28, 2023, and broke baptism records, Laurie’s own event inspired by “Jesus Revolution” — also held at Pirate’s Cove — shattered the Baptize SoCal record, with over 4,500 baptisms.  Francey’s vision went well beyond his Baptize SoCal efforts. He said he also felt God call him to expand the efforts, which brings us to Baptize California, this year’s endeavour. With the success of Baptize California, Francey is already planning to launch Baptize America next year, setting his sights beyond California. “Now we are gearing up to do this and unite the church all over America,” he said.

This good news of the “gospel of the Kingdom” needs to be read in the context of Jesus’ warnings about the state of the world in the end times. It will be like the days of Noah when lawlessness abounded “and you will be hated by all nations for my names sake“.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14

U.K. – REVIVAL OF FAITH AMONG GEN Z

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A new study reveals a significant shift in religious attitudes among Gen Zers in the United Kingdom, those born in 1997 or later, suggesting a potential revival of faith and increased spiritual questioning. The research found that individuals aged 18-24 exhibit higher levels of religiosity than any other age group.

The study shows that 69% of respondents aged 18-24 believe their faith significantly impacts their lives, compared to only 51% of those older than 65.

Further, 72% of young adults in this age group stated that their religion helps them find purpose in life, a stark contrast to the 47% of those older than 65 who said the same, according to the survey conducted by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life and carried out by Whitestone Insight.

One notable aspect of the study, involving over 2,000 U.K. adults, is the diversity and openness among younger believers. It was found that 76% of 18- to 24-year-olds have friends with different faiths or beliefs, suggesting a higher degree of tolerance and acceptance. This contrasts with older generations who are less likely to have diverse friendship groups.

Moreover, 45% of Gen Z respondents expressed openness to changing their religious beliefs, compared to 22% of those older than 65.

The survey also found that Gen Zers are more likely to view faith as a positive force in public life. They support the idea of politicians discussing their faith publicly and believe in the involvement of faith leaders in social and political matters. This contrasts with the overall low confidence in religion as a force for good in society, as only 36% of the general population agreed with this sentiment.

Among religious respondents, 55% saw religion as a positive force, highlighting the generational divide in attitudes toward faith.

Charlotte Littlewood, a senior research associate at IIFL, noted that while the U.K. has been on a general course of secularization legally and politically, British youth increasingly value faith. “The results have shown that whilst legally and politically the U.K. has been on a general course of secularization, British youth are more believing than those half a century their senior,” Littlewood said, according to Christian Today. “Faith is seen of higher value, significance, and impact to Gen Z, compared with previous generations.”

The survey also examines broader societal views on religion.

For instance, while there is general resistance to religion in the workplace and politics, 42% view religion in the workplace positively compared to 41% who disagree. Younger generations see more value in religious discussions in public spheres.

The media’s portrayal of religion also came under scrutiny in the study. A significant 71% of respondents agreed that the media is biased, and 63% did not favor more media coverage of religion. This mistrust suggests a gap between the media’s representation of religion and the public’s experience.

Despite these challenges, the study highlights positive aspects of faith in the U.K. For example, 62% of respondents agreed that Christian heritage is important to the U.K., and there is a perception that the country welcomes religious diversity. Further, 73% of respondents reported having friends of different faiths, indicating strong interfaith relationships.

Faith’s role in education is also seen as crucial by many respondents. The survey found that 61% of participants believe religious education is important in schools, and 80% agree that knowledge of other faiths is essential.

The study’s findings resonate with broader trends observed in the United States and elsewhere.

The Survey Center on American Life noted generational shifts in religious affiliation and participation in the U.S. While young adults in the U.S. are less religiously affiliated than previous generations, those who engage with religion often show a strong commitment to their faith.

A 2023 report in the U.S. revealed that while younger generations of Americans are less religious and less engaged with the Bible than older generations, roughly half credit the Bible’s message for transforming their lives.

The American Bible Society’s State of the Bible USA 2023 report showed that although a higher percentage of Gen Zers identify as agnostics, atheists or “nones” (34%) compared to older generations, 58% of Gen Z respondents identify as Christians.

Despite the lower levels of Scripture engagement among America’s youth, about half of Gen Z respondents agreed with the statement, “The message of the Bible has transformed my life.” Specifically, 49% of Gen Z adults aged 18 to 21 and 52% of those aged 22 to 26 felt the Bible had a transformative effect on their lives.

What a good truth to end the post on “The message of the Bible has transformed my life“. It always will if you spend time in it, and even more so if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and received the Holy Spirit. He is your teacher, counsellor, and comforter. He will lead you into all truth.

WHEN DID SATAN REBEL AGAINST GOD?

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The Scripture Ezekiel 28:12-15 (below) indicates Satan was in the garden of Eden when He first sinned against God. The three major passages that deal with the fall of Satan: Genesis 3, Isaiah 14, and Ezekiel 28, in all three, Satan is in the Garden of Eden, and God pronounced the immediate judgment of being cast to the ground and the future consequence of his slander.

His rebellion was prompted by God giving sovereignty over the Cosmos to Adam. Satan became enraged by the notion that he, the great Angel, must be a servant to Adam, made of dust. So the root of jealousy and bitterness began festering within him.

Satan came to Adam and Eve as God’s chief steward, prime minister, and high priest who oversaw everything and was charged with protecting the sacred place they occupied. They had no reason to question his motives. They had known him since the day of their creation. Therefore, Satan could come to them in his unfallen, glorious state and they listened.

Adam and Eve were childlike in understanding the great cosmos, and their wisdom could not compare to Satan’s. Satan was charged with watching over the creatures made of dust, guiding and serving them in any way needed. This obviously brought out the worst in him.

Adam and Eve ejected from the Garden of Eden

Satan’s deadly, slanderous weapon was a simple question: “Has God indeed said? (Genesis 3: 1). This tiny question was an insidious, but subtle slander of God’s character. He was asking, can you really trust what God said? Next, he lied about the consequence of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3: 4), and then proceeded to truthfully tell the purpose of the tree: to be like God.

Satan subtly slandered God in the Garden of Eden because he did not want to serve anyone, but instead wanted all to serve him. He persuaded Adam and Eve to curse themselves. He used slander to incite Adam to eat the fruit God forbade, knowing Adam would “surely die” (Genesis 2: 17), and he would subsequently commit all his progeny to perpetual death (Romans 5: 12; 1 Corinthians 15: 21– 22). Adam’s transgression caused an imbalance, a debt, a legal lien upon the Earth which must be balanced or paid.

“You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings.
On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.” Ezekiel 28:12-15

“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground,
you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’” Isaiah 14:12-14