Fortuna is a Roman personification of “good luck” and success (Fortune is the masculine name) and she was the goddess of fate. Her father was Jupiter. In our verse, it is called “Gad” in Hebrew. This deity basically was concerned with “fate.” Rome will be having major wars with the Parthians in the First Century B.C. Rome was ruled at that time by what was called a “Triumvirate”, made up of Crassus, Pompey and Julius Caesar. Crassus was killed by the Parthians and Pompey died right after that, leaving Julius Caesar to become ruler.
The Parthians were in the area of the Babylonian Empire and they were tremendous horsemen and archers. Rome could never get much of a foothold there. Pompey was sent there to fight the Parthians and the Persian pirates. As a result, the Romans picked up from the Parthians and Persians a religion that was called Mithraism. The god was called Mithras. This originated in Persia and then went to Rome through the army. Wherever the army went, Mithraism went. In the First Century, Mithraism was the main religion of the Roman soldiers. It will be another 100 years before it becomes the main religion of Rome. But, in the past, it incorporates aspects of other gods.
In the First Century, Mithras was called by the Roman troops what will be translated as “Fortune.” Vespasian, during the battle of Gamla, commends his troops and calls on the “gods” (Fortune, Josephus, Wars, Book 4, Ch 1.6). He is referencing a god when he says “For there stands about us that Fortune” and “and now paid their small share of the reckoning to Fate.” One of the biggest names for Mithras and Fortune became “Sol Invictus” or the “Invincible Sun.”
A “Mithraeum” is a large or small Mithraic temple. It was either a natural cave or cavern, or a building imitating a cave. When possible, the Mithraeum could be found under basilicas of the Catholic Church. An example of this can be found in the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome. These have been found wherever Rome had gone, and one was found in Israel in Caesarea, the home base for the Roman army in that area. These would be like a tunnel with benches on the side. There would be a hole in the ceiling at the end over a small platform with an altar. This hole in the roof was designed to let sunlight in. Depending on where the sun was during the worship, it will eventually move till it comes to the birthday of Mithras when the light of the sun comes directly down on the altar.
The reason we are making a point about all this is Sol Invictus, also called “Helios.” Helios was the personification of the sun in Greek mythology. The Roman equivalent would be Sol Invictus, or Mithras. Sol Invictus was favored by Constantine and the official coinage of Constantine continued to bear the image of Sol Invictus until 325-326 A.D. and the Council of Nicaea. Constantine decreed on March 7, 321 A.D., that the “Day of the Sun” (Sol Invictus) is Sunday and the Roman “day of rest.” The birthday of Sol Invictus was December 25th, the day the sun came down on the altar in Mithraic temples. So, if we have a festival that the people are celebrating at the time of the coming of Yeshua, and he says they have “forsaken my holy mountain”, what festival is that? We are not saying they mean to do this, but ignorance has a price. It will at least keep you from walking in the truth.
When Israel came out of Egypt in the first redemption, the people built a Golden Calf and called the calf by the name of God (YHVH) in Exo 32.4-5). It is the same today with Christmas and the phrase “Jesus is the reason for the season.” But, Yeshua doesn’t have anything to do with that day. He wasn’t born in December, or the 25th day, and this came from something that goes all the way back to the Roman Empire, and they got it from the Parthians and Persians. Constantine puts up an arch in 315 A.D. and part of it is dedicated to Sol Invictus. By 324 A.D. he conquered the other Roman Emperor and he became the sole ruler. So, Sol Invictus had another name called Mithras. By 336 A.D. the first “Christmas” was recorded, so that means that for 300 years it wasn’t celebrated.
Most people who celebrate Christmas aren’t actively participating in pagan rites. They believe they are serving God in doing it, but it is expressly forbidden in the Bible. The churches are full of people on Christmas Day but the reality is: denying the real truth found in the Torah and the Messiah is the real danger. Replacement Theology is something that is evil, no matter what flavor it comes down in. Why? Because it turns you from what is true and from walking in the things if God. That is the bottom line of what he is communicating in Isa 65.11-12. There is going to be a judgment of those that chose to do that rather than come to what he provided. They never received him or “knew” him, and the Lord never “knew” them either. The word “Meni” means “numberer or destiny” and it will relate to the moon deity.
Isa 65.13-16 will relate, not only physically, but also spiritually. Unbelievers will be left hungry, thirsty and be put to shame. They shall be despised and have a broken spirit. Their names will be a curse and God will slay them. On the other hand, God’s people are blessed by the Lord in the earth, and the former troubles are forgotten because they are hidden from God’s sight.
Now we are going into some passages about the Atid Lavo. This time period is also called the Day of the Lord, the Sabbath of God and the Lord’s Day. It is also known as the Millennium. The 7000 year plan of God is rehearsed every week. Six days you work, and the seventh day is the Sabbath, the Lord’s day. Isa 65.17 says, “For behold I create new heavens and a new earth and the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. Rev 21.1 talks about new heavens and a new earth. The question is, is that the same one as in Isa 65.17? We are going to cover a lot of information here.
We read in Isa 65.20 that there is death. In Rev 21.4 it says there will be no death, so Rev 21 is talking about the Olam Haba. Isa 65.17-25 and Rev 21.1-27 are not the same. One is the Atid Lavo and the other is the Olam Haba. So, lets look at the phrase “new heavens and a new earth.” There will be five “new heavens and new earth” by the time we get to the Olam Haba. The first one was at creation, the second was from the fall of man to the flood. The third is being experienced now, after the flood and before the Atid Lavo. The fourth will be in the Atid Lavo and the fifth one will be the Olam Haba. As a result, Isa 65 is talking about the Atid Lavo and Rev 21 is talking about the Olam Haba.
In Isa 65.18-23 we learn that peace will come to Jerusalem and there will no longer be premature death, but they will die at the age of 100 will be considered a youth. Isa 65.20 says there will still be sin and if that sinner dies at 100, they will be considered as cursed. There will be the building of houses and cities. Vineyards will be planted and the elect of God will not labor in vain or bear children for trouble. This tells us there will be sexual relations, births and children in the Atid Lavo (v 23).
Isa 65.24 says that before one calls, God will answer, even while the person is still speaking God will hear. This does not apply today or has happened yet. In John 16.23, Yeshua says, “In that day (the Day of the Lord, like in Isa 65) you will ask me no question. Truly, truly (amen and amen) I say to you, if you shall ask the Father for anything he will give it to you in my name.” He is talking about the Atid Lavo, the Day of the Lord (see our teaching on Biblical Escatology on this site fore more information on these ages).
In Isa 65.25 it says that the nature of the animals will change. This also alludes to Gan Eden and restoring the creation, part of the redemption. In the Sowd level, the animals also allude to the strong (wolf) and weak (lamb) nations. The lion (ha Satan) will not persecute Israel (ox). “Dust shall be the serpent’s food” means “reduced to poverty and humbled.” The serpent was cursed in Gen 3 and now this will apply for all time. They shall not “do any evil or harm “on my holy mountain” refers to the Kingdom of God (Dan 2.35) and it will fill the whole earth, like leaven in Matt 13.33. We have a similar verse in Isa 11.6-9.
Rev 21.4-6 refers to the Olam Haba, or the “World to Come.” Yeshua said, “I am the Alpha (Hebrew letter Aleph) and the Omega (Hebrew letter Tav). The Aleph-Tav (which is what he actually said in Hebrew) means “Head (aleph) of the Covenant (Tav).” Even though we are still in the Olam Ha Zeh, we should focus on the promises of God, which is synonymous with “the hope.” The worldly concept of hope is not meant here, which means “to wish for with some expectation, something desired.” However, the biblical concept of hope is “a sure thing, no doubt about the promise because God said it and gave it, and he cannot lie.” In tough times, we should keep our eyes on God’s promises, or hope, because it is a sure thing.
In Part 47, we will pick up in Isa 66.
Leave a Reply