Stream of Consciousness Paintings: The Night That Changed History!

DISCLAIMER

There is no Historical Proof that any of these events actually happened.

However,

55% of the world's population believe it Occurred.

(Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Druze, Baha'i)

The Patriarch Abraham

3rd Millennium BCE

אַבְרָהָם Abraham
ابراهيم, Ibrāhīm

The Night that Changed History!

THE BIRTH OF ABSTRACT THOUGHT

The Time and Place

In 2100 BCE, Mesopotamia like Egypt, was the other Great Ancient Civilization

The Sumerian City-State of Ur

In the third millennium BCE, Mesopotamia, the land between the Euphrates and the Tigris Rivers, was the other great center of civilization west of India.

They, like the Egyptians, had also domesticated the mighty Aurochs Bullock.

They were very talented engineers and built enormous stepped structures, called "Ziggurats" that still exist to this day.

Ur of the Chaldees

The Sumerian period, City-State of Ur, was the home of Abram (the future Abraham) and his wife Sarai (the future Sarah), and was a very sophisticated city. His father had a thriving clay idol factory.

Life must have been both comfortable and predictable for Abraham and Sarah. Abraham must have taken a tremendous risk to venture out, alone, into the unknown Western Arabian Desert.

l

A well established and beloved royalty.

The People worshipped Clay Idols in public.

The People worshipped Clay Idols in their homes.

WHY WINE?

How did Wine become the

Holy Sacrament

for both

Judaism and all of Christianity?

Winemaking began in Mesopotamia in 4000 BCE. By 2100 BCE, the period in which the patriarch Abraham lived there, it was already in established and respected part of the community, royalty, and the priesthood.

They even had a special God for wine.

Siduri.

A name still synonymous with hedonist pleasures. Here she is shown, in typical Mesopotamian goddess style, with enlarged eyes, obviously, holding a glass of wine. Represented by an exuberant wave pattern.

Abraham with his

New Abstract God.

YHWH

The Patriarch Abraham with a

Burnt Offering,

worshiping an

Abstract YHWH at an

alter of UNHEWN stone.

We know from the story with his own son, that Human Sacrifice was also specifically prohibited.

The Hebrews all descended from Abraham, (born Abram) and his wife, Sarah (born Sarai). They were both from Ur, in ancient Mesopotamia, just off the Euphrates River. He left his father's home, because he refused to worship his father’s clay idols, which, the night before, (probably in a drunken rage) he had all just broken. He realized that the "King of the Universe" could not be contained in a clay idol.

YHWH

The unspeakable name of Abraham's Abstract God.

The Tetragram

is the four-letter Hebrew theonym

יהוה

(transliterated as YHWH or YHVH),

the unpronounceable Name of God in the Hebrew Bible.

The Patriarch Abraham's Story

Terah, Father of Abraham

Terah, Father of Abraham, crafting clay idols, in his factory, in the city of Ur of the Chaldees, in ancient Mesopotamia, 2166 BCE.

Abraham, has a comfortable life, living in one of the most sophisticated city of the times, helping his Father, Terah's craft valuable clay Idols.

One of Mankind’s most

Historic Events.

Then one starry,

Momentous Night....

The Birth of the

Abstract Concept.

It begain very ordinarily...

Abram, the future Abraham, is drinking wine with close friends late into one historic night.

Abram goes outside, in a slight wine induced stupor, perhaps to relieve himself, and falls backwards. Flat on his back.

In a few moments, his eyes become accustomed to the night light , and he sees that what we call the “Milky Way” our own galaxy, is really billions of separate stars.

Looking up at the infinite heavens,

Abraham has a realization, that

"God" cannot be contained in a Clay Idol!

Abram also witnessed the marvels of the night sky, and the power of the one abstract God that created the Universe was suddenly revealed. Creating both the heavens and mankind as well!

Abraham realizes that the

" King of the Universe" is

an Abstract Concept.

A completely New

"Way of Thinking",

born from a

"Single Momentary Act of Defiance".

Abraham, in an "Act of Defiance", probably wine induced, starts destroying his Father, Terah's clay Idols that same night.

Abraham, encouraged by the lack of inhibitions from WINE, continues in his "Act of Defiance", until he destroys all his Father's clay Idols.

Without The Wine, Would Abraham have had the Courage?

The next morning, Abraham, awakens, still hung over, when he slowly remembers, while in a wine induced rage, destroying the clay idols, in his father’s pottery workshop the night before.

Abram also remembers what awareness induced him to do it. How he had also witnessed the marvels of the night sky, and the power of the One abstract God that created the universe and man!

As soon as his father, Terah shows up, a heated argument ensues. Abraham explains what he saw the night before, and How he realized the foolishness of worshiping clay idols.

I myself saw the same thing once. It was in Central Texas, at about 800 feet altitude above sea level. On an extremely dry, November evening. You have to be completely prone and motionless, in order to see it. The slight movement from standing and breathing is what makes it look milky.

What appears Milky, is actually made up of Billions of separate Points of Light. It is truly a humbling experience. If your are not intellectually equipped, with the "concept of abstract thought", as was Abram, it could be a very unnerving experience.

Video Journey to the

Center of our Galaxy,

The Milky Way.

I was even able to record some of my subsequent scientific observations, using a Sony infrared video camera as a telescope with zoom lens. I focused on the center of our own galaxy, Sagittarius, A. Scientists now know that there is a giant black hole at the center of our galaxy, and probably all of the other galaxies as well..

That night, this unnamed God, speaks to Abram. God gives him a new name, Abraham and his wife Sarai, a new name, Sarah. Meaning “The father and Mother”. God tells him not to worry, “That his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky”, and that he is not to accept the Worship of idols and other gods before him.

The next morning, The newly named ABRAHAM, convinces his father Terah, the correctness of his vision and his need to leave Ur.

"To Live in the Land that God has promised him"

Abraham leaves his father and Ur behind!

Abraham, his wife Sarah, his Nephew Lot (his deceased brother Haran's son) and his extended family, flock and herdsmen depart Ur, Mesopotamia,

for Haran, on his trip to Caanan, 2166 BCE.

Abraham, following his new God's spoken instructions, took his new Abstract Concept, his new name, his wife with all his sheep and left heading west into the unknown western desert. Eventually settling in Southern Canaan in the modern day Be’er Sheva Oasis, in Israel.

Abraham's journey from Ur in Mesopotamia to Be'er Sheva in Caanan (today's Israel).

Abraham Arrives Canaan (Israel)

2166 BCE

Abraham peacefully settles at an isolated Oasis in the South Canaan Desert.

Living in peace with the local Canaanites, Abraham's extended family prospers, but he and Sarah are childless.

Abraham is without an Heir.

Then.....

Abraham Goes to Egypt.

Asia Meets Africa

Abraham sojourns in Egypt during a great drought.

During an intense drought, he travels to Egypt and sojourns there. Abraham learns about circumcision while there.

Abraham and Sarah acquire an Egyptian Handmaiden named Hagar, mother of his future son, Ishmael, The Patriarch of Islam.

Abraham and Sarah (she then 90 years old) miraculously conceive a son with the name ISAAC (Yitzhak) and thus begins God Promise of a “Great Nation"..

Abraham teaches Isaac about the God, YHWH, and the importance of performing the burnt offering ceremony.

After consulting with God, Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael away from his camp. After receiving Divine instructions in the desert, Hagar returns home to Egypt.

Ishmael goes on to Father a Great Nation.

Abraham Returns to Canaan with his new family.

Abraham makes the Be'er Sheva Oasis his home

Abraham digs a well.

The well becomes part of a dispute with Abimelech of Gerar, the Philistine king.

After negotiations and abinding agreement with Abimelech, Abraham is given possession of the Well and the surrounding Land. Thus begins Abraham's claim on the land.

Abraham Buys the Cave of Machpelah outside Hebron.

After Sarah dies, Abraham purchases the Cave of Machpelah (Cave of the Partriachs) from Ephron the Hittite. This cave near Hebron, and was intended to be the Family's Sepulchre (tomb) for all eternity.

Abraham Buries Sarah in the Cave of Machpelah.

YHWH on Sacrifice!

Child Sacrifice to Baal (Molech)

The God of the Canaanites.

Molech

The Canaanites practiced Child Sacrifice (infanticide) to their God Baal,

The Sacrifice of Isaac

For Jews, this story is

The Binding of Yitzhak

יִצְחָק”

For Mohammedans, this story is

The Binding of Ishmael

إِسْمَاعِيْل

Child sacrifice (infanticide) to Baal (Molech), was well known and routinely practiced by the Canaanites.

When God, YHWH, asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son, it was considered nothing unusual.

Abraham is stopped by an angel.

And a Ram is sacrificed instead.

The Real Message of this story:

The God of Abraham

YHWH

PROHIBITS

HUMAN SACRIFICE!

"Not to burn your children in a sacrificial fire to Molech."
(Leviticus 18:21)

Aside from

"Abstract Thought"....

what else has survived from this story?

Ironically,

The Clay Idols!

From the The cemetery of Ur.

Excavations at “Tell el-Muqayyar”, that has been identified as the cemetery of the ancient city of Ur, have uncovered many surviving, household Clay idols.

Ironically, the same Idols Abraham destroyed!

Archaeological Remnants of Mesopotamia.