Prior I reported that according to Jewish legend that Noah's Ark was built like a pyramid, but now there is evidence the Dead Sea Scrolls state that Noah's Ark WAS the Great Pyramid of Giza. This is what Freemason Manly P. Hall believed as well. Isaac Newton believed his derived Jewish "Sacred Cubit" was used to build both Noah's Ark and the pyramids. This is finally a Jewish foundation of Noahide Pyramidology.
Egypt shock: Dead Sea Scroll scan suggests Noah’s Ark ‘was Great Pyramid of Giza
Was Noah's Ark actually the Great Pyramid of Giza? (Image: GETTY)
EGYPT'S Great Pyramid of Giza may have been the metaphorical object used to shield civilisation from the Great Flood narrative told in the story of Noah's Ark, a historian has suggested.
By CALLUM HOARE
05:00, Wed, Feb 19, 2020 | UPDATED: 11:28, Wed, Feb 19, 2020
In the Bible, Noah’s Ark is the vessel used in the Genesis flood story through which God spares Noah, his family and a selection of all the world’s animals from a world-ending disaster. Until modern times, most Christians assumed the story referred to an actual worldwide event that happened in the relatively recent past, but modern science has suggested there has never been a global flood of this kind. Instead, historian Matthew Sibson has put forward a theory that the story actually retold a great flood in the Middle East, where Egypt’s high-rankers used the Great Pyramid of Giza to shield from disaster.
Mr Sibson’s theory is based on a bombshell discovery in 2016, he revealed on his YouTube Channel “Ancient Architects”.
He said last week: “The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered by Bedouin shepherds more than 50 years ago in the Qumran Caves in the Judean Desert of the West Bank near the Dead Sea.
“The find contained around 800 manuscripts, thought to be around 2,000 years old and contain a range of biblical and non-biblical stories, offering experts a glimpse into the past.
“Some have called it the greatest archaeological discovery of the 20th century, but scientists working at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library Project scanned tens of thousands of fragments of the scrolls with a custom-made camera, that used different wavelengths of light at 28 times higher resolution than standard scans.
“Before then, regarding the story of Noah’s Ark, scholars had been unable to read a particular word following the Hebrew phrase 'the ark’s tallness,' but the new scans revealed the word 'ne’esefat.’
“The translation of this word from Hebrew to English means gathered, which Dr Alexey Yuditsky from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem says means that the ark’s ribs were gathered at the top to form a shape of a pyramid."
But, there is more evidence of the Ark being described as a pyramid, Mr Sibson revealed.
He added: “According to Dr Yuditsky, the Septuagint – a Greek translation of the Old Testament, which dates to the third century BC, also describes the ark as pyramid-shaped, using a Greek verb that also has a similar meaning to ‘gathered’.
“A number of medieval authors such as Maimonides also suggested that Noah’s Ark was somewhat pyramid-shaped.
“Many believe that Noah’s Ark is just a myth and some believe it describes a global flood, but it could be the retelling of a story that centres around flooding in the Middle East.
“The idea of a pyramid-shaped ark, of course, makes us think of ancient Egypt and we know that Egypt features heavily in the Old Testament.”
Mr Sibson said that it is unlikely that there was actually a pyramid-like vessel, but instead, the story is a metaphor for how the Egyptians survived the flood.
He also pointed out some more evidence of this theory.
He added: “So was Noah’s Ark actually an Egyptian pyramid? Reading the specific words of the Old Testament it would not appear so and, of course, the Egyptian pyramids were not made of wood.
“But, if the story is a retelling of a great flood in Egypt, then maybe there is some truth to the idea which has been lost in translation.
“There is more evidence, the elaborate bronze doors of the Baptistery in Florence, created by Lorenzo Ghiberti, who died in the 15th century.
“The doors were completed in the early 1400s and show scenes from the Old Testament.
“One illustrates the period just after the Biblical Great Flood when Noah returns to dry land, Ghiberti depicts the ark as a pyramid.
“Interestingly, Ghiberti depicts the ark as a pyramid.”
Mr Sibson finalised his theory with one more point.
He said: “Some scholars say that the Great Pyramid of Egypt was built to reflect the primeval mound that, according to Ancient Egyptian tradition, emerged from the expanse of primordial waters.
“This story is not thought to be literal, but could the Great Pyramid have actually been a structure to survive a flood?
“Maybe the Egyptian elites built their own primeval mount to escape an impending flood.”
William Branham is probably one of the most famous leader figures in the Pentecostal movement, he was also a British Israelist pyramidologist with ties to Freemasons and the Klu Klux Klan (who had their own pyramid wing under San Jacinto Capt). Masons and the KKK paid William Branham's medical bills and his sister Delores was an Eastern Star (female Mason). His imagery is full of Masonic symbolism. I don't know where he picked up his pyramidology but it could have been David Davidson or any Freemason British Israelist pyramidologist, or perhaps the Klu Klux Klan which has pyramid links to David Davidson. Either way, pyramidology entered Pentecostalism. Websites dedicated to exposing Branham's teachings say he got his pyramidology from Freemasonry. And interestingly, Branham was influenced by Charles Taze Russell, so could have gotten his pyramidology from him. Branham is buried under a pyramid grave.
William Branham taught that the Great Pyramid of Giza was a "bible", and that it perfectly mapped the years to his various doomsday predictions. The Gospel of the Pyramid was closely tied to his Zodiacteaching, was the foundation for his version of rapture theology, and many, many doctrines were built on top of its foundation. It was not widely accepted, however, and Branham was careful to avoid teaching the doctrine when speaking to certain audiences. In some cases, Branham denied teaching it when certain people were present in his revivals or church services.[1]
What's He doing? He is writing His first Bible. The first Bible was ever written, was written in the skies, the Zodiac. It starts out with the virgin, that's how He come first. It ends up with Leo the lion, the second Coming. And He is writing His first Bible. 44 The second Bible was written, was written by Enoch, and put in the pyramid.[2]
Branham claimed that the pyramid was the time marker for the world's doomsday clock, and in the mid-1950s began claiming that the clock had reached the pyramid's "King's Chamber," signifying the end.[3] Almost seventy years later, most leaders in Branham's cult either try to explain why the "doomsday clock" failed or try to hide this doctrinal teaching from their congregations.
One of the more unusual doctrines that William Branham introduced into the Latter Rain Revivals was that of the "Capstone of the Pyramid". Built upon his doctrine that the Great Pyramid of Giza was God’s second Bible, Branham claimed that the top of the pyramid symbolically represented Jesus. Repurposing a passage from Psalm 118 mentioned by Jesus in Mark 12, Branham claimed that the "stone that the builders rejected" was both Jesus and the capstone of the pyramid.
But notice in building the pyramid…Now, watch this. You got a dollar bill in your pocket? I—I think I got one. So if you notice on the back of your dollar bill, why have they got the pyramid says, 'The Great Seal?' You ever notice it on your American dollar? Um-hum. 'The Great Seal.' Notice on that pyramid also, how it starts at the bottom and keeps coming up like this, minority, minority. And did you notice, the capstone's not even on it. Neither is the pyramid capped. Why? The capstone was rejected, Jesus Christ, the Head of it, exactly right.[4]
Besides the obvious problems with claiming that the tomb of Khufu was in any way related to Christianity, there is also an archeological problem with Branham’s extra-biblical claim: The “capstone” of the Great Pyramid of Giza was not rejected. The ancient Egyptians used the stone in honor of the god Atum, the supreme sun god of creation. The name used by the ancients, "ben-benet", was named after the sacred ben-ben stone in Heliopolis, the oldest city of sun god worship.[5]
The "capstones" of the pyramid, or "pyramidions", were made of solid granite. For conservation reasons, they have been moved to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.[6]
William Branham's "pyramid Bible"doctrine was commonly believed among converts to the British Israeldoctrine. Key figures in Branham's campaigns were supporters and promoters of British Israelism, including Gordon Lindsay who spoke at conferences for the Anglo-Saxon Federation of America.[7] British Israel converts adopted the pyramidism doctrines of John Taylor, who published The Great Pyramid in 1859. Taylor mistakenly believed that the Pyramid was constructed using the English inch-based measurement system, and developed absurd mathematical calculations to prove it. Eventually, British Israelites came to believe that the Pyramid was an ancient "Bible" of sorts, mapping out the timeline for the final destruction of the world systems.
The pyramid functioned for many British-Israelites as a gigantic prophetic clock, in which sacred history was displayed by the length and configuration of its internal passageways. In this system, one “pyramid inch” (which deviated one one-thousandth from the British inch) equaled one year. This equipped British-Israelism with a mechanism familiar to other millenarians, a system of date setting, by which the proximity of apocalyptic events could be precisely ascertained.[8]
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organizations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities and clients. It is a secret society that is deeply embedded into United States History. Thirteen of the thirty-nine men who signed the U.S. Constitution were in the Masonic Order, including George Washington, James Monroe, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and Paul Revere.[1] William Bramham owed a debt to the Ku Klux Klan and the Freemasons after both groups paid his hospital bill.
The Ku Klux Klan, paid the hospital bill for me, Masons. I can never forget them. See? No matter what they do, or what, I still…there is something, and that stays with me, see, what they did for me.[2]
Some religious leaders consider the Freemasonry groups to be either anti-Christian or incompatible with Christianity. A number of conspiracy theorists claim that Freemasons worship everything from Lucifer or Satan to Baal, Baphomet, Dajjal, or Rahu.[3] Many 19th-century Masons were occultists, and though many other members were not, the occultists being permitted in the Masonic Order led to a number of religious conspiracy theories.[4] Those theories are often supported by former Masons who claim to have discovered the anti-Christian themes deeply embedded into Masonic ritual. According to Jack Harris, former "Worshipful Master" of a Masonic lodge,[5] "Freemasonry considers Jesus Christ to be no greater than Moses, Elijah, Mohammed, or Buddha."[6]
Jesus Christ never performed one miracle, or did one thing, until first God the Father showed Him what to do by a vision, according to His own Word. 'Verily, verily (that's absolutely, absolutely), I say unto you, the Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing: that doeth the Son likewise.'[13]
Though William Branham never openly admitted to being a Freemason, many of his mentors[10] partners,[11] and leaders of his sect[12] did. Masonic symbolism exists throughout Branham's extra-biblical doctrines and religious propaganda, especially in Branham's use of the pyramids as religious symbolism. The Great Pyramid of Giza, with four equilateral triangles, carries great significance in Freemasonry. According to the Masonic Dictionary, "There is no symbol more important in its significance, more various in its application, or more generally diffused throughout the whole system of Freemasonry, than the triangle. An examination of it, therefore, cannot fail to be interesting to the Masonic student."[14]Freemasons associate this symbol with "the Deity".
The equilateral triangle appears to have been adopted by nearly all the nations of antiquity as a symbol of the Deity, in some of his forms or emanations, and hence, probably, the prevailing influence of this symbol was carried into the Jewish system, where the Yod within the triangle was made to represent the Tetragrammaton, or sacred name of God. The equilateral triangle, says Brother D. W. Nash (Freemasons Magazine iv, page 294), "viewed in the light of the doctrines of those who gave it currency as a divine symbol, represents the Great First Cause, the Creator and Container of all things, as one and indivisible, manifesting Himself in an infinity of forms and attributes in this visible universe." Among the Egyptians, the darkness through which the candidate for initiation was made to pass was symbolized by the trowel, an important Masonic implement, which, in their system of hieroglyphics, has the form of a triangle. [15]
Whether it was learned from one of his mentors or William Branham himself was a Mason, Branham integrated this Masonic theme about the pyramid into his cultdoctrine. According to Branham, the pyramid was a "bible", and it was allegedly the most perfect object on the earth. Branham (incorrectly) claimed that the Great Pyramid of Giza was in the geographical center of the earth's axis — an cast no shadow.
God is from above. He's writing the zodiac in the sky. zodiac starts with the Virgin, the first coming of Christ, ends up with the Leo, the Lion, the second coming. And He's writing His first Bible. There's three of them. One of them was written in the skies, one in the pyramids, one on this. Everything in God is in a trinity, like a man's in a trinity.[16]
And that pyramid, the big pyramid setting there, geographically, is so perfect in the center of the earth; no matter where the sun is, there is never a shadow around it. Engineering, we got a lot of…long ways to come, to compare with them. And, to think, that's been more than right on five thousand years ago, they had that.[1
A pyramid monument at the grave of Jehovah's Witness founder Charles Taze Russel (1852–1916), early preacher of the church ages and the first to claim to be the Laodicean Messenger. Russel's teachings were a major influence on Branham.
In his later years, Branham began to preach almost exclusively on biblical prophecy. In 1960, Branham preached a series of sermons on the seven church ages based on chapters two and three of the Book of Revelation. The sermons used the dispensational system of C. I. Scofield, Clarence Larkin, and Jehovah's Witness founder Charles Taze Russel.[219] As in their dispensational systems, Branham said each church represents a historical age, and that the angel of each age was a significant church figure. Branham identified historical Christian figures as church age messengers, naming some of the same men as Russel.[220]
Whereas Russel had claimed to be the seventh messenger himself during the 1890s, Branham's sermons differed and he described his own characteristics as the attributes of the Laodicean Church age messenger; Branham believed the age would immediately precede the rapture.[221] Branham explained the Laodicean age would be immoral in a way comparable to Sodom and Gomorrah, and it would be a time in which Christian denominations rejected Christ.[222] As described by Branham, the characteristics of the Laodicean age resemble the modern era.[221]
Branham also asserted the final messenger would be a mighty prophet who put the Word of God first, that he would be a lover of the wilderness, that he would hate wicked women, and be an uneducated person.[223] Branham compared the messenger to this last age to John the Baptist and said he would come in the spirit of Elijah the prophet and cited the Book of Malachi 4:5–6 (3:23–24 in Hebrew) as the basis for claiming the Elijah spirit would return.[203][224][225][203][226]
Branham preached a series of sermons in 1963 on the Seven Seals, which he regarded as a highlight of his ministry.[227] Branham believed the sermons would produce "rapturing faith" which was necessary for his followers to escape the tribulation, and that the sermons contained "the complete revelation of Jesus Christ".[228] Weaver wrote that "the importance of the revelation of the seals to Branham's 'prophetic' identity cannot be overestimated".[228] Branham viewed the revelation of the seals as the crowning achievement of his ministry and the ultimate fulfillment of his purpose as a prophet.[228]
According to Weaver, the sermons were primarily "a restatement of the dispensationalism espoused in the sermons on the seven church ages".[229] The sermons focused on the Book of Revelation 6:1–17, and provided an interpretation of the meaning of each of the seals, which Branham connected with his prior sermons on the church ages. Like his sermons on the church ages, Branham's sermons on the seals were largely borrowed from the writings of Charles Taze Russell and Clarence Larkin.[227]
Branham claimed the sermons were inspired through an angelic visitation and the appearance of what he believed to be a supernatural cloud in Arizona that was visible in the American Southwest on February 28, 1963. Branham interpreted the cloud to be the face of Jesus Christ, and a fulfillment of 1 Thessalonians 4:16: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout". Branham believed the events of 1963 indicated the rapture was imminent. As a result of his teachings, many of Branham's followers believe that Jesus Christ returned in some form in 1963.[177]
By 1987, it was widely known the cloud Branham believed to be supernatural had been manmade and was reported as such by Weaver in his first biography of Branham.[177]James McDonald of the University of Arizona Institute of Atmospheric Physics was present when the 1963 cloud phenomena appeared. He investigated the phenomena and discovered that the cloud had been created by an exploded Thor rocket carrying a classified spy satellite launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base that failed to make orbit.[230][177][231]
The United States Air Force later declassified the launch records and acknowledged the manmade origin of the cloud. Military personnel involved in the launch stated that they had "immediately recognized the McDonald cloud as from an explosion of a rocket the afternoon of 28 February 1963".[232][229][233] Branham claimed to his audiences that he was hunting in Arizona when angels appeared to him and created the cloud overhead. Peter Duyzer presented evidence that Branham falsely claimed to be hunting in Arizona when the cloud appeared, and was actually in Texas where he was assisting with efforts to have the death sentence of Leslie Elaine Perez overturned.[234]
In his sermons on the seven seals, Branham again indicated he was a prophet who had the anointing of Elijah and was a messenger heralding the second coming of Christ.[172][235] Branham did not directly claim to be the end-time messenger in either of his sermons on the church ages or the seven seals.[236][207] Weaver believed Branham desired to be the eschatological prophet he was preaching about,[236] but had self-doubt.[237] At the time, Branham continued to leave the identity of the messenger open to the interpretation of his followers, who widely accepted that he was that messenger.[237]
Beginning in 1958, Branham began to claim Luke 17:30 was being fulfilled. By the 1960s, he began to make frequent references to the scripture claiming that through his ministry the "Son of Man was being revealed".[223][i] According to Weaver, Branham's "obsession with Luke 17:30 and Malachi 4:5–6 dominated the end of his ministry".[238] In 1964 and 1965 he began to make special emphasis that the Son of Man could only be revealed through the ministry of a prophet. Branham's teachings on the subject caused confusion among his followers who repeatedly asked him to clarify his relationship to Christ. Some of his followers believed he was claiming divinity and were prepared to accept his claims.[239]
Branham's responses and statements on the subject of his divinity were contradictory leaving his followers divided on the subject.[239] In his final revival meetings before his death, Branham stated "The Elijah of this day is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is to come according to Luke 17:30. The Son of Man is to reveal Himself among His people. Not a man, God. But it'll come through a prophet."[239] His final statement on the subject convinced a number of his followers he was indeed claiming divinity.[239]
Branham believed denominationalism was "a mark of the beast", which added to the controversy surrounding his later ministry.[195][172][j] Branham stated that he was not opposed to organizational structures; his concern focused on the "road block to salvation and spiritual unity" he believed denominations created by emphasizing loyalty to their organizations.[195] Branham's doctrine was similar to the anti-Catholic rhetoric of classical Pentecostalism and Protestantism, which commonly associated the mark of the beast with Catholicism.[240]
Branham, however, adopted the teaching of Charles Taze Russell which associated the image of the beast with Protestant denominations.[241][k] In his later years, he came to believe all denominations were "synagogues of Satan".[192] Branham's teaching was particularly damaging to his relationship with Pentecostals denominations who were angered that he would associate them with the mark of beast.[179]
Scholar Robert Price and Doug Weaver suggested that Branham's stance on denominations was developed in response to their rejection of his teachings in an attempt to maintain the loyalty of his closest followers.[179] Throughout the 1960s, Branham demanded his listeners leave any denomination they were part of to demonstrate their loyalty to him and his message.[242] He argued that continued allegiance to any denomination would lead to an acceptance of the mark of the beast, which would mean missing the rapture.[243] He insisted the prior healing revival when he cooperated with denominations had been a preparatory step to get the attention of God's chosen people, so he could eventually inform them of their need to exclusively follow his teaching ministry.[182]
