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                scene shows a Man facing a couple getting married un-  Just as the pentagram (the five-sided star) functions as
                der a canopy, similar to the ancient Jewish marriage  a Satanic symbol, the Star of  David (a six-sided star)
                ceremony still in use today.                    was indeed interpreted as the powerful Godly protec-
                                                                tor, also called the "Seal of Solomon" in biblical times.
                To the left of the marriage scene are five jugs which
                likely symbolize the wedding Jesus attended at the vil-  The Star of David is flanked by two lions. The lions,
                lage of Cana. (John 2:1) Here, Jesus performed His  another sacred Jewish emblem - the original symbol of
                first miracle, turning water into wine. "It is interesting  the tribe of Judah - are among the most frequently
                to note," says Prof. Mazar, "that Cana served  as a pat-  found motifs in the art of early Jewish synagogues.
                tern for Christian marriage for generations to follow."   Both of the two lions seem to have wings. "A winged
                                                                lion is the ancient shape of the cherub," says Prof.
                                                                Mazar. "Two winged lions guarded the Ark of the Cove-
                Opposite the jugs, on the right, five loaves and two fish
                are reminiscent of Jesus' miracle of the fish and bread.  nant, home of the Ten Commandments." The Ark was
                (Matt. 14:19, Mark 6:39, John 5:10)             placed in the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle built by
                                                                Moses and later in the Temple of King Solomon in Je-
                                                                rusalem.
                On the other side of the amulet, in the center of its up-
                per half, stands a four-winged figure, lion masks on his
                knees, holding two scorpions in each hand and treading  "As to the lost origin of our amulet," says Leon, "it may
                two crocodiles under his feet. Remarkably, this is a fa-  well have been found in Israel some years ago, and
                miliar ancient Egyptian symbol dating as early as 700  smuggled out of the country." "We may never know ex-
                BC. According to the renowned Jewish, arcane scholar,  actly where it was found," says Prof. Mazar, "but we do
                G. Sholem, it is possible that this design, which ap-  know that this amulet seems to suggest the  existence
                pears so frequently in ancient papyri, was adopted and  of a Jewish-Christian community in the Holy Land
                no longer understood in Greco-Roman times. Thereaf-  well beyond the first few years following Jesus' life on
                ter it evidently became a Jewish motif in the first cen-  earth."
                tury, depicting an angel. It would have been assimilated
                with the familiar Hebrew angelic name, possibly by an  Its inscribed testimonials seem to bear direct witness
                added "el" (like "Akramiel").                   to the accuracy of events recorded  in the Gospel ac-
                                                                counts.
                "The combination of Jewish and Christian text and
                symbols is not surprising," says Prof. Mazar. Hebraic  "But most importantly," added the historian, "this dis-
                designs were in common use in the Holy Land during  covery reminds us that faith in Jesus Christ, His birth
                the first century and early second century by Jews and  and miracles, the Cross, and His Ascension to heaven
                Christians alike. During this period, early Christians in  was very much at the center of a someone's life, al-
                the Holy Land considered themselves Jews as well.   most 2,000 years ago."
                The text found below this picture is somewhat dam-
                aged. Consequently, the complete inscription once en-  The Egyptian Hieroglyphs: Why Not
                graved on it is not fully discernable. The partial
                inscription reads: "...tread down the abominable one      Read the Records?
                [so] that she should not have strength any more. The
                Seal of Solomon has annihilated you. Michael, Gabriel,  It is not realized today that the basis of the present
                Uriel, Raphael fetter you." The last word, "Alimerbi-  method of deciphering the Egyptian Hieroglyphs is
                mach" is not a know Hebrew or Greek word. It is not  fundamentally insecure, being unable to progress in
                found anywhere else, and its meaning is a mystery.   any meaningful way. The fact is, Egyptologists still do
                                                                not have a language when trying to decipher the hiero-
                                                                glyphs. They say they have, but powerful new evidence
                Underneath the inscription, a known Jewish symbol,
                the Star of David, is clearly engraved. Interestingly, it  has established that they do not.  A time capsule is now
                was shown by Sholem that the Star of David, or "the  being opened which is destined to reconstruct ancient
                Shield of David" as it is called in Hebrew, is best  history and re-establish faith in the biblical record.
                known from its use on amulets in ancient times.





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