HELL and the Old Testament

Since launching this study on HELL, I have both learned - and been amazed. I have genuinely approached this study, not with an agenda in mind, but to learn - genuinely learn what does the Bible teach on this. This post will deal with the Old Testament.

Was-Is HELL something that was taught or even considered in Old Testament times? First, let me say that time and space here does not permit me to cover every aspect of this subject from this perspective. There are many arguments that are made, that I simply do not have opportunity to consider or just not worthy to consider. My goal here is to consider what the Bible teaches on the subject in the context of the matter at hand. One common comment that I have run across repeatedly in my research on the subject, especially on the Internet is the statement "..the Old Testament does not mention Hell at all..” Let me state here, that there is a sense in which this is right. The Old Testament does not come out and say, "thou shalt go to hell." Yet, many things which I have read across the Net-sphere assume this to be a diving platform on which to pontificate without much research into the matter from the scripture's perspective, or skewing biblical perspective to resemble their views. For example, making a claim that the sun does not exist, because ancient Egyptians considered the sun to be god, or because literature of the day does not specify the sun as a hot plasma ball is ludicrous. Arguments made by some authors on this subject fall into this same category. Which brings up to me a particular question, "What Bible are YOU reading?"

OK...enough talk. Let's delve into the scriptures themselves and see what the OLD TESTAMENT itself has to say about this subject. To say that people of the Old Testament did not have a concept of immortality is an incorrect assumption. As far back as the book of Genesis itself, people had two terms for death or burial and another for what they considered to be beyond death.

"qebûrâh" is the word that was used to state that a person had been buried or placed into a sepulcher or grave (Gen.35:20). In the passage cited, Jacob places a marker at the site of Rachel's grave - sepulcher.

"she'ôl" was a word that was used to refer to what they considered at the time lay beyond the grave or the world of the dead (Gen.37:35). In the passage cited, Jacob states that he will go into the world of the dead (notice the word is different than the one used in Gen.35:20) mourning his son. If he had meant that he would go down to the "DIRT" mourning his son "qebûrâh" would have been used. Jacob states plainly, that he will go down into "SHEOL" mourning his son - the world of the dead.

But someone will cry out, "THIS ISN'T HELL!" And...to this point you would be correct. It simply states a difference in concepts, that one - there is a place of burial and second that there is something beyond the grave. This is even more evident in the Psalms.

In particular, in Psa.16:7-10 "I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption." Notice in particular the last verse that the SOUL is not abandoned to SHEOL (the world of the dead) and the flesh would not see "corruption" (the decay of the grave). This passage, Peter says refers to Jesus (Acts 2:25-31). His body arose from the grave ("qebûrâh" - grk mnēma) Acts 2:32 and his Soul was not abandoned to SHEOL ("she'ôl" - grk hadēs) Acts 2:31 - because HE IS RISEN (Mt.28:6,7).

Psalm 30:3 - This Psalm was given at the dedication of the Temple. David states,"O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol (world of the dead - JH); you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit (cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well - JH).

Psalm 49:14,15 "Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell. But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me."

• Notice in this passage, it speaks of those who live rebellious to God, in haughtiness and trust in their own selves, riches, etc. They are "appointed (destined)" for SHEOL (world of the dead - JH). DEATH is going to be their shepherd there to guide them to this place.They will be consumed with "no place to dwell" - there will be no comfort, no peace.
• Not so for the people of God whose soul will be ransomed (severed, released) from the power of SHEOL (world of the dead - JH) - to be received by God! If they are released from the world of the dead and received by God what does that tell you? Sounds to me like the people of God are taken to be with Him, while the people that were wicked are SEPARATED from Him, with "no place to dwell."

Isa.10:16-18 "Therefore the Lord GOD of hosts will send wasting sickness among his stout warriors, and under his glory a burning will be kindled, like the burning of fire. The light of Israel will become a fire, and his Holy One a flame, and it will burn and devour his thorns and briers in one day. The glory of his forest and of his fruitful land the LORD will destroy, both soul and body, and it will be as when a sick man wastes away."

• This is a prophesy of the captivity of Israel and of their return that would take place in the days of Cyrus and Ezra. While this particular passage doesn't have anything per se' to do with the world of the dead, there is a peculiar expression used here by Isaiah that is worth noting. Verse 18 contains what became a "proverbial" expression among the Jewish people, to be careful lest you invoke the wrath of God to "destroy (end) both body and soul."
• Notice that this is described "as when a sick man wastes away." Have you ever been around someone that lingers and lingers in throes of death? Humans ALWAYS associate this with pain, agony, hurtfulness, and suffering! Here, not only is the body gone (dead - in the GRAVE) but the soul continues in anguish - as one wasting away at a disease.

Isa. 66:24 "And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh."

• This is again Isaiah's prophesy of the capture and return of Israel in the days of Cyrus and Ezra. What is of peculiar note here is that God describes punishment for evil (vs.17)! They will face the fire of God's wrath. Those faithful are to be remembered, established, and to continue.
• Notice however, those who are evil have a familiar expression applied to them in vs.24. "For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh."
• Notice again, as observed from last week in Mk.9:44-49 it speaks of "THEIR WORM." Notice - IT SHALL NOT DIE (sounds eternal to me - JH). THEIR FIRE is NOT QUENCHED (sounds eternal to me - JH). THEY SHALL BE AN ABHORRENCE - (God's words not mine - JH)

Jer.19:1-7 –This passage is where the valley of Hinnom became the physical symbol of what becomes known as "gehenna" in the New Testament or eternal HELL!

• Notice WHY it becomes that symbol. Because the people have forsaken me and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have known; and because they have filled this place with the blood of innocents, and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or decree, nor did it come into my mind-- therefore, behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when this place shall no more be called Topheth, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter.
• Notice now vs.7-9 I will give their dead bodies for food to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the earth. I will make this city a horror, a thing to be hissed at. Everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss because of all its wounds. I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and their daughters, and everyone shall eat the flesh of his neighbor in the siege and in the distress, with which their enemies and those who seek their life afflict them.'

As I write this, I have two almost overpowering feelings. First, tremendous thankfulness and appreciation for the grace of God, who is thoughtful of me to offer me the opportunity to be with Him. Second, pity and fear for those who do not hear, see, understand or want to accept this grace.

It is true, that things must be accepted by faith. You must believe in order to understand. Some may deem me mad, crazy, religious fanatic, what-have-you because I choose to believe. My question though is have you truly considered the scripture's warning if YOU DO NOT?

Jim

Cemetery on the Mount of Olives | Ferrell's Travel Blog

Cemetery on the Mount of Olives | Ferrell's Travel Blog

The Washington Post reports here on US and Israeli efforts to end the desecration of Jewish graves on the Mount of Olives. Both religious and political considerations are mentioned.

It is amazing to view the Mount of Olives and see how much of the mountain is now covered with graves. This aerial view may help you to visualize the situation.The cemetery under discussion is shown in the lower right quarter of this photo.

Jerusalem - the Old City and the Mount of Olives. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Sometimes when we look at the big picture we miss some important details. The next photo puts a human face and emotion on the situation.

Cemetery on the Mount of Olives. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

At the time of Absalom’s rebellion, David crossed the Mount of Olives as he fled Jerusalem.

But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. (2 Samuel 15:30 ESV)

Banias — easternmost source of the River Jordan | Ferrell's Travel Blog

Banias — easternmost source of the River Jordan | Ferrell's Travel Blog

Banias — easternmost source of the River Jordan

Posted on March 21, 2011 by ferrelljenkins| 1 Comment

The Nahr (River) Banias is the easternmost source of the River Jordan. The source of the Banias is located at a site we know as Caesarea Philippi in the New Testament. It is well known to those who study the ministry of Jesus (Matthew 16:13-19).

Banias is located on the eastern side of the Beka or Hula Valley. The valley is called the Beka in Lebanon, and a little further south the Hula Valley. The elevation is about 1150 feet above sea level in the foothills of Mount Hermon.

The photo below shows the place where the water emerges from the earth. Perhaps you are reminded of the text from the prophet Jeremiah:

for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13 ESV)

Getting a drink at the source. River Banias, Caesarea Philippi. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Other posts about this site are listed below. Check them all.

• Mount Hermon is a source of water.
• Favorite photo of 2008?
• Half a millionaire.

Three other rivers we have recently mention, Flea River, the Senir, and the Dan, join with the Banias to form the River Jordan.

Jesus on HELL!

This entry is prompted by some research I did as a result of a recent interview done on with an Evangelical preacher. The interview was streamlined as "There is NO HELL." In this interview, there was no scripture referenced, but the gentleman postulated something that is not new at all, but all too familiar - "..a loving God would never sentence human souls to eternal suffering..”

There are many who make such statements. Some would have us believe that HELL is just a fable made up by the Roman Catholic Church in its infancy in order to keep its parishioners inline, or so says one priest. Another man states, "It only stands to reason, then, that this same Jesus, who was completely appalled at the very idea of burning a few people, for a few horrific minutes until they were dead, could never, ever burn billions of people for an eternity!"

So....I asked myself (with no bias in mind to defend anything accept what the scripture itself teaches) if this could be true? I know the following things to start off with:

1. 1Jn 4:1 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." -- So we will put these thoughts to test with the scripture since they say this is not taught in the scripture.
2. Rom 3:4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, "That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged." God's word stands the test of time, men and proclamations of men. God will prevail, and His word will prevail after men and the words they speak are long gone!
3. John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. God's word is the truth. Men can flap their gums all they want, but unless God says it, it is not spiritual truth!

When speaking of "eternal hell" there are a couple of things that we must enter the discussion being aware of. First is that the older versions, especially the KJV or "authorized" version uses the word "hell" indiscriminately to refer to the grave, the place where the spirit goes upon death, and the eternal destination of the wicked. Most modern versions correct this, especially in the American Standard and New American Standard versions. For the purposes of our discussion and study, our focus will be on "eternal hell" the eternal abode of the wicked.

So, let's let Jesus speak on Hell. Does He confirm or deny its existence? This research then will be limited to the gospels, since this is where Jesus speaks personally - that is He is in person speaking, no one is saying it for Him.

The term HELL in the sense of eternal hell, is referenced by the greek word "Gehenna." This word occurs 15 times in the New Testament and 11 of those times, it us used by Jesus personally. The word is taken from the Hebrew term that means "the valley of Hinnom." This referred to a literal place outside of the city of Jerusalem, that was basically the city dump or landfill of the day. It was the place where all trash within the city, all carrion, dead bodies of criminals or paupers who had no one to claim them were taken and thrown. It gained infamy in Old Testament history and thus became absolute anathema to the Jewish people, when children were sacrificed to the god Moloch there (Josh. 15:8; II Kings 33:10; Jer.2:23; 7:31-32; 19:6,13-14). For this reason the valley was thereafter deemed to be accursed, and "Gehenna" therefore became a figurative equivalent for "hell."

Jesus uses THIS term in the following Mt.5:29,30; Mk.9:43; Lk.12:5

Now, a couple of notes on these passages that reflect upon the same instance. Jesus is teaching in the Sermon on the Mount regarding adultery and how that to "look upon a woman so as to lust after her, he has committed adultery already in his heart." He then states, that it is better to pluck out an eye or cut off a hand and go through life maimed, than for "your whole body be thrown into hell" Let's now make some observations on this statement.

• The term HELL here is our term GEHENNA. Thus, there is no mistaking what Jesus is referencing.
• Jesus uses the word "cast" here, which means to throw. It is actually a gardening term, stating what one does when one finds a weed growing in a garden. The weed is plucked and "cast" or thrown out of the garden because the gardener does not want it growing there. Noticed here, Jesus says "the whole body be cast into hell."
• INTO - means to take from one place and put into another. This same term is used in Col.1:13, where it states we are transferred FROM the kingdom of darkness INTO the kingdom of God's dear Son. So, Jesus is stating that the "whole body" because of the sin it carries in an unrepentant person, will be cast or thrown INTO Hell! It will be taken out of God's garden and thrown into this place.
• THE WHOLE BODY - It is obvious, that the physical body decays and goes back to the dust from which it came (Gen.3:19) or "sheol" the grave. But, we are told that the spirit does not have flesh and blood as human bodies do (Lk.24:39), thus it does not decay but continues to exist (Lk.16:19-31). Jesus here states that a spirit of evil, is plucked from God's garden and cast INTO - Hell - Gehenna!

Mt.23:23 Jesus speaking to the Jewish Pharisees and scribes of His day, states to them, "You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?"

• HELL here is our familiar term again, Gehenna
• “damnation” here comes from the greek word "crisis" which means to meter judgment
• He is stating that because of their teaching, judgment would be metered to them and that judgment was HELL! Why? Is Jesus judging them? No...He did not come to judge. He came to proclaim God's truth. It is the truth that is judging them (Jn.12:48) and their refusal to heed that word or walk according to it. Thus, they judge themselves!

FURTHER ON Mt.5:22; Mk.9:43,44,46,48; Lk.12:5

• In Matt.5:22 and Mk.9:43 the descriptive phrase accompanying HELL or Gehenna is used --> Fire. Whether literal or figurative this word only has one meaning - FIRE. You cannot get around it. And, this makes sense, as in Lk.16:24 the rich man stated that he was tormented in the “flame.” What is the flame? If this is a spiritual place with something that is not flesh and bone, how can it burn? I DON'T KNOW! All I know is that Jesus states this, uses these words to describe it. Whatever it is - the associative idea being put with it is THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THERE!
• In Mk.9:43,44,46 and 48, Jesus uses a further designation to describe this fire one that is "never quenched." The word used for this, is a familiar word to us “asbestos,” and means perpetual, unending. We use asbestos to retard flame to protect. There it is the flame that is asbestos - or never stops burning!
• Mark 9:48 - Jesus uses a peculiar phrase in a continuing description of this place. He states, "where their worm does not die." The term "worm" here its primary and first definition is maggot. Notice again the eternal descriptor that THEIR worm does not die! If something does not die it is eternal. What is THEIR WORM? Maggots, eat infectious, diseased materials. In the physical world, their life cycle is short, after they eat their fill, they go on to become flies. But there, they do not die, they do not get their fill, they continually feed and eat. What are they feeding on? The souls infected with sin and cast into the place where these worms abide for eternity and the flame or torment does not end.

Now, if you wish to argue with this, be my guest. These are Jesus' words, not mine. But, before I end this post, let me share one more thought. Jesus makes this statement in Luke 12:4,5 "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!"

There are those who state, "..a loving God would never sentence human souls to eternal suffering..” Is that what Jesus says?

Handling THE TRUTH!

Handling THE TRUTH!

"Don't believe everything you hear just because someone says it is a message from God;

test it first to see if it really is!"

1 John 4:1 (LB)

When we get an idea in our mind, how do you know if it’s from God? How do you know it’s not your own desire or even a lie from Satan? The answer is given in the scripture itself - "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1Jn 4:1"

So how can I tell if something is from God or not?

• The first test - “Does it agree with the Bible?” God’s truth is consistent. He is not going to tell you one thing in the Bible and then tell you something different somewhere else. This is where we must be careful, because of several things:
• First - 2 Co 11:13,14 "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." We must be aware that even though the scripture is God's word, there are men that will wrest and twist the scripture to their own devices (2 Pet.3:16). Satan himself, quotes scripture in the tempting of people (Mt.4:1-10).
• Second, it is MY responsibility to make sure that what is being said is in agreement with God's word (Acts.17:11). Just because someone quotes the Bible or says that the Bible says or teaches something does not mean that it does. It is up to me to search it out and make sure that it does.
• Second - Pro 12:19 "Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment." Truth stands the test of time. At the time that Jesus spoke it, more than 2000+ years or more had passed from the time of creation to that point. Yet, Jesus points out that what was true in the beginning of creation regarding marriage, was true in His time and continues to be true today (Mt.19:8). TRUTH in God's word DOES NOT CHANGE! Mal 3:6 "For I the LORD do not change.."

If you want to know God’s voice, the only book you need to read is the Bible - PERIOD! You do not need priests, people, magazines, or anything else. All you need is God, His word, yourself and time - to know for certainty what God has said. You need to memorize the scripture, study it, and meditate on it. John 5:39 "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me..."

When you know God’s Word you will not be fooled by lies (Heb.4:12). But you will always get into trouble when you doubt the Bible.Paul reminded the Galatians as well as us, Galatians 1:8 "Even if an angel comes from heaven and preaches any other message, let him be forever cursed" (NLT). So if anyone ever comes up to you and says you need the Bible plus another book to find truth, they are wrong. Rom. 3:4 "No, indeed! God tells the truth, even if everyone else is a liar. The Scriptures say about God, "Your words will be proven true, and in court you will win your case."

Jim

Why is There Something Rather than Nothing? The Only Six Options | Parchment and Pen

Why is There Something Rather than Nothing? The Only Six Options | Parchment and Pen

by C Michael PattonMarch 17th, 2011 9 Comments

Someone has once rightly said that this is the most basic philosophical question that there is: “Why is there something rather than nothing?”

As far as I can tell, there are only six options:

1. The universe is eternal and everything has always existed.

Everything has existed for eternity. As far back as one can go into the past, there is still an infinite amount of time which preceded it. The sum total of the universe is inclusive of an infinite succession of events and moments going backward.

Why this is wrong

An infinite number of temporal events going into the past is a formal absurdity. Going backward, no matter how far you travel in time, you would always have an infinity to go. Going forward, we would never get to the present moment because we would have an infinite amount of time and causes and effects to traverse to get here. It would be like asking of a man who is jumping out of an infinitely deep hole, when would he get out? The answer is never. There is no starting point from which to jump. Or, better, it would be like someone walking down the street and you heard him counting down… “negative 5, negative 4, negative 3, negative 2, negative 1, zero!” And you said, “What are you doing?” And he responds, “I just got done counting to zero from negative infinity!” That would be a logical absurdity.

Even most atheists, since the early 20th century, now believe that there was a singular moment when all things came into existence called the big bang. Some have even proposed a multi-verse theory where our universe came out of another universe. But this only pushes it back one level. Where did that universe come from unless it is transcendent?

2. Nothing exists and all is an illusion

Everything you hear, see, do, or think does not really exist. There is no reality. There is notsomething. There is only nothing.

Why this is wrong

This proposition, it should be obvious, is completely self-defeating. In order to even make such a proposition, the subject has to exist in some sense. If all is an illusion, where did the illusion come from? If another illusion produced the illusion, then where did that illusion come from. In other words, there is something, namely the illusion.

Even the solipsist, who does not believe in the existence of other minds, has to explain the genesis of his own mind.

3. The universe created itself

This is the idea that the universe and all that is in it did not have its origin in something outside itself, but from within. The universe did come into being, but it came from itself. It is self-created. Here, we may suppose that while we don’t understand how this could happen, advancements in scientific theory will eventually produce an answer.

Why this is wrong

Like with the previous two, we have created a logical absurdity. It would be like creating a square triangle. It’s impossible. A triangle by definition cannot be square. So creation cannot create itself as it would have to pre-date itself to create. The pre-dated form would then need a sufficient explanatory cause, ad infinitum.

4. Chance created the universe

“The universe was created by chance.” Have you ever heard that? While the odds of winning the lottery are not very good, given enough time, everyone will win. While the odds of the universe coming into existence are not very good, given enough time, it had to happen.

Why this is wrong

This option is a slight of hand option that amounts to nothing. The fact is that chance has nobeing. This option implies that “chance” itself has quantitative causal power. The word “chance” is used to describe possibilities. It does not have the power to cause those possibilities. It is nonsense to speak of chance being the agent of creation of anything since chance is not an agent.

“Sophisticated arguments of chance creation have been formulated which dazzle our mathematical comprehension… What are the real chances of the universe created by chance? Not a chance. Chance is incapable of creating a single molecule, let alone an entire universe. Why not? Chance is no thing. It is not an entity. It has no being, no power, no force. It can effect nothing because it has no causal power within it. …It is a word which describes mathematical possibilities which, by the curious flip of the fallacy of ambiguity, slips into the discussion as if it were a real entity with real power, indeed, supreme power, the power of creativity.” (R.C. Sproul, Not a Chance. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1999.)

5. The universe is created by nothing

Simply put, nothing created the universe.

Why this is wrong

The problem here is that it is either a restating of option #1 (the universe is eternal) or fails due to the irrationality of #4. In our current universe, the law of cause and effect cannot be denied with any sanity. While we often don’t know what the cause of some effect is, this does not mean that it is causeless. When we go to the doctor looking for an explanation for the cause of our neck pain, we don’t accept the answer “There is no cause. It came from nothing.” When there is a fire, the fire investigator does not come to a point where he says, “Well, we searched and we searched for a cause to this fire. Our conclusion is definite: the fire came from nothing.” In both cases, we would assume that the person who gave such answer is better fit for a straight-jacket than a respected professional of his field.

There is an old saying, ex nihilo nihil fit which means “Out of nothing, nothing comes.” Even Maria in the Sound of Music got this one right, “Nothing comes from nothing; nothing ever could.” To say that the universe was created by or came from nothing is an absurdity. Like with the idea of chance, “nothing” is a non being with no causal power. If there is something, there must be a sufficient explanation for it.

6. An transcendent being (God) created all that there is out of nothing.

This is the last option that I know of. Here we recognize the impossibility of the first five. Realizing that the universe must have come into existence a finite time ago, we know that there must be a sufficient cause. Here is how it might look:

• Whatever comes into existence has a cause.
• The universe came into existence.
• Therefore the universe has a cause.

The question now is what is that cause? It can’t be “chance” or “nothing” as we have shown that they don’t have causal power. As well, it cannot have relation to time, space, or matter in its actual being as that would make it subject to the laws of cause and effect (i.e. then we would be infinitely stuck in the trap of “If God created everything, who or what created God?). Therefore, this being is transcendent (above, beyond, without ontological relation to…) to the universe. This causal agency must be “all”-powerful or else the grandeur of the effect would eclipse the grandeur of the cause (then we are back to absurdities). This causal agent must have a will (i.e. be personal) or else there would not have ever been a time when the universe was not created (i.e. it would always be being created—again, an absurdity) since it would not be a willful decision to create, but simply a natural aspect of the transcendent cause.

This creator had to have created all things ex nihilo (“out of nothing”). In other words, all of matter could not be eternal since material itself is, by definition, not transcendent and subject to the law of cause and effect. This creator, being transcendent to the laws of our universe in which the saying “out of nothing nothing comes” applies, must create time, space, and matter out of neither himself or preexisting material. He creates it all out of nothing. He brings all of existence into being by his power. While it is beyond our understanding how transcendence can create immanence, it does not form a logical absurdity. In fact, existence itself demands that it is a logical necessity.

All other options, I believe I have shown, are self-defeating, formally absurd, and irrational. In short, the only logical explanation for existence is that a transcendent, powerful, and personal being (i.e. God) created all that there is out of nothing.

Are there any other options that I am missing?