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yun's story (which is completely true) shows what surrendering our lives to Christ looks like. it's a clear picture of what living selflessly looks like, what being willing to go where your sent by God looks like and what trusting Him in unbearable circumstances looks like. Zwartz, Barney (10 April 2004). "Going global with God". The Age. Melbourne . Retrieved 3 March 2009. For practical reasons the consideration of the subject of Adam Ḳadmon in the Cabala has been reserved for the end of this article. Before discussing the subject it will be well to revert to the ancient rabbinical sources already referred to. There is a fundamental theosophical statement by Akiba in the Talmud relative to this topic to which no reference has yet been made. He says, in Abot, iii. 14, "How favored is man, seeing that he was created in the image! as it is said, 'For in the image, made man'" (Gen. ix. 6). That "in the image" does not mean "in the image of God" needs no proof; for in no language can "image" be substituted for "image of God." There is, moreover, another difficulty in this passage: the verse quoted is not that of Gen. i. 27, wherein the creation of man in the image of God is primarily stated. Gen. ix. 6 treats only secondarily of man's creation. The selection of a secondary quotation in support is not a little surprising to those familiar with the usual rabbinical mode of quotation. In point of fact Akiba does not speak only of the image ( ) according to which man was created, but also of the likeness ( ; Gen. R. xxxiv. 14). really has no other signification than "after the image." Akiba, who steadfastly denies any resemblance between God and other beings—even the highest type of angels—teaches that man was created after an image—that is, an archetype—or, in philosophical phrase, after an ideal, and thus interprets Gen. ix. 6, "after an image God created man," an interpretation quite impossible in Gen. i. 27. Compare the benediction in Ket. 8 a, , wherein God is blessed because "He made man in His image [ ], in the image of a form created by Him." The concluding explanatory words of this benediction intimate, in Akiba's style, that Adam was created after the image of a God-created type ( ). Zohar.
The Heavenly Man is an autobiography of Brother Yun detailing his life from the age of sixteen, through his three accounts of incarceration, and ending in his exile to Germany.Closely related to the Philonic doctrine of the heavenly Adam is the Adam Ḳadmon (called also Adam 'Ilaya, the "High Man," the "Heavenly Man") of the Zohar, whose conception of the original man can be deduced from the following two passages: "The form of man is the image of everything that is above [in heaven] and below [upon earth]; therefore did the Holy Ancient [God] select it for His own form" (Idra R. 141 b). As with Philo the Logos is the original image of man, or the original man, so in the Zohar the heavenly man is the embodiment of all divine manifestations: the Ten Sefirot, the original image of man. The heavenly Adam, stepping forth out of the highest original darkness, created the earthly Adam (Zohar, ii. 70 b). In other words, the activity of the Original Essence manifested itself in the creation of man, who at the same time is the image of the Heavenly Man and of the universe (Zohar, ii. 48), just as with Plato and Philo the idea of man, as microcosm, embraces the idea of the universe or macrocosm. Luria. During his first imprisonment in Nanyang, Brother Yun felt that God wanted him to fast without food and water until he could see his family again. This fast lasted 74 days, which was humanly impossible but yet was made possible because he chose to obey God. I found it a very challenging read, written by a man whose experience is completely different from mine as a doctor in England. How can I relate to someone who has experienced prolonged prison and torture, who has seen many miracles and prayed and fasted for longer than our Lord himself? I cannot. However, much of the Bible is beyond my understanding although I am constantly challenged and helped by it. Maybe that is the way to view this book, like a mighty mountain of faith. I can climb a little way up; you may be able to get further. Any vision or dream we receive needs to be carefully weighed against the Scriptures, as nothing from God will ever contradict his Word." (P. 117) Leonardo, from Cebu in the Philippines: "I wish I could give this book six or seven stars. There are a few truly rare books out there that can genuinely change your life for the better: this is definitely one of those books... It's a modern-day classic that will, perhaps, challenge your faith and your life as no other book you may ever read... This is what genuine... heart CHRISTianity is all about. The book is a rare treasure. Don't miss it, OR the Message."
Seibel, Alexander, Rezension der Himmelsbürger (in German) , and overview of the claims of the 'Heavenly Man'. To start with, this book is pretty intense. The things that Brother Yun went through are incredibly horrifying that no man should ever have to go through. The miracles that happen to Yun are pretty incredible as well and I can see why they are met with skepticism. Many people practice a kind of theology that says, "If there is smoke there must be fire." The thinking is that if there is controversy about a brother, then chances are the accusations are true, at least in part. This kind of theology is completely unbiblical and dangerous. If it were true, then Jesus would be a sinner! He was strongly accused of all kinds of sins by the Pharisees and others. He was a highly controversial figure. There was plenty of 'smoke' around Jesus, but no fire except the one burning in his heart for the lost. Numerous other Biblical figures were accused of various dirty and devious things that were untrue: Moses, Aaron, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, Joshua, Joseph, the Apostle Paul... just to name a few.
There are countless allegations circulating against Brother Yun, but I am still waiting to meet a single person who has been wronged by him in any way. What I say next I want to say carefully: there is nothing wrong with Yun's book; but there is also something not quite right about it. The cadre of strange emotions that traipsed through his story with me nagged again and again, raising small flags here and there, that something didn't add up. The book Living Water was released in 2008 and, as with his previous book, The Heavenly Man, it is also co-written and translated by Paul Hattaway. It is published by Zondervan Publications. [10] As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven.