The spider, though a minor figure in the Bible, Qur'an and Tanakh, carries rich symbolic meanings. It can represent the fragility and transience of human endeavors and unreliability of misplaced trust or false hopes. It illustrates that relying on anything other than God's solid foundation is as futile as leaning on a spider’s web, which cannot support weight and will inevitably fail.

Holy Bible Job 8:14-15 (NIV)

• Text: "What they trust in is fragile; what they rely on is a spider’s web. They lean on the web, but it gives way; they cling to it, but it does not hold."
• Interpretation: Here, the spider's web represents the fragility and unreliability of misplaced trust or false hopes. It illustrates that relying on anything other than God's solid foundation is as futile as leaning on a spider’s web, which cannot support weight and will inevitably fail.

Qur'an Surah Al-Ankabut (29:41)

• Text: "The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of the spider, who builds for itself a house; but truly the flimsiest of houses is the spider’s house if they but knew."
• Interpretation: This verse uses the spider’s web to symbolize the weak foundations of those who place their trust in anything besides Allah. Just as the spider's web is delicate and easily destroyed, so are the worldly supports and false deities that people might rely on.

Tanakh Job 8:14-15

• Text: "What they trust in is fragile; what they rely on is a spider’s web. They lean on the web, but it gives way; they cling to it, but it does not hold."
• Interpretation: Here, the spider's web symbolizes the fragile and unreliable nature of the hopes of the wicked. It suggests that those who place their trust in anything other than God will find their foundations weak and easily destroyed.

After the hack to my company last summer, I took to Twitter and straight into the hacking community to see if I could get any leads on who may have been behind the attack.  One of the groups I came across was Scattered Spider. 

This infamous hacking group is based in the United Kingdom and United States and was revealed to me in my Awakening via discernment that they are intelligence agency hackers connected with one internationally known intelligence agency, which made a lot of sense to me then and still makes a lot of sense to me now, knowing what I know about hackers, the intel agency and their targets.  Their last known significant attack was against MGM and a handful of other companies in various sectors such as hospitality and retail.  

Between this group and Anonymous, my discernment led me to believe that these are not just "non-directional" hacking groups with nothing else better to do.  These groups, specifically these groups, plus a handful of Russian hacking groups, are all working either tightly or loosely with intelligence agencies around the world and all for the purpose of obtaining a significant amount of data on every single person in this world.  I was led to discern and thus believe, that in addition to God seeing and hearing all, these hacking groups are the data proof part of Judgment Day.

When I was younger, I was involved in the Dark Web in my early 20's. In fact, I followed The Mentor and we would talk, dream, create and hack.  It was such a brief time in my life, that I didn't stay long.  I decided to get into website design and leave that scene far behind me.  However, during my Spiritual Awakening, a lot of Spiritual Warfare stemmed from that dark little corner of the web.  I know, sounds more like an awesome movie plot than anything to do with the Book of Revelation.  

Revelation 13:2
And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne, and great authority.

 

Revelation 13:7
It was also given to him to make war with the ^[a]saints and to overcome them, and authority was given to him over every tribe, people, language, and nation.

And this is where things get interesting when it comes to the Book of Revelation and end of times (as we know it).

In studying the Qur'an and Tanakh recently, I prayed to God and asked Him to lead me to where He wanted me to read.  

Qur'an | 29.  Spider 

A Meccan sura that takes in its title from the illustration of the spider in verse 41. The sura stresses that believers will be tested and that they should remain steadfast. The misconceptions of disbelievers regarding the nature of revelation and the Prophet are addressed.  References are made to earlier prophets and details given of the punishments brought on those who denied them.  

"In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy

1 Alif Lam Mim

2 Do people think they will be left alone after saying "We believe without being put to the test?  3 We tested those who went before them:  God will certainly mark out which ones are truthful, and which are lying. 4 Do the evildoers think they can escape us? 5 But as for those who strive for their meeting with God, God's appointed time is bound to come! He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing.

...."He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing.

Throughout my Spiritual Awakening, that was the foundational theme:  God is all seeing and all knowing.  My entire life was laid out before me.  It was Judgement Day and both Satan and God went through every thought, every memory tracing back to birth, every repressed memory - even the thoughts of every single man I had ever dated or in a relationship with and all related moments, the negative ones were then used to antagonize me for months.  The Spiritual Warfare revolving around my ex-husband and his father was some of the worst as it involved accessing my memories for research combined with a God complex. Satan, and his gang of misfits (they are not fallen angels; they are spirits as well as real human beings, but angels they were never) criticized me, antagonized me, made me feel as though cameras were always "on me" to document how I was dealing with the persecution - it was a chaotic, harassing and to some degree, harrowing experience.  

When you are treading through that level of spiritual warfare, you cling to God, hope and faith more than anything else or at least, you should.  I also reminded myself, that all of this was taking place in the "spiritual world" and not in "real life."  My logical thinking would say, "...this is all spiritual, so when you go to the grocery store or to get gas, keep in mind that no one else around you has any idea what is going on."  The very few people I even shared this with......either didn't believe me or distanced themselves altogether. All told, I told a friend who lives nearby, my sister, three or four other friends and that was it.  Out of 6 or so people that knew what was going on during the last 9 months, I am still friends with all but 1.

During the worst of the Spiritual Warfare, I had the strength of God even when I couldn't see, hear or sense Him. There was nothing, and I mean nothing that could keep me from God and his Holy Spirit.  

Qur'an 29:10-11 There are some people who say, 'We believe in God,' but, when they suffer for His cause, they think that human persecution is as severe as God's torment - yet, if any help comes to you [Prophet] from your Lord, they will say, "We have always been with you,' Does God not know best what is in everyone's hearts? 11 God will be sure to mark out which ones are the believers, and which are the hypocrites.

And speaking of which...how many 'Believers' do you know of that say one thing, then do another?  How many 'Believers" do you know that attend church, repent of their sins, ask for forgiveness and then repeat the same sin if Jesus Christ will again forgive their sin?

29:17-18 What you worship instead of God are mere idols; what you invent is nothing but falsehood. Those you serve instead of God have no power to give you provisions, so seek provisions from God, serve Him, and give Him thanks: you will all be returned to Him. 18 If you say this is a lie, [be warned that] other communities before you said the same. The messenger's only duty is to give clear warning.

Tanakh NEVI'IM ISAIAH 14:24 

24. The Lord of Hosts has sworn, saying, "Surely, as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: 25. That I will break the Assyrian in My land, and upon My mountains tread him underfoot; then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. 26. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. 27. For the Lord of Hosts has purposed, and who shall disannul it? And His hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?"

Context and Significance of the Tanakh is as follows:

Context:

• These verses are part of a prophecy against the Assyrian empire, a dominant force threatening Israel and Judah during the time of Isaiah. The prophecy emphasizes God's sovereignty and the inevitable fulfillment of His plans.

Significance:

1. Divine Sovereignty: The passage highlights the absolute sovereignty of God. What He has planned will come to pass, and no one can thwart His purposes.
2. Judgment and Liberation: The specific mention of breaking the Assyrian's power in God's land signifies a divine intervention where God will liberate His people from oppression.
3. Universal Purpose: The passage indicates that God's plan extends beyond Israel to the whole earth, implying a universal scope of His authority and actions.
4. Irresistible Power: The rhetorical questions in verse 27 underscore the unstoppable nature of God's will and power. Once God has decided something, it will be accomplished without fail.

Analysis:

1. Divine Decree: The repetitive assurance that what God has planned will occur emphasizes the certainty and reliability of His words and actions.
2. Historical Context: Historically, this prophecy likely provided hope to the Israelites and Judahites facing the threat of Assyrian domination. It reassured them of God's ultimate control over international events.
3. Theological Implications: Theologically, it serves to reinforce the belief in God's omnipotence and faithfulness. His plans are not random but purposeful and beneficent, particularly toward His chosen people.

Comparative analysis of all three books and verses that God led me to read and highlight for this blog post:  

1. Themes of Persecution and Faith:

   • Surah Al-Ankabut: Emphasizes enduring faith through trials.
   • Isaiah 14:24-27: Assures that God's plan includes the eventual downfall of oppressors.
   • Revelation 13:2, 7: Foretells intense persecution by a satanically empowered entity but implies ultimate divine victory.

2. Divine Sovereignty and Judgment:

   • Isaiah: God's unchangeable plans and judgment against Assyria.
   • Revelation: God's ultimate control and final judgment despite temporary dominion by evil forces.

3. Symbolism:

   • Spider's Web (Qur'an): Represents weak foundations without God.
   • Beast (Revelation): Symbolizes oppressive regimes or powers opposed to God's people.

These passages across different scriptures share common themes of faith, divine sovereignty, and the eventual triumph of good over evil. They provide moral and spiritual lessons on perseverance, the consequences of weak faith, and the assurance of divine justice. Each text uses powerful symbols to communicate these timeless truths, offering guidance and hope to their respective followers.

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