The prophet's dictionary guide to the supernatural

seriousness, or business, to pleasure. 470. Entrails—Intestines. Bodily organs thought to dispatch the intuition and release human instincts. Ancients resorted to studying them in this magical sense for divining knowledge with which to foretell the future. God told His people to burn the entrails of the animals they slaughtered for this reason. Exodus 29:17– 20. 471. Ephod—The vestment (waistcoat) worn by priests in the execution of their official duties, especially in consulting the Urim and Thummim. Exodus 25:7 and chapter 28. 472. Epistle—Called in Latin an epistola, the word used to identify the writings of the New Testament outside the gospels. It means generally a writing for a letter. The word is also applied to a secretary. When employed in official state or governmental matters, the epistle (epistola) was an imperial letter that stated the will of the emperor as the law of the land. Epistles were drafted and dispatched to impose imperial authority, edicts, and government upon its communities. There is no doubt in this context that the King of Kings employed the writers of the New Testament. Most notably His apostles communicated His will and presented His thoughts, responses, and legislation of the New Covenant to the ecclesia. Acts 15:30. 473. Era—A highly distinguished time period notable for its consequential incidents. Eras etch in societies its memorable historic profiles and dramatic catalytic contribution to the age. These are established by the degree of impacting change they had on a society, its cultures, and generations. See Age. 474. Erech—One of the cities built by Nimrod. See Genesis 10:10. Known contemporaneously as Uruk. 475. Eridu—An ancient city of Mesopotamia, the earliest of the Mesopotamian settlements. Also the temple site of the water god Ea. Ancient cities were important as they marked the strongholds of founding or conquering deity’s who still retained authority in the land. 476. Eros—A) God of love and sex. An imp-like creature that is considered the sex partner of Psuche, the goddess of the soul. B) The Greek god Cupid, who is the god of the annual Valentine celebration. Also identified as the self destructive base instinct brought on by extreme and irrational pursuits of pleasure.