Psalms 2: Self-reference of robots and humans rebelling

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Psalms 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? [kjv]

ινα τι εφρυαξαν εθνη και λαοι εμελετησαν κενα [lxx]

Man has a natural tendency to have too much confidence in man and to rebel against himself, his family, his church, his state, his government, and against God.

Psalms 2 is an interesting case study in this rebellion in terms of self-reference and human-created robots.

A "snake" has a rather small "head" and a very long "tail". A common saying/symbol for self-reference is the "snake" eating it's "tail". The "ouroboros", from the Greek for "eating the tail" is an ancient symbol of self-reference.
The ancient symbol of Ouroboros, via the Greek ουροβόρος for "tail" and "food", originated in Egyptian symbology.

In mathematics, something that refers to itself is called recursive.
In mathematics, a relation (or condition) that refers to itself in a true way is called reflexive.

Note: Cats will sometimes go after their own tail without realizing that it is their tail.

Do "evil" entities as represented by "snakes", "birds", "wolves" or "wolf-dogs", etc., ever eat their own? Can this be a self-deception such as with a cat not realizing it is their own tail?

Have you ever heard someone say that when you point one finger against someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you?

This is an interesting example of self-reference.

Let us go through the pattern. Start with humans.

Humans like to invent and create things. Who then created us? More on that later.

Humans create robots that are increasingly powerful, and become almost human.

The word "robot" comes from a Karel Capek 1920 play from the Czech word "robotnik" that means "forced worker" (or slave). The "nik" at the end is a Slavic way to refer to someone who does something, as in "sputnik", "beatnik", "peacenik", etc.

This Czech word "robotnik" has Slavic roots. Note that so many Slavs were made slaves that, over time, the word "slave" comes from the reference to the Slavs. The word for the Slavs is in the names of some Slavic countries.

Slovakia
Yugoslavia
Slovenia

The English word "serf" was used prior to the word "slave". The word "serf" comes from the Latin word "servus" from which we get he word "serve" as in a "servant".

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [kjv]

εν αρχη ην ο λογος και ο λογος ην προς τον ψεον και ψεος ην ο λογος [byz]

… Слово… Слово … Слово. [ocs]

In Slavic languages, such as Russian, the actual word for Slavic is related to the word for "word" as "слово" and the word for "glory" as "слава".

This correspondence between the word for "word", "glory", and "Slav" gave special meaning to the Old Church Slavonic translation of the Gospel of John into Slavic, and later other Slavic languages such as Russian.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [kjv]

εν αρχη ην ο λογος και ο λογος ην προς τον ψεον και ψεος ην ο λογος [byz]

… Слово… Слово … Слово. [ocs]

The Latin word for "word" is "Verbum" from which we get the English word "verb". Did you know that the word "verb" is a noun? And if you "noun" or "nounify" a word, then the word "noun" is being used as a verb.

John 1:1

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KJV: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Greek: εν αρχη ην ο λογος και ο λογος ην προς τον θεον και θεος ην ο λογος

Latin: in principio erat Verbum et Verbum erat apud Deum et Deus erat Verbum

Luther: Im Anfang war das Wort, und das Wort war bei Gott, und Gott war das Wort.

Slavonic: В начале бе Слово, и Слово бе к Богу, и Бог бе Слово.

Russian: В начале было Слово, и Слово было у Бога, и Слово было Бог.

John 8:50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. [kjv]

And, later in John, we can see the correspondence of the word for "glory".

Enough side trails, we have debts to pay, so it is "I owe, I owe, it's back to work I go".

John 8:50

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KJV: And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

Greek: εγω δε ου ζητω την δοξαν μου εστιν ο ζητων και κρινων

Latin: ego autem non quaero gloriam meam est qui quaerit et iudicat

Slavonic: Аз же не ищу славы Моея: есть Ищя и Судя:

Russian: Впрочем Я не ищу Моей славы: есть Ищущий и Судящий.

The Russian (Slavic) word "работать" (ra-bo-tat) means "work".

The modern Greek word for work is «δουλειά» which in Bible times meant a slave type of work.

The Slavic word for work based on variations of "robot" goes back to PIE (Proto Indo-European) roots and is related to the German word for work "Arbeit" which originally was more like "a-ra-bite" where the "ra-bite" is related to "ro-bot".

The Nazi's in World War II had a sign outside a concentration and slave labor camp that read "Arbeit macht frei" meaning, in a gruesome way, "Work makes free".

So, humans create robots that are increasingly powerful, and become almost human.

Science fiction writers, news reporters, etc., write stories about robots trying to take over. Will they achieve that goal, or would we humans just laugh at them (the robots) trying to take over?

Can robots take over the world? This is a popular theme in books, movies, etc.

Mary Shelley's book Frankenstein (1818)

R.U.R. Czech play by Karel Capek. (1920, robota meaning worker/slave in Czech)

The Matrix (1999, movie, the world is a digital simulation)

Robots taking over is not the Star Wars clones, which are robot types used by humans to take over the world.

Nor is in Artificial Intelligence robots to make life easier (factory automation, self-driving cars, etc.).

This is robots taking over as if they own the place and are in control of humans.

The science fiction writer Isaac Asimov created three laws of robots that are popular in science fiction writing.

#1:A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
#2: A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
#3: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
#0: A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm. (added later)

Such robots would have been created in the image of humans, with distinctly human characteristics, but yet, robots.

God created humans in the image of God, with distinctly God-like characteristics, but yet, human.

Are humans (like the robots that some humans fear) trying to take over from God?

Would the creator God take that threat seriously, or just laugh at the human attempts to challenge God?

Sometimes one is trying to see inside the box but one is inside the box and needs the see or think outside the box.

A Far Side cartoon has a man trying to get a frog in the night in the swamp. He says, "See, Frank? Keep the light in their eyes and you can bag them without any trouble at all". Franks is looking up in the sky at a light from above.

Do you see the (conceptual) box of self-reference?

Do we see humans revolting against a creator God?

Does this reaction appear much more often than not?

Let us look at the chapter of Psalms 2, written about a thousand years before Christ was crucified.

Psalms 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? [kjv]

ινα τι εφρυαξαν εθνη και λαοι εμελετησαν κενα [lxx]

Do people rage against the creator God? Consider Psalms 2, as follows.

The "vain" thing here is, in Greek, «κενα» which is something that is empty or void. What are some empty things that humans might imagine? The Latin is "inania" meaning silly or empty-headed, from which we get the word "inane".

Psalms 2:1

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KJV: Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

Hebrew: למה רגשו גוים ולאמים יהגו ריק׃

Greek: ινα τι εφρυαξαν εθνη και λαοι εμελετησαν κενα

Latin: quare turbabuntur gentes et tribus meditabuntur inania

Psalms 2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, [kjv]

Do the people rage against the "anointed" one? Who might the "anointed" one be?

In the LXX (Septuagint) Greek, the "anointed" one is «χριστου» which is, in English the "Christ", as in "Jesus". The word "Christ" means "anointed", which is what is done when something or someone is "christened".

Psalms 2:2

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KJV: The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,

Hebrew: יתיצבו מלכי ארץ ורוזנים נוסדו יחד על יהוה ועל משיחו׃

Greek: παρεστησαν οι βασιλεις της γης και οι αρχοντες συνηχθησαν επι το αυτο κατα του κυριου και κατα του χριστου αυτου διαψαλμα

Latin: consurgent reges terrae et principes tractabunt pariter adversum Dominum et adversum christum eius

Wycliffe: The kyngis of erthe stoden togidere; and princes camen togidere ayens the Lord, and ayens his Crist?

Slavonic: Предсташа царие земстии, и князи собрашася вкупе на Господа и на Христа Его.

Psalms 2:3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. [kjv]

What are the "bands"? The Greek here is «δεσμους» or "bonds" as in restrictive chains. What are the "cords"? Are we puppets activated by strings? The Greek here is «ζυγον» or "yoke".

When someone asked me if I wanted to go see a puppet show, I asked if there were strings attached.

Psalms 2:3

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KJV: Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

Hebrew: ננתקה את מוסרותימו ונשליכה ממנו עבתימו׃

Greek: διαρρηξωμεν τους δεσμους αυτων και απορριψωμεν αφ ημων τον ζυγον αυτων

Psalms 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. [kjv]

ο κατοικων εν ουρανοις εκγελασεται αυτους και ο κυριος εκμυκτηριει αυτους [lxx]

Do those in heaven (angels, etc.) laugh at human attempts to take over the world?

Who else might be talking? How would we view robots attempting to take over?

More: Some witty remarks on laughing and humor

Psalms 2:4

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KJV: He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

Hebrew: יושב בשמים ישחק אדני ילעג למו׃

Greek: ο κατοικων εν ουρανοις εκγελασεται αυτους και ο κυριος εκμυκτηριει αυτους

Psalms 2:5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. [kjv]

Will the creator God take action? What type of action?

Do you get the idea that a conversation is going on in heaven? Might it include the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost/Spirit?

Psalms 2:5

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KJV: Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

Hebrew: אז ידבר אלימו באפו ובחרונו יבהלמו׃

Greek: τοτε λαλησει προς αυτους εν οργη αυτου και εν τω θυμω αυτου ταραξει αυτους

Psalms 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. [kjv]

εγω δε κατεσταθην βασιλευς υπ αυτου επι σιων ορος το αγιον αυτου [lxx]

… montem … [v]

The Greek word here is that of a "mountain". Ancient Greek does not appear to have had any word for "hill" as we call a hill.
Which "King" has been set on the holy hill (mountain) of Zion? What we call mountains in Pennsylvania are called hills by those from the Rocky Mountains out West.

Psalms 2:6

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KJV: Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

Hebrew: ואני נסכתי מלכי על ציון הר קדשי׃

Greek: εγω δε κατεσταθην βασιλευς υπ αυτου επι σιων ορος το αγιον αυτου

Latin: ego autem orditus sum regem meum super Sion montem sanctum suum adnuntiabo Dei praeceptum

Luther: Aber ich habe meinen König eingesetzt auf meinem heiligen Berg Zion.

Psalms 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. [kjv]

Has the Father begotten the Son on this day? What day?

Psalms 2:7

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KJV: I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Hebrew: אספרה אל חק יהוה אמר אלי בני אתה אני היום ילדתיך׃

Greek: διαγγελλων το προσταγμα κυριου κυριος ειπεν προς με υιος μου ει συ εγω σημερον γεγεννηκα σε

Psalms 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. [kjv]

αιτησαι παρ εμου και δωσω σοι εθνη την κληρονομιαν σου και την κατασχεσιν σου τα περατα της γης [lxx]

When the Son asks, shall he be given the heathen (us) for his inheritance?

Has the son asked? The LXX Greek for "heathen" here is «εθνη» meaning nations or ethnicities and from which we get the word "ethnic". Paul talks often about this "inheritance".

Details are left as a future topic.

Psalms 2:8

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KJV: Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Hebrew: שאל ממני ואתנה גוים נחלתך ואחזתך אפסי ארץ׃

Greek: αιτησαι παρ εμου και δωσω σοι εθνη την κληρονομιαν σου και την κατασχεσιν σου τα περατα της γης

Psalms 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. [kjv]

This is an allusion to the potter and the clay. We are the clay, he is the potter. (see below)

Psalms 2:9

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KJV: Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

Hebrew: תרעם בשבט ברזל ככלי יוצר תנפצם׃

Greek: ποιμανεις αυτους εν ραβδω σιδηρα ως σκευος κεραμεως συντριψεις αυτους

Psalms 2:10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. [kjv]

και νυν βασιλεις συνετε παιδευθητε παντες οι κρινοντες την γην [lxx]

Psalms 2:10

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KJV: Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

Hebrew: ועתה מלכים השכילו הוסרו שפטי ארץ׃

Greek: και νυν βασιλεις συνετε παιδευθητε παντες οι κρινοντες την γην

Latin: nunc ergo reges intellegite erudimini iudices terrae

Slavonic: И ныне, царие, разумейте, накажитеся вси судящии земли.

Psalms 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. [kjv]

What should be doing instead of rebelling?

Do you fear God? What exactly does that mean?

Psalms 2:11

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KJV: Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Hebrew: עבדו את יהוה ביראה וגילו ברעדה׃

Greek: δουλευσατε τω κυριω εν φοβω και αγαλλιασθε αυτω εν τρομω

Psalms 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. [kjv]

δραξασθε παιδειας μηποτε οργισθη κυριος και απολεισθε εξ οδου δικαιας οταν εκκαυθη εν ταχει ο θυμος αυτου μακαριοι παντες οι πεποιθοτες επ αυτω [lxx]

Accept correction, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you° should perish from the righteous way: whenever his wrath shall be suddenly kindled, blessed are all they that trust in him. [bs3]

From the KJV (King James Version), do we embrace the Son? From the LXX, do we accept correction?

What happens when the wrath of the Son is kindled? Is this related to the "avenger of blood"? In whom do you place your "trust"? Do we see some of this revealed in the "Revelation to John" from the Son, Jesus the Christ?

Psalms 2:12

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KJV: Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Hebrew: נשקו בר פן יאנף ותאבדו דרך כי יבער כמעט אפו אשרי כל חוסי בו׃

Greek: δραξασθε παιδειας μηποτε οργισθη κυριος και απολεισθε εξ οδου δικαιας οταν εκκαυθη εν ταχει ο θυμος αυτου μακαριοι παντες οι πεποιθοτες επ αυτω

Brenton: Accept correction, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you° should perish from the righteous way: whenever his wrath shall be suddenly kindled, blessed are all they that trust in him.

Romans 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? [kjv]

η ουκ εχει εξουσιαν ο κεραμευς του πηλου εκ του αυτου φυραματος ποιησαι ο μεν εις τιμην σκευος ο δε εις ατιμιαν [gnt]

Does the clay have power over the potter that created it?

Can the clay by good or bad, one to honor, one to dishonor? Is everyone "good"? Is everyone "bad"? How might one make those distinctions?

A song based in the idea of a "potter" and "clay" is Song: Have thine own way Lord.

Romans 9:21

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KJV: Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Greek: η ουκ εχει εξουσιαν ο κεραμευς του πηλου εκ του αυτου φυραματος ποιησαι ο μεν εις τιμην σκευος ο δε εις ατιμιαν

Latin: an non habet potestatem figulus luti ex eadem massa facere aliud quidem vas in honorem aliud vero in contumeliam

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. [kjv]

και νυν κυριε πατηρ ημων συ ημεις δε πηλος εργον των χειρων σου παντες [lxx]

29:16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? [kjv]

Isaiah used the same analogy of the "potter" and the "clay". Shall we deny the potter that created the pot from clay?

Some hold the view that the first verse is from the "first Isaiah" and the second from the "other Isaiah".

More: The two Isaiahs

Isaiah 64:8

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KJV: But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Hebrew: ועתה יהוה אבינו אתה אנחנו החמר ואתה יצרנו ומעשה ידך כלנו׃

Greek: και νυν κυριε πατηρ ημων συ ημεις δε πηλος εργον των χειρων σου παντες

Isaiah 29:16

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KJV: Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

Hebrew: הפככם אם כחמר היצר יחשב כי יאמר מעשה לעשהו לא עשני ויצר אמר ליוצרו לא הבין׃

Greek: ουχ ως ο πηλος του κεραμεως λογισθησεσθε μη ερει το πλασμα τω πλασαντι ου συ με επλασας η το ποιημα τω ποιησαντι ου συνετως με εποιησας

Let us revise/rewrite Asimov's laws for robots in terms of humans and God and see if anything makes sense.

#1:A human may not injure God or, through inaction, allow God to come to harm.
#2: A human must obey orders given it by God except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
#3: A human must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
#0: A human may not harm God, or, by inaction, allow God to come to harm.

You can think about and discuss these laws. How might we "injure" or "harm" God? By being ungrateful?

What will finally destroy us is not communism or fascism, but man acting like God. Malcolm Muggeridge (British broadcaster)

Another name for "socialism" is "humanism". That is, man following man's laws rather than man following God's laws.

Nazi stands for "National Socialism". Nazi is a word not used by Hitler or Stalin.
USSR stands for "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics". The Russian word "CCCP" ≈ "USSR"

A "religion" can be defined as a "belief system based on faith". Nothing is something. If one gets rid of all religion, one is left with what is often called "secular humanism". That is, a "religion" in and of itself based on human "opinion", "glory", "law" and "righteousness".

More: Nothing is something

More: Nothing is something: actions

More: Malcolm Muggeridge

Does the rebellion go the whole through the chain?

Should a Christian rebel against other humans?
Should a Christian rebel against the country?
Should a Christian rebel against the church?
Should a Christian rebel against the family?
Should a Christian rebel against the oneself?

We see this pattern in the creation.

Man creates robots
Man accuses robots of trying to take over the their world, or be more powerful than man.
God created man.
Man is trying to take over God's world or be more powerful than God.

In whom do you place your trust?