Go Tell It on the Mountain Battle of the Flesh Essay example

Go Tell It on the Mountain: Battle of the Flesh Angela E. Baier Nebraska Wesleyan University Go Tell It on the Mountain: Battle of the Flesh There are numerous themes in the American classic Go Tell It on the Mountain (1952). James Baldwin uses racism and family conflict to weave a tale of one black families struggle in a white world. However, the predominant theme of the novel is the struggle between the Spirit and the flesh when one tries to walk with the Lord. Baldwin uses his characters names and events in their lives to parallel the Bible and help create a sense of the strong desire to be Godly while trying to fight the desire of the flesh. He uses a poetic literary style that shows the importance of the Bible and Christianity†¦show more content†¦Elizabeth, John’s mother, is the mother of John the Baptist in the Bible (Luke 1, NLT). Deborah, Gabriel’s first wife in the novel, â€Å"was a prophet who had become a judge in Israel† (Judges 4:4, NLT). Her main role was to encourage people to obey God, much like the Deborah found in Go Tell It on the Mountain. Esther has an entire book in her name in the Bible while the Esther in the novel was born into a family of â€Å"sinful people†¦, who never, except at Christmastime or Easter, appeared in church† (Baldwin, 1952, p. 113). Gabriel has an extramarital affair with this woman who gives birth to his first son, Royal. Elisha in the story was much like the Elisha of the Bible, at least in John’s eyes. Elisha cared about John’s salvation just as biblical Elisha cared about the people of Israel (2 Kings 5, NLT). Even John’s younger sisters who are not mentioned much in the story are named Sarah and Ruth- two well known biblical names. One of the main themes of the Bible is man’s struggle between the Spirit, which is â€Å"given† to one who believes in God, and the â€Å"flesh,† the worldly desires one is born with and/or acquires throughout a lifetime. Galatians 5:16-17 says â€Å"So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just oppositeShow MoreRelatedEssay on Biblical Flood of Noah in Genesis and the Gilgamesh Flood1679 Words   |  7 Pagesmillennia of dormancy, was resurrected by British archaeologists in the nineteenth century. Amid the rubble of an Assyrian palace, the twelve clay tablets inscribed the adventures of the first hero of world literature – King Gilgamesh, whose oral folk tales go back to at least 3000 years before Christ (Harris 1). Tablet XI contains the story of the Flood. In this essay let us compare this flood account to the more recent Noah’s Flood account in Genesis of the Old Testament. 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The700 Words   |  3 PagesYou can try to plead your case before God with your good deeds but good deeds won’t get you into heaven, and only God is worthy enough to plead your case. â€Å"1Hear what the LORD says: Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.2Hear, you mountains, the indictment of the LORD, and you enduring foundations of the earth, for the LORD has an indictment against his people, and he will contend with Israel.† Micah 6:1-2 9I will bear the indignation of the LORD becauseRead MoreI Would Say One Of The Most Recent Conflicts I Have Encountered1036 Words   |  5 Pagesthese past 12 months. Although, that does not sound like a long time, it is for me. The 12 months began last June when I humbled by the Lord in a way that caught my attention and I knew I had to submit myself to Him or just remain circling the mountains like the Israelites. I lost all of my money, my livelihood, and my partner, my best friend, my encourager and my everything. I brought it onto myself, I know I did. Many times, the Lord would try to get my attention and would for a short periodRead MorePower To Overcome The Enemy. One May Feel That All One1313 Words   |  6 Pagesthat is in the world. God is our helper and our deliverer. We don’t need to rely on a posse, a knife or a gun to defend ourselves. We must have faith in God that he will protect us in times of trouble. Speaking the word of God in faith can move mountains and giants out of any situation because God can make a way out of no way for he will deliver on time. That’s why it is so important to know what the bible says because it is a lethal weapon. Knowledge is power and having the knowledge of God is withinRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh : The Jeopardy Of A Hero1271 Words   |  6 Pagestranslated by N.K. Sanders. The epic poem, tells a creative story about a bold hero named Gilgamesh. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a story that takes place in Summer of Uruk, in the Middle East around 2700 B.C. Gilgamesh is half man, half god. Enkidu, Gilgamesh’s friend is a man that was created from clay to balance out Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh and Enkidu emerge to depart to various adventures. During the initiation of their very first adventure Gilgamesh and Enkidu go to the Cedar Forest to fight the ruthlessRead MoreDragon s Identity By Maxine Hong Kingston s 1976 The Woman Warrior1623 Words   |  7 Pagesthe whole dragon from the parts you can see and touch,’ the old people would say. Unlike tigers, dragons are so immense, I would never see one in its entirety. But I could explore the mountains, which are the top of its head. ‘These mountains are also like the tops of other dragons’ heads,’ the old people would tell me. When climbing slopes, I could understand that I was a bug riding on a dragon’s forehead as it roams through space, its speed so different from my speed that I feel the dragon solidRead More Comparing the Epic of Gilgamesh Flood Myth and Book of Genesis Biblical Flood Myth1792 Words   |  8 Pagesthe ground, man and beast and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.†    Likewise in Genesis 11:13 God gives a reason for the Flood:    And God said to Noah, â€Å"I have determined to make an end of all flesh; for the earth is filled with violence through them; behold, I will destroy them with the earth.    In Column 2 of Tablet 11 the Sumero-Babylonian Flood narrative continues with the measurements and construction of the ark:    One acre