The 13th Symbol Quotes

“Life is messy, bro . . .” Zane finished the favorite refrain with Sam. “. . . Do the best you can, learn from your mistakes, and then move on.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name YHWH. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“human nature hasn’t changed. The prophet Daniel, a ruler over the affairs of Babylon and later Persia, was thrown in the lion’s den because he broke a Persian law which was contrary to his faith. Early Christians were cast into the coliseums when they would not pledge allegiance to Rome and their gods. Hitler used the church of Germany and writings of Martin Luther as justification to condemn and murder the Jews. The examples are practically endless of nations who have used a type of religious or even antireligious patriotism to persecute those who will not submit.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered. Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? (Daniel 8:9–13).”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. (Daniel 2:44–45)”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. (Daniel 7:7–9)”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“Like Rome, we have become a people obsessed with the games played in coliseums. Like Rome, our military is made up of people from all religious backgrounds and nationalities. Like Rome, our national symbol is an eagle with wings spread. Like Rome, as our way of life decays from within, we take our banner and our legions to every corner of the earth. We have political or military outposts in just about every nation on earth.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“Without a doubt, many of our founders had great respect for the Roman republican ideal, to the point that they even patterned our government buildings after their architecture. We called upon God to reject the monarchy of Britain but made no mention of God when we codified the legal documents of our own government, instead extolling the virtues of ‘We the People.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“to share our democratic ideals with the rest of the world. We fund and train subversive elements to overthrow dictators in nations around the world, and when these groups bite the hand that feeds them, we call them terrorists. We then use those terrorists as an excuse to—”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“I’ll list for you the things I think the US has in common with the Roman Empire. Our nation, much like early Rome, rejected its early monarchy for a republican form of government. Like Rome, our republic has gradually ceded the power of the people to its leadership. If our current course continues, we, like Rome, will someday grant our leader absolute power. Like Rome, we believe in the superiority of our ideas and our form of government. We use whatever means possible—political, militaristic, economic to . . .”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“not saying there weren’t Christians in our founding government, I’m just saying our Constitution is a secular, humanistic document which calls upon ‘We the people,’ not God, as the guarantor of our ‘Order, Union, Justice, Tranquility, and Welfare.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“Genesis 11:4 for Zane:   “And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.”   “Doesn’t that sound just a little familiar?” He sat back and went into full quoting mode again:   “We the people (‘go to, let us’) of the United States (‘make us a name’), in Order to form a more perfect Union, (‘lest we be scattered abroad’), establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O YHWH, my strength, and my redeemer.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“The law of YHWH is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of YHWH is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of YHWH are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of YHWH is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of YHWH is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of YHWH are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The law of YHWH is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of YHWH is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of YHWH are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of YHWH is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of YHWH is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of YHWH are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O YHWH, my strength, and my redeemer.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“The heavens declare the glory of God! Yes, for thousands of years the very heavens had been telling the world about the Messiah and YHWH’s plan of reconciliation for all mankind. But that short psalm had so much more wisdom and instruction, and even now it was touching Zane’s life. He too was a bridegroom running a race YHWH had set before him, a servant of the living God who needed to be cleansed from secret faults and presumptuous sins that threatened to have dominion over his life.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“As your servant David said, ‘Please let the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Oh YHWH, my strength and my redeemer.’ Father, I ask you in Yeshua’s name.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“through the biblical stories and realized that serving YHWH always seemed to come at great personal cost. So did YHWH send the testing, or did it come as a natural course of events when one was willing to serve? With those conflicting thoughts battling each other, the words of Yeshua came to mind—the words spoken on that famous night when the Son of God petitioned the Father to allow him to pass on the terrible events he knew were coming: Not my will but thine, YHWH, Zane thought. “Not my will, but thine,” he repeated, aloud this time.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“There was no such thing as just doing what was right anymore. It was a tightrope walk few understood. “National interests” were really corporate interests. Immigration was really about cheap labor for multinational corporations. America’s Middle East policy was about cheap oil so that Big Oil could expand their reach and influence without the weak US economy imploding.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“Fort Huachuca was home to the army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM), the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS), the Joint Interoperability Test Command, the Information Systems Engineering Command (ISEC), the Electronic Proving Ground, the United States Army Intelligence Center, and Libby Army Airfield. The fort covered seventy-six thousand acres of mountains and desert grasslands.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“don’t let the sorrow and pain rob you of the purpose your Creator has for your life. Right now your world may be bathed in shadows and gray, but I promise you that someday the clouds will once again be broken with the brilliance of the sun.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“I love YHWH, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of YHWH; O YHWH, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is YHWH, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. YHWH preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for YHWH hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before YHWH in the land of the living.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“I submit myself to your will, Father. Please give me the grace and peace to carry it out. Oh, I miss him, but I thank you for the blessing of his love for the time I had it. Please strengthen me to carry on.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“Arizona had more mountains than Switzerland.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“Did Solomon realize God would humble himself and take on the form of a man so that he could redeem mankind from their sins? So he could pay the price for their failings? Was sin allowed to happen so that mankind could learn to truly fear and appreciate God? Someday, when all the accounts were settled, would we look back with wisdom and understanding to see God’s intention? Or looking back, would we see the whole panorama of life with the myopic self-centeredness that only sees the pain and suffering and none of the purpose? Zane sighed. Oh, YHWH, help me to accept every season in my life. May it build in me a true humility and love for you.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. (Ecclesiastes 3:1–14)”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“I’m not hedging, Rachael. I want you to know I don’t want a prenuptial agreement, because I see them as nothing more than a license to fail. I’ve given you my heart and all my earthy possessions, whatever life circumstances come our way. I have no expectations outside of what we can experience together.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One

“The groom, instead of giving the father of the bride a sum of money, gave the bride a ketubah or contract which promised that sum at some future date as a means of provision for his bride in the case of his death or the dissolving of the marriage.”
― William Struse, The 13th Symbol: Rise of the Enlightened One