"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."
The focus of this book is on following a dream, and that this is what "God"
wants us to do. "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping
you to achieve it" is stated many times. Themes of the book are omens, following
your Personal Legend, the Soul of the World, the Language of the World, maktub
("it is written"), and finding your treasure. Exactly what does all this mean?
The author uses "the universe" and "Soul of the World" apparently as indicative of his concept of God. Both of these terms are impersonal and suggest a possible panentheistic view of God. In fact, the "World-Soul" was a term used in the earlier versions of Panentheism (God contained in the world and the world in God, but God also beyond the world).
Panentheism, even though some forms of it make distinctions between God and creation, always includes some kind of relationship whereby God is dependent in some way on the need for creation or is participating in it in a way that affects His knowledge or His nature.
Although "God" and "Allah" are referred to, it is usually in vague terms and it seems that the "Soul of the World" is a manifestation of God.
The main character, a shepherd named Santiago, meets a man who says he is the
"King of Salem." I immediately thought of Melchizedek in the Bible and, sure
enough, further down the page (19), the man says he is Melchizedek (Melchizedek
first appears in Genesis 14;17-20; is mentioned in Psalm 110:4; and is discussed
extensively in Hebrews chapters 5, 6, and 7).
This Melchizedek even tells Santiago that he must give him one-tenth of his
sheep, clearly a parallel to when Abraham (then called Abram) gave one-tenth of
the spoils of a battle to Melchizedek in the Genesis account. In fact, a short
while later, this character recalls meeting Abraham (33) and states he required
one-tenth from Abraham. However, the Bible does not say Melchizedek required
anything; it only tells us that Abraham (Abram) gave one-tenth to Melchizedek.
Coelho's Melchizedek seems omniscient and can read Santiago's mind. He tells
Santiago about seeking his "Personal Legend." The Personal Legend is about how
one is here to live out his or her personal dream. This Melchizedek can also
appear as anything, even as a stone (24) in order to accomplish a certain
purpose.
Santiago is told by Melchizedek to follow "omens" and that God has left these
omens for everyone to follow (29). However, the true God specifically forbids
following or reading omens (Deuteronomy 18:20, 2 Kings 17:17).
Under his cloak, Melchizedek wears a gold breastplate made with precious stones
and which contains a black stone and white stone called Urim and Thummim; he
gives them to the boy for asking yes and no questions (30). The author is
confusing passages about the Urim and Thummim given first to Aaron in Exodus 28.
There is no record that Melchizedek had these. No one is sure what the Urim and
Thummim were although some surmise they were a black and white stone. We do know
that God initiated this as a means by which the high priest consulted God at
certain times (the last mention of the Urim and Thummim is in Nehemiah).
However, in this story, Melchizedek gives them to the shepherd to use as an
omen, with no connection to God and certainly out of context with anything in
the Bible. Urim and Thummim were used only by the high priest in the Old
Testament, under direct instructions by God.
The biblical Melchizedek is mentioned only briefly in the Old Testament but at
length in the New Testament book of Hebrews. Why? Because although Melchizedek
is an Old Testament figure, his significance is a New Testament one.
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met
Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to
whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all,
by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of
Salem, which is king of peace. Without father, without mother, without
genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the
Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.
Hebrews 7:1-3
No record is given for Melchizedek's lineage. "Without father, without mother,
without genealogy" does not mean he had no parents but that his lineage is
irrelevant, contrary to the need for lineage for the priests under the Law, who
must come from the tribe of Levi. This is to contrast Melchizedek with the Levitical priesthood and is set up prior to and apart from the priesthood under
the Law.
Having no "beginning of days nor end of life" does not mean that Melchizedek is
godlike but rather that his priesthood foreshadows the eternal priesthood of
Jesus. "Made like the Son of God" tells us not that he is the Son of God but
that he is a type of the coming Messiah.
This is a theme in the book of Hebrews building up to the point that Jesus is
not a priest under the Law, the Levitical priesthood, but is a high priest in
the manner of Melchizedek, which preceded the Law and the Levitical priesthood,
and which is an eternal priesthood. Jesus is the final and superior High Priest
due to His sacrifice on the cross and bodily resurrection, and the fact that He
ascends to a superior tabernacle in heaven. (This is explained in detail in
Hebrews chapters 5 through 9).
The theme of the book of Hebrews is the superiority of Jesus as high priest
because this was written to encourage Jewish believers who were being persecuted
to not return to the old covenant sacrifices and rituals (the Temple was still
standing but soon to be destroyed by Titus in 70 A.D.). Therefore, the author of
Hebrews demonstrates the superiority of the priesthood of Jesus Christ to the
priesthood under the old covenant.
Coelho's Melchizedek goes against God by recommending omens and by giving
Santiago advice that contradicts what God has said. He tells Santiago that he
must find his dream and Personal Legend and that this is what God desires. In
actuality, God's will is that all should come to trust His Son, Jesus Christ,
whose death on the cross enables all who believe to have forgiveness and eternal
life, and to live for and serve the true living God.
This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all
men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3,
4
This false Melchizedek bears no resemblance to the real one and is used by
Coelho as a prop for articulating his self-help New Age beliefs. Using a
biblical character to represent values that go against God is a move of hubris
and defiance. The book's Melchizedek is presented as all-wise when, in fact, he
represents the wisdom of the world as opposed to God's wisdom.
Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age?
Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God
the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased
through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 1
Cor. 1:20-21
We must not forget the title of this book. Santiago meets an Englishman who is
traveling to an oasis in search of an alchemist reputed to be 200 years old.
Alchemy supposedly can give immortality, and the Englishman is on a quest to
find the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life. Both of these originate in
the occult art of alchemy which sought to turn base metals to gold. However,
alchemy was more than that.
The Philosopher's Stone should ring a bell in our culture due to the title of
the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (published
in the U.K. under the original and more accurate title of Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer's Stone).
Quote from this writer's CANA article==The "Philosopher's Stone" is part of the
lore of alchemy and medieval sorcery, and was supposedly a stone which could be
used to turn base metal to gold, and was the Holy Grail of sorcery (Bill
Whitcomb, The Magician's Companion, St. Paul: Llewellyn, 1994, pp. 351, 485,
527).==From CANA article, "Harry Potter, Sorcery, and Fantasy" at goo.gl/J1OaNN
And more from the same article:
Quote==The philosopher's stone is connected to alchemy, an occult practice that
combined the exploration of minerals with Gnostic practices of sorcery seeking
to turn base metal into gold, and through that, attain an inner spiritual
transformation. Alchemy is defined by one occultist as "the process of the
transmutation and purification...of the soul via the discipline of purifying and
combining physical materials and chemicals which are symbolic of spiritual
transformations," and the Philosopher's Stone was a "metaphor for the
illuminated mind," and the "First Substance from which all other metals
derived," (Whitcomb, 485, 527). ==From goo.gl/J1OaNN
This Englishman, it turns out, also has a Urim and Thummim, and he also seeks
omens. He also is seeking the "universal language" (70). He also speaks of the
Soul of the World, saying that "When you want something with all of your heart,
that's when you're closest to the Soul of the World. It's always a positive
force" (78). He continues, saying that everything has a soul, including earth,
and that "we are part of that soul" (79). The shepherd boy later realizes this
is all true.
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