Lactantius, advisor on Christianity to Constantine, claims the Phoenix is gender neutral. That its rising ushered in each new millenium, and was symbolic proof of bodily resurrection.
The Phoenix was a mythical firebird that was reborn from its ashes. Its rising was linked to soul immortality for the pagans. It was part of the myths of the Persians, Chinese, Indians, Phonecians, Egyptians, Greeks & Romans. Its life-span was intervals of 500 or 1,000 years. Herodotus recorded that it set out from Arabia to the sanctuary of the sun to bury its father. In Egypt it was represented as the Bennu bird, which was later adopted by some Chritians as a symbol of immortality of the soul. In China it was Fenghuang (Feng was the male, Huang the female, but now they are mirged as one) and belongs to fire in the 5 elements. It is also called the August Dragon in China. In Japan it is the Ho-Oo (HO being the male, Oo being the female). In India it is the bird Garuda of the Hidu god Vishnu. The Phoenix is referred to in chapter 25 of the so-called epistle of Clement.
Clearly the last 2 - 3 centuries of the Roman Empire was a time of mixing of Christianity & paganism-producing many of todays false doctrines in the Church. What does God say about these wordly ways & beliefs? Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; 2 Corinthians 6:17
In my opinion, one can see the twisting by our ancestors of truth many years ago.
just like the sacrifices pointing to the cross since Eden were perverted into other sacrifices, including human, so too the knowledge of the coming Messiah. If they knew He had to die as the lamb. He would have to rise at some point. As they spread from Babel they simply perverted the story. Sort of like the flood stories worldwide that were tweeked.
