Freedom & Liberty

Freedom - what exactly is it? Is it being allowed to do whatever one wants, whenever one desires? Is it living with no restrictions or demands? Is true freedom like being given the proverbial ‘key to the city’ from some Mayor - allowing you to have unfettered access to any building in town, and VIP treatment from everyone in it? Well it sure sounds like the case when you look at definitions of the word freedom: “Exemption from external controls, interference, demands, regulations or restraints;” “Unfettered power to determine one’s actions;” “the absence of ties, obligations, or outside direction.” These are not really definitions of freedom, but ‘license’ - which is unbridled freedom! Jude, the brother of Jesus, warned that licentious people had entered the Church, describing them as “…ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality…” (JUDE 1:4).

But History shows us that the result of such unbridled freedom is chaos, confusion, and anarchy! It makes us think of barbarian peoples like the Monguls, Ostrogoths, and the Heruli, who swooped into civilizations and did as they pleased and took what they wanted. Yet with all the outward freedom these barbarian groups exercised against an enemy, they had great internal restraints upon the members of their own groups! Which tells us a very important truth about groups and freedom: The only way to have cohesion in a group is by placing limits & demands upon the freedom of all members of the group. The existence of towns, cities, and states, as well as families, clubs and businesses, is dependent upon such limits and demands upon all citizens or members - as well as punitive measures for ignoring such restraints.

This is why some people choose to leave Society and dwell alone in a cave or on an island - so that they don’t have to live with any kind of external restraints. ‘External freedom’ is living without any outside forces controlling or directing you - a state of being which is inevitably taken away by government, invasion, or the natural Human longing to reconnect with others. The price for joining any group of people, is living with some kind of limits and demands upon your freedom. Even barbarians and gangs place limits and demands upon their member’s freedom!

The Bible says: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” (ROMANS 13:1,2) Since God is the author of all nations (ACTS 17:26), He is the author of their authority.

The ‘External Forces’ which control and influence us are many: Authorities (Parents, Municipalities, and States); Institutions (Schools, Military, Unions); Peer pressure (friends, co-workers, team-mates). As long as we want to be ‘included’ in these groups - we have to accept the limits and demands upon our freedom established by the authorities in these groups (Parents, teachers, coaches, etc.) In other words, as long as we want membership in a group - we’re going to have to serve somebody. Bob Dylan once wrote a song entitled, ‘GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY’:

“You may be an ambassador to England or France, you may like to gamble, you might like to dance,

You may be the heavyweight champion of the world, you may be a socialite with a long string of pearls

But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed you’re gonna have to serve somebody

Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”

Truer words were never written! As long as people want to be part of groups - they’re going to have to serve somebody’s limits and demands upon their freedom!

We also have unseen forces that control and direct us: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this Age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (EPHESIANS 6:12,13) Paul also told the Ephesians: “And you HE made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.” (EPH. 2:1,2)

Radio waves are all around us, yet we cannot see them. But if we had a short wave radio, we could tune into any number of frequencies and instantly tap into those radio waves. There are frequencies the Human ear cannot hear, but animals can. Satan, as the ‘Prince of the power of the air’ can broadcast messages in our minds on a frequency we can’t hear or see, that influence and move us to do evil. Satan broadcasts thoughts into our minds of envy, lust, jealousy, greed, vengeance and violence - and most Human Beings never stop and analyze where such thoughts came from. Concerning this battle for our minds, the apostle James was inspired to write: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (JAMES 4:7)

The ‘Freedom Index’ measures personal and economic freedom in 165 Countries - 98.8% of Mankind. It looks at 12 categories of Human Freedom in a nation, things like freedom of Religion, freedom of speech, freedom of Assembly, and freedom of movement - and then gives each nation a score. Every year, it is Christian nations of Europe and the Americas that receive the highest scores for freedom! Which is interesting in light of Paul’s statement to the congregation in Corinth: “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (II CORINTH. 3:17) Godless nations like China and North Korea, always receive the lowest scores for individual freedom!

Christian limits and demands upon freedom, create a cohesive society while allowing the most individual freedoms possible. Muslim nations score very low on the ‘Freedom Index’ because Sharia Law is more restrictive of individual rights (especially women’s), than Biblical Law.

Paul wrote about liberty from bondage to Satan: “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He (Christ) Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (HEBREWS 2:14,15)

Besides the ‘external forces’ of Society and the ‘invisible forces’ of Satan which can enslave us and take away our freedom, there are also ‘internal forces’ of Self which can bring us into bondage and take away our liberty. The Apostle Paul was inspired by God to write: “I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the Law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members (Self), warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” (ROMANS 7:21-23) Paul is talking about the ‘internal forces’ of Ego, passions, and emotions which can enslave us and take away our individual freedom! The Bible tells us that “Pride (Ego) goes before destruction…” (PROVERBS 16:18) It tells us that we can be overcome by fear (Luke 8:37) and other emotions (PROVERBS 27:4). Scripture says: “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5)

Paul asked the Romans a question that most Human Beings have never considered: “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or obedience leading to righteousness?” (ROMANS 6:16) The ‘internal forces’ of Ego, passions and emotions, which make up the ‘Self' - take away individual freedom - every bit as much as the ‘external forces’ of Society, and the ‘invisible forces of Satan!’

Jesus said: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” (LUKE 4:18) How does Christ give liberty fo those held captive by external, invisible, and internal forces? “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (ROMANS 8:1-4)

Most of Humanity ‘walks according to the flesh,’ according to Satan’s influence (EPHESIANS 2:1,2), and according to the external forces of this world (II PETER 2:12). But if we are baptized into Christ’s death, then we can be freed from all 3 enslaving forces: “Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” (ROMANS 6:3-6)

This is why Jesus told the Jews: “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (JOHN 8:31,32) King James III reportedly said on his deathbed: “There is no bondage like sin, and no liberty like God’s service.” We all have to serve somebody! Most people serve the forces of Satan, Society and Self. But those who acquiesce to God’s Spirit, instead of the forces of evil, are set free from the destructive forces of sin - and they serve God, a Friend with benefits: If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.” (JOB 36:11,12)

Have you been set free? “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed!” (JOHN 8:36) Free of what? Free of the destructive forces of Satan, Society and Self! True freedom is having the right to move constructively in relation to God, neighbor, and self - as spelled out in detail in God’s perfect Law of Liberty!

Autophagia diets

Autophagia - it’s all the rage in the ‘dieting world’ these days… Auto (Self) Phagy (Eating) is the process by which the body cleanses itself of damaged cells, and revitalizes existing ones through fasting. It happens naturally as we sleep, since no food is being consumed while snoozing - which is why we call the first meal of the day, break-fast. According to research, autophagia kicks into high gear when we fast for 17 hours or more. This is why intermittent fasting (eating only in a window of 7 hours), is becoming very popular among weight loss enthusiasts!

Dry fasts, going without food or water for prolonged periods, can triple the effectiveness of cell repair according to research. Benefits include slowing the aging process, weight loss, and prevention of certain chronic diseases. According to research published in the International Journal of Molecular science, autophagia can strengthen our bodies against metabolic diseases like diabetes, certain cancers and neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimers.

Exercise is also said to be a means for inducing the autophagia process in our bodies.

How does autophagia work? Well, according to Roberta Gottlieb MD, at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles: “Essentially, a membrane forms around material within the cells that has been marked for disposal. It encases that material in a membrane and then delivers it to the lysosome, which is full of digestive enzymes that can break down the cargo.”

All that being said, healthy food is not only essential to our health, but also one of the great rewards of work: “I (Solomon) know that nothing is better for them (Mankind) than to rejoice and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor - it is the gift of God.” (ECCL.3:12,13)

Jesus said, “A worker is worthy of his food.” (MATTHEW 10:10)

But unfortunately, too many Human Beings make food consumption an idol, eating or drinking too much (gluttony), or eating that which is forbidden (LEVITICUS 11 & DEUTERONOMY 14). The Apostle Paul had to address this in his day: “For many walk, of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame - who set their minds on earthly things.” (PHILIPPIANS 3:18,19)

God Almighty scolded ancient Israel for “yielding to intense craving” (NUMBERS 11:4-33), when HE had provided them with manna to make bread.

And according to your Bible, God is going to severely punish all those who like Adam & Eve - decide to eat what is forbidden: “For by fire and by His sword the Lord will judge all flesh (not just the Jews) and the slain of the Lord shall be many. ‘Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves , to go to the gardens after an idol in the midst, eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse shall be consumed together,’ says the Lord.’” (ISAIAH 66:16,17)

Christians should be able to say with Job, “I have not departed from the commandment of HIS lips; I have treasured the words of HIS mouth more than my necessary food.” (JOB 23:12)

But fasting doesn’t just benefit us physically, it can also benefit our relationship with God and our neighbor, if we use the extra time we save from not preparing and consuming meals to examine our actions toward God and Man:

“Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

“If you take away the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

The Human Race has drifted away from God individually and collectively! When this has happened in the past - great national leaders have proclaimed collective fasts. A King of Judah was once told that his nation was about to be attacked, so he took spiritual action: “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.” (II CHRONICLES 20:2,3) Abraham Lincoln called for a national day of prayer and fasting during the Civil War. When Ezra and the people of Israel had returned from Babylon to rebuild the temple and the wall around Jerusalem, the people who filled the void in the land while they were in captivity greatly impeded their efforts. So Ezra says, “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.” (EZRA 8:21) Queen Esther also called for a nation wide fast when she found out about a decree of genocide against her people Israel (ESTHER 4:16)

The attacks against the United States on 9-11 caused a temporary return of people to worship God, and all the churches of our land were filled. But that turn towards the Creator was only temporary. What’s it going to take to really turn the hearts and minds of all Americans back to their God and obedience to His word? Divine disasters like Hurricane Helene one after another? Earthquakes that devastate whole cities? Nuclear War that brings us to the brink of national annihilation?

Fasting is good for us physically - but even more valuable spiritually! Listen to and heed the words of the prophet Joel: “Now, therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘Turn to ME with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ So rend your hearts, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, for HE is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and HE relents from doing harm. Who knows if HE will turn and relent…” (JOEL 2:12-14)

Making Death beautiful

Only God can make death beautiful. When you think about the ‘Fall Season’ - it should be drab and colorless as leaves decay and die - but instead it’s colorful and breath-taking! Why? Because God Almighty created a process by which chlorophyll (green pigments) thrive in a leaf during the growing seasons of Spring and Summer. But as the sun shines less and temperatures drop, when we near the Fall Equinox (late Septermber), an abscission zone made of cork forms where the stem meets the leaf and blocks the stems flow of nutrients to the leaf. This results in other pigments contained in the leaf (xanthophyll - yellow, carotenoids - orange, and anthocyanins - red & purple) to become dominant - making death beautiful in the landscape of decaying leaves. The New England States of Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire are known for their color-filled trees in the Autumn Season - maybe you’ve experienced it!

Similarly, when people were finally freed, because of the fall of tyrannical regimes like the 3rd Reich and ISIS - they danced in the street and celebrated liberty - and it was a beautiful and uplifting thing to behold!

There will also be a beauty and comfort in the death and demise of this world’s independence from God! All the anguish in the world that man has experienced, has come from rejecting God’s sovereignty over us. War, poverty, disease, tragedy, disaster, broken marriages, and health problems - all stem from rejecting one or more of God’s Biblical instructions.

In the Old Testament we read: “And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” (I KINGS 18:21) You can replace ‘Baal’ with any Human ideology, opinion, or practice that is contrary to God’s will and ask the same question: If YHVH of the Bible is God (meaning ‘Sovereign,’ ‘Boss,’ ‘the last word’) - follow Him; but if Satan, Society, or Self - follow them. The vast majority of mankind are following the latter to their own demise. So the death of man’s independence from God, which will occur at Christ’s return, will truly be a beautiful and uplifting thing to behold - as war is replaced by peace, conflict with cooperation, and rejection of God and His sovereignty with whole-hearted obedience and praise of our Maker.

Almighty God gave Mankind four Festivals to observe in the ‘Fall Season’ which symbolize the fall of four barriers between Man and his Maker, that have led to Humanity’s misery and misfortune. The fall of these 4 barriers is going to be as beautiful and uplifting to experience - as the death of Autumn leaves!

These four Festivals originated in the Old Testament, and were practiced by Jesus and the original Christians: “‘These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times… ‘In the 7th month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a Sabbath-rest, a Memorial of blowing of Trumpets…” (LEVITICUS 23:4, 24)

That word ‘Memorial’ is also translated as ‘reminder,’ and is meant to be a Holy Day that would become an annual reminder of events in the past and future associated with Trumpet blasts. Probably the most well known event in the Old Testament, that involved the blowing of Trumpets, was when the Israelites had circled the city of Jericho for 7 days and then blew trumpets and shouted as one - and the walls of Jericho fell down! The few Jericho survivors rejoiced in it’s demise, as it was a wicked city whose inhabitants were enslaved to lust and greed.

The most important event of the future associated with the ‘blowing of a Trumpet’ is when the 7th angel blows the 7th and last trumpet: “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (REVELATION 11:15)

The first barrier between God & Man to fall according to this ‘Fall Festival’ - is THE FALL of AUTONOMOUS HUMAN GOVERNANCE! No longer will Human Governments be able to oppress, and take away people’s God given rights. Politicians will no longer have unrestrained ability to ‘lord over’ their citizens. Human leaders will not be able to declare war & force families to give up their young to the battlefield (ISAIAH 2:4). Individuals will not be able to impulsively turn to evil doing, for they will hear a voice (maybe yours as a saint working with Christ) saying “This is the way, walk in it.” (ISAIAH 30:21) It will be a beautiful thing to behold the fall of Egocentric-governance, and the Divine restraint of Man’s inhumanity against Man!

The next Fall Festival is called Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Historically, Israel’s High Priest took two goats on this day and slew one on behalf of Israel - and confessed the sins & guilt of the people over the other, and cast it into the desert (LEVITICUS 16). The desert or wilderness is the habitation of Satan and demons (MATTHEW 4:1 - LUKE 8;29). Satan has led the world into deception and sin (REVELATION 12:9). Because of this, he is in part responsible for Man’s guilt and sins - and is appropriately symbolized by the scapegoat, who had the guilt and sins of Israel confessed over it, and released into the desert. These actions of the High Priest on the ‘Day of Atonement,’ foreshadow THE FALL of SATAN’S REIGN AND INFLUENCE OVER MANKIND: “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished.” (REVELATION 20:1-3) The fall of Satan was prophesied in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, and will be as beautiful to witness, as the capture and putting away of terrorists & tyrants!

A third Fall Festival, called the ‘Feast of Tabernacles’ pictures THE FALL of HUMAN FLESH & SEPARATION FROM GOD.” Isaiah was inspired to write: “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” (ISAIAH 59:2) In the beginning, God interacted with Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden. But SIN set up a wall of separation between man and his Maker, and the first couple were cast out of the garden. The Apostle Paul wrote: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God…” (I CORINTHIANS 15:50) Paul understood that our fleshly bodies are like tents or tabernacles, temporary dwellings that keep us from the presence of God: “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven… So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.” (II CORINTHIANS 5:1,2,6) It will be a beautiful thing to experience the death of the flesh, and our change into Spirit - at the resurrection of the Saints (I CORINTHIANS 15:45-49)!

After the Feast of Tabernacles is what’s called the 8th Day celebration. A horizontal 8 is the symbol of eternity. This 8th Day Feast symbolizes THE FALL of DEATH AND THE BEGINNING OF ETERNITY! Rabbi Dr. Hillel Ben David writes: “This uniquely Jewish concept of Man having the ability to transcend his nature, is represented by the number 8.” And Chabad.org adds: “Eight… is symbolic of an entity that is one step above the natural order, higher than nature and its limitations.” The Apostle Paul wrote: “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’”(I CORINTHIANS 15:54) The death of ‘Human death’ will be a beautiful state to arrive at: no more sorrow and emotional pain of losing a loved one, for we will all have immortality given to us.

So next time you witness the beauty of death in Autumn leaves - rejoice in the fact that the fall of man’s independence from God, the fall of Satan’s reign over mankind, the fall of Human flesh and death itself will be as beautiful to experience as the beauty of decaying leaves!

America in prophecy

Is America mentioned in Bible prophecy? Other modern-day nations are, and we recognize them because they still bear their Biblical names: Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria. Many nations, including America, are also prophesied about in the pages of your Bible, but they are not as easily recognized because they haven’t retained their Biblical names.

For example, Biblical peoples called Elamites, Parthians and Medes - make up the modern-day nation of Iran. Ammonites, Edomites and Moabites represent the nation of Jordan today. And Ishmaelites are the Arab nations of the Arabian peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iraq.

There are also ancient Biblical peoples who make up America and Great Britain, do you know what their Biblical names were? Do you know where they originated geographically and how they ended up in Western Europe and the Americas? It’s a fascinating story!

It begins with God assigning all ethnic groups their own distinct language at the tower of Babel (GEN.11), so that they would band together and move to their respective lands that He had earmarked for them: “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their habitations.” (ACTS 17:26) “The Most High God gave the nations their lands. He divided up the Human race. He set up borders for the nations. He did it based on the number of the angels in His heavenly court.” (DEUTERONOMY 32:8)

God was directly involved in where various ethnic groups ended up, and He determined their pre-appointed times to arise and flourish. Many of today’s modern-day nations did not come on the world scene until the last few centuries.

God used a man named Abram to raise up the Arab nations, Israel, and many of the Western nations of the earth today. We learn this fact in the reading of promises & prophecies made to Abram: “Now the Lord had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” God kept this promise in raising up the nation of Israel in the womb of Egypt, which has been a blessing to the world, with many nations benefiting from adopting much of Israel’s system of Law, from Jewish contributions in Mathematics and the Sciences, and all people having access to forgiveness of sins, through the death of the Jewish Messiah.

In a series of subsequent promises made to Abram, God added this: “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations” (GENESIS 17:5); “I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore, and your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies” (GENESIS 22:17);

These same promises were made to Abraham’s son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob. Jacob had 12 sons who would become the 12 tribes of the nation of Israel. Jacob took away the birthright blessing from his first-born son, and gave it to Joseph: “Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel (JACOB), so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright. Yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, from him came a ruler (Christ), although the birthright was Joseph’s…” (ICHRONICLES 5:1,2) This text shows that the promised Messiah, who would be first Savior & then King, would come through the line of Judah. But the birthright blessings of national greatness would come through the line of Joseph.

So before Jacob died, he put a special birthright blessing on the 2 sons of Joseph, saying, “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth… He (Manasseh) also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother (Ephraim) shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” (GENESIS 48:16,19)

Great Britain, over a span of 3 centuries, birthed 65 nations (‘a multitude of nations’) - including the United States. God calls Ephraim His firstborn (JEREMIAH 31:9), even though he was 2nd born to Joseph, because God birthed Great Britain as a nation before the United States, which has also become a great nation as Manasseh was prophesied to be. But Ephraim was the greater of the two, with the sun never setting on the British Empire.

Moses was inspired to prophesy about Joseph (and therefore Ephraim & Manasseh): “And of Joseph he (Moses) said ‘Blessed of the Lord is his land, with the precious things of heaven, with the dew, and the deep lying beneath, with the precious fruits of the sun, with the precious produce of the months, with the best things of the ancient mountains, with the precious things of the everlasting hills, with the precious things of the earth and its fullness, and the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush. Let the blessing come ‘on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers. His glory is like a firstborn bull, and his horns like the horns of the wild ox; Together with them he shall push the peoples
To the ends of the earth; they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.” (DEUTERONOMY 33:13-17)

It is Great Britain and the United States that have ‘pushed the peoples to the ends of the earth’ - pushing their peoples into North America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Indonesia and a host of other nations around the world. Joseph was to have blessings of the deep. Three of the top 10 nations on earth in terms of natural resources, are the United States, Canada, and Australia.

One of the promises given to the descendants of Israel was that they would possess the ‘gates of their enemies.’ In 1704, the British built a military port in the city of Gibraltar, to secure the free movement of ships through the Strait of Gibraltar, the 8.1 mile passage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The Arabs for centuries even called it a ‘gate', referring to it as the ‘Gate of the West’ and the ‘Gate of Morocco.’ The Ottoman Empire tried to build the Suez Canal, but ceased the effort because of the time and expense. The British built the 120 mile Suez Canal in the 1860’s - and operated it until 1956. The French started the Panama Canal in 1881 but gave up the effort because of challenges and expense. America completed the 51 mile Panama Canal in 1914, and administered it till 1977. The Khyber Pass, located in what is modern day Pakistan, was part of the ‘silk road’ trade route between Asia and the Middle East. Primitive paths were carved out of this Pass over the centuries - but it was the British who engineered a road, a railway and telegraph lines through it in the 1880’s. It’s more than a coincidence that Ephraim and Manasseh ended up building and controlling these strategic gates of the world - it’s the hand of Almighty God!

In the Old Testament we read about one of the kings of the House of Israel: “In the 31st year of Asa, king of Judah, Omri became king over Israel, and reigned 12 years.” This kingly line is important, because of its connection to the British people: “The Cimmerians were in fact identical with the Israelites deported from Northern Israel after the fall of Samaria in 722 B.C… the Israelites deported from Bit Humria, of the House of Omri, are identical with the Gimirraja (Cimmerians) of the Assyrians sources.” (Who were the Cimmerians and where did they come from? - A. Kristensen 1988 Pgs. 1, 126) “…The most ancient inhabitants of our island (Britain) were called Cymry… the Welsh, who are their descendants, have always called themselves Cymry… the Cymry of Britain originated from the continental Kimmerians.” (History of the Anglo-Saxons - Sharon Turner Vol.1 Ch.2 Pg.31)

A Wikipedia article about the Cimmerians says: “The arrival of the Cimmerians in Europe was part of the larger process of westwards movement of Central Asian Iranic nomads (Assyria deported Israel to N. Iran), towards southeast and Central Europe, which lasted from the 1st millenium B.C. to the 1st millenium C.E.”

Speaking of the re-gathering of Israelites to the promised land after the Battle of Armageddon, the prophet Jeremiah was inspired to write: “Sing with gladness for JACOB and shout among the CHIEF of the nations; Proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O Lord, save Your people, the remnant of Israel!’ Behold, I will bring them from the ‘north country’ and gather them from the ends of the earth.” (JEREMIAH 31:7,8)

Today, the United States is CHIEF among the nations (economically & militarily), especially when you add to it our English speaking allies to the north, along with Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. And why is it so important to know who JACOB represents today? Because of this text in the book of Jeremiah: “ For behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord. ‘And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it… Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turned pale? Alas! For that day is great,
So that none is like it; And it is the time of JACOB’S trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.” (JER. 30:2-7)

Saved by Christ Himself, at His return (MATTHEW 24:21,22), but not until we have learned who we are, where we came from, why the British & American peoples rose to such prominence and power in the last days of this Age, and repent of not living by the Judeo-Christian ethics that elevated us as peoples!

The Psalm 83 prophecy

Things are heating up in the Middle East, with Israel fighting Shia Islam on 7 fronts: Gaza, The West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq and Yemen - with Iran supplying all the weapons for its proxies. Even though most Sunni Islam nations have publicly condemned Israel for its ongoing war in Gaza, behind the scenes these nations are actually working with Israel against Iran and its tentacle partners.

So when God prophesies that He’s going to bring the 4 winds of heaven against Elam (Modern day Iran Jer.49) He may well be talking about the Sunni nations that surround Iran in the north, south, east & west today! If you take the time to read this prophecy fully, you’ll see that it culminates in the planting of God’s throne in Elam, so that means this coming war against Iran takes place shortly before Christ’s return. These 2 major sects of Islam have fought one another many times in History, so it wouldn’t be unusual to shortly see a Muslim ‘not so Civil’ war break out in the Middle East, fulfilling this ancient prophecy.

But your Bible says that after this war a coalition of 10 people groups will appear on the world scene, to cut Israel off from being a nation: “ Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, And do not be still, O God! For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones. They have said, ‘Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.’ For they have consulted together with one consent; They form a confederacy against You: The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites; Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined with them…” (PSALM 83:1-8)

These are 10 ancient ethnic groups that could be the 10 Horns of the 7-Headed Beast in Revelation 17, who give their power and authority to the Beast, and wage war against Jesus at His 2nd coming (REV.17:9-14) Collectively, they make up the nations of the Middle East today, the same peoples who once coalesced under the 7th Head of the 7-Headed Beast: the Ottoman empire. But during the reign of this empire (The 15th century to the 20th century, there was no State of Israel to invade. Yet several other prophecies tell us that after Israel is replanted as a nation (1948), these neighboring nations will invade Her before the return of Christ!

If you take the time, as I have, to search out and find the Biblical prophecies that detail who Christ will fight at His 2nd coming, you’ll find that it is these Middle East nations - not Russia, nor a coalition of European nations: “I see Him (Jesus), but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel and batter the brow of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult. And Edom shall be a possession.” (NUMBERS 24:17,18) In this prophecy, Jesus vanquishes 2 of the 10 mentioned peoples of the Psalm 83 prophecy, Moab & Edom, at His 2nd coming. Isaiah also references one of the 10 Psalm 83 people groups, Assyria, as a victim of Christ’s 2nd coming: “The Lord will cause His glorious voice (who would become Jesus John 1:14) to be heard and show the descent of His arm (Christ Isa.53:1-), with the indignation of His anger and the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, tempest, and hailstones (Ezek.38:22). For through the voice of the Lord (Christ), Assyria will be beaten down, as He (Christ) strikes with the rod.” (ISAIAH 30:30,31 - Rev.19:15)

God is going to allow modern day Israel to be invaded by Her neighbors, because of Her sins (JER30:24) In an extraordinary prophecy, all the Psalm 83 nations will be forced to drink the cup of God’s wrath - after they are used to invade Israel - who will be first to drink of His anger: “For thus says the Lord God of Israel to me: ‘Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it. And they will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them.” Then I took the cup from the Lord’s hand, and made all the nations drink, to whom the Lord had sent me: Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and its princes, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse, as it is this day; Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his princes, and all his people (Hagarenes) all the mixed multitude, all the kings of the land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the Philistines (namely, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod); Edom, Moab, and the people of Ammon;  all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the coastlands which are across the sea; Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who are in the farthest corners; all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the mixed multitude who dwell in the desert (Ishmaelites). All the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes; all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world which are on the face of the earth.” (JEREMIAH 25:15-26) That last statement, ‘and all the kingdoms of the world’ shows that this is an ‘End-time’ event, because the Beast empire (made up of the Psalm 83 nations) is the first empire in History to rule over every tribe, people, language and nation (REVELATION 13:7 NIV)

But who leads the Psalm 83 confederacy of nations? The ‘tents of Edom’ are listed first among the ten, and the book of Obadiah shows why: “ “Oh, how Esau shall be searched out! How his hidden treasures shall be sought after! All the men in your confederacy…” (OBADIAH 1:6) The Psalm 83 confederacy is clearly led by Esau and his descendants. But a little known fact is how widely the ‘tents (or dwellings) of Esau’ were: “When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah.” (GENESIS 26:34,35) These marriages link Esau to the Hittite peoples of Asia Minor, modern day Turkiye. The name Esau means red, describing the color of Esau’s skin as a newborn (GENESIS 25:25) and Edom means ‘red stew’ or ‘red lentils’ (GENESIS 25:30). Turkiye is one of the few nations today with a solid red flag, being distinguished from other red flags by a white crescent moon and a white star. The ‘tents of Edom’ are also linked to the Arab peoples of the Arabian Peninsula, by marriage: “Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac. So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.” (GENESIS 28:8,9) Esau is also linked to another modern day nation, with his initial resting place being Mount Seir (GENESIS 36:9), which is in southern Jordan.

Another revealing Biblical fact is that the descendants of Esau were called chiefs: “These were the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn son of Esau, were Chief Teman, Chief Omar, Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz, Chief Korah, Chief Gatam, and Chief Amalek.” (GENESIS 36:15) Jeremiah later wrote prophetically about ‘chieftans from the north’ invading the land of Israel: “Lift up your eyes (Israel) and see those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you, your beautiful sheep? What will you say when He punishes you? For you have taught them to be chieftains, to be head over you. Will not pangs seize you, like a woman in labor?” (JEREMIAH 13:20,21) And Ezekiel was inspired to write about a chief prince from the north also invading Israel in ‘future times’: “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you. ‘Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel…” (EZEKIEL 38:3-8 NIV) Josephus and other Historians placed the cities of Meshek & Tubal in Asia Minor, modern day Turkiye.

So Esau is linked to Asia Minor by marriage to Hittite wives, by the color red in Esau’s skin and Turkiye’s flag, and by the title ‘chief,’ which Esau’s sons were known by, and Gog, the chief prince of Meshek & Tubal was known by - who invades Israel in ‘future years.’

We’ve seen that the ‘tents of Edom’ spread throughout the Middle East, and that Esau leads a group of 10 confederate peoples to invade Israel. We’ve seen that the 7-Headed Beast of Revelation has 10 Horns, symbolic of 10 future kingdoms or peoples, that give their power and authority to the Beast - which one day turns on the Harlot city riding the Beast called ‘Mystery Babylon’ - and burns Her to the ground (REV.17:9-16)

Who leads this destruction of Babylon, the great Harlot? We don’t have to guess, the Bible tells us: “And I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all the evil they have done In Zion in your sight,” says the Lord. ‘Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, who destroys all the earth,” says the Lord.
“And I will stretch out My hand against you, roll you down from the rocks, and make you a burnt mountain.
They shall not take from you a stone for a corner nor a stone for a foundation, but you shall be desolate forever,” says the Lord. Set up a banner in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations!
Prepare the nations against her, call the kingdoms together against her: Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz.“ (JEREMIAH 51:24-27) Notice that it is ‘Ararat,’ which is in modern day Turkiye, that leads the nations against the Great Harlot Babylon, to burn and destroy Her. Add to this the fact that twice we are told that Satan’s throne (who gives the Beast his power & authority - REV. 13;2) is in Pergama, modern day Bergama, Turkiye (REV.2:13) - and it’s clear that the PSALM 83 CONFEDERACY will be led by the Beast to invade Israel in future times!

Lordship Salvation

Does your Bible teach ‘Lordship salvation,’ or ‘Just believe salvation’? This question is dividing Christianity today! Proponents of ‘Lordship salvation’ teach it’s not enough to just believe in Christ as Savior, Christians need to make Jesus Lord of their lives in order to be saved. Opponents of ‘Lordship Salvation’ argue that it stinks of ‘earning one’s salvation’ by works - and that instead, we’re saved by ‘grace alone,’ in ‘Christ alone.’

Never mind the fact that the words ‘grace alone’ & ‘Christ alone,’ do not appear anywhere together in your Bible! It’s Human Nature to want to reduce Bible teaching to easy to remember catch phrases, but such phrases still have to reflect the truth.

Advocates of ‘Just believe salvation’ cite Biblical texts like: “But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved…” (ACTS 15:11); “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (ACTS 16:31); “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (EPHESIANS 2:8,9)

But this is a classic case of ‘deception by omission.’ If your Bible mentioned no other requirements for salvation than to ‘Just believe in Christ,’ then advocates of this teaching would be hard to argue with. But your Bible adds: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” (MARK 16:16); If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (ROM.10:9,10); “Moreover, brethren, I (Paul) declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you - unless you believed in vain.” (I CORINTHIANS 15:1,2); “And having been perfected, He (Jesus) became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” (HEBREWS 5:9)

Paul tells the Corinthians that they can ‘believe in vain,’ if they don’t hold fast to Paul’s gospel by which they are saved! Jesus combined belief with baptism as dual requirements for salvation. Paul told the Romans that confession of the mouth that Jesus is Lord and that He was raised from the dead, are also part of being saved. Paul also mentions that a convert ‘believes unto righteousness,’ which means to believe unto right living. And the author of Hebrews says that obedience is linked to salvation.

Did Jesus only save Mankind from the penalty of sin (death-Rom.6:23) - or did He also come to save us from the power and dominion of sin over our lives? Proponents of ‘Lordship salvation’ teach and believe that the salvation wrought in Jesus our Savior accomplishes both!

The Apostle Paul was inspired to write about both benefits of Christ’s sacrifice: “God who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel…” (II TIMOTHY 1:9,10); “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” (I CORINTHIANS 1:18)

Salvation is a process - not a one time event! The cross unleashed power over the death penalty for those who believe, are baptized, confess that Jesus is Lord and raised from the dead, and believe and enact the gospel message. But the cross also unleashed power (Holy Spirit - John 14:25-28), which builds within us the Divine nature as manifested in the fruits of the Spirit (GAL.5:22-23). We overcome Satan by Christ’s presence in us (I JOHN 4:4); Society’s negative influence, by Christ’s sacrifice (GALATIANS 1:3,4); and Self through joining in Christ’s death (ROMANS 6:4) This is how God gives us victory over the power and dominion of sin (I CORINTHIANS 15:57)

Your Bible says that SIN is the transgression of the Law (I JOHN 3:4 KJV). Christ’s sacrifice makes the Holy Spirit of Power available to us so “that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.” (ROMANS 8:4 KJV)

Lordship salvation is most perfectly expressed by the apostle Paul’s own ‘lordship’ pledge: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (GALATIANS 2:20 NKJV)

To believe is not enough - even the demons believe and tremble (JAMES 2:19)! To call Jesus ‘Lord’ isn’t enough either! Jesus warned His followers saying, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (MATTHEW 7:21-23)

Separation of Church & State

You’ve probably read that Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed legislation that mandates the placing of 10 Commandment plaques in all Louisiana Public Schools. You may have also heard that the Oklahoma Superintendent of Schools, Ryan Walters, sent a memo to all Oklahoma Public Schools requiring them to teach the Historic importance of the Bible in the development of America. You may not have heard that the Governors of both Florida & Texas, are providing funds for Public Schools to hire Christian Chaplains to counsel troubled students. All of which has pushed the ACLU to cry ‘Separation of Church & State’!

Most Americans are familiar with the term, but many Americans are unaware of the degrees of separation between Church & State intended by our ‘founding fathers.’ They are also unaware of how pervasive Church and State unions have been throughout History, and the present world we live in. Over 100 nations on earth today have some form of union between Church & State.

At one extreme are nations like China and Tajikistan who put great restrictions on religious practice, not wanting it’s influence on the State, and seeing religion like Karl Marx, as ‘the opiate of the people.’ At the other extreme are 27 Muslim nations in which Church & State are so intertwined, that their governments are classified as ‘Theocracies’ (God ruling nations). In-between, are nations like Italy, Spain and Denmark, who have nationally established Churches, but with both Church & State governing themselves separately. While the European Union did not establish a Union religion, it seeks to “maintain a dialogue with churches in development of Civil/Ecclesiastical Law.”

This is the approach the ‘founding fathers’ of America took, not establishing any national church, but viewing the Christian church as an indispensable source for developing civil Law. Benjamin Franklin wrote: “I think the system of morals and His (Jesus’) religion, as He left them to us, is the best the world ever saw, or is likely to see.” Benjamin Rush (signer of the Declaration of Independence) once said: “The Gospel of Jesus Christ prescribes the wisest rules for just conduct in every situation of life.”

Many Americans are surprised to learn that the words ‘separation of Church & State’ do not appear in any of our nation’s founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, or the Constitution. It was coined by our nation’s 3rd president, Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association, which was concerned about the State taking away their religious rights. Jefferson wrote: “Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.”

Our 3rd president made it clear to the Baptists that they did not have to worry about government taking away their religious rights - the ‘wall’ between them being the first amendment, insuring that the Church and State be two separately governed institutions, neither of which could take the other’s rights & roles away.

Does your Bible say anything about ‘Separation of Church & State’? Is God for it or against it? Are there any Biblical examples of separations, or unions between ‘Church & State'‘?

There are 5 common components of any sovereign State in Man’s history: 1) Dominion, over a 2) People, living in a specific 3) Territory, through 4) a set of Laws and a 5) National calendar cycle.

In the beginning, God Almighty established the first earthly State, saying, to Adam & Eve: “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and SUBDUE it; have DOMINION over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (GENESIS 1:28) In this union of Church & State - God was the ‘Church’ and Man & his progeny the ‘State.’ The territory of this State was the whole earth. God, acting as the church, laid down the Law the State of Mankind should live by (eating of any tree in the Garden except the Tree of the knowledge of good & evil) (GEN.2:16,17), and the calendrical cycle the State was to revolve around: working 6 days and resting on the 7th (GEN.2:2-4).

But Adam & Eve sinned by taking of the forbidden tree, so God dissolved the union of the first Church & State: “So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” (GENESIS 3:24)

After the flood, God, acting again as ‘Church,’ established the State of Israel: “If you (Israel) will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ (EXODUS 19:5,6) Israel responded: “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” (EXODUS 19:8) The territory of Israel would be all the Land of Canaan (GEN.17:8) God then laid down the Law (EX.20), and set up a calendrical worship cycle (LEV.23) to keep Church & State in sync.

For some 300 years, God was the King of Israel, working through its Judges & Elders": “Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you.’ And you answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have told us to do is good.’ So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes. Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the stranger who is with him. You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s.” (DEUTER.1:13-17)

But after this period described in the books Joshua & Judges, the people asked the prophet Samuel for a physical king, ‘like all the nations.’ Samuel took the matter to God who answered him saying, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” (I SAMUEL 8:7) But in order to still influence the State to move in God’s direction, He instructed their kings, saying, “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.

In New Testament times, God formed a new kind of ‘Church & State’ Union: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (I PETER 2:9) In this Union, the ‘Elect’ are the ‘Church,’ and the Kingdom of Heaven is the ‘State.’ Christians have citizenship in this heavenly State (PHIL.3:20), and act as it’s Ambassadors to the world’s States (II COR.5:20). The Law is written in Church members’ hearts (HEB.8:10), and the Church revolves around the Biblical calendar (ACTS 18:21; I Cor.5:8)

The last world ruling empire is prophesied to be a ‘Church-State’ Union called the ‘Beast.’ It will have dominion over “every tribe, tongue, and nation” (REV.13:7). It will have its own ‘Times (calendar of events) and Laws (DANIEL 7:25). But it will only last 42 months, and then be destroyed by Christ at His 2nd coming in the Battle of Armageddon (REV.19:17-21)

Then an announcement will be made heard round the world: “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.” (REV.11:15) Then the union between ‘Church & State’ that God initiated in Eden will be restored and made permanent: “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. 11 “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people.” (ZECHARIAH 2:10,11) And the Law will go forth from Zion to all nations (ISAIAH 2:1-4), and all nations will begin to live by God’s sacred calendar of events - or receive no rain (ZECHARIAH 14:16-19). Animals will no longer be carnivorous, and people will not hurt nor destroy in all of God’s ‘Church & State’ kingdom (ISAIAH 11:6-9)

Right & Wrong

What makes right RIGHT - and wrong WRONG? What makes a certain act ‘right’ vs. ‘wrong',’ moral instead of immoral, ethical as opposed to unethical? Is it just because a ‘god’ says so? Or does GOD have a reason behind behavior that He allows & encourages - versus that which He outlaws?

Plato, in his book ‘Dialogues,’ asks the question through one of his characters, “Is what is morally good commanded by the gods because it is morally good - or is it morally good because it is commanded by the gods?” In other words, are certain behaviors inherently ‘good’ and therefore get GOD’s stamp of approval, or are those behaviors simply ‘made’ good because they are commanded by GOD?

The god of the Quran tells Muslims to “kill the unbeliever wherever you find him, unless he repents, or pays the tax.” (Surah 9:5) The Bible tells Christians to “love your enemies.” (MATT. 5:44) The Humanist Manifesto (Version 3) tells mankind: “Ethical values are derived from Human need and interest as tested by experience.” So how do Human beings sort through these conflicting ‘Code of Ethics’ that they are confronted with from both religion & philosophy?

Is there a logical process, and a universal principle, behind the moral code called ‘The 10 Commandments’? You’ll probably be pleased to know that there is!

If you think deeply about it, you’ll find that ‘values,’ form the basis of ‘ethics.’ For instance, if you ‘value’ your job, you’ll embrace punctuality (the ethic of showing up to work on time) and industriousness (the ethic of working hard) - if you want to keep your employment. If you value longevity, you’ll engage in the ethics of eating healthy, regular exercise, and adequate sleep. If you value eternity, and only GOD can give it (PS.36:9), you’ll repent of your sins (ACTS 11:18), and live by the 10 commandments (MATTHEW 19:16-19)

There is a fate worse than death, it’s called solitary confinement. Man is a social being, and without Human interaction, people wither away and die. The first Biblical moral pronouncement by GOD addresses this: “It is not good that Man should be alone.” (GENESIS 2:18) God further cements this truth in a statement He inspired Solomon to write: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold chord is not easily broken.” (ECCLESIASTES 4: 9-12) This is why Human beings group themselves with others: “Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he dwells by you for safety’s sake.” (PROVERBS 3:29)

The value Human beings put on both individual and group relationships, demands a moral code to keep such relationships cohesive. The first 4 of the 10 commandments were given by GOD to us, who are made in His image and likeness, to keep us in sync with our Creator. The last 6 of the 10 commandments are given by GOD to keep us living in harmony with one another. Jesus tied this together when He was asked the question, ‘What is the greatest commandment in the Law?”: “Love the Lord your GOD with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind. And the 2nd is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the commandments hang on these 2 commandments.” (MATTHEW 22:36-40) All 613 laws of the Torah, and all the 1050 commands given in the N.T. - were given to show Mankind the details of how to have ‘right relationships’ with GOD first and foremost, as well as with our neighbors and ourselves.

The one universal principle behind MORALITY is found in the following text of your Bible: “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.” (ROMANS 15:2) The word ‘edification’ means to ‘build up,’ to be ‘constructive’ in how you relate to GOD, your neighbor, and yourself. This is the principle behind ‘goodness,’ and the principle behind ‘evil’ is just the opposite: ‘destructiveness.’ The child’s version is ‘helping’ rather than ‘hurting.’ God’s Law teaches us how to move our minds, mouths, eyes, hands and feet constructively, in relation to GOD, others, and ourselves.

So where did ‘evil’ (destructiveness) come from? Your Bible tells us: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning. How you are cut to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of GOD; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like THE MOST HIGH.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol (the grave), to the lowest depths of the pit.” (ISAIAH 14:12-15)

Satan tried to ‘destroy’ GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY over the angels and all creation, in the first ‘coup attempt’ in history! He was lifted up with pride and covetousness for power, something he has persuaded all Human beings to do since, by moving us to also take away GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY over our lives, and getting us to move ‘destructively’ in relation to GOD, neighbor and self. Satan’s name in the Greek is ‘Apollyon,’ meaning ‘Destroyer.’ (REVELATION 9:11) The only time GOD moves ‘destructively’ - is against ‘the destructive!’

Mankind had become so destructive against GOD, their fellow man, and themselves in the pre-flood world, that GOD destroyed our species from off the earth, except one man (Noah), and his family - because he was moving ‘constructively’ in relation to others (GENESIS 6:9). The Biblical narrative tells us: “So GOD looked upon the earth and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” (GENESIS 6:11) That word ‘corrupt’ means to ‘destroy’ by altering the original state of something. SIN (destructive movement), altered the original state of mankind (living under the sovereignty of GOD -GEN.2), altered the original state of peaceful co-existence of Mankind through murder (GEN.4:8), and altered the original state of marriage between one man and one woman (GEN.2:24; 4:19).

Jesus said: “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be (MATTHEW 24:37). And so today we see the corruption (destroying by altering the original state of something), of the Judeo-Christian ethics that elevated the Western world to global dominance in the 19th and 20th centuries.

GOD says: “Woe to those who call EVIL good, and GOOD evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (ISAIAH 5:20) What used to be almost universally agreed upon as ‘constructive’ behavior - is now considered ‘destructive’ behavior - and vice-versa! Who moved? Not GOD - He changes not! (MALACHI 3:6)

When the last trumpet sounds, and the announcement is made that will be heard round the world, that the kingdoms of men are now back under the sovereignty of GOD, and His Christ will rule all nations (REV.11:15), the Law (God’s code of ethics) will go forth to all nations (ISAIAH 2:1-4), and Mankind “will not hurt nor destroy in all My (GOD’S) holy mountain (kingdom)” (ISAIAH 11:9). For the sake of all who are being hurt by oppressive government, wars, addictions, and crime - THY KINGDOM COME!

The sick man of Europe

About a decade before our Civil War, Czar Nicholas I of Russia described the Ottoman Empire (which ruled over the Middle East & parts of Eastern Europe), as ‘The sick man of Europe’ - because of its decline in military power, its economic demise, and the rise of ‘nationalism’ prompting some of its member states to fight for independence.

A century later, French politician Paul Reynaud, called his own Country ‘The sick man of Europe,’ after WWII put France in great economic hardship.

As the British Empire crumbled between 1960 and 1980, it too, was referred to as ‘The sick man of Europe.’

In the 1990’s, the term was applied to Germany in the years following the fall of the Berlin wall, when the cost of re-uniting East & West Germany went over a trillion dollars.

Ancient Israel was once described as a ‘Sick Man’ by God Almighty, after its sins had brought the nation to its knees: “The whole head is sick and the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment. Your country (Israel) is desolate, your cities are burned with fire. Strangers devour your land in your presence, and it is desolate as overthrown by strangers. So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a hut in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.” (ISAIAH 1:5-8)

That same diagnosis could be applied to Ukraine today, as that war-torn nation fights to survive occupation.

One of the major lessons of History is that all kingdoms and nations eventually become ‘sick men’ and die. The average life-span of a civilization: 336 years; An empire 250 years; and a nation 150 years…

Wikipedia records: “Societal Collapse is the fall of a complex Human Society… Possible causes of a ‘Societal Collapse,’ include natural catastrophes, war, pestilence, famine, economic collapse, population decline, mass immigration, incompetent leaders, and sabotage by rival civilizations.”

In the Western world of Europe and the Americas today, we see all of these symptoms of ‘Societal Collapse’ and a ‘sick man’ present.

But Sociologists leave out one great cause of ‘Societal Collapse’: “For the nation and kingdom which will not serve YOU shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined.” (ISAIAH 60:12) God says to Humanity: “Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity (Sin) will not be your ruin.” (EZ.18:30)

Ironically, the original ‘Sick man of Europe,’ the Ottoman Empire, was prophesied by God to receive a deadly wound, but later to be healed: “And I saw one of his (the 7-headed Beast’s) heads, as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the Beast. (REVELATION 13:3) We’re also told: “The Beast that was and is not, is himself also the 8th, and is of the 7.” (REVELATION 17:11) So one of these 7 Mediterranean empires (Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman, or Ottoman) is going to rise again, empowered by Satan (REV.13:2), and reign “over every tribe, tongue and nation (REV.13:7).

How do we know that it is the 7th head of the 7-headed Beast (the Ottoman Empire), that is going to be healed? Because your Bible gives us many clues: “I saw a woman (the Great Harlot) sitting on a scarlet Beast.” (REVELATION 17:3) The flag of the Ottoman empire was scarlet red, with a white crescent moon and a star - the same as Turkiye’s today. The other 6 empires did not, and do not today have ‘scarlet red’ as the dominant color of their flags. We’re also told that the resurrected 8th Beast will invade Israel in the days before Christ’s return (REV.11:1-7). Hosea the prophet was inspired to write this prophecy of warning against modern day Israel: “They have dealt treacherously with the Lord, for they have begotten pagan children. Now a ‘new moon’ (crescent) shall devour them.” (HOSEA 5:7)

We’re also told twice that Satan’s throne is in Pergamos (REV.13:2), modern day Bergama, Turkiye.

The King of the North (another name for the Beast according to Theologians), was historically headquartered in the city of Antioch, located in Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkiye. The King of the North is prophesied to invade Israel ‘at the time of the End’ (DANIEL 11:40-41)

Gog, the chief prince of Meshech & Tubal (ancient cities of Asia Minor), is also prophesied to invade Israel in ‘the latter days’ (Ezekiel 38:8) - prompting some Theologians to equate him with the Beast as well.

The ‘Beast,’ along with the ‘False Prophet’ will be empowered by Satan to work miracles, signs, and wonders (REV. 13:11-18) - deceiving people around the world to follow them into subduing ‘every tribe, tongue, and nation’ (REV.13:7).

But the only true God the Father, gives this stern warning in advance: “Come out of Her My people, lest you share in Her sins, and lest you receive of Her plagues.” (REVELATION 18:4)

The Quran says: “He (Allah) whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and who did not take to himself a son, and who has no associate in the kingdom.” (Surah 25:2)

Your Bible warns: “He is Anti-Christ who denies the Father and the Son.” (I JOHN 2:22)

Road to Emmaus

Are you still on the ‘road to Emmaus’ - walking with Christ - yet not recognizing whom you’re walking with? Luke gives an account of two of Christ’s disciples walking 7 miles from Jerusalem to the town of Emmaus. The resurrected Jesus joins them enroute, but as the narrative tells us, ‘their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.” (LUKE 24:16) Even though He took them through the O.T. Messianic prophecies about Himself, they still didn’t recognize who He was… the same is true today of millions of Christians! When they are taken through the O.T. texts about who and what the promised Messiah would be - they don’t recognize this portrait of Christ. Conspicuously absent from all the Messianic prophecies of the O.T. is any narrative about a 2nd person with God or in God metamorphosing into a Human child.

Probably the first Messianic prophecy Jesus took his 2 disciples through, on the ‘road to Emmaus,’ was this one found in the book of Genesis: “So the Lord said to the Serpent: ‘Because you have done this you are cursed… And I will put enmity (conflict) between you and the woman (Eve), and between your seed and her seed; He (Christ) shall bruise your head, and you (Satan) shall bruise His heel.” (GENESIS 3:14,15) The Lord could have just as easily told Satan, that because he had deceived Eve into sinning against Him, He was going to incarnate ‘God the Son’ and that you may bruise His heel (temporarily kill Him on the cross) - but He is going to bruise your head and take your rulership of this world away from you - but He didn’t. The Lord’s reference to the woman’s ‘seed’ emphasizes that the promised Messiah would be a ‘Son of Man,’ one of His future titles.

Near the end of the book of Genesis we read another reference to the promised One: “The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” (GENESIS 49:10) This verse amplifies the Human lineage of Messiah, here called ‘Shiloh,’ as one coming from the tribe of Judah. But once again, no reference to this person being a heavenly being, who would one day incarnate as a Human Being.

In the book of Numbers a Seer from Moab is given a revelation from the God of the Bible about the coming Christ: “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. A star shall come ouf of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel and batter the brow of Mo’ab and destroy all the sons of tumult.” (NUMBERS 24:17) Notice that the coming Messiah rises out of Israel, with no dual reference to heaven.

Then the book of Deuteronomy adds: “I (God) will raise up for them (Israel) a prophet like you (Moses), from among their brethren and will put MY words in His mouth and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.” (DEUTERONOMY 18:18) Combining all the texts so far, we are told that the promised Messiah would be the Seed of Eve, rise up out of the nation Israel, be born of the tribe of Judah, and be a prophet like Moses. But we’re not told that the Christ would be the incarnation of a person with God or in God.

The prophet Isaiah is given a vision from God which includes several references to the prophesied Messiah: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you (Israel) a sign: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call His name Immanuel.” (ISAIAH 7:14) This text makes it clear that Messiah will be conceived miraculously within a virgin woman of Israel sometime in the future. Some see here, in the name ‘Immanuel,’ a clue that this child would be a God-being descending from heaven. But the nation of Israel is also called Immanuel in the next chapter (8:8) - which literally means ‘with us is God.’ God showed the people of Israel that HE was ‘with them’ through many miraculous interventions throughout their history. Prophesying that HE would one day grant them a Savior is just one more way God showed the people of Israel HE was with them!

In a subsequent prophecy, Isaiah speaks of the coming Messiah in this way: “A child is born to us and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, God the mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.” (ISAIAH 9:6 Drake version) Trinitarians focus on the title ‘God the mighty,’ saying this is a clear reference to the Incarnation of Christ. But the Judges in Israel were also referred to as El and Elohim (translated as god & gods) in PSALM 82. What too many Christians ignore is the explicit references to Messiah as ‘a child’ and ‘a son’ - terms which mean one who is generated and brought into being - everywhere else in Scripture!

In parallel statements, Jesus is called “His (The Father’s) only begotten son” (I JOHN 4:9) - and Isaac is called “His (Abraham’s) only begotten son (HEBREWS 11:17). Yet Theologians don’t want us to believe that the words child, son, begotten, and born are literal in reference to Jesus. And they don’t want us to believe that father means ‘father’ in reference to God the Father - as one who generates and brings into being a son.

Isaiah writes another prophecy about the coming Christ, later in his book: “The Lord (YHVH) has called Me (the coming Christ) from the womb (not heaven); From the matrix of My mother HE has made mention of My name… Who formed Me from the womb to be HIS servant.” (ISAIAH 49:1,5)

The Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament say nothing about the incarnation of ‘the coming Christ’ - but rather that He will be the Seed of Eve, of the tribe of Judah, a descendant of David, a prophet like Moses, miraculously conceived in the womb of a virgin, and a mighty one like the Judges of Israel. If Jesus walked 7 miles with most Christians today and rehearsed these prophecies in their ears - they too would fail to recognize their Messiah as the “firstborn among many brethren (us).” (ROMANS 8:29)

When Jesus asked Peter who he thought He was, Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of THE LIVING GOD.” (MATTHEW 16:16). 46 times Jesus is called the “Son of God” in the New Testament. Paul wrote: “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He (Jesus) Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage… Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (HEBREWS 2:14-17)

The Apostle John was inspired to write: “This is the One who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood (the normal birthing process). And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are 3 that testify: The Spirit, the water and the blood; and the 3 are in agreement. We accept Human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater, because it is the testimony of God, which He has given about His Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about His Son.” (I JOHN 5:6-10 NIV)

John is telling us that Jesus came into this world the way we all do: the water breaks in our mother’s womb and we come through the birthing canal in blood. Therefore the water and blood testify that Jesus was a full-fledged Human Being born in the natural way that we all have experienced. The Spirit is a third witness John says, probably referring to this statement in the Gospel of Luke: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you (Mary) and the power of THE HIGHEST will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” (LUKE 1:35)

We’re told that all of Mankind is made in the image of God (GENESIS 1:27; 5:1,2). But the book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is “the express image of HIS (God’s) person.” (HEBREWS 1:3) We’re also told by the Apostle Paul: “For the full content of divine nature lives in Christ, in his humanity.” (COLOSSIANS 2:9 GNT). Paul prayed: “…May you (the Church) come to know His love…and so be completely filled with the nature of God.” (EPHESIANS 3:19 GNT). Jesus had the Divine Nature from birth. Converts to Christ develop that same Divine Nature by yielding ourselves to the Holy Spirit: “…But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of GOD, these are the sons of GOD.” (ROMANS 8:13,14) Peter wrote: “…by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (II PETER 1:4)

The 2 signs of a Saint according to the Book of Revelation is that they keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus. (REVELATION 12:17) Do you have THE FATHER’S testimony of Jesus - or the Human testmony of Jesus? The Human testimony of Jesus is that He was the incarnation of a 2nd person with God or in God - an idea and concept nowhere taught in the pages of your Bible. Walk and talk with the Real Jesus - your older brother and soon coming King!

Pure Religion

Pure Religion - what is it according to your Bible? The word religion is a pejorative term for many, conjuring up images of people who come across ‘holier than thou’ in their walk with God. The word ‘religion’ is only found a few times in Scripture, mostly in reference to false worship systems of this world. But the Apostle James does give us one very positive reference: “Religion that God our Father accepts as ‘pure & faultless’ is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

It’s a very pithy definition of religion, causing some to ask “Is that it? Is there nothing more to it than that? But if you take the time to analyze James definition in light of the rest of Scripture, you’ll understand that it really was inspired by the Spirit of God! God instructed Moses to tell Israel: “You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child (orphan). If you afflict them in any way and they cry out at all to ME, I will surely hear their cry; and MY wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.” (EXODUS 22:22-24)

God knows what a difficult road it is for widows & orphans! The children grow up without their father, or in some cases their mother, which numerous studies show is very debilitating to a child’s development. The widow is forced to raise the children alone, while somehow trying to provide for his or her household. And historically, orphans & widows were ostracized by complete families, who tended to encourage their children not to hang out with, or marry kids from such households.

According to the ‘World Widows Report’ by the Loomba Foundation, there are more than 258 million widows around the world, with 38 million of them living in extreme poverty where basic needs are unmet. The report also states that there are 585 million children affected by widowhood globally.” That’s a quarter of a billion families that King David says that God personally cares for: “A Father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation.” (PSALM 68:4,5)

But God doesn’t give us a pass on the care of these single families: Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.” (DEUTERONOMY 27:19) Part of the ‘justice’ due these unfortunate folks is the ‘laying aside all the tithe of a person’s increase every third year.” (DEUTERONOMY 26:12,13) That’s about 3.3% annually, which is less than what is taken out in payroll taxes today in the United States, in part to give financial assistance to single-parent families. But it’s not enough to fulfill the letter of God’s law, as Jesus expounded in the Sermon on the Mount (MATTHEW 5-7). God says: “My son, do not forget My law, but let your heart keep My commands.” (PROVERBS 3:1)

The heartfelt intent of God’s law is that we learn to love God with all our heart, mind & soul - and that we love our neighbor as ourselves (MATTHEW 22:36-40) Through James, God is telling us that ‘Pure Religion’ is ‘Pure love,’ the kind of love that goes beyond financial assistance to the most challenged in our Society, to a ‘complete family’ adopting and serving an ‘incomplete family’! Is your love for others pure? Or is it tainted, corrupted, and modified by selfishness, pride, and condescension? The Apostle Peter was inspired to write: “Now that you have obeyed the truth and have purified your souls to love your brothers sincerely, you must love one another intensely and with a pure heart.” (I PETER 1:22 ISV). Paul wrote: “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart…” (I TIMOTHY 1:5)

God condemned King Jeroboam because he did not keep God’s commandments and follow HIM with all of his heart, the way King David did (I KINGS 14:8). God said of King Amaziah that “he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a loyal heart.” (II CHRONICLES 25:2) “Pure Religion’ involves not only doing the right thing as God lays out in His commandments - but doing it with a ‘Pure Heart.’ Jesus said: “Blessed are the ‘pure in heart,’ for they shall see God.” (MATTHEW 5:8)

So what about that 2nd part of the Biblical definition of ‘Pure Religion’ - keeping onself unpolluted by the world? How are Christians polluted??? Let us count the ways:

1) “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” (COLOSSIANS 2:8)

2) “Demas has forsaken me (Paul), having loved this present world.” (II TIMOTHY 4:10)

3) “Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I AM THE LORD.” (LEVITICUS 19:31)

4) “And the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.” (MATTHEW 13:22)

One of Job’s friends said about him, “For you (Job) have said, ‘My doctrine is pure and I am clean in YOUR eyes.” (JOB 11:4) Most Christians never ask themselves “How pure is my doctrine?” When it comes to doctrine - purity means ‘How Biblical is my doctrine?’ Too many Christians have not kept their doctrine unpolluted by traditions of men, and Church Council edicts. That’s why Jude was inspired to exhort us to “Earnestly contend for ‘the Faith’ that was once for all delivered to the Saints.” (JUDE VS. 3) That’s the original Faith, passed on by Jesus to His Apostles, who then passed it onto the original Christians.

Only 3 other times in the New Testament do we find that Greek word translated “polluted” in James definition of ‘Pure Religion’: in reference to Christ as a lamb ‘without spot’ (I PETER 1:19); in reference to Christians, “be diligent to be found by Him (God)… without spot’; and in an admonition to Timothy by Paul that he and we “keep the commandment ‘unstained’ and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I TIMOTHY 6:13)

So ‘Pure Religion’ is having ‘Pure Love’ and ‘Pure Doctrine’ in the sight of God Almighty! No wonder we’re told in the Psalms: “Lord, who can live in Your holy tent? Who can live on Your holy mountain (Kingdom)? Only those who live PURE lives, do what is right, and speak the truth FROM THEIR HEARTS.” (PSALM 15:2)

"The Way"

It’s no secret that Hollywood and Disney are not fans of Christianity, yet they love to borrow Christian imagery and themes in making their fictional cinema dramas.

Many of you have probably watched ‘The Mandalorian’ Disney series, which uses a phrase found in the Bible to describe its moral code and approach to life. When a Mandalorian is asked why he does things in a certain manner, he responds by saying, “This is the Way.” The ‘Mandalorian Way’ includes protecting fellow Mandalorians, protecting foundlings (New converts to ‘The Way’), keeping one’s word, wearing a special armor, and never removing one’s helmet in the presence of others. When a Mandalorian strays from ‘The Way’ he can only be restored to the Order by entering the living waters of Mandalore.

Do you see any parallels in Christianity? Your Bible says that we are to be looking out for the interests of others (PHILIPPIANS 2:4). The original Christians were instructed by the Apostle Paul to “put on the whole armor of God” (EPHESIANS 6:11), including the Helmet of Salvation (EPHESIANS 6:17). Both Bible Testaments stress the importance of ‘keeping one’s word’ (NUMBERS 30:1,2 - JAMES 5:12). And people enter the Christian Order through the waters of Baptism (ROMANS 6).

All this is part of ‘The Way’ of the Lord described in the pages of your Bible. But there is much, much more! God says way back in Genesis: “For I have known him (Abram) in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep ‘The Way’ of the Lord and do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what HE has spoken to him.” (GENESIS 18:19) This verse tells us that justice and righteousness are part of ‘The Way’ of the Lord. What is righteousness? “All YOUR commandments are righteousness.” (PSALM 119:172) Abraham’s chief servant spoke of Abram as he “who led me in the Way of truth” (GENESIS 24:48) - showing that truth is also a vital part of ‘The Way.’ What is truth? Well, according to Jesus: “Thy (The Father’s) word is truth.” That makes the whole Bible part of ‘The Way,’ which is why your Bible says “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” (MATTHEW 4:4)

God told the leaders of Israel: “You (Priests) shall teach them (Israel) the statutes and the Laws and show them ‘The Way’ in which they must walk.” King David wrote: “Blessed are the undefiled in ‘The Way,’ who walk in the Law of the Lord.” (PSALM 119:1) The book of Proverbs gives this warning: “Forsake foolishness and live, and go in ‘The Way’ of understanding.” (PROVERBS 9:6)

By contrast your Bible says, “There is ‘A Way’ that seems right to a man, but its end is ‘the Way’ of death.” (PROVERBS 14:12) Solomon, who is believed to have written Proverbs, wrote: “The Way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but HE loves him who follows righteousness. Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes ‘The Way’ - And he who hates correction will die.” (PROVERBS 15:9,10) So it’s a hard life for those who depart from ‘The Way’ - because they incur the wrath of God in the form of loss, sickness, catastrophe, and emptiness. But it’s Human Nature to want to be self-ruled and self-directed. After all the miraculous ways God delivered Israel over the centuries, we read this: “They (Israel) turned quickly from ‘The Way’ in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the Lord.” (JUDGES 2:17) That righteous man Job said: “If my step has turned from ‘The Way,’ or my heart walked after my eyes, or if any spot adheres to my hands, then let me sow and another eat…” (JOB 31:7,8)

Jesus said: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is ‘the Way’ that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is ‘The Way’ which leads to life and there are few who find it.” (MATTHEW 7:13) Jesus also said: “I am ‘The Way,’ the truth and the life. No one comes to THE FATHER except through Me.” (JOHN 14:6)

Saul, before he became Paul, persecuted ‘The Way’ (ACTS 9:1,2). We also read this in the book of ACTS: “This man (Apollos) had been instructed in ‘The Way’ of the Lord and being fervent in Spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila & Priscilla (Deacon & Deaconess) heard him, they took him aside and explained to him ‘The Way’ of God more accurately.” (ACTS 18:25,26)

A woman who is described as having the gift of prophecy said of Paul and his companions: “These men are the servants of THE MOST HIGH GOD, who proclaim to us ‘The Way’ of salvation.” (ACTS 16:17)

So we’ve seen from the pages of your Bible that ‘The Way’ is described as being a path of truth, justice, righteousness, commandment keeping, understanding, and salvation. What is conspicuously absent from the Bible’s description of ‘The Way’ is any reference to ‘By Grace Alone,’ ‘By Faith Alone,’ ‘Once Saved Always Saved,’ the ‘Health & Wealth Gospel,’ or any traditions of men or their Councils.

After the return of Christ, and during His thousand year reign over all nations (ISAIAH 2) - your Bible says that we who have been immortalized through the 1st resurrection, will teach ‘The Way’ to Human Beings then living: “Your ears (mortals) shall hear a word behind you saying, ‘This is the Way, walk you in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand - or whenever you turn to the left.” (ISAIAH 30:21) As the resurrected Saints rule with Christ during the Millenium - we will be actively guiding people to walk in ‘The Way’ - and that may include some of your own Grandkids or Great-Grandkids!

Who & What is the Church?

How does your Bible define ‘the Church’? When you hear the word ‘Church’ - what images does it bring to mind? A building of Romanesque or Gothic architecture? A particular Protestant denomination? Why did Jesus Christ build His Church? What is its function, purpose, and reason for being? What are the Biblical names for the Church? Is that which is called a Church by a non-Biblical name still a legitimate Christian Church? Where do we find ‘the Church’ in the pages of History? We’re all aware of the ‘Visible Church’ in our communities, but what’s the ‘Invisible Church’ that past Church leaders talked about? And how is ‘the Church’ to be organized and governed?

These are questions that very few Christians ever ask themselves, yet none of them would join a Social Club without investigating what it stands for and how it’s run!

Who makes up ‘the Church’ according to your Bible? The Greek word for ‘Church’ is Ecclesia, which means an ‘Assembly of called out ones.’ The Apostle Paul was inspired to write: “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise… that no flesh should glory in His presence.” (I Cor.1:26-29)

People don’t just wake up one day and decide to join ‘the Church’ - they must be ‘called.’ Jesus said: “No one can come to Me unless the FATHER who sent Me draws (or calls) him…” (JOHN 6:44) Now a person may wake up one day and decide to start attending the ‘Visible Church’ on the corner, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been called to become part of the Invisible Spiritual Body of Christ.

Protestant Reformer John Calvin referred to the Invisible Church as “That which is actually in God’s presence, into which no persons are received but those who are children of God by grace of adoption, and true members of Christ by sanctification (setting apart) of THE HOLY SPIRIT… It includes not only the Saints presently living on earth, but all the Elect from the beginning of the world. In the (Visible) Church there is a very large mixture of hypocrites, who have nothing of Christ but the name and outward appearance.”

The Apostle Paul said as much in his warning to a young Church leader named Timothy: “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourselves.” (I TIMOTHY 6:3-5)

The Apostle John was inspired to write: “They (Christian charlatans) went out from us (the Church), but they were not of us; For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they may be made manifest, that none of them were of us.” (I JOHN 2:19)

Millions of people join ‘the Church’ as a social group, but their hearts are not transformed, and they have no personal relationship with God. But God knows those whom He has called, and He sees the invisible nature of people: “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (I SAMUEL 16:7)

One of the Biblical definitions of a Christian, and therefore a member of the true invisible Church, is found in the book of Romans: “For as many as are led by the SPIRIT OF GOD, these are sons of God.” (ROMANS 8:14) Too many Christians are led by their flesh and egos, having not learned to truly acquiesce to God and His Spirit. So while they may be part of the ‘Visible Church’ - they are not members of the ‘Invisible Spirit-led Church.’

What are the names given to ‘the Church’ in Scripture? Well, there are many: “Church or Assembly of God” (I CORINTHIANS 1:2); “The Church of the Living God'“ (I TIMOTHY 3:15); “The Churches of Christ” (ROM.16:16) “The Sect of the Nazarenes” (ACTS 24:5); “The Household of God” (EPH.2:19); “Church of the Firstborn” (HEB 12:23). This last name is probably the most informative, because it shows that ‘the Church’ is God’s first harvest of souls: “Christ the Firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” (I COR.15:23) The Second-fruits will come during Christ’s thousand year reign, when “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea.” (ISAIAH 11:9) And the Third-Fruits will come from the White Throne Judgment, when “the rest of the dead” (REV.20:5) will live again and have the books (The Bible) opened to them (REVELATION 20:11,12)

So what is the foundation of ‘the Church’? What is the Church built upon? According to your Bible the Church is built upon one central truth that was uttered by Peter and confirmed by Christ. Peter said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” And Jesus answered and said… “On this rock (or foundational teaching) I will build My Church.” (MATTHEW 16:16-18) The Church is also built upon six foundational doctrines: Repentance from dead works; Faith toward God; the doctrine of Baptisms; Laying on of Hands; Resurrection of the Dead; and Eternal Judgment. (HEBREWS 6:1,2) The Household of God, Paul tells us is built upon the foundation of the Apostles (N.T.) & Prophets (O.T.) - Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone (EPHESIANS 2:19,20). The Apostle Paul told Timothy, “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those that are His, Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’” (II TIMOTHY 2:19) The ‘Invisible Church’ is built upon these foundational statements - but unfortunately, most versions of the ‘Visible Church’ are not.

Where do you find ‘the Church’ in the pages of History and in the world today? You look for people and organizations emphasizing these foundational characteristics. Jesus said, “Therefore, by their fruits you shall know them. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My FATHER in heaven. Many will say to Me in That Day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; Depart from Me, you who practice Lawlessness.’” (MATTHEW 7:20-23)

When does the Church gather? The ‘Original Christians’ gathered on the Sabbath (ACTS 13:42,44; 17:2; 18:4) and the Festivals (ACTS 2:1; 18:21; I CORINTHIANS 5:7,8). It’s the only cycle of Worship that God set up, and in the future they will become the gathering days for all Mankind: “And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, says the Lord.” (ISAIAH 66:23)

Why did Christ build His Church? “For the equipping of the Saints for the work of ministry, for edifying of the Body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of ‘the Faith’ and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the Head - Christ - from whom the whole Body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the Body for the edifying of itself in love.” (EPH.4:12-16)

How is the Church to be organized and run? “So when they (the Apostles) had appointed Elders in every Church & prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” (ACTS 14:23) The Apostle Paul encouraged the brethren, saying, “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose Faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct… Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable to you.” (HEBREWS 13:7,17)

The ‘Invisible Church’ is not perfect, and the ‘Visible Church’ even less perfect. But what should we expect when the Church is led by imperfect leaders and made up of members who are in a wide range of maturity and immaturity. The degree to which Christians acquiesce to God’s Spirit, instead of their flesh and ego, determines how mature they are, and how unified a congregation is. So if you’ve been offended and had some bad ‘Church Experiences’ - remember that we must not forsake “the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (HEBREWS 10:25)

Countdown to Armageddon

The Apostles once asked Jesus, "‘What will be the sign of Your coming and of the ‘End of the Age’? (MT.24:3) Jesus proceeded to answer with some signs common to most centuries, like, coming false Messiahs, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines and pestilences. But then He followed with some very specific signs like the setting up of the ‘Abomination of Desolation’ in the Holy Place (Temple grounds), and heavenly signs like the sun and moon being darkened, and stars falling from heaven. While these more specific signs become key markers in the Biblical prophetic portrait, they don’t tell the whole story of what is to come.

But if you search the rest of Scripture, you’ll find a sequence of events leading up to the Battle of Armageddon and the return of Christ, some of which give us a countdown of days to the culmination of this present Age.

In the past decade, we’ve seen 2 ‘End Time’ prophecies fulfilled. The rise and fall of ISIS as foretold in the first chapter of Habakkuk, and the ‘whole earth resting quietly’ (Zechariah 1) as a result of the Covid-19 pandemice shutdowns all over the world. I explain both of these prophecies in detail, in my book entitled: FORETOLD: The Covid-19 Effect (which you can purchase on Amazon - or get a free copy by texting your address to Tony at (916) 696-1299).

The next major prophecies to be fulfilled are the war against Iran (JEREMIAH 49:35-), and the subduing of 3 kingdoms by the Little Horn (DANIEL 7:8,20,24) both of which I’ve explained in detail in previous blogs. The Little Horn, modern day Turkey, will pluck up and subdue 3 nations (Iran, Iraq & Syria) when Shia Iran is attacked by the Sunni nations all around her. This war may be prompted by Iran getting more involved in the Israeli-Gaza conflict we see unfolding before our eyes! When it happens - Israel will help the Sunni nations against Iran, leading to a 7 year treaty with Israel that begins the 70th week of the ‘70 Weeks Prophecy” (DANIEL 9:27) And that’s when the ‘Countdown to Armageddon’ begins!

The book of Daniel shows the 70 ‘Sevens’ prophecy to span both comings of Messiah: “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for Your people (Israel) and Your holy city (Jerusalem) to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One (Christ), the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens’ (49 years in rebuilding Jerusalem) and sixty-two ‘sevens’ (558 years till Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey wiith shouts proclaiming Him a King - LUKE 19:38). It (Jerusalem) will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble (from peoples now living there - EZRA). After the sixty-two ‘sevens’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler (The Beast) who will come will destroy the city (Jerusalem) and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the End, and desolations have been decreed. He (The Beast) will confirm a Covenant with many for one ‘seven’ (the last 7 years of the 70 ‘sevens’ prophecy). In the middle of the ‘seven’ (3 1/2 years into Covenant) he (The Beast) will put an end to ‘Sacrifice & Offering’ (allowed to start up again because of the Covenant). And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the End that is decreed is poured out on him.” (DANIEL 9:24-27 NIV)

This final ‘seven’ of the 70 ‘sevens’ prophecy is a period of seven years, or 2520 Days. About 220 days into this ‘Covenant period” begins the 2300 Days Prophecy (DANIEL 8:8-14), when war breaks out in heaven between Angels & Demons: “It (the Little Horn, the Beast) grew until it reached the host of the heavens (Angels - I KINGS 22:19), and it (Satan, the power behind the Beast (REV. 13:2) threw some of the starry host (Angels) down to the earth and trampled on them. It (Satan) set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord (Michael the Archangel); It (Satan, through the Beast) took away the ‘Daily Sacrifice’ from the Lord, and His sanctuary was thrown down (REV.11:2). Because of rebellion,- the Lord’s people and the ‘Daily Sacrifice’ were given over to it (Satan & the Beast). It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground. Then I (Daniel) heard a holy one (Angel) speaking, and another holy one said to him, ‘How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled - the vision concerning the ‘Daily Sacrifice,’ the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary (Jerusalem) and the trampling underfoot of the Lord’s people?” He said to me, “it will take 2300 evenings & mornings (days); then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated (Done by Christ - ISAIAH 4:2-4)

This Angel-Demon war is also described in the book of Revelation: “Then another sign appeared in heaven: An enormous red dragon with 7 heads and 10 Horns and 7 crowns on its heads (showing Satan’s influence behind the 7 kingdoms of the past represented by the 7 headed Beast). It’s tail swept a third of the stars (Angels) out of the sky and flung them to the earth (same as we just read in DANIEL 8:10)… Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon (Satan), and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.” (REVELATION 12:3,4,7,8)

When does this Angel-Demon war in heaven end? We don’t have to guess, Scripture tells us: “When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman (Israel & the grafted in Church) who had given birth to the male child (Christ). The woman was given the 2 wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time (1260 DAYS - REV.12:6 - halfway through the last prophetic week of 2520 Days). This means that the epic battle in heaven between Angels & Demons lasts about 1040 days (2300 minus 1260 remaining days of the 2300 days prophecy = 1040)

After Satan is cast down to the earth, “He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” (REV.12:12) So he stirs up the ‘King of the South’ (Egypt), to attack the ‘King of the North’ (Turkey), but the King of the North overwhelms Egypt and takes over many Countries of the Middle East including Israel (DANIEL 11:40-42). The King of the North who is now ‘the Beast,’ sets up the ‘Abomination of Desolation’ in Jerusalem’s Holy Place (Jesus: MT. 24:15) - An event that the prophet Daniel is told occurs 1290 days before the end of Gentile rule in Jerusalem. The ‘Daily Sacrifice’ is also taken away at this time. The Gentiles we’re told will reign for 42 months over Jerusalem (1260 Days - REV.11:2). The 2 Witnesses begin their witness to the world of God’s true religion (also 1260 Days REV. 11:3) The Church is taken into the wilderness at this time - and protected for 1260 Days (REV.12:6,14) Jesus warns that when we see the Abomination of Desolation set up (1290 Days), the ‘Great Tribulation’ begins, a time of unparalleled trouble in Human History because of the reign of the Beast.

Then the 5 Seals are opened (REV.6) and the 4 Horsemen ride resulting in the death of 25% of Humanity by war, famine, pestilence and wild beasts (REV.6:8). When the 5th Seal is opened, it results in the martyrdom of many Saints - individuals who did not have enough oil in their lamps (MT.25) to be taken into the wilderness for protection from the Beast (REV.12:14-17)

But approximately 2 1/2 years into the ‘Great Tribulation,’ the tide turns, and God’s vengeance against the Beast begins with the opening of the 6th Seal (REV.6:12-17) - A time called the ‘Day of the Lord’s Vengeance’ and the ‘YEAR of Recompense for the cause of Zion (Jerusalem - ISAIAH 34:8). During this final year of the reign of the Beast, the 7th Seal is opened, resulting in the 6 Trumpet plagues being poured out upon the Beast and its followers (REV.8 & 9). Nevertheless, “…the rest of Mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent…” (REV.9:20)

Then the 7th Trumpet is blown and an announcement is made to Mankind by Angels: “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord (God the Father), and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.” (REV.11:15) This is the culmination of the 1260 Days of Gentile rule over Jerusalem. This last trumpet blast also results in the Angels gathering the Saints from all over the earth (MT.24:31) to rise up in the 1st Resurrection (I CORINTHIANS 15:50-55 & I THESSALONIANS 4:13-18) and ascend to the throne of God where they sing the song of Moses, while standing on the Sea of Glass (REV.15:2) - awaiting the vanquishing of the Beast, and the Marriage Supper (REV.19:7-21)

Finally, the 7 Bowls of plagues are poured out by Angels upon the Beast and its followers (REV.16). But God in His graciousness accompanies these last plagues with 3 successive Angelic messages preaching the Gospel to the Beast’s followers (REV.14:6-10), warning, “If anyone worships the Beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God…” (REV.14:9,10) Then the Beast gathers armies at Megiddo to battle Christ, where they are defeated in the Battle of Armageddon (REV. 16 &19).

After Daniel was told by Michael the Archangel that there would be 1290 Days from the time the Abomination of Desolation was set up till the end of the Gentile rule over Jerusalem, he is told by Michael: “Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the 1335 Days.” (REV.12:12).” This would suggest that the pouring out of the 7 bowl plagues, accompanied by the Angelic final warning, and the Battle of Armageddon - is a period of about 45 Days - and those who Humanly survive it, or are at the Marriage Supper in heaven - will truly be BLESSED!”

Focusing on people's FORTE

Swordsmanship refers to prowess in using a sword. It conjures up images of Medieval battlefields in which a gifted swordsman is putting down one opponent after another, or in sport, images of 2 men or women fencing. There are many types of swords that soldiers and athletes use, including the Gladius, the Sabre, and the Foil. But all swords are made up of 3 major parts: The Hilt, which is the handle, usually including a hand-guard; the Forte, which is the first half of the blade, and strongest part of the sword; and the Foible, which is the second half of the blade containing the sharp tip, and weakest part of the sword. We’ve all seen swordsmen parry, their blades meeting where the Forte ends and the Foible starts, when the fencing descends into a pushing match. And we’ve all seen a swordsman strike his opponent’s sword so hard in the Foible area, that it breaks one of the sword tips right off.

The Strength of the Forte, and the weakness of the Foible have become metaphors for people’s strengths and weaknesses. Thus we speak of someone’s forte, when they are obviously gifted in some area, while we speak of their foibles, when they chronically fall short in some way.

So do you tend to focus on a person’s forte or their foibles? Ironically, we all want others to focus on our forte, while we ourselves tend to focus on other’s foibles! But the happiest and healthiest relationships focus on one another’s forte.

The Bible is full of examples of people focusing on other’s foibles: “And when she (Hagar) saw that she conceived, her mistress (Sarah) became despised in her eyes.” (GENESIS 16:4,5) Hagar, who was one of Sarah’s hand-maids, gloated over her own forte in being able to bear children - while making a public spectacle of Sarah’s weakness (foible), in not being able to conceive. This was especially cruel in a culture where women were evaluated by how prolific they were in producing children.

When dating, a man & a woman tend to do just the opposite, focusing on one another’s forte (good looks, pleasing personality & abilities), while ignoring one another’s foibles. In the most successful marriages, the couple continues this approach, overlooking one another’s foibles and focusing on one another’s forte. But many couples unfortunately begin to lose focus on their mate’s forte that they were so enraptured with, and begin to focus on their mates’ weaknesses instead.

This happened with King David: “Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; And David was wearing a linen ephod (a priest’s garment). So David and all the House of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. Now as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal (David’s wife), Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.” (II SAMUEL 6:14-16) Michal had forgot about all the king’s accomplishments and strengths (forte) and disdained her husband because she thought he was acting undignified by shedding his royal garments and dancing in the streets in priestly garments.

The Apostle Paul was inspired to write: “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world (average folks like us) to put to shame the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world (the foible part of the sword of Humanity) to put to shame the things which are mighty (those with lots of forte, good looks & ability); and the base things of the world (the foible laden of Mankind) and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not (full of forte) to bring to nothing the things that are, THAT NO FLESH SHOULD GLORY in His presence.” (I CORINTHIANS 1:26—29)

Christ Himself was considered by the ‘forte’ of His day (the Sanhedrin), as part of the ‘foible filled’ members of Jewish Society: “For He shall grow up before HIM as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness (the forte of ‘good looks’); and when see Him there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men…” (ISAIAH 53:2,3)

So how about you? Do you tend to focus on other’s forte or foibles? In His message to one of the 7 churches in Asia (the Ephesian church), Christ showed us the way - focusing on the congregation’s forte: “I know your works, your labor, your patience and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are Apostles and are not and have found them liars. And you have persevered and have patience and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love…” (REVELATION 2:2-4) After listing 9 strengths of the congregation at Ephesus, Jesus mentions only one foible for them to work on. Oh that Christians had a 9-1 ratio in focusing on people’s forte over their foibles!

Ezra wrote: “You, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve…” (EZRA 9:13) Shouldn’t we punish our brothers and sisters in Christ less than their iniquities deserve?

The Apostle Peter was inspired to write: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (II PETER 3:18) Many Christians have grown in the knowledge of Christ, but haven’t grown to the point they show grace to others the way Christ did in His earthly days: “Woman (caught in Adultery), where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, ‘No one Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (JOHN 8:10,11)

The word of God is compared to a 2 edged sword in the book of Hebrews. So when you pick up your Bible - let it remind you to use the strong side of that Biblical sword in conversation with others - and focus on their forte!

TOLERANCE: Is God for it or against it?

What does your Bible say about tolerance? Is God for it or against it? Are Christians demonstrating a maturity of love when they tolerate any lifestyle, behavior , or belief? Some Christian Denominations think so, touting the World’s mantra that if everybody would just permit and embrace all lifestyles, behaviors and beliefs as equally valid - then everyone would get along and the World would be at peace.

That’s the idea or concept behind the COEXIST bumper sticker, which you’ve probably seen somewhere along the way. Back in the year 2000, a Polish Graphic Designer, Piotr Mlodozeniec, created it by turning the letter C into a crescent moon symbolic of Islam, turning the x into the star of David symbolic of Judaism, and by changing the T into a latin cross symbolic of Christianity. A few years later another graphic designer named Jerry Jaspar, modified the other letters in the word COEXIST, putting a peace sign within the letter ‘o’, adding the male & female gender signs to the letter ‘e’, dotting the ‘i’ with a pentacle, symbolizing paganism and the Occult, and changing the ‘s’ into the yin-yang symbol of Chinese philosophy. A third version came out a few years later, coloring the word COEXIST with the colors of the rainbow to include the Gay community.

All this sounds very ‘high minded’ and conciliatory, but it ignores the fact that there is a God who has standards! And that He blesses those individuals and nations who practice His standards, and curses those individuals and nations who don’t.

So how is the word TOLERATE defined? Well dictionaries generally give two meanings: 1) To allow the existence or practice of, without prohibition or hindrance; and 2) To endure without repugnance, objection or condemnation. Most people have no problem with allowing the religious and social groups symbolized by the word COEXIST - to exist and practice their lifestyles, behaviors and beliefs. But it’s the second definition of the word TOLERATE that many people have a problem with, believing that no one should be forced to accept and condone ALL lifestyles, behaviors and beliefs as equally valid.

The book of Esther recounts an incidence in which the first definition of TOLERATE was ignored: “Then Haman said to King Xerxes, ‘There is a certain people (the Jews) dispersed among all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them…” (ESTHER 3:8,9 NIV)

This was a decree of genocide! But Almighty God prevented it from happening, as we read in the rest of the book of Esther. Many such pogroms have been conducted against the Jewish people, including those in Russia and the Holocaust in Germany, but most recently by the terrorist group Hamas. But Christians and Armenians have also not been TOLERATED by some in the sense of the first definition: allowed to exist and practice their beliefs.

Your Bible lists many behaviors that God told Israel they should not allow to be practiced while He was in their midst: Sorcery (EXODUS 22:18); Adultery & Incest (LEVITICUS 20:10-14); Beastiality (EXODUS 22:19); kidnapping (EXODUS 21:16) Idolatry (EXODUS 22:20). Those who practiced such behaviors were to be put to death.

I imagine that if God Almighty decided to tabernacle in Washington D.C. or any other national capitol, these same behaviors would quickly be outlawed. But people who sinned in this manner would not be put to death, because we are no longer under the Administration of Death: “But if the Ministry of Death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the Ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?” (II CORINTHIANS 3:7,8)

Corporal and Capitol punishment have been a part of just about every government in history, bringing about order and civility among carnal people who need such strong deterrents, in order to avoid behavior that is destructive to themselves and society. But under the ‘Ministry of God’s Spirit,’ Christians are governed by God writing His laws in their hearts and minds (HEBREWS 10:1617) So unlike the Ministry of Death, conducted in ancient Israel, the Christian Church is given no such commands to put people to death for infractions of God’s Law.

However, the Church is told not to tolerate chronic sin in its midst. The Apostle Paul addressed the congregation at Corinth saying, “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?” (I CORINTHIANS 5:1,2 NIV) So while the Church is to allow sinners to exist (not stone them), the Church is not to allow people to practice such sin incessantly - in their midst.

Christians individually, and the Church collectively, are not to accept, approve, or condone all lifestyles, behaviors and beliefs. Jesus Christ praised the congregation in Ephesus saying, ‘I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.” (REVELATION 2:2) In contrast, Jesus criticized the congregation in Thyratira, saying, “Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads My servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.” (REVELATION 2:20)

The apostle Paul prayed for the Church at Philippi, saying, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent…” (PHILIPPIANS 1:9,10) As Christians we must approve in ourselves and others - only the things that are excellent from God’s point of view. For a broader persepective on the subject of TOLERANCE - watch our show by that title on our YOUTUBE channel titled: ORIGINAL CHRISTIANITY.

Current Israeli-Palestinian War prophesied?

Which nation is the legitimate owner of the Levant - that narrow strip of land that the Palestinians and Israelis are fighting over - which is called the ‘Landbridge between Africa & Eurasia?’ What peoples have occupied the Levant historically? Well, many peoples according to the Bible & Archaeology - including the Canaanites, the Hivites, the Horites, the Jebusites, the Israelis and the Philistines - to name a few.

So who should decide which of these former and current occupants of the Levant have the most legitimate claim to it today? Should the United Nations be convened to vote on it? Should the World Court at the Hague in Europe decide the matter? Or should God have the final say? And which god? The god of the Quran or the God of the Bible? Well, it just so happens that the God of the Bible & the god of the Quran are in perfect agreement about which people are the legitimate owners of the Levant - and I’ll show you which people - right from the pages of both books!

But we also need to see what your Bible prophesies about Israel and the people of Gaza. Was the war between Israel and Gaza, which we’re seeing unfold on our televisions on a daily basis, actually foretold? Where is all this headed? Is this the beginning of the ‘End Times’ prophesied in Scripture?

In the Table of Nations found in the 10th chapter of Genesis, we read of where some of the descendants of the 3 sons of Noah (Ham, Shem & Japheth) migrated: “The border of the Canaanites was from Sidon (Modern day Lebanon) as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.” (GENESIS 10:19) If you google a map of this text - you’ll see that it encompassed most of what is called the Levant, and very similar to the later borders of the nation of Israel.

We also read this in the first book of the Bible: “So Abimelech… returned to the Land of the Philistines.” That historical statement is made hundreds of years before there was a Jew alive and dwelling in the Levant. A fact which causes many to say that Israel cannot lay the oldest claim on the Levant.

But the book of Genesis also records this statement: “The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, ‘Lift your eyes now and look from the place you are - northward, southward, eastward, and westward; For all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.” (GENESIS 13:4,15) The second book of Chronicles adds: “Are you not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this Land before Your people Israel and gave it to the descendants of Abraham, your friend, forever?” (II CHRONICLES 20:7)

So why did God make and fulfill this promise of Israel dispossessing the Land of the Canaanites? He told Abraham’s son Isaac part of the answer: “I will give to your descendants all these lands, and in your seed (Christ) all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; BECAUSE Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” (GENESIS 26:3-5)

A second reason is given in the book of Deuteronomy: “Do not think in your heart (Israel), after the Lord has cast them (the Canaanites) out before you, saying, ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this Land; BUT IT IS BECAUSE of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you.” (DEUTERONOMY 9:3,4) God sent the descendants of Abraham into Egypt for 400 years because “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” (GENESIS 15:16) But after 400 more years of corruption - the people of the Levant had become so wicked that God now sentenced them to death through the Divine disasters and the sword of Israel He brought upon them. And to show God’s fairness - He later displaced the Israelites from the Levant for their sins (read II KINGS 17). But because of the promise He made to Abraham, about the Levant belonging to Israel forever, God inspired Persian King Cyrus to write a decree allowing Judah to return to their lands and rebuild (EZRA 1).

And you’ll be shocked to read that the god of the Quran also gave the Levant to the people of Israel: “We (Islam’s god is always referred to in the majesty of plural) gave the persecuted people (the Jews) dominion over the Eastern & Western Lands which we had blessed (The East & West Banks of the Jordan River). Thus your Lord’s gracious word was fulfilled for the Israelites, because they had endured with fortitude; and We destroyed the edifices and towers of Pharoah and his people.” (Surah 7:137) There’s also this in the Quran: “We settled the Israelites in a blessed Land and provided them with good things.” (Surah 10:93)

So what does your Bible say prophetically about Israel and the people of Gaza? Is this war between Israel and Gaza the beginning of the ‘End Times’ prophesied in Scripture? Watch our television program by the title ‘Israeli-Palestinian War prophesied?’ when it debuts on YOUTUBE Saturday October 21st to find the answers to these questions! Just type the words ORIGINAL CHRISTIANITY in the search line on YOUTUBE and you’ll see this and other titles of programs.

Rational Beliefs & Behavior

Are you insane? Are you crazy? Are you out of your mind? These are questions we ask ourselves and others whenever we say or do something irrational. A rational person believes and acts according to reason - that is they have a sound basis for their beliefs and behavioral choices. An irrational person, by contrast, has no sound basis for their beliefs and behaviors - they act impulsively, erratically, and emotionally - with few proven beliefs.

Today, such clarity between rationality and irrationality has been muddied, blurred and confused by Academia, the Media, and the entertainment industry.

So what about you? Do you have valid, proven, sound reasons behind what you believe and how you behave?What does your Bible have to say about rationality and irrationality? How can you develop a sound mind like that of Jesus Christ?

The trial of Jesus Christ before His death, is a Biblical example of irrational behavior: “Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. But they shouted, saying, ‘Crucify Him, crucify Him!’ Then he said to them the third time, ‘Why, what evil has He done? I have found no REASON for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.’ But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified, and the voices of these men and chief priests (Not Reason) prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested.” (LUKE 23:20-24)

Pilate knew that this crowd had been stirred up by Jewish leaders, but his rational plea was ignored by an irrational crowd. So he finally gave into their demands, just as many political and religious leaders do to crowds today! Your Bible says: “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil.” (EXODUS 23:2) One of the greatest evils there is played out here: Sentencing an innocent man to death!

Scripture tells us: “Surely oppression destroys a wise man’s REASON…” (ECCLESIASTES 7:7) We live in a nation that is increasingly oppressing free speech in schools, Social Media, athletics and the public square. Reasoning, public debate and discussion of all points of view are frowned upon. Conservative speakers are rarely invited to Universities and Colleges, but when they are, they’re often booed off the stage before they can even make their presentation.

Contrast that tyrannical approach with that of Almighty God: “Come now and let us REASON together, says the Lord…” (ISAIAH 1:18) And in a similar text: “Present your case,’ says the Lord. Bring forth your strong REASONS, says the King of Jacob.” (ISAIAH 41:21)

The Original Christians never forced their beliefs on anyone, but rather encouraged debate and discussion. Scripture tells us: “Now as he (Paul) REASONED about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix (Roman Governor) was afraid and answered, ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” (ACTS 24:25) The Biblical message Christians bring is based on sound reasoning, which makes some people uncomfortable enough to want to censor it.

The Apostle Peter encouraged people saying, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a REASON for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” (I PETER 3:15)

The Bible describes irrational people as fools: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.” (PSALM 14:1) It also refers to them as ‘Leftists’: “The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left… Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips. At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked MADNESS - and fools multiply words.” (ECCLESIASTES 10:2,12,14 NIV)

Horns Vs. Blacksmiths - Zechariah's 2nd Vision

The world, failed to recognize God’s first warning about the impending doom that is about to come upon Mankind. I’m talking about the fulfillment of Zechariah’s first vision - in which he saw a Horseman, who was soon surrounded by other horsemen who are sent by God to walk to and fro on the earth - after which they reported one simple statement: ‘ALL THE EARTH IS RESTING QUIETLY.’

The Worldwide shutdown of all non-essential businesses, along with Global Government Shelter-in-place orders in the Spring of 2020 - was an unprecedented event in Human History! The decibel level generated by Mankind during that shutdown probaably dropped by 80% of normal - causing the whole earth to rest quietly. Never before have nations around the world engaged in such a simultaneous lock-down of their populations!

The great, merciful God has given us a ‘Calm before the Storm’ of catastrophic events to come. When Zechariah’s 2nd vision is fulfilled and all peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues begin living under the tyrannical reign of the Beast - people will long nostalgically for the quiet restful period ushered in by Zechariah’s 1st vision, fulfilled by the Covid-19 Shutdowns!

So what is Zechariah’s 2nd Vision all about? “Then I (Zechariah) looked and saw 4 animal Horns. ‘What are these?’ I asked the Angel. He replied, ‘They represent the 4 world powers that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.’ Then the Lord showed me 4 Blacksmiths. ‘What are these men come to do?’ I asked. The Angel replied, ‘They have come to take hold of the 4 Horns that scattered Judah so terribly, and to pound them on the anvil and throw them away.” (ZECHARIAH 1:18-21 TLV) This text, full of prophetic imagery raises some questions: ‘Who or what do the 4 Horns & the 4 Blacksmiths symbolize? When will this scattering of the Holy people occur? Where else in Scripture do we find groupings of four that might be connected to these characters?

Your Bible speaks of horns as symbols of nations and their military power: “The Horn of Moab is cut off and his arm is broken.” (JEREMIAH 48:25) “Concerning the tribe of Joesph HE said… ‘He is a young bull in strength and splendor, with the strong horns of a wild Ox to push against the nations everywhere…” (DEUTER.33:13,17)

The only other place in Scripture where we find a grouping of 4 Horns is in the 7th chapter of Daniel: “After this I (Daniel) saw in the night visions and behold, a 4th Beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the Beasts that were before it and it had 10 Horns. I was considering the Horns and there was another Horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom 3 of the first Horns were plucked up by the roots (3 + 1 = 4). And there in this Horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking pompous words.” So important is this grouping of 4 Horns, that God has Daniel repeat this mantra of 1 Horn plucking up, felling (7:19,20) and subduing 3 Kings (7:23-27) - three times in a row!

In the subsequent chapter, Daniel sees new symbols - but with the ‘Little Horn’ once again prominent: “Therefore the male goat (Greece 8:21) grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn (History says: Alexander the Great) was broken, and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven (History says Alexander’s empire was divided between 4 of his Generals). And out of one of them came a Little Horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land (Israel).”

Since this ‘Little Horn’ expands his power to the south, east, and Israel (Southwest) - He is obviously coming out of the northern division of Alexander’s empire - equating him with the ‘King of the North’ in the eyes of many Theologians. This ‘King of the North’ built his capital in Antioch which is now in modern day Turkey. If you google a map of his Seleucid Kingdom you’ll see that it includes territory that is now modern day Syria, Iran and Iraq. Intriguingly, that means that modern day Turkey (the King of the North & Little Horn) would have to pluck up and subdue these 3 kingdoms in order to restore the King of the North territory! Turkey is poised to do just that with tanks and infantry already across the Iraqi and Syrian borders fighting terrorism. When the war prophesied to come against Elam (Modern day Iran - Jeremiah 49:35-) occurs - Turkey will be able to roll right in and subdue Syria, Iran, and Iraq. This will be the next great prophetic event, when God will bring the 4 winds (Sunni Islam) against Iran (Center of Shia Islam).

Following this religious civil war in the Middle East will be the fulfillment of Zechariah’s 2nd vision as the 4 Horns (Turkey + the subdued kings of Syria, Iraq and Iran) take over the Middle East and scatter Israel: “At the time of the End, the King of the South (Egypt) shall attack him; and the King of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall enter the Glorious Land (Israel - just as the Little Horn DAN.8) and many countries shall be overthrown…” (DANIEL 11:40,41)

When this happens, the deadly wound administered to the Ottoman (Islamic) Empire by the English & French in World War I will be healed, and Turkey will reign over 400 million people (population of the E.U.) control 2/3 of the world’s oil through OPEC, control the strategic Suez Canal, and confiscate all the weaponry of the Middle East, including Israel’s nukes.

Who will finally stop this Beastial empire? Christ and the 4 Blacksmiths He commands! We’ve just looked at the powerful foursome pictured by the 4 Horns that will invade and scatter Israel - so where do we find a powerful foursome that work for Christ? Study Ezekiel 1 with Revelation 4 and you’ll learn about the 4 living creatures stationed at God’s throne. Ezekiel 10 calls them Cherubim. Under Christ’s direction this foursome take turns telling John about the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Likely the 4 Horns REV.6); Seal the Saints (REV.7); Battle and kill the 200 million man army (Armageddon REV.9); and give the 7 bowls of God’s final wrath against the Beast to 7 angels to pour out REV.15).

Islam proudly proclaims that their god gave Mankind IRON (Surah 57:25), and that since 57 FE is one isotope of 4 that make up IRON - the IRON chapter proves the validity of the Quran.

In a prophecy against Israel God says: “Can anyone break iron, THE NORTHERN IRON and the BRONZE? Your (Israel’s) wealth and your treasures I (God) will give as plunder without price, because of your sins, throughout your territories.” (JEREMIAH 15:12,13)

Remember that the Little Horn (King of the North) comes out of one of the 4 divisions of the Greek empire. Greece is symbolized by the color BRONZE in the great image king Nebuchadnezzar sees (DANIEL 2:32).

The prophet Zechariah is told in his 2nd Vision that the 4 Blacksmiths (4 Living Creatures stationed at God’s throne) will pound the 4 Horns (symbolized by IRON & BRONZE) on the Anvil and throw them away.

According to the book of Revelation - that’s exactly what the 4 Living Creatures do to the Beast in the latter days! If you want more details - watch our ORIGINAL CHRISITIANITY T.V. program at Youtube entitled: ‘Horns VS. Blacksmiths.’

Required REST

REST! It’s essential to Human health, boosting the effectiveness of our immune systems, and reducing the negative effects of stress. REST is also helpful to our hearts, improving cardiovascular function by lowering damaging levels of cortisol in our bodies, and maintaining proper blood pressure. REST is also vital to our Mental health, improving concentration and recall, while aiding with mood and body rhythm.

In a 2015 survey of 18,000 people from 134 Countries, 68% of participants said they don’t feel they get enough rest. Isn’t it ironic that we live in a ‘restless world’ when the first ritual Almighty God gave Mankind was the 6 Day work week - followed by a mandatory ‘Day of Rest’? We all see the benefits of momentary rest: pausing, sitting, napping - but few see the value of a ‘Day of Rest.’

In the book of Genesis we read: “On the 7th day God ended His work which He had done and He rested on the 7th day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the 7th day and sanctified it (set it apart), because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

God then went on to codify this act as part of the 10 commandments: “REMEMBER the Sabbath Day, to keep it HOLY. Six days you shall LABOR and do all your work, but the 7th Day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them and rested the 7th day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day and hallowed it.” (EXODUS 20:8-11)

Most people are familiar with this 4th Commandment, but few know the principles behind it! Remember that principles are the reasons behind the rules. The most obvious principle behind the Sabbath Law is RENEWAL. All physical things need the renewal that comes from cyclical rest. The Federal Labor Department recognized this decades ago - suggesting that all employers give their employees a 15 minute rest break for every 4 hours worked. Ironically, some employees ignored the break, choosing to keep on working, so some states made the ‘rest break’ mandatory! Renewal means to bring back to an original state of vigor & energy. So when people go 7 days a week either working or partying till the wee hours of the morning - they’re damaging their health & longevity, and not allowing their bodies to rejuvenate.

REMEMBRANCE is also a principle behind God’s giving of the Sabbath! By sanctifying the 7th day from the very beginning, God’s intention was that Mankind observe it and always be REMINDED of our origins. Again it’s ironic that the one commandment that starts with the word REMEMBER - is the one most forgotten and ignored! Moses was inspired to write: “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the power to get wealth…” (DT.8:18) If all of Mankind had oberved the Sabbath down through the centuries - there would be only one religion and everyone know who their Creator is!

A 3rd principle behind God’s giving of the Sabbath cycle is to teach us the concept of HOLINESS. While few things are still considered sacred today, most people still view houses of worship as ‘holy places’ not to be vandalized, or entered into irreverently. Most people also treat a man or woman of the cloth as special holy representations of a certain religion. The last 2 words of the 4th commandment concern the ‘hallowing’ of the 7th day - which means to make it holy. ‘Holy time’ was set apart by God to teach us to revere God and His authority over our time, our money, our diets and our bodies. Your bible says that without holiness - no one will see God! Revering the Sabbath as holy time trains our hearts and minds to be careful about what we think, say and do in relation to God and others - that hopefully extends into the 6 day work week.

Another principle inherent in the 4th Commandment is FULFILLMENT from LABOR. People forget the phrase ‘6 days shall work be done” in the Sabbath commandment which forms part of the Judeo-Christian work ethic dominant in the western Christian world. As your Bible says, “Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I (Solomon) saw, was from the hand of God.” (ECCLESIASTES 2:24) Of course it was from God! - because He’s the one who set the 6 day work week ‘in the beginning.’

Two more related principles behind God’s giving of this REST commandment is the importance of REVIEW and EVALUATION: “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” (GEN.1:31) When was the last time you reviewed & evaluated your last 6 working days as God did? My wife and I try to do this every Sabbath, and in the process we’re able to revel in the good that came from our work and also evaluate our individual & joint effectiveness. In this review process, the memories of our lives are more deeply etched in our minds, our spirits are lifted by what went well, and we’re able to address and learn from our mistakes.

The 7th principle behind observing the Sabbath is KINDNESS: to your kids, employees, and animals - as they all get the day off! Slave-owners worked their slaves 7 days a week, which was cruel and unjust. But as the Scripture says: “Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.” (COL.4:1) God gave Mankind the 7th day of every week off to recover and rejuvenate, Man should do the same with their kids, employees and animals. The book of Proverbs says: “A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” (PR.12:10)

One principle behind the 4th commandment that is found outside the Decalogue, is UNITY: “Six days shall work be done, but the 7th day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation (gathering to worship).” (LEVITICUS 23:3) Gathering to group worship builds a bond between us and God, and between brothers and sisters of Christ! That’s why the Apostle Paul admonished, “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…” (HEB.10:24-25) King David was inspired to write: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” (PSALM 133:1) God Almighty intended to build unity in the ‘Body of Christ’ by making it mandatory for people to gather every 7th day and worship Him together.

But the most important principle behind this 4th rule in the 10 commandments is that God is WORTHY of our undivided attention on the 7th Day that He set apart for us to focus on our Creator: “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord, honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord and I will cause you to ride on the high hills.” (ISAIAH 58:13,14)

The United Nations estimates that about a third of the world’s soils are degraded because of over-farming and over-grazing. That would not be the case if the land was given a regular Sabbath rest as God Almighty commanded: “Six years you shall sow your field and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather its fruit; but in the 7th year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the land. “ (LEV.25:3) This land rest is so important to God that He listed Israel’s negligence of this law as a major reason why He allowed them to be taken into captivity. (II CHRONICLES 36:20,21)

So there’s rest for the body, rest for the soil, and also rest from war: “The Lord gave them (Israel) rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; The Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.” (JOSHUA 21:44)

There’s also internal rest needed by every Human Being: “Come to Me (Jesus), all you who are wearied and burdened and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me… and you will find rest for your souls.” (MATTHEW 11:28,29)

But the weekly Sabbath is also a harbinger of an extraordinary REST to come: “Therefore, since the promise of entering HIS REST still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it… For somewhere He has spoken about the 7th Day in these words: ‘On the 7th Day God rested from all His works…’ For if Joshua had given them REST, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains then, a Sabbath-REST for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s REST also rests from their works just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter THAT REST, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.” (HEBREWS 4)

The Apostle Peter said that with God - one day is as a 1000 years (II PETER 3:8) And the book of Revelation says that Christ is going to reign over all nations for a 1000 years (REVELATION 20:4-6)

So chapter four of Hebrews is telling us that the weekly Sabbath foreshadows a 1000 year REST from war that we can enter into - if we cease from our works every 7th Day as God did from His.

Isaiah was inspired to write: “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before Me… From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, ALL MANKIND will come and bow down before Me, says the Lord.” (ISAIAH 66:22,23)

So start now to give your body, mind and soul the REST God intended you to have - live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God - including the 4th Commandment!