Nebuchadnezzar’s edict There are plenty of bad guys in the Bible—people who disobeyed God and inflicted much pain and suffering upon others. But there is only one such person whose words comprise an entire chapter in the Bible. This person is the king who destroyed the temple in Jerusalem and carried thousands of Jews captive to Babylon—King Nebuchadnezzar.
While most people, especially kings, don’t like to admit their faults, King Nebuchadnezzar had an experience that led him to share his mistake and punishment from God via an edict written to all nations and peoples. God ensured that this king’s message was recorded in His Word because it still has relevance for us today.
Learn the details in the article “The Gospel According to Nebuchadnezzar.”
Interpretation of dreams Two of the ways God communicated with people in the Old Testament were through dreams and visions. These closely related means of communication figure prominently in the book of Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel are the primary individuals with whom God communicated in the book of Daniel.
A key principle related to these messages from God is that when God sends such a message, He also provides a means for clearly understanding what has been communicated. Approximately eight of these instances are found in the book of Daniel.
To see a chart listing these occurrences and further explanation of how Christians should view dreams today, see the article “Interpretation of Dreams.”
Daniel’s friends: Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego Few people know Daniel’s three friends by their original Hebrew names: Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. Fewer still know what their Babylonian names mean and why they were likely given these names.
Although Daniel’s three friends also served with him in King Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian government, they are likely best known for their example of faith in refusing to bow down to an image created by the king.
After being told that they would be thrown into a fiery furnace if they did not worship the image, the three respectfully told the monarch that they would not do so. They explained that their God could save them, but even if He did not, they would not bow down to the king’s image.
While understanding the background of the names of Daniel’s friends is interesting information, these men’s outstanding examples of faith are much more important. Their tests of faith in regard to their diets and threats of the loss of their lives remain as timeless encouragement for us today to live similarly.
Nebuchadnezzar’s statue The book of Daniel contains much prophecy—some that has been fulfilled and some that will be fulfilled in the future. The prophecy in this book begins in chapter 2 with King Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonian Empire receiving a strange dream of a great image. God, through Daniel, revealed that this dream meant that three great world-ruling empires would follow after the Babylonian Empire.
New Call-to-action The successive empires following Babylon did occur. We now await a revival of the last empire noted in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream—a revival that is prophesied to exist at Christ’s return. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream indicates that when Jesus returns to earth, another kingdom will conquer all the human governments and remain forever. Other prophecies make it clear that this kingdom is the coming Kingdom of God.
Overlooked by many, this prophecy was an important part of Jesus’ teaching when He came to earth as a human. As Mark 1:14 explains: “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” In other words, the prophecy God gave through Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was relevant in Jesus’ day—and it continues to be relevant today.
There’s more to it than Daniel in the lions’ den. The prophecies of Daniel outline events down to today. What are the keys to understanding the book of Daniel?
Who was Daniel in the Bible? Roughly 2,600 years ago a Judean teenager was taken captive by the rapidly ascending Babylonian Empire—a governmental juggernaut of unstoppable military strength, great wealth and technological advancement. While such an event normally led to a life of misery as a slave, God had something else in mind for this young man.
Daniel—the teenager who had been taken captive—came to realize that God was miraculously working with him, and not just to preserve his life. God was revealing through him major prophecies of future world-ruling empires.
As a resident of the world’s premier capital city and an honored wise man in King Nebuchadnezzar’s court, Daniel demonstrated God’s superiority over the pagan gods of Babylon. He also left a legacy of faithful obedience to God in spite of grave trials and difficulty.
Here are some of the key issues regarding the book of Daniel that are covered in articles in this section of our website.
The book of Daniel The book of Daniel is one of the most intriguing books in the Old Testament. Because its author, Daniel, was recognized for his wisdom (Daniel 1:17; 2:14), his work is included in the Writings section, also called the wisdom section, of the Old Testament in the Jewish canon.
Today we find the book of Daniel in the prophets section of the Old Testament in English Bibles, and this location is supported by Christ’s recognition of Daniel as a prophet (Matthew 24:15) and by the similarities between the book of Daniel and the New Testament book of Revelation.
Not only do both Daniel and Revelation contain end-time prophecy, but both books are also written in a similar style, known as apocalyptic writing.
Another little-known fact about the book of Daniel is that approximately half of it was written in Hebrew (as were the other books of the Old Testament), and approximately half of it in Aramaic, another language used only sparsely in the Bible. Daniel has the largest collection of Scripture that was originally written in Aramaic.
The Dead Sea Scrolls and Israel The world discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1948. This was the same year as the modern revival of Israel into a nation after almost 2000 years of Jewish exile. The timing of these two central events of the 20th century, being the same year, makes their remarkable re-entry to our world even seem scheduled by a Higher Power. Even just in their discovery, the Dead Sea Scrolls hint that The Mind foreordaining Jesus’ coming thousands of years ago seems to be still organizing events today.
Significance of Dead Sea Scrolls for Textual Criticism With the discovery and publication of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the mid-twentieth century the whole world witnessed a monumental event in Textual Criticism. In basically one instant, the Dead Sea Scrolls pushed the Old Testament Hebrew text 1000 years back in time. This raised the intriguing question: Had the Hebrew text of the Old Testament changed during this 1000 year period from 100 BCE to 900 CE? Europe at this time had built its civilization over the preceding 1500 years based upon the Old Testament. Had that text been changed or altered during its history? The Dead Sea Scrolls could shed light on this question. So what did they find?
“These confirm the accuracy of the Masoretic Text… Except for a few instances where spelling and grammar differ between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Masoretic Text, the two are amazingly similar.”
M.R. Norton. 1992. Manuscripts of the Old Testament in The Origin of the Bible.
Dead Sea Scrolls in the Timeline of the Old Testament Manuscripts Scholars found almost no change in the Hebrew between the Masoretic Text and the Dead Sea Scrolls, though they jumped back 1000 years. In comparison, consider how much the English language has changed in the last 700 years, yet the remarkable Hebrew text remained static over such a great length of time.
The Psalms Scroll Significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls for the Bible’s Integrity The Dead Sea Scrolls support the Bible’s primary claim to authenticity. The New Testament claims that Jesus fulfills God’s Plan announced since the beginning of human history. The many Old Testament prophecies fulfilled by him throughout his life provides a central proof, or evidence, for this claim. The reasoning is as simple as it is logical. No human, no matter how clever, educated, or knowledgeable knows the future, especially when looking hundreds of years ahead. But God does know, and even sets up, the future. So if we find writings that correctly prophesy minute details of monumental events hundreds of years into the future they must have been inspired by God rather than merely thought up by men. You can think of the Old Testament prophecies forming a lock, waiting for a key to ‘fit’ into the lock to open it. Jesus claimed to be that key.
Genesis 1:1-8 From the Dead Sea Scrolls Photograph: The Israel Antiquities Authority, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons However, before the Dead Sea Scrolls, we did not have definitive proof that these prophecies were actually in writing before the events that they foresaw. Some dismissed them by arguing, for example, that perhaps the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus were ‘inserted’ into the Old Testament say in 200 CE. Since no Hebrew Old Testament text before 900 CE existed, that objection could not be quickly refuted. But with the Dead Sea Scrolls we find these prophecies had indeed been written down at the very latest by 100 BCE, 130 years before Jesus taught, performed miracles, and resurrected from the dead.
The Old Testament Prophecies in the Dead Sea Scrolls So the Dead Sea Scrolls prove that the prophecies were in print before Jesus fulfilled them. The prophecies found in the Dead Sea Scrolls include:
The coming Seed of the Woman The location of Jesus’ sacrifice The day in the calendar of Jesus’ sacrifice The day in the calendar of Jesus’ resurrection The details of Jesus’ crucifixion, including the piercing of his hands and feet The significance of Jesus’ sacrifice as one who will carry our sins The resurrection of Jesus The coming virgin birth The name of Jesus predicted The year that Jesus would be revealed as the Messiah The daily events of Passion Week The coming ‘Son of Man’ The Dead Sea Scrolls and Israel The world discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1948. This was the same year as the modern revival of Israel into a nation.
The Qumran Caves (Cave #4) In 1948, Palestinian shepherds discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls hidden in caves by the shores of the Dead Sea in Qumran. A shepherd boy had thrown some stones into the mouth of a cave higher up in the face of a cliff. He then heard the sound of clay jars breaking from the impact of the stones. Intrigued, he climbed up the cliffs and found the sealed clay jars with the Dead Sea Scrolls inside. The Dead Sea Scrolls contained Hebrew manuscripts of all the books of the Old Testament, except the Book of Esther. Scholars date their composition between 250 and 100 BCE.
Dead Sea Scrolls in the Timeline of the Old Testament Manuscripts Significance of Dead Sea Scrolls for Textual Criticism With the discovery and publication of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the mid-twentieth century the whole world witnessed a monumental event in Textual Criticism. In basically one instant, the Dead Sea Scrolls pushed the Old Testament Hebrew text 1000 years back in time. This raised the intriguing question: Had the Hebrew text of the Old Testament changed during this 1000 year period from 100 BCE to 900 CE? Europe at this time had built its civilization over the preceding 1500 years based upon the Old Testament. Had that text been changed or altered during its history? The Dead Sea Scrolls could shed light on this question. So what did they find?
“These confirm the accuracy of the Masoretic Text… Except for a few instances where spelling and grammar differ between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Masoretic Text, the two are amazingly similar.”
M.R. Norton. 1992. Manuscripts of the Old Testament in The Origin of the Bible. Dead Sea Scrolls in the Timeline of the Old Testament Manuscripts Scholars found almost no change in the Hebrew between the Masoretic Text and the Dead Sea Scrolls, though they jumped back 1000 years. In comparison, consider how much the English language has changed in the last 700 years, yet the remarkable Hebrew text remained static over such a great length of time.
The Psalms Scroll Photograph: The Israel Antiquities Authority, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls for the Bible’s Integrity The Dead Sea Scrolls support the Bible’s primary claim to authenticity. The New Testament claims that Jesus fulfills God’s Plan announced since the beginning of human history. The many Old Testament prophecies fulfilled by him throughout his life provides a central proof, or evidence, for this claim. The reasoning is as simple as it is logical. No human, no matter how clever, educated, or knowledgeable knows the future, especially when looking hundreds of years ahead. But God does know, and even sets up, the future. So if we find writings that correctly prophesy minute details of monumental events hundreds of years into the future they must have been inspired by God rather than merely thought up by men. You can think of the Old Testament prophecies forming a lock, waiting for a key to ‘fit’ into the lock to open it. Jesus claimed to be that key.
Genesis 1:1-8 From the Dead Sea Scrolls Photograph: The Israel Antiquities Authority, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons However, before the Dead Sea Scrolls, we did not have definitive proof that these prophecies were actually in writing before the events that they foresaw. Some dismissed them by arguing, for example, that perhaps the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus were ‘inserted’ into the Old Testament say in 200 CE. Since no Hebrew Old Testament text before 900 CE existed, that objection could not be quickly refuted. But with the Dead Sea Scrolls we find these prophecies had indeed been written down at the very latest by 100 BCE, 130 years before Jesus taught, performed miracles, and resurrected from the dead.
The Dead Sea Scrolls and Old Testament Reliability
by ragoborn@gmail.comMarch 9, 2023 We previously looked at the basic principles used in the discipline of Textual Criticism. We then applied these principles to the New Testament. By these measures the New Testament reliability exceeds that of any other ancient book.
But what about the books of the Old Testament? Are they as reliable and unchanged as the New Testament? What role do the Dead Sea Scrolls play in this? The Old Testament: An Ancient Library The Old Testament’s uniqueness comes in several ways. First it should be thought of more as a library since many authors wrote the various books of the Old Testament. Second, they wrote them a very long time ago. To appreciate the immense antiquity of the Old Testament writings, we compare them in a timeline with other ancient writings:
Historical Timeline with Major Biblical Characters The timeline above places Abraham, Moses, David and Isaiah in history. They are the major characters of the Old Testament. Compare where they sit on the timeline with Thucydides and Herodotus, whom historians consider the earliest ‘Fathers of History’. Herodotus and Thucydides only lived when Malachi wrote the final Old Testament book. Their writings only looked back about 100 years before their time to conflicts between Greek city states, and between Greece and Persia. Other important historical persons and events like the founding of Rome, Alexander the Great, and the Buddha all come much later than the Old Testament characters. Essentially, the rest of the world only woke up to history when the Old Testament added its final books to its rather extensive collection. Textual Criticism of the Old Testament Masoretic Text The authors of the 39 Old Testament books wrote between 1500 BCE and 400 BCE. They wrote in Hebrew with small portions in the later books written in Aramaic. The blue band shows the 1100 year period when the various Old Testament books were written (1500 – 400 BCE):
Timeline of the Old Testament Masoretic Manuscript These original writings are preserved today in Hebrew manuscript copies known as the Masoretic Text. Modern Bible translators use the Masoretic Text to translate the Hebrew Old Testament into today’s languages. So using the principles of Textual Criticism (see here for details), how reliable is the Masoretic Text? The Earliest Existing Masoretic Copies Manuscript Date of Composition Codex Cairensis 895 CE Aleppo Codex 950 CE Codex Sassoon 1000 CE Codex Leningradensis 1008 CE So you can see that the earliest existing Masoretic manuscripts date only starting from 895 CE. If we put these manuscripts in a timeline with the original writings of the Old Testament, we are given the following:
Timeline of the Old Testament Masoretic Manuscript You can also see that the interval between the date of composition and the earliest existing copies (the primary principle in Textual Criticism) exceeds 1000 years.
Leather Scroll Fastenings Tabs and thongs like these may have been used to bind and secure individual scrolls. The fastening method is thought to consist of a slotted tab folded over the edge of the scroll (see "Prayer for King Jonathan" scroll fragment) with a thong inserted through the tab's slot. The thong then could be tied around the scroll. Fasteners were generally made of leather and were prepared in different sizes. The leather thongs may have also been used in the making of phylacteries.
Reference: Carswell, J. "Fastenings on the Qumran Manuscripts." In Qumran Grotte 4:II. Discoveries in the Judaean Desert, VI, pp. 23-28 and plates. Oxford, 19
Jar with Lid. Pottery. First century B.C.E.-first century C.E. KhQ 1474. Lid: Height 5 cm (2 in.), diameter 17.8 cm (7 in.) Jar: Height 49.8 cm (19 1/2 in.), diameter 24 cm (9 3/8 in.) Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority (57, 58)
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Textiles The textiles shown here are two out of scores of pieces collected together with scrolls and other objects from the floor of the Qumran Cave 1 in the spring of 1949. The textiles were examined at the H. M. Norfolk Flax Establishment in England, and the material was identified as linen. A total of seventy-seven pieces, plain and decorated, were cataloged and described by the renowned textile expert Grace M. Crowfoot.
It is possible that all of the cloths found at Qumran are linked with the scrolls. Some of them were certainly scroll wrappers; the remains of one scroll was found wrapped in a small square of linen. Other cloths, found folded into pads, may have formed a packing for worn-out scrolls inside the scroll jars. Still other pieces--with corners twisted or bound with linen cord--may have been used as protective covers, tied over the jar tops.
The wrapped scrolls may have been concealed in the cave at a time of national panic or simply buried, as was a common practice, when they wore out. The condition of the cloths would coincide with either suggestion.
Reference: Crowfoot, G. M. "The Linen Textiles." In Qumran Cave I. Discoveries in the Judaean Desert, I, pp. 18-38. Oxford, 1955.
This cloth is cut along three sides, rolled and oversewn with a single thread; the fourth edge has a corded starting border in twining technique, followed by a woven strip and an open unwoven space. It was found folded into a pad and was probably used as packing material for discarded scrolls.
Linen Cloth. First century B.C.E.-first century C.E. 7Q, cloth 30 Length 35.5 cm (13 7/8 in.), width 24 cm (9 3/8 in.) Counts: 14x14, 13x13, and in one place 16x14 threads per cm. Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority (76)
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The edges of this cloth are cut, rolled, and whipped on two opposite sides with single thread. On the other two sides, a double thread was used. Two corners are twisted, and the third has a piece of string knotting it, indicating that it was probably used as a cover for a scroll jar.
Reference: Discoveries in the Judaean Desert, I, pp. 33-34. Oxford, 1955.
Linen Cloth. First century B.C.E.-first century C.E. 1Q, cloth 15. Length 29 cm (11 15/16 in.), width 25 cm (9 3/4 in.) Counts: 17x13 threads per cm. Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority (75)
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Archaeological sites near the Dead Sea include Masada, Ein Gedi, and Qumran (where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found).
Map of the Dead Sea Region Bookmark this item: //www.loc.gov/exhibits/scrolls/intr.html#objdsmap
The Psalms Scroll This scroll fragment was displayed in the exhibit at the Library of Congress, May-August 1993. It was provided courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The exhibit caption and translation provide background on the fragment and its relationship with the other Dead Sea Scrolls, the Qumran Community, and its Library. The Psalms Scroll This impressive scroll is a collection of psalms and hymns, comprising parts of forty-one biblical psalms (chiefly form chapters 101-50), in non-canonical sequence and with variations in detail. It also presents previously unknown hymns, as well as a prose passage about the psalms composed by King David.
One of the longer texts to be found at Qumran, the manuscript was found in 1956 in Cave 11 and unrolled in 1961. Its surface is the thickest of any of the scrolls--it may be of calfskin rather than sheepskin, which was the more common writing material at Qumran. The script is on the grain side of the skin. The scroll contains twenty-eight incomplete columns of text, six of which are ... More
Tehillim. 11QPs. The Psalms Scroll (with transcription). Parchment. Copied ca. 30 - 50 C.E. Height 18.5 cm (7 1/4 in.), length 86 cm (33 3/4 in.) Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority (5)
Read the translation
Bookmark this item: //www.loc.gov/exhibits/scrolls/intr.html#obj5 Artifacts from the Qumran Site These artifacts from the Qumran Site were included in the exhibit at the Library of Congress, May - August 1993. They were provided courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The exhibit captions provide background on the objects and their relationship with the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Qumran Community, and its Library.
Scroll Jar Some of the scrolls found by Bedouin shepherds in 1947 were discovered in cylindrical pottery jars of this type, which are unknown elsewhere. Many authorities consider the discovery of these unique vessels in the Qumran excavations as well as in the caves, as convincing evidence of the link between the settlement and the caves. These jars, like the other pottery vessels recovered at Qumran, were probably manufactured locally.
The World of the Scrolls, the Death Sea Scrolls; In 1947, young Bedouin shepherds, searching for a stray goat in the Judean Desert, entered a long-untouched cave and found jars filled with ancient scrolls. That initial discovery by the Bedouins yielded seven scrolls and began a search that lasted nearly a decade and eventually produced thousands of scroll fragments from eleven caves. During those same years, archaeologists searching for a habitation close to the caves that might help identify the people who deposited the scrolls, excavated the Qumran ruin, a complex of structures located on a barren terrace between the cliffs where the caves are found and the Dead Sea.
Within a fairly short time after their discovery, historical, paleographic, and linguistic evidence, as well as carbon-14 dating, established that the scrolls and the Qumran ruin dated from the third century B.C.E. to 68 C.E. They were indeed ancient! Coming from the late Second Temple Period, a time when Jesus of Nazareth lived, they are older than any other surviving manuscripts of the Hebrew Scriptures by almost one thousand years.
Since their discovery nearly half a century ago, the scrolls and the identity of the nearby settlement have been the object of great scholarly and public interest, as well as heated debate and controversy. Why were the scrolls hidden in the caves? Who placed them there? Who lived in Qumran? Were its inhabitants responsible for the scrolls and their presence in the caves? Of what significance are the scrolls to Judaism and Christianity?
This exhibition presents twelve Dead Sea Scroll fragments and archaeological artifacts courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority as well as supplementary materials from the Library of Congress. It is designed to retell the story of the scrolls' discovery; explore their archaeological and historical context; introduce the scrolls themselves; explore the various theories concerning the nature of the Qumran community; and examine some of the challenges facing modern researchers as they struggle to reconstruct the scrolls from the tens of thousands of fragments that remain. The Dead Sea The Dead Sea is located in Israel and Jordan, about 15 miles east of Jerusalem. It is extremely deep (averaging about 1,000 feet), salty (some parts containing the highest amount of salts possible), and the lowest body of water in the world. The Dead Sea is supplied by a number of smaller streams, springs, and the Jordan River.
Because of its low elevation and its position in a deep basin, the climate of the Dead Sea area is unusual. Its very high evaporation does produce a haze yet its atmospheric humidity is low. Adjacent areas to it are very arid and favorable for the preservation of materials like the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The Bible's description, in Genesis 19, of a destructive earthquake near the Dead Sea area during the time of Abraham is borne out by archaeological and historic investigation. While no evidence remains of the five cities of the plain (Zeboim, Admah, Bela or Zoar, Sodom, and Gomorrah) their sites are believed to be beneath the waters at the southern end of the sea.
Since late February 2020 the standard media never missed a heartbeat to let their readers and viewers know how disastrous the COVID-19 pandemic really is. The progressives in America want to close down the country “’til it’s safe.” They want a permanent lockdown leading to the destruction of America because it will never be “safe.” Here is a sample of the headlines on Drudge for just one day in July 2020.
“COVID-19 vaccine may never be found”
“CA, TX Biggest Death Day”
“Birx and Fauci Blame Spike on Re-opening too fast”
“Dems fear president will push vax to boost Re-elect”
“Brain damage worry”
President Trump has made it clear that America can’t stay in a lockdown mode. He’s right. What would happen to the economy, to the mental health of the population, and to the entrepreneurial spirit of American business? The president recently threatened to cut federal funds from schools that don’t reopen. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos chimed in and slammed “adults who are fear mongering and making excuses” for not reopening. Not surprisingly Bobby Scott (D-VA), the chair of the House Education Committee, said that Trump’s push to “prematurely reopen” schools ignored the health experts and was “dangerous.”
We have to face the fact that the real pandemic in America is not a virus but the will of a surprisingly influential group that wishes the death of America and has manipulated the public with fear.
History may eventually conclude that this was one of the biggest mistakes ever made by free people in the history of free people making mistakes. … While American youth are tearing down statues of our founding fathers, the communist mass murderer Mao Zedong is enjoying renewed adoration among Chinese youth.
Speaking to the Hudson Institute in Washington, DC, as reported by bbc.com (1/8/20), FBI director Christopher Wray said China has begun targeting Chinese nationals living abroad, coercing their return, and is working to compromise U.S. coronavirus research. “China is engaged in a whole-of-state effort to become the world’s only superpower by any means necessary,” Wray said.
In his presentation Wray mentioned “Fox Hunt,” a program President Xi developed to round up Chinese dissidents, rivals, and critics abroad who are seeking to expose China’s barbaric human rights violations. In one case, when the communist government couldn’t locate one Fox Hunt target, the government sent an emissary to visit the target’s family here in the United States. What was the message they said to pass on? The target had two options: “Return to China promptly, or commit suicide.”
President Trump is hated by many Americans for just this reason: he confronts evil and calls it what it is. In a politically correct world, the president’s repeated use of strong language and his penchant for bringing moral clarity to an issue sets the Democrats to writing op-ed pieces about the president’s dangerous character. They wax eloquent and question his sanity. It is deemed safer to be polite and let the thieves steal the farm than to face the fact that we are going to lose the farm because of our cowardice. The way to peace is never in retreat. A cancerous tumor needs to be removed. If not it will destroy the entire body. Dealing With Fear by Finding Shelter in Denial People with an addiction often deny the addiction. Progressive ideologues deny the threats to America’s existence by claiming that President Trump has resorted to a politics of fear for the purpose of gaining a following. They critique the president and say fear and anger are often cited by him in tandem as the method of Trump’s particular political appeal. They are so frequently paired that they become a refrain—fear and anger, fear and anger. One commentator asserted that the Republican National Convention was “a fear-fueled acid trip.” The Left claims that the president’s desire to build the wall is a good example of his politics.
However, the critics who point a finger at the president and accuse him of fear-mongering just need to look at what’s happening on the streets of America: looting, burning, a total break-down of law and order. Children being shot, buildings and businesses burning. The threat from our porous borders is real. Islamic prayer shawls and koranic literature have been found in Texas. OTMS (other than Mexicans) coming into the U.S. is a documented fact. Last year the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa wrought death to many. The news later reported that some of the illegals seeking to cross our southern border were from Central Africa. The COVID-19 crisis shows just how real the danger from our porous borders really is.
The Left never misses an opportunity to claim that Trump is a threat to peace. Bernie Sanders said, “I fear that Trump could drag us into war.” The Hill reported, “Trump has repeatedly touted the drone strike that killed Soleimani, claiming the general was directing attacks against multiple U.S. embassies. Several Democrats, however, including the 2020 hopefuls, have expressed skepticism that the general posed an imminent threat to U.S. interests.”
“America, You Are Too Young to Die” Larry Spargimino...October 5, 2020
There are some tragedies that have a way of lodging in our hearts, producing hidden images that often surface in times of crises. Forty years ago, I pastored a church in rural Tennessee. One rainy night, a distressed grandmother called and said that her granddaughter, fifteen years of age, had been killed in an auto accident. Later that evening, in trying to comfort the family, the grandmother kept on repeating the granddaughter’s name, and said, “You are too young to die.”
This past July 4th, America celebrated 244 years since the Declaration of Independence roused the sometimes-lucid King George III. We are a very young nation—too young to die.
Should a Mayor Apologize to Violent Protesters? In Fredericksburg, Virginia, a frightened woman named Tara Durant dialed 911 to report protesters swarming her and her young daughter while driving through town. That 911 call has since been released (potomoclocal.com).
“They’re on my car. They’re on my car right now,” Durant tells the 911 dispatcher.
“So we would suggest that you slowly drive through the area. Don’t hit anyone with your vehicle,” the dispatcher responds.
To that the woman says, “I can’t. I cannot get out of here, okay?”
The dispatcher then tells the caller: “Please be patient. I’ll let the officer know, OK?”
“Are you serious?” the woman who dialed 911 asks.
The dispatcher responds, “We can’t do anything, ma’am. The city told us this is a sanctioned event.”
“Get out of my car! You know, this is going to get dangerous. I got a kid here,” the woman shouts.
But the dispatcher only calmly replies, “Yes, ma’am. We would suggest you call up the city hall to let them know about your frustrations.”
Durant is then heard yelling: “Get out of the way! Get out of the way! This is getting scary! They’re on my car! They’re on my car! I’ve got a little girl in the car crying. Are you kidding me?!”
Once Fredericksburg mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw got involved, the true state of our nation became very evident. Greenlaw apologized to protesters after police tried to disperse the crowd. She wrote, “I am personally sorry. I apologize to those who went through this fearful experience.”
Note, the Mayor “apologized to protesters.” Should a mayor be apologizing to criminals? Should a city be supporting a mob and describe their activities as a “sanctioned event”? Wake Up Before It’s Too Late Americans have been living the good life and we are not used to deprivation and suffering. We think we are experiencing a disaster of epic proportions if our smart phone doesn’t work or if we have to wait more than three minutes for our bacon cheeseburger. We would rather compromise, bend, hold back on doing the right thing than doing the right thing. We hope problems would go away, and we have adjusted to the fact that they usually don’t.
Our failure to confront serious issues will be our downfall. We are still stuck with North Korea and have to tremble when the country’s fatso nuclear brat makes a threat. We’ve allowed China to steal our secrets, tap into our technology, infiltrate our centers of higher learning, and expand exponentially through the Belt and Road Initiative.
In his “End-Of-The-Day Report” (7/8/20) Gary Bauer writes: For decades, the American political class and the corporate chieftains have embraced a myth that is now disappearing before their eyes. They believed that capitalism would tame communist China, that trade with China would change China. Once hundreds of millions of Chinese started reading the financial pages to see how their stocks were doing, they would put down Mao’s Little Red Book. Or so they thought. History may eventually conclude that this was one of the biggest mistakes ever made by free people in the history of free people making mistakes. …
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 460,000 children are reported missing in the United States each year. This is only a fraction of children who go missing here and abroad. In many countries, missing children are not even reported and no statistics are kept. Canada is a far second to the United States with 45,288 children reported missing each year (www.globalmissingkids.org).
Where are these children? Frantic parents place everything on hold until they are found, or exhaust themselves and others in search of them. Many have gone into slavery of various kinds, including sex slavery. Many have been shipped off to brothels and labor farms in foreign countries, never to be heard from again.
Having been to many Muslim countries in the Middle East, I was reminded that blonde-haired girls are in high demand for sex slaves and should be guarded at all times and not be allowed to wander alone. All abductions, including those in the United States, can take only seconds but can last a lifetime for the victim and the family as well.
When I was a kid in the 1940s, abductions were seldom heard of. We were reared in a different world than exists today. Our most precious possessions are our children, and forces are at work to destroy them and the homes they came from. Stealing a child must carry the harshest penalty to curb it from happening, including the death penalty. Our children are God’s gift and our next generation of leaders and must be protected.
“Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they … shall speak with the enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:3–5).
However, the theory could have some merit. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation helps to fund a study in a public health initiative done at MIT. USA Today notes, “The team had developed an ‘approach to encode medical history on a patient’ by including a small amount of dye with a vaccine. The dye, which would be invisible to the naked eye but observable through a specialized cell phone app using infrared light, would keep a record of a child’s vaccines. The technique may be especially useful in developing countries, where record keeping is often more difficult.” Was the dye meant to be a microchip?
There is always a certain amount of truth in every conspiracy. In this case we are looking for a possible clue as to what the mark will be and how it will be distributed. If the microchip is the answer, then Satan’s helpers will need to get busy and start chipping everyone who will enter into the Tribulation period. The question is, “How will they know who to chip?” Prior to the Tribulation period the chip cannot be the “mark” because this will invariably include some Christians who are clueless as to what is happening. Will these be accepting the “mark” and not be removed at the Rapture? Will babies who are chipped be included in this group? The Rapture will separate the wheat from the tares. Those during the Tribulation who refuse the “mark” will be beheaded. Therefore, chipping could be a control device for the Antichrist. There will be nothing that will keep a born-again believer in Jesus Christ as Savior from being removed at the Rapture. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”(Romans 8:38–39). What’s Happening To Our Children One of the greatest crimes being carried out today is sex trafficking. “Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide—including right here in the United States. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations” (www.dhs.gov).
Every day on the news we hear of children—both boys and girls—who have been reported missing. Many are never found and many are found dead. Perhaps your family has been affected by this heinous crime and grievous sin. There are many stories being circulated by different groups about different important celebrities and political figures which cannot be proven because of their protected status.
However, there was one celebrity who could not be suppressed: Jeffrey Epstein. With his unmasking, publicity showed just how many Hollywood giants and high-profile politicians are involved in the industry of sex trafficking. It has been rumored that Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey, the Gates, and the Clintons are under house arrest. While the rumors are not true, this does not necessarily exempt them from guilt. This is a crime by godless individuals and should be punished as such. In Matthew 18:6, Jesus said: “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 460,000 children are reported missing in the United States each year. This is only a fraction of children who go missing here and abroad. In many countries, missing children are not even reported and no statistics are kept. Canada is a far second to the United States with 45,288 children reported missing each year (www.globalmissingkids.org).
The Implantable Microchip..................Bob Glaze...October 8, 2020 For years, many Bible students have sought after answers to the identity of the “mark of the Beast.” The first mention of a mark upon a man was Cain, who had murdered his brother Abel. The question is, “In what form was the mark?” Was the mark a physical mark, such as something like a tattoo? Or, was it a spiritual mark that conveyed to others that he was an outcast of God? In Genesis 4:15, Scripture states that a “mark” was placed upon him, not in him.
However, in the case of the “mark of the Beast” the mark is said to be placed inside the unbeliever: “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads” (Rev. 13:16). Could the tiny microchip meet the qualifications of the “mark”? The process of inserting a tiny chip into the right hand of individuals for identification has already begun.
It is well known that Biohax International of Sweden has implanted over 4,000 employees with microchips in their right hands. The process began over five years ago by a firm established by a former professional body piercer. Workers use the chip for train tickets, gym memberships, food, soft drinks, and entrance into locked doors at work. This makes punching a timeclock obsolete. Workers also use these to store their emergency contact information. The convenience it provides is catching on in European and American businesses and personal lives.
In July 2017, in River Falls, Wisconsin, fifty employees of Three Square Market voluntarily received the microchip implants (www.theatlantic.com).
In Florida, a wife had her family implanted to help with her husband’s health monitoring. There are many good reasons to get an implant, such as a person can be found who has lost his way because of dementia or other mental illnesses. A company that implants reports that company scientists are already working on a global positioning system (www.cbs.com).
However, just how common is the use of implantable microchips? According to
, there are perhaps many companies or individuals that are already voluntarily having themselves implanted. In some cases, companies may be requiring their employees to be chipped. To guard against forced chipping, Indiana passed a bill in the State House of Representatives unanimously making it illegal to force employees to receive the chip in order to keep their job. “In some cases, it’s tech-savvy workers who bring the chips to their bosses’ attention,” said Amal Graafstra, CEO of Dangerous Things, a Seattle, Washingtom-based implantable chip manufacturer and distributor, and VivoKey Technologies, a chip manufacturer.
The above noted source also stated, “Those workers—typically on the IT side of a business—get an implant for personal use. The microchip is typically inserted between the thumb and index finger. The chips Graafstra’s company sells start around $50, plus an optional $50 for insertion with an affiliated doctor or piercing expert.”
Is the introduction of human microchipping a precursor to the “mark of the Beast,” or just another step forward in future conditioning of people in order to better control them during the Tribulation period, or is it a giant conspiracy to cover-up what is really happening behind the scenes? The most notable conspiracy involves billionaire Bill Gates. It has been reported that he is donating billions of dollars to WHO to immunize the world against COVID-19. And, the vaccine is to contain a chip that will allow everyone to unknowingly be able to be controlled in the future. The part about chipping has not been proven one way or the other (www.usatoday).
6. Who and What Do I Admire? As the moral standards of our culture become further removed from biblical standards, I’ve noticed a strange phenomenon: People admire those who exhibit the worst sort of behavior. People who despise authority, mock their parents, and live outside the circle of decency and propriety are the new heroes. There is something about the way they flaunt the rules and have no regard for respecting others. They are the new moral models for an immoral culture.
Christian character can be seen in those who admire Jesus and admire those who most model His example. People who are slow to judge and condemn, who think before they answer, who show patience and kindness are regarded as wimps. Meekness is seen as weakness, but meekness is really strength under control. What kind of people are you drawn to? Whom do you admire? Answer these questions and you will experience self-discovery. 7. What Do I Laugh At? Before I was saved I laughed at jokes—and told some myself—that I would never tell now. In fact, there were two things in my life that I noticed after I was saved: a change in my language, especially when I experience anger, and the jokes I used to laugh at. They don’t produce laughter any longer—only grief.
America is at a crossroads. We need to pray fervently. We need God’s help. Without it we will perish as a nation of free men. The whole world will suffer. The Bible is clear. Good character has a lot to do with the prayers God answers. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Ps. 66:18).
We think with our minds, but we also think with our hearts and our feelings. “For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7). Examine your thinking, and especially what you think about the most. You will know a lot about yourself. 3. How Do I Use My Money? When I was a young assistant pastor, my mentor and lead pastor said, “If your pocketbook isn’t converted, neither is your heart.” Christians spend their money differently than non-Christians do. Christians support the Lord’s work. Money is not a “lord” to serve, but a means by which we serve the Lord.
Look at your garage, your home … what have you been spending your money on? No one should conclude that I am against vacations and various forms of recreation. This is not an appeal to leading an austere life of sleeping in a cave and only eating a bowl of gruel or watery porridge at mealtime. The Apostle Paul wrote, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound” (Phil. 4:11-12). Paul is not saying that we must never want change or improvement, but simply that he is not disturbed or disquieted with whatever his condition is. 4. What Do I Do With My Leisure Time? When I was touring in Germany several years ago, our guide pointed out that under communism, farmers worked from 9 to 5. If a cow was calving at 11 p.m., it didn’t matter to the farmer. The government owned the farm. Under a private ownership arrangement, however, there is no one who was responsible for the calving cow except the farmer. “Leisure time” is a rare commodity for some professions.
However, most employers allow employees vacation time. People take their vacation and are involved in a variety of pursuits. Some stay home and work through a “honey-do list”—“honey here’s a list of things I would like you to do on your vacation.” Others are quite free in what they do and where they go. Freedom can be used responsibly or irresponsibly. We all have a limited amount of time to serve God. The Bible says, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16).
Family time is a good way to use leisure time. Sometimes our schedules are so busy and cluttered that the family suffers, though we would wish that would not happen. Time for family Bible studies, looking at Christian movies together, attending special services or Christian concerts, are all valid. Leisure time is rare for some, but necessary for all. Use it wisely. 5. What Kind Of Company Do I Enjoy? The circle of your friends reveals a lot about you. We spend time with people that we are comfortable with because they are like us. We enjoy their acceptance and are glad to be a part of their group. So, who are you comfortable with? Can you speak to God about your friends or do you wish that God didn’t know about your friends?
Someone may ask, “Pastor Larry, are you saying that there are some people we should be unfriendly to? Isn’t that being stuck up and elitist?” We should never have a holier-than-thou attitude. But we have to make a distinction between an acquaintance and a friend. We all have many acquaintances. They are people we work with and go to school with. But friendship goes deeper. A true friend is someone who can encourage us when we are down, and correct us when we stray. A true friend is a person whose values mirror those values taught in the Scriptures. Friends should be chosen wisely because, as Paul reminded the Corinthians, the wrong company can corrupt the best of character (see 1 Cor. 15:33).
A Call to Self-Examination...Larry Spargimino October 8, 2020 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith” (2 Cor. 13:5).
The American church is in desperate need of revival. As we approach the November 2020 presidential election, do we meet the conditions outlined in 2 Chronicles 7:14? Notice, I wrote, “the American church.” Revival is not for left-wing protesters, abortion doctors, and progressive candidates. Revival is for the church.
The problem I am addressing is the sad state of the church. Recent surveys are showing that professing Christians live like everyone else. Evidence of Christian spirituality, in many cases, is nonexistent. The church is marked by compromise with evil, cowardice, and an attitude that basically says, “Let’s wait around and see what happens.” Bad idea. Elie Wiesel, Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor, wrote: “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
Why are so many Christians refusing to take sides in moral and political issues? Why is it that only one in four Christians even vote? Deep-seated problems of the heart. How can we find out whether or not we are spiritually sick?
I want to suggest that we all need to do some serious self-examination. I am going to use an outline that A. W. Tozer called “Rules For Self-Discovery,” with some modification. The commentary is mine. There are seven. I am going to call them “Rules For Self-Examination.”
1. What Do I Want the Most? Our cravings and desires tell us much about our spiritual condition. They are reflective of our natures. Birds want to fly, just as fish want to swim. Animals are governed by their physical needs. Look at a pasture and all the cattle have their heads down. They are not praying; they are eating.
Human beings have physical needs since we have bodies. We get tired. We get hungry. But certainly Christians are not just bodies. The Apostle Paul wrote about sanctification: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:23).
We can all agree that there is a physical part to us, as well as a spiritual, immaterial part to us. As I’ve grown in the faith, I have become more aware of how the invisible affects the visible. We are physical beings created in the image of God.
If I had a portrait taken of me the day before I was saved, and one taken the day after, there would be no significant changes. My dog did not bark at me the day before I was saved, neither did he think I was a stranger the day after I was saved. But inwardly, I was very different.
Sometimes the spiritual dimension of our being is so powerful that I would have to conclude that we are not physical beings in search of a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings in search of a physical experience. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).
What do real Christians want the most? To enjoy victory over sin and temptation; to pray for our loved ones and relatives to be saved before it is too late; to experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit; to see and enjoy reconciliation with a spouse, a child, a co-worker. Every Christian wants to see people saved and profess their faith through the waters of baptism. We all have to ask, “Are these the things that I want?” 2. What Do I Think About the Most? Philippians 4:8 makes it very plain: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
The lesson is shouting at us: “Be careful what you tolerate.” One Chinese asylum-seeker told me recently, “We thought China would become like America, but America is becoming like China!”
A Faithful Remnant In Pergamos
However, there were some in Pergamos who continued to be faithful despite the circumstances. “I know thy works … and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr” (vs. 13).
Jesus doesn’t say, “Antipas was a faithful martyr,” but rather “Antipas was my faithful martyr.” Biblical Christianity drives all potential followers away except those who are ready to face death for the cause. Are we those who have been driven away by fear? Have we lost our courage? Are even those supposedly fundamental pastors who rail at the evils of modern America nothing more than gutless entertainers whose convictions are not really convictions at all? Are these pastors infatuated by post-modernity where comfort and ease are worshipped? Being ready to take up our cross is not just a suggestion or just a possible lifestyle choice for “super-Christians,” but the command and call of our Lord (Matt. 16:24–26).
There are many stories about Antipas from antiquity. Though they are not in canonic Scripture, they are ancient. One of the stories says Antipas was martyred because he was casting out so many demons the pagans were in a rage. At any rate, his name Antipas literally means “against all.” He took an uncompromising stand for truth in a time of compromise. May we follow his example.
The controversy over the November 3 presidential election will continue. One side or the other is going to feel disenfranchised. If your candidate ultimately comes out on top, there will be protests, violence, and riots.
There are some things, however, that will not change whoever is president. The intensity of spiritual warfare will not change, nor will the urgency of preaching the Gospel change. Day by day, we will get closer to the heralded time when the trumpet will sound. Obedient, Spirit-filled living is always in order. “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 21).
However, the purpose of this essay is not to catalog the current insanity, but rather to draw the readers’ attention to a scripture that, I believe, offers us some guidance in dealing biblically with the contemporary scene. After all, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Ps. 11:3).
From the Lord’s words to the church at Pergamos (Rev. 2:12–17) we can see that the church there was in a hostile neighborhood. Jesus said, “I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is” (vs. 13). The ancient city of Pergamos hosted Satan’s “throne,” the seat of his rule. The word “throne” was also used for a seat in a private residence where the owner of the house sat, and was comfortable in the company of his family and friends. Satan was obviously comfortable, and at home, in Pergamos.
Satan and his workers are territorial, hence the reference to Pergamos. Daniel 10:13 speaks of “the prince of the kingdom of Persia.” Verse 20 speaks of “the prince of Grecia.” In Mark 5:10, we read of the Gadarene demoniac. “And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.” When Satan and his cohorts find that conditions are favorable to their acceptance and activity, they move in and stay. It is in this way that they become territorial.
This leads me to ask a few questions. Is Satan at home in your city or town? Does he feel comfortable in your own home? Are conditions ripe in your sphere of authority where he finds his work easy because conditions are favorable for him to peddle his lies? Are you responsible for his success?
We Are Responsible For What We Tolerate
In verse 14 we see that the Lord Jesus Christ has a complaint against the church because of what they were tolerating. “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam.” Jesus’ complaint is that they have been tolerating a false teacher. The “doctrine of Balaam” is a reference to Balaam’s advice to King Balak of the Moabites (Num. 22–25). For King Balak, the Hebrews seemed invincible. God was on their side. No one could conquer them. Balak believed that waging war against the Israelites was futile. But Balaam suggested that the Hebrews could be beaten if they sinned and angered their God. So Balaam suggested that Balak tempt the Hebrew men with beautiful Moabite woman. Balaam taught Balak “to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication” (Rev. 2:14). The lesson is clear, and especially relevant in this time of encroaching evil and intense spiritual warfare: We must keep God on our side. He holds us responsible for what we tolerate.
During the Christmas holidays, I was driving and listening to Christian radio. A ministry was airing Christmas speeches by some of America’s presidents—Truman, Eisenhower, Reagan, and Trump, and also the Apollo 8 transmission from space that gave a reading of Genesis 1. Each president gave a clear presentation of the Gospel. Truman called communism “godless.” Reagan spoke about how Christianity has brought peace and respect wherever it has been accepted. I realized that in just a few years our country has been hijacked by God-haters and historical revisionists. How could that happen? Because of what we have tolerated. We have tolerated socialist teachers in public schools. We have ignored the warnings that globalists are seeking to capture the hearts of our kids by turning them against America. I have been at Southwest Radio Church for 22 years. Even before that, on WHCB radio in the Tri-Cities of Tennessee I had sounded the warning repeatedly. And many other pastors and radio hosts had faithfully done the same thing. Now we are facing the downfall of the America we have always known. The lesson is shouting at us: “Be careful what you tolerate.”
Jesus’ Instruction for the End-Time Church Larry Spargimino...February 9, 2021 “Antipas … who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth” (Rev. 2:13).
Who could have predicted on January 1, 2020, that a tiny virus invisible to the human eye would change life for nearly every human on planet Earth and kill more than a million people? The virus was hard to contain and created confusion for epidemiologists from its uncanny persistence and mobility.
The political and economic debates over mandated masks, lockdowns, church closures and fines for churches that would not comply, raised the eyebrows of evangelicals, Catholics, Jews, and American patriots. It looked like the progressive Left had found an ally—a virus. Churches were forced to close down because they were “unessential,” while protests, riots and anti-Trump rallies were considered “constitutional.”
The spring of 2020 still had its blossoms, but no one was smelling the roses. Some were angry, some were depressed. If America thought things couldn’t get any worse, however, May 25 saw another conflagration begin when 46-year-old George Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer pinned the African-American to the ground during an arrest. Derek Chauvin’s knee stayed on the neck of a handcuffed Floyd for almost nine minutes, as onlookers and other officers milled around. Floyd was having trouble breathing and soon expired. Neighborhoods burned as Americans again shouted at one another over matters of racial injustice. Despite the growing violence there were those who wanted to defund the police. Patrol cars were torched and protesters carried signs stating “Good Cops Are Dead Cops.”
While the “progressive” Left grew in number, so did those who supported President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign. Trump’s plain-speaking was lauded as creating a tone of moral clarity for conservatives who were scandalized by America’s sharp turn to the Left and the growing support for “transgender rights” and the LGBTQ+ movement. America was more clearly polarized as President Trump’s strongly pro-life position and support for the Jewish State collided with the views of those who see abortion as “essential health care” and Israel as the oppressor of the Palestinian people. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California publicly tore up a copy of Trump’s State of the Union Address after he delivered it to a joint session of Congress, making Pelosi a goddess of virtue to some, and a foul spirit to others.
More Than What Meets the Eye
I cannot escape the fact that there is a manifestly spiritual dimension to the afflictions that have fallen upon our country. The madness is inexplicable unless we realize that malevolent spirits are piloting our nation into stormy waters.
How about the new politically correct prayer offered by Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver (D-MO) who offered the opening prayer for the 117th Congress. The prayer was offered in “the name of the monotheistic God, Brahma and ‘god’ known by many names by many different faiths.” And it concluded with “Amen and A-woman.”
House Democrats were even more PC and framed a rule that gendered terms, such as “father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law … will be removed.”
Many evangelicals have been caught up in the madness. Consider how they have changed the meaning of “justice.” The Bible supports “justice,” but not “social justice,” which involves “deconstructing traditional systems and structures deemed to be oppressive, and redistributing power and resources from oppressors to their victims in the pursuit of equality of outcome” (Why Social Justice Is Not Biblical Justice, Scott D. Allen).
The Old Testament teaching concerning the resurrection of both the just and the unjust was verified by Jesus in John 5:28-29. But the greatest teaching on the resurrection by Jesus was by and through His own resurrection. He predicted that He would die and be raised again. We read His words in Matthew 12:40: “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
He arose again the third day to prove to man that there was a resurrection from the dead, and He said in John 14:19, “… because I live, ye shall live also.” He was seen of above five hundred witnesses. God raised Him up to prove to the world that He had offered a payment for sins, that through faith in Him men could be raised in a glorified body and stand before the Creator. It was the resurrection of Jesus Christ that inspired the greatest message to moral man ever written:
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
Lazarus had been dead for several days, and his body already was in the process of decaying. Yet Jesus restored the soul and the spirit to the body, and the dead man lived. Another account of Jesus raising the dead is recorded in Luke 8:49–56, where the Lord restored to life the dead body of Jairus’ daughter. However, these miracles in raising the dead were mere signs of Christ’s power over death, and not literal demonstrations of resurrection. Neither the daughter of Jairus nor Lazarus was raised in a glorified body. It is evident from Scripture that they lived out their normal life span, and then died a natural death. We read in 1 Corinthians 15:21–23: “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.”
Jesus Christ was the first to be raised in an incorruptible and immortal body. There will be no other person raised in a glorified body until Christ’s return. Many Christians are concerned about what happened in Matthew 27:50–54:
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
Jesus Christ was resurrected in a glorified body, but Matthew does not call the appearance of the saints in a body a resurrection. This probably was a localized miracle for the benefit of Israel, to again prove to the Jews that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, the promised Messiah. Not all the saints arose—only some in the graveyard in the vicinity of Jerusalem. This miracle is recorded only in Matthew, indicating that it was a sign to the Jews, and it is nowhere else mentioned in the Bible. What happened to the bodies of the saints that arose after the resurrection of Jesus and appeared to many in Jerusalem is not known. It is not necessary that we do know. Inasmuch as Jesus Christ has the power to restore a dead, decaying body to life, He could have brought the bodies of the saints in the graveyard at Jerusalem back to life for five minutes, an hour, a day, or whatever length of time it was needed to prove that He had risen with the power of resurrection over all death. This particular incident was another miracle to show Israel that if the nation would receive Jesus as Messiah, all the saints would be resurrected, and the promised Kingdom would be brought in at that time.
It is usually interpreted that Paul meant in 1 Corinthians 13:13 that the saved will be known in Heaven even as they are known on earth. But what identifies the individual? Is it outward physical appearance, or the personality? Is our physical appearance our identity, or do what we think, how we act, what we say, and our feelings and emotions identify us more? Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks upon the inward man. The Scriptures say that the resurrection body will be a spiritual body—we will be known by our spiritual identity more than our physical appearance.
Resurrection in the Gospels.............Noah Hutchings.............April 29, 2021 All resurrection promises in the Old Testament are centered in the coming of the Redeemer, the Savior, the Messiah. Without the coming of Christ, all those in the Old Testament who died in faith would have died in vain. Likewise, without the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave, the hope of all Christians for eternal life would be in vain. Paul forthrightly declared the necessity of the literal resurrection of the body of Christ from the grave in 1 Corinthians 15:13–14: “But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”
Jesus Christ declared Himself to be the only hope of mankind in a literal resurrection. He said, as recorded in John 11:25–26: “… I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. …”
When Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, the nation of Israel was divided into three main groups: the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the lower class. The Sadducees were the upper class, composed mostly of the wealthy—the landowners and the richer merchants. The Sadducees were mostly agnostic in their belief toward God. Even some of the higher priests were included within the membership of this sect. The Sadducees’ heaven was here on earth, and they denied the existence of angels, a future life, and the resurrection. We read in Matthew 22:23: “The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection. …”
The second division of Israel according to theology was the Pharisees. The Pharisees were of the middle class. They were very patriotic and prided themselves on being keepers of the law and traditions of Israel. Being students of the Scriptures, they stoutly believed in the resurrection of the dead. Because they believed in the resurrection, some of the Pharisees became disciples of Jesus when He demonstrated His power over death in the raising of the dead. However, the majority of the Pharisees rejected Jesus as the promised Messiah, and it was their influence over the people that led to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
The lower class, which comprised the vast majority of Israel at that time, were too busy earning their daily bread to become involved in politics or religion. Most of them were honest, hard-working people, who did the best they could to provide for their families, honor the law, worship God, and go up to Jerusalem at least once a year at the time of Passover. It was from the lower class that Jesus won most of His disciples.
Because all the Old Testament teachings on resurrection looked forward to the coming of the Messiah, the miracles of Jesus in the raising of the dead and His teachings on this subject comprised an important part of His earthly ministry. His declaration that He was the resurrection and the life was followed by a visible demonstration to prove that He was the Redeemer who had come to raise the dead. After Jesus professed to Martha that He was the one who was sent by God to bring the dead back to life, we read the account of what happened next in John 11:41–46:
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
We see ominous signs all around us. There is rebellion against God’s created order. Those who identify with Christianity and conservative issues are demonized. What will a God-hating government impose on the people of God? Their rage seems to know no limits or restraints. It is fiendish and devilish. This is the time to call on God, that He may rip open the heavens and make His presence felt on earth in a most dramatic way.
The world will pass away but you will stand before God and give account. For it is written in His Word that we will each stand before God and give account.”
The saints of God have always coveted God’s presence. David said, “in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11). Moses, for example, knew the necessity of the presence of God and said, “If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence” (Exod. 33:15). Sometimes the Lord’s presence is somewhat hidden. We may look for it and even strain for it. “And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). God made His presence known by a whisper—inaudible above the din and confusion of the times, but very real, nevertheless, for those who will listen carefully.
God’s presence will bring success in any endeavor. This is especially evident in the Great Commission. Jesus gave an encouraging promise to His disciples and said, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20). The Commission was challenging. The disciples really did not know the full extent of the Great Commission. They did know the expanse of our Lord’s words to them. But in the first couple of centuries, when one’s view of the world was limited, and into the twenty-first century, when we can see Planet Earth from outer space, the words “I am with you alway” give comfort and strength.
When Jesus told His disciples about His continuing presence He did not promise that He would be with them in the same way that He was during His earthly ministry. Jesus said He was going away and that He would come again at some future time to “receive you unto myself” (John 14:3). In John 14:26, Jesus explained the Source of His disciples’ power in the present age: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
The Holy Spirit would bring power to God’s servants, and conviction to those who heard the Word of God. From a small and unassuming beginning, the people of God would bring the Good News to every part of the planet.
The Lord Jesus Christ, however, did not promise ease and safety during this age. We read of the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7) and of the challenges the Apostle Paul faced (2 Cor. 11:16–33). When Paul was in Troas he received an invitation from the Lord to go into Macedonia. In Acts 16:10 we read, “And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.” The Lord was present in the sense that the Lord blessed Paul’s witness to Lydia, as the Lord opened her heart (Acts 16:14).
An Awakening to Confront the Catechism of Revolution We are living in a day of intense spiritual conflict fueled by a revolution against all that is good and holy. No one can deny that. The stakes are high. The enemy is dangerous, but as we have said at the opening of our broadcasts for almost nine decades, “God is still on the throne and prayer changes things.”
Prayer warriors do more than pray, however. They are the faithful remnant who willingly count the cost of faithfulness. Jesus did not die to keep us safe. He died to make us dangerous. During times of danger, uncertainty, and challenge the issue becomes one of God’s presence—His consuming presence. “Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down…to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!” (Isa. 64:1–2). God has many names, yet here it is singular – “thy name.” The singular is intensive, the sum of the glorious attributes of Almigty God. Are you that faithful remnant whom God will use in these last days?
The Consuming Presence......................Larry Spargimino...April 29, 2021 “… that the nations may tremble at thy presence!”...—Isaiah 64:2
The Second Article of the 1973 Humanist Manifesto revealed its position on the Christian faith with unabashed clarity: “Promises of immortal salvation or fear of eternal damnation are both illusory and harmful. They distract humans from present concerns, from self-actualization, and from rectifying social injustices. … There is no credible evidence that life survives the death of the body.”
Since those words were written our country, and our world, have seen a steady erosion of biblical values. The election of Joe Biden as President of the United States—though some say, quite convincingly, by fraud—is a testimony to the lateness of the hour. Joe Biden has signed a record number of Executive Orders, a reflection of the Democrat Party’s intractable desire to remove all the moral advances of the Trump Administration. This statement in no way should be taken as indicating that I give wholehearted assent to everything that you can think of about Donald Trump’s personality and character, any more than I would give wholehearted assent to everything written in sacred Scripture about King David’s personality and character. Trump’s core values and platform, however, resonate with Christians. God’s Consuming Presence And His Prophets In every age, and at every time, God raises voices that speak out with moral clarity and a powerful anointing that challenges and addresses the moral freefall of the culture. In his 2017 book, God’s Prophetic Voices to America, Dr. David Reagan mentions several, such as David Wilkerson, Francis Schaeffer, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Erwin Lutzer, and Jonathan Cahn, among others.
These men of God come from a variety of backgrounds, but all traced our problems to rebellion against God and His order. Schaeffer wrote A Christian Manifesto, which was a direct response to the Communist Manifesto of 1848, the Humanist Manifesto I of 1933, and the Humanist Manifesto II of 1973—all of which made man the final arbiter of right and wrong, good and evil.
Solzhenitsyn, the Russian dissident who gave a rousing speech at Harvard in June of 1978, arrived on campus a hero, but outraged the intelligentsia because he was considered “an orthodox Christian ayatollah.” He chided the Western world, including America, for losing its courage in confronting evil and said our foreign policies were based on “weakness and cowardice.” And then he caustically added, “Should one point out that from ancient times, declining courage has been considered the beginning of the end?”
Five years later, in May of 1983, when he received the Templeton Prize, he gave an address titled “Godlessness: The First Step Toward the Gulag.” Solzhenitsyn reminisced about his childhood and said, “More than half a century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.”
A Warning To America—Past and Present In a 13-minute on-camera video released on social media, messianic rabbi Jonathan Cahn shared a prophetic warning. He began his presentation by citing George Washington’s prophetic warning to America that he gave during his very first presidential address to the nation: “The propitious smiles of heaven cannot be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right that heaven itself has ordained.”
Cahn reminded Americans that we have done what we were warned not to do , but still so many are confused about why the blessings of Heaven are being removed from our land, leaving us to face violence, division, and godless leadership. Cahn then addressed President Biden: “This day will pass. The applause of men will fade. This administration will inevitably be over.
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What Makes Jesus Unique? No one else made the claims that He did, He is alive...............
Nebuchadnezzar’s edictThere are plenty of bad guys in the Bible—people who disobeyed God and inflicted much pain and suffering upon others. But there is only one such person whose words comprise an entire chapter in the Bible. This person is the king who destroyed the temple in Jerusalem and carried thousands of Jews captive to Babylon—King Nebuchadnezzar.
While most people, especially kings, don’t like to admit their faults, King Nebuchadnezzar had an experience that led him to share his mistake and punishment from God via an edict written to all nations and peoples. God ensured that this king’s message was recorded in His Word because it still has relevance for us today.
Learn the details in the article “The Gospel According to Nebuchadnezzar.”
Interpretation of dreams
Two of the ways God communicated with people in the Old Testament were through dreams and visions. These closely related means of communication figure prominently in the book of Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel are the primary individuals with whom God communicated in the book of Daniel.
A key principle related to these messages from God is that when God sends such a message, He also provides a means for clearly understanding what has been communicated. Approximately eight of these instances are found in the book of Daniel.
To see a chart listing these occurrences and further explanation of how Christians should view dreams today, see the article “Interpretation of Dreams.”
Daniel in the lions’ den