Category Archives: Current Events

January 7, 2024 · 10:00

How Are Humans Affecting Climate?

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (Romans 1:21-22)

It should not be a shock to anyone that a cabal of super-rich elites seeks to dominate the world by imposing ridiculous and drastic measures to reduce the human population and establish themselves as the dominating class of a utopian world. In an article published on the AMAC ™ website, Ben Shapiro says, “They appoint themselves the representatives of global interests — without elections, without accountability — and then create mechanisms of national and international order to control citizens over whom they claim to preside.”[1]

One of the sharpest arrows in their quiver claims that humans cause climate change. (Several years ago it was “global cooling,” but then the planet started warming. Then the danger came from “global warming,” but the planet started to cool again. In order to maintain a heightened level of panic over the demise of the planet, they changed the verbiage to “climate change.” That covers all variants, and they are all bad.)

Of course, anyone who pays attention knows that the earth’s temperatures fluctuate periodically. It’s called “weather,” and humans have nothing to do with it. Sadly, though, far too many, self-focused people ignorantly accept what the elitists say because it is backed by “science.” If “science” says so, it must be true. There is no need to think about it any further; let’s go have some fun!

However, is it really true that science confirms that humans cause climate change? Actually, more scientists reject the notion that “climate change” (in the scary sense) exists at all, much less that humans are the cause than those scientists (who are bought and paid for by the elites) that champion the idea.

In September 2019, 500 scientists signed a letter to the Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, stating that there is no climate emergency. In the letter, they offered at least seven points challenging the notion. “(1) Natural as well as anthropogenic factors cause warming. (2) Warming is far slower than predicted. (3) Climate policy relies on inadequate models. (4) CO2 is not a pollutant. It is a plant food that is essential to all life on Earth. Photosynthesis is a blessing. More CO2 is beneficial for nature, greening the Earth: additional CO2 in the air has promoted growth in global plant biomass. It is also good for agriculture, increasing the yields of crops worldwide. (5) Global warming has not increased natural disasters. (6) Climate policy must respect scientific and economic realities. (7) There is no climate emergency. Therefore, there is no cause for panic.”[2] Have you heard about any of this in the media (which is bought and paid for by the elites)?

Of course, this does not deter the elitists. Their minds are made up; there is no need to confuse them with facts. They are charging full-steam-ahead with their mission to panic the peons into submission with their message of certain doom if we do not stop breathing and expelling our noxious gasses into the atmosphere. In order to help things along, we need to stop driving gasoline-powered cars and start driving electric cars. There is no need for concern that the power to charge those electric vehicles comes from power plants using fossil fuels. We also need to stop eating beef because cows pollute the air with their methane exhaust.  Ireland is acting proactively to do its part in combatting the climate emergency by killing off its cattle.[3] The elites would also have us live in “15-minute cities” where all of our needs can be met within 15 minutes of our homes. We would not be allowed to leave our area except for once a year and only if our “social credit scores,” imposed on us by the elites, allow it; and it would be closely monitored. China already does that to its subjects, and the globalists think it is the model for all of the world. In the words of Klaus Schwab, “You will own nothing and be happy.”

What is all this really about? Well, without getting too deep into the weeds, it is about power and it is about the destruction of humanity. It finds its roots in Genesis 3 when Satan caused Adam and Eve to sin. It happened again when the “sons of God” procreated with the “daughters of men” and spoiled the human race (except for Noah and his family).[4] Satan hates humans because they are created in the image of God and to them has God given dominion over the earth.[5] However, that dominion was temporarily lost, and it is now waiting for Jesus to return to reclaim it.[6] In the meantime, Satan wants to do all he can to leave Jesus with nothing left to reclaim. It will not work, but that does not stop him.

The globalist elites likewise, acting under Satan’s direction whether they know it or not, want to rid the world of “useless eaters” and bring the population down to a respectable 500-million (last I heard). “Climate change” is their weapon of choice. They believe they can accomplish their goal because they do not know God nor do they believe in Him. The “sheeple” who fall for their propaganda do so because they do not believe in God either.

Anyone who believes in God and in God’s Word does not live in fear that the planet will get too hot or too cold due to human agency. God made an unconditional promise after the Flood saying that He would not destroy the earth because of man.

And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: (Genesis 9:8-12, emphasis mine)

The “token” of the covenant – God’s unconditional promise – was the rainbow that He set in the clouds as a reminder to us of His unconditional promise. That “token” has been perverted by Satan as he attempts to pervert everything that God has made. However, that changes nothing. God again restated His promise:

And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth. (Genesis 9:15-17, emphasis mine)

The Flood God sent upon the earth was truly a climate catastrophe. There was nothing like it before and there has not been anything like it since. These elites who “profess themselves to be wise have become fools.”[7] The psalmist says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good” (Psalm 14:1, emphasis mine). If they believed in God, whether they knew Him personally or not, they would understand that the climate is under God’s control and there is nothing man can do to alter it. God promised, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). Global warming, global cooling, it’s called weather, and it is under God’s control.

So, don’t listen to the climate alarmists. They are fools. Trust God and His Word.

Notes:

[1]  https://amac.us/newsline/society/the-elitists-who-want-to-rule-the-world/

[2]  https://www.aei.org/carpe-diem/there-is-no-climate-emergency-say-500-experts-in-letter-to-the-united-nations/

[3]  https://humanevents.com/2023/06/03/ireland-moves-to-slaughter-200000-cows-over-climate-concerns

[4]  Genesis 6

[5]  Genesis 1:26-28

[6]  Revelation 5:6-8

[7]  Romans 1:22

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December 31, 2023 · 10:00

Come 2024!

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17)

The last chapter in the Book of Revelation was my final reading for the year. There, the verse above jumped out at me. The verse is an invitation to those who are “outside” of the body of Christ to come and “take of the water of life freely.” Notice who issues the invitation: “the Spirit and the Bride.” We understand that “the Spirit” is the Holy Spirit. The “Bride” is the Church of Christ (not the denomination by that name) – the body of believers who have been saved by grace through faith.

Although we find this verse in the middle of a passage that describes the New Jerusalem (i.e., Heaven), which is yet future, the invitation is current. The fact that the invitation comes from both the Spirit and the Bride informs us that the invitation issues primarily from the Church. In writing to the church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul says, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). “Ye” in the King James English is a plural, second person pronoun, so he is addressing the whole body of the church saying that they are the “temple of God” in which the Holy Spirit dwells. So, as we read our starting verse, we can see that the invitation to come is from the Holy Spirit through the Church which is currently on Earth (but I pray not much longer).

The year (2024) that lies ahead does not promise improvement over the last. Indeed, since the year 2020 (and even long before that) things in the world continue to degenerate. The Middle East is on fire. The war in Ukraine continues with no end in sight. China will take Taiwan and the United States is too weak to do anything about it. Kim Jong Un is like a kid with a fist full of bottle rockets happily shooting them off daring anybody to stop him. Muslims are rioting and creating havoc in Europe, the United States, and other places around the world. The global decay of moral fiber infects every area of society and has even infiltrated the church. And there is no promise of improvement for 2024.

All of that seems rather gloomy and pessimistic, but I say, “Come 2024!” The darker the world becomes, the brighter will be the light of His appearing. Now, more than ever is the time for the church to shine her light. To His Bride, Jesus says, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid … Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14, 16). Jesus is coming for His Bride very soon; but while we are still here, our light must shine brighter than ever. “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’ And I say, “Come 2024!”

Reader, the verse offers an invitation to come drink of the “water of life.” Are you thirsty for the only thing that can quench the thirst of your soul? Come to Jesus. If you want to know how to do that, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Happy New Year!

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October 22, 2023 · 16:16

The Land

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. (Isaiah 43:1)

One cannot escape the flood of wars and rumors of wars coming from the Middle East. More than two weeks ago, at the climax of the Feast of Tabernacles in Israel, Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel. They killed many innocent civilians and took away many captives. They raped women and tortured and killed children and babies. Their atrocities left the world in shock. Not since ISIS have such horrors been on full display for the world to see.

As expected, the “free” world denounced the heinous acts and pledged to stand with Israel. After shaking off the shock, Israel took the offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Typical of Israel’s approach, the IDF took great measures to warn the civilians in the Gaza Strip to flee to the southern border for their own safety. Then the relentless bombing of Gaza City by the IDF started striking strategic targets of known Hamas strongholds. Unlike Israel and the IDF who value innocent human life, Hamas hunkers down in schools, mosques, hospitals, and civilian housing buildings. They use their own people as human shields knowing that Israel will not attack where innocents may be harmed. However, this time Israel took off the gloves. With sufficient warning to the civilian population, all Hamas targets were attacked.

It did not take long for the “friends” of Israel to start pressuring Israel for restraint in sympathy for the poor Palestinians. Certainly, a (very) small percentage of Palestinians do not agree with the actions of Hamas against innocent Israeli citizens. However, a great majority of them voted for Hamas leadership. In their schools, they teach their children to hate Jews and encourage them from a very young age to kill Jews. When Palestinian terrorists kill Jews in Israel, there are celebrations in the streets of Gaza. So, we should not be so quick to feel sorry for their sufferings; it is not totally undeserved.

It was not long before the US visited Israel to publicly profess solidarity with Israel in this war against terror, while behind the scenes pressuring Israel to allow for “humanitarian” aid for the poor suffering Palestinians. The US threatened to withhold munitions, support parts for Israeli fighters (F-16s and others), and money for the war effort. In the meanwhile, the US continues to send money to Iran which funds its proxies (Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, etc.) to do its dirty work. Money also continues to flow to the Palestinians from the US, which Hamas diverts for its own purposes. They do not care for the Palestinian people.

As Israel continues to prosecute this war, world support for her effort will quickly wane. Even now protests in favor of the poor Palestinians are rising all over the world, including here in the US, Israel’s “friend.” The world has a perverted idea that somehow the Palestinians have some kind of claim to the land of “Palestine.” Without going into great detail, the “Palestinian State” was established in 1965 by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), and Yasser Arafat, an Egyptian. Before then, there were no “Palestinian” people. The land was called Palestine because the Roman Emperor Hadrian renamed Judea to Syria Palestina and Jerusalem to Aelia Capitolina in order to remove Judah and Jerusalem from the memory of rebellious Jews. Thus, even our Bible maps continue to name the land Palestine. However, the land never belonged to Palestinians, nor did Palestinians ever exist.

The land belongs to God and He says so in so many words. In fact, He begins by asserting ownership of the entire planet. “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine” (Exodus 19:5, emphasis mine). Notice that while making this claim, He also identifies the children of Israel as His “peculiar treasure … above all people,” not Arabs, Palestinians, or any other nation. Furthermore, God claims the land of Israel as His own. “The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me” (Leviticus 25:23, emphasis mine). God “gave” the land to Israel for their stewardship, not to be sold to anyone else, because it belongs to God, not to them. Through the psalmist, David, God names some of the parcels of land. “Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver” (Psalm 108:8). See the following (linked) passages where God makes claim to the land: 2 Chronicles 7:19-20; Isaiah 14:24-25; Jeremiah 2:7; 16:17-18; Ezekiel 38:16; Joel 1:6; 3:2.

Before the children of Israel inhabited the land, it was possessed by the cursed line of Canaan, son of Noah’s son Ham (Genesis 9:25). For reasons known only to God, He called Abram (Abraham) out of the land of the Chaldees (Genesis 11:28) and promised to give him the land (Genesis 12:7). The land God promised extended beyond the current boundaries of Israel including the Sinai Peninsula, parts of Jordan, all of Syria and Lebanon, to the Euphrates River and up to the southern border of Turkey (Genesis 13:14-15). The land was promised to Abraham and his descendants unconditionally with no strings attached (Genesis 15:7, 9-21). “In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18, emphasis mine). The promise has no term limits; it is an eternal promise. “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever” (Genesis 13:15, emphasis mine).

The promise did not remain with Abraham. It was passed on to his son Isaac (Genesis 26:3, 5) and his grandson, Jacob (later renamed Israel – Genesis 28:3-4, 13-15). Time and again, the promise of the land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel) is repeated in Scripture: Genesis 17:8; Exodus 6:8; 12:25; 13:5, 11; 33:1; Deuteronomy 1:8; 8:1; 10:11; 11:9, 21; 19:8; 28:11; 30:20, 21, 23; 34:4; Joshua 1:6; 21:43; Judges 2:1; Nehemiah 9:15, 23. God swore upon Himself to uphold His promise. “For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee” (Hebrews 6:13-14). God promised the land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob), not for a certain timeframe but forever. “Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance” (1 Chronicles 16:15-18, emphasis mine). “Everlasting” means that it will never end.

It is God’s land to give to whomever He chooses, and He chose the people of Israel. Abraham had other sons besides Isaac. He had Ishmael through his concubine Hagar (Genesis 16:15). After Sarah died, Abraham remarried and had six other sons by Katura (Genesis 25:1-2). None of these received the promise of the land, only Isaac and later Israel (Jacob). God’s “gift” of the land to Israel is also repeated over and over in Scripture: Leviticus 14:34; 23:10; 25:38; Numbers 27:12; 32:7, 9, 11; 33:53; Deuteronomy 5:31; 6:23; 9:23; 12:1, 10; 16:20; 17:14; 19:14; 21:1; 24:4; 25:15, 19; 27:3; 28:8; 32:52; Joshua 1:2, 11, 15; 5:6; 18:3; 1 Kings 8:34, 40; 9:7; 2 Kings 21:8; Nehemiah 9:36; Jeremiah 25:5; Ezekiel 20:15, 28.

The land belongs to Israel and more land than they currently occupy. The Bible describes the boundaries of the promised land. God showed Abraham the extent of the land promised (Genesis 13:14-15). God repeated the boundaries to Moses (Exodus 23:31) and again to Joshua upon entering the Promised Land (Joshua 1:4). The land on which the Nation of Israel exists today is only a small part of what God has given them, and yet, wrongheaded people want to take away what little they possess now. God will not have it! It is His land, and He will not allow it to be parceled out by outsiders. “Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel” (Numbers 35:34, emphasis mine). God also has a special affinity for Jerusalem. “Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel: But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel” (2 Chronicles 6:5-6, emphasis mine)

God did drive the Jews out of their land for their rejection of their Messiah, but that was only a temporary measure. God has not permanently disinherited His people. There has always been the promise of restoration in the latter days. “And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers” (Jeremiah 24:10). “For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it … Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid … For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.  Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof” (Jeremiah 30:3, 10, 17-18, emphasis mine).

Even though Israel has sinned and remains in sin even now, God in His mercy will restore His people. “Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished” (Jeremiah 46:28, emphasis mine). The full restoration of Israel will happen when the nation, as a whole, recognizes and turns to their Messiah. “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon ME whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10, emphasis mine).

The land of Israel belongs to God. He has allotted it to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, i.e., Israel. No one else has any right to that land, and there will be no peace in the Middle East until those who would divide the land, or who would exterminate the Jews from the land acknowledge that the land belongs to them.

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September 10, 2023 · 10:00

Maybe This Year

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

For many years now, this time of year brings a strong sense of anticipation to me. Next Friday, September 15/16 celebrates the Jewish festival of Yom Teruah, a/k/a Rosh HaShanah, or the Feast of Trumpets. It sounds the beginning of the new civil year 5783.

God gave the Children of Israel seven “feasts of the Lord”[1] that they were required to observe: Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles. The first four took place in the spring and were fulfilled by Jesus’ crucifixion (Passover), His burial (Unleavened Bread), His resurrection (First Fruits), and His ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). The final three, the fall feasts have not yet been fulfilled: Trumpets (His return with the “a great sound of a trumpet”[2]), Atonement (He judges the nations), and Tabernacles (He comes to dwell among His people).

Granted, all of these Feasts of the Lord,[3] apply to Israel and NOT to the Church. However, I cannot restrain my excitement when the day approaches because according to Paul, there is a trumpet associated with the Rapture of the Church (see our starting verse above.) Elsewhere, he says, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, emphasis mine). In the Book of Revelation, John experienced a type of the Rapture when he records, “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne” (Revelation 4:1-2, emphasis mine). So, why not the Feast of Trumpets for the Rapture event?

Many will argue with Jesus’ words: “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36, emphasis mine). The Gospel writer, Mark, includes “the Son” among those who are unknowing. “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father” (Mark 13:32, emphasis mine). Matthew did not miss it, and Mark was not in error. The fact remains that Jesus, in His humanity as “a man,” was not privy to the Father’s plans in that regard. However, He now sits at the right hand of the Father.[4] Surely, He is not presently ignorant of the day or the hour.

We cannot know the day or the hour of the Rapture because it has always been taught as imminent in the New Testament, that is, it could happen at any time. The Apostle Paul certainly thought it could occur during his lifetime. “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, emphasis mine). For some reason, the Thessalonians feared that the Rapture had taken place and they missed it. From Paul’s teaching, they felt that the coming was very near. He did not retract his teaching of imminency, but only reassured them that it had not taken place yet. So, we are left with the same teaching – the Lord could come for us at any time.

We do not know the day or the hour. However, we know that it is nearer now than ever because we see the signs of His Second Coming, as foretold by the prophets and by Jesus Himself, increasing in frequency and intensity. Those prophecies detail the events of the seven-year Tribulation that precedes Christ’s return to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.[5] However, Jesus snatches away (Raptures) His Church sometime prior to the beginning of the Tribulation.

That brings me back to the Feast of Trumpets. Rosh HaShanah is known as the feast where “no man knows the day or the hour.” This is why it is observed over two days. The reason for that is that Yom Teruah (“Day of Trumpets) begins at the first sighting of the new moon on Tishri (the seventh month on the Jewish calendar) 1 or 2. It is the new moon that signals the beginning of the feast and no one knows exactly when that will take place. Could Jesus have been referring to the Feast of Trumpets when He said that “no man knows the day or the hour”?

For this reason and for the fact that the Rapture of the Church seems to be accompanied by the sounding of a trumpet, I get excited when the Feast of Trumpets comes around. For many years now, I have looked forward with anticipation at this time of year, and for many years I have been “disappointed” – not discouraged. I realize that God is not obligated to meet my expectations of events that are fully in His control. Whether Jesus calls us home next Friday/Saturday or not, I know that one day soon, we will hear that trumpet call and go to meet Him in the air. “What a day, glorious day, that will be!”

            Jesus could call His people home anytime soon. Reader, are you prepared for that day? If not, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.” You can also find more information on the “last days” on my “Revelation”

Notes:

[1]  “Rosh HaShanah” – Rosh HaShanah | Ernie’s Musings (erniecarrasco.com)

[2]  Matthew 24:31

[3]  Leviticus 23

[4]  Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62; 16:19; Luke 22:69; Acts 7:56; Ephesians 1:19-20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3; 12:2; 1 Peter 3:21-22

[5]  Revelation 19:16

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August 20, 2023 · 10:00

Lawlessness

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:12)

Anyone that halfway pays attention to the news – even the “lame-stream-media” – can see the unprecedented rise in crime these days. Mobs of black young people ransacking stores and running off with thousands of dollars’ worth of high-end merchandise. (I am not being racist; I am just stating the obvious for anyone paying attention. Security cameras don’t lie and they are not racists.) They get away with it because police are not allowed to stop them and leftist district attorneys refuse to prosecute them.

Many major American cities are infested with homeless people living in tents along major thoroughfares and some in neighborhoods. They use the streets as their toilets and numb themselves with illegal drugs. Rather than enforce no-loitering laws to clean up the streets, many cities dole out sanitary syringes to keep drug abusers from contracting hepatitis. Very compassionate!

Then there is the Black Lives Matter organization (many of whom are self-deprecating white people), which cares little about black lives and looks for any opportunity to riot and burn down private businesses. Who will be the next black man that violently resists arrest and gets himself killed by police to give these thugs an excuse to riot?

Crime is not limited to the “dregs” of our society. Crime exists in the highest levels of our government. There too, depending on the political party affiliation, crime goes unpunished. Without delving into the details, all one needs to do is mention the names – Clinton, Biden, Comey, Fauci, Palosi, Garland, etc. These treasonous lawbreakers make millions of dollars from the positions entrusted to them by American taxpayers, and the law seems to bypass them. In the meantime, the “Injustice Department” persecutes and prosecutes anyone who dares to challenge their status quo.

Quoting Jan Markell of Olive Tree Ministries, “What did you think the end-times would look like?” In the verse above, Jesus responded to His disciples when they asked, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3). Jesus gave a detailed description of what the end-times would be like just before His return. One of the characteristics He gave was that “iniquity shall abound” (Matthew 24:12). The Greek word translated as “iniquity” is anomia, meaning “no law.” The Strong’s Dictionary defines it as “illegality, that is, violation of law or (generally) wickedness.” We see that everywhere. One does not need to be that old to notice the rapid rise in lawlessness, and it is happening worldwide.

In the same sentence, Jesus said, “the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12). Surprisingly, the word Jesus used for “love” is agapē. That is the “unconditional” love given to another, whether deserved or not, and without expectation of reciprocation. Generally speaking, there is near zero of that kind of love being expressed anywhere. Love is certainly waxing cold.

The lack of love manifests in a variety of ways. In his final words to his protégé, Timothy, Paul predicts the loveless character of people in the “last days.”

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:1-5, emphasis mine)           

Let us examine some of these characteristics more closely. “Lovers of their own selves” characterizes egocentrism, self-centeredness, selfishness, etc. Marketers feed into the egocentrism of their target audience with the idea that “it’s all about YOU!” Self-love gives rise to covetousness, which in its essence is a desire for what others possess. Self-love also feeds the desire to “boast” about oneself whether the boast is justified or not. Self-love makes one “proud,” often without basis. Self-lovers are often “blasphemers” in that they attribute any praise they receive, whether from others or by self-delusion, to themselves rather than giving the glory to God. Such blasphemy takes many forms and finds its roots in humanism. Many scientists and those who worship “science” fall prey to that. They reject God and attempt to explain all of Creation by natural means, and attribute all human advances in medicine and technology to the inexhaustible (by their reckoning) abilities of mankind. That is blasphemy!

That they are “disobedient to parents” needs little explanation. One trip to Walmart ™ and watching some parents trying to control unruly children gives ample support for this truth. However, the result of such unruliness in children is the lawlessness of young adults. This is also characterized by “incontinence” (mentioned later on in the list). “Incontinence” here has nothing to do with the inability to control one’s bodily functions. In the King James vernacular, it simply means “lack of self-control.” It is the idea that “if it feels right, do it,” regardless of whether it is unlawful, immoral, or offensive,” and it plays right along with self-love. “To thyself be true” is the mantra. That, by the way, is satanic.

They are “unthankful” because they believe that anything that comes to them is due to them because they are “worth it.” They are “unholy,” the opposite of “holy,” which means to be “set apart” for God’s purposes. The “unholy” have no place for God.

They are “without natural affection.” I used to think this had to do with homosexuality. What it really means is to not have “natural affection.” The three English words translate the single Greek word “astorgos.” “Storgē” in Greek is “familial love” – the love one has for one’s natural family. The “a” prefix negates the word. Therefore, these people have no natural affection or love for their own families. This also springs from self-love.

All of these characteristics are interrelated and they stem from egocentrism. They are “trucebreakers,” i.e., they cannot be trusted to keep their word. They are “false accusers” – we see a lot of that going on with all of the Trump indictments. They are “fierce,” i.e., savage, violent, combative, etc. That they are “Despisers of those that are good” is demonstrated daily against those who are “pro-life,” those who promote heterosexual marriage, those who rightly believe humans do not cause “climate change,” those who stand for Judeo-Christian principles, those who believe and preach the Bible, etc.

They are “traitors;” they cannot be trusted. They are “heady,” i.e., rash, reckless, precipitate (i.e., “rushing headlong or rapidly onward”). They are “high-minded,” i.e., they think too highly of themselves (Romans 12:3), false pride. “Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God” once again comes back to self-love, selfishness, and egocentrism.

The saddest part of this list suggests that some of these people pretend to be “Christians.” They have “a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” Many pulpits across our nation are filled with this kind that speak using “Christian” vocabulary while preaching that not all of the Bible should be taken verbatim. They teach that we should detach ourselves from the Old Testament and that many New Testament teachings, especially those of Paul, were specific to the culture of his time and do not necessarily apply to our day and time – women in the pulpit, for one example.

Jesus said that in the latter days, “… many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:11-12). Do we not see all of this coming to pass before our eyes? If Jesus’ Word is true (and it is), then His return is very near.

I have published an extensive study on the Book of Revelation and the end-times detailing the events that will transpire during the Tribulation. You can find that on my “Revelation” page. Reader, are you ready to meet the coming Lord Jesus at His return? If not, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

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