Mike James Mike James

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Future

Recent comments by former President Trump on the NATO alliance have created a controversy. In February 2024 Trump warned he would not protect NATO members that did not meet their defense spending targets for the organization if he became President again. Trump suggested in a campaign speech that he would encourage Russia “to do whatever the hell they want.” The Democrats were quick to criticize Trump for these statements due to long standing US commitments to the NATO alliance.

This is not the first time there has been concern about Trump’s thoughts on the US/NATO alliance.

by Mike James

Recent comments by former President Trump on the NATO alliance have created a controversy. In February 2024 Trump warned he would not protect NATO members that did not meet their defense spending targets for the organization if he became President again. Trump suggested in a campaign speech that he would encourage Russia “to do whatever the hell they want.” The Democrats were quick to criticize Trump for these statements due to long standing US commitments to the NATO alliance.

This is not the first time there has been concern about Trump’s thoughts on the US/NATO alliance. In 2018 at a NATO summit in Brussels both Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton were worried about what Trump would say to the NATO allies. They had concerns he planned to leave NATO and begged him not to. According to Bolton, “He’s never lost the desire to get out.”

Trump’s campaign has called for “fundamentally reevaluating NATO’s purpose and NATO’s mission” in a second term. Former Trump aides are suggesting the idea of punishing countries that don’t meet their military spending pledges by withdrawing security guarantees or imposing trade tariffs. Trump allies working at the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 who are planning for another Republican administration are proposing reducing the number of US troops based in Europe.

These new ideas about the US/NATO alliance are not limited to former President Trump. Other prominent political figures have similar ideas. Not long after Trump made the news with his NATO comments, former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard weighed in, “What is the role of NATO? Does our membership in NATO serve our national security interests? And if it does, then how much are we the American people willing to put on the line in our taxpayer dollars and in American lives? And how much are these NATO members willing to put on the line in their money and the lives of their citizens?”

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy told POLITICO in October 2023 the idea of the U.S. leaving NATO was “reasonable,” but stopped short of supporting taking the U.S. out of the alliance.

Republican Senator J.D. Vance (Ohio) stated, “The problem with Europe is that it does not provide enough of a deterrent on its own…. I think the American security blanket has allowed European security to atrophy.”

This is a dramatic shift in how NATO has always been dealt with by American politicians. Prior to the last eight years there has never been a question as to the US role in the NATO alliance. It has been a given of US foreign policy. But the winds of change have begun to blow on this issue and who knows where the alliance will be twenty years from now.

If US politicians continue to push for changes in the alliance Europe will be forced to react especially due to concerns about Russia. European nations have already ramped up weapons production in support of the Ukraine war effort. There is also talk within Europe to push further especially if Trump wins the presidency.

European leaders have called for greater unity and military cooperation across the continent in response to comments from Trump that threaten to undermine the basis of NATO.

In a recent op-ed, Germany’s finance minister, Christian Lindner said, “The turning point in German security policy has now lasted two years…. It is becoming increasingly clear that the era following the end of the East-West conflict, which laid the foundations for Germany’s security, stability and prosperity with its security policy decisions, is irrevocably over. One thing must be clear to us: there is no way back to the security policy paths of the past 30 years.”

Katarina Barley, a German Social Democrat Member European Parliament (MEP), said that US nuclear protection of Europe is no longer a given. “In view of Donald Trump’s latest statements, this can no longer be relied upon,” she told the Tagesspiegel. Asked whether the EU needed its own nuclear bombs, the SPD politician replied: “On the way to a European army, this could also become an issue.”

What does any of this have to do with the Bible? Well, over the history of the Church of God movement there has been a theory that the King of the North will rise out of Europe. If that theory is true, the fact that the European Union (EU) may finally be ready to reassert itself as a military power might be significant.

If the EU feels they no longer can rely on the United States to protect them (NATO alliance) they will have to protect themselves by significantly enhancing their military capabilities. This would not be difficult due to their economic and technological capabilities. Don’t forget France is fourth in the world when it comes to nuclear weapon capability.

I personally don’t know what the future will bring, but just a note to keep us aware of geopolitical possibilities that may one day impact biblical prophecy.


Sources:

“Donald Trump Stands by Remarks About Not Defending NATO Members After Backlash,” by Meg Kinnard and Michelle L. Price, February 14, 2024, https://apnews.com/article/trump-backlash-nato-funding-russia-ukraine-796f245e06d1a0f314e3b4bfdb793cc0

“Tulsi Gabbard Backs Trump’s NATO Funding Stance, Criticizes Biden, Clinton, and ‘War Mongers,’” by Katabella Roberts, February 20, 2024, The Epoch Times, https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/tulsi-gabbard-supports-trumps-nato-funding-stance-criticizes-biden-clinton-and-war-mongers-5590781?ea_src=author_manual&ea_med=related_stories

“Trump didn’t quit NATO, but a potential second term alarms allies,” by Isaac Arnsdorf, Josh Dawsey, and Michael Birnbaum, February 19, 2024, The Washington Post

“Ramaswamy wants the US out of NATO,” by Alexander Ward, January 5, 2024, Politico, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/05/ramaswamy-wants-the-us-out-of-nato-00134068#:~:text=Last%20October%2C%20Ramaswamy%20told%20POLITICO,credible%20deterrent%20force%20against%20Russia

“European leaders call for stronger defence ties after Trump’s Nato remarks,” by Dan Sabbagh, The Guardian, February 12, 2024

“Europe’s security elite braces for Trump, searches for backup plans,” by Emily Rauhala, Michael Birnbaum, and Souad Mekhennet, The Washington Post, February 18, 2024

“German minister calls for British and French nuclear weapons to protect Europe,” Euronews, February 15, 2024, https://www.euronews.com/2024/02/15/german-minister-calls-for-british-and-french-nuclear-weapons-to-protect-europe

“EU nuclear weapons ‘unrealistic,’ says German defense committee chair,” by Sejla Ahmatovic, Politico, February 14, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-defense-committee-marie-agnes-strack-zimmermann-european-nuclear-weapons/

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James Fire James Fire

Christian Goals

Christian goals are mentioned throughout the Bible. Hebrews 11:13-16 describes those who embraced such goals that led them in faith. "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed they were strangers and pilgrims of the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared them a city."

by James Fire

Christian goals are mentioned throughout the Bible. Hebrews 11:13-16 describes those who embraced such goals that led them in faith. "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed they were strangers and pilgrims of the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared them a city."

There are two methods or types of goals discussed.

Process vs. Outcome Goals

Process goals and outcome goals are two types of goals commonly used in various areas of life, including sports, personal development, and professional endeavors. Here's a breakdown of the differences between them:

Definition:

Process Goals: Process goals focus on the actions, behaviors, or steps that an individual needs to take to achieve a desired outcome. They are about the process or journey rather than the end result.

Outcome Goals: Outcome goals, on the other hand, are focused on the specific outcome or result that an individual wants to achieve. They define what you want to accomplish in the end.

Focus:

The focus of process goals is on the actions within your control. These goals emphasize the steps you need to take to improve, grow, or succeed.

Outcome goals focus on the end result or the desired outcome. They are often related to winning, achieving a specific performance level, or reaching a particular milestone.

Measurability:

Process goals are generally more measurable because they involve specific actions or behaviors that can be quantified or observed. Progress towards process goals can be tracked more easily.

Outcome goals are also measurable, but their achievement is often influenced by external factors that may be beyond your control. While you can measure whether you've reached the outcome, the path to achieving it may not always be straightforward.

Flexibility:

Process goals offer more flexibility because they focus on the actions and behaviors that you can control. If circumstances change, you can adjust your approach while still working towards the same outcome.

Outcome goals are less flexible because they are tied to a specific result. If you don't achieve the desired outcome, it may be more challenging to adapt or find alternative routes to success.

Motivation:

Process goals can be highly motivating because they provide clear, achievable steps that you can take to move forward. Each small success reinforces motivation and builds momentum.

Outcome goals can also be motivating, especially when they represent significant achievements or milestones. However, they may also lead to frustration or demotivation if the outcome is not achieved as quickly or easily as expected.

Overall, process goals focus on the actions and behaviors that lead to success, while outcome goals focus on the specific results or achievements desired. Both can be valuable in guidance and motivation, but understanding the differences between them can help in setting more effective goals and managing expectations.

Suggested Christian Process Goals:

Daily Prayer and Meditation: Commit to daily prayer and meditation to deepen your relationship with God and align your thoughts and actions with His will. Matthew 6:6: "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Study Scripture Regularly: Set aside time each day or week to study and reflect on the teachings of the Bible. 1 Timothy 2:15: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."

Practice Forgiveness: Work on forgiving those who have wronged you and letting go of resentment. Colossians 3:13: "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Show Love and Kindness: Make a conscious effort to show love and kindness to others, even those who may be difficult to love. John 13:34: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

Practice Gratitude: Cultivate a spirit of gratitude by regularly giving thanks to God for His blessings and provisions. 1 Thessalonians 5:18: "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Foster Humility: Strive to cultivate humility by placing the needs of others above your own and recognizing your dependence on God. Philippians 2:3: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves."

Seek God's Guidance: Practice seeking God's guidance in all decisions and endeavors, trusting in His wisdom and direction. Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

Be Patient and Trust in God's Timing: Develop patience and trust in God's timing, even when facing challenges or waiting for answers to prayers. Isaiah 40:31: "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

By incorporating these process goals into your spiritual life, you can grow closer to God and live according to His will.

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Mike James Mike James

Hermeneutics

To better understand the Bible, it's important we understand the term hermeneutics. A basic definition for this term is the science and art of biblical interpretation. We can further break hermeneutics into two types: General and Special.

General hermeneutics is the study of rules that govern the interpretation of the entire biblical text. Special hermeneutics is the study of rules that govern the interpretation of specific literary forms like parables, types, and prophecy.

by Mike James

To better understand the Bible, it's important we understand the term hermeneutics. A basic definition for this term is the science and art of biblical interpretation. We can further break hermeneutics into two types: General and Special.

General hermeneutics is the study of rules that govern the interpretation of the entire biblical text. Special hermeneutics is the study of rules that govern the interpretation of specific literary forms like parables, types, and prophecy.

To assist you in performing proper hermeneutics, you will also study the canon of Scripture, which pertains to which books are truly part of the Bible. Textual criticism will also be addressed, which looks at which words were originally the text of the Bible. You will also study historical criticism, which looks at the author, dating, and historical circumstances that pertain to the biblical text. When you do all this, you are experiencing exegesis, which means using hermeneutics to come up with the proper understanding of the biblical text.

Exegesis means "from"—you want to get meaning from the text rather than from your own ideas about the text.

Now, when we begin to interpret the text, some of it can be very simple and straightforward. We can read a lot of biblical texts and easily understand what the words are trying to convey without too much effort. But you will run into issues with certain segments of Scripture.

For example, there are certain "blocks" you will experience in interpreting Scripture. A historical block is one example of this. If you don't know the history pertaining to the book of Jonah, you would not completely understand why Jonah did not want to go to Ninevah when God asked him. The Ninevites were Assyrians and the enemies of the Israelites at that time. No wonder Jonah didn't want to go there.

Another block would be a cultural block. Was Jesus just picking three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40) for the period of his death for no reason? Well, no, one reason was that Jews at that time in history did not believe someone was truly dead unless three days and three nights had passed since their initial death experience. Some of the Jews believed the "soul" would remain around the body for that period of time. Once 72 hours had elapsed, the person was really dead. Knowing these types of things can expand our understanding of Scripture.

Another type of block in studying Scripture is a linguistic block. For example, some translations of the Bible use the word "Easter" when the Greek word means "Passover." This would really make a difference in understanding which festival was being addressed. Language also has what are called idioms, which would only be familiar to the people living at that time and place in history. A modern English idiom is "It's raining cats and dogs." This means that it is raining very heavily. But not all cultures of the world are familiar with this English idiom. If we told tribesmen living in the Brazilian rainforest it was raining cats and dogs, they would not likely understand what we meant.

Another similar example of this kind of thing pertains to a verse in Matthew 11:11-19. In verses 16-17 of this scripture, the writer is quoting from an Aesop fable, most likely. If you are aware of this information, the meaning of the passage becomes much clearer.

Let me give you another linguistic example by addressing the English language from about 500 years ago. In Shakespeare's play Othello, he uses some English words that we don't use anymore. If you were to read the play in Shakespeare's original English, you would have trouble understanding everything. For example, one of the words he uses in the play is "jesses," which means "fastenings." There are many other examples like that which make the play in, some points incomprehensible to modern English readers.

Keep that in mind and think about ancient Greek and ancient Hebrew and then translating those languages into modern English. Again, we are going to have difficulties with some words because everything does not transfer easily or smoothly into the English language.

We are only scratching the surface in this brief blog about hermeneutics. In future blogs, we will look at other aspects of hermeneutics to help all of us in our Bible study.

Sources:

Hermeneutics: Principles and Processes of Biblical Interpretation, by Henry A Virkler, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1981).

Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics, by Walter C. Kaiser Jr., and Moises Silva, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007).

"We Played the Flute and You Didn't Dance," Acts 242 Study, January 10, 2020, https://acts242study.com/we-played-the-flute-and-you-didnt-dance/.

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Mike James Mike James

Alleged Biblical Number Discrepancies

One area of supposed Bible discrepancies pertains to numbers. We will investigate one today.

Look at these two scriptures pertaining to the same event.

2 Samuel 8:4: "And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots" (KJV).

1 Chronicles 18:4: "And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred chariots" (KJV).

Both of these scriptures pertain to David defeating Hadarezer and then taking booty from him.

by Mike James

One area of supposed Bible discrepancies pertains to numbers. We will investigate one today.

Look at these two scriptures pertaining to the same event.

2 Samuel 8:4: "And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots" (KJV).

1 Chronicles 18:4: "And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred chariots" (KJV).

Both of these scriptures pertain to David defeating Hadarezer and then taking booty from him.

There appears to be a difference of opinion in the two scriptures on how many horsemen David seized—seven hundred versus seven thousand. Some translations list 1,700 horsemen in 2 Samuel 8:4.

One of the reasons why we may have different numbers here is likely due to a copyist error. Some of the numeral letters in Hebrew are very similar, and an honest mistake could have been made. One problem in copying Hebrew is the copying of numbers. The Jews used a system of numbering, something like Roman numerals. They used letters for numbers. The letters, which were used for numbers, were similar. So, if copying errors were to be made, numbers would be a likely candidate.

For example, suppose I wrote the word peatr. You would easily tell from the context of the sentence, "Yesterday I picked a pear from the tree," the likely word was pear. With numbers, the context does not matter as much. If I told you that David's men killed 70 men when the actual number was 700, how could you know this was an error without any other information? This is why the most common copying error in the OT is with numbers.

Is the exact number of horses and footmen important to the meaning of the text? What matters is the meaning of the story God wanted to provide. I believe the original scripture that was written down was perfect and inspired. However, we did not have printers and photocopy machines back then to record the original script. Humans had to copy the manuscripts over a long time. Humans make mistakes, and our Bibles do have some mistakes. But based on evidence like the Dead Sea Scrolls, the mistakes do not impact any important doctrine of the Bible.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient Jewish manuscripts written from about the 200s BC to about AD 100. These scrolls included some manuscripts of Old Testament (OT) books. These manuscripts were older than anything we had up until the time they were discovered (the 1940s). The oldest OT manuscripts we had were dated around AD 900. Some of the Dead Sea manuscripts went back to about 250 BC. This got us much closer to when the original manuscripts were written. The important point here is that nothing significant was different in the Dead Sea manuscripts from the newer manuscripts. However, there were some slight variations in spelling, word order, and words lost or added.

Others say the number given in Samuel represents the initial capture, while the number given in Chronicles represents the total.

Another possible way of looking at this is that "horsemen" and "footmen" were not exclusive categories. In other words, the total of the men was 20,000, and of that number, a certain number were horsemen.

The use of the term "horsemen" could be used when a man is on a horse and could be different when a man is no longer on a horse. Chariots can always be called "chariots" (thus, 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles both agree that there were a thousand chariots). Footmen can also always be called "footmen" since all chariot riders were trained with the basics of ground infantry (thus, 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles both agree that there were 20,000 footmen). However, horsemen are not always horsemen. When their chariot gets destroyed, they become footmen in battle.

Let's say when a battle started, there were 7,000 men on horses, so one historian can say that David captured 7,000 horsemen in battle. But if at the end of the battle, 6,300 horses go out of commission and only 700 men remain on horses, then another historian can say that David captured 700 horsemen in battle. The difference in numbers could be due to the different views of historians. The author of 1 Chronicles still referred to the men who lost their horses as "horsemen," and the author of 2 Samuel only referred to the men still on horses as "horsemen." This difference could have arisen if the historian of 1 Chronicles got his number from a count of horsemen before battle and the historian of 2 Samuel got his number from an after-battle count. Both accounts are correct according to their own perspectives.

We don't know for sure which of these explanations is correct, but this does not diminish the inspiration of the Bible.


Sources: Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible, by John W. Haley, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House), p. 382.

Mi Yodeya, https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/121036/2-samuel-84-vs-chronicles-184

"700, 7000 or 1700 Horsemen in 2 Samuel 8:4?" by Lana Vrz, March 31, 2022, https://www.kjvtoday.com/700-7000-or-1700-horsemen-in-2-samuel-84/

"How do you explain the apparent inconsistency in the versions of 2 Samuel 8:4" by Dr. John Oates, January 23, 2009, Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible, https://evidenceforchristianity.org/how-do-you-explain-the-apparent-inconsistency-in-the-versions-of-2-samuel-84/

"Dead Sea Scrolls," Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea_Scrolls

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Mike James Mike James

Is the Bible God's Word?

One of the great debates among Christians, philosophers, agnostics, atheists, and other believers in religion is the validity of the Bible. Many Christians would argue that the Bible is the inspired word of God. But even among Christians, there is disagreement. This is a deep subject, but I don't have time to fully develop it here. I just want to provide a little information to support the Church of God International's contention that the Bible is the inspired word of God.

by Mike James

One of the great debates among Christians, philosophers, agnostics, atheists, and other believers in religion is the validity of the Bible. Many Christians would argue that the Bible is the inspired word of God. But even among Christians, there is disagreement. This is a deep subject, but I don't have time to fully develop it here. I just want to provide a little information to support the Church of God International's contention that the Bible is the inspired word of God.

One reason I believe in the Bible is because Jesus did. Many New Testament scriptures make it clear that Christ believed in the Old Testament scriptures. In John 5:39, Jesus says to the Jews of His day that the Scriptures should be searched because in them is the key to eternal life, and those same Scriptures testify of Him. Other sources will confirm that the books of the Old Testament we have in our Bible were the same books Jesus was referring to in this scripture. Keep in mind that would exclude what are called the apocryphal books of the Bible.

Don't forget, Jesus believed in the story of the book of Jonah because He confirmed He would be dead as long as Jonah was in the belly of the fish (Matthew 12:39-41).

Second Timothy 3:16 tells us, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof and instruction in righteousness." When this scripture was written, the only books considered Scripture at that time were the Old Testament books. The New Testament would be agreed upon later.

A reason we can have faith in the Bible is that prophecies about the first coming of Christ are written in some of the Old Testament books. How could those writers who wrote centuries before Christ have known that He was coming unless God played a part in inspiring those same books?

Those books also speak of Christ in type and symbol. The sacrificial system was a type of the sacrifice that Christ would endure. The High Priest in Israel was also a type of Christ's role as our High Priest today. Christ is called the Lamb of God in the New Testament, and this relates to the holy days addressed in the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread in the Old Testament.

The New Testament ties in with the Old Testament by providing meaning and clarity to what we read in the Old Testament. Scriptures like John 10:15, John 3:14-15, and John 10:11 connect us back to the Old Testament and draw connections to the life of Christ.

Many critics have tried to cast aspersions on the word of God, but the connection between the Old and New Testament fits like a hand in glove.

One of the most controversial books of the Old Testament (Genesis) is confirmed by the words of Christ in the New Testament (Matthew 19:4; Mark 10:6). If our Savior believes in the validity of Genesis, we must also.

Over and over again, the New Testament record confirms the validity of the Old Testament. In Luke 4:18, Jesus quotes a prophecy from Isaiah 61:1-2. He then says in Luke 4:21 that the prophecy from Isaiah 61:1-2 is fulfilled in Him at that very moment! Jesus went on to explain many other prophecies to His disciples about Him after His resurrection (Luke 24:25-27).

What about the New Testament record—is it reliable? Once again, if you believe the Scriptures, the evidence is there. All the New Testament books were written in the century in which Christ lived, died, and was resurrected. We also believe the writers of the New Testament were all followers of Jesus Christ.

Most of the New Testament books were written by the apostle Paul, and he was personally taught by Christ after His resurrection (Galatians 1:12). Paul also testified that what he preached was not just something coming from a man but the very word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

One other scripture to note from Paul is Galatians 1:8. Here, he tells us to maintain the "good news" message of Scripture. If we come across anything else that contradicts this message, we should not follow it.

Finally, we should be aware of the warning in Revelation 22:18-19 about anyone who adds to or takes away from the record of that book. God warns He will remove a person like that from the Book of Life. God seems to take His word very seriously. I believe we should too.

Source: "The Bible is True," by G. Wasserzug, Midnight Call, January 2024


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Mike James Mike James

Blessing Same-Sex Couples

In December 2023, two major Christian church groups began officially blessing same-sex couples.

The Church of England began their practice on December 17, 2023. In February the Church voted to allow clergy to bless the unions of same-sex couples who have had civil weddings or partnerships. The words used for the blessings, known as prayers of love and faith, were approved by the church's House of Bishops on December 12, 2023.

Not to be outdone, the Vatican announced on December 18, 2023, that Catholic priests may bless same-sex couples. The announcement states that the blessings in question must not be tied to any specific Catholic celebration or religious service and should not be done at the same time as a civil union ceremony.

by Mike James

In December 2023, two major Christian church groups began officially blessing same-sex couples.

The Church of England began their practice on December 17, 2023. In February the Church voted to allow clergy to bless the unions of same-sex couples who have had civil weddings or partnerships. The words used for the blessings, known as prayers of love and faith, were approved by the church's House of Bishops on December 12, 2023.

Not to be outdone, the Vatican announced on December 18, 2023, that Catholic priests may bless same-sex couples. The announcement states that the blessings in question must not be tied to any specific Catholic celebration or religious service and should not be done at the same time as a civil union ceremony. The blessings cannot use set rituals or involve the clothing and gestures that belong in a wedding.

But it says requests for blessings for same-sex couples should not be denied. It offers a broad definition of the term "blessing" in Scripture to insist that people seeking a transcendent relationship with God and looking for his love and mercy shouldn't be held up to an impossible moral standard to receive it.

The Vatican still believes that marriage is a union between a man and a woman. It also still teaches same-sex marriage is wrong and considers homosexual acts to be "intrinsically disordered." None of that has changed.

What's interesting about the language here is these church organizations are blessing same-sex unions, not just individuals who are homosexual. Why this nuanced distinction? Well of course God wants the best for all His children regardless of what sin they may be troubled by. But by blessing the union these church groups are trying to have it both ways. [Editor's note: Since the publication of Fiducia Supplicans, the document that gives priests permission to bless same-sex couples, Vatican officials and Catholic apologists, responding to media reports and criticisms from Catholic traditionalists (clergy and laity alike), have stated that the document supports the blessing of individuals in a same-sex union, but not the union itself.]

Of course, God is loving and compassionate for all people. We read that in the Bible (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). He wants to save all. But the Bible also has a lot to say about sin and the need to move away from it (Romans 6; Acts 2:38). To repent means to change and move away from something (sin).

In 2021, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said flat-out that the church couldn't bless the unions of two men or two women because "God cannot bless sin."

That 2021 statement created an uproar and appeared to have blindsided Pope Francis, even though he had technically approved its publication. Soon after it was published, he removed the official responsible for it and some say set about laying the groundwork for a reversal.

In the new document, the Vatican said the church must avoid "doctrinal or disciplinary schemes especially when they lead to a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism whereby instead of evangelizing, one analyzes and classifies others."

The Pope also said this in 2013 when asked about gay priests: "If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?"

The point here is of course we don't want to be Pharisaical about sin. We are all sinners. But the Bible is clear we can judge actions as sinful and wrong, and we need to teach that and move away from sin.

The new document said a blessing is about helping people increase their trust in God. "It is a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not hindered."

It stressed that people in "irregular" unions of extramarital sex—gay or straight—are in a state of sin. But it said that shouldn't deprive them of God's love or mercy. "Even when a person's relationship with God is clouded by sin, he can always ask for a blessing, stretching out his hand to God," the document said. Notice that heterosexual "irregular" unions were also mentioned in the document. But note how the media has reported the story. The emphasis is on the homosexual unions receiving a blessing. I wonder why?

"Thus, when people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it," the document said.

It seems to me like the Catholic Church is trying to appease some within its ranks while trying not to offend others. That is a difficult needle to thread.

The Rev. James Martin, who advocates for a greater welcome for LGBTQ+ Catholics, praised the new document as a "huge step forward" and a "dramatic shift" from the Vatican's 2021 policy.

"Along with many Catholic priests, I will now be delighted to bless my friends in same-sex marriages," he said in an email.

Conservatives in the Church are angry. The traditionalist blogger Luigi Casalini of Messa in Latino (Latin Mass) blog wrote that the document appeared to be a form of heresy.

"The church is crumbling," he wrote.

University of Notre Dame theologian Ulrich Lehner was also concerned, saying it would merely sow confusion and could lead to division in the church.

"The Vatican's statement is, in my view, the most unfortunate public announcement in decades," he said in a statement. "Moreover, some bishops will use it as a pretext to do what the document explicitly forbids, especially since the Vatican has not stopped them before. It is—and I hate to say it—an invitation to schism."

Could this be why the homosexual angle is being blown up in the media? Are there forces out there trying to weaken Christian Churches (Revelation 12:9; II Corinthains 11:13-15)?

Ramón Gómez, in charge of human rights for the Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation group in Chile, said the statement was a step toward breaking down discrimination in the church and could help LGBTQ+ people in countries where even civil unions aren't legal.

But he said the document was "belated" and "contradictory" in specifying a non-ritualized blessing that cannot be confused with marriage. Such a mixed message, he said, "thus once again gives the signal that same-sex couples are inferior to heterosexual couples."

These recent developments in the Catholic Church and the Church of England are signals of what direction Christianity is moving in. Major Christian groups are moving away from scripture as their primary guide and allowing popular culture and other opinions to guide them.

But like any major change that occurs in a Christian church, it usually does not happen quickly. It takes time due to all the competing interests pushing for their viewpoint. It will be interesting to see where this issue is in another twenty years.


Sources: "Church of England Begins Blessing Same-Sex Couples," The Washington Post, December 18, 2023

"Pope Approves Blessings For Same-Sex Couples That Must Not Resemble Marriage," by Nicole Winfield and David Crary, Associated Press, December 19, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8

"Vatican Approves Blessings For Same-Sex Couples in Landmark Ruling," by Philip Pullella, Reuters, December 18, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/vatican-approves-blessings-same-sex-couples-under-certain-conditions-2023-12-18/

"Pope Francis Approves Catholic Blessings for Same-Sex Couples, but Not for Marriage," by Becky Sullivan, NPR, December 18, 2023, https://www.npr.org/2023/12/18/1220077102/pope-francis-blessings-same-sex-couples

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Matthew 28:19

Throughout my years in the Church of God, I have heard different ideas about the following scripture (Matthew 28:19):

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (KJV)

“Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: (ASV)

“having gone, then, disciple all the nations, (baptizing them -- to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, (YLT)

The Greek word used here for “in,” “into,” and “to” is eis.  The word is a primary preposition and indicates the point reached or entered of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose.

by Mike James

Throughout my years in the Church of God, I have heard different ideas about the following scripture (Matthew 28:19):

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (KJV)

“Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: (ASV)

“having gone, then, disciple all the nations, (baptizing them -- to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, (YLT)

The Greek word used here for “in,” “into,” and “to” is eis. The word is a primary preposition and indicates the point reached or entered of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose.

The significant expression in verse 19 is the phrase “in the name of.” In Greek it is eis to onoma, an expression only used here in the entire New Testament. Literature from that time period in Greek has been found with this expression and shows its full meaning: “The phrase…is frequent in the papyri with reference to payments made ‘to the account of any one’…. The usage is of interest in connection with Mt. 28:19, where the meaning would seem to be ‘baptized into the possession of the Father, etc.’” (J.Moulton and G. Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament, p. 451).

According to the Worldwide Church of God bible correspondence course lesson 10: Matthew 28:19 simply means that when we receive the Spirit of God, we automatically, through this miraculous begettal, become unborn children in the divine family called “God.” This becomes our “baptism” or immersion into both the family and power of God or into sonship, brotherhood (with Christ) and their inherent blessings.

This is in addition to our immersion into the spiritual “body of Christ,” both occurring at the same time.

This scripture is often used by Trinitarians as a proof text that God is a Trinity. But be careful with proof texts. Always make sure you are looking at all the scriptures on a biblical topic and not just a few. Greater clarity comes when you sift through all the relevant scriptures on God considering this scripture.

There is another aspect to this discussion too.

Some in the Church over the years have argued that the verse in question is not in the oldest manuscripts. But this is more of a theory than fact.

All the full manuscripts we do have date back to the 4th century. In none of these manuscripts is there any variation in Matthew 28:19. Yet there are other variations between these manuscripts.

Some of the older papyri (partial manuscripts prior to the 4th century) do not have this verse in them, but they are also missing other parts of the text of Matthew. So we can’t use the older documents to judge anything related to Matthew 28:19.

But we do have written Christian data prior to the 4th century that can weigh in on this controversy. For example, in the Didache (a book about Christian practices) which was written between 60 and 150 A.D., we find the familiar mentioning to baptize, “in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

In the First Apology (around 155 A.D.) by Justin Martyr, he mentions baptism with this line: “receive washing in water in the name of God the Father and Master of all, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit.”

In his book, Against Heresies by Iraneaus (180 A.D.), we read the following: “…And again, giving to the disciples the power of regeneration into God, he said to them, ‘Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’…”

The conspiracy theory idea states the Church historian Eusebius quoted a shorter version of Matthew 28:19 before the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. and then after 325 A.D. quoted the better-known version. I will have more to say about this in a coming article.

Another argument proponents of the conspiracy theory make has to do with the book of Acts. In Acts, there are four scriptures (Acts 2:38; Acts 8:16; Acts 10:47-48; Acts 19:5-6) that address being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus or Jesus Christ only. In these four scriptures, the Father and the Holy Spirit are not mentioned.

According to Everett Ferguson, this is why that may be: The phrases in Acts may not, however, reflect alternative formulas in the administration of baptism or alternative understandings of the meaning of the act. In some cases the description in Acts may mean a baptism administered on a confession of Jesus as Lord and Christ (cf. Acts 22:16), or it may be a general characterization of the baptism as related to Jesus and not a formula pronounced at the baptism. In the later history the only formula regularly attested as pronounced by the administrator includes the triune name, but in Matthew it too may be descriptive rather than formulaic. If Matthew 28:19 is not a formula, then there is no necessary contradiction to the description “in the name of the Lord” in Acts and Paul. (Ferguson, Baptism in the Early Church (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans 2009) p. 136).

For those of you who have an interest in this topic, I will be writing a much lengthier article in the next edition of the International News.


Sources: “Matthew 28:19,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_28:19#:~:text=Matthew%2028%3A19%20is%20the,disciples%20with%20the%20trinitarian%20formula.

“Is Matthew 28:19 A Forgery?” by Sean Finnegan on Restitutio.org in biblicalunitarian, https://www.biblicalunitarian.com/articles/is-matthew-2819-a-forgery

“Is Matthew 28:19 Legitimate or Spurious? By Jason Smith, June 12, 2018, https://asitreads.com/2018-2-7-is-matthew-2819-legitimate-or-spurious/

“Should You Be Baptized?” Ambassador College Correspondence Course, Worldwide Church of God, Lesson 10, 1977.

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Thoughts on Europe

As we enter another election cycle next year in the United States (US) European nations are taking note. There is some concern in Europe over a possible new Trump presidency. This is due to the fact unlike previous presidents, Trump has made statements about pulling out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

“It would be extremely stressful if America pivoted away from Europe, and that’s the worry with Trump,” a top European diplomat stated. “Every foreign ministry is thinking about this.”

by Mike James

As we enter another election cycle next year in the United States (US) European nations are taking note. There is some concern in Europe over a possible new Trump presidency. This is due to the fact unlike previous presidents, Trump has made statements about pulling out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

“It would be extremely stressful if America pivoted away from Europe, and that’s the worry with Trump,” a top European diplomat stated. “Every foreign ministry is thinking about this.”

This thinking has been impacted by the Russian/Ukraine war. Poland plans to spend 4 percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defense next year. That would be more than any other country in the world other than Israel.

Poland is not alone. Recently Germany committed tens of billions of dollars to a long-term military expansion to last into the 2030s. France has started its biggest military spending increase in 50 years. Plans are to spend nearly $450 billion through the end of the decade.

Interestingly the United Kingdom’s (UK) military power continues to shrink. A top US general rates the UK military “barely tier two.” British Prime Minister Sunak omitted the military from his list of top priorities this year.

Some remember the days when the prevailing Church theory on the “Beast power” that would rise was focused primarily on Europe. Some have lost sight of this idea. Some are even opining that the US is going to be part of the “Beast power.” But not so fast. We need to recognize our concept of time and time itself are very different. We all live very short lives when it comes to prophetic time.

There certainly is a shift in geopolitical matters these days. The post-World War II world is just about over. The fact that a US President and now other US presidential candidates are not beholden to the idea of NATO or the US being involved in everything is a change. Change usually occurs slowly and methodically. Often it is two steps forward and one step back. But if the US does draw back a bit from the world, Europe must step up and rebuild their military prowess.

French President Macron has spoken about European “strategic autonomy,” but his ideas have not taken hold yet. But the winds of change might be formulating in Europe.

Over twenty years ago, Austria was the first nation in post-World War II Europe to move to the far right. Most of the rest of Western Europe spoke out in outrage about this. Times have changed slowly.

Last week in the socially liberal Netherlands, hard-right icon Geert Wilders and his Party for Freedom shockingly came in first place in parliamentary elections. Wilders is expected to struggle to form a government due to his party falling well short of a majority. But some say this is a powerful warning to mainstream Europe.

“Everywhere in Europe we see the same right-wing wind blowing,” Tom Van Grieken, a Belgian hard-right populist, said in response to Wilders win. “The advance that has been underway for a while is clearly continuing in the Netherlands. We share our patriotism and want to put our people first again. Nothing can match that motivation.”

Far-right parties are ruling in Italy and Hungary, part of a coalition in Finland, government partners in Sweden, entered Parliament in Greece and made big gains in regional elections in Austria and Germany. But losses for far-right parties in Poland and Spain have also occurred recently.

But analysts say far-right parties are major forces in most of the European Union (EU) countries and are influencing policy in countries where they do not govern. Where will we be in another twenty years? Time will tell.

Whoever the “Beast power” will be the Bible makes it clear it will rule authoritatively and autocratically (Revelation 13:2). It will be mighty militarily (Revelation 13:4). He will blaspheme God (Revelation 13:6). He will also persecute Christians and have globe girding power (Revelation 13:7). The first beast will also be assisted by a second beast who will deceive people with miracles (Revelation 13:11-14).

There certainly is nothing on the world scene currently like that but give it some time. Let’s not discount possible prophetic scenarios just because we have heard them for a long time. The end may be well beyond (time) what we have previously thought. So, stay focused on what you can know—how well you are working out your own salvation (Philippians 2:12-13).

Sources:

“Why Europe is Rearming: It Isn’t Just About Russia,” by Lee Hockstader, The Washington Post, November 20, 2023

“Dutch Vote Shows Far Right Rising, Transforming Europe,” by Anthony Faiola, Emily Rauhala and Loveday Morris, The Washington Post, November 26, 2023

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Only Fans

You have probably heard the famous refrain from the story The Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times….” This phrase fits perfectly into the use of technology in our world today. Technology has done great good for society. One obvious example is more ways to communicate with people. Facebook is one example where people can keep track of their friends’ and relatives’ lives in a greater degree. But we could also argue that the time used to put up and read content on Facebook could be better utilized.

by Mike James

You have probably heard the famous refrain from the story The Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times….” This phrase fits perfectly into the use of technology in our world today. Technology has done great good for society. One obvious example is more ways to communicate with people. Facebook is one example where people can keep track of their friends’ and relatives’ lives in a greater degree. But we could also argue that the time used to put up and read content on Facebook could be better utilized.

Another example of good from technology is the ability for the message of the gospel to be put out into the world anywhere there is an internet connection. Access to various Bible translations, dictionaries, and commentaries is helpful. But on the other hand, the internet also gives false prophets and false teachers a platform and greater exposure than ever before. Many people are being led astray by false doctrine online.

I recently read a long article in The Washington Post that brings another issue to the forefront. The article addressed a content provider on the OnlyFans website. This is a website where chefs, fitness trainers, and musicians can receive payment from their “fans” for their music, recipes, or personal training sessions. But the website is primarily used by content providers providing personal pornographic content.

The website got its start with two brothers in the United Kingdom in 2016. Tim Stokely, one of the brothers, was a London-based operator of live-camera sex sites. The United States makes up a large portion of the creator base and about 70 percent of the company’s annual revenue.

OnlyFans has over 3 million content providers from around the world (most in the United States) with about 230 million subscribers paying for the content. In 2019 the company made $238 million which grew to $5.5 billion last year. The numbers indicate this business model is growing in influence.

I found a few interesting quotes in the article that make me wonder where our culture is heading. One quote was by the mother of one of the very successful (monetarily speaking) content providers. When asked about her daughter’s line of work the mother said, “The world has changed so much…but she’s an adult. She has to do what makes her wheels move, what she finds fulfilling, when you’re a parent, you want to support your child. And that’s what I do.”

What is mom supporting her daughter in doing? Well, if you read the article, it is clear this young woman is having sex on camera with her boyfriend and other partners. She is also promoting similar content for other people working for her. That sex (videos and photos) is then being sold to people online for money.

Yes, the mother is correct, the world has certainly changed. With the capabilities of technology, we now have many more opportunities to make bad decisions. Without technology, many people participating in this would never have chosen this path.

And the bad decisions lead to bad values. The content provider and her team addressed jealousy issues which came up due to having sex with someone else’s partner. The issues were resolved with “more communication, more growing up.” These people think being grown up is being able to share sexual partners. Obviously, the world is upside down because, in the Bible, God has jealousy about His marriage to Israel due to their adultery with other gods (Exodus 20:5-6). Being grown up from a biblical perspective is understanding you should have one sexual partner for life.

Another quote came from a 20-year-old woman who works for the content provider mentioned above. She said, “This is normal for my generation, you know? I can go on TikTok right now and see 10 girls wearing the bare minimum of clothing just to get people to join their page. Why not go the extra step to make money off it?”

This same 20-year-old woman made $150,000 in two months as the head of advertising for the content provider mentioned above and from her own OnlyFans account.

And that is another problem. The ability for some to make lots of money with this type of work. Our culture promotes the idea of success as having money and things. This is not success in the biblical sense.

Success in the biblical sense is addressed in Matthew 6:33. Seeking first God’s Kingdom and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS will lead to the only lasting success (eternal life) we can have. The righteousness spoken of here is addressed in the law of God. The principles and values in God’s law define what righteousness is (Psalm 119:105-106).

The Bible makes it clear sex should not be with multiple partners (Matthew 19:1-12). Sex should not be promoted or displayed for others (Matthew 5:27-28). Sex is between a man and a woman in a married relationship. Times may have changed, but that does not mean we should. We need to stay grounded in biblical principles and not the principles and values being promoted today.



Sources: “An OnlyFans Empire: Sex, Influence and the New American Dream,” by Drew Harwell, The Washington Post, November 11, 2023

“OnlyFans,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OnlyFans

 

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Halloween

One of our primary concerns for having issues with worldly holidays like Halloween is the belief that these days are used to obfuscate and hide the true holy days of God. Halloween is a great example of this with its timing right after the time of the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day.

Many argue about what is the harm in letting kids go out and gather candy from neighbors. On its face this does not seem like a problem since we are not worshipping God on this day and obviously most of those who celebrate are not worshipping any false gods consciously. But by putting so much money and energy into days like Halloween our culture makes it easy for people to miss God’s plan and holy days.

by Mike James

One of our primary concerns for having issues with worldly holidays like Halloween is the belief that these days are used to obfuscate and hide the true holy days of God. Halloween is a great example of this with its timing right after the time of the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day.

Many argue about what is the harm in letting kids go out and gather candy from neighbors. On its face this does not seem like a problem since we are not worshipping God on this day and obviously most of those who celebrate are not worshipping any false gods consciously. But by putting so much money and energy into days like Halloween our culture makes it easy for people to miss God’s plan and holy days.

Halloween has become the second biggest spending holiday of the year with over $10 billion in sales. This is an incredible rise from about $3 billion in 2003. About two-thirds of US adults reportedly take part in this holiday each year. Obviously, its popularity is increasing. Some argue it is the second most important holiday in the United States after Christmas.

God told ancient Israel not to observe the things other nations did in worshipping their false gods. Notice this in Deuteronomy 12:8, 30-32: “Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes…Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Obviously, we want to think about the things we do and why we do them. Should we just follow along with our culture when it is influenced by the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4) rather than the true God?

One of the biggest influences on our present Halloween was Samhain, a Gaelic or Celtic festival that occurred on November 1. Since the Celtic day began and ended at sunset, the night of October 31 began the celebration. The early literature says Samhain was marked by great gatherings and feasts and was when the ancient burial mounds were open, which were seen as portals to the Otherworld. Some of the literature also associates Samhain with bonfires and sacrifices. Some say the sacrifices were not just of animals, but sometimes of humans.

Samhain was a festival in which a connection to the other world of spirits was opened. During this time of transition between summer and winter a threshold could be broken. The spirits that roamed about at this time were believed by scholars to be remnants of former pagan gods.

Think about that for a moment. Ages ago the ancients worshipped gods that were not gods—due to the influence of Satan, I believe. We continue to popularize this time of the year despite the fact not many people today believe in these ancient pagan gods. But I should preface that by acknowledging that new age religions and Wiccans have made Halloween a primary holy day within their religions for those very reasons.

Samhain also had an element of worshipping dead relatives. This made sense at this time of the year because all the vegetation was dying. The souls of the dead were believed to revisit their homes at this time. This idea flouts the truth of the Bible which teaches the dead are dead and unconscious until a time of resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23; Psalm 6:5; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10).

Over time the Christian celebrations of All Saints Day (November 1) and All Souls Day (November 2) began to be celebrated at the same time as the ancient pagan festivals that commemorated, among other things, the souls of dead people.

Our modern practice of “trick or treating” may have had its origins in what was known as “souling.” People would go around from door to door asking for food in return for a prayer for dead loved ones. The people doing this would walk around at night with hollowed out turnips with a candle inside representing the soul of a loved one stuck in purgatory. Obviously, this is very similar to our modern practice of hollowing out pumpkins and placing candles in them.

Another scary (pardon my pun) aspect of our modern fascination with Halloween is the association of this holiday with the macabre. Violent slasher movies, Satan, demons, ghosts, goblins, witches, and the like all play a part in this holiday. Isn’t it ironic that the second most popular holiday in our country pays respect to the god of this world? Just a coincidence? I think not.

Sources: Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night, by Nichoas Rogers, New York: Oxford University Press, 2002

“Samhain,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain

Occult Holidays or God’s Holy Days – Which? by Fred R. Coulter, Hollister: York Publishing Company, 2006

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War in the Middle East

On the Last Great Day Palestinian Hamas forces struck Israel with a devastating terrorist attack. Over 1,300 Israelis lost their lives during this surprise attack. Indications are a wider war will now ensue between Israel and Hamas. Israel has pounded sites in Gaza over the past week killing even more Palestinians. As with any war, what this will lead to is anyone’s guess. But let us take a closer look at what we can learn from the latest significant flare up in the Middle East.

by Mike James

On the Last Great Day Palestinian Hamas forces struck Israel with a devastating terrorist attack. Over 1,300 Israelis lost their lives during this surprise attack. Indications are a wider war will now ensue between Israel and Hamas. Israel has pounded sites in Gaza over the past week killing even more Palestinians. As with any war, what this will lead to is anyone’s guess. But let us take a closer look at what we can learn from the latest significant flare up in the Middle East.

Since the inception of Israel as a nation in 1948, they have been in conflicts with several of their Arab neighbors and the Palestinians. In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel took over the Gaza Strip from Egypt and the West Bank from Jordan, which were not a part of Israel when they became a nation in 1948. The Palestinians occupied these two territories.

After Israel took over the Gaza Strip, they built 21 Jewish settlements in that period. In 1993, the Oslo accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) aimed at giving the Palestinian people the right to self-determination. The PLO is an umbrella organization of Palestinians working for Palestinian autonomy. In 1994, Palestinians took control as the governmental authority of Gaza. Part of this push for peace involved Israel disengaging and dismantling Israeli settlements from the Gaza Strip under a 2003 plan from then Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

In 2005, Israel gave up control of the Gaza Strip under internal and external pressure, withdrawing 9,000 Israeli settlers and military forces from the Gaza Strip. Hamas was one of two major Palestinian political parties that came to power after an election in 2006. The other party, the Palestinian Authority (PA), is an agency of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and has significant control in the West Bank.

The PA is primarily composed of Fatah (Palestinian political party) members and accepts the right of Israel to exist. Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (smaller less political faction) do not accept Israel’s right to exist and have committed many terrorist attacks against Israel over the years.

Despite giving up control of the Gaza Strip, Israel has kept a land, air, and sea blockade on Gaza since 2007. This has caused problems for Palestinians. The United Nations said in 2009 that the blockade from both Israel and Egypt had been “devastating livelihoods” and causing gradual “de-development” in Gaza. Israel argues that the blockade has served to keep control of Gaza’s border, prevent Hamas from getting stronger, and protect Israelis from Palestinian rocket attacks.

The initial stages of this new conflict have inflicted losses on the Israeli civilian population in a way that Israel has never experienced before. In only three days, more Jewish people were killed than at any other time since the Holocaust. During the first Palestinian uprising (intifada), from 1987-1994, about 200 Israelis were killed. In the second Palestinian uprising, from 2000-2005, about 1,000 Israelis died.

Any time we see conflict in and around the nation of Israel, some people express concern that it might be a sign of the soon return of Christ. Reading the Bible carefully should make it clear what is happening now is not a sign of the imminent return of Christ.

Let me explain why. Based on Luke 21:20, some believe one of the signs of the imminent return of Christ will be when Jerusalem is surrounded by armies. There are no indications that any other nations are going to go against the nation of Israel currently. Hamas does not even have a conventional army. Matthew 24:15 also mentions another sign before Christ’s imminent return—an abomination of desolation in the holy place. Some believe this refers to a future temple in Jerusalem (which does not yet exist) that will be desecrated in some way.

Daniel 12:1 also makes it clear the time of the end will be more distressed than any other time in history. The problems in the world today don’t compare to the distress of World War II. Daniel 11:40 also tells us there will be a battle between a “King of the North” and a “King of the South.” Nobody can definitively identify anyone fitting those individuals at this point. Nor do we see God’s two witnesses (Revelation 11) or the Beast power on the scene yet (Revelation 13).

But if this recent conflict is not a sign of the end, how could it be a precursor that aligns things toward the end times? Hamas struck at Israel at this time for a variety of reasons. One may have been due to recent internal squabbles in the Israeli government. Saudi Arabia was rumored to be ready to sign a peace deal with Israel as other Arab nations have over the past ten years. As more Arab nations make peace with Israel, the Palestinians might feel desperate. This is due in part to the inability of Palestinians and the nation of Israel to reach a peace agreement. If Hamas is destroyed by Israel, perhaps a final peace agreement can be brokered between the PA and the Israelis since the PA is a bit more moderate than Hamas.

But let us not forget that, if a peace deal is brokered, that may be when we really need to be watchful. First Thessalonians 5:3-4 tells us to be wary when people think there is peace and safety. This might be another sign of the imminent return of Christ.

But another scenario is that pressure might build for the PA to enter the fight against Israel if Israel overplays their hand in the Gaza Strip. Could Hezbollah enter the fray from Lebanon and cause Israel to have to open a multi-front war? Hezbollah is an Iranian backed Shiite militia based in Lebanon. In 2006, Israel battled with Hezbollah until a negotiated settlement ended the conflict. Analysts were surprised by Hezbollah’s enhanced ability to fight based on their performance in a previous conflict with Israel back in the 1980s. As I said earlier, when war starts no one can be sure how it will end.

But what we can be sure of is all conflicts in this world will not end until Christ returns to set up His kingdom on earth. Let us pray that day comes sooner rather than later.

Sources: “First Intifada,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Intifada#:~:text=B'Tselem%20calculated%20179%20Israelis,males%20older%20than%2016%20years.

“Second Intifida,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Intifada

“The Gaza Strip and It’s History, Explained,” by Timothy Bella, The Washington Post, October 10, 2023.

“List of Wars Involving Israel,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_Israel.

“Hamas, Fatah, Islamic Jihad, PLO and Palestinian Authority: A Brief Introduction to Major Political Players in Palestine,” by Alind Chauhan, The Indian Express, October 11, 2023

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Bible Discrepancies - Spying Canaan

Was it God's idea to spy out the land of Canaan or the people's? This alleged discrepancy relates to the two scriptures provided below:

Numbers 13:1-2: And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them (KJV).

Deuteronomy 1:21-23: Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged. And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come. And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe (KJV).

by Mike James

Was it God's idea to spy out the land of Canaan or the people's? This alleged discrepancy relates to the two scriptures provided below:

Report of the Spies (Numbers 13, 1 - 26). Chromolithograph after a drawing (1860) by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (German painter, 1794 - 1872), published ca. 1880

Numbers 13:1-2: And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them (KJV).

Deuteronomy 1:21-23: Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged. And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come. And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe (KJV).

The scripture in Numbers seems to be saying God told them to spy out the land, while the scripture in Deuteronomy seems to imply the people made the decision to do it.

This and other scriptures can be easily resolved by understanding that the writer is not providing all the details in the second account. This is often done when we speak and write. If you have already established that God gave the word for the people to act in a certain way, why do we have to repeat all the details whenever we address this same issue?

Also, note Numbers 32:8, where now we get another slight difference about the incident of spying out the land. Here, Moses says he sent them to spy out the land. This can be easily resolved by looking at all three scriptures. The first scripture tells us God spoke to Moses. Moses obviously told the men what God wanted. The men then carried out the action that God had begun. More than one thing can be true at the same time. God, Moses, and the people were all involved in getting this done.

This type of thing is found in other scriptures that address the same event. For example, in 2 Chronicles 23:1-20, we read that the Levites were involved in the inauguration of King Joash. Second Kings 11:4-19 addresses the same incident, the inauguration of Joash, but the Levites are not mentioned as being involved. Does this mean there is a contradiction? Of course not; the writer is emphasizing different details pertaining to the same event. This is noted in many other similar incidents that are addressed in the books of Chronicles and Kings.

This happens today with our daily news. Some news articles will add details on the same event that others exempt.

Some other biblical examples of this include Manasseh's repentance—see 2 Chronicles 33:11-17. Second Kings 21:17 does not mention him repenting but tells us to see what Chronicles has to say about Manasseh.

In Exodus 18:2-6 we learn that Moses' family was sent back to Midian when Moses went to Egypt. In Exodus 4:20, those details are omitted from the text.

Yet another example pertains to Moses' fast. In Deuteronomy 9:9, 18 we read that Moses fasted by not eating or drinking water for forty days and forty nights. Yet in Exodus 24:18, which addresses the same incident, Moses' fast is not mentioned—just the length of time he was up in the mountain.

One further example of this can be found in the appointment of judges. In Exodus 18:23-25 and Deuteronomy 1:15, it seems that Moses had decided to set judges over the people of Israel at the behest of Jethro and the agreement of God. But if we also read Deuteronomy 1:12-14, we will see the people were also involved in picking their own judges at the behest of Moses! The Exodus account does not mention this additional detail.

It is clear to see we are dealing with additional details being included and omitted in these similar accounts. These are not discrepancies; they are just accounts excluding and including various details.

Source: Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible, John W. Haley, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977), pp. 350-351.

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Mike James Mike James

Another Alleged Bible Discrepancy

Did the Edomites refuse supplies to Israel when they passed through their land, or did they furnish them? This apparent discrepancy revolves around two scriptures provided below:

Numbers 20:19-20: "And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet. And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand" (KJV).

Deuteronomy 2:28-29: "You will sell me food for money so that I may eat, and give me water for money so that I may drink, only let me pass through on foot, just as the sons of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for me, until I cross over the Jordan into the land which the Lord our God is giving to us" (KJV).

Did the Edomites refuse supplies to Israel when they passed through their land, or did they furnish them? This apparent discrepancy revolves around two scriptures provided below:

Numbers 20:19-20: "And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet. And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand" (KJV).

Deuteronomy 2:28-29: "You will sell me food for money so that I may eat, and give me water for money so that I may drink, only let me pass through on foot, just as the sons of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for me, until I cross over the Jordan into the land which the Lord our God is giving to us" (KJV).

The scripture in Numbers deals with the incident as Israel passed through Edom. The scripture in Deuteronomy deals with the incident after the fact. This (Deuteronomy 2:28-29) is when Israel was trying to pass through the land of Sihon, king of Heshbon. So, there appears to be a contradiction.

According to Haley's book listed below, the Edomites (sons of Esau) initially refused to allow Israel safe passage and provisions but later changed their minds once they realized they could economically benefit.

Further support for this idea is found in Deuteronomy 23:3-4. Here, we read the Lord is upset with the Ammonites and Moabites for not coming out to meet the Israelites with bread and water when they were making their way out of Egypt. This sounds very similar to the above incident with the Edomites.

But now notice again in Deuteronomy 2:28-29 where it says the Edomites (sons of Esau) and the Moabites did sell the provisions for money. This further supports the idea that after first denying the Israelites, both the Moabites and Edomites saw a way to be compensated economically.

Another possible answer to this alleged discrepancy is found in Deuteronomy 2:3-6: "Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore: Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession. Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink" (KJV).

Here, it looks like after seeing the Israelites and their numbers, the Edomites had second thoughts about trying to engage with the Israelites. They may have sold them the food and water after realizing the Israelites were just passing through. Why waste their men on fighting the Israelites, who appeared to be a formidable foe?

A bit more detail on this idea is provided in the Keil and Delitzsch commentary: On the western side of their mountains the Edomites had refused permission to the Israelites to pass through their land (Num. 20:18ff.), as the mountains of Seir terminate towards the Ghor (the Arabah) in steep and lofty precipices, and there are only two or three narrow wadys which intersect them from west to east; and of these the Wady Ghuweir is the only one which is practicable for an army, and even this could be held so securely by a moderate army, that no enemy could force its way into the heart of the country (see Leake in Burckhardt, pp. 21, 22; and Robinson, ii. p. 583). It was different on the eastern side, where the mountains slope off into a wide extent of tableland, which is only slightly elevated above the desert of Arabia. Here, on the weaker side of their frontier, the Edomites lost the heart to make any attack upon the Israelites, who would now have been able to requite their hostilities (Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament, 1.747).

Let's take a look at how this text is rendered in the NASB Version:

"You will sell me food for money so that I may eat, and give me water for money so that I may drink, only let me pass through on foot, just as the sons of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for me until I cross over the Jordan into the land which the Lord our God is giving to us" (Deuteronomy 2:28-29 NASB).

Here, we have a record of Moses saying that the Edomites and the Moabites sold him and the Israelites food, not necessarily that they (Edom) let him pass through their land. In fact, Judges 11:14-18 makes it clear that the Israelites didn't even pass through the land of Edom or Moab.

So, how did the Israelites manage to purchase resources from the Edomite and Moabite people without ever entering their countries? Well, the "sons of Esau who live in Seir" (v. 29) lived on the border of Edom and allowed the Israelites to purchase food and water and, in a sense, "pass through," although Israel remained on the border of Edom. This was also the case regarding the interaction between Israel and the Moabites, seeing as Ar lies on the eastern border of Moab.

Thus, we see that the text found in Deuteronomy 2:26-29 is in harmony with the narrative found in Numbers 20:18-21. When Israel was prohibited from entering Edom, the text states they "turned away from him" (Numbers 20:21). But after time elapsed and some significant events took place, Israel set out again, but to go around Edom this time (Numbers 21:4). This was when the "Edomites in Seir" (Deuteronomy 2:29) sold the Israelites food and water on the border of Edom. Although the Edomites refused Israel passage through the midst of their land, the implication is that Edom did allow Israel to purchase food.

Deuteronomy 2:4 is also important to consider. Isn't the Lord expressly stating that the Israelites would pass through the land of Edom? A closer look at the text reveals that there is no discrepancy:

"…and command the people saying, 'You will pass through the territory of your brothers the sons of Esau who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you so be careful'" (Deuteronomy 2:4 NASB).

The key is found in looking at the Hebrew. The phrase rendered "pass through" is the Hebrew word abar, which can also be used of "passing by." In Genesis 18:3, Abraham begged the three men not "to pass by" him but to stop and refresh themselves (Vine's, pp. 172-173).

Also, the word gebul, rendered "territory" in this text (Deuteronomy 2:4), literally means "border" (Strong's, Hebrew 1366). In the KJV, the word gebul is translated as "coast."

Sources: "How is Deut. 2:29 reconciled with Num. 20:18-21?" Biblical Hermeneutics, https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/4212/how-is-deut-229-reconciled-with-num-2018-21

Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible, by John W. Haley, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House), p. 335.

Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament, Volume 1, (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.), 2001.

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Mike James Mike James

Biblical Discrepancies - Esau's Wives

How many wives did Esau have? This is yet another seeming discrepancy in the Bible. A closer look and research will reveal the Bible is not creating a discrepancy.

First, let's look at the scriptures that address the various wives of Esau.

Genesis 26:34: And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite (KJV).

Genesis 28:9: Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife (KJV).

by Mike James

How many wives did Esau have? This is yet another seeming discrepancy in the Bible. A closer look and research will reveal the Bible is not creating a discrepancy.

First, let's look at the scriptures that address the various wives of Esau.

Genesis 26:34: And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite (KJV).

Genesis 28:9: Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife (KJV).

Genesis 36:2-3: Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; And Bashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth (KJV).

Some believe Esau had six wives; some say five, and others say three.

One theory from biblical scholars Hengstenberg, Keil, and Lange is that when women married at this time in history, they received new names. So, if we go with this idea, Bashemath (Bashemath #2), Ishmael's daughter (Genesis 36:2-3) is the same as Mahalath (Genesis 28:9).

Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite (Genesis 36:2-3), is the same as Bashemath (Bashemath #1, Genesis 26:34).

Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah (Genesis 36:2-3), is the same as Judith (Genesis 26:34). In the NIV translation, Aholibamah is the granddaughter of Zibeon, not the daughter. Anah is also called "Beeri" ("man of the springs") because he found "warm springs" in the wilderness (see Genesis 36:24 NIV translation). The biblical scholars Feurst, Hengstenberg, Gesenius, Murphy, Keil, and Knobel all agree on Anah also being named Beeri.

Some might have concerns as to why Beeri is called a Hittite while Anah's father, Zibeon, is a Hivite. The father of Beeri (Anah) may have been a Hivite, but his mother could have been a Hittite. Both of these groups occupied the land of Canaan and intermingled.

Another possibility, according to the scholar Lange, is that "Hittite" defines the race, "Hivite" the tribe, and "Horite" ("cave dweller") the location Anah lived.

One other possibility is the three names differ by only one letter when written in Hebrew. The scholars Michaelis and Bertheau suspect an error in transcription.

Some don't believe Judith is Aholibamah, and they argue that Judith is not mentioned in Genesis 36:2-3 because she bore no children. Genesis 36:1 ("generations of Esau") is focused on the children (and their mothers) of Esau. I do think Judith and Aholibamah are the same.

When you look at all three scriptures once more, notice Genesis 26 mentions him taking two wives that were Hittites—the Hittites were Canaanites. Genesis 36 mentions two Canaanite wives. Remember, the Israelites were not supposed to get mixed up with the Canaanites because of religious differences. That may be why Esau then selects his third wife.

In Genesis 28:8-9, Esau may have taken a wife of Ishmael because Ishmael was a son (through Hagar) of his father. These verses tell us Issac was not happy that Esau had taken two wives from the Canaanites. In Genesis 28:6, Esau also probably figures out that he should not have married the Canaanite women.

Finally, keeping that in mind, it would appear Genesis 36 is now summarizing all three of Esau's wives with the new names being employed.

So, in my opinion, the first two verses (at the top) address how Esau originally chose his wives, and the last verse is compiling all of the wives. Three wives in all.

One last thing to point out here. Look back at when Esau marries the first two Canaanite wives in Genesis 26:34-35. Also note what the scripture says in verse 35, that these wives were a grief to the mind of Issac and Rebekah.

The next chapter (Genesis 27) tells us Jacob receives Esau's blessing from Issac. Did the choices of Esau anger Rebekah, so she helped Jacob fool Isaac into passing the blessing of Esau to Jacob? What is interesting is in Genesis 28:1, Isaac makes it clear to Jacob that he should not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Just another little interesting thing to think about in this well-known story.

Sources:

Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible, by John W. Haley, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House), 1977, pp. 336-337.

"Genesis 26:34 – How Many Wives Did Esau Have?" Defending Inerrancy, https://defendinginerrancy.com/bible-solutions/Genesis_26.34.php

"What Do We Know about Esau's Wife(s) Basemath?" by Lori Stanley Roleveld, Christianity.com, December 13, 2022, https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/what-we-know-esaus-wives-basemath.html#google_vignette

"Esau's Wives – Cracking the Biblical Enigma," by Raphael Shuchat, The Jerusalem Post, November 4, 2021, https://www.jpost.com/judaism/esaus-wives-cracking-the-biblical-enigma-684063

"Esau's Wives," by Beth Lesch, AlphaBeta, November 18, 2021, https://www.alephbeta.org/blog/who-were-esaus-wives

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Jeremy A. Brown Jeremy A. Brown

Your Truth?!

Haa! Who would have ever imagined this is where the truth would be in the year 2023?! We no longer can, or should I say, refuse to say what the truth is. The facts used to matter if we disagreed. We would say let me show you the scientific or biblical facts. Not today! Our society says the truth is subjective; it is whatever my truth, your truth, their truth, or anybody else's truth is. Everyone has their own "truth" based on their personal feelings/experiences.

by Jeremy A. Brown

Haa! Who would have ever imagined this is where the truth would be in the year 2023?! We no longer can, or should I say, refuse to say what the truth is. The facts used to matter if we disagreed. We would say let me show you the scientific or biblical facts. Not today! Our society says the truth is subjective; it is whatever my truth, your truth, their truth, or anybody else's truth is. Everyone has their own "truth" based on their personal feelings/experiences. According to a 2014 ABC News article, society says there are over forty-eight (48) different genders, despite science showing there are only two (2) genders due to the XX and XY chromosomes (cf., Genesis 1:27; 5:1-2; Mark 10:6-9). How did we get here?

We got here by taking God out of every aspect of our lives. God has given us over to reprobate minds. We cannot discern what is right or wrong; it is now up to each individual when you toss out the good book (Romans 1:28-29). According to Pew research conducted in May of 2023, 65 percent of Americans believe the Bible is just a book of mythological stories, yet 75 percent of Americans profess to be Christians. How can 75 percent of Americans make this claim if the book that Christianity relies on is just a book of myths and fabrications?! (2 Timothy 3:16). It just does not add up when you lay out all of these new "truths"—marriage is bad, kids are a curse, gender is fluid, open relationships are the key to happiness, and the list goes on. Many people are seeking their own truth to supposedly "free" them, but according to the Bible, it does not lead to true freedom. Instead, it causes more bondage, depression, anxiety, health problems, and other issues. We all know this saying, "The truth will set you free" (John 8:32). This truth that we are mentioning comes from the Bible, and there are numerous scientific facts that back up the Bible. If you desire true freedom, your truth has got to come from the Bible.

We, as professing Christians, must make sure we speak the truth. We cannot be participants in today's deceit (Ephesians 4:15). We must stand our ground for the truth! We must make sure our kids and grandkids are not caught up in the continuous web of lies. Gender is not fluid, and there are wrongs and rights. You cannot be a boy today and wake up a girl tomorrow. Mankind has turned every single individual into a god when they say and believe one individual's "truth" matters more than our Heavenly Father's truth. In today's society, people are saying I can create whatever things I desire to be true. However, we must remember that God's truth is the only truth that matters (Ephesians 4:25; 6:16; Philippians 4:8).

Other scriptures to consider: are Leviticus 18:22; 20:13, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and Jude 1:7.

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Mike James Mike James

Stealing - A Biblical Solution

A recent news item caught my eye, and I want to bring it to your attention. It relates to a shoplifter who was beaten by two 7-11 clerks in Stockton, California, on July 29, 2023. The shoplifter has now been arrested and charged with other crimes. Apparently, he has done this before.

If you watch the video of this incident, you see the shoplifter going behind the counter of the store and dumping cigarettes into a lined trash container. It appears he is trying to fill up the trash container with cigarettes and then make his way out the door. Another customer is getting video of things as they happen.

by Mike James

A recent news item caught my eye, and I want to bring it to your attention. It relates to a shoplifter who was beaten by two 7-11 clerks in Stockton, California, on July 29, 2023. The shoplifter has now been arrested and charged with other crimes. Apparently, he has done this before.

If you watch the video of this incident, you see the shoplifter going behind the counter of the store and dumping cigarettes into a lined trash container. It appears he is trying to fill up the trash container with cigarettes and then make his way out the door. Another customer is getting video of things as they happen.

One of the store clerks confronts the man and eventually wrestles him to the ground. A second store clerk comes into the scene and begins to strike the thief with a long stick. Eventually, the beating stops due to the man filming it telling the man with the stick to stop. The thief is led out the door by the man who filmed the incident.

Soon after this incident, the Modesto Bee published an editorial on the incident. The editorial agreed shop owners and citizens are frustrated by the brazen shoplifting and theft taking place not only in California but around the country. But they also say in the piece that the shop owners may have gone too far in a theft that may not have risen to a felony charge. In California, you must steal over $950 worth of merchandise for it to be considered a felony. With cigarettes at $12 a pack in California, it looked like this guy was going to take more than $950 worth.

The article in the Bee concluded the following: "Police in Stockton are busy with weighty matters, as they are in Sacramento, Modesto, and elsewhere. Petty theft often doesn't get the cops' attention, and if a thief is arrested, the punishment handed out in court typically is light. But thrashing the guy with a big rod, viciously and repeatedly, is not a lawful response… Street justice may be popular in movies or among frustrated citizens, but it has no place in a society governed by the rule of law."

There is the problem folks. We are governed by the rule of LAW, not God's law, but whatever our governing officials determine to be the law. Only Jesus Christ can fix this world.

In the Bible, a thief would need to make restitution for the things he or she had taken. Sometimes paying back what was taken up to two, four, or five times over (Exodus 22:1-4; Leviticus 6:1-5). If you could not pay it back, you had to work to pay it back. Even if someone is hungry and steals, they still need to make restitution (Proverbs 6:30-31).

These laws make a lot more sense than what we are doing here in California. Not only are there minimal penalties for stealing, but you don't have to pay back the person you stole from—unless of course, they catch you with what you have. There is no compounded interest due to the person you stole from.

Why is this a problem? One reason is it leads to higher rates of crime. Property crime rates in California, based on 2021 statistics, are up in most of California. If you are watching people on video going into stores and taking whatever they want and not being stopped, it may influence a certain segment (sinful folks) of our population to do the same. It also should be mentioned that property and violent crime in California were much higher in the 1970s through the 1990s than where we are now. Another reason this is a problem is due to what is known as the "broken windows" theory.

The broken glass principle, also known as the Broken Windows Theory, states that visible signs of disorder, like broken glass, can foster further crime and anti-social behavior by signaling a lack of regulation and community care in an area.

New York City used this philosophy to help bring down crime statistics a number of years ago. Loitering, not paying subway tolls, public urination, graffiti, jaywalking, vandalism, and other lesser crimes were responded to by police. The balances have tipped in many big cities today to not going after people who are non-violent offenders.

There seems to be a backlash against these soft-on-crime approaches. Even in cities like San Francisco, there is movement to address this problem. These things have a way of swinging back and forth like a pendulum. The problem is as the pendulum swings back again, there may be fewer people wanting to address the issues next time. Time will tell.


Sources:

"Crime Trends in California," Public Policy Institute of California, by Magnus Lofstrom and Brandon Martin, https://www.ppic.org/publication/crime-trends-in-california/#:~:text=Auto%20theft%20continued%20its%202020,and%2021%25%20were%20auto%20thefts.

Shoplifting Laws – California Penal Code 459.5, Eisner Gorin LLC, https://www.egattorneys.com/shoplifting-penal-code-459-5#:~:text=If%20someone%20is%20accused%20of,three%20years%20in%20state%20prison.

"Stockton 7-11 Clerks Went too Far in Viciously Beating Brazen Shoplifter," The Modesto Bee, August 5, 2023

"Stockton 7-11 Suspect Arrested," Fox News 40, by Matthew Nobert, August 9, 2009, https://fox40.com/news/local-news/stockton/stockton-7-eleven-shoplifting-suspect-arrested/#:~:text=(FOX40.COM)%20%E2%80%94%20The,to%20the%20Stockton%20Police%20Department.

"Broken Windows Theory of Criminology," by Charlotte Ruhl, August 1, 2023, SimplyPsychology, https://www.simplypsychology.org/broken-windows-theory.html#:~:text=The%20broken%20glass%20principle%2C%20also,community%20care%20in%20an%20area.

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Mike James Mike James

Belief in God Declines

In the past, I have written blogs pertaining to survey data about Christian belief in the United States (U.S.) and the world. Much of the data has shown a decline in belief over the years.

I recently learned of another survey with an interesting question. Rather than just addressing belief in general, this question dealt with the depth of belief The recent survey data pertains to research conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago. NORC is one of the largest independent social research organizations in the U.S.

In a 2022 survey, NORC reported that not quite 50 percent of Americans say they have no doubt about the existence of God. In 2008, this same survey topped out at just over 60 percent, having no doubt in the existence of God. A 12 percent drop-off is quite significant in only twelve years.

by Mike James

In the past, I have written blogs pertaining to survey data about Christian belief in the United States (U.S.) and the world. Much of the data has shown a decline in belief over the years.

I recently learned of another survey with an interesting question. Rather than just addressing belief in general, this question dealt with the depth of belief. The recent survey data pertains to research conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago. NORC is one of the largest independent social research organizations in the U.S.

In a 2022 survey, NORC reported that not quite 50 percent of Americans say they have no doubt about the existence of God. In 2008, this same survey topped out at just over 60 percent, having no doubt in the existence of God. A 12 percent drop-off is quite significant in only twelve years. The Bible teaches we must have faith that God is real to begin to have a right relationship with God (Hebrews 11:6).

What's interesting about this survey is the specificity of the question. A Gallup poll from 2022 found that 81 percent of Americans said they believed in God. But there were no qualifiers on how deep that belief was. The first four surveys Gallup did with this question in the 1950s and 1960s found 98 percent of Americans believed in God.

Another Gallup poll conducted in May 2023 found only 74 percent of Americans believed in God. So, no matter how we look at it, belief in God is trending downward in the U.S. Some religious scholars consider NORC the gold standard for surveys about faith. In another survey question, the General Social Survey found 29 percent of Americans claimed no religion in 2021; this is up from 23 percent in 2018 and only 5 percent in 1972.

Mainline Protestant denominations (Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, etc.) are declining at a faster rate than Evangelicals. In 1975, about 30 percent of Americans were mainline Protestant, while about 21 percent were Evangelicals. By 1983 there were more Evangelicals than Mainline. By 1993 Evangelicals reached their peak at just below 30 percent. They have since dropped just a few percentage points, while mainline groups are down to about 10 percent of the U.S. population.

Since the 1970s, the number of Americans who identify with Protestant denominations has gone down from about 1 in 3 to about 1 in 10. The nation's largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), fell from 13,680,493 in 2021 to 13,223,122 last year, according to the Annual Church Profile released this May by Lifeway Christian Resources. The total number of SBC churches in 2022 came in at 46,614, which is down from 47,198 the previous year. Church attendance increased more than 5 percent to 3,804,665. Still, that is well below the SBC's pre-pandemic average of 5.3 million in 2019.

The decline in religion in the U.S. does not compare with other prominent countries. In one global comparison, Pew Research found about 19 percent of Americans claim no religion. Those figures were much higher in Europe, with Germany at 26 percent, Britain at 31 percent, and France at 32 percent. China came in at 52 percent and Japan at 60 percent! Russia only has 15 percent claiming no religion, and India only 1 percent.

What about the Church of God community? Without hard data at my disposal, the anecdotal information I am aware of leads me to believe we are all declining also. For some, this causes worry and concern. People are worried because they think if we continue to lose our numbers as Christians, our culture and way of life may change more and more. That may be true, but what does Scripture tell us? Philippians 4:6-7 and Matthew 6:25-34 tell us not to worry about things. If things continue to get worse and worse, we may be closer to the return of Christ when everything will get better.

Remember, it's important not to put your hope in your country, your religion, culture, or anything in this world. The ultimate hope for you, me, humanity, and the world is only found in the coming Kingdom of God completely and fully reigning on this earth. Thy kingdom come!


Sources: "Belief in God in U.S. Dips to 81%, A New Low," by Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup, June 17, 2022, https://news.gallup.com/poll/393737/belief-god-dips-new-low.aspx

"Southern Baptists Lost Nearly Half a Million Members Last Year," by David Roach, Christianity Today, May 12, 2023, https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2023/may/southern-baptist-membership-drop-baptism-rebound-sbc.html

"Mainline Protestants Are Still Declining, But That's Not Good News For Evangelicals," by Ryan P. Burge, Christianity Today, July 13, 2021, https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/july/mainline-protestant-evangelical-decline-survey-us-nones.html

Norc.org

"Does God Exist? Half Say No," from thehill.com, 22 May 2023 in Midnight Call, July 2023

"Belief in God the Devil, Falls to New Low," by Julia Shapero, July 20, 2023, The Hill, https://www.yahoo.com/news/belief-god-devil-falls-low-164300978.html

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Mike James Mike James

“Seed of Satan” Still Slithering

I have recently been made aware of some vestiges of “Seed of Satan” theology within Church of God circles. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this thinking—adherents of this belief think the different races came to us through different original parents. “Seedline” believers think Cain was begotten by illicit sexual activities between Eve and Satan the devil. Cain then became the father of the Jewish people. Some also believe “colored people” were around prior to Adam and Eve. There are some other similar ideas out there.

by Mike James

I have recently been made aware of some vestiges of “Seed of Satan” theology within Church of God circles. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this thinking—adherents of this belief think the different races came to us through different original parents. “Seedline” believers think Cain was begotten by illicit sexual activities between Eve and Satan the devil. Cain then became the father of the Jewish people. Some also believe “colored people” were around prior to Adam and Eve. There are some other similar ideas out there.

The doctrine of the “serpent seed,” also known as the “dual-seed” or the “two-seedline doctrine,” is a controversial and fringe Christian religious belief that explains the biblical account of the fall of man by stating that the serpent mated with Eve in the Garden of Eden, and the offspring of their union was Cain. This event resulted in the creation of two races of people: the wicked descendants of the serpent who were destined for damnation, and the righteous descendants of Adam who were destined to have eternal life. The doctrine sees human history as a conflict between these two races in which the descendants of Adam will eventually triumph over the descendants of the serpent.

One of the more recent intellectual fathers of these ideas is Bertrand Lewis Comparet. Pastor Bertrand Lewis Comparet was a Christian Identity minister and attorney who graduated from Stanford University. Pastor Comparet was a former assistant district attorney and deputy city attorney for San Diego and founder of Kingdom Identity Ministries as well as a member of the Christian Knights of the Invisible Empire.

Kingdom Identity Ministries is the largest supplier in existence of materials related to Christian Identity, a radical-right theology that generally identifies people of color as soulless sub-humans and Jews as satanic or cursed by God.

Kingdom Identity Ministries was willed the copyrights to Comparet’s written material after his death in 1983. 

I was recently provided with some full-length sermons delivered by Mr. Comparet. I want to briefly address some of his false teachings as a warning to anyone who may read this and is being influenced by people within this movement. 

One interesting thing about his sermon messages was how he addressed Genesis 3:3 in two of his messages that I listened to. In both messages Comparet tells us Genesis 3:3 is mistranslated, but he offers no proof of this. He thinks it is mistranslated because he believed the tree Eve was to not touch was speaking of Satan the devil. In other words, what God did not want Eve to do was have sex with Satan.

One of the reasons Comparet and others believed this different telling of the story of Adam and Eve is due to the Hebrew word for “touch” in Genesis 3:3.

The Hebrew word for “touch” there is naga in Hebrew (Strong’s H5060). Now the word does mean “to touch” or “to lay the hand upon,” but it can also mean euphemistically “to lie with a woman.” As you will find with many lies and heresies there is always a little truth thrown in to throw people off. 

Well, you might be wondering how the context of Genesis 3:3 would fit sexual relations since God warned Eve not to touch a tree. Well once again Comparet and others fail to use proper biblical hermeneutics. What Comparet taught was the tree in the garden was really Satan the devil. How did he figure that?

Well let’s turn over to Ezekiel 31 to find out. In this chapter Ezekiel provides a prophecy about Assyria (the nation) being likened to a tall cedar (tree). Ezekiel uses this typology in other parts of his book too (tree being a nation or a person). Now here is the big leap Comparet makes, in Ezekiel 31:9 we read the trees in Eden envied the Assyrian tree. Comparet then suggests since Satan was in the garden he must be the Assyrian being described here in Ezekiel 31 because it seems to imply the Assyrian was also in Eden.

This idea is flat out wrong. Ezekiel’s prophecy in chapter 31 is against Egypt (verse 2). The prophecy provides a comparison of the nation of Egypt at the time of Ezekiel circa 600 B.C. to Assyria which up to that time in history was the most powerful nation ever. Yet despite Assyria’s greatness they were cut down by God. The same will befall Egypt. The mention of Eden could relate to the fact all nations and people come from Eden in the sense that is where mankind began. God was comparing Assyria and Egypt to other nations and all originated in Eden. Or Eden could be used here poetically. Even the trees in Eden could not compare to Assyria in a poetic sense. Every original variety of tree was in Eden.

Once again context is important in trying to understand Scripture. Just because Eden is mentioned does not mean we have to put the Assyrian cedar back in the time of Adam and Eve.

I will have more to say on these false “seedline” views in an upcoming International News.

Sources: “Kingdom Identity Ministries,” Southern Poverty Law Center, https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/kingdom-identity-ministries

The Adamic Race in History, Bertrand Lewis Comparet, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgvmjW8__Lg

The Satanic Seed Line, Bertrand Lewis Comparet, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c78Eh_d1M4E

“Serpent Seed,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpent_seed

“Seed of the Woman,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_of_the_woman

Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 6, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan), 1986.

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Mike James Mike James

Life, Death, and Fruit Flies

I read an interesting fruit fly study that got me thinking about how stress may impact humans. The study was conducted by Christi Gendron, a neurobiologist at the University of Michigan.

Gendron conducted a study on how living fruit flies respond to the sight of dead fruit flies. The research was published in the journal PLOS Biology. Apparently, neurons in the flies' brains make them age faster after seeing dead flies. Scientists believe this relates to perceptions within the brains of animals causing physical reactions in their bodies.

by Mike James

I read an interesting fruit fly study that got me thinking about how stress may impact humans. The study was conducted by Christi Gendron, a neurobiologist at the University of Michigan.

Gendron conducted a study on how living fruit flies respond to the sight of dead fruit flies. The research was published in the journal PLOS Biology. Apparently, neurons in the flies' brains make them age faster after seeing dead flies. Scientists believe this relates to perceptions within the brains of animals causing physical reactions in their bodies.

Dr. Gendron and Scott Pletcher, who is a biologist at the University of Michigan, discovered how flies deal with death unintentionally. They were trying to see whether flies would show a behavioral or physiological response, like a heightened immune system, after being around other flies that had been made sick with a disease. "The only types of responses we saw happened after the flies that we infected died," Dr. Pletcher said.

Flies that had seen dead flies were avoided by other flies as if they'd been marked by death (how this works is still a mystery). The flies that viewed the dead flies quickly lost stored fat and died sooner than flies not viewing their dead counterparts.

"Our lab has long been interested in how the brain controls aging," Dr. Pletcher said, so they decided to investigate how the sensory perception of dead flies was being translated into a shorter life for living flies.

The scientists placed living flies in vials with dead flies for two days and tracked their brain activity with a fluorescent green dye. Dissecting these death-exposed flies revealed activity in their body, which integrates sensory information in the brain.

Dr. Gendron and Dr. Pletcher then identified the key neurons in the body. When these were shut off, seeing dead flies did nothing to the life span of the living. When the researchers activated those neuron clusters, flies died sooner, even if they had never been exposed to dead flies.

"They show that a specific set of serotonin-receptor-possessing neurons are used" by living flies to perceive dead ones, said Marc Tatar, a biologist at Brown University who was not involved with the study. "That is the beauty of this paper."

It's not clear why seeing dead flies would cause those still alive to die sooner. One theory is that the shorter life span results from stress caused by perceiving death. Chronic stress in animals leads to health problems and shortens life spans, and flies have a stress response, too. "If we suddenly found ourselves in a sea of dead humans, that would be very stressful," Dr. Pletcher said.

After reading about this study, I thought about what we know about human health. Negative emotions can weaken your body's immune system. This makes you more likely to get colds and other infections during difficult times. Also, when you are feeling stressed, anxious, or upset, you may not take care of your health as well as you should. Many diseases (not all) can be impacted by stress on our bodies.

Another thought that came to mind is that religious people, according to some research data, appear to live longer than secular people. Could this be due to less stress for religious people (at least some religious people)?

Several studies have shown associations between attending religious services and living a long time. One of the most comprehensive published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2016 found that women who went to any kind of religious service more than once a week had a 33 percent lower chance than their secular peers of dying during the 16-year study-follow-up period. Another study, published in 2017 in PLOS One, found that regular service attendance was linked to reductions in the body's stress responses and even in mortality—so much so that worshippers were 55 percent less likely to die during the up to 18-year follow-up period than people who didn't frequent a religious meeting location.

So what can we learn from all this? Those of us who believe in God need to rejoice in that belief and be joyful. We know when this life ends, it is not the end. There are religious people I've encountered who seem to exude negative thoughts and emotions.

Knowing God's truth should give us a positive outlook and attitude about life. This attitude and outlook may have an impact on your physical health. Most importantly, we will be following the admonition in God's Word: "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!" (Psalm 32:11).

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice" (Philippians 4:4).


Sources: "These Flies Age Faster After Witnessing Death," by Darren Incorvaia, The New York Times, June 14, 2023.

"Mind/Body Connection: How Your Emotions Affect Your Health," https://familydoctor.org/mindbody-connection-how-your-emotions-affect-your-health/#:~:text=Poor%20emotional%20health%20can%20weaken,as%20well%20as%20you%20should.

"You Asked: Do Religious People Live Longer?" by Jamie Ducharme, Time magazine, February 15, 2018, https://time.com/5159848/do-religious-people-live-longer/#:~:text=Another%20study%2C%20published%20last%20year,frequent%20the%20temple%2C%20church%20or

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Jeff Reed Jeff Reed

UFO Whistleblower—A Christian Response

David Grusch, a former member of the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), has come forward with extraordinary claims. The AARO is a Department of Defense organization tasked with studying unidentified aerial phenomena that are more commonly known as UFOs. David recently stated that while working at AARO, others in the government refused the agency access to a top-secret military program that possessed alien spacecraft. They “are retrieving non-human origin technical vehicles, call it space-craft if you will. Non-human exotic origin vehicles that have either landed or crashed,” Grusch told a reporter at News Nation. Although he did not personally see these vehicles, he said he was told about them by high-level government officials. He also asserted that the government was in possession of alien bodies and that some alien species may be hostile.

by Jeff Reed

David Grusch, a former member of the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), has come forward with extraordinary claims. The AARO is a Department of Defense organization tasked with studying unidentified aerial phenomena that are more commonly known as UFOs. David recently stated that while working at AARO, others in the government refused the agency access to a top-secret military program that possessed alien spacecraft. They “are retrieving non-human origin technical vehicles, call it space-craft if you will. Non-human exotic origin vehicles that have either landed or crashed,” Grusch told a reporter at News Nation. Although he did not personally see these vehicles, he said he was told about them by high-level government officials. He also asserted that the government was in possession of alien bodies and that some alien species may be hostile.

Artistic depiction of alien spacecraft at secret facility.

An independent investigative reporter, Michael Shellenberger, has confirmed that David Grusch is accurate with his statements. Shellenberger claims to have spoken to many of the same high-level government officials who corroborate Grusch’s story. The United States House of Representatives is now expected to conduct a hearing examining these claims. This sounds like crazy conspiracy nonsense, but it is being taken seriously by several reputable news outlets. Even Tucker Carlson, on his first Twitter show, said, “UFOs are actually real, and apparently so is extraterrestrial life. Now we know.”

So how should Christians respond to this news? If there is intelligent alien life other than humans, how do they fit into God’s plan? To be straightforward, they don’t. Jesus did not die for the sins of extraterrestrial aliens. Mankind has a special place in the universe.

Hebrews 2:6-8 tells us:

“But one testified in a certain place, saying: ‘What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.’ For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.”

Humanity was created in the image of God. We were designed to eventually become God’s literal children, and all of creation would be subject to mankind. When Jesus returns to establish the Kingdom of God on Earth, there will be no alien species as a part of that Kingdom. The influence of Satan and fallen angels (demons) will be removed. Some speculate that UFOs may be manifestations of demons in the spiritual realm. That is a more plausible explanation than biologically intelligent alien species. We have actual evidence that demons exist. There is zero physical evidence that extraterrestrials exist.

First Thessalonians 5:21 tells us to “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” This tells me that, as a Christian, I need to be skeptical and demand evidence when someone makes an extraordinary claim. Carl Sagan, on the television program Cosmos, once said, “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” David Grusch, so far, has presented no physical evidence, only hearsay.

Another principle that Christians should apply is Occam’s Razor. It is a principle that suggests the simplest explanation is usually the most likely one. So which is more plausible?

A. Unknown alien species have traveled thousands of lightyears in advanced spacecraft only to crash on Earth and be recovered by a secret government program that has existed for decades. No one, in all of these years, has ever presented a single piece of physical evidence to prove this. All of the people working on this program have remained silent as part of this illegal project.

B. David Grusch is himself lying or has been lied to.

I would say B is much more plausible. We have zero evidence of alien life but plenty of evidence that people lie. Based on recent research, the average individual lies four times every day. I can only speculate as to why Government officials would lie about this. But we do know that they lie all the time.

Aliens in science fiction

It will be interesting to watch Congress investigate these allegations. I do not believe that they will find one shred of credible evidence to back up these assertions. I believe this because I have already proven to myself that Jesus is God and that He died and was resurrected. There is a lot of evidence that proves that. Intelligent life from other planets is incompatible with the Good News that Jesus proclaimed. It is fun to think about in science fiction but is far from the reality of the universe we live in.



Sources:

https://www.newsnationnow.com/space/military-whistleblowe-us-ufo-retrieval-program/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/claims-that-ufo-information-was-inappropriately-withheld-from-congress-deemed-credible-urgent/ar-AA1cko1j

https://www.crossrivertherapy.com/research/lying-statistics

 

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