Ramblin’ September 2015

Some times I need to ramble to discover my thoughts. It’s filling white space with random, un-edited, and un-analyzed thoughts in order to connect various points. In this way things make sense, or not. . .

So, here we are toward the end of Rosh Hashanah, which began at sundown last Sunday, September 13, 2015, and concludes with Yom Kippur, which begins sundown on Tuesday. This is time for observant Jews to repent, make amends, and do good deeds to show their worthiness to be inscribed for a good year next year.

In addition to the obligations of which I feel responsible, I’ve been thinking about what exactly is the Image of the Beast. Here follows my notes, my ramblings:

Rev. 13:14
The First Beast is given his power by Satan. The Second Beast has all the authority of the First Beast and he compels all people to worship the First Beast, uses signs, and deceives people into making an image of the First Beast and take upon them a Mark. He also gives a spirit to the image of the First Beast that speaks and causes death to those that won’t worship him. None are allowed to buy, sell, or trade without the Mark.

The Image. It is seen as a statue, to some, that will talk to people and kill those that don’t obey the laws of the First Beast, which is a form of worship.

One commentary (Jamieson, Faust, and Brown, pub. 1878) speaks of the First Beast as the combined world powers: “Hence, the world powers seeking their own glory, and not God’s, are represented as beasts; and Nebuchadnezzar, when in self- deification he forgot that “the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men,” was driven among the beasts. In Da 7:4- 7 there are four beasts:here the one beast expresses the sum- total of the God- opposed world power viewed in its universal development, not restricted to one manifestation alone, as Rome. This first beast expresses the world power attacking the Church more from without; the second, which is a revival of, and minister to, the first, is the world power as the false prophet corrupting and destroying the Church from within.”

In reading Jamieson, et al, commentary, the healing of the wound of First Beast coincides with the rise of Second Beast. This beast is perhaps from within the church, but has the Worldly wisdom to back it up. It supports First Beast. This according to the commentators only occurs in the Last Days before the return of the King, the Lord.

“The first beast is physical and political; the second a spiritual power, the power of knowledge, ideas (the favorite term in the French school of politics), and scientific cultivation. Both alike are beasts, from below, not from above; faithful allies, worldly Antichristian wisdom standing in the service of the worldly Antichristian power:the dragon is both lion and serpent:might and cunning are his armory. The dragon gives his external power to the first beast (Re 13:2), his spirit to the second, so that it speaks as a dragon (Re 13:11). The second, arising out of the earth, is in Re 11:7; 17:8, said to ascend out of the bottomless pit:its very culture and world wisdom only intensify its infernal character, the pretense to superior knowledge and rationalistic philosophy (as in the primeval temptation, Ge 3:5, 7, “their EYES [as here] were opened”) veiling the deification of nature, self, and man. Hence spring Idealism, Materialism, Deism, Pantheism, Atheism. Antichrist shall be the culmination. The Papacy’s claim to the double power, secular and spiritual, is a sample and type of the twofold beast, that out of the sea, and that out of the earth, or bottomless pit. Antichrist will be the climax, and final form. PRIMASIUS OF ADRUMENTUM, in the sixth century, says, “He feigns to be a lamb that he may assail the Lamb– the body of Christ.”

It seems to me that Matthew Henry’s Commentary (pub. 1706) agrees in some respects with Jamieson et al on First Beast as a dominating power and Second Beast a spiritual power supporting the political power base. Interestingly, Matthew Henry writes of the wounds as the dying of the pagan idolatry and the new First Beast puts forth a re-branding of the pagan as popish idolatry that is the “same in substance, only in a new dress, but which as effectually answers the devil’s design.”

In some ways this sounds very much like the Roman Empire that persecuted Christians, then became the Roman Catholic Church, which has always re-branded pagan doctrines as its own “Christian” doctrines, that is these days doing the same thing with the New Age movement and adopting the “Green Agenda,” which is all the rage of the current political leadership of the United States and Europe.

Still remains in my mind is what exactly does it mean: Second Beast “telling those who live on the earth to make an image of the beast who had the sword wound and yet lived. He was permitted to give a spirit to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could both speak and cause whoever would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.”

What would this image look like, what would it be. It is an image of a power structure that has complete political, and obviously military, power over the people of Earth. It gains abilities to communicate to Earth’s inhabitants and kill them if they don’t go along. Could it be an implant that guides the people who accept it? Are the conspiracy theorists right that there will be an RFID chip involved? But it would go much further than simply being a tracking device, for it would be capable of two-way communications, and it would be lethal. There are RFID UHF devices capable of two-way communications up to around 100m. I haven’t determined if the RFID can communicate locally, however. Mostly the RFIDs are for tracking inventory, making payments (as with credit cards), and are used in some way within wireless devices. The latter point is interesting. I occurs to me that there could be a smart chip that monitors certain sensor inputs and responds accordingly. For instance, how about an RFID for a medical purpose that monitors blood pressure, and triggering a transmit when sensing elevated BP. The received signal could then activate an alarm, locally, or be retransmitted to a 911 operator. That’s perhaps the Mark of Beast One, but not the image.

Of Second Beast, Rev. Henry wrote: “It exercised all the power of the former beast. It pursues the same design, to draw men from worshipping the true God, and to subject the souls of men to the will and control of men. The second beast has carried on its designs, by methods whereby men should be deceived to worship the former beast, in the new shape, or likeness made for it. By lying wonders, pretended miracles. And by severe censures. Also by allowing none to enjoy natural or civil rights, who will not worship that beast which is the image of the pagan beast. It is made a qualification for buying and selling, as well as for places of profit and trust, that they oblige themselves to use all their interest, power, and endeavor, to forward the dominion of the beast, which is meant by receiving his mark. To make an image to the beast, whose deadly wound was healed, would be to give form and power to his worship, or to require obedience to his commands. To worship the image of the beast, implies being subject to those things which stamp the character of the picture, and render it the image of the beast. The number of the beast is given, so as to show the infinite wisdom of God, and to exercise the wisdom of men.”

Hum. So the business dictionary defines corporate image as: “Mental picture that springs up at the mention of a firm’s name. It is a composite psychological impression that continually changes with the firm’s circumstances, media coverage, performance, pronouncements, etc. Similar to a firm’s reputation or goodwill, it is the public perception of the firm rather than a reflection of its actual state or position. Unlike corporate identity, it is fluid and can change overnight from positive to negative to neutral. Large firms use various corporate advertising techniques to enhance their image in order to improve their desirability as a supplier, employer, customer, borrower, etc. The image of Apple computer, for example, as a successful business has dimmed and brightened several times in the last 30 years. But its identity (conveyed by its name and multicolored bitten-off-apple logo) as an innovative and pathbreaking firm has survived almost intact during the same period.”

In the Church realm, how do people “see” the churches in America? Those that are acceptable, by the Twenty-First Century standard seeming must accept homosexuality and abortions as acceptable in society, among other things. But more, the church must be supportive of the agenda of those in political power. Hence, we find that church support the “Green Agenda.” As does the Pope support this through his speeches about Global Warming/Climate Change. We are to believe, too, the lie. Thus, we worship First Beast, as pressured by Second Beast. As Rev. Henry wrote: “To worship the image of the beast, implies being subject to those things which stamp the character of the picture, and render it the image of the beast.”

Model Prayer

Father in heaven,
Your name be honored as holy.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13. (HCSB version)

The other day I began to pray The Prayer, and stopped after the first two words: “Our Father.” The LORD is the Master of the Universe. The LORD is G-d. The LORD is One. And The LORD is Father to His chosen. How awesome is this knowledge. How incredible to be a child of the Most High King. Wow! Echoing King David, this knowledge is too wonderful for me. This awesome moment still lingers, warming my heart.

Yet I’ve considered before the concept of G-d as our Father. In the early 1980s I was blessed to attend Calvary Chapel Irvine, then pastored by Chuck Smith. I was in Irvine for a two-week electronics course, and able to attend during the week as well as on Sunday. Pastor Smith spoke on various aspects of The Lord’s Prayer. I don’t recall all that he taught.

And there are books on this subject, too, I discovered. I perused one written by a Rabbi. He wrote about אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ (Avinu Malkeinu), which is translated Our Father, Our King. It is a prayer recited on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur during services. It is said to be the oldest and most moving of the prayers. It is taken from Isaiah 63:16, Our Father, and Isaiah 33:22, Our King.

Speaking of Rosh Hashanah, it begins tomorrow (Sunday Sep. 13, 2015) at sundown. It begins ten days of repentance that concludes with Yom Kippur. The traditional blessing for this period of time is: “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.”

Lord Bless y’all. May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.

From My Collection. Image Two.

Israeli Defense Force soldiers take a break. Jerusalem 1986. (C) Wil Robinson.

A Song of Ascent

Psalm 127 is one of the Psalms that are called “A Song of Ascent.” There are fifteen of these Psalms, corresponding to the fifteen steps that the Levi ascended to the Temple. One Psalm, tradition states, is said on each step in the processional up to the Temple.

Unless the Lord builds a house,
its builders labor over it in vain;
unless the Lord watches over a city,
the watchman stays alert in vain.
In vain you get up early and stay up late,
working hard to have enough food —
yes, He gives sleep to the one He loves.
Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,
children, a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the sons born in one’s youth.
Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them.
Such men will never be put to shame
when they speak with their enemies at the city gate.

“A number of commentators explain this Psalm as a poem David composed upon being informed that his son Shelomo, rather than he, would be given the privilege of building the Bet Ha’mikdash. In the first two verses, David declares that it is God, not man, who determines when a building will arise. Regardless of how hard the laborers toil or how carefully the watchmen guard the building site, the project will materialize only with the direct assistance and support of the Almighty. David here accepts God’s decree forbidding him from building the Mikdash, recognizing that if God does not wish for him to build it then even if he would try the endeavor would assuredly fail.

“In the Psalm’s final verses (3-5), David turns his attention to the great blessing of children, whom he compares to “arrows in the hands of the mighty warrior” (verse 4). A warrior’s most valuable asset is effective weaponry; for a religiously conscientious Jew, the greatest commodity and blessing is children who follow the Torah traditions that he received from his parents. David thus expresses his gratitude for the fact that his son would perpetuate his legacy and heritage. Although he desired to personally oversee the building of the Mikdash, he found solace in the fact that he leaves behind a son faithful to his teachings, and who will fulfill Am Yisrael’s collective dream of having in their midst an abode for the Shechina (Divine Presence).” —Daily Tehillim

Matthew Henry comments: “Let us always look to God’s providence. In all the affairs and business of a family we must depend upon his blessing.
1. For raising a family. If God be not acknowledged, we have no reason to expect his blessing; and the best- laid plans fail, unless he crowns them with success.
2. For the safety of a family or a city. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchmen, though they neither slumber nor sleep, wake but in vain; mischief may break out, which even early discoveries may not be able to prevent.
3. For enriching a family. Some are so eager upon the world, that they are continually full of care, which makes their comforts bitter, and their lives a burden. All this is to get money; but all in vain, except God prosper them:while those who love the Lord, using due diligence in their lawful callings, and casting all their care upon him, have needful success, without uneasiness or vexation. Our care must be to keep ourselves in the love of God; then we may be easy, whether we have little or much of this world. But we must use the proper means very diligently.

“Children are God’s gifts, a heritage, and a reward; and are to be accounted blessings, and not burdens:he who sends mouths, will send meat, if we trust in him. They are a great support and defense to a family. Children who are young, may be directed aright to the mark, God’s glory, and the service of their generation; but when they are gone into the world, they are arrows out of the hand, it is too late to direct them then. But these arrows in the hand too often prove arrows in the heart, a grief to godly parents. Yet, if trained according to God’s word, they generally prove the best defense in declining years, remembering their obligations to their parents, and taking care of them in old age. All earthly comforts are uncertain, but the Lord will assuredly comfort and bless those who serve him; and those who seek the conversion of sinners, will find that their spiritual children are their joy and crown in the day of Jesus Christ.”

While there is some overlap in the thinking behind the commentaries, I also see a perspective that differs substantially. It illustrates my own thinking that Christianity has diverged from Judaism, going its own way, leaving behind a wealth of tradition AND a wealth of accompanied understanding. Judaism, on the other had, is stuck with tradition and its understanding. Without the Christian perspective of Y’shuaJesus as the Messiah, Judaism of today is doomed to simply wait. Judaism waits until G-d enables their minds to understand the Messiah Who came, Who is spoken of in Isaiah 53, is the suffering Messiah, is the same Messiah Christians have come to accept, and Who shall come again as the Conquering Messiah.

One Messiah. Two perspectives. Each perspective lacks something, however. Slowly this is changing for some people. Unfortunately it seems the “church” as a whole pulls away from Y’shuaJeus and His truth. As Psalm 127 points out, a building can not be built without G-d. And certainly the “church” tries in vain to build itself. Preachers gather pupils who listen to every word, but miss The Word, because the preachers so often preach from their own agenda, their own “gospel.”

Gentiles were allowed to have a taste of the Shechina, the Divine Presence, of G-d. But the Time of the Gentiles are coming to and end. The “church” has melted its gold and is forming a golden calve to worship. Soon, I believe, All the Shechina of our Lord with come to bear upon the Jewish people, and their eyes shall be opened that they might know Y’shuaJesus as Lord, as Messiah.

From My Collection. Image One.

Israel-twr-005 — Discovered somewhere in Israel. 1988. (c) Wil Robinson

Blue Moon

No. Not the beer It was a real blue moon—the second full moon of July.

In the early evening I went out to the lake for a sail on Cassandra, a 25 foot Cape Dory sailboat. The dusk is long, bright, this time of year. And the moon, though not huge like a harvest moon, greeted me warmly.

Ashore the temperatures weren’t even dropping from their highs in the 90s. But on the lake with the wind out of the northwest around 5-8 mph, it was pleasent; and it was just enough to fill the sails. I glided easily up the lake. The water gurgled gently as the bow of the boat parted it.

It felt peaceful. I felt peaceful. I felt at peace.

Later, when twilight fled, the moon could only slightly brightened things up. What few boats on the water turned on their lights. The wind picked up a bit as I headed back to the cove in which I keep Cassandra. Just a few hours on the water. A very nice few hours.

I thank G-d for those few hours with Him on the lake. He restores my soul.

He leads me beside quiet waters.
He renews my life. . .

Psalm 23:2-3

Freedom’s Just Another Word. . .

Kris Kristofferson wrote and performed “Me and Bobby McGee.” I remember Janis Joplin’s beautiful, gritty voice singing the song, and especially the line “Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose.” If you look up the lyrics, a lot of people have commented their understanding of the song, and of this particular verse. A number of people commented that total freedom means having no material goods that one can lose, of have taken. “True freedom comes from having nothing left to lose. As long as we have something to lose, our actions are constrained by our need to protect it. A more modern, anti-consumerism expression of this would be ‘Our things own us,’ ” wrote one person. I’m sure that a measure of freedom can be gained by putting aside material goods, by simply having nothing. But can we simply say that a homeless person is truly free? I equate freedom with independence, with the ability to determine one’s own future, having one’s own sovereignty. Freedom is also the ability to recognize the freedom of others, and to enter into an interdependence with other free persons. I am not free if I am dependent upon people or people governing. I am also not free if I have dependents, people depending upon me taking care of them because they are unwilling to care for themselves.

But for the people of Israel, having been in Egypt nearly four-hundred years, freedom was being out of the bondage to the Egyptian rulers. It seems to me that G-d had other ideas what freedom is for them—and is for us today. G-d allowed a band of brothers, along with their aging father, to live quite nicely in Egypt for a time. As the years became decades, as rulers changed, as the band of brothers grow into a small nation of people, they became a threat to Egypt. Also, Egypt didn’t know the G-d of the Hebrews, the sons and daughters of Israel. Bene Yisrael. Egypt became ‘master’ to the the people of Israel in order to contain them.

So G-d, Who took a band of squabbling brothers into Egypt in the first place, Who then turned them into a nation, wanted to be their only Master. As Y’shuaJesus taught, one can not have two masters. G-d called Moses out of his own exile to lead the people out out of Egypt. G-d would use Moses to led what by then had become a great nation out of Egypt so that G-d’s people could have one Master, the Master of the Universe, the Creator.

When Israel came out of Egypt. . .

Read Psalm 114. It can be seen as the “deliverance of Israel,” as it is titled in my online Bible. It can also be seen as much more. This Psalm describes. . .

“. . .the sea “fleeing,” the Jordan River “retreating,” and the mountains and hills “dancing” in the presence of God. According to the Radak, these images refer to the events of the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, the splitting of the Jordan River, and Matan Torah (the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai). The Sea of Reeds (Yam Suf) split to allow Bene Yisrael to escape from the pursuing Egyptian army (Shemot, chapter 14), and the Jordan River split when Bene Yisrael entered the Land of Israel under the leadership of Yehoshua (Yehoshua, chapter 4). At Matan Torah, Mount Sinai as well as the surrounding hills trembled as the divine presence descended upon the mountain.

“This Psalm declares (verse 2) that when Bene Yisrael earned their freedom from bondage and left Egypt, they became God’s “sacred nation” (“Hayeta Yehuda Le’kodsho”) and His “governed people” (“Yisrael Mamshelotav”). The event of the Exodus involved much more than simply an oppressed nation earning its freedom; it meant the transformation of Am Yisrael into God’s special nation, with all the privileges and responsibilities that this entails. The miraculous events that followed – such as the splitting of the sea and the Jordan River, and the Revelation at Sinai – demonstrate the unique status as Am Yisrael, that their freedom from bondage was intended not merely for the sake of personal liberty, but rather to allow them to become the loyal subjects of the Almighty.” —Daily Tehillim

As He was saying these things, many believed in Him. So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you really are My disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

“We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered Him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will become free’?”

Jesus responded, “ I assure you:Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you really will be free

John 8:30-36 tells us the lack of freedom is more than attachment to material things; it is bondage to sin, which enslaves ones heart. We must be redeemed, says Y’shuaJesus, from our current bondage,and we must continue in Y’shuaJesus’s Word. Y’shuaJesus here speaks in the divine voice, representing the Father, to us on Earth. The Word we are to remain in, the Word that makes us Free, is Y’shuaJesus, the Word of G-d. And the Word is the Word spoken to us through Moses and the Prophets, and we’ve come to accept G-d’s Word spoken to us through His Apostles. It is the whole Word of G-d, we are told by Y’shuaJesus, in which we are to continue. The Bible contains the divine thoughts and words of our Lord, our G-d. Continue in Him, in His Word. Be free.

Saturday Night Begins Tisha B’Av

Saturday evening begins the ninth day of the fifth month in the Jewish calendar, which is “Tisha B’Av, the Fast of the Ninth of Av, is a day of mourning to commemorate the many tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people, many of which have occurred on the ninth of Av,” according to Judaism 101.

“Tisha B’Av primarily commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples, both of which were destroyed on the ninth of Av (the first by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E.; the second by the Romans in 70 C.E.).

“Although this holiday is primarily meant to commemorate the destruction of the Temple, it is appropriate to consider on this day the many other tragedies of the Jewish people, many of which occurred on this day, most notably the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 and from England in 1290.” —Judaism 101

There is another tradgedy that concerns the ninth of Av. “The year is 1313 BCE. The Israelites are in the desert, recently having experienced the miraculous Exodus, and are now poised to enter the Promised Land. But first they dispatch a reconnaissance mission to assist in formulating a prudent battle strategy. The spies return on the eighth day of Avand report that the land is unconquerable. That night, the 9th of Av, the people cry. They insist that they’d rather go back to Egypt than be slaughtered by the Canaanites. G‑d is highly displeased by this public demonstration of distrust in His power, and consequently that generation of Israelites never enters the Holy Land. Only their children have that privilege, after wandering in the desert for another 38 years. — Chabad.org

Those things happened a long time ago. More recently,”World War II and the Holocaust, historians conclude, was actually the long drawn-out conclusion of World War I that began in 1914. And yes, amazingly enough, Germany declared war on Russia, effectively catapulting the First World War into motion, on the 9th of Av, Tisha b’Av.” — Chabad.org

So, how long must we remember things of the past? As long as it takes that they are not repeated.

Chabad.org put it this way: “What do you make of all this? Jews see this as another confirmation of the deeply held conviction that history isn’t haphazard; events—even terrible ones—are part of a Divine plan and have spiritual meaning. The message of time is that everything has a rational purpose, even though we don’t understand it.”

Is G-d with Us?

Attending Sunday School as a child, I must have been taught a lot of Bible stories. I’m sure they were taught simply, that as a child I could begin to understand some simple Biblical principles. No doubt the important stories were connected the the Church year; that’s the holidays and celebrations that the Church celebrates during the year. Certainly I learned of Y’shuaJesus’s birth during the time of year most call Christmas, December 25th. Likewise, as Easter approached I must have been taught Y’shuaJesus’s death and resurrection.

I don’t remember. I don’t remember the specific lessons, though some how I know that I learned some of the Bible stories. And I do remember that at some point in my earliest years I learned “Thou Shalt Not.” I learned a lot about what I was not suppose to do; sadly, I don’t remember learning just what I was suppose to do.

Also, there were no alter calls, like some churches; the closest thing in my church was being called to come forward for communion. My church didn’t do the “born again” thing. I think it was just assumed that because as babies we were baptized we were right with G-d. I attended classes during my sixth-grade years that prepared me for “confirmation;” my baptism was confirmed to have taken, I guess. Someone said that confirmation was the church’s way of baptizing in the Spirit.

It wasn’t until eighth grade that I learned about alter calls. I was a cadet at Brown Military Academy, Glendora, California. That was one of the best years of my youth. I remember Mr. Kitchen and Mr. “C.” The school wasn’t a Christian school, as such, but we had a few hours of religion each week as part of our studies. It was very different from Sunday School. We studied from the Gospels and from the writings of Paul. We actually read and discussed the Bible.

One weekend, I, along with most of my class, went with Mr. Kitchen to a “youth retreat.” I remember volunteering for latrine duty for the weekend: I, along with a couple others, cleaned the bathrooms. We had several lively praise and worship sessions, classes, and did some fun outdoor activities. Late Sunday morning, during the last church service of the weekend came the alter call. I can see in my mind’s eye the church and the other kids. At the alter the pastor asked us to bow our heads in prayer. He prayed. He spoke to us about accepting Jesus into our lives. He asked for a show of hands of those who would like to give their lives to Jesus. I remember peaking out to my left at hands going up. Then he asked that we all stand. He asked for those who’d raised their hands to come forward. At the alter camp staff had gathered. Boys began to move forward to the alter.

Did I raise my hand? I don’t know. Did I walk forward to the alter? No, I did not. I remember how I felt within. I remember the desires—to raise my hand, to go forward to the alter. I remember the struggle, too, within. And I think I was still thinking about to go forward when church was dismissed; my opportunity now gone. Hesitation. Unable to decide. Hallmarks of a life to come.

This one event, this one experience, I’ve made into a pivotal life-changer. Many times, usually as a result of my own hesitation, my own inability to do what I feel within to do, my abandonment of my will to that of others, I think back and say to myself, “If I’d just gone forward, maybe things would be different.” If I’d had the courage, then, to stand up, to run, not walk, to that alter, it may have set a precedent in my life of living for G-d, and His promptings within me, rather than just living, going along.

As I look back at that failure at camp, and the many failures in the fifty-four years since—despite everything—I see evidence of G-d’s presence in my life, His protective hand and His merciful ways.

All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord? Exodus 17:1-2

“They began to question whether God was with them or not,” wrote Matthew Henry in his commentary. “This is called their ‘tempting God,’ which signifies distrust of him after they had received such proofs of his power and goodness.”

I still have the Bible given to me at Brown Military Academy. In the front of the Bible I’d written Romans 8:36-38. In the midst of my poor choices over that last half decade, the disasters, struggles, trials, I didn’t know that the LORD was with me. He was present. He is present. We hear a lot that Y’shuaJesus experienced in his sojourn upon Earth all that we experience so that He can “understand” us. Y’shuaJesus continues to experience everything we experience, for He is with us. His Spirit has been in the world and His Spirit has acted in the world for centuries. As His Spirit begins to recede from the Earth, His presence will be only in us, His Chosen, His People. We will shine like flames in darkness, for the world will fall into spiritual darkness.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39

I noted the passage from Romans as a reminder, one that I failed to remember. But I’m not sure I really understood it anyway. The next time the world feels as though it is collapsing around me, will I remember G-d is with me? I pray so. I pray you, too, despite all to the contrary, you remember G-d is with us.

Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.*”

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods. Daniel 3:8-25 (*emphasis added)

G-d is with us. G-d can save us. And here is a beautiful faith: “But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Ebola. . . A Bowl of What?

Not long ago, here in American, there was a lot of talk in the news about Ebola. Not a little fear spread around. A number of countries barred their borders to persons traveling from West Africa. While the U.S. President did not, responding to public pressure, some American States’ Governors did. Some news outlets, at least that’s what they call themselves, tried unsuccessfully to bring the pot of fear to full-boil panic. That’s all changed. While certainly other newsworthy events have pushed to the media’s “front page,” a Presidential appointee, Ron Klain, Vice President Joe Biden’s former chief-of staff, was appointed to coordinate the Ebola response. Perhaps through his doing, mention of Ebola is nearly wiped from the media’s collective attention. This is certainly keeping panic down. The epidemic, however, was far from over. America fell into the “Hear no Evil” mode. The World Health Organization released newly consolidated data early last December, saying that 16,169 cases of Ebola had been reported, with almost 7,000 people dying. The three countries most affected by the outbreak are Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. While certainly that’s tragic, it hasn’t made it to the quarter million as some sources predicted. Within a month, another four thousand cases of Ebola had been officially reported, bringing the total to over twenty thousand. And still we Americans went merrily along not knowing the true nature of this epidemic.

“For more than a year, Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone have been experiencing the largest and most complex outbreak of Ebola in history. Cases continue to be reported in Guinea and Sierra Leone. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the Ebola outbreak in Liberia on May 9, 2015, meaning that 42 days (two incubation periods) had passed since the last Ebola patient was buried. The health system in Liberia continues to monitor for new cases and to take precautions to prevent transmission in the country. CDC is also closely monitoring the situation and will update information and advice for travelers as needed.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported.

So Guinea and Sierra Leone continue with the outbreak. American public health personnel continue to travel for short tours of duty to Sierra Leone. And Americans continue business as usual. Well, not quite. There’s something new on the horizon that is a continuation of the racial divide in Ferguson, MO. The news focus is about bad police officers (white police officers) and their racism and violence toward black people. Racial tension seems higher now that it was fifty years ago. More things for which we are to be fearful. Fear is a useful tool.

Crisis breeds fear; unchecked fear leads to panic, which results in lawlessness. But crisis makes for news. So it seems that we move from one story to another, one fear to another, and remain just fearful enough but never so much as to panic. Why would anyone want to incite fear? I don’t seriously think the media in general wants to incite fear; it is simply a byproduct of crisis, which sells papers, attracts viewers. Perhaps there are others, however, that find a crisis, and resulting fear, useful. American politician Rahm Emanuel is reported to have said: “You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”(1)

While the reporting of police violence is a central component of the news cycle, it seems clear that the one of the greatest crisis in America during this century is the act of war against America by Islamic forces. These forces destroyed the Twin Towers in New York, part of the Pentagon, and four passenger airplanes. One might argue that this act sparked the beginning of WWIII. Out of that crisis was born the Homeland Security Agency. This was a response to what was perceived as a lack of coordination between various law enforcement agencies in the United States, and the lack of a national command structure to oversee both domestic and international interventions. Another response to the attack was the PATRIOT act. “the PATRIOT Act is an Act of Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001. The title of the act is a ten-letter ackronym (USA PATRIOT) that stands for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001. On May 26, 2011, President Barack Obama signed the PATRIOT Sunsets Extension Act of 2011, a four-year extension of three key provisions in the USA PATRIOT Act: roving wiretaps, searches of business records (the “library records provision”), and conducting surveillance of “lone wolves”—individuals suspected of terrorist-related activities not linked to terrorist groups.” (2) The argument has been made that the PATRIOT Act allows the government to set aside the American Constitution in order to fight an undeclared war, a war on terrorism committed by groups and individuals rather than nations. Fear of terror, additional acts of terror, enable implementation of PATRIOT Act activities on broad scales within America, and are used to forge America’s international response to perceived threats around the world.

For the PATRIOT act, and its sweeping away of Constitutional protections, America must constantly face new and ever-greater threats to its national security. Its a vicious cycle fed by fear. We fear an enemy, whether a nation, a group, or one person acting alone, or a disease. Our fear paralyses us. We accept measures that will make us feel safe, not considering the effects. Appeasement. We are willing do give up our own personal liberty to feel safe from a perceived threat.

And all the while, we are being led to believe we can no longer trust our police officers. The underlying message brought to us is that They are not serving and protecting us. Some “conspiracy” theories say that Americans are being led toward a massive federal take over of law enforcement duties. Some “conspiracy” theories say we are being led toward a massive civil war.

So, back to ebola. It’s still going on. It’s not dead yet. All that needs to happen is to announce a new case in the United States, brought back by health workers, perhaps. The news establishment doesn’t need to start a new crisis to get attention—just recycle an old one. Doing so helps cool the on-going crisis, distracting the public. Distracting us? Yes, distracting us from another, eminent crisis. But wait. What else is going on in the news at the moment? How about hackers? We seem to be having a lot of breaches of information that is contained on computer servers, both commercial as well as government.

It’s a bit like a magic show. The magician distracts our attention to the left while he does something on his left, and then to the right as he does something on his right. Eventually, when all is set up, the magician springs the trap. So, what’s the finale? I suppose it will be a financial crisis. Perhaps hackers cause the banks to close up shop. Perhaps “Wall Street” will ring the bell early one day. People have spoken about the potential of a financial-system collapse looming over us.

But enough gloom and doom. Let us rise above the fear. Let us not look for solutions here or there or in any human form or agency. And whatever you do, don’t sign a loyalty oath. Be loyal to our Father in Heaven and His Son our only Savior. Let us remember the words G-d breathed to His servants long ago:

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. (Hebrews 1:1,2)

(1) Brainyquotes
(2) Wikipedia