Monday, August 28, 2023
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Nobel.
Revelation 16: Painful sores, the price of denying Christ
In the book, Is It Real When It Doesn’t Work? authored by Doug Murren and Barb Shurin, an intriguing antidote is shared. It comes from the remarkable life of Alfred Nobel, the eminent Swedish chemist of the late 19th century.
One fateful morning, Nobel was astonished to read his obituary in the local newspaper. The newspaper had made a grievous mistake by attributing the obituary to Alfred instead of his brother who had passed away. The obituary said that Nobel, the mastermind behind the invention of dynamite, had thereby facilitated the means for an unprecedented number of casualties in warfare. Moreover, it highlighted Nobel’s immense wealth.
The newspaper’s error and the remarks it had made about him struck Nobel hard, prompting him to take inventory of his life. He started to yearn to be remembered for something more than his prodigious contribution to weaponry and the accumulation of riches. Hence, feeling a resolute determination, he created and launched the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. This esteemed accolade was established to honour individuals from around the world who dedicated themselves to the advancement of peace through their extraordinary scientific breakthroughs and literary works.
Driven by his newfound purpose, Nobel once wisely said, “Every man ought to have the chance to correct his epitaph midstream and write a new one.”
There are mainly four different approaches to the interpretation of Revelation chapter 16. The “Preterist” would say the events of the book have already taken place, particularly during the time of the Roman Empire. The “Historicist” would argue Revelation’s prophecies span across historical periods and the book provides a timeline of events throughout history. The “Idealist” would contend Revelation’s content is a symbolic portrayal of spiritual truths and ongoing cosmic conflicts that represent the timeless battle between good and evil. The “Futurist” would assert Revelation primarily refers to future events, more specifically, those of the End Times and the return of Christ.
All of these methods of interpretation have merit. However, it appears that moderate futurism may provide a more complete understanding, meaning some prophecies have already been fulfilled in history, some are currently unfolding, while others are still to come. Revelation chapter 16, more likely, falls in the category of things yet to come.
The first verse of chapter 16 says a voice is heard from the heavenly temple ordering seven bowls of God’s wrath to be poured out on humanity. This is a futuristic view of the end of The Tribulation period, and unlike Alfred Nobel, who had a chance to correct the trajectory of his life, no one at this juncture in world history will be able to do so.
This marks the beginning of Hell on Earth for the damned. Here is what the Bible says about the first bowl of God’s wrath:
“Then I heard a mighty voice from the Temple say to the seven angels, ‘Go your ways and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.’
“So the first angel left the Temple and poured out his bowl on the earth, and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue” (Revelation 16:1, 2).
The imagery of bowls of wrath or vials of wrath poured out on the earth finds its root in various ancient texts. In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of pouring out divine retribution was not uncommon. Greek and Roman mythology often featured gods or goddesses pouring out their wrath or curses upon individuals or cities as punishment for their wrongdoing.
In the Old Testament, for example, the books of Exodus, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, have statements associated with the pouring out of God’s anger and fury.
In Exodus 7:4-5, what God says to Moses is indicative of his intention to plague the people of Egypt because of their treatment of God’s chosen people. The text reads:
“Even then Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you. So, I will bring down my fist on Egypt. Then I will rescue my forces — my people, the Israelites — from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment. When I raise my powerful hand and bring out the Israelites, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD” (Exodus 7:4, 5).
This passage clarifies that the plagues that came upon Egypt were acts of God’s judgment and a demonstration of His mighty power, which is associated with the pouring out of his wrath.
Jeremiah and Ezekiel mention the concept of God’s wrath or the pouring out of His judgment by using the metaphor of a cup filled with his anger and rage.
“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: ‘Take from my hand this cup filled to the brim with my anger and make all the nations to whom I send you drink from it. When they drink from it, they will stagger, crazed by the warfare I will send against them.’ So, I took the cup of anger from the LORD and made all the nations drink from it — every nation to which the LORD sent me” (Jeremiah 25:15-17).
“Because you have followed in your sister’s footsteps, I will force you to drink the same cup of terror she drank. Yes, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘You will drink from your sister’s cup of terror, a cup that is large and deep. It is filled to the brim with scorn and derision” (Ezekiel 23:31-32).
The entire construct of “bowls” of wrath, the “cup” of God’s wrath, the “pouring out” of God’s wrath, should not be glossed over. Instead, it should be contemplated carefully. This kind of imagery is meant to signify the full measure of God’s indignation and divine justice. Such phrasing represents the inescapable and inevitable consequences of human wickedness.
In modern times, these expressions hold significant theological and moral implications. They are reminders that God’s holy and righteous nature cannot be violated with impunity. These metaphorical terms are prompts, notices, and aide-memoirs to individuals and societies to uphold moral values.
In an unprecedented spectacle, Revelation chapter 16 says the first angel unleashed his vessel’s contents upon the Earth, and a cascade of divine affliction flowed. What resulted was a ghastly affliction, vile and repugnant, which was manifest upon everyone who was marked with the emblem of the Antichrist, and all who had paid homage to his graven image.
The sores described in the text are literally ulcerated sores, malignant and very painful. Across the spectrum of time, terrible diseases such as smallpox, bubonic plague, and other infectious outbreaks have caused severe skin lesions and sores.
The “Bubonic Plague,” also called the “Black Death,” emerged during the mid-14th century, with initial outbreaks in China and Central Asia. It then spread along trade routes, reaching Europe in 1347. The plague rapidly became an unparalleled catastrophe as it wreaked havoc across the continent.
The plague acquired its name due to buboes, which were swollen and excruciatingly painful lymph nodes typically found in the groin, armpit, and neck regions. These agonizing swellings rapidly progressed from small lumps to large, purple-black-colored sores filled with pus and blood. The sickness would often lead to tissue necrosis, resulting in the formation of ulcers and malignant sores. The torment of these boils, along with a high fever, headaches, chills, and exhaustion were horrific to witness.
The Bubonic Plague caused unprecedented devastation, wiping out approximately 30-60% of Europe’s population during its peak years from 1347 to 1351. Entire communities were decimated, with corpses piling up in the streets due to the overwhelming number of deaths.
There have been recent outbreaks of the Bubonic Plague. Fortunately, none of them became major epidemics. One such outbreak occurred in Madagascar in 2017. Over 2,400 cases were reported, with around 200 deaths, predominantly caused by the pneumonic form of the infection. Immediate actions were taken by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Madagascar’s Ministry of Health to control the outbreak, including isolation of the sick, and treatment with antibiotics along with public health education campaigns. Coupled with the grace of God, these measures, kept the outbreak contained.
But this raises an important question: Could something like this happen again and all attempts to contain the disease prove futile? When reading Revelation 16, this not only seems possible, but it seems plausible, except the infirmity depicted in Revelation would be much worse.
Drawing from a possibility suggested in “Revelation Visualized” by Dr. Gary Cohen and Salem Kirban, this malady may be directly related to taking the Mark of the Beast either in a tattoo or some kind of implant.
There have been reported cases of individuals experiencing serious negative reactions, including sores on the body, after getting tattoos or implants placed under the skin. These reactions can occur due to a variety of factors such as allergic reactions, infections, or improper procedures. These allergic reactions can be caused by specific pigments, metals, or other substances used in the tattoo or implant. In some cases, these complications can lead to the formation of sores, rashes, blisters, or other skin abnormalities.
This seems quite plausible, too, especially since the Scripture says this plague only affects those who have the Mark of the Beast.
There is another possibility that might be a cause for this first terrible bowl judgment of God — the rampant sexual immorality during the Tribulation period. One may recall the way Revelation 9:21 portrayed the people of this time, saying:
“And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”
Each of the sins mentioned in this text is grievous, but it is sexual immorality which can destroy the body. The apostle Paul warned:
“Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So, you must honor God with your body” (I Corinthians 6:18-20).
This passage emphasizes the destructive nature of sexual immorality. It stresses the importance of honoring the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit and living in line with God’s standards.
Contrary to common thinking there isn’t any “safe sex” outside of God’s standards for sexual purity. Sex is for one man and one woman who are committed to each other for life in the bond of marriage.
Anything outside of these parameters involves a risk, a game of Russian Roulette with one’s health, not to mention the way fornication and adultery precipitate emotional and psychological damage, relationship issues, unplanned pregnancies that often lead to abortion, social and legal consequences, and of course, spiritual implications. Sexual immorality is no small matter.
Could it be that this plague represents a new strain of a severe sexually transmitted disease?
There are statistics from health organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom, which report that sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise.
Genital Herpes is characterized by painful, fluid-filled blisters or sores on the genitals, buttocks, or anus. The blisters can break open, forming ulcers that eventually scab over. Syphilis progresses through different stages. In the primary stage, a painless sore known as a chancre develops at the site of infection, which can be genital, anal, or oral. If left untreated, additional symptoms can develop. Cancroid leads to the development of painful, ulcerated sores in the genital area. Chancroid is an uncommon STD but can cause significant discomfort. Although HIV/AIDS is not necessarily terminal, there is still no cure for it. Moreover, ulcerated, painful sores can be a part of the affliction. These sores can occur in various parts of the body, including the mouth, genital areas, and other areas of the skin. They may be caused by opportunistic infections, such as herpes simplex virus, which can thrive in individuals with weakened immune systems due to HIV/AIDS.
It truly is conceivable that in a day of unrestrained promiscuousness, as one might reasonably presume the Tribulation period would be, since there will be at that time a wholesale rejection of God and his law, an incurable STI or STD is unleashed – one that health authorities are helpless to counter.
Thus far, world health officials have been able to provide some semblance of control over the previously mentioned scourges.
Thus far, in the book of Revelation, the Seal Judgments and the Trumpet Judgments have been limited in their effect, giving people an opportunity to turn from their sins and receive Christ.
Nevertheless, by the time the Bowl Judgments come into the picture, God is no longer pulling his punches, and the full force of an uncurable, unstoppable, unbearable sexually transmitted disease, which shows no mercy, might be what the first angel pours out upon the land.
Admittedly, all of these suggested possibilities are pure conjecture or speculation. Nevertheless, what is absolutely certain about this text, is that this plague of nasty, menacing malignancy of dreadful sores is poured out at God’s order on everyone who spurned their rightful Sovereign, Benefactor, and would-be Savior.
As Cohen and Kirban say, the ulcerating of these marks on those who took the Mark of the Beast is true justice at the hands of the rejected Great Physician!
Consider earnestly! In a symbolic sense, these putrefying, poignant, punishing sores described in Revelation 16 might also represent afflictions of the soul. Sin can be like the ulcerated sores of leprosy that perniciously spread and eat away at one’s spiritual health, joy and peace.
Jesus healed and cleansed many lepers. He can heal and cleanse your broken spirit. He can wash away every sin, no matter how repugnant. He’s calling. The offer is still open but the door of opportunity will soon close.
Rev. Mark H. Creech is Executive Director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina, Inc. He was a pastor for twenty years before taking this position, having served five different Southern Baptist churches in North Carolina and one Independent Baptist in upstate New York.
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Simply Bad, Cowardly, Uncaring But Still 'Trendy' Government!
UK Announces ‘Energy Independence’ Measures But Still Refuses to Frack.
LEE SMITH/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesIn a bid to become more energy independent amid the war in Ukraine, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Monday hundreds of new oil and gas production licences in the North Sea, yet, the government appears to still be cowed by the environmental lobby on the issue of fracking.
With Russian gas and oil shipments drying up over the past year, many European states, including Britain, have had to come to grips with the reality that their prized green agendas will no longer be subsidised by cheap energy from Moscow and therefore will need to either turn to other despotic regimes or tap into domestic resources.
Acknowledging this, Downing Street announced on Monday that hundreds of new oil and gas drilling licences will be opened up in the North Sea off the coast of Scotland in order to “boost British energy independence” and “reduce reliance on hostile states”, Sky News reports.
Prime Minister Sunak said: “We have all witnessed how Putin has manipulated and weaponised energy – disrupting supply and stalling growth in countries around the world. Now more than ever, it’s vital that we bolster our energy security and capitalise on that independence to deliver more affordable, clean energy to British homes and businesses.
“Even when we’ve reached net zero in 2050, a quarter of our energy needs will come from oil and gas. But there are those who would rather that it come from hostile states than from the supplies we have here at home.
“We’re choosing to power up Britain from Britain and invest in crucial industries such as carbon capture and storage, rather than depend on more carbon-intensive gas imports from overseas – which will support thousands of skilled jobs, unlock further opportunities for green technologies and grow the economy,” Sunak added.
The announcement has led to widespread objections from climate change activists, which were highlighted prominently by outlets such as the BBC. Yet, it appears that the ‘Conservative’ government is still reticent to open up the potentially more impactful method of fracking for natural gas, a method that has been a chief component in the United States becoming energy independent under the Trump administration but also in reducing emissions to their lowest levels in over three decades. Breitbart.
Sorry That I Have Been So Late Picking Up on This Piece of Tory Nonsense.
Conservative Party Suspends Christian Councillor for Calling Pride a Sin.
King Lawl, FacebookThe Conservative Party has been accused of engaging in cancel culture after a councillor was suspended for expressing the Christian belief that “pride is a sin” on social media.
King Lawal, a Northamptonshire councillor, has claimed that the Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) was behind the decision to suspend him from his role over a post on Twitter in which he criticised the radical LGBTQ+ Pride movement from a Christian perspective.
In a now-deleted post responding to images of Pride Parades, Lawal said: “When did Pride become a thing to celebrate. Because of Pride Satan fell as an arch Angel. Pride is not a virtue but a Sin. Those who have Pride should Repent of their sins and return to Jesus Christ. He can save you. #PrideMonth #Pride23 #PrideParade.”
The post also included an image with the Biblical verse Isaiah 3 verse 9, saying: “Whatever God calls ‘Sin’ is nothing to be Proud of.”
For this, the Northamptonshire Tory Party suspended him for 21 days, in a move that Lawal claims was done at the behest of CCHQ, a claim the party headquarters denies.
In addition to being suspended by the Conservatives, Lawal said that he was also forced to resign from his job in the nursing business and was removed as a trustee from an organisation helping children experience nature. The councillor was also reportedly suspended as a member of the Weavers Academy secondary school in Wellingborough, The Telegraph reported.
On top of all that, his local library also prohibited him from hosting a meeting with his constituents. Breitbart.
Sunday, August 27, 2023
Government MUST Rid The UK of MANY QUANGOS. (There is more than a £100 billion of savings to be made!) See Below For Just One Example Amongst Many!
Do not heat your homes in the evenings, net zero quango tells public.
Recommendation for people to turn off radiators at peak times branded a 'daft idea'
Millions of families will be urged by a green quango not to heat their homes in the evening to help the Government hit its net zero target.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) said people should turn off their radiators at peak times as part of a wider drive to deliver “emissions savings”.
In a document on “behaviour change” the body recommended Britons “pre-heat” their houses in the afternoon when electricity usage is lower.
It said the move would save families money, but critics suggested the real reason was that renewables will not be able to provide enough energy to cope with peak demand.
The advice is contained in the CCC’s sixth “carbon budget” paper, which sets out how the UK should reduce its emissions between 2033-37. DT.
review of arm’s-length bodies which are responsible for spending £265 billion a year of taxpayers’ money has not been completed five years after it was promised, a new report has claimed.
The Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said that although the Cabinet Office had promised to review every so-called quango between 2016 and 2020, just one-third of the tailored reviews had been completed.
It added that the makeup of these bodies remained “messy and complicated”. Evening Standard 2021.
Well Argued, Michael.
Michael Youssef warns biblical illiteracy is setting the stage for world's deception by the Antichrist (pt. 1)
Read part 2 of Pastor Micahel Youssef's interview with The Christian Post here
Prominent pastor and author Michael Youssef has warned that many churches today are failing to teach the whole Gospel or equip Christians with biblical knowledge, setting the stage for the world to be deceived by the Antichrist.
In an interview with The Christian Post, the 74-year-old pastor of the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia, homed in on the increasing biblical illiteracy prevalent among professing Christians, something he sees as the “great problem with the Church in America.”
“Biblical illiteracy is rampant, and people are going to fall for deception, for false teachings, for anything, because they're not grounded in the Word of God,” he said.
The pastor highlighted some of the popular heresies he sees in both Evangelical and mainline churches today. In an effort to be “seeker friendly,” for example, many churches advocate distancing from the Old Testament or suggest that some of its teachings, such as views on homosexuality, are outdated.
“This is what is preached from major pulpits: homosexuality was wrong in the Old Testament because it was associated with pagan worship, but not in the New Testament,” he said.
“That is not true, because the Bible says, ‘He made them man and woman, and He made them to fit in every way and then made them to marry for life,’ and so forth. They throw the whole creation event out of the window. Or, they say, ‘The God of the Old Testament is a God of vengeance, but the God of the New Testament — which is the old first-century heresy — is the God of love. That is absolutely false.
“Yet, many young preachers are now saying, ‘Let’s get unhitched from the Old Testament.’ But the Old Testament is the very foundation upon which the New Testament builds. The Old Testament says Jesus is coming; the New Testament says He's here. The two are one; we cannot separate them.”
These shifts in teachings, Youssef warned, are setting the stage for the world to be deceived by the Antichrist due to a lack of discernment.
“The world is really being prepared for the Antichrist,” he said. “But when the Antichrist comes and deceives the world, we have no discernment because we do not know the words of Jesus.”
He referenced Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 24 and 25 to identify signs of the End Times and the Antichrist. He described the Antichrist as a “man of peace; a smart, slick politician who's going to make everybody feel good about him.”
“And then halfway through the seven years, of course, he's going to turn and begin to persecute believers,” Youssef said.
Some signs of the End Times, like wars, earthquakes and apostasy, have "always been around,” he added. But as the End Times draw near, these "labor pains" will intensify and occur more frequently.
“Our Lord made it very clear that His disciples need to understand that,” he said. “For us, we're seeing these things are happening so fast as this baby is about to arrive. While some people panic and worry and don’t know what to do, we say, ‘Glory to God. Lift up your head, because the day of your redemption is drawing nigh.’ We know that the baby is getting close to being born now because that is the image that the Lord Jesus Himself gave us.”
In light of this reality, the pastor, who is gearing up for the release of his next book,How to Read the Bible (as If Your Life Depends on It), emphasized the importance of Christians being in community. Churches, like his own in Atlanta, are focusing on building tight-knit groups that can withstand external pressures.
“It's very, very important for the Church to be mobilized because it has to be in community,” he said.
Families, too, play a vital role in establishing biblical literacy and preparing for the End Times. Youssef underscored the necessity for spouses to be united in their beliefs and teachings and for parents to educate their children about potential challenges they might face.
“The husband and wife must be united, and if they're not, they need to fast and pray until they come to unity about how to teach their children,” he said. “The family must be united; the Church must be united. We cannot stand alone. We have to stand together in a community of faith, the family in the home, and then the gatherings of multiple families, which is the Church.”
“I want people to come to Christ, absolutely, but come to the right, real Christ, the Christ of the Bible,” he said. “And then, once you come to Him, feed on the Word of God, because that is our nourishment. Spend time daily in the Word of God, because biblical illiteracy is the greatest problem in the Church in America. That is really my biggest burden for us.”
Youssef is among a growing number of Evangelical pastors sounding the alarm over the lack of biblical knowledge among believers and the devastating ramifications for the Church.
According to the State of the Bible 2022 report released by the Barna Group and the American Bible Society, only 39% of Americans say they read the Bible multiple times per year or more. Currently, only 10% of Americans report daily Bible reading, a 4% decrease since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Biblical scholar and pastor Voddie Baucham recently told CP that because many churches today lack a Gospel-centered foundation, they are ill-prepared for the challenges of the post-Christian era.
“In this post-Christian era, where we're all being sort of painted with the same brush, people who have not relied on the Gospel to build solid foundations are seeing their sheep scattered. They're really not legitimate sheep in the first place, and they also don't really know how to respond, because the response in many instances has been, ‘No, no, no, no, we're not like them.’ And ‘them,’ of course, are conservative, Bible-believing Evangelicals, those people who have always been vilified by the culture at large.
“But that’s not working anymore,” he said, “because it’s not enough to just not hold firmly to the truths of the Gospel and to not hold firmly to those things that the culture finds offensive. Any identification now with Christianity, which is seen as the sort of ultimate hegemonic boogeyman in modern, Neo Marxist culture, is offensive. So, a lot of people are caught off guard because of compromises that they made a long time ago that looked like they were paying off.
Baucham stressed the need for churches to stand firm on biblical truths without compromise, even in the face of cultural pressure and vilification.
“We need to prepare ourselves for the opposition, not only the opposition coming, but for the opposition that's already here,” he said. “We need to know what we believe and why we believe it. We need to be prepared to give an answer to those who ask us for the reason for the hope that is in us. We need to be prepared to speak to this post-Christian culture. Finally, we need to be prepared to accept the consequences of doing so, which are unpleasant."
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com CP.
Mass Burial.
Tribal Christians in Manipur plan mass burial for victims of violence
A tribal group representing the Christian Kuki-Zo community in the northeast Indian state of Manipur is preparing to hold a mass burial for victims killed in the ongoing ethnic violence, a decision that has ignited fresh tensions and more violence. CP.
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Sickening.
Funny how “tolerance” turns to totalitarianism.
America has undergone a massive moral transitioning thanks to an incredibly well-funded LGBTQIA+++ movement. They enjoy a privilege that no other “marginalized” group has: a virtual total immunity from criticism. Mainstream media, public education, academia, professional sports, the entertainment industry, the Democratic Party, judges, legislators, the medical field, biblically-illiterate churches, RINOs, and child welfare workers all demand we bow to LGBTQ dogma.
We must butcher language, deny basic science, and worship a co-opted rainbow worldview or face the consequences. It’s all about “inclusion” they say as they legally and culturally obliterate the inclusion of faith-based individuals and organizations from fully participating in American life.
Saturday, August 26, 2023
Irrational! You Cannot Apologise On Behalf of People Long Dead!
William Gladstone's family to apologise for historic links to slavery
Charlie Gladstone said he 'felt absolutely sick' about his family’s slave-owning past and called his ancestor John Gladstone a 'vile man'.
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Oh Dear, Oh Dear.
Sadiq Khan tried to 'silence' scientists who questioned impact of ULEZ scheme.
The ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) is aimed at improving air quality but has sparked controversy.
Sadiq Khan's office tried to "silence" scientists who found that his ULEZ policy had little impact on pollution, according to reports.
In an email exchange, Shirley Rodrigues, the London Mayor’s deputy for environment and energy, told Professor Frank Kelly that she was “really disappointed” Imperial College had publicised findings questioning the effectiveness of the scheme.
Prof Kelly, a director of the university's Environmental Research Group, which has been paid more than £800,000 by Mr Khan’s office since 2021, is said to have subsequently agreed to issue a statement saying ULEZ had helped to “dramatically reduce air pollution”.
Peter Fortune, the Conservative London Assembly Member for Bexley and Bromley, told The Telegraph: “It is unacceptable that Sadiq Khan and his deputy conspired to silence legitimate research because it would damage the Mayor’s reputation and credibility. Express.
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