Jacobs Tent http://jacobstent.snappages.site Thu, 01 Aug 2024 16:01:32 +0000 Thu, 01 Aug 2024 16:01:32 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com The Chinese Threat: Who Are the Kings of the East? Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/09/the-chinese-threat-who-are-the-kings-of-the-east Thu, 09 Jan 2025 10:33:08 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/09/the-chinese-threat-who-are-the-kings-of-the-east

THE CHINESE THREAT?

By: BILL CLOUD

Welcome to this episode of the Weekly Scroll; this week we're going to talk about those the Bible refers to as the Kings of the East, and specifically how that might -- and I want to emphasize the word might -- apply to the growing threat that Communist China poses.

Let's start with this: as a kid I remember watching news reports of then President Nixon visiting the People's Republic of China in 1972. His trip intended to reopen communications between the two countries which led to the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1979.

Since then, Americans are hard pressed to find any product not made in China. But in spite of doing business with the Chinese -- something you might expect to facilitate decent relations -- it is easy to discern that the Chinese government doesn't care for America, and many Americans certainly don't trust the Chinese government.

And why should we considering they successfully launched at least one spy balloon that flew over the US from coast to coast? Then there are the multiple close exchanges between US and Chinese military aircraft very near to our borders over the last couple of years. And of course, perhaps the biggest of all -- at least to date -- the development and release of COVID upon the world.

And in that light, let's consider this news item from the Federalist: Chuck DeVore, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, in reference to a new Department of Defense report, said that China is conducting the largest military build-up seen since that of Nazi Germany during the 1930s.

The DOD report detailed China's military operations including bolstering weapons and psychological warfare. Devore said that: "The big difference is that he (Hitler) really focused on land power, which is pretty easy to build up pretty quickly." Mr. Devore pointed out that this is in contrast to what the Chinese are doing -- they have amassed the largest navy in the world.

According to Mr. Devore:

"The Chinese Navy, not by tonnage, but by numbers is now larger than the U.S. Navy. China has about 250 times the ship building capacity that America does." According to intelligence sources, China is expected to expand from its current 370 ships and submarines to 435 by 2030. That, however, is not the end of the threat.

The DOD report cites how China has bolstered its rocket arsenal to include 50 new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), which can strike the continental U.S., raising its total to 400. Their arsenal also now includes more than 600 operational nuclear warheads and is expected to have more than 1,000 by 2030. China also has the world’s leading arsenal of hypersonic missiles, which as DeVore points out, "are capable of evading U.S. missile defenses and targeting Guam, Hawaii, and Alaska."

To compound the problem, by most accounts, the US is way behind in this arms race and is being forced to catch up. According to Devore:

"Not only do we need to catch up, but we also need to modernize our nuclear weapons, and put a lot of effort into missile defense."

The point is that the Chinese are working very hard to attain a dominant military ability that either neutralizes those they consider to be a threat or -- and this is most likely the case -- to assert their power and extend their influence in the world. They have already accomplished this in the market place (which has no doubt funded this military build up) and look to do more.

In fact, the same DOD report detailed how China is seeking to expand its influence through "information dominance on the battlefield" by researching and developing what it believes to be the next evolution of psychological warfare -- something known as cognitive domain operations.

In other words using different technologies to achieve mind dominance, which translates in my mind, to instill fear and intimidation. Practically, this would be used to deter the U.S. or any other nation from entering into a potential conflict, say an invasion of Taiwan perhaps.

And then there is this: the once robust Chinese economy is, according to some analysts, gripped by deflation, (an economy-killer) and on the verge of collapse. In the words of one economist, China is enduring what the US experienced in 2008 when the housing markets took a free fall. This in turn is provoking civil unrest for which, as we know, Communists don't have much tolerance. So what am I getting at?

War in the Middle East; war between Russia and Ukraine; a weakened America economically and otherwise. Might the Chinese leaders opt to ramp things up a bit? That is what some are saying and what brings us to this question prompted by a verse of Scripture: Who are the Kings of the East?

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Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. Revelation 16:12-13

First of all, I read the last verse because of its mention of "the dragon." Of course, this is actually referring to the Adversary, Satan, but some have found the correlation between the dragon and the kings of the east to be of interest. Add to that the mention of a 200 million "force" (whether physical or spiritual is debated), and many have long believed this prophecy speaks of a time when a massive army from the east -- in this case, the far east -- marches toward the place called Har Megiddon in preparation for the climactic battle at Jerusalem.

Does this refer to the Chinese, perhaps joined by the North Koreans and others? Perhaps. Through the prophet Zechariah, the Bible does say that the Lord will gather "all the nations to battle against Jerusalem" (Zechariah 12:3, 14:2.) And if "all" means "all," then we would expect that the Chinese would be included in this aggression but so would "all" other nations -- including the US.

Is the Chinese threat real? Of course it is, but is Communist China among the kings of the east mentioned in Revelation 16? Here's where I'm going to throw you a curve ball -- I'm not convinced they are -- and here's why. Kings of the east are mentioned several other times in Scripture and, in some cases, are actually identified. Here are a couple of examples:

When Jacob was forced to flee from Esau, Scripture says, "So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East" Genesis 29:1. Of course, Jacob's journey took him to Padan Aram which is in the Mesopotamian region, and east of the Euphrates.

In Judges 6, in the days of Gideon, the Bible says that the people of Israel who had done evil in the sight of the Lord were delivered into the hand of the Midianites. It is recorded that, "Whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel" Judges 6:3-4.

Later in the narrative it says that these same people groups -- the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the people of the East -- "gathered together ... and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel" (Judges 6:33.) And by the way, the valley of Jezreel is also known as the Valley of Megiddo, which in turn is synonymous with a place called Armageddon.

It was here that Gideon and his band of 300 men found these people of east "lying in the valley as numerous as locusts (an interesting point); and their camels were without number" (Judges 7:12) and where upon hearing the sound of the shofars and shattering pitchers, they turned on one another as they fled the battlefield.

When Gideon pursued the leaders of this invasion force, the Bible says he overtook two of the leaders, both described as "kings of Midian," who were with what was left of all the army of the "people of the East" (Judges 8:5, 10). It also describes how after Gideon had eliminated these men that he took the "crescent-shaped ornaments that were on their camels’ necks" Judges 8:21.

What is the point? While I certainly don't discount the legitimate threat that China, in its present state, poses to the world and while I won't completely eliminate them from being the possible fulfillment of what Revelation 16 describes in regard to the "kings of the east," I nevertheless have my doubts.

Mainly because of what the Bible has already described for us and that is the kings of the east come from the deserts of Arabia and the Mesopotamian region. To be more specific, the kings of the east seem to be those nations just to the east of the Jordan River -- nations that are historically and presently very aggressive toward Israel.

I won't take the time to develop this here but, remember the Bible described these people of the east as being as numerous as locusts? Well, there is a very important reason for that when you consider what locusts do -- they swarm, they chew, devour, consume and destroy. Take note of what the prophet Joel said:

What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten; and what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten. Joel 1:4

As you continue to read, you will see that this army of locusts aren't "locusts" at all -- they are an invasion force who come against the land of Israel described as being "strong, and without number" and who devour everything before them; behind them a desolate wilderness (Joel 2:3). They are described also as having the appearance of horses, a detail I find interesting in light of what is revealed in Revelation 9 and the opening of the abyss.

"And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth." Revelation 9:1-3

The Bible goes on to say that these locusts were like "horses prepared for battle" and that the "number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million." All of this is intertwined with the release of principalities in the earth who had been bound at the Euphrates River which, in turn, connects to the Euphrates being dried up to make way for the "kings of the east."

So what am I saying?

I don't think the Chinese are the kings of the east; I think that title is reserved for other, more ancient adversaries in regard to Israel and God's people.

Again, that is not to say that the People's Republic of China isn't a danger to peace and stability -- I believe they are.

But just like how many eschatologists have abandoned the idea that the European Common Market will comprise the revived Roman empire, I believe we must allow the Bible to interpret itself and not be bound exclusively by what we see presently. Things change, and sometimes overnight forcing us to throw all our end-time prognostications into the garbage bin.

And so why address this at all? For me it's just a reminder that, while events going on around us is important to take note of, its more important to stay focused on what the Bible actually says about our future and especially when we begin to feel like things are shaping for the culmination of prophecy. I certainly believe we are living in the last days but that doesn't mean that Messiah is returning next week.

And so, even as we take note of what is going on around us, we must continue to occupy -- not until we think He is about to come but until He does come. No one knows with 100% certainty what will happen tomorrow whether we're discussing China, Russia, Syria or the US; but we do know that God does nothing unless He first reveals His secrets to the His servants, the prophets.

God does want us to know what to expect -- but not to scare us; to prepare us. And as we prepare, let us pray. Let's pray that God will continue to give us insight, wisdom and strength to do all He has called us to do. And while we're at it -- let's pray for all our brothers and sisters in China and other places where believes have to meet in secret for fear of retribution. And finally, let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem and that Her King will come speedily, even in our days.

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About Bill Cloud

BILL CLOUD

Bill Cloud was raised in a traditional Christian home in South Georgia. Yet it was a trip to Israel to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, in 1990, that truly provoked him to become more interested in his faith. It was during this "appointed time" that God gave him a deep love for the land, the people and the language.

Soon thereafter, Bill began learning Hebrew under the tutelage of a local rabbi and has since spent many hours studying, not only the Hebrew text, but the Hebraic roots of Christianity as well. This interest in the language is tied to Bill's desire to unlock the hidden treasures within the Word of God and to teach them, along with our Hebraic roots, to believers in Messiah. Furthermore, this insight has allowed Bill to better understand the prophetic element of Scripture. As a result of this study, Bill has developed a variety of media resources dealing with prophetic themes as well as teachings related to our lost Hebraic heritage.

Bill is a featured speaker in venues throughout the country and has appeared with notable teachers such as Perry Stone, Jonathan Cahn, Joel Richardson and Hal Lindsay. He has also made several appearances on a variety of television broadcasts seen on different Christian networks throughout the world. Recently Bill, along with his wife, Beth, and their children started a fellowship in the Cleveland TN area.

Through Shoreshim Ministries, Bill and his family strive to re-introduce Christians to the Jewish Yeshua and to educate believers in the Hebraic roots of their faith. As a result of this information, disciples of the Messiah can more accurately interpret end-time events and better discern our role in these last days.
Bill and his family reside in Cleveland, Tennessee.

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]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/09/the-chinese-threat-who-are-the-kings-of-the-east#comments 0 Satan in the Sanctuary Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/satan-in-the-sanctuary Thu, 02 Jan 2025 12:13:31 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/satan-in-the-sanctuary

SATAN IN THE SANCTUARY

By: BILL CLOUD

Welcome to this episode of the Weekly Scroll. Some might think that our story this week might be better suited for the end of October when people are dressing up as ghouls and goblins in search of sugary treats. But as I've said before, the tares aren't content to remain in their own field -- they want to infiltrate every nook and cranny of society.

Case in point: In Concord, NH, a satanic "nativity display" was erected on city property near the New Hampshire State Capitol building. This came about because Democratic state Rep. Ellen Read suggested to The Satanic Temple that they should put up the display alongside of a Catholic groups' Nativity scene.

As it turns out, Read said she is a member of TST, although she has not participated in any of its meetings or events. Nevertheless, it was her view that the scene of baby Jesus should not be the only decoration there.

As you might imagine, this was met with some resistance including a lot of push back from other public officials, most notably the mayor of Concord. But in an effort to avoid a legal dispute over First Amendments issues, the Concord City Council approved the organization's permit to show the display.

In a statement, the city said they were forced to choose between banning all holiday displays or allowing TST's statue.

"After reviewing its legal options, the City ultimately decided to continue the policy of allowing unattended displays at City Plaza during this holiday season and to allow the statue." It is anticipated that the City Council will review next year whether permits for unattended holiday displays should be allowed."

Concord Mayor Byron Champlin said,

"I opposed the permit because I believe the request was made not in the interest of promoting religious equity but in order to drive an anti-religious political agenda."

He continued:

"Some on social media have celebrated the Satanic Temple’s display as a victory for religious pluralism and a reflection of our growing diversity as a community. I disagree with this. This is about an out-of-state organization cynically promoting its national agenda at the expense of the Concord community."

Rep. Read rebuked the mayor in an interview saying,

"I think it’s the narrow-mindedness of the mayor, who can’t seem to wrap his head around that this represents a large percentage of the community and its beliefs."

What are those beliefs exactly? According to its website, TST's mission "Is to encourage benevolence and empathy, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits."

On the surface, it sounds almost good; but embedded within these words are an evil intent. And remember, in the beginning, the serpent used words that sounded "good" in order to promote rebellion against God.

Take note of the so-called "church's" statement -- "reject tyrannical authority." Generally speaking, most freedom loving people would reject a tyrant's rule. But where the Satanic church and other such rebels are concerned, the issue is this: they consider the Creator, with His laws and boundaries in regard to good and evil, as a tyrant. According to their website:

"We have fought for the abolition of corporal punishment in public schools, applied for equal representation when religious installations are placed on public property, provided religious exemption and legal protection against laws that unscientifically restrict people's reproductive autonomy ... organized clubs alongside other religious after-school clubs in schools besieged by proselytizing organizations, and engaged in other advocacy in accordance with our tenets."

Here is my interpretation of their tenants: No boundaries, no restrictions, no consequences. And furthermore, they intend to vigorously promote their beliefs in every forum.

This last summer, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis introduced an initiative to integrate more religious instruction into the state's public school system under a volunteer school chaplain program.

In response, members of The Satanic Temple (TST) said they were ready to serve as "volunteer chaplains." One TST spokesperson said that they would be "happy to participate." DeSantis replied, in a manner of speaking -- "That's not gonna happen." Speaking to a group of concerned citizens, DeSantis said:

"Some have said that if you do a school chaplain program, that, somehow, you're going to have satanists running around in all our schools. We're not playing those games in Florida. That is not a religion. That is not qualified to be able to participate in this."

Unfortunately, the Satanic church is recognized as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt church, a status that has been affirmed by federal judges. In other words, they could launch a legal challenge because our leaders, in their wisdom, have left the people exposed to such nonsense.

In fact, "After School Satan Clubs," hosted by The Satanic Temple, have shown up at schools around the country, including in states like Tennessee, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Though there has been widespread pushback from parents, school boards across the country are capitulating to the threat of costly litigation -- because they know they can't count on righteous judges hearing the matter.

Our government has allowed voices such as these to gain a foothold in our culture; to speak to our children in school and leave an indelible impression on their consciousness every time a Satanic emblem -- one that openly promotes rebellion -- is tolerated in the town square.

Just last month, the Tulsa Oklahoma City Council began its' meeting with a prayer that many, including the Governor, are calling "satanic." It happened when so-called Priestess Amy McAdams, a Pagan, gave the invocation by praying to Medusa, a character from Greek mythology, who has snakes for hair and is known for her wrath.

City Councilor Crista Patrick, who is also Pagan, said her religion is not satanic but paganism. As it turns out though, her pagan religion advocates for some of the same goals listed by the TST.

McAdams said,

"I think where a lot of people get stuck is with the word 'serpent.' Many Christians equate any reference to snakes or serpents directly with Satan, but I am referencing the serpents that makeup Medusa's hair. This is classical mythology and before Christianity, snakes were ancient symbols of feminine divinity, healing, and transformation."

Hmm. Well, Ms. McAdams, before there was classical mythology there was a garden, and a woman who was deceived by a snake.

The point is that, across the country, standards of righteousness have been lowered to the point that scenes such as this play out every day -- and unless we take a stand, it will continue to worsen.

As far as the Satanic "nativity" display in NH, it would seem that some unknown citizens decided to take matters into their own hands and destroyed the original display -- which was a statue of Baphomet, a deity and occult symbol with yellow eyes, holding an “apple of knowledge” in one hand and a bouquet of purple lilacs, New Hampshire’s state flower in the other. At its feet, was a granite table inscribed with The Satanic Church’s “Seven Fundamental Tenets.”

Within an hour of its unveiling, it was knocked over and damaged. Three days later, it was vandalized again and damaged beyond repair. The Baphomet was broken, the tablet was illegible and missing pieces. TST representatives repaired the display and reinstalled it. The next night, it was vandalized again, leading TST to have to restore it a second time.

This has prompted the Democratic state Rep., Ms. Read, to condemn those who stood against this saying, "I think the vandalism and the hatefulness shouldn’t go without a response" adding that the Satanic Temple, (based in Salem Mass.), "probably should" get to erect a new display in its place. She added:

“The people are supposedly doing this in the name of Christianity, a religion that professes faith and love and peace... Their holiday season is about love, peace, and goodwill to others, and in the middle of that, they’re reacting violently without caring about other people’s opinions.”

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This kind of battle is going on all over the country; there is, in fact, a similar fight occurring in Minnesota, where members of The Satanic Temple contributed to the holiday display at the State House in St. Paul.

The issue I'm bringing forward today isn't that we need to protect or promote nativity scenes during this season. And by the way, I've heard some believers support the removal of nativity scenes from the public square at this time of year because of their position on Christmas' pagan affiliations.

But don't let righteous zeal and indignation blind us to the bigger picture: satanists, pagans and rebels aren't just gunning for Nativity scenes; they aren't just looking for equal time in city council meetings; they are coming after the hearts and minds of people -- and I would argue they are particularly targeting the younger generation.

As I've said many times before, tares don't wish to coexist with the wheat; they want to steal, kill and ultimately destroy the wheat, thus infesting the field with rebellion, chaos and destruction. They aren't waging war on Christmas -- it's the Christ they want to displace.

As it is written:

“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “ 'Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.'” Psalm 2:2-3

Essentially, this passage summarizes the mindset and intention of Satanists, pagans and rebels of every stripe: they don't want God telling them what to do and not do -- "break their bonds in pieces; cast away their cords." They come against the Lord and His Anointed, which is literally His Messiah.

So again, it's not Christmas or Council meetings they want to destroy; it's the very notion that there is a God, that there are boundaries and consequences. To dispel such in the minds of others, so they believe, will rid society of tyrannical restrictions and promote equity, peace and all these other nice words they like to invoke.

But in reality, it's the same tactic and agenda initiated in the very beginning when the serpent said to Eve,

“You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5

The irony of this is, according to Satanists, they do not worship Satan because there is no such thing as Satan or the supernatural. According to its website, it is non-theistic; they say:

"The Satanic Temple believes that religion can, and should, be divorced from superstition. As such, we do not promote a belief in a personal Satan. Satan is a symbol of the Eternal Rebel in opposition to arbitrary authority, forever defending personal sovereignty even in the face of insurmountable odds."

Here is what comes to mind when I read this statement:

"For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; he blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts." Psalm 10:3-4

Satanists say they don't believe in Satan, and at the same time proudly advertise that they are rebels. The reality is this: when we reject the voice of God, we open the door to another voice. Sometimes it is our voice we listen to the most but, in the end, we will serve someone.

And so what the satanist acknowledge intellectually is a moot point; what they do shines a light on what they believe and "rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft" (1 Samuel 15:23). And pray tell, how does promoting rebellion enhance the quality of life, or someone's education? It doesn't but the Adversary, using smooth words, has always been successful in convincing us that it does.

This really isn't about nativity scenes and satanic displays; this is about how the Adversary operates -- to steal, kill and destroy. It's about the Wicked One being able to slither into a space, sometimes even a sacred space -- a garden or a maybe even a Sanctuary -- long enough to get someone to listen to his seductive words. From the beginning, the tactics haven't changed.

I'm fully aware that a town square in NH, a council chamber in OK, or a school in Florida isn't on the same level as the Garden or the House of God in terms of sacredness. But I would argue that the principle remains the same. And so, it is important that the people of God be diligent, at the very least, to stand guard in that place He has given us responsibility -- our homes, our congregations.

Let's not buy into the smooth and flattering words the Adversary and his minions like to use in order to set their snare. As Paul said, be mindful of Satan's devices, lest he should take advantage of us. Let's keep the Satan out of the sanctuary -- and perhaps we could be better positioned to successfully keep him out of the chambers of government and the town square.

For more great content, check out these other articles from Bill Cloud!

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January 2nd, 2025

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About Bill Cloud

BILL CLOUD

Download Now

]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/satan-in-the-sanctuary#comments 0 The Eyes in the Sky: What's Hovering Over Us? Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/the-eyes-in-the-sky-what-s-hovering-over-us Thu, 02 Jan 2025 12:08:50 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/the-eyes-in-the-sky-what-s-hovering-over-us

THE EYES IN THE SKY

By: BILL CLOUD

Welcome to this episode of the Weekly Scroll where we look at the week's news items and discuss how these current events have bearing on believers in these last days.

Does anyone besides me remember, as a kid, being frightened by the scene in the Wizard of Oz when the skies are filled with flying monkeys who swoop down, grab Dorothy and carry her away to the witch's castle?

Well, what I'm going to discuss this week might not provoke the same level of fright as that, but many people -- citizens and congressmen -- are becoming increasingly disturbed by what appear to be drones, but are otherwise unidentified flying objects, flying through the air in New Jersey and parts of New York.

In NJ alone over 1000 such sightings were reported in just under a month. And since the initial reports began to show up on social media, there have been other reported sightings of these mystery drones appearing in the skies over CT, PA, VA, OH, MN and even southern CA. Reuters reported that drones have also been spotted at the U.S. Air Force base at Ramstein, Germany.

These unidentified drones have puzzled and frustrated residents and raised concerns among local and federal authorities, sparking speculation and concern over who sent them and why. The FBI, which has received over 5,000 tips -- a hundred of which warranted further scrutiny -- is investigating but says it does not know the source of the drones, which should come as quite a comfort to the populace in these states.

In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul said she was investigating the matter with federal law enforcement agencies. Senator Chuck Schumer called for action to make it easier for federal, state and local authorities to work together to detect and if need be "bring down" any drone seen to pose a threat.

In Connecticut, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, called for the drones to be “shot down” if necessary.

In New Jersey, State Rep. Dawn Fantasia said from four to 180 such aircraft have been reported to authorities since Nov. 18, appearing from dusk until 11 p.m. She estimates that there are, on average, 92 sightings per night.

Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., asked DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas why the drones' origins are still unknown and why we can't follow them. He added, “Many of them seem to be coming from the ocean.”

This uncertainty has prompted NJ Gov. Phil Murphy to ask the Biden administration to put more resources into an investigation of the drones. He posted on X that:

“I wrote to @POTUS to express my concerns about reports of unmanned aircraft systems in and around NJ airspace. ... Since existing laws limit the ability of state and local law enforcement to counter UAS (unmanned aircraft systems), more federal resources are needed to understand what is behind this activity.”

That being said, Murphy was careful to stress that there is no evidence to suggest these UFOs pose a national security or a public safety threat or that they have a foreign connection. That position stands in stark contrast to the view presented by another leader from the state.

New Jersey Congressman Jefferson Van Drew says he knows exactly what’s going on. He believes that Iran, in cooperation with China, is behind the mystery.

“I’ve gotten to know people, and from very high sources, very qualified sources, very responsible sources; I’m going to tell you the real deal. ... Iran launched a mother ship, probably about a month ago, that contains these drones.... These drones should be shot down.”

Countering that opinion, the Defense Department said, while these are not U.S. military drones, there is “no evidence that these activities are coming from a foreign entity or the work of an adversary.”

As for the Biden administration, the position seems to be, “We don't know what they are but we know that they aren't a threat.” Administration and National security officials representing the FBI, the FAA, the NSC, DHS, and DOD, have acknowledged their attempts to discern the origin of these activities but as one FBI official put it: “I think there has been a slight overreaction.”

However, one DOD representative did add this: “We have not been able to locate or identify the operators or the points of origin.” I'll interject here that this is hard for me to believe. Of course, a spy balloon from China did manage to float across the entire nation, from west to east, before being shot down off the coast of South Carolina.

So is it gross incompetence? Let's hope not. But if it isn't that, then it is more likely that our government does know what these things are but isn't willing to tell us what's really going on; and that brings us to this option. Some believe we're being desensitized to a new technology and a new fact of life.

One expert in the field of surveillance and intelligence likened the situation to when the B2 was first being unveiled. Before Americans knew about the new stealth bomber, sightings were reported across America. In similar fashion, it is theorized that the US is getting ready to use this new technology in actual military applications all over the world.

In advance of this alleged mobilization, the US is believed to be experimenting, and at the same time, sending a warning to countries like Russia and China, as well as a heads up to the American people on what to expect in the near future.

Former CIA Operations officer, Laura Ballman, also suggested the drone sightings might be a U.S. operation to “test either evasion technology or detection technology in urban areas.” Ballman added that she is troubled by why the U.S. government has not been forthcoming with information regarding the drones.

President elect Trump feels the government knows exactly what they are but aren't being honest with the American people. Trump said,

“Our military knows and our president knows, and for some reason, they want to keep people in suspense. I can't imagine it's the enemy, because if it was the enemy, they'd blast it out.”

Trump has also posted online, “Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!”

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Officials, however, are warning people not to take such drastic action; to do so, in fact, could result in jail time. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said that some of the sightings might be lawfully operated planes or helicopters mistaken for drones. Yet, Kirby was compelled to admit that “the reported sightings highlight a gap in authorities.”

In other words, one agency doesn't know what another agency is up to and that has the potential to lead to chaos. And on that note, a top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, expressed frustration at the lack of communication saying:

“The answer 'we don't know' is not a good enough answer. ... When people are anxious... people will fill a vacuum with their fears, anxieties and conspiracy theories.”

And it is that notion, ladies and gentlemen, that brings us to what I'd like to emphasize regarding this story -- fear, uncertainty, imaginations running rampant -- and what that portends for the future, specifically as it relates to the last days.

As it turns out, believers aren't exempt from the attraction of conspiracy theories. When we can't get specific answers to, what we believe to be, important questions, we have been known to formulate our own, some times fanciful, explanations for mysterious things.

For instance -- and I know this will incite some of you to speak out -- but there are believers who are quite convinced that NASA conspired with a host of other government agencies in order to convince the world that the Apollo moon landings were real. Because, as the theory goes, Neal Armstrong did not walk on the moon; all of that, so say the conspiracists, was faked.

In times past we have been fascinated -- some frightened -- by the notion that there are currently camps being set up to incarcerate American citizens, particularly those who are believers. Some people have gone to great lengths to document these camps with maps and photos, etc. Maybe they exist, maybe not?

My intention is not to address the pros and cons of these examples; my point is that some of these conspiracy theories tend to be intertwined with fear if not conceived by it -- and that is not a healthy, nor it is prescribed for those of us who are followers of Messiah.

Fear is not our friend; think about what fear did when COVID was unleashed on the world. Yes, many people died, people I knew personally, and that is unfortunate. But I would argue the greater long-term effects, some of which are still with us now, were the result of fear -- not facts.

There are churches that no longer exist, and many more that are struggling to remain open, simply because people were afraid to venture out of their homes and be in a crowd. Fear gripped a lot of people, and in the process, we let our local, state and federal government get away with a lot. And if COVID was, as some theorize, contrived by a few with a nefarious agenda -- i.e. if it was a conspiracy -- I would argue that we assisted in its success by giving into fear.

Now I will concede the reason some conspiracy theories exist is because they are actual conspiracies at work in the world. There are people who meet in back rooms and conspire to do this or that, and sometimes with wicked intentions. However, that is not justification for God's people to give into fear or to be carried away with conspiracy theories.

“Well, Bill, I'm not worried at all about these drones.” Good for you. But are you as resilient when it comes to other threats and fears? Fear has always been one of the worst opponents the people of God have faced. Mainly, I would surmise, because it is invisible in the traditional sense. Consequently, it sneaks into our life quite easily if we're not on guard.

Again and again, the Almighty tells His people that we are not fear our enemies; we are not to fear the giants in our lives; we are not to fear those who appear to be more numerous and more powerful than us. We are not to fear the Adversary -- we are to fear God. As was said to the prophet Isaiah:

The Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying: Do not say, “A conspiracy,” concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. Isaiah 8:11-13

I find it interesting that the context of this reminder to fear God above all is the fact that, apparently, there were people of God who were motivated to fear threats and conspiracies more than the Almighty.

At the same time, this shouldn't really come as a surprise; remember what occurred when the spies brought the evil report. Israel feared the giants and fortified cities more than the One who had brought them out of Egypt and had led them through the wilderness. Consequently, those who gave into this fear died in that wilderness.

Well, I for one don't want to die in the wilderness as a victim of mob mentality; especially one that instills the fear of man or fear of the unknown into my mind and spirit. I want to keep my focus on what I know to be true -- more importantly, who I know to be the Author of Truth.

I don't know for certain what these UFOs are. I think its obvious they aren't some twenty-something techie trying to mess with everyone's mind. I'm pretty sure they aren't sophisticated contraptions from other worlds that were sent here to scope out the earth in advance of an alien invasion.

And, no, I'm not of the opinion they are demonic fallen angels as some have theorized. More than likely, they are a government-related experiment that some bureaucrat thought could be run without drawing this kind of attention. On the other hand, maybe it is some sort of deception, actually intended to capture our attention so that we won't notice something else they really want to keep hidden.

Whatever they are, and whatever their purpose, I want you to think about the amount of media attention they have received and the curiosity and, in some cases, the fear they have generated among those who have witnessed them.

Now with that in mind, consider what will happen, and how people will respond, when God begins to demonstrate His power and might in the heavens and upon the earth. As Yeshua said:

And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Luke 21:25-26

Notice that? Men's hearts will fail them due to the expectation of what is coming upon the earth. In other words, if some people are unsettled by what they are seeing now, can you imagine what some will do when the powers of the heavens are literally being shaken? When ominous signs are appearing in the heavens?

But those who will be so moved are those who have no real hope or faith; I would recommend Yeshua was describing those who are still fastened to the things of this world. But those of us who do have faith and hope -- and have determined within ourselves not to focus on temporal things nor to “walk in the way of this people” -- when these things begin to happen, we are to “look up and lift up our heads, because our redemption draws near.”

I'm not of the view that these drones (or whatever they turn out to be) are a sign of the end times; however, I am of the view that society's reaction and response to things we don't have answers to, helps us to see how the stage is being set for those things that are to come. In other words, doubt, uncertainty and a need to, (well as the one gentleman put it) -- “fill the vacuum with fears, anxieties and conspiracy theories” -- will lead to a great deception.

And that is exactly what the adversary, the Great Illusionist, is counting on. So then -- don't be deceived; and do not live in fear.

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]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/the-eyes-in-the-sky-what-s-hovering-over-us#comments 0 Damascus Has Fallen: What's Next in the Middle East? Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/damascus-has-fallen-what-s-next-in-the-middle-east Thu, 02 Jan 2025 12:07:13 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/damascus-has-fallen-what-s-next-in-the-middle-east

DAMASCUS HAS FALLEN

By: BILL CLOUD

Welcome to the Weekly Scroll. Several weeks ago, maybe months ago, I shared with our congregation and on this platform that I was (am) convinced that we are in season when God is humiliating his enemies and eliminating those who have incited His anger.

This started to materialize in my thinking as leaders in Hamas, Hezbollah and even in Iran began to fall; some with the help of the Israeli soldiers in the IDF or agents in the Mossad; or in the case of Iran's President, by a mysterious helicopter crash.

Well this weekend, this retribution or reckoning (that's what I believe it to be) saw another name added to the list of fallen leaders from among those who oppose God's people. After 50+ years of rule under the house of Assad, Bashar al Assad, a ruthless dictator, fled Syria to seek asylum in Russia.

Assad was forced to flee the country after a coalition of mostly radical Islamist groups swept across Syria, eventually capturing the country's capital city of Damascus signaling the end of his family's rule over the nation.

This final offensive -- that seemed to come out of nowhere -- at least to those of us in the US who have preoccupied with our own internal strife -- was the latest development in a civil war that has continued for almost 14 years. This civil war, you may recall, started during the Obama years in the wake of the so-called Arab Spring. In turn the Arab Spring created an environment that gave rise to groups such as ISIS and provided the catalyst for what has culminated in the overthrow of Assad's regime.

Israel Moves In

On that note, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said:

"This is a historic day for the Middle East. The collapse of the Assad regime, the tyranny in Damascus, offers great opportunity but also is fraught with significant dangers."

Netanyahu claimed that the fall of Assad's regime was a "direct result" of Israeli attacks on Iran and Hezbollah. He said:

"This collapse is the direct result of our forceful action against Hezbollah and Iran, Assad's main supporters. It set off a chain reaction of all those who want to free themselves from this tyranny and its oppression."

The collapse of the Syrian regime had an impact upon Syria's security forces as well. A fact that elicited this comment from Netanyahu:

"(This) also means that we have to take action against possible threats. One of them is the collapse of the Separation of Forces Agreement from 1974 between Israel and Syria. This agreement held for 50 years. Last night, it collapsed. The Syrian army abandoned its positions. We gave the Israeli army the order to take over these positions to ensure that no hostile force embeds itself right next to the border of Israel. This is a temporary defensive position until a suitable arrangement is found."

In short, IDF paratroopers and heavily armored tanks took up positions that were abandoned by the Syrian Army near the border with Israel -- including the Syrian side of Mount Hermon. The IDF said this deployment was meant to "proactively ensure the defense of Golan" amid the instability in Syria.

This move comes as both the U.S. and Israel struck multiple targets inside Syria, including ISIS strongholds and chemical weapons plants. You may recall that Assad used chemical weapons on his own civilians when former President Barack Obama was in office. The U.S. and Israel are taking steps to ensure that those weapons do not fall into the hands of the Islamist extremists now in control of Syria. Let's talk a bit about these people.

The Opposition

About six month's ago, the opposition groups in Syria communicated to Turkey plans for a major offensive against the Syrian military. Apparently, they felt they had received some sort of approval, and moved to implement the plan. Just two weeks ago, they seized Syria's second city, Aleppo, and took almost everyone by surprise. In just a little more than a week, they reached Damascus and on this past Sunday put an end to five decades of Assad family rule.

As far Assad, his army was demoralized and exhausted; his main allies, Iran and Hezbollah, had been severely weakened by the conflict with Israel; and his other main military supporter, Russia, was distracted by its own conflict with Ukraine. It was as if it were the perfect storm -- and we know who arranges such as that.

As far as these insurgents, the most notable of them is a man called, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, although his real name is Ahmad al-Sharaa. Though he has recently renounced his association, Golani has longtime connections to al-Qaida. This man and his fellow revolutionaries now control Damascus, and it would seem, the fate of Syria.

To say the least, how this turns out is uncertain. Syria is home to multiple ethnic and religious communities, who are often pitted against each other. Many fear that Sunni Islamist extremists will take over. Turkey, an increasing belligerent nation as far as Israel is concerned, have their own interests in the matter.

The current uncertainty provoked one military intelligence analyst, Rebekah Koffler, to offer this assessment: "Who will fill the void? The rebels aren’t good people - they’re the same extremists we’ve seen before. While they may appear on Western media wearing a green T-shirt and giving polished interviews, the reality is different. Removing one dictator often leads to even worse outcomes, as we saw in Iraq and Libya."

As a matter of fact, al-Golani is currently labeled a terrorist by the United States. His ties to al-Qaida reach back to 2003; he fought against U.S. troops in Iraq. He was involved with al-Qaida when the terror group formed the extremist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (better known as ISIS), led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

In other words, he doesn't sound like one of the good guys. His fighting force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Organization for the Liberation of the Levant), or HTS – many of whose fighters are jihadis -- will most likely be a major player in the coming days. And I should point out that the Levant includes the land known as Israel.

US Reaction

Leaders in the U.S. and Israel have applauded the fall of Assad but also expressed grave concerns about who will lead the country moving forward. These concerns are obviously valid. Just this past Saturday, the IDF assisted UN forces in resisting an insurgent attack against a UN post in the Hader area of Syria.

Still, President Biden had this to say:

"At long last, the Assad regime has fallen. The fall of this regime is a fundamental act of justice. It is a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their country. It is also a moment of risk and uncertainty."

President-elect Donald Trump had this to say on social media:

"Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, was not interested in protecting him any longer....They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead."

He went on to say,

"Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, and the United States should have nothing to do with it. This is not our fight. Let it play out. Do not get involved!"

However, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said forces conducted dozens of airstrikes on Islamic State targets in central Syria on Sunday. CENTCOM said its strikes were aimed to ensure that the Islamic State does not take advantage of the current situation in Syria.

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World Impact

To say the least, these developments have created shock waves throughout the region and the world. After so many decades of involvement, not to mention vast amounts of money, Russia and Iran are scrambling to manage the fallout. The implications for these two nations, as well as others in the region, are profound -- and I believe have prophetic implications.

In other words, retaining a foothold in the Middle East has always been a cornerstone of Moscow’s strategy. There are currently, Russian air and naval bases that serve as vital assets. With Assad gone, those Syrian-based assets are at risk. At least in the short term, this development represents a strategic defeat for Russia, costing them critical bases in the Middle East even as they stretch their military resources in the ongoing war with Ukraine.

In a nutshell this, coupled with the inability to conclude the matter with Ukraine in a conclusive way, has made Russia look weak. Some analysts even speculate that, with Assad's overthrow, Trump may have newfound leverage over Putin which might open a path for Trump to negotiate the end of the war in Ukraine. We shall see.

But I would also contribute this thought: The embarrassment Russia must now endure, the loss of influence in the region, not to mention appearing weak in contrast to the U.S, might cause Putin to double down on his resolve to be relevant in the world. It might be the very thing that leads to something the Bible reveals about the leader of the land of Magog: "Thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan." Ezekiel 38:10

The other loser in this situation -- a nation who will also figure prominently in the prophecy of Ezekiel 38 & 39 -- is Iran. Syria was a crucial link in Tehran’s "Axis of Resistance," connecting Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon, thus enabling the smuggling of weapons through the region. The ring of fire that had been established around Israel is crumbling before our eyes, and the fall of Assad is a big exclamation point on the statement that, at least as far as I believe, God is making in the earth.

Again, the elimination of Hamas' top leaders and the decimation of its ability to terrorize was just the start. The weakening of Hezbollah at the hands of the IDF further amplified Assad’s vulnerability, leaving him without critical support. You see, Hezbollah had been an important force, assisting Assad’s army during the civil war. But after incurring heavy losses, Hezbollah could no longer provide adequate support. And for all their bravado, Iran sent no additional troops to support Assad.

Actually, it is being reported that a majority of Iranians are celebrating Assad’s downfall. Many Iranians see the constant support of Assad as depleting the Iranian people’s wealth. With Assad gone, there is hope that Iran’s negative influence in the region will weaken. In other words, there are those in Iran who are hoping that tyrannical regimes such as Assad's are not the last to fall.

On that note, prominent Israeli analysts feel that Assad's demise translates into a potential upside for both the U.S. and Israel. We shall see. I will say this.

The Bible seems -- and I want to emphasize that word -- seems to describe a time before the Messiah's return, and before the climactic battles that spell the end of the age when the people of Israel dwell in peace. Perhaps in part because their enemy to the north, which is Syria, is -- my words -- neutralized.

“Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken..."
Isaiah 17:1-2

Many years ago, I felt this prophecy would be fulfilled during a time of war; a war I assumed would be fought between Israel, Syrian and other regional powers. However, when the Syrian civil war got into full swing, and block after city block in Damascus was being reduced to rubble, I began to wonder if the city might not be destroyed from within.

With these recent developments, I can see how either of these scenarios -- as a result of war from without or within (or a combination of both) could result in what is described in Isaiah 17. I would also point out that there will be cities (plural) of Aroer -- a region located in present day Jordan but was once in the region deeded to the tribe of Gad in the area known as Gilead -- that will be affected by whatever happens in Damascus.

Point: if Damascus to the north is eradicated, and threats to the east -- and given the fact that Ezekiel 35-37 describe a decisive war with Edom, who a lot of people believe is referring to the so called Palestinians -- then we may be on the verge of something incredible, not to mention prophetic.

I'll be the first to say that, just when we think we've gotten it all figured out, something changes that we didn't see coming; but something that was always in the Scripture if we had just noticed. And it's on that note that return to the notion that, there may be a small window of time -- before Messiah returns and before the apocalyptic battles -- when Israel dwells in relative peace.

But, as we know, when they say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes. It might even be that this space of time when Israel has peace is the very thing that puts a hook in the jaw of the confederation of nations who swoop down upon the mountains of Israel like a cloud -- Persia (Iran), Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer and the house of Togarmah from the north (whom many believe to be Turkey).

The prophecy says that this army will "come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate... and now all of them dwell safely." Ezekiel 38:8

It goes on to say that the invader will say, "I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates ... to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited." Ezekiel 38:11-12

More than once, the prophecy mentions a region that had been regarded as "the waste places" or being "desolate." That is interesting language considering that is how the ancient heights -- an area claimed by God's enemies, namely Edom, as their possession -- are described in Ezekiel 36. The inference, in other words, is those who made such claims, no longer have possession of those ancient heights.

Add to this the fact that the fallen armies of God will buried in "Israel" -- the Bible is quite clear on that matter. However, the particular place where they are to be buried "in Israel" is currently in the country of Jordan. My point is, though no one knows exactly what we should expect, it could be that we are on the threshold of something monumental.

I want to point out one other thing: when all these nations gather together to come against the land of Israel, God says to Gog, “On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it?" In other words, these nations do not like the fact that Israel is dwelling safely in the land and, obviously, intend to rectify the situation to better suit their agenda. And when they do invade the land of Israel, one particular nation is curiously and conspicuously missing from the list -- Syria.

Odd don't you think? Why aren't they mentioned? Maybe it's because when this occurs, Syria is essentially non-existent. I don't that to mean that there are no more Syrians; just to say there the land of Syria is divided into different faction with no effective government or military.

And if Israel has anything to do with this outcome -- especially to the extent that Damascus is no more and an upheaval has occurred in Jordan and the so-called West Bank -- then the nations who seek Israel's destruction, aided by those who want to be a force to be reckoned with in the world -- will have their reason to strike at the tiny land of Israel.

Again, we can't be certain of just how things turn out but one thing I am certain of... I can hear the footsteps of the Messiah getting closer and closer.

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BILL CLOUD

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]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/damascus-has-fallen-what-s-next-in-the-middle-east#comments 0 Pardoned by the Father: What Hunter Biden's Presidential Pardon Means to Me Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/pardoned-by-the-father-what-hunter-biden-s-presidential-pardon-means-to-me Thu, 02 Jan 2025 12:02:59 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/pardoned-by-the-father-what-hunter-biden-s-presidential-pardon-means-to-me

PARDONED?

By: BILL CLOUD

Welcome to the Weekly Scroll. I'm sure you've heard the saying, "Rules for thee, not for me," to describe the hypocritical attitude of some who expect others to follow rules while exempting themselves from them; i.e. a double standard. Well, there are a lot of people who are accusing President Biden of this very thing.

In spite of his statement that, "No one is above the law" and vowing on multiple occasions that he would not do so, President Biden Biden issued a "full and unconditional" pardon for his son Hunter Biden.

The pardon gives Hunter Biden a pass on any crimes committed between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 1, 2024. This 10-year window not only lets him off the hook for his felony conviction on gun charges and tax offenses, but also covers the time when his associations with a Ukrainian company, Chinese organizations and other questionable foreign entities -- you know, all the stuff surrounding the infamous laptop.

The brazenness and breadth of the pardon has stunned critics and allies alike, prompting some to describe it as "extraordinary" and "unprecedented." It pretty much clears Hunter Biden for offenses against the U.S. that he has committed or may have committed in that 10-year period.

In his official pardon, President Biden said,

"From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.... It is clear that Hunter was treated differently."

As for Hunter, he had this to say:

"I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction — mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport.... I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering."

As you might imagine, this pardon has generated a great deal of criticism from lawmakers and media pundits.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said the president "has lied from start to finish about his family’s corrupt influence peddling activities. ... The charges Hunter faced were just the tip of the iceberg in the blatant corruption that President Biden and the Biden Crime Family have lied about to the American people. Rather than coming clean about their decades of wrongdoing, President Biden and his family continue to do everything they can to avoid accountability."

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio said, "Democrats said there was nothing to our impeachment inquiry. If that’s the case, why did Joe Biden just issue Hunter Biden a pardon for the very things we were inquiring about?"

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) wrote on social media: "The most lawless administration in history."

From the media: Politico admitted the pardon is "an extraordinary political act with extraordinary legal breadth" and "deliberately vague." Quoting a former U.S. pardon attorney, the publication said, "I have never seen language like this in a pardon document that purports to pardon offenses that have not apparently even been charged, with the exception of the Nixon pardon" in 1974.

CNN said the pardon "deepened an entanglement of politics and the rule of law that has tarnished faith in American justice."

President Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter has also sparked criticism from some of his fellow Democrats.

Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio said, "As a father, I get it. But as someone who wants people to believe in public service again, it’s a setback,"

Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said, "President Biden’s decision put personal interest ahead of duty and further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all."

Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz. "This wasn’t a politically-motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies, and was convicted by a jury of his peers."

Jared Polis, the Democratic governor of Colorado, said:

"I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country.... Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son."

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A former adviser to President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said the pardon was "Disgraceful."

Nate Silver, a notable pollster who definitely has Democratic leanings said, "Don't vote for any Democrat in 2028 who doesn't repudiate the pardon within 48 hours."

As you might imagine, some Democratic allies are pushing back against the criticism even as they wipe the egg off of their face. For instance, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who had repeatedly insisted that the President Biden had no plans to pardon his son, now says that Biden did not lie and pardoned Hunter because he was "singled out politically."

Former White House press secretary and MSNBC host, Jen Psaki, had previously claimed that Biden would not pardon his son because "his decision not to pardon his son is an expression of ... principle.... If that doesn’t tell you who Joe Biden is, I don’t really know what does. Joe Biden's character as a public servant is what drove him to make clear that the law applies to everyone."

Upon hearing the news, one MSNBC contributor was visibly dumbfounded and speechless.

I could go on and on with the different reactions and responses -- and I won't -- but this decision has clearly upset a great number of people, accentuating the belief among many Americans that we are held to a different standard than the political elite. Again, "Rules for thee, not for me."

I'm not here to offer an opinion as to whether this pardon was right or wrong or whether Hunter Biden is guilty of all he's been accused of -- or for that matter, that Joe Biden is guilty of everything he's suspected of. I will say this decision certainly cemented the notion in the minds of many that Biden is the stereotypical self-serving politician -- but he's not the first and he won't be the last.

What I am going to focus on is this: all who are guilty of wickedness, plots, schemes, crimes etc. may escape man's justice but no one, short of whole hearted and sincere repentance, will escape God's justice.

This matter has reminded me of a tragic situation recorded in Scripture in 1 Samuel 1-4. This was in the days when the Tabernacle was in Shiloh, when Eli served as High Priest with his sons Hophni and Pinchas -- men described in the Bible as "sons of Belial" and sons who "did not know the Lord." These two men used their lofty positions to commit grievous sins, including forcing people to give them what rightfully belonged to God -- in essence they were guilty of theft and extortion.

They also committed unlawful acts with the women who came to His Sanctuary. Perhaps the greatest consequence of their blatant sins was to cause the people of God to despise the offerings of the Lord. You might say that, seeing these powerful men seemingly getting away with corrupt activities caused people to lose faith in something that was supposed to be holy and above reproach.

As for the father, his response was to rebuke them -- a rebuke they refused to heed -- but Eli did not remove them from their position. Consequently, an unnamed man of God came to him and said,

"Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons
more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of
all the offerings of Israel My people?"
1 Samuel 2:29

And because of this, the LORD said,

"This shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them. Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind."
1 Samuel 2:34-35

Sure enough, in one day both of Eli's sons died, the nation lost a very consequential battle with the Philistines, and the greatest tragedy -- the Ark of the Covenant was taken captive. Upon hearing this news, Eli fell backward and broke his neck. Later that day, when his daughter-in-law, the wife of Pinchas, heard the news, she delivered a son. And with her dying breath she called him Ichabod -- there is no glory.

There is a bit of good news in all of this: throughout this dark time and the fiasco that marked the end of Eli and his sons, Samuel the prophet -- the one who would anoint David to be king -- was being prepared for his ministry.

But I want us to focus on this: it may seem that corrupt men don't have to answer for their actions; it may seem that powerful people can get away with wrongdoing, and in this life, they may. However, there is day of reckoning.

While we may be able to avoid accountability for a while; we may avoid it to some degree in this life -- but we will all be held accountable. All, great and small, will stand before the Almighty and give an account of our actions, and on that day, no government agency or legal loophole will insulate us from God's justice.

As it is written,

"There is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops."
Luke 12:2-3

On the other hand, for the humble and repentant, there is redemption and the promise that the penalty for our transgressions has been, forever and all time, pardoned. When speaking of this, I can't help but remember the thief hanging on a cross who, at the very end of his life, sought a pardon -- and obtained it on the spot.

Men may be pardoned by other men but only a pardon that comes from the Creator can absolve us from the guilt of our wrongdoing. And so it is incumbent upon us to acknowledge our shortcomings and seek His forgiveness. As it is written, "Pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your inheritance” (Exodus 34:9); "O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great" (Psalm 25:11).

And as the prophet wrote:

"Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon."
Isaiah 55:6-7

As I said earlier, all who are guilty of wickedness, plots, schemes, crimes etc. may escape man's justice but no one -- whether last name is Biden, Trump, Clinton, Obama, Cloud, Smith or Jones -- no one will escape God's justice, short of whole hearted and sincere repentance. In stark contrast to the double standard so often observed in this world, His rules are me and thee -- no one is exempt.

And that being so, it behooves us to seek Him while He may be found and obtain the pardon that really matters -- not one that comes from an earthly father with limited power; but a pardon from the One who is all-powerful, and thankfully, eternally merciful.

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]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/pardoned-by-the-father-what-hunter-biden-s-presidential-pardon-means-to-me#comments 0 Being Thankful in an Ungrateful Society Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/being-thankful-in-an-ungrateful-society Thu, 02 Jan 2025 11:57:33 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/being-thankful-in-an-ungrateful-society

THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL

By: BILL CLOUD

Welcome to a very special Weekly Scroll. Perhaps you are watching this on Thanksgiving night, and if you are, I'm sure you're full, hopefully relaxed and surrounded by family. Maybe you're watching this under other circumstances; maybe you're not full or relaxed; maybe you're alone.

Whatever your situation, we are encouraged by Scripture and by the example of those who have come before us to be thankful to our Creator. As it is written, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!” (1 Chronicles 16:34) and “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

It seems to me that everything includes good and bad; sunny or stormy; pain or ease. In all things that God allows to touch our lives, we should look for something to be thankful for. I readily admit that this doesn't often come easy; it goes against our nature -- our carnal nature that is.

But being grateful and thankful for God's goodness to us, even in the midst of trial and persecution is evidence that His Word and His Spirit is working in us to reprove, to improve and bring to fruition His Will for our lives. As Paul said, “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

This should be our daily habit; but looking for those things that should prompt us to be thankful for is especially highlighted at this time of year -- my favorite time of year. And of course, our American custom is based on events that took place before there was such a place called America, more specifically, the United States.

And it is to those people -- specifically, one of those people -- that I want to turn to so that we can appreciate the circumstances under which this custom of giving thanks was birthed.

William Bradford, one of the prominent leaders of the Pilgrims, was elected to serve as Governor of the Plymouth Colony from 1621 until his death in 1657, with the exception of five years in which he declined. He also penned a history of the colony called, Of Plymouth Plantation, in which he chronicled the events that led to the Pilgrims departure from England.

He described the persecution they endured at the hands of rulers and those in powerful positions; persecution that included imprisonment, banishments, torments and even death. He attributed this persecution to the powers of darkness attempting to stymie their attempts to advance the Kingdom of Heaven in their world at that time. Nevertheless, Bradford concluded that darkness...

"Could not prevail by these means against the main truths of the Gospel, but they began to take root in many places, being watered by the blood of the martyrs, and blessed from Heaven with a gracious increase."

Writing long after these events occurred, Bradford was convinced that the magnitude of the persecution was insufficient to tame the enthusiasm his fellow believers displayed for the Gospel, the evidence of that being their commitment to remain true to their faith.

In 1620, Bradford and 102 fellow separatists as they were called, left England on the Mayflower, bound for the New World, Virginia as it was then called. By the end of the first winter, 51 of those (50%) had died never realizing their dream of a new life in a new world.

Reflecting on their departure and the mindset of the people who did not yet know what suffering was yet to come, saw themselves as pilgrims -- the same type of pilgrim described in the book of Hebrews which says:

"These all (people of faith) died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them."
Hebrews 11:13-16

One terrifying episode occurred while in the midst of the ocean. The Mayflower was battered by a series of storms in the North Atlantic, causing a beam in the midships to bow and crack threatening the continuation of the voyage. The situation worsened during another storm and threatened to sink the ship.

However, it just so happened that William Brewster, a man who had operated a printing press in Holland, had brought with him the central screw from the printing press -- which came to be known as the "Pilgrim press." This "great iron screw" was used to raise the beam back into place and support it and save the Mayflower from sinking during a storm. When they at last landed on Cape Cod on November 11, 1620, according to Bradford they:

"...fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven who had brought them over the fast and furious ocean and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, again to set their feet upon the firm and stable earth."

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By the way, if they had landed just a few years prior to this, they would probably have been massacred by one of the fiercest tribes on the Atlantic coast, the Patuxet. However, for some unknown reason that tribe was all but wiped out by a mysterious plague in 1617. When Bradford and his fellow travelers arrived at what would become Plymouth Plantation, they found fields that had been cleared -- as if the place was waiting on them.

It turned out that there was one surviving member of the Patuxet tribe; a man known as Squanto who, according to Bradford was instrumental in helping the Englishmen adapt to their new home. And so the point would be, that even in the midst of trial and hardship, God provides for our needs even before we realize we need the assistance.

The challenges they faced are too numerous to expound upon here but, in spite of loss and hardship, in 1623 -- two years after the first Thanksgiving -- Bradford issued this proclamation:

"To all ye Pilgrims: In as much as the great Father has given us this year an abundance of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes and garden vegetable; and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish; ... and in as much has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience, ... on Thursday November 29, of the year of our Lord, 1623, ... gather to render thanksgiving to the Almighty God for all His blessings."

In 1647 Bradford wrote these words:

"Last and not least, they (Pilgrims) cherished a great hope and inward zeal of laying good foundations, or at least making some ways toward it, for the propagation and advance of the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in the remote parts of the world, even though they should be but stepping stones to others in the performance of so great a work."

He continued:

Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His Hand that made all things of nothing, and gives being to all things that are; and, as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation; let the glorious name of Jehovah have all the praise."

This man, representing those men, women and children who braved such hardship and persevered, with others would have capitulated at the first sign of trouble, should be admired. Not that they were perfect beings; they were not. But they were committed to their God and to the purpose to which they were called.

And let's not forget that they are the people who continue to remind us -- to inspire us -- to stop and give thanks to the Almighty for His goodness to us.

Several years ago, my family visited Bradford's final resting place in Plymouth, MA. Inscribed on his grave are these words:

"Under this stone rests the ashes of William Bradford, a zealous Puritan and sincere Governor of Plymouth Colony."

Inscribed in Hebrew (a language he studied and adored) were these words:

"God (YHVH) is my strength."

In Latin, the words are written:

"What our fathers with so much difficulty attained, do not basely relinquish."

Which brings me to some concluding thoughts: have we relinquished what was attained? Do we honor the principles and virtues they held dear, so much so, that they endured suffering that few in this day and time could ever hope to overcome. We get upset when our cell phone doesn't have service or our favorite restaurant isn't opened. By and large, we are pampered and weak.

Even those of us who have been forced to endure suffering of some kind would do well to remember this admonition from the writer of Hebrews:

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Yeshua, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. Hebrews 12:1-4

In other words, though we have suffered, we have not gone as far as Yeshua did for us. In other words, we must keep it in perspective, and if we do, we might be more inclined to be thankful in spite of the suffering we may have to endure. Let us not fall into the trap that this generation has run headlong into -- that is, to be so accustomed to the blessings that we forget and ignore to the One who is the source of those blessings.

Let us not be as so many in this generation who are, as Paul said, "lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." (2 Timothy 3:1-4)

Notice, unthankful is quite prominently mentioned between being disobedient and unholy.

Most of us observe Thanksgiving sitting at table with family and friends and feasting on more food than some will see in a year. That is nothing to be ashamed of, necessarily; the shame of it would be if we are so hardened to think that our blessings are exclusively the work of our hands. Let us be those who demonstrate thankfulness in the midst of an ungrateful society.

Let us be humble people who continuously give thanks to God for all He has done, is doing and will do. And as Bradford and his contemporaries were so faithful to do, let us play our role in advancing the Kingdom and the Gospel of Messiah for the benefit of this and future generations; so that when they consider our lives spent on this earth, they will know that God was our strength and the source of every blessing.

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BILL CLOUD

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]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2025/01/02/being-thankful-in-an-ungrateful-society#comments 0 A Covenant With Death: The Dangers of Making Deals With the Devil Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/09/12/a-covenant-with-death-the-dangers-of-making-deals-with-the-devil Thu, 12 Sep 2024 14:00:00 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/09/12/a-covenant-with-death-the-dangers-of-making-deals-with-the-devil

A COVENANT WITH DEATH

By: BILL CLOUD

A lot has happened in the last week and, in this short time, we wouldn't be able to cover it all so I want to focus on a couple of the larger stories, at least in my view.

Trouble at the Southern Border

To begin with: The Mexican border state of Chihuahua issued an alert regarding a violent Venezuelan gang called Tren de Aragua, or TdA. Apparently members of this gang have been moving through Chihuahua in order to cross into the U.S. near El Paso, Texas.

TdA is considered as a transnational criminal organization, which in involved in human trafficking, extortion, money laundering and drug trafficking and poses a "deadly criminal threat" across the Western Hemisphere. U.S. officials warned earlier this month that the gang, which originated in Aragua, Venezuela, is infiltrating the U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, has described TdA as "MS-13 on steroids." Members of this gang are suspected of taking over an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado. Video footage shows members of TdA patrolling the property with guns causing residents to bunker down in fear. The gang has also been seen dealing drugs from the apartment building, and according to an Aurora City Councilwoman, "without a doubt that there is sex trafficking now going on."

The Councilwoman also said: "We currently have entire complexes under gang control — complexes where staff have been beaten up, they've been threatened, their families have been threatened [and] complexes where there are no staff left on the property. These complexes are being run by this gang. They start brokering apartments themselves when someone leaves out of fear or whatever. They go in and take pictures of the apartment themselves. Then, I've been told, within hours, a Venezuelan family moves in. Furthermore, the local media is downplaying this. Politics is being played with people's lives. ... Nothing is being done to help the American citizens that are being trapped under this gang's control."

Rep. Greg Lopez, a Republican from Colorado, confirms that this Venezuelan gang has indeed infiltrated Aurora, a suburb of Denver. The mayor of Aurora said that TdA has taken control of several apartment complexes in the northern part of the city in what he described as "a nightmare situation." Rep. Lopez went on to say: "These gangs, they operate like wild dogs. They come in small cells, they attack others. They're out there looking to control an area. If you allow them to control it, they're going to breed and they're going to spread."

The Democratic governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, first denied this was the case, but when video footage proved otherwise, he changed his tune. It should also be pointed out that Aurora, though a suburb, doesn't share Denver's sanctuary city policies. However, the influx of illegal migrants into the Mile High City has spilled over and outward into the surrounding communities. Consequently, Denver's smaller neighbors are facing a wave of criminal activity from this dangerous Venezuelan prison gang.

California Dreamin' Is Becoming A Nightmare

In a somewhat related story, in California, a group of around 20 suspected illegal migrants attempted to board a school bus that was in the process of picking up elementary students. This incident occurred just 24 hours after a smaller group of migrants tried to board a different bus in the same district. Both incidents took place in San Diego County, about 11 miles north of the southern border. According to reports, a group of migrant males were walking in the middle of the highway and allegedly tried to stop the bus, prompting it to go around the group. None of the migrants boarded either bus but it should be noted that the brazenness of some of these migrants seems to be growing and becoming more widespread. No surprise there considering that the response by school officials is instructing bus drivers to drive past stops if migrants are nearby, and instead, proceed to the next stop on the route, "for the safety of students and bus drivers."

While we're on the subject of the state of immigration in California, here's this interesting development: California has proposed giving illegal migrants in the state up to $150,000 in down-payment assistance in interest-free loans. Of course, the cost is to be incurred by California taxpayers. And if that's not bad enough, this proposal comes at a time when the state is facing almost a $50 billion deficit.

The Cost of Good Intentions

In still another related story: Massachusetts Republicans submitted a formal request with the state's government for information on the alleged "$1 billion in secret migrant crisis spending." The group demanded that Governor Maura Healey's administration provide a detailed cost breakdown of the toll that the migrant crisis has caused for the state's residents. The Massachusetts GOP chairwoman argued that the Democratic supermajority has created a "veil of secrecy" surrounding the migrant crisis. She contends that "the public deserves transparency. Release the details on the vendors profiting from this crisis and the public safety issues affecting our communities."

The report noted that the state has already spent more than $1 billion on a sheltering program that houses migrants. One of these shelters is in Boston's Logan airport, parts of which appear to be completely taken over by migrants. In addition to housing, taxpayers will have to cover schooling, social services, medical care and public safety. One Boston area school district recently told 150 students that they would no longer have school bus service because those assets were being diverted to "students living in hotels/shelters." It should be noted that Massachusetts functions more or less as a Sanctuary state.

I realize that raising an objection to the seeming preference of migrants over citizens risks being labeled as a racist, an isolationist, as uncaring and insensitive. However, my reason for sharing these stories is not to condemn immigrants per se but to highlight the fact that, because there has been a complete lack of regard for law and order -- beginning with an unsecured border -- things across America are quickly spiraling out of control. If one believes we should accept anyone and everyone, so be it, but apparently that view has not thoroughly considered the enormity of the fallout -- the crime, the murders and the busted budgets. These problems serve to remind us that good intentions don't always render good results. As the old saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Likewise, lawlessness never ends in goodness.

Are illegal immigrants to blame for all of America's ills? Of course not. We've always had violence and misbehavior, and yes it is true, we are a nation of immigrants. As far as present crisis, the lion's share of the blame should be placed on politicians and government officials who, for political expediency, don't see the need to enforce established law. Not only that but some, in an effort to save face, are unwilling to admit there is a problem because they are the ones who manufactured it. And who pays the price? American citizens certainly do, most literally -- in treasure and, in some cases, with their lives. But it is also accurate to say that, in some cases, many of these migrants suffer. For instance, to the smugglers who get rich by dumping them on the border, they are considered to be no more than cargo -- simply a way to make money. Moreover, many of them are victims of human trafficking. It is my view that the Biden-Harris administration has created a market for human trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable people by relaxing any kind of standard when it comes to immigration.

And why wouldn't these poor people try to come to the U.S. any way they could? The Biden administration has essentially thrown open the doors to America and let it be known that those who enter illegally will suffer little if any consequences. So who could blame them? But for all the warm fuzzies that our generosity and inclusivity might conjure, we should remember that, along with those who come here seeking a better life, others come willing to take another's life. Our leaders need to acknowledge that, among the common people, there is an invasion of very dangerous actors.

There are groups like TdA, comprised of many who were released from foreign prisons and sent into the U.S. We shouldn't be surprised that when they arrive, they continue doing what landed them in prison in the first place. Compounding the problem is the fact that there are far too many people in power who are simply unwilling to call a spade a spade -- or for that matter, a terrorist a terrorist. And let's not forget this: it has been known for years that, among those coming across our southern border, there are operatives and terrorists from other lands. As far back as 1984, the head of the CIA, William Casey, was informing President Reagan that Islamic militants were infiltrating the groups of migrants who were crossing the Rio Grande.

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This Was Prophesied

Why is this happening? Yes, there are political and economic reasons but is there more to it than that? In my view it is as simple as this: we have forgotten God. We took His goodness and His blessings for granted, and now, what was once a blessing is becoming a curse. It is just as He told Israel what they should expect if they turned their back on Him to go flirting with other gods.

"A nation whom you have not known shall eat the fruit of your land and the produce of your labor, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually." Deuteronomy 28:33

"The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail." Deuteronomy 28:43-44

The Bible says that the nation whose God is the Lord is blessed. So what happens when that nation abandons the relationship with the Almighty? For starters, dangerous people infiltrate your country and pose a legitimate threat to the innocent, and apparently, without being challenged by authorities. What happens when we embrace practices and ideologies that oppose His Will and purpose? Pro-Hamas activists brazenly spring up on the campuses of America's universities, as they did at Cornell and Columbia on the first day of the new semester, threatening other students with intimidation and worse, without fear of consequences. What happens when a nation breaks covenant with God? In short, we make a covenant with death. It seems to me that America, at some point, changed partners; we turned our back on God and started dancing with the devil. As a result, our enemies are within our gates.

Israel's Troubles in the South

I want to pivot to a story from Israel that began last week. As Israel's war on her northern border continues to escalate, there were developments on her southern border with Gaza. This past Saturday, Hamas terrorists killed six hostages including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin. This apparently occurred as Israel Defense Forces closed in for a rescue attempt in the tunnels below Gaza's Rafah settlement. According to IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari: "They (the hostages) were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them." Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said, "He who murders abductees - does not want a deal. We are in a difficult day. The heart of the entire nation was torn." The spokesperson for Hamas' armed al-Qassam Brigades said that the Palestinian group has issued new instructions to guards on handling hostages if Israeli forces approach detention sites -- kill them -- all the while blaming Israel for the deaths of hostages.

President Biden said he is "devastated and outraged" by the news, adding, "Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages." But it should be noted that Biden seemed to lay the lion's share of the blame on Netanyahu rather than on Hamas. In a statement he indicated that a final deal for the release of the hostages was very close but that he did not think Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahu was doing enough to secure such an agreement. In response, senior Israeli sources said it was "remarkable" that President Biden was pressuring Netanyahu to reach a hostage deal in Gaza rather than Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

Vice President Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, said, "Hamas is an evil terrorist organization. With these murders, Hamas has even more American blood on its hands. I strongly condemn Hamas' continued brutality, and so must the entire world. The threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel — and American citizens in Israel — must be eliminated and Hamas cannot control Gaza." Those are strong words but confusing seeing that Harris was quick to pressure Netanyahu to approve a cease-fire with Hamas when the Prime Minister was in Washington. Also the Harris campaign has stated that they are reviewing what their policy toward Israel would be in a Harris administration -- in short, it would not be nearly as cooperative as previous administrations. And it has just come to light that the woman tapped by the Harris campaign to head Arab-American outreach is reported as saying, pro-Israel factions "control" U.S. politics.

As for what others had to say about the development: the British government has elected to suspend the sale of certain arms to Israel in an effort to pressure the Jewish state to reach a cessation of hostilities. Regarding these murders, CNN's initial headline read "Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin has died, family confirms via statement." In other words, CNN forgot to mention that Goldberg-Polin was actually murdered by Hamas. Likewise, the UN Secretary General refused to condemn Hamas for the atrocities, instead continuing to focus on "the need for the unconditional release of all hostages and an end to the nightmare of war in Gaza." It seems that no one is willing to admit the obvious anymore; to do so would acknowledge the world's flawed mindset and philosophy. It might also be that, in some cases -- perhaps in the case of the Secretary General -- refusing to admit the obvious reveals the world's contempt for God and His people.

And then there is this: at the news of the murders, Israeli protesters took to the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv demanding a deal that would secure the release of the remaining hostages. The protests included a rare call for a general strike in Israel which led to business closures and other disruptions around the country, including Ben Gurion airport. Clearly, not all Israelis believe that Netanyahu should strike a deal with Hamas, but a large number of Israelis do believe that securing their release is paramount. This position suggests that some Israelis are willing to allow Hamas to remain at their southern border, thus continuing to pose a threat to the nation, which would certainly include a barrage of rockets or maybe another October 7!

Dealing With The Devil

So then, is it reasonable for anyone to expect the Israeli government to make a deal with the devil? Is it reasonable to demand that Israel concede to the demands of terrorists and cold blooded killers, thus allowing their southern border to be vulnerable to those who seek their destruction? Some will say that no price is too great to pay in exchange for the hostages' lives. Some way will say no price is too great to ensure the destruction of Hamas and stability along Israel's southern border. One gentlemen, the father of an Israeli-American hostage still being held by Hamas had this to say: "It is absolutely clear, the only way to get hostages home alive is by some kind of negotiated agreement with Satan."

If I were in this man's shoes, I know that I would be trying everything in my power to get my son home safely. Most of us can appreciate the grief and desperation he and others must be feeling in regard to their loved ones. But this gentleman said something that speaks to the perils, not only present in this issue, but inherent in so many other issues transpiring all over the world, and that is our willingness to court the devil and made a covenant with death.

In the Bible, God clearly stated that, in our life's journey, there are only two paths set before us and we are compelled to choose one or the other. One is the narrow road that leads to life and blessing or the broad road that leads to death and curses. Just as there are only two genders, (not the imagined unlimited number of genders), there are no alternative choices when it comes to selecting the path we will follow. Either we choose the hard way which leads to life or we choose the easy way that leads to death. It seems it would be an easy decision -- choosing life. However, even though we say we want life and blessing, we typically and instinctively choose the path that takes us in the opposite direction of life and blessing.

Granted, it is hard to do the right thing and sometimes, many times, heavy costs are incurred. It means that some will hate and despise you, accusing you of incredible things, simply because they want you to do what they want you to do -- i.e. fix all their warm fuzzies. While I sympathize greatly with those whose loved ones are suffering under the tyranny of Hamas; while I have sympathy for poor migrants who simply want to have an opportunity for a better life; making decisions based on emotions -- sympathetic or otherwise -- never ends well. Making decisions based on feelings almost always chooses the path of least resistance, and almost always results in lawlessness, chaos and death. In short, if we are on the easy path, the one that soothes our feelings, we are on the road that leads to death and destruction. As it is written:

"Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.” Isaiah 28:15

It is a dangerous thing to kid ourselves and think we can continue embracing lawlessness and not reap the fruit of chaos and violence. It is even more dangerous to pretend that the chaos we see isn't real. It is foolish to think that we can reason with the unreasonable or that we can make a deal with the Devil and not come out on the short end of things. If we take a snake to our bosom, we will suffer the consequences. As the Lord said:

Your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand. When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it. As often as it goes out it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass over, and by day and by night; it will be a terror just to understand the report.” Isaiah 28:18-19

In other words, our tolerance of lawlessness will never produce goodness or prosperity; embracing death or those who promote it will never render life and peace. We must face the fact that tares will never agree to coexist with wheat -- tares will always steal, kill and destroy. Taking the easier path will never bring about values that endure. Only the pursuit of truth, righteousness and Godly order can enrich a society with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There are some hard choices to make in the days ahead, both on the global scene and right here at home -- not to mention in your house and in mine; hard choices that will cause many to turn away. And so, as was said so long ago: choose this day who you will serve and with whom you will come into agreement with? If you choose life, you have chosen the hard path, but it is the one that promises great reward.

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]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/09/12/a-covenant-with-death-the-dangers-of-making-deals-with-the-devil#comments 1 Taking A Stand For Principle: Vibes or Virtue? Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/09/12/taking-a-stand-for-principle-vibes-or-virtue Thu, 12 Sep 2024 08:52:28 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/09/12/taking-a-stand-for-principle-vibes-or-virtue

VIBES OR VIRTUE?

By: BILL CLOUD

Here are some of the week's headlines and what they may mean to us as believers.

Hezbollah and Israel are still trading blows; Iran is still threatening to attack Israel -- and the world waits. We're also wondering if President Biden is still on the job and waiting to see what happens when he emerges from another vacation. Since the DNC, he's been away and out of sight -- in some ways, it's almost like he's already gone. And so it seem that some things are suspended in limbo, waiting for the next shoe to drop. While we're waiting, let's follow up on some things we discussed in the previous episode, particularly the attempt by powerful people to silence others through threats and intimidation, in order to frame and define a particular narrative.

For example, the CEO of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, admitted in a letter on Monday that his company was pressured by the Biden-Harris administration to censor Americans, particularly regarding COVID-19 content, the Hunter Biden laptop story and "a potential Russian disinformation operation" regarding the Biden family leading up to the 2020 election. Meanwhile in Europe, there are growing calls for Elon Musk to be arrested. The U.K. and Europe have been watching him very closely to see if he encroaches on their standards of approved and unapproved speech.

As we shared last week, the EU sent a letter to Musk warning him against spreading what they called "disinformation" before an interview with Donald Trump earlier this month. This comes on the heels of the arrest in Paris of Pavel Durov, the founder and owner of the Telegram messaging platform. Reportedly, Durov was arrested for refusing to bow to France's censorship demands. In response, several notable people spoke out on the matter including Musk who posted this:

"UK mass arrests citizens for memes; France arrests founder of Telegram; Ireland tries to ban 'mean memes'; Brazil forces X to flee the country. Australia tries to censor X posts. EU tries to blackmail Elon Musk. DOJ jails someone for a meme. Maduro blocks all access to X. Free speech is under attack all across the globe. Now is the time to fight. If they win, there's no going back."

Another interesting and opposing view said: "China just arrested the billionaire founder of a free speech messaging app for not moderating and censoring the content to their liking. Iran is arresting their own citizens for posting things they don’t approve of. Just kidding…that was France and England."

It does seem that the extreme left has adopted the methods of despots and authoritarian regimes by declaring war on free speech. At the very least, they seem bent on "canceling" those who have differing opinions on select issues. They are openly choosing to weaponize censorship and "law fare" in order to advance their agenda. Under the guise of combatting "right-wing" extremism and the spread of "misinformation," they are out to squelch speech they do not like. In spite of the claims these efforts are attempting silence lies, history bears out that those with a totalitarian bent have never stifled misinformation. To the contrary, misinformation is what despots disseminate; people like Josef Goebbels, the Nazi Propaganda Minister who once said:

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

In other words, Goebbels knew that people are quick to believe a lie, and by the time the people discover they were lied to, it's often too late. History reveals, time and again, that whenever people in power have tried to dictate what is approved speech and what is not, they've never striven to silence misinformation; it is truth they wanted to crush under their heel. I'm sure that we haven't heard the last of this war on words.

The Scarlet Harlot

In a somewhat related development, this week a federal judge issued an injunction that prevents NY Attorney General Letitia James from taking action against pregnancy clinics, on the grounds it would restrict their free speech. The NY Attorney General had sued eleven different pregnancy centers that promoted the abortion pill reversal procedure, accusing the organizations of engaging in fraud, deceptive business practices and "spreading dangerous misinformation … without any medical and scientific proof." The countersuit accused James of wrongfully targeting the groups because of their viewpoints, specifically in relation to the pill.

Perhaps you can discern a common thread in many of these stories; powerful people are working very hard to intimidate others into compliance with the prevailing mindset of the day. We're being coerced to think in a way our "leaders" want us to think. In that vein, I can't help but consider the scarlet clothed woman of Revelation 17. She has an epithet on her forehead that says: "Mystery, Babylon the Great; the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth." That this is written on her forehead hints at the mindset that will be prevalent in the last days -- a Babylonian mindset which, in turn, stands in stark opposition to the Word of God, His standards and His Truth. It's a mindset that seems to be permeating every facet of our society.

That this harlot is bedecked with purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, is important to consider in this light. In other words, the kings of the earth, with whom she commits fornication, are no doubt seduced by her appearance -- but she is testament to the fact that all that glitters is not gold. Besides being bejeweled as she is, she carries in her hand a "golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication." Moreover, the inhabitants of the earth are "made drunk with the wine of her fornication,” suggesting to me that the people of the world are intoxicated with the same mindset as she -- one that is Babylonian. One that focuses on appearances, while neglecting to consider the substance.

A Vibes Election

At the risk of offending some, I want to springboard from that thought to this one: many are hailing this election season as one of vibe over substance. Ever since Joe Biden was ousted as the Democratic nominee, the Democratic party has been riding an emotional high. Some say it’s like a honeymoon; others say, it’s like rekindling of an old flame. The vibe that many felt during the DNC was reminiscent of the Obama days. As one writer put it: "The DNC is on its own nostalgia tour: it’s attempting to Make America 2008 Again." In fact, there are updated posters by the artist who designed the famous Obama “Hope” portrait; now instead of Obama, there is an image of Harris with the word “Forward.”

North Carolina governor Roy Cooper told a crowd at a recent Harris even, “I have that 2008 feeling.” Illinois governor J. B. Pritzker said, “I haven’t seen anything like this since Obama was our nominee.” Mainstream media pundits are not only admitting that the Harris’ campaign is about style over substance, but are actively celebrating it. Commentators from CNN and other news outlets are promoting the idea that Harris' refusal to do a formal interview for over a month or lay out any detailed policy is actually a good thing for her campaign. One CNN anchor put it this way: "It’s a vibes election."

So one hand, powerful people on the left don't want others to disseminate "misinformation" so as to avoid the unpleasantness that might arise if people hear an opposing view, or God forbid, the truth. On the other hand, the Harris campaign doesn't want anyone to hear anything from her -- and one has to wonder why? Is it that she doesn't want the majority of Americans to know the truth about her?

I realize that some will take the opposing position and say, "What about Trump?" First of all, this is not a Pro-Trump commentary -- this is about God's people being aware of what's going on in the world. That being said, it seems to me that Trump is one of the most investigated, most talked about, most scrutinized people on the planet. In my opinion, there's more than enough information -- good and bad -- out there on Trump to know the substance of the man. That's not a political endorsement: it's a statement of fact.

But by their own admission, the far left wants this election to be about form and not function; vibes and not substance. As another example, consider the speech given by Human Rights Campaign President, Kelley Robinson. When she spoke at the DNC, she urged people to "reimagine" freedom and democracy beyond the Founders' "little piece of paper." The self-described "Black queer woman" also said that Harris and running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, were "fighting for joy."

As a footnote: two days before she spoke on the DNC stage, Robinson was on a panel at the DNC’s LGBTQ+ Kickoff where she was asked how to "dramatically shift and build more power" for the LGBTQ community and other such minorities. Her response: "We can't just worry about protecting democracy. In this moment, we've got to reimagine it with people that look and love like us at the center." In other words, her vision for America seems to be far removed from traditional values; one has to wonder how close this comes to Harris' vision.

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Principles Over Parties

From this topic, I want to transition to another big story that developed last week; the suspension of RFK Jr.'s presidential campaign and the subsequent endorsement of Donald Trump. To say the least, this really took the wind out of what was supposed to be a pro-Harris news cycle just coming off the convention. As one pundit said: "Kennedy just wiped-out Kamala's DNC speech from the news cycle." As for Kennedy, his speech on Friday lambasted the Democratic party for departing "so dramatically from the core values that I grew up with. It had become the party of war, censorship, corruption, big pharma, big tech, big ag and big money."

He continued: "When it abandoned democracy by canceling the primary to conceal the cognitive decline of the sitting president, I left the party to run as an independent. In the name of saving democracy, the Democratic Party set itself to dismantling it. ... The Democratic National Committee ran a sham primary that was rigged to prevent any serious challenge to President Biden. Then when a predictably horrible debate performance precipitated a palace coup against President Biden, the same shadowy DNC operatives appointed his successor, also without an election.”

In short, according to Kennedy, the Democratic National Committee shut him down and tried to silence him through censorship and lawfare. Furthermore, making the decision to support Trump has apparently cost Mr. Kennedy a great deal. Many in his own family -- a family that has always closed ranks when one of their own was in embroiled in scandal (think Chappaquiddick) -- have turned on him quite viciously. Some of his siblings responded to his announcement with this message: "We want an America filled with hope and bound together by a shared vision of a brighter future. A future defined by individual freedom, economic promise and national pride. We believe in Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Our brother Bobby's decision to endorse Trump today is a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear."

I certainly don't agree with many of RFK's political positions; he is most definitely liberal in his views -- He's a Kennedy. I do, however, have respect for someone who, knowing the costs, made a decision based on principle and not politics or popularity. For the reasons given for his stand -- some of which I could agree with (e.g. securing the border, ending Government heavy handedness) -- I commend him. To put conscience ahead of all other considerations is something to be lauded. His is an example that speaks to this issue: vibes and feelings are nothing to base one's character on. Charisma is one thing but character is another. The Bible says this in regard to partaking of Godly character:

"With all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah" (2 Peter 1:5-8).

In other words, there should be much more to us than just a vibe; more than just a likable personality. There should be substance and that substance should always reflect the attributes and characteristics we see in Messiah. If we are His, we are to be a reflection of Him and should behave in a manner that supports that reflection; as His people, we are being conformed to His image. So how does this connect to what we've been discussing, and especially seeing we are faced with electing a new leader for the country?

God Chooses the Imperfect

I'll be the first to admit that there are no ideal choices in the situation and that's because there are no perfect men or women. But I do believe that, as God's people, there are things we should consider if we are going to participate in the electoral process. Vibes -- good or bad -- shouldn't be the determining factor. It should never be about the person but should always focus on the purpose. Throughout the Scripture, we can clearly see that God chose imperfect people to serve His purpose.

Sometimes that meant He chose a Nebuchadnezzar to be His rod of correction for His people. Sometimes that meant He chose an imperfect person to serve His people. In fact, Israel itself is an example of God choosing the least likely candidate -- and an imperfect one at that -- to fulfill His purpose. When it came to giving them the land of Canaan, He made it clear that He kept His promise to them, but not because of their righteousness.

"It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Therefore understand that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people" (Deuteronomy 9:5-6).

In other words, God's purpose was not entirely dependent upon the people or their character at the time. That is not to say character doesn't matter because it certainly does. When Israel's character became depraved, there were dire consequences. But at the same time, it is obvious that God's purpose has everything to do with keeping His Word, whether or not the people He uses are wholly upright and virtuous. That said, those He calls to do His Will, He challenges to do what is right in the eyes of God. Of course there's this: the Israel's imperfection paled in comparison to the wickedness of the Canaanites. Their perverseness was such that God said, "That's enough of that."

And so my point is this: in any matter, purpose should always outweigh the person, whether they are likable or not. Purpose will long outlive a person which can be for good or for bad. For instance, we still live with the affects of Adam's decision to eat the forbidden fruit. On the other hand, we still benefit from Noah's decision to obey God and build an ark. So as we encounter all the chaos, uncertainty and distress that comes with living in a fallen world, remember that virtue is more important than vibe; God's purpose is more important than any person. As His people, we need to be deliberate in our actions and make certain those actions reflect the character of our Father in Heaven.

Lastly, in consideration of the fact there are many in this world who desire to move Forward -- which in my view insinuates moving away from what has been -- our actions should always be motivated by a desire to return to God and to righteousness. "What has been," in a Biblical context, is what was ordained by the Almighty, that is, the ancient path. Consequently, when I hear those who promote the notion of "What can be, unburdened by what has been," I can't help but think this mindset is more Babylonian than Biblical. In contrast, the Creator says, "Return."

Let's not be swayed with the glitz and glitter of the world; but let us always choose to promote and advance the purposes of God. Let us decide with conviction and stand with what is true no matter the costs -- even if those costs include treasure, position, family and friends. If political personalities can take a stand for conscience and principle, should not the people of God do that and even more so for a righteous purpose? Vibes don't count for much -- feelings come and go -- but righteous principles and Godly purposes will stand long after the goose bumps are gone.

For more great content, check out these other articles from Bill Cloud!

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]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/09/12/taking-a-stand-for-principle-vibes-or-virtue#comments 1 Satan's Plan to Silence God's People: Free Speech Under Fire Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/09/05/satan-s-plan-to-silence-god-s-people-free-speech-under-fire Thu, 05 Sep 2024 15:32:57 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/09/05/satan-s-plan-to-silence-god-s-people-free-speech-under-fire

FREE SPEECH UNDER FIRE

By: BILL CLOUD

The Democratic National Convention got underway on Monday in order to officially coronate Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for President. Just prior to the event, Vice President Harris announced her economic plan for America, should she be elected. In short, she intends to bring the full weight of the government into the marketplace in order to combat out of control inflation. Her remedy: the U.S. government will go after industries the government deems to be guilty of price gouging and impose federal price controls on things like food. Democratic socialist Senator Bernie Sanders rallied behind this price-fixing plan saying it is an "important step forward." My question would be an "important step toward what?"

This plan is being blasted, not only by the right, but many on the left. The Washington Post, not known for its' conservative sympathies, had this to say: "When your opponent calls you ‘communist,’ maybe don’t propose price controls?" The Post editorial took Harris to task for her claims that price gouging is the cause of sky rocketing inflation. The Post also said that, rather than offering a plan to fix it, she has offered "populist gimmicks." Her economic amounts to this: the government knows better than the market and should, therefore, dictate what the free market charges for certain commodities such as food.

Her plan doesn't end there; it would give $25,000 in subsidies towards a down payment to first time home owners. Most economists agree this is a disastrous plan and suggests that she and her team weren't paying attention to the 2008 financial meltdown that occurred as a result of basically the same thing she is currently proposing. Frankly, her views are indeed radical -- some might say ultra-progressive. Her positions, at the very least, have socialist tendencies, and at worst smack of Marxism and Communism. And when has there ever been a Marxist or Communist government that didn't oppress and try to silence true believers in the Almighty?

Also in Chicago, thousands of protesters have been rallying outside the DNC since its opening day, to voice their opposition to the war in Gaza and other issues. At times, this crowd has gotten testy which is potentially problematic seeing that city officials are expecting upwards of 100,000 demonstrators during the convention. Essentially, the protesters are gathering to influence, maybe even intimidate the Dems, into taking a position hostile to Israel and sympathetic to Hamas.

In regard to those protestors, President Biden said during his speech at the DNC, "Those protesters out in the street, they have a point ... a lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides." That's true, starting with about 1200 Israelis who were massacred on October 7. Biden added, "We're working around the clock to end the civilian suffering of the Palestinian people and finally deliver a ceasefire and end this war."

I might add that these protestors represent the extreme wing of the Democratic Party. I would also add, the Democrats have not disavowed these protests, which include pro-Hamas sentiments and threats of violence. So far, it seems that Kamala Harris is inclined to pacify this element within her party. Her selection of Minnesota Governor Walz fits nicely with the extremist views of the so-called Squad and other such radicals.

On that note, it was reported this week that the head of a prominent "social justice" group that published an essay calling for "decriminalizing Hamas," along with defunding the police and eliminating immigration agencies, visited the White House multiple times earlier this year for a total of three meetings with members of the Biden administration. This reminds me of an old saying: "Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future." Except in this case, the company the White House have been known to keep might have a detrimental affect on my future -- and yours.

Partners: Democrats and Planned Parents

Speaking of which: another old friend of the Democratic Party, Planned Parenthood, made an appearance at the DNC, offering free vasectomies, medication abortion, and emergency contraception. Planned Parenthood parked a "mobile health clinic" a few blocks from the convention and, along with street vendors and food trucks, began offering their "services" to attendees -- and I assume anyone who wanders up to their van. According to reports, they are staying very busy.

Abortion access took center stage at the DNC, being one of the main issues the Democratic Party vigorously defends. Kamala Harris has been outspoken about her intent, should she be elected President, to restore federal abortion rights, blaming the reversal of Roe v. Wade on Donald Trump. Planned Parenthood is offering these free "services" to demonstrate “what is possible when policies truly support accessible reproductive health care.” The chief medical officer at Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, which covers the St. Louis region said, “I’m excited that we are able to demonstrate for the world in a state like Illinois — where we have supportive policies — we can do these things that are a little bit more creative.” These are the people, along with many Democratic leaders, who say that people who promote family values are the “weird“ ones.

Think about this: Planned Parenthood is a welcome guest in Chicago during the DNC with the stated purpose of ending some pregnancies and preventing many others. In reality, Planned Parenthood and the DNC celebrate death, not to mention possessing an aversion to personal responsibility. This kind of posturing is a demonstration of the far Left's disdain for the concept of family. In turn, it is a demonstration against what God places value on.

Threats From Afar

Now let's turn out attention to developments from overseas. There is a report issued just this week suggesting Iran might declare itself a nuclear power by the end of the year. Aiding in this frightening development is the uncertain (bizarre) political situation in the U.S. One expert on foreign affairs said, "If I were the Iranians and I were going to do it, I would do it now because Biden will do nothing." Even if Trump wins, so says this expert, by the time he could take office, they will probably already have the capability -- it would be too late for Trump to do anything.

On that note, I want you to consider that the upcoming election will determine, for better or for worse, the trajectory of these five primary issues: inflation, immigration, infanticide, Iran and Israel. A lot of things to consider. So along with the uncertainty here in America, there is the threat of an expanding war in the Middle East; the apparent escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian war (where no one is being pressed to end hostilities) and now, there is a growing civil unrest in the United Kingdom. Some are even using the term "civil war" to describe what is developing in Britain.

The issue is rooted in the ongoing immigration crisis in the UK and Europe and the fear among Brits that many of these immigrants have come into their country with nefarious intentions. According to the BBC, the latest rioting was the response to the fatal stabbing of three young girls in the north of England. What followed was the worst unrest the UK has seen in more than a decade. According to British media, the violence is fueled by "misinformation online, the far-right and anti-immigration sentiment." All of this sounds familiar doesn't it?

But here is something that has emerged from this situation that every American should take note of. The head of police in London, England is threatening to extradite and prosecute U.S. citizens for online posts that he alleges encourages the violence in England. Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said: "We will throw the full force of the law at people and whether you’re in this country committing crimes on the streets or committing crimes from further afield online we will come after you."

For the record, U.K. authorities have already arrested British citizens for making statements online that they deemed “false communication.” Now it seems, they feel they have the ability and authority to threaten, intimidate and silence citizens of other nations. In essence, they wish to hold anyone -- including those who hold no allegiance to Britain and have no responsibility to obey the laws of Britain -- legally accountable and subject to prosecution and incarceration.

In a similar story, the European Union just threatened to "weaponize" the law against Elon Musk, apparently, because he decided to host an interview with former President Trump. The EU Commissioner warned Musk against "amplifying hateful content" and threatened possible prosecution if they felt the conversation was incendiary -- according to their definition -- and in violation of the EU's policy on so-called hate speech. A Trump campaign spokesman weighed in on the threat, saying it was the EU's attempt to interfere with U.S. politics. The spokesperson said: "The European Union is an enemy of free speech and has no authority of any kind to dictate how we campaign."

Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio said: "The silence from the pro-censorship Biden-Harris administration is deafening" on the issue. "You would think censorship of American speech by foreign governments would be a step too far even for them." Now, while it seems ridiculous -- even laughable -- that Americans could be held legally liable by foreign officials, I would not scoff at the notion just yet. In other words, how confident are you that our present government would stand against this kind of threat if they thought you were too far right in your political views? What if they classified your positions on issues like abortion, LGBTQ "rights," same sex marriage as undesirable and problematic? Might they prefer to see your voice on the matter shut down?

In another related story: Franklin Graham's upcoming tour of the UK tour has been essentially scuttled after every venue canceled planned appearances. This is following an outcry over his comments on what the Bible has to say about homosexuality and his views of radical Islam. Also this week, Elon Musk had to close an entire staff office in Brazil because the employees were threatened with arrest and prosecution if Musk and X did not comply with the government's censorship orders. Brazilian officials ordered X to take down specific accounts earlier this year, accusing the platform of harboring "digital militias" and spreading misinformation and hateful material regarding Brazil's former President.

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A Speaking Spirit

It would seem that there is an outbreak of threats against people, even notable people, who don't toe the line when it comes to approved speech. If it all this were just an isolated case or two of strong arm tactics, one might pass it off as innocuous. But this has the air of something beyond coincidental and harmless -- it almost seems intentional and coordinated. Why is this important to us? We shouldn't think this attempt to silence opposing voices will be limited to politics. As far as I'm concerned, that's the tip of the iceberg; the real intent is to silence any and all voices that speak truth -- especially the Truth of the Word.

In the beginning, the Bible says that God formed man from the dust of the earth and, then, breathed the breath of life into him and he became a "living soul (nefesh)." In one Aramaic version of the Hebrew Bible, known as the Targum of Onkelos, this phrase is translated as man became a "speaking spirit." Think about it; the Breath of God imbued man’s spirit with the power to speak. By His Spirit, we were given the ability to transcend our base instinct and nature, and to transform inspired thought and ideas into speech -- e.g. words. Furthermore, through words, we were given the ability to convey those ideas to others and, through communication, cause those ideas to become realities in the physical world. In short, we were given ability to become a speaking spirit in the image and likeness of God. Why is that important to consider?

God’s Word brought everything that is into existence. That includes Man, who like every other created thing came to be because God spoke the word and it was so. But of all those created things, man is the only part of the creation that can respond to God, and others, with words. I realize that other creatures "communicate," but it is the Breath of God within us that distinguishes man from other created beings. As one rabbi said, “Man connects to God through speech.” With speech we communicate with God through prayer. A rabbinic adage says, “One who does not pray is effectively muzzling his “speaking soul” (his speaking spirit). With speech, we extol Him with praise and worship. And when we declare His Word through speech, we propagate His truth and express His purpose throughout the world.

Seeing that the Breath of God infused us with His Presence, and consequently, unique abilities that emanate from Him, I would suggest that the spoken word is where heaven and earth come together as one. Think about it: our breath is given to us by God (Heaven) and we cannot speak without it. Thus God deposited breath into these jars of clay (Earth). So when we speak, it is evidence that Heaven has joined with earth. (I believe this is why Messiah, is called the Living Word -- He is the Word made flesh). Therefore, when we speak under the inspiration of the Spirit of God -- when we proclaim the Word of God -- our words have power. They have the power to impact those who are hearing and listening, and as a result, affect a change in heart and attitude. But therein lies the issue at hand: the conflict between the world and the Word of God -- Truth and the narrative the world wishes to impose on mankind.

The Adversary understands the power of the spoken Word, which is why, he desires to silence those who would speak the Truth of the Word. Again, this is not just about political speech, this is about silencing those who speak the Truth. If those who proclaim truth are silenced, then the minions of hell are given opportunity to fill that silence with lies, falsehood and lashon ha'ra which is "evil speech" They fill the culture with speech that redefines terms in order to conceal the truth: e.g. looting mobs are peaceful protestors; abortion is reproductive rights; acceptance of evil is tolerance. These are words that hasten rebellion and eventual death.

It is written that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Consequently, tongues that speak life and truth are a threat to the kingdom of darkness; a threat that he wishes to shut down. That is why so many of the righteous have been jailed or put to death throughout history -- to silence them lest they do too much damage to the enemies of God. But let me share an example of how we are to face this opposition and threat. In Acts, Peter and John were boldly preaching the Gospel in the name (authority) of Yeshua which put them at odds with the leaders of the day. I should also mention that an unexplainable miracle occurred at that time which heightened the drama. The Bible records that when they were called before the San Hedrin, the religious leaders inquired among themselves what to do with these men:

"'What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.' So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Yeshua." Acts 4:16-18

For fear that the people would hear what Peter and John had to say and, worse from the point of view of the men in power, actually believe their testimony, these leaders threatened them and commanded that they keep silent. Of course, this didn't work; they continued to boldly preach the Good News which continue to spread. But don't miss the point: the disciples did not allow intimidation, not even the threat of death, to silence them. Nor should we allow the threats of corrupt judges (who like to impose unjust gag orders), politicians, organizations etc. threaten us into silence. They may silence some, but they can't silence all of us.

It is important to remember that we should not use words to incite hatred, strife and violence. To the contrary, we should be voices that declare Life and the Truth of the Word; we must be a voice crying to make the crooked paths straight and to prepare the way of the Lord. Besides, if we don't speak up, God will find someone or something that will. When religious leaders admonished Yeshua about His disciples lauding Him as the Son of David, trying to persuade Him to rebuke them and have them to stop, He replied, “If these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40).

So I'll leave you with this thought: perhaps it's not really "free speech" that is under fire; it is true speech that is being threatened. In this day and age, a person can say just about anything they'd like as long as it lines up with the prevailing mindset of the culture. For instance, a man can say that he is a woman even though it is ridiculous and untrue. But when I say there are only two genders -- male and female -- it incites the ire and wrath of people who would love nothing more than to shut me (and you) down. Labeling truth as misinformation, even hate speech, is the ploy being used by the Adversary to silence the people of God -- at least those bold enough to declare the Truth. Nevertheless, you and I were placed here on earth to serve the Will of the Almighty. One way we are to serve Him is to declare His glory among the nations.

The Messiah expressly charged His disciples to go into the world as witnesses and teach the nations what they had been commanded. In other words, we are commanded to declare those things we have seen and heard and know to be true. Through words, we must declare the Truth that others might believe. As Paul said: How can someone believe if they have not heard; how can they hear if no one is sent to speak the Word to them? (Romans 10:14). As Peter said: If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. (1 Peter 4:11)

We are here at this time for a reason; that reason is not to remain silent while false voices and tale-bearers fill the world's ears with lies and deceit. It is the season to do as Paul charged Timothy: "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season" (2 Timothy 4:2). And so, let us be bold and declare the Word of the Lord, no matter the cost.

For more great content, check out these other articles from Bill Cloud!

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]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/09/05/satan-s-plan-to-silence-god-s-people-free-speech-under-fire#comments 0 Discerning the Signs of the Times: Footsteps of the Messiah Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/21/discerning-the-signs-of-the-times-footsteps-of-the-messiah Wed, 21 Aug 2024 16:13:50 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/21/discerning-the-signs-of-the-times-footsteps-of-the-messiah

FOOTSTEPS OF THE MESSIAH

By: BILL CLOUD

In this installment of the Weekly Scroll, we are still waiting to see whether or not Iran will back up its pledge to strike at Israel in response to recent assassinations of key terror figures. The world seems to believe that it is not an idle threat. For instance:

The US Defense Department has ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, equipped with the latest F-35 fighters, to the Middle East, thus adding to the capabilities already provided by the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group. In addition, the Defense Department announced that a guided missile submarine, the USS Georgia, was also ordered to the Middle East. All of this activity, says the Secretary of Defense, is to reinforce the commitment to "take every possible step to defend Israel"

European powers, France, Germany and the UK, issued a joint statement on Monday of this week, warning Iran and its allies to "refrain from attacks that would further escalate regional tensions" in the Middle East as they appear to be heading toward a breaking point.

As for Iran, along with its proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah: they have threatened to launch a coordinated attack against Israel that, they claim, will last for days. In response, Israel has vowed to go all out to defend itself and eliminate the threat. If that were to happen, it could -- and I repeat could -- launch events that have Biblical ramifications.

For instance, many eschatologists feel the stage is being set for the war described in Ezekiel 38 & 39, the war of Gog of the land of Magog. However, as I see it, there may be other wars fought before that battle. Personally, I believe that is what is revealed in Ezekiel 35 & 36, Isaiah 17 and Obadiah -- a decisive war against Edom which might include strikes against Lebanon and Syria. -- might precede the other. In turn, if that were to happen, this event (or series of events) could incite the confederation of nations that are listed in Ezekiel 38 to invade the mountains of Israel.

As a reminder, the nations led by Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal are Persia (Iran), Ethiopia (some say Sudan) Libya, Gomer (believed to be part of modern Turkey and the surrounding region), and the house of Togarmah (also believed to be referring to Turkey). Speaking of Turkey's possible involvement with this future invasion, the president of Turkey has recently threatened to use military force against Israel. Speaking to members of his governing party on July 28, 2024, President Erdogan said, "We must be very strong so that Israel can't do these things to Palestine. Just as we entered Karabakh, just as we entered Libya, we might do the same to them. There is nothing we cannot do." As a footnote: Currently, Turkey is a member of NATO, and consequently, considered to be an ally of the United States.

The Bible says the invasion comes from the far north, which is why many eschatologists believe that Russia is involved -- in fact, some translations describe Gog as being the prince of Rosh. Again, we'll have to wait and see but it is evident that Putin of Russia has made his position known -- he will stand alongside of Iran in this conflict. And let's not forget that Russia is embroiled in a war with Ukraine who, by the way, recently made an incursion into Russia sparking evacuations of close to 200,000 people along a 25-mile front. And why are these two nations at war? Because Putin obviously wishes to expand and solidify his power and influence in the region -- perhaps beyond.

As I said, I don't expect the Gog of Magog war to be the next event -- I could be wrong. Rather I am of the view that other conflicts in the region may be the next big war, which in turn sets the stage for the bigger conflict. I could envision how the current tension could lead to the destruction of Hezbollah and Hamas -- i.e. the most immediate threat to Israel: the one on their doorstep. If Israel moves against Hezbollah in strength, Iran may decide to let Hezbollah to take the brunt of an Israeli offensive. We'll see.

At any rate, this is an interesting scenario considering that 1) when the invasion described in Ezekiel 38 & 39 comes, Iran is definitely a part of it, and 2) Syria and Lebanon -- regions that provide shelter for the immediate threat to the north -- are not mentioned at all. Whether or not the ongoing developments in the Middle East are the opening stages of what is described by Ezekiel, whether in chapters 35 -- 36, or 38 & 39, only time will tell.

And if that wasn't enough, there are other threats where Israel is concerned, at least in the minds of some Israelis. For instance, the editor of the Jerusalem Post, speaking of the upcoming election in the US, said:

"This election is not just another political choice; it is a life-or-death decision that can literally affect the existence of the Jewish state. The stakes could not be higher. Harris' presidency could lead to policies that embolden Israel's enemies and weaken the US-Israel alliance, posing an existential threat to the Jewish state."

A Change in Seasons

Summing it all up, clearly, the world is transitioning from one season to another. We are leaving behind the age that was and entering into a different season which will produce its own unique situations and developments. As Solomon said:

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Every season is for a reason; there is a purpose tied to that season that advances God's agenda in the earth. And as we enter into a different season, it is important that, as God's people, we discern just what that season is. If it is the season to plant, we shouldn't be plucking up, and visa versa.

If it is the season to gather stones, we shouldn't be scattering. If the time has come to break down certain things in this world, we shouldn't be trying to prop them back up. If the season is meant for war, then it will not be a season of peace. And if we have lived in a season when we were to be silent, perhaps the season has come for us to speak. We must discern the season and work in tandem with the purposes of God and be as the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do" (1 Chronicles 12:32). It is implied that they correctly advised the people of God in what to do based on what they observed from the Word of God, coupled with the understanding of the principles and patterns established by past events. As Solomon also said:

"That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been." Ecclesiastes 3:15

Discerning the Signs of the Times

It is recorded in Matthew's Gospel that certain religious men came to Yeshua to test Him and asked for a sign from heaven that would prove He was the promised Messiah. His answer:

"When it is evening you say, "It will be fair weather, for the sky is red;" and in the morning, "It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening." Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times." Matthew 16:2-3

My translation: anyone who is insightful enough to forecast tomorrow's weather should be wise enough to look at what is going on around you and determine what it means in terms of what God is doing in the earth. Furthermore, as we observe and discern, we should prepare for what it portends. If the signs are threatening, we should consider that perhaps the season is not meant for peace and should prepare accordingly, both physically and spiritually. Most importantly, as Messiah inferred, when we observe certain tell-tale signs, we should realize that the Messianic Age, and the birth pangs that precede it, are at hand.

As we see these things -- things that Messiah foretold of as the days of redemption draw nearer -- we should conclude that these events are the footsteps of the Messiah. He is nearer today than yesterday, and the closer we get, the more intense and more frequent will be the birth pains that declare His soon return.

Beware of Deception

Of course, we've heard all of this before; every generation interprets events as signs of the times and as harbingers of Messiah's immediate return. And so, why should we think that now is any different than 10 years ago? 50 years ago? 80 years ago? I can hear some of the scoffers saying:

"Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 2 Peter 3:4

First of all, take note that this issue was first raised by Peter 2,000 years ago, and yet, he warned God's people in every generation not to adopt this mindset. A skeptical attitude toward prophetic indicators -- signs given to provoke us to wake up and be alert -- sets a trap for those unwilling or hesitant to believe that God will, at the appointed time, require an account from men and nations. Skepticism is the snare that wicked and lazy servants stumble into believing that, "My master is delaying his coming," and then are caught carousing with drunkards in a day when they did not expect the Master's return.

To sum it up, those who mock and ignore the promise of His coming are deceived, which is exactly what Yeshua said we were to be aware of in the last days. In fact, of all the different signs that would point to His coming, He said, chief among them is the deception, falsehood and lies that would infest mankind. As He said:

"Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, "I am the Messiah," and will deceive many."
Matthew 24:4-5

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To be clear, He wasn't saying that men would come claiming to be the Messiah -- as many have certainly done -- but that many would come saying that Yeshua is the Messiah but would, nevertheless, deceive many people. And why would this not be the primary issue in the last days? Deceit is why Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the beginning. It is the most effective tool the Adversary has in his arsenal and, because it has been so successful throughout history, he will continue using lies, falsehood and deception to the destruction of countless numbers of people.

In fact, Daniel prophesied that the one we refer to as Antichrist will arise in the last days and "Cast truth down to the ground." (Daniel 8:12) Not only will he do this, but he will prosper in it. Paul said that, with lying signs and wonders, many will be deceived and perish, "because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (2 Thessalonians 2:10) Let's put it this way: while many will remain focused on the prospect of war, the rumors of war, etc, Messiah clearly stated that some of these issues were only the beginning of sorrows. The greater and far more deadly threat, was the deception that many would fall victim to. This being understood, I can't help but mention the almost unbelievable demonstrations of blatant and obvious falsehood and misinformation that is part of our world today.

Everything from men can have babies, there are an infinite number of genders, murder of the innocent is a right, Hamas is not a terror organization, and on and on. It is mind boggling. Even worse is the fact that so many people buy into it, consume it, decide to live with it and, even worse, propagate it. I'm of the opinion that, even some who don't really believe these ridiculous fables, repeat them anyway for their own personal benefit -- you know, like certain politicians and those who hold positions of power and influence.

It amazes me to see the litany of lies that are being presented to Americans by many of those who currently seek political office. I realize this has always been the case to some extent, but never have I witnessed the brazenness that is on parade today. Telling lies when the liar should know good and well, that the lie will be disproven very quickly. I guess it could be because, they've told the lie so often that they believe it themselves. They told so many people that they carried a weapon into war for so long, that somehow the lie dislodged reality from their memory. A purely hypothetical example, of course.

Yet, even when these people are caught in their lie, they will stonewall or try to convince others that believing their lying eyes is a sign of ignorance or that they themselves are deceived; or that they are just "low-information voters." On one hand, it is shocking to see that so many people will quickly believe things that are simply not true. On the other hand, you and I shouldn't be surprised -- it is a sign of the day we live in, when strong delusion is sent upon those "who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness," and consequently, believe the lie and are condemned. (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)

There is one other element of this end-time deception that I want to revisit and highlight. Remember, Messiah said that many would come claiming that He -- Yeshua -- was the Messiah but would, nevertheless, deceive many people. In other words, there would be those who claim to follow Him but would lead others to believe things that weren't true, and even worse, bring the listener to destruction.

In that vein of thought, it is very important that we not be led astray, in any way, by those who, claiming to be a follower of Messiah out of one side of their mouth, propose to advance wicked agendas out of the other side. Perhaps what I'm about to share is apples and oranges when compared to what Messiah was referring to, but this is the scenario that came to mind as I read an article just recently. The writer's position and argument presented, at least in my view, an example of what we must guard against.

A New York Times columnist, who identified as being pro-life and an "evangelical conservative," wrote that a Democratic victory was the only way to "save conservatism." In other word, supporting radical progressivism and out-of-control liberalism -- to give them the reins of power -- was the only way to preserve the nation's future. Ironically, he also stated that:

"Lying is wrong. I'm not naive; I know that politicians have had poor reputations for honesty since Athens. But I have never seen a human being lie with the intensity and sheer volume of Donald Trump."

Okay so he believes that Trump lies, and maybe the man has lied about some things -- I won't deny that. He has certainly said things that, in my view, should not have been said. But in this writer's mind, he, the writer, is taking a moral stand against lying by voting for Harris and Walz, who are what -- bastions of truth? Really? As far as I'm concerned, this man is deceived and, because of his potential influence, is positioned to deceive others. Again, while it may be apples and oranges in terms of specifics, I do believe this is the principle issue Yeshua told us to be aware of -- to take heed that we are not deceived. Put simply, just because someone claims to be a believer doesn't mean they won't participate in the deception.

Advancing Good Through Supporting Evil

As a citizen of this nation, if you want to cast your ballot in the election and if you decide to vote for Harris/Walz, that's your business. For the record, I will not. If you don't want to vote at all, that's your business. But if you do vote for Harris/Walz, don't tell me you're doing so in order to put Biblical principles above all other issues. Don't tell me that voting for them is not an endorsement of -- or at least a willingness to tolerate -- ungodly principles and radical positions.

Don't tell me that enabling their defense and celebration of abortion, so-called LGBTQ+ "rights," their preference for anti-Israel organizations (some of them with terrorist sympathies) and their propensity for lawlessness and the chaos that goes with it -- is justified by Biblical standards. Don't tell me that, somehow, you are taking the moral high ground because you believe their opponent to be crass and prone to lie. Ridiculous!

In effect, this writer is saying he wants to save the house by throwing gas on a kitchen fire so as to hasten its destruction. How ludicrous and how misguided is that? And then to suggest that such a position is motivated by a desire to restore what is good is simply bizarre and, in my opinion, wicked in and of itself. To propose, that people who desire to see goodness and some semblance of righteousness restored, can accomplish the goal by supporting what is obviously and blatantly evil is non-sensical and misguided, at the very least. At its' worst, it is a lie. As believers, we should never influence others to embrace evil in order to advance good. Paul said:

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21

Frankly, if we have an opportunity to take a stand against abortion, that is good. If we can take a stand against lawlessness, that is good. If we can promote and enforce the notion that boundaries bring order to chaos, that is good. If we can attempt to promote peace through strength, that is good. If we can have the unrestrained liberty to advance the logic and common sense that is the Truth, that is good. To think that we can attain these things by supporting those who actively work against against these values is foolish.

Stand For His Truth

Some will interpret this to mean that I'm trying to convince you how to vote, I'm not. If you don't want to vote for Trump or the Republicans, so be it. If you want to vote for Harris and the Democrats, have at it. I hope I've made it clear, in times past, that my vote is for His righteousness, His standards of holiness and for advancing the Kingdom of Heaven. And so that being said, I will continue to repeat that, I don't believe any man, woman, party or political philosophy can save me or this nation. Salvation is of the Lord. The only righteousness is His righteousness. The only truth is His Truth. As it is written:

"Let God be true but every man a liar." Romans 3:4

Men have lied and deceived from the beginning -- Cain is the first on record. But as we approach Messiah's return, falsehood will abound, along with lawlessness because they go hand in hand. To transgress the Law of God is to oppose the truth, and in a sense, cast truth to the ground, where its opponents hope to trample it underfoot. And so that being said: Truth and those who stand for it, stand on it, and proclaim it, will be amplified in these last days. Just as darkness accentuates a light, so too does an abundance of lies and deceit accentuate the truth. And so if we are going to be able to resist the falsehood in the last days; if we are committed not to be deceived, then we must know the Truth.

I'll close with this thought and a familiar passage: Just as certainly as the unrest in Europe, the Middle East, and even here in America, is evidence that we are living in the days Messiah spoke of, so too is the ever expanding reach of falsehood and deception. That so many willingly, foolishly, perhaps ignorantly, embrace the lies is further proof that the coming of the Messiah is at hand. As a friend of mine likes to say, "If we listen, we can hear Messiah's footsteps as He approaches." And in light of this fact, as His ambassadors -- as those who are commissioned to prepare the way of the Lord -- we must be guided by the Spirit of Truth, for our sake and for the sake of so many others who are imprisoned by the web of deceit. As Yeshua said:

"If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
John 8:31-32

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]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/21/discerning-the-signs-of-the-times-footsteps-of-the-messiah#comments 0 The Shaking has Begun: The World is Preparing for the Lawless One Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/15/the-shaking-has-begun-the-world-is-preparing-for-the-lawless-one Thu, 15 Aug 2024 10:20:43 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/15/the-shaking-has-begun-the-world-is-preparing-for-the-lawless-one

THE LAWLESS ONE

By: BILL CLOUD

In this installment of the Weekly Scroll, we find ourselves 2/3 of the way through the straits; and I have to say that the belief regarding being between the straits, which is that God's people should be on high alert for danger, has proven to be accurate. We're in a very dangerous and potentially disastrous time.

For starters, the Stock Market has been showing signs of faltering, perhaps heralding a recession.

In the Middle East, Israel continues to brace for all out war with Iran and its proxies. In Washington, the Biden administration is scrambling to prevent a larger regional war -- one that has the potential to spread even beyond the Middle East.

Iran has vowed retaliation and has stated they don't care if it causes an escalation. Frankly, it is in their theological and eschatological DNA to press for a confrontation with Israel. You see, Shia Islam believes that creating chaos will hasten the arrival of their version of the Messiah -- al Mahdi.

And speaking of would-be Messiahs, back here in the US, the race for the White House is getting testy. As for the candidates, Vice President Harris and her team are employing Muhammad Ali's old tactic -- i.e. the rope-a-dope. They're not fighting; they're retreating to the ropes and covering up. They're not saying much of anything, at least nothing unscripted, obviously trying to avoid getting knocked down or knocked out. And while she remains silent, they're hoping Trump tires himself out throwing jabs and punches, which they hope to turn to their advantage. And, for the record, throwing jabs and punches is one of Trump's favorite things to do.

Bracing for the Unknown

Though the specifics may be apples and oranges, the U.S. and Israel are both bracing for the unknown -- and the unknown may have life-altering, world-changing ramifications. In Israel's case, they can't be completely certain what the next phase of the war might be, but they, and those of us in the U.S., will be greatly affected by the outcome if a greater war commences.

Simultaneously, we in the U.S. are awaiting the outcome and fallout of an election that, in my opinion, will determine how long the U.S. will continue as free nation, relatively speaking -- and the outcome will certainly have ramifications for Israel and the world.

Specifically, if ultra-radical liberalists takes possession of the White House and, God forbid, both houses of Congress, -- not an impossibility -- relations with Israel will become even more strained and, in my view, will likely gravitate toward being more pro-Palestinian -- and you might as well say, pro-Hamas, pro-Iran -- but certainly anti-Israel.

Not only that, our individual freedoms here in the U.S. will suffer even more than they have already. The gradual pecking away of liberty we've experienced so far would have been exacerbated already if not for the checks and balances that the Founders wisely instituted -- however, those checks and balances are hanging by a thread.

The Expansion of Lawlessness

That thought brings me to the main point I want to address this week: the growing acceptance of lawlessness. There are forces in this country who actively seek to dismantle time-tested societal norms, desecrate ancient standards of morality, destabilize foundational principles and truths, which in the end, collectively undermines the rule of law. That is why I believe we are quickly becoming a lawless society in a lawless world.

In the Bible, lawlessness is also called iniquity and is connected to the idea of having no regard for God's instructions. The Bible also makes it clear that lawlessness poses a real danger to all and, especially, the Body of Messiah. Yeshua said that in the last days, "Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold" (Matthew 24:12).

His warning implies that the chaos which will erupt as a result of mankind's unwillingness to abide the rule of law, will cause many believers to just give up -- i.e. some will adopt the attitude of "What's the use?" This being so, it is critical to amplify the very next thing Yeshua said: "But he who endures to the end shall be saved."

Being able to endure the perversion and pervasiveness of lawlessness is critical in these last days. So with that in mind, let's turn our attention to an important point made in the book of Hebrews. In chapter 12, the author reveals that the people of Israel, who had gathered at the foot of Sinai to receive God's Law, eventually perished in the wilderness because they could not "endure what was commanded." They were unable to abide by the Law given to them, and so he goes on to warn those living in the last days:

"See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain."
Hebrews 12:25-27

In these verses, the writer of Hebrews quotes the prophet Haggai, chapter Two specifically, to address what we can expect in the last days. Put simply, everything and everyone will be shaken to determine whether or not it is (we are) established upon the Rock or the sand. If not on the Rock -- which is to say, the Truth, the Eternal Word, the Messiah -- then it is standing on sand, and everything built on shifting sand is destined to fall. That means every individual, every industry, and institution will be shaken; every nation will be shaken; every denomination will be shaken -- and consider this: every Constitution will be shaken. That brings me to this:

Supreme Court Shakeup

Recently, President Biden introduced an effort that, essentially, questions the wisdom of the Founders. Not only that, it threatens to tamper with the Constitution altogether. Specifically, he wants the Supreme Court to be overhauled, which would undermine certain elements of the Constitution as it relates to the role of the United States Supreme Court. He outlined his goals in three primary proposals, one of which is term limits.

Biden claims that "term limits would help ensure that the court's membership changes with some regularity (and) reduce the chance that any single presidency radically alters the makeup of the court for generations to come." Many believe this to be a result of his and the Democrat's agitation over the fact that former President Trump appointed three justices to the court, appointments which eventually led to a reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Biden went on to say that, "The United States is the only major constitutional democracy that gives lifetime seats to its high court." My interpretation of this statement is that Biden believes the U.S. should micmic other nations rather than setting the standard as we have for so many years. And, once again, Biden and others ignore the fact that the U.S. was never intended to be a constitutional democracy, but a constitutional republic.

But because there are many radicals in this nation who are still brooding over the reversal of Roe v. Wade, not to mention other recent rulings by the court that don't line with their ideology, this is their way of making the issue a part of the political conversation leading up to the presidential election. In other words, they're banking on this appealing to the ignorant and apathetic voter -- and it goes without saying, the radical progressives.

Obviously Biden, a lame-duck president, is trying to appease progressives on his way out for who knows what reason -- maybe because he was told to. Whatever his reason, he's essentially providing fodder for those who have no regard for the rule of law or the Constitution. Furthermore, his proposal will likely resonate with those who are unfamiliar with the Founders' reason for how and why the USSC should be a separate branch of the government, and consequently, left alone to be, as a judiciary body, impartial.

There are significant reasons why the Supreme Court does not have term limits. Most importantly, to impose term limits would not only undermine Constitutional standards, but would make the Court more political, not less. One legal scholar had this to say in USA Today:

"Term limits have a problem. Not only are they unconstitutional, but they will have the exact opposite result proponents wish for." (He lays out the reason why and concludes that in short time), "the overwhelming majority of the court would quickly be ideologically one-sided. In the span of only a few years, a court of eight Scalias could turn to eight Ginsburgs."

There are many on the left who have voiced their support of this effort, including the Majority leader of the Senate, as well as others who have, in times past, voiced support for "packing the court" -- of course they mean to pack the court with those who share their political philosophy. The problem with this notion is, the Founders desired the court to be an independent judiciary in order to preserve constitutional liberties, whether their decisions were popular or not. It was never intended to reflect the views of political parties, necessarily, or for that matter, a majority of people.

Then there's this: if we start adding justices to the Court (i.e. packing the court) when we don't like the decisions made by the sitting justices, it will be transformed from a court into what one analyst called a "super-legislature," thus defeating its purpose entirely. Scuttling its purpose would be another nail in the Constitution's coffin.

Undermining Order With Chaos

If another of Biden's proposals -- the so-called ethics code -- were employed as he lays it out, it would open the door to chaos. To have lower court judges evaluate the ethics of Supreme Court Justices would effectively destroy the system that has been used since the founding of the nation. It would be akin to the child calling the parent on the carpet and administering correction when the child doesn't like something the parent did. You're not going to find support for that idea anywhere in Scripture because, instead of establishing order, it would dismantle the established order and invite chaos to reign.

Which brings me back to something I mentioned previously -- there are those in this world who believe that creating chaos hastens the advent of their world view. Again, Iran believes that to create chaos helps usher in al-Mahdi. You'll have to decide for yourself what the radicals in this nation are cooking up with their continued effort to disrupt the established order in the U.S. -- I have my ideas. Here's what the Speaker of the House had to say about it:

"President Biden's proposal to radically overhaul the U.S. Supreme Court would tilt the balance of power and erode not only the rule of law, but the American people's faith in our system of justice....This proposal is the logical conclusion to ... ongoing efforts to delegitimize the Supreme Court."

Thankfully, the Founders foresaw that people would arise and try to do just what Biden proposes, which is why they intentionally made procedures for amending the Constitution difficult. In short, it would require a two-thirds majority in each house of Congress to pass, and if that did happen, three-quarters of the state legislatures would also have to approve it. In other words, it's not likely to happen soon and certainly not before Biden leaves office -- and he knows that. So why is he pushing it?

Perhaps, it's an attempt to plant a seed that many radicals hope to water and bring to fruition some time in the future. They're playing the long game -- they always do. Consider how radicals and progressives have turned schools and universities into indoctrination centers, and then consider how and when that started -- when God and prayer was kicked out of school over sixty years ago. As I said, the radicals always play the long game.

I think it's important to interject here what former President Obama once pledged to do if elected: he said he wanted to "fundamentally transform the United States." He appealed to the masses with promises of "redistributive change" because he was convinced and thus argued that government was duty bound to do bring about this change. But if government does something for one person, as Obama promised, it must do something to someone else. Let's put it this way to redistribute wealth means giving to one because you took from another; to create new rights for one person (e.g. so called, trans rights) means another's person's rights are diminished -- which is exactly what the Constitution specifically precludes. It amounts to what the Bible calls "adding to and taking away."

When it comes to the Constitution, Obama has never seemed overly impressed with the document, rightly seeing it as restrictive. Still, as President, he once said, "I have the power and I will use it in defense of the middle class.... We're going to do everything we can with or without Congress." I point this out because this past week it was reported that Harris's campaign has ditched the Biden people and has brought on the Obama people to assist her in the campaign.

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First the Natural, Then the Spiritual

In the name of democracy and "serving the people," Biden and others are attempting to make this Supreme Court overhaul to be about "the people," when in reality it is about ramping up efforts to dismantle the established order. Not only are they calling the legitimacy of the USSC into question, but the legitimacy of the Constitution itself. Unscrupulous people have been picking away at it for decades; this is just another step in the overall effort to dismantle it altogether -- which is a frightening prospect. I can't help but wonder if Biden and others would be demanding a fundamental change to the Supreme Court if the court had not reversed Roe v. Wade; or had decided differently on presidential immunity, student-loan forgiveness, the Second Amendment, and other issues? Most likely, not.

What does this mean to us? Consider: things in the natural are a reflection of what is going on in the spiritual. So then, this is evidence that, not only in the U.S., but throughout the world, there is a growing effort to throw off any established rule of law and, as Alistair Crowley said, to be free "to do as thou wilt." In reality, however, it is not just a rejection of the rule of law as determined by constitutions and charters but, ultimately, it is an effort to defy the rule of Law as defined by the Supreme Judge. This revolutionary effort is, according to the Bible, engineered by those who wish to cast off any restraints that the Lord has placed upon people through His Word:

"The rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, 'Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us.'" Psalm 2:2-3

Just as some view our Constitution as being restrictive, the wicked of the world view God's Word in the same way -- as something to hold them back. Frankly, its' purpose is to restrain our evil inclination and thus preserve life. So to think that we can, without consequence, throw off lawful bonds and ignore protective boundaries meant to preserve us from harm is a fool's errand. In that light, Supreme Court Justice Gorsuch recently had this to say in response to Biden's proposal regarding the USSC: "Be careful." I would echo the same warning to those who want to call into question the Almighty's wisdom and sovereignty -- be very, very careful.

There is something else I want us to consider today: Justice Gorsuch also made the case that there are far too many laws in the U.S., to the point that it can be difficult for people (and even the government) to keep track of them all. This inundation of laws and regulations has resulted in people committing felonies without even meaning to do something wrong. Furthermore, many of these laws aren't enacted by the legislative branch, as the Constitution requires, but by agencies within the executive branch, such as the Federal Trade Commission, the IRS, the EPA etc.

In other words, there are laws on the books, many of them felonies, that are commissioned by non-elected individuals, which is a flagrant affront to the ideal of representative government. Instead, these regulations most often represent the views of those who hold power. Instead of having the best interests of the people in mind, unelected bureaucrats often move to appease special interests groups.

Adding to and Taking Away

With that in mind, I want you to think about this: God's instructions are sometimes ambiguous, and I think on purpose, thus allowing us some latitude to work our own salvation with fear and trembling. In those cases where He doesn't spell out the specifics we would prefer to have, I believe it is meant to provoke us to look to Him for guidance -- i.e. to be led by His Spirit so that we may do what is pleasing to Him.

Unfortunately, what has mankind always done? Exactly what He said, "Don't do." We "add to" and "take from" His Word with the result being religion, some would say legalism -- but how about this term? Overregulation. In other words, so many man-made rules and regulations that overwhelm and immobilize us for fear of making a mistake. In the natural and in the spiritual, adding to and taking away always pollutes the original intent of the one who authored the law, whether we're referring to the Founders of this nation or to the Almighty. This is exactly why the Messiah said to some of the religious leaders of His day:

"You have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition." Matthew 15:6

These are the same men of whom He said:

"They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers." Matthew 23:4

God's law was, indeed, twisted and manipulated by some, for their own reasons, which consequently placed undue burdens upon the people. Those same religious leaders were swift to come down on those who didn't rise to their religious expectations, and at the same time, found ways to skirt around God's law themselves. Likewise, we see the same principle being played out in world, today, as people increasingly come under the burdens imposed by those in power, and who do not always act in our interests but in their own. And should it become necessary, they will quickly throw off the rule of Law.

Like it has been with God's Law, men and women "lawmakers" twist and contort the Constitution, federal laws, state and municipal laws for their own interests. The result is what we see forming before us: as a nation, we are being fundamentally transformed from a nation who revered the rule law to a nation in chaos because of lawless laws -- lawlessness.

The Shaking of Heaven and Earth

Here is the point of all of this: we need to recognize the signs of the times and respond accordingly. Remember: Yeshua said that, in the last days, lawlessness would abound, causing the love of many to grow cold. Through the author of Hebrews and through the prophet Haggai, God said that heaven and earth -- i.e. everything -- would be shaken by His Voice to see what is worthy to stand and what is not. Lawlessness is the antithesis of those things that will endure, because lawlessness is the antithesis of obedience. Obedience leads to life; lawlessness leads to chaos which results in death.

God is life, and because He is life, He creates and blesses. In contrast, the Adversary destroys and curses. God purifies and cleanses; Satan contaminates and pollutes. Satan consistently strives to corrupt and ruin everything that is pure and good -- and why? Because of envy and jealousy -- that emotion that spawns rage, aggression, hatred and even murder. Because he is unable to create anything, he presents a counterfeit to all that is authentic in an attempt to deceive. In fact, his only creation is the lie -- he's the father of it and he's good at it.

Because he can't invent anything good, he tampers with everything that is good, mixing this in with that, all in an effort to exploit the ignorant, the immature, the apathetic and those inclined to do evil. And so don't miss this point: those who are under his influence and follow him, replicate his methods and strive for the same objectives. Just as we, as followers of Messiah, are given the task of advancing the Kingdom of God in the earth, those under the spell of the Adversary have a mission as well -- to desecrate, destabilize and destroy; to expand spiritual darkness in the world.

The Bible tells us that spiritual darkness will reach its zenith when the one called AntiChrist comes on the scene. Interestingly, he is also referred to as the "Lawless one." The Bible says, he will deceive many people with satanic power and lies. I point this out for this reason: when the Lawless one comes, he will not unleash lawlessness upon the world; rather an already existing lawless world will provide the opportunity for his ascent.

It seems to me that we are fast approaching that time which is why, now more than ever before, we must be willing to proclaim truth and righteousness and be ready to fight and contend for the Kingdom of Heaven. When the shaking comes, we need to be standing on the Rock, holding fast to the Kingdom that cannot be shaken, that we may endure what is about to come upon the earth.

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About Bill Cloud

BILL CLOUD

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]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/15/the-shaking-has-begun-the-world-is-preparing-for-the-lawless-one#comments 1 A Threat to America: Hamas Is Coming Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/12/a-threat-to-america-hamas-is-coming Mon, 12 Aug 2024 12:30:00 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/12/a-threat-to-america-hamas-is-coming

HAMAS IS COMING

By: BILL CLOUD

As we continue navigating the straits, the developing news continues to advertise that we are living in precarious times. So, it seems appropriate to read what Paul wrote to Timothy so long ago:

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" 2 Timothy 3:1-5

He went on to liken these type of people to the two Egyptian magicians who resisted Moses -- men of corrupt minds who deceived people (including Pharaoh) into thinking that they possessed some God-like power. Paul also went on to say that, in the last days, people would “turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” -- which is to say, people would believe things that simply are not true; things that are conceived in the wicked imaginations of men.

This past week we have seen just how easy it is for some, motivated by a lust for power and control, and who knows what else, to simply lie -- to say things that are not so. These headstrong, haughty lovers of money and themselves work feverishly to rewrite history and expect that people will believe them instead of they lying eyes. Sadly, it works. So many people -- perhaps for their own selfish reasons -- will believe a lie at the drop of a hat. In another of his letters, Paul reveals that this readiness to believe falsehoods is the result of strong delusion sent by God because, in the last days, people would rather believe a lie than embrace the truth. As Paul said, “They did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

The World Loves Drag

In Gay Paris this past week, things got really gay, and the world got a shocking glimpse of what those who take pleasure in unrighteousness think the world should look like. In my view, it was an example of the unholiness Paul warned us about. People without self control blasphemed the God of Heaven by parading flagrant wickedness before the eyes of the world. I'm referring specifically to the horrific display that was part of the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Paris. During the opening ceremony, in what appeared to resemble a depiction of the Last Supper, drag queens, a transgender model and a naked singer made to resemble the Greek god Dionysus, put on a drag show, all in the name of “community tolerance.” In addition, among the different torch bearers was a drag queen who, elated at the controversy, said, “To the ones that had their feathers ruffled seeing queerness on their screen: WE AIN’T GOING NOWHERE.”

It is claimed by Olympic officials that this was not intended to be a depiction of Da Vinci's Last Supper but the feast of Dionysius. It doesn't matter: the point was obviously to force millions, maybe billions of people, to look upon blatant rebellion and perversion as something to be admired and celebrated. Furthermore, they did this knowing that many of those watching would be children. That really shouldn't surprise us though, seeing that these people go into American schools and libraries to read inappropriate material to children on so-called Drag Days. Mainstream Media was, of course, thrilled with the display. The AP described it as an “unprecedented display of inclusivity.” NBC described it as an “unabashed performance” (unabashed means “not ashamed,” i.e. “having no shame”) that “captivated the world.” And get this: First Lady Jill Biden had nothing but praise for the opening ceremonies calling it “spectacular.” She was quoted as saying that the U.S. would have to work hard to best Paris' opening ceremony when the games are held in Los Angeles in 2028. She is quoted as saying, “How are we going to top this?” How indeed?

On a related note, this past week Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, (who hails from San Francisco) appeared with men in drag and LGBTQ+ activists on a popular reality show called “Drag Race.” While on set, she had this to say: “Each day we are seeing our rights and freedoms under attack, including the right of everyone to be who they are, love who they love, openly and with pride.” As a footnote, other notable politicians have appeared on the program including Nancy Pelosi (also from San Francisco) and the infamous AOC. Here is the point: blatant immorality is celebrated and validated by those in positions of power, both in this nation and the world; they proudly take positions that are in direct opposition to the Almighty. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul warned:

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Galatians 6:7

All of this leads me to this conclusion: if this is where we are headed as a nation -- and it certainly seems to be the trend -- we are in big trouble. If this kind of rebellion is embraced, tolerated, validated and defended by the people, including those who seek high office, we are opening ourselves up to God's wrath. Some will scoff at that statement, but blowing it off as fantasy will not change the reality of the situation. If this kind of rebellion is to be protected by those in government, and at the expense of morality as God defines it, we are only a hop, skip and a jump from the culture described in Genesis 19 -- one in which it was dangerous to be outside after dark lest one be assaulted by men who practiced perversity. And we know how that turned out.

American Terrorists

This brings us to the main point of our discussion this week -- the events that transpired in D.C. as Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Congress. Okay -- what does that have to do with what we've been discussing so far? Simply put: if we sow rebellion, we will reap the whirlwind.

On the eve of Netanyahu's address, about 200 people described by the U.S. Capitol Police as “peaceful demonstrators” invaded the Capitol building. Some of these peaceful protestors forced at least one congressman and his staff to barricade themselves in their offices. The protesters reportedly began “violently beating on all three of the doors.” (See if you can detect the irony in this). Meanwhile at the Watergate Hotel, where the Israeli Prime Minister was staying, “peaceful demonstrators” released maggots, crickets and mealworms throughout the hotel in an attempt to disrupt Netanyahu's stay. Ironically, the stated goal of the peaceful protest was to “manufacture chaos” so that the Israeli delegation would have “no peace.”The most alarming demonstration, however, took place in the streets of D.C. outside the Capitol and at Union Station. Time magazine described it this way:

"Thousands of protesters ... with chants of “Free Palestine,” marched toward the Capitol before some clashed with police and were pepper-sprayed. Pro-Palestinian activists, who promised a “day of rage” filled the streets of the nation’s capital, many carrying Palestinian flags and signs calling for an end to U.S. aid to Israel and to “arrest Netanyahu.” ... Outside the fenced-off Capitol, the scene was most tense at Washington’s Union Station as pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas demonstrators removed American flags and hoisted Palestinian ones in their place. At one point, an American flag was set on fire alongside an effigy of Netanyahu, prompting cheers from the crowd. ... Protesters also spray painted graffiti on a monument to Christopher Columbus and an adjacent Liberty Bell replica, including the words “Hamas is coming.”

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One news reporter described it as a scene one might see in the streets of Teheran or some other third world city. But it wasn't -- it was in the U.S. capital. Think of it: in our nation's capital, supporters of Hamas were burning American flags, and replacing our flag with that of the mythical state of Palestine. In our nation's capital, people were carrying the banner of Hamas and crying for the destruction of Israel and America. They chased counter-protestors and threatened them to the point that one man had to find shelter in a building and lock the doors behind him. Scenes we've only viewed on television, from other lands, are now in the streets of our cities.

There's another troubling component to this: when it came to the address itself, over 100 congressmen and women, all Democrat, decided to skip the message entirely as a show of protest. But I would suggest that it was also a show of solidarity with the anarchists who were, at that moment, preaching violence and Israel's destruction. We should also note that the Vice President, who also functions as President of the Senate, decided not to attend, opting instead to speak at a sorority function in Indiana. It should further be noted that the Vice President was strangely slow to condemn the riots. She eventually did, but for the record, she has voiced support for protests such as this in times past, even those that turned to rioting.

Upon her return to D.C., she met briefly with Netanyahu and almost immediately pressed him to reach a cease fire agreement with Hamas, reportedly agitating Netanyahu. She had no comment when asked if she intended to press Hamas leadership to do the same. Of course we know that others in her party consider Netanyahu to be a war criminal and Israel an apartheid state. And it should also be pointed out that, some of the most active and outspoken anti-Israel groups in America are backed, financially, by some of the largest donors to the current administration

So what am I getting at? This -- Hamas is coming; and its coming to destroy, consume and devour. Sadly, it seems that far too many people are either indifferent to this threat, or worse, encouraging it. I'd go so far as to say that some in positions of power are sympathetic to Hamas and other such terror organizations. That being said, these people are not the only culprits; the nation as a whole has played a role in getting us to where we are. Whether consciously or unwittingly, our attitude and actions that are in opposition to God's standards have opened the door to an invasion -- not just of immigrants but of militants and those who seek our destruction.

Make no mistake about it; what happened in D.C. is connected to what happened in Paris and the rebellion it represents. How? Because when we sow rebellion, we will reap the whirlwind. Actually, there were, in fact, Gays for Gaza among the protestors in D.C., which is quite odd when you think about it. Because, as Netanyahu rightly pointed out, gays in Gaza would be dead gays in Gaza. They certainly would not be tolerated but, then again, it would seem that both entities hold to the ancient proverb which says, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” In short, both are determined to stand against the people of God thus fulfilling prophecy:

“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed.” Psalm 2:2

“Your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate You have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones. They have said, 'Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” Psalm 83:2-4

The anti-Israel protests are evidence of the lawlessness which is being promoted and encouraged everywhere we look -- whether that be in the opening ceremony of the Olympics or in the lawless laws that permeate our land. Hamas, and the chaos that goes with it, is the fruit of what we have sown. As it is written, “They shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies.” Proverbs 1:31

Hamas In America

In Genesis 6, the Bible says that, in the days leading up to the flood, God looked upon the earth and saw that is was corrupt and “filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11). The Hebrew word translated as violence is חמס hamas. I don't believe this is a coincidence. In fact, I believe that it is God's way of telling us what to expect if we behave as those in the pre-diluvian world. If we are determined to be thoroughly corrupt, then Hamas is our fortune.

Israel may yet defeat Hamas in Gaza, but it will pop up somewhere else in the world because the Bible, prophesying of the last days, said the earth was “filled with hamas.” Until the Messiah returns, trying to eradicate Hamas and other such groups will be like playing whack-a-mole; as soon as it is put down in one place, it is bound to show up in another. And when it shows up, it may not take on the name Hamas; it might be called Code Pink or IfNotNow or some other name that defines organizations who have taken up the so-called cause of hamas. If we don't take a stand against the rebellion sweeping through the land, Hamas is most certainly coming to America. In some respects, it's already here.

To be clear, by taking a stand, I don't just mean in a political or judicial way; I certainly don't mean in a violent way. As God's people, we don't use evil to advance good; our warfare is not carnal and our enemies are not flesh and blood. So by taking a stand, I mean that we are resist the societal trends and the pressure to acquiesce to the demands of the culture. We need to stand fast in the truth; we need to repent of our national sins and reject the rebellious deeds that are being celebrated in our cities and, unfortunately, in the halls of government. We must stand against the perversion and lawlessness that permeates this world. And so, how do we do that?

In the book of Joel, God told the people that an invasion was coming; an invasion that would swarm, chew, consume and lay waste to everything in its path. The invaders were allowed to have free rein because God's people had turned their back to their Creator. According to the prophet, this invasion was a precursor to the Day of the Lord, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day unlike anything the world had seen. Yet, the Lord did not leave them hopeless. He challenged them to repent, fast, pray, and to intercede and petition Heaven for mercy. He told them:

“Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. So rend your heart, and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him.” (Joel 2:12-14)

Who knows what will happen if we turn from our evil? Maybe God will relent. We do know, however, that if we do nothing, Hamas is coming! And so let us do what must be done according to the Word of God because as Paul said:

“He who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And so let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” (Galatians 6:8-9)

Let's not lose heart. It may be that Hamas is coming, but for the faithful of God, keep in mind that someone far more powerful than Hamas is coming -- Yeshua the Messiah is coming! And when He comes, He will put down all of His enemies.

For more great content, check out these other articles from Bill Cloud!

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January 2nd, 2025

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Watch the original video below.

About Bill Cloud

BILL CLOUD

Bill Cloud was raised in a traditional Christian home in South Georgia. Yet it was a trip to Israel to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, in 1990, that truly provoked him to become more interested in his faith. It was during this “appointed time” that God gave him a deep love for the land, the people and the language.

Soon thereafter, Bill began learning Hebrew under the tutelage of a local rabbi and has since spent many hours studying, not only the Hebrew text, but the Hebraic roots of Christianity as well. This interest in the language is tied to Bill’s desire to unlock the hidden treasures within the Word of God and to teach them, along with our Hebraic roots, to believers in Messiah. Furthermore, this insight has allowed Bill to better understand the prophetic element of Scripture. As a result of this study, Bill has developed a variety of media resources dealing with prophetic themes as well as teachings related to our lost Hebraic heritage.

Bill is a featured speaker in venues throughout the country and has appeared with notable teachers such as Perry Stone, Jonathan Cahn, Joel Richardson and Hal Lindsay. He has also made several appearances on a variety of television broadcasts seen on different Christian networks throughout the world. Recently Bill, along with his wife, Beth, and their children started a fellowship in the Cleveland TN area.

Through Shoreshim Ministries, Bill and his family strive to re-introduce Christians to the Jewish Yeshua and to educate believers in the Hebraic roots of their faith. As a result of this information, disciples of the Messiah can more accurately interpret end-time events and better discern our role in these last days.
Bill and his family reside in Cleveland, Tennessee.

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]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/12/a-threat-to-america-hamas-is-coming#comments 0 Exposing the myth of American Democracy Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/06/exposing-the-myth-of-american-democracy Tue, 06 Aug 2024 14:21:39 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/06/exposing-the-myth-of-american-democracy

SAVING DEMOCRACY

By: BILL CLOUD

Some of you understand what is meant by the phrase, “between the straits.” If you don't know what means, I'll explain. On the Hebrew calendar, from 17 Tammuz to 9 Av -- a three week period -- Judaism believes God's people are in a potentially stressful, and maybe even dangerous time. In Hebrew this three-week period is called bein haMetzarim -- “between the straits.” The belief is that, for the next three weeks, God's people should consider themselves as trying to navigate a vessel through a strait, which is a narrow water passage between two land areas. As well as being narrow, the route's depth can be shallow and potentially hazardous.

The point is Judaism believes that, in this season, circumstances may arise in life that requires a heightened state of alert, extreme patience and commitment to employ wisdom; to be impetuous during this time could be life-altering, maybe even fatal. The idea is rooted in history and tradition. According to tradition, it was on 17 Tammuz that Moses broke the tablets of the Law when he saw the people dancing around the Golden Calf, indicating that this day would be forever associated with calamity.

Centuries later, when Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem, it was on 17 Tammuz that the Temple offerings ceased because no animals were available. In the Second Temple period, the Romans breached the city walls on 17 Tammuz. It is also believed that both Temples were burned and destroyed on 9 Av, thus accounting for the three weeks of being in the straits. So what does this tradition have to do with us? Should we put any stock in it? I'll leave that for you to decide but I will make these observations regarding where we are right now as we navigate through current situations.

First of all, the war in Gaza continues; recently Israel struck the Houthis in Yemen in response to a deadly drone attack in Tel Aviv. The Houthis vowed to retaliate for that action. The northern border of Israel has remained active with a back and forth between Israel and Hezbollah. And just recently, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was in Washington to address Congress, as well as meet with political dignitaries including Biden and Trump. As he spoke to Congress, hundreds of pro-Hamas demonstrators burned American flags and an effigy of Netanyahu.

Then there is the recent attempted assassination of Donald Trump, the murder of one man and the wounding of two others, not to mention Trump's defiant response under fire. That event was immediately followed by the Republican National Convention which resulted in Trump's 3rd Republican nomination for the Presidency. Within just a few days of the RNC's conclusion, President Joe Biden announced that he would no longer seek reelection, and followed that announcement with an endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination. Until that announcement, the Democratic Party seemed to have been in disarray. As it stands now, the DNC is set to convene from August 19-22, 2024 and solidify just who the Dems plan to run against Trump-Vance.

There is a slight wrinkle to all of this, however. Some in the Democratic party are pushing for a virtual roll call by August 7, due to the fact that, if there is no official Democratic nominee by that date, no Democratic candidate for President will be on the Ohio ballot. I point this out only because, August 13, 2024 corresponds to 9 Av on the Hebrew calendar, meaning that if the Dems rush to have a nominee by that time, it will occur within that three-week period. Perhaps this is nothing more than a curiosity but it is an interesting one in my book.

And so there is this confluence of rapid fire historical and potentially life-altering events leading me to believe that the world, and certainly the United States, is sailing through the straits -- whether you believe in the Jewish tradition or not. In my view, we in the U.S. will be sailing through the straits for some time, well beyond August I'm afraid -- certainly into November if not farther into the future.

Time to Choose

On the more temporal side of things, from now until the November election, the news cycle will be saturated with the latest updates, the latest polling numbers and the constant back and forth between the two parties. The fighting will be ugly, and as has already been demonstrated, it could get deadly. To say that there is a fight for America's soul is an understatement; we are at a crossroads and a choice has to be made as to which way we will go forward as a nation. However, I don't necessarily mean that solely in a political context but, more importantly, in a Biblical context. As it is written:

“I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).

I would argue that the spiritual condition of the nation is why things are playing out the way they are in the political realm. In short, what occurs in the natural is a reflection of the spiritual. In that vein of thought, it is important to point out that some in the political world literally promote the idea of choosing death over life -- and celebrate it. Of course, I'm thinking of those who are rabidly pro-abortion.

I recently read how pro-abortionists were promoting an effort to store up abortion pills just in case they become scarce in the future. In fact, an AP report said that these abortion pills are being stockpiled in a feverish rate. It said:

“Thousands of women stocked up on abortion pills just in case they needed them.... 'People are looking at looming threats to reproductive health access, looming threats to their reproductive rights, and potentially thinking to themselves: How can I prepare for this? Or how can I get around this or get out ahead of this?' said Dr. Abigail Aiken, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin.”

When I read that, I couldn't help but think, how many of those same people have in times past, or would in the future, ridicule people who store up food, water and other basics necessities of life, just in case something happens that would prevent them from getting their hands on items their families need? At any rate, the point I wish to emphasize is that we are in a precarious season, especially as America prepares to go to the polls because, like it or not, the outcome will in some way be a reflection of where we are morally and spiritually.

In a political context, please notice that both sides -- Republican and Democratic -- claim to be fighting for the future; both claim to be fighting to save Democracy. Both sides are making the argument that only they can save our way of life. Granted, one side has put forth ideas that advance their argument far better than the other, at least in my opinion. The other side seems only to be fixated on abortion and stopping the other guy at any cost.

Don't take that as a political endorsement; it's just to accentuate the great rift that is present in our country and the fact that this nation has strayed far away, not only from founding principles, but from God and His purpose for the nation. In that light, it is my opinion that both sides are wrong to fight for democracy if that is, in fact, what they believe they are doing. Here is why I say that: the founders -- who admittedly weren't perfect men -- didn't want democracy; indeed, most of the men who gave us the Constitution were adamantly opposed to the idea.

What Did the Founders Envision?

You can clearly see this argument made in the Federalist Papers, which is a collection of articles and essays written to generate support for ratifying the Constitution. The effort was initiated by Alexander Hamilton who was, in turn, assisted by James Madison and John Jay. As for Hamilton, he considered democracy a “disease” and a “poison.” In Federalist No. 10, Madison blatantly rejects direct democracy and factionalism. Instead, he argued for a representative republic which he proposed as being more effective against partisanship and factionalism. Moreover, Madison concluded that a democracy cannot avoid the dangers of the majority faction because ... “undesirable passions can very easily spread to a majority of the people, which can then enact its will through the democratic government without difficulty.”

In other words, if a majority of people wish to do what is immoral and lawless in the eyes of God, through government, that can enact lawless laws. He continued by saying, “The latent causes of faction are thus sown in the nature of man, so the cure is to control their effects.” His point was, the people cannot be trusted with complete power any more than one man can be trusted with total power. This sentiment is backed up by Scripture which says, “man’s heart is evil from his youth.”

Because that is a universal truth, Madison concluded that democracy was not desirable; a representative republic was more advantageous if America wished to avoid, or at least slow down, the corruptive influence of selfish and wicked people. That man's heart is evil from his youth is, in fact, the basis for the separation of powers that was established as part of our republic. To be clear, the founders most definitely favored a representative form of government but one that does not necessarily concede to the ever changing, and very often selfish whims of the electorate. Rather it was to be a representative form of government that conformed to the rule of law; the law and standards that everyone, in the beginning, agreed to be subject to -- i.e. the Constitution.

So when I hear someone, whether they are Republican of Democrat, say they are fighting for democracy, I get frustrated and a bit bewildered. Are these people just ignorant of history or careless with their words? This particular situation reminds me of an exchange alleged to have occurred between Mrs. Elizabeth Willing Powell and the elder statesman, Benjamin Franklin, as the Constitutional Convention adjourned. She said: “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” He replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

Republic is a word that means “a public concern” or “something that is in the interests of the people.” This, in my view, is to say a republican form of government acts in the interests of the people as a whole, not necessarily with the intent to appease the whims of the people, which change with the wind.

Another of the writers who penned the Federalist Papers, John Jay, counted it a blessing that America possessed “one united people—a people descended from the same ancestors, the same language, professing the same religion.” His point was, all of these common traits makes it easier for everyone to possess the same ideals, relatively speaking, and hopefully to strive for the same goals. But what happens when that situation changes, as it most certainly has. We are a nation comprised of many ethnicities, backgrounds and beliefs. Do we challenge all who come here to conform to the Constitution -- the Law of the Land -- that binds us together as a united people? Or do we seek to accommodate the different factions, at the expense of the Constitution, and devolve into a large disjointed, fractioned nation?

And so the point: we most certainly have political factions and deeply divided partisanship: we are squared off against one another in our different camps -- left and right, blue and red, Democrat and Republican. By the way, James Monroe -- one of the founding fathers -- considered political parties to be “the curse of the country, breeding disunity, demagoguery, and corruption.” Say what you want, but these men were pretty smart and insightful.

It is painfully obvious that we have abandoned the vision of the founders, which is to say, to continue as a Constitutional Republic under God. It is my firm belief that we have not “kept it,” as Franklin warned, but have devolved into a Democracy -- a word that essentially means, “the people rule.” And if the people rule, then is stands to reason that, in the hearts and minds of those people, God does not rule. In its' purest form, democracy is mob rule. If you want to see a demonstration of democracy in action, then look no further than the chaos and lawlessness that was a common trademark of the French Revolution.

Democracy in Action

Radicals, mostly atheists, fueled the revolution which eventually promoted the idea of making “terror the order of the day.” The French Revolutionary government devoured its own in dramatic fashion executing approximately 17,000, some by beheading. What was lawful one day was lawless the next, and the ignorant and unsuspecting were quickly led away to their death. During this democratic reign of terror, there was either acquittal or death -- no in between.

You might not be aware but the French revolutionists who promoted the merits of their democracy decided to come up with their own calendar. The stated goal was to separate themselves from anything associated with royalty and the old monarchy which, in turn, included erasing God from the nation's memory and culture. These so-called enlightened ones of the Renaissance (rebirth) discarded the seven day week in deference to a 10-day week -- with no Sabbath. They made many other changes in how time was calculated but, in the end, it proved to be a colossal failure. The point is -- this is an example of democracy in action. The whims of the people -- people who are evil from their youth -- were translated into lawless laws.

As a footnote I'd like to add that, in the book of Daniel, there is an interesting comment made about the one called AntiChrist. It says:

“He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law.” (Daniel 7:25)

Democracy, because it is designed to appease the will of the people, or perhaps we should say the will of the loudest and most aggressive faction, submits to the desires of people whether or not they are moral and righteous. Most often they are the opposite which means, pure democracy is quick to remove the connection between government and God. I'm saddened to say that democratic philosophies are alive and well in our country today.

All of this leads me to this conclusion: because we have strayed from the inspiration that planted republican ideals in the heart of our founders -- that is, Scripture and Biblical principle -- and because we have pursued a society that is democratic, it is my hope that, if God allows, someone will come along and destroy our “democracy” and restore the principles of a constitutional Republic to this land. But why the history lesson? Here's why:

“Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” (George Santayana, writer and philosopher)

More importantly Scripture says:

“That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been; and God requires an account of what is past.” (Ecclesiastes 3:15)

That last part of this verse insinuates that God expects an account from us if we do not heed the lessons of history and, especially when Biblical history teaches us what God demands from those who have been blessed as we have in this nation. As it is written, “To whom much is given, much is required.”

Philadelphia or Laodicea?

We are living in a critical time -- as a nation, we are navigating the straits. And because God's people are expected to stand firm in His truth, it will be very important that we do not allow ourselves to be sucked into the black hole of partisanship and division that is focused solely on political power and philosophical agendas. Our agenda is the Kingdom of Heaven; our power is derived from the Supreme Authority.

With that thought in mind, I would say that the most important choice before us is not one of choosing between Republican or Democrat, but the choice between life and death, blessing and cursing -- choosing truth over falsehood. That doesn't mean I am unconcerned for our country because I am. Like so many of you, I am frustrated, even angered by some of the Godless ideas that are advanced and supported by our political leaders. I do hope that this election will result in a change of direction for our country but not just in terms of politics -- but in terms of returning to God and His purpose for as long as He wills for that purpose to continue.

Let me leave you with one final thought to ponder: the last two of the seven congregations in Asia -- Philadelphia and Laodicea -- are very interesting as it relates to our topic. Philadelphia, the congregation of brotherly love, was not rebuked by Messiah. Rather, He praised their willingness to remain faithful to Him and to persevere. In fact, He said this: “You have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”

In contrast, Messiah rebuked the Laodiceans because they were lukewarm, not hot or cold. They saw themselves one way, in need of nothing, but Messiah saw them differently -- in need of much. And so He told them, “Be zealous and repent.” I find it interesting that the word Laodicea means, “the people's rights.” Perhaps that could infer issues of the day: reproductive rights; women's rights, trans rights, etc. You get the idea. Laodicea alludes to those who are more concerned about their rights than they are about doing what is right. These are the people who, unless they repent, the Lord will spew them from His mouth.

But let's say that they do repent, what would the result be? If Laodiecea -- which is thematically similar to democracy, where the people rule -- turns and goes back in the direction from which they came -- or shall we say, from which they strayed -- the first place they will end up is in the previous congregation mentioned -- Philadelphia, the congregation of brotherly love. Interestingly enough, the Constitutional Convention of 1787 -- the convention that composed the US Constitution -- met in Philadelphia. Coincidence? Or is God trying to say something through history?

God's Word, His Constitution as it were, was given to us with our interests in mind. Its' not so much about our rights but, rather, encouraging and challenging us to do what is right in His eyes. We don't need someone to lead us in a fight to save democracy; we need people who will stand up and fight for the Kingdom of God, for the return to morality and true justice that we might be, for the time left to us, one nation under God.

For more great content, check out these other articles from Bill Cloud!

The Chinese Threat: Who Are the Kings of the East?

January 9th, 2025

Satan in the Sanctuary

January 2nd, 2025

The Eyes in the Sky: What's Hovering Over Us?

January 2nd, 2025

Like what you've seen so far? Click below to watch the Weekly Scroll!

Trade Wars & Trade Deals

May 15, 2025 • Bill Cloud

The New Pope and the Rise of False Christs

May 8, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Bibles, Baptism, and Second Chances

Apr 24, 2025 • Bill Cloud

The Entitlement Pandemic: How Victim Mentality is Destroying the Nation

Apr 17, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Political Tug of War: Judicial Overreach or Checks and Balances?

Apr 10, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Is Following The Torah Necessary For Salvation?

Apr 3, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Speaking in Tongues

Mar 27, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Why We Celebrate Purim?

Mar 20, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Massacre in Syria; Uncertainty in Gaza: Is the World at the Brink of Global War?

Mar 13, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Fireworks in the Oval Office: Is This What 'America First' Looks Like?

Mar 6, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Israel Moves into the West Bank: Is The Two State Solution Dead?

Feb 27, 2025 • Bill Cloud

DOGE is causing some to get out of Dodge!

Feb 20, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Watch the original video below.

About Bill Cloud

BILL CLOUD

Bill Cloud was raised in a traditional Christian home in South Georgia. Yet it was a trip to Israel to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, in 1990, that truly provoked him to become more interested in his faith. It was during this “appointed time” that God gave him a deep love for the land, the people and the language.

Soon thereafter, Bill began learning Hebrew under the tutelage of a local rabbi and has since spent many hours studying, not only the Hebrew text, but the Hebraic roots of Christianity as well. This interest in the language is tied to Bill’s desire to unlock the hidden treasures within the Word of God and to teach them, along with our Hebraic roots, to believers in Messiah. Furthermore, this insight has allowed Bill to better understand the prophetic element of Scripture. As a result of this study, Bill has developed a variety of media resources dealing with prophetic themes as well as teachings related to our lost Hebraic heritage.

Bill is a featured speaker in venues throughout the country and has appeared with notable teachers such as Perry Stone, Jonathan Cahn, Joel Richardson and Hal Lindsay. He has also made several appearances on a variety of television broadcasts seen on different Christian networks throughout the world. Recently Bill, along with his wife, Beth, and their children started a fellowship in the Cleveland TN area.

Through Shoreshim Ministries, Bill and his family strive to re-introduce Christians to the Jewish Yeshua and to educate believers in the Hebraic roots of their faith. As a result of this information, disciples of the Messiah can more accurately interpret end-time events and better discern our role in these last days.
Bill and his family reside in Cleveland, Tennessee.

Download Now

]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/06/exposing-the-myth-of-american-democracy#comments 0 The American Uncivil War Bill Cloud http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/01/the-american-uncivil-war Thu, 01 Aug 2024 16:01:32 +0000 http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/01/the-american-uncivil-war

THE AMERICAN UNCIVIL WAR

By: BILL CLOUD

“The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principle upon which it was founded.” -- Ronald Reagan

On July 13, 2024, a would-be assassin attempted to take the life of former President Donald Trump during a political rally in Butler, PA. Narrowly avoiding death, Mr. Trump raised his fist in defiance of the attack and encouraged the rally attendees to "Fight, fight, fight!" Though he had been grazed by the bullet, he was spared certain death by a providential, slight turn of the head. Unfortunately, the 20-year old assassin didn't miss others in the crowd, killing one man who sheltered his family from the hail of bullets and seriously injuring at least two others.

I became aware of the events when my daughter, Allison, who was away visiting a friend, called and informed us of the events, and so we like so many others watched history unfold right before our eyes. In an instant I was taken back to March, 1981 and attempt made upon Ronald Reagan's life, the last such attempt on a U.S. President, or in Mr. Trump's case, former President.

It is these type of events that are burned into our memory. Forty-three years later, I can still remember where I was and what I was doing when I first heard the news about Reagan. Similarly, I remember where I was on the morning of September 11, 2001 when I first saw the images on television of the terror attacks in New York, Washington and, oddly enough, Pennsylvania.

In Reagan's case, it was only later that the world learned just how close to death he actually came. By his own admission, had it not been for the mercy and grace of God, he would most likely have died. Having survived that brush with death, Reagan concluded that God had spared him for a purpose. From everything I've read and learned about the man, this experience transformed somewhat in regard to his faith and his intent to serve God in his capacity as President.

It is fair to say that Reagan didn't wear his faith on his sleeve but it could also be said that he didn't hide it under his bed either. Reagan was very conscious of God's role in America and outspoken regarding our need for God's favor upon us. On one occasion he said “If we ever forget that we are One Nation under God, then we will be a Nation gone under.”

When he said that, there was no huge outcry from the secular media; no one accused him of being a religious nut. I would dare say that many Americans of that era, perhaps most, agreed with him. But that was over forty years ago -- a generation. In one respect, it was not that long ago, but long enough that the many of the values Americas once held dear, especially love of God and country, are on the cusp of fading away, maybe forever. That brings to mind something else Reagan said way back in 1967 as Governor of California: “Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. And those in world history who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again.”

The Cost of Freedom

I dare say that we, who have inherited the freedoms we enjoy in America, have been so accustomed to them that we don't really appreciate what it means to have them. I say that because relatively few of us understand the sacrifices that have been made in order to secure them. Men and women have fought, bled and died for the opportunity to live free, and those people, more so than most, acknowledged our desperate need for God's favor and assistance. It is a fact that, in times past, when this country was in the midst of a national crisis, spiritual and political leaders alike would call upon the nation to humble ourselves before Almighty God with prayer, fasting and repentance.

For example, when the fledgling nation faced the overwhelming might of Britain, Americans realized that they could not prevail in their own power and so it was that men like Hancock, Adams and Washington entreated their countrymen to join them in an appeal to heaven for mercy and favor. The fact that an ill-equipped, underfed and numerically inferior Continental Army prevailed over Great Britain's might gives testimony to the reality that Almighty God honored their prayer, fasting and sacrifice. This dependance upon God continued as the nation grew. On April 15, 1799, John Adams once again appealed to the nation to pray and fast.

“This day should be observed throughout the United States of America as a day of solemn humiliation, fasting, and prayer; that the citizens on that day abstain, as far as may be, from their secular occupation, and devote the time to the sacred duties of religion, in public and in private; that they call to mind our numerous offenses against the most high God, confess them before Him with the sincerest penitence, implore his pardoning mercy, through the Great Mediator and Redeemer, for our past transgressions, and that through the grace of His Holy Spirit, we may be disposed and enabled to yield a more suitable obedience to his righteous requisitions in time to come; that He would interpose to arrest the progress of that impiety and licentiousness in principle and practice so offensive to Himself and so ruinous to mankind; that He would make us deeply sensible that “righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”

A House Divided

Decades later, when the nation was facing another national crisis – Civil War – leaders once again called for every American to humble themselves before God and to repent of our errant ways. In one such appeal, Abraham Lincoln designated April 30, 1863, as a national day of fasting and prayer saying:

“We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious Hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our own hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own….It behooves us then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”

Just two months later, the battle of Gettysburg – the battle that turned the tide of war – was fought and won by the Union. But for a few miscalculations and missteps on the Confederate side, it could have easily gone the other way and, frankly, almost did. If that had happened, it might have a precipitated a completely different resolution of the war -- one could have resulted a nation permanently divided into two separate nations. But to those of that era, and even to those of us who view this event in hindsight, the Hand of Divine Providence once again orchestrated the course of history.
Gettysburg wasn’t the end of the war but it certainly was the beginning of the end. Two more war-torn years would drag on before the nation became “one” again -- some might argue it was never restored and remains divided along the same line to this very day. Perhaps that is true, but how different might things have turned out much if the South had prevailed? What if Americans had not humbled themselves before God in advance of that battle? Would the Union have survived without a commitment to prayer and fasting? And then decades later, could two separate, deeply divided nations have been able to prevail against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan?

Unfortunately we are presently divided and, as a result, find ourselves in the midst of another national crisis. In fact, I would say that we are embroiled in another civil war – an uncivil war -- where man contends against his neighbor in a very hostile fashion. This time the enemy is not determined by geography so much as it is philosophy, meaning that your enemy might live next door – or maybe within your own home. America has become toxic and polarized -- socially and politically -- and is very close to a breaking point. In my view, this was made quite evident by the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.

Words Have Power

And on that note, I'm reminded of what my friend, Brad Scott, used to say -- Words mean things. The Bible says that words have the power of life and death, and so when words are used irresponsibly, they unleash something into the atmosphere that is eventually manifested in the earth. When someone repeatedly calls another “evil,” “Hitler,” “rapist,” “monster,” “dictator” and “a threat to democracy” -- whether you really believe it or not; whether it's political hyperbole or not -- those words are pregnant with power. Words such as these have the potential to result in what we witnessed on live television. Thankfully the intent of those words missed its' target, albeit by a hair's breadth.

In recognition of that, Trump is quoted as saying, “I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead.... The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle.... by luck or by God. Many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here.“ As for me, I am convinced that God spared Mr. Trump from instant death and for all the world to see. Not only for us to see but, that we might hear what He's trying to say through these tragic events: I believe He is calling us all to repentance.

If the Almighty spared Donald Trump so that he might return to the Presidency, I pray that he will preside with eyes to see the Hand of God on him and this country and will recognize the great responsibility that goes with that. I pray that he will be motivated, not just with the goal of restoring wealth and power, but by the need to restore morality to the land, and to inspire the people to do what is right in the eyes of God. I pray that his ear has been opened, figuratively speaking, to hear the Voice of Almighty God in a way unlike anything he has yet experienced. And not just him -- but all of us.

Many across the political spectrum are saying it is time to tone down the rhetoric; that we must return to disagreeing with civility. I believe that is needful as well -- but its going to require more than that if we want to continue as a united, prosperous nation. Yes, we should disagree with others in a respectful tone and manner, but as believers, we are compelled to acknowledge that wickedness will never coexist with righteousness. Righteousness should never tolerate wickedness for the sake of cultural relevance or political expediency. What, then, should our response to recent events be?

The events of July 13, 2024 accentuate just how dangerously close we are to an irreversible disaster and how desperate our situation has become. It is very possible that this nation came within a millimeter or two of being plunged into chaos and, who knows, maybe civil war. As for Mr. Trump, my prayer is that he, President Biden and so many others will be transformed by these events and recognize, not just in word but in deed, the necessity of humbling ourselves before the Creator and repenting of our national sins.

Ep 33 | Trade Wars & Trade Deals

May 15, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Ep 32 | The New Pope and the Rise of False Christs

May 8, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Ep 31 | The Edenic Pandemic: How Victim Mentality is Destroying the Nation

Apr 17, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Ep 30 | Political Tug of War: Judicial Overreach or Checks and Balances?

Apr 10, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Ep 29 | Massacre in Syria; Uncertainty in Gaza: Is the World at the Brink of Global War?

Mar 14, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Ep 27 | Israel Moves into the West Bank: Is The Two State Solution Dead?

Feb 28, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Ep 26 | DOGE is causing some to get out of Dodge!

Feb 20, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Ep 25 | The Future of Gaza

Jan 24, 2025 • Bill Cloud

Ep 24 | Liberation Day!

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Ep 23 | California is Burning!

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Ep 22 | Terror In The Crescent City

Jan 10, 2025 • Bill Cloud

A Call to Repentance

It's likely that many of the progressives on the left will scoff and sneer at such a notion -- it's expected. But to be fair, I'm not sure how many on the right really believe that we are in desperate need of God or, if they do, are willing and courageous enough to admit it. And so, regrettably, as this current crisis intensifies, very few are willing to publicly call upon Heaven for guidance because, if they do, they are ridiculed and maligned. But believing that we should diligently seek God for guidance and forgiveness isn't bizarre; it's not evidence of an unstable mind. On the contrary, those who would disdain a desire to seek God’s mercy for the nation have, as Lincoln put it, “vainly imagined … that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.”

Anyone who doesn't recognize the need for national repentance is completely out of touch with the spiritual component of our national heritage. To think we can survive, not to mention thrive, without God is to embrace a mindset that is far removed from that of the majority of our founders. Thankfully, not everyone is following the national trend. Thankfully, some are courageously going against the grain in this regard. Recently, the state legislature of Tennessee, in a joint resolution, called upon all Tennesseans to unite in a season of prayer and fasting. This resolution, in part, says:

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE CONCURRING, that the period of July 1, 2024, through July 31, 2024, be recognized as a time of prayer and fasting in Tennessee. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we recognize that God, as Creator and King of all Glory, has both the authority to judge and to bless nations or states.... We, as public servants in the Tennessee General Assembly, seek God's Mercy upon our land and beseech Him to not withdraw His Hand of blessing from us. We recognize our sins and shortcomings before Him and humbly ask His Forgiveness. ... we ask the Lord to heal our land... (and) that the Holy Spirit fill our halls of government, our classrooms, our places of business, our churches, and our homes with peace, love, and joy.

May it be that others will follow this example and that the people of this nation would humble themselves, seek His face and pray that our land might be healed.

In light of the upcoming election and the horrifying events that transpired in Butler PA, it should be obvious that America is teetering on the brink of catastrophe; the time for national repentance is now. With all due respect to those who want to make the nation great again, the nation’s problems cannot be solved without the favor, aid and blessing of the Almighty. I have said it for years and will continue to say it: there is no politician, no personality or political philosophy that will, in and of itself, secure the blessings of liberty and bring healing to America and here's why: our primary problem is not political in nature.

Are We Headed to Civil War?

Our national ills cannot be defined as being social, economic or even philosophical; our nation has an acute spiritual deficiency and that is why we are in such turmoil politically, economically and otherwise. Former governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, commenting on Trump's brush with death said this recently: “I’ll get mocked for saying this, but the battle we’re in is not political, it’s spiritual.” I agree with the governor, and I know that many of you agree as well. We are in the midst of another civil war but this time it isn't about North and South, state's rights or slavery. This war is is about whether or not we have decided to completely turn our back on God. It is war to define America’s soul and consequently, our very existence.

Though most of the battles will be fought in courtrooms, in state legislatures, in the town square, in churches and millions of homes -- in other words, not necessarily with bullets and bombs -- the stark reality is, actual blood has been drawn. We would be foolish to ignore the possibility of even more bloodshed. There are people in this land who actively seek to rid the country of God and are stepping up efforts to silence those who call upon Him. It is written, “The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.” Consequently, if all his other efforts fail to secure his objective, the Godless man will turn to violence to advance a lawless agenda.

Couple this aggression with the widespread apathy, indifference and inclination to remain silent on the part of others, and the result is a recipe for an explosion of violence across the land. And so it is that the single greatest threat to our national existence is not the Chinese, Putin or Iran. Our greatest foe is not overseas. Our greatest enemy is the one within – the enemy that says “God has no place here.” The enemy that says, “We have no need of God; we can do this ourselves.” The enemy that says, “Let us break His bonds in pieces and cast away His cords from us.”

President Abraham Lincoln said: “If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher.” I pray that is not the case; I pray that, instead of stumbling headlong into destruction, we would return to the God of our fathers and humble ourselves before Him. If we are to survive our present crisis and be restored as “one nation under God,” then we must look unto the “Author and Finisher of our faith” in humility and with repentant hearts.

The Chinese Threat: Who Are the Kings of the East?

January 9th, 2025

Satan in the Sanctuary

January 2nd, 2025

The Eyes in the Sky: What's Hovering Over Us?

January 2nd, 2025

Watch the original video below.

About Bill Cloud

BILL CLOUD

Bill Cloud was raised in a traditional Christian home in South Georgia. Yet it was a trip to Israel to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, in 1990, that truly provoked him to become more interested in his faith. It was during this “appointed time” that God gave him a deep love for the land, the people and the language.

Soon thereafter, Bill began learning Hebrew under the tutelage of a local rabbi and has since spent many hours studying, not only the Hebrew text, but the Hebraic roots of Christianity as well. This interest in the language is tied to Bill’s desire to unlock the hidden treasures within the Word of God and to teach them, along with our Hebraic roots, to believers in Messiah. Furthermore, this insight has allowed Bill to better understand the prophetic element of Scripture. As a result of this study, Bill has developed a variety of media resources dealing with prophetic themes as well as teachings related to our lost Hebraic heritage.

Bill is a featured speaker in venues throughout the country and has appeared with notable teachers such as Perry Stone, Jonathan Cahn, Joel Richardson and Hal Lindsay. He has also made several appearances on a variety of television broadcasts seen on different Christian networks throughout the world. Recently Bill, along with his wife, Beth, and their children started a fellowship in the Cleveland TN area.

Through Shoreshim Ministries, Bill and his family strive to re-introduce Christians to the Jewish Yeshua and to educate believers in the Hebraic roots of their faith. As a result of this information, disciples of the Messiah can more accurately interpret end-time events and better discern our role in these last days.
Bill and his family reside in Cleveland, Tennessee.

Download Now

]]> http://jacobstent.snappages.site/blog/2024/08/01/the-american-uncivil-war#comments 0

THE CHINESE THREAT?

By: BILL CLOUD

"Not only do we need to catch up, but we also need to modernize our nuclear weapons, and put a lot of effort into missile defense."

What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten; and what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten. Joel 1:4

I don't think the Chinese are the kings of the east; I think that title is reserved for other, more ancient adversaries in regard to Israel and God's people.

For more great content, check out these other articles from Bill Cloud!

Like what you've seen so far? Click below to watch the Weekly Scroll!

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SATAN IN THE SANCTUARY

By: BILL CLOUD

"I opposed the permit because I believe the request was made not in the interest of promoting religious equity but in order to drive an anti-religious political agenda."

"I think it’s the narrow-mindedness of the mayor, who can’t seem to wrap his head around that this represents a large percentage of the community and its beliefs."

"Some have said that if you do a school chaplain program, that, somehow, you're going to have satanists running around in all our schools. We're not playing those games in Florida. That is not a religion. That is not qualified to be able to participate in this."

“The people are supposedly doing this in the name of Christianity, a religion that professes faith and love and peace... Their holiday season is about love, peace, and goodwill to others, and in the middle of that, they’re reacting violently without caring about other people’s opinions.”

“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “ 'Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.'” Psalm 2:2-3

“You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5

"For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; he blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts." Psalm 10:3-4

For more great content, check out these other articles from Bill Cloud!

Like what you've seen so far? Click below to watch the Weekly Scroll!

Watch the original video below.

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THE EYES IN THE SKY

By: BILL CLOUD

“I’ve gotten to know people, and from very high sources, very qualified sources, very responsible sources; I’m going to tell you the real deal. ... Iran launched a mother ship, probably about a month ago, that contains these drones.... These drones should be shot down.”

“Our military knows and our president knows, and for some reason, they want to keep people in suspense. I can't imagine it's the enemy, because if it was the enemy, they'd blast it out.”

“The answer 'we don't know' is not a good enough answer. ... When people are anxious... people will fill a vacuum with their fears, anxieties and conspiracy theories.”

For more great content, check out these other articles from Bill Cloud!

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BILL CLOUD

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DAMASCUS HAS FALLEN

By: BILL CLOUD

Israel Moves In

"This is a historic day for the Middle East. The collapse of the Assad regime, the tyranny in Damascus, offers great opportunity but also is fraught with significant dangers."

"This collapse is the direct result of our forceful action against Hezbollah and Iran, Assad's main supporters. It set off a chain reaction of all those who want to free themselves from this tyranny and its oppression."

The Opposition

US Reaction

"At long last, the Assad regime has fallen. The fall of this regime is a fundamental act of justice. It is a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their country. It is also a moment of risk and uncertainty."

"Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, was not interested in protecting him any longer....They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead."

"Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, and the United States should have nothing to do with it. This is not our fight. Let it play out. Do not get involved!"

World Impact

“Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken..."Isaiah 17:1-2

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PARDONED?

By: BILL CLOUD

"From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.... It is clear that Hunter was treated differently."

"I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country.... Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son."

"Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?" 1 Samuel 2:29

"This shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them. Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind." 1 Samuel 2:34-35

"There is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops." Luke 12:2-3

"Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." Isaiah 55:6-7

For more great content, check out these other articles from Bill Cloud!

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THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL

By: BILL CLOUD

"Could not prevail by these means against the main truths of the Gospel, but they began to take root in many places, being watered by the blood of the martyrs, and blessed from Heaven with a gracious increase."

"...fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven who had brought them over the fast and furious ocean and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, again to set their feet upon the firm and stable earth."

"Under this stone rests the ashes of William Bradford, a zealous Puritan and sincere Governor of Plymouth Colony."

"God (YHVH) is my strength."

“Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken..."
Isaiah 17:1-2

"Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons
more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of
all the offerings of Israel My people?"
1 Samuel 2:29

"This shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them. Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind."
1 Samuel 2:34-35

"There is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops."
Luke 12:2-3

"Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon."
Isaiah 55:6-7