Monthly Archives: July 2014

Bible, Israel, Politics

The origin of Blue Laws

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15 In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. 16 Also men of Tyre were living [k]there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. 17 Then I [l]reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, [m]by profaning the sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath.”

19 It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut [n]and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day. 20 Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21 Then I [o]warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will [p]use force against you.” From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.

-Nehemiah 13 NASB

So not only did the people of Israel not work on the sabbath, but they realized that they should not enable others (even unbelievers) to work on the sabbath.  In fact, they threatened them with force if they showed up at the city trying to sell on the sabbath.  This is very interesting indeed.

Bible

Better Late than Never

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Sometimes people question the proverb “better late than never,” causing them to think that there is no point in doing things once they are past their scheduled time.  King Hezekiah in 2Chronicles 30 give us a concrete instance that obedience should come now, despite being late.  Even though they had missed the passover feast when he became king, Hezekiah decided to celebrate passover a month late.  They didn’t even have enough priests consecrated at the time.

” For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month, 3 since they could not celebrate it at that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem.”

Not everyone was pleased with this proclamation, but as usual, the remnant was responsive.

“So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.”

The nation was in such apostasy, that even the priests were unprepared

“And the priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the Lord”

Yet, they followed the spirit of the law anyway, and the LORD honored their hearts.

“For a multitude of the people, even many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than [i]prescribed. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon 19 everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” 20 So the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. ”

What was the result of their obedience (even if it was late, and partial)?  The celebrated the feast  WITH GREAT JOY for the prescribed 7 days, then WITH JOY for another 7 days (going even beyond the commandment!).  Their great joy spread to all Jerusalem, and it was the best thing since the days of Solomon, “and their voice was heard and their prayer came to His holy dwelling place, to heaven.”  This is awesome!   The next chapter goes on to say that the people were so obedient with their tithes that there were PILES of leftovers!  When LORDs people respond properly, there is enough for everyone’s needs, and abundance more to share!

So how to we apply this?  When we see something wrong in our lives, take action immediately, even if it is past the time we were supposed to do it.  Do the best we can to obey, and cry mercy to the God of heaven, who sees our hearts.  After we obey, let us obey in double portion, according to our hearts, and not our obligation, for the LORD will hear our prayers and honor our seeking after him. Let us then be extremely thankful for His response, and bring our tithes and offerings with the same abundance that He provides for us.  Is the LORD convicting your lack of obedience today? If so, please do not hesitate to jump in with your whole heart.  He will not disappoint.

 

Bible

State Religion or Death

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When I was in school, I was taught that the Catholics during Constantine forced people to ‘convert or die’.  Prior to them, the Ottoman empire certainly had this practice.  What I wasn’t told is that this goes back thousands of years, to the time of the Jews.

2Chr 15:12 They entered into the covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and soul; 13 and whoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.

Oddly, they were not scolded for this behavior, but instead “the LORD gave them rest on every side.”  It did not last however, and king Asa himself bought some peace, and was given the scolding “Because you have relied on the king of Aram and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Aram has escaped out of your hand. ….Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars“.  Even in his personal life he continued in error “Asa became diseased in his feet. His disease was severe, yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians.”

My theory here is that forced conversions don’t always stick, since once the pressure is off, people naturally return to their own carnal ways.  John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Bible, Politics

Abandoning the Law of the LORD

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 2 Chr 12 tell us “After Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the Lord.”  Although I believe the promises in chapter 7 were made directly to Israel, and not America, I believe that the principles are clear.  Our present day version of this is that “After the POTUS was established and he had become strong, he and all the United States abandoned the law of the LORD.”  Just like Judah was punished by the Egyptians, we are being plundered now by corrupt politicians and big business.  The cause is the same 14 “He did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.”  So what is our course of action?  Look back at verse 7 ‘When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves so I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some measure of deliverance, and My wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by means of Shishak”‘  Those of us who know the LORD, and the scriptures, it is our responsibility to return to the law of the LORD, and to seek Him.  May we do our part.

Evil

This exposes the utter bankruptcy of racism

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Here’s a nice “in your face” to Hitler (69 years late) Perfect Aryan baby was JEWISH

Today’s most virulent and dangerous racists are not the Archie-bunker types of yesteryear, but rather the Democrats, who categorize EVERYONE into groups such as black, white, Hispanic, Asian, etc. not to help them, but rather to divide and conquer and pit them as a “victimized minority” against everyone else using demagoguery.

Racism was and is encouraged by Darwin’s philosophy. Members of other “races” have historically been dehumanized on the basis of representing a “less evolved” population. While the Democrats are the ones constantly pointing the finger at everyone else and labeling them as racists, historically it has been the Democrat party that advocated slavery based on race, devised the Jim Crow laws, comprised the membership of the KKK in the twenties and opposed the civil rights movement. The fact that today’s Democrat party has somehow gotten people to believe the opposite is a testament to their devious craftiness and an indictment of general voter intelligence. 67% of Democrats believe in human evolution, and 43% of Republicans (these must be the RINOS).

Does it bother anyone besides me that the State and Federal government TO THIS VERY DAY prominently includes questions of “race” on census forms, birth certificates, and many other government applications. And then they accuse us citizens of being racist! You prove yourself a racist when you force someone to categorize themselves in that way on a government form. The Feds are hypocrites. They have no problem discriminating (for and against) people on the basis of race, but make it illegal for private citizens to do the same.

God doesn’t look at people in groups. He looks at them as individuals. Every individual is fully unique and uniquely precious to Him. To define any person as a member of a group is to despise and devalue his God-given human individuality.

To a demagogue (this epithet applies equally to Democrats and Republican establishment types), you’re only useful and valuable to the extent that you help him secure his place at the top of the food chain. Every demagogue wants to make you feel like you are important, but always as a member of a group such as “the middle class” or “women” or “African Americans” or “the poor” or “gays”. Every demagogue wants to demonize certain groups such as “the rich”, or “whites” or “men”. Their entire strategy is alternately portraying so-called “minority groups” (group being defined however they decide) as victims or perpetrators as a means of whipping up the emotions of those whose vote they want to control. Of course, in my humble opinion, any person who is swayed by a demagogue has proved himself a simpleton who is both unworthy of casting a vote and deserving of the tyranny that every demagogue seeks to impose.