Discernment is very important and verses are not to be taken out of a larger context. 515-2 - 16 - 1

Discernment is very important and verses are not to be taken out of a larger context.

Psalm 82:6, “I have said, Ye are gods (H430); and all of you are children of the most High.” 

H430, gods, gods in the ordinary sense; here specifically used in the plural thus, deference to magistrates.

Psalm 82:7, “But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” 

As an aside, the Mormon teaching of Eternal Progression, that a man can become a god, contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture that God has no beginning or end and that there is only one God. Psalm 90:2, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. “

Joseph Smith is often credited with the quotation "As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become," however, it is not found in “The Book of Mormon.” Nevertheless, this profession of faith is found in other declarations including “Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.” [Doctrine and Covenants 132:20]

I researched this Doctrine of Eternal Progression which is promoted through the twisting of specific scriptures such as John 10:34, “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?” Jesus was quoting Psalm 82:6, “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.” They were called gods not because they were divine, rather because they represented God when they judged the people.

Digging a little deeper into Psalm 82:7, “But ye shall die like men, and fall (naphal) like one of the princes (sar).” The Hebrew verb naphal that is translated as "to fall" carries many meanings including cast down, cease, die. In this context, it means to die. The Hebrew noun masculine sar that is translated as "princes" means a ruler of some kind such as an official, captain or prince.

There is an implied warning to those who would abuse their authority through malfeasance while in office. One year of law school taught me the difference between malfeasance and nonfeasance in tort law. Malfeasance is an affirmative (intentional) act that is illegal or wrongful. A nonfeasance is a failure to act that is not intentional. Malfeasance carries a greater punishment.

Reading between the lines, have those in authority been guilty of graft, of corruption. Have the rich have been rewarded while the poor have been oppressed. Has someone put a thumb on the scales of justice? Now why do the names Clinton, Obama and Soros come to mind?

“Though exalted to heaven in privilege, they shall be cast down in punishment. The fact that God calls them gods and children of the Most High does not grant them immunity from judgment. They will be subject to the same treatment as other men, and fall like one of the princes. Actually, the degree of their punishment will be greater because of their greater privilege.”

[Believer’s Bible Commentary]

Again, discernment is important when searching scripture. Also, judges/ politicans, don't abuse your authority.

Reflections on Psalm 73 515-2 - 15 - 1

This is where I was more than a week ago, forming an answer to DQ#1.

Psalm 73:3, “For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. “Why does it seem evil is often rewarded?

Several Psalms deal with this including Psalm 37:1-2, “31 A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.” And Psalm 101:8, “I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.” 

And of course, there is the judgment found in The Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16:25, “But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.” 

And now, perhaps it's the fact that I've been sick for more than a week and very lethargic that I've watched two favorite miniseries rather than getting my Psalms' homework done. These two miniseries are Peter and Paul starring Robert Foxworth and Sir Anthony Hopkins and Jesus of Nazareth starring then 26-year-old English actor Robert Powell.

The miniseries Jesus of Nazareth left out several important events including the slitting of the Veil in the temple when Jesus said, “It is finished” and died. That said, many important quotes were included such as:

Caiaphas stating, “Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” John 11:50.

Jesus said to Pilate, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” To which “Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.” John 18:38.

As CM has said many times, Jesus was in control. “Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.” John 19:11. 

John 19:14, “And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!” Some translations quote Pilate as saying, “behold the man.”

So, what does this have to do with Psalms? Psalm 69:9, “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me”. Mark 11:17, “And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.” Here Robert Powell was very believable in his role as Jesus.

However, the mini-series failed to bring out the unhappy childhood as found in Psalm 69. No hint of Jesus being tainted by illegitimacy or the rejection from his siblings, “I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.” Psalm 69:8 

Not made clear was His pain of rejection by His Father as Jesus was sin for us and a righteous God cannot look upon sin. Nevertheless, the ridicule of the crowd while on the cross detailed in Psalm 22 is brought out by the movie.

Quite a transition, from evil being punished to the purity of Jesus being the propitiation for all the sin that ever was or is or will be, the free gift of justification for those of us who choose to follow Jesus.

Psalm 80, from defeat to the Second Coming 515-2 - 15 - 6

Psalm 80:1, “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubim, shine forth." 

The Shepherd of Israel is a name of God enthroned between the cherubim on the mercy seat. Israel would sin and come under judgment, repent, and be reconciled with God the Shepherd and sin again. Finally the Shekinah Glory was removed from Solomon’s Temple.

Ezekiel 10:18, "Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim." Ezekiel, 11:22-23, “Then did the cherubim’s lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city."

When studying Ezekiel, I could nearly feel the sadness and disappointment of God as he withdrew his Shekinah Glory from his chosen people.

Israel again pleads for forgiveness and restoration. Psalm 80:3, "Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved." 

Psalm 80:12-13, “12 Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? 13 The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.” So, is Psalm 80 prophetic of the fall of the Northern Kingdom, the Babylon captivity, the abomination of desolation and victory of the Maccabees, the destruction of the temple by the Romans in 70 AD or the abomination of desolation during mid-tribulation?

Psalm 80:14-15, “14 Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; 15 And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.”

A transition from Israel to the Messiah, Psalm 80:16-17, “16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance. 17, Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.”

Israel was scattered, nevertheless, God would bring they back home; the State of Israel May 14, 1948 . Ezekiel 34:11, “For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.”

Ezekiel 34:1213, “12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.”

Psalm 80:18-19, “18 So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. 19 Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.”  

Then the Messiah, Ezekiel 34:23, “And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.”

Psalm 71, lots of ground covered in this Psalm 515-2 - 14 - 3

Psalm 71 deals with King David’s faith in God as his rock (foretelling of Jesus) and fortress, his very habitation, then to the coming son of perdition, the remnant escaping to Petra, through completing his tasks before aging overtakes him to judgment on his enemies.

Psalm 71:3, “Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.” 

Habitation, H4583, an abode, of God (the Tabernacle or the Temple), men (their home) or animals (their lair); hence a retreat (asylum): dwelling place.

Psalm 71:4, “Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.”

Perhaps a bit of a stretch, the Antichrist? If so, could the rock and fortress from verse 3 be Petra in addition to Jesus being our rock. 

Psalm 71:24, “My tongue also shall talk (H1897) of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded (H954), for they are brought unto shame (H2659), that seek my hurt.”

Talk, H1897, to murmur (in pleasure or anger); by implication to ponder: - imagine, meditate, mourn, mutter, roar, sore, speak, study, talk, utter.

Confounded, H954, properly to pale, that is, by implication to be ashamed; to be disappointed, or delayed: cause to be confounded.

Shame, H2659, to blush; figuratively to be ashamed, disappointed; causatively to shame, reproach: - be ashamed, be confounded, be brought to confusion (unto shame), come (be put to) shame, bring reproach.

Although Psalm 71 is not listed as an Imprecatory Psalms, those that invoke judgment, calamity, or curses, upon one's enemies or those perceived as the enemies of God, to me verse 24 speaks to it. The Imprecatory Psalms include Psalms 6, 12, 35, 37, 58,59, 69, 79, 83, 109, 139, and 140. Note Psalm 35:4.

Psalm 35:4, “Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.”

An interesting commentary concerning Psalms 71:24 somewhat follows my inclusion of Psalm 71 as imprecatory:

“Talk of thy righteousness - The righteousness of God is frequently used in this Psalm, and in other places, to signify his justice, judgments, faithfulness, truth, mercy, etc. There are few words of more general import in the Bible.

They are confounded - The counsel of Ahithophel is confounded, and turned to foolishness, and he was so ashamed that he went and hanged himself. As to the vain and wicked Absalom, he met with the fate that he had meditated against his father. Though not yet done, David sees all these things as actually accomplished; for he had got a Divine assurance that God would bring them to pass.”

[Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible]

In my opinion, Psalm 71 is a far-reaching Psalm that covers lots of ground. That said, as usual I likely strayed outside the box.

Psalm 69, insight into the childhood of Jesus and more 515-2 - 14 - 1

Psalm 69 not only deals with the crucifixion, it provides insight into the childhood of Jesus. Jesus was considered illegitimate by many and possible mentally defective by his siblings. I can nearly feel his emotional pain of rejection as He cries out in verses 8 and 10.

Psalm 69:4, “They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.” 

How very difficult to understand the hatred directed at Jesus by the very people He came to offer eternal life. Jesus was without sin but as our propitiation, He justified us before God.

Psalm 69:5, “O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.” 

Jesus was sinless but as the lamb of God He took on the sins of the world.

Psalm 69:6, “Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.”

Jesus prayed that His death would not be an obstacle to His believers. Except for John, all disciples deserted Him while on the cross, nevertheless, after the resurrection the disciples boldly proclaimed the Good News.

Psalm 69:8, “I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.” Psalm 69:10, “When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.”

Jesus siblings likely rejected and ridiculed Him. And then the resurrection, must have been a big oops as James and Jude wrote two books of the Bible.

Psalm 69:9, “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.” Prophetic of John 2:17, “And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”

“When His disciples saw what was happening, they were reminded of Psalm 69:9 where it was predicted that when the Messiah came, He would be utterly consumed with a zeal for the things of God. Now they saw Jesus manifesting an intense determination that the worship of God should be pure, and they realized that this was the One of whom the Psalmist had spoken.”

[Believer’s Bible Commentary]

Psalm 69:12, “They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.”

 The men who sat at the gate of the city would be like today’s city council members. They would speculate as to who was the father of Jesus and the town drunks would make up vulgar songs.

Psalm 69:21, “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” John 19:28-30, “28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” 

Psalm 51 and 62, Jesus the Rock! 515-2 - 13 - 1

King David likely wrote these Psalms during Absalom’s rebellion. Absalom and his rebels seemed to consider King David to be a tottering fence to be cast down. Just as King David placed his reliance on the rock we/ I can in these days as we “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12.

Psalm 61:2-4, “2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. 4 I will abide in thy tabernacle forever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.” 

Psalm 62:5-7, “5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. 7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.”

Rock is referenced 26 times in the Book of Psalms and in 17 chapters many with messianic overtones. Just two examples, Psalm 18:2, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” and Psalm 18:31, “For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?”

Also in Isaiah 32:1-2, “1 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. 2 And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.”

The Man, Jesus who will provide shelter and refreshing Living water.

Exodus 17:6, “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.” Jesus, our living water. Later Moses was to speak to another rock, instead he struck it twice. Strong’s H5553 includes rock as a fortress or a stronghold. Here this rock is a type of Jesus, our fortress, our stronghold, and the provider of Living Water. Striking the rock, a harbinger of the crucifixion of Jesus?

To me the message of Psalms 61 and 62 is the foretelling of our Messiah, Jesus, the only true refuge in which I can trust.

Psalm 65, verse 8, most interesting 515-2 - 13 - 4

Is Psalm 65:8 a foretelling of America? We are a primarily a Gentile nation half a world removed from Israel.

Psalm 65:8, “They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.”

Psalm 2:8, “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen (H1471) for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts (H657) of the earth for thy possession.” In the Millennium, God has promised Jesus that all the earth will submit to His authority, and His rule will extend from shore to shore.

H1471, a foreign nation; hence a Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

H657, an end (especially of the earth); no further

America afraid of God’s tokens? “Thy tokens - Terrible thunders and lightnings, and earthquakes, and comets or other strange meteors, or works of God in the air. Morning - The successive courses of the morning and evening; or of the sun and moon which go forth at those times. Thus, the whole verse speaks of the natural works of God, the former clause, of such as are extraordinary and terrible, the latter of such as are ordinary and delightful.”

[John Wesley’s Notes on the Bible]

Is it too late for the USA? Ezekiel 14:12-14, “The word of the Lord came to me: 13 “Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals, 14 even if these three men—Noah, Daniel[a] and Job—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Jeremiah 15:1, “Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.”

Is America a factor in the Last Days? One possible verse pertaining to the United States is Ezekiel 39: 6, “And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the Lord.” Although less hopeful every day, I’m praying for a great revival taking place in the United States and most of the population being raptured. Perhaps the United States will simply decline as a world power. Is the United states decimated in a nuclear attack? What of a failure of our electric grid due to either an enemy EMP attack or a solar event, God's token?

Are we in America the ones “that dwell in the uttermost parts” and are we afraid at God’s tokens?

Psalm 58, as in the days of King David, so it is today 515-1 - 12 - 3

Our God Who Judges the Earth Judges the Judges. Today we have a warrior of the type of Jehu fighting to overcome the scheming not only of the left but also the RINOs and the Elite.

Psalm 58:1-2, “1 Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? 2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.”

Daily falsehoods are made against those attempting to bring positive change to our country. Also, calls are made to violence with the result of domestic terrorists. Surely judgment will fall on these reprobates’ judges (politicians).

Psalm 58:3, “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.”

Even more condemning is Isaiah 48:8, “Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb. “ 

Psalm 58:4-5, “4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; 5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.”

James 3:8, “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly (unrestrained) evil, full of deadly poison.“ Again falsehoods come naturally to the unrighteous.

Psalm 58:6-9, “6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions (H3715), O LORD. 7 Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces. 8 As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun. 9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.” 

H3715, a village (as covered in by walls); also a young lion (perhaps as covered with a mane): - (young) lion, village. Break their teeth, destroy them?

To melt away is to disappear, be cast away, refuse, reject, also, is reprobate, utterly, vile person. Sudden death, die prematurely and never see the sun.

Arrows cut in pieces, possibly “blunt and harmless,” [Bible Believer’s Commentary]

Psalm 58:10-11, “10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. 11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.”

Needs no further comment, however, similar to Psalm 68:23, “That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.” A foretelling of the fate of Jezebel in 2 Kings?

Come quickly Lord Jesus.

What about man’s suggestions versus God’s ways? 515-1 - 12 - 6

The Emerging Church and Postmodernism

"The postmodern person rejects the biblical absolutes that there is an immutable God, that God is sovereign, and that the only way to salvation is through the blood sacrifice of Jesus.  Therefore, the Christian and the postmodern person often do not have sufficient common ground to allow proper dialogue on spiritual matters.

The postmodern person might ask if there is any such thing as truth and whether or not truth can be known either experientially or rationally.  The modernist would say, "Of course there is absolute truth!  Asking if truth can be known is an absolute question!"

[https://carm.org/emerging-church-postmodernism]

Postmodernism welcomes a softer, gentler emerging church that follows man’s way rather than God’s way:

• Rejects the notion of Universal Truth, something recognized as true

• It asserts its own truths about the Universe

• Constant never-ending change

I recently finished The Book of Judges Part 1, a little too close to home here in the United States. CM stated that we are living in a period like that described in the Book of Judges and made the following points:

1. There is no king in Israel.

2. People are doing what is right in their own eyes.

3. God’s people can’t seem to work together.

4. People are in bondage to their various enemies.

1. There is no king in Israel:

In my opinion, the United States had an absentee, narcissistic, selfie picture taking president for eight long years. We now have a very involved and proactive POTUS. Sadly, the establishment RINOs and the Democratic Party are fighting him.

2. People are doing what is right in their own eyes:

Early in his presidency Obama started his denigration of law enforcement by saying a policeman acted stupidly. Under Obama Domestic terrorists group like black lives matter materialized.

3. God’s people can’t seem to work together:

This too often is the case, nevertheless, in the election of 2016 we Christians worked together and, in my opinion, prayed Donald Trump into office. We continue to pray for the president, his family, and his administration.

4. People are in bondage to their various enemies:

After president Trump won the election in 2016 it was like liberal America collectively lost its mine. The liberals were/ are in bondage to free stuff. Former President Bush referred to the bigotry of low expectations, code for Jesse Jackson and his ilk to keep people in bondage.

In recent years we in the United States have had warnings or “shakings” to quote Messianic Rabbi Jonathon Cain. There are voices “crying in the wilderness” that is present day America, however, are people listening? Rather most are doing “what is right in their own minds,” filling their inherent spiritual gap with the untampered (H8602) mortar of sinful behavior.

H8602, to smear; plaster or slime; frivolity: - foolish things, unsavoury, untempered.

As with the Northern Kingdom has the United States lost her hedge of protection? Is there a gap? God tells Ezekiel that there is nothing and no one to stand in the “gap” that Israel has made in her wall of protection. Who/ what should have been “gap” fillers? Who/ what fills the gap for us today?

With thanks to the Blue Letter Bible website:

1) breach, gap, bursting forth

a) bursting forth, outburst

b) breach

c) broken wall

d) outburst (fig. of God's wrath)

Lessons learned, we BACs must be more proactive and stand in the gap while there is (pray-fully) still time.

Psalm 55, an imprecatory prayer? 515-1 - 11 - 4

Full disclosure, normally I don’t feel this anger, this need for imprecatory prayer, nevertheless, given the events of little more than a month:

Nov. 5, 2017 a shooter was stopped by an armed civilian after killing 26 in a Texas church. His goal was to kill all 50 plus church members.

About a week earlier eight people were killed when a suspect said to have yelled "Allahu Akbar" ran over them with a rental truck in New York.

Oct. 1, 2017 58 people killed and more than 500 wounded during outdoor music festival on the Las Vegas Strip.

CM didn’t classify Psalm 55 as an imprecatory prayer, however, there are reference to it as such. IMO, verses 15 and 23 fit the bill.

What is imprecatory prayer?

Answer: First of all, let’s define imprecatory prayer. To imprecate means “to invoke evil upon or curse” one’s enemies. King David, the psalmist most associated with imprecatory verses such as Psalm 55:15, 69:28, and 109:8, often used phrases like, “may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them” (Psalm 35:6) and “O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD!” (Psalm 58:6).

[https://www.gotquestions.org/imprecatory-prayer.html]

Psalm 55:15, “Let death seize (H3451) upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.”

H3451, desolation: let death seize, to lie waste

Psalm 55:23, “But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction (H7845): bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half (H2673) their days; but I will trust in thee.” 

Destruction, H7845, from H7743; a pit, a trap, corruption, destruction, ditch, grave, pit. H7845, A primitive root; to sink, literally or figuratively: bow down, incline, humble.

Half, H2673, to cut or split in two; to halve: - divide, live out half, reach to the midst, part.

Devin Patrick Kelley, the church shooter was only 26, not even half a normal life-time. The truck driver survived and asked for an ISIS flag while in Bellevue Hospital. The Las Vegas shooter is dead either by suicide or “suicide by cop.”

Evil is becoming increasingly pervasive as members of the left and the Soros, Clinton, and Obama minions such as Antifa continue to fester like an inflamed boil after the election of Donald Trump as POTUS.

Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” 

I’m still praying that the election of Donald Trump as POTUS will reverse the downward spiral of our country. Although Obama accelerated the decline, we started downhill when God was thrown out of schools and more than 50 million unborn babies were sacrificed on the altar of convenience. More time is needed to bring many more into the Kingdom.

My your views concerning the future of Israel. What is this heresy called Replacement Theology? 515-1 - 11 - 5

Genesis 17:7-8. “7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” 

The Bible clearly shows that this was an unconditional and eternal covenant and God passed this covenant on to Abraham's son Isaac and his grandson Jacob and each time the covenant was renewed, it included their descendants, the Jewish people.

God is not through with Israel, however, Jesus held the Israeli responsible for not knowing the time of their visitation. It is as if scales have covered their eyes and they are blinded to Jesus as Messiah. Luke 19:42, “Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.” 

This blindness is not forever and does not negate God’s covenants with Israel. Ezekiel 37 and the “Valley of dry bones” is prophetic of the restoration of the unbelieving Israel that occurred in the 20th Century. However, Ezekiel 36:22, “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name.” God cannot abandon Israel without breaking His Holy Word. God will protect the Jews as prophesized in both Ezekiel 38 and Psalm 83.

During the tribulation many Jews will be killed by the antichrist and his minions, nevertheless, a remnant will escape to Petra. According to Zechariah, the remnant “shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son.” Th the scales will drop from their eyes and they will be brought into the Kingdom.

Those church leaders with a weak Hermeneutics claim that the Everlasting Covenant God made with Israel has passed to the church though Replacement Theology. Sadly, Replacement Theology is likely the majority view and includes:

1. Israel forfeited her promises when she rejected her Messiah

2. The promises to Abraham passed to the Church

3. All the Old Testament covenants were conditional

Replacement theology is a heresy and so is demanding that Israel give up her God given land. Israel has little land today about 1/10 of 1% of the land mass of her neighbors. And yet Israel is under great pressure to give up land. Every time Israel gives up land rather than peace it brings her enemies’ rocket launchers closer to their cities. It also brings the curse of Genesis 12:3 upon those seeking to divide God’s land.

The relevancy of Jephthah’s four arguments today 508-1 - 7 - 1

Jephthah’s four arguments

Argument 1. The facts of history:

The Promised Land

“Jews have lived in this land continuously from the time of its original conquest by Joshua more than 3200 years ago until the present day, though Jews were not always in political control of the land, and Jews were not always the majority of the land's population.”

[http://www.jewfaq.org/israel.htm]

The above website has very interesting history of Israel and ends with:

“This page barely scratches the surface of all there is to say about Israel and Zionism. There are entire sites devoted to these subjects. Here are a few that are worth checking out:

Virtual Jerusalem is a great place to start your search for information about Israel. The site is based in Israel, and has lots of useful information, including Israeli news, travel information, information about making aliyah, and lots of great links.” Also suggested was Theodor Herzl's The Jewish State.

With thanks to Wikipedia, “Aliyah is the immigration of Jews from the diaspora to the Land of Israel. Also defined as "the act of going up"—that is, towards Jerusalem—"making Aliyah" by moving to the Land of Israel is one of the most basic tenets of Zionism.”

Argument 2. The land grant from the Lord

“And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” (Genesis 17:7-8).

CM pointed out that God made seven “I will” statements in the Abrahamic Covenant, the first four of which apply to Israel:

1) And I will make of thee a great nation.

2) And I will bless thee

3) And make thy name great

4) And thou shalt be a blessing

Argument 3. Three centuries of occupation:

Refer to argument 1, The Promised Land

Argument 4. They were fighting against God:

Again, I refer to the videos, “Against All Odds.”

As CM pointed out the remaining three “I will” statements made by God in the Abrahamic Covenant statements deal will those who bless or curse Israel:

5) And I will bless them that bless thee

6) And curse him that curseth thee

7) And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Every world power that has controlled and/ or occupied the land of Israel has become a former world power, or has lost power, such as Rome and Britain. After the eight years of the Obama administration America has lost much of our position as a world power. Thankfully we now have a POTUS far more supportive of Israel. Now if we would just move our embassy to Jerusalem.

God has used me in unlikely situations 508-1 - 7 - 5

In the early 1980s I was living across the bay from San Francisco and would often spend my summer weekends tent camping in the Sierras. After a stressful week at work to be able to withdraw into the womb of creation was very uplifting. During one of these weekends in the Sierras I had the opportunity to witness to hundreds of thousands via the Today Show on NBC.

There was a classical music festival held for several weekends in Bear Valley, California. The Today crew was there to recorded interviews and music which they distilled down to a four-minute segment from three hours “in the can.” The crew wanted to talk to a tent camper who came to attend the concerts and no RV campers. Since it seemed that I was the only tent camper attending the festival I was chosen to be interviewed.

During a very short interview at my camp site I was asked if the Sierras were an appropriate place for a concert. I can still remember looking at the man interviewing me like he had two heads and saying something like “What better place, this is God's Cathedral.” I wonder if NBC would allow my reference to God’s Cathedral to be aired today.

Full disclosure, now I’m years past sleeping on the ground in a tent and much prefer a comfortable bed in my camper van.

I’ve maintained a blog for several years, https://sallycp-inthebeginninggod.blogspot.com/. Page-views were slow in coming but are picking up. Not a great impact, however, the viewership is world-wide.

Oct 5, 2017 – Nov 3, 2017 Stats for top 10 countries

Entry                           Page-views

United States             355

Russia                        351

Germany                     42

China                           30

Kenya                          18

Portugal                      18

France                         16

Ukraine                       14

Canada                         9

United Kingdom          6

I pray I never miss an opportunity to witness because I was/ am inattentive or timid.

1 John 1:9 vs the Name it and claim it televangelists 515-1 - 10 - 6

1 John 1:8-9, “8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Mark 8:34, “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

This call to the people to “deny himself, and take up his cross” is not a great marketing tool. However, it keeps us on the narrow path that leads to life. Matthew 7:14, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Sadly, there are the money oriented “Name it and Claim it” prosperity televangelists leading people down the wide path that leads to destruction.

Joel Osteen pastors the Lakewood Church mega-church in Houston, Texas which seats over 30,000 congregants. Estimated millions watch him on television and he has written several best-selling books. Joel has a problem with the word sin and is, in my opinion, a motivational speaker. This is counter to 1 John 1:10, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

The church in Laodicea is comparable to these mega-churches of today that preach the gospel of name it and claim it to members of the “me” generation. It is a lukewarm church, neither hot nor cold. Jesus said, “I will vomit you out of My mouth.” I’ve shared this video before, however, it is still relevant:

“Demons Work - Live In Church!” is a montage of televangelist hustle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsxcaG4Myyk&list=RDIsxcaG4Myyk

There are televangelists such as Dr. David Jeremiah who hold to the Word of God.  In his book I Never Thought I'd See the Day: Culture at the Crossroads. He writes "It never occurred to me that the Bible could be marginalized and even vilified publicly as it is today."

As a born-again Christian I’m an ambassador for Christ and it is incumbent on me to share the Word. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The lesson here is once more to stay focused on the Word as the absolute authority, Sola scriptura.

Psalm 49, it's not about money 515-1 - 10 - 1

Psalm 49:6-9, “6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; 7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: 8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth forever:) 9 That he should still live forever, and not see corruption.”

When asked what a rich man left behind his lawyer said, “Everything.” Add to that, no U-Haul trailer followed the hearse to the cemetery. No amount of works or of wealth will provide salvation either for the wealthy or for their friends and/ or family, Ephesians 2:8-9, “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Jesus was and is our propitiation and through grace we are justified before God. Once justified on to sanctification, Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” 

There is no redemption for those who reject this gift of grace, Ephesians 5:5, “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”

180 degrees from grace is The Roman Catholic Church and their doctrine of works (money). 1 Individual Mass “Offering” is $10.00 and a Novena of nine Masses “Offering” is $90.00.

Johann Tetzel, 1465 – 11 August 1519, was a German Dominican friar and preacher. “In addition, he was a Grand Inquisitor of Heresy to Poland, and later became the Grand Commissioner for indulgences in Germany. Tetzel was known for granting indulgences on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church in exchange for money, which allow a remission of temporal punishment due to sin, the guilt of which has been forgiven, a position heavily challenged by Martin Luther. This contributed in part to the Reformation.”

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Tetzel]

Johann Tetzel rightly or wrongly is credited with the quote, "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs."

On a personal note, after my mother’s conversion to Catholicism at the age of 90 I often reminded her of her early Christian upbringing. Although mom never owned up to it, I believe that her conversion to Catholicism was because her friends were Catholics and would make sure that she got to church.

When my mother was dying I was appalled when well-meaning friends gave her a scapular to hold in her hand as she passed over. It is my understanding that on the first Saturday after death a Roman Catholic saint will liberation one from purgatory if that person is buried with a scapular. My mom in purgatory, really!

Mom loved Lynda Randel’s Gospel music. Although mom was unresponsive, I played Lynda’s CDs for her during her last two nights on earth. She calmly passed the next day.

Paul couldn’t have made any plainer. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"

Jotham's curse, no. rather a watchman 508-1 - 6 - 2

Rather than uttering a curse like Jotham, I often feel like a watchman on the wall. God had this to say to Ezekiel in Chapter 33:1-9.

“In this chapter, Ezekiel is compared to a watchman. If he warns the people faithfully, but they do not hear, then they will be responsible for their own destruction. If he fails to warn the people, and they perish, God will require their blood at the watchman's hand.

God held Ezekiel responsible for the house of Israel. The question arises for every believer: For whom will God hold us responsible? To whom shall we witness? Whom shall we warn? Our relatives, fellow workers, neighbors, friends? It is a solemn responsibility, and we do harm to our own soul if we do not fulfill it faithfully.”

[Believer’s Bible Commentary]

Decades ago I collected 90% silver coins in an early attempt as a prepper. The price of silver spot was going up and I could buy very little and sadly a few rolls of coins were stolen. Far more dependable protection in this increasing dangerous world is found in The Book of Ephesians. That said, as a watchman I’m compelled to again warn of a clear and present danger being mostly ignored by the federal government.

There are threats to our electric power grid are posed by cyber-attack, sabotage, a geomagnetic super-storm, and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from the high-altitude detonation of a nuclear weapon. Hardening our grid is possible and at a reasonable cost, nevertheless, little to no action by our government.

What can I do as a watchman warning of the clear and present danger of an EMP? A major concern is to protect the teachings I purchased over the years from KI.  I have all of CM’s Bible teachings and most of his other teachings on flash drives packed in Faraday pouches as well as a solar charger and an audio Bible that is charged by solar plus a very small computer. These would be very helpful with small Bible study groups should our grid be taken down. 

As a watchman, I need to be better educated concerning EMPs and to be vocal. Warning of the dangers of an EMP is rather like the man carrying a sign, “Repent, the end is near.” Not unlike studying the Bible and being a witness for Jesus.

 

The leadership of Abimelech is evident in the world today 508-1 - 6 - 1

Here I again revisited Rabbi Jonathan Cahn’s book from 2011, “The Harbinger: The Ancient Mystery that Holds the Secret of America's Future.” When the Assyrians attacked the Northern Kingdom, Israel, it was “a shaking” that they ignored just as 911 was a shaking for America. Israel was later conquered and dispersed never to be regathered. Did we in America ignore our shaking?

Although the terrorist attack of 911 did not destroy the United States, it had at initial effect like the bombing of Pearl Harbor, it woke up a sleeping giant, the citizens of the United States. People came together, and many gathered in churches to pray for our country. As with Israel, our leaders didn’t repent, rather boasting that we would rebuild even better. It didn’t take long for any move towards repentance to cease to exist on the part of America. 

After 911 then POTUS Bush referred to Islam as a religion of peace, really. Instead of going after Saudi Arabia, home of most of the 911 terrorists, we attacked Iraq, a country where terrorists were pretty much controlled by a ruthless dictator. The claim was made that there were WMD in Iraq which were not found, however, it’s my long-held opinion they were taken to Syria. A possible second possible reason for going after Iraq, did President Bush perhaps still held a grudge against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein for a plot to assassinate Bush Sr. years before.

THE BUSH ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

“The United States sent various personnel to Kuwait to investigate the alleged assassination attempt. Based on interviews of the alleged co-conspirators, forensic examinations of the explosive devices, and intelligence reports, the United States Government concluded that Iraq was behind the attempted car bombing. In response, on June 26, 1993, President Clinton ordered a cruise missile strike against an Iraqi Intelligence Service (IIS) building in Baghdad. A Kuwaiti court later convicted all but one of the defendants charged with crimes arising from the assassination attempt.”

[ https://oig.justice.gov/special/9704a/05bush2.htm]

The Bush Jr. years brought destruction to some terrorists, however, not with a millstone to the head. Then during the Obama years ISIS grew to become the threat it is today. President Trump is our Cyrus, our Jehu who must prevail against both external and internal threats. I often pray for the safety of President Trump, his family, and his administration.

I also pray for revival in America, a return to God while there is still time. The Northern Kingdom was dispersed and assimilated into other lands. Judah also fell more than a century later but never lost their allegiance to their covenant land. Nevertheless, the fate of Judah should be a lesson to America, an America that seems to have forgotten/ ignored the shaking of 911. God told the prophet Jeremiah, “Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.” Jeremiah 7:16.

With God no fears 508-1 - 5 - 2

BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER by SIMON & GARFUNKEL

“Paul Simon wrote this about providing comfort to a person in need. It started as a modest gospel hymn but became more dramatic as he put it together. Speaking in the documentary The Making of Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon said, "I have no idea where it came from. It came all of the sudden. It was one of the most shocking moments in my songwriting career. I remember thinking, 'This is considerably better than I usually write."

[http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=247]

God is my bridge over troubled water. I know God is with me, it’s that quiet assurance deep within me. I feel a pull on my heart for the many who are without faith. This would be a frightening world if not for the absolute knowing that I’m covered by the blood of Jesus.

Antifa, part of a shadow government here in the United States, has just “announced that they’re planning to purge every single Trump voter.” Oops, that includes me. Thankfully I have God, God who must be laughing as in Psalm 2. Psalm 2:1, “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?”  Psalm 2:4, “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” 

So, November 4th should be an interesting day. I plan to stay at my remote off-the-power-grid summer home in Arizona until the middle of November. This is not out of fear of this fringe group, rather to avoid any possible road blocks as I return to "civilization." Lots of activities planned by Antifa in California and my winter home is less than 20 miles from the Arizona/ California border.

So as the heathens rage on November 4, I will be still and know that God is in control. Recently I wrote on this verse for another KI class, Psalms Part 1. Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is/ will be exalted among the heathen. Our being included in God's plan was planned from the very foundations of time. Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

Psalm 46:11, “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Interesting that here the Israel patriarch is referred to as Jacob, not Israel. Jacob means heel catcher, that is, supplanter. Inclusive of Gentiles not as a supplanter to Israel, rather included as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Yes, God is with us! Our Bridge over Troubled Water.