NOTES ON THE GREAT INTERLUDE: CANNY WISDOM REQUIRED FOR THE TRANSITION FROM ELECTION TO ENDORSEMENT 2026-2027 (WITH VIDEO)

1. THEOLOGY

JESUS WARNS. “Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves; be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent (harmless, guileless, and without falsity) as doves. BE ON GUARD against men [whose way or nature is to act in opposition to God]; for they will deliver you up to councils and flog you in their synagogues.” – MATTHEW 10:16-17, AMP

KEY TERM: “BE ON GUARD!” ‘Prosechó’ [προσέχετε]: “Pay close attention to, be cautious about, have sober regard for.” NOTE: “προσέχω centers on deliberate, continuing attentiveness. Whether translated ‘pay attention,’ ‘beware,’ ‘devote,’ or ‘take heed,’ it always demands an active, focused response rather than casual notice. The verb addresses the Mind (Understanding Truth), the Heart (Cherishing Truth), and the Will (Acting on Truth).” DK:At its very root, beloved, it is a most emphatic and exceptional CALL TO VIGILANCE.

QUOTATION. “‘Child, use your brain. Think on your feet.’ Being polite and reserved is how we were raised, but we learned the hard way that the rest of the world isn’t that way. I’ve perceived from conversation that you comprehend such things, like that swordplay with whatsit … that Titmouse, or whatever his name was. In other words, child, ‘Propriety has its place, but don’t let your guard down. IN REAL LIFE, you never know who the Plagers of Intrigue really are, or what they stand for.’” ― KRISTEN BRITAIN, Green Rider, 1998; edited

COMMENTARY. “When Jesus told the Twelve to be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves, He laid down a GENERAL PRINCIPLE about the technique of Kingdom Work. As we take the Gospel to a hostile world, we must be WISE (avoiding the snares set for us), and we must be INNOCENT (serving the Lord blamelessly). Jesus was not suggesting that we stoop to Deception but that we should model some of the Serpent’s famous Shrewdness in a positive way. ‘Wisdom does not equal Dishonesty, and Innocence does not equal Gullibility.’

Let us consider JESUS as exemplar: ‘The Lord was known as a Gentle Person.’ Indeed, Scripture testifies that He would not even quench a smoking flax (Matthew 12:20). ‘But was He ALWAYS (and only) Gentle? No!’ When the occasion demanded it, He took whip in hand and chased the moneychangers out of the temple (John 2:15). Jesus’ extraordinarily rare action, seen in light of His usual mien, demonstrates the power of using a combination of tools. This ‘Dove-like’ Man of Innocence spoke Loudly and Clearly with His Assertiveness in the Temple’ [God’s House!].

‘In His more typical moments, Jesus showed that He was as Wise as a serpent in the way He taught.’  He knew enough to ‘Discern’ the differences in His audiences (a critical skill), He used the Story-Telling technique to both feed and weed (Matthew 13:10–13), and He refused to be caught in the many traps that His enemies laid for Him (Mark 8:11; 10:2; 12:13) …

The Apostle Paul also modeled the ‘Wise as serpents, Harmless as doves”’ technique. Paul lived in Dove-like Innocence in good conscience before God (Acts 23:1) and learned to deny his carnal desires so as not to jeopardize his ministry (1 Corinthians 9:27). But Paul also displayed Serpent-like Shrewdness when he needed it. He knew his legal rights and used the legal system to his advantage (Acts 16:37; 22:25; 25:11). He also carefully crafted his speeches to maximize the impact on his audience (Acts 17:22–23; 23:6–8).

In Matthew 10:16, Jesus taught us how to optimize our Gospel-spreading opportunities. ‘Successful Christian living requires that we strike the optimal BALANCE between the Dove and the Serpent.’ We should strive to be Gentle without being pushovers, and we must be Sacrificial without being taken advantage of. We are aware of the unscrupulous tactics used by the Enemy, but we take the High Road. Peter admonishes us, ‘Live such good lives among the Pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us’ (1 Peter 2:12).” – EDITORS, Got Questions, ret. Nov. 5, 2026; edited

II. TEACHING: THE SONS OF ISSACHAR

“Of the tribe of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, two hundred chiefs; and all their relatives were at their command.” – 1 CHRONICLES 12:32, AMP

INTRODUCTION. “According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Issachar (Hebrew: יִשָּׂשכָר/יִשְׂשָׂכָר, Modern: Yīssaḵar) was one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel and one of the Ten Lost Tribes. ‘In Jewish tradition, the descendants of Issachar were seen as being dominated by religious scholars and influential in proselytism’ The sons of Issachar, ancestors of the tribe, were Tola, Phuvah, Job and Shimron …

1 Chronicles 7:1–5 lists the generations of the tribe of Issachar, totaling 87,000 ‘Mighty Men of Valour.’ 1 Chronicles 12:32 describes the Tribe as ‘Men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.’ W. E. Barnes, writing in the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges argues that ‘Times’ are ‘Opportunities.’ and the phrase means, therefore, ‘Men of experience, having knowledge of the world.’ The Tribe of Issachar and the Tribe of Simeon are the only tribes that have not been criticized for failing to complete the conquest of their land in the Land of Canaan at the beginning of the Book of Judges. – Wikipedia, Sep. 14, 2026; edited

APPLICATION. Kevin Drendel has written extensively about Donald Trump and the biblical concept of the “Sons of Issachar” (derived from 1 Chronicles 12:32, referencing “men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do”).His core arguments across his articles—including his viral piece “Who Were the Sons of Issachar?” and his follow-ups—revolve around several key themes. – KEVIN GRENDEL, “Be Like the Sons of Issachar Who Understood the Times,” Navigating by Faith, Dec. 29, 2025; edited

• The “Sons of Issachar” Buzzword: Drendel notes that during Trump’s campaigns, the phrase “Sons of Issachar” became a buzzword in Charismatic and Evangelical circles. It was used by Trump supporters to imply they had an inside track on what God was doing, arguing that just as the Sons of Issachar rallied around King David, modern Christians needed to rally around Trump.

• The Comparison to King David: Drendel strongly challenges this interpretation. Instead of comparing Trump to King David, Drendel compares Trump to King Saul—a self-absorbed, power-driven leader. He posits that just as ancient Israel demanded an earthly king like other nations and rejected God, modern Christians sought earthly, political power by backing Trump.

• True Spiritual Discernment: He argues that true “Sons of Issachar” wouldn’t jump to default political conclusions or unproven conspiracies. Instead of seeking political control through worldly leaders, he asserts that: ‘Believers should focus on understanding the times by aligning with Jesus Christ and his Eternal Kingdom.’

• Kingdom Focus over Political Might: ‘Drendel warns Christians against compromising their faith for political survival,’ writing that God’s kingdom is inherited through meekness and righteousness rather than earthly might or political dominance.

III. TODAYS SONS ISSACHAR

“Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless the APOSTASY comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians], and the MAN OF LAWLESSNESS is revealed, the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed], who opposes and exalts himself [so proudly and so insolently] above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he [actually enters and] takes his seat in the temple of God, publicly proclaiming that he himself is God.” – 2 THESSALONIANS 2:3-4, AMP

• DK NOTE. ‘The Great Apostasy’ prophesied by both Jesus and Paul (cf. Matthew 24:12; 1 Timothy 4:1) is occurring in tidal proportion right now, at least in the United States of America (see documentation below). Therefore, this passage means that: (1) Apostasy comes first; then (2) The Revelation of Antichrist. This crucial doctrinal point is most often the excuse for why the Evangelical Church defends Trump, since they presume Spiritual Innocence; WE are not “fallen away,” but rather the tiny Minority who see him as Antichrist are!

• THEOLOGICAL CAVEAT. But only the TRUE CHURCH, the Remnant, will be able to ‘SEE’ who that is since they are the only ones who consistently stand outside of the Falling Away. Jesus said: “But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Matthew 13:16-17). Even here, Christ was warning of the great dangers of: ‘MOST believers would be Deluded in the Last Days.’

FIRST FACTS. ‘There is no mainstream movement or leading White Evangelical figure who officially or formally declares Donald Trump to be the Antichrist.’ The vast majority of White Evangelical Protestants still strongly support Trump. ‘Post-Election Polls indicate that roughly [83%] view him favorably or as a leader favored by Providence.’  Instead, claims or discussions linking Trump to the Antichrist come from a few distinct, NON-MAINSTREAM SOURCES. – Adapted from AI Overview, ret. Nov. 5, 2026; edited

THE FEW. While a massive Majority of White Evangelical Christians have historically supported Donald Trump, a distinct ‘Minority’ of Evangelical figures, theologians, and writers have explicitly opposed him. Within this opposition, ‘only some’ have openly evaluated whether Trump fulfills the Biblical or theological archetype of the Antichrist.

• Matthew Fox: A progressive theologian and former Catholic priest who wrote the comprehensive book Trump & the MAGA Movement as Antichrist: Recognizing the Archetype of Evil in Our Time (released in 2024 and updated for the 2026 midterms). Fox uses historical Christian archetypes to argue that Trump’s political movement ‘Mirrors’ the Biblical description of the Antichrist.

• Dan Foster: A Christian writer and commentator for Backyard Church who published an essay titled “Is Donald Trump the Antichrist? I Didn’t Think So … Until Now.” While avoiding a definitive declaration, Foster details how Trump’s behaviors, truth distortions, and the god-like devotion he receives from followers map directly onto biblical warnings regarding an “antichrist spirit.”

• Nathaniel Manderson: An Evangelical-trained pastor and writer who has authored columns explicitly comparing Trump’s actions, rhetoric, and demands for absolute loyalty to the ‘Biblical Warnings’ concerning the Antichrist.

• Chris Hedges: A Presbyterian minister and journalist who has frequently drawn parallels between Christian Nationalism, the political rise of Trump, and Biblical warnings about ‘Deceptive spiritual forces and false messiahs.’

• Others. In addition to the ones I listed in my previous Commentary on Wednesday November 4, 2026 (“Notes on the Eve of Destruction”), here a few more names that qualify as solid Never-Trumps in apocalyptic-like terms: Amy Hawk, Matthew Pridgen, Adam Bowles, Melissa Dalton-Bradford, Tucker Carlson, Monte Mader, Aaron Parnas, and a growing number of others.

ONLY THREE. But after a thorough scouring of the Internet via several search engines, I could only locate Three prominent Christian commentators who come straight out and call Donald Trump ‘THE BIBLICAL ANTICHRIST. If I have missed someone you know of as a public voice against ‘Trump the Antichrist,’ then please let us know of them, with a link to their posts.

• BROTHER JAMES KEY (Pre-Tribulation). The official Brother James Key YouTube channel is a Christian ministry channel featuring Bible prophecy teachings, sermons, and short videos. His channel has around 25.9K subscribers and over 114 videos focused on faith, last-days Bible prophecy, and Christian messages (such as “Glory to God Videos” and End-Time event discussions). He has been on-air longer than the others, consistently referring to Donald J. Trump as the Biblical Antichrist.

• BROTHER PAUL: (Post-Tribulation). Brother Paul runs the Online Project and YouTube Channel ‘Bible Prophecy with Brother Paul’ (also known as ‘Antichrist 45’). Core Premise: The Project centers on Biblical Prophecy teachings that compare and identify U.S. President as Antichrist. The Channel has built a following of over 65,000 subscribers and features hundreds of videos breaking down Biblical verses (such as Daniel, 2 Thessalonians, and Revelation) in relation to current political and social figures.

• DR. CLIFF KELLY (Pre-Wrath). Former university professor, author, and vlogger specializing in something called “Political Eschatology: The fusion of theology with cultural and geopolitical analysis.”Ph.D. is from Bowling Green State University (Philosophy and Social Theory, 1972), who began referring to Donald J. Trump as the Biblical Antichrist in his second book, The Sixth Seal II: A Pre-Wrath Redux on the Rise of Donald Trump and the Decline of the American Order, 2017-2121 (2024). He publishes bi-weekly Commentary (Wed. & Sat.) on several platforms including: YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and on his Substack and Website.

DK NOTE. Since, so far as I can tell, we are “Only Three” declaring Trump to be the Biblical Antichrist in a visible and consistent manner, I sincerely as for PRAYER for each of us.

Without overstating what is obvious, we are under sustained opposition from at least TWO FOES: (1) Satan, of course, who wages daily warfare against our broadcasts to force us off the air; (2) The Church, sadly enough. More specifically, the White Evangelical Protestants (83%) and a good portion of White Catholics (56%).

IV. THE IMPLICATIONS

“They fell down and worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; they also worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like (as great as) the beast, and who is able to wage war against him?’”  – REVELATION 13:4, AMP

PREMISE. Based on over a decade of some of the most intense research I’ve ever conducted, here are The American Numbers: 70,000,000 White Evangelicals. Only around 7% of whom have a Biblical Worldview, according to Barna, Pew, and other surveys, giving us about 3,500,000 Genuine Christians. And that does not account for the remaining 250,000,000 Americans who have a split vote on the Trump matter.

Footnote: Of that 7%, or 3,500,000 faithful Christians, only A Fraction of those believe Donald Trump is actually ‘The’ Antichrist. Not even countable by my Internet search for this Commentary. Thus, JESUS SAID:

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For MANY are called (invited and summoned), but FEW are chosen.” – MATTHEW 22:11-14, AMP

FINAL PREPARATION. With all this in mind, beloved, we turn to a thoughtful essay by ERIC H.H. CHANG, pastor and founder of a sect called, “Christian Disciples of Christ.” He was an extremely well educated Bible scholar but held official degrees from university, and published a ranging theological opus book in 2023 from which this Summary is derived, Antichrist Arch-Deceiver: His Character, His Nature, His Ways.

We move immediately to his THREE MAIN POINTS in relation to the necessity of being prepared to deal with ‘The Antichrist,’ rather than just a very evil man, Donald Trump.  That crucial point is not lost on me as we watch the seemingly unstoppable Deconstruction of the American Constitutional Order – the recent Blue Wave Midterm elections notwithstanding.

OPEN: THE COMING OF WINTER. “‘Why am I speaking about the Antichrist to Christians? It is because those who are not prepared for Winter will not survive.’ I speak of winter as a citizen of Canada where the winter can be dreadful. I am not speaking of the winter in Hong Kong where it can be cold at times, but is still bearable. But the Canadian winter is not just an issue of comfort but a matter of survival. Many people in Canada put a thermometer outside the window of their homes to read the outdoor temperature, which can be -18 or -20 degrees Celsius in winter. Do you know how cold -20 C is? When the wind is blowing in your face, you also have to take into account something called the windchill factor. Those who live in warm countries might not know what it is. If it is -20C and you have a 40 kph wind blowing at you, you will be facing a windchill temperature of -34 C. The stronger the wind, the colder you will feel, even if you are wearing a heavy coat. ‘It is life-threatening to those who are Unprepared.’”

1. THE GREATEST THREATS COME FROM WITHIN THE CHURCH. “There are Three Things to observe regarding the Dangers and Threats to the Church. First, the greatest threats do not come from outside the church but from within the Church. ‘The Antichrist, the Man of Sin, will be a prominent Christian teacher [or dominant force] from within the Church, though he will also have political influence.’ Of the greatest concern to us is the fact that the Antichrist will be a capable church leader.”
2. MOST CHRISTIANS ARE EASILY DECEIVED. “‘The Second frightening observation is that most Christians are gullible and ill-equipped to deal with falsehood.’ They cannot see through a lie, or discern false teaching as to whether it is biblically correct or not. It frightens me that it is easy to mislead Christians, even educated Christians, long-time Christians, or theologically trained Christians. ‘They are so Gullible that the Antichrist will have a walkover.’ How will you defend yourself against the clever and erudite learning of the Antichrist? You will be like a ‘SHEEP LED TO SLAUGHTER!’ I can at any time hold a meeting in which I will defend in your presence a doctrine that you and I know to be false, and will challenge you to break my arguments. I have demonstrated this on a few occasions with the training teams, in which I defended, using Scripture, a false doctrine that they and I know to be false. Even though I was one man against the whole team, they could not break my defense … ‘The problem was that they could not tell where I had misused the Scriptures.’”
3. BEWARE OF RELIGIOUS LEGALISM. “‘The Third thing I want to warn you about is this: If you are not walk­ing in a living relationship with God, your life will go deeper and deeper into Religious Legalism. There are only TWO POSSIBILITIES: Either you truly KN0W God, or you are like a non-Christian who does NOT KNOW God.’ Many professing Christians do not know God, and they are stumbling blocks who cause the Non-Christians to say, ‘These Christians are no different from me.’ And they are right. ‘Such Christians are not any different because they are every bit under the bondage of sin as anyone else.’”

THE ONE WAY. “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

that I may KNOW HIM and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” – PHILIPPIANS 3:7-11, NKJV

THE BOTTOM LINE. “‘Nothing else in life mattered to Paul!’ He was willing to lose every earthly possession and pursuit for the sake of intimately knowing Christ (Philippians 3:7). He considered ‘everything else worthless,’ labeling it ‘garbage’ compared to ‘the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.’ His Supreme Objective was to ‘Gain Christ!’ (Philippians 3:8). ‘For Paul, to experience a relationship with Jesus in this way meant sharing in the FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS, even if that meant Death.’” – EDITORS, Got Questions, ret. Nov. 6, 2026; edited

Do you hear Him, beloved? How there is only One Way to Gain Christ and it is the Way of Dietrich Bonhoeffer again in his classic, The Cost of Discipleship(1937):

“When God calls a man, he bids him COME AND DIE.”

CHRIST’S TRUE CALL. Is fundamentally, even violently, Contrary to the insidious, manifestly materialist American Gospel, beloved. Therefore does He lovingly and loudly call us OUT, ‘Out of this bestial, corrupted Babylon,’ to come INTO His intimate presence.

Only there does the Gray Wolf find his defeat. ‘At precisely that place, where the Gentle Lamb becomes the very Lion of Judah! And what could possibly be more magnificent than that?’ 

MEDIA

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/OjiimS1-B2w