NOTES ON THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT COMING TO AMERICA: GOD’S FINAL WARNING TO A REBELLIOUS HOUSE – PART II

PART II: “THE TEN CURSES”

SCRIPTURE. “But it shall come about, if you do not listen to and obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today, then all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.” – DEUTERONOMY 28:15, AMP

CURSES. From the Hebrew, ‘Qelalah’ [קלָלָה]: “Imprecation, execration, vilification; reviling, a reproach; malediction; to become a curse or accursed; the opposition of blessing, the lowering to a lesser state; to become small, despised or insignificant; to be brought into contempt.”

QUOTATIONS

“Your god, sir, is the World. In my eyes, you, too, if not an infidel, are an Idolater. I conceive that you ignorantly worship: In all things you appear to me too superstitious. Sir, your god, your great Bel, your fish-tailed Dagon, rises before me as a demon. You, and such as you, have raised him to a Throne, put on him a Crown, given him a Sceptre. Behold how hideously he governs!” – CHARLOTTE BRONTË, ‘Shirley,’ 1849; edited

“The Judgment of Yahweh is not only on the Egyptians but also on their Deities. This is probably an allusion to the fact that Egyptians would often pray for the safety of their firstborn, particularly firstborn sons, as was the custom in many ancient patriarchal cultures. The death of the firstborn would be seen as a sign of the anger or perhaps the impotence of their Gods…Yahweh is showing His superiority over the spirits behind the Pagan Deities, and thus we should not overlook the Supernatural Struggle that is implied to be behind the contest of wills between Moses and Pharaoh.” – BEN WITHERINGTON, ‘Making a Meal of It: Rethinking the Theology of the Lord’s Supper,’ 2007; edited

“In a society in which Idolatry runs rampant, a Church that is not Iconoclastic is a travesty. If it is not against the Idols it is with them.” – HERBERT SCHLOSSBERG, ‘Idols for Destruction: The Conflict of Christian Faith and American Culture,’ 1993; edited

ICONOCLASTIC. “Criticizing or attacking cherished beliefs or institution; Iconoclast comes to us by way of Medieval Latin from Middle Greek ‘eikonoklastēs,’ which joins ‘eikōn’ with a form of the word ‘klan,’ meaning 

‘To break.’ Iconoclast literally means ‘Image Destroyer.’”

Selah. Selah.

1. FIRST THOUGHTS

When Yahweh delivered the Two Tablets of stone to Moses at Sinai that Day of days, writ by His own finger, it is noteworthy to recall His very First Command: 

“I am the Lord your God, Who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before or besides Me.” – cf. EXODUS 20:2-3; DEUTERONOMY 9:10

THE GREAT AMERICAN BETRAYAL. Of all that our Nation and her Church have done in the last Century and more to renounce and betray the God of our Founding, it is that we have Replaced Him with other Deities. And what are some of America’s favorite Idols today? 

DR. DANIEL PASSINI, calling himself an “asymmetric theologian” (love that), offers us an excellent list of the “Eight Most Popular Idols in America,” as of November 27, 2017. 

ICONS VS. IDOLS. Dr. Passini offers this practical distinction between these two terms that are often confused. “‘Idols’ point to themselves, and remove the glory from God. ‘Icons’ on the other hand, point past themselves to something greater. An Icon uses its popularity to point others to God. This goes for both ‘Sacred’ and ‘Secular’ things. Icons are signifiers pointing to the Signified…When you get to the heart of any sin, it is Idolatry. We have loved that sin more than we have loved God.”

Now to work: We give you, Eight of America’s favorite Idols for Soon Destruction.

1. IDOL OF FALSE DEITIES. “While the majority of the population in the United States identifies as Christian in some sense (Protestant, Evangelical, Catholic, or other Christian), there are other religions present in miniscule percentages within the borders of the US. Step past our shores though, and in many countries you will find the complete opposite of these statistics. Under the Teaching of the Bible, God alone, ‘El Elyon,’ The Lord Most High, is the one true God. Not all paths, or religions, lead to God as some would believe. The only path to heaven is through Jesus Christ. The God of Heaven provides open relationship with mankind through belief and fellowship in Jesus Christ. Any mixing of ideologies, religions, or theologies with this Teaching is called ‘Syncretism,’ [joining the Sacred and the Profane] and this is a dangerous and slippery slope.”

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” – JOHN 14:6

2. IDOL OF SELF. “With the abundance of attention available through likes, loves, and followers, many have elevated themselves like Lucifer did. Their addiction to Attention has focused their eyes upon themselves, rather than upon the Lord. There is no place for the Self-life in the throne room of God…The Call of Christ remains the same as it did 2000 years ago. Deny the self, and focus on God and focus on others. Paul gives us the ol’ one, two, punch with his words in his Letter to the Philippians…The only reason to love yourself, is to see the love God has for you, so you can lavish it on others. But you do not focus on yourself. You act as an Icon to point past yourself to Christ. You point people to Him, through the love he has shown you. ‘In reality, as Christ followers, we are called to live in obscurity.”’

“And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it’…Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” – LUKE 9:23-24; PHILIPPIANS 2:3-4

3. IDOL OF TECHNOLOGY. “Technology is a beautiful thing. It continues to progress at exponential speeds, and there are many amazing (and scary) innovations that lay ahead. Trust me, my doctoral dissertation is focusing on emerging technologies. Technology is one of those arenas that can quickly move from Icon to Idol. There is no doubt that Technology can and does produce immeasurable good; but it how often do you see someone ‘have to have’ the latest smart phone, most high-end mac book, or the biggest and greatest LED tv? How many times do you check to make sure your phone is with you when you go somewhere, even to the other room? Our smart phones could be considered the New Idols of Ephesus. I would venture to bet many would be more upset if their phone were stolen, than their wallet. Now we are even looking to Technology to save us. There are teams of people working to find ways to upload your brain and consciousness to a computer. Ray Kurzweil sees this happening by 2045. We want to immortalize ourselves through the use of technology. We are idolizing Technology to save the Self.” 

“And the Lord said, ‘Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.’” – GENESIS 11:6

4. IDOL OF SOCIAL MEDIA. “Social Media has [sic] overtaken the lives of most of the population. How many times do you check your streams over and over for another new notification? Trust me, I am just as guilty on this one. I go through periods of deleting Social Media from my phone because I know it gets to be addictive. A quick Google search reveals that people, on average, spend nearly two hours a day on Social Media. For some this number is even higher. The pleasure you get from positive notifications in your Social Media feed create the same dopamine response in your brain as any other addiction. The problem comes when the affection for faux connection turns to Idolatry. Social Media is [sic] more isolating than connecting. It segregates us to our separate quarters, destroying flesh and blood community, under the false pretense that we are still connected.”

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” – 1 CORINTHIANS 6:12

5. IDOL OF STATUS. “The Idolization of Status is the aspiration that once you reach this position at work, or have this many followers on social media, or you live in that neighborhood and drive that car, then you will have made it. When those Status symbols are both the end goal, and the driving force behind your life they have become an Idol. We all desire to be known. We want to be loved and accepted. The Idol of Status causes us to seek being known from our position in this world, rather than seeking to be known by the Holy One, or even worse, rather than seeking to know the Holy One. The honest Truth is that some people should not be known. The platform and influence goes to their head, and they make themselves, and their Status an Idol in which everything else in their life bows to. The purpose of Status, Platform, and Influence are not for the attention to Self, but for the advancement of the Kingdom. For the Jesus follower, your Status should only make you an Icon, rather than an Idol. Status should point past yourself to something, nay, Someone greater.”

“Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being…For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” – 1 CORINTHIANS 10:24; JAMES 3;16

6. IDOL OF MATERIALISM/CONSUMERISM. “Modern America is infested with a Spirit of Consumerism, also known as Materialism. This is the mindset and continual pursuit of material goods. It is the continual accumulation of worldly possessions. When is enough, enough?…The Gospel calls us learn the art of Contentment. We have to find our satisfaction in Christ, and Him alone. We have to be content to know Him as God, as friend, and as our source. We’ve got to know that even though the things of this world will pass, He will never leave us nor forsake us. Paul reminds us in Timothy that godliness can lead to gain, but it is not the main goal. If you only serve God because of what you can get out of it you will be left wanting. We don’t serve God because of what he can give us. We serve God because of who He is, and what He has already done for us through His son Jesus Christ…Throughout most of the New Testament we actually see the reverse of Materialism. Instead of collecting and hording possessions, most of the NT exemplifies giving away possessions, or selling them for the benefit of others.”

“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.” – 1 TIMOTHY 6:6-7

7. IDOL OF MONEY. “While the Idol of Money can go hand in hand with Materialism and Consumerism, it does not mean it always will. Many times the end goal of the pursuit of money is the purchase of worldly goods. There are others who will seek out the accumulation of Money, just for the sake of having a big number in the bank account. Family, friends, and relationships of all sorts are sacrificed on the altar of Money…To be ruled by the pursuit of Money is referred to in the NT as the Worship of Mammon (Matt. 6:24). Mammon is the spirit that overtakes the pursuit of Money, and finances that are not submitted to the Spirit of God…Money is not evil, but it is the Roots of all kinds of evil. Money cannot save us, but one of Mammon’s grandest illusions is getting us to trust in Money rather than God. This is the Root of all kinds of evil.”

“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income…But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” – ECCLESIASTES 5:10; 1 TIMOTHY 6:9-10

8. IDOL OF CELEBRITIES. “America rides on the waves of Hollywood cinematic adventures and the Actors who portray the various roles within them. These Celebrities cover newsstands, headlines, and have social media followings out the ying-yang. We Idolize these Celebrities by constantly seeking to mimic their dress, follow their every move, and drooling over their bodies. We mourn and publicize their deaths more than a brother or sister in Christ. They have become the Aphrodities of the 21^st centuries. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard men and women lustfully discuss these Celebrities. Many times those words were coming from self-proclaiming Jesus followers. While Jesus often had ministry, healings, and teachings in public, He regularly stood against the idea of being a Celebrity. He often told people He healed in private not to tell others He did it. At one point when the rich young ruler approached Jesus and called him ‘good teacher,’ Jesus stopped him in his tracks. The man was trying to compliment Jesus and elevate him to Celebrity status, but He would have none of it. Even though Jesus was the Incarnation of God, He wanted all the glory to be on God. In a Celebrity driven culture, influential Jesus followers have to become Icons rather than Celebrity Idols. The struggle comes when the fame and influence grow. The flesh will attempt to rise up and subvert the glory of God.”

“He must increase, but I must decrease. [He must grow more prominent; I must grow less so.] – JOHN 3:30, AMPC

IN SUM. Dr. Passini Concludes: “There are a plethora of Idols that plague the cultural landscape of America. These eight are simply a sampling of the most prolific ones that are present. God hates Idolatry, and these eight are among them. These things can be Icons or Idols. They can point to themselves and remove the glory from God, or they can be Icons that point past themselves to One who is greater.”

2. OUR IDOLATROUS AMERICA

Based on this, and just personal, everyday observation (channel cruise from lowest to highest channels at home for a shocking glimpse of who we are), I submit that America is indeed Overwhelmed by Idolatry. And it has seeped and soaked its way straight into our Churches and Pulpits.

Call it, ‘Christianity of The American Dream.’

And God has had a bellyful, beloved, for at least 120 years. He’s done with it – and unless we in the Church Repent first, He shall soon be done with the United States of America forever. Forever.

Selah.

WHY GOD MUST JUDGE AMERICA. In a rather sanitized yet comprehensive study to address this Existential Question, RALPH DROLLINGER, American clergyman, retired basketball player and leader of the White House Bible Study Group, nonetheless offers some useful perspective on this important matter. – “Is God Judging America Today?” March 20, 2020

After reviewing Five Forms of God’s Judgments – Eternal Wrath (Hell); Eschatological Wrath (The Day of the Lord); Cataclysmic Wrath (The Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah); Forsaking Wrath (Removal of Restraint); and Consequential Wrath (Sowing and Reaping), Drollinger proposes that America is currently undergoing: 

‘FORSAKING WRATH. That is, the people of God have forgotten Him, and gone instead a whoring in foreign vineyards. – cf. Isaiah 17:10

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,  because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Professing to be wise, they became fools.” – ROMANS 18:18-22, NKJV

IN SUM. Americans have over the last 120 years or so, Concluded that they could do a better job of governing themselves than can the God of Creation and His Principles. In so doing, they not only Rejected the Wisdom of the Founders, who relied on the collective brilliance of a thousand years of Christian Common Law Tradition, but they have Rejected God Himself.

And then, they pretty much did what the Israelites did in the Desert at Sinai:

“Now when Aaron saw the molten calf, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation, and said, ‘Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord!’ So they got up early the next day and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; then the people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play [shamefully—without moral restraint].” – EXODUS 32:5-6, AMP

THE AMERICAN DESIRE TO ‘PLAY.’ As I have argued for several years now, Americans love to ‘Be Entertained,’ just like the Israelites at Sinai, as Neil Postman

presciently observed in his book, ‘Amusing Ourselves to Death’ (1985). As with, especially, their Obsession with Sports.

As one article laments the near Death of perhaps America’s most powerful Idol of all: SPORTS.

“The effects of COVID-19 continue to flow through the world’s health, educational, financial, and commercial institutions, and the sports ecosystem is no different. Matches and competitions are being cancelled or postponed, disrupting governing bodies, organisers, teams and athletes — as well as the non-stop live sports content we have come to expect. Owners, broadcasters, and sponsors are trying to navigate the impacts and implications of event cancellations and modifications.” – ‘Deloitte,’ May 7, 2020; edited

I have also argued that Americans have Devolved in what American jurist Robert Bork once described as our historic ‘Slouch Toward Gomorrah’ (1996), at first gradually, and then more forcefully since the Year 1900, having now come Full Term at Year 2020, based on The Noahic Template leading up to The Flood.

“Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit shall not strive and remain with man forever, because he is indeed flesh [sinful, corrupt—given over to sensual appetites]; nevertheless his days shall yet be a hundred and twenty years.” – GENESIS 6:3, AMP

AS WITH NOAH. You will also recall here that just before the Return of the Son of Man, He prophesied that it would be just like in Noah’s Day.

“For the coming of the Son of Man (the Messiah) will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the [very] day when Noah entered the ark,  and they did not know or understand until the flood came and swept them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be [unexpected judgment].” – MATTHEW 24:37-39, AMP

And so here we are, beloved, Standing at The Brink.

3. THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT

Whether I am correct or not, I am strongly impressed that America and the vast majority of her Church become, in addition to all that the preceding Indictment, like unto An Egyptian Pharaoh:

“But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, making it strong and obstinate, and he did not listen to them or heed them, just as the Lord had told Moses.” – EXODUS 9:12, AMPC

Which is to say, by the time God had sent the Sixth Plague of Boils, (Exodus 9:8-12), Pharaoh “steeled himself further…The more Pharaoh hardened his heart, the more it became Judicially hardened by God.” – WILLIAM MACDONALD, ‘Believer’s Bible Commentary,’ 1995, pp. 95-96; edited

So has America’s Heart become ‘Judicially hardened’ by our Historic Choices in the past Century and more, As our God now has no other choice but to enter into Her Final Judgments – Even those of Egypt.

TO THIS POINT. In a single phrase used 24 times in the Scriptures, God is Judging America, the World and the Church for this single, searing Reason:

“Thus says the Lord, ‘By this you shall know and recognize and acknowledge that I am the Lord.’” – EXODUS 7:17, AMP 

Which is its proper turn implicates Two Purposes: (1) To Declare in no uncertain terms that Almighty God is in full control of these Events; and (2) To give final opportunity for Repentance, and a withholding of the Judgments altogether, or at least their postponement, as with Nineveh. – cf. Jonah 3:6-10

THE PLAGUES. Conservative political journalist JOSEPH CURL, who writes for ‘The Washington Times,’ offers this somewhat anecdotal yet provocative consideration of Early Evidence that The Plagues of Egypt may well be on their way to the World, to America, and to the Church – for all the reasons reviewed thus far. – “Is COVID-19 Bringing the Bible’s 10 Great Plagues,” ‘Gateway Pundit,’ May 6, 2020; edited

His Thesis: COVID-19 is God’s First Salvo, serving as ‘Trigger’ for The Plagues.

Consider What follows, therefore, as HARBINGERS, if you will, TEN PRECURSORS or Early Warnings (as in Birth Pains) of what shall Come to America and the World more fully and violently, should we move more deeply into the dark canyons of God’s Judgments. – With this Proviso: 

America is to Judged First, and most Severely. And here’s why.

“But he who did not know and did things worthy of a beating shall be beaten with few [lashes]. For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required; and of him to whom men entrust much, they will require and demand all the more.” – LUKE 12:48, AMPC

Selah.

We turn to what might properly be considered God’s Merciful Harbingers of what will come in full, Later, should we Choose to be ‘Left’ here to experience them. 

1. WATERS BECOME BLOOD. “Lake Meke in Turkey’s central Konya province has dried up and the few remaining puddles in the lakebed have turned red due to the microorganisms present. In Naro-Fominsk, Russia, the Gvozdnya River also turned red after an unknown spillage. ‘One online comment said pollution had caused a “blood river” at the location, some 50 miles southwest of Moscow,” Britain’s Daily Star wrote. Want more? A lake in the Mexican village of Chichimequillas suddenly turned bright pink. Officials say it might be a combination of sodium, unusual bacteria and gunpowder chemicals, but obviously, it’s Plague 1 of the Bible. Closer to home, Lake Salubria (which means ‘good health’) in Bath, New York, also recently turned red.” – Exodus 7:14-25

2. FROGS. “In the English town of Chesterfield, frogs are frightening people by emerging through sinks and drains — and sometimes just lurking on the sides of toilet bowls. In Florida, toxic toads are invading homeowners’ yards. Cane toads ooze a milky, toxic substance called bufotoxin, deadly to cats and dogs if they bite or lick the giant toads. The toxin is also dangerous for humans, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. ‘When we all open our front door, it’s not 100 — you’re talking thousands of these little baby frogs,’ Palm Beach Gardens resident Carollyn Rice told TV station WPTV- 5.” – Exodus 8:1-15

3. LICE & GNATS. “A few months ago, a lice infestation hit Washington State University in Pullman, east of Seattle. Lice also popped up in a public school system in Quincy, Massachusetts. As for gnats, yeah, they’re here, too. ‘Outbreak of biting gnats, black flies in Baton Rouge,’ said a recent headline from WBRZ-TV. ‘Unfortunately, they can’t be controlled with the spraying of insecticides designed to control mosquitoes,’ according to a statement from the East Baton Rouge Parish Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control Center.” – Exodus 8:16-1

4. WILD BEASTS. “Rabbis have interpreted the word for the Fourth Plague — ‘Arov’ — to mean either wild animals, hornets or mosquitoes. Let’s jump right to hornets. Giant hornets were spotted for the first time in America in December — another gift from Asia, like the coronavirus. The hornets kill upwards of 50 people in China and Japan each year, and they also attack honeybees, which pollinate the fruits and vegetables we eat. Scientists fear the hornets, like the stink bugs that emerged in the U.S. several years ago, will soon sweep the nation (again, like the coronavirus). The Bible also says hordes of wild animals were roving all over the country. And with humans hunkered down, they are. ‘Animals have started taking advantage of cities as they enter lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic. From New Delhi, India, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, groups of animals including deer and lemurs have started to come out to explore — in search of food or just to play,’ The Guardian wrote. ‘Pigs Are Taking Over the Streets of Paris,’ said another headline.” – Exodus 8:20-31

5. PESTILENCE. “‘The hand of the Lord will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field,’ says Plague 5. ‘COVID-19 may force farmers to kill, throw away livestock,’ the Detroit Free Press wrote this month. “Lost demand with the closure or significant slowdown of restaurants, and COVID-19 outbreaks at meat packing plants nationwide, where employees work closely together, have slowed meat processing to a trickle,” the article said. ‘Millions of farm animals culled as U.S. food supply chain chokes up,’ writes The Guardian. ‘Covid-related slaughterhouse shutdowns in the U.S. are leading to fears of meat shortages and price rises, while farmers are being forced to consider “depopulating” their animals,’ the piece said.” – Exodus 9:1-7

6. BOILS. “‘Festering boils will break out on men and animals throughout the land,’ says Plague 6. That hasn’t happened yet. So perhaps, something to look forward to.” – Exodus 9:8-12

7. HAIL. “‘At this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt,” says Plague 7. ‘Large Hailstorm Hits Northeast of Wichita, KS,’ said one report. ‘Storm dumps hail deep enough to plow in Augusta County’ in Virginia, said another. ‘Marionville, Mo. orchard damaged by Sunday’s hailstorm,’ said a third. That’s a Twofer — hail and pestilence. ‘Tennis ball size hail hits areas of Northwest Arkansas early Monday,’ said a fourth. So, we got hail.” – Exodus 9:13-35

8. LOCUSTS. “‘Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow,’ says Plague 8. ‘They’re back: Trillions of locusts descend on East Africa in second wave,’ The Washington Post reported on Tuesday. ‘Two new generations of locusts are set to descend on East Africa again — 400 times stronger,’ QZ.com reported. So, big check mark for locusts.” – Exodus 10:1-20

9. DARKNESS. “‘Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days,’ Plague 9 says. That hasn’t happened, but then Exodus says: ‘No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days.’ Well, we’ve all been hunkered down for weeks or months, so this one is kinda’ happening. And there have been power outages amid the lock down. ‘Residents deal with power outage on top of COVID-19 isolation,’ ABC-7 in California wrote last month. ‘COVID-19 Threatens Outages Scheduled at 97% of U.S. Nuclear Sites in 2020,’ PowerMag wrote last month. ‘We know that nuclear power plant operation and continued electricity is critical to powering our hospitals and keeping the lights on in our homes and emergency centers.’” – Exodus 10:21-29

10. DEATH OF THE FIRSTBORN. “Finally, some good news. This one hasn’t happened so far, but the Mayo Clinic says, ‘Although rare, children under age 1 (infants) are at higher risk of severe illness with COVID-19. This is likely due to their immature immune systems and smaller airways, which make them more likely to develop breathing issues with respiratory virus infections.’ But aren’t the elderly really our ‘first born,’ our parents and grandparents? The fatality rate for them is far higher than for any age group. Of course, we don’t really think COVID-19 is bringing the 10 Plagues, but maybe — just maybe — it’s time for all of us to brush up on the Bible.” – Exodus 11:1-10

CURL’S CONCLUSION. Interestingly, the writer ends his admittedly speculative piece with an exhortation that I often use, a Paraphrase from the Messiah: “We’ve got the Time — as long as there is Light.” – cf. John 9:4

4. LAST THOUGHTS

As I prepared this essay, it occurred to me that God wants Mankind to understand that these Plagues – also known as Judgments, Curses – are sent to us for Three Principal Reasons: 

First, to Warn us about what is coming, so that we will turn to God in Repentance in order to avoid these Judgments. Second, to utterly Punish the accumulated Wickedness that prevails on the earth, as it did in Noah’s Day. Third, again, to establish once and for all just Who is In Charge of the Universe.

It’s not us, beloved, though we often act as if it is. And it’s not even Satan, who also thinks he is, but only operates under the Restrictions of The Divine Hand. No, it is solely Almighty God, Creator, Redeemer and King, who Superintends all things according to His Truth, Love and great Power.

EPOCHAL ASSAULT. I have argued, along with many who came before me, that we have arrived at ‘The End of History as We Know it.’ As such, all that we see around us is indeed, quite literally, God’s End Game, which includes, nearly Simultaneously, yet roughly Sequentially:

• The Judgments of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse. – Matthew 24:3-31
• The Plagues of Egypt. – Exodus 7-11
• The Judgments of the Book of the Apocalypse. – Revelation 6-19

As the World views such things, all seems hopeless and in despair. A brilliant American novelist who my son Christopher and I enjoy reading is CORMAC MCCARTHY, who magnificently captures such Despair in his Pulitzer Prize winning, dystopian masterpiece, ‘The Road’ (2006).

The Story is about a father and his son surviving in a Post-Apocalypse America that follows an unspecified Cataclysm that takes place in the near future. Significantly, chillingly, it occurs when “the population has been largely destroyed by an aggressive Virus.” – ‘Super Summary,’ ret. September 29, 2020

Listen to the Poet’s Pen paint a stark word picture of that Time and Event.

“[The father] walked out in the gray light and stood and he saw for a brief moment the absolute truth of the world. The cold relentless circling of the intestate earth. Darkness implacable. The blind dogs of the sun in their running. The crushing black vacuum of the universe. And somewhere two hunted animals trembling like ground-foxes in their cover. Borrowed time and borrowed world and borrowed eyes with which to sorrow it.” 

The line that I love and is pertinent to today’s discussion is found in a poignant exchange between the father and the son, as the father prepares to die, giving life-giving Instruction to his boy.

“You have to carry the fire.”

“I don’t know how to.”

“Yes you do.”

“Is it real? The fire?”

“Yes it is.”

“Where is it? I don’t know where it is”.

“Yes you do. It’s inside you. It was always there. I can see it.”

CODA. So must we all the more, beloved, ‘Carry the Fire’ for the Days that lie ahead. It is what we are here for, to be frank: To help Light the Way for others who knew not Joseph, to furiously and lovingly become ‘Salt and Light’ to a Darkening, dying planet.

Paul the Apostle explains the Great Mystery of this Last Commission.

“Always carrying about in the body the liability and exposure to the same putting to death that the Lord Jesus suffered, so that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be shown forth by and in our bodies.” – 2 CORINTHIANS 4:10, AMPC

So Make Ready, beloved, and be sure to ‘Carry God’s Fire’ as you do. There is much glorious work ahead of us to complete, before He Arrives.

Ever your servant, DK

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PLEASE CONTRIBUTE.  If you believe that my work is important to God’s Kingdom, and if it encourages you in some way: Become a ‘Patron’ of this ministry. This will quite literally fuel my ability to continue this ‘DIGITAL CIRCUIT RIDE’ to the American people. 

Gratefully yours, 

Dr. Cliff “DK” Kelly

Digital Circuit Rider

DONATE: PAYPAL https://www.paypal.me/clifsuzkelly

DONATE: GOFUNDME https://www.gofundme.com/f/dk-ministries-inc

CHECKS TO: 
Dr. Cliff Kelly
PO Box 62612
Colorado Springs, CO 80962

CONTACT:

kellysixthseal@gmail.com

719.661.2804