NOTES ON DIVINE PROMOTION: THE ROYAL CHARGE OF MESSIAH TO THE REMNANT OF GOD FOR THE LAST DAYS Part I

PART I: “THE GREAT DISTINCTION” – WED JAN 20 – 1 Peter 2:7-8

PART II: “THE MAGNIFICENT PROMISE” – SAT JAN 23 – Zechariah 3:6-7

PART III: “THE EPOCHAL DECISION” – WED JAN 27 – Revelation 14:9-11

EPOCH. “In Chronology, A FIXED POINT IN TIME, from which succeeding years are numbered; a point from which computation of years begins. Any fixed time or period; the period when anything begins or is remarkably prevalent; as the Epoch of Falsehood; the Epoch of Woe.” – Or as I submit, as the ‘Era of Antichrist; NOAH WEBSTER, ‘American Dictionary of the English Language,’ 1828; edited

FIXED POINT I: April 18, 1906, San Francisco, CA

FIXED POINT I: June 21, 2016, New York City, New York.

FIXED POINT II: January 6-20, 2021, Washington, DC

SCRIPTURE. “To you then who believe (who adhere to, trust in, and rely on Him) is the preciousness; but for those who disbelieve [it is true], The [very] Stone which the builders rejected has become the main Cornerstone, and, A Stone that will cause stumbling and a Rock that will give [men] offense; they stumble because they disobey and disbelieve [God’s] Word, as those [who reject Him] were destined (appointed) to do.” – 1 PETER 2:7-8, AMPC

QUOTATIONS

“What’s the use you learning to do right when it’s troublesome to do right and ain’t no trouble to do wrong, and the wages is just the same?” – MARK TWAIN, ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,’ 1884-1885; edited

“True Law, the code of justice, the essence of our sensations of right and wrong, is the Conscience of society. It has taken thousands of years to develop, and it is the greatest, the most distinguishing quality which has developed with mankind … If we can touch God at all, where do we touch him save in the Conscience? And what is the Conscience of any man save his little fragment of the Conscience of all men in all time?” – WALTER VAN TILBURG CLARK, ‘The Ox-Bow Incident,’ 1940; edited

“An open mind, in questions that are not ultimate, is useful. But an open mind about the ultimate foundations either of Theoretical or of Practical Reason is idiocy. If a man’s mind is open on these things, let his mouth at least be shut. He can say nothing to the purpose.”- C.S. LEWIS, ‘The Abolition of Man,’ 1943; edited

FIRST THOUGHTS

I have come to firmly believe that the most important skill a human being can acquire in life is the simple ability to Distinguish between Right and Wrong. So long as we can do this, our lives will be shaped by that Author who first defined that crucial Distinction for the entire Cosmos, a long, long time ago, in a place far, far away.

But for those who cannot nor will not make that Distinction, there is only Moral Chaos, the fruit of which is what we all witnessed in breathless, violent live feeds in Washington, DC, on JANUARY 6, 2021. What we witnessed bears many names:

Insurrection. Coup d’état. Mutiny. Revolt. Sedition. Uprising. Anarchy. Insurgency. Disorder. Opposition. And yes, Blasphemy. – I’ll explain why in this Essay.

BY WHAT SPIRIT? But what it was at its very heart and soul, from the theological perspective – the only one that counts – emanates from two Hebrew terms: ‘Regesh’ [רֶגֶשׁ], meaning, “a throng,” and ‘Nesa’ [נְשָׂא], “to be carried away.” Meaning:

A mindless, violent MOB REBELLION against the Capitol of the United States of America, the US Constitution, and the Law of Almighty God.

And yet, and yet, and again I say and yet: THE CHURCH of this Nation cannot, will not, nor apparently intends to take responsibility for Renouncing this Mob Rebellion against Christ Himself, and for being its First Sponsor on JUNE 21, 2016.

Here is a small sample of the current milieu of ‘Christian’ Treachery of God’s Truth.

“Armed breaching of Capitol security behind a Confederate flag is anarchy, un-American, criminal treason and domestic terrorism. President Trump must clearly tell his supporters: ‘We lost. Go home now.’” – RICK WARREN, California Megachurch Pastor

“They have a right to protest. To tell people to go home, it’s not for me to decide that. The people who broke the windows in the Capitol did not look like the people out there demonstrating. Most likely it was Antifa. For people busting windows, they need to go home. But for people standing out there peacefully holding flags, and protesting, they have every right to do that.” – FRANKLIN GRAHAM, Evangelist Leader

“Disobeying and assaulting police is a sin whether it’s done by Antifa or angry Republicans.” The Rev. Franklin Graham speculated, apparently without substantiation, that those who invaded the Capitol building were related to Antifa. – DR. ROBERT JEFFRESS, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Dallas

“The violent, lawless actions at the U.S. Capitol building against Congress and Capitol Police are wrong and dangerous for our republic. Lawlessness is not the way, and such actions makes it difficult for law-abiding Americans to fight the good fight. Pray for our Republic!” – TONY PERKINS, Family Research Council President

“Under these circumstances, there is no conceivable situation where what happened within the U.S. Capitol today is acceptable activity. Violent, anarchist behavior emanating from the far left or the far right is immoral and criminal. It should be summarily condemned – beginning with the President of the United States – and its perpetrators ought to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Those many thousands of peaceful protestors whose first amendment rights have been spoiled by this behavior should go home for their own safety. We are relieved that both the President-Elect and President Trump have now spoken directly to the issue telling protesters in D.C. to go home, calling for peace. We call on all Americans – Democrat and Republican — to unite in prayer for our nation that righteousness and justice, love and faithfulness will guide the heart of our nation (Ps. 89:14).” – SAMUEL RODRIGUEZ & JOHNNIE MOORE, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, and President of the Congress of Christian Leaders, respectively

“I stand up and represent Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and I preach to stand for the First Amendment. I intend to keep this nation a free nation. HIS Church, we intend to keep this nation a free nation. So now I know some, some bad actors went in and I believe potentially there were Antifa up there. I think more and more I know there were Antifa up there, insiders up there that started that action. And I also know that some Trump supporters followed their lead without a shadow of a doubt because you don’t get 2 million people together without having some radicals in the crowd or some simple people in the crowd that you could lead anywhere, right?”– BRIAN GIBSON, Pastor and Founder of HIS Church, Owensboro, Kentucky

“The Secret Service had to escort the vice president of the United States to safety out of the Capitol building. Gun shots were fired. Tear gas was deployed in the Capitol Rotunda. People were killed. … This was an assault on law. Attacking the Capitol was not patriotism, it was anarchy. his is what happens when you watch a policeman shot and belittle his sacrifice for the public. Wake up, America! America and democracy cannot function without the rule of law. We back the blue.” – JOHN HAGEE, Pastor of Cornerstone Church, Televangelist, San Antonio, Texas

“The next two weeks are probably the most important two weeks in the history of America. I rebuke the news in the name of Jesus,” Remington said. “We ask that this false garbage come to an end. … It’s the lies, communism, socialism. I don’t know how we’ve put up with it this long. America is not seeking the truth. For them to suppress another person’s opinion — it’s wrong, it’s unconstitutional. God have mercy.” – REV. TIM REMINGTON, Pastor, The Altar Church, Couer D’Alene, Idaho

“We have an executive order—not from Congress or D.C., but from the desk of the CEO of Heaven, the Boss of the planet. He said from His desk in Heaven, this is my will; Trump will be in for eight years. Take down the walls of Jericho. The Lord says your Jericho is Washington, D.C. That’s your fortified city. All of them are a bunch of snakes that don’t want Trump. They want him out because Trump is a reformer, Trump is an awakener, and Trump is causing this populist, national movement that is not Republican nor Democrat.” – BRANDON BURDEN, Pastor, KingdomLife Church, Realtor, Frisco, Texas

THE QUESTION. I want you to think long and hard and prayerfully here, beloved, about where the American Church has arrived in JANUARY 20, 2021: What Have ‘We’ Become. This is the most important Judgment – yes, Judgment – you shall ever make for the Days Remaining to us.

Specifically: In all of these Proclamations, what is the ONE ELEMENT MISSING that tells of the Great Tragedy of the American Church, and the Collapse of the Nation? If you can identify it, you do well.

If you cannot, please attend to ‘The Rest of the Story,’ as Paul Harvey used to say it so well.

THE TEACHING

“To you then who believe (who adhere to, trust in, and rely on Him) is the preciousness; but for those who disbelieve [it is true], The [very] Stone which the builders rejected has become the main Cornerstone, and, A Stone that will cause stumbling and a Rock that will give [men] offense; they stumble because they disobey and disbelieve [God’s] Word, as those [who reject Him] were destined (appointed) to do.” – 1 PETER 2:7-8, AMPC

In keeping with The Grand Sifting that I am convinced is being executed by our Sovereign in this hour, Peter’s Epistle gives us matchless wisdom about how we can best negotiate the Stormy Waters ahead.

THE GREAT DISTINCTION. As always, we begin with a careful consideration of Key Terms from this timely passage.

PRECIOUS. Here the Apostle points out that there is One Group of Believers whom God considers special indeed: ‘Those who believe.’ I mean, really, truly down to their core, believe! From the Greek, ‘Timé’ [τιμή]: “Something highly valued, for which a great price was paid; greatly honored, highly esteemed; costly, held dear; related to dignity or reputation [i.e., one’s witness for Christ].”

DISOBEDIENT. However, by stunning contrast, there are those who are oppositely, In Rebellion against God and Truth. These are defined by the term, ‘Apeitheó’ [ἀπειθέω]: “To rebel, be disloyal [to God]; refuse conformity; literally, to refuse to be persuaded to believe by God and His Word; to be willfully perverse; to disallow oneself to be delivered [from folly, unbelief, or serious error].”

STUMBLING. Here we have the disastrous consequence of one’s disobedience and rebellion. Taken from the Greek, ‘Proskumma; [πρόσκομμα], it means: “An occasion of falling; a moral failure or severe embarrassment; a serious offense against God; to become a stumbling block to others; (in the final analysis), Apostasy.”

WILLIAM MACDONALD. And as with my Protocol, I look to the great Bible scholars for some depth and clarity, and oftentimes, a lost eloquence.

“In the preceeding verses the Lord Jesus has been presented as the ‘Living Stone,’ a ‘Rejected’ Stone, a ‘Precious’ Stone and the ‘Cornerstone.’ Now, without using the word, Peter seems to picture Him as the TOUCHSTONE. A Touchstone reveals whether certain minerals rubbed against it are genuine or spurious. It shows, for instance, whether a nugget is gold or ‘fool’s gold.’ When people come into contact with the Savior, they are shown for what they really are. In their attitude toward Him they reveal themselves. To True Believers, He is Precious; Unbelievers Reject Him [in any number of ways]. The Believer can get some small indication of how precious He is by trying to imagine what life would be without Him … But what about those who are Disobedient or Disbelieve? The writer of Psalm 118 predicted that this Precious Stone would be rejected by the builders, but would later become the Head of the Cornerstone … For any who will not believe on Jesus, He becomes ‘a Stumbling Stone and a Rock that trips them. Men either bow before Him in Repentance and Faith to Salvation or Stumble over Him into Hell … They stumble because they willfully Disobey the Word. The trouble is in the human will. The reason men are not saved is because they do not WANT to be saved (John 5:40).” – ‘Believer’s Bible Commentary,’ 1995, pp. 2250-2251; edited

YESHUA SPEAKS. In the context of the Last Days, we know a few things that relate directly to this important passage, straight from the Lord’s magnificent Olivet Discourse in MATTHEW 24.

ONE: As I have called This Hour in history, ‘The Age of Antichrist,’ Jesus prophesied that this ‘spirit’ would characterize The Era – “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ!’ and will deceive many” (Verse 5).

TWO: On the heels of that Rise, False Doctrines offered by a proliferation of False Teachers (pastors and evangelists) will become the hallmark of this Era – “Then many false prophets will [also] rise up and deceive many” (Verse 11).

THREE: As a direct result, Rebellions like this will multiply exponentially in this Age, as even Church folk will increasingly move against the Commands of God. – “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Verse 12).

FOUR: As conditions worsen substantially, and Persecutions against the true followers of Messiah, it becomes more and more difficult to remain loyal to His Teachings – “But [only] he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Verse 13).

IN SUM. That is why I teach consistently that we are not to sit on our past Christian laurels, believing because we did wonderful things one, ten or 20 years ago, we can now sit back and enjoy the ride till He Comes.

Far from it, beloved!

“We must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world [giving guidance through My word and works].”- JOHN 9:4-5. AMP

MY ASSESSMENT. It is nearly Dusk, beloved, for the Light surely dwindles. So must we as His Chosen, Last Days Generation, get on with bathing all the Darkness with His Marvelous Light – while we still can. – I PETER 2:9

THE KEY TO SUCCESS

Most of what follows will come as no surprise to you, but the illustration The Source from whence it comes just might. I know it did for me, so here we go.

THE YOUNG JESUS. I am reminded here of an old theme I keep pounding home with you all, including myself. OBEDIENCE is the thing, the Key to the Open Door to so much blessing – and, “Good trouble,” as Congressman John Lewis used to term it.

In any case, you will recall the time that the Lord at age 12 went with his parents to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of the Passover (Luke 2:4-42)). Turns out at the end of the day, He had stayed behind in the City without his parents realizing it. Somewhat (but not entirely) frantic, it took them three full days to locate Him.

A CHILD’S UNDERSTANDING. Seems that He was holding forth at Temple, sitting amongst the teachers there, both listening to them but also asking questions. The writer notes that they were all “astonished at His understanding” for such a young lad.

When Mary admonished Him for doing this, He uttered these now famous Words:

“‘Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” – LUKE 2:49-52, NKJV

THE LESSONS. After reviewing a few commentaries, I gathered these several valuable Instructions from this extraordinary event.

JESUS’ FIRST DUTY. Notice here that the young Lord’s very First Priority was ‘His Father’s Business,’ not the world’s, not even His parents, whom He both loved and respected. But He was careful to not love and esteem them more than His God! (cf. Luke 14:26). Second, He did not do or speak anything before His Father had told Him what to say and do (cf. John 12:49). Crucial points for us all to imitate.

JESUS’ OBEDIENCE. So here we have this young Boy lingering for three full days at the Jerusalem Temple, learning from His elders about the sacred Texts, but then later “was subject” to his earthly parents. The Greek term used here is, ‘Hupotassó’ [ὑποτάσσω], meaning: “To place or rank under, to subject, to obey under God’s arrangement or order; the act of submitting to the Lord; voluntary subordination.” Since Jesus Christ is obedient toward God’s Order, so much we be, beloved. So must we be.

JESUS’ INCREASE. Finally, by these things we learn that we grow into spiritual and practical maturity, confidence, wisdom and strength to face life. The word used here is, ‘Prokoptó’ [προκόπτω]: “To cut forward (a way) to advance, as with a pioneer cutting through brushwood; to make progress; to grow, and be well along one’s way.” Also: To become greater, brighter, more vivid, as with light when it increases; to become of more esteem and authority.”

MACDONALD NOTES. “The Moral Excellence of Jesus is seen in the words, ‘He … was subject to them.’ Though Creator of the Universe, yet He took His place as an obedient Child in this humble Jewish family.” Indeed: “But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.” – cf. 1995, P. 1376; Philippians 2:7, Amplified Classic Edition

Precisely why ‘God is fiercely Opposed to the proud, but gives great Grace to the humble.’ – JAMES 4:6

THE ULTIMATE TEST

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the First and the Last, who died and came to life.I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.’” – REVELATION 2:8-10, ESV

I hesitated in citing this past Scripture, for obvious reasons. But it emerged in the context of a middle of the night wrestling with all the technical glitches I have been confronting lately. As I cried out in perplexity for some instruction and understanding, I ‘heard’ this, clear as a bell: “Revelation 2:8.”

THE SMYRNIANS. Now that does not necessarily mean it was from the Lord, but by some faith, it fits what I am sensing in the Days Ahead: Increased Persecution of the Remnant. So here are some highlights from this timely Text.

WORKS. Taken from the Greek, ‘Ergon’ [ἔργον], or: “Tasks, deeds, intentional actions; More specifically, this implies a Jewish practice called, ‘Tzedakah,’ the Hebrew word for acts that we call “Charity” in English: Giving aid, assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes, as unto Hashem. The Church at Smyrna sincerely cared for the poor and desolate, as does Adonai.

TRIBULATION. Here the Greek, ‘Thlipsis’ [θλῖψις], refers to: “Persecution, affliction, distress; carries the challenge of coping with the internal pressure of a tribulation, especially when feeling there is ‘no way of escape’ (or ‘hemmed in’); the enemy intends it to break or crush the believer, but God uses it to strengthen the believer; a significant burden upon one’s spirit; provokes toward grief or anger, but is designed to produce endurance and courage.”

POVERTY. Well now, here’s a word we don’t hear in the American Church much anymore, beloved. From the Greek, ‘Ptócheia’ [πτωχεία]: “Beggary, poverty, destitution; indigence (literally or figuratively); deep or extreme poverty, devoid of abundance; want of convenient means of subsistence; he consequence of poverty is dependence [which in turn often leads to shame and ostracization from society as with an outcast].”

BUT ARE RICH! From the Greek word, ‘Plousios’ [πλούσιος]: “Wealthy; abounding in; fully resourced; truly filled, by having God’s ‘muchness;’ abundance that comes from receiving His provisions (material and spiritual riches) through faith; a valuable (or invaluable) bestowment [from God]; that which is splendid; costly; valuable; precious; sumptuous; full of valuable achievements or works [pleasing to God, leading to having His ear and favor].”

SLANDER. Now the obverse of all that has gone before. Chiefly from fellow believers and leaders, we now consider, ‘Blasphémia’ [βλασφημία] – and yes, it means exactly that – “Abusive or scurrilous language, blasphemy [against those who are of God, truth and honor]; ‘switches’ right for wrong (wrong for right), i.e. calls what God disapproves, ‘right’ which ‘exchanges the truth of God for a lie’ (Romans 1:25); detraction, speech injurious to another’s good name; specifically, impious and reproachful speech injurious to the Divine majesty; evil speaking, railing; a false witness by religious hypocrites [as opposed to ‘truthful defamation’].”

TESTED. Here we arrive at the Acid Test of a true follower of The Christ. Taken from the Greek, ‘Peirazó’ [πειράζω]: “To make proof of, to attempt, test, tempt; to discover what good or evil, weakness or strength was in a person; To compare with a standard; to try; to prove the truth or genuineness of any thing by experiment or by some fixed principle or standard; in metallurgy, to refine gold or silver by means of lead, in a test by the destruction, vitrification or scarification of all extraneous matter.”

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH. So here it is, beloved, the Ultimate Test of one’s Commitment to this Jesus, whom we love and serve. I had frankly never considered this until I began to draft the chapter on The Fifth Seal from Revelation 6:9-11, dealing with the Coming Persecution of the Church (‘The Sixth Seal: A Pre-Wrath Commentary on the End of History As We Know It,’ 2017).

Here is what I wrote in the first draft in 2015, long before Trumpism had fully exploded on the American scene.

“For a number of reasons, some known to me but others not, I have for the past two to three years been pondering the question if I would be willing to die for Jesus Christ, if called upon to do so. No answers yet by the way. But in all that pondering, I am coming to terms with an Ultimate Question:

How much am I willing to lay down for following God?” (p. 92).

THE DEATH OF POLYCARP. Perhaps the brightest son of the Church at Smyrna was an elderly, faithful Bishop named Polycarp, a disciple of John the Apostle, who was martyred in the year 155 AD at age 86.

The extraordinary manner of his death has proved legendary over the centuries, and this summary account of The Letter of Ignatius describing it bears solemn and glorious witness to the way we ought die for Christ, if called to do so. I give a rather full account, to drive home the poignant nature of this event.

THE ACCOUNT. “The crowd collected wood and bundles of sticks from the shops and public baths. The Jews, as usual, were keen to help. When the pile was ready, Polycarp took off his outer clothes, undid his belt, and tried to take off his sandals – something he was not used to, as the faithful always raced to do it for him, each wanting to be the one to touch his skin – this is how good his life was. But when they went to fix him with nails, he said, ‘Leave me as I am, for he that gives me strength to endure the fire, will enable me not to struggle, without the help of your nails’ …

Ready to be an acceptable burnt-offering to God, he looked up to heaven, and said, ‘O Lord God Almighty, the Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the knowledge of you, the God of angels, powers and every creature, and of all the righteous who live before you, I give you thanks that you count me worthy to be numbered among your martyrs, sharing the cup of Christ and the resurrection to eternal life, both of soul and body, through the immortality of the Holy Spirit. May I be received this day as an acceptable sacrifice, as you, the true God, have predestined, revealed to me, and now fulfilled. I praise you for all these things, I bless you and glorify you, along with the everlasting Jesus Christ, your beloved Son. To you, with him, through the Holy Ghost, be glory both now and forever. Amen.’

Then the fire was lit, and the flame blazed furiously. We who were privileged to witness it saw a great miracle, and this is why we have been preserved, to tell the story. The fire shaped itself into the form of an Arch, like the sail of a ship when filled with the wind, and formed a circle around the body of the martyr. Inside it, he looked not like flesh that is burnt, but like bread that is baked, or gold and silver glowing in a furnace. And we smelt a sweet scent, like frankincense or some such precious spices.

Eventually, when those wicked men saw that his body could not be consumed by the fire, they commanded an executioner to pierce him with a dagger. When he did this [‘a dove flew out’;*this may well be a later interpolation or transcription error] such a great quantity of blood flowed that the fire was extinguished. The crowd were amazed at the difference between the unbelievers and the elect – of whom the great Polycarp was surely one, having in our own times been an apostolic and prophetic teacher, and bishop of the Catholic Church in Smyrna. For every word he spoke either has been or shall be accomplished.” – THE CHURCH FATHERS, ‘The Martyrdom of Polycarp,’ or ‘The Letter of the Smyrneans,’ c. 167-168 AD

Selah. Selah.

LAST THOUGHTS

I can hardly add a thing of worth to that eyewitness account, but let me close with this, as Summary of Why I wrote this.

ONE. I believe that Persecution is coming to the True Church, the Remnant, in the days ahead. Perhaps there will be a lull for a bit of time as President Biden takes the Oath of Office. Or, more darkly and likely there shall be the rise of Trump’s Alt Right Nationalists just ahead, with as many as 75 million voters ready to ignite a Civil War against the 80 million who voted for Biden.

TWO. January 6, 2021, was more than a turning point in American history, it was a Tipping Point, defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as: “The [Fixed Point in] Time at which a change or an effect cannot be stopped.” As I have written of it before, America’s Rubicon, when Julius Caesar illegally crossed that historic stream thereby committing himself to a War that by then, could not be stopped.

THREE. My Rationale for such an outlook is because neither the Church nor the American people, especially those involved in the Washington DC Insurrection, have not, cannot, will not Repent of their bloody, fully anti-Christian, anti-Constitutional Revolt.

Examples. In a series of one-on-one interviews of pro-Trump demonstrators broadcast on National Public Radio on January 19, they all of them opined that:

Donald Trump is telling the truth regarding the ostensible election fraud.

That the ‘Lying Press’ [‘Lügenpresse’] cannot be believed, and that the only outlets that can include Fox News, Parler and a few others.

Most frightening, even housewives and grandmothers who decried the violence of January 6, simultaneously and passionately declared the Civil War is necessary to “make our voices heard.”

CODA. To end on a much richer, more Biblical point, here is the full text from the intrepid Christian evangelist and teacher, BETH MOORE, who captures my own heart on these grave matters.

“Well, folks, the reason I haven’t been sharing many short clips from my morning readings lately is that, well, I’m in chapters 11-17 of Ezekiel. They involve complicated visions that don’t lend themselves to posts. But at the end of my reading today in Ezekiel 17, God delivered a Word to the Prophet depicting a theme that may be uncomfortable but it’s not incomprehensible.

‘I bring down the tall tree and make the low tree tall. I cause the green tree to wither and make the withered tree thrive. I, the Lord, have spoken and I will do it.’

God’s got this thing about Pride. He does not let it go unchecked. When His people continue in arrogance after multiple warnings, He is going to bring them down. He will turn the tables. That which has been high will be brought low. This is why we are told by both James and Peter in the New Testament that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. We need His grace so badly. Repentance is our only real way forward. He also views idolatry as spiritual adultery. This was the case in the Judgment that was coming to His people through the Babylonians.

We are caught in a cycle. We keep repeating the same offenses and keep excusing them the exact same ways. Study even just the last century. I beg you to. Face how we evangelicals have bedded down with worldly systems for power. See how every time prophetic voices confronted us with our wrongs, we claimed they should stick to the Gospel. Dear Lord. Somebody read Luke and watch how the Gospel acts. Watch Jesus preach the Gospel, not only in words but in deeds. We’ve reduced Gospel witness to something I’m not sure those early followers would recognize.

We were meant to do people good. Not just our choice of people. We were meant to be pro-ALL-life. That’s what Jesus is. Was. Will be. Anyway, I’m a broken record. We will look back on this Era of time & wonder why on earth we couldn’t just repent instead of doubling down.

We sinned grievously in wedding Evangelicalism to a Political Party. This wasn’t just about policies. It was also about Power. Position. Access. Neither political party represents the breadth of Christ’s concerns for people. The Gospel is so much bigger. My generation is so deeply indoctrinated that I don’t know if we’ll be willing to face this train wreck & do this differently. I hope so. But I do believe you believers in your 20s, 30s, 40s could be the ones that begin to fight for policies across parties that reflect Christ’s heart for people.

We are Jesus people. Above all else. Our loyalty is to Christ. His way is good and right and true and just. We can do this differently. The Devil himself cannot keep us from repenting. Only our own pride can.”

FINAL THOUGHT. Drink deep from the examples of Bishop Polycarp and Beth Moore, beloved. We shall need all of it in the Days to Come, unless there is a Great Wind of God’s Spirit ‘cross the land of the free, and home of the brave.

But no matter what: DO NOT FEAR. Rather be filled with the One who shall see us through it all, with our honor intact and our witness crystal clear – till He Comes.

Ever your servant, DK

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