- Nov 17, 2018
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A Rebellious Nation:
If there is one word that epitomizes the Nation of America, what would it be? The answer to this question would have to be REBELLION, and this is the spiritual condition of mankind, especially the Nation of America (Judg. 17:6; 21:25; Prov. 17:11; Jn. 8:44).
"Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; For the Lord speaks, Sons I have reared and brought up, But they have revolted against Me. An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master's manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand. Alas, sinful nation, People weighed down with iniquity, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! [THEY HAVE ABAONDED THE LORD], They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him. Where will you be stricken again, As you continue in your rebellion? The whole head is sick And the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head There is nothing sound in it, Only bruises, welts and raw wounds, Not pressed out or bandaged, Nor softened with oil. Your land is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire, Your fields—strangers are devouring them in your presence; It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers. The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, Like a Watchman’s hut in a cucumber field, like a besieged city. Unless the Lord of hosts Had left us a few survivors, We would be like Sodom, We would be like Gomorrah." (Isaiah 1:2-9)
This nation has been abandoned by God, so in a sense, those who run this country are not seeking after God and His wise counsel. The passage cited above is descriptive rather than prescriptive; however, there is a significant lesson we can all glean from this. God is consistent and unwavering, and He will never renege on His True and Faithful Promises (cf. Isa. 40:10; Mal 3:6; Heb. 13:8; Jas. 1:17; et al.) -- and His immutable nature and attributes are also applicable towards unrepentant sinners and rebellious Nations; this is according to His Perfect Righteousness, His carrying out Divine Retribution, and His steadfast love and mercy, is demonstrated in Sacred Scripture (see Ps. 86:15; 103:17; 117:1-2; Lam. 3:22-23; Hos. 10:12-13; Rom. 12:19).
"Then you will cry out in that day because [OF YOUR KING] (Heb. melek) whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day." (1 Samuel 8:18)
"They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the Lord, but [HE ANSWERED THEM NOT]." (2 Samuel 22:42)
"Now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:7-8)
Here is a quote CNN (IN BOLD):
Angry residents erupt at meeting over new mask rule
(CNN)
America was born in rebellion and it's a spirit that still runs deep in its character.
The perennial American struggle between government and the veneration of individual liberty is boiling to a head again: Some citizens are balking at expert guidance for them to cover their faces, in order to check the spread of the coronavirus.
A demonstrator holds a placard with a face mask stating "THE NEW SYMBOL OF TYRANNY MUZZLE" rallying outside the Pennsylvania Capitol Building to protest the continued closure of businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic on May 15, 2020 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
If you live in a country where the balance between personal rights and collective well-being falls differently, you might consider the refusal to wear a mask to be pure selfishness. But while plenty of Americans are wearing masks, rebellion is part of the country's political DNA. Ashley Smith from North Carolina, for example, recently burned a mask in a frying pan in a Facebook video, and told CNN sister channel HLN that mandatory mask use infringes "our freedoms." In Arizona, where the coronavirus infection rate is spiking, Charles Gbekia said he wouldn't wear a mask even though he's lost family to the virus. In California, where masks have just been made mandatory, a top health official said Monday that she had received death threats over the issue.
President Donald Trump is hardly helping, with his message that masking up is intrinsically weak, liberal and un-American. Last week, he mused that Americans who wore face coverings were trying to hurt him politically.
Content by CNN Underscored
Score deals on name brands in Amazon's first-ever Big Style Sale
The top brands to shop at Amazon's Big Style Sale
As he often does, he is tearing at a social fault line for his own political gain. But it's not the first time masks have become a political flashpoint -- it was the same in the influenza pandemic in 1918, when Americans were told to make masks at home. Iowans back then were enraged at orders to wear masks on trolley cars. And in California, one doctor who called for the use of masks was blasted as a "faddist" and a "purveyor of mask propaganda." The current debate also parallels past showdowns over the government sticking its nose into seat belts, smoking and guns.
The lesson of history is clear: Tell insubordinate Americans to wear a mask if you must. But if the government tells them to strap one on, there'll be trouble.
The rebellious say, "It is our body, and you cannot make wearing masks a mandate". Meaning: I am a selfish person, and do not care about the lives of others. This rebellious behavior does not surprise me in the least; not taking the guidance and advice of medical experts for granted has led to a resurgence of this pandemic. This is not the type of revival Genuine Christians were hoping for. Apostasy, selfishness, treachery, and deceivers will incrementally increase like a woman experiencing birth pains; this will be the hallmark of the moral condition of this world at the time of our Lord's Return (cf. Matt. 24:9-13, 24). Iniquity will gradually intensify, and also in frequency; it will reach its pinnacle in the near future when the Lord God Almighty and His Christ will rule this world with a rod of iron (cf. Isa. 11:4; Rev. 2:27; 11:15; 12:5; 19:15).
"Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you [do what is right and suffer for it] you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God." (1 Peter 2:13-15,20)
"Praise the Lord, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples! For His lovingkindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord!" (Psalm 117:1-2)
When was the last time you heard praises directed towards God and our Lord Jesus Christ on the news? Satiating sinful desires, and reveling in worldly lusts are top on the to-do lists of unrepentant sinners. Rebellion against the Almighty, and the powers that He has put in place by His own authority seems to be the norm in America today.
"This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For [EVERYONE WHO DOES EVIL HATES THE [LIGHT], and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." (John 3:19-21)
"When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners? And hearing this, Jesus said to them, It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mark 2:16-17)
"He that is unjust, let him [BE UNJUST STILL]: and he which is filthy, let him [BE FILTHY STILL]: and he that is righteous, let him [BE RIGHTEOUS STILL]: and he that is holy, let him [BE HOLY STILL]." (Revelation 22:11)
The words in [brackets] are all in the [imperative] (cf. Rev. 22:11) -- and the language suggests that the one who continues in his/her unrighteous practices will continue to do so in this manner until the very end (i.e., "unjust still, filthy still"). It is also a [COMMAND] being given to the hearer; which would imply that those who are under the dominion of sin as their Master, will [OBEY] their Master -- which is sin. Those who have been given new life are under the Control of their New Master, who is God and Christ; their desires are not to please themselves and their sinful desires (Rom. 8:8; Gal. 5:19-21) -- but to please the Lord, and serve Him under the guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit of God (cf. Acts 5:29; Rom. 8:14; 2 Cor. 5:9; Gal. 1:10; 2:20; Eph. 5:8-10; 1 Thess. 2:4; 4:1; 1 Jn. 3:22). Only the Lord knows when the heart of a man or woman has gone beyond the point of no return; where their spiritual condition is irrevocable (see Matt. 12:32; Jn. 3:18; Rom. 1:21-25; Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26-28).
Those who have been cleansed by the Precious blood of the Lamb without blemish are made new creatures, and have crucified their flesh, and they take up their Crosses daily. They are those who hear the voice of the Chief Shepherd, and they are known by Him, and follow Him wherever He leads them (cf. Matt. 4:19; 16:24; Lk. 9:23; Jn. 10:16,27-29; 14:21; 2 Cor. 5:17; Phil. 3:7-10; 1 Pet. 2:21).
"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. My sheep [HEAR MY VOICE]e, and [I KNOW THEM], and [THEY FOLLOW ME]: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." (John 10:16, 27-30)
The nouns [sheep] and [fish] in the plural remain the SAME regardless of how many there are; and BOTH sheep and fish are used by our Lord Jesus Christ to describe Genuine Christians and disciples of His. BOTH sheep and fish are usually together in groups (e.g., "a flock of sheep, or a school of fish") -- and interestingly enough, it is our Lord's Will that His sheep will be made perfect IN ONE (see Jn. 17:22-23; Acts 20:28; 1 Cor. 12:27; Gal. 3:26-28; Eph. 5:25-27).
"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19)
"And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; [THAT THEY MAY BE ONE], even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made [PERFECT IN ONE]; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John 17:22-23)
"If [A TRUMPET IS BLOWN] (i.e., "a warning or a judgment from the Almighty to unrepentant sinners") in a city will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs [IN A CITY] (e.g., " Sodom and Gomorrah, the 9/11 attacks") has not the Lord done it?" (Amos 3:6)
In Christian Eschatology, all the first six trumpets are used to serve as a [wake up call to the sinners on Earth and a call to repentance]. Each trumpet blast in succession are preludes of a plague of a more disastrous nature than the one before it. The trumpet is used to build anticipation and tells the reader that an alert, announcement, or warning is about to take place. The seventh trumpet Heralds the ANNOUNCEMENT and Commencement of the Messianic Reign of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath [POWER OVER THESE PLAGUES] (Grk. exousian epi tautas plegas): and they repented not to [GIVE HIM GLORY]." (Revelation 16:9)
The Plagues of Egypt in the story of the book of Exodus, are ten disasters inflicted on Egypt by the God of Israel in order to force the Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to depart from slavery; they serve as "signs and marvels" given by God to answer Pharaoh's taunt that he does not know Yahweh: "The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD." So who has power over death and calamity? Who should the leaders of this Nation turn to for help in this time of crisis?
The Governor of California (Gavin Newsom) is all for legalizing same-sex marriage, and is a pro-choice supporter (i.e., "the slaughter and murder of millions of babies"). Abortion is a form of child sacrifice (cf. Lev. 18:21; 20:1-5; Deut. 12:31; 18:9-14; Ps. 106:37-38; Prov. 6:16-19; Jer. 7:30-34) -- and those who participate in such detestable acts are guilty of murder in the eyes of God, and no murderer has Eternal Life abiding in them (cf. Prov. 6:16-19; 1 Jn. 3:15; Rev. 21:8).
In Closing:
Is Toilet Paper what is in need in this crucial time in History? We should be concerned about our spiritual condition and its Eternal Ramifications, rather than that which naturally cleanses itself through the process of defecation.
"Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed [OUT OF THE MOUTH] (Grk. ek tou stomatos) come from the heart, and those [DEFILE] (Grk. koinoi; i.e., "unclean, or profane") the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, [SLANDERS] (Grk. blasphemiai). These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man." (Matthew 15:17-20)
"And I saw three [UNCLEAN SPIRITS] like frogs come [OUT OF THE MOUTH] (Grk. ek tou stomatos) of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet." (Revelation 16:13)
"Thou blind Pharisee, [cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter], that the outside of them may be clean also." (Matthew 23:26)
"[LOVE NOT THE WORLD] (Grk. me agapate ton kosmon/present active imperative -- "a continual practice of participating in worldly activities out of intense desires, and without any conviction of such sins at all"), neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (1 John 2:15-17)
"You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4:4)
How does Holy Scripture define things pertaining to worldly desires?
Worldly: Affections or devotions towards temporal pleasures that are of no benefit to spiritual growth; or being concerned with the affairs of this world, and disregarding Eternal Truths and Life-giving principles that pertain to spiritual life in the here and now, and hereafter.
"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Romans 8:5-7)
We cannot have our right foot in the Kingdom of God and His Christ, and our left foot in the world (see Deut. 30:15; Josh. 24:15; Matt. 6:24; 7:13-14; 1 Cor. 10:21; 2 Cor. 6:14). There is the Eternal Kingdom of God, and there is the temporal kingdom of this world governed by the god of this age (i.e., "the Devil and Satan" – cf. Matt. 4:1-11; Jn. 14:30; Eph. 2:1-3; 6:12-13). Satan is the enemy of God and His people, and if you are part of the corrupt world of Satan, then you are an enemy of God as well; those who side with the Devil will end up in the Eternal Lake of Fire as him and his fallen angels (Matt. 25:41).
God Bless!
If there is one word that epitomizes the Nation of America, what would it be? The answer to this question would have to be REBELLION, and this is the spiritual condition of mankind, especially the Nation of America (Judg. 17:6; 21:25; Prov. 17:11; Jn. 8:44).
"Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; For the Lord speaks, Sons I have reared and brought up, But they have revolted against Me. An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master's manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand. Alas, sinful nation, People weighed down with iniquity, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! [THEY HAVE ABAONDED THE LORD], They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him. Where will you be stricken again, As you continue in your rebellion? The whole head is sick And the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head There is nothing sound in it, Only bruises, welts and raw wounds, Not pressed out or bandaged, Nor softened with oil. Your land is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire, Your fields—strangers are devouring them in your presence; It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers. The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, Like a Watchman’s hut in a cucumber field, like a besieged city. Unless the Lord of hosts Had left us a few survivors, We would be like Sodom, We would be like Gomorrah." (Isaiah 1:2-9)
This nation has been abandoned by God, so in a sense, those who run this country are not seeking after God and His wise counsel. The passage cited above is descriptive rather than prescriptive; however, there is a significant lesson we can all glean from this. God is consistent and unwavering, and He will never renege on His True and Faithful Promises (cf. Isa. 40:10; Mal 3:6; Heb. 13:8; Jas. 1:17; et al.) -- and His immutable nature and attributes are also applicable towards unrepentant sinners and rebellious Nations; this is according to His Perfect Righteousness, His carrying out Divine Retribution, and His steadfast love and mercy, is demonstrated in Sacred Scripture (see Ps. 86:15; 103:17; 117:1-2; Lam. 3:22-23; Hos. 10:12-13; Rom. 12:19).
"Then you will cry out in that day because [OF YOUR KING] (Heb. melek) whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day." (1 Samuel 8:18)
"They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the Lord, but [HE ANSWERED THEM NOT]." (2 Samuel 22:42)
"Now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:7-8)
Here is a quote CNN (IN BOLD):
Angry residents erupt at meeting over new mask rule
(CNN)
America was born in rebellion and it's a spirit that still runs deep in its character.
The perennial American struggle between government and the veneration of individual liberty is boiling to a head again: Some citizens are balking at expert guidance for them to cover their faces, in order to check the spread of the coronavirus.
A demonstrator holds a placard with a face mask stating "THE NEW SYMBOL OF TYRANNY MUZZLE" rallying outside the Pennsylvania Capitol Building to protest the continued closure of businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic on May 15, 2020 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
If you live in a country where the balance between personal rights and collective well-being falls differently, you might consider the refusal to wear a mask to be pure selfishness. But while plenty of Americans are wearing masks, rebellion is part of the country's political DNA. Ashley Smith from North Carolina, for example, recently burned a mask in a frying pan in a Facebook video, and told CNN sister channel HLN that mandatory mask use infringes "our freedoms." In Arizona, where the coronavirus infection rate is spiking, Charles Gbekia said he wouldn't wear a mask even though he's lost family to the virus. In California, where masks have just been made mandatory, a top health official said Monday that she had received death threats over the issue.
President Donald Trump is hardly helping, with his message that masking up is intrinsically weak, liberal and un-American. Last week, he mused that Americans who wore face coverings were trying to hurt him politically.
Content by CNN Underscored
Score deals on name brands in Amazon's first-ever Big Style Sale
The top brands to shop at Amazon's Big Style Sale
As he often does, he is tearing at a social fault line for his own political gain. But it's not the first time masks have become a political flashpoint -- it was the same in the influenza pandemic in 1918, when Americans were told to make masks at home. Iowans back then were enraged at orders to wear masks on trolley cars. And in California, one doctor who called for the use of masks was blasted as a "faddist" and a "purveyor of mask propaganda." The current debate also parallels past showdowns over the government sticking its nose into seat belts, smoking and guns.
The lesson of history is clear: Tell insubordinate Americans to wear a mask if you must. But if the government tells them to strap one on, there'll be trouble.
The rebellious say, "It is our body, and you cannot make wearing masks a mandate". Meaning: I am a selfish person, and do not care about the lives of others. This rebellious behavior does not surprise me in the least; not taking the guidance and advice of medical experts for granted has led to a resurgence of this pandemic. This is not the type of revival Genuine Christians were hoping for. Apostasy, selfishness, treachery, and deceivers will incrementally increase like a woman experiencing birth pains; this will be the hallmark of the moral condition of this world at the time of our Lord's Return (cf. Matt. 24:9-13, 24). Iniquity will gradually intensify, and also in frequency; it will reach its pinnacle in the near future when the Lord God Almighty and His Christ will rule this world with a rod of iron (cf. Isa. 11:4; Rev. 2:27; 11:15; 12:5; 19:15).
"Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you [do what is right and suffer for it] you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God." (1 Peter 2:13-15,20)
"Praise the Lord, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples! For His lovingkindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord!" (Psalm 117:1-2)
When was the last time you heard praises directed towards God and our Lord Jesus Christ on the news? Satiating sinful desires, and reveling in worldly lusts are top on the to-do lists of unrepentant sinners. Rebellion against the Almighty, and the powers that He has put in place by His own authority seems to be the norm in America today.
"This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For [EVERYONE WHO DOES EVIL HATES THE [LIGHT], and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." (John 3:19-21)
"When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners? And hearing this, Jesus said to them, It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mark 2:16-17)
"He that is unjust, let him [BE UNJUST STILL]: and he which is filthy, let him [BE FILTHY STILL]: and he that is righteous, let him [BE RIGHTEOUS STILL]: and he that is holy, let him [BE HOLY STILL]." (Revelation 22:11)
The words in [brackets] are all in the [imperative] (cf. Rev. 22:11) -- and the language suggests that the one who continues in his/her unrighteous practices will continue to do so in this manner until the very end (i.e., "unjust still, filthy still"). It is also a [COMMAND] being given to the hearer; which would imply that those who are under the dominion of sin as their Master, will [OBEY] their Master -- which is sin. Those who have been given new life are under the Control of their New Master, who is God and Christ; their desires are not to please themselves and their sinful desires (Rom. 8:8; Gal. 5:19-21) -- but to please the Lord, and serve Him under the guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit of God (cf. Acts 5:29; Rom. 8:14; 2 Cor. 5:9; Gal. 1:10; 2:20; Eph. 5:8-10; 1 Thess. 2:4; 4:1; 1 Jn. 3:22). Only the Lord knows when the heart of a man or woman has gone beyond the point of no return; where their spiritual condition is irrevocable (see Matt. 12:32; Jn. 3:18; Rom. 1:21-25; Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26-28).
Those who have been cleansed by the Precious blood of the Lamb without blemish are made new creatures, and have crucified their flesh, and they take up their Crosses daily. They are those who hear the voice of the Chief Shepherd, and they are known by Him, and follow Him wherever He leads them (cf. Matt. 4:19; 16:24; Lk. 9:23; Jn. 10:16,27-29; 14:21; 2 Cor. 5:17; Phil. 3:7-10; 1 Pet. 2:21).
"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. My sheep [HEAR MY VOICE]e, and [I KNOW THEM], and [THEY FOLLOW ME]: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." (John 10:16, 27-30)
The nouns [sheep] and [fish] in the plural remain the SAME regardless of how many there are; and BOTH sheep and fish are used by our Lord Jesus Christ to describe Genuine Christians and disciples of His. BOTH sheep and fish are usually together in groups (e.g., "a flock of sheep, or a school of fish") -- and interestingly enough, it is our Lord's Will that His sheep will be made perfect IN ONE (see Jn. 17:22-23; Acts 20:28; 1 Cor. 12:27; Gal. 3:26-28; Eph. 5:25-27).
"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19)
"And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; [THAT THEY MAY BE ONE], even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made [PERFECT IN ONE]; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John 17:22-23)
"If [A TRUMPET IS BLOWN] (i.e., "a warning or a judgment from the Almighty to unrepentant sinners") in a city will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs [IN A CITY] (e.g., " Sodom and Gomorrah, the 9/11 attacks") has not the Lord done it?" (Amos 3:6)
In Christian Eschatology, all the first six trumpets are used to serve as a [wake up call to the sinners on Earth and a call to repentance]. Each trumpet blast in succession are preludes of a plague of a more disastrous nature than the one before it. The trumpet is used to build anticipation and tells the reader that an alert, announcement, or warning is about to take place. The seventh trumpet Heralds the ANNOUNCEMENT and Commencement of the Messianic Reign of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath [POWER OVER THESE PLAGUES] (Grk. exousian epi tautas plegas): and they repented not to [GIVE HIM GLORY]." (Revelation 16:9)
The Plagues of Egypt in the story of the book of Exodus, are ten disasters inflicted on Egypt by the God of Israel in order to force the Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to depart from slavery; they serve as "signs and marvels" given by God to answer Pharaoh's taunt that he does not know Yahweh: "The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD." So who has power over death and calamity? Who should the leaders of this Nation turn to for help in this time of crisis?
The Governor of California (Gavin Newsom) is all for legalizing same-sex marriage, and is a pro-choice supporter (i.e., "the slaughter and murder of millions of babies"). Abortion is a form of child sacrifice (cf. Lev. 18:21; 20:1-5; Deut. 12:31; 18:9-14; Ps. 106:37-38; Prov. 6:16-19; Jer. 7:30-34) -- and those who participate in such detestable acts are guilty of murder in the eyes of God, and no murderer has Eternal Life abiding in them (cf. Prov. 6:16-19; 1 Jn. 3:15; Rev. 21:8).
In Closing:
Is Toilet Paper what is in need in this crucial time in History? We should be concerned about our spiritual condition and its Eternal Ramifications, rather than that which naturally cleanses itself through the process of defecation.
"Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed [OUT OF THE MOUTH] (Grk. ek tou stomatos) come from the heart, and those [DEFILE] (Grk. koinoi; i.e., "unclean, or profane") the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, [SLANDERS] (Grk. blasphemiai). These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man." (Matthew 15:17-20)
"And I saw three [UNCLEAN SPIRITS] like frogs come [OUT OF THE MOUTH] (Grk. ek tou stomatos) of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet." (Revelation 16:13)
"Thou blind Pharisee, [cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter], that the outside of them may be clean also." (Matthew 23:26)
"[LOVE NOT THE WORLD] (Grk. me agapate ton kosmon/present active imperative -- "a continual practice of participating in worldly activities out of intense desires, and without any conviction of such sins at all"), neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (1 John 2:15-17)
"You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4:4)
How does Holy Scripture define things pertaining to worldly desires?
Worldly: Affections or devotions towards temporal pleasures that are of no benefit to spiritual growth; or being concerned with the affairs of this world, and disregarding Eternal Truths and Life-giving principles that pertain to spiritual life in the here and now, and hereafter.
"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Romans 8:5-7)
We cannot have our right foot in the Kingdom of God and His Christ, and our left foot in the world (see Deut. 30:15; Josh. 24:15; Matt. 6:24; 7:13-14; 1 Cor. 10:21; 2 Cor. 6:14). There is the Eternal Kingdom of God, and there is the temporal kingdom of this world governed by the god of this age (i.e., "the Devil and Satan" – cf. Matt. 4:1-11; Jn. 14:30; Eph. 2:1-3; 6:12-13). Satan is the enemy of God and His people, and if you are part of the corrupt world of Satan, then you are an enemy of God as well; those who side with the Devil will end up in the Eternal Lake of Fire as him and his fallen angels (Matt. 25:41).
God Bless!
