General Articles

Undefeated :: By Daymond Duck

Published on: by RR10

In 2015, following a home football game, Washington State Bremerton High School assistant football coach, Joe Kennedy, went to the 50-yard line to kneel and pray with fans and students as he had done many times before.

An employee of a different school witnessed the event and complained; Kennedy was suspended, and his coaching contract with the school district was not renewed because he refused to stop kneeling and praying.

Coach Kennedy believed his freedom of religion was being violated; he sued the school district, and his case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court twice (they refused to hear it the first time). It took seven years, but he won, and on Mar. 13, 2023, a school official announced that Coach Kennedy was getting his job back.

One of the attorneys at First Liberty, the group that represented Coach Kennedy, said, “We are thrilled that Bremerton and Coach Kennedy are back together, and we hope they go undefeated.”

This reminds me of the time Daniel was told not to pray to anyone but king Darius for 30 days because people that didn’t like him wanted him to lose his job (Dan. 6).

Daniel refused to stop praying to his God, went home, kneeled in front of his window, and prayed and gave thanks to Jehovah as he had done many times before.

This got him thrown into a den of hungry lions, but God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions, and Daniel went through the night unhurt.

The next morning, king Darius had Daniel removed from the den of lions, restored him to his job, and had his accusers and their families cast into the den of lions, where they perished.

God didn’t promise His people that we would not have trouble as the Tribulation Period nears, but He promised that we will be delivered from the Tribulation Period, and, even if times get so bad that something should kill us before then, we will go undefeated (the resurrection and Rapture).

Here are some recent events that seem to indicate that we are getting close.

One, concerning immorality and the abandonment of Christian principles: on Mar. 21, 2023, the Pres. of Uganda, a predominantly Christian nation, signed an anti-homosexuality bill that was unanimously passed in the legislature that strengthened Uganda’s commitment to Biblical marriage and sexuality.

Western leaders are furious.

U.S. Sec. of State Antony Blinken said it undermines the fundamental human rights of the Ugandan people.

U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said LGBT rights are a core part of our (America’s) foreign policy.

As I see it, Kirby’s words mean the denial of Biblical marriage and sexuality is a core part of America’s foreign policy.

(More: Four states in the U.S. have passed laws requiring students in public and charter schools to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their biological sex. Lawsuits have been filed in two of those states to throw out those laws.)

Two, concerning the surrender of America’s sovereignty and open borders: on Mar. 22, 2023, it was reported that the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said it has encountered 4,366 Chinese nationals crossing America’s southwest border since Oct. 1, 2022 (in less than six months).

Most have been released into the U.S., and Biden wants money for America’s military in case we get into a war with China.

Three, concerning the Gospel going all over the world during the Tribulation Period: it was recently reported that two members of Israeli Prime Min. Netanyahu’s government proposed a law that would sentence Christians (or anyone else) to jail for one year (two years if they were witnessing to a minor) for trying to get Jews to convert to another religion.

Their proposal triggered a big backlash among Christian evangelicals, and that triggered a response from Netanyahu on Mar. 22, 2023, who said, “We will not advance any law against the Christian community.”

(My opinion: God may have caused Netanyahu to stop this because the 144,000 and the Two Witnesses must evangelize during the Tribulation Period, and all Israel must get saved.)

Four, concerning corruption and deceit in the White House: the Democrat party, the U.S. Dept. of Justice, the major news media, the social media, etc., the evidence of influence peddling by the Biden family keeps piling up, and all of these groups continue to be in denial of part of the coverup.

  • There was a mountain of evidence, including e-mails on Hunter Biden’s laptop.
  • Tony Bobulinski, a former business partner of Hunter Biden, said he met with Joe and Hunter to discuss a business deal in China.
  • The National Archives has released e-mails that show that Joe Biden was involved while he was vice president.
  • An audiotape of Pres. Biden calling Hunter about an article on the corruption has been discovered.
  • Photos of Pres. Biden meeting with Hunter and some of his foreign associates have been found.
  • The House Oversight Committee has proof of the transfer of $3 million from a Chinese company to a U.S. company that then transferred $1.3 million to former Vice Pres. Biden’s family (Biden’s son, brother, daughter-in-law, and a fourth member of the Biden family identified only as Biden).

Anyway, the House Oversight Committee is investigating the Bidens, the committee keeps finding undeniable proof, and it is obvious that many people have tarnished their once-good reputations by deceiving and lying to the American public.

Five, concerning the Mark of the Beast: on Mar. 23, 2023, Bloomberg reported that JPMorgan Chase & Co is planning to test new technology that will allow customers to pay for goods and services with a face or palm scan.

If the test is successful, the service will be offered to all of JPMorgan’s customers, and the company is anticipating that it will be used by about three billion people to make about six trillion dollars in transactions by 2026.

There should now be no question that the technology will exist for the False Prophet and the Antichrist to require a Mark in the forehead (face) or the right hand (palm, etc.) that can be used to track all buying and selling by the middle of the Tribulation Period.

The timing of this technology with everything else that is coming on the scene (world government, false religion, WOKE culture, etc.) is incredible and no coincidence.

Here is a link to the article.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-23/jpmorgan-test-will-ditch-cards-to-let-consumers-pay-with-palm-or-face-instead?leadSource=uverify%20wall

Six, concerning the deliberate global attack on farmers and ranchers to create food shortages, drive up food prices, seize farmland, and more to meet Sustainable Development goals and justify the establishment of a world government by 2030: The New American posted an article by Peter Rykowski dated Mar. 21, 2023, about the introduction of Senate Bill No. 84 (S.B. 84)in Missouri.

In Rykowski’s own words:

  • B. 84 is important because farmers and ranchers are under attack globally. Countries around the world are implementing severe restrictions on farming and ranching, including taxing cattle, mandating reduced fertilizer usage, and even seizing farmland. This attack on farmers is closely connected to the UN’s Agenda 2030 “sustainable development” scheme to eliminate private property and totally reshape society in the name of fighting “climate change.” It is also underway in the United States; it is imperative that state governments stand up for farmers by enacting strong legislation such as S.B. 84.

According to the article, S.B. 84 will:

  • Prevent the federal government from using interstate commerce laws to interfere with the right of farmers and ranchers to sell or consume the food they produce.
  • Prevent the governor from idling farmers and ranchers by declaring a state of emergency.
  • Prevent the use of Credit Scores, the requirement of ID cards of any kind, etc., to purchase food.

I pray that the Rapture happens soon, but if it does not, I pray that this bill passes and that more states enact similar legislation as soon as possible for the protection of their citizens.

Here is a link to the article.

https://thenewamerican.com/missouri-bill-would-protect-farmers-ranchers-from-government-overreach/?mc_cid=e72d6d6b90&mc_eid=551904ee4c

Seven, concerning famine and natural disasters: as I write this, California is in its second snowiest winter on record, flooding caused by a dozen heavy storms has devastated many parts of the state, and another severe storm is approaching with heavy rain, snow, and dangerous winds.

California is perhaps America’s largest producer of Agricultural products, many California farmers say they have lost everything this year, and some experts say the storms will impact America’s food security.

Impacted items include milk, beef, grapes, strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes, nuts, rice, and more.

The storms have killed 28 people and put many out of work.

Eight, it seems that some people are nauseated by reports that some nations are pushing and allowing crickets, locusts, and mealworms to be put in food for human consumption.

On Mar. 26, 2023, it was reported that Hungary has passed a law that requires food that contains insect proteins to be clearly labeled and displayed separately from other foods that are being sold.

According to the same report, Italy has banned the use of insect flour in pasta.

One must wonder why officials in the U.S., Canada, and other nations are not insisting on clear labeling and segregation of products containing insects, insect flour, etc.

This would probably be a popular issue with many voters.

Nine, concerning famine: on Mar. 22, 2023, about 400 farmers in Germany drove their tractors in an event to protest EU and German government limits on how many animals a farmer can own.

According to the farmers, limits on how many animals they can own will reduce the amount of food they produce, increase hunger, and cause some of them to lose their farms.

Ten, concerning an economic collapse: on Mar. 27, 2023, it was reported that low-interest rates in previous years caused a real estate boom.

Now that the U.S. Federal Reserve has increased interest rates several times, housing and commercial real estate sales are tanking.

Many potential buyers are backing out because of the higher payments.

Builders are stuck with buildings they cannot sell, and banks are stuck with builders that cannot pay their bills.

Do not be fooled by those that say America’s economic problems are over.

Problems still exist, and many small and medium-sized banks are aware of them.

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

duck_daymond@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    A Clear and Present Danger :: By Jonathan Brentner

    Published on: by RR10

    It seems totally harmless to most Christians. Many pastors who promote it also adhere to the Gospel of grace; they preach Jesus as the only way to Heaven.

    The danger that I’m referring to is the belief that God rejected Israel after Jesus’ crucifixion and replaced the nation with the church (referred to as Replacement Theology), which is immensely popular in churches today.

    However, not only does this teaching present a false view of our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:11-14), it also undermines the integrity of Scripture and thereby endangers the purity of the Gospel.

    Churches with a long history of denying a future restored kingdom for Israel are most often those that today promote Wokeism and proclaim the tenets of cancel culture rather than the saving message of the cross.

    In the sections below, I explore three factors that historically led to the false belief that the church is now God’s kingdom on earth. These underpinnings of Replacement Theology remain in place today and help us understand why it’s anything but a harmless teaching.

    Anti-Semitism 

    I encountered anti-Semitism in a prophecy class that I taught several years ago. The man who vigorously opposed my teaching held to a popular variation of Replacement Theology called Preterism, which teaches that Jesus returned to earth in AD 70 and fulfilled most, if not all, of future prophecy in the Bible. It was not until the end of the class that I discovered his hatred of the Jewish people lay at the root of his heretical beliefs.

    Anti-Semitism was a key factor in Augustine’s amillennialism, and it also explains why the Reformers did not extend their literal interpretation of God’s Word to passages that teach the future restoration of a kingdom for Israel. Both Calvin and Luther continued the anti-Semitism that had dominated the church during the Dark Ages.

    Such racism has historically been one of the three foundations of amillennialism, and the resurgence of this teaching explains, at least in part, the increase of animosity toward the nation of Israel and the Jewish people, even within many churches.

    The Biblical Response: God Is Not Finished with Israel

    The Promised Land belongs to Israel and to no one else. 

    Psalm 105:8-11 tells us that God’s covenant with the Patriarchs regarding the Land is an “everlasting covenant.” Although Israel’s enjoyment of the land has always depended upon her obedience to the Lord, He unconditionally promised that the Land would always belong to them. We have not yet reached the end of “everlasting”; God’s covenant of the Land, which He made with the Patriarchs, remains in effect.

    Apart from retrofitting the Old Testament prophets behind the pagan veil of allegory, one cannot read the words of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zephaniah, Zechariah, and other prophets without recognizing the Lord’s clear intention to restore a glorious kingdom to Israel in the future. If the words of Scripture mean what they say, and they do, God will keep all His promises to the descendants of Jacob.

    If the words of Scripture mean what they say, and they do, God will keep all His promises to the descendants of Jacob, including that of giving them all the Land He promised to them.

    God’s Word is clear: God is not finished with Israel. He will restore a glorious kingdom to the nation just as He promised He would do. Those who deny this must resort to other means to explain away the clear biblical prophecies that support it.

    Allegorization of Scripture

    The allegorizing of biblical texts is the second of three factors that theologians use to support Replacement Theology. This is the applying of symbolical meanings to prophecies referring to Israel so that they align spiritually with the church and thus make it God’s kingdom.

    This practice began with Philo, an Alexandrian Jew who lived during the time of Christ. He admired Greek philosophy, and much to the dismay of Rabbis, he used allegory as a means to make the Old Testament more appealing to the Greeks.

    In the second century AD, Clement and Origen adopted Philo’s allegorical approach. Clement (AD 150-215) also “embraced Greek philosophy and maintained that Scripture must be understood allegorically so as not to contradict it.” [i] Origen (AD 185-254) used allegory to make biblical prophecy comply with Plato’s dualism, which stated that only the spiritual, immaterial realm was good. Origen was also a universalist; he believed that God would save everyone. He also believed in reincarnation.

    At the beginning of the fifth century AD, a much more capable theologian named Augustine affirmed Origen’s allegorical approach to biblical prophecy and steered the church away from its premillennial footing in favor of amillennialism, the denial of Jesus’ Millennial rule. Thus began the popularity of Replacement Theology in the church.

    During the dark ages, theologians extended Augustine’s allegorization of prophetic texts to many passages in the New Testament, which led to the contamination of the doctrine of justification by faith and the purity of the Gospel.

    Allegory never remains confined to biblical passages dealing with prophecy; it always spreads. It always leads to further false teaching. 

    The Biblical Response: Words Matter

    Words matter in Scripture.

    Notice the words of the apostle Peter in 2 Peter 1:20-21, “…knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” Just as the prophets of old did not speak from their own understanding, in the same way we must not apply our own private “interpretations” to what they wrote; we must let the words speak for themselves.

    The Greek word for “spoke” in verse 21 is laleo. According to Trench in his book Synonyms of the New Testament, the “prominent notion” of this verb is “the fact of uttering articulated speech… it is the words uttered, and that these correspond to reasonable thoughts….” [ii]

    Biblical prophets, in both the Old and New Testament, expressed truths in words as God moved them through the Holy Spirit (see also 2 Tim. 3:16; Proverbs 2:6). God intended for the words to speak for themselves and not be overlayed with the false interpretations that come through human wisdom.

    Yes, the biblical authors used symbolism and figures of speech, but they did so in a way that was clear from a normal understanding of the text. We must not veer from what the authors of biblical prophecy intended to communicate to us at the time they wrote. We are not free to interpret Scripture in a way that does not align with the words on the page, such as many pastors do today, especially with the book of Revelation.

    If God’s inspiration of Scripture does not apply to the words, then it becomes susceptible to human wisdom and private interpretations that, in the end, lead to a multitude of errors.

    Sola scriptura and the allegorization of God’s Word stand opposed to each other. They cannot coexist.

    Platonism

    The practice of allegorizing Scripture began with the purpose of making Greek philosophy compatible with the Old Testament so that it would appeal to the Greeks who valued human wisdom. Origen used it to negate the physical blessings of the millennium so as to comply with the teachings of Plato, who taught that all matter was evil.

    Although Augustine claimed to disagree with Plato on most issues, he nevertheless incorporated the philosopher’s unbiblical scheme of reality into his theology. He stated that the Millennium “would not be objectionable” if somehow “the nature of the millennial kingdom was a ‘spiritual one’ rather than a physical one.” [iii] He objected to the thoughts of “carnal banquets,” which he visualized as a part of such a kingdom.[iv]

    Augustine’s basis for rejecting Jesus’ thousand-year reign came from Plato, not the Bible.

    John Calvin and Martin Luther also viewed the teachings of Plato with a certain fondness.

    J. Hutchinson, in his article Calvin’s Plato, cited several of John Calvin’s references to Plato. He summarized his findings with these words, “In conclusion, Calvin makes regular use of Plato’s philosophy both in philosophical and in theological contexts. Far from being mere window-dressing, he often finds in Plato an argumentative ally against his contemporary opponents. Plato was, in other words, a living source of truth for Calvin.” [v]I believe Calvin’s affinity for Plato played a role in his use of allegory to reinterpret biblical promises regarding the future restoration of a kingdom for Israel.

    Martin Luther, a former monk who belonged to the Augustinian Order, also did not distance himself from Augustine’s Platonism in regard to future things. Though not as evident as with John Calvin, Luther nevertheless had a high regard for Plato.[vi]

    Platonism remains an active force in Christianity. Does this not explain why most pastors only briefly mention the resurrection of believers, if at all, and never refer to the “incorruptible” and glorious bodies we will receive at Jesus’ appearing (1 Corinthians 15:51-55; Philippians 3:20-21)? I believe it’s a factor.

    The Biblical Response: God Created the Material World

    The Bible absolutely refutes the teachings of Plato. Throughout Genesis 1, God made it abundantly clear that His creation of the material world was “good” in contrast to what the pagan philosopher taught.

    Paul wrote these words in 1 Timothy 6:17, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” The Lord intends for us to enjoy the good gifts He gives to us, which certainly includes material benefits and earthly pleasures. The Lord blesses us both spiritually and physically in this life, which is but a foretaste of the kindness He will show to us throughout eternity (Eph. 2:7).

    Consider the words of Psalm 16:11, “You make known to me the path of life; / in your presence there is fullness of joy; / at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Even as I type the words of this verse, I feel the platonic influence on the church suggesting that the meaning of “pleasures” is not really what it says.

    If the Lord says we will celebrate with a feast at the marriage supper of the lamb, why would anyone consider that carnal or sinful? That’s beyond ridiculous. Yet that’s precisely the way of thinking that became a key foundation for rejecting a literal interpretation of Revelation 20:1-10, as well as a multitude of verses in the Old Testament that speak to the future restoration of a glorious kingdom for Israel.

    The continuing influence of platonic thought can also be seen in the false interpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:51-55. In order to maintain the church as God’s kingdom on earth, some pastors claim this passage refers to what happens to us at the time of our regeneration rather than at the Rapture. Such a viewpoint contradicts both the context and the Gospel.

    The Danger to the Gospel

    Churches that deny a future glorious restoration for the nation of Israel set in motion an erosion of the integrity of Scripture that, over time, leads to grievous false teaching.

    It may not happen right away, but the allegorical approach to prophetic passages in God’s Word always bleeds into other texts and, over time, always leads to errors that threaten the purity of the Gospel. Count on it.

    Places of worship that adhere to Wokeism today, more often than not, have a long history of denying a future glorious kingdom for Israel.

    That’s why I say that all such teaching in its various forms represents a clear and present danger to the purity of the Gospel. Not immediately, but it happens without fail, given enough time.

    Defending the promised future restoration of a glorious kingdom to Israel is, in essence, a defense of the saving message of Jesus.

    —

    I have a couple of books available for purchase.

    My newest book is Cancel This! What Today’s Church Can Learn from the Bad Guys of the Bible. In it, I explore what we can learn from less than stellar biblical characters that help us live in today’s cancel culture.

    I provide a detailed defense of the Pretribulation viewpoint in: The Triumph of the Redeemed-An eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times.

    Note: Please consider signing up for my newsletter on the home page of my website at https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/. Thanks!

    [i] Randy Alcorn, Heaven (Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004), p. 477.

    [ii] Richard C. Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1975), p. 287).

    [iii] Allen, D. Matthew, Theology Adrift: The Early Church Fathers and Their Views of Eschatology, A paper published on the Bible.org website, Chapter Five

    [iv] Ibid.

    [v] E. J. Hutchinson, in his article Calvin’s Plato, on The Calvinist International website: https://calvinistinternational.com/2017/08/07/calvins-plato/

    [vi] See Eric Parker, The Platonism of Martin Luther, on The Calvinist International website: https://calvinistinternational.com/2013/05/20/the-platonism-of-martin-luther/