Articles

The fourteenth chapter of Matthew opens with the death of John the Baptist, who had been imprisoned for preaching against the wicked ruler Herod Antipas. His father, Herod the “Great,” had been the “ruler” of Judea from 37 – 4 BC at the behest of Rome and the emperor Augustus Caesar (ruled from 27 BC – 14 AD). Herod had schemed to hunt down and murder Jesus when He was an infant (Matthew 2:1-18). Augustus Caesar was the ruler who issued the decree to tax the subjects of the empire and unknowingly set events into motion that would fulfill the prophecies concerning the arrival of God’s Promised Messiah (Isaiah 7:14, 9:1-6: Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-7).

Herod Antipas, Herod the Great’s successor, who was just as corrupt as his father before him, had taken his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias, for his own. His sister-in-law was now his live-in lover, and John had rightfully condemned it (verses 3, 4).

Antipas desired to have the Baptist put to death, but he knew that if he did so, the people would have initiated a rebellion against him, and Caesar would have stepped in to crush any dissent but also remove him from power and even put him to death for failure to keep his subjects under control. John’s role as a prophet and preacher of righteousness had made him both popular and beloved with most of the public (v.5). Herod’s lust for Salome, along with his foolish decision to grant her perverse request, brought about John’s death by having him beheaded (verses 6-11). It was Herodias who had been the initiator of this horrendous act.

Later, John’s disciples came to retrieve and bury his body. Herod’s fears abounded afterward. He believed that Jesus was John the Baptist come back from the dead and had been given the power to perform miracles. Like Lady Macbeth, who could not remove the stain of regicide from her soul, neither could Herod remove the guilt from his conscience, at least for a time. He soon ignored it at the expense of his soul as well.

The one miracle of the Lord Jesus that is recorded in all four gospels is the feeding of the multitude (Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14), a demonstration of His authority and compassion. It is also a witness of His power and ability to perform the mighty work of God that His generation had only heard about in the synagogues where the Scriptures were taught and read. Jesus, having been informed of John’s death, went to a quiet place to mourn. His time of solitude was brought to a halt when the crowds had left the cities and went to the place where He was staying.

Divine compassion overruled personal needs, and Jesus met with the people, healing the sick and ministering to them. Here are four points to consider in reading about this and the other mighty works of Jesus.

First, He genuinely cares for us, though most others, especially those of notoriety and wealth, do not (1 Peter 5:6-7).
Second, in terms of spiritual matters, we can do nothing apart from Christ (John 15:5).
Third, this miracle points us to the sufficiency of Christ in all matters (2 Corinthians 3:5). He will always meet our needs (Philippians 4:19), not necessarily our wants. He wants obedient servants, not spoiled brats.
Fourth, God works not only by His supernatural power but also through people who are able and willing to forsake the pleasures of the world in exchange for eternal reward (Matthew 25:21; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

In verses 22-33, we read that Jesus spent some final moments with the crowd and then dismissed them. He instructed His disciples to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee while He departed to a solitary place in order to spend time with the Father in prayer.

The boat that the disciples were in began to be tossed about by the wind and waves, which were a constant threat. At the time of the fourth watch, (3:00-6:00 AM), Jesus came to the disciples by walking on the surface of the sea. As the Creator, He has total dominion over all things (Genesis 1:1-31; John 1:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:1-2). The disciples started to panic, believing that they were seeing a ghost. He reassured them and told them to not be afraid.

Simon Peter made a bold request, asking that if Whom he was seeing was the Lord, that he step out of the boat and walk to Him. Jesus encouraged him to do so, and for a brief moment, he was headed to the Lord in a great act of faith, only to take his eyes off of Him and sink into the turbulent waters. Peter called out to Jesus to save him, and He did so, telling the wind and waves to cease their actions.

Jesus got into the boat and gently rebuked His disciples for their lack of faith. This opened their eyes to the fact that Jesus was the Son of God. Today, their testimony is recorded in the Scriptures for us to read, trust, and know that what we are reading is truth and that Jesus Christ is Lord. We are also blessed by the fact that while we have never seen Him in the flesh, He sees us and has given us the faith and belief to trust Him for salvation and true peace.

We will soon see Him when He returns to make all things new as He promised. He can make a new creation out of you right now (2 Corinthians 5:17). Nobody and nothing else will do (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Call on Him today (Romans 10:9-10, 13).

donaldwhitchard@outlook.com

https://ocosbe.org/

RFK Jr. says Hep B vaccine is linked to 1,135% higher autism rate
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found newborn babies who received the Hepatitis B vaccine had 1,135-percent higher autism rates than those who did not or received it later in life, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Tucker Carlson recently. However, the CDC practiced “trickery” in its studies on autism so as not to implicate vaccines, Kennedy said. “They kept the study secret and then they manipulated it through five different iterations to try to bury the link and we know how they did it –

Scientists just mapped how the body rejects pig organs—and how to stop it
Scientists have achieved an unprecedented look into how the human immune system attacks a transplanted pig kidney, using spatial molecular imaging to map immune activity down to the cellular level. They discovered early signs of rejection within 10 days and pinpointed key immune players—like macrophages—driving the response. Even more exciting: when targeted therapies were applied, the immune assault weakened. As U.S. clinical trials of pig kidney transplants begin, this breakthrough offers hope for overcoming the immune barrier that has long stood in the way of xenotransplantation.

‘UN is the offender’: US Amb. Huckabee vows to help Israel prevent aid falling into Hamas hands
U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee vowed that the U.S. would continue helping Israel to prevent aid from falling into the hands of Hamas, and at the same time slammed the United Nations. The remarks were made as Huckabee met a group of mothers of combat soldiers from the “Mothers of Fighters” organization. They thanked Huckabee for the activities of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has been distributing aid without any help from UN aid organizations.

Fears of radioactive fallout spike across Middle East after strikes on Iranian nuclear sites
Following initial Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in the opening moments of Operation Rising Lion, concern over the risk of radioactive fallout began to increase across the Middle East. Those fears increased even more after IDF spokesman Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin mistakenly said that Israel struck the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, Iran’s only active reactor.

The Biblical War Hidden in Plain Sight
Tens of thousands of Jews worldwide studying the daily page of Talmud found themselves reading an ancient prediction about Persia’s defeat by the West on the very day Israel launched its devastating attack on Iran’s nuclear program. Rabbi Pesach Wolicki, Executive Director of Israel365 Action, revealed this extraordinary coincidence during a recent webinar exploring the prophetic dimensions of Israel’s recent military triumph over Iran. Many see the timing as more than mere coincidence.

Trump says he will have anti-Israel NY mayoral candidate Mamdani arrested if he interferes with ICE
US President Donald Trump warned on social media that he would have socialist, anti-Israel mayoral candidate Zohan Mamdani arrested if he interferes with US Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE). Speaking at the “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention center in Florida, Trump said that if Mamdani, who has criticized the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, “We’ll have to arrest him.”

Trump resolves to be ‘firm’ with Netanyahu about ending the war in Gaza
On Sunday, Trump put forward a proposal that would liberate all of the captives and send Hamas leaders into exile. “We’re confident a deal can be reached,” a US official told The Jerusalem Post.

IDF strikes hundreds of targets across the Gaza Strip
IDF forces are operating at full capacity—eliminating dozens of terrorists by air and ground, demolishing structures that threaten troops, and continuing to uncover hidden weapons and rockets throughout the area. (watch)

IDF’s Division 98 joins ground offensive in Gaza City
The IDF Spokesperson announced that Division 98 has recently joined the ground combat efforts in the northern Gaza Strip and is now operating in the Gaza City area alongside Division 162. According to the statement, the forces are maneuvering in the eastern part of Gaza City, working to dismantle terror infrastructure both above and below ground, and eliminating terrorists affiliated with various terror organizations in Gaza.

Huckabee says that US B-2 bombers ‘need to visit Yemen’ after Houthis missile intercepted
“We thought we were done with missiles coming to Israel, but Houthis just lit one up over us in Israel,” the ambassador noted after the first missile attack since the Iran war. “The law of Yemen is the law of Tehran,” he wrote. “After we strike the head of the serpent in Tehran, we will also strike the tail of the serpent in Yemen.”

Trump Administration Issues Harvard University Civil Rights Violation Notice
“We have known for some time that the Trump administration believes that Harvard is in violation of Title VI [of the Civil Rights Act of 1964], but it is nevertheless instructive to see the Task Force lay out its case,” Marcus explained. “If the Justice Department intends to take Harvard to court, it is critical for them to take care of such formalities. Alternatively, if their focus is on negotiations, this is a sign of seriousness. Given the recent staff reductions throughout the federal government, it is important to see that the administration has the bandwidth to develop and advance detailed allegations.”

There Can’t Be Peace in the Middle East Until Iran’s Theocracy Is Gone
President Trump made the correct and courageous decision to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities, in an effort to ensure that the Islamic Republic will never have a nuclear weapon. But the only way to end Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions for good is to end Iran’s Islamist regime, which would not only end the current war, but the Iranian threat to the free world once and for all. As long as the ayatollahs remain in power, they will continue to pursue nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, rebuilding from the ground up if they have to. In other words, destroying Iran’s nuclear program, but not its Islamist regime, would just be kicking the can down the road.

‘Kick her to the curb’: Dr. Phil torches Ilhan Omar over ‘disgusting’ anti-American rhetoric
“She has every reason to be thankful. Is she? Not even almost! Instead, she spends her time bashing the very country that saved her and her family,” he said. Dr. Phil McGraw condemned Democrat Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar on Monday for repeatedly espousing anti-American rhetoric.

UPenn Strikes Landmark Deal With Trump Admin Stripping Men Of Women’s Medals, Signing Apology Letters To Female Athletes
UPenn has agreed to a landmark deal with the Trump administration to end the unfair practice and reverse the resulting damage. As part of the deal, the University has agreed not to allow biological men in the future to compete against women or share “intimate facilities.” According to the Daily Wire, UPenn will also “adopt ‘biology-based definitions’ for ‘male’ and ‘female’ that comply with Trump’s executive orders on the issue.”

Senate passes Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’
President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” was passed by the U.S. Senate on Tuesday following a tie-breaking vote by Vice President J.D. Vance.

Trump admin to revoke citizenship from naturalized Americans linked to crime
“The Department of Justice may institute civil proceedings to revoke a person’s United States citizenship if an individual either ‘illegally procured’ naturalization or procured naturalization by ‘concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.’” “The benefits of civil denaturalization include the government’s ability to revoke the citizenship of individuals who engaged in the commission of war crimes, extrajudicial killings, or other serious human rights abuses; to remove naturalized criminals, gang members, or, indeed, any individuals convicted of crimes who pose an ongoing threat to the United States; and to prevent convicted terrorists from returning to U.S. soil or traveling internationally on a U.S. passport,”

Over 50 dead as intense monsoon rains flood parts of Pakistan
Heavy monsoon rains and flash flooding affecting Pakistan from June 25 to July 1, 2025, left at least 57 fatalities, including 28 children, and injured 99 others. The most affected provinces were Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan, with multiple fatalities resulting from roof collapses, river drownings, and electrocution.

Two major flood waves in Rongjiang, China, leave 120,000 evacuated and six dead
Torrential rainfall and river overflow caused two major flood waves in Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province, China, between June 20 and June 29, 2025, forcing the evacuation of over 120,000 people and resulting in six fatalities.

New report: The true covid pandemic was one of policy, not pathology
Mortality patterns during March to May 2020 in Europe and the USA are incompatible with having been caused by person-to-person spread of a novel infectious virus. Instead, “that first-peak period excess mortality [March-May 2020], where it occurs, was of institutional and iatrogenic origin, caused by mistreatment of frail and vulnerable people in hospitals and nursing homes,” a new report by Correlation concludes. In other words, the true pandemic was one of policy, not pathology.

The Real Price of Convenience: Going Cashless Is Costing You More Than You Think
Spending money is now more seamless than ever. But with digital payments becoming the norm, what exactly are we trading for convenience?

Walmart Workers Are Suddenly “Vanishing,” And You Will Be Stunned To Learn The Reason Why This Is Happening
Why are thousands of Walmart workers suddenly “vanishing” all over the nation? And why are vast numbers of agricultural workers suddenly no longer showing up for work? What I am about to share with you is extremely alarming. During the “open border years,” our economy became extremely dependent on very cheap migrant labor. Now that the border has been secured and mass deportations are occurring, major employers throughout the country are experiencing a case of severe whiplash.

Two Communist Chinese Nationals Busted for Espionage and Recruiting Navy Personnel
Two more People’s Republic of China nationals have been apprehended for conducting espionage on American naval bases and recruiting personnel for China’s Ministry of State Security, and the FBI says more arrests are incoming.

Hitler Art, Gaza Slurs, and Targeted Jewish Expulsions: Civil Rights Complaint Slams Elite Nysmith School in Herndon, Virginia
In a disturbing case of retaliation and neglect, Nysmith School expelled three Jewish children after their parents reported escalating antisemitic harassment—including Hitler glorification, Gaza-related slurs, and institutional indifference—raising serious legal and ethical questions about the school’s commitment to student safety and civil rights.

UN Bombshell: Iran Hires Criminal Gangs to Assassinate and Rape Dissidents Across Europe
RAIR Foundation has long sounded the alarm. Now, the United Nations hears the truth: the Islamic Republic of Iran is exporting state terror, targeting dissidents and Jews across the West.

What Do The Idaho Sniper, The Lunatic That Planned To Kill 14 Christian Pastors And Zohran Mamdani All Have In Common?
Within the past several days, there have been several deeply disturbing stories in the news. A sniper shot multiple firefighters in northern Idaho, a sicko literally crucified a pastor in Arizona in his own home and was planning to do the same thing to many more, and socialist Zohran Mamdani is getting lots of attention for winning the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City. It occurred to me that all of these stories share a common theme. At this stage in our history, our society is bursting at the seams with nuts. Once upon a time, crazy people were a very small minority, but now they are all around us. So, what has caused this dramatic societal shift?

BREAKING AMERICA: $8 Billion ‘Halal’ War Chest to Reshape America – Promoted at ICNA’s Baltimore Summit
From May 24 to 26, 2025, the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and the Muslim American Society (MAS) hosted their 50th Annual Convention in Baltimore. This event went far beyond the scope of religious teachings or cultural celebrations.

A Chapter of Murder and Miracles (Matthew 14:1-36) :: By Donald Whitchard

2 July 2025