Category: End Times

From a Pinkish-tan, Hillbilly born, Native American

​If I don’t manage to offend you with this post, well….. it ain’t for lack of speaking the truth! African-American, Native-America, Greek-American, Russian-American, Chinese-American, Vietnamese-American Mexican-American. Black skinned, yellow skinned, brown skinned…. Everybody has to be treated with kid gloves so we don’t inadvertently offend someone. Heaven forbid! I take issue right off the bat with being called “white.” The only white humans (or animals, for that matter) are albinos, who are white due to lack of pigmentation in the skin and hair. I’m so sorry to disappoint, but I am not white.

Oh HELL yeah I’m gonna rant! I am so sick of all the ridiculous, I’m-so-scared-I’m-gonna-offend-somebody, political correctness going on. People! There is ONE race! ONE! It’s called the HUMAN race! ONE people! Cut us, and we ALL bleed the same. Peel away the skin, and we are all built the same! Check our DNA, and we ALL come from the same ancestors! God spoke and here we are:

Then God said, “Let Us make human beings in Our image, to be like Us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” – Genesis 1:26‭-‬28 NLT (http://bible.com/116/gen.1.26-28.NLT)

I am a pinkish-tan human, female in gender, born in the U.S. of A. My parents were born in America, and so were their parents. I think I have to go to the great-great great-greats or even further back to get to the generations that immigrated here from Ireland,  Scotland, England, Wales… and others. That makes me a Native-America, right? It doesn’t take anything away from anyone else to claim my birthright does it?

You want to know what offends me? Probably not, you’re saying, but I’m going to tell you anyway. It offends me deeply when I have to check a box and choose what kind of American I am on applications. I am deeply offended that I have to “Press 1 For English” during a phone call. I am offended that I have to pay higher and higher taxes so that people who are perfectly able to work collect welfare and government assistance – they can stand in line at the grocery store with their manicured nails and tattoos and hair extensions with a basket full of steaks, when I work hard just to try to make ends meet. It offends me beyond description that so many of our elderly and our veterans are subsisting, or are homeless, but we sent billions in aid to other countries, and reward illegal immigrants with food and homes.

What is going on, America? When did it become okay to disrespect our flag and what it stands for? How did we reach the point where rapists and murderers in prison are treated better than our parents and grandparents? There are so many things that offend me, but because I am a pinkish-tan human who happened to be born in America, I’m not allowed to be offended. So, from a pinkish-tan, hillbilly born, native AMERICAN…… that’s my rant for tonight.

“Then if My people who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray and seek My Face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT (http://bible.com/116/2ch.7.14.NLT)

Ah, the blessings of insomnia! 

If I haven’t offended you lately…I’ll get there eventually 

  “After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things He had done for Israel. They abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the LORD. They abandoned the LORD to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth. This made the LORD burn with anger against Israel, so He handed them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies all around, and they were no longer able to resist them. Every time Israel went out to battle, the LORD fought against them, causing them to be defeated, just as He had warned. And the people were in great distress.” – Judges 2:10‭, ‬12‭-‬15 NLT (http://bible.com/116/jdg.2.10-15.NLT)

This sounds so much like our country today. Replace “Israel” with “the United States,” and realize who Ba’al and Ashtoreth are. According to an article from http://www.breakingisraelnews.com, the temple to Ba’al in Palmyra, Syria, “…was originally dedicated to the Mesopotamian god Ba’al, whose principal forms of worship were burning babies alive and bisexual orgies. Symbolizing a major religion that challenged Judaism, Ba’al was mentioned in the Bible over 90 times, becoming the archetype of worshipping evil. The devotees of Ba’al believed he was the source of rain and universal bounty. Promiscuity was not penalized, as unwanted children could be offered up to the god [abortion, child abuse], nor was procreation valued, as homosexual relations were encouraged. Pantheistic, they worshipped Mother Nature while rejecting the concept of a creator.” (www.breakingisraelnews.com)

Considered the moon-goddess, Asherah [Ashtoreth] was often presented as a consort of Baal, the sun-god (Judges 3:7, 6:28, 10:6; 1 Samuel 7:4, 12:10). Asherah was also worshiped as the goddess of love and war and was sometimes linked with Anath, another Canaanite goddess. Worship of Asherah was noted for its sensuality and involved ritual prostitution. The priests and priestesses of Asherah also practiced divination and fortune-telling. (www.gotquestions.org)

(Emphasis added)

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, made a prescient comment on the new moral reality in an article in the the Wall Street Journal in 2011, warning, “A tsunami of wishful thinking has washed across the West saying that you can have sex without the responsibility of marriage, children without the responsibility of parenthood, social order without the responsibility of citizenship, liberty without the responsibility of morality and self-esteem without the responsibility of work and earned achievement.” (http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/64582/temple-baal-ancient-idol-worshiped-biblical-times-will-stand-times-square-biblical-zionism)

I think Rabbi Sacks was very accurate in his statement. We have no respect for life. Witness the number of abortions performed every day, and the acts of violence across the country. Human life has little value to so many people. The lives of animals are placed above children in so many cases, and the presence of drugs and human slavery are decimating. We want the government to support us so we don’t have to work. We expect the government to supply our health care; and we expect the government to take care of us when we get old. But mostly, we expect to be left alone to do whatever we please, without the constraints of morals or ethics or rules.

How’s that working out for you?
It’s time we stand up for what is RIGHT. Morally, ethically, and lawfully. Whether at work or at play, it is up to each individual to live righteously and without expectation that someone else will provide for us. Responsibility is not fun, but it is a necessity. There are different definitions of “right,” so I submit mine. It is right to work and then to enjoy the fruits of my labor. If I choose to have a nice house, it is my responsibility to pay for it and to maintain it. If I want a nicer vehicle, then I need to work for the privilege of ownership. Same with anything else I want. If I choose to have children or animals, it is my RESPONSIBILITY to take care of and provide for them. It is not up to any government to provide these things. There are legitimate instances where people need assistance. For example, I lost my job in April and have been unable to find equivalent work since then. I am fortunate to have earned unemployment benefits, but those are very limited. I am even more blessed to have a partner whose income keeps us going financially for now. Neither of these things prevents me from being responsible to find another job. I have friends who have made the choice to raise their children without the dad because of abuse, and others who have adopted unwanted children. They still work and struggle to maintain a “normal” life, and I believe they should be helped if they desire it. Many make the choice to do their lives without government help.
For those who cannot earn an adequate living through no fault of their own, because of physical or mental disability, or because they are a widow or orphan, we as a community of Christians bear the responsibility to care for them. Not the government. It is not the right of anyone or anything government to take what I have achieved in order to “spread the wealth” – or any other euphemism, including Socialism or Communism or just plain stealing because they don’t want to work.
We are at war today, my friends. In our homes, in our neighborhoods, in our jobs, in our lives, wherever it takes us. Take this scripture to heart:
  “Then if My People who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray and seek My Face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT (http://bible.com/116/2ch.7.14.NLT)

If Only…

We are so ungrateful and full of complaints. “If only I had married that person, if only I had stuck it out in that job, if only I could win the lottery/PCH Sweepstakes, if only, if only, if only…..”

  “If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.” – Exodus 16:3 NLT (http://bible.com/116/exo.16.3.NLT)
Looking back at history, we know the Israelites life in Egypt was anything but easy. For the most part, they were slaves and did hard labor with little or no rewards, but as they struggled through the wilderness following Moses and Aaron they forgot the reality of their lives in Egypt. They focused instead on the “if only” and what they no longer had, instead of their freedom and blessings of God. 

  “And as Aaron spoke to the whole community of Israel, they looked out toward the wilderness. There they could see the awesome glory of the Lord in the cloud.” – Exodus 16:10 NLT (http://bible.com/116/exo.16.10.NLT)

I could easily spend the rest of my life moaning about the “if only’s” and the “what if’s,” but what would I gain? Complaining about what could/should/would have been does one thing: it makes me miserable. Maybe if I had stayed married instead of tucking tail and running from responsibility, I would be more financially prepared for the future….and maybe not. Maybe if I had stayed at my first “real” instead of quitting over office politics, life would be different. Actually, my life would be nothing like it is now. Would it take be better? Would I be more financially prepared for the future? Would my health be better? Would my life be better?

The only thing that is assured from all that wondering is that my life would be different. Maybe better; maybe worse, but definitely different. The thing about life is that it shapes us into what we are. Our faith in God shapes us into who we are. Why spend my life wondering and wishing for a life that has already happened? I am who I am, and I am what I am, and I am where I am purely through my own choices. I realize that many people, through abuse or human trafficking, don’t have all of the choices most of us have. Their lives are not theirs to make many choices, and my heart and soul cry out to God to rescue them. Because the world currently belongs to the enemy, bad things will continue to happen. (I can’t wait to see him – the enemy, aka Satan – get what he deserves when Jesus returns!) 

Today, Instead of focusing on the “if only’s,” work on focusing on a blessing instead. I know first-hand how difficult it can be when your life is in flames around you. God provided meat and bread to the Israelites in the wilderness when they were hungry and had no resources. He saved Daniel from being mauled and eaten when he was thrown into a pit full of hungry wild lions. He walked through the fire with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. (See Daniel chapters 3 and 6.) He has saved countless people from physical harm, and he has allowed countless saints to be mistreated, tortured, and brutally murdered. “If only” God had saved them; “if only” He would heal all of the hurting….

He will, no doubt about it! It may not be in my lifetime or yours, but He will prevail over the evil in this world – in His time. I challenge you to find  something in your life to be grateful for today; something that you wouldn’t have if your “if only’s” had come to pass. 

Am I God?

There have been many people throughout the ages spreading the lie that we are each a god; that I am god. This is an eternally damning lie. Am I God? NO! There is but One God; the Almighty God, Creator of the universe. There is, however, one who wants us to believe the lie. The enemy, Satan, will stoop to any depth and use any perversion and tactic to get us to believe that we are gods; that we are equal to the Creator God. It starts with Eve, and Adam, making the lie that we can be equal to God. The enemy has used power very successfully over the ages to corrupt men and women, leading them to believe that they are better than anyone else and thus above any laws; that they are gods. Remember Joseph from the Bible? He was horribly mistreated by his brothers and sold into slavery at a young age. Temptations were thrown in his path by the enemy, giving him many opportunities to grasp at power and become like a god – but his belief in the Almighty God kept his heart in the right place. He never sought after power, and reject temptation after temptation, and God rewarded him with the position next to Pharaoh, who people regarded as a god. He had opportunity to take revenge on his brothers:

  “But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” – Genesis 50:19‭-‬20 NLT (http://bible.com/116/gen.50.19-20.NLT)

Can we be as forgiving as Joseph of the wrongs that have been done to us? Can we ask for and receive forgiveness from the ones we have wronged?

I am not God, and I am not a god. I am human, with free will, so I get to choose how I will take the information God gives us in His Word. I choose whether I will forgive, just as I choose to seek forgiveness. Sometimes it isn’t possible in this world to confront an abuser because they continue to abuse, and it isn’t safe for us to seek them out. God does want us to be hurt again and again. He is our Safety and Salvation; our Safe Place where we can go to hide. Sometimes in this world we have to physically hide ourselves from our abusers in order to stop the abuse, and I am thankful for all of the individuals and organizations who provide those safe places. Sometimes, it is physically impossible to escape the abuse, and my heart cries out for those imprisoned in that cycle.

I am not God, and it is not for me to seek revenge on my perpetrators. He made it possible for me to escape the abuse, even when I couldn’t see it. Jesus tells us: 

  “Even those closest to you—your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends—will betray you. They will even kill some of you.” – Luke 21:16 NLT (http://bible.com/116/luk.21.16.NLT)

This is one of the most difficult verses for me to read. There are thousands of people alive today who are being betrayed, persecuted, and abused – and even killed – by their own families. Children sold by their parents as sex slaves. Brothers and sisters perpetrating abuse upon each other. Watch the news anytime, and there will probably be a story of someone being arrested for child abuse, or family members making or selling drugs. Am I God, that I can take revenge on these people?  A resounding no! I am not God, and I am glad I am not a god. Here’s why: when the Great White Throne Judgment occurs, I won’t be responsible for anyone’s destruction. I will be judged alongside everyone else, but I will have Jesus at my side as my Advocate. 

   “And I saw a great white throne and the ONE sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from His Presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” – Revelation 20:11‭-‬15 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rev.20.11-15.NLT)

Am I God? No, but I know God through His Son, Jesus Christ. He carries me when I can’t walk, and He walks beside me when whenever I insist on doing it myself. He never leaves me and He will not forsake me. He protects my soul. I never have to walk alone again.  I pray that as you read this, you understand the importance of this relationship with Jesus. It can be life altering, if you invite Him in. Unlike our human “friends,” He is a perfect friend and gentleman,  never pushing and always there – and always forgiving. (Credit goes to my friend John Lawton for the painting!)

Obey My Commands 

​  “As the Father has Loved Me, so have I Loved you. Now remain in My Love. If you keep My commands, you will remain in My Love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His Love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have Loved you. Greater love has NO ONE one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends…” (http://bible.us/John15.9-13.NIV)

Jesus said “Obey my commands…” and then He gives us the ONE command that supercedes and yet includes all of the previous law: “Love each other as I have Loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

There could come a time in our lifetimes – and it could come very soon – when we are called to do this; to actually lay down our lives for our friends and family and our faith. It is happening all around the world today, even as I write this. Are you prepared? Are you prayed up and armored by the Word of God?

  “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very Power of God…. God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be Wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.” – 1 Corinthians 1:18‭, ‬30‭-‬31 NLT (http://bible.com/116/1co.1.18-31.NLT)

This is apparent in the world, and I think it is especially true here, in the United States. There are so many lies being pushed aside truth in the media. Preachers are teaching that one color or one style of life is more important than others. What happened to “All men are created equal?” Do black lives matter more than red or brown or yellow or white? Do blue lives matter more than any other? Then we have the disparities between life styles and economic and academic classes. Where does it end? Read all of 1 Corinthians, chapter 1. We are foolish to think that we are any better than anyone else. It is only by keeping the ONE command that Jesus gave us that we can honor Him. If God has united you with Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you should understand. If we in thought and in deed love others as Christ loves us, then there is no inequality in our treatment of others. 

Unfortunately, we are human and as such are incapable of the kind of LOVE that Jesus has. Yet again, when we are united with Christ, and we allow ourselves to be in Him, then, and only then, can His Love shine in us and through us. As broken people, the Light of Jesus can shine through all of the cracks and holes of our brokenness and imperfections. So if we are to boast on anything, let’s boast on Jesus. So  “If you want to boast, boast ONLY about the LORD,” and be prepared to lay down your life in order to boast of Him. There IS no greater Love. 

How I would like to see our politicians (from the city level all the way to Washington) understand the importance of God’s Word and the power that is to be gained by following the example of Jesus Christ instead of their own selfish and self-righteousness….

Heaven is a Real Place

The term “heaven” appears 582 times in the KJV of technology Bible, and 422 times in the NIV. I believe that the heaven of the Bible is a real place, because I believe that the Bible is the Word of the Almighty God, Who spoke to humans – He still speaks, but we don’t listen very well. 

  ‘Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Could you build Me a temple as good as that?’ asks the LORD. ‘Could you build Me such a resting place? Didn’t My hands make both heaven and earth?’ – Acts of the Apostles 7:49‭-‬50; Isaiah 66:1-2 (http://bible.com/116/act.7.49-50.NLT)

Over the ages, mankind has attempted to build something akin to heaven, and despite the ornate, incredibly beautiful attempts, we don’t even come close. Consider the Taj Mahal, the reported beauty of the ancient city of Babylon and it’s hanging gardens, the fairy-tale castle of Neuschwanstein, the Forbidden City, Versailles…. if you Google ornate castles, there are lots to look at, and they are breathtaking – and yet they are but a pale imitation of the heaven where our God resides. The residents of these earthly castles surround themselves with luxury and decadence, trying to fill their lives. No matter how much we strive, no matter how much beauty and comfort we have here on earth, it won’t fill that hole in our lives. We can have the absolute latest and best of everything, and still be empty inside. In fact, as you look into the lives of those who reside in such places, you find disorder, despair, and loneliness. Years ago, I knew a woman who was the loneliest and most miserable person I have ever met. She truly had no idea of her net worth, because she had accountants and lawyers who took care of it and ensured that her bank accounts were full for her to spend as she pleased. She could go and do as she pleased, and she didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to. She was born into a very wealthy family, and was pampered and treated as a princess growing up on a large estate. Why would she be unhappy? I dreamed of having a life like hers when I was a child! 

She was like the “Poor Little Rich Girl” Shirley Temple played in the 1936 movie, only I don’t know that my friend had as much fun as Shirley Temple did while growing up. As a child, she was raised by nanny’s and staff instead of her parents, and rarely saw her parents. Contrast that to your life. I grew up in a loud and boisterous family, with 5 siblings, an overworked and often overwhelmed mother, and our preacher dad. Never a dull moment! Preaching was an especially thankless and financially unrewarding profession, but my Dad didn’t become a preacher to get rich, he pastored out of conviction and love. There were times when we literally had no food in the cabinet, but I don’t remember that. Even if we only had mayonnaise or jelly sandwiches, we didn’t go hungry, and we always knew we were loved by our parents. We had regular family gatherings with grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. Being alone was practically unheard of….. 

If my friend had known about heaven, it would probably have been a place where she felt wanted and loved, while for me, it was a more abstract concept of harps and angels. I know now that heaven is a real place, and it’s a place I want to be. It is indeed a place full of love, and we are all wanted there. It is beautiful and peaceful. 

  “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” – Revelation 21:1‭-‬8 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rev.21.1-8.NLT)

I look forward to the day when Jesus returns so that we get to see the sight of the new heaven and earth, and that of the new Jerusalem descending from heaven! Can you imagine it? In verses 11-27, John attempts to describe this new Jerusalem. As incredibly beautiful as he has said it will be, I know that the actual sight of it will make his description seem dull by comparison. Heaven is a real place, and I look forward to seeing it as one of the redeemed. You can see it, too, if you just accept the gift of forgiveness and redemption through Jesus Christ. I look forward to seeing you then!

The Promised Land

​  “So the LORD made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River…” – Genesis 15:18 NLT (http://bible.com/116/gen.15.18.NLT)

There are a lot of maps out there! I found this site shows me the best representation of how big the land is that God promised to Abram:

https://biblechartsandmaps.com/product/giant-holy-land-map-poster-past-and-present

Absolutely amazing. Today, there is so much fighting going on in the middle east between the many different cultures and belief groups. Seems like every newscast includes a story about fighting there – ISIS, Palestinians, Russians and the Chinese, American troops, Israeli troops….. and so on. I would absolutely love to see it all end, but until Jesus comes again, I’m certain it will only get worse. The fighting for little bits of land (little in the overall scheme of things) has been going on since the first men settled in the area thousands of years ago. Do you really think anything we say or do is going to stop it? I think we are well into the prophecies of the Revelations. Seems to me that we are waiting on the 6th Seal to be broken, and that will be more terrible than what we have endured to this day.

   “As I watched, the Lamb broke the first of the seven seals on the scroll. Then I heard one of the four living beings say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked up and saw a white horse standing there. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory. 

  When the Lamb broke the second seal, I heard the second living being say, “Come!” Then another horse appeared, a red one. Its rider was given a mighty sword and the authority to take peace from the earth. And there was war and slaughter everywhere. 

  When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living being say, “Come!” I looked up and saw a black horse, and its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice from among the four living beings say, “A loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley will cost a day’s pay. And don’t waste the olive oil and wine.” 

  When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living being say, “Come!” I looked up and saw a horse whose color was pale green. Its rider was named Death, and his companion was the Grave. These two were given authority over one-fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword and famine and disease and wild animals. 

  When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters —their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them.” – Revelation 6:1‭-‬11 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rev.6.1-11.NLT)

Are you ready? Because the LORD will give the whole land of Israel to the descendants of Abraham when it is time, and that time is coming soon. The first 5 Seals appear to have been broken. Are you ready for the next one? Read on in chapter 6:

  “I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind. The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places. 

  Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?” – Revelation 6:12‭-‬17 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rev.6.12-17.NLT)

Only the ones who have been cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus, get to skip that day of wrath. Our sins have been covered and we have been walked by the Blood. I ask you again, are you ready?

Heroes and Warriors

​  “In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times.” – Genesis 6:4 NLT (http://bible.com/116/gen.6.4.NLT)

Nephilites. Some translations simply say “sons of God,” but all of them say that from these unions between the sons of God, or Nephilites, and women (who are also called daughters of man) came the giants and heroes and famous warriors. The Greek and Roman gods and myths and fables we have came from these unions and their descendents. 

How would Moses, who wrote and compiled the book of Genesis and the next 4 books of the Bible, know all of this? Obviously, part of it was written from first hand knowledge because he lived it. The earlier history was both written and passed down verbally, so it was just a matter of him putting it on paper… or papyrus, or clay… The final verses dealing with Moses’ death were probably added by Joshua, who arguably knew Moses better than anyone except perhaps Moses’ wife.

I’ve been researching the terms “Nephilites” and “sons of God” for a couple of days, and there is a lot of controversy and disagreement over who they really were. Some scholars say that they are angels, and fallen angels, while other scholars maintain that they were aliens or giant apes. Among the theories and explanations, the one I can hold on to and has the best historical support, is that the Nephilites or Nephilim were the progeny of fallen angels and human women. Look at the myths of the the gods. They all contain stories of gods and humans interacting and procreating, and of their offspring eventually being wiped out from the earth. I believe that fallen angels still visit us and their goal is to deceive us and lead us away from God. Everything described in the Bible is being backed by scientists and archeologists, sometimes when they are trying to prove it’s wrong! 

The Nephilim were real. The so-called gods of the ancient earth and the violence that surrounded them; the heroes and warriors of legend that are described in cultures around the world, were real. Perhaps their tales are exaggerated, but they are the same stories told in the Bible. The story of the flood is real, and it is also repeated (although distorted a bit) in every culture. The Bible is real, and the best record of the earth and our history as a human race that exists. There are many supplemental historical texts that aren’t inspired by God but are still valid historic texts, and they parallel the Bible account. 

What difference does it make, anyway, who or what the Nephilim were? What does it have to do with us? The actions of the Nephilites and the consequences of those actions bring us to Noah. 

  “This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. Noah was the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt. So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!” – Genesis 6:9‭-‬13 NLT (http://bible.com/116/gen.6.9-13.NLT)

The human race was about to be completely destroyed and wiped out, along with every creature and plant. God was preparing a clean slate – that’s how evil and disgusting the earth had become. God’s beautiful creation had been destroyed through human willfulness and the blatant sins of angels and men. Without Noah and his righteousness, we wouldn’t be here. I believe the earth is being prepared for another cleansing; the ultimate “ethnic” cleansing. Look, really look, at the earth and it’s inhabitants today. “… the earth ha[s] become corrupt and [i]s filled with violence…. everyone on earth  [i]s corrupt.” (verses 11a,‬12b) 

Are we any better than the people of Noah’s time? I know we aren’t. I don’t know if God could find even one truly righteous person today. There are are lots of good people, and many godly people – and many more self-righteous people, but a man that God would hold us as righteous in HIS eyes?  The one outstanding difference and our saving grace is Jesus. Jesus won’t stand in the way of the cleansing; in fact, He will be (He is) leading the angel army as they clean up the earth. Even as we speak, God has started reconfiguring the earth and preparing it  as the Apostle John describes in his book of Revelations.

  “But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts.” – Revelation 9:20‭-‬21 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rev.9.20-21.NLT)

These are the verses that frighten me. From Genesis to Revelations, we – the human race as a whole, including Nephilites and all, have refused to acknowledge God’s Sovereignty. Satan wants us to think that we are as good as God, and as smart as God, and as immortal as God. These are all lies from the enemy. He used a serpent to coerce Eve. He used fallen angels to deceive and bring down humanity in Noah’s time. He caused the tower of Babel to built, causing mankind to be divided by language, and he caused Sodom and Gomorrah to be destroyed through his evil and ungodly influence. In history, he has used distortion of God’s Word to help instigate the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition. Even today, he works through men in the pulpit to distort and deceive to promote racism and favoritism and false doctrines. 

How much longer do you think God will tolerate this evil? I don’t know the answer to how long He will let us go on as we are, but I do know this: