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Tag: war

The Curse of Disease and Death – 3

Moses & Joseph, Two Paths to the Palace

Joseph suffered prior to his blessing more like Job than Moses. He had no choice in his suffering, except his choice of response. Isn’t that how our suffering most impacts others, by our godly response? Blessed be the Lord!

In part two of this series about our attitude toward disease and death we examined Moses’ story from Exodus. Unlike Job, Moses chose to leave the riches of the palace of Pharaoh where he was raised. Moses could have followed a royal path which may have made him Pharaoh. He chose instead to identify himself with his people and his God.

You may be familiar with how Moses came to live with the daughter of Pharaoh to be raised as her son.

Exodus 1:

15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him…

22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”

Moses’ birth story begins in Exodus 2 with a baby protected in an ark of wicker retrieved from the bullrushes by none other than Pharaoh’s own daughter. As stated previously. Moses was raised in a palace only to leave at age forty then return again at age eighty to challenge Pharaoh on behalf of the Lord. Moses would live out the remainder of his 120 years in the wilderness.

A careful reading of Exodus 2 will reveal that the Hebrews were persecuted by the Egyptians because they were afraid of them, for they had been blessed by the Lord. A look back into Genesis will reveal a much different path to Pharaoh’s palace by a man the Lord used to bless the Hebrew nation in Egypt, Joseph.

Jacob (Israel) From Canaan to Egypt

Genesis 37:

Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan…

.. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers..

So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits…

26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

Joseph Sold

The whole story contains many more exciting details for the reader (or listener). Most of us first heard of Joseph during our childhood instruction in the Bible. As for Joseph, the hopelessness of the situation would seem to be insurmountable, that is, except that the Lord redeems Joseph for His own purpose.

Death had seemed certain more than once. Even in survival as a slave, Joseph would suffer injustice yet be redeemed by the Lord.

Genesis 39:1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there…

20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.

Genesis 41:

After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed.. seven other cows, ugly and thin.. seven ears of grain.. he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

An official who remembered Joseph’s interpretation of a dream now tells Pharaoh of Joseph. The Lord showed Joseph the meaning of Pharaoh’s dream. (You don’t think you could have guessed from visions of cows eating other cows and random pictures of grain, do you?)

The Lord brings famine to both Canaan, home of Jacob and Joseph’s brothers. Jacob’s son Joseph prepares Egypt for the same seven years of severe famine ahead and manages stored resources for the people to whom he was sold.

a 2017 famine FYI

Mandari fishermen on Nile River in South Sudan

I mentioned in Part 2 the importance of the 4160 mile long (6670 km) Nile River basin to life in Egypt. (The Jordan river valley was also important to Canaan and the small countries bordering the Jordan to a lesser extent.) Both crops and herds of animals must have both the water and the grain which grows in these fertile areas. Yet when drought comes and the rivers dry up many suffer. Many die, both animals and people die due to lack of water and too little food.

Did you know:

UN: World facing greatest humanitarian crisis since 1945

[ctt title=”Millions suffering in famine and war. Many will die in 2017. Why does the world ignore it?” tweet=”https://ctt.ec/dNle1+” coverup=”dNle1″]

Humanitarian groups fear this could be just the beginning: a lack of water – blamed partially on the El Nino weather phenomenon – has killed off livestock and crops, leaving 6.2 million people in urgent need of help.

The greater causes of suffering relate to war, civil war, greed, oil, extremism, religious differences which cause one sect (of several) to oppose other sects to the death (so to speak) and in fact starve them out.

Is genocide of African terror so different in 21st c. S. Sudan, Yemen, Somalia and so many other shoreline divided rich and poor so different from ancient Pharaohs ordering deaths of opponents?

[ctt title=”http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-39238808” tweet=”Genocide by starvation and war. The terrors of extreme local and religious hatreds.” coverup=”1UNA2″]

The Lord Prevails

Returning to Joseph’s story, let us recall how we do not know or understand the ways of the Lord. Not until the end of the story of Job do we learn that the Lord brings Job double blessing. Job didn’t know why he suddenly suffered. We knew from the beginning that satan was behind Job’s suffering.

Pharaoh caused the great suffering of the Hebrew people in Moses’ time. The Lord brought suffering to Egypt. Pharaoh opposed the Lord; not as a man, but as if a man or a leader could be a god to his own people suffering though plagues and death.

A Nero, Hitler or Muhammed murdering innocents is no less opposed to the Lord! Even kings of Israel and kings of Judah “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.”

Yet Joseph, a slave in Egypt promoted to the palace, becomes a type of redeemer for the people of the lands he loved. Yes, the lands Joseph loved – both Goshen, a state of Egypt where the Lord would multiply the Hebrew people, and a promised land along the Jordan from which he unwillingly emigrated.

Forgiveness and Redemption

Joseph’s story reveals first a reunion of forgiveness with his brothers who sold him into captivity.

But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. – Genesis 50:19-20

Joseph’s reply to his brothers from his own position and power: “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?”[ctt title=” A redeemer does not judge his enemies, but leaves judgment to the Lord.” tweet=”Neither Moses nor Joseph redeemed Israel, but the LORD.” coverup=”367rc”]

The curse of sin: War, Disease, Famine, Suffering & Death

From Adam to this very day: many hurt, many suffer, many will die.

Who is your Redeemer, dear brother, beloved sister – who will redeem you from the enemy of your sin?

Christ Jesus, He IS! For our Lord shed His Blood of Sacrifice for us while we were yet sinners, enemies of the Lord.

Like Israel, a man with twelve sons and like a people enslaved by injustice, the Lord has passed over a sinful flesh condemned to die in our sin.

Christ Jesus IS risen to eternal life and as our Redeemer and Judge the Lord pours over us the Blood of His own righteous and immeasurable outpouring of His own love for our eternal soul.

Joseph’s brothers eventually bowed down before their brother, humble before the Lord.

Won’t you bow down before Christ Jesus, loving Lord and Savior of the Hebrews and of the Nations?

March 18, 2017
Swords & Sickles
Proclaim this among the nations:
Consecrate for war;
    stir up the mighty men.
Let all the men of war draw near;
    let them come up.

Beat your plowshares into swords,
    and your pruning hooks into spears;
    let the weak say, “I am a warrior.”

Joel 3:9-10

Consecrate them, says the LORD! Yes. It is a holy war – war between the Lord God and those who hold to their sins, following idols, false prophets, foolish sages and lying leaders.

What has been will be and what has never before been seen will blind the eyes of the nations.

Joel 3:

¹³Put in the sickle,
    for the harvest is ripe.

Go in, tread,
    for the winepress is full.
The vats overflow,
    for their evil is great.

¹⁴Multitudes, multitudes,
    in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
    in the valley of decision.

Borders and Nations Destroyed

By what proxy have the nations divided Tyre and Sidon to the spoils of nations beyond the valley of destruction?

Have the people not fled for their lives by land and by sea to places where they remain an enemy?

Though you rebuild fallen towers and repair the breach of five-walled fortresses, refugees will yet invade your borderless regions. Their helpless will expose the evil of princes; their plight unveils the nakedness of greed.

Has anything changed? Are these last times so different than the demise of the godless in the days of Joel?

Six centuries later Peter would preach the words of Joel’s prophesy fulfilled by the Holy Spirit speaking through a few Apostles heard by the crowd in many languages. [Acts 2:16-21] The last days have begun, Peter preaches, with the incarnation of Christ Jesus and the Lord’s crucifixion for our sins and His resurrection and ascension to the Throne of the LORD!

It is the Lamb of God who will judge. He was not a sword-wielding conquering King, general or prophet. God’s own compassion for the nations sacrificed the promised king of the jews as full payment for our sins, even the sins of His own enemies.

The Rumblings of Peace

One of the Apostles of Jesus lived to see Jerusalem fall once more under the domination of Rome. John wrote letters of love to the churches of Asia (modern day Turkey). Then as the last living Disciple prophesy came to John.

Rome has since fallen. A false prophet emerged from a cave to conquer the continents. Wars to end all wars. Emperors and dictators and despots have risen with sword and perished in humiliation. Even Israel is replanted after shameful killings of the remnant.

Only the message of the Lamb remains viable – a call to repentance and redemption in the blood of love, rather than the blood of war. Like in times before the falls of the mighty some claim peace, but it is war they invite. It is the Lord who will judge. Hear the Truth of these last days:

Revelation 6:1-8 excerpt
1. And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
2. And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
3. And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand.
4. And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.
And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.

Death Tolls of War
- Current estimate of the population of the earth: 7,404,976,783
  - a fourth of the earth killed = 1,851,244,195
  - 9/11 Death toll = 2,996
  - 2016 Migrant deaths = 4,310 of 243,000+ war refugees
  - Syrian war deaths = c.300,000-400,000
  - Abortion deaths = 40,000,000 – 50,000,000
  - WWII deaths = 50,000,000 – 80,000,000
- The current combined populations of China, Russia and the US = 1,831,278,025
I am not suggesting that these three empires will be those destroyed in the end. The number of souls tormented and killed on the earth will exceed the total number of people living in these three earthly super-powers!

Our sin is rampant! The judgment of evil is inevitable.

The Lamb of God IS and will be, forever, Lord and Savior!

He did not come to the world with a sword of power or a sickle to reap the riches of other lands. No, Christ Jesus came into the world as a Lamb of sacrifice for our sins. He will return on the clouds as John as prophesied.

Revelation 6:

⁹When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. ¹⁰They cried out with a loud voice,

“O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

¹¹Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
September 11, 2016
Saints & Martyrs; Bishops & Pawns

I want to tread this holy ground carefully, for some of you may be offended; yet please hear me out.

We begin with the martyrs of 9/11/2001, a group of men determined for a religious cause, followers of radical Islam with a jihad vision of a Kingdom for Mohammed on earth, an angelic vision given to a prophet and a heavenly reward of intercourse with virgins given to martyrs for the glory of a prophet.

How easily (and for a short time) do the enemies of this earth remember the heroic actions of their dead. How quickly we forget the god whom we praised or the God to whom we cried out.

Mankind knows no limit of evil nor glory forgotten by the sacrifice of human life.

Yet to what end? And for what reward?

Are the rewards of heaven the same as those we crave for the desires of this flesh?

We dismiss the passions of young men living lives of hopelessness, worshiping a past which glorifies war – a past which promotes culture of enforced righteousness on this evil place, a false hope of conquering peoples for the glory of the conquerors. It is nothing new under the sun.

God is sovereign. God allows a time of evil to refine or humble mortal man. God allows the crumbling of mortal dreams into parched dust in need of the Lord’s cleansing life.

Looking back: before America, before England, before Rome, before David and Israel; looking back to cultures of conquest and times of evil:

Judges 4:

And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. 2 And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 3 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.

4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time…

[Read more of this story of war unfamiliar to me, (probably you), most Christians and most Jews. I point now to the song of the spoils of victory you will not hear preached in our ‘family sermons.’]

Judges 5:

Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day:

2 “That the leaders took the lead in Israel,
that the people offered themselves willingly,
bless the Lord!

…

19 “The kings came, they fought;
then fought the kings of Canaan,
at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo;
they got no spoils of silver.
20 From heaven the stars fought,
from their courses they fought against Sisera.

…

28 “Out of the window she peered,
the mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice:
‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?’
29 Her wisest princesses answer,
indeed, she answers herself,
30 ‘Have they not found and divided the spoil?—
A womb or two for every man…

‘A womb or two for every man’: the expected spoils of war. And how have the women of other lands become the concubines of conquering kings and warriors? The answer you know; for in the desires of the troops and warriors burns the lust of the flesh for the rewards of this life.

Though some would explain away the motives of the victors (be they crusaders, knights, soldiers of the war we won or draftees into the foreign lands we lost), let’s be clear about the Biblical text.

Have they not divided the prey?

Plunder, spoil, booty, gain. (Does a young man not continue to refer to the desirable parts of a young woman as her ‘booty?’ The meaning here and still considers the sacrifice of virgins once protected by their defeated fathers, even the wives of slain husbands – a dividing of the gain of war.

‘A womb of two for every man’ is translated in some versions as: a damsel, a girl, a woman, a maiden, a female, ‘two ladies to every man.’

The motive is clear. And is this not the same motive and false promise of heaven made to the men who commandeered these planes to fly into the buildings of the city on 9/11/2001? Nothing is new under the sun.

Read the account of the battle. Sisera had not won the battle of the day. His reward was same as those who shouted, “Allahu akbar,” as their plane martyred the lives of innocents at work in New York City and Washington D.C.

Yet to what end? And for what reward?

Sisera’s reward was no different than that of IS [or ISIS], who take spoils untold of young girls as they conquer the lands of the Middle East in 2014 for the kingdom of the devil and his prophet; young men with the weapons of atheists in hand, marching against the sovereign borders of their own Muslim brothers.

And the Lord has allowed it.

To be continued…

November 1, 2014