The Scourge Of Racism
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David cries out, “Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men,” (Psalm 12:1, NKJV). Being a prophet, David like Micah after him is alarmed as he looks at the future shown to him by the Holy Spirit and sees the increase in the ungodly and decrease of the godly in the world (Micah 7:2a). They see such times as we now have on the earth when the ungodly are being allowed to give full vent to their wicked desires and deeds (Psalm 12:2-4, 8; Micah 7:2b-4). Meanwhile, God’s faithful die through natural means and martyrdom. Isaiah tells us it is to remove them from evil’s face and John to glorify God (Isaiah 57:1-2; John 21:18-19).
As it concerns martyrdom, Daniel and the Lord Jesus Christ speak of the coming globally violent assault of the Antichrist on Jews and Christians (Daniel 7:1-8, 15-25, 8:23-25, 9:20-27, 11:36-45; Matthew 24:15-22; Revelation 11:1-7, 13:1-18). The faithful among American Christians must come to accept that the assumed superiority and divine grace inherit in the invented doctrine of “American Exceptionalism” as perpetual is not factual in the face of God’s prophetic Word! Severe and violent persecution is coming upon the American Christian faithful as it has our brothers and sisters now in many nations around the earth and finally all because our Lord Jesus declares it is.
Far in advance He warns, ‘“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake,’” (Matthew 24:9, NKJV, emphasis mine). Unless therefore, one is calling the Lord a liar, it has been and will be as He has said! The stage is nearly set in our nation for violent persecution to descend like a sudden flood upon us as the ongoing rebellion against God, His Anointed and Word continues escalating. For the godless and apostate haters of Christ and His faithful will not long suffer our peaceful though powerless opposition to their rebellion. It is inevitable that violent persecution will be used as foretold to do away with Christians!
How do you know this? Again, Jesus said so! As well, the written historical evidence of the violent lashing out of evil against real and perceived opponents is legion and certainly includes the Bible where for example, Herod slaughtered children attempting to kill Christ as a rival and the Jewish religious establishment carried out their plan to do so for the same reason by pagan hands (Matthew 2:13-17; Luke 23:13-25). Indeed, the Lord warns us about the murderous treachery of religious church folk as foes (John 16:1-4)! Finally, I was also born during and later witnessed the televised attempt to squash the American Civil Rights Movement with the tactics of violent intimidation and murder.
Christian submission to suffering and death in faith following the example and as the express will of our Lord Jesus Christ is not just because of a confidence in His soon return to stop it and our resurrection from the dead, but also His complete vindication of us. As I write in The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, it is a distinctive characteristic of aspiring strong men of God in Christ’s image to trust Him for vindication (Isaiah 50:4-10). God’s vindicating justice may take thousands of years as it will finally be for righteous Abel, other Old Testament saints, Christ Himself and many Christian martyrs after Him, but it will come (Psalm 94:1-3; Matthew 23:29-36; Revelation 17:1-6, 18:1-19:4). God’s vindication is thoroughly fulfilled in His holy vengeance (Genesis 4:8-15; Deuteronomy 32:34-43).
From eternity the Most High set a day that He would launch His time of vengeance on the earth. He only quelled the antediluvian rebellion at its high point with the flood of Noah’s day. But the Father initiated His “days of vengeance” (sustained and progressive) beginning with the Jews at the height of their 1st century rebellion foretold first by Moses, then Christ for rejecting and having Him put to death (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Luke 19:41-44, 20:9-19, 21:20-24, NKJV). Thus, the days of vengeance are in part the Father’s vindication of Christ’s violent martyrdom (He is pre-eminent in all things--Revelation 1:4-5) and began when Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70.
As the prophet Jeremiah warns, if the days of vengeance began with Israel, their end will include all the inhabitants of the earth (Jeremiah 25:29-33). For the Lord’s vengeance on scattered Israel will peak during the time of the Antichrist and end at the Second Coming of Christ to deliver what will be only a remnant (Isaiah 10:20-22, 11:11-16; Jeremiah 30:1-11, 31:7-11; Revelation 7:1-8). When Jerusalem is again surrounded by armies--those of the Antichrist, Christ the agent of God’s vengeance on the unique “Day of vengeance” (which is also the “Day of the Lord”) will bring it at His return (Isaiah 34:1-8, 42:13-15, 59:16-20, 63:1-6; Joel 3:1-17; Zechariah 14:1-7; Romans 11:25-36; Revelation 15:17-20, 16:12-21, 19:11-21, NKJV)!
Truly, as was the year of God’s favor (now stretching to nearly 2,000 years), so, the Day of His vengeance is in the Lord’s heart as part of the Father’s two phase work for Him as His Anointed (Isaiah 61:1-2). In announcing His first century arrival, the Lord stopped short of declaring the Day of vengeance because He was fulfilling only phase one of His work at that time (Luke 4:16-21). But just as surely as He successfully carried out phase one leading to the cross and this dispensation of grace, He is to carry out phase two without mercy upon the wicked that have harmed the Jews and His righteous ones by faith from all peoples (Psalm 12:5-7, 94:4-23; Isaiah 35:4; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10)!
In that Day of vengeance, the righteous, peculiar people of God will rejoice in the glorious vindication our Lord brings us because we trusted in Him and willingly suffered in His cause and image (Psalm 58:10-11; Matthew 5:43-48; Romans 12:17-21). For a thousand years of Kingdom joy as perfected, immortal rulers on the earth, we will be entrusted “to execute vengeance on the nations,” (Psalm 149:1-9, Revelation 2:26-27, 20:4-6, NKJV). After this will come a final, insane rebellion against God which He will put down with a complete destruction of the physical creation and by confining rebel angels and men to the lake of fire forever (2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 20:7-15)! The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, “Who is on the Lord’s side?”
Many professed Christian whites and some blacks as well do not like when I address the men, their issues, needs and troubles among those I share identity with as black Americans. However, seeking to please God who cares that the biblical Gospel be preached to all mankind and standing in the example of the Jewish Christ and Paul, the apostle to us Gentiles from every hue, I make no apology to those offended by my obedience (Matthew 10:1-15; Acts 1:4-8, 26:12-18; Romans 1:16-17; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23). Indeed, I purposely exclude no one in my preaching of the Gospel, but ensure that those of my own household, extended family and ethnicity are not left out either.
As I wrote in the March 7, 2021 post, black males from slavery have gotten a raw deal by not in many cases receiving an authentic proclamation of the Gospel or representation of biblical Christianity to include God’s will for us as men and manhood.1 The Gospel to all humanity as sinners “according to the Scriptures” is that God in love sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to die on the cross for our sins, be buried and rise again on the third day after to save us from His just wrath. Whoever repents from his sins believing the Gospel is forgiven and receives eternal life by the Holy Spirit (John 3:1-21, 35-36; Acts 2:36-39, 10:34-43; Romans 10:10-13; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, NKJV).
Now, since the Gospel is according to the Scriptures, every man can read it in the Bible for himself and as I wrote in my recent Black History Month post is without excuse.2 Even so, in His amazing grace God has also purposely ordained that those such as myself He gifts, calls and sends should preach the Gospel as joyful heralds (Romans 10:14-15)! But to be clear, black males with everyone else have the God granted right of free will to reject the Gospel as many have done and do though, I would this were not the case since what God has done for us as sinners in it is so awesome (Romans 10:16-17). Truly, no one has to convince us of our need having been sinners from birth.
God in wisdom has given each one of us a conscience that affirms and condemns us as sinners in our sinful thinking, attitudes, words and deeds. Knowing the sinfulness of our hearts and attempts to alleviate our guilt through deceitfully ignoring, covering or outright denying it, God also as Judge announced His condemnation of all mankind as sinners before Him from Heaven’s bench with no hope of deliverance except by His grace through faith in the Gospel of Christ (Romans 3:9-26). “For the wages of sin is death, but the (free) gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Romans 6:23, NKJV). Forgiveness of sins and a clear conscience is a great and precious blessing!
Therefore, I appeal to my unsaved black countrymen from the heart not to be proud in the face of the truth. Not “the white man” or “the system” is our greatest issue, need or trouble, but our own selves as embittered sinners who after rejecting the way of humble acceptance of the Gospel, have no other means of liberation from a guilty conscience! Outside of God’s salvation in Christ, I have felt you in feeling demoralized by the heavy-handed oppression we as men wired to be leaders and the sons of West African warriors and kings have experienced in real life and as portrayed in Alex Haley’s Roots for example, when Kunta Kinte was forced to accept his master’s assigned name “Toby.”3
In overwhelming powerlessness and longing for vengeance apart from Christ I have also wanted to be the fictional character played by Jamie Foxx in Django Unchained and surely heard you and myself in the vengeful anger of Michael B. Jordan’s character in Black Panther as he ran down the suffering of our captive forefathers during their transatlantic ship journeys from Africa to the New World. I too, with Jordan’s character and very likely you, missed having my father who was away on long military tours of duty during most of my pre-teen years. However, whatever else may be the issues, needs or troubles you grapple with whether it is in real life or captured as real talk in fiction, angry vengeance is not the God approved way to handle our business (Romans 12:17-21).4
So, the only right way to go is to first deal with our sin problem by turning to God in Christ through the Gospel to be saved from His righteous wrath. After this, let Him help us deal with our just anger at sins perpetrated against us as black Americans, other needs and troubles we have through His living Word and power in accord with what a man is and does by His design and perfectly modeled by Christ. He is the Strong Man of God the Father calls us to aspire to be like as I write in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.5 He wills to set us fully free from all of the ties that bind our souls and keep us from being released to be like Him; walking in His eternal dignity, freedom and overcoming power (1 John 5:4-5)!6 For the Gospel is for black males too!
1 Read the March 7, 2021 post, Restoring Men In The Black Community, under the category, The Cause.
2 See the two-part post beginning on February 21, 2021, Willful Ignorance Destroys under the category, Black History.
3 See the good result for a proud Syrian Army Commander who submitted to God’s plan for healing in 2 Kings 5:1-14. Also, unless you or I are greater in Person and sta-
tus than Jesus Christ, the Son of God and King of Glory, then, we should consider and accept the healing truth that He too, has felt our pain since He also has been hu-
miliated, “oppressed” and “afflicted” (Psalm 69:7; Isaiah 53:7-8a; Matthew 26:46-68, 27:1-2, 11-31; Luke 22:53, NKJV). As a result, Christ in His resurrection victory
knows how to help all in similar circumstances cope and wait in hope for the final display of His overthrow of even the ultimate oppressor, Satan, accomplished on the
cross (Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 2:11-15)!
4 We know deep down venting through violence in vengeance is not right because this too, God has written upon our conscience and demonstrated His opposition or else
we would have lost our minds en masse by now to go for it only to be beaten back in defeat as for example, Nat Turner was in his 1831 slave rebellion and every rioter
thereafter. Turning our rage on each other as is seen in gang violence is not the sensible answer either. Don’t you know that when God disclosed the enslavement of
Abram’s Jewish descendants He also declared and carried out His vengeance on their oppressor while setting them free (Genesis 15:13-14; Exodus 10:7)? Not that we
in Christ hope for such a thing (though, we have seen it in this nation’s Civil War that freed our slave forefathers and the aftermath need for Reconstruction) since this is
our nation too, and we live here. Instead, as eternal sons and king-priests in Christ and His forgiveness, we desire the salvation of those who hate and would continue
to oppress us until the day of His global wrath and vengeance arrives.
5 The book is published by Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. and is available in print or digital formats at major internet booksellers. You can also purchase a
print copy in the Strong Man Store.
6 See the February 21, 2016 post, Ties That Bind Black Male Souls, under the category, The Cause.
On the joyful occasion of Palm Sunday last year, the Lord led me to write soberly about the why and what for of His Coronavirus judgment declaring it “a major magnitude ‘shot across the bow’ to the world that God has turned a corner on His forbearance with mankind.”1 On this Palm Sunday commemorating the foretold nearly two millennia ago triumphant, yet lowly entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem as Israel’s King (Matthew 21:1-11), I am privileged by Him in this post to wrap up my exposition of the biblical Gospel as a special emphasis to black American males with whom I share ethnic identity.2 Hereafter, none as victims in truth will again say, “no one like me ever told me!”
In declaring the biblical Gospel beginning with last month’s Black History Month post and all this month, I have repeatedly stated that those who repent and believe it are saved from their sins and the wrath of God.3 As I wrote specifically in last week’s post, the wrath of God is the naturally aroused, settled response of His eternal holy Person and character to sin that He judges in perfect righteousness and justice. Sin is not natural to God or the environs of glory in which He dwells. Sin like a virus arises from and is the unique experience of man and angels that have willfully come short of and rebelled against the divine will (Genesis 3:1-11; Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-19).
The wrath of God toward sin and sinners is a narrative and prophetic theme throughout the Bible. His wrath makes its first appearance in the biblical narrative at the rebellion of man where God not only affirms in righteousness and justice His fore stated penalty for it physically, but spiritually too, as He separated from His now, sin tainted and guilty creature. Even so, God also displays His grace toward man by promising a Deliverer and providing a temporary covering for his naked body and sin guilt as an animal was slain and its life poured out on behalf and instead of man. In doing this, God signifies what must be done to forever turn His wrath away from man (Genesis 3:15, 17-19, 21-24)!
God’s promise of a future Deliverer is the first mention of it in the Bible as prophecy and His unspoken, but clearly implied continuing wrath toward sinful mankind until all would be fulfilled. Indeed, after writing “God is a just judge,” David adds, “and God is angry with the wicked every day.” God’s delay to judge is due to His longsuffering grace waiting since the ancient king of Israel further warns that if the wicked person does not repent, His retribution will follow (Psalm 7:11-16, NKJV). For this reason, Noah’s generation endured an earth destroying global flood as the first instance of divine wrath poured out upon unrestrained human wickedness (Genesis 6:3, 5-17).
While thereafter, the Bible records many regional and localized displays of His wrath (Genesis 19:12-29; Exodus 15:1-7; 2 Chronicles 24:17-25), the reality God would “once more” express it not just on the whole earth, but the universe too, is what prophecy thematically and consistently asserts; “the day of the Lord” the apostle Peter warns is delayed only again by His longsuffering grace waiting for those He foreknows will be saved from it (Isaiah 2:10-22, 13:6-13, 40:3-5; Joel 1:15-20; Amos 5:16-20; Zephaniah 1:14-18; Luke 3:1-7; Hebrews 12:25-29; 2 Peter 3:1-10, NKJV)! The Day of the Lord is one and the same as The Day Of Vengeance He had me write about in 2016.4
As the Lord Jesus Christ was the divine instrumentality enabling this nearly two millennia period of grace through His death on the cross, burial, resurrection and ascension, so, His glorious return will finish the approaching Day of God’s wrath and vengeance (Isaiah 53, 61:1-2; Mark 14:60-62; Acts 1:9-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12; Revelation 1:4-8, 6:12-17). For He endured the wrath of God toward human sin upon Himself in our place as our “Passover” “Lamb” and “once for all” atoning, eternally sufficient sacrifice that any who repent and believe on Him through the Gospel should receive a pass from having to experience it for themselves (John 1:29, 3:16-18, 36, 19:30; Romans 5:6-9; 1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, 4:13-5:11; Hebrews 9:11-15, 27-10:14, NKJV).
Rejecting His grace throughout severe, escalading warning judgments now, underway with the global Coronavirus pestilence as one among many foretold adversities (Matthew 24:3-31; Revelation 8-9, 11-14), sinners alive at the Day of the Lord will suffer the full outpour of His long held wrath that completely transforms the landscape of the earth and leaves relatively few mortals (Isaiah 42:14-17; Revelation 15-16)!5 God’s wrath is righteous because He did not create us to be rebels that even murder His holy sons, but to be one in fellowship with Him forever!6 Therefore, do not be caught with a proud, stubborn, angry and willfully ignorant heart refusing God’s salvation in the Gospel of Christ who confirms the authenticity of the former days and His own coming Day of wrath (Luke 17:20-37).
(As per usual, there will not be a post on Resurrection Sunday. I will be celebrating my 44th year since becoming a beneficiary of God’s grace to save sinners through faith in Christ on Resurrection Sunday 1977. The Lord saying the same, my next post will be on April 11, 2021.)
1 Read the April 5, 2020 post, God Is Speaking, under the category, Call To Repent.
2 See the March 14, 2021 post, The Gospel Is For Black Males Too!, under the category, The Cause
3 Read the two-part post beginning on February 21, 2021, Willful Ignorance Destroys under the category, Black History and this month’s posts all under the category, The
Cause.
4 See the June 5, 2016 Post, The Day Of Vengeance, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
5 Despite the unscientific attempts by evolutionists to interpret the empirical data to the contrary, the evidence of cataclysm consistent with what would have occurred
during and after the global flood of Noah’s day is everywhere to be seen on earth including our nation’s famous Grand Canyon. They look at it as a wonder of nature
over evolutionary millennia (Romans 1:18-21); the Lord’s faithful see tragedy and ruin as the recent aftermath of His wrath potently displayed globally for the first time
upon rife human wickedness which no one in good conscience can deny is coming to this again (Genesis 7:11-8:14; Psalm 29:10)!
6 Learn about the eternal destiny of every faithful Christian man who is also an aspiring strong man of God in the image of Jesus Christ in my book, The Strong Man Of
God: Back To Basics. It is published by Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. and available in print or digital formats at major internet booksellers. You can also
purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store. A summary introduction of the strong man of God in Christ’s image is presented on the strong man of God Web Site.
‘“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!’” says your God. ‘“Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins,’” (Isaiah 40:1-2, NKJV). The glorious Second Coming of Jesus Christ is tied in very important part to the divine promise to deliver and comfort remnant Jews in Israel and scattered over the face of the earth after all of their many centuries of travail at the Lord’s hand for sin (Isaiah 40:3-5, 9-11; Jeremiah 30:10-11). For bound up in the second phase of Christ’s work from the Father is His awesome coming for vengeance and the comfort of His people (Isaiah 61:1-2; Matthew 5:4).
In the soon coming day of Israel’s comfort by the Lord, it will have been thoroughly fulfilled what was first written by Moses that He “will judge His people,” (Deuteronomy 32:36a, NKJV). In lieu of annihilation for transgression, sin and iniquity--as was done to many similarly guilty nations--to include instigating the death of their King (Zephaniah 3:1-7; Matthew 27:11-26), the Lord destroyed Jerusalem and the temple and scattered the people to the four winds in AD 70 as double punishment (Jeremiah 30:12-15; Hosea 3:1-5, 5:8-15). With all of the foretold horrors of suffering that followed, yearning for the land of Zion continued until the Lord in step with His prophetic Word at the turn of the 20th century began to show He was again hearing Israel’s cry (Psalm 44, 74, 79, 80, 106:40-48).
After two world wars, the victorious nations in pity for unspeakable Jewish suffering consented to accept the formal creation of a Jewish State, even Israel on May 14, 1948. Immediately, the new nation was at war and against all odds prevailed in it and the several that have followed (Isaiah 66:5-9). However, scattered Israel’s troubles and sorrows as double punishment from the Lord are not yet over. In the buildup to the time of “Jacob’s trouble” looming large ahead in which out of fear of Him the nations will permit the temple to be rebuilt, God alone will prevail for His people (Jeremiah 30:4-9; Revelation 7:1-8, 8-11:2). When their strength is gone and there is no hope, then my God in compassion shall again act to deliver Israel (Deuteronomy 32:36; Psalm 46; Jeremiah 30:16-24).
Why does God do this for Israel? Is it not because God is a God of grace and mercy and they are His chosen people that He loves with an everlasting love; gathering them back to Himself in the land of promise (Deuteronomy 7:6-11; Isaiah 41:8-16, 43:1-13, 49:14-21, 51:1-16; Jeremiah 31; Romans 11:1-10)? The Lord will come down from Heaven before every eye to deliver His people, the remnant of Israel and comfort them with grace and forgiveness in all of their mourning especially over what their 1st century forefathers did to Him and their own unbelief (Psalm 18:1-17; Isaiah 51:17-52:10, 66:10-17; Micah 7:14-20; Zechariah 12:10-13:1, 7-9). Immediately, the Lord will also summon the remaining scattered Jews to Him in Israel (Isaiah 11:11-14; Zephaniah 3:8-13).
They will come weeping and singing for joy from the four corners of the earth to which they were scattered with the Lord’s power on display to help them (Isaiah 11:15-16, 35, 49:8-13; Micah 4:1-8). Some will be assisted by surviving Gentiles who also rejoice with them in this latest and last foretold turnabout in one of the greatest love stories in the history of the world; God and Israel, reconciled in and by Christ forever (Isaiah 49:22-26)! When they are all gathered to the Lord in the land, then He shall heal and restore them completely as part of His comfort; giving them “beauty for ashes,” joy in the Holy Spirit for mourning and new clothes of praise (Isaiah 61:3; Zechariah 8:1-8, NKJV)!
The redeemed sons of Jacob shall also set about under the leadership of Christ their King to “rebuild the old ruins,” “raise up the former desolations,” “repair the ruined cities” and enjoy all of the many blessings He shall bestow upon them as they move forward in their divinely ordained eternal comfort (Isaiah 61:4-9; Zephaniah 3:14-20, NKJV). Finally, they will live in the peace and security they have longed for; peace and security only the Almighty God can provide (Jeremiah 23:5-8; Ezekiel 28:24-26, 34:25-31)! They, for their part will overflow with continuing joy in Christ their King and the blessings of righteousness bestowed on them by the Father before all nations (Isaiah 61:10-11; Ezekiel 39:21-29).
Now, in these latter days it is important that faithful Christians stand for support with unredeemed Israel in their ancient land and scattered over the earth in accord with the working of God. Understanding though, that only a tiny, elect, mortal remnant will see Christ come, it is of the greatest importance to facilitate the proclamation of the Gospel to them especially by their own redeemed, messianic brethren so that many will be saved. For indeed, the visible vindication and comfort of the saints composed of multitudes of Jews and Gentiles made righteous in Christ by faith and resurrected to immortal glory at His appearing will coalesce with all of God’s foretold promises of comfort to that surviving, mortal remnant of Israel (Romans 11:11-15)!
Israel is forever the natural branches of the olive tree God planted and He comes to deliver that we Gentiles in certain number He knows are grafted into. To see it any other way is blatant arrogance and damnable heresy (Romans 11:16-29). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, “Who is on the Lord’s side?”
To all of the fathers reading this post, Happy Father’s Day! As I remember with appreciation my own departed father and the Lord leads, what an appropriate occasion to conclude looking at the Jewish patriarch, Jacob, God named Israel for what He would have aspiring strong men in His image learn from him. So far, we have seen that he like us as sinners without personal knowledge of God and new believers had to come into it through the crucible of painful life experiences; he learning as we do for example, to pray about everything. Once he got rolling, Jacob became a devoted man of prayer God visited, taught and guided to maturity as the patriarch of a family and future nation.
After his high moment of worship at Shechem that ended Genesis 33 and last week’s part two post,10 Jacob was blindsided with the rape of his daughter, Dinah, by a prince of that region (Genesis 34:1-5). Although there was not yet any written Law from God in the world, men in conscience considered certain things wrong beyond what He had declared to Noah and his sons about murder after the flood (Genesis 9:1-7); raping a man’s daughter was clearly one of them as the grief and rage of Jacob’s sons reveals he too shared, but held in (Genesis 34:6-7). Against Jacob’s better judgment his sons led by Simeon and Levi “deceitfully” exacted vengeance (Genesis 34:8-31, NKJV).
The Lord did not condone Simeon and Levi’s actions He later foretold through their father He would severely punish and later still through Levi’s descendant, Moses, declared why (Genesis 49:5-7; Deuteronomy 32:34-35)! Moving from the treachery of his sons, God called Jacob ‘“up to Bethel’” where He had at first met with him to do so again.11 Asserting the headship of “his household,” Jacob gave direction to ‘“Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments’” as preparation for all to go with him to meet with God at Bethel (Genesis 35:1-4, NKJV). This was certainly when Jacob also discovered Rachel’s theft of her father’s lifeless idols.
As they traveled, God also once more intervened to allay a fear Jacob had this time about the people of Canaan assembling to destroy him and his family because of his son’s vengeance for their sister. God put the “terror” of Him on them (Genesis 35:5, NKJV). When Jacob and his household arrived at Bethel, the place he first encountered God, “he built an altar there” and renamed it, “El Bethel” widely translated God of the house of God.12 Then God came down to Jacob and spoke with him. He reviewed his name change and commanded him to ‘“Be fruitful and multiply;’” foretelling ‘“a nation and company of nations…and kings shall come from your body,’” (Genesis 35:6-11, NKJV).
Following that, the Lord confers the promise of the land as part of His covenant with Abraham and Isaac upon Jacob and his ‘“descendants.’” “Then God went up from him” and Jacob worshipped by setting up a “pillar of stone” to mark the place he met with God as he had done the first time (Genesis 35:12-15, NKJV). Apparently already pregnant, Rachel, the love of Jacob’s life died giving birth to their last child together he named Benjamin as they traveled from Bethel en route to Isaac in Hebron. He buried and erected a pillar as a memorial to her near Bethlehem. As they moved on, his firstborn with Leah, Reuben, betrayed him by sleeping with his wife, Bilhah (Genesis 35:16-22a).
Nevertheless, Jacob now, had twelve sons who would become the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel destined to be a nation as God had foretold and willed (Genesis 35:22b-29, 46:2-3)! Foremost among his sons were not the oldest, but the two youngest Rachel had borne to him. “Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because,” he rationalized, “he was the son of his old age;” even making “him a tunic of many colors.”13 In his favoritism, Jacob committed the error of his parents with the same outcome of family division, sibling rivalry and hatred. On top of this, Joseph came across arrogant with his dreams. This all led to heartbreak for Jacob God did not deliver him from until twenty-two years later after he had turned 130 years old (Genesis 37, 44-47:10, NKJV).14
Reunited with Joseph in fulfillment of the prophetic dreams God had given him and for the good purposes He allowed his enslavement, Jacob lives another 17 years with all his family in Egypt (Genesis 45:7-8, 47:11-12, 27-28). As his death approached, Jacob made Joseph swear an oath to bury him with his fathers Abraham and Isaac at the designated ‘“burial place’” in the land of Canaan God had promised to their descendants; displaying his faith it would be so (Genesis 47:29-31, NKJV). Following this, Jacob blessed Joseph’s two sons and adopts them as his own then, blesses the twelve sons from his body (Genesis 48:1-49:28).15 Giving a final command about his burial as the patriarch of his family to his sons, Jacob died. His sons did as he willed (Genesis 49:29-50:14).16
10 See the end of the June 11, 2023 post, Jacob, God Named Israel, Pt. 2, under the category, The Cause.
11 Here is another place of reminder to all aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ and professed Christians when you need to reconnect to God and spiritually recharge--go back in your mind if nothing else to the place you first met God as Andre Crouch & The Disciples sing so well in their song, Take Me Back. This is also this Ministry’s intended help in our latest Strong Man Of God Online Rally you can view on YouTube, Return To The Lord.
12 Let every aspiring strong man of God take due note that Jacob is not sending his household, he is leading them to and in worship. This is a very important responsi- bility of family leadership you have from God I write about in The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and present in a Strong Man Of God Resources short YouTube video, Men Leading Family Worship At Home, promoting the Strong Man Store free document download.
13 Beyond question Jacob’s love for Joseph, his firstborn with Rachel, was also a continuing expression of the deep love he retained in his heart for her.
14 Why God in his sovereignty chose to let Jacob grieve Joseph’s presumed death all those years is not declared in Scripture. However, a context clue suggests one possible reason is rooted in Jacob’s great love for Rachel and Joseph. Loving anyone or thing more than God is a no-no stated later in His Law to Israel and by Christ to any would be follower and certainly every aspiring strong man of God in His image (Deuteronomy 5:6-10, 6:4-5; Mark 12:28-30; Luke 14:25-26)! With Rachel and Joseph gone, Jacob would learn to love God above all. Also, Jacob learned another painful lesson about favoritism and deceit which his sons had been acting out of as he once did.
15 God has made a father’s blessing like none other not even a mother can reverse. His bestowal of good brings inspirational joy; his condemnation a lifetime of troubling!
16 The commanding authority of patriarch, Jacob, speaking to his surrounding sons he had fathered is movingly beautiful in its simplicity and pictures the respect God ex- pects all fathers to receive taught throughout His Word. Indeed, for God the Father has modeled human patriarchy on His own standing as the Patriarch of His hea- venly Family (John 3:31-35, 8:28-29, 48-49). Rebellion against God’s perfect order of mankind and patriarchy is in part causing our society to unravel. You, O aspiring strong man of God in Christ’s image, by His will as a father are a patriarch and to stand for patriarchy to your last breath!
After the many weeks of posts calling His wayward sheep to repentance and warning of their peril in His continuing judgment without it, the Lord would have me deliver a word of encouragement to all of us His imperfect, but faithful remnant. Just because we may not in the Holy Spirit’s convicting work have a felt need for repentance from some egregious transgression, sin or iniquity, the faithful know our stuff is not perfect before the Lord. This is as the apostle Paul also honestly assesses about himself while asserting and exemplifying the determined heart of the Lord’s faithful in Philippians 3:12-16; even every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in His image!1
Indeed, our Ministry’s latest Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, is a help to all Christians not just those who have strayed from Him purposely in disobedience and rebellion.2 By way of reminder, according to Webster’s Dictionary faithful is defined as “Supportive: loyal; worthy of trust or belief; consistent with fact.” This suggests faithful persons are devoted, steadfast, trustworthy and reliable. God is perfectly faithful as is His Son, Jesus Christ (Deuteronomy 7:9a; Hosea 11:12; Matthew 17:1-5; Revelation 1:4-5, 3:14, 19:11-16)! God commends fallen men like Daniel and Moses who were faithful to Him, but only His Son was perfectly so (Daniel 6:1-23, 9:20-23; Hebrews 3:1-6).3
To be faithful in God’s eyes is first and foremost to love Him with obedience to His Word which like Him, is faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9b-11; Psalm 119:86a, 138)! Consistent with the forgoing, the Lord Jesus Christ charges all of His followers to display our “love” for Him by keeping His “commandments,” (John 14:15, 21-24, NKJV). There is no exception for any disciple on this; all professed disciples of Christ are to be faithful to Him in love through obedience even to the death following His example (Matthew 10:16-39, John 15:9-11; Philippians 2:5-8; Revelation 2:10, 12:11). Also, we are expected to be faithful in all of our service to the Lord (Matthew 24:45-51, 25:14-30).
As clear as the definition and biblical instruction are, many unfaithful professed Christian Americans still dishonestly insist they are faithful. Some of these, of course, are self-deluded “talkers” following their own way and calling it Christian as religionist impostors and de facto apostates (Titus 1:10-16, NKJV). The largest number of unfaithful professed Christians and most dangerous to the faithful now, and going forward because of deceit are those who obey the Lord and His Word only in some things while claiming an equal standing and reward with them He exposes, condemns and warns of His rejection in advance (Matthew 7:13-29; Luke 6:43-49; Revelation 22:12-17).4
Unfaithful professed Christians are so in an unfaithful time with wickedness of every kind and “evil men and impostors” growing “worse and worse” as foretold (2 Timothy 3:1-13, NKJV). Even so, the Lord would have His faithful be encouraged since this is not the first time in human history this state of affairs has existed. King David in Psalm 12:1-7 called on the Lord concerning the shrinkage of His faithful and was assured of His action as the unfaithful rebels in their wickedness dramatically increased.5 Truly, he closed his Psalm giving a precise report of our times when he wrote: “The wicked prowl on every side, when vileness is exalted among the sons of men,” (Psalm 12:8, NKJV).
The priests and people of the returned from Babylon Jewish exiles were giving up on serving God to join the unfaithful because it seemed to them His actions to check the wicked were non-existent since they were calling “the proud blessed,” watching the evildoers do their thing and “even tempt God” without consequence (Malachi 3:13-15, NKJV). Many professed Christians feel the same way today and are walking away from the faith. However, the faithful, “those who fear the LORD and who mediate on His name,” encourage one another in the knowledge of their God whose ear is attuned to and has a “book of remembrance” written of them (Malachi 3:16, NKJV).
They knew as should every faithful Christian that God was testing all through judgment to reveal the content of their hearts and separate out the righteous for Himself (Malachi 3:17; 1 Peter 4:12-19).6 They also knew and appreciated as should every professed Christian that God’s apparent present inaction toward the wicked is His longsuffering grace and forbearance at work to save among the willing for His day of salvation, reversal and reward as He has done with us (Malachi 3:18; 2 Peter 3:1-9).7 Finally, knowing God’s perfect character the faithful remnant among the returned exiles of Israel as should faithful Christians knew God does not idly threaten, but will fulfill the day of His fiery wrath in vengeance and destroy the wicked (Psalm 58:9-11; Malachi 4:1-3; 2 Peter 3:10-18).
1 As the Lord leads, I teach aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Christ in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics about His requirement of humility He constructs in us which means we are always keeping it real about our current imperfection. You can pick up a Hard or Soft Cover Edition of my book as well as companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study in the Strong Man Store, among internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
2 View the 30 minute video on our Strong Man Of God Online Rally YouTube Channel at https://youtu.be/uxU9KD4_kuY.
3 As great as Daniel and Moses were in their faithfulness to God, neither man was without sin before Him (Romans 3:23). The glory of God is perfection which not even faith- fulness by a sinner can attain as a saving work. Only Christ came into and left the world perfect! Daniel, Moses, all other Old Testament saints and now, us under the New Covenant are saved by grace through faith alone (Romans 3:21-31). His faithfulness is displayed and constructed in us by the Lord after being saved (Romans 8:29; Gala- tians 5:22-23)!
4 This latter group includes a great many pastors, elders and other leaders among the churches as well as in Christian media. A grave example of their rebellion upheld by deceit is support for and putting women into leadership over men as pastors, teachers, worship and ministry leaders in open defiance of the Lord’s written commandments and instructions (1 Corinthians 11:2-16, 14:34-40; 1 Timothy 2:8-3:16). Read my two-part post beginning September 14, 2014, Partial Obedience, under the category, Call To Repent. Without repentance now, they will not escape God’s severe punishment!
5 See especially the opening paragraph of the June 5, 2016 post, The Day Of Vengeance, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
6 Read the two-part post beginning June 7, 2020, Days Of Separation, under the category, Bible Prophecy. Faithfulness is and will continue to be painful as some of the faith- ful God in sovereignty will allow the wicked to martyr as in the recent mass shooting at the Nashville Christian school and some He removes from the earth through death in various other ways before the even greater foretold evil times arrive (Psalm 116:15; Isaiah 57:1-2; Matthew 24:9-22).
7 God knows how hard it can be in an unfaithful time to discern between the righteous who are faithful to Him and the wicked professors of faith who are not from whatever cause. This difficulty will end forever in the day of His salvation!
Truly, every prophecy of Scripture concerning and from Christ, the living Word, will be fulfilled (Luke 21:33, 24:44)! Thus, the hate-filled global persecution of Christians is coming to America! Judging by the spiritual energy presently being expended to relieve fear among an obviously large number of professed Christians during His Coronavirus judgment, clearly, many are not ready for the coming “fiery trial” God is allowing to “try” us in judgment (1 Peter 4:12-19, NKJV).5 As a result, the people need to be warned, taught and prepared to faithfully persevere trusting in the Lord as He has led me to write in many previous posts and my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.6
The current state of fear pervading much of American Christianity is on every pastor and Bible teacher that has failed until now to biblically warn, teach and equip those they serve in the church building and by way of media in the basics of the faith and “the whole counsel of God”--His grace that saves and holiness that demands His foretold wrath upon sinners (Isaiah 13:9; Acts 20:26-27, NKJV). Imagine how much more fruitful the response of our unsaved fellow citizens could be if in the background of the solid preaching of the Gospel now, going forth, there wasn’t also the steady drone of exhortation not to fear going out to those that already profess to be Christians weak in faith!7
Faithful Christian Americans are just one anti-Christian spark and/or national election to the political far left away from legal persecution through arrest, trial and incarceration for standing on the Word of God as it is written.8 The Lord Jesus Christ warns His first century disciples and us about this reality and instructs not to worry about what to say at that time, but to speak what the Holy Spirit puts in our mouths giving testimony about Him (Matthew 10:16-20; Mark 13:11; Luke 21:12-15; John 15:26-27). Besides that kind of tribulation, verbal and physical assault for being a Christian easily follows in a nation where the majority hates Christ and the Bible He is faithfully portrayed in!
Too, as in other nations whose governments now, look the other way when mobs and terrorists murder Christians identified by their unwavering testimony of faith, it will happen here as it has and does for example, with black and other Americans profiled by our skin color. The Lord Jesus teaches that the hatred behind Christian persecution stems from apostasy, falsehood, love grown cold in abounding lawlessness, His works and exposure of the persecutors’ “sin.” This persecution comes well before the “great tribulation” and gives rise to open conflict among professed Christian religionists and apostates who “betray” and “hate” each other along with the faithful (Matthew 24:10-12, 15-21; John 15:18-25, 16:1-4, NKJV).9
Indeed, the coming global persecution is a major factor in “the falling away” the apostle Paul foretells (2 Thessalonians 2:3, NKJV).10 Falling away and betrayal among the disciples of Christ whether in times of persecution or not has occurred from His time on earth (Matthew 26:20-25, 47-49; Luke 22:48; 2 Timothy 4:9-10; 1 John 2:18-19). However, for many professed Christian Americans that barely distinguishes between being a Christian and an American, the Lord’s warning of extensive betrayal to the death by family and friends in a nation that hates Christians as a coming reality is very hard to accept. Yet, Christ says so (Matthew 10:21; Mark 13:12; Luke 21:16)!
Moreover, church history and current events among our persecuted brethren in other nations shows how Christians are betrayed by hating family and friends.11 Most Americans--Christian or not--place a high value on family and other mortal relationships. The Lord Jesus though, quoting from the prophet Micah as historic and ongoing spiritual reality, not only foretold division over Him in families, but made it plain He expects our love and loyalty to Him above all including self (Micah 7:5-7; Matthew 10:35-36; Luke 14:25-27)! Regardless of who is doing the persecuting, hating or betraying, He also expects His faithful to patiently endure to the end--our lives or His coming--not retaliating or taking vengeance (Matthew 10:22; Mark 13:13; Luke 21:18-19; Romans 12:17-21).12
Therefore, pastors and ministry leaders: do you really plan to go back to business as usual? The Lord calls you to recognize the times have changed in front of your very eyes and to repent from every way it was before the Coronavirus judgment that is sin in His sight to include allowing women to corruptly defy His Word in falsehood (1 Timothy 2:11-14); deceiving many and leading to their equal judgment (Ezekiel 13:17-23; Revelation 2:18-23)! Too, snap out of denial and get His people ready for all of what the Lord Jesus said is coming in the face of God’s Coronavirus judgment which is demonstrated proof the judgments and events He foretold would precede His return are underway! The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
5 This unpreparedness for His sudden judgments in the earth is just as the Lord led me to warn would be the case in the September 29, 2019 post, God Almighty In A
21st Century World, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
6 Read the following posts under the category, Instruction: May 22, 2016, The Peculiar People, May 29, 2016, Preparing For The Final Battle and the two-part, Lined
Up Behind Jesus beginning on August 18, 2019. Get a print copy or digital download of my book at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble,
ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
7 Having previously written transparently about my own 2014 failure to trust God in a business situation, I did not write this statement out of some high-handed, self-
righteous place. See my March 2, 2014, The Testing Of Our Faith, under the category, Instruction. I understand and empathize with those of my spiritually maturing
brethren that fail the test of faith as a matter of momentary weakness in sin. What I am writing of here, is ongoing unbelief in weakness sustained by longstanding
spiritual immaturity through lack of instruction and practice especially prevalent in the many forms of empty, powerless manmade Christianity the religion. Read the
two-part post beginning August 21, 2016, Christianity The Religion Of Men, under the category, Instruction followed by the two-part post beginning September 11,
2016, American Culture’s Religion, under the category, Call To Repent.
8 Roman Caesar, Nero, had only to blame Christians for the fire that destroyed much of Rome to persecute many to the death, while a later Caesar, Diocletian (and
government tyrants from many nations that followed), used no excuse except to be rid of them! Without endorsing as completely accurate or any specific sects men-
tioned, an online overview source to explore the history of Christian persecution is Wikipedia.
9 See the December 9, 2018 post, The Peril Of Religious Men, under the category, Instruction.
10 Read the February 2, 2014 post, The Falling Away, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
11 This Ministry supports Open Doors USA, a Ministry serving our persecuted brethren in many places and invites you to read some of their stories that include be-
trayal and violence against them by family, former neighbors and friends.
12 Read my June 5, 2016 post, The Day Of Vengeance, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
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