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Anti-Semites Insist Modern Jews Are Not Descendants Of Abraham, Isaac, And Jacob - By Olivier Melnick - https://harbingersdaily.com/anti-semites-insist-modern-jews-are-not-descendants-of-abraham-isaac-and-jacob/ Are Modern Jews Descendants of the Khazars? The world continues to distance itself from Israel and the Jewish people, giving increasing credence to the prophecies of Zechariah 12. The weed of Jew-hatred has found fertile soil in the various conspiracy theories spun about the Jewish people, spanning over centuries. Post-modernism has also added a challenge to debunking conspiracy theories since truth has become relative in many people’s minds. As a result, we are seeing an exponential increase in global antisemitism, and once again, the Jewish people are paying a high price as the ultimate scapegoats of humanity. The tragedy of October 7, 2023, in Israel, has also helped to increase the momentum that certain conspiracy theories had over time. As global antisemitism now seems to be completely out in the open with no restraining in sight, those who are friends of Israel and have a genuine love for the Jewish people must equip themselves on how to debunk the main conspiracy theories against the Jewish people. I want to look at the theory that modern Jews are descendants of the Khazars and have no ties to the original Judean Jews. Some people call it a theory, and others call it a hypothesis. How about calling it a conspiracy theory? The Khazars and their connection to the Jewish people continue to be shrouded in mystery, and yet, the theory exists that modern Jews are descendants of the Khazars and not of biblical Jews from the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Khazaria was located between Turkey and Russia in the northern Caucasus region. At the beginning of the 7th century, the Khazars became independent of the Turkic empire. They settled and dominated an area between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. Their independence and existence lasted for about two centuries after that. A campaign was launched against them from Kyiv in 965, and by 969, Russia had fully conquered Khazaria. Around 740, King Bulan, the ruler of the Khazars at the time, is said to have led his country to convert to Judaism. Desiring to embrace a religion, the king is said to have invited three spiritual leaders—a Christian, a Muslim, and a Jew—to his palace and entered dialogue with each one individually, inquiring about the virtues of each religion. At the end of the meetings, the king chose Judaism, converted and influenced others within His realm to do likewise. How many others were converted has never been determined. Rabbi Yehudah Halevi’s book The Kuzari: A Book of Argument in Defense of a Despised Religion, written in the twelfth century, details that story in detail. The book is a novel in which Halevi reconstructs the events that might have transpired, obviously preferring Judaism over the other two religions. It is important to consider that The Kuzari was written 500 years after the events it describes took place. Another line of evidence corroborating the Khazars’ conversion to Judaism was the letters of Hasdai Ibn Shaprut in the 10th century. He was aware of the Khazars’ story and decided to send emissaries to that region to investigate its Jewish connection. While they never got to meet any Khazars, they received letters from someone known as King Joseph of the Khazars. Though very detailed about the conversion, the letters are widely believed to be forgeries. There is no doubt that there was, to some degree, a Khazar conversion to Judaism at some point in history, but details of that event remain unknown or unverifiable. They are not mentioned in any documents from the large community of Jews of Mesopotamia. Unfortunately, that has not stopped conspiracy theorists from claiming that modern Jews are descendants of the Khazars. Some would claim that they were converted by Karaites, but there are no Karaite records of such an event either. In the mid-seventies, in his book “The Thirteenth Tribe,” Arthur Koestler posited that modern Jews are all descendants of the Khazars and no longer have any connection to biblical Jews. His theory quickly became a convenient approach to delegitimizing Israel and the Jewish people’s right to the Land since, according to Koestler, the Jews of today are not descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Koestler writes, “The large majority of surviving Jews in the world is of eastern European – and perhaps mainly of Khazar – origin. If so, this would mean that their ancestors came not from the Jordan but from the Volga, not from Canaan, but from the Caucasus, once believed to be the cradle of the Aryan race, and that genetically, they are more closely related to the Hun, Uigur and Magyar tribes, then to the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Should this turn out to be the case, then the term antisemitism would become void of meaning, based on a misapprehension shared by both the killers and their victims. The story of the Khazar Empire, as it slowly emerges from the past, begins to look like the most cruel hoax that history has ever perpetrated. “ Koestler’s claim assumes that Eretz Yisrael’s existence owes nothing to the Bible record. His understanding is that Israel exists because of a United Nations partitioning that took place in November 1947. He further states, “I am aware of the danger that it may be maliciously misinterpreted as a denial of the state of Israel’s right to exist. But that right is not based on the apathetic origins of the Jewish people, nor on the mythological covenant of Abraham with God; it is based on international law – i.e., on the United Nations decision in 1947 the Israeli citizens, racial origins, and whatever illusions, they entertain about them, their state exist de jure and de facto, and cannot be undone, except by genocide.” Koestler saw no biblical roots in Israel, and thus, no harm was done by proposing that modern Jews all descended from the ancient Khazars. He gets further validation from Shlomo Sand in “The Invention of the Jewish People.” In his book, Sand defends Koestler while finding him a bit naïve. Sands writes,“ In the 1970s, Israel was caught up in the momentum of territorial expansion, and without the Old Testament in its hand and the ‘exile of the Jewish people’ in its memory, it would have had no justification for annexing Arab Jerusalem and establishing settlements in the West Bank, the Gaza strip, the Golan Heights, and even the Sinai Peninsula.” The Khazar/Jewish theory has become–at least in the mind of antisemites–a viable way to delegitimize Israel’s right to the biblical land given to her by God, as delineated in Genesis 15:18-21. Despite some pseudo-scholarly explanations, that theory stands on very shaky grounds. The Khazar theory can be debunked when disconnected from any antisemitic agenda. Undoubtedly, the country known as Khazaria existed between the seventh and tenth centuries. It has also been established that the country’s history includes a conversion to Judaism, at the very least by the royal family and possibly beyond that realm. Various studies have taken place, trying to link modern Jews to the Khazars, with little admissible historical, anthropological, or genetic evidence. The results of one such study, published in 2013 in The Journal of Genome Biology and Evolution, explained that the Rhineland hypothesis (Middle Eastern Jewish ancestry) and the Khazarian hypothesis (Khazarian/Jewish ancestry) both presented valid arguments, at least partially, but no conclusion could be drawn in favor of one hypothesis over the other. Furthermore, Kevin Alan Brook–a leading researcher on the Khazars– concluded that Y-DNA patterns found in Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Kurdish, and Indian Jews cannot be explained by Khazars. Brook’s conclusion about the connection between Jews and Khazars was that modern Jews are indeed the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and not the Khazars, as he stated, “By this analysis, we can show that the dominant ethnic element among Eastern European Jews is Judean — the ancient Jewish people of Judea in the Middle East.” The Khazar hypothesis has been refuted by history and DNA research beyond the shadow of a doubt. The Khazar conversion to Judaism is a true story, albeit very fuzzy in details. It has even been attractive, historically speaking, but the minute that antisemites figured out they could hijack it to fuel their agenda of delegitimization of Israel, it lost most of its luster. When interacting with proponents of that antisemitic view, a few questions might help debunk the theory. An honest handling of these questions will show that they yield no answer: • Why is there complete silence from the Jews of Mesopotamia regarding the Khazar’s conversion? • Who converted the Khazars? • Was it a Rabbinic conversion or a Karaite conversion? • How many Khazars converted? • What happened to them? The Khazar Theory is just that…A theory lacking too much evidence to be proven true. In our age when the truth is no longer the essential component for any discourse or dialogue, if a theory seems to fit a specific narrative, it BECOMES TRUTH. If modern Jews were descendants of the Khazars, then Israel would instantly become stolen land, colonized and occupied by a bunch of impostors. Unfortunately, in the age of the normalization of antisemitism, that concept sells very well! Pestilences And Earthquakes - by Michael Snyder - https://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/pestilences-and-earthquakes/ We are living in an era of endless disasters. Over the past several years, we have been hit with one thing after another, and the pace of events seems to have picked up steam in 2024. Just think of all the things we have seen in recent days. There was the historic terror attack in Russia, then the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed, and then Israel’s strike on a building right next to Iran’s embassy in Damascus threatened to spark a major regional war. Less than 24 hours ago, a catastrophic earthquake hit Taiwan, but that is already starting to fade from the news cycle because so much else is happening right now. In this article, I want to focus on two things: pestilences and earthquakes. The bird flu plague has already killed millions upon millions of birds all over the planet, but now it has made a major resurgence in the United States. In fact, the largest egg producer in the U.S. is “temporarily” closing a facility in Texas due to a local outbreak… The largest producer of fresh eggs in the United States says it has temporarily closed one of its facilities in Texas after highly pathogenic avian influenza, otherwise known as H5N1 bird flu, wiped out nearly two million birds. Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. said one of its facilities in Parmer County “tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, resulting in depopulation of approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, or approximately 3.6% of the Company’s total flock as of March 2, 2024.” Just like that, nearly two million more birds are gone. Egg prices have already been spiking, and we are being warned that they will soon go up even more… Egg prices have now been steadily rising for months, and your omelette could become even more expensive as poultry farms around the country deal with an outbreak of bird flu. The average price of a dozen Grade A large eggs was $3 in February, according to the latest Consumer Price Index, up from around $2 in the fall. Alarmingly, this time around it isn’t just birds that are catching the disease. The USDA is telling us that dairy cows in several U.S. states have been recently infected… Bird flu has been confirmed in dairy cows across several states, with the USDA saying Monday it has been found in New Mexico and five additional herds in Texas. In addition, we have learned that “three pet cats” in Texas have died after catching the bird flu… Meanwhile, three pet cats have died from bird flu after catching the disease on dairy farms in Texas, according to reports — as fears are raised that infected animals living near humans could spread the disease to people. Mammals all over the globe have started to get infected, but up until now the bird flu has not posed a serious threat to humans. Is that about to change? A dairy worker in Texas has tested positive for H5N1, and that represents only the second case ever recorded in the United States… A Texas dairy worker has tested positive for the avian flu, marking the first identified human case of an illness in the U.S. that has sickened cattle across several states over the past few weeks. The infection, only the second human case of H5N1 ever recorded in the country, is worrying public health experts who for decades have cautioned that avian flu could pose a serious threat. Hopefully this will turn out to be just an isolated incident. But the CDC is telling us that testing has shown that H5N1 has mutated into a form that could potentially spread more easily among people… The strain of bird flu that infected a person in Texas has mutated to spread more easily, officials say — amid growing alarm the disease could spread to more people. The CDC said tests on the H5N1 sample showed it had a mutation that was ‘known to be associated with viral adaptation to mammalian hosts’ – but insisted the mutations were minor and the overall risk to the public was low. This is a bombshell. If H5N1 starts spreading from person to person on a widespread basis, that will be far more serious than anything that we have experienced over the last several years. I hope that you understand what I am saying. Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases of dengue fever in Brazil already exceeds 1.5 million… An unprecedented outbreak of dengue fever is surging across Brazil, as the nation battles an epidemic that is straining resources and spreading well beyond the areas traditionally affected. In cities across the vast country, hospitals and doctors are being stretched to the limit as more than 1.5 million people have already caught the virus – also known as “breakbone fever” – this year. Dengue fever is an issue in Brazil every year, but they have never seen anything even close to this. Now let me switch gears and talk about earthquakes for a bit. Less than 24 hours ago, we witnessed the worst earthquake in Taiwan in 25 years… Taiwan was struck by its strongest earthquake in 25 years on Wednesday when a 7.4 magnitude tremor struck the island’s eastern coast, collapsing buildings, killing at least four people and triggering tsunami warnings across the region that were later lifted, CNN reported. The tsunami warnings also prompted airlines and airports to suspend flights, which were later resumed. CNN reported that the powerful tremors that rocked Taiwan morning have damaged 125 buildings across the island, according to the National Fire Agency (NFA). That quake was later downgraded to 7.2, but it sure shook a lot of people up. At one point, a building that is 10 stories high started to fall over as those in the streets nearby ran for cover… A group of terrified Taiwanese citizens looked to be heading to an early grave as a huge earthquake sent a 10-storey building hurtling towards them – only for the structure to grind to a halt at a near-45-degree angle. Shocking footage captured by security cameras showed the moment the red brick building shook violently and began to fall, spraying dust and debris into the street below as the people below sprinted for safety or dove into their cars for protection. This is yet another example of how unstable our planet is becoming. In recent months we have seen so much unusual seismic activity all over the globe, but most Americans haven’t been too concerned about this because it hasn’t really affected us too much. But there has been unusual shaking here in the U.S. too. For instance, earlier this year there was a swarm of more than 270 earthquakes near Reno, Nevada… Residents of the south Reno area have likely noticed a few earthquakes in the last couple weeks. The Nevada Seismological Laboratory (NSL), a unit within the University of Nevada, Reno, has identified and located over 270 small magnitude earthquakes in the last 30 days so far. The largest related quake to date has been a magnitude 3.5 in the afternoon of Jan. 28 that was felt and heard through much of Reno. Groups of small- to moderate-sized earthquakes, such as those recently occurring in south Reno, are often called a “swarm.” “We have termed this swarm the South Reno Swarm,” Kyren Bogolub, a network seismologist with the NSL, said. Do you know what else is south of Reno, Nevada? A volcanic field known as “Steamboat Springs” is located in the area, but it has been quiet for a very long time. The following information comes from Wikipedia… Steamboat Springs is a small volcanic field of rhyolitic lava domes and flows in western Nevada, located south of Reno. There is extensive geothermal activity in the area, including numerous hot springs, steam vents, and fumaroles. Is that volcanic field starting to wake up? Let’s hope not. But as seismic activity increases all over the globe, it is inevitable that the U.S. will experience great shaking as well. In addition to natural disasters, our world is being troubled by wars, pestilences, famines, economic problems and political turmoil. A period of great chaos has arrived, and I am entirely convinced that the pace of events will accelerate even more during the months ahead. DOWNLOAD THE PROPHECY UPDATE APP Prophecy Update Videos Must Watch Videos! Videos You Can Trust
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DONATE HERE Your can also mail your support to: Prophecy Update PO Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384 A Remnant May Be Cheap And Worthless By The World’s Standards, But Not By God’s – By Dean Dwyer - https://harbingersdaily.com/a-remnant-may-be-cheap-and-worthless-by-the-worlds-standards-but-not-by-gods/ At present, there are two words that I hear a lot amongst likeminded believers: remnant church. Quite simply, a remnant is something that forms part of a larger portion, usually thought of in the negative sense. In other words, remnants may be looked upon as scraps. For instance, remnant food from a meal may be destined for the rubbish bin. Remnant material from making garments may also be considered worthless and therefore discarded. But to God, those He considers “remnants” are assigned a high value indeed, since He sets them aside to undertake His high and holy calling. Likewise, the remnant church may be hated by the world and disliked by Laodicean-era churches, but God has a distinct purpose for them. Naturally, the concept of a remnant does not only apply to the modern church. The Scriptures speak much of God’s work through faithful remnants, usually referring to a small group that is able to withstand the persecutions and temptations of the world and remain truly faithful to the one and only God. The Expository Dictionary of Bible Words makes this helpful comment: “The doctrine of the remnant underlines the Old Testament teaching of faith. It is not mere physical birth that brought a personal relationship with God. Those who were born within the covenant still needed to respond personally to God and to demonstrate an Abraham-like trust by their response to God’s Word.” Very early in the book of Isaiah, as God outlines the wickedness and rebellion of Judah, we read this in chapter 1, verse 9: “Unless the LORD of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been made like Gomorrah.” Even in the midst of His judgement, God showed mercy to His people. Some would survive the judgement and restoration would follow through His work in the remnant. This is also a concept Paul referred to in Romans 9:27-29 when he points to a small remnant that would survive the Tribulation Period and enter into the Millennial Kingdom: “Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.” We also see the principle of a remnant play out in the life of Elijah. After escaping from Jezebel, he has an exchange with God wherein he claims to be a remnant of one. 1 Kings 19:10 says: “And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” Yet, God gently corrects him in verse 18 of the same chapter: “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” Paul also draws on Elijah’s experience when, in Romans 11:2-5, he says: “God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” Eventually (and perhaps in our current time) it is in that remnant that God will fulfill all of the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant and those which were built upon it, affirmed in Joel 2:32, who is also referencing a remnant of Jews through which God’s prophetic program will proceed: “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.” So, what we see is that there was a remnant in the Old Testament, there will be a remnant at the end of the age and there is a remnant today. Such a view is not defeatist, it is biblical. Furthermore, it provides a proper foundation upon which we are able to view this present moment in history, particularly in relation to the church. After all, there is a great deal parading under the guise of biblical Christianity that is certainly not biblical or of Christ. As it was, is, and will be, only a remnant seeks to live out their faith in a biblical, holy and meaningful way. So, what is the remnant like? We are not left to speculate. Hebrews 11 paints a clear picture. The remnant is like Abel who offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain; like Enoch who was raptured because he pleased God; like Noah who was saved from the flood; like Abraham who followed the Lord even though he knew not where he was going; like Moses who by faith “forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” Yes, Hebrews 11 is a marvelous passage which bolsters the faith of the weary remnant and assures them that God is at work. But the sobering reality is that being part of a remnant involves faith, courage and endurance. Verses 35 to 38 of Hebrews chapter 11 says: “Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” Mankind’s estimates of these heroes of the faith was such a low one that they persecuted them, arrested them, tortured them and in some cases, killed them. But what did God say? He said that the world was not worthy of these people! Of note is that the world doesn’t think we are worthy to be here either, but for a very different reason – they despise our faith and the God we are faithful to. The Apostle Paul faced a similar sentiment when speaking about his ministry to the Gentiles in the presence of his Jewish brethren. In Acts 22:22 we read: “And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.” 1 Corinthians 4:12-13 states: “And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.” A remnant may be cheap and worthless by the world’s standards, but by God’s standards, it is worth a great deal. After all, those who have a saving faith in Jesus Christ were purchased with the Saviour’s precious blood. So, we must not attach any shame to being a remnant. The world may claim we are weak and small, but through the Apostle Paul, we are reminded that God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty (1 Corinthians 1:27). Faith Like Daniel - Nathele Graham - [email protected] “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” Romans 14:11. Daniel must have been a very special man. He was an attendant in the Jewish Temple and knew the requirements of the Law. He and three friends, among others, were taken captive when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieged Jerusalem. The friend’s names were Hannaniah, Mishael, and Azariah. Daniel and his friends may have been young when taken to the pagan city of Babylon, but these four young men loved God Almighty. In Babylon, the king attempted to change their hearts and turn them into pagans. First, their names were changed. Daniel was renamed Belteshazzar, Hannaniah was renamed Shadrach, Mishael was renamed Meshach, and Azariah was renamed Abednego. Nebuchadnezzar had told Ashpenaz to bring him young captives “And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.” Daniel 1:3-4. And so, Daniel and his friends were taken to Babylon. We aren’t told how old they were, only that they were “children”. They were young and Nebuchadnezzar thought he could brainwash them to follow the ways of the Babylonians. Nebuchadnezzar had no idea of the integrity of Daniel and his friends. They loved God and had unshakable faith. Nebuchadnezzar started their training by providing them the best food and wine. He didn’t count on the strength of the faith Daniel and his friends had. Daniel would not defile himself. “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” Daniel 1:8. How many children, or adults, do you know who would put honoring God above their own desires. God blessed him. Daniel and his friends weren’t able to return to their beloved Jerusalem, but they prospered in Babylon without becoming a part of the culture. Their faith wasn’t lip service, but they lived it. Christians could learn a lot from these young Jewish boys. As we read further in the book of Daniel, we find out more about their faith. They wouldn’t eat the king’s food, and Melzar their overseer, finally agreed to allow them to eat less fancy food for ten days. “Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.” Daniel 1:16. What is pulse? Vegetables! They ate vegetables and drank water. God blessed them because of their faith. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him. So, he called the magicians and astrologers and sorcerers to tell him about his dream. The king had an incentive plan. “The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream and the interpretation thereof.” Daniel 2:5-6. He didn’t remember his dream, so he wanted them to tell him the dream and interpret it or he would kill them. Their response was “Are you nuts?”. Well, maybe they used more tact, but that’s what they meant. When the decree was told to Daniel, he asked the for more time, then he and his friends prayed. I’m sure their prayer was from their heart because their lives depended upon God’s answer. God answered by giving Daniel a night vision as to what the king’s dream was all about. Daniel earnestly thanked God. It wasn’t a quick “Thank God”, but a heartfelt prayer of praise and gratitude. Daniel was taken before the king where he first made known to the king where the information came from. “Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed are these;” Daniel 2:27-28. Then Daniel proceeded to describe the dream. The king had seen an image with a head of gold, his breast and arms of silver, his belly and thighs of brass, and its legs of iron, and his feet were part iron and part clay. Then a stone that was cut out without hands and struck the image. The interpretation was that the various kingdoms on earth are represented by the metals in the image. The final kingdom will be the one that is set up by God. It shall never be destroyed. Daniel’s faith was rewarded. “Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.” Daniel 2:48-49. Daniel had great faith and he never denied God. There is still a God in Heaven who answers prayers. Jesus Christ is always willing to hear prayers of Christians. Even in a nation where idol worship was common, Daniel and his friends were faithful to God. They wouldn’t bow down before any idol. I admire these four young men for their integrity. Their faith was tested when Nebuchadnezzar erected a huge statue. It was decreed “That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:” Daniel 3:5. The punishment for not bowing to this idol would be death by being thrown into a fiery furnace. Of course, these young Jewish friends refused to bow before any idol. Brothers and sisters, we should never bow before idols no matter what the threat is if we don’t bow. Some men noticed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not bow. I can’t imagine that Daniel would have bowed his knee to an idol, so he must have been away on business. The king called them before his throne to explain why they didn’t bow before the king’s gods. “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O King. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image when thou hast set up.” Daniel 3:16-18. These men honored God in spite of a government decree to bow to idols. If only our faith was as strong as theirs. They were thrown into an exceptionally hot furnace, but God protected them. Brothers and sisters, we need to encourage each other. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego helped each other to stand firm in their faith, and we need fellow Christians who won’t compromise to please the world. Government rulers come and go, and eventually Darius became king in Babylon. Daniel continued to be a part of the government of Babylon, and he never compromised His faith. His faith wasn’t a show put on to draw media attention. It was true faith and he wouldn’t compromise to please the world. His faith pleased God, but didn’t make any friends among other government officials. “Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.” Daniel 6:4. Things don’t change much over time. Evil government officials care nothing about God’s truth and persecute those of serve the Lord. All the members of the government conspired to get rid of Daniel. “Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” Daniel 6:5. They knew that Daniel would not compromise his faith in order to please the evil government. It seems we have the same evil over nations today. All manner of perversion is legal, and any god can be publicly worshipped, except the one true God. Our schools teach evolution, homosexuality, sexual promiscuity, and libraries carry books that are pure filth, but the Bible is banned. What is the school board and government afraid of? Are they afraid a man like Daniel might ruin their agenda? Well, back to Babylon. The government officials decided that a law must be made “…to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.” Daniel 6:7b. I’m always amazed that laws can be easily passed, as long as the right people are flattered. Darius had a huge ego and went along with the plot. Where were the men of faith like Daniel a couple of years ago when the government of the United States forbade Christians to gather to worship God? Will there be any men like Daniel when they try to do it again? When God-fearing men keep silent, evil grows stronger. The American Constitution seems to be being torn to shreds. Shame on Godly men who won’t stand firm against tyranny and ungodliness. What did Daniel do? “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” Daniel 6:10. Daniel didn’t change his habits. God ruled his heart, not evil men. The evil men could make his life tough, but they couldn’t make him compromise his faith. “Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.” Daniel 6:11. They went and tattled to the king. Darius liked Daniel, but realized his mistake too late. The law was established and there was no choice but to put Daniel in the den of lions. Darius should have been smarter than to sign that law, but his ego was puffed up. In America, as well as other nations, evil people are pulling the puppet strings of government leaders. “Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.” Daniel 6:16. Daniel had been a strong witness for God. He never compromised nor did he allow human government to dictate his faith. I admire Daniel. Darius spent a sleepless night concerned for Daniel, and very early in the morning he went to check on Daniel. When he got to the lion’s den he called out “…O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” Daniel 6:20b. Daniel was an amazing man. He showed no bitterness but was respectful to Darius. “Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.” Daniel 6:21-22. Daniel honestly and continually honored God. It wasn’t something he only did when he was facing lions. Daniel lived his faith daily. The king knew of Daniel’s faith, but his enemies also knew. That’s how they trapped him. Daniel didn’t allow evil men to dictate his worship habits. Daniel’s faith is an example to all of us. Babylon was filled with pagan idols and was a cesspool of wickedness. It’s not a city to be admired. The world today is very much like Babylon with evil rulers and sin running rampant. Where are the men who will stand firmly upon the word of God? We need men like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who refuse to bow before idols. We need men like Daniel who worship God Almighty openly in spite of what they may face. We need Godly women who won’t settle for less than Godly men. Christ entered His creation knowing full well that he would be persecuted, and put to death. The evil men could only kill His body. Because of Christ, death has been conquered for all who believe in Him, and we need to live our faith and not just give lip-service to Him. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16. Don’t compromise your faith. Christians need open and true faith like Daniel. God will see us through whatever persecution we may face, but our faith must not waiver. God bless you all, Nathele Graham [email protected] Recommended prophecy sites: www.raptureready.com www.prophecyupdate.com www.raptureforums.com All original scripture is “theopneustos” God breathed. If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” Psalm 122:6. Daily Jot: Blasphemy in leadership - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com There has been a severe backlash from Joe Biden’s declaration of Transgender Visibility Day on Resurrection Sunday as well there should be. But this blasphemous act wasn’t just on Joe—much of the entire Democratic Party leadership joined in. They bear responsibility, too. But now that Christian America is pushing back, Joe is retreating, saying that we are “misinformed” and that he didn’t do it. So how many voting Americans are just going to believe that this most offensive act is “misinformation”? He and his Democratic Party comrades have knowingly and willfully demeaned the most holy act of mankind—the death and resurrection of Christ, which provides the gift of eternal salvation to those who believe. Joe even went so far as to ban “religious” Easter eggs at the annual White House Easter Egg Hunt. This is not just happening by chance. Biden and his party are against Judeo-Christian religion and they are taking every opportunity to demonstrate it. On Good Friday, Biden issued a proclamation that in part said, “I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2024, as Transgender Day of Visibility.” In the following hours, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Vice President Kamala Harris both joined Biden posting on social media their comments in favor of Transgender Visibility Day on Resurrection Sunday. Then former president Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and several others called out Biden. Both Biden and his Press Secretary doubled down saying that disgruntled Christians were proffering misinformation. Karine Jean-Pierre said she was surprised at the misinformation surrounding this announcement because Transgender Visibility Day is the same every year and Easter Sunday changes dates every year. Biden went even further out on the limb by denying he ever made the proclamation. On April 1, RealClearPolitics reporter Philip Melanchthon Wegmann reported Biden said, “I didn’t do that” and claimed that Speaker Mike Johnson, who criticized Biden for making the proclamation, is “thoroughly uninformed.” Well, Biden did do it, and Jean-Pierre and democratic leadership supported the proclamation. These people are so tone-deaf and full of themselves that they would demean the work of Christ on the cross by purposely celebrating what the LORD and Christians consider not only a sin, but an abomination. They even encouraged hoisting the ”transgender” flag over US embassies. They behave as is written in Isaiah 3:9, “The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought evil upon themselves.” They cast this evil toward all who recognize Christ as our King and Savior. They rub our noses in the stench of their wickedness with no consideration for our Holy Day. And it is not just one person. It is the entire leadership of the Democratic Party. I wonder how anyone claiming to be Christian can justify voting for those who support this unholy offensive behavior? Sources: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/03/29/a-proclamation-on-transgender-day-of-visibility-2024/ https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/01/biden-bizarrely-denies-declaring-easter-sunday-transgender-day-visibility/ Daily Devotion: Backward Motion - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. —1 Timothy 4:1 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/backward-motion/ - Listen A number of years ago, I was with some friends who were riding a three-wheel-all-terrain vehicle. I was a seasoned dirt biker at the time, and I asked the person who owned it if I could take it for a spin. He said, “Greg, be careful. You can dump that thing, and it can hurt you.” I thought, “Oh, please. It’s like a big tricycle.” I didn’t put any of my gear on, and I didn’t wear a helmet. And then I went tearing up a hill just like I would on my dirt bike. And sure enough, it flipped on top of me. I was sliding down the hill, upside down, in slow motion. I had every intention of going over the top of the hill, getting a little air, and having a nice three-point landing on those big, fat tires. Instead, I was going downhill in the opposite direction. It was a painful lesson, and I felt silly. That experience reminds me of backsliding. No one plans on doing it, but it happens. Show me any Christian who has fallen away from their faith, and I will show you a Christian who took a series of steps into gross or open sin before the time they fell. You don’t call up a Christian friend and say, “Instead of going to church, do you want to go backslide and totally abandon our faith?” Some foolish person might do that, but generally, a Christian wouldn’t plan on that. The Bible specifically warns believers about falling away. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons” (1 Timothy 4:1 NLT). We need to keep our guard up. We need to be careful because any believer could potentially fall away spiritually. There are a lot of people who may be in church and think they’re walking closely with the Lord. But in reality, they’re backsliders. The Bible clearly warns against the sin of backsliding. Speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, God said, “My wayward children . . . come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts” (Jeremiah 3:22 NLT). God also said, “Your wickedness will bring its own punishment. Your turning from me will shame you. You will see what an evil, bitter thing it is to abandon the Lord your God and not to fear him” (Jeremiah 2:19 NLT). Maybe you’re thinking, “That is so dramatic. But I don’t think I’ve actually backslidden. I’ll admit that I’m not as active today spiritually as I was ten years ago. I still go to church—when I can find the time. I still read the Bible—when I get around to it. And I still obey God—unless it conflicts with what I want to do.” As Christians, we’re either moving forward or backward. We’re either climbing or slipping. And the moment that we stop progressing as believers will be the moment that we begin to backslide. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 4/4/24 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
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