Who are the Twenty-Four Elders in Revelation?

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• Featured Article: Who are the Twenty-Four Elders in Revelation? 
• Putin Warns That The World Is Going Down A Road That Leads To Nuclear War 
• Nearing Midnight: The Liberal Media Refuses to Reform 
• Can The Creation of a European Superstate Be Stopped?
• Daily Jot: Stupidocrisy: Supporting anything China 
• Daily Devotion: Just Live It 

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Who are the Twenty-Four Elders in Revelation? - By Mondo Gonzales (Co-host at Prophecy Watchers) - https://www.rev310.net/post/who-are-the-twenty-four-elders-in-revelation
 
This topic is one that can often be overlooked, but is very important for a variety of reasons. First, this group of twenty-four (24) seemingly comes out of nowhere in comparison with other throne room scenes found in the Bible. Second, if we can understand the identity of this group, it should provide some information which would influence our grasp of the timing of the rapture. Third, personally, for the Christian, the uniqueness of this group has the potential to provide tremendous encouragement and comfort. While we must remember that the text does not give an explicit identity for these 24 elders, the book of Revelation gives many descriptions of this select group. Therefore, if we examine the various ways in which John writes concerning this group, the answer will become evident.
 
The Options for the Identity of the 24 Elders
 
This special group of 24 elders appears in a handful of places in the book of Revelation (4:4, 10; 5:5, 6, 8, 11, 14; 7:11, 13; 11:16; 14:3; 19:4). As you can imagine, there are a variety of interpretations as to their identity. Here are some of the possibilities as given by G.K. Beale in his NIGTC book on Revelation: (1) stars (from an astrological background), (2) angels, (3) OT saints, (4) angelic, heavenly representatives of all saints, (5) patriarchs and apostles representing the OT and NT saints together, and (6) representatives of the prophetic revelation of the twenty-four books of the Old Testament. One perspective that Beale left out was that the 24 elders represent the dispensational view of the church which is defined as believers specifically labeled throughout the NT as those “in Christ.” This would include those that became believers from Acts 2 up until the rapture. The resurrection and the rapture of the church (those “in Christ”) is noted quite clearly in 1 Corinthians 15:18-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. I do not necessarily recommend Beale’s commentary as he chooses not to hold to a consistent futurist approach, but it gives a good snapshot at what the typical viewpoints are. Let’s examine the various descriptions found primarily in the book of Revelation.
 
Descriptions
 
1)  Jesus gives an outline of the book of Revelation. “Therefore, write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things” (1:19). Bible teachers note that this outline is very organized and involves the three relative particles (“which”) that provide a clear outline. It is divided into a past (chapter 1), a present (chapters 2-3), and a future (“after these things”- chapters 4-22). There is no reason to be confused as the phrase “after these things” (meta tauta in Greek) appears quite clearly in 4:1. This reveals that what occurs in chapters 4-5 is a future period after the “church age” as found in chapters 2-3. Therefore, we see in chapters 4-5, a throne room scene with four different “groups” mentioned. The first mention is of God seated on the throne followed immediately by the introduction of the mysterious 24 elders and then finally the four living creatures. In chapter 5, the Lion/Lamb is introduced. No doubt, the 24 elders are given a place of prominence in 4:2-4 as being mentioned before the four living creatures. As the first mention of the throne room scene, to have the 24 elders mentioned prior to the well-known living creatures from the OT is no accident. We see them being mentioned before the four living creatures also in 7:11 and 19:4. There are other instances where the four living creatures are mentioned prior to the 24 elders (5:6, 8, 11, 14; 14:3), but the first mention context should not be ignored in chapter 4.
 
2)  When we compare the throne room scenes in the OT, we notice that apart from Exodus 24, the existence of a specific group labeled as elders is absent (Exodus 24:9-18; 1 Kings 22:19-22; Jeremiah 23:16-22; Isaiah 6:1-3; Ezekiel 1, 10; Daniel 7:9-10). Even so, the Exodus 24 throne room scene was not in heaven and included 70 elders of Israel. So there certainly are distinctions. The question for us here is where did this NEW group of 24 elders come from in Revelation? For example, we see the four living creatures in Ezekiel 1 and 10. We observe an unidentified number of Seraphim (comparable to “living creature”) standing before the throne in Isaiah 6:1-3. In the Daniel 7:9-10 scene, it is the Ancient of Days seated on his throne. There are other thrones and myriads of other angelic beings, but it gives no specific names or designation of any other group “seated” on those thrones. Again, there is no observance either of any specific group of 24 elders in that scene.
 
 Now if we fast forward to the throne room scene of the book of Revelation, we see God Himself on His throne mentioned first. Following, are the 24 elders and then the living creatures and countless angels (Rev 5:11). This introduction of a new 24-member group as compared to other throne room scenes as found in the OT or Second Temple period writings has not gone unnoticed. If you can, I recommend the article, “Revelation 4-5 in the Light of Jewish Apocalyptic Analogies” by Larry Hurtado. It can be found in the Journal of the Study of the New Testament 25 (1985). He does an excellent job showing that what we find in Revelation 4-5 cannot simply be a continuation of Jewish writings. This is clearly something new and Christian. As we read Revelation 2-3 and the various promises made to the churches by Jesus Christ, it does not strain credulity to see that John was describing this new group as being the church.
 
3)  If we compare Revelation 4-5 with the theology of Paul concerning the church, we can make a connection. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:11-22 that the church is made of up of Jews and Gentiles who are put into one new body of believers (especially 2:15). This is not a continuation of OT theocratic Israel limited to the land of Israel (cf. John 4:21-26), but a new unified group of people made up of all nations, tribes, peoples (Rev 5:9). Secondly, this group of unified people, who are called the church, was not revealed in the OT but was revealed as a mystery in its full theological significance to Paul the apostle (Eph 3:1-10). Therefore, it would be no surprise that because the church was not born until after Jesus ascended, as a group they would not be evident in any OT throne room scene. When John writes his vision of what he saw “after these things” (a.k.a. the church age, “things which are”), this new 24-member group of Elders makes great sense to be the recently raptured church.
 
4)  Some Bible teachers see the 24 elders as angels, but upon closer examination, this cannot be the case. It is fascinating to see the consistency of the Bible. In the OT, there were no chairs either in the tabernacle or the temple. The reason why is that the priests were to serve continually. This is a major theological point in the book of Hebrews as, after Jesus performed His high priestly duties, He sat down at the right hand of God (Heb 1:3; 10:11-12). In the book of Revelation, we do not read of any angels sitting. In fact, we see angels standing (7:9, 11) and even one as mighty and majestic as Gabriel declares himself to be standing in the presence of God (Luke 1:19). Additionally, the angels are specifically labeled as distinct from the 24 elders (5:11; especially 7:11). We also observe the tribulation saints (“great multitude”), who are martyred in the great tribulation, as standing before the throne and the lamb (Rev 7:9). Another group of martyred individuals who had victory over the beast were standing near the throne (Rev 15:2).
 
 What is amazing is that there is only one group (other than God and the Lamb) who are specifically labeled as sitting. The 24 elders are shown to be sitting on thrones. “Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads” (Rev 4:4). This was promised to the church by Jesus in Revelation 3:21, “The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.” This is a very unique privilege as the original seven churches could read chapters 2-3 and then see that the promise of Jesus was fulfilled in Revelation 4:4. It would give them encouragement and hope that they could be part of the group who also were promised to be kept from the hour of trial that was coming upon the whole earth (Rev 3:10). Further, their position is extremely intimate and full of honor to be located so close to the throne. Anyone would be hard-pressed to find a clear parallel to any angelic being described explicitly as being seated on a throne.
 
 After the tribulation is over, there is a resurrection of the OT saints as well as the believers who died during the tribulation. This resurrection is described in Revelation 20:4-6 and they also get to sit on thrones during the millennium on earth. However, it is important to note that for them, there is no reference of them sitting on thrones in heaven near God’s throne. This particular promise was only made to the church (Rev 3:21) and fulfilled by the church (Rev 4:4). So, we have the 24 elders not only sitting down but on thrones which demonstrates rulership alongside the Lord Jesus (Rev 2:26-27; 2 Tim 2:12; Rom 8:17; 1 Cor 6:2-3).
 
5)  Another descriptor mentioned is the number 24. In the 404 verses in the book of Revelation, scholars have noted that there are over 500 allusions or direct references to the OT (see a list of these in appendix XI in Arnold Fruchtenbaum’s The Footsteps of the Messiah, page 793). That being the case, the number 24 is a relatively unique number that occurs in 1 Chronicles 24-25. In chapter 24 of 1 Chronicles, David and Zadok divided the priesthood into 24 different orders (see Luke 1:5, 8, 9 as an example). In chapter 25, David divided the worship leaders into 24 different groups. What this reveals to us is a pattern that the number 24 is representative of the whole group. When the 24 chief priests of the 24 different orders stood before David, they represented the entire priesthood. The same would be true for the worship leaders. In our case, the 24 elders sitting on thrones would represent the entire church seated on thrones in fulfillment of Jesus’s promise in Revelation 3:21. Additionally, they are seated in heaven and exempt from the period of the tribulation beginning in 6:1 as Jesus promised in Revelation 3:10. Interestingly, the book of Revelation is directly written to the seven churches even though it has a blessing for anyone who keeps its words. Even those during the tribulation period who read it can learn and be blessed from it.
 
 John writes to the churches, “To the one who loves us and has set us free from our sins at the cost of his own blood and has appointed us as a kingdom, as priests serving his God and Father– to him be the glory and the power for ever and ever! Amen” (Rev 1:5-6 NET). The concept of the number 24 was connected in 1 Chronicles to priesthood and worship. This fits well with the roles we see of the 24 elders in the book of Revelation. They have been invited to have front row seats and indirect participation on Jesus’s throne (Rev 3:21) as well as offering up incense which is the prayers of the saints (Rev 5:9). The offering of incense is clearly reminiscent of the priestly duties as found in Leviticus. Jesus has invited the 24 elders to sit in His immediate presence as He opens the seals and fulfills His kingly role as redeeming the earth back to righteousness. Further, numerous times they are highlighted as participating and initiating worship in the presence of the throne and the angelic host. The connection between priesthood (1:5-6) and worship (Rev 5:9; 4:11) and the number 24 in 1 Chronicles 24 and 25 should not be missed.
 
6)  Another description which helps bring understanding to the identity of the 24 elders has to do with the description of the Lamb’s spatial position. I understand that John was seeing a vision, but words are often used to send a theological message. In this case, John introduces Jesus (one like the Son of Man) as standing in the midst (mesos) of the seven lampstands (Rev 1:13). The Greek preposition mesos appears 7 times in the whole book. We are not left guessing as to the symbolic meaning of the seven lampstands, because Jesus gives us the interpretation in Rev 1:20, “… and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” In Revelation 2:1, Jesus reveals Himself to the Ephesian church as the “One who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.” This is the second reference that Jesus is in the midst of the churches. When we get to chapter 5:6, the vision reveals that the Lamb was in the midst of the throne and the 24 elders. Within the book itself, John directs us to understand the connections between Jesus being in the midst of the churches and the 24 elders. This connective interpretation is compelling.
 
7)   The 24 elders are described in Rev 4:4 as having crowns of gold. These are stephanos crowns which are often used in the context of overcoming and gaining victory over adversity; similar to an athlete (1 Cor 9:25). The other type of crown is a diadem crown typically used as a reference to those who are royalty. Jesus wears this crown in Revelation 19:12 whereas the dragon and beast have this crown as they seek to imitate the inherent royalty of Jesus (12:3; 13:1). Revisiting the description of 24 elders having “crowns of gold,” the only other person in the book described with a crown of gold is the son of man figure in Revelation 14:14 who most Bible teachers interpret as Jesus. This crown of gold in this passage is also a victor (stephanos) crown. We should not be confused with Revelation 9:7 where the demon horde which arises out of the bottomless are described having on their heads what appears to be “as crowns like gold.” John adds specific words to denote comparison and not equivalence. The 24 elders having crowns of gold like their Lord in Rev 4:4 shows the intimacy of their connection as being co-heirs with Jesus (Rom 8:17-21).
 
 The NT teaches that there are five different crowns which are symbolic descriptions of the rewards for faithful service (1 Cor 9:25; 1 Thess 2:19; James 1:12; Rev 2:10; 1 Peter 5:4; 2 Tim 4:8). Both Revelation 2:10 and 3:11 speaks of crowns which are involved in Jesus’s promise to the church for being overcomers. When we arrive in Revelation 4:4, it is not surprising that these 24 elders would have crowns showing that they have already received their rewards. We know that after the rapture, the church will stand before the son of Man at the bema seat judgment to receive their rewards for their Christian service from Christ Himself (2 Cor 5:10; Rom 14:10; 1 Cor 3:1-15; Luke 21:36). Angelic beings do not have crowns. In closing this section, it is revealed that the 24 elders cast their crowns at the foot of the throne of God recognizing that their crowns and place of privilege is purely through the grace of God. This is reminiscent of Jesus’s words, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Clearly, the 24 elders have a proper and humble attitude recognizing that even their crowns are an act of God’s grace.
 
8)   In Jesus’s letter to the seven churches, He speaks positively about the promise of those in the church who overcome as receiving “white garments” (Rev 3:4, 5, 18). The 24 elders are said to be clothed in “white garments” which clearly is using the same language as Jesus’s promise to the churches (Rev 4:4). There are other groups in Revelation that are given “white robes,” but this a different designation (Rev 6:11; 7:9, 13) and Greek words.
 
9)  Another very obvious description is the fact that they are called elders. We know from the OT that the elders were human leaders/chiefs beginning in Exodus up through the gospels. Additionally, this term was used as an official designation in the church (Acts 20:17; 1 Tim 5:17, 19; Titus 1:5; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1). Nowhere in the Bible are angels referred to as elders. Some Bible teachers see Isaiah 24:23 as a reference to angelic elders, but the context leans towards them being human elders. This passage is consistent with Jesus’s desire to reveal His personal glory to His church (John 17:24; 14:1-3; 1 Thess 4:17) and to share it with them (Rom 8:17; Rev 3:21; cf. Luke 22:29-30).
 
10) There are some who like to argue that the 24 elders disassociate themselves with other believers based on Revelation 11:16-18. It reads, “And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying, "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. 18 The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” However, this is primarily because they assume these are angels. If we see the 24 elders as being the pre-tribulational raptured church being given a privileged position near the throne before the tribulation begins in Revelation 6:1, then their words in 11:16-18 make great sense. They are watching the tribulation saints get martyred and the saints overcome during this 7-year period (Rev 6:9-11; 7:9-14; 13:7). There are elect/saints/servants in the program of God other than the church which began in Acts 2 and ended at the pre-tribulational rapture. There are the elect tribulation saints as well as the elect of Israel who survive the 7-year tribulation period.
 
11) The final description is to note in general the various speeches of the elders. They speak and worship God for His creative acts (4:11), their intimate knowledge of the fact of the Lion of Judah being worthy (5:5), the lamb being slain which redeemed people from every tribe to be a kingdom of priests who will reign (5:8-10, 12), detailed knowledge of those coming out of the tribulation and being made white by the blood of the lamb (7:14). Their knowledge, intimate proximity to the throne and Lamb, participation in worship and informing John in the vision is indicative of their status as friends of Jesus (John 15:15). Some Bible teachers try to argue that Revelation 5:8-10 shows a disassociation between the 24 elders and those that are redeemed because the elders speak of the redeemed in the third person. This is not decisive. John is very familiar with the OT and brings up the new song of Moses in Revelation 15:1-4. This should remind us of the original song of Moses in Exodus 15:1-19. In this song by Moses and the Israelites, they sing of the redemption of Israel in the third person (especially 15:16-19). Therefore, it would not be unprecedented for the 24 elders to sing of their own redemption in the third person (5:8-10).
 
Conclusion
 
The evidence is significant pointing to the verdict that the 24 elders are representative of the pre-tribulational raptured church. Additionally, it signals that the church will enjoy a heavenly throne room scene after the rapture, but prior to the opening of the seals by the Lamb who alone is worthy. We will get to experience our Lord and Savior begin to judge the earth and reclaim that which He rightfully purchased at the cross. You and I will be privileged to see the Lord in His full glory and to participate intimately in His glory being revealed throughout all the prophecies found in Revelation. Paul’s words to the Ephesian church take on a new grandeur of fulfillment as the 24 elders actually take their seats on thrones in the very heavens of God Himself.
 
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).
 
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-- by grace you have been saved-- 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:4-6).

 


 
Putin Warns That The World Is Going Down A Road That Leads To Nuclear War - by Michael Snyder - http://endoftheamericandream.com/putin-warns-that-the-world-is-going-down-a-road-that-leads-to-nuclear-war/
 
These days, most people in the western world give very little thought to what a nuclear war might be like. And that is very strange, because we are actually closer to a global nuclear war than we have ever been before. If a conflict between Ukraine and Russia erupts, the U.S. and Russia would essentially be in a state of war from that point forward. I do not anticipate that we would immediately be firing nuclear missiles at one another, but it would definitely put us on the verge of such a scenario. Both sides would be in a state of constant alert with their fingers on the triggers, and all it would take is a single mistake to unleash an unthinkable nuclear nightmare.
 
The Biden administration seems to think that there won’t be any serious consequences for endlessly provoking the Russians, but Russian President Vladimir Putin definitely seems to understand what is at stake.
 
Following a very lengthy discussion with French President Emmanuel Macron, Putin issued a very ominous warning to the press…
 
‘I’ve been saying it, but I’d very much want you to finally hear me, and to deliver it to your audience in print, TV and online.
 
‘Do you understand it or not, that if Ukraine joins NATO and attempts to bring Crimea back by military means, the European countries will be automatically pulled into a war conflict with Russia?’
 
War with Russia should be something that we try extremely hard to avoid.
 
Because once a war with Russia starts, there is a very good chance that it will eventually go nuclear.
 
Putin says that he does not want such a conflict, and he told the press that there will be “no winners” if it actually happens…
 
‘Of course the [military] potential of NATO and Russia are incomparable. We understand it.
 
‘But we also understand that Russia is one of the leading nuclear states, and by some modern components it even outperforms many.
 
‘There will be no winners. And you will be pulled into this conflict against your will.
 
‘You won’t even have time to blink your eye when you execute Article 5 (collective defence of NATO members)….
 
‘Mr President Macron, of course, doesn’t want this. And I don’t want it. And I don’t want it….which is why he is here, torturing me for six straight hours.’
 
But even though Putin believes that there would be “no winners” in a nuclear war, he has still been preparing the Russians to fight one.
 
The development of the S-500 missile defense system was game changing. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, it has “no analogs” anywhere in the world…
 
“The S-500 anti-aircraft missile system has no analogs in the world and is designed to defeat the entire spectrum of existing and promising aerospace attack weapons of a potential enemy in the entire range of altitudes and speeds,” the defense ministry said in a statement.
 
Unfortunately, the Russians are quite correct about the S-500. There isn’t anything like it anywhere else in the world, and it gives the Russians a tremendous advantage.
 
It has been designed to be able to intercept and bring down any incoming threats, and that includes intercontinental ballistic missiles from the United States…
 
Produced by Russian state-owned defense company Almaz-Antey Concern, the S-500 is designed to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles and other aerial attacks at an altitude of up to 200 kilometers (124 miles).
 
The weapon system can hit up to 10 targets at a range of up to 600 kilometers (372 miles) and has a response time of three to four seconds, shorter than the S-400.
 
The S-500 uses the 77N6-N and 77N6-N1 missiles, which can be fitted with an inert warhead capable of destroying enemy nuclear warheads with precision.
 
The U.S. doesn’t have anything that is even worth being compared to the S-500.
 
As S-500 units are put into service, they will complement the A-135 anti-ballistic missile systems which already form a defensive ring around Moscow…
 
Russia already has an anti-ICBM missile defense system, the silo-based A-135 Amur which launches 53T6 ABM interceptors that can attain up to seventeen times the speed of sound to swat down ICBMs using a ten-kiloton nuclear warhead. But the A135 only defends Moscow and the surrounding industrial areas.
 
In the old days, mutual destruction during a nuclear conflict was essentially guaranteed because neither side had any way to defend against incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles.
 
But now the balance of power has shifted.
 
The Russians have very advanced anti-ballistic missile systems and we do not.
 
Meanwhile, the Russians have also developed new hypersonic cruise missiles that are extremely alarming…
 
Russia test-fired around 10 new Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, Interfax news agency said on Friday citing northern fleet.
 
Russian President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivalled arms systems.
 
The fact that the Russians can fire these hypersonic missiles from submarines should send a chill up your spine.
 
In previous articles, I have discussed Russia’s “black hole submarines” that are so quiet that they can sneak up to our coastlines without anyone knowing that they are even there.
 
Needless to say, this gives the Russians quite an impressive first strike capability.
 
In a nuclear war you do not want to be on the side that doesn’t strike first.
 
And as I have repeatedly warned, a surprise Russian first strike would absolutely cripple the U.S. before we even knew what hit us.
 
As for the U.S. military, it continues to fall even further behind. Our strategic nuclear arsenal is badly outdated, our missile defense systems are a joke compared to what the Russians have, and our hypersonic missile tests just keep failing.
 
But nobody in the world is better at implementing diversity and inclusion programs.
 
If a future war with the Russians or the Chinese comes down to a battle of political correctness, we will win for sure.
 
Unfortunately for the U.S. military, that is not how wars are fought, and that is very bad news for all of us.

 


 
Nearing Midnight: The Liberal Media Refuses to Reform – Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/
 
There has never been a worse point in American history for what passes today as the mainstream media. Hardly a week goes by without me learning about some news personality that has been taken to the woodshed over some stupid statement or action.
 
Whoopi Goldberg has been suspended from ABC’s The View for two weeks for saying the Holocaust was not about race. CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker was forced to resign from his position because of the revelation of an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. Zucker’s stunning announcement came less than two months after he fired prime time anchor Chris Cuomo for improperly advising his brother, then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, about how to address sexual misconduct allegations.
 
I think it’s remarkable that Whoopi Goldberg’s original career field was being a comedian. Because I constantly keep track of all forms of media, I’ve known of her for over 30 years. I don’t ever recall her saying something that was funny. Goldberg has always been this vile, nasty person with nothing positive to say. When The View was created, she showed up and probably said, ‘Hi, I’m the token black woman, so you have to give me a job.’
 
I can’t believe that Goldberg still has a job with ABC. Arguing that the Holocaust was not about race has for decades been one of the quickest ways to get yourself fired. A Harvard professor once argued that it is literally impossible for blacks to be racist to a white person and “Racism against white people doesn’t exist.” This rule must also apply to Jews. Goldberg went on the Late Show With Stephen Colbert and tried to argue that her skin color should allow her to be ignorant of the Holocaust.
 
Jeff Zucker should have been fired at least 10 years ago. When he arrived at CNN, the network was high in the ratings for news. It now trails obscure cable channels like the Food Network. Despite Zucker’s mismanagement of CNN, he has been given one promotion after another. I remember in the mid 90’s Saturday Night Live had a slight dip in its rating, and management came in and fired people like Adam Sandler and Chris Farley. At one point, Larry King had 7 million viewers. Right now, I don’t think any CNN show has more than a million viewers.
 
Brian Stelter and Don Lemon are two of the dumbest people who have ever worked in news. Lemon must have been hired when his job application said, not only am I black, but I’m also a homosexual. Anderson Cooper was possibly hired because he was gay and his mother was Gloria Vanderbilt. I didn’t see anything special about Chris Cuomo, but hey, his dad was once governor of New York state. When you hand out jobs in news and politics based solely on a dynasty, it’s no wonder that both the Cuomo brothers crashed and burned.
 
I can’t think of any leftist media personality that I could say I disagree with their politics but admire their intelligence or tenacity. My general observation of news people is that they are either crazy or stupid. Sometimes they are so extreme in these categories that I find them entertaining. Keith Olbermann has turned into such a lunatic, I sometimes listen to his YouTube videos for a laugh.
 
The last leftist I had any respect for was probably Christopher Hitchens. He was a radical atheist, but he would go after anyone or any group that he saw as being in error. He was a huge critic of Hillary Clinton, and he did the best job I’ve ever heard someone do with pointing out the silliness of the Muslim faith.
 
I wonder where we will end up with the news turning into garbage. Many people on the right think that CNN will finally see the error of its ways and reform. They point to declining ratings as motivation. I don’t see that happening. The major networks have zero concern about ratings. Zucker had years of plunging ratings, and he would get one huge bonus after another.
 
The fixation is on power. Controlling the minds of people is the main focus. CNN has been replaced by a hundred other news formats, so the liberal media can use them to guide public opinion.
 
It was recently discovered that podcaster Joe Rogan has 11 million viewers, which is three times greater than most cable news shows. The left has switched from complaining about Fox News to griping about Rogan’s views on COVID-19.
 
I think Satan likes to have a low IQ Liberal Media. The press has traditionally been the main source that keeps the public informed of world events. If you have dumb reporters, you will have a clueless audience.
 
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children” (Hosea 4:6).

 


 
Can The Creation of a European Superstate Be Stopped? – Soren Kern - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=5198
 
The leaders of European conservative and populist parties met in the Spanish capital of Madrid on January 28-29 to build a unified political front aimed at defending traditional Judeo-Christian values and the sovereignty of European nation states.
 
The so-called Madrid Summit -- held under the motto "Defending Europe" -- marked an important milestone in efforts to create a continent-wide alliance to fight the federalist, globalist and anti-democratic drift of the European Union.
 
The two-day closed-door summit, hosted by Spain's conservative party Vox, was attended by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, as well as by the leaders and representatives of conservative parties from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Romania.
 
The conservative eurosceptic leaders, who vowed to work together more closely in the European Parliament, issued a joint statement that outlined the challenge as well as a path forward:
 
"The European Community was forged as an area of free cooperation between sovereign states. However, there is a growing threat that seeks to transform the Union into an ideologically charged federalist super-state; a corporation which disregards national identity and sovereignty, and therefore democracy, plurality and the interests of the citizens of the nations that form the Union.
 
"This drift endangers the Union itself by moving away from the Christian European ideals on which it was founded. Today, some bureaucrats and some parties mistakenly believe that they can promote agendas without democratic legitimacy which go against the needs of Europeans and the survival of Western civilization itself.
 
"Faced with this situation, we, the participants of the Summit, commit ourselves to defend Europe from external and internal threats. We will confront the currents that advocate a European Union which is alien to its history and which, detached from reality, lead to demographic suicide and societal transformation. Europe is in demographic decline. We have to support pro-family policies.
 
"We love Europe because we love our nations. And we will defend Europe because we defend our nations. That is why we will not cease to demand a Union focused on common European values, on people, on their families, on the protection of their borders and on the freedom to have energy, industry, and a strong primary sector.
 
We have to regain the culture of mutual respect among Member States and with the EU institutions, where constitutional identities are safeguarded and not criticized. We denounce the politically motivated attacks from Brussels against Poland and Hungary which demonstrate a complete disregard of basic EU principles and violate the spirit of the Treaties.
 
"In short, we should cooperate and join forces to protect Europe from enforced ideologies and anti-democratic drift that are leading to its downfall."
 
The joint declaration included nine action points at the EU level, including commitments to: improve border protection; crack down on illegal immigration; ensure that asylum seekers can enter the EU only after asylum has been granted; work toward greater European energy independence; and defend the primacy of national constitutions over EU law.
 
In a surprising display of unity, Orbán and Le Pen -- who are friendly with Russian President Vladimir Putin -- agreed to insert a paragraph in the joint declaration that condemns Russia's threats against Ukraine. The leaders vowed to:
 
"Work to ensure that the nations of Europe act in solidarity in the face of the threat of external aggression. Russian aggressive actions on Europe's eastern border have led us to the brink of war. Solidarity, decisiveness and defense cooperation between the nations of Europe are needed in the face of such threats."
 
The joint declaration also pledged to establish a "coordination office" in Brussels to "join forces and speak with one voice as often as possible at the European level vote in the European Parliament on the aforementioned issues."
 
Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki said that Europe's future rests on sovereign states:
 
"We have shown that there is a different future for Europe, which is based on sovereign countries, not on any centralized structure that takes away powers from states.
 
"We showed each other that we think almost alike about such important issues as the Russian threats towards Ukraine, migratory pressures, energy issues, with very high gas prices being the result of manipulations on the part of Russia.
 
"The most important thing is to be united in our values ... and create a document presenting an alternative to the future of Europe. I hope that we are the alternative to the future of Europe."
 
Eurosceptic Alliance
 
The Madrid Summit is the second official meeting of eurosceptic leaders. It builds on the first such summit held in Warsaw, Poland, in December 2021. The Warsaw Summit declaration stated:
 
"The participants of the conference share a common and deep conviction that the EU is made up of free and equal nation states, bound by numerous areas of close cooperation. We share this conviction with many millions of citizens across EU member states.
 
"Only through such a European cooperation can we save the EU from further crises and tensions, and put a stop to the disturbing idea of creating a Europe governed by a self-appointed elite. We reject the arbitrary application of Union Law, bending or even violating the Treaties. Only the sovereign institutions of the states have full democratic legitimacy. European institutions do not enjoy the same legitimacy, and therefore should play a subservient role in the political architecture to the nation state.
 
"Equally, for this reason they cannot become a tool of social engineering aiming at creating a new 'European nation.' Examples of such social engineering could be, among other things, the attempts to ideologically alter our languages in a way which will detach a human being from their culture and heritage, like the recent decision of the European Commission to remove the word 'Christmas' from the public sphere.
 
Such a concept of the nation has never existed, does not exist today nor can it exist in the future. The participants declare their will to cooperate in the spirit of solidarity, at various levels and forums with all the parties and organizations that hold Europe's unique heritage and the idea of a Europe of Nations dear."
 
The two summits are the result of the July 2021 "Joint Declaration on the Future of the European Union," an agreement by 16 eurosceptic parties to jointly oppose efforts by European federalists to transform the European Union into a godless multicultural superstate.
 
The signatories said that the EU has become a tool of "radical forces" that are determined to carry out a civilizational transformation of Europe. They accused conservative establishment parties in Europe of having abandoned traditional Judeo-Christian values ​​and of aligning themselves with leftist positions for political gain.
 
The author of the July 2021 document, former Polish President Jaroslaw Kaczynski, said that the EU is "preparing to carry out a cultural revolution that will destroy social structures, starting with the family and traditions, and create a new man." He added: "We don't want this revolution, which we believe will bring unhappiness and a drastic decline in the freedoms of individuals and countries."
 
An obstacle to building an effective alliance to fight European federalism in Brussels lies in the fact that the conservative eurosceptic parties belong to different political groups in the supranational European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament are organized into ideological groups -- currently there are eight different political groups -- and may only belong to one group.
 
Some conservative parties -- the Bulgarian National Movement (IMRO), the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania-Christian Families Alliance (LLRA-KSS), Poland's Law and Justice (PiS), Romania's Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party (PNT-CD) and Spain's Vox -- belong to the center-right European Conservatives and Reformists Group, which advocates for long-term reform of the European Union, but does not want to exit the bloc.
 
Still others -- the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), Belgium's Flemish Interest (VB), the Alternative for Germany (AfD), the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE), France's National Rally (RN) and Italy's Lega -- belong to the more hardline eurosceptic Identity and Democracy group, some of whose members have advocated for the abolition of the euro, Europe's single currency.
 
Meanwhile, Hungary's ruling party, the Hungarian Civic Alliance (Fidesz), recently left the European People's Party (EPP) and currently does not belong to any political group in the European Parliament.
 
The long-term goal of uniting all the eurosceptic parties into a single "supergroup" is easier said than done. They hold different positions on a wide range of domestic and foreign policy issues. Those differences -- including economic policy and relations with Russia -- will be difficult to paper over.
 
For instance, although Orbán and Le Pen agreed to include criticism of Russia in the Madrid Summit's joint statement, Orbán subsequently met with Putin at the Kremlin and pledged to cooperate with Moscow. At the same time, Le Pen omitted the paragraph about Russia from the French translation of the joint declaration.
 
Moreover, neither the leader of Italy's Lega party, Matteo Salvini, nor the three co-leaders of Germany's Alternative for Germany party, attended the Madrid Summit.
 
Salvini, once at the vanguard of Europe's anti-EU movement, has seen his eurosceptic reputation tarnished by his decision to join the pro-EU government of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. "I can be in a pro-Europe government while dreaming of a different Europe," Salvini said recently. In any event, Lega was represented in Madrid by Italian MEP Paolo Borchia.
 
Editors Note --
 
The idea of an EU Superstate with it's own army idea has been around since the days of Churchill and seems to be revived every decade. While most attempts have failed there are some followers of Bible Prophecy who see the potential for a future 10 nation alliance out of Europe to fulfill the prophecies of the Book of Daniel & Revelation in which a 10 nation alliance from Europe (the Beast of Revelation) becomes the seat of power for the Antichrist on his way to global domination.
 
Some have speculated about whether these prophecies in Revelation refer to 10 nations, 10 world regions, or simply 10 leaders. When the European Union first emerged and eventually grew to 10 member nations, prophecy students were sitting up and taking notice, until the EU grew past 10 nations (current EU members total 27 nations). Then the excitement died down considerably as Europe failed to demonstrate any united military capability.
 
Now with talk of a fresh desire for more integration and increased military co-operation, people are starting to pay attention again. Especially as it coincides with so many other important prophetic events happening such as the shadow war between Iran & Israel, the players for Ezekiel 38 all in alignment (including Afghanistan), the advancement of technology that could fulfill the mark of the beast, natural disasters, the global impact of disease and the list goes on and on.
 
There are more questions and speculation than anything else at this point regarding the future of the European Union but with so many prophetic events converging at this time it is time to be paying attention more now than ever before.

 


 
Daily Jot: Stupidocrisy: Supporting anything China - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com
 
The display of stupidocrisy this week is off the charts. America sent its athletes to China for the Olympics, but didn’t send its political ambassadors. As if that makes any statement against China. It really just demonstrates the doublemindedness of the Biden Administration and all the politicians that support it. It’s not just the systematic enslavement and executions of the Muslim minority Uighur sect. It is also the forced abortions, the destruction of Christian homes and the persecution of Christians. It’s the slave labor. It’s the ruthless manipulation of foreign exchange at the American worker’s expense. It’s the poison China puts in kids’ toothpaste that is sent for sale in America. Why do we support anything of China?
 
The “Genocide Games,” is the moniker given the Olympics by conservatives, who decry that China will get all it wants out of this worldwide stage to propagandize its communist economic and social benefits—all the while oppressing the news media and forbidding coverage of the blatant human rights violations that are normal everyday life in communism. China is promoted by American networks and companies that do business with the communist regime. NBC, the Olympic network, falls all over itself to put China in its best light to the rest of the world. Companies like Coca Cola, Airbnb, Intel, VISA, and Proctor & Gamble are among 13 sponsors of the China Olympics. No stand for Chinese social justice with them. They excuse their behavior saying they are supporting the Olympic Committee, which is probably as bad or worse.
 
It’s NBA star LeBron James crusading about race and equality, yet supporting China, which along with Islam, is the emblem of modern slavery. It’s House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) standing firm with former NFL player Colin Kaepernick when he said, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color.” Then Pelosi asks US Olympians to stand down in upholding American values of freedom and justice in China, telling them, “I do not encourage them to speak out against the Chinese government there because I fear for their safety if they do.” By the way, Pelosi and her husband Paul have tens of millions of dollars invested in Communist Chinese enterprises. It’s more than hypocrisy. These are the types of people who are selling out America–you and me—to enrich themselves. Character deficit.
 
The sad part of this stupidocrisy is that it appears that China is winning. It’s winning because America is rapidly becoming more like China. The US government is increasingly deceptive and authoritarian. Companies are all too willing to help the government work around the Constitution to enforce mandates, lockdowns, and narratives. The news media in general is willing to shirk its responsibilities as the fourth estate and propagandize for the government’s socialist, divisive, and disruptive proclivities. Instead of the US being the beacon of freedom and justice to China, China has corrupted the captains of American industry and the politicians who govern them. As is written in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals.” Of course, that’s assuming some level of morals. Say it with me…Stupidocrisy.

 


 
Daily Devotion: Just Live It - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org
 
So, they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house’ —Matthew 13:57
 
https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/just-live-it/ - Listen
 
The hardest people to reach with the gospel are those closest to you. When I first came to Christ, my mother wasn’t responsive to the gospel. Now, I have to admit there probably was some overkill on my part at first. But it took not just years, but decades, for my mother to come around to believing in Jesus Christ.
 
In the hometown of Jesus, the Bible tells us that “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58 NKJV). In fact, Jesus said, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house” (verse 57 NKJV).
 
Jesus was on the move, healing people, delivering people from demonic possession, and forgiving sins. And when John baptized Him, His Father confirmed him, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (2 Peter 1:17 NKJV).
 
How did the biological family of Jesus respond to all of this? Mark’s gospel tells us, “When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. ‘He’s out of his mind,’ they said” (Mark 3:21 NLT).
 
Maybe you’re married to a nonbeliever, and you’re wondering how to reach him or her. What you probably don’t need to do is give more sermons. You just need to live it. First Peter 3 says the way to reach a nonbelieving person is not by your words but by living the Word. There comes a point where they don’t need more sermons. They need to see it demonstrated.
 
So be patient with your family because they’re the hardest people to reach. The good news is that when we become Christians, we become part of a new family. That doesn’t mean we’re no longer part of our biological family. But we’re related by the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on the cross for our sins.

 


 
 
FROM THE HEART
    
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