Republicans And Pharisees

Religious people are very moralistic. They talked about right and wrong. They behaved morally and expect the same good moral behaviour from those who followed their religion. It is also the same for many Christian pastors. They expect Christians to be very best of moral people, exhibiting the best of characters, light of the world, salt of the earth.

Then came Christians who voted for Donald Trump, who is really not a paragon of virtue. Some guy by the name of Bruce Gerencser had this to say in his blog "Donald Trump's Bible | The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser":

QUOTE
In November 2015, [my note on 2020-04-24 at 18:00, wrong year, should be 2016] eighty-two percent of voting white Evangelicals helped elect Donald Trump as the forty-fifth president of the United States. Finally, Evangelicals believed they had a Christian president. Never mind the fact that Trump is a narcissistic liar who bragged about grabbing women by their genitals, a man who has been repeatedly accused of sex crimes. In his blessed heart-of-hearts, Evangelicals believe Trump is a Christian. James Dobson says that Trump is a "baby-Christian." Instead of looking at the character of the man, Evangelicals divert attention to the president's agenda. It is here that we see that Trump plays Santa Claus for Evangelical culture warriors. His policies, cabinet, and judicial appointments make it clear that Evangelicals are ruling the White House. It's hard to walk down the halls of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue without running into Evangelicals either praying, going to Bible study, or trying to subvert the U.S. Constitution.
UNQUOTE

Bruce Gerencser was a former pastor who left the ministry in 2005 and Christianity in 2008. Obviously disappointed by bad Christians and the Christian God, Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

Bruce should have read the Bible which said that the republican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. While the moral Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this republican. Okay. It is publican, not republican (Luke 18:9-14). But I hope you get the point. God preferred the sinful publican to the moral Pharisee.

I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Luke 18:14 NLT)

Finally, God does not always use good characters to run a country. God chose Samson to be a judge of Israel. God used King Jeroboam II to save northern Israel from its political enemies. King Cyrus, who allowed the Jews to return to their homeland, was not even a believer. But the cruel King Nebuchadnezzar, who exiled the Jews to Babylon, destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, became a believer. So did Paul the Apostle. What more can I say?

Whores And Whoremongers

By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: (Hebrews 11:31-32 NKJV)

One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her. (Judges 16:1 NIV)

Whores and whoremongers are listed in Hebrews heroes of faith! And there are many more bad people listed. The Bible also record the sins of many who were considered as "good". Heroes of faith became heroes not because of who they were, but because of who God is.

Hell is reserved for those who think that they are good and do not need God. Whosoever who know that they are bad and believed that Jesus can save them will be saved.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV)

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39-40 NIV)

Where Is Joseph?

And he identified it and said, "It is my son's robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces." (Genesis 37:33 ESV)

And Israel said, "I'm convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die." (Genesis 45:28 NIV)

Israel thought that Joseph was dead. Then he found that Joseph was still alive in Egypt and had became the governor of all Egypt.

Today Joseph is again missing in Israel. What will Joseph be when Israel find him again? Will he become a multitude of nations?

But his father refused. "I know, my son; I know," he replied. "Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations (הַגּוֹיִֽם׃)." (Genesis 48:19 NLT)

The Four Ins And Three Outs of Israel

Israel went in and out of the promised land three times before settling in securely with the coming of the Messiah.

IN1
Israel first go into the promised land when their ancestor Abraham migrated from Ur to Haran to Canaan.
The LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you. (Genesis 12:1 NIV)

OUT1
Then they went to Egypt to escape famine.
The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all; Joseph was already in Egypt. (Exodus 1:5 NIV)

IN2
Then they return from Egypt to the promised land and God parted the Jordan river and Joshua led the Israelites to the promised land.
On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. (Joshua 4:19 NIV)

OUT2
God exiled Israel to Babylon for their sin for seventy years so that the land enjoyed its sabbath rests.
He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. (2 Chronicles 36:20 NIV)

IN3
After seventy years, the Jews returned to the promised land in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:
"This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
"'The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.'" (Ezra 1:1-4 NIV)

OUT3
The exile of Israel to all nations was not described in the Bible but it was prophesied by the prophets.
The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you. (Deuteronomy 4:27 NIV)

IN4
The return of Israel from all nations was not described in the Bible because it is a current event but it was prophesied by the prophets. Israel became a nation in 1948 and they will stay in the promised land until the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.
On that day the Lord will extend his hand a second time to recover the remnant of his people who survive - from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the coasts and islands of the west. (Isaiah 11:11 CSB)

Preservation And Judgement

Then the Lord said to Abram, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." (Genesis 15:13-16 ESV)

Below is a quote from Nick Mauer's "in one God's Heart for the Lost 03a Lesson 3":
QUOTE
And what it seems that God was giving the Amorites a period of time during which period the Amorites were devolving into more and more wickedness. And God was reserving a certain time when they at this point I will judge and I will disinherit them and dispossess them from this land and I will give it to you my people. During that time when Israel was in Egypt, God was protecting them from the escalating wickedness of Canaan.
UNQUOTE

There are a few things I wish to note after digesting what he (Nick Mauer) said.

Preservation
When God preserves, He does not do it in a five star hotel, separated from corruption and disease. Instead, the preservation was done in affliction. Israel was afflicted in Egypt for 400 years but they came out rich. And woe to Egypt, who dared to afflict God's people. They were judged, during the exodus of Israel and also later when they shrank from a proud world power to a minor nation. God also used Egypt's abhorrence of shepherds to cause separation between Israel and Egypt during Israel sojourn in Egypt.

Judgement
There are many wicked people and wicked nations. Sometimes they are punished quickly. Sometimes they are not. When judgement does not come quickly, there are two reasons for the delay.

1. God is waiting for some to repent (2 Peter 3:9);
2. The iniquity is not full, the wicked fruit is not ripe.

But this delay in judgement caused many to wonder about God's justice and His existence (Ecclesiastes 8:11, Psalm 50:21, Psalm 73:11, Psalm 94:7). They did not consider the goodness of God who give them time to repent (Romans 11:22).

Application
Today people are wondering about the existence of God because there is great wickedness and injustice. But God will not act until the iniquity of the nations (Gentiles) is complete. Things are bad today, but it will be worse. There will be greater wickedness coming. When that happened, God will judge (Luke 21:24). God acts only when the fruit is ripe for harvest (Joel 3:13, Revelation 14:15).

When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. (Ecclesiastes 8:11 NLT)

When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you. (Psalm 50:21 NIV)

The wicked say, "How can God know? Does the Most High know everything?" (Psalm 73:11 CSB)

They say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice." (Psalm 94:7 NIV)

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 ESV)

Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. (Romans 11:22 ESV)

They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:24 NIV)

Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great. (Joel 3:13 ESV)

And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe." (Revelation 14:15 ESV)

Where is Jesus on Silent Saturday?

In paradise
Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43 NIV)

Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he captured captives; he gave gifts to men." Now what is the meaning of "he ascended," except that he also descended to the lower regions, namely, the earth? (Ephesians 4:8-9 NET Bible)

Post Virus World Order

Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me.
I have more insight than all my teachers because your decrees are my meditation.
I understand more than the elders because I obey your precepts. (Psalm 119:98-100 CSB)

I am not a prophet and I am not speaking the Word of God given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. What I write is based insights gained by reading the Bible on prophecies and applying it to current world events. Let me make some bold predictions of the impact of covid-19 on the post covid-19 world.

China
China have angered the world, or more specifically, United States and Western Europe. They will recognize Taiwan in retaliation. China will be forced to accept two China policy. They may even have to give up Hong Kong in exchange for the West not to pursue for damages caused by the covid-19 virus. China will decline and become a second-rate power until the end of the seven year tribulation, unable to challenge the rise of the neo-Roman empire.

Globalization
Globalization as it is today where multinationals build their supply chain purely based on cost and profit will end. There will be tribalization and de-sinicization of the global supply chain. Companies will factor national interest and defence into their supply chain.

Europe and America
The most powerful cultural unit and tribe, the so-called western democracies, the Judeo-Christian based European and American and maybe even Russian civilizations, will coalesce into a powerful coalition, laying the foundations for the future ten nation neo-Roman empire.

World Bodies
World bodies, such as United Nations, World Health Organization, etc will be re-organized to serve the western democracies. They will no longer feel apologetic about their imperial past as new or current right-wing Trump-like political parties come into power. They will not accept political correctness and demand free speech.

As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay. (Daniel 2:42-43 NIV)

The Coming World Government

With the restoration of Israel in 1948, prophecies kicked in again. We are living in times when the prophecies of the Bible is being fulfilled. And coming soon will be the one world government, one world religion and one world currency! What is blocking these today? There are three things:

1. Communism;
2. Evolution;
3. Islam.

For the one world government, one world religion and one world currency to happen, these three must be removed.

Communism is basically China. China is now vying for world supremacy with United States. The covid-19 virus will bring down China. That leaves evolution and Islam. I believe science will prove the first 11 chapters of Genesis to be true and evolution will die. That will leave Islam because Islam claim to be descended from Christianity. So proving Genesis does not disprove Islam. Islam will be taken down by the war prophesied in Ezekiel 38. With that, all obstacle to the one world religion will be removed. That will then lead to one world government and one world currency.

You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. (Ezekiel 38:16 ESV)

So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 38:23 ESV)

The Two Witnesses - Israel And Church

"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. (Isaiah 43:10 NIV)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8 NIV)

Passover, Unleaven Bread and First Fruits 2020

The Lord's Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. On the fifteenth day of that month the Lord's Festival of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. For seven days present a food offering to the Lord. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.'" (Leviticus 23:5-8 NIV)

The Lord spoke to Moses: "Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you enter the land I am giving you and reap its harvest, you are to bring the first sheaf of your harvest to the priest. He will present the sheaf before the Lord so that you may be accepted; the priest is to present it on the day after the Sabbath. (Leviticus 23:9-11 CSB)

Passover: 7-8 April 2020
Feast of Unleavened Breads: 8-15 April 2020
Feast of First Fruits: 11-12 April 2020

This year, the Feast of First Fruits coincide with Easter.

Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch - as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. (1 Corinthians 5:7 NIV)

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:20-23 ESV)

Palm Sunday 2020

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. On this day nearly two thousand years ago, our Lord Jesus rode on a donkey in Jerusalem and proclaimed Himself as the Anointed One. This also marked the end of Daniel's 69 weeks. It is also the only time Jesus allow Himself to be publicly proclaimed as the Anointed One, to fulfil the prophecies written by the prophets.

The prophecies
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9 ESV)

And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. (Daniel 9:26 ESV)

The fulfilment
Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once."
This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
"Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'"
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee." (Matthew 21:1-11 ESV)

Dating Palm Sunday

After those sixty-two weeks the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the coming ruler will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come with a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations are decreed. (Daniel 9:26 CSB)

Here are some links that calculate the triumphant entry of Jesus to Jerusalem and His crucifixion based on Daniel 9:26.

1. Dr. Harold Hoehner's Refinements of Anderson's Theory: Are They Sound?
2. Two Significant Problems With Harold W. Hoehner’s Chronology of the Life of Christ --Sam A. Smith
3. Latter Rain - The Seventy Weeks of Daniel Part VI by Thomas Ice

According to Barnes' Notes on the Bible, these events, the triumphant entry and crucifixion will happen after the completion of 62 weeks.

QUOTE
And after threescore and two weeks - After the completion of the last period of four hundred and thirty-four years. The angel had shown in the previous verse what would be the characteristic of the first period of "seven weeks" - that during that time the wall and the street would be built in circumstances of general distress and anxiety, and he now proceeds to state what would occur in relation to the remaining sixty-two weeks. The particular thing which would characterize that period would be, that the Messiah would be cut off, and that the series of events would commence which would terminate in the destruction of the city and the temple. He does not say that this would be immediately on the termination of the sixty-two weeks, but he says that it would be "after" אחרי 'achărēy - "subsequent" to the close of that period. The word does not mean necessarily immediately, but it denotes what is to succeed - to follow - and would be well expressed by the word "afterward:" Genesis 15:14; Genesis 23:19; Genesis 25:26, et al. See Gesenius, Lexicon The natural meaning here would be, that this would be the "next event" in the order of events to be reckoned; it would be that on which the prophetic eye would rest subsequent to the close of the period of sixty-two weeks. There are two circumstances in the prophecy itself which go to show that it is not meant that this would immediately follow:

1. One is, that in the previous verse it is said that the "sixty-two weeks" would extend "unto the Messiah;" that is, either to his birth or to his manifestation as such; and it is not implied anywhere that he would be "cut off" at once on his appearing, nor is such a supposition reasonable, or one that would have been embraced by an ancient student of the prophecies;
2. the other is, that, in the subsequent verse, it is expressly said that what he would accomplish in causing the oblation to cease would occur "in the midst of the week;" that is, of the remaining one week that would complete the seventy. This could not occur if he were to be "cut off" immediately at the close of the sixty-two weeks.
3. The careful student of this prophecy, therefore, would anticipate that the Messiah would appear at the close of the sixty-two weeks, and that he would continue during a part, at least, of the remaining one week before he would be cut off. This point could have been clearly made out from the prophecy before the Messiah came.

UNQUOTE

Good old Albert Barnes. Written nearly 200 years ago, his commentaries are still relevant. Always good to work on eternal stuff.