Of Course You Know,
This Means War
After watching the movie "Reagan" with my neighbors last night, I realized a few things:
There was a time when Russia was rightfully blamed for a lot of ills in the world.
The subversive U.S. government has been in operation for a very long time. While those working against U.S. interests are still in operation, we see them, clear as day now, thanks in part to the internet. However, even now that the U.S- loving public at large has gotten wind, many universities are churning out willful student operatives — volunteers to topple the government, if you will.
Reagan's communism was a different animal than Trump's communism. It is still communism, but with more working machine parts.
A man of faith like Reagan — even with his mistakes and missteps — would be a godly miracle to have in the White House today. While Trump seems appointed/anointed by God to be president, hardly anyone would call him "godly". Only an act of God would put another Christian president in the White House.
Crazed would-be killers have been around for decades. Last night made me realize this fact with the Reagan-Pope assassination attempts. The only reason they, along with Trump, survived the attempts was an act of divine intervention. (Also, the subversives picked the wrong not-so-sharp shooters as operatives. Again, thank God.)
"Hold up," I thought, "attempted and successful assassinations have been around for millenia, not decades."
Let's take a look at some biblical references:
FAILED ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS
I Samuel 19:10 NKJV
“Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.” (More in verses 11-24).
King Saul realized he had fallen out of favor with the Lord and that David was to be his successor. A spirit of evil overtook him whenever he was in David’s presence, so Saul determined he would kill David and remove the problem.
Thankfully, the Lord was with David, and although not perfect (as we see later on), he was God's chosen King and had godly favor throughout his reign.
Genesis 27:41 NKJV
“So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, 'The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.'” (More in verses 42-45).
Thanks to his mother Rebekah, Jacob escapes his brother Esau's plot to kill him.
Esther 2:21-23 NKJV
“In those days, while Mordecai sat within the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. So the matter became known to Mordecai, who told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name. And when an inquiry was made into the matter, it was confirmed, and both were hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.”
Esther's providential placement as King Ahasuerus' queen allowed her Uncle Mordecai to pass along important information about an attempt to assassinate the king. This heroic action would come to light later, saving his own life from Haman who plotted to kill him.
Luke 4:29 NLT
“Jumping up, they mobbed [Jesus] and forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff...”
John 8:59 NLT
“At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.”
John 10:39 NKJV
“Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.”
Multiple attempts on Jesus’ life are recorded in the gospels before His "death" on the cross, but he avoided each one because His appointed hour had not yet come.
Acts 9:23-25 NKJV
“Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill [Saul, before God called him Paul]. But their plot became known to [him]. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.”
Acts 23:12 NKJV
“And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.” (More in verses 13-22.)
Jews plot multiple times to kill Paul, as well, because of his conversion and preaching that Jesus was the awaited Messiah. Yet again, divine intervention protects his life and he is transferred to Caesarea for protection.
SUCCESSFUL ASSASSINATIONS OF KINGS AND LEADERS
Judges 3:15-23 NKJV
“But when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. By him the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Ehud made himself a dagger (it was double-edged and a cubit in length) and fastened it under his clothes on his right thigh. So he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.) And when he had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who had carried the tribute. But he himself turned back from the stone images that were at Gilgal, and said, 'I have a secret message for you, O king.' He said, 'Keep silence!' And all who attended him went out from him. So Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said, 'I have a message from God for you.' So he arose from his seat. Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. Even the hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out. Then Ehud went out through the porch and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.”
The left-handed judge Ehud secretly stabs Eglon, King of Moab, in the belly, killing him and liberating Israel from Moabite oppression.
I am reminded of the saying, "Don't let your right hand know what the left hand is doing." A Scripture similar to this is found in Matthew 6:3, but it is referring to secrecy in charitable giving.
II Samuel 13:28-29 NKJV
“Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, 'Watch now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, "Strike Amnon!" then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.' So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each one got on his mule and fled.”
Absalom commands his servants to strike down his brother Amnon during a feast, executing him for raping Absalom’s sister Tamar.
I say, bring back Absalomism as punishment for the current "rape gangs" across the globe.
What, too bloodthirsty?
II Samuel 3:27 NKJV
“Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.”
II Samuel 20:9-10 NKJV
“Then Joab said to Amasa, 'Are you in health, my brother?' And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab’s hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.”
Joab seems to be a one-man killing machine. He assassinates Abner to avenge his brother Asahel, and then Amasa in a military coup to secure command.
II Kings 12:20 NKJV
“And his servants arose and formed a conspiracy, and killed Joash in the house of the Millo, which goes down to Silla.”
The servants of King Joash (8th King of Judah) conspire against him and assassinate him in his bed at Beth Millo.
There are a few other assassinations found in I and II Kings. While it may seem a lawless time, there is the occasional ethical stance against assassinations:
David’s Refusal to Kill Saul in 1 Samuel 24:6 and 1 Samuel 26:9, for instance. David condemns attempts to assassinate King Saul, calling him "the Lord’s anointed". He further condemns those who kill the blameless.
Of course, later on King David essentially kills the blameless Uriah the Hittite by putting him in the front lines of the fiercest current battle. And all because of a woman — Uriah's wife, Bathsheba — whom David coveted and took as his own wife .
Thankfully, the prophet Nathan calls King David to account for his egregious, sinful actions.
FYI: The Holy Spirit is our modern-day Nathan, pricking our conscience when we sin against the Lord.
Mush
REASONABLE DOUBT
Day 19
As you've gotten older, what has changed the most about you? Of course, we change physically, but we also learn more, our faith grows, and we might gain different perspectives. It's normal for people to change over time, but it can be challenging to figure out how God is present in these times of growth.
To understand how we can grow in our faith, let's wonder about the ways God shows up in our lives. Positive moments could change our faith and leave a lasting impact. It could also be the difficult moments that shape who we are and our faith even in unexpected moments. When we reflect on these moments, we see how God worked through the lives of other people to help us grow. Today's verses come from the words of Paul, one of the first leaders of the church. Paul went through many of these difficult moments, and he learned to see God moving in them. He had the awareness to know that these moments weren't meaningless or random but discovered just how intentional God is.
Whether you are loving life or going through a tough time, try to notice the ways God might be asking you to grow.
ASSIGNED SCRIPTURE READING:
Philippians 1:12-14 NKJV
“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”
PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Let us learn from Your Word how to fight for Your Truth without violence, unless absolutely necessary and led by Your Spirit. Truth in love, first and foremost, so that we may show the world how much You love them. Help us also to avoid the pitfalls of false doctrine and the courage to call it out. In Jesus' name, Amen.