Category: theology

By Elizabeth Prata

The latest in a series of year-long and increasingly bizarre threats from health officials in the city of Los Angeles to Grace Community Church (GCC) where John MacArthur preaches, was brought to light this week. The church shut down temporarily when the flu-like disease named COVID-19 emerged in March 2020. GCC re-opened a few weeks later, to the chastisement of health officials, who have never stopped hounding the church, in MacArthur’s words. The church is fined weekly, visited often by officials, and taken to court. (The case is making its way through the courts now).

The officials are also making all kinds of other threats, which MacArthur outlines in this short clip below. He was guest preaching at an unnamed church, noting that he has preached steadily and continuously at GCC for a year, but that this was the first time he’d left GCC in all that time.

He said that the city of LA had threatened to gather homeless people from everywhere and make a homeless encampment in their parking lot. The City of Los Angeles has been notoriously opposed to Grace Community Church’s decision to re-gather amid the so-called pandemic.

John MacArthur replied to the City’s threat to flood their parking lot with homeless people in an encampment, “Perfect! We will send our seminary students to evangelize them all day long.” MacArthur said he did not hear from them after that.

The idea that the City OFFICIALS would use helpless humanity as pawns in their evil game is grotesque. Rounding up homeless people for the purpose of closing a church helps no one and is certainly not ethical. It was not stated that this proposed ’round up’ was part of a larger plan of the City to help homeless people. It’s clear that the official(s) who cooked up this craven scheme not only don’t care for the Lord Jesus, but care not even a bit for their fellow man.

As we go further and further into apostasy and increasing hatred of Christians, statements like this will become ever more frequent. Christ-haters will ever more outlandishly cook up plots to try and thwart Christians. (Matthew 22:15). Ladies, the world hates us believers. Prepare yourself by staying in the Word, help your husband if you’re married, and nurture your children in the admonition of the Lord. Strength in HIM is our only defense.

Isaiah 26:4– Trust in the Lord forever, For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock

By Elizabeth Prata

The other day I wrote an essay about the naming process in the Bible. I find it interesting that God re-named Abram into Abraham, and Simon into Peter. Nebuchadnezzar re-named Daniel and his three friends to retrain their personal identity into being Babylonian and away from being Hebrew. And we all receive from Jesus a new name written on a white stone at the end of the age.

That essay is here.

I think it’s intuitively understood that the one who names another is the one who has authority over the other. I said as much in the previous essay. This explanation from the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary says more:

“The biblical concept of naming was rooted in the ancient world’s understanding that a name expressed essence. To know the name of a person was to know that person’s total character and nature. Revealing character and destiny, personal names might express hopes for the child’s future. Changing of name could occur at divine or human initiative, revealing a transformation in character or destiny (Genesis 17:5, 15; 32:28; Matthew 16:17–18).” Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (pp. 1173–1174).

“The act of naming implied the power of the namer over the named, evidenced in the naming of the animals in Genesis 2:19–20 or Pharaoh’s renaming Joseph (Genesis 41:45; cp. Daniel. 1:6–7; 2 Kings 24:17).” End Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (pp. 1173–1174).

Now, there is another naming convention I’d like to look at.

Continue reading “The Man is the Head of the Home: Adam Named Eve” →

By Elizabeth Prata

Our pastor preached the section in Acts recently about the Ethiopian Eunuch. I love that scene with Philip. Philip is mentioned a few times in the Bible but we lose track of him soon after this section in Acts. We don’t really know for sure whatever happened to the man. Tradition says he became a bishop of a church in Tralles, and died there, but we are not sure.

The Eunuch is also interesting. He was from Ethiopia, the scriptures are careful to mention. (And won’t it be glorious when we get ‘there’ and learn his actual name!)

So he got ready and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, (Acts 8:27).

Ethiopia covered a larger territory than the nation of Ethiopia we know now. In any case, it was a long way for a man to come. The Eunuch was reading the scriptures in his chariot when Philip approached him at the direction of the Spirit. It was a long way to come, especially since the man knew the scriptures and presumably knew he would not be allowed into the temple. Eunuchs were banned from the assembly.

No one who is emasculated or has his male organ cut off may enter the assembly of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 23:1)

The distance was roughly 2000 miles from the ancient land of Ethiopia to where we find the Eunuch south of Jerusalem. He was not allowed in the temple but he had been in God’s city anyway, to worship, the verse says. (Acts 8:27-28).

When the Eunuch heard the Good News of Jesus that Philip delivered to him and was then baptized, the Eunuch went on his way rejoicing. Would you travel that far? In an open jalopy? Taking weeks to arrive? Banned from entering your ultimate objective? And then leave rejoicing?

Then we have the Magi. They were from “the East”.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, (Matthew 2:1)

These Wise Men were likely from Persia, from the court there in Susa. It’s about 800 miles from the court to the temple, as the crow flies. The road meanders so it’s likely the distance would have been closer to 900 or 1000 miles. If the caravan traveled 20 miles a day, the usual achievable distance in daylight, it would have taken them 50 or so days to reach the Christ child. It was a long, hot, and dangerous journey. They were not even sure where He was, they had to ask Herod. When they found Him they fell down and worshiped. Would you travel that far, not sure where He even was, and then when you find Him, to fall down and worship a child?

Then we have the Queen of Sheba. It’s thought that her country was Saba, modern day Yemen. Her journey was the longest of all. She traveled over 3000 miles, because she had heard of the wisdom of Solomon and the name of Yahweh.

Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. (1 Kings 10:1).

The Queen tested Solomon with many questions and riddles, and verified that his wisdom was indeed prodigious. She showered Solomon with many gifts, impressed with this Yahweh who gave such wisdom to men. The scriptures say she was actually breathless, and she blessed the Lord. (1 Kings 10:9).

The Eunuch was concerned with knowing the scriptures of the LORD, the Magi were concerned with worshiping the Christ, and the Queen of Sheba was concerned with the name of the LORD. They traveled many thousands of miles to inquire into these things, all the more impressive because they were not believers. (Though the Eunuch was likely a proselyte).

How far would you go to receive the word of God, to be in a solid assembly, to learn more about this Christ and His resurrection? We have air conditioned vehicles, airplanes, comfort stations, fast food…how far would you go to make sure you were in a good church? (How far would I go?).