Posted in a city upon a hill, china, end of days. prophecy, end time

America’s light on the hill is going out- part 1

Posted on by elizabethprata

In Matthew 5:14, Jesus tells his listeners, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” In John Winthrop’s 1630 sermon “A Model of Christian Charity”, Winthrop told the future Massachusetts Bay colonists (Puritans) that their new community would be a “city upon a hill”, watched by the world. Winthrop’s sermon and subsequent likening of America to that city upon a hill, gave rise to the firm and generational belief in Americans that the USA is God’s country because metaphorically it is a Shining City upon a Hill, an early example of American exceptionalism. Or rather, it was.

In last Saturday’s Prophecy Newsletter (email me to sign up) I spent a good deal of time in the opening segment setting a context for the decline of America’s hegemony (influence). I defined hegemony, and I spent noted the fact of it happening and the possible outcomes of such a decline. It was a prescient piece. Today in the Financial Times of London, a similar article appeared. Here is part of what I wrote in the Newsletter about hegemony, and in the next part of the blog entry (Part 2) I’ll offer excerpts of the Financial Times’ analysis of the global economy on a precipice with America’s decline, the Orient in prophecy, and I’ll also share some astounding news about the rise of China, in America.

————-America’s Hegemony and Decline————

Hedge-EM-onee

Wikipedia does a decent job of defining hegemony. “Hegemony is the political, economic, ideological or cultural power exerted by a dominant group over other groups. It requires the consent of the majority to keep the dominant group’s leader in power. The term is often mistakenly used to suggest brute power or dominance, when it is better defined as emphasizing how control is achieved through consensus, not force. … hegemony describes one state’s predominance over other states.”

It can be said that America has wielded —

–political hegemony, diplomatic influence to determine a course of action. America has been the singular hegemonic influence of the Middle East peace process since 1948 but that hegemony is almost gone now. The US wields almost no influence in diplomatic arenas any more.

–cultural hegemony, “the imposition of its way of life, i.e. its language and bureaucracies (social, economic, educational, governing). When the Coke logo shows up on pygmy men’s tee shirts in interior Papua New Guinea jungle, you know the hegemonic influence is complete.

–sociological hegemony: The US’s version of English is known and used worldwide, in many cases as a default language. An example would be aviation, in which the default language worldwide is English. All air traffic controllers speak English on the job. In English is the lingua franca in Europe’s business landscape, firmly entrenched nearly everywhere as the international language of business, finance, and technology.

For decades, for all of my generation and perhaps the one before, the world bowed to the American brand. America’s hegemony was understood to be the default condition in all spheres of life, including cultural, geographic, sociological, diplomatic, technological, economic and financial. America was it! Capitalism and liberal democracy swept the world, if not in fact at least in ideals. However, since the economic crash of 2008, we begin to see a post-American world in which the US is no longer the world’s only superpower. In this 2008 article asking the question of whether America’s hegemony in economics and finance will be crushed by the 2008 crash, “The critical point here, and the one which could bear significant consequences, is the existence, within the US economy, of structural weaknesses that enhance the current distress and limit the scope for future policy action.”

Yes, policy action over the last three years has been stymied by our decline in influence. So the answer to that question from 2008, is yes.

In this article from Global Geographic Times, 2009, by Zhang Wei, the statement is made in the headline: “For Humanity’s Sake, Put an End to Western Hegemony“. “Some Westerners believe that human history will eventually fall completely into a Western pattern and that in the future, the West will unquestionably lead the world. The truth is that any religion, theory, or ideology – including democracy and market capitalism – once it’s pushed to the extreme and regarded as fundamental to all else, triggers an irrational response by its followers. The outcome of this is never good, and is often crushing defeat. That is the position the West confronts today, with the plight of the Iraq War, the failure of the “color revolutions” and the financial tsunami. How can world history possibly end up following the Western model? Developing countries that choose to imitate the West have seen almost all their attempts fail. The world’s peoples continue to explore and test alternatives to development, and humanity’s exploration of the political future is far from exhausted.  “Western civilization has arrived at a crossroads. One road leads to a resentment of the world, aggression, indifference, neo-conservatism and violent liberalism. And the other road … to the building up of oneself through diligent striving, optimism, rationality, sympathy, equality, and a coherent, mutually-affirming society.” It so happens that this other road coincides with the idea of the “harmonious middle way” advocated by the Chinese.”

We ARE at a crossroads. It so happens that this crossroad is coming into view at the end of the Church Age, but it is still a crossroad nonetheless. America’s hegemony in all the arenas mentioned above is declining, as the Chinese model rises. As the world realizes that the Western model is failing, they will explore others that suit, including not only the Chinese ‘harmonious middle way’ but the Muslim jihadi way, and perhaps once again flirt with the Iron Curtain Communistic/Marxist way. As vultures and jackals circle a wounded tiger, so the nations who have either enjoyed America’s hegemony or have hated it, are now ready to pounce, stripping influence from our spheres and ripping it to pieces until only white bones are left, the meat picked clean. America is wounded, and it is my opinion that this trajectory will result in a bleached, bony carcass in the Tribulation. The results of our decline in influence will have devastating effects on the world.

The most obvious effect of our loss of influence is in the diplomatic arena and also perhaps by association, military, is that we can no longer protect Israel to the extent that we once did, even if our current occupant of the Oval Office would want to. (And it seems he does not want to, in my opinion). It is no sure thing that America’s influence of other UN Security Council permanent members against a Palestinian State, coming up in the  July-Aug time-frame, will yield any “NO” votes at all. It is obvious that our influence as a Quartet member in direct peace talks has vaporized, along with respected George Mitchell, who resigned.  Once the loss of strength is deemed to exist in the American will and execution of military force to protect our Israeli ally, then the jackals will pounce. They are circling already.

In February of this year, the voice of the Muslim Brotherhood Youssef al-Qaradawi, the Muslim televangelist whose program Sharia and Life has been the no.1 hit on Al Jazeera for the past fifteen years “Calls for Establishing a United Muslim Nations“. Qaradawi said “establishing a United Muslim Nations is the only alternative to the hegemony of the West.”

Solomon was the richest king, wisest priest, and much loved by God. His kingdom was influential and the envy of all around. It lasted 40 years, falling from its seeming permanent pinnacle to a divided land under his son. At the end of his life, Solomon wrote about the folly of earthly grasping, and wise once again but only because of the pain of wrong choices and advanced years of bitter experience, noted that-
“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

America is wonderful and I love it. But America is not my church- I do not worship it. My residence is not this country. It is in New Jerusalem, where He has been preparing a place for me. It is time for us to get used to the sad fact that America’s season, long and glorious though it was, has fulfilled and is finally ending its purpose under heaven. It is time for others to rise now, to be used in all His purposes for bringing about the end of days. The Kings of the East are restless…He is raising them up even as America sinks. Rather than bemoan the fact that America’s hegemony is in severe decline, I praise Him that we were used at all for a Godly purpose, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.’ (Ecc 3:11). Friends, glory in His work, do not grasp for a temporary nation under God on a dying earth. “Better a handful with quietness Than both hands full, together
with toil and grasping for the wind.” Ecc 4:6
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Posted in bible, messiah, prophecy

Pray boldly, in confidence and thankfulness

Posted on by elizabethprata

We are humble before the Lord, but we should also look to the examples of our fathers and mothers in the bible to remember how strongly and boldly they prayed. In 1 Samuel 2, Hannah is praying in thanks to the LORD for the gift of her son, but the song is so much more than that. Did you know that this prophetic prayer is the first time we read of a someone uttering the “MESSIAH’ or the “Anointed” in the bible? Here is the song, 1 Samuel 2:1-10, then some commentary about it, to encourage you

Then Hannah prayed and said:
“My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.
“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
“Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed. “The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.
“The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; upon them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness. “It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the Lord will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the Lord will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

Beautiful! In the bible, ‘horn’ is the symbol of strength. Hannah is not magnifying herself when she says that her horn is lifted high. She is saying that in Him, she is strong.

Clarke says, “she describes the promised Savior of the world as a King, before there was any king in Israel; and she first applied to him the remarkable epithet Messiah in Hebrew, Christ in Greek, and Anointed in English, which was adopted by David, Nathan, Ethan, Isaiah, Daniel, and the succeeding prophets of the Old Testament; and by the apostles and inspired writers of the New.”

As Barnes Notes describes, “The song of Hannah is a prophetic Psalm. It is poetry. And it is prophecy. It takes its place by the side of the songs of Miriam, Deborah, and the Virgin Mary, as well as those of Moses, David, Hezekiah, and other Psalmists and prophets whose inspired odes have been preserved in the Bible. The special feature which these songs have in common is, that springing from, and in their first conception relating to, incidents in the lives of the individuals who composed them, they branch out into magnificent descriptions of the Kingdom and glory of Christ, and the triumphs of the Church,”

Matthew Henry says, “Hannah’s heart rejoiced, not in Samuel, but in the Lord. She looks beyond the gift, and praises the Giver. She rejoiced in the salvation of the Lord, and in expectation of His coming, who is the whole salvation of his people….And here is the first time that we meet with the name MESSIAH, or his Anointed.”

Pray boldly, pray confidently. Know that your Savior, long prophesied from the time of Hannah, has come. The Kingdom she has alluded to, is soon to come. Picture the words from her mouth as musical notes wafting through time, woven throughout the pages of the epochs of the bible, to land in your heart, today. Love the Lord in all praise and confidence.

A biblical study on Hannah, here.

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Posted in end of days, end of days. prophecy

NASA makes unexpected finding: this sunspot cycle may be the last one

Posted on by elizabethprata

“If we are right, this could be the last solar maximum we’ll see for a few decades,” Hill said. “That would affect everything from space exploration to Earth’s climate.”

NASA scientists made an announcement today at 1:00 regarding the fact that “Astronomers would unveil a “major result” regarding the sun’s 11-year sunspot cycle. The announcement will be made at a solar physics conference in New Mexico, according to an alert released today (June 10) by the American Astronomical Society. The discussion will begin at 1 p.m. EDT.”

That press conference occurred and Yahoo science.com and Space.com report the results this way.

“The American Astronomical Society meeting in Austin has just made a major announcement on the state of the sun. Sunspots may be on the way out and an extended solar minimum may be on the horizon. Some unusual solar readings, including fading sunspots and weakening magnetic activity near the poles, could be indications that our sun is preparing to be less active in the coming years. The results of three separate studies seem to show that even as the current sunspot cycle swells toward the solar maximum, the sun could be heading into a more-dormant period, with activity during the next 11-year sunspot cycle greatly reduced or even eliminated. The results of the new studies were announced today (June 14) at the annual meeting of the solar physics division of the American Astronomical Society, which is being held this week at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.”

“Currently, the sun is in the midst of the period designated as Cycle 24 and is ramping up toward the cycle’s period of maximum activity. However, the recent findings indicate that the activity in the next 11-year solar cycle, Cycle 25, could be greatly reduced. Cycle 25 may not happen at all. In fact, some scientists are questioning whether this drop in activity could lead to a second Maunder Minimum, which was a 70-year period from 1645 to 1715 when the sun showed virtually no sunspots. “We expected to see the start of the zonal flow for Cycle 25 by now, but we see no sign of it,” Hill said. “This cycle, number 24, may be the last for some time, he says. If the models prove accurate and the trends continue, the implications could be far-reaching.”

“Scientists know of at least three periods with little or no sunspot activity. All three appear to have been associated with cooling on Earth. However, the details remain unclear.” “If we are right, this could be the last solar maximum we’ll see for a few decades,” Hill said. “That would affect everything from space exploration to Earth’s climate.”

Personally, I am always tickled when scientists think they know how the universe works and then are shown up to have in fact known nothing close to what they think they do. I think quantum physicists are more honest about their understanding of the world than astronomers and astro-physicists. Quantum physicists at least say they don’t know. Sadly though, neither group usually acknowledge God at the root of their particular discipline of science.

In today’s case, scientists found unexpectedly that this solar sunspot cycle may be the last. The Tribulation period will show men, all men-including scientists- just who is at the root of all physical laws. Nature will not act the way it has been. There will be no wind. No wind means no sailing, no precipitation cycle, and drought. The sun, moon, and stars will be struck. (Rev 8:12). The sun will heat up and scorch men. (Rev. 16:8-10). Eventually the sun will go dark completely. (Joel 2:31). In other words, the anomalies, or the “unexpected result” in the scientists’ parlance, we are seeing now at the close of the Church Age are indicators of more anomalies to come. And come. And come. Until nothing makes sense any more.

Here is a photo to remind us all of just how powerful and awesome God is, and how puny we are. And despite this puniness, He holds us in the palm of His hand, a cherished child.

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Posted in creation, eternity, starry night, van gogh

A starry night breaks into eternal day

Posted on by elizabethprata

I run this blog at direction of the Holy Spirit. It is aimed at lukewarm Christians to examine themselves in the context of the times, and repent so they will not be left behind. It also examines the signs so that a non-believer wandering by might be moved by the many proofs that God is active in the world and is winding down the clock. Sometimes the emotions evoked by the times, the signs, and the reality of judgment is pretty brutal. But brutality and reality is not the only thing the Lord shows me.

Do you have an idea of how fiercely I love Him? Of glorying in the opportunity to plumb His umplumbable depths? Of the mystery and majesty of the relationship of man to Savior through His blood? Of how I am in eternal gratitude to the work and grace of the Holy Spirit?

I’ve been on a run lately. I have been listening to John MacArthur’s series on Creation, as well as reading some books on it, discussing it with friends, and defending it in public. The Spirit also gives me a lot of science interests to study up on. Given the way I came to the Lord, through rationality and science, I see God in science more often than not. I got interested in quantum physics a few weeks ago. Also nanotechnology. I wrote about a quantum leap and its relation to the Rapture an also the dissolution of the universe as prophesied in 2 Peter 3, just a few weeks ago, here. Lately I’ve been studying about Richard P. Feynman, the Nobel winner for quantum electrodynamics, and also the father of nanotechnology.

In the Genesis sermons, we were up to Creation Day 6. The testimony of God in the book of Genesis 1 is incredible and humbling, and…words fail me in thinking about the creation. But the more I study it, the more it makes my heart beat in love for our Creator. The sermons for Day 6 were split into part one and part two, because the text is so rich. MacArthur was preaching on the trinity, the “Executive Divine Council” as he calls it, and the reasons for the creation of the earth and humankind in the first place. We learned about the Personhood of the LORD, and about His relational capacities, and man’s place within them. The creation series of sermons build, and build and build toward this one singular moment where God personally made man. God did not say in the passive tense “Let there be”, as He had in the previous Days, He said “Let Us make…”. MacArthur used a LOT of science in his lessons, which is one reason why I like Him. The crescendo of the weeks of listening and study were bearing down on this moment.

You know how you feel when you are inside a crescendo…a symphony or a lecture or a book or a cooking lesson…something you are doing that is reaching its denouement. As I was listening and pondering, a sudden flash of insight came around the corner of my brain. Like a comet streaking into view, I call these flashes “incoming!” and revel in what they have to reveal.

As I was immersed in science and theology, listening to the words tumble out of the laptop speakers art came to mind, clearly and with force. Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” came to my eyes. It is a piece of Post-Impressionism I had never gravitated to nor examined very much. The very painting has itself seemed to achieve a cliche and in so achieving, is more easily dismissed. Which I had done.

I am not a huge fan of the Impressionists nor the Post-Impressionists, preferring the structured scientific styles of the early Renaissance painters and sculptors. But all of a sudden as I was listening to the purpose of the creation the answer came to me in Starry Night. It is a picture of eternity, of the relational communications between and among the Holy Spirit, Jesus and God. It is a picture of active and moving atoms in the unrolling of creation and man’s place within it. I can’t bring you into the thought any further because it was more of an insight in the comet’s vaporous tail than solidly examinable as the ball of ice that is its head. It just seemed suddenly to me that the painting was a study in matter, and molecules, and eternity, and creation, and relationship of the Divine and man’s smallness in all that context, but of his uniqueness, too.

Of course, I was intrigued and studied the painting and its origins further. I found Professor Albert Boime of UCLA, lecturing in the Social History of Modern Art. In his paper, “A History of Matter and a Matter of History” (can be read in .pdf, here) the following phrases in his famous paper discussing “Starry Night” seemed to me to capture the essence of what Van Gogh was showing us and was consistent with the insight given to me in the flash:

“apocalyptic exaltation”
“the celestial pageant as a source of moral energy”
“astronomical metaphors for religious experiences”
“work under the great starlit vault of heaven a something -which after all one can only call God and eternity- and its place above the world”
As Van Gogh said, “I was thinking of eternity the other night…”
“threshold of eternity”

The son of a pastor and deeply religious but as we know, troubled, Vincent Van Gogh showed us a glimpse of eternity in that painting, an insight into the mind of God. I wonder what it was like for the thinking population at that time. Evolutionary theory with all its pointlessness and Godlessness was beginning to permeate society. Evolution versus new advances in astronomy that showed the parade of celestial bodies in their courses. At the same time scientific advances with the telescope and photography of the heavens was making astronomy more interesting than ever. Jules Verne was writing books about trips to the moon and spiritism was coming into play to fill the religious vacuum caused by evolution. At the time when scientists were looking within and looking up, there was a disconnect with what evolution was telling them and what the heavens were telling them (Romans 1:18-22).

The truth of Romans 1:18-20 must have created a cognitive dissonance unlike at any other time in history.

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

In the painter’s own words, he said of Starry Night, “…A kind of painting giving greater consolation.” It does give greater consolation. It does. Van Gogh was seeking a “divinity manifested in everyday life” we are told, and in Starry Night, I believe he found it.
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Posted in bible jesus, children, end of days. prophecy, end time, pole dancing

UK: three-year-olds being taught to pole dance

Posted on by elizabethprata

A year ago, I wrote “Sexualizing the young: the ‘Single Ladies’ little girls dancing controversy“. In that blog entry I’d shown that a certain dance number held in Los Angeles for little tots at a competition had sparked a controversy. The tots wore sexy lingerie and were dancing in choreographed moves that were sexual in nature. At that time I’d said, “He discusses the importance of marriage and having godly offspring in Malachi 2:13-14. To desecrate a little one by perverting them through sex for a dancing award is definitely not Godly. The main issue is the morality slide. Every time a benchmark line is crossed, non-believers say that there can be no absolute morality, but that the downward slide will certainly stop before it gets too bad. Right? Wrong. Man’s craven and fallen state means that he is led by satan and satan lives to destroy. His perverted depth knows no bottom. We will slide further and further down until…”

And now we have another example of how this fallen culture sexualizes their children. This time the offending region is in the United Kingdom, and it is about a pole dancing school for young girls, some as young as three years old. The UK Daily Mail reports:

“To the tiny students at this dance studio, the moves are totally innocent. In fact, they are being instructed in the sleazy art of pole dancing. And their age? As young as three. Child protection groups yesterday labelled these images from the classes ‘deeply disturbing’. Parents pay £5 an hour for their daughters to learn pole dancing at the Little Spinners classes. Instructor Carly Wilford insists it helps youngsters keep fit and boosts their self-esteem. But charity Kidscape warned it was another indication of the growing sexualisation of children, which has prompted Government-backed proposals to protect their innocence. Up to eight girls attend the weekly classes at the Make Me Fabulous dance studio in Northampton. The revelation comes a week after it emerged that a beauty parlour is offering make-overs and facials for children as young as one.”

“Trendy Monkeys in Brentwood, Essex, caters only for the under-13s. It offers to transform children with face masks, new hairstyles and lipgloss. The pole dancing lessons take place in a room decorated with pink feather boas and sparkling mirrors. They are advertised on a website which also promotes adult lessons, features pictures of lingerie-clad women and describes pole dances as ‘sexy, relaxing and invigorating’. The children, aged three to seven, learn moves including holding their legs in a V-shape while sliding down the pole.” More at link.

In this parable on prayer found in Luke 18:8, Jesus is speaking. “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. “There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ “For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

We could just the same wonder if Jesus won’t ask, ‘However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find innocence on the earth?” “‘

I DO cry out. I cry out loud and long when I see our innocents abused and neglected and forgotten and worse, sexualized to conform to a craven culture. When I read stories like this I DO lose heart. But then I take solace in His promise. “He will bring about justice for them quickly.” The parable is explained this way, “surely be true to his promises; but the danger is that his elect – his afflicted people – will be discouraged; will not persevere in prayer; will not continue to have confidence in him; and will, under heavy trials, sink into despondency. The sole meaning of this phrase, therefore, is, that “there is more danger that his people would grow weary, than that God would be found unfaithful and fail to avenge his elect.” For this cause Christ spoke the parable, and by the “design” of the parable this passage is to be interpreted.” [Barnes Notes]

Pray, ye faithful. Never cease praying. Prayer is the lifeline that keeps us from despondency. The rapture is an event that is not prophesied to have a date, if it comes the next moment God would not have set aside His true promise therefore to come. The more of us who pray the likelier it will be He will arrive ‘quickly’.

I despair for our little ones, but then I re-draw myself into a soldier posture and I pray to Him whose promises are true. I trust His justice and I trust His soon coming. It is nearly unbearable now, Lord, but your timing is perfect. I know you will take your children, the adults you know are your children and the little ones who are the children of children, and you will sweep us up into your eternal arms where love and peace reigns forever. Not one more child will be abused. Not one more child will be unloved. Not one more child will be traded for sex. I am looking forward to that day, O Lord, and I cry out to you in faith, SOON COME!”

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Posted in dubbi, end of days, eritrea, eruption, nabro, prophecy

Spectacular volcanic eruption at Eritrea: last eruption was 1861

Posted on by elizabethprata

Last night’s quake swarm evidently did trigger or was a precursor to a volcanic eruption at Eritrea. There are several volcanoes in that region, though Nabro is said to have never erupted and Dubbi last erupted in 1861. The volcanoes in that area have been quiet ever since. Until last night. Here is the progression of the news:

Eritrea quakes
“A series of moderate earthquakes struck the Eritrea – Ethiopia border region on Sunday evening, seismologists said, but it was not immediately known if there was damage or if there were casualties. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a total of 14 light to moderate earthquakes in the border area on Sunday evening, with the strongest being two 5.7-magnitude earthquakes which were both centered in Eritrea.”

Seismologists, volcanologists, and knowledgeable laymen immediately noticed the unusual nature of these quakes. They were strong, and they were occurring in a pattern that suggested a circle around a known volcanic region.

Then people noticed what looked to be an ash plume forming, seen in successive satellite photos. The cloud seemed to be stationed over one area, but grow over time, lengthening in the all-too-familiar plume formation. It looked for all the world like an ash plume, not a thunderstorm. But how can this be? The area was thought to be fairly dormant for volcanoes?

Getting news from the area was difficult because of the nature of the remoteness and lack of infrastructure to disperse news quickly. The quakes were a fact, confirmed on USGS and EMSC. Whether these quakes were related to the Nabro or Dubbi volcanoes, I was not sure. I went to bed.

This morning, the net was alive with stories swirling about this unusual event. It WAS a volcanic eruption!! Irish Weather Online explains:

Major Eruption Of Nabro Volcano In Eritrea
“The Anabro (Nabro) volcano in the Northern Red Sea Region of Eritrea in Africa has erupted sending an ash plume more than 15 kilometres into the sky. Part of the Afar Triangle, the stratovolcano is one of many volcanic caldera complexes in the north easternmost part of the East African Rift valley region. It is located in the Danakil Depression, close to Eritrea’s border with Ethiopia and north of Djibouti, and has not erupted in at least 150 years.”

“The volcano erupted at 2103 GMT Sunday evening. The Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) said Monday that the 5,331 ft volcano has resulted in a large ash plume of up to 8 miles high. The eruption was preceded by seven moderate earthquakes yesterday afternoon. A 5.6 magnitude quake at 9.03 signalled the start of the eruption. The quake was centred 48 km south of the town of Edd (pop 11,259) and 199 km southwest of the city of Al-h’udaydah (pop 617,871). A 4.6 magnitude quake followed less than 35 minutes later.”

“The ash cloud from the volcano could potentially cause some disruption to air traffic in the region. According to Irish Weather Online senior forecaster Peter O’Donnell, the ash cloud is heading west towards Sudan. “The eruption happened in Nabro, a stratovolcano that has not erupted in historic times. (some early reports mention Dubbi or Dubbo to the north but satellite imagery confirms the source as Nabro). Potentially, there could be impacts on visibility and optics over at least parts of southern Europe and west Africa, the Middle East … but there would be no direct impacts on Ireland from present information.” The largest known historical eruption in Africa occurred on May 1861 when the Dubbi volcano, also located in Eritrea, showered maritime traffic in the Red Sea with pumice and plunged coastal settlements into darkness.”

The volcanism blog has the more scientific facts–

Ash cloud from Eritrean volcano Dubbi, erupted June 12

Volcanism blog: plume picture
A significant eruption is evidently under way at Dubbi volcano (although there is still some doubt about the precise identity of the volcano involved) in Eritrea, north-east Africa. An earthquake swarm occurred during during the evening of 12 June, with moderate quakes followed by two strong quakes of magnitude 5.7, all around 10 km depth:
12 June 2011 15:37UTC: mag 5.1 Eritrea-Ethiopia region (USGS info)
12 June 2011 19:21UTC: mag 5.0 Ethiopia (USGS info)
12 June 2011 20:32UTC: mag 5.7 Eritrea-Ethiopia region (USGS info)
12 June 2011 21:03UTC: mag 5.7 Eritrea-Ethiopia region (USGS info)

“A volcanic eruption appears to have begun around the time of the last 5.7M earthquake, at about 21:00 UTC. Toulouse VAAC identified the volcano as Dubbi and issued two Volcanic Ash Advisories so far for this eruption today: at 04:00 UTC the eruption was reported to have started at 23:00 UTC on 12 June 2011, and to have produced a plume between FL150/300 (15,000-30,000 feet/4,500-9,000 metres altitude), while at 06:00 UTC the volcano was described as being in ‘continuous emission’ with ash at FL300 (30,000 feet/9,000 metres altitude) and trending W/WNW.”

“Dubbi was responsible for the largest known volcanic eruption in Africa in historical time, in 1861: more than 100 people were killed, ash fell more than 300 km from the volcano and the lava flows travelled 22 km and reached the Red Sea. Other possible candidates for the current eruption include Nabro and Mallahle.  UPDATE. Thanks to Clive Oppenheimer of Cambridge University (via Earthquake-Reports) we have a useful news report from the Cambridge Geography Department site related to Clive’s Eruptions that Shook the World book: Eruption in Eritrea, 12 June 2011. ‘Loud explosions were heard in Afdera, across the border in Ethiopia, and ashfall is reported as far as Mekele in Tigray province’ … the identity of the volcano is still to be confirmed – Nabro or Dubbi?”

That is the news, and those are the scientific facts. Here is the biblical fact: Jesus said that the time between His ascension and the time He came back would be like birth pangs. We know that birth pains grow from almost unnoticed, to very frequent and painful. Then the rapture would happen and the Tribulation would begin. Jesus still has 7 years in the Decree stated in Daniel to work with His people the Jews. In that 7 year period he would punish them for their transgressions, and do 5 other things. Here is the link to the passage in Daniel 9:20-27 which explains the Lord’s purpose for the Tribulation.

We, the Church, have had our sins wiped away, they are remembered no more (Colossians 1:22; Colossians 2:14). Therefore we are not to be punished (Acts 3:19), nor are we appointed to wrath. The Tribulation’s wrath is stated to begin in Revelation 6 with the opening of the seals.

In explaining all this, Jesus sat down with His disciples at the Mount of Olives and answered their questions about the signs of the end of the age. Jesus said that one of those signs would be earthquakes in diverse places. I think a sudden and powerful volcanic eruption coming out of nowhere and the first in recent history qualifies as diverse.

Even more prophetically, the nations in that area are part of coming events. In Ezekiel 38-39 it is explained that an alliance of nations attack Israel- and almost win. This alliance includes Iran, Russia, Turkey, Armenia, and the northern tier of Africa, where these quakes were and eruption was. Ethiopia, Libya, Sudan, are all mentioned. The larger context is that Cush and Put are the regions that will join with Iran to attack Israel, and those include larger territories than the nations’ borders of today. In effect, the northern tier of Africa decides to join with Russia and Iran and go against God’s people in an evil attempt to wipe them out and steal their riches. This is known as the Gog-Magog battle and though the timing of it is not stated n the bible from other events that occur before and after, we can put it in a general time of this battle being the gateway to the Tribulation.

While I was watching the Eritrea event occur last night, there was a powerful quake at Christchurch, New Zealand, and the Chilean volcano erupted again, sending the lower part of the world into a frenzy due to airplane flight cancellations because of ash. The birth pangs are occurring so frequently now that they overlap, and their increasing impact on the world is incredible. I feel that the time is so short that we may even hear the trumpet and the call to “Come up here!” any moment. Surely the time is near. Please repent, please seek Jesus as your savior and your Lord. Your eternal destiny depends on it.

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Posted in earthquake, eritrea, ethiopia

Eritrea/Ethiopia earthquakes: unusual swarm going on!

Posted on by elizabethprata

June 13: COMPLETE UPDATE HERE, with confirmation of volcanic eruption

 ————————————————————
Six months ago, I wrote about unusual seismic activity in Ethiopia area. There were earthquakes were there aren’t usually any, there was indications of a volcanic eruption, and the African rift was unzipping at the seams. That blog entry is here. Maps and pictures accompany that blog entry.

In part, I’d written:

Man’s understanding is in some cases wise, and in other cases miraculous, but in other cases poor and meager. The earth is not millions of years old and plates can shift apart in a matter of days, or even in a moment. How do I know this to the point of contradicting decades of general scientific understanding? Because in the Tribulation, massive geophysical changes will occur in moments, and the world will indeed split apart quickly. “The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is thoroughly shaken.” (Isaiah 24:19). “The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.” (Rev 6:19). Jesus controls all judgments and He will judge the earth, and He won’t take millions of years to do it.

At the Horn of Africa last month, an earthquake swarm at Yemen caused alarm. The swarm was situated at the opening to the Red Sea at the Gulf of Aden, and seemed to be an unusual place for seismic activity. According to the history of the area, at USGS, the Yemen-Gulf of Aden-Djibouti area IS seismic, but in a minor way. Between 1950 through yesterday this area had 56 earthquakes ranging between mag 4.0-5.9. There were no quakes greater than mag 5.9 during that date range. Now there have been 31 (as of 1:00pm), which is 2/3 as many as in the last sixty years. This is statistically significant, as well as prophetically interesting. (Mark 13:8)

And in a third piece of interesting news from that area, not only have there been unusual geophysical changes occurring in rifts suddenly opening, and unusual earthquake activity that has never been replicated historically, but today at the other end of the rift, a 5.1 mag earthquake occurred in Ethiopia.

I urge you to read the previous entry about the ongoing, different seismic activity in that area. Today, there have been a series of moderate earthquakes again in that region, the Eritrea/Ethiopia border. These quakes are near the Nabro Volcano. Nabro never has been recorded to have erupted. It is a very large volcano. This swarm is encircling the mountain and to me appears to be volcanic in nature, but I’m no seismologist! All I know is this activity is unusual.

Location of the quake swarm at Ethiopia/Eritrea. Source US Geological Survey, as of 7pm Sunday June 12.

4.5 ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION
5.7 ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION
5.7 ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION
4.8 ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION
4.7 ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION
5.0 ETHIOPIA
4.5 ETHIOPIA
4.7 ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION
4.8 ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION
4.3 ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION
4.8 ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION
4.7 ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION
4.5 ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION
5.1 ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION

BNO News reported on it just now, “…a total of 14 light to moderate earthquakes in the border area on Sunday evening, with the strongest being two 5.7-magnitude earthquakes which were both centered in Eritrea.”

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Posted in The Hermeneutics of Humility

The Hermeneutics of Humility: Part 3

Posted on by elizabethprata

The Hermeneutics of Humility part 1, here
The Hermeneutics of Humility part 2, here

I have been exploring the Hermeneutics of Humility. Hermeneutics simply means the science of bible interpretation. This false doctrine is when people say “I’m fallible, and I’ve been wrong before in my interpretations of the bible, and gee, look at how many other people are wrong in their interpretations, and I’m just too humble to say that I think I know the bible. So I won’t say I do.”

Now, there is a difference between conceit in knowledge, and humility in certitude. The Pharisees were conceited. Romans 12:16b tells us “be not wise in your own conceits”. This means do not be puffed up with an opinion of your own wisdom. If you have gained wisdom from the Spirit then say it is from the Spirit. Do not be conceited, thinking it is your own special braininess that gained you a deeper understanding. 2 Corinthians 12 and Galatians 5 are examples of what happens when people become conceited outside of the Spirit. Paul is the example of confidence in the certainty of doctrinal Gospel. Stephen, too. We will not be arrogant in our deeper understandings if we remember Peter’s wise words: “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,” (2 Peter 1:20). The definition of prophecy in how Peter used it is “prophesying; the gift of communicating and enforcing revealed truth.” We MUST communicate revealed truth, we also MUST refer to the Spirit in His work as the One who revealed it.

There are lots of people running around who say that they have gained a special insight from the Spirit but it is frankly a wacky interpretation. If you are in the Spirit, He will give you discernment when people say these things. Have full confidence in Him!

Let’s look at James again.

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:2-8)

I am going to use the metaphor of the sea and on that sea, boats. James said that the double minded who ask for wisdom not in faith, are like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. Any old schmo can get on a boat and get on the water. Some are in dinghies, some are in sailboats, some are in motor boats, some are in canoes, some are in bass boats. But any person can get on a craft and go out onto the water. But when the when the wind comes up and a storm starts, the doubters are driven here and there. They can see the lighthouse, and safety, but they are being driven in a direction they do not want to go.

There is one craft that is on the sea, aiming for the lighthouse and the safety of the home berth, but they have an advantage. They are on a submarine, and they can sink below the tossed waters of the storm and they can chug along in placidity. The tossing of those above do not affect the submarine nor those on it. All is quiet.

Now, I said that any old schmo can gt on any old boat and dip their toe in the waters of Christianity. If they do not apply themselves to the truths revealed within the Word, they will be tossed. They are on the surface, and the surface is always rougher when the wind kicks up. But not any old schmo can get on a sub. That requires special training. All US Navy sailors go through training. But you have to work really hard and spend a long time to attain the credentials for submarine sailor. “Basic shore-based training teaches submariners fundamental skills before they are assigned to the submarine, but each crew member continues to learn and gain more expertise after they are assigned aboard the submarine. As sailors gain operational experience, they receive advanced training.”

Too many Christians today are kitchen table theologians. As we read this comment on bad hermeneutics: “Today’s evangelicals aren’t known for being profound, sober-minded, or consistent; instead they’ve developed a reputation for being superficial, trivial, doctrinally erratic, and theologically naïve…. Those who take God’s Word seriously spend many hours in study. Coming out of diligent study are lessons, sermons, articles, and books that are deep, weighty, sober, doctrinally coherent, and theologically consistent.”

When I get into a conversation with a Christian about, say, the rapture, and they say something ignorant like John Darby invented that doctrine, I share the bible verses and show how I came to the conclusions I did, my basis. If they refute that out of hand, I know they are speaking from the flesh because they dismissed the Word out of hand. My job is then concluded. I’d shared the verses in love and civility. I stood up for the Word. Alternately, if the person says, ‘I never saw those verses before, let me read them and try to see what you’re saying,’ I know they are speaking from the Spirit, because we both have pointed to the bible verses and not ourselves. Not our intellect. Not our opinion. The bible. I know that person wants ears to hear and eyes to see. The conversation may continue if they so desire, because they have a seeking heart and so do I. It works in reverse with me, too. I listen to others, I seek the word, pray, study, ponder and then the Spirit will lead me into either a deeper truth or show me where the Word refutes what the person claims.

Paul advised Christians not to be ignorant of four things. It means don’t be without knowledge:
Don’t be ignorant about God’s plan for Israel (Romans 11:25). 
Don’t be ignorant about spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1). 
Don’t be ignorant about suffering and trials in the Christian life (2 Corinthians 1:8). 
Don’t be ignorant about the rapture and the second coming of Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

And what are we fighting most about these days! These very things, which too many are ignorant of, being tossed by every which wind. They tire so they say, ‘I’m too humble to know for sure. I’ll just rely on the essentials.’ I would like to know just ONE THING in the bible that Jesus didn’t die for?! What is one thing that is not essential to know and defend on His shed blood?! He fulfilled the Law, so that is the Old Testament. He delivered the Gospel once for all, so that is the New Testament. There is not one comma, not one jot nor tittle in the bible that is not essential to defend.

In no case it is wise or advisable to argue out of ego. But neither do I let things go. I do “fight.” We are called to so so when necessary. “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Tim 6:12.) Speaking the truth will evoke reactions but that is no cause to cease doing it. Paul confronted Peter. Stephen confronted the Pharisees. Paul and Euodia and Syntyche contended.

I had to do just that recently. A personage of some influence and stature in the community, the former local newspaper publisher, has an opinion column weekly. As Publisher Emeritus, he knows that words have influence. In last week’s opinion piece, he said that Genesis account of creation is co-existent with evolution. I was sadly disappointed to read this. Initially I did not want to confront that error because I am flesh like everyone else. But the times call for courage and emboldenment. The Spirit would not let go. So finally I sent a rebuttal letter. I was thankful the editor published it. As usual, there were lots of craven comments in the online comment box. The Spirit had me make two replies to those, to clarify and to answer a question, then I discerned that that was enough. No need to perpetuate the point. I had my say, or rather, the Spirit did. The rest is up to Him. I have full confidence that His words will find some good ground and bear fruit. It is all for the glory of God. Saying we are too humble to know besmirches His name, does not glorify it. We should be humbled when He reveals His intelligence to us. We should be humbled when we speak His words and they find good ground. But we should never be “too humble” to be bold and declare His glory as clear, perfect, and interpretable!

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,” (Philippians 1:9-10)

Some Resources:
What is biblical hermeneutics? (Got Questions?)
Proper Biblical Interpretation (John MacArthur)
The Ultimate Hermeneutic, by Art Azurdia (mp3)
How does one determine the authority behind “proper” biblical interpretation? (Bible.org)
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Posted in false gospel

A new false doctrine: the Hermeneutics of Humility: Part 2

Posted on by elizabethprata

The Hermeneutics of Humility part 1, here
The Hermeneutics of Humility part 3 here

Part one of the false gospel of Hermeneutics of Humility here. Hermeneutics of Humility says that “since we are fallible humans, there is no way to know for certain the bible’s doctrines, no way to interpret it with certitude. To say we do or that we can is arrogant. I am more humble than that.” To continue my exploration that this is a false gospel and is impacting our witness–

Popular words to use when professing the false gospel of hermeneutics of humility are “know, arrogant, and fallible. ‘We cannot know for sure, to say we do is arrogant, I recognize my fallibility and therefore I am more humble about it.’

This is false because it disrespects God’s foreknowledge, intelligence, and gift of the Word. Of course God knew that we are fallible.

Of course He knew that there would be false gospels, false interpretations and false knowledge stemming from the faith He gave the saints once for all. He gave us the bible anyway. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16) To say that the Gospel is uninterpretable with certainty means the Gospel’s power unto salvation is lacking. Not so!

As for His intelligence, of course we cannot understand the mind of God! My thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways,” (Isaiah 55:8). That is why He dictated (Holy Spirit breathed) the inspiration unto men, in man’s language, and put into the page each word He wanted known to reveal Himself. And then, He gave us the Holy Spirit as the Revealer of all Truth.

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” (John 16:13)

“What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” [1 Corinthians 2:12-16).

We cannot know the mind of God, but the mind of God makes Himself known in us by the Revealer: His Spirit!

Satan is enjoying the falling away he is creating with this false doctrine of Hermeneutics of Humility. His first victim was Eve. In the Garden, Genesis Chapter 3:1, the first time we hear satan speak, he says “Hath God said?” There are three ways he got Eve and the first were contained in those words, hath God said? He makes you doubt what you know. If the Holy Spirit reveals truth to you, and it truly is from the Spirit from a lengthy period of prayer, study, seeking His face and a close walk, nothing can make you depart from that truth. Unless you start to listen to satan. Hath God said, the rapture is pre-tribulation? Hath God said that the eternal punishment for sin is hell? Hath God said that the canon of the bible is closed? If you have had the truth revealed to you by the strength of the Holy Spirit and its power unto salvation, then you will answer those insinuating thoughts with YES, NOW GO AWAY. In my opinion, this is the moment when Eve fell from grace, between verse 1 and 2, when she did not stand on God’s word but entertained sinful thoughts. And that brings us to her second mistake:

Eve failed to consult the Word. Wait, you say, the bible was not written yet. No, but the Living Word, who is Jesus, (John 1:1) walked with them in the garden (Gen 3:7). Eve didn’t say to satan, ‘Hold that thought, I’m going to check with God.’ Nor did she say “Hold that thought, I am going to check with my husband, to whom God gave the order.’ (Genesis 2:16-17). Eve entertained the thought and she didn’t discern the truth for herself from the Source.

Third, once she began accepting the seeds of doubt planted in her, and satan saw she was not checking for herself what the truth was, her fleshly fallibility kicked in. Here is where our fallibility comes, not in not knowing the interpretation of God’s laws, but in failure to check with the source in spirit and in truth. Then more fallibility kicked in: Eve changed the doctrine. She added to it. God hath said, “And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”” (Gen 2:16-17). Eve responded, “The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”” (Genesis 3:2-3).

I believe satan chose Eve for two reasons, And this is where the fur is really going to fly…but here goes. First, I think satan picked Eve because she had already gotten the order second hand. She was not made yet when God gave the command not to touch the fruit. She was created in the next verse. We can assume that God could have told her, but I assume more strongly that since He made her to be a helpmeet for Adam, he left the husbandly duties of sharing the truth with her as He commanded in Ephesians 5:23. That verse says that the husband is the head of the wife, and the concept continues in Eph 5:25; “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word…” I believe it was Adam’s job to do tell Eve,and perhaps he did not, or perhaps he did tell her but told her wrongly, or perhaps he did and Eve relied on the wrong word- satan’s. It is another successful tactic of satan, to break up families so that there is no husband, to wash the wife in the word.

Anyway, I also believe satan chose the woman because women are naturally inclined to reconciliation rather than conflict. Paul said that Euodia and Syntyche contended for the Gospel at his side (Philippians 4:3) and the word contended there is “wrestle.” Women don’t like to wrestle, contend, or strongly assert anything, especially if it means offending someone. But when you state absolute truth you’re going to get challenged. That is a place no one likes to be. Women tend to want to smooth things over, make peace and have harmony. I’m sure that Paul did not relish confronting Peter in his mistake at Antioch, but Paul did it. (Galatians 2:11). He contended for the truth and because that contention was Spirit-driven, peace reigned once again and truth was restored. We have to be the bulwark in the face of any dilution of the Gospel, and stand. Hand- wringing retreat from the truth as uninterpretable with any certainty disrepects the work of the Spirit who imparts wisdom.

Part 3 in a bit. I have some more to say. We will explore discernment and how to acquire it, exhibiting love and peace while contending for the Gospel, and finish back at James 1:2-5.
The Hermeneutics of Humility part 1, here
The Hermeneutics of Humility part 3 here

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Posted in double minded, end of days. prophecy, false doctrine, pre-tribulation rapture

A new false doctrine: the Hermeneutics of Humility

Posted on by elizabethprata

The Hermeneutics of Humility part 2,here
The Hermeneutics of Humility part 3 here

There is a false doctrine going around that is having an impact. It is called the Hermeneutics of Humility. It goes like this: “I’m fallible, and I’ve been wrong before in my interpretations of the bible, and gee, look at how many other people are wrong in their interpretations, and I’m just too humble to say that I think I know the bible. So I won’t say I do.”

People who have fallen deeper into the false doctrine of Hermeneutical Humility say “There are things I won’t contend for. I certainly won’t fight over biblical non-essentials.”

And people who have fallen the furthermost say “I just want unity. We should be united over the Gospel, not divided.”

John MacArthur defined Hermeneutics of Humility this way:
“We live in a time when certainty and conviction about what is true is not tolerated. The politically correct attitude is one of uncertainty with nothing absolute. There’s a new hermeneutics, a new science of interpretation called the Hermeneutics of Humility, and this is serious to the people who espoused this and their Hermeneutics of Humility say, “I’m too humble to think that I could ever know what the Bible really means and so I can only offer my opinion and I certainly can’t say that this is in fact the truth.” They pat themselves on the back congratulating themselves for such intellectual openness.”

Senior Pastor Daniel Henderson put it this way:
“One of the great dangers of this movement is what they call a ‘hermeneutic of humility.’ ‘Hermeneutic’ is the science of interpreting scripture, and, of course, the idea of humility. And the basic idea is, ‘Let’s not be too clear, too dogmatic, too strong about what we believe. I mean, how do we know we’re really right, you know?’ And in a sense, it’s giving into the conflict of society, giving in to the pressure of the culture to say, ‘Well, you know, absolute truth, we’re not sure, so let’s just be really humble about the way we communicate it.’

David B. Hewitt said it this way: “The “hermeneutics of humility” appear to be the fact that people try to put forward the idea that we cannot really know with certitude what the Bible is saying, and to insist we can is proud and arrogant.”

The Hermeneutics of Humility makes me crazy. I get upset when I read bloggers who espouse it, because it dismisses the work of the Holy Spirit. It makes clear to unbelievers that the faith that was delivered to the Saints once for all (Jude 1:3) is unknowable. It shows evidence of satan’s success in getting us to doubt ourselves. And that was the very first scheme he perpetrated, and it appears to be one of the last. Let’s look at the things I’ve just said closely. This is going to be broken up into several parts. This is a serious, serious matter! Please listen with receiving, graceful heart, bathed in prayer, and with open ears.

Hermeneutics of Humility dismisses the work of the Holy Spirit. James said, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:2-6).

In verse 3 here James says faith will be tested but it yields a perfect result, the word for perfect is a root from which we get telescope. The illustration here is with a old pirate’s telescope, unfolding (extending out) one stage at a time to function at vision that is at full-strength. In verse 4 he says that ‘if you lack anything’ (for that endurance so that you may be perfected) and the word lack here means lacking as in left behind in a race. If you are being left behind in wisdom and need perfecting for those results, then ASK. Those who do not ask dismiss the work of the Holy Spirit. Those who do ask but doubt, also disrespect His work.

You notice those who say that are too humble to claim they know for sure what this or that doctrine of the bible means, have been like surf of the sea. They used to believe in post-tribulation rapture, now they believe in pre-tribulation rapture but then again they are not so sure. They used to follow this pastor but then came across a website that said something different and now they are not so sure. They are tossed like the surf and they end up being double minded. Many people who espouse this false humility have already been tossed so much like the surf that they just want to find a beach and give up. Being double minded IS tiring. They were tossed to begin with because they were not rooted in the Spirit, not allowing HIM to lead the way. The Spirit doesn’t toss you. He lends peace to your mind. If you are tossed like the surf then please take a look at whether you are relying on the Spirit to unfold your understanding, or not. There is peace in the certitude that the Holy Spirit gives us in understanding the faith and that is how we know it was Him that gave it to us in the first place.

Obtaining wisdom and certitude does not mean that you’re done in studying that particular doctrine. Think of the telescope again. It extends. I explored the rapture doctrine and after a while of prayer, study, and discernment He showed me unalterably that it will occur before the Tribulation. But that doesn’t mean I concluded my studies in that doctrine. There was much more to learn about the rapture, but my faith in His deliverance of wisdom to me never wavered after that. The unfolding telescope is always advancing the eye toward clearer vision. We will only know for sure when we are glorified and perfected in all ways, and even then we will still be plumbing the depths of an infinite God. But DO advance. Unfold your certainty so that you may endure and your faith will endure at the time of testing.

I have much, MUCH more to say about this and will continue with another blog entry after church. I’ll take a look at where satan’s hand in this false doctrine is, talk about biblical discernment, and the difference between humility in certitude, and conceit in knowing.

The Hermeneutics of Humility part 2,here
The Hermeneutics of Humility part 3 here

Blessings to you, cherished ones.
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