29 Aug
A Very Good Bad Example
Whenever someone makes a blunderous decision, there is a valuable lesson for
everyone else to gain. Trial and error is how we acquire knowledge. It's
unlikely that you learned not to stick your fingers in hot water by being
shown a diagram.
During the past week, the Rev. Pat Robertson provided an excellent example
of how not to run a Christian ministry. On his "700 Club" program, Robertson
generated an uproar by advocating the killing of Venezuelan president Hugo
Chavez, a man with close ties to Fidel Castro and Iran.
"If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought
to go ahead and do it," Robertson, 75, told his viewers on Monday. "It's a
whole lot cheaper than starting a war. We have the ability to take him out,
and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability."
The US has a standing policy against killing foreign leaders
outside of a military campaign. President Gerald Ford in 1975 signed an
executive order forbidding assassination as a policy, and President Ronald
Reagan reaffirmed that decision.
One of the most fundamental rules of any organization is to do no harm to your
own cause. Robertson has repeatedly violated this common-sense principle. His remarks have given plenty of fuel to anti-Christian liberals and late-night comedians.
This is not the first time Robertson has been involved in controversy.
During the 2003 Liberian Civil War, Robertson repeatedly supported former
President of Liberia, Charles Taylor. He accused the US State Department of
being behind Taylor's ouster as president. Robertson has been criticized for
failing to mention in his broadcasts his $8 million investment in a Liberian
gold mine.
At the time of Robertson's support, Taylor was indicted by the United Nations
for war crimes for supporting global terrorist organizations. Richard Land,
head of the Southern Baptist Convention's public policy, said, "I would say
that Pat Robertson is way out on his own, in a leaking life raft, on this
one."
In 2002, it was revealed to the delight of gamblers that Robertson owned a
racehorse named "Mr. Pat." The revelation sparked one commentator to pen
the mocking article, "Praise The Lord And Put A 10-Spot On Mr. Pat To Win."
At the time, Robertson said he saw no contradiction between condemning
gambling and owning racehorses. "I don't bet on my own horses, and I don't
think anyone else should either." Pat owns racehorses because he likes to
"look at them as performers and study their bloodlines." Robertson quickly
sold his half-million dollar racehorse.
After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, he agreed with fellow
preacher Jerry Falwell on the "700 Club" that the attacks were God's
punishment for homosexuals, liberals and feminists. When the liberal media
got onto Robertson's case about the claim, he blamed Falwell. If God was
trying to send a message to America, Robertson can take credit for messing
it up.
One of the most outrageous claims made by his critics was the misuse of
"Operation Blessing" money to benefit a business he owned. Robertson claimed
on air that funds were being used to shuttle medical supplies in and out of
the refugee camp in Goma, Congo (then Zaire). An investigative reporter
for the Virginian Pilot discovered that over a six-month period - except for
one medical flight - the planes were used to haul equipment to the African
Development Corporation, a diamond mining operation owned by Pat.
The clear lesson to be gained from Robertson's actions is to not be focused on
yourself. He keeps making bad decisions because, at critical times, he values
himself over the faith he claims to represent.
Probably the best advice I've read on the Hugo Chavez issue came from
William Devlin of the Urban Family Council. The evangelical founder of the
anti-abortion and pro-abstinence organization in Philadelphia said, "If
Robertson was a man of conviction, he'd get on an airplane, go to Caracas
and ask for a meeting with Chávez, and share the Gospel with him."
Instead of shaking our heads at Robertson's poor judgment, we need to be
asking ourselves if we are making the best use of the resources we have at
our disposal.
Prophecy buffs have a very bad habit of viewing world events in a passive
manner. There is little we can do prevent misfortune, but we can certainly
be active in responding to the calamity that erupts around us.
Two examples that stand out in my mind are the recent humanitarian disasters
in Sudan and Niger. When I learned that people were starving en masse in
these two nations, I felt compelled to give to relief
organizations that I knew could get food to the disaster areas.
Pat Robertson believes Christians need to set up an earthly kingdom before
Christ can return, so it's understandable that he is frequently making
decisions that favor the flesh As rapture-believing Christians, we should
not have any conflicts of interest. Because our hope is not in this world,
the things of this life should be viewed as having temporal importance.
-- Todd
Noah’s Day and UFOs Revisited – A Novel Approach
Jesus foretold that at the time of His return world conditions will be like they were preceding the Flood of Noah’s day. On numerous occasions we have examined the characteristics of those antediluvian years, during which God’s wrath was building against incorrigibly sinful earth-dwellers. We have compared those times to our own in trying to determine where this generation might stand on God’s prophetic timeline.
Our Lord gave the relevant prophecy in the following account:
And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all (Lk. 17:26-29).
Many prophecy teachers/scholars believe the sinful characteristics of the antediluvian era are found in Paul’s letter to the Romans:
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen… And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness… Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them… (Rom. 1: 21-25, 28-29, 32).
The great Apostle Paul later prophesied through his second letter to Timothy that the characteristics he gave in the letter to the Romans concerning the antediluvians will return in the last days, when perilous times will come. (Read 2 Timothy 3:1-13.)
As mentioned above, we have looked at these end-time characteristics of man numerous times. There can be little doubt, upon diligent Bible study of the of the antediluvians and the prophecy of Paul in these passages, that we stand very near the end of the Age of Grace (Church Age).
Now to the point of the commentary. In revisiting these things spoken of by Jesus and written by Paul we must look at what Moses had to say under the same divine authority. It is a matter much more profound than many might believe, when considering prophecy for the days just ahead.
There is much stage-setting in process right now, and we have been experiencing the preparation for the final prophecies for many years. Jesus’ words about the last days being like it was in Noah’s days before the world-wide Flood makes Moses’ reporting of Noah’s pre-Flood days quite significant.
UFOs have been reported by mankind down through the annals of time. Ezekiel had a particularly interesting encounter with such a phenomenon, although in his case, it might be considered a "Scripturally Identified Flying Object" (read Ezek. 1:16-21).
Many prophecy students believe that the UFOs of yesterday, today, and tomorrow were, are, and will be not extraterrestrial, but inter dimensional visitors to Planet Earth.
I count myself among that number that sees the UFO phenomena that has been with us –particularly since 1947-- as angelic activity, both heavenly (good angels) and demonic (evil angels), once again insinuating themselves within the sphere inhabited by mankind. The previous record of such an invasion, I believe, was recorded by Moses.
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown (Gen. 6:1-4).
Since we are seeing many of the characteristics of Noah’s and Lot’s day prophetically shaping up for fulfillment in our time, I firmly believe the UFO sightings and abduction reports will increase in times just ahead. Satan is, I believe, going to use these reports to, in part at least, set up earth-dwellers who will be left behind at the rapture, for the “strong delusion” foretold in 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2.
Now for a commercial: My novel, The Rapture Dialogues: Dark Dimension, is scheduled for release in November, with full release in January or February of 2006.
The novel puts into perspective, I prayerfully hope, how this supernatural activity in the skies over Planet Earth began in earnest around 1967, and continues to accelerate in our time. The fictional account will most likely pale in comparison to the real invasion by Satan when he and his angelic hordes are cast down to earth during the tribulation.
* “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Lk. 10:18).
* “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit” (Rev. 9:1).
Prophetic winds are blowing. The days of Noah and Lot are revisiting Planet Earth. We must be watchful, and, like Noah, be the voice of this generation, forewarning of judgment if repentance is not forthcoming.
--Terry
***We will announce more details of Terry’s novel, “The Rapture Dialogues,” in the coming weeks.***
