Slaughtering of the Innocents

In the Old and New Testament of the Christian Bible, there were three different times that innocent children were killed - by the Creator during the institution of the Ten Plagues, by the Pharaoh during the time of Moses' birth and by King Herod around the time of the birth of Jesus. 

By the Creator 

In the Old Testament book of Exodus, there are various signs recorded which were meant to persuade Pharaoh to release the Hebrews (also known as the Israelites) from captivity. These signs came in the form of ten plagues which affected the great Egyptian kingdom.

A plague is defined in scripture using the Hebrew word maggephah (mag-gay-few). The Biblical definition of maggephah is a “stroke of affliction or disease”, sent as chastisement or judgment from God. Other uses for the word maggephah include a ‘fatal blow’ and a ‘slaughter’. Maggephah is used numerous times to describe a plague in the books of Exodus, Numbers, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Psalms, Zechariah.

The Creator sent nine horrid afflictions upon the Egyptian kingdom during the days of Moses when the king of the land (Pharaoh) hardened his heart and refused to set the Creator's people [the Hebrews] free from bondage. Each time Moses parlayed the message of the Creator to Pharaoh for the freedom of His people, the haughty king of Egypt continued to refuse the request of the Hebrew god and thus a new plague was invoked by the same Israelite god. The last (#10) plague was let loose on the Egyptian kingdom in the form of a slaughter of all firstborn Egyptian sons. 

Some believe this was a horrid incident the Creator performed, while others defend the hideous plague inflicted upon Egypt by pointing out the God of the Hebrews was only enacting retribution for the same horrendous slaughter Pharaoh had applied upon the Hebrew nation when he killed all the Hebrew sons during the era when Moses was born.

By the Pharaoh

Most biblical scholars agree Thutmose I (1525-1508 BC) was the Pharaoh of Egypt during the era of Moses' birth, while other theologians believe it was Seti I. Regardless, this particular king called in the midwives (the women who helped babies being born) and ordered them to kill all the male babies born to the Hebrew women. The Hebrew nation (also known as the Israelites) were slaves in the Egyptian kingdom during this epoch of time. Pharaoh thought that by killing all the male slave babies, he could reduce the strength and the number of Hebrews. He intended to make sure there were never enough young men to fight in an army against the Egyptians. Another reason this king killed the infant sons was the rebellion among the growing Israelite slave population during that time. When the Egyptian king discovered the midwives were not carrying out his orders, the pharaoh met this challenge with an edict to throw the infants into the River Nile whenever they were discovered. His faithful soldiers carried out the order.

Moses survived the edict by first being hidden for three months. Only after he could not be kept secret was a plan devised to save the young child. He would indeed be placed into the Nile, but first a sealed basket was prepared that would float to a place where Hatshebapsut (1504-1583 BC), daughter of Thutmose, regularly bathed with her attendants. Miriam, Moses' sister, stood watch to assure his safety and direct the princess to the services of a nurse -- Moses' own mother, Jochebed.

The pharaoh's daughter indeed felt sorry for the child, and having no children of her own, had elected to adopt him. Through this, it was assumed, the child would grow up Egyptian, and be of no danger to the grand empire. Groomed in the court for a life of ease (Hebrews 11:25), he grew up to be 'son of Pharaoh' after his mother declared herself ruler upon the death of Thutmose (by means of marriage to half-brother Thutmose II). It was under her successor, her step-son Thutmose III, that Moses became aware of the treatment of the slaves. Never having rejected his heritage, Moses defended his kinsmen, killing one of the Egyptian slave drivers. This abruptly ended his career as a nobleman. And, not long afterwards, Moses' was groomed by the Hebrew god himself to help to free the Hebrew slaves from a 400 year bondage. 

By King Herod

In the New Testament book of Matthew, King Herod I was the culprit behind slaughter of the innocent male children under two years old. Unlike Thutmose I who was worried about a future army rising up against his kingdom, Herod was concerned with a new king threatening to take the kingdom from him. 

Also known as Herod the Great, a Roman client king of Judea, referred to his empire as the Herodian kingdom. While the massacre story is only recorded in the Christian's Holy Bible, Herod's atrocities were well recorded by early historians, such as Josephus in the Wars of the Jews, definitely making him a candidate to commit a horrendous murder of innocents.

According to scripture, Herod learned of a future king through the Magi (foreign kings) when they came seeking for a male child that had been born near Bethlehem, claiming he was a future king of the Judaic kingdom. The future king was Jesus of Nazareth, a simple carpenter's son. Yet, Herod never saw the Christ as a 'simple' adversary. Herod had persuaded the timeline of when the child was born from these foreign kings, but never received the exact location of this birth when the Magi - who was instructed to leave by a heavenly messenger - did not return with the information. 

Not long after the Magi disappeared, the king of Judea ordered the slaughter of all innocent male children under the age of two throughout Bethlehem and all nearby vicinities in the Herodian kingdom. The massacre is reported in Matthew 2:16. The Prophet Jeremiah predicted this horrid massacre would happen (Jeremiah  31:15). 

Wikipedia summed up King Herod and the probability of such devious actions occurring: He eliminated any threat to his sovereignty. Most estimates put the number of murdered children at fewer than 20. While a horrible tragedy, the slaughter of a few children in a small, unimportant village seems unlikely to make the pages of many histories compared to Herod's other atrocities. One should also remember that much of our extra-biblical knowledge of Israel at the time comes from Josephus, a Jewish historian and likely a Pharisee. To include this event would require an explanation of why the children died. Given his beliefs and desire to please Rome, little wonder he should avoid references to this massacre.

By the Modern World - Abortion

It has been over 2,000 years since Herod the Great took it upon himself to slaughter innocent male children of the Judaic race to appease his own lustful desires of remaining the greatest king during that epoch of history.  According to the CDC surveillance reports, the dawning of the 21st century [the year 2000] saw over 850,000 babies aborted. This year [2020] so far has reported over 740,000 babies being killed in the United States of America alone!

In 1973, Roe vs Wade was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States protects a pregnant woman's decision to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction. This was the beginning of a fourth "slaughter of the innocents" during mankind's 6,000 year history. Today, a baby [from conception to birth] can be murdered up until the ninth month of pregnancy, and in some cases, during birth.  The following data is the current statistics of abortion:

Abortions Performed	Number of Abortions
Worldwide today (11 Nov. 2020)	79,030
In United States today (11 Nov. 2020)	1,704.8
Worldwide this Year (2020)	34,147,350
United States this Year (2020)	744,009.7
By Planned Parenthood since 1970	8,955,969.2
By Planned Parenthood this year (2020)	308,864.6
Worldwide abortions since 1973	1,720,100,000
US since 1973: Roe vs Wade	62,372,596.5
US this Year after 16 weeks gestation (2020)	35,712.4
US this Year due to rape or incest (2020)	7,216.9

The above chart was obtained through Number of Abortions

Just like the Pharaoh, whose army was drowned in the Red Sea in pursuit of the Israelite nation, the wrath of God soon fell upon Herod himself and he died a horrid death. As abortion continues around the world, the wrath of the Creator will surely be inflicted upon the nations once again for taking these precious, innocent lives.

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The plagues recorded in the book of Exodus 7-12 were specifically designed to unsettle the hardened heart of Pharaoh. The plagues of Egypt glorified and exalted the Creator and showed the enslaved Israelites a miraculous sign of mercy and protection (which set forth the symbolism of Passover). 

And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, "About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts." ~ Exodus 11:4-5

While Pharaoh ordered his midwives to kill all male babies born unto the Hebrew slave women, the midwives gloried the Creator by countering the king's command with an acceptable excuse of not being able to fulfill such a task. In the end, Pharaoh ordered his army to enact the slaughter of the innocents.   

The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?” The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.” So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.” ~ Exodus 1:15-22      

In the narrative of King Herod's slaughter of children, the foreign kings exalted the Creator by not returning to Herod with information of the Jesus' whereabouts. Yet, with the prior information the Magi provided, the Herodian king was able to pinpoint a time and location of Jesus' birth and set forth a decree to slaughter all Judean males under the age of two. These slaughtered children thus became the first martyrs for Christ. 

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. ~ Matthew 2:16

There is no exaltation of the Creator in the abortion scenario of murdering children. Biblically classified as a wicked deed to perform, there are 35 million+ babies becoming continued martyrs of Christ as each year progressively passes into the next year. Many religious theologians find such an act in our modern world can be classified as an unconscionable and selfish decision-making process.  

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! ~ Isaiah 49:15

The Witch of Endor, the Dead Prophet, the Doomed King

The following story [dated Apr. 19, 2020] was obtained through the website, Marg Mowczko. 

THE DEATH OF THE PROPHET SAMUEL

I reread 1 Samuel 25 this week which is about Abigail. This time when I read it, the opening statement caught my attention: “Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him at his home in Ramah.” What I found interesting was the juxtaposition of this verse announcing Samuel’s death with the following verses that relate Abigail’s story. The prophet who had anointed David as king is dead and, later in the chapter, Abigail confirms that David will be king (1 Sam. 25:30-31). 

Even though I thought the juxtaposition was interesting, I didn’t think too much of it. But then I read on and came to 1 Samuel chapter 28. This chapter is about an unnamed woman at Endor described as a witch or, more precisely, a medium. Interestingly, this story begins with an almost identical statement: “Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah” (1 Sam. 28:3). This statement, more obviously than in case of Abigail’s story, sets the scene for what follows.  

THE DESPERATION OF KING SAUL 

Samuel the prophet is no longer around and Saul, the current king of Israel, wants advice about the Philistines who are gathering for war. The usual ways that God communicated—through dreams, through the Urim (sacred lots used by priests), and through prophets—weren’t working. God is silent and Saul is scared. In desperation, Saul says to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.” 

According to the Torah, being a medium or a sorcerer was a capital crime (Exod. 22:18; Lev. 20:27; Deut. 18:10-12). And Saul had previously expelled and banned mediums and sorcerers from his realm. Apart from 1 Samuel 28, however, there is no record of this event, and the Bible does not give Saul’s reason for the expulsion and perhaps even the execution of mediums (2 Sam. 28:4, 9). Nevertheless, despite the ban, Saul’s attendants know of one. They tell him there is a medium in Endor. 

So Saul takes off his royal robes, disguises his identity, and, under the cover of darkness, goes to Endor with two other men to visit the woman (cf. Lev. 19:31). The whole story can be read in 1 Samuel 28:3-25. 

THE MAGIC OF THE MEDIUM OF ENDOR 

There are several Bible stories that raise ethical and theological questions. The scene where the woman conjures up an apparition of Samuel raises such questions. Here is a medium performing the dark arts; a necromancer, who seemingly brings up a prophet of God. And Samuel even speaks. [1] Or does he speak through the woman? Is the speech attributed to Samuel coming through her lips? 

From the text, it seems only the medium can see Samuel. Perhaps she is also the only one who can hear Samuel. Or is the whole thing a ruse, a delusion crafted by the woman? Is her shriek at the beginning of the séance, with her exclamation that she knows the true identity of Saul, part of the ruse and given for dramatic effect? (See 1 Sam. 28:12.) 

As the séance gets underway, Saul asks the medium, “What do you see?” To which she replies, “I see a divine being coming up out of the ground” (1 Sam 28:13).[2] Then Saul asks, “What does he look like?” To which she gives a vague description that might describe any old man: “An old man is coming up; he is wrapped in a robe” (1 Sam. 28:14). Saul, desperate for advice, assumes this is Samuel. He is convinced that Samuel is really present. 

The narrator seems to want us to accept the scenario that the woman did, in fact, conjure up Samuel. There is the possibility, however, we are meant to understand that she is putting on a clever act. The more perplexing explanation is that God intervened in this wretched situation and caused Samuel to appear. Whether it was a delusion, or whether Samuel did indeed appear and speak, the words attributed to him are accurate and precise. But they are not what Saul wants to hear. 

THE MEDIUM’S HOSPITALITY 

Saul learns that the Israelite army will be defeated and that he and his sons are going to die the very next day, and he is devastated. He falls to the ground. He hasn’t eaten anything all day and is weak. The woman sees that Saul is in a pitiful state. 

I like how the Common English Bible translates her words to Saul at this point in the story: 

“Listen, your servant has obeyed you. I risked my life and did what you told me to do. Now it’s your turn to listen to me, your servant. Let me give you a bit of food. Eat it, then you’ll have the strength to go on your way.” 1 Samuel 28:21 (CEB) 

But it’s more than “a bit of food.” The woman has a fatted calf that she butchers for Saul’s sake. [3] She feeds Saul well. Susan Pigott observes that “the sacrificial meal serves as a fitting marker of the end of Saul’s reign and further defines the woman’s prophetic role.” [4] After the meal, Saul leaves and the story of the witch of Endor ends. 

ABIGAIL AND THE MEDIUM OF ENDOR 

On the face of it, Abigail in chapter 25 and the medium in chapter 28 are not at all alike. Abigail is a respectably married woman, even if her husband was a fool. The woman of Endor is a despised medium; she has a forbidden, abhorrent profession and is probably living at the margins of society. But the actions of two have similarities. 

~ Both were brave women who risked their lives. There was a real threat they could be killed: Abigail by 400 armed and angry men who had been insulted by her husband, the witch of Endor by Saul (or his men) because she was engaging in an expressively forbidden activity. 

~ Both were sensible women who spoke with diplomacy and tact. They were able to positively persuade and help David and Saul, respectively. 

~ Both were discerning women who delivered prophetic messages. Abigail spoke true prophetic words, and the woman at Endor was the medium, or agent, of true prophetic words. (The medium may have even been speaking her own words based on her own insights.) 

~ Both were generous women who offered food and hospitality. 

Is it simply a coincidence that the stories of Abigail and of the witch of Endor are both prefaced with similar statements about Samuel’s death? Or are we meant to understand that these women picked up the slack left in Samuel’s absence and effectively helped the future king of Israel and the soon-to-be former king of Israel? I don’t know the answers to these questions. What I do know is that the woman of Endor is presented in a surprisingly sympathetic light, considering her evil profession. 

CONCLUSION 

It is remarkable that the medium was the avenue of prophecy when other avenues had failed. And it is remarkable that she offered support and compassion to Saul who had driven out other mediums. The story of the witch of Endor is baffling and troubling, but it is surely designed to paint Saul as a pathetic and tragic figure. He is portrayed as cowardly and weak, and he sinks to new depths by visiting the medium (1 Chron. 10:13-14). The Torah tells us that mediums must be put to death (Exod. 22:18; Lev. 20:27). But in this story, the medium lives and it is Saul who will die.

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FOOTNOTES

[1] The episode of Samuel prophesying after his death is mentioned in the Jewish Apocrypha: “Even after he had fallen asleep, he prophesied and made known to the king his death, and lifted up his voice from the ground in prophecy, to blot out the wickedness of the people.” Sirach 46:20 (NRSV)

Josephus retells the 1 Samuel 28 story in his Antiquities of the Jews 6.14.2-4. 

[2] The Hebrew word elohim is variously translated as “god” (CEB) “ghostly figure” (NIV) “divine being” (NRSV), etc, in 1 Samuel 28:13. 

[3] It is also possible that the slaughter of the calf was a ritual act and the meal was a sacrifice to the dead. 

[4] Susan Pigott, “1 Samuel 28-Saul and the Not so Wicked Witch of Endor,” Review and Expositor 95 (1998): 440.

End Times Headlines, Sept-Oct. 2020

The Church

Chinese Communist Party Re-writing Bible 

October 1, 2020

Mike Pompeo said that China continues to persecute religious minorities, rewriting the Bible to make it conform to Chinese Marxist doctrine, and sending Uighurs Muslims to re-education camps. The Jerusalem Post reported:

"China continues to persecute religious minorities, rewriting the Bible to make it conform to Chinese Marxist doctrine, and sending Uighurs Muslims to re-education camps, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said."

Speaking during a session at the Values Voter Summit 2020, held virtually, Pompeo said: “We watch today the challenge that Christians and Catholics have to practice their faith inside of China.”

Continue reading - https://www.jpost.com/international/pompeo-the-chinese-communist-party-is-re-writing-the-bible-643705

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Anti-Christian COVID Tyranny Compared to Hitler

October 15, 2020

Pastor John MacArthur has been fighting the Californian government to open Grace Community Church for worship services for quite some time. The intrusion of the life of the church is tyrannical and similar to other dictators. World Net Daily (WND) reported:

"According to MacArthur, actions taken by figures like Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic all but explicitly required that people of faith put government before God — a tyrannical precedent often set in the early days of an authoritarian dictatorship."

Continue reading - https://www.wnd.com/2020/10/pastor-john-macarthur-compares-anti-christian-covid-tyranny-hitler-stalin-beginnings/

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Pastor Sues After Being Fined for Church Services

Oct 19, 2020

On Pentecost Sunday in California, Pastor Mike McClure joined thousands of other churches defying Governor Gavin Newsom’s COVID-19 shutdown orders. The Californian pastor has racked up some $220,000 in fines up to this point due to the governor’s mandates. The New American reported:

"When Pastor Mike McClure of San Jose’s Calvary Chapel agreed to open his church on Pentecost Sunday (May 31), he joined with more than 3,000 other churches defying California Governor Gavin Newsom’s shutdown orders. He said, “We’re called to be together. Man doesn’t have the right to close the doors. God doesn’t want us to isolate ourselves. All of us need to be in the sanctuary."

And then he added a warning to Newsom: “I don’t care what they say. I’m never again going to close the doors, ever.”

Continue reading - https://thenewamerican.com/california-pastor-sues-county-after-being-fined-220k-for-holding-services/

The Nations

Turkey: ‘Jerusalem Is Ours’

October 9, 2020

According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Jerusalem belongs to Turkey. He told Turkish lawmakers,

"In this city that we had to leave in tears during the First World War, it is still possible to come across traces of the Ottoman resistance. So Jerusalem is our city, a city from us. Our first qibla [direction of prayer in Islam] al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem are the symbolic mosques of our faith. In addition, this city is home to the holy places of Christianity and Judaism."

Continue reading - https://www.breitbart.com/middle-east/2020/10/04/turkeys-erdogan-tells-the-world-jerusalem-is-our-city

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India Test-Fires Nuclear-Capable Missile

October 9, 2020

In preparation for the possibility of a war with China or any other country that may threaten them, India has successfully test-fired its nuclear -capable hypersonic missile. They call it “Shaurya.” They obviously believe there is great potential for a World War 3!

“The surface-to-surface tactical missile was blasted off from a canister strapped to the ground launcher from launch complex 4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in the APJ Abdul Kalam Island around 12.10 pm and covered the desired range,” the source said.

Continue reading - https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/india-test-fires-nuclear-capable-hypersonic-missile-border-tensions-rise

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Authorization of Israel-UAE Peace Treaty

October 13, 2020

A unanimous vote came in favor of the peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. This historic deal is a huge turning point in the right direction for Bible Prophecy. The Jerusalem Post reported:

"The cabinet voted unanimously in favor of the peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates on Monday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE Crown Prince Mohammad bin Zayed spoke on the phone over the weekend for the first time since the peace treaty signing on the White House’s South Lawn on September 15."

Continue reading -  https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/netanyahu-uae-leader-speak-ahead-of-cabinet-vote-on-peace-treaty-645406

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New North Korean missile could possibly threaten Israel

October 13, 2020

North Korea unveiled a brand new missile that could be threatening worldwide. However, Iran and North Korea have recently resumed collaboration. Could this missile be a threat to Israel? The Jerusalem Post reported:

"North Korea’s massive military parade showcased an arsenal that should raise eyebrows in the Middle East. It wheeled out its Hwasong-15 ballistic missile and a giant intercontinental ballistic missile that had to be pulled on a transport vehicle with 11 axles. This is a monster and reports call it a “strategic weapon” that appears to threaten the globe."

Continue reading - https://www.jpost.com/international/north-koreas-massive-new-missile-could-help-iran-threaten-israel-645359

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Brexit Talks Are Stuck on Fish

October 14, 2020

Emmanuel Macron has put a slight break on the Brexit talks as they are entering their final weeks. Bloomberg reported:

"The French president is standing firm on his demand to keep the same access to British waters his country’s fishing industry enjoys today, according to officials familiar with the talks. That’s angering the British and creating tensions even among his allies within the EU."

Continue reading - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-07/macron-on-the-spot-with-brexit-talks-snagged-on-french-red-line

The Leaders

Erdogan: My Entire Nation is an Army

September 16, 2020

“My entire nation is an army,” claims to Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The president has long wished to restore the Ottoman Empire, and wants the world to know that no power will stand in his way. World Net Daily (WND) reported:

"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan long has declared his intention to restore the Ottoman Empire."

Time magazine notes Erdogan has been tightening “his grip on social media freedom” and even is considering pulling Turkey out of what “is known, now farcically, as the 2011 Istanbul Convention, a treaty of the Council of Europe that commits countries to protecting women from domestic violence.”

Continue reading - https://www.wnd.com/2020/09/erdogan-entire-nation-army-not-afraid-sacrifice-martyrs/

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Pope: ‘Market Capitalism Has Failed’

October 9, 2020

It’s no secret that Pope Francis is a socialist. His latest proclamation is quite interesting when considering how the Pope and the Antichrist will team up together in the last days. Pope Francis says, 

"The coronavirus pandemic has proven that the “magic theories” of market capitalism have failed and that the world needs a new type of politics that promotes dialogue and solidarity and rejects war at all costs."

Francis on Sunday laid out his vision for a post-COVID world by uniting the core elements of his social teachings into a new encyclical aimed at inspiring a revived sense of the human family. “Fratelli Tutti” (Brothers All) was released on the feast day of his namesake, the peace-loving St. Francis of Assisi.

Continue reading -  https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-pope-francis-archive-capitalism-bcde0053314e65612add0709fada5519

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World Health Organization (WHO) leader urges world leaders to stop using lockdowns as primary control method for coronavirus

Oct 14, 2020

After previously suggesting that governments should be careful about reopening too quickly, the World Health Organization is now urging leaders not to use lockdowns as a primary means to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.

Dr. David Nabarro, a medical doctor who has worked for the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Director-General of the World Health Organization, told the British magazine, the Spectator, in a video interview that lockdowns should only be used as a last resort.

Continue reading -  https://www.djournal.com/news/national/who-leader-urges-world-leaders-to-stop-using-lockdowns-as-primary-control-method-for-coronavirus/article_7412c7f8-701b-569a-95d7-a0830c92656d.html

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Trump Administration Will Not 'Change American Policy' for US Captives in Response to Syria Demands

Oct 21, 2020

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said President Donald Trump's administration was not willing to alter its foreign policy in order to advance efforts to return American captives held in Syria, where Newsweek reported Damascus is asking for sanctions relief and troop withdrawal from the southern desert garrison at Al-Tanf in exchange for cooperation with Washington.

Asked by a reporter Wednesday if the U.S. was prepared to pull troops from Syria as requested by the government of President Bashar al-Assad in exchange for help in returning American journalist Austin Tice and Syrian-American psychotherapist Majd Kamalmaz, according to a Lebanese official and Syrian source who spoke to Newsweek on Monday, Pompeo said Washington's policy remained unchanged.

Continue reading - https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/trump-administration-will-not-change-american-policy-for-us-captives-in-response-to-syria-demands/ar-BB1agILP

The End Times Chronicles

So many End Times signs are being fulfilled all around the world today. The various Media outlet headlines can easily confirm it... A few days out of September has been selected to make a point.

September 8, 2020:

2 Timothy 3:1-5:  But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Associated Press - South African protesters close stores over offensive ad

Mint - ICICI Bank-Videocon case: Deepak Kochhar remanded to ED custody till 19 Sept

Barbados Today - Guyana: Police detain more suspects in brutal killings of two cousins as protests continue

Christian News - Self-styled 'prophet' and pastor shoots wife dead outside workplace

Microsoft News - 'Arms race': How the Portland shooting shows protesters on the right and the left are bringing guns

2 Peter 3:3: Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.

New York Times - In Year of Voting by Mail, a Scramble to Beef Up In-Person Voting

Reuters - UK ramps up no deal preparations as EU trade talks stall

Rueters - Venezuela's Guaido calls for more international pressure on Maduro

Catholic World Report - French court allows dating website to continue promoting affairs

September 9, 2020:

2 Peter 3:6-7:  By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 

BBC - Australia fires were far worse than any prediction

CBS News - California wildfires burn 2.2 million acres — more than any year on record

Newsweek - Oregon Fire Photos Show 'Apocalyptic' Scenes and Red Skies Across the State

UCA News - Indonesia gears up for wildfire season

CNN - Lesbos: Fire ravages Europe's largest migrant camp

NASA - Historic Fires Devastate the U.S. Pacific Coast

Lamentations 5:5  Our pursuers are at our necks; We are worn out, there is no rest for us.

Associated Press - Israel to set new nationwide lockdown as virus cases surge

Associated Press - Palestinian FM urges Arab states to dismiss Israel-UAE deal

Business Insider - How Putin's favorite mercenaries are using secretive operations to tip the balance in Africa

Newsweek - Sudan Ambassador Says Conflict With Israel 'Fruitless,' Warns on Iran Threat

Associated Press - EU warns Serbia, Kosovo over Israel embassy move

September 10, 2020

Daniel 12:4: But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."

Geo Beats - Scientists discover unique supernova explosion

Science News - Biblical-Period Kingdom of Judah Had Higher Literacy Rate Than Expected

CBS News - Modern forensics offers clues in a 2,600-year-old Biblical mystery

Science News - Israeli Archaeologists Unearth Ruins of 2,600-Year-Old Royal Building

Science Daily - New Hubble data suggests there is an ingredient missing from current dark matter theories

Matthew 24:14 - And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Weatherford Democrat - TISCIONE: The gospel, the hope of mankind

Christianity Today - Evangelism: Reconsidering Our Approach in a Pandemic

Fox News - Israel threatens to shut down new TV channel for preaching 'gospel of Jesus'

Crux - Christian aid worker says time in Sudanese prison allowed him to share Gospel

September 11, 2020

1 Timothy 4:1 - But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons

Rutland Herald - On Faith: Individualism is America's religion

The Christian Post - 'Joel Osteen Inspiration Cube' electronic device hits the market

Religion News Service - A preacher with sneakers coming soon to TBN: Steven Furtick to replace Kenneth Copeland, says network

Mail Online - Hustler founder Larry Flynt accuses Jerry Falwell Jr of 'gross hypocrisy' and a 'gospel of greed' following the pool boy sex scandal

Acts 2:17 - And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams;

YouTube - End Times Prophesying Foretold

YouTube - Prophecy During the End Times

Barbados Today - #BTColumn – For love of Church

CBC - What Shoud We Think Of Dana Coverstone And His Dreams

September 12, 2020

Matthew 24:6 - You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

Bloomberg - China’s Missiles Present Security Dilemma for Japan’s Next Premier

Rueters - Ivory Coast government seeks end to violence ahead of October election

Washington Examiner - Iran and Turkey blast 'shameful' Israel-Bahrain normalization deal

Microsoft News - Russia and Turkey employ thousands of Syrian mercenaries to fight in Libya

Newsweek - India Says 'No Change on Ground Yet' After Agreeing with China to End Border Fight

Luke 21:11 - And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Earthquakes Today - Light earthquake, 4.9 mag strikes near Ōfunato in Japan; 6.1 magnitude earthquake 58 km from Ōfunato, Iwate, Japan

Bahrain News Agency - Earthquake of magnitude 6.3 and 6.2 strike Vanuatu and Chile

CNN - Coronavirus pandemic will cause global famines of 'biblical proportions,' UN warns

ABC News - UN chief warns of famine risk in 4 countries `

WHO - Disease Outbreak News (DONs)

End Time Headlines - Entire UK population could be tested for COVID19 in one week

YouTube - Signs In The Sky - 2020 Sees a Bombardment of Meteorites and Near Flyby Objects

CGTN - Rare 'snake cloud' hovers close to volcano in Indonesia

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