Rouse The Warrior – Episode 2: The HUDDLE

Thanks for this new thought provoking post. I am concerned with your implication that the recent vaccine mandate enacted by President Biden comes as retaliation against conservative American voters. I believe your comment is not only incendiary but biased and only partially informed. Messiah Yeshua often made incendiary statements. Uninformed He was not. His only bias was His Father's will.

In a video with over a million views in just a couple of weeks about the real vaccine skeptics, Mike Huckabee brought to light that the more informed and educated individuals are, the more they will object to the vaccine. I am often surprised how docile and apathetic so many of us are in the “Land of the Free.” In Europe, where socialism and liberal thinking are rampant, opposition to the vaccine or vaXine is wide spread, vocal and intense.

In the two weekly Bible studies I attend and the Messianic congregations I sometimes visit, the majority of participants voted for the conservative ticket in 2020. Nevertheless, about one third have taken both shots of this monstrosity. Their employers required it. Mammon reigns in America. He or “it” has for longer than many of us care to admit.

I am not a vaXine skeptic, I oppose it. My wife, who holds a Masters in Biochemical Research and worked in the clinical trials industry for years bases her vehement objections on facts. The data is as overwhelming as our own stupidity. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand that something nefarious is going on. God is sitting back and allowing it. Will we act? Will we seek His Face before we do? Do we still have ears?

Above comment does not negate that the conservative-liberal cold civil war that has been escalating for some time now has a bearing. It is intended to bring to our awareness the reality that passions can easily make us lose our depth-of-field perception and our cloud reasoning. The sign next to the train tracks provides good advice: Stop. Look. Listen.

No, I’m not a prophet and God didn’t tell me, but based on my observations, persecution is at the doorstep. That is, for the real Church. Trials will quickly remove weekend “Christians” and CEOs (Christmas and Easter Only visitors) The real Church thrives under persecution and crowns that can be offered to Messiah will be abundantly available.

I also want to comment on your use of the II Corinthians 12:16. A text without context is a pretext for a proof text. Literal exegesis doesn’t always work well with Paul’s epistles. Paul, like Messiah, sometimes used sarcasm in his statements. I believe he did on this occasion . Throughout his epistles, the apostle sets up straw men like the Rabbis so often did in the Babylonian Talmud. Sadly, many a Christian doctrine is based on literal interpretation of devices set up to decimate opponents' arguments. The adversary uses Scripture out of context.

I am not going to comment on our current or previous government administrations. Any of them were more benign than the Roman Empire. Yet, Messiah Yeshua, in His first coming, did not concern Himself with governments of this world. In John 18:36 He unequivocally states that His kingdom was not of this world. Simon the Zealot, one of Messiah’s first disciples, learned that God’s agenda and his own were not the same. Messiah never lifted a finger against the cruel and ungodly Roman Empire who was burdening His people. He never cooperated with them either.

Although not supported by the Biblical text, some scholars propose that Judas Iscariot (His surname is a form of “sicarii” or dagger-men) was part of an extremist sect of Zealots who assassinated traitors. They contend that Judas knew who Messiah was, what He was capable of, and wanted to force Him to overthrow the Roman government. When his plan failed, he made the same choice of the zealots that held out at Masada would later make during the first Jewish-Roman war. When we lose the eternal perspective, it is very easy to go down slippery slopes.

Where I am in total agreement with you in the video is on the playbook for our course of action. That playbook is not just for times of testing but for always and for every occasion. The playbook is always right but our understanding of it always isn’t. Our expectation of instant gratification and quick ROI often can leads us to myopic conclusions and discouragement.

In Daniel 9. the end times and the coming of God’s eternal kingdom were not going to happen any time soon for the prophet or for his fellow countrymen. Yes, God heard and answered his marvelous prayer, but much had to happen. Messiah needed to come, provide atonement, gentiles needed to be brought in, etc., etc. etc. Jewish sages teach that Daniel was eventually martyred by Haman in Persia. When our hearts are right, and we follow God’s playbook, things always turn out right. That does not necessarily mean that we will see them. Abraham never saw most of the promises God made to him. At least, not from earth.

Shalom, dear brother. Keep up the God fight.