A WORLD AT WAR WITH ITSELF

BREEDING UNBELIEF IN OUR SYSTEM! (PART TWO)

We learnt how our lives can be a stumbling block to others' faith in God,in the first part of this teaching earlier on.
But before we continue, let's be mindful of how our God loathes anyone whose life brings reproach to God's Name;
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. (Mat 18: 6)

The*little ones* inferred by Christ Jesus there, isn't limited to children,but generally to anyone whose life stops someone else from believing God and serving Him.

So, as earlier said,we should endeavour not to find ourselves in the position of the disciples that almost discouraged the father of that epileptic boy.

Now, another lesson from the narrative is whether we can dare to believe Our Father again,after several apparent disappointments!

(2)CAN YOU BELIEVE?
Every promise in the Bible is for your life and mine.

But you see,under the subtly(devil induced) unguarded moments of life,we tend to dry up when we live with the same problem day after day, and we allow our expectations to drop because of our old experiences. But here's the catch...what God really and truly does expect from us,is the courage to declare,inspite of the visible repetitive challenges we face that;

Oh yeah,*YES, I DARE TO BELIEVE AGAIN, I REFUSE TO GO DOWN THIS WAY...I WILL RATHER DIE ON MY FEET,THAN ON MY KNEES!*

If we are able to believe above our doubts, if we are able to take action above our past mistakes, even though they could not help us; If we can say *nothing is going to take my faith away from me, because I believe that something positive is going to happen*, the moment will come where God is going to transform your life, and you will become everything that God wants you to be.

People who know they have a purpose never allow the devil to spoil the purpose they are on to. Don't keep compromising your future by doing nonsense in your present. I SPEAK FROM YEARS OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE...I DON'T WANT YOU TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES I MADE, HENCE I AM UNASHAMEDLY BRINGING MY SOMEWHAT UNENCOURAGING LIFE INTO THE PUBLIC GLARE! Trust me,it takes more than just an effort.

I have always done this anyway,but the name tags that come with it have been really humiliating...but I was employed to do a job, and that job will I do,until the last breath flow from me,by His grace and mercy.

There are are those of us that… walk like beggars when we should be princes, crawling when we should be riding for the glory of God, walk with short steps when we should take the steps of conquerors.

But since we can't see what God has ahead, we don't see any reason to be confident of change, we don't have faith, we don't prepare and we end up getting stuck!

Christ Jesus is the door of hope that transforms a painful past into a glorious future. Nothing improves if we don't improve. You are going to be the biggest surprise that your enemies and detractors have ever seen.

Hebrews 11:1

Faith is the certainty of what you hope for.
For you to expect something , you must know what you expect.
What are you waiting for? Because what you believe is what you will have for the glory of God!

Romans 4:17 “As it is written: I have made you a father of many nations before God, whom he believed, who gives life to the dead, and calls things that are not, as if they were.

When God called what is not as if it were, then it is!
When God said let there be Light, the Light was not, but there it was!
Therefore, when God tells you that he is going to lift you up, so it is? God has never and will NEVER make a promise that's too good to be true!

Romans 4: 19-21 “And he did not weaken in faith when considering his body, which was already as dead (being almost a hundred years old), or the sterility of Sarah's womb. He also did not doubt, through unbelief, the promise of God, but he was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, fully convinced that he was also able to do all that he had promised; "

Don't let your faith weaken,
Abraham did not doubt, he was strengthened by having faith! Are you doing the same? Are you filling yourself with faith or doubts? How did he not doubt, and strengthen himself in faith? He gave glory to God.

He begins to give glory to God for the miracle that is on the way
He begins to give thanks before seeing the miracle.
Focus on the miracle that is coming. Because gratitude precedes the miracle.
Do you believe that God has the power to fulfill what He has promised you? Yes? So why do you still not walk with all the faith?

Mark 9: 23-24 “Jesus said to him: If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. And immediately the boy's father cried out and said: I believe; help my unbelief.

* BY NOW,IT SHOULD BE ABUNDANTLY CLEAR,WHY THE MESSAGE IS A STERN REBUKE TO ME FROM DAD,OUR DAD...HOW CAN SOMEONE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS SACRED TRUTHS OF ALL TIME BUCKLE DOWN FOR THE DEVIL?*

I PRAY I RECEIVE STRENGTH TO GET UP AND FIGHT ON....SO DO I PRAY FOR YOU OUT THERE WHO MAY BE IN THE SAME SHOES,AMEN!

I think it would be justified to arm and equip ourselves with these timelessly sacred words of the scriptures... GOD'S WORD;

33. Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. (Heb 11: 33-34)

May this be our testimony in this race towards the perfect Man,Amen!

THIS IS A NEW YEAR WITH NEW HOPES!

Tithing is a Covenant!!

People say I can't afford to tithe but I tell you that you cannot afford not to tithe. God comes first and tithing is a covenant with Him. The blessings that come with obedience far outweighs the disobedience of not bringing to God what is due to Him.

God doesn't need our money but it is an act of obedience and worship to Him

Malachi 3:8-12 NKJV
[8] “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
[9] You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
[10] Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
[11] “And I will rebuke the devourer (Satan) for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;
[12] “And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the Lord of hosts.

Hebrews 7:1-4 NKJV
[1] For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
[2] to whom also Abraham gave a TENTH (TITHE) part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,”
[3] without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
[4] Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a TENTH (TITHE) of the spoils.

If tithing wasnt for today then it would not have been mentioned in the New Testament!! When we sell a banana we dont get apples for payment today, we get MONEY!! Therefore we tithe money to God!!

Mark 12:42-44
[42] Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small COINS.
[43] Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.
[44] For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

Tithing is an act of obedience to God and He protects the rest of your income from being stolen by the enemy (Satan)!!

THIS IS A NEW YEAR WITH NEW HOPES!

Tithing is a Covenant!!

People say I can't afford to tithe but I tell you that you cannot afford not to tithe. God comes first and tithing is a covenant with Him. The blessings that come with obedience far outweighs the disobedience of not bringing to God what is due to Him.

God doesn't need our money but it is an act of obedience and worship to Him

Malachi 3:8-12 NKJV
[8] “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
[9] You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
[10] Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
[11] “And I will rebuke the devourer (Satan) for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;
[12] “And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the Lord of hosts.

Hebrews 7:1-4 NKJV
[1] For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
[2] to whom also Abraham gave a TENTH (TITHE) part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,”
[3] without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
[4] Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a TENTH (TITHE) of the spoils.

If tithing wasnt for today then it would not have been mentioned in the New Testament!! When we sell a banana we dont get apples for payment today, we get MONEY!! Therefore we tithe money to God!!

Mark 12:42-44
[42] Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small COINS.
[43] Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.
[44] For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

Tithing is an act of obedience to God and He protects the rest of your income from being stolen by the enemy (Satan)!!THIS IS A NEW YEAR WITH NEW HOPES!

Tithing is a Covenant!!

People say I can't afford to tithe but I tell you that you cannot afford not to tithe. God comes first and tithing is a covenant with Him. The blessings that come with obedience far outweighs the disobedience of not bringing to God what is due to Him.

God doesn't need our money but it is an act of obedience and worship to Him

Malachi 3:8-12 NKJV
[8] “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
[9] You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
[10] Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
[11] “And I will rebuke the devourer (Satan) for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;
[12] “And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the Lord of hosts.

Hebrews 7:1-4 NKJV
[1] For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
[2] to whom also Abraham gave a TENTH (TITHE) part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,”
[3] without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
[4] Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a TENTH (TITHE) of the spoils.

If tithing wasnt for today then it would not have been mentioned in the New Testament!! When we sell a banana we dont get apples for payment today, we get MONEY!! Therefore we tithe money to God!!

Mark 12:42-44
[42] Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small COINS.
[43] Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.
[44] For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

Tithing is an act of obedience to God and He protects the rest of your income from being stolen by the enemy (Satan)!!

I KINGS CHAPTER 5

SOLOMON'S EMPIRE

Abraham had been a truly international figure, having traveled throughout the "Fertile Crescent" from Babylon to Aram Naharayim, throughout the Land of Israel and down into Egypt. Jacob too traveled to Aram and to Egypt. However, since the time of the entry of the Israelites into their Land, their main preoccupation had been to battle against their immediate neighbors – the Canaanites, Philistines, Moabites and Ammonites – in order to maintain their hold over the Promised Land.

It was through the victories of David over all Israel's enemies that an entirely new international vista opened up in the time of Solomon, whose "empire" or "sphere of influence" extended over the entire swathe of territory promised to Abraham "from the river of Egypt to the Great river, the Euphrates" (Genesis 15:18; cf. I Kings 5:1 & 3).

Our text evokes Solomon's opulent royal lifestyle (vv 2-3) including his ownership of multiple thousands of horses (v 6), which despite being prohibited to the king by the Torah (Deut. 17:16) remain a mark of royalty until today. While the various nations that comprised Solomon's empire paid taxes and gifts, this was not an exploitative colonial empire or one that kept its grip through military force alone. For "he had PEACE on all sides around" (v 4) – a situation that modern Israel can only envy, having experienced no peace for a single moment since the inception of the state and for years and years before it.

Our text testifies that the very key to Solomon's influence over this great area of territory as well as over the neighboring foreign powers lay in his unique, God-given WISDOM, which "exceeded the wisdom of all the children of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. And he was wiser than every man (ADAM), than Eitan the Ezrahi and Heyman and Khulkol and Darda the sons of Mahol…" While the simple explanation is that these last names are those of the leading Levite Temple singers of the time, the Midrash identifies "every man" with ADAM, Eitan with Abraham, Heyman with Moses, Khulkol with Joseph and Darda with the Generation of the Wilderness (DOR DE'AH, "generation of KNOWLEDGE), who were "children of forgiveness" (MEHILA).

Most of the narrative in the book of Kings portrays Solomon and his achievements from the outside, but his true wisdom shines forth in his surviving literary creations alluded to in verse 12: Proverbs, Song of Songs and Koheles (=Ecclesiastes). Most translations render ALAPHIM and ELEPH in this verse as "thousand(s)", but Rashi relates them to the same root as in ULPAN meaning "education": the verse thus speaks of three EDUCATIONAL ORDERS of Proverbs (the expression MISHLEY SHLOMO appears three times in the book of Proverbs); these, together with Song of Songs and Koheles constitute the FIVE orders of Solomon's "song". According to the simple meaning of ELEPH as 1,000, Rashi brings the Midrash that Solomon taught three thousand parables on every single verse of the Torah and gave 1,005 explanations of each parable (see Rashi on vv 11-12). "He spoke about the trees from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop that comes out of the wall" (before God, the highest and the lowest are equal, Bamidbar Rabba 13). According to Rashi this verse means that not only did Solomon understand the healing properties of all the different trees and plants and exactly how to cultivate them, but that he also explained why the purification of the leper involves the cedar and the hyssop (Lev. 14:4). "He spoke about the animals and birds and creeping creatures and fish…" (v 13): not only did he understand all their different qualities, but also why the SHECHITAH of animals requires the cutting of both the windpipe and the gullet, while that of birds requires the cutting of only one, and why locusts and fish do not require SHECHITAH at all… (Rashi on v 14).

HIRAM KING OF TYRE

The tragic history of modern Lebanon has overshadowed the one-time greatness of this very beautiful country with its once very extensive forests. While Sidon was established by the firstborn son of Canaan (Gen. 10:15), the city of Tyre to its south was an immensely powerful city state built up by the Phoenicians, whose prosperity was founded on the magnificent tall trees out of which they built the ships they used to develop a trade empire throughout the Mediterranean area and beyond.

While Hiram king of Tyre is a legendary figure (particularly in the lore of freemasonry, where he is seen as the "father" of the Temple), Ibn Ezra (on Genesis 41:10) views Hiram as the generic name of all the kings of Tyre just as Pharaoh was the generic name of all the kings of Egypt. In later Biblical times Tyre saw Jerusalem as a dangerous rival and hoped to benefit from its destruction (cf. Ezekiel 26:2, "I shall be filled from her destruction"), but the Hiram who befriended King David and King Solomon was – from the testimony of our text – a believer in the One God who (unlike the nations of today) REJOICED when he heard that Solomon wanted to build Him a Temple in Jerusalem (v 20).

Hiram struck a Covenant with Solomon (v 26) inaugurating the first ever venture in international cooperation to build God's Temple. Hiram provided the timber and stone that were the building materials for the Temple in return for very ample supplies of choice wheat and olive oil that were the specialty of Israel. The lumber was tied up to form rafts that were floated down the Mediterranean from the coast of Lebanon to the point nearest to Jerusalem on the Israeli coast. From there it was transported by land to the site of the Temple. The 70,000 "porters" and 80,000 "excavators" who extracted and transported the massive stones for the Temple were GERIM GERURIM – would-be converts who were not admitted into the Assembly of Israel (as no full converts were accepted in the time of Solomon, see commentary on I Kings ch 3) but were nevertheless allowed to participate in the enterprise of building of God's House of Prayer for all the Nations.

CHAPTER 6

The building of the Temple commenced in the fourth year of Solomon's reign, 480 years after the Exodus from Egypt and 440 years after the people's entry into the Land. The actualization of this project to join Heaven and Earth took a total of seven years (vv 37-8).

In his work on the "Secrets of the Future Temple" (Mishkeney Elyon) the outstanding 18th century Kabbalistic sage R. Moshe Hayyim Luzzatto explains that creation has two roots: the "revealed root" of HOKHMAH ("wisdom") and the "concealed" root of KETER ("the crown"). The two roots are alluded to in the first letter of the first word of the Torah, the Beis (=2) of Bereishis, "In the beginning".

"Know too that the sin of Adam spoiled everything and caused all perfection to become concealed, with the result that the world was not even able to return to its previous state [i.e. the level of Wisdom] except in the days of Solomon, when the Temple was first built. Thus it is written: 'And God gave wisdom to Solomon' (I Kings 5:26). For then Wisdom was revealed in all its beauty and radiant glory, enabling all the lights to shine with great strength and joy. In those days, on every level in all the worlds there was only holy power and delight the like of which had never been seen. Even so, because everything was based only on Wisdom and did not reach the ultimate goal [of Keter], this peace and tranquility came to an end and the Temple was destroyed. But in time to come, when the hidden beginning I mentioned [Keter] is revealed, the happiness will be far, far greater, and it will never cease" (Ramchal, Secrets of the Future Temple).

Although Ramchal's work – which explains in detail the "sacred geometry" that underlies the design of the Temple – is primarily concerned with the FUTURE Temple as depicted by Ezekiel (chs 40ff), the principles on which it is based apply also to the Temple of Solomon, all of whose chambers, walls, gates and courtyards in all their various dimensions allude to and EMBODY IN STONE the various divine attributes as they relate to one another.

Besides the information about Solomon's Temple contained in our text, we have detailed supplementary information in Maseches MIDDOS, the Mishnaic Tractate of "Measurements", which deals with the design of the Second Temple, which was mostly modeled on the first. The rabbinic commentators wrote entire treatises about the structure of the Temple.

The Temple had very distinctive features, such as its windows, which were "wide open from the outside but closed and narrow on the inside" (v 4). This was because the Temple had no need for the light from the outside, since it was lit from within (both by the Candelabra and by the spiritual light that shined in it): on the contrary, light emanated FROM the Temple windows OUTWARDS.

Another distinctive feature was that as the very center of world peace, the Temple was a place where it was not fitting for the sound of metal hammers and axes to be heard (v 7) since metal is the material of weapons of war. All the stones were cut and dressed outside the Temple, and Solomon also miraculously found the Shamir worm, which would silently eat its way across a stone so as to split it just as it had cut the stones of the gems in the High Priest's breastplate in the days of Moses. (This is not a worm that is easy to find; Sotah 48b, Gittin 68a).

Most distinctive of all was that the survival of the Temple was entirely conditional upon Israel's keeping the Torah, as God promised to Solomon (vv 11-13): "If you go in My statutes and carry out My laws… I shall dwell amongst the Children of Israel and I will not abandon My people Israel."

The main Temple building, a structure of 60 x 20 cubits (on the inside) was divided into two unequal parts: the HEIKHAL (40 x 20) containing the Menorahs (Candelabra) Show-bread Tables and Incense Altar, and within, the Holy of Holies (20 x 20) containing the Ark of the Covenant with the wooden figures of two Cherubs overlaid with gold standing with their wings outstretched over it and filling the entire inner chamber. Across the entire front of the HEIKHAL stood the OULAM ("Vestibule").

Around the walls surrounding the Heikhal and Holy of Holies on three sides were a series of cells banked up in three stories one on top of the other. These cells may have been used to store the Temple treasures. Esoterically, they allowed the SHEFA (divine influence) emanating from within the Temple to be concentrated intensely prior to its flowing outwards to nourish the outside world.

The ceiling and roof of the Temple were made of wood, and its stone walls were entirely paneled with wood from top to bottom. The wood (which alludes to the TREE of life) was carved with the forms of cherubs, palms, garlands and flowers. All the walls and all the carvings were overlaid with gold, as was the ceiling and the floor, the effect of which must have been absolutely stunning.

Through God's providence, we have reached the description of the building of Solomon's Temple just as we are celebrating the festival of Chanukah in commemoration of God's miracles for Israel in the Second Temple. In the merit of our studies, may He quickly bring peace to our troubled world and speedily build the Temple we are now awaiting, from which the love and fear of God will spread forth to all the world.

I KINGS CHAPTER 3

SOLOMON'S MARRIAGE TO PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER

Our chapter opens with the very surprising news that Solomon married the daughter of the king of the very nation that had ignominiously enslaved and been forced to release Israel hundreds of years earlier. Rashi (on v 3) notes that the verses in this chapter are not in historical sequence, for Solomon's dream in Giv'on (vv 5ff) took place at the very beginning of his reign, whereas it was not until three years afterwards that he made his marriage alliance with Pharoah. This was directly after the death of Solomon's teacher, Shimi ben Gera (narrated out of sequence at the end of the preceding chapter in order to complete the account of Solomon's settling David's outstanding scores). From the proximity of verse 1 of our present chapter to the last verses of the previous chapter, our rabbis taught that as long as his teacher was alive, Solomon did not make this questionable move of intermarriage, deducing that a person should always live close to his teacher in order to stay on the right track (Rashi on v 1).

Solomon's move was questionable because the Torah states that "you shall not intermarry with them [i.e. the other nations]" (Deut. 7:3). Some rabbis held that intermarriage would only be forbidden if the non-Israelite party to the marriage does not convert, but others held that converting them in order to marry is also forbidden. Another factor raising questions about Solomon's move is the tradition that no converts were accepted in the times of David and Solomon because the prestige of Israel was so great that potential converts would all have had ulterior motives. However the Talmud explicitly states that this did not apply to the daughter of Pharaoh, who had enough wealth not to need to marry Solomon for money (Talmud Yevamos 76a).

A further question is how Solomon could have converted and then married an Egyptian woman when the Torah states that an Egyptian convert may not enter the Assembly until the third generation (Deut. 23:9). However, this objection is countered by a tradition (not accepted halachically) that the referenced verse applies only to an Egyptian male but not to a female (which would make the law of the Egyptian parallel to the law forbidding a Moabite but not a Moabitess from ever entering the Assembly.

Despite the many questions that surround it, we do not find Solomon's marriage to Pharaoh's daughter criticized in our text as being intrinsically sinful: verse 3 DOES implicitly criticize Solomon for sacrificing at many high altars but does NOT criticize him for marrying Pharaoh's daughter. It was only in his old age, when Solomon took many wives, that he was criticized for allowing them to turn his heart aside from God.

It stands to reason that the exact intent of the supremely wise Solomon in marrying the daughter of Israel's former persecutors would be beyond the ability of simple people like ourselves to grasp. Since PHARAOH represents the OREPH ("back of the neck", same Hebrew letters as Pharaoh) of creation as opposed to its inner face, the conversion of his daughter by Solomon and her integration into the holy edifice that he was building was a "coup" comparable with the conversion of Batya, the daughter of Pharaoh who drew Moses out of the water. The "daughter of Pharaoh" represents the source of all the different kinds of worldly wisdom (which are her "handmaidens"). By "converting" and "marrying" Pharaoh's daughter, Solomon was perhaps very daringly and ambitiously striving to deepen and enhance the revelation of God's unity on all levels of creation. If so, it was apparently still over-ambitious, because Solomon proved unable to hold his "catch" within the bounds of holiness, and indeed he himself strayed beyond them. In retribution, said the rabbis, at the very moment when Solomon married Pharaoh's daughter, the angel Gabriel (GEVURAH, "might", withholding and concealing) descended and drove the first stake into the sea in the very place where more and more sediment eventually collected to form the foundation of what was to become Israel's nemesis: the city of Rome (Talmud Shabbos 56b).

"AND SOLOMON LOVED GOD" (v 3)

Prior to his heart-enticing marriages with foreign women, Solomon passionately followed the Torah of his father David. If he was criticized, it was only for "sacrificing in the high places". This was actually permitted as long as the Temple was not built in Jerusalem. Since the sacking of the Sanctuary of Shilo by the Philistines in the time of Ely and the slaughter of the priests of Nov by Saul, the Sanctuary with the vessels of Moses had been in Giv'on, except for the Ark of the Covenant, which David had taken to Jerusalem. Whereas David had sacrificed only at the "great" Altar in Giv'on (this was the copper Altar made by Moses) or at an altar that he erected before the Ark in Jerusalem, Solomon also sacrificed in other high places (until the building of the Temple), and while this was still permitted, it was seen as a deviation from David's path and as needlessly delaying the building of the Temple in Jerusalem (Rashi and RaDaK on v 3).

THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON

Whereas David's kingship was founded on the sword of prayer and faith – he had to fight throughout his life – Solomon's kingship was founded on the very WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING which he had the good sense to request when God offered him anything he wanted. At the tender age of 12 (Rashi and RaDaK on v 7) when many intelligent youngsters tend to be highly arrogant, the wise young King Solomon had the humility to understand he would need divine help in judging the busy, quarrelsome Israelites – for kingship (MALCHUS) is founded on Judgment (MISHPAT=TIFERES, the center column, balance) and the repair of Judgment depends upon BINAH, "understanding". Solomon thus asked God to "give Your servant a LISTENING heart" (v 9) in order to HEAR and UNDERSTAND, while God responded even more generously by giving him a heart that was WISE as well as UNDERSTANDING (v 12). CHOKHMAH, "wisdom", is the ability to GRASP, know and remember what one learns, while BINAH, "understanding", is the ability to ANALYZE what one knows in order to make new inferences, "understanding one thing from another" (RaDaK on v 12).

When Solomon awoke from his dream he knew that his request had been granted, because "he heard a bird chirping and understood its language, and he heard a dog barking and he understood what it was saying" (Rashi on v 15).

COT DEATH: WHOSE IS THE LIVING CHILD?

Solomon's first dramatic demonstration of his divinely-granted powers of judgment came with the arrival of the two "whores" who were quarreling about which of their two babies died and to whom the surviving child belonged.

The Talmudic teacher Rav held that these two "whores" were actually spirits. Rabbi Simon in the name of R. Yehoshua ben Levi said they were literally prostitutes. A third opinion, offered by unnamed sages, is that they were actually a mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:10).

This third opinion immeasurably sharpens the dispute between them on the assumption that the aggrieved mother who started pleading before the king saying that she had been the first to give birth (vv 17-18) was the mother-in-law. If the second woman – her daughter-in-law, who gave birth three days later – lost her husband AFTER the birth of her mother-in-law's baby and subsequently lost her own baby (an only child), it would mean that according to the law of the levirate marriage she would have to marry her mother-in-law's baby, the brother of her dead husband, her YAVAM, since with the death of her own baby her dead husband left no living issue. In any event she would have to wait thirteen years until her mother-in-law's baby became a legal adult in order to either carry out the mitzvah of YIBUM by marrying his dead brother's widow or release her from their bond through HALITZAH, "removal of the brother-in-law's sandal" (see Deut. 25:5ff).

Having to wait for thirteen years as a stranded AGUNAH before she could regularize her status would give the daughter-in-law a very strong incentive to take her mother-in-law's baby as her own, because if she could make it appear that her dead husband did have surviving issue this would release her from the bond of YIBUM with any of his brothers. Likewise, it would not bother her in the least if the king sliced the living child in half, because if he was indeed the sole surviving brother of her dead husband, his death would automatically release her from any bond of YIBUM in the absence of any YAVAM, leaving her free to marry anyone she wanted.

Before Solomon delivered his judgment, he first made sure to repeat the claims of each woman in his own words (v 23) to make it clear that he had understood exactly what they were saying. In this he provided a model for every good DAYAN ("judge"), who must review the claims made by the rival claimants before delivering judgment.

Solomon's brilliant bluff ordering a sword to be brought immediately elicited the natural motherly compassion of the true mother and exposed the lying baby-thief for what she was. "And all Israel heard the judgment that the king decided and they were in awe before the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment" (v 28).

* * * The passage in I Kings 3:15-28 and 4:1 is read as the Haftara of Parshas Miketz, Genesis 41:1-44:17 unless this parshah is read on Shabbos Chanukah * * *

CHAPTER 4

"AND SOLOMON WAS KING OVER ALL ISRAEL" (v 1)

David had been king over Judah in Hebron before he was accepted as king over all Israel. It is a tribute to David's lifelong struggle that the entire nation was now able to unite in accepting one king. They did so because they saw Solomon's divinely-bestowed wisdom and everyone rejoiced in his kingship (Rashi on v 1).

Listed first and foremost among Solomon's officers is the Priest – because the entire national agenda was now focused on building a functioning Temple. Solomon had scribes to write down his governmental decisions and dispatch them for execution; he had a MAZKIR (lit. "one who makes you remember") i.e. a "secretary" to make records of events and archive them. Like Saul and David, Solomon had his commander-in-chief. Listed among his officers is also "the king's friend" – presumably one who was likewise very wise indeed and with whom Solomon doubtless loved to fathom the depths of wisdom.

THE TWELVE PROVIDING OFFICERS

Solomon's kingship is portrayed as a model of good order, in which twelve NETZIVIM, "appointed officers", were in charge of collecting all the provisions, materials and other needs of the royal household and army from twelve regions into which the Land of Israel was divided. These regions did NOT correspond to the territorial portions of the Twelve Tribes, which were uneven both in area and in the kind of land they comprised. Rather, these twelve regions represented a fair division of the entire land into portions each one of which could sustain the royal household for one of the twelve months of the year (Radak on v 8).

The twelve months of the year correspond to the twelve possible permutations of the holy "essential" name of God, "HaVaYaH" (YKVK). These are discussed at length in SEFER YETZIRA, the earliest kabbalistic text, attributed to our father Abraham. This was certainly known to Solomon (whose Proverbs contain certain allusions to the wisdom of Sefer Yetzirah).

Just as the "sun" of the Name of HaVaYaH (=Zeir Anpin) shines month by month with different permutations to the "moon" of MALCHUS, "kingship" (=Nukva), so King Solomon (MALCHUS, the receiving vessel of Zeir Anpin=Chochmah) received his PARNASSAH ("livelihood") from TWELVE different regions of Eretz Israel, which itself corresponds to the Partzuf of Malchus.

"Judah and Israel multiplied like the sand of the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing" (v 20). "In the time of Solomon they were blessed with the fruit of the womb and they multiplied, as did the fruits of their animals and their land, and they ate and drank and rejoiced, for they had no fear of any enemy" (RaDaK on v 20).

May a new golden age even greater than that of Solomon speedily be inaugurated by the building of the Holy Temple that we now await!

It is undeniable that in the space of a year, the strategic landscape of the Middle East has changed dramatically to Israel’s advantage in a way that few could have imagined prior to the October 7 Hamas invasion. This many-fronted war is far from over. If Iran has been left exposed and embarrassed, there is the danger that she will take desperate steps like a cornered mother-cat. Hamas and Hezbollah may have been subdued, but the fanatics who make up their rank and file are far from being de-radicalized, and the same is true of like-minded terrorists and their masses of supporters across the Middle East and throughout the world. Radical Islamic terror remains a threat everywhere.

"He removes kings and installs kings"
What we may learn from the rapid downfall of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Assad tyranny, is that even when the forces of evil seem strongest and most powerfully entrenched, G-d Almighty, the Lord of Hosts, has the power to orchestrate His "hosts" and "legions", including all the many different and opposing forces on His global chessboard, to bring them down. For, "He changes times and seasons, removes kings and installs kings; He gives the wise their wisdom and knowledge to those who know" (Daniel 2:21).

It is incumbent on all Jews, Israelis and all our friends and allies everywhere, to understand that it is ultimately G-d alone who granted success and blessed the efforts of all the courageous soldiers who put their lives on the line in order to defend us in Gaza, Lebanon, in the skies of Syria and Iran, and in other locations across the world.
This Chanukah, let us remember G-d’s kindnesses and mercies to us when we gaze upon the lights of the Menorah, when we meditate on His great miracles for the Maccabees during the recital of Al Hanissim in the Amidah prayers and in the Grace after Meals, and when we sing His praises in the daily recital of the full Hallel (Psalms 113-118) on each of the eight days of the festival.

A second Trump presidency
Another miracle for which giving thanks at this time may well be appropriate is the election of President Donald Trump to a second presidency, which averted what seemed like a serious threat of four more years of radical, woke, Marxist-leaning misgovernment in the United States under a brainless, string-puppet figurehead controlled by ex-president Barack Obama.

Many hope that President Trump will take serious action to clean up the corrupt Washington "swamp", boost the US economy, deport millions of illegal aliens who have greatly increased crime, drug abuse and sex-trafficking across the country, and put an end to global wars. However, it remains an open question as to what extent he will be able to deliver on his promises in face of the massive opposition that is likely to arise domestically and internationally as soon as he takes office, including some that may come from quite unexpected directions.

The "Abraham Accords"
It does seem likely that the incoming Trump administration will show stronger support for further forceful action by Israel against her enemies, while simultaneously promoting the resumption of the "Abraham Accords", suspended under President Joe Biden, which are intended to induce Saudi Arabia and other supposedly "moderate" Moslem states to give full diplomatic recognition to Israel so as to open the way for greater economic cooperation for the mutual benefit of all.

It will indeed be entirely miraculous if the Abraham Accords can succeed in quelling the brand of extreme radicalism espoused today by millions of self-avowed Moslems across the globe, who are bent on intimidating and terrorizing people everywhere into submission, threatening death to all who refuse. Will the Saudis, who greatly profit from hosting Islam’s holiest site, succeed in persuading their fellow Moslems that true religion is not about violence and coercion but about persuading humanity to join together in seeking the Truth, submitting to the One God and carrying out His Will?

Can the Saudis be brought to officially acknowledge Mount Moriah as the site of the destined Future Temple in Jerusalem as prophesied by the prophets of Israel? If Donald Trump and Elon Musk will categorically declare that the ultimate goal of all Middle East diplomacy is to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, that in itself will be an astounding miracle, comparable to King Cyrus’ giving the green light for the building of the Second Temple (Ezra 1:2). Someone please get the message to them!

The Turkey factor
The present-day republic of Türkiye extends over vast areas of Anatolia and Western Asia that in Biblical times made up Ashur, the Assyrian empire. Indeed, Turkey’s current leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, shows signs of being no less of a megalomaniac than Sennacherib, king of Ashur, who laid siege to Jerusalem in the time of King Hezekiah until his miraculous defeat.

Erdoğan probably prefers we forget the time when a horse he was trying to mount threw him and gave him a mighty kick in the crotch, but it’s preserved on video. In his latest rant last week, Erdoğan said: "Turkey is far greater than its 782,000 square kilometers. Those questioning our presence in Syria, Libya or Somalia fail to grasp our vision." In other words, Turkey reserves the right to burst its way far beyond its current borders in order to resurrect the Ottoman Empire. Do we say good luck with that? Despite getting knackered in the crotch, the unhumbled Erdoğan fails to see any contradiction between his expansionist imperial visions and his unceasing accusations against Israel for the "illegal occupation" of Palestine, Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.

The greatest irony is that biblical prophecy points in the opposite direction to Erdoğan’s vision of "Greater Turkey", because it is precisely "little Israel", which all the nations of the world seek to push back behind the pre-1967 borders if not into the sea, which is ultimately destined to expand and encompass all of present-day Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, stretching "from the river to the river" — from the Nile to the Euphrates — as clearly laid down in Genesis 15:18-21, Numbers chapter 34 and Ezekiel 47:15-20. Under the final settlement, Israel’s Mediterranean border will extend to Hor Hahar, the mountain spur jutting into the sea aside modern-day Antiki (=ancient Antioch), well inside present-day Türkiye!

Greater Israel — for what?
The question we must clarify is: For what purpose do we seek the Greater Israel?
After Israel’s miraculous victory over Egypt, Syria and Jordan in 1967, when she recovered the biblical heartland of Israel, Judea and Samaria, the Golan Heights, Gaza and the Sinai desert, all in the space of six days, the Israeli far left simply did not know what to do with the conquered territories and just wanted to "give them back" as quickly as possible in exchange for "peace".

Thus after the reconquest of East Jerusalem, Israeli General Moshe Dayan immediately returned the keys of the Temple Mount into the hands of the Moslem Wafk police, since he clearly could not, or did not want to conceive of a Jewish Temple on the site. That would have obliged him to turn around his entire secular lifestyle and philosophy. Likewise, Israel’s far left campaigned unremittingly to "give back" the territories, until they jumped onto the accursed 1993 Oslo-Assla "Peace Process" nightmare that plagues us until today with the slogan: "YeShA (Yehuda-Judah, Shomron-Samaria & ‘Aza-Gaza) First".

Immediately after the Six Day War, many believers saw clearly the hand of G-d in Israel’s stunning accomplishments against all the odds. However, the cynical, increasingly decadent Israeli left shared neither their faith nor their vision of the return to the territories as a step towards the restored Greater Israel. On the contrary, the Israeli left with their backers among the western powers, were determined to uproot the Greater Israel vision and made every effort to crush and demoralize the many Israelis who cherished it. Successive Israeli governments bowed repeatedly to pressures from Washington to show "restraint" in face of painful provocations by her enemies.

If the same constant kowtowing by Israeli Jews to foreign pressure had existed in the years of the British Mandate (1917-48), Israel would never have attained her independence. It was the spirit of fierce Jewish nationalism that breathed in the souls of the pioneers and the Jewish military bands who fought against the Arab armies in the War of Independence that brought the Independent State of Israel into being.

The Israeli Fighting Spirit
This spirit of courageous Jewish nationalism shone in every word of Israel Prime Minister Menahem Begin’s famous retort to then-Senator Joe Biden in 1982 when he threatened to withhold US aid to Israel: "Don’t threaten us with cutting off your aid. It will not work. I am not a Jew with trembling knees. I am a proud Jew with 3,700 years of civilized history. Nobody came to our aid when we were dying in the gas chambers and ovens. Nobody came to our aid when we were striving to create our country. We paid for it. We fought for it. We died for it. We will stand by our principles. We will defend them. And, when necessary, we will die for them again, with or without your aid."

It was heartening to sense a return of this fighting spirit — the spirit of Judah and the Maccabees — in current Israel Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the same Joe Biden, now old and hoary, in the present war, openly defying his demands not to take the Gaza war into Rafah, not to enter Lebanon, etc. etc. In every case, following Biden’s dictates would have been a catastrophic capitulation to Israel’s enemies, while Israel’s successes came precisely from going against them.

Let us understand that the new Middle East landscape, replete as it with possible dangers to Israel and ripple-effect repercussions for Jews and our allies all over the world, nevertheless presents us with entirely new opportunities for advancing the prophetic vision of Greater Israel. It may be that the hand of G-d has been relatively concealed within Israel’s military successes against her enemies, yet without His help, all the courage of our fighters and the brilliance of our intelligence officers could not have succeeded.

We should be buoyed by the downfall of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Assad dictatorship, and the likely impending destruction of the Iranian regime. We must have faith that they came about through G-d’s redemptive kindness to Israel, that He is with us, and that He is leading us forward to the realization of the dreams of His servants the prophets.
Yes, Israel needs to survive in a global jungle of wild beasts, and we have no option but to defend ourselves with a disciplined army and top-grade armaments. Yes, Israel is the holy land, birthplace of Abrahamic faith, a pluralistic society that gives religious freedom to Jews, Christians, Moslems, Bahai, agnostics, atheists… We do not seek to force people to observe Shabbat, eat kosher, pray…

But those who know that the Land is promised to Israel under the terms of G-d’s Covenant — the Holy Torah — must strengthen our own observance and devotion, now more than ever, through the joy of seeing that G-d is truly with us. We must do everything in our power to promote the knowledge of the prophetic vision of a land properly policed, free of terror, murder, robbery, immorality, corruption and injustice, a land that will shine spiritual knowledge and the love of G-d to all the world, with Torah education for all Jews, Torah Academies for the nations, facilities for priests and Levites and their livelihood, and a rebuilt, functioning Temple.

Fearing God

Joseph’s abilities as a dream interpreter eventually landed him a job as a high Egyptian official in charge of grain supplies. Meanwhile his family in Canaan had begun to feel the effects of the predicted famine, so Jacob sent a delegation of his sons to buy grain in Egypt. Joseph recognized his brothers at once, but they did not recognize him: he was dressed as an Egyptian and spoke to them through an interpreter.


Taking advantage of this circumstance, Joseph accused his brothers of espionage and had them all thrown into jail. After three days, however, he relented and freed all but one of them, explaining, “I fear God.” What exactly did he mean by that—and why did he say it?


‘Fear of God” is a moving target: it underwent its own evolution from biblical times to later usage. But one point is most important: although it might not seem so, the “fear of God” (yir’at Elohim) in the Bible is generally quite distinct from the “fear of the LORD” (yir’at H’).


What’s the difference between these two? The “fear of the LORD” generally means “the worship of (Israel’s) God.” As such, it is something that had to be learned: “Come my sons, listen to me and I will teach you the fear of the LORD” (Psalm 34:12). Likewise, the Israelite king is required to keep a copy of the Torah with him, “Let it remain with him and let him read it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to observe faithfully every word of this Torah” (Deuteronomy 17:19). Similarly, “and let their children, who do not yet know, listen and learn to fear the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 31:13). When the Assyrians deported the northern Israelite tribes and replaced them with foreigners, at first the foreigners “did not fear the Lord, so the Lord set lions against them, who killed some of them... Then the Assyrian king gave an order: ‘Send back one of the priests (kohanim) whom you have deported. . . and let him teach them the practices of the God of Israel. So one of the priests whom they had exiled from Samaria came and settled in Bethel; he taught them how to fear the Lord.’ ” (2 Kings 17:26-28).


Meanwhile, the “fear of God” has an entirely different meaning; in fact, yir’at elohim might best be translated in some instances as “fear of the gods,” because it is in no way restricted to the people of Israel and does not necessarily refer to Israel’s God. The usual meaning of the expression yir’at elohim is “common decency” or “basic morality,” that is, the minimal set of moral values that any ordinary person could be counted on to possess.


This is the point of Abraham’s remark to Abimelech in Genesis 20:11: Abraham didn’t reveal that Sarah was his wife because “I thought to myself: there is no fear of the gods in this place, so they may kill me for my wife.” In other words, I wasn’t sure that out here even the minimum standards of human decency were respected. Similarly, when the Egyptian king ordered the Hebrew midwives to slaughter every newborn Hebrew boy, “they feared God and did not do as the Egyptian king had ordered; instead, they spared the boys” (Exodus 1:17).


Even in an entirely monotheistic context, “fear of God”—in this case, our God—retains this basic sense of common decency. “You shall not curse the deaf, and you shall not place a stumbling block before the blind, and you shall fear your God; I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:14). “You shall stand up before the elderly and show respect to the aged, and you shall fear your God; I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:32). Anyone with common decency wouldn’t put a stumbling block in front of a blind person, nor would such a person fail to get up and give his seat to an old man on the bus—this is just the minimum of human morality.


So Joseph wasn’t (as some ancient interpreters supposed) giving his brothers a subtle hint that he was actually their coreligionist. All he meant was that he too observed the usual standards of common decency; he wasn’t going to hold all of them hostage when he could accomplish what he wanted by holding only one of them.

JUST A MINUTE (THE PREACHER'S CORNER)

THE GRACE TO SAY *NO!*

We live in era where the GRACE TO SAY NO is of paramount importance. The rate of compromise especially among believers is alarming... very very alarming. If for believers, it's even much more alarming, when we see those who we looked up to(the custodians of God's Word...titled leaders of the church) twisting and fixing God's Word to fit into what they want.

Those genuine ones who began very well are caught in the web of unconscious deceit! The word *unconscious,* I used isn't for pastors,but for the congregations that set their GAZE on their pastor(daddy) instead of God. Of course, the pastors know what they're doing,having the devil built a bulwark around their hearts and consciences that they don't feel guilty turning God's Word upside down.
18. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Rev 22: 18-19)

Yet,God loaths compromise... it's the SMOOTH HIGHWAY TO BACKSLIDING... VERY MANY FRONTLINE PASTORS HAVE BACKSLIDDEN IN THEIR HEARTS;
1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Rom 12: 1-2)

MAY THE LORD GOD OUR FATHER, INCREASE IN US;

THE GRACE TO SAY NO,AMEN!

Joseph said NO to Sex!
Jesus said NO to Power!
Elisha said NO to Money!
Elijah said NO to Baal!
Caleb said NO to Fear!
Balaam said NO to Gold!
Moses said NO to Egypt!
Misheck said NO to king!
Aaron said NO to slavery!
David said NO to Giants!

Joshua said NO to defeat!
Lot said NO to sodomy!
Rechabs said NO to wine!
Esther said NO to comfort!
Daniel said NO to defilement!
Hezekiah said NO to death!
Shadrach said NO to idolatry!
Paul said NO to Hypocrisy!
Zecchaeus said NO to corruption!

Hannah said NO to barrenness!
Hosea said NO to divorce!
Rahab said NO to prostitution!
Abraham said NO to his father's house
Isaac said NO to strife!
Jacob said NO to cursed blessings!
Tamar said NO to injustice!

Ezra said NO to syncretism!
Nehemiah said NO to shame!
Gideon said NO to evil altars!
Samuel said NO to prayerlessness!
Samson said NO to oppression!
Solomon said NO to foolishness!

What have you said NO to?
What can't you say NO to?
May you receive the grace to say NO!

Receive the grace to say NO!!
No to ungodliness!
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (Tit 2: 11)
Amen!

THAT I MAY KNOW HIM!(PHP.3:10)
***********************************
COMPROMISE AND WHAT IT PORTENDS FOR THE CHRISTIAN.
===========================
Summarily, compromise is giving up what you truly want in order to reach an agreement. In the world, compromise is a veritable tool to avoid or settle disputes... that's both sides conceding principles or values. Even marriages hardly work without compromise.

However,while it's truly sacrosanct tool of peace in society, it isn't, where the Glory of our Awesome God is involved.

Indeed,in Christianity, compromise simply means ;*changing the question to fit the answer...* something God doesn't tolerate. And truthfully but sadly, this is the dominant narrative in a very great percentage of us christians today... from the pulpit to the pew and vice versa.

16. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Rev 3: 16-17)

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Rom 12: 2)

So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; (1Ch 10: 13)

It was compromise that eventually denied Saul his kingdom rights...I believe we all know about Balaam and how he ended... Abraham's compromise to Sarah led to Ishmael,whose descendants continue to deny Isaac's offsprings the much desired peace,even till today,and tomorrow...infact,the Israelites story was a story of compromise,and they paid dearly for it...*COMPROMISE IS SYNONYMOUS WITH IDOL WORSHIP* believe it or not.
Let's see some reasons why people compromise.

COMPROMISE (COMMON REASONS)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(A)Fear of rejection;

The fear of being alone or pointed out from the crowd...the (if you can't beat them,join them syndrome) this is especially dominant in peer pressure,career and sociatal pressure,where everyone wants to belong. Want to be seen as modern,big girls and boys,the reason why many youths lose their virginity very early...get rich and famous. Here,we have Christ Jesus' thoughts on this;

For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (Joh 12: 43)

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? (Joh 5: 44)

....: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. (1Sa 2: 30)


(B)Tolerance ;

Sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from God’s.
Here,the best way to simplify this is; you see people doing what's starkly against God's Word,and you're in support...in your heart,you are thrilled,you may attempt to even weakly speak against it publicly... especially when those involved are friends, family or those we secretly adore...the BBNaija and titans (promotion of repackaged whoredom) is an essential example here;

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: 32)

(C) Pleasure ;

The willingness to give in to be *happy* This is where the lust and love for the flesh(the world and its trappings), takeover a our will. We want to equally enjoy the allures the world has to offer...*NOW,THIS IS REALLY A VERY DANGEROUS ONE* that satan is successfully using to speedily drag Man down.
Political and and a lot of prosperity pastors,are active participators here. The same goes for pastors seeking for and occupying political offices, when it's lucidly obvious to even the most ignorant that, there's just *NO WAY YOU CAN PLAY SECULAR POLITICS WITHOUT COMPROMISE (ONE WAY OR THE OTHER),OR SOILING OUR GARMENT OF PRAISE*

This is truly where you see prosperity pastors /politicians twisting the narrative,*CHANGING THE QUESTION TO FIT THE ANSWER* They're quick to cite Daniel and Joseph, without mentioning the price they paid. Prosperity guys lay hold on the Abrahamic covenant, deliberately omitting the dangers of worldly possessions as pointed out by Christ Jesus,and His disciples...this entrepreneurial pastors even present lack and hardships as to being caused by our sins;

22. And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

23. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. (Luk 12: 22-23)

For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (Luk 18: 25)

And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mar 4: 19)

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1Ti 6: 7-10)

(D)Laziness;

Too lazy to fight for what God believes and you give in.
Here,we have Eli and King David as perfect examples of our indifference towards fighting to defend our beliefs, that's what we know to be true.
Eli was too careless to enforce strict discipline on his sons,the same with David who compromised principles and remained at Jerusalem, instead of being with his soldiers at the battlefront...he eventually fell to Bathsheba. He couldn't monitor his children. He lazily made room for Absolom(his son,not even his heir) to be able to unseat him from his throne and ran for his life,he even mourned the death of Absolom,that would have turned his soldiers against him, hadn't it been Joab's timely intervention.

Compromise has a pattern...when we come back,by His grace and mercy,we will discuss it.

Until then, let's reexamine ourselves to seek and fish out where we're compromising God's statutes...mind you,most of us are compromising without knowing that we are...it begins very subtly,just like a proud person never believes he is proud,until it becomes really pronounced in most cases.

We need to be sincere with ourselves on this, and make hay while the sun yet shinesAmen!

THAT I MAY KNOW HIM!(PHP.3:10)
***********************************
COMPROMISE AND WHAT IT PORTENDS FOR THE CHRISTIAN.
===========================
Summarily, compromise is giving up what you truly want in order to reach an agreement. In the world, compromise is a veritable tool to avoid or settle disputes... that's both sides conceding principles or values. Even marriages hardly work without compromise.

However,while it's truly sacrosanct tool of peace in society, it isn't, where the Glory of our Awesome God is involved.

Indeed,in Christianity, compromise simply means ;*changing the question to fit the answer...* something God doesn't tolerate. And truthfully but sadly, this is the dominant narrative in a very great percentage of us christians today... from the pulpit to the pew and vice versa.

16. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Rev 3: 16-17)

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Rom 12: 2)

So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; (1Ch 10: 13)

It was compromise that eventually denied Saul his kingdom rights...I believe we all know about Balaam and how he ended... Abraham's compromise to Sarah led to Ishmael,whose descendants continue to deny Isaac's offsprings the much desired peace,even till today,and tomorrow...infact,the Israelites story was a story of compromise,and they paid dearly for it...*COMPROMISE IS SYNONYMOUS WITH IDOL WORSHIP* believe it or not.
Let's see some reasons why people compromise.

COMPROMISE (COMMON REASONS)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(A)Fear of rejection;

The fear of being alone or pointed out from the crowd...the (if you can't beat them,join them syndrome) this is especially dominant in peer pressure,career and sociatal pressure,where everyone wants to belong. Want to be seen as modern,big girls and boys,the reason why many youths lose their virginity very early...get rich and famous. Here,we have Christ Jesus' thoughts on this;

For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (Joh 12: 43)

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? (Joh 5: 44)

....: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. (1Sa 2: 30)


(B)Tolerance ;

Sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from God’s.
Here,the best way to simplify this is; you see people doing what's starkly against God's Word,and you're in support...in your heart,you are thrilled,you may attempt to even weakly speak against it publicly... especially when those involved are friends, family or those we secretly adore...the BBNaija and titans (promotion of repackaged whoredom) is an essential example here;

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: 32)

(C) Pleasure ;

The willingness to give in to be *happy* This is where the lust and love for the flesh(the world and its trappings), takeover a our will. We want to equally enjoy the allures the world has to offer...*NOW,THIS IS REALLY A VERY DANGEROUS ONE* that satan is successfully using to speedily drag Man down.
Political and and a lot of prosperity pastors,are active participators here. The same goes for pastors seeking for and occupying political offices, when it's lucidly obvious to even the most ignorant that, there's just *NO WAY YOU CAN PLAY SECULAR POLITICS WITHOUT COMPROMISE (ONE WAY OR THE OTHER),OR SOILING OUR GARMENT OF PRAISE*

This is truly where you see prosperity pastors /politicians twisting the narrative,*CHANGING THE QUESTION TO FIT THE ANSWER* They're quick to cite Daniel and Joseph, without mentioning the price they paid. Prosperity guys lay hold on the Abrahamic covenant, deliberately omitting the dangers of worldly possessions as pointed out by Christ Jesus,and His disciples...this entrepreneurial pastors even present lack and hardships as to being caused by our sins;

22. And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

23. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. (Luk 12: 22-23)

For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (Luk 18: 25)

And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mar 4: 19)

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1Ti 6: 7-10)

(D)Laziness;

Too lazy to fight for what God believes and you give in.
Here,we have Eli and King David as perfect examples of our indifference towards fighting to defend our beliefs, that's what we know to be true.
Eli was too careless to enforce strict discipline on his sons,the same with David who compromised principles and remained at Jerusalem, instead of being with his soldiers at the battlefront...he eventually fell to Bathsheba. He couldn't monitor his children. He lazily made room for Absolom(his son,not even his heir) to be able to unseat him from his throne and ran for his life,he even mourned the death of Absolom,that would have turned his soldiers against him, hadn't it been Joab's timely intervention.

Compromise has a pattern...when we come back,by His grace and mercy,we will discuss it.

Until then, let's reexamine ourselves to seek and fish out where we're compromising God's statutes...mind you,most of us are compromising without knowing that we are...it begins very subtly,just like a proud person never believes he is proud,until it becomes really pronounced in most cases.

We need to be sincere with ourselves on this, and make hay while the sun yet shinesAmen!

Saddam did not have WMD’s when Bush Jr said he did but he did have WMD’s when Bush Sr covered it up
Jonas E. Alexis, Senior EditorDecember 19, 2024

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Commentary by Jonas E. Alexis, VT Editor

In 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini referred to the United States as “the Great Satan” for a reason. He articulated a principle that remains relevant to this day. Khomeini stated:

“There is no crime America will not commit in order to maintain its political, economic, cultural, and military domination of those parts of the world where it predominates. It exploits the oppressed people of the world by means of the large-scale propaganda campaigns that are coordinated for it by international Zionism. By means of its hidden and treacherous agents, it sucks the blood of the defenseless people as if it alone, together with its satellites, had the right to live in this world. Iran has tried to sever all its relations with this Great Satan and it is for this reason that it now finds wars imposed upon it.”[1]



“International Zionism” aptly describes the situation at the time. The United States and England had already overthrown Iran’s democratically elected president, Mohammad Mossadegh, in 1953,[2] and both countries were expanding aggressively in the Middle East to keep a diabolical empire alive and well.



By 1988, during the Iran-Iraq conflict, the United States unsurprisingly sided with Iraq, despite knowing that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction—a fact the U.S. government denied at the time. The denial was a strategic move by the Reagan administration, which sought to ensure an Iraqi victory and pressure Iran into negotiations.



Moreover, the Iraq government “relied on U.S. satellite imagery, maps, and other intelligence. These attacks helped to tilt the war in Iraq’s favor and bring Iran to the negotiating table, and they ensured that the Reagan administration’s long-standing policy of securing an Iraqi victory would succeed.”[3]

Iran attempted to build a case against Iraq at the time for using chemical weapons but lacked sufficient evidence. Who knew that Iraq had indeed used chemical weapons? The United States of America—commonly referred to as “The Great Satan.” They lied about weapons of mass destruction then, just as they lied about them in 2003, which is the focus of the article you’re about to read by Jim Coleman.

The conclusion here is clear: it’s never really about weapons of mass destruction. If any country in the Middle East uses such weapons against a nation that the United States or Israel opposes, it’s deemed acceptable. Conversely, if Israel declares that a Middle Eastern country possesses weapons of mass destruction and calls for an attack—as in the case of Iraq in 2003—the United States obediently follows the directives of the Israeli regime. This behavior exemplifies why the United States continues to be labeled “The Great Satan” by Iran. Israel is certainly part of The Synagogue of Satan which must be challenged militarily.

by Jimmy R. Coleman

President George W. Bush, or ‘Bush Jr.’ to differentiate him from his daddy George H.W. Bush or ‘Bush Sr.’, used Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) as the major pretext to invade Iraq in 2003.

Anyone with breath sufficient to fog a mirror knows the Bush administration, after months of searching, failed to uncover active WMD’s. Today most Homo sapiens, perhaps even a few Neanderthals, accept the notion George W. Bush sold America the Beautiful a ‘Pig in a Poke’, a deal the American Citizenry foolishly accepted without prior examination. We now know the chemical weapons found in Iraq after the 2003 invasion were in the main considered “inert,” meaning they were no longer active due to degradation from age and environmental conditions. Current Affairs stated that a number of abandoned stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, from before 1991, were uncovered but the Bush administration actually worked to conceal the discovery, because these “filthy, rusty, or corroded” weapons were clearly “long-abandoned.”

However, as it so happens, Declassified CIA documents and interviews with former intelligence officials, provide us with firm unequivocally evidence that Saddam did in fact possess an active WMD cache. Does this mean then Bush was telling We the People the truth and nothing but the truth? The answer, my friend, as Bob Dylan aptly phrased it, is blowin’ in the wind. The answer depends entirely on which Bush we are talking about, George W. Jr. or George H.W. the Sr. Bush.

Suffice it to say, George W. Bush Jr. did sell the American Citizenry green cheese or if you prefer, a lump of coal. David Corn, bureau chief for Mother Jones, perchance said it best when he declared, “Bush and Cheney were not misled by flawed intelligence; they were promoting false information.” Truthfully speaking, Saddam possessed active Weapons of Mass Destruction, not during Bush the Son’s reign but years earlier during President Reagan and ‘Daddy’ Bush’s administration.

Reagan and Vice President George H.W. not only knew of Saddam Hussein’s WMD arsenal and their planned use but they were its spearhead, without which said approval and help there would have been no Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction. The declassified CIA documents reveal Saddam’s WMD program was active a decade and a half-earlier than the 2003 “Mission Accomplished” invasion of Iraq occurred, from 1980-1988.

According to NTI, The Nuclear Threat Initiative,

“Under Saddam Hussein, Iraq pursued every major category of WMD, but dismantled its programs under UN supervision following defeat in the 1991 Gulf War. Nonetheless, unfounded U.S. and Western suspicions that it was reconstituting its WMD programs led to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and regime change.”

Saddam and his Ba’athist party was not always our sworn enemy. In fact when America was not trying to kill him and his cohorts toward the end of his rein, ‘My country tis of thee’ was Saddam’s trusted ally, alongside global oil and companies like Halliburton and Bechtel who found Saddam’s friendship most rewarding. While it is true Saddam killed, maimed, tortured and otherwise suppressed for decades the Shia of Iraq who made up 75% of its population, Ronald Reagan’s special representative, Donald Rumsfield declared America and Saddam’s Iraq shared many common interests. Saddam Hussein proved useful to the United States, especially so when in 1980 he launched a war against Iran.

The United States, along with the Germans, French and British, never in short supply of the accoutrements and weapons of war, especially when well compensated by the likes of Saddam, provided the chemicals and production equipment to produce sarin and mustard gas the Butcher of Baghdad used against Iran, the same deadly mixture the Germans used in WWI. Twenty-four U.S. firms were involved in exporting materials to Baghdad. In 2014 the New York Times reported that, “In five of six incidents in which troops were wounded by the cleaning up of chemical agents remaining from years earlier, the munitions appeared to have been designed in the United States, manufactured in Europe and filled in chemical agent production lines built in Iraq by Western companies.” We provided Saddam with essential intelligence on Iranian troop positions and weather conditions, along with crop dusting helicopters that gave him the ability to fly over the Iranian troops, spraying them as if they were no more than weeds, killing 100,000 of the unprotected Iranians.

In addition to gassing the Iranians, in 39 separate gas attacks, Saddam used these same banned weapons against the Kurds “Anfal” to kill an estimated 5,000 of their own citizens. Iraqi forces from all causes killed 50,000-100,000 Kurds. All told one million lives were lost, three times that number wounded and made homeless, during the eight years of the Iraq-Iran war from 1980-1988, the majority of casualties Iranian.

According to retired Army Colonel W. Patrick Lang, senior defense intelligence officer for the United States Defense Intelligence Agency at the time, “the use of gas on the battlefield by the Iraqis was not a matter of deep strategic concern” to Reagan and his aides, because they “were desperate to make sure that US-backed Iraq did not lose. In 1982, one veteran involved with the program shrugged that “it was just another way of killing people—whether with a bullet or phosgene, it didn’t make any difference.” The U.S. added Iraq to the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism on December 29, 1979, but removed it in February 1982 to allow U.S. aid to Iraq while it was fighting Iran in the Iran-Iraq war. The Reagan administration, realized Iraq was “the only thing standing between revolutionary Iran and the Persian Gulf oil fields”. On September 13, 1990, the “ Land of the Brave and Home of the Free” reinstated sanctions against Iraq following its invasion of Kuwait. Given the on and off again fluctuations, it is difficult to ascertain Iraq’s current status, either in good stead with America or as a member of the terrorist nations of the world.

From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli Bush the son told the world Saddam had WMD’s, justifying the American invasion of Iraq. It proved to be a bald face lie. The American government also lied to We the People when a decade and a half earlier the Reagan/Bush Sr administration covered up the fact, a euphemism for lied, Saddam’s did indeed have a WMD program, and it helped to create it. As the American radio broadcaster liked to say, “And now you know…the rest of the story”.

Jim Coleman holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology, theology, and drama, as well as a master’s degree in history and sociology. He also completed postgraduate studies in criminology and social welfare.

[1] Quoted in E. Michael Jones, “The Great Satan and Me: Reflections on Iran and Postmodernism’s Faustian Pact,” Culture Wars, July/August 2015.

[2] See Stephen Kinzer, All the Shah’s Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror (Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2003 & 2008); Christopher de Bellaigue, Patriot of Persia: Muhammad Mossadegh and a Tragic Anglo-American Coup (New York: HarperCollins, 2013); Ervand Abrahamian, The Coup: 1953, the CIA, and the Roots of Modern U.S.-Iranian Relations (New York: The New Press, 2015).

[3] Shane Harris and Matthew M. Aid, “Exclusive: CIA Files Prove America Helped Saddam as He Gassed Iran,” Foreign Policy, August 26, 2013.

VT Condemns the ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINIANS by USA/Israel

$280+ BILLION US TAXPAYER DOLLARS INVESTED since 1948 in US/Israeli Ethnic Cleansing and Occupation Operation
150B direct "aid" and $ 130B in "Offense" contracts
Source: Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C. and US Department of State.

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https://www.vtforeignpolicy.com/2024/12/saddam-did-not-have-wmds-when-bush-jr-said-he-did-but-he-did-have-wmds-when-bush-sr-covered-it-up/

HIS WORD ABOVE HIS NAME(PS.138:2)

THE MISLEADING PROSPERITY AND MOTIVATIONAL SPEECHES AND THEIR NEGATIVE IMPACT! (PART ONE)

Those who are engaged in the prosperity and motivational speeches, aren't preaching or teaching from God's Word,but are doing
so from their human wisdom and knowledge...WHICH WE DO KNOW IS FOOLISHNESS BEFORE GOD.

YOU KNOW I WAS SURPRISED YESTERDAY,WHEN, I HEARD OYEDEPO,(ONE OF THE GODFATHERS OF MOTIVATIONAL SPEECHES) CHANGING POSITION THAT GIVING ALONE DOESN'T MAKE ONE RICH... FOR ME, IT WAS AMUSING AND HURTFUL AT THE SAME TIME. AFTER UNJUSTLY USING PEOPLE'S SWEAT TO SOLIDLY PLANT HIS FEET GLOBALLY AS ONE OF THE MOST MADLY RICH PASTORS WORLDWIDE... EVEN NOW,HIS WORSHIPPERS YET SEE NOTHING WRONG.

Some two years ago ,I read a meme,which to an extent reveals this. A man authored a book on*how to make money and be successful in life*
When he wanted to publish the book,he sought for financial assistance from people. One of the respondents answered him thus,*YOU WROTE A BOOK ON HOW TO MAKE MONEY,* APPLY YOUR TEACHING, INSTEAD OF WASTING TIME SEEKING HELP FROM OUTSIDE! Sadly, this is the true reality on ground today.

By His Grace and Mercy, I welcome you back to our Bible study series.

Using Heb.11:13&40, as our anchor study guide, let's see what we(you and me),should honestly and passionately seek after;

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them , and embraced them , and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (Heb 11: 13)

Perhaps, it's necessary to first point out that there are Israel specific Promises,that may slightly be at variance with our own expectations,as adopted Israelites, for instance;

When we talk about the promises of God, we have to acknowledge an important fact. Before any of His promises can be applied to the Body of Messiah, God’s PROMISES WERE FIRST GIVEN TO HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL. And it is IMPRESSIVE HOW OFTEN GOD STRESSES THE FACT THAT HIS PROMISES ARE ETERNAL AND LAST FOREVER.

The whole story of salvation centers around the history of Israel, her creation, redemption and restoration. God’s Might and Power is evident in His Everlasting Promise to Israel (first laid out in Genesis 12:1-3). There, the Lord promises He will make Abram into a great nation and will bless him.

Later on, in Deuteronomy 30:3-5, God promises Israel a specific Land! From that moment on, we know it as the Promised Land. The Lord said He would bring His people to the land He chose, and He would make their descendants prosperous. So,we need to understand this all important fact,when studying the General Impact,(application and efficiency)of God's Promises.(Hopefully,we will talk more on this on a later date)

Now back to Heb.11:13; if we carefully read the preceding verses, we will see the reference to various Old Testament figures who exemplified Faith in God...names such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah were referenced. This verse ties together the reason for including these various stories. In this case, the point is that each of these people had a faith that *looked forward.*Despite not having a crystal-clear view of the future, they chose to trust in God and obey (Hebrews 11:1–2).

In some cases, such as Abraham and Sarah, they did not even live to see the promises fulfilled. And yet, their perspective was eternal, rather than temporary. As an earlier verse pointed out, these were men and women *looking forward*to God's ultimate plans (Hebrews 11:10).

The concept I want us to see here is that,*NOT ALL OF GOD'S PROMISES ARE MEANT FOR FULFILLMENT,ON THIS OF ETERNITY(this includes the unimaginable level we are taking worldly prosperity to)

Look at the depth of this, from that perspective.

For those who truly trust in God, life on earth is merely a temporary journey. Christians should live up to the idea that this life, and this earth, is not our real home. Instead, as the book of Hebrews indicates, we are *strangers and exiles on the earth.*
This is the kind of faith which allows us to trust God despite personal abuse, as did Abel (Hebrews 11:4). We can obey difficult and confusing commands, as did Noah (Hebrews 11:7). We can trust God to make good on His Word, even when it seems as if He's waited too long, as did Abraham and Sarah (Hebrews 11:8–12).

These figures accepted God's promises and *greeted them from afar,* from that perspective. *ACCEPTANCE OF THIS PRECIOUS TRUTH,MAKES THE RACE OF LIFE MUCH MORE EASIER, WHEN WE GENUINELY REALISE THAT WE AREN'T HERE TO STAY,THAT AT SOME POINT,WE WOULD HAVE TO DEPART TO A MORE BEAUTIFUL ETERNITY*

It certainly would prompt us to an awakening that will drastically reduce our pursuit and dependance on amassing earthly wealth, that has no bearing whatsoever, in the life to come. This is the kind of faith which the entire book of Hebrews wants to inspire in us.

While the actions of the referenced persons are important, the common theme of these early references is OBEDIENCE TO GOD WHEN FULFILLMENT OF HIS PROMISES SEEMS DISTANT, especially in the context of those who demonstrated faith in the face of more immediate hardship.

True, godly faith is defined as trust, relying on God when looking to the future, and obeying even when we don't fully understand all details. The great figures of the Old Testament, such as Abraham, Moses, and David, all lived according to this type of faith.

Ultimately, that means TRUSTING GOD'S INTENT TO MAKE GOOD ON HIS PROMISES FROM AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE (certainly not the earthly acquisition of mundane things perspective.)

The model of faith presented by those people, in light of the struggles they faced, ought to inspire Christians towards a more confident, purposeful faith...which in effect means that, WHATEVER WE HAVE HERE ON THIS SIDE OF ETERNITY IS A MERE *CASUAL FLING*,THAT ISN'T MEANT TO LEAD TO MARRIAGE. When a lady intent on marriage (especially when age isn't favourable anymore) discovers her man isn't keen on marriage...what does she do...she moves on...our presence on earth is something like that;

If YE WERE OF THE WORLD, the WORLD would LOVE his OWN: but BECAUSE YE are NOT of the WORLD, but I have chosen you out of the world, THEREFORE THE WORLD HATETH YOU. (Joh 15: 19)

I want to emphasize something here(precious Truth),which most of us ignore;
*WE ARE NOT OF THE WORLD,YET WE ARE COMPETING WITH THE WORLD,TO TAKE FROM IT, WHAT RIGHTLY BELONGS TO IT(though temporarily) ISN'T THAT AN IRONY?*

That's why James wrote;

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the FRIENDSHIP of THE WORLD is ENMITY with GOD? WHOSOEVER THEREFORE will BE a FRIEND of the WORLD is the ENEMY of GOD. (Jas 4: 4)

We are going to continue this shortly,but before then look, at this;

God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Heb 11: 40)

If you understand the verse, it's easy to realise that,most of God's Promises for us, aren't meant for us, while yet in the world,but when we,by His Grace and Mercy, have crossed the extra wide berth between Eternal death and Eternal Life... Prayerfully think about this until we return.

May you experience a sweetly memorable December.

God bless His Word in our hearts and lives, Amen !

YOU CAN'T GIVE WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE... SATAN HAS NOTHING TO OFFER WITHOUT GOD'S CONSENT(JOB 1:9-12) [PART 2]

DINING WITH THE DEVIL...NO SPOON IS LONG ENOUGH!(LK.16:24-26)

Today there's more than enough for the the CHURCH to WORRY about,if you are a hardcore believer of God and His [Udiluted] Word.

Only the Good Lord knows why HE has been taking me down this road in the past weeks. Perhaps,as one, on the other side of the aisle tagged*POVERTY MENTALITY GROUP*,it should be easier than the other side, the side of *ACCLAIMED WORSHIPPERS OF A RICH GOD*,to spill it out,as DIRECTED! I am equally not oblivious of the scorn that awaits me.

You see, there's a popular maxim that says,*Use a Long Spoon when Dining with the Devil* The truth is that,no spoon is long enough(if you like,use a laddle or paddle), the devil has the uncanny ability of grabbing your hands,if he wants to. And you know the implications. Dining with the devil makes you fall into the hands of the Living God,and it's terrifying.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Heb 10: 31)

It's established that we are aware in the course of our studies ,about JEHOVAH'S JEALOUSY OVER THE SHARING OF HIS GLORY,AND MANY OF US RECEIVING OUR REWARDS ON EARTH ALREADY!

Today isn't different,as our FATHER explained that many notable*warriors* in *HIS ARMY* have long let down their *guard,* when they tasted from Lucifer's dish.

First of all,we had God warning us;

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1Co 10: 31)

6. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

7. For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; (Deu 8: 6-7)

10. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

11. Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

12. Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;

13. And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;

14. Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; (Deu 8: 10-14)


If we want to be truthful to ourselves,it should be common knowledge that the *beats and tunes*change when the less privileged walks into affluence...(pastor or member,believer or unbeliever...VERY FEW HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO AVOID THE PITFALLS THAT COME WITH RICHES. And they are daily becoming fewer.

I have even personally interrogated myself,if I could still faithfully maintain this MANDATE,if I happened to cross into that league...frankly,the answer is still not forthcoming.

However, what most of us (especially pastors) either deliberately or ignorantly refused to accept is the fact not everyone of is compulsorily expected to cross into the league of earthly prosperity. And many of us God allowed to cross into our *today's promised land,* have eaten our full and built goodly houses* and forgotten the reason for the upliftment.

In the story of Lazarus,nowhere did Christ Jesus tagged the rich man an unbeliever or believer...just as we read it* a rich man*!
But the unexpected upliftment got our heads swollen,that most of us thought it was our personal effort , setting up ourselves to fall into the snares laid by our enemy.

23. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. (Luk 16: 23-25)

What is prominent in that story,is the *GENERAL ATTITUDE OF THE AFFLUENT*!

Many highly RESPECTED CLERICS have UNCONSCIOUSLY or SUBCONSCIOUSLY RELEGATED GOD'S INPUT to the BACKGROUND.
They saw themselves deservedly selected for favour, while the seemingly unfavoured are counted as sinners or those displeasing to God.

IN SIMPLER TERMS, MEN GET CARRIED AWAY,AFTER YIELDING TO THE TRAPPINGS OF THE WORLD...GOD WARNED US THAT SATAN IS CRAFTY AND SUBTLE;

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.... (Gen 3: 1)

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Mat 10: 16)

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Rev 12: 9)

AND BECAUSE THOSE THAT GOD PICKED UP FOR THESE SPECIAL ROLES BECAUSE OF THE DAYS AHEAD , WHEN GOD WILL USE THEM TO FULFILL HIS PURPOSE, FORGOT THE MANDATE :

1. But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.
2. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Mic 4: 1-2)

10. Bring ye all the tithes into the STOREHOUSE, that there may be MEAT in MINE HOUSE, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11. And I will REBUKE the devourer[THE ENEMY] for your sakes, and he shall not DESTROY the FRUITS of YOUR GROUND; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. (Mal 3: 10-11)

AND INSTEAD MADE THEMSELVES DEMIGODS OVER THOSE THEY FELT WERE SUFFERING, FROLICKING AND FRATERNIZING WITH THOSE IN THE CORRIDORS OF WORLDLY POWER, THEY DEVIATED FROM GOD'S WORD AND APPROVAL AND ARE RESERVED FOR GOD'S WRATH AND JUDGEMENT (NO MATTER THE LONG AND TONGUE TWISTING TITLES THEY BARE) THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAVE TURNED THEIR BACKS ON GOD AND SETTING A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT.

Thus, those of us who felt impatient and felt slighted by both God and man,that upon all our faithfulness, it seems we have been abandoned,and inspite of these several warnings,we still fall prey to the devil's antics of distraction AND CHOSE TO DINE WITH THE DEVIL AT WHATEVER COST... meanwhile this was the ultimate aim of our common enemy, and gladly obliged them, oftentimes hiding the consequences from them, and leaving them to discover and learn the hard way.

13. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (2Co 11: 13-15)

Christ Jesus was no one's fool when HE warned, it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to make God's Kingdom (pastor or member,believer or unbeliever)!

*THOSE WHO STARTED WELL ARE ENDING POORLY, BECAUSE OF HAVING TASTED *THE WORLD*! (FIRST BECOMING LAST AND VICE VERSA).
THE BLESSINGS OF GOD DOESN'T ADD SORROW...THUS, IT'S NO LONGER OF GOD, WHEN BLESSINGS ARE CAUSING YOU TO MISS THE ROAD TO YOUR MAKER AND MASTER!

Let's look at a funny but serious example;
Many affluent clerics can give you a MIND BLOWING FIGURE of their exploits in philanthropy.

But in their churches,are many who can't afford the school fees of the Church owned(Abi G.O owned) schools...the same with the medical facilities...AND MILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF NAIRA AND DOLLARS LIE dormant in their bank accounts.

Many are sharing one room apartments,others entirely homeless,but their churches have ESTATES. IT ISN'T AS IF IT CAN BE DONE FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON...BUT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR,CAN IT BE COMMENSURATE TO WHAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED? WHY BLAME POLITICIANS.

Now,the fun is this,these clerics,when they were still at the bottom of the ladder, they were invoking passion and stirring emotions as they called,WHAT THEMSELVES ARE DOING NOW,*INJUSTICE*, but today, it's a little less injustice, I suppose.

IN A NUTSHELL, MANY OF US CLERICS ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOT TO ANSWER BEFORE GOD... BECAUSE WHEN THE BLESSINGS OF THE MANDATE CAME, OUR VISION AS KEEPERS OF GOD'S FLOCKS WAS BLURRED, OUR VALUES AND PRINCIPLES WERE TAMPERED WITH,BY THE CRAVINGS OF THE WORLD.

REMEMBER;

YOU CAN'T PUT YOUR HAND IN THE FIRE, WITHOUT GETTING BURNT,OR SCARRED EVEN!

We serve a Merciful GOD... there's yet time,as we breathe...but is the willingness there?
LIKE I BELIEVE WE AGREED,THERE ARE OTHER DISTRACTIVE TACTICS THE COMMON ENEMY IS USING TO DIVERT OUR ATTENTIOBUT, I JUST WANT US TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT GOD IS NOT AGAINST PROSPERITY, THAT HE, INFACT PROSPER THE CHURCH FOR A PURPOSE, FOR THE LAST DAYS THAT WILL HERALD CHRIST JESUS RETURN!

BUT THE CHURCH LOST IT. HOWEVER GOD'S WORD MUST ALWAYS COME TO PASS, EVEN IF HE HAS TO CHANGE VESSELS AND METHODS. DO YOU (I) WANT TO BE CHANGED?

Help us Oh LORD,Amen!

Israel-Backed Al Qaeda Terrorists Storm Aleppo
Kevin Barrett, Senior EditorDecember 2, 2024

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The Syrian Army is pressing ahead with its operations to confront and expel foreign-backed terrorists from the country’s north and northwestern provinces. Reports on the ground say that the Syrian military backed by the Russian Air Force struck the terror groups in villages of Hazarin and Al-Raqeya in the southern countryside of the province of Idlib. Airstrikes also targeted positions of Al-Nusra Front Terror Group around Khan Sheikhoun south of Idlib and Morek in the northern countryside of Hama. The Syrian military says it has reinforced its defense lines with various means of fire, personnel and equipment in areas where clashes are underway with the terrorists. The army also says it’s managed to secure a number of areas including Ma’ardis. According to the Syrian media, nearly terrorists have been killed in three days of fighting. Clashes between the army and the terrorists erupted after attack theory groups, including al-Nusra Front, launched a surprise attack on northern and northwestern parts of Syria on Wednesday.

And reactions and condemnations continue pouring in over the resurgence of foreign-backed terrorism in Syria. The Arab League has issued a statement stressing the need to respect the sovereignty and preserve the territorial integrity of Syria. League Secretary General Ahmed Abu Ghait expressed concerns over the continuous developments that Syria is witnessing and their impacts on civilians. In a phone call, the UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said the country stands with Syria and supports it in combating terrorism and unifying its territory. The Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudanian and Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein expressed their country’s support, saying that Syria’s security and stability are linked to Iraq’s national security. In a statement, the Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yivan Gil expressed country solidarity with the Syrian people and government, calling on the international community to condemn terrorist attacks in Syria.

And now joining us at Saidiya, Morocco, is Dr. Kevin Barrett, editor at Veterans Today. Pleasure to have you on, Dr. Barrett. I hope you’re safe and doing well. What are we to make sure of this resurgence of terrorism in Syria, their objectives and their backers?

Well, the first question is, why now? The timing is crucial to understanding what’s going on. And it’s obviously not a coincidence that this happened at exactly the same moment that the genocidal Zionist occupation entity is changing its focus from its unsuccessful war on Lebanon, in which it was forced to accept essentially a defeat, to a war on Syria. It’s now trying to take out the Lebanese people’s ability to defend themselves, which they did so successfully, by going into Syria and attacking Syria and trying to cut off any means that supporters of Lebanese independence will be able to use to help ensure that Hezbollah and the patriotic forces in Lebanon will be able to continue to defend themselves successfully in the future.

So the Zionist entity attacked Syria. And at the same moment, these takfiri terrorists who are armed and supported by the Zionist entity’s backers in Washington, D.C., also attacked Syria. Clearly, this is a coordinated operation. It’s not only a response to the Zionists’ loss in their war on Lebanon, but it’s also an attempt to bring back the divide and conquer strategy to try to do something about the success that Chinese-backed and to some extent Russian-backed diplomacy has had in uniting the region against the Zionists. The leadership of the Gulf Arab regimes, which had been very pro-Zionist in the past, has awakened to the futility of accepting the Zionists as a permanent entity. They’ve seen this genocide. They know their people will never stand for that. And so they have gone along with these Chinese backed efforts to bring together the whole region in a kind of a peaceful settlement and solution to some of the smaller differences, which will allow the region to settle the big problem, which is this genocidal Zionist occupation of Palestine.

And so the forces that don’t like that and that want to break the region apart and to turn the different countries against each other are panicking. That’s why they’re now trying to ramp up this war on Syria.

But it’s not working. As we’ve seen, the leadership in all regional countries is standing strong. And let’s hope that Turkey wakes up and that the Turkish leadership realizes that this divide-and-conquer Oded Yinon strategy is aimed at them as well, and that Kurdish separatist extremists are going to be armed and turned against them in the same way that the Takfiri terrorists are being armed and turned against Syria.

And it’s ironic you say that because we often hear so many regional countries, Dr. Barrett, always allude to that exact thing, that the Zionist entities’ actions in West Asia do nothing but perpetrate more destabilization, insecurity, and instability for everyone in the region.

That’s right. That’s what it’s there to do. You know, there are conspiracy theories that might be true, like so many conspiracy theories, that in fact, the reason or one of the reasons that the West supports this seemingly completely counterproductive and out-of-control genocidal Zionist entity is precisely to create so many problems in the region that it will never be successful. That is, to prevent the region from finding ways to unite and to trade productively, to get more and more political and economic unity and to become a major player in the world.

And so the forces that don’t want West Asia to succeed have conspired to implant this inherently genocidal Zionist entity right there in the heart of the region, in the Holy Land. It’s holy to the majority of the world’s population. It is holy to four billion Christians and Muslims, along with a few million Jews, a fraction of 1% of the Abrahamic monotheists, who all look to that Holy Land as kind of the heart of their culture and their heritage.

And so by essentially destroying it and creating this Antichrist project in the Holy Land, they are sticking a dagger into the heart of West Asia. And the purpose of that is to try to ensure perpetual chaos and failure in West Asia. But the West Asian governments are starting to wake up to this, and I don’t think they’re going to continue to fall for this Oded-Yanon divide and conquer project for very long.

And before we let you go really quick, the West’s ultimate objective when it comes to Syria—do you feel they’re still after regime change? And why, when the U.S. is already occupying parts of Syria and looting its natural resources, what is there left for the West in Syria?

I don’t think the West believes that it’s going to succeed in imposing regime change on Syria. But I think that the so-called West, which is largely occupied by the Zionists— there’s an ideological consensus among perhaps almost half of the Zionist billionaires who control the West, people who are fanatically loyal to this bizarre Zionist occupation project—I don’t think that the West, the people who think about the strategic interest of the West (as opposed to fanatical Zionists) really believe that there is any realistic chance that they’re going to get that regime change in Syria that they thought they could get fifteen years ago.

Instead, I think that they see this as a strategic move to try to cut off Syria from Lebanon, to increase the pressure on the resistance front, to increase pressure on Russia as Russia is on the brink of victory in Ukraine. Russia has also been a backer of the stability of the region and of the Syrian government.

So I think they’re trying to increase pressure on their adversaries. And as I said earlier, they’re coordinating this move with the Zionist attack on Syria as the Zionists turn from Lebanon to Syria while they continue their genocide of Gaza.

Dr. Kevin Barrett, a Ph.D. Arabist-Islamologist is one of America’s best-known critics of the War on Terror.

He is the host of TRUTH JIHAD RADIO; a hard-driving weekly radio show funded by listener subscriptions at Substack and the weekly news roundup FALSE FLAG WEEKLY NEWS (FFWN).

He also has appeared many times on Fox, CNN, PBS, and other broadcast outlets, and has inspired feature stories and op-eds in the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, the Chicago Tribune, and other leading publications.

Dr. Barrett has taught at colleges and universities in San Francisco, Paris, and Wisconsin; where he ran for Congress in 2008. He currently works as a nonprofit organizer, author, and talk radio host.

Archived Articles (2004-2016)

www.truthjihad.com
VT Condemns the ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINIANS by USA/Israel

$280+ BILLION US TAXPAYER DOLLARS INVESTED since 1948 in US/Israeli Ethnic Cleansing and Occupation Operation
150B direct "aid" and $ 130B in "Offense" contracts
Source: Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C. and US Department of State.

ATTENTION READERS

We See The World From All Sides and Want YOU To Be Fully Informed
In fact, intentional disinformation is a disgraceful scourge in media today. So to assuage any possible errant incorrect information posted herein, we strongly encourage you to seek corroboration from other non-VT sources before forming an educated opinion.

About VT - Policies & Disclosures - Comment Policy
Due to the nature of uncensored content posted by VT's fully independent international writers, VT cannot guarantee absolute validity. All content is owned by the author exclusively. Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT, other authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners, or technicians. Some content may be satirical in nature. All images are the full responsibility of the article author and NOT VT.

https://www.vtforeignpolicy.com/2024/12/israel-backed-al-qaeda-terrorists-storm-aleppo/

Israel-Backed Al Qaeda Terrorists Storm Aleppo
Kevin Barrett, Senior EditorDecember 2, 2024

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The Syrian Army is pressing ahead with its operations to confront and expel foreign-backed terrorists from the country’s north and northwestern provinces. Reports on the ground say that the Syrian military backed by the Russian Air Force struck the terror groups in villages of Hazarin and Al-Raqeya in the southern countryside of the province of Idlib. Airstrikes also targeted positions of Al-Nusra Front Terror Group around Khan Sheikhoun south of Idlib and Morek in the northern countryside of Hama. The Syrian military says it has reinforced its defense lines with various means of fire, personnel and equipment in areas where clashes are underway with the terrorists. The army also says it’s managed to secure a number of areas including Ma’ardis. According to the Syrian media, nearly terrorists have been killed in three days of fighting. Clashes between the army and the terrorists erupted after attack theory groups, including al-Nusra Front, launched a surprise attack on northern and northwestern parts of Syria on Wednesday.

And reactions and condemnations continue pouring in over the resurgence of foreign-backed terrorism in Syria. The Arab League has issued a statement stressing the need to respect the sovereignty and preserve the territorial integrity of Syria. League Secretary General Ahmed Abu Ghait expressed concerns over the continuous developments that Syria is witnessing and their impacts on civilians. In a phone call, the UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said the country stands with Syria and supports it in combating terrorism and unifying its territory. The Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudanian and Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein expressed their country’s support, saying that Syria’s security and stability are linked to Iraq’s national security. In a statement, the Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yivan Gil expressed country solidarity with the Syrian people and government, calling on the international community to condemn terrorist attacks in Syria.

And now joining us at Saidiya, Morocco, is Dr. Kevin Barrett, editor at Veterans Today. Pleasure to have you on, Dr. Barrett. I hope you’re safe and doing well. What are we to make sure of this resurgence of terrorism in Syria, their objectives and their backers?

Well, the first question is, why now? The timing is crucial to understanding what’s going on. And it’s obviously not a coincidence that this happened at exactly the same moment that the genocidal Zionist occupation entity is changing its focus from its unsuccessful war on Lebanon, in which it was forced to accept essentially a defeat, to a war on Syria. It’s now trying to take out the Lebanese people’s ability to defend themselves, which they did so successfully, by going into Syria and attacking Syria and trying to cut off any means that supporters of Lebanese independence will be able to use to help ensure that Hezbollah and the patriotic forces in Lebanon will be able to continue to defend themselves successfully in the future.

So the Zionist entity attacked Syria. And at the same moment, these takfiri terrorists who are armed and supported by the Zionist entity’s backers in Washington, D.C., also attacked Syria. Clearly, this is a coordinated operation. It’s not only a response to the Zionists’ loss in their war on Lebanon, but it’s also an attempt to bring back the divide and conquer strategy to try to do something about the success that Chinese-backed and to some extent Russian-backed diplomacy has had in uniting the region against the Zionists. The leadership of the Gulf Arab regimes, which had been very pro-Zionist in the past, has awakened to the futility of accepting the Zionists as a permanent entity. They’ve seen this genocide. They know their people will never stand for that. And so they have gone along with these Chinese backed efforts to bring together the whole region in a kind of a peaceful settlement and solution to some of the smaller differences, which will allow the region to settle the big problem, which is this genocidal Zionist occupation of Palestine.

And so the forces that don’t like that and that want to break the region apart and to turn the different countries against each other are panicking. That’s why they’re now trying to ramp up this war on Syria.

But it’s not working. As we’ve seen, the leadership in all regional countries is standing strong. And let’s hope that Turkey wakes up and that the Turkish leadership realizes that this divide-and-conquer Oded Yinon strategy is aimed at them as well, and that Kurdish separatist extremists are going to be armed and turned against them in the same way that the Takfiri terrorists are being armed and turned against Syria.

And it’s ironic you say that because we often hear so many regional countries, Dr. Barrett, always allude to that exact thing, that the Zionist entities’ actions in West Asia do nothing but perpetrate more destabilization, insecurity, and instability for everyone in the region.

That’s right. That’s what it’s there to do. You know, there are conspiracy theories that might be true, like so many conspiracy theories, that in fact, the reason or one of the reasons that the West supports this seemingly completely counterproductive and out-of-control genocidal Zionist entity is precisely to create so many problems in the region that it will never be successful. That is, to prevent the region from finding ways to unite and to trade productively, to get more and more political and economic unity and to become a major player in the world.

And so the forces that don’t want West Asia to succeed have conspired to implant this inherently genocidal Zionist entity right there in the heart of the region, in the Holy Land. It’s holy to the majority of the world’s population. It is holy to four billion Christians and Muslims, along with a few million Jews, a fraction of 1% of the Abrahamic monotheists, who all look to that Holy Land as kind of the heart of their culture and their heritage.

And so by essentially destroying it and creating this Antichrist project in the Holy Land, they are sticking a dagger into the heart of West Asia. And the purpose of that is to try to ensure perpetual chaos and failure in West Asia. But the West Asian governments are starting to wake up to this, and I don’t think they’re going to continue to fall for this Oded-Yanon divide and conquer project for very long.

And before we let you go really quick, the West’s ultimate objective when it comes to Syria—do you feel they’re still after regime change? And why, when the U.S. is already occupying parts of Syria and looting its natural resources, what is there left for the West in Syria?

I don’t think the West believes that it’s going to succeed in imposing regime change on Syria. But I think that the so-called West, which is largely occupied by the Zionists— there’s an ideological consensus among perhaps almost half of the Zionist billionaires who control the West, people who are fanatically loyal to this bizarre Zionist occupation project—I don’t think that the West, the people who think about the strategic interest of the West (as opposed to fanatical Zionists) really believe that there is any realistic chance that they’re going to get that regime change in Syria that they thought they could get fifteen years ago.

Instead, I think that they see this as a strategic move to try to cut off Syria from Lebanon, to increase the pressure on the resistance front, to increase pressure on Russia as Russia is on the brink of victory in Ukraine. Russia has also been a backer of the stability of the region and of the Syrian government.

So I think they’re trying to increase pressure on their adversaries. And as I said earlier, they’re coordinating this move with the Zionist attack on Syria as the Zionists turn from Lebanon to Syria while they continue their genocide of Gaza.

Dr. Kevin Barrett, a Ph.D. Arabist-Islamologist is one of America’s best-known critics of the War on Terror.

He is the host of TRUTH JIHAD RADIO; a hard-driving weekly radio show funded by listener subscriptions at Substack and the weekly news roundup FALSE FLAG WEEKLY NEWS (FFWN).

He also has appeared many times on Fox, CNN, PBS, and other broadcast outlets, and has inspired feature stories and op-eds in the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, the Chicago Tribune, and other leading publications.

Dr. Barrett has taught at colleges and universities in San Francisco, Paris, and Wisconsin; where he ran for Congress in 2008. He currently works as a nonprofit organizer, author, and talk radio host.

Archived Articles (2004-2016)

www.truthjihad.com
VT Condemns the ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINIANS by USA/Israel

$280+ BILLION US TAXPAYER DOLLARS INVESTED since 1948 in US/Israeli Ethnic Cleansing and Occupation Operation
150B direct "aid" and $ 130B in "Offense" contracts
Source: Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C. and US Department of State.

ATTENTION READERS

We See The World From All Sides and Want YOU To Be Fully Informed
In fact, intentional disinformation is a disgraceful scourge in media today. So to assuage any possible errant incorrect information posted herein, we strongly encourage you to seek corroboration from other non-VT sources before forming an educated opinion.

About VT - Policies & Disclosures - Comment Policy
Due to the nature of uncensored content posted by VT's fully independent international writers, VT cannot guarantee absolute validity. All content is owned by the author exclusively. Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT, other authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners, or technicians. Some content may be satirical in nature. All images are the full responsibility of the article author and NOT VT.

https://www.vtforeignpolicy.com/2024/12/israel-backed-al-qaeda-terrorists-storm-aleppo/