THE LAW, GOD, MODERN SOCIETY AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF REBELLION

The rising tide of lawlessness

I have been sick for the past 10 days and it may have even been the “China virus” and so there was no newsletter last week. Fortunately all the treatments suggested by Dr Zelenko and American Frontline Doctors were valuable and I have mostly recovered and attempted to pull some thoughts together that I hope are helpful for readers. I do have a bit of brain fog and so forgive any fuzziness in the Newsletter ideas. As I lay stricken with the “bioweapon”, I have been thinking about the rise of lawlessness and its consequences and where were are heading in Western Society.

It has been clear to me for some time that our society, like Elvis sang in Suspicious Minds, is “caught in a trap; and can’t walk out” – and it’s not because like Elvis, “I love you too much baby”!

The trap we are caught in is that our societies’ foundations are based on God’s laws but modern thinking has led us to implement laws that often are antithetical to God. The tension is easily seen in almost every US Supreme Court decision where “textualists”  regard the US Constitution to be an unchanging charter whereas “progressives” view the US Constitution as “living document” - Two views of the US Constitution

Western Societies Have a Biblical Foundation

While most Western societies are secular, their foundation of law and individual rights is the Bible - (see Christian Foundations and the Ten Commandments). However this view is increasingly discarded by the West where lawmakers legislate for “racial justice”, “critical theory” and transgender rights (but certainly not the rights of the unborn or infirm). Even the idea of “commandments” is not popular today. We are living like the people of Israel were at the time of the Judges, around 3,300 years ago. We are told that

“In those days there was no King in Israel. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25).

At its heart, lawlessness is rebellion against God and what we are experiencing in society are the consequences of this rebellion. For example, at the core of God’s creation are: male and female, mankind being given dominion over animals and the rest of creation including the environment. Later, God inscribed Ten Commandments on stone (Exodus 20:2-17) and these commandments have stood the test of time. Western societies’ move to affirm the LGBGTQ+ lifestyle, gender fluidity, equality of animals and humans, the worship of the environment and man at the centre, are all signs of lawlessness - rebellion against God. Of course, this phenomenon is not new but as old as the history of mankind, with the original rebellion in the Garden of Eden. However, there has been an acceleration of moves against God and His law. The consequences will play out over the next years with increasing disorder in society and a breakdown in law and order. This is the very outcome that those opposed to God and His law appear to be seeking because the chaos of lawlessness will then allow a “man of lawlessness”, the antichrist,  to arise and provide an apparent “solution” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-10).

Had God consulted modern psychologists and even theologians, He would have been advised to modify His language in The Ten Commandments to “The Ten Suggestions” or “The Ten Recommendations” or perhaps even “The Ten Propositions or Proposals”. After all, it is important today to be able to provide feedback and to “workshop the issues” rather than just having something handed down in tablets of stone!  Also, according to modern thinking, God is part of the oppressive patriarchy and has views that are not in line with post-modernism and He may even be racist, homophobic and pro-slavery! So – there is rebellion against God and His law and many consequences flow from this. In the view of most lawmakers today, God’s laws are outmoded and need to be brought up to date.

On the other hand, He is God and is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

I was reminded of God’s sovereignty with His unilateral declaration of His laws in my recent reading of the Books of Exodus  (Shemot in the Torah – meaning names in Hebrew) and Leviticus (V’yakra meaning and He called in Hebrew), two of the core 5 books of the Torah, which have been the foundation of Judaism for more than 3 millennia. I know that my readers are busy and may not have time to read (or perhaps re-read) these two books of the Bible (and later Genesis) and so I have provided an overview below of some key details that are relevant to our times – a mini “Readers Digest” condensed version.

A Summary of Some Key Events in Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus

Around 3,500 years ago, God’s chosen family of 70 (which originated with Abraham, Jacob’s grandfather), Jacob and his 12 sons, wives and their children, moved to Egypt from Canaan (modern day Israel and surrounding regions) because of severe drought. The family were saved by Jacob’s second youngest son, Joseph. Joseph had previously been sold into slavery by his brothers because they were jealous of him and wanted him out of the way. The other brothers told their father Jacob that Joseph was killed by wild animals. However, Joseph was sold by his brothers to slave traders and ended up in Egypt where he experienced a range of career ups and downs. He was “framed” and spent quite a while in prison. His freedom turned on his unique and divine given ability to interpret troubling and complex dreams.

Around 13 years passed by and Joseph, through not only the divine interpretation of a troubling dream that disturbed Pharaoh, but also Joseph’s proposed strategy for how to deal with a coming famine, was put in charge of the land of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. Around 9 years later (a total of 22 years after being sold into slavery), the brothers appeared in Egypt trying to buy food and failed to recognize Joseph. Joseph, an example of commitment and forgiveness, saved the whole of his family, who were starving in Canaan. Because of his competence and diligence and his favour from Pharaoh, the family was settled in Goshen, one of the best agricultural areas of Egypt.

We are reminded by Joseph of God’s overarching hand on all events, even when things look hopeless, when Joseph says to his brothers

“you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about the present result, to keep many people alive.” (Genesis 50:20). 

This is a key verse for believers to understand in our day-to-day lives when we experience hardship. There is always a bigger picture at work.

There is then a gap of 300 years in the narrative and we are told that there arose another king over Egypt “who knew not Joseph” (Exodus 1:8). This Pharaoh cruelly afflicted the Hebrew population which had grown from the original 70 to around 600,000 men – a total of probably at least 3 million people, by now slaves to the Egyptians.

God heard the cries of the Hebrews and raised up Moses, a fugitive from Egyptian justice. Moses had been raised in the royal household but killed an Egyptian who had been mistreating one of his countrymen. He fled to the desert for 40 years but a divine encounter with God in a burning bush led to Moses returning to Egypt under the direction of God. Moses asked Pharaoh to “let my people go” so that they could worship God in the desert. Pharaoh had no intention of releasing a cheap labour force but through a series of 10 outrageous interventions by God (rivers turning to blood , insect and frog plagues, boils, hail and finally the death of the firstborn of people and animals), the Hebrew families were sent away with lots of gifts from the Egyptians who must have been pleased to see them go. After a near death encounter with Pharaoh and his army (who changed their minds about the release of their labour force), God parted the Red Sea, led the Hebrews through and drowned Pharaoh’s army. This is a story that is extraordinary to read about even today and is quite accurately portrayed in the famous film “The Ten Commandments”.

You’d think that the Jews (called the Sons of Israel in Exodus) would have thrown their lot in with God for all their days and followed Moses anywhere. However it was not the case and there were a range of rebellions against Moses and God with the result being that the Sons of Israel wandered about the desert for 40 years, thousands being killed, until an unbelieving generation died out. During this time God established a series of 613 laws, given to Moses and are recognized by Rabbis today, the core group being “The Ten Commandments”.  God declared the He was “holy” (Hebrew קֹדֶשׁ – qodesh – meaning set apart, dedicated, separate) and established elaborate rituals including animal sacrifices, in order to approach Him, when there was wrongdoing by the Hebrews. He didn’t workshop these ideas with Moses but handed the commandments down on tablets of stone (no possibility of editing here) – see Exodus 20:2-17. After all – God is God! The Sons of Israel were God’s chosen people and were to live lives under God’s laws that were an example to the other peoples of the earth.

Our Law Today Derives from God’s Law

This is the background to the rule of law established in western society; law that derives from the Bible and the Ten Commandments, and recognized as foundational by various depictions in the US Supreme Court and the rotunda of the Library of Congress, as well as each of the newly independent US States in the late 1700s. The US Founding Fathers proposed rights not given by government or rulers but by God Himself. These rights were called “inalieable rights” and are backed by God’s law. However, God’s law is inconvenient and often offensive to modern man and so various western societies are modifying God’s law – eg after all is killing really that bad when it is the result of the racist patriarchy and isn’t it a woman’s right to kill her unborn baby and for an elderly person to “die with dignity”?

God and His laws have been sidelined in a rush towards depravity and destruction. The great St Paul wrote about the consequences of this in his letter to the Romans, more than 2,000 years ago. Paul wrote

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them (Romans 1:28-32).

This list from St Paul should give us all pause for consideration. Isn’t it interesting to find “disobedient to parents” in the long list?

The Folly of Modern Human Law

Society is hurrying headlong towards the embrace of the fusion of man and machines, championed by the World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab in his book The Fourth Industrial Revolution. This is happening because modern societies have no fear of God and His law and we have lost our foundations. Schwab is promoting a technocratic state where everything is digital, even mankind and the ultimate outcome - we become gods ourselves. This is the focus of Agenda 2030 where society will change so that “we own nothing and are happy”. The concept of a digital future, one where human life as we know it will have no value, is further encouraged by the Schwab’s advisor Yuval Harari. Harari is an Israeli philosopher who promotes the idea of “hacking the human genome”

to recreate and improve mankind.

Harari has said that “the highest source of authority is our own feelings”

and he seems to have forgotten his own Jewish roots in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (יהוה). The highest source of authority being our own feelings is a statement which would undoubtedly receive the approval of most of modern decision makers. This highlights the gulf between our society’s foundation in God and His Law, and modern thinking – The Ten Suggestions. We have inadvertently set ourselves up for a takeover by “the man of lawlessness”.

There is a unifying story, if we can read it, in unthinkable decisions taken by modern Western societies: riots in US cities, defunding of police departments, failure to prosecute criminals, drag queen story time for toddlers, gay pride parades, promotion of gender fluidity and gender change drugs and surgery, arrests of pastors for “hate speech” for simply quoting the Bible, attacks on property rights, destruction of the family and parental rights and attacks on life itself (promotion of abortion and euthanasia). These are all symptoms of lawlessness and rebellion against God. This rebellion is happening at all levels of society and even in the church as outlined effectively in a new film – “Enemies Within the Church”. We need to be both alert and alarmed and help others to see the peril we are in as a society that has turned against God and His law.

We are heading for disaster and just like Thelma and Louise, celebrating as we drive off the cliff

It is time to repent – literally turn around or change our minds – and come back to the basics of God’s law before it is too late. This is the warning that church leaders must share and as Jesus himself said “whoever has ears, let them hear” (Matthew 13:9). There is a false justice system which promotes rebellion against God and His law and this will have ongoing and severe consequences for all societies.

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AROUND THE WORLD

USA

Each week Joe Biden looks more frail

and the impact of a US President who is clearly not in control of anything, including himself, has ongoing ramifications in international relations. Inflation in the US has hit an annual rate of 8.5% (Inflation Rises) and many commentators believe that the actual rate is more than double that figure. The impact on the average family in the US is an additional $5,000 per year in living costs. Not surprisingly Biden’s approval rating has dropped to 33% and will continue to plummet because the policies his administration is advocating will continue to worsen inflation and his only solution is to spend more. Despite many on the left and right of politics (and even Russia) agreeing that Biden is mentally unfit for office, there appears to be no mechanism for removing him, unless he has a complete physical collapse, which appears possible. Democrats control both Houses in Congress and so impeachment is unlikely and in any case requires a 2/3rd vote in the Senate (67 votes), which is almost impossible with the current Senate composition of Democrats and Republicans at 50:50.

I heard an interesting interview with the noted constitutional lawyer, Alan Dershowitz (Dershowitz and 25th Amendment) last week, who spoke about the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution. Professor Dershowitz highlighted the fact that this amendment which allows for the removal of a President if “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office” has never been used to remove a President.  The amendment cannot be invoked by the opposing political party but requires the majority of the President’s own cabinet to agree that the President is unfit to continue. There are 24 people in Biden’s cabinet (Biden Cabinet) and so 13 votes could do it. Kamala Harris may be working the numbers as you read this article!

United Kingdom and Europe

Boris Johnson is like Houdini and appears to be able to escape from almost any perilous situation. This week following his fine by Metropolitan Police for breaking lockdown rules in relation to parties (so called “partygate”), he made a long apology to the UK Parliament and now awaits the results of further police investigations and a report by civil servant Sue Gray, delayed until the police investigation is completed.  A key issue, yet to be resolved, is whether Boris lied to the Parliament, which is considered to be an offence that requires resignation (Boris' Apology). Amazingly enough, whether Boris lied or not will be determined by a UK Parliamentary Committee, the Committee of Privileges, 7 MPs (4 Conservative, 2 Labour and 1 Scottish representative). It does appear that No 10 Downing Street was really one long party during 2020 and 2021 and at least 10 parties are being investigated by the police (Met Police Investigations) and 16 events were reported to Sue Gray.   Somehow, by bobbing up in Eastern Europe and the Ukraine, Boris has been able to divert attention from his misdemeanors. The last few days Boris has been in India and has revealed that his favourite Indian dish is lamb rogan josh! If he keeps on travelling he may be able to continue to divert attention from “Partygate”. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next weeks and many are looking ahead to the local council elections in early May which could be a barometer for Boris’ future. Conservative MPs with small electoral majorities will be like rats leaving a sinking ship if there is a Conservative Party rout in the forthcoming Council elections.

Like many others, I was surprised and impressed with the creative idea of sending to Rwanda illegal immigrants, who have been flooding the UK in small boats from Europe (Illegal Immigrants to be sent to Rwanda). Before the announcement, you could have interviewed many people about where to send illegal immigrants and I don’t think anyone would have thought of Rwanda as a solution. The idea is innovative and is a great idea if it isn’t undermined by public servants and the “chattering classes”. I became certain that the decision was a good one when condemned on the weekend by the Archbishop of Canterbury (Archbishop of Cantebury Condemns Rwanda Solution. Like Joe Biden, the Church of England has been on the wrong side of almost every social issue and it was helpful to read about Justin Welby’s Easter Sunday sermon so I knew that I could take the opposite view with confidence!

Meanwhile plans continue for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee (70 years on the throne) celebrations which reach their zenith with activities between 2nd and 5th June 2022 (Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend). There will be “trooping the colour”, a service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, the Epsom Race Meeting (the Queen will have 3 horses in the race and Reach for the Moon seems the best change for her to win this race for the first time), a live concert at Buckingham Palace, A Big Jubilee Lunch in every town and city across the UK and a Platinum Pageant. Unfortunately it seems that the Queen’s health has deteriorated significantly and she may not be able to attend the celebrations. As a mark of respect I am going to get out my mother’s old Australian Country Womens’ Association Cookbook from the 1950s and prepare the famous “Coronation Chicken” recipe, served to the Queen at the coronation banquet in 1953 (Original Coronation Chicken Recipe). I may even buy a few flags and have a slap-up lunch for neighbours. Unfortunately it appears that the Queen may not be reigning for much longer and there are serious implications for the Commonwealth and its governance after the Queen’s demise and the installation of her boy - a globalist, environmentalist and World Economic Forum stooge. I think that I may secede from the Commonwealth like “Prince Leonard” of Hutt River Province in Western Australia in 1970 (Hutt River Province Secedes). Just call me Prince Reuben!

Russia and Ukraine

It seems almost impossible to determine the truth of claims and counter claims about fighting in Ukraine. It does seem as though the Russian forces have not been as effective as anticipated and there have been heavy losses of civilians and military personnel on both sides. Putin has revealed his hand more clearly with the testing of a new weapon called “Satan 2”. Mariupol, the important port city, has been devastated and seems likely to fall to Russian control in the next week. The invasion has been estimated to have destroyed 30% of Ukraine’s infrastructure (cost of $100 billion) - Developments in Ukraine  - and Western Europe’s (particularly Germany’s) dependence on Russian energy will continue to be critical in decisions taken to further sanctions against Russia.

There seems to be agreement by most commentators that there won’t be an early breakthrough in peace negotiations (Understanding Peace Deals) and it is difficult to find a Russian viewpoint because most search engines have censored Russian news. An alarming story this week reported the killing of Vladislav Avayev together with his wife and daughter in his Moscow apartment (Putin Ally Killed). Avayev was the Vice-President of Russia’s biggest bank, Gazprombank and Avayev was said to be “close to Putin”. Clearly there is a much bigger story here which we will never know but it is an ominous sign for those financing Putin. Those opposing Putin end up with serious health problems and seem to have unforeseen accidents - Enemies of Putin. It would be a brave person who bets against Putin and the conflict with Ukraine and its aftermath have a long way to run.

Australia

Australians head off to the ballot box on 21st May and international readers will be interested to know that voting in Australia is compulsory unlike most other Western countries. I predicted some months ago that the current government led by Scott Morris would lose the election because it is a government that seems driven by opinion polling and stands for nothing. The alternative Prime Minister is Anthony Albanese who seems to have taken a leaf out of Joe Biden’s strategy book and Albanese’s main policy is “I’m not Scott Morrison”. There was a debate between the two leaders this week and Australians have indicated in polling that they don’t really want either party. However we are heading down an increasingly socialist path and despite a record deficit, Labor is promising to spend even more money and it appears that the country will go broke from spending on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which appears to have no limits to its expenditure.

Australia committed A$90 billion for 12 French submarines as our main defence strategy but then cancelled and now we are in limbo awaiting US nuclear submarines, which may never come. In the meantime, China is moving into the Solomon Islands and I am dusting off my poster of President Xi to put on the front gate.

China vs the West

China seems to be gradually lifting the lockdown in Shanghai which has been severe and has impacted the health and welfare of 25 million people in the city. There are reports of key officials committing suicide (Death in Shanghai) and people jumping to their deaths off balconies. No-one knows what the death toll is either from COVID-19 or the lockdowns. Like Dan Andrews in Victoria, China’s health minister has committed to the “toughest measures yet” to prevent COVID-19 prior to the 20th Party Congress (held every 5 years) later this year. The health minister spoke out against “erroneous ideas about coexisting with the virus”. As many Western countries ease restrictions in relation to COVID-19, this reminds us that we are only another outbreak away from further lockdowns and compulsory vaccinations. Digital IDs are coming (ID 2020) and disease outbreaks remain the best tool for all governments to insist on “vaccine passports” to mandate digital IDs. China’s recent experience and that of all Western countries shows the overriding impact of a “biosecurity state” to eliminate all freedoms. Nations are being manipulated to provide the World Health Organisation with complete control over national biosecurity in 2024 (Globalists Aim to Overtake Health System). It is likely that there will be more “pandemics” coming our way in the lead up to the 2024 vote.

Israel

Israel, as usual, seems to be a potential powder keg. Simmering tensions on the Temple Mount have caused many clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police. Hamas has fired a rocket into southern Israel and Israel has retaliated with airstrikes in the Southern Gaza strip (Rockets Launched from Gaza). The challenges have coincided with the end of Ramadan for Muslims and during Passover week for the Jews. The violence has drawn the leaders of Jordan and Egypt into the fray who have said that there is a “need to stop all illegal and provocative Israeli measures”. Things have gone quiet on the Vienna nuclear talks (Vienna Nuclear Talks) but it seems likely that a deal will be reached that enriches Iran beyond their wildest dreams and allows them to acquire nuclear technologies, which are all but finalized. Iran and China already have signed a 25 year cooperation agreement (China-Iran 25 Year Agreement) and so there are coming challenges for Israel and the West with an alliance with Iran that includes Russia, India, Pakistan and China. There is certain to be more Hamas rocket and other attacks and terrorist events that will result from the windfall cash flow for Iran when the Vienna nuclear talks result in an agreement.

Summary

Western governments acquired a taste for totalitarianism during the COVID-19 lockdowns and forced vaccinations. Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister, has previously spoken of his admiration for China and we in the West are facing more totalitarian government approaches. Hard won freedoms are being eroded and with rising inflation, supply chain problems, social disruption and a “climate emergency”, further government mandates will be implemented. Claims of misinformation will lead to governments further restricting free speech. We need to resist where we can and advocate for our societies’ foundations on God’s laws and individual rights.