Bible Rebel is keeping a watchdog’s eye on the recent archaeological discoveries confirming the biblical record of history.
Abram, Father of Monotheism
“The Mari Letters (18th century BCE) indicate that the Amorites (one of the seven Canaanite nations) were nomadic pastoralists who moved across the Fertile Crescent quite frequently. Burial sites from this period (e.x.; tumuli or cairns) in parts of the Levant and Mesopotamia are associated with mobile pastoralist groups. Abraham’s movement is thus consistent with the broader socio-political and environmental conditions that existed at the time.” – Times of Israel
Ancient Roman Tablets Found in Israel
Archaeologists at Abel Beth Maacah in northern Israel discovered ancient Roman tablets that mention previously unknown towns named Tirthas and Golgol. The tablets are a Tetrarchic boundary stone from Emperor Diocletian’s reign. – Greek Reporter
Early Spread of Christianity Confirmed
“An 1800-year-old silver amulet with a Latin inscription invoking the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is being hailed as evidence of the early spread of Christianity. The amulet was discovered near Frankfurt, Germany under the chin of a man buried in a tomb dating to AD 230–270.” – Bible Archaeology Report
The Episcopal Church has become little more than a platform for far left cultural and political ideologues to ‘preach’ their ‘woke’, anti-scriptural nonsense to a rapidly diminishing congregation.
Yes, that’s Washington Bishop Mariann Budde on the right in the picture below from the Episcopal News Service. She was the subject of much attention, and an opinion I wrote here last month, stemming from the the political lecture, disguised as a sermon, that she aimed at President Trump, Vice President Vance, and both of their families during the National Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral the day after Trump’s inauguration.
Read the article below outlining Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe’s (center in the picture) recent sermon, and I think you may end up with a few of the same conclusions and questions I did.
How can you speak “out against contemporary political divisions as ‘not of God’…” while at the same time in the same sermon introduce rhetoric that includes divisive political language, specifically against President Trump and his agenda?
Exactly where in the Bible does it say that “immigrants, transgender people, the poor and other marginalized communities” are “central to the kingdom Jesus envisioned…”? The King himself and God Almighty are at the center of the coming mediatorial and everlasting Kingdom of Heaven. The Bible says explicitly in Matthew 7:13-14 to, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” All are welcome. Jesus Christ is the gate.
Furthermore, Bishop Rowe said, “Those who have been considered at the margins are at the center. They are the bearers of the salvation of the world. Their struggles reveal to us the kingdom of God.” Who is the bearer of the salvation of the world??? This isn’t just nonsense, it’s completely antithetical to everything the Bible explicitly teaches.
As I pointed out earlier, the Episcopal Church is bleeding membership and losing all spiritual credibility and standing.
The Episcopal Church has been experiencing a decline in membership over the past few years. According to the latest reports, the church saw a significant drop in membership, losing about 40,000 members in 2023 alone. This brings the total membership to approximately 1.547 million people.
Despite this decline, there has been a slight increase in average Sunday worship attendance, which reached nearly 411,000 in 2023, up from 373,000 in 2022. This increase is seen as a gradual recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, when worship attendance had significantly dropped due to lockdowns and public health concerns. https://www.christianpost.com/news/episcopal-church-loses-40k-members-but-worship-attendance-grows.html
Bible Rebel continues to keep a watchdog’s eye on international and domestic news and events. Here’s some of the latest.
President Donald Trump Signs Executive Order Combating Antisemitism This order directs federal resources to address the rise in antisemitism, particularly following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The order calls for federal agencies to report actions that can be used to fight antisemitism within 60 days and emphasizes the need to quell pro-Hamas vandalism and intimidation. – The Hill
Netanyahu Heads to U.S. for Ceasefire Talks with Trump Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to the United States to meet with President Donald Trump to discuss the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal. The ceasefire has allowed for a surge in international humanitarian aid to Gaza. – Al Jazeera
American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 2 Other Hostages Released in Gaza American-Israeli dual national Keith Siegel was among three hostages released by militants in Gaza as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement. The hostages were handed over to Red Cross personnel before being transferred to Israeli forces. – CBS News
Father of Released Israeli Hostage Thanks Trump The father of newly released Israeli hostage Agam Berger thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for his efforts in securing his daughter’s freedom. The release was part of the ongoing ceasefire and hostage-exchange deal between Hamas and Israel. AP News
Bible Rebel is keeping a watchdog’s eye on recent world events and religious/faith news and bringing it to you. Stay informed by checking in every day.
The Greek Orthodox Christian Network launches an online magazine. Interesting articles include a piece on ending homelessness.
The Parthenon in Athens, originally built to honor Athena, was converted into a Christian church from 500 AD to 1450. It became a pilgrimage center for Christians and was decorated with icons, mosaics, and frescoes.
Thousands gathered in Tirana, Albania, to pay their last respects to Archbishop Anastasios, who revived the country’s Orthodox Christian Church after the fall of communism in 1990. Anastasios, who was the Archbishop of Tirana, Durres, and All Albania, passed away at the age of 95.
Here is Jesus, in Matthew 24:6-7, teaching his disciples about the end times. But also encouraging them to ‘see that ye be not troubled’.
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” (KJV)
Much of what our Lord was prophesying here had to do with the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple, which would happen within 40 years or so of this prophesy and his imminent death and resurrection.
However there is no reason not to consider that he was also making a double prophecy, which is fairly common in the Bible, extending the meaning here to also warn of the time immediately preceding the Final Judgement, which is still future as of this blog post.
Let’s remember though, that people and nations in all times and places have experienced wars, famine, earthquakes, and pestilence. This prophecy is referring to a specific people in a specific place and time(s)- the people are those disciples living in the place, Jerusalem and Judea, at the time preceding the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD and also in some future time right before The End.
Even so, as watchdogs living in this time and place we should always keep our ears tuned ‘rumors of wars’ and be aware of the seasons of God’s plans and purposes.
So here is a brief recap of some of the international war news happening right now.
Ukraine-Russia War
Russian drones targeted Kharkiv, but Ukrainian air defenses intercepted a Shahed drone during the attack. Additionally, Ukrainian forces claimed to have killed 21 North Korean soldiers supporting Russian troops in a standoff in Russia’s Kursk region: Sky News
Gaza Conflict
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza for the first time since the early weeks of the war with Hamas. The ceasefire remains fragile as both sides trade blame over deal violations: AP News
Democratic Republic of Congo
Rebels have moved into the key city of Goma, leading to thousands fleeing the fighting as the situation continues to escalate: AP News
Sudan’s Darfur Region
About 70 people were killed in an attack on a hospital in Sudan’s Darfur region, according to the WHO chief. The ongoing conflict in Darfur continues to cause significant humanitarian crises: Associated Press
Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde is getting both criticism and praise for the political lecture, disguised as a sermon, that she aimed at President Trump, Vice President Vance, and both of their families during the National Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral the day after Trump’s inauguration.
Was that really an appropriate time and place for a minister to deliver a political speech designed to publicly criticize a newly inaugurated POTUS?
Some say that the pulpit is a perfectly appropriate platform from which to speak truth to power, you know, like Jesus did, right?
But to whom did Jesus direct his most withering truth bombs? To the Roman government officials occupying Judea? To Caesar, mighty Emperor of the known civilized world?
Nope. Jesus spoke truth to the power of the religious leaders of his people, because they were the corrupt and wicked ones, whom Jesus called children of Satan.
Maybe Bishop Budde should focus on speaking truth to the high powers of the Episcopal Church who have presided over several sexual abuse and other scandals involving staff and clergy over the years. Just Google “Episcopal church scandals”.
Or maybe her time would be better spent exploring the reasons why the Episcopal Church continues to lose members and adherents. She could then speak truth to the power of the causes of a dying, empty church with no answers for spiritual hungry people.
Here’s a truth that Jesus spoke and which is relevant to us all, including those like Bishop Budde who treat the pulpit as a self-serving political tool, rather than a moral and spiritual responsibility – “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
The article goes on to say, “A religious schism has turned deadly in Nigeria, with a church member fatally shot and two young children killed as homes were set ablaze, according to United Methodist News Service. The news service said the reported violence on Sunday stemmed from a schism in the worldwide United Methodist Church over its decision to repeal LGBTQ bans — and the ensuing formation of the new Global Methodist Church by breakaway conservative churches.”
Catholic Movement Dissolved Over Abuses
Also from the AP, Dissolution of Sodalitium Christianae Vitae: Pope Francis has dissolved the Peru-based conservative Catholic movement, Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, following a comprehensive investigation that uncovered extensive sexual, financial, and spiritual abuses by its founder and leaders. This action reflects the Vatican’s ongoing efforts to address and rectify abuses within Church-affiliated organizations.
Across The Pond: Archbishop of Canterbury Resigns in Wake of Abuse Scandal
From The Times – It is right that Justin Welby resigned after the publication of the Makin review into the Church of England’s most prolific abuser, John Smyth. If the former Archbishop of Canterbury, and others, had acted with more resolution when they were made aware of the scale of Smyth’s offending then some boys he victimized might have been spared.
What’s Going On?
Do you notice a pattern in these three stories? I do – abuse and division. No wonder folks are fleeing religion in droves.
The words of Jesus come to mind. Abuse:“It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.” Luke 17:2 Division:“And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” Mark 3:25
And no wonder the chief enemies of Jesus were the religious leaders of the time. He exposed them.
What are we as followers of Jesus doing to expose the ‘whited sepulchers’ of our day and time?
On July 13, 2024, during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt when one of the the killer’s bullets barely missed blowing his head off. Tragically, one of the bullets killed rally attendee Corey Comperatore.
So, why was Corey Comperatore killed, but Trump ‘spared’? Did God intervene for Trump, but not for Corey?
It brings to mind a conversation I once had with a friend, who is now deceased, that went something went like this:
Me: Everyone has a purpose in life.
Friend: Well, what scares the shit out of me is that maybe I’ve already fulfilled my purpose and I didn’t know what it was.
Does God intervene randomly in order to ensure that some greater purpose comes to pass?
Consider this; in order for there to be a level playing field where human beings are able to exercise actual free will, the conditions that create the possibility for failure, tragedy, and death must exist. Free agency is meaningless if there are no negative consequences as a result of bad choices.
Let me repeat, “In order for there to be a level playing field where human beings are able to exercise actual free will, the conditions that create the possibility for failure, tragedy, and death must exist.”
Matthew 5:45 – “For He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.“
God allows bad things to happen to good people and good things to happen to bad people – but only for a season. God is entirely just, and He has committed Himself to abiding by the conditions which allow free agency to operate in our physical world and in our current time.
God doesn’t break His own rules, and He absolutely has a grand purpose in mind which he will bring to pass by His own power and in His own time.
Yes, God intervenes in human affairs. No, not randomly. In His grace and wisdom He has provided a way in which He can justly and perfectly intervene and intercede in the here and now – and that is prayer.
Not any old prayer, though. Prayer offered and spoken in faith and in line with Gods purpose and will.
So did prayer for Donald Trump save him from the assassin’s bullet so that as President he could help bring about something of God’s purpose and will for America and the world? Maybe. I believe only God knows the truth of it at this time.
But as the next months and years unfold we will have a better understanding because, “…by their fruits you will know them.” Retrospection can be very important and revealing when it comes to understanding the things of God.
For now, we should pray for our country and for our President. And for comfort for Corey Comperatore’s family.
Pete Hegseth has been the target of a lot of criticism and outright smears recently because he’s Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense.
One of the smears against Hegseth is that he has a tattoo that is a ‘white supremacist’ or ‘Nazi’ symbol. I call ‘bullshit’.
The Jerusalem Cross is a historic Christian symbol understood as representing the spread of Christianity to the four corners of the world or the Five Wounds of Christ.
The tattoo holds personal and spiritual significance for Hegseth, reflecting his Christian faith and connection to biblical history. It is also tied to his experiences, including his travels to Israel.
Here’s what Hegseth said about the tattoo as reported by the New York Post: “These symbols are deeply rooted in Christian history and represent my faith and commitment to our nation’s values. The attacks on my character based on these tattoos are unfounded and represent a broader assault on religious expression.”
Interestingly, the program for former President Jimmy Carter’s memorial service had the Jerusalem Cross printed on the front.
So, was Jimmy a Nazi white supremacist too? Or is this just another glaring example of the double standard applied by the media and the left wing in American politics?
Here’s Hegseth, again in his own words, in an interview with Nashville Christian Family in 2023: “To me, patriotism is not about love of government. It’s about love of our founding ideals that have pursued a more perfect union from the very beginning. It goes back to basics for me as a Christian: love of God and an understanding that my freedoms come from God—not from government—and that this nation was created as an experiment in self-governance and human freedom that every generation must perpetuate. Being patriotic doesn’t just mean waving the flag or cheering for Team USA. It requires teaching, instructing, and celebrating. In the most difficult times, the best thing we can do is go back to basics: faith, family, freedom—shining a light on those values—what this nation was founded on. If not America, then who? then where?”
“Godlessness ends great nations. The one thing we can all do is get on our knees and pray.”
In my opinion, Hegseth is exactly the kind of human being, grounded in faith, that we need more of in Babylon D.C. I hope he’s confirmed as Secretary of Defense, ASAP.
