While many Christians in America were enjoying their Sunday at church, Christians in civil war-torn Syria were being slaughtered, along with Muslim Alawites and other minorities.
Being mocked online or marginalized because of their faith is the only ‘persecution’ many modern American Christians ever have or ever will experience. Put simply, we have it easy here compared to the very real horror, death, and destruction that other Christians around the world suffer because of their confession of Jesus Christ as Lord.
Now, with Alawites no longer in power, reports of revenge killings have emerged. Local reports have also highlighted targeted killings of Christians, who have a significant community in Latakia.
The patriarchs of Syria’s three main Christian churches, the Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Melkite Greek Catholic Churches, issued a joint statement on Saturday condemning the violence and “massacres targeting innocent civilians.” The religious leaders called for “an immediate end to these horrific acts, which stand in stark opposition to all human and moral values.”
…Greco-Levantines World Wide, a nonprofit, wrote in an X, formerly Twitter, post on Friday: “Tony Petrus and his son Fadi Petrus, two Antiochian Greeks, were killed today in the pogrom launched by HTS against the mixed Christian and Alawite region.”
In a Saturday post, it noted: “The father of Fr. Gregorios Bishara, priest of the Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation, was martyred this morning at the hands of the pro-HTS armed factions that raided the city of Baniyas.”
The situation in Syria has been extremely dire, with recent reports indicating that hundreds of Christians and other minorities have been killed in brutal attacks. Over the past few days, clashes between Syrian security forces and militias loyal to the ousted President Bashar al-Assad have resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 people, including many Christians. The violence has been described as some of the deadliest since the Syrian conflict began.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has documented at least 745 civilian deaths, along with 125 government security forces and 148 pro-Assad militants killed.
Bible Rebel continues to keep a watchdog’s eye on what’s happening in the world of religion and politics.
The New Era of Religion and Politics
This article discusses the shifting dynamics of religion and politics in the U.S., particularly how former President Donald Trump has altered the relationship between religion and American politics. The old paradigm of political parties being “friendly to religion” is no longer as relevant.See more at Yahoo News
Restoring Friendly Relations Between Freedom and Religion
This piece explores the criticisms faced by Christian conservatives from progressives over the years. It highlights the importance of religious liberty in American constitutional government and the role of religion in fortifying American democracy.See more at MSN News
Religion’s Role in Public Life
According to a Pew Research survey, U.S. adults are more likely to view religion as helpful rather than harmful. The survey also delves into Americans’ opinions on the separation of church and state and the positive and negative effects of organized religion.See more at Pew Research
Religion News on POLITICO
This source provides a variety of news stories and analyses related to religion and politics, including topics such as the influence of Christianity in public schools, the role of religion in the 2024 elections, and the intersection of religion and state policies.See more at POLITICO
My wife and I just watched the award-winning movie ‘Conclave’ which portrays the political machinations and processes involved in how the Catholic Bishops choose a new Pope when necessary. Very good movie, highly recommended.
The Vatican has been providing regular updates on Pope Francis’ health. The Pope is currently receiving high-flow oxygen therapy and has undergone bronchoscopies to address his respiratory issues. His prognosis remains guarded, and he continues to receive respiratory physiotherapy. – More at Catholic News Agency
Episcopal churches offer ‘Ashes To Go’ for Ash Wednesday
As I have pointed out previously, the Episcopal Church is becoming a woke, politically far left-leaning organization which is trying to push the gospel of Jesus Christ and his coming Kingdom as a modern social justice message. Reading the headlines and items from the ENS, linked below, is like reading a political agenda statement.
“Episcopal congregations churchwide will begin Lent by offering Ashes to Go on Ash Wednesday, March 5, as a convenience for people unable to attend worship services in the middle of the week.” – More at Episcopal News Service
Montrose judge denies city emergency request to potentially clear church camp for unhoused
We went through the very same issue with a United Methodist Church in my hometown, Great Falls MT, a couple of years ago. We eventually were able to clear the ‘homeless’ camp on the churches parking lot because of the drugs, violence, public defecation, and even prostitution disrupting the homes and businesses surrounding the church.
We didn’t need a court order because our citizens spoke up and the church poobahs gave in and posted trespass notices so that law enforcement could intervene and stop the crimes being committed. The ‘homeless’ folks dispersed soon thereafter.
Yes, we’re to love our neighbors and take care of the less fortunate. But that doesn’t mean we allow our community to be destroyed by irresponsible, many times criminal, people who don’t want to live by the same rules the rest of us have to live by.
“At a hearing in Montrose, on Wednesday, Municipal Court Judge Erin Maxwell rejected a city request for an emergency abatement on a camp of unhoused residents sitting on Montrose United Methodist Church grounds. The abatement would have permitted city authorities to go onto private property to potentially clear the camp, which has drawn controversy in recent weeks.” – More at CPR News
Did Jesus teach the ‘prosperity gospel’? Did the Apostle Paul? Should we? These are some of the questions we’ll attempt to address in this ongoing series.
What is the prosperity gospel?
The prosperity gospel, or the health and wealth gospel, is a theologically based school of thought that teaches that God provides financial prosperity and physical health through faith, positive thinking, and positive affirmations of material success, health and prosperity.
Along with faith and positive thoughts and confessions of course donations to the preachers’ ministry will greatly help seekers along the path to personal success, abundance, and happiness.
It’s basically Norman Vincent Peale, Jim Rohn, and Zig Ziglar all rolled into one, but with some Jesus and a few Bible verses sprinkled in.
Who are the top proponents of the prosperity gospel?
There are several, but here are a few of the most popular and recognizable:
Joel Osteen: Joel Osteen is the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. Known for his charismatic sermons and positive affirmations, Osteen’s televised sermons reach over 100 million households in the United States every week. His teachings emphasize the power of positive thinking and faith in achieving financial and personal success.
T.D. Jakes: T.D. Jakes is the founder and senior pastor of The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas. Renowned for his powerful preaching and motivational speeches, Jakes has written over 40 books, many of which have become New York Times bestsellers. His messages often focus on overcoming adversity and achieving prosperity through faith and determination.
Joyce Meyer: Joyce Meyer is a prolific author and speaker who emphasizes the importance of applying biblical principles to everyday life. Her ministry, Joyce Meyer Ministries, operates in over 200 countries and provides humanitarian aid and support to those in need. Meyer’s teachings often highlight the connection between faith, personal growth, and financial success.
Bible Rebel is keeping a watchdog’s eye on events around the world. Here’s some of the latest.
Friedrich Merz will be Germany’s new Chancellor
“If the exit poll stands, the Christian Democratic Union party will claim 28.8% of the vote in Sunday’s election, meaning Merz – an old-school conservative who has never held a government role previously – will become the new chancellor of Germany, Europe’s biggest economy and most populous state.” – CNN
EU leaders to hold emergency summit on Ukraine
“The leaders of the 27 European Union countries will have an emergency summit on March 6 about next steps for Ukraine and Europe’s security.” – Associated Press
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu draws the line
“Israel will not allow the new Syrian government’s military forces to operate in territory south of Syria’s capital Damascus, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned.” – Al Jazeera
Editors note: the guest article appearing here does not necessarily reflect the views of Bible Rebel editors or other guest authors and contributors. Bible Rebel seeks to present a wide range of ideas and viewpoints in order to fulfill our mission to provide resources for “Curious Fearless Faith”.
In Part I, we asked: Is America’s zeal for war fueled by a misguided interpretation of prophecy? The answer is hidden in “The Day of the Lord,” the most abused of all Old Testament prophecy.
The Day of the Lord
Throughout biblical history, no event held more significance for the ancient Children of Israel than “The Day of the Lord.” This phrase, along with its companion phrases, “The Lord’s Day” and “in that Day,” appear over 200 times in scripture. Twenty prophets describe it in detail, including Isaiah, Ezekiel, Zephaniah, and Zechariah—the writers of the five prophecies we began examining in Part I of this series. Jesus illustrated “that Day” in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, and John wrote an entire book about it—the Book of Revelation (see Rev. 1:10).
“The Day of the Lord” refers to the future Tribulation and the Messiah’s return with his armies to reclaim the earth. During this time, Christ will resurrect the righteous of Israel (and others justified by faith), known as the “Remnant” of Israel. He returns to fight for the restoration of their lands, culminating in the establishment of a new, heavenly Jerusalem.
For these faithful individuals, this will be a day of reward and reunification, encompassing all believing Children of Israel throughout history—not just those within modern Israel’s borders at any given time.
The Great Incentive
This day serves as recompense for those who sacrificed to protect the Christ-line, the lineage leading to the Messiah. They were entrusted with this hope from the Patriarchs: Abraham’s hope was clear: “For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10, NIV).
The Bible does not mention Abraham or his descendants awaiting a man-made political state in 1948.
Throughout the Old Testament, when the Children of Israel strayed, God sent prophets to remind them of their great hope: the coming Messiah who, with them, would reclaim their lands. Similar to us today, the Lord’s coming was their great Hope.
Each time the unfaithful Children of Israel lost their lands and carried into captivity, God provided prophetic words reminding them of His eternal promise to return these lands to the Remnant after the First Resurrection
For the faith-filled Children of Israel, the Day of the Lord remained their enduring hope.
Alarmingly, many of these 200 scriptures today are being misused to “document” the formation of the State of Israel in 1948. In reality, they refer to a future time.
If the scripture is to be our sole arbiter of truth, God will restore these lands to Abraham and his believing children only once: at Christ’s return.
The Day of the Lord -or- 1948?
As readers, how can we distinguish if a prophet is speaking of The Day of the Lord or some other event?
The key is in the context.
The Day of the Lord is characterized by unparalleled, cataclysmic events and cosmic disturbances that set it apart from any other earthly occurrence.
When studying a prophecy, check for these telltale events in its surrounding chapters:
Key Events Associated with the Day of the Lord
1. The Rapture: Many Christians believe that the Day of the Lord will commence with believers being “Gathered Together” with Christ in the air, an event commonly known as “the Rapture” (2 Thessalonians 2:1). This is distinct from Christ’s physical return to earth in Revelation 19.
2. Revealing of the Antichrist: Following the Rapture, the Antichrist will be revealed, positioning himself in the Jerusalem Temple and proclaiming himself as God (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Global tyranny and executions will ensue.
3. Global Turmoil: This period will be marked by significant tribulation, including wars, diseases, and cosmic disturbances.
4. Christ’s Second Coming: Jesus will return bodily to earth, leading to the Battle of Armageddon, where forces opposing God will be defeated. This event will also usher in the resurrection of the faithful (Revelation 19:11–21).
5. Millennial Kingdom: Christ will establish a thousand-year reign on Earth, often referred to as the Millennial Kingdom, characterized by peace and righteousness (Revelation 20:1–6).
6. Final Rebellion and Judgment: After the Millennium, there will be a final military uprising against God, which He will swiftly defeat. This will lead to the final judgment and the establishment of a new heaven and new earth (Revelation 20:7–21:1).
These events are often introduced in prophetic literature with the phrase “in that day,” signaling their significance.
By carefully examining the context and specific descriptions within prophetic passages, readers can discern whether a prophet is referring to The Day of the Lord or another event.
It is important to note that none of these cataclysmic events occurred in 1948 or at any time since. Scripture indicates that the true gathering and spiritual transformation of Israel will happen after the First Resurrection, which follows Christ’s return to earth.
Reexamining Prophecies
In the third and final segment of this series, we will re-look at these five commonly quoted prophecies in light of The Day of the Lord. By examining these scriptures in their surrounding contexts, each individual reader will discern for himself or herself if these prophecies refer to the events of 1948, or instead to the future Day of the Lord.
This is curious, from an article on time.com. Where were the calls for “separation of church and state” for the many years U.S. taxpayer dollars were going to charities controlled and operated by religious denominations?
Evangelical and other Christian charities have not been spared these cuts. Among the organizations that lost funding are such Christian behemoths as World Vision, International Justice Mission, Samaritan’s Purse, and Catholic Relief Services, which at $476 million, was the largest USAID recipient in 2024.Because of the vagueness of the language around which programs would still be funded, some groups pulled back their spending, just in case. “World Vision is responding to the executive order that pauses U.S. foreign assistance funding—with the exception of emergency food assistance—for the next 90 days, while programs are reviewed for alignment with the current administration’s foreign policy,” said the international relieforganization in a statement to TIME.
Mormon Easter message
Whatever you might think or believe about the Mormons, this message from President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is spot on and should be echoed by all followers of Jesus Christ regardless of denomination or other creed.
“As we enter this new year, let us prepare for an Easter celebration of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, culminating in His Resurrection — the most glorious event in history,” says President Oaks, speaking on behalf of the entire First Presidency.
How should we do this?
One important way to celebrate, President Oaks says, is to teach the “profound meaning of the universal resurrection.” For Latter-day Saints, he clarifies, “the resurrection means that all who have ever lived will be resurrected — and the resurrection is literal.”
Top 10 countries where Christians are persecuted
Here’s a fascinating and troubling piece from The Baptist Paper detailing the continuing persecution against Christians worldwide.
Last year, 4,476 Christians were murdered for their faith, 7,679 churches and Christian properties were attacked, and 4,744 Christians were imprisoned, reported Open Doors in its annual report that ranks the top 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution.
North Korea remained at the top of this year’s list. Those that followed included Somalia(2), Yemen(3), Libya (4), Sudan (5), Eritrea (6), Nigeria(7), Pakistan (8), Iran (9) and Afghanistan (10). While North Korea and Eritrea struggle with either communist/post-communist oppression or dictatorial paranoia, all of the other countries in the top 10 face Islamic oppression. More than half the countries on this year’s World Watch list struggle with Islamic-related persecution.
Editors note: curated content on this blog, such as Baldwin’s article in the link below, does not necessarily reflect the views of Bible Rebel editors or other guest authors and contributors. Bible Rebel seeks to present a wide range of ideas and viewpoints in order to fulfill our mission to provide resources for “Curious Fearless Faith”.
Yesterday a biblerebel.com reader sent us a link to an article by Pastor Chuck Baldwin which spells out his objections to the establishment of President Trump’s White House Faith Office and ‘spiritual advisor’ Paula White.
“Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem are uber Christian Zionists who are on record as supporting the censorship of protests or speech of anyone who criticizes Israel—even to the point of assessing penalties of deportation and/or criminal charges by the FBI.”
We will be exploring the issues of Christian Zionism and separation of church and state in detail on biblerebel.com along with all of our regular content to spur critical thinking, inform readers, and inspire curious, fearless faith.
Bible Rebel continues keeping a watchdog’s eye on religious news and events, here’s the latest from the Vatican.
On Tuesday, Pope Francis sent a letter to U.S. bishops addressing the Trump administration’s immigration policies and criticizing Vice President J.D. Vance’s interpretation of the hierarchy of love starting with one’s family and extending outward.
Pope Francis’ own interpretation is that Christian love should be inclusive and compassionate towards all people, regardless of their nationality or legal status and that we should all be meditating on the parable of the Good Samaritan and promoting a fraternity that is open to all.
He argued that measures based on force rather than the inherent dignity of every human being are destined to fail.
“Vatican cracks down on illegal entry into its territory
The document also stipulates that unauthorized overflight of Vatican airspace, including through the use of drones, may be punished with prison sentences from six months to three years in addition to a fine that could reach 25,000 euros (about $26,000).
Anyone convicted of illegal entry will be banned from entering Vatican territory for a period of up to 15 years. If this sanction is breached, the offender may be punished with a prison sentence of one to five years.
In addition, the Vatican’s promoter of justice may summon any person who has committed an offense to appear before the court the day after receiving the complaint or immediately after questioning him.”
Hmmm, reminds me a bit of what Jesus said to the Pharisees in Matthew 15:7-9.
Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men…
Whatever your interpretation of ordo amoris, (Latin for “order of love”) shouldn’t it at least be consistent? Maybe the Pope needs to take a look in the mirror so he can better see how to remove that big ol’ beam lodged in there.
All of this is just another example of why people are fleeing churchianity – of all brands.
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
