The devil’s Mouth Pieces.

 

One of the problems of those who push exclusively futurist readings of the book of Revelation is that they have been constantly looking for who the antichrist is, what the Mark of the Beast will be, and whether or not we are in the end so much that many people fail to see the important insights into how evil works that this book gives us. I personally hold a partial futurist view of the book, and partial preterist. If you slow down and pay careful attention to what the book is saying, many parts of the book show us how evil works. I have already discussed this from one perspective several years ago, you can read that article here, I think it might be my most read article in history.

But there is another insight I think we should look at right here in Revelation 13. Let’s read the first 8 verses and then I will point it out.

“1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. 4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain” (Rev. 13:1-8).

Some people read this and straight away want to try and work out who the antichrist will be. Some think Nero. Some think Hitler. Some think Klaus Schwab, some think Trump, or Netanyahu, or Obama, or Putin, or some future figure. But remember the Bible tells us there have been and will be many antichrists, “18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18). There will be The Antichrist, but there are many examples of antichrists, and I think if we were supposed to know exactly who he was we would have been given those details. But if we are being taught by these passages to identify how evil works, then these passages are much more useful to us, and make a lot more sense for our Christian walk. 

Notice where the beast gets his power, “And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority… 5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.” Whether the beast is The Antichrist or even just the antichrist system, either way, this teaches us something about the mouth pieces of this world. Many of them have been given their platform by the god of this world. “To it was given a mouth…”

Have you noticed how hard it is for those with a righteous mouth to get a significant platform in this world. There are exceptions of course. If God can raise up a man like Abraham or Moses, he can do likewise today. But even many of the voices in the church which gain prominence are voices which lead astray. This is simply because in this fallen world the dragon, the devil, has great power and authority to determine who gets heard and who does not.

Why does a Kayne, or a Taylor Swift, and other similar figures get so much of a platform? Why do so many of the prominent voices in our world have very little good to say and a lot of evil? Because this is how the devil’s system works, and if you read this passage as pointing to a final godless system at the end, then this way of doing things will only be more prominent in the final day. But even before the final world system comes we can see the devil’s strategies and methods all over the place.

How often does a Christian musician rise to prominence and then slowly deconstructs their faith in front of fans turning many away from Jesus? Do you think it is an accident that it happens so much? 

How often does a prominent preacher rise up and then start to sow new age error into the church leading many astray? 

How often does someone present themselves as a Christian politician but then advocates for and puts in place antichrist policies? 

The devil, even now, is giving his agents a mouth to utter haughty and blasphemous words, and to have authority for a short time. This is the devil’s strategy. That he does not change it at the end but simply doubles down on it should tell us something. He is a creature of habit, therefore pay attention to his habits. Notice things. Observe his patterns. 

Christians are too often and too easily led astray by the devil’s mouth pieces who have been given prominence. Not everyone who has prominence is evil, or deliberately seeking to deceive and turn people from Jesus. But the chances they are is higher than that they are not. You should recognize this.

The devil has not yet been defeated, and I would argue he has not yet been bound. But even if he has been bound, he has only been weakened a little. As John tells us, “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Therefore, we should pay attention to what Revelation 13 says about how he works. If he gives power and authority to the mouthpieces of this world to deceive, then we should be very careful how much, if any, trust we put in public mouthpieces.

Note, where does John say the antichrists come from?

“18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:18-19).

They came from within the people of God. The first antichrists were Jews who denied Jesus. But then it became other Jews and Gentiles who denied Christ, people who sat under the preaching of the Apostles. And it developed from there.

This world is full of mouth pieces for the devil, and among the more prominent voices the proportion who are working for him go up massively. The devil has great power to give people a platform. Take notice of that, especially when you find yourself being emotionally manipulated by public mouth pieces in one direction or another. Chances are the devil is pulling your strings. 

The US and Israel Have Exacerbated Islamic Terrorism

 

Has Standing With Israel Blessed America (Part 5)

“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Matthew 18:6

Christians are being persecuted in Syria. No, it is worse, they are being massacred,

“Christians and other religious minorities have been massacred in Syria as violence erupts following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad three months ago.

More than 1,000 people have been killed since Thursday in what observers describe as the worst violence since Assad's downfall in December.

The killings have targeted Alawites, Christians and other minorities in Syria's coastal regions.

The violence began with an ambush on a Syrian security patrol by gunmen loyal to ousted leader Assad near the port city of Latakia.[1]

This violence on behalf of Islamic Jihadists is rightly making many Christians angry. Christians have long been persecuted in the Middle East. The way the Ottoman Empire kidnapped the best children of the Christian families and turned them into warriors for the Islamic Emperors is infamous. From the moment that Islam broke out of Arabia onto the World stage it has gone to war with Christians beginning with the Eastern Roman Empire, and has often since targeted those who professed Jesus as Lord. This is a conflict that has gone on for centuries.

So, I agree with all the Christians and other westerners 100% that we need to fight Islamic terrorism. We just should not be fighting it how we have been doing it, because we are making it far worse.

In this series I have previously written about how America’s alliance with Israel has stoked up constant war in the Middle East. These two countries have egged each other on into conflict after conflict. I even mentioned in my previous post how the Christians in Syria will suffer the most from the US and Israeli success in toppling Assad’s region. But this bears more attention, because America, the West, and especially Christian Zionists, bear great responsibility for how terribly the war on terror has gone, and how this has adversely affected our fellow believers in the Middle East, and spread increased terrorism to the West.

For instance, the claim is often made about Islamic terrorism that we need to fight them there (in the Middle East) so that we do not have to fight them here (in the West). But are you aware that every time the US and Israel go to war with a Muslim country, this sends an influx of mass Islamic immigration into the West?

For instance, many westerners are aware that in 2015 there was an influx of over 1 million people from the Middle East, and north Africa into Europe. Many Christians at the time, I remember, I was among them, were calling for European nations to stop this influx into the West. Many westerners were correctly tolling the bell and warning about the disasters this would bring on Europe. All you need do is look at the tragedies that happen in German Christmas markets every year, where cars are often used as weapons, and the plethora of other issues that this has brought into Europe to recognize the people warning about this were right.

But many people calling for this influx to stop, refused and still often today refuse, to recognize that it was US and Israeli military campaigns in the Middle East that caused this mass Exodus,

“The conflict in Syria continues to be by far the biggest driver of migration. But the ongoing violence in Afghanistan and Iraq, abuses in Eritrea, as well as poverty in Kosovo, are also leading people to look for new lives elsewhere…

…Although not all of those arriving in Europe choose to claim asylum, many do. Germany received the highest number of new asylum applications in 2015, with more than 476,000.

But far more people have arrived in the country - German officials said more than a million had been counted in Germany's "EASY" system for counting and distributing people before they make asylum claims.”[2]

How many people remember that there was mass pressure from the public and media at the time to arm the rebels to “fight for democracy” in this Syrian conflict?

“Because of the uprising, Syria was in the news. But despite the changes within the country, Syria still wasn't vital to the strategic interests of the US. For that reason it remained a low priority for administration officials.

When the Assad regime started to falter in 2012, Ford believed the US should get involved in the conflict by supporting the rebels. Otherwise Syria could slide into anarchy and become "another Somalia/Yemen", he said, using state department code for Failed State.

Virtually everyone in the US, including Obama, wanted to support the opposition in Syria.”[3]

Even Tony Abbott, had warned us in 2013 that the situation in Syria was baddies verse baddies, and warned about getting involved.[4] This BBC article above actually questions how effective the US support of the Syrian rebels was, and argues it was largely an ineffective failure. But the history does not end there, Biden settled the question on whether the US and Israel were involved in the toppling of Assad in 2024,

“After Syrian opposition forces led an offensive that rapidly swept through Syria's major cities in a matter of weeks and ultimately led to the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government, US President Joe Biden publicly took credit for the rebel takeover.

"Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East," Biden said earlier this week.

"Through this combination of support for our partners, sanctions, and diplomacy and targeted military force when necessary, we now see new opportunities opening up for the people of Syria and for the entire region."

Biden's comments, as well as a deluge of commentary claiming that Washington - and Israel - were secretly behind the offensive, have caused questions to resurface about the US's role in Syria over the past decade and a half.[5]

In fact, the US spent one billion dollars training Syrian rebels under an operation called “Timber Sycamore.”[6] The US, as the article notes, was not able to control these rebels, but it sure did unleash them. However, not until after it had trained and equipped them.

So, to talk about Islamic terrorist attacks committed by some of those over a million people who fled into Europe, or even the ones committed in Syria against Christians recently, without discussing the admitted and open acknowledgement of the US and Israel in interfering in Syria, is not the full story. Israel and the US have been interfering in the Middle East and training radicals under the label of “freedom fighters” or “radicals” for decades. “Operation Cyclone” was a previous example where the US trained and equipped the Afghan Mujahedeen from 1979 to 1992.[7] This is mainstream, well understood, history and it has had incredibly negative blowback effects.

Continued US presence in the Middle East is a danger to western nations. Again, and again, these conflicts stir up the Middle East, drive people out of the Middle East and it is only the West that will take these “refugees” that flow out of war-torn countries. The Neo-Cons and the leadership of Israel, know this, and apparently do not care. Even now, the Australian Prime Minister has increased the annual refugee intake to 20,000 a year, and look where the majority of these refugees come from, “About two-thirds of all refugees come from five countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria, South Sudan and Somalia.”[8] Afghanistan and Syria, two places the West has been at war with, are among the top countries for refugee intakes. These refugee crises are manufactured by American and western forever wars.  

I know many people on the Christian right who would agree we should not be bringing more Islamic refugees here. But many such people refuse to acknowledge how our forever wars create the very situation that drives these people out of their countries. The West is forced to take the aggrieved immigrants, who are angry in large numbers at the West. This is foolishness at every end. We should be leaving these countries alone.

I should note that Netanyahu also took credit for handing Syria over to the radical Islamists publicly.[9] Even Christians were celebrating it with him last year. This is no accident. This has been part of his plan to destabilize the Middle East since the 90s as we discussed in an earlier peace.

“This prediction also gives us a window through which to explain America’s disastrous 20^th and early 21^st century Middle Eastern foreign policy. America has lurched from defeat to defeat in the region, with the exception of the first Iraq war[9], largely because its Middle Eastern policy has been Israeli centric and irrational.

Jeffrey Sachs, economist, public policy analyst, former Harvard and current Columbia University professor, notes,

“For 30 years the Israel Lobby has induced the U.S. to fight wars on Israel’s behalf designed to prevent the emergence of a Palestinian State. Netanyahu, who first came to power in 1996, and has been prime minister for 17 years since then, has been the main cheerleader for U.S.-backed wars in the Middle East. The result has been a disaster for the U.S. and a bloody catastrophe not only for the Palestinian people but for the entire Middle East.

These have not been wars to defend Israel, but rather wars to topple governments that oppose Israel’s oppression of the Palestinian people.”[10]”

As Ilan Pappe notes in his book Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic, what has been at work in the Middle East for decades behind these wars is an unrighteous alliance, “The unholy trinity of Christian Zionism, neo-conservatism and American Jewish lobbying still had an immense impact on legislation, elections and policies concerning Israel and Palestine.”[10] But the impact of this alliance goes far beyond just Palestine and Israel, as Pappe also notes,

“The Israeli government, neo-cons and Christian Zionists, all of whom AIPAC closely collaborated with, helped make the invasion of Iraq possible and must be held responsible for the catastrophes that followed: civil war, state collapse, the rise of Islamic State and the ongoing refugee crisis.”[11]

“…and must be held responsible…” for what? For “…civil war, state collapse, the rise of Islamic state and the ongoing refugee crisis…” Scholars who pay attention to what is happening in the Middle East are fully aware of how American and Israeli military actions have destabilized the region. Attacks against Christians are part of these ongoing flow on effects.

Biden took credit for the toppling of Assad. So did Netanyahu. Both did it publicly not secretly. Both Netanyahu, and the American Israel lobby, which is made up of both Jewish Zionists and Christian Zionists openly advocated for these wars, as did the leadership of Israel. In fact, Christian Zionists added an eschatological edge to these wars, 

“For the hard core Christian Zionists, Operation Shock and Awe, the Anglo-American assault on Iraq in April 2003, looked like a scene out of their own doomsday scenarios. This was the wrath of the Hebrew God that was joyously received by Christian Zionists as well as messianic Jews in Israel, who uncovered a theological basis for the dubious links between Islam, terror and Palestine. The old bestseller Scofield’s Bible was revived and offered a contemporary fundamentalist reading of Old and New Testaments - interpreted to command support for Israel as a literal article of faith.”[12]

During this war many Christian leaders began to interpret the end times texts in light of a war between America and Islam, as Pappe notes. I personally remember going to conferences and hearing such teaching. I am also old enough to remember when these same sorts of teachers said it was the Soviet Union who was the main enemy. Though I am only just old enough, and only because I am aware of some of their older books on the issue. Pappe even notes that the Christian Zionists went so far as making video games to encourage young people to join the war against Islam and to teach this theology that standing with Israel, militarily and otherwise, is necessary to be faithful to God’s call for believers.[13]

It is neither honest nor wise to divorce discussion of these ongoing terror threats, from the military actions of the US and Israel in fighting against these Middle Eastern countries. Yes, Islamic terrorism is terrible. But if the Assad regime had not been up against continued threat from rebels trained and equipped by western forces, plus, according to Biden, direct attacks from the US at times, and according to Trump the seizure of their oil which is a major Syrian resource[14], then these radical Islamist groups would not have had the power to be persecuting the Christians in Syria right now. There is a causal chain here, to ignore it is not an accurate analysis.

These wars have caused incredible tragedies. For instance, Christianity has declined massively in the Middle East because of the wars there. In Iraq, as of 2024, the Christian population is one fifth of what it was in 2003 because of the wars and ongoing persecution,

“Iraq’s Christian population has drastically declined due to years of war and persecution. From over 1.5 million in 2003, the number of Christians in Iraq has dwindled to less than 300,000 today. Indigenous Christians, such as the Assyrians, have suffered immensely, their communities uprooted, and their ancient churches desecrated.”[15]

Persecution of Christians did not begin with these wars, but it did escalate it. Even if - and you can’t honestly argue this - but even if you said the US and Israel had good intentions, their strategy to defeat evil in the Middle East has failed. They have escalated it, incredibly. And they continue to do so. Christians who advocate for more military intervention in the Middel East advocate for more of the same bad actions. The more Israel and the US bomb the Middle East, the more Christians are persecuted.

And as I have already noted, these wars, have also caused a massive exodus of Muslims into the West. Many of these Muslims have grievances, and many have done terrorist attacks, especially in Europe. In fact, when you recognize this cycle, you can’t unsee it:

So, I agree 100% that we need to fight Islamic terrorism, but not how we have been. We've been making it worse. We should change how we fight it.

Firstly, we should withdraw all military personnel from the Middle East and bring them back home where we can police our own borders. Every western country has a problem with too many people coming in. One of the historical roles of the military is to police a nation’s, or people’s borders, when did this stop being their role? I think it stopped when we got an elite who decided they did not really believe in borders. An elite who believes the military exists to fight foreign wars. It is evil.

We should have incredibly strong militaries that police our own borders and are ready to fight Islamic invasions or invasions from anyone else. No one here is calling for pacifism. The US’s border is a mess. Our border feels like it is effectively open by design. The largest number of new homes being bought in new suburbs in Australia are from people overseas.[16], [17] and this is during a homelessness crisis where many Australians can’t afford to buy a home. We should be dialling down immigration massively, and every western country should have strong militaries to protect their nations from invasion. Why is this so complicated?

From a Biblical perspective, we are also causing Israel to sin by fighting for it, anyway, rather than pointing Israelis to trust in Jesus, the Lord God. As Isaiah said, “1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord!” (Isa. 31:1).

So many Christian Zionists say they take the Bible literally, but then ignore what it literally says on a host of topics. Israel was commanded many times by God never to trust or ally with other nations, but only look to God. Is not Jesus God? As long as Israel has the US and others fighting for it, we are creating a reason they don't need to call on Jesus. We are causing them to sin. This needs to stop.  

Secondly, a lot of people need to go back. We have police agencies that can tackle terrorism locally, but why do we keep making their job harder by creating more problems for them with a continual stream of massive numbers of people? Firstly, we should stop bringing in more people from troubled areas, and we should send back those we can.

So, yes, we need to fight Islamic terrorism, but not how we have been. We need to work much smarter. And we need to stop stirring up the hornets’ nest of the Middle East and bringing them here.

But now you ask, how does this fit with theme of previous articles about how America is not blessed by standing with Israel? That is simple, Jesus said,

“6 But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!” (Matt. 18:6-7).

How much has sin increased because of these wars? Particularly, how many people have been turned off the gospel, because America is seen as a Christian country, but acts in an antichrist way? American and Israeli wars have done more damage to the witness of the gospel in the Middle East, than anything else I can think of in history. This has caused great stumbling. No one who causes so many to stumble can claim to be blessed. It is that simple.

List of References

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[1] George Bunn, 2025, https://www.gbnews.com/news/world/syria-news-christians-massacred-jihadist-launches-killing-spree

[2] BBC, 2016, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34131911

[3] BBC, 2015, https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33997408

[4] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-02/abbott-seeks-to-explain-baddies-v-baddies-comment/4929118

[5] Emma Griffiths 2013, https://www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/did-us-fund-syrian-rebels-toppled-assad

[6] MEE staff, 2024, https://www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/did-us-fund-syrian-rebels-toppled-assad

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Cyclone

[8] Miriah Davis, 2023, https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/albanese-government-increases-humanitarian-intake-with-2000-more-refugees-to-be-settled-in-australia-per-year/news-story/e2fa5ef305fc6a636570f81ac26b0f61

[9] Lazar Berman (et al) 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-claims-credit-for-starting-historic-process-that-led-to-syrian-regimes-fall/

[10] Ilan Pappe, 2024, Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic, One World Publications, p.361

[11] Ilan Pappe, 2024, p.348.

[12] Ibid. 364.

[13] Ibid. 366.

[14] Conor Finnegan, 2019, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/keeping-oil-syria-trump-considered-war-crime/story?id=66589757

[15] Brian O, 2024, https://globalchristianrelief.org/christian-persecution/stories/why-its-dangerous-to-be-christian-in-middle-east/

[16] Leith van Onselen, 2023, https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2023/11/australian-homes-are-no-longer-for-australians/

[17] Larry Schlesinger, 2019, https://www.afr.com/property/residential/a-third-of-all-buyers-indian-migrants-head-out-to-the-outer-suburbs-for-home-of-their-own-20190226-h1bqn3

Are Europeans Ishmaelites?

 

The war in Ukraine continues, and in my social circles there are many people who are looking forward to Trump bringing this war to a close. But there is also a large segment of people calling for more war. “We can’t let Russia win!” “You are a coward if you want to capitulate to Russia now!” “Trump is a bully, he should be backing Zelensky, not pressuring him!” “We can’t let the Russians take one inch!” Even the Prime Minister of Australia has suggested he would be open to sending Australian troops to Ukraine,

“The prime minister has opened the door to sending Australian troops to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force — despite the federal government playing down that prospect on Monday.

European leaders have been mulling sending troops to Ukraine in a "coalition of the willing" as part of a proposal to help orchestrate and enforce a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. Moscow has previously said it would not accept European troops on the ground.

It comes in the wake of a rift between the United States and Ukraine, with the Trump administration now pausing military aid to the country following the high-profile confrontation between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week.

On Monday an Australian government spokesperson said while it would "consider" any proposals on Ukraine, the "deployment of Australian troops to support peacekeeping forces in Ukraine is not under consideration at this time".

But on Tuesday morning Anthony Albanese struck a different tone, pointing to the government's military aid to Kyiv and saying Australia "stands ready to assist" Ukraine.”[1]

Now, putting aside how abominably stupid it would be for Australia to escalate its presence in the region (Australia has already sent money and military equipment to Ukraine), I want to ask a simple question: Are Europeans Ishmaelites? The reason I am asking this question is because of what the Angel of the Lord said to Hagar in Genesis,

“10 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11 And the Angel of the Lord said to her: “Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the Lord has heard your affliction. 12 He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” 13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-[e]the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” (Gen. 16:10-13)

The Lord prophesied that Ishmael would continually be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. That he would continually be in conflict in other words. So, are Europeans Ishmaelites then? Of course, I am asking this question somewhat tongue in cheek. But for a good reason.

It is not uncommon to hear Christians apply this verse to Muslim or Arabs and point out that they can’t live in peace with each other, just as God prophesied about Ishmael. Now, putting aside all of the bad theological reasoning that leads to this simplified application of this scripture, this argument shows something about Europeans and their descendants: they have very little self-knowledge. They are not able to see how warlike they are as a people.

Where do I start? European history is a never ending stream of wars and conflicts. Should we start with the Greeks, who's warrior culture was legendary. Or Phoenicians, who may or may not have been European? Maybe the Romans, or the Germanic tribes that conquered Rome. Or perhaps the Anglo-Saxons, for which a case could be made are the most warlike people in the world, especially if you sprinkle in a little mixing with the Norman blood of William the…Conqueror. Or maybe we should discuss the Vikings in the West and their kin, the Varangians in eastern Europe. Or we could personalize it and speak of Charlemagne, Napoleon, Wellington, Churchill, Patton, and more. I am not condemning these men, or these nations. I am only pointing out that if constant war with your close brethren equals fulfilment of this passage in Genesis, is there not an argument that Europeans are Ishmaelites. "His hand shall be against every man" could describe European history. 

Someone might argue, but Europe is far more peaceful now than the Middle East. But this ignores that the two biggest wars in the last century were started in Europe by Europeans against Europeans. And many experts I have listened to say that Europe fears an American withdrawal in part because this could set them back into their warlike ways. They are worried that without Uncle Sam babysitting them they will go back to war, after war, after war. 

Let’s now turn to the Middle East. Yes, conflict seems ongoing there. But how much of that conflict directly involves Europeans? You have Britain defeating the Turks in World War 1, and then they and other European powers carved up the Middle East for their own benefit. This created a situation where war was inevitable in the Middle East between peoples who did not want to share borders, or did not like the imposed borders. This is true especially in Palestine where the UN and British enforced borders have been an endless source of conflict. And don’t forget most of the Jewish people to settle Palestine are Ashkenazi, that means European Jews. Europe's fingerprints are all over the mess in the Middle East. 

You then have the constant meddling in the Middle East by America. A country that is predominantly European and especially Anglo-Saxon. The US branch of Anglo-Saxons appear to be in endless wars, one after the other. And they often drag in their British and Australian cousins as well, who appear to be all to willing to join in. As do other Europeans on occasion. It's tough to turn down a good chance for war with the boys, for Europeans.

And then there is the information in the picture above. How often has Europe tried to conquer Russia? Some westerners still see Russia as intrinsically bad because of the USSR kerfuffle. And for sure, that was some bad stuff there. But if you look at Europe and Russia through the lens of centuries, it really does look like Europe wants to conquer Russia. In fact, the Rus nation came about as a joining of Slavs and Scandinavians who became one people precisely because the Scandinavians, Europeans that is, conquered Russia and took control of the Slavic people in that region. Europe has long eyed off the land of Russia. 

Again, does this mean Europeans are Ishmael? No, but it does mean we should come to terms with our warlike nature, admit it, and maybe reign ourselves in a bit. Warlike people look at all other peoples as potential threats to be dealt with. They even come up with endless reasons for so called "defensive" pre-emptive strikes. Like fighting against Russia, incase it decides to take Poland then Finland, then Germany, then Britain, Greenland, then on and on until they are in Brisbane. Some westerners actually think this way, because Europeans are a continually warlike people. Maybe it is time we stopped trying to rule the world and began trying to repair our own nations, which in part have been decimated by the results of our forever wars.

List of References

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[1] Stephen Dziedzic, 2025, https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/albanese-open-to-consideration-of-contributing-troops-to-ukrainian-peacekeeping-but-dutton-sceptical/ar-AA1AbspU?ocid=BingNewsSerp

The Secret Place

 

Psalm 91 (You can listen to a song based on this Psalm here).

Over the last week where I live in Australia we have been awaiting a coming cyclone. Cyclones can be brutal in Australia. They can flatten homes, they can cause mass wide flooding, and take lives. They are also something over which we do not have much control (weather manipulation technology not withstanding). I have spent some considerable time mediating on Psalm 91, and I think it is worth making some observations in writing.

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

What is the secret place? Christianity is not a mystery religion. The mystery religions of ancient Rome developed as the dark pagan practices of the near east interacted with the pagan religions of Rome. They were essentially the old paganism being dressed up in secret cults. These mystery religions were variations of the worship of Baal and Asherah seeping back into the Roman world, the old dark paganism of the Canaanites and Babylon. These kinds of mystery religions were full of all sorts of secret rites that only priests and high level religious teachers knew about.

Christianity is not like that, nor is the religion of the Hebrews given through Moses that looked forward to Christ. The secret place is only a secret because many people do not seek it. It is the place of comfort where believers can rest knowing that God is for them and with them. Seek that place. Rest in that place.

3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

Those who dwell in this secret place do not live in fear, but in faith. Because they know the desire of God to save his people. And they know that he has the power to do so.

This does not mean that believers will not suffer tragedy and sickness and death. But it means that in all these things we know God is working for our salvation and our sanctification. He is with us. Why would you fear the night terrors when God is watching over you? Rest, sleep, be calm knowing that he is at work on your side. Why fear death in battle, when there is no death for the believer, only promotion to glory?

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8 Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

God fights for the righteous. Remember how David defeated Goliath. How Samson defeated all the Philistines in their own city. Recall how Elijah was able to call fire from the skies. Our God is willing and able to fight our battles for us.

This is especially true in the Spiritual realm, where our enemies are stronger than us, and are truly evil, malicious and seeking to destroy us. Trust in the Lord to protect you from such evil. You might see the wicked prosper for a time, but discern their end. They end in a fate you would not wish on even your enemies. But the righteous will flourish, because God is for them, and because they follow the principles God ordained for his creation to work by, and because we will be rewarded beyond our comprehension.

9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10 No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

We have this comfort, this assurance, because we live in the secret place, we live in the Lord by faith. Trust IN him the Bible says. This is synonymous with saying rest in him knowing that he is fighting evil on your behalf.

Don’t abuse this protection though. The devil sought to tempt Jesus with these words. But Jesus responded that we should not put the Lord to the test. I would be foolish of us to put ourselves in a position in which God would need to chasten us and remind us that we are not the Lord, and the power is not ours, the power is his. It is our job simply to trust him and live in faithfulness. We are surrounded by angel armies, and the armies of the Lord fight for us against the evil of the wicked ones.

14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

There is no doubt that there is an aspect of this Psalm which is prophesying the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus loved his father perfectly, with a perfect love beyond anything that we have shown. And God delivered him from evil totally.

The devil would have been looking in triumph when he saw the Lord Jesus dying on the cross. But God did not let his servant live in death and defeat. He rose him again to long, eternal, life, and because of that Jesus is the source of eternal life for all of us.

The fact that God vindicated his Son, shows that God will also do so for all of us who have trusted in the Son. Our salvation is not a product of our own efforts. It is a product of the power of God being brought to bear to glorify his Son. Therefore, just as Jesus wrought our salvation in Jesus, so will he show his salvation to all who trust in him.

So trust in Jesus. It is the secret place. Live in that trust. Stay in that trust. Abide in him as Jesus said. It is not a secret because it is hidden, it is simply a reality many people do not seek after. But I encourage you, seek the secret place of abiding in the Lord.

 

Divorce is Going Down?

 

According to this 7 News article divorce is on the decline,

“In 2023, 48,700 divorces were granted in Australia, down 1.1 per cent from 2022, according to the latest figures available from The Australian Bureau of Statistics.

In the same year, the median duration of marriages slightly increased to 13 years, from 12.8 years in 2022.”[1]

This is good news, other research notes the same thing. In fact, divorce rates are at their lowest in the last 50 years.

“DIVORCE rates are at their lowest level since the mid-1970s, according to a new report by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS), drawing on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

In 2023 there were 2.3 divorces per 1,000 residents aged 16 and over, which continues the downward trend since the start of the millennium, when divorce rates were at 3.4 per 1,000 adult residents.”[2]

But it is not all good news,

“Dr Qu said the decline in divorce does not necessarily indicate longer lasting relationships than used to be the case.

“In 2023, 83 percent of couples had been living together before marriage, compared to just 16% in 1975.

“Many couples separate without entering into marriage, which is not captured in the divorce statistics,” Dr Qu said.”[3]

So, less people are getting divorced, but less people are also getting married. However, what I find interesting is that the average age of divorce is increasing. This is because the boomer generation still continue to get divorced, even later in life.

“One of the more common trends we are seeing in the legal community is a growing percentage of older couples, typically over 50, choosing to divorce – also known as grey divorce. These divorces often involve couples who have been married for several decades and may have grown-up children or grandchildren.

Grey divorcees face unique challenges, including financial implications related to retirement savings and asset division and emotional adjustments to starting a new chapter of life later in adulthood.”[4]

Older people are getting divorced in higher and higher numbers. This probably should not surprise us because the Boomer generation created the modern divorce trends we now see.

No fault divorce became prominent in the Boomer’s era,

“You could divorce simply because you wanted out of a marriage. This holds true today. Baby Boomers continue to divorce more than any other age group. In the years between 1990 and 2012, the divorce rate for people 55-64 doubled. For those older than 65, that number more than tripled.”[5]

But this is also happening because second marriages are much more likely to end in divorce,

“Worldwide statistics indicate that second marriages are more likely to dissolve than first marriages. This might be attributed to various complex factors, including previous relationship experiences, blended family challenges, and differing expectations. From our research, about 60% of second marriages end in divorce compared to 30% of first marriages, which is quite a significant jump.”[6]

People are still most likely to get divorced in their forties, “The median age at divorce has increased to 47 for men, and 44 for women.” But at the rate Boomers are getting divorced, they may push this number higher over time.

What would possess someone in their 60’s or 70’s to get divorced? Well, the Boomer generation were not called the ‘Me Generation’ for no reason. You would think that by the time you were that age you had settled all your major differences and that you were ready to invest in your children and grandchildren’s lives. But the Boomer generation continues to show us that chasing after personal pleasure is still their generation’s highest goal. It is remarkable, isn’t it.

List of References

---

[1] Caleb Taylor, 2025, https://7news.com.au/sunrise/top-family-lawyer-fidan-shevket-reveals-she-would-never-move-out-of-the-family-home-during-divorce-c-17864896?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0AbEDgKnPwovfXQrYQc3cI7AJ0vfKfLquIqV_tlVLx6f9OGen7Qc7_lrc_aem_2N0nBmvSv5m9CoHiL8_VIw

[2] News of the Area, 2025, https://www.newsofthearea.com.au/divorce-rates-at-lowest-level-in-50-years

[3] Ibid.

[4] https://arcadianlegal.com.au/blog/average-age-of-divorce-in-australia/

[5] https://www.goldbergjones-wa.com/divorce/divorce-by-generation/

[6] https://arcadianlegal.com.au/blog/average-age-of-divorce-in-australia/

The Bible Mocks False gods.

 

According to the Baal Cycle, an ancient Canaanite Song, or Epic, Baal has a house made of the mightiest trees of the day in that region, Cedar:

"Baal sets the season,

And gives forth His voice from the clouds.

He flashes lightning to the earth.

As a house of cedars let Him complete it,..." 

David's response

"5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

    the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,

    and Sirion like a young wild ox" (Psalm 29).

"Our God is greater. Our God is stronger, God, you are higher than any other."

The Bible was not written in a vacuum. It directly challenges the false idols and ideologies of its day. Often mocking them. You can't get much more direct than this. Except maybe this,

1 Kings 18:27 - "And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”