Perspective

Lying has been with us since the Garden of Eden when the Serpent lied to our first parents by telling them they would “not surely die.” He hid the real truth from them to morph their minds to rebel against God. The result was man driven from paradise and a much harder life ensued(Genesis 3:1-24)

In the U.S 2020 presidential election, the losing side was accused of Russian collusion. However, recent revelations coming out of Twitter, as well as other social media sites, indicate that no collusion from the Russians was really necessary. Why?

Government agencies within the United States were manipulating the social media of the country to sway public opinion in ways that would make Tammany Hall and Boss Teed of the old Democratic Party of New York and the old Chicago-style political machine blush with shame. United States government agencies, which should maintain neutrality in elections, were used politically to deceive the American people.

The New York Post carried an article on December 17, 2022, titled, “Republicans Demand Answers After Latest Batch of Twitter Files.” The article stated: “Top Republican lawmakers are demanding answers after the latest Twitter Files disclosures revealed the close relationship between the company and the Federal Bureau of Investigation…The message alludes to a looming House Judiciary Committee investigation into politicization of the FBI and U.S. Justice Department. Jordan, the incoming chairman, has promised a sweeping probe. ‘Does anyone still trust the FBI?’ the official House Judiciary GOP account tweeted in response to the story.”

What does this mean? The reality is, no American can ever really know the truth. Through algorithms used in the social media, data platforms are designed to manipulate the minds of the public. Welcome to twenty-first century politics—a time when you can use science to shape public elections, deceptively swaying the minds of the populace.

Well said the prophet Isaiah when God inspired him to write of his and our time: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; they conceive evil and bring forth iniquity” (Isaiah 59:1-4).

The Christmas Lie

Lying to the public really isn’t new. The celebration of Christmas is the largest man-made invention by the merchants of the world. In the original colonies Christmas was not observed. For so many it was a time of rioting, drunkenness and violence. Businessmen wanted it changed into a more tranquil holiday—so they commercialized it and created a myth. To fantasize the holiday, they invented the jolly old fat man in the red suit who lands on house tops and climbs down chimneys. The masses were swayed to believe a lie, and now it is a business which impacts the whole economy into the billions of dollars.

People are so easily swayed to believe something which is simply not true. Public views are being formed in nations around the world. When the beast system of Revelation rises, headed by the Beast and the False Prophet, the entire world will readily accept it, though a remnant of the earth will not. Why will the majority of mankind believe the biggest lie of all time?

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 tells us why, “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

God’s people love the truth, the precious beautiful knowledge which can only be based on the Bible. God uses His Church to preserve that truth and His ministry to protect and defend it. How thankful we are God has provided a place for us to worship Him in spirit and in truth! Through His Work we have a place to learn and grow and rightly divide the word of truth so we will not be deceived (2 Timothy 3:15).

This is my Perspective and below is the current edition of the Prophetic Times.  

Prophetic Times

US flies bombers, jets in joint drills with South Korea

December 22, 2022 voanews.com reported:

The United States flew nuclear-capable B-52 strategic bombers and F-22 stealth fighter jets near South Korea Tuesday as part of a demonstration of U.S. “extended deterrence” against North Korea, said South Korea’s military.

South Korean F-35A and F-15K fighters also participated in the joint air drills held in South Korea’s air defense identification zone southwest of its southern island of Jeju, according to a statement by Seoul’s Ministry of National Defense.

It is the allies’ latest show of force toward North Korea, which has hardened its rhetoric toward the United States and South Korea and conducted a record number of missile tests this year. U.S. and South Korean defense officials agreed last month to reinforce Washington’s security commitment to Seoul, including by increasing joint military drills and regularizing the presence of U.S. strategic assets, such as long-range bombers and aircraft carriers.

In its statement Tuesday, South Korea’s defense ministry mentioned that agreement, noting that the allies will “continue to strengthen the combined defense posture” of the South Korea-U.S. alliance in response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.

China land reclamation in disputed sea

December 22, 2022 spacewar.com reported:

The Philippines said Wednesday it was ‘seriously concerned’ over a report that China has started reclaiming several unoccupied land features in the disputed South China Sea.

Bloomberg reported Tuesday, citing satellite images from US officials, that new land formations have emerged around the contested Spratly Islands in the sea, where a Chinese vessel with a hydraulic excavator was seen operating over the years.

‘We are seriously concerned as such activities contravene the Declaration of Conduct on the South China Sea’s undertaking on self-restraint and the 2016 Arbitral Award,’ the Philippine foreign ministry said late Tuesday in response to the report.

The ministry added that other agencies have been asked to investigate the report, which the Chinese embassy in Manila branded as ‘fake news’.

Beijing claims almost all of the resource-rich waterway, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually.

Putin says Russia will continue improving combat readiness of its nuclear forces

December 21, 2022 timesofisrael.com reported: 

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia will continue developing its military potential and the combat readiness of nuclear forces against the backdrop of Moscow’s offensive in Western-backed Ukraine.

“The armed forces and combat capabilities of our armed forces are increasing constantly and every day. And this process, of course, we will build up on,” Putin said during a televised meeting with his country’s high-ranking officers. He added that Russia will also “improve the combat readiness of our nuclear triad.”

The Russian leader highlighted the new Zircon hypersonic cruise missile, which Russian troops will be able to use beginning January.

“In early January, the Admiral Gorshkov frigate will be equipped with the new Zircon hypersonic missile, which has no equivalent in the world,” Putin said.

Russian navy flexes muscles in Mediterranean, East China Sea - analysis

December 21, 2022 jpost.com reported:

Russia’s navy is engaging in two important missions, 8,000 kilometers apart.

Russia and China are conducting a joint naval exercise called Naval Interaction-2022 in the East China Sea from Dec. 21-27, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday while in the Mediterranean, two Russian Steregushchiy-class corvettes, the Stoikiy and Soobrazitelny, docked at the port of Alexandria. These warships, launched in 2010 and 2012 respectively, are modern Russian ships in comparison to the older Slava-class cruisers Varyag and Marshal Ustinov that had been in the Mediterranean. 

Russia’s navy has taken a beating this year. The Slava-class Moskva was sunk in the Black Sea in April. The Ustinov and Varyag spent time this year off the port of Tartus in Syria where Russia has a naval base. The Ustinov returned to its station with the Russian Northern Fleet in September.

Russia has naval bases in Severomorsk, in Murmansk, for its Northern Fleet, and it has bases at Kaspiysk, St. Petersburg, Sevastopol and Vladivostok. Kaspiysk is a base intended for the Caspian Sea. The base at Sevastopol is in Crimea which Russia occupied in 2014, but it is a historic base used by the Russians and prior to the current government, the Soviet navy.

Syria claims: Israel carried out air strike in the Damascus area

December 20, 2022 Art Sheva 7 reported: 

Syrian media reported early Monday morning that Israel had carried out an air strike in the Damascus area.

A Syrian military official said the air strike occurred around 3:05 a.m. He added that the country’s air defense systems intercepted some of the missiles and that material damage was caused. Last month, Syrian media reported that the Syrian air defenses had thwarted an Israeli air strike on the port of Latakia. There were no reports of injuries, but a fire reportedly broke out in the area of the port where the containers are stored.

Two weeks before that, Syrian media reported that Israel launched an air strike in the Damascus area.

According to the reports, the country’s air defense systems were activated following an Israeli air strike in the suburbs of the Syrian capital. Explosions were also reportedly heard in the area. A Syrian military source also said that a Syrian soldier was killed in the attack and that damage was caused.

Russia announces joint naval drills with China

December 19, 2022 spacewar.com reported:

Moscow announced Monday that several of its warships were participating in naval exercises starting this week with Beijing's navy, as Russia and China deepen ties amid pressure from the West.

The Russian defence ministry said the drills would take place between December 21 and 27 in the East China Sea, with the aim of "strengthening naval cooperation" between Moscow and Beijing. They would include live firing of missiles, artillery and exercises to counter submarines, a statement said.

"The main goal of the exercises is to strengthen naval cooperation between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region."

It said China would incorporate two destroyers, patrol ships, a supply ship and a submarine.

"Aircraft and helicopters of the navy's aviation forces of the Pacific Fleet and the People's Liberation Navy will be involved in the exercise," the ministry said.

Proof of biblical kings of Israel, Judah deciphered on Jerusalem rock inscriptions

December 17, 2022 jpost.com reported:

What a University of Haifa professor of biblical studies and ancient history has called “one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Israel of all time” – five monumental, new royal inscriptions of King Hezekiah of Judah, which together include dozens of lines and hundreds of letters – have now been deciphered.

Prof. Gershon Galil, a former chairman of the university’s department of Jewish history, said that the inscriptions mention the name of Hezekiah, and summarize his main actions during the first 17 years of his reign, including the water project (the cutting of the Siloam Tunnel and the pool), the ritual reform, the conquest of Philistia and the accumulation of property. 

The inscriptions, he maintained, also indicate the exact date on which the water project was completed – 2 Tammuz in the 17th year of Hezekiah’s reign, meaning 709 BCE.

“Now it is clear that the higher chronology that precedes the reign of Hezekiah in 726 BCE is to be preferred, as I emphasize in my book on chronology published in 1996,” Galil said. “These are the most complete royal inscriptions we have, and they are further evidence that the kings of Israel and Judah wrote royal inscriptions that indicated their name and deeds.”

The original ancient Siloam inscription was discovered in 1880 inside Hezekiah’s tunnel, marking the completion of the project mentioned in the Bible. The inscription was later removed and then transferred to Istanbul by Ottoman authorities in control of the Holy Land at the time.