Luke 2:14

“Glory to God in the highest [heaven],

    and on earth, peace among those 

with whom He is well-pleased!”

     These are the words of the heavenly host who praised God on the occasion of Jesus's birth.  As millions of Christians around the globe celebrate His birth today, I want to concentrate on the "bigger picture" that so many Believers do not see.  

     Our Western culture is focused on the innocent baby born in the manger, and the message of "peace and good will toward men", which is an alternative interpretation of the last half of this verse. But I would like us to see that the appearance of God incarnate upon the earth is about more than the "peace and mercy" message put forth by those who choose to believe Christmas is a God ordained holiday.  I don't mean to offend anyone -- the birth of our Savior as a gentle baby is truly a glorious phenomenon, but I do not believe it should be seen through the narrow lens of that single event.  It is part of God's bigger plan, and this verse points us towards the crowning point and completion of His glorious mission.

     I believe that it is important for us to discern that in order for the Jesus of Christmas --  the baby born in a manger to a virgin mother; the birth that the angels on high celebrated and praised God for; the Christ child who is seen as the hope of the world for peace on earth -- in order for the Jesus of Luke, Chapter 2 to fulfill those promises and the hope of mankind, He must become the Jesus of Armageddon. 

     Yes, an image of a sinless, blameless child takes the eyes of our spirit off our own sinfulness and the ugliness in the world for just a moment, and allows us to delight in warm, fuzzy feelings.  But that image of our Lord is not a complete picture. That child came, ultimately, to grow up and confront Evil and Injustice, and to drive Sin off the face of the earth. 

     I know that is not the picture that has been painted for us throughout our lifetimes.  But it is the bigger Truth of who our Savior is and why He was born in the first place.  We have lost sight of what Scripture is actually telling us in this chapter.  The previous verse in Luke reveals that "suddenly with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest...".  What we have perhaps forgotten, or at least need to realize, is that in the earliest Greek translations of the Bible, "heavenly host" refers to the army of heaven.  "Host" is a military term connected with fighting and waging war. Not exactly the sentiment we attach to our celebration of Christmas, is it?

     But it is not too difficult for me to digest that God's heavenly army would be praising Him for setting His plan of redemption for mankind into motion. There is a battle in heaven for the souls and spirits of mankind, God's creation in His own image. And there will be a final battle on earth in which Jesus (God as man) will destroy His enemies and inaugurate His Millennial Kingdom on earth. And the birth of this baby is just the first step in accomplishing this plan, and worthy of the host of heaven proclaiming God's glory.

     You see, the angels singing the praise of God, here in Luke 2:14, know that this precious baby will grow up to be King of both Heaven and Earth! They are praising God because this baby will become a man who fulfills the plan for our salvation. He will grow up to be the advocate, the intercessor, the "one mediator between man and God, the man Christ Jesus." They are singing God's praises because this event is not the end of the story... the baby will grow up so that He could die, offering a perfect, sinless life in sacrifice for our sins... He will grow up to be raised from the dead, conquering death and instilling a living hope of eternal life in all who come to Him; in other words, "those with whom He is well-pleased".

     Don't get me wrong! I rejoice in the birth of our Lord.  It shows God's great love for us, that He sent Himself to redeem us.  But I do not believe we are to worship His immaculate birth as a festive holiday; as if the peace and joy we celebrate has already come. His birth does not accomplish that idyllic vision. True joy and peace will not become reality until Jesus returns at the end of the Tribulation, bringing with Him a heavenly host or "armies" from heaven to fight the final battle and rid the earth of the vestiges of Evil. 

     I realize this is a more sobering picture of how you may see the Christmas holiday. But I am not trying to destroy your spirit of hope. Just recognize that Satan can deceive us by tempting us to idolize what God has not ordained. Just look at how the Bible treats Christ's birth, giving us scant details in only Matthew 1-2, and Luke 1-2.  Yet the return of Christ to vanquish Evil from the earth is an overriding thread of hope throughout both Old and New Testaments. Enjoy the birth of our Savior today, but don't get so caught up in the false narrative of peace and joy that you can't see the big picture and what the purpose of this baby really is!  

     

     

' O Holy Night '

     As we approach Christmas Eve, and the celebration by millions of Christians around the world, my spirit is less interested in fighting the battle of whether it is pagan or not.  Instead, my heart and my spirit hungers to bring reverence and awe to the birth of God as man. Just that thought is astounding and breathtaking!
     And if you are like me, the song O Holy Night never fails to bring tears to my eyes, as my heart swells with the love shown to us by our God. "Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices! O night Divine, O night when Christ was born!" Those lyrics stir my soul; my mind and my emotions rise to that holy occasion.  But did you know those aren't the original lyrics?  They are the result of an English translation of an 1847 poem called Cantique de Noel, by a French wine merchant, named Placide Capeau. Mr. Capeau asked his Jewish friend and composer, Adolphe Adam, to set the lyrics to music.  The emphasis of the original song stressed the Incarnation as God’s means to redeem men from sin, and as such, they are moving and inspiring:

Midnight, Christians, it is the solemn hour,

When God as man descended unto us
To erase the stain of original sin
And to end the wrath of His Father.
The entire world thrills with hope
On this night that gives it a Saviour.
People kneel down, wait for your deliverance.
Christmas, Christmas, here is the Redeemer,
Christmas, Christmas, here is the Redeemer!

May the ardent light of our Faith
Guide us all to the cradle of the infant,
As in ancient times a brilliant star
Guided the Oriental kings there.
The King of Kings was born in a humble manger;
O mighty ones of today, proud of your greatness,
It is to your pride that God preaches.
Bow your heads before the Redeemer!
Bow your heads before the Redeemer!

The Redeemer has broken every bond:
The Earth is free, and Heaven is open.
He sees a brother where there was only a slave,
Love unites those that iron had chained.
Who will tell Him of our gratitude,
For all of us He is born, He suffers and dies.
People stand up! Sing of your deliverance,
Christmas, Christmas, sing of the Redeemer,
Christmas, Christmas, sing of the Redeemer!

     Unfortunately, Monsieur Capeau wasn't a regular churchgoer; and in fact, he was an outspoken socialist with anti-clerical viewpoints. Subsequently, his much loved song was banned in France for two decades. But in America, the song gained momentum through a translation made by the Unitarian minister and abolitionist, John Sullivan Dwight. To see how much the song changed from the original, here is the more familiar song, as translated by Dwight, and whose lyrics stressed the universal longing for peace and justice which God’s Kingdom inaugurated:

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;

It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend!
He knows our need; to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim! 

     I am grateful to both authors for their majestic and glorious words which praise the birth of our Redeemer and the King of Kings!  But that's not the end of this story ... Even though the Catholic Church in France forbid the song from their liturgy, the French people would not let the song die and continued to embrace it--even if they had to sing it outside the official approval of the church.
     Legend has it that the French Catholic Church finally received the song back into its worship services after an encounter between French and German troops during the Franco-Prussian War.  During a lull in the fighting, a French soldier began singing "Cantique de Noel."  The Germans were so moved that they responded by singing one of Luther's hymns.  The "songfest" encouraged the soldiers to honor a truce for 24 hours on Christmas.
     I can't verify this story, but the following one is true. This song is connected to nothing less than modern technology -- the invention of the radio, in fact.  On Christmas Eve, 1906, Reginald Fessenden (a former colleague of Thomas Edison) was experimenting with a microphone and the telegraph.  Fessenden began reading the story of the birth of Jesus from Luke, Chapter 2.  Around the world, wireless operators on ships and at newspaper desks began to hear a man's voice come out of their machines.  It was the first radio broadcast of a man's voice. . . .and it was the Gospel of Christ.  But it doesn't end there.
     Fessenden then picked up a violin and began to play a tune.  You guessed it. . . . . "O Holy Night."  The song written by a wine merchant, set to music by a Jewish composer, banned by church leaders, kept alive by the French, adopted by American abolitionists, sung by troops in the trenches, and at last broadcast to the whole world by invisible radio waves. The first song ever played over the radio:  "O Holy Night."   Fall on your knees.  O hear the angel voices.  O night divine.  The night when Christ was born.  O night divine. 
     May we all retain the awe and wonder of that holy night, and remember that the Christ child came to pay the price for our sins, and to set us free from our chains of bondage. Born in a humble manger, He came to deliver us all! Praise Him!

John 1:14   "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

We Need More Godly Men

     This is going to be a very personal post.  Thirty years ago today, I married the man God had planned for me.  I had just about given up that there could be such a man, having learned from my mistakes in other relationships that I would not settle for less than I deserved.  I will admit that I didn't truly know my Lord at that time in my life. I mean, I knew He was real, and I had internalized all the basic Church knowledge of Him; but I didn't know Him as my Savior.  But He was knocking on the door of my heart, and I was on the verge of answering His call on my life.
     Nearly simultaneously, my future husband entered my life.  A genuine friendship would be established before any thoughts of romance or marriage surfaced.  By that time, I was seeking God, and I instinctively knew that this young man was going to be a good and Godly man.  His faith was rock solid, and we both wanted a deeper and committed relationship with God. We may have been taking baby steps, but we were on our way!

     We had a lovely, small wedding, in a friend's home before their fireplace. We both knew we wanted to be married in the eyes of God, but since we didn't belong to a church, we weren't sure how to make that happen.  After several disappointing phone calls to various churches whose pastors refused to marry us because we weren't regular members of any church, I remembered a new church being pastored by a young minister I had liked in college.  That church would receive us and we soon became members, following the traditional path of Believers -- church every Sunday, joining a Sunday School class, and emerging ourselves in the social life of the congregation.
     But that's when God got ahold of us and began to show us that "traditional" and "conventional" was not the path He had planned for us.  And that's when He began transforming my husband from an exemplary man into a Godly man.  Let me try to explain what that looked like...
     I can remember deciding that the one real way to get to know who my God is, was to read His Word.  I began a diligent study of the Bible and wondered why, when my husband grew up in the Church more than I did, that he didn't have a hunger to read and study the Bible, too.  I asked him that question once, and although he couldn't really give me an answer, it wasn't long before I noticed him beginning his own study, and in a manner that told me he was sincere. Although initially following our own individual paths, we soon began pursuing our Lord diligently, conscientiously, and together. And that's when my husband began his journey as a Godly man.
     He took the lead and assumed his Biblical role as head of our home. He began challenging his own belief system, and where it was incompatible with the Bible, he wasn't afraid to dig in to try and discover God's will in the matter, rather than man's interpretation.  He was not passive in questioning church doctrine, nor was he too prideful or stubborn. Through "iron sharpening iron", he was open to changing his opinion; all he wanted was God's Truth.
     And, of course, a Godly man is not afraid to speak out. It is my husband's sincere belief that to be silent in covering up sin, is a sin in itself. And when the Holy Spirit began convicting us that our beloved church of 20 years was compromising in their duties as God's instrument on earth, he was courageous in speaking up and demanding accountability. He was beginning to live out his fear of God, rather than fearing his reputation among men.
     As anyone who has stood up to centuries of Church Doctrine knows, it can be a lonely position. But my husband has stood strong in defense of God's Word and has not backed down when attacked, criticized, challenged, or ostracized. A Godly man knows that his path may be a solitary one; yet he is willing to undergo abuse for the sake of the Truth -- even from fellow Believers.
     But perhaps one of the things I admire and respect most about this man who has shared my life for 30 years is that he has made it his goal to live a truly righteous and humble life. He has battled those things in his spirit and soul that he knows separates him from his God. He is diligent in his confession and repentance of those sins, and views his service to others for the Kingdom of God as his priority in life.  The business of earning a living, and meeting the obligations of his life here on earth will be taken care of by the God whom He seeks first. I must admit that he often shames me how easily he puts his trust and confidence in God.

     These are the main characteristics of a Godly man, but a life lived fully in service to our God manifests itself in all areas of our existence.  A Godly man is aware of what he lets into his mind; he is careful to avoid stimuli that lead to sin.  Instead he seeks to discipline his mind, in an earnest desire to possess the mind of Christ.  A Godly man knows that you can never have a Christian mind without reading the Scriptures regularly, because you cannot be influenced by that which you do not know.
     Relationships in a Godly man's life are lived according to Biblical instruction; as a husband, he loves his wife as God loves His church; as a father, he does not provoke his children to anger, but brings them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
     A Godly man has integrity; nearly a lost concept in today's world of selfish manipulation and compromise.  But a man's character, conscience, and deep intimacy with God are hallmarks of a man who has the courage to keep his word and stand up for his convictions.
     A Godly man recognizes that the vocation he has chosen is an opportunity to glorify his God. I am proud to say that my husband's creativeness and talent speak volumes of the discipline and honor he bestows on each painting he creates.  He has always said that it is his job to get up each morning and paint the best he can, and the Lord will take care of providing everything else.
     I know there are some who will say that a Godly man is a man who enjoys good standing in a Church; a man who gives of his time, talent and treasure for the Lord. But I don't see where the Bible instructs a man to be in a church building every Sunday as part of his commission for Christ. My husband lives by the Scripture that says where two or more are gathered, the Lord is there -- and he never forsakes the assembling together with other Christians to study, worship, and build relationship with his Savior. Every day is an opportunity to meet with the Lord, every open door is an opportunity to fellowship with Believers and nonbelievers alike; all for the sake of telling others of the glorious salvation through Christ!
     Those are the characteristics of a Godly man ... and I'm more than blessed to see them in the person of the man I married 30 years ago today. He has given me his love, support, and encouragement.  He has made me laugh when I wanted to express anger; and his pure and humble love of my Lord and Savior has made me cry.  His honesty has given me the precious gift of trusting him; his strength has made me feel secure; and his compassion for others has allowed me to see his pure heart.   We have grown a lot in the last 30 years -- from two individuals who barely knew the Lord to a couple who has grown, as one, into a new creation. I know we are not unique or better than the millions of other couples the Lord has brought together unto His service. I just know how incredibly blessed we are, and I do not take it for granted. But I am excited to begin the 31st year together with this incredible man who has taught me the meaning of unselfish devotion and never-ending love.  Happy Anniversary, to the best husband God could have given me! And thank you, Father God, for the blessing of this divine union of spirits and flesh!

Song of Songs 5:16    This is my beloved. This is my friend...
   

The Politics of Fear ... And How To Overcome It

     I know that today will be an important day for the future of our nation.  Today is the day that each state's electors will cast their votes in the Electoral College that will legally elect the next President of the United States. In our modern history, the casting of electoral votes has been a purely ceremonial event in which the results from voting on Election Day have been rubber-stamped. Not this year!
     The political and spiritual forces have aligned to try to prohibit the legitimization of the Trump Presidency. I am not here to make a case in favor of, or against, Mr. Trump. Whether or not you are happy about his election, it should concern us that our rule of law and political foundation are being threatened.  As is so often noted, "there are consequences in elections; there is a winner and a loser".  But during this election cycle, electors are being lobbied -- and sometimes, intimidated -- to "go rogue" and defy the voters' preferences in their home states, and to vote "their conscience".  And perhaps, surprisingly, the primary stimulus to make that happen has been FEAR.  Everything from women losing their rights, to deportation of immigrants, to selling out to Russia and the Communists, is being used to encourage electors to defect. But this should not surprise us. Fear is one of the primary spiritual weapons that the Enemy uses to control the destiny of mankind.
     We only have to look back at the Biblical story of Joshua and Caleb, who were part of the contingent of 12 spies sent into the Promised Land to determine if it could be conquered. But ten of the spies came back and reported that they were defeated before they ever began. They were filled with fear and let that fear completely vanquish them.  But it was Caleb who said, "But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God". 

     That is what we're seeing today. Those who are unhappy with the direction in which our nation is moving (whether you believe God has a hand in it, or not) are instilling their fears in the general population. But, you see, Caleb was free from fear, and he used his trust in God to try to help the people of Israel overcome their fears. And those of us who are like Caleb, and surrender to the will of God, have something to say to people who are afraid.  Our surrender to God is the only answer to the problem of fear.
    I know it will be difficult to minister and serve others who do not have the same faith we do in YHWH. And it is a disservice to all people to pretend that there will be no difficulties; we cannot and should not persuade others to escape reality.  BUT, we can listen to their fears, remain calm, report the facts, and look for ways to encourage them.  After all, Caleb did not pretend that the giants did not exist. But he was different from most of the men who returned from the Promised Land spreading their fear. He tried to report the good things, too.
     I know this may sound too simplistic or optimistic. There are haters who will never be convinced that any good can exist after January 20, 2017.  But the entire nation would be well-served to remember Caleb's words. He said, "We are well able". This does not mean that he had confidence only in himself. Nor did he put undue emphasis on the military strength of Israel, either. No. He was emphasizing where their power really came from. It came from firm confidence in God’s power.
     Sadly, I think that those who have jumped on the "fear bandwagon" after this election, believe only in the power of men.  And if their man, or woman, isn't declared the winner, then the spirit of defeat joins forces with the spirits of fear, anger, and bitterness to keep them from seeing any possibility of success. But, We are well able! We are able to overcome our differences and work together for the good of the country.  We have incredible resources to help the next generation(s) reach new heights of prosperity. But we must teach them a robust work ethic and the fearlessness to take advantage of the opportunities put before them.  We must also give them a sound and solid moral foundation by which to live their lives; fundamentals by which they will lives that are pleasing to God, as they seek to serve others.  All this is available to every American -- regardless of whether your candidate is declared the victor today or not.
     Fear dealt a severe blow to the progress of the Israelites over 3500 years ago. Their growth and progress was stunted, and fear was to blame. Nothing has changed over the centuries. We must not allow fear to take root in our land and diminish the blessings and potential for our future generations. Stay the course ... trust in the Lord ... and know in your spirit that our giants can be defeated!

Numbers 13:30    But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it."

Psalm 46:10

Be still, and know that I am God.

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth!

     Taken by itself, this verse is appropriate for this Season as we honor our God, who lowered Himself to become a human baby, born in a humble stable in a small village, southwest of Jerusalem.  It doesn't really matter what time of year God was born; only that we acknowledge He lived, and would be revered among the nations and in the whole earth.

     But this verse is just part of the entire Psalm 46, and consequently, it has so much more to say when we look at the overall context.  Psalm 46, itself, speaks to the power and security of God in a chaotic, war-ravaged world.  Scholars think that probably it was written upon the occasion of King David’s victories over the neighboring nations, and expresses the emotions of the Israelites in the midst and aftermath of the chaos of war. And I can't help but think about the city of Aleppo as I read the Psalm and concentrate on verse 10. Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, is in the grip of the country’s civil war. Syrian and Russian forces are engaged in an all-out blitz to retake the eastern rebel-held districts of Aleppo because its recapture is vital to President Bashar al-Assad's aim of re-establishing full control over the country. 

     Meanwhile, the citizens of this ancient city are caught in the cross-fire, and the violence of war has left Aleppo looking like an apocalyptic wasteland. The Christians of Aleppo are living Psalm 46 in real time:  God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble ... Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 

     The Psalm offers encouragement to hope and trust in the Lord; to take comfort in God when things look very bleak and threatening. As the slaughter of civilians in Aleppo increases at the hands of Syrian government militia, I can only hope that the words of verse 10 would be burned on the hearts of those Christians who have suffered from this devastating civil war.  

     Be still. This is a call for those involved in the war to stop fighting, to be still. The word still is a translation of the Hebrew word rapa, meaning “to slacken, let down, or cease.” It connotes two people fighting until someone separates them and makes them drop their weapons. It is only after the fighting has stopped that the warriors can acknowledge their trust in God. Christians often interpret the command to “be still” as “to be quiet in God’s presence.” While quietness is certainly helpful, the phrase means to stop frantic activity, to let down, and to be still. For God’s people being “still” would involve looking to the Lord for their help; for God’s enemies, being “still” would mean ceasing to fight a battle they cannot win.

     Know that I am God.  "Know" in this instance means “to properly ascertain by seeing” and “to acknowledge, be aware.” The act of acknowledging God influences our "stillness" by making us aware that He is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (present everywhere), omnipotent (all-powerful), holy, sovereign, faithful, infinite, and good. Acknowledging God implies that we can trust Him and surrender to His plan because we understand who He is.  

     I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. It was tempting for the nation of Israel to align with foreign powers, and God reminds them that ultimately He is exalted! God wins, and He will bring peace. During Isaiah’s time, Judah looked for help from the Egyptians, even though God warned against it. Judah did not need Egyptian might; they needed reliance on the Lord: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15).

     Can you not see the same scenario playing out with Syria and Russia?  Aligning with foreign powers to promote or advance (exalt) your authority, is never a way to safeguard that power.  Ultimately, it will be God who will be exalted; He will determine the winners and losers in war. He is GOD, the One who is infinitely above all.  Let them wage war no more, for it is all in vain.  He that sits in Heaven, on His throne, will have His way and will do His own will.  He will glorify His own Name, and when the powers of this world deal proudly in war, He will still be above them, and make no mistake about it! It will be His interests in the world and His Kingdom here on earth that reigns.  

     Ultimately, the Psalm, and verse 10 specifically, wants us to understand that when we are still and surrendered to God, we will find peace, even when our world is in chaos and war.  The mountains may melt away and kingdoms may fall, but God will still be there... exalted above everything in Heaven and Earth.  He is our refuge and our fortress. We will be sheltered and at peace within, even when there is war and fighting all around us. He will quiet our minds and hearts, and eliminate our fears.  He is the Lord of hosts, the God of Jacob; and He has been, is, and will be with us—we can take comfort in that, and boldly ask, If God be for us, who can be against us?

     May the people of Aleppo take heart!  May they be still, and know God!  And even if they don't survive the decimation, may they know that YHWH will be exalted among all the nations and in the earth!

The History of Christmas

     I don't want to be a Scrooge this Christmas season, but I must tell you that it is encouraging to me that our society and culture are beginning to deal in Truth.  With each passing year, we are accepting that the origins of our Christmas celebrations have less to do with Christ, and more with ancient rituals and even pagan practices. While most Christians, like me, have no problem with honoring our Lord's birth this time of year, there are a growing number of Believers who recognize that Christmas, as we know it, evolved out of the Roman tradition of Saturnalia, a festival honoring their god of agriculture, Saturn, on the winter solstice.

A 1783 painting, titled "Saturnalia" by Antoine Callet

     The date of Saturnalia, -- December 25th -- was celebrated as "the birthday of the unconquered sun" and was also a convenient way for Emperor Constantine to combine his pagan beliefs with his newly self-professed Christian faith.  It was also a way for him to exclude the influence of the believing Jews from the new Christian faith, by declaring the day as a Christ Mass. Though we now celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus Christ, we don’t know the exact date, or even the year of his birth. And during Saturnalia, children would often be given gifts of wax dolls – an act with a rather macabre history itself; the dolls were used to represent human sacrifices that Rome had given to Saturn in the past as payment for good harvests. Boughs of certain trees and other plant matter were also common gifts during Saturnalia, and were used to represent bounty and good harvests. So, while I like the idea that gift-giving at Christmas time is associated with the gifts of myrrh, frankincense, and gold that were presented to the Christ child by the three Magi, the reality is that the pagan beliefs were the original impetus for gifts.
     Legend has it that stocking stuffing is rooted in the charitable donations of Saint Nicholas, the forerunner to our Santa Claus.  Nicholas believed that childhood should be savored and enjoyed – but in a time where boys and girls younger than 10 had to work to support their families, this wasn’t always possible. So he decided to ease their burden, and gave what he could in homemade food, clothes, and furniture. The bishop even gave out oranges, which would have been very rare and expensive in Lycia, where he lived. The problem became where to leave these gifts so that the children would find them. According to legends, he then saw girls’ stockings hanging above a fireplace, and ol’ Saint Nick (to paraphrase) thought “Why not?”.  From then on, children would hang stockings up hoping that Saint Nicholas would visit them that night.
     But there is another legend that pre-dates the good bishop.  The practice can be traced back to Scandinavian countries that still held their Pagan beliefs. Children would leave their shoes full of carrots, straw, or other similar foods for Odin’s mythic horse, Sleipnir. When Sleipnir ate the food, Odin would leave candy or other treats in their place.
     Then there is the issue of wreaths and Christmas trees. Although many Christians might say these items are separate from belief in Christ, God still has something to say about our festivals.  Jeremiah 10:3-4 says, For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold...  In fact, Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church.  Early Church fathers, Irenaeus and Tertullian, omit it from their lists of feasts, with Tertullian writing, “The pagan Romans clad their door posts with green and branching laurels.  In the Saturnalia, presents come and go. There are gifts and banquets … yet Christians should have no acquaintance with the festivals of the pagans.”  And then there is God, Himself, who says in Amos, Chapter 5, I hate, I despise your feast days...
     And we can't ignore that the evergreen was also known to have represented the same values to a variety of cultures, including the Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews. The worship of trees was also very common in European druidism and paganism. In Christian tradition, trees were often put up in December to serve the dual purpose of warding off the devil and allowing a perch for whatever birds still remained. Evergreen trees decorated with apples and wafers were also used in Christmas Eve plays during the Middle Ages to represent the tree from which Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Now, I know that no one will admit that we are worshipping our Christmas trees, here in the 21st Century.  But, if we were honest with ourselves, they have become idols.  True, we do not bow down physically before the Christmas tree, but when you consider that they have become a matter of the heart, and how much emphasis we put on them as a symbol of the time we say we are worshipping Jesus... well, sounds like idolatry to me.
     Then there is the tradition of mistletoe, which has an interesting story.  The Greeks believed that Aeneas, the famous ancestor of the Romans, carried a sprig of mistletoe in the form of the legendary golden bough. In Eddic tradition, mistletoe was the only thing able to kill the god Baldur, since it had not sworn an oath to leave him alone. Amongst other pre-Christian cultures, mistletoe was believed to carry the male essence, and by extension, romance, fertility, and vitality. The history of its popularity as a kissing agent is unknown.
     These are just some of our most endearing Christmas traditions, and I know that there are many of my fellow Christians who do not feel the same as I do about the holiday.  They will tell me, "Fine, I recognize that some of the origins of our modern Christmas celebration come from pagan rituals. But that's not what it means to me, and God knows my heart.  He knows that Jesus is the reason I celebrate Christmas". While I respect their decision, it's not that easy for me.  Because the worship of false gods and idolatry were intertwined with these rituals and festivals, my spirit has a tough time sharing a celebration of my Savior's birth with any other idol or deity.
     The final factor for me is not what the celebration of the Christmas holiday means to me, but what does it mean to my Father in Heaven?  And I want to interject this thought ... Although there is no instruction in the Bible to celebrate the birth of Christ, I don't think He condemns us for wanting to honor our Lord and Savior. But, I don't think it pleases Him that we can so easily dismiss the connections between the Christmas holiday and its pagan roots.

      How is it any different than the justification the Israelites gave for worshipping the Golden Calf? Read Exodus 32:1-6, and see if there isn't a valid comparison.  Didn't the Israelites set something up for their pleasure, and declared that it was from God? Weren't they worshipping a representation of a pagan deity, and had the arrogance to say “it shall be a feast to the LORD”?  Didn't they celebrate, claiming they were thinking about God as they brought gifts, drank and made merry? Personally, this is what I think we do with the holiday of Christmas.  And I understand how difficult it is to separate our hearts (our flesh) from what pleases God.  Nobody enjoyed the emotions and sentimentality of the Christmas season than me!  And if I say, BUT GOD KNOWS MY HEART and my heart is focused on Jesus... aren't we then making it about US, and what we want, NOT what God has asked us to do.  Are we offending Him by celebrating our own man-made feast, rather than His appointed Feasts?
     I know this is a tough subject, and I do not wish it to cause division in the Body of Christ.  It is a decision that must be made by each individual -- how you choose to honor the birth of Christ is something you need to be certain about in your spirit.  But you should be honest and uncompromising; don't let the Enemy convince you with sentimental memories and nostalgia. Don't let him combine man's pagan rituals with the holiness of the Christ child, and persuade you they are one and the same.  And one secular website even proposed this idea: "Christmas is the one time of year where everyone (or nearly so) is friendly, generous and gets along with each other, [so] does it matter the inspiration?"  (To read an article from this perspective, click here). In other words, why doesn't all mankind just ignore whether the inspiration for Christmas comes from the birth of the Christ child or from an assortment of rituals honoring a variety of false and pagan gods, and just all enjoy the merriment and good cheer?  That might be fine for the non-believer or agnostic, but if you are a Christian you must ask yourself this question ... Would God agree?  

Matthew 15:8-9    This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

Christian Witchcraft and the Modern Church

     I know ... the title to this post seems like an oxymoron, right?  How can Witchcraft and the Church even be used in the same sentence?  The Bible is very clear on its prohibition of any kind of witchcraft, yet you might be surprised to find that there are plenty of people who identify themselves as both Witches and Christians.
     Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says it plainly and explicitly:  There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. 
     One thing needs to be perfectly understood by everyone, whether Christian or not:  There are only two sources of spiritual power: God and Satan. True, Satan has only the power that God allows him to have, but it is considerable. To seek spirituality, knowledge, or power apart from God is idolatry, which is closely related to witchcraft. And Witchcraft is Satan’s realm, and he excels in counterfeiting what God does. When Moses performed miracles before Pharaoh, the magicians did the same things through demonic power.

     So how does someone who considers themselves a "Christian Witch" convince themselves that it is OK with God?  How can they bring holy spirituality and demonic spirituality into harmony?  I contend that it all goes back to the roots of Satan’s first temptation to Eve: “You can be like God”. And the Enemy accomplishes his goal through a process called syncretism, which pulls religious ideas from a number of sources to create something unique or individual. This is the foundation for Christian Witchcraft.  A Christian Witch will take what they like from various traditions, beliefs, and rituals of both Christianity and witchcraft...and leave the rest behind.  In doing so the Christian Witch creates something totally individual for their own spiritual expression.
      So what exactly does a Christian Witch believe? Let Kristine McGuire, who wrote an article titled I Was A Christian Witch tell you:  "Like all esoteric or mystical paths, Christian witchcraft is highly individualized. However, there are some common denominators which can be found among Christian Witch's, Christian Wiccans, and Christo-Pagans. Most...though certainly not all...Christian Witch's either have a very liberal understanding of the Bible or follow Gnostic Christian teachings.  Many come from a Catholic upbringing. New Age philosophy can also enter strongly into a Christian Witch's belief structure.  Some will take the religion of Wicca or a form of Paganism and superimpose a Christian understanding of deity on the rituals while others take a more traditional Christian approach, adding magick and ritual into their belief structure. Many will continue to be regular attenders and active participants of their local church. In all circumstances, Christian Witchcraft, Christian Wicca, and Christo-Paganism are nature based... As a Christian Witch, I was a Christian who practiced traditional witchcraft.  Christianity was my belief...witchcraft was my path".
     I don't know about you, but there was an awful lot of terminology included in Kristine's explanation. So, what do we need to know about all these terms?  Let's just start with Paganism, which is an umbrella term referring to a number of earth or nature-based faiths.  Wiccan theology is a little harder to pin down.  Most early Wiccan groups adhered to the dual worship of a Horned God of fertility and a Mother Goddess, with practitioners typically believing that these had been the ancient deities worshipped by the hunter-gatherers of the Old Stone Age, whose veneration had been passed down in secret right to the present. Then, in the 1950s, Gerald Gardner brought Wicca to the public, and many contemporary Pagans embraced the practice. Gerald Gardner was also a Freemason, and involved in Spiritualism.  Although Wicca itself was founded by Gardner, he based it upon the old stone-age traditions. However, a lot of Witches and Pagans were perfectly happy to continue practicing their own spiritual path without converting to Wicca.
     There are also a number of people who consider themselves Witches, but who are not necessarily Wiccan or even Pagan. Typically, these are people who use the term "eclectic Witch”. In many cases, Witchcraft is seen as a skill set in addition to, or instead of, a religious system. A Witch may practice magic in a manner completely separate from their spirituality; in other words, one does not have to interact with the Divine to be a Witch. Or, as in the case of Kristine McGuire, she felt she could practice being a witch and still practice her Christianity, and she didn't see any problem with that.
     Consider this quote from another Christian Witch:  “There can be many different ways of going about Christian Witchcraft. From believing in the gnostic side of things, to just using it as your pantheon while still being somewhat polytheistic (Christo Paganism). Each Christian Witch will do things differently from another. But that’s what I found beautiful about witchcraft, that it really depended on the person using it. It depended on the person’s control and contact with their own energies as well as how open they were when it came to any deity they may use in their ritual".
     At this point, we need to understand that the "gnostic side of things" includes the Gnostic doctrine, which teaches that the world was created and ruled by a lesser divinity, the demiurge (underworld), and that Christ was an emissary of the remote supreme divine being, and the mysterious knowledge (gnosis) of him enabled the redemption of the human spirit. In simpler terms, Gnostics shunned the material world, and embraced the spiritual world.  It is a knowledge superior to, and independent of, faith.
     The Christian Witch continues:  “[When] I began this path, I split God into male and female. As time grew I found that God will always be a Father figure to me. Jesus would always be Jesus, and the Holy Spirit would come to me in different forms. When I need a female figure it comes to me as a female, when I need a more masculine figure it comes to me as male. The Holy Spirit began as female and through time has shifted into a male form. I see it as genderless. It is The Holy Spirit and does what it wants. What I Believe in is : The Holy Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
     I began to blend my faith with that of witchcraft. I celebrate both Christian Holidays as well as the Wheel of the year. I use the wheel of the year to help keep me connected to the world around me -- the solstices and the equinoxes, the days where nature needs to be respected. My first spell was a prayer burning ritual. I began to see that what I was doing was worshiping God, but with the use of witchcraft.”
     Can you see that at the heart of Christian Witchcraft is the worship of self?  That they want the best of both worlds -- Christianity and the world of mysticism?  I know there will be those who will have a hard time believing that Witchcraft could infiltrate the Church. But when you look at how far the Church has come in compromising God's core value system, why is it such a big stretch to see why Christian Witches think they have permission to add to their faith?
     Take the advice of Kristine McGuire, the former Christian Witch, who has repented of her sins and seen her relationship with Christ restored:  "The Church needs to acknowledge there are spiritually hungry people in the Christian community who are being tempted to incorporate magickal practices into their faith walk. We must do all we can to encourage Biblical literacy among Christians.  Too many people profess Christ but have no clue what the BIble says about Him or anything else for that matter. People now seem to base their Christian walk on what they hear in the pulpit, see on tv, or read on the internet, without ever checking to be sure it's actually from the Bible, accurate, and in context. We must acknowledge the Bible as the true, revealed Word of God.  There is no doubt Scripture condemns all practices involved in witchcraft: sorcery, spell casting, divination, enchantments, spiritism, idolatry, etc ... in the strongest terms, but many people are either missing or ignoring it".

"White" Magic

     But we cannot ignore the allure that witchcraft and the occult hold in our society. It is hard not to notice the rapidly growing fascination in America with zombies, vampires, death, the occult, and the supernatural.  As David Fiorazo wrote in his article, Are Christians Welcoming Witchcraft, "In many entertainment products from Charmed to Harry Potter to Sabrina the Teenage Witch, the heroes are typically good people – you know, the ones using witchcraft and the occult – while the average person is portrayed as ordinary, weak, or even bad, partly because they do not have any magic powers. Therefore, the occult, the satanic, and anything related to it are looked at as beneficial and desirable, which is a complete twisting of the concept of good and evil... Public schools do not allow Christianity to be taught or promoted. However, they accept the religions of atheism, Humanism, evolution, environmental extremism (earth worship), Buddhism, Islam, and of course the religion of Wicca – the practice of witchcraft. Kids have sat through readings of the Harry Potter books, watched the movies during class instruction times, and have even discussed the details of casting spells".
     And need I tell you that there are actually Christian Witches who will defend their demonic practices by trying to distinguish their "White Magic" from the dark side's "Black Magic".  The problem?  It is all an abomination before the Lord! I know I don't need to tell you that; nor do I need to explain that Witchcraft, in all its forms, has been performed since the beginning of mankind.  The first instance of witchcraft that I could find in the Bible was Genesis 44:5, which reads, Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this. This pertains to a practice in the household of Joseph, called scrying. It was an ancient occultic method of divination in which a cup or other vessel is filled with water and gazed into. This technique of foretelling the future was used by Nostradamus and is still used today.
     But I guess the final point I want to make is this: the idea of Man or Woman is central to the core beliefs of Witchcraft.  Any theological position is tolerated, and in this case, it works nicely with the New Age Movement, which embraces a theology of "feel-goodism," "universal tolerance," and "moral relativism." Together, they blend with Spiritualism to offer a compromise between the revealed religions, materialistic philosophies, and the ability to form a personal and spiritual expression of your own.
      The bottom line is this:  The Church needs to wake up to the reality that Witchcraft has creeped into our religious institutions, and it has invaded our Church buildings. Just google "Christian Witchcraft websites" and I think you will be astounded at the encouragement given to take this path. I found one comment that implied that Christian Witches haven't turned their backs on their faith; they have simply opened their spirits to something more. Sadly, it is that "something more" that will lead to their eternal destruction.

1 Samuel 15:23   "For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry".

Gladly Set Apart

     It has been interesting, from a social perspective, to see how those Americans who backed the losing political candidate for President have responded.  Mind you, this post is not meant to disparage political views or positions. We live in a country where everyone has an equal vote and no matter who you voted for, you have a right to your opinions. And let's face it, over the last 16 years in our political history, not everyone has been happy.  In fact, after each election, there has been approximately one-half of the country who have not been happy with the results.

     I am writing this post because of what I have observed among friends whom I like and respect; people who are successful in business, and caring and generous people.  But their dissatisfaction with our new President-Elect has turned them into people that I hardly recognize.  They are angry, and seem to be willing to color anyone who doesn't agree with them with a broad brush of negative attributes.  These are the same people who accepted you and your differences in a spirit of harmony and mutual respect -- as long as they perceived their social and political persuasions carried the dominant position.  
     That wouldn't bother me so much -- knowing that political dominance is never permanent, and the pendulum always swings back the other way -- except that the hostility and ire has now transitioned into a vocal criticism of my Christian beliefs.
     A recent conversation started off innocently enough... comparing favorite Christmas movies of our youth. (Mine, by the way is It's A Wonderful Life -- you can't beat it for a good old-fashioned dose of sentimentality and a message of the importance of every man's life).  The conversation then evolved into the whole phenomenon of "ugly Christmas sweaters".  And one of our friends commented that one of the tackiest sweaters he had seen was a picture of Jesus, with "Birthday Boy" written underneath.
     I agreed with the tastelessness of such a display and then opened the proverbial can of worms by remarking that our Lord's birthday is not even on December 25th. You could feel the tension in the room amp up. Thus began a discussion that went something like this...
     "Well, you know that no one knows when he was born, right?"
     I replied, "I agree, there is no exact historical document that states when His birthday is, but when the Bible says at His Birth, "there were shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night", it can be proven that this would not have happened in late December, because it is winter then, and the fields would be full of snow.  The shepherds would have brought their flocks in from the fields.  It is more likely that Jesus was born in the fall, perhaps September or early October, when the shepherds remained in the fields with the flocks".
     This seemed to agitate our friends even more.  "You can't really go by what the Bible says; it is just a book of allegorical stories.  These are the same stories that have been told by other ancient peoples since the beginning of time.  The Bible has no supremacy in these stories".
     By this time, I can sense that this conversation is growing more heated and I understood one thing clearly.  People who have rejected the truth of Jesus and the Bible will not be convinced by someone like me; someone who they clearly think is delusional and intellectually inferior.  They need concrete academic and scientific proof, and belief based on the absence of data, or without evidence -- in other words, FAITH -- is something they cannot logically conceive. But I wanted to make my position very clear.... "It comes down to if you believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, or not.  I happen to believe it is."  And with that, my husband wisely steered the conversation to safer subjects.
     But, as often happens, I think of things I wish I had said long after the encounter.  I should have pointed out that perhaps the reason so many of the ancient texts, such as the Sumerian, Annunaki, and Ugaritic texts, mimic the stories in the Bible, is perhaps because YHWH, the Most High God, tried to  reveal Himself to those peoples, but they rejected Him.  And it wasn't until Abraham answered His call, that a people were worthy to be set apart as His chosen. A good argument, but I know that those who refuse to hear His voice will not be swayed by any explanation I present.  Only the Holy Spirit can work in their hearts and turn them from their stubborn ways.
     But it saddens me. As I said, I really like these people, and I have known they were unbelievers since our friendship began.  Our expressions of faith were always well-received and never an impediment. But I'm afraid the dynamics have changed with this new political season, and those of us with Faith are now inextricably tied to their dissatisfaction with the political climate. That's OK.  If it sets me apart from those who put their faith in men and politics, then I'm happy with that designation.  And if it gives me more opportunity to be a vocal defender of my faith, then so be it.  I'm thrilled to talk about my God and His Word!
     In the end, this shouldn't surprise me -- or you, if you are experiencing the same kind of reaction. Our Lord told us we would be hated because of His Name. And, as His followers, we must endure and stand for Him, being promised our reward of salvation for all of eternity.  I can handle being sneered at and despised; I won't be discouraged nor deviate from my path. I just wish my friends could share my peace and my joy. And I would love for them to come along on this exhilarating journey!

Romans 13:11   "Do this, knowing that this is a critical time. It is already the hour for you to awaken from your sleep [of spiritual complacency]; for our salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed [in Christ]".

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 

The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

     The Apostle Paul wrote several letters to the Church at Corinth.  He was deeply concerned that the Believers in Corinth were abandoning their faith.  In addition, a group of men had come to Corinth who presented themselves as apostles. They were false teachers who were challenging, among other things, Paul’s personal integrity and his authority as an apostle.  

     Among other topics in this second letter to the Corinthians, Paul emphasizes that we must "regard no one according to the flesh".  In other words, that what our lives are in this world should be secondary to our reconciliation with God in the spirit, so that we no longer live for ourselves, but for Jesus; who for our sake, died and was raised to sit at the right hand of God, the Father.

     So, Paul points out that if we are reconciled to God (reunited with Him in spirit), then we are also in Christ, and a new creation. Our old lives have passed away, and we now have a new purpose and mission.  No one was better qualified to testify about becoming a new creation than Paul, who was formerly Saul, of Tarsus. In his former life he had ravaged and persecuted the Church, making it his zealous mission to imprison both men and women, followers of "The Way", and to ultimately destroy the new faith in Jesus as Savior and Messiah.  

     But on that road to Damascus, God got a hold of Saul, and in a bold and dramatic event revealed that Saul had not been persecuting men in his zeal to find favor with YHWH, but had actually been persecuting Jesus, the Son of God. We all know the story ... Saul spent three days in Damascus, blind both physically and spiritually, while God revealed exactly who he had seen on that road.  During those three days, Saul died to himself, and was raised to a new life to become one of the most influential messengers of God. 

     I want to make sure we see that in this particular Scripture, Paul makes it clear that the promise of a new life is available to anyone!  It doesn’t matter what class, what race, what nationality, what language, or what level of intelligence. Anyone can be a new creation in Jesus Christ!

     But this promise is contingent on one thing... we must be in Christ.  This is not a promise for those who are in themselves, or in the religion of men, or in someone or something else. This is for those in Christ; for those who are grafted in to Him, joined to Him by faith in Him as their Savior. 

     And we must understand that Jesus Christ changes those who come to Him by faith, and who are in Him. The saved are not “just forgiven.” They are changed into a new creation [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit], with new responsibilities. The old things have passed away; those things that were our previous moral and spiritual condition. We must never return to them.

     It is incumbent upon us to recognize that living as a new creation is not something God does for us, but works in us, using our will and our choices. So, we must both receive the gift of being a new creation, and be challenged to live the life of a new creation. But it is God’s work in us that we must submit to. This reminds us that at its root, Christianity is all about what God has done for us, not what we can or should do for God. Paul is careful [in today's verse] to give the credit to God, not to us.

    I love this quote by the great theologian Charles Spurgeon: “Beloved, if you have no more religion than you have worked out in yourself, and no more grace than you have found in your nature, you have none at all. A supernatural work of the Holy Ghost must be wrought in every one of us, if we would see the face of God with acceptance.” If we truly become a new creation, it is expressly due to what God has done in us; we can claim no part in it.

     Behold, the new has come.  We are not only mended, but we are made new; becoming a willing partner in establishing the Kingdom of God on earth. You see, God loves working with His creation.  He enjoys partnering with us, and through us, to see His perfect will be done.  But He can't achieve His plan while we are in our flesh.  We must be in Christ and a new creation, regenerated in a spirit of obedience, and willing to glorify Him with our lives. Thank You, Lord, for the work You have done in me, and the work You will continue to do as I grow in this relationship towards You! 

     

      

A Spiritual Perspective On Gods and War

      Our national commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor was a fascinating look into history and how Americans viewed the events of the day.  During my research I found an interesting article relating how Navy Admiral Chester William Nimitz, the commander of the Pacific Fleet during World War II, regarded that horrific attack from a particularly Christian position. Then I began thinking about wars in general and how they might be observed from the spiritual dimension, and the intriguing possibilities that the Bible presents when we take a closer look at a pivotal event in the Old Testament.  My mind was racing, and I'm not sure I can connect all the dots, but let's see where my thoughts take us...

     Let me begin at the beginning.  In the gift shop at Pearl Harbor, one can purchase a small book by Admiral Chester Nimitz, titled "Reflections on Pearl Harbor".  In the book, Admiral Nimitz relates that he received a phone call while attending a concert in Washington D.C. on Sunday, December 7, 1941. It was President Franklin Roosevelt telling him he was now Commander of the Pacific fleet.  Admiral Nimitz flew to Hawaii to assume command of the Pacific Fleet and landed at Pearl Harbor on Christmas Eve, 1941. There was such a spirit of despair, dejection and defeat--you would have thought the Japanese had already won the war.
     On Christmas Day, the Admiral toured the scene of wreckage and carnage; sunken battleships and navy vessels were everywhere.  The tour boat returned to the dock, and a young helmsman asked what the Admiral thought of all the destruction.  Admiral Nimitz replied, "The Japanese made three of the biggest mistakes an attack force could ever make -- or God was taking care of America. Which do you think it was?"
     If you are a history buff like I am, I wanted to know what the Admiral saw as mistakes.  Here they are.  Mistake #1: The Japanese attacked on Sunday morning. Nine out of every ten crewmen of those ships were ashore on leave. If those same ships had been lured to sea and been sunk--we would have lost 38,000 men instead of 3,800. Mistake #2: When the Japanese saw all those battleships lined in a row, they got so carried away sinking those battleships, they never once bombed the dry docks opposite those ships. If they had destroyed the dry docks, we would have had to tow every one of those ships to America to be repaired. The ships were in shallow water and could be raised. One tug could pull them over to the dry docks, where they could be repaired and at sea by the time they could be towed to America. And there were already crews ashore anxious to man those ships.  Mistake #3: Every drop of fuel in the Pacific theater of war was in top-of-the-ground storage tanks five miles away. One attack plane could have strafed those tanks and destroyed the fuel supply.
     And that's why Admiral Nimitz made the statement that the Japanese either made three of the biggest mistakes an attack force could make -- or God was taking care of America. So that got me to thinking ... do we really believe God has a vested interest in taking care of, or protecting, nations?  And if He does, is it all nations, or are there specific ones He protects, and others He rejects?  We know that Romans 13 tells us that there is no authority in a nation, except from God; and that which exists has been placed there by Him.  But that is specifically about human government of a nation.  Is there a spiritual component, and what part do other gods play in the history of nations?
     Now, that last comment might throw you for a loop.  As a Christian, why would I even consider the existence or the importance of other "little g" gods?  First of all, because they do exist!  God spends a large portion of the Old Testament warning the Israelites, His chosen people, against following other (false) gods.  But where did these other gods come from; and how does that play into Israel being "chosen" by God to be His people; and finally how does that fit into my thoughts about a spiritual perspective on war?  Hang on, I'm going to take you on a wild ride!
     I am a huge fan of Dr. Michael Heiser, an American Biblical scholar, who earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages. He has opened up the Bible to me, by providing the Hebrew context of our English language Bibles, and offering interpretations that English-only commentaries are lacking. By providing the meanings of words and concepts from a uniquely Hebrew position, the Bible expands and increases in scope; broadening our understanding to deeper levels.
     Such is the understanding of the word Elohim. Most Christians understand that it is the most common word in the Bible for YHWH, The Creator.  But did you know that in Hebrew, the word Elohim can have both singular and plural applications. Think, in English, something like:  Look at that deer (singular); or look at those deer (plural). Well, in Psalm 82, we get a clear example of Hebrew grammar in verse 1:  God (Elohim) stands in the divine assembly; He administers judgment in the midst of the gods (elohim). It cannot be denied; it is as plain as day, or as Dr. Heiser says:  The God of the Old Testament was part of an assembly -- a pantheon -- of other gods.  
     But where did these others gods come from?  I'm going to give you a very short explanation, knowing that this topic could take days to explore (and I hope you do).  But put very simply, God, as Creator, is responsible for creating these other gods, who in the ancient Semitic world, were known as sons of God (Hebrew: beney elohim), divine beings with higher-level responsibilities or jurisdictions. Obviously, God would have hoped that they would play by His rules and exert their responsibilities in a holy or righteous manner.

     These elohim will come into play in the familiar story of the The Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. We know that humankind came together (under the tutelage of the elohim who had been given jurisdiction over them) to build a city and a tower that would reach to heaven.  It was a confederation of nations (and elohim), come together to usurp the power and dominion of Elohim (God). We know that God confused their languages and scattered them from Babel over the face of the whole earth. But it is Deuteronomy 32:8-9 that reveals God's ultimate actions:  Remember the days of old .... When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He divided mankind, He fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.  But the Lord's portion is His people, Jacob (Israel) His allotted heritage. 
     It is very clear from this passage that YHWH's dispersal of the nations at Babel resulted in his disinheriting those nations as His people.  In effect, He decided that the people of the world's nations (at that time) were no longer going to be in relationship to Him.  He would begin anew, and enter into covenant relationship with a new people that did not even exist yet (Israel).  This idea is astounding and monumental in understanding much of what the Old Testament tells us.
     NOTE:  Several versions of the Bible erroneously translate verse 8 to say, according to the number of the sons of Israel. That is a wrong translation, because Israel didn't exist yet. In fact, Abraham had not even been called yet!
     So, what does this have to do with our discussion?  As odd as it might sound, Scripture is telling us that after the Tower of Babel, God decided to keep the peoples who would become the nation of Israel for Himself, while the rest of the nations were placed under the authority of members of YHWH's Divine Council, the elohim of the divine assembly mentioned in Psalm 82:1.  In other words, the other nations were assigned to lesser elohim as a judgment from the Most High for their actions at Babel.
     I'm now going to take a huge leap to modern times and try to connect the dots. When we understand that from that moment in history until now, the nations of the world have been under the jurisdiction of lesser elohim, we can see the history of the world's wars from a different and spiritual persecutive. These lesser elohim were in rebellion against God at Babel, and nothing has changed.  They inspired the nations under their jurisdiction to battle against other nations, in a never-ending quest to reach that designation of Most High.  That's why history has seen nations conquering other nations, and borders being defined and re-defined.
     And when you consider that during the last world war, you had both the Germans and the Japanese vying to be the Master race, it's not hard to imagine the lesser elohim in the spiritual realm working their plans, trying to convince the leaders of these wartime giants that they had a divine calling.  In fact, Emperor Hirohito of Japan believed he and the Imperial Family were divine descendants of the sun goddess Amaterasu.

      Although there are some modern scholars who are doing their best to deny that Adolph Hitler had any connection to the occult or evil organizations, one need only look at his "Final Solution" for extermination of the Jews to see a correlation between the disinheriting of the lesser elohim and their nations, and their hate for the nation God would claim as His own.  There is plenty of evidence to suggest that Hitler was interested in the occult, magic, and the paganism of his Germanic roots.  He is said to have marked extensive passages in a 1923 book, titled Magic: History, Theory, and Practice, including one that reads, "He who does not have the demonic seed within himself will never give birth to a magical world".
     One can also look to the emergence of ISIS and their hatred of Israel to see the influence of their lesser elohim, Allah, and his influence against the Most High; Elohim, the Creator. Hopefully, you can see how war and gods are inherently intertwined. The Old Testament is full of stories of God warning the Israelites (His allotted portion of the world's people) against being influenced by the other nations and their false gods (lesser elohim). That same pattern has occurred throughout history and we have seen ample proof of this model of rebellion during the wars of the last century. As crazy as it may sound, we live in a world governed by other gods who have become hostile rivals in the wake of YHWH's judgment against them at Babel. They are still in rebellion and influencing the leaders under their jurisdiction, in a constant attempt to replace the Authority of the Most High God.
     But back to Admiral Nimitz's hypothesis. If the people who would become Israel was the only nation that God kept for Himself, do you think it is possible that He will take care of us? That's where we have to once again go to the Bible for the answer. In the Old Testament, God says in Genesis 12 that He will make a great nation of Israel, and "I will bless those who bless you (Israel), and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed". So the nations that stand by Israel; support and honor her will be blessed by God.  And in Joel 3, God makes it abundantly clear how he will deal with nations who dishonor His inheritance:  "I will gather all nations and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, and there will I deal with and execute judgment upon them for their treatment of My people and of My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations and because they have divided My land."
     So, all nations are not Elohim's chosen; nations will receive blessings or curses depending on how they treated Israel. And we are grafted in as His inheritance, His children, if we have faith in His Son, who came to deliver Israel from her rebellion. And until the day His Son returns, the lesser elohim will continue in their own rebellion, still trying to execute the plan they initiated at Babel. But their judgment is sure, and it will be swift. Peace will not reign on this earth until the Prince of Peace comes in final judgment of all who oppose, disobey, and challenge the Authority of the Most High.  When Jesus says. "there will be wars and rumors of wars", He is prophesying a truth of the human existence. But I praise God that we know one day it will end. And what a glorious day that will be!

Psalm 89:5-7    Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the sons of God is like the Lord, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him?