The Silencing of the Lambs

I’ve had this on draft most of the week but have posted news on the crisis in Ukraine and haven’t had time to get back to it. Wasn’t planning on posting as a Sabbath message, but since it has much scripture and a good number of definitions from Strong’s, it seemed suitable. Also, I don’t normally use articles for the weekly message either, but in this case, they fit the topic.

I was curious if the term “liberal” as used in politics and morality today was used likewise in scripture, so I put on my CSI-DoD (Comprehensive Scriptural Investigation – Doctrine of Definitions) hat and began searching for clues. The term “liberal” is used in the Old Testament in Proverbs 11:25 and from the Hebrew: [H1293 – בּרכה – b^e râkâh – ber-aw-kaw’ – From H1288 benediction; by implication prosperity. KJV Usage: blessing, liberal, pool, present.] The term “liberal” in 2Cor. 2:13 is from the Greek term haplotos in the objective sense means generosity. The term “liberally” in Deut. 15:14 is from anaq meaning to choke out, necklace with a chain – figuratively to supply, and James 1:5 from the Greek haplos as an adverb meaning bountifully. The term “liberality” in 1Cor. 16:3 is from the Greek charis meaning graciousness and in 2Cor. 8:2 from the Greek haplotes meaning in the subjective context simplicity.

No politics or morality there, however, the term “liberal” as used in Isaiah 32:5,8 is very much different in context. But first, let’s get to the articles I’ve had on draft this week.

The Silencing of the Lambs

From a Professor in Sociology

A university prof’s sobering picture of Christianity in America

From the article above:

“In fact, my recent research has confirmed that such hatred is still very powerful. David Williamson and I conducted a survey of culturally progressive activists using open-ended questions. The survey questions elicited a variety of hostile statements aimed at conservative Christians. One statement in particular (from a male, age 36-45) caught my attention: ‘The only good Christian is a dead Christian.'”

In short, “when one is in a war, one should offer no mercy to the enemy. The respondent made it clear that he sees Christians as the enemy and believes that no mercy should be given to them.”

Other respondents had comments like this:

“The only difference I see between [a] Christian fundamentalist and [an] Islamic fundamentalist is terrorism. At their heart both movements are attempts to replace their country’s government with theocracies. Religion in the political arena is dangerous to freedom and should be not allowed. Even minor intrusions such as allowing religious groups to distribute public funds to the poor should not be allowed. (male, age 46–55)

“The Christian Right’s influence in our government is as dangerous as the Taliban in Afghanistan or the ayatollahs in Iran. We cannot allow them to get a solid foothold in our government. The only way to do this without infringing on rights is to be especially vigilant and point out their bigotry and hypocrisy often and loudly so as to discredit them in the eyes of their followers and, more importantly, the eyes of the voting populace. (female, age 66–75)”

The mask on the above lamb is a muzzle for keeping it quite and not a health mandate, but I suppose if “conservative Christians” were to get covid and die, that would be a muzzling.

WATCH! Teacher says Christians need to get COVID and die

From the article above:

“We have a political system that will not allow us to [inaudible] so we’re vaccinating like the flu … which is, you know … get the flu vaccine if you want but you can’t — don’t ‘tread on me.’ [crosstalk] But it’s too late. It would have had to have been immediate. If we would have done it immediately, it’d already be gone. That’s what’s frustrating. The rest of my life is impacted because of politics? Because of conservative Christian crap? [crosstalk] I’m telling you, those conservative Christians … they need to die … they need to get covid and die.”

Isaiah 32:1-8

KJV^(i) 1 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. (Rev. 20:4-6, 1Cor. 53-54)² And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. ³ And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken. ⁴ The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly. ⁵ The vile person (H5056) shall be no more called liberal (H5081), nor the churl said to be bountiful. ⁶ For the vile person (H5036) will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. ⁷ The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth ( H3289) wicked devices to destroy (H2254) the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right. ⁸ But the liberal (H5081) deviseth (H3289) liberal (H5081) things; and by liberal (H5081) things shall he stand. 

*H5036 – נבל – nâbâl – naw-bawl – From H5034; stupid; wicked (especially impious) KJV Usage: fool (-ish, -ish man, -ish woman), vile person.

>H5034 – נבל – nâbêl – naw-bale’ – A primitive root; to wilt; generally to fall away, fail, faint; figuratively to be foolish or (morally) wicked; causatively to despise, disgrace. KJV Usage: disgrace, dishonour, lightly esteem, fade (away, -ing), fall (down, -ling, off), do foolishly, come to nought, X surely, make vile, wither.

*H5081 – נדיב – nâdı̂yb – naw-deeb’ – From H5068; properly voluntary, that is, generous; hence, magnanimous; as noun, a grandee (sometimes a tyrant) KJV Usage: free, liberal (things), noble, prince, willing ([hearted]).

>H5068 – נדב – nâdab – naw-dab’ – A primitive root; to impel; hence to volunteer (as a soldier), to present spontaneously. KJV Usage: offer freely, be (give, make, offer self) willing (-ly).

*H3289 – יעץ – yâ‛ats – yaw-ats’ – A primitive root; to advise; reflexively to deliberate or resolve. KJV Usage: advertise, take advice, advise (well), consult, (give take) counsel (-lor), determine, devise, guide, purpose.

*H2254 – חבל – châbal – khaw-bal’ – A primitive root; to wind tightly (as a rope), that is, to bind; specifically by a pledge; figuratively to pervert, destroy; also to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) KJV Usage: X at all, band, bring forth, (deal) corrupt (-ly) destroy, offend, lay to (take a) pledge, spoil, travail, X very, withhold.

If the liberals want to continue in their liberal ways, then let them die in their liberal ways, but if they come out of their liberal ways, they shall live.

Ezekiel 33:7-16

KJV^(i) 7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. ⁸ When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. ⁹ Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. ¹⁰ Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? ¹¹ Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? ¹² Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. ¹³ When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. ¹⁴ Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; ¹⁵ If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. ¹⁶ None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

Come out of Babylon, for her judgement is near!

LOLGB+