What Happened at Bethbarah?

by Pastor Don Elmore

July 20, 2014

Scripture Reading: Judges 7:24, 25

This scripture reading tells of the victory that Israel had over the Midianites when they slew the two princes of that nation.  Remember that God had told Gideon 32,000 Test for eliminating men from Gideon's troopstroops that Israel had, they would vaunt themselves against their God, saying, “Mine own hand hath saved me” (Judges 7:2).  So God instructed Gideon to eliminate 31,700 of the 32,000 troops:  Israel only had 300 soldiers left to fight the battle against the Midianites and Amalekites (Judges 7:6).  That is lowering the number of Israel’s army by over 99%!

The army of Israel was cut by over 99+%.  First, all those who were afraid were let go; that was 22,000.  Then 9700 men were let go who drank from the pond by putting their mouth in the water.  This left only 300 to fight against an army of over 135,000!  It lowered the odds from 1 to 5 to around 1 to 500.Gideon's CampaignsThe soldiers of Gideon, which included men (no women) from the tribes of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, Naphtali and later Ephraim pursued after the Midianites and destroyed the enemy leaders named Zebah and Zalmunna and over 135,000 soldiers of the Midianites.   He was so successful that the “men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also; for thou hast delivered us, from the hand of Midian” (Judges 8:22).    Gideon answered:  “I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you” (Judges 8:23).

Gideon dwelt in his own house for the last forty years of his life.  And he died when he was a good old age.  And it followed that after he was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and played the harlot with Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.

In Psalm 83, both of these nations, the Amalekites (verse 7) and Midianites (verse 9) are mentioned as being enemies of Israel.  This victory of Gideon is reflected in this Psalm when King David longed for the victory over Israel’s future enemies.  “Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb: yea, all the princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna, (verse 11).”  It looked forward to a time when their adversaries would be confounded forever (verse 18).

Is the Constitution Christian?

by Jim Jester

Most Christians believe America was founded as a Christian nation and that the Constitution was a divinely inspired document. It is true that the Christian Pilgrims started governments in America; but it is not true that the Constitution formed a century and a half later was Christian. It should be remembered that our culture has been Christian from the beginning and those seeking political office knew this. Thus, would be politicians must sound like they are Christian in order to get votes. The Declaration of Independence mentions the “Creator,” “nature’s God,” the “Supreme Judge” and “Divine Providence;” all of which may sound somewhat Christian and biblical. However, they also sound masonic and universal. In contrast, the Constitution uses no such language as this. There is no mention of the God of the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, or the God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Why not, if it is divinely inspired. Clearly, the Constitution is religiously neutral at best. Does any Christian see a problem with this?

The Constitution, being neutral when it comes to religious faith, allows for all faiths and philosophies. This is contrary to God’s Law, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Ex. 20:3). There are many other references in the Bible forbidding the toleration of other religions or heathen customs (as seen in Christmas and Easter). If Christians want to maintain a free and just society, they must follow God’s Law. Under the religiously neutral Constitution, we will continue to decline as a nation.

Investigating the War of 1861 Endnotes

by Jim Jester

1. There was no formal Declaration of War made by Lincoln, for to do such would mean he had to recognize the legitimacy of the Confederate States of America. Internationally, no other state formally recognized the Confederacy although most were sympathetic to their cause. Only the Vatican recognized them. President Lincoln’s view was that the Southern states were still a part of the Union and that they were in rebellion against the legitimate government and its laws.

Investigating the War of 1861 Part 3

By Jim Jester

President Abraham Lincoln saw the “War of the Rebellion” (as he called it) as defeating rebellious civilians in order to “save the Union.” He did not recognize the Southern confederacy as its own nation, ignoring thousands of Americans’ votes to secede. By Northern definition, the conflict became known as the “Civil War.” On the other hand, President Jefferson Davis saw the conflict in terms of defending the borders of the Confederate States of America. By Southern definition, the War of 1861 was “The War for Southern Independence,” just as the united colonies had done in 1776. Later they became the United States of America under the Articles of Confederation of 1781. Historians seem to forget (or ignore) that both sides were a confederation of States, both legally and lawfully voted upon by the people of those States.

Investigating the War of 1861 Part 2

By Jim Jester

Empire

A correspondent for Macmillan’s Magazine did a thorough job investigating the war while in America. He talked with hundreds of people, from all walks of life, in the North and was convinced that slavery had nothing to do with Northern motives for war. He summarized the answers he was given with the words, “We do not claim to be carrying on a war for the blacks, but for the whites…. The object of the war is to preserve the Union…. It was for clear matter-of-fact interests.” When he tried to pin down these interests, the answers did not show any moral or legal justification for a war of aggression with the carnage that was taking place. Noble principles are rarely involved in warfare. What really were involved were trade, money, and empire building. He came to the same conclusion as many foreign correspondents did, that preserving the American empire was at stake. The Quarterly Review (London) analyzed “The American Crisis” in these words:

For the contest on the part of the North is now disguisedly for empire. The question of slavery is thrown to the winds. There is hardly any concession in its favor that the South could ask which the North would refuse, provided only that the seceding States would re-enter the Union…. Away with the pretence on the North to dignify its cause with the name of freedom to the slave!

It became clear to the majority of British writers that preserving the Union really meant preserving the empire. The thinking of the 19th century was to conquer and explore. America was building an empire across the continent, with Alaska, Canada, and Cuba on the list, and this is what Europeans saw as a very understandable reason to preserve the Union. The Athenaeum (6 May 1865), a highly respected British weekly, wrote:

Many different motives urged her [the North] to begin the work on which she lavished blood and treasure. She fought… for all those delicious dreams of national predominance in future ages, which she must relinquish as soon as the union is severed…. They saw the necessity for an undivided nation: they knew that banded together they might achieve all their promises and predictions, but that their historical pre-eminence would be sacrificed as soon as they consented to a dissolution of partnership.

Investigating the War of 1861 Part 1

by Jim Jester

The “Civil War”, as commonly called, is still one of the most discussed and written about subjects in America. Like most Americans, I grew up in the public “fool” system hearing about the “great president Lincoln who freed the slaves and made things right in America.” But, I knew something was wrong with this story because we are always misled about anything of importance. And so, I decided to search out the truth about this war that took so many lives. It is my attempt to correct the lopsided history, provide us with needed facts to combat these lies; and how this era still effects us today.

Every year I cringe at the propaganda of Black History Month. Now – I don’t mind if blacks have their history but it should not be used to denigrate our Southern founding fathers – the heart of America’s founding. So, I decided to declare January as White History Month (April is Confederate History Month). Soon afterward, someone asked me if I was still fighting the Civil War. To which I answered, “No, but I am still fighting for freedom; so in that sense I am still fighting a war.”

Seldom does anyone hear about the War of 1861 from the viewpoint of the Southerner. We have only heard the story from the perspective of the Northern conqueror.

Investigating the War of 1861

by Jim Jester

Christians are people of truth. As I grew up in America, attending grade school and college, I thought I was being taught the truth. As I grew older I found out that not everything I was told was 100% accurate, whether it came from teachers, friends, books, newspapers, or electronic media. I soon realized that there is another side to the story that we are not always told. The Civil War was one of those issues that really got my curiosity stirred – so soon after winning (allegedly) the American Revolution, here we were cruelly fighting brother against brother? Why, this is absurd!

So I set out to search for the other side of the story. I skimmed through about 7 books from the immense collection in the local library. I also bought 3 books which were from a pro-Southern position so I could gather the truth about what really happened in that war. Why? Because we deserve the truth. Additionally, I wanted to give Christians enough facts to help them re-educate the brainwashed masses and point them to the ultimate remedy for our national problems, the Bible.

In the article, I cover all the major issues of the time: slavery, emancipation, money, federalism, empire, secession, justice, and the morality of the war. I did not feel this would be complete without a little about some of the battles in the conflict, especially Robert E. Lee’s secret plan for Gettysburg. In the research I also note how the government has expanded its power and how the root of our problems go all the way back to the Constitution itself. This was disheartening and something I did not expect to discover.

The Kurtis Monschke Story

by Pastor Mark Downey

Part 1:  A real life chronicle of one outstanding skinhead falsely accused of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.  He exemplifies the true grit of what young Identity Christian men should be.  An amazing story of an innocent man fighting for his freedom and yours.

Part 2:  Evidence from Washington state transcripts and witness testimony that proves the innocence of a man who has spent the last ten years in federal prison and who has exhausted all legal remedies, leaving one last option of clemency and your prayers.

Lincoln’s War against the Declaration

by Joel Taylor

The Gettysburg Address is so full of holes when compared with the Declaration of Independence that I do not see how anyone can miss what Lincoln did. A close examination shows us that the Address is the foundation, the new constitution, of the nation in which we now live. It did away with the Declaration of Independence and the original Constitution, and it formed a new nation, a nation dedicated to empire building — enforcing its will on all others. We have seen many examples during our lifetime of Lincoln’s new nation’s goal of subduing all to its will; such as the Ten Commandments issue in Alabama, the Florida election, gun control measures, etc. All these establish Federal control over the local states. Lincoln’s Federal nation believes it has the right to enforce its will upon the states, and, if necessary, will use military might to enforce its will. Here are a few of the obvious statements showing Lincoln’s overthrow of the nation founded by the Declaration of Independence, a nation no longer in existence.

First, our fathers did not bring forth on this continent a new nation. Lincoln brought forth that new nation. Our fathers brought forth thirteen new nations. The union of those thirteen individual and independent nations was known as these united States, not this United States. America was conceived as thirteen individual nations, united together for their common good. But Lincoln’s War forced the individual nations into one nation, quite contrary to what our fathers fought and died to give us.

Second, that nation was not dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal; that is, founded so all people would have equal rights. The common unity of the original thirteen individual and independent nations was over the problem of oppressive government intervention. Read “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America as presented in Congress, July 4, 1776.” (Note the name tells us that the Declaration was by thirteen united States located in America.) The complaints of the thirteen independent nation-states against the oppressions of the King of Great Britain sound very much like the complaints of the fifty states against the Federal Government established by Lincoln.

Which Way America?

The Wake-up Herald

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. Romans 13:11-14