Twisting the Transfiguration
I was minding my own business and beginning my day as I often do, reading the Days of Praise devotional from ICR (Institute for Creation Research). I like ICR because as a kid, I read “The Genesis Flood” by John Whitcomb and Henry Morris. Morris founded ICR. This book put me on the path to belief in a literal six-day creation instead of the evolution I was being taught in public school.
My only gripe with ICR is that they will sometimes twist Scripture in an effort to undergird their Premillennial Dispensational presuppositions. Today is such an example. How someone can take the plain meaning of Scripture and butcher it so badly is inexcusable to me. Especially, when they have built their whole organization on the idea of taking the Bible literally; at least until it gets in the way of their presuppositions. Ironically, attacking the presuppositions of others is part of what ICR does when they battle evolutionists. Sadly, they call the kettle black a little too much as you will see shortly.
Today’s Days of Praise topic was:
And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.”
Luke 9:30–31
This verse is part of the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to a high mountain where Moses and Elijah appear and speak with Jesus. The voice of the Father is heard here as well.
Analysis of the Event
While not directly the subject of my blog today, here are a few comments on this passage.
First, geography in the Bible is important. As Michael Heiser and others of like mind point out, the ministry of Jesus is as much about combatting Principalities and Powers as it is rebuking the Jewish religious leaders and proclaiming the arrival of the Kingdom of God. Just a few verses prior to the Transfiguration, Jesus said the gates of Hell won’t prevail against His Kingdom. Jesus said this while standing in front of the Gates of Hell, a pagan shrine dedicated to the god Pan. Then he and the three disciples climb Mt. Hermon, the holy mountain of Bashan, to have the Transfiguration episode.
Mount Hermon is also much higher than Tabor (8,500 feet vs. 1,843 feet), which would fit better with the description of a “high mountain” by Mark (and in Matt 17:1). Some scholars still hold to the Tabor identification, but many have come to agree that the close proximity of Caesarea Philippi to Mount Hermon and the symbolic-religious associations that relationship entails make Mount Hermon the logical choice for the transfiguration.
The imagery is striking. We’ve seen already that the Jewish tradition about the descent of the Watchers, the sons of God of Genesis 6:1–4, informed the writings of Peter and Jude. Now we see that the transfiguration of Jesus takes place on the same location identified by that tradition. Jesus picks Mount Hermon to reveal to Peter, James, and John exactly who he is—the embodied glory-essence of God, the divine Name made visible by incarnation. The meaning is just as transparent: I’m putting the hostile powers of the unseen world on notice. I’ve come to earth to take back what is mine. The kingdom of God is at hand.
Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Discovering the Supernatural World of the Bible, Expanded Edition (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2025), 348.
Details in the [Transfiguration] narrative seem to fit better with Mount Hermon, located on the northern edge of Bashan—a region associated in Jesus’ day with demonic activity. Based on this connection, Jesus’ revelation of His true identity in the Transfiguration can be understood as an advance against evil: The King has arrived to defeat the powers of darkness and claim what belongs to Him. The eschatological conquest of Bashan is described in Psa 68, a passage quoted by Paul in Eph 4:8 in connection with the Church.
John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016)
My second observation is the word “decease” in the KJV or “departure” in NIV is the Greek word “Exodus” (ἔξοδος). Jesus would be going on an Exodus! Wow, I don’t recall hearing that said in church before.
But it gets better because, my third observation is that this exodus is coupled with the Greek word “mello” (μέλλω). So, the exodus of Jesus was an event that he was about to accomplish. The KJV, “he should,” in the phrase he should accomplish, masks the immediacy of the event. Another KJV paraphrase?
ICR Puts Their Thumb on the Scale
This is a mysterious passage. Peter, James, and John watched in awe as Christ was transfigured before them as He had promised (Mark 9:2). But how could Moses and Elijah be there? Moses’ body had been buried by God in an unknown tomb in Moab some 1,500 years before, and no resurrection had yet taken place (Deuteronomy 34:5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:22-23). Elijah had been taken alive into heaven in a chariot of fire over 900 years previously (2 Kings 2:11).
How could Moses and Elijah be there?
This is the wrong question to ask but ICR’s answer is the following:
But when He [Jesus] does return in glory, there will be two groups of people sharing His glory with Him: Moses represented the resurrected saints and Elijah the “raptured” saints.
Wow. This is so wrong on so many levels.
First, Moses represents the Law. Elijah represents the Prophets. Jesus repeatedly says the Law and Prophets testify to him so why is that anything novel for me to claim?
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 5:17–18.
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Luke24:44.
23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
Acts 28:23.
Lest you think I am alone in my thinking, Logos Software yields the following:
> why are Moses and Elijah at Transfiguration
Moses and Elijah appear at the transfiguration to authenticate Jesus’s messianic identity and demonstrate his continuity with Israel’s redemptive history. They function as representatives of the Law and the Prophets, pointing to Jesus as the messianic Son.[1] This pairing carries profound symbolic weight: Moses had experienced a mountaintop encounter at Sinai where his face shone, and served as a prototype of the coming prophet[2], while Elijah held eschatological significance in Jewish thought as a figure associated with the end times and the Messiah’s precursor.[2]
Beyond their covenantal roles, Moses and Elijah embody a deeper spiritual reality. Both men had longed to see God during their earthly ministries, and their appearance at the transfiguration allows them to witness the eternally begotten Son.[1] Remarkably, Moses finally enters the promised land he was forbidden to inhabit in life, and sees not merely the land but Immanuel himself.[1] Mount Sinai provided the geographical intersection of their ministries—the only place both had gone—where each witnessed a theophany on the mountain.[3] The transfiguration thus echoes this pattern, positioning Jesus within the continuum of God’s self-revelation.
Moses and Elijah demonstrate how Jesus completes the story: under the old covenant they were servants, but under the new covenant Jesus is the master—the prophet, priest, and king Israel awaited.[1] Their presence draws attention to Jesus’s place in continuing God’s redemptive work from the Exodus through the eschatological future, and underscores his superiority over even these revered figures of Israel’s past.[2]
[1] Patrick Schreiner, The Transfiguration of Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Reading (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2024), 87–88.
[2] Walter L. Liefeld, “Luke,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984), 926–927.
[3] Benjamin A. Foreman, “The Geographical Significance of the Transfiguration,” in Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Gospels, ed. Barry J. Beitzel and Kristopher A. Lyle, Lexham Geographic Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016), 306–307.
So back to ICR.
How could Moses and Elijah be there? ICR’s original question. Well, the Bible never gives us an answer. It states a fact and expects us to believe it.
Peter, James, and John were there because under Old Testament law, valid testimony required two or three witnesses that attested to the same set of facts. These disciples were sworn to secrecy until a later date which followed the exodus of Jesus.
9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
Matthew 17:9.
Folks, ICR has really gone out on a limb which can’t support the weight of their argument. There is zero reference anywhere in this passage about the ideas expressed in I Thessalonians 4:16-17 concerning those that “sleep” or are alive. Again, there is no such thing as “The Rapture” in Scripture; unless you presuppose its existence.
Thus, the claim that Moses represented the resurrected saints and Elijah the “raptured” saints is so novel that nobody has any basis to believe it. It is definitely not supported by the text or the historic understanding of the Transfiguration. Such an interpretation is manufactured in an attempt to lend credibility to the biblical presuppositions of Premillennial Dispensationalism.
I Just Had to Look in Scofield’s Notes: Big Mistake
Just for fun, I looked up the Transfiguration in my Scofield Reference Bible. This Premillennial nonsense is not in Luke’s account of the Transfiguration but in footnotes in Matthew’s version of the Transfiguration event (Matthew 17:2 & 10).
None of Scofield’s notes for the Transfiguration event in Matthew, Mark, or Luke, mention anything about the Law and the Prophets as it relates to the presence of Moses and Elijah.
However, Scofield mentions another bit of theological crap. In his comments on Matthew 17:10 he states:
(1) Christ confirms the specific and still unfulfilled prophecy of Malachi 4:5-6: “Elijah comes and will restore all things.” Here, as in Malachi, the prediction fulfilled in John the Baptist, and that yet to be fulfilled in Elijah are kept distinct.
The New Testament, and Jesus in particular, say that John the Baptist was Elijah that was to come.
10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. 12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
Matthew 17:10–13.
Scofield winks at that and then, essentially claims that Jesus was wrong and despite the assurances of Jesus, Elijah will literally return in physical form to do some future tasks that John was not able to do. Without explicitly saying it, I guess he expects Elijah and Moses to be the two witnesses in Revelation 11:3-12.
Folks, people don’t typically come back from the afterlife. Jesus clearly states that John the Baptist fulfills the prophecy because he came in the spirit of Elijah, the Bible knows nothing of reincarnation.
Also, does anybody but me have a problem with Moses, having died 4,000 years ago and counting, be required to take on human flesh again so that he can die once again during the Great Tribulation. Moses has already been in Sheol from his death until Christ’s Resurrection, and then he gets a spiritual body and then his eternal life is undone so he can come to earth and die again. Wow. What a horrible punishment; especially for a very righteous man. Scofield is a sadistic S.O.B. for expecting such a fate for Moses. Then again, he is Ok with killing 2/3 of the Jews on the planet so what’s one more dead Jewish guy?
Scofield’s whole claim is based on one distortion. John the Baptist was asked if he was Elijah. John said, “No.” John was John, not the reincarnation of Elijah. Thus, Scofield once again taking symbolic language literally, makes the assertion that Elijah never came as prophesied.
Again, Jesus said that John was the Elijah that was prophesied.
11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? 12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. 13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him. Mark 9:11–13.
Lest you think I’m playing fast and loose with the text, let’s go to yet another passage.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Luke 1:13–17.
This passage closes the case. Scofield’s insistence that Elijah literally return to Earth so he too can be killed during the Great Tribulation is unsubstantiated crap.
Again, Moses and Elijah are never named in Revelation chapter 11, but a search for the name “Elijah” in my handy Logos Software brings up the passage anyway. Proof that some folks think this is a thing. Ridiculous! (I’ll have more on this in a future post.)
Not Scofield Bible Notes
My other Bible has the following note on Matthew 17:3
Moses and Elijah
Since the Law and the Prophets testify to Jesus, Moses the lawgiver, and Elijah, one of the greatest prophets of Israel, are here privileged to appear with Jesus. According to Luke 9:31 they discussed Jesus’ coming death.
New Geneva Study Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995.
Conclusion
The Transfiguration is about authenticating Jesus’ message and verifying that he is the promised Messiah. Both the Law and Prophets—again two witnesses—validate the authenticity of his claim. God the Father appears to further validate the claim. It is a preview of Christ’s enthronement in the kingdom of God.
The idea that Moses and Elijah appearing at the Transfiguration is about “The Rapture” is pure fiction and very laughable. The further claim, that either Elijah, Moses, or both will literally return to planet Earth during the Great Tribulation, for the express purpose of dying in Jerusalem, is also nonsense and lacking in biblical warrant. I intend to take up the hoopla about Moses, Elijah, and the Two Witnesses in a future blog post.
Taking symbols literally just makes an ass out of people that we hope are otherwise intelligent. Taking a passage literally should mean in accordance with its type of literature, not literally in a wooden, ChatGPT, AI sort of way. Following Scofield’s notes inevitably leads people into the ditch.
Politicians Behaving Badly
Before you get your hopes up, this blog isn’t about Lauren Boebert “dumping them out” or Nancy Mace having sex with her husband prior to a prayer service. My apologies for the click bait title.
This is about one thing in politics that really drives me nuts.
“A politician’s number 1 job is to get re-elected.” – William circa 10 years ago or so.
This could not be more true. Actually, the arrogance of these types is a sight to behold. Here are examples of this behavior from both parties.
Tom McClintock (R-All over CA)
He was a state senator in Ventura, then moved to Rocklin area to run for congress. For those of you not aware these cities are nowhere near each other and have nothing in common except that they are safe GOP seats. He then relocated again after the last redistricting to the Yosemite area, again, several hundred miles away. He only cares about himself.
Kevin Kiley (R-CA)
His seat was obliterated with the “Gavinmander” as I call it. So, he dropped his Republican affiliation and is running in a more even district. He would lose anyway, but running as Independent gets you obliterated, like badly. Like he will get 8% of the vote in the primary and finish poorly.
Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento)
Doris is in a tough primary against a young progressive Democrat. Matsui who was “gifted” her seat by her husband dying has been a do nothing stooge for her entire career. She is incensed she has competition. Like most, it is her seat until she decides it isn’t. Oh, she claims a home in Maryland as her primary residence for tax purposes. Word has it that she wants her son to succeed her as it is the family’s hereditary congressional seat.
Dan Lungren (Former R-Sacramento area)
I personally watched Lungren have a meltdown when he was in a tough re-election race. He could not believe anyone could vote for someone who wasn’t him. Keep in mind he did little for the district and voted for the very unpopular bank bailout. Lungren lost four years later, and I was told he had a meltdown that night claiming that it was his campaign manager’s fault. I am of the opinion that he voted for the bailout “because the polls said it was a good thing.”
Anne Marie Schubert (Former DA Sac County)
I remember the local CRA and Republican Central Committee fawning over her. They hung on her every word; she was so Republican that no criminal would ever get out of jail. To me she always seemed like an opportunist. Well, after her last re-election as DA, before the ink dried on the results, she dropped the GOP label and became Independent. She ran as Attorney General, as she was the smartest person in the room. She got demolished. Shame on you losers who endorsed her. She used you and when you were no longer needed, she bailed.
Nathan Fletcher (Former Assemblyman)
Fletcher was elected as a Republican, I believe he served two terms. At his hospitality room for the convention, he made a speech saying he was a former military guy, and he would never forget who he was and his word was his bond. Oh, after his second re-election and millions being spent on his behalf, he became a Democrat. Yep, I would love to have served with him and been in the same foxhole. Based on his character, I picture him as taking enemy fire and while everyone is focused on fighting back, Fletcher is looking to exit stage right or toss a grenade at a bag of rice so he can get a Purple Heart like John Kerry.
Lauren Boebert (R-opportunist)
Boebert is hot, don’t get me wrong. Additionally, giving an over the pants hand job and letting your date grope you during a movie tells me she would be a fun time on a date. But on a more serious note, she moved from one end of Colorado to the other into a “safer” district because polling showed she may not get re-elected where she was better known.
John Cornyn (R-Texas)
Cornyn may be the worst example. He is a dyed-in-the-wool Liberal Republican. A go along to get along type. He is in a tough primary with Ken Paxton the Texas Attorney General. Trump wants the SAVE act passed, Paxton said he would drop out if Cornyn would vote to kill the filibuster and pas it. Viola! Cornyn suddenly is for it. I doubt it will save him, but this goes to show just how far some will go to get re-elected.
Michelle and Chris Orrock (Who knows)
Michelle was elected to the local parks and rec board in Elk Grove. Her husband, Chris, saw this as the jumping board to higher office (the State Capital) and as such, no other Republican could run even when the top 3 vote getters all won seats on the Board. Read that again, literal loser Chris Orrock wanted his wife to be the only Republican to win out of the 3. Oh, the local CRA President had no issue with this either. Strange how these so-called Republicans work right? Well, she was a liberal Republican at best, actually she is more like a watered-down Democrat. Alas, she lost her seat a while ago and hasn’t been heard from since. I would assume they are scouting for the next place to move to get her to the capital, probably in another state.
The person who sometimes proofreads my blog asked a valid question, what about certain members who move just slightly to run in a seat after re-districting? Fair, and I have no real issue with it. In the blog’s satellite office in Sacramento County, the lines have shifted a few times, moving to stay in your current district I’m fine with. Moving a county or two over, I am not.
Politicians the “Evolve”
Another type of politicians behaving badly are the ones who claim they have “evolved” on an issue. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars being the best examples. For it, against it, for the surge, then against it, for it, then in favor of pulling out, then mad about the pull out. Sounds like another war going on, am I right?
Conclusion
These folks do not care about you or your lifestyle, they want power. With that power comes access to information, information they can use to become quite wealthy. The phrase, you can tell a politician is lying when his lips are moving, is a good one, and is true, but the real reason is the information they get. Check out how many poor, or middle class, come to Congress, and leave millionaires several times over on a salary of about $180,000 a year. Oh, and having to live in 2 states to boot. Hence, they get so angry when there is a chance they might lose. Sell outs, all of them. These examples are just the worst I could think of during my lunch hour. I’m sure there are more that deserve to be added to my list.
The Chief
Has the Gospel Been Preached to All the World?
Jesus said that the Gospel must be preached to all the world and then he shall return.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Matthew 24:14.
Has this statement been fulfilled?
Most folks will say, “Nope.” That’s why we have Wycliff Bible Translators and similar groups. Only when the Bible has been translated into the native tongue of every people group on the planet will Jesus return.
Is this what Jesus meant? Let’s take a look.
First, what is the word translated “world’ in this text. Based on the English, you would expect it to be cosmos (κόσμος) meaning the whole of planet earth. However, it is our old friend oikumene (ŏikŏumĕnē) which means inhabited earth, usually Roman Empire in the New Testament. Remember the Christmas story about Ceasar Augustus wanting to tax the whole world? Same Greek word. While I’m sure Ceasar would like to have generated tax revenue from the whole planet, he could only tax the political divisions of Rome.
When you couple Matthew 24:14 with verse 34 then the time window begins to take shape.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Matthew24:34.
Remember that the chapter and verse divisions were added a thousand years after Matthew was written. Look back at the previous chapter.
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
Mattthew 23:35–36.
The judgment would come upon this generation. Those that heard the voice of Jesus. The statement about the Gospel being preached is bracketed before and after by Jesus’ claim that the generation living in his day would see this fulfilled. So, did Jesus lie or was the Gospel preached to all the oikumene in the First Century?
Some of you may laugh at this but this is a serious and important question. Remember your C.S. Lewis. Jesus was either a liar, lunatic, or Lord of all. If Jesus was “mistaken” then he was wrong and therefore is not really God and thus we are all dead in our trespasses and sin.
Many that grew up in the Church have gone to college and been confronted with this very claim of Jesus and left the faith as a result of believing that Jesus was deluded. Most Christians don’t believe that this claim is true. They kick it way into the future, but clearly Jesus did not. So, is the modern church wrong or was Jesus?
Is the prophetic clock paused until the Gospel is preached to every nation or was this event fulfilled as Jesus prophesied.
As always, the best interpreter of the Bible is the Bible so let’s look and what the Apostles had to say.
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Romans 1:8.
World here is cosmos.
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Romans 10:18.
Earth is Greek word gē.
World here is oikumene.
For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
Colossians 1:5–6.
World here is cosmos.
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Colossians 1:23.
But it gets better. Paul says he preached the Gospel to every creature which is under heaven.
25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Romans 16:25–26.
The Gospel is made know to all nations.
Folks, it’s clear that the New Testament claims the Gospel was “preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations” Just as Jesus said.
This agrees with Acts 2:5
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.
Then look at the last part of Matthew 24:14 where it says “then shall the end come.”
The Gospel was preached to all nations and then—in First Century Palestine—the end came.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Matthew 24:3.
My Greek Interlinear version has completion or consummation of the age (suntĕlĕia hŏ aiōn).
So, in Greek Matthew 24:3 is not end of the world. This is a mistranslation and a sloppy one; think Elizabethan paraphrase.
Bottom line:
The Gospel was preached to all nations and then, just as Jesus promised, the Temple and Jerusalem were destroyed in 70 A.D. This was the conclusion of the Old Testament age. From that point foreward, biblically speaking, God is done with the nation of Israel. Salvation was secured, God’s Bride—the Church—was revealed, and the Kingdom of God was established and begun on earth. The mustard seed of the Gospel is growing to fill the earth. Heavenly Jerusalem is here now and slowly bringing healing to the nations as they are discipled.
CA Governor’s Race Commentary
So, we, out here in the People’s Republic of California, are picking a new Governor this November. Governor Newsom is running for President and can’t wait to vacate the Capital!
This is where things get whacky. There are like 9 serious Democrats running for the job! Contrast that to the Republican side where there are 2 serious candidates. You are probably wondering why that is a concern. Well, in California, it’s the top two finishers that move on regardless of Party. So yes, Republicans have a chance to do the funniest thing!
While it is highly unlikely, if the Republicans were to take the top two slots, big change for the better would come to California. Democrats would likely repeal that law, and elections would go back to the way they were when this State was actually competitive. This would actually be a very good thing. Traditionally, in certain parts of California, third parties like; Green, Libertarian, and Peace and Freedom, can get a few percent of the total, meaning that they could play spoiler. Back to the Governor’s race!
In order to accomplish that feat, the Republicans would have to almost evenly split the roughly 34-37% of the vote. That is likely the size of the vote for a Republican candidate in the primary. If Sheriff Bianco and Steve Hilton can pull that feat off, they likely will be advancing to the General.
Here is why.
Democrats have a mess on their side, a big one.
They have 2 congressmen (1 former) from the Los Angeles area running; Katie Porter and Eric Swallwell. Both are known to the voters: as Porter ran for Senate 2 years ago. Xavier Becerra is a former Attorney General and he will get a few percent as well. Tom Steyer is a billionaire who is spending a lot of money and running a lot of ads. He will also get several percent of the vote. Matt Mahan is the Mayor of San Jose who is kind of a populist, he will also garner a few percent. Tony Thurmond, and Betty Yee were both elected statewide a few times, again they will register a couple percent. Antonio Villaragosa is the former LA mayor; he could get a couple percent as well. Problem for the Democrats is all of those 8 names are going to split up the vote, and it could lock them out of the top two.
Polling has been scarce, but it appears Steve Hilton (former Fox News Host) is leading the entire field with some combination of Swalwell, Porter, and Steyer a few points behind, and Sheriff Bianco in that mix as well. One has to wonder, when will the knives come out on both sides. Let’s be real for a minute here. There is zero chance of a Republican being elected Governor, zero; unless both Republican candidates make the top 2. At what point, if you are advising Swalwell, Porter, or Steyer do you say, “rip the gloves off and go scorched earth on each other?” The goal being get yourself and a Republican into the top two and voila you win. One thing for sure, it’s a very fluid race, and will change a bunch over the next few months. Steyer’s ads will show his support rising; however, he is all in on the billionaire tax, quite a few Democrats are not in support of it. Swalwell is probably the moderate of the group, Porter being the far-left progressive pick. Porter has documented anger issues and Swalwell slept with a Chinese spy, so they are flawed.
Wild card. Who will Trump endorse? Don’t get it twisted, even in a state like California, his endorsement will move the numbers; however, I would prefer that he stay out. Neither GOP candidate is great. Actually, both are seriously flawed. Neither have raised much money. Hilton is doing better in the polls as he likely has higher name identification due to his years hosting a show on Fox during the weekends. Bianco is an elected Sheriff from Riverside County (near LA) so he has name I.D. too.
Needless to say, it could be a fun couple of months out here in CA. One thing is for certain; the Democrats do not want 2 Republicans getting through, but if the top three Democrats take the gloves off, it could happen. If Trump doesn’t weigh in, again the top 2 Republicans could split 38% of the vote or so. The other thing that is for certain, if 2 Democrats make the top two, there is a solid chance the GOP could decide the outcome.
Get your popcorn ready!
The Chief
A Defense of Dave Ramsey
Folks, I was at the men’s Bible study at church last night when one of the Elders starts capping on Dave Ramsey.
They were talking about pop psychology and pointing out that it is a substitute for Biblical council. After a few jabs at Joel Ostein, a fellow brought up Dave Ramsey. I was like, hold it. Dave is a man dedicated to helping folks get out of debt. I said that Dave Ramsey often quotes the proverb about the debtor being the slave of the lender. I said that Dave is carried on many secular radio stations and probably is one of the only Christian voices that some folks may ever listen to on a regular basis.
Furthermore, I mentioned that his teaching helped my wife and I pay off $125K in debt (not counting the mortgage) and I tried to bring up the fact that many young people, following the advice of their parents, are getting out of college with huge amounts of debt and that it affects their ability to get married and start a family.
This guy was not moved at all. His only comment was that he was happy to be living off of his Social Security and that was good enough for him.
Folks, if you need another example of the worthlessness of the Baby Boom generation, here you go. Please understand that this guy may be an Elder in the church that I am currently attending but for many decades he was a pastor leading a flock.
As you know, money is one of the leading causes of divorce in our country and he has no empathy for folks that followed the advice of his generation, who went to college because they were expected to, and are now hopelessly upside down financially for the rest of their lives. WTF? When he was in the pulpit, did he never help people in such circumstances? Probably not, but he should have. Isn’t that part of the job description, to apply God’s Word to every area of life; unless he thought God is silent on the subject.
Dave Ramsey tries to offer people in such circumstances a lifeline, and somehow Ramsey is the villain. Whiskey Tango!!
I guess this pastor guy is so cocksure the Jesus is coming any second that his parishioners don’t need to pay their bills, save for the future, or help their fellow man. Sorry dude, but that attitude is both arrogant and unbiblical.
The Bible has much to say about marriage. Arguably, the second most discussed topic is money and commerce. Here are a few verses to wet your whistle on the topic.
Debit is bad.
The rich ruleth over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.
Proverbs 22:7.
Debt is a sign of God’s judgment.
6 For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.
Deuteronomy 15:6.
43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. 44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.
Deuteronomy 28:43.
If you are in debt, get out ASAP.
1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, If thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, 2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, Thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. 3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, When thou art come into the hand of thy friend; Go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. 4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, Nor slumber to thine eyelids. 5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, And as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Proverb 6:1–5.
Dave Ramsey is right that no one should be in debt.
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8.
Furthermore, you should save up to give an inheritance to your children and grandchildren.
A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
Proverbs 13:22.
Bottom line is that Dave Ramsey is in fact teaching God’s Word to people that otherwise would never hear it even if they go to church every Sunday.
Every area of life should be placed under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. If your church doesn’t teach it, they are not preaching the whole counsel of God.
Get out debt, yet another reason that eschatology matters.
US at War Again
Folks, we may have a new President but once again we are at war in the Middle East. Somehow Mossad manages to push all the right buttons to get us to fight on behalf of Israel. I frankly don’t trust them.
Remember Iraq and weapons of mass destruction? Colin Powell did a wonderful PowerPoint show at the United Nations, but it was a total fraud. G.W. Bush could never explain why we hit Iraq and Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks. Heck nobody can explain why two of the tallest structures on the planet collapsed neatly on top of each other after being struck by commercial airliners.
Truth is compartmentalized in our country and unfortunately, we are often left with only the official narrative as history. Sadly, this side of Covid, the conspiracy theories have a higher accuracy rate than our government.
That being said, if anybody deserved to be bombed into oblivion it is Iran. Jimmy Carter tried a “measured response” and all we got was a crashed helicopter and a bunch of special forces guys killed in the desert. Iran had enough good sense to fear Ronald Reagan and let the hostages go.
Iran has been a destabilizing force in the world for my whole adult life. The fact that Obama gave them billions on pallets and Biden did likewise stupid stuff is criminal, in a sane world anyway.
Power abhors a vacuum. The head of the snake has been cut-off in Iran, so what takes its place?
Are you ready for lots of U.S. troops invading Iran? It’s underway now.
At least with Trump, you are more likely to get an overwhelming show of force instead of lawyers overseeing drone pilots in Las Vegas approving every act of the military, and crippling rules of engagement for guys deployed in the theater of battle. The military’s purpose is to kill people and break things, but what happens next?
Oh, the best thing I saw about the war so far was this, the first week of our military operations in Iran cost less money that the amount of fraud overseen in Minnesota by Governor Tim Walz.
Color me skeptical.
Abraham In New Covenant
As stated previously, all promises that God made to Abraham were literally fulfilled by the conclusion of the book of Joshua. I also stated that ultimately, the blessing of Abraham’s seed was fulfilled with Christ.
A few folks aren’t satisfied with what I said previously so let me add the following:
In an ultimate sense, Abraham was promised the whole world which is exactly what Christ was given upon his enthronement in heaven. Also, the New Testament is clear that the heirs or descendants of Abraham are not those descended biologically or genetically but those who have faith in Christ.
Lastly, all remaining promises made to national Israel were fulfilled in Christ. There are no unfulfilled biblical promises to Israel that have yet to be fulfilled now or sometime in the future. Claiming that God is not done with Israel invalidates the clear teaching of the New Testament. Such a claim is false. The replacement Theology advocated by Dispensationalists who maintain that the Church replaces the Jews in the current dispensation of the “Church Age” has zero biblical support. Thus, Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz, Jack Hibbs, Billy Graham, Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHay, and a host of others are wrong when falsely bifurcating Jews and the Church.
The Church is Israel because at its root, it is built upon the believing remnant of First Century Jews. The Church is a continuation of the faithful with the Gentiles added to its numbers. This is the whole point of the Book of Acts which documents this very transition.
In Old Covenant terms, God divorced His unfaithful bride, national Israel, the whore of Babylon where Jesus was crucified. She was executed via fire, the death of the daughter of the high priest. God took for himself a pure bride, the Church and consummated the marriage with her. Like most of the New Testament, the marriage to Christ was completed in the past, is still happening today as more people are added to the number of the Church and will be fulfilled in its final form at some point in the future. This is the clear teaching of the New Testament; especially, the Revelation.
The Sacrament of Holy Communion is a celebration of Christ’s sacrifice and participation in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Properly understood, we enter into God’s Throne Room when we partake of the bread and wine in Communion. Sadly, many Christians don’t understand the theology associated with the Sacrament.
By claiming that God has both the Church and the Jews as his chosen people, Dispensationalists are advocating a perverse form of polygamy by saying God has two brides. That is not New Testament theology; thus, it is a false gospel.
Attorney Mario Delivers
Attorney Mario has finally written up the necessary documents to get my girlfriend’s annulment underway. He has had the necessary reports that he needed since December 9th of last year, but it wasn’t until earlier today that he got the documents filed with the court.
Folks, we are grateful that Mario is finally moving forward. Our frustration is that he moves with roughly the same speed as John Thune trying to bring the SAVE Act to a vote in the Senate.
So now the Court attempts to notify felon Dennis that his piñata wife finally has the means to dump him. My girl and I are expecting that Dennis will not be notified (for reasons stated below) and will not dispute the proceedings. Last I heard, Dennis, is hanging out in South Korea, except when seeing his new girlfriend. He can’t return to his home country due to an outstanding warrant for hospitalizing his wife when they last saw each other. Yep, you’re a class act when you cheat on your wife, abandon her, and then beat the shit out of her just for fun.
Oh, Dennis does know the annulment is happening because he was convinced to unblock his ex on social media long enough to be told. That was in November. Oh, his reply was that if she gave him the house and two million pesos (~$35,000) that he wouldn’t object. Yo! Dennis, who’s the scumbag in this equation?
Not to be out done, Dennis has a sister or two that is harassing both me and my new girlfriend online via fake accounts of Facebook. The sisters are sending anonymous messages to us via these fake accounts. Oh, the newer accounts are using photos of my girl as their profile pictures. One profile picture is one that my girl put on Facebook in November of the two of us at the beach, and the other is one of her after being beaten; said photo was only shared with the police and her ex as part of the arrest warrant process. It was never posted on social media.
It appears that the sister[s] are upset that my girl will get half of the money when the house, which is jointly owned, is sold after the annulment is completed. We (my girl and I) agreed months ago not to go after the other assets that her ex has hidden just to get this unpleasant mess behind us. Instead of being thankful that we are not attempting to extract every last farthing from him, he and his family are being vindictive that my girl gets a few crumbs off the table. They are mad that she gets anything.
Anyway, after the notification attempted box is checked, then the court process can begin. As of now, it will be three hearing dates spread over a few months. The process is crippled to prevent a fast process. Hopefully, at some point, we are hoping that the judge will issue a summary judgment in my girl’s favor and truncate the process, so we don’t have to go the distance with all the hearings. Anyway, her freedom is coming. It’s been nine years since he was first caught cheating. The marriage cratered from that point. By any metric, the marriage is dead and has been for many years.
Bible Study Leader Accused Apostle Peter of Lying
Yep. You read the headline correctly. I keep saying that when you come to the Bible with a predetermined interpretive system, that you can’t read the actual text and understand the plain meaning of it. Your system gets in the way. A correct biblical hermeneutic is that the Bible is the best interpreter of the Bible.
Last night at the church Bible study that I have been attending for several weeks, we read the second chapter of Joel. I was thinking to myself, great, here is the prophecy and Acts chapter 2 is the fulfillment. It explicitly says so. Surely, they will see that when the Bible uses the phrase “the last days” that it is not always some far off future event.
Nope. Part of me knew this would be the case but I have hope that these people will see beyond their prejudice. Not happening yet.
Let’s look at the text. Being that Peter had just been given the Holy Spirit, it would seem difficult to say that Peter didn’t know what he was talking about, but apparently folks born 2,000 years after the fact think they know better than those that were eyewitnesses to Jesus and his ministry.
Compare these two passages for yourself.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Acts 2:16–21.
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids In those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, Blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, Before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:
Joel 2:28–32.
Peter is claiming that Joel’s prophecy was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. That “the last days” was 2,000 years ago.
The people in my Bible study were appalled. They would not take Peter at his word. The last days can’t be then. That is impossible. Peter was wrong. He didn’t know what he was talking about.
I was then accused of being disruptive to the harmony of the group and asked why I even bothered attending. I also was essentially told that I was going against the Holy Spirit by disrupting their harmony.
So, when I quote Scripture that says another Scripture was fulfilled, I’m disrupting the group because it’s not what they presuppose that the Bible ought to say. Makes perfect sense, right?
Asking why I am there is a fair question. Partly, it’s to see if pointing people, that claim to be Christian, to the Bible for answers is even possible.
Their little bubble is just an echo chamber of nonsense. Their creed seems to be, “Get saved and pray for the Rapture.” Christians have nothing else God expects of them but hiding out in the church while the world goes to hell. The sooner the world burns, the quicker Jesus will return. Also, they are convinced that they will never experience hardship or persecution because Jesus will rescue them before things get really bad.
This is a complete inversion of the Reformation and the Puritans and Western Culture in general, yet they think they are on the side of light. Ha!!
The Bible says judgment begins at the house of God not the doorstep of the heathen.
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1 Pe 4:17–18.
Folks, eschatology is not a secondary issue. It is a primary issue. Eschatology colors every aspect of life and your understanding of the world. Bad eschatology leaded to a defective worldview. Bad eschatology is like trying to navigate with a broken compass and then thinking that you arrived at the correct destination.
When I side with the Apostle Peter, I’m wrong? Dude, I quoted him verbatim. The unbelief of others illustrates just how far off the mark our Christianity has fallen. As I’ve said before, the devil only owns the turf that the Church has freely ceded to him.
We are commanded to subject all of the world to the Lordship of Christ. Yep, every area of life and every square inch of the planet belongs to Jesus now not in the sweet bye-and-bye.
Literal Piece of Trash Released from North Carolina Prison
I came across this piece of news in my feed the other day and had to blog it.
The woman who falsely accused Duke lacrosse players of raping her two decades ago walked free from a North Carolina prison on Friday after serving time for the slaying of her boyfriend.
Crystal Mangum, a 47-year-old former exotic dancer, wore a gray sweatshirt and khaki pants as she left the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women in Raleigh at about 9:49 a.m. ET.
First thing that came to mind is what did she do now? But to refresh your memory Crystal Mangum is the woman who falsely accused the Duke lacrosse players of rape years ago as listed above. Well, she apparently killed her boyfriend and was sentenced to 14 years in prison. To help you understand just how much of a piece of trash this person is, look at the folks whose lives have been ruined around her.
First, while I do not condone her work as a stripper, my guess is when you have nowhere else to turn after your application to be a community organizer is turned down, you strip.
She performed for the Duke lacrosse team and accused 3 boys of raping her. The outcry was huge, as you could imagine. In a state like North Carolina with a large black population, 3 white boys raping a poor black girl was huge news. More so, Duke is a private and very wealthy prestigious university. The local County District Attorney, Mike Nifong, picked up the case and charges were filed. The boys were “convicted” long before the trial in the court of public opinion. Oh, and this case was spoken about almost nightly on national cable networks. These boys were dragged through filth, if memory serves correctly, they were kicked off the team and expelled.
The DA essentially used this case to try to grab a higher office, he now had a very public profile. With all the attention, pressure is ratcheted up, he knew he could not lose this case. Well, it backfired. Mangum admitted the rape never happened, but not until about a year later. The charges were dropped by the State Attorney General. The boys were declared “innocent.” Folks, one thing to remember is, in the case of OJ Simpson, he was declared “not guilty;” however, that is not the same as innocent. It means the state did not prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. These boys were declared innocent, as in falsely charged. Huge difference.
DA Mike Nifong was investigated and tried for prosecutorial misconduct; he was subsequently disbarred (lost his law license). He was charged with contempt and served a day in jail as a result. Nifong was no saint in the matter, but I do feel a little bad for him. This case attracted so much attention that he was under pressure for a conviction. Local sergeant from the Durham police department, Mark Gottlieb, the head investigator of the case took heat too. Again, he was no saint as he had an axe to grind with students at Duke University. Again, there was immense pressure here. Does the white cop want to doubt a black girl’s story of rape by rich white kids? Gottlieb later killed himself, likely due to his role in this and his life altering involvement.
The university settled with all 3 players for, I believe, 20 million each. Compared to the hell they went through and likely continue to go through, that’s a pittance.
The coach of the team had to resign, another piece of collateral damage in this women’s bullshit life. Oh, Mangum was never charged for her role in this made-up story.
So, if you are keeping score at home:
3 lacrosse players live’s altered massively.
1 coach who had to resign and really never recovered.
1 DA disbarred and publicly shamed.
1 police sergeant who killed himself.
1 university that paid out likely over 100 million in damages.
She was never charged.
Oh, then she murdered her boyfriend:
Mangum was convicted in 2013 for second-degree murder in the stabbing of her boyfriend, Reginald Daye, to death in April 2011. She was sentenced to more than 14 years in prison.
Let us add him to the tally above.
She is out of prison on parole. Somehow that feels really wrong that she can breathe the same air as you and I. When you leave this many people in your wake, do you really deserve to be let out of prison? Mangum is going to pull another stunt soon. When she does, I hope her and her abettors pay the price. History has a weird way of repeating itself folks, just watch. This woman is not sorry, she is lucky. Not too many people get the same chance as her. I would have given her life, no parole and ordered the department of prisons to bury her under the jail when she passes.
Piece of trash!
By The Chief
PS, I am not excusing the behavior or DA Nifong or Sgt Gottlieb, I am just saying they were pawns in her game. They were literally collateral damage.