Discerning the Times: Nehemiah, The Chosen and CV-19

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Audio for this article is here: SermonAudio.com/studygrowknow

CV-19: Studies, Passports and Young People
I’ve said it before but it bears repeating. There is too much out there regarding CV-19 to keep up with it all. A friend over at Defense of Our Nation sent me a link to an article titled, Viral Visualizations: How Coronavirus Skeptics Use Orthodox Data Practices to Promote Unorthodox Science Online Before I say anything more about it, I’d suggest going there and downloading the PDF (18 pages) to your computer so that you have it if they decide to take it down.

The authors essentially complain…I mean state that conservatives have done tremendous amounts of research regarding all things CV-19: the lock-downs, the masks, the washing of hands, the medical advise from alleged experts and the CV-19 jab as well. Apparently, they’ve actually studied posts and discussions on various social media platforms over months to determine the focus. Turns out that because of conservative research, much of it is so scholarly that they admit it deserves to be in medical and educational journals as white papers.

Well isn’t that something? Of course, they’re not happy that conservatives didn’t simply cave into the fear-mongering and graciously accept whatever elected officials doled out to us. Instead of hearing “thank you, ma’am, may I have another,” conservatives are resisting efforts to gain control over society and apparently, we have great reason to do so!

So what will these people try to accomplish to diminish our beliefs regarding all things CV-19? They will call us names, marginalize us, and essentially try to relegate us to the trash heap of history. We are in their way because, according to them, we actually know what we are talking about and are not easily taken in by the duplicity and double talk from professional spokespeople who lie routinely because that is their native language. Read the report and understand that they admit they are losing. However, do not celebrate yet because what this will ultimately mean is that another “pandemic” or something else will be coming to throw society into confusion and disarray.

Passports
I’m sure you’ve no doubt heard about the vaccine passports? States like Florida are resisting big time. Other states are joining in fighting what they consider to be the tyranny of governmental intrusion. Thanks to a reader who sent the link to the article: States Fight Back Against Vaccine Passports More and more people are starting to sound the alarm and it would be wise to heed it before our rights are completely gone.

Young People
I’m still amazed at the way many parents are simply volunteering their children for the huge CV-19 vaccine study. It would be helpful to remember that there were virtually no animal or human trials for the CV-19 vax, which is at least part of the reason the FDA gave it an emergency use clearance only. Yet, thousands and thousands of people are lining up with their children to receive the jab. In doing so, they have become part of the human trials now that did not take place for the 12 years or so that would have normally occurred prior to releasing a new vaccine to the general public.

I’d like to reiterate that I am NOT anti-vax. I’m opposed to certain ones, but not all. I’m most definitely opposed to the CV-19 jab and see no reason for it, especially considering the fact that if we set aside deaths of elderly in nursing homes, the actual death rate is 0.26%. That’s incredibly low, yet we have people in the medical field downplaying that and encouraging everyone to get their jab.

Remember when people received the flu shot for themselves and not to protect others? Remember when no one was ever forced to receive a flu shot? Good times.

The Chosen
I have to admit that I have changed my mind on The Chosen. You may recall from a previous article that I thought The Chosen was pretty stellar. While I had a few issues with some of the scenes in a few episodes of the first season of The Chosen, I was willing to overlook them because they did not appear to present a doctrinal issue. Having watched the entire first season twice now, I must say that I was wrong. I cannot in good conscience continue recommending The Chosen and we will not be watching further seasons or supporting it.

Dallas Jenkins’s questionable beliefs are on display. I have linked to another article titled The Chosen & The Shift, written by Ingrid McCullough who makes some very good, cogent points. As I say, I’ve had a few issues with Season One about the things that Dallas Jenkins puts in the mouth of Jesus in a very extrabiblical way. He of course, denies that he goes beyond the Bible, while filling in missing details that are not in the Scriptural record. Moreover, his recent union with Mormon Brock Heasley in the production of The Shift, a short film.

I beg you not to watch this blasphemous, heretical film. Truly, it is terrible. It is a Mormon depiction of Satan, temptation, and prayer, and it presents their theology of other worlds. Mr. Heasley refers to himself as a Christian filmmaker and presents his aberrant theology as Christian. It is not. And now Mr. Jenkins has signed up to make the full-length movie version of this short film.

If Dallas Jenkins is a Christian, why would he partner with Mormons, who deny that Jesus is THE Creator God of the universe? I thought Paul was very clear about partnerships or fellowship with unbelievers in 2 Corinthians 6:14-15?

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

There are only two reasons Jenkins would be partnering with a Mormon:

1. Jenkins is not an authentic Christian and simply wants a far wider distribution for The Chosen and anything else he does, or
2. Jenkins is an authentic Christian but is in rebellion through a partnership with someone from a cult.

The picture I’ve included from Ingrid’s article pretty much zeroes in on how Jenkins feels, doesn’t it? That screen grab was from an interview he did with someone on a Mormon Talk Show. Notice he states that “we” (he and Mormons) love the same Jesus. The Jesus of Mormonism is absolutely NOT the Jesus of the Bible. So, either Jenkins has his facts completely confused and is unaware of the problem or he believes himself to be a Christian (but is not), and is using his beliefs to enrich and make a huge name for himself. He is outing himself as a heretic.

I think it is safe to say that Dallas Jenkins does not fear God. He serves himself and his belly. This is often the case when dealing with people from “seeker-sensitive” churches. Everything for them is based on “feelz.” Jenkins believes God talked to him and told him that He wanted Jenkins to take on this project.

I felt like God was saying that ‘this will be the definitive portrayal of My people and this is what people are going to think of around the world when they think of My people. And I’m not going to let you screw it up.

This idea that God continues adding to His revealed Word is revolting and satanic. It’s not as though these people know the written Word of God well enough either. Yet, they all believe that God speaks to them apart from His Word.

I’d like to apologize to anyone I may have pushed down the wrong path by initially recommending The Chosen. It is not worth watching or having in your library, except as a research tool.

God has warned that anyone who adds to His Word will suffer the consequences of their lies. Not only is this clearly stated in Revelation but Moses also says as much in Deuteronomy. People who haphazardly say that God “told them” to say or do something are playing with fire, in my opinion. He will not be mocked.

Canadian Pastor Arrested
Here is a relatively short video interviewing Pastor Pawlowski, a Christian pastor arrested in Canada for daring to keep his church open. Watch and share.

Nehemiah
Nehemiah’s fear of the LORD has already been seen in a previous article. However, his righteous anger carries him forward. A proper fear of the LORD prompts one to do or say the correct thing. Nehemiah’s fear of the LORD was the motivating factor in ensuring that the Jews did things according to the Law of Moses given by God Himself.

Nehemiah 13 tells us the people gathered to hear the Word of the LORD. Because of reading/hearing the Word, they discovered certain things they should not have been doing. It is in this chapter that Nehemiah, who had gone back to the king for a short while, returned and found things out of order.

Eliashib the priest had taken it upon himself to set up an apartment for Tobiah inside the Temple area. This is the same Tobiah who withstood the builders trying to restore parts of Jerusalem and Temple. When Nehemiah returned and discovered Tobiah living inside the Temple area, he was “grieved bitterly” and “therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room.” (13:8). Nehemiah then commanded the “apartment” be cleansed and the items dedicated to the service to the LORD returned.

Also, the Levites had not been given what was due them so they had no recourse except to go back to their fields. This was because the people were ignoring the House of God. Nehemiah deals with it.

As if this all isn’t bad enough, in verse 15, we learn the people were not observing the Sabbath. To them, it was simply another day. Nehemiah dealt with that as well. Then, Nehemiah learned that many Jewish men disobeyed the LORD by marrying pagan women from other cultures. Nehemiah reminded them that this was the exact problem causing Solomon’s sin.

What does Nehemiah do? Remember, he is angry because of their blatant disobedience.

So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, ‘You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves.’ (v 25; emphasis added)

Clearly, Nehemiah was not happy and yet, there is no indication that in any of this, he sinned. Jesus cleansed the Temple (Matthew 21:12-17), with the same fear of the LORD. He was angry, took a cord, made a whip, overturned money changer tables and chased them out of the Temple area. Anger has its place, but we all too often think of Jesus as so loving that He would never raise a finger to anyone. That’s incorrect.

But we also need to remember that when we have the proper fear of the LORD, there may be times when we do become angry (or righteously indignant). When we do, our fear of the LORD prompts actions or words designed to correct problems and usually those problems are the result of sin. We also need to recall “Be angry and sin not,” (Ephesians 4:26) Anger does not automatically translate to sin, but it can.

I tell you this so that your main focus will be the cultivation of the fear of the LORD. As a result, whether you find you have immense empathy for people and a desire to help them or you react toward sin the way Nehemiah did, we should always realize that without fear of the LORD, these things are often done from our flesh.

Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. (Psalm 86:11 NKJV)

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective