Rabbi’s Reflections – Sunday, July 31, 2022
Shavuah Tov,
Biblical Perspective of Current News (Part of July, 2022)
by Dr. Raymond Finney
INTRODUCTION: I use one of my Sunday RRs each month to select a few news stories reported that month. Such reports show that end-time Bible prophecy is now being fulfilled. Yeshua is returning… and probably soon. All of God’s promises and warnings will be completed by that time. Following are a few news reports and commentaries from July, 2022, along with some of my comments about their prophetic significance. Read the entire article by clicking on the underlined URL (Web address).
►TITLE (DATE): Putin, Erdogan head to Iran for talks on Syria, future of Middle East (July 18, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): The Jerusalem Post ( Putin, Erdogan head to Iran for talks on Syria, future of Middle East – The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com) )
● SUMMARY: Russian President Putin is set to meet with Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei during his upcoming visit to Iran’s capital Tehran. The trip signifies a new era of Turkey-Iran-Russia relations, with Turkish President Erdogan also heading to Tehran to meet his Iranian and Russian counterparts this week.
● SIGNIFICANCE: If these leaders seek to understand the future of the Middle East, they should read the Book of Ezekiel in the Tanakh. These three nations will be allies in the invasion of Israel. It appears that:
□ Magog (Meshech and Tubal) is modern Russia (Ezekiel 38:2)– led by Putin;
□ Persia is modern Iran (Ezekiel 38:5)– led by Khamenei; and
□ Beth Togarmah is modern Turkey (Ezekiel 38:6)– led by Erdogan.
In 1948, the fig tree of Israel budded (Matthew 24:32-34). We are “that generation,” awaiting Yeshua’s return. Some of us will not die until we personally witness Yeshua’s return! (All Believers will be resurrected to see Him a split second later.) The end may be this close! Note to Putin, Khamenei, and Erdogan (in the unlikely case they receive Shomair’s RRs), your armed forces will suffer a horrendous defeat during the War of Gog and Magog. You will attack little Israel, but El Shaddai (God Almighty) will humble and defeat you! ALSO SEE: Iran boasts it is already capable of producing a nuclear bomb (July 17, 2022): Iran boasts it is ALREADY capable of producing a nuclear bomb | Daily Mail Online .
►TITLE (DATE): Descending Into Chaos (July 17, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): Rapture Ready ( Descending Into Chaos :: By Daymond Duck – Rapture Ready )
● SUMMARY: Commentator Daymond Duck analyzes (before the trip actually happens) possible consequences of President Biden’s Mid-East trip.
● SIGNIFICANCE: According to the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:2-3), Adonai treats a people (nation) according to the way that nation treats Abraham’s Covenant children (Israel). Is America more blessed or more cursed, following Biden’s trip to fist bump leaders of Israel and Israel’s ancient enemies?
►TITLE (DATE): ‘Shame on them!’ UPenn is blasted for nominating controversial transgender swimmer Lia Thomas for NCAA’s ‘woman of the year’ award (July 16, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): Daily Mail ( UPenn blasted for nominating transgender swimmer Lia Thomas for NCAA’s ‘woman of the year’ award | Daily Mail Online )
● SUMMARY: The University of Pennsylvania has been blasted for nominating controversial transgender swimmer Lia Thomas for a top students’ sports award– the National College Athletics’ Association’s (NCAA) Woman of the Year Award.
● SIGNIFICANCE: This ironic nomination of a man, who calls himself a woman; competes in women’s athletics; and is nominated to be “woman of the year” brings Isaiah 5:20 to my mind: Oy to those who call evil good and good evil, who present darkness as light and light as darkness, who present bitter as sweet, and sweet as bitter! If a male believes he is a female (or vice versa) and acts accordingly, is this a mental illness? “Experts” think not. In 2012, the American Psychiatric Association revised its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), and no longer lists being transgender as a mental disorder. Rather, transgender people are diagnosed with “gender dysphoria” (emotional stress related to gender identity). In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO), in its International Classification of Disease, stopped classifying transgender people (people with “gender incongruence”), as having a mental illness, but now classifies them as having “a sexual health condition.” Do you now understand?
►TITLE (DATE): Biden and Lapid’s Jerusalem Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration – Full Text (July 14, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): The Times of Israel ( Biden and Lapid’s Jerusalem Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration | The Times of Israel )
● SUMMARY: The agreement signed by Biden (U.S.A.) and Lapid (Israel) touches on Iran, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Ukraine, Washington’s security assistance to Israel, normalization agreements, and antisemitism.
● SIGNIFICANCE: See Isaiah 34:11b-12, Zechariah 12:6, Joel 3:1-2, and other verses. Adonai– not Biden or Lapid– will protect Israel in the last days (Ezekiel 37:21-22): “Then say to them, thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘Behold, I will take Bnei-Yisrael from among the nations, where they have gone. I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will be king to them all. They will no longer be two nations and never again be divided into two kingdoms.’” The Diaspora has ended. Bnei-Yisrael has been reunited as one people– the two ancient tribes of the Jewish people are merged as one nation. A united Israel is under the sovereign control of God. The meetings, fist bumps, and photo-ops of Biden and Lapid are meaningless. There is a “new Sheriff in town,” and that new Sheriff’s name is Adonai Elohim.
►TITLE (DATE): Seven Mysteries of God (July 14, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): Rapture Ready ( Seven Mysteries of God :: By Bill Pierce – Rapture Ready )
● SUMMARY: Bill Pierce discusses seven mysteries of God.
● SIGNIFICANCE: “Mystery” (Greek μυστήριον , transliterated mystērion , pronounced moos-TAY-ree-on) is mentioned a number of times in the B’rit Chadashah. A Biblical mystery is “a hidden thing, secret, mystery; something usually kept only to God and certain select messengers of God.”
►TITLE (DATE): What is in the US-Israel joint declaration? (July 14, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): The Jerusalem Post ( What is in the US-Israel joint declaration? – explainer – Israel News – The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com) )
● SUMMARY: Prime Minister Yair Lapid and US President Joe Biden signed a joint declaration reaffirming the two nations’ partnership and cooperation when it comes to Iran, among other topics in which they have joint interests. This declaration is explained in the article.
● SIGNIFICANCE: The Abrahamic Covenant promises a blessing for any people (nation) which blesses Israel (Genesis 12:3): [Then Adonai said to Abram] “My desire is to bless those who bless you, but whoever curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
►TITLE (DATE): Preferred Pronouns and More: What I Saw at Teachers Union Convention (July 12, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): The Daily Signal ( Preferred Pronouns and More: What I Saw at Teachers Union Convention (dailysignal.com) )
● SUMMARY: The author, a teacher, attended the National Education Association’s convention, and her worst fears were confirmed. Public schools are no longer a safe place for families who hold traditional values or for families who believe gender (as in male/female binary) is biologically determined.
● SIGNIFICANCE: Both of my parents were teachers. My wife and I, as well as our children and grandchildren, were educated in public schools, which were excellent at the time. In my opinion, public schools have become government-owned indoctrination centers. If my wife and I had school-age children now, they would definitely be home-schooled (Proverbs 22:6): Train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not turn from it. WARNING: Child- training can honor God, or it can dishonor God. Be careful how a child is trained!
►TITLE (DATE): Large percentage of Democrats would give U.N. veto power over Supreme Court! (July 12. 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): WorldNetDaily ( Large percentage of Dems would give U.N. veto power over Supreme Court! (wnd.com) )
● SUMMARY: A new poll performed by Rasmussen Reports in conjunction with the Heartland Institute reveals that Democrats apparently have given up on the great experiment in self-government that is the United States, instead preferring to turn over power to the United Nations and abolish the Supreme Court, as it now stands.
● SIGNIFICANCE: Shocking! This thought process is exactly what the Unholy Trinity will build upon during the Tribulation to establish its one-world government. How long will America’s government under the Constitution last?
►TITLE (DATE): Why Biden’s ‘Gestures’ to the Palestinians Will Not Bring Peace or Stability (July 12. 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): Gatestone Institute ( Why Biden’s ‘Gestures’ to the Palestinians Will Not Bring Peace or Stability :: Gatestone Institute )
● SUMMARY: The Biden administration might do itself a favor if it understood that previous “gestures” made by Israel did not contribute to peace and stability in the region, and did not advance any peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
● SIGNIFICANCE: Israel will not enjoy peace with her neighbors because Middle East conflicts arise from long-standing differences in religious beliefs. Bible prophecy clearly indicates that Israel’s neighbors will continue to be her foes and attack her. Discord and wars between nations will continue until the Prince of Peace (Yeshua) brings shalom to the world (Revelation, chapter 19).
►TITLE (DATE): The war on freedom of religion (July 12, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): WorldNetDaily ( The war on freedom of religion (wnd.com) )
● SUMMARY: Mandatory vaccines, abortion on demand, men competing in women’s sports, children being coerced by the state to change their gender! There is, perhaps, no principle more ingrained in U.S. law and the very foundations of Americanism than freedom of religion. Nevertheless, it is under assault by two of the three Branches of the federal government– the Executive and Legislative Branches– while the third, and often the least powerful of the tripartite system (the Judicial Branch), is making something of a comeback.
● SIGNIFICANCE: As we approach the Tribulation, religious freedom– Judeo-Christian faith, especially– will be attacked, with the ultimate goal of replacing this faith with the False Prophet’s sham religion (Revelation, chapter 13). Five stages of persecution have been identified ( The Five Stages of Religious Persecution – Community in Mission (adw.org) ): (1) stereotyping the targeted group ► (2) vilifying the targeted group for alleged crimes or misconduct ► (3) marginalizing the targeted group’s role in society ► (4) criminalizing the targeted group or its works ► (5) outright persecution of the targeted group. Judeo-Christianity is now in the early stages of persecution in the United States.
►TITLE (DATE): World Population To Hit 8 Billion This Year (July 11, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): Agence France Presse (from Barron’s) ( World Population To Hit 8 Bn This Year: UN | Barron’s (barrons.com) )
● SUMMARY: The world’s population is expected to reach eight billion on November 15, 2022, the United Nations forecast in a report that said India will surpass China as the most populous country on earth in 2023.
● SIGNIFICANCE: More people = more needs = more strife (wars) to meet those needs. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Revelation, chapter 6) must certainly be saddled up and ready to ride!
►TITLE (DATE): Fewer than half of Evangelicals believe Bible is literally true (July 10, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): Christian Post ( Fewer than half of Evangelicals believe Bible is literally true | U.S. News (christianpost.com) )
● SUMMARY: While biblical literalism has long been held as the most dominant method of interpreting Scripture among Evangelicals, results of a new Gallup poll show that fewer than half of Evangelicals and born-again Christians believe the Bible should be taken literally. Biblical literalism holds that “except in places where the text is obviously allegorical, poetic or figurative, it should be taken literally.” The poll found that 40% of the respondents view the Bible as the “actual word of God,” while 51% see the Bible as the “inspired word of God.” This group is most likely to view the Bible positively. In the general American population, views about the Bible are much less favorable.
● SIGNIFICANCE: Yeshua and various Bible authors prophesied apostasy before Yeshua’s return. We are witnessing the beginning of this apostasy now. How long will it be before Yeshua parts the eastern sky and we hear God’s trumpet and the archangel’s command, “Come up here!”?
►TITLE (DATE): Health minister wants to be able to kill children up to age 12!
(July 10, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): WorldNetDaily ( Health minister wants to be able to KILL children up to age 12! (wnd.com) )
● SUMMARY: The Dutch health minister has introduced a proposal to parliament that would allow euthanasia for young children aged one through 12 years. The Netherlands already boasts some of the most relaxed euthanasia laws in the world, including allowing death for children who are over the age of 12, and for babies under age one who are thought to be terminally ill.
● SIGNIFICANCE: Although this report comes from the Netherlands, can the United States be far behind? Since the 1973 Supreme Court ruling in Roe vs Wade, pro-life advocates feared and predicted a “slippery slope,” that would cheapen human life and extend the killing of babies in the womb to others after birth (euphemistically called “euthanasia”). We are now witnessing the hysteria of pro-choice (pro-death) demonstrators against the correction of a deeply flawed Roe vs Wade decision. The recent Supreme Court decision in Dobbs vs Jackson Women’s Health Organization does not abolish abortion, but, rather, returns the decision of whether to permit/ abolish abortion to individual states. We are now in the long-predicted post-Roe vs Wade “slippery slope.” Of many Bible verses, consider Genesis 1:27: God created humankind in His image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them.
►TITLE (DATE): Joe Biden sold nearly one million oil barrels from emergency reserves to state-owned Chinese gas giant that Hunter’s private equity firm had $1.7B stake in (July 9, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): Daily Mail ( Biden sold some of Strategic Petroleum Reserve to Chinese state-owned firm linked to Hunter Biden | Daily Mail Online )
● SUMMARY: President Joe Biden sold 950,000 barrels of the United States’ Strategic Petroleum Reserve to a state-owned Chinese firm in which Hunter Biden’s private equity firm held a $1.7-billion stake.
● SIGNIFICANCE: It is reassuring that “The Big Guy” is still active in Hunter’s affairs, even after becoming president.
►TITLE (DATE): The Muslim Hajj Begins Today [July 7]: Why Christians Should Know about Hajj (July 7, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): Christian Headlines ( The Muslim Hajj Begins Today: Why Christians Should Know about Hajj (christianheadlines.com) )
● SUMMARY: Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. During Hajj, there is an expectation for Muslims, if physically and financially able, to travel to Mecca, Saudi Arabia at least once in their lives. Meaning “pilgrimage” in Arabic, Hajj is an event that unites Muslims worldwide, as they shed social status and celebrate equality in a holy city. Muslims participate in Hajj during the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. This spiritual pilgrimage commemorates Abraham’s life (our Abraham is Ibrahim to a Muslim), and recognizes what Muslims believe to be the creation of the first house of worship.
● SIGNIFICANCE: The preceding synopsis mentions Hajj (Pilgrimage) as one of Islam’s five pillars of faith. The other four pillars are Shahaadah (Profession of Faith), Salaat (Prayer), Zakat (Almsgiving), and Sawm (Fasting).
►TITLE (DATE): ‘The Lowest Odds of Divorce’ Are among Religious Young Adults Who Don’t Cohabitate: Research (July 7. 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): Christian Headlines ( ‘The Lowest Odds of Divorce’ Are among Religious Young Adults Who Don’t Cohabitate: Research – Michael Foust (christianheadlines.com) )
● SUMMARY: Institute for Family Studies research finds that the lowest divorce rates are among religious adults who married in their 20s and did not cohabitate. Possible reasons are offered in the article.
● SIGNIFICANCE: On a personal note, Linda and I have been married 60+ years. I was 20 and she was 18, when we married. Neither of us entertained the thought of cohabitation for a singe moment. Until Linda’s illness, we regularly attended religious services as a family. We have never once discussed separation or divorce. It works!
►TITLE (DATE): MIDEAST REVIEW: Is The Ezekiel 38 Alliance Preparing To Plunder? (July 7, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): Harbingers Daily ( MIDEAST REVIEW w/ Amir Tsarfati: Is The Ezekiel 38 Alliance Preparing To Plunder? | Harbingers Daily )
● SUMMARY: Amir Tsarfati reports on-the-ground happenings in Israel that seem to alert us to Israel’s preparations for an Ezekiel 38 alliance invasion of Israel.
● SIGNIFICANCE: I believe the invasion of Israel (the Battle of Gog and Magog; Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39) is the next major event of the last days. Such a war, which Israel will win solely because of Adonai’s help and favor, may be the event which reveals the Antichrist and sets the Tribulation into motion. Bible prophecy may be this close to fulfillment!
►TITLE (DATE): South African Satanic Church co-founder steps down after experiencing the love of Christ (July 7, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): Christian Post ( Satanic Church leader experiences the love of Christ, steps down | World News (christianpost.com) )
● SUMMARY: Riaan Swiegelaar, now a former “pastor” at the South African Satanic Church, took to social media this past weekend to share that the overwhelming love of Yeshua recently inspired him to step away from Satanism.
● SIGNIFICANCE: This conversion is an example of the Apostle Peter’s writing about the patience of God (2 Peter 3:9): The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some consider slowness. Rather, He is being patient toward you– not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance. In The Revelation, we read that massive numbers of lost persons will respond to the Gospel spread by 144,000 Jewish evangelists (Revelation 7:9-10): After these things [marking of the 144,000 evangelists with a seal] I [the Apostle John] looked, and behold, a vast multitude that no one could count– from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues– was standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” The greatest revival… the greatest salvation crusade in history is coming! Even now, there are numerous reports of Yeshua appearing to Muslims, Orthodox Jews, and others who do not know Him to convert them to be Believers. It seems that Believers do not spread the Gospel effectively or rapidly enough, and Yeshua must appear in dreams and visions to spread the Gospel Himself. On August 11, 2019, I wrote a Rabbi’s Reflection, which touched on this subject. See: Rabbi’s Reflections – Sunday, August 11, 2019 – Shomair Yisrael Messianic Synagogue (syknox.org) . I have also mentioned this phenomenon in other RRs.
►TITLE (DATE): ‘Satanic’ Georgia Guidestones partially destroyed in early morning bombing (July 6, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): New York Post ( https://nypost.com/2022/07/06/georgia-guidestones-destroyed-in-early-morning-bombing/ )
● SUMMARY: In the early morning of July 6, the Georgia Guidestones monument near Elberton, Georgia was partially destroyed by a bomb. The remaining monument was leveled by bulldozer that same day. This nineteen-foot tall granite structure was erected in 1980, but the persons paying for the monument remain unknown.
● SIGNIFICANCE: The Guidestones had a total of eight faces. Inscriptions in eight languages were engraved on each face. The majority of the world’s population could read at least one of these languages. The inscriptions were intended to guide humanity to conserve nature after a nuclear war. The inscriptions read: “Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature. || Guide reproduction wisely– improving fitness and diversity. || Unite humanity with a living new language. || Rule passion – faith – tradition – and all things with tempered reason. || Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts. || Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court. || Avoid petty laws and useless officials. || Balance personal rights with social duties. || Prize truth – beauty – love – seeking harmony with the infinite. || Be not a cancer on the Earth – Leave room for nature – Leave room for nature.”
►TITLE (DATE): The End Times Are Upon Us (July 6, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): Pastor Mike Taylor Blogspot ( CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD: THE END TIMES ARE UPON US (pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com) )
● SUMMARY: Pastor Mike Taylor summarizes end times, that are surely approaching, whether we are ready or not.
● SIGNIFICANCE: If you are unable to read the season in which we live, Pastor Taylor’s summary may help. See Matthew 16:2-3: But [Yeshua] replied to [the Pharisees and Sadducees], “When evening comes, you say, ‘Fair weather coming, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Stormy weather today, for the sky is red and gloomy.’ You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times!”
►TITLE (DATE): Shocking percentage of Americans don’t believe Bible is God’s Word (July 6, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): WorldNetDaily ( https://www.wnd.com/2022/07/shocking-percentage-americans-dont-believe-bible-gods-word/#insticator-commenting )
● SUMMARY: Mainline American churches have long been in decline. And there have been a number of actual civil wars among congregations and divisions that have resulted– often over social issues facing the nation such as the LGBT agenda. Now the reasons, or results as you choose, are being seen: Only 20% of Americans see the Bible as the actual Word of God. A full 29% call it “fables” and “legends.” The biggest portion, 49%, say it is “inspired” by God but it is NOT to be taken literally.
● SIGNIFICANCE: (Luke 18:8b): [Yeshua asked] “… But when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” AND (2 Timothy 3:16-17): All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for restoration, and for training in righteousness, so that the person belonging to God may be capable, fully equipped for every good deed.
►TITLE (DATE): The ‘Two-State Solution’ to Destroy Israel (July 4, 2022)
● SOURCE (URL): Gatestone Institute ( https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/18680/the-two-state-solution-to-destroy-israel )
● SUMMARY: This article reviews aspects of the Two-State Solution.
● SIGNIFICANCE: The Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposes an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, west of the Jordan River. The unsolved controversy of how these two hostile states can coexist has been simmering for decades. It is prophesied that the nations of the world will turn against Israel, but Israel’s enemies will be destroyed for their mistaken alliances. See Zechariah 12:1-3, 9: The burden of the word of Adonai concerning Israel…. “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of reeling to all the surrounding peoples when they besiege Jerusalem as well as Judah Moreover, in that day I will make Jerusalem a massive stone for all the people. All who try to lift it will be cut to pieces. Nevertheless, all the nations of the earth will be gathered together against her. |…| It will happen in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” Sadly, it appears to me that the United States is becoming a weaker ally of Israel, and may some day completely abandon Israel. How many ways can America offend God, before He deals with us?
ADDENDUM: Although not published this month, but posted a few weeks ago (April 3, 2022), you may want to read “20 Facts About The Emerging Global Food Shortage That Should Chill You To The Core” ( 20 Facts About The Emerging Global Food Shortage That Should Chill You To The Core (theeconomiccollapseblog.com) ). Author Michael Snyder only scratches the surface of coming food shortages. God warned of such shortages– the Third Seal Judgment– in The Revelation (Revelation 6:5-6): When the Lamb [Yeshua] opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” And behold, I saw a black horse. The one riding on it held a balance scale in his hand. Then I heard something like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius– but do no harm to the oil and wine!”
SUMMARY: I have read many news articles this month that should be included in this month’s RR, but I do not have space to include them. With the passing of each day, we are one day closer to seeing Lord Yeshua face to face. As the Apostle John prayed (Revelation 22:20b): … Amen! Come, Lord Yeshua! Until next Sunday, Shalom and Maranatha.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sun 31-Jul-2022 3rd of Av, 5782
De 1:1-10 Eze 29 1 Ch 3 (Lk 23:1-25) 1 Th 4