2021 Potpourri
About the Delta Variant of Covid-19
An eTPL32 Analysis
The fourth surge of Coronavirus organisms in many parts of the world is on its way as we write.
The National Geographic Society has compiled the newest research into the Delta variant of Covid-19 – research which lends new light on the nature of this next-to-the-latest version of the pandemic. The known information is sobering to say the least...
Delta is more contagious and more deadly than other variants, period.
It replicates (regenerates itself, or multiplies in its host) more quickly. It also generates far more viral particles than previous variants, giving it the ability to infest its host more quickly and become transmissible to others; (masks reduce that possibility).
But the good news is that vaccines now available protect against serious infections; those who are infected by it probably will become less ill if they have been previously vaccinated.
Since this late strain of the disease emerged in India in March, it has been found to be among the most infectious respiratory viruses known. It causes more severe Covid-19 effects than other variants and is more apt to evade antibodies than earlier versions.
These facts are not conjecture, but are verified by case reports worldwide. It is causing a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases, and hospitalizations, and deaths across the U.S. and the world. It is the cause of 93 percent of all newly diagnosed cases in the U.S.
What factors retard the vaccine from infecting people?
It is clear that the already-known factors of social distancing and masking as well as being vaccinated are the prime factors in keeping it in check. It is spreading much faster in states in which the number of vaccinated persons is low and is spreading much slower in areas where most people have been vaccinated. It is now prevalent in 135 countries.
The base reason for Delta’s success is the ease with which it spreads.
The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) estimates its infectivity is on a par with chicken pox, and only slightly less contagious than measles – one of the most transmissible viruses yet discovered. It reports that Delta is spreading out of control throughout the southern U.S., particularly in Louisiana, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country at only 37% having received the jabs. Although fifty percent of persons have been vaccinated nationally, daily cases of Delta are now averaging above 100,000 – which is a nine fold increase from mid-June (two months!).
The CDCP, because the Delta variant is so much more contagious than previous versions, issued new guidelines on July 27 2021 that stated that even after vaccination people should “wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.” That means masking indoors with persons other than your immediate family, and in larger gatherings of persons even outdoors.
Epidemiologists use some interesting tools in their analyses. In expressing how infectious any disease is, they use a metric term called the Basic reproductive Number designated as “Ro” (pronounced “R-naught”).
R-naught is the average number of susceptible people that each infected person is expected to infect with the virus. In the 1918 influenza pandemic the Ro in general was about 2.0 to 3.0 (meaning each person with the disease passed it to two or three others) and we are aware of the widespread effect of that plague (tens of millions died).
The first SARS coronavirus epidemic of 2002 had an Ro of three. The second one – Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) it was between 0.69 to 1.3. But listen to this: the current Delta variant is estimated Ro at between five and 9.5 people! The Ro for Chicken pox is between 9 and 10. That figure is much higher than the original variant which emerged from Wuhan, China, which was estimated to be Ro 2.5.
The value of knowing the R-naught value of any pandemic is useful in forecasting how long it may last. At a value of 1 or under, chances are the pandemic will fizzle and die out before everyone has become infected. If the R-naught is above one it will progress within the population until it theoretically infects all those who have not had the disease and the un-vaccinated population killing many of them (those who have had the disease will have antibodies to protect them from it). The resulting condition is “herd immunity” and the disease should die out at that time.
The Delta variant is not only more transmissible than the first edition, it can also cause more serious illness. It is estimated that people infected with the Delta variant harbor about 1,000 times the number of viral particles (the “viral load”) in their nasal passages compared to those infected with earlier strains – “an enormous increase” according to Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute. The Delta variant reaches detectable levels in about four days whereas the earlier versions required at least six days to reach that intensity.
But the big difference is that the Delta variant produces a 10-fold higher viral load than non-Delta versions, and vaccinated people can carry the same viral load in their nasal passages as the un-vaccinated – perhaps the major reason that masking is being re-emphasized in the new guidelines as protection for others from those highly toxic viruses.
Those are the most interesting aspects of the National Geographic report. Other aspects of it delve deeply into epidemiology and would be meaningless to discuss for folk not familiar with that field of study, so I will not bore you with those minutiae... <>HEL. Abstracted from report by National Geographic Society. An eTPL32 Analysis published August 21 in Potpourri.
We Anticipate September 6, 2021 – Rosh HaShanah 5782
An eTPL32 Opinion
Once again, the Jewish world approaches the festival of Rosh HaShanah – the Feast of Trumpets – the first day of the year designated by them as 5782.
Our conviction, unless it is proven incorrect, that the Second Advent of the Lord from heaven may occur on one of those anniversaries of the Feast of Trumpets, is unshakable.
One strong reason for that persuasion is that the four spring festivals of the Jewish calendar were fulfilled literally in the events of 29AD as the Lord Jesus was sacrificed and prepared to leave the physical earth to go to His place at God’s right hand:
Passover – fulfilled by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God on the stake at Golgotha.
First Fruits – fulfilled by the resurrection of Jesus from the grave after three days.
Weeks – fulfilled by the literal passage of the specified period of time (49 days) between First Fruits and Pentecost...
Pentecost – fulfilled by the pouring out of Spirit gifts to the disciples and apostles on the fiftieth day as indicated by the prototypical fulfillment of the festival.
Those are the first four of seven festivals in the annual Hebrew calendar. We believe that all these were given for signs to the faithful.
We reason on a scriptural basis, hopefully, that the last three festivals of the cycle shall likewise be fulfilled in a literal fashion at the return of Jesus to the earth from God’s right hand in order to complete the execution of his Plan of Redemption.
These festivals (moedim (plural) – see Leviticus 23: 2 for first occurrence) are...
Rosh HaShanah (Feast of Trumpets) which occurs this year on Sept. 6-8th.
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) which occurs ten days after Rosh HaShanah, this year on Sept. 15-16th.
Tabernacles (Feast of Booths, or Succoth) which occurs this year on Sept. 20-27th.
Rosh HaShanah
Although we could be wrong, our conviction as to the time of the Return of the Lord Jesus to the earth is based mainly on the Apostle Paul’s words found in 1 Corinthians 15: 51, 52: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
That seems to be an unmistakably close reference to the Feast of Trumpets, and seems meant to be literal (?).
The dilemma that we encounter immediately – and a problem of long standing – is, just which Feast of Trumpets might it be?
Since it has not yet occurred it must lie ahead – directly ahead of us in time – for the “signs of the times” are unmistakably those of the last hours of Gentile dominion in the earth, and the propitious hours just prior to the dawn of the Sun of Righteousness with healing in His beams as noted in the scroll of Malachi: But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. Malachi 4:2.
Another Factor of Great Importance
But there is another factor which bears strongly upon our thoughts: it is the impending Sabbath year (the Shemitah year) as observed among God’s people Israel.
The official Israeli position is that the New Hebrew year beginning on this Rosh HaShanah will be a Shemitah year, which recurs every seventh year.
The Shemitah year is a year of rest similar to the Sabbath of each week. In that year each farmer dedicates the entire year to rest from cultivation. Deuteronomy 15 describes it in detail...
The land is allowed to lie fallow.
Gleaning of produce that grows of itself is allowed but no plowing or planting is permitted.
At the same time, the animals that are usually employed in agriculture are allowed an entire year of rest from their labors.
Likewise, all servants who are similarly employed shall do no work at all.
And all one’s debts and obligations to others are settled – forgiven, and all indentured servants are given their freedom.
It is a year dedicated to the Lord, and an expression of trust in his providence for all the commodities of life.
In our reasoning just such a circumstance as the two occurring together (as they shall this year) makes it doubly propitious for the Return of Jesus to the earth – an event which will mark the beginning of an entire millennium of “rest” for the earth following His appointed tasks of conquest in hot conflict against the nations of the world.
It must not escape our notice that the millennium that is in progress at this moment is the seventh millennium by our best reckoning from the events of Eden. How appropriate for it to be celebrated as a literal millennium of rest for the people of God!
We have always regarded the narrative of the letter to the Hebrews found in chapter four as referring to just such a probability. The author writes: For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. Hebrews 4: 8-11.
In that blessed “day” (a thousand years being but a day in the sight of the Lord – II Peter 3: 8) the righteous of our present age shall REST from “their own” labors in the flesh, basking in the limelight of immortality, free from all threats, diseases, or other hazards such as sickness or death.
During that day they shall be pleasantly and profitably employed in the refinement of the Kingdom of Christ as kings and priests unto the mortal population of the earth leading toward the end of the millennial-long reign of peace and prosperity of the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the earth.
At the end of that time He and they shall relinquish the perfected Kingdom to the Father as a pristine, perfected, deathless, sinless, and flawless entity – the New Creation of Jesus Christ, the first-begotten into it, then proven to be indeed the Savior of the world.
Let our daily prayer be that our hopes for His personal return in the coming weeks might become reality, and the turbulent world about us begin to be converted to His Way of righteousness and peace for all the world’s remaining people, and the prospect of our delivering to our Father hundreds of millions of faithful followers cultivated and grown to maturity during the coming millennium of utter peace, security, and righteousness.
<HEL> ~1,150 words. An eTPL32 Opinion. Published July 25 2021 in Potpourri.
Jordan is now Allied with Iran (Jerusalem Post Opinion)
An eTPL32 Opinion
The election of Joe Biden as president of the US has had profound consequences.
Whereas during the Trump administration Israel was thoroughly assured that the US “had its back” in every circumstance, Israel now has no such level of trust in US support.
Although the Biden administration tells Israel its position has not changed, its actions belie that fact.
For instance, the Biden administration has avowed to re-instate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran in the matter of Iran’s development of nuclear weapons.
Donald Trump had cancelled that arrangement in 2018 citing the insanity of its “sunset provisions” and other features, claiming that the agreement allows Iran to reach nuclear weapons capability in only a few years by the specific wording of the JCPOA, as well as failing to address such vital matters as Iran’s development of intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear bombs to other continents.
This direct reversal in the sea-state has not gone unnoticed by Israel as well as other countries.
Saudi Arabia, for example, was on a track toward a tighter alliance with the US and Israel as was Jordan – but since the Biden doctrine became apparent, both these countries are seeking a broader alliance with Iran!
It is a reaction to fear of Iran ... and that they may no longer trust the US to back them in any Iranian confrontation.
An article in the Jerusalem Post about a week ago (July 8) expressed the firm opinion that “Jordan is now allied with Iran” because “The King of Jordan believes that opening the door to the Shi’ites [of Iran] will save his country from ... crises.”
Late in June, Jordan’s King Abdullah II met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in Baghdad, where all three announced an agreement to ship Iraqi oil through pipelines from Iraq to Jordan to Egypt, from which it may be shipped to Europe through the Mediterranean.
The Post opined that this agreement amounts to Jordan’s king “coming out of the closet” with Iran – because Iran is actually in control of Iraq.
The Iraqi government is a fully fledged puppet state of Iran, and exporting oil through Jordan to Europe is simply exporting oil controlled by Iran because of its tight control of Iraq through its Shi’ite militias and their control of the country’s natural resources!
Do our readers see what has happened in this transaction?
In Psalm 83 and several other references such as Isaiah 11, it has been made clear prophetically that Israel will be in hot conflict with Jordan, in those references named as “Edom, Moab, and Ammon” (Psalm 83: 6, 7; Isaiah 11: 14). Yet, today, Israel and Jordan have been at peace (with a signed treaty) for decades.
What prompts the change?
This recent agreement has accomplished that purpose before our eyes and in real time; we cannot deny its implications...
But, what about Egypt?
In our research, Egypt is a passive player in the terminal events of the end times. In this case it is merely a country through which the contraband will pass on its way to its final destination. Egypt is blessed to have no prophesied part in the hot conflicts of the end time in our opinion.
Why so?
Because Egypt is located mostly outside the boundaries of the Promised Land – the first target of liberation in the sights of the Christ of the Second Advent when He enters visible society after the ending of the Judgment Bema, accompanied by the millions of immortal Saints to begin settling His score with all those who hate His Father and His People Israel, beginning with the lands between the rivers and the seas ... the primary Land-promise made to Abraham, beginning in Genesis 12 – a covenant that is yet in full effect which must be sustained by His actions.
We see this liberation of the Promised Lands as His first mission among several – a conviction that is supported by over fifty specific references to the lands and territories of that Land exclusive of any other enemies, for it is THESE ONLY that have faced-off with Israel for seventy three years (officially, but actually a lot longer than that).!
Unfortunately, many prophecy pundits have long missed the necessity for these prophecies to be fulfilled PRIOR to the Gogian affair (Ezekiel 38 and 39).
It is THESE nations only which obviously must be destroyed initially to clear the land of enemies, and to make room for the millions of additional Hebrews that He will bring “home” to Israel during the first days of the Kingdom age, settling them in their proper provinces within the Land according to their tribal identity.
Returning to the present agreement, it was only one day after the agreement was announced that Jordan’s public media went gaga over the possibilities, pushing hard for full financial cooperation with Iraq – a strange factor when one considers that Jordan is mainly Sunni Arab and usually fiercely opposed to the Shi’ites of Iran.
King Abdullah’s adviser, Zaid Nabulsi, himself a member of the newly appointed “king’s advisory board,” informed the media that “Iranian religious tourism will breathe life back into Jordan.”
Those media sites immediately began speaking about “one million expected religious tourists.” That would indeed be a huge boon for the near-failed government of Jordan.
These visitors would supposedly travel mostly to a village about 75 miles south of Amman, Jordan, called Kerak where there is a shrine dedicated to Jaffar Ibn Abu Taleb.
Just who is HE?
Fortuitously for Jordan, he was the “prophet” Mohammed’s cousin who died fighting against the Byzantine Empire at that desert location. His shrine is considered “holy” to those of the Shi’ite faith who have been denied visitation rights for scores of years.
There is even talk of building a splendid new airport at Kerak. The possibilities are vast for economic advantage for Jordan...
Although the Sunnis of Jordan ban visiting graves for worship, considering it an affront to “Allah,” the king himself went to Kerak seemingly to legitimize such activity although the site is usually closed. That will change in short order.
In addition, the king is said to have agreed to promote the Shi’ite faith in Jordan.
Eerily, this is exactly the path that Iran used to conquer Iraq!
Do you, dear reader, recognize the subtle Iranian sedition in this new agreement?
Using much the same technique, Iran has taken control not only of Iraq, but also of Syria, of Lebanon, of Gaza, and of Yemen in the same way.
It is slowly drawing a noose about Israel that will militate for what Iran hopes will be an invasion by an overwhelming horde of vile opposition to Israel from all sides ... and now with Jordan on board, and even possibly Saudi Arabia, that circle would be complete.
That condition would perfectly fulfill the prerequisites embedded in that crucial information contained in ISAIAH 59: 19-21, to which we have made reference many times.
Conditions there are such that the enemy “shall come in (into Israel) like a flood,” and be met by a “standard,” which in our opinion is the State of Israel (which shall certainly resist such an invasion).
But the key factor in Israel’s salvation at that time is in the 20th verse: “And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.”
Some may object claiming that Israel has not yet “turned from transgression,” and they would be correct.
But it will be a result of that specific action – and the returned Jesus’ reaction to it by “coming to Zion,” that the Jewish nation shall turn wholly and sincerely to Him having witnessed first-hand the immense power in His hand against their enemies (see Zechariah 12 and 13 for the poignant details) and shall as a direct result, receive Him as Messiah, crying as one man in anguish, “Baruch haba b’Shem Adonai!” – “Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!” Luke 13: 35.
Although these late events have come unexpectedly, that in itself is a mark of the divine seal on the events in our opinion. By these stark revelations we easily perceive once again that our Father is in total control of human affairs, and in His own good time, will bring to pass His Will upon all the People.
That fact does not relieve His People from His commandment to “Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem,” reassuring hearers that “they shall prosper who love thee...”
Conclusion:
Let those sentiments be our watchword, brethren, as we look forward with great expectation to the Feast of Trumpets, Rosh HaShanah 5782, which begins on September 6th on the Gentile calendar, 2021.
It will be a fortuitous year, being observed by observant Jewish farmers and others in Israel as a Shemita year – the seventh year of every seven-year cycle, and the time described in Exodus 23:10-12, which please see.
As a footnote to the above article, we inform readers that a full discussion of the Shemita year and its present implications is intended, God willing, for the coming days.
We continue to believe that the Second Coming of our Master may occur literally on a given Feast of Trumpets. Whether the approaching one is that day we must patiently await, in deep faith, and in undeniable conviction that in any case, His Second Advent is surely nigh.
<HEL> ~1,600 words. An eTPL32 Opinion. Posted in 2021 Potpourri.
Is ISIS About to Reemerge?
An eTPL32 Opinion
When the Islamic State (aka ISIS) emerged (2014) and its then leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi proclaimed a Caliphate in Syria and Iraq, we expressed speculation whether this might be that force which me might interpret as being “the Assyrian” of Micah 5: 5, 6, that should “come into our land” and try to do damage to the Israeli People and nation.
Our reasoning was based on the location of the “Caliphate” being centered in both Iraq and Syria of today as well as the realization that the ancient kingdom of Assyria is best answered by Iraq and Syria of today as it occupied that territory.
The prophet’s intent was that whatever end-time power arose as a threat in that same territory as ancient Assyria would be the modern-day power by that name: “the Assyrian,” if it undertook to fulfill the prophecy of Micah.
A clear factor was the intention that was voiced by Al-Baghdadi at that time. He said that the Caliphate would extend throughout Iraq and Syria … and then expand toward the south and destroy Israel. That was the charter of the “Caliphate” in plain words!
A recent article in USA Today written by Ilan Berman reports that the Covid-19 crisis has increased the prospects of an ISIS comeback, having taken some of the attention away from the terrorist group. He says that since the physical Caliphate has been dismantled in Syria/Iraq, the somewhat reduced physical forces of the group persists and is as active as ever in its home grounds.
In other words, ISIS has not disappeared. Instead, it is showing new signs of life.
These new signs are manifested in a growing number of attacks by ISIS-affiliated groups in Iraq and disruptions in areas of Syria that are nominally under Syrian control. These have raised concern in Washington.
The extent of concern was seen last week in a new assessment by the United Nations. The UN’s counter-terrorism chief, Vladimir Voronkov, “has disclosed, there are more than 10,000 Islamic State fighters actively operating in Iraq and Syria.” Besides these, he said that thousands more have joined the group’s various regional affiliates around the world – including the Islamic State’s West Africa Province which now has 3,500 men under arms.
ISIS is still viable … and dangerous; it is expanding rapidly during the world’s preoccupation with the coronavirus storm.
If only half of the group’s 80,000 fighters remain alive (half-strength), “the Islamic State … represents a formidable adversary — and a threat to regional stability both in the Middle East and beyond” – by increasing its online messaging and recruiting efforts to take advantage of captive audiences now being kept at home.
This action of being locked down also tends to reduce the perceived threat of terrorist attacks in many countries. The result has been an increased level of activity by individuals online and acting in small groups. These are thought to be supported by ISIS’ opportunistic propaganda campaign during the covid crisis.
The widespread unemployment and economic hardship of places like Egypt, Tunisia and Libya is also driving individuals to sign up for ISIS duty. This assists ISIS in its attempt to reestablish its former state and to expand its terroristic activities worldwide. It has accordingly formed “sleeper cells” in various countries which can cause havoc without warning and with little opportunity for defense against it.
Our opinion is that ISIS can still be a significant factor as “the Assyrian” of Micah 5. We should keep our minds open to the possibility because the opportunity for anyone else to assume this role is rapidly diminishing. <>USA Today
<>HEL ~600 words. An eTPL32 Opinion. Circulated June 21, 2021. Published in Potpourri.
The Tarrying of the Vision
Patience in our Time and its Consequences
An eTPL31 Analysis
Please indulge me in my musings of today about our current expectations.
They have several components, so please accept our thoughts as a serious observance of the Prophet Malachi’s wonderful observation: Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Malachi 3:16,17.
There can be no doubt whatever that we of today are living in the terminal days of the Gentile domination of the earth – days that are ushering in the long-awaited Advent of the LORD Jesus Christ. No man can know the day or the hour – but the “season” is unmistakable.
For years we have deeply yearned for His appearance as the months and years have slowly progressed without His coming. We continue to endure patiently our experience of the seeming slowness of our Lord’s appearance in the earth – His Second Coming. It is not happening as quickly as we should have liked.
There are unmistakably good reasons for such expectations. We must remember that all things are in His hands and shall proceed according to His immutable Plan.
But the “signs” are unmistakable.
Speaking of the reemergence of the nation of Israel in the end time, in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus spoke these words: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it (meaning His Kingdom) is near, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 32 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Mat 24:32-35.
We are indisputably “that generation.” We expected, therefore, to have seen His return long before now given that Israel has been established for more than 73 years. We understood Psalm 90 verse 10 to be the definition of a “generation.” In that Psalm, Moses wrote “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”
Several scriptural authors have made references to the period in which we find ourselves at the present time. The Apostle Peter warned of the scoffers that would be prevalent in our day:
2Peter 3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: 2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
Those are words of impatience and unbelief. Hopefully not many Believers are uttering those words at this time – a time in which His appearance is seemingly “delayed.” Such foolish notions are a self-defeating concept…
The Lord Jesus remarked upon just such a case as recorded by Luke …
“But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.” Luke 12:45
The inspired words of the Prophet Habakkuk also refer to a circumstance in the end time when Believers might falter and believe God’s plan to be “tarrying.” He makes it clear that one having such an attitude is “not upright;” but that the just shall live by their continuing faith in the vision.
“Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it (seem to) tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” Habakkuk 2: 2-4
In human terms, we have long been patient. The months and years leading up to the Second Advent have seemed to inch along slowly – and not reach their desired conclusion.
Patience is therefore advised by the Apostle James, who comparing the Believers to agriculturists writes … “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman (the farmer) waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. James 5: 7, 8.
The early and the latter rains were long absent from the Promised Land, causing it to fall into disuse and ruin for centuries. But with the return of the Jews in these last days, and resulting from their widespread reforestation of it, the land has gradually seen its seasonal precipitation restored. The Sea of Galilee is now fully replenished for the first time in many years, and fresh waters can finally flow freely down the lower course of the Jordan River toward the Dead Sea.
But the “early and the latter rain” has yet another, higher connotation as noted by James.
The rainy season in Israel lasts from October until March/April each year. The earlier rains are called the Yoreh. They soften the soil and prepare it for planting. The latter rains are called the Malkosh; they supply the moisture to ripen the crops toward harvest time.
When the spirit gifts were bestowed on Pentecost (Acts 2), these were seen as fulfillment of prophecy as to the early rains of the blessed Spirit of God which was at that time manifested in speaking in tongues (foreign languages). From that day the Gospel of Christ Jesus was preached widely. During the subsequent time, that word has permeated many in the world and created a large “crop” of Believers to be harvested in the end time.
Peter affirmed this intent of the Spirit in Acts 2: 16-18, comparing the outpouring of the first Pentecost after Jesus’ death to that which is coming in these words… 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: Acts 2: 16-18
So we believe that earlier outpouring of the Spirit was merely a foretaste of what is coming!
The much greater outpouring of His Spirit will be realized at the completion of the process of the Judgment of saints just after Jesus’ Second Coming, and will prepare millions of immortal beings to go forth and preach the Gospel to every creature, and to convert millions to His Way. That realization is the destined outpouring of the Spirit of God upon all “your” sons and “your” daughters (not on everyone on the earth, for those folk are not yet deserving of such blessings).
This, you see, is another example of “all” (as in “all flesh” – verse 17) being “all” who are His redeemed Saints.
It is a repetition of the same concept contained in Paul’s words to the brethren at Corinth: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one (every one who He judges in that day; all will receive a “reward” of some or many kinds) may receive the (fruits of the) things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2Corinthians 5:10.
Neither do THESE words apply to “all” the people of the world as some suppose – but are limited to those who stand before Christ having responded to His invitation to “come out from the world” and serve Him. Only these “called, chosen, and elected shall appear there – not all the people of the earth.
As those profuse gifts are awarded to the Faithful by the Christ of the Judgment, the consolation of the psalmist stands out in bold relief here: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:5.
In that special time of harvest, the latter rains – these showers of unbounded spiritual blessings are joyously and thankfully received by a vast multitude of now immortalized earthborns who have allowed themselves to be expertly planted and cultivated in the LORD, and to experience their produce in incalculable terms!
For such to be the outcome, patience is required as illustrated by the times we are now experiencing. Fully convinced that there are no more un-fulfilled prophecies given in His Word that we perceive must be fulfilled before His Second Coming, we judiciously inquire, When, Lord??
The Apostle Paul had addressed this issue of patience in his epistle to the Galatians, utilizing yet again that familiar metonym – the harvest following the latter rains: And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap (an abundant harvest), if we faint not. Galatians 6: 9.
So we exhort all to continue in patient waiting for the Event of the Ages – the Second Coming of our LORD from heaven and the rapid unfolding of His plan to redeem the earth and everyone who shall remain upon it – to the glory of His Father…
<HEL> ~1,750 words. An eTPL31 Analysis. Published in Potpourri. May 31, 2021.
A New Factor in Personal Safety for Believers
An eTPL31 Analysis
The recent clashes between the pro-Pales******* factions of Los Angeles and New York against Jews and those who uphold the State of Israel are pointing to a possible increase in the danger that private citizens now face in their lives – violence in the streets against anyone who stands for Israel in any sense. The level of resistance to such folk has now reached an intensity that can maim or kill anyone who overtly and openly stands for God’s people.
Believers in the prophecies of the Bible certainly should stand for Israel and its right to exist on a simple basis of their belief in God’s word. Such a stance is not a political statement at all but the result of deep faith in God’s word: that Israel is God’s witness in this world, and that its having risen again in these last days is an expression of the long-standing will of God.
Not only are its people being restored to a former wasteland, so has its language been revived after 2,000 years of degradation and general disuse. Every serious student of God’s word can readily observe the current status of Israel, its miraculous nature undeniable, its strength unexpected in human terms, its influence in the Middle East an entirely new factor since AD70, its desert blossoming as the rose.
Never in the history of mankind has a people who had been dispersed and persecuted as the Jews have been, been regathered to their lands from nearly every nation on earth back to its native territory by international accord (the UNO Palestine Partition Plan of 1947, and even earlier by the Balfour Declaration of 1917).
Whether her enemies like it or not, Israel is a legitimate nation among the nations And God’s word tells even the greatest skeptic that Israel is “here to stay” despite all attempts to erase it from its land. And it is THAT nation to which the LORD Jesus Christ will soon return and exonerate, saving her from her enemies and those who hate her (Luke 1: 71-74).
That recognition has long been a tenet of our faith. It has been taught diligently to our children and impressed upon every attendee at Bible Schools and other such conferences. It has been the subject of endless discussion in our considerations of world affairs and has consistently followed the pattern prophesied in God’s word relative to end time expectations.
The result has been that brethren have not been reticent to claim partisanship with God’s people publicly. They have felt free to uphold Israel’s status, and often to display jewelry or clothing that reflect those sentiments – a Star of David necklace, an “I love Israel” tee shirt, or a baseball cap emblazoned with Israeli symbols. The writer owns a baseball cap which has its visor embroidered with the word JERUSALEM around its outer edge, and a Menorah displayed on its front panel.
Until recently I have worn this cap in public, hoping to trigger some inquiry as to my underlying interest in Israel; for who knows just where such a conversation could lead?
But the current climate of Antisemitism makes me question the wisdom of such. Is it really wise to bring such unneeded attention to one’s views in public anymore? We have not seen any evidence of the wider anti-Antisemitism in our provincial little community here in Western Maryland. But who can know just how soon those ripples will strike our town and just how strong they will be?
Our hope is that our brethren are instructing faithfully their children and young people about the prime importance of Israel as it stands today: that its restoration in our age is a matter of scriptural prophecy. And that its existence today is a direct result of God’s will. We should be talking to our young people in serious discussions of Israel’s place in today’s world – that it has been resurrected as an expressed requirement for the end-times.
That realization does not imply approval of every act of Israel on a -day-to day basis. We realize that Israel has regathered in unbelief of many of our strongest convictions. Israelis deny the divine mission of Jesus Christ, and the salvation which is in Him.
We soberly realize that, even though it does not yet share our more profound understanding of God’s word, its destiny was long ago ordained to follow the precise track we have seen for more than 100 years! Its enlightenment and repentance are yet in the future and will not happen until the nation shouts in unison, “Blessed is He who cometh in the name of the Lord!” See Luke 13:35.
That is the message of Zechariah 12 and 13; it comes about as a result of Christ’s literally saving Israel of that day from the jaws of death at the hands of her adversaries (cf., Isaiah 59: 19-21) when “the Redeemer shall come to Zion” overtly in power and great glory.
Our concern today is for the physical welfare of the Believers and their children.
Each of us should be aware that open support for God’s people could bring retribution upon ourselves or our children. For example, should it become known that such and such a family is friendly toward Israel and its people, could their children be at hazard of attack on the school ground or in the gymnasium? Might anti-Semites strike and harm them merely on their own conviction of hatred for the Jews?
Such an attack could be extremely harmful, ending in crippling or death of a loved one. Our dilemma becomes a deeper consideration: How openly can we Believers now express our solidarity with God’s people? How free can we be in our open approval of the clear progress of our Father’s intentions for His People? We must never deny our faith, for to do so brings contempt upon the Name of our God and His Son. At the same time, prudence is advisable.
The matter deserves much thought and consideration. What is the wiser course – open favorability of Israel today … or simply saying little about it?
We must never compromise our foundations of faith, of course. But we are not required, in our opinion, to make ourselves a target for physical violence such as we see today in certain regions of the earth such as France. In that country it is said that the citizens are now reticent to appear in public wearing the yarmulke or the prayer shawl – or jewelry displaying the Star of David – all of which marks them either as Jews or Israeli sympathizers. Yesterday in Arizona, a university student was beaten and admitted to hospital because he was wearing a tee shirt that expressed favoritism of Jews. A van in New York City was filmed trying to run down an Hasidic Jew walking down a street in the diamond quarter on 57th street in Manhattan.
I believe this warning is essential. Overtly identifying as Israeli or Jewish sympathizers could result in bodily harm. I am thinking of our sisters who favor a Star of David necklace. These are beautiful expressions of solidarity with God’s plan, but could result in bodily harm or worse.
The powers of darkness have always been oppressive. Our dilemma has become a sober concern of just how “open” can we now be in expressing our love for God’s people in light of these late developments?
<HEL> ~1,250 words. An eTPL31 Analysis. Published in Potpourri, May 21, 2021.
Isaiah 11 and the Current Crisis in Israel
An eTPL31 Analysis
The current crisis in Israel between Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Israel is becoming rapidly graver. Israel has moved several thousand reservists into place on the frontier with Gaza, and hundreds of Merkava battle tanks.
Over the past week, well over a thousand rockets have been fired into Israeli territory from Gaza. Thankfully, only a few Israelis have been killed by these missiles, and only a few scores wounded, but the danger to all is great.
Israeli retaliation has been relentless and has resulted in the wreckage of much of the Gaza infrastructure, including more than one large multistory buildings having collapsed under rocket fire. Scores of Pales******* have been killed or wounded.
The IDF high command is said to be organizing a massive incursion into Gaza to stop the thousands of rockets that are still in place and that can be fired upon Israel. But its plans have developed slowly and deliberately.
Some have speculated that this may be leading to the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy which says in plain words that “they (Israel) shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west....”
But Isaiah’s words prior to this prophecy are extremely relevant ... and must modify our expectation, in our opinion.
On the one hand, these have been fulfilled to the letter, and give complete certification to Isaiah as a Prophet of the LORD as none other could.
But there are other considerations that must be made and correlated with these fulfillments.
ALL the locations mentioned in verse 11 have been drained of their Jewish populations immediately after the War of Independence (1948). Within four years, almost no Jews remained in those specific places underlined in the verse following except the “islands of the sea,” which indicates all the other locations of Jewish and Hebrew populations in all the earth, such as The USA, parts of Europe, and Asia.
Not only that but the “ensign” of verse 12 has been set up (the nation of Israel in our opinion), and the people, especially of Judah, are being regathered to it in great numbers from over 100 countries.
Isa 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
Isa 11:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations (Judah and Israel), and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Is this the Time?
Granted, the “season” for this attack seems ripe in one sense, and the overwhelming forces of Israel certainly have reason to fulfill the prophecy immediately.
Time will tell, but we believe we are about to witness a mass incursion of Israeli forces into Gaza which will suppress the forces of Hamas for the time being, but will, as in the past, not be a complete and decisive victory over Hamas. That expectation follows recent conflicts in the region, but other views do not fit the prophecy.
So at the moment there are reasons why we DO NOT believe that these words will be fulfilled to the extent of the prophecy that contains them. These reasons are...
Simultaneously with this final attack and conquest of Gaza other battle actions are cited:
a. “They (Israel) shall lay their hands on Edom and Moab;
b. “...and the children of Ammon shall obey them.” These three entities make up modern Jordan, and are said to be attacked and conquered together with the
“Philistines.” Still other prophecies indicate many other entities being involved in the same conflict, some ten in number as in Psalm 83 and other key references.
2. The resurrection of saints and the Judgment Bema have not taken place. It is our distinct understanding that the resurrection and judgment of the covenanted People of God will occur before this final destruction of the nations round about takes place because the picture that we get of that conflict is that Christ and all the immortalized Saints will be together in that campaign. That battle company cannot be assembled until after the Judgment and the immortalization of the Saints by the returned Christ. Daniel 7:10 and Revelation 5: 11 specifically mention the number “ten thousand times ten thousand ... and thousands of thousands.” If that number is literal, the number of the Redeemed will be much greater than 100 million immortal beings present with Messiah in that day in our conviction. Then, as the “One Man,” Christ and his immortalized brethren will materialize as a mighty force devastating Edom and all her allies (as per Isaiah 63: 1-6).
Isaiah’s next words contain the crux of the action that terminates Islamic oppression of Israel forever, in our opinion, as the IDF joins with its new and unknown ally (Christ and the Saints) in that colossal victory over Israel’s enemies round about.
It will no longer be a temporary victory but a decisive and final one, after which Israel shall dwell in peace and safety under the LORD Jesus Christ as King over Israel (Ezekiel 38: 8, 11, 14).
Isa 11:14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
That victory will be complete and permanent – but in our opinion is to be achieved with the help of Christ and the immortalized Saints.
We pray, therefore, during these closing hours of Gentile dominion over the earth, that the little ones of Israel be kept in our Father’s care and mercy, for those present in the Land today will almost certainly become the repentant nation which we behold in Zechariah 12 and 13, to whom He grants redemption, and with whom He makes a covenant – and begins immediately to build the infrastructure of His everlasting Kingdom on the earth (Habakkuk 2: 14).
<HEL> ~1,000 words. An eTPL31 Analysis. Published May 14, 2021 in eTPL website.
Men’s Hearts failing them for Fear
”Men's hearts failing them for fear,
and for looking after those things
which are coming on the earth:
for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” Luke 21:26
We believe that the concept has been well illustrated this day as tens of thousands of protesters stormed the US capitol building, asserting at least tacit aggression against the bodies of government ensconced there – the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as the Vice President of the US, and other officers of government such as Speaker of the House and others. Such an assault has not been seen since the British overcame the capital (1814) during the War of 1812 and burned the White House.
Protesters milled about the broad plazas of the capitol and scaled the walls of the capitol building and broke windows, entering the building in their zeal to make their voices of protest heard against the certification of the presidential election that was being accomplished in those halls.
Tear gas was deployed in the capitol building this afternoon in Statuary Hall which is located just outside the House of Representatives, and shots were fired inside the Capitol. Defenders of the House of Representatives were shown pointing pistols at the faces of protesters peering through the broken glass in the entry door to the House.
At 4 p.m., the protesters seem to be beginning to disperse. One person who was shot has been taken to a local hospital where she died of her wounds. Protesters are being shown wandering about inside the Senate chamber, poking into desks and aimlessly investigating the premises, littering and trashing the premises. A bearded protester was pictured sitting in Nancy Pelosi’s office chair in her private office with his feet on her desk! It is an incredible scene...
This fiasco is clearly a reflection of a critical breakdown of security by Capitol Police. Fourteen hundred National Guard troops had been summoned but did not arrive for several hours. A large group of black-clad officers reportedly from Maryland arrived a few moments later and marched into the crowd in an ordered line of perhaps 100 officers. The clearing of intruders had begun.
This breakdown of order is probably a reflection of a new “normal” as frustration over perceived lawlessness increases, and as the crowds of protesters are fed more reasons to believe they have been defrauded. And overall, the nations are increasing perplexed ... the sea and the waves roar and heave. Men’s hearts fail them for fear of the pandemic which the creation is enduring, and the helplessness with which its solution is fleetingly sought by whole governments and societies.
But there is a bright spot in all this turmoil and uncertainty; it is that “then shall ye see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” These words embody our Consolation – the solace and spiritual reward that we seek and have sought for many years in patient waiting for His appearance and Kingdom.
Let us continue to speak to one another of these precious expectations, dear brethren, and humbly accept the great honor of being maintained in the Book of Life – indelibly written there in faith and in the love of the brethren who hold like faith. Our perseverance will not be disregarded if we hold fast in exuberant faith and deep trust ... for the Plan will out – will come to pass and be executed with blinding speed and with incredible thoroughness when the set time has arrived.
“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20, 21.
<HEL> ~650 words. An eTPL31 Analysis. Circulated January 6, 2021.
Did Trump Discredit His Entire Legacy by Intending to Divide Israel’s Land?
An eTPL31 Analysis
A correspondent today raised an extremely interesting question in a telephone conversation – one I had not lately considered because it seemed to have passed into the background of current considerations: and that is the provision of Trump’s “Deal of the Century” to divide Israel’s land with the Pales*******.
Any country or individual that pressures Israel into giving up the land God promised to Abram in the Bible has been unmistakably targeted for divine retribution. In one instance, a drastic alteration in the course of a successful political career and drastic loss of health was seen in an individual politician ... Ariel Sharon.
The Almighty does not lightly accept anyone touching “the apple of His eye.”
That is absolutely contrary to the Father’s will for His People of the end-time.
Such overt attempts in the past have brought rapid and harsh consequences for the perpetrators.
Nearly everyone remembers that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel was stricken with a massive stroke almost immediately after he removed all Jews from the Gaza Strip and gave their lands and properties to the Arabs (thus essentially dividing the Land). The Arabs of the Strip immediately and irrationally destroyed most of those assets in their extreme hatred of God’s people. That deed was done by PM Sharon after he specifically promised (in his political campaign for election) NOT to divide the Land, or to award any of it to Israel’s enemies...
The British efforts to assist the Arabs against Jewish colonization of the future nation of Israel was followed by Britain’s near immediate loss of empire. In a few short years one of the two most powerful nations in the world was brought to its knees, and humbled by events following their betrayal of the principles of the Balfour Declaration.
Britain had wrought a clear division of God’s Land; but it was not theirs to divide! At the end of the War of Independence, Israel had won more than twice the land area it had been recommended to receive under the UNO Partition Plan.
In the 1967 Six Day War – an attempt by the Arab nations round about to divide (literally to confiscate all of) God’s Land was met with their massive and colossal defeat in a mere six days.
By the time a truce was concluded, Israel had taken tens of thousands of square kilometers of the Arabs’ former territories, including the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip, and the vast Sinai Peninsula – over two and an half times its former territory.
The United Nations Organization lost a large part of its worldwide prestige immediately after it voted for the “Palestine Partition Plan” in November, 1947 – a plan that awarded an enormous amount of God’s Land to the Arabs who had occupied the land over the past centuries.
Every student of prophecy is familiar with the Almighty’s attitude toward such divisions – such as attempts to award His Land to other than His People, the Jews.
In God’s eyes, intention to divide His land is equivalent to dividing it factually. He frowns on all such attempts...
That class of intentions by the proximate Islamic nations round about Israel will result in their rapid and complete annihilation in the coming intervention of the LORD Jesus.
The prophet Joel wrote: “I will also gather all nations (goy), and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations (goy), and parted my land (Eretz).” Joel 3:2
Just what constitutes “My land?” Eretz signifies generally the specific land of the Abrahamic promises: God’s Land in the strictest sense.
And what constitutes “pleading with (them – the goy, or Gentile nations)?”That response involves active warfare to prevent or reverse such “division.”
Early in Genesis (beginning in chapter 12) the Almighty made known His promises to Abram: that He would give Abram and his Seed the land lying between the Nile River and the Euphrates River, and the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf for an everlasting possession. It is a broad swatch of territory which shall become the First Dominion of His Worldwide Kingdom of the Millennial Age.
Instead, it is now almost completely occupied by Arab nations (goy) which are extremely hostile to Israel.
The now rapidly-approaching final phase of the decades-long conflict of Israel with the nations round about her will settle that matter for all time.
But back to our earlier premise ... retribution from on High for every attempt to divide His land.
Donald Trump’s “Deal of the Century” stressed his favorability to divide the land with the Pales*******. It would give the Arabic insurgents a land of their own within the boundaries of the Promised Land with Jerusalem as its capital. But later, he stated that that feature was not “cut and dried,” and that the decision of the arbiters would stand in the finality.
Adam Berkowitz, writing in Israel 365 News, wrote specifically, on February 5, 2020, that “President Trump formally unveiled (his) plan in a White House press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on January 28, 2020. True to form, two days later, three weeks after China first reported the outbreak, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus to be a global emergency...”
There is the open proof of cause resulting in immediate effect.
Announcement of the details of the Trumpian plan to divide the Land was followed within 48 hours by an announcement of the existence of the Covid-19 pandemic’s onset!
Expressions of intent to divide the Land have been met in the past with immediate response from the Almighty – and so it was on that occasion.
My caller’s point was that, after seeming lately to take a liaise-faire approach to Land Division with the Arabs, President Trump’s earlier intention was revived with the official announcement – and that brought the Father’s immediate retribution – announcement of the widespread presence of the Covid-19 virus, which soon developed into a pandemic with its notable disruption of all human life on earth!
A prominent “blogger” (opinion writer on the internet) Dov Bar Leib expressed the opinion that the coincidence of the two events was not a random occurrence. He told Israel Breaking News that “The coronavirus was literally incubating while the ink was drying on the peace plan.”
And just when it seemed that vaccines had become available to halt the pandemic, other, more virulent strains popped up in other parts of the world – in Great Britain, in South Africa, and in India. These present unknown challenges; they are largely unknown variants at the moment, both as to differing characteristics and sensitivity to the existing vaccines. And these are probably not the end of the virus’ mutations – more likely to be the beginning, as coronavirus is characterized by being “slippery” (capable of rapid mutation) seemingly in order to get around anti-viral agents such as vaccines.
President Trump has been enormously successful until these last few days because of all the good things he has done for Israel – the unbridled favor that he has shown toward God’s people. But partition of God’s land is not a matter of human volition.
Are his unexpected tribulations of the past week a result of his insistence on dividing God’s Land? After such an exemplary term of service it seems strange that he could destroy it in one day; but at the moment that appears to be the case.
<>HEL ~1300 words. An eTPL31 Analysis. Circulated January 9, 2021
The Coronavirus Mutates ... and Mutates ... and Mutates
An eTPL31 Analysis
Week of December 20th. It was made known last week that a new strain of the coronavirus has appeared in Britain. It is said to be more virulent (to spread faster) than the older strain ... estimated at being about 70% more infective.
The new strain so far is concentrated mainly in London and southeast England but has appeared in all other parts of the UK except Northern Ireland; that southeastern region has been placed under tighter restrictions than the rest of the country, and has triggered defensive moves from several other countries including the European Union. The new strain has also been detected in Denmark, the Netherlands and in Australia (only one case there, and it has spread no further at this writing).
On Wednesday, thousands of articulated Lorries (tractor-trailers) were lined up at Dover presumably awaiting permission to board the cross-Channel ferries there. The hold-up was that testing for the virus was being overwhelmed and had fallen behind.
As a result several countries, including Israel and the State of New York, have said that any traveler arriving from Britain would be quarantined for ten to fourteen days.
So far, more than 1,000 people in Britain have tested positive for the new strain of the Covid-19 pathogen.
One huge question is whether the current vaccines that have become available will work against the new strain of the virus.
That is precisely the quandary facing all developers of vaccines: will they work across various mutants and how effectively will they work? A case in point is the influenza virus. Each year immunologists try to determine what the most prevalent strains (mutations) of the flu virus will be, and prepare vaccines against only these viruses. If a different one becomes prevalent those vaccinated give no protection against it ... in which case the vaccine will be proven to have been useless.
If this happens with Covid-19 – if a new variant appears this is not suppressed by the present vaccines, those laboratories will be forced back nearly to square one. An appropriate vaccine could take months to develop, allowing the new strain unlimited expansion among the population without resistance.
And there is also the factor that there appear to be millions of folk who have declared that they are not going to be vaccinated with any Covid vaccine. This will elongate the overall suppression of the disease and allow a greater number of people needlessly to become infected.
There are always safety concerns with any vaccine. We have heard that the FDA is now recommending monitoring people who get the vaccine to see if they develop Bell’s palsy. Literally any contingency is possible, of course, as each vaccine is a new entity, the side-effects of which cannot be known in advance.
But another strain of the virus appears to have surfaced in South Africa as of today, December 23rd. It has the name 501.V2 mutation according to The East African newspaper. It is said to be more likely to be contracted by younger people with no co-morbidities (no other substantial existing illnesses) causing a more critical set of symptoms than the original strain – i,e, causes more severe illness.
South Africa is now suffering a second wave of the virus; authorities believe that the current wave is being driven by the new variant and will be more challenging to treat effectively.
This newly emerging viral strain is an example of the “slipperiness” about which we have written earlier. Viruses are extremely adept at mutating – a prime example being the scores of various strains of the influenza virus seen each year. This particular viral trait alone presents a challenge to its treatment that many other pathogens do not present – at least in the same magnitude as the virus.
We will continue to watch for evidence of further mutations as the new vaccines are distributed and injected into millions of recipients. Each vaccination as well as each infection will increase the overall resistance to the virus, presumably because either event produces antibodies, and gets the overall society ever nearer the “herd immunity” toward which it is steadily progressing with each passing week.
<HEL> ~700 words. Abstracted mostly from Prophecy News Watch
Serious Long-term Effects
in Non-Clinically Ill Covid Patients
An eTPL31 Opinion. March 12, 2021
March 12. New Haven, CT. Meghan O’Rourke, journalist-editor of Yale Review, reported on CNN today that 10 to 30 percent of victims of Covid-19 will experience long-term effects of the disease even though they might seem to have suffered a mild case of the epidemic.
She used the word dysautonomia, which she described as long-term symptoms being observed in long-haul truckers. It is a term that will be recognized among our subscribers who are physicians. Essentially it means to shut down the autonomic nervous system in error.
The effects of active Covid infections are organ-targeted and involve scarring of the lungs and damage to the heart among others.
But other long-term effects are being observed in people who had a “very light” or “moderate” case of coronavirus infection – 0r who may not have been clinically ill at all.
Huge numbers of them are seen to be severely affected by the disease and though not hospitalized have afterward complained of racing heart, brain fog, and fatigue.
The mysterious effects are similar to a dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system which automatically controls all sorts of responses regulating our lives – like immediate and spontaneous blood pressure adjustments. When we stand up, it prevents blood from pooling in our feet so that our brains are relatively starved for oxygen and glucose. It controls temperature and heart rate to a large extent ... as well as respiration.
So it looks as if the disease is challenging our autonomic nervous system in a significant number of seemingly benign cases. The effects are long-term and persistent.
One finding has been that all the patients had compromised breathing of some degree – some as severe as having to be ventilated. But even some “light” cases cause serious sequelae ... conditions which have been first noted to be affecting long-haul truckers.
Treatment has consisted of exercises in breathing. Researchers found that many people breathe shallowly and do not properly ventilate their lungs in their daily lives, a deficiency that leaves some CO2 pooled in portions of the lungs. If shortness of breath or brain fog suddenly begins, the victim is probably suffering from the after-effects of their non-clinical case of Covid-19.
These victims seem to need to learn to breathe properly again, so they require re-training in breathing. Draw in a large breath and hold it for a few moments, then expel it. This acts to purge any pooled CO2 and give more even oxygenation of the red blood cells.
Everyone is aware of the widespread cavalier attitude of some folks – especially younger people – that even if they do contract Covid-19 it’s no big concern. Some even express the opinion that coronavirus is “a hoax” of massive deception by controlling governments. Some of them become infected with coronavirus and have an extremely light case – perhaps unknown to them.
Almost all these folk are aware of only minor symptoms if they become aware of any at all. They have fortunately been spared the more serious, acute, direct effects of the pandemic.
But here is proof of the gravity of coronavirus infections, and is an enormous reason to give everyone pause ... and cause them to concentrate on avoiding exposure to the disease at all costs.
Although masks may be uncomfortable for some, they still should be worn when in public places. Social distancing and frequent hand-washing should not be omitted. Masking and hand-washing have been an integral routine for operating room personnel for over a century for good reason – they are genuine barriers to the transmission of disease organisms.
Consider that the pandemic is still a danger to everyone – to the elderly and immune-compromised most of all.
Injections of the vaccine are proceeding in a rapid and orderly way. This writer received his first injection on Wednesday, March 3rd; his second one has been scheduled to be received a month from that date.
We are aware of the many disputes that have been raised against the vaccines as well as the pandemic itself. The disease and methods to combat it are not “hoaxes” or deceptions of any kind. The attempts at mitigation (masks, vaccines, etc.) may not be perfect in every aspect (nothing is!) but inoculations can be life-saving. We do not hesitate to say that we believe readers should arrange to be inoculated as soon as feasible.
Resistance to the inoculations and to safe practices has proven them both to be effective.
Dr. Rochelle Welensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated it best when she said of European nations, that “They simply took their eye off the ball.”
Grave consequences have ensued...
She was referring to the optimism that is now spreading in the U.S. as Covid-19 deaths decrease markedly ... as states ease restrictions and open vaccinations to younger adults. “Across Europe, dread is setting in with another wave of infections that is closing schools and cafes and bringing new lockdowns,” according to AP reports.
Dr. Walenski said, "Each of these countries has had nadirs (marked drops in the number of cases) like we are having now, and each took an upward trend after they disregarded known mitigation strategies." As the old cliché goes, “the proof is in the pudding.”
When a principle seems to work, and then, when abandoned, doesn’t work, that proves that the principle DOES work.
I know this directly contradicts the thinking of some folk who are honestly convinced that there is little real danger to most individuals. But over half a million people have died agonal deaths of the infection in the USA alone, and new strains are emerging which hold forth even greater challenges than we may have yet seen.
<>HEL. ~950 words. An eTPL31 Opinion Published: March 19, 2021, in Potpourri.
Awaiting our Consolation
Virtually the entire world population has been sequestered due to the prevalence of the Covid-19 virus and has been in such a state for more than a year. Conditions are now perhaps more grave than previously as new variants emerge and infections surge. But the people are weary, and are foolishly dropping their guard…
Isaiah 26 speaks of a time in which this condition would exist for the people of God. “… the earth shall cast out the dead. 20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity:” Isaiah 26: 19-21.
Those words were addressing “My people,” which is also the subject of the prophecy of the resurrection: (“Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.”) – a special group of folks whose bodies are marked by the blood of the everlasting covenant – the blood of the slain Lamb of God – smeared upon them through baptism into His name – and admonishes them to enter into their secret rooms and close their doors against the outsiders – to “shelter in place,” and to hide for a short time against His indignation that would again be being expressed against “the inhabitants of the earth.”
We are struck by the perfect similarity of this condition with that of the Israelites in Egypt who huddled in their hovels in Goshen, also sheltering behind sealed doors, all the doorposts and lintels of which were stained by the blood of the Pascal Lamb, awaiting divine deliverance from Egypt, the land of bondage and sin, into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God – the Promised Land.
It would be a land flowing with milk and honey, giving abundance and plenty of life in every form – and peace. In this case, the Lamb’s blood saved each household from the ravages of the Death Angel that would devastate Egypt and all its people by the death of all the firstborns of the land…
In that case, too, they were waiting for the indignation of the Lord to be expressed against those who held them captive. They were required to wait for an indefinite time for that anger to be discharged against their captors, just as today, we are being required to wait for an indefinite period to see our salvation … our own personal deliverance from bondage and death.
His indignation today is against the nations of the world and is clearly seen in the mass confusion and almost universal conflict that rages among those nations, whole societies breaking down into open warfare and social upheaval – even among the more sophisticated nations of the world (such as the USA).
Isaiah’s words address the affairs of mankind at a special time – that of the resurrection of the dead. It is a time which shall have more than a local effect as to either time or place. The responsible dead of all ages will hear the triumphant blasts of the Last Trump, and stand again in vibrant mortality, again living and breathing, now to be gathered up with the living saints of God and transported to the place of Judgment.
At that time and place almost everyone present will be seeing the LORD Jesus personally for the first time – and be able to render their thanksgiving to Him face to face. At some point in time, standing before Him, millions of His brethren will, in a moment … in the twinkling of an eye … sense their vile bodies being transformed into the glorious body of their LORD – and realize in an instant that they have passed from death unto life – that they have shed forever the failed body of Adam and been invested with the New Nature of their Master, and will be able in a triumphant and thankful gesture to look back at the maelstrom they have left behind and shout into its raging winds, “Oh death where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory?”
That long-awaited state of blessedness is the Consolation which we yearn for in fervent prayer each hour. Its prospects are so awe-inspiring that we have no words to express them. We marvel at the enormity of the reward (immortality in His presence) as compared to the paltry requirements for its achievement – namely a few years, or decades, of delightful service to our Father and His Son in the harness of faith and blessed hope – the Hope of Israel, indeed!
<HEL> ~800 words. An eTPL31 Exposition. Published April 20, 2021.