Has there ever been a year like 2020? I see memes quite often wishing for a do over. How great would it be to find a store and take this year back, “It keeps breaking and falling apart. Could I get a replacement?”
There is no way out of 2020 but to go through it, and God has given us many ways to overcome because the Devil has been waging his attacks on specific battlegrounds.
“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms?” (Ephesians 6:12).
2020 is also the Biblical Year 5780, and there is veiled revelation available because the meaning of Hebrew letters/numbers comes from the first time they are used in Scripture. In this case, the number 80 (Peh) was first used in Genesis 4 when Cain killed his brother.
So, even though peh means mouth, it’s first use was about a grave and the first words spoken were a curse by God. If you have wondered why this year seems so out of control and somewhat exasperating, the spiritual forces we are struggling against are stirring up a lot of disunity and control.
“…Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.” In Hebrew, the word favor or sha`ah, means respect. So, Cain felt he was disrespected for doing what he considered was his best.
You probably have noticed several groups in the streets recently calling for justice, but the word means something different to each group based on the hurts and wounds inside of them. To one group, justice means revenge and revolution.
To others, it means rage, the power to take what they deserve, or the correcting of all their woes. But like Cain, when we feel wronged, we forget that being “just” is the precursor of justice. You cannot seek justice for one person by taking it from someone else.
“So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
The phrase very angry in Hebrew is charah, and it is used to describe someone whose anger is burning or kindled like a fire. And rage causes explosions. The word accepted is se’eth which means to be exalted. Cain was the first born and would receive a double portion of inheritance so, He was already favored by God. But to him, only his wounds mattered.
Sharing acceptance was beyond Cain’s ability, so He killed, because he could not live with both Abel and what he saw as injustice. But Abel was not his oppressor, nor was God. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil…” Acts 10:38
Those wounds are still alive today. During the span of just a few weeks in May, several criminals clashed with police and were tragically killed. Sadly, they were quickly exalted by men and turned into heroes and martyrs, while the police as a whole were vilified. This led to efforts to defund police and shut down anyone who challenged their narrative.
Be aware! Cancel Culture is a precursor to the mark of the beast, when paranoia will force most people to submit to oppression that they fervently disagree with but lack the courage and resolve to oppose.
Bitterness becomes unforgiveness, and then resentment becomes retalliation, until our anger is justified and our foe is “dead to us”. “While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.”
Charah is rooted in paranoia, so there is a false sense of “knowing” that there is only one answer. Fear wraps itself in self-focus and we allow it to fester because that demon never stops crying, “I’m being persecuted”
Not everyone explodes on the outside. Some make terrible decisions responding to what’s boiling inside of them. God gave Cain a chance to take responsibility, “Where is your brother Abel?” Obviously, God knew the answer, but He was saying, “Cain, the injustice you feel you have suffered doesn’t compare with the calling I have placed on you.”
But even murder hadn’t quenched the fire burning in Cain. So, he spoke his own punishment, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” and the crown fell from his head, “Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth [peh] to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” Our world is still full of restless people, not focused on God’s voice as much as their own agendas.
2020 has been ripe with the protest of Cain thanks to two plagues: a Spring plague of fear and death caused by the release of a virus called Corona; and a Summer plague marked by protest, riots, looting, destruction, and cancel culture caused by racial divide and cultural Marxism.
If you noticed, the Corona virus quickly became everyone’s responsibility (not just the sick), so everyone was forced to submit, shut down the economy, wear masks, quarantine, and continually wash hands, even as the rules repeatedly changed.
Likewise, the summer plague appears to judge everyone as guilty of injustice, thus making repentance everyone’s responsibility. Now advocates are demanding to cancel law and order, to rewrite history, and to redefine “normal”. Similar plagues – similar spirit.
“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?” Jeremiah 12:5
The plagues are also present because we are experiencing a preview or glimpse of the end times. It’s not the first time such a glimpse occurred. The Bolshevik Revolution and the Holocaust provide easy examples that match up with events that will accompany the 4 Horsemen of Revelation.
But of course, the world didn’t end then and it’s not ending now. Glimpses are given to prepare us for the rise of the Antichrist and the Great Tribulation one day, and perhaps to help us discover how they connect with the Spring Feasts from Purim to Pentecost.
The end times glimpses had very little warning. The White Horse glimpse occurred on Purim as a viral worldwide pandemic of sickness and death swept the world bringing panic, scarcity, rampant fear, quarantines, forced unemployment. “Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.” (Revelation 6:2) At the time, many people noted that the pandemic didn’t seem to be about a virus as much as changes to crowns/authority. Extreme actions were initiated by unelected health officials as the authority structure shifted.
The Red Horse glimpse occurred on Passover with a loss of civil rights, attacks against authority and elected leadership, national and state level decisions were directed by unelected medical professionals, people were labeled as “essential” and “non-essential”, churches were forced to close, spiritual authorities stunted, and a powerful deception to shift national agendas emerged. “Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.” (Revelation 6:4) How do you take peace from the whole earth? Lies, terror, and panic! In the judgments of Revelation, you see a sword coming out of the mouth of Jesus because He is the Word and He is truth. Likewise, the Devil is a liar and his sword is his words and lies. This pandemic was spread by breath, but it was the spoken words that took away peace with lies and deception about the degree of danger, freedoms were limited, quarantines were mandatory, and as the economy closed all peace was eliminated.
The Black Horse glimpse occurred one month later on Second Passover as the intentional crashing of strong economies caused unprecedented worldwide famine, deception, disunity, foreign subterfuge, angry division, rage, the loss of spiritual discernment, and ultimately graves filling up worldwide. “Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand…“Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages…” (Revelation 6:5-6) In early May it was becoming clear that the Economies of the world had been devastated. The worldwide starvation rate is still expected to double. The entire world continues to face the worst recession since the Great Depression. Forty percent of low-income Americans lost their jobs, and oil prices turned negative for the first time ever. Everything seemed to look bleak.
Then the Pale Horse glimpse occurred on Pentecost with racial divide exploding onto the streets with rioting, Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and other groups permitted to run rampant, taking over police stations and portions of inner cities, to kill, burn, loot, terrorize, and destroy local economies. “They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.” (Revelation 6:8)
In His letter to the church of Philadelphia, Jesus warned us to, “Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” The church is alive and we must guard our crown (authority) by speaking life and truth. In our words and voice is the power of life and death. Don’t Fear – Revival is Near!
11 thoughts
AC
I have invested into this radio station for a few years now in particular because as a Jesus follower I thought the content was in line with my beliefs. However, a little over a year ago I was listening to the station as I typically do during my commute into work and I heard Ray speaking about how he thought it was disrespectful for the football players not to stand during the national anthem. As I listen to him speak and heard the pure disdain he had in his words for those players who chose to protest in that way, and how he proclaimed that he would never buy Nike anymore because they supported the ball players, it really caught me off guard. I had to ask myself what station am I listening to? I mean typically in the mornings I’m listening to how we can uplift each other, and how we should pray for one another. It was just so out of character from what I would expect from a Christian program that I decided to call in and express how it sounded no longer like a Christian radio station, but more like a clip from Fox5, very one sided and nothing Christian about it. Ray responded, that everyone has an opinion and that what he was saying was just his opinion. My thought was… we all sin and thus we all fall short of the glory of Jesus Christ and so therefore who am I to judge the character of this person who claims to be a Christian.
Today I read the blog hoping to find something that was spiritually uplifting but instead I found yet another one sided view with a hint of bias from Ray. It is as if he was saying that those whom lives were tragically taken away, deserved the outcome because they were, as he stated, ‘criminals.’
It’s so amazing to me how so many people proclaim themselves to be a Christian, yet they forget that when Jesus established his new covenant with us, he told us that the most important commandment was to love one another as he has loved us. We seem to put everything else before this… our political views, our traditions, our likes and dislikes, our biases… but none of that is important! Do you really think that when Jesus returns that he’s going to care about who stood or didn’t stand during the national anthem? No… he is going to ask each of us, how well did you love each other?
LH
AC, when Jesus returns he will be looking for a spotless bride. Jesus is not the hyper grace movement that has infiltrated the church. That is new age and not Jesus. And while He does command us to love one another, He does not ask us to be stupid and naive about the world we live in. To speak the truth is not easy. There is always someone who will come behind you and try to tear down that truth. That is the way of satan. The truth is the truth. If you arent comfortable with the truth, then question your own heart about why that is. The fact that our nation is in such turmoil because criminals made bad choices and we are all paying the price for their decisions should be an eye opener. Unfortunately for some of us, our eyes refuse to see what is so obvious to others.
CH
I totally agree with AC’s comments
I am sadden by Mr. Race’s comments, I do not sense a spirit of love or compassion but a spirit of judgment, anger and hate in his words.
It’s was the “Religious” leaders that sought to kill Jesus. It was some “Christians” that turned their heads during slavery and justified it by using the Bible. I did not expect this from Victory 91.5…
We are not fighting against flesh and blood, let’s pray and ask God to deliver us from the evil that exist, expose the truth of leader’s hearts and may God’s justice and mercy come soon and heal our country. Lord Thy kingdom come, Lord Thy will be done!
BF
“Hitler also predicted a general European war that would result in “the extermination of the Jewish race in Germany.” Yet not one nation took him at his word when the persecution, internments, and Aryanization swept across Germany in the 1930’s despite eyewitness testimonies that arrived on their shores. When we see evil at a distance, our tendency is to accuse ourselves of being judgmental. When the spirit of deception helps evil make its way in-close, we are a victim not so unlike the ones we ignored.”
I am saddened by the blog and think Ray should read his own words above (from the previous blog) and see how Jim Crow laws, mass incarceration and institutionalized racism are exact parallels to what occurred to the Jews and not be blinded by the false rhetoric of ‘criminals getting their due’. Trayvon Martin was no criminal, Tamir Rice was no criminal, Sandra Bland was no criminal and Breonna Taylor was no criminal…unless sleeping in your bed after working as an EMT saving lives is a crime. In addition, when an individual has paid their debt to society and in the eyes of God, it is morally and biblically wrong to hold that against them in perpetuity. Where in the scripture, you ask? The woman caught in adultery, the Samaritan woman at the well, Rahab the prostitute, King David (a man after God’s heart).
Leaders set the tone for the place of work, and this tone says that only those who think like he does or agree with his political views are welcome, or considered Christians. Yes, these are political views and bias couched in scriptures.
Dear Ray, recognition that we all have a part to play in healing the racial divide and dismantling racism in all its forms is actually not of the evil one, but in keeping with the second greatest commandment – love my neighbor as myself (refer to the Good Samaritan parable and that of the 1 lost sheep). Peace and blessings.
Ruben
“Woe to the land of whirring wings along the rivers of Cush, which sends envoys by sea in papyrus boats over the water. Go, swift messengers, to a people tall and smooth-skinned, to a people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers.
This is what the Lord says to me: “I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest….”
At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord Almighty from a people tall and smooth-skinned, from a people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers— the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty.”
Isaiah 18:1-2, 4, 7 NIV
“For the wrath of man shall praise You; With a remnant of wrath You will gird Yourself.
Make vows to the LORD your God and fulfill them;
Let all who are around Him bring “gifts” to Him who is to be feared.
He will cut off the spirit of princes; He is feared by the kings of the earth.”
Psalms 76:10-12 NASB
NW
Thank you, AC and BF. Ray has been incorrect in his interpretations for years because of his bias. I tried to warn him at least 2 years ago and he did not respond because it does not fit his narrative. He views whites as the perpetual victims and has villianized Black people, transgender people, etcetera. It’s unfortunate, but God will bring justice to this issue that plagues the hearts of men.
Gary Dixon
I know that truth is hard to receive but I believe what Ray is saying is truth. We as Christ followers need to have our Spiritual senses turn on to truth and not to what is politically correct or of our on mindsets but to the truth of the word of God. Thank you Ray for your God given wisdom and not compromising the truth. I do and have supported this ministry for years and I think God for it.
We bless you, Ray, and this ministry.
TM
To AC and those that agree with him, I urge you to read Ephesians 4 – ask the Holy Spirit to show you the words through HIS eyes, not through the lens of your personal history.
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. 17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ray Haynes
AC,
I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns. Often times when discussions deal with cultural or deeply held beliefs, they lead to misunderstandings or simply to division because there is just no room for disagreement. In both of the issues you speak of, I think it’s likely the case.
The first was kneeling during the national anthem, which is a pretty divided issue with very little compromise available. You said as a listener, “I mean typically in the mornings I’m listening to how we can uplift each other, and how we should pray for one another.”
You are correct that we seldom enter into that type of conversation because our highest goal is to help fix everyone’s eyes on Jesus and help them encounter Him more and more. We are not a news or issues radio station. We are a kingdom station and that is simply the highest importance.
That said, there will be times when in the midst of teaching, I share my heart on an issue that I consider significant enough to highlight. Obviously this issue of kneeling has been with us for several years now, so it is clearly impacting culture. My point as a Christian to speak to the issue, is the same thing that causes me to speak to this current issue of the protests. I believe “injustice” is improperly being used as a scapegoat while the real issues go ignored. This is causing “racism” to become the primary target as the cause of the injustice, when it is not. And once again “the police as a whole” are being villainized.
Claims of injustice and racism like this always lead to false accusations. Since the police in our nation are a significant part of law and order, disrespect and false accusations toward them as an entity are not born of righteousness, but from the Accuser and the one who was a liar from the beginning. I believe it is my responsibility to speak up about this issue as a Christian.
As to your other points, I wrote, “several criminals clashed with police and were tragically killed”. You said it was “as if I was saying they deserved the outcome”, when in fact, I said truthfully that they were criminals and I noted truthfully that their deaths were tragic, not deserved.
But my primary point, which was also true and equally tragic is that, “they were quickly exalted by men and turned into heroes and martyrs, while the police as a whole were vilified.” If we represent Jesus, who is truth, we can’t cherry pick truths, as if they were opinions. This is doing nothing for injustice, racism, or law and order. You also spoke of the greater value of love over truth.
“If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:3
I think most people would say that if they gave away all they have, delivered up their body to be burned, empty their wallets for people’s needs, or even surrender their own desires to serve others, then they have walked in the very definition of love.
But, we all tend to define love entirely with affection, giving, and serving. Paul here reminds us that true love is the perfect combination of affection and truth. “All truth and no love is cruel, but all love and no truth is hypocrisy.” We need to do both, not just try to balance between the two and play games with people.
Love “does not seek its own.” Truth depends on confrontation, so we can’t soften it or water it down. For my love to be true, it has to concern itself more with what happens to you more than me. Yes, God is going to ask us how well we loved each other, but the conversation will be about His love which is truth, not human love, which is merely emotion.
My counsel continues to be the Word of God in regards to disrespect flowing from kneeling or protesting the police, blaming them as an entity, or falsely accusing them of racism without specific evidence and just cause, “For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority— whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.” 1 Peter 2:13-15
Ray Haynes
CH
Wow. I’m not quite sure how to respond to your summary of my article and me having, “a spirit of judgment, anger and hate in his words.” Nor do I comprehend how you could compare me to “the “Religious” leaders that sought to kill Jesus” or the “Christians” that turned their heads during slavery and justified it by using the Bible.”
Someone speaking the truth may seem like those things I guess but we are warned, “Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.” Exodus 23:1
“And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress… Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight…who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to
the innocent.” Isaiah 5
My desire is for compassion and true justice but not by redefining them.
CH
I pray, please HOLY SPIRIT do what ONLY YOU can do in all of our lives.
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