Back In My Day: Civilized War – Think Hebrew

If you have found value in any of my BIMD stories to date, please understand that this one begins a series of events that “trumps” them all in terms of worldly and eternal importance. In my opinion, it is the critical piece that many are not understanding. Everything from this point forward in BIMD will hinge around the following worldview.

Greek Versus Hebrew Thought

One of the challenges in western society is how to relate to what we see worldwide from other people who think and act differently than we do. Instead of adapting to the differences, westerners tend to demand that others understand them first. They assert rather than reason together.

In general, much of America thinks Greek. Legalized and institutionalized, it has led to denominations in the Christian faith and form over substance in every corner. We want order and a line of authority for decision making. Those not in authority are to listen and do according to instructions.

Our entire system of government has changed from its design and laws that involved serving the people to an unauthorized system of the people serving officials in government and their corporate cronies. Political party leaders work together to divvy up the spoils without regard to the betterment of the whole. They make sure the military along with certain aspects of law enforcement and judiciary have the tools and are strong enough to serve their goals first instead of the needs of the people. That is Greek.

A good summary to help with understanding Greek versus Hebrew thought is below. Realize that I am not referring to the actions and words of the nation of Israel today, which is openly secular. Please take time to read, it does not take much time, especially if you do not have knowledge of the subject. Hopefully, it will impact your understanding and views of the world as it did mine some 40 years ago, of which I confess, need refreshed from time to time.

Back in my day in Arkansas when I was taking the Bethel Bible Series, we had an expression that was repeated throughout; think Hebrew. It was a reminder to keep in context what we read as having been originated and framed by the Hebrews from God’s instructions. In other words, we needed to suspend our normal Greek type thinking patterns and beliefs to understand The Word in the manner it was written and intended. Yahweh, the God of Israel, thought Hebrew.

The linked article provides insight into the mind of Christ as well as the Hebrews in those times. What is learned can be applied across the spectrum of the nations of the world if we want to understand the bigger war that rages around us and has been underway for thousands of years.

Or we can trust governments, politicians, deep staters and the media to tell us how we should think and see things.

That would be a hard pass from this guy.

1997-1998

The Year of Jubilee described in Lev. 25:9 for the Hebrew nation occurred in the year following seven cycles of seven years. It is a sabbatical year. Per Chapter 25 it involved a year of release from indebtedness and all types of bondage. All prisoners and captives were set free, all slaves were released, all debts were forgiven, and all property was returned to its original owners.

Boom – party time in ancient Israel!

My figurative first personal year of Jubilee came seven years early. Seven is mentioned more times in scripture than any other number. It is one of four “perfect” numbers. Three represents divine perfection, seven is spiritual perfection, ten relates to ordinal perfection and twelve is for governmental perfection. There is one reasonably short explanation linked below which will help the purposes of my story.

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/what-is-the-biblical-significance-of-the-number-7.html

That period, 1997-1998, saw the end of the turmoil of my lawsuit and FIB engagement years involving the equipment company. My small business banking career zoomed such that my employer could no longer support the ever increasing loan volume of customers. The period saw our family’s spiritual lives grow beyond measure. My cup literally ran over in all aspects. I realized that the Lord had honored my decision to completely humble myself and follow it up with actions from a sincere and contrite heart. He knew that I knew that I did not deserve it and would accept the opposite as just and merciful given my past.

I was not instantly a man without error and sin. I still struggle at times. It took time and understanding to gain higher ground, to take off the old coat and put on the new. Rock Star and our daughter were instrumental in the process. However, the fulfillment of my promise was recognized by Him seven (yes – seven again) years later from the day of my choosing to rededicate.

As a side note, “seven” in my life became humorous at times. Despite what some may believe, I never sought the number out or framed anything with it. Stuff just happens with Goober Gump. For decades on non-work days when I could sleep in, my natural body rhythm would even wake me up at 7:14 AM no matter how late I went to bed. I would wake up totally refreshed, ready to take on the day. For the past two days as I have worked on the revisions of this story I have woken up at … 7:14 AM. 😂

It’s just confirmation I am doing what I should be doing. The Lord has a wonderful sense of humor if we are paying attention.

One of my favorite historical figures is Joshua. Just a great man of faith and dedication who served his people and God. Deut. 34:9 says “Now, Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him.” Joshua’s selection as leader of the nation followed Moses’ divine appointment and decades of leadership. Moses undoubtedly laid hands on Joshua as God directed him and the torch was passed. Joshua then led the Hebrews into The Promised Land upon the death of Moses on Mount Ne’bo as God ordained.

I realized the significance of my own symbolic walls of Jericho falling as the real ones did for Joshua as they went about seizing the land God promised. I lost all reason to fear anything at all other than Him. I knew what I knew. At his choosing God determines the time, the place, the method, and the people that are to be involved in accomplishing His will. When we are obedient, we wait until He says, “Go.” It was time for me to grow, step up to the plate and do as Joshua did as well as the prophet Isaiah in Chapter 6, who said, “Here I am Lord, send me.”

How Joshua and Isaiah responded made it easier for me to understand how to fulfill my promise of faithfulness to the Lord in the world in which He placed me. It did not involv leading or spiritually advising a nation. I was to do what He desired of me where I was planted.

Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN – June 1997

Some of you may remember a men’s Christian organization started by former University of Colorado football head coach, Bill McCartney, and some of his Christian associates. It is called Promise Keepers, which is still operating today.

Seeing a need in the community and congregation, our pastor and youth minister began organizing a group of members to attend an upcoming gathering of men the organization planned to hold in Neyland Stadium. In summary, the purpose of the org was to help men understand and live as the Bible teaches. Nothing more, nothing less. It scared the heck out of feminists and orgs like NOW. They knew that if men ever learned to be men after God’s own heart, feminism would never take root as women would be freed to fulfill their equally important mission as God directed in His Word.

About a dozen of us in our congregation committed to go to the gathering that was held over a weekend starting on Friday evening. When the day arrived, the weather began to be as uncooperative as the dozen NOW picketers at the stadium. When the primary program of speakers began on Saturday, it had turned cool and wet with light rain the entire day into the evening. Nobody left and the numbers kept increasing. There were about 40,000 of us there.

As Coach, Franklin Graham, Tony Evans, Adrian Rogers and others delivered the prayers and powerful messages laid on their hearts the men broke down and praised God. The music was off the charts inspiring. The fellowship with everybody was so fulfilling. We all had common purposes and interests. At one point the program leader asked all pastors to stand. After they did, he asked all others sitting nearby to lay hands on them as we all prayed to strengthen their ministries and resolve in this fight over the souls of mankind. As the Lord would have it, a half dozen or so of us white guys along with several black guys laid hands on a local black pastor, giving him hugs and exchanging names and phone numbers with each other afterwards should any ever need assistance in their work for the Lord. This was done throughout the stadium. As things go with Goober, I met a young man sitting nearby who knew my first cousin who lived five hours away in Virginia, who was also a PK supporter. Many of us responded to the local needs from phone calls of attendees when called later to a local food pantry and a homeless shelter.

At that moment I was reminded once again that people are people and skin color has nothing to do with how we could and should live, respect, love and honor one another. We just need to stop listening and doing what those who would divide want us to do. From that moment on the Lord has placed people of all skin colors, ethnic backgrounds and situations in my path that pounded the point home in my head and heart. Many were not Christian. They were of many other religions, agnostic and atheist. My role was not to ‘convert the pagans’ as some would approach it. My job was to just plant seeds of faith, pray for them, support them and live out my faith by treating everybody equally.

As Saturday’s program was beginning to close I looked up toward the south end zone of the stadium directly across from the stage and toward the iconic “VOLS” lettering atop it that fans know. With the Smoky Mountain rain and a fog closing in I noticed a young man standing alone with arms raised in a “V” for victory in front of the lettering as we sang Victory in Jesus. I lost it as did many of the guys around me who saw him. Just a spontaneous act by an unknown believer which I will always cherish. I told my family and friends afterwards that I knew what Neyland Stadium was for and it had nothing to do with football. Those who were there understood what I meant.

It is time to note that the people who served the participants meals and other assistance in this and other PK events around the nation over its now 25 year existence have been primarily women. Women who want men to learn to be Godly as The Word states. Women who support men being men, who care for their men with selfless love. Rock Star could not go to do likewise that weekend as our daughter was young, but she heard all of it over the radio. As I returned in the evenings she met me at the door with the biggest smile on earth. We both knew what we knew. Nothing could ever separate us from Him or each other in this world as long as we had breath. I gave thanks for PK and immediately began to dig into the publications and listen to the CD’s I had purchased.

It did not end there. There was a national calling by Coach and PK to head to DC a few months later in October. They felt it was time to hit the Mall with a million men praying. It would be a day of national repentance, where we could all stand on a national stage for Christ. When the date approached, eight of us loaded into the church van and headed to our nation’s capital the day before. We checked into our motel rooms in Maryland while our youth minister coordinated with other pastors and leaders for the place to meet in the morning to take the train into DC.

When morning came, I turned on the TV to watch the local news. Lo and behold a leader of NOW was being interviewed. She was asked about the PK event that day and all of the men descending upon the area from all over the country. I still remember her comments when asked what it all meant and what they expected. At one point she said, “This is scary!” At that moment I knew we were over target. She then said they had plans to protest at the event.

Upon our arrival at the Mall via buses from the train terminal, we began looking for said protesters who were being allowed to be near the rear of the stage area behind a blockade. The big protest was nine people with a few signs of which four were men. We walked right by them as we moved back into the crowd to find an open spot. There were a couple of PK’s who had stopped to witness to them and invite them to attend, but they refused to engage in conversation. A small number of more protesters could have come to join them later after the program began, but we would never have known as there were none to be found after the event when the news reporters’ cameras were turned off. Of course they were featured on the news as a massive protest, just another example of a corrupted media from 25 years ago. The problem they had was the entire event was filmed by PK as well as being televised by C-SPAN. We also have the receipts through photos many of us took. The original C-SPAN production is linked below – all 6+ hours.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?92262-1/promise-keepers-rally

In my opinion it is a worthy investment of time to watch because it shows who much of America really is as well as a lot about the supporters of MAGA today. You may find it interesting to see females in the crowd, who were welcome at this event and all other conferences as well.

The official NPS reports and local media tried to play down the numbers. The NPS rangers working crowd control on site that we talked with were more honest. Over a million people and it was really obvious as you surveyed the crowd. The news reports said 3-400 K or so. The Mall could not contain the number of men that extended into the side streets as well as into overflow areas past the Washington Memorial where huge jumbotrons had been placed to broadcast it. We found ourselves in the middle of it all. Speaker after speaker brought their messages. Music and prayers were lifted along with requests for the Lord to heal our land and forgive us. Meanwhile Rock Star and daughter were able to see it on TV back in TN. They understood the significance. We were all in together as a family.

Conclusion

It would be seven (yup) more years later before my next figurative Year of Jubilee would begin from the ashes of an industry in turmoil following 9/11. We will get to that down the road. I just want to leave this truth with you. If as a Christian you are skating through life without real challenges and difficulties placed in your path; be concerned. Those who give themselves over to the Lord and His work know about what I am stating. At times Satan and his minions will incite and stir trouble against the followers of Christ. However, if you never experience said trouble, Satan is probably not all that worried about you. You might want to take your efforts up a notch. That’s why Paul delighted in all the trouble he faced as He witnessed and served the Lord.

This PK Stand in the Gap assembly was followed by 9/11 four years later. We know the truth of that horrific day is known to the One that matters most even if our government never reveals what actually happened. The Lord was there that day as well, even in the pain and suffering. It is just a great truth that He gives us all free will that may be used for good or evil. No real follower of Christ could ever participate in or condone the evil that happened that day. So you know from whom the evil came, similar to those who persecuted Jesus. Just know that God will sort it out.

As momentum grew for redemption and reconciliation grew stronger in our nation leading up to it, the forces of darkness were unleashed on our land. National blood and treasure was spent in far away lands for many nefarious purposes that were deceptively presented to American citizens as patriotic by our leaders. As those years were slowly absorbed and we moved on, the next “disaster” of a potential total economic collapse was initiated on and by Wall Street and government leaders. As that was gradually dealt with and average Americans began to gain ground, the plandemic was implemented to once again sell America out while evilly injuring and killing us for power and profit. Just in the past 25 years or so we should be detecting a repeating pattern.

What happened at Stand in the Gap was about reconciliation of people of all types and breaking the chains that separate us. It was uniting, not dividing. It was not about preventing attacks on our nation. It was about supporting each other as the inevitable attacks come. The more that people can reconcile with the Lord and one another, the less likely it will be that the evil acts are effective. Stand in the Gap scared the pants off the cabal and their cronies just as MAGA does today. You know who the enemies of God and this nation are by their reaction to the principles of the Christian faith and MAGA.

Stand in the Gap was about helping to restore our American family, a struggle that continues today. It was about preserving a nation uniquely dedicated to God and His purposes at its founding. President Trump works hard to build back the true American patriotic spirit and MAGA. To go forward, we also now need to look back and remember as the nation of Israel was frequently reminded so long ago. We need to return to our faith roots as a nation.

II Chronicles 7:14 (yup) states, “…and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (NASB). My advice is to finish reading that passage through verse 22.

Think Hebrew. Chayah. From Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon it means: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.

We need Revival to help us focus our eyes on Jesus. It is the matching bookend to MAGA.