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‘As of April 6, 2026, the Artemis II crew has traveled further from Earth than any human in history.’

This is the sort of statement that has been often repeated during this recent flight, which has now ended and the astronauts are safely back on earth.

But is it really true?

Man has never been ‘behind’ in boasting of his achievements! Witness old Nebuchadnezzar’s bragging of ‘his’ kingdom!

“‭The king‭ spake‭‭, and said‭‭, Is not‭ this‭‭ great‭ Babylon‭, that I‭ have built‭‭ for the house‭ of the kingdom‭ by the might‭ of my power‭, and for the honour‭ of my majesty‭?‭” Daniel 4:30.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

How wrong he was for “t‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭he most High‭ ruleth‭ in the kingdom‭ of men‭, and giveth‭‭ it to whomsoever‭ he will‭‭,‭” Daniel 4:25.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

It is recorded in this same chapter that the Lord taught the king the truth in a fashion he would never forget. He was reduced to the level of the beast for seven years (verse 16).

“‭The same hour‭ was the thing‭ fulfilled‭‭ upon‭ Nebuchadnezzar‭: and he was driven‭‭ from‭ men‭, and did eat‭‭ grass‭ as oxen‭, and his body‭ was wet‭‭ with the dew‭ of heaven‭, till‭ his hairs‭ were grown‭‭ like eagles‭’ ‭feathers‭, and his nails‭ like birds‭’ ‭claws‭,‭” Daniel 4:33.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Of course, men today still view their nation and its ‘achievements’ in the same way.

I will not quote the words of the USA Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, who ‘out-Trumped Trump’ in his bumptious declaration of total victory over Iran!

Almost immediately this was greeted by hoots of laughter and scorn for, as of yet, there is little or no evidence of this being true. Indeed, the whole ‘ceasefire’ agreement hangs by a very thin thread!

I fear it will not be long until it will be seen that Hegseth’s bluster is, in truth, as Shakespeare wrote, ‘Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing’!

Wrong!

The statement regarding the four astronauts travelling further from the earth than any other human being is very wrong and that millions of times over!

I. HOW FAR AWAY IS HEAVEN?

There are three heavens!

* First of all, there are the heavens the birds fly in, just above our heads. That man has been able to explore ever since the days of hot-air balloons! (more…)

“‭Them that sin‭‭ rebuke‭‭ before‭ all‭, that‭ others‭ also‭ may‭‭ fear‭,‭” 1 Timothy 5:20‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

There are two procedures set down in the Bible that are to be followed by Christians when faced by sin in others.

I. WHEN IT IS A SIN AGAINST ONE’S SELF THEN THAT RESPONSE WHICH IS SET DOWN BY THE LORD JESUS IS TO BE FOLLOWED.

“‭Moreover‭ if‭ thy‭ brother‭ shall trespass‭‭ against‭ thee‭, go‭‭ and‭ tell‭‭ him‭ his fault‭‭ between‭ thee‭ and‭ him‭ alone‭: if‭ he shall hear‭‭ thee‭, thou hast gained‭‭ thy‭ brother‭.‭ ‭But‭ if‭‭ he will‭‭ not‭ hear‭‭ ‭thee, then‭ take‭‭ with‭ thee‭ one‭ or‭ two‭ more‭, that‭ in‭ the mouth‭ of two‭ or‭ three‭ witnesses‭ every‭ word‭ may be established‭‭.‭ ‭And‭ if‭ he shall neglect to hear‭‭ them‭, tell‭‭ ‭it‭ unto the church‭: but‭‭ if‭ he neglect to hear‭‭ the church‭, let him be‭‭ unto thee‭ as‭ an heathen man‭ and‭ a publican‭,‭” Matthew 18:15-17.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

This is repeated in Luke’s Gospel.

“‭Take heed‭‭ to yourselves‭: If‭‭ thy‭ brother‭ trespass‭‭ against‭ thee‭, rebuke‭‭ him‭; and‭ if‭ he repent‭‭, forgive‭‭ him‭,‭” Luke 17:3.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

That which I have underlined in these verses is most important. This is the procedure that is to be followed by a Christian when they are wronged by another Christian.

Improper application

These verses are habitually quoted as to how we deal with public sin by those who are very much against publicly shaming transgressors, usually out of a friendship with the transgressors or an ignorance of the teaching of God’s Word and an utter lack of what Elijah called, a jealousy for the name and honour of the Lord!

“‭And he said‭‭, I have been very‭‭ jealous‭‭ for the LORD‭ God‭ of hosts‭: for the children‭ of Israel‭ have forsaken‭‭ thy covenant‭, thrown down‭‭ thine altars‭, and slain‭‭ thy prophets‭ with the sword‭; and I, ‭even‭ I only, am left‭‭; and they seek‭‭ my life‭, to take it away‭‭,‭” 1 Kings 19:10.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Such a use of the two portions of the Gospels just quoted is in fact a misuse and an abuse of God’s Word. It is a twisting of what is plainly said by the Lord in order to accuse one who is obeying the Lord in publicly rebuking wrongdoing and to exonerating the real offender!

They are acting as did those Peter condemned. “‭As‭ also‭ in‭ all‭ ‭his‭ (Paul) epistles‭, speaking‭‭ in‭ them‭ of‭ these things‭; in‭ which‭ are‭‭ some things‭ hard to be understood‭, which‭ they that are unlearned‭ and‭ unstable‭ wrest‭‭, as‭ ‭they do‭ also‭ the other‭ scriptures‭, unto‭ their‭ own‭ destruction‭,‭” 2 Peter 3:16.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ (more…)