It was a story of institutional inhumanity – which, at first, many found unbelievable.
Hundreds of babies and children, buried in an unmarked mass grave, at the site of an institution for unmarried mothers near the west coast of Ireland.
St Mary’s Home operated in Tuam, County Galway, from 1925 until 1961.“In the early decades of the Irish state, founded in 1922, the Catholic Church held an immensely powerful position – and that meant those who fell outside the demanded norms of the Church, and society, faced huge social stigma.”
This article makes sad reading indeed!
But it is not the first exposure of the cruelty, abuse and total antichristianity of the institutions of the ‘Roman Catholic Church’, not only in Ireland but WORLDWIDE! (more…)
Daniel interprets the image seen in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream
In our first two studies we sought to set forth some important, though basic, prophetic truths that are found on the very surface of these two chapters. I would like now to begin to look at some of the specific details, given us in these same chapters, of the character of the regime of these four kingdoms, especially the fourth and final kingdom.
1. We should note that the divine depiction of the kingdoms is that of each one being more wicked than the one before! There is progression but it is downward. The creatures symbolising the four kings/kingdoms are increasingly fierce and cruel. We move from a ‘lion’ to a ‘bear’ with prey in its mouth and which is engaged in the ‘devouring of much flesh’. We then move to a ‘leopard’, a strikingly beautiful and sleek creature, but a cruel ambush predator. It is followed finally by an indescribable creature which was “dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it,” Daniel 7:7.
The Descent
The descent into depraved cruelty is also demonstrated in the early depictions of these four kingdoms, recording in chapter 2.
There we are told of a decline from ‘fine gold’, to ‘silver’, to ‘brass’, to ‘iron’ and finally to ‘clay’! The ‘value’ of these kingdoms, as pictured by these metals and clay, is subject to ‘deflation’! Just as a nation that possesses gold is benefitted by what that precious metal can buy and likewise, a nation with no gold but ‘silver’, will not enjoy benefits to the same degree as the nation possessing gold.
These kingdoms slip from a substantial measure of benefits enjoyed by the inhabitants, to a lower and lower level of enjoyment of life’s comforts. The gold evolves to silver, to brass and finally to iron and clay.
Further Described
The kingdom is further described for us in the answer given to Daniel by the angel.
“Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces,” Daniel 7:23. Its diversity from the other kingdoms is repeated, for the same thing is said earlier in verse 7.
The word ‘diverse’ does not tell us that it was ‘different’ in character from the other three kingdoms, but rather that was ‘transformed’, it had changed (as the Hebrew equivalent of the Aramaic here translated as ‘diverse’, shows us in the other places it appears) into a more devilish system of evil! (more…)
“They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it,” Jeremiah 6:14-19.
One of the chapters for reading, June 10th, set down in Robert Murray McCheyne’s Bible reading Calendar
In this day of repeated scandals and mounting criticism heaped upon the National Health Service, there are those who pose as ‘physicians’, who carry a much greater burden of failure and guilt!
It is one thing to fall short in the care of the PHYSICAL wellbeing of the nation, but it is an immeasurably greater failing to mislead and neglect the SPIRITUAL wellbeing of it.
That is the failing of those who would claim to be ‘spiritual physicians’ here in Ulster.
Ever since the so-called, ‘Good Friday Agreement’ was signed by politicians here in 1998, it has been heralded as the birth of ‘peace’ in Northern Ireland by the deceitful in church and state.
In truth, the fruit of this agreement has been the establishing of the allies and supporters of IRA terrorism in positions of power.
PIRA hunger striker Joe McDonnell
Example
An example of the character of those exalted to power as a direct result of the endorsement of the GFA, may be seen in the comments of Sinn Féin’s ‘President’, Mary Lou McDonald.
She made this comment on her ‘Facebook’ on Tuesday past — “On this day in 1981, Joe McDonnell gave his life on hunger strike in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh. A courageous son of Belfast, his sacrifice remains a beacon in the struggle for the freedom and unity of Ireland. Joe McDonnell will never be forgotten.”
Right!
She is right in one matter! He will never be forgotten. His crimes will be dealt with by the Lord one day and since he died as a result of his politically motivated suicide, it may be assumed that he died in defiance of God and His Law and he will therefore be damned for his many crimes and wickednesses — as will ALL who die without Christ. (more…)
