It has been days since the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas launched a large-scale attack against Israel using tactics of infiltration, firing of multiple rockets, violating the Israel-Gaza border, kidnapping and murdering. Israel and the rest of the world were shocked by the sudden attacks and the Israeli authorities under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership have since been working hard to fight back against the terrorists, reclaim locations and rescue the hostages. The number of casualties, deaths and damaged places are rising as I write this.
Very clearly, Iran and the Palestinian terrorists formed an axis of evil that Leftists around the world are supporting. Together, the wicked forces formed an anti-Semitic group of nations that are working to destroy Israel.
Very clearly, this is no longer about Palestinians being the so-called victims of the Jewish state. The Palestinian terrorists are driven by hate and were brainwashed to destroy Israel which happens to be the most significant Jewish nation in the whole world. Hamas and its evil army have Democrats in America as supporters and it so happens that the mentally deteriorating Joe Biden is occupying the Office of the US President. The Communist Biden administration has a pretentious diplomatic relationship with Israel and to this day the Democrats still love terrorists.
Considering all the evil forces of this world and their attempts to destroy the Jewish state, I can declare out loud that my love for Israel and Jewish people remains rock solid. My love for Israel and its people is directly connected with my unwavering faith in Lord Jesus and the Word of God! That being said, I am confident that Prime Minister Netanyahu and the government of Israel will defeat Hamas, bring Gaza down a certain degree, and rescue any remaining hostages. It is a matter of time before Israel’s next victory over the Palestinian terrorists happen.
Trust in the Lord because Israel is part of His plan! I stand with Israel knowing God is faithful and eventually Lord Jesus will return someday to impact the world with immense holiness!
In line with what I just stated above, I urge you all reading this to pray for the peace of Jerusalem! Be led by the Holy Spirit with the following translations of Psalm 122:6-9 below…
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.”
For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.
Psalm 122:6-9 (NKJV)
Pray for Jerusalem’s peace!
Prosperity to all you Jerusalem-lovers!
Friendly insiders, get along!
Hostile outsiders, keep your distance!
For the sake of my family and friends,
I say it again: live in peace!
For the sake of the house of our God, God,
I’ll do my very best for you.
Psalm 122:6-9 (MSG)
Watch this CBN YouTube video about praying for the peace of Jerusalem…
As mentioned earlier, the next victory of Israel is just waiting to happen. It happened before and it will happen again. God also has His timing and He knows how faithful the Israelites are to Him in times of war. Hamas really will be crushed in due time. Learn from the scripture below…
And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor heard these things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph, and to the kings who were from the north, in the mountains, in the plain south of Chinneroth, in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor on the west, to the Canaanites in the east and in the west, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite in the mountains, and the Hivite below Hermon in the land of Mizpah. So they went out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots. And when all these kings had met together, they came and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.
But the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” So Joshua and all the people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and they attacked them. And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who defeated them and chased them to Greater Sidon, to the Brook Misrephoth, and to the Valley of Mizpah eastward; they attacked them until they left none of them remaining. So Joshua did to them as the Lord had told him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.
Joshua turned back at that time and took Hazor, and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor was formerly the head of all those kingdoms. And they struck all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was none left breathing. Then he burned Hazor with fire.
So all the cities of those kings, and all their kings, Joshua took and struck with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded. But as for the cities that stood on their mounds, Israel burned none of them, except Hazor only, which Joshua burned. And all the spoil of these cities and the livestock, the children of Israel took as booty for themselves; but they struck every man with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them, and they left none breathing. As the Lord had commanded Moses His servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.
Thus Joshua took all this land: the mountain country, all the South, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, and the Jordan plain—the mountains of Israel and its lowlands, from Mount Halak and the ascent to Seir, even as far as Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings, and struck them down and killed them. Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. All the others they took in battle. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might utterly destroy them, and that they might receive no mercy, but that He might destroy them, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Joshua 11:1-20 (NKJV)
Victory of Israel over Hamas is inevitable and it does not matter that pro-terrorist/pro-Palestine people around the world will react violently and spread their lies through Leftist mainstream news media outlets. What really matters are faith in the Lord, faith in His Word and His plan for the world with Israel as the beacon (model nation for all).
I should remind you all that the Palestinians have no stake in the land of Israel at all! God established His covenant with Abraham whose rightful heir has always been Isaac (the father of Jacob who was later renamed Israel). I understand that the anti-Semitic, the woke, the political correctness extremists, the LGBTQ, the Leftists, the atheists, the secularists, the idolaters and other people still under wicked influences will bash me for telling the truth and preaching His Word but I will never be stopped! Learn from the scriptures below.
God told Abram: “Leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you.
I’ll make you a great nation
and bless you.
I’ll make you famous;
you’ll be a blessing.
I’ll bless those who bless you;
those who curse you I’ll curse.
All the families of the Earth
will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 12:1-3 (MSG)
And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.”
Genesis 35:10-12 (NKJV)
Finally, I know the truth that vengeance belongs to the Lord. That being said, God will have His vengeance against the enemies of Israel and that means grave punishment for Hamas and all those who supported the terrorists.
Beloved, don’t be obsessed with taking revenge, but leave that to God’s righteous justice. For the Scriptures say: “Vengeance is mine, and I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans 12:19 (TPT)
Vengeance is Mine, and recompense;
Their foot shall slip in due time;
For the day of their calamity is at hand,
And the things to come hasten upon them.’
Deuteronomy 32:35 (NKJV)
As written in the Holy Bible, Israel is strongly connected with the Lord. God is faithful. He is in control of His Kingdom and He will intervene on behalf of Israel in this very divided and destructive world we live in. Israel will emerge victorious over Hamas and that should send a strong message to Iran’s evil regime and the Democrats of America that God and Israel are not to be messed with.
I stand with Israel! I encourage you all to stand united with Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from watching the movie and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, readers and movie enthusiasts! Chances are you must have heard about the controversy and debates over Sound of Freedom, a movie about the child trafficking which was made years ago but only got released this year after overcoming many hurdles. The film starring Jim Caviezel as real-life hero Tim Ballard and directed by Alejandro Monteverde, was released at a time when wokeness in Hollywood got so feverish a lot of movies were no longer interesting for me.
In case you missed the news, the low budget Sound of Freedom performed beyond expectations in the American box office and has since been making waves gradually in cinemas around the world. The film opened officially here in the Philippines on September 20 and I finally saw it in the local theater.
With regards to the controversy about Sound of Freedom, I urge you to reject the Leftists’ constant ranting against it and make the effort to see it yourselves. If you take into account the conceptualization of the movie, it is almost a decade old now and efforts to write the script happened years before QAnon even started (for context, watch Midnight’s Edge video by clicking here). Blatant accusations of QAnon conspiracy theory against this film are simply false and officially denied by Tim Ballard. Communist-filled Hollywood (Commiewood) and the woke mob are simply lying to stop people from seeing the movie.
With those details laid down, here is my review of Sound of Freedom.
The official movie poster.
Early story
The story begins in Honduras when a pretty lady visits the home of a father who has one young daughter and one young son, and convinces him to have them audition into modeling. The audition happened in a different location (filled with the man’s two kids and many others) and as the father was not allowed to be present, he was asked to return in the evening. By the time he returned, the place was empty and the children were kidnapped. They secretly shipped to another country.
In America, Tim Ballard and his time successfully apprehended a man for possessing and distributing child pornography. Tim’s teammate points out to him that although they have arrested many child predators, they could not even save a single child from exploitation and abuse…
Quality
I will start first by saying that this movie was not made to entertain viewers but to emphasize the real-life problems of child trafficking, kidnapping, the abuse of minors, sex trafficking and why slavery today still has many millions of victims (including minors).
This movie closely examines the struggles that come with fighting the syndicates (that kidnapped children and sell them) and the customers (who paid to illegally acquire children for their wicked desires) as told through the eyes of Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel) who is clearly feeling the heavy stress of his US Homeland Security job (which takes a lot of strength, sacrifice and sheer will to do). Ballard himself has many kids with his faithful and supportive wife (Mira Sorvino) and therefore he can easily relate with the parents whose children got kidnapped and sold in other countries.
Caviezel is mostly subtle with expressing Ballard’s emotions as well as his verbal expressions with the other people he interacted with. This is not to say that Caviezel’s act is wooden, rather he is straightforward with portraying a man who feels disturbed by the collective stress of his duty (but still far away from the breaking low-point). Even though he is getting worn down, Ballard’s sheer determination to save a specific kidnapped-and-abused daughter for a Honduras-based father is nicely captured by Caviezel.
The efforts of fighting the criminals who pounced on children involves a lot of hurdles to overcome. I’m not just talking about Homeland Security agents taking down people in America who engaged in child pornography but also going after the very criminals overseas who kidnapped children, shipped them from one nation to another and sell them as “models” to pedophiles. As such, Ballard’s efforts involves spending time overseas (away from his family), making local connections and secretly working his way into different locations where the risks of getting killed are high.
Again, this tale is not about entertaining viewers as it works on emphasizing to them how extremely difficult it is to bring down the criminals in real-life. The good news is that this film is nicely directed by Monteverde whose cinematic style is simplistic and yet engaging to watch. There is a clear subtle approach on showing what little violence the film has. As for scenes of child abuse, there is nothing graphic to see (left ambiguous) nor was there anything intense about them. While I am certain that some parts of the story involved liberties in order to establish a functional cinematic narrative, this movie strives hard with realism while also avoiding becoming preachy with its message (expressed in subtle fashion) about human trafficking, child slavery and the business involving pedophiles and kidnappers.
Conclusion
Sound of Freedom was clearly made to inform the world that children are still being kidnapped, used for illegal transactions, transported around the world and sold to the predators. This real-world problem continues to happen somewhere every single day and there are simply not enough law enforcers who could fight the criminals and rescue the kidnapped minors. Nor do the law enforcers have the resources to stage major rescue operations while facing off with armed criminals and their bodyguards.
While it is told through Tim Ballard, this movie is not about him and his profession. It is about the extreme difficulties that law enforcers – both domestic and overseas – have to go through to save the very young victims. The story was told with consistent realism and subtlety which make it very believable to watch. Jim Caviezel is indeed a solid performer and his portrayal of Tim Ballard will easily remind you that true heroes are the ones who bravely face tremendous odds to achieve their goals (for good) while still maintaining their sanity no matter how hopeless the situations appeared.
Sound of Freedom is a cinematic call to action to make others aware about the ongoing menaces of sex trafficking, kidnapping, abuse of minors and the cartels (demonic people) that profited from their evil trade. Like Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, this film was made for reflective viewing and not for amusement. Indeed, God’s children are not for sale and this is the truth that the bashers of this movie do not want you to realize. There is also the biblical truth to the popular quote from the film. Read the holy scripture below…
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
1 John 3:1-10 (NKJV)
To put things politically, you must be wondering why the Satanic Left – Democrats, Communists, socialists, Marxists, liberals, the SJWs and the woke extremists – keep on bashing and hating Sound of Freedom. Here is why…because the Leftists are themselves pro-crime (example: “Defund the police.”) and they have made efforts to weaken law enforcement which emboldened the criminals such as robbers, murderers, kidnappers, smugglers, rapists, terrorists, molesters, illegal immigrants and, of course, the pedophiles. The Leftists are clearly wicked and they are lots of them present not only in government but also in showbiz, the mainstream media and other sectors of societies. The Leftists care less about the children and nuclear family, and this is why they want more drag queens and homosexuals to go after the children without law enforcers blocking them. The Leftists are okay with children getting kidnapped, abused and raped. In short, those in the Left are okay with being evil and doing what Satan wants.
I saw Sound of Freedom at the local cinema.
The Leftists are very afraid of Sound of Freedom and remember that it is the one notable movie that almost never got released. That being said, you must watch the movie whenever you have chance to do so.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1996 and explore a part of the Marvel 2099 comics universe through a tale of the Punisher 2099 monthly series.
In my previous retro review, the futuristic Punisher moved on from the deaths of his family members. Influenced strongly by the writings of the late Punisher Frank Castle, Jake Gallows begins operating as a vigilante even though he still has a full-time career as a law enforcer with Private Eye. Not only that, he gets opportunities to face off once again with Kron Stone (Venom 2099 himself) who is responsible for the deaths of Jake’s family.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Punisher 2099 #3, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Pat Mills and Tony Skinner, and drawn by Tom Morgan.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins on one snowy night within the city. A lady who has grown very addicted with Total Reality makes a deal with a sinister merchant and makes her escape out of reality and into a living digital realm without caring about the consequences she will physically experience.
A black ambulance arrives and out comes the Punisher who hits the merchant hard enough with his weapon for a quick knockout. He then takes off the lady’s optical device (note: this should remind you somewhat of Microsoft’s HoloLens in terms of physical similarities) which brings her back to reality. Gallows knows fully well that Total Reality can actually kill users who do not practice any restraint, and he then crushes the lady’s device. Instead of thanking the Punisher, she expresses her frustration and anger to him before leaving.
Afterwards, Gallows brings the merchant into the black ambulance and puts him on stretcher. There are sharp devices nearby that can kill the merchant if he makes any attempt to escape…
Quality
Among his colleagues at work, Jake Gallows simply acts as he himself is the Punisher captured on video (but his face has been protected digitally).
While the first two issues of this monthly formed the origin and establishment of Punisher 2099, this comic book shows him doing vigilante work and acting as judge, jury and executioner all together. Going back to issue #1, the creative team made it clear that in 2099, justice can be bought and punishment for criminals is much softer compared to how it was in the 20th century. This alone serves as a powerful motivation for Jake Gallows to bring back old-fashioned, harsh punishment for criminals even if it means he has to do it by himself outside of the law. This is the core concept of this comic book and along the way, there is this build-up of the villain Fearmaster and his henchman Multi-Fractor.
More on the story, the creative team took their time to develop Jakes Gallows and emphasize how his mind functions each time he works secretly as a vigilante (who cannot be identified visually) and privately as a Private Eye cop (the organization’s psychologist noticed something about him). More on his secret as the Punisher, it turns out Gallows was able to establish a secret prison complex, equipment for crime-fighting and even a deadly chair underground.
As he continues to be obsessed with fighting criminals with the harsh ways of the past, the futuristic Punisher symbolically becomes a questionable protagonist. On face value, he seems to be good by simply opposing crime and yet he seems to be evil as he commits acts outside of 2099’s laws.
Conclusion
Clearly acting out of the law, the Punisher of the future imprisons criminals and acts as judge, jury and executioner without hesitation. This also shows his dark side.
With its simply concept, Punisher 2099 #3 (1993) succeeds in defining the futuristic Punisher’s motives, intentions and execution. Compared to Frank Castle Punisher, Jake Gallows lives in a society which has laws that are so weak to push back against crime, justice becomes hollow and even laughable. That being said, this comic book is very socially relevant (note: Leftists in America weakened laws which benefited criminals, supported illegal immigrants at the expense of citizens, and have varied movements of arrogant protesters and activists who intimidated people and caused serious damage around the country) and what has been happening in America under the influence of the Democrats makes the dark future of 2099 looking like it could happen. At the same time, the Punisher in this story incidentally became somewhat unlikable as his crime-fighting obsession is gradually turning him into becoming as bad as the bad guys. This is a lively reminder that even in a society that is plagued with crime and weak justice, vigilantism is still a big no-no and it is also very destructive. To be a vigilante means becoming wicked.
The highly anticipated Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) will happen nationwide on October 30 and the Philippine National Police (PNP) issued a warning to candidates about engaging with Communist elements, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippine National Police (PNP) warned on Monday, May 29, those who aspire to run for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to refrain from engaging with communist rebels, particularly in seeking assistance to ensure victory.
PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr. said there are laws that could be used against those who would be found to be dealing with the local forces of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) such as the Republic Act No. 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
Acorda is particularly referring to the direct payment by candidates to the CPP-NPA, through the permit to campaign and permit to win for the barangay and SK elections scheduled in October this year.
“Let me caution candidates who will fall for this election racket of the CPP-NPA that any form of monetary or material support to the CPP-NPA, a terrorist organization, is tantamount to ‘terrorist financing’ that is punishable under Republic Act No. 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020,” said Acorda.
“And if the donor or giver is an incumbent Barangay or SK official, the crime is further aggravated by willful disloyalty to their Oath of Office,” he added.
The Chief PNP, however, said they do not foresee serious security problem for the barangay and SK elections.
The elections for sets of officials for the 42,022 barangay across the country will start with the 90-day election period on Aug. 28 until Nov. 29.
“This early, we do not foresee any serious peace and order concerns on a national scale in the barangay and SK elections. The actions of some remaining active guerilla fronts of the CPP-NPA are closely being monitored for possible conduct of atrocities,” said Acorda.
“Security measures are now being prepared regarding this,” he added.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you concerned that the Communists, the Marxists, the socialists and other Leftists out there will negatively affect the BSKE by engaging with the candidates? Are you hoping for a free and honest BSKE election? Do you think it is possible for Democrats in America to be funding their Leftist partners here in the Philippines?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Welcome back my readers and fellow people of faith! By now, you should be aware of my love for Israel and the Jewish people. I was there in Israel this past February because I seek God’s kingdom (Matthew 6:33) in the Holy Land, and I blogged many times about it (to read my Israel 2023 articles, click here, here, here, here, here and here) and I’ll be posting more about the pilgrimage tour I joined. Check out the video clips of my time in Israel below…
For this post, I want to highlight the 75th year of independence of Israel. Seventy-five years ago, the State of Israel was established which marked the fulfilment of God’s promise to the Jewish people (Abraham’s descendants through his son Isaac and grandson Jacob).
For behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord. ‘And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.’
Jeremiah 30:3 (NKJV)
The land of Israel was designated by God for the Jewish people and no other (read Genesis 35:10-12 in the Holy Bible). The Lord Himself declared that He bless those who bless His people, and He will curse those who curse His people (read Genesis 12:1-3). God protected Israel and the Jewish people when the Arab nations attacked them shortly after the 1948 establishment of the State of Israel, during the Six Day war in 1967 and the war in 1973.
Israel survived and their people are growing and thriving no matter what attacks the terrorists and Leftists do against them. Let it be clear that evil forces of the world such as Iran, the Palestinian terrorists, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, socialists, Communists, Marxists, liberals, the demonic Democrats of America and all the other terrorists and anti-Semitic forces have no stake in Israel and its future while the eternal God is watching! Israel and the Jewish people are here to stay and they still have time to come to Lord Jesus willingly! I encourage you to stand united with Israel as part of your Christian living. When you think about your faith in Lord Jesus, be mindful of the time He spent in Israel and the impact of His holiness on the people.
Seventy-five years ago, a declaration signed in a Tel Aviv art gallery changed the world forever.
Against overwhelming odds, the fledgling State of Israel not only survived, but has grown beyond expectation, launching it for the next three quarters of a century on the path to becoming a world power.
David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s leading founder and first prime minister, declared the birth of modern Israel in Tel Aviv’s Independence Hall on May 14, 1948, and for the first time in nearly 2,000 years, the Jewish people had a nation.
“Ben-Gurion chose the words, ‘we hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel to be known as the State of Israel,’” Independence Hall tour guide Isaac Dror recalled. “This was the birth of a Jewish state as for all Jews. Ben Gurion was standing here as the voice of 11 million Jews around the world who had no voice, who had no address and nowhere to go to.”
Dror leads the education effort at the site. “This was promised to us by God,” he explained. “We are the only people in the history of the world that live on the same land, speak in the same language and believe in the same God more than 3,000 years.”
From a Biblical perspective, many see Israel fulfilling the prophecy in the book of Ezekiel, where the “dry bones” of the Jewish people come to life after two thousand years of exile.
Organizations such as the Jewish Agency helped lay the groundwork for the two thousand years in the making of the Jewish state.
Danielle Mor of the Jewish Agency told CBN News, “The Jewish Agency was the lead organization in establishing and giving birth to the modern state of Israel. The whole purpose of establishing the Jewish Agency was, on the one hand, unite the global Jewish people, and to bring the global Jewish people in front of the British mandate to be the organization that would lead and establish a national home for the Jewish people in the land of Israel.”
Dani Dayan, Chairman of Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, recounted the genocide that preceded Israel’s independence. “To fully comprehend the miracle of the country’s birth,” he said,” consider that it happened in the shadow of the Holocaust – or “Shoah” in Hebrew – when the world learned how Nazi Germany murdered six million Jews.”
He continued, “When you understand that only three years after the end of the Shoah, the lowest point the Jewish people reached in its exile, we started our redemption process and we … regained our independence after 2000 years of terrible events. Well, if that’s not a miracle, I don’t know what a miracle is,” he said.
Even so, Dayan dispels one myth about the connection between Israel’s beginning and the Holocaust.
“Israel was not established because of the Holocaust. Israel was established in spite of the Holocaust,” he insisted. “Israel would have been a much (more) robust, greater, secure, successful country if there were additional 6 million Jews and their descendants in the world. But Israel is the guarantee that they will be no more – no other Shoah for the Jewish people.”
Now, after 75 years, Israel maintains its safety and security with one of the most powerful militaries in the world.
Former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Jonathan Conricus described how the military was transformed.
“Then, it was small units of very (patriotic) people, some of them Holocaust survivors, who just came off the boat from Europe and put on IDF uniforms and joined battle and defended Israel in 1948 against six Arab armies. Today, we are a highly organized, developed, and well-funded military, perhaps the strongest in the region, that enjoys a significant technological advantage over all of our enemies.”
Israel is also an economic miracle. This tiny country of less than 10 million people has the highest concentration of new businesses per capita in the world, earning it the nickname of “Startup Nation.”
Jon Medved, founder of Our Crowd, a venture capital investment company, showcases these accomplishments in his annual investor summit.
“This is what Israel is supposed to be doing,” he explained. “If Israel wasn’t the startup nation, what are we going to be? Okay, I’m sorry, this is our destiny. Our destiny is to create. Our destiny is to you know, fix the world.”
Medved added, “And we’re just a little people. We make a lot of noise, but I think most Israelis – if they wear a yarmulke or they don’t wear a yarmulke – view this as a spiritual undertaking, that we are doing this not just to make money, but to do good.”
Yet throughout its history, Israel has faced nearly insurmountable odds. Just hours after Ben-Gurion declared the state, 6 Arab nations drive to drive it into the sea.
While it survived, Israel would be challenged again in the 1967 Six-Day War the 1973 Yom Kippur war. After thousands of years in exile and 75 years as a country, Israel stands, despite enemies within, along each border, and beyond.
For Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., the phenomenon has one explanation. “It’s a modern miracle, the rebirth of the Jewish state against all odds,” he told CBN News.
Be thankful to God that the State of Israel continues to thrive no matter what their internal problems and external challenges are. Be thankful to Him as many millions of people around the world who believe and follow Lord Jesus now have more opportunities to visit the Holy Land to deepen their faith in Him even more.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through the Armorines monthly series.
In my previous retro review, the armored Marines and their US Navy SEALs counterparts encountered mutated sharks as they struggled to accomplish their mission. Along the way, one of the Armorines literally got swallowed by a huge, organic object that went directly to him during the struggle.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Armorines #3, published in 1994 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Jorge Gonzalez and drawn by Jim Calafiore.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins deep under the sea as the Benchley explodes and falls down further as a result of the mission. Gunny finds himself falling down as well as he no longer has his ballast and propulsion unit. Fortunately, an armored teammate of his saves him and pulls him up to the surface.
Several kilometers away from the site of the ill-fated Benchley, a huge organic-looking object enters the large hole on the side of a derelict ship. Strangely enough, the interiors have an alien design and the organic-looking object turns out to be a ship of its own. Two human figures with unnatural physical features come out of it and told their alien-looking troops to enter the refrigeration unit to “bring the ‘meat’” to Chantilla.
Inside the refrigeration unit filled with lots of dead human bodies, the armed aliens approach the Armorines suit only to find it empty. As they did not bother to search around to find answers, the Armorines pilot cleverly concealed himself among the other dead bodies pretending to be dead. He gets up after the aliens leave…
Quality
The first display of the Armorines in action without the aquatic environment.
After a good amount of build-up executed by the creative team in the first two issues, this particular comic book served as a big pay-off as well as a creative build-up of its own with the future events in mind. In fact, the sci-concepts introduced here along with new figures of opposition (specifically the humans with physical aquatic features) really lifted the storytelling to a whole new level of imagination laced with intrigue. Instead of seeing armed terrorists or an opposing force with military hardware to counter the high-tech Armorines, we see people who have a sinister plan, have been organizing violent operations on Earth and are of alien origin. These aliens, who are even studying human characteristics, were involved in conflicts with X-O Manowar and Turok elsewhere within the Valiant Comics shared universe. In fact, the two individuals who arrived early in the story came from their act of destroying X-O Manowar’s armor (read X-O Manowar #28). I should also state that the duo of Gonzalez-Calafiore cleverly emphasized the aliens’ plan to weaken the coordination and security of Earth’s forces so that they can escape undetected. What is even more intriguing within this comic book is the visualization of the aliens’ secret scientific developments and experiments on Earth.
Going back to the Armorines, you will see them in action without the aquatic environment. The way the creative team showed the Armorines in action against their alien counterparts turned out to be entertaining to read.
Conclusion
Given the fact that Democrats in America today love illegal immigrants so much, can you imagine them and their hordes of woke/socialist/Communist/Marxist/liberal/LGBTQ/transgendered voters welcoming aliens from outer space and allowing them to do bad things against humanity here on Earth? Imagine Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton making secret deals with these aliens.
I can say that Armorines #3 (1994) is a well-executed story that successfully paid off what was built in the first two issues and raised the stakes further with sci-fi concepts and a force of opposition that made impact elsewhere in the Valiant Comics shared universe. As I enjoyed this old comic book, I am looking forward to the next issue.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through the Harbinger monthly series.
In my previous review, Sting and new recruit Natalie (Stunner) were inside the stronghold of Kaliph deep within the terrorist state of Iran. Sting’s teammates went there on a high-risk mission to rescue the two even though they had no real resources to deal with Kaliph (first appearance in issue #19) and his private army, and they also had very little time to spare. Regardless, the dangerous mission proceeded and the rescue miraculously turned out successful. The success, however, came with a certain loss.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #21, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.
Cover.
Early story
The story begins inside the New Jersey apartment occupied by Sting and his teammates. Although weeks had passed since the dangerous mission in Iran, Sting remains in weak physical condition and he had to be carried by Faith/Zepplin and Flamingo as his lover Kris checks out a letter that was hidden from her.
Even though he is obviously not feeling well, Sting lies to Kris that he is fine. Kris reads the letter which turned out to be medical results on Sting done by Doctor Heyward. Sting was diagnosed with Mononucleosis. The weak leader of the group then falls into sleep.
Sometime later, Sting endures a nightmare and wakes up sweating and feeling very troubled…
Quality
A look at Sting’s troubled relationship with his father in the past.
As a way of taking a change of direction following the previous two issues, this particular Harbinger story shifts the focus mainly on Sting and went ahead in explaining why he is such a flawed person, why he is reckless and even unworthy to be leading his teammates.
The core issue in this tale is Sting’s painful relationship with his father. Without spoiling the story details, I can say that the creative team succeed in not only dramatizing the strained father-son relationship, they also explored other elements from Sting’s past as Peter Stanchek – the young guy who had friends and lived a normal American life before his powers manifested and gradually changed everything.
More on Sting’s poor relationship with his father, the creative team came up with a pretty solid script and visuals that creatively emphasized the emotions, the pain and uncertainties on the part of the protagonist. More importantly, what they dramatized here clarified why Sting is immature, reckless and continues to live on with a distorted view of life that can be perceived as anti-family and even anti-social. Given the fact that he is unforgiving towards his father, the young team leader was revealed to be unworthy of not only of having super abilities but also unworthy of leading a group of friends who pretty much have faith in him. Sting is more than just a deeply flawed protagonist…he is also an unlikable superhero.
Conclusion
Even though he is sick, Sting still remains dishonest with Kris.
Harbinger #21 (1993) is a very power character study of Sting and the creative team deserve admiration for what is clearly the most in-depth development of the character so far in this series. It should be noted that the story, whether intention or not, clearly dramatizes that a person who rejects his or her father is often destined for frustration, pain, suffering and other negative elements in life. Even with super powers, the negative elements won’t disappear and the personal problems will continue to last long. If there is one thing that Sting could do to save himself and his family, it would be coming to his father with forgiveness and having the strong will to make peace with him and be willing to love him unconditionally. Ultimately, this comic book sets up Sting for a potential series of events that could challenge him personally as he continues to lead his team.
Overall, Harbinger #21 (1993) is highly recommended!
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from my personal experiences and observations during the Israel pilgrimage tour I joined. This is not a sponsored article. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, readers and fellow followers of the Lord! This is the 6th chapter of my ongoing series of articles about the holy nation of Israel with recollections about the experiences and discoveries I had during the pilgrimage tour I joined with my local church (hosted by its strategic partner Behold Israel). To see my previous Israel 2023 tour articles, click here, here, here, here and here.
In this latest edition of my Israel 2023 series, I share with you my observations and captured images about my visit to the Pool of Siloam (also referred to as the Pool of Shiloah) in the City of David (just outside of the wall of Jerusalem) which is a highly significant pilgrimage site and, as of this writing, there are developments being done to improve it physically. At its current location, the pool’s remains were discovered in the year 2004 covering an area of three dunams, or three-quarters of an acre dating back to the era of the Second Temple (2nd Jewish Temple).
As of our visit, only a minor portion of the ancient pool was made accessible for visiting and viewing, and there is a lot more excavation work that needs to be done to uncover it and eventually reveal its full size.
The Pool of Siloam is an ancient, rock-cut pool located outside of the wall of the old city of Jerusalem. Water from the Gihon Spring that passed through the Siloam Tunnel (AKA Hezekiah’s Tunnel) made its way to the Pool of Siloam. During biblical times, the pool was an essential destination for Jewish people to get purified first before traveling all the way up along a wide road leading to the Temple Mount in the old city of Jerusalem. Today, there is a tunnel at the end of the site of the pool moving up. The tunnel, which was discovered in recent years, points towards the Temple Mount at least in its current form. It is believed that the tunnel includes a drainage channel that apparently was used as a hiding place for the last Jewish rebels against the Romans in the year 70 CE. The Pool of Siloam ceased to function after the destruction of Jerusalem and as time passed by, it vanished from sight as it got filled with earth. That being said, its 2004 discovery is indeed a miracle from God for people of faith to visit and witness the Holy Bible come to life in front of them. Years from now, the Pool of Siloam’s full size and scope will be realized. The best is yet to come from our Lord!
To put things in perspective, our pilgrimage tour group first went through the ancient City of David and even explored the tunnels moving south. There was even water from the Gihon spring flowing along the way. After regrouping, we marched further to the site of the Pool of Siloam which has a physical set-up designed to accommodate visitors. The site was suitable for tour group members to sit down and listen to a biblical teaching and/or key updates from the tour guide. There was also excavation going on at the opposite side of the site. You can see the place in motion as I captured it with my Samsung Galaxy A50’s camera. The raw video has been uploaded on my YouTube channel and you can watch it below…
Also worth watching is this CBN News YouTube video about the ancient pool. The video was published about a month before our pilgrimage tour happened.
The biblical significance of the Pool of Siloam
The Pool of Siloam is more than just ancient and more than just a great example of construction…it is biblical. It was made during the time of King Hezekiah and the following translations of 2 Kings 20:20 below confirmed it…
Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah—all his might, and how he made a pool and a tunnel and brought water into the city—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
2 Kings 20:20 (NKJV)
The rest of the deeds of Hezekiah and all his might and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
2 Kings 20:20 (ESV)
The rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool and the canal and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
2 Kings 20:20 (AMPC)
Under King Hezekiah’s leadership, two crews dug the tunnel (as referred to in 2 Kings 20:20 NKJV) through solid rock. One crew started from the Pool of Siloam while the other at the spring of Gihon. Given the fact that they accomplished their tasks without even having the modern technologies of today, the tunnel is absolutely remarkable as a feat of engineering. God made a way for this accomplishment and with Him, nothing is impossible. With constant water flowing from the Gihon spring, the Pool of Siloam was not just a place for people to get cleaned at or a place to refresh themselves at but it became the destination for purification that Jewish people needed before they go to the Temple Mount which remains a very holy place to this day. God had all of these planned and it was executed in Israel by King Hezekiah. Remember this when you visit the Pool of Siloam in Israel.
The Pool of Siloam got mentioned in Chapter 3 of the Book of Nehemiah which itself emphasized a remarkable display of unity in relation to the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. The mention also made clear its location at the bottom of the City of David. Learn from the holy scripture below…
The Fountain Gate was rebuilt by Shallun son of Col-Hozeh, mayor of the Mizpah district; he repaired it, roofed it, hung its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. He also rebuilt the wall of the Pool of Siloam at the King’s Garden as far as the steps that go down from the City of David.
Nehemiah 3:15 (MSG)
The water that flowed from the spring of Gihon and filled up the Pool of Siloam was not ordinary. It was living water and it was essential for the Jewish people and their honoring of the Lord God during those days. Each day during the Feast of Tabernacles, a joyous celebration was observed in which priests brought water from the Pool of Siloam using golden pitchers and brought them to the Jewish temple at the Temple Mount. During the procession, the people recited Isaiah 12:3. The water was poured out on the altar as an offering to God as there were people shouting and singing. Lord Jesus was the fulfillment of all that the ceremony typified. Read the bible verses below…
On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 7:37-39 (NKJV)
I brought my Bible with me to the site of the Pool of Siloam in Israel and took time to read scriptures pertaining to the blind man who got healed at the pool because he followed and trusted our Lord and Savior Jesus. The man who got healed was clearly faithful to Him.That being said, I encourage you to bring the Bible with you when you visit each holy site in Israel.
What makes the Pool of Siloam even more significant within the Holy Bible is the miracle that took place in Chapter 9 of the Book of John. I’m talking about the miracle of our Lord and Savior Jesus healing a man who was born blind and the ancient pool itself was place where the faith-driven healing was realized. Learn from the translations of John 9:1-11 below…
Afterward, as Jesus walked down the street, he noticed a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Teacher, whose sin caused this guy’s blindness, his own, or the sin of his parents?”
Jesus answered, “Neither. It happened to him so that you could watch him experience God’s miracle. While I am with you, it is daytime and we must do the works of God who sent me while the light shines. For there is coming a dark night when no one will be able to work. As long as I am with you my life is the light that pierces the world’s darkness.”
Then Jesus spat on the ground and made some clay with his saliva. Then he anointed the blind man’s eyes with the clay.
And he said to the blind man, “Now go and wash the clay from your eyes in the ritual pool of Siloam.”
So he went and washed his face and as he came back, he could see for the first time in his life!
This caused quite a stir among the people of the neighborhood, for they noticed the blind beggar was now seeing! They began to say to one another, “Isn’t this the blind man who once sat and begged?” Some said, “No, it can’t be him!” Others said, “But it looks just like him—it has to be him!” All the while the man kept insisting, “I’m the man who was blind!”
Finally, they asked him, “What has happened to you?”
He replied, “I met the man named Jesus! He rubbed clay on my eyes and said, ‘Go to the pool named Siloam and wash.’ So I went and while I was washing the clay from my eyes I began to see for the very first time ever!”
John 9:1-11 (TPT)
Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?”
Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world’s Light.”
He said this and then spit in the dust, made a clay paste with the saliva, rubbed the paste on the blind man’s eyes, and said, “Go, wash at the Pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “Sent”). The man went and washed—and saw.
Soon the town was buzzing. His relatives and those who year after year had seen him as a blind man begging were saying, “Why, isn’t this the man we knew, who sat here and begged?”
Others said, “It’s him all right!”
But others objected, “It’s not the same man at all. It just looks like him.”
He said, “It’s me, the very one.”
They said, “How did your eyes get opened?”
“A man named Jesus made a paste and rubbed it on my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ I did what he said. When I washed, I saw.”
John 9:1-11 (MSG)
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.
And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”
Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”
He said, “I am he.”
Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”
John 9:1-11 (NKJV)
What we can learn from the above miracle is that faith in Lord Jesus is essential as He is God in the flesh and someday He will return to us here on Earth. This is about trusting in Him wholeheartedly and following His commands and His direction without hesitation and without any trace of doubt. The blind man, who also had been a beggar who suffered for a long time, followed Lord Jesus and went to the Pool of Siloam (as he was directed by Him) where the healing manifested. It was healing that was super natural because the Lord Himself is greater than the forces of the world.
In response to His disciples’ question about the man’s blindness, Lord Jesus noted that beyond the tragedy of human defects, which result in a general way from man’s fall and the consequent entry of sin, sickness, affliction and death into the world, God’s merciful and sovereign race is available. The many lost and unsaved souls may not realize it yet, but the truth is that Lord Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and nobody can come to the Heavenly Father except through Him (refer to John 14:6). Lord Jesus is also the mediator between God and people (read 1 Timothy 2:5). As the Anointed One, Lord Jesus emphasized responsibility in connection to doing the works of God. He took it upon Himself to help the blind man and physically used His own saliva on the ground to make clay and spread it on the blind man’s eyes before directing him to the Pool of Siloam where he should wash it off. Then the healing manifested.
For a short while, let us visit a different part of the Holy Bible pertaining to miraculous healing in the presence of Lord Jesus – Mark 5:25-34. There was this suffering yet faithful woman who was truly determined to reach out and touch Lord Jesus to be healed. This miracle has common elements with the miracle at the Pool of Siloam. Read the scripture below…
Now, in the crowd that day was a woman who had suffered horribly from continual bleeding for twelve years. She had endured a great deal under the care of various doctors, yet in spite of spending all she had on their treatments, she was getting worse instead of better. When she heard about Jesus’ healing power, she pushed through the crowd and came up from behind him and touched his prayer shawl. For she kept saying to herself, “If I could touch even his clothes, I know I will be healed.” As soon as her hand touched him, her bleeding immediately stopped! She knew it, for she could feel her body instantly being healed of her disease!
Jesus knew at once that someone had touched him, for he felt the power that always surged around him had passed through him for someone to be healed.
He turned and spoke to the crowd, saying, “Who touched my clothes?”
His disciples answered, “What do you mean, who touched you? Look at this huge crowd—they’re all pressing up against you.” But Jesus’ eyes swept across the crowd, looking for the one who had touched him for healing.
When the woman who experienced this miracle realized what had happened to her, she came before him, trembling with fear, and threw herself down at his feet, saying, “I was the one who touched you.” And she told him her story of what had just happened.
Then Jesus said to her, “Daughter, because you dared to believe, your faith has healed you. Go with peace in your heart, and be free from your suffering!”
Mark 5:25-34 (TPT)
The above biblical account proved that the woman got healed because of her faith in Lord Jesus who in turn recognized her faith in Him. Without faith in Him, there would not have been any healing. Going back to John 9:1-11, the blind man who got healed at the Pool of Siloam fully trusted Lord Jesus with all his heart and this confirms his faith in Him. The man believed in Jesus!
Lord Jesus’ mixing of His saliva with the substance on the ground to make clay is symbolic. The spit and clay symbolize Jesus as God in the flesh (the form of a man). The saliva that came from His mouth symbolize the spoken Word of God and God as incarnate. The clay symbolizes man for our human vessel is a jar of clay. The blind man previously heard people spit as they walked by him and expressed their disgust of him. They were disgusted because they believed that blindness was caused by a curse (refer to Deuteronomy 28:28). Of course, those people did not realize that Lord Jesus was God in the flesh nor did they realize that God’s only begotten Son walked among them and only He could make super natural healing and other miracles happen.
After getting healed and gaining vision, the blind man caught the attention of the people there at the Pool of Siloam and he revealed to them he met Lord Jesus and followed His instructions faithfully.
A view of the site of the Pool of Siloam facing the entrance going to the tunnel.
The story of the miracle at the Pool of Siloam did not end there, however. In fact, the impact of the miracle made the people bring the healed man to the Pharisees and it was on the Sabbath when the encounter with Jesus happened. Learn from the bible verses below…
Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.”
Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.
They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”
He said, “He is a prophet.”
But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”
He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”
Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”
Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”
The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.
John 9:14-34 (NKJV)
To make things very clear about the biblical account above that took place after the miracle at the Pool of Siloam, I want to stress to you all that Lord Jesus did not lead the healed man into trouble. In reality, it was the Pharisees’ failure to realize that Jesus is Lord and Savior of all as they were stuck with their old ways, their religion and blindness to the truth. The perverse reasoning of the Pharisees placed them in a dilemma from which the only escape was to disprove the miracle that happened. They expressed that no miracle could have occurred because it was the Sabbath, and that God would never violate the law of rest by healing a person.
The undeniable fact that a man born blind got healed and gained perfect sight refuted the theory of the Pharisees. Thus, they must either deny the facts or confess the divine nature and holiness of Jesus. The logic of the healed man was undeniable and irrefutable. Unable to deny the man’s testimony, the religious leaders took the cowardly way out by excommunicating him. To be removed from the synagogue was a tremendous loss for most Jews. The religious leaders had their chance to realize the truth and submit themselves to Lord Jesus but they blew it because they did not have faith and they did not realize that Lord Jesus was God in the flesh walking among many people. As the Pharisees excommunicated the healed man, the above biblical account still has the elements which reminds me of the Nazareth Jews who rejected Lord Jesus.
Of course, Lord Jesus learned about the healed man’s excommunication. Read the biblical account below…
Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”
Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”
Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
John 9:35-41 (NKJV)
This is the view of the Pool of Siloam facing the other direction. In the distance is the entrance and exit for visitors.
As the man who was previously blind submitted himself to Lord Jesus with undeniable faith, He eventually encountered the unbelieving Pharisees responsible for excommunicating the healed man. What Lord Jesus told the Pharisees was about spiritual blindness (as opposed to physical blindness).
Lord Jesus moved the discussion from physical blindness to spiritual blindness. To believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior means to see spiritually, whereas those who do not believe in Him remain blind.
Furthermore, even though the healed man was unable to read Scriptures due to the blindness he was born with, he still established his faith in Lord Jesus! This should remind you all that traditions and superficial knowledge of the Bible can blind our hearts if we do not believe in Lord Jesus above all other religious dogmas. There are many out there who knew the Scriptures but still refused to believe. There are many people out there who strictly practice religion, idolatry, rituals, traditions, the vow of poverty, worldliness and distorted teachings about the Bible while failing to realize that faith in the Lord and His Word is always essential. There are lots of people out there who are not only lost and unsaved, but also spiritually blinded! This should remind you that as Christians, we should never give up evangelizing others with God’s Word and help them come to Lord Jesus in faith.
Ultimately, the miracle that happened at the Pool of Siloam proves that God had come to see us!
Conclusion
A wider view of the site of the Pool of Siloam with ongoing excavation at the other side. In due time, the entire ancient pool will be recovered and it will become an even greater site for pilgrimage tours in Israel.
In a greater context within the Holy Bible, the Pool of Siloam links King David, King Solomon, King Hezekiah and Lord Jesus together with Jerusalem as the holiest city of all. Also connected are the stories of Isaiah and Jeremiah. The Pool of Siloam served as the water system and place of purification of Jerusalem in biblical times. Today, the excavation at the Pool of Siloam continues to go on and in due time, its entirety will be realized and that would make it an even greater holy site for faithful people to visit.
Indeed, our pilgrimage tour group’s visit to the Pool of Siloam is a big blessing from God. I myself brought my Holy Bible to the site and took time out to read the verses about Lord Jesus’ healing of the blind man. Me and our group companions got blessed all throughout the pilgrimage tour of the Holy Land.
Going back to Chapter 9 of the Book of John, the biblical account is a lively reminder that we must always have unwavering faith in Lord Jesus, follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, live on with the truth that miracles and super natural healing are only possible with Him, and we must never allow religion, unbelief, traditions, biblical distortions, idolatry, rituals and the wickedness of the world to get in the way of our faith in Him. We need to seek Lord Jesus first and follow His light. We need to be faithful to the Lord always and I encourage you to read the following holy scriptures below…
Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. This testimony of faith is what previous generations were commended for. Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s words! He spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.
Hebrews 11:1-3 (TPT)
Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,
Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2 (AMPC)
As you can see, Hebrews 11:1-3 and Hebrews 12:1-2 connect well with the healing of the man who was previously blind at the Pool of Siloam which is the result of him being faithful and trustful to Lord Jesus who helped him and gave him a direction. It is his faith in God’s only begotten Son that is the highlight of the miraculous healing at the ancient pool. Jesus is clearly the finisher, the author, the leader and source of our faith!
As John 9:1-41 includes the unbelieving religious Jews who excommunicated the healed man and came into conflict with Lord Jesus Himself, let me remind you not to get into conflict with the lost and the unsaved, and never ever fall into anti-Semitism (prejudice against the Jewish people) which is still a global disease and proof that being worldly is unholy.
Do not reject the Jews who reject Lord Jesus. Instead, you should keep on persevering to love and bless the Jewish people, preach God’s Word to them, share your testimony with them and help (not force) lead them to Jesus so that they can decide for themselves to accept Him as Lord and Savior. The pilgrimage tour in Israel proved to be a very holy and enlightening experience for me and I can clearly say that Israel has a special place in my heart. This is not surprising at all because visiting Israel was God’s answer to my prayers and it was destiny for me to join the pilgrimage tour through my local church. There is nothing like witnessing the Holy Bible come to life while visiting many sites where the recorded events happened. The Holy Bible is more than just a book – it is the living Word of God and it is eternally holy!
Along the way, I encourage you all to stand united with Israel no matter what happens within the country and around the world. Israel is clearly the land that God designated for the Jewish people and His declaration stands way above the so-called rules and philosophies of wicked worldly entities or groups like the United Nations, Amnesty International, Black Lives Matter (BLM), Iran, the so-called state of Palestine, the U.S. Democrat party and others. Learn from the holy scriptures below…
And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.”
Genesis 35:10-12 (ESV)
Now the Lord had said to Abram:
“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 12:1-3 (NKJV)
Finally, to the readers who are about to visit the Holy Land, I encourage you to verify with your tour group leader the inclusion of the Pool of Siloam in the itinerary of Jerusalem. Israel is a great and holy place to visit! Visit Israel with the Holy Bible! Pray to the Lord and reveal to Him your heart’s desire to visit Israel to deepen your faith in Him. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!
Watch out for more Israel 2023 travel articles here. There is more to come!
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and examine an alternate universe portrayal of one of Spider-Man’s many events told through the What If monthly series!
If you are looking for a portrayal of Spider-Man going over the edge and into the extremes emotionally, you are about to experience something in this retro review of mine. Some time ago, I reviewed a What If comic book about Spider-Man becoming a murderer which was compelling but ended on a whimper.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #61 published in 1994 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by Kirk Jarvinen, Andrew Wildman, Derek Yaniger and Jim Amash.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with Richard and Mary Parker (Peter Parker’s parents) arriving in the presence of Aunt May who happens to be visited by their son Peter (Spider-Man). Having learned something from a while back, Aunt May tells Richard and Mary that they are not genuine persons. Suddenly, Peter Parker’s spider sense intensifies and in an attempt to defuse the situation, he leads his aunt to walk out of the house with him. Richard and Mary watch them walk away.
It turns out, Richard and Mary are impostors and they have been working all the time for a secretive boss. Richard calls his employer under an emergency and reports that they have completed phase one of their assignment, that Aunt May knows the truth about them and is about to inform Spider-Man. Richard is then told that under no circumstances is the plan to be jeopardized and anyone who suspects must die. He is also told to flush Mary’s programming and reset her as she showed signs of acting odd to the situation.
A short time later, Richard and Mary – now in morphed forms with vastly different bodies and half their heads resembling their human selves – suddenly break into an apartment surprising Peter, his wife Mary Jane and Aunt May. Violent action by one of them accidentally ripped open Peter’s shirt, revealing his Spider-Man suit to Aunt May. Just as Peter’s aunt figures out the secret, he tells Mary Jane to grab her and get out.
However, the sight of the morphed Mary Parker shocked Aunt May and Mary Jane so much, they failed to move. Mary Parker then morphs her two hands into large, makeshift hammers, and swiftly killed Aunt May and Mary Jane. Peter is instantly shocked by their sudden deaths but deep inside, rage begins to burn…
Quality
Spider-Man already over the edge and reacting violently to the abusive Daily Bugle.
I can start by confirming that Kurt Busiek’s writing is very strong and his alternate take on the events of Amazing Spider-Man #388 (1994) is indeed very solid. In one way, I find the emotional stakes for Spider-Man has been raised a lot higher than what was portrayed in the canon story. The concept of losing his beloved family members to enemies who were impostors that looked like his long lost parents is indeed disturbing as well as emotionally charged. In relation to this, Busiek and the illustrators brought to life a Spider-Man who really went over the edge by taking matters into his own hands as the loss of beloved ones led to the blurring of the boundary between good and evil. Even the boundary between innocence and guilt gets blurred which adds more depth to the emotions of the story. As I read the story, there were moments when I felt that Spider-Man became as bad as the evil ones even though he is clearly the victim and his family was targeted.
Apart from showing Spider-Man getting outraged and pushed to the limits, Busiek inserted elements about how people perceive incidents without knowing all the facts and how easily they get manipulated by a news outlet – the Daily Bugle where Peter Parker worked as a freelance photographer – whose leader does not care about ethical journalism nor the pursuit of the truth. In this age of widespread fake news and liberal news media outlets in America doing propaganda for American Communists (read: Democrats, abortionists, LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, the terrorists, the climate change extremists and the socialist hordes), this particular aspect of the story makes this comic book strongly relevant to read today.
The story also sheds light on Spider-Man’s connections with other Marvel superheroes who happen to be in New York City. You will see Captain America and Johnny Storm express their concern about Spider-Man’s state of mind as they themselves still tried to figure out what really happened. In short, the superheroes here showed restraint even as Spider-Man goes to the extreme being a victim as well as a fugitive.
If there are any weak points in this comic book, it would be the art which has this cartoon-like aesthetic for much of the story. Considering the serious subject matter, the visuals are quite contradicting as they make this look like it was made for much younger readers. In fairness, the quality of the art improved during the 2nd half of the story.
Conclusion
Spider-Man takes on the impostors who looked like his parents.
As far as storytelling and characterization goes, What If #61 (1994) succeeded a lot on portraying the iconic Spider-Man as the superhero who went over the limits of his emotions and his reasoning which is the result of the tragic deaths of two beloved family members caused by individuals who pretended to be his parents. This is a very solid story which also has a powerful ending. Where What If #72 failed, this comic book succeeded and even exceeded it with Spider-Man truly becoming unheroic. I should state that this comic book should convince readers to go to the Amazing Spider-Man series and follow the Lifetheft storyline in issues #386 to #388 (which were released months before this comic book). Kurt Busiek’s script is indeed great and it is easily the driving force of the comic book.
Overall, What If #61 (1994) is highly recommended.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a key chapter in the post-Crisis era of DC Comics through a Superman comic book.
Previously, I reviewed Adventures of Superman #498 (1993) which marked the first chapter of the Funeral for a Friend storyline and dramatized the impact left behind by the death of Superman. That particular comic book had strong writing and succeeded in dramatizing how Superman’s friends, associates and other characters coped with his death with the future looking uncertain to them.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Superman: The Man of Steel #20, published in 1993 by DC Comics with a story written by Louise Simonson and drawn by Jon Bogdanove. This comic book marked the third chapter of the Funeral for a Friend storyline.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with people in Metropolis struggling to move forward not only because their hero Superman died but also because of the tremendous damage left behind by Doomsday. In his headquarters, Lex Luthor is talking with the telephone surrounded by several people with Supergirl watching. The matter being discussed was the burial of Superman at Centennial Park particularly in a structure Luthor himself donated. While he has to live on with the fact that he failed to kill Superman, Luthor tells himself he can still bury him.
At the Kent farm far away from Metropolis, Jonathan and Martha Kent are agonizing not only because of the death of their beloved son but also because they realized they cannot even get near him at his funeral as it will be organized as a major event with only the important people allowed to attend…
Quality
It seems like destiny to have the super villain Lex Luthor in the presence of a fictionalized Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton during the funeral of Superman. By today’s standards, the Clintons made it normal for America to bow to terrorists and make deals with them. That being said, their inclusion in this comic book is just wrong.
To go straight to the point, like Adventures of Superman #498 (1993), this comic book continues to dramatize the impact of Superman’s death on Metropolis and its people in a very engaging manner. It shows that DC’s creative teams in charge of Superman comic book at the time were really organized and coordinated with each other on crafting the Funeral for a Friend storyline. What makes this comic book stand out is the funeral itself which was organized as a public event (with the burial itself done in the presence of important people – including a very evil couple from the Democrats who love abortion and terrorism) and this includes the presence of many other DC Comics superheroes like Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Maxima, Shazam (AKA Captain Marvel) and others. The burial had its own share of intriguing and dramatic moments emphasizing the people’s struggle to adjust themselves knowing they don’t have Superman anymore to help them.
Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Robin help out as the huge crowd became rowdy.
More on the post-death dramatization, the creative team managed to keep Superman’s associates Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and the other Daily Planet people feeling uneasy over the Man of Steel’s death which makes their work covering the funeral professionally a challenge. Unsurprisingly, Lois Lane gets her own fine share of the spotlight agonizing over the fact that she lost her beloved Clark (Superman to the public) whom she was supposed to get married with. The emotional struggle within her intensified as she experiences difficulty of informing the elderly Kent couple about what happened. This is rich writing prepared by the creators.
Not only that, the creative team also went all-out with dramatizing the impact of Superman’s good deeds on the people. You will see several people from Metropolis’ general population talk about how Superman helped them or inspired them. There are certain lines of dialogue that are quite touching to read.
Conclusion
A pretty powerful portrayal of Lois Lane’s struggle on dealing with the new reality that she lost her beloved Superman.
Superman: The Man of Steel #20 (1993) is another solid, post-death story emphasizing the new normal that Metropolis people and Superman’s friends are having difficulty adjusting to…a world without the Man of Steel. Based on the high quality of the storytelling and character development, it is easy to tell that the Superman titles’ creative teams planned ahead and prepared themselves for telling a post-death saga which was pretty risky given the iconic status of Superman and his decades-long legacy in comics and pop culture. This comic book really made Superman’s absence feel powerful and undeniable.
Overall, Superman: The Man of Steel #20 (1993) is recommended.
Author Carlo Carrasco 