Welcome back my readers, fellow people of faith and those who love entertainment. Today, I want to emphasize something within the 1983 sci-fi epic TV miniseries V: The Original Miniseries.
Before I proceed, I want to address the newcomers reading this. V: The Original Miniseries was about alien humanoids from space who arrived on Earth “in peace” but gradually took control of the world and its people through varied means. Told through the viewpoints of affected Americans in California, V: The Original Miniseries was a cerebral and reflective form of science fiction entertainment that strongly parallels Nazi German’s occupation and takeover of countries in Europe in relation to World War II. As expected, a group of resisting people forms led by a reluctant young woman.
I personally love V: The Original Miniseries as well as its 1984 sequel V: The Final Battle. I own Blu-ray discs of the two mini-series (click here and here) and I encourage you to check out my retro reviews (click here and here). To this day, both mini-series remain solid to watch and are worth replaying all over again in my experience.
Going back to the subject matter of this post, the one significant scene of V: The Original Miniseries I want to emphasize is the prayer scene in the 2nd episode. The prayer scene took place just before the human resistance (led by Julie Parrish played by Faye Grant supported by Mike Donovan played by Marc Singer, Caleb Taylor played by Jason Bernard and others) execute their desperate moves to free their people from the Visitors (the aliens). Watch below the video clip I recorded off-screen while replaying V: The Original Miniseries on Blu-ray disc…
The prayer scene of V: The Original Miniseries.
As you can see in the above clip, the affected people were about to pull off a major push back against the Visitors from outer space. They no longer had the local police (who are already working with the aliens) nor the National Guard, nor the State Government of California nor any American authority to help them. Caleb, who lost a son, reminded Julie of having a prayer as he knew that without the Lord, everything they will do will fail. Caleb knew that as a rebelling force, they could not succeed against the Visitors by focusing on themselves, their resources and their abilities. Caleb knew they had to look up to God even though he does not know the state of each group member’s personal connection with Him. It was also symbolic to see Julie Parrish declare amen before finally giving the go-signal for their next operation which eventually served as the series of spectacle (action scenes) and suspense serving as the big pay-off for viewers.
Within the context of the what happened in the 2nd episode of the mini-series, Julie and her crew moved to secure essential equipment and military hardware at a local facility guarded by the Visitors which results in acts of violence as both sides fire at each other. These scenes happened after the prayer scene.
That being said, I want to make clear that I am not emphasizing the concept of praying to God to be able to win against the oppositionby means of violence. Violence and using the very methods of wicked people as a means of getting back at them are clearly not the ways under the watch of the Lord. God has a plan for each and every one of us and we have Lord Jesus to follow to save the lost and unsaved souls. The Lord has His ways of defeating Satan and his pawns, and we only need to follow the Lord instead of taking matters on our own hands.
If you are oppressed and you truly need the Lord’s help for favor and breakthroughs, let the Holy Spirit guide you instead of giving in to your fleshly desire of using force on those who attacked you. Do not even think about using the ways the evil ones used against you. Trust in Him, not the worldly and certainly not your flesh. Always remember that vengeance is the Lord’s. Read the bible verses below…
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:19-21 (NKJV)
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord.
But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.
Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good.
Romans 12:19-21 (AMPC)
Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, in the time when their foot shall slide; for the day of their disaster is at hand and their doom comes speedily.
Deuteronomy 32:35 (AMPC)
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
Romans 1:18 (NLT)
For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’
Isaiah 41:13 (NKJV)
As seen among the bible scriptures above, Romans 12:19-21 should remind you all that vengeance is the Lord’s and we only need to follow Him because He knows best and has the means to help us overcome the forces of evil. In relation to that, this should remind you all that V: The Original Miniseries is not a faith-based story. Rather, it is a science fiction tale designed to entertain viewers while emphasizing the concept of what the world would be like if people welcomed foreign entities to come in peace pretentiously and take over societies by means of force, violence and fascism. Take note that the mini-series was released at a time when science fiction movies and TV shows were in high demand arguably due to George Lucas’ Star Wars.
The prayer sceneshould serve as a reminder that we the faithful in real life should keep trusting in the Lord and we need to support each other and strengthen our faith in Him no matter how twisted the world is around us. That is what makes it significant as part of the mini-series. Learn from the scriptures below…
For wherever two or three come together in honor of my name, I am right there with them!
Matthew 18:20 (TPT)
Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:5-6 (NKJV)
In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear).
Ephesians 3:12 (AMPC)
Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV)
For God has not appointed us to [incur His] wrath [He did not select us to condemn us], but [that we might] obtain [His] salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)
Who died for us so that whether we are still alive or are dead [at Christ’s appearing], we might live together with Him and share His life.
Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 (AMPC)
Finally, while focusing on being with other people of faith and praying to the Lord together as a united body of His, learn from the scriptures below pertaining to Lord Jesus’ ascension to Heaven and His faithful followers (the early Christians) who stayed united together at the Upper Room in Jerusalem and prayed together knowing they are living on with His victory. May this encourage you to be with your fellow spiritual family (God’s family) members and pray to Him together.
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Acts 1:9-14 (NKJV)
Now watch this video I recorded during my first-ever visit to the Upper Room in Jerusalem which was part of the pilgrimage tour I joined with my local church.
This was from my 2nd visit to the Upper Room in Jerusalem. I went to Israel on a pilgrimage tour with my local church because I desired to seek God’s kingdom there (read Matthew 6:33).
From this point on, I would like to reach out to all the lost and the unsaved people reading this. Did a religious and idolatrous extremist ruin your life? Have you been living in bondage for too long? Did the atheists, the humanists and the secularists fool you and abused you? Were you involved in the terrorist activities of Iran or the Palestinians? Have you been living as a homosexual or as a transgendered person? Are you still addicted to sex, drugs and other inappropriate elements? Did you spend an entire life worshiping statues, statuettes, images, people and relics? Are you a toxic person or one of those modern-day Leftist activists (Black Lives Matter, Democratic Socialists of America, Antifa, the abortionists and others) who got fed up fighting for worthless causes? Did you kill someone and have been living so long with the guilt?
All of the darkness related to what was mentioned above can finally end and you can decide to do it! How? You can save yourselves by submitting yourselves to the Lord Jesus willingly and realize He is the Light! There is no force and no coercion here. You have time and freedom to decide to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. For those who have decided to get born again now and gain salvation, please read the instructions and follow the prayer that I learned from a pastor.
Are you ready? Firstly, open your heart to the Lord and pray this simple prayer in sincerity from your heart:
Father God,
I thank You. I believe Jesus is Your Son. I believe that He died for me and redeemed me from all of my sins. He took my sins and, Father, thank You for loving me and You demonstrated Your love for me through Your Son Jesus Christ. Forgive me for all of my sins. Jesus, I open my heart to You. I welcome You to enter into my heart. I confess today that You are now my Lord and Savior. Thank You for forgiveness. I receive forgiveness. Thank You for Your blood that cleansed me from all of my sins. I will follow You, Jesus. Thank You for Your plan. I receive the Holy Spirit. And Holy Spirit, help me to follow the will of God in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Congratulations! You are now a child of God! You have received Holy Spirit in your heart! This is easily your greatest decision ever made and also the greatest miracle of your life. Always praise, thank and honor the Lord. No more darkness in your life caused by politics, radicalism, toxicity, rebellion, religion, unbelief, evil, idolatry, traditions and rituals! Leave behind the darkness of your life and don’t look back to it. Remember that idolatry is evil, Purgatory is a lie, penance is a deception and Satan always used religion and unbelief to prevent people from being saved by the Lord. Also, do not ever hail Mary (the mother of Lord Jesus) because all the praise and honor belong to God, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit only.
With Lord Jesus, you are already moving forward and the best is yet to come! You also have a personal relationship with God, a relationship that is strictly off-limits to others (even to your household members or biological family members).
The Holy Bible is the ultimate authority and nothing else comes close to it for it is the Word of God. Remember always that Lord Jesus did not die on the cross to start religion. He died to redeem us all and showed that we must be led by faith in Him, faith in the Holy Spirit and faith in God the Heavenly Father. He rose from the dead and made His earthly presence felt once more to those who believed in Him. Lord Jesus ascended to Heaven and He promised to return in the future. His return is what we must always remember and keep living with holiness under the watch of God. We can do our part in building up God’s kingdom here on Earth by preaching His Word, blessing the Jewish people and saving the countless lost and unsaved souls around us by leading them to Lord Jesus. Living as a Christian is always about the personal relationship with the Lord, and it is certainly not about religion. Never let the idolaters, the idol makers, the ritual practitioners and other sinister forces fool you into becoming unholy.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there.
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 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 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, the team led by Sting daringly broke into the Harbinger Foundation’s New York facility and freed the pretty blonde Natalie Toynbee (codename: Stunner) who happened to have a big ego and was not comfortable with the organization’s rules. While Sting and his team secured Natalie as their newest member, a sinister force from Iran arrives in America.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #20, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins deep in the nation of Iran on February 1, 1993. Thanks to the tremendous help of Screen, the Harbinger renegades composed of Flamingo, Kris, Shatiqua and Faith/Zephyr make their way through the busy section of Mashad, carefully communicating with each other while disguised in cultural clothing. Their mission is to find the hideout of Kaliph and rescue Sting and Natalie/Stunner knowing they only have ten hours left.
Inside Kaliph’s fortress, a very weak and uneasy Sting finds himself alone in a dark room while Natalie is being treated nicely by the servants of Kaliph in preparation for dinner with the sinister master himself…
Quality
During their rescue effort, Sting’s teammates face off with the armed Iranians of Kaliph.
In terms of storytelling, this is a very solid continuation to the events that happened in the previous issue and it was a clever move by the creators to have the story set in enemy territory which easily raised the stakes for Sting’s team. While this is not the first time that the group went out on dangerous missions going into the turf of the opposition, having Iran as the setting and Kaliph as the powerful villain really made things fresh for this particular comic book series.
It should be noted that having Sting being very vulnerable added a nice layer of depth in this tale given the fact that he is still living with a false sense of maturity as well as traces of arrogance on his part believing that he could make positive changes by fighting powerful enemies and freeing powered youth from captivity without vast amounts of resources. For the newcomers reading this, Sting and his companions do not have much money to live with nor do they have technologies or connections to be powerful as a team. They simply have their own super powers and the will to move on and make things happen which makes them different compared to many other superhero teams in comics.
There are also signs of suicidal thoughts on Sting’s part as he recklessly moved to get to Kaliph even though the villain’s men were armed. By contrast, his teammates moved cautiously into Kaliph’s fortress and the way they handled the armed Iranians was believably presented. Not to be outdone here in Natalie who got a good share of the spotlight.
This comic book’s evil Iranian Kaliph was presented to be not only powerful but also talented as a business negotiator (which makes him somewhat similar with this comic book series’ super villain Toyo Harada) and even as a host of special guests. His evil nature here got emphasized further through his treatment of people as pawns of negotiations backed by his power of manipulation.
Conclusion
Natalie Toynbee being treated nicely by the servants not realizing the evil of the man she is about to meet.
Harbinger #20 (1993) is both engaging and intriguing to read from start to finish. Having Sting’s team on a high-risk rescue mission in Iran made for a great setting and Kaliph turned out to be a more significant figure of evil. Through Kaliph and his violence-oriented servants, you will see the symbolism of the evil of Iran in real-life even though this comic book does not show any links between him and the regime that took power in 1979. Geopolitics are pretty much absent in the story but the evil presented through Kaliph make this old comic book highly relevant in relation to the evil of Iran today (for reference, click here, here, here, here, here and here). It should be noted that within the comic book, the Iranian people in general are not condemned and in real life, there are Iranians standing up against their government which itself has been sponsoring terrorists and organizing terrorism for a long time now. The brutality committed by Iran’s regime made several Iranians escape their country to be free.
Considering the very sensitive matter of Iran and other issues related with contemporary geopolitics, Harbinger #20 (1993) not only aged well but is also a living reminder that people whose minds got poisoned with wickedness, political correctness and wokeness would not dare make a comic book showing the evil of Iran. The Leftist-oriented people prefer to make deals with terrorists (for examples, click here and here).
Overall, Harbinger #20 (1993) 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 part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through the Harbinger monthly series.
In my previous retro review, the creative team of Fontenot-Simpson told another story that built up Harbinger’s concept some more while introducing yet another new character – Screen – who is not part of the team led by Sting. The story symbolically showed the further growth of the tremendous power of Toyo Harada not only through his control of the Harbinger foundation but also of his connection with the new United States President of the time.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #19, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins on the afternoon of January 25, 1993. Inside the New York facility of the Harbinger foundation, a pretty blonde, young lady named Natalie Toynbee – codename: Stunner – gets scanned by the technicians handling the technologies. A technician’s request for Natalie to urinate into a cup reveals that the lady has a huge ego and pride of herself as she reacts negatively.
Suddenly, the wall near Natalie and the technician got damaged by force unleashed by Sting who is accompanied by Faith, Flamingo and Shatiqua. Their mission is to free Natalie from the clutches of the Harbinger foundation which is a small part of their long-term vision of freeing and recruiting more powered young adults.
After subduing the Harbinger foundation personnel, Sting begins to explain to Natalie the situation and tells her to just trust him. Sting tells her to come with them which only drew more of Natalie’s ego along with skepticism. This reaction makes Faith think Natalie is not worth saving…
Quality
Imagine Iran invading America and causing terror like in this scene. Imagine Joe Biden and the Democrats allowing this to happen to Americans.
While the story was not crafted to follow-up closely on the events of issue #18, this comic book puts Sting and his teammates into a collision course with a new force of evil – the Iranians (note: issue #20 confirms their national identity) who have interests on specific young adults with powers and special abilities. Along the way, the Fontenot-Simpson team introduced a new sinister force in the form of a very manipulative Iranian named Kaliph.
Kaliph’s introduction here is easily the biggest feature of the story and he unsurprisingly overwhelms the debut of Natalie. Kaliph here works in service of his unidentified superiors and as he does his job, he uses his special ability of manipulating people’s minds through sight and sound to gain information, find directions, make them do his orders and gain access into places that he could never have had he been an ordinary person. By the end of the story, I was convinced that Kaliph was created to be an enduring or recurring villain for Sting and his team.
More on the primary characters of this monthly series, Sting and his teammates were portrayed to get more harbingers (powered young adults) to join them and become part of their long-term opposition against Toyo Harada and the Harbinger foundation, even though their own team lacks the resources needed to support themselves. The lack of resources was cleverly highlighted through Natalie’s reactions (related to her big ego) to what Sting’s team has for her to live with. Looking at the bigger picture going back to issue #1, Sting’s vision of defeating Harada and winning the trust of powered young adults without any solid foundation (specifically resources, connections and security) emphasize his recklessness and false sense of maturity as a team leader.
Conclusion
Kaliph and his companion arrive in America with a sinister plan.
In my view, Harbinger #19 (1993) is a solid change of direction for the monthly series complete with the introduction of a new, strong villain who originated from Iran which by today’s standards is the major force of terrorism in this world. The new villain Kaliph has a creepy aesthetic that other villains in this series lacked. More notably, the story remained consistently very engaging and pulled off some notable surprises which were indeed entertaining.
Overall, Harbinger #19 (1993) 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 1999 which was the year when the wildly popular Tomb Raider video game franchise made its debut in comic books handled by Top Cow Productions with Image Comics as publisher.
To put things in perspective, Tomb Raider started as a video game in 1996 which astounded millions of gamers worldwide resulting in huge sales for game publisher Eidos Interactive. This, of course, led to sequels which impacted console gaming and established Lara Croft as a video gaming and pop culture icon. From 1996 to 1999, Eidos Interactive released one new Tomb Raider game on consoles selling many millions of copies. Given the tremendous video game success achieved, Tomb Raider’s expansion into the comic book industry was inevitable.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Tomb Raider #1, published in 1999 by Image Comics with a story written by Dan Jurgens and drawn by Andy Park.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in Iran, a nation that remains hostile to Westerners due to their government being led by fundamentalists with vested interest in terrorism. Two vehicles arrived at a very laid back town and immediately several armed men forcibly unmask the local women searching for a certain Westerner.
One Iranian soldier approaches a lady clothed and masked in black. Upon unmasking the said lady, the Iranian soldier discovers a lady from the West…the Tomb Raider herself – Lara Croft – wearing an extravagant looking necklace. The Iranian soldier puts his gun on Lara’s face and demands she takes the necklace off.
Lara Croft answers by firing her two guns at the Iranian soldiers hitting some while also forcing other soldiers to run away. Knowing she has to get out of Iran, Lara runs away from the soldiers and gets into a jeep forcing the man to drive the vehicle and move away. As the jeep moves out of the town, a truck full of enemy soldiers chases them…
Quality
Lara Croft relaxing as her assistant gets updates about the business dealings.
To get straight to the point, this comic book debut of Tomb Raider and its iconic Lara Croft was clearly written to build up the initial concept the creative team came up with for the series. That being said, Dan Jurgens came up with the clever move to make Lara’s literary introduction action-packed and fast-paced, and his portrayal of Iran remains highly relevant to this day. Lara’s debut is a lively portrayal of the icon’s bravery, determination and special talent on acquiring treasure or items of tremendous value.
In relation to what I stated earlier, the rest of the comic book is a detailed build-up for Lara’s next mission which shows how she deals with powerful clients and why she still accepts million-dollar tasks even though she inherited her family’s huge wealth. While there is a lot of build-up and some exposition here and there, the script by Jurgens is not a bore Jurgens captured Lara Croft’s personality well and there is a good amount of spectacle that balanced well with the wordy exposition that came with the story build-up.
On the art, Andy Park’s work here is pretty good to look at. His visual take of Lara Croft does not involve realism at all as he gave her a look that make her look familiar with how women in comic books looked like in the 1990s. Park clearly is aware of Lara’s iconic status which explains his implementation of dynamism on the action scenes and the unexpected turnout of events that involved her. Still related to the protagonist’s iconic status, it is unsurprising to see Park show off Lara as a sexy action hero dedicated on her risky work.
Conclusion
After getting threatened, Lara Croft fights back against the Iranians! This is symbolic as even until now in real life, Iran’s government is still full of fundamentalists who are causing terror in the Middle East.
As it was the debut issue of a monthly series, Tomb Raider #1 (1999) served its purpose to build up the comic book vision the creators came up with while managing to introduce Lara Croft in her illustrated literature form complete with enough pages of action and spectacle. Even though there is no grand event, this is still an entertaining comic book to read and its build-up never created a single boring moment. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, I got to familiarize myself with literary Lara Croft and more importantly, I got interested enough with this small showcase of what Jurgens and Park prepared. I got interested enough to find out what happens next.
Let us be very clear here…deception must be overwhelmed in order for the truth to be realized. I’m talking about the years-long campaigns of lies, distortions, violence and exaggerations by the enemies of the State of Israel being magnified by all of those “free Palestine” activists, Leftists, social justice warriors (SJWs), the United Nations members and Amnesty International.
The side that always hates Israel often repeats lies that the State of Israel is guilty for committing apartheid (a term best associated with the apartness between white and black people in South Africa) which is completely false! In fact, it is the corrupt and terrorist-linked Palestinian Authority (PA) that practices apartheid according to the findings of a legal expert as reported by CBN News. This is something that the world should pay more attention to.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the CBN News article. Some parts in boldface…
CBN News reported on backlash caused by an Amnesty International report accusing Israel of being an apartheid state. One result of the fallout shines the light on a major issue basically ignored by this group that purports to end abuses of human rights.
The amnesty international report concluded that “Israel’s cruel policies of segregation, dispossession and exclusion across all territories under its control clearly amount to apartheid.”
Apartheid refers to the South African policy of separating blacks and whites, which existed for more than 40 years. It ended in the mid-1990’s.
“Amnesty and the UN, which is going to be joining the effort by describing Israel as an apartheid state isn’t getting it wrong, they’re getting it an opposite of the truth,” says legal expert Prof. Eugene Kontrovich.
“Israel is a country where Arabs participate in all walks of public life, hold positions in the government,” he says. “In Israel, Arabs and Jews mingle, in cafes and on busses, in all public places. But right next door, in those areas of the Holy Land run by the Palestinian Authority, real apartheid is practiced.”
Kontorovich points out the PA has a law that calls for the death penalty if a Palestinian sells land to a Jew. Back in November, CBN News asked the Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister about that law.
“Land in Palestine is not a real estate issue. Land in Palestine is a political issue. So therefore, the Palestinian law does not allow land to be sold to non-Palestinians,” Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh told CBN News.
Another controversial government policy is referred to as pay to slay. That program rewards terrorists convicted of killing Jews.
“Israel is not sponsoring a program of pay to slay against Palestinians,” Kontorovich says. “The Palestinian Authority government supported by Western governments … funds a pay to lay program to pay for the murder of Jews.”
Kontorovich says through all its laws and policies the PA has created a Jew-free zone.
“When you at the areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority, it’s not that there’s no separation between Jews and Arabs, there’s just no Jews. Because they have created a Jew-free state and they have enforced this through official methods.”
Posted below for your viewing is the very video about the CBN News report.
For a deeper understanding about the Israel-Palestine conflict as well as the web of deception and evil forces that are determined to destroy Israel and uplift Palestine (which has a history of terrorism), watch the following videos below.
Going back to the highlighted CBN News report, I urge you readers to NEVER allow yourselves to be deceived by the Palestinian Authority, its evil partners and terrorists. All these blaming and lies against Israel are deceptions recycled all over and over. Israel is the truly the land of the Israelites, not the Palestinians.
For insight about the Palestinian people and the land of Israel, watch this Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) documentary which is credible and truthful.
For more, let’s go to the Holy Bible and take a close look at God’s promises to Abraham as well as the inclusion of Isaac and Jacob as the true inheritors with regards to the land of Israel. Read the following scriptures below…
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.”
So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.
Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.
Genesis 12:1-9 (NKJV)
Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”
And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.” So they gave Jacob all the foreign [a]gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem.
And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother.
Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the terebinth tree. So the name of it was called Allon Bachuth.
Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. 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 35:1-12 (NKJV)
And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac,
I will give to you,
And I will give the land to your descendants after you.
Genesis 35:12 (NASB)
And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you.
Genesis 35:12 (NLT)
God continued,
I am The Strong God.
Have children! Flourish!
A nation—a whole company of nations!—
will come from you.
Kings will come from your loins;
the land I gave Abraham and Isaac
I now give to you,
and pass it on to your descendants.
Genesis 35:11-12 (MSG)
As seen in the above verses, it is totally clear that Abraham’s illegitimate son Ishmael (whose mother was Hagar) was never meant to inherit the land of Israel. God had other plans for Ishmael and Hagar while His blessings for Abraham were meant for the rightful heirs Isaac and eventually Jacob. For greater insight, look at the scripture below…
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”
So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.
Genesis 21:9-14 (NKJV)
Israel today is a great and blessed nation. It is the true homeland of the Jewish people and the foundation of the State of Israel was a promise fulfilled by the Lord. As this divided world is filled with evil and constantly influenced by Satan, it is no surprise that there are sinister forces that want to destroy Israel. Iran has sponsored terrorism for many years and they won’t give up with their support of Israel’s enemies. The Palestinian Authority has its own agenda, shenanigans, connections with evil forces (note: look at their connection of support with the Marxist terrorist group Black Lives Matter) and legacy of violence against Israel (note: remember what Yasser Arafat did decades ago? Remember when Bill Clinton as United States President accommodated Arafat knowing he committed terror many times?).
Under the watch and guidance of the Lord, the Abraham Accords were established during the days of United States President Donald Trump. The Abraham Accords is indeed working as Israel established new peace deals with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Morocco and the Kingdom of Bahrain. For insight, watch the videos below.
Truly God is faithful and He always keeps His promises to the faithful. I believe that the Abraham Accords will keep progressing and the Palestinian Authority as well as its violent allies (notably Iran as well as the Democrats and Communists of America) will become less relevant in due time. The people in Palestine will become better off without the PA and its evil partners. In due time, the apartheid of the PA will be realized even more and eventually come to an end. Along the way, we must always look up to the Lord and maintain unwavering faith in supporting Israel and the Abraham Accords. Keep on praying to Him!
If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.
Pray to the Lord for the Abraham Accords to keep progressing and establishing more peace and stability between the Jewish people and the Arabs! Pray to the Lord for the Palestinian people to be freed from the corruption and violence of the Palestinian Authority! Pray to the Lord for the fall of the anti-Semitic forces, the fall of the terrorists, the fall of the Leftist forces, the fall of the BDS Movement and the fall of the other enemies of Israel so that all those who oppose Israel will realize their errors, repent to the Lord and submit themselves to Him! Pray to the Lord for the continued protection and progress of the State of Israel no matter how their political landscape changes. Thank God for His Love, His Blessings, His Protection and for sending His Son Jesus who is our Lord and Savior!
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/
The ties between Israel and the Philippines continued to strengthen as the Jewish State provided very valuable assistance to victims of Typhoon Odette. The Typhoon Odette-related matters between the two nations did not end there, however, as Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss announced that discussions are being made with regards to providing long-term response connected to the ongoing relief operations, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin article. Some parts in boldface…
Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss announced that his group is now “in discussion” with the Philippine government on how to provide a “long-term response” amid the ongoing relief operations after the devastation of typhoon Odette.
“Now we are in discussions with the government here – what should be long term response?” Fluss said during a televised interview on Monday, Dec. 27.
The Israeli diplomat also said that the Israeli Embassy has joined hands with Israeli civil society, which has already seen the devastation, to help in the relief efforts in heavily-affected areas in the country.
“There are already some Israeli NGOs (non-government organizations) that have started working here and then will stay here also for the long run and we are supporting them and we’re doing this in coordination between us at the embassy and the Israeli government and Israeli NGOs and civil society so we’ll be here to stay,” Fluss said.
When the Philippine government was racing to reach out to affected areas after the onslaught of the deadly typhoon, Israel was among the foreign countries that immediately sent help to typhoon victims.
Fluss said they sent some food, hygiene kits, rice and solar panels to create energy, water purification systems to Cebu, Bohol and Siargao.
“This was very important for us to show the sympathy and the close relations and we care about the Philippines and what is happening here,” the ambassador said. “We are now looking how to continue for the longer run we are going to continue working.”
On the medical side, Fluss further said that they are working with Philippine hospitals in rebuilding some of the medical facilities that were damaged by the typhoon.
He also encouraged Filipinos to “keep the spirit, keep strong and still mark-up challenging times in front of us” in dealing with the impacts of both the typhoon and the coronavirus pandemic.
While enemies like Iran and Palestine have not given anything to help the typhoon victims as of this writing, Israel’s dedication to help Filipinos is transparent, genuine and solid. The ambassador also announced that all Filipinos staying in Israel got vaccinated for COVID-19. We should give thanks and praise to our Lord for these very important developments involving the Jewish State and we Filipinos can return the favor by helping the Israelites wholeheartedly. We can stand with Israel and protect it from its enemies.
If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/
In case you missed the news, the powerful Typhoon Odette (international reference: Typhoon Rai) ravaged many places and residents in different parts of the Philippines causing many billions of Pesos of damage as well as disrupting the lives of many families.
Fortunately for the victims who lost a lot, the State of Israel went ahead in providing much-needed assistance and already they got recognized for it. Recently it was reported by the Manila Bulletin that the national authorities expressed its gratitude to Israel for donating a variety of items which are truly essential to the victims.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Malacañang thanked the Embassy of Israel after it sent donations of food and water to families in Visayas and Mindanao that were affected by typhoon “Odette”.
The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), the Philippine Air Force, and the Embassy of Israel conducted a ceremonial turnover of donations at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City, PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar bared in a statement Friday, Dec. 24.
The donations included a water purifier, four solar panels, more than 2,000 kilos of rice, and 500 food and hygiene packs are intended for residents of Siargao.
In his message, Andanar said the celebration of Christmas 2021 is different from the previous years due to the recent calamity that was Odette, which caused massive destruction in several province.
But the government has been able to roll out relief operations thanks to the help of donors like Israel.
“It is usually spent with so much merrymaking but this Christmas Eve (Friday) will not be the same in the few areas of Visayas and Mindanao. We want to thank Ambassador Ilan Fluss and the State of Israel for your generosity,” he said.
Fluss said that Israel is willing to share and support the country’s recovery from the typhoon.
He said they have already extended help to affected communities in Cebu and Bohol. Now, they are expanding their efforts to help Siargao.
“The State of Israel has witnessed the devastating result of typhoon Odette and the impact it had on the people. It destroyed infrastructure and homes, and claimed lives. We, as friends of the Philippines, cannot stay indifferent,” he said.
The above report ended quoting the Israeli ambassador stating that they are looking for long-term aid to see what they could do in the rehabilitation of medical centers together with other organizations.
We should all be thankful to God that our nation has a very essential partner and close friend in Israel which did not hesitate in helping the typhoon victims. Israel continues to bless our nation and we Filipinos can bless them in return in a variety of helpful ways. Also take note that, as of this writing, Israel’s enemies Iran and Palestine so far provided NOTHING to the Typhoon Odette victims. As for the “Free Palestine” fanatics, they are just wasting their lives condemning Israel and they do not even care about the typhoon victims.
If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/
Author Carlo Carrasco 