In the news this week, there have been numerous mass shootings that have resulted in the deaths of many Americans. First off, before the weekend even ended, there was a shooting at a campground in Oklahoma at a campground that left 23 injured and one person dead.
Then, just a couple of days later, there was another shooting in Austin, Texas, that left another person dead. It seems like it is perfectly normal in the United States for people to kill each other over senseless things. I will never understand how people can believe darkness can overcome evil when the Bible says the opposite (Isaiah 9:2, John 1:5):
- Violence
- Greed
- Murder
- Revenge
Unsurprisingly, President Trump and his supporters haven’t said anything to condemn the shooting or offer any condolences to the victims. They are okay with gun violence when it doesn’t directly affect them personally, and they think of themselves instead of putting others first (Philippians 2:3).
Yet, the president and MAGA are still outraged over the shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner and the assassination of Charlie Kirk last year. Both of which they still falsely accuse liberals and Democrats of carrying out.
They have forgotten that we live in a fallen and temporary world that is full of danger. That is why we need God’s divine intervention to save us from this world (Psalm 62:1, Isaiah 45:22, John 3:16, Titus 3:5-6).
What Is Save
Most of us understand we need to be saved from danger and harm that is everywhere in this world, especially when we aren’t aware of the danger around us. Save is defined as, “To deliver from sin: rescue from harm or danger.”
We live in a dangerous world that is not our home. All of us will face trouble or hardship at some point (John 16:33). This is a temporary kingdom, and everything will come to it in at some point, thus we all need to be saved.
We must put our hope in the right place if we want to be saved. The things of this world can only make us happy and comfortable, but they will not save us.
That is why the Bible has a lot to say about being saved (Acts 16:31, Romans 10:9-10, Ephesians 2:8-9). The world puts its hope into temporary pleasure, things, and greatness to save them from danger.
God’s people are called to trust in God alone to deliver us from harm and death (Acts 4:12, Romans 8:38-39, Philippians 4:6-7, Hebrews 2:14-15, 1 Peter 5:7). The apostles remembered their Jewish education about why we need to be saved and where our salvation comes from.
Yāšaʿ
The Torah tells us that God’s people kept finding themselves in trouble or captives of other nations and needed to be saved (Exodus 14:10-12, Deuteronomy 28:64-68). God promised to save Israel and bless them if they kept His commandments (Leviticus 26:3-13, Deuteronomy 7:12-13).
The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for save is yāšaʿ and can also mean “Savior, help, deliver, be victorious, or saved from trouble,” depending upon the context it is used in. God is to be His people’s only God and Savior (Exodus 20:3, Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 43:11). That is why Savior is one of the Hebrew names given to God:
- Yahweh
- El Shaddai
- Jehovah-Nissi
- Jehovah-Raah
- Jehovah-Rapha
- Jehovah-Shamma
- Jehovah-Tidkenu
- El Olam
- Elohim
- Qanna
- Jehovah Jireh
- Jehovah Shalom
- Jehovah Saboath
The New Testament writers identify Jesus as “Yeshua,” which is derived from Yahweh. He is equated to the Hebrew God who spoke to Moses and led Israel out of bondage (Exodus 3:1-10).
Our Lord often cared for and saved the least of these and outcasts, whom the religious people of his day shunned (Matthew 9:10-13, Luke 5:30-32). The New Testament writers identify Jesus as the Lamb who saves the world from its sins (Matthew 26:28, John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7).
Our Rabbi taught His followers that everyone who does what He teaches will be saved (Matthew 7:21-27, John 14:15-27). Jesus knows who is saved because they follow Him and will not follow another (John 10:27-28).
Project Freedom
In other big news this week, there has been a lot of controversy over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran. Originally Pres. Trump launched Project Freedom to try to help save the day and lead some of the trapped tankers safely through the Strait.
However, the president’s attempt to be a savior was halted less than 48 hours later as Iran once again began firing upon ships despite there being a cease-fire. Just today, Iran flexed its military might once again by firing upon US ships.
The president’s Messiah complex has embarrassed himself and America once again on the world stage. Neither he nor his MAGA followers can comprehend that God’s ways are not like this temporary kingdom’s (Isaiah 55:8-9, James 4:4):
- Violent
- Unloving
- Unforgiving
- Vengeful
Like our Jewish forefathers, many conservatives have forgotten to put their hope in God alone for deliverance (Psalm 78:41-42, Jeremiah 17:5-8). They, too, have turned to the earthly things and idols that cannot save us or themselves (Jeremiah 10:5, Habakkuk 2:18-19).
Project Freedom has made God’s people and the world slaves to another power-hungry nation once again. Many in the American church need to repent and turn to our true God (Jeremiah 24:7, Acts 3:19). True believers know that it is only God who canyāšaʿ!
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In