Rapture and End Times

Wisdom is the most important thing; so get wisdom. (Proverbs 4:7)

The book of Proverbs in the Bible contains many teachings about the wise, the foolish, and the wicked. These three categories of people are often contrasted with one another to illustrate the consequences of different choices and destinies.

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The Wise

The wise are characterized by their knowledge, understanding, and ability to make good choices. They are often contrasted with the foolish and the wicked, and Proverbs encourages people to seek wisdom and understanding in order to become wise.

What passes for wisdom today?

Scientist, after decades of study, concludes: We don’t have free will Phys.org October 19, 2023

After more than 40 years studying humans and other primates, Sapolsky has reached the conclusion that virtually all human behavior is as far beyond our conscious control as the convulsions of a seizure, the division of cells or the beating of our hearts.

This means accepting that a man who shoots into a crowd has no more control over his fate than the victims who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It means treating drunk drivers who barrel into pedestrians just like drivers who suffer a sudden heart attack and veer out of their lane.

“The world is really screwed up and made much, much more unfair by the fact that we reward people and punish people for things they have no control over,” Sapolsky said. “We’ve got no free will. Stop attributing stuff to us that isn’t there.”

Sapolsky, a MacArthur “genius” grant winner, is extremely aware that this is an out-there position. Most neuroscientists believe humans have at least some degree of free will. So do most philosophers and the vast majority of the general population. Free will is essential to how we see ourselves, fueling the satisfaction of achievement or the shame of failing to do the right thing.

Saying that people have no free will is a great way to start an argument. This is partly why Sapolsky, who describes himself as “majorly averse to interpersonal conflict,” put off writing his new book “Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will.”

Sapolsky was raised in an Orthodox Jewish household in Brooklyn, the son of immigrants from the former Soviet Union.

Biology called to him early—by grade school he was writing fan letters to primatologists and lingering in front of the taxidermied gorillas at the American Museum of Natural History—but religion shaped life at home.

That all changed on a single night in his early teens, he says. While grappling with questions of faith and identity, he was struck by an epiphany that kept him awake until dawn and reshaped his future: God is not real, there is no free will, and we primates are pretty much on our own.

“That was kind of a big day,” he said with a chuckle, “and it’s been tumultuous since then.”

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The wisest minds of our time: Guardian readers share their picks The Guardian, November 22, 2013

Earlier this week, the Guardian ran an editorial lamenting the deaths of Benjamin Britten, Aldous Huxley, John F Kennedy, and CS Lewis, and the wisdom they had imparted through their words and work. While their brilliance still endures, we were curious to know who Guardian readers thought were some of the some of the wisest figures alive today.

We received over 100 responses in less than 24 hours, and have featured a diverse selection below. Readers’ nominees ran the gamut from spiritual leaders like the Dalai Lama to contemporary newsmakers like liberal US senator Elizabeth Warren or Nate Silver, the statistician who accurately predicted the 2012 US presidential election. It’s clear that in the 21st century, our definition of wisdom has expanded to include not only religious and literary figures, but individuals who can think outside the box or bend massive amounts of data to their will. (And don’t worry, Neil deGrasse Tyson is on the list).

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Wisdom is the most important thing; so get wisdom. (Proverbs 4:7)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)

A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. (Proverbs 13:1)

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. (Proverbs 12:15)

A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might. (Proverbs 24:5)

Overall, Proverbs encourages people to seek wisdom and understanding in order to become wise, to avoid following in the ways of the foolish, and to turn away from the paths of the wicked. By making good choices and following God’s commands, people can live a righteous and fulfilling life.

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The Foolish?

The foolish are characterized by their lack of understanding and their tendency to make poor choices. They are often contrasted with the wise, and Proverbs warns against following in their footsteps.

‘LEAVE OUR KIDS ALONE’: California parents shut down Drag Queen Story Hour at San Fernando Library The Post Millennial, Oct 26, 2023

A children’s drag event at a library in California was shut down on Wednesday by a group of parents who were peacefully protesting against LGBTQ indoctrination.

The San Fernando Library was set to host a children’s Drag Story Hour event featuring “Pickle the Drag Queen” but concerned community members belonging to the groups “Leave Our Kids Alone” and “Parents’ Voices of the Glendale Unified School District” protested the event, which resulted in it being canceled.

“Leave our kids alone!” parents chanted as Pickle arrived outside the library.

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U.S. southern border crossings hit new highs amid humanitarian crisis Axios, Oct 23, 2023

U.S. border officials have removed or returned more individual migrant family members in the last four months than in any previous full fiscal year amid a global humanitarian crisis.

Zoom out: Democratic-led cities have for months reported that their cities are struggling to provide shelter for the thousands of migrants after Republican governors responded to unprecedented crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border with massive efforts to bus them to predominantly blue-run states.

What they’re saying: “In response to high rates of encounters across the southwest border in September, CBP surged resources and personnel,” said Troy Miller, senior CBP official performing the duties of the commissioner, in a statement.

“We are continually engaging with domestic and foreign partners to address historic hemispheric migration, including large migrant groups traveling on freight trains, and to enforce consequences including by preparing for direct repatriations to Venezuela.”

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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. (Proverbs 18:2)

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. (Proverbs 12:15)

A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating. (Proverbs 18:6)

A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul. (Proverbs 18:7)

Overall, Proverbs teaches that the foolish lack understanding and wisdom, and often act rashly and foolishly. The foolish person is characterized by a lack of desire for knowledge, a tendency to speak without thinking, and a lack of self-control. In contrast, the wise person seeks knowledge, listens to advice, and exercises self-control.

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The Wicked !

The wicked are characterized by their evil behavior and their refusal to follow God’s commands. They are often contrasted with the righteous, and Proverbs warns against associating with them or following in their ways.

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‘Squad’ Dems under fire for refusing to vote to condemn Hamas terror: ‘Complete disgrace’ FOX News, October 26, 2023

Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., skewered the House Democrats who refused to vote to condemn Hamas and affirm U.S. support for Israel. The chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee said Thursday on “The Brian Kilmeade Show” that it was a “complete disgrace” for the far-left “Squad” members and other Democrats not to support the resolution.

REP. JASON SMITH: Those nine Democrats are a complete disgrace. Cori Bush comes from my home state. She advocates for defunding the police. The city she represents, in my home state, per capita, has more murders than anywhere else in the United States. These people are not rational. They want to destroy our society and they promote propaganda that is as fake news as you possibly can find. The fact that they’re harboring and supporting terrorists who have killed more Jewish people since the Holocaust is absolutely unacceptable and these people do not deserve to serve in the halls of Congress.

A group of House Democrats made up primarily of far-left “Squad” members voted against a resolution Wednesday to condemn the “barbaric” Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists.

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Putin accused of forming ‘axis of terror’ after inviting Hamas and Iran leaders to Moscow New York Post, Oct. 27, 2023

Russia has been condemned for rolling out the red carpet in Moscow for senior leaders of Hamas and Iran — which one alarmed expert called proof President Vladimir Putin is forming a new “axis of terror against the West.”

Russian Foreign Ministry officials met with Hamas leaders Bassem Naeem and Mousa Abu Marzouk in Moscow on Thursday, just weeks after their terror group stormed Israel and slaughtered at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians.

The terrorist leaders posed with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, Putin’s special envoy in the Middle East — who also met Thursday with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Ali Bagheri Kani.

The Iranian official also had his own talks with Hamas’ Marzouk while both were guests in Moscow, the Russian state news agency TASS reported Friday.

Hamas later praised Putin — who is currently waging war on Ukraine — for his “stance” on its war of terror on Israel.

“News of the Iran-backed Hamas terror group being welcomed in Moscow should be extremely concerning to the West,” Kasra Aarabi, a director at US-based United Against Nuclear Iran told The Telegraph.

He warned that Russia and Iran were united by “hostility towards the West” — suggesting it marked “a new and looming axis of terror against the West.”

Israel decried the Hamas envoys’ warm welcome in Moscow as “deplorable” and accused Putin’s government of giving support to terrorism.

“Israel sees the invitation of senior Hamas officials to Moscow as an obscene step that gives support to terrorism and legitimizes the atrocities of Hamas terrorists,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry wrote in a statement shared on X.

“The hands of senior Hamas officials are stained with the blood of over 1,400 Israelis who were slaughtered, murdered, executed and burned, and they are responsible for the kidnapping of over 220 Israelis including babies, children, women and the elderly,” it added, describing Hamas as being “worse than ISIS.”

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Turkey’s Erdogan Tells Pope: International Silence on Gaza ‘Embarrassing’ Newsmax October 26, 2023

Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan told Pope Francis in a phone call Thursday that Israel’s attacks on Gaza amounted to a massacre, and that the international community’s ensuing silence was “embarrassing,” the presidency said.

In the call, Erdogan said that all countries must raise their voice against the humanitarian crisis in the region, according to a statement by the Turkish presidency.

The call took place in the morning, following a request made by Erdogan, a Vatican spokesman said in a note.

“The Pope expressed his pain for what is happening and reiterated the position of the Holy See, hoping that the two-state solution can be reached as well as recognizing a special status for the city of Jerusalem ” the spokesman added.

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The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but he loves him who pursues righteousness. (Proverbs 15:9)

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. (Proverbs 28:1)

The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, but gracious words are pure. (Proverbs 15:26)

The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand. (Proverbs 12:7)

The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short. (Proverbs 10:27)

Overall, Proverbs teaches that the wicked are those who act in opposition to God’s commands and pursue evil. They are characterized by their disregard for righteousness, their tendency to act in fear and selfishness, and their eventual downfall. In contrast, the righteous pursue God’s commands and are characterized by their boldness, purity, and long life.

Proverbs 16:18 famously warns, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Throughout Proverbs, there are reminders to be humble, to seek advice and guidance from others, and to avoid boasting or arrogance.

The Bible says our earthly lives are a “mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). Our earthly sojourn is exceedingly brief. Perhaps the greatest lesson to learn from this story, then, is that when death comes knocking on our door there is only one thing that matters: our relationship with Jesus Christ. “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36).

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But…

Those who are wise will shine
like the bright expanse of the heavens,
and those who lead many to righteousness,
like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3)

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If you are not sure that you are saved, you can accept Christ into your life right now, by praying:

“Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins.  Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life.  I ask you into my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior.”

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