Quote of the day:

“Suffering times are praying times."

_{- Thomas Boston}

Today’s Headlines

Israel Update

Yesterday, the militant group Hamas launched hundreds of missiles at the Israeli city of Ashkelon after giving residents a deadline to evacuate. The attacks came shortly after the 5 p.m. deadline Hamas had given Ashkelon residents to leave the area near Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israel says it has retaken control of the Gaza-Israel border after Hamas’ initial attack and deadly assault. Today, Israel continues airstrikes in Gaza and has cut off water, electricity, and food to the territory's 2.3 million residents. The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, has stated that Israel's complete siege of the Gaza Strip, which has cut off essential goods like food, water, and electricity, is in violation of international law. Turk called for all parties to de-escalate the situation, emphasizing that vengeance is not the answer, and innocent civilians are the ones who ultimately suffer. He condemned the threat by Hamas to execute hostages if Israeli airstrikes continue without warning and stressed that such actions are prohibited by international law.

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The Remnant's Response 

Hawkeye: “War isn’t Hell. War is war, and Hell is Hell. And of the two, war is a lot worse.”

Father Mulcahy: How do you figure that, Hawkeye?

Hawkeye: Easy, Father. Tell me, who goes to Hell?

Father Mulcahy: Um, sinners, I believe.

Hawkeye: Exactly. There are no innocent bystanders in Hell, but war is chock full of them – little kids, cripples, old ladies. In fact, except for a few of the brass, almost everybody involved is an innocent bystander.”

Hawkeye and Volker Turk are correct that war always leads to the suffering of innocents. Turk is also correct in his assertion that escalation leads to more, not less trouble (Proverbs 17:14). However, he fails to acknowledge that trouble rightly and justly comes to those who are wicked (Nahum 1:2). Where the United Nations consistently fails to execute justice, the Triune God will make no such mistake (Micah 5:15).

And it would do all of us well to remember that God Himself will one day be the One who declares war (Revelation 19:11) and executes justice with a vengeance (Deuteronomy 32:35). Until that final day, anyone truly concerned about human rights must remember that for now, the Lord has given authority to nations to swiftly and fully bring the sword of justice upon the wicked (Romans 13:3-4).

It is unloving and unwise to call for peace when it is a time for war (Ecclesiastes 3:8). The time to de-escalate is after evil is decimated. As the Babylon Bee brilliantly illustrates through sarcasm, Emperor Hirohito can't bomb Pearl Harbor and call for a ceasefire.

To be sure, vengeance is the Lord's (Romans 12:19), but in times of evil, He lends His sword to nations of men to execute His justice on the earth (Ezekiel 30:22-25). Let us not love war or be overcome with evil (Romans 12:21), but let us also not fail to think evil will be appeased- it must be identified, met and destroyed (Proverbs 25:26).

Leadership Confusion Creates A Crisis

Two Separate Stories To Drive A Point:

1. House Republicans are facing a contentious battle in their bid to select a new House Speaker, with two main candidates, Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Rep. Jim Jordan, both vying for the position. The urgency to unify behind one candidate has grown due to the need to provide aid to Israel in the wake of devastating Hamas-led attacks. However, it remains unclear if either candidate has secured the necessary 217 votes to win the position. Even former Speaker Kevin McCarthy has offered to return to the role if consensus cannot be reached. The crisis in Israel adds urgency to the situation, as Republicans aim to avoid a prolonged and divisive speaker election, with some lawmakers emphasizing the importance of demonstrating strong leadership during international crises.

2. President Biden condemned Hamas' attack on Israel as "pure unadulterated evil" and pledged unwavering support for Israel, promising to provide the necessary assistance. While President Biden still gives the speech, it's no secret that he has been under scrutiny related to his mental awareness and physical fitness for some time. At a time where the world seems to be increasingly requiring mental acuity and strong leadership, Biden is appearing less and less up for the task.

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The Remnant’s Response:

The absence of strong leaders is evidence of judgment on a land (Isaiah 3:1-5). While it may be fair to argue that members of the House of Representatives are foolishly infighting and, by doing so, adding to the ineffectiveness already present in D.C., it is not fair to expect an obviously physically impaired President to govern effectively (Luke 6:31). Whatever one chooses to believe about President Biden's policies, many of which stand in opposition to God's Word (Genesis 1:27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Psalm 127:3; Psalm 22:10; Galatians 1:15), it is long past time for a watching public to stop standing in opposition to the fact that he is not able to "discharge the powers and duties of his office." This is not a statement about President Biden's administration; this is a statement about our failure to administer care for a man who is struggling with his mental acuity (Galatians 6:2). A nation that does not acknowledge the truth (Ephesians 4:25) will not act on the truth (Jeremiah 9:5-9), and a nation that does not act on the truth will not long exist (Proverbs 12:19). We should have compassion for those who have lost their strength (Proverbs 20:29), and we should be concerned if we refuse to acknowledge uncomfortable realities because it is uncomfortable for us (Proverbs 27:5-6). People who have the courage to speak the truth will, in the end, be more celebrated than those who speak today with a flattering tongue (Proverbs 28:23). People who rejoice at the suffering or failures of others will soon find themselves in a similar place (Proverbs 17:5; Obadiah 12). We should be praying for our Congressman to have wisdom, our President to receive care, and ourselves to care about both as the Lord intends.

RFK Officially Independent

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s announcement of an independent presidential run has ignited strong reactions, causing both Republicans and Democrats to take notice. RFK, hailing from the renowned Democratic Kennedy family, has made it clear that he intends to distance himself from the two major political parties. He cites a "growing wave of discontent" and advocates for a "fresh declaration of independence" from the influences of corporations and the media. Supporters of Kennedy, including disenchanted Democrats, Trump supporters seeking change, and political outsiders, believe that he possesses the potential to unite individuals from diverse backgrounds. However, Kennedy faces substantial challenges in competing with the well-funded campaigns and household names of both Trump and President Joe Biden.

Furthermore, Kennedy's independent bid has not gone without criticism, particularly from four of his eight surviving siblings. They issued a joint statement, expressing apprehension that his decision to run as a third-party candidate against Joe Biden could be "detrimental to our nation," underlining disparities in values, vision, and judgment between Kennedy and their late father.

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The Remnant's Response:

We have written about Robert Kennedy’s positions and his lack of fitness for leadership before given his position on the sanctity of life. It seems his siblings have other concerns regarding his fitness for office, specifically citing his differences in “values, vision and judgment” with their deceased Father. Mr. Kennedy is not the first public figure whose family thought he had “lost his senses”, (Mark 3:21) so this alone is not a disqualifying attribute. The Remnant should be far more concerned with any candidate who’s “values vision and judgment” is different from our Eternal Father (John 12:48-50; Isaiah 5:18-21) than one who has been deceased for fifty five years.

 Other news you should know

🤖 Meta signs Tom Brady to NIL chatbot deal.

🚌 Texas has bused over 50,000 migrants out of Texas.

💉 Speaking of RFK, Aaron Rogers wants to join him in a debate with Mr. Pfizer.

🏒 NHL kicked off their season last night.

🍻 More and more people just want to enjoy a beer not drink a political statement.

🎖️ Are the best schools run by our defense department?

 Remnant Resources: Weekly Picks

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