House of Gold
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Delta Variant: Natural Immunity 700% Better Than the Vaccine
STORY AT-A-GLANCE By Dr. Joseph Mercola
- Data presented to the Israeli Health Ministry July 17, 2021, revealed that, of the more than 7,700 COVID-19 cases reported since May 2021, only 72 occurred in people who had previously had COVID-19 — a rate of less than 1%
- In contrast, more than 3,000 cases — or approximately 40% — occurred in people who had received a COVID-19 vaccine
- In other words, those who were vaccinated were nearly 700% more likely to develop COVID-19 than those who had natural immunity from a prior infection — and this is largely in response to the Delta variant, which has led to increasing infections in Israel
- It’s extremely rare to get reinfected by COVID-19 after you’ve already had the disease and recovered; one study found the median reinfection rate was just 0.27%
- With effective treatments available, the documented high survival rate of COVID-19 and knowledge that if you’ve had COVID-19, you’re already likely immune to further infection, the rationale for getting vaccinated is faltering
A recurring theme being broadcast by public health officials and the media is that vaccine-induced immunity is superior to that of natural immunity, but preliminary data from Israel — a country with more than 60% of its population vaccinated against COVID-191 — is showing otherwise.
Data presented to the Israeli Health Ministry July 13, 2021,2 revealed that, of the more than 7,700 COVID-19 cases reported since May 2021, only 72 occurred in people who had previously had COVID-19 — a rate of less than 1%. In contrast, more than 3,000 cases — or approximately 40% — occurred in people who had received a COVID-19 vaccine. As reported by Israeli National News:
“With a total of 835,792 Israelis known to have recovered from the virus, the 72 instances of reinfection amount to 0.0086% of people who were already infected with COVID.
By contrast, Israelis who were vaccinated were 6.72 times more likely to get infected after the shot than after natural infection, with over 3,000 of the 5,193,499, or 0.0578%, of Israelis who were vaccinated getting infected in the latest wave.”
In other words, those who were vaccinated were nearly 700% more likely to develop COVID-19 than those who had natural immunity from a prior infection — and this is largely in response to the Delta variant, which has led to increasing infections in Israel.3
Rate of COVID Reinfection: 0.27%
It’s extremely rare to get reinfected by COVID-19 after you’ve already had the disease and recovered. How rare? Researchers from Ireland conducted a systematic review including 615,777 people who had recovered from COVID-19, with a maximum duration of follow-up of more than 10 months.4
“Reinfection was an uncommon event,” they noted, “… with no study reporting an increase in the risk of reinfection over time.” The absolute reinfection rate ranged from 0% to 1.1%, while the median reinfection rate was just 0.27%.5,6,7
Another study revealed similarly reassuring results. It followed 43,044 SARS-CoV-2 antibody-positive people for up to 35 weeks, and only 0.7% were reinfected. When genome sequencing was applied to estimate population-level risk of reinfection, the risk was estimated at 0.1%.8
Again, there was no indication of waning immunity over seven months of follow-up, with the researchers concluding, “Reinfection is rare. Natural infection appears to elicit strong protection against reinfection with an efficacy >90% for at least seven months.”9
Another study from Israel also had researchers questioning “the need to vaccinate previously-infected individuals,” after their analysis showed similar risks of reinfection among those with vaccine-induced or natural immunity. Specifically, vaccination had an overall estimated efficacy of preventing reinfection of 92.8%, compared to 94.8% for natural immunity acquired via prior infection.10
Why Natural Immunity Is Superior
Speaking with journalist Daniel Horowitz, pathologist Dr. Ryan Cole explained that natural immunity produces broad immunity that can’t be matched by vaccination:11
"A natural infection induces hundreds upon hundreds of antibodies against all proteins of the virus, including the envelope, the membrane, the nucleocapsid, and the spike. Dozens upon dozens of these antibodies neutralize the virus when encountered again.
Additionally, because of the immune system exposure to these numerous proteins (epitomes), our T cells mount a robust memory, as well. Our T cells are the 'marines' of the immune system and the first line of defense against pathogens. T cell memory to those infected with SARSCOV1 is at 17 years and running still."
In 2020 it was reported that people who had recovered from SARS-CoV — a virus that is genetically closely related to SARS-CoV-2 and belongs to the same viral species — maintained significant levels of neutralizing antibodies at least 17 years after initial infection.12 This also suggests that long-term natural immunity against SARS-CoV-2 should be expected.13
With vaccination, however, Israeli14 data suggest that those who were vaccinated early on, in January 2021, are becoming susceptible to the virus, suggesting its efficacy may wane after about six months.
This sentiment was echoed by Pfizer’s head of medical research and development, Mikael Dolsten, who said “after six months, there may be risk of infection with the expected decline of antibodies.” Pfizer is seeking emergency use authorization for a third booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S.15
According to Cole, part of the reason for waning vaccine-induced immunity is because “we mount an antibody response to only the spike and its constituent proteins” and “as the virus preferentially mutates at the spike, these proteins are shaped differently and antibodies can no longer ‘lock and key’ bind to these new shapes.”16
Natural COVID Immunity May Last a Lifetime
It was initially suggested that natural COVID-19 immunity may be short-lived. This was based on early data on SARS-CoV-2, which found that antibody titers declined rapidly in the first months after recovery from COVID-19. According to a team of researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine, however, if you’ve had COVID-19 — even a mild case — you’re likely to be immune for life, as is the case with recovery from many infectious agents.17
According to senior author of the study Ali Ellebedy, Ph.D., an associate professor of pathology and immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, “It’s normal for antibody levels to go down after acute infection, but they don’t go down to zero; they plateau.”18
The researchers found a biphasic pattern of antibody concentrations against SARS-CoV-2, in which high antibody concentrations were found in the acute immune response that occurred at the time of initial infection. The antibodies declined in the first months after infection, as should be expected, then leveled off to about 10% to 20% of the maximum concentration detected.
When a new infection occurs, cells called plasmablasts provide antibodies, but when the virus is cleared, longer lasting memory B cells move in to monitor blood for signs of reinfection.19 Bone marrow plasma cells (BMPCs) also exist in bones, acting as “persistent and essential sources of protective antibodies.”20 Ellebedy even said the protection provided by naturally acquired immunity is likely to continue “indefinitely”:21
“These [BMPC] cells are not dividing. They are quiescent, just sitting in the bone marrow and secreting antibodies. They have been doing that ever since the infection resolved, and they will continue doing that indefinitely.”
In another explanation of why antibody levels drop after initial infection — but it’s not an indication of waning immunity — Cole told Horowitz:22
“Yes, our antibody levels drop over time, however, scientifically, the memory B cells that make antibodies have been proven to be present in our lymph nodes and bone marrow. They are primed and ready to produce a broad array of antibodies upon viral pre-exposure.
It would be physiologically, energetically impossible to maintain high antibody levels to all the pathogens we are constantly exposed to, and we would look like the ‘swollen Stay-Puft marshmallow man’ of lymph nodes, constantly, if the immune system were required to do that.”
Why Are Natural Immunity, Early Treatment Protocols Censored?
Dr. Peter McCullough is an internist, cardiologist, epidemiologist and full professor of medicine at Texas A&M College of Medicine in Dallas. He also has a master's degree in public health and is known for being one of the top five most-published medical researchers in the U.S. and is the editor of two medical journals.
In our recent interview, he discussed the importance of early treatment for COVID-19, and the potential motivations behind the suppression of safe and effective treatments. He also told Horowitz, “[T]here has never been a confirmed second [COVID-19] infection beyond 90 days with similar or worse cardinal symptoms and confirmed PCR/Antigen/Sequencing test."23
In August 2020, McCullough's landmark paper "Pathophysiological Basis and Rationale for Early Outpatient Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 Infection" was published online in the American Journal of Medicine.24 The follow-up paper, titled "Multifaceted Highly Targeted Sequential Multidrug Treatment of Early Ambulatory High-Risk SARS-CoV-2 Infection (COVID-19)," was published in Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine in December 2020.25
While early treatment options were available when the pandemic began, patients were simply told to stay home and do nothing, until the infection had progressed to the point where they were having trouble breathing. Once at the hospital, COVID patients were routinely placed on mechanical ventilation — a practice that was quickly discovered to be lethal.
But McCullough has been an outspoken advocate for early treatment for COVID, as have other pioneering doctors like those behind the MATH+ protocol. He believes the end goal in suppressing early treatment was to secure the rollout of a mass vaccination campaign.
Indeed, effective treatments like ivermectin — a broad-spectrum antiparasitic that also has anti-inflammatory activity — have shown remarkable success in preventing and treating COVID-19,26 but they continue to be ignored in favor of more expensive, and less effective, treatments and mass experimental vaccination.27
At this point, however, with effective treatments available, the documented high survival rate of COVID-1928 and knowledge that if you’ve had COVID-19, you’re already likely immune to further infection, the rationale for getting vaccinated is faltering. Even the Delta variant has a very low 0.2% case fatality rate in the U.K., which drops to 0.03% in those under 50.29
Natural Infection Will ‘Burn Out All Variants’
If you choose to get a COVID-19 vaccine, you’re participating in an unprecedented experiment with an unapproved gene therapy, of which the benefits may not outweigh the risks, especially if you’ve already had COVID-19 and are already likely immune.
As noted by Horowitz, “Natural infection is the only phenomena that will ultimately burn out all variants, and the entire focus should be on getting seniors and other vulnerable people early treatment the minute they feel symptoms and even a prophylactic regimen of ivermectin … when appropriate.”30
Meanwhile, McCullough pointed out that by getting vaccinated, you’re setting yourself up for a very narrow immunity — much unlike the broad naturally acquired immunity — that could be easily overwhelmed by a more virulent virus. As he said in our interview that I previously mentioned:
“What I know based on the literature right now is there could be a risk given the narrow spectrum of immunologic coverage … There could be such a narrow immunity that more virulent strain could overwhelm it …
The most recent variant is the Delta variant. That's the weakest of all the variants and the most easily treatable. But if someone, let's say a nefarious entity created a more virulent virus, it could easily be designed to scoot past a very narrow immunity that hundreds of millions, if not billions of people, will be keyed to with narrow immunity."
Monday, July 26, 2021
Todo aquel que se hace rey habla contra César
Dennis Edwards
En nuestra última lección, vimos que el rey Saúl estaba más preocupado por la opinión del hombre que por la opinión de Dios. Dios no estaba en todos sus pensamientos. Saúl reconoció que temÃa al pueblo y obedecÃa su voz en lugar de temer a Dios y obedecer Su voz. Saúl habÃa perdido su amor por Dios y lo habÃa reemplazado por amor por su posición, su poder y su popularidad. Estaba más preocupado por la alabanza del hombre que por la alabanza de Dios. Hoy veremos otro ejemplo similar en la Biblia.
Ponto Pilato es otro triste ejemplo de la misma tendencia en el hombre, la tendencia a agradar a los hombres en lugar de agradar a Dios. Aunque Pilato sabÃa que Jesús no habÃa hecho nada digno de muerte, aunque sabÃa que los lÃderes religiosos habÃan llevado a Jesús a juicio por envidia, a pesar de que su esposa le habÃa enviado un fuerte mensaje instándolo a no hacer nada malo a “ese hombre justo ”, aun asÃ, Pilato cedió ante la voz y el poder de esa vociferante minorÃa religiosa, una minorÃa que era famosa en la historia por su manejo del dinero y el oro y por su capacidad para influir en la opinión pública y los reyes a lo largo y ancho.
Pilato sabÃa que Jesús era inocente y querÃa ponerlo en libertad, pero temÃa el poder de la prensa, el poder de esa pequeña minorÃa religiosa y financiera para mover la opinión pública incluso en Roma. En el Evangelio de Juan leemos: "Desde entonces Pilato procuró soltarle; pero los judÃos gritaron, diciendo: Si dejas ir a este hombre, no eres amigo de César; todo el que se hace rey, contra César habla". [Juan 19:12]
Jesús ya le habÃa dicho a Pilato que su reino no era de este mundo en este momento y que sus seguidores no tomarÃan las armas para pelear. "Ahora mi Reino no es de aquÃ". [Juan 18:36] Pilato sabÃa que Jesús no estaba impulsando un derrocamiento violento del gobierno romano. Puede que no haya entendido la doctrina de Jesús muy profundamente, pero entendió que Jesús era una especie de filósofo y un sanador. Pilato no vio a Jesús como una amenaza para el Imperio Romano.
Sin embargo, los lÃderes religiosos judÃos vieron a Jesús como una amenaza para su imperio y control sobre el pueblo judÃo. Pilato conocÃa el poder económico de esos lÃderes religiosos. Julius Ceasar los habÃa abrazado y habÃa sido asesinado por sus amigos por miedo y envidia del privilegio que Ceasar les habÃa otorgado. Pilato sabÃa que muy bien podrÃan tener influencia con César. SabÃa que sus opiniones podrÃan amenazar su posición con Ceasar. Y asÃ, al escuchar el clamor de los judÃos de que él, Pilato, no era amigo de César, si dejaba que este MesÃas judÃo afirmara ser un Rey, Pilato se sentó en el tribunal.
Se sentó derrotado. Pensó que podrÃa burlar a estos judÃos. Pensó que era más inteligente que él. No se dio cuenta de que estaba luchando contra las fuerzas espirituales en los lugares celestiales. Se sentó sin saber qué más podÃa hacer. Los lÃderes judÃos lo habÃan molestado. Los lÃderes judÃos habÃan atacado su posición con Roma, su pan y mantequilla, su trabajo, su seguridad financiera. "Todo lo que un hombre tiene lo dará por su vida". [Job 2: 4] Pilato no vio otra salida que ceder a sus demandas. En lugar de seguir sus propias convicciones y defender la ley romana, temÃa perder su trabajo, su puesto, su seguridad financiera. Aun sabiendo que Jesús era inocente, Pilato lo entregó a sus deseos en un intento por salvar su carrera polÃtica.
Los lÃderes religiosos judÃos supieron persuadir a la gente. La misma multitud que habÃa gritado "Hosanna en las alturas", cuando Jesús entró en Jerusalén unos dÃas antes, ahora gritaba "CrucifÃcalo". Pilato, temiendo que su reputación pudiera mancharse si estallaba un motÃn en Jerusalén, entregó a Jesús en manos de sus enemigos, mientras Pilato se lavaba las manos cuidadosamente y reclamaba su propia inocencia.
Aunque todas las cartas parecÃan favorecer la liberación de Jesús, Pilato no pudo detener el poder del mal, el poder de las tinieblas. Se conformó con sus deseos por temor a su propio futuro. ¿Cuántos de nosotros hacemos lo mismo? Nos negamos a adoptar una posición justa sobre algún tema moral porque tememos las repercusiones de esa posición. PodrÃamos perder nuestros trabajos, nuestra plataforma, nuestra forma de llevar el pan a la mesa. Lo atenuamos, en cambio nos comprometemos, cuando Dios puede estar llamándonos a abrazar la cruz de Cristo al tomar una posición, en lugar de huir de ella.
El apóstol Santiago escribió: “Adúlteros y adúlteras, ¿no sabéis que la amistad del mundo es enemistad con Dios? Por tanto, todo aquel que quiera ser amigo del mundo es enemigo de Dios ". [Santiago 4: 4] ¿Quieres ser amigo de Dios, o amigo del mundo y de todos sus placeres fugaces?
Algunos de los lÃderes del SanedrÃn, el cuerpo religioso y gubernamental judÃo, creÃan en secreto en Jesús, pero tampoco lo hicieron público. Nuevamente, fue por la misma razón. No querÃan perder su posición de autoridad y el privilegio financiero que venÃa con ser miembro del cuerpo gobernante de la comunidad judÃa. En el Evangelio de Juan leemos: "Porque amaban más la alabanza de los hombres que la alabanza de Dios". [Juan 12:43]
Al igual que el rey Saúl, temÃan las opiniones de los hombres. Pero en el libro de los Hechos vemos que los discÃpulos son de una raza diferente. SÃ, el SanedrÃn los consideraba ignorantes y no instruidos por no haber estudiado con sus Rabis. Pero, cuando fueron llevados ante el SanedrÃn para ser interrogados, Pedro y los otros apóstoles respondieron: "Debemos obedecer a Dios antes que a los hombres". [Hechos 5:29]
La eleccion es simple. Teme a Dios y guarda sus mandamientos, o teme a los hombres y guarda sus mandamientos. Los mandamientos de los hombres a menudo se oponen a los mandamientos de Dios. Josué en el Antiguo Testamento, el lÃder de la nación judÃa después de la muerte de Moisés, reunió a Israel justo antes de su propia muerte. Los desafió a temer al Señor y a servirle con sinceridad y verdad.
Él dijo: “Escogeos hoy a quién sirváis, a los dioses falsos a quienes sirvieron vuestros padres al otro lado del rÃo, oa los dioses falsos del pueblo en cuya tierra habitas; pero en cuanto a mà y mi casa, servirá al Señor ". [Josué 24:15] “Y el pueblo respondió y dijo: Dios no permita que dejemos al Señor para servir a otros dioses… por tanto, también serviremos al Señor; porque él es nuestro Dios. ”[Josué 24: 16b, 18b]
“Y Jesús les dijo a todos: Si alguno quiere venir en pos de mÃ, niéguese a sà mismo, tome su cruz cada dÃa y sÃgame. Porque el que quiera salvar su vida, la perderá; pero el que pierda su vida por mÃ, la salvará. ”[Lucas 9: 23-24]
“Y os digo, amigos mÃos, no temáis a los que matan el cuerpo, y después de eso no tienen más que hacer. Pero yo os advertiré a quién debéis temer: Temed a aquel que, después de haber matado, tiene poder para arrojar al infierno; sÃ, os digo, temedle ”. [Lucas 12: 4-5]
"El temor del Señor es el principio del conocimiento". [Proverbios 1: 7] Por tanto, temamos a Dios y escojamos la vida. No seamos como el rey Saulo o el Ponto Pilato, sino que tengamos valor y resistamos la tentación de temer al hombre. "El temor del hombre es una trampa, pero el que confÃa en el Señor estará a salvo". [Proverbios 29:25]
Quem quer que se faça rei fala contra César
Dennis Edwards
Em nossa última lição, vimos que o rei Saul estava mais preocupado com a opinião do homem do que com a opinião de Deus. Deus não estava em todos os seus pensamentos. Saul reconheceu que temia o povo e obedecia à sua voz, em vez de temer a Deus e obedecer à Sua voz. Saul havia perdido seu amor a Deus e o substituiu pelo amor por sua posição, seu poder e sua popularidade. Ele estava mais preocupado com o louvor do homem, do que com o louvor a Deus. Hoje veremos outro exemplo semelhante na BÃblia.
Ponto Pilatos é outro exemplo triste da mesma tendência no homem, a tendência de agradar aos homens, em vez de agradar a Deus. Mesmo que Pilatos soubesse que Jesus não tinha feito nada digno de morte, embora soubesse que os lÃderes religiosos o levaram a julgamento por inveja, embora sua esposa lhe tivesse enviado uma forte mensagem instando-o a não fazer nada de mal para “aquele homem justo ”, mesmo assim, Pilatos cedeu à voz e ao poder daquela vociferante minoria religiosa, uma minoria que ficou famosa na história por sua administração de dinheiro e ouro e por sua capacidade de influenciar a opinião pública e os reis em todos os lugares.
Pilatos sabia que Jesus era inocente e queria libertá-lo, mas temia o poder da imprensa, o poder daquela pequena minoria religiosa e financeira de mover a opinião pública até mesmo em Roma. No Evangelho de João, lemos, "desde então Pilatos procurou libertá-lo; mas os judeus clamaram, dizendo: Se você deixar este homem ir, você não é amigo de Ceasar: todo aquele que se faz rei fala contra Cesar." [João 19:12]
Jesus já havia dito a Pilatos que Seu reino não era deste mundo neste tempo e que Seus seguidores não pegariam em armas para lutar. “Agora o meu reino não é daqui.” [João 18:36] Pilatos sabia que Jesus não estava promovendo uma derrubada violenta do governo romano. Ele pode não ter entendido a doutrina de Jesus muito profundamente, mas ele entendeu que Jesus era uma espécie de filósofo e um curandeiro. Pilatos não via Jesus como uma ameaça ao Império Romano.
No entanto, os lÃderes religiosos judeus viam Jesus como uma ameaça ao seu império e controle sobre o povo judeu. Pilatos conhecia o poder econômico desses lÃderes religiosos. Júlio César os abraçou e foi morto por seus amigos por medo e inveja do privilégio que César havia concedido a eles. Pilatos sabia que eles poderiam muito bem ter influência sobre Ceasar. Ele sabia que as opiniões deles poderiam ameaçar sua posição com Ceasar. E assim, ouvindo o clamor dos judeus de que ele, Pilatos, não era amigo de Ceasar, se ele permitiu que este Messias judeu alegasse ser um rei, Pilatos sentou-se na cadeira de juiz.
Ele sentou-se derrotado. Ele pensou que poderia enganar esses judeus. Ele pensava que era mais inteligente do que era. Ele não percebeu que estava lutando contra as forças espirituais nos lugares celestiais. Ele se sentou sem saber o que mais poderia fazer. Os lÃderes judeus o haviam magoado. Os lÃderes judeus atacaram sua posição com Roma, seu pão com manteiga, seu trabalho, sua segurança financeira. “Tudo o que um homem tem, ele dará por sua vida.” [Jó 2: 4] Pilatos não viu outra saÃda a não ser ceder à s suas exigências. Em vez de seguir suas próprias convicções e defender a lei romana, ele temeu pela perda de seu emprego, de sua posição e de sua segurança financeira. Mesmo sabendo que Jesus era inocente, Pilatos o entregou aos desejos deles na tentativa de salvar sua carreira polÃtica.
Os lÃderes religiosos judeus sabiam como persuadir o povo. A mesma multidão que gritou "Hosana nas alturas", quando Jesus entrou em Jerusalém poucos dias antes, agora clamava "Crucifica-o". Pilatos, temendo que sua reputação pudesse ser manchada se um motim estourasse em Jerusalém, entregou Jesus nas mãos de Seus inimigos, enquanto Pilatos lavou cuidadosamente suas mãos e reivindicou sua própria inocência.
Embora todas as cartas parecessem favorecer a libertação de Jesus, Pilatos não conseguiu impedir o poder do mal, o poder das trevas. Ele se conformava com seus desejos temendo por seu próprio futuro. Quantos de nós fazemos a mesma coisa? Recusamo-nos a assumir uma posição correta em alguma questão moral porque tememos as repercussões dessa posição. Podemos perder nossos empregos, nossa plataforma, nossa maneira de levar pão para a mesa. Abaixamos o tom, em vez disso transigimos, quando Deus pode estar nos chamando para abraçar a cruz de Cristo tomando uma posição, em vez de fugir dela.
O apóstolo Tiago escreveu: “Adúlteros e adúlteras, não sabeis que a amizade do mundo é inimizade contra Deus? Portanto, quem quer que seja amigo do mundo é inimigo de Deus. ”[Tiago 4: 4] Você quer ser amigo de Deus ou amigo do mundo e de todos os seus prazeres passageiros?
Alguns dos lÃderes do Sinédrio, o corpo religioso e governamental judeu, secretamente acreditavam em Jesus, mas também não o tornaram público. Novamente, foi pelo mesmo motivo. Eles não queriam perder sua posição de autoridade e o privilégio financeiro que acompanhava o fato de serem membros do corpo governante da comunidade judaica. No Evangelho de João, lemos: “Porque amaram mais o louvor dos homens do que o louvor a Deus”. [João 12:43]
Assim como o Rei Saul, eles tinham medo da opinião dos homens. Mas no livro de Atos, vemos que os discÃpulos são de uma raça diferente. Sim, eles foram considerados homens iletrados e ignorantes pelo Sinédrio por não terem estudado com seus Rabis. Mas, quando levados perante o Sinédrio para questionamento, Pedro e os outros apóstolos responderam: “Devemos obedecer a Deus antes que aos homens”. [Atos 5:29]
A escolha é simples. Tema a Deus e guarde Seus mandamentos, ou tema os homens e guarde seus mandamentos. Os mandamentos dos homens muitas vezes se opõem aos mandamentos de Deus. Josué no Antigo Testamento, o lÃder da nação judaica após a morte de Moisés, reuniu Israel pouco antes de sua própria morte. Ele os desafiou a temer ao Senhor e servi-Lo com sinceridade e verdade.
Ele disse: “Escolhei hoje a quem sirvais, os falsos deuses aos quais serviram vossos pais do outro lado do dilúvio, ou os deuses de relâmpago do povo em cuja terra habitais; mas quanto a mim e à minha casa, nós servirá ao Senhor. ” [Josué 24:15] “E o povo respondeu e disse: Deus nos livre de abandonarmos o Senhor para servir a outros deuses ... portanto serviremos também ao Senhor; porque ele é o nosso Deus. ”[Josué 24: 15b, 18b]
“E Jesus disse a todos: Se alguém quer vir após mim, negue-se a si mesmo, tome cada dia a sua cruz e siga-me. Pois quem quiser salvar a sua vida, perdê-la-á; mas quem perder a sua vida por minha causa, esse a salvará. ”[1) uke 9: 23-24]
“E digo-vos, meus amigos: Não temais os que matam o corpo, e depois disso nada mais podem fazer. Mas eu vos mostrarei a quem deveis temer: temei aquele que, depois de matar, tem poder para lançar no inferno; sim, eu te digo: temei-o. ” [Lucas 12: 4-5]
“O temor do Senhor é o princÃpio do conhecimento.” [Provérbios 1: 7] Portanto, temamos a Deus e escolhamos a vida. Não sejamos como o Rei Saul ou o Ponto Pilatos, mas tenhamos coragem e resistamos à tentação de temer o homem. “O temor do homem arma-lhe um laço, mas o que confia no Senhor está seguro.” [Provérbios 29:25]
Whosoever Makes Himself a King Speaks Against Ceasar
Dennis Edwards
In our last lesson, we saw that King Saul was more concerned with the opinion of man than with the opinion of God. God was not in all of his thoughts. Saul acknowledged that he feared the people and obeyed their voice rather than fear God and obey His voice. Saul had lost his love for God and had replaced it with love for his position, his power, and his popularity. He was more concerned with the praise of man, than with the praise of God. Today we will look at another similar example in the Bible.
Pontus Pilate is another sad example of the same tendency in man, the tendency to be men-pleasers, rather than God-pleasers. Even though Pilate knew that Jesus had done nothing worthy of death, even though he knew that the religious leaders had brought Jesus to trial because of envy, even though his wife had sent him a strong message urging him not to do anything evil to “that just man,” even so, Pilate caved in to the voice and the power of that vociferous religious minority, a minority who were famous in history for their management of money and gold and for their ability to influence public opinion and kings far and wide.
Pilate knew Jesus was innocent and wanted to release him, but he feared the power of the press, the power of that small religious and financial minority to move public opinion even way back home in Rome. In the Gospel of John we read, “thenceforth Pilate sought to release Him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If you let this man go, you are not Caesar's friend: whosoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”[John 19:12]
Jesus had already told Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world at this present time and that His followers would not take up arms to fight. “Now is my Kingdom not from hence.” [John 18:36] Pilate knew that Jesus was not pushing a violent overthrow of the Roman government. He may not have understood Jesus’ doctrine very deeply, but he understood that Jesus was a philosopher of sorts and a healer. Pilate didn’t see Jesus as a threat to the Roman Empire.
However, the Jewish religious leaders saw Jesus as a threat to their empire and control over the Jewish people. Pilate knew the economic power of those religious leaders. Julius Caesar had embraced them and been killed by his friends out of fear and envy of the privilege Caesar had afforded them. Pilate knew they might very well have influence with Caesar. He knew their opinions might threaten his standing with Caesar. And so, hearing the cry of the Jews that he, Pilate, was no friend of Caesar, if he let this Jewish Messiah claim to be a King, Pilate sat down in the judgment seat.
He sat down defeated. He thought he could out wit these Jews. He thought he was smarter than he was. He didn’t realize he was fighting against spiritual forces in heavenly places. He sat down not knowing what more he could do. The Jewish leaders had out smarted him. The Jewish leaders had attacked his standing with Rome, his bread and butter, his job, his financial security. “All that a man has will he give for his life.”[Job 2:4] Pilate saw no way out but to yield to their demands. Rather than follow his own convictions and the uphold the Roman law, he feared for the loss of his job, his position, his financial security. Even knowing that Jesus was innocent, Pilate turned Him over to their wishes in an attempt to save his political career.
The Jewish religious leaders knew how to persuade the people. The same crowd that had cried “Hosanna in the Highest,” as Jesus entered Jerusalem just a few days earlier, were now crying “Crucify him.” Pilate, fearing his reputation could be soiled if a riot broke out in Jerusalem, delivered Jesus into the hands of His enemies, while Pilate carefully washed his hands and claimed his own innocence.
Even though all the cards seemed to favor Jesus’ release, Pilate could not stop the power of evil, the power of darkness. He conformed to their wishes in fear for his own future. How many of us do the same thing? We refuse to take a righteous stand on some moral issue because we fear the repercussions of that stand. We could lose our jobs, our platform, our way of bringing bread to the table. We tone it down, we compromise instead, when God may be calling us to embrace the cross of Christ by taking a stand, rather than running from it.
Apostle James wrote, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”[James 4:4] Do you want to be God’s friend, or a friend of the world and all its fleeting pleasures?
Some of the leaders of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious and governmental body, secretly believed on Jesus, but they too did not make it public. Again, it was for the same reason. They did not want to lose their position of authority and the financial privilege that came with being a member of the ruling body in the Jewish community. In the Gospel of John we read, “For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”[John 12:43]
Just like King Saul, they were afraid of the opinions of men. But in the book of Acts we see the disciples are of a different breed. Yes, they were considered unlearned and ignorant men by the Sanhedrin for having not studied under their Rabis. But, when brought before the Sanhedrin for questioning, Peter and the other apostles answered, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”[Acts 5:29]
The choice is simple. Fear God and keep His commandments, or fear men and keep their commandments. The commandments of men are often in opposition to God’s commandments. Joshua in the Old Testament, the leader of the Jewish nation after Moses’ death, gathered Israel together just before his own death. He challenged them to fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in truth.
He said, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve, the false gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, or the false gods of the people in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”[Joshua 24:15] “And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods…therefore will we also serve the Lord; for he is our God.”[Joshua 24:16b,18b]
“And Jesus said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”[Luke 9:23-24]
“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: Fear Him, which after He has killed has power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him.”[Luke 12:4-5]
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”[Proverbs 1:7] Let us therefore, fear God and choose life. Let us not be as King Saul or Pontus Pilate, but let us take courage and resist the temptation to fear man. “The fear of man brings a snare: but whoso puts his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” [Proverbs 29:25]
If you would like to read my online book Where is America in Bible Prophecy? click on the title.
