COURAGEOUS HEARTS

It can almost be said that the German Army officer, Claus Shank Graf von Stauffenberg, gave his life as a sacrifice for the Jews of Russia. As an elite officer from a special German family, Stauffenberg loved his country but detested what Adolf Hitler was doing to it during World War II. Posted in Russia he saw how Hitler had commanded the death of every Jew the Germans could find as they swept across the steppes of the vast regions of the Soviet Union. The death of God's earthly people caused him to determine to lead a group of officers to attempt to get rid of Hitler in his diabolical leadership of the German people.

Stauffenberg was also a strong Christian. His faith was firm in the Lord of the Bible. Posted from Russia to North Africa, he was badly wounded by American airplanes that attacked his convoy traveling on African roads. He lost one hand, two fingers of the other hand, and also one eye. While mending from his wounds he plotted to get rid of Hitler.

Stauffenberg enlisted the support of a large group of other officers. While attending a meeting with Hitler in a forest retreat, he set a bomb under Hitler's map table. Leaving the room, Stauffenberg escaped the explosion that killed many of the officers though Hitler survived the attack.

Quickly caught, Stauffenberg was murdered by officers who turned against him. Standing before the firing squad, he cried out "Long live holy Germany!" Over 300 hundred officers were killed who were accused of the Operation Valkyrie plot to try to get rid of the Fuehrer. The Gestapo, Germany's secret police, acted fast to rid the Army of all of the plotters. If the plotters had been successful the war may have been shortened by ten months or more.

Only eternity will tell us how many more believing German Christians gave their lives in order to get rid of one of the most evil men in all of history! —Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)

IT IS ALL OVER … GOD'S HAND IS RAISED AGAINST US!

If you have not noticed, it is all over for the world. What will happen soon no one knows for certain but it all ties in with what I have been teaching for almost 50 years. America is doomed morally and economically. The Middle East is collapsing more rapidly than we could have imagined! Revolution is in the air (Soon in America and the rest of the world) and there is no turning back.

What is so disappointing is that the churches do not "get it." Few pastors are teaching on the Apostasy and Prophecy, informing our people what is coming. If you look carefully, the church is asleep (1 Thess. 5:4-9), and this has to do with the fact that believers are not interested in prophetic truth. Read 5:1-3.

Something may take place soon that will throw the entire globe into turmoil.

In the OT God is seen as a Sovereign whose hand is raised up against His people. When His hand comes down judgment will descend. We are near that great event of judgment that will quickly take place.

"God's anger burned against His people, and He stretched out His hand against them and struck them down" (Isa. 5:25). "His anger did not turn away … Yet the people do not turn back to Him who struck them, nor do they seek the Lord of Host" (9:12-13; 10:4). "For everyone of them is godless and an evildoer, and every mouth is speaking foolishness. In spite of all of this His anger does not turn away, and His hand is stretched out. For wickedness burns like a fire ..."

The Tribulation, that is, the Wrath of God, is not far away. God has a plan devised against THE WHOLE EARTH; and this is the hand that is stretched out against ALL THE NATIONS. For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched out hand, who can turn it back?" (14:26-27).

Finally, the world, nor the Christian church, sees the judgment coming. Our people in the pews are asleep. They do not know of biblical prophecy nor do they observe the signs of the times. Believers do not see the destruction coming from the hand of the Lord. Isaiah writes: "O Lord, Your hand is lifted up yet they do not see it" (26:11). Also, we read: "Behold, the Lord is about to come out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; and the earth will reveal her bloodshed" (v. 21).

LOSING OUR WISE MEN

What is missing in our up-and-coming new culture, that wants change, is wise men. (And Change is not wisdom!) But this generation does not know this! I heard a talk show host say just what I've said the last few months. This generation of those under thirty, and the invading ignorant minorities, want change but not wisdom. And wisdom is not change!

Job understood the problem even in his day. He wrote that "Wisdom is with aged men, with long life is understanding" (Job 12:12). But God can take away wisdom, counsel, and understanding. With Him are "wisdom and might, counsel and understanding" (v. 13). God can tear down and what He destroys cannot be replaced (v. 14); He can send forth flood waters (v. 15), can use the misled (v. 16), make fools of judges (v. 17), take away the strength of kings (v. 18), overthrow those who think they are secure (v. 19), deprive the smart ones of speech (v. 20), take away the discernment of the elders (v. 20b), brings the light from darkness (v. 22), make the nations great (SUCH AS AMERICA) and then destroy them (v. 23), deprive the leaders of the earth from having intelligence (v. 24), and make the intelligent ones stagger like drunks (v. 25).

In other words, GOD IS IN CHARGE! The Lord is the Author of history, and, He is taking it where He wishes it to go!

Job concludes, "Behold, my eye has seen all of this, my ear has heard it all and understands it" (13:1). But America does not. We are swimming in entertainment, fun and games, and have no clue as to where God is leading this world.

—Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)

Hebrew Word Study

Deuteronomy 4:39 is a great verse of Scripture. It reads "Know therefore today, and take it to heart, that the Lord; He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other." What an awesome truth! There is only One God, not two, three, or more. To avoid Him, to ignore His presence is absolutely foolishness.    The passage reads: "You know, perceive ..." Or, "become acquainted with ..." "This day ..." better reads "THE Day ..." During this day you need to become aware of and not forget ..." Moses exhorts the people to gratitude towards God (the orthodox Rabbis).    The Rabbis: "Know, become acquainted this day and LAY it to your heart ..." The heart represents the emotions. The Jews were to sense with their feelings the truth of what Moses is about to write. "THAT the Lord (the Everexisting One, HE is THE ELOHIM ("The God Who Is Plural") in the Heavens!" This means that He transcends the entire universe and His rule encompasses all of Creation!    He is in Charge!    "From Above." "The Upward, the Higher and Higher, the Ascent!" From the highest! "And upon the Earth that is beneath" the heavens!    "There is None yet, still, besides NO MORE!" There is then no other god. This summarizes the lesson to be learned from all that has gone before. This is a solemn warning of the dangers of idolatry that threatens the Jews upon their entering the Promised Land.    Verse 39 leads to verse 40: "So you shall keep His statutes and His commandments which I am giving you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may live long ON THE LAND WHICH THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GIVING YOU FOR ALL THE DAYS (Forever)!" Eternity is for "All the Days!" The land belongs to the Jews eternally, forever, even though they have been unfaithful. Their restoration is certain!    —Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)

CHURCH OF ENGLAND DUMBING DOWN!

Infant baptism is of course a joke but it's been in vogue for centuries in the Catholic and many of the "high" Protestant churches. They make it a step towards salvation by a misreading of the Gospels. Too, the purpose is to make the parents feel good in thinking that this makes their children Christians, which it does not.

As well, it adds numbers to these churches. For example, the Church of England can claim thousands more as part of their Church by infant baptism. The unsaved in England get the message. Recently, many of their members have held "de-baptism" services in order to get themselves or their children out of that apostate religious organization.

But the Church of England has gone one step further in admitting the joke of their baptismal ceremonies. They have shortened the services and down graded the language so that those going through the services might understand just a little bit more of what they are doing in baptism.

Why is it that those closest to that Church do not see the stupidity and hypocrisy of the dead ceremony of what they are doing? Why is it that no one reads the Bible as to what baptism is really all about? Why is it that human nature gravitates to error more quickly than the truth? The high churches use Mark 10:14 ("Permit the little children to come unto Me") as one of their verses claiming infant or child baptism. Of course Mark 10 won't work. This has nothing to do with child baptism! And they use the passage about Crispus who believed "with all his household" (Acts 18:8) to claim that there had to be children in the house who came to Christ along with the adults. (See also 11:14). All such claims fall flat! They have no basis whatever in attempting to prove infant or child baptism (and salvation).

I believe the youngest child who can exercise true faith and belief is indeed saved! God has mercy on those who cannot put forth such belief. Most evangelicals hold to the fact that God shows grace on the children who are below the age of accountability. While we may not know what that is, we trust God's faithfulness and fairness in this matter of silence. But for certain, infant baptism is not biblical for putting the child into the church or for saving the child without true trust in Christ for his salvation.

The Church of England is so ritualistic that few trust its proclamations. And few could explain salvation or Christianity from all of the coated-over ritual that it is putting forth for popular consumption. Apostasy is alive and well with most of our churches. We cannot be far off from the rapture of true believers. The wrath is not far behind!

--Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)

KILLING OUR WOMEN

I saw a commercial a few days ago about a woman in the Army who lost both legs in a combat area in Iraq. She was smiling and was showing that she was proud to have lost her legs while serving her country. While this is certainly a sad story, I kept wondering where were the men who were supposed to be protecting her? And, I thought also that our government told us women were not to be put out in harm's way; why was she so exposed, a future wife and mother!

I ask again, where were the men; where were the John Waynes who give their lives for their homes, their families, their wives, and the mothers of their children?

I'm sure many would say, "Well, Dr. Couch, women now have the right to be wounded or killed for their country. Don't you understand?"

My answer is that nothing has really changed. To protect women is still a mandate for men, the problem is that the mind-set of such women, and of the men in our country, has changed. And this of course does not make it right. We have moved to such a position because of the feminist agenda. And the change came about the same time that it became okay to abort and kill unborn babies, and also to allow for "anything goes," such as the homosexual movement.

Looking at the woman with no legs makes me ask, "But where were the protective men?" How could the younger men in the Army think that this was alright, to so harm and wound a mother or wife, or a future mother or wife? So this generation has no problem with what is happening?

Then expect euthanasia on you, if you are older. It will be permissible to kill you when you get in the way, because after all, the standards in our culture have shifted, and the younger generation accepts this change!

Fifty years ago our entire culture would have been shocked at the killing or the wounding of this young girl even for the cause of her country. This is why men went to war: to spare our families from such wounding and from such terrible sights that these women would be exposed to.

I talk with many men in the military who tell me how things are changing. For example, women are expected to change heavy truck tires just like the men, but of course they cannot do it. (And remember, she is receiving the same pay as the men who can change those tires!) So the officers just put the women onto other duties and don't say anything, and we are told the women are performing equal work—they are not! The women have won legally because no one can do anything about what is happening from the perspective of what is right, and from common sense. Practicality is out the window and we, the public, are being fooled! Too, the men in the military can say absolutely nothing or they would possibly lose their jobs.

Prepare for worse things to happen because the door is open since now both men and women are seen as the same. How foolish! This has never happened in the history of humanity before, but now it is taking place! Our standards used to be higher but now they are in the gutter because of the feminist agenda, secular psychology, and evolution. I hope your young daughter does not join the military! --Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)

WINTER READING

If you want to know what is happening in our nation you need to read the book on how our military is abusing our girls by placing them in combat areas. The book: "Co-Ed Combat" "The New Evidence that Women Shouldn't Fight the Nation's Wars" The book is by Kingsley Browne and is published by Sentinel.


Browne writes: "The nation depends upon the military to preserve its liberty and security. To weaken the military's ability to do so in order to benefit a small number of women who desire combat service is an ill-advised trade. In a time when we face enemies with far more primitive views of sexual equality than even a complete exclusion of women from the military would represent—is little short of lunacy." -- Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)

THE NEW TESTAMENT GIFT OF PROPHECY

What was the gift of prophecy first mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:10? This was forthtelling. The only ones foretelling were the apostles, and one time, Agabus. All of the great Bible scholars point this out.

The BKC says: "The focal problem in the matter of the use and abuse of gifts seemed to be the Corinthians fascination with tongues, a gift which apparently lent itself more readily to perversion from something intended 'for the common good' (12:7) to something employed for personal enhancement (14:4)."

Prophecy was meant to edify or build up the church, Nicoll notes. He adds, "Prophecy employed the mind, and had a deeper seat; it was to give the hidden things of God. Hence the prophet is regularly distinguished from the teacher."

Mitchell notes "Prophecy (12:10) is the communication of special revelation from God. It could have been a foretelling, as in Acts 11:28, or simply forthtelling. Most of the New Testament epistles fall into the category of foretelling. … After the canon of the New Testament was completed, the special needs for this gift" ended.

This is what I have been teaching for decades. I did not know that Mitchell said the same thing! Prophecy in 1 Corinthians 12-14 was forthtelling or having the gift of being a "super teacher," giving information that was not revealed for the edifying of the church. The apostles could foretell, that is, give future prophecy but that is not in view here in the gift of prophecy in 1 Corinthians. --Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)

NEW TESTAMENT GREEK STUDY

I am blessed with owning every Greek lexicon one can have, and also, every major Greek commentary that is worth owning. I put these great works "to work" in dealing with 1 Timothy 2:12, the passage that reads: "I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet." Paul argues from the perspective of doctrine not from the direction of culture, as the modern feminists would try to claim.

So here is a thorough study on the passage, and especially the expression "to exercise authority." This is a Present Infinitive from "authenteo." "To authenticate, to have absolute sway, authority over." The clause then reads: the woman is not to be continually having authority over a man. The context has to do with pastoral leadership. She is not to be a pastor! She is also not "to teach" (Present Infinitive) of "didasko," or "didactic." She is not to be teaching with pastoral authority over men!

The "why" is an issue we won't go into here, though Paul gives his reasons.

The key lexicons show that the word "authenteo" is used only once in the NT and that is here. Balz & Schneider translate the word "to rule over." The Classical Greek Lexicon translates the word "to take in hand," with the idea that the woman reaches for a role that she should not have. She bullies her way into this place of authority. Nicoll translates the word here as "to have dominion" over the men with her grabbing misplaced teaching authority. She is acting on her own authority, he adds, or she is autocratic!

The feminist movement was to a degree alive and well in NT days. Thayer indicates that the woman wanted to be absolute master over men in the church.

The great Greek scholar A. T. Robertson puts it this way: The woman is not permitted to have this authority in the church. He points out that in the 1920s and 1930s many churches were allowing women to teach mixed groups in the Sunday school which was wrong, he further noted.

Women can teach a woman's class and especially a class for younger women as to how they can love their husbands and their children biblically (Titus 2). But they are forbidden to teach a mixed study. Feminine Christian women today ignore the 1 Timothy passage. They claim it was a cultural mandate by Paul that is out of vogue today, but this is not so. This rule still stands.

Elicott writes: "The whole purpose of these weighty admonitions of the great founder of the Gentile churches relegates Christian women to their own legitimate sphere of action and influence—the quiet of their own homes. Paul shows what is the only proper sphere in which women should work, and to which she should exercise her influence and power; while man's work and duties lay in the busy world without, woman's work was exclusively confined to the quiet stillness of home." The BKC adds: "The females of the congregation should receive instruction from the male leadership with quietness and full submission. They should not attempt to turn the tables by clamoring for the office of congregational teacher or by grasping for authority over men."

While this is not popular today, it stands as what is right from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit upon the Word of God. The Lord has His purposes from these directives. --Dr. Mal Couch

WHY ARE WE FIGHTING?

Our Marines in Iraq have a terrible mission to carry out. While on one hand we have to a degree secured that nation from all of the ills of the Muslim world, on the other hand we are fighting for a people that have few morals we can identify with.

The Marines tell us that most of the people in that country are liars and thieves. When they search the houses of the Iraqis for weapons they are told lie after lie by both the men and the women of the home. Our soldiers have come to believe nothing that they hear and only half of what they see. The people we are supposed to be protecting take our men into what they call "circle talk." They go from lie to lie, from half truth, to truth, and back around again! The word of the people cannot be trusted. We forget that lying is a way of Islam. They believe it is okay to lie to someone they dislike. Our men are terribly frustrated and they can trust no one in the countryside.

Christians can lie too but it is not part of our theology to do so; but it is in Islam. Everything in this world is about morals and about theology, and truth. We are saving a people who do not come from the same theological setting we have. Unfortunately, here in America, we are throwing away our biblical morality. We are more and more becoming just like the world!

--Dr. Mal Couch

HEBREW WORD STUDY

How many words for "Love" in the Hebrew language? There are three in Greek. Agapao=to deeply love; Phileo=to like, admire. Eros=physical, sexual love (Not in the NT).

But in Hebrew there is only one word: A'hav=love, like, love between man and wife, love between people.

Why is there only one word in the Hebrew language for love? That is a good question that seems to be impossible to answer. However, there is only 600 common words in Hebrew, so the vocabulary is limited. Because there are different forms in Hebrew for each verb, this may be part of the answer. There are four parts or translations for the Hebrew verb. This gives a wide spread for interpreting the word "love." (1) He loved. (2) He definitely love with intensity. (3) He was loved. (4) He made himself love.

Those of us who teach Hebrew have no problem translating Hebrew as it is. In some ways, I love translating Hebrew even above translating Greek, though I do more Greek than Hebrew translating. Hebrew is so rich and colorful!

I'm now doing translation work in Esther. We read "The king love Esther above all the women in his harem" (2:17). Without a doubt he fell for her. This makes the story and the plot thicken up!

—Dr. Mal Couch

THE APOSTASY IS GALLOPING

Barna tells us that the Christian church is becoming less doctrinal and theologically. It is becoming less biblically literate. A growing majority believe the Holy Spirit is but a symbol of God's presence, but He is not a literal entity or the third person of the Trinity.

Only one third of born again Christians ever plan to take someone to church with them. More believers are less interested in studying strong biblical principles. They are more interested in pragmatism and light fluff, devotionals. Believers are becoming more accepting of the faiths of other religions and think that they are okay. Christianity is having less influence on the American culture. We are buying into evil! --Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)

MIDDLE EAST ALERT: JORDAN CHANGES DIRECTION

The king of Jordan has fired his cabinet. What this means no one knows yet. But if the country is leaning toward the militant Arabs then Israel may be surrounded from the north, the east, and the south with Egypt.

We are moving closer to end-times, and no one who knows their Bible would deny this! —Dr. Mal Couch

QUEEN VICTORIA AND JEWISH MISSIONS

Around the 1840s, the Evangelical Church of England began to accelerate their efforts in reaching the Jews in the Holy Land for Christ. Michael Alexander was appointed bishop of the Church of England in Jerusalem. At his investiture were the leaders of the Anglican Church, and the representatives of the king of Prussia, and the British ambassador to Constantinople, including William Gladstone. Queen Victoria issued a special royal decree allowing the Church to appoint a bishop whose influence would go beyond the borders of England, all the way to the Middle East and Jerusalem.

The British government assigned a large warship at the disposal of the entourage escorting Bishop Alexander to Jaffa. On January 21, 1842, the group reached Jerusalem and began the outreach for Christ among the Jews. Bishop Alexander was Jewish and the Jewish community in Jerusalem were pleased that one of their number had attained such a high rank in the English Church. One would expect the opposite.

The mission outreach had high hopes of reaching the Jews for the Lord. The British Christians had high hopes of seeing the prophecy of the return to Zion and as fulfillment of the prophetic promise that "kings shall be your foster-fathers" (Isa. 49:22). Bishop Alexander said his appointment was indeed the most important appointment in the history of the Christian church and that he was fortunate to return to the land of his ancestors." Isaiah 49:22-23 reads: "Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and set up My flag to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders. And kings will be your guardians, and their princesses your nurses, and you will know that I am the Lord." - Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)