Good Friday, 2026

It’s Friday… But Sunday’s Comin’ The sky darkened over Golgotha as the weight of the world pressed down on a single wooden cross. Nails had pierced hands and feet. Blood and sweat mingled with dust. A crown of thorns pressed into a brow that once rested in a manger. On this solemn day we call Good Friday, we stand in the quiet ache of Jesus’ crucifixion—the brutal culmination of His Passion. The air feels heavy. The silence, deafening. And yet, even in the deepest shadow, a whisper carries forward: It is finished. The Weight of the Cross Picture the scenes the…

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Shepherding Order

From Empathy to Exploitation: The Cycles of Weakness and Renewal In a past that is now lost forever, There was a time when the land was sacred, And the Ancient Ones were as one with it. A time when only the children of the Great Spirit were here To light their fires in these places with no boundaries. When the forests were as thick as the fur of the winter bear, When a warrior could walk from horizon to horizon on the backs of the buffalo. When the deserts were in bloom, and the streams pure as freshly fallen snow. In…

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A Farewell to Gabriel Barkay

The Man Who Let the Dirt Tell the Truth I’ve spent more evenings than I care to count parked in front of the TV, letting ancient Jerusalem rise from the screen like dust off a dig. That was back in the aughts, when The Naked Archaeologist aired-Simcha Jacobovici charging through history like a man possessed, and there, steady as bedrock, was Professor Gabriel Barkay. Calm. Precise. And armed with a dry wit so sharp it could cut through limestone. I laughed out loud more times than I can count, not because the man was a comedian, but because truth delivered deadpan…

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Ishmael Is a Thorn

The Survival Imperative for a Bleeding West The West survives when it finally listens to what’s said in the language meant only for insiders. It was the first night of Hanukkah. On Bondi Beach, under a bright Australian summer sky, Jewish families gathered to light the menorah—children laughing, songs rising, a public celebration of light piercing the darkness. Then the knives came. Fifteen dead, including children and a rabbi. Dozens wounded. The attacker, driven by the same ancient hatred that has stalked Jews for centuries, turned joy into slaughter. Within hours, the responses flooded in. Shock. Condemnation. Calls to fight “hate…

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Quid Est Veritas?

Truth as a First Principle Foreword In the annals of human inquiry, truth stands as the unyielding foundation upon which reason, morality, and existence itself are built. As a first principle, truth is not merely a concept to be regarded or debated; it is the bedrock of rational thought, the self-evident axiom from which all coherent discourse emerges. Without truth, arguments dissolve into absurdity, knowledge becomes illusory, and the moral fabric of society frays. This synthesizes a profound discussion on this theme, drawing upon three enduring pillars: Merlin's solemn warning from the film Excalibur, J.R.R. Tolkien's mythic narrative in The Lord…

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God Will Raise Up a Thorn

God’s Thorn Against the Wicked: The Allegory of Christopher Scarver and Jeffrey Dahmer   On November 28, 1994, in the confines of Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin, a convicted murderer named Christopher Scarver wielded a metal bar and ended the life of Jeffrey Dahmer, one of history’s most notorious serial killers. Dahmer, responsible for the gruesome murders, mutilations, and desecrations of 17 men and boys, was a figure of unparalleled wickedness. Scarver, himself no saint, later claimed he acted on a divine mission, believing God had tasked him with punishing a “monster” who showed no remorse. While we cannot know…

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A Biblical Case for New Christian Zionism

Defending Israel’s Role Without Dispensationalism   As Christians navigate the complex intersection of theology and geopolitics, few topics spark as much debate as Zionism-the belief in the Jewish people’s right to a homeland in the land of Israel. Gerald McDermott’s article in The Federalist (July 15, 2025) offers a compelling thesis: Christians can support Zionism without adhering to dispensationalist theology, a framework often associated with end-times scenarios like the rapture. McDermott’s New Christian Zionism proposes a biblically grounded perspective that affirms Israel’s ongoing role in God’s redemptive plan, rooted in a plain reading of Scripture rather than apocalyptic speculation. This thought…

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Saturday Devotional: Sometimes History Does the Work

Sometimes History Does the Work: A Philosophical Reflection on Time, Legacy, and Peace I wrote this on X: "Sometimes history does the work we wish we'd get to see." The thought set my mind to work, stirring reflections on how our deepest desires-for truth, justice, or progress-may find fulfillment not in our immediate experience, but through the patient labor of history. This idea resonates with the words of Jesus in John 14:1, "Let not your hearts be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me" (King James Version), which calls for trust in a greater plan, even when outcomes seem…

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Israel’s Enduring Fight

Israel’s Enduring Fight From Biblical Lions to Operation Rising Lion The story of Israel’s military history is a saga of survival, resilience, and defiance, stretching from the ancient battlefields of Canaan to the high-tech airstrikes of 2025. Rooted in biblical narratives of divine promise and lion-like strength, Israel’s military tradition has evolved through millennia, shaped by existential threats and a fierce commitment to protect the Jewish homeland.  "Operation Rising Lion," a preemptive assault on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, marked a pivotal chapter in this saga. Named after the biblical imagery of a lioness rising (Numbers 23:24), the operation confronted Iran’s…

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Standing by Saturday

Dateline: Holy Saturday Let’s embark on an exploration of Holy Saturday, a poignant pause in the Christian calendar that rests quietly between the raw grief of Jesus’ crucifixion and the radiant hope of His resurrection. Anchored in the Gospel accounts of Jesus lying in the tomb (Matthew 27:57–66, John 19:38–42), this day invites believers into a sacred space of waiting, reflection, and anticipation for Easter’s promise. Often called a liminal moment, Holy Saturday captures the tomb’s stillness while whispering of the resurrection to come. Across Christian traditions, it unfolds through a vibrant array of practices-vigils, fasting, and preparation-that bridge Good Friday’s…

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