While at college in the University of the Philippines, Quezon City in the 1060s, I used to visit a Protestant church on Taft Avenue in Manila, where I once heard the choir sing an intriguing anthem, titled “Open Our Eyes.”  It was a prayer song asking our loving and compassionate Lord Jesus to open our eyes so that we may behold Him “walking beside us in our sorrows.” And boldly affirming that “Thou hast made death glorious and triumphant!”  And why?  “For through its portals we enter into the presence of the living God.”

Recently I read a devotional on my android phone that reminded me of this anthem.  The devotional began:

Billy Graham died on 21 February 2018 at the age of ninety-nine.  As a messenger of God, he had planned his own funeral very carefully to be a call for people to put their faith in Jesus. He had said beforehand, “Someday you will read that ‘Billy Graham is dead.’ Don’t you believe a word of it.  I shall be more alive than I am now.  I will just have changed my address.  I will have gone into the presence of God.

Graham’s last statement echoes what the apostle Paul wrote to the brethren, in Philippians 1:23 – “For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart [die] and be with Christ [in heaven], which is better [for him, being assured of his salvation].  Nevertheless [for me], to remain in the flesh is more useful for you [as he could continue to reap fruit from his labor with them].  See: “Paul’s Dilemma in Philippians 1:22-24.”]

For all his stature as an evangelist, by saying that at his death he would be more alive than while he had lived on earth, Graham completely missed God’s plain revelation in Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, about the status of the dead:  “For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten [they are completely unconscious], also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished. Nevermore will they have any share in anything under the sun” [emphasis added].

How could Graham be more alive in his death than in his life? It is a contradiction in terms! As I explain in my above-cited article, it is only man’s spirit – not man’s whole person [body, soul and spirit – that goes back to God at one’s death (Ecclesiastes 12:6-7).  [See: “What Happens to Man After Death?”]

Surely, Graham must have studied 1 Corinthians 15 [the “resurrection chapter”], which clearly asserts that we do not receive a spiritual, immortal body like that of Jesus at His resurrection, until Christ returns to earth to set up God’s kingdom here – hopefully soon!  In his enthusiasm to say that he would be more alive in his death than in his life, Graham got his timing wrong!

The author/composer of the anthem “Open Our Eyes” must have had in mind Paul’s desire to depart [die] and be with Christ.  But, as my earlier-cited article explains, Paul had a different context than that of the composer. And certainly, the anthem composer missed what the Bible says Jesus has made “glorious and triumphant.”  Not death, but the saints’ resurrection to life at Christ’s soon return (1 Corinthians 15:51-55)!

In fairness, though, we do “enter into the presence of the living God” when we pray to Him.  It is like appearing before the court of the king in order to offer him our praise or to make our requests known.  If we believe that God is real and alive, we would indeed feel as though we are in His presence when we pray. But it doesn’t take our death in order to experience that!

 

Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
30032026/25042026

 

 

In recent days my wife’s caregiver has been playing “worship songs” sung by a lady singer. The songs have the flavor of modern love songs – in the style of songs our new generation sings to their beloved one.

On the surface, these “praise” songs (as they are also called) proclaim the glory and majesty of God as everlasting Creator, loving Savior from sin and death, sure Guide of our way, Hope in our dark days, etc.  They all sound Okay and legit.

But, as I continue to listen to these songs, in back of my mind I ask, “Is this type of worship really acceptable to God?   Is He really pleased with hearing them?”  Or would the words of Amos 5:23-24 thunder above the crescendo of these praise songs? –

Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.”

Instead, God demands:

But let justice run down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

During His earthly ministry Jesus confronted the hollow worship of the Jewish religious leaders of His day – the Pharisees. He considered their worship as Amos did Israel’s worship in his day. Quoting Isaiah 28:13, Jesus said, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:6-7). Psalm 119:173 plainly says that “All the commandments of God are righteousness.”  In this particular instance, Jesus was reacting to the Jews’ “tradition of men” which they observed strictly, but in doing so they were actually “laying aside the commandment of God” (Mark 7:8).

We could make a similar comment on the contemporary evangelical churches, which promote the type of “praise” songs such as those I hear often played by our caregiver. While these churches sing these “love songs” to God or to Jesus, do they also “lay aside the commandment of God”?

For one thing, most of these churches sing these praise songs during their religious services, which are usually held on Sunday, which they erroneously call “the Lord’s day.”

But this is camouflaging a great transgression of God’s plain commandment in regard to the day of worship He has made: the holy Sabbath day – the seventh day of the week, which most call “Saturday” (Exodus 20:8-11).

Evangelicals reason that the day does not matter, as long as one worships from the heart. But they forget from whose heart their worship on Sundays has arisen. Sunday worship was ordained by the Roman Catholic Church, in direct opposition to the Sabbath of God! [See: “Changing the Times and Law” and “Protestants and Sunday Keeping.”]

The same comment can be made of the evangelicals’ observance of holidays different from the holy days and feasts which God Himself commanded His people to observe (Leviticus 23). [See: https://www.herbert-armstrong.org, click ENTER HERE, select “Books & Booklets,” and scroll down to the booklets titled “God’s Holy Days or Pagan Holidays – Which?” and “Which Day Is the Christian Sabbath?”]

Another “doctrine” or “commandment of men” which evangelicals follow and teach is that regarding the kinds of animal flesh we are to eat as God’s holy people. [See: “Did Christ Cleanse All Meats?”]

Some evangelicals have also been at the forefront in promoting the LGBTQ+ community’s agenda. [See: “The Rainbow Connection” and “The Conversion Therapy Controversy.”]

We need to reflect on Jesus’ words concerning true worship: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:22-24). [See: “True Worship.”]

Jesus said, “Your [God’s] word is truth” (John 17:17). He also said, “The words I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:13).

May all of us learn to worship God acceptably – in spirit and truth!

 

Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
15022026/25042026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Mark 8:36 [“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?”] is one of Jesus Christ’s famous sayings, which is also one of the most difficult to follow.  It has to do with what we consider the “most important thing” in our life.  As we would say, “It is [or It means] the whole world to me!”

To many people, the most important thing in life is “success” – often in terms of financial, social or intellectual status.  It could mean having all the wealth and fame one could obtain.

Now, let me hasten to add that having all this is not wrong by itself, or that it is not God’s will for us.  On the contrary, Jesus commands and promises:  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). By “all things” Jesus meant all our physical needs (food, clothing and shelter, Verse 25).

It is, then, a matter of priorities: what counts first and foremost to us? Jesus says it must be God’s kingdom – our being under or subject to the rule of Christ – and having His righteousness – His power to obey God’s commandments, which are righteousness (Psalm 119:172).

The problem with all of us is one which our first parents. Adam and Eve, found themselves in, because Satan – God’s enemy, in disguise as a wily serpent – got them to disobey God’s prohibition (Genesis 1-3). [See: “Your Eyes Will be Opened!”]

As a result, this present world in which all of us their descendants have lived has all been under Satan’s sway (1 John 5:19). Satan has so thoroughly deceived us that we all have sought after the “world” which he offers: “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:15-16).

Before we become converted (changed) through God’s word and the power of God’s Spirit, we were overwhelmed by the lust of our flesh and eyes which led us to sin or transgress against God’s laws (mostly found in the first five books of the Old Testament of the Holy Bible). We had a “carnal mind,” which is hostile to God’s law (Romans 8:7). All of mankind [except Christ, Hebrews 4:15] has sinned and justly earned the penalty of death (Romans 3:23; 6:23) – the “second death” in the “Lake of fire” at the Last Judgment (Revelation 20:14; 21:8), which is what Jesus meant by “losing one’s own soul.” [See: “The Carnal Mind.”]

Our “pride of life” keeps us from admitting that what we lust after or covet becomes an “idol” which we worship in place of the true God!  The apostle Paul wrote that “covetousness… is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). And Revelation 21:8 lists among those to perish in the “second death” those who are “idolaters” – those who practice idolatry or worship idols.

Whatever one covets or lusts after intensely or even consummates becomes “the whole world” to him – he has “gained” it! But Jesus calls all of us sinners to repent, or else perish (Luke 13:3, 5) – “lose one’s own soul.” Instead, we will receive everlasting life and be saved.

May all that I have written on this website help you on the road to real repentance and salvation in Christ!

 

Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
22032026/29032026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A unique phenomenon which takes place every first week of the year in the Philippines is the feast of the “Black Nazarene.”  Whenever it is held, it hogs the news headlines on TV and in the print media.

For those who may not have heard of the origin of this feast, here’s a brief summary.

The blackened image of a supposed “Jesús Nazareno” (Jesus the Nazarene) has been enshrined in Manila’s Roman Catholic Quiapo Church, whose entrance faces the commodious Plaza Miranda where, traditionally, political campaigns and rallies are staged.  Stories have it that the image of a supposed “El Senor Jesús Nazareno” survived a fire that occurred on one of the Spanish ships (galleons) that plied the Manila-Acapulco, Mexico trade route in the 1800’s. The image became blackened by the fire, but it was not consumed by it, as though through some miracle!

This being the case, many credulous but sincere Roman Catholics here believe that the image supposedly has miraculous powers to heal ailments or grant any other request or prayer of the devotee. This miraculous power supposedly manifests itself most pronouncedly when the image is moved (in what the Spanish call “traslación” – transfer) on a wheeled carriage in a procession from the church to the Philippine National (also called “Quirino”) Grandstand in the Rizal Park, at the edge of the Manila Bay, and back to the church.

The carriage is moved through a stout Manila rope pulled by devoted men, who jostle to have a hand at the rope, believing this will bring them blessings or miracles.  Other devotees clamber up the carriage to touch the image or wipe a hanky or small towel on it. Crowds of other devotees line the streets where the image passes through, hoping to catch a glimpse of “El Senor Jesús Nazareno,” and be blessed.

When the image arrives at the Quirino Grandstand, it is placed on a platform where devotees perform what is called the “pahalík” (literally a “kiss” but figuratively a touch of the hand, a hanky or a towel), to implore some miracle or answer to prayers.     Police personnel by the hundreds are deployed to maintain order, as over a million devotees throng the image there.

Many devotees are ready to testify about answered prayers through their encounter with the image.

The fervor for the Black Nazarene has also caught folks in other capital cities in the country, where replicas of the Black Nazarene are likewise borne in a procession from church to some public plaza, and back.

It’s not just the credulous or simple folks that are devoted to the Black Nazarene.  In fact, a former Vice President of the country was a devout adherent to the image and joined the crowd during the “traslación.”

Is God’s hand in all this?

It can’t be denied that a lot of devotees have experienced all sorts of “miraculous” interventions and answers to their prayers.  But the question is:  “Is God truly involved in all this phenomenon?”  Is the hand of God truly in all this?

A key or “touch stone” to check where a doctrine or practice comes from is Isaiah 8:20 –

To the law [the “Pentateuch” or first five books of the Old Testament] and to the testimony [the prophets – see Revelation 19:10]: If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light [truth] in them!

What does the law of God say about setting up and worshiping images – whether of man or any other creature?  The second of God’s Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:4-6) plainly says:

 You shall not make for yourself a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above [including man’s idea of God’s appearance], or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the waters under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them.  For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

The Roman Catholic Church has removed the above-quoted commandment from its version of the Ten Commandments.  That is why the church at Quiapo  — as in other Roman Catholic churches worldwide – has a carved image of a supposed Christ at its altar as the focus of worship. [See: “Changing the Times and the Law.”]

How, then, could God Himself ever be involved in this Filipino phenomenon, even though it appropriates the name of Jesus the Nazarene?  No way! 2 Corinthians 6:12-14 answers with a question:

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness [the keeping of God’s commandments, Psalm 119:172] with lawlessness?  And what communion has light with darkness?  And what accord has Christ with Belial [a false god, even the devil himself]? Or what part has believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?

The answer, of course, is NO!  Paul adds (Verse 17): “Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord, ‘do not touch what is unclean.’”

A miracle is something that cannot be explained in physical terms; that is why it is also called a “wonder.” But not all miracles and wonders come from God. The Bible says that Satan the devil himself can also perform miracles; but God calls them “lying wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:9) – wonders done with all “unrighteous deception,”  to deceive people who do not have “the love of the truth”  and therefore will have “strong delusion” (Verse 11).

Jesus spoke of Satan the devil as the “father” of the Jews who did not believe in Him. Jesus said of Satan as “a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him…he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44). Through his lies Satan caused our first parents, Adam and Eve, to eat the fruit of the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” – thereby sinning and earning the death penalty (Genesis 2:8-17; 3:1-19).

Throughout man’s history, Satan has led mankind in all manner of false and idolatrous worship. Jesus says that we are to worship God “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). Satan has deceived the whole world and has it under his dread sway (Revelation 12:0; 1 John 5:19) into false worship and disobedience to God’s commandments.

1 John 3:21-22 tells us:  “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us [because our conscience is clear], we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” Furthermore, Proverbs 15:29 says, “The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayers of the righteous [those who obey His commandments, Psalm 119:172; Luke 1:5-6].”  Proverbs 28:9 also says, “One who turns his ear from hearing the law [of God], even his prayer is an abomination [a hateful thing to Him].”

Therefore, if we pray while disobeying God’s commandments – as Black Nazarene devotees do   — and receive “answers” to our prayers, we should wonder as to where those answers come from!  They most certainly don’t come from the true God Almighty, but rather from His enemy – the great deceiver Satan the devil, who is capable of performing “lying wonders!”

Another indication that the black Nazarene cult is not from the Spirit of God is the confusion  that has resulted in people getting hurt, even dying, because of the jostling and pressing of the crowd that wants to get as close to the image as they can.  Sometimes public and private properties are damaged.  The apostle Paul was inspired by God to write:  “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Corinthians 14:32).  If God is not the author of the confusion attending the Black Nazarene cult, then who is?  None other than Satan the devil, who is also called a “Destroyer” [the Greek Apollyon or Hebrew Abaddon, Revelation 9:11).

The true “sect of the Nazarene”

The Book of Acts recounts the incident of the apostle Paul and his companions being hailed to the Roman governor Felix by some Jewish religious leaders, who accused Paul of being “a plague, a creator of dissension among all Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarene” (Acts 24:5-7).

Paul, however, denied the accusation as being untrue, and said that “I worship the God of our fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.  I have hope in God which they [the Jews] themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. This being so, I always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and man” (Verses 14-16).

How different is this sect from the Black Nazarene cult? By an unbridgeable gulf!

Revelation 21:8 and 22:14-16 says that unrepentant people who are liars and who love and practice a lie will be cast into a “lake of fire,” which is the second death” – and will be excluded from the Holy City – the New Jerusalem – and denied access to the “tree of life.”

This being the truth of God, I call on you, dear readers who may have been involved in the idolatrous worship of the “Black Nazarene” – or any other form of idolatry – to repent from the heart for this sin, ask for God’s forgiveness through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus at Calvary, and receive His Holy Spirit to help you walk in the way of righteousness and truth – and be saved!

 

Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
29012026/16022026

 

 

 

In Felix Bartholdy-Mendelssohn’s oratorio The Elijah, is a plaintive (of course!) soprano-and-alto duet, “I Waited for the Lord,” taken from Psalm 4:1, 4 — “I waited for the LORD; He inclined unto me. He heard my complaint, He heard my complaint. O, blessed are they that hope and trust in Him!”

Sometimes we are in a fix where we do not have time to verbalize to God our cry for help. Even in such a situation, our all-compassionate, ever-merciful God sees our problem or dilemma, how our body “complains,” and promptly moves to send the needed help. Indeed, as another song encourages, “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” Jesus assures that we humans are of much greater value in God’s eyes than the birds of the air (Matthew 6:25-27; 10:29-31; Luke 12:6-7, 22-25).

I had previously written an article on this website, in which I recalled a Peter-like situation in my early childhood where I was in no condition to verbally cry out to God, “Lord, save me!” as the apostle Peter did when he began to sink in the waters of the Sea of Galilee while walking with Christ on the water but he suddenly lost faith when he looked at the turbulent waves (Matthew 14::22-31). But God saved me just the same! [See: “Just Like Peter – Part 1.”]

In this present article, I recount another episode in my younger days which sheds light on Psalm 4:1, 4.

I was then in my late elementary school or early high school days in my home town, Cagayan, Misamis Oriental (now Cagayan de Oro City|), the northern gateway to the country’s southern island, Mindanao. Our Boy Scouts troop decided to go on a hiking and camping weekend. That night, my buddies set up our tent by the Cagayan River.  I had only a thin tarpaulin-like sheet to lie on (plastic was not yet the vogue), and only a thin blanket to cover me. Then it happened!

In the morning, I was utterly shocked when I awoke and I could not move my body; I felt like I was a stiff sheet of plywood!  The cold of the damp ground must have gotten into my back and my whole body, rendering it paralyzed!

It was then that a sudden thought came to my mind, to ask my tent-mates to fetch water from the river, boil it, and give me a cup or glass of the warm water to drink.

I had never, ever thought about what this would do to me, but at the moment it seemed to me the right thing to do, to fight cold with heat.  As soon as the warm water reached my tummy, I felt my abdomen suddenly perk up, and I could then move my body and my arms! I learned later that this part of my abdomen is where the “solar plexus” is, a sensitive network of nerves that control the visceral organs, and is connected to the spinal cord, a network of nerves directly connected to the brain, and controls the muscles of the body.

I fully believe it was God who placed the thought in my mind, to ask my tent-mates to do as they did.  He heard my body’s complaint! And I am still alive today, (now 84, going on 85) to tell you about it, after it happened some 70 years ago!

This illustrates what the “sweet psalmist,” Israel’s King David, wrote in Psalm 139:1-6 (NKJV, emphasis added):

O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down.
And are acquainted with all my ways;
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But, behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
You have judged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

A more recent episode, in February 2018, shows the same power of God to help as my body “complains,” without me uttering or just thinking a prayer.

It happened one sweltering, hot afternoon in our now 29-year home here in Angono, Rizal.  At that time, I was still feeling very strong, even at my age then (I had just turned 76), for I could still climb the large guava tree outside the northeast corner of our perimeter wall, to harvest ripe fruits or prune branches, and do other vigorous chores, like doing carpentry or cleaning our water tank. [Over the years that tree was attacked by some blight, withered and has been cut down.]  We had just bought a truckload of sand for some concreting project here, and it was dumped on the street, near the edge of the sidewalk. I decided that, rather than hiring an extra hand, I myself would do the task of hauling the pile of sand to a free space in our garage, which is up on an elevation of less than a meter from street level, since our duplex house sits on a hilltop.

So, there I was, carrying a bucket of sand about 10 kilos with my left hand, and another 20 kilos with my right hand. I had just negotiated the some 25-degree incline ramp to the garage, when I suddenly felt a popping or snapping sensation on the right side of my brain!  “I just had a stroke!” I thought to myself, although I didn’t know exactly what happened to me. But I was aware that I had issues with an elevated blood pressure, which I had left unaddressed medically because of a residual Worldwide Church of God ( WCG) tradition of divine healing (James 5:14-15).

As I was slowly falling on my left side, just behind our parked car, a thought came to me – call it human instinct, or God’s unspoken word – to brace the left side of my head with my right hand, so as not to bang my head on the concrete pavement, thereby avoiding possible further damage to my brain.

I called out to my wife Paz, who was lying on our living room sofa, to come and help me get up on my feet and walk to the house.  I then asked her to call our next-door neighbor, Medardo Maninang — a former co-employee in our WCG office – to request him to bring me in their van to the nearest hospital for my immediate medical attention. God knew I would need my neighbor’s help, so He made sure he was available! But when we reached the local medical center, it could not take me in because they had no Intensive Care Unit (ICU), nor a CT-scanner.  I was referred to the neighboring town’s tertiary Binangonan Lakeview Hospital (BLH) and rushed there.

At the BLH I underwent intensive care plus physical and speech therapy for some two weeks, after which I was well enough to be brought home to recover further.  Our three daughters and their husbands pooled their resources together to augment my Phil-Health subsidy, senior citizen’s discount, and my late sister Mimi’s contribution, for us to be able to pay the hefty hospital bills and be allowed to check out.

At my request, my now late pastor friend in Davao City, in Mindanao, Edmond Macaraeg, sent me an anointed “prayer cloth” for my healing (following Paul’s example in Acts 19:11-12).  God knows well the complaints of my body, and our pocket books, as a result of my stroke — what with the considerable cost of medications, food supplements, caregivers, medical consultations and laboratory tests, etc.  And I still look to Him, in faith, to complete my healing – if not in my lifetime, then certainly in the resurrection to immortal (sickness-free) life at Christ’s return in glory (1 Corinthians 15:50-54).

God surely knows the complaint of the fingers in my left hand, which has lost its former skills in playing the musical keyboard, and “touch-typing” (using all fingers systematically) on the computer or laptop keyboard.

I long to be able again to “play skillfully upon the strings” as God encourages or commands in Psalm 33:2-3 (Scottish Psalter version). Before my stroke, I was already playing advanced-level classical piano pieces such as Elgar’s “Salut d’Amour,” Lecuoña’s “Malagueña” and Grieg’s “Notturno” and was essaying Debussy’s “Arabesque #1.” I used this skill to render special music as “offertory”during our WCG festivals and our family gatherings. Hopefully our neighbors in our subdivision miss the tinkling of our Wurlitzer bantam piano when I used to give them free classical piano “recitals” – or, maybe, they thank me for no longer “torturing” them with my playing of Hanon’s “scales!”

I also used to be able to “touch-type” at an average of about 70 words per minute on an electric typewriter or a computer/laptop keyboard, with about 95% accuracy.  I used this skill to advantage as the WCG’s mainstay “personal correspondent,” answering the questions about the Bible and other matters sent in by WCG literature readers or TV/radio audience. Using fresh research or our office’s stock answers, I could type more than a dozen ready-to-mail letters each working day. After I retired from employment at WCG, my writing and typing skills were put to use in starting and maintaining this website you are now logged on to.

Now, since my stroke, I have regressed to the primitive “hunt-and-peck” system of typing, using mostly my right middle finger to type the keyboard letters and figures plus the functions [tab, return, enter, cap lock, direction arrows, etc.], and my right thumb to press the space bar. About the only thing my left middle finger is able to contribute to the whole business is to hold the shift key on either side whenever I need to use the capital keys, and the Control (Ctl) key for uploading data. With this handicap I commit a lot of errors, which take time and patience to edit and correct.

Despite everything, I thank God that I am still able to crank out at least one new article each month for this website. I would appreciate your prayers for my complete healing and the effectiveness of this website ministry. Many thanks!

My point here is not to minimize or forget about regular, daily prayers to God and periodic fasting — to praise and thank Him for Who He is and what He has done for us and all of mankind, to confess our sins and ask for forgiveness, and to pray for the needs of others and ourselves. It is also important to read, study, and meditate on God’s word, the Holy Scriptures. This continual communion or “contact” with God makes us so close to Him like a Friend who knows our complaints, that even though we are not able to verbalize them, He hears and intervenes in His own time and way. What an awesome God we serve!

I trust that, through this my testimony, you, my dear readers, will also “see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD” (Psalm 40:3), and be blessed (Verse 4)!

 

Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
11012026/18012026

 

 

 

One of the puzzling Scripture passages is that about Noah cursing Canaan, son of his younger son Ham (Genesis 9:18; 10:6). Earlier, in Genesis 9:21-27, we see a situation where Noah got drunk from wine which he, apparently, had made from his own vineyard. As a result, Noah was found naked (however it happened is not clear) inside his tent. Ham saw him in that condition and told his two brothers, Shem and Japheth, about it (Verse 10). Ham’s brothers then took a garment, robe or tunic and, walking backward to where their father lay so they would not see his nakedness, they covered him.

In Verse 24 we see Noah sobering up from his drunken stupor, and recalling what “his younger son had done to him.” Then suddenly, in Verse 25, we see Noah cursing his grandson Canaan, instead of Ham!

Why did Noah do this, if it was Ham, not Canaan (as far as the text appears to say) who saw him naked?

God’s perfect judgment

Ezekiel 14:14 confirms that Noah was judged by God to be a righteous man, as were Job and Daniel. That is to say that, overall, Noah obeyed God’s law (Psalm 119:172; Genesis 6:8-9), although in a moment of weakness he obviously sinned by becoming drunk (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). We can assume that he repented of that and is assured of his eternal reward (Hebrews 11:7).

Ezekiel 18:20 judges that “…the son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son.” This echoes Deuteronomy 24:16, “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to death for his own sin.”

If Ham merely – even unintentionally – saw his father’s nakedness, why did Noah react as strongly as he did?  And why the curse on Canaan instead – thus contradicting this said law?

Noah was reacting to a more serious offense done (actively, not just passively, as in merely looking) to him by his “younger son.”  The Hebrew of this phrase, however, can be taken to also mean “grandson.”

Therefore, it appears more likely the case that it was Canaan who did something so grave to his grandfather that it caused him to justly pronounce a dire curse on Canaan!

A key to understanding this is the principle in God’s second commandment (Exodus 20:4). Here God warns that He will visit the iniquity or sin of the fathers upon the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him. In addition, Jesus’ words “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matthew 7:20) could apply here too.

The sin or iniquity of the fathers visited on the children and grandchildren and even great grandchildren may, in some cases, be a matter of heredity – through the genes. But in more cases, it is the influence – the environment in the family, especially the examples parents set for their children, and other factors – through which the descendants’ traits of personality and behavior are shaped.  As a saying puts it, children often learn more from what is “caught” than what is “taught – especially in terms of attitudes and perspectives!  In our times today the “Media” has also played a big part in the development of our youth, not to forget the influence of the church and school and friends, too.

If we examine the iniquity or sin of Canaan’s early descendants (his “fruits”), we may have a clue to Canaan’s sin, for which Noah cursed him. Genesis 10:19 says, the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.”

The infamous people of Sodom and Gomorrah, therefore, apparently descended from Canaan (the “tree” on which the “fruits” grew)! And they are historically notorious for their homosexual excesses, as Abraham’s nephew Lot knew up close (Genesis 19:1-25; 2 Peter 2:6-8).  In fact, homosexual acts are often called “sodomy,” and the action word is “sodomize!”

It appears that Canaan must have stood by, watching his grandfather Noah getting drunk. Wine (or any alcoholic drink in general) often goes hand in hand with illicit sex. A Filipino adage says, “Kapag may alak, may balak!” This can be translated into English roughly as: “Where there is whiskey, there’s a wishy!” or “Where there is beer, there may be a queer!”

Habakkuk 2:15 pronounces: “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, pressing him to your bottle, even to make him drunk, that you may look on his nakedness.”

It is, therefore, quite possible that Canaan did not merely see the nakedness of his drunk grandfather Noah, but he actually committed a form of sodomy on him! But Noah became sober enough to see and remember what Canaan had done to him, and thus the curse.

Leviticus 18 and 20 has God instructing His servant Moses to teach the people of Israel about His moral laws, laws regarding sexuality, warning them not to do according to the wicked ways of Egypt and Canaan. Then follows a series of cases of incestuous acts (against close relatives). And these evil sexual acts are declared euphemistically as “to uncover his (or her) nakedness.”

And, of course, there is God’s clear prohibition against homosexual or same-sex relations, in Leviticus 16:22; 20:13, which cannot happen without also uncovering the partner’s nakedness, or the partner becoming naked by himself.  It may possibly have happened that, when Canaan saw his grandfather drunk, he uncovered him and sodomized him! And that may be why Ham saw his father lying naked.

Noah thus justly cursed Canaan for his own abominable offense against his grandfather, not Ham’s merely seeing Noah naked. If Ham had not seen him thus, he could not have told his brothers (who were outside the tent) about it, and they could not have covered him. Why didn’t Ham himself cover his father’s nakedness? The Bible does not tell us. He may have been taken aback, and left it to his brothers to cover the embarrassing situation. And Noah was sober enough not to curse Ham for such a less serious act of disrespect than that of Canaan. Nevertheless, could Ham’s neglect have been a reason why Ham was excluded from Noah’s blessing, which was pronounced only on Shem and Japheth (Genesis 9:26-27)?

 Canaan’s curse

Noah’s curse on Canaan was that his descendants would become servants (even slaves) of the children of Shem and Japheth, whom he thus blessed for covering his nakedness (Genesis 9:25-27). Indeed, those Canaanites whom the children of Israel refused to destroy but allowed to remain alive became Israel’s proverbial “hewers of wood and drawers of water” (Joshua 9:21-27).

Now, there’s nothing evil or bad about being a servant to others.  In fact, Jesus said, “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11). Being a “slave,” on the other hand, implies coercion, and burdensome servitude, as the children of Israel suffered while strangers in Egypt (Exodus 1:1-14, etc.). Spiritually, we can also become slaves to sin (Romans 6:20, “servants” here being from the Greek doulos, meaning slave), and that brings us to bondage and suffering. Jesus came to save us from such slavery, as Moses did the children of Israel from Egypt.

This leaves Ham himself in some kind of “limbo,” although he may have contributed something to the way Canaan turned out to be. Ham was also father to Mizraim (Genesis 10:6), who in turn was the ancestor of the mighty Egyptians (Genesis 50:11), whose archeological footprints betray their own share of homosexuality! Could this perhaps have contributed to why Ham was not included in Noah’s blessing, as mentioned earlier? Only God knows for sure, and He will judge Ham accordingly, and justly!  We could fault Noah, too, for Ham’s moral failings; we could, in fact, trace human sin up the genealogical ladder, to Adam!

Who knows where else the surviving descendants of Canaan may have gone today? If we know where the descendants of Shem and Japheth are today, we might likely find, among their servants and slaves, remnants of the Canaanites! [See, for example: https://www.herbert-armstrong.org, click ENTER HERE, select “Books & Booklets,” and scroll down to the booklet or book titled “The United States and Britain in Prophecy.”]

May this be a stern warning to homosexuals (whatever your race may be) that, if you persist in your attitude and behavior, and do not repent or change to righteous living, you are cursed to become slaves to others, or to your sexual partners and your lusts, and to suffer the eternal consequence of sin.

But the good news: there is sure hope in Jesus Christ for redemption and freedom from our sin and bondage and from the dire consequence: the “lake of fire” or the “second death” and thus being excluded from God’s kingdom (Romans 1:21-27; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Revelation 21:8; 22:15; 23:17-18; Deuteromy 23:17-18), “dogs” here meaning abominable “sodomites,” not merely being non-Israelites or uncircumcised (Matthew 15: 21, 26; Galatians 5:15)! See: “The Rainbow Connection,” “The Conversion Therapy Controversy,” “Should Everyone Be Allowed to Be Who They Are?” and “The Carnal Mind.”

 

Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
21062025/02082025

 

 

As I write, I am 83, going on 84, which I will be in December this year. By the time this article is published, I will have been fully 84 years old!

Shortly before his death, Israel’s greatest Old Testament prophet Moses wrote a psalm about aging among “the children of men” (Psalm 90:5-12, NKJV):

In the morning they are like grass which grows up:
In the morning it flourishes and grows up,
In the evening it is cut down and withers.

For we have been consumed by Your anger,
And by Your wrath we are terrified.
You have set our iniquities before You,
Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance,
For our days are seventy years [KJV, “threescore years and ten”]
And if by strength they are eighty years [KJV, “fourscore”],
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow.
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Who knows the power of Your anger
For the fear of You is Your wrath:
We finish our days like a sigh.
So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Since the stroke which I suffered in February 2018, I have felt my life to be “only labor and sorrow” (Psalm 90:10)!  Not only that, the wife of my youth, now fully 85, has been suffering from dementia for some years now, a condition some have called “second childhood.” Her younger sister is in the same condition, as is my own elder sister.

“Second childhood” describes a state of super-elderly folks where they are almost totally dependent on other people like a child for such basic physical necessities as bathing oneself, going to the toilet, even being spoon-fed at meals, and being helped with ordinary human movements like sitting down, standing up, walking, going up and down steps, getting down to bed and up, getting dressed or undressed, etc. Some, unable to stand and walk, have to be moved around in a wheelchair, as is the case with my wife, after she broke her hipbone socket from a bad fall.

I thank God that my health has not deteriorated to a point where I need this kind of help. But I do have a caregiver or two to assist me in getting in and out of vehicles, keeping an eye while I take walks, being updated with my medications, driving our car, doing home repairs, etc.

Nevertheless, I feel a sense of me being reduced to a state of dependence on others almost likea child, although not as much as my wife, and others in a condition like hers. This got me to thinking that, perhaps this is part of God’s plan to give old folks a “heart of wisdom” and prepare them to meet their God.

Jesus said: “…unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:2-4). By becoming “as little children,” Christ meant dependence on and trust in God – as children naturally have with their parents. But God also    inspired His prophet Jeremiah to write: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD” (Jeremiah 17:5).

However, this does not mean that God cannot use men [and women, too] to help people in need of help! It’s a matter of priority — who do we look up to first and foremost, and ultimately for our salvation, to help us?

How would God judge those who are in their “second childhood,” or close to it? We can learn from how God judged the people of Israel when they sinned by complaining against Moses, and ultimately God Himself, in the wilderness. The account is recorded in Numbers 14:26-33. Here those who came out of Egypt aged 20 years old and above, except Caleb and Joshua, were excluded from entering the Promised land. Only those below age 20, the ‘little ones,” eventually reached that land (Verses 29-31).

It would then appear that God will judge those in their “second childhood,” or thereabouts, according to their works while, as full-grown adults, they still had full control of their mind and body.  But not now, when they have become “as little children.” [See: “Judged by Our Works.’]

It is a great source of consolation, for those who, in their old age, feel weak and dependent, to ponder the apostle Paul’s testimony, in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10:

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me: ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Thus, after all his struggles, Paul could say: “I have fought a good fight.  I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness [symbol for everlasting life], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me in that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8; compare with 1 Corinthians 15:50-54).

We should also be greatly strengthened by the magnificent promise in Romans 8:31-39, that, with Christ’s love, we would be, and are, “more than conquerors” in our struggle with our sins and other challenges, and make it into God’s kingdom.

“…to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen” (Romans 16:27)!

 

Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
18072025/02082025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been the belief of Protestants or evangelicals that our works cannot save or justify us. And their standard weapon or defense is Ephesians 2:8, where the apostle Paul says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Protestants take this to mean that our works, often equated with the keeping of God’s commandments and laws, cannot save us or make us just. Thus, Protestants react negatively whenever the word “law” or “commandment” or “work” is mentioned. They would readily label a person who brings up any of these words as a “legalist,” and the practice as “legalism.” [See: “Just What Do You Mean – Legalism?”]

As some have rightly pointed out, this Protestant interpretation of Scripture minimizes or even overlooks the verse that follows Ephesians 2:8. Verse 9 says: “For we are His [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” [See: “Saved for Good Works.”]

And why are our good works essential to our salvation?

Because our evil works – our sins – have earned all of us the penalty of death for all eternity (Romans 3:23; 6:23).  Unless we receive forgiveness of our sins through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross at Calvary, this penalty will hang over our head (Romans 5:9; Ephesians 1:7)! “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord,” Paul adds. [See: “The Ransomed of the LORD.”   May this be something for those who observe the non-Biblical Christmas holiday this month of December to ponder about why Christ came into the world as a human Being.]

Thus, as the apostle James [Christ’s half-brother] rightly points out, our faith in Christ should lead us to do good works (James 2:14, 17-20). He famously writes: “Faith without works is dead!” Because this does not line up with his theology, Protestantism’s founder Martin Luther  is said to have wanted James’ epistle to be deleted from the New Testament and the whole Bible, clearly contradicting God’s stern warning in Revelation 22:19 not to add to, or subtract from, God’s written revelation.

Protestantism’s hero, the apostle Paul himself, asks, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin [transgress God’s law – do evil works] that grace may abound?” His resounding answer: “Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life [no longer practicing sin or evil works]” (Romans 6:1-4).  Protestants have also overlooked Romans 2:13, which says, “(for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified…”

John 5:27-30 clearly shows that, when Jesus Christ returns to judge the earth, He will righteously judge all of mankind according to our works: “…those who have done good, to [obtain] the resurrection of life [everlasting], and those who have done evil, to the resurrection to condemnation [judgment, to take place after Christ’s 1000-year rule on earth (Revelation 20:5, 11-12). [See: “This Is Not the Only Day of Salvation.”] Peter also wrote: “…then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,” (2 Peter 2:9).

Revelation 20:12, 13 reinforces this: “And I saw the dead small and great, standing before God, and the books [Greek, biblia] were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by the things which are written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them, and they were judged according to their works.” Verse 15 concludes: “And anyone not found in the Book of Life [where those who have done good works are listed] was cast into the lake of fire [the “second death,” Verse 14].”

Long before John and Peter, God had inspired Israel’s wisest king, Solomon, to write: “For God will bring every work into judgment, including the secret things [our thoughts and desires], whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14).

In Verse 13 Solomon wrote: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter [which he had written beforehand]: Fear God and keep His commandments. For this is man’s all” [or duty, as some other versions put it]. [See: “Moses and Jesus – Are They Contraries?” and “Can We Fear and Love God at the Same Time?”]

 

Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
11072025/02082025

 

 

As most of mainstream Christianity celebrates “All Saints’ Day” and “All Souls’ Day” late this year 2025, I thought it would be timely to review what the apostle Paul wrote to the brethren or saints in Philippi: “For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better [for Paul, this meant his sure reward of everlasting life]. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh [to be still physically alive] is needful for you [so he could see more  ‘fruit from my labor,’ Verse 22].”

From this Scripture passage, mainstream Christians have believed and taught that, at death, our supposed “immortal soul” departs from our body, and goes to “be with Christ” [or the Lord], who is now in heaven. Thus, the common belief is that such dead Christians somehow can look down from their heavenly place and have some contact with their living loved ones here on earth.

What does the “whole counsel of God” [as Paul declared, in Acts 20:27] tell us about this matter?

Having been well-trained in the Old Testament teachings, Paul fully understood that it was his “spirit,” of which he wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:11, that – at death — would return to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:6-7)). And, as one assured of his salvation in Christ, Paul believed that his spirit would join the “general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven” – the assembly of “the spirits of just men made perfect” (|Hebrews 12:23). [See: “What Happens to Man After Death?” This explains that we human beings do not have an “immortal soul.” See also: “The Book of Life.” This explains that, at death, the spirits of those who are unjust or not yet saved or made perfect in Christ join a different “assembly” –also somewhere in heaven – to await their judgment at the end of the ages.]

Paul desired to “depart” from his fleshly body [to die] at that point in his ministry. But, because the brethren in the church in Corinth had a number of spiritual issues, which he addressed in both his letters to them, he felt it was more needful for him to remain alive so that he could continue to help them become fruitful in the Spirit of God.  Paul would have taught them about the “fruit” of that Spirit, as he did with the brethren in Galatia (Galatians 5:22-26).

On “All Souls’ Day” Roman Catholics especially light candles at the graveside of their loved ones who they believe are in “purgatory” and offer prayers that these departed ones would eventually move from there to heaven.  [See: “This Is Not the Only Day of Salvation.”]

How reassuring that indeed God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), and be saved!

 

Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
14112025/25102025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I write, I had just begun my second round of cover-to-cover reading of my NKJV Bible for the year. After going through Genesis 8 and 9, I suddenly came up with a number of questions I had never asked before. Neither had I encountered similar questions, in the many years I served as the WCG (Worldwide Church of God) Regional Office’s main “personal correspondent,” that it was my duty and privilege to answer. [See: “Just Like Peter – Part 2,” section “A lifeline is dropped,” paragraphs 17-18.]

Question #1: How could the birds of the air have all died when God made it rain on the earth 40 days and 40 nights, resulting in a worldwide flood to destroy extremely corrupt and violent mankind in Noah’s day (Genesis 7:12, etc.)?  When the birds saw Noah’s ark floating as the flood waters rose, would they not have found it natural or instinctive to alight on the roof of the ark for safety?  Even if there was not enough room there for all the birds, at least a good number of them would have found a spot, even if they had to jostle and fight for it.

I pondered how I would answer the person who might ask about Genesis 7:21-22 (emphasis mine) —

 

And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both men and cattle, creeping things and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth.

 

• Forty days and nights being soaked in the rain would have caused the birds to experience extreme cold – hypothermia. If this did not kill them, something else would.
• Birds have a very fast metabolism. This means that they need to eat every now and again in order to survive. Without food for 40 days, they would have starved to death! Unlike them, the birds inside the ark had food aplenty (Genesis 6:21).
• Could aquatic birds, like penguins, have survived because they could find food in the water, and survive extreme cold? Even if they could find food, they would have to be always on the water, and possibly over-fatigue would kill them, because there was no land on which they could rest, as is their natural habitat.
• Even if predatory birds, like eagles, preyed on the smaller, milder birds and ate their flesh or the corpses of birds that had died earlier, these predatory birds’ food supply would not last 40 days and, in the end, they would still have died from starvation, if not from hypothermia.

Question #2: After the flood had subsided, and Noah and all those with him in the ark went out to dry land, Genesis 8:20 says: “And Noah began to be a farmer and he planted a vineyard.”

How could Noah have planted a grape vine, if all herbaceous and similar plants probably died after they had been soaked during the 40 days of rain, and the flood waters that prevailed for 140 days (Genesis 7:24)?  True, the sturdier plants like trees evidently survived, as Genesis 8:11 shows that the dove which Noah released the second time came back with a “freshly plucked olive leaf” in its beak. But would this have been the same with the less sturdy grape vine?

• As, apparently, a  wine enthusiast (Genesis 9:21), and a farmer besides, Noah could have brought with him into the ark grape seeds or cuttings of the grape vine, and placed these latter in a jar of water to survive all the 190 days in the ark. Who knows if he could even have had a grape seedling or more with him?
• After the flood, the earth would have been covered with tons of debris from dead bodies and plants. How could Noah have planted a vineyard in such an environment? If Noah had grape seeds or seedlings, he could have kept them until the soil was ready. Let’s not forget that God is able to heal the land (2 Kings 20:3) in His miraculous ways!

Question #3: When Noah began to be a farmer (Genesis 9:20), he surely did not just plant a vineyard, but also grains, fruits, and vegetables for daily sustenance. Where did he get the seeds or stocks for these?

• Noah could have been inspired by God to store up such seeds and stocks as they would need for planting after the flood. There is today a “Project Noah’s Ark” which seeks to preserve seeds of food and other essential plants inside a frozen cave for cold storage, so that future generations that would survive the much-feared coming worldwide holocaust might have resource to grow food again after “the dust settles.” Doesn’t this show that people today think as Noah might have thought?
• Could not God just command or say the word again, as He did in Genesis 1:11-12, and grass (including grain food), herbs, fruit trees, etc. would spring up? “With God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37)!

 

Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
19062025/28062025