There’s a serious slump in home sales in America, threatening to engulf us all in a serious recession. Roman Catholicism offers desperate homeowners an idol to revere that is widely believed to bring you a sale: a “St Joseph” icon.
You bury this little image somewhere in the yard. And wait for someone to come and make an offer.
The Sacramento Bee reports that these little idols are flying off the shelves as anxious homeowners try to get out from under their huge mortgage loads by getting rid of their big houses they now realize are too extravagant.
The reason why the husband of the virgin Mary is chosen to inspire this supposed miracle is that in the Gospel of Matthew he is identified as a “carpenter,” a house-builder. Details are given: he has four sons, their names included: James, Joses, Simon, and Judas (not the Iscariot; 13:55). Joseph was a hard-working, humble peasant “teknon.”
The idea now is that “Joseph” is in heaven ready to bless those who revere him as a “saint.” The bottom line of course is the idea of natural immortality of human beings; the belief that Joseph is not dead. When his body died (the Bible makes clear that the real Joseph died before Jesus laid down His own carpenter tools and went to be baptized by John the Baptist, to began His public ministry), Joseph’s soul went to heaven, it is supposed, and works these miracles to strengthen people’s belief in natural immortality. But God has taken care to enlighten people with truth: the falsehood of natural immortality opens the door wide to Spiritualism and God would save us from this deception.
Enter the Book of Daniel, the book which Jesus singled out as especially worthy of our “reading” and “understanding” (Matt. 24:15).
In chapter 8 God sent to the prophet a heavenly angel who told him of the rise of a supposedly Christian power that imports a revival of pagan idolatry—the “little horn” (vss. 9ff). Paganism is described as “the daily” or “the continual in transgression” which is lifted up and exalted by the “little horn” (Heb., rum). Five times Daniel informs us of the career of this infiltrating paganism (8:11-13; 11:31; 12:11).
But there is glorious good news: in “the time of the end” (which is now, 11:35; 12:4), God will have a people loyal to His truth who will be “wise. They will shine “as the brightness of the firmament” and will “turn many to righteousness,” “as the stars forever and ever” (12:3). What a wonderful career to have in these last days!
There’s a job opening for people who cherish that faith—now. Wherever you are—work at home, by faith. God is calling; listen, and respond!
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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