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Particulars
of Christianity:
315
Global Conspiracy (and Freemasonry)
Conspiracy:
What does the Bible Say?
Intro:
A Biblical Look at "Conspiracy"
Conspiracy:
What does the Bible Say?
Conspiracy
Against God in the End Times
Revelation
Records the Conspiracy
The
Lifespan of the Conspiracy (Part 1)
The
Lifespan of the Conspiracy (Part 2)
Mystery:
The Religion of the Conspirators (Part 1)
Mystery:
The Religion of the Conspirators (Part 2)
Part
1: Mystery Religion in Modern Groups
Part
2: Financial Influence and Freemasonry
Part
3: The Great Merchants and Global Deception
Conspiracy
Study Reference and Research Section
Controlling
the News: Goldberg and Quigley
The
verse we're going to start off with might seem a little backward
at first, but let's take a look.
(NIV) Isaiah 8:12 "Do not call conspiracy everything
that these people call conspiracy; do not fear what
they fear, and do not dread it.
(KJV) Isaiah 8: 12 Say ye not, A confederacy,
to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy;
neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
In our study and conversation regarding the existence of a
global conspiracy, we have heard this verse quoted in an attempt
to convince us that Christians should NOT concern themselves
with conspiracy theories. But is that what this verse is saying?
First, let's examine the premise.
Premise A: Isaiah 8:12 teaches us not to believe in
ANY conspiracy.
Now, I know this premise has been worded to convey the extreme
position that "Christians should believe NO conspiracy." Why
have we worded it that way? Well, consider what would happen
if we were to word it more moderately.
Premise B: Isaiah 8:12 teaches us NOT to believe in
SOME conspiracies.
By moving to a more moderate position, opponents of conspiracy
theories would lose any reason for citing this verse. In other
words, the more moderate premise allows Christians to believe
in some conspiracies. In fact, if this more moderate position
represents an appropriate interpretation of the text, then
Isaiah 8 actually instructs us to be selective in which conspiracies
we believe. And that would require us to scrutinize and investigate
conspiracy claims.
The point is that a more moderate rendering of the premise
actually creates an opposite interpretation of the passage.
Only Premise A would prohibit us from investigating
conspiracy theories since we would theoretically be prohibited
from believing any of them. Premise B would indicate
for us to investigate conspiracy theories in order to determine
which ones we ought to reject and which ones we ought to accept.
And so we have rendered Premise A using such extreme
wording. Isaiah 8:12 only works as proof that Christians should
not be concerned with conspiracies if and only if it tells
us not to believe in ANY conspiracy. If we can believe in
some conspiracies, then this verse in no way prohibits Christians
from investigating conspiracies. It would only instruct us
to be careful about which ones to believe.
So, does this passage from Isaiah 8 tell us not to believe
in or investigate any conspiracy theory? Not at all. First,
the word for "conspiracy" used here occurs 16 times in the
Old Testament. It is the word "qesher."
07195 qesher {keh'-sher}
from 07194; TWOT - 2090a; n m
AV - conspiracy 9, treason 5, confederacy 2; 16
1) conspiracy, treason, (unlawful) alliance
Of the 16 occurrences of this Hebrew word, 1 time it refers
to Absalom's conspiracy to overthrow his father David. 1 time
it refers to Hoshea's conspiracy to kill Pekah and reign in
his place. 2 times it refers to a conspiracy against Amaziah
from which he fled but was tracked down and killed. And 1
time it refers to the conspiracy to kill Joash.
And the related verb "qashar" (Strong's 07194) occurs 44 times
in the Old Testament. More than 20 of these passages also
refer to this type of a conspiracy, a secret and evil plot
of men.
The point here is to demonstrate first of all that Isaiah
8:12 cannot be used to indicate that there are no conspiracies.
Certainly the Old Testament records a number of conspiratorial
plots. And, since the Old Testament records the existence
of conspiracies, then why would Isaiah 8:12 tell us not to
believe in or investigate their existence? Such an instruction
would only serve to make us blind and perhaps susceptible
to the evil plots made by men.
Second, this passage from Isaiah can hardly be speaking of
conspiracies in the sense of a secret, evil plot. Why? Because
of the context. The Hebrew word itself can also speak of an
unlawful treaty, or in other words, a treaty made, which is
forbidden in the Law of God. When we examine Isaiah 8 in its
entirety we see that God is describing the coming attack from
the king of Assyria, and he is telling Isaiah not to go the
way of his people. For the people of Israel would often make
treaties with surrounding nations during this period of their
history in order to strengthen themselves militarily against
another power in the region.
This is why the word is translated "confederacy" in the King
James and it is also why in verses 13-14, God tells them to
sanctify him and he will be a sanctuary for them. From the
context of this passage, God is not instructing Isaiah to
resist belief in any potential conspiracy. God is clearly
talking to Isaiah about the Israelites calling for confederacies
with other nations instead of looking to God for protection.
There is nothing in Isaiah 8:12, which should discourage us
from investigating and, when necessary, believing in conspiracies.
Having covered the possible objections some Christians have
offered against concerning ourselves with conspiracies, we
will now move on to see if there is any Biblical indication
that a conspiracy will be underway in the end times proceeding
Jesus' return.
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