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A Hasty Departure:’ Understanding the Book of Exodus

Introduction

It has captured the world’s imagination: ten dramatic plagues meant to chasten a recalcitrant pharaoh, walking through the bed of the Red Sea as on dry land, manna descending from heaven, fire and shaking that hits the holy mount. It was even the subject of a blockbuster movie called The Ten Commandments.

Those who want to be ‘future-ready’ need a solid grounding in God’s Word. Understanding Exodus is fundamental for such grounding. May this article inspire you to go deeper into this great book and serve as a resource for further Bible study.

Hebrew Name 

All these things – and more – are part of the great Bible book called Exodus. The name in the original Hebrew is we’elleh shemoth, ‘And these are the names …’ which happen to be the very first words of the book. The name ‘Exodus’ comes from Greek, meaning ‘to go out, depart, or exit.’

Pentateuch Introduced

Exodus is one of the five books of Moses, known as the Pentateuch (Greek for five volumes) or Torah in Hebrew. These include Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Originally, the Pentateuch was written as one volume and Moses was the universally recognised author throughout the ages. While some scholars and higher critics question Mosaic authorship of the Torah, ancient Israel and the early church did not. Indeed, Jesus Christ Himself attested to Mosaic authorship without hesitation (Matthew 8:4; 19:8; Mark 1:44; 7:10; 10:3; 12:19, 26; Luke 5:14; 16:29, 31; 20:28, 37; 24:27, 44; John 1:17, 45; 3:14; 5:45, 46; 7:19, 22, 23). If Mosaic authorship is good enough for Jesus, it should be good enough for us, too. The Torah/Pentateuch is also known by other Biblical phrases, like ‘The Law of God,’ ‘Book of Moses,’ Book of the Law,’ etc. 

Genesis Summary

Genesis tells us of creation, the origin of all things, and the holy family – the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God made a covenant with these men, known as the Abrahamic covenant, which promised to use them and their seed to bring blessing to the world, especially redemption. The book ends with the sons of Jacob living in Egypt because of the great famine. It was prophesied that their descendants would be there for 400 years. It is at the end of this period that the Book of Exodus starts.

Exodus Summary

Exodus begins with that 400-year sojourn in Egypt drawing to a close. The sons of Jacob, who started as a 76-person family from Canaan, had grown during this period into a great nation. The census: 600,000 men of military age, not counting women and children, thus possibly exceeding 2 million people. 

The Egyptians, who felt threatened by the size and prosperity of the children of Israel, oppressed them. All this was allowed by God to prepare them to return to the land of promise, Canaan, something they either wouldn’t or couldn’t do on their own.

The Lord raised Moses to challenge Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go and worship the Lord in the wilderness. The monarch stubbornly refused and thus began the t en sensational plagues that punished Egypt. The final plague was the death of the first-born. Israel was authorised to sacrifice a lamb and put the blood on the doors and window lintels. When the death angel came to the house and saw the blood, he ‘passed over’ that house, and it was not visited with death. This sacrifice and the feast that followed became known as ‘Passover,’ one of the Jewish people’s great holy days. 

After Israel departed Egypt, Pharaoh got ‘buyer’s remorse,’ regretted letting Israel go, and sent his military forces to bring them back. This was where the great miracle of the parting of the Red Sea occurred. Israel walked through the sea as on dry land, but once they went past, the waters of the sea returned to their original position and closed in on the pursuing Egyptian troops, who were drowned.

 On the way to Canaan, they stopped at Mount Sinai and Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. The remainder of the book speaks of sundry laws, case studies, and the design of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting.

Theme: Salvation and deliverance by the shedding of blood.

Key verse (6:6): Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

Portrait of Christ & Biblical Typology

Though there are no direct messianic prophecies, Exodus is rich with a typology that teaches us more about Christ and His ministry.

  • •Moses was the prophet, priest, and king, and so is Christ;
  • •Both were threatened with destruction at birth;
  • •Like Boaz in the Book of Ruth, Moses is a type of kinsman-redeemer. So is Christ, who comes from the tribe of Judah and offers salvation to Israel and the Gentiles; 
  • •Both Moses and Christ forsook worldly ambitions in order to serve a higher purpose and receive a greater reward;
  • •The Passover lamb prevented the death angel from destroying anyone who was under the blood; Christ saves us from the death of eternal condemnation;
  • •Christ is our Passover lamb (I Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29; Isaiah 53:6) and 
  • •His shed blood causes us to pass from death to life; blood is spread by hyssop (faith) and is applied for our salvation (Exodus 12:22; John 1:12; Hebrews 9:22);
  • •Lamb is to be eaten. This reminds us of holy communion, take eat, this is my body, take and drink for this is My blood (John 6:54-48);
  • •Remove all leaven, which represents pride and sin. See Psalm 139:23-24; I Corinthians 5:7; leaven of Pharisees (Matthew 16:6);
  • •Bitter herbs represent suffering in this life (Hebrews 12:11);
  • •Quick departure from Egypt: Christians are to promptly depart from the world spiritually and in the rapture (I Thessalonians 4);
  • •Exodus from Egypt, where the latter represents the fallen world system (Kosmos), is like the believer forsaking the world in order to follow Christ;
  • •The seven feasts of Exodus all teach an aspect of Christ;
  • •The high priest in Exodus is a type of Christ, our faithful priest (Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:25; 9:11,12, 24-28);
  • •The exodus and crossing the Red Sea are a type of water baptism (Romans 6:2,3; I Corinthians 10:1, 2);
  • •Tabernacle or Tent of Meeting:
  • •3 courts;
  • •The outer court has a laver (washing) and an altar of sacrifice. Type of Christ’s sacrifice, which happened outside the city walls;
  • •Holy Place: altar of incense, shewbread, candlestick. Incense is a type of Christ’s intercession (Hebrews 7:25), bread and candle are Christ the bread of life and light of the world;
  • •Exodus and the New Testament: This book is quoted 44 times in the New Testament by every author except Jude, who himself alludes to the Exodus. Only Psalms, Isaiah and Deuteronomy are quoted in the New Testament more than Exodus.

Special Features

The Ten Plagues

1 Water turned to blood (7:14-24)

2 Frogs (7:25-8:12)

3 Lice (magicians said: “This is the finger of God.” (8:16-19)

4 Flies (8:20-32)

5 Diseases in livestock (9:1-7)

6 Boils (9:8-12)

7 Hail (9:13-35)

8 Locusts (10:1-20)

9 Darkness (10:21-29)

10 Death of the firstborn (11, 12:1-30)

The Ten Commandments

1 You shall have no other gods (heart – 20:3)

2 You shall not make any graven images (hands – 20:4-6)

3 You shall not take the name of the LORD in vain (mouth – 20:7)

4 Remember the Sabbath day (mind – 20:8-11)

5 Honour your parents (hold them up – 20:12)

6 You shall not murder (don’t place them down – 20:13)

7 You shall not commit adultery (heart – 20:14)

8 You shall not steal (hands – 20:15)

9 You shall not bear false witness (mouth – 20:16)

        10 You shall not covet (mind – 20:17)

Outline of Exodus

Israel in Egypt (1:1-12:36)

  1. Israel oppressed by Egypt (1:1-22)
  2. Moses’ early life (2:1-2:25)
  3. Moses called by God (3:1-4:31)
  4. Moses Meets Pharaoh the 1st time: remove straw (5:1-23)
  5. God reminds of covenant (6:1-13)
  6. Genealogies of Moses & Aaron (6:14-30)
  7. Moses Meet Pharaoh 2nd time: rod turns to the serpent (7:1-13)
  8. Ten Plagues (7:13-12:36) Passover instituted (12:1-28)
  1. Exodus from Egypt (12:37-18:27)
    1. Journey from Egypt to Red Sea (12:37-14:20)
    2. Journey through the Red Sea ((14:21-31)
    3. Songs of Moses and Miriam (15:1-21)
    4. From the Red Sea to the wilderness of Shur (15:22-26)
    5. From Elim oasis to wilderness of Sin (15:27-16:36)
    6. From Sin to Rephidim (17:1-7)

III. Israel at Sinai (19:1-40:38)

A. Rephidim to the wilderness of Sinai (19:1-2)

B. The Law given (19:3-25)

C. Ten Commandments given (20:1-26)

D. Judgements and feasts given (21:1-23:33)

E. People agree to the Word of the Lord (24:1-18)

F. Tabernacle of Moses in detail (25:1-31:11)

G. Specification and Building of Tabernacle (31:12-35:3): in this period we have the giving of the two tablets of stone, the golden calf incident, and the veiling of Moses’ face because it shined with glory)

H. Building of Tabernacle (35:4-39:43)

  1. Tabernacle finished (40:1-38)

The legacy of Exodus is beyond calculation, especially the revealing of the Ten Commandments, which are the foundation stones of Western legal jurisprudence. How do we know that stealing, lying, adultery, and covetousness are wrong? The Bible tells us so! Let this introduction lead you into an in-depth study of the glorious Book of Exodus.

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Israel at War

We know the main story: On the 7th of October, 2023,Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel, invading by land, sea, and air with 6,000 fighters. The statistics are 1,200 dead – the largest death toll of Jewish people in a single day since the Holocaust. Another 251 were taken hostage. 

This was Day One of the current war. But we must remember that this was not the ‘beginning of the war;’ it’s the continuation of a conflict that started … you fill in the blanks. Did it start in 2023? Not really, on the 7th of October, Israel and Hamas had a ceasefire, which the latter broke. But by its very nature, a ceasefire means pausing a pre-existent conflict. So when did the war start? In 2023? 1987 (when Hamas was created)? 1967? 1948? Or did it start in the Biblical period between Israel and Amalek? The main point is that 7 October was the re-starting – not the beginning – of the current conflict.

What is the scorecard? Israel is fighting a multi-front conflict. In some areas, there have been stunning, impressive victories, while in others, the threat remains. Let’s look at the assessment front by front.

An Assessment

GAZA

After ruining the celebratory Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Law) on the black Sabbath of 7th October, Hamas went downhill. Israel pummeled them in Gaza City. Then, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) went to Rafah and Khan Yunis in the South, despite international opposition. Hamas’ leadership has been decimated, infrastructure massively damaged, and terror tunnels destroyed. Its one remaining weapon was the Israeli hostages: in exchange for their release – dead or alive – Hamas is demanding the freedom of hundreds of Palestinians in Israeli prisons, some of them convicted of murdering Jews. 

Hamas feels let down by its benefactor Iran and proxy allies like Hezbollah of Lebanon since they had not been as entirely forthcoming with military assistance as they would have hoped. It is also reported that neither Iran nor Hezbollah knew in advance about Hamas’ 7th of October surprise attack and that’s why they were caught off-guard when the war started.’

LEBANON

Israel and the Lebanese army are not at war; it is the Shiite militia Hezbollah that actively opposes the Jewish state. Of all of Israel’s enemies, Hezbollah was considered the most formidable. It had discipline, leadership, and money, plus it was well-armed with tens of thousands of missiles aimed at Israel. Their involvement in the Hamas-initiated war was meant to create a distraction to Israel’s primary war effort. 

During the early part of the war, there were daily exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah along the border, precipitating the removal of 65,000 Israeli citizens from their homes in the area. Their dislocation lasted for many months.

A turning point was the tragic murder of twelve Druze schoolchildren in a Golan playground at Majdal Shams by a Hezbollah rocket. Israel declared war on Hezbollah’s leadership, including its head, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. He and his successors were assassinated, just like Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar. In addition, Israel succeeded in destroying most of Hezbollah’s supply of missiles. Israel’s greatest neighbouring foe had all but raised the white flag.

SYRIA

Officially, Syria is in a state of war with Israel, but there have been no wars between them since 1973. Its border with the Jewish state was quiet until the Syrian Civil War started in 2011. This conflict, which morphed into a regional war with a lot of international meddling, had a major turning point in December 2024, when the rule of Bashar al Assad was overthrown by HTS (ˆHayat Tahrir al-Sham), a militant Sunni group once associated with al-Qaeda and ISIS (though leader Ahmad al-Sharaa disavowed these connections). Turkey is their main backer. HTS’s victory means the weapon supply lines from Iran to Hezbollah via Syria are severed – which is good for Israel. But HTS’s commitment to Shariah law in Syria could mean the rumblings of a potential new opponent to the Jewish state right on its border.

YEMEN

The Houthi Shiite rebels, whose patron is Iran, are new to the anti-Israel alliance. They have managed to breach Israeli airspace with their drones and long-range missiles. This means that more than once, Israeli civilians were sent scurrying to their underground bunkers. Remember, Yemen is 1,411 miles or 2,271 kilometres from Israel. The Houthis have also successfully hindered international shipping in the Red Sea, though of late, the Trump Administration has launched a major military offensive, warning them and Iran of dire consequences if the attacks on US and international vessels did not cease.

Israel’s response to the Houthi attacks has been the bombing of Yemeni ports, which have received Iranian weapons. However, the sophistication of their weaponry may prove to be a future challenge for Israel.

IRAN 

Of all Israel’s enemies, Iran stands out the most. Its incendiary rhetoric about the destruction of the ‘Zionist entity,’ its support for terror groups and militia, and its attempts to undermine Israel and the Arab states make it a destabilising influence in the region. 

Yet Iran has suffered some major defeats since 7 October: the crushing of its proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, the toppling of its Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad, and the failure of its two massive drone and missile attacks against Israel without causing much damage. Israel assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh right under Iran’s nose in Tehran; this was both sobering and embarrassing. Israel’s fiery response to the Iranian barrage was to bomb it – with impunity. Iran’s vaunted ‘Shiite crescent’ from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea is in tatters. Iran has been weakened because of this war, but that could also make the nuclear-ambitious regime more dangerous.

What’s Next for Israel? What You Need to Know

We already mentioned that the current war is a multi-front war, but it is also multi-dimensional, a point we have stressed before. For review, those different dimensions include:

  1. Bilateral: This war is between Israel and Hamas.
  2. Regional: This war is fought on multiple fronts and parties, like Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and also Iran itself.
  3. Civilisational: This war is between Judeo-Christianity, the foundations of the West, which Israel represents, and anti-western forces, which Iran and its proxies belong.
  4. Theological: Though unrecognised by Western political leaders, this explains much, with Biblical theology at odds with Islamic theology. The current conflict is much more theological than political.
  5. Spiritual: Also unrecognised by secular leadership, the intense spiritual activity is the reigniting of an ancient hatred during the Old Testament times with the war between Israel and Amalek (Exodus 17:8-16). The current conflict is a proxy war for the even more intense fighting in the heavens (Ephesians 6:12).

While undoubtedly, Israel has won some impressive victories, its main war goals have yet to be reached: the removal from power in Gaza of Hamas and the release of all Israeli hostages. Recently, the failure of Hamas to release the remainder of the hostages caused the ceasefire to be broken and the war to restart in earnest. 

Remember that normally, a ceasefire is a cessation of hostilities with the goal of peacefully and permanently ending the conflict and living in peace. In this conflict, a ceasefire means stop fighting, catch your breath, rearm to the hilt, and live to fight another day.

In this new round of fighting, Israel is not just going to fight until they cause more damage to Hamas, then enter into a ceasefire. They intend to fight until victory, with the quiet cooperation of the American administration.

And it doesn’t end with Hamas: the ultimate goal is to confront Iran and its nuclear program. For years, Israel has been talking about attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities. With the Islamic Republic close to a nuclear breakout, that stated goal could soon be a reality, though laden with risks. 

President Trump said he preferred that Israel not strike Iran but negotiate. He wrote a letter to Ayatollah Khameini offering peace negotiations, but the latter rejected the offer. So what’s next? 

Israel may conclude that it has no other option. With nuclear facilities that are deep in the ground, the Jewish state may use American-supplied bunker-buster bombs weighing 13,636 kilograms each. The recent successful attack by Israel on Iran and the destruction of its anti-missile systems make them even more vulnerable.

All of this is a major gamble, but Israel may choose to go through the door and settle the conflict with Hamas and Iran and its other proxies, once and for all. Watch this space.

So, the war continues. And could Israel be quietly planning an attack on its greatest nemesis, Iran with the approval of the United States? Watch this space and pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

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In the Beginning: Why Study the Book of Genesis

Genesis: It is not just the first book of the Bible – it is the foundation stone on which the remainder of Biblical revelation rests. The Hebrew name, Bereshith, is also the first three words of the Bible; it means ‘in the beginning.’ This says it all.

Genesis is indispensable. Without it, we would not know the following fundamental issues:

  • God as Creator of the world and universe;
  • The beginning of history and the world;
  • The beginning of humanity;
  • Introduction of sin and death into the world;
  • The beginning of God’s plan of redemption starts in Genesis 3:15;
  • Genesis is the foundation of all Biblical revelation; the Bible is the house, and Revelation is the roof.

A Book of Firsts

Just in the first four chapters, we learn about the first mention or origin of the following (this is a partial list):

  • God (1:1);
  • Heaven and the creation of space (1:1);
  • Earth, the creation of matter (1:1);
  • Seas (1:10);
  • Starts (1:16)
  • Male and female (1:27);
  • Marriage and wife (2:24);
  • Sin (3:6);
  • Judgment and more (3:14)
  • First Messianic prophecy (3:15);
  • Tree of Life (3:22, 24);
  • Paradise lost (3:24);
  • Sexual relatio (4:1);
  • Pregnancy (4:1);
  • Birth (4:1);
  • Murder (4:8);
  • Prayer (4:26).

Genesis in Summary

Genesis is remarkable in every way. It devotes 11 chapters to the beginning of the world, including how sin and death entered into God’s good creation. Then, the last 39 chapters are devoted to one man, Abraham, and his family, Isaac (son), Jacob (grandson), and Joseph (great-grandson). Almighty God becomes known as the ‘God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’ (a phrase used 5 times in the New Testament: Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37; Acts 3:13; 7:32). The remainder of the Bible, all the way to the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation, looks at God’s dealings with this family and how it was used to bless the world.

After the early history of the world is recited, Genesis focuses on Abram of Mesopotamia. Though he came from a heathen place and family, Abram responded to the call of God to leave his country and kindred behind and to proceed to the place He called him. Abram wisely obeyed God and became famous for two things: 1) His faith (15:6); and 2) His friendship with God (2 Chronicles 20:7; James 2:23). 

Then God does something remarkable: He makes an unconditional covenant with the renamed Abraham, promising to give him 1) The land of Canaan; 2) Unlimited seed (descendants); and 3) That through him and his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). Thus Abram, whose name means ‘exalted father,’ becomes ‘Abraham,’ ‘father of many nations.’ The purpose of the covenant was not favouritism towards Abraham but redemption for the world.

All three patriarchs learn invaluable lessons of faith. Though they held on to the promise of many descendants, Abraham’s wife, Sarah was barren; Isaac’s wife Rebecca was barren and Jacob’s favourite wife Rachel was likewise barren. Their faith under fire passed the tests and their wives conceived and gave birth.

Of the 3 patriarchs, Jacob was clearly the most colourful of the clan. He hoodwinked his brother Esau twice, fled for his life as a penniless bachelor to Uncle Laban up north in Padan Aram. Jacob married two wives and their handmaidens, sired 12 sons, and returned to Canaan as a rich man. 

The story of Joseph dominates the last quarter of Genesis. The son of Rachel and favoured by Jacob, he has dreams of supreme leadership. But like the other patriarchs, his vision will be tested by adversity. Betrayed by his brothers, and sold into slavery in Egypt, after years of captivity, he catapulted from prison to palace in one day. He became prime minister of Egypt, saved the nation and his family from starvation, and brought his father and brothers to Egypt, where the family went from a large family to a great nation in 400 years.

Though highly regarded for centuries, some modern scholars have called the book ‘mythology’ and ‘unhistorical.’ The creation narrative, the flood of Noah, and even the existence of Abraham have been heavily questioned or rejected. Born-again, Bible-believing Christians must remember that Jesus, Who always takes a high view of Scripture, accepted Genesis at face value. Christ spoke of creation, Adam and Eve (Matthew 19:4-6), the flood of Noah (Matthew 24:37-39), and the Patriarchs (Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:28) as historical events or historical figures. Jesus has credibility in this area, especially because He rose from the dead (Romans 1:4). 

Outline of Genesis

  1. Four Events
    1. Creation (1-2)
    2. The Fall of Humanity (3-5)
    3. The Flood (6-9)
    4. Table of Nations (10-11)
  2. Four Patriarchs
    1. Abraham (12-25)
    2. Isaac (26)
    3. Jacob (27-36)
    4. Joseph (37-50)

Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained

Cursed World (Genesis)

Eternal State (Revelation)

Cursed ground (3:17)

No more curse (22:3)

Daily Sorrow (3:17)

No more sorrow (21:4)

Thorns and thistles (3:18)

No more pain (21:4)

Sweat on the face (3:19)

Tears wiped away (21:4)

Eating herbs of the field (3:18)

Twelve manner of fruits (22:2)

Returning to the dust (3:19)

No more death (21:4)

Evil continually (6:5)

Nothing that defiles (21:27)

Coats of skins (3:21)

Fine linen, white & clean (19:14)

Satan opposing (3:15)

Satan banished (20:10)

Kept from the Tree of Life (3:24)

Access to the Tree of Life (22:14)

Banished from the Garden (3:23)

Free entry to the city (22:14)

Redeemer promised (3:15)

Redemption accomplished (5:9,10)

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The 2025 Los Angeles Fires: The Bigger Issues

The new year had barely begun when New Orleans was rocked by a jihadist car ramming attack on the 1st of January. In Las Vegas, there was an explosion in front of the Trump hotel. Then, on the 7th of January, what arguably could be the most destructive fire in American history commenced. They are called the Los Angeles fires.

Thousands of homes and businesses have been burned to the ground. Prestigious suburbs like Pacific Palisades or working-class Altadena look like war zones. Thousands of acres and buildings in America’s second-largest city have been destroyed and dozens have lost their lives or are recorded missing.

People were told to evacuate their homes. Many abandoned their cars along the way because of the impasse. Thank God, they made it out alive but they lost everything but the clothes on their backs. It is a humanitarian crisis of the highest order.

Like Australia, Southern California is dry and prone to fires. With the history and technology, there should have been prudent action to prevent a fire or mitigate one that does happen. How could America’s largest and most wealthy state, with the seventh-biggest economy in the world, end up being so flat-footed?

Was it Due to ‘Climate Change?’

Some voices have declared that these fires were caused by ‘climate change,’ (as well as the strong and fierce Santa Ana winds) as if to say that this explains everything. Please consider – climate change does not explain:

  1. Why Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass cut $17.6 million from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) just a few months ago;
  2. Or why she was overseas when she was warned repeatedly that fire danger was high and imminent;
  3. Or why Los Angeles reservoirs and fire hydrants were empty;
  4. Why record rainwater and snowpack were not sent by aqueduct to water-starved Los Angeles but allowed them to flow into the sea, supposedly to save a small fish called the Delta Smelt;
  5. Why there was no ‘back-burning’ (as they call it in Australia) of the undergrowth in the Hollywood Hills and Pacific Palisades, which should and could have been done; this is a successful fire inhibitor;
  6. Why were cultural Marxism programs like Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) prioritised at the LAFD over training to prevent and stop fires?
  7. Why many – possibly most – firefighters were hired based on identity rather than on qualifications?
  8. Why reservoirs in Los Angeles that residents approved of a decade ago were not built?;
  9. And finally, climate change did not light the arsonist’s match or wield a blowtorch.

Is this really a natural disaster? Or is it a political disaster? Surely a state with all the wealth and resources of California could prevent or stop these fires early. What we are seeing is the breakdown of society in the face of a natural disaster, something you would expect in a third-world country. 

Consider this: Pacific Palisades is one of the wealthiest, prestigious, and exclusive suburbs in the world. If it could run out of water and burn to the ground, is there anywhere on Earth that is truly safe?

A classic example of societal collapse was Hurricane Katrina in 2005 which destroyed the city of New Orleans. The flood protection system, known as ‘levees,’ had serious flaws and poor maintenance that contributed heavily to the death toll of 1,400. New Orleans was covered with floodwater for many days while the damage bill totalled $125 billion. But that’s not all. The government response, particularly FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) was highly criticised for a weak or incompetent effort. In addition, a tribalism set in where looters callously took advantage of victims and some people were firing guns at first responders sent to help them. Like the BLM riots of 2020, Katrina exposed a glimpse of civilisational collapse.

Respected scholar and California resident Dr Victor Davis Hanson (when Hanson writes, this author reads) described the Los Angeles fires of 2025 as ‘a combination of DEI plus Green New Deal hydrogen bomb, something out of Dante’s Inferno.’

California, known as the ‘Golden State,’ has become a ‘deep blue,’ far-left one-party state run by progressive Democrats. Part of the reason for this is that conservative evangelical Christians, which constitute 15 million people out of 40 million in the state, are not registered to vote or do not vote on election day. If they did, California would become golden again.

Hanson not only comments that water management is poor but so is fire management. California’s timber industry is nonexistent because recent fires destroyed 60 million trees. California governor Gavin Newsom has not only allowed this to happen while simultaneously ‘saving the smelt.’ But there’s more: he bragged how he blew up four dams on the Klamath River – water that could have been used for generating power, irrigation and flood control.

Add it all up and the lack of proper systems of water acquisition, storage, irrigation, fire prevention, forest management, and reforms in the insurance industry, mixed together, constitutes Hanson’s ‘Green New Deal-DEI hydrogen bomb.’

The Larger Issue

Western Civilisation consists of the twin pillars of Judaeo-Christianity and Greco-Roman. Though not perfect, the West has given the world so many good things like parliamentary democracy, human rights, freedom of speech, rule of law, industrial revolutions, free market economics – and more. The 2025 LA fires show the vulnerability and decline of the West.

The West has been under attack for decades. It is as if its enemies, which include the Far-Left, cultural Marxists, radical Islamists and ‘the woke,’ want to turn back the clock to a pre-civilisational, pre-industrial, and pre-Christian era (without saying so). Yet there is hope. The causes of the potential civilisational collapse are spiritual and the solution is equally spiritual: revival, reformation, restoration, and renewal. 

How should we respond?

  1. Be situationally aware: In our interconnected, globalised world, what happens in Hong Kong, Cape Town, and New York, can affect the rest of the world. You do not have to master every detail but, like the LA fires, know what is happening and why, just like the sons of Issachar (1 Chronicles 12:32).
  2. Respond appropriately: When Nehemiah, living in royal splendour at the Persian court, heard that his people in Judah were demoralised and the walls of Jerusalem broken down, what did he do? He prayed to God and then took action; he courageously asked the king for a leave of absence. 
  3. Invest in your spiritual life: This is the most important step of all. No matter how informed and clever you may be, you cannot control everything that comes your way. Come close to the God who – in the Name of Jesus – is your Saviour, Redeemer, Healer, Refuge, Guide, Protector, and more – who has everything you need. Uncertain times like these are more spiritually opportune than in the ‘good ‘ole days.
  4. Los Angeles – where Hollywood is located – means ‘the angels.’ It is home to the 1906 Azusa Street, where the Pentecostal revival was born and spread to the ends of the earth. The charismatic movement and Jesus Revolution were based here, too. May the horrible fires of 2025 compel the Angelenos to drink the deep wells of living water where they will never thirst or lack for water again (John 4:14).

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THE SOUND OF ONENESS – a Word to the Nation and the Bride

Katie Dunstan – This was the word the Lord gave me to release as we presented the gift of the Clap Sticks to the TRIBES AND NATIONS GATHERING MALAYSIA: NOVEMBER 2024:  KATIE DUNSTAN: GOMEROI TRIBE: AUSTRALIAN FAMILY JOURNEY  THE LORD has been speaking to me about our Indigenous clap sticks. and He has highlighted to me a portion of scripture … Continue reading →

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45/47: Will Trump 2.0 Be Different from 1.0?

The 2024 United States presidential election is over, and the President-elect has a unique vantage point: He is also an ex-president. This is only the second time in US history that a man served two non-consecutive terms (the other was Grover Cleveland, 22nd and 24th President 1885-1889; 1893-1897). 

The winner, Donald Trump, is in a class of his own. Colourful and controversial, a ‘street fighter in a suit,’ few people are neutral when he is the topic of conversation. It is important to ask the question: Will a second Trump administration be markedly different from the first? This article will offer some reflections.

The road to obscurity: It has been said that Trump’s reelection is the greatest political comeback in American history. It is hard to argue against this point. Four years ago, Trump was heading into the political wilderness. Though he had some stunning successes in his first term, like a roaring economy, appointing a third of US Supreme Court justices, and four Middle East peace treaties, these were discoloured by the dark shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was followed by a disputed 2020 US presidential election where Trump alleged widespread cheating by the Democrats. The election controversy culminated with the dark day of January 6th 2021, when Joe Biden’s election was certified by Congress. A protest of Trump supporters turned into a riot on Capitol Hill; 100s were arrested and detained, and many are still imprisoned; some have yet to go to trial. 

The results for Trump were contempt, ostracism, cancellation, and continued political and personal harassment, even out of office. A laundry list of incidents in and out of the White House includes ‘the Russian collusion’ and ‘Hunter Biden’s laptop’ hoaxes, two impeachments, and a raid on his Mar A Lago home by a SWAT team. Trump was hit with five civil and criminal lawsuits with the goal of crippling him economically, politically and personally. One trial ended in his conviction, earning him the label ‘convicted felon.’

During the 2024 US presidential campaign, at least sixteen states tried to remove his name from the Republican primary ballot. He butted heads with biased moderators in the presidential debates. For months his opponents incessantly called him a fascist, nazi, and even Hitler himself. And if that were not enough, there were three known attempts to assassinate him (including Iran). Grover Cleveland did not go through anything like this.

2024 A successful political campaign: Trump remained defiant in the face of furious opposition and lawfare (the weaponisation of the legal system to persecute political opponents). Trump represented an America-First platform known as MAGA (Make America Great Again). Though a very wealthy man, he knows how to connect with everyday working-class Americans. His son Donald Junior once quipped that his father was a ‘blue-collar billionaire.’ 

Many gravitated to his political promises, which included closing the open southern border, arranging for mass deportations of illegal aliens, especially criminals, targeting the scourge of inflation and dealing with the rising crime rate. He would tackle ‘woke’ ideological strongholds like gender, sexual, and race-based identity politics, cut the size of big government, deal with the ‘Deep State (the DC-based bureaucracy) and beef up America’s armed forces to serve as a deterrent against foreign aggression. 

Then there was the messaging through imagery: the Atlanta ‘mug shot,’ the defiant lifting up his fist at the Butler Pennsylvania rally where he was almost assassinated and shouting ‘Fight,’ the pictures of Trump serving french fries at MacDonald’s, and standing by the garbage truck. These images became iconic, showing yet again that Trump knew how to control the narrative. The message stuck with millions of Americans.

Trump began to build alliances with influencers like Robert F. Kennedy Junior, a lifelong Democrat; Elon Musk of Twitter/‘X’ popular podcaster Joe Rogan, and Tulsi Gabbard – all Biden supporters in 2020 and not known for being conservative. Trump invited them to come over to MAGA. Three of them will be part of his new administration. 

In addition, he persuaded traditional Democratic voting blocs like African Americans – including young male blacks – plus Hispanics to join MAGA. Even though Trump is known for being pro-Israel, he even convinced Muslim Americans to ditch the Democrats and vote for him. As a result, on November 5th, 2024, Trump won all seven battleground swing states, the popular vote, and the electoral college with an impressive 312 (he needed 270 to win). In addition, he forged a new political constituency.

Trump 1.0 (2017-2021) vs. Trump 2.0 (2025-2029): Will It Be Different?

There is every indication that the second Trump term will differ from the first.  One is a change of style: the first Trump was known to be brash, boorish, and downright insulting (just like many of his opponents). People were not used to a President who communicated to the public via ‘mean tweets.’ One pundit told him bluntly: ‘Tweet Presidentially.’ To borrow a phrase from George HW Bush, we are now seeing a ‘kinder, gentler’ Trump compared to 1.0.

More significant was the substance of his first term. Trump 1.0 was in an utterly unique position. He came to office with zero political or military experience. Dr Steve Turley of Turley Talks said that Trump was in a unique position, a third-party candidate who won a major party nomination and the Presidency; this was an unprecedented situation.

So he arrived in Washington DC in January 2017 with no natural allies, scorned and distrusted by establishment Republicans as well as Democrats. The former, often called RINOs (Republican In Name Only), worked very hard to undermine Trump at every turn. They were determined to ‘run him out of town’ and, come January 2021, they got their wish.

Despite his status as ‘former president’ and the object of intense lawfare, Donald Trump has never totally gone away since 2021. He, in essence, became a shadow president during Biden’s tenure. During Trump’s first term in office, followed by the wilderness years, he learned much about the presidency, how Washington, DC, runs, and the pulse of the American electorate. 

Americans discovered during Trump’s four-year hiatus how deep the government and media corruption really was. Instead of relaxing and letting Trump do all the fighting by himself during a second consecutive term, many stepped up to the plate at a local level. Americans learned to personally contend for traditional American values themselves: at school board meetings, in public forums, and even going into politics itself. For people of faith, the last four years, even eight years, have done wonders for their prayer life. 

This second Trump term will be different because the Republicans have the White House and majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate. MAGA as a political philosophy is no longer on the fringe: it has taken over the Republican party. Furthermore, the most vocal and fervent GOP ‘Never Trumpers’ are gone. Unlike his first term, Trump’s cabinet nominations are fiercely loyal to their boss, to MAGA, and ready to push through. Trump himself is battle-hardened and ready for the upcoming fight.

And a fight is looming despite all the positive outcomes. There is ‘the resistance’ that will do anything they can to prevent Trump’s inauguration on January 20th, 2025, like hindering his congressional certification on January 6th or having some economic, cultural or political ‘surprise,’ etc. There could be resistance to mass deportations and balking at the Pentagon over Trump’s position on Ukraine. 

If you weigh it all up, Trump’s political comeback is nothing short of a political resurrection, as one pundit quipped. Now, the real work – and fight – begins. And it starts with the prayer closet (1 Timothy 2:1-14). Intercessors will save the world. Prayer takes us beyond politics, and it changes situations and empowers people in a way that nothing else can.

Elections are good, but no matter who wins, they cannot solve all our problems or save us. These needs are met through revival, reformation, restoration and renewal; prayer and obedience are keys. So it is time, O child of God, to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).

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