God Keeps A Record Of Nations And Hearts

The news cycle trains us to see war as strategy, alliances, and headlines but what if there’s a spiritual war underneath the surface that most people refuse to name? We take a hard look at Iran through a biblical lens and ask a simpler, sharper question: does God still act in history, or have we quietly decided he doesn’t keep a record anymore?

We start where clarity always starts: the Word of God. We talk about why so many Christians ignore the Old Testament, why daily Bible reading is not optional, and why John’s claim that “the Word became flesh” still changes everything. Jesus isn’t an idea or a mascot; he is the living center of Scripture, and knowing him requires more than vibes and quick verses.

Then we go to Joshua 10 and the battle of Gibeon, a story that forces modern readers to wrestle with divine justice, covenant faithfulness, and God fighting for his people. From there, we connect the “cup of iniquity” to current events and to the uncomfortable reality that grace does not rewrite God’s character. Grace pulls us closer to the table of fellowship, not farther from truth.

We also address Iran’s decades of brutality, especially the devastation of women’s rights since 1979, and we challenge the moral blindness that can make people celebrate slogans while ignoring real suffering. Finally, we talk about how God uses flawed leaders, why that should humble us, and why the mission remains repentance, mercy, and hope as God gathers a harvest in an increasingly intense world. If this helped you think clearly, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review then tell us: what truth do you think people are avoiding right now?

Transcript

Welcome everyone. This is Russ Scalzo Chronicles of the End Times. I hope you're doing well today. Today, the news is filled with the war in Iran and the spiritual war that's going on behind the scenes. I've been walking with the Lord now since 1974. Yeah, I'm an old guy. And I've seen a lot of stuff, read a lot of things, talked to a lot of people over those years, and by the grace of God, was able to teach many classes and preach many sermons along the way. And I've had the privilege of fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit for many years. It doesn't make me extraordinary or special, but it does give me some experiences that I hope to continue to share with you as we move along in these podcasts and in the history of the world up until the coming of the one who created it all, and the one that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords and King of Kings when he comes to reign on the throne that his father has planned for

hy Scripture Is A Daily Duty01:19

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him. I like to read through the Old Testament. I love the whole Bible. I hope you do too. But I am shocked and amazed at how many people don't bother with the Old Testament anymore. And unfortunately, they don't read a lot of the New Testament either, but the Word of God is vital to us. It's not an option. As a born-again Christian, someone who loves Jesus Christ, it is my daily obligation. That's right, I said obligation in the world of grace. It is our obligation to know more about the one we serve, the one we talk about, the one we trust. I love the scripture in the Gospel of John where he opens up and talks about the Word and the Word becoming flesh. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Let's skip to verse fourteen. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. You gotta love John's words, for he did touch and handle the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Then he felt it was so important that he repeated it in one of the epistles he wrote, one of the letters to the churches at Ephesus and other places. He writes right away in the first chapter that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and have touched with our hands concerning the word of life. The life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and we testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was in the Father, which was manifested to us, that which we have seen, heard, we proclaim to you, so that you may have fellowship with us. So powerful. He talks about touching the Word of God, seeing God in the flesh in the form of Jesus Christ. I often think about him as he must have reflected on those years, those three, three and a half years that he spent walking with God. Wow. When you think of it that way, it's mind-blowing. And we need to think of it that way. What

Iran And The Cup Of Iniquity03:53

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We see what’s going on in the news today, and God is involved in Iran. We've talked about it a lot on this show, about the cup of iniquity, and that when the cup of iniquity is full, we don't know when that is. Only God knows. But when it is full, God acts. And if you read the Old Testament, you see a lot of that, especially in the book of Joshua. It's amazing what God did through Joshua.

Joshua’s Promise To Gibeon04:23

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Now, there are many battles we could talk about today, but in the short time we have, I want to bring up this one about Gibeon. Now Gibeon was a city, and it was a people. And if you remember, these are the people who came and tricked the Israelites and tricked Joshua by letting them join them. And eventually, when they found out that they were lying to them, that they weren't these foreign travelers, but that they were actually people in a nearby town who were scared to death that Israel's going to wipe them out because they've heard everything that was going on prior. But Joshua, once they confessed, then they found out who they were. Joshua let it go. The people said, “You know, we’ve already told these people we would take care of them; we're not going to go back on our word." And so now it takes us to this place where these kings have gathered together, and they're coming against the town of Gibeon, and they cry out for Joshua for help. In Joshua chapter ten, he talks about this. The people came to him, and they said, Come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the hill country are gathered against us. So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And the Lord said to Joshua, Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you. So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal, and the Lord threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon, and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horan, and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. And as they fled before Israel while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horan, the Lord threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azka, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

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There are many stories in the Old Testament that talk about how God fought with and beside and before and behind the armies of Israel, where whole cities, whole nations were wiped out completely. Many Christians have a hard time with that. And they say, well, that God doesn't exist anymore. Jesus, now, this is a period of grace. God's not like that. The Bible says he's the same yesterday, today, and forever. Yes, this is a period of grace, and thank God for it, or we'd all be in trouble. But he's still the same God, which makes this period of grace so wonderful. Something that we should take advantage of, something that we should be so honored that God has poured his grace out upon us and forgiven us our sins. Keep in mind, grace will never pull you away from God. Grace will not allow you to move away from God. Grace is there to draw us closer to God. Not to do some stuff that we've always wanted to do, but now we're in the period of grace, so that we can get away with it. No, grace is there to open the door for us to have fellowship with Jesus. Grace is there to pull us to the table. So we may sit with him, eat with him, fellowship with him, grow more in love with him, and know more about him. That's what grace is for. But God is still the same God of the Old Testament and the New Testament. In fact, we can appreciate grace even more when we read the Old Testament.

ran’s Brutality And Moral Blindness07:54

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So, when we look at what's happening today, and some people are against the war, and I get it, everybody wants peace and prosperity and shelter and just beautiful sunny days where everybody is one. That's not coming till Jesus comes. But God keeps a record. Somehow, many of us think he doesn't. The murder and the torture that have been going on in Iran since nineteen seventy-nine, God has seen every single evil thing that they have done. I want to take a minute to address the situation in Iran as far as women's rights and all the horrible things that have happened since nineteen seventy-nine and how the women in America, at least the ones in the uh women's movement or the feminist movement, however you want to call it, have reacted or in this case not reacted to the horrific things that have taken place over the last forty-seven years or so. There's supposed to be a uh ongoing sociopolitical campaign, right? They're a movement for equality for women, addressing issues like voting rights, pay, reproductive rights, and gender based violence, but they have really dropped the ball. The Western nations, where was the outcry when these women, millions of women, lost all their rights? When they were raped openly and thrown into prison and hanged, they had to obey every word that was spoken by the men who owned them. And now that they are being freed, they still will not rejoice in it. That's why I truly believe in this world today, we are getting to the place where God is turning us over to a reprobate mind, a mind that cannot and will not grasp truth or be able to reason in a normal human fashion. Hate has come and taken control. And you hear the phrase all the time, " Well, love is blind, well, so is hate. So blind that we cannot see what’s really going on at all.

od Uses Flawed Leaders09:54

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So are President Netanyahu, Israel, and President Trump holy men sent by God because they're holy? No. Where do we get this concept? There's not a single holy person in the whole Bible whom God used. They were all sinners, all with problems, some of them horrendous problems, and God still used them. I wonder if we ever look in the mirror at ourselves. And has God ever used you? I know he's used me many times, and I know who I am. I am not fooled by any foolishness thinking that I am righteous in any way, other than righteous in the eyes of Christ who saved me. We must get a grip on reality. God will do what God will do, and he'll use anyone he wishes. And this is what's going on right now.

arvest Ahead As Conflict Intensifies10:44

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You will soon see Cuba released from bondage. How long all this will last, only God knows. But I can tell you this, God is reaching out to the people of the world. He is gathering his people for the great harvest, the latter rains of the Spirit of God that is gonna pour down on a hungry and thirsty world for truth. The enemy will continue to do what he does, and it's going to get more intense. Don't ever think there's gonna be a big revival sweeping across the world, and we're all gonna be skipping down the road singing praise to the Lord. No, this is a battle that's only gonna become more violent and more intense, but more profitable for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Millions are going to turn to Christ at every age and in every nation, every creed, every color, as God's gonna make sure of it. I'm gonna

epentance And The Final Charge11:36

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end with this. Remember what the Lord said several times in the Old Testament. I remember one specifically in Ezekiel, where he said, I take no delight or joy in the death of the wicked. Only that they would turn and repent and live. That's our mission, folks. Love you all out there. Thank you for listening. Thousands of you out there, I appreciate you so much in every nation of this world. Chronicles of the End Times is in over 6,000 cities. God bless you all, and may the Lord continue to strengthen you and heal you, reach your families, and do mighty miracles through you. Trust in Him with all your heart. This is Russ Gauzel for Chronicles of the End Times. Keep looking up.