Pet Bowl

Raoul’s Two Cents: October 24, 2025

Frightful Passages

If you don’t want to ponder, move on to the Jokes.

To be relevant with the season, I wanted to talk about the big event just around the corner – Halloween! I toyed around the idea of writing about the decorations, the costumes, the history but — meh! – these themes have been told and analyzed by far greater thinkers than myself. So, I picked up my Bible hoping to get some inspiration. I held the book at an awkward position and it opened in the book of Ezekiel. I paused and realized that I only read it once and never studied nor heard an in-depth sermon about that book in all my years. Why? Perhaps it’s because studying Ezekiel is like listening to a repetitious broken record. Ezekiel’s a bit like his other contemporary prophets – all they did was condemn God’s people with fire and brimstone unless they repented. It can be emotionally draining.

As I skimmed through the chapters and read about his fantastic visions of a glorious ruler sitting on a hovering throne carried by 4-headed winged creatures moving up, down and sideways, I thought, “Boy, this is scarier than any of the modern Horror movies!” His visions also describe human bones that develop muscle and skin and then become alive again. What a puzzling, Sci Fi movie this would be. I had so many questions.

We are fortunate to be living in this age of overflowing information. I easily dug up a Biblical timeline — past, present and future. (And if you are curious about Ezekiel or any other book of the Bible, the Bible Project is a website that gives an entertaining video summary of every single book of the Bible.) Ezekiel lived in a politically charged climate very similar to ours. He suffered persecution and rejection. He gives us the history of Israel starting from their Babylonian captivity around 593 BC to the end times (future) when Israel will return to God.

Of course, this is a huge brush stroke of history. If you ever wondered how history ends, it ends with the restoration of God’s people to our godly home — which should bring all believers hope.

Like many of you, I’ve been concerned about current events. Our fear of the future is greater than fear of any fictitious monster. Where do we acquire the wisdom to make the right moves? Many experts are spitting out doom and gloom warnings — “don’t trust your retirement savings because their value will disappear this November” or “don’t invest in real estate because the business models have changed.” or “move to the East coast because they will raise taxes.”

Indeed, if you guys are after cheap thrills, go ahead and wear your costumes, and visit the local graveyard. But if you want to know what really goes on in the spiritual world, read the books of Ezekiel and Daniel and Revelations. There’s a lot of figurative language that will scare the living daylights out of you. And remember what they say – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” In other words, let your reverence for God determine your actions.

But this is just me. TGIF people!

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Quotes of the Week

“If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.” — Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

“Don’t give into your fears, if you do, you won’t be able to talk to your heart.” — Paulo Coelho

“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.” – Marcus Aurelius

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” — Psalm 23:4

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” — Deuteronomy 31:6