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Join the Nation's Conversation
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Beyonce electrifies in fast-paced halftime show
Live? Was she ever.
Live, she was dead-on.
The force of nature that is Beyonce answered any and all questions about her commitment to authenticity with a dynamic Super Bowl XLVII halftime performance that apparently sucked all of the power out of the the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
The R&B superstar, clad in a brief, black-leather outfit by little-known New York designer Rubin Singer (with boots by Proenza Schouler), opened with a brief medley of Love On Top, which led into 2003 smash Crazy In Love.
The opening salvo put to rest the now seemingly minor flap over her using a pre-recorded track of the national anthem for President Obama's second inauguration. (If anything, the audience in the cavernous, acoustically challenged dome might have benefitted from pre-recorded tracks in this instance.)
The singer, who practiced with her band and dancers for several days this week under a vast tent space along the banks of the Mississippi River, looked polished and poised throughout as she strutted around a neon-rimmed stage, with the lights forming two facing profiles of her. A troupe of similarly clad all-female dancers mimicked her moves for End of Time and Baby Boy, then her producers pulled out visual tricks, including holograms and kaleidoscopes, that quadrupled her power.
The long-rumored reunion with former Destiny's Child mates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams materialized to a joyous reception as they launched into the group's hits Bootylicious and Independent Woman, and Beyonce's solo smash Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It). Short and sweet, the regrouping was a highlight.
The show guaranteed a boost for Beyonce's busy spring: She's recording her fifth studio album, expected in 2013; she'll be the subject of a documentary profile, Life Is But a Dream, that premieres Feb. 16 on HBO; and she'll star as Queen Tara in the 3-D animated film Epic, out May 24.
To close the 14-minute set, Beyonce regained the solo spotlight, kneeled on the stage and waved her long tresses for the emotional show-stopper Halo.
And with her final note, Mardi Gras, which put its schedule on hold for the big game, resumed in earnest.


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SteelerAddicts is venturing into the world of podcasting in the VERY near future. We are in the setup stage right now and hope to have a working, regularly scheduled, podcast up and running before the end of the year.
We will have the ability to have guests call in from SA to join the show and talk about the most recent and upcoming games, Steelers news, players, NFL news, etc. It should be a real fun time and way to open up new doors for the site. We'll be looking to do a weekly show during the season and then in the offseason probably like once a month depending on what all might be going on with the Steelers at the time.
If anyone is interested in being a guest on the show please post up here and let us know. You don't have to be nervous or worry about having a "radio voice". It's not a live show so we can edit as needed before it gets posted up on the site. It's going to be a fun, unique, experience so consider if you'd be interested. Post up any questions or comments here.

subset: commoncrawl


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These products are easy to apply with good results – choosing the right one for the job is the hard part.
By Bob Flexner
Pages: 86-87
From the August 2004 issue #142
Buy this issue now
The easiest of all finishes to apply on your project is one you wipe on and wipe off the wood. All finishes can be wiped on wood, of course, but finishes that dry and harden rapidly are difficult to control because they don't allow the time necessary to get the excess wiped off evenly.
Oils, blends of oil and varnish, and "wiping" varnishes dry slowly, so these are the finishes usually referred to as "wipe-on" finishes. (Wiping varnish is regular oil-based varnish or polyurethane varnish that's thinned enough so it can be wiped on rather than brushed on the wood.)
From the August 2004 issue #142
Buy this issue now


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The N.C. Primary isn't the only election in town. Students at Town Creek Elementary School exercised their right to vote in an historic election of the first Student Government Association (SGA) officers in the school's three-year history.
Fifth-grade teacher and SGA sponsor Michael Gifford said the time was right to encourage more student involvement.
"Every year, we are trying to evolve as a school," he said. "We feel this is something beneficial for our students."
Principal Helen Davis agreed.
ROCAME had its annual regional jamboree on April 21 at Cape Fear Community College (North Campus) in Wilmington. Middle school and high school students from Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, Pender and Whiteville City school systems competed in math and science events.
Middle school winners
Write It Do It: Arian Garner and Victoria Beatty, Leland Middle (LMS), first place; Myyah Brown and Jameshia Sapps, Shallotte Middle (SMS), third place.
CCU presents awards at honors convocation
Coastal Carolina University presented awards for faculty and student academic achievement and recognition at its annual Honors Convocation on Friday, May 4, in Wheelwright Auditorium.
Departmental awards were presented to 42 students in recognition of outstanding academic accomplishments and contributions to the academic quality of their respective departments, including the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts award in music to Haylie Long of Ash.
The Roger Bacon Academy Charter Day School hosted its annual spring festival and open house on Saturday, April 28, attended by more than 600 people from the community.
The school's nationally ranked cheerleaders performed their award-winning routines, and the world-ranked archery team demonstrated skills on the school's archery range.
Purcell graduates with honors from CCU
Ashley M. Purcell of Holden Beach graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in music from Coastal Carolina University during commencement ceremonies on May 5. She is continuing her education at CCU in the master of arts and teaching program.
It could be the combined 37 years of experience of the South Brunswick Middle School custodial department or perhaps just their desire to be the best that propelled the team to victory in the Saffelle Clean School Award contest. The team edged out the other 18 schools for the third-quarter victory, taking the award from co-winners Cedar Grove Middle and Lincoln Elementary, who both have impressive track records.
Supervisor Larry Smith expressed his pride in the SBMS team.
More than 170 students at Leland Middle School gathered to show their commitment to end bullying in their school. The Anti-Bullying Festival, organized by the Live in Peace Club, included games, face painting, music and dance, all designed to deliver the message that bullying is wrong.
Students also raised $400 for Hope Harbor Home, a shelter providing services to domestic violence victims/survivors and their children in Brunswick County.
Just one meeting with Barry Bey, aquaculture instructor at South Brunswick High School, and you just can't help but like all things fish. His knowledge and enthusiasm is contagious and the program has gained yet another place in the national spotlight by a group who knows a thing or two about fish.
Communities in Schools of Brunswick County recognized two recipients of its Governor's Award for Volunteer Service on Tuesday, April 17.
As a "lunch buddy" at Leland Middle School, H. Pete Erbe was recognized as an outstanding mentor. He has lunch with his mentee one day a week, taking a vital interest in the student. He helps set goals and follows up on the student's success in meeting those goals. With an Army background, Erbe is well aware of the needs of students and how important it is to have a strong mentor.
On April 18, the Brunswick County 4-H Junior Master Gardener youth who comprise the Dragon Snappers 4-H Club at Southport Christian School began their newest community service project called Adopt a Spot.
A crape myrtle tree was planted on school grounds near the school's flagpole. Each member of the club will make it their responsibility to water and care for the tree.
Club members had their monthly meeting led by the club officers.
Copyright © 2018
The Brunswick Beacon is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Brunswick County, North Carolina and surrounding areas.


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Many publication professionals aware of selective data availability
Have you ever thought about taking part in a Medical Trial? By registering your details with MedTrials.co.uk, we are able to send your details directly to companies who are looking for volunteers to take part in their medical research studies.
Information about you is kept on a register that CROs, Pharmaceutical companies and Clinical Investigators can access to contact you regarding individual studies.
Many publication professionals aware of selective data availability
A new clinical trial reports that a weight loss drug can reduce diabetes risk and increases the chances of remission among those who have the condition. Powered by WPeMatico
Researchers have found a way to 'trick' bacteria into eating a compound that is similar to iron and destroys the microbes from the inside. Powered by WPeMatico
A new cancer vaccine shows promise for treating a range of more aggressive HER2-positive cancers in an early, phase I clinical trial. Powered by WPeMatico
A new database of circadian changes in genetic expression can help physicians time drugs so that they're synched up to the patient's body clock. Powered by WPeMatico
A randomized, placebo-controlled trial shows that a new drug can reduce the atrophy of the brain, which is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis. Powered by WPeMatico
Researchers have developed a compound that simultaneously stops the addictive action of opioids and relieves chronic pain as effectively as morphine. Powered by WPeMatico


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Here's a player-by-player breakdown of the Eagles' defensive performance against the Giants after having re-watched the game.
And if you missed it from Sunday night, here's a detailed breakdown of the five plays of 25+ yards the defense allowed.
Jason Babin - As always, Babin was active, but overall, he played an up-and-down game. Let's start with the good. As a pass rusher, he had his fourth sack of the season and also pressured Eli Manning on the play where Cullen Jenkins picked up a sack. He dropped Ahmad Bradshaw for a loss of 2 after Manning dumped it off to him in the second. He hustled to help bring Bradshaw down on a 6-yard screen on third down in the second. Against the run, teams continue to attack Babin's side. On Bradshaw's 15-yard run in the first, Babin slipped into the backfield, but couldn't make a play. Later, he had a chance to bring Bradshaw down for a loss, but couldn't, and the Giants picked up 4 on 2nd-and-1. Penalties have become an issue with Babin. He was called for offsides on the 40-yard field goal attempt with 3:48 left. The Eagles had to use two more timeouts on defense, the Giants scored a touchdown, and the offense didn't get the ball back until the 3:32 mark. Babin's been called for four penalties (three offsides) in two weeks. And he could have been called for a facemask penalty on his sack. Babin played 43 of 49 snaps and moved over to right defensive end when Trent Cole got a breather.
Cullen Jenkins - He had his moments, but overall, this was Jenkins' quietest game as an Eagle. He picked up his fourth sack of the season, getting to Manning at the end of the first half. Against the run, Jenkins did a good job of initially stuffing a Bradshaw run on 2nd-and-1, but the Giants running back bounced it outside for a first down. He missed a tackle on Bradshaw's 8-yard run in the fourth. Jenkins and Babin stopped Bradshaw for a loss late in the game.
Mike Patterson - Patterson made some nice plays against the run, but was a non-factor as a pass rusher. He and Casey Matthews stopped Brandon Jacobs after a 2-yard gain in the first. He brought Bradshaw down after a 3-yard gain in the third. And he tackled Bradshaw after a gain of 2 in the fourth.
Trent Cole - Not a standout game by Cole's standards, but the Giants gave left tackle Will Beatty help in dealing with him - a smart move. On Bradshaw's 37-yard run, Cole was rushing upfield, as a huge hole opened up between him and Patterson. Cole picked up a sack in the third quarter and got good pressure on Manning on the play where Jenkins sacked him. He also stopped Bradshaw for no gain late in the fourth. He dropped back into coverage once in the third. Cole played about 90 percent of the snaps for the second straight week.
Phillip Hunt - Hunt played 11 snaps and got seven chances to rush the passer. He pressured Manning and grabbed a handful of his jersey before the Giants QB unloaded a deep pass attempt to Hakeem Nicks that fell incomplete.
Trevor Laws - This was probably his most productive game of the season, even though Laws only played 16 snaps. He was in the middle of a tackle on Jacobs after a 1-yard gain in the third. He made a nice play on a 2-yard Giants pickup in the third. And Laws pressured Manning on the touchdown pass to Cruz in the fourth.
Antonio Dixon - Very quiet start to the season for Dixon, who played at a Pro Bowl level at times last year. He helped stop Jacobs after a gain of 2 in the fourth. And he helped stop Bradshaw for no gain in the fourth. Like Laws, he played only 16 snaps. Dixon could have just as easily been flagged for offsides on the field-goal attempt, but the refs charged the penalty to Babin.
Casey Matthews - Some want to blame all the Eagles' defensive problems on Matthews. That's not really fair. He is a problem, but he is one of a few. Matthews bit badly on the early play-fake as Manning hit Jacobs for a 40-yard touchdown in the first. He got blocked by the tight end on the 26-yard catch and run by Bradshaw. Against the run, he stopped Jacobs after a 2-yard gain in the first and made a solo tackle after a 6-yard Jacobs run. Matthews also stopped Jacobs after a 2-yard reception in the second. I have a hard time believing he'll be a starter for much longer. And I wouldn't be shocked if Brian Rolle got a shot to replace him as early as next week.
Jamar Chaney - I'm still looking for the player who was a force against the Giants last season. Has anyone seen him? Chaney had trouble shedding the block of an offensive lineman and getting to Bradshaw on his 15-yard run in the first. The tight end effectively blocked him on the 37-yard Bradshaw run in the second. It looked like he overran the play initially before coming back to tackle Bradshaw after a 9-yard gain in the third. He missed a tackle on the 26-yard catch and run by Bradshaw in the third. And he missed a tackle on Bradshaw's 8-yard run in the fourth. The good? Chaney teamed up with Rolle to bring Bradshaw down after a 6-yard pickup on a screen in the second. And he stopped Bradshaw for a 1-yard gain in the fourth. If it sounds like I'm being harder on Chaney than Matthews, it's because I've seen Chaney perform. He played well at times last year, but has had a horrendous start to the 2011 season.
Moise Fokou - He really wasn't a factor. Fokou was blocked on Bradshaw's 15-yard run in the first. He brought Jacobs down after a gain of 3 in the second. Those are about the only times I saw him around the ball.
Brian Rolle - He saw his most extensive action as an Eagle, playing 15 snaps. Rolle played in the nickel and also replaced Matthews at WILL when he left the game due to injury. Rolle's blitz created the Cole sack in the third quarter. And he broke up a pass intended for Giants fullback Henry Hynoski in the fourth. He was the first player to the ball, tackling Bradshaw after a 6-yard gain on a screen at the end of the first half. Rolle dove at Bradshaw's feet, but wasn't really close to making a play on the 37-yard run. He wasn't perfect, but at least has shown the ability to be a playmaker, something the Eagles could use at linebacker. Like I said above, I wouldn't be surprised if he got a chance to start against the 49ers.
Keenan Clayton - He was the only linebacker on the field for four snaps in the Eagles' dime package. But maybe more significantly, did you notice the Birds went with Akeem Jordan over him at SAM when Fokou got injured? Not a good sign for the second-year player.
Akeem Jordan - Like I said, he played a couple snaps in place of Fokou and stopped Jacobs after a 1-yard gain.
Asante Samuel - I'll admit it's strange to see his name second in the box score for tackles. Early on, Samuel got beat deep by Victor Cruz, but Manning overthrew his receiver. I'll double-check and post later this week, but I believe Samuel was targeted four times. He actually made a tackle against the run, bringing Jacobs down after a gain of 3. And then, naturally, Samuel let everyone know about it. He left the game after delivering a hit on the Giants tight end in the fourth. Overall, opposing quarterbacks haven't had much success throwing at him through three games.
Nnamdi Asomugha - Asomugha was targeted four times by my count. One of the plays everyone's talking about today is the Cruz touchdown, where the Giants wide receiver out-leaped Asomugha and Jarrad Page. Asomugha explained after the game that the Eagles were in zone, and he should have been able to make a play, but he didn't. And Cruz did. He played inside at times in nickel and dime packages. Asomugha did not look like a very sound tackler on the play where he whiffed on Cruz and ended up colliding with Kurt Coleman. He had excellent coverage on Nicks on a deep pass attempt that fell incomplete in the second. Some are going overboard with their criticism of Asomugha, but he's been beat for gains of 31 and 28 in three weeks. Asomugha also has a 41-yard pass interference penalty on his resume from Week 1. He should be prepared for more balls to be thrown his way now that teams have had some degree of success going after him.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - He played 18 snaps, once again lining up in the slot, at right corner and at left corner. Rodgers-Cromartie was originally lined up opposite Cruz in the slot, but blitzed as Manning connected for the 74-yard touchdown. On the Giants' final scoring drive, Rodgers-Cromartie had a chance to drop Bradshaw for a loss on 3rd-and-1, but missed the tackle.
Joselio Hanson - He entered the game in the Eagles' dime package and also played some nickel when Samuel went out. Hanson was targeted once and stopped Nicks short of a first down on a third-down completion. Overall, he played five snaps.
Kurt Coleman - Coleman was benched after he did a poor job attempting to tackle Cruz on the 74-yard touchdown. Normally, tackling is one of Coleman's strengths, but the truth is his benching wasn't just about that one play. He hasn't played well all season.
Jarrad Page - For the second consecutive week, it wasn't so much Page's coverage as it was his inability to make a play on the ball. Like Asomugha, he came up empty on the Cruz 28-yard touchdown. Add his name to the list of Eagles who missed a tackle Sunday. Bradshaw's 37-yard run would have been only a 10-yard run had Page wrapped him up. His bright spot came when Page broke up a pass intended for Brandon Stokley on third down in the first.
Nate Allen - He's obviously not 100 percent healthy or Allen would have started the game, but he replaced Coleman in the second quarter and had issues of his own. He got stiff-armed to the ground on Bradshaw's 37-yard run in the second. He took a bad angle on Bradshaw's 26-yard catch and run in the third. And he and Page blitzed on the Bradshaw screen that went for a touchdown late in the fourth. There were a couple bright spots. Allen looked good in coverage on Manning's deep pass attempt to Nicks in the second. And he made a good play in run support, stopping Bradshaw after a 2-yard gain in the fourth. We'll see if he starts for the first time this season against San Francisco.
You can follow me on Twitter or become a fan of Moving the Chains on Facebook.


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Indianapolismotorspeedway.com: Vintage Indy 500 Cars To Take To The Brickyard During Legend's Day
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has published this news item concerning this Saturday's Legend's Day.
Howard Kroplick
Vintage Indy 500 Cars To Take To The Brickyard During Legend's Day
Once again the roar of engines by Offenhauser, Miller, Ford and Studebaker will be heard at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during Legend's Day Honoring Roger Penske presented by Shell on Saturday, May 26. Vintage racers of Indy 500s ranging from the very first race in 1911 into the 1990's will take to the track during an extended period of track time from 9:20 to 10:20 am.
Among some of the great machines entered are the 1955 Kurtis Kraft Bardahl Special, the 1959 Epperley Bowes Seal Fast Special and a car entered by the Granatelli Brothers in 1949. The Speedway will be crowded with Watsons, Eagles, Kuzmas, Penskes, Lolas and Marches. Among the more unique entries are a Lotus-Turbine, a pair of Huffaker-Offys and a 1938 Miller. The oldest car entered was constructed in 1909, the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) entry that competed in the first Indy 500 and was classified 33rd in a 40-car field.
Joe Freeman, the owner of the A.J. Watson-built Joe Hunt Magneto Special that driver Al Herman drove to 32nd place in 1960 finds driving his prized race car at the Brickyard an emotional experience. "Driving here means so much to me. The entire experience exudes the history – it's as if my car says, 'I'm home.' I feel I am home as well – it touches my soul."
Tom Malloy, the owner of two of Roger Penske's cars, including the one Bobby Unser drove to victory in 1981 expressed similar feelings. "It's very special that on a day the Speedway is honoring Roger Penske I will have two of his most important Penske chassis cars running on the track and paying tribute to his success."
Other featured events on "Legends Day Honoring Roger Penske presented by Shell" will include the annual Public Drivers' Meeting on pit road adjacent to the Tower Terrace grandstand, autograph sessions with the 2012 Indianapolis 500 starting field of 33 drivers and former Indy 500 drivers, and a huge Indianapolis 500 memorabilia show featuring vendors from the United States, Europe and Australia. As special honoree of the day, Roger Penske will participate in a question-and-answer session with fans on the Coca-Cola Stage in the Pagoda Plaza, followed by a brief autograph session in the Speedway's "Legends Club." Admission to IMS will be $10 for adults, with children 12 and under free when accompanied by an adult.
From a 79 year old fan of auto racing, I thank you for all you do to preserve US auto racing history.


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Sure sounds good when I type that… and it's true, my wheels were spinning, as I climbed Redwood Gulch towards highway 9. Of course, the road was slick from the steady drip coming down from the trees, a result of this-morning's fog, certainly not from my awesome strength, shown by my barely sub-13-minute time for a climb that should take me just over 10.
It was time to do something other than the usual Sunday ride to the coast, time to do something different and in some ways more challenging. Maybe something in the "ugly" category. And what could be uglier than heading south through the foothills before turning west on Stevens Creek, then up up up Redwood Gulch & Highway 9 and then return via Skyline? What I didn't plan on was doing it alone (Kevin wasn't feeling well), nor leaving pretty late to avoid the heavy morning fog.
By the time I finally got out it was just past 1pm, making this yet another "chasing the sun" event. Can't tell you how many times, as I headed south, I considered truncating the ride, maybe head up Page Mill (but didn't), maybe stop by the Los Altos store to work on the computers for a bit and then head back the same way I came (but didn't) and finally two other options. One, ride up Stevens Creek to where it dead-ends and then retrace the route back home (but didn't) and then finally, after climbing Redwood Gulch, descending 9 from that point and again heading back along the foothills. But didn't.
It wasn't a fast or pretty ride, but it was purposeful. No stops for food, just to change batteries in the video camera and to put on warm gloves once up on Skyline.
Skyline, by the way, has been destroyed by Caltrans. Their idea of repairing the road has been to ignore the potholes and just pour a little bit of oil and a lot of gravel onto it, not enough oil for the gravel to actually sink into the pavement, but rather adhere to the top. It's nuts! A road that used to be remarkably smooth is now like riding on glued-down gravel, eliminating the feeling of your bike gliding along, every turn of the cranks feeling like it has to be forced. You've got to wonder how much efficiency is lost, not just to bikes but motorists as well.
If this is the new method for road repair, we're going to be selling a lot of Trek Domane road bikes in the future (they've got a design that really eats up the bumps).


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Behind the 'mask'
Recent news stories about the Wal-Mart Corporation are relevant to the issue of a proposed Supercenter here in Hood River. Therefore, I'd like to offer my summary of some of these reports (from The Oregonian):
Wal-Mart employees in 30 states allege in federal courts that managers forced them to punch out after an 8-hour workday and then to continue work for no pay. There are 39 class-action lawsuits nationwide, and Wal-Mart stores are being picketed in 100 U.S. cities.
The CEO of Wal-Mart was reported to have received more than $17 million in compensation in 2001 alone!
In Oregon, 400 former or current Wal-Mart workers from 24 stores are saying in federal court that they were pressured to work without pay. Apparently this practice is so common that some employees call themselves the "Over 40 Club," and that they "feared getting fired." According to the report, the starting pay is only $7 per hour compared to $10.50 per hour at Home Depot. Union organizing is "not tolerated."
In Hillsboro, Ore., residents have gone to court to block a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter. As in Hood River, residents there argue that increased noise, traffic and lighting would significantly disturb the community. And they say the corporation would "take money out of the community and not give it back."
In New England, widespread citizen opposition is making "rocky going" for the $230 billion company in its aggressive campaign to build new Supercenters.
All of this is clear evidence that Wal-Mart's "warm and fuzzy" happy-face image is nothing but a mask. In my opinion, it conceals a monster that is destroying small towns across America.
Darryl Lloyd
Hood River
A dream made real
I am writing to publicly thank Mark Steighner for all the time and effort he put into Les Misérables. I cannot thank him enough for all he has done for us. His work has made the dreams of kids like me become reality. Les Misérables is my favorite show of all time and I never thought I'd actually get a chance to be in it. But now I have, and I thank Mr. Steighner for making that possible. We truly appreciate you.
Sonja Noelle Decker
Hood River
Gas prices too high
I would like to suggest a topic for an investigative report by your paper: Why the price of gasoline in Hood River is significantly more expensive than in other towns in this state. The current price of gasoline here in Hood River averages $1.59 per gallon for unleaded regular. The same gallon, at the same brand name stations, in Salem will cost $1.33.
I realize that supply and demand influences the price of goods, but how do you explain that the price of gasoline in The Dalles and even central Oregon, which is miles from the I-5 corridor, is less than in Hood River, a measly hour drive from downtown Portland?
I could accept a 10 cents a gallon difference or perhaps even 15 cents to cover the increased costs of delivering gasoline out here to the "boondocks," but 26 cents a gallon is a bit much to handle. Perhaps I would be a little less angry if I simply knew why my local station has to charge so much.
In the meantime, I will continue to fill up along the freeway and save enough money to shop locally for other items which cost less here than in the "big city."
Kim E. Vogel
Hood River
Boost to theater
It has always been a pleasure to work with the staff of the Hood River News when I need to have something publicized for a CAST project.
Again, you have shown your support for community theater by giving great coverage for our upcoming play, and with the follow-on article about CAST. For that, to quote one of "A Christmas Carol" characters, I say, "Thank you. I am much obliged to you. I thank you fifty times. Bless you." Special thanks to Janet Cook and Jim Semlor for their fine work.
I was also impressed with your coverage of the High School's production of Les Misérables. No one can say that your paper has not done its best to keep community theater alive in our area.
Judy Yeo, director,
'A Christmas Carol'
'Myrtlewood Bowl'
Cascade Cup? Why not have a "Myrtlewood Bowl"? (Regarding editorial of Nov. 20.) There could be a bowl in the figure of a Beaver and a Duck. The loser would have to display the winner's bowl for a year. Or, perhaps, the winning bowl could be displayed in the State Capitol for a year. The losing bowl would be given to the winning coach and a new bowl constructed.
Leonard Hickman
Hood River
About congregation
It's all about Congregation.
Pilgrims assembled in 1674 with the Wampanoag, with their sachem Massasoit, and Squanto.
Webster's first definition about Congregation is: "an assembly of persons. A Gathering; especially an assembly of persons met for worship."
The Pilgrims and Native Americans wanted to worship together at one table — no killings, no betrayals, no differences. An assembly of equals. Our Declaration of Independence emphasizes this freedom of feeling equal 102 years later.
And here it is 2002. And we gather still at our bountiful tables, remembering all those before us who cherished the joy of assembly.
When we can gather, we are at peace.
When we are at peace, we can love.
It's all about congregation.
Mary Jane Heppe
Hood River
Just ask 'no jakes'
Hello, My name is Dave Bullock, I am responding to The article "City brakes ordinance against truck 'jakes'" (Nov. 27.)
I am a professional truck driver with a major food chain in the Portland area and having traveled along Interstate 84 through Hood River many of times I do not really see why truck drivers would have to utilize their jake brakes. I do understand the frustrations of Councilor Andrea Klaas and other residents. I have found in other communities with problems of this nature that a nice sign placed along the Interstate as you enter Hood River asking drivers to please not use their jake brakes may be very helpful. When I see these signs I try to be as quite and polite as I can and I am sure other drivers do too.
Dave Bullock
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It is our great privilege tonight to open our Bibles to the nineteenth chapter of Revelation and to look at that great text which details for us the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation 19 verses 11 through 16, I want to read this text, it's such a powerful text I want you to have it in mind.
Starting in verse 11, John, of course, is given this great vision while on the island of Patmos in exile for the preaching of the gospel. And he says, "I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. And His eyes are a flame of fire and upon His head are many diadems and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself. And He's clothed with a robe dipped in blood and His name is called the Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. And from His mouth comes a sharp sword so that with it He may smite the nations and He will rule them with a rod of iron and He treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."
Here is the great presentation of the vision of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now to show you how important this is on the pages of Scripture, a total of one thousand five hundred and twenty-seven Old Testament passages alone refer to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are approximately eight thousand verses in the New Testament and three hundred and thirty of those or about one out of every twenty-five verses directly refers to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In fact, next to the subject of faith, no subject is more often mentioned than the return of Christ. For every time the first coming of Christ is mentioned, the Second Coming is mentioned eight times. And the Lord Himself refers to His coming twenty-one times and over 50 times we are exhorted to be ready for that great event. It is a major theme throughout the pages of Scripture.
Clearly because of so much biblical testimony, we can be certain that Jesus will come again. The promise of God demands it. God who cannot lie promised that the Messiah would come and that He would establish a kingdom and that throne would be in Jerusalem and from that throne He would rule the world. God promised that He would set His King upon His holy hill, Psalm 2; that the government would be upon His shoulders, Isaiah 9; that He would reign and rule. Daniel chapter 7 portrays Him coming, Zechariah chapter 14 and other Old Testament passages. And even the New Testament repeats that promise. It is repeated to us in the gospel of Matthew in the Olivet Discourse and also in the gospel of Luke.
So the promise of God demands the return of Christ. Secondly, the statements of Jesus demand it. Jesus Himself said that He would go away and come again in John chapter 14. And again in Matthew 24 and 25 He described His own coming, the coming of the Son of Man in heaven.
Furthermore, the guarantee of the Holy Spirit demands it. The Holy Spirit it was indeed who inspired the New Testament writers to write the promise of the return of Christ. And it is the Holy Spirit in us who is the guarantee or the down payment on that great event that is yet to come. The word arrabon is used to describe the Holy Spirit, He's called the earnest of the Spirit. Arrabon can be translated "engagement ring." He is the engagement ring that guarantees the wedding between the bride, the church, and the bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And so, the promise of God demands Christ's return, the statements of Jesus demand He returns, the guarantee of the Spirit demands He returns. And even outside the trinity itself the program for the church demands that He return. God has established the program for His church. In fact, it is laid out in the New Testament no more clearly than in the fifteenth chapter of the book of Acts where the Scripture very clearly tells us that the Lord has a wonderful plan for His church. It unfolds starting in verse 6. "And the apostles and elders came together to look into this matter and after there had been much debate, Peter stood and said to them, `Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the gospel and believe; and God who knows the heart bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.'" And so God established His church, made up of Jews and Gentiles. Down in verse 15, "With this the words of the prophets agreed, just as it is written, `After these things I will return and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen and I will rebuilt its ruins and I will restore it in order that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord; and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,' says the Lord, `who makes these things known from of old.'"
God has a plan and it's a plan that involves His return and the establishment of His glorious kingdom. And we know that promise is laid out for us not only in the book of Acts but it's unfolded for us even in the book of Revelation, as we shall see in chapter 20. So God's plan for the church demands Jesus' return, after all He has to come back and take His church to be His bride, marry His church, the promise of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, which we already saw in this chapter, involves the church. He must return for that.
And then God's plan for the nations demands it. He's coming back to judge the nations, Matthew 25 says that, Joel 3 says that. He's coming back, He's going to judge the nations, set up a Kingdom and rule over the nations. God's plan for Israel demands that Jesus return because the kingdom, after all, was promised first to Israel, they would have a Messiah and they would ultimately enter into the Messiah's kingdom. All Israel, eventually, Romans 11 says, will be saved. The dry bones will be revived, Ezekiel tells us and there will come a time when Israel believes, when they look on Him whom they've pierced, as Zechariah put it, mourn for Him as an only Son and enter into their kingdom.
So the plan for the church, the plan for the nations, the plan for Israel demands that Jesus Christ return. You could look at it another way, as well, the humiliation of Christ demands that He return. The first time He came He was scorned and He was hated and He was despised and humiliated. And that demands that He come back in the glory which He is do, with the respect and honor and worship which should be given to Him. Furthermore, the exaltation of Satan demands the return of Christ. Satan who is the usurper needs to be dethroned, who is temporarily the prince of this world, the god of this world needs to be taken off the throne and the rightful heir needs to be placed on that throne. The serpent's head which was bruised at the cross needs to be finally cut off and he needs to know the execution that God has planned for him.
So, the promises of God, the statements of Jesus, the guarantee of the Holy Spirit, the plan for the church, for the nations, for Israel, the humiliation of Christ, the exaltation of Satan temporarily, all of those things demand the return of Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom. And finally, that this takes us right into the wonder of this whole passage, the expectation of the saints demands it. We are those who love His appearing, according to 2 Timothy chapter 4. We are those who wait for His coming. This is the Christian hope, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. And you find the saints not only in the New Testament, but throughout the Old Testament, longing for and anticipating the coming of the Messiah to set up His kingdom. So in order to fulfill His promise, in order to fulfill His own Word, the Lord Jesus Christ must come. In order for Jesus to be true to that which He promised He must come. In order for the Holy Spirit's guarantee to come to pass, He must come. For God to execute His program for the church, for the Gentiles, and for Israel, He must come. And in order to reverse the humiliation of Christ and the exaltation of Satan, He must come. And to fulfill the anticipation of the saints, He must come. And He will. And we see the coming of Christ portrayed and demonstrated in the majesty of the words which I just read to you in chapter 19.
Now I want to divide these verses up into three parts...the return of the Conqueror, the regiments of the Conqueror, and the rule of the Conqueror...the return, the regiments and the rule. However, before we look any further into this text, I want to give you a little bit of background, so I want you to turn in your Bible back to Isaiah. Back in Isaiah chapter 11 we have a text of Scripture that I mentioned to you last time that is important for you to understand because it lays the background for this vision. You remember now, in Isaiah 11:1 a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, that refers to the Messiah, coming from the line of Jesse, He came through David who was Jesse's son. "A branch from his roots will bear fruit and the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord and He will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what His eyes see nor make a decision by what His ears hear." In other words, He'll make no superficial judgments. "But with righteousness He will judge the poor and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth and He will strike the earth with a rod of His mouth and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked and righteousness will be the belt about His loins and faithfulness the belt about His waist." And there you have the promise of the Messiah and of His reign.
Go over to the sixty-third chapter of Isaiah and you'll find another text of Scripture that is in some ways parallel as well to the vision that John has. Verse 1 of Isaiah 63, "Who is this who comes from Edom, with garments of glowing colors from Bozrah, this One who is majestic in His apparel, marching in the greatness of His strength?" Obviously it's the Messiah, this is the messianic portion of Isaiah's prophecy. "It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save." That's who's coming. That's who is coming in garments of glowing colors, literally in the Hebrew, crimson colors, red the color of blood. Verse 2, "Why is Your apparel red, and Your garments like the one who treads in the winepress splattered?" as it were, with all the red juice of the grapes. Why? "I have trodden the wine trough alone, and from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them to My anger and trampled them in My wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments and I stained all My raiment. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and My year of redemption has come. And I looked and there was no one to help and I wa astonished and there was no one to uphold, so My own arm brought salvation to Me, and My wrath upheld Me and I trod down the peoples in My anger and made them drunk in My wrath and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth." Pretty vivid imagery, isn't it?
Blood splattered the Messiah comes and by Himself tramples out His wrath. Those two scenes in Isaiah 11 and Isaiah 63 have some parallels to the vision here in Revelation 19, and I only wanted to draw those texts to your attention because of the common expressions that we find and we'll see also in Revelation.
Now this return of Christ that is given us in the nineteenth chapter has already been anticipated. You remember in the fourteenth chapter verse 14 John looked and behold a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a Son of Man, having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. And down in verse 18, He took that sharp sickle and He was told to put it in and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth because the grapes are ripe. It tells us the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth and threw them into the great winepress of the wrath of God and the winepress was trodden outside the city and the blood came out from the winepress up to the horses' bridles for a distance of two hundred miles. Here is another blood-splattered scene where blood is splattering up as high as the height of a horse, as the Messiah Himself tramples out the winepress of the wrath of God and grape juice becomes the picture of spattering of blood.
Over in chapter 16 another vision of this, as I noted for you last time, is given. Verse 15, "I am coming like a thief." And when He comes, verse 16 says, they gather them together to a place which in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
So now we come to the scene which has been anticipated by Isaiah, and anticipated as well by John in the book of Revelation in those texts which I read to you. Now we come to the actual event in its chronological sequence, followed by chapter 20, the establishment of the kingdom and flowing on into the eternal state.
Let's look then, first of all, at verses 11 to 13 and look at the return of the Conqueror..the return of the Conqueror. Verse 11, "And I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war."
Again, for another time in the book of Revelation, heaven is opened. And we're going to see a glorious glimpse of heaven, a glorious vision of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's very different than the one we saw in chapter 1 where He was ministering in His church. Here He is obviously coming in fiery, flaming vengeance. He is coming with a sword of judgment. He is coming with blood-splattered garments. This is the point of His return. This is the fulfillment of the promise of Jesus Himself from His own lips in Matthew chapter 24 where He said in verse 27, "Just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather." It will be a time of great carnage. Immediately after the Tribulation it will happen. "The sun will be darkened. The moon will not give its light. The stars will fall from the sky. And the powers of the heavens will be shaken." In other words, the whole universe goes pitch black. "And then the sign of the Son of Man appears in the sky, all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they'll see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other." That is that which now is being described in Revelation 19.
So as the scene unfolds, our eyes are fixed on this majestic, regal, mighty rider. Heaven is opened to us and we see the white horse and on the white horse we see the rider. Now let's talk about these details, because they're important.
The reason heaven is opened this time is to not let us in but to let Him out. A number of times in the book of Revelation heaven has been opened and we've been given access to that. We can go back, for example, to chapter 4 and we remember, don't we, that John the Apostle says in verse 1, "Behold, I looked and a door standing open in heaven, the first verse which I heard like the...the first voice which I heard like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me said, `Come up here and I'll show you what must take place after these things.'" And so the door of heaven was opened in chapter 4 so John could go in and see. And now the door is opened so the Son of Man can come out.
Jesus, the One who ascended to heaven as recorded in Acts chapter 1, the One who has been seated at the Father's right hand is now coming back. He is going to receive the kingdom which the Father had promised to Him, the kingdom to which He was entitled. As you go back in to chapter 5 you remember that the Father was seated on the throne in heaven, in His hand He held a book which was the title deed to the universe. And you remember no one in heaven or on earth, verse 3, or under the earth was able to open the book or look into it. In other words, no one had the right to take possession of the universe. No one had the right to open this sealed scroll and take possession. And so John says, "I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or look into it." In other words, was the world always going to belong to the usurper, to Satan, to sin? Was there no one who could take it back?
And one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping, behold the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals." And I saw between the throne with the four living creatures and the elders a Lamb standing as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent out unto all the earth. That too a reference to Isaiah 11.
"And He came and took it out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne." And there you have the Lamb, the Son, Christ, the Messiah having the privilege and the right to take the title deed out of the hand of God because it is His right to take the universe. "And everyone sang a new song, `Worthy art Thou to take the book and break its seals, for Thou was slain and did purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and Thou has made them to be a kingdom and priest to our God and they will reign upon the earth."
You have a right to take possession of the world. You have a right to establish Your Kingdom. And so the one who has a right now is on the edge of heaven and heaven is opened and He is about to come. That great and wonderful anticipatory prayer that comes from the sixty-fourth chapter of Isaiah, this first couple of verses, "O that Thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down that the mountains might quake at Thy presence, as fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil, to make Thy name known to Thy adversaries that the nations may tremble at Thy presence." That's the prayer...O, that Thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down. And what Isaiah anticipated and prayed for in chapter 64 now unfolds in Revelation 19 as heaven is opened and He's ready to come.
And this time John doesn't see a Lamb in the midst of the throne, rather He sees, according to verse 11, a white horse. This is not a lamb, this is a white horse. And riding on that white horse is the great Conqueror, the Messiah. Riding no longer the way He rode when He rode in His earthly life, but now coming as a Conqueror in a typical fashion of Roman triumphal processions.
Now let me mention something at this point. Would you...capture this because it's very important. What you have in the imagery of this vision is a mingling of symbol and reality. And you have to comprehend that or you can't comprehend this. There is language here that is the expression of reality and there is language here that is the expression of symbol. Of course, that symbol points to a reality. People ask the question...does this mean there are real horses in heaven? The answer, no...anymore than it means that when Jesus comes He's actually going to have dangling off His head a whole lot of crowns, or that when He returns He's actually going to have sticking right out of His mouth between His lips some kind of sword. Or any more than it means that all who come with Him are going to be riding on a myriad of white horses. Listen, there is nothing to indicate anywhere in Scripture that horses get glorified, that horses get eternally glorified and go to heaven. There is a mixture here of symbol and reality. This is not necessarily actual reality anymore than that Jesus Christ when he sets up His Kingdom is going to roam the earth with a huge iron stick in His hand, mashing people's sculls with it. And yet it says He'll rule with a rod of iron.
You have to understand that the symbolic language here expresses reality, but in itself is symbolic of that reality. And the symbol here, the majestic symbol here is of a Roman conqueror who is coming back in a triumphal procession. He's coming to a great battle, to triumph and to enter into the glory of that triumphant. A general would ride to war on his white horse, he would come with his battle garb, leading his tremendous battle troops, as it were. And they would engage in war. And when the war was won, he would then come to Rome and up the Via Sacra(?) the main street of Rome, to the temple of Jupiter on the Capitaline(?) Hill, and there he would enter into his glory. So the imagery is vivid.
John sees Jesus no longer as a Lamb, no longer as He was portrayed in Zechariah 9:9, coming in humiliation, riding on the colt, the foal of an ass. But in this case he sees Him as a conqueror. And white is not only the color of war chargers, in the ancient Roman world, but it is the symbol of purity, it is the symbol of spotlessness, of unblemished holy power. And, in fact, everything in that imagery is in contrast to the humble foal of a donkey which Jesus rode into the city. Now He comes as the conqueror, now He comes as the warrior King, now He comes to destroy the wicked, to overthrow the Antichrist, to bind Satan, take control of the earth and the universe and establish Himself as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. The horses are symbolic. The sword out of His mouth is symbolic. The rod of iron is symbolic. The crowns are symbolic. But the coming is reality. And the psalmist himself wrote of this event when he wrote, "And Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O most mighty, with Thy glory and Thy majesty, Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies, whereby the people fall under Thee. Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever." Even the psalmist under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit could get a glimpse of the coming of God in the glory of messianic rule to establish His eternal kingdom.
And so He comes. Scripture tells us He comes in glory. We read that in Matthew 24, Matthew 25. In Revelation 1:7 it says, "When He comes every eye will see Him." Obviously the whole world will have gone black and dark, as we read to you, everything will be turned out, the blazing glory of Jesus Christ will come with such startling reality that everyone on the face of the earth will see Him. And He will come not only in glory, not only visibly, but He will come with vengeance to judge and make war.
Now at this point I want to digress for just a moment and just kind of talk to you about something you need to keep in mind. There is nothing in this scenario that matches descriptions of the Rapture of the church in the New Testament. There are two Scriptures in the New Testament that refer to the catching away of the church. One is in John 14 and the other is in 1 Thessalonians 4. John 14:1 and following, 1 Thessalonians 4:13 and following. Both of those describe the coming of the Lord for the church, the coming of the Lord for His beloved.
In John 14 Jesus said, "When I go away I will prepare a place for you and I will come again to receive you unto Myself that where I am there you may be also." That was not a warning, that was a promise. That was not an event to be feared, that was an event to be anticipated. I'm going to prepare a place for you and I'm going to come and get you and take you to that place. That's very important because whatever the catching away of believers is, it is something we long for, look for, love, anticipate, hope for because He's going to come and He's going to get us to take us to the place He's preparing for us.
Where is He now? He's in heaven. What's He doing there? Preparing a place for us in the Father's house. But when He comes to judge, He comes to the earth, stays on the earth and sets up His kingdom here. The Rapture is a very different event. It's a catching away of the church into heavenly homes that have been prepared for the believers. And that's why it's very difficult to see these two things as the same event.
At the Rapture, furthermore, Christ doesn't come to the earth, He meets us in the air. Here He comes all the way to the earth. He doesn't come to meet His saints, He brings them with Him. And they follow Him as they come. In the Rapture He comes and meets His saints in the air and takes them to heaven. In the Second Coming He comes all the way to earth with His saints and establishes their kingdom on earth. At the Rapture there's no judgment, there's nothing in the text of John 14 or 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 to speak of judgment, but here everything is judgment. The Rapture is a time of blessing. And this is a time of cursing. There will be blessing for the godly when He comes back, but the emphasis is here on judgment and no such emphasis is made with regard to the Rapture.
At the Rapture, as I said, He meets His own in the air. And here He sets His feet on the Mount of Olives, according to Zechariah 14. He puts His feet right on the Mount of Olives, splits the Mount of Olives, creates a valley in which He judges the world and establishes His kingdom.
Furthermore, the event of the Second coming of Jesus Christ is preceded by blackness, the darkened sun, the darkened moon, the stars are falling, smoke fills the universe, lightning and blinding glory introduce the coming of Jesus Christ. Such aspects are not associated with His coming for His saints in John 14 or 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. And that's why we believe that the coming for the church, which we call the Rapture, the catching away, is a different event that precedes the coming of Christ in judgment to set up His Kingdom. And so we say we believe in a pre- tribulation Rapture, that is that Jesus catches away His own before the breaking out of the terrible judgments of His wrath during that seven period at the end of which He comes back to earth with His already raptured saints to set up and to reign with Him in the Kingdom.
And so we see here then that Jesus is coming in judgment fury. He's coming as a conqueror. Now let's look again at verse 11 and see some more about the return. It says that, He who sat upon this white horse, this symbol of conquering and symbol of holy, pure power is called "Faithful and True." He is called Faithful and True. Really there couldn't be a more appropriate name for the Lord Jesus. You remember He is called back in chapter 3 verse 14 "the amen, the faithful and true witness." So here for the second time Jesus is identified as Faithful and True. He is faithful to His promises, He is faithful to whatever He promises. And He speaks only the truth. Faithful and True returns.
In the third chapter of Revelation and the seventh verse He is described as "He who is holy, He who is true." Why is He called Faithful and True? Because He's keeping His word, right? He promised He would come, He promised He would come and He comes. He is faithful to keep His word, He is faithfulness and truth personified. And by the way, His name is certainly in vivid contrast to the unfaithfulness and the lying hypocrisy of Antichrist and Satan. Jesus always tells the truth because He is the God who cannot lie. He is always the faithful and true one. He will always keep His word. He promised He would come. He comes because He is faithful and true.
Today I am sure there are many who would be happy to sort of sort out the teachings of Jesus that they like, the teachings of Jesus that fit their sentiments. And happily they would reject His solemn judgments and His promises of fury and vengeance and wrath. But He is just as faithful and just as true to those promises as He is to the promises of salvation and grace and mercy. He's faithful and true. And you're never going to see it more clearly than when He returns because He will be faithful and true to His promise, to bring the righteous into a kingdom and to destroy the wicked.
The dragon is a deceiver. The beast is a false Christ. The second beast is a false prophet. And the world is filled at that time with false worshipers. But Jesus Christ is faithful and true. And because He is faithful and true, it says in verse 11, "In righteousness He judges and wages war." If He is faithful and true to His word, He has to act in righteousness. He has to do what is right. He has to have a holy and righteous reaction against sin, so He does. Faithful to His righteous character, faithful to His holy nature, true to His word, He comes and when He comes He has to do what He promised to do, what righteousness demands He do, He judges.
Once He came as Savior, then He comes as judge. When He was here the first time, wicked men judged Him. When He comes the second time, He will judge wicked men. He will not only be the judge, by the way, but He will also be the executioner. Remember that I read to you in Isaiah chapter 11 that He treads the winepress of the wrath of God alone? Angels are not executioners. Angels are simply sort of the mop-up crew. And they are the sorting crew, according to Matthew chapter 13. But He alone treads the winepress. He alone has the power to execute. He alone has the power to bring final fury and the wrath of God.
There was a time when in His first coming He was brought before Pilate and Herod and Caiaphas and Annas, and brought before the crowd who cried for His blood, and they judged Him unrighteously. And there will be a day when He comes back to judge the world righteously. It will be different when Jesus comes, different than it was the first time.
There's a warning of that in the seventeenth chapter of Acts when it says in verse 31, "He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a man whom He has appointed." What man? "The man He raised from the dead." The man Jesus Christ. So He's coming back to judge.
So He comes in fury to judge the world. And then this most amazing statement, "And to wage war." To make war. He comes as a warrior King. He comes to fight. Back in chapter 2 verse 16, amazingly, astoundingly, it is recorded that He said to the church at Pergamos, "I'm coming to you quickly and I'll make war against them with the sword of My mouth." He is a warrior against the ungodly and against the unbelieving and against the wicked and the sinful.
By the way, that mention of Him making war in chapter 2 verse 16 is the only other mention of Him making war in all of Scripture. And then it will be too late for the rejecters, they will obviously have been hardened beyond the point where they would respond positively. Even in chapter 16 verse 21 when they are at the very culmination of the horrors of the last judgment, when the last seal has been opened and the last trumpet blown, and the last bowl poured out, and hundred pound hailstones are crashing down on their heads, and you'd think they might repent. It says they blasphemed God. And they are at the point of absolute hardness. And this is when He comes, when there's no more point in waiting, when nothing else will cause them to repent, when no judgment moves them and no preaching moves them and no preacher can reach their hearts, He will come back and He will make war.
It's really a different Jesus than we're used to seeing, obviously. We're used to seeing Him ministering to the needy, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, casting demons out of people, giving peace to troubled hearts. We're used to hearing Him inviting those with heavy burdens to come to Him for rest. But that's not how it's going to be. He now comes on a war mission, He comes to search and to destroy.
This is not new character for God, nor is it a different personality than the God of Scripture. At the Red Sea, remember, back in Exodus chapter 15 and verse 3 when Jehovah destroyed Pharaoh and his hosts. You remember that Israel said, "The Lord is a man of war." The Lord is a warrior. It's an amazing title for God. It's an amazing title for the Son of God, but a true one.
Alexander White commenting on John Bunyan's great masterpiece called The Holy Warwrote this, "Holy Scripture is full of wars and rumors of wars, the wars of the Lord, the wars of Joshua and the Judges, the wars of David with his and many other magnificent battle songs, till the best known name of the God of Israel in the Old Testament is the Lord of hosts. And then in the New Testament we have Jesus Christ described as the captain of our salvation. And then the whole Bible is crowned with a book, all sounding with battle cries, till it ends with that city of peace where they hang the trumpet in the hall and study war no more," end quote.
The Lord is a man of war. In righteousness He judges and makes war. Frankly, the judging has already been going on in the breaking of the seals, and in the blowing of the trumpets and the pouring out of the bowls. But now He makes a final war. He who for long centuries had endured the scoffings patiently, the insults the bad manners of men who contemplated Calvary and, as it were, spit on Him, who displayed human hatred and contempt, who threw millennia have rejected the peace that He made through the blood of the cross. They're now going to find Him a warrior King. But there's not going to be much fighting on their part, the end will come in a split second.
You see, heaven cannot be at peace with sin. God is of purer eyes than to behold evil, cannot look upon iniquity. God's patience has an end. He will not always tolerate iniquity. Justice cannot always live within justice. Truth cannot always live with lies. Rebellion cannot always go on. And when sin is finally incorrigible and man is incurable, will come the destruction. And mercy abused will bring the executioner. Here, says one writer, comes this sword of insulted majesty, the wrath of rejected grace.
Furthermore, this Conqueror comes not as other conquerors out of covetousness, ambition, pride or the love of power, this Conqueror comes in utter righteousness, in perfect holiness, in strict accord with every holy interest. And that's where it's going to go, this history of the world. That's where it's going to end.
Further in the description, verse 12, "And His eyes are a flame of fire and upon His head are many diadems and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself."
He has eyes like a flame of fire. What is that? Well nothing escapes His notice. He has penetrating eyes. His eyes pierce through and see everything. That too is said of Him in Revelation 1:14, "His eyes were like a flame of fire." It has to do with piercing, penetrating as well as purifying gaze. He can see into the recesses of every human heart. His vision penetrates everything.
In chapter 2 verse 18 of Revelation, to the church at Thyatira, it says the Son of God who has eyes like a flame of fire. When first He looked upon the earth, when first He came, His eyes sparkled with tenderness and joy as He gathered little children to Himself, as He expressed His love to the poor and the needy. His eyes glowed with compassion as when a single look on guilty Peter melted Peter's heart and made him weep bitterly. His eyes were filled with tears as He looked over the city of Jerusalem and wept. And as he shed tears from those same eyes at the grave of Lazarus. But the day is coming when those eyes flash with fire, when they are penetrating burning eyes, probing the darkest recesses of every human soul and purging and purifying with judgment. To judge rightly He has to see everything. He has to sound the depths of every heart. He has to see behind every mask, under every facade. It is the flaming vision of righteous omniscience and anger.
And then it says in verse 12, "Upon His head are many crowns, many diadema, many king's crowns, ruler's crowns. And this speaks of His royal rank and regal authority. And it's the idea that He's just collected all the crowns and they're all on His head because nobody else rules anyplace. Here is the ultimate symbol of sovereignty. All the crowns are on one head. You will remember, won't you, back in chapter 12 as we were looking at the description there of Satan, we...we could see that he was a ruling monarch. In verse 3, "The great red dragon had seven heads and ten horns and on his heads were seven crowns." And then over in chapter 13 we saw the Antichrist and on his horns were ten crowns. So that Satan wore some crowns and Antichrist wore some crowns. But the day is coming when all the kings will yield their crowns. Satan will yield his crown. And Antichrist will yield his crowns. And the rulers of the world will yield their crowns and all the crowns will be on the head of Jesus.
And by the way, this was a custom in the ancient world. When Ptolemy conquered Antioch, he set two crowns on his head, the crown of Asia and the crown of Egypt, signifying the comprehensive nature of his rule. The dragon had seven crowns, the beast had ten crowns, but Jesus will wear them all. He puts them all on His head. The all become His and verse 16 says, "He is the King of kings." There will be no crowns for anyone else in that hour.
In chapter 11 and verse 15 we hear the same thought, a different way. "The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ and He will reign forever and ever." It's a fair exchange, isn't it?, for a crown of thorns? A fair exchange. And what it refers to is I suppose what you could call unassailable sovereignty...unassailable sovereignty. He is King and no one can do anything about it. "Gird Thy sword on Thy thigh, O mighty One," the psalmist said as I quoted earlier. "And in Thy majesty ride on victoriously." He is the King.
Further it says about Him, "He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself." I can't tell you how many people have asked me what that name is? And I have told them all the same thing...it is a name that no one knows, not even me, and no one else. We don't like something like that, do we? We want to know. But this is something we don't know. John could see a name there, but either he couldn't read it, or he couldn't comprehend it when he did read it. It was unintelligible to him. He didn't know what it was. It was beyond human comprehension. It was beyond human knowledge. It was beyond human understanding. And listen, my friend, that's very encouraging with all that we know of Jesus Christ, we will not know the fullness of the mystery of His person. John couldn't know it. Oh, maybe...maybe there are things that we'll know in eternity, surely there are, that we can't know now, but I'm quite confident that the full mystery of His being may well never be known to us. Yes we will know as we are known, to some degree, according to 1 Corinthians 13:12, and that's wonderful to think about. But here was John in an exalted vision taken to heaven and there was a reality about Jesus that he could not comprehend. There is an incomprehensibility to the character of God that perhaps even an eternally glorified human will never know. Oh we'll know so much more than we know now, but the full incomprehensibility of God will always be incomprehensible. And so all John is saying is there's something about Him that is way beyond anything we can ever comprehend.
That's wonderful to hear. Sometimes I think we can become overly familiar with Jesus. We can...we can over...we can overstate our comprehension and think we really know Him better than we do. There is a profound nature in the Lord Jesus Christ that is comprehensible only to God. Here comes the incomprehensible One, the sovereign One, the faithful and true One, the warrior King to do His judgment.
And then in verse 13, further describing the return, the ruler who returns, "He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood and His name is called the Word of God." He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, this is not the blood that He shed on the cross, this is not a picture of redemption, my friend. This is a picture of judgment. And based upon what I read you in Isaiah, clearly the imagery behind this in Isaiah 63 is of a coming King with a blood-splattered garment. Jesus is coming with His blood- splattered garment.
You say, "Now wait a minute, He's coming with a blood- splattered garment, but the battle hasn't started? Where did the blood come from?" May I hasten to remind you, this is not His first battle, this is His last battle. He has worn His battle clothes before. Who but He has fought the dragon? Who but He fought for Israel in the days of Joshua? Who but He fought the kings of Canaan and Taanach by the waters of Megiddo? Who but He vanquished six world powers past and all the nations that have by this time fallen? No, His garments have been splattered with blood for a long time, who but He battled Pharaoh and the triumph of the Exodus? It's the Almighty Conqueror who has His war clothes on and His war clothes bear the stains of prior battles. This is not His first battle.
It's the same almighty Conqueror who battled with sin at the cross and mingled His own blood with the blood of His enemies on His battle clothes. And now these battle clothes are to be stained again and the stains now perhaps more far-reaching than ever before. He is to tread the winepress of the wrath of God and blood splattering in every direction in the holocaust of fearful judgment.
In 2 Thessalonians 1:7 it says, "The Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." He's coming in the fury of judgment to stain His garments again.
And then it says at the end of verse 13, "His name is called the Word of God." His name is called the Word of God. Just in case there's any question about who it is, we know who the Word of God is, right? John 1, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory," right? "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God, all things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made." The Word of God is none other than the second member of the trinity, Christ, the incarnate One who is also the Creator. He is the One with the blood on His garments, He is the warrior King. And He comes in judgment.
And so here again this name is so majestic. He...why does...why does...why does God to choose to call Him "the Word of God"? Because He is the expression of God, He is the revelation of God, He's the declaration of God. He is the one in whom we hear God speak and see God act. He is the full expression of the mind and the will and the purpose of God. He is God's Word. Word represents that which is communicated. He communicates God.
So the sum of His names really is a glorious picture, isn't it? He has a name which no man knew which expresses His essential deity. He has a name, the Word of God, which expresses His incarnate deity. And He has a name, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, which expresses His sovereign deity. Frankly, the gospel plan is in those three names. He is God who revealed Himself to man and some day will come to reign over the universe.
The sum of the names then is the sum of the picture of the Conqueror. So the return of the Conqueror.
Then we see the regiments of the Conqueror. Briefly in verse 14, "And the armies which are in heaven." Now we've got some armies up there in heaven, who are they? Well, they're clothed in fine linen, white and clean, and they're following Him on white horses. Who are these glorified troops? Well, get a little hint here back in chapter 19 verse 8, just go back a few verses. Here's the bride, verse 7, the bride is the church, as well as the redeemed saints who have been brought together for the great Marriage Supper to take place in the kingdom. And it says the bride, that is believers who have been redeemed, and it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean. Then it says this, "For the fine linen is the righteousness or the righteous acts of the saints." So down in verse 14 when it says that these armies in heaven were clothed in fine linen, white and clean, who are they? They have to be the saints...have to be the saints. And have to encompass the bride. It has to be the church.
So we said the church is raptured and now the church comes back with Him. They're coming back now depicted not so much in bridal character as in righteousness. This would, as I noted when we studied that earlier text in chapter 19, also encompass Tribulation saints who had been glorified. Because you see them in chapter 7 verse 9 standing before the throne and before the Lamb clothed in white robes. And in verse 13 they say, "Who are those in white robes? And where did they come from?" And he says they are the ones who came out of the Great Tribulation and they've washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. So you've got the church garbed in fine linen, white and clean. You've got the Tribulation saints in their wonderful robes...robes that have been made pure and clean. And there's another group, Jude tells us that verse 14, "The Lord comes with many thousands of His saints, with many thousands of His saints." Literally, His holy ten thousands, to execute judgment upon all and to convict all, and so forth and so on.
Who would be the many thousands of His saints? Well, we certainly could conclude that it could be Old Testament saints. They've been there, too. And they're going to have a glorious resurrection at the end of the Tribulation. Daniel writes about that, a resurrection unto life. So you could have the church, the bride, the Tribulation saints, and even the Old Testament saints coming with the Lord. And we have to add another group, and that's the angels because in Matthew 25 and verse 31 it says, "When He comes all the angels come with Him." Ten thousand times ten thousand of the angels, two thirds of the original number, one third fell with Satan, the two third remaining glorious angels come with Him. All the saints of the Old Testament, all the saints of the church age, all the saints of the time of the Tribulation, all come blazing out of heaven with Him.
If...if we...if we want to make the Jude passage refer to the angels, we saw the little problem because then we don't have to get the Old Testament saints in there coming down from heaven, but rather we can have their resurrection happen right at the end of the Tribulation, which seems as the best time to have it and then they enter right into the Kingdom resurrected. But even if there is a gathering of these Old Testament saints and a bringing back, no promise was made to them that God had prepared a place for them in heaven to which they would have to go in their physical bodies first.
So it's best perhaps to see all of the saints coming. The white horses again are symbolic, like the bloody clothes are symbolic. I don't think Jesus will actually return in dirty clothes. But that's symbolic of the great warrior and the triumphant moment. Chapter 9, you remember, introduced calvary from hell, why not from heaven? Horses and chariots of fire protected Elisha and Dothan and a chariot and a horse took Elijah to heaven. That's symbolic of obviously of angelic power.
So the regiments of heaven come with the Conqueror. And that's who they are, they're all the regiments gathered in the glory up until that time.
You say, "What about the saints? What do we do?" Well we've come to reign, 1 Corinthians 6:2, Revelation chapter 20 has us sitting on thrones and reigning. And so once the Kingdom is established, we rule and reign in the Kingdom.
So we see the return and the regiments. And then just briefly, the rule of the Conqueror, and it's obvious. Verse 15, "From His mouth comes a sharp sword so that with it He may smite the nations and He will rule them with a rod of iron and He treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty and on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."
The rule of the King is depicted in very graphic terms. You see the return, the regiment and now rule. "Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword," it's a symbol of His slaying power. And John had seen that sword before, back in chapter 1, in the vision of verse 16. "Out of His mouth coming a sharp two-edged sword." In that particular vision that sword was a defending sword, to defend the church against the onslaught of Satan and his powers, but here it is a sword of judgment. It is the flaming sword of death. And it's the sword out of His mouth because He speaks and it's done. The whole thing is over in a second. Death-dealing power in His words. Where once He spoke comfort, He now speaks death. And though the saints, as I said, return with Christ to reign and rule, they are not executors, we are not those who carry out the vengeance. That is His task. The angels may help in the gathering process, but He treads the winepress alone. And John wrote, "For this purpose the Son of Man was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil." He carries the sword, He alone uses it, He treads the winepress. The angels assist in the mop up and we in the reign in the Kingdom. "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord."
We don't see any weapons, by the way, in anybody else's hands. None of the saints who come with Him have any weapons. His word is enough. And He, says Isaiah 11:4, will smite the earth with the rod of His mouth and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
So verse 15 says, "With this sword He will smite the nations." Israel has been purged. The elect out of Israel have been redeemed. And they will be preserved into the Kingdom. The rest of the world He will slaughter in an instant with His own word. Then He will set up His Kingdom and rule them with a rod of iron. That is to say there will be regenerated Gentiles...there's a lot skipped in there, there will be regenerated Gentiles, He's not going to kill them, they'll go into the Kingdom. And through that Kingdom He will rule those nations with a rod of iron. What does that mean? It means instantaneous judgment, it means swift punishment.
Chapter 12 verse 5 says, "The male child who is Christ will rule all the nations with a rod of iron." Psalm 2 verses 8 and 9 is where that comes from. Back in Psalm 2 is the promise that the Messiah would come and He would break the nations with a rod of iron. What that means is instant, swift, righteous judgment will be the characteristic of the rule and the reign of Jesus Christ. When He comes His judgment will be sure. It will be swift, unyielding, absolute sovereignty, immediate justice with severity. It's going to be a very different world than it is today...when there's so much rampant injustice and inequity. God will establish the law, Christ will execute the law, justice will be absolute, sovereign, instantaneous and severe. All will be required to conform to that law or be judged.
And, of course, we will participate at that point in that judging process. In fact, it says in Revelation 2:26, "To him who overcomes, I will give authority over the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron." So we get in on that ruling process. He does the execution, we do the ruling. The angels do the mop up after the execution.
Then John gives a further description of His rule by saying, "He treads the wine...rather of His judgment by saying...He treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty." That comment relates to His fury and His wrath. He crushes the grapes in His wrath...a very vivid symbol of judgment. In the ancient times they would stomp on the grapes and they would squish and spurt everywhere, that kind of vivid bursting of the blood of people is the imagery here.
So He comes in fury and He comes in judgment. And He tramples in an instant all the ungodly, out of the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ comes the sentence, and the execution. And that puts Him in a position to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And it's written on His robe and on His thigh that that indeed is His name. Psalm 45:3 says, "Gird Thy sword on Thy thigh, O mighty One." And on that same thigh is the name King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
He's identified in John's image as having a banner that sweeps across and goes down on His thigh, and it shows that He is ultimately the sovereign, He's ultimately the King. So all foes are vanquished. The slaughter is fearful, frightening, terrible thing. But mercy abused and grace spurned reaches this point. And when He came the first time they would have preferred a murderer over Him and they killed Him, killing the prince of life as the book of Acts says. They openly blasphemed God, they become more and more wicked as time goes on. Finally in the end their wickedness reaches irredeemable proportions and the executor comes back to execute. And the picture is clear and unmistakable.
The psalmist saw this, and I close with this, in Psalm 2, he saw it so clearly that He was going to come with a rod of iron and he said this, verse 11, or verse 10, excuse me, "Now therefore, O kings, show discernment, take warning, O judges of the earth, worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling...and I love this...kiss the Son lest He become angry and you perish in the way for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him."
Father, we hear the words of the psalmist. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him. We're thankful that we're not looking for the judge in fear, we're looking for the Lord Jesus in hope. We're not living under the threat of doom, but under the promise of joy. We thank You that in Your mercy and grace You brought us to kiss the Son, do homage to Him, show Him reverence so that He's no longer angry with us, but loves us and seeks only our eternal good. Father, we thank You that we will not experience this, that we are not set for wrath, but we have been delivered from the wrath to come by faith in Christ. We thank You that we're looking for the Rapture, not the return. But, O God, at the same time there's a world of people headed for the holocaust of all holocausts and You're not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. And so, Father, make us like the Apostle Paul, aware of the terror of the Lord so that we persuade men to embrace Christ. Never let us become complacent and content and satisfied, and since all is well with us, and all is in Your sovereign care, we have no obligation to a sinning world. May we not be so presumptuous or so disobedient, but rather to go everywhere pleading with men, be reconciled to God, make God your friend so that He need not be your enemy.
Father, commit unto us the ministry of reconciliation that men and women, young people, children might come to Christ while He is Savior and not face Him as judge. We thank You for this clear word. We live in the light of it. Make us faithful in His name. Amen.
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text:
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Harvard women's
tennis team fell to Purdue, 5-2, Saturday afternoon at the Schwartz
Tennis Center. Sophomore Holly Cao remains undefeated at the No. 1
spot as she picked up one of Harvard's two singles wins.
Purdue picked up the doubles point after winning two of the three doubles matches. Freshman Kristin Norton and sophomore Caroline Davis fell to Bhavani Tirumurti and Imogen Golder, 8-3 in the No. 3 match. Junior Samantha Rosekrans and freshman Alexandra Lehman tied the doubles sets as they picked up an 8-6 win over Anna Dushkina and Remi Martin in the No. 2 match. Purdue's Michelle Sammons and Jennifer Rabot earned the doubles point for the team as they beat Cao and freshman Hideko Tachibana, 8-5, in the No. 1 match.
In singles play, Purdue won two of the six sets to clinch the match win. Tachibana fell to Rabot, 6-1, 6-3, in the No. 2 match. Cao evened the singles score with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Sammons in the No. 1 match. In the No. 6 match, Lehman fell to Gisella Pere, 6-4, 6-4. Harvard again evened the singles score when Norton defeated Tirumurti, 6-3, 0-6, 6-2, in the No. 3 match. Purdue won the final two singles matches of the afternoon in the No. 4 and 5 positions. Dushkina defeated Rosekrans, 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, and Golder picked up a 4-6, 6-0, 6-2, win over freshman Sophie Chang.
Harvard returns to the courts tomorrow afternoon as they face No. 39 Illinois.
1. #57 Holly Cao (HAR) def. Michelle Sammons (PUR) 6-3, 6-1
2. Jennifer Rabot (PUR) def. #115 Hideko Tachibana (HAR) 6-1, 6-3
3. Kristin Norton (HAR) def. Bhavani Tirumurti (PUR) 6-3, 0-6, 6-2
4. Anna Dushkina (PUR) def. Samantha Rosekrans (HAR) 6-3, 5-7, 6-1
5. Imogen Golder (PUR) def. Sophie Chang (HAR) 4-6, 6-0, 6-2
6. Gisella Pere (PUR) def. Alexandra Lehman (HAR) 6-4, 6-4
1. Michelle Sammons/Jennifer Rabot (PUR) def. Holly Cao/Hideko Tachibana (HAR) 8-5
2. Samantha Rosekrans/Alexandra Lehman (HAR) def. Anna Dushkina/Remi Martin (PUR) 8-6
3. Bhavani Tirumurti/Imogen Golder (PUR) def. Kristin Norton/Caroline Davis (HAR) 8-3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles: (2,1,6,3,4,5)
Women's Tennis Falls to Purdue, 5-2
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Harvard women's
tennis team fell to Purdue, 5-2, Saturday afternoon at the Schwartz
Tennis Center. Sophomore Holly Cao remains undefeated at the No. 1
spot as she picked up one of Harvard's two singles wins.


text:
Blurring the Boundaries of Form and Function at Allan Stone Projects
Artsy Editorial
Series: /100
Arman (born Armand Pierre Fernandez) was an early proponent of accumulation and scatter art. In 1959, he began displaying collections of objects in Plexiglas cases and creating installations of strewn garbage, which he called "Poubelles," or "trash bins." He also welded identical objects together to create larger sculptural pieces. In 1961, along with Yves Klein, Jean Tinguely, Jacques Villeglé, art critic Pierre Restany, and others, Arman founded Nouveau Réalisme, a group interested in new approaches to the concept of "reality." Spending time in New York in the 1960s, Arman adopted destruction as a strategy for creating something new—slicing, burning, and smashing objects such as bronze statues and musical instruments to mount on canvas. Andy Warhol owned two of Arman's Poubelles, and Arman appears in the Warhol's 1964 film Dinner at Daley's.
French-American, 1928-2005, Nice, France


text:
Penelope Cruz is set to make her directorial debut tomorrow with a short film she made for lingerie brand Agent Provocateur.
The film was created to showcase a collection called L'Argent that Cruz and her sister Mónica designed for the luxury label.
The film was shot in Madrid and features Cruz's husband, Javier Bardem as well as her pregnant sister Mónica and model Irina Shayk.
Cruz also enlisted her younger brother Eduardo to compose the film's music.
Speaking to Women's Wear Daily Cruz said: "I used women of all shapes and ages, as it was important for me to let women know that this brand is for everyone."
She added: "I chose Irina, as she is such a vivacious woman, and with all the beautiful women in the campaign, I really needed someone who would keep the audience's attention."
This is not the first time that Cruz has worked with the brand having fronted their Autumn/Winter 2012 campaign.
The Cruz sister's collection will go on sale this August and will feature 15 different ranges that will retail for less than Agent Provocateur's main line.


text:
LONDON (Reuters) - As Silvio Berlusconi's pre-election media blitz intensifies, so do fears of a costly detour from Italy's road back to economic strength.
Yields on short-term Italian debt, which have fallen sharply, are creeping up again, reflecting concerns that the billionaire tycoon, who lost power at the peak of Italy's fiscal woes in 2011, could have a big influence on the election outcome.
Some overseas investors are selling up now, rather than waiting to find out.
Luca Paolini, chief strategist at $135 billion investment house Pictet Asset Management, is telling clients to take their profits on Italian bonds ahead of a possible correction, not only in Italy but the broader euro zone.
"Risk assets have had a great rally on very optimistic assumptions on both politics and the economy. I suggest people take money out of all the peripheral countries until we see what happens in Italy, but maybe even until we see proof that the European Central Bank (ECB) is not falling asleep at the wheel."
"The U.S. is moving, Japan is moving, and the ECB is losing the currency war," said Paolini, who is now running a long position in gold as well as underweight positions in Italian bonds and equities.
While few are betting on a Berlusconi comeback, the former premier has steadily cut back a wide opinion poll lead held by the biggest centre-left group, the Democratic Party, thanks to a slew of television and radio appearances.
While the centre-left is still clear favourite to win the election and seize control of the lower house, Berlusconi is trying to prevent its control of the Senate, which would make it tougher for a new government to implement painful reforms and keep a coalition together.
The surprise defeat of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats in Sunday's Lower Saxony state elections has provided a timely reminder of the unpredictability of politics.
And now that the possibility of a euro zone collapse seems to have receded after repeated reassurance of European Central Bank (ECB) support to members in difficulty, the continent's voters are taking other concerns to the ballot box and results are becoming tougher to call.
"I'm investing in the euro zone but not in Italy, because although they have a primary surplus, there's huge uncertainty politically," said Torgeir Hoien, head of fixed income at $19 billion Norwegian investment firm Skagen.
"What kind of policies will the Democratic Party pursue if they win? I am not certain. Berlusconi, I suspect, is much more popular in Italy than most of us appreciate. The common Italian was quite happy with him."
Such concerns have pushed the yield on two-year Italian bonds up 12 basis points (bps) to 1.52 percent since hitting a 33-month low on January 16.
Similarly, the five-year yield has bounced 20 bps since January 11 to 2.98 percent.
Mike Riddell, manager of the International Sovereign Bond Fund at M&G, the $351 billion investment arm of UK insurer Prudential (PRU.L), says the Italian election on February 24-25 could stir up a new phase of political turmoil in Europe.
Last week he sold his 5-year and 7-year Italian government debt, bought at yields of 6-7 percent in July, banking a profit of more than 350 bps in the process. He is unwilling to gamble such gains on the hope of a seamless, market-friendly result.
Like the Spaniards, Irish and the Greeks, Italians are living in an age of austerity, paying a high price for the excessive spending of past governments.
Mario Monti, the technocrat parachuted in to succeed Berlusconi as premier in Italy's hour of need, has pushed through several unpopular fiscal reforms in an effort to bring the country's enormous debt under control.
He is now standing as a candidate against Berlusconi but so far has failed to boost his centrist alliance as much as he had hoped. Nevertheless, many analysts say the changing poll ratings could increase the chance that the centre-left is forced to make an alliance with Monti's group, keeping Berlusconi out.
There are fears that Italians, resentful of government mismanagement while they have kept their personal finances in order - boasting one of the lowest household debt-to-savings ratios in the EU - could be swayed by the lure of a more relaxed regime offering tax cuts.
Berlusconi has increased his popularity by promising an immediate repeal of a hated housing tax imposed by Monti.
Market conditions have clearly improved under Monti. Italy managed to sell 6 billion euros of 15-year bonds at a 4.8 percent yield earlier this month, its first such offering in more than two years.
Foreign buyers bought 60 percent of the issue, the head of the Treasury Debt Management office told Reuters.
But some commentators argue that robust recent demand for Italian bonds is down to an increasingly desperate search for longer-term income among investors, who remain on high alert for downside in the event of an upset.
Italy pays almost five times the rate Germany pays its five-year bondholders, so any signs of resistance towards austerity could spell future funding trouble for a country that has a refinancing target of 420 billion euros in 2013.
"We've seen fledgling recoveries snuffed out in their early stages on a few occasions since the debt crisis started, and it wouldn't be a surprise if another political accident tramples green shoots once again," said Ben Bennett, credit strategist at Legal & General Investment Management.
($1 = 0.6302 British pounds)
Additional reporting by William James, Barry Moody in Rome and Francesca Landini in Milan; Editing by Will Waterman