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Catholics Nailed To Crosses In The Philippines In Mocking Re-enactment Of Jesus’ Death

Beloved, you cannot begin to imagine the PRICE HE PAID for your sin and mine. Which is why we recoil in horror when we read stories like this that only serve to mock and belittle the true sacrifice Jesus made on Calvary.

Published

14 years ago

April 6, 2012

Geoffrey Grider

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A grim Good Friday reenactment of Jesus’s suffering.

“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” (Hebrews 10:12-18)

The Philippines is about 80% Roman Catholic, and the country’s culture is strongly mixed with and established based on Catholicism. Since the Lenten Season is the time of the year where most of the Catholic practices and rituals are performed, it is never a surprise for the locals to see some devout parishioners go beyond what was called for by the Catholic church. Because of the rich mixture of pagan roots and that of Catholicism, many devotees naturally lean toward folk superstition ending up in the spectacle that is a unique brand of Catholicism in this country. It is baffling, though, to know that although the Catholic church condemns such practices, the annual rituals have continued since the 1950’s.

Calculating the true cost

From a biblical perspective, though, re-enacting Jesus’ suffering and death in such a way borders on mockery to the sacrifice of the only begotten Son of God who was sent to die for the reparation sin of those who will believe. Just imagine Jesus standing before Pilate. He is about to have His back scourged with a Roman cat-of-nine tails. Nine rough leather straps, with bits of broken glass and sharp metal shards woven in to lacerate the skin. The hulking, powerful Roman guards would lash out with all their might, make contact, and then drag the whip back across the skin. Over and over again this was done to the back of Jesus in brutal, barbaric fashion. Now, if any of you think this was just a little “whipping” and was something Jesus could easily shake off, let’s do the math to see exactly how brutal it really was.

The cat-o-nine-tails has 9 leather straps with, on average, 5 sharp pieces of metal or glass woven in. According to Roman law, He would have been whipped about 40 times. Take out your calculator and times 9 x 5 x 40, and what do you get? 1,800 potential lacerations that filleted our Saviour like a fish at cleaning time. Beloved, you cannot begin to imagine the PRICE HE PAID for your sin and mine. Which is why we recoil in horror when we read stories like the following that only serve to mock and belittle the true sacrifice Jesus made on Calvary.

From the Washington Post: Nine Catholic devotees in the Philippines marked Good Friday by reenacting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, with real nails driven through their hands and feet as villagers dressed as Roman centurions and thousands of others looked on. The devotees say they endure the pain to give thanks, atone for their sins and pray during Holy Week.

Agony or Mockery?: Bobby Gomez grimaces as a nail is hammered into his hand in the Good Friday celebration

“I feel good because my suffering has ended,” Ruben Enaje, a 51-year-old sign painter, told the Associated Press. Enaje went through his 26th crucifixion this year after recently surviving a fall from a building. The annual event, held this year in the northern province of Pampanga, is opposed by Catholic Church leaders in the Philippines and around the world, who say that there is no reason to go through this pain.

“The church’s position is there’s no need to go through this physical and literal pain on the body because Christ already did that for us,” the Rev. Melvin Castro of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines told the AP.

Pain: A Filipino man has nails through his hands - and some more put through his feet as he is put on a cross in the reenactment.

Castro suggests that people go to confession and give alms instead. Also opposed to the tradition are the country’s health officials, who have warned in years past that those taking part in the rituals should have tetanus shots and be pierced by sterilized nails.

Horror: Percy Valencia, 41, is hoisted up onto a cross before being 'crucified' for a few minutes today .

Just before Friday’s crucifixion, scores of people who did not go up on the cross whipped themselves as a symbol of their repentance. Others marched through the streets beating their naked backs with sharp bamboo sticks and pieces of wood.

Hooded barefoot penitents perform self-flagellation to atone for their sins in San Fernando, Pampanga in northern Philippines.

Two foreign students were allowed to film this year’s rites, but angered organizers when they tried to participate in the procession, according to the AP. Foreigners are not allowed to participate because of two incidents in which an Australian comic was nailed to a cross using a fake name, and a Japanese man tried to be crucified for a scene in a porn film. source – Washington Post

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THE BIBLE BELIEVERS SUNDAY SERVICE: All Forever Satisfied At The Resurrection

Published

1 day ago

April 5, 2026

Geoffrey Grider

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The resurrection is God’s legal, public and triumphant declaration that the Gospel is true, the payment has been made and accepted, and everyone in Christ stands justified before Him.

When Jesus Christ came up out of that borrowed tomb, He was not merely resuming life as it had been before. Everything had changed! He rose in power, in triumph, in glorified victory, never to die again. Lazarus came back from the dead and would one day die again. Jesus Christ rose from the dead as the conquering Son of God, and because He lives, every born again believer has absolute certainty that death is not the end. But the resurrection of Jesus Christ is far more than mere inspiration. The resurrection is God’s legal, public and triumphant declaration that the Gospel is true, the payment has been made and accepted, and everyone in Christ stands justified before Him. My message today is called ‘All Forever Satisfied At The Resurrection’, and it will change the way you look at the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the power that raised Him.

“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” Psalm 17:15 (KJB)

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SUNDAY SERVICE STUDY NOTES: All Forever Satisfied At The Resurrection

All Forever Satisfied At The Resurrection

“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” Psalm 17:15 (KJB)

Today, much of professing Christianity will gather in churches all across America and talk about the empty tomb, the folded napkin, the stone rolled away, and the women who came early to anoint the body of Jesus Christ. And while all of that is wonderful, and all of that is true, there is something about the resurrection that far too many Christians miss. They see the resurrection as a symbol of hope, as a poetic triumph over sadness, as a heartwarming assurance that better days are ahead.

Modern Christianity loves the emotional side of resurrection Sunday, but it often neglects the doctrinal side. It wants the celebration without the confrontation. It wants the victory without understanding what was actually won. The doctrinal truth of the resurrection is where all the power is. It is the love of God that sent Jesus to the cross, but it was the power of God that raised Him up from the dead. Love without power is a fairy tale.

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Timothy 4:2-4 (KJB)

When Jesus Christ came up out of that borrowed tomb, He was not merely resuming life as it had been before. Everything had changed! He rose in power, in triumph, in glorified victory, never to die again. Lazarus came back from the dead and would one day die again. Jesus Christ rose from the dead as the conquering Son of God, and because He lives, every born again believer has absolute certainty that death is not the end. But the resurrection of Jesus Christ is far more than mere inspiration.

THE CROSS VS. THE RESURRECTION

The resurrection is God’s legal, public and triumphant declaration that the Gospel is true, the payment has been made and accepted, and everyone in Christ stands justified before Him.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” Romans 5:8,9 (KJB)

The cross is where the price was paid.
The resurrection is where God declared the payment accepted.
The cross is where Jesus died for sinners.
The resurrection is where God announced victory over death.
The cross shows the love of God.
The resurrection shows the power and approval of God.

1). A DEBT WAS OWED, SO THE PAYMENT WAS MADE:

“Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” Psalm 51:4 (KJB)

“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:13 (KJB)

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19:30 (KJB)

2). RAISED AGAIN FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION:

“How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.” Job 25:4,5 (KJB)

“But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:24-25 (KJB)

3). THE COMING JUDGMENT

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9:27,28 (KJB)

4). VICTORY OVER DEATH:

“The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” I Corinthians 15:26 (KJB)

“Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.” Romans 6:9 (KJB)

“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” I Corinthians 15:14-20 (KJB)

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” I Corinthians 15:22 (KJB)

5). WHAT THE RESURRECTION MEANS FOR BELIEVERS

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” Romans 6:3-5 (KJB)

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page

When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

Donald Trump

HELL WILL REIGN DOWN: Trump Threatens Iran With An End Times Holy War Ripped From The Book Of Revelation If They Don’t Make Peace In 48 Hours

Published

2 days ago

April 4, 2026

Geoffrey Grider

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Trump Warns Iran “All Hell Will Reign Down” In 48 Hours, And That Strange Word Choice May Reveal A Little More Than He Intended

President Donald Trump just dropped one of the most explosive warnings of this entire Iran confrontation, posting on Truth Social: “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD! President DONALD J. TRUMP.” Multiple current outlets and live reports quoted that post verbatim on April 4, 2026, as Trump tied the ultimatum to his earlier ten-day deadline over the Strait of Hormuz.

“Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.” Isaiah 14:9 (KJB)

This is not merely another political post. This is the language of countdown, consequence and collision. Trump is telling Iran that the clock is nearly spent, that the deadline is real, and that failure to comply will bring devastating force. The Strait of Hormuz is not some minor patch of water. It is one of the most strategic choke points on the face of the earth, and whenever that narrow passage is threatened, the whole world feels it. Oil markets feel it, shipping lanes feel it, militaries feel it, and world governments feel it. So when Trump says “open up the Hormuz Strait” and attaches a 48-hour warning to it, he is not playing word games. He is putting the entire region on notice.

But there is something else in Trump’s Truth Social post that absolutely jumps off the page. Trump did not say hell would “rain” down. He said hell would reign down. Meaning Hell will begin to rule on Earth.

IS TRUMP HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS? IS HE TORTURED BY DEVILS? THIS BOOK WILL TELL YOU, CLICK TO ORDER!!

Now maybe some people will dismiss that as a typo. Maybe it was, I don’t know. But words matter, and when a world leader is issuing a fiery public threat in the middle of a fast-moving regional crisis, every syllable carries weight. “Rain down” would mean destruction falling from above. But “reign down” carries a very different flavor altogether. Reign speaks of rule. Reign speaks of authority. Reign speaks of dominion imposed by superior power. That one word transforms the sentence from a mere threat of attack into something that sounds like judgment descending with force and rule attached to it. That is what makes this so striking. Whether Trump intended it or not, “reign” gives the whole statement an apocalyptic tone. It sounds less like a military response and more like a pronouncement. It sounds like power enthroned. It sounds like punishment backed by dominion. It sounds like the kind of language that reveals the deeper spirit of the moment. America is no longer whispering to Iran through diplomatic back channels. America is standing at the edge of the battlefield, pointing directly at Tehran, and warning that the next move may bring apocalyptic fire.

For years now, the Middle East has been a boiling cauldron, each fresh crisis drawing the nations one step closer to open alignment, open hostility and open war. Iran has long been a chief agent of chaos in the region, using proxies, terror, shipping threats and military posturing to push the entire area toward ignition. Now the Strait of Hormuz once again stands in the center of the storm, and Trump has decided that the time for measured talking points is over.

This is where we are on the end times timeline. Not in an age of peace, but in an age of ultimatums. Not in a season of calm, but in a season of escalation. Not in a world stepping back from the brink, but in one racing toward it. President Trump may indeed see his ‘Hell Will Reign Down’ threat come to pass in ways he’s never dreamt of. Or maybe he will TACO and forget all about it entirely. You never know with Trump.

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

Gospel Witness Billboard Program

Just In Time For Resurrection Sunday, A New Gospel Witness Billboard Proclaiming Salvation Through The Shed Blood Of Jesus Christ On The Cross Goes Up

Published

2 days ago

April 4, 2026

Geoffrey Grider

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On this Resurrection weekend, NTEB is proclaiming new life through the shed blood of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world

The NTEB Gospel Witness Billboard Program continues going at full-speed ahead here in its sixth year of operation, proclaiming new life in Jesus Christ with a message that takes less than 3 seconds to read while traveling past it at an average of 60 miles per hour. We are working on one right now that will go up somewhere in Tennessee shortly, please pray for that, and this one you see in the photo at the top of this article that went up yesterday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” Ephesians 1:7 (KJB)

If you don’t believe that we live in a lost and dying world that has rejected Jesus Christ, just go read today’s headlines for 60 seconds and you will. But it is into this fallen world that Jesus Christ first appeared, and it is into this fallen world that we who are His witnesses are called to bear witness to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus on the third day according to the scriptures. Our billboards over the past six years have generated more than a billion views, and only the Judgment Seat of Christ will reveal just what manner of fruit was gained through this outreach. Please pray for the Gorzell family at Broken Pieces Ministries whom we partner with in this billboard, that the Lord will give them fruit, more fruit and much fruit for their labours.

How about you, Christian? Will you come and partner with all of us here at Now The End Begins to keep these billboards up? It costs thousands of dollars per month to do it, and we reach millions of people in the process. If God has prospered you, prayerfully consider clicking on the donate link to help us. We can’t do it without you.