No, Leviticus 8:22-24 & 14:14, and Ephesians 6:11 do not directly apply to Donald Trump and his assassination attempt.
Social media is ablaze with people posting what they interpret as freaky parallels between the passages cited above and Trump’s survival after the recent assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13th.
It’s curious, but not surprising, when people feverishly try to force-fit scripture into current events. (Think: Persian Gulf War, 9/11, the solar eclipse this past April, etc.)
“Enough is enough with interpreting every event as a DM (direct message) from heaven.”
Maher, not a Christian, is right.
First, the passages in Leviticus mention the significance of blood being applied to the right ear of a priest. People wasted no time connecting Old Testament priestly blessings with the wound on Trump’s ear.
But there’s a problem. In addition to applying the sacrificial blood to Aaron’s right ear, Moses also applied the blood to Aaron’s right thumb, and the big toe on Aaron’s right foot. This is repeated in both passages from Leviticus. So there’s actually no connection at all to Trump’s injury.
Lastly – and this is extremely important – the blood in the Leviticus passages was “applied”, not the result of a wound. It was intended to be a preview of Christ’s righteousness being applied/imputed to us upon our profession of faith in him. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21)
Second, since the shooting took place at 6:11 local time (EST), there have been proclamations of Ephesian 6:11 which says, “Put on the full armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.”
This was written by Paul to a group of young Christians in first century Ephesus who lived in one of the most pagan, cultic cities of ancient times. Widespread religious and economic growth were directly tied to the city’s crown jewel: the Temple of Artemis (Roman god equivalent is Diana). It was so formidable it’s listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
As you can imagine, Satan had a stronghold in that city. As a result, living boldly for Christ carried great risk. This is why Paul finished his letter to the Ephesians by using the metaphor of a Roman soldier’s armor to exhort them to “put on the armor or God.” Paul’s intent was to “put on Christ” so they could stand firm in the face of trouble, discouragement, and persecution. To apply it to Trump’s surviving an assassin’s bullet is misguided.
So, was Trump’s survival miraculous? How can you think otherwise? Without question, it was God’s providence. Saturday was not the day Trump was going to die. Whatever God purposes, that is what will prevail. Solomon wrote,
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
One more thing – I’ve seen the pictures people have created of mighty angels protecting Trump. Here’s my question: where was Corey Comperatore’s guardian angel? Was he late? Did heaven simply not have enough angels to go around? Where was Corey’s “armor of God?” And if you think about it, I suspect Corey had blood on his right ear as well. But he died saving his family.
Simple logic dictates forcing scripture into current events is a slippery slope. You and I both could make scripture fit most any major current event if we try hard enough. We saw this en masse in 2020.
Can current events have direct connections to scripture? Absolutely. On May 14, 1948, ancient Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled when Israel, for the first time in over 2000 years, was recognized as a nation.
But, it’s irresponsible to cherry-pick biblical passages and work them like clay to fit the mold of current events. We are to draw meaning out of scripture, not press meaning into it.
nw