Through the Eye of a Needle

A review of the book “Red-Handed” by Peter Schweizer

How much wealth is enough and what are you willing to do to get more of it?  At what point will greed or blackmail (actual or the fear of it) enslave you and put you on the path to hell?  In chapter 19 of the Gospel of John (vv. 23-24), Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

Investigative author Peter Schweizer says this about his 2022 best-selling expose’ Red-Handed, “This without doubt is the most troubling book I have written.”  Through eight chapters (237 pages), Schweizer details the slavish relationships between the totalitarian government of Red China and many rich and powerful American individuals, families and organizations.  He backs his writing with 81 pages of small-print reference notes.  He provides details of shady and foul dealings between Chinese government-controlled entities (frequently in the military and espionage realms) with these Americans.  He provides their names (including Barbour, Biden, Boehner, Bush, Dorsey, Feinstein, Gates, Kissinger, McConnell, Pelosi, Swalwell, Trudeau (Canada) and Zuckerberg.  He names entities in Big Tech, Wall Street, academia, sports and politics.  He also provides quotes from some of them, extolling the virtues of the totalitarian government of China (reminiscent of the historical comments from some in America and Europe regarding pre-WW2 fascist Germany).

The sub-title for this book is “How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win.”

In their pursuit of power and money, these (so-called) “elites” compromise and endanger the people of America, Canada and China (indeed, the whole world).  From a broad perspective, these failures of trust are not surprising.  They explain much that seems so wrong in the world.  But the details and scope of the revelations in this book paint a dark picture- is it too late to reverse course?  Mr. Schweizer’s last chapter (11 pages) is titled “Fighting Back.”  He presents some good ideas and I hope that people of good faith and courage will push back against such evil.  He names a few prominent people who are doing that.

I doubt that many of the culprits identified by Schweizer will change their ways.  Remember those words of Jesus from John chapter 19.  But Jesus does provide them some hope in verses 25 and 26, “When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’  Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  If any of these culprits truly will repent (admitting he/she is wrong and God is right) and turned to Jesus, salvation awaits.  But that would require confession and a stark change in behavior.  I suspect loss of wealth and prestige are unacceptable to most of them.  Others may fear China’s wrath and blackmail.  The human sin nature is strong and cannot be overcome by man alone; it requires acceptance of God’s grace and help.  Some of these folks may claim to be Christians, but their foul fruit suggests otherwise.  They are more likely “professing Christians” who face the prospect of personally hearing these words from Jesus, “Go away, I never knew you.”

Has this level of betrayal already brought us to a tipping point?  Has the “supply of sin” grown too great and has the “demand for salvation” fallen too low?  Can we step away from the abyss?  Bible prophecy tells about God’s plan for eradication of sin and restoration of creation.  When that “supply and demand” relationship meets God’s criteria (He already knows that moment, as He is not limited by time), these End Times events will come:  The rapture (removal) of all Christians to heaven.  The Tribulation (seven years of global war, plague, famine, natural disasters, demonic attacks and more, in which most humans will die).  The second coming of Jesus to end the Tribulation and defeat the massive evil forces of the Antichrist at Armageddon.  The Millennial Kingdom ruled by Jesus.  The final judgments.  The new earth and heaven, free of all sin.

In these End Times prophecies, there is no mention of a super power that could be inferred to be America.  There is scant reference to anything like China.  Both will be decimated by the events of the Tribulation and by the removal of their Christian citizens in the rapture.  Perhaps that is the full explanation.  But it’s possible also that one or both nations will already have fallen, thanks to the decay within its leadership and/or a conflict resulting from their foolish actions.  I hope America will take heed of the warnings and advice provided by Mr. Schweizer in Red-Handed, but I seriously doubt that will be sufficient.  The Bible prophecies will be fulfilled and salvation will come only at the personal level, not for nations as a whole (other than the revival of Israel through the Millennial Kingdom).  Remember John 19:26, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

I encourage you to buy, beg or borrow a copy of Red-Handed.  Read it and consider what it says.

Mark C. Tredecim (note, in the chart below, I would place us in the early days of “Box 1”)