In the last general post I sent out, I included just a bit of history about Israel, although I’d really liked to have provided much more. It’s the most fascinating national history in the world, especially in light of how all things end up.
Yet still, the majority of the world does not really care about Israel, or what happens to it–except to find fault with it, or make unreasonable demands that would not be made of any other nation in the same circumstances. This is not just the secular world though. This unfortunately also includes a high percentage of denominational protestant church organizations, as well as the Catholic church, which have taken a non-Biblical stance against modern Israel. This is only going to get worse as time passes. Hopefully, at least some will see how disastrous this is in light of God’s covenants with Israel, as a people, and also what He has said about the land that He has given them.
Now, a bit more about Israel…
There is a new entity roaming around the globe (at least new to me until a couple weeks or so ago), and they call themselves “The Elders”. This is a group of people coming from different countries, most if not all having served in high leadership positions like ex-president Jimmy Carter. They travel all over the world, particularly into troubled areas and offer their take on the situation and what is needed to solve it.
They have visited the volatile mid-east twice now, officially, and have highly criticized Israel and its leadership, whereas the Palestinians have pretty much been given a pass for the most part. This is of course not surprising if one knows the history and backgrounds of these individuals, particularly ex-president Jimmy Carter. His book “Palestine Peace Not Apartheid” which was released in 2007 was particularly offensive to Israel—not so much because it had an obvious slant against Israel but rather because it was so inaccurate in its “facts”. Mr. Carter’s obvious disdain really showed in the book and caused an outrage in many places around the globe in spite of the fact that it had to do with Israel. It even caused Mr. Carter to publish an apology, if for no other reason, to try and stay relative on the world scene.
I don’t want to take too much time with “The Elders”, but I suspect that their presence is not going to go away anytime soon, and so will bring them up off and on. In short for today, the Elders are pushing for the Palestinians to get their own state as soon as possible. They condemn the blockage off of Gaza, condemn any and all building projects in the West Bank or East Jerusalem. In fact, they are in favor of East Jerusalem being the Palestinian capitol. The Elders also are in favor of Hamas being part of the negotiations, as well as other leaders or groups that have terrorist ties. The biggest problem with all these groups is that they are committed, not to co-existence with Israel as a Jewish State, but to its total destruction. There is no foundation of peace that can be built on this kind of a philosophy.
So, where does God really stand on this? In an earlier post I quoted what God Himself said in Genesis 12. This was, and is, an eternal covenant that God made with Abraham. It is not open to negotiation with the “Elders”, nor the UN, nor NATO, nor the EU, nor the US, nor the Palestinians, nor the Arab league, nor anyone else, including the devil himself. It also doesn’t matter that the nation of Israel is mostly a secular nation at this point in time. God made this covenant, not based on Israel’s worthiness, but on His Own Word. That really does settle the issue. Jerusalem is one city that God is reserving for Himself. It will be the seat of the throne of Jesus the KING of Kings, and the events we are seeing unfolding in front of our eyes today are a build-up to the day of its fulfillment.
So, how about the Palestinians? Believe me, I have nothing against the Palestinians as a people, but their premise that they have a historical right to the land of Israel is incorrect, and is easily proven historically. There is another problem with all this. The bottom line of it all is that the Palestinians want the entirety of Israel, not just a portion of it. This is easily proven by what is taught by Palestinian schools to the children. Palestinian maps do not show Israel at all. To them, Israel doesn’t exist now, and I think that’s a bit suspect.
Let’s compare the religious claims of the Jews and Palestinians (who are being used as pawns by Muslims)
The Jewish connection to Jerusalem is an ancient and powerful one. Judaism made Jerusalem a holy city over 3,000 years ago and through all that time Jews remained steadfast to it. Jews pray in its direction, mention its name constantly in prayers, close the Passover service with the wistful statement “Nest year in Jerusalem,” and recall the city in the blessing at the end of each meal. The destruction of the Temple looms very large in Jewish consciousness; remembrance takes such forms as a special day of mourning, houses left partially unfinished, a woman’s makeup or jewelry left incomplete, and a glass smashed during the wedding ceremony. In addition, Jerusalem has had a prominent historical role, is the only capital of a Jewish state, and is the only city with a Jewish majority during the whole of the past century. In the words of a former mayor, Jerusalem represents “the purist expression of all that Jews prayed for, dreamed of, cried for, and died for in the two thousand years since the destruction of the second Temple.
What about the Muslims? Where does Jerusalem fit in Islam and Muslim history? It is not the place to which they pray, is not once mentioned by name in prayers, and it is connected to no mundane events in Muhammad’s life. The city never served as capital of a sovereign Muslim state, and it never became a cultural or scholarly center. Little of political import by Muslims was initiated there.
One comparison makes this point most clearly: Jerusalem appears in the Jewish Bible 669 times and Zion (which usually means Jerusalem, sometimes the Land of Israel) 154 times, or 823 times in all. The Christian Bible mentions Jerusalem 154 times and Zion 7 times. In contrast, Jerusalem and Zion appear as frequently in the Qur’an as they do in the Hindu Bhagavad-Gita, the Taoist Tao-Te Ching, the Buddhist Dhamapada and the Zoroastrian Zend Avesta”—-which is to say, NOT ONCE!
For the time being, let’s move onto another part of the problem—the religious one amongst, not the Eastern Religions or Cults, but the damning heresy which is taking a large segment of the “Christian” world down in flames. I’ve referred to “Replacement Theology” before. It also goes by a number of other names, but I would like to share a quote or two that just came out within the last few days from a person of great stature within the Catholic Church. What he has said also speaks for a great many Protestant denominations today and where they stand on this issue.
Here is a quote: “The Holy Scriptures cannot be used to justify the return of Jews to Israel and the displacement of the Palestinians to justify the occupation by Israel of Palestinian lands.” This was said by Monsignor Cyril Salim Bustros, and the Vatican backs his statement. He goes on, “We Christians cannot speak of the “Promised Land” as an exclusive right for a privileged Jewish people. This promise was nullified by Christ.” And more…”There is no longer a ‘chosen’ people—all men and women of all countries have become the chosen people…Even if the head of the Israeli state is Jewish the future is based on democracy. The Palestinian refugees will eventually come back and this problem will have to be solved.” (Here he made it a political matter). Going on as he went on to blame the Jews for the mass exodus of Christians out of Bethlehem. WRONG! Bethlehem was a flourishing city until it was handed over to the Palestinians. In 1995 there were over 70,000 Christians in Bethlehem. Today there are less than 7,000. The rest fled but not from Israel, but from Palestinian-Muslim persecution. Israel’s Christian population is growing by leaps and bounds. How is it that all of these Christians that supposedly were running away from Israel, for the most part ran right straight into Israel itself? Amazing!
The greatest damage done to the process of interpreting scriptures came from the fourth century and on. I believe it had its own part in contributing to the Dark Ages. The great venerated Catholic Saint Augustine was born late in the fourth century and had the greatest effect on the way Scripture was interpreted until that time. Augustine was one of the first to make Scripture conform to the interpretation of the church. Most of you see the significance of this. This is exactly backwards! Scripture is ALWAYS the authority, and everything else must follow it. Here’s another thought: Just because something doesn’t make sense easily, nor is easily explained does not give man—no matter how many letters he or she has in front of their names, to give it a mystical interpretation. This is the source of the majority of confusion when it comes to understanding the Bible today. That is another subject though.
It is because of the allegorical method of interpreting the Scriptures that became popular, that Luther eventually rebelled against the Catholic Church. This was a long and bloody struggle. I am not interested in bashing the Catholic Church, nor any other church. I am however condemning the liberal interpretation of God’s Holy Scriptures that lends itself to every kind of arbitrary view of Scripture. It’s amazing how twisted teaching have become, and they supposedly came straight from the same Holy Bible we read today. Those that have taken this kind of liberty, have kept the masses of people from reading it for themselves, and condemned anyone that didn’t obey them in their arrogant self-anointed positions are going to pay the highest price when standing before Almighty God.
How many people today are standing on the sidelines with disdain for anything that is tainted by the church? How many charlatans have sounded so very spiritual and have produced phony miracles besides, while at the same time filling their own bank accounts with the money poor loyal followers have been willing to give—thinking they were sacrificing so that God’s work can be furthered here on this earth? God will still honor those people, unless they know better. But…those that have done the fleecing!! God will have no mercy on them and their abuse of people. Well…enough of that for now.
Because of the length of this post and because my schedule has changed today, I will cut this short (I hear some of you laughing!!). I do want to give you the Biblical backing so that you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God is behind the Jewish people—no matter what anyone thinks of them at this point. God is not a liar!!!
To repeat something said earlier, this subject does and will continue to affect you and me personally from now on. I’ll explain why. Please bear with me. There is a tremendous urgency about this.
There are also some things in the news that have hit the critical stage in the last few days and I’d like to share some thoughts on these as well. There are some specifics to look at and be prepared for.
Please be wary of the economy! Regardless of all those that are saying that America cannot go down, and America’s economy is way too big to fail, its failure has been planned for a long time. What was once considered conspiracy theories is no longer so. These plans are being implemented right in front of everyone’s eyes–if they recognize what is being done.
The world government to some extent is already beginning to function, and NATO is beginning to look like the force that is going to be the military used by the Western world. America will be forced to capitulate to forces it has not figured on, and they are not necessarily the obvious threats. The obvious threats are just tools to accomplish the goals of an unelected government that has more power than any visible power on this earth, including the might of the United States of America.
Rather than being caught off guard, be on guard for serious surprises in the immediate future. I’m not a sensationalist, nor am a fanatic—or at least in the sense that some might think. I’m a realist, and I happen to believe what God says. I also really do hear Him with that still small voice on occasion—and when I share some of the things He says, it is not all that popular, but when has it ever really been any different. If the things I have to share with you don’t click, set them aside for a bit. Please don’t stick your heads in the sand though, hoping it will all go away. Also, don’t fall for all the phony “feel good” prophecy that is so prevalent today. Jeremiah 18 gives a good commentary on that. I love positive encouragements from God as much as the next person, and God hasn’t quit giving those, but I refuse to be a fool and ignore what makes me uncomfortable because it pricks something in my own conscience or soul. God today is saying, “Prepare the way for the KING! Prepare your hearts and souls because you are going to meet Him personally and give account…” I ran across that Scripture today that speaks of the multitudes in the “valley of decision”. That is true today, and is something I’d like to address in detail soon. (I need more time if I’m going to do all these things, but they are heavy on my minds and heart—more than ever before in my life, so please bear with me. God is pulling anyone and everyone that will allow Him to, to Him. He has a great eternity planned, but it is only for those that CHOOSE Him and follow His ways…He is God and has every right.
Fasten your seat belts for a ride like none other. It is at our threshold, folks. But…for those that have a committed relationship with the KING of Kings, you are kept in His mind, heart, and hand. He will bring you through anything and everything. Believe me, that is a great promise and the only one worth pursuing.
God Bless You All, and may the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob protect you, and…Keep Looking Up!
Jake