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BVN-31 Oct. 2011:Will Israel
Disappear
as Hamas, the PA and Iran Wish
What Does the Bible Say?
Israel has many rabid enemies, among the chief of which are Hezbollah, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority (the PLO). These are encamped on Israel’s front steps, and as such are seemingly the greatest immediate threat to the Jewish State. Other, more distant antagonists include Iran – a militant, vociferous nation headed by hard-headed Islamic Fundamentalists who constantly vow to erase Israel from the map of the Middle East. Turkey has recently sharply turned against Israel as well. Israel – at about 0.2 percent of the population and physical size of her foes – is miniscule in importance demographically; but geopolitically is highly important. This revelation is especially poignant because it addresses Mount Seir, or Esau, the vicious twin brother of Jacob whose intransigence toward his brother’s demise has been endless from time immemorial, but which shall eminently come to a crushing halt with Edom’s destruction.
Both demographically and geopolitically – but even more importantly from a religious standpoint – Israel’s importance cannot be overstated or overestimated. But that conclusion remains to be discovered by literally all the powers involved; without exception, these haven’t any real clue as to the Biblically designated future for Israel. Even the Israelis do not yet generally understand their present status!
The concepts of Judaism unfortunately are not yet clearly in line with the Word of God.
The colossal failure of the Islamic element is surely to be laid at the door of their pagan “religion,” which contradicts and denies the recorded words of the Almighty One of Israel, Whom they despise and deny (Psalm 83: 1-3). Ezekiel, for one example, explains in detail that Esau (Edom, or Mount Seir) as a type of all those enemies is doomed to extinction at the end; note the details the prophet recorded from the mind of God –
Eze 35:1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it, 3 And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate. 4 I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. 5 Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end: 6 Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: sith [since] thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee. 7 Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth. 8 And I will fill his mountains with his slain men: in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the sword. 9 I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 10 Because thou hast said, ‘These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it;’ whereas the LORD was there …
It is abundantly clear that the God of all the earth has a purpose directly opposed to that of His enemies. His patience with them must surely be drawing to an end. Jeremiah the Prophet assured the People of his own day Jeremiah 51:5 For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. That is also true today! <>
The US Enigma: Who Rules, the President or the State Dept: What Does the Bible Say?
Traditionally, since the days of Harry S Truman, there has been a conflict between the US Department of State and the US Executive over the nation’s attitude toward Israel; in one retort against their adamancy Truman referred to the contrarians – the critics of the Jewish State in the State Department as “the striped pants boys.”
We are unclear at the moment if that difference still exists, especially since the president delivered an extremely partisan speech in favor of Israel to the United Nations last week. It had appeared that the president and his people at State were in lock step as to their hard-headed condemnations of Israel. This new development bears watching
However, in the finality neither President NOR State actually will be able to do their own bidding.
The scriptures clearly revealed this ancient principle to King Nebuchadnezzar, that This matter is by the decree of the watchers … to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. (Daniel 4: 17)
The above discussion does not solve the contradictions between the president and his State Department. Mr. Obama’s speech to the UN last week could not have been more lopsided toward Israel’s ideals (he is evidently concerned about the Jewish vote in the upcoming election). Yet his Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, publicly advised Israel to halt its practice of designating Israelis born in Jerusalem as being born “in Israel,” and that its continuation of this practice would “jeopardize the peace process!” Has she in any way reviewed this process lately – or even for the past thirty years?? There IS no valid “peace process.” There shall be no PEACE … until comes He Whose right is the Throne of David over Israel and the world. <>
Will There be a “Palestinian” State – What Does the Bible Say?
Well … what the Bible says (which is No!) is certain in its final pronouncements on this subject. But the intervening process is not as well defined. We have often observed the clear words of the Prophet Joel which condemn any division of His Land – an action which has been executed several times in Israel’s history and possibly could be done yet again: Joel 3:2 I will also gather all nations … into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
The prophet reveals here that the great Judgmental showdown termed “The Valley of Jehoshaphat” is a direct result of the nations’ “scattering” of Israel and “parting” His land in the Endtime, and murdering his people. We view this judgment by the Almighty as a final assize upon the nations because of their aggressive actions against His people.
The bottom line is that the “Palestinian” push for an exclusive state of their own is in direct opposition to the will of the Almighty – “human rights” aside, dismissing “protocol” or any other “politically correct” consideration; the “Palestinians” shall not ever attain a permanent allocation of Israel’s land from this time forward. This is absolutely certain – based solely upon God’s revealed word – and that only His people shall dwell there permanently. Their destiny is eternal inheritance of the Land which was promised to Abraham and his Seed and to no others at all: Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ …. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise … (Galatians 3: 16, 29)
The great problem with “religious” mankind is that it is neither aware of nor believes that God has promised His Land to His chosen people, the Jews, and to no others. What religious leader in Christendom will predict that the saints of God will inherit the earth? Almost without exception, their avowed teaching is that the inheritance of the righteous is an heavenly kingdom – in the literal sense of BEING LOCATED in heaven. Their notional prejudice is based in the warped learning of Babylon’s godless priests and priestesses – worshippers of Astarte,“the Queen of Heaven.”
Consequently, their considerations of God’s real promises are warped and placed in the context of “allusion” or “metaphor,” and therefore deny His concrete promises. In reality almost without exception they are totally unaware of God’s promises; as a result they believe they can bring about in His Land and upon His people whatever their fleshly desires dictate … and any Greater Power can “lump it.” They really believe He has no concern – no Purpose … no Plan for His people and Land – and that they can do with it as they please!
They could not be more intensely wrong! Zechariah 2:8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
As a result, the nations are at great hazard, unknown to them. Their God is keeping a watchful eye upon His people and is determined to defend and liberate them in this time when their iniquity had an end as He expresses it in Ezekiel 35:5 -Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:
Both demographically and geopolitically – but even more importantly from a religious standpoint – Israel’s importance cannot be overstated or overestimated. But that conclusion remains to be discovered by literally all the powers involved; without exception, these haven’t any real clue as to the Biblically designated future for Israel. Even the Israelis do not yet generally understand their present status!
The concepts of Judaism unfortunately are not yet clearly in line with the Word of God.
The colossal failure of the Islamic element is surely to be laid at the door of their pagan “religion,” which contradicts and denies the recorded words of the Almighty One of Israel, Whom they despise and deny (Psalm 83: 1-3). Ezekiel, for one example, explains in detail that Esau (Edom, or Mount Seir) as a type of all those enemies is doomed to extinction at the end; note the details the prophet recorded from the mind of God –
Eze 35:1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it, 3 And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate. 4 I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. 5 Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end: 6 Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: sith [since] thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee. 7 Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth. 8 And I will fill his mountains with his slain men: in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the sword. 9 I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 10 Because thou hast said, ‘These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it;’ whereas the LORD was there …
It is abundantly clear that the God of all the earth has a purpose directly opposed to that of His enemies. His patience with them must surely be drawing to an end. Jeremiah the Prophet assured the People of his own day Jeremiah 51:5 For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. That is also true today! <>
The US Enigma: Who Rules, the President or the State Dept: What Does the Bible Say?
Traditionally, since the days of Harry S Truman, there has been a conflict between the US Department of State and the US Executive over the nation’s attitude toward Israel; in one retort against their adamancy Truman referred to the contrarians – the critics of the Jewish State in the State Department as “the striped pants boys.”
We are unclear at the moment if that difference still exists, especially since the president delivered an extremely partisan speech in favor of Israel to the United Nations last week. It had appeared that the president and his people at State were in lock step as to their hard-headed condemnations of Israel. This new development bears watching
However, in the finality neither President NOR State actually will be able to do their own bidding.
The scriptures clearly revealed this ancient principle to King Nebuchadnezzar, that This matter is by the decree of the watchers … to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. (Daniel 4: 17)
The above discussion does not solve the contradictions between the president and his State Department. Mr. Obama’s speech to the UN last week could not have been more lopsided toward Israel’s ideals (he is evidently concerned about the Jewish vote in the upcoming election). Yet his Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, publicly advised Israel to halt its practice of designating Israelis born in Jerusalem as being born “in Israel,” and that its continuation of this practice would “jeopardize the peace process!” Has she in any way reviewed this process lately – or even for the past thirty years?? There IS no valid “peace process.” There shall be no PEACE … until comes He Whose right is the Throne of David over Israel and the world. <>
Will There be a “Palestinian” State – What Does the Bible Say?
Well … what the Bible says (which is No!) is certain in its final pronouncements on this subject. But the intervening process is not as well defined. We have often observed the clear words of the Prophet Joel which condemn any division of His Land – an action which has been executed several times in Israel’s history and possibly could be done yet again: Joel 3:2 I will also gather all nations … into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
The prophet reveals here that the great Judgmental showdown termed “The Valley of Jehoshaphat” is a direct result of the nations’ “scattering” of Israel and “parting” His land in the Endtime, and murdering his people. We view this judgment by the Almighty as a final assize upon the nations because of their aggressive actions against His people.
The bottom line is that the “Palestinian” push for an exclusive state of their own is in direct opposition to the will of the Almighty – “human rights” aside, dismissing “protocol” or any other “politically correct” consideration; the “Palestinians” shall not ever attain a permanent allocation of Israel’s land from this time forward. This is absolutely certain – based solely upon God’s revealed word – and that only His people shall dwell there permanently. Their destiny is eternal inheritance of the Land which was promised to Abraham and his Seed and to no others at all: Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ …. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise … (Galatians 3: 16, 29)
The great problem with “religious” mankind is that it is neither aware of nor believes that God has promised His Land to His chosen people, the Jews, and to no others. What religious leader in Christendom will predict that the saints of God will inherit the earth? Almost without exception, their avowed teaching is that the inheritance of the righteous is an heavenly kingdom – in the literal sense of BEING LOCATED in heaven. Their notional prejudice is based in the warped learning of Babylon’s godless priests and priestesses – worshippers of Astarte,“the Queen of Heaven.”
Consequently, their considerations of God’s real promises are warped and placed in the context of “allusion” or “metaphor,” and therefore deny His concrete promises. In reality almost without exception they are totally unaware of God’s promises; as a result they believe they can bring about in His Land and upon His people whatever their fleshly desires dictate … and any Greater Power can “lump it.” They really believe He has no concern – no Purpose … no Plan for His people and Land – and that they can do with it as they please!
They could not be more intensely wrong! Zechariah 2:8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
As a result, the nations are at great hazard, unknown to them. Their God is keeping a watchful eye upon His people and is determined to defend and liberate them in this time when their iniquity had an end as He expresses it in Ezekiel 35:5 - Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end: This revelation is especially poignant because it addresses Mount Seir, or Esau, the vicious twin brother of Jacob whose intransigence toward his brother’s demise has been endless from time immemorial, but which shall eminently come to a crushing halt with Edom’s destruction!
PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY: THE GOSPEL PUBLICITY LEAGUE
P. O. BOX 4129 EDGEWORTH
NSW AUSTRALIA 2285
E MAIL ADDRESS: gpl3@dodo.com.au WEBSITE: www.gpl.org.auBVN-30 July 2011: WILL THE HOUSE OF ESAU TAKE JERUSALEM? THE BIBLE TELLS US …
We are hearing increasingly intensive discussion about the “Palestinian” intention to take over the possession and administration of Jerusalem, which Israel has long ago proclaimed its “eternal, undivided capital.” But the Bible gives us the Almighty’s firm and decisive answer to this question. It is a desire which cannot be accomplished with any permanency.
There are at least two reasons for this expectation:
First: it is not God’s will that Israel’s land be divided with anyone. The firm promise of millennia ago is recorded in Genesis 15; 18: In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates …
Second: The promise was only to the descendants of Jacob. We might wonder however: Esau, as the twin brother of Jacob, is a descendant (seed) of Abram (Abraham), doesn’t the promise include Esau as well? This exclusionary fact is recorded in Genesis 17: 19 in the words of which Isaac was promised as the covenanted seed. In Genesis 27 the blessing upon Jacob by Isaac is detailed along with the specific exclusion of Esau as the primary SEED of Isaac and Abraham. Here the differentiation becomes clear that Behold, I have made him (Jacob) thy lord (Esau’s lord), and all his brethren have I given to him for servants (verse 27).
The plain conclusion is that for these reasons the Edomites of today (the “Palestinians” as defined by the prophecy of Obadiah) have no legal or moral right to any portion of God’s Land which He promised to Abraham – the land from the Nile to the Euphrates – and no acquisition of it by others shall stand. Indeed, as we often acknowledge, the descendants of Esau (again, defined by Obadiah as the “Palestinians” of today, and elaborated upon by Micah 5 and Psalm 83), because of their fierce lust for Israel’s inheritance and their unwillingness to give up the struggle, will finally be destroyed by the expressed will of the Father. Obadiah’s words in verse 18 are: And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they (the sons of Jacob) shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.
And that, as we say, is the BOTTOM LINE: Esau’s obliteration! It is not our decision or our primary judgment upon the “Palestinians,” but that of our sovereign Father – the Judge of all the earth – Who ages ago determined Esau’s fate for his consistent disobedience, and his repudiation of God and His promises to Jacob and his children. <>
SYRIAN MOSLEMS MURDER THEIR OWN, WITH OR WITHOUT ARAB
OR WORLD CONDEMNATION. WILL ISLAM DESTROY ITSELF?
The civil strife in Syria continues unchecked at the time of this writing. President Bashar Assad has proven to be as bloody and tyrannical as his father in every way. The popular uprisings we have seen in Syria have resulted in much of the populations of many towns and villages being slain in cold blood during widespread demonstrations against the government, its oppression, and its practices.
Essentially, Syria has imposed martial law upon its people for decades. They are weary of the tight restrictions on their freedom and are loudly demanding relief. These demands are part of the so-called Arab Spring, which has been mistaken by many as an overwhelming demand for reform of multiple Arab dictatorships. It may have originated as such, but by now has since proven to be of a different nature.
The Moslem religion has no problem with murder – even of their own people on a widespread scale – when it suits their overall goals, which in this case is absolute repression of Syrian Arabs. Outrage is expressed at Israeli retaliation against “Palestinians” who have rocketed or bombed Israeli citizens; but none against the murders of innocent men, women and children such as the recent Israeli family massacred by Arab renegades. And significantly, no opposition by other Arab governments to Syrian killing of its own population!
From the Almighty’s viewpoint, Islam’s future is extremely dim (and His viewpoint is really all that matters, isn’t it?). In the coming age He will not allow renegade “religions” to operate as they are freely permitted to do at this time – opposing God and His people with no fear of immediate reprisal (that is, no reprisal which they expect!). We are reminded of the promise clearly stated in Zechariah 14:9 – And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
Their unexpected reprisal is clearly stated as the Almighty’s ultimate policy when He sends His Son to intervene against EDOM on behalf of His beloved people as He has stated in Isaiah 63:3 – I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them (Edom) in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. The ultimate fate of His enemies is phrased as His outraged animosity against them in Isaiah 63:6 – And I will tread down the people (Edom) in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth. In case anyone is in doubt, that latter phrase means their total demise at His Son’s hand – and the elevation of His people Israel to their rightful, promised place among the nations. (Romans 11:26)
In addition to being destroyed by the power of God, Islam also is revealed as destroyer of itself as well, as a particularly Arab trait – that of every man’s sword against his brother. Indeed, that precise practice is what we now are observing in Syria, in Yemen, in Bahrain, in Egypt, in Libya, in Iraq, in Iran, in Gaza, in Lebanon, and in other Islamic societies today: suicide bombers killing their own people to make or enforce some indeterminate argument against another faction of Islam.
That trait resulted in ancient time in the total destruction of the formidable armies of Edom, Moab and Ammon (all now in modern Jordan) in their opportunistic attack upon king Jehoshaphat of Judah as recorded in II Chronicles 20. In addition, Judges 7:22 (the enemies were Midianites) and I Samuel 14:20 (the Philistines against Saul) are records from the past of this phenomenon. Ezekiel 38:21 illustrates that the same failure – this self-destructive panic – shall occur among the future confederates of the Gogian host when it comes against God’s King and Kingdom in a near-future day!
We personally remember the same fanatical trait in the modern army of Iraq during Operation Desert Storm (in 1990) when many Iraqi tankers frantically fired upon other Iraqi tanks which happened to occupy their evacuation routes! Egyptian and Syrian tankers made the same mistake during the Six Day War of 1967! This military practice seems accurately to reflect their ineptitude in diplomacy and negotiation as well, as they always seem to manage to do the wrong thing for their own best interest! (“Never failing to miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity,” in the words of Golda Meir.) <>
OIL ‘SPEAKS UP’ IN THE SILENCE OF U. S. AND OTHERS
AGAINST IRAN AND ITS DEADLY PLANS
Something of great importance is retarding Western powers from taking concrete measures to stop Iran’s development of atomic weapons – something more than Stuxnet and Stars.or US near bankruptcy. Can OIL be the reason for inconclusive measures being taken ? Iran has threatened to close the Straits of Hormuz at the outlet of the Persian Gulf if she is attacked. That is a waterway choke point through which vast quantities of oil is shipped daily. Any maritime disruption here would create a worldwide oil shortage which could not be supplemented by any known means. So, is BIG OIL “speaking up” in this silence of virtually everyone against Iran’s nuclear ambitions? Just today (July 13 2011) an order of the Ayatollah Khamenin, the Supreme Leader of Iran, was given to go ahead with plans to produce a nuclear weapon (Debkafile). Iran feels it has the world buffaloed into inaction – and she may be right in this notion! The country’s development of missiles of all types is in full production mode – several of which are deemed to have the range to hit Israel, Russia and Europe. Whether these are authentic, tested missiles nobody seems to be sure. But they do fly! The Green Movement (away from oil dependence) is too slow to have an effect in this potential conflict; oil is still vitally necessary to the modern world; its supply has to be preserved at nearly any cost. Thus the inaction upon Iran’s nuclear progress!! < HE Lafferty MD/USA>
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P. O. BOX 4129 EDGEWORTH
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E MAIL ADDRESS: gpl3@dodo.com.au WEBSITE: www.gpl.org.au
BIBLE VIEWS ON THE NEWS
BVN-29 April 2011: GOD STILL RULES IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN
GOD STILL RULES IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN (I)
Because our beloved Father never changes, we may examine his past works to determine His future plans. The prophets often gave short-term prophecies so their veracity could be “tested” by their hearers. If the short-term forecasts came to pass, then the long-term ones could also be depended upon.
An excellent case in point is the account of Noah, the early history of whom we read in Genesis 5. Noah was the son of Lamech, son of Methuselah. The young race had begun to follow its own ways of evil, and not the ways of God. Genesis 6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years…. 5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Thus began a deadly fatal sentence of death upon the transgressors. Genesis 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them.
The Creator of all things had made His fatal decision: Genesis 6:13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch (bitumen, in Heb. kopher; a covering). Further, Noah and his family would be “covered” and saved by this “ark” when came the rains of death – the great flood which He decreed – in this vessel of gopher wood. Gopher is transliterated from the Hebrew, and means “to house in,” again indicating protection and salvation for them!
This short-term prophecy thus began its count-down to the flood of death and destruction. Noah and his righteous sons and daughters (the ones from all mankind) preached to their neighbors and relatives, telling them what was about to happen (cf. I Peter 3:20). But none heeded their warnings. Note that the Almighty had stated that He would “destroy them with the earth.” He would do away with Man as well as his institutions – his civilization – not the physical earth. He has decreed the same kind of destruction of our present society, which is similarly evil and corrupt, by fiery judgment– II Peter 3:7. We await that time; those who are “covered” by the ark of God –the blood of Christ – shall again be delivered from His wrath. (Please see third article below.)
GOD STILL RULES IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN (II)
This wonderful ability of our Father to foretell and exercise His will among men is also illustrated by the events in the life of the mighty king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The king was taken by his own self-importance; on one occasion he boasted, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? (Daniel 4:30-31).
While the king was yet speaking those arrogant words there fell a voice from heaven saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
The “same hour” was the sentence fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar, and he was driven from his position and became a wild man; he ate grass as oxen; his body was wet by the dew; his hair grew like eagle feathers; and his nails like birds’ claws! Even in secular the history of the time, that event in Nebuchadnezzar’s life is recorded – that he became wild and feral for a period of “seven times” or seven years – a day for a year.
But then remember the fulfillment of the prophecy: it is recorded in Daniel 4:34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
This marvelous transformation brought humility and submission to the king. Daniel 4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. We believe he had learned a valuable lesson, but cannot determine what lasting effect this had on him. But the resultant deductions that he voiced indicate a transformation in his attitude, and recognition of God’s sovereignty.
GOD STILL RULES IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN (III)
These two examples of short term prophecies being fulfilled illustrate well for us our Father’s omniscience. He knows all things from the beginning to the end, and controls the destiny of even the most powerful and prominent men, be they kings or peasants. It is entirely clear for us that men and women may trust His promises implicitly.
In that realization, we may only approach His word with reverence and respect – and in complete acceptance of those tenets of prophecy which have not yet occurred. The world has today become a hazardous and perilous environment for all men. “Peace and safety” (as in I Thessalonians 5) seems a cry by many for those elements to come upon them rather than a statement that these have been attained, whether actually or deemed so. The anguished cry for peace to come has never been more prevalent and more pervasive; but it shall not come without previous travail. The present time is surely described by the apostle there: For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (Verse 3)
In relation to our first section above, Peter relates our present times to those of Noah. In 1Peter 3 he discusses the work of God among the disobedient world of Noah’s day, referring to them as “spirits in prison” – those who were enclosed by the prison of disobedience and effrontery toward the Almighty by sin. As such they were “dead” to God’s purpose. In contrast, the ark of safety built by Noah under God’s detailed instructions brought salvation to himself and his family through the deadly, fierce waters of punishment and death. He makes a critical point ot this … that “the like figure whereunto even BAPTISM doth also NOW SAVE US … by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In this way our Father makes clear an essential requirement of His plan of salvation – that baptism into Christ is crucial to man’s salvation. But the main point we want to stress in this consideration is that the socio-political conditions of the times of Noah were prophesied to return in the Endtime, and that as He saved Noah and his family by water, He should also save His people in this day.
The certain outlook for Believers is that they shall be delivered from this turmoil, this chaos, this lawlessness, this rebellion against the Almighty! Having witnessed His immutable promises of earlier time, we may have absolute faith in His future promise of deliverance – and of life evermore!
THE MOSLEM BROTHERHOOD CREDO
The goals of the Moslem Brotherhood cannot be mistaken. Its web site outlines its philosophy and religious tenets in chilling and determined detail. Its mantra is clearly expressed at Harlem’s Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood. Its logo shows a sword with the words “There is no deity but God (Allah), and Muhammad is his prophet.” Yet more alarming, however, is the Moslem Brotherhood slogan devised by its founder, Hasan al-Banna himself, printed prominently on the “About us” page: Allah is our goal. The Prophet Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah is our leader. The Qu’ran is our constitution. Jihad is our way. And death in the way of Allah is our promised end.
Nobody who is sane would claim that this is a secular organization or goal. It is now in process of attempting to be established worldwide; it is already pervasive in the USA and other free countries. <HEL, MD/USA - April, 2011>
BIBLE VIEWS ON THE NEWS
BVN-28 JANUARY 2011 Lebanon Today and Its Future
Political and military intrigue in Lebanon, which borders Israel on the north, is rampant. The country’s Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated a few months ago and that is being blamed on Hezbollah’s leaders, including Sheikh Nazrallah. The Lebanese government collapsed early this month due to all the members of Hezbollah resigning from the government. It is thought to be ripe for a complete Hezbollah takeover.
Money is flowing to Hezbollah in great quantities from Iran, its chief sponsor. And Hezbollah is arming its strongholds in Southern Lebanon with thousands of missiles of all types aimed at Israel to the south.
The Lebanese government has been weak and ineffectual in resisting the overwhelming forces of Hezbollah – the “party of god” of militant Islam. The leaders of Hezbollah have boasted that they will inflict great harm on Israel in the event of another clash of their forces. Their missiles have now reportedly been equipped with guidance systems which will make them much more accurate. Israel’s military spokesmen have said that Hezbollah has achieved “aerial supremacy without an air force” due to this new advantage! Israel’s anti-missile systems are not yet in place to resist the numerous rockets which it expects to be launched upon it from Lebanon in any new conflict.
Despite the political upheaval in Lebanon, “the IDF did not significantly increase its alert level on the northern border. But Israel remains keenly aware of Hezbollah's growing strength” according to Ha’aretz, which also said, “At a recent meeting between the IDF, the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL, the Lebanese officers claimed there was no Hezbollah activity in the south of the country. In response, the Israeli officers produced a map with hundreds of dots marking Hezbollah outposts and bunkers south of the Litani River.” The Litani River is key information here; the Litani is Lebanon’s longest river, emptying into the Mediterranean six miles north of Tyre. Obadiah 20 specifies an Israeli conquest “unto Zarephath,” only another six miles north of the Litani – the precise enclave of Hezbollah in Lebanon today! This is an amazingly current headline produced over 2,000 years ago by a “minor” prophet of God!
All these events are building toward visibly divine intervention on Israel’s behalf! And Lebanon is not alone.
Jordan is now also forming a closer bond with Iran citing “Islamic solidarity” against the forces of the West and Israel. This is likewise a serious concern of Israel. Defense Minister Ehud Barak has voiced the worry that Iran is gradually encircling Israel by its assistance to Hamas in Gaza, to Hezbollah in Lebanon, to Syria, and now to Jordan! Ominously, King Abdullah II of Jordan is due in Tehran for an official visit before the end of 2011.
Barak warned the US recently that Israel could not afford to stand by idly as Iran tightened a noose around it from every one of its land borders, with pro-Iranian military forces in Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip - and finally Jordan – now seemingly being drawn into the camp dedicated to fighting Israel and receiving a steady stream of missiles and military advisers for that purpose. At some point, Israel will have to break that noose.
Four months ago Jerusalem smelled a rat when Jordan began cooling its intelligence and military cooperation with Israel. By November, these formerly close ties had been reduced solely to working together on security for their common border along the River Jordan. Jordan does not dare relax that status for fear of mass “Palestinian” influx!
At this rate, said Barak, it is only a matter of time before Iranian weapons and missiles begin flowing into Jordan, perhaps not directly, but via Syria, the same route Iran uses for smuggling weapons to Hizbollah in Lebanon.
So what does all this mean?
As of this moment, we feel, Lebanon has placed itself in such a position that it will soon be necessary for Israel’s Messiah to execute God’s final plan for Lebanon and her confederates in war. Beside the fatal sentence upon Lebanon of Obadiah, verse 20 (the children of Israel shall possess (it) …even unto Zarephath), please see also: Isa 40:15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. 16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. 17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
Here is the ultimate destiny of Lebanon foretold – Lebanon put by metonymy (representing) all God’s enemies.
Tyre and Zidon, in Lebanon, are also typical of Lebanon. Their fate is sealed by this prophecy: Joel 3:4 Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? (i.e., Gaza) will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head.
Also see Zechariah 11:1-3; Isaiah 2:12-18; 10:34; Psalm 29:5; Joshua 1:4; Deuteronomy 1: 7; 11:4.
That recompense shall be for its aggression against God’s people in the Endtime. Her lands are to be given to the Children of Israel in the kingdom age: Zechariah 10:10: I will bring them (Israel) again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. (Or, no lack of space shall there be for Israel.)
These punishments upon Lebanon shall be laid upon her because of her oppression of Israel, as in Joel 3: 19.
<HEL>
ISRAEL'S FUTURE PEACE
The future peace and security of Israel is foretold in great depth in the prophetic writings of the O.T. Isaiah 11 concerns the Branch ... the “Rod out of the stem of Jesse” He is obviously the Messiah of Israel, great David’s greater son, the Lord, Jesus Christ. In verse 10, “His rest shall be glorious.” In verse 9, “they shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
Isaiah 35 chronicles the days of peace and happiness of the Millennial Kingdom of Christ.
Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. 28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. Israel in that day shall not fear the ‘ravening wolves and beasts of the field’ which now ravage it.
Habakkuk 2:14 foretells that not only shall Israel but the whole earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. Remarkably, Numbers 14:21 forecasts exactly the same outcome, as does Habakkuk 2: 14, Isaiah 11: 9, and Zechariah 14: 9. A glorious picture of that age is found in Micah 4:1 “But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. 2. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid …” <HEL>
IRAN SURVIVES – WHY SO?
Iran is being severely set back by two major assaults upon her economy: the sanctions which have been imposed upon her by the UNO, the European Community and the USA, as well as the Stuxnet computer worm now infesting her nuclear programmes. The sanctions have been placed in effect by the international community because of the bellicose, threatening tirades of the little president (read: dictator – even though he is “elected”) Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, who regularly boasts that Israel must be wiped off the face of the earth.
Iran, though bearing tremendous external pressure, has fairly deep resources and wealth. Still, the sanctions are having a retarding effect, to which bears witness the recent abandonment by the government of the popular subsidies on gasoline, food and commodities. Prices have quadrupled for gasoline, and bread now costs several times its former price. The people are becoming more greatly agitated and restive.
As we have mentioned recently, in our view, Iran seemed to be progressing too rapidly for the course of her destiny as forecasted by the prophets of Israel (the REAL prophets!). They inform us clearly that “Persia” (the official name of Iran until the early 1900s when it was changed to “Iran”) has a concrete role to play as part of the Gogian coalition of Ezekiel 37 and 38. We respectfully believe this conflict to be some time in the medium-term future (not immediately), so Iran has seemed to be progressing “too rapidly” for our expectations, yet clearly letting its ideology be known clearly! We had felt that some drastic natural event might bring her rapid progress toward a nuclear bomb to a slower pace, but the retardant came in the form of a vicious, destructive computer infection, STUXNET, about which you surely already know. [See “Articles” section on the home page of this web site for more information.]
So ... Iran Survives. Why so? Because she is destined to play a key role in the attempted oppression and conquest of Israel in a time which seems some distance into the future. Our Father handles His Plan in mysterious ways, doesn’t he? The little dictator may not have to worry about military action ... yet! <HEL>
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BIBLE VIEWS ON THE NEWS
BVN-27 OCTOBER 2010 The Arab-Israel Peace: NOT Possible
Harold Lafferty
Our regular readers already are aware that we have reason to believe that this exhaustive and pervasive effort toward peace in the Middle East is a lost cause, and has been for over 60 years. Time and again the two warring forces have made attempts at settling the status of the Israelis, the Arabs, Jerusalem, and all the territory involved. But all negotiations have failed.
Th
ere are several reasons for their failure (and there may be more than the following):
1. The Palestinian Authority (PA) is not negotiating in good faith.
2. Because of internal opposition (chiefly from Hamas), it is impossible for Chairman Abbas to make a definitive peace with anyone. Hamas refuses to recognize Israel in any way.
3. Even though the construction freeze of today’s headlines (October 1, 2010) is at the center of attention, the PA refuses to agree that Israel remain a Jewish state. They insist on the “right of return” of all “Arab refugees” from 1948 and later. These would overwhelm the Jewish character of the state.
4. The PA asked for a construction freeze for ten months and it was granted. But they refused to sit down and talk with Israel for nine of those months, wasting their opportunity to “talk.” Now they are finally willing to sit down for a conference but insist that the freeze be extended for several more months. It is a classical Arab delaying tactic in such matters. So far the Israelis have determined to allow the freeze on construction to lapse and for building to begin. Chairman Abbas has so far (October 1) not abandoned the meetings.
5. The “Palestinians’” negotiators refuse to use the phraseology “two states for two peoples” as a goal for the talks; but when Israel objects that the PA is insisting that (a) Israel accept Arab citizens in such an arrangement, but that (b) the PA not accept Jewish citizens, they refuse to advance the talks.
6. There is no scriptural indication at all that God’s land is to be divided with anyone. Joel 3: 2 refers to Israel whom “they have scattered among the nations and parted My land,” but the gist of this is that it is a reference to the earlier dispersion of Israel under the Babylonian conquest of the fifth century BC when the adjacent Arabs aided and abetted Babylon, as recorded in detail by Obadiah.
There seems to be no indication at all of any partition of the Land in this era.
However, this statement does not deny that Britain DID “part God’s Land” – the British Mandate which was created by the Balfour Declaration – when, in 1922, Winston Churchill created the state of Trans-Jordan and gave it to Abdulla of Mecca for a “kingdom.” That partition took 78% of the Jews’ designated land away. Britain certainly has suffered for its part in that fiasco and later ones such as restricting and forbidding emigration of Jews to Palestine under their Mandate, and for resisting the Jewish State with all its (former) power. At San Remo, Italy, in 1922, the major powers insisted that the language of the Balfour Declaration be included in the British Mandate for Palestine, that Palestine would be a national home for the Jewish people.
In addition, the United Nations in its Partition Plan of 1947 proposed dividing the remaining Mandate!
And another point: Why do Arabs such as the “Palestinians” and almost all Muslim nations refuse for (over a half century) to make peace with Israel when Israel on several occasions has offered nearly all the land the Arabs want as well as other concessions for Peace and they will not accept these? It is because they do not want part of Israel; they want ALL of Israel. And they want the Jews moved out of the land completely. There can be no peace with such people!
In addition, there is no peace between them described anywhere in God’s word – our first court of resort in every case. Indeed, only consistent conflict is prophesied for these peoples. Jacob versus Esau … Israel versus Amalek … Jews versus Arabs, throughout the prophets. And the end result is ALWAYS that the Sons of Jacob win the contest! WIN it – hands down!
But it is also entirely clear that in the finality, Israel will not be able to deliver itself from Arab attacks. Their dependence upon the Almighty must be crystal clear to them. We can see that it shall be so when He (the Lord Jesus) has come and rescued them from their enemies and they are astonished at His answer to their query: Where did you receive these wounds in thine hands? – and His answer is: Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends. Zechariah 13: 6.
The bottom line is this: if the peace talks should succeed and REAL peace were to be obtained in the present environment, there would be little use for Elohim’s deliverance from their enemies. Instead of peace, however, there shall be constant enmity and strife with Esau, until the time when Israel must and shall take decisive steps to destroy them, with the assistance of their Messiah.
Obadiah, of course, is a picture of that precise event, and tells us clearly that “there shall be not any remaining of the house of Esau.” (Verse 18) The decisive factor, even in Obadiah’s account, is that “Saviours shall come up on Mount Zion TO JUDGE THE MOUNT OF ESAU, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s” (Verse 21) – a sure indicator of the Lord’s presence in those conflicts.
This is a sequence of events that is easy to understand given the intransigence of the Arabs of the Palestinian Authority and those nations round about Israel today. Their end is clearly indicated by Asaph in Psalm 83 where the concisely named enemies of God and Israel have their fate spelled out: “Let them be confounded and troubled FOREVER, yea, let them be put to shame AND PERISH, that men (Israel – margin) may know that Thou Whose name alone is Jehovah, art the Most High over all the earth.” Psalm 83: 17, 18.
All this is quite evidently because Israel’s own hand shall be insufficient to deliver them. Instead, the firm truth is voiced by Isaiah 35: 4. "Say to them that are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, fear not; behold your God (Elohim: powerful ones) will come with vengeance, even God (Elohim) with a recompense; He will come and save you.”
Again, Jeremiah addresses their oppressors: “… they shall not prevail against thee, for I am with thee, to save thee, to deliver thee (to rescue thee – margin) saith the Lord. And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.” Jeremiah 15: 20, 21. The end of this affair is crystal clear and absolutely certain! <HEL>
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BVN-26 JULY 2010 Even the Qur’an Admits Israel is Entitled to its Land
The Israeli author Hillel Fendel reported a few weeks ago that Land of Israel activists sought to educate Arabs regarding the Qur’an's teachings on the bonds between the Land and Nation of Israel and they recently handed out flyers in Arabic with the relevant verses. The verses were taken from Sura 5:20-21, Sura 7:136-137, and Sura 17:103-104.
The first selection reads: “Recall that Moses said to his people, "O my people, remember G-d’s blessings upon you: He appointed prophets from among you, made you kings, and granted you what He never granted any other people. O my people, enter the holy land that G-d has decreed for you, and do not rebel…"
The second selection: “We let the oppressed people inherit the land, east and west, and we blessed it. The blessed commands of your Lord were thus fulfilled for the Children of Israel, to reward them for their steadfastness, and we annihilated the works of Pharaoh and his people and everything they harvested.”
The third selection: “And we said to the Children of Israel afterwards, "Go live into this land. When the final prophecy comes to pass, we will summon you all in one group."
The distribution of the flyers followed the weekly Shdema lecture, which was given this time by Dr. Hagi Ben-Artzi on the meaning of Tu B’Shvat (Jewish Arbor Day) in Kabbalistic literature. In these quite stilted texts it may be seen that the Qur’an recognizes that the Jews were promised the land for an EVERLASTING possession. For this to happen they must themselves be everlasting. They cannot be destroyed by the nations or forced out of the Land; they must be present there at Messiah’s coming in order to receive the blessings.
We see by these admissions that the contemporary struggle by Islam to root Israel out of the Land is completely inconsistent with Islam’s own pronouncements – for they claim the Qur’an as their divine charter and guide book. To be consistent, the Imams (teachers) need to admit this and stop inciting violence against Israelis and Jews.
Islam Cannot Win
The Scriptures however, tell us conclusively that this oppression will not cease until divine intervention is exercised! We think readily of such conclusive (and entirely clear) revelations as the inspired (given by the God of Israel ) words of Ezekiel 35: 11, in which the Almighty condemns their aggression against His people: “As I live, saith the Lord God, I will even do according to thine anger (Edom’s anger),and according to thine envy, which thou hast used out of thine hatred against them (Israel) , and I will make Myself known among THEM (Israel) when I have judged THEE (Edom).”
This message is simple to understand; but the reader must believe it firmly. The Father has proclaimed His clear displeasure with Edom (the present day “Palestinians”) as, with hatred, they connive to displace and destroy Israel, the people and nation. He intends to turn their anger toward Israel onto themselves in earnest. Their retribution is on its way as we write.
But there is another facet here which is extremely important. He has clearly stated…”I will make Myself known among them (Israel) when I have judged thee (Edom).” This statement tells us decisively just when Messiah shall be revealed to Israel. Not before this time, and not after this time. We have been continually amazed that our Father has withheld His fierce wrath from His enemies for so long, and that His people have had to endure their terrorism and murderous actions for extended decades. Soon they will know the reason for this.
But we may be consoled by verses 12 - 14: “…thou (Edom) shalt know that I am the Lord, and that I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They are laid desolate; they are given us to consume’…your words against Me I have heard…When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate.”
Therefore we must not expect another Islamic State to be formed in Judea and Samaria despite the world’s best efforts to grab Israel’s land and Jerusalem, its capital. Not only have the prophets given no such indication, Prime Minister Netanyahu has steadfastly rejected international pressures to cede Israel’s sovereignty in the Capital, even considering the positive insistence of the USA that Israel cease construction for Jews in Jerusalem.
Joel 3: 2 condemns those who “parted My land,” by which we believe their intent or plan to divide it is tantamount to actually doing it – whether it happens in reality or not. God promised that specific land to Abraham and his “Seed” (Israel under the ruler ship of Christ),) several times, beginning in Genesis 12; He has never abrogated or changed this promise, and we note that Paul’s Godly conduct was enabled and driven by these same promises in Acts 28:20, where he speaks of his bonds (chains of captivity) being “for the hope of Israel.”
9 July, 2010 H E Lafferty MD/USA
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BIBLE VIEWS ON THE NEWS
BVN-25 APRIL 2010
Israel's Isolation Has Begun
Graham Bacon
The strong bond between Israel and the USA is finally beginning to weaken. They have been like brothers since Israel’s rebirth in 1948. The USA supported Israel with finance and weapons and diplomatic strength while Israel acted as USA’s “aircraft carrier” and Middle East point of contact for the USA, as well as supplying high tech expertise in many areas. But for a long time we have been expecting this close cooperation between them to fracture, based on Bible prophecy.
Isaiah wrote under God’s inspiration about Israel in the latter days, surrounded and outnumbered by its enemies, “I looked but there was no one to help” [63:5]. In the flowery language of the eastern prophets, “All her lovers have deserted her” [Jeremiah 30:14]. From these and other sources, it seems obvious that, whatever support Israel had at its early growth stage, it would eventually be withdrawn. Israel would eventually be without any earthly support, entirely on its own. Recent USA anger about Jewish rebuilding in Jerusalem appears to be the beginning of that process.
Another factor to take into account is that isolation developments of this kind can take a long time to complete. After 1878 years of Jewish exile, it is almost 62 years since the declaration of the state of Israel in the Holy Land and, after defeat in four desert wars and after innumerable conferences and camps in countless locations, the Arabs have made absolutely no progress in achieving their ejection of Jews from Israel. Israel grows, adds population “you shall surely clothe yourselves with them as with an ornament” Isaiah 49:18], gets more prosperous as long periods of time go by, but nothing really changes. The arguments about 1967 borders, 43 years ago, still go on unresolved. The point here is that the isolation of Israel, although it has clearly begun, may take decades before Israel will be completely abandoned.
The expansion of present day Israel into the Greater Israel as depicted in Obadiah when five neighbouring areas of Israel, at present heavily populated by Palestinians, will be incorporated into sovereign Israel, is a sequencing and timing puzzle . This future expansion of Israel, according to Obadiah, is achieved by the Israelis themselves. There is no outside aid mentioned – no returned Jesus Christ involved nor any assistance from USA or anyone else.
Obadiah says that Israelis from the coastal flat country will take Gaza [a conceivable project on the cards any time], tribal Benjamin will take north Jordan [not imaginable except by miracle], Israelis through the Negev will commandeer south Jordan [ditto], central Jews will incorporate the West Bank [partly completed now], and Jews through the north will take over part of Lebanon [did it but withdrew]. Is it going to be as simple as that? Will Israel need no help at all to complete such a huge undertaking? Is it after that huge achievement is complete that the mighty spiritual figure of Isaiah 63 finds an isolated Israel in deep danger and saves the expanded Israel from destruction, “Therefore my own arm brought salvation…I have trodden down the peoples in my anger” vv.5-6.
The enemies of Israel from Arab Edom and Bozrah will be squashed by a divine external force because there will be no one else to help. If Israel is to undertake such a huge expansion under its own steam and then find no one to help in a later time of need, it appears that a lengthy period of time lies ahead before divine rescue of Israel and the kingdom establishment in Jerusalem occurs Yes, it could all happen very quickly but history teaches that prophetic developments, that we long for, take large chunks of time.
The Current Signs of a Cooling Relationship
Another Bible pointer to the marking of this time as a significant milestone in unfolding events is the highlighting of the city of Jerusalem as a major point of contention. The USA is furious that the Jews want to build more housing in Jerusalem for Israelis when any building activity anywhere is regarded by the Palestinians as reason for not engaging in two state peace negotiations. Jerusalem is a flash point, a holy city claimed by both sides. The Israelis maintain that all of Jerusalem is their capital city. It is not a settlement and therefore not subject to building restrictions. In Jerusalem they will build where they want. The Arabs say Jerusalem is their third most holy city and more Jewish building desecrates their place. The USA wants Israel to desist from any more building, a proposition that Israel dismisses, much to the anger of the USA that aims at a calm and quiet atmosphere for peace negotiations.
The fury of the USA directed at Israel was demonstrated when the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu visited Washington and was left stranded in talks with US President Obama when he abruptly left the room to have dinner with his family. Such a snub is never ever practised in diplomacy except to express extreme distain. The whole visit of days was conducted in an unprecedented icy atmosphere and the Israeli media was outraged at such treatment of their PM.
Since then, Israeli nuclear scientists, frequent visitors to US universities and facilities, have been denied visas for the USA. The cracks are appearing.
The whole diplomatic world was shocked that the USA would do such a thing to Israel. The Washington Post called the current situation a "US-engineered deadlock." The editorial also blasted Obama for treating Netanyahu "as if he were an unsavory Third World dictator, needed for strategic reasons but conspicuously held at arms length."
The trigger for US anger was Israel’s building program of housing for Jews in Jerusalem and that building action brought out all the snubs and spite against Israel in Washington. Netanyahu held firm. “We will build in Jerusalem where we want.” The focal point on Jerusalem is prefigured in Zechariah 12:3. The AV says, “I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people”.
The Message version says, “On the Big Day I’ll turn Jerusalem into a huge stone blocking the way for everyone”. The huge displeasure that the US administration is displaying against Israel, triggered by Israeli activity in Jerusalem demonstrates that we have arrived at the beginning of the long process of the isolation of Israel, foretold by the prophets in these details. How long these prophetic processes take is always a matter of conjecture, as is the sequence of other events, such as the return of Jesus Christ, that may intervene. It is all a big test for the patience of the saints.