For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
Phillipians 1:29 NKJV
There is a prevalent school of thought in the world today which maintains that Christians are supposedly immune to suffering because God intends for us to receive blessings rather than hardships. The truth of the matter is, suffering is something we are not only warned to expect but also are told is a means to glorify God and further His kingdom.
The word translated “granted” in this verse carries the meaning of actually doing someone a favor, or being gracious. How often have you suffered and thanked God for being “gracious” enough to allow you to experience that suffering? In the past week and a half we have seen unprecedented suffering throughout the Midwest and south as the result of a series of natural disasters which only seem to be getting worse rather than getting better. As expected, many are asking the question why is God allowing His people to suffer troubles of this magnitude?
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18 NKJV
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory,
2 Corinthians 4:17 NKJV
We have seen the pictures and heard the stories of the devastation, but I wonder if you have heard some of the testimonies of God's deliverance which have also occurred? Time and again I have read or heard of people who have lost everything yet speak out to glorify God and to thank Him for an act of deliverance, or grace experienced in spite of what has happened to them. At a time where the world might expect someone to be angry or bitter, we find believers giving glory to God for His unspeakable grace.
The apostle Paul was intimately acquainted with suffering, and almost always links the sufferings we endure now with the future glory which will someday be revealed. A reoccurring theme in Paul's writings on this subject is that no matter what the magnitude of the suffering we experience in this life, it cannot compare with the glory which is yet to come. In other words, while we tend to focus on the now, Paul tells us we need to focus on the future and the time when all our sufferings will not only be over, but also explained and justified so we may see just how God was able to use them for His glory.
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
1 Corinthians 13:12 NKJV
The most commonly asked question when experiencing suffering is why? We seem to feel that we deserve an answer to our question because as we see it, our suffering is undeserved. Yet Paul seems to make it clear that the answers we seek will not be given until we arrive at our heavenly destination. For now we have the promises that God is just, and what we have to endure while here is going to be used for His purpose and glory. But to know exactly how God will use them is something we must wait to find out.
In the past ten days many have shared the opinion that what is now occurring is God's judgment on America for it's treatment of Israel, and the policies of our government that indicate a desire to force Israel to give up part of it's land. I must admit that it would not surprise me at all if this proves to be the case for as we all know, the land where Israel lies was given to them by God as an eternal possession according to His covenant with them. The Bible clearly states what will happen to those who desire to meddle. We know as well that the time is fast approaching where Israel's enemies will feel their only recourse is to attack and attempt to destroy the nation of Israel. Imagine their surprise when, according to the scriptures, God Himself takes a hand and defends His people by destroying the attacking armies.
Very very soon, we will have an answer to the prayer taught by Jesus when He said,
Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as [it is] in heaven.
Matthew 6:10 NKJV
Keep watching.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
God's Time-out?
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Acts 2:1-2 NKJV
I apologize for being tardy with my post, but I just returned from a road trip to visit one of my daughters for a few days, and as such been out of touch with my computer. I felt led this week to repost an old blog of mine concerning the upcoming feast of Israel known as Pentecost. It has long been one of my special times to watch even closer for the return of Jesus for His church for many different reasons. This article contains just a few of them. Enjoy.
I don't think it would be a stretch to assume that most, if not all of us are familiar with what a "timeout" call is. In most sporting events, the ability to stop or freeze the clock for a period of time is called a "timeout". Of course, it follows that when the timeout is over and the clock starts again, it starts exactly where it stopped when the timeout was called. So what does this have to do with a study in eschatology? Well, most Bible scholars agree that Israel could be called God's clock, since God did in fact tell Israel through the prophet Daniel that they had only a specific period of time for their history to unfold. This is what is known as the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks of Daniel. It is also acknowledged that God's clock stopped at the end of sixty-nine weeks to allow the beginning of what is known as the Church Age, or the period in history where believers in Jesus as the Messiah would build His church, and end with an event known as the rapture. So the question is, exactly when did that happen, and does it have any significance in our study of the end times according to the scriptures?
There are many reasons why this particular feast is considered to be very important to believers today. First of all, if you read about the birth of the church in the book of Acts, chapter two, you find that it occurred on the Feast of Pentecost, exactly fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits when Jesus rose from the dead. So it is, in fact, the birthday of the Church as we know it. This was the day that God sent the Holy Spirit to indwell those who chose to believe in Jesus, providing believers with "power" as described by Jesus himself in Acts 1:8. This is also the day, according to most all biblical scholars, that God's clock with Israel stopped, or for the sake of this blog, He called a timeout. Is this important? Maybe we can answer that with an examination of some of the events, and traditions, associated with the Feast of Pentecost.
One of the greatest love stories to be found in the Bible is the Book of Ruth. It is a story of how a gentile, (non-Jew), was "redeemed", or bought with a price, by a "kinsman" or relative (who was a Jew) according to Jewish law, and then becomes the bride of her redeemer. This story takes place in Bethlehem, (curious), the events transpire during the fifty days between the barley and wheat harvest, (interesting), and the redeemer takes his bride at the end of that time, or at the Feast of Pentecost. (coincidence?) It is the tradition of the Jews to read the book of Ruth on Pentecost every year, much as we read about Jesus birth at Christmas, and His resurrection at Easter.
Another rabbinical tradition is that Enoch was born on Pentecost, or the 6th of Sivan as it occurs on the Jewish calendar. Enoch is an interesting individual considering that he was the first prophet in the Bible, and his first prophecy was of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Jude 14-15). Even more interesting is that the Bible tells us he did not die, but was "taken" by God (raptured) (Genesis 5:24). Also intriguing is the fact that it is a Jewish tradition that he was taken on his birthday, or Pentecost.
In the book of 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4 verse 16, the apostle Paul tells us that the "trump of God" will sound at the rapture of the Church. This term "trump of God" only appears twice in the Bible; at the rapture and in the book of Exodus, chapter 19, verse 13, where God gives the Law to Moses at Mt. Sinai. By now it should come as no surprise that if you read from the beginning of the chapter you find the events at Mt. Sinai also occurred during Pentecost.
Now strange as it may sound, I'm going to venture away from the Bible for my last point, and share something with you written by Josephus, who many of you may recognize as a person who lived at the time of Christ, and was commissioned by the Romans to write a history of the Jews. His works have long been acknowledged to be not only very complete, but proven time and again to be historically accurate.
The following quotation is from one of his works and refers to something that was reported to have occurred during the Feast of Pentecost.
Josephus, "Wars of the Jews" VI. V. 3 (emphasis mine)
Thus there was a star (20) resembling a sword, which stood over the city, and a comet, that continued a whole year. Thus also before the Jews' rebellion, and before those commotions which preceded the war, when the people were come in great crowds to the feast of unleavened bread, on the eighth day of the month Xanthicus, (21) [Nisan,] and at the ninth hour of the night, so great a light shone round the altar and the holy house, that it appeared to be bright day time; which lasted for half an hour.
"This light seemed to be a good sign to the unskillful, but was so interpreted by the sacred scribes, as to portend those events that followed immediately upon it. At the same festival also, a heifer, as she was led by the high priest to be sacrificed, brought forth a lamb in the midst of the temple. Moreover, the eastern gate of the inner (22) [court of the] temple, which was of brass, and vastly heavy, and had been with difficulty shut by twenty men, and rested upon a basis armed with iron, and had bolts fastened very deep into the firm floor, which was there made of one entire stone, was seen to be opened of its own accord about the sixth hour of the night (i.e., MIDNIGHT). Now those that kept watch in the temple came hereupon running to the captain of the temple, and told him of it; who then came up thither, and not without great difficulty was able to shut the gate again. This also appeared to the vulgar to be a very happy prodigy, as if God did thereby open them the gate of happiness. But the men of learning understood it, that the security of their holy house was dissolved of its own accord, and that the gate was opened for the advantage of their enemies. So these publicly declared that the signal foreshowed the desolation that was coming upon them.
"Besides these, a few days after that feast, on the one and twentieth day of the month Artemisius, [Jyar,] a certain prodigious and incredible phenomenon appeared: I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable, were it not related by those that saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals; for, before sun-setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities. Moreover, at that feast which we call PENTECOST, as the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the temple,] as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, THEY FELT A QUAKING, AND HEARD A GREAT NOISE, AND AFTER THAT THEY HEARD A SOUND AS OF A GREAT MULTITUDE, SAYING, "LET US REMOVE HENCE."
Many believe that God's clock with Israel is going to start exactly where it left off, on the Feast of Pentecost. As we have seen, there are more than a few references to a "rapture" type event associated with the Feast of Pentecost. Will the Church be raptured on it's birthday? Of course, I can't say. But I hope I'm not the only one who finds it more than curious that there seem to be so many events common to this particular day of the year. Jesus commanded us to watch for His return, and I for one think it very important to take Him at His word.
Keep watching.
Acts 2:1-2 NKJV
I apologize for being tardy with my post, but I just returned from a road trip to visit one of my daughters for a few days, and as such been out of touch with my computer. I felt led this week to repost an old blog of mine concerning the upcoming feast of Israel known as Pentecost. It has long been one of my special times to watch even closer for the return of Jesus for His church for many different reasons. This article contains just a few of them. Enjoy.
I don't think it would be a stretch to assume that most, if not all of us are familiar with what a "timeout" call is. In most sporting events, the ability to stop or freeze the clock for a period of time is called a "timeout". Of course, it follows that when the timeout is over and the clock starts again, it starts exactly where it stopped when the timeout was called. So what does this have to do with a study in eschatology? Well, most Bible scholars agree that Israel could be called God's clock, since God did in fact tell Israel through the prophet Daniel that they had only a specific period of time for their history to unfold. This is what is known as the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks of Daniel. It is also acknowledged that God's clock stopped at the end of sixty-nine weeks to allow the beginning of what is known as the Church Age, or the period in history where believers in Jesus as the Messiah would build His church, and end with an event known as the rapture. So the question is, exactly when did that happen, and does it have any significance in our study of the end times according to the scriptures?
There are many reasons why this particular feast is considered to be very important to believers today. First of all, if you read about the birth of the church in the book of Acts, chapter two, you find that it occurred on the Feast of Pentecost, exactly fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits when Jesus rose from the dead. So it is, in fact, the birthday of the Church as we know it. This was the day that God sent the Holy Spirit to indwell those who chose to believe in Jesus, providing believers with "power" as described by Jesus himself in Acts 1:8. This is also the day, according to most all biblical scholars, that God's clock with Israel stopped, or for the sake of this blog, He called a timeout. Is this important? Maybe we can answer that with an examination of some of the events, and traditions, associated with the Feast of Pentecost.
One of the greatest love stories to be found in the Bible is the Book of Ruth. It is a story of how a gentile, (non-Jew), was "redeemed", or bought with a price, by a "kinsman" or relative (who was a Jew) according to Jewish law, and then becomes the bride of her redeemer. This story takes place in Bethlehem, (curious), the events transpire during the fifty days between the barley and wheat harvest, (interesting), and the redeemer takes his bride at the end of that time, or at the Feast of Pentecost. (coincidence?) It is the tradition of the Jews to read the book of Ruth on Pentecost every year, much as we read about Jesus birth at Christmas, and His resurrection at Easter.
Another rabbinical tradition is that Enoch was born on Pentecost, or the 6th of Sivan as it occurs on the Jewish calendar. Enoch is an interesting individual considering that he was the first prophet in the Bible, and his first prophecy was of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Jude 14-15). Even more interesting is that the Bible tells us he did not die, but was "taken" by God (raptured) (Genesis 5:24). Also intriguing is the fact that it is a Jewish tradition that he was taken on his birthday, or Pentecost.
In the book of 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4 verse 16, the apostle Paul tells us that the "trump of God" will sound at the rapture of the Church. This term "trump of God" only appears twice in the Bible; at the rapture and in the book of Exodus, chapter 19, verse 13, where God gives the Law to Moses at Mt. Sinai. By now it should come as no surprise that if you read from the beginning of the chapter you find the events at Mt. Sinai also occurred during Pentecost.
Now strange as it may sound, I'm going to venture away from the Bible for my last point, and share something with you written by Josephus, who many of you may recognize as a person who lived at the time of Christ, and was commissioned by the Romans to write a history of the Jews. His works have long been acknowledged to be not only very complete, but proven time and again to be historically accurate.
The following quotation is from one of his works and refers to something that was reported to have occurred during the Feast of Pentecost.
Josephus, "Wars of the Jews" VI. V. 3 (emphasis mine)
Thus there was a star (20) resembling a sword, which stood over the city, and a comet, that continued a whole year. Thus also before the Jews' rebellion, and before those commotions which preceded the war, when the people were come in great crowds to the feast of unleavened bread, on the eighth day of the month Xanthicus, (21) [Nisan,] and at the ninth hour of the night, so great a light shone round the altar and the holy house, that it appeared to be bright day time; which lasted for half an hour.
"This light seemed to be a good sign to the unskillful, but was so interpreted by the sacred scribes, as to portend those events that followed immediately upon it. At the same festival also, a heifer, as she was led by the high priest to be sacrificed, brought forth a lamb in the midst of the temple. Moreover, the eastern gate of the inner (22) [court of the] temple, which was of brass, and vastly heavy, and had been with difficulty shut by twenty men, and rested upon a basis armed with iron, and had bolts fastened very deep into the firm floor, which was there made of one entire stone, was seen to be opened of its own accord about the sixth hour of the night (i.e., MIDNIGHT). Now those that kept watch in the temple came hereupon running to the captain of the temple, and told him of it; who then came up thither, and not without great difficulty was able to shut the gate again. This also appeared to the vulgar to be a very happy prodigy, as if God did thereby open them the gate of happiness. But the men of learning understood it, that the security of their holy house was dissolved of its own accord, and that the gate was opened for the advantage of their enemies. So these publicly declared that the signal foreshowed the desolation that was coming upon them.
"Besides these, a few days after that feast, on the one and twentieth day of the month Artemisius, [Jyar,] a certain prodigious and incredible phenomenon appeared: I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable, were it not related by those that saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals; for, before sun-setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities. Moreover, at that feast which we call PENTECOST, as the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the temple,] as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, THEY FELT A QUAKING, AND HEARD A GREAT NOISE, AND AFTER THAT THEY HEARD A SOUND AS OF A GREAT MULTITUDE, SAYING, "LET US REMOVE HENCE."
Many believe that God's clock with Israel is going to start exactly where it left off, on the Feast of Pentecost. As we have seen, there are more than a few references to a "rapture" type event associated with the Feast of Pentecost. Will the Church be raptured on it's birthday? Of course, I can't say. But I hope I'm not the only one who finds it more than curious that there seem to be so many events common to this particular day of the year. Jesus commanded us to watch for His return, and I for one think it very important to take Him at His word.
Keep watching.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Middle East Update
Unfortunately, as we discussed last week, the protests against Israel today did in fact turn violent. As their borders were breached, Israel responded by firing their weapons in an attempt to repel those who were illegally trying to cross their borders. Although Lebanese and Syrian troops were present, they did nothing to halt the protesters from trying to cross the border. Something that I'm sure will be overlooked by those who will rush to condemn Israel is the fact that no one was killed as a result of the actions by the IDF because they took great care not to shoot to kill.
The fact that the most violent and provocative demonstrations came from the border with Syria is of no surprise at all considering the situation that exists in that country today. The fact that the government is under attack by popular protests has resulted in a situation where the rulers wish to divert the attention they are receiving for the killing of their own citizens by creating a conflict with Israel. Most understand as well that the hand of Iran is firmly on Syrian president Assad's shoulder in respect to giving him advice on his relationship with Israel.
This situation is fluid and ongoing, and I believe much more will occur in the next few days leading up to President Obama's speech Friday on the situation in the Middle East, and Israel Prime Minister Netanahu's speech to the joint Houses of Congress which will take place on Tuesday, May 24th. All things considered, it is not surprising that many wonder if we are seeing the beginnings of what will eventually result in the fulfillment of the Isaiah 17 prophecy concerning the destruction of Damascus. I believe it is too soon to tell, but the past has certainly shown us how volatile the situation in the Middle East is, and how swiftly things can occur. In light of this, I thought I would post today an excerpt from my book on this prophecy that you might find useful to better understand the situation which exists between Israel and Syria today.
********
Agreements with Syria, however, have not come as easily. As a result of diplomatic efforts by the United States, Syria and Israel agreed to an "Agreement of Disengagement" between their two armies, and established a "buffer zone" between the two countries that would be monitored by U.N. forces. This agreement should not be confused with a peace agreement, because Syria still feels that the Golan belongs to them, and it has remained a point of contention between the two countries to the present time. As such, it would not be a stretch to consider that this may be the point of contention that is used for the prophesied "fourth transgression" of Syria that is predicted in the Bible. In the book of Isaiah we read;
The burden against Damascus. "Behold, Damascus will cease from [being] a city, And it will be a ruinous heap.
Isaiah 17:1 NKJV
What this prophecy tells us is that one day Damascus, the capitol of Syria, will be completely destroyed. Several points are made in this passage that bear examination and consideration, for it appears God goes to great lengths to not only describe what happens, but the events that surround the incident and quite possibly the reasons for it happening. In the book of Amos we also read:
Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its [punishment],
Amos 1:3 NKJV
Here we find God specifically says that Damascus is destroyed because of a fourth transgression against Israel. The word for transgression in Hebrew is "pesha", which can be translated "trespass". Since Syria has invaded Israel in three wars of aggression, is it possible God is telling us that they will be destroyed when they try it a fourth time? Another point to consider is that if you carefully examine both the Isaiah and Amos passages, it appears that God is telling us that the destruction of Damascus is a "response" to a Syrian aggression! Does Syria believe that it has learned enough from three defeats that it believes it can now win another conflict with Israel? Or is it possible that they believe they have the technology to win with a "first strike" that will prevent Israel from responding?
Another point to consider is that in a war of this magnitude, you must have some point of justification or "casus belli" that will carry weight in the eyes of the world, or you run the risk of alienating yourself, and more than likely inviting some sort of response such as sanctions, economic and political isolation, or possibly a military intervention. We have seen in the last three wars against Israel that no single country has ever acted alone, but always part of a coalition of Arab states, so I find it curious that in this scenario it appears that Syria acts alone. Does this mean that possibly there is no support from the other Arab states for the aggression described in Isaiah, or might it be an unplanned, impulsive strike by Syria?
One point that definitely needs to be considered is the well known Ezekiel prophecy of the "Gog-Magog" war. A very important fact in this prophecy is that although Magog is the aggressor, Persia, listed second, is the provocateur. Ancient Persia, modern day Iran, is even now positioning itself to act in that very role as its president frequently and consistently rants about Israel and the necessity to destroy it. His comments have outraged the world community, yet he continues to insist that Israel has no right to exist, and should be blotted from the face of the earth. Is it possible that Syria is told to attack by Iran? Syria certainly owes Iran for much of what it has, as well as for the support it has received from Iran over the years.
It is a well documented fact that there are a great many Iranian military "advisors" in Syria today working with their Syrian counterparts, sharing technology, military hardware, and instructing them on how to use the weapons they have. Both Iran and Syria have traditional land forces, consisting of troops, armor, and air forces, but it needs to be said that the technology of choice in the past few years has been the production of missiles. Both countries have been almost feverishly trying to acquire the technology to expand the range of the missiles they have in order to become an even greater threat to an ever increasing number of countries, especially Israel.
When you consider the threat of missiles, however, you can easily come to the conclusion that they are only as dangerous as the payload they carry. This then, is the question that Israel and the world have to consider. Unfortunately, although these missiles can carry conventional warheads, intelligence suggests that both Iran and Syria have modified them to be able to carry non-conventional warheads, otherwise known as weapons of mass destruction or WMD's.
The term "weapons of mass destruction" reportedly was first used by the Archbishop of Canterbury in his Christmas message in 1937, and has come to describe weapons which can kill very large numbers of people. Today, the term is used primarily to describe nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological weapons. There is no question that Iran and Syria have both biological and chemical warheads, for there is evidence that both have used them. The fear now is that neither is content with those capabilities, as intelligence has shown they are pursuing both nuclear and radiological capabilities as well.
Now the thought of using these sorts of weapons may be naturally abhorrent to most people, and I'm sure many would take the position that no country would ever think of using them. That being the case, of particular importance then would be a report that recently became news concerning these two countries. On September 17, 2007, Jane's Defense Weekly reported that an explosion in Syria which occurred on July 23 was in fact, the accidental detonation of a chemical warhead that a joint Syrian and Iranian team was attempting to mount on a Scud missile. It was reported that 15 Syrian officers and "dozens" of Iranian engineers were killed in the accident. Considering the effective range of a Scud type missile, the only country within striking distance that Syria considers an enemy is Israel. Is it possible that a plan is in the works for Syria to attack Israel with chemical weapons?
Most people are familiar with the belief that Iran is pursuing nuclear technology for the purpose of building a nuclear weapon, and the declared intention by either Israel or the United States to attack them in order to put a stop to it. Could this accident be a sign of Iran's intention to respond to an attack on its own nuclear facilities by using Syria by proxy to launch a WMD towards Israel? In the summer of 2006, the terrorist organization Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, began a conflict with Israel by launching missiles on the northern cities in Israel while attacking an Israeli patrol on the Israel side of the border. Three Israeli soldiers were killed, two were wounded, and two were kidnapped and taken back across the border into Lebanon. Israel responded with a massive attack on suspected Hezbollah strongholds inside of Lebanon, and the result has come to be known as the 2006 Lebanon War. During the month long conflict Hezbollah forces launched approximately 4000 rockets into northern Israel. Despite this massive number, only 43 Israeli civilians were killed by these rocket attacks, thanks in no small part to the early warning systems and bomb shelters that are so prevalent in Israel.
But one has to wonder how the results, or lack of them, to these types of missile attacks will affect the philosophy of Israel’s' enemies in future wars? Is it possible that Iran and Syria have decided the best course of action is to use chemical warheads in order to overcome the defenses of Israel and cause the most damage to the population? One of the unfortunate results of using a Scud type missile is that it is not a precise or guided missile. You can launch it towards a particular target, but you have no precise control over where it will land. Will Israel’s' enemies target military installations, or will they be content to strike the civilian populations in Israel’s' major cities? More importantly, are they using Israel’s' response in the Lebanon war to predict a response to their next attack? If so, they may just be making the biggest miscalculation of recent history. If they decide to use a weapon of mass destruction against the nation of Israel, what would the response be? I am willing to suggest that Isaiah 17 tells us exactly how Israel is going to respond.
********
I have also added a few links to articles about what has occurred today in Israel and hope they might also shed some light about what is not only going on, but the thoughts of others in regards to the relationship that exists between the countries involved.
Keep watching.
http://debka.com/article/20934/
http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=220641
http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=220625
http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=220621
http://debka.com/article/20936/
The fact that the most violent and provocative demonstrations came from the border with Syria is of no surprise at all considering the situation that exists in that country today. The fact that the government is under attack by popular protests has resulted in a situation where the rulers wish to divert the attention they are receiving for the killing of their own citizens by creating a conflict with Israel. Most understand as well that the hand of Iran is firmly on Syrian president Assad's shoulder in respect to giving him advice on his relationship with Israel.
This situation is fluid and ongoing, and I believe much more will occur in the next few days leading up to President Obama's speech Friday on the situation in the Middle East, and Israel Prime Minister Netanahu's speech to the joint Houses of Congress which will take place on Tuesday, May 24th. All things considered, it is not surprising that many wonder if we are seeing the beginnings of what will eventually result in the fulfillment of the Isaiah 17 prophecy concerning the destruction of Damascus. I believe it is too soon to tell, but the past has certainly shown us how volatile the situation in the Middle East is, and how swiftly things can occur. In light of this, I thought I would post today an excerpt from my book on this prophecy that you might find useful to better understand the situation which exists between Israel and Syria today.
********
Agreements with Syria, however, have not come as easily. As a result of diplomatic efforts by the United States, Syria and Israel agreed to an "Agreement of Disengagement" between their two armies, and established a "buffer zone" between the two countries that would be monitored by U.N. forces. This agreement should not be confused with a peace agreement, because Syria still feels that the Golan belongs to them, and it has remained a point of contention between the two countries to the present time. As such, it would not be a stretch to consider that this may be the point of contention that is used for the prophesied "fourth transgression" of Syria that is predicted in the Bible. In the book of Isaiah we read;
The burden against Damascus. "Behold, Damascus will cease from [being] a city, And it will be a ruinous heap.
Isaiah 17:1 NKJV
What this prophecy tells us is that one day Damascus, the capitol of Syria, will be completely destroyed. Several points are made in this passage that bear examination and consideration, for it appears God goes to great lengths to not only describe what happens, but the events that surround the incident and quite possibly the reasons for it happening. In the book of Amos we also read:
Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its [punishment],
Amos 1:3 NKJV
Here we find God specifically says that Damascus is destroyed because of a fourth transgression against Israel. The word for transgression in Hebrew is "pesha", which can be translated "trespass". Since Syria has invaded Israel in three wars of aggression, is it possible God is telling us that they will be destroyed when they try it a fourth time? Another point to consider is that if you carefully examine both the Isaiah and Amos passages, it appears that God is telling us that the destruction of Damascus is a "response" to a Syrian aggression! Does Syria believe that it has learned enough from three defeats that it believes it can now win another conflict with Israel? Or is it possible that they believe they have the technology to win with a "first strike" that will prevent Israel from responding?
Another point to consider is that in a war of this magnitude, you must have some point of justification or "casus belli" that will carry weight in the eyes of the world, or you run the risk of alienating yourself, and more than likely inviting some sort of response such as sanctions, economic and political isolation, or possibly a military intervention. We have seen in the last three wars against Israel that no single country has ever acted alone, but always part of a coalition of Arab states, so I find it curious that in this scenario it appears that Syria acts alone. Does this mean that possibly there is no support from the other Arab states for the aggression described in Isaiah, or might it be an unplanned, impulsive strike by Syria?
One point that definitely needs to be considered is the well known Ezekiel prophecy of the "Gog-Magog" war. A very important fact in this prophecy is that although Magog is the aggressor, Persia, listed second, is the provocateur. Ancient Persia, modern day Iran, is even now positioning itself to act in that very role as its president frequently and consistently rants about Israel and the necessity to destroy it. His comments have outraged the world community, yet he continues to insist that Israel has no right to exist, and should be blotted from the face of the earth. Is it possible that Syria is told to attack by Iran? Syria certainly owes Iran for much of what it has, as well as for the support it has received from Iran over the years.
It is a well documented fact that there are a great many Iranian military "advisors" in Syria today working with their Syrian counterparts, sharing technology, military hardware, and instructing them on how to use the weapons they have. Both Iran and Syria have traditional land forces, consisting of troops, armor, and air forces, but it needs to be said that the technology of choice in the past few years has been the production of missiles. Both countries have been almost feverishly trying to acquire the technology to expand the range of the missiles they have in order to become an even greater threat to an ever increasing number of countries, especially Israel.
When you consider the threat of missiles, however, you can easily come to the conclusion that they are only as dangerous as the payload they carry. This then, is the question that Israel and the world have to consider. Unfortunately, although these missiles can carry conventional warheads, intelligence suggests that both Iran and Syria have modified them to be able to carry non-conventional warheads, otherwise known as weapons of mass destruction or WMD's.
The term "weapons of mass destruction" reportedly was first used by the Archbishop of Canterbury in his Christmas message in 1937, and has come to describe weapons which can kill very large numbers of people. Today, the term is used primarily to describe nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological weapons. There is no question that Iran and Syria have both biological and chemical warheads, for there is evidence that both have used them. The fear now is that neither is content with those capabilities, as intelligence has shown they are pursuing both nuclear and radiological capabilities as well.
Now the thought of using these sorts of weapons may be naturally abhorrent to most people, and I'm sure many would take the position that no country would ever think of using them. That being the case, of particular importance then would be a report that recently became news concerning these two countries. On September 17, 2007, Jane's Defense Weekly reported that an explosion in Syria which occurred on July 23 was in fact, the accidental detonation of a chemical warhead that a joint Syrian and Iranian team was attempting to mount on a Scud missile. It was reported that 15 Syrian officers and "dozens" of Iranian engineers were killed in the accident. Considering the effective range of a Scud type missile, the only country within striking distance that Syria considers an enemy is Israel. Is it possible that a plan is in the works for Syria to attack Israel with chemical weapons?
Most people are familiar with the belief that Iran is pursuing nuclear technology for the purpose of building a nuclear weapon, and the declared intention by either Israel or the United States to attack them in order to put a stop to it. Could this accident be a sign of Iran's intention to respond to an attack on its own nuclear facilities by using Syria by proxy to launch a WMD towards Israel? In the summer of 2006, the terrorist organization Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, began a conflict with Israel by launching missiles on the northern cities in Israel while attacking an Israeli patrol on the Israel side of the border. Three Israeli soldiers were killed, two were wounded, and two were kidnapped and taken back across the border into Lebanon. Israel responded with a massive attack on suspected Hezbollah strongholds inside of Lebanon, and the result has come to be known as the 2006 Lebanon War. During the month long conflict Hezbollah forces launched approximately 4000 rockets into northern Israel. Despite this massive number, only 43 Israeli civilians were killed by these rocket attacks, thanks in no small part to the early warning systems and bomb shelters that are so prevalent in Israel.
But one has to wonder how the results, or lack of them, to these types of missile attacks will affect the philosophy of Israel’s' enemies in future wars? Is it possible that Iran and Syria have decided the best course of action is to use chemical warheads in order to overcome the defenses of Israel and cause the most damage to the population? One of the unfortunate results of using a Scud type missile is that it is not a precise or guided missile. You can launch it towards a particular target, but you have no precise control over where it will land. Will Israel’s' enemies target military installations, or will they be content to strike the civilian populations in Israel’s' major cities? More importantly, are they using Israel’s' response in the Lebanon war to predict a response to their next attack? If so, they may just be making the biggest miscalculation of recent history. If they decide to use a weapon of mass destruction against the nation of Israel, what would the response be? I am willing to suggest that Isaiah 17 tells us exactly how Israel is going to respond.
********
I have also added a few links to articles about what has occurred today in Israel and hope they might also shed some light about what is not only going on, but the thoughts of others in regards to the relationship that exists between the countries involved.
Keep watching.
http://debka.com/article/20934/
http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=220641
http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=220625
http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=220621
http://debka.com/article/20936/
Sunday, May 8, 2011
All the Nations
"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. "And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.
Zechariah 12:2-3 NKJV
I'm sure by now most of you are familiar with the unrest that seems to be sweeping many of the nations of the Middle East. Protests and calls for democratic reforms are resulting in often violent reactions from the governments in power, with a heavy loss of life. Although these protests begin with peaceful intent, the result has for the most part shown that they for one reason or another result in violence. With this in mind, I would like to call your attention to a protest that is scheduled to occur a week from now that has not received a lot of attention in the press, at least not yet, which the organizers are calling the “Third Intifada”.
This protest march is being organized by the Palestinian Authority to occur on May 15, which is the day that Arabs call the “Nakba”, or tragedy. If you are familiar with the history of Israel, you know that the modern state of Israel was established on May 14, 1948. You can then see what “tragedy” the Arabs are referring to, and why they have chosen this day for their “peaceful” protest. Unfortunately, this protest will by all accounts, be anything but peaceful. Originally the calls for this march were posted on the social networking site called Facebook, but as the page evolved into promoting a violent attempt to take over the state of Israel by flooding it with millions of Arabs, it was removed by Facebook. Unfortunately this has apparently had little effect as the page and others like it have popped up with different names but with the same message of violence towards Israel.
Although there has been little said about this from the government of Israel, it is a given that they are extremely concerned with the potential for violence as a result of this march. If in fact, their borders are threatened by a mass of people trying to illegally cross into Israel, they would be compelled to respond. The natural result of this, as is the norm, would probably be a huge outcry from the world against Israel. The passage from Zechariah is a prophecy of the situation that will exist during the tribulation period just before Jesus returns. It tells us specifically that “all nations” will be against Israel. In a practical sense, you can easily see where that situation almost exists today, and it would certainly not take much for Israel to lose the few friends it has left.
We know from the prophecy in Isaiah 17 that Damascus, capitol of Syria, will be destroyed by Israel in the future. Most agree from the description given in Isaiah that this destruction will most likely come in the form of a nuclear weapon. Since many believe that Israel would only use that type of weapon in response to a threat of their own survival, one has to wonder about what sort of scenario could result in that very situation. Could it be that Syria comes to the aid of millions of “peaceful” protesters by using their own weapons of mass destruction against Israel? There are so many possibilities that it would probably be futile to try and predict what might occur, yet we do know we are told by God that Israel will at some point in the future stand alone, with no one to protect her but God alone.
This of course, is exactly the point that God wishes to make, which is that He alone holds title to that land and He will defend it against all the world. Zechariah goes on to tell us this;
"In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David [shall be] like God, like the Angel of the LORD before them. "It shall be in that day [that] I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for [his] only [son], and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”
Zechariah 12:8-10 NKJV
As we wait to see what the future holds, I would ask that all of you join me in following some advice given to us by David in the Psalms.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.
Psalm 122:6 NKJV
Keep watching.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/143238
Zechariah 12:2-3 NKJV
I'm sure by now most of you are familiar with the unrest that seems to be sweeping many of the nations of the Middle East. Protests and calls for democratic reforms are resulting in often violent reactions from the governments in power, with a heavy loss of life. Although these protests begin with peaceful intent, the result has for the most part shown that they for one reason or another result in violence. With this in mind, I would like to call your attention to a protest that is scheduled to occur a week from now that has not received a lot of attention in the press, at least not yet, which the organizers are calling the “Third Intifada”.
This protest march is being organized by the Palestinian Authority to occur on May 15, which is the day that Arabs call the “Nakba”, or tragedy. If you are familiar with the history of Israel, you know that the modern state of Israel was established on May 14, 1948. You can then see what “tragedy” the Arabs are referring to, and why they have chosen this day for their “peaceful” protest. Unfortunately, this protest will by all accounts, be anything but peaceful. Originally the calls for this march were posted on the social networking site called Facebook, but as the page evolved into promoting a violent attempt to take over the state of Israel by flooding it with millions of Arabs, it was removed by Facebook. Unfortunately this has apparently had little effect as the page and others like it have popped up with different names but with the same message of violence towards Israel.
Although there has been little said about this from the government of Israel, it is a given that they are extremely concerned with the potential for violence as a result of this march. If in fact, their borders are threatened by a mass of people trying to illegally cross into Israel, they would be compelled to respond. The natural result of this, as is the norm, would probably be a huge outcry from the world against Israel. The passage from Zechariah is a prophecy of the situation that will exist during the tribulation period just before Jesus returns. It tells us specifically that “all nations” will be against Israel. In a practical sense, you can easily see where that situation almost exists today, and it would certainly not take much for Israel to lose the few friends it has left.
We know from the prophecy in Isaiah 17 that Damascus, capitol of Syria, will be destroyed by Israel in the future. Most agree from the description given in Isaiah that this destruction will most likely come in the form of a nuclear weapon. Since many believe that Israel would only use that type of weapon in response to a threat of their own survival, one has to wonder about what sort of scenario could result in that very situation. Could it be that Syria comes to the aid of millions of “peaceful” protesters by using their own weapons of mass destruction against Israel? There are so many possibilities that it would probably be futile to try and predict what might occur, yet we do know we are told by God that Israel will at some point in the future stand alone, with no one to protect her but God alone.
This of course, is exactly the point that God wishes to make, which is that He alone holds title to that land and He will defend it against all the world. Zechariah goes on to tell us this;
"In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David [shall be] like God, like the Angel of the LORD before them. "It shall be in that day [that] I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for [his] only [son], and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”
Zechariah 12:8-10 NKJV
As we wait to see what the future holds, I would ask that all of you join me in following some advice given to us by David in the Psalms.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.
Psalm 122:6 NKJV
Keep watching.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/143238
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Are You Dressed for the Wedding?
"So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding [hall] was filled with guests. "But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. "So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. "Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast [him] into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Matthew 22:10-13 NKJV
So did you watch the wedding this week? You notice I didn't specify which one. I suppose that there may be a few out there who are not aware that there was a royal wedding in England this past week, but in all honesty with the amount of coverage the event produced that would seem rather far fetched to believe. Weddings are one of the things that just about anyone can relate to, whether they have had their own, participated in another, or just attended as a guest. It also is one of those rare events which is universally considered to be a joyful, celebratory occasion where everyone has a good time. I also can't help but remember that Jesus' first miracle was at a wedding, where He (in my opinion) bailed out the father of the bride who came up a little short during the reception.
So with all the attention focused on weddings this week, I couldn't help but begin to think of the wedding we all are really looking forward to, and the one which many believe is about to occur. I'm speaking, of course, about the rapture of the church which is described by God as a wedding between His Son and all who have chosen to believe. As I began to think about it, with all the attention given to what people were wearing to the royal wedding, it was hard not to remember this parable by Jesus which deals coincidentally, with someone who tried to attend a wedding dressed “inappropriately”. Now I didn't hear of anyone at the royal wedding getting tossed for that, but the fact that this was a concern for Jesus made me want to look a little closer at this parable and see exactly what we are being told, and whether or not we should look at it as a warning about our future wedding.
In this parable, Jesus is explaining the situation that existed at that time concerning His appearing, and the rejection of the Jews to His message that He was their Messiah. As a result, His death and resurrection resulted in the creation of His church, consisting of all who would choose to believe in the salvation offered to us by His sacrifice. The invitation to the wedding is given to all, and all who choose to accept may attend. Yet in this story, Jesus tells us that someone tries to attend dressed “inappropriately”, and suffers the consequences. Exactly what does this mean, and how does it apply to us?
In Eastern cultures at that time, when you were invited to attend a wedding you didn't have to worry about going shopping for new clothes to wear because appropriate garments were provided for the guests by the one who gave the marriage feast. So all you needed to do was show up and put on the garment you were given, and your participation was guaranteed. In this account by Jesus, however, we find someone attending who apparently refused to accept the garment provided.
A close examination of the passage in the original Greek makes it clear that this was a deliberate act on the part of the guest to refuse the garment offered him. The reasons are unclear, but I think it is safe to assume he felt that his own garments were good enough so that he could refuse to wear what was provided. Obviously that was a very big mistake on his part, for when the King arrives and sees him, he is immediately put to the question. 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' Well, although he was “speechless”, the answer was pretty clear; he came in without one because he refused it at the door. The result is that he is bound hand and foot and tossed out into “outer darkness”.
The interpretation of this parable is not that difficult to understand. The wedding feast we are all invited to takes place in heaven before the throne of God. The garments provided for us are a symbol of His righteousness, which He has chosen to give us freely because our own righteousness is as “filthy rags”. The only question put to us here is are we willing to accept what is provided for us, or are we going to be stubborn and insist we are good enough to refuse?
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks [himself] with ornaments, And as a bride adorns [herself] with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10 NKJV
But we are all like an unclean [thing], And all our righteousnesses [are] like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
Isaiah 64:6 NKJV
It makes no difference how “much” we do, how “good” a life we live, God makes it plain our righteousness will never pay the price of admission. It is only by accepting the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, that we obtain the garments that will allow us entrance to the wedding feast. Unfortunately one of Satan's greatest deceptions is that you can be saved by your own efforts. Just live by the principals you find in the Bible, do the very best you can, and you will be saved. The point Jesus was trying to make in this parable is that if you listen to that lie, your end will be the same as those who chose to totally reject the sacrifice of God in giving His Son to die for our sins.
My question to you today is are you dressed appropriately for the wedding? Have you personally told God that you accept the sacrifice He made for you, confess your sinfulness, and accept the invitation to the wedding that is to come? God has given the invitation to us all, and all we have to do in order to receive the appropriate garment to wear is to accept Jesus into our hearts, and begin to live for Him according to His Word. If you have never done this, I encourage you to do it now. Simply tell Him that you are sorry for trying to live your life on your own terms, and invite Him to come into your heart and to show you how to live life on His. By doing this, you will receive the “garment of salvation” that will allow you to attend the wedding. Which, by the way, could begin at any time.
Keep watching.
Matthew 22:10-13 NKJV
So did you watch the wedding this week? You notice I didn't specify which one. I suppose that there may be a few out there who are not aware that there was a royal wedding in England this past week, but in all honesty with the amount of coverage the event produced that would seem rather far fetched to believe. Weddings are one of the things that just about anyone can relate to, whether they have had their own, participated in another, or just attended as a guest. It also is one of those rare events which is universally considered to be a joyful, celebratory occasion where everyone has a good time. I also can't help but remember that Jesus' first miracle was at a wedding, where He (in my opinion) bailed out the father of the bride who came up a little short during the reception.
So with all the attention focused on weddings this week, I couldn't help but begin to think of the wedding we all are really looking forward to, and the one which many believe is about to occur. I'm speaking, of course, about the rapture of the church which is described by God as a wedding between His Son and all who have chosen to believe. As I began to think about it, with all the attention given to what people were wearing to the royal wedding, it was hard not to remember this parable by Jesus which deals coincidentally, with someone who tried to attend a wedding dressed “inappropriately”. Now I didn't hear of anyone at the royal wedding getting tossed for that, but the fact that this was a concern for Jesus made me want to look a little closer at this parable and see exactly what we are being told, and whether or not we should look at it as a warning about our future wedding.
In this parable, Jesus is explaining the situation that existed at that time concerning His appearing, and the rejection of the Jews to His message that He was their Messiah. As a result, His death and resurrection resulted in the creation of His church, consisting of all who would choose to believe in the salvation offered to us by His sacrifice. The invitation to the wedding is given to all, and all who choose to accept may attend. Yet in this story, Jesus tells us that someone tries to attend dressed “inappropriately”, and suffers the consequences. Exactly what does this mean, and how does it apply to us?
In Eastern cultures at that time, when you were invited to attend a wedding you didn't have to worry about going shopping for new clothes to wear because appropriate garments were provided for the guests by the one who gave the marriage feast. So all you needed to do was show up and put on the garment you were given, and your participation was guaranteed. In this account by Jesus, however, we find someone attending who apparently refused to accept the garment provided.
A close examination of the passage in the original Greek makes it clear that this was a deliberate act on the part of the guest to refuse the garment offered him. The reasons are unclear, but I think it is safe to assume he felt that his own garments were good enough so that he could refuse to wear what was provided. Obviously that was a very big mistake on his part, for when the King arrives and sees him, he is immediately put to the question. 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' Well, although he was “speechless”, the answer was pretty clear; he came in without one because he refused it at the door. The result is that he is bound hand and foot and tossed out into “outer darkness”.
The interpretation of this parable is not that difficult to understand. The wedding feast we are all invited to takes place in heaven before the throne of God. The garments provided for us are a symbol of His righteousness, which He has chosen to give us freely because our own righteousness is as “filthy rags”. The only question put to us here is are we willing to accept what is provided for us, or are we going to be stubborn and insist we are good enough to refuse?
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks [himself] with ornaments, And as a bride adorns [herself] with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10 NKJV
But we are all like an unclean [thing], And all our righteousnesses [are] like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
Isaiah 64:6 NKJV
It makes no difference how “much” we do, how “good” a life we live, God makes it plain our righteousness will never pay the price of admission. It is only by accepting the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, that we obtain the garments that will allow us entrance to the wedding feast. Unfortunately one of Satan's greatest deceptions is that you can be saved by your own efforts. Just live by the principals you find in the Bible, do the very best you can, and you will be saved. The point Jesus was trying to make in this parable is that if you listen to that lie, your end will be the same as those who chose to totally reject the sacrifice of God in giving His Son to die for our sins.
My question to you today is are you dressed appropriately for the wedding? Have you personally told God that you accept the sacrifice He made for you, confess your sinfulness, and accept the invitation to the wedding that is to come? God has given the invitation to us all, and all we have to do in order to receive the appropriate garment to wear is to accept Jesus into our hearts, and begin to live for Him according to His Word. If you have never done this, I encourage you to do it now. Simply tell Him that you are sorry for trying to live your life on your own terms, and invite Him to come into your heart and to show you how to live life on His. By doing this, you will receive the “garment of salvation” that will allow you to attend the wedding. Which, by the way, could begin at any time.
Keep watching.
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