Dear friends and readers,
I sincerely hope you are all doing well today and are enjoying your salvation. Speaking of salvation, can you believe that it all came about through the sacrifice of one man? Makes me wonder if I would do what Jesus did for a bunch of total strangers. How about you? But hey, what counts is that we are about our Fathers business, keeping Jesus commands and doing everything we can to help those around us.
I want to talk to you today about one of my favorite subjects, ISRAEL. Before I do, a great big "shout out" to all of you who are following my blogs and sharing them with your friends and neighbors. The Lord just blessed me with a new reader in Malta which means now that folks in nearly 50 countries are tuning in. Once someone from a new country locks on the upward spiral slowly begins. There are now many readers in some countries and a few in others but that is the way it goes when writing on the Internet. I now have over 130 lengthy articles on the net and am pleased when I see folks looking up articles that I wrote 2-3 years ago plus of course the new weekly editions. Thank you one and all.
As usual a week cannot go by without Israel making news in some way. Generally speaking, negative news because few news sources are positive about Israel in the slightest way. Too bad to because the God of the Bible is extremely firm on what will happen to ANY enemies of Israel. So, New York Times or Bible? Take your pick because in few cases you cannot agree with both.
Let's take the new US President for example. Setting aside all the personality stuff, I think he will actually get around to moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem one day but not anytime soon. For now in the face of extreme problems with both Iran and North Korea, the USA needs all the help it can get from Arab nation partners in the Middle East and the day the Embassy moves is the day that help will disappear. So, for now as only 1 vote, I can give President Trump a pass on this issue. But not forever. I wrote a letter to President George Bush years ago and told him in no uncertain terms that I was dropping out of his party permanently because he violated his word to move the Embassy. I actually received a letter back. A form letter but better than nothing---at least some overworked secretary responded. The fact remains that I have been an independent ever since. As a Christian and an avid supporter of Israel, this issue is vital to me.
I have come to believe that once having sat in the big Oval Office chair, something happens to these guys---new Presidents. An invisible source/power reaches up and grabs them. The name of the source is "I will be the greatest President ever if I can make peace in the Middle East". We could shorten that to the acronym "IWBTGPEIICMPITME"! No that won't work, it sounds like something out of ancient Sandskrit. I know let's make the acronym a simple "IKICBDBIHNRMBL" (I know it can be done but I have not read my Bible lately). Whoops, far too long. How about "JETA" (Just explain the advantages). OK, finally we have it. The JETA syndrome!
Of course the US president is not the only one suffering from JETA! Let's see, we have the Germans, the French, the English, several other NATO countries, The United Nations Security Council and oh that's right, lets not forget the Palestinians! JETA is spreading. Unfortunately not one single leader among them has read their Bibles either. My Bible tells me (Daniel chapter 9) that there is one and only one man in the entire world who will eventually bring peace to the Middle East. Of course we don't know his name yet. Maybe we do after all. That's right now I remember his name is "antichrist"!
Have you seen the new WONDER WOMAN movie yet? Boy oh boy don't you love all these super heroes? Superman, spiderman, Batman, Wonder Woman. Oh and Tony Stark, AKA Ironman? Dude!
The list of the past US Presidents all the way back to George Herbert Walker Bush includes 29 continual years of Biblical blunder from 5 Presidents all of whom claimed to be Christians but who obviously were trying to be "Captain America". Without reading the Bible. How do I know that? Because the Bible is filled with warnings directly from God and He makes it crystal clear what will happen to nations who divide up His land.
Then on the super evil side is the infamous "antichrist"! Arch villain and sworn enemy of mankind, not to mention sworn enemy of THE CHRIST! The real Christ. Son of God, Messiah of Israel? I would be in such depression over recent news reports except for one thing. I have read the back of the book. As in "the BIBLE" which tells me that not only will NO President ever bring about true peace or most probably not even a a two state solution in the Middle East but neither will anyone else until the REAL evil one is let loose on planet earth.
Who could we compare antichrist to? How about the big green guy, "the Hulk"? Or a new ultra evil "Transformer" boss? Maybe he is next in line---stay tuned for another movie. You know they kind of fit the antichrist image in ways. Cagy little dude who when ticked off becomes a giant green guy of ultimate destruction, who cannot be reasoned with. Or some 65' Volkswagen turning itself into one humongous mechanical beast with an extremely bad attitude and "take over the world agenda".
How does that fit with the future antichrist you say? Well, some of the super heroes turn from one thing to something quit different in the blink of an eye. So too will the future antichrist! Since this is not intended to be a Bible study, I will give you reference so you can look it up for yourself. You can read all about the antichrist in the Books of Daniel and Revelation with brief mention in Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 8. Basically at some point in the future someone will begin to dominate news cycles and he will be extremely charismatic and seem like a good guy coming on the proverbial ole white horse, with an agenda to make peace between Israel and her neighbors. There is understandably all kinds of opinion and argument "out there" in the world of theology but many believe this guy is a throw back to the old Roman Empire and might even be a Jew himself. That is only opinion and although worthy of note to say the least, the Bible does not specifically say that so I don't teach it.
On the other hand it is a very large stretch for me to believe that anyone but a Jew could ever convince Israel to give up her weapons in exchange for peace. How and why do I think that would happen ? Ezekiel chapters 38-39 speak of a huge war someday that will be waged against Israel and it describes Israel at that time of (all of Israel) dwelling in safety---in a land of unwalled villages, a peaceful people having neither bars nor gates. Have you ever been to an Israeli city? Nearly every single house is guarded by walls, bars and gates. Something very big has to happen to change all that and I personally don't think either the Rabbis or the Israeli Government would ever allow security changes that severe unless they thought it was being arranged by their long awaited Messiah. And so who exactly is the "antichrist"? The exact antithesis of the true Christ, the Messiah of Israel. Hello!
Bottom line is that he "confirms a covenant (peace deal?) with many for one week. Daniel goes on to explain all kinds of interesting stuff about Israel in the end times and it is clear that this "covenant "is for 7 years. It may well allow Israel to build the third Temple but then this seemingly good guy goes completely ballistic when he is taken over spiritually by satan himself 3 1/2 years into the original 7 year contract. He goes from ultimate good guy impersonating Messiah, to satan incarnate.
NOTE: I am one of only a few theologians in this world who do NOT believe that the current Dome of the Rock is built over the exact location of the first and second Jewish Temples location for the Holy of Holies. If that is true, there will be no necessity for the Dome to be torn down in order to build the third Temple. The two, under such a peace deal could coexist which would mean the Dome of the Rock is actually located in what would have been the court of the gentiles. I know, I know, call me crazy but maybe you should at least examine this possibility because I can never imagine ANYONE---charismatic antichrist or not, talking the Arab, Muslim world into tearing down their third most holy site for the sake of peace with anyone, let alone the dreaded enemy, Israel. But that's a subject for another day.
So the drum beat continues. Peace at any cost including a rapidly growing worldwide chorus of people and nations demanding that Israel give up land for peace including 1/2 of her ancient holy city and capital, Jerusalem. NO peace deal is worth that since the God of Abraham , Isaac and Jacob (Israel) placed all that land and more in the custody of Israel and even she does not have a right to cede it to anyone else because in reality it belongs to God!
This week in the news, the organization Fatah has reportedly worked out a deal with Hamas which includes Hamas ceding authority and de-militarizing which would include giving up weapons that have historically used against Israel. RIGHT!!!~ So if you believe that can I sell you a bridge to no where? Then of course Iran says it is in fact keeping the deal President Obama made with them to stop their program of production toward nuclear weapons capability. But they refuse to allow the slightest inspections to confirm the fact. Do they actually believe we are all "daft"?
North Korea continues to beat the war drums and have demonstrated that they do in fact have long range ballistic missiles and nukes plus have threatened to use those nukes on the USA, Japan and Israel? More great news!
Russia and China publicly "make nice" about problems in Syria, North Korea, The North China Sea and other topics. Does anyone actually believe either of them?
Going back to Hamas and the new Cairo accords reached this week with the P.A (Fatah). They promise not to attack any more Jews in the West Bank as part of the "NEW PALESTINE" peace deal? That is nothing more than political speak for "when Israel is wiped out completely we will then have our NEW PALESTINE. PLEEEEASE!
On other fronts, Hezbollah is stating it's determination to maintain the ability to attack America in addition to Israel. Yet another gift wrapped present. The gift wrapping paper made of lies and empty promises. The ribbon made of innocent blood.
And the pressure is growing daily from many Jews and also many Christians for Israel to begin construction of the third Temple. You can imagine how well that is being received within the Arab, Persian, Turkish Muslim world. NOT!
Did you see that both Israel and the USA have dropped out of UNESCO this week? That's UNESCO as in "United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural organization. Well, it's about time!
And into all of this daily escalation steps a new US President who has clearly fallen pray to the "JETA" syndrome. Just like all of his predecessors, who each and everyone thought they could do the impossible. Without the antichrist on the scene (which I personally do not think he is yet), there will only be failure upon failure to achieve lasting Middle East peace. Well, that is IF you think that peace for only 3 1/2 years is LASTING?
Yes, indeed, the Middle East is a very dangerous neighborhood. Stat tuned friends because it will only become worse from now on.
Please remember the admonition in Psalm 122:6 "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you".
God bless and see you next week,
Pastor Rance.
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