Endtime Prophecy
September
16
brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s Righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God (Rom. 10:1–3).
The main purpose of the Holy Spirit giving us, through Paul, Chapters 9 through 11 of Romans was not, as stated, for Prophetical analysis, even though that, in measure, was given, but rather to warn the Church. If the Church follows in Israel’s footsteps by being ignorant of God’s Righteousness or by refusing God’s Righteousness, attempting, as Israel, to establish its own righteousness, the Church will be cut off just as Israel was cut off.
Concerning this, Paul said, “For if God spared not the natural branches (Israel), take heed lest He also spare not you (refers to the Church, as is obvious). Behold, therefore the goodness and severity of God (don’t mistake the Goodness of God for license): on them which fell, severity (speaks of Judgment which came on Israel, God’s chosen People); but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His Goodness (proclaims the conditions; the continuing of that “Goodness” pertains to continued Faith in Christ and the Cross): otherwise you also shall be cut off” (Rom. 11:21–22).
“God’s Righteousness” is that which is afforded by Jesus Christ, gained by and through the Cross. The only way that God’s Righteousness can be given to anyone is by virtue of the Cross, which demands Faith on the part of the recipient. If one attempts to gain righteousness by any other manner, the Lord refers to it as “self-righteousness,” and it is unacceptable—totally unacceptable!
I ask the following question:
How much is the modern Church preaching the Cross?
The answer screams back at us, “Precious little!”
The Church has already apostatized. The Church Age opened with Christ standing in the midst of the candlesticks, in which the candlesticks represent the Church (Rev. 1:12–13). At the close of the Church Age, which pertains to the present time, we no longer find Christ in the midst of the Church, but rather outside, knocking on the door, trying to get it (Rev. 3:17–20). The Lord is, in fact, no longer dealing with the institutionalized Church as a whole, but rather with individuals only.
To be sure, the Lord has always dealt with individuals, but now it is only individuals.
“If any man hear My Voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20).
So, who presently is saved?
It is the same now as it was with Israel of old.
Paul said, “Even so then at this present time (Paul’s day) also there is a Remnant according to the election of Grace (definitely speaks of Predestination, but not as many think; it is the “Remnant” that is elected or predestined, not who will be in the Remnant).
“And if by Grace (the Goodness of God, all made possible by the Cross), then is it no more of works (no one can point to their works as grounds for Salvation): otherwise Grace is no more Grace (if works are mixed with Grace, they nullify Grace). But if it be of works, then is it no more Grace (works can never produce Grace): otherwise work is no more work” (for example, Water Baptism, if acted upon wrongly, nullifies its true meaning; this also holds true for all other great Ordinances of the Lord) (Rom. 11:5–6).
As there was a “Remnant” in Israel who were saved, meaning that most were lost, likewise, there also is a “Remnant” in the modern Church who are saved, but only a Remnant. Israel had rejected much of that which was of the Lord, but when they rejected the Cross, there was nothing left. They were cut off. The modern Church has done the same thing. It has rejected much which is of the Lord, but now it is rejecting the Cross. As with Israel, if the Cross is rejected, that means the Righteousness of God is rejected, and that means the Church is also cut off—except for the “Remnant.”
Are you in the Remnant?
The only way that anyone can be in the Remnant is by accepting Christ and what Christ did at the Cross. There is no other way!
~J. Swaggart
The Muslim World, the Antichrist, and Israel
When the Antichrist turns on Israel, actually, and as stated, defeating her, no doubt, the Muslim world will be aiding and abetting the man of sin in all of his efforts. As well, every evidence is, that the entirety of the Middle East, with all of its oil wealth, with the exception of Jordan, will now be in his control. In fact, Daniel 11:43, as previously quoted, in essence tells us this. So, he will have all the money he needs in order to do what he needs to do, which is to take over the entire world. He will not succeed, however, in doing that. The Scripture says:
“And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the Glorious Holy Mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. (‘And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace,’ refers to him taking over the newly-built Temple in Jerusalem and stopping the Sacrifices as prophesied in Daniel 8:9–12. This speaks of the time when he will turn on Israel at the midpoint of the Great Tribulation.
“ ‘Between the seas and the Glorious Holy Mountain,’ refers to the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The ‘Glorious Holy Mountain’ is Mt. Moriah, where the Temple is located.
“ ‘Yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him,’ is tied to the first part of this Verse, which speaks of him desecrating the Temple. This insures his destruction by the Lord, which will take place at the Second Coming)” (Dan. 11:45).
And yet the Muslim world, who will think the Antichrist is their champion, and because he has turned on Israel, will themselves be rudely awakened. The Word of God is clear concerning this.
The Antichrist Turns on the Muslims
The Scripture says concerning this: “And the king (the Antichrist) shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. (The phrase, ‘And the king shall do according to his will,’ refers to the Antichrist, who will pretty much have his way until the Second Advent of Christ.)
“ ‘And magnify himself above every god,’ actually refers to him deifying himself [II Thess. 2:4]. At this time, and according to Daniel 9:27, he will take over the newly-built Temple in Jerusalem, do away with the Jewish Sacrifices which have not long since begun, and will set up an image of himself [Rev. 13:15].
“ ‘And shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods,’ means that he will literally declare war on Christ. His campaign of declaring himself ‘god’ will, of necessity, demand that he blaspheme the True God as no one has ever blasphemed.
“ ‘And shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished,’ means that much of the world will accept his claims, joining with him in their hatred of the God of the Bible.)
“Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. (The phrase, ‘Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,’ no doubt refers to him being a Jew. He will not regard the God of ‘Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’
“ ‘Nor the desire of women,’ probably refers to him turning against the Catholic Church, and, thereby, the Virgin Mary.
“ ‘Nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all,’ refers to all the religions of the world, which will include Islam, all of which will be outlawed, at least where he has control, demanding that worship be centered up on him)” (Dan. 11:36–37).
Now the Muslims will find out, as did the Jews, that the Antichrist has no respect for anyone, and especially their religions, including Islam. While he most definitely will hate the Jews above all, still, he will have, as stated, “no regard for any god.” The Bible actually tells us what he will honor.
The Strange God
The Scripture says: “But in his estate shall he honor the god of forces; and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. (The phrase, ‘And a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor,’ refers to a ‘strange god’ mentioned in the next verse, who is actually the Fallen Angel who empowered Alexander the Great. He is called ‘the Prince of Grecia,’ which does not refer to a mortal, but instead a Fallen Angel [Dan. 10:20]. This ‘god,’ his fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did not know.)
“Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. (The phrase, ‘Thus shall he do in the most strong holds,’ refers to the great financial centers of the world, which will be characterized by rebuilt Babylon or possibly even newly built Dubai. This ‘strange god,’ as stated, is a Fallen Angel; therefore, he will probably think he is giving praise and glory to himself, when in reality he is actually honoring this ‘Fallen Angel.’
“ ‘And he shall cause them to rule over many,’ refers to the many nations he will conquer because of the great power given to him by this Fallen Angel, instigated by Satan)” (Dan. 11:38–39).
~J. Swaggart
God’s Promise Concerning Ishmael
Some years before, Hagar, the bondwoman, and her son, Ishmael, were cast out of the home of Abraham, actually just before Isaac was born, the Lord said unto Abraham: “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai (‘my princess,’ referring to the fact that she was Abraham’s princess alone), but Sarah shall her name be (simply means ‘princess;’ the idea is, whereas she was formerly Abraham’s princess only, she will now be recognized as a princess generally, and, in fact, in a sense, could be referred to as the ‘mother of the Church’).
“And I will bless her, and give you a son also of her (this is the first time in all of God’s dealings with Abraham that He had mentioned the fact that the promised son would be of Sarah): yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her (her ‘blessing’ spoke of increase, which includes even the Church and, in a sense, the Lord Jesus Christ).
“Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, shall a child be born unto me who is an hundred years old (Abraham’s laughter was that of joy [Jn. 8:56]? and shall Sarah who is ninety years old bear (Paul said of him: ‘He considered not the deadness of Sarah’s womb’)?” (Rom. 4:19).
“And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before You! (Abraham asked the Lord that Ishmael might have some place, and not be completely left out.)
“And God said, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son indeed; and you shall call his name Isaac (the name Isaac means ‘laughter’): and I will establish My Covenant with him for an Everlasting Covenant, and with his seed after him. (The Covenant is to be established with Isaac and not Ishmael. This completely shoots down the contention of the Muslims that Ishmael was the chosen one, unless you don’t believe the Bible. Through Isaac, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind, would ultimately come.)
“And as for Ishmael, I have heard you, behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly (the Lord would bless Ishmael, but not as it regards the Covenant); twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation (the blessing here pronounced was not because of Ishmael, but because of Abraham, and Abraham alone).
“But My Covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto you at this set time in the next year (so now they knew when the child would be born).
“And He (the Lord) left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. (Communion with the Lord is the most profitable exercise there is)” (Gen. 17:15–22).
The Word of God
This, which we have given, concerns the statement given by the Lord as it regards Isaac and Ishmael. Even though we have dealt with it in a spiritual sense, it can be likened to the flesh and the Spirit, even as Paul addressed it in Galatians 4:21–31. But yet, the information given is meant to proclaim what the Word of God says as it regards both Isaac and Ishmael, which completely refutes the claims of Islam. As stated, they claim that the Lord chose Ishmael instead, and not Isaac. This all came from the supposed revelation given to Muhammad in approximately the year 610.
Actually, the Lord foretold, even before the birth of Ishmael as to what type of man he would be. He said: “And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. (These predictions describe the Arab people perfectly. They cannot get along with anyone in the world; they cannot even get along among themselves. The descendants of Ishmael dwell in the presence of all his brethren [Israel], but do not subdue them, and, in fact, never will subdue them!)” (Gen. 16:12).
The Last Days
There are some who claim that the Muslims will play a great part in the activity of the last days, and by the term “last days” we’re speaking of the beginning of the Great Tribulation. The Scripture says concerning this:
“And he (the Antichrist) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (a week of years—seven years) …” (Dan. 9:27).
In effect, the Antichrist will make his debut on the world scene by brokering a peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians and the Arabs, and, no doubt, other nations of the world as well, and undoubtedly including the U.S.A. The Antichrist will receive instant recognition for his ability to do this, so much so, in fact, that Israel will acclaim him as their long awaited Messiah. In fact, this is what Jesus was talking about when He said concerning this very thing: “I am come in My Father’s Name, and you receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive” (Jn. 5:43).
As would be obvious, the Muslim Middle East will be tremendously involved in this. In fact, the situation, as it regards Israel and the balance of the Middle East, grows more difficult with each passing day. Iran is claiming, and publicly, that Israel should be wiped off the face of the Earth; so, anyone who can solve this problem will be heralded as a superman. And the Antichrist will solve it, at least for a short time. The moment this seven-year treaty is signed, will signal the beginning of the Great Tribulation referred to by Christ and the Prophets (Mat. 24:21).
The first three and one half years of that time, referred to, as well, as Daniel’s seventieth week, while the Judgment of God will begin to be poured out, yet, Israel will fare very well it seems. But then they will be rudely awakened and, in fact, will now face their most horrific time, even worse than the Holocaust of WWII. Concerning this, the Apostle Paul said:
“For when they shall say, peace and safety (refers to Israel, but will as well characterize the world; it pertains to the Antichrist signing the seven-year pact with Israel and other nations [Dan. 9:27]); then sudden destruction comes upon them (at the mid-point of the seven-year period, the Antichrist will break his pact, actually invading Israel [Rev. 12:1–6]), as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (I Thess. 5:3).
At the midpoint of that seven-year time frame, referred to as the “Great Tribulation,” the Antichrist will show his true colors, and will attack Israel. In fact, Israel will suffer her first military defeat since becoming a Nation in 1948. Actually, were it not for intervention by the Lord, Israel at that particular time would be completely destroyed, but thankfully, the Lord will intervene.
Daniel said, concerning this very time, and I continue to quote from THE EXPOSITOR’S STUDY BIBLE:
“And at the time of the end shall the king of the south (Egypt) push at him: and the king of the north (the Antichrist, Syria) shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. (The phrase, ‘And at the time of the end,’ refers to the time of the fulfillment of these Prophecies, which, in fact, is just ahead. It is known that ‘the king of the south’ refers to Egypt, because that’s who is referred to at the beginning of this Chapter, which spoke of the breakup of the Grecian Empire. As well, ‘the king of the north’ proves that the Antichrist will come from the Syrian division of the breakup of the Grecian Empire. So the Antichrist will more than likely be a Syrian Jew.)
“He shall enter also into the glorious land (into Israel), and many countries shall be overthrown (those in the Middle East): but these shall escape out of his hand (escape out of the hand of the Antichrist), even Edom and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. (Edom, Moab, and Ammon comprise modern Jordan. His entering into the ‘glorious land’ refers to his invasion of Israel at the midpoint of his seven-year nonaggression pact with them, therefore, breaking his covenant [Dan. 9:27].
“The countries listed comprise modern Jordan, where ancient Petra is located, to which Israel will flee upon the Antichrist ‘entering into the Glorious Land’ [Rev. 12:6]).
“He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. (‘Egypt’ refers to ‘the king of the south’ of Verse 40, as stated.)
“But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. (The ‘precious things of Egypt,’ no doubt, refer to the ancient mysteries of Egypt, regarding the tombs, the pyramids, etc. He will, no doubt, claim to unlock many of these mysteries; he very well could do so, regarding the supernatural powers given to him, and we continue to speak of the Antichrist, by the powers of darkness.)
“But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. (After the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel, actually ‘entering into the Glorious Land,’ he will be prevented from further destroying her by the ‘tidings of the east and out of the north’ that ‘shall trouble him.’ No doubt, these will be nations, probably led by Russia [north], Japan, and China [east], forming a union against him, but which will have no success)” (Dan. 11:40–44).
~J. Swaggart
What is the Relationship of Islam to the Bible?
Chapter One
In truth, none!
While the Muslims have misquoted the Bible, falsely interpreted the Bible, misapplied the Bible, and even changed the Bible, the truth is, Islam has absolutely no part in the Word of God. While the Koran contains illustrations from the Bible, generally those illustrations are twisted and perverted. In fact, while many religions have borrowed somewhat from the Bible, the Bible, the oldest Book in the world, has not borrowed from anything.
The Muslims claim that Ishmael is the promised seed, and not Isaac.
The Bible portrays Ishmael as a work of the flesh, and that he, along with his mother Hagar, were driven out of the household of Abraham.
The Scriptures say, and I quote from THE EXPOSITOR’S STUDY BIBLE: “And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as He had spoken (despite all of Satan’s hindrances, Isaac, the progenitor and Type of the Messiah, is born).
“For Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. (Referring back to the past Chapter, if it be objected that this whole occurrence is incredible, because no heathen prince would desire to marry a woman upwards of 90 years of age, or to conceive such a passion for her that to secure her, he would murder her husband—the very fate which Abraham feared for himself—it may be replied that God must have miraculously renewed her youth, so that she became sufficiently youthful in appearance to suitably be desirable. Three times in these first two verses, the clause points to the supernatural character of Isaac’s birth.)
“And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. (The name means ‘laughter.’ It speaks of blessing, increase, healing, life, and well-being [Jn. 10:10]. As Isaac was a Type of Christ, it would not be wrong to say that one of the names of Christ is ‘laughter.’)
“And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him (this was a sign of the Covenant that God would ultimately send a Redeemer into this world).
“And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him (this verse is placed in the Text so that all may know that Isaac’s birth was indeed miraculous).
“And Sarah said, God has made me to laugh, so that all who hear will laugh with me. (The mention of Sarah’s name some five times thus far in this Chapter is done for purpose and reason; the Holy Spirit is impressing the fact that Sarah was in truth the very mother of this miraculous child. Sarah had once laughed in unbelief; she now laughs in Faith, a laughter incidentally expressing joy, which will never end. It all pointed to Christ. Because of Christ, untold millions have laughed for joy.)
“And she said, who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? For I have born him a son in his old age (this is a poem, and could very well have been a song, and probably was).
“And the child grew, and was weaned (the custom in those days was to nurse children for two to three years before they were weaned; however, there is some indication that Isaac was approximately five years old when he was weaned): and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned (at this time, the boy was turned over to his father for training, at which time his education began).
“And Sarah saw the son of Hagar (Ishmael) the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. (The effect of the birth of Isaac, a work of the Spirit was to make manifest the character of Ishmael, a work of the flesh. The end result of the ‘mocking’ was that Ishmael actually desired to murder Isaac [Gal. 4:29]. Ishmael was probably eighteen to twenty years old at this time, and Isaac was probably about five years old.)
“Wherefore she said unto Abraham, cast out this bondwoman and her son: (Isaac and Ishmael symbolized the new and the old natures in the Believer. Hagar and Sarah typified the two Covenants of works and Grace, of bondage and liberty [Gal., Chpt. 4]. The birth of the new nature demands the expulsion of the old. It is impossible to improve the old nature. How foolish, therefore, appears the doctrine of moral evolution!) For the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. (Allowed to remain, Ishmael would murder Isaac; allowed to remain, the flesh will murder the Spirit. The Divine way of holiness is to ‘put off the old man,’ just as Abraham ‘put off’ Ishmael. Man’s way of holiness is to improve the old man, that is, to improve Ishmael. The effort is both foolish and hopeless.)
“And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son. (It is always a struggle to cast out this element of bondage, that is, salvation by works, of which this is a type. For legalism is dear to the heart. Ishmael was the fruit, and, to Abraham, the fair fruit of his own energy and planning, which God can never accept.)
“And God said unto Abraham, let it not be grievous in your sight because of the lad, and because of your bondwoman; and all that Sarah has said unto you, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall your seed be called. (It is labor lost to seek to make a crooked thing straight. Hence, all efforts after the improvement of nature are utterly futile, so far as God is concerned. The ‘flesh’ must go, which typifies the personal ability, strength, and efforts of the Believer. The Faith of the Believer must be entirely in Christ and what Christ has done at the Cross. Then, and then alone, can the Holy Spirit have latitude to work in our lives, bringing forth perpetual victory [Rom. 6:14]. It must ever be understood, ‘in Isaac [in Christ] shall your seed be called.’
“And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is your seed (out of this ‘work of the flesh’ ultimately came the religion of Islam, which claims that Ishmael is the promised seed, and not Isaac)” (Gen. 21:1–13).
~J. Swaggart Ministry
The Upside-Down World
From the August 2010 Trumpet Print Edition »
Excerpt from The Trumpet by Joel Hilliker
Little Green Men
The Apostle Paul recorded a scathing rebuke that has shown itself to be remarkably prophetic: He described scholars and academics “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever” (Romans 1:25).
These are hallmarks of the Upside-Down World: truths changed to lies; material things exalted above the God who made them; plain, clear, scriptural understanding scorned and irrational human reasoning worshiped.
These traits represent a fundamental hostility to reason. Yet they are manifestly present in the supposedly irreproachable, objective realm of science: Consider the evidence-defying, data-manipulating commitment to the man-made global warming doctrine and the impassioned vilification of skeptics; or the blacklisting and excommunication of scientists who so much as acknowledge the possibility that the elegance and predictability of the material world suggests intelligent design. The scientific establishment brusquely closes the curtain on anything that challenges the ridiculous notion that there are no answers whatsoever beyond matter itself—what Democritus called “atoms and the void.”
As a result, the establishment must turn its back on a great many facts—and simultaneously embrace some ludicrous fictions. Befuddled by the majesty of life, and the impossible perfection of the Earth to support it, scientists have entered the realm of fantasy in order to sustain their belief in a godless universe. They have suggested, with nothing to offer as proof but their own ideologically driven imaginations, that perhaps there are an infinite number of universes—magically making statistical impossibilities possible. Famous atheist zoologist Richard Dawkins—who delights in ridiculing religious believers and calling faith “a virus of the mind”—says he believes life may have been deposited on Earth by beings from outer space.
That’s right. In the Upside-Down World, superintelligent little green men from some great beyond (whose origin also must require an explanation, we might add) are easier to believe in than God. “[F]or scientific triumphalists mere facts apparently cannot compete with the doctrines laid down by the scientific priesthood,” Phillips explains.
The Apostle Paul put it this way: “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (verse 22).
Harvard geneticist Richard Lewontin made this self-condemning admission in 1997: “We take the side of science [as opposed to the supernatural] in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism. … Moreover, that materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door” (emphasis mine).
That is the crux of it: God must be kept out. Why?
Deceived
These trends all contravene or undermine the truth as defined in Scripture. Yet it is this widely dismissed and disparaged Book that exposes and explains the cause for society’s violent departure from logic and sense.
It reveals the very real existence of a spirit realm, invisible to us. “[W]e wrestle not against flesh and blood,” wrote Paul, “but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).
Yes, the Bible speaks of a benevolent and omnipotent God. But it also tells of a malevolent spiritual force that we must be on guard against.
As Paul worked to spread the truth of the gospel throughout hostile, Gentile cultures, he encountered resistance that he explained this way: “[I]f our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not …” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).
The “god of this world” to which he referred was not the Creator. It was the same “god” the Apostle John described as “the great dragon … that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world” (Revelation 12:9).
Is it possible? The fact is, the volatile and deteriorating state of the world today—and the descent into ever more mad and crazy reasoning—cannot be fully comprehended without this understanding.
Read “Who Is the God of This World?” on page 28 for a scriptural explanation of how this “great dragon” came to have such a stranglehold on society. Herbert W. Armstrong described this biblically revealed reality as “the colossal kidnapping of all time”—in which the captives have been brainwashed into preferring and embracing the life and evil philosophy of the archkidnapper. “The willing victim … is the world that inhabits this planet Earth!” he wrote. “Yet this world has been so completely deceived that it cannot realize what actually has happened to it” (A World Held Captive).
The devil’s Upside-Down thinking is everywhere on display. He is a master at cloaking his motives, dressing up his destructive ambitions, making them appear noble and upright. “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light,” Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:14. But when his lies are compared against the right-side-up revelation in Scripture, the truth becomes clear.
The Upside-Down Mind
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!” God wrote through Isaiah of this once-great angelic being who became the devil. “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God … I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:12-14).
Satan believes he knows better than God. He has his own ideas about what is good, what is evil, how the universe should operate.
God created human beings in His own image and likeness, and placed them in dominion over the rest of the material creation on Earth (Genesis 1:26-30). He created them male and female and instituted marriage and family as a wonderful means of preparing them for life in His eternal Family. (These profound truths are thoroughly explained in Herbert W. Armstrong’s book The Incredible Human Potential, which we will send you for free upon request.)
Satan hates human beings and is trying to destroy us. “He was a murderer from the beginning”; he is father of lies, Jesus explained (John 8:44). Satan inspired the notion that human beings are just like animals, less valuable than earthworms. He loves terrorism, violence and bloodshed. He promotes sterilization and abortion.
The Upside-Down attack on marriage and family is authored by this miserable being. He hates marriage and family because they are so central to God’s master plan for man! Angels were never offered that potential (e.g. Matthew 22:30; Hebrews 1:4-5). Satan has trampled on God’s laws about sex—laws against fornication and adultery, pornography, homosexuality, gender confusion and so on, all intended to safeguard the family—because angels cannot have sex, and sex produces more human beings.
This great dragon has flipped government within families Upside-Down because he hates authority and loves anarchy. God tells children to obey their parents and to honor old people—so Satan encourages them to rebel against their parents and mock the aged. The devil wants emotion-driven, unbalanced young people to dominate society so we lose our perspective, our heritage and our memory.
Satan pushes the impression that the whole of the mind-bogglingly impressive material creation exists by mere happenstance—that there is no order or purpose for any of it. He has befogged people’s understanding of evil because he is the epitome of evil and yet doesn’t believe it! He disagrees with God’s assessment of him.
In fact, that old serpent disagrees with everything God thinks, because he has allowed his thinking to become so twisted up with hate. Of all the Upside-Down reasoning he has fobbed off on this world, at the root of it all is that satanic idea: God is wrong—I am right.
As Paul expressed it, “For they [the self-professed scholarly, under the influence of satanic thinking] being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3). As Lucifer said in his heart, I will exalt my throne—I will be like the most High.
This world is hoodwinked. So many of the people feverishly turning the world on its head are going about to establish what they think is right! “All are united by the common desire to bring about through human agency the perfection of the world,” Phillips writes, “an agenda which history teaches us leads invariably—and paradoxically—to tyranny, terror and crimes against humanity. Remarkably, all happen to be united also by a common and fundamental hostility to the central precepts of [biblical] religious belief …” (op. cit.).
The longer that people fail to submit themselves to the righteousness of God—who is the one and only true Lawgiver, who alone determines right from wrong—and the harder they work to establish their own righteousness, the more haywire this Upside-Down world will grow.
Thankfully, the sure Word of God promises that Jesus Christ will return and set this world right-side up. The Apostle Peter called this “the times of refreshing” and “the times of restitution of all things” (Acts 3:19-21). Christ Himself called it “the regeneration” (Matthew 19:28). You can read more about that wonderful Upside-Up World in the article on page 8.
Wage War to Help the Enemy
The routine murder of innocents may be protected in the clinic—but in the Upside-Down World, it is to be avoided at all costs on the battlefield. Even if it costs victory.
In the Afghanistan war—where the government and people are demonstrating sympathy for the Taliban—the top nato commander, Stanley McChrystal (before he resigned in June), was looking for ways to protect Afghan civilians. He considered a new military honor that recognizes soldiers who refrain from fighting: an award for “courageous restraint.”
Radical Muslim groups love it. They are far less concerned about civilian deaths; in fact, they invite them. They use a hodgepodge of vile, despicable tactics—purposefully embedding themselves among locals, even using schools and hospitals as staging grounds for rocket attacks—aimed specifically at provoking retribution that kills civilians (who, in many cases, actually sympathize with their cause), which they then broadly publicize for propaganda purposes. And the media and political classes eagerly trumpet that propaganda—even in cases where it is demonstrably false.
Clearly, Muslims aren’t the only ones who sympathize with terrorists; liberal intellectuals do as well.
Common sense says that someone trying to kill you and your family, someone trying to destroy your country, is an enemy. But such reasoning is far too barbaric for Western thinkers. Black-and-white morality has been replaced by a world of grays, of relativism, where even the most depraved behavior can be explained and excused. The Western mind has become deeply ambivalent about evil. Even words like evil and enemy are considered simplistic and backward.
A pillar liberal doctrine is that the perpetrators of evil acts are not responsible because they are actually victims of a far greater evil: Western ideals. Thus, “victim” groups are considered incapable of wrongdoing, while “privileged” classes are incapable of good. Muslims cannot be held responsible for terrorism—their Western targets must be the real cause.
As a result of such ridiculous moral reasoning, the very nature and purpose of warfare has been flipped topsy-turvy. War is now something a nation must do for its enemy. Humanitarian goals trump self-defense. All efforts to seek the nation’s own interests are branded immoral and shameful. An oxymoronic “humanitarian war” approach has embroiled America and its allies in absolutely impossible efforts to rebuild and rehabilitate those nations it defeats.
Success in warfare used to benefit the victorious nation; in the Upside-Down World, “victory” comes with inexhaustible, unachievable moral obligations. War can never be won.
Heroes and Villains
Hamas runs Gaza as a theocratic police state; it silences dissent; it allows no religious expression outside radical Islam; it uses terrorism to advance its foreign policy, which is to annihilate Jews. Israel, by contrast, is a liberal democracy; it has an independent judiciary and an independent press; it protects religious freedom, even for the 16 percent of its citizens who are Muslim.
Which of these two do you suppose Western elites increasingly view as a political partner—and which as a villain?
It is positively bizarre. What possesses apparently intelligent, reasonable people who value political freedoms and respect for human life to defend the terrorist cause? Why are they so willing to overlook the barbaric acts of misogyny and murder—so seemingly contrary to liberal ideals—that plague radical Islamist culture? And why, then, are they so unforgiving as Jews try to defend themselves against it?
There is no reasoned public debate over these questions. Throughout academia, the media and political circles, the supposed rightness of the Palestinian cause over that of Israel is considered irrefutable.
In Upside-Down downtown Manhattan, a retail store damaged by shrapnel from the 9/11 terrorist attacks was razed—in order to make room for a new 13-story mosque. “In the ruins of a building reduced to rubble in the name of Islam, a temple to Islam will arise,” commented author Mark Steyn.
The increasingly universal immunity to reason vividly showed this past May when authorities foiled a bombing attempt in New York City’s Times Square. As always happens when a Muslim commits or tries to commit a terrorist act, politicians and press in America and Britain disregarded facts, threw out the religion connection and searched for a cause within trivialities like the would-be bomber’s struggle to pay his mortgage. New York’s mayor speculated that he was probably a right-winger, “somebody with a political agenda that doesn’t like the health care bill.” Wrong. Turns out the perp was on orders from the Pakistani Taliban. The mayor responded to the news by praising his city’s Pakistanis and gravely stating, “We will not tolerate any bias or backlash against Pakistani or Muslim New Yorkers.”
The rush to exhibit such multicultural sanctimony has become so predictable after such incidents. The more that Muslims attack, the louder we praise them. The same Upside-Down reaction was on parade five years ago, after Islamic suicide bombers killed 52 Londoners on their morning commute. British officials didn’t blame Islam—but Islamophobia. London’s mayor asserted that the true fault lay in “80 years of Western intervention into predominantly Arab lands because of the Western need for oil.”
Reality is screaming in their faces, and they are closing their eyes, plugging their ears, and saying “La la la la la.”
Why are efforts to merely enforce existing immigration law in order to curb rising kidnapping and murder branded as racist? Why are illegal immigrants in Britain guaranteed welfare benefits by law? Why is it against the law to deport dodgy foreign terrorist suspects back to their home countries out of concern that their human rights might be violated there?
These are senseless, dangerous policies—yet intellectuals will rise up in full-throated indignation against any who dare question them.
Political correctness—a bramble bush of self-contradicting doctrines—has so ensnared the self-declared scholarly that even when facts are presented that expose the error in their thinking they will not budge.
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah lamented. “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20-21).
He couldn’t possibly have described the Upside-Down World with more penetrating precision.
Back in April, a street-corner preacher in Britain mentioned to a passing shopper that the Bible calls homosexuality a sin.
The comment got him thrown in jail.
An atheist homosexual policeman contended that since Dale McAlpine’s remark was loud enough to be overheard, he had broken the Public Order Act—a law passed in 1986 to control violent rioters and football hoodlums. Police carted McAlpine off, and he spent seven hours in a cell for causing “harassment, alarm or distress.”
It was quite the crackdown, considering what happened elsewhere on Britain’s streets at about the same time. After an Israeli official gave a lecture at the University of Manchester, she was attacked by pro-Palestinian protesters. Police responded to this provocation by escorting the official from the premises in a police car. The protesters climbed onto the hood of the vehicle and tried to break the windshield. They were not prosecuted. Apparently in Britain, this is “protected speech.”
Welcome to the Upside-Down World.
It’s a world where truth is trashed and lies are lauded. Where the honorable are despised and the depraved are empowered. Where sound morals and strong character are relentlessly mocked—while immorality is praised, paraded and protected.
“Self-evident common sense appears to have been turned on its head,” writes Melanie Phillips in her book The World Turned Upside Down. “[S]elf-designated ‘victim groups’ have turned right and wrong, victim and aggressor inside out. Their ‘right’ not to be insulted or discriminated against in any way has become the basis for discrimination and injustice against the representatives of majority values. …
“Nothing is really as it is said to be,” she writes. “Society seems to be in the grip of a mass derangement.”
Has the world gone mad?
There is a hidden cause for this bewildering trend that very few are willing to acknowledge. It is a remarkable reality that explains a whole array of seemingly paradoxical problems that bedevil our world.
Protect Muhammad, Mock Jesus
In this world, everything is twisted in knots. The solution to debt problems is increased spending. The antidote to government waste is more government. “Freedom of speech” is used as a shield for vulgarity and filth—and a bludgeon against godliness and virtue.
Comedy Central cartoons mock everything. They delight in committing sacrilege. Back in April, one poked fun at the furor over depictions of Muhammad, founder of Islam, by showing him dressed in a bear suit. A radical New York-based Islamic group didn’t like that one bit. On its website, RevolutionMuslim.com, it posted a warning along with a graphic photo of Theo van Gogh, the Dutch filmmaker brutally murdered in 2004 by a Muslim; it warned that the show’s creators might suffer the same fate.
Comedy Central’s executives got the message. They censored the cartoon and removed all record of it online.
Then they turned around and proceeded with plans to create JC, a cartoon aimed squarely at garnering laughs at Christians’ expense. The show will depict God and Jesus Christ as regular guys who move to modern-day New York City, where Jesus adjusts to big city life while a deadbeat God sits home and plays video games.
These two seemingly incongruous decisions are hardly unusual. In fact, both follow a pattern increasingly playing out in America and Britain. In societies that value free speech, many decision-makers are shutting down even mild criticism of Islam. And though these same societies also value freedom of religion, public and even private expression of Bible-based Christianity is coming under fierce attack.
Leaders and officials kowtow to bullies and thugs on one hand, then become bullies and thugs on the other. They accommodate evil and vilify good.
~Excerpt from The Trumpet Magazine by Joel Hilliker
The Antichrist
In fact, the Antichrist will burst upon the scene in a way that will give him recognition all over the world, and instantly. He will be able to do what the brightest minds in America, were never able to bring about—a viable peace treaty between the Palestinians, the Muslim world, and Israel. In fact, this treaty will last for three and one half years, and will be broken by the Antichrist himself. It was originally scheduled for seven years. Daniel the Prophet foretold of this time. He said:
“And he (the Antichrist) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (a week of years—seven): and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (The phrase, ‘And he shall confirm,’ refers to the Antichrist.
“ ‘And in the midst of the week’ ” refers to three and one half years, at which time the Antichrist will show his true colors and stop the Sacrifices in the newly-built Temple. At that time, he will actually invade Israel with her suffering her first defeat since her formation as a Nation in 1948.
“The phrase, ‘Even until the consummation,’ means until the end of the seven-year Great Tribulation.
“ ‘And that determined shall be poured upon the desolate,’ refers to all the Prophecies being fulfilled regarding the great suffering that Israel will go through the last three and one half years of the Great Tribulation [Mat. 24:21–22])” (Dan. 9:27).
Upon signing this seven-year peace treaty with Israel, and doing, as stated, what no one else had been able to do, the whole world will acclaim the wisdom, ingenuity, and ability of this man. In fact, Israel will claim him as their Messiah. So that tells us that he must be a Jew, inasmuch as they would never accept anyone as their Messiah who was a Gentile.
In some way, upon the signing of this agreement, he will be able to placate the Muslims and the Jews, in fact, guaranteeing Israel’s safety and protection for those seven years and, as well, making it possible for the Jews to build their Temple.
With his ability to bring about this peace treaty, the whole world in a sense will be at his feet. Every Television Station in the world, along with newspapers, periodicals, etc., will declare his ingenuity and statesmanship. As stated, Israel will acclaim him as their Messiah, the one for whom they have long waited.
For about three and one half years things will go well, with Israel, it seems, prospering, despite the fact, that great war clouds are gathering all over the world. Concerning this, the Apostle Paul said:
“For when they shall say, peace and safety (refers to Israel, but will, as well, characterize the world; it pertains to the Antichrist signing the seven-year pact with Israel and other nations [Dan. 9:27]); then sudden destruction comes upon them (at the mid-point of the seven-year period, the Antichrist will break his pact, actually invading Israel [Rev. 12:1–6]), as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (The Great Tribulation is definitely coming upon this world [Mat. 24:21])” (I Thess. 5:3).
Considering that the Antichrist will be able to broker this peace treaty, it seems that the U.S.A. will at the time abdicate her responsibility regarding Israel. In other words, Israel’s protector will now be the man of sin, as defined by the Apostle Paul (II Thess. 2:3). Now, the scepter of power is in the hands of the Antichrist, where it will remain until the time of the Second Coming.
If it is to be noted, at the present time (2007), the U.S.A. is showing signs of weariness regarding Israel. In fact, at this time, America is the only friend that Israel has in the world. Although there is no indication that America will abdicate her position as Israel’s protectorate, and despite the Muslims, still, when the Antichrist comes upon the scene, which he shortly will do so, this nation will gladly pass the baton to him, so to speak, which he will gladly accept.
But in the meantime, the prosperity and blessing of this nation by Almighty God is dependant on many things, but most of all our protection of Israel. We must never forget that.
Why?
• We have been appointed by the Lord for this position for such a time as this. Concerning Israel, the Lord plainly said: “I will bless them who bless you, and curse him who curses you: and in you shall all families of the Earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). So, our Blessings depend upon our proper protection of Israel.
• Israel is to be restored as the Priestly Nation of the world, which will take place immediately after the Second Coming (Isa. 11:11–12; 14:1; Jer. 23:3–8).
• Israel is predicted by the Holy Spirit, at least those who are alive at the time of the Second Coming, to accept Christ as their Messiah, and their Saviour and Lord. Concerning this the Scripture says: “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the House of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. (The phrase, ‘In that day’ occurs 18 times from Zech. 9:16 through Zech. 14:21. This shows how precious ‘that day’ is to the Messiah’s Heart. In that day, His Victory over the enemies of His People will be great, but greater will be His moral Victory over His People themselves.
“The Christian’s true triumphs are God’s triumphs over him, and God’s triumphs over His People are our only victories. Such was Jacob of old, who represented Israel in that coming Glad Day. The conversion of the Apostle Paul illustrates the future conversion of Israel. He hated Jesus, but on the Damascus Road, he looked upon Him Whom he had pierced, mourned, and wept.
“ ‘In that day that day there shall be a fountain opened,’ does not mean that it is first opened there, but that Israel will only begin to partake of it ‘in that day’ i.e., ‘the beginning of the Kingdom Age.’ This fountain was historically opened at Calvary, but will be consciously opened to repentant Jews in the future day of her Repentance. For the fact and function of that fountain only becomes conscious to the awakened sinner.
“A true sense of sin and guilt in relationship to God awakens the sense of the need of cleansing, and so the shed and cleansing Blood of the Lamb of God becomes precious to convicted conscience. As well, the ever-living efficacy of Christ’s Atoning Work, with its power to cleanse the conscience and the life, is justly comparable to a fountain and not to a font. The sense of the Hebrew Text is that this Fountain shall be opened and shall remain open.
“ ‘To the House of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness,’ portrays the possibility that, of all sinners, the Jerusalem sinners may be accounted the greatest. It was Jerusalem that stoned the Prophets and crucified the Messiah; therefore, great sinners may hope for pardon and cleansing in this Fountain opened for the House of David.
“The entrance of Christ judges sin, unmasks its true character, and arouses a moral consciousness, which approves that judgment. That entrance dominates, adjusts, disciplines, instructs, and cleanses man’s affections, relationships, and desires. All of this must be cleansed, not only in Israel of a future day, but also in any and all who come to Christ. That Fountain is open to all!)” (Zech. 13:1).
Regarding this, the Apostle Paul also said, “For I would not, Brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery (what has happened to Israel), lest you should be wise in your own conceits (the Gentiles were not pulled in because of any merit or righteousness on their part, but strictly because of the Grace of God); that blindness in part is happened to Israel (is the ‘mystery’ of which Paul speaks), until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in (refers to the Church; in fact, the Church Age is even now coming to a close).
“And so all Israel shall be Saved (when the Church Age ends, and the Second Coming commences; then Israel will accept Christ and be Saved): as it is written (Isa. 27:9; 59:20–21), There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer (Jesus Christ will be the Deliverer), and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob (Christ will deliver Israel from the Antichrist, and more importantly will deliver them from their sins):
“For this is My Covenant unto them (a Promise), when I shall take away their sins (as stated, it will be done at the Second Coming [Zech. 13:1])” (Rom. 11:25–27).
~J. Swaggart
THE LAND IS MINE -EYES ON ISRAEL PT. 2
BY JOHN ROSENSTERN
Leviticus 25:23 –
“The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and
sojourners with me. And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land.”
ISRAEL’S RIGHT IN THE LAND
There are many claims to the land of Israel. Muslims claim Jerusalem houses their third holiest site. The world recognized Jerusalem as an international city. The Bible declares Jerusalem will be a “burdensome stone for all people.” Middle East peace has plagued every president since the founding of the United States of America. The expansion of the U.S. Navy after the Revolutionary War was to free our seafaring mercantilists from the Muslim pirates of the Barbary Coasts.
The name of Israel is mentioned more than 1,600 times throughout the Bible while Jerusalem is mentioned more than 800 times in the Bible. The city of Jerusalem is called the City of David more than 40 times. There should be little argument to the significance of Israel and Jerusalem for God’s sake, according to the Bible. God’s immutable promise to Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob and his children, and David will not be broken or substituted by the Christian church. God has a plan to bring Israel to its rightful and legal possession of the land. The day is coming soon when Israel will reign in God’s righteousness and possess God’s land in peace. Only then will there be world peace (Deut. 3 0:1- 6; I s a. 11:11-16).
ABRAHAM
There are three faiths in the world that trace their origins to Abraham. Jews, Christians and Muslims all claim father Abraham to be of vast significance to the establishment of their beliefs. Jews and Christians obtain the majority of their knowledge about Abraham from the Old Testament of the Bible, also called the Tanakh in Hebrew. Muslims hold to the Quran as their sacred book. Muslims believe their prophet Muhammad received revelations from Allah, his god, and memorized Allah’s instruction and then dictated the sayings to others. Later these revelations were compiled into a book after Muhammad’s death and called the Quran. Muslims believe Jews and Christians twisted and perverted the original meaning of the Bible.
Therefore, Allah sent down the Quran to bring back the proper understanding of his will for man. In Islam, Muhammad is revered above all prophets and is considered to be the last and greatest of all prophets. Muslims also revere Abraham as a prophet and a version of his life is found throughout the Quran. Abraham’s name occurs 69 times in the Quran, making him the second most occurring name of prophets in the Quran after Moses. There are many fundamental differences between the Bible story of Abraham and the Quran. Both accounts contradict each other. They are mutually incompatible.
The Quran is written in suras, similar to chapters. The verses of the Quran are called ayats. There are 114 suras in the Quran. The structure of the chapters is not in histological or chronological order. The suras, with the exception of the first one, are arranged by length. Chapter two is the longest, on down to the last sura. Due to the lack of chronology, the Quran is not designed to be a story. The very name Quran means “to recite.” It is more a book of commands than a storyline of historical events. The hadiths — sayings and traditions of Muhammad — were assembled by followers of Muhammad after his death. The Hadiths provide some historical perspective that transpired throughout Muhammad’s life.
The hadiths explain the historical events in the Quran. In Sura 6:74, the Quran claims Abraham’s father’s name was Azar and not Terah as in the Bible (Gen. 11:24, 31). Sura 14:37 says Abraham worshipped in the valley of Mecca. Mecca is located in modern day Saudi Arabia. A distance of more than 750 miles separates Mecca from Israel. In Gen. 13:18, the Bible clearly says Abraham worshipped Jehovah God in Hebron. The well-known story of how Abraham was commanded by God to offer Isaac as a sacrifice is detailed throughout Chapter 22 of Genesis.
Jehovah God made it very clear that Abraham was to take his “only son Isaac” into the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering. Isaac was God’s child of promise. It was to be through Isaac’s lineage that God’s promise to Abraham would manifest. The contravening testimony of the Quran teaches in Sura 37:100-112, that Abraham offered Ishmael and not Isaac as a sacrifice.Two more important discrepancies that distinguish the Bible from the Quran are not found in the Bible. In fact they are ambiguous and historically incorrect. The Quran claims Abraham built the Kabah (Sura 2:125-127).
The Kabah was located in Mecca and was the shrine where 360 gods were worshipped amongst the Arab Bedouins. Muhammad’s family was the caretaker of the Kabah, according to Islamic tradition. One of the gods of the Kabah was Allah. Muhammad’s father was named after Allah. It is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. The only remote similarity in the stories of Abraham and Isaac in the Bible and Quran are simply their names. The other story of Abraham’s life taken from the Quran is a claim that he was thrown into a furnace by Nimrod (Sura 21:68-69 and 9:69). This fairy tale is not found in the Bible but is plagiarized by Muhammad from Jewish tradition. This story is found in the Midrash Rabbah. The Bible gives a lengthy story of Abraham and the promises of God to him and his seed.
The calling of Abraham came to him while he was a Gentile living in Ur of the Chaldees. Ur of the Chaldees was located in modern day Iraq, not far from Babylon.
God instructed Abraham to leave his family and go to a land that God would show him. The promise of God to Abraham begins with a destination — Canaan land — known today as modern Israel or Palestine. We can immediately observe from the call to Abraham that it is linked to a promised land. The promises given by God to Abraham required his obedience to God. If Abraham would leave his family and father’s house and travel to the land God would show him, then Abraham would become a great nation, and his name would be blessed, and he would be a blessing to the world. God would add to the promise given to Abraham with a special blessing to those who would bless Abraham. Likewise, God would curse those who cursed Abraham. Abraham was to leave the worship of idols and separate himself from his family unto God. In order to better comprehend the deep meaning associated with Abraham’s relationship to God, we must first understand how Abraham worshipped God through sacrifices.
The first evidence we have of Abraham sacrificing to God is when Abraham passed through the land of Canaan. God appeared to Abraham and strengthened His promise to him by telling him that his seed, children, and future posterity, would also inherit the land. Abraham built an altar unto God. The Hebrew for altar means “a place of slaughter,” signifying a place used for sacrifices. The sacrifice was a memorial to God for His deeds towards Abraham. The sacrifice denotes Abraham recognizing God as God. His relationship was based on trust and obedience to God. The patriarch knew God and honored Him with worship through sacrifices. It is essential for us to realize that throughout Abraham’s life, the wonderful loving fellowship he shared with God was never without his sacrifices to God. What assurance did Abraham have from God that God would honor His promise?
THE LAND IS MINE -EYES ON ISRAEL
Part I
by John Rosenstern
Leviticus 25:23 –
“The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and
sojourners with me. And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land.”
THE MIDDLE EAST HAS been a festering powder keg for centuries. Now, more than ever, it seems ripe for an all-out confrontation between Israel and her surrounding Muslim neighbors. The land — comprised of modern Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and small parts of other neighboring countries — was promised by God, in the Bible, to Israel. Events in the last 100 years have shaped the modern real estate of the Middle East. However, there’s one small parcel of land in the Middle East that is still in dispute: Israel. What legitimate claim do the Jews have to their land? Do the Palestinian people truly have a history in this land and therefore a right of succession? How does God figure into this equation? I hope to address these questions and many others as we explore from the Bible what God has to say about the land ownership and whose right it is to claim the land. I believe a careful evaluation of this matter will expose the root of the problem that existed from the time of Abraham unto this day.
GOD’S LAND
“The land is Mine,” was a declaration by God to Israel, and to us all, that there is a legitimate landowner. Throughout the Bible, God establishes who owns the land, to whom the land is promised, and the conditions that must be obeyed to remain
in possession of the land known as Israel. History has proven the land has been possessed or controlled by many different nations at many different times. Right now, the land is possessed by Israelis and Palestinians. However, the influence from
the surrounding nations of Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia; and the United States, England, Russia, and many other nations, including the United Nations, have played a crucial role toward resolving who they think should possess the land.
ISRAEL RETURNS
Modern Israel was formed on May 14, 1948, in postulation of the United Nations’ decision to partition the land between Israel and the Palestinian people. A two-state solution was determined as the peaceful resolution for the disputed land. The Palestinian’s rejected Israel’s right to be a nation and protested by refusing to form their nation. Israel declared her independence, and the birth of modern Israel took her first traumatic breath with a struggle to survive, not just as a nation, but also as a people. The confederate Muslim armies of the newly shaped Middle East immediately sought to destroy Israel and prevent her from being a nation. Efforts by Nazi Germany during World War II failed to abort the Jews while they were in the womb of hope of being a nation. Adolph Hitler, while accompanied by his Muslim companions, Haj Amin al Husseini and Hasan al Banna, formulated the Final Solution to exterminate Jews from the planet. Although nearly 6 million Jews died during Hitler’s reign of terror, Jews drew strength from their survival as a people, and hopes of being a nation once again finally became reality.
OCCUPATION TERMS
“The land is Mine” will consider God’s covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These patriarchs of old were given immutable promises that their seed would have “lease” rights to God’s land forever. The conditions were clearly spelled out by God and the terms were not to be broken lest the tenant suffer temporary eviction. Each dispensation of the generations that succeeded Abraham was given responsibilities to satisfy the land lease terms. Dwelling in the land with obedience had many privileges and benefits though. Unlike today where an apartment renter my get cable TV and electric thrown in as part of the lease package, Israel was promised financial prosperity, good health, and peace amongst itself and its enemies. In fact, the whole world was promised these benefits as long as Israel remained obedient to the lease terms and remained in the land.
NO PEACE
Today Jews dwell in the land promised by God to her forefathers; yet she is without peace. The world speaks of peace at every forum and conclave; yet it is without peace. What peace is and what consti-tutes peace will be addressed throughout this article series, “The Land is Mine,” to illustrate how true and lasting peace can be achieved and maintained by individuals, and the nations of the world. History has demonstrated that under the leadership of dictators, monarchs, and governments there have been times of peace. However, during those times, financial prosperity, personal health, and freedom were not obtained by everyone. Even while under Pax Romana, the Roman Empire sustained a façade of peace. Rome’s egregious emperors ruled in dictatorial fashion by subduing surrounding countries and demoralizing the general public at will while heralding this as peace (?) For us to laudably claim peace on earth and good will toward man, while using corrupt governments as our guide, is as foolish as putting a compass in your car and planning to drive your car to the moon.
~JSM