Nov 9, 2009

Sanhedrin and Judgment

Terry JamesBy Terry James

A fascinating pronouncement has been issued by the body of the same name that once made the most significant judgment of history to this point. The modern incarnation of the Sanhedrin, an initiative of recent years to recreate the traditional supreme legal tribunal in Judaism, sternly forewarned the United Nations Security Council of judgment to come. The Sanhedrin's invective against the world body of nations stems from the UN issuing and standing by the Goldstone Commission condemnation that Israel committed war crimes during its anti-terror Cast Lead offensive in Gaza early this year.

The Sanhedrin letter to the UN expressed that the Goldstone Commission report was holding Israel up as guilty of war crimes in the Jewish state's efforts to combat terrorism. This, while the nation was fighting the same enemies as delineated within the war on terrorism in which the civilized world has supposedly been engaged for years.

The letter stated that the Sanhedrin issued an injunction prohibiting any UN institutions from deliberating on such matters as expressed in the Goldstone report.

The Sanhedrin then explained by what authority it issues injunctions to the United Nations:

"The International Court of the Sanhedrin operates by the power of the Bible, the only Holy Writ whose essence was handed over to mankind at Mt. Sinai [the Torah], and of the Prophets, sent to all nations of the world and universally held in respect by them. By virtue of this delegated authority, passed down from one generation to the next ever since the time of Moses our teacher, the master of all of prophets, and by virtue of the succession of authority in Jewish tradition, we appealed to you that you might not fail and thus fail the world, bringing upon it catastrophe."
The letter states that the Goldstone Report is an "attack on the State of Israel, and thus an attack on the Jewish People, in order to try to remove it from the stage of history by an unprecedented shedding of blood - tacitly encouraging Iran and those like it to continue to develop weapons of mass destruction while the rest of the world sits by and looks on ... We are convinced that the continued discussion of this report, which is lacking all moral basis, will lead the nations of the world, and all of mankind, to the judgment that will take place in Jerusalem in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, as written in the Prophets and Torah of Israel." (Hillel Fendel, "Sanhedrin to UN: Goldstone Will Bring Judgment Upon You," Israel News, 11/2/09)

Now, here is where I must tread cautiously. To do otherwise will risk being perceived as against Israel and Jews by the purists amongst our ranks. However, I must assess the truth of the matters involved to the best of my ability.

Interestingly, today's Sanhedrin - separated by two millennia are not from the Sanhedrin of Christ's time - "judges" the world of nations represented by the UN and the Goldstone Commission in a strange symbiosis, in my view. The neo-ecclesiastical body is as guilty of the same willful ignorance as was that long ago Sanhedrin. Today's Sanhedrin holds to the same lack of understanding that was prevalent when that earlier Jewish council took Jesus before the High Priest Caiaphas when Judas Iscariot betrayed the Lord.

The Sanhedrin of that day, rather than condemn the world power represented by Rome, joined with Pontius Pilate, Rome's representative, to condemn the very Messiah sent to spiritually save Israel. The Sanhedrin of today still condemns that same Jesus, whom the world - represented by the UN - also condemns (and which is also for oppressing modern Israel, even more than ancient Rome).

Satan, the deceiver, has his fingerprints all over both bodies because both refuse to recognize the Savior of the world for who He is. It's like the pot calling the kettle black, to judge the secular world power (UN) when the Jewish ecclesiastical system, itself, is in the dark, and will itself be judged by the Lord of heaven for holding to rituals and traditions rather than accepting the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world. Thankfully, blessedly, a remnant of Israel will one day, in tearful anticipation, turn to the one they and the world system crucified - the returning Messiah - the Prince of Peace, the Lord of lords, and King of Kings.
"And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn" (Zechariah 12:10).

Related Links

Sanhedrin to UN: Goldstone Will Bring Judgment Upon You - Arutz Sheva
U.N.'s Goldstone criticizes U.S. reaction to Gaza report - Reuters
UN: Gaza needs construction material before winter - AP
Netanyahu to Abbas: 'Let us begin talks immediately' - Jerusalem Post
The American Apocalypse: Is the United States in Bible Prophecy? - Terry James (Book)