May 2010 | Bible Prophecy Blog

Monday, May 31, 2010

Who Enters the Millennial Kingdom?

By Dr. Tony Garland
SpiritandTruth.org

Q. Would you help me and my wife with a question?

Who will enter the millennium? Will it only be the Tribulation Saints and those of us taken up in the Gathering of the Bride (Rapture)? Will any unsaved persons go into the millennium? Will all unsaved persons be killed when Jesus returns with His saints to set up the millennium?

One pastor told us that there will be no saints entering the Tribulation because they will all be gathered up. Likewise, he told us that no unsaved person will enter the millennium. Was he correct?

We look forward to your reply.

A. Scripture seems very clear that entry into the millennial kingdom is reserved exclusively for the saved: those who reject Jesus will be removed at the second coming of Christ when He establishes his earthly rule on the throne of David (Mat. 13:30,40-42; 22:12-13; 24:37-41; 25:41-46; Mark 8:10-12; Luke 17:26-37; Rev. 14:14-20; 19:17-21).

God’s resurrection program ensures that all the redeemed, both those still living and those who have already died prior to the Second Coming, will participate in the millennium. But there will be several different categories of believers who enter the millennium.

Those who died prior to the giving of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, who never experienced Spirit baptism, and therefore were not part of the Church, the Body of Christ (John 7:38-39; 1Cor. 12:13).
Those who came to faith after the coming of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, but who died before the catching away of the Church (the Rapture). These are raised and participate in the Rapture (1Th. 4:16-17).
Those who come to faith after the coming of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, and remain living at the time of the Rapture (1Th. 4:16-17). These do not experience death, but are translated directly into a glorified state (1Cor. 15:52).
Those who come to faith after the departure of the Church at the Rapture, but who are martyred during the Tribulation (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-17; 13:7; 20:4).
Those who come to faith after the Rapture and survive the Tribulation (the “sheep” and “My brethren” of Matt. 25:31-40).

Of these different categories, only the last enter the millennium in their natural bodies. These are the "sheep" (gentile believers) and "my brethren" (Jewish believers) which Jesus mentions in Matthew 25. All the other saints participate in the Millennium after their resurrection (or translation) and glorification. Thus, the millennial kingdom begins with the following participants:

Jesus Christ reigning from the throne of David.
Glorified, perfected saints governing with Him.
Unglorified saints who, although experiencing a time of great blessing and long life, still produce sinful offspring and experience the curse of death (Isa. 65:18-25, compare especially Isa. 65:20 with Rev. 21:4).

At the close of the millennium, it is the unbelieving offspring of this last group who are deceived by Satan to participate in one final rebellion against the reign of Jesus from the midst of Jerusalem (Ps. 2; Rev. 20:7-9).

Related Links

The Significance of the Millennium - SpiritandTruth.org (Andy woods)

The Rapture Question - SpiritandTruth.org (Andy woods)

Two Resurrections - SpiritandTruth.org (Tony Garland)

Resurrections in Review - SpiritandTruth.org (Andy Woods)

Millennial Kingdom - SpiritandTruth.org (Tony Garland)

Response to Israeli Blockade Action

Jacob Prasch
Moriel Ministries

Moriel is not a political organization and engages in diverse humanitarian activity itself from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia to Haiti. Moriel does not give carte blanch to Israel or any other government to do as it wishes in violation of the protocols of human civility, our views of the scripturally prophetic significance of contemporary Middle East events notwithstanding.

Moriel does however, defend both the rights of Christians persecuted brutally and savagely throughout the Islamic world to the near silence of the international media and the right of the Judeo-Christian world to defend itself from the militant Islamic aggression that saw everything from the London tube and bus bombings, to the September 11th attacks, to the Paris riots, to the Sydney riots, to the Bradford riots, to the Mumbai Massacre, to the Dutch Van Gough murders, to countless other inhumane atrocities perpetrated in the name of Islam, many of which are directed against other Muslims such as that which transpired the previous day in the mosque attacks in Pakistan.

Along with the mass extermination of millions of Black African Christians in Sudan to the Islamic extermination of hundreds of thousands in East Timor, tens of thousands in the Philippines, and countless more throughout Africa to the unspeakable suppression of the religious freedom and human rights in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and elsewhere, we see similar official anti-Christian policies undertaken by the Iranian animated Islamic Hamas government of Gaza and the forced expulsion of Southern Lebanon’s Christian population by Syrian and Iranian animated Hizbollah.

As a Judeo-Christian organization we thank God and Israel that at least one Middle East nation protects the religious liberty and human rights of its Christian population – facts this same biased international media machine of the BBC, CNN, and the so-called and gross misnomer “INDEPENDENT” newspapers and other producers of editorialized news choose to ignore.

Most of all Moriel monitors the progress of the Middle East events in light of scriptural eschatological prophetic prediction.

Let us address the hard facts:

Israel withdrew unilaterally from Gaza in a stupid misplaced quest for peace with those heathen fundamentalist Islamic savages (for whom there can be no peace) only to see the Gaza strip within 24 hours misused to attack Israel with rockets supplied by Iran, forcing Israel to enact a naval blockade in self-defense.
The suffering of the people of Gaza is exaggerated in contrast to what the Islamists do to Christians in Sudan (whose cries these same pro-Hamas so-called humanitarian hucksters turn a deaf ear to).
The hardship in Gaza is a direct result of the Fatah regime of Mahmoud Abbas and his predecessor Yasser Arafat stealing, pilfering, embezzling, misappropriating, and misallocating the humongous amount of international financial aid foolishly squandered in Gaza and just as foolishly provided to these thieves by the American and European governments, and by the great money shredding machine known as the UN.
Commercial commodities and construction materials shipped into Gaza are routinely commandeered for terror-related construction for rocket launching bunker positions to attack Israeli civilians and everything from toys to medical supplies are routinely hijacked. Both tunnel and sea routes of access to Gaza have furnished Iran with the means to smuggle weapons of Islamic terror of the same Jihadist ideology responsible for multiple Islamic global attacks on the West including those in New York, Washington, Paris, and London. Tel Aviv is simply a much closer outpost of Western civilization and thus an easier target.
The Israeli authorities were quite prepared to allow the self-defined humanitarian aid flotilla to dock and unload its wares in the nearby port of Ashdod, and providing no weapons were discovered, to transport the materials to Gaza uninterrupted. This was refused as some weapons were aboard these crafts and fired at Israeli military personnel intercepting attempts to run the self-defense blockade necessitated by the actions of Iran and Hamas.

This demonstrates that the flotilla was not primarily a humanitarian venture because had it been it would contain no fire arms and have guaranteed safe passage of the materials to Gaza via Ashdod. It was rather a political propaganda effort in part facilitated by Turkish Islamist interests as Turkey pushes itself away from its secularist constitution and into an Islamist direction.
Given the human rights abuses rife in Turkey, including the de facto persecution of Christians, the suffering of the Kurds at the hands of the Turks which Kurds claim is well beyond any self-defensive action taken by Israelis against Gaza Arabs, and given the Turkish holocaust perpetrated against the 2 million Christian Armenians Turkey murdered without repentance – it is utterly hypocritical for an Islamic government of a nation with an ugly history of genocide to condemn Israel for protecting itself. Irrespective of one’s interpretation of Turkey’s role in the Gog and Magog scenario of Ezekiel 37-38, it is obvious that Turkey has gravitated to its own detriment into an Islamist state.

We are reminded that Turkey itself occupies Kurdistan and the European side of the Bosporus which, like Izmir and the northwest Turkish Coast, was stolen from Greece according to Greek Orthodox Church tradition and many modern Greek historians.

We are not anti-Turkish, but our fear is that as Turkey was crushed and humiliated by Poland under John Sobiesky in Vienna when its Islamic forces attempted to plunge into Europe in the late 16th Century, and as Turkey was likewise defeated by the British under General Allenby in Beersheba and Jerusalem when it last tried to play its hand in Israel in the 20th Century, Turkey is setting itself up for another defeat and humiliation in a Gog and Magog quagmire from which it will not escape. Turkey’s foolish actions must be seen in this light.
We do not celebrate the death of the dozen or so apologists for Iranian sponsored Hamas terror, anti Semites, and any naïve misguided “do gooder” clowns who did not understand what they were actually engaged in. We bemoan the tragic loss of all human life. But their blood is on their own hands – not on Israel’s. They had every chance to get the material into Gaza safely and every warning not to run the defensive blockade which Iran and Hamas compels Israel to enforce.

Related Links

Barak: Flotilla organizers to blame - Jerusalem Post

Gaza aid flotilla an 'ambush for Israeli soldiers' - Israel Today

Israel braces for Turkish, Hizballah, Hamas reprisals. Greece halts joint drill - DEBKAfile

Netanyahu: Soldiers were forced to defend themselves - Ynetnews

Israeli Officials Claim Aid Flotilla Had Ties to Al Qaeda, PM Gives 'Full Support' to Military in Gaza Flotilla Raid - FOX News

Israel, the Church and the Jews - James Jacob Prasch (Book)

U.S. Paving Way for Final Führer

By Terry James
Rapture Ready

Try as I might to get away from thinking on the stupefying swiftness with which the world's monetary crises are reshaping our existence, I cannot. I consider only the so-called peace process being foisted upon Israel by the American administration and other members of the Quartet - the United Nations, European Union, and Russia - to be of slightly more profound prophetic importance than the current economic chaos. So, please indulge me yet another commentary-swipe at the matters involved.

Most who have the ability to receive news reports are aware that the Western world in particular is in unprecedented economic turmoil. While the Great Depression of the 1930s was terrible in its ramifications for the planet's inhabitants, the crisis was relatively simple in its cause-and-effect dynamics. Relatively simple, that is, compared to the complexities that the decades have wrought with the evolution of interlinkage between banking institutions and governments.

Computers, satellites, and a myriad of other technological wonders have intertwined the fiscal health of continents in a way that was impossible to imagine before the advent of such technology. Actions taken in London, Berlin, Paris, New York, or other such disparate financial centers can instantaneously cause reverberations globally. This intimate linkage can and has included mechanisms to use in averting - perhaps better put, in postponing - disastrous monetary crises. Manipulation by the wizards of finance have worked to this point. But now it seems their magic has fueled a gathering economic storm that is about to break upon a world ill-prepared to cope with what is coming.

Now for the conspiracy-theoretician within your essayist. The question that leaps to the forefront is how much of the economic storm that is ready to break upon the world was fueled by the stumbling, bumbling machinations of those at the monetary controls, and how much was deliberately and masterfully contrived.

What follows provides a glimpse into the eye of that cyclonic economic turbulence:

BRUSSELS - European Council President Herman Van Rompuy has said he is looking to establish a clearer "hierarchy" among the EU institutions and member states to make it easier to deal with any future crises in the eurozone...

"We are working in order to have some crisis cabinet because we are a lot of players in the field - certainly when you are in crisis - and there is not much hierarchy or organic links between the main players and the main institutions.

...Really, this is a problem," he told a gathering organised by European Movement International on Tuesday [May 25]...

The tentative proposal comes after the EU's often torturous approach to the Greek debt crisis - a protracted response that widened the problem to the eurozone and almost made it a global crisis.

As market-induced panic looked set to gain a foothold, and following the intervention of US President Barack Obama, the sixteen-member eurozone agreed on a €750 million EU/IMF package earlier this month.

But it is widely agreed that this is only a stop-gap measure and that the EU's budget discipline rules need to be tightened. ("Van Rompuy Wants Clearer 'Hierarchy' to Deal with Future Crises," EUobserver,5/26/10)

Bible prophecy again asserts its truth into our daily headlines regarding breaking developments. Like the peace efforts that pressure Israel to give the international community and the Jewish state's enemies their way dominating news headlines, powerful global economic rearrangements involving the reviving Roman Empire at the heart of the process now also command top headlines above the front-page folds of the world's newspapers.

Reuniting Europe, and its first president demanding greatly increased powers to act in the present European and global financial meltdown, hammers home the point. This generation almost certainly is witnessing the groundwork being laid that will assure Antichrist's eventual elevation to supreme authority prophesied in the thirteenth chapter of Revelation. The pace with which things are shaping makes one wonder whether that man of sin might step onto the stage of history quite soon.

As has been said before, one of the most often asked questions we get at prophecy conferences is: Is America in Bible prophecy?" We most always answer in one form or another, "No, it is not mentioned by name." Then, I, at least, must add that this, certainly the most materially blessed nation and one of the most spiritually blessed countries to exist on earth, is in Bible prophecy by implication. Our current president is at the very heart of influencing the two most critical news headlines of these troubled days, both of which are at the top of the list as being Bible prophecy indicators for comprising world conditions at the very end of the age. The U.S. thus seems to be in the lead in helping pave the way for the world's final führer.

Related Links

EU calls for probe over Gaza ships attack - Xinhua

China's Wen: global economy double-dip possible - Reuters

Obama's new world order - RenewAmerica.com (Henry Lamb)

Bernanke calls on G-20 nations to cooperate in financial reforms - Yonhap News

The American Apocalypse: Is the United States in Bible Prophecy? - Terry James (Book)

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Psalm 83 … Preview of a Coming Attraction

By Jack Kelley
GraceThruFaith.com

Hezbollah says that Israel’s disappearance after the next war is an established fact. Iran’s President has called Israel a dirty microbe and a savage animal that will soon disappear in a flash. The commander in chief of Iran’s army predicts that millions will soon receive the joyous news of Israel’s destruction. Israel’s chief of staff warns of a “tough ordeal” coming soon. With all the rhetoric flying around the Middle East about a major war this summer, and with multiple countries (including the US) rapidly beefing up their military preparedness, a quick review of Psalm 83 is in order to refresh our minds on the prophetic details of this coming attack against Israel.

Psalm 83 was probably written some time after the end of King Solomon’s reign (about 900 BC) but the Bible contains no account of such a coordinated effort by all of Israel’s neighbors to destroy them, either during that time or since. A partial fulfillment may be in view in 2 Chron. 20 when Moab, Ammon, and parts of Edom invaded Judah during King Jehosophat’s reign (872-848 BC) Interestingly, Jahaziel, a Levite who prophesied Judah’s victory in that battle was a descendant of Asaph, who wrote Psalm 83. Applying one of his favorite tactics, the Lord set Israel’s enemies against each other and they defeated themselves. Ezekiel 38:21 tells of a future use of this same tactic.

But the Battle of 2 Chron. 20 doesn’t fully meet the requirements of Psalm 83, having many fewer antagonists, so on that basis we’ll assume its fulfillment is still in the future, perhaps the very near future. If so, it could be the bridge between the current state of affairs in Israel and the conditions necessary for the Battle of Ezekiel 38 to happen. Let’s find out.

Psalm 83

O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still. See how your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish.

“Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more.”

With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you- the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre. Even Assyria has joined them to lend strength to the descendants of Lot. (Ps. 83:1-8)

The language is out of today’s headlines and the countries lined up against Israel in this Psalm inhabited the lands of Israel’s current neighbors. Edom and the Ishmaelites were in land occupied by southern Jordan today while the territories of Moab and Ammon make up the rest of that country. Ahman, the modern spelling of Ammon, is the capital of Jordan. (While the government of Jordan has a peace treaty with Israel, we should remember that some 70% of Jordan’s population is “Palestinian” and in fact the country was originally formed to be the Palestinian home land).

The Hagrites were part of Aram, whose capitol was Damascus in modern Syria. Gebal (also called Byblos) and Tyre can still be found in present day Lebanon. The Amalekites lived in Israel’s southern desert and Philistia settled in Gaza on Israel’s southern border. Assyria would conquer Aram shortly after Psalm 83 was written and the descendants of Lot is another reference to Jordan. Remember, Moab and Ammon were the sons of an incestuous union between Lot and his two daughters.

So here we have all of Israel’s next door neighbors, all of them sworn to Israel’s destruction, and all of them being whipped into a frenzy by Syria and Iran.

Do to them as you did to Midian, as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, who perished at Endor and became like refuse on the ground. Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, who said, “Let us take possession of the pasturelands of God.”

Make them like tumbleweed, O my God, like chaff before the wind. As fire consumes the forest or a flame sets the mountains ablaze, so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your storm. Cover their faces with shame so that men will seek your name, O LORD. May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace. Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD — that you alone are the Most High over all the earth. (Psalm 83:9-18)

Asaph, the Psalm’s writer, can’t resist telling the Lord exactly how he’d like Israel’s enemies to be dealt with. In that sense he’s just like you and me.

Midian was defeated by a vastly outnumbered force under the command of Gideon. It was another case of the Lord turning Israel’s enemies against each other and defeating themselves. (Judges 7)

Jabin was a king of the Canaanites and Sisera was the commander of his army. The Lord lured the Canaanite army into a trap and the Israelites destroyed them. (Judges 4) The commander of Israel’s army was named Barak, just like Israel’s current Defense Minister. Probably a coincidence.

Oreb, Zeeb Zebah, and Zalmunna were all leaders of the Midianite army defeated by Gideon.

Asaph’s prayer was that Israel’s current enemies will be just as soundly defeated as were the Midianites and the Canaanites, their armies scattered and their leaders executed.

Thousands of missiles and rockets located in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza are positioned to strike strategic targets everywhere in Israel. As of this week, Syria has moved 800 long range missiles into firing positions, placed them on combat readiness, and given them updated target coordinates. This was done in response to Israel’s nationwide civil defense drills. To avoid duplication in targeting, Iran has created and will direct a unified command center in Damascus to coordinate the massive simultaneous deployment of these weapons upon the outbreak of hostilities. Their thought is that the Israelis will not be able to protect themselves against such an all out attack and will be effectively disabled.

But Israel might pick this opportunity to launch a preemptive attack against the command center, wiping out Damascus in fulfillment of Isaiah 17. Losing their command and control abilities could cause the enemy attack to degenerate into a confused and chaotic effort that Israel will soundly defeat just like Gideon defeated the Midianites.

Should this be the case, Israel will become larger, not smaller, with the contention over the ownership of Gaza, the West bank and the Golan put to an end. Israel will become stronger, not weaker, its military reputation restored and even enhanced. The divided land will be divided no more, and Jerusalem will remain a unified city. The controversial security fence will likely come down, since the borders on all three sides will be safe and the threat of terrorist attacks eliminated. 60 years of war will have finally ended. It will be the perfect opportunity for Israel to be lured into a false sense of security and become a peaceful and unsuspecting people living in a land of unwalled villages. And it could all happen this summer.

Meanwhile, the Russians and Iranians, who will have fought this battle primarily by proxy, will study their defeat and learn from their mistakes, lying in wait for the next opportunity to strike. It won’t be long in coming. You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah.

Related Links

‘Hizbullah has Syrian missile base’ - Jerusalem Post

Was Psalm 83 Already Fulfilled? - GraceThruFaith.com (Jack Kelley)

Israel to deploy nuclear submarines off Iran coast - Ha'aretz

Jordan Jump Starts Political Power Play For West Bank - Canada Free Press

Children's Stories of the Bible The Adult Version - Jack Kelley (Book)

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Why Arabs Hate Jews!

By Bill Salus
ProphecyDepot.com

Present Middle East hostilities between the Arabs and Jews can be traced to a disposition of hatred originating almost four thousand years ago. At that time God made an unconditional covenant with the Hebrew patriarch Abraham. Due to the inherent blessings contained within this covenant, the infamous family characters of the Bible; Hagar, Ishmael, Esau, Moab, Ammon, and Amalek, coveted the contents of this covenant. These jealous individuals and their descendants that followed came to hate the Hebrews, the heirs of this blessed covenant.

Throughout time the neighboring Gentile peoples of the region found it advantageous to embrace rather than resist this adversarial disposition. Ultimately it evolved into a cleverly conceived religious package giving it license to unleash itself in a holy war. The “Jihad”, as it is often labeled, presently underway in the Middle East, finds its justification in Islam, but its roots are in this longstanding hatred.

The Bible describes this disposition as an ancient hatred or in some translations a perpetual enmity. The two Hebrew words are olam ebah, and when used together they describe a condition stemming back long ago in ancient times, perpetuated throughout time, manifesting into hostility with no apparent end in sight. They are only paired together in the entire Bible in these two passages listed below:

"Because you have had an ancient (olam) hatred (ebah), and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end. (Ezekiel 35:5 NKJV; emphasis added)

'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because the Philistines dealt vengefully and took vengeance with a spiteful heart, to destroy because of the old (olam) hatred (ebah).” (Ezekiel 25:15 NKJV; emphasis added)

The first passage refers contextually to Mount Seir located in Edom, which is the territory of Esau. Today this area is known as Southern Jordan. In the Ezekiel 35:5 passage we see that the hatred was "had", or spawned, in the territory most closely associated with Esau. In the second passage of Ezekiel 25:5 we find that the Philistines embraced what was already preconditioned ("because of") in Edom by Esau. Today what was formerly known as Philistia, the land of the Philistines, is now sometimes referred to as "Hamastan", home of the Hamas, in the Gaza Strip. In both scriptures it is an enmity exhibited exclusively against the Jewish people. (For a better understanding of the conflicts between the twin brothers Esau and Jacob, see my article "The Twin Prophecies of Jacob and Esau").

The Bible teaches that this continuous and contagious disposition of hatred will evidence itself in a final Arab-Israeli showdown. It predicts a major war in the Middle East between those Arab nations that have refused to abandon the angered ancient attitude of their ancestors, and the Jews. It amounts to the final contest over the blessed contents contained within the Abrahamic covenant! The victor is once and for all exalted as the true heir apparent! This soon coming war is described in Psalm 83 and is the central theme of my book; Isralestine, The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East.

This article briefly identifies below the roots of the hatred through scriptural accounts centered on the main patriarchs of the modern day Middle Eastern peoples. Much of the population in the region has their heritage traceable back to the patriarchs contained within this article. These ancestors were notable characters on the world scene, from which several historical nations were born.

These individuals were involved in significant events relative to the plan of God intended for the benefit of man. Therefore their interactions proved to be consequential in the history and development of the Middle East. The attitudes they adopted have been kept alive in the region throughout time immemorial.

In order to understand the family feuds that took place between the Arab and Israeli patriarchs it helps to note that Abraham was a legendary figure during his day. By the time the blessed Abrahamic Covenant was issued and popularized throughout the Holy Land, Abraham had undergone several significant notorious events.

In the Genesis 12:10-20 encounter between Abraham and Pharaoh, Abraham's notoriety became widespread throughout Egypt. Subsequently, Genesis 14 informs us that Abraham fought in a Mideast battle to redeem his nephew Lot from captivity. In the aftermath of Abraham's victory we see that the seven influential kings of Shinar, Ellasar, Elam, Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar esteemed Abraham mightily. A theme also picked up in Hebrews 7:1.

With Abraham's infamy firmly in place, rivalries began to take place between Sarah and Hagar, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, the Israelites and their cousins the Moabites and Ammonites, and lastly the Great-Great grandchildren of Abraham, the Hebrews and the Amalakites (Genesis 36:12). These family feuds centered on, Hagar's, Ishmael's, Esau's, Moab's, Ammon's, and Amalek's coveting of the content of the Abrahamic Covenant. The chapter called "Olam Ebah", The Ancient Arab hatred of the Jews in Isralestine details the adversarial episodes that took place between the patriarchs according to the references below:

Sarah vs. Hagar - Genesis 16, Genesis 21
Isaac vs. Ishmael - Genesis 16-17, Genesis 21
Jacob vs. Esau - Genesis 25-28, Genesis 32-33
Israelites vs. Moabites and Ammonites - Numbers 22-25, Judges 3, Judges 10-11, 2 Kings 3, 2 Chronicles 20.
Hebrews and Amalakites - Numbers 14, Judges 3.

Disputes developed and festered over time throughout the Middle East among the above patriarchal kinships. All of them staked claim to portions of the Promised Land. As per Genesis 13:8-11, Moab and Ammon claimed rights to modern day Central and Northern Jordan. As per Genesis 36, Esau and his Edomite descendants declared sovereignty over modern day Southern Jordan. Additionally, several other ancient non-family related populations like the Philistines, Assyrians, Syrians, and Tyrians staked their own territorial claims around Israel as well.

Deep rooted concerns developed among these peoples over Israelite claims to the land promised them through Abraham as per Genesis 15:18. Even today, Arabs adamantly refute Israelite claims to this territory.

The reestablishment of the nation Israel on May 14, 1948 served as a deafening echo of the past to the surrounding Arab States of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The Arab nations responded with wars in 1948, 1967 and 1973 in an attempt to eliminate the Jewish nation to settle the territorial dispute. While all of these Arab States regained their national identity in the aftermath of World Wars I & II, most of them still refuse to recognize Israel's right to exist as the Jewish State.

Whenever a Jew tries to raise a blue and white flag over more Middle East land, the Arab states turn red with anger as the ancient Arab hatred of Israel is re-kin-dled. Psalm 83:4 declares there are Arabs who hate the LORD. Psalm 83:6-8 identifies them as Hagar, Ishmael, Esau, Moab, Ammon, and Amalek. Ultimately, this ancient Arab hatred of God's covenantal promises to the Jews that has incubated in the Middle East for centuries will manifest into the Psalm 83 war. It is at that fateful point that the Israeli Defense Forces, empowered by the LORD, (Ezekiel 25:14, Obadiah 1:18) will put to rest the age old disposition of the Arab hatred toward Israel and conclusively settle the territorial disputes.

Ezekiel 37:10 foretells of today's Israeli Defense Forces. They are emerging today, please watch video (A Soldier's Story) below.

Related Links

A Soldier's Story - AIPACPC

Haniyeh: Gaza flotilla a triumph - The Jerusalem Post

Counter-Flotilla Sails to 'Free Gaza from Hamas' - Christian Broadcasting Network

Ayalon: Abbas's wellbeing depends on IDF - Ynetnews

Isralestine: The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East - Bill Salus (Book)

Friday, May 28, 2010

Obama Launches Charm Offensive

By Joel C. Rosenberg
JoelRosenberg.com

President Obama’s support with the American Jewish community is plunging due to his administration’s hostility towards Israel over the past year. A full 78% of Americans Jews voted for Obama in 2008. But now a stunning new poll finds 46% of Jews are actively considering voting for someone else in 2012. Only 42% say they would vote to re-elect Obama.

On April 15, Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, sent a letter to Mr. Obama expressing rarely heard before public concern by the Jewish community over the actions of a Democratic President. In it, he expressed ”alarm” over “the dramatic deterioration of diplomatic relations between the United States and Israel.” He also publicly criticized the administration for beginning to turn against Israel, a longtime friend and strategic ally. ”Why does the thrust of this Administration’s Middle East rhetoric seem to blame Israel for the lack of movement on peace talks?” asked Lauder. “After all, it is the Palestinians, not Israel, who refuse to negotiate.”

The following week, Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Jewish Democrat from New York, publicly blasted the Obama administration for it’s “counter-productive” approach towards Israel and towards Iran.

There are no indications that President Obama has decided to change his policies. He still wants to force Israel to divide Jerusalem. He still wants to force Israel to give away the strategically critical West Bank and Jordan Valley to the Palestinians who still refuse to sit down and negotiate with Israel face to face. He is still doing nothing decisive or effective to stop Iran from getting the Bomb. He still wants to force Israel not to launch a pre-emptive strike against Iran’s nuclear sites. Most recently, he has begun trying to force Israel to disclose and then dismantle its (thus unacknowledged) defensive nuclear weapons, which would leave the Jewish State naked and vulnerable against genocidal enemies.

That said, the President and his administration have recently launched a charm offensive with Israel and the Jewish community, trying to undo the enormous damage that has been caused in the relationship between both countries by the White House’s hostility in recent months. Examples:

Next week, President Obama will host Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House.
This week, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel took his family to vacation in Israel and to do a bar mitvah for his son.
Last week, rabbis were wined and dined at the White House.
Last week, President Obama held an hour and a half meeting with Jewish Democratic Members of Congress.

Personally, I don’t believe the charm offense will be effective. What is needed is not cosmetic surgery in this relationship. What is needed is radical reconstructive surgery of the Obama administration’s policies. They need to start seeing Iran as the threat and the problem, not Israel, and take bold, decisive measures accordingly. Time is running out.

Related Links

Poll: Obama has Lost Almost Half of his US Jewish Support - INN

Abbas says no direct talks until borders settled - Palestine Note (Blog)

Jewish leaders meet US officials - Jerusalem Post

A US nuclear submarine crosses into Strait of Hormuz - DEBKAfile

Inside the Revolution - Joel C. Rosenberg (Book)

Netanyahu, Obama's Newest Prop

By Caroline Glick
CarolineGlick.com

The Democratic Party is feeling the heat for US President Barack Obama's hostility towards Israel. In an interview with Channel 10 earlier this month, Democratic Party mega-donor Haim Saban characterized the Obama administration as ideologically aligned with the radical Left and harshly criticized its treatment of Israel.

Both Ma'ariv and Yediot Aharonot reported this week that Democratic congressmen and senators are deeply concerned that the administration's harsh treatment of Israel has convinced many American Jews not to contribute to their campaigns or to the Democratic Party ahead of November 2's mid-term elections. They also fear that American Jews will vote for Republican challengers in large numbers.

It is these concerns, rather than a decision to alter his positions on Israel specifically and the Middle East generally, that now drive Obama's relentless courtship of the American Jewish community. His latest move in this sphere was his sudden invitation to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to visit him at the White House for a "warm reception" in front of television cameras next Tuesday.

It is clear that electoral worries rather than policy concerns are behind what the White House has described as a "charm offensive," because since launching this offensive a few weeks ago, Obama has not changed any of his policies towards Israel and the wider Middle East. In fact, he has ratcheted up these policies to Israel's detriment.

Take his goal of ridding the world of nuclear weapons. On Friday, the UN's monthlong Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference is scheduled to adopt a consensual resolution before adjourning. According to multiple media reports, Israel is set to be the focus of the draft resolution that will likely be adopted.

The draft resolutions being circulated by both Egypt and the US adopt Egypt's demand for a nuclear-free Middle East. They call for a conference involving all countries in the region to discuss denuclearization. The only difference between the Egyptian draft and the US draft on the issue is that the Egyptians call for the conference to be held in 2011 while the US calls for the convening of the conference in 2012-2013. The draft resolution also calls for all states that are not members of the NPT - Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea - to join the NPT as non-nuclear powers.

So while Iran is not mentioned in the draft resolution - which must be adopted by consensus - in two separate places, Israel's purported nuclear arsenal is the target of an international diplomatic stampede.

In 2005, Egypt circulated a draft resolution that was substantively identical to its current draft. But in stark contrast to today's conclave, the NPT review conference in 2005 ended without agreement, because the Bush administration refused to go along with Egypt's assault on Israel.

Particularly in light of Iran's nuclear weapons program and the Iranian regime's expressed goal of destroying Israel, the Bush administration preferred to scuttle the conference rather than give any credence to the view that Israel's purported nuclear arsenal is a greater threat to global security than Iran's nuclear program - which, as in today's draft, wasn't mentioned in Egypt's resolution five years ago. The Obama administration has no problem going along with Cairo.

Obama's willingness to place Israel's nuclear program on the international agenda next to Iran's is par for the course of his utterly failed policy for contending with Iran's nuclear program. After his diplomatic open hand policy towards Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was met with a clenched fist, Obama's attempt to convince the UN Security Council to pass "smart sanctions" against Iran has been checkmated by Iran's nuclear deal with its newest strategic allies, Turkey and Brazil.

That deal, which facilitates rather than impedes Teheran's nuclear weapons program, has ended any prospect that the Security Council will pass an additional sanctions resolution against Iran in the near future. But then, in order to secure the now weakened Russian support for his sanctions resolution, Obama exempted Russia from the sanctions and turned a blind eye to continued Russian and Chinese nuclear proliferation activities in Syria, Turkey and Pakistan. Furthermore, Obama agreed to make most of the remaining provisions non-binding.

In the meantime, and in spite of the fact that his sanctions bid is in shambles, Obama has asked congressional Democrats to stall their sanctions bills for another month. So, too, Obama prevailed on his Democratic colleagues in Congress to exempt Russia and China from their sanctions bills.

As part of the administration's attempt to woo American Jews back into the Democratic Party fold despite its anti-Israel policies, last week a group of pre-selected pro-Obama rabbis was invited to the White House for talks with Obama's chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and with Dan Shapiro and Dennis Ross, who hold the Palestinian and Iran dossiers on Obama's National Security Council, respectively. According to a report of the meeting by Rabbi Jack Moline that has not been refuted by the White House, the three men told the Democratic rabbis that the administration has three priorities in the Middle East. First Obama seeks to isolate Iran. Second, he seeks to significantly reduce the US military presence in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq. And third, he seeks to resolve the Palestinian conflict with Israel.

These priorities are disturbing for a number of reasons. First, isolating Iran is not the same as preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. By characterizing its goal as "isolating" Iran, the administration makes clear that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is not its goal. Moreover, as Iran's deal with Brazil and Turkey makes abundantly clear, Iran is not isolated. Indeed, its foreign relations have prospered since Obama took office.

In his write-up of the meeting, Moline indicated that Ross and Emanuel view Obama's rejection of Israel's right to build homes for Jews in Jerusalem as motivated by his goal of isolating Iran. So in the view of Obama's Jewish advisers, his preferred method of isolating Iran is to attack Israel.

Add that to his third priority of establishing a Palestinian state by the end of next year and you have a US president for whom bashing Israel is his first and third priority in the Middle East.

When one factors in his willingness to put Israel's purported nuclear arsenal on the international chopping block, it is clear that there is no precedent for Obama's hostility towards Israel in the history of US-Israel relations.

This brings us to Obama's meeting next Tuesday with Netanyahu. Obama's continued commitment to his anti-Israel policies indicates that there are two possible scenarios for next week's meeting. In the best case, the meeting will have no substance whatsoever. It will be nothing more than a public display of presidential affection for the Israeli premier.

The more likely scenario is that Obama will use the meeting as an opportunity to pressure Netanyahu not to attack Iran's nuclear installations; not to attack Hizbullah's and Syria's missile depots, launchers and silos; and to extend the prohibition on Jewish building in Judea and Samaria beyond its September deadline and expand the prohibition to Jewish home construction in Jerusalem.

Regarding the latter scenario, it can only be hoped that Netanyahu has learned from his previous experiences with Obama. In December, in the hopes of alleviating US pressure, Netanyahu announced an unprecedented 10-month ban on Jewish building in Judea and Samaria. For his efforts, Netanyahu was rewarded with an escalation of American pressure against Israel.

After he pocketed Netanyahu's concession on Judea and Samaria, Obama immediately launched his poisonous assault on Israeli rights to Jerusalem.

Likewise, Netanyahu's willingness to outwardly support both Obama's effort to appease Iran and his efforts to pass anti-Iran sanctions in the Security Council gained Obama a year and a half of quiet from Jerusalem. During that time, Iran has moved within months of the bomb and the US has abandoned its goal of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

This experience has one clear lesson: If Obama seeks policy concessions from Israel during their meeting, Netanyahu must reject his entreaties. In fact, it may even be counterproductive for Netanyahu to abstain from responding in the hopes of buying time.

If on the other hand, Obama avoids discussion of substantive issues and devotes his meeting with Netanyahu to a discussion of Michelle Obama's war on obesity, Netanyahu should consider what Obama did to the family of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl while the president signed the Daniel Pearl Press Freedom Act last week.

Pearl was decapitated in 2002 by jihadists in Pakistan. Among other things, his killers claimed he had no right to live because he was Jewish. At the ceremony, Obama barred Pearl's father, Judea Pearl, from speaking. In so doing Obama reduced Daniel Pearl's family to the status of mere props as Obama vapidly and reprehensibly proclaimed, "Obviously, the loss of Daniel Pearl was one of those moments that captured the world's imagination because it reminded us of how valuable a free press is."

This appropriation of Pearl's murder and denial of what it represented served Obama's purpose of pretending that there is no jihad and that radical Islam is not a threat to the US. And by silencing Pearl's father, the president turned him into an unwilling accomplice.

Netanyahu should take two lessons from Obama's behavior at the ceremony. First, Netanyahu must do everything he can to avoid being used as a prop. This means that he should insist on having a joint press briefing with Obama. He must also insist on having a say regarding which journalists will be included in the press pool and who will be permitted to ask the two leaders questions.

Second, Netanyahu must not become Obama's spokesman. As part of his unsuccessful bid to convince Obama to change his policies towards Israel, Netanyahu and his advisers have gone on record praising Obama for his support for Israel. These statements have stymied attempts by Israel's US supporters to pressure Obama to change those policies.

The Israeli official who has been most outspoken in his praise for Obama and his denial that Obama's policies are hostile towards Israel has been Ambassador Michael Oren. Oren has repeatedly praised Obama for his supposedly firm support for Israel and commitment to Israel's security - most recently in an appearance on Fox News on Wednesday. Moreover, according to eyewitness reports, in a recent closed-door meeting with American Jews, Oren criticized the Republican Party for attacking Obama for his animosity towards Israel.

This quite simply has to end. As foreign officials, Israeli diplomats should not be involved in US partisan politics. Not only should Israeli officials not give Obama undeserved praise, they should not give Republicans undeserved criticism.

At the end of the day, American Jews have the luxury of choosing between their loyalty to the Democratic Party and their support for Israel. And in the coming months, they will choose.

The government of Israel has no such luxury. The government's only duty is to secure Israel and advance Israel's national interests in every way possible. Netanyahu must not permit Obama's public relations campaign to divert him from this mission.

Related Links

Obama invites Abbas for June 9 talks - Jerusalem Post

Nuclear Nonproliferation Conference Faces Possible Collapse on Final Day - Global Security Newswire

Israeli Heckler Calls Rahm Emanuel 'Anti-Semite' - CBS News

Israel and America's Jews - American Thinker

Shackled Warrior: Israel and the Global Jihad - Caroline B. Glick (Book)

This Week on 'The Hal Lindsey Report'

By Hal Lindsey
The Hal Lindsey Report

President Obama is trying to allay the fears of American Jewish voters as we approach the mid-term elections. Some of his advisers are making conciliatory statements to the press; he's told Middle East envoy George Mitchell to ease up on the arm-twisting; and he even approved $200 million to assist Israel in building a defensive weapons system. That's all fine, but this is one of those situations where you have to be careful about watching the one hand while the other picks your pocket.

The President may seem to be trying to make nice with Israel, but, at the same time, he has approved America's formal membership in the Alliance of Civilizations. This UN organization was founded in 2006 to bridge "the gaps between Muslim and Western civilizations." President Bush refused to join because he recognized that it would be used by hostile nations to bludgeon Israel. Sure enough, in the last four years the Alliance of Civilizations has promoted the idea that the main reason for the Muslim-Western rift is Israel, its settlement activity, and its very existence. Sounds like just the kind of organization President Obama would love. So, sign us up! Oh, that's right, he already has.

Last week, two Middle Eastern nations conducted important military exercises. Israel held a series of national drills staged by the IDF and the Home Front Command. They and the Israeli citizens practiced their defensive response to massive conventional, chemical, and biological missile attacks by Hezbollah and Syria. Even school children rehearsed how to proceed to shelters in the event of such attacks. Hospitals staged mock triage drills. Two cities even practiced procedures for absorbing 200,000 Israeli refugees from bombed-out cities.

Immediately west of Israel, Egypt staged a series of offensive maneuvers. Egyptian armed forces practiced invading an unidentified "enemy." The drill scenario called for the invasion of an "enemy" that would require a forced crossing of the Suez Canal and an eastward traverse of the Sinai desert. Coincidentally, I'm sure, the only "enemy" that would necessitate an eastward crossing of the Suez Canal and the Sinai Peninsula is Israel! The Egyptians signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979. It cost Anwar Sadat his life. It's odd that they would practice invading their peace partner. Of course, it's par for the course in the Middle East, Mr. President.

Speaking of not understanding - or acknowledging - the complexities of the Middle East, the President's counter-terrorism adviser, John Brennan, let it be known last week that he thinks there are 'moderate elements' within Hezbollah that the U.S. can do business with. Of course, he's also told us that Islam is a religion of peace and that Islamic jihad is "a good thing." There's an old saying about politics that sums up our predicament pretty plainly: "Personnel is policy." In this case, that means that what the people around the President think is, most often, what the President is going to do. If that doesn't keep you on your knees a little longer, you're not paying attention!

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri visited the White House this week. His nation plays amiable host to Iran's creation and proxy, Hezbollah. In fact, Hariri has invited members of Hezbollah into his government. Though Mr. Obama pressed Hariri about the transfer of long-range missiles to Hezbollah, the Prime Minister seemed undeterred. Maybe this is why. Apparently, the real purpose for his visit was to threaten our President. He said that Mr. Obama was running out of time. If he didn't force an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal that satisfied Arab demands soon, the result will be increased violence and extremism in the Middle East. What is it with these foreign heads of state coming into 'the people's house' and knocking the U.S. or giving us ultimatums? Maybe it's time someone showed them 'la puerta.'

He may look a bit loony (or a lot loony), but Kim Jong-il knows a thing or two about getting what he wants. He's successfully bullied the West for years to get everything from fuel oil to food shipments to economic aid to the finest liquors and French gourmet food. He even got Bill Clinton to drop in and do some photo-ops with him.

He also knows a good mark when he sees one. Remember when Joe Biden predicted that some foreign power would test the new President's resolve? Well, Kim Jong-il has done it not once, but thrice. To date, the score is NK - 3 and USA/ROK - 0. At some point, though, South Korea is probably going to say, "Enough is enough." When that happens, I guess we'll really see how much resolve this administration has.

Finally, as we commemorate Memorial Day, let's be grateful for the tremendous and, in many cases, the ultimate sacrifice made by millions of men and women who have served in our nation's armed forces. Those soldiers either gave their lives or were willing to give their lives in defense of our Constitution and our way of life. But never in our history has our Constitution been under such ferocious and sustained attack from within. Let's pray this weekend that those sacrifices will not be in vain. Ask God to have mercy on our nation and help us restore those freedoms and blessings that have been slowly eroded over the decades.

God bless all of our veterans and service personnel and God bless America!

[Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, Inspiration, CPM Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com. Check your local listings.]

Related Links