Restart

November, 2009 finds a continuing trend of world events concerning middle eastern affairs. Israel is steadily losing world support in a propoganda war with the Islamic world. Western liberal media and intellectuals are strongly opposing all things Israeli or Jewish. Iran is getting close to having nuc's in addition to their terrorist proxies in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. America is largely perceived by Israel and the world as impotent and unwillingly to support traditional allies.

Daniel's King of the South?

The recent Arab League summit held in Riyadh didn't break any new ground in regard to issues plaguing Israel and it's neighbors. It doesn't change the reality of other racist Islamic insurgencies in other countries either.

See the following quote from the 19th summit:

"It pointed out that the summit in Riyadh tackled with utmost care and responsibility all causes of importance such as Iraq, Lebanon, Somalia and Darfur, and ahead of all these "the Palestinian cause" with has top priority for all Arabs."

To view all the self delusional praise and plans to unite the Arab Nation go to this link.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/content.php?cid=38&pg=1.
There are multiple pages of text for your enlightenment.

It's curious to me as a westerner that the Arabs refer to their "one nation". Makes me think this is a synonym for Ummah, the Islamic world which frames the question differently than Americans of Europeans may consider nationhood. In my view they have the whole scope of Islamic culture, history, kinship and religion all together. This is unlike western nations that mostly keep relgion in a separate compartment useful only of personal interest. Don't dare act out anything of your religion in the west in public places or risk offending the politically correct media, politicians, businesses, etc. Therefore westerners can't understand why the language heard from the Arabs seems wonderfully polite on the surface, but conceals their evil intentions to those outside of their cultural world.

First on the list of Arab interests are of course the Israeli's. They won't recognize them as a nation, they won't allow any equality in negotiations. What is called a piece iniative is really mispelled. Their goal has been the same since 1920, the elimination of the Zionist presence in the midst of Dar Al Islam. Psa 83. They are consistent, they use the words of negotiation and peace to mask the hideous evil known as Whahabbi Islam. Look it up on the web, wikipedia, amazon books, camera, pal media watch, etc.

May the redemption come in our day.

Clay and Iron Mixed

In the last days the empires-governments of of earth are described by Daniel's vision concerning Israel and the nations. The last stage or historical period of this image is said to be feet composed on iron mixed with clay. I would like to make a suggestion concerning this that is in part from Prof Eugene Narrett's book "Israel and the End Times".

The description is that the image feet and toes are composed on two imcompatible materials some that are strong and some that are weak and brittle which is the state of clay. From my background as a metallurgical engineer and practical experience working with a variety of alloys of steel and titanium this is an easily understood situation. The process of producing metals involves starting with raw minerals in most cases that are mixed chemically and/or mechanically with other unwanted materials. In any case metals are mostly ductile and tough in the pure state, but minerals, stone and rock in the raw state are hard and brittle.

The two don't go together and actually are much worse in combination than either by itself. Even mineral materials are usable in compression such as the feet of a statue made of stone, but if there's a random mixture of the two there is little cohesion and fractures and separation will occur. If a material like this is hit by a hard object it will fracture quite readily and completely.

The interpretation for today can take a couple of options.

1. Mixture of religion and politics. Always a volatile combination. This is a commonly held approach which reflects the long held Euro centric approach to prophecy held by most Christian interpreters and even by many Jewish ones. If I understand history correctly many Rabbi's have regarded prophetic Edom as Rome and by extention Europe.

2. Mixture of incompatible peoples or nations. In today's world the alliance of gentile nations can be viewed as essentially western democracies plus and third world countries of various stripes in various stages of industrialization. In the context of the nation of Israel which is provides the context for this vision, the mixture we find in the modern world are Western Europe and America trying to combine with middle eastern states largely Muslim in culture. Each in it's own ways are trying to gain advantages strategically, economically, politically and culturally. Each is eroding the others sense of identity by increasingly violent means. And lastly each has designs on Israel, the people, the land and it's resources.

The second option also accords well with Zech 12 and other prophecies that describe a breaking process that will destroy the nations power. They will be forced out by the kingdom of God coming on the earth. That's what the stone does in both Daniel and Zech. That stone is composed of Messiah sent with the power of God and his people on earth Israel. It coincides with the time that Ezekiel says the animated dry bones gain the spirit of God and stand on their feet as a great army. The victories of present day Israel in modern times will pale in comparison to what will occur in the final conflict. In the end their will be only victory for Israel.

The end of days is looming close. His people are told to seek righteousness in Zephaniah 2 since the God of Israel is their redeemer and their rock. Afterward the nations will settle their old scores and approach with meekness towards Zion, to Jerusalem, to Israel for learning and peace at their bosom. Isaiah 66 describes this tender final state for our world.

Israel and Elijah

1"For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze," says the LORD of hosts, "so that it will leave them neither root nor branch."
2"But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.
3"You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing," says the LORD of hosts.
4"Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel.
5"Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.
6"He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse."


Whatever time frame you want to apply this it concerns Israel, those that remember the words of Moses. There are few Christians who preach encouragement to the Jewish people the way this text describes it. It is an admonition for us or else God will use the stones themselves to speak these words to God's only true Israel the Jewish people. Who is God going to smite but the neighbors of Israel who won't listen to God's way being expressed in Israel's restoration process. Zech 12. Those curses are being manifested even in this day. It's a burden for the world that they are not qualified to deal with.

Major insight: gentiles aren't Jews. Most Christians aren't Jews, therefore they aren't Israel. That would be stealing from God's covenants as well as the all of the other nouns listed in Roman 9:2-4. (brethren, kinsmen, flesh, Israelites, adoption, glory, covenants, Law, temple, promises, fathers, flesh). You can't eat just one.

3For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,
4who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises,
5whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Elijah is better left as a prophetic role for any who can perform things for Israel as he did, no one person today is qualified for that as a title. Many modern prophecy commentators think it applies to someone Christian, but the text doesn't say that either. Some few Christians do speak in this vein, there are also (and more importantly) some voices in Israel who admirably address the role one Jew to another, "turn back to the covenant".

Jewish John's Revelation

Recently I've begun researching books that discuss the Revelation of John from a proposed Jewish context, not exclusively Christian, possibly not much of it Christian at all. If interpreted in light of the Hebrew prophets, the book paints a widely variant scene from how Christians have traditionally approached it.

I'm not going to review the history of Christian interpretation of the books, but it's divided into 4 major approaches, preterist, historicist, futurist and millennialist schools of a-millennialist, post-millennialist and pre-millennialist. In all of these the common assumption is the centrality of Jesus Christ and his dealings with Christian followers both true and false.

As a general observation, recall that the designation Christian doesn't appear in the text. Mention of Christ can be read as Messiah, as can references to the Lamb. The name Jesus Christ is only used right at the start and the ending of the book, which implies at least a Christian influence on the composition. A late first and early second century Jewish context is what I will describe here.

A second observation is that the line of separation between Christians and Jews wasn't so distinct as in later and modern times. There were several blends in between before the leadership on both "sides" forced a choice among members. So many elements in the book should be taken in direct line with earlier Israelite prophecy.

My third observation is as the prophecies of Israel encompass long periods of time in many cases, the same can apply to the Revelation of John. Certain points of emphasis are apparent at beginning and ending points, but there is continuity between them, composed of covenant, of peoples, of conflicts, of principles and goals. This does not leave room for "gap" theories as are found in dispensationalist thought which usually takes the futurist approach, the Hebrew prophets are divided in the middle and disconnected from history until a proposed 7 year tribuation resumes the clock.

A book that I'd like to mention has some ideas on this "Jewish" apolcalypse. It's Parables of War: Reading John's Jewish Apocalypse by John Marshall. Unfortunately the book is only useful for general suggestions with little specific elaboration of texts.

To make a couple of quick connections:

Rev 1-3 shows Messiah standing among the lampstands of the holy temple. Moses was told that this temple reflected realities in God's realm, but it also showed the historical relationship between God and Israel.


Rev 4-5 the throne scene has many commonalities with Ezekiel 1, 10 and 11, Isaiah 6.

Revelation 7 and 14 mention a triumphant group of 144,000 standing on Mount Zion, that in Jerusalem and the land of Israel, not in some remote heavenly abode.

Revelation 11 describes how the court of the temple is given to the nations, this may be the same as what Daniel 8 and Matthew 24 say concerning the sanctuary being trodden down and subjected to others.

there are many other items....Christians need to look towards Israel and the real Mount Zion to get their prophetic bearings. Israel is the apple of God's eye.

End of Aliya?

Quote from:

" DEBKAfile Exclusive: The halt of Jewish immigration to Israel is one of two key Arab pre-conditions for engaging the Jewish state in peace talks

March 26, 2007, 11:56 PM (GMT+02:00)

Our Arab sources reveal that the two conditions will be incorporated in the final resolutions approved by the Arab League summit in Riyadh on Thursday.

1. Israel must halt Jewish immigration so that the Israelis leaving the country or revoking their citizenship are not replaced by newcomers.

2. The international community must condemn Israel’s High Court of Justice for authorizing targeted assassination ..."

The above are totally unreasonable for any soverign country to be told. The whole "peace" process is actually a piece meal process to dissolve Israel. Who in the world thinks that Muslim supremacy isn't really the issue, in the Dar Al Harb everything is fair game for them.

The USA via Condi Rice is sucking up to the Arab Summit that Saudi Arabia is sponsoring. It is criminal that a democracy like the US turn it's back on the only democracy in the middle east. The official line of the US government is clearly to cover the bases on it's military adventures in Iraq and Iran instead of establishing real justice in the middle east. It's clear enough that Iraq will never be anything but a tribally fractured society, democracy just doesn't compute in that culture. We are thereby selling out all of our shared Jewish and Christian values by supporting those who do not want us there and abandoning those who do want our help.

American people by and large explicitly support Israel, it's people, it's values and it's right to a country without outside interference. That in spite of media coverage which assumes palestinian innocence and victim-hood and self-destruction.

The armies of Rome are surrounding Jerusalem again as are those of Ishmael and Edom.
May the redemption occur in our days.

Wonderful Trees - fig, pomegranate, olive

Haggai the prophet lived in the time prior to the 2nd temple, he prophecied concerning it's rebuilding. His anticipation and that of the returning captives from Babylon was given solid ground based on the assurances coming from G_d. We can see this happening again, and as in many other prophecies concerning Israel, the full accomplishment has not yet occured. But the blessings are underway in the land.

In Haggai 2

19'Is the seed still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree, it has not borne fruit. Yet from this day on I will bless you.'"
20Then the word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying,
21"Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, 'I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.
22'I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another.'
23'On that day,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,' declares the LORD, 'and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,'" declares the LORD of hosts.

The time for rebuilding has resumed in the land of Israel, but the temple is not yet. The nations are not overthrown yet. These events will await the fulness of trouble (no "peace process") when G-d's redemption (deliverance) will be manifest. He will restore the people back to G_d. The law of Moses will be restored as Jeremiah also says "a new covenant".

As Malachi said it:
4"Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel.
5"Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.
6"He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse."

The fate of the whole land depends on this development, as does that of the entire earth. G_d promised this to Noah, he will never "curse the earth" again. But there is a lot hanging on what the descendants of Jacob do in the coming years. The present controlling group of Israeli politicians are not embracing this heritage. It will turn around by G_d's unfailing covenant faithfulness. All of the people of Israel will eventually recognize the need for repentance in the last moments of Jacob's trouble, Jeremiah 30 and Hosea 6.

Then the covenant will be reinvigorated between all Israel and G_d. Then all Israel will say "this is our G_d we have waited for him." YHWH will act in accord with his covenant name "I will be whatever I need to be" The G_d of Israel is waiting for them as well. All of Israel will rise again in the last day.

Iran and Babylon

Ancient Persia is no more, the time of Cyrus the great and his respectful attitude toward Jews and Israel is vanished in the sands of time. Recently I have watched a video concerning Jewish Arabs and those who have have been evicted from their homes in various middle eastern countries. It adds balance to the question about so called Palestinian refugees. The irony is that few public figures or media outlets mention this part of the equation when discussing human rights.

I recommend this video. Cut and paste the link into your Browser window.
http://www.theforgottenrefugees.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78&Itemid=86

The cause of Israel and the Jewish people in their own land is just. The neighbors of Israel need to make genuine efforts to show their respect for that reality. The prophets of Israel tell us they won't but the opportunity is open for them. The USA has got itself stuck in Iraq, the multitude of heads of this dragon (Moslem religious imperialism) will probably never end no matter how many are cut or how well intentioned the efforts (USA) to clean up that country (Iraq).

Might it not be that layers of meaning are in the Apocalypse when it says "come out of her my people?" To the Jew it means the time is now to return to the land and the G_d of the fathers, to the Moslem the time is now to make their peace with Israel and forsake Jihad, for the Christian it is now to leave the politically corrupted church systems of Christianity