How often have I read this verse and others like it, thinking, “Yes, of course.” It’s easy to bless and not curse when we are at peace. It is an entirely different matter in the face of perceived unrighteousness and or injustice.
Just to be clear…
Bless – eulogรฉล (Greek) to praise, celebrate with praises, consecrate a thing with solemn prayers, to ask God’s blessing on a thing.
Curse – katarรกomai (Greek) to curse, doom, imprecate evil upon.
Strongs Concordance
Amir Tsarfati is a Messianic Jew (a Jewish Christian). He describes himself as a “Believer | Husband | Father | Bible Teacher | Best Selling Author| Conference Speaker | Middle East News Commentator | Founder and President of Behold Israel…” Ifollow him on Telegram because he lives in Israel and is, in my opinion, the best source for Middle Eastern news involving Israel. Millions of Christians around the world follow him across multiple social media channels. While I disagree with his pretribulation of rapture eschatology, the fact remains that Israel is the proverbial canary in the coal mine regarding the events and timing of the current Aeon.
Amir is, in many ways, brilliant when it comes to Israel in Old Testament prophecy. His brotherly love for his Jewish brethren and fellow believers is apparent to all his followers. Still, I have never seen anything that even remotely resembles prayer for his enemies. Rather he celebrates the demise of the “demon-possessed” killers of his people.
I say this by way of observation, not judgment.
I am a former US Marine and my sympathetic nervous system is hard-wired to fight more than it is to flee or freeze. Hence I am well acquainted with the overwhelming desireย and impetus
“to locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver, or repel the enemy assault by fire and close combat.“
I felt that same impetus when the Al Asqa Floodperpetrated against Israel by Hamas took place in October 2023. Not long after I watched some Israeli troops repeatedly running over a member of Hamas with a military Humvee. And while I was disturbed at that lack of humanity displayed by the Israelis, I wasn’t nearly as enraged as I was at Hamas. I found this to be especially interesting because individual Jews who reject Jesus are no different in God’s eyes than individual members of Hamas who reject Jesus. Mark 16:16 I bolded individual because the land of Israel and the organization called Hamas are not the same in God’s eyes. Hamas, which means “violence” in Hebrew is and will be destroyed. See Zephaniah 2 for a deep dive into this subject.
In this post, we are talking about the human propensity to rage toward self-righteous violence when we are sufficiently triggered.
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah
The ESV and other versions translate “awe” as “anger”. Still, it’s deeper than that.
Awe Ragaz (Hebrew) to quiver with any violent emotion, especially anger or fear :–be afraid, disquiet, fall out, fret, move, provoke, quake, rage, shake, tremble, trouble, be wroth.
Strongs Concordance
It seems that the correct response to emotional disquiet in any form, especially anger or fear, is stillness.
I would so far as to say that all anger is rooted in fear. Think about it. Fear is not a thing. Fear is the absence of faith. Faith can only be lacking where we are unsure of the truth. We can be sure of the truth to the extent that we have been transformed by the truth. Hence, Paul highlights our unmitigated anger as one of the devil’s primary tools in warring against the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
Still, I always say, “Don’t fake it till you make it. Be real till you heal.” As I ponder Amir Tsarfati’s hatred for Hamas and their Palestinian supporters, I do so with the clear understanding that not only would I have cursed Hamas, but I probably would have shot, stabbed, blown up, and killed every member of Hamas any way that I could have had I been present during the Al Asqa Flood. To be honest, there is a part of me that wants to celebrate their obliteration now. Granted, my spirit man confronts my flesh with a clear knowledge of Biblical truth. But I have yet to be fully transformed and conformed to the image of Godโs Son. Given the right circumstances, I am as capable of killing my neighbor as both Israel and Hamas. The fact that so many Christians are like me in that they abide by what scripture says in most but not all circumstances doesn’t help. Hence it is amidst the most controversial, hot-button topics that we must put away falsehood and speak the truth to our neighbor, for we are members of one another. How many of us listen to errors or even blatant heresy and never say a word because the truth isn’t politically correct? After all, it might spark anger or resentment in one of our siblings in Christ. Are we afraid of offending?
Or are we afraid that we might become angry and sin in response?
Both cases, are equally wrong.
My admittedly unbiblical response to Hamas is an extreme example with which a lot of believers empathize. But what if the matter is not so extreme? What if a brother or a leader in your church is behaving unbiblically? Will you approach the person and speak the truth to them? Or will you resign yourself to commiseration (to estimate falsely) with others who will sympathize and reinforce your perspective? If we do give correction is it fully in line with the scripture? Or do we proclaim, “Vengeance is mine, saith the lord!”. Do we bless them in speech all the while relishing the thought of burning coals pouring down on their head?” Thankfully, I have learned through the years that identifying my own hypocrisy is the first step in transformation. For example, I have a pastor friend who refuses to own a gun because in his own words,
“I would not even hesitate to shoot someone!”
โYou have heard that it was said, โYou shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.โ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
I have grown in so many ways since the day I first said yes to Jesus and offered my body as a living sacrifice. Still, one thing is certain. When I take an experiential deep dive into verses like Romans 12:14, I am confronted with the stark contrast between my wishful thinking and reality. My lack of progress toward the holiness and perfection required by Jesus is staggering at times.
Lord help me!
I don’t know if it is historical fact or Mel Gibson’s imagination, but it seems that the correct response to persecution, violence, or any other perceived injustice that sparks fear and then anger within us must flow from a place of stillness as modeled by Jesus before Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas in the Passion of the Christ.
It may also be worth considering the role of prayer in entering that unalterable place of stillness. What was Jesus feeling, and what was he tempted to do as He sweat drops of blood while He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane just before His arrest?
This discussion will become increasingly relevant in the next chapter. This week let’s examine the areas of our lives where we continually fail to,
We finished Romans 4 this week. Anyone who reads the first four chapters of Romans should have a clear understanding of Justification by faith and that faith is demonstrated by works. As we learned Pรญstis โ faith, is a noun. Pisteรบล โ belief is a verb.
Belief is faith in action!
Now we move on to Romans 5 where Paul gets into the meat of what faith looks like in practice.
Therefore,ย having been justified by faith,ย we haveย peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,ย through whom also we have access by faith into this graceย in which we stand, andย rejoice in hope of the glory of God.ย And not onlyย that,ย butย we also glory in tribulations,ย knowing that tribulation producesย perseverance;ย and perseverance,ย character; and character, hope.ย Now hope does not disappoint,ย because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.Rom 5:1-8 NKJV
Peace is eirแธnฤthe tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.
Glory is kauchรกomai to rejoice.
Tribulation is thlรฎpsisanguish, burdened, persecution, trouble, pressing together, pressure.
Do you have faith? What about peace? If so, in what do you place your faith? One thing is certain, what we elevate, we serve. Are you consumed by world events and the cares of this life such that you are prone to forgetting God? Or are you so terrified that you refuse to even look at the world? Being consumed can take the form of obsession with circumstances or the fear that drives one’s head into the sand.
The Bible tells us that people perish for two reasons; lack of knowledge and lack of vision. The correct approach is to view the signs of the times while remaining unmoved by circumstances. Mat 16:1-3 True faith is to stare reality dead in the face and remain at peace knowing that God’s purpose and plan will be fulfilled. Faith is partly produced by our history with God. Hope elpรญs is faith projected into the future. True hope says “I know God will complete what He started because I’ve seen Him complete it thus far.” False hope succumbs to absurd pipe dreams concocted by a misinformed, human imagination.
I wrote Truth or Trump in 2019 discussing how public opinion and markets are manipulated by media via our confirmation biases. I stood amazed as I watched otherwise sane friends and family or what I call the “lobotomized left” defer to a long-standing Marxist agenda whereby Jesus was reframed as a refugee oppressed by the white male patriarchy that he came to overthrow. Meanwhile, the wackified right proclaimed Donald Trump a Biblical Cyrus sent by God to Make America Great Again. Cyrus sent Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem after Israel repented in captivity. I was mocked and blocked on social media when I disputed the absurd exegesis and typology. For the record, God is not a man and can not be oppressed. The moral state of the USA has far more in common with Mystery Babylon than a repentant Israel emerging from captivity.
That said, today the wackified right and lobotomized left seem like muzzled dogs waiting for a coming fight.
Given the current global geopolitical environment and the level of insane online chatter regarding the potential for another civil war on American soil, it might be wise to have some extra beans and rice on hand.
For the record, Cathy and I are political atheists. We pick politicians like plumbers. We want the best job done for the least amount of money. At this point, we view all politics as leaven. Mark 8:15, Mat 16:1-12 The leaven of Herod is the world with its pride and lusts. The leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees represents a religious spirit / political spirit.
There is no political solution to a spiritual problem.
Enter the Russians
Philosopher and Geopolitical analyst Alexander Dugin, a.k.a. “Putin’s Brain” is a former geopolitical advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin. I wrote more about him in Did You Say Prepping? As an Eastern Orthodox Christian, Dugin sees the ongoing conflict between Russia and NATO as the parable of the sheep and goats being played out in real time. Mat 25:31-46 While admittedly unwinnable for either side, Dugin, says a war between Russia and NATO remains inevitable. He says it will be a sovereign act of God and a final separation between the sheep and goats in which case,
Russians will go to heaven as martyrs. NATO members will go to hell.
At the time of this writing, Dimitri Medvedev has made concrete threats regarding nuclear war. The Biden administration has authorized the use of US weapons by Ukraine inside Russia. Putin has responded by positioning Russian Naval ships 70 miles off the coast of Florida. As many as eleven Russian Submarines are positioned along the East Coast of the US. He also signed a mutual defense agreement with North Korea. North Korean troops are expected to be fighting alongside Russians in Ukraine within a month. Biden just made selective service registration automatic for men between the ages of 18 and 26. While it hasn’t been implemented, the mechanism to do the same for women is being created. If all that wasn’t crazy enough, a terrorist attack using US-made, internationally banned cluster munitions just took place on a beach in Crimea. Russian news sources (see below) are claiming that the targeting could not have been completed without US intelligence support.
โOn June 23, during the great Orthodox holiday of the Holy Trinity, the US-backed Kiev regime carried out a horrific attack on civilians in the Russian city of Sevastopol in Crimea. 151 people were injured, including 27 children. 4 people died, including 2 children. All those responsible for this latest terrorist attack will be brought to justice. There is no doubt that the United States is directly involved in this crime…”
“…The US and its satellites, committed yet another heinous terrorist crime against civilians in Russia by firing missiles at Sevastopol. For their terrorist attack, they specially chose a day โ Holy Trinity Sunday โ one of the most important holidays celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church. Four people were killed, including a two-year-old boy, who was playing on the municipal beach, and a nine-year-old girl. 151 people applied for medical assistance; 82 โ 55 adults and 27 children โ were hospitalised, many of them in a grave condition. All patients are receiving skilled medical aid. – According to the Defence Ministry of Russia, the attackers used US ATACMS operational missiles with cluster warheads for greater kill ability. All flight data was entered by US military crews based on US reconnaissance satellite inputs. A Global Hawk US reconnaissance drone was on duty off Crimea.
The Investigative Committee of Russia has promptly started an investigation into this crime. All those implicated in this and other terrorist attacks in the territory of the Russian Federation will incur inevitable punishment.”
– Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Nebenzya, and Russian Foreign Ministry statement on the terrorist attack at Sevastopol –
The Russians do not make idol threats.
The sheer insanity of repeatedly poking the Russian bear in the eye and daring her to respond is beyond my comprehension and probably yours. Hence your confirmation biases might be telling you to dismiss all of this and return to Sports, Netflix, and video games. Do not be deceived.
The Russians are saying they are ready to fight WWIII.
Donald Trump looked like a perfectly composed genius compared to Biden in the recent debate. While I view Trump as gasoline on a match rather than a savior, his final statement guaranteeing WWIII, if Biden is reelected resonates with what Russia has promised. Just this past week Alexander Dugin wrote the following regarding the upcoming election.
Most likely, the globalists behind the weak Biden will try to remove the strong Trump from the election and prevent him from becoming president at any cost. Any methods may be employed here: assassination, imprisonment, organizing riots and protests, up to and including a coup or civil war. Or by the end of his term, Biden may start a third world war. This is also quite likely.
To be clear, the Russian goal is a decentralized multipolar world where individual nations respectfully compete with one another to find the best solutions for all. In their minds, the primary obstacle is the current unipolar world controlled by the hegemonic USA and its European globalist partners.
First and foremost, a second term for a US president with such an ideology will show that the first term was not an accident (for the globalists), but a regular occurrence. A unipolar world and the globalist project will be rejected not only by supporters of a multipolar world โ Russia, China, and Islamic countries โ but by Americans themselves. This will deal a powerful blow to the entire network of the liberal-globalist elite. And most likely, they will not recover from such a blow.
Meanwhile, Israel is prepping for war with Hezbollah as it continues to fight Hamas in Gaza. Iran says it will intervene directly if that happens. If the US and NATO intervene, Iran says it will attack NATO. Biden says he will pull all support if Israel attacks Iran. That might be because Russia says it will attack anyone who attacks Iran. The common denominator in all of this is gradual, continued escalation toward Ezekiel 38-39. That’s another conversation. Now let me ask you a question.
What is your reaction to the above?
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.Mat 24:6
Can you look soberly and realistically at the threats we currently face and remain at peace?
There are just a few reactions anytime I discuss these things with or around Christian brothers and sisters. The most common is dismissal. “God loves us. These things have always been,” 2 Pet 3:3-7 they say. “Social media just makes everything seem worse.” Others see a clear and present danger but react in the flesh. Some place their hope in Trump. Others are stocking up on guns and ammunition as if righteousness will be gained by shooting. Others remain willfully oblivious. “I don’t know what’s going on,” they say. “I don’t want to know. I canโt handle it.” Finally, there are a few who view the signs of the times and the emerging threats with 1 Peter 5:8 sobriety.
Calm, Dispassionate, and Circumspect
As Cathy and I preach, counsel, and teach it has become clear that people, including those in the body of Christ, are splitting into two groups. Those who are losing their minds or will lose their minds as their hearts fail for fear of what is coming. Luke 21:26 And those soberly preparing their hearts and minds to bring the gospel of peace into the chaos. One thing is certain. The world is not becoming saner, more moral, or stable. Could revival come? Certainly! Still, anyone who has studied the history of revival knows revivals are preceded by crisis and a renewed fear of God that compels people to repent.
The root of the matter for believers is in the question: In what is your faith? What does it look like in practice?
Semper Fi
Semper Fi short for Semper Fidelis is Latin for Always Faithful. It is the Marine Corps Motto. Given that I was a Marine itโs got me thinking about belief (faithfulness) and what it means for us in the context of the Christian walk.
The practice of Semper Fidelis is reflected in the Marine Corps Code of Conduct. HONOR, COURAGE, and COMMITMENT. The expression of Semper Fidelis in the life of an individual Marine is rooted in personal character. Every Marine understands that character is produced under pressure. It is defined by oneโs actions under pressure. Marines hope for the best by preparing for the worst.
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Rom 5:3-8
Honor, courage, and commitment in the life of a Christian do not mean we charge off to kill the people we are called to disciple. In fact, Semper Fi for believers today might mean resisting the pressure to kill those we are called to evangelize. The faithfulness of an individual Christian is produced in the transformation of one’s character. Christian character is defined by faithfulness under pressure. So often people are in search of a specific outcome that produces or extends comfort instead of endurance 2 Tim 2:3 and the ability to stand. Eph 6:10-14
If you are young you may be inclined to validate faith and belief according to the intensity of the histrionics displayed. The greater the passion, the greater the faith. Mat 7:15-20 In my experience faith in action is correlated with sobriety, not theatrics. I find that the most histrionic people are often the first to fall when the pressure comes.
I promise you, that a deeper, more sober faith will be required in the coming days. Sobriety produces a calm, dispassionate, wise, and circumspect approach to circumstances. Sober faith understands that God causes or allows circumstances for the refinement of our character. Hence, Jason Upton quotes theologian Walter Brueggemann in his song In the Silence,
โSometimes praise can be a manifestation of our doubt. God wants to silence us to get to the root of whatโs really going on.โ
Am I saying the worst-case scenario is guaranteed? Absolutely not. I am a watchman, not a prophet. I am saying that Biblically we are on a trajectory that includes enduring tribulation at some point. We are called to peace, rejoicing, and hope in the midst of it. The purpose of this post and others like it is to pose the question,
Are you spiritually prepared?
Will Romans 5 peace with God be enough if we are called into a time of crushing and breaking? Will we lose our minds and fall away 2 Thess 2:1-3 if our expectations never come to pass? Or will we embrace the transformation of our character and the hope that it brings knowing that in the pressing (tribulation) that we endure for a season, God is making new wine? We may not be faithful, but God is
While secularism exists on a continuum from hardcore Marxist Ideology on the extreme left to hardcore Fascist Ideology on the extreme right, all secular worldviews are Godless. Here in the West, they despise Christianity more than anything because it opposes secular idols like abortion and the ever-growing alphabet of gender. Secularism on all sides is ripe with conspiracy theories and propaganda. See Those Dern Zionists for a few examples. At the end of the day, the only point upon which radical secularists agree is that God does not exist – at least not the Judeo-Christian God. Quite often they are more than happy to leverage any offense that might advance their worldview. We see this quite clearly in the ongoing controversy in Israel versus Palestine.
I wonder if the world would be protesting as strongly if the roles were reversed. What if Israel killed over a thousand Palestinians and kidnapped hundreds more? Would students protest Palestine bombing Israel to dust?
I think not…
Make no mistake. The extreme left and the right have always hated the Jews.
Incidentally, that includes the current synagogue of Satan.
Jews, and are not, but do lie
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.Rev 3:9
While the number of dead Israelis on Oct 7th is beginning to pale in comparison with the number of dead Palestinians, I have yet to hear a single anti-Zionist explain what Israel should do differently. When pressed they only say what they would not do.
Others assume that because I am for Israel that I am by default for the genocide of Palestinians. When someone asks me if my preferred solution to the war between Israel and Hamas is to bomb innocents in Gaza my answer is this.
Just Stop!
As a Christian, my personal preference would be that no one be harmed anywhere- ever. PERIOD! I would prefer that the spirit of Haman, (see the book of Esther) the same spirit that is operative in Israelโs enemies today never arose in 760 BC.
I would have preferred that Hamas never launched rockets from hospitals and schoolyards into Israel for years. I would have preferred not to have slept in a bomb shelter when we visited the Negev because of the constant threat of missile attacks.
I would prefer that the genocide of six million Jews during the Nazi Holocaust did not simply represent the 20th-century peak in 2700 years of extermination.
For the record; the population of Jews compared with those murdered during the Holocaust:
Lithuania 150,000 murdered: 135,000
Estonia 5,000 murdered: 4,500
Latvia 95,000 murdered: 85,000
Poland 3,500,000 murdered: 3,000,000
Czechoslovakia 355,000 murdered: 300,000
Germany 210,000 murdered: 170,000
Greece 75,000 murdered: 60,000
Holland 150,000 murdered: 105,000
Yugoslavia 80,000 murdered: 55,000
Soviet Union 2,100,000 murdered: 1,400,000 (in territories occupied by the Nazis)
Austria 60,000 murdered: 40,000
Romania 850,000 murdered :425,000
Hungary 404,000 murdered: 204,000
Belgium 90,000 murdered: 40,000
France 210,000 murdered: 90,000
Italy 57,000 murdered: 15,000
Bulgaria 50,000 murdered: 7,000
*Pre-war total about 8,546,000 Jews of which about 6,140,500 were murdered*
I would prefer that no one in Palestine, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Algeria, Libya Qatar, etc. ever called for the genocide of contemporary Jews today. I would prefer that generational trauma from the Holocaust wasnโt real and that Jews everywhere had no reason to take today’s calls for their extermination seriously.
I would prefer that there was no history of collaboration between Palestinians and Hitler in WWII.
The Fuhrer would carry on the battle to the total destruction of the Judeo-Communist empire in Europe. The German armies would eventually reach the southern exit from Caucasia. At that point, the Fuhrer would give the Arab world the assurance that its hour of liberation had arrived. Germanyโs sole objective would then be the destruction of the Jewish element residing in the Arab sphere under the protection of British power. In that hour, the Mufti would be the most authoritative spokesman for the Arab world. It would be his responsibility to set off the Arab operations, which he had secretly prepared.
I would prefer that modern-day Palestinians never aligned with that same Nazi Ideology today.
I would prefer that American university student ingrates werenโt so easily hacked and made pawns by a radical and antisemitic left.
I would prefer that Hamas, several of whom worked for Main Stream Media and UNRWA never tortured, raped, and murdered Jewish innocents on Oct 7.
I would prefer that Palestinians didnโt radicalize elementary school children to aspire to grow up to kill Jews.
Palestinian children are being encouraged to kill Jews.
I would prefer that Hamas did not use Palestinian people as human shields and embellished casualty counts as a weapon.
Sadly now there is war. Total war. While Israel is taking unprecedented measures to prevent the deaths of innocents, the unfortunate truth is that innocents die in every war.
Israeli victims on Oct 7
Gaza victims today.
In the words of Sun Tzu,
โBetter never begin. Once begin, better finishโ.
Once begun, the only solution in any war is to win. Those who think differently are naive, dumb, or both. What I find ironic is that the US nuked Japan and killed over 200,000 people in minutes. No one in America protested or accused the US government of genocide. But then this is not really about genocide. This is about Hackable Animals being used as pawns to advance the extermination of Jews.
As the saying goes,
โNo Jews, No news!โ
We have friends in both Israel and Palestine and pray for all sides of Abraham’s dysfunctional feuding family. Still, I know that Israel, a piece of land the size of New Jersey belongs to the Jews for as long as the stars and planets exist. Jer 31:35-36 God loves His chosen albeit rebellious people. I pray for the peace of Jerusalem because the Bible upon which my worldview is based, tells me to do so. I bless Israel. Yet I do so filled with a hope of reconciliation, the ministry that Jesus assigned all believers. 2 Cor 5:16-25 Not because I align with one side over the other and pray that one side triumphs in war. I do so out of love for, and obedience to God. While I will not be engaging in violence toward anyone, and instead pray for everyone I will never accept an alternative presupposition that is contrary to God’s word. I am for Israel because God’s word requires it. I know this age-old battle between Israel and her enemies will continue till the end of time when Jesus has His great reset. His plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven, and things on earthEph 1:1-10 At the end of the day, the Apostle Paul summed up the reality of God and His plan,
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.2 Cor 5:14-15
As for those who continue to ask “How could a loving God____?” My answer is found in the conclusion of one of the most beautiful, hope-inspiring, albeit confusing chapters in the entire bible.
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
โFor who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?โ โOr who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?โ
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.Rom 11:33-36
What do I prefer? I Prefer Jesus. I prefer peace. I prefer that every knee bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. I prefer the lion and lamb to lie down together. I prefer on earth as it is in heaven.
Do you have friends and family who are confused about Israel and the events that have taken place since October 7, 2023? Are you confused yourself? Do you feel torn and conflicted at times and battle the temptation to take sides in the war? Do arguments that favor Palestine seem increasingly viable? Are you tempted to curse Israel or praise their success in the war? Does the spirit of vengeance rise up in you when you see and hear testimonies of the horrors that took place on October 7th? Or maybe you understand the truth in your spirit but struggle with answering those who parrot social media narratives. One thing is certain. There is a growing move by the enemy to justify the rejection of God and His people. In the words of Hamas. “We begin with the Saturday people, then the Sunday people.” Here are some 1 Peter 3:15-16 apologetic
Points to Ponder
As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, the vain babblings of the masses are getting louder. There are conspiratorial rumblings that the barbaric attack by Hamas on October 7 was a false flag. The assumption is that there is no way that the IDF could not have known about the attack beforehand. Hence they must have intentionally provoked it and or stood down while at least 1400 innocent people were killed in cold blood. It is all too easy to forget the human tendency toward complacency rooted in normalcy bias and pride. The very real possibility of a cyber attack that overrode motion sensors, alarms, and security cameras is lost in the imaginations of people programmed by YouTube and Netflix. That young millennial and Gen Z soldiers raised on social media might have been sleeping or perhaps more concened with selfies than security never enters the minds of armchair intelligence analysts.
Anyone who has served in a combat arms role knows the temptations that accompany the mind-numbing boredom of guard duty. Mindlessly staring at nothing in the desert distance for eight to twelve hours at a time plays all sorts of tricks on the mind. The potential for sheer boredom to produce hallucinations is usually dismissed until it happens to you. Complacency and normalcy bias are multiplied every time a hallucination is proven to be just another “nothing burger”. Not only that but it is common for enemy scouts and reconnaissance patrols to probe enemy positions by throwing things like pebbles in the dark. They taunt guards to shoot at nothing and expose their weakness. The result if no one ever attacks is further desensitization and complacency. Complacency may be amplified by heckling and laughter from fellow soldiers. Do I know for certain that this is what led to the Oct 7 attack? Certainly not. But I’d wager it’s a more viable argument than Jews killing Jews so they can kill Palestinians.
Turkish guard caught sleeping on duty. This happens with all armies all the time. Quite often, people die as a result.
I have repeatedly heard the claim that “Zionists” created and funded Hamas to one day justify Israel’s taking of all the Palestinian territories. Some supersessionists on the right surmise that Benjamin Netanyahu allowed the attack because it ultimately targeted leftist Jews who were sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and opposed his conservative government. In their minds, it explains why they moved the venue of the music festival. Once again, the supporting presupposition is that the IDF is so professionally infallible that the only explanation for bad decisions and failure is that they wanted fourteen hundred of their own people to be brutally tortured, raped, and murdered and hundreds more to be taken hostage.
Yeah…maybe not.
Many are attempting to reframe Zionism and differentiate Zionists from the rest of the Jews by claiming Zionism is exclusively secular. Reframing language is a textbook strategy employed by neo-Marxist Critical Theorists and post-modern deconstructionists. If that is confusing then consider the current reframed definitions of a man, woman, marriage, and the rainbow in America. Incidentally, many Critical Theorists were and are of Jewish descent. Reframing the definition of “Jew” is the current Neo-Marxist agenda. Every day we see a professing Christian minority misrepresented as the majority by the media in support of perversions like abortion, transgendersism, and gay marriage. The same strategy is being employed using anti-Zionist Jews represented as the only true Jews. Still, many contemporary Zionists are secular and therefore politically motivated. Yet as I will show, this is not the point. Especially for Christians. Other conspiracies claim that the alleged persecution of Palestinians by Israel is the handiwork of the Kazarian Mafia. Some Christians equate this with the synagogue of Satan mentioned in Revelation 2:9. Yet discerning Jews who are not Jews does not require us to unravel a Kazarian conspiracy. There are multitudes of professing secular Jews who reject the Torah and the God of Abraham while maintaining their Jewish ethnicity.
That being said, there were a group of Turks known as Khazars that converted to Judaism in the 8th or 9th Century B.C. Were some of them scammers and criminals? Of course. In fact they were some of the first identity thieves. But then, what people group was ever devoid of miscreants?
“According to one conspiracy theory, the so-called Khazar Jews practice the Talmudic โBabylonianโ law and were able to penetrate European and American societies and assume almost ultimate power through the banking system, the media, academia, and the entertainment business. Another leitmotif of these theories is that Ashkenazi Jews are not authentic Jews and that only Sephardim are of โreal Jewish stock.โ –The Jerusalem Post–
There are secular Jews some of whom are proven criminals. Yet the correlation between Jewish ancestry and criminality is a false dichotomy and decidedly racist. The same faulty reasoning is employed in Arabic countries regarding Christians. America is a Christian nation represented by a clearly Satanic media and Holywood. Therefore Christians worship Satan.
What I find most terrifying is the fact that conspiracies like this were the basis for the book The Protocols of the Elders of Zion published in 1903 by “Author Unknown”. In addition to Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf, it became the philosophical underpinning of, and justification for the Jewish Holocaust, 1933-45.
Christians understand that everyone is a criminal apart from Christ Jesus.ย Eph 2:1-10 Unfortunately the arguments that resulted in Christian collaboration with Nazis in the first Jewish Holocaust threaten to be repeated today.
The Origins of Palestine
The name Palestine is derived from Roman Emperor Hadrian changing the name of Judea to Syria-Palestinia following the 132-135 ADย Bar Kokhba revolt. Simon Barcoba was a Jewish Zealot, a leader in a political movement that attempted to overthrow the Roman rule over Israel. Hadrian wanted to eliminate any trace of a Jewish presence in Judah. The geographical area known as Gaza Palestine today is the original home of the Philistines. The first mention of the Philistines is found in Genesis 20 in 1897 BC. Abimelech was king of Gerar in the plain of Philistia.
The first battle between the nation of Israel and the Philistines is mentioned in Judges 3:31 sometime between 1400 and 1000 BC. Joshua conquered Jerricho Judges 6 in 1405 BC and began taking the land that became the nation of Israel. The nation of Israel continued until 70 AD when the Roman Emperor Titus sacked Jerusalem. The Jewish people were dispersed around the globe until the nation of Israel was reborn in 1948 AD. In 457 BC God via a decree by Artaxerxes sent Nehemiah to restore Israel for the first time following the Babylonian Captivity. 1948 was the second time Israel was restored to the land as prophesied by Isaiah.
In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.Isaiah 11:1-12
The current geographical boundaries that included Israeli control of Jerusalem were established during the Six-Day War, June 5-10, 1967.
If you are Jewish or Christian then there is no disputing that the land of Israel belongs to the God’s chosen people the Jews into whom we Christians are grafted. Of course orthodox Jews and many Christians do not realize this…yet.
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.Romans 11:17-18
As for Hamas and the rest of the Palestinian Authority, they have never validated the existence of Israel and in their own words, they never will.
All Christians should carefully read and understand Romans chapter 11 regarding God’s plan for Israel and Israel’s relationship to the church. As I will show, it includes a dire warning concerning God’s judgment at the end of the age.
Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.Romans 11:22-23
The assertion made by neo-Marxists in the West and Arab Nazis is that Zionism has nothing to do with Judaism. Recently more than a few have gone so far as to correlate Zionism with Nazism. I recently heard one woman on social media assert that Hitler’s Jewish Holocaust was facilitated by Zionists to generate support for the re-establishment of the nation of Israel. Her argument almost sounded reasonable had I been more ignorant of history. The people who call themselves Palestinians today are Nazis and are supported by those who have sought the eradication of the Jewish people since Hamon in the book of Esther Chapter 3.
We must destroy arguments andย every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God2 Cor 10:5-6 We must take captive any thought that would dare turn anything in God’s word into a pejorative. Zion has everything to do with both Judaism and Christianity. Zion was first mentioned when David captured Mount Zion 2 Samuel 5:7 in the 10th century BC. Zion is the City of David from which Jews know their Messiah will rule. Christians already know that the Messiah is Jesus. Mount Zion is Mount Moriah where Abraham brought Issac. It is the site of the 1st-century Jewish Temple. It is the site of the Alasque mosque known as the Dome of the Rock today. It is the most contentious piece of real estate in the world over which and upon which the most significant end times events will play out.
Dome of the Rock 2018
Psalm 2 is a prophecy of Christ’s kingdom written in 1044 BC. If Zionists are those who rejoice that Jesus will eventually rule from Zion, then call me a Zionist.
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, โLet us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.โ He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, โAs for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.โ I will tell of the decree…Psalm 2:1-7
Even so, as Christians, we do not rejoice in the suffering and death of anyone. That means Jews and Palestinians and all Arabic people in the region.
As the saying goes, “No Jews – No news.”
Pro-Palestinian protesters have been wreaking havoc on college campuses since I first published this post. Sides are being chosen in yet another Hegelian dialectical ruse. The Hegelian dialectic was a formative precursor to Marxist conflict theory. You can get the basic gist of it in Expose What.
That said, those recoiling over the alleged genocide of Palestinians have ignored the true genocide of Arabic people by other Arabic people for milliena. Their media-generated offense and argument against is Israel is a disingenuous strawman at best. But then strawman arguments are another hallmark of emotion-driven, cognitively deficient “useful idiot” reprobates.
All anti-Semitic propaganda aside, we pray that Jesus visits Hamas and the myriad arms of Islamic Jihad at least as much as we desire to provoke the Jews to jealousy. Rom 11:14 A lot of Christians struggle with the idea that all of this conflict is part of God’s ultimate plan to redeem Israel. Yet apart from a complete reversal on the battlefield, it looks like what Zephaniah prophesied in 620 BC is taking place in Gaza now.
For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod’s people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted. Woe to you inhabitants of the seacoast, you nation of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.Zeph 2:4-5
If that is the case then God-haters, neo-Marxists, and confused supersessionists can rejoice. Israel and other nations (people groups) who continue to reject Jesus as savior are not off the hook. If my interpretation of scripture is correct, God’s judgment falls on them next in Zephaniah 3:1-8.
Or should I say, “falls on you”?
โThereforeย wait for me,โ declares theย Lord, ย โfor the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision isย to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed.” Zeph 3:8
But don’t stop there. The true purpose of God’s plan to reconcile all the children of Abraham is spelled out in Zephania 3:9-20 and Isaiah 19:16-24. Does it make sense in the context of our limited human cognition? Probably not. Hence Isaiah 55:8-9. His thoughts and ways are higher than ours.
But don’t take my word for it. Be a Berean and search the scripture yourself to see if what I am saying is true. Please tell me if I am wrong.
As I said previously, Paul’s warning regarding the broken branches which is the Jewish people, is connected to a more dire warning concerning God’s judgment at the end of the age. As you may know, Mathew 24-25 also known as the Olivet Discourse contains an outline regarding events leading up to the end of the age and Jesus’ return. Verses 3-31 tell us in near bullet point form what we will see taking place and what may happen to us if we are alive. Verses 32-52 are allegorical descriptions of what those days will be like. Mathew 25 contains instructions on how believers should respond. Mat 25:31-46 is the final judgment marked by the all-familiar parable of the sheep and the goats. Verse 40 is the most oft-quoted verse.
And the King will answer them, โTruly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.โ
While Jesus loves the poor and downtrodden the least of His brothers is not the starving child in a third-world dump. In fact, He said these are the greatest. Mat 18:1-5. Consider that Jesus was a Jewish Messiah who came first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. The least of Jesus’ brethren when He spoke were the Jews who rejected Him and were about to have him tortured and crucified. Given the legal right and opportunity, many of their descendants would persecute and kill His followers today. I expect that day will come. Hence Paul wrote,
As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Rom 11:28-29
Be careful. Arrogance toward the broken branches, a.k.a. the “Zionists” could result in hearing,
โDepart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. May 25:41
Always remember, that good arguments can always be made for bad presuppositions. Hence the validity of an argument is determined by the validity of its underlying presupposition. The Christian presupposition is that Jesus is the only way. God’s word, the Bible is inerrant and infallible. There’s really no point in arguing with committed neo-Marxists and other God-denying reprobates because you are arguing from opposing world views. Believers must not be drawn into secular media narratives that twist God’s truth and demonize His chosen people on the global stage. Are atrocities taking place in Gaza? Most assuredly. Only the naive would ever believe that organized mass murder otherwise known as warfare has ever been or ever will be humane. Innocent civilians always make for the bulk of casualties in every war. That’s not a justification for razing Gaza or supporting Israel because they are good people. They are not. The truth is that apart from denying self, picking up our cross, and following Jesus, no one is righteous, not one. Romans 3:9-18 Now more than ever we must maintain an eschatological and prophetic perspective of events on earth and an eternal perspective of God’s ultimate purpose for the followers of Jesus. We support and bless Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem out of obedience to God alone, Num 24:9, Gen 49:9, Gen 12:3 not a natural preference for people.
So Peter opened his mouth and said: โTruly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. Acts 10:34-35
Righteousness will only be found in Jesus. A righteous government will not exist until He returns to rule from Mount Zion.
Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.1 Peter 3:1-2
In this context be subject is hypotรกssล – A Greek military term meaning “to arrange troop divisions in a military fashion under the command of a leader”. In non-military use, it was “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden”.
Peter continues his emphasis and exhortation on submission from chapter two where we are told to submit to authority and “honor” the king even if the King is Nero. If that wasn’t unfair enough slaves were given a similar instruction to submit to their masters, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. That might seem confusing in a world that teaches us to fight for our rights and subdue evil. However, the purpose of submission is not to champion evil but to defeat it. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Vs. 15For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. Vs. 18
As we previously learned in the book of Ephesians, the first and most profound meaning of marriage between a man and a woman is God’s mysterious representation of Jesus’ relationship with His bride, the church. Eph 5:32 It follows that a healthy marriage is rooted in the same principles required for a relationship with Jesus. The first and most foundational practice is found in Mat 16:24-25.
Then Jesus told his disciples, โIf anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his lifewill lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Deny is aparnรฉomai – to utterly, disown, abstain, to affirm that one has no acquaintance or connection with someone, to forget oneโs self, and lose sight of oneโs self and oneโs own interests.
“Deny self” is a no-brainer if The Song of Songs is your template and script for marriage. In my case, I was and still am mesmerized by The Most Wonderful –ย Most Incredible Woman on the planet apart from whom I have zero desire to live.ย
“Deny self” sounds scary if we remain self-centered. This is especially true within the context of everything contemporary culture teaches. The world tells us to “find yourself!”, “follow your dreams!”, “fight for your rights!” Jesus says,
“Lose them all!”
It is in losing that we gain
When a man and woman are joined together in Holy Matrimony it is representative of Christ’s marriage to His bride the church. The wife submits to her husband and the husband gives himself up for his bride. The husband stands in direct submission to God. The wife submits to and through her husband. Eph 5:22-33 This is not a position of inferiority for the wife. Rather it is one of tremendous honor and a model for the divine alignment established by God. Gen 2:18-251 Cor 11:1-3
How wonderful and valuable is the bride for whom the groom would so gladly give his life?
So far we have been speaking of healthy marriages. But 1 Peter 3 begins with submission in an unhealthy one.
Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word…
While people often generalize, minimize, rationalize, and justify their behavior, abuse in some form results when one party refuses to submit according to the word of God. Mind you, abuse is a continuum. It ranges from neglect to homicide. Once again Peter exhorts us to apply submission as a spiritual weapon.
that they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives when they see your respectful and pure conduct.
When one spouse fails to submit to God, it produces resentment and unforgiveness in the other. Wherever there is unforgiveness a Positive Feedback Loop is formed. Things get progressively worse until one or both parties go their own way or they kill each other. The conflict we see played out in marriages is the same conflict we see in God’s family.
I’m right! We are right!
Anyone who disagrees is wrong and by extension, evil.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Mat 6:14-15
You are not forgiven unless you forgive!
Peter’s illustration of submission as a spiritual weapon that began in 1 Peter 2:13-25 continues in Chapter 3. The only difference is that most of us have never been slaves or faced persecution like believers did under Nero. But marriage is relevant to almost everyone. Peter’s exhortation for women to submit is the antithesis of everything Westerners have been taught for at least fifty years. The idea of submission especially by those labeled as oppressed by society at large is a stumbling block for unbelievers.
ButJesus is calling us higherby asking us to go lowerstill.
Recently Cathy and I were discussing the exhortation to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. “Why Jerusalem?” We asked.
“Why not all of Israel?”
Jerusalem is from Jeru –possession and Salem – peace. Hence Jerulselum means possession of peace. Salem is thought to be Jerusalem in Psalm 76:2. Melchizedek was the King of Salem. Heb 7 Long story short, Jerusalem was on the map and governed by Melchizedek more than two thousand years before Jesus was born. Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah known as the Temple Mount and the site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque today. Control of this sacred site has changed hands between Jews, Romans, Muslims, and Christians since 831 BC when King Solomon built his Temple. As we discussed in Why Israel? God’s ultimate desire is that none would perish. 1 Pet 3:9. What that means in practice includes the reconciliation of Abraham’s family through the descendants of Issac and Ishmael. Isaiah 19.
At this moment the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael continue to fight. Jerusalem and especially Mount Moriah represent the question of who is the child of the promise versus the child of the flesh. Paul puts this argument to rest in Romans 3. Of course, Christians are the only ones who validate the words of Paul.
The question is not if we should fight back but how we should fight?
Hence we are called to submit to suffering with Jesus. Rom 8:17. Suffering requires endurance. 2 Tim 2:12 But that suffering must be for doing good. 1 Peter 2:20 We are called to reign with Jesus by suffering for righteousness sake. 1 Pet 3:18-22
When I look at so much of the church today I see an extension of our society at large. They want blessings for the sake of their own comfort. 2 Tim 3:1-7 This is further evidenced by the fear and resentment that are sparked by statements like this. At the end of the day, I see an ingenious strategy of the devil at work. It is the same root of the conflict theory of Karl Marx where the oppressed are exhorted to fight their oppressors. Those who identify as oppressed must fight. Given that marriage between a man and a woman is the foundation of society, it makes sense that the enemy would attack it first. Husbands invariably lose any time wives fight them. I know what some are thinking. “What if he beats her up?” The husband only loses more if he refuses to give himself up and wins a fight with his wife. Hence Peter and Paul address submission as our method for victory. So many things would fall into place if we would grasp the eternal significance of our marriages and our roles as husbands and wives. Eph 5:22-33, Eph 3:10
How do we begin?
The first step is to be brutally honest with ourselves. Examine the myriad ways that we argue and fight, rationalize, and justify rebellion in our hearts. Then remove all permission that we have given ourselves to do so. That’s a hard call for those of us who have been raised in a nation birthed out of rebellion framed as righteousness.
The only way to understand the ongoing conflict in Israel is through a Biblical understanding of Israel’s history.
OTHERWISE, IT IS JUST ANOTHER POWER STRUGGLE AND ATROCITY THAT HAS NO LIMITS.
Here is a very brief albeit condensed outline.
God gave Abraham the land that would become Israel. Genesis 12. Abraham had two sons Issac and Ismael. Genesis 16:1โ16, Gen 17:18โ26, Gen 21:1โ21 Issac is the child of the promise because Sara gave birth as God promised despite the natural impossibility of giving birth at such an old age. Issac was the father of Jacob who became Israel. Genesis 32:22-32 Ishmael is the child of the flesh due to the impatience of Abraham’s wife Sara who convinced Abraham to step out of faith and sleep with her servant Hagar. Thirteen years later Ishmael and his mother Hagar are banished to the desert. Ishmael becomes the father of the Arab nations. Islam believes Ishmael is the child of the promise and lists him as a prophet and one who, according to Muslims helped Abraham build the Kabba in Mecca.
The biblical history of Israel is the story of an estranged family.
They are estranged from their father and from each other.
Jesus brought and assigned believers the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19
The geographical nation of Israel begins In approximately 1250 BC at the end of the 40-year Jewish Exodus from Egypt when Joshua took the nation of Israel across the Jordan River into the promised land. Joshua 1-24 At that time it was occupied by Canaanites, the descendants of Cain who murdered Able. Genesis 4 Wars and turmoil continued as the Israelites gained more control over the land. Ezekiel 48 explains that the total area God gave Abraham includes Lebanon, part of Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. The nation of Israel has yet to occupy all of it.
The Israelites’ history has been an ongoing and repeated cycle of receiving a blessing from God, followed by disobedience and entitlement, God’s discipline, repentance, restoration, and blessing again. The ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to the Jewish people is not based upon their being better than the rest of the world. Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:1-20 It is based on the choice and unbreakable covenant God made that will culminate with their eventual acceptance of Jesus as their King. Romans 11
Fast forward…
Jesus was born, and rejected by a majority of His people the Jews. He was crucified, resurrected therbye conquering sin and death. The Gospel of Salvation was fulfilled. This is the foundation of God’s redemptive plan. (See all four Gospels).ย Jesus ascends to the Father, the Holy Spirit is given and the Christian church is born. Acts 1-2.
In 70 AD the 2nd Jewish Temple was destroyed by the Romans. Israel ceased to be a nation and most of the Jewish population was dispersed to the nations of the world as Jesus prophesied in Mathew 24:2.
In 130 AD a Jewish Zealot named Simon Barcoba led a rebellion against the Roman Empire. They were crushed by the Romans.
In the year 135 AD, the Roman Emperor Hadrian renamed Judea (Southern Israel) “Palestinia” in an attempt to stamp out any remaining trace of the Jewish people. Israel did not exist as a nation again until “The Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel” by the UN on May 14, 1948. This was prophetically alluded to by Jesus in Mathew 24:32-33. The people displaced in 1948 are known as Palestinians today.
At some future point, Jesus will return and descend upon the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem to set up His millennial Kingdom. Zechariah 14, Revelation 20.
Certain prophetic benchmarks must be met before that happens.
Damascus, the oldest and most consistently populated city in the world will be destroyed. Isaiah 17:1. People from the geographic areas currently known as Russia, Kajikistan Iraq, Syria, Turkey Iran, Morroco, Algeria, Libya, and Sudan will attack Israel. Ezekiel 38-39. The man of Perdition a.k.a. the anti-Christ will emerge. The Jewish daily sacrifice will be restored on the temple mount in Jerusalem. Then it will be abruptly taken away. The abomination that causes desolation (whatever that is) will take place. Mat 24:15. The three-and-a-half-year tribulation will then commence. Daniel 12, Revelation 13, Mathew 24:21 Then Jesus will return, Daniel 7:13-14, Acts 1, Mathew 24:29-31. This will be the fulfillment of the three remaining Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles. As bad as things are, and will be, it is important to remember that Jesus framed what is coming in the context of “birth pains” Mathew 24. Consider this; if a woman went into labor and didn’t know she was pregnant she would think she was dying. The hardest time on earth is likened to a woman in labor. Labor is hard and painful. The pain ends as abruptly as it started as soon as the baby is born. A woman endures labor for the coming joy that is her child. Hence Jesus exhorts us to endure Mathew 24:13 and when these things happen we are to, look up as our redemption draws near.Luke 21:28 This is the second part of God’s redemptive plan.
It will be the fulfillment of the Gospel of The Kingdom.
“But the Bible is just a fairy tale”, you say.
Fine. You can’t prove that. In all fairness neither can believers prove you are wrong. Both arguments, both sides, are rooted in a presupposition otherwise known as a statement of faith. Arguing presupposition against presupposition, worldview versus worldview is futile.
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Mathew 7:13
On the other hand, if I am wrong and the Bible is a fairytale,
then like you I will live out the remainder of my days as a dirtbag in meaningless futility until my dirtbag returns to dust. Apart from the subjective opinions of man, there is no right or wrong. Self-preservation is the supreme spiritual law. I live for me. You live for you. Your life is only valid to the extent that it helps or at least does not interfere with mine. As in the case of the existentialist philosopher Albert Camus, everyone will eventually be faced with the question,
“Why not suicide?”
Apart from Jesus, there is no good answer especially when life seems unbearable.
On the other hand, if I am right and every word in the Bible is God-breathed, 2 Timothy 3 then those who believe will spend eternity with Jesus. Those who reject God’s redemptive plan will die in their sin and spend eternity in hell. This is offensive to secular humanists. However, as Blaise Pascal realized, the risk versus reward alone behooves us all to examine the resentment, narcissism, pride, and rebellion that allows us to be blinded. 2 Corinthians 4:1-4
“But what kind of God allows so much suffering?” you ask.
Why doesn’t He just end it all now?
God is not a covenant breaker like humankind. He meant what He said and He can not lie.
“Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”2 Peter 3:9
In the end, God will accomplish all that He started. Isaiah 55:11. Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord.Philippians 2:10-11 Israel and the Gentile Church will be saved. Romans 11. So will the radical descendant tribes of Ishmael. Isaiah 19:16-25. Only those who refuse to believe and be baptized
Consider that the persistent anxiety, rage and depression with which so many struggle might not be their flesh crying out for the right feel-good medication. Rather their spirit man, the part of them that will live for eternity somewhere is crying out for salvation. Deny it all you want. Deep down everyone knows that they are among the walking dead, trapped in their sin. All of us are by nature children appointed to the wrath that we deserve known as hell. Ephesians 2:1-3
Do we fail at times? Of course. Just get up and try again. Proverbs 24:16, 1 John 1:9 At the end of the day we are clothed in His righteousness not our own. Isaiah 61:10
But God!
God in His grace made a way for all to be saved. There is nothing we can do to earn or be worthy of it. It is a gift that we accept or reject Ephesians 2:4-10 God wants to save us because of who He is.
Not because of who we are or anything we do. Titus 3:5
What a relief!
All that is required is that we believe and be baptized. Just know that believing is more than merely agreeing. Believing means learning about Jesus and His ways – trusting and obeying Him to the best of our ability. Baptism is an outward expression of an internal commitment and change. It is the death of the old man and the birth of the new. We are submerged as a representation of death. We are raised as new creations. 2 Corinthians 5:16-20,Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 2:10, Ephesians 4:22-24, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Romans 6:3-4, Romans 8:1.
Jesus is knocking at your door. It’s up to you to let Him in. Revelation 3:20
God appointed and or foreknew everything you see playing out in Israel and the world today. Evil is not the fault of God. It is the inevitable expression of man’s total depravity amidst God’s plan to save us despite us.
Who acts for the one who waits for Him? You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness. Who remembers You in Your ways? You are indeed angry, for we have sinnedโIn these ways we continue, And we need to be saved. But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And no one calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us, and have consumed us because of our iniquities. But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64:5-8
At the end of the day violence and suffering continue because people won’t surrender and repent until they reach the end of themselves.
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 2 Timothy 3:1-5
Spiritual warfare begins with knowing the wiles of the devil in order to stand. Eph 6:11 In this context Stand is hรญstฤmito be of a steadfast mind. Ephesians 6 goes on to describe the full armor of God begining with the belt of Truth.
Every warrior knows the very first truth that must be acquired is a clear understanding of one’s own weaknesses. Emotion is always first. Any human being lacking a firm understanding of their own emotions, and the subsequent ability to self-regulate them is what Yuval Noah Harari calls a Hackable Animal. If you have never heard of Harari, he is a Jewish atheist homosexual historian and spokesperson for The World Economic Forum WEF. The WEF wants to put everyone in modern-day ghettos called fifteen-minute smart cities where “you’ll own nothing and be happy”. Among other things, Harari looks forward to the day when AI will rewrite the bible so that we will have a religion that is “more correct.”
But I digress…
Those who primarily rely on emotion to navigate the circumstances of their lives are easily manipulated by how they feel. Any stimulus that produces fear, lust anger, grief, or greed makes them supremely hackable. If you pay close attention you will quickly recognize that nearly all media, especially visual media is designed to hack you. The only way to ensure you aren’t hacked is to turn off what my dad called the idiot box.
This is especially true if you are Christian and a consumer of MainStream (I call it sewer stream) Media. If you think there is a lick of truth on FOX, CNN, NBC, MSNBC, ABC, or CBS, I have bad news for you.
You’ve been hacked! I
In the West, we are often more concerned about offending the sensibilities of others than we are with establishing the truth. This is not the case outside the first world where horrors are a daily experience. Being a spiritual warrior requires we meet the reality of tragedy head-on without being consumed by emotion but also without losing compassion for our fellow image-bearers. Jesus repeatedly modeled this Eg. Mat 12:22-37. Jesus was not moved by the fickleness of human emotion because He knew all men and He knew what was in man.John 2:23-25 In our case walking this way requires an understanding that both sides of a conflict will do anything they can to spark emotion and glean support from the oh-so-hackable public.
This is a photo circulated by Israel allegedly of a burned Israeli baby.
This is alleged to be the original photo. The baby is said to be produced by AI.
All we know for sure is that one of them is fake.
The point here is that everything we know or think we know about this conflict is rooted in confirmation bias that is itself rooted in our own empirically unprovable presuppositions. “God exists.” “God does not exist.” “God’s name is YHVH.” “God’s name is Allah” are examples of presuppositions. Our confirmation bias is supported by what we read, hear, or see in the media. Unless you were there, you have no way of knowing the truth about the images above.
Yet how many will choose a side to hate based on media images?
What took place in Israel and is currently taking place in Gaza is horrific. The pressure to take sides is strong. This is exactly what the devil wants. Israel is so enraged by the unspeakable atrocities committed by Hamas that they are at risk of becoming Hamas themselves.
Many people know that Hamas in Arabic means zeal, strength, or bravery. We call them terrorists because, well…what they do is they do is terrifying. Still, they are fiercely loyal to each other and faithful to their families. Most are very young men with no knowledge of the outside world. They aren’t geopolitical analysts. All they know is that the people on the other side of the wall have been abusing and killing them since the day they were born. Had I been born into a Muslim family in Gaza I almost certainly would have joined them. On the other hand, had I been born an Israeli Jew. I’d have been in the IDF killing Hamas.
Do you suppose it is a coincidence that the word Violence in Hebrew is Chamac pronounced Hamas? Chamac is violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice, oppressor, and unrighteousness. That the earth was filled with Hamas is one of the reasons that God flooded it. Gen 6:11
For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.Mat 24:37
No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.2 Tim 2:4
All warriors train according to a specific battle plan. They drill and drill and drill again until every movement becomes a part of who they are. If you are going to be a spiritual warrior you must do the same. You must first know God’s plan by studying it. His Word is His plan. Those familiar with the truth are less likely to be deceived by a counterfeit. Still, studying God’s word is not enough.
You must become it.
As Christians, we should know that God is a God of His word. He hasn’t broken His covenant with Israel even though they and we break ours all the time. The Jews may have been Appointed to disobey. But it wasn’t so they would be rejected and condemned. It was part of God’s plan to save all who would be saved including Israel before the foundations of the earth.
Let’s face it. Many of the things coming our way are pretty terrifying. Hamas has called for global Jihad. As I see it, it’s not so much a question of if it happens but when. God makes the inevitability of suffering as the Gospel of the Kingdom is fulfilled clear throughout His word. Hence soldiers always prepare to endure. 2 Tim 2:3
Once again, we have a choice. Will our hearts fail us from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth. Luke 21:26 Or will we look up and lift up our heads, because our redemption draws near.โLuke 21:28 Our reaction will be largely determined by how well we have mastered the aforementioned disciplines so that we have enough oil. Mat 25:1-13
Finally, I know that many were encouraged by the grandeur and mystery of God’s perfect plan that we discussed in Appointed. But did you know that
it gets even grander?
While the Jews and the Nation of Israel are the offspring of Jacob, the remaining Arabic people are descendants of Ishmael. Ishmael means God will hear. Many have read Genesis 21 and assumed that Ishmael was rejected and scorned. Yet God promised to also make Him a great nation. Gen 21:18 Ishmael is believed to have settled in Mecca and Muhammad is regarded as his descendant. At the end of the day Jews and Christians are contending with their estranged brother.
Just as we learned that God planned to redeem His disobedient, idolatrous, and adulterous bride Israel and the Church before the foundations of the earth, He has a similar plan for Ishmael.
On that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing amid the earth, whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, โBlessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.โIsaiah 19:24-25
Amidst all the insanity, chaos, and horror resulting from the total depravity of all mankind apart from the blood of Jesus, God is in the process of restoring the entire family of Abraham to which we all belong under one head.
We were headed to North West Arkansas to speak at a Feast of Tabernacles celebration last week when we encountered an annoying delay. I began writing this from a repair shop after hitting a mysterious toolbox on the highway at 75 mph and blowing out two tires. Cathy thought we were about to die when we hit. I was so laser-focused on preventing it that I didn’t have time to think or feel. Ironically only one of three repair shops in the area had two of the tires we needed. “It’s weird.” said the repair man. “We never have these tires.”
“These were delivered this morning.“
Six years overseas taught us a lot about abounding in being brought low, and the secret joy of trusting God in the face of adversity, and material lack. Phil 4:11-23 At the end of the day God always provides wherever He guides. Obedience according to His word is the ultimate protection. It might seem counterintuitive but living in abundance can be more confusing than living abased.
The illusion of security and permanence is so much thicker in the still prosperous first world.
The stark contrast between where we live now versus where we spent the previous six years is almost surreal at times.
Like Honduras, most people scrounge just to survive in most of the world today. Meanwhile, here in the US, people vie for significance and the illusory โnext levelโ. We buy cars and houses and fill them with stuff. We plan vacations and extended vacations called retirement as if tomorrow were promised. Prov 27:1 To question any part of it amounts to swimming upstream against rapids. Itโs so much easier and more pleasant to simply go with the flow and be liked by oneโs fellow floaters. Otherwise, weโd embrace the truth that most first-world goals are faithโs counterfeit. Little green papers representing debt are not our provider. Insurance policies are not our protectors.
We Americans are an idolatrous bunch.
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. James 4:14
In a word, we are distracted. We are distracted by our pursuit of material gain. We are distracted by a fear that we do not share enough of our stuff. We are distracted by the threat of losing it. We are distracted by conflict revolving around one group trying to take another group’s stuff. We are distracted by the pressure to take sides. Distraction is the enemy’s primary strategy in the West. I am convinced that part of God’s purpose in sending me overseas was to show me my own level of distraction. In Honduras, I found distraction in my desire to repair the vapor and the sense of purpose I gained from the illusion of thinking I did. We will never fix poverty this side of Jesus’s return. John 12:1-8
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesusโ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, โLord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.โ And Jesus answered and said to her, โMartha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.โLuke 10:38-42
Distract (cumbered) is perispรกล to draw away, distract to be over-occupied, too busy, about a thing
Itโs no coincidence that Israel was attacked on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. Whether or not this is the beginning of the prophesied Psalm 83 war, theย Ezekiel 38-39 war, or the continuation of the setting of the stage, no human being knows. I would say maybe keep your eye out for Isaiah 17:1. What we do know is that the pressure to align with a side in support of one group killing the other is strong. As believers, we must remember that Jesus died so that all might be saved. His kingdom is not of this world. We weep for Israel and Palestine, Ukraine and Russia alike. In any case, birth pain wars and rumors of warsย Mat 24:6ย remain a sign of the times. Jesusโ instruction regarding our response remains the same.
โฆsee that ye be not troubled:…
for all these things MUST come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Even so, many confuse willful ignorance with faith.Mat 16:3
Now is a the time to be sober minded.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.1Pet 5:8
Therefore, preparing your minds for action,and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.1 Pet 1:13
Sober is Nepho โ discreet, to watch, to be calm, and collected in spirit to be temperate, dispassionate, circumspect.
One thing is certain. There will be unexpected obstacles in the road ahead that none of us can or will anticipate. Others are prophetically described in scripture provided we know scripture. 2 Tim 2:7-15 Therefore consider that both Grace and Joy are the same root – Chรกris in Greek. Then examine where your hope lies.
Work out your own salvation with fear and tremblingPhil 2:12
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!Psalms 139:23-24
Do not be distracted or troubled.
For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.Phil 2:13
