BY STAN GOODENOUGH—
Something is becoming increasingly and distressingly apparent with every passing month: So many of us Christians who stand with God’s purposes for Israel are way, way behind, and way out of touch. We’re sleeping. We’re dreaming. We’re looking in the wrong direction and, those who are calling out are calling into the teeth of a gale that is drowning us out and preparing to blow us away.
The hour is MUCH later than we think. We’re listening for the sound of far off war drums, straining to see the first signs of a distant enemy. We’re easily distracted, quick to speculate, readily misled. We run to our services and conferences and introverted gatherings where we seek affirmation from those around us and feed off one another.
We proclaim our conviction that God is restoring His people to their land, and His land to its people, then caucus some more about new ways to “comfort” those people, even as we gaze expectantly at the clouds for the coming of our, Christian, king.
We’re so “Christian,” so “spiritual,” so “religious.” And while we fish around trying to identify the “signs of the times,” gaze at the clouds and try to prove WE are right about the “rapture,” the enemy is down here on the ground, racing right at us, baring his fangs.
Will we only waken when the stench of his breath blasts us all full in the face?
2010 ended with South American nations falling over one another to recognize a “State of Palestine” in the biblical and historical homeland of the Jews.
According to the PLO’s “foreign minister,” Riyad al-Maliki, another ten countries are set to recognize Palestine by the end of March.
Before another six months have passed, the “Palestinian” said, 150 countries around the world will have put their imprimatur on this, the Middle East’s 22nd Arab state.
The PLO will be ready to declare statehood by September of this year, and will win the universal endorsement of the world, Maliki said, – according to reports Thursday in the Israeli press.
“Our issue will be raised, not only by us, but by the international community as a whole including the United States.”
Also Thursday, Ha’aretz headlined as its top story a veiled threat by Norway’s foreign minister to recognize a Palestinian state unless Israel made an effort to get the stalled “peace” talks with the Palestinian Arabs underway.
“Europe is watching for results and initiatives towards a settlement of this conflict,” Jonas Gahr Store told the Israeli daily.
“The major challenge for Israel in this century is that it stands out as an occupier in breach of international law. This to me is a big challenge to the quality of Israel – which is to be a democracy and player in the first division in the world. I think that in key European capitals the hope to see change is thinner that it used to be.”
The Norwegian, who emerged “very disappointed” from a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, slammed the Israeli. “His message is clear: Forget it,” Store said.
Concerning the PLO’s efforts to muster world support for its declaration of statehood in September, Store said his country was “recognizing facts and not visions.”
“I would like to be the first to recognize the state of Palestine when negotiations have been completed. … If it is clear that there is no such prospect we will have to reevaluate.”
In an interview published in The Jerusalem Post this week another European foreign minister, Luxembourg’s Jean Asselboun, left no doubt that for the European Community, the whole issue of Palestinian statehood creation on historic Jewish lands is already resolved.
“Negotiations should have three very precise points – as defined in the Annapolis process: two-state-solution, Jerusalem as the capital of two states, borders of 1967.”
The question of the borders was the main thing, Asselboun insisted. “Once we define the borders, I think everything is possible.”
Asked pointedly who was to blame for the breakdown in the negotiations, Asselboun said “it is the Israeli responsibility.”
Concluded the Post: Asselboun’s words “echo how significant swaths of Europe – from Spain’s Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt and numerous influential politicians on the continent in between – now view Israel.
Last week, another senior PLO official crowed over his organization’s near success in getting the United Nations Security Council to condemn Israeli “settlement” activity in Samaria and Judea.
The fact that only a US veto prevented the passage of the resolution “proved that Israel is isolated internationally and is only protected by the America,” declared a delighted Nabil Sha’ath.
Asselboun agrees: “The resolution of the Security Council was vetoed by the Americans, but 14 other countries said ‘yes, that is what we say every day.’ So what is wrong with that?”
Some Israelis – politicians, national religious Jews and others – as well as many Christian friends of Israel, still delude themselves that a State of Palestine will never come about. If only the Jews can make their case for the right to this land loudly and clearly enough, they say, they will stop the juggernaut and everything will begin to move in the right direction.
Forget it. The world is ready – nay eager – to recognize and declare Palestine in the biblical heartland of the Jews.
This is how they view it. This is what they see. This is what they plan. This is what they are determined to make happen. So what is the point in pussyfooting around it? Israel may protest then, but what will the world care? What good will it do?
The Arabs want a Palestinian state for one reason and one reason only – as a platform from which to launch the attack that will wipe out what is left of truncated little Israel.
The world is colluding in this effort, weakening the Jewish state even as Muslims all around prepare the weaponry and the hearts of their millions to gobble her up.
Make no mistake, our nations – yours and mine – will be held fully accountable by God for what they are doing. Of this I have no doubt.
Late? It’s way past late. As far as the Christian church doing anything to strengthen Israel against this antisemitic act of international piracy – this theft of Jewish lands – it’s very, very nearly too late.
I just wrote a piece on my blog, “Christians know Christianity not God’s word.”
http://jeffmorton.blogspot.com/2011/03/christians-know-christianity-not-gods.html
I was not being mean or condescending…I was stating a fact. For nearly five years my speaking with Christians the world over have more than proved this.
Your article is yet another confirmation…We don’t know the scriptures we know Christianity!
Thank you Stan for your bold article, you nailed it! I am the Outreach Director for Christian Friends of Israeli Communities, fighting for the people of Judea and Samaria. You are right, even Christian Zionist are woefully uninformed on this issue. I’m often a voice crying in the wilderness and I pray it’s not too late.
I to am concern about the “silence ” in the Christian church. I am a christian who believes in Israel right to their land and the judgement of GOD on those who oppose it. The local churches in the United States sits back and says nothing…..
I’ve said the following many times. That maniac in Iran will settle for nothing less than the total destruction of Israel. Now, most of the world wants a Palestinian state. The United States will soon follow. All Arab nations are against Israel.
My advice, give nothing to everybody except the Jews. God has promised Israel to the Jews.
Irregardless of what the Jews do, God is on your side. Either way, most of the Jews will be killed according to the Word of God.
But one undeniable fact, when the dust settles, Israel will belong to the Jews.
My concern is even more fearful, as I struggle with my walk in the foots steps of Jesus. I realize how far from his will I stray. I get mad at churches and even people who vote for Democrats and use Jesus name to support the vote. I get made that America is going to go broke and bring pain on the whole world. The list goes on, then I realize if I stood strong on the ROCK of Jesus, along with all who say they are Christians the western world would not be on the edge of collapse and we would be standing strong to support Israel. Instead we are supporting all sides at the same time, thus this makes us Luke warm. 90% of the troubles that come my way accrue when I walk away from Gods will and simple instructions of life. I can only put myself on God’s mercy. So many of my friends are asking for advice now, where do I put my money, do I buy gold, do I buy extra food etc. I have never seen such an unstable world where all things you could count on are now the problem. In the end we may lose all of our material things, even our lives. The good news is the same it has not changed even unto death GOD is the only answer and he has always been. Work hard, pay off your depts., vote for Godly people, pray for guidance and above all be willing to lose everything to save your soul through your faith in Jesus. I look forward to meeting you all on the other side. God Bless you and your loved ones.
I hear what you’re saying and I am in agreement. But, let’s not forget that Israel belongs to GOD! He will have His will done there regardless of what israel’s enemies try to do to her. In light of what our Savior has warned us is coming to Israel and the entire world (through his word), we Christians should indeed be on our knees daily in prayer for Israel and- we should indeed be making our voices heard by our leaders; as well as reaching other believers to become more involved. I too believe that time is very, very short!
Thank you for your article!
As a Canadian, I’m so pleased with our Prime Minister for standing up for Israel but
the sad fact is that we’re living in a world where right is wrong and wrong is
right. It doesn’t make any sense to me, how the world is turning against
Israel but the Bible said that would happen. God bless Israel and as Christians
we must always remember to pray for Israel.
We face a battle where we will be tested just like in the olden days, nothing has changed we have been asked to stand tall and not to bend to our enemies and the one True G-D will be with us, as he has been for thousands of years! We fight the good fight and will win out… We must try to express the truth when ever we can and to anyone who is willing to listen…I have even tried to talk to Jews about all this and they are blind too,but we must still make a stand even if their is only 1of us alive!
It is not a matter of whether too late or too early for anything; YHWH’s timing is all in HIS own Hands, HIS timing is perfect and HIS WILL is done on earth as it is in Heaven and we must live our lives as if this is our last hour here; spending time with HIM in fellowship and worship. I am more than convinced that the coming “war”; where the world is assembling its 200,000,000 troop army in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, is solely fought due to these two issues, 1. to exterminate and eradicate the Jews, (children of Yehuda and Benyamin), and 2. to take the remaining of Eretz Israel for their possession. If there is an indication in YHWH’s Holy Word that a new arab nation is born within Eretz Israel in these last days; than I’d like to be pointed out to it, someone please show me. It is therefore a ‘lack of faith’ type sin, (Hebrews 11;6), to debate or even adopt such a farcical scenario. YHWH’s Word says that the land which HE has given us extends from the great river Nile to the great river Euphrates, (*12000 furlongs, or 1500 miles East-West, 1500 miles North-South and 1500 miles high, [reaching 1438 miles into space, [please read all of Yisheyahu 60, Zekharyah 12;3 and all of Revelation 21]]). Let’s just spend time with the LORD of Glory and everything will fall into place, YHWH will see to that.
*www.smartconversion.com
Yaakov Ariel Ben Ezra
We as Christians are commanded to Pray for the peace of Israel….We should not be praying for a ‘change’ in God’s Will for Israel. HE has Her in His hands and will protect Her in the end.
A lot of us believe it is much later than most think on God’s time-clock. We are in the very Last Days.
The Prophecies of the Last Days are being fulfilled at such a fast rate right now it is hard to keep up with all the Signs….which we are told to ‘watch for’ and when we see ALL these Signs happening all at the same time (in one generation) KNOW that the coming our of Lord is at the door…
The Lord told Daniel to ‘shut up’ the Book until the End…This meant that God Himself would make End Time Prophecies unknown to men until it was THE TIME to be revealed…IT IS NOW TIME…It is now the time that all the End Time Prophecies are to be made known and to be fulfilled.
We are to pray for the Israel as commanded by our Lord…The Rapture of the Church (Our Blessed Hope) is about to happen and when it does the world is going to see a time like no other.
There is nothing that Christians who love Israel can do for Israel other than spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and stand with Israel no matter what. We can try and open the eyes of other ‘falsley taught’ Christians that Israel IS the Apple of God’s Eye and those who Love Israel He will Bless and those who go against Israel He will curse……
Preaching Salvation through Christ alone is the Church’s Purpose and this is what we are to be doing until HE comes to remove us…..We are told to occupy until He comes….
Israel IS going to go through the ‘fire’ as it were during the 7 year Tribulation (the Time of Jacobs Trouble)…….this is what God said would happen and there is absolutely ‘nothing’ anyone can do to change that…..and the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will deal with ALL those who have come against the Apple of His Eye
The most important thing we can do is to continue to speak the Truth, Stand with Israel and Preach the message of Salvation to a lost and dying world…..
God Bless
Gramma from Canada
If we are truly sincere about our support for Israel (based on the claims that the Bible states that it has been ordained by God to possess the land), let’s examine other scripture that provides scripture that may well clear the entire issue between Israel and the Church. (Let’s pray the publisher here will have the courage to post this message).
The Messianic promise (to Israel, via Abraham, the Father of Faith) is the central focus of all God’s covenants with man from the beginning. This promise relates to all divine predictions in the Old Testament. The writers of the New Testament recognize Christ as the perfect fulfillment of promises to the patriarchs and Israel. The apostle Paul sums up the whole Messianic hope in one definite promise:
6 And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. 7 This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me, (Acts 26:6-7);
32 “We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: “‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father, (Acts 13:32-33);
29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise, (Galatians 3:29)
Christ Is the goal of the mission of Abraham and Israel. Christ came to redeem the world and the human race as a whole. Salvation is from the Jews but not for the Jews only.
22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe, Galatians 3:22).
Many Christians cannot see this reality because those from the Dispensationalist camp keep insisting that God has two programs, one for national Israel and one for a spiritual entity called Christianity. Obviously Dispensationalists will keep insisting that Old Testament prophecies have not been fulfilled for Israel and therefore muddy the eschatological waters by quoting prophecies that have already been fulfilled by Christ.
I do not (as I have been accused of) believe in “replacement” theology whatsoever. The “faith-believing remnant of Israel and gentile believers became one new man (the Body of Christ) by virtue of His sacrifice on Calvary. On the Day of Pentecost, this “one new man” received power from on high to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ that whosoever believes in Him shall become members of this entity we call CHURCH. Therefore, to focus on Old Testament prophecies as being harbingers of things to come, such as a geopolitical kingdom has to be established for the nation of Israel, is sheer idolatry.
One in Christ
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit, (Ephesians 2:11-22).
We either give glory and honor to Jesus Christ for fulfilling Old Testament prophecies, or continue lifting up a political nation that despises our Lord and savior. Can it (the state of Israel and its people) be restored to their former favored status? Only if it repents and believes in its true Messiah, Jesus Christ.
23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again, (Romans 11:23).
God is able to graft them in again, but will never do so until they BELIEVE!
Until it does repent and believe, it does not have a “Get out of Jail” free card to commit sins of atrocity anymore than any other nation, ethnic group or religious entity and not be punished for actions that go against the will of God!