Aside from the main points, given below from Bogard's Baptist Way Book, I believe that:
1. Jesus Christ will not return for His saints until after the "great tribulation"(Matt. 24:29-31, 2 Thess. 2:1-4), and that the "great tribulation" is designated by Scripture as encompassing the last 1260 days of Daniel's 70th Week(Rev. 13:1-10, Dan. 9:24-27, Matt. 24:15-21).
2. One of God's purposes for the events that will take place during the 70th week is the correction of the reedeemed(Rev. 3:10, 15-19) .
3. At one point, fallen angels cohabited with women, and had offspring(Job 38:4-7, Gen. 6:1-2, Jude 5-7), and that this occured both before the Genesis flood, and after it(Gen. 6:4), making it possible that the same is occuring today.
4. The conspiratorial view of history is also the Biblical view(Psa. 2:1-3), and that this conspiracy will bring about a deception that will seem to once-and-for-all disprove the truth to the world, to their detriment(2 Thes. 2:9-12).
5. God has ordained for His people to experience persecution(2 Tim. 3:12), and that we should be content with meager means in this life(Phil. 4:10-12), knowing that one day we will receieve an inheritance that is not merely temporal(1 Pet. 1:3-5).
Articles of Faith found in Bogard's Baptist Way Book:
Article I. Of the Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; (II Timothy 3:16-17) that it has God for its author, salvation for its end (II Timothy 3:15), and truth without any mixture of truth for its matter; (Prov. 30:5-6) that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us; (Rom. 2:12; John 12:47-48) and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union (Phil. 3:16), and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried. (I John 4:1; Isa. 8:20.)
Article II. Of the True God
We believe that there is one, and only one living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, whose name is JEHOVAH, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; (John 4:24; Psalm 147:5; 83:18; Heb. 3:4; Rom. 1:20; Jer. 10:10) inexpressibly glorious in holiness, (Exod. 15:11) and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; (Mark 12:30; Rev. 4:11) that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; (Matt. 28:19; John 15:16) equal in every divine perfection (John 10:30), and executing destinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Eph. 2:18; II Cor. 13:14.)
Article III. Of the Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in holiness, under the law of his Maker; (Gen. 1:27, 31; Eccl. 7:29) but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state; (Gen. 3:6-24; Rom. 5:12) in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, (Rom. 5:19; John 3:6; Psalm 51:5) not by constraint but choice; (Isa. 53:6; Gen. 6:12; Rom. 3:9-18) being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil; and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, (Eph. 2:13; Rom. 1:18, 31; 2:1-16) without defense or excuse. (Ezek. 18:19-20; Rom. 1:20; 3:19.)
Article IV. Of the Way of Salvation
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; (Eph. 2:5; I John 4:10) through the Mediatorial offices of the Son of God; (John 3:16; 1:1-14) who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin; (Phil. 2:6-7; Heb. 2:9,14) honored the divine law by His personal obedience, (Isa. 42:21; Phil. 2:8) and by His death made a full atonement for our sins; (Isa. 53:4-5; Matt. 20:28; Rom. 4:25) that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven; (Heb. 1:38; Col. 3:14) and united in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections, He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior. (Heb. 7:25-26; Col. 2:9; Heb. 2:18.)
Article V. Of Justification
We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ (John 1:16; Eph. 3:8) secures to such as believe in Him is justification; (Acts 13:39; Rom. 8:1) that justification includes the pardon of sin,(Rom. 5:9) and the promise of eternal life on principles of righteousness; (Rom. 5:17; Titus 3:5-6) that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood; (Rom. 4:4-5) by virtue of which faith His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us of God; (Rom. 5:19; 3:24-28) that it brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God, and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity. (Rom. 5:1-3, 11; Matt. 6:33.)
Article VI. Of the Freeness of Salvation
We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel of Christ; (Isa. 55:1; Rev. 22:17) that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial penitent and obedient faith; (Rom. 16:26; Mark 1:15; Rom. 1:15-17) and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth, but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel of Christ; (John 5:40; Rom. 9:32) which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation. (John 3:19; Matt. 11:20.)
Article VII. Of Grace In Regeneration
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again; (John 3:3,6-7) that regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind; (II Cor. 5:17; Ezek. 36:26; Rom. 2:28-29) that it is affected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit, in connection with divine truth; (John 3:8; 1:13; James 1:16-18) so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel of Christ; (I Peter 1:22-25; I John 5:1; Eph. 4:20-24) and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, and faith, and newness of life. (Eph. 5:9; Rom. 8:9; Gal. 5:16-23; Eph. 3:14-21.)
Article VIII. Of Repentance and Faith
We believe that repentance and faith are inseparable graces wrought in our souls in regeneration (Mark 1:15; Acts 11:18; Eph. 2:8; I John 5:1) whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, (John 16:8; Acts 2:37-38;16:30-31) we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; (Luke 18:13; James 4:7-10) at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King, and relying on Him alone as the only and all-sufficient Savior. (Rom. 10:9-13; Acts 3:22-23; Heb. 1:8.)
Article IX. Of God's Purpose of Grace
We believe that election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which he graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners; (II Tim. 1:8-9; Eph. 1:3-14; Rom.11:5-6) that being perfectly consistent with the free agency of man, it comprehends all the means in connection with the end; (II Thess. 2:13-14; Acts 13:48; John 10:16) that it is a most glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, wise, holy and unchangeable; (Exod. 33:18-19; Matt. 20:15; Eph. 1:11; Rom. 9:23-24; 11:28-36) that it utterly excludes boasting and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and active imitation of His free mercy; (I Cor. 4:7; 1:26-31; Col. 3:12) that it encourages the use of means in the highest degree; (II Tim. 2:10; I Cor. 9:2; Rom. 8:28-30; John 6:37-40) that it may be ascertained by its effects in all who truly believe the Gospel of Christ; (I Thess. 1:4-10) that it is the foundation of Christian assurance; (Rom. 8:28-31; 11:29) and that to ascertain it with regard to ourselves demands and deserves the utmost diligence. (II Peter 1:10-11; Phil. 3:12.)
Article X. Of Sanctification
We believe that Sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of His holiness; (I Thess. 4:3; 5:23; II Cor. 7:1) that it is a progressive work; (Prov. 4:18; II Peter 1:5-8; Phil 3:12-16) that it is begun in regeneration; (John 2:29; Rom. 8:5; Phil. 1:9-11) and that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer and comforter, in the continual use of the appointed means--especially, the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer. (Phil. 2:12-13; Eph. 4:11-12; I Peter 2:2.)
Article XI. Of the Perseverance of Saints
We believe that such only are real believers as endure unto the end; (John 8:31; I John 2:27-28; 3:9) that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial profession; (I John 2:19; Matt. 13:20-21) that a special providence watches over their welfare; (Rom. 8:28; Matt. 6:30-33) and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. (Phil. 1:6; 2:12-13; Jode 24-25.)
Article XII. Of the Harmony of the Law and the Gospel
We believe that the law of God is the eternal and unchangeable rule of His moral government; (Rom. 3:31; Matt. 5-17; Luke 16:17) that it is holy, just, and good; (Rom. 7:12, 14, 33; Gal. 3:21) and that the inability which the Scriptures ascribe to fallen men to fulfill its precepts, arises entirely from their love of sin: (Rom. 8:7-8; Jer. 13-23) to deliver from which, and to restore them through a Mediator to unfeigned obedience to the holy law, is one great end of the Gospel of Christ, and of the means of grace connected with the establishment of the visible church. (Rom. 8:2, 4; 10:4; Jude 20-21; Matt. 16:17-18.)
Article XIII. Of a Gospel Church
We believe that a visible church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers; (I cor. 1:1-13; Matt., 18:17; Acts 5:11; 8:1) associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel of Christ; (Acts 2:41-42, 47; II Cor. 8:5; I Cor. 5:12-13) observing the ordinances of Christ; (I Cor. 11:2, 23; II Thess. 3:6; Rom. 16:17-20) governed by His laws; (Matt. 28:20; John 14:15, 21; I John 4:21) and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; (Eph 4:7; I Cor. 14:12; Phil. 1:27) that its only Scriptural officers are bishops or pastors and deacons; (Phil. 1:1; Acts 14:23; I Tim. 3) whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles of Timothy and Titus.
Article XIV. Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer; (Acts 8:36-39; Matt. 3:5-6; John 3:22-23) into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit; (Matt. 28:19; Acts 10:47-48) to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effect, in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; (Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:120 that it is a prerequisite to the privelege of a church relation; and to the Lord's Supper, (Acts 2:41-42; Matt. 28:19-20) in which the members of the church by the sacred use of bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; (I Cor. 11:26; Matt. 26:26-29) preceded always by solemn self-examination. (I Cor. 11:28; 5:1,8.)
Article XV. Of the Lord's Day
We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord's Day; (Acts 20:7; Col. 2:16-17; John 20:19; I Cor. 16:1-2) and is to be kept sacred to religious purposes, (Exod. 20:8; Rev. 1:10; Psalm 118:24) by abstaining from all secular labor and sinful recreations, (Isa. 58:13-14; 56:2-8) by the devout observance of all the means of grace, both private (Psalm 118:15) and public; (Geb. 10:24-25; Acts 11:26; 13-44) and by preparation for that rest that remaineth for the people of God. (Heb. 4:3-11.)
Article XVI. Of Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interest and good order of human society; (Rom. 13:1-7; Deut. 16:18; II Sam. 23:3) and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed; (Matt. 22:21; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:13; I Tim. 2:1-8) except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Acts 5:29; Matt. 10:28; Dan. 3:15-18; 6:7-10) who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. (Matt. 23:10; Rom. 14:4; Rev. 19:16; Psalm 72:11.)
Article XVII. Of the Righteous and the Wicked
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; (Mal. 3:18; Prov. 12:26; Rom. 6:16) that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; (Rom. 1:17; 7:6; 6:18-22; I John 2:29; 3:7) while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; (I John 5:19; Gal 3:10; John 3:36) and this distinction holds among men both in and after death. (Prov. 14:32; 10:24; Luke 16:25; John 8:21-24.)
Article XVIII. Of the World to Come
We believe that the end of the world is approaching; (I Peter 4:7; I Cor. 7:29-31; Heb. 1:10-12; Matt. 24:35) that in the last days Christ will appear in the heavens; (Acts 1:11; Rev. 1:7; Heb. 9:28; I Thess. 4:13-18; I Thess. 5:1-11) that at His coming the dead saints will be raised from their graves, and the living believers caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air; (I Thess. 4:16-17; I Cor. 15:51-53) that the saints will be judged for rewards according to their works; (II Cor. 5:10, I Cor. 3:11-15) that Christ will descend to the earth with His saints, personally and bodily; (Jude 14; Zech. 14:4; Acts 1:11) that Christ will reign over the earth in peace for one thousand years; (Isa. 2:1-4; Isa. 65:18-25; Rev. 20:1-4) that at the end of the thousand years the wicked dead shall be raised and forever consigned to the "lake of fire"; (Rev. 20:5, 11-15) that the righteous shall enter into eternal joy with the Lord; (Rev. 7:15-17; 22:1-7) that these judgments will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell, on principles of righteousness. (Rom. 3:5-6; II Thess. 1:6-12; Heb. 6:1-2; Rom. 2:2-16.)
12.31.2007
12.30.2007
Another good blog
looks like we're building quite a network! this one belongs to Dave, it's called the Pre-Wrath Tribune:
http://thepre-wrathtribune.blogspot.com/
http://thepre-wrathtribune.blogspot.com/
Side note: Huckabee
In the NBC interview, Huckabee argued that his emphasis on his Christian beliefs does not mean he's alienating atheists. He said, if elected, he would have no problem appointing atheists to government posts.
"The key issue of real faith is that it never can be forced on someone. And never would I want to use the government institutions to impose mine or anybody else's faith or to restrict," Huckabee said.
Those skeptical of the role of faith in his presidency, he said, should look at his record in Arkansas.
"I didn't ever propose a bill that we would remove the Capitol dome of Arkansas and replace it with a steeple," he said. "You know, we didn't do tent revivals on the grounds of the capitol.
BREITBART.COM
>>I can't tell if Huckabee is for real yet, and I don't want to use this blog to endorse a politician(made that mistake with Ron Paul), I just really like what he said there in the second paragraph above. God is the only one who has a right to force people to see the truth, and eventually He will. Until then, we've got to wait on the Lord.
Waiting on the Lord
Mt 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
It should be the desire of each and every one of us, as Christians, to see righteousness prevail, not only in our own lives, but all around us. We should want to see wrongs righted, mistakes corrected, and evil vanquished to a place where it will no longer be remembered, let alone have sway over people and events. But, this world can be a difficult place for the one who thirsts after righteousness, as it is scarce and getting scarcer. We are surrounded by our own failures, a wicked world, and errors among God's people. Love is getting harder to find, and by "Love" is meant the selfless, compassionate, and lowly "agape" that this world knows so little of. It is true that God has given us much to be thankful for, and each of us likely have brothers or sisters who we can fellowship with in true love, but it is still a small breath of fresh air compared to the evils we see.
This is made more testing by the Lord's commandments to not seek justice ourselves. With our enemies(Luke 6:35 for one), our brethren(1 Corinthians 6:7), and those who teach things contrary to the truth(Acts 5:36-38), we can see that it is better to let evil fall into the hands of God Himself, than to seek to requite it ourselves. Anything beyond what we are called to do, namely to boldy speak the truth, exercise discipline as churches, choose our company carefully, refuse to compromise in our own lives, and to love all of mankind, is beyond what God has allowed for us, and will result in a worse situation then would letting Him work things out Himself. This would almost seem to be in conflict with our desire for righteousness, but once again, our own solutions to these problems cannot be truly righteous if they are at odds with God's commands.
To fulfill this command, we must actively seek to have faith in God's promises to deliver, and to have faith that in the end, He will make all things right. "Give place to wrath", as Paul wrote by God's direct inspiration, in Romans 12, in the case of our enemies, and know that "the Lord is the avenger" with our brethren as well, as the same wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4. If we truly believe that, and know that all things truly do work together for our good, we can deny our impulsion to seek to make things right ourselves, knowing also that "the trying of your faith worketh patience."(James 1:3).
This is a topic I have covered before, but I don't believe that it is one that can be exhausted, as it is the same type of patience that enables us to refrain from sinning in other ways, as well, and this faith appears to be the central idea that Jesus communicated to His disciples in relation to how they were to live in this life. This is something I was in need of today, and others may be in similar places, so I will let the Lord bless as He sees fit.
It should be the desire of each and every one of us, as Christians, to see righteousness prevail, not only in our own lives, but all around us. We should want to see wrongs righted, mistakes corrected, and evil vanquished to a place where it will no longer be remembered, let alone have sway over people and events. But, this world can be a difficult place for the one who thirsts after righteousness, as it is scarce and getting scarcer. We are surrounded by our own failures, a wicked world, and errors among God's people. Love is getting harder to find, and by "Love" is meant the selfless, compassionate, and lowly "agape" that this world knows so little of. It is true that God has given us much to be thankful for, and each of us likely have brothers or sisters who we can fellowship with in true love, but it is still a small breath of fresh air compared to the evils we see.
This is made more testing by the Lord's commandments to not seek justice ourselves. With our enemies(Luke 6:35 for one), our brethren(1 Corinthians 6:7), and those who teach things contrary to the truth(Acts 5:36-38), we can see that it is better to let evil fall into the hands of God Himself, than to seek to requite it ourselves. Anything beyond what we are called to do, namely to boldy speak the truth, exercise discipline as churches, choose our company carefully, refuse to compromise in our own lives, and to love all of mankind, is beyond what God has allowed for us, and will result in a worse situation then would letting Him work things out Himself. This would almost seem to be in conflict with our desire for righteousness, but once again, our own solutions to these problems cannot be truly righteous if they are at odds with God's commands.
To fulfill this command, we must actively seek to have faith in God's promises to deliver, and to have faith that in the end, He will make all things right. "Give place to wrath", as Paul wrote by God's direct inspiration, in Romans 12, in the case of our enemies, and know that "the Lord is the avenger" with our brethren as well, as the same wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4. If we truly believe that, and know that all things truly do work together for our good, we can deny our impulsion to seek to make things right ourselves, knowing also that "the trying of your faith worketh patience."(James 1:3).
This is a topic I have covered before, but I don't believe that it is one that can be exhausted, as it is the same type of patience that enables us to refrain from sinning in other ways, as well, and this faith appears to be the central idea that Jesus communicated to His disciples in relation to how they were to live in this life. This is something I was in need of today, and others may be in similar places, so I will let the Lord bless as He sees fit.
Got a prophecy-related question?
Want it answered? Questions give me a great opportunity to write, and many times there are topics that I simply fail to think of to write about on my own, so if you have any questions, ask me, and maybe I'll be able to answer or point you in the right direction. You can email me at davidjbutterfield@gmail.com. Thanks for reading!
12.28.2007
Watch - Part 1?
I'm not sure if I'm going to continue in this same exact path of writing, but here's something I was able to write out last night, on what will hopefully be my last sick day home from work. If I don't finish this, I will try to use it as a basis for an in-depth examination of the Olivette Discourse, as I haven't found any yet, and the discourse is the key to understanding the timing of nearly all of the events of the last days. May the Lord bless the Word expounded:
"Watch" - Part 1?
It is well known in most, if not all, relatively sound Christian circles today that the Pharisees expected Christ to come as a king; they expected Him to deliver them from the rule of Rome and to establish the kingdom at that time. This is what they thought the Scriptures had plainly declared! The great scholars of the day, those who were vaunted so high above their own people, and appeared to have so much credibility, could point to the Scriptures and say "this must be so", and the people believed it. The statement was made, the Scripture was read, and it did appear to be true. The proper order of interpretation had been reversed, though, and this was a prime example of "eisegesis", as opposed to "exegesis". Instead of letting God's word speak for itself, with all of it's parts considered, they had imposed a new doctrine upon the Scriptures when it was possible to make it appear to be consistent with them. Had they truly searched out the Word (by "truly searched" is meant a cautious, careful, unbiased evaluation), they would have seen the error. God cannot lie, and their false expectations were not, in truth, based on a proper understanding of what He had said, even though it appeared to be wholly true to these people, who were they that should have been among the first to understand.
Mt 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
No doubt, the men of God who had penned the Scriptures by His dictation would have pointed to this, had they been present during the time of Jesus' earthly ministry. One should take note that throughout the New Testament, the phrase "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken" is found many times, along with others like it. Right under the noses of apostate Israel, and many of the elect(the apostle Paul is one example), prophecy was being fulfilled, and going unnoticed. Apparently, the continuity of teaching had not wholly protected them from error. One would think that the teaching of a rejected Sovereign would not have been lost from generation to generation, but men are faulty creatures, and it is often a grave error to give them the benefit of the doubt. At the very least, those familiar with what we know as the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah should have recognized the fulfillment in His crucifixion, but this also escaped them. Indeed, "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. . . that no flesh should glory in His presence"(1 Cor. 1:27-29).
Re 3:1 ¶ And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Here, the Lord conditions a certain outcome on failing to watch for His return. The result is that He will come upon those not watching as a thief. "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief". The rules of language necessitate a reversal of the outcome, if whatever is conditioned by the "if" is reversed. If the phrase above is true, and the word "if" truly has meaning, it must also be true that "if therefore thou shalt watch, I will not come on thee as a thief". It appears that with this in mind, we can draw a parallel between His first and second advents. At His first advent, many people, namely the religious people of the day, had expectations for His first coming that were built upon their own reasoning, instead of what God had declared in His Word. The popular teachers of today are saying "watch the clouds, the Lord could be in one of them!", but is this ever taught by the Scriptures? It is true that He will come in a cloud, but the passage that declares this reads:
Mt 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days. . . they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven". Could it not be plainer? How have so many managed to obscure and confuse what the Lord taught in such plain terms here? Can a teaching based on supposed "inferrences" override this simple point? With their eyes on the skies, instead of the events told of in the Scriptures, many Christians will be caught off guard when the events of the Olivette discourse begin to take place. By the time He returns, though, the only ones left not watching will be those who do not truly know Him. In Matthew 24:43-51, we read:
Mt 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
There are many things to consider in this passage, and such a hasty treatment has been given and accepted of them, that much of the value here has been lost in the day and age we live in. First, let's look at verse 42: "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come". Whenever there is a "therefore", it always important to look at what was said before, and we will return to this point shortly. In the meantime, let us look at the words "Watch . . . for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come". This is often taught to mean that it is impossible to be aware of the timing of the Lord's return, and that no prophesied event must take place before it. "Watch" is said to refer to watchfulness over ones self, and is taught as being disconnected from the rest of the verse. The reason the Lord says "watch", though, is because He wants us to know when He will return! I can hear the majority say "impossible!", but what did we read earlier, in Revelation3:1-3? "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." Take a step back in your mind, and read the words again. "If. . . thou shalt not watch . . . thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee". Now, the words "Watch. . . for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" make much more sense. The reason we need to watch is that we have no way of knowing, other than what He told us to watch for in the Scriptures! The context of the word "watch" is made clear by Matthew 24:32-33:
Mt 24:32 ¶ Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
"When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." It is clear from this that we are to be watching for the things He spoke of in the Olivette discourse. To further prove this, let us go back to the "therefore" of Matthew 24:32:
Mt 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
What is it that provoked the word "therefore"? Let's find out, in one of the most often cited passages by "pre-tribulationists", Matthew 24:37-41:
Mt 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
"As the days of Noe(Noah) were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be". We are told here that the coming of the Lord(which exegetically could be none other than the one spoken of just seven verses earler, occuring "immediately after the tribulation of those days") will be as it was in the days of Noah. We know from verse 39 that "they", the unredeemed, "were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage", and that they "knew not until the flood came, and took them away". It is true that His return shall come as a snare upon the world. In the Olivette discourse, they do not begin to mourn until they see Him coming in the skies, after the "great tribulation". What about us, though? Well, let's take a look at what Scripture says about Noah's situation, in Genesis 7:1-4:
Ge 7:1 ¶ And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
Not only was Noah given plenty of time to prepare by building an ark, he also knew when the Lord would begin the flood seven days in advance. The problem in the widely-held modern interpretation of "as the days of Noe were" is that the entire 70th week is likened to the flood, which was God's wrath. As taught by Scripture, however, God's wrath does not begin until after the sixth seal, which is shown in Revelation 6:12-17:
Re 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
The most common objection levied against the truth here is the idea that the 70th week will be too chaotic for the world to be "eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage" during any length of it. This argument is given more apparent strength by terming the entire 70th week as "the tribulation", which Scripture never does. This idea is plainly refuted by the book of Revelation, though. Revelation 18, taking place just before Armageddon as described in chapter 19, blows this idea out of the water completely:
Re 18:1 ¶ And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
9 ¶ And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
"Therefore shall her plagues come in one day. . . in one hour is thy judgment come. . . wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts. . . in one hour so great riches is come to nought. . . in one hour is she made desolate. . . the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." All of this, taking place well into the 70th week. "Wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat. . . the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee". Does that ring a bell? What did the Lord say in the Olivette discourse?
Mt 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
"Watch" - Part 1?
It is well known in most, if not all, relatively sound Christian circles today that the Pharisees expected Christ to come as a king; they expected Him to deliver them from the rule of Rome and to establish the kingdom at that time. This is what they thought the Scriptures had plainly declared! The great scholars of the day, those who were vaunted so high above their own people, and appeared to have so much credibility, could point to the Scriptures and say "this must be so", and the people believed it. The statement was made, the Scripture was read, and it did appear to be true. The proper order of interpretation had been reversed, though, and this was a prime example of "eisegesis", as opposed to "exegesis". Instead of letting God's word speak for itself, with all of it's parts considered, they had imposed a new doctrine upon the Scriptures when it was possible to make it appear to be consistent with them. Had they truly searched out the Word (by "truly searched" is meant a cautious, careful, unbiased evaluation), they would have seen the error. God cannot lie, and their false expectations were not, in truth, based on a proper understanding of what He had said, even though it appeared to be wholly true to these people, who were they that should have been among the first to understand.
Mt 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
No doubt, the men of God who had penned the Scriptures by His dictation would have pointed to this, had they been present during the time of Jesus' earthly ministry. One should take note that throughout the New Testament, the phrase "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken" is found many times, along with others like it. Right under the noses of apostate Israel, and many of the elect(the apostle Paul is one example), prophecy was being fulfilled, and going unnoticed. Apparently, the continuity of teaching had not wholly protected them from error. One would think that the teaching of a rejected Sovereign would not have been lost from generation to generation, but men are faulty creatures, and it is often a grave error to give them the benefit of the doubt. At the very least, those familiar with what we know as the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah should have recognized the fulfillment in His crucifixion, but this also escaped them. Indeed, "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. . . that no flesh should glory in His presence"(1 Cor. 1:27-29).
Re 3:1 ¶ And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Here, the Lord conditions a certain outcome on failing to watch for His return. The result is that He will come upon those not watching as a thief. "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief". The rules of language necessitate a reversal of the outcome, if whatever is conditioned by the "if" is reversed. If the phrase above is true, and the word "if" truly has meaning, it must also be true that "if therefore thou shalt watch, I will not come on thee as a thief". It appears that with this in mind, we can draw a parallel between His first and second advents. At His first advent, many people, namely the religious people of the day, had expectations for His first coming that were built upon their own reasoning, instead of what God had declared in His Word. The popular teachers of today are saying "watch the clouds, the Lord could be in one of them!", but is this ever taught by the Scriptures? It is true that He will come in a cloud, but the passage that declares this reads:
Mt 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days. . . they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven". Could it not be plainer? How have so many managed to obscure and confuse what the Lord taught in such plain terms here? Can a teaching based on supposed "inferrences" override this simple point? With their eyes on the skies, instead of the events told of in the Scriptures, many Christians will be caught off guard when the events of the Olivette discourse begin to take place. By the time He returns, though, the only ones left not watching will be those who do not truly know Him. In Matthew 24:43-51, we read:
Mt 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
There are many things to consider in this passage, and such a hasty treatment has been given and accepted of them, that much of the value here has been lost in the day and age we live in. First, let's look at verse 42: "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come". Whenever there is a "therefore", it always important to look at what was said before, and we will return to this point shortly. In the meantime, let us look at the words "Watch . . . for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come". This is often taught to mean that it is impossible to be aware of the timing of the Lord's return, and that no prophesied event must take place before it. "Watch" is said to refer to watchfulness over ones self, and is taught as being disconnected from the rest of the verse. The reason the Lord says "watch", though, is because He wants us to know when He will return! I can hear the majority say "impossible!", but what did we read earlier, in Revelation3:1-3? "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." Take a step back in your mind, and read the words again. "If. . . thou shalt not watch . . . thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee". Now, the words "Watch. . . for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" make much more sense. The reason we need to watch is that we have no way of knowing, other than what He told us to watch for in the Scriptures! The context of the word "watch" is made clear by Matthew 24:32-33:
Mt 24:32 ¶ Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
"When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." It is clear from this that we are to be watching for the things He spoke of in the Olivette discourse. To further prove this, let us go back to the "therefore" of Matthew 24:32:
Mt 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
What is it that provoked the word "therefore"? Let's find out, in one of the most often cited passages by "pre-tribulationists", Matthew 24:37-41:
Mt 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
"As the days of Noe(Noah) were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be". We are told here that the coming of the Lord(which exegetically could be none other than the one spoken of just seven verses earler, occuring "immediately after the tribulation of those days") will be as it was in the days of Noah. We know from verse 39 that "they", the unredeemed, "were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage", and that they "knew not until the flood came, and took them away". It is true that His return shall come as a snare upon the world. In the Olivette discourse, they do not begin to mourn until they see Him coming in the skies, after the "great tribulation". What about us, though? Well, let's take a look at what Scripture says about Noah's situation, in Genesis 7:1-4:
Ge 7:1 ¶ And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
Not only was Noah given plenty of time to prepare by building an ark, he also knew when the Lord would begin the flood seven days in advance. The problem in the widely-held modern interpretation of "as the days of Noe were" is that the entire 70th week is likened to the flood, which was God's wrath. As taught by Scripture, however, God's wrath does not begin until after the sixth seal, which is shown in Revelation 6:12-17:
Re 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
The most common objection levied against the truth here is the idea that the 70th week will be too chaotic for the world to be "eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage" during any length of it. This argument is given more apparent strength by terming the entire 70th week as "the tribulation", which Scripture never does. This idea is plainly refuted by the book of Revelation, though. Revelation 18, taking place just before Armageddon as described in chapter 19, blows this idea out of the water completely:
Re 18:1 ¶ And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
9 ¶ And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
"Therefore shall her plagues come in one day. . . in one hour is thy judgment come. . . wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts. . . in one hour so great riches is come to nought. . . in one hour is she made desolate. . . the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." All of this, taking place well into the 70th week. "Wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat. . . the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee". Does that ring a bell? What did the Lord say in the Olivette discourse?
Mt 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
12.26.2007
Iran unveils weapons deal with Russia
Russia is to supply Iran with new S-300 air defense systems, Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said Wednesday, a sign of growing military cooperation between Moscow and Teheran.
"The S-300 air defense system will be delivered to Iran on the basis of a contract signed with Russia in the past," state television quoted Najjar as saying.
Najjar didn't say when or how many of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense systems would be shipped to Iran.
Earlier this year, Russia delivered 29 Tor-M1 air defense missile systems to Iran under a $700 million contract signed in December 2005.
JPost
>>Iran is obviously not giving up (yet, although this seems unlikely in the future). It goes on...
12.24.2007
Barak: Israel will win the next war
Israel will win the next war it is forced to fight, Defense Minister Ehud Barak vowed during a military ceremony on Monday.
"If another war suddenly breaks out, we expect that it will end in victory, with the minimum amount of casualties, and minimum injury to the citizenry," Barak said.
JPost
"If another war suddenly breaks out, we expect that it will end in victory, with the minimum amount of casualties, and minimum injury to the citizenry," Barak said.
JPost
'Israel could survive nuclear war'
If a nuclear war between Israel and Iran were to break out 16-20 million Iranians would lose their lives - as opposed to 200,000-800,000 Israelis, according to a report recently published by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which is headed by Anthony H. Cordesman, formerly an analyst for the US Department of Defense. The document, which is largely theoretical due to the lack of verified knowledge in some areas - specifically in terms of Israel's nuclear capability - paints various scenarios and attempts to predict the strategies of regional powers, as well as the US.
The report assesses that a nuclear war would last approximately three weeks and ultimately end with the annihilation of Iran, due to Israel's alleged possession of weapons with a far larger yield. Israel, according to the assessment, would have a larger chance of survival. The report does not attempt to predict how many deaths would eventually be caused by possible nuclear fallout.
Even if Iran gained the means and knowledge to create nuclear weapons, according to the report it would still be limited to 100 kiloton weapons, which can cause a far smaller radius of destruction than the 1 megaton bombs Israel allegedly possesses.
JPost
Obviously, the possibilty of a war between Israel and Iran is not merely speculation. The fact of a war, yes, but not the possibility. The timing of this being published(I think it's for the second time, I'm not sure) is odd, as Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams are resuming talks today. Another article gives yet mor creedence to this line of thought...
"I came back from a trip to Israel in November convinced that Israel would attack Iran," Bruce Riedel, a former CIA official and senior adviser to three US presidents, George W. Bush among them, told the American Newsweek magazine in an article published Friday.
Citing conversations he had in Israel with officials in Mossad and the Israeli defense establishment, Riedel concluded that "Israel is not going to allow its nuclear monopoly to be threatened."
While some US experts doubt Israel's ability to tackle Iran alone, David Albright, of the Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, was quoted by Newsweek as saying that although information on the exact location of Iran's nuclear facility is incomplete, Israel's air strike on an alleged Syrian nuclear facility on September 6, widely discussed in foreign media outlets, could be seen as a test run for any future strike on Iran's facilities, as well as a direct warning to Teheran.
JPost
12.22.2007
Whoa!!
Ok, you really really need to read this one, by Farmer:
Alliance of Civilizations Forum Website Launched (2007-12-20)Now that the media is prepared, they just launched a website for their First AoC Forum in Madrid. (click on the picture or here to visit it).And besides the possibility to follow the events LIVE in a live-stream, there is an INTERNAL ACCESS area where you need a password (or a mark) to have access - it's a closed cirlce. Solana's office already announced the doctors attendence (thanks Nony!): LINKOther illustrious figures will show up:"Author Paulo Coelho, Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi, Queen Noor of Jordan, Al Jazeera anchor Riz Khan, Secretary‐General of the Arab League Amr Moussa, and former President of Ireland Mary Robinson are among the public figures coming to Madrid on January 15‐16 to find new ways to bridge the growing divide between nations and cultures worldwide, and to establish new partnerships to promote global understanding" says their first Press release.Paul Coelho - also Member of the Board of the Shimon Peres Institute for PeaceUNESCO and special counsellor for “Intercultural Dialogues and Spiritual Convergences" was introduced to the work of occultist Aleister Crowley. "The influence extended not only to music, but also to plans for the creation of the "Alternative Society," which was to be an anarchist community in the state of Minas Gerais based on Crowley's premise: "'Do what thou wilt' shall be the whole of the Law...(...)After a supernatural experience, described in later on his book The Valkyries, Coelho left the society. Later in Holland he met a person (whom he would refer to as "J" throughout The Valkyries, The Pilgrimage and his website "Warriors of Light online") who changed his life and Coelho was driven towards "Christianity". He said he became member of a Catholic group called Regnus Agnus Mundi, with J as its leader. However, he is the only source for the existence of the group and the Latin name is unverified. In 1986 he walked along the Road of Santiago, an ancient Spanish pilgrimage and his book The Pilgrimage describes his final initiation." LINK"internal access", "final initiation"...The urge to be part of it, to be "an insider", to belong to the "inner circle", is one of the highest motivating factors in humans psyche. The AoC uses this urge. And the beast from the earth uses this urge when giving out their mark of belonging.And as Rich wrote "But if you are one of the “others” who (after their own words) “merciless claims possession of absolute truth”, joining the common civilization is going to be a problem. Well c'est la vie, we’re in good company as I have no intention of joining them in their destiny." What's their destiny?"19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh." (Rev 19)I recommend better to care about your ETERNAL ACCESS, if you haven't done so until now.Get your name on God's list. Because that's what will count in the end. And he still has an open hand for you, thanks to the great sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ."11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. "(Rev 20)Hurry up - time might be running out soon. stay tuned!farmer
Alliance of Civilizations Forum Website Launched (2007-12-20)Now that the media is prepared, they just launched a website for their First AoC Forum in Madrid. (click on the picture or here to visit it).And besides the possibility to follow the events LIVE in a live-stream, there is an INTERNAL ACCESS area where you need a password (or a mark) to have access - it's a closed cirlce. Solana's office already announced the doctors attendence (thanks Nony!): LINKOther illustrious figures will show up:"Author Paulo Coelho, Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi, Queen Noor of Jordan, Al Jazeera anchor Riz Khan, Secretary‐General of the Arab League Amr Moussa, and former President of Ireland Mary Robinson are among the public figures coming to Madrid on January 15‐16 to find new ways to bridge the growing divide between nations and cultures worldwide, and to establish new partnerships to promote global understanding" says their first Press release.Paul Coelho - also Member of the Board of the Shimon Peres Institute for PeaceUNESCO and special counsellor for “Intercultural Dialogues and Spiritual Convergences" was introduced to the work of occultist Aleister Crowley. "The influence extended not only to music, but also to plans for the creation of the "Alternative Society," which was to be an anarchist community in the state of Minas Gerais based on Crowley's premise: "'Do what thou wilt' shall be the whole of the Law...(...)After a supernatural experience, described in later on his book The Valkyries, Coelho left the society. Later in Holland he met a person (whom he would refer to as "J" throughout The Valkyries, The Pilgrimage and his website "Warriors of Light online") who changed his life and Coelho was driven towards "Christianity". He said he became member of a Catholic group called Regnus Agnus Mundi, with J as its leader. However, he is the only source for the existence of the group and the Latin name is unverified. In 1986 he walked along the Road of Santiago, an ancient Spanish pilgrimage and his book The Pilgrimage describes his final initiation." LINK"internal access", "final initiation"...The urge to be part of it, to be "an insider", to belong to the "inner circle", is one of the highest motivating factors in humans psyche. The AoC uses this urge. And the beast from the earth uses this urge when giving out their mark of belonging.And as Rich wrote "But if you are one of the “others” who (after their own words) “merciless claims possession of absolute truth”, joining the common civilization is going to be a problem. Well c'est la vie, we’re in good company as I have no intention of joining them in their destiny." What's their destiny?"19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh." (Rev 19)I recommend better to care about your ETERNAL ACCESS, if you haven't done so until now.Get your name on God's list. Because that's what will count in the end. And he still has an open hand for you, thanks to the great sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ."11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. "(Rev 20)Hurry up - time might be running out soon. stay tuned!farmer
Jeremiah 10:1-4
Jer 10:1 ¶ Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
12.21.2007
You must read...
...the latest post on Constance Cumbey's blog, if you have any interest in these events. The plot thickens...
The folly of blind trust in mankind...
Case in point: My last theory, when I was trying to figure out the day that Israel should resume sacrifices, was based on the idea that Ezekiel 45:18 gave the date that the millenial temple will be cleansed. I read this in a study, stated as a fact, and at first glance it appeared true, knowing that this area of Ezekiel deals with the millenium:
Eze 45:18 Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary:
Upon further examination, I discovered that this is referring to what will happen as part of the yearly ceremonies:
Eze 45:19 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court.
20 And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.
21 In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.
22 And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering.
23 And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the LORD, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering.
24 And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah.
25 In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil.
This is described earlier on in Ezekiel, referring to the same general time period:
Eze 43:18 And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.
19 And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord GOD, a young bullock for a sin offering.
20 And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it.
21 Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary.
22 And on the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they did cleanse it with the bullock.
23 When thou hast made an end of cleansing it, thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.
24 And thou shalt offer them before the LORD, and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering unto the LORD.
25 Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish.
26 Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves.
27 And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.
It appears that the cleansing process will not be finished until the eigth day, according to verses 27 and 28. So this would add 8 days to my theory, bringing us to the 23rd of this month.
Now, this is still just a theory, and I believe that even if I am wrong about this particular aspect, we are still likely in the 70th week already.
Eze 45:18 Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary:
Upon further examination, I discovered that this is referring to what will happen as part of the yearly ceremonies:
Eze 45:19 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court.
20 And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.
21 In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.
22 And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering.
23 And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the LORD, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering.
24 And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah.
25 In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil.
This is described earlier on in Ezekiel, referring to the same general time period:
Eze 43:18 And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.
19 And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord GOD, a young bullock for a sin offering.
20 And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it.
21 Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary.
22 And on the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they did cleanse it with the bullock.
23 When thou hast made an end of cleansing it, thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.
24 And thou shalt offer them before the LORD, and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering unto the LORD.
25 Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish.
26 Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves.
27 And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.
It appears that the cleansing process will not be finished until the eigth day, according to verses 27 and 28. So this would add 8 days to my theory, bringing us to the 23rd of this month.
Now, this is still just a theory, and I believe that even if I am wrong about this particular aspect, we are still likely in the 70th week already.
12.19.2007
First 'EU Ambassador' Named - Telegraph.co.uk Article
Brussels names first 'EU ambassador'
Justin Stares in Brussels
Last Updated: 2:55am GMT 17/12/2007
Brussels has appointed the European Union's first "ambassador" more than a year before the EU Reform Treaty comes into force, The Sunday Telegraph has learned.
The powerful dual role will involve Belgium's Koen Vervaeke representing both the European Commission and the EU's 27 member states in Africa.
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The position is part of a diplomatic corps created under the treaty signed by Gordon Brown in Lisbon last week amid claims by Eurosceptics of a betrayal of Britain's national interests.
Brussels chiefs have pressed ahead with Mr Vervaeke's appointment before any countries have begun ratifying the treaty, which is scheduled to come into effect in 2009.
Critics have accused the commission of riding roughshod over the ratification process, which in Britain will see the treaty subject to parliamentary scrutiny and votes over more than 20 days next year.
Dr Charles Tannock, a Conservative Euro-MP and the party's foreign affairs spokesman at the European Parliament, said: "By appointing this man to Africa they are obviously testing the waters. This is the way things will work in the future. But until the treaty is ratified they have no mandate to set up anything like an EU diplomatic corps."
The official Brussels line is that Mr Vervaeke's role is "an exception".
Under the treaty, there will be a powerful EU foreign minister, or "high representative", who will also service member states and the commission, deriving his power from what Brussels officials call a "double hat" arrangement.
Javier Solana, the Spaniard who heads the EU's fledgling foreign office, is tipped for the job, which will involve taking on more than 100 existing commission delegations around the world and turning them into a corps of diplomats.
Mr Vervaeke, 47, who will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is essentially a regional foreign minister with a mandate to talk on behalf of the entire EU.
Telgraph.Co.Uk
Justin Stares in Brussels
Last Updated: 2:55am GMT 17/12/2007
Brussels has appointed the European Union's first "ambassador" more than a year before the EU Reform Treaty comes into force, The Sunday Telegraph has learned.
The powerful dual role will involve Belgium's Koen Vervaeke representing both the European Commission and the EU's 27 member states in Africa.
advertisement
The position is part of a diplomatic corps created under the treaty signed by Gordon Brown in Lisbon last week amid claims by Eurosceptics of a betrayal of Britain's national interests.
Brussels chiefs have pressed ahead with Mr Vervaeke's appointment before any countries have begun ratifying the treaty, which is scheduled to come into effect in 2009.
Critics have accused the commission of riding roughshod over the ratification process, which in Britain will see the treaty subject to parliamentary scrutiny and votes over more than 20 days next year.
Dr Charles Tannock, a Conservative Euro-MP and the party's foreign affairs spokesman at the European Parliament, said: "By appointing this man to Africa they are obviously testing the waters. This is the way things will work in the future. But until the treaty is ratified they have no mandate to set up anything like an EU diplomatic corps."
The official Brussels line is that Mr Vervaeke's role is "an exception".
Under the treaty, there will be a powerful EU foreign minister, or "high representative", who will also service member states and the commission, deriving his power from what Brussels officials call a "double hat" arrangement.
Javier Solana, the Spaniard who heads the EU's fledgling foreign office, is tipped for the job, which will involve taking on more than 100 existing commission delegations around the world and turning them into a corps of diplomats.
Mr Vervaeke, 47, who will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is essentially a regional foreign minister with a mandate to talk on behalf of the entire EU.
Telgraph.Co.Uk
12.18.2007
Treaty Ratification...
For some reason I assumed that the EU was much farther along in the ratification process then they actually are(probably because they've been acting like it, see Constance Cumbey's post from yesterday), as it looks like they've got 26 countries to go before it's official(but again, that's only until it's official, it hasn't stopped them from acting like a super-state).
This could mean that the first seal has quite a ways to go still, if this is it, if the exchange of three world leaders wasn't enough to qualify. I think it may have been, because it appears that they have everything in place now.
I'm still sick, haven't been blogging much, but plan on getting more stuff up shortly. God bless!
This could mean that the first seal has quite a ways to go still, if this is it, if the exchange of three world leaders wasn't enough to qualify. I think it may have been, because it appears that they have everything in place now.
I'm still sick, haven't been blogging much, but plan on getting more stuff up shortly. God bless!
12.17.2007
I'm working on it...
I'm working on getting a study in Ezekiel up, concerning the millenial temple, so those who are interested can see why I thought the cleansing of the temple would be on the 1st of Nissan. I think that passage is actually referring to what will occur yearly, as the nation of Israel performs temple service during the Lord's 1000-year reign, because it mentions the first cleansing a couple of chapters before that... so I'm going to try to get that up. In the meantime, of course, things aren't cooling down in Israel(headlines from JPost.com):
Five terrorists killed in two aerial strikes on Gaza targetsTop Islamic Jihad leader, master rocket maker killed; Jihad spokesman: "Our blood will fuel death and destruction."
Bush backs nuclear fuel supply to IranAs Russia delivers 1st shipment, US president says this shows Teheran has no need for enrichment.
Official: No 'smoking gun' on IranTells 'Post' difference about Israeli, US knowledge on nuclear program over interpretation, not facts.
'Egyptians help Hamas cross into Gaza'Israel sends US Congress tapes in hope of swaying officials to hold back foreign aid to Cairo.
'Civilian nukes can be converted'Lieberman: Ahmadinejad biggest danger to Israel since Hitler; Germany: report lessens pressure.
Evangelical groups face visa hurdlesThe Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus is leading a campaign to resolve the prickly issue.
Donors pledge $7.4b. to PA
Five terrorists killed in two aerial strikes on Gaza targetsTop Islamic Jihad leader, master rocket maker killed; Jihad spokesman: "Our blood will fuel death and destruction."
Bush backs nuclear fuel supply to IranAs Russia delivers 1st shipment, US president says this shows Teheran has no need for enrichment.
Official: No 'smoking gun' on IranTells 'Post' difference about Israeli, US knowledge on nuclear program over interpretation, not facts.
'Egyptians help Hamas cross into Gaza'Israel sends US Congress tapes in hope of swaying officials to hold back foreign aid to Cairo.
'Civilian nukes can be converted'Lieberman: Ahmadinejad biggest danger to Israel since Hitler; Germany: report lessens pressure.
Evangelical groups face visa hurdlesThe Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus is leading a campaign to resolve the prickly issue.
Donors pledge $7.4b. to PA
12.16.2007
What I told Wickus...
"I will be very supprised if we don't see things shaping up pretty quick in Israel, whether or not I'm right about the 15th. It will be interesting to see what happens through Saturday, though..."
With that said, if you must have a date to watch for, watch out for the 22nd. This one is based completely on a hunch, so don't call me out if nothing happens.
It's the date-ing game.
Sigh...
Ok, so I might have made a mistake in taking the study resource which said that Ezek. 45:18 is the cleansing of the millenial sanctuary as authoritative. Funny, because I often point that out about pre-tribbers, how they take teachers as authoritative instead of using exegesis to interpret passages like 2 Thessalonians. I will eat my words again!
I think I'm really going to study this out, again, and not try to figure out the date this time, but if I happen to come accross a passage that without a doubt gives the date of the cleansing for the millenial sanctuary, I won't hesitate to throw it out here.
Bro. Mike, that email you sent me didn't apply directly, and I still think it may be possible to get this figured out, but there definitely was a point to be had about my relentless desire to set a date.
That's all for now, thanks for reading, and may the Lord bless. He certainly has me, and at that, in spite of me. Adam has a great post on FP.com up right now, "have you blown it?", seems to be timed perfectly. Adios, stay tuned!
I think I'm really going to study this out, again, and not try to figure out the date this time, but if I happen to come accross a passage that without a doubt gives the date of the cleansing for the millenial sanctuary, I won't hesitate to throw it out here.
Bro. Mike, that email you sent me didn't apply directly, and I still think it may be possible to get this figured out, but there definitely was a point to be had about my relentless desire to set a date.
That's all for now, thanks for reading, and may the Lord bless. He certainly has me, and at that, in spite of me. Adam has a great post on FP.com up right now, "have you blown it?", seems to be timed perfectly. Adios, stay tuned!
12.15.2007
Hamas leader: Palestinians can launch more intifadas
By News Agencies
Tags: Hamas, Fatah, terrorism
Hamas' Damascus-based political leader Khaled Meshal threatened Saturday to launch a new intifada against Israel, as hundreds of thousands of Islamist supporters rallied in Gaza City to mark the group's 20th anniversary.
In a 20th anniversary message to Hamas TV, Meshal said Hamas would not abandon violence.
"This is our real choice, our trump card, which causes the enemy to succumb to us," he said. "Our people are able to launch a third and fourth uprising until the dawn
of victory arrives."
Meshal said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who controls the West Bank, does not have the mandate to negotiate with Israel.
The central square in Gaza City was awash with green flags and dozens of armed, masked men from the group's military wing patrolled as an 300,000 to 500,000 Hamas supporters rallied to mark the anniversary.
Addressing the rally, senior Hamas official Mushir al-Masri warned Israel to expect many casualties if Israel Defense Forces troops launch a major operation in the coastal territory in an attempt to stop almost daily rocket fire by militants at Israel.
"Jews, go back, because we have already dug graves for you," Masri said. Israel carries out regular raids on Gaza and has killed dozens of militants in the past month.
Haaretz
>>Those are some pretty bold statements. Throwing religious rights to land out the window, I'd definitely have to say I would favor Israel in this confrontation, as they appear to be the sane ones in light of this agression. If it was based solely on religious rights, we already know how it's going to play out eventually -- Israel will be removed from the land, and then restored -- so I woulden't be likely to favor either side.
It's probably getting dark in Israel right about now, and still no sacrifices yet. Maybe tomorrow? Maybe I'm missing something again. I don't know, I still have fun following this stuff, and until the Word proves me wrong I'm going to think that we're probably in the 70th week, so if nothing happens today or tomorrow I'll just have to go back to it again.
Also, I would like make the point that I don't think the people who don't see the ENP as likely fulfilling prophecy as inferior, although it may come off that way in my defense of the theory. It's only by the grace of God that we can do anything, and that includes throwing off man's ideas and getting down to the Word in regards to eschatology. Our will has been emancipated though, and we are told, "seek, and ye shall find", so there is that part of the equation... but still, every good work is of grace, and even Paul, who probably has us all out-worked by far, woulden't boast of himself. He even wrote to the Corinthians of this, saying to them that it was "that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written". That shoulden't be a problem with me, because I usually have to defend myself more than I have to tell people not to think of me too highly, but it shows the point that even if one person is right about something, and everyone else is wrong, there is still no room for boasting, because that which they have is what has been given to them. 1 Corinthians 1 and 4 are good chapters.
And, I'm still sick, so I need to get some rest. Thanks for reading, may the Lord bless.
12.14.2007
Laws of the Land
1Pe 2:13 ¶ Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
Here, we are commanded to obey every ordinance of mankind. The only instance we would be exempt from obeying these laws would be in the case that our obedience to them would cause us to disobey a direct command from the Lord. For instance, if it ever becomes illegal to preach the Gospel, we will continue to preach it, Lord willing. If it becomes illegal for us to peaceably assemble, we will still assemble, Lord willing. We are told that one of the reasons we are to obey the laws of man is so that we may "put to silence the ignorance of foolish men", and I believe this speaks of those who would look to find fault with us, to discredit our testimony. The reason we obey is not to seek the approval of the unbelieving, as we know that ultimately, the only thing that matters is what the Lord thinks, as He alone is the righteous judge of our actions, and the rewarder of them. We may receive temporary benefits from other people for our well-doing, but in reality these are from the hand of the Lord. In Psalm 75, verse 7, the Word says:
Ps 75:6 ¶ For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
And then in Acts chapter 10, verses 34-42:
Ac 10:34 ¶ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
Just as rewards from the hand of man ultimately come from God, our obedience to the laws of man are ultimately obedience to Him. In Romans chapter 13, we read:
Ro 13:1 ¶ Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
From this passage, it is made clear that if we resist the laws of man, other than ones that would cause us to disobey the Lord, we are really resisting Him. And, while it is not for the approval of man that we obey, the Lord commands us to do so, I believe, in part so that they will have no valid reason to discredit our work for the Lord. If one is living in constant disregard for the law, it is easy, and proper, to question whether they are truly abiding in the thrice holy God, as they are bringing reproach upon His name. In the Old Testament, we read of Daniel's success in an earthly kingdom, and of those who despised him for it. In the book of Daniel, chapter 6, verse 4, we read:
Da 6:4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
This, of course, did not mean that Daniel was perfectly obedient in every way, as that is impossible for a fallen man. But, when these men examined Daniel's life, they could find nothing that he was presently guilty of to bring before the king. Had it not been for this, it is highly unlikely that the king would have later made a decree that all should tremble and fear before God, in verses 25 and 26:
Da 6:25 ¶ Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
This attitude of accommodation to men for the Lord's sake is spoken of by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9, verses 19-23:
1Co 9:19 ¶ For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Paul states here that the reason he did these things was for the Gospel's sake, so that his ministry for the Lord would not be hindered by these differences... and this gives us another reason to obey the Lord's command to subject ourselves to the laws of man. Paul makes it clear that he did not make any accommadations that would cause him to disobey the Lord, but he made every effort he could to be able to relate to the people he was ministering to. That should be the spirit of our obedience to the laws of man... we should strive to obey them as much as possible without disobeying God. In Matthew 17, verses 24-27, we read:
Mt 17:24 ¶ And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
Here, we are commanded to obey every ordinance of mankind. The only instance we would be exempt from obeying these laws would be in the case that our obedience to them would cause us to disobey a direct command from the Lord. For instance, if it ever becomes illegal to preach the Gospel, we will continue to preach it, Lord willing. If it becomes illegal for us to peaceably assemble, we will still assemble, Lord willing. We are told that one of the reasons we are to obey the laws of man is so that we may "put to silence the ignorance of foolish men", and I believe this speaks of those who would look to find fault with us, to discredit our testimony. The reason we obey is not to seek the approval of the unbelieving, as we know that ultimately, the only thing that matters is what the Lord thinks, as He alone is the righteous judge of our actions, and the rewarder of them. We may receive temporary benefits from other people for our well-doing, but in reality these are from the hand of the Lord. In Psalm 75, verse 7, the Word says:
Ps 75:6 ¶ For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
And then in Acts chapter 10, verses 34-42:
Ac 10:34 ¶ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
Just as rewards from the hand of man ultimately come from God, our obedience to the laws of man are ultimately obedience to Him. In Romans chapter 13, we read:
Ro 13:1 ¶ Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
From this passage, it is made clear that if we resist the laws of man, other than ones that would cause us to disobey the Lord, we are really resisting Him. And, while it is not for the approval of man that we obey, the Lord commands us to do so, I believe, in part so that they will have no valid reason to discredit our work for the Lord. If one is living in constant disregard for the law, it is easy, and proper, to question whether they are truly abiding in the thrice holy God, as they are bringing reproach upon His name. In the Old Testament, we read of Daniel's success in an earthly kingdom, and of those who despised him for it. In the book of Daniel, chapter 6, verse 4, we read:
Da 6:4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
This, of course, did not mean that Daniel was perfectly obedient in every way, as that is impossible for a fallen man. But, when these men examined Daniel's life, they could find nothing that he was presently guilty of to bring before the king. Had it not been for this, it is highly unlikely that the king would have later made a decree that all should tremble and fear before God, in verses 25 and 26:
Da 6:25 ¶ Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
This attitude of accommodation to men for the Lord's sake is spoken of by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9, verses 19-23:
1Co 9:19 ¶ For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Paul states here that the reason he did these things was for the Gospel's sake, so that his ministry for the Lord would not be hindered by these differences... and this gives us another reason to obey the Lord's command to subject ourselves to the laws of man. Paul makes it clear that he did not make any accommadations that would cause him to disobey the Lord, but he made every effort he could to be able to relate to the people he was ministering to. That should be the spirit of our obedience to the laws of man... we should strive to obey them as much as possible without disobeying God. In Matthew 17, verses 24-27, we read:
Mt 17:24 ¶ And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
Al-Zawahri: Annapolis summit was betrayal of Palestinians
By The Associated Press
Al-Qaida's No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri said last month's U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference was a betrayal aimed at selling out the Palestinians in a new message, the terror group's first reaction to the gathering.
The audiotape released Friday by Osama bin Laden's deputy was the latest al-Qaida attempt to rally Muslims behind it by using the widespread bitterness felt towards Israel over the Palestinian issue.
Al-Zawahri focused his anger against Egypt, a top U.S. ally and the first Arab country to sign a peace deal with Israel, calling on Bedouin in Egypt to rise up against the rule of President Hosni Mubarak.
Advertisement
The Nov. 27 peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, relaunched Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and was attended by most Arab nations, including leading players Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria - despite their initial reluctance to participate in a gathering many Arabs worried would not commit Israel to making concessions.
"The Annapolis meeting was held to turn Palestine into a Jewish state," al-Zawahri said in the 20-minute audiotape posted on an Islamic militant Web forum. The posting carried a still photo of the white-turbaned al-Zawhari against a backdrop photograph from the Maryland conference.
Haaretz
Al-Qaida's No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri said last month's U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference was a betrayal aimed at selling out the Palestinians in a new message, the terror group's first reaction to the gathering.
The audiotape released Friday by Osama bin Laden's deputy was the latest al-Qaida attempt to rally Muslims behind it by using the widespread bitterness felt towards Israel over the Palestinian issue.
Al-Zawahri focused his anger against Egypt, a top U.S. ally and the first Arab country to sign a peace deal with Israel, calling on Bedouin in Egypt to rise up against the rule of President Hosni Mubarak.
Advertisement
The Nov. 27 peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, relaunched Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and was attended by most Arab nations, including leading players Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria - despite their initial reluctance to participate in a gathering many Arabs worried would not commit Israel to making concessions.
"The Annapolis meeting was held to turn Palestine into a Jewish state," al-Zawahri said in the 20-minute audiotape posted on an Islamic militant Web forum. The posting carried a still photo of the white-turbaned al-Zawhari against a backdrop photograph from the Maryland conference.
Haaretz
Hamas, Fatah to possibly unite, IDF gets more authority in Gaza
Radical Palestinian group urges Fatah to talk with Hamas
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
A senior official of a radical Palestinian faction called on Fatah on Friday to begin a dialogue with Hamas to overcome their political differences.
The two main Palestinian groups have been locked in a standoff ever since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip by force in June, leaving Fatah to rule over the West Bank.
"We call on our brothers in Fatah to embark on a national dialogue to close ranks," Maher Taher, the representative of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in Damascus, said during a speech marking the 40th anniversary of the group's formation.
"The matter doesn't deserve all this conflict over a partitioned authority that is shackled with all kinds of Zionist conditions," Taher added.
JPost
Qassam hits Negev factory as gov't declares 'special situation'
By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent and The Associated Press
A Qassam rocket struck a western Negev factory Friday, hours after the cabinet declared a "special situation" in Sderot and in other communities bordering the Gaza Strip due to constant Qassam rocket attacks.
The Kibbutz Gabim factory, which operates around the clock, sustained damage. None of the employees who were at the factory at the time of the attack were wounded.
Friday's vote to declare a "special situation" was carried out over the telephone by Cabinet Secretary Oved Yehezkel, and came after Defense Minister Ehud Barak decided Thursday evening to seek government approval for the move.
Officials from the Defense Ministry said that the decision will have to go before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in order to go into effect, where it will remain until March 2008.
The declaration essentially transfers emergency authority from the state to the army. Therefore, the IDF Southern Command can determine whether or not schools will remain open, and the Home Front can order factories containing dangerous materials to close their doors.
Haaretz
>>It looks like the Palestenians may be unifying against Israel... one of the things that has been stopping a war between Israel and PA has been the divisions among the Palestenians, so this could be an indication of what will come next.
Also, the IDF has just been granted more authority *near* Gaza, following on the heels of them being denied authority for a large-scale Gaza operation. This could be the back door they need to gain some ground there, I guess we'll see. I'm gonna try keep an eye on this tonight, through tomorrow morning. As far as I know, Israel's sacrifice would be in the evening when it is instituted, and I'll be watching through the 16th just in case I missed a day. I could be off by a few, or off completely, but I'm not going to be in shock if I was wrong. That's all for now...
--edited at 7:39 pm: "in" changed to "near"--
12.13.2007
whoa! google "Javier Solana"
This is the first page of results that I got, in the order they came up, when I googled "Javier Solana". Five of them are in reference to the last days:
Javier Solana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Javier Solana has said that despite this the EU would remain an actor on the world stage and would forge ahead with its plans for a new diplomatic service. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javier_Solana - 86k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Javier Solana
EU High Representative Javier SOLANA condemns the terrorist attack in Beirut ... EU HR Javier SOLANA met Serzh SARGSYAN, Prime Minister of Armenia ...
www.consilium.europa.eu/cms3_fo/showPage.asp?id=246&lang=en - 72k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Javier Solana
Javier Solana. Българcки (bg), Español (es), Čeština (cs), Dansk (da) ... Curriculum vitae of Mr Javier SOLANA MADARIAGA. Born in Madrid on 14 July 1942. ...
www.consilium.europa.eu/cms3_applications/applications/solana/cv.asp?cmsid=246&lang=EN - 62k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
[ More results from www.consilium.europa.eu ]
Dr. Dennis Cuddy -- Javier Solana and The End Times
Relevant to this, one might take note of the activities of Javier Solana de Madariaga of Spain, whom I recently described in Part 2 of a NewsWithViews ...
www.newswithviews.com/Cuddy/dennis75.htm - 19k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Is Javier Solana the Antichrist?
Is Javier Solana the Antichrist? Javier Solana is considered an antichrist candidate by some, including Herb Peters of Fulfilled Prophecy.
www.escapeallthesethings.com/javier-solana.htm - 18k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Prophecy in the news
For further information on Javier Solana, check through the news ... Javier Solana is now personally involved in the EU's peace efforts in the Middle East. ...
www.evenmore.co.uk/prophecy/antichrist.html - 60k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Fulfilledprophecy.com
The first Mr. Europe, Javier Solana, appeared on the scene to oversee the EU's foreign and security policy. The same year he also became head over the ...
www.fulfilledprophecy.com/ - 68k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Javier Solana: Blogs, Photos, Videos and more on Technorati
Hoy quiero invitar a mis lectores a que lean un texto ajeno, el discurso del Alto Representante de la UE para la PolÃtica Exterior, Javier Solana, ...
technorati.com/tag/Javier+Solana - 40k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
NATO Who is Who? Secretaries General Javier Solana
Javier Solana took office as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's ninth Secretary General in December 1995. As chairman of the North Atlantic Council ...
www.nato.int/cv/secgen/solana.htm - 6k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Mr. Europe: Javier Solana
This web page is put together to present facts about Mr. Europe, Javier Solana. Why devote this page to him? There are many things coming together from ...
www.watchmanbiblestudy.com/Topics/JavierSolana.htm - 87k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Javier Solana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Javier Solana has said that despite this the EU would remain an actor on the world stage and would forge ahead with its plans for a new diplomatic service. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javier_Solana - 86k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Javier Solana
EU High Representative Javier SOLANA condemns the terrorist attack in Beirut ... EU HR Javier SOLANA met Serzh SARGSYAN, Prime Minister of Armenia ...
www.consilium.europa.eu/cms3_fo/showPage.asp?id=246&lang=en - 72k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Javier Solana
Javier Solana. Българcки (bg), Español (es), Čeština (cs), Dansk (da) ... Curriculum vitae of Mr Javier SOLANA MADARIAGA. Born in Madrid on 14 July 1942. ...
www.consilium.europa.eu/cms3_applications/applications/solana/cv.asp?cmsid=246&lang=EN - 62k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
[ More results from www.consilium.europa.eu ]
Dr. Dennis Cuddy -- Javier Solana and The End Times
Relevant to this, one might take note of the activities of Javier Solana de Madariaga of Spain, whom I recently described in Part 2 of a NewsWithViews ...
www.newswithviews.com/Cuddy/dennis75.htm - 19k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Is Javier Solana the Antichrist?
Is Javier Solana the Antichrist? Javier Solana is considered an antichrist candidate by some, including Herb Peters of Fulfilled Prophecy.
www.escapeallthesethings.com/javier-solana.htm - 18k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Prophecy in the news
For further information on Javier Solana, check through the news ... Javier Solana is now personally involved in the EU's peace efforts in the Middle East. ...
www.evenmore.co.uk/prophecy/antichrist.html - 60k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Fulfilledprophecy.com
The first Mr. Europe, Javier Solana, appeared on the scene to oversee the EU's foreign and security policy. The same year he also became head over the ...
www.fulfilledprophecy.com/ - 68k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Javier Solana: Blogs, Photos, Videos and more on Technorati
Hoy quiero invitar a mis lectores a que lean un texto ajeno, el discurso del Alto Representante de la UE para la PolÃtica Exterior, Javier Solana, ...
technorati.com/tag/Javier+Solana - 40k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
NATO Who is Who? Secretaries General Javier Solana
Javier Solana took office as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's ninth Secretary General in December 1995. As chairman of the North Atlantic Council ...
www.nato.int/cv/secgen/solana.htm - 6k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Mr. Europe: Javier Solana
This web page is put together to present facts about Mr. Europe, Javier Solana. Why devote this page to him? There are many things coming together from ...
www.watchmanbiblestudy.com/Topics/JavierSolana.htm - 87k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Thought Thread
Ok, so to keep you all updated as to where I think we're at(if you're reading this blog, you probably have at least some interest in that), it appears as if talks between Palestenians and Israel are fruitless. The US does not want to be blamed for another pre-emptive war, but they know Iran is a threat, despite recent talk otherwise(which is considered in this thread of thought). Israel is used to us coddling them, but now they are faced with a decision. Israel must have control of the temple mount to institute sacrifices, and not only that, the whole Islamic Jihad must be at bay somehow. If these things are going to play out, we will likely see a war between Israel and the Palestenians, with Israel victorious. This may spread world-wide, and fulfill the second seal, or that may be later in the scheme of things.
1Pe 4:7 ¶ But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
(the colored text above links to articles that relate to each linked phrase)
1Pe 4:7 ¶ But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
(the colored text above links to articles that relate to each linked phrase)
check out...
The blogs on the right. Most, if not all of them, have a great last few posts. Also check out this link if you have some time on your hands and are looking for some interesting theories. I tend to differ a bit from this guy on a few points, like who currently constitutes the Bride of Christ(the understanding of which is really based on one's understanding of the Church), and when the 70th week has likely started(although, this guy has me thinking it could have been a little earlier than the 1st of this year, but that would not affect my projected date for Israel's sacrifices, the 15th of this month), but he's got some good information that's at the very least thought-provoking.
Q and A "session"
A new friend of mine was sharing some questions they had about all of this, and they gave me permission to post them, along with my answers, so here goes:
Q: "....about the national ID card that is now a law and they are planning to start using next year... could that be considered the mark of the beast as someone on another site thought?"
A: "...it could not be the mark for four reasons:
1. The mark will be instituded by the beast himself
2. It will be world-wide, enforced on every in habitant of earth
3. It will be in the right hand or forhead(this could be a tatoo, as the ink goes underneath the skin, but I believe it refers to an implant)
4. You will not be able to buy or sell without it, which likely means that it will carry financial information in a cash-less world
Re 13:16 And he(#1 above) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond(#2 above), to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads(#3 above):
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name(#4 above)
I believe that the propsed National ID is one step closer to that, but one thing we need to remember is that the technology itself is not evil. Globilization(i.e. one-world government) itself is not inherently evil either, but it will be put to evil use. We should not be scared, although it is impossible to have the necessary courage on our own. It is courage that God alone can give, to suffer evil, knowing that He will deliver justice. Jesus says in John 16:33, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
Q: "what do you think of Sid Roth?... Sometimes it seems that he is a true believer and then when I hear some of the buzz words.... global, new revelation... etc...."
A: "...usually when God does a miracle in someone's life, they don't try to become a millionare off of it, or let someone else try. He says he tells people how to "be intimate with God" at the end of his shows, but the one I watched just had him telling people to believe in healing. Not a word about Jesus Christ and the need for redemption... I have a hard time believing this guy is saved... I don't know what 'new revelation' he's talking about, but I don't believe in anything that adds to or contradicts the Bible, and as far as I know, that's what 'new revelation' means, so that's another reason to be wary of this guy."
Q: "Also, what do you think of Dean and Laura Vandruff... and their article, 'Christians and Conspiracy Theories'? They seem to be so respected in Christianity and yet that article seemed like a new age attack to me."
A (these may be harsh words, but sometimes, they are necessary. my opinion on whether or not someone is called to teach has no bearing on reality, but is hopefully highly influenced by it): "Dean and Laura may be born-again, but they are in for a big suprise when things start hitting the fan. They may not be New-Agers, but their website has a totally irrevrent spirit, and I honestly don't think they are called by the Lord to teach anything, from looking at what they have put out there. Their Bible studies are watered-down and powerless, and they are probably a good example of what's gone wrong with modern Christianity. As Jesus said,
Re 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
One thing they miss is that the "conspiratorial view" is the Biblical view of history:
Ps 2:1 ¶ Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
If they would look at the facts, like what David Rockefeller himself has said about his own involvment in the conspiracy, and the Rockefeller's estableshment's ties people like Maurice Strong and Ban-Ki Moon, both of whom Constance Cumbey has written about, they might think twice, but I think they are too busy trying to look smart to really investigate what's going on.
We are told, though, in so many words, that it is better to be "wise concerning what is good, and simple concerning evil". I think it is good to have a basic knowledge of the conspiracy, and to be cautious concerning what is going on, and what we believe, and especially good to see how these things are lining up with prophecy, but most of our time studying should be spent with God and His Word, as our relationship with Him is what will help us the most when things get tough. I think that knowing what's going on may help us to explain it to everyone else who's saved when they start waking up to it, and possibly inject some sanity into situations that would otherwise be overrun with desparation and confusion, though."
Q: "....about the national ID card that is now a law and they are planning to start using next year... could that be considered the mark of the beast as someone on another site thought?"
A: "...it could not be the mark for four reasons:
1. The mark will be instituded by the beast himself
2. It will be world-wide, enforced on every in habitant of earth
3. It will be in the right hand or forhead(this could be a tatoo, as the ink goes underneath the skin, but I believe it refers to an implant)
4. You will not be able to buy or sell without it, which likely means that it will carry financial information in a cash-less world
Re 13:16 And he(#1 above) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond(#2 above), to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads(#3 above):
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name(#4 above)
I believe that the propsed National ID is one step closer to that, but one thing we need to remember is that the technology itself is not evil. Globilization(i.e. one-world government) itself is not inherently evil either, but it will be put to evil use. We should not be scared, although it is impossible to have the necessary courage on our own. It is courage that God alone can give, to suffer evil, knowing that He will deliver justice. Jesus says in John 16:33, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
Q: "what do you think of Sid Roth?... Sometimes it seems that he is a true believer and then when I hear some of the buzz words.... global, new revelation... etc...."
A: "...usually when God does a miracle in someone's life, they don't try to become a millionare off of it, or let someone else try. He says he tells people how to "be intimate with God" at the end of his shows, but the one I watched just had him telling people to believe in healing. Not a word about Jesus Christ and the need for redemption... I have a hard time believing this guy is saved... I don't know what 'new revelation' he's talking about, but I don't believe in anything that adds to or contradicts the Bible, and as far as I know, that's what 'new revelation' means, so that's another reason to be wary of this guy."
Q: "Also, what do you think of Dean and Laura Vandruff... and their article, 'Christians and Conspiracy Theories'? They seem to be so respected in Christianity and yet that article seemed like a new age attack to me."
A (these may be harsh words, but sometimes, they are necessary. my opinion on whether or not someone is called to teach has no bearing on reality, but is hopefully highly influenced by it): "Dean and Laura may be born-again, but they are in for a big suprise when things start hitting the fan. They may not be New-Agers, but their website has a totally irrevrent spirit, and I honestly don't think they are called by the Lord to teach anything, from looking at what they have put out there. Their Bible studies are watered-down and powerless, and they are probably a good example of what's gone wrong with modern Christianity. As Jesus said,
Re 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
One thing they miss is that the "conspiratorial view" is the Biblical view of history:
Ps 2:1 ¶ Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
If they would look at the facts, like what David Rockefeller himself has said about his own involvment in the conspiracy, and the Rockefeller's estableshment's ties people like Maurice Strong and Ban-Ki Moon, both of whom Constance Cumbey has written about, they might think twice, but I think they are too busy trying to look smart to really investigate what's going on.
We are told, though, in so many words, that it is better to be "wise concerning what is good, and simple concerning evil". I think it is good to have a basic knowledge of the conspiracy, and to be cautious concerning what is going on, and what we believe, and especially good to see how these things are lining up with prophecy, but most of our time studying should be spent with God and His Word, as our relationship with Him is what will help us the most when things get tough. I think that knowing what's going on may help us to explain it to everyone else who's saved when they start waking up to it, and possibly inject some sanity into situations that would otherwise be overrun with desparation and confusion, though."
Gorbachev Worries About Missile Plan
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) - Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said Wednesday that he viewed a U.S. plan to deploy a missile defense shield in Central Europe as targeting Russia, not Iran.
"(On Tuesday) Milos Zeman, the former Czech prime minister, said, ‘What kind of Iran threat do you see? This is a system that is being created against Russia,'" Gorbachev said. "I don't think Zeman is alone in seeing this. We see this as well as he sees it."
The United States wants to place a radar station in the Czech Republic and intercepter missiles in Poland, saying the components would defend European allies against a possible Iranian strike.
12.12.2007
No green light for Gaza invasion
Hours after the security cabinet ruled against a large military operation in the Gaza Strip, IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said Wednesday that it was impossible to defeat a terrorist group without having control on the ground.
During the day, more than 20 Kassam rockets were
fired into the western Negev, pounding Sderot and outlying communities. A young girl was lightly wounded by shrapnel in her leg and two others were treated for ringing in their ears after one Kassam struck the middle of a residential
neighborhood in Sderot.
"I don't think that this reality can continue for much longer," Ashkenazi said at a conference on Israel's future security challenges at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.
JPost
'Iran tested new missile during summit'
Iran tested a newly-developed ballistic missile on the day of the Annapolis conference, Channel 10 reported Wednesday.
The Ashoura missile has a range of 2,000 kilometers and is capable of reaching Israel, US Army bases in the Middle East and eastern European cities, including Moscow, said the TV
channel.
According to the report, the new missile is an improvement on
the existing Shihab-3 missile. The Ashoura uses solid fuel instead of the Shihab's liquid fuel, giving it a significantly faster launch sequence which is harder to detect.
JPost
IDF chief: Major military Gaza offensive becoming more likely
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi said Wednesday that though daily strikes against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip were having a positive impact, a major military offensive was becoming more likely.
Ashkenazi spoke mere hours after a barrage of at least 15
Qassam rockets, fired from Gaza, slammed into the western Negev. Speaking at a conference in Tel Aviv on security issues, Lieutenant General Ashkenazi said that daily IDF incursions into the coastal territory were hurting militants, but could not be decisive in curbing attacks against Israel.
"We are operating in Gaza on a daily basis. [On Tuesday] we returned from a broad operation - this brings a reduction in the ground threat and the firing of rockets but does not stop it," Ashkenazi said. "We will come to the point where we will have to carry out the big operation."
Haaretz
'IDF must prepare for multi-level war'
The IDF needs to prepare for every option in case the international community doesn't succeed in its attempt to stop Iran's race towards nuclear power, Chief of Staff Lt. -Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said Wednesday.
"The international community needs to stop Iran," Ashkenazi said at the Conference on Security Challenges at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv, "but we in the IDF need to prepare for every option in case this does not
succeed."
JPost
First Middle East peace talks in six years open in Jerusalem, first meeting ends abruptly
Israel and the Palestinians held their first formal peace talks for six years today, although the meeting got off to a shaky start with Palestinian officials expressing outrage at Israel’s announcement of new settlements in East Jerusalem.
The new round of talks, designed to capitalise on the regional summit in the US city of Annapolis two weeks ago, came a day after Israel sent dozens of tanks into Gaza to hunt down wanted militants, triggering intense battles that left at least seven Palestinian militants dead.
Talks lasted for 90 minutes before a Palestinian negotiator emerged to claim that the settlement issue would have to be resolved before further negotiations could continue.
Times Online UK
>>Things are still looking like there won't be peace any time soon... stay tuned.
IDF leaves Palestinian home in shambles after weapons search
By Haaretz Staff and Channel 10
Tags: IDF, Yata, Haaretz.com TV
Haaretz.com/Channel 10 daily feature for
December 11, 2007.
Last Thursday, in the middle of the night, soldiers arrived at the Nasser household in the village of Yata in the southern Hebron
Hills.
They came on a routine search for concealed weapons based on
intelligence information, but the damages they left behind at the Palestinian family's home were nothing but routine.
link to video
If you watch the video, and see the damage that the IDF left at the Palestenian home, it might cause you to wonder why Haaretz, which is generally-speaking a liberal newspaper, would publish this the day of the talks with the Palestenians. The event happened almost a week ago, and it doesen't take that long for them to get a video ready, so their choice of days is questionable. Are they trying to start a fight? I would say yes, but as always, I could be wrong.
Oh yeah, I think they meant "anything but routine" -- not "nothing".
Israelis, Palestinians Resume Peace Talks
NPR.org, December 12, 2007 · The first
round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in nearly seven years opened in Jerusalem on Wednesday, as the two sides tried to sustain momentum begun last month at Annapolis, Md., and move toward ending six decades of hostility.
An Israeli military operation that killed six militants in the Gaza Strip and a plan to expand a Jewish east Jerusalem settlement have complicated the talks.
The Gaza operation was not expected to disrupt the talks since Israeli troops had withdrawn to a buffer zone along the territory's border with Israel by daybreak Wednesday. However, Palestinian officials refused to discuss other issues until Israel agrees to halt construction in the territories the Palestinians want as part of a future state.
>>I wonder what Hamas and the Haredi Jews think about this? It will be interesting to see what the outcome is, as always...
Great overview!
Wow, just found this link on Constance's blog:
http://www.timesofnoah.com/EU.html
It is a great overview of Javier Solana and the WEU, and it's apparent fulfillment of prophecy.
http://www.timesofnoah.com/EU.html
It is a great overview of Javier Solana and the WEU, and it's apparent fulfillment of prophecy.
12.11.2007
PA claims Israel sabotaging talks with Gaza campaign
The latest IDF operation in the Gaza Strip is yet another attempt by Israel to sabotage the peace process, Palestinian Authority officials said Tuesday.
The PA leadership was under mounting pressure to boycott Wednesday's final-status talks with Israel in protest against the IDF operation. The pressure was coming not only from Hamas and other radical groups, but even from some senior Fatah representatives.
The officials told The Jerusalem Post Israel "was making it very difficult" for the PA to sit at the negotiating table, arguing that the timing of the Gaza operation could not have been worse.
-JPost
>>Peace in the Middle East? Not yet, by the looks of things. This may pan out to an all-out war between the two sides, as I think it will, or the situation may be fixed if a certan someone steps in and saves the day. I'm still watching the 14th and 15th for Israel to begin sacrificing, and one of the two would probably have to happen, in my opinion, before that would be possible. Annapolis is starting to look like a failure, and I don't think we'll see fundamental Islam and Judiasm being reconciled anytime soon... while they may not always be the majority, they seem to be the underlying force behind PA and Israel. At the beginning of this year, Olmert, who doesen't seem to care much about the Temple Mount, and appears(at least to me) to represent the rational, secular Israel, had his approval ratings as low as 23%. As for Palestine, it seems the Israeli people believe that Hamas has enough sway to keep things conflicted until they get their way -- which would rule out a two-state solution, from what I know of Hamas:
"Furthermore, a large majority - 71 percent - believe it is impossible to reach a peace settlement with the Palestinians without Hamas' consent, with only 21 percent claiming the opposite. Given the perception of Abbas' weakness, it is clear why this assessment also contributes to the lack of faith in the feasibility of a peaceful solution." - Haaretz
With that said, we know that:
"Hamas' charter (written in 1988 and still in effect) calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and its replacement with a Palestinian Islamic state in the area that is now Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip" -Wikipedia.
I think that the Orthodox Jews in Israel are probably plotting a war against Hamas, and by extension, Palestine, to take over the temple mount and build a third temple. I also believe, as Hamas's charter states, that Hamas is plotting a complete destruction of Israel. I do not believe that either side is justified, though, as the land ultimately belongs to God, and His people by race, and not race alone, but by covenant as well. Paul tells us, in Romans:
Ro 9:1 ¶ I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. 6 ¶ Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
Israel can only rightly occupy the land after Jesus Christ has returned, when they are there under His kingship, in a covenant bought by His blood. Until then, we won't see any kind of permanent solution to the conflict over the land, and it won't be rightly occupied. We know that Israel will go into captivity in the midst of the 70th "week"(see the olivet discourse) and that the land will be trodden of the Gentiles until the "times of the Gentiles be fulfilled"(Luke 21:24).
We do know from Daniel 9:27, among other verses, that they will be offering sacrifices and grain offerings by the time this happens. Hamas would never allow this, so something has to happen to them before Israel can resume sacrifices on the mount. The people of Israel, let alone the Orthodox, must know this well by now, and to think that the Orthodox would not be figuring out a way around this obstacle would be an insult to their zeal. I believe we may be in for a quick war, and one that may spread world-wide. It appears the EU has not yet finished ratifying it's reform treaty, and if that constitutes the first seal, the second will be following shortly after it is ratified.
Those of you who are looking objectively at the Word, instead of listening to the popular words of our day, and then looking at the WEU, the ENP, Reccomendation 666, ect., know that the things we see there are either the real thing, a fake-out, or a type fulfillment. Keep watching, and get into the Word, because it has the answers.
The second seal may be soon or far off - we are not given a time frame for the seals. It could be that if there is a war in the Middle-East, it will be
contained there, and the second seal will come later. Whatever the case is, if we see Israel on the mount with a sacrifice soon, we can know that Herb
Peters(see the link on the top right) was probably right.
Re 6:1 ¶ And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. 3 ¶ And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
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