Living Journey

What is happening in this land of Israel? How are we to understand what is going on? Can the bible help to explain this going back to the Law of Moses and has this been prophesied even by the Old Testament prophets such as Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Daniel? What will be the outcome of the return to OT Law, does the bible explain this too?

Headline News

Sunday, April 06, 2008 by Staff Writer

Jewish group to slaughter lamb in Passover sacrifice rehearsal

A Bible-adherent Jewish group on Sunday ritually slaughtered a young lamb in what is called a “rehearsal” for the renewal of the Passover sacrifice once the Jerusalem temple is rebuilt.

The Temple Movement won approval to carry out the practice sacrifice from Israel’s High Court on Friday after animal rights groups asserted that the lamb would be put through inhumane suffering.

In its legal response, the Temple Movement explained that the slaughter would be carried out according to biblical standards, which is the same method used to slaughter lambs at kosher slaughterhouses around the country.

The sacrifice and accompanying religious ceremonies were performed at a prominent yeshiva overlooking Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, which is still occupied by several Muslim shrines.

First a little something about the Passover Lamb from a gentile who was allowed to be there and film the whole thing…

Over 3,000 years ago, God brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt. He accomplished this by bringing ten devastating plagues upon the Egyptians, the last and greatest of which was the death of the oldest son in each family. God made a way for the Israelites to escape this death by sacrificing a lamb and putting its blood on the doorposts of their houses. Then the angel would “pass over” the house with the blood so that the firstborn would not die. At that time, God commanded the Israelites to celebrate the Passover every year. Each family would choose a lamb on the 10th day of the month of Nisan and on the 14th day, the lamb would be slain.

Shortly after the time of Christ, the Jewish temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. Since then, the Jewish people have not been able to follow the command to kill a lamb on Passover. But this year, a group of Jewish people carried out a ritual slaughter in Jerusalem not far from where the temple used to be.

The fact is this last Passover may very well be the first one since AD70 that an actual Lamb was sacrificially slaughtered by priests who are in training for the Third Temple. An eye witness recorded the event on video (warning: it is graphic footage of the actual sacrifice) and the said the following…

As far as I am aware and according to everyone I have talked to this was a very unique sacrifice. Those that I’ve talked to seem to believe that it is the first time they have done a sacrifice like this since the days of the temple, but I have no real way of verifying that. Basically every year they ask the government for permission to do this sacrifice on the Temple Mount (as they did again this year) and every year the government denies them permission because they know such a sacrifice would start World War III. This year they were especially charged because of the killing of 8 Jewish students by a terrorist who were studying to become Rabbi’s. So they decided to do the sacrifice anyways–of course they would have done it on the Temple Mount had they been able to go up there, but they are not allowed by the military.
God has graciously opened the doors for us to interview and actually get to know some of the Jewish Priests. We were able to film a conference that they had here where Cohanim (priests) gathered from all over the world . Their purpose of coming together was to start organizing themselves and begin training for their future activation once the third temple is built. We were the only gentiles at this event as well (actually the only non priests and Levites), but we were allowed to be there as we were filming it for them (and for us at the same time). We were able to interview the DNA scientist at this same conference who discovered what’s called the Cohen Y Chromosome. This is the Y chromosome that identifies the priestly class. So they know who are priests both through their careful traditions of handing down names and DNA testing. Pretty cool stuff.
Anyways, they are actively building furniture for the third temple and training the priesthood for activation. These are facts, as for what exactly it means or when– well I have no idea, but like you I live with the expectation that Jesus is coming soon. Living here in Jerusalem makes this easy to do.

Then I get the following email today from the Temple Institute in regards to Israel’s “Independence Day”…

The nation of Israel is today commemorating the tens of thousands of soldiers who have fallen in battle. They fell while bravely defending the people of Israel from their enemies throughout these first six decades of the reborn nation’s life. With nightfall, Yom HaZikaron - Memorial Day - will be superseded by Yom Atzma-ut - Independence Day. The somber and reflective will be replaced by the celebratory. It is a sudden and jarring transition that never fails, year after year, to provoke a strong emotional and spiritual reckoning: our loss is tempered by our historic gains, our sadness is sweetened with the joy of our return to the land of our fathers.

Yet, in recent years, an increasing number of Jews here in the land of Israel have begun to question whether it is appropriate at all to celebrate the rebirth of the state of Israel. We have indeed suffered many disappointments, the bitterest at the hands of our own leaders.[...]

[...]In spite of the continuing pains of rebirth that this nation is experiencing, and even in spite of all careless and sometimes cruel damage we have inflicted upon ourselves, their is no humanly rational way possible to deny that a great historical and redemptive process is taking place here in the land of Israel. The ongoing ingathering of millions of exiled Jews and ancient Jewish communities from scores of countries the world over dwarfs any temporary setbacks we have met along the way.[...]

Setbacks aside, Israel is racing forward, our date with destiny unfolding before us. Nowhere is this more evident than in the growing longing throughout the world for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple, for the Holy Temple is a crucial and undeniable testimony to G-d’s immanent presence here among the nations. The Holy Temple is proof positive that the loss and suffering that this nation has experienced these past six decades is not in vain. We at the Temple Institute have the unique privilege to both play an active role in G-d’s unfolding cosmic drama, and also to witness, first hand, the nation of Israel awakening to its responsibility in making the Holy Temple a tangible and transcendent reality, here in the land of Israel and throughout the four corners of the world, speedily and in our days. We enjoin you to join us - in celebrating the rebirth in the land of the nation of Israel.

When I hear of such things happening in the Holy Land I always remember what Jacob Prasch says…often material things are a mere reflection of the deeper spiritual things that are taking place.

Life is in the blood…

Heb 9:14-22 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we may serve the living God! This is why he is the mediator of a new covenant; so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance promised them, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the offenses committed under the first covenant. For where there is a will, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will is in force only when somebody has died, since it never takes effect as long as the one who made it is alive. This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. For after every commandment in the law had been spoken to all the people by Moses, he took the blood of calves and goats, together with some water, scarlet wool, and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God ordained for you.” In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in worship. In fact, under the law almost everything is cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of the blood there is no forgiveness.

Heb 9:28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people. And he will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly wait for him.

Jeremiah spoke about this New Covenant…

Jer 31:31-32 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD.

The book of Hebrews also speak about the New Covenant — that being Jesus — and prophetically writes about the Old Covenant being ready to vanish away…

Heb 8:13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

This New Covenant is an everlasting one. John Gill explains it well…

[...]that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house Judah; by this “covenant” is meant the covenant of called new, not because newly made, for it was with the elect in Christ from everlasting; so early was Christ set up as the Mediator of it; and so early were promises made, and blessings given, to them in him: nor because newly revealed; for it was made known to all the saints, more or less, under the former dispensation, particularly to David, to Abraham, yea, to our first parents immediately after the fall, though more clearly manifested under the Gospel dispensation; but because of its new mode of exhibition; not by types, and shadows, and sacrifices, as formerly; but by the ministry of the word, and the administration of Gospel ordinances; and in distinction from the former covenant, which is done away, as to the mode of it; and because it is a famous covenant, an excellent one, a better covenant, best of all; better than the covenant of works, and even better than the covenant of grace, under the former administration; in the clear manifestation and extensive application of it; and in the ratification of it by the blood of Christ; besides, it provides and promises new things, as a new heart, and a new spirit; to which may be added, that it may be called new, because it is always new; it continues, it stands firm, as Kimchi observes, and shall not be made void; it will never be succeeded nor antiquated by any other covenant, or any other mode of administration of it. (Gill)

So my thought on this is the following…If the Third Temple is built and along with it the commencement of the legalistic temple sacrifices start, this could very well be the approaching end of what is known in the bible as the “Fullness of the Gentiles”. This fullness of the Gentiles has been reached under Grace. In the future the very real possibility of Law returns to execute judgement towards an unbelieving Israel.

Rom 11:25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

Are we approaching that fullness?

• Here are some of my previous posts on the “Third Temple“.

• And a post called ” SACRIFICE DEMONSTRATION TODAY APR 6,08 REBUILT 3RD TEMPLE (THE EU DICTATORS TEMPLE)” looks like an interesting one.

Just thought you would like to know…

“The Park of the Australian Soldier“, an initiative of the Pratt Foundation (one of the largest philanthropy in Australia that contributes heavily

towards Israeli causes), will be officially dedicated on April 28 in Beersheba.

The date coincides with ANZAC day, which falls on April 25 every year in Australia and New Zealand to remember members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who landed at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I.

…The victory of the Australian Light Horse Division’s 4th Brigade against the Turkish on October 31, 1917, was a significant event in both Australian military history and in the history of the Middle East region.

Is there anything wrong with this picture?

RAMALLAH, West Bank, 22 April 2008 — Hamas would accept a Palestinian state on only part of the land it claims and would grant Israel a 10-year “hudna,” or truce, the Palestinian group’s leader said yesterday.

…“We have offered a truce if Israel withdraws to the 1967 borders, a truce of 10 years as a proof of recognition,” he said. He said he made the offer to former US President Jimmy Carter during talks on Friday and Saturday in the Syrian capital.

Meshaal used the Arabic word “hudna,” meaning truce, which is more concrete than “tahdia” — a period of calm — which Hamas often uses to describe a simple cease-fire.

So, let me see if I get this… a temporary truce in an exchange for a permanent withdrawel of land, with a de facto promise to resume war in ten years.

Nice work Carter! *insert sarcasm*.

What does this promise mean anyway? Carter is not a governmental representative in the formal sense of the word, so therefore he is a nothing, so this promise means nothing to a nothing!

Way to go mate!

In my last post I specifically mentioned “Prophetic Trends” … Well, one of the trends which may well lead into a “Mega-event” is famine.

What does the bible say about famine?

There are two types of famine mentioned in the bible. One is the most obvious and that is a famine of food.

One example of biblical famine which lasted seven years during the time of Joshua was a global famine. According to the bible everyone on the face of the earth was affected by a desperate lack of food. I find this famine interesting because it speaks about the people of the earth going to Joshua for grain/food. Joshua is a typology of a Messiah/Christlike figure and it is only he who has the storehouse of food. The seven years could be a type of tribulation period called Jacobs Trouble.

Gen 41:56-57 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the store-houses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine was sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was sore in all the earth.

Famine is usually a judgment from God and it is a time to call out to God, this call comes from the faithful.

2Ch 20:9 If evil shall come upon us, whether sword, judgment, or pestilence and famine, we shall stand before this house and before You, for Your name is in this house, and shall cry to You out of our distress, and You shall hear and save.

Famine was so bad at one point that the bible says that woman boiled their own children for food…

Lam 4:9-10 They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field. The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children; They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

Jer 19:9 And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters; and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend, in the siege and in the distress, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their life, shall distress them.

This was literally fulfilled when Jerusalem was captured by the Romans. Although this was literally fulfilled, it serves as a type for us to understand and learn from, it could also be a capitulated prophecy of sorts. Why did this happen? Why did God send such a famine to His people? Remember that whatever the Israelites went through in their documented history shows us a similar future for the unrepentant Church who has become part of the Harlot Church.

He did this because they were unfaithful to His Word and they were worshipping other gods.

Jer 19:35 You shall say, (God is telling Jeremiah to say the following) ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing such disaster upon this place that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. Because the people have forsaken me and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have known; and because they have filled this place with the blood of innocents, and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or decree, nor did it come into my mind.

As I read this scripture I was struck with the word “Tingle”, everyone who hears about this terrible judgment will have their ears tingling. I wondered what the Hebrew meaning of tingle was…

צלל

tsâlal

tsaw-lal’

A primitive root (rather identical with H6749 through the idea of vibration); to tinkle, that is, rattle together (as the ears in reddening with shame, or the teeth in chattering with fear): - quiver, tingle.

This is in stark contrast to another scripture which speaks about false prophets tickling the ears which will happen in the last days…

2Ti 4:2-4 preach the Word, be urgent in season, out of season, convict, warn, encourage with all long-suffering and teaching. For a time will be when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own lusts, they will heap up to themselves teachers tickling (itching) the ear; and they will turn away the ear from the truth and will be turned aside to myths.

having itching ears; always desirous of new things, as the Athenians of old; or loving to have their ears scratched and tickled with smooth things; that are pleasing and agreeable to natural men, and carnal minds; as the purity of human nature, the power of man’s free will, the excellency of his righteousness, and the merit of his works, and the like; see Isa 30:9. Now, this being the case, should not discourage, but rather animate the ministers of the Gospel to preach it; for should they desist, in all likelihood the Gospel would soon be gone. (John Gill expository)

The warning here is to be diligent and preach the Word of God because there will be a time when sound doctrine will not be welcomed. It will be shunned.

There is a worldwide famine happening that many are not aware of. This article called “The Silent Famine” states that…

According to the Telegraph, “the World Bank said this week that the price of staple foods has risen by 80 per cent in the past three years.” 80%, people! And why is that? Partially because of “bad weather”, rising demand and maybe, just maybe, those walloping gasoline prices no one seems very interested to be putting the heat on government leaders to address.

Notice how bad things are becoming, as detailed in the Telegraph article:

For consumers in wealthy nations such as Britain soaring prices are squeezing household finances and keeping inflation up. But for developing nations they can lead to malnutrition and social disruption.

Clearly the prophecy written in Revelation 6:5-6 which says… And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine…may come to pass in our lifetime!

While there are false prophets – mainly in the rich Western countries – tickling people’s ears, the world faces a global food famine.

A teacher that I respect once said…whatever you see happening in the material world is actually happening in the spiritual one too, or words to that effect.

So yes… there is a global food famine; but there is a famine of another kind. This food famine is just a reflection of something else, something much, much deeper.

There is a famine of the Word of God that is prophesied in Amos, and the bible says that the following will happen…

Amo 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord Jehovah, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of Jehovah.

In this scripture God is amplifying a more grievous famine which is the hearing of the Word of God. In this scripture God is speaking of the false prophets who tickle the ears!

A famine in the land - The most grievous of all famines, a famine of the words of Jehovah; a time in which no prophet should appear, no spiritual counsellor, no faithful reprover, none any longer who would point out the way of salvation, or would assure them of the mercy of God on their repentance and return to him. This is the severest of God’s judgments on this side the worm that never dieth, and the fire that is never quenched. (Clarke)

As the world chooses to be deaf to the Word of God and His warnings which should bring about repentance, He has warned us that He is going to send the world a powerful delusion to those who do not love the Word of God. This choice of deafness will end up with people becoming wilfully blind and deaf. He sends a famine — both kinds — one of food, and one of the hearing of the Word of God. They are both related to one another. It is a wakeup call for the world to come to repentance! NOW , may be the only time you actually hear Him. Today may be your last day which could be a decisive factor for your eternal life. Have you prepared yourself for eternity? Today you may have open ears still, but that will not last forever!

Can you hear Him?

2Th 2:10-11 …those who refused to love the truth that would save them. For this reason, God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.

It is most interesting to me is that Christ is the “Word” manifest (see John 1:14) and he spoke about His body being the bread of life. Clearly we are to know His Word because it is Him! We are to eat of it and be fully satisfied. After all He did say that He is the bread of life… please open your ears to this scripture…

Joh 6:35 … “I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never become hungry, and the one who believes in me will never become thirsty.

Are you hungry and don’t even know it?

The other day I posted a video on the rebuilding of the “Third Temple“. This led to someone (Vince) commenting on prophecy and the importance of it in these days that are fast leading up to the return of Christ. (See HERE for all of my other posts concerning the coming of the Third Temple)

Obviously, there are those who deem prophecy to be of little or no importance, Rick Warren being one of them, see HERE. It makes me wonder if people like the Rick Warren’s of the world have ever read the bible for all its worth, as so much of it is written to show us how God is interacting with people and events even during our time. Prophecy deals with countries, governments and end time events.

Have you ever wondered why it is that the middle-east is the most volatile place on the earth? If you have asked this question then you can find the answer in the Bible. Within its pages are key events that point to the culmination of God’s promises to His people. His Word is being fulfilled even while you are reading this. But you may wonder how to begin to even know where to start with biblical prophecy.

I have just come across a website called “Prophecy Watch” and it has some very basic and easy to read articles that outline biblical prophetic concepts that are relevant for us today. The articles are not that long at all, and give you a basic understanding about current events that point to prophetic trends and mega-events. These articles are written by Phillip Goodman. Phillip Goodman is speaking at a conference with other well known experts in this field, Dave Hunt, Roger Oakland are the two that I am most familiar with.

One article from the website “Prophecy Watch” is called Trends and Mega-Events and is well worth the read if you are a new student to biblical prophecy and have difficulty in knowing where on earth to start. Eschatology is the study of end time events and it shapes our understanding of certain key biblical concepts such as kingdom building and even so far as political Christian dominion. Understanding the different eschatological views is important for us today as we have reached a time of unification of sorts and are now in a very real position of being able to build a global government and religious system.

This article talks about the differences between “Trends” and “Mega-events”…

The key to assessing the Signs of the Last Days is to view history over the long haul— to look at the total scope, or the whole panorama, of historical events. By doing that we can discern TRENDS. We must then look at world events in two ways.

The first is to become aware of “Trends.”

The second is to watch for relevant “Mega-events.”

Trends tell us more about the fulfillment of Bible Prophecy than the isolated, daily events many prophecy writers whip up into a frenzy of articles and books. For example, in the Mid East, the daily peace, no-peace cycle may drive one to Biblical boredom, but the fact is that they confirm a consistent pattern, or trend, that precisely parallels that which is described in Bible prophecy— The Mid East will be the focal point of the last days, with the central focus being on Israel and Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.

~~~

A prophetic Mega-event is an event of such magnitude that it sends shock waves around the planet and propels the Trends of prophecy forward in quantum leaps!

Why are Mega-events so significant? These “super-episodes” of history not only make big-print headlines, but they actually accelerate the trend-lines of prophecy in leaps and bounds down the path of fulfillment. Hasn’t the 9-11 tragedy put the U.S. (and other countries) on a fast track toward global regulation?

Other articles like “Dividing the Land of Isreal” and “Temple Mount Violence” are worth reading for those who are new to biblical prophecy.

You can find all of his articles HERE if you want to learn more. They are very well written, they are basic and are very easy to understand.

When I did a search for “Phillip Goodman” it brought me to this other called “Rapture Ready” which has some interesting articles on end time events. I have only taken a cursory look, so I ask that you measure everything against scripture.

I would normally blah, blah, blah about all of this Hagee stuff.  But I just wanted to share a link with you about the ongoing  controversy, here tis…

As Messianic Jews we appreciate the support for Israel and the Jewish community that many Christians have shown in recent years. This remarkable change in Jewish-Christian relations corrects centuries of Christian anti-Semitism and promises to bear much fruit in the coming years. In particular, we recognize the important work that Pastor John Hagee has accomplished in rallying thousands of Christians to this cause. At the same time, we must note serious concerns about some of Pastor Hagee’s doctrinal positions, particularly as expressed in his recent book, In Defense of Israel. These teachings contradict biblical doctrine, undermine thetestimony of Jewish followers of Jesus, and weaken the cause of Christian supporters of the Jewish people. (Read more here)

For those who are following the news on Hagee and his latest book ‘In defense of Israel’… this may be of interest to you…

Two Opposites Cannot be the Same or True

-John Hagee’s supports Israel but at the same time abandons giving the gospel to the Jews-

James 3:10-12: “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring can yield both salt water and fresh.”

Hagee is well received by both the church and by Jews. His ministry is on 50 radio stations, seen on 160 Television stations in America, in nearly 100 million homes. He has authored over 20 books; some of which have become a best seller in America (on the New York Times Best Seller list). “Jerusalem Countdown” sold 1.4 million copies. Hagee’s latest book is “In Defense of Israel” (October 2007) is on the USA Today bestseller list and on the Christian Booksellers List. John Hagee is called Doctor Hagee, having Honorary Doctorates from Oral Roberts University, Canada Christian College and from Netanya Academic College in Israel.

It was years ago that I lost any respect I had for Hagee when I saw Rick Godwin on his stage sitting on one side and Hagee on the other side with Kenneth Copeland giving a horrendous teaching to Hagee’s flock; it was shameful (Aug. 18,1999). (Godwin certainly is not pro Israel, which makes Hagee’s position all he more perplexing). When a pastor promotes this kind of off the wall teaching I cannot have any respect for him. (Read more here)

For the life of me I cannot understand how he could have shared the stage with a heretic like Kenneth Copeland! Anyway, this article is written from the perspective of a Jewish believer. Hagee’s word faith teaching is documented in this article… apparently to be poor is a sin and is a curse…

[...]Hagee on the TBN Praise-A-Thon broadcast said that “poverty is caused by sin and disobeying the Word of God” (April 16, 1993), “poverty is a curse.” (November 4, 1992).

Yet the bible says…

Luke 6:20, 24 disagrees “. . . did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”

Which is right, Hagee or the Bible?

The article speaks more about Zionism, and modern political Zionism and much more is explained about Hagee’s theology and how he has spoken out about how the Jews can be saved outside of Jesus the Messiah. This is of course Dual Covenant Theology, yet Paul did not think like this at all! His desire was for the gospel of Jesus to be proclaimed to the Jew first!

I could go on, but check out the article for yourself. It is written by Mike Oppenheimer from ‘Let Us Reason’.

I was just cruising my faves, and Bonnie from the blog ‘For the Author’ has just written one post that is a real eye opener. She certainly has done her homework on this one.

She is speaking about the Noahide Laws, and of them she writes…

It is interesting to note that the Noahide Laws can also be found in the religion of Islam, making it possible for this to be a point of unity between the Jews and Arabs at some future date. I came across this information while I was doing some research on my articles, THE GOLDEN RULE TWISTED, (Parts 1 and 2, and the addendum). I discovered that the Noahide Laws have been equated with the Golden Rule by some. The Noahide Laws have also been called The Covenant of the Rainbow. For a good overview of the Noahide Laws, click HERE.

She is also coming to realise that maybe these laws are the ones that Daniel the Prophet speaks about when he said…

Dan 7:25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and he shall wear out the saints of the Most High. And he intends to change times and law. And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and one half time.

She speaks about the Sanhedrin’s role in instituting these laws…

While George Bush was in the Middle East this month, the newly formed Sanhedrin was also meeting to discuss the Noahide Laws on the week he was there. (Read the January 10th article, Sanhedrin Recognizes Council to Teach Humanity ‘Laws of Noah’ in the Israel National News for yourself).

She has also documented the punishment for not following the Noahide Law, one of which is death by beheading. This is from the official Bnei Noah Site.

I too, have wondered about these laws and have found it interesting that the Temple has to be rebuilt in order for these laws to come into effect. For this to happen there is the problem of the Dome of the Rock. But this is not so much of a problem when you consider that the Dome of the Rock can stay just where it is, and be classed as the court of Gentiles according to Prof. Joseph Patrich who got back to me with an email and said this… It is outside the temple court, but still within the screen barring gentile entrance.

Much, much more is written in Bonnie’s post. Be sure to read this eye opener of a post!

I am Red Flagging this one big time!!!

Just to note, I am making a new category called ‘The Sanhedrin’, I have an uneasy feeling that ‘The Sanhedrin’ will play a big role in introducing a false peace and a kingdom built by the fallen one.

Related:

• A search on the Sanhedrin’s site and everything pertaining to the Noahide Laws and the Court of Bnei-Noah
• Bnei Noah, the Sanhedrin’s relationship with non-Jews on the Sanhedrin web-site. (A wealth of information on this page!)
• Beni-Noah website (I am not sure if this is the official one or not, it is recognised as such on the Sanhedrin’s website, please forward any information to help me in my research)
• High Council of B’nei Noah (according to Wiki this is the official web-site)
• Jerusalem Court for Issues of Bnei Noah

I have been reading some of Dr Calvin Smith’s book reviews on the ‘Midlands Bible College Blog‘… you can find his reviews Here as well. Anyway, as I was going through all the latest posts on the blog I came across one post called ‘Beware An Overly Dogmatic Interpretation of Luke 21:24′, which talks about Luke 21:24 which I found to be challenging. The verse says… They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Calvin writes…

Premillennialists rightly reject how postmillennialism seeks to usher in the kingdom of God by establishing and presenting it to Christ, thus hastening the Second Coming. Such an attempt to establish the Kingdom makes the parousia (Second Coming of Christ) an anthropocentric, rather than a theocentric event. It does so by employing a hermeneutical method whereby Christians read themselves key Bible texts. The technical term is to `actualise’, that is, read oneself into a pivotal role and/or interpretation of Scripture. Yet some premillennial Christian Zionists do precisely the same thing, feeling they must (through lobbying, political activity, financing, and so on) bring about the ultimate fulfilment of passages such as Luke 21:24, which in turn will hasten the return of Christ. Such a mindset is no less anthropocentric than postmillennialism’s approach. The short of it is, God will send Christ when He so chooses and there is little we can do to hasten that event. It is one thing to express political support for and lobby on behalf of Israel, which I believe Christians should do (incidentally, I also think that as her true friends we ought to speak to her when she gets it wrong). But it is quite another to feel our political activity has any bearing at all on God’s eschatological plans. If our motive for supporting Israel is on the basis that they are God’s chosen people, well and good, but if some Christians’ motive is to hasten the consummation of the age, theirs is an anthropocentrically-driven, erroneous motive.

The post is long, but well worth the read and any ideas and debate is most welcome.

There is also much discussion over at Midlands Bible College about the mix between Christianity and Politics, especially in regards to Israel. There needs to be a balance and the above quote talks about the anthroponcentric method and how one should be careful in not doing the same thing that one charges the other of doing.

I have just found an article that perhaps shows an example of this anthroponcentric approach within American politics…

POLITICAL ANALYSIS: What Does Mike Huckabee Have to do With the Apocalypse? by Valerie Saturen.

Christian Zionism stems from the belief that the catastrophic events depicted in the biblical Book of Revelation are humanity’s literal destiny, and that two-thirds of the Earth’s population will perish in an apocalyptic battle of good and evil while the “saved” are “raptured up” to heaven. For Christian Zionists, this catastrophe is a necessary precedent to the Second Coming.[...]

While those outside of evangelical circles may dismiss such beliefs, they have played a critical role in influencing U.S. foreign policy, and they will continue to affect policy as long as the United States remains under Republican leadership that relies upon evangelical support. Christian Zionism has implications for the U.S. role in Israeli-Palestinian relations, a potential confrontation with Iran, and relations with the Muslim world.

[...]Whether or not Christian Zionists can predict the future, the human potential to create self-fulfilling prophesies is undeniable, and this is why Americans should pay attention to this ideology.

Funny thing is, when I read the bible from beginning to end, one of the stories that amazed me was Balaam and how he was to curse Israel. And instead he blessed them, and cursed the king of the Moabites…three times he did this. I actually laughed out loud with tears running down my face as I pictured the king as he tore at his clothes saying why, why have you done this to me. I found myself wondering if there is anything we can do or not do that will change what is to be. Obviously not! That story actually made me question if there was any validity to man’s free will at all! Yeah ahahahah… Calvinism vs Arminianism and a new thing thrown in called Open Theism, been there done that, and I continue doing that! It’s all about the tension… see my last post.

As Calvin rightly points out… our motives should be right, and we should always be praying for guidance in these matters. The leaders of the free world should be upheld constantly in our prayers and so should the leaders of the evangelical right.

Related articles:

• Book Review of “Israel, God’s Servant”

• Review of Dan Cohn-Sherbok’s “The Politics of Apocalypse”

This is a ‘Red Flag Post’…

When President Bush visited Israel he was greeted with many people holding posters like this…

Although Bush said that he came to the land of Israel as a Pilgrim after being asked by Archbishop Elias Shakur, the Greek Catholic clergyman who showed Bush around the site, “Did you come as a politician, as a leader of state, or as a pilgrim?” The Sanhedrin have gone one step further and have shocked many by calling Bush ‘The Chief of Prince of Meshech and Tubal’. In a scroll entitled ‘The Megillat Bush- The Bush Scroll‘ the Sanhedrin have called on Bush to consider the biblical land of Israel very carefully, as the whole world will be effected by the division of Israel, even so far as saying that the world could be led into catastrophic danger if Israel is divided…

In the Name of the Lord, Eternal God

To The Honorable Mr. George W. Bush,
President of the United States of America,

Who comes seeking the presence of the Most High God, to Jerusalem, city of God, Divinely chosen site of the Holy Temple, eternal capital of our land, “the joy of the entire earth (Psalms 48:3),” may it be rebuilt and established speedily and in our days, Amen!

Esteemed Mr. George W. Bush, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal (Ezekiel 38:1), leader of the west!

Upon your arrival in Jerusalem you have the ability to make a declaration, as did Cyrus, King of Persia - whose memory is honored - who in the year 538 BCE returned the exiled nations to their lands and recognized the full right of the Jewish people to reestablish their Holy Temple, the “house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:7), and called upon them to return to their land,

And in the manner of Lord James Balfour of England, who in 1917, called upon the Jews to reestablish a national homeland in the Land of Israel.

And thus if you truly desire peace and benevolence, and you would be counted in the company of the truly righteous, we call upon you to declare to all the world:

The Land of Israel was bequeathed to the nation of Israel by the Creator of the world. Neither could I, as a son of my faith, nor the Muslims according to their faith, ever take away even the slightest grain from the Eternal’s gift, which He gave to His people Israel, the eternal people. Thus I call upon all the nations to save themselves from certain doom, to return and recognize That this land is the exclusive rightful inheritance of the people of Israel, as is written in the Torah of Israel, which constitutes the very foundation of our faith, as well as that of Islam; and is the basis for the decisions of the community of nations. He who denies this truth endangers all life on earth.

Zechariah 12:1-4
The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. “It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it. “In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

Ezekiel 38:2-8
“Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, `Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. “I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops–many peoples with you. “Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. “After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them.

Luke 21:24b
[...]Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
1 Thessalonians 5:3a (HCSB) When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them

Jeremiah 8:11
“They heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially, Saying, `Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace.

Psalms 122:6a
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem

The world has not really taken much notice of this visit, but I am pretty sure that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is watching very closely at all the key players who are ready to carve up the land that He gave to the apple of His eye.

Deu 32:910 But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. “He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

David Hocking has recently said in an email that I got the other day…

The President has said publicly some very shocking things for the people of Israel. He speaks as though he has a right to demand Israel to do what he says. He has referred to them as the “aggressor” and that they are in control of what he has called “occupied” territories that belong to Islam. His ignoring of Biblical history and prophecy is quite shocking to the citizens and politicians of Israel. We are also very disturbed. These events are moving us ever closer to the predictions of Daniel 9:24-27. We all need wisdom and dependence upon the word of God! Remember the warning of I Thessalonians 5:1-3! Please pray for our President and all who are with him on this strategic and important mission in the Middle East.

And you can read the following at Dr David Hocking’s blog…

he said, “The point of departure for permanent status negotiations…seems clear: There should be an end to the occupation that began in 1967.”

By making this point, President Bush has let the Palestinians off the hook. While the President refers to the “Roadmap” he is simply giving the Palestinians a free pass on the central provision that the first stage of the Roadmap is the successful end to terror strikes against Israel. This, everyone knows, has never happened.

Instead Israel is now the “aggressor” that must make the most important concessions. Israel must move its defense forces out of what Bush calls the “occupied” territories. Israel security concerns are skimmed over with statements calling on the Palestinians to control terror. Something they have never done.And to add insult to injury Bush clearly states that he believes Israel must loosen its control of Jerusalem.

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