Shalom from Zion,

Whatever 2017 holds for us, let's remain focused on the ultimate goal for God's kingdom – that He would be glorified through the exaltation of His Son. …every tongue should confess that Messiah Yeshua is Lord – to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:11; see also John 12:27-28)

Old Testament saints knew this, and often based their prayers on it. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name. Deliver us, and purge away our sins, for Your name's sake. (Ps. 79:9); Not unto us, YHWH…but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and truth's sake. (Ps. 115:1)

This goal is explicit throughout Scripture, and today, it is God's goal in restoring His people to His land. I will cause the captivity of Judah and… Israel to return, and will build them as at the first… And it shall be to Me a name of joy, praise and honor before all nations who shall hear of all the good that I do to them. (Jer. 33:7, 9a); But I had pity for My holy name, which the exiled house of Israel profaned among the gentiles. Therefore …I am not doing this for your sakes, house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake…I will sanctify My great name …and the gentiles shall know that I am YHWH …when I shall be sanctified in you [Israel] before their eyes. (Ezek. 36:21-23)

God is never trumped…

Regardless of who is raised up to lead nations – our God reigns. King Nebuchadnezzar learned this the hard way. His authority was taken for a season so that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, even the basest [lowest] of men. (Dan. 4:17; cp. vv. 25, 32)

Biblically, for US President Trump to be a blessing to America, he must bless Israel – God's chosen nation (Psa. 33:12; 106:5), His special people (Deut. 7:6), the apple of His eye (Zech. 2:8). And for him to do that, he needs the prayers of American believers – focused prayers over this destiny-defining issue. Yet much of the American Church has no clue that their nation is deeply divided because for the past three decades, every administration has tried to divide God's land (Lev. 25:23; Joel 3:1-2).

Very troubling is Trump's desire to make the "ultimate deal" between Israel and the Palestinians. ("President Trump & the Art of the 'Ultimate'… Peace Deal," Elliot Abrams & Uri Sadot, FP, foreignpolicy.com, 4 Dec. 2016) While at this stage, he is wanting just what Israel can live with, we have seen this once too often not to be concerned. Also, what does this sound like to bible believers – a leader wanting to bring world peace by making a peace-pact with Israel? We're not saying Trump is the anti-Christ, but there is an anti-Christ spirit (1 Jn. 2:18; "anti" in Gk. is both "against" and "instead of") that has resided in the White House for decades.

To identify this spirit, recall how Satan deceived Eve: 1. First will be a diminishing, questioning and invalidating of God's Word. Has God said? (Gen. 3:1) 2. Second is the exaltation of mankind. You shall be as God. (Gen. 3:5) These two are the basic themes for all anti-Christ, anti-God, and humanistic movements in history.

The American Church must pray for Trump, asking God to help him line up with God's Word, and not to divide His land or hinder Israel from defending itself. Trump also must not exalt man or America. Church, do not pray for America's greatness – but for God to be great again in America! This principle applies to all nations, and is prophesied to happen as God is openly glorified in Israel (Ezek. 36:23).

At IFI, we continue to pray that the global Church prays in line with God's priorities for their leaders – in both government and the Body of Messiah (1 Tim. 2:1-3; 2 Thess. 3:1).

Netanyahu and Trump in Washington, DC

As we finished this WFJ issue, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister [PM] Bibi Netanyahu, just had their first official meeting in Washington. At a joint press conference Trump said many encouraging things. Yet will he walk his talk? Only God knows, but the atmosphere was so much brighter than with Obama that many in Israel and America who know God's Word feel relieved. Yet some things he mentioned did not sit too well with us.

Concerning Netanyahu, it is a miracle for Israel to have a leader who is consistent in his plans and demands and who speaks truth. He said, "Israel has no better ally than the US. And I want to assure you, the US has no better ally than Israel."

Trump opened by praising Israel: "Your perseverance in the face of hostility, your open democracy in the face of violence, and your success in the face of tall odds is truly inspirational." Your security challenges "are enormous, including the threat of Iran's nuclear ambitions…One of the worst deals I've ever seen…"

About the "peace process" between Israel and the Palestinians, Trump said that while this was "very important" to him personally, yet "the parties themselves…must directly negotiate" an agreement.

Netanyahu recalled the "deep bond of common values" shared by our nations, adding that "increasingly, those values… are under attack by one malevolent force, radical Islamic terror…I believe we can reverse the rising tide of radical Islam, and in this … Israel stands with you…" Also by defeating "militant Islam, we can seize an historic opportunity because for the first time in my lifetime and… in the life of my country, Arab countries in the region do not see Israel as an enemy, but increasingly as an ally."

Responding to questions from reporters, Trump said to Bibi, "I'd like to see you hold back on settlements for a little bit. We'll work something out." While this is not a biblical stance, the fact that they will talk about it makes a huge difference from Obama's warnings. Trump added "we're going to make a [peace] deal. It might be a bigger and better deal than people in this room even understand."

Asked if his goal is two states, Trump shocked people, saying. "I'm looking at two-state and one-state and I like the one both parties like…I can live with either one." Lord, hold him to this.

Bibi redirected the focus from labels to substance, something he has "hoped to do for years in a world that's absolutely fixated on labels…" The substance is the two prerequisites for peace he has repeatedly emphasized. "First, the Palestinians must recognize the Jewish state. They have to stop calling for [and] …educating their people for Israel's destruction. Second… Israel must retain overriding security control over the entire area west of the Jordan River" because if not, "we'll get another radical Islamic terrorist state in Palestinian areas exploding the peace…

"Unfortunately, the Palestinians vehemently reject both," as they continuously call for Israel's death in "their schools, their mosques," and their media. They also deny "our historical connection to our homeland." Yet why are Jews called Jews? "It's because we come from Judea. This is our ancestral homeland. Jews are not foreign colonialists in Judea."

Regrettably, the Palestinian Authority [PA] not only denies the past, they also poison the present, by naming "public squares in honor of mass murderers" and paying "monthly salaries to the families of murderers…"

The conflict's core is "a Palestinian refusal to accept a Jewish state" in any borders. Today, these two prerequisites are even more important, "because of the rising tide of fanaticism" sweeping the Middle East [ME] and increasing the fanaticism in Palestinian society.

When asked what compromises Trump expects from both sides, his reply shows how clueless he still is about Israel's desire for peace, and its need for security. "…Israelis are gonna have to show some flexibility, which is hard," yet which Israel has been doing ever since Oslo. "They're gonna have to show the fact that they really want to make a deal." That is so frustrating. The only reason more Israelis are not interested in "making a deal" is because of all the murdered Jews, those "sacrifices for peace," which showed the real aim of the Palestinian side.

And, says Trump, the Palestinians, "have to get rid of some of that hate that they are taught from a very young age." Wait. "Some"? How many understand that Islam's "holy" book teaches Jew-hatred and Islamic dominion theology? Asking Muslim Palestinians to accept a Jewish state is the same as asking them to deny the Islam that controls their lives and worldview.

Yet if Trump sticks to his next statement, Israel will not be pressured to divide its land under his administration, as the hard-heartedness of our enemies will once again help us. "There's no way a deal can be made if [the Palestinians] are not ready to acknowledge a very, very great and important country [Israel]. And I think they're going to be willing to do that." Seriously? Over 100 years of attempts to destroy the Jewish State says you are wrong. ("Trump, Netanyahu talk of regional approach to peace at White House press conference," TOI, 15 Feb. 2017)

The next day two top Trump officials let all concerned parties know the US still backs "the two-state solution." America's UN ambassador Nikki Haley told a group of reporters, "We absolutely support the two-state solution, but we are thinking out of the box as well." David Friedman, Trump's controversial choice to be the next Israeli ambassador affirmed this also. ("US officials reinforce Trump support for two-state solution," JP, Feb. 16 2017)

UN Security Council Resolution [UNSC] 2334

This resolution, passed on Dec. 23, 2016, said all the land Israel liberated in 1967, including Jerusalem and the Western Wall, is illegally occupied "Palestinian Territory," and demanded Israel to halt all "settlement" activity. The Obama administration betrayed Israel by abstaining, thus letting it pass. Yet these verses aided us in prayer in the face of this anti-God, anti-Israel global decree.

YHWH brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He breaks the plans of the people. The counsel of YHWH stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.

Ps. 33:6-11

In Isaiah, God the Creator declares, Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the scales…All nations before Him are as nothing; and to Him they are seen to be less than nothing, vanity. (Isa. 40:15, 17; see also 21-23) So the arrogance of the United Nothings is to think they decide what happens with God's land and people. Great judgment will come because of this resolution. When it does, we need to declare, "This is that which was spoken…"

Danny Danon, Israel's UN ambassador, told the UNSC it was a "dark day for this council," as they hypocritically condemned Israel "for building homes in the historic homeland of the Jewish people," while thousands of Muslims are massacring and being massacred in neighboring Syria.

He chastised the UNSC, holding up a Bible as witness to the thousands of years of Jewish history in the land of Israel, asking, "What right did its members have…to try to prevent the Jewish people from building homes in their own land?…We have full confidence in the justice of our cause…We will continue to be a Jewish state reclaiming the land of our forefathers…" ("'We will overcome this evil decree', Israel tells UNSC…," TOI, 23 Dec. 2016)

Dr. Guy Millière, University of Paris professor, wrote that UNSC 2334 "sets the boundaries of a future Palestinian state" decreeing "all of Judea, Samaria and East Jerusalem" as "occupied Palestinian territory," thus nullifying all further negotiations. It gives them everything for "not even an insincere promise of peace." ("Obama's Betrayal of Israel," Guy Milliere, Gatestone Institute, 13 Jan. 2017)

UNSC 2334 – reactions

Netanyahu: "Israel rejects this shameful resolution" which calls Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall "occupied territory…It hurts justice. It hurts the truth." With the entire ME ablaze, Obama and the UN "gang up" on its only democracy. ("PM Netanyahu: Israel will overcome shameful SCR," Israel Hayom, 25 Dec. 2016)

Yoram Ettinger said while Obama greeted the Jewish people on Hanukkah, commemorating the victory of the Maccabees in battles in Judea and Samaria, then he called these places "occupied." Hanukkah hero Simon the Maccabee, ‎confronted in the same way, replied: "We have not occupied a ‎foreign land; we have not ruled a foreign land; we have liberated the land of ‎our forefathers from foreign occupation."‎

In 1977, when US President Carter asked PM Begin to freeze ‎Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria, Begin replied, "Why is it permitted for a Jew to…live in Bethel or Shiloh in the US, towns named after places in Judea and ‎Samaria, but is forbidden to build his home in the original Shiloh or Beth El?"‎ ("Obama's self-defeating settlements policy," Y. Ettinger, Israel Hayom Op-ed, 26 Dec. 2016)

History Prof. Gil Troy said UNSC 2334 supports "the 'Big Palestinian Lie' that their territory is somehow the only clear, undisputed, perfectly defined, piece of real estate in the mottled, muddled, messy ME." ("Joining the jackals," G. Troy, JP Op-ed, 27 Dec. 2016)

Netanyahu pointed out "that the League of Nations in 1922 ratified the Balfour Declaration that 'awarded national rights to the Jewish people, and only the Jewish people, in the Land of Israel'." This was adopted later by the UN and "is a binding document under international law that defines the international legal status of the Land of Israel." UNSC 2334 is illegal. ("…Arabs 'ethnically cleansed' Jews from West Bank," JP, 28 Dec. 2016)

Rabbi Aryeh Spero said, "Something very unusual happened after the SC voted to declare Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria Arab/ Islamic land." The nations' delegates gave themselves a standing ovation. "It was a celebration by too many of the nations of the world against the history of the Jewish People and their Covenant to the Holy Land." ("They Clapped while They Took away Jerusalem from the Jews," A. Spero, American Thinker, 4 Jan. '17) (cp. with Zech. 12:2-3)

Islamic Reaction to UNSC 2334

Dr. Ephraim Herrera said that as soon as this passed, the PA said "actions must be taken to isolate Israel in the international arena," with their foreign minister asking the world to "put an end to the 'Judaization' of Judea and Samaria." Others called for legal action against Israelis for war crimes.

Islam's goal is to end Israel. Using "lawfare", it aims to portray Israel "as an immoral, apartheid, 'illegal' country that must be denounced…The issue is not territories but the very existence of the State of Israel." ("The issue is Israel's existence," Dr. E. Herrera, Israel Hayom Op-ed, 27 Dec. 2016)

PA head Abbas' response to this resolution exposes their plan: "The minute the Israeli government agrees to cease all settlement activities, including in and around Occupied East Jerusalem, and agrees to implement the signed agreements on the basis of mutual reciprocity, the Palestinian leadership stands ready to resume permanent-status negotiations on the basis of international law and relevant international legality resolutions, including UNSC2334, under a specified time frame."

He did not cite UNSC 242, the foundation of all diplomatic efforts since '67, but he cited UNSC 2334, the difference being "that any Israeli presence beyond the '67 lines lacks legal validity and must be… actively opposed by the international community."

So Israel "will not be seen as compromising if it leaves any of Judea and Samaria," because "it is no compromise to give up what is not rightfully yours in the first place."

Israeli rage over UNSC 2334's passage was because it is now the new starting point "for dealing with the conflict and from Jerusalem's standpoint" it's a no-win situation. Israel is trapped. ("Netanyahu's tactical rage against the UNSC conspirators," Herb Keinon, JP, 30 Dec. 2016) Micah 4:11-13 shows who gets the last laugh.

Britain should apologize for Balfour

The Palestinians are pressing Britain to apologize for issuing the Balfour Declaration (Nov. 1917), in which UK Foreign Secretary Lord Balfour wrote a letter saying his government views "with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people." Balfour's letter was later approved by the League of Nations and became part of the Palestinian Mandate given by the League to Britain in Sept. 1922. Yet Britain reneged on its duties, divided Palestine and gave about 75% of it to create the Kingdom of Jordan. Then when faced with Arab riots in the remaining 25%, they reneged on their commitment to create a Jewish homeland – even actively blocking Jews trying to escape the Nazis from finding refuge in their ancient homeland.

So Britain needs to apologize – not for issuing the Declaration – but for not fulfilling its commitment. But let your speech be, Yes, yes, or No, no – for whatever is more than these comes from evil [alt: "the Evil One"]. (Matt. 5:37)

Warnings, peace and security

What will happen to nations who resist what God is doing? As per His warning in Isaiah 60:12, For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you [Israel, at the time of your restoration] shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted.

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) wants to use 2017, the 50^th anniversary of the Six Day War, to change "the false paradigm" of the world seeing Israel as an illegal occupier. That false view was promoted by the losers after the ’67 war, as Israel legally remained in Jerusalem, Samaria, Judea, the Golan, and, until 2005, Gaza.

The idea that "everything starts and ends with 'the occupation'," is not legally or logically correct. "We can't be occupiers in our own land…You can't say we belong in Tel Aviv, but not in Judea and Samaria…People say we're barely 70 years old, but we have a 3,000-year-old connection to this land."

When diplomats try to convince Hotovely that the two-state solution is the only way, she asks them what would replace Israel's presence in the West Bank – Hamas or ISIS? "I haven't met one" that, when alone, "doesn't admit that there is no chance of a democratic entity on our border." ("Deputy FM hopes to break the int'l West Bank paradigm," JP, 22 Nov. 2016)

Sorbonne University Prof. Shmuel Trigano, a leading scholar on anti-Semitism, noted that in all "attempts by global powers to forge a diplomatic arrangement," there is not a single plan which "strategically assures Israel's existence. All of Israel's resounding victories in all the wars forced on it by the enemy are discounted … despite the accepted norm that after a war the victor dictates the new order and determines conditions for peace. However, what has pertained to every other country throughout history does not apply when it comes to Israel and its history." ("The many faces of anti-Semitism," Prof. S. Trigano, Israel Hayom Op-ed, 16 Jan. 2017)

The war over Jerusalem

For over "…three millennia, Jerusalem has been the capital of three native Jewish states – Judah, Judea and Israel." Jews have constituted the majority of its "residents since the pre-Zionist 19^th century. In contrast, Palestinian Arabs have not ruled Jerusalem for a single day…"

Fifty years since "Israel reunited its bitterly divided capital city – divided, like Berlin once was, by war – the media ignorantly parrot the Palestinian narrative that claims East Jerusalem as its future capital, as if the section of the city that the invading Arab Legion captured and which Jordan occupied for 19 years had been an historic entity." They even capitalize "East Jerusalem" as if it were a historical fact, like "East Berlin". Yet it is "an ideology-driven, but geographically impossible term." For example, Gilo, Jerusalem's southernmost community, was bought by "the Jewish National Fund during the 1930s," It was once occupied territory, as Jordan occupied it from 1949 to 1967 when Israel liberated it. ("Hands off Gilo," JP Editorial, 5 Nov. 2016)

Iran – Arise, O Lord!

Last Nov., Iran's UN Ambassador accused Israel of violating "a range of human rights which amounts to war crimes," adding that it is time "to end this abhorrent Israeli regime occupation," which is "the most destabilizing factor that clearly threatens international peace and security." ("Iran Ambassador Tells UN 'Israeli Occupation' is 'Most Destabilizing Threat to Int'l Security'," Truth Revolt, 2 Nov. 2016)

On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Bibi said "the greatest danger we face of hatred for the Jewish people and state …comes from Iran," which fans the flames of anti-Semitism, and calls openly for Israel's destruction. He denounced the world's "deafening silence" in the face of these threats. ("…World's silence on Iran's threats to destroy Israel will end with Trump," TOI, 27 Jan. 2017)

Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif said, "Our ballistic missiles are not intended against any country." So why do they write in Hebrew on those missiles, "Israel must be destroyed"? ("Trump, Netanyahu talk of regional approach to peace at White House press conference," TOI, 15 Feb. 2017)

Possible prophetic implications

A court in Wuppertal, Germany, "ruled that an attempt by three Muslims to burn a synagogue was motivated by 'anti-Israelism' – not anti-Semitism. The perpetrators will not be jailed." The European Jewish Congress [EJC] reacted with "outrage and disbelief," saying this "ruling is akin to a 'carte blanche for attacks on Jews' …" To add to the insanity of this verdict, the 2014 attack was "on the anniversary of Kristallnacht, a Nazi pogrom" killing nearly 100 Jews and destroying over 1,000 synagogues, including the synagogue in Wuppertal.

EJC President, Dr. M. Kantor, said this "decision can lead to anarchy across Germany," as it supports "a legal justification for targeting of any minority, religion and nationality on the basis of a conflict that they could be in some way connected to because of religious or national ties. Is it possible that when Arabs are targeted by far-right groups, it could be claimed they are reacting to the bloodshed and violence in the Arab world?" That's absurd, yet "there appears to be a separate rule when it comes to Jews and anti-Semitism." ("German court justifies synagogue attack," Arutz 7, 13 Jan. 2017)

Geert Wilders, Dutch Parliament member and head of the Party for Freedom, wrote a very politically incorrect op-ed. "When last year German Chancellor Merkel opened Germany's borders to almost one million refugees and asylum seekers, she invited the Trojan horse of Islam into her country." And despite terror attacks, mass rapes, and other atrocities by many of the "refugees" and because of "political-correctness," Europe's political elite have refused to "acknowledge that it is all in the Koran: permission to kill Jews and Christians (Surah 9:29), to terrorize non-Muslims (8:12), to rape young girls (65:4), to enslave people for sex (4:3), to lie about one's true goals (3:54)… to make war on infidels (9:123) and subjugate the entire world to Allah (9:33)." The EU have "betrayed their own citizens." ("Political Revolution is Brewing in Europe," G. Wilders, Gatestone Institute, 21 Dec. 2016)

Postmodernism described in 1994

In 1994 Vaclav Havel poignantly observed that "today we find ourselves in a paradoxical situation. We enjoy all the achievements of modern civilization that have made our physical existence on this earth easier in so many important ways. Yet we do not know exactly what to do with ourselves…The world of our experiences seems chaotic, disconnected, confusing. There appear to be no integrating forces, no unified meaning, and no true inner understanding of phenomena in our experience of the world. Experts can explain anything in the objective world to us, yet we understand our own lives less and less. In short, we live in the postmodern world, where everything is possible and almost nothing is certain." ("Time to nurture democracy," Michael M. Cohen, JP Op-ed, 19 Dec. 2016)

Douglas Altabef says the "reigning schism" in the West is between globalism and nationalism, and Israel was reborn "just as Europe was emerging from the 30-year-long disaster of two world wars," the main lesson being "the destructive nature of nationalism."

While Israel's nationalism is not the same as that which decimated Europe, "globalists are not so discerning in their assessment of the different flavors of nationalism, and Israel's rankles considerably." Also, Israel's version is seen as a tool to continue the "occupation," hindering a peace agreement, so its "historic, religious and spiritual connections to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria… do not engender a great deal of sympathy. Quite the opposite; they are seen to be outdated, anachronistic, counterproductive remnants of an ancient and therefore no longer relevant reality.

"Ironically, it is the global nature of Israel's economy that has protected its nationalistic orientation. As an immensely innovative purveyor of cutting-edge technology, Israel continues to attract and grow its trade relations. Its state-of-the-art products in so many areas virtually assure continued" growing trade ties, "despite political qualms about Israel's against-the-grain focus on maintaining its Zionist vision." ("Israel, globalism & nationalism," D. Altabef, JP Op-ed, 25 Jan. 2017)

Post-truth

The JP's Liat Collins wrote, "While the world obsessed over an ever-lengthening list of cultural icons that died in 2016…we might have missed the most significant casualty: The truth…

"2016 can be fittingly summed up in the hyphenated term 'post-truth', chosen by Oxford Dictionaries as their Word of the Year. It is defined as an adjective: 'Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief '…"

Oxford added, "The compound word post-truth exemplifies an expansion in the meaning of the prefix post- that has become increasingly prominent in recent years. Rather than simply referring to the time after a specified situation or event – as in post-war or post-match – the prefix in post-truth has a meaning more like 'belonging to a time in which the specified concept has become unimportant or irrelevant'."

The president of Oxford Dictionaries said, "Fueled by the rise of social media as a news source and a growing distrust of facts offered up by the establishment, post-truth as a concept has been finding its linguistic footing for some time," adding ominously, "Given that usage of the term hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, I would not be surprised if post-truth becomes one of the defining words of our time." (cp. 2 Thess. 2:8-13)

Collins adds, "To demonstrate post-truth's dangers, consider the rise of its ugly stepsister, fake news." In a post-truth world "there can be no universal home truths…" ("The truth, the 'hole' truth and the post-truth," L. Collins, JP Op-ed, 5 Jan. 2017)

"Prepare the ship"

Karen received these three words at our home fellowship. Her impression was that many believers are not yet prepared to sail though these chaotic days – although many warnings are found in scripture. For example, But of the times and the seasons…you have no need that I write to you. For you know accurately that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, 'Peace and safety', then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But you…are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. You are all the children of light, the children of the day… Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thess. 5:1-6)

May God show us that which is lacking in our preparation as we see the final act before Messiah's return being played out before our eyes. After all, the specific timeframe of His return is defined in Psalm 102: When YHWH shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory. (102:16)

Chuck & Karen Cohen