Shalom from Zion,
Entering 2019, we see many prophetic-like events impacting our world. God-directed climate change, wars and rumors of wars in Israel and other Middle East [ME] nations, the use of economic power by the US President to control who buys from and sells to America, the growth of anti-Semitism in the West, the increase of persecution against the Body of Messiah worldwide, including in the West – this and much more, has confirmed to us that we are closer to the Lord Yeshua's return than many want to think.
Our problem with prophetic charts and dogmatic prophetic doctrines is that Messiah's first coming was clearly laid out in the Tanach (Old Testament), yet no one saw it until afterwards. What chart had Messiah born in Bethlehem, then called out of Egypt and yet coming from Nazareth? Looking back, we can see, but at the time people saw God's plan though dark glass (1 Cor. 13:12a).
When looking ahead we make educated guesses, but all who think their educated guess is the way the Lord must act, might miss a major move of God because He didn't act that way. Recall what Peter said on Shavuot/Pentecost in Acts 2: This is that which was spoken of by the prophet.
"This is that," can only be said with assurance after the fact.
Praying with a biblical perspective
How then do we avoid being tripped up by our own interpretation of end-time events that may or may not be how God acts? We read and study the whole Word, and pray based on what He shows us. Then we are praying with our understanding (1 Cor. 14:15), because God's Word is unveiled to us by His Spirit, who also leads us in prayer. This does not come easily. It requires a hunger for, and a continual feasting on, His Word (Jer. 15:16), and a commitment to persist in prayer (Luke 18:1).
At Intercessors for Israel we find that as we pray about an issue consistently with the understanding we have – God can then give us new insights about that issue – including things in His Word which we had not seen in that specific way before.
Recall the question the Lord asked concerning His return: Yet when the Son of Man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?
(Luke 18:8). At this climax of His parable teaching that men ought always to pray and not to give up
(Luke 18:1), the context shows that Messiah was wondering whether He would find any of His followers who will, in the last days, be persistently interceding for His will to be done on earth. May the year 2019 find more of us becoming members of that praying company.
Secular Humanism?
In the WFJ teaching letter, Humanism – the Last of the Giants, the term "secular humanism" was not used; it is a misnomer. Humanism is the rejection of God and the substitution of mankind in His place. Thus its "god" is humanity itself. Since humanists obey only human ideologies, they interpret reality as necessarily logical to themselves; they bow to their own understanding. That is not just being "secular"; it's pure paganism! The ultimate humanist, the Anti-Christ, will be an entity with god-like power. He/she/it will be the most satanically possessed and dangerous of all. Yet the true Christ, will destroy the lawless one…with the breath of His mouth,
at His return (2 Thess. 2:8).
Israel vs. the anti-God, humanistic UN
Today's UN seems to be lining up for what God said He would do to the nations in the last days (Zech. 12:2-9; 14:1).
Israeli Prime Minister [PM] Bibi Netanyahu, at the annual UN General Assembly [GA] meeting in Sept., blasted its animosity towards Israel: "Israel airlifted Ethiopian Jews to freedom and a new life in Israel…Yet here at the UN, Israel is absurdly accused of racism. Israel's Arab citizens vote in our elections, serve in our parliament, preside over our courts, and have exactly the same individual rights as all other Israeli citizens. Yet here at the UN, Israel is shamefully accused of apartheid. Today, there are at least five times as many Palestinians as there were in 1948…Yet here at the UN, Israel is outrageously accused of ethnic cleansing." He sees this as just another twist on antisemitism. "Once, it was the Jewish people that were slandered and held to a different standard. Today, it's the Jewish state…"
He added, "Ever since Abraham and Sarah made their journey to the Promised Land nearly 4,000 years ago, the Land of Israel has been our homeland. It is the place…where David ruled and Isaiah preached…the place from which we were exiled and to which we returned, rebuilding our ancient and eternal capital Jerusalem. The nation state of Israel is the only place where the Jewish people proudly exercise our collective right of self-determination. That right was recognized nearly a century ago by the League of Nations and over 70 years ago by the UN," as it voted in favor of "the establishment of a Jewish state." (PM Netanyahu's speech at the UNGA, TOI, 27 Sept. 2018)
At the annual meeting of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, held on the anniversary of the UN vote to split "Palestine" into a Jewish and Arab state (29 Nov. '47), a statement from Palestinian Authority [PA] President Abbas was read, accusing Israel of "apartheid" and "colonialism," and with no relation to truth, claimed that "the PA has fought incitement and terrorism, has fulfilled all of its obligations under the Oslo accords, and has never refused negotiations." ("UN: Eastern Jerusalem must be capital of 'Palestine'," Arutz 7, 29 Nov. 2018)
The UN then "approved six anti-Israel resolutions" including two ignoring all Jewish ties to the Temple Mount. The main resolution "also disavowed Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem." Several others referred to the Temple Mt. only "by its Muslim name," and one called on "Israel to withdraw from the Golan," handing it back to that mass-murderer Assad, Syria's president.
The Israeli Deputy Permanent Representative said resolutions ignoring Jewish and Christian ties to Jerusalem again expose a "Palestinian refusal to recognize" historical reality. Nations must not approve of "such a blatant denial of history," and should not "permit these blatant attempts to delegitimize Israel." ("148 Nations disavow Jewish ties to Jerusalem, Temple Mount," JP, 2 Dec. 2018)
The UN also voted down a resolution condemning Hamas for "rocket attacks on Israel, its digging of terror tunnels, and launching of incendiary balloons at Israeli communities…" Using a procedural ploy before the vote made its adoption dependent on a two-thirds majority, so while "the resolution received a majority of 87 votes in favor, it was not approved."
America's UN Ambassador N. Haley submitted the resolution and said before the vote, "The question before us now is whether the UN considers terrorism acceptable if it's directed at Israel…Is hatred of Israel so strong" that you defend a terrorist group? She bluntly added, "There is nothing more anti-Semitic than saying terrorism is not terrorism when it's used against the Jewish people and the Jewish state." ("Haley at the UN: Is hatred of Israel so strong?" Arutz 7, 7 Dec. 2018; "Despite broad support, US fails to win UN condemnation of Hamas," Israel Hayom, 7 Dec. 2018)
Bassam Tawil, a ME Arab Muslim, hates the world's hypocrisy in dealing with Israel. He wrote that the defeat of this resolution was the UN's gift to Palestinian terrorists who saw this "as an internationally sanctioned license to continue killing Jews…" Hamas thanked the nations who voted no; nations who "do not consider suicide bombings and rocket attacks" against Jews "as acts of terrorism." ("UN Approves Terror, Torpedoes Peace," B. Tawil, Gatestone Institute, 10 Dec. 2018)
God's red line
IFI's International Prayer Conference, Jerusalem 2019 has just ended. The respect that many American prayer warriors have for US President Trump was evident. America's economy is doing much better and he is fighting against illegal immigration. While his foreign policy is all over the place, he is the most Israel friendly president in recent memory. He has held the PA accountable for supporting terrorism, and has moved the US embassy up to Jerusalem – Israel's eternal capital.
Yet attendees understood that how Trump deals with God's land and the resurrected nation of Israel is God's red-line for how He deals with the USA (Lev. 25:23; Isa. 60:12; Joel 3:1-2; Zech. 12:9).
The British believers prayed mightily that the UK would exit the EU [Brexit] and become an independent sovereign nation again. If that occurs, but their government, like the current Teresa May led one, still insists in dividing God's land, then Brexit or no, that nation is facing an increase of God's judgments. This is true for all nations. This is God’s red-line.
Trump, Bibi and God's red line
In a joint press conference with Netanyahu at the UN, Trump told reporters, "I like [the] two-state solution." Not only was this the first time he openly endorsed this anti-Biblical solution, but he added that attaining peace is "more difficult because it's a real estate deal…" Trump is playing with fire – God's fire – by seeing God's land as just another piece of "real estate". Since then his presidency has suffered crisis after crisis.
Bibi was not shaken by any of this. He thanked Trump for his support and for pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, adding that, "In the UN, no one has backed Israel like you do. We appreciate it." ("At UN, Trump backs two-state solution…," Israel Hayom, 27 Sept. 2018)
In a CNN interview afterward, while Netanyahu said he would look at Washington's peace plan with an "open mind" he did not, thank God, "voice explicit support for a two-state solution…" When asked if he saw two-states as the answer, Bibi sidestepped. "I've discovered that, if you use labels, you're not going to get very far because different people mean different things when they say 'states'… I'd like to talk about substance." Israel wants the Palestinians to "have all the power to govern themselves but none of the powers to threaten us." Israeli security forces must maintain control, or else that 'state' will be overrun by Islamic terrorists. People can decide if this is equal to a Palestinian state, but for Netanyahu, this is the bottom line. ("PM vows to keep 'open mind' on US peace plan; won't voice support for 2 states," TOI, 30 Sept. 2018)
Misguided thinking
In November, Trump was asked by the press to comment on CIA reports accusing Saudi Crown Prince bin Salman of ordering the murder of US-based Saudi journalist Khashoggi. He used Israel's security to justify his stance with the Saudis. "Israel would be in big trouble without Saudi Arabia," hinting that the Jewish State could be uprooted wthout the Saudis being there. Saudi is "a very strong ally,' he said, adding that it "helps keep oil prices down."
Previously, he had said, "The US intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia to ensure the interests of our ally, Israel," and other ME partners. ("Trump: Israel would be in big trouble without Saudi Arabia," TOI, 22 Nov. 2018) And in a Washington Post interview, he said US troops in the ME could be withdrawn, yet he would not because of Israel's security. ("Trump indicates concern for Israel requires US troops remain in ME," TOI, 28 Nov. 2018)
If Trump really believes Israel's existence depends on what he and America do, he is misguided. Where are his Christian advisors who should be warning him of arrogance and of what Psalm 121:4 and Jeremiah 31:10 declare?
Tel Aviv U's Prof. of ME history Eyal Zisser, wrote about these latest Trumpisms: "Israel has a true friend in the White House who is deeply committed to its security," yet these statements are a "warning sign for Jerusalem. Ever since the US became Israel's closest ally in the mid-60s," Israel has made it clear it will never ask US soldiers to fight for it. The US gave Israel "financial aid and the best of US weapons and technology" so that it could "maintain its qualitative edge over its enemies…"
Israel has shown its "ability to defend itself" as well as being "a regional ally and genuine strategic asset," and history has shown that "US-Israel ties did not harm" America's ties with the Arabs.
By stressing that his foreign policy's goal is Israel's protection, Trump is making "Israel a target for criticism," from all sections of America, as then Israel could "be blamed for US tax dollars being wasted overseas, and worse, will be held responsible for every American soldier killed" in the ME. ("The US is Israel's ally, not its sponsor," Prof. E. Zisser, Israel Hayom Op-ed, 3 Dec. 2018)
In late 2018, Trump shocked his Republican Party, his advisors and allies with a plan to withdraw all 2,000 US troops from Syria, because, he said, ISIS was defeated so the troops "were no longer needed" there. Republicans warned him this will strengthen both Russia and Iran in Syria, and will leave unprotected the "alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias," aka, the Syrian Democratic Forces, who have been "the most effective forces in combating ISIS," but are currently threatened by Turkey. ("Trump says ISIS defeated, announces US withdrawal from Syria," Israel Hayom, 20 Dec. 2018)
He has since changed his mind. Now, troops will be withdrawn gradually and the Kurds' security will be assured. Yet his initial decision was a wake-up call. A JP editorial noted that America is "Israel's greatest ally," yet recently that alliance has seen cracks. "Trump now follows Obama in letting Israel know that ultimately it can rely only on itself" as he leads the US into a more isolationist policy. ("Trump's Gift," JP Editorial, 20 Dec. 2018)
While many see this as dangerous for Israel, we also see it as an answer to prayer for God to arrange realities so Israel recognizes that in Him alone can they trust. Even just the verbalization of Trump's now-modified plan is one step closer to Israel's salvation and the return of its King, the Lord Yeshua.
The background of why Trump decided to pull US troops out of Syria was very disturbing. Turkey dictator Erdogan challenged him in a phone conversation that was to "discuss Erdogan's threats to launch a military operation against US-backed Kurdish rebels in NE Syria," where those US forces are located. Trump's national security team gave him "a list of talking points," telling Erdogan to back off. But he "ignored the script," and "sided with Erdogan," who provoked Trump with his own words that the only reason US troops were in Syria was to defeat ISIS. Erdogan then asked, since this was 99% done, "Why are you still there?" He said the Turks could deal with all remaining ISIS fighters, and so Trump pledged to quickly withdraw. ("Trump decided on Syria pullout during phone call with Erdogan, ignored advisers," TOI, 21 Dec. 2018)
Trump praised the anti-Semite Turkish leader, tweeting, "I just had a long and productive call with [Erdogan]," discussing ISIS, "our mutual involvement in Syria, and the slow and highly coordinated pullout of US troops" from there. "We also discussed heavily expanded Trade." ("Trump: Turkey's Erdogan is the man for the job in Syria," Arutz 7, 24 Dec. 2018)
Yet this same Erdogan warned Turkish youth, "Do not kick the enemy you have brought down to the ground. You are not a Jew in Israel." Weeks earlier, he said Palestinians were subjected to "pressures, violence and intimidation policies no less grave than the oppression done to the Jews during the 2nd World War," in the Holocaust. Seeing himself as the Palestinians' champion, he has blasted Israel, calling it "the world's most fascist and racist state." ("Turkey: Israel must 'end brutal oppression'," Arutz 7, 23 Dec. 2018)\
In a press briefing, Trump clarified his thinking. He rightly feels that neighboring nations need to take more responsibility for their regions, instead of a very distant US doing all the work. He also said that while the US was leaving Syria the timing was flexible, adding, "We want to protect the Kurds,' but we don't want to be in Syria forever. He added that ISIS threatens Russia and Iran, so why should America fight to protect them?
While all these points are right, still regional reactions have been muted "because two weeks of uncertainty" have shown "US policy as wavering and lacking clarity." ("Trump's Iran, Kurdish and Afghanistan comments leave ME perplexed," Seth Frantzman, JP, 3 Jan. 2019)
Israelis confused by US president
This is all very bewildering for Israel. Can this man be trusted to do what he says, or will he suddenly change his mind? Also, many Israelis wonder if Trump understands what he is doing, especially as he said in early 2019, "Iran was free to do whatever it wants" in Syria. Israel's worst nightmare in the "Syrian civil war has been Iran's efforts to establish a military presence there," from where it can "further threaten the Jewish state." The US' military presence at the Syria-Iraq border made it harder "for Iran to move men and equipment" into Syria, while stuff getting through were often destroyed by Israeli air strikes. With US troops out, Iran will have an open highway to Israel's borders, and Trump saying that the Iranians "can do what they want there," is frightening.
Israel's government did not officially respond, but an Israeli source speaking anonymously said to Ynet news. "It is sad that [Trump] is not attentive to intelligence materials…Trump simply does not know what is happening in Syria and the Iranian entrenchment there." ("'Trump Doesn't Know What He's Doing,' Bemoans Israeli Expert," Israel Today, 3 Jan. 2019)
We are convinced of Trump's pro-Israel credentials and that God has raised him up at this time (Dan. 2:20-21; 4:17), so we continue to intercede for him (1 Tim. 2:1-3).
Peace or insanity?
Insanity has been defined as doing the same thing over and over again, yet expecting different results, and this describes almost all modern day plans for an Israel-Palestinian peace.
Prof. Zisser sees the current approach to "peace" as deeply flawed. Firstly because, "we are no longer dealing with a two-state solution," but three states: Israel; "Palestine" in Judea & Samaria, aka "the West Bank;" and 'Hamastan' in Gaza. Next, no Arab leader will go over Abbas' head to accept a deal, which leads to the final reason: the PA leadership refuses to make necessary historic decisions. He ends with this gem: "international treaties rarely reflect 'justice', let alone the Palestinian…version of 'absolute justice'." The Jewish community understood this in 1948, and so succeeded in birthing a state. ("Dealing with Iran must come first," Prof. E. Zisser, Israel Hayom Op-ed, 2 Oct. 2018)
At the UN, eight EU nations said, "The EU is truly convinced that the achievements of a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as the capital of both states…is the only viable and realistic way to end the conflict and to achieve just and lasting peace," adding that any successful plan must meet Israeli and Palestinian security needs and Palestinian goals of "statehood and sovereignty; the end of the occupation" and a resolving of all other issues, in line with all previous UN agreements. ("Eight EU states warn Trump peace plan will fail unless based on '67 lines," JP, 19 Dec. 2018) That definition of insanity describes this EU approach. This insane approach will eventually lead to military intervention to divide Jerusalem, which seems to mark the time of the return of Israel's King Messiah (Zech. 14:1-3)
PA Fatwa = bad news
Bassam Tawil writes, "If anyone wanted further proof that no Palestinian leader would ever be able to recognize Israel's right to exist, it was provided recently in the form of yet another religious decree, or fatwa, issued by the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Hussein," which says that "no Muslim is entitled to sell" land to "enemies," i.e., the Jews. Anyone violating this faces punishment, "ranging from being boycotted to the death sentence."
This mid-July fatwa "attracted no attention" in the mainstream media" or with any who are zealous to achieve "peace between Palestinians and Israel." Human rights groups seem not "bothered at all by such threats against Muslims."
This ban "dates back to the beginning of the last century," so in reality, "there is nothing new about an Islamic religious leader issuing …a death sentence against Palestinian land-dealers and land-brokers." Yet such fatwas need to be taken seriously. The mufti who issued this is a PA official, who receives a salary from finances the nations give to the Palestinians. He is the PA's "highest religious authority …and has final say on most religious and non-religious issues." When the mufti "issues a legal opinion or religious decree," all Palestinians are expected to abide by it.
Also, his rulings often "represent the consensus among leading Islamic figures" within Islam, and as no senior Muslim religious leader anywhere questioned this fatwa, it is valid for all Muslims!
This fatwa contradicts Abbas' supposed support for a "two-state solution" and is "another declaration of war on the presence of Jews in the ME. It is also a declaration of war on any Muslim who dares to think about peace with Israel."
Imagine the world's reaction if "the Chief Rabbi of Israel issued a decree banning Jews from doing business with Muslims." But, once more, the world "turns a blind eye to the Palestinian leaders' apartheid and their terrorizing of their own people." ("Palestinians' Latest 'Apartheid Fatwa'," B. Tawil, Gatestone Institute, 17 July 2018)
The spirit of Persia rages on
Iran's President Rouhani at the September UN General Assembly said, "Israel, equipped with nuclear weapons, constitutes the greatest threat to peace and stability in the region and the world." This is called in psychological terms "projection"! ("'Nuclear Israel is biggest threat to world peace,'…" Israel Hayom, 26 Sept. 2018)
Most of Netanyahu's September UN speech focused on Iran. He said that back in 2015, "Of the nearly 200 countries that sit in this hall, only Israel openly opposed the nuclear deal with Iran," as it threatened Israel's existence by paving "Iran's path to a nuclear arsenal. And by lifting the sanctions, it's fueled Iran's campaign of carnage and conquest throughout the ME."
The deal was also founded on the "lie that Iran is not seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Israel exposed that lie" (in Feb. 2018), raiding Iran's secret atomic archive, obtaining over 100,000 documents and videos, and getting "hard evidence of Iran's plans to build nuclear weapons…" Israel shared all this evidence plus more with the P5+1 nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency." Yet to this date, the IAEA has done nothing.
So Bibi exposed yet another secret facility in Iran, which stores "massive amounts of equipment and materiel from Iran's secret nuclear weapons program." He then said to Iran's leaders, "Israel knows what you're doing; Israel knows where you're doing it; Israel will never let a regime" aiming for its annihilation to "develop nuclear weapons…We will continue to act against you in Syria…in Lebanon…in Iraq…whenever and wherever we must act to defend our state and defend our people."
In 2015, Bibi had asked the UN if "anyone seriously believes that flooding Iran's radical theocracy with weapons and cash will curb its appetite for aggression?" Many did, but they were wrong. Iran is using those funds "to fuel its vast war machine." In 2018 alone, "Iran has attacked Kurds in Iraq, slaughtered Sunnis in Syria, armed Hezbollah in Lebanon, financed Hamas in Gaza, fired missiles into Saudi Arabia, and threatened the freedom of navigation," of several major sea lanes. Iran's aggression was not confined to the ME. In August, "Iranian agents were arrested for plotting terror attacks" in America and in Europe. "Yet while the US is confronting Iran with new sanctions, Europe and others are appeasing" Iran by helping it bypass those sanctions. Bibi: "I just used…a very strong word – appeasement." However, this is what Europe is doing again.
The very week Iran was "trying to murder European citizens," EU leaders rolled out the red carpet for Rouhani, "promising to give Iran even more money." Netanyahu then asked, "Have these European leaders learned nothing from history? Will they ever wake up?" Despite Israel's open and persistent warnings, the nuclear deal has "brought war ever closer to our borders," with Iran overseeing anti-Israel activities in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza.
Yet this deal has had positive fruit. "By empowering Iran, it brought Israel and many Arab states closer…in an intimacy and friendship…unimaginable a few years ago." (PM Netanyahu's speech at the UNGA, TOI, 27 Sept. 2018)
A JP editorial said Rouhani is seen by the West as "moderate," so he was able to be "the main architect" of this deal, "on Iran's behalf…" Yet in late 2018, he "showed his true face" as being far from moderate towards Israel and the US. Speaking to the annual Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran, he said one of the "effects of WW II was formation of a cancerous tumor [Israel] in the region," adding that the West "formed the fake Israeli regime and killed and displaced the historical nation of Palestine." Oh… Wait! What historical nation? ("Iranian aggression," JP Editorial, 25 Nov. 2018)
Tawil wrote "Iran has decided to pay stipends to" families of Palestinians killed during "the weekly Hamas-sponsored riots along the Gaza-Israel border…" Iran is telling them, "If you want money and a good life, send your children to die on the border with Israel." This decision was announced shortly after Rouhani's Tehran statement, his words being "confirmation of Iran's openly declared goal of destroying Israel."
It is clear "Iran is prepared to pursue its fight against Israel and the US to the last Palestinian or Arab or Muslim …The question is, will the international community allow this plan to continue, or will it wake up to the fact that Iran has much more than Israel and the US in its sights?" ("Why Iran Funds Palestinian Terrorists," B. Tawil, Gatestone Institute, 3 Dec. 2018)
The rise of the ancient hatred – anti-Semitism
In 2004, Nathan Sharansky was head of the Jewish Agency. He developed a "three D" test for what he called "new antisemitism." Demonization "when Israel's actions are blown out of all sensible proportion and comparisons are made, for example, between Israelis and Nazis, and between Palestinian refugee camps and Auschwitz. Double standard is when criticism of Israel is applied selectively and the Jewish state is singled out… Delegitimization …is when Israel's fundamental right to exist is denied."
The Boycott, Divestment & Sanction campaign is part of this new antisemitism. Its goal, a one-state solution, will "end the Zionist enterprise that led…to the establishment of the world's only Jewish state." ("New Antisemitism," JP Editorial, 15 Sept. 2017)
Implausibly, some believers join this movement, wanting to boycott all Israeli products. They could start with their Bibles – a made-in-Israel product – and then they could boycott Messiah Yeshua, who was born here.
German politician M. Weber, head of the European People's Party in the European Parliament and member of the conservative Christian Social Union in Bavaria, spoke at an EU conference on anti-Semitism. Interviewed by Israel Hayom, he said the growth of European anti-Semitism "is an absolute warning sign…" In France, "violent anti-Semitic incidents rose by an inconceivable 69%" in 2018. Britain has seen a 30% increase, and once again in Germany people are being attacked for being Jews. "The growing anti-Semitism makes me uneasy. Not just public attacks but the 'relativization' of anti-Semitism creeping into people's minds…" ("Top German diplomat troubled by growing anti-Semitism in Europe," E. Beck, Israel Hayom, 21 Nov. 2018)
Interviewed on CNN, Netanyahu responded to a large CNN poll showing more than 20% of Europeans think Jews have "too much influence" in the world. He differentiated between the old European anti-Semitism from the far right, and today's new version coming "from extreme left and radical Islamic pockets…" Bibi declared, "The idea that the Jewish people don't have the right to a state, that's the ultimate anti-Semitism of today." ("Netanyahu: Denying Israel's right to exist is the 'ultimate' anti-Semitism," TOI, 28 Nov. 2018)
YHWH who made heaven and earth, bless you out of Zion.Psa. 134:3
Chuck & Karen Cohen