Prophecy Update Newsletter
May 29, 2017
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
A Little Leaven... - Pete Garcia -
http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=8449 A believer moves through three stages in life: salvation (a one-time event), sanctification (a life-long event), and glorification (a permanent event). Satan actively attacks all three of these areas to either prevent a person from hearing the truth to become saved or by perverting the truth to keep a believer's growth in Christ stunted. The best tactical strategy an adversary could ever have is to keep his enemy in a state of both confusion and disarray. We know that Satan (i.e., the adversary) has used this strategy of corruption generously over the course of human history. When he was not able to outright crush Israel or the Church, he chose a more subtle method. Corruption came in the form of idolatry, false religious practices, religiosity, pseudo, heretical, and apostate variations of the truth. In reading the Old Testament (OT), we see that the Israelites struggled with these issues since the time of their deliverance during the Exodus. Likewise, the Church has had to deal with the following spiritual corruption over the past two thousand years via pseudo-Christian cults, heretical and apostate teachings, Judaizers, Eastern-Mysticism, Emergent movements, Seeker-Friendly, Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, Prosperity and Social Gospels and so forth. But most of these error-laden movements are fairly obvious to anyone who actually reads their Bibles. These primarily impact issues surrounding salvation. What is not so obvious are the stealth movements within orthodox Christianity. These are movements within Christendom that target born-again Christians already, and then seek to thwart or stunt their understanding of salvation, sanctification, and glorification. Some of these traditions and teachings were simply products of the times in which they lived. These are they which seem correct at a glance, but upon further review fall apart when put in context of the entirety of Scripture. These are ones that tend to introduce ideas and teachings either exploiting gray areas within Scripture or misconstrue doctrines by over/under-emphasizing certain areas. By gray, I mean those areas that on the surface do not clarify positions with extreme clarity. These are Calvinism, Replacement Theology, Covenant Theology, Hebrew Roots, Lordship Salvation, and the eschatological positions of Amillennialism, Post-Millennialism, Historic Pre-Millennialism, Mid-Tribulation, Pre-Wrath Rapture, Dominionism, and Post-Tribulation Rapture. All stealth movements find their strength in either teaching half-measures or by introducing non-biblically sourced creeds, opinions, theories, and dogmas (reinforcing the errors) to uninformed students. Half-measures would be teachings that are correct on certain points, but either questionable or incorrect in many others. Covenant theology, for example, theorizes that God had a work covenant with Adam in the Garden pre-fall. Yet, the word covenant is never used until Genesis 6 when God pronounced one with Noah and his family...some 1650 years after the Garden. Thus, Covenant theology inserts this non-existent idea into Scripture (eisegesis) to support its claim of validity. The theological terms, Covenant of Works and Covenant of Grace, do not occur in Scripture. If they are to be sustained it must be wholly apart from Biblical authority. What is known as Covenant Theology builds its structure on these two covenants and is, at least, a recognition--though inadequate--of the truth that the creature has responsibility toward his Creator. Covenant Theology has Cocceius (1603-1669) as its chief exponent. "He taught that before the Fall, as much as after it, the relation between God and man was a covenant. The first was a Covenant of Works. For this was substituted, after the Fall, the Covenant of Grace..." Upon this human invention of two covenants, Reformed Theology has largely been constructed. Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, Volume IV (Dallas, Texas: Dallas Seminary Press, 1948) p. 156 If one wanted to support a Hebrew Roots position for example, then one must extensively twist Paul's teachings to attempt to force the Pauline Epistles to say what they clearly do not. Paul battled extensively with the Judaizers who were attempting to reintroduce the tenets of the Mosaic Law back into the Church. Galatians and Hebrews are books which speak extensively against adding the law back into faith. Yet, Hebrew Roots groups either dismiss Paul's writings, or they twist his teachings. If one wanted to promote Five-Point Calvinism, then one over-emphasizes predestination while simultaneously downplaying free will. Thus, overemphasizing predestination as a foregone conclusion quells the spirit of evangelism for many. Worse still, the unnecessary Calvinism vs. Arminianism debate has divided the church for centuries. All of the aforementioned views, either recognizable or stealth, focus only on the parts and not the sum of Scripture. Eschatology Satan has been particularly effective in twisting Christian eschatology over the past three millennia, so much so, that the Jews did not even recognize their Messiah when He was standing in their midst (Matt. 16:1-4). First and foremost, a good general (or leader) does not lay out His battles plans clearly so that the enemy can anticipate them. This is why Christ's first coming was both explained, yet hidden within the passages of the Old Testament. We know in hindsight and with help by the Holy Spirit that Christ would:
But even with all this laid out in the Old Testament, neither Satan nor the Jewish and Roman authorities of Christ's day could figure out what exactly had to transpire in order for Him to fulfill His role as the Messiah. However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Cor. 2:6-8 Assessment So knowing the overall picture, how do the aforementioned cults, pseudo-Christian and stealth movement's maneuver through Scripture to draw away converts unto themselves? In part, they do so by ignoring the whole by favoring particular parts. This is akin to snake-handling churches exclusively focusing on passages likeMark 16:17-18 andActs 28:2-5, or churches that teach baptismal regeneration who primarily focus onActs 2:38 andRomans 6:3 regardless of context and excluding what the rest of the Bible has to say about salvation. They also teach half-truths or add in extra-biblical doctrines, creeds, and dogmas that detract from the truth through the lens of men's opinions. Some might posit why I included teachings like Calvinism or Amillennialism as stealth teachings and regard them in a negative light? Calvinism, like Roman Catholicism, has many devout believers under their umbrellas. It's not the believers I am attacking, but the system by which they promulgate. It is unnecessary and unbiblical. As the Apostle Paul succinctly stated, a little leaven leavens the whole lump (1 Cor. 5:6). Leaven, in context, is not the physical leaven which causes bread to rise, but false teachings that Jesus alluded to as the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt. 16:5-12). In regards to Christianity (post-death, burial, and resurrection), the aforementioned religions, sects, movements, and beliefs that either add to or take away from the simplicity of the Gospel, become in effect, no Gospel at all (Gal. 1:6-9; 1 Cor. 15:1-5). So what did they teach? The Pharisees taught blind, external obedience to the Law of Moses, plus what they added in (i.e....traditions of men) as fences around the Law. The Sadducees denied the existence of angels, the spirit, and resurrection. Relatively speaking, both of these views could be seen as extremes on a spectrum of what constitutes a biblical faith. On one end of the spectrum, you had a view that promoted militant obedience to the Law, missing the intent of the Law for the letter of it. On the other end, you had almost a complete dismissal of the supernatural nature of our faith. Pharisees Is the Law of no effect to the Christian? Yes and no. Were it not for the Law, we would not know we need a Savior. At the same time, if one IS a born-again Christian, then the law is of no effect, neither saving nor perfecting what Christ has already completed through the perfect gift of eternal life through His sacrifice at Calvary. Thus keeping the law (post-salvation) is much like paying on a house you have already paid off. So any religion or belief system that states you must do X, Y, Z in order to be saved, BEYOND placing your faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for Salvation, is NO Gospel at all. Don't take my word for it, what does the Bible say? For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 ...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 Sadducees Like the Sadducees of old, any religion that denies the supernatural nature of our faith, our Scripture, and our God, is a dead religion. It might be a moral one, and it might be beautiful in its observances and rituals, but it's as dead as the dinosaurs. If one denies the resurrection, then one could never be a Christian as Paul astutely observes (1 Cor. 15:12-14). We see this denial of a supernatural faith particularly evident in regards to eschatology. One might view an eschatological view as irrelevant to one's salvific state (to which I agree), but the wrong eschatological view can be very damaging to one's sanctification and one's discernment. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Acts 20:27-30 ...Knowing this first that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20-21 ...Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Rev. 19:10 Conclusion So why do I seemingly always harp on bad eschatology? Well, a false eschatology does one of three things to a believer: It promotes apathy (or lethargy), undue fear (fight or flight response), or false triumphalism (which ultimately leads to disillusionment). How can a Christian mature in the faith if one's view of how things end is clearly wrong and/or misguided? As we are now at the end of this age, it is harder and harder for believers to hold on to the truth, when that truth is continually painted as subjective or unknowable. Why does it matter what my "eschatological" position is, or whether I am a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 Point Calvinist? Who cares if the Church replaces Israel? So what that certain well-known evangelist promotes Lordship Salvation? People today will say "why make major issues out of minor ones?" Shouldn't we as Augustine once stated, practice in essentials, unity, in doubtful matters, liberty? You could hold to Augustine's philosophy if you never wanted to mature in the faith, or as a body of mature believers effectively working toward the same ends...which of course is the Great Commission. Churches divide over interpretations, and these interpretations are almost always unnecessary deviations from what the Bible actually teaches. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. Matthew 28:18-20 My argument isn't just about salvation, but sanctification. How do we grow IN Christ? What is the end state for the believer? Are we just to be content with milk and never move onto meat? Granted there are no perfect Biblical hermeneutics, theologies or theologians on this side of the veil (1 Cor. 13:12). That is not an excuse but a reality. But our imperfection and shortsightedness are not licensed to add or subtract from the totality of God's word. Furthermore, how (like the parable of the sower and the seed) do we expect those who received salvation to become fruit-bearing believers beyond salvation if they can't grow deep roots? You grow them with solid, well-rounded, BIBLICAL teachings that do not hold back the whole counsel of God but teaches it in due measure as determined not by men, but by the Holy Spirit. Having a proper understanding of soteriology is as important for the believer as is a proper understanding of ecclesiology or eschatology. A little leaven in one doctrine soon comes to corrupt them all. All these doctrines (when properly understood) effectively balance and build upon each other to make a well-rounded, well-grounded, mature believer in Christ for the sole purpose of becoming who God intended us to become... And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. Ephesians 4:11-15 
Arch of Ba'al, Erected for G7, Is Portal for Messiah - or New World Order, Warns Rabbi - ByAdam Eliyahu Berkowitz - https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/88858/rabbi-warns-pagan-arch-end-days-gateway-will-walk/#BOly4dyOx7vcOE4I.99
"For he built again the high places which Chizkiyahu his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal."II Kings 21:3 (The Israel Bible™) A pagan arch erected in Italy one month before the meeting of the world's most powerful leaders in the same country may be the portal whose opening could usher in the age of the Messiah - or a sinister World Order, a prominent rabbi has claimed. The rabbi believes that the two events - the unveiling last month of a replica of the Palmyra Arch, a symbol of paganism and idol worship, and the recent G7 summit, representing the coming together of world powers - are deeply and troubling connected. "This arch brings together all the necessary elements for the New World Order," explained Rabbi Daniel Assur, a member of the nascent Sanhedrin, to Breaking Israel News. "If you look at where this arch has appeared, it is clearly a pattern moving towards a specific goal: Messiah. The question is, whose Messiah will it be?" The structure is a reproduction of a Roman victory arch built in Palmyra, Syria at the end of the second century CE. Originally it stood in front of a Roman temple where pagans worshiped the Mesopotamian god, Bel, also known as Ba'al, in a form of idol worship that figures prominently in the Bible. The original arch was destroyed by the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2015, but one year later, the Institute for Digital Archaeology used 3-D printing technology to reproduce a 20-foot full-scale replica. The reproduction, which has traveled around the world to grace a number of events - each related to a concentration of global world power - was erected in Florence, Italy, one month ago as part of the first-ever Cultural Summit of the G7. This meeting was a prelude to the annual summit that brings together the leaders of the world's seven major advanced economies. The seven entities, representing more than 64 percent of the net global wealth, came together last Friday in Taormina, Italy. Rabbi Assur explained that this connection to Ba'al was essential to the New World Order, and was therefore necessary to elements in the G7 seeking world domination. "The New World Order is not a secular, atheist movement," explained Rabbi Assur. "They combine worship of Ba'al with worship of the Egyptian god, Isis, and also the true name of God. They need to bring together all of these elements." Rabbi Assur added that changes within Christianity, specifically Catholicism, are part of the battle against the New World Order. This was one of his motives for participating in the Sanhedrin's trial against Pope Francis in 2015. "The culture of paganic Rome is taking over Christianity," he argued. "Christianity must be taken back from Roman culture, which is paganism." The arch, originally reconstructed for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Heritage week in England, also relates to the New World Order's designs on the Holy Temple and the name of the Jewish God, the rabbi said. "UNESCO, as part of the New World Order, has to usurp the true name of God," Rabbi Assur explained. "It is towards this end that UNESCO is working towards changing the name and history of the Temple Mount, in order to control the original name of the Jewish God. That is why they made the most absurd claims about the holy places in Israel, but the power of the New World Order is real, so they were successful, despite their obvious lies." Rabbi Assur said that the arch's role in bringing the Messiah was explicitly described in the Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin (78a). The disciples of Rabbi Yossi the son of Kisma questioned him, asking when the son of David (the Messiah) will appear. And he answered: I am afraid you will request from me a sign as well. And they assured him that they would not. He then said to them: When this gate will fall, be rebuilt and fall again, be rebuilt again and fall again. And before it will be rebuilt for the third time the Messiah will appear. Revered Jewish scholar Rashi, a medieval rabbi who authored a canonical commentary on the Torah, wrote that the arch mentioned by Rabbi Yossi was "a Roman arch in a Roman city". Rabbi Assur explained that when the Talmud describes the gate falling, it is not referring to an intentional act of deconstruction, but to the powers of evil triumphing over those who serve the true God, symbolized by the Arch of Palmyra. "There is no question that the arch is the portal for a new world that the Talmud is speaking about. If the New World Order succeeds, then they will rule, God forbid," Rabbi Assur said. "But if the Moshiach ben David (Messiah from the House of David) comes through the portal, he will rule over them, over the New World Order." The first modern reappearance of the Arch of Palmyra was in London's Trafalgar Square in April 2016, when it was erected for (UNESCO) World Heritage Week. The unveiling coincided with the beginning of a 13-day period known in the occult as "the Blood Sacrifice to the Beast", the most important holiday for those who worship the god Ba'al, celebrated with child sacrifice and bisexual orgies. In February, the arch was assembled again as the centerpiece for the World Government Summit in Dubai, an international meeting of global leaders to discuss policy. 
White House may tacitly recognize Jerusalem as capital in Knesset-Congress event
- By Lahav Harkov - http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Netanyahu-Trump-in-joint-Knesset-Congress-event-for-50-years-of-united-Jerusalem-494138 All Members of Knesset, Congress and Senate were invited to the event, which was organized by Israel's Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer. The Knesset and the Congress will jointly mark 50 years since the reunification of Jerusalem in an event scheduled to be broadcast on live video link between the two legislatures next Tuesday. The move could be viewed as tacit recognition by the White House of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and spark controversy. Sources told The Jerusalem Post that either President Donald Trump or Vice President Mike Pence will participate in the event on Capitol Hill, alongside Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, its host. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein will take part from the Knesset. All members of Knesset and both houses of Congress have been invited to the event, which was organized by Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer. While the US does not officially recognize Israeli sovereignty in the parts of Jerusalem that Israel liberated in 1967, White House participation in the event could be viewed as tacit acknowledgment of Israel's position regarding Jerusalem. The event comes after Trump became the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall during his trip here last week but held back from making any mention of Jerusalem Day, celebrated the day after he left the country. In his letter to the senators and the congressmen, Edelstein wrote that Jerusalem, "the eternal capital of the State of Israel, is the seat of our parliament - the Knesset. Jerusalem is also the city where the prophets of Israel spoke to the world of the universal values of morality, equality, freedom and monotheism. In Jewish tradition, this is the city where heaven and earth are linked together and the home of the holy Temple [is situated], sacred to all Jews around the world." While the US does not officially recognize Israeli sovereignty in the parts of Jerusalem that Israel liberated in 1967, White House participation in the event could be viewed as tacit acknowledgment of Israel's position regarding Jerusalem. The event comes after Trump became the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall during his trip here last week but held back from making any mention of Jerusalem Day, celebrated the day after he left the country. In his letter to the senators and the congressmen, Edelstein wrote that Jerusalem, "the eternal capital of the State of Israel, is the seat of our parliament - the Knesset. Jerusalem is also the city where the prophets of Israel spoke to the world of the universal values of morality, equality, freedom and monotheism. In Jewish tradition, this is the city where heaven and earth are linked together and the home of the holy Temple [is situated], sacred to all Jews around the world." Column One: Netanyahu's Challenge with Trump
- By Caroline Glick - https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Column-One-Netanyahus-challenge-with-Trump-493965#hs1t3vOH6D0WPJbC.99 On Thursday, less than 48 hours after US President Donald Trump completed his successful visit to Israel, his chief negotiator Jason Greenblatt was back in town. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson set the tone for Greenblatt's mission when he told reporters aboard Air Force One that during his visit, Trump "was putting a lot of pressure" on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas "to get back to the table" and negotiate a peace deal. Tillerson went on to explain why Trump is so keen to make a deal. "We solve the Israeli-Palestinian peace dilemma, we start solving a lot of the peace throughout the Middle East region," he said. Trump apparently agrees with his secretary of state. At his joint appearance with Abbas in Bethlehem on Tuesday, Trump said, "I firmly believe that if Israel and the Palestinians can make peace, it will begin a process of peace all throughout the Middle East." These statements, and Greenblatt's swift return here indicate that as of now, on a substantive, strategic level, Trump is maintaining Obama's policies on Israel and the Palestinians. And Obama's policies on the issue, it bears noting, were substantively all but indistinguishable from those of George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush before him. Like his predecessors, Trump is advancing a policy that assumes that the Palestinian conflict with Israel is the key issue that the US must grapple with in the Middle East. He is advancing the view that the US's power in the region, and its ability to foster stability and security, are tied to what happens or does not happen in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to a degree, in Hamas-controlled Gaza. In short, like his predecessors, Trump believes that putting pressure on Israel to give land to the PLO is the key to resolving the conflicts of the Middle East. This position stands incongruously next to the pledge that Trump made in his speech before Sunni leaders in Riyadh on Sunday. There, Trump explained the fundamental nature of his foreign policy as follows: "America," he said, "is committed to adjusting our strategies to meet evolving threats and new facts. We will discard those strategies that have not worked - and will apply new approaches informed by experience and judgment. We are adopting a principled realism, rooted in common values and shared interests." In adopting his predecessors' policies on Israel and the Palestinians, Trump is ignoring his own maxim. He is not adjusting America's "strategies to meet evolving threats and new facts." He is not "discarding those strategies that have not worked" or "applying new approaches informed by experience and judgment." To be sure, there are contrary indicators that give Israelis reason to hope that a significant revision of the US strategic approach is afoot. Trump for instance did not mention the issue of Jewish construction in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. But then again, doing so would have undermined the purpose of his trip to Israel. Trump visited Israel to show that he is a Zionist and a friend of the Jewish state. Had he gotten into a fight with the government about whether Jewish property rights should be respected in Israel's capital and heartland, he would have failed to achieve his goal. Moreover, why should he get his hands dirty? That's what he has Greenblatt for. There are a lot of people in Washington who are working diligently to ensure that Trump maintains his predecessors' policy on Israel and the Palestinians. But from Israel's perspective, the man whose job it is to move Trump in a new direction is Prime Minister Netanyahu. Clearly, to date, Netanyahu has failed to secure this objective. Netanyahu failed to convince Trump to abandon the anti-Israel two-state model and the anti-Israel notion that there is a direct correlation between the pathologies of the Islamic world and the absence of a Palestinian state, because Netanyahu refused to offer an alternative strategy for dealing with Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem. Netanyahu didn't fail to offer an alternative to the two-state model because he believes it is the right model to follow. He doesn't believe it is the right model to follow. Netanyahu's failed to offer an alternative to the two-state model because he has bought into a different false notion - purveyed by supporters of the two-state model. Netanyahu has come to believe that the only alternative to the establishment of a Palestinian terror state in Israel's capital city and its heartland (in addition to the Palestinian terror state in Gaza), is the one-state model. According to adherents of the two-state model, a one-state model is a recipe for Israel's demographic collapse. If Israel applies its laws to Judea and Samaria, they argue, the Palestinians who live there must all immediately receive Israeli citizenship. Given that they number 1.5 million to 2.5 million people, if Israel were to confer citizenship on all the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, its Jewish majority would shrink significantly, or even be lost. And if Israel doesn't naturalize them, it will cease to be a democracy. At this juncture, it must be noted that at its core, the two-state model is not a strategy. Governments discard strategies when they fail. And the two-state model has failed repeatedly and consistently for nearly a hundred years. The two-state model is a utopian fantasy. For its adherents, history will end the minute the PLO receives sovereignty over all of Judea, Samaria and over eastern, southern and northern Jerusalem. And since it is a utopian fantasy, despite the fact that it has never done anything but fail, adherents of the two-state model never reassess their faith in it. To the contrary, with each failure, they think of new and creative ways to ensure that it is never abandoned. The demographic threat is a key component of this effort. And just as the two-state formula has brought war and instability not peace and stability, so its implementation will not remove a demographic sword from Israel's neck. It will cause Israel's demographic and strategic destruction. If a Palestinian state is ever established, in short order it will be flooded with millions of "immigrants" from Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and beyond. These "immigrants" include the so-called Palestinian refugees who dwell in UN camps controlled by Hezbollah, ISIS, al-Qaida and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. They will be joined by jihadists who will march on Jerusalem. None of these "immigrants" will take kindly to the idea of Israel or its peace partners. They can be expected to overthrow the treacherous PLO and Hamas and then make war against a shrunken Israel with new permeable borders it is incapable of defending. In other words, the establishment of a Palestinian state is an existential demographic and strategic threat that Israel has no means of countering. Given the stakes, it is clear that if, as the two-state faithful insist, Israel has but two options going forward, then it is better off with the one-state option. But the fact is that just as the two-state model is not a strategy, so its adherents' presentation of Israel's strategic options as a binary choice between a two-state and one-state model is a false choice. Israel doesn't have a binary choice. Between the one-state and two-state models is a vast expanse of strategic options that Israel can choose from. To recognize those choices and decide among them, our leaders must simply break down the problem in Judea and Samaria to its component parts. From a security perspective, Israel cannot defend itself without permanent control over the Jordan Valley, the Samarian and Hebron mountain ranges and the southern and northern outskirts of Jerusalem. In other words, to long survive, Israel requires perpetual control over Area C. From a societal and civil rights perspective, it is untenable and wrong to maintain Israel's now 50-year-old military government in Area C. Today nearly half a million Israelis are treated as second class citizens. They lack basic due process rights in property disputes. They cannot register their land purchases if they purchase land from Palestinians or prove ownership if that ownership is disputed. Finally, the people of Israel rationally fear the consequences of naturalizing 1.5 million to 2.5 million Palestinians who have been indoctrinated for more than 25 years to seek their annihilation. In summary, we need to maintain perpetual control over the areas because we cannot survive without them from a military perspective. We need to change the system of governance in Area C to correct the civil rights infringement of the military government on the Israelis who live in the areas. And we don't want to naturalize 1.5 million to 2.5 million Palestinians. Fortuitously, as far as the first two issues are concerned, the answer is the same. If Israel applies its laws to Area C it both ensures its military control of the areas critical to its survival for the long haul and it ends the inequitable and undemocratic civil rights infringement on its citizens who live there. As for the Palestinians in Areas A and B, which are under the full control of the Palestinian Authority, one of the things that no one ever mentions is that these people - some 98% of the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria - have not lived under Israeli control since 1996. For the past 21 years, all Palestinians in Judea and Samaria have lived under Palestinian rule. They carry Palestinian passports. Their births and deaths are recorded in the Palestinian population registry. They vote in Palestinian elections. No one has ever explained why the Palestinians cannot continue to live under Palestinian autonomy in the future. Why must Israel cancel their autonomous rule? This brings us to another point, which is a secondary issue for Israel but a primary one for the Palestinians: Palestinian economic prosperity. Trump said in Bethlehem that he is interested in spurring Palestinian economic growth. The fact is that the Palestinian economy grew the most when it was integrated in the Israeli economy. Integration with the Israeli economy, rather than handouts to PLO kleptocrats, is the key to Palestinian prosperity. In all of his speeches during his recent visit, as well as during his joint appearance with Netanyahu at the White House in February, Trump made clear that he is not wedded to the two-state model. Indeed, despite the entreaties of some of his advisers, Trump has refused to endorse Palestinian statehood even as he implements a policy whose goal is the establishment of such a state. In Riyadh, Trump said, "We will make decisions based on real-world outcomes - not inflexible ideology. We will be guided by the lessons of experience, not the confines of rigid thinking." It isn't too late for Netanyahu to come forward. He can offer an alternative to the failed two-state fantasy. He can release himself, his country and Trump from the two-state/one-state cognitive straitjacket. Trump doesn't want to repeat the mistakes of his predecessors. But absent a clear strategic plan of action from Netanyahu, he will have no choice but to do so. 
Slowly Shaping Up
- By Daymond Duck - http://www.raptureready.com/2017/05/28/slowly-shaping-up/ I have been saying that I think the battle of Gog and Magog (a great battle that will take place when Russia, Iran, Turkey and others attack Israel; Ezek. 38:8, 16) is getting close for about 40 years and it hasn't happened yet. It is obvious that I don't know when this war will break out, but it is my honest opinion, and I am still going to say that I think it is getting close. The reason for this is the fact that what the Bible says about that world changing battle is taking shape on the ground with each passing day (Ezek. 38-39). The "land of Magog" (Ezek. 38:1, 15; Gen. 10:2) is clearly Russia. "Gog" of the land of Magog (Ezek. 38:1) is the "dictator" over the land of Magog (Russia). Russia has a "dictator" (Pres. Vladimir Putin at this time). Russia has troops in Syria right now. "Persia" (Ezek. 38:5) is definitely modern day Iran. The Iranians have troops in Syria right now. "Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands; and many people with thee" (Ezek. 38:6) is definitely Turkey and others (perhaps Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan). Turkey has troops in Syria right now. "Be thou prepared" (for this war; Ezek. 38:7) is clearly a God-given instruction for Russia's leader to prepare to attack Israel on the mountains of Israel (Ezek. 38:8; 39:2). "Be thou a guard unto them" (Ezek. 38:7) is clearly a God-given instruction for Russia's leader to protect her allies (Iran, Turkey, Hezbollah, etc.). "Thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land" (Ezek. 38:9) appears to be air power. "Sheba and Dedan (cities in Saudi Arabia), and the merchants of Tarshish (probably Britain), with all of its young lions (probably the U.S. with perhaps Canada and Australia), will question Russia's motivation for this war (Ezek. 38:13). I will "cause thee to come up from the north parts" (Ezek. 39:2) can only mean that God will cause Russia and her allies to pass through Lebanon or Syria or both on the way to Israel. Both nations share a border with Israel in the northern parts of Israel. Concerning God's instruction to "be thou prepared" Russia has been moving troops and weapons into Syria since the fall of 2015. Iran, Turkey and Hezbollah (headquartered in Lebanon) also have troops and weapons in Syria. On May 4, 2017, Russia, Iran, Turkey and Hezbollah prepared even more by agreeing to create four de-escalation zones (also called "safe zones" or "no-fly zones") in Syria. One of these "safe zones" is on Israel's border in the mountains of Israel. Russia and the others decided to have the "safe zones" monitored by Iranian troops. Israel and the U.S. refused to accept Iranian troops near Israel's border on the mountains of Israel (Golan Heights) so Russia and her allies altered their preparations by deciding to place Russian troops instead of Iranian troops on Israel's border. Israel and the U.S. also refused to accept a no-fly zone on Israel's border with Syria because that would prevent Israeli jets from attacking foreign troops that are assembling in the mountains of Israel (Golan Heights). On May 14, 2017, troops from the U.S. (probably a young lion), Britain (probably the merchants of Tarshish) and Jordan entered Syria and took up positions along the border of Israel. On May 16, 2017, Hezbollah moved 1,000 troops into position to block the advance of the U.S., British and Jordanian troops. On May 18, 2017, a twenty-vehicle convoy of troops and weapons (probably Syrian, Iranian and Hezbollah) got close to a U.S. base and the U.S. scrambled several jets to fly over the convoy as a warning. Fifteen vehicles stopped, but five continued to advance so the U.S. destroyed them. On May 20, 2017, Syrian, Iranian and Hezbollah advanced again and actually took about 60 square kilometers of territory. At the time this article was written, it was reported that U.S. jets will probably strike the attackers again. Concerning Russia "being a guard" to her allies, Russia called the U.S. attack "absolutely unacceptable." Concerning "like a cloud to cover the land," Russia and her allies have planes and helicopters in Syria and they can quickly increase the number that they have. Concerning Sheba and Dedan (cities in Saudi Arabia) just questioning the motivation of these invaders, the Saudis will question it because they are enemies of Iran, but they won't help Israel because they would like to see Israel destroyed. Pray for the tiny nation of Israel because she will suffer damage. But understand that this war will be the doing of the Holy One of Israel and many will acknowledge His existence when He reveals Himself by destroying Russia and her allies on the mountains of Israel. Having written these things, and finally, this article is about the battle of Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38-39), but it could easily be preceded by the war between Israel and Syria that leads to the destruction of Damascus in one night (Isaiah 17:1). Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc. Daymond & Rachel Duck [email protected] Jerusalem, If I Forget You - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=1262
Jerusalem Day this year marks the 50th anniversary of the reunification of the holiest city in the world. Free activities in the Old City and surrounding areas will include musical performances, a parade, a prayer service at the Western Wall and free tours of different historical sites. Israelis and Jews worldwide viewed the reunification of Jerusalem as a momentous event, if not a divinely orchestrated occurrence - a gift to the Chosen People from God. But despite the city's continued growth and development, there are still thousands of needy residents in the city. TheMeir Panim charity organization was established ten years ago to keep those disadvantaged people from going hungry. Jerusalem has always been a city under siege, falling into the hands of many rulers and governments for thousands of years. After the State of Israel was established in 1948, the holy city was still under Jordanian control. And then, for six harrowing days in 1967, the very existence of Israel was again at risk when Egyptian, Jordanian, and Syrian military attacked the young country. Against all odds, Israelis were victorious, and along with the Golan Heights, the Sinai Peninsula, and the West Bank, Jerusalem was captured and once again safely in possession of the Jewish People - after they had been denied access to the site of the Holy Temple for 2,000 years. The Temple Mount is in our hands! These were the famous words exclaimed by Commander Motta Gur upon reaching the Dome of the Rock. In fulfillment of the Biblical prophecy, General Rabbi Shlomo Goren, chief chaplain of the IDF, heralded the liberation of the Western Wall by triumphantly sounding a shofar. Soon afterwards, Captain Yoram Zamosh hung an Israeli flag from the top of the wall. The Hebrew date of this miraculous event was the 28th day of Iyar, and this year the festivities will take place on the eve of May 23rd. When the war ended, much of the city was left in a state of disrepair. While Jews in the Diaspora lived in modern conditions with all of the common comforts of the Western World, many Jerusalemites received their household water from wells or street vendors. Food was also scarce in the Holy City. In the decade following the reunification of Jerusalem the Israeli government made a concentrated effort to attract more Jews to move into the city. New housing projects were constructed, and waves of new immigrants were settled in Jerusalem. The city also drew ultra-orthodox Jews, who sought a holy environment when setting up their homes. However, finding work in a city that was relatively far from Tel Aviv and other central cities meant that the population as a whole was - and still is - less affluent than Israelis living elsewhere. In 2007 Meir Panim began its lifesaving work. The organization set up a network of Free Restaurants that feed people of all ages and ethnicities. In addition to the bustling soup kitchen in the Holy City, there are similar facilities in Tzfat, Tiberias, Dimona, Haifa, and Or Akiva. The clients who visit receive freshly prepared, healthy, hot meals every day. Everybody is served without question, and is treated with dignity, respect and warmth. Thousands of disadvantaged people, including manyHolocaust survivors, depend on Meir Panim for their only meal of the day. Today Meir Panim serves over 390,000 hot meals annually, with almost half of those meals feeding hungry children. Thesoup kitchens, food packages, andfood shopping cards that Meir Panim provides ensure that countless men, women, and children have enough to eat. While living conditions have greatly improved since the times of British, Jordanian, and Turkish control, the city is still a work in progress and there is still much to be done to help its residents. Jerusalemites came together to volunteer during the Six Day War in makeshift hospitals to care for wounded soldiers and civilians, with people of all walks of life working together to ensure the survival of their city. Today, the same atmosphere of alliance still exists among the volunteers who prepare the food for Meir Panim. Senior citizens, prisoners undergoing rehabilitation, and national service volunteers stand alongside each other peeling and cutting vegetable in preparation for each day's lunch. This Jerusalem Day, Jews across Israel will come together to celebrate their unending love for the Holy City. Two thousand years ago when the Holy Temple stood, Jews brought tithes of their first fruits as offerings to the God who provided for all their needs. Today, the city is once again in Jewish hands, and Meir Panim is working hard everyday to ensure the well-being of the city's neediest residents, making it possible for them to continue living in a reunified Jerusalem. 
Daily Jot: Sedition, resistance, revolution - Bill Wilson - www.dailyot.com
In the wake of the Manchester, UK terrorist bombing, the BBC reports that America's closest ally in the war on terror, Britain, has stopped sharing intelligence related to the terrorist act with the US. The reason: Unnamed US "government sources" leaked critical information to American journalists long before it was to be public. Recently, President Donald Trump's intel officers, through "unnamed sources" leaked a false narrative about information sharing in a White House meeting with the Russian ambassador. It is widely reported that the "Fifth Estate" is at war with the Trump White House and orts from the previous Administration are undermining Trump's presidency, in what has been labeled a "soft coup." Connecting the dots of these stories, one can see a pattern of operatives in government and media working together to render Trump's Administration ineffective. While Congress may not want to recognize that "progressives" (the modern, more acceptable, name for communists or Marxists) are actually waging a campaign of sedition to overthrow the government, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the unfathomable is reality. Another indicator, of course, is the media. A study by Harvard's Shorenstein Center indicated that coverage of the Trump Administration was over 80% negative during the first 100 days, led by CNN and NBC with 93% negative; CBS 91% negative; Fox 52% negative. Looking behind the curtain in the news media, you will find actual revolutionaries who are committed to the so-called "resistance" that are working with seditious government actors to undermine the US. Case in point is how Breitbart revealed that Associated Press had hired a "reporter" who claimed she was part of the resistance on her Facebook page. This reporter, Melanie Plenda, infiltrated a closed fundraising event where Trump campaign manager and White House aide Kellyanne Conway was the headliner. Plenda reported the crowd size as a fraction of what it was and invented a false narrative that Conway was received coldly by the Republicans. AP refused to issue a correction for several days. Exposed, AP "clarified" the story, fired Plenda, but, according to Breitbart, still refuses to "transparently answer questions about the serious breach in ethics and accuracy." You see, AP is a providing source of news to all the other news outlets, so once a story is filed by AP, all the other news organizations print or broadcast it. A lot of power. A small example here of fake news. The larger issue is the sedition as a result of this "resistance" conspiring to revolution. It is akin to what God showed Ezekiel inside the temple walls in Ezekiel 8:9, "And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do there." There are many abominations occurring right now against God and country and the common thread is what they call the "resistance." It is a vile force threatening not only our nation, but also our religious freedom. 
Daily Devotion: What God Calls All Believers to Do- Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? -Romans 10:14 A while back, I was speaking with an interviewer about my book Lost Boy. He said, "You seem to be very natural when you speak. It must come easily to you." "Nothing could be further from the truth," I told him. "Before I was a Christian, I wasn't a public speaker." When I was in school, I remember a time in class when we all were required to give an impromptu, five-minute speech in front of the other students. I had been assigned a statement from the Revolutionary War: "Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes." I hadn't read the assignment, so I had no idea what that statement was about. I stood up in front of the class, frozen in fear. My mouth went dry, and my mind went blank. And I got an F on that assignment. I was not a public speaker back then. But after I came to faith in Jesus Christ, I realized the best way to help people believe was through verbal communication, whether speaking in front of a group or with an individual. I discovered it was not about me. It was not about what I was comfortable doing; it was about obeying the Lord. The primary way God reaches those who do not yet know Him is through verbal communication. Romans 10:14 says, "How can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?" That "someone" is supposed to be you and me. Have you ever led someone to the Lord? The Great Commission was given to every Christian. We are all called to share the gospel. We all have a part to play. God has chosen to use people as His primary communicators of His truth. 
FROM THE HEART
IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks! If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now! What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake? "Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!" "Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey 1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack. 2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others. 3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know. 4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update. I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks! Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13 Prophecy Update is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt - non-profit organization, and all your donations are tax deductible. If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to: DONATE NOW Or Visit our website: http://prophecyupdate.com/donations/ Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 
|
|