QUESTIONS, CLARITY AND COMPASSION

Jersualem (before the Mosque)

A   number of questions have come to my mind recently. Here are a few of them for you if you care to join me in giving them some thought.  [Question #1]  Have you considered why it is that Yeshua has not returned in almost 2,000 years? Or why we should think that He would return now? There are reasons to think His return might be imminent. One of the most significant reasons is that after 1878 years Israel is now back in her land, a definite prerequisite for His return or… where would He come back to?  Jerusalem, right? The Word says that Yeshua will one glorious day take His stand on the earth – in Jerusalem! – as King! HalleluYah!!

[Question #2] Have you wondered just what is really behind all the conflict going on today about who Jerusalem should belong to and who has right to what land in Israel? I don't mean what you're hearing on the News, I mean what you think from what you know of the bible? This is not a new battle actually. It’s been going on for, oh several thousands of years, though it seems to have kicked up a notch lately with the U.N.’s recent vote regarding Israel’s right to her own land.  That there is such a battle to wrest that piece of real estate from Israel is enough to make one look up to see if our "redemption draweth neigh!!" (Luke 21:28). Perhaps we can bring some clarity to the issues going on in what really appears to be a most irrational situation.

What other nation, I ask you, does the U.N. attempt to exercise such authority over so as to  dictate the loss of a nations sovereignty over their own land? This isn't even really a legitimate issue. The whole thing is irrational  The only good decision the U.N. ever made on Israel’s behalf was to declare her a nation on May 14, 1948.  It’s been a battle ever since, beginning that very same week in May, 1948.  Which leads us to … 

[Question #3] Have you ever considered how irrational anti-Semitism is? Now it would seem we must call it anti-Zionism. Zion is the name David used to identify Jerusalem. Zionism is the belief that all Jews have the right to call Israel, and specifically Jerusalem, their home. The very basis for all these conflicts is because Satan is terrified that Jerusalem would be entirely in Jewish hands because it would mean Yeshua’s return and his (Satan’s) demise. It would mean that every word in the Bible will be proven to be true and he, the Liar and his deceptions, will be exposed and ultimately his power on the earth will be done away with.  Oh, yes, I almost forgot to add that he will find himself “hurled alive into the Lake of Fire” (See Revelation 19:20 Ampl.).  Satan, no doubt, never forgets that is his destiny,  so he’s attempting to instigating every challenge to God and His plan that he can.  Satan is so busy being deceiving he’s even deceived by his own deceptions so that he thinks he can still challenge God.  

[Question #4].  Is all that Middle Eastern conflict really only about territory? Are these really political issues or are we in a spiritual war?  In reality, it really is all about whether it is God’s territory or the devil’s, specifically the Temple Mount.   

[Question #5 – this is a deep one.]Did you know that the Temple Mount was supposedly once called Mount Moriah where Abraham, in obedience to God’s order to him, was about to sacrifice Isaac until God stopped him.  Abraham acted in what must have been an excruciatingly painful obedience to God by intending  to end the life of his son, even the son God had given to him. (See Genesis 22:1-12).  

As a result, might there have likely developed between God and Abraham a kind of  “sharing in the fellowship of His suffering” (Philippians 3:10) which Paul much later articulated?  Is there perhaps an insight here that God found in Abraham the heart of a father who would sacrifice his own son so as to remain in keeping with God’s sovereign plan, so that God seemingly considered Abraham worthy of being called His friend, a term that would hold deep meaning to Yaweh who called no other man His friend as He did Abraham.

Did He see in Abraham a man with whom He could one day fellowship (in heaven perhaps) who would know what it was to sacrifice his own son for God’s highest purposes?  What God did for generations, He often did, He said, for the sake of the Fathers, beginning with Abraham.  Was Abraham’s faithfulness to put even his most treasured son to death so that he remained in God’s will, a shadow of God’s own struggle to put His own Son to death for the sake of His ultimate will to restore mankind to Himself?   Mysterious as this is, it is worthy of a selah, and some significant meditation and pondering into the heart of God.  

Back to today. Contrary to what some have been told, even by President Bush, the two Gods, Israel’s and Islam’s, are not the same god.  A god who wants to destroy Israel is not the same God who has restored and blessed Israel, who keeps His promises to her and Who protects her as He evidently does.  God, has devoted a good bit of Scripture to Jerusalem, while Islam’s ‘holy’ book, to the contrary, doesn’t even mention Jerusalem. Supposedly Mohammed, Islam’s one prophet, had a "night vision" that he was flown to Jerusalem (though not mentioned by name) on his mule or donkey (I recently read that it might have been a unicorn) and from there to heaven for a visit, but in fact he was never even in Jerusalem.  That he was there is all a fabrication, but millions of Muslims believe the story to be true when it is not.   

So [Question #6] if something is not true, where does it have its origin and incentive?  The devil, of course.  Yeshua made this clear about Satan:  “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).  Well, that’s pretty evident, isn’t it? 

Jerusalem isn’t even mentioned in the Koran and for centuries after the establishment of Islam somewhere around 622 A.D.  Yet, when Mohammad’s armies advanced on the entire Arabian Peninsula as part of the conquering they were doing, in 638 the Muslims conquered Jerusalem. Fifty years later, in 688, they began the construction of the Dome of the Rock. In 692, they finished the building project and there it still stands. For many years there was relative quiet on the Temple Mount, but then again, there were only a limited number of Jews in Jerusalem until 1948 when the conflict began. Today, even though the Mount is in Jerusalem and Israel's legitimate land, Jews are not permitted by Islamic rule on the Mount where the remaining wall of their temple once stood and even attending the Great Synagogue in that area is a challenge. I could draw you more word pictures, but let’s just say that at this time in history, the battle to win entire control of the Mount, is smoldering and threatening to erupt into an explosion at any time. (Note incidentally, that Jerusalem is on the top of a mountain, it is not flat territory so it is literally a mountain top, e.g., a mount.)

  

So assuming that the challenge of whose land it is ultimately comes from the devil for his own purposes of keeping Yeshua from returning, then if the devil can take control of Jerusalem, then he can postpone, or perhaps in his mind even thwart Yeshua’s return altogether.  To thwart means to oppose successfully, prevent from accomplishing a purpose or a goal. From a global perspective, there is no goal or purpose more prophetically significant taking place on the earth today than whether Israel maintains her land, specifically Jerusalem, and imperatively, the area of the Temple Mount. 

That is what is being threatened presently by the UN which itself is under Islamic influence and which now is demanding that Israel has no right to her God-given territory. God said Jerusalem is one place on earth that is His and where He will one day establish His Kingdom upon the earth. Jerusalem is His!  And so satan wants it and, just as God can inspire men to godliness, Satan through his demons is able to ‘inspire’ men to deception and evil. 

[Question #7]. How shall we then pray? The psalmist Asaph sang this same concern out to the Lord in his day:   “O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant....” (Psalm 83:1-18 ESV). We would do well to sing (pray) these words ourselves now, that He not keep quiet, that He make His will and His peace known, that He would fight on Israel's behalf and thwart the covenants they have made against her.   There are so many Scriptures that we can pray on Israel's behalf. Take a new highlighter to indicate in your bible what you can be praying for Israel.

Notice that Asaph in his prayer sees Israel’s enemies as God’s enemies.  From a biblical perspective, any person or nation who comes against or hates or has feelings against against Israel, or for that matter, in regard to today’s issue is in agreement with the UN’s decision against Israel, is acting as an enemy of God.  This is not because we agree with every decision Israel makes. In simple terms, we love Israel because God loves Israel! And we pray that God leads her according to His will in all that concerns her. 

[Question #8]  How then as the people of God’s love are we to regard the Muslims in all this?  I wish to balance this article out with some words of clemency and compassion. There are millions of people in this world who have been under the doctrines of the devil in their religions who believe their religion is entirely of God. They have been made victims of deceit, and of lies. Who knows but God what we all, meaning you and I, would have believed if we lived under Islamic rule? I have met a number of 'Muslim Background Believers' as they identify themselves. Many of those people fully believed in Islam and Muhammad’s words until somehow Yeshua entered their lives in a profound way. Once they realized the truth of who He is, their lives changed immediately, including that they lost their hatred for Israel and found a love for her instead. In fact, the statistics are that literally millions – yes, millions, of Ishmael’s descendants are coming to know Yeshua in our time. Quite remarkable, wouldn’t you say? 

Now if there’s one testimony that God is All Powerful and that He is Love, that would be it. I suggest reading a book entitled, “Ten Amazing Muslims Touched By God” by Faisal Malick. I’ve mentioned it before as I've read it several times as the stories in it are fascinating and they will soften your heart in the way Yeshua Himself reaches out to them so that you can/will pray also that He would bring truth to rescue Israel's enemies. It is my hope that when you pray for Israel's safety, you will also pray for    the Lord to make Himself known to Jews and to Muslims the world over. 

As a parting thought, I once had a little kind of mini vision of Abraham, it was that he loved each of his sons, Isaac and Ishmael, and Jacob and Esau and that he wept for the division between them. He longed for their sons and daughters who have come down through the generations to join him in heaven.  While we may stand against the ideology of Islam, let us have no hatred or animosity for the people, even for the most deceived of them. Perhaps they might be like Paul before he found the Lord on the road to Damascus, (today a Muslim city, btw) and turn to the Lord to be a mighty witness for Him.  If God loves them, so must we.  Amen.  

SOME THOUGHTS ON SH’AUL, A.K.A. PAUL

As the story goes, Sh’aul (pronounced Sh’ool) and later known as Paul, was knocked off his horse on the road to Damascus when he was accosted by a great and blinding light which accompanied the One he was trying to save his people from, the One who turned out to be the very God of Israel.  Like Sh’aul, folks can be earnest in wanting the truth for ourselves and other people and yet be misinformed. [Our recent election hullabaloo (a very noisy and confused situation) is evidence of that.]  For one thing, though a minor matter, the bible mentions nothing about a horse.  All we know about Sh’aul at this point is that he is avidly attempting to keep Israel from what he wrongly perceives as deception by force against the believers in Yeshua. 

There were some 10,000 Jews living in Damascus at the time, but why Sh’aul, or even the High Priest back in Jerusalem who supposedly gave Sh’aul the authority, would have such authority to capture any citizens of Damascus, albeit Jews, in a city under Roman and not Jewish rule, we do not know. We do know that Jews could not bring a death sentence against anyone under Roman rule, including against their own people, which is why the priests who were hell-bent (sic) on crucifying Yeshua had to go to the Romans to have it done.  

Still, there was Sh’aul in all his enthusiastic determination to save Israel from what he feared was yet another reason for God to be angry with them for worshipping a false messiah. In the past, such other false-god worship had gotten the Jews expelled from their land at the hand of the Babylonians.  What now, he fears, with so many Jews believing this Yeshua is worthy of worship?  

As he is later telling the story to Israel’s king Agrippa, he recounts what happened: “I was on the road, and it was noon, your Majesty, when I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my traveling companions.”  We know that even as children we are told that we should not look directly at the sun or it will blind us.  This light, brighter than the sun, blinded only Sh’aul, but not those with him.  Only he saw the light because the Lord was impacting only his life, not theirs.  So only he was blinded. How terrified he must have been, not only what happened but to be blinded as well!  Wouldn’t you be? 

Though the others evidently didn’t see the light, still power that came with the Lord’s presence was evident as Sh’aul says, “We all fell to the ground.” Picture what is taking place here as they, far more than just frightened, are try to figure out what’s happening.  Sh’aul goes on to say, “Then I heard a voice saying to me, in Hebrew, ‘Sha’ul! Sha’ul! Why do you keep persecuting me? It’s hard on you to be kicking against the ox-goads!’”  

Paul responds, ‘Who are you, sir?’ and the Lord answered, ‘I am Yeshua, and you are persecuting Me!”  Can we even imagine the shock now added to Sh’aul’s already stunned mind?  What? Had he been so entirely wrong?  Was this Yeshua really the Son of God as the believers had been saying as he now realizes Yeshua is actually alive after having been dead?  He knows enough Scripture to know that it is God who alone is enshrouded in such light. Who could come to him this way, in the glory light of God but God? Could this Messiah actually even be God Himself?  His mind is reeling and Sh’aul is more than terrified.  What could be more terrifying than to realize all his good intentions for God were actually rebellion against Him?!  Could he even be afraid to breathe when the reality of it hit him?

The words Yeshua spoke go through his mind again: “Sha’ul! Sha’ul! Why do you keep persecuting me? It’s hard on you to be kicking against the ox-goads.”  He knew what an ox goad was.  An ox goad is a wooden tool, approximately eight feet long, fitted with an iron spike as a point at one end, which was used to spur oxen on as they pulled a plow or cart. When an ox was poked with a goad, its response was sometimes to kick back at it in resistance.  Naturally, kicking back at the goad was futile as the ox had no way to free himself from his yoke, not to mention painful as it would be only be further hurt in its attempt to do away with the spike.  

Sh’aul fully understood what was being said to him.  Yeshua was telling Sh’aul that his efforts to free Israel from following Him were futile. He could not stop this move of God any more than an ox in a yoke can free himself.  Now, finding out that Yeshua was indeed alive meant that he had been fighting against The Almighty Himself!  All his efforts were not only in vain but he was now clearly in danger of God’s recompense  coming against him.  He had been acting in continued resistance to God’s Messiah!  He, the Pharisee who prided himself in his efforts to protect Israel from God’s wrath was himself the one worthy of His wrath! Has any man since Adam ever been so terrified by his own mistake? But yet, look what God did with his life. 

There are two points that we can glean from this event.  First, do you see how connected we are to Yeshua?  His people being persecuted was, and still is, as if Yeshua Himself was being persecuted!  He is that close to us.  God is intimately involved in what happens in our lives.  He cares that much. We are told that He is the Head and we are His body. This is not just a metaphor. This is a spiritual reality. We are “one” with Him!

A vision I once had may give some insight. I was praying for someone when the vision began whom I then saw in the vision was headed for hell. I saw Yeshua as Judge sitting behind what looked like a judge’s bench and a throne at the same time.  I pleaded for this person’s salvation and the Lord said to me, “You speak the words” meaning of salvation and so I spoke the person’s name and declared that he would enter into heaven, rather than hell.  As I spoke I saw Yeshua’s mouth move as if He had said the words I was speaking. When we are one with Him, and speaking according to His will, He has given us the authority so that it is as if He was saying what we are declaring. He has given us that much authority to use His name!! 

When He said “You speak the words…” He didn’t mean me alone, of course. I took the “you” to be plural. He has given all authority to those who are one with Him as His body.  Please ponder this. He has given us His name to speak and declare what we know is His will.  Since He desires that all would be saved, prophesying in faith someone’s salvation seems to be what He was saying.  “ For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4). So we know it is always His will to seek someone’s salvation. 

John who knew well what it was to live by the power of the Spirit for all the long years of his life wrote, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14, 15). This speaks of asking, not declaring, but the principle remains that we do not speak casually or without knowing His will.  Salvation is always His will but we aren’t to use His authority casually or independently.  

The second thing is to make the point that God knew Sh’aul’s heart even though he was entirely wrong. The fact is that Sh’aul loved God and loved Israel and wanted to protect her. The Lord recognized Sh’aul’s zeal for God was something He could use once he saw the truth of who Yeshua was.  This is a comforting fact. God can take our greatest mistakes and turn them – and turn us – into what will be for the good of His Kingdom.  

There is no one so lost or beyond God’s ability to transform them into someone who will be a messenger of God’s grace and truth to others.  Sh’aul may have seemed like the last person to be saved, but on the other hand, were there believers praying for him? Are there any Sh’aul’s in your life who seem like the last person you’d ever expect to be saved? Sometimes the most antagonistic person is the one who will become someone who loves much because they are forgiven much (Luke 7:47).  You have the authority to declare that they will be saved, in Yeshua’s name.  And believe it! 

P.S. Just to add one thing while we’re talking about Sh’aul, which obviously was his real name in Hebrew.  That he is later called Paul is not because he denied his Jewishness which is one of those misinformed pieces of information.  He often speaks of aspects of his Jewishness positively.  He is called Paul simply because Romans were unfamiliar with such a pronunciation but Paul or Paulus was familiar to them.  Just thought I’d mention it.  

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