THE CENTER OF THE WORLD IS......?

Needless to say, we are most likely living in what may be the most critical times in world history. I was inclined to say since the Flood, but that may admittedly be overstating it.  What is not an overstatement is that all that's going on will ultimately revolve around Israel. It's God who has made Israel central.  Did you know that ancient maps were drawn somewhat differently than ours because we see the world as round but waaaay back when flat maps only were drawn, guess what seemed to be the center of the world?  You guessed it, the area where little Israel is.  Even maps drawn even earlier than the Renaissance period were greatly distorted in their perception of the world, but Israel was often portrayed as being the center of the known world.

I bought a small globe recently after seeing it in a decorator kind of store. It just seemed to want to come home with me.  I did check it out first to make sure Israel was on there.  Be careful when you buy maps or globes, should any of you plan to do so, because with Islamic influences here and there, where Israel should be it may say Palestine. Most of you know that Rome gave the Jews the name Palestine based on the name of the Phoenicians to ridicule them, but it wasn't until Arafat got the idea to co-opt the name that they began a campaign to convince the world that Palestine was Arab. They've done a pretty good job. Most of the world thinks its legitimate.  It's not.

As the saleslady handed me my little globe in a bag, I felt the unction to take it out of the bag and show to her.  Not knowing if she is a believer or would even be remotely interested, I showed her how Australia and Indonesia could move right up into the ocean space of India and China.  And how South America could snuggle right up to the west coast of Africa with the western most part of Africa looking like it could tuck right into where Mexico is. And North America could just move right on over and wrap itself around the where Spain and England are.  This is, of course, not an exact fit but time has eroded some surfaces, and remember that there are tectonic plates under each land mass that extend out beyond what we see on the surface.  When an earthquake happens, it's the tectonic plates that are moving and what happens on the surface is the result. 

So what am I saying here?  If you look at the map or the globe this way, you can see what could very well have been one huge land mass with everything connected at one point. Speaking of the flood, however, it would seem that the Flood would be the cause of sufficient upheaval to thrust huge land masses to be displaced by the force of enormous quantities of water.  We cannot really fathom (pun intended) the depth of the waters or what force would be released as "the fountains of the great deep were broken up and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth.... and the waters prevailed and were increased greatly upon the earth.... and the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth and the high hills that were under the whole heaven... and the mountains were covered" (Genesis 7:11, 12, 19, 20).

Can we even imagine the force of the rushing water as those that covered the mountains raced upon the face of the earth as "the deep" caused great upheavals and then caverns opened up, resulting in great depths of water to surge across the surface of the earth. It is quite possible that what God had once created as one giant land mass was then separated into the continents that we know today. If we look for it, we can see the way the land masses may have all can fit together.  And if  you are able to see that, making some allowanced for the tectonic plates so it may appear that the land masses aren't exact, if you take your fingers to two outside edges and bring them to the middle, guess where you will be? Yes, you got it, Israel. 

I shared an abbreviated version of all this with the saleslady who was going to share it with her Sunday School class.  You just never know where God will give you an open door to share something of interest related to Him with someone.

So considering the "place" God gave to Israel as the center of the world in this sense, assuming I have my geography right, and considering the "place" God gave to Israel in His book, the Bible, and His whole plan of redemption for the world, doesn't it seem that we can assume that Israel, being the one "place" that He declared to be His own, and Israel's people through whom He said He would prove to the world that He is the one and only God.... shouldn't we expect that God will vindicate Himself and His word?

The verses which speak of what God will do to those who come against His people Israel would be terrifying to any who would read it and take it seriously.  Evidently millions of Muslims have turned to the Lord and His goodness and away from the evil intent to destroy Israel.  I spoke with a man who has a ministry to Iran and is seeing thousands saved almost monthly through what they broadcast into Iran via satellite. He told me that when these Muslim people turn to God and are filled with the Holy Spirit, they immediately drop their hatred for Israel and God replaces it with a love for Israel and a burden to pray for her safety and salvation. Now that has to be a work of the Holy Spirit!!  And it's not something you're likely to hear on CNN. 

If you have any interest in reading incredible stories of Muslims who have come to the Lord, from a 7 year old boy whom Arafat made his own example of what a terrorist youth should be, to a man who came to America to infiltrate it culturally, to a scholar who examined the Koran against the Bible and fell in love with Jesus and then had to deal with the consequences....and many more incredible stories. get a copy of Ten Amazing Muslims Touched by God by Faisal Malick.  The most fascinating part of the book is the way Yeshua/Jesus shows up in these people's lives in such incredibly supernatural ways, often in powerful and holy manifestations as He reveals Himself as Lord.  I mean really as LORD!  The Jesus part of the book is worth the read.

Anyway, I really didn't start out to write a blog tonight. I wanted to apologize for any confusion about the Israel entry. And while I was here, I just followed what I hope is the Holy Spirit's lead and shared what is so on my heart, for people to realize that Israel is not ultimately about us, or about the Jewish people though to separate them is erroneous, it's really about God. God's Word, God's plan, God's land, God's people, God's integrity to keep His promises, God's sovereignty to fulfill His intention in the earth, and it's about God's lordship.....  on and on. There is so much false information out there being put forth as truth, but much of it, when it's against Israel in some way as what is going on right now, motivates me to try and let people be aware that Israel is the center of God's whole redemptive plan for the world. Even many Muslims are realizing it and aligning themselves with the Lord and His people. I pray Americans will also know the truth in this if/when Islamic influence increases (selah).  This is surely not the best article I've ever written, but if somehow the information in it, or just the motive in it, will inspire you to share the truth of God revealing Himself through Israel and how she is central to much of what God is doing in the earth today, you may pull some from the fires of the consequences of being politically correct with men, but in opposition to God.