Should Have Gone to Specsavers!

At the front of a book called Epicentre I have scribbled the following phrase: 'Join the dots together and see the big picture'. The book has as its subtitle: 'Why the current rumblings in the Middle East will change your future'. It's a fascinating book and I highly recommend it. On the same page is another piece of scribble: 'The 3rd lens; politics, economics and Scripture'. None of the daily papers or indeed the television will see events through the 3rd lens, the lens of Scripture. As I write, a significant earthquake has hit the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. As I write, the world's financial markets are in a period of great instability. As I write, the Euro-zone is deeply involved in discussions regarding bailing out whole countries to keep the monetary system stable. Two dots are joined: Economics and politics. But there is the third dot, the third lens as it were: God's opinion! Three dots need joining; three lenses need looking through. And the most important lens is spiritual sight.

The European Constitution has written God out of its wording. The United States seeks to dictate to Israel how to draw its borders. As someone wisely said: 'When American foreign policy criticizes Israel and seeks to interfere, watch the American stock market indicators'. God is always proactive, always sending warning signs, always looking for men and women who will endeavour to bring people back to God through repentance.

No, the daily papers will not acknowledge the third lens. So we, who have been given revelation as to why things are happening the way they are, must redouble our efforts to speak out the Word of the Lord, like the silver trumpets of old. We must work whilst it is still light; the river is rising and it will take the world unawares. Some say these are the days of Elijah; they are not. These are the days of Noah! Remember, marrying and giving, feasting and dining. We must bring people to the 'Ark' of God's Word before the flood engulfs: Not water, but a flood of fire next time. God is not mocked, but He is merciful. Right up until the time that the door closes and it's too late.

Should have gone to Specsavers!

What's Up, Doc?

Have you ever stopped to wonder why there's so much fuss over Israel? A country that's so small - around the size of Wales and barely a couple of percent of the total Arab lands - that many people would be hard-put to find it on a globe of the world? With the torrent of condemnation and abuse, you'd be forgiven for thinking that most of the occupants had horns and cloven hooves. Having been there, I can assure you this is not the case (but don't take my word for it; go and see for yourself).

So why, then, does Israel attract so much controversy and opposition? Can they really be guilty of all that they're accused? That abuse seems all the more hypocritical when you consider the records of some of the accusers. However, I'd like to suggest an explanation: God's greatest works attract the greatest opposition. The world is against the things of God and behind the world is Satan himself and if that's unpalatable, just read the Scriptures.

"Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4:4)

Satan pulled out all the stops to kill Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah), not realising, 'till it was too late, that in so doing he was fulfilling the Father's master plan. When 'Plan A' failed, he set about trying to destroy God's chosen people, to prevent Yeshua's (Jesus') return and the destruction of his kingdom. The progression can easily be charted through the Holocaust: Denunciation; de-legitimisation; de-humanisation. And now we're seeing it all over again. Whatever happened to the vow: "Never again"?

One thing we need to get our heads around is: What God starts, He finishes, otherwise He profanes His own Name. The prophets make it abundantly clear that the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are firmly and indelibly on His heart:

"How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?" (Hosea 11:8)

He has also made certain binding promises to them and that includes restoration to their land (actually, God calls it His land):

"For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers." (Jeremiah 16:15)

And there are many other scriptures that could be quoted. So, if an eternal God makes an everlasting promise, what should we expect? Christians like to sing about Him being an unchanging God, one who keeps His promises. If He can't be trusted over any one promise, He can't be trusted over ANY promise, so poof goes our hope of salvation!

Those who oppose the Jewish state, who claim the UN vote that led to its re-creation was a historic mistake, are going to have a problem. As I've already said, what God starts, He finishes. And, whilst we might expect the world to be antagonistic, it's truly terrifying how many people within the church seem to be jumping on the bandwagon of condemnation, boycott and divestment. It's perhaps worth pondering that when Jesus uttered the words:

"...inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren...inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these..." (John25:40&45)

- He was standing in the midst of a crowd of his Hebrew brothers and sisters. Do they think that when the judgement comes, God will simply overlook such rebellion?

What's truly heartbreaking is the thought of all the destruction and mayhem that the opposition to God's purposes is going to cause. Am I trying to say that Israel is perfect? Of course not: They're a bunch of sinful human beings just like the rest of us and they need the Saviour as much as we do. However, a bit of love, care and understanding from the Church would go a whole lot further towards their salvation, the establishment of the Kingdom of God and the hastening of Jesus' return than all the abuse, bombs and bullets currently being thrown at them.