Myth Number 3: Peace in the Middle East

Man’s naiveté and/or arrogance can be expressed with self perceived myths about God and the Bible. There are numerous such myths but three of the most widely accepted are:

1) Things are getting progressively better in the world.

2) God is a God of love and would not let anyone go to Hell as long as they try their best to live a good life.

3) World leadership will provide lasting peace in the Middle East between Israel and their Muslim neighbors.

Volumes could be written about each of these three topics, however, we’ll focus on number (3) because peace in the Middle East has been a goal of each new president in recent years.

In 1978 former president Carter mediated the Camp David Peace Accords between Egypt and Israel which was supposed to bring permanent peace in the Middle East. It instead brought assassination to Egypt’s Anwar Sadat.

Former presidents Reagan and Bush 41 each had their own plans for permanent peace between Israel and her neighbors that failed.

In 1993 when Bill Clinton was president, the Oslo Accords were drafted which would among other things, allow for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state within Israel’s borders. This peace plan failed.

Then in 2003 under President George W. Bush the Roadmap to Peace was drafted which also called for a two nation solution within Israel’s borders. This peace plan also failed.

Now under the new administration President Obama has his own ideas for a permanent solution to peace in the Middle East. Similar to the others already cited President Obama thinks that Israeli borders should be redefined to pre 1967 conditions, allow for a two state coexistence, and allow for the Palestinians to establish their capital in East Jerusalem.

While to strive for peace in the Middle East may be a noble undertaking, to believe that it can be negotiated by world leaders is the height of ingenuousness. For Israel to want to live peacefully with their neighbors is not new. There are many examples in the Bible when peace was desired and promised by false prophets.

Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets say to them, you shall not see the sword…, but I will give you true peace in this place.” And the LORD said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name, I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision…” Jeremiah 14:13-14

Jesus confirmed that a future leader would come on the scene and offer the world a plan for a peaceful solution to the Israeli/Palestinian dilemma but He warned that this leader would be a deceiver and his plan would fail. The sad thing is that the Bible states that the world would fall for this plan and acknowledge the deceiver as a world savior before he is found out.

The future deceiver will not be one driven by his desire to be a peace maker but rather will be one driven by the desire to rule the world. He will be similar to Hitler who outlined his imperialistic agenda in his infamous book Mein Kampf which the world basically shrugged off. Just as the world is presently ignoring the widely published aspirations of Islam, the religion of “peace” that has openly proclaimed their goal to rule all nations.

According to the Bible this future world leader will take the stage and offer a plan for peace in the Middle Peace that will appease all parties involved. This future treaty will be ratified for a period of seven years. This seven year agreement will signal the beginning of the end for the nations as we know them. This seven year period is better known as Daniel’s 70th week.

“…Then he (future world leader) shall confirm a treaty with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolator.” Daniel 9:27

Jesus also foretold of this time as he confirmed Daniel’s prophecy as follows:

“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place…For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved…” Matthew 24:15-22

This emerging leader is perhaps better known as the first horseman of the apocalypse.

And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
Revelation 6:2

The seven year peace treaty is inevitable; there is nothing that the United States or any other world leader can do to prevent it. What can be done is to not agree, let along initiate, any agreement that is not biblical such as dividing Israel or Jerusalem. It is foolish to take Israel’s enemies (which are also our enemies) lightly or try to appease them by toning down rhetoric such as replacing the phrase “war on terror” with “overseas contingency operation.”

The United States needs to take seriously the biblical prophecy that the enemies of Israel will persist to their own destruction. Because in so doing they are taking on Almighty God who proclaimed that Israel was the Apple of His Eye and nothing has or ever will change that.

Daniel’s approaching 70th week will complete the 490 year prophecy and it will all soon be history.

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It’s Just a Matter of Time

“Time” is an immutable unit of measure. It is the universal benchmark to measure the productivity of all resources in the business world. The growth of assets, i.e. profit, is measured for a specific period of time. Interest is always calculated as a function of time, predominantly a year. A year is defined as the precise time it takes for the earth to orbit the sun. Time cannot be hoarded, accelerated, slowed, or stopped; it can only be utilized as it passes at an incessant rate. The earth is traveling at approximately 66,000 mph as it makes its annual trek around the sun. And on the way it rotates on its axis every 24 hours and tilts as it orbits to determine the seasons.

As one would expect, a concept as important as the time dimension has a biblical basis. Time is expressed in the Bible either as a point in time, i.e. “when,” or as a period of time, i.e. “how long.”

“Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens…and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years…” Genesis 1:14

The solar system is the original chronometer, or clock. It determines and measures the time dimension and in turn helps us to understand biblical history and prophecy.

There are several significant numbers used in the Bible relative to the time dimension. Perhaps the most significant is the number 7 and multiples thereof. The first reference to the number 7 relates to the first week.

“Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work…, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.” Genesis 2:1-2

There is a profound application of this concept that we can apply as a teaching tool to allow us to understand the future.

And the LORD spoke to Moses…“When you come into the land which I give you…Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather its fruit; but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD…” Leviticus 25:2-4

The Israelites were further told that if they disobeyed these instructions they would be exiled into a foreign land. History confirms that they did in fact disobey.

Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts; “Because you have not heard My words…shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” Jeremiah 25:8, 11

The period of exile was 70 years which equaled the total number of Sabbaths that they had profaned. This meant that they had missed 70 Sabbaths which covered the total period of 490 years.

“…he carried away to Babylon…to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.” 2 Chronicles 36:20-21

A similar period of time outlines the end of this age. The prophet Daniel is given a profound revelation by the angel Gabriel.

“Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city…” Daniel 9:24

The Hebrew base for the word “weeks” means a week of years or 7 years. Therefore, the time period in the above scripture is 70 weeks of 7 years each or 490 years. The 70 weeks were then broken down into three segments of 7 weeks, 62 weeks, and 1 week.

“There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks…and after the sixty-two weeks Messiah (Christ) shall be cut off, but not for Himself…Then he (antichrist) shall confirm a covenant with many for one week…” Daniel 9:23-27

Therefore, the end of the 69th week would be marked by the death of Christ. This prophecy was fulfilled in finite detail. Then if 483 years of the prophecy have been fulfilled, there remains 7 years to complete the total of 490 years.

And so it is. The 7 remaining years commonly referred to as Daniel’s 70th week is yet to be fulfilled. The Bible did not reveal that there would be a time gap between the 483rd year and the final 7 year period. After Christ was crucified God set Israel aside temporarily and turned His attention on establishing the “church.” The sequence of events leading up to the death of Christ is well documented by history and the events of the approaching 7 year period are well documented by prophecy.

According to the Bible this 7 year time period will immediately precede Christ’s return to Jerusalem with great power to establish His earthly rule. The end of the 7 year period will be clearly known.

“For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven…”

“But of the day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:27, 29, 36-39

The return of Christ will be experienced by everyone then living on the earth. Sadly the Bible reveals that history will repeat itself as people will not be watching for His return and will be living as if the Bible was a myth.

“I Have Banned Torture Without Exception”

These words were spoken by President Obama during his presidential news conference on April 29th.

Torture is defined as: (a) the infliction of intense pain (as from burning, crushing, or wounding) to punish or coerce, (b) to punish or coerce by inflicting excruciating pain.

Torture, therefore, includes the infliction of intense physical pain in order to accomplish a purpose, i.e. either to punish or coerce. The coercion factor usually deals with extracting information.

There is much disagreement whether the practice of water boarding fits that definition. At this point, let’s assume that it does fit the definition of torture and President Obama’s position on water boarding is reasonable and objective.

The discussion of torture brings to mind another procedure commonly practiced on many small unborn children called “dilation and extraction.” The purpose of this procedure is to remove a child from its mother prior to the natural birth process.

This procedure is commonly performed in a series of six steps.

1) A medical professional induces a breech (feet first) delivery with forceps
2) Legs, arms and torso of the child emerge with his/her head still in the womb
3) The back of the child’s skull is punctured with a scissors-like instrument
4) A suction device is inserted into the skull
5) The device suctions out the contents of the child’s skull, causing the skull to collapse
6) A lifeless child is delivered

Inasmuch as it is not unusual to perform this procedure during the third trimester of pregnancy, the child suffers intense pain. That satisfies part of the definition of torture. However, one would be hard pressed to find any reason to punish or coerce the victim. To perform this torturous “dilation and extraction” procedure is usually an elective choice made by the child’s mother.

Now when comparing the “dilation and extraction” procedure with water boarding it is clear that dilation and extraction will cause intense agonizing pain and death to the child, while water boarding produces only frightening anticipation of death to a terror suspect. With water boarding the terror suspect is tortured for a specific purpose, i.e. to extract information. With the dilation and extraction procedure such a purpose doesn’t exist. With water boarding the terror suspect doesn’t die. With the “dilation and extraction” procedure the helpless child always dies.

The “dilation and extraction” issue (aka partial birth abortion) has been a political hot potato for several years. Former President Clinton supported it while former President Bush signed the Partial-Birth Abortion Act in 2003 which banned the procedure. It has never been enforced, however, because federal appeals courts have ruled that the federal ban on the procedure was unconstitutional.

President Obama’s position has been very clear. He supports the procedure and opposes any such ban to eliminate it.

Does the Bible address the issue?

Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel… “And they have built the high places of Tophet…to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into My heart.” Jeremiah 7:31

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying… “And they built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination…” Jeremiah 32:35

God condemned the practice of sacrificing new born children. In fact He explicitly states that such a thing never entered His mind.

Some would offer the argument that new born children are not the same as unborn children. According to God there is no difference.

“…when Rebecca also had conceived by…Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, ‘The older shall serve the younger’… Romans 9:10-13

In this passage God stated His purpose for the two brothers, Jacob and Esau, while they were both still in their mother’s womb. They were just in their earlier stages of life.

According to polls Mr. President, a large majority of Americans takes exception to your torture policy where you state that you will “ban all torture without exception.” So if you really are serious about banning all torture, and if you really are serious about adhering to your Bible’s teaching, then you would most likely support a ban on partial-birth abortions. Your upcoming Supreme Court nominee will be very revealing.

Your comments are welcome on http://bibleandcurrentevents.blogspot.com