Israel's Elections and a Warning from Joel Rosenberg

Yesterday elections were held in Israel to determine the direction of that nation's government and future.  Pre-election polls indicated that the race between the Likud party, led by Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the Zionist Camp party, led by Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni, was virtually deadlocked.  Mr. Herzog had campaigned on the promise that he would reopen negotiations with the Palestinians toward the creation of a Palestinian State, even saying that he would agree to a divided Jerusalem and a retreat back to the 1967 cease-fire lines created after the Six Day War.  Just hours before the election, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that he would not support a Palestinian State if elected to the Prime Minister's position. 


Early results from the elections seemed to indicate that the race was a tight as the polls had indicated.  American newspapers this morning reported that Likud and Zionist Union had both won 27 seats in the Knesset.  Yet, as I scanned the headlines from my Israeli news sources, a different outcome was seen.  With 99% of the votes counted, JerusalemOnLine.com was reporting that the Likud party had won 30 seats in the Knesset while the Zionist Union party had won 24 seats.  Trailing in third place was a united Arab party, the Joint List, which won 14 seats.  So, a close race was not that close. 


So, what does the re-election of Prime Minister Netanyahu mean?  First, if he keeps his campaign promises (and, as we know from experience here in America, politicians do not always keep those promises), then the future of negotiations with the Palestinians is a dead issue.  Second, because the past several American Presidents have made it their goal to create a Palestinian State, the divide between the Israeli government and the Obama administration will become wider than ever and more volatile.  Without Congressional intervention, Israeli concerns will certainly take a "backseat" with this Administration.  Third, the Palestinians will become more vocal in their appeals for the United Nations to step in to create a Palestinian State by the actions of the General Assembly and through the Security Council, knowing that this Administration would be reticent to veto such a measure.  Yet, for the Israeli people, there is that knowledge that Prime Minister Netanyahu is committed to keeping them safe, especially from a possible nuclear Iran.  Having just returned from Israel, I understand the safety concerns the Israelis have. 


Yesterday, Joel Rosenberg posted on his blogsite, his speech before the National Religious Broadcasters Convention.  He titled it, "Three Existential Threats Facing America."  You can read this speech at https://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/three-existential-threats-facing-america-my-address-to-the-national-religious-broadcasters-convention/.  Let me just summarize Joel's three points.  Threat #1: What if America is not simply in a season of decline but heading towards collapse, towards implosion?  He believes that America is under the judgment of God because of the over 58,000,000 babies that have been aborted since 1973.  Staggering number - nearly 10 times those murdered by the Nazis in World War II.  Threat #2: What if America is not simply at rising risk of attack by Radical Islam but heading towards the risk of annihilation by Apocalyptic Islam?  Rosenberg declares that "the threat of Radical Islam is a very serious threat to us and our allies."  He cites both Jordan's King Abdullah and Egyptian President el-Sisi as two men who see the threat, yet our leaders refuse to even state that Radical Islam is a threat.  The statistics that Rosenberg cites are powerful, as we relates the presence of Apocalyptic Islam.  He states, "Apocalyptic Islamic eschatology is a photographic negative of Biblical eschatology.  The leaders of Iran and ISIS believe the way to hasten the coming of the messiah is to kill as many people as possible.,  The followers of Jesus Christ, on the other hand, believe the way to hasten the coming of the messiah is to save as many people as possible."  Threat #3: What if America is not simply entering a season of strained relations with Israel, but we are heading towards total American abandonment of the Jewish State?  Rosenberg writes, "The Bible teaches us that all nations will turn against Israel in the last days - and all nations will face judgment for it - but woe unto us if it happens on our watch. ...This is the most dangerous moment in the history of the U.S.-Israel relationship.  What do the next two years hold?  I'm not sure.  But this much I know: on top of all America's national challenges and sins, we dare not also abandon or turn against Israel and the Jewish people.  If we do, we will seal our fate with God." 


Friends, this is a very sobering address and one that we need to read carefully and then prayerfully ask God what we need to do.  Yes, we are watchmen on the walls.  Are we sounding the trumpet loudly and clearly?  Are we pointing people to Jesus Christ as the only place where salvation, hope and peace can be found?  Are we directing people to dig more deeply into the Word of God?  May we heed the signs of the times?