Here it is the second day of summer and the temperatures are about 15 degrees below normal for this time of year. What a spring it was here in Minnesota! More days of clouds than sun. Rain much above normal. With the exception of two days in early June, temperatures have been well below normal. Perhaps this is the new normal.
It seems that everywhere weather conditions are drastic. Wildfires in West Texas, Arizona and New Mexico almost defy imaginations by their magnitude. Flooding in North Dakota is of historic proportions with no immediate end in sight due to the incredible amounts of snow yet to be melted in the mountains of Montana. Parts of the nation are still recovering from devastating tornadoes earlier this spring. I was in conversation with a friend a week or so ago and we were talking about the weather phenomenon that even has seasoned meteorologists talking. Are these signs of the approaching end of the age? Could this be God's judgment upon us because of our failure to repent of our sins? Is there a relationship between these weirdly abnormal weather patterns which really are impacting many nations around the world and the world's intent to divide Jerusalem and the land of Israel into two parts? I am not sure I have answers to those questions but I do believe these are not just coincidental occurrences. They are part of God's plan.
Eyes have been focused upon Greece and their severe economic problems. It looks as if the IMF will give them the necessary loan to keep the country going, but the cuts in programs and social services will be severe. Over the weekend we saw Greek people rioting in the streets over the forced cuts in pay and services. When a people become accustomed to the "handouts" that come from government and begin to develop a mentality that they are entitled to those "handouts," then there is cause of rioting when they disappear. I no longer know what to do for myself. Where do I now turn for medical care; the government has always told me what to do. Where do I go for food and other necessities; the government has always given me food stamps. There is a spirit of helplessness because we have forgotten how to take care of ourselves. These are the consequences of an entitlement mentality. I believe what we have seen in Greece is only a small mirrored image of what will happen here when the inevitable collapse happens. How we need to be prepared NOW!
Although the Palestinian Authority (Fatah) and Hamas have agreed in principle to a unity government, they have agreed on little else when it comes to the implementation of such a government. PA Chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, has stated that the PA should decide who the next Prime Minister should be, and, of course, he has chosen his own Prime Minister for that post. Hamas leadership has cried "Foul!" So, a major stumbling block from the very first. Truthfully, about the only thing they can agree on is the need for the destruction of Israel as a nation.
The presidential campaigns are beginning to heat-up, now that we are getting closer to July 4. Perhaps you are like me in not having a candidate that you are strongly behind. But it is time to pray for God's hand to be upon the right candidate of His choosing. What happens in 2012, I believe, will have a decisive influence upon the future history of our nation. So, I am not taking these early days of jockeying by the candidates lightly. And neither should you!
Let me close by saying that the attitude you have toward what is happening in the world can be a major testimony. If you are terrified and fearful of what tomorrow will hold, how can you then witness to an unsaved colleague and tell them of the peace that Jesus brings? But, if you are full of hope and eagerly anticipating the return of Christ, then that optimism will draw responses from those around you. Keep looking up. Keep a joyful look within your heart. Be a model of God's peace to others.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
What Is Going On?
Sorry I missed sharing with you last week. I had the privilege of being in Dallas to share a few days with my two grandsons there. My Mother shared in this trip as Marlys had to work. We had a wonderful time. Weather was ideal - nice and warm! Watched some of two Mavericks games (so happy they won the finals!), attended a Rangers' ballgame (which they won, by the way!), and got to see Ethan play in a ballgame. Even got to take my grandsons to the driving range to hit a few golf balls; I had not hit a golf ball in nearly five years. Felt good, and we had a great time.
So, what is happening in the world? Is the economy any better? Well, that depends upon who you listen to. From the devastation we observed traveling through Joplin, MO and parts of Oklahoma, there should be an increase in construction jobs. But, the price of building materials will probably escalate as well. We saw lots of acres that were not planted yet because of spring floods or spring droughts; that can only mean that food prices will continue to rise. And the worldwide economic crisis continues - Greece appears to be ready to declare bankruptcy as a nation (I can never remember this happening in my life time!). The head of the IMF has been indicted for criminal assault and has been forced to resign, leaving the IMF in a state of turmoil. In our own country, June 30 is looming on the horizon; that date marks the end of QE2 - or simply put, the government stops printing lots of money. When the presses stop, what will that do to our economy? And, unless the President and the Congress agree to a compromise, our government soon will begin to default on its obligations. In my opinion, the news on the economic front does not sound too encouraging to me.
Concerning the Middle East, instability continues to reign. In Libya, Qaddafi continues to hold out against rebel assaults. So far the majority of the military seems to be behind him. In Syria, the Assad regime has turned its weapons on its own people; one can only wonder how long before he does something drastic to pull his nation back together - an invasion and war with Israel might be the trick. In Jordan, King Abdullah is trying to placate those who want reforms; time will tell if those placations will help. The Egyptian government has now officially opened its borders with the Gaza Strip. One can only guess at what is now traversing through into Hamas hands. Meanwhile in Bahrain, the Iranians are trying to pick a fight with the Saudis. And in the midst of all this sits Israel. With cautious eyes Prime Minister Netanyahu observes the actions of those around his tiny nation.
Finally, what about this crazy weather that is happening all over. Snows in the mountains of the West - ski resorts still open as we approach the middle of June. Torrential rains in the Upper Plains, along with melting of last winter's record snowfall, creating unheard of floods along the Missouri River. And those waters will eventually reach St. Louis and the Mississippi River and then begin the journey down to New Orleans. Wildfires burn out of control in Arizona; West Texas is burning up; Northern California has been exceptionally cool. Then there are the volcano eruptions in Iceland and in Chili. I know that weather patterns are cyclical, but I am not sure we have seen the magnitude of weather phenomena as we are today. Could God be trying to tell us something? If so, I am not sure we are listening.
Keep your eyes focused upwards, my friends, as our Redemption is drawing near. These are days of excited hopefulness.
So, what is happening in the world? Is the economy any better? Well, that depends upon who you listen to. From the devastation we observed traveling through Joplin, MO and parts of Oklahoma, there should be an increase in construction jobs. But, the price of building materials will probably escalate as well. We saw lots of acres that were not planted yet because of spring floods or spring droughts; that can only mean that food prices will continue to rise. And the worldwide economic crisis continues - Greece appears to be ready to declare bankruptcy as a nation (I can never remember this happening in my life time!). The head of the IMF has been indicted for criminal assault and has been forced to resign, leaving the IMF in a state of turmoil. In our own country, June 30 is looming on the horizon; that date marks the end of QE2 - or simply put, the government stops printing lots of money. When the presses stop, what will that do to our economy? And, unless the President and the Congress agree to a compromise, our government soon will begin to default on its obligations. In my opinion, the news on the economic front does not sound too encouraging to me.
Concerning the Middle East, instability continues to reign. In Libya, Qaddafi continues to hold out against rebel assaults. So far the majority of the military seems to be behind him. In Syria, the Assad regime has turned its weapons on its own people; one can only wonder how long before he does something drastic to pull his nation back together - an invasion and war with Israel might be the trick. In Jordan, King Abdullah is trying to placate those who want reforms; time will tell if those placations will help. The Egyptian government has now officially opened its borders with the Gaza Strip. One can only guess at what is now traversing through into Hamas hands. Meanwhile in Bahrain, the Iranians are trying to pick a fight with the Saudis. And in the midst of all this sits Israel. With cautious eyes Prime Minister Netanyahu observes the actions of those around his tiny nation.
Finally, what about this crazy weather that is happening all over. Snows in the mountains of the West - ski resorts still open as we approach the middle of June. Torrential rains in the Upper Plains, along with melting of last winter's record snowfall, creating unheard of floods along the Missouri River. And those waters will eventually reach St. Louis and the Mississippi River and then begin the journey down to New Orleans. Wildfires burn out of control in Arizona; West Texas is burning up; Northern California has been exceptionally cool. Then there are the volcano eruptions in Iceland and in Chili. I know that weather patterns are cyclical, but I am not sure we have seen the magnitude of weather phenomena as we are today. Could God be trying to tell us something? If so, I am not sure we are listening.
Keep your eyes focused upwards, my friends, as our Redemption is drawing near. These are days of excited hopefulness.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Jerusalem Day: A Spiritual Lesson
According to the Jewish calendar, today - June 1 - marks the 44th anniversary of the unifying of the city of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six Day War. In an interview with the "Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report" Rabbi and former MK (member of the Knesset) Chanan Porat described the events of that day in June 1967. He told how his unit had been headed toward El-Arish on the Egyptian border when news came that the Jordanians had begun to bomb the city of Jerusalem. Their unit was then quickly dispatched toward Jerusalem. He said, "It was no longer a war to defend our existence but a war over Jerusalem, a war of redemption."
After reaching the Temple Mount, Rabbi Porat related, "Truthfully, on the one hand we had the great privilege of getting to the Temple Mount, but on the other hand we were not yet ready to understand the significance of regaining the Temple Mount. ... We were simply not prepared for the spiritual level of the Temple Mount, for the possibilities that had opened up, we did not yet recognize that we need to stand on the Temple Mount and take steps to rebuilding the Temple."
As you might remember, Israeli General Moshe Dayan agreed to return the Temple Mount to the Moslem Waqf to control. That may have been one of the worst decisions ever made in the brief 63 year history of the State of Israel.
Perhaps Rabbi Porat's statement helps us to understand why General Dayan did what he did. Perhaps Prime Minister Abba Eban and his staff had never considered what would happen if the Temple Mount should become theirs. I am not sure they felt that Jordan would enter the war, and if Jordan did not enter the war, there was no possibilities that Jerusalem would be unified. But Jordan did enter the war. The city of Jerusalem was unified. The Temple Mount became a possession of the nation of Israel, however briefly.
I believe there is a spiritual lesson here. Always be prepared! Always be ready! Let me draw a parallel from one of my favorite Old Testament leaders. His name was Nehemiah. While serving the Persian King Artaxerxes, Nehemiah heard the distressing news that the walls of Jerusalem had not been rebuilt even though the people had returned nearly a century before. So what did this great man do? He prayed and he planned. He prayed that God would open doors to share his concern with the king. And he planned for what he would say when that opportunity came.
Too often we simply pray and hope and dream that God would do something. Then, when that door is opened we do not know what to do or how to respond. We are like Rabbi Porat and his men - we are spiritually unprepared. I wonder what the Middle East would be like today if, in 1967, the leaders of Israel had been prepared for the taking of the Temple Mount. Pray - yes!
But don't forget to plan!
After reaching the Temple Mount, Rabbi Porat related, "Truthfully, on the one hand we had the great privilege of getting to the Temple Mount, but on the other hand we were not yet ready to understand the significance of regaining the Temple Mount. ... We were simply not prepared for the spiritual level of the Temple Mount, for the possibilities that had opened up, we did not yet recognize that we need to stand on the Temple Mount and take steps to rebuilding the Temple."
As you might remember, Israeli General Moshe Dayan agreed to return the Temple Mount to the Moslem Waqf to control. That may have been one of the worst decisions ever made in the brief 63 year history of the State of Israel.
Perhaps Rabbi Porat's statement helps us to understand why General Dayan did what he did. Perhaps Prime Minister Abba Eban and his staff had never considered what would happen if the Temple Mount should become theirs. I am not sure they felt that Jordan would enter the war, and if Jordan did not enter the war, there was no possibilities that Jerusalem would be unified. But Jordan did enter the war. The city of Jerusalem was unified. The Temple Mount became a possession of the nation of Israel, however briefly.
I believe there is a spiritual lesson here. Always be prepared! Always be ready! Let me draw a parallel from one of my favorite Old Testament leaders. His name was Nehemiah. While serving the Persian King Artaxerxes, Nehemiah heard the distressing news that the walls of Jerusalem had not been rebuilt even though the people had returned nearly a century before. So what did this great man do? He prayed and he planned. He prayed that God would open doors to share his concern with the king. And he planned for what he would say when that opportunity came.
Too often we simply pray and hope and dream that God would do something. Then, when that door is opened we do not know what to do or how to respond. We are like Rabbi Porat and his men - we are spiritually unprepared. I wonder what the Middle East would be like today if, in 1967, the leaders of Israel had been prepared for the taking of the Temple Mount. Pray - yes!
But don't forget to plan!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Two Leaders Speak Out - Which One Will Be Heard?
Two world leaders spoke this past week on the topic of the Middle East. While one leader introduced a new formula for obtaining peace in that region, the other spoke with realism. Last Thursday, May 19, President Obama gave a policy speech on the Middle East while visiting the State Department. Instead of stating, as others have in the past, that the borders for two states in the region would be based upon negotiation, President Obama declared that the pre-Six Day War of 1967 should be the starting point. The leaders of Hamas were quick to go even further, stating, in an article in one of today's Jerusalem papers, that they wanted to go back to the lines drawn up by the United Nations in 1947. Funny, though, as in 1947 the Arab world rejected those borders outright. The pre-armistice borders of 1949 would shrink Israel even more.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in his speech before a joint session of Congress this past Tuesday, reiterated that the Pre-67 borders are not negotiable as they would create an indefensible border for Israel. He recalled that in 1967 then Prime Minister Abba Eban had called those borders the "Auschwitz borders" because no one could defend them; they would be the target of constant attack.
President Obama, in a speech before the AIPAC convention in Washington on Sunday evening, somewhat backtracked on his statement at the State Department. Now he indicated that Israel might include some "land swaps" to include major Jewish centers now in the West Bank. You remember playing the "swap game" as kids: I'll swap you my red marble for two of your green ones. That might work in marbles, but hardly in the Middle East. One problem is who will make the determination of value. What will I have to trade to get a Hebron? How much land will I have to give up to keep Jerusalem as a whole entity? I would not want some United Nations committee making those decisions, and I am sure that Israel would not want that either.
Prime Minister Netanyahu clarified the Middle East when he stated: "Israel is not what is wrong in the Middle East; it is what is right." Israel is not the cause of the problems; really it is the solution to the problems. The freedoms that many in the Arab world are seeking, Israeli-Arabs have enjoyed for decades. Instead of looking at Israel as being the villain, we need to look at Israel as being the lifeline.
Two men with two ideas for resolving one of the most troubled areas in the world. One spoke with an idealism that has been found wanting in the past; the other spoke with a realism that has been ignored in the past. Time will tell as to whose viewpoint will prevail, but I know whose I am hoping will rise to the top.
Just a quick word about Harold Camping and his failed prophecy of the world coming to an end on May 21 at 6:00 p.m. Obviously that did not happen. Now he has gone on record as stating that he missed the mark by five months - the new date is October 21. Friends, if we lived in Old Testament times, Mr. Camping would now be buried beneath a pile of stones with this marker placed upon it: "A False Prophet Gains His Own Reward." Jesus told His disciples that no one - and that includes Mr. Camping - knows the day or the hour of His return. So, don't count days; just be ready when the trumpet sounds.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in his speech before a joint session of Congress this past Tuesday, reiterated that the Pre-67 borders are not negotiable as they would create an indefensible border for Israel. He recalled that in 1967 then Prime Minister Abba Eban had called those borders the "Auschwitz borders" because no one could defend them; they would be the target of constant attack.
President Obama, in a speech before the AIPAC convention in Washington on Sunday evening, somewhat backtracked on his statement at the State Department. Now he indicated that Israel might include some "land swaps" to include major Jewish centers now in the West Bank. You remember playing the "swap game" as kids: I'll swap you my red marble for two of your green ones. That might work in marbles, but hardly in the Middle East. One problem is who will make the determination of value. What will I have to trade to get a Hebron? How much land will I have to give up to keep Jerusalem as a whole entity? I would not want some United Nations committee making those decisions, and I am sure that Israel would not want that either.
Prime Minister Netanyahu clarified the Middle East when he stated: "Israel is not what is wrong in the Middle East; it is what is right." Israel is not the cause of the problems; really it is the solution to the problems. The freedoms that many in the Arab world are seeking, Israeli-Arabs have enjoyed for decades. Instead of looking at Israel as being the villain, we need to look at Israel as being the lifeline.
Two men with two ideas for resolving one of the most troubled areas in the world. One spoke with an idealism that has been found wanting in the past; the other spoke with a realism that has been ignored in the past. Time will tell as to whose viewpoint will prevail, but I know whose I am hoping will rise to the top.
Just a quick word about Harold Camping and his failed prophecy of the world coming to an end on May 21 at 6:00 p.m. Obviously that did not happen. Now he has gone on record as stating that he missed the mark by five months - the new date is October 21. Friends, if we lived in Old Testament times, Mr. Camping would now be buried beneath a pile of stones with this marker placed upon it: "A False Prophet Gains His Own Reward." Jesus told His disciples that no one - and that includes Mr. Camping - knows the day or the hour of His return. So, don't count days; just be ready when the trumpet sounds.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Revisionist History and Truth in the Middle East
On Tuesday, in an Op-Ed piece for the "New York Times", Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas outlined not only his plans of the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian State but also described the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. To be brutally honest, his view of the history of the conflict is certainly seen through the eyes of a revisionist. Abbas made this statement, "The last time the question of Palestinian statehood took center stage at the General Assembly, the question posed to the international community was whether our homeland should be partitioned into two states. In November 1947, the General Assembly made its recommendation and answered in the affirmative. Shortly thereafter, the Zionist forces expelled Palestinian Arabs to ensure a decisive Jewish majority in the future state of Israel, and Arab armies intervened. War and further expulsions ensued."
Let's examine that statement. First, Chairman Abbas is correct when he states that the last time the United Nations General Assembly considered the question of the Middle East - the actual vote came on November 29, 1947 - the land was partitioned into two states: one Arab and one Jewish. But that is the only truth in his statement. When, on May 14, 1948, Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, declared that Israel was a new sovereign nation born within the partitions agreed by the UN General Assembly, war was declared by five neighboring Arab states on May 15. The Arab world rejected the two state solution in 1948 just as they had in 1936 when the British Foreign Secretary Lord Robert Peel made his report outlining a two state solution to end the hostilities between the Jews and Arabs. Israel did not declare war in 1948; they were forced into defending that portion of land which had been granted to them by the United Nations. It was not the Jews who left, but the Arabs who left their homes behind, not because of war, but because of the urging of their leadership that the war would soon be over and to the victor would go the spoils - of course, they felt they would be the victors.
Now the Palestinian leader wants the United Nations in September to declare unilaterally that a Palestinian state exists within the borders of the 1948 ceasefire agreement. Furthermore, he wants the United Nations to agree that the descendants of those Arabs who fled their homes in 1948 be given the right to return - a number conservatively estimated to be around six million Arabs. Of course he has already gone on record as saying that not one single Jew will be found in the new Palestinian state.
On Thursday, President Obama gives a major speech on the Middle East, outlining his strategy for the creation of two states. My guess is that it will be the same old worn out ideas. Then on Friday he will be meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House. One can only hope that this meeting will go better than previous ones have.
Meanwhile Hamas and Fatah leaders continue their work in Cairo hammering out the details of their newly created unity government. According to reports, Fatah leaders have agreed with the principles of Hamas, namely that Israel must be destroyed. The Hamas charter puts its this way: "The hour of judgment shall not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them. Peace initiatives, so-called peaceful solutions, and the international conferences to resolve the Palestinian problem, are all contrary to the beliefs of the Islamic Resistance Movement." so much for peace.
May I recommend an excellent resource if you would like to read a very well written and yet unbiased report of the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The book is titled, "War without End" and was written by Anton La Guardia. I think you will find it a most helpful read. Or, if you are more into historical fiction, I would recommend the "Zion Chronicles" series by Bodie Thoene. Makes for some great summer reading.
Let's examine that statement. First, Chairman Abbas is correct when he states that the last time the United Nations General Assembly considered the question of the Middle East - the actual vote came on November 29, 1947 - the land was partitioned into two states: one Arab and one Jewish. But that is the only truth in his statement. When, on May 14, 1948, Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, declared that Israel was a new sovereign nation born within the partitions agreed by the UN General Assembly, war was declared by five neighboring Arab states on May 15. The Arab world rejected the two state solution in 1948 just as they had in 1936 when the British Foreign Secretary Lord Robert Peel made his report outlining a two state solution to end the hostilities between the Jews and Arabs. Israel did not declare war in 1948; they were forced into defending that portion of land which had been granted to them by the United Nations. It was not the Jews who left, but the Arabs who left their homes behind, not because of war, but because of the urging of their leadership that the war would soon be over and to the victor would go the spoils - of course, they felt they would be the victors.
Now the Palestinian leader wants the United Nations in September to declare unilaterally that a Palestinian state exists within the borders of the 1948 ceasefire agreement. Furthermore, he wants the United Nations to agree that the descendants of those Arabs who fled their homes in 1948 be given the right to return - a number conservatively estimated to be around six million Arabs. Of course he has already gone on record as saying that not one single Jew will be found in the new Palestinian state.
On Thursday, President Obama gives a major speech on the Middle East, outlining his strategy for the creation of two states. My guess is that it will be the same old worn out ideas. Then on Friday he will be meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House. One can only hope that this meeting will go better than previous ones have.
Meanwhile Hamas and Fatah leaders continue their work in Cairo hammering out the details of their newly created unity government. According to reports, Fatah leaders have agreed with the principles of Hamas, namely that Israel must be destroyed. The Hamas charter puts its this way: "The hour of judgment shall not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them. Peace initiatives, so-called peaceful solutions, and the international conferences to resolve the Palestinian problem, are all contrary to the beliefs of the Islamic Resistance Movement." so much for peace.
May I recommend an excellent resource if you would like to read a very well written and yet unbiased report of the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The book is titled, "War without End" and was written by Anton La Guardia. I think you will find it a most helpful read. Or, if you are more into historical fiction, I would recommend the "Zion Chronicles" series by Bodie Thoene. Makes for some great summer reading.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
A Birthday and a Threat
I want to begin by wishing my friends in Israel a very happy 63rd Independence Day celebration. On the Jewish calendar, the day for celebration was yesterday; on our calendar, it is this coming Saturday, May 14. It was on that date in 1948 that David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel, officially declared that Israel was a free and independent nation and the Israeli flag - the Star of David - flew over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. You will then remember that five Arab nations - Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia - declared war against the newly created nation. But, through a series of miracles, the nation of Israel survived and has now grown to one of the most powerful nations on the earth. So, happy 63rd Birthday, Israel. May God bless you with many more.
It has been a while since we have touched base with what is happening in Egypt since the overthrowing of President Mubarak last January. Our media has been quick to assert that the forces of democracy have been victorious and a new Egypt will arise out of the failed and corrupt policies of its now deposed president. But, is that the real story? Let's take a look inside Egypt.
First, the persecution of the Coptic Christians in Egypt has escalated tremendously since the demise of Mubarak. Churches have been burned; Egyptian Christians have been murdered or severely beaten. The Coptic Christians, who comprise 10% of the Egyptian population have now become the main target of those who want Egypt to become an Islamic state rather than continue as a secular state. Democracy - certainly not according to Western definitions.
Second, the Pew Research Center conducted a recent poll among a thousand Egyptians in April. These were face-to-face interviews. 89% of those interviewed said that the new Egyptian government "should follow the values and principles of Islam." 62% want laws to enforce Shariah Law. 84% favored the death penalty for people who abdicate their Muslim faith; 82% support the stoning of adulterers; and 77% believe that thieves should be punished by having their hands cut off. Democracy - not sure I would want to live there.
Third, again the Pew Research Center poll discovered that nearly 8 in 10 Egyptians still hate the United States. 54% of those polled said that the new Egyptian government should nullify the treaty of 1979 that Egypt made with Israel; only 36% spoke in favor of retaining the treaty. Democracy - doesn't sound that way to me.
Here is the problem Western leaders and media personnel have with the Middle East. We have this idea that those who oppose a government that has been in power for decades are fighting for democracy. Nothing could be further from the truth. They simply want to replace one autocratic leader with one of their choosing. In the case of Egypt, the new leadership will be strongly influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood, who, in spite of the acclaim given to it by our White House and State Department, is committed to the destruction of Israel. The new Egyptian government will be strongly anti-American and anti-Israel. People will lose even those freedoms that they now enjoy. You might remember that back in January I related what would happen with these rushes toward democracy. The evidence gathered by the Pew Research Center poll bears out the validity of that argument.
How we need to remember in prayer the persecuted Church in Egypt. We need to pray for God's strength to be supplied to them. And then we need to pray that the eyes of our leaders might be opened to truly see what is happening in the nations of the Middle East today. It is not democracy they are seeking but the destruction of Israel.
It has been a while since we have touched base with what is happening in Egypt since the overthrowing of President Mubarak last January. Our media has been quick to assert that the forces of democracy have been victorious and a new Egypt will arise out of the failed and corrupt policies of its now deposed president. But, is that the real story? Let's take a look inside Egypt.
First, the persecution of the Coptic Christians in Egypt has escalated tremendously since the demise of Mubarak. Churches have been burned; Egyptian Christians have been murdered or severely beaten. The Coptic Christians, who comprise 10% of the Egyptian population have now become the main target of those who want Egypt to become an Islamic state rather than continue as a secular state. Democracy - certainly not according to Western definitions.
Second, the Pew Research Center conducted a recent poll among a thousand Egyptians in April. These were face-to-face interviews. 89% of those interviewed said that the new Egyptian government "should follow the values and principles of Islam." 62% want laws to enforce Shariah Law. 84% favored the death penalty for people who abdicate their Muslim faith; 82% support the stoning of adulterers; and 77% believe that thieves should be punished by having their hands cut off. Democracy - not sure I would want to live there.
Third, again the Pew Research Center poll discovered that nearly 8 in 10 Egyptians still hate the United States. 54% of those polled said that the new Egyptian government should nullify the treaty of 1979 that Egypt made with Israel; only 36% spoke in favor of retaining the treaty. Democracy - doesn't sound that way to me.
Here is the problem Western leaders and media personnel have with the Middle East. We have this idea that those who oppose a government that has been in power for decades are fighting for democracy. Nothing could be further from the truth. They simply want to replace one autocratic leader with one of their choosing. In the case of Egypt, the new leadership will be strongly influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood, who, in spite of the acclaim given to it by our White House and State Department, is committed to the destruction of Israel. The new Egyptian government will be strongly anti-American and anti-Israel. People will lose even those freedoms that they now enjoy. You might remember that back in January I related what would happen with these rushes toward democracy. The evidence gathered by the Pew Research Center poll bears out the validity of that argument.
How we need to remember in prayer the persecuted Church in Egypt. We need to pray for God's strength to be supplied to them. And then we need to pray that the eyes of our leaders might be opened to truly see what is happening in the nations of the Middle East today. It is not democracy they are seeking but the destruction of Israel.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
An Agreement That Could Change the World
Today an event is happening that many around the world will never learn about. Yet it is an event that has the potential of literally changing the face of the Middle East. No, I am not talking about the continued vicious attacks and counter-attacks in Syria and whether President Bashir Assad will retain his power. No, it is not about the potential for a trial for former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarek. No, it is not about the escalating violence in Libya as Moammar Qaddafi clings to his power. This event is happening today in Cairo, Egypt. It is the signing of an agreement between the Palestinian Authority (Fatah- the party of Yasir Arafat) and Hamas.
A little background and history. In 2006, in elections held in the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza, (at the insistence of the American government, I might add) Hamas was clearly the winner. Because they have as one of their strong commitments the destruction of Israel, immediately the American government ruled the elections void. Hamas retreated to the Gaza Strip and there in 2007 forcefully took command of the Strip. Since 2007 the Gaza Strip has become a haven for terrorists, especially those against Israel.
One Israel support group, known as Americans for a Safe Israel (AFSI), wrote, "Mahmoud Abbas, our supposed 'peace' partner, has now joined forces with Hamas, the acknowledged terrorist group. This is actually a declaration of war against the State of Israel since Hamas has never disguised its intentions of destroying Israel." Former President Jimmy Carter stated, as reported by his Carter Center, "Based on my years of contacts with Fatah and Hamas, I am confident that, if handled creatively and flexibly by the international community, Hamas' return to unified Palestinian governance can increase the likelihood of a two-state solution and a peaceful outcome." But, is that their intent? Absolutely not!
The Hamas government in the Gaza Strip is one of a handful of Arab countries that actually mourned the death of Osama bin Laden. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said, "We condemn the assassination and the killing of an Arab holy warrior. We ask God to offer him mercy with the true believers and the martyrs."
Elections will be held next year in those areas controlled by the Palestinians. Let's just suppose that Hamas wins the majority of the vote - which, by the way, is probably what will happen, at least that is what many political scholars are thinking. Hamas wins. They begin to transport their brand of terrorism, sponsored by the Iranians, to the West Bank (Judea and Samaria). Now there will not any place within Israel that will escape the possibilities of a rocket attack.
How will Israel respond? Their very security is at stake. A pre-emptive strike against Ramallah and Gaza City might seem like logical options. Could it be the shot that ignites the Psalm 83 War? Quite possibly. At least it might coalesce the now hotly divided Arab world around the cry of the destruction of Israel.
Nightly News with Brian Williams and the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric will probably not feature a story on this historic meeting in Cairo today. And, tomorrow you will have to search into the bowels of your newspaper to find its story, if it is there at all. But, friends, this agreement has all the potential of changing the face of the Middle East.
A little background and history. In 2006, in elections held in the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza, (at the insistence of the American government, I might add) Hamas was clearly the winner. Because they have as one of their strong commitments the destruction of Israel, immediately the American government ruled the elections void. Hamas retreated to the Gaza Strip and there in 2007 forcefully took command of the Strip. Since 2007 the Gaza Strip has become a haven for terrorists, especially those against Israel.
One Israel support group, known as Americans for a Safe Israel (AFSI), wrote, "Mahmoud Abbas, our supposed 'peace' partner, has now joined forces with Hamas, the acknowledged terrorist group. This is actually a declaration of war against the State of Israel since Hamas has never disguised its intentions of destroying Israel." Former President Jimmy Carter stated, as reported by his Carter Center, "Based on my years of contacts with Fatah and Hamas, I am confident that, if handled creatively and flexibly by the international community, Hamas' return to unified Palestinian governance can increase the likelihood of a two-state solution and a peaceful outcome." But, is that their intent? Absolutely not!
The Hamas government in the Gaza Strip is one of a handful of Arab countries that actually mourned the death of Osama bin Laden. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said, "We condemn the assassination and the killing of an Arab holy warrior. We ask God to offer him mercy with the true believers and the martyrs."
Elections will be held next year in those areas controlled by the Palestinians. Let's just suppose that Hamas wins the majority of the vote - which, by the way, is probably what will happen, at least that is what many political scholars are thinking. Hamas wins. They begin to transport their brand of terrorism, sponsored by the Iranians, to the West Bank (Judea and Samaria). Now there will not any place within Israel that will escape the possibilities of a rocket attack.
How will Israel respond? Their very security is at stake. A pre-emptive strike against Ramallah and Gaza City might seem like logical options. Could it be the shot that ignites the Psalm 83 War? Quite possibly. At least it might coalesce the now hotly divided Arab world around the cry of the destruction of Israel.
Nightly News with Brian Williams and the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric will probably not feature a story on this historic meeting in Cairo today. And, tomorrow you will have to search into the bowels of your newspaper to find its story, if it is there at all. But, friends, this agreement has all the potential of changing the face of the Middle East.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
