Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Prophe-Zine Issue 105
PropheZine Newsletter #105
October 15, 2000
Bob Lally Publisher/Senior. Editor
Bob Ippolito Asst. Editor
Zenith Merrill Asst. Editor
To Subscribe, Unsubscribe or Change email addresses see notice at the
bottom of this newsletter.
======================================================
IN THIS ISSUE
----LEFT BEHIND PROJECT
----GREETING FROM BOB LALLY
----MINISTRY NEWS
----ARTICLES
Thomas S. McCall, Th.D.......Jerusalem The Burdensome Stone
Dr. Thomas Ice ...The Rapture and The Second Coming: An Important
Distinction
Dave Hunt.....Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
----SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
----SUBSCRIBE and UNSUBSCRIBE
----PRIVACY NOTICE
===================================================
LEFT BEHIND PROJECT
===================================================
Not since the Bible itself has a collection of books sparked such great
interest as the Left Behind Book Series. Now with the feature film, we want
to bring this dynamic and dramatic story to the big screen on a level never
before achieved for a Christian film. In fact, we have two specific goals.
First, we want to win the box office the weekend the film opens. Not in the
top ten or the top five, but #1!
Secondly, we want to open this movie in every city in America!
Will we achieve these goals? That will depend on many things, however, the
key point is this it won't happen just because of us. We are literally a
David in a land full of powerful Goliaths Goliaths who do not want this
film made or distributed. This film will only happen through a united effort
of hundreds of thousands of Christians, like you, who stand up and make it
happen.
VISIT: http://www.leftbehindfilmproject.com/
CALL FOR INFORMATION:
Churches Call: 800-870-6479
Book Stores: 800-711-1971
===================================================
GREETINGS FROM BOB LALLY
===================================================
Hi:
Wow! Things have certainly heated up in the Middle East! PropheZine
publishes the PropheZine News Bites which contains news from around the
world as it relates to Bible Prophecy. Please, please please sign up to
receive the News Bites. You can choose to receive the emails in plain TEXT
of fancy HTML. http://www.prophezine.com/text/lists.html As always, it's
FREE!
I am more excited at this time than any time in the past. Prophecy is being
fulfilled almost minute by minute before our eyes. What an honor to be
alive at this time to witness these events. Now is the time to examine our
lives to ensure that we are following the will of the Lord. As difficult as
it may be, try to remain in the ways of the Lord. It is not easy to do this
while living in this sick world, believe me, I know. Pray the Lord will
help you (and me!).
Enjoy this issue. May it bless you in these trying, yet exciting, times.
Bob Lally
PropheZine
bob@prophezine.com
======================================================
MINISTRY NEWS
by Bob Lally
======================================================
Greetings Everyone,
If you are an experienced PERL programmer please contact me at
bob@prophezine.com I may need a "volunteer" programmer to help with a
major project. It involves writing code to work with flat files as well as
outputting HTML user and admin pages.
Your name (and email address if you wish) will be located at the bottom of
the pages as credit and to push traffic your way for "volunteering".
God Bless!
Bob Lally
PropheZine Senior Editor
bob@prophezine.com
=====================================================
Jerusalem The Burdensome Stone
By Thomas S. McCall, Th.D
http://www.levitt.com/
======================================================
(Note: When you have a chance please visit Zola's Site at:
http://www.levitt.com)
Jerusalem, the Holy City, the City of the Great King, God's Holy Hill of
Zion, the Center of the Earth, the Cup of Trembling, the Burdensome Stone,
Sodom and Gomorrah, and Egypt. Jerusalem is called by these and many other
names in the Bible. As Israel and the P.L.O., under international pressure,
enter into the most critical aspect of the current "peace process," which is
the effort to make a permanent settlement concerning Jerusalem, many claims
and issues must be dealt with.
To Whom Does Jerusalem Belong?
The Jews say it belongs to Israel. It was the political capital and Temple
worship center of the ancient Commonwealth for over 1,000 years, has been
the spiritual home of the Jewish people ever since, and is understood to be
the future capital of the Messiah.
The Arabs say it belongs to Islam. It is the third most sacred place to
Moslem believers, next to Mecca and Medina. The city was under Moslem
control from the seventh century until World War I, with the one-century
exception during the Crusades.
The Papacy says it belongs to Christendom. Jerusalem is sacred to Christians
because of both Old and New Testament associations, and is the site of the
death and resurrection of Christ. The holy sites are of great concern, of
which the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is supreme.
The United Nations says it belongs to the world. Jerusalem is revered by the
world's three great monotheistic religions, and is critical as a hot spot
that could well endanger world peace. Therefore, the U.N. wants to
"internationalize" the city, so that no one ethnic or religious group would
have control.
Jerusalem Under Israel and Jordan
What should the attitude be among those of us who believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ and are evangelicals? Our conviction is that all of the Land of
Israel, including Jerusalem, belongs to the Jewish people by divine decree,
and we should recognize their rights of ownership. During the last three
decades, in which most of the Land has been under Israeli control,
evangelical Christians have had full and free access to just about all of
the country. Christian tourists have been welcome, and there has been no
problem seeing all of the marvelous biblical sites. The holy places of all
religions are kept sacrosanct, and Jews, Moslems and Christians may visit
these places and rest assured that no important site will be desecrated.
Such could not be said when the country in general, and Jerusalem in
particular, was under Moslem control. My wife and I were in Jerusalem in
1965, on a tour with Dr. Charles Feinberg. This, of course, was before the
Six-Day War in 1967, and Jerusalem was part of the Kingdom of Jordan, and
ruled by King Hussein. East and West Jerusalem were separated by a jagged
zone called "no man's land." The Mandelbaum Gate was the only way anyone
could get from one side to the other. It was like Checkpoint Charlie in
Berlin. As a practical matter, no civilians could pass from Israel into
Jordan, and about the only civilians who could pass from Jordan to Israel
were foreign tourists. Once Christians got into Jordan, they could visit
most of the New Testament holy places, but getting to Jordan was a serious
problem, and the problem was created by the unwillingness of Jordan to
cooperate with Israel.
As the Jordanians would not allow tourists to go from Israel into Jordan, we
had to go to Jordan first, via Egypt, and then go into Israel through the
Mandelbaum Gate. When Jerusalem was divided, it was difficult for pilgrims
to visit the many important biblical sites.
The Western Wall Under Moslem Control
The entire Old City in 1965 was in Jordan, along with most of the biblical
sites. This included the Dome of the Rock, the Temple Mount and the Western
Wall. One of the places we wanted to visit was the Western Wall, sometimes
called the Wailing Wall. Those who are familiar with the Wall as it is
today, with its spacious plaza and daily crowds of people who come to
worship and pray, can scarcely imagine what it was like in 1965. In
actuality, it was a slum. The Arab houses were built up to within about ten
feet of the Wall, and the space between was like an alley. Really, it was
worse than that, because all around were the odors of a latrine. The Western
Wall, closed in as a dank alleyway, was deserted then. No Jews were praying
at this most sacred of sites to Judaism. No young boys were performing their
Bar Mitzvah rites of reading the Torah, with all their admiring family
rejoicing at the Wall. It was deserted when Jordan had control of the Old
City. No Jews were allowed at the Western Wall for about 20 years.
Transformation of Jerusalem Under Jewish Control
What a difference when Israel recaptured the Old City in 1967. Within
months, the old slum was cleared away from the Wall, a grand plaza was
established, and hundreds to thousands of people began gathering there daily
to pray and worship the God of Abraham and Moses.
Once Jerusalem was reunited under Jewish control, the Moslems had free and
total access to the Dome of the Rock, the Al Aksa Mosque, and all their holy
places throughout the Land. Christians also, including evangelicals, have
had complete and unfettered access to all the important places in Israel,
including the Temple Mount, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Garden
Tomb, the Mount of Olives, and all the Sea of Galilee.
One shudders to think of what might happen if Jerusalem were again to be
taken out of the hands of the Jewish people, even if it were placed under
the U.N. or the Papacy, much less the P.L.O. Both evangelical Christians and
Jews could well find themselves having much-reduced access to the scriptural
sites. Furthermore, God never gave legal title of Jerusalem to Moslems or
Christians or the United Nations. He gave the legal right to Jerusalem to
Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob. What right do we have
to try to nullify this grant to Israel from the Lord?
The Push to Remove Jerusalem from Israeli Control
Our conviction, therefore, is that both the scriptural mandates and the
interests of Jews and evangelical Christians (and peace-loving Arabs, for
that matter) are best served by Jerusalem remaining in the hands of Israel
until the Lord returns. Already, for years, our U.S. government under two
administrations and the U.N. have applied pressure on Israel to surrender
strategic territory to Moslem interests. In spite of the strong reservations
of many Jews and evangelical Christians, it appears that our various
governments may well try to remove Jerusalem from Israeli control. This is
very regrettable, and we should resist such efforts wherever possible.
Nevertheless, as the Bible teaches that Jerusalem will be a cup of trembling
and a burdensome stone for all the nations in the End Times (Zech. 12:2-3),
we should not be surprised.
===================================================
LEFT BEHIND PROJECT
===================================================
Not since the Bible itself has a collection of books sparked such great
interest as the Left Behind Book Series. Now with the feature film, we want
to bring this dynamic and dramatic story to the big screen on a level never
before achieved for a Christian film. In fact, we have two specific goals.
First, we want to win the box office the weekend the film opens. Not in the
top ten or the top five, but #1!
Secondly, we want to open this movie in every city in America!
Will we achieve these goals? That will depend on many things, however, the
key point is this it won't happen just because of us. We are literally a
David in a land full of powerful Goliaths Goliaths who do not want this
film made or distributed. This film will only happen through a united effort
of hundreds of thousands of Christians, like you, who stand up and make it
happen.
VISIT: http://www.leftbehindfilmproject.com/
CALL FOR INFORMATION:
Churches Call: 800-870-6479
Book Stores: 800-711-1971
======================================================
The Rapture and The Second Coming:
An Important Distinction
Dr. Thomas Ice
http://www.millennianet.com/atpro4se/pretri2.html
======================================================
In previous issues we have given a biblical basis or foundation for
pretribulationism. In this issues I will begin by laying out specific
biblical evidence for the pre-trib rapture. The first place to start is with
the biblical notion that the rapture of the church is distinct from Christ's
second coming to the earth.
John Feinberg notes that distinguishing between the rapture and second
coming is important in establishing pretribulationism against the
non-pre-trib claim that the Bible does not teach such a view.
The pretribulationist must show that there is enough dissimilarity between
clear rapture and clear second advent passages as to warrant the claim that
the two kinds of passages could be speaking about two events which could
occur at different times. The pretribulationist does not have to prove at
this point . . . that the two events must occur at different times, but only
that the exegetical data from rapture and second advent passages do not make
it impossible for the events to occur at different times. If he can do that,
the pretribulationist has shown that his view is not impossible. And, he has
answered the posttribulationist's strongest line of evidence.1
A key factor in understanding the New Testament's teaching of the
pretribulational rapture revolves around the fact that two future comings of
Christ are presented. The first coming is the catching up into the clouds of
the church before the seven-year tribulation and the second coming occurs at
the end of the tribulation when Christ returns to the earth to begin His
1,000 year kingdom. Anyone desirous of insight into the biblical teaching of
the rapture and second advent must study and decide whether Scripture speaks
of one or two future events.
FRAMING THE ISSUE
Posttribulationists usually contend that if the rapture and the second
coming are two distinct events, separated by about seven years, then there
ought to be at least one passage in Scripture which clearly teaches this.
However, the Bible does not always teach God's truth in accordance with our
preconceived notions or in such a way that answers directly all of our
questions. For example, a Unitarian could design a similar kind of question
regarding the Trinity. "Where is at least one passage in Scripture which
clearly says that the Persons of the Godhead are distinct?" We who believe
the Trinity reply that the Bible teaches the Trinity but in a different way.
Many important biblical doctrines are not given to us directly from a single
verse, we often need to harmonize passages into systematic conclusions. Some
truths are directly stated in the Bible, such as the deity of Christ (John
1:1, Titus 2:13). But doctrines like the Trinity and the incarnate nature of
Christ are the product of biblical harmonization. Taking into account all
biblical texts, orthodox theologians, over time, recognized that God is a
Trinity and that Christ is the God-Man. Similarly, a systematic
consideration of all biblical passages reveals that Scripture teaches two
future comings.
Posttribulationists often contend that the pre-trib position is built merely
built upon an assumption that certain verses 'make sense' if and only if the
pre-trib model of the rapture is assumed to be correct. However, they often
fail to make it clear to their readers that they are just as dependent upon
assumptions as they say pre-tribers are. Their error stems from failure to
observe actual biblical distinctions.
For example, Christ's ministry has two phases which revolve around His two
comings. Phase one took place at Christ's first coming when He came in
humiliation to suffer. Phase two will begin at Christ's second coming when
He will reign on earth in power and glory. Failure to distinguish these two
phases was a key factor in Israel's rejection of Jesus as Messiah at His
first coming. In the same way, failure to see clear distinctions between the
rapture and second advent lead many to a misinterpretation of God's future
plan.
THE NATURE OF THE RAPTURE
The rapture is most clearly presented in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. In verse
17 the English phrase "caught up" translates the Greek word "harpázô," which
means "to seize upon with force" or "to snatch up." Latin translators of the
Bible used the word "rapere," the root of the English term "rapture." At the
rapture living believers will be "caught up" in the air, translated into the
clouds, in a moment of time.
The rapture is characterized in the Bible as a "translation coming" (1 Cor.
15:51-52; 1 Thes. 4:15-17) in which Christ comes for His church. The second
advent is Christ returning with His saints, descending from heaven to
establish His earthly kingdom (Zech. 14:4-5; Mat. 24:27-31). Ed Hindson
observes:
The rapture (or "translation") of the church is often paralleled to the
"raptures" of Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2: 12). In each case,
the individual disappeared or was caught up into-heaven. At His ascension,
our Lord Himself was "taken up" into heaven (Acts 1:9). The biblical
description of the rapture involves both the resurrection of deceased
believers and the translation of living believers into the air to meet the
Lord (1 Thess. 4:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:51 52).2
Differences between the two events are harmonized naturally by the pre-trib
position, while other views are not able to account comfortably for such
distinctions. (Notice the graphic on page four that lists passages that
speak of the rapture and those referring to the second coming.)
RAPTURE AND SECOND COMING CONTRASTS
Rapture/Translation 2nd Coming/ Estab. Kingdom
1 Translation of all believers 1 No translation at all
2 Translated saints go to 2 Translated saints return to heaven earth
3 Earth not judged 3 Earth judged & righteousness established
4 Imminent, any-moment, 4 Follows definite predicted signless signs
including tribulation 5 Not in the Old Testament 5 Predicted often in Old
Testament
6 Believers only 6 Affects all men
7 Before the day of wrath 7 Concluding the day of wrath
8 No reference to Satan 8 Satan bound
9 Christ comes for His own 9 Christ comes with His own
10 He comes in the air 10 He comes to the earth
11 He claims His bride 11 He comes with His bride
12 Only His own see Him 12 Every eye shall see Him
13 Tribulation begins 13 Millennial Kingdom begins
John Walvoord concludes that these "contrasts should make it evident that
the translation of the church is an event quite different in character and
time from the return of the Lord to establish His kingdom, and confirms the
conclusion that the translation takes place before the tribulation."3
ADDITIONAL DIFFERANCES
Paul speaks of the rapture as a "mystery" (1 Cor. 15:51-54), that is a truth
not revealed until its disclosure by the apostles (Col. 1:26), making it a
separate event, while the second coming was predicted in the Old Testament
(Dan. 12:1-3; Zech. 12:10; 14:4).
The movement for the believer at the rapture is from earth to heaven, while
it is from heaven to earth at the second advent. At the rapture, the Lord
comes for his saints (1 Thess. 4:16), while at the second coming the Lord
comes with His saints (1 Thess. 3:13). At the rapture, the Lord comes only
for believers, but His return to the earth will impact all people. The
rapture is a translation/resurrection event where the Lord takes believers
"to the Father's house" in heaven (John 14:3), while at the second coming
believers return from heaven to the earth (Matt. 24:30). Hindson says, "The
different aspects of our Lord's return are clearly delineated in the
scriptures themselves. The only real issue in the eschatological debate is
the time interval between them."4
POST-TRIB PROBLEMS
One of the strengths of the pre-trib position is that it is better able to
harmonize the many events of end-time prophecy because of its distinction
between the rapture and the second coming. Normally, Posttribulationists do
not even attempt to answers such objections and the few that try struggle
with the biblical text. Yet, pretribulationists do not encounter
difficulties in providing answers. What are some post-trib problems?
First, posttribulationism requires that the church will be present during
the 70th week of Daniel (Dan. 9:24-27) even though it was absent from the
first 69. This is in spite of the fact that Daniel 9:24 says that all 70
weeks are for Israel. Pretribulationism is not in conflict with this
passage, as is posttribulationism, since the church departs before the
beginning of the seven-year period.
Second, posttribulationism must deny the New Testament teaching of
imminency-that Christ could come at any-moment. Pretribulationism does not
have a problem with these New Testament passages, since they believe that no
signs must precede the rapture.
Third, premillennial posttribulationism has no answer to their problem of
who will populate the millennium if the rapture and second coming occur at
the same time. Since all believers will be translated at the rapture and all
unbelievers judged, because no unrighteous shall be allowed to enter
Christ's kingdom, then no one would be left in mortal bodies to start the
population base for the millennium. The pre-trib viewpoint does not have a
problem at this point.
Fourth, posttribulationism is not able to explain the sheep and goats
judgment after the second coming in Matthew 25:31-46. As in the previous
problem, how would there be any believers in mortal bodies, if they were
raptured at the second coming, who would be available to enter into Christ's
kingdom? Pretribulationism does not have such a problem.
Fifth, since Revelation 19:7-8 indicates that the church, Christ's Bride, is
made ready to accompany Christ to earth (Rev. 19:14) before the second
coming, how could this reasonably happen if part of the church is still on
earth awaiting Christ's Advent? If the rapture of the church takes place at
the second coming, then how does the Bride (i.e., the church) also come with
Christ at His return? There would not be sufficient time for this to happen
within a posttribulational sequence, but the pre-trib position has no such
problem.
CONCLUSION
The distinctions between Christ's coming in the air to rapture His church
are too great to be reduced into a single coming at the end of the
tribulation. These biblical distinctions provide a strong basis for the
pre-trib rapture teaching. W
ENDNOTES
1John S. Feinberg, "Arguing for the Rapture: Who Must Prove What and How" in
Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy, editors When The Trumpet Sounds (Eugene, Org.:
Harvest House Publishers, forthcoming July 1995).
2Edward E. Hindson, "The Rapture and the Return: Two Aspects of Christ's
Coming" in Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy, editors When The Trumpet Sounds
(Eugene, Org.: Harvest House Publishers, forthcoming July 1995).
3The quotation and the first six contrasts in the graphic above are taken
from John F. Walvoord, The Return of the Lord (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1955), 87-88.
4Hindson, Ibid.
======================================================
Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
Dave Hunt
http://www.thebereancall.org/newsletters/sep00.htm
======================================================
(Note: Please visit Dave Hunt at The Berean Call!)
Jerusalem is indisputably, year after year, the top news story in the world.
That fact reflects the fulfillment of multiple prophecies concerning this
remarkable city and its unique place in Gods will. The ongoing actualization
of these prophecies in our day is absolute proof that God exists, that the
Bible is His Word and that the Jews are His chosen people.
The very fact that Jerusalem is mentioned more than 800 times in the Bible
makes it worthy of special attention. This unique city is the only one upon
which God has bestowed His distinctive blessing and protection (Ps
132:13-14), and the only city for whose peace we are commanded to pray (Ps
122:6). God says He has chosen Jerusalem as the place where He has put His
name forever (2 Chr 6:6; 33:7; Ps 46:4; 48:1-8; 87:3). The new heavens and
new earth will contain "the city of my God...new Jerusalem" (Rv 3:12; 21:2).
That there will be a "heavenly Jerusalem" (Heb 12:22) but no "heavenly" New
York, Paris, London, Damascus, Cairo, etc. speaks volumes.
After decades of pleading with Israel to repent of its idolatrous rebellion,
God pronounced through Jeremiah His reluctant judgment upon His city and
upon His land (Lv 25:23). Daniel referred to "the word of the Lord...to
Jeremiah the prophet" (Jer 25:3-11), that he would accomplish seventy years
in the desolations of Jerusalem" (Dn 9:2).
Two views (the second is correct) define the prophesied 70 years of
desolations: 1) that it began with the first taking of captives to Babylon
about 605 b.c (2 Chr 36:6-7) and ended with the Edict of Cyrus around 536
b.c. (Ezr 1:1-4, etc.), allowing Jews to return to Jerusalem; or 2) that it
began with the destruction of the temple and the city in 586 b.c. (Jer
52:7-14) and ended with the temples completion about 516 b.c.
That the temple was restored and sacrifices resumed at the end of 70 years
is established history. The angel Gabriel told Daniel that after the Messiah
had come and been "cut off" (i.e., killed, "but not for himself") the temple
and Jerusalem would be destroyed again (Dn 9:25-26). This post-Messiah
destruction would leave the Jews for "many days without a king...and without
a sacrifice..." (Hos 3:4). Obviously, something would prevent the temple
from being rebuilt! As quoted above, Jesus explained that the Gentiles would
control Jerusalem.
For 1,930 years since the a.d. 70 destruction of the temple, Christs words
(proving that He is God the Messiah - Isa 9:6). have been fulfilled in
history, and their continued fulfillment today is at the heart of the Middle
East crisis. Control of Jerusalem was the major issue breaking down recent
peace talks at Camp David. Sadly, neither the Israelis nor the Arabs in
their "peace" negotiations give heed to what God has decreed for His land
and His city. Were the world to take the Bible seriously, real peace would
be instantly established. UN secretary-general Boutros Boutros-Ghali
expressed the worlds true intent toward Israel: "The Jews must give up their
status as a nation and Israel as a state, and assimilate as a community in
the Arab world."
Popes throughout history have opposed Gods prophecies and promises
concerning Jerusalem. The Crusaders captured Jerusalem from the Muslims for
the Church, not to restore it to the Jews to whom God, as the Bible
repeatedly declares, had given it as a possession forever (Gn 13:14-15;
17:8; Lv 25:23; Jer 31:35-40; Ezk 37:26, etc.). Pope Urban II, organizing
the First Crusade in 1096, called the Jews "an accursed race, utterly
alienated from God" and urged the Crusaders to "start upon the road to the
Holy Sepulchre to wrest that land from the wicked race and subject it to
yourselves." Urban IIs offer of full forgiveness of sins for Crusade
participants brought forth hordes of volunteers who, under the banner of the
Cross, massacred Christs earthly brethren, the Jews, by the thousands all
along the route to Jerusalem. The Crusade leader, Godfrey of Bouillon, vowed
to avenge the blood of Jesus upon the Jews, leaving not one alive. Upon
taking the City of David, the Crusaders chased the Jews into the synagogue
and set it ablaze.
Coming to modern times, Theodor Herzl records in his diary that when in 1904
he asked Pope Pius X to support the Zionist cause, the Pope replied, "We
cannot prevent the Jews from going to Jerusalem, but we could never sanction
it." In 1919, Cardinal Pietro Gasparri, Vatican Secretary of State, said,
"The danger that frightens us the most is that of the creation of a Jewish
state in Palestine." A 1928 Vatican decree refers to Jews as "the people
formerly chosen by God." The Second Vatican Council in 1965 affirmed the
centuries-old claim that "the Church is the new people of God...." We have
quoted [TBC, Sep. 99] the June 22, 1943 letter to President Roosevelt from
Pope Pius XII which said in part, "If a Hebrew Home is desired, it would not
be too difficult to find a more fitting territory than Palestne. With an
increase in the Jewish population there, grave new problems would arise." So
the "vicars of Christ" and their Church have consistently opposed the
fulfillment of Gods promises to His chosen people!
That Jerusalem would be "trodden down of the Gentiles" has been a fact of
history, exactly as Christ foretold. The Babylonians held Jerusalem, then
the Medes and Persians. Alexander the Great took it for the Greeks in 333
b.c. Later the Egyptians and Syrians alternately had it until the Romans
under Pompey captured Israel in 64 b.c. and held it into the fourth century
a.d. In the seventh century Islamic invaders took control, to be replaced
near the end of the eleventh century by the Crusaders. They held Jerusalem
until Saladin (Sultan of Egypt and great Muslim warrior) retook the city in
1187. Later the Islamic Mamelukes of Egypt possessed Jerusalem. Then the
Ottoman-Turkish Empire ruled for about 400 years. The Turks sided with
Germany in World War I, so the Allied victors gave Britain a mandate in 1917
to administer the region.
Central to the Middle East conflict today is the issue of the so-called
Palestinian people. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), headed by
Yasser Arafat since 1969, claims to represent them. To this day, the PLO
declares, "The struggle with the Zionist enemy is not a struggle about
Israel's borders, but about Israel's existence."
The PLO is an Islamic terrorist organization. It trained most terrorists
around the world: Idi Amins murder gangs who killed about 300,000 black
Christians in Uganda; the Italian Red Brigades; German Baader-Meinhof gang;
the Iranian Revolutionary Guards; terrorists in Latin America, etc. Arafat
committed his first murder at age 20. Under him the PLO became the most
vicious and bloodiest terrorist organization ever known. It holds records
for the biggest hijacking (4 aircraft at once), the largest number of
hostages (300 at one time), the largest ransom extorted ($5 million from
Lufthansa) and the greatest number and variety of targets (40 civilian
aircraft, five passenger ships, 30 embassies or diplomatic missions, and
massacres of school children), etc. The Palestinian Prize for Culture was
recently awarded to Abu Daoud for his book telling how he planned and
murdered eleven Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics!
The PLOs terrorism against Jordanian civilians was so vicious that King
Hussein chased them into Lebanon. There the PLO wiped out the Christian
towns of Damur, Beit Mallat, Tall Abbas and others. Its reign of terror went
largely unreported. The international press was cowed into silence by the
brutal murder of those who dared to tell the truth: Larry Buchman and Sean
Toolan of ABC-TV, Mark Tryon of "Free Belgium Radio," Robert Pfeffer of Der
Spiegel and others. About 300,000 Lebanese civilians were murdered in the
PLOs rape of that country before the Israelis expelled them. Yet Israel was
painted the villain!
Incredibly, Arafat and his PLO murderers have been sanitized and lionized by
world media. John Pauls recent trip to Bethlehem was in response to Arafats
invitation to join him there to celebrate "our Jesus Christ." Our Jesus
Christ? Arafat says Jesus was a Palestinian freedom fighter against Israel,
and the Pope smiles and blesses him! John Paul II has warmly received Arafat
in Rome many times. This ruthless, sadistic terrorist and murderer was given
the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 and is honored as the champion of justice for
the Palestinian people.
Palestinians? There never was a Palestinian people, nation, language,
culture, or religion. The claim of descent from a Palestinian people who
lived for thousands of years in a land called Palestine is a hoax! That land
was Canaan, inhabited by Canaanites, whom God destroyed because of their
wickedness. Canaan became the land of Israel given by God to His people.
Those who today call themselves Palestinians are Arabs by birth, language,
and culture, and are close relatives to Arabs in surrounding countries from
whence most of them came, attracted by Israel's prosperity. The name
Palestine comes from the Philistines, who were not Semites, but invaded
Canaan from Crete and parts of Asia Minor. Yet Arafat, an Arab, claims that
ancestry.
In a.d. 130, the Romans rebuilt Jerusalem as a pagan city with a temple to
Jupiter where the Jewish temple had stood. Provoked to rebellion, about
500,000 Jews were killed and thousands sold into slavery. The Romans angrily
renamed Israel "Syria Palaestina." Jews living there became known as
Palestinians. During World War II, the British Army had a Palestinian
Brigade made up entirely of Jewish volunteers. The Palestinian Symphony
Orchestra was all Jewish, and The Palestine Post was a Jewish newspaper.
In 1948, Arabs who had fled from Israel (attacking Arab nations had
broadcast, "All Arabs get out!") began to claim they were the true
Palestinians and that the land of Israel had always belonged to them. World
media eagerly promotes that lie. Yet in 1948, Arabs owned a mere 3 percent
of so-called Palestine.
Israel's claim to the land goes back 4,000 years to Abraham's purchase of
the cave of Machpelah in Hebron. There Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob
and Leah are buried. In Hebron David was crowned king. This sacred Jewish
site has no relationship to Arabs or Muslims. Yet Muslims claim Hebron as
their own, built a mosque to keep Jews and Christians from visiting the
cave, and are determined to drive out every Jewish resident.
For 3,000 years Jerusalem was the capital of Israel. Temple Mount on the
summit of Mount Moriah is the heart of Jerusalem. This 35-acre parcel
arouses such explosive passions that it could trigger World War III at any
time. This is where Abraham built an altar to offer his son Isaac to God.
That spot was purchased by King David from Ornan the Jebusite to build there
an altar to God. There Solomon built the first temple. In its place now sits
the Dome of the Rock, a monument to Islams unbiblical and irrational claim
that Abraham offered, not Isaac, but Ishmael.
Perpetuating a Muslim lie, Ikrema Sabri, mufti of Jerusalem, declared again
early this August that the Temple Mount is Islamic and "not subject to
negotiations." Given its 3,000-year Jewish history and importance to
Christians, on what basis should Muslims control this site? That Jerusalem
is not mentioned once in the Koran exposes the lie of Islams claim to any
part of Jerusalem as a holy site.
Today we see the continuing fulfillment of Christs remarkable prophecy that
Jerusalem would be "trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the
Gentiles be fulfilled" (Lk 21:24). UN Resolution 181 in 1947, supported by
the Vatican, declared that Jerusalem must remain an international city.
Israels Knesset is there. But nations locate their embassies elsewhere in
Israel. No other country is forbidden to decide its own capital! The
European Union repeatedly says it "does not recognize Israels sovereignty"
over Jerusalem. By what right do Gentile nations claim Jerusalem as their
international city?
In 1998, the Vaticans foreign minister called the Israeli presence in East
Jerusalem "illegal occupation." In a papal bull on the Year 2000 Jubilee,
John Paul II again rejected Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem. In
mid-February 2000, the Vatican signed an agreement with the PLO calling for
"international guarantees" to keep Jerusalem under international control.
Muslim nations have spent billions since the Yom Kippur War for missiles
carrying a variety of deadly warheads. These are not defensive weapons. They
exist for one purpose: to rain death and destruction upon Israel, so that
Muslims can possess the land God promised the Jews. The new borders imposed
by the Oslo Accords (1993) allow Katyusha rockets to be moved to within
deadly range of Israels narrow heartland which holds 70 percent of the
Jewish population, 80 percent of its industry, its only international
airport and its most important military installations.
As the "peace process" continues, Arabs murder and torch the homes of fellow
Arabs suspected of cooperating with Israel. Muslim terrorists who kill Jews
are honored with streets and holidays named after them! Yet Israelis dream
on of peace with those who have sworn to exterminate them! An ad in The
Jerusalem Post for "The Jerusalem Heights Penthouses" reads, "As Close to
Heaven as You Can Ever Get."
When will "the times of the Gentiles" end? Clearly, not until the Gentile
nations are defeated at Armageddon. Just ahead lies "the time of Jacobs
trouble" (Jer 30:7). The armies of the world, led by Anti-christ, will be
brought to Armageddon by Yahweh to punish them for mistreatment of His
people Israel (Ezk 38:16-18)--and to discipline Israel for her unbelief.
No wonder Christ wept over Jerusalem! For 1,900 years, as Hosea foretold,
Jews have had no sacrifices for sin. We are driven to one of two
conclusions: either God has abandoned them--or the Messiahs once-for-all
death for sin has fulfilled and replaced animal sacrifices. Let us pray that
Israel will awaken to the truth.
http://www.thebereancall.org/newsletters/sep00.htm
===================================================
LEFT BEHIND PROJECT
===================================================
Not since the Bible itself has a collection of books sparked such great
interest as the Left Behind Book Series. Now with the feature film, we want
to bring this dynamic and dramatic story to the big screen on a level never
before achieved for a Christian film. In fact, we have two specific goals.
First, we want to win the box office the weekend the film opens. Not in the
top ten or the top five, but #1!
Secondly, we want to open this movie in every city in America!
Will we achieve these goals? That will depend on many things, however, the
key point is this it won't happen just because of us. We are literally a
David in a land full of powerful Goliaths Goliaths who do not want this
film made or distributed. This film will only happen through a united effort
of hundreds of thousands of Christians, like you, who stand up and make it
happen.
VISIT: http://www.leftbehindfilmproject.com/
CALL FOR INFORMATION:
Churches Call: 800-870-6479
Book Stores: 800-711-1971
========================================
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
========================================
PropheZine is always looking for new articles for PropheZine so if you're
interested please observe the way we format the articles and send them
in--the more closely the format fits PropheZine the less work is involved
and the more likely we will utilize your article as long as it is
scripturally sound. Please take special note that the PropheZine newsletter
comes in an email medium so there is no ability to italicize, bold, indent
quotes, or other fancy formatting so all of those words/phrases/sentences
will need to be changed in some other manner (either quote them or put them
in caps or enclose with asterisk, etc.). We are also interested in prayers
to be used in future issues of PropheZine. If you are interested please send
the articles, poems, etc., to the Senior Editor, Bob Lally
(bob@prophezine.com) in both email and via an attachment saved in Word 97 or
earlier and indicate if you want your email address included. If you have a
relevant web site feel free to include that also.
======================================================
SUBSCRIBE and UNSUBSCRIBE
======================================================
Please use the following web page to Subscribe, Unsubscribe and
Change you email address for all of the lists PropheZine runs.
http://www.prophezine.com/text/lists.html
======================================================
PRIVACY NOTICE
======================================================
Privacy Notice: PropheZine is a religious organization located in the
state of New York in the U.S.A. Our policy has been and will always
be to never sell, rent, or barter the names and/or information about
those who contact our international ministry. All questions may be
sent to bob@prophezine.com
