This week’s news and commentary from a biblical perspective.
IT’S NEWS TO ME
- Huge Shift in Arab World as Muslim Countries Accept Nation of Israel Are they finally realizing who their real friends are?
- CIA Director Reveals 4400% ISIS Growth Due to Obama And we still have ten more months of Obama
- Handwriting analysis of 2,600-year-old Hebrew texts indicate literacy in Kingdom of Judah widespread before exile, suggesting seminal text could have been written thenThe more we learn, the more credibility the Bible gains.
- Former Florida Senator says 9/11 Hijackers had Support from within the US! We’ve known about sleeper cells for a long time. What did we think they were doing, sleeping?
- Hamas terrorists killed in another tunnel collapse as massive investment in terror infrastructure continues Imagine what it’s like to live in Israel these days. At the rate we’re going, soon we won’t have to imagine.
- Liberal Minimum Wage Argument Destroyed: Guess Who is Working at McDonalds Now Ideas have consequences, and way too many liberal ideas never turn out as promised.
- Saudis pledge to honor Israel peace terms for islands given by Egypt Considering the Saudi role in radicalizing 80% of the mosques in America as well as “sponsoring” the 9/11 hijackers, Israel can kiss those islands good bye.
- Pentagon and CIA are Arming Opposing Sides in Syria This illustrates the Obama Doctrine for Foreign Policy Perfectly
- APPALLING: Missouri Grants Jihad and Hamas License Plates Just when you thought our government officials had maxed out their stupidity quotient…
- Judicial Watch recently uncovered the reality that ISIS is in Mexico, just eight miles south of El Paso, Texas and Columbus, New Mexico- and they have help from the Mexican drug cartels. I’m sure they’re just vacationing for a few weeks.
- ISIS Pursues New Tactics; Iran Prepares for War with US This supports the claim that telling the world too much about yourself on social media could get you killed.
- United Nations Troops Caught in Another Child Sex-Trafficking Scandal! Just more evidence that the UN is good for absolutely nothing.
- There is Something Amiss in the City of Columbia Once a door has been opened, society’s worst will charge through it.
- Iranian pilot defects, threatens regime he will seek asylum in Israe lI’m surprised this doesn’t happen more often.
- ISIS Has Hit List of Western Muslim Leaders Maybe we should let them do us a favor before we take them out (under another administration).
SETTING OUR MINDS ON THINGS ABOVE
In Ezekiel 36 God is setting the stage for what He is about to do through and for Israel. The previous chapters had outlined the sins of Israel and the surrounding nations and how God’s judgment was imminent. Each account ended with “And they will know that I am the Lord.”
In chapter 36 everything changes, and it’s here that we need to dwell as we consider all that is happening around us. The message of Romans 9-11 being sandwiched in between Romans 8 and 12 (Just as God hasn’t and won’t abandon Israel, He hasn’t and won’t abandon us) is foreshadowed in Chapter 36 of Ezekiel. This chapter sets out God’s New Covenant with Israel, and because we have been grafted in, we too, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, can claim the promises for ourselves.
To prevent us from making everything about us, which we tend to do, let’s look at what God said to Israel. He reassured them that He was for them (and the land He had promised them) and He would treat them even better than at the first. Why? So they would know that He was the Lord (verse 11). An essential part of His message to the world as well as Israel is that He is able to save His people.
But His primary concern was for His holy name, which Israel had profaned wherever they went (v.21). Once His
honor, reputation, and holiness had been vindicated, the nations would know that He was God (v. 23). How would He do that? By gathering Israel back to their promised land from the nations where they had been scattered (v. 24). This was partially fulfilled when Israel became a nation in 1948, but it’s complete fulfillment will occur at Christ’s Second Coming.
We see this again in Chapter 38 which begins the discussion of the future battle against Gog and the invasion of Israel by her enemies from the north. God says that he would bring about the battle(s) in order that the nations may know Him when He shall be sanctified (proven holy) before their eyes.
Since God’s reputation is at stake, you can count on God’s promises to Israel. From this point, God reveals what He is going to do to bring about what He has promised. He will cleanse Israel and replace her heart of stone with a heart of flesh (v. 25-26). He will put His Spirit within them as He has already done for Christ’s followers.
This brings us back to today’s news and our response to it. Everything going on in the world today is part of God’s plan for Israel. Why do you think Israel continues to be at the center of the action and the object of the world’s scorn? It’s like the ultimate chess match between God and Satan. While Satan is cunning, deceitful, and a great strategist, he is no match for the omniscient and omnipotent God. Every move Satan makes only plays into God’s ultimate game plan. While it looks like Satan is winning, he’s really falling for our Lord’s trap. Remember, God’s reputation is at stake. God will not be mocked.
Let’s keep this in mind as we follow the news. Let’s not get caught up in the details of things as they appear since the real action is taking place in the unseen world and we know who wins. It’s not going to be pretty, nor will it be without pain and suffering. That’s also part of His promise, but we shall receive our reward if we don’t grow faint and endure to the end.
YOUTUBE CHANNEL
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ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it’s free!
— P. J. O’Rourke
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