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Telling It Like It Is After years of using the same perfumes, a woman decided to try something different and settled on a light, “citrusy” fragrance. The next day, she was surprised when it was her little boy—and not her husband—who first noticed the change. As he put his arms around her, he declared, “Wow, Mom, you smell just like Fruit Loops.” What can I say? The little boy told it just like it was. What you are about to read may seem like an unusual message for Mother’s Day, but it really isn’t. What greater honor for motherhood could there be than to look at all sides of an issue, desire to know the truth, and to base all decisions on that truth? Good mothers need to do that all of the time, and it is precisely what needs to happen now—even on a global scale. I am speaking of the current Israeli and Palestinian dilemma and the quest for peace. Israel is occupying some territory that the Palestinians say belong to them. The Palestinians are sending suicide bombers into Israel. A recent poll showed that two-thirds of Americans think that Israel should withdraw, even though 44% think the Palestinians are at fault, and only 29% think that Israel is to blame. Now, it is not the purpose of this message to get into the political details, but I do want to make something perfectly clear—something that has not been at the forefront of the news reports. I need to tell it like it is—the Israelis, the Palestinians, the United States, and a few others, are not the only “actors” in this drama. The most crucial participant is not even being mentioned. Who? God! Don’t you think it would be important to poll Him and find out what He thinks? Yes, the Lord has been involved in this from before Day One. From the very beginning, Israel was called for a purpose—“I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” (Isaiah 42:7) Many Jews have taken this to mean that they were the only ones to be saved, but they missed the point entirely—they were to be a light for all of the rest of us. Through God working in their hearts, we were supposed to see our need. Now, since the Jews have rejected the true Messiah, namely Jesus Christ, the situation is quite the reverse—the Jews are to look at what the Lord is doing in His Church, and be drawn to the very Lord they rejected (see Romans 11:11). To see God’s almighty hand in all of this, consider the amazing prophecies concerning Israel’s 70 year exile, which was punishment for her rejection of the Lord. Ezekiel makes clear her chastisement would go on for another 360 years beyond that. Leviticus 26 reveals that this punishment should be multiplied by seven, which yields 2,520 years. These, however, are “Biblical” years—five days shorter than ours. So when will this be? Well, beginning with Israel’s return from exile in 536.4 BC (the .4 signifying the Spring), we add 2,438.8 calendar years and end up with 1,947.4 AD. To adjust for the fact that there was no year “0” between 1 BC and 1 AD, we add one year to that figure. Hence, the prophesied date of liberty would be 1,948.4, OR the spring of 1948. On the afternoon of May 14, 1948, the Jews proclaimed the “birth” of the state of Israel. So, who was the “mother”? The same One who has always had His hand on the entire situation, and always will—the Lord God Almighty. It was this same God who said unto Abram, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee: And I will make thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee: and in thee shall all of the families of the earth be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3) I find it very interesting that this little nation—the size of New Jersey—has been in the center of the news for many years. Many have tried to destroy it, but the hand of God has stopped them. Let me get even more specific—Joshua 1:4 is very specific about the boundaries—“From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all of the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.” This Scripture goes on to encourage Joshua and all of Israel to, “Be strong and of good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.” (vs. 6) Go ahead—look at a map—it is far more territory than they were given in 1948 and far more than what they now occupy. And yet, most of the Arab world, including the Palestinians, would like for them to have even less—even to the point of non-existence. The United States had better be very careful about talking with and listening to known terrorists like Yassar Arafat. He denounces terrorism in order to get what he wants, but even his own wife, it is reported, has stated that suicide bombings are noble and that she would be honored to have her own child die in such a way. To put this in perspective, let me focus on Israel’s God-given western border—the Mediterranean Sea. Throughout the Bible, we read time and time again of a people that gave Israel the most trouble—the Philistines, located along the sea. King Saul, Israel’s first king, had numerous battles with them. The next king, David, when but a youth, slew the Philistine champion, Goliath, when he had defied, “the armies of the God of Israel.” (1 Samuel 17:45b) Due to this rejection of the one true God, many of the existent nations, including this Philistia, were judged—and judged severely. Ezekiel 25: 15-16 states, “Thus saith the Lord God; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred; Therefore saith the Lord God; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines…and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.” The same sentiments can be found in Jeremiah 47, Amos 1, Zephaniah 2, and a whole myriad of other Scriptures—judgment upon Philistia. So, who are these Philistines? Isaiah 14:31-32 makes it clear: “Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times. What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of His people shall trust in it.” This whole passage and the verses surrounding it are calling Israel to not listen to Palestina, and not make alliances with it, but rather, to put their faith and trust in the Lord. Even as I write this, Israel is not listening to Palestine, but is she listening to the leading of the Lord? And what about Palestine? She is the direct descendant of the judged Philistia of yesteryear. Now, I don’t point all of this out in order to incite even more negative reactions, but I have to tell it like it is. I have listened to both sides and what they think, but I have believed the Lord God and what He has emphatically stated. Recently, a news report declared that, “Israel carved their land out of Arab territory and displaced the Palestinians.” Baloney! It is clear from God’s own Word that it was God Himself who carved out Israel’s land and it was God who displaced the Palestinians, due to their rejection of Him. But remember—He does not hate them. No, it is just the opposite. It was “the Lord who founded Zion,” with the express purpose that the Gentiles—whether Arab, Palestinian, American, or anybody else—will see God’s providential care over Israel throughout all of history, and long to have the same God. But remember this as well—I must tell it like it is: NO ONE will come to true salvation without surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The Israelis, the Palestinians, the Americans—even you and I—will not be saved just because we are who we are. Blinded eyes must be opened! Each one must admit that he or she has rejected the One who is “the way, the truth, and the life,” (John 14:6), turn to Him in true faith and trust, and allow His blood to wash away sin. This Mother’s Day, as we honor the ones who gave us birth, look to the only One who gives new birth to all who really want a changed heart. I have to tell it like it is—there is no other way to true peace! Copyright (c)
2005 Christ Our Rock Bible Church. |
