It’s really hard for the
logical, common sense part of me to understand how anyone can accuse Israel of
any type of wrongdoing by defending its people from the Hamas terrorists that
are lobbing rockets throughout much of Israel.
On the other hand, because I am a student of scripture, I totally
understand what is happening. The “god
of this world,” as Satan is called in scripture is hard at work “blinding the minds” of the lost.
2 Corinthians 4:3–4 “But if our
gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,
lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God,
should shine unto them.”
He is
the “father of lies” and seeks to present himself as an angel of light—a worker
of righteousness.
John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a
murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no
truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
2 Corinthians 11:14–15 “And no
marvel; for Satan himself is transformed
into an angel of light. Therefore
it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the
ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
I
believe that Satan and his army of fallen angels are blinding people to the
truth and deceiving people regarding who has taken the moral high road in this
conflict. Am I saying that Israel never
makes a mistake? No. I am saying, however, that they strive to
preserve the innocent while acting to protect and defend their people; while it
is obvious that Hamas has no regard for the safety of the Palestinian people
and purposely places many of them in the line of fire. They do not want peace; they want the death of
Israel—period!
Scripture
is very clear that the nation of Israel and Jerusalem in particular would
command the world’s attention during the days before Jesus returns to set up
His kingdom. In fact, we are told to
pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Zechariah 12:2–3 “Behold, I will
make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they
shall be in the siege both against Judah
and against Jerusalem. And in
that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that
burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the
earth be gathered together against it.”
Psalms 122:6 “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love
thee.”
Isaiah 62:6–7 “I have set watchmen
upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which
shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, And give Him no
rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”
The
wording in Isaiah points out that the time is coming when God will “make Jerusalem
a praise in the earth.” This is what
Satan is doing his best to prevent.
Anyone paying attention can recognize a shift in momentum as the powers
of darkness seem to be gaining in influence throughout the world. If I didn’t know better, it would seem that he
might actually succeed.
In our
study of Daniel this week, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, declared one of the
most significant truths of scripture.
God is still on the throne and “none can stay His hand.”
Daniel 4:34–35 “And at the end of
the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine
understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and
honoured Him that liveth for ever, Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation:
And all the inhabitants of the earth
are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army
of heaven, and among the
inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What
doest Thou?”
Daniel
had reminded us earlier that it is God who removes and sets up kings.
Daniel 2:20–21 “Daniel answered and
said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are
His: And He changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth
up kings….”
I
believe that, according to scripture, God is using both good and wicked men to
accomplish His purposes just as scripture reveals He always has. Though I grieve at the loss of innocent lives
on both sides of the conflict in Israel, I take comfort in knowing that my God
reigns and that He is working out His plan.
The
signs of the times are evident all around us—moral decay, advanced technology
that will facilitate the rule of Antichrist, manipulation of the economies of
the nations intended to promote the need for a one-world government, growing
apostasy throughout the church, wars and rumors of wars, etc.
I also
believe that we in the body of Christ need to prepare for the possibility of
persecution such as we in America in particular never dreamed possible in our
country if the Lord chooses to tarry much longer before coming to take us home
and unleashing His wrath on planet earth.
2 Timothy 3:12-13 “Yea, and all that
will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and
worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”
What we
have to do is keep our mind fixed on Jesus and the truth of scripture—We are on
the winning side, and our reward will far exceed any suffering that may be
required until that time.
Isaiah 64:4 “For since the beginning
of the world men have not
heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee,
what he hath prepared for him
that waiteth for him.”
1 Corinthians 2:9 “But as it is
written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of
man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
Please
come, Lord Jesus!
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