Bibi Wins a Fifth Term

Bibi Wins a Fifth Term

Benjamin Netanyahu (nicknamed Bibi) has for now solidified his leadership in Israel. I think many in Israel voted for him because they felt safer with the continuity of his leadership. In my opinion there are many positives and many negatives for Israel in having another term with Bibi as Prime Minister. Here are some likely advantages.a

First, there will be a continuation of a conservative economic management which has led to very low unemployment and increased wages. Under Finance Minister Kahlon’s leadership, Israel has expanded housing options. The increase in the cost of living has slowed.
Secondly, there will be a continuation of Bibi’s strong foreign policy, which amazingly has developed a relationship with the Arab nations (in opposition to Iran), a strong relationship with the Trump administration and surprisingly a decent relationship with Russia! He has opened up African and South American connections at historic levels.
Thirdly, due to the alliance with the ultra-Orthodox and national Orthodox parties, the LGBTQ+ agenda will not be furthered. In addition, as part of the fight against human trafficking there has now been strong legislation to criminalize paying for prostitution. In regards to the Palestinian leadership, it is my view that they have not been serious about building lasting peace with Israel. Netanyahu will continue to manage the conflict seeking to foster Palestinian stability. [Some think that he needs to punish Hamas, remove their weapons and capture their terrorist leaders. This is a complex issue with no easy solution.]

On the other hand, in my opinion, here are some of the drawbacks to Netanyahu’s continued government, especially in the areas of human rights.

Many Russian Jews and mixed marriage Jews are not accepted as adequately Jewish by the ultra-Orthodox and are denied legal status as Jews. They are not given any option for an official marriage officiated inside of Israel! The conversion process offends them since they already see themselves as legitimately Jewish. Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beiteinu is fighting on this issue.
Many thousands of Ethiopian Jews waiting to come to Israel are not likely to gain this goal since the majority of the ultra-Orthodox do not look on them with favor. There is racism in their attitudes to these black Jews. This is tragic and unjust.
Shas, the Sephardic Orthodox party under formerly convicted and jailed (!) Aryeh Deri, will continue to control the Interior Department and make it challenging for those who wish to move to Israel under the Law of Return (under which people with a Jewish parent or grandparent have the right to receive Israeli citizenship). Many applicants are legally qualified for citizenship but Shas will seek to keep them out. This also has very negative repercussions for Messianic Jews.
The ultra-Orthodox are constantly working to change Israel’s basic laws so that Orthodox Jews who study Talmud will be released from military service. I am amazed at the number of secular people who voted for Netanyahu knowing this to be one of the issues that could be affected.

Many Evangelicals in other countries really love Bibi, without realizing what a combination of positive and negative elements he will bring with him into the next government. Let us continue to intercede that God will use Bibi to bring about changes that align with God’s principles and not the self-serving goals of the far right and the Orthodox.

Loyalty And Lasting Relationships

Loyalty begins with the importance of friendship. For 35 years I shared my faith with a Jewish friend from my school days; finally, twenty years ago, this friend embraced faith in Yeshua. For many years it had looked hopeless. There had been little response, and our conversations were often repeated. His life was full of sadness and had not developed as he desired. Yet this friend remained important to me.

I was a very overweight youngster who couldn’t have won a popularity contest if I’d tried. However, in my junior year of high school I lost a lot of weight and became very thin. Up until this point, I had been the brunt of many jokes. Yet, my friend and I enjoyed hanging out together, despite the fact that he belonged to the cool crowd. One time he even suggested that I would look great as a bartender with arm bands. There was even a way for a fat guy to look cool! In spite of my total un-coolness, my friend and I walked to school together every day. He did not mind that I was a religious fanatic. I was more accepted by my secular school friend than by the peers in the church where I was born again (that is until I lost weight and drove a nice car). His friendship and support became an important anchor in my life.

Just before going to see my friend twenty years ago, Patty shared that she had a strong sense that my friend would embrace faith in Yeshua during that visit. It happened as she predicted. My friend has continued on with the Lord since that day. Loyalty produced significant fruit!

My family taught me the value of loyalty and lasting relationships. The teaching of the Bible increased my commitment to these values. I have discovered that seeking to maintain important relationships is part of loyalty. Here is a little outline of what I have learned over the years about lasting relationships and loyalty.

Friendship and Family as the Beginning of Loyalty

On the most basic level, human life can only be rich when we are committed to family members or a group of friends. Changing friends every few years is a prescription for an empty life. Loyalty requires treating one another with love and understanding. Many who do not know Yeshua intuitively know that this is true, but are unable to attain success in this. Relationships are broken by jealousy, anger, wounds, lack of forgiveness, slander and more.

Covenant Loyalty to Yeshua and to His Community

When we come to Yeshua, we have a covenant relationship in His blood. We are called to treat all brothers and sisters in Him with covenant loyalty. However, this does not become concrete unless we seek to be part of an extended community that expresses our new life in Yeshua. Indeed, life in Yeshua is communal. It is critical to find a community where the hearts of the leaders are committed to love and justice. We become loyal to leaders when we perceive their hearts. True allegiance to leaders means understanding and accepting that they will make many mistakes and show much imperfection. The true character of a leader is the more important matter. Matthew 18 presents us with a community rule so that a proper balance is maintained. Without this, trusting and loyal relationships are impossible. We are told to go to a brother or sister if they sin (against us in some versions) and to correct them alone. Then we go with another. We are not to spread evil reports about fellow members. Only after a process of seeking reconciliation may the community exclude the unrepentant person.

Loyalty to leaders is especially important, for disloyalty destroys the fabric of community. Leaders are subject to Matthew 18 as well, but reports against leaders must have two or three witnesses. Openness, mutual correction, repentance and forgiveness are crucial in a healthy community.

It is important to note that loyalty can be inordinate. When absolute submission is demanded, loyalty is twisted into cultic control. In addition, we are not to think that loyalty means that we overlook serious sin among members and leaders. The Bible provides us with the boundaries of loyalty and shows where separation is necessary. True loyalty makes room for mutual accountability. Leaders who seek loyalty without justice are dangerous.

My Experience with Covenant Loyalty

Our society is one of fleeting relationships. Even many marriages do not last. Covenant loyalty demands the opposite – a commitment to long term relationships. It is a wonderful thing to be part of the same team, congregation or stream of congregations for many years. I have always desired this to be part of my life. However, we should have an absolute loyalty to God above all. Sometimes His call requires us to move on.

The Lord directed me to leave Pascack Bible Church, in Northern New Jersey when I was ordained in the Presbyterian Church. I joined Pascack in 1966. Though I was no longer a member, the relationships formed there were important. I have maintained a connection through the years and was their missions’ speaker in the fall of 2007! It was clear in 1977 that I had to resign as pastor of Adat Ha Tikvah in Chicago. Patty and I had hoped we would be there for a life-time. We had such dear friends. Yet, we can so clearly see that the Lord led us out, and it was necessary. It was painful and should have been. Yet we still relate to some dear friends from that community.

Then in 1981, I could no longer both lead the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations as President and fulfill my responsibilities as a leader in the Presbyterian denomination. I left the Presbyterian denomination in good standing. I sought the involvement of significant leaders and friends as part of the process of making all of these decisions. I received their confirmation. In my view, to include others in this way is a corollary of covenant love. If they cannot give confirmation, and we have conviction to go, we can at least seek their blessing.

Finally, my quest for a lasting relational base for our ministry was fulfilled most deeply through the leaders of Beth Messiah Congregation in the Washington, D.C. area. God fulfilled the desire of my heart and joined me to a group of leaders who later formed Tikkun International. In just one year, I will have walked in covenant relationship and unity with some of these men and women for 40 years. In addition, what a joy to serve with some of them in Israel! We knew that God was joining us together for the long haul and we were tested in this. Special people have been added to that original core of leaders and expansion has taken place. The ties between leaders and congregations in our stream now reach across the Atlantic.

One can see in the illustration of my life that maintaining long term covenant relationships is an important part of loyalty. Yet it cannot be placed above our loyalty to God and His leading. What if there is a call to the mission field? What if there is imprisonment and communication is lost for many years? Sometimes at great cost we have to sacrifice relational continuity to follow our calling in God while yet hoping that He rejoins us in some way in the future.

We should not be surprised at the importance of loyalty. God is a covenant making and covenant keeping God. He keeps covenant loyalty to Israel forever. We can read of this in the stories of David and Jonathan, the disciples and Judas and so much more. This clarifies for us that God puts a high value on loyalty and covenant relationship of love. It is the substance of life’s meaning.

Four Principles Of Biblical Success

What is success?

In the New Covenant Scriptures, there is one way and only one way to define success for congregations. It is the fulfillment of the command of Yeshua to make disciples. Yeshua defines making disciples in these terms, “Disciple the nations … baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19).

I will present here four principles for attaining success. These principles are applicable in every culture. They are Biblical principles. If one of these principles is ignored we can not successfully make disciples. These principles are found in many classics such as Charles Coleman’s The Master Plan of Evangelism and in recent books by Yonggi Cho as well as G-12 (Groups of 12) by Joel Comiskey. Yet these principles are frequently ignored. Believers do many good things but fail to do the essential things. We are distracted from the primary things.

1. Discipleship requires a real eldership

The eldership oversees people who are called together in community and are being discipled. We reproduce what we are, not merely what we say. The standards for elders in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 are as relevant as ever. Maturity of faith and character are the standards of these great chapters. Believers must learn how to access the power of the death and resurrection of Yeshua and His Spirit to be over-comers. One of the sad facts of western Christianity, and dare I say Messianic Judaism, is the great need for real elders and eldership couples. Elders are to implement and oversee discipleship patterns established in the community. This is their primary role. Measuring and gauging discipleship is their crucial responsibility. Elders can and should be involved in discipleship. Discipleship is not the leaders commanding disciples. Rather it is leaders helping disciples and holding them accountable for what the Holy Spirit is convicting them to do through the Word. It includes prayerfully chosen assignments to attain the goals. Discipleship does include providing the information of basic biblical knowledge. Without a biblical foundation discipleship is impossible.

2. Discipleship requires leadership-prophetic “oomph”.

Oomph is that quality of inspiration and the transmission of power that opens hearts to engage in discipelship. This is the gift of motivating people. Sometimes trans-local leaders visit congregations and provide that charge which brings people to conviction and commitment. This is the time for effective follow up and the implementation of a clear program of discipleship. In Ephesians 4:11-15 we read of five fold ministry; that apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers equip the saints for the work of ministry. One is not fully discipled until one is effective in the work of ministry. Five fold ministry, according to this passage, brings us to “Reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Messiah” (Ephesians 4:13).

3. Discipleship requires personal mentoring.

Very few can become disciples without this. The mentor meets personally with the individual or couple and evaluates how they are progressing in obedience to the basic commandments of Yeshua. How much remains hidden without this! The best mentor is one who has overcome in the same struggles that the disciple experiences. How does one overcome in those areas of sin that violate the commandments of the Bible? Fear, lust, greed, anger, loss of temper, laziness, gluttony, selfishness, and so much more. Then there are positive commandments to obey the Spirit, walk in love, worship, read the Word with accuracy and effectiveness, abide in the vine, and handle money wisely. The quality of life in marriage and family are central discipleship issues. Again there is so very much to accomplish. George Barna boldly asserts that the great majority of believers today are not discipled. Those who have attained in most areas of life can be general disciplers and those who have attained in specific matters can be a source of discipleship in those matters.

4. Discipleship requires small group gatherings.

This is foundational to discipleship. In the New Covenant Scriptures, we find that the foundational meeting of the Body of Believers was in the house. In Acts 2:46 we read that the believers met house to house. In I Corinthians 14 we read of the supernatural quality that is to be in the house meetings. All gather with expectation that the Spirit will work though them. This is not possible in large gatherings. The small group meeting is a training ground for the Spirit. “When you come together, everyone has a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the congregation” (1 Corinthians 14:26). A supernatural small group is a key to Holy Spirit power in the life of the individual and his discipleship.

The small group is not effective unless it is led by a good group leader who knows how to draw out the shy and quiet the dominating. The group leader should be a discipled person who is involved in mentoring others to maturity in the group. Perhaps they are also overseeing other leaders within the group who then in turn are mentoring other members of the small group. The small group meeting is the venue for praying for one another both at the time of the gathering and during the week. John Wesley made the small group the place for confessing sin one to another. The three Wesley questions concerning victory over sin, devotional life quality, and responsibility in witness were the main measures of accountability to the group. These questions are as relevant as ever. Because human beings were created for community, we can not really become disciples as isolated or independent individuals. Fulfillment in communal life is part of what it means to be a disciple. Thus the small group meeting is essential.

Our Hope in Israel

Whenever any community has followed the pattern for discipleship including the four principles for success, they have been wonderfully successful. Whenever one of the principles is compromised, the people generally do not reach maturity in some significant way. In the Revive Israel program and our congregation, Ahavat Yeshua under the direction of Asher Intrater, we seek to fully implement these principles. From disciples will emerge candidates for leadership training and planting new congregations. We hope that someday the whole Body will gain its freedom from distractions and becomes a discipling covenant community.

Bibi Wins a Fifth Term

By Daniel Juster

Benjamin Netanyahu has for now solidified his leadership in Israel. I think many in Israel voted for him due to feeling safer with the continuity of his governing. There are many positives for Israel in having another term for Bibi and many negatives. Here are the positives.

First, there will be a continuation of a move conservative economic management which has led to very low unemployment and increased wages. With the partnership with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon of Kolanu, Israel has expanded housing. The cost increase has slowed which is very important for the future. Yet, some economists think that he has increased spending, and the deficit which is not good. Israel always has great pressure to finance all the various sectors of the society,.
Secondly, there will be a continuation of Bibi’s strong foreign policy which amazingly has developed a relationship with Arab nations (in opposition to Iran), a strong relationship with the Trump administration, and amazingly a decent relationship with Russia! He has opened up African and South American relationships at historic levels.
Thirdly, with his alliance with the ultra Orthodox and national Orthodox parties, there will not be an approval of gay marriage and new rights for LGBT people, though Israel is already very affirming of gays and LGBT people. Abortion is already at terrible levels. However, there has now been strong legislation to criminalize paying for prostitution to fight human trafficking.
With the Palestinians, the ruse will now be over. It is my view that they never really wanted lasting peace with Israel and from their part, we see it was a ruse all along. So new solutions and management will be sought. He will manage the conflict, but some think that he needs to punish Hamas, remove their weapons and capture their terrorist leaders. This is a hard issue.

The negatives are in the areas of human rights.

Many Russian Jews are not accepted as adequately Jewish by the ultra Orthodox and are denied status as Jews. This is almost 3-400,000. They are not allowed to have Jewish marriages in the land. The conversion process is off putting for them. Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beiteinu is fighting on this issue, and he may stay out of the government of Bibi if he is not given something on this issue.
The 8000 Ethipoian Jews waiting to come to Israel are not likely to gain their goals since the ultra Orthodox largely do not favor them. There is racism in their attitudes to these black Jews. This is tragic.
Shas, the Sephardic Orthodox party under formerly jailed Aryeh Deri, will continue to control the Interior Department and make citizenship hard for those who come to Israel under the law of entry/descent (those with a Jewish father or a grandparent). These folks are legally qualified for citizenship but Shas will seek to keep them out. This has very negative repercussions for Messianic Jews.
The ultra Orthodox will try to change Israel’s basic laws so that Orthodox Jews who study Torah (really Talmud) will be released form Army and National Service. This is a huge number of Orthodox men. Basic Law is the closest thing Israel has to a constitution. I am amazed at the number of secular people who voted for Netanyahu knowing this might be the consequence.

Though Evangelicals in the United States really love Bibi, they really do not realize what a mixture we face in Israel.

President Trump Recognizes Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights

Many years ago (1968) I was a classmate of Mark Noll, who became a famous Christian historian. I asked him the basis of International Law since we did not elect an international legislature. He responded that it is based in the treaties and accords that nations approve and then has to be enforced by the United Nations, as the one body that can enforce international agreements. This enforcement is from the Security Council. Without enforcement, there is little that can be done for violations.

Donald Trump’s recent recognition of Israel’s sovereignty in the Golan Heights provoked a response from other nations, namely that Israel’s annexation of the Golan was contrary to International Law. This is debated, and I won’t give an analysis of the controversies on International Law on this issue. Here is a little history, however.

In the history of the relationship of nations and wars, if a nation had power to conquer and keep territory, they had the right to rule. The protection of nations was based on their ability to defend themselves or enter into alliances whereby they could be protected against the conquering of other nations. Sometimes they submitted as a vassal of one nation to protect them from another. If a nation gained territory in a defensive war, no one would begrudge them gaining territory as punishment for the nation that sought to conquer them. And the conquered could rebel against the conquers. The genocides in wars in ancient China and India are terrible accounts, but they prevented the rebellion of the conquered.

After World War Two, many nations entered into agreement to fix the status quo of nations, their borders or territorial integrity. Even if a nation gained territory in a defensive war, they were to return the the territory for peace. Yet many times the nations created by the victorious powers, especially after World War I in the middle east, were unstable and though borders were drawn, they were not always good and rational borders. Germany shrank after World War I, and Poland grew! After World War II, nations ignored such international norms and conquered others in offense wars; China in Tibet, North Korea to South Korea, and Turkey in Northern Cyprus. We see the injustice of the Kurds in having their own nation, though they are a coherent group with clear territory. Syria and Iraq are artificial states.

When a nation gains territory in a defensive war, perhaps they need that territory for their future security. This is true for at least part of the West Bank, Judea and Samaria, with regard to the heights and the Jordan Valley as well. It is very true of the Golan Heights where Syria reigned down artillery shells on the villages of the Sea of Galilee. With Iran in Syria and Syria divided, the time has come to say that Israel deserves this territory of the Golan Heightss. Syria would not make peace as part of its return over all these years. International Law is only as good as the ability to enforce it. International law should be revised to accept the punishment of the aggressor and their loss of territory if that territory is needed for the security of the defending state. Donald Trump has recognized Israel’s sovereignty on the Golan. It is just. Any such law that would declare it in violation is an unjust law. There will be no enforcement of any action against Israel in this. Donald Trump made the right decision. Israel originally conquered this area in the days of Moses!

THE PAINFUL RULE OF THE SHAS PARTY

Some, but not most are aware that the ultra-orthodox Sephardic political party Shas controls the Interior Department in Israel. This is the price Benjamin Netanyahu pays to stay in power. His coalition government requires a parliamentary majority (the K’nessset). Shas required this prize. When the Netanyahu decided to dissolve his last government and go to elections almost 4 years ago, I feared that he was going to exchange the Yesh Atid party under Yair Lapide in his last collation for the ultra-orthodox parties in the new coalition. That is just what happened. The leader of Shas is convicted felon, Arye Deri who spent a good bit of time in jail. The Interior Department controls immigration into the land, visas-entries and exits, the population registry, citizenship issues and more. There is great injustice form this party, not only against Yeshua followers, but against many others. Here are some examples of gross in justice.

The biggest one I see is that they have rejected the immigration of over 7000 Ethiopian Jews who have applied for citizenship and remain in poverty in Ethiopia. Many have relatives here in Israel and want family unification. These are the Falasha Mora who some centuries ago who were baptized under pressure in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. They maintained a Jewish identity and are desirous of conversion to Judaism. The Israeli parliament has approved this and allocated funds. Yet, they are in limbo? Why? Do to prejudice and maybe even racism in the Shas leaders?
The second situation is connected to medical treatment for Palestinians who are not Israeli citizens. One of the great things about Israel is that when there are catastrophic situations of need, Israel will treat them with great care in the hospitals in Israel proper. However, those in the territories need to get permission papers for this. Such permission is granted for Gaza Palestinians as well. However, there is a rule now that if a person in Gaza is sick and needing to come to Israel, Israel will not approve it if they have a relative from Gaza who has moved and is living in the West Bank (Judea-Sumaria). This week the press reported on one who is in danger of losing their sight, but due to a relative in Ramalla they will not give permission. The relative has to move back to Gaza. Yet time is of the essence in this situation. The reason is that the government does not want Gazans to swell the population in the territories. Yet this is draconian and a terrible way to assure this.
The third injustice was reported this week. Two teenagers form South America flew to Israel to visit their mother and stepfather. The mother married an Israeli and converted to Judaism. The teen girls live in with the natural father. The Interior Dept. authorities at the airport interrogated them, and then would not let them enter and put them on a plane back to South America. They claimed they were not convinced they would not stay illegally. The mother in Israel protested and got legal help. They were going to take this to court and certainly would have won. The Interior Dept. relented and accepted that they could visit? Would they issue new tickets? No. The vacation period is over and a visit is no longer possible. We regularly hear horror stories of people detained and put back on planes to go home without good reason.
The government rescinded policies that would require more of the ultra orthodox to be drafted or do national service and policies that would reduce the number on welfare who refuse to work for a living so as to study Talmud (Don’t call it Torah study. It is not the books of Moses that they mostly study, but the Talmud. After all, how many years all day can you study the Torah. But studying Talmud and Rabbinic law can easily last lifetime).

For all these reasons a good number of Yeshua followers will not vote for Benjamin Netanyahu. We like some of his policies, but are having a hard time knowing that a vote for him is a vote for the ultra-orthodox. How would the prophets respond to these injustices? I think it would be a pretty intense response.

Happy New Year

We enter the new year with amazing political upheavals in the United States and China. Some are seeing amazing parallels between Israel and the United States. There are some, but there as significant differences. We need to pray for God’s will in these countries and the role they play in important matters especially as the United States is Israel’s key strategic partners.

First in the United States, however one evaluates Donald Trump, never did Israel have a more supportive partner. From moving the U. S. Embassy to Jerusalem, to the strong stand against hypocrisy in signaling out Israel for condemnation at the U. N., we in Israel are heartened. We witness the United States pulling out of UNESCO (United Nations Educational and Cultural Organization) because they bash and condemn Israel and do not recognize Jewish heritage in the Land and even in the Old City. We have been heartened by Nikki Hayley’s presentaitons at the U. N. Also Donald Trump pulled the U. S. out of the terrible Iran nuclear agreement which all sides in Israel say was a terrible agreement.

President Trump is now likely to face interminable investigations even if special prosecutor ends his investigation without any indightment. Indeed, the new Democratic House will be doing more investigations, and liberal New York prosecutors will go after the President’s business interests. The idea of President Trump being impeached and then convicted by the Senate is extremely remote, but the Democrats will have a neverending stream of news and coverage from a compliant pro-left media.

Second, in Israel we are having quite a political upheaval. Prime Minister Netanyahu has dissolved parliament and called for elections that will be held on April 9^th. This has produce some amazing results. Several outside of the government have formed new political parties. Naftali Bennett is forming a party that will include religious and secular leaders and is leaving his Orthodox party to seek to appeal to more Israelis. The former head of the military, Benny Gantz is forming a new party and seems to be getting traction. Former Defense Secretary Ya’alon is forming a party. Key people are laving the Kolanu party that was a partner to Netanyahu. Some think that Netanyahu’s action in dissolving parliament (the K’nesset) is in the context of losing the government control due to a new law on the draft which will cause the ultra-Orthodox to leave the government. The Supreme Court was requiring such a law. Others think that he is trying a pollical move to make it difficult for the Attorney General to bring an indightment against him. He is under investigation in several criminal cases. Meanwhile Israel is destroying tunnels from Lebanon that were built for an invasion of Israel from Hezbollah in Lebanon. Meanwhile Israel has just bombed Iranian targets in Syria. Russia complains against Israel while Iran seeks to build attack bases in Syrian and arms Hezbollah.

This is a time for much prayer, both for Israel, the United States and both together. Welcome to the New Year.

More Truth Comes Out On Hamas And The Gaza Terrorist Protest

Two articles today gave very strong evidence on the perfidy of Hamas in the recent so called protests. One was in the Wall Street Journal by General Ronen Manelis of the Israel Defense Force. Lest one think that his report is just special pleading, it is confirmed by Professor Gil Troy, Professor of North American History at McGill University in Toronto, Canada in an article in today’s New York Post.

Both argue that the western media is simply duped. The first article notes that the media simply does not look deeply into the situation and see what is really happening. Many who were killed were Hamas military who donned civilian clothes from which to direct the protests, with the certainty that people would be killed. They even duped the people into charging the fence under the cover of smoke saing the Israelis had fled. In the last days, Hamas admitted that 50 of the 60 killed where Hamas operatives. So called protestors, really would be invaders, were given free bus service to the fences, plus $14.00 per person, $100 per family and $500 for any who got wounded. Bringing families into the violent protest was a strategy, and the western media would be duped by this. The burning tires, of course, were to prevent the ability to see what was happening by the fence so it could be cut, and so there could be a massive breakthrough. Maps were provided to show the shortest way to Israel moshavs (cooperative villages) so they could quickly kill civilians. And of course there are those shooting from behind the civilians, throwing Molotov cocktail bombs, and seeking to plant bombs at the fence to destroy the border barrier. This is an internationally recognized border and Hamas was seeking infiltration and terror attacks.

Gil Troy adds perspective to this and shows how the Israelis fit into what he calls the western sensationalist New Nihilism. It is based in a reversal of the post World War II attitudes that perceived that all that is right is with the West to the new “what’s-wrong-with-us- ism.” In this view the sins are all with white Westerners, and Israelis are the white western oppressors. The the Palestinians are the indigenous people of color being oppressed. It does not matter that many Israelis are darker skinned, even black Ethiopian Jews, and many Arabs are quite white. (This is a nationalistic struggle not a racial one, Troy points out). So what fits this narrative conditions the response, almost predictably and automatically like a knee jerk. One needs not to search out more information and context. The reporter can continue to feel rightous though the reporter is a low information reporter.

The Israel press has had other interesting articles on the fact that Israel seems strangely challenged in breaking through the fog. They could get their films out soon at the same time as Hamas,but their military system causes delay for days and the conclusions by then have already been drawn. They could have embedded reporters who could see, photograph and immediately report. One writer said that Israel could prevent the protests. They could disable the busses, or they could spread human excrement and animal excrement by the fence so they would not go there. They can have a peaceful protest 100 yards from the fence.

I sill believe that the primary issue of the outlandish reporting in the West is a spiritual matter; influence

Is The Rapture Of The Yeshua/Believers At The Seventh Shofar In The Book Of Revelation

Those who believe that the rapture of the saints and the resurrection of the righteous in Yeshua comes at the end of the tribulation (Post Tribulation vs. the Pre-Tribulation view) present two views of where to place the rapture. One view, which I think is the more dominant view, is that it comes at the seventh Shofar in Rev. 11. The other view is that it comes at the end of the season of the bowls of wrath (a brief season at the end of the tribulation), and is identified with the blowing of the shofar at the end of Yom Kippur. This identification is connected to the I Cor. 15 text that says we will be transformed at the last shofar (I Cor. 15:51, 52).

In my book Passover, Key to the Book of Revelation, I argue for the seventh shofar as the shofar of the Rapture, our being caught up with the Lord that leads to our return with him. I see a process of events in his return and do not see it as an all at once event. I do understand that in such matters we see through a glass darkly and that all such views are somewhat speculative.

Here are my reasons for holding to the seventh shofar view.

1. The Last Shofar in I Cor. 15 could refer just to the last of the shofars that bring judgment and this seventh is the last one in the series and announces the final judgment, rapture and resurrection. It is not the last to ever be blown. There will be many more blown throughout the Millennial Age.

2. The Feast of Yom Teruah, or the Feast of the Blasting of the Trumpet has no great fitting fulfillment as the other Feasts. The others have obvious fulfillments in Yeshua. But if Yom Teruah announces the coming of the Messiah, and effects the rapture, the resurrection and then his descent to earth, we would have that fitting fulfillment. Other attempts do not identify a great fulfillment sufficient for the weightiness of a major feast. The association of II Thes. 4:16, and 17 with Yom Teruah or Rosh Hoshana is a dominant view and commonly taught for good reason.

3. The Book of Revelation provides a chronology that is progressive in the 7 Seals, the 7 Shoforot, and the Seven Bowls of Wrath. The Seventh Seal opens up and includes the Seven Trumpets, and the Seventh Trumpet opens up and includes the Seven Bowls of God’s wrath. The book also includes parentheses narratives in the midst of this progression that are not necessarily in the progression. But it is significant that John puts his parentheses narratives where he does. Before the Seventh Shofar, John writes that the mystery of God has been completed when he is about to sound the seventh shofar (Rev. 10:7). If this is the shofar of the rapture and resurrection, it would be a perfect fit. The mystery is the completion of the numbers counted in the Bride of the Messiah (as Paul teaches in Ephesians 3 and is the fullness of the gentiles Romans 11). If the rapture and resurrection are after the seventh shofar, then the mystery would not complete before it is blown as Rev. 10:7 states. There would still then people being saved who can be part of the rapture after the blowing of the seventh shofar. This does not fit the text in Rev. 10:7.

4. Revelation 11states that at the end of 1,260 days (the time of the Great Tribulation, v. 3) the two prophetic witnesses who are martyred are raised from the dead and ascend to heaven. This is certainly a picture of the rapture and resurrection that I believe shortly follows. Then there is a great earthquake and 7,000 die in the city called Sodom, which is identified as Jerusalem by noting that it is the city where our Lord was crucified. It then indicates that Jerusalem turns to the Lord. “The rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.” (Rev. 11:14) In every other case when judgments fall in the Book of Revelation, the people do not turn to God but rebel and curse all the more since they are under the deception of the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet. This fits as the time when Israel/Jerusalem calls on Yeshua to save them (Matthew 23:39 ff.) This perfectly fits Zech. 14 where the nations have surrounded Jerusalem, there is the earthquake and then the Lord goes forth to fight against the armies of those nations. The turning of Jerusalem to Yeshua fits if it occurs between verse 2 and 3 and then his feet touch down on the Mt. of Olives. The saints return with Yeshua and the war is still ongoing, not the end of the war yet. It is not yet the born again experience for Israel, but seems it is a corporate turning of Jerusalem to Yeshua. Only after this turning in Rev. 11:14 do we read that the angel sounds the Seventh shofar. (Don’t we believe when Israel or Jerusalem call upon Yeshua that leads to the rapture. Then we also read the Kingdoms of this World have become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Annointed One. (11:15).

5. Then in Rev. 14 we read what many scholars historically have said is the rapture and the resurrection of the saints. There are two angels, one harvests the earth positively, the harvest of the earth was reaped (14:16) Then another angel gathers the grapes into the winepress of the wrath of God. This fits the idea that the wrath of God is a very brief period at the end of the tribulation, and we are not here for that. It fits the time between Rosh Hoshana and Yom Kippur. Some who say they believe in a pre-wrath rapture find support for this. Some of them claim to be mid-tribulation pre-wrath in their view of the timing of the rapture, but this mistakes the tribulation as a seven year period and coordinate with the seven trumpets, whereas the Bible tells us it is 3 ½ years or half a seven. So the bowls of the wrath of God comes at the very end and occurs as we are returning with him from heaven to deliver Israel. It also includes the picture of the Lord slaying the armies of the nations that have come up to destroy Israel (Rev. 19, Joel 3, and Zech. 12, 14).

6. The seventh shofar view again fits what happens after the armies of the nations are destroyed. Rosh Hoshana in Jewish tradition leads to the Days of Awe, the days of judgment between Rosh Hoshana and Yom Kippur, but on Yom Kippur we have the final day of repentance. So is there will be a great Yom Kippur in Jerusalem, Israel and the nations. It would seem that the return of Yeshua to the earth after the rapture and resurrection leads to the repentance of those who were not so raptured. This so well fits the picture of Zechariah 12:10-14 when all of the tribes of Israel mourn. They look on Him who they have pierced and mourn for him. This does not seem to be a heavenly vision where they see him, but that He will be literally here and will be seen on earth. Some do see this as a pre-rapture turning of Israel, but I think the idea of the last war and Israel’s deliverance comes first, for in a time of war, one would not be able to fit this picture of everyone morning. No, they would be fighting. Indeed, this is a picture after the war where Israel, in their natural bodies, will be mourning and realizing that He was the one, their Messiah and Savior, all along. So in these pictures, Yom Kippur fits if it follows the rapture and resurrection.

7. At the end of Yom Kippur there a shofar is blown. It could be the last of this Age, and the inauguration of the Age to Come. In Lev. 25:10-12 the shofar blown on Yom Kippur announces the Jubilee year. Indeed, Israel and the nations have repented and all can now celebrate Sukkot together or Tabernacles (Zech. 14:16). The First Tabernacles of the Millennial Age would fit as the celebration of the Bride of the Messiah being joined to the Messiah, or the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. So the shofar blast of Yom Kippur on this scheme would not be the rapture and resurrection but the Jubilee shofar that ends the old age and begins the Millennial Age and the reign of the Messiah and his Bride, of Jew and Gentile who reign with Israel the nation in their own land. The rapture shofar is not the shofar announcing the age of peace as at the end of Yom Kippur after repentance, but the seventh also announces the final judgment of Rev. 19 and Zech. 14 and the very last battle that takes place.

The Palestinian Confederation Idea

A New Confederation Plan?

The Israeli Press is reporting on a new attempt of a solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, a confederation plan for the Palestinian areas of Judea and Samaria (West Bank). Is this the plan that is being developed by the Trump administration? No one knows. Mohammad Abbas has voiced some openness, but then later denied it. The original plan for confederation came from Yigal Allon after the 1967 war.

Recent History

Some readers might know that from 1948 to 1967, Jordan ruled the West Bank and claimed sovereignty over it. They did not give the Palestinians of the West Bank Jordanian citizenship. Egypt ruled Gaza and did not give them citizenship. Jordan is ruled by an Arab clan known as the Hashemites, who are not considered Palestinians, though the majority population of Jordan is Palestinian. Jordan was part of the original Palestine Mandate. In the League of Nations partition plan, Jordan was created and separated from the territory west of the Jordan that was still under the Balfour Declaration and affirmed as a homeland for the Jewish people. The U. N. in 1947 presented another partition plan giving the Palestinians of Samaria, Judea and Gaza a state, and the Jewish people the rest. Israel accepted this plan and the Arab world rejected it. Then ensued the War of Independence that Israel won, but with the loss of the old city Jewish quarter in Jerusalem and the East Jerusalem Jewish areas including Hebrew University and Hadassah Hospital.

The Allon Plan

The 1967 War gave Israel control of the whole area west of the Jordan. But now the famous demographic argument began. It states that for Israel to survive as a Jewish state it cannot incorporate the Arabs of the West Bank and Gaza into Israel. So well before the Oslo accords, and as a way to find peace between Israel and the Palestinians, Allon presented the first and important plan of separation from the West Bank Arabs. Allon was a famous general and political leader in the Labor party.

The Allon plan included keeping the areas of East Jerusalem, especially those areas that were Jewish before the ’48 War, and then adding Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem. Secondly, it promoted Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria and military outposts that both would be important for strategic depth and Israel’s security. The idea was to expand Israel and to see the Palestinians connected to Jordan.

Jordan’s Response to the Allon Plan

For many years it was hoped that Jordan under King Hussein might accept such a plan, since he claimed the West Bank for Jordan. But he was not then open to the territorial compromise that the Allon plan envisioned. Then eventually he renounced all rights to the West Bank. Why? Because he has his own demographic problem. In Jordan many Palestinians do not have full rights and could rise up and overthrow the Jordanian rulers, the minority Hashemites.

The Oslo accords did not explicitly call for a Palestinian state, and some say that Prime Minister Yizhak Rabin who signed the Oslo accords did not envision a Palestinian State, but that is where the negotiations went, and they were twice offered a state by Prime Minister Barak and Prime Minister Olmert. However, when Gaza broke form the Palestinian Authority and was taken over by Hamas, any realistic prospect for a two state solution was killed, in spite of the continued talk that seems to still foster this. I have written that I think Gaza should be linked to Egypt and the Palestinian areas of the West Bank in confederation with Jordan. But Jordan refuses this plan due to their fear of more Palestinians being under their rule.

Yet there is a assumption, a root, which makes a solution impossible. It is that all people need to have full citizenship in a nation state. Where is that written in the tablets of ethical norms? Why couldn’t Palestinians have autonomy as a territory, elect their own domestic government, have Jordanian passports, and have an economy tied to Jordan and Israel? The wrong assumption keeps us from progress. So this looks like a return to Allon’s plan in part. In this plan the Jewish settlements of the West Bank are preserved and building in the Jewish areas would be legal but not Jewish settlement in the defined Palestinian autonomous zones.

Is this the Trump plan? No one knows. Is it possible? Unlikely since the Palestinian rejection of Israel is a religious based rejection. In all of this, we need to keep in mind that though we want the Palestinians to be treated well and with justice, macro cosmic justice on this issue begins with the affirmation that this Land is promised to the Jewish people. God is sovereign and can allocate lands as He decides. Can there be a temporary solution without this recognition? Yes, but never a permanent one without finally submitting to the will of God.