Friday, March 14, 2014

U.S.: Netanyahu Wrong To Insist Palestinians Recognize Israel As Jewish State




This is beyond amazing. Genesis 12:3 looms large. The U.S. is also proposing that Jerusalem should be permanently divided (Zechariah 12:3). Being arrogant in the face of God's word is never a good idea. 






 Secretary of State John Kerry told members of Congress on Thursday that international law already declares Israel a Jewish state, and called Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu's insistence on a public declaration of Israel's Jewish character from the Palestinians "a mistake" in the diplomatic process.

"I think its a mistake for some people to be raising it again and again as the critical decider of their attitude toward the possibility of a state, and peace, and we've obviously made that clear," Kerry told the House Foreign Relations Committee, in a hearing on budget matters.

Netanyahu has said that the PLO's public recognition of Israel as a Jewish state is a "minimal requirement for peace," and considers the issue fundamental to the conflict: Arab refusal to accept a permanent Jewish presence in the region.










Israel and the Jewish people face many threats these days — from a nuclear Iran, from terrorist rocket fire out of Gaza, from Syrian chemical weapons, and from rising anti-Semitism and a global movement to isolate and delegitimize Israel, especially pernicious in Europe, to name just a few.  
Sometimes Jews wonder, “Why are we the Chosen People? How has that worked out well for us? The Pharoah chose us. Hitler chose us. Stalin chose us. The ayatollahs chose us. Choose someone else, Lord, please!” It’s a sad but understandable sentiment.
As we see current threats — and as we remember the horrors of the Holocaust and the Nazi regime’s determination to annihilate all the Jews of Europe — we need to remember that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has never forgotten or forsaken the people He sovereignly chosen. We have, all too often, forgotten Him. But He has never forgotten us.
Indeed, that is why His Word commanded us to celebrate Purim, which takes place this weekend.
Purim is the Jewish holiday that celebrates the remarkable story of how the God of Israel used two faithful believers — Esther and Mordechai — and a movement of prayer and fasting to rescue the Jewish people from an evil Persian regime determine to annihilate them.
Remember: the evil Persian leader Haman literally used the language of annihilation all those years ago. As we read in Esther 3:13, “Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day….”
The Bible tells believers throughout the ages to celebrate this important holiday. This weekend, I will be teaching at a Baptist church in Tampa about the Jewish holiday of Purim, and why it is so important, and how from ancient Persia to Hitler’s Germany to modern Iran, Purim reminds us of God’s faithful love for and sovereign protection of the Jewish people from those who seek to destroy them.








The Israeli Air force struck 7 terrorist targets in southern Gaza Thursday, March 13, after a second round of rockets were fired at Ashkelon and Ashdod. The Jihad Islami then reported a ceasefire was negotiated through Egypt. This was not confirmed by Israel. Earlier, Israel’s security cabinet met to determine how the IDF should handle Jihad Islami’s massive assault of 70 missiles against Israel Wednesday, executed on orders from its boss, Al Qods Brigades chief Gen. Qassem Soleimani, as payback for Israel's seizure of an Iranian missile ship last week. 
 Military sources reported that the barrage had consisted of up 100 rockets fired, but one-third fell short and exploded inside the Gaza Strip. Israel hit back overniight Wednesday with 29 air strikes against its positions.


Palestinians in their first round aimed for the shock effect of surprise rather than precise targeting and so most of the rockets landed outside residential areas. Jihad possesses more accurate weapons with far longer ranges than those used Wednesday, but held them back until Thursday.
Israel and Iran are conducting an unusual kind of war: Israel has struck Iranian and allied military targets in Syria, Lebanon, the Gaza Strip and the Red Sea. Tehran has hit back by activating allied Palestinian and Lebanese pro-Hizballah terrorist organizations against Israel. Israeli reprisals were confined to air strikes on empty terrorist buildings.


But the Jihad was ordered - or tempted - to carry on.
The Jewish festival of Purim begins Friday, March 14, with children parading in costume and carnivals in Israeli towns, presenting an attractive target for provoking violence that would spread to additional sectors in southern Israel, or even Sinai and northern Israel’s borders with Syria and Lebanon.
The first three rockets fired from the Gaza Strip Thursday morning appeared to have come from Salafist groups linked to al Qaeda. They also demonstrated the tinderbox quality of the atmosphere around Israel’s borders and provided Jihad with a surrogate of its own for blasting Israel untouchably from Egyptian Sinai.








Ukraine warned last night that 80,000 Russian troops were massing on its borders and could invade – as world leaders told Vladimir Putin to back off.
A senior security chief in Kiev said Moscow could launch a full-scale invasion and Russian troops would be in the Ukrainian capital within ‘two or three hours’ of the order to advance.
Photographs of Russian tanks and armoured personnel carriers close to Ukraine’s borders added to tensions.
Last night senior British officials told the Mail they had received reports about Russian troops massing on the border since Tuesday and were concerned by the show of force.


British intelligence is unsure whether the movements are intended to back up the annexation of Crimea, preparation for an invasion or simply defensive.
Moscow’s show of force came as Ukraine’s new prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, met Barack Obama in the Oval Office and Nato continued military exercises in Poland.
On a day of rising tensions, G7 leaders, including David Cameron and Mr Obama, warned Russia not to annexe the Crimea after a referendum on Sunday in the province, which has been taken over by pro-Putin troops.

Andriy Parubiy, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, yesterday said that even Kiev may not be safe from Putin’s troops, who were regrouping in ‘an offensive manner’.
Mr Parubiy claimed the forces massing included ‘over 80,000 personnel, up to 270 tanks, 180 armoured vehicles, 380 artillery systems, 18 multiple-launch missile systems, 140 combat aircraft, 90 combat helicopters and 19 warships and cutters’.
He added: ‘Critical is the situation not only in Crimea, but along the entire north-eastern frontier. In fact, Russian troop units are two or three hours of travel from Kiev.’
Former Putin adviser Andrey Illarionov predicted this week that in addition to Crimea, his ex-boss intends to annex other major cities in Ukraine, including Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnepropetrovsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye, Kherson and Odessa.
Pictures of Russian armoured vehicles on the move in regions close to the Ukrainian border – said to have been taken on Monday – include motorised infantry vehicles and tanks. The military movements are also said to include Grad BM-21 multiple rocket launch vehicles.













China's top envoy to Germany has warned the West against punishing Russia with sanctions for its intervention inUkraine, saying such measures could lead to a dangerous chain reaction that would be difficult to control.
In an interview with Reuters days before the European Union is threatening to impose its first sanctions on Russia since the Cold War, ambassador Shi Mingde issued the strongest warning against such measures by any top Chinese official to date.
"We don't see any point in sanctions," Shi said. "Sanctions could lead to retaliatory action, and that would trigger a spiral with unforeseeable consequences. We don't want this."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has taken the lead in trying to mediate in the crisis, has said the measures, which mirror steps announced by the United States, will be imposed on Monday unless Russia accepts the idea of a "contact group" to resolve the crisis diplomatically.
Using her toughest rhetoric since the crisis began, she warned in a speech in parliament on Thursday that Russia risked "massive" political and economic damage if it did not change course in the coming days.







Secretary of State John Kerry warned of serious repercussions forRussia on Monday if last-ditch talks over the weekend to resolve the crisis in Ukraine failed to persuade Moscow to soften its stance.


Kerry will travel to London for a Friday meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ahead of a Sunday referendum vote in theCrimea region to secede from Ukraine and join the Russian Federation

The U.S. and Europe on Monday would then unite to impose sanctions on Russia, Kerry told aSenate Appropriations subcommittee Thursday during a hearing on the State Department'sbudget.
“There will be a response of some kind to the referendum itself,” Kerry said. “If there is no sign [from Russia] of any capacity to respond to this issue ... there will be a very serious series of steps on Monday.”
“Our hope is to have Russia join in respecting international law. ... There is no justification, no legality to this referendum that is taking place,” he said. “The hope is that reason will prevail but there is no guarantee of that.”









From high-resolution satellites to advanced warships, China's military build-up is on full display in the hunt for a missing Malaysian jetliner - putting Asia on notice as to what Beijing might do in the future to further assert its regional presence.
Now in its sixth day, the search for the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 and its 239 passengers and crew has exposed tensions between Beijing and Kuala Lumpur, with Chinese officials from Premier Li Keqiang on down criticizing Malaysia's handling of the crisis. China has sent a team of envoys and investigators to Malaysia to deepen its involvement.
While Beijing's concerns reflect, in part, public anxiety over the fate of more than 150 Chinese on board Flight MH370, the search comes at a time when China has been flexing its muscles in the disputed South and East China Seas.
One aerospace and defense industry source with years of experience in the region said the Chinese response would stick in the minds of its neighbors.
"This is a demonstration of force in a peaceful context," said the source, who declined to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
China has deployed four warships, four coastguard vessels, eight aircraft and trained 10 satellites on a wide search area far from mainland China. Chinese media have described the ship deployment as the largest Chinese rescue fleet ever assembled.
The missing plane's last reported contact with civilian radar was near the mouth of the Gulf of Thailand, which opens into the South China Sea. The aircraft was bound for Beijing after taking off from Kuala Lumpur.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang on Monday acknowledged Malaysia had the "main responsibility" for both the search and the follow-up investigation. He added, however, that Beijing had a responsibility not only to participate but to "demand and urge" Malaysia to step up its efforts.












5 comments:

Sandra said...

Hi Scott,

Thank you again for all your efforts,I have no doubt your reward will be great. It really upsets me seeing all these event yet so many just stick their head in the sand and pretend all is okay. No one wants to hear the truth and hear about our salvation given freely without conditions. The love of Jesus Christ is so great and vast and beyond our human understanding of love. He loves us so much that if we just watch for our redemption we escape the pains of the "wrath of God". How can so many be blinded by what is so obvious to us that watch? Even within my own family, they scoff at this and think I need help for warning. Help me understand this and I am sure that I am not the only one feeling this frustration. Especially when you can feel that the hour is near.
Sandra

D. Pearson said...

What a historical biblical climax we :: our generation, the final generation (my opinion) are witnessing coming together. The entire middle east is in chaos, the United States has disowned Israel. Kerry has publicly said Israel should not be asking palestine to recognize their statehood. Obama forcefully saying to Israel that either you agree to the peace plan or the US won't step in to protect them. Russia set to invade the Ukraine, with China ridding shotgun. Assad's civil war continuing and spilling over into Gaza, Iran remains untouchable, and reportedly achieved their goal......we are in imminent rapture countdown. We are homeward bound....I pray lord it is today.....

David P

Dutch Treat said...

Sandra, you certainly are not alone in your feelings. Whenever I talk about these things to friends and family they either ignore it or put up a wall. I'm afraid the only way some will come around is if their way of life is disrupted; and that will certainly happen at the Rapture. I find End-Time Prophecy to be like a stone rolling downhill: the further it rolls the more speed it picks up; and as Caver mentioned, it's certainly flying right now. We should be reaching the bottom of the hill very soon. So I would encourage you to keep looking up and contemplate the glorious future God has in store for us real soon. I'll certainly look forward to seeing all of you there; and Scott, thanks for everything you do for us. Your reward will be well deserved.

harnessandleash said...

Sandra
I think we have all struggled in the past, or are struggling, with questions similar to yours. No doubt there are numerous opinions on the "why" of so many being blinded to the truth. I offer my own viewpoint in hope that it will encourage you.

When Jesus asked Peter, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus then said to Peter, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven." Matt 16:7

We're all familiar with verses like Mark 16:5 (which have been nicknamed the "Great Commission") "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." In addition we are told in 1 Peter 3:15, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

In Ecc 3:11 we are told, "He has also set eternity in the human heart." And in Jer 29:13, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

After being a believer for many years now, and witnessing my own family & friends be distant & unresponsive to the "Good News" of the Gospel, I have come to the following conclusion...

It is in combination (and working together of) the following things that enables a person to accept the Truth about Jesus Christ...
1) A person deciding to heed the "eternity" written on his/her heart & "seek" God.
2) God seeing a person desiring to know Him, He then draws that person close & "reveals" Himself to that person.
3) Using other believers who are "ready with the answer," God shares the message of the Gospel with that person.

Once I understood a few of the different dynamics of what is involved in a person becoming a believer, it took enormous pressure off me thinking I was doing something "wrong" in trying to get people to understand the Gospel. We are to be blessed examples to others, pray for them, be ready with an answer, but leave the rest to that person & God. I believe we have to trust God with respect to what happens to all our loved ones & friends who don't know Him. Children (IMO) who have not yet reached the age of accountability will be with us in Heaven.

I hope this encourages you.
Hug that grandbaby of yours.
Karalee

Sandra said...

Hi Karalee and Dutch,

Thank you for that beautiful words. I struggle only as I see the time is so short...and my grandson is my joy! I look so forward to meet everyone.. Scott this site is a blessing, especially when we build one another with encouragement and God's Word.
Sandra