All posts in category Israel

Superstorm Sandy, God’s judgment on America?

Much ado has been made about Christian preacher John McTernan’s comments that Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy is God’s judgment on the gay agenda in America and the anti-Israel policies that America seems to be embracing in our recent history, especially under President Obama. Is McTernan correct or is he just another religious fanatic blowhard?

The harshest critics leaving comments about McTernan across the Internet have stated that this is why Christianity should be kept out of the public square. Others have left the usual questions like–”If this is God’s judgment on gays, then why did he leave San Francisco alone?” Still others have held to the idea that it’s not God’s judgment, but global warming on steroids that caused the latest freak storm. So who’s right?

It’s my opinion that McTernan is on to something here, but I disagree with him on restricting it to homosexuals and America’s policies concerning Israel. I believe Superstorm Sandy is, in fact, God’s judgment on America. From what the Bible tells us, this is God’s M.O., his modus operandi. When nations are hellbent on promoting sin, he fires off warning shots like natural disasters to give people opportunities to repent. If a society doesn’t repent, God allows them to destroy themselves and adds in his own destruction to go with their self-destruction. He allows the amount of their iniquity to become full (see Genesis 15:16; Daniel 8:23; Matthew 23:32; 1 Thessalonians 2:16), then lowers the boom.

America has a whole host of sins that have brought about its recent disasters from record numbers of tornadoes to earthquakes to the drought and now Sandy. Those sins include all kinds of sex outside of God-established marriage (not just homosexuality), pornography, witchcraft, satanism, other false religions, stealing, murder, lying, anti-Christian sentiments, and the list goes on. And working against the best interests of Israel is part of the list. But Israel isn’t completely blameless itself.

If this is God’s judgment on such sins, why didn’t he hit other places in the U.S.? God often judges one place, but uses the places he hits to be a lesson to the other places that do the same sins, but weren’t hit. He destroyed Sodom & Gomorrah and their surrounding villages to testify against sodomy, but throughout Canaan at that time there were sodomites. He brought about the destruction of Babylon, but other kingdoms were just as prideful and idolatrous as Babylon was during that time.

Nevertheless, for all the times that God has displayed his awesome power in judgment, we humans continue to be hardhearted and stiffnecked. Which is why God will soon judge the whole Earth, as opposed to his current policy of selectively judging certain areas. I’m continuing to pray that America will learn from these hardships and repent. I’m praying for the people affected by Superstorm Sandy. I’m praying for God’s will to be done. Will America change for the better? We’ll see, but looking at how the U.S. is so adamant about continuing its downward moral trends, I’m reminded of Revelation 9–

20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

Source: Gianluca Mezzofiore. Hurricane Sandy: Christian Preacher Blames Gays, Obama and Romney for Frankenstorm. International Business Times, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk. October 29, 2012.

Harry A. Gaylord

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by Harry A. Gaylord on October 31, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on October 31, 2012

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Barack Obama’s affinity to the Muslim world

During Barack Obama’s presidency, it has been interesting to watch his love/hate relationship toward Israel and how he has been apologetic and has shown deference to the Islamic world in many instances. Even in the recent uproar and murders of Americans in North Africa, his administration initially blamed everything on the film critical of the prophet Mohammed instead of acknowledging the obvious–the attacks were planned for a terrorist commemoration of the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Why does the Obama administration have this mindset? To figure some of this out, you have to go back to Obama’s past in Chicago and his ties to left-wing foundations and the University of Chicago. In the 1990s up to his run for the U.S. Senate in Illinois, Obama was involved with the Woods Fund and became the chair of its board in 1998. The Woods Fund was a foundation that split from the Woods Charitable Fund, founded in the 1950s by Frank Woods who was a telephone company executive in Lincoln, Nebraska. The foundation was started to fund the arts and the civil rights movement. When the organization started using the bulk of its charitable donations for progressive/ultra-liberal causes, some members were disturbed by the trend and moved to split. Thus, the Woods Fund of Chicago was born.

The foundation was a huge supporter of ACORN, Jeremiah Wright’s church in Chicago, and Barack Obama’s community organization efforts in the 1980s and 1990s. During Obama’s time as a law professor at the University of Chicago in the 1990s, he became close friends with Rashid Khalidi, a professor who is Palestinian. Khalidi used to work for the PLO under Yasir Arafat as his adviser/press agent. As a member of the Woods Fund board, Obama helped steer over $100,000 to the Arab American Action Network, which is run by Khalidi’s wife. The Network is known for its anti-Israel stance and Khalidi has been outspoken about his hatred for Israel and his acceptance of terrorist attacks by Palestinians against Israel.

When Obama was running for the U.S. Senate, Palestinians in Chicago were skittish about supporting Obama because they weren’t clear on his views about Israel. Khalidi used his influence to persuade them to support Obama in an obvious quid pro quo and spoke highly of Obama at an Arab American Activist Network dinner in 2003–a dinner attended by Obama as well as his colleague William Ayers, formerly of the American terrorist group the Weather Underground.

So Obama’s childhood years in Indonesia are only part of the story of his mentality of wanting to, in some instances, mollycoddle or embolden people who have hated Western culture for centuries and who don’t want to change their centuries-old hatred. Thankfully, in the midst of the hatred and violence of the Muslim world, the Lord Jesus Christ is changing the hearts of many, drawing them from darkness to his glorious light.

Source: David Horowitz. The New Leviathan: How the Left-Wing Money Machine Shapes American Politics and Threatens America’s Future. [New York: Crown Forum, 2012] pages 32-34.

Harry A. Gaylord

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by Harry A. Gaylord on September 23, 2012  •  Permalink
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Through the looking glass: the U.S. mirrors ancient Israel

Jehovah’s intent for ancient Israel was that they would be a glorious standard of wisdom to all the nations of the world as they upheld his righteous laws. He told them:

6Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.  7For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?  8And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? Deuteronomy 4

As they would honor God’s laws, the nations of the world would honor them. The Lord Jesus once said “unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more,” [Luke 12:48]. That is true of nations also. But God’s great expectations were eventually hamstrung by the rebellious, sinful ways of Israel, and they fell.

Fast forward several centuries to another nation very similar to Israel. It was a nation that also had to fight battles to establish itself as a free nation. It had its evils like slavery, but in spite of its faults, it upheld the standards of the Lord as found in the Bible and based its Constitution and laws on God’s eternal truths. And because of that, other nations looked up to it as a beacon of light. But like Israel, over time it prospered and began to forget the God of its forefathers and is now committing the same sins that led to ancient Israel’s fall. If you read Ezekiel 22, it sounds like he’s talking about the United States of America when he itemizes Jerusalem’s sins, which permeated their whole society, whether civil, social, or religious. Those sins were as follows:

  • Violence & bloodshed, v. 2-4. The homicide & crime rate in the U.S. has been going down and we fare rather well compared to socialist, Islamic, and war-torn or drug-run nations. But when you factor in abortion nationwide and euthanasia of the Pacific Northwest, our rate of shedding blood shoots right back up.
  • Idolatry, v. 3-4. This includes all false religion, i.e. anything that isn’t true Christianity. It’s because we have embraced & promoted these while despising Christianity that God is beginning to make us “a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries.”
  • Disrespect for parents, v. 7. This is in cases where parents deserve respect.
  • Oppressing foreigners, the poor, the fatherless, and widows, v. 7, 29. We’re still doing okay on this front, but these groups all too often fall prey to scam artists and Latino foreigners are often targeted by racists.
  • Disrespect for what God considers sacred, v. 8. Banning public prayer, banning sharing the gospel in public, not allowing the teaching of creationism, people burning and attacking churches, etc.
  • Gossip & slander to harm people, v. 9. The latest tool being social networking sites used to ruin reputations.
  • Lewdness, v. 9. Porn, sexting, LGBT pride parades, etc.
  • Adultery & incest, v. 10-11.
  • Conspiracy to commit murder, extortion, & excessive interest, v. 12. Excessive interest on credit card debt was a contributing factor to our latest recession and payday loan check cashing establishments have skyrocketed.
  • Prophets for profit, v. 25, 28. All we have to do is turn on certain televangelists telling us Christians shouldn’t be poor or sick or that they will pray for our healing for an offering or that buying their latest book or DVD will revolutionize our lives. They’ll even throw in a “prophetic” (pathetic) word how God will exalt you immensely if you stroke their ego in some way. Others will just tickle your ears and act holy while they steal from the treasury when no one is looking.
  • Profane priests, v. 26. Religious leaders and other believers who want to be “loving” and “non-judgmental” by not calling sin what it is and who promote or make excuses for their own sin.
  • Predatory princes (government officials), v. 27. They will destroy whoever they have to, say whatever they need to, legislate however they wish to and slip through every legal loophole they can–all for dishonest gain.

Our saving grace

But unlike Israel (at least so far), we have a saving grace. There are people in our nation that are still on fire for God that are standing in the gap for righteousness and holding people accountable in spite of the darkness taking over our country. Israel wasn’t so fortunate (Ezekiel 22: 30-31). And we should thank God we aren’t that far gone yet.

–Harry A. Gaylord–

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by Harry A. Gaylord on April 11, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on April 11, 2012

http://sunandshield.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/through-the-looking-glass-the-u-s-mirrors-ancient-israel/

Israel’s blessings abound in the form of shale oil

Since the time of the Egyptian uprisings a year ago, oil pipelines from Egypt to Israel have been sabotaged several times, proving how volatile Egypt/Israel relations have become in the wake of the Muslim Brotherhood’s lust for power over the Arab/Muslim masses. When you add to that the new wave of anti-Israel sentiments rising throughout Europe, the continued anti-Israel policies of the UN, and a wishy-washy administration in Washington DC, it can easily be seen how the world is turning against Israel, just like Biblical prophecy says.

However, the world turning against Israel just opens up another opportunity for God to reveal how he is the one who will look out for Israel when no one else will. Although Israel has a whole plethora of energy sources within its boundaries, it has still depended on foreign oil, but that day may soon be over. In the past few years, geologists have found huge amounts of shale oil off Israel’s coast and underneath its land. A large shale deposit has been found 400 feet below the surface of the valley where David killed Goliath. It has the potential of producing more oil than Saudi Arabia, which will make Israel totally self-sufficient.

The company Israel Energy Initiatives has devised a way to use fracking in an environmentally safe way to extract the oil. The method uses horizontal drilling as opposed to the more controversial vertical drilling, which keeps the disruption of the surface layer to a minimum.  The whole process of tapping into the vast resource promises to revolutionize Israel’s influence in the Middle East and around the world. It can become an oil export powerhouse that could make even Saudi Arabia envious. Relik Shafir, the president of Israel Energy Initiatives, believes that “[i]t’s an amazing discovery because it means technology-wise a Western country is able to develop means to extract oil from unknown before resources and free itself from the strangle of unfriendly countries.”

So as the world turns against God’s chosen people to try to hurt them, Jehovah has counteracted their moves with this natural blessing. But it’s not because Israelis are all good people. It’s because God made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that he would always look out for their descendants and that he would always have a remnant within Israel who would believe in him. Most Israelis aren’t saved, but for the sake of the few that are, God is showing himself faithful to his covenant with the patriarchs. And if he can do this for Israel, then surely he will do such wonders for us Gentile believers. That’s why I praise him.

Source: Chris Mitchell. Shale Oil Could Make Israel an Energy Player. CBN News. Thursday, January 05, 2012.

–Harry A. Gaylord–

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by Harry A. Gaylord on January 5, 2012  •  Permalink
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The myth of “three Abrahamic faiths”

I once had a pastor who told me that he made it a point to avoid any religious criticism of Jews, Catholics, and Muslims. When I asked him to explain, he stated that all of them were Abrahamic faiths, that all Christianity (Protestant and Catholic), Judaism, and Islam can trace their spiritual heritage back to Abraham. Therefore, he felt it was wrong to say that any of them weren’t from God.

This is what he learned in Bible School and apparently this is what is taught in some seminaries. Is this really true? Let’s examine the facts.

The Jews

Judaism is the earliest of the three religions and those who are Jews in the physical sense of being of the Hebrew people can trace their physical heritage back through the 12 sons of Jacob back through Isaac and back to Abraham. But Judaism itself was not established until the law of Moses was instituted after the Hebrews left Egypt. Before the Mosaic law, Abraham and his descendants worshiped Jehovah apart from those laws.

The Mosaic law was established so God could make clear what sin was and to symbolize that a Messiah, a Redeemer, would one day come to save mankind from sin. But following Jewish laws were not what made Abraham right with God since he came before the law. Abraham, when he was still Abram, lived a life of faith in Jehovah after God called him out from among his people [Genesis 12] and his faith in God, including God’s promise of a coming Messiah, made him a righteous man.

God established Old Testament laws to be a temporary form of worship until the appointed time when the Messiah would come to fulfill the law on behalf of the Jews and to move the Jews away from the Old Testament into a New Testament, or Covenant. But along the way, the Jews used the law in unlawful ways to establish their own righteousness by their man-made traditions and idolatry. This led them to harden their hearts against God and to form a “salvation-by-works” religion [Romans 9:32], which isn’t a true religion. So even when the Jews claimed Abraham as their father, the Lord Jesus told them “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham,” [John 8:39]. And that work of Abraham was faith in Jesus as Lord.

Real Jews are those of Hebrew heritage that believe in Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah. They are Jews spiritually, not physically [Romans 2:28-29]. Since the majority of Jews are not doing the works of Abraham by believing that Jesus is Lord, they don’t have Abraham’s faith and cannot be considered an “Abrahamic faith.”

This does not mean God has written off Israel. He has established an everlasting covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that promises that all living Israelis will one day be saved when Jesus returns to defend Israel from their enemies and they will look on the one they pierced [Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:25-19]. This is why Christians should love Jews even when we don’t agree with them. And this is why the United Nations and any nation, including Arab nations, that hate Israel are fighting a losing battle when they come against Israel.

The Muslims

Arabs are descendants of Ishmael, Abraham’s firstborn, and an Arab named Muhammad (Mohammed, Mahomet) started Islam in the 600s AD, although Muslims consider him to be just a continuation of the line of prophets named in the Bible. They claim the god they worship, Allah, is the same as Jehovah.

Since they descended from Abraham and claim the same god of the Jews and Christians, religious leaders in all three religions believe Islam is Abrahamic. But just like Jesus told the Jews, “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham,” [John 8:39-40]. Abraham, as I said before, had faith in God and faith in God’s Son, the Lord Jesus. That is the work that made him righteous before God.

Muslims, just like the unsaved Jews, believe in a “salvation-by-works” religious system. Among the works they believe ushers them into paradise are the fulfillment of their five pillars and the establishment of sharia, a system of geopolitical laws tied to their religion. Within sharia are laws that mandate the subduing of all non-Muslims and women to second-class citizenship or to slavery or to death if they don’t comply. Sharia also teaches it is okay for Muslim men to sexually assault anyone who doesn’t comply with Islam, regardless of their gender.

So we see in Islam a whole plethora of things that Abraham would never do. Furthermore, the Quran makes many factual errors about Abraham such as the claim that Abraham worshiped at Mecca [Sura 14:37], but he actually worshiped in Hebron [Genesis 13:18]. Abraham did not believe in salvation by works. Abraham rejoiced to see the day of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he saw it and was glad [John 8:56], but Muslims deny Jesus Christ is the Lord and deny that God has a son. Abraham, as Jesus said, was not into killing people who spoke the truth. Muslims who establish sharia believe in killing those who speak the truth of the gospel.

Since Muslims do not display the same faith as Abraham, Islam is not an Abrahamic faith.

The Christians

Christianity was the establishment of God’s New Testament, or Covenant, with mankind, starting with the Jews. Jesus of Nazareth came to Israel in the first century AD to fulfill God’s laws for all mankind, to die for all of mankind’s sins, and to rise from the dead so that all who believe in him would be saved from their sins and would have the privilege of living forever with God their Creator. Jesus was the Christ, the Anointed One of God, and this is where the word “Christian” comes from.

We as humans are too weak to save ourselves and nothing we could do on our own would make us right with God, so Jesus stepped in on our behalf to bring us to God. The worship of Jehovah by man dates back to the beginning when God first created man on earth, but until Jehovah came in the form of Jesus, there was no permanent way for us to get rid of our sins. Believers before the Mosaic law and during the Mosaic law were saved by their belief that God would one day bring a Messiah just as he promised. This is the faith that Abraham had and still has today.

However, there are false Christians who claim Jesus, but believe their works save them or who claim Jesus and live in unrepentant rebellion against what he commanded. Nevertheless, genuine Christians know that without faith, it is impossible to please God [Hebrews 11:6]. Genuine Christians know that Jesus rose from the dead. They believe that God’s word is infallible from Genesis to Revelation because God has surrounded us with all kinds of evidence to back it up. Based on their faith in God and love for God, they carry out works that please God. Even when they stumble, they repent and continue on in their faith.

Since Christians have the same type of faith as Abraham and do the works of Abraham and do not seek to kill those who speak God’s truth [John 8:39-40], Christians are the only ones with “Abrahamic faith.”

This false idea of there being three Abrahamic faiths is the false belief behind the latest apostasy rising in some churches that is called “Chrislam.” Chrislam is nothing more than preaching a false Christ to kowtow to Islam and shows that the people peddling this false religion want to be friends with the world system.

–posted by Harry A. Gaylord–

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by Harry A. Gaylord on September 19, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on September 19, 2011

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Request for no-fly zone over Gaza coming soon

With violence escalating recently between Israel and the Gaza Strip, the Arab League met in Cairo to draft a request to the UN for a no-fly zone to be enforced over Gaza.  According to the Amr Mussa, Secretary General of the Arab League, the request for the no-fly zone is “to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza.”

The political wing of Hamas recently expressed its wishes for a ceasefire in light of the Palestinian casualties and Israel’s success with its “Iron Dome,” an armament of short-range missiles stationed throughout Israel to shoot down rockets launched by Israel’s enemies.  Both sides of the conflict said they would stop firing if the other side does.

Strikingly absent from the press releases announcing the upcoming request to the UN for the no-fly zone is the fact that this most recent conflict between Israel and the Palestinians began when Palestinians, emboldened by the uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, escalated firing rockets into southern Israel from Gaza at the beginning of this year.  Since then the mortar attacks have increased and Israel had no choice but to defend themselves.  In addition to the mortar attacks came the bombing at a bus stop in March that killed a Christian missionary and injured 30 people. 

So the same old tactics from Israel’s enemies continues.  They start a fight and when Israel defends itself, they claim that Israel is the aggressor.  News reports out today say that the ceasefire called by both sides appears to be taking hold as the attacks dropped significantly on Sunday in Israel.

25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.  26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father’s sakes. 29For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. [Romans 11]

Source: Selim Saheb Ettaba, Gaza truce holds after days of deadly clashes, Yahoo News, April 10, 2011.

–posted by Harry A. Gaylord–

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by Harry A. Gaylord on April 10, 2011  •  Permalink
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Forever frenemies?: highs/lows of Israel-Egypt relations

In spite of the assurances the supposedly temporary military government in Egypt has given that it will honor its peace treaty with Israel, a news report today says Israel is still on edge about how Egypt will turn out.  With the 24 hr. news cycle preoccupied with what has happened in Egypt, it has brought to my mind all of the ups and downs between Israel and Egypt dating back to ancient times.

Israel and Egypt have always had a love/hate relationship if you look at the scriptures and then follow history to current developments.  It was a Pharaoh in Egypt that placed the Hebrew Joseph as his second in command over Egypt.  Then another Egyptian pharaoh rose to power many years later and enslaved the Hebrews.  Their enslavement lasted 400 years and set the stage for a showdown that pitted God, with Moses and Aaron as his spokesmen, against a cruel pharaoh who lacked mercy.

Centuries later, King Solomon made a treaty with a pharoah and married his daughter.  She ended up turning his heart to her false gods.  When Josiah reigned in Jerusalem, war broke about between Pharaoh Necho and the Assyrians.  Necho warned Josiah to stay out of the way because Necho had no interest in harming Judah, but Josiah didn’t listen and was killed in battle.

Then God decided to punish Judah for all of their sins and sent Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, to take Judah into captivity.  Judah looked to Egypt for help instead of repenting of their sins, but Egypt was obviously not strong enough to stop God’s judgment.  In the end, both Judah and Egypt were taken into captivity by the Babylonians.

Nevertheless, Egypt was where God told Joseph to flee to with Mary and the young child Jesus when Herod sought to kill Jesus.  When Herod died, they were able to leave Egypt to return to Israel.  In Acts 2, we see there were Egyptians who had made a pilgrimage to Israel that ended up being saved after Peter preached on the day of Pentecost.  No doubt these Egyptian proselytes took the gospel back to Egypt with them.

Fast forward to the 20th century.  In 1948 after Israel was declared a nation again, Egyptians joined forces with other Arabs to attack Israel and the fledgling nation, with the help of Jehovah, defeated their enemies.  Then in 1967, the Arabs were ready for another war against Israel, but Israel made a preemptive strike against Egypt’s air force before the planes could even get off the ground, effectively serving a knockout punch to Egypt’s forces and greatly weakening the Arab forces so much that the war only lasted six days with a resounding defeat for Israel’s enemies.

Then came the peace treaty of 1979 brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter with Israel’s Menachim Begin and Egypt’s Anwar Sadat signing it.  A peace treaty still standing today in spite of some tense situations along the way.

Only God knows how the present situation in Egypt will turn out.  It is one of our greatest desires as humans to be accepted by others.  Yet this is also one of our greatest weaknesses because the desire for acceptance often leads us to compromise in areas where God clearly tells us that compromise is unacceptable.  This is what we have seen going on with the nation of Israel.  They want to be accepted by the community of nations, yet the calling that God still has on them will always bring conflict.  The kingdoms of this world are under Satan’s power, but God still has a remnant of Messianic Jews in Israel and Satan hates this.  So it should be no surprise that most of the world hates Israel, just like most of the world hates genuine Christians and their genuine Christianity in the gentile nations.

I applaud the efforts Israel and their partners in peace have made, but after many trials in these end times, Israel will eventually come to realize that they cannot trust in Egypt, Jordan, the United States, or any world leader promising them an unreliable, duplicitous, sneaky, underhanded peace treaty.  They will one day look on the one they have pierced and acknowledge that Jesus of Nazareth is their Messiah and their only hope in this world and in the world to come.  The prophecies of old concerning Israel looking to Egypt could possibly ring true today, although I can’t say definitively that they do, but I pray for the peace of Jerusalem and that God will protect my brothers and sisters in the nations where the demonstrations are taking place–

Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. …For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still. [Isaiah 30:1-3, 7]

And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When they [Israel] took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand. [Ezekiel 29:6-7]

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. …And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. [Zechariah 12:3, 9, 10]

–posted by Harry A. Gaylord–

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by Harry A. Gaylord on February 14, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on February 14, 2011

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The Dangers of Replacement Theology

Throughout the history of the Christian church, there have been many harmful doctrines introduced into the church. One such harmful doctrine is known as Replacement Theology. It states that believers in Jesus Christ have replaced any physical nation of Israel and its Jews as recipients of all promises and covenants given to ancient Israel. Because Israel rejected God, his son Jesus Christ, and embraced apostasy, all blessings previously meant for Israel have now fallen to the Christian church.  Those who cling to this belief also think that God’s kingdom has nothing at all to do with physical things like land and that all prophecies concerning Israel are purely symbolic,  speaking only of spiritual things.  So wherever Israel is mentioned in the Bible, especially the Old Testament, all one has to do to get the real meaning of the scripture is to substitute the word “Israel” with the word “church.”

Replacement Theology is believed to have been introduced into Christendom by Augustine in the 5th century and spread through Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox churches because they all placed Augustine on a pedestal. It is because of this doctrine that some churchgoers are anti-Jewish, anti-Israel, and anti-Biblical (although they would probably never admit out loud in certain company that they don’t agree with the Bible).  In our postmodern world, those who cling to Replacement Theology in churches shore up their beliefs with the following arguments:

1.  The nation of Israel is not a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy based on their understanding of Romans 2:23-29 where Paul states a true Jew is one who worships God in his heart as opposed to one who is focused on outward appearances.  Since Israel is a secular state, in their opinion, it has not fulfilled prophecy.

2.  The 1947 partition of the land by the UN was illegal:  The acquisition of the land violated Hague Regulations and the UN Charter by acquiring territory by force.

3.   The State Of Israel has created chaos from the moment it was birthed and has promoted everything from terrorism to Communism to America’s debt.

4.  Old Testament laws about distributing land to Israel no longer apply based on Hebrews 7:11-12.

5.  There is no longer a division between Jews and Gentiles based on Ephesians 2:11-15.

6.  Jesus did not come to establish an earthly kingdom based on John 18:36.

7.  Christ was focused on the heavenly, not the earthly based on Hebrews 12:22-29.

For point #1, the current nation of Israel is, in fact a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.  Yes, the majority of Israel is secular, but there are an impressive number of Jews in Israel who believe in Jesus Christ and therefore are true Jews according to the definition of what a true Jew is in Romans 2.  Just because they are outnumbered by false Jews doesn’t give anyone the right to wipe them out.  Even Jesus spoke in his parable about the wheat and the tares that the tares should not be pulled out until the harvest, which refers to when Christ will sit on his throne to judge all men at the end of days.  God said in Isaiah 10:20-22 and Zephaniah 3:12-20 that there would always be a remnant of true believers in the midst of the physical nation of Israel.

In Amos 9, the Lord calls Israel the sinful kingdom and talks about punishing them, but after their punishment comes the blessing that “[b]ehold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.  And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.  And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.”  Amos 9:13-15

This is literal land spoken of in this prophecy and God promises that once Israel is in it, they would not only prosper, but they would REMAIN in it.  He also confirmed this through Ezekiel in Ezekiel 36:5-15 when God was upset by the idea of the Gentiles to distribute his land that he promised to Israel as if they owned it.  God then went on to promise that Israel would no longer be bereaved of having their own people dwelling in their land and he would cause them to prosper in their land.  Thus far, he has fulfilled his prophecies through Israel.  They have been fruitful in their land and the whole world has benefited from many of their inventions and products such as voice mail, the first computer anti-virus technology, and the cell phone.  God can use anyone he chooses to fulfill his prophecies and in 1947-48 he used the UN.  He does not care about UN directives and regulations.  He does what pleases him, since he is sovereign, and is not going to allow laws set up by men to stop his plans.

Regarding point #3, Israel is by no means a perfect nation and the majority of Jews in Israel are sinful.  Some Jews are guilty of committing great evil.  But this is hardly a premise for doing away with the nation.  The United States is the poster child for the production of pornography, the illegal drug trade, killing unborn babies, and international corporate greed but we argue and fight against those who want to destroy us.  Both Russia and China have been responsible for the violation of human rights and have done more than any other nations to spread Communism, but no one is calling for their annihilation.  Many Islamic nations violate women’s rights and commit various atrocities, but we’re not trying to wipe them off the face of the Earth.  So why is it that Israel should be treated any differently?

Point #4 is taking Hebrews 7 out of context.  Hebrews is making the point that the Mosaic law has no bearing on a man’s relationship with God.  There is no longer the need for the law or a Levitical priesthood since God’s grace by faith in Jesus Christ replaces it.  It has no application to the fact that God said Israel would be established as a nation in the earth.

With regard to point #5, there is no distinction in God’s spiritual kingdom between Jews and Gentiles when they become believers in Christ, but this does not apply to how God sets up nations in the earth.  We still have Chinese Christians in China, Korean Christians in North and South Korea, Latino Christians in the nations of Central and South America, and Nigerian Christians in Nigeria, so what’s up with the argument against having Israeli Christians living in a state of Israel?  It’s pure nonsense!

Points #6 and #7 just highlight the fact that Jesus was not trying to establish a nation on earth where his followers would segregate themselves from the rest of the world.  We are truly citizens of a spiritual kingdom, but we are allowed to live anywhere God allows us to live on Earth.  Just because Jesus did not come to reign as a physical king of the present earthly nation of Israel does not mean that Israel has no right to exist.  Israel exists because God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their physical descendants would dwell in the land forever.

So since it is clear that Replacement Theologists have not rightfully divided the word of truth, it becomes quite easy to expose the true intentions behind their arguments.  One such intention is that they are simply looking for any justification for their hatred of the Jews and are happy to twist God’s word to encourage themselves in their hatred.  Another intention is that they covet Israel’s land.  Religious organizations clinging to Replacement Theology think they have a right to the lands where Jesus walked because they think of themselves as being Jesus’ true successors.  They see the Israelis as standing in the way of owning land that belongs to them, so they come up with all types of arguments to make the Jews look as evil as possible.  But God makes it clear in his word that he intended those lands for the physical Israel (i.e. Jews) and it’s only when Christ returns with his saints that he will establish the land as the possession of all of his followers even if in the meantime the Antichrist will eventually broker a deal for all interested parties to share Jerusalem. 

By their actions, they show themselves to be hypocrites.  They, on the one hand, claim that God’s kingdom is purely spiritual and has nothing to do with land ownership or physical places while, on the other hand, they seek to possess physical land to use that physical land to promote themselves as being valid.  So really they aren’t only concerned about spiritual things as they claim.  Replacement Theologists are unknowingly adding to the worldwide hatred of Israel which will lead to the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy, such as Psalm 83, Ezekiel 38-39, and Revelation where it talks about all of the nations of the Earth rising up together in an attempt to annihilate Israel.

If Replacement Theology were really a godly doctrine, it wouldn’t ignore what was said about Israel as a nation by the apostle Paul in Romans 11–

I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. …Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. …

And if some of the branches [Israel] be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches [Israel]. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.  Thou wilt say then, The branches [Israel] were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:  For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. …

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.  …

As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father’s sakes. 

–posted by Harry A. Gaylord–

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by Harry A. Gaylord on December 12, 2010  •  Permalink
Posted in Bible, Christianity, God, Israel, politics, religion
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on December 12, 2010

http://sunandshield.wordpress.com/2010/12/12/the-dangers-of-replacement-theology/

Recent discoveries in Israel back 3 Bible stories

Some recent archaeological discoveries were made in the ruins of Gath, Goliath’s hometown.  One discovery is a Philistine temple found in ancient mound ruins by archaeologists from Bar Ilan University verifying facts told in the story of Samson’s death.  The temple reveals that Philistines used two pillars to hold up their temples, which shows why it was possible for Samson to take “hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up” in Judges 16:29 and press against them to cause his own death and the death of the Philistines in the house where he was.

Another discovery is that there is evidence at the same site that a serious earthquake took place in the 8th century B.C.  The earthquake is estimated to have been an 8 on the Richter scale and took place around the same time as the earthquake mentioned in Amos 1:1 during the time of the reign of Uzziah, king of Judah.  The excavations show that building walls were moved from their original positions and collapsed like a house of cards.

The third discovery verifies the account given in 2 Kings 12:17 that Hazael, king of Syria, destroyed the city of Gath in 830 B.C.

Source: Arutz Sheva, July 30, 2010.

–posted by Harry A. Gaylord–

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by Harry A. Gaylord on August 1, 2010  •  Permalink
Posted in Bible, Christianity, Israel, religion, science
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on August 1, 2010

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Israel’s right to defend itself

Let me say from the start that I think all of the Muslims who are supposedly upset with Israel over the raid of Turkish ships are disingenuous.  As Cal Thomas pointed out in his syndicated columnist yesterday, the 1994 Gaza-Jericho agreement, signed by Palestinian leaders, stated that Israel’s Navy would have the right to take action against ships they suspected of  “being used for smuggling arms, amunition, drugs, goods, or for any other illegal activity…” that come near the territories they keep watch over.   This whole incident was, in my opinion, staged by the Turkish humanitarian organization IHH who sent the ships to Gaza.  But this is not to say Israel can do no wrong.  They’re human and make mistakes like all other governments do.

It’s too bad people lost their lives to try to make Israel look bad, but Islamists who are full of hate will do anything to make those they hate look bad, including placing their own lives in danger and calling themselves “peace activists.”  The government of Turkey was well aware of the Gaza-Jericho agreement and could have used other means, like diplomacy with the Israeli government, to try to get humanitarian aid to Palestinians, but they weren’t interested in diplomacy.   They sent the ships hoping to stir up a confrontation to try to make Israel look like the heavy. 

IHH, who sent the ships, is known to have ties with terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda.  But this is what many Islamic “humanitarian” organizations do.  They give the appearance that they are helping the downtrodden while they funnel money to Islamic terrorists.  This behavior has been going on for decades, but of course such ties won’t be reported on the liberal-leaning evening news broadcasts in the Western Hemisphere.

I saw clearly on the videos shown that the so-called peace activists were swinging clubs or other objects at the Israeli soldiers on just one of the six ships.  The other ships surrendered peacefully, so why was the one ship so adamantly opposed to being boarded that they lashed out violently?   The incident reminds me of a playground fight where a kid hits a classmate then when the kid he hits strikes back, he goes running to the teacher as if he were the real victim.  Only this is on a much larger scale with more dire consequences.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again–Islam has never been and will never be a peaceful religion.  Islamists want to rule the world and they want Israel to be wiped out.  This is what their Koran and the Hadiths teach.  Even Mosab Hassan Yousef, the converted son of a Hamas leader, attests to this in his book Son of Hamas.

Christians are jailed and murdered every day in Islamic countries, but is there outrage about it?  Do they protest in the streets?  Of course not!  Islamic women are mistreated in many Islamic countries but will we see them demonstrate for their human rights?  I don’t think so!  Mosab Hassan Yousef even pointed out in Son of Hamas that Palestinians treat each other worse than the Israelis, but do we ever hear about it?  No!

Israel, as a sovereign nation, has the right to defend itself against those who want to harm them.  And it’s time the UN and everybody else who disagrees to get over their feigned outrage that they use to cover their anti-Israeli sentiments.

–posted by Harry A. Gaylord–

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by Harry A. Gaylord on June 3, 2010  •  Permalink
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on June 3, 2010

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