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Instead of Visiting Washington, Ehud Olmert Should be Reading his Bible.
Some words for the President of America. Are you listening Mr. Bush?
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May 25, 2006 - Audio, 10.50 MIN
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With you for the weekly Bible in the News program, is Dave Billington, as Paul continues his lecturing tour in Australia. I don't know if President Bush takes time out every week to listen to The Bible in the News, but if you don't Mr. President, it's certainly time you did -- in fact you would find this week particularly interesting having just visited with the PM of Israel, Ehud Olmert. You discussed with him is plan to expel many Jews from their homes in the west bank, or Judea and Samaria; he said, that unless the Palestinians negotiate to let him give them the land, he will force them to have it! (My paraphrase.)
Now, Mr. Bush, I know you will be very familiar with the history of your country the United States, but I would just like to refresh your memory to a few facts that you may of forgotten of late. You will find these facts interesting and useful as I know you profess to be a believer in the word of God and the prophets. Seeing that you attended Yale University, I would imagine that you would be familiar with the Yale University Crest. In the center there are two Hebrew words "Urim v'Tummim". As you may have suspected they come from the Bible, in Exodus 28:30 they will be easy to see, because they have not been translated in to english, they are the "Urim and Thummim" on the High Priests Breastplate of Judgment. Yes, the University that you attended has very strong Biblical roots just like the American people; many of the first settlers of America were Puritans and Huguenots fleeing religious persecution in Europe. Columbia University and Dartmouth college also have Hebrew writing in their seals. When these universities were founded Hebrew was a dead language and the Jewish people were in exile from their homeland, all around the world -- of course, that has all changed now as you may have been reminded from Olmert's visit. Also, Mr. President you attended Harvard Business School and so you may have heard of Increase Mather (1639-1723), a very famous historical figure in New England and President of Harvard University beginning in 1685 and continuing for about 15 years. Increase Mather wrote extensively about Bible prophecy and spent many hours a day studying his Bible. He believed that Jesus Christ would return to the earth to set up a kingdom for a 1000 years, the restitution of all things and in the literal return of the Jews to the land of Israel. It is very unfortunate that most--if not all of the professors at Harvard today, would not care one iota about the writings of Increase Mather concerning Bible Prophecy and the return of the Jews to the land of Israel. The Jews have returned and Bible prophecy has been fulfilled -- Increase Mather was right because he believed the word of God.

In Jeremiah 31:10 the text reads: "Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock." This message has been declared in your nation, Mr. Bush, an isle afar off from the land of Israel, by the likes of Increase Mather and many others, and it should not be ignored.

Just before the state of Israel came back into being over 50 years ago, in his appeal to the United Nations for that state, Chaim Wiezmann read from the prophet Isaiah to all those in attendance, regarding the return of the Jews to Israel as a fulfillment of God's word. On the very day that the UN voted for the creation of a National Home for the Jewish People, a startling archeological find was purchased for the state of Israel. Professor E. L. Sukenik of the Hebrew University, against the advice of his wife and son -- Yigael Yadin -- traveled to Bethlehem, the morning of the day of the UN vote. He picked up the first three dead sea scrolls from a Arab antiquities dealer, one of the scrolls was an almost complete copy of the book of the prophet Isaiah, known later as the "Isaiah 2 scroll". Yigael Yadin comments on these events in his book, The Message of the Scrolls: "I cannot avoid the feeling that there is something symbolic in the discovery of the scrolls and their acquisition at the moment of the creation of the State of Israel. It is as if these manuscripts had been waiting in caves for two thousand years, ever since the destruction of Israel's independence, until the people of Israel had returned to their home and regained their freedom. This symbolism is heightened by the fact that the first three scrolls were bought by my father for Israel on 29th November, 1947, the very day on which the United Nations voted for the re-creation of the Jewish state in Israel after two thousand years." When one reads the book of Isaiah and digests all the information given concerning the return of the Jews to their homeland, if he is honest he can see there is noway this is a coincidence! The timing of this discovery in relation to the Jews return to their ancient land is incredible, showing the hand of the Almighty at work.

I would like to draw your attention to another potential archeological discovery that could be unearthed in the next few years. Another Biblical Prophet that you will of heard of, is Jeremiah from Anathoth, a Jewish town which was about 3 miles north-east of Jerusalem and a city of refuge. We meet Jeremiah shut up in prison for speaking out and saying that the city of Jerusalem would fall to the Babylonians, who had laid a siege around the walls. While he is in prison the word of God comes to him and tells him that Hanameel his uncle's son would be coming to him and asking him to buy a field in Anathoth, because he had the right of redemption to buy it. It was not a very smart time to be investing in real estate near the city of Jerusalem, especially when you knew the nation of Judah was to go into captivity. When Hanameel comes to Jeremiah and asks him to buy the field, Jeremiah knows that this is from the Lord. So, Jeremiah goes through the proper legal proceedings and purchases the property. He gives the evidence of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah. Now, Baruch the son of Neriah is a historical figure -- not only from the Bible but also from archeology. A number of years ago the seal of Baruch the son of Neriah was discovered. Jeremiah then charges Baruch before all the witnesses saying: "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days. For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land." (Jeremiah 32:14-15) This means that just as the seal of Baruch  lay in the dust for centuries before its discovery, somewhere, just waiting for the right moment, there is buried an earthen vessel containing evidence that the Jews would return to their land and possess houses, fields and vineyards and not just any part of the land. You see, Anathoth, where Jeremiah bought the field, is in the region of the tribe of Benjamin, and it is in what you know as the West Bank. Further, it is on the other side of the security fence. God has a way of causing important archeological discoverys at the right moment and I wonder when this earthen jar will be discovered.

Just a little earlier in the text of Jeremiah in chapter 31:5 we read: "Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things." Mr. Bush, I know of a Jewish farmer in the mountains of Samaria today; my brother stayed with him and worked in his vineyard. His farm and vineyard will be set to be destroyed in the "Convergence Plan", that you have been discussing with Ehud Olmert, and given to terrorists. I would like you to take notice of what the prophets says, in the previous verse: "Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel". This is God's work Mr. Bush. It is His planting, it is His building. I think you are making a tragic mistake by supporting this plan in any shape or form, just as Ehud Olmert is doing in proposing it; a mistake that could be devastating for the American people. We must ask if it is a coincidence that shortly after the Jews of Gaza were expelled from their homes on the coast of Israel  -- with your support -- the coast of the United States was battered by terrible storms and the residents of the coastal city of New Orleans were forced to flee from their homes. Remember the story of Naboth and his vineyard, which he was expelled from by King Ahab? Elijah the prophet told him that God would bring evil upon him and take away his posterity.

Mr. Bush you profess to be a Christian, and if you really are a Christian you must believe the prophets as Jesus Christ himself did. I must conclude that you are not ignorant as to what the prophets have spoken, and if not ignorant you are responsible to God for your actions in these matters. Forcing the Jews out of the West Bank will not bring peace, but only war and bloodshed because you are working against God's planting. You called Olmert's strategy a "bold" idea and gave qualified support, I suggest you make a 180 degree turn and work against this project with all your power. This coming Friday, May 26th is Jerusalem Day, celebrating the liberation of Jerusalem in June 1967. That would be a great opportunity to announce the reversal of your decision. And by the way, next time you are speaking with Mr. Olmert, let him know that in the United States there is a Bible in the top drawer of the night table in most of the Hotels, tell him to read the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, we can only hope that it will wake him up.

Join us again next week for another edition of The Bible in the News!






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