|
|
|
|
The Rabin Assassination and the Road to Peace
It is the 12 year anniversary of Rabin's murder, where is the road to peace?
October 25, 2007 - Audio, 11.00 MIN
(Links at bottom of page to download free viewers.)
It was just over 14 years ago, that then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin shook hands with Arafat, in what was supposed to be the road to peace. Yesterday was 12 years since Yitzhak Rabin was murdered after a peace rally in Tel-Aviv. The official story is that Rabin was assassinated by a right wing religious Jew, however many Israelis question this story today. In fact, in a poll done by the Israeli paper Ma'ariv, today nearly half of the religious public (46%), and well over a quarter (28%) of the public at large, believe that Amir was not the culprit and 30 percent of Israelis support a future pardon for Yigal Amir the convicted killer. A video of the assassination was shown on Israeli TV near the time of the murder but has not been shown since. It is widely available on the internet and is known as the Kempler video. It raises some questions about the murder such as: Why does the camera keep focusing in on Yigal Amir the convicted assassin several times before the murder, while he is allowed to stand, unguarded and by himself in a sterile security area? There are also claims that the video was obviously doctored.
Rabin's death has become a source of friction in Israel. Many on the right wing feel the assassination is being used as propaganda against them. The left wing peace activists use the assassination to claim the religious right wing tried to kill peace and point out that the "song of peace" that Rabin had sung at the rally was in his pocket at the time of the murder and ended up with a bullet hole through it, as shown by Shimon Peres shortly after the murder. Skeptics point out that the paper had only one bullet hole through it and if it had been folded in his pocket it would have had four holes.
However you look at it the peace process in Israel is really in tatters and the reason for it has nothing to do with the Rabin assassination. The reason for it is clearly stated in the Bible in Isaiah 48:22: "There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked." According to this principle there will be no peace in the land of the Bible until there is righteousness, Isaiah 32:17: "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." You may say: "Well what about the peace that will be in the land of Israel before Gog invades in Ezekiel 38?" The answer is that there will be peace in the land when Gog invades, it will be a land of unwalled villages without bars and gates--without checkpoints, they will be at rest, dwelling safely so much so that Gog will "know it" and use the opportunity of Israel being off their guard to launch his invasion. The question then is: How can there be peace without righteousness according to the principle in Isaiah?
In the book of Revelation another reason for peace reigning in a land is given. In Revelation chapter 7 and verses 2 and 3 we read: "And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads." In symbolic language a scene of peace is depicted and the reason for the holding off on impending judgments, that would be poured out on the Roman Empire in chapter 8 is that the "servants of God" had to be sealed in their foreheads. To be sealed in the forehead is to be instructed in the way of righteousness, Job 33:16 puts it this way: "Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction". The carnal mind has to be born again into a mind of the spirit word, this was given by figure in the clothing of the high priest on whose forehead was the words "Holiness to the LORD." (Exodus 28:36) So the minds of the servants of God must be holy to the LORD. In order for this work of sealing or instruction to proceed it was needful that there would be peace in the realm of the Roman Empire. So it must be in the land of Israel before Gog invades, when there will be a time of instruction and peace.
So it is as we watch the signs of the times and the nation of Israel in particular we look for a time of peace. This is however something that the servants of God may never witness in this dispensation. In 1 Thessalonians 4 the apostle by the spirit instructs us that the dead in Christ will rise first and then those alive and remaining will be caught away in clouds of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) for a meeting with the Lord in the air or in a position of authority. The air is currently ruled by the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2), or sin in the flesh in political power over the world. Another principle is that "that judgment must begin at the house of God." (1 Peter 4:17). It is only after this judgment of the household that risen saints would be available to work in the land of Israel as teachers to the nation as in Isaiah 30:20,21: "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."
This situation will be very much like that in the reign of the ancient Judean king Jehoshaphat. In the reign of Asa we are told that: "Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law." This is in 2 Chronicles 15:3. This is exactly like the situation today as outlined in Hosea 3:4,5: "For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days." In ancient time this situation was turned about in the reign of Jehoshaphat as recorded at the beginning of 2 Chronicles 17. In the third year of his reign he sent princes and with them priests and Levites throughout the land of Judah "And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people." The result of this teaching was peace and prosperity as we read in the next verses: "And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats. And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store. And he had much business in the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem." It is then later in his reign that there is an invasion of the land and the faith of the people is tested. This is in 2 Chronicles 20.
This gives us an idea of what the instruction for Judah will be like as a group of teachers goes from village to village having the book of the law with them. At each stop they will cause great commotion as eyes are opened to the law of God. We are not told how the peace came about in Chronicles, other than the fact that "the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah." However God did it in Jehoshaphat's day he could certainly do it in ours. In this way the peace and safety of Ezekiel 38 could be a result of the initial instruction that will take place in the land of Judah. This certainly shows how close we could be to the coming of the King of Israel and the judgment of the household--we don't have to wait for peace and safety in the land before the coming of Christ. This should really make us "keep our garments"! However, we could see this period of peace come about in another way. One thing seems to be certain, there will be a time of peace for the house of Judah to be instructed in the ways of God. This time of peace and safety will last for a period of a few years, as this initial instruction would probably take up about the same time as the preaching of John the Baptist which was 3 1/2 years. Peace and prosperity without instruction from the word would be detrimental to the nation as materialism and worldliness would come in very quickly. If the household of God witnesses this peace and safety we will know that the time is at hand.
The question we need to ask ourselves is are we part of the household of God? If so are we ready to be judged by the king of Israel? Are we being sealed in the foreheads by the word of God today? Could it be said our minds are holy to Yahweh? These are sobering questions. What are we putting in our minds by way of the internet, television, magazines and novels. How are we spending our time? It is TODAY that we have to hear the voice of the spirit through the word of God. If we are not baptized into Christ we need to seriously consider where we stand, we do not have the luxury of some in previous generations to take our time deciding on our commitments. TODAY is our day of opportunity! Let use it!
This has been David Billington with you for Bible in the News and I would like to welcome you back next week to www.bibleinthenews.com for another chat about Bible Prophecy God willing.
Bible in the News provides a weekly analysis of world politics and events
in the light of Bible prophecy — the Bible in the News!
|
|
|
|
Listen in MP3 Format 
Print
