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The New Israeli Government and Rising Antisemitism
Are we being deceived by the new antisemitism?
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Friday, February 20, 2009
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www.bibleinthenews.com Audio & Print versions
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Benjamin Netanyahu has been endorsed by the majority of the parties, which have been elected to make up the next Israeli Government. It seems quite certain that Netanyahu will be the next Prime Minister of Israel. This is David Billington with you for this week's, Bible in the News!
Since before the election Netanyahu has pushed for a unity government, including center parties and maybe even the the left wing Labour party. The centrist Kadima party was the prime target for membership in the Netanyahu coalition. However, an extraordinary twist of events is making this option look rather unlikely. Since Kadima won the most seats in parliament--even if only by one--they normally would have been chosen to form the government. Yet, because most of the parties recommended Netanyahu and the Likud party, Netanyahu will have the first go at forming a government. It is very unlikely that he will not succeed. Still it is looking unlikely that he will be able to form the center unity government that he wished for. In order for Tzipi Livni to be in the government it would require being second in command to Netanyahu, even though she technically won, so far this has proven too bitter of a pill for her to swallow. Even if Netanyahu does succeed in bringing Kadima into the coalition, it would be skewed to the right, making it very difficult to pass any concessions to the Palestinian Arabs. Netanyahu may yet be forced into creating a right wing religious government. This could create some very interesting years ahead.Israel seems set on a collision course with the world. The new Obama administration is shaping up to be pro-arab and definitely will be pushing for a new Palestinian Arab state within Israel's borders, comprising most of the west bank--the biblical heartland of Israel. Europe will also be pushing very hard for this. Neither Europe, nor America want to see a right wing government in Israel, yet this government could shape up to be more right-wing than any of us imagined, would be produced from this election. Time will tell exactly which parties will be in the government, yet at this point it seems the government, will not be one pushing for the "two state solution". If they do not the world will turn against them even more.
This turn of events would exacerbate the controversy of Zion. We would see a further rise in antisemitism and anti-Zionism around the globe. This week Jewish students from the Toronto University Jewish Student organization known as "Hillel" were held hostage in their office. The Hillel president was sworn at and called "dirty Jew". One of the students said: "I have never in my life felt threatened and hated like I did that night." Also this week the Vatican readmitted a Catholic society -- The Society of St. Pius X -- that propagates antisemitism. This was reported by the left wing Israeli paper Ha'aretz. The Society is reported to have up to a million followers. The Society's South African website said that "Jews have come closer and closer to fulfilling their substitute-Messianic drive towards world dominion." What a stir it will cause when Yahweh sets his King upon the Holy Hill of Zion!
We can be sure this type of antisemitic propaganda will increase, as the time draws closer for the return of the Messiah of Israel. What we have to be certain of is that we aren't influenced by it in our attitude towards the Hope of Israel or the Jewish people. It is easy to get caught up with the argument that we need to be "even-handed" in our approach to the middle east conflict and that we shouldn't take sides. While we do not support the governments of the modern state of Israel we ask the question: Who is on the LORD's side? For over the last 100 years Yahweh has been bringing back his people from captivity. He has brought them back to the mountains of Israel, bringing again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem as prophesied in Joel 3. Do we rejoice in this process, as God forms the nucleus or basis for future operations when the King of Israel comes to reign in Zion? Can we say with the Psalmist:
"Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad." Psalm 14:7
In about the year 1850, John Thomas in his book entitled "Elpis Israel" or "The Hope of Israel" wrote:
"The restoration of Israel is a most important feature in the divine economy. It is indispensable to the setting up of the kingdom of God; for they are the kingdom, having been constituted such by the covenant of Sinai, as it is written, "Ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation" (Exo. 19:6)."
Again in another place in the same work:
"...the kingdom founded at the beginning of the ages, the kingdom of Israel, will be His "peculiar treasure above them all." If, then, we would understand "the things of the kingdom of God," we must never lose sight of Israel in connection with the kingdom. Indeed without them there is no kingdom of God; and to affirm the contrary is to believe in a kingdom over which there is no nation to rule! ... All who deny the restoration of Israel in effect say, "they have rebelled successfully against God and His Christ." But this cannot be. God will restore them "for His name's sake." He will plant them in Canaan; settle them in the land according to their old estates; and place Jesus upon David's throne in triumph..."
How can we be neutral in this process? If we are on the LORD's side we will rejoice in his work and that which He is creating. We would never for one minute contemplate the fallacy that Jews do not belong in the West Bank and that there should be an Arab state there for the sake of peace.
As antisemitism increases in the world around us we must take heed that we are not influenced by it. The antisemitisim of today is very subtle and is usually masked as criticism for the state of Israel. In the book Aftershock, Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism the writer David Matas makes this point:
"After the Second World War, the horrors of the Holocaust discredited traditional antisemitism. Yet antisemitism did not die. For many member states of the United Nations it turned into anti-Zionism. Israel became the Jew amongst nations, condemned for sins it did not commit, targeted for destruction, almost friendless and alone."
We must take careful heed that we are not duped into accepting one iota of today's antisemitism. In Revelation 16 the frog spirits or unclean corrupting teachings go out into the world to gather the nations together to the Hebrew battle of Armageddon. This is a battle described many times in the Old Testament Scriptures. It's focus is on the "mountains of Israel" in Ezekiel 38 and in Joel 3 it is described within the context of the bringing again of "the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem". It is clear the focus of the nations invasion is what is today known as the West Bank. It is at that time that the Middle East questions will be solved once and for all, when Yahweh roars out of Zion and utters His voice from Jerusalem! Let us take heed that we are not deceived by these corrupting teachings described in Revelation 16, that have gone out to deceive the whole world and bring them in opposition to Zion. Juxtaposed with the description of the frog spirits is the blessing of the King of Israel, "Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments..."
May Yahweh bless you out of Zion! Come back next week God willing to www.bibleinthenews.com.
Printed: Friday, February 20, 2009
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