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	Looking for a Solution in Rome Thinking an Evil Thought or Keeping the Peace?
Wednesday, July 26, 2006	www.bibleinthenews.com Audio & Print versions

Today July 26th 2006: Israeli ground forces are at war in Lebanon; Haifa, Israel's third largest city is in a state of siege from Hezbollah rockets, as are most other northern Israeli cities as far south as Tiberias, as 120 Hezbollah rockets land--today; looking for a solution in Rome, an international peace conference fails to set guidelines for a cease fire in Lebanon and also fails to mention or condemn Hizbullah, Katyusha rocket fire on Israel or the abduction of the Israeli soldiers; and nine Israeli soldiers are killed in a Hezbollah ambush as Israel pushes deeper into Lebanon. This is David Billington with Bible in the News.

Yesterday four UN observers were killed by an Israeli bomb in Lebanon, UN chief Kofi Annan expressed shock in what he called the "apparently deliberate targeting" of peacekeepers. Meanwhile, a large prayer rally was held at the western wall in Jerusalem, with thousands attending, quoting Israel National News: "The massive attacks on Israel's civilian population and army along the Lebanese border in the north and the border with Gaza in the south brought out Jews of all types to pour out their hearts in supplication." Yesterday being the first of the Hebrew month of Av, the monthly walk and prayer around the temple mount gates was held with many young people turning out. Forget the Katyusha rockets, 650 new olim/immigrants from France arrived in Israel yesterday. These people obviously did not come to live in Israel for material reasons or safety, many of them said they came because Israel is home.

On January 4th of this year Ynet News ran an article with the headline: "The Vatican Also Wants Jerusalem?". The article read: "Israel cannot be trusted? The Vatican's legal advisor in Israel, David Jaeger, harshly criticized Israel's policy regarding safeguarding Christian holy sites. Speaking during an international conference at a Haifa University University on Tuesday, Jaeger said Jerusalem is an important city the fate of which should not be left in the hands of Israel and Palestinians." It is no secret that the Vatican wants Jerusalem, there are many incidents from the crusades until now that prove this fact, but what does this have to do with the current situation in the Middle East? The Catholic Church sees itself as the kingdom of God on earth, they see themselves as Israel, they believe that they receive all the blessings that God gave to Israel, all Israel gets to keep is the curses. What are the curses? Deuteronomy 28:25: "The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth."

So in June 1967 when Israel did not flee before its enemies but took Jerusalem and the Israeli commander said: "Har Ha'Bayit Be'Yadanu" "The Temple Mount is in our hands", this was anathema to the Vatican. What to do? For this reason they have sided with the PLO, Yasser Arafat and so on. This is why in the Pope's address this Sunday in a "Special Middle East Appeal" the Pope referred indirectly to the "holy places" in Israel: "Today, we are celebrating the Feast of St Bridget, one of the women Saints whom John Paul II proclaimed Patroness of Europe. St Bridget travelled from Sweden to Italy, lived in Rome and also went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land... May she obtain from the Lord in particular peace in the Holy Land, for which she felt such deep affection and veneration." Interesting that the last Pope picked a woman that had made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to be the patroness of Europe!

The Pope also made some comments directly about the situation in Lebanon: "I strongly renew my appeal to the Parties in conflict to immediately adopt a ceasefire, to permit the sending of humanitarian aid and to seek new ways with the support of the international community to begin negotiations." An immediate ceasefire and then negotiations. No mention of the return of the Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah. That is the position of the Arabs, that is the position of Hezbollah--they want a ceasefire now so they can rearm. Then negotiations with the international community about what? Israel has a internationally recognized border with Lebanon.

But, the Pope isn't just talking about Lebanon, he goes on: "I take this opportunity to reaffirm the right of the Lebanese to the integrity and sovereignty of their Country, the right of the Israelis to live in peace in their State and the right of Palestinians to possess a free and sovereign Homeland." You might say: "O, isn't the Pope nice saying that Israel has a right to live in their state." But lets understand, the Pope means a state without Hebron, Bethlehem, Bethel, Shiloh, in-fact all of Judea and Samaria and of course without Jerusalem. In an opinion piece in the Boston Globe entitled "The Pope's Emphasis on Palestinian Rights" published on May 16, 2001, the writer, Elaine C. Hagopian, interpreted the Pope's words this way: "With the following words, repeated often during his visit to Syria, Pope John Paul II articulated the international consensus on Palestinian national and individual rights: It is time to return to the principles of international legality: the banning of acquisition of territory by force, the right of people to self-determination, respect for the resolutions of the United Nations and the Geneva convention. The pope's call embodies the whole range of international law and the accumulated UN Resolutions calling for Palestinian national self-determination, for Palestinian refugee right of return, and for removal of Israel's June 1967 occupation (military and illegal settlements) of Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank." What does the right of return mean? It means that the millions of so-called Palestinian refugees would return to the pre-1967 part of the state of Israel which would mean the end of the Jewish State. The "right or return" means the end of the Jewish State. So the Pope does not support the Jewish State at all. He may support an Israeli state flooded with Palestinian refugees but not a Jewish State. Do you think the Pope may be thinking an evil thought?

In Ezekiel 38 a prophecy addressed to Gog from the north parts who is the chief prince of Rosh (which is ancient for Russia), Meshech and Tubal (corresponding to Moscow and Tobolsk the historic capital of Siberia on the River Tobol in Russia.) Gog is also of the land of Magog, which corresponds to modern day Europe. Gog is the chief ruler or emperor over Europe and Russia at the time of Ezekiel's prophecy--which is after the restoration of the Jews to the land of Israel. At the time of the invasion of Gog's armies, the Jews in the land of Israel, (particularly those in the mountains of Israel in the midst of the land--the area of Judea and Samaria or the West Bank), are living in peace. The peace however is a false peace, a deceptive peace. It is the lull before the storm. Gog knows the Jews are living in peace and Ezekiel implies that Gog in particular knows they are living in peace and vulnerable: "Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it ? And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army." (Ezekiel 38:14-15) It seems to me that Gog has inside information as to the peace and security of the Jewish State at this time, so he thinks an "evil thought": "Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates." (Ezekiel 38:10-11) Rotherham says: "So shall it be in that day, that thoughts will come upon thy heart. And thou wilt devise a wicked device."

Today the international community was looking for a solution for the Lebanon conflict in Rome. The Lebanese Prime Minister met with the Vatican Secretary of State and many world leaders came together to discuss a solution to the Lebanon war. There was no consensus in the Lebanon cease-fire talks. As usual the United States and Europe had very different views. What they did agree on however was this: "Top U.S. and European officials agreed Wednesday on the need for urgent action to halt the fighting in Lebanon and on the creation of a multinational force to keep the peace."

Israel has always avoided having international peace keeping forces to keep the peace for her, or UN observers to monitor borders or situations. However, it has been forced upon her at times. The reason for this is that they are simply ineffective at stopping attacks and then only get in the way when a situation like the current one develops. The other reason of course, is that they are always biased against the state of Israel. (The last time Israeli soldiers were abducted from the Lebanon border by Hezbollah the UN monitors filmed the kidnapping and never told Israel that had a tape of it. Israel found out after a period of years and the UN refused to hand over the tape. Then they relented and said Israel could see the tape once, but not have it. All this time the condition of the Israeli soldiers was unknown.)

Well now, Ehud Olmert the prime-minister of Israel has called for an international force to man the border with Lebanon--an armed military force. According to the Jerusalem Post on July 17th: "Putin says Russia will consider contributing troops to an international force for the Mideast if UN approves deployment." A multinational force on Israel's northern border to "keep the peace". A force that will no doubt consist of EU troops and possibly Russian troops. With these troops keeping "the peace" it would be very easy for Gog to devise a wicked devise. As the conflict in Lebanon unfolds we continue to watch very closely for signs that could set the stage for the return of Chirst to the earth.

Printed: Wednesday, July 26, 2006

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