155 years ago, before political Zionism and before the return of the Jews, in 1868, the Christadelphian author John Thomas, wrote the book now known as “Exposition of Daniel”, John Thomas commented on the time just before the return of Christ,

“The time, however, fast approaches; and the nearer it arrives, the more important do all questions become bearing upon Judah’s land, and Zion, the city of their king.”

This is pretty incredible, that someone 155 years ago, could understand from the Bible, that the closer we are to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, the more important will be the issue of Judah’s land and Zion or the city of Jerusalem. And how important are those questions today!

Are Hamas terrorists?

Well here is a question that is generating a lot of discussion today, "Are Hamas terrorists?” This seems like a very simple question. The logical answer is yes. In fact, a number of nations do hold Hamas as a terror organization. What is a terrorist? The dictionary says, "A person who engages in terrorism. One who favors or uses terrorizing methods for the accomplishment of some object, as for coercing a government or a community … A person, group, or organization that uses violent action, or the threat of violent action, to further political goals” So are Hamas terrorists? The logical answer by definition is clearly “yes". In fact, a number of nations do hold Hamas as a terror organization.

There is no question that the attacks on Israeli civilians on October 7 were terrorist attacks and not just terrorist attacks, but terrorist attacks of an obscene level and type of brutality. A massacre of the elderly, babies, targeted at close range… in fact the stories were so horrific that whichever words are used to describe them, would themselves be forever defiled.

Yet, on October 11 an article in the National Post in Canada reported that Canada’s national news outlet, CBC, in a leaked memo, communicated to journalists to not call Hamas ’terrorists’. The National Post reported, "A leaked memo from the CBC tells its journalists to avoid use of the word “terrorist” when referring to Hamas fighters in its coverage of the ongoing war in Israel and the Gaza strip.” The article continued,

"“Do not refer to militants, soldiers, or anyone else as ‘terrorists,'” the memo states, emphasizing “do not” with bold type. “The notion of terrorism remains heavily politicized and is part of the story. Even when quoting/clipping a government or a source referring to fighters as ‘terrorists,’ we should add context to ensure the audience understands this is opinion, not fact. That includes statements from the Canadian government and Canadian politicians.”"

Meanwhile in the UK, on October 10th, it was reported in the Telegraph, that the Foreign Secretary “James Cleaverly confronts BBC live on air for failing to call Hamas ‘terrorists'. The article says, "The BBC has been describing Hamas as fighters, militants or political resistance, as its guidelines state that journalists should not call the attacks on Israel “terrorism”. In another article on the Telegraph, it notes that, "Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, said it was time for the BBC to get the “moral compass out” and suggested it was “disgraceful” for the news organisation not to describe Hamas as terrorists.” He said,

"“They are not freedom fighters, they are not militants, they are pure and simple terrorists and it’s remarkable to go to the BBC website and still see them talking about gunmen and militants and not calling them terrorists. “I don’t know what’s going on there, but I think that it’s time to get the moral compass out at the BBC.”"

Meanwhile, John Simpson, a veteran correspondent, who is currently world affairs editor at the BBC said in response,

"The BBC’s job is to place the facts before its audience and let them decide what they think, honestly and without ranting.”

Well isn’t it a fact, that a group who regularly engages in terrorist activity, perpetrated a horrific number of terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7 are terrorists? This group is by every definition terrorists. So why not call them such? The headline in the Telegraph gives the answer: "John Simpson says BBC would be 'taking sides' if it described Hamas as terrorists”.  So even though Hamas are terrorists by definition, the BBC will not call them such, in order to remain impartial, between the terrorists and their victims. What the BBC is saying in effect, is that they will not call Hamas terrorists, because, well, they could be justified in their attack.

The Washington Post and the Associated press also have similar guidelines. The word “terrorist” is being erased from news reporting, because these violent attacks against innocent civilians could be justified. Kirk LaPointe, CBC’s Ombudsman, wrote, "I think CBC pursues the correct approach … Its language is descriptive but not subjective or judgmental; its moral reasoning views those latter two qualities as the domain of the audience”

It is astounding that the mainstream media outlets around the world, refuse to call Hamas terrorists, which is by every definition a terror organization, so as not to be “subjective or judgmental!” In reality calling Hamas a terrorist organization is simply reporting the facts. Hamas are terrorists. That is a fact.

An opinion piece on the UK Telegraph on November 19, is entitled, "BBC’s credibility with Jewish community has reached breaking point” Here are some exerts from the piece by Danny Cohen.

“The BBC’s credibility with the Jewish community is reaching a point of no return.

"On a daily basis Britain’s Jews are being harmed through its unbalanced reporting of the Israel-Hamas war and the failure of its senior management to get to grips with it."

"The problems started almost as soon as Hamas began its horrific attacks on October 7. The BBC’s unwillingness to describe the burning alive of families in their homes, the rape of women and the murder of babies as a terrorist attack is now well known and stands in stark contrast with its reporting of other recent terrorist incidents.

"If it were possible, the BBC’s description of these massacres has actually become more egregious. BBC News has since described the pogrom  of October 7 as a ‘cross-border attack’ as if it were a skirmish between two warring armies rather than the worst massacre of Jewish families since the Holocaust.

"It’s hard to find the words to describe both how offensive and reductionist this is. It makes me wonder whether any senior member of BBC management could look the families of the Oct 7 massacres in the eyes and tell them that they believe this is an appropriate description for the slaughter of innocent civilians and the kidnapping of children.

"Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident. The BBC’s anti-Israel bias spans both its UK and global output and its broadcasting and online presence. Examples of this could fill pages and many have been reported…

"Sadly, there is so much more. The BBC’s diplomatic correspondent Caroline Hawley appears to have no interest in balance when it comes to Israel and the Hamas attacks. Her Twitter feed reads like a series of press releases from Hamas central command. Day after day Hawley reposts messages and photographs from Gaza without context or any apparent attempt at basic journalistic verification. There is barely a mention of the Oct 7 massacres or the ongoing plight of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas.”

Journalists who are Terrorists

An expose by Honest Reporting has shown that “journalists” were embedded with the terrorists on October 7. These “journalists” were there with the terrorists when they breached the fence into Israel! How did they know of this surprise attack? These independent “journalists” work for the likes of CNN, The New York Times, the Associated Press and Reuters — sone of the largest news organizations in the world. A picture of one of these “journalists” has emerged of him embracing the Hamas leader and mastermind of October 7, Yahya Sinwar. One of the images showed a lynch mob brutalizing the body of an Israeli soldier who was dragged out of a tank, it was labeled as one of the “images of the day” by Reuters! These “journalists” were embedded with and double as terrorists. After the expose by Honest Reporting CNN cut ties with one of these “journalists”, as reported by the Daily Wire. However, CNN said, "While we have not at this time found reason to doubt the journalistic accuracy of the work he has done for us, we have decided to suspend all ties with him.” Journalistic accuracy! From these people! How can we trust the media to report the facts! (See www.honestreporting.com for more information.)

From the River to the Sea

Hamas has popularized the slogan: “Palestine will be free from the river to the sea!” This of course necessitates the complete erasure of the Jewish people from the land of Israel. It is a slogan of the genocide of the Jewish people in the land. God has other plans. Speaking of the restored kingdom of Israel, Psalm 72:8 says, "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.” The kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ will extend from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea and to quote Genesis, "Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates"

The Bible's Answer

Why is there so much antisemitism and bias in the media against the Jewish people and their nation, Israel? The Bible provides the answer.

Revelation 16 is a prophecy for our time — the time of the end. When the vision speaks specifically of the final days before the return of the Lord Jesus, it focuses on unclean teaching (spirits) going out into the world. This information (philosophy or teaching) gathers the nations to war against the Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation 16:13-16 reads,

"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”

The dragon, beast and false prophet are symbols which depict the latter-day secular and religious powers which are descended from the Eastern and Western Roman empires. In other words the European Union, Russia the Vatican (Roman Church) and the Greek Orthodox Church. Out of the mouths of these powers have come teachings which have gone out into the world to deceive the people. The result of this great deception, will bring the nations of the world to war against the Lord Jesus Christ in a Hebrew place. We know clearly from the Hebrew prophets that this is against the restored nation of Israel (Joel 3 and Ezekiel 38 for example). We could say it is an antisemitic invasion. At the basis of the conflict is the Roman Church’s ideological opposition to the return of the Jews and their sovereignty over the so called “holy sites” in the land of Israel. In fact the very presence of the restored Jewish nation, challenges the Roman Church’s doctrine that they are the “kingdom of God”.

The Vatican

Of course the Vatican has had a few things to say about the situation in Israel. In the National Catholic Register, there was an article, “Vatican Call for Peace in the Holy Land, Offers to Mediate Between Hamas and Israel”. The Vatican condemned the terrorist attacks against Israel and then the article read:

"“I do not know how much room for dialogue there can be between Israel and the Hamas militia,” Cardinal Parolin said. “But if there is — and we hope there is — it should be pursued immediately and without delay.””

After speaking of the “two-state solution” as the “greatest possible justice in the Holy land”, the Cardinal said,

“However, any mediation to end the conflict must take into account a series of elements that make the issue very complex and articulated, such as the issue of Israeli settlements, security, and the issue of the city of Jerusalem.”

We know from long standing positions of the Vatican that, they believe Israeli settlements in the Biblical Heartland must be destroyed and the city of Jerusalem and the "Holy Places”, must be “internationalized”. i.e. under Vatican control.

Let’s summarize the Vatican position:

1. Israel should negotiate as soon as possible, with the terrorist group Hamas (which they call a militia), which has just perpetrated an attack worse than ISIS on Israeli civilians.
2. Israel should allow the creation of a Palestinian Arab state on their land, this would be “the greatest possible justice”.
3. Israel should abandon (destroy) their communities in the West Bank and turn the city of Jerusalem over to international control.

In his work, Eureka, referring to Revelation 16 and the sixth vial, John Thomas wrote, “To abolish the Greek and Latin superstitions in Jerusalem, would set the Frogs into violent activity, inflame the two hundred millions of European papists with burning fanaticism, and throw the Autocrat of all the Russias into fierce and furious paroxysms of wrath.”

We see the prelude to this today, with distorted reporting fanning the flames of  violent antisemitic activity across the globe.

These verses in Revelation 16 have a great warning for us. A warning to not be deceived as we live in an age of  deception. We are being warned by the Lord Jesus not to believe the media — the mouth piece of the world governments. Not to believe what we hear. Not to be deceived.

The Gospel

There is a great danger if we allow the mass media to shape our opinion of these events. Before long we may begin to speak less about the hope of Israel. We may not want to speak about the restored kingdom of Israel to our friends, or include it in our preaching. In so doing we would not be preaching the gospel properly. Many years ago John Thomas in his book Elpis Israel (The hope of Israel), wrote,

“…it is clear, that to preach the kingdom is to preach the gospel; and to preach the gospel is to preach the kingdom of God.

“This is a most important demonstration; for it enables us to determine when we hear the gospel. The gospel is not preached when the things of the kingdom are omitted. And this is one grand defect in modern preaching.”

So let us be aware that we live in an age of deception. Let us question everything we hear on the mass media and social media. Finally, let us preach the Gospel of the restoration of the kingdom to Israel with all confidence. Thanks for listening to Bible in the News. Please come back next week to www.bibleinthenews.com. This has been David Billington with you.