Only One Nation Has a Bright Future Absolutely Guaranteed!

Thus says the LORD of hosts: "In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'" --- Zechariah 8:23

A large number of U. S. citizens along with their leaders, political and church, hold to the United States having a great future in spite of some aggravating issues in which the republic presently finds itself. The grand deception lies in the fact that a majority sincerely believe we as a nation can successfully work through all the issues, solve the problems, and usher in a time of great economic prosperity. This in spite of God's revelation showing us with crystal clarity that without God's grace, mercy and guidance we cannot possibly succeed in our efforts.

But there is a time coming when one nation will achieve all that others have failed to gain through centuries of time. And among the nations who have failed is one known as the United States of America! Israel is that nation which is destined to have that very bright future, standing all alone in the glory which God has reserved for it.

Isaiah 60 is but one of a number of chapters in Scripture that speak of Israel's future and that of its prominent city, Jerusalem. God is going to bring about some very shocking changes at some point in the future regarding the Israelite people and their nation.

First, there will be a time of paramount prosperity for Israel and that coming about in a most unusual way:

Arise, shine; For your light has come! and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. "Lift up your eyes all around, and see: they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me; and the ships of Tarshish will come first, to bring your sons from afar, their silver and their gold with them, to the name of the LORD your God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because He has glorified you. The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in My wrath I struck you, but in My favor I have had mercy on you. Therefore your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession." --- Isaiah 60:1-5, 9-11

Second, there will be a time of prominent prestige with foreign nations being in servitude to Israel -- seems impossible that it will ever happen, but when God has said it will be, then when the time is right it will happen exactly as God has planned:

"For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined. The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the pine, and the box tree together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary; and I will make the place of My feet glorious. Also the sons of those who afflicted you shall come bowing to you, and all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet; and they shall call you The City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no one went through you, I will make you an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations. You shall drink dry the milk of the Gentiles, and shall milk the breast of kings; you shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob." --- Isaiah 60:12-16

Third, it will be a time of stable and solid security for a people described as being "righteous:"

"Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; but you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. Also your people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation. I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time." --- Isaiah 60:18-22

Israel will continue to go through very difficult and trying times for a while. For the most part the nation is in a state of unbelief in regard to Jesus Christ being the Messiah, the Savior and Hope in regard to the future. But the time will come when eyes will be opened and hearts will earnestly seek Him in a spirit of repentance. A nation much despised and hated to the extent that some wanted to totally destroy it will be the only one to arrive eventually at world prominence and to be dominant over all other nations!

For Christians, the responsibility remains as always -- to be involved in every way possible in carrying out the command of Jesus to take the Gospel into all the world, bearing witness to the fact that He is exclusively the only way of forgiveness, and reconciliation to God the Father. If one is going to experience salvation, it will only be through Jesus Christ and no other!

But there is another thing Christians can also be doing -- praying for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6, 7) and giving God no rest until He makes Jerusalem a praise throughout all the earth:

I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. --- Isaiah 62:6, 7

I am fully aware that there are various interpretations regarding reference to Israel in the Scriptures and the church having in a sense "replaced" Israel so far as future events are concerned. Personally, I prefer to take it the way God has spelled it out and that under the terms of the covenant made originally with Abraham, Israel is the only nation to have a very bright future! And why is this? The answer is very simple -- because God has promised it will be so!

Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."..............On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates; the Kenites, the Kenezzites, and the Kadmonites; the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the Rephaim; the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites." --- Genesis 12:1-3; 15:18-21

I Am Sold 100 Per Cent on Marriage!

"Foreasmuch as Clayton and Jean have consented together in holy wedlock...... I pronounce that they are husband and wife...." --- statements made at conclusion of a wedding ceremony held at Monroe Chapel Methodist Church, south of Clarion PA, on June 13, 1953 by Pastor Paul B. Dunlap.

I confess to a long standing conviction -- I'm 100 per cent sold on marriage for some solid reasons!

First, my life is richer and fuller because of a very special person by the name of Jean who has been my wife for 58 years. That means she has worn many "hats" in her experiences with me over these years. She has been confidant, friend, lover, comforter, supporter, partner, mother of our five children, nurse at times, prayer warrior, and the "always there" person whom I so often needed!

Second, marriage is that very special arrangment in which two persons become as "one." It is a perpetual sharing experience over time. Each day is an open door to new adventures and opportunities. Sometimes the experiences are trying, difficult and painful -- but the comfort is in knowing one is not alone -- the "partner" in this special arrangement is there to share and to give support -- so together, you press on. But there are the blessed times and those numerous occasions of joy and delight which make the painful moments fade away into the valley of insignificance!

Third, this is a great institution because God Himself so arranged it to be. In the book of Genesis we are informed that a man will leave his father and mother and be joined unto his wife and they shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). Jesus confirmed that this is how it is to be when it comes to the issue of marriage as He made reference to that early declaration in the book of Genesis -- a man leaving his parents behind and being joined to his wife with the result that they are no longer two, but one in that special union known as marriage (Matthew 19:4-6).

However, in unstable times such as these there are those persons and groups that want to alter this special arrangement which God has clearly established. These are days of "redefinition" and the vain attempt to say that marriage must also include 2 sodomites or 2 lesbians being permitted to marry! There is absolutely no Biblical revelation that permits this to take place. God has explicitly set the boundaries for marriage and sexual expression and experience. Those are limited exclusively to a male and a female within the covenant of marriage.

Yeah, yeah -- I know, such statements as these place me in the category of a Bible-thumping, mean-spirited, homophobic radical. But I can live with that knowing that the day will come when God will have the last word on this issue and will confirm that the arrangement of marriage that He originally revealed through His inspired Word is indeed true.

We are warned that the time would come when there would be those persons who would, by their very conduct and attitudes, cause the earth to become defiled -- "The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant." (Isaiah 24:5).

I'm sold 100 per cent on marriage and the fact that it is limited to one male and one female -- and the best wife I ever had agrees with me on that. We claim that we are living proof by the grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ that it is indeed very true!

And now a PS on that wedding, preceding events, and later ones -- I was on a short leave between my schooling in TN near Memphis and my orders to report to Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station near New Bern NC. We had to get blood tests, apply for marriage license and all those details in a short time. We made it to the court house about 45 minutes on Saturday before it closed to pick up the license. The preacher was about 20 minutes late for the wedding which was scheduled for 8:00 PM. We had a fender-bender accident turning into a motel that was closed for our wedding night and then went back to Clarion to the hotel. Some neighbors surprised us with a serenade on Sunday night. We left early on Monday morning for North Carolina. It was raining in New Bern when we arrived. We got a newspaper and started looking at apartment ads. Found a kind of broken down place and rented it for a while, and set up housekeeping -- a chair collapsed the first time Jean sat in it -- and no, she was definitely not overweight! Anyway, I thank God that in His great mercy and goodness, He arranged for Jean and me to meet, fall in love, (at our home church) and eventually enter into a very special covenant known as marriage reserved exclusively for one male and one female!

Oh, and now a PPS: I heard an unusal tribute to marriage a few years ago -- a man was asked, "If there is such a things as reincarnation, what would you like to come back as in the next life?" Instantly without hesitation the man answered, "My wife's second husband!" Sounds like he was sold on marriage also, does it not?

Finally, a PPSS: A while back I got a card for Jean which was very simple in its design and in the words expressed -- it said this, "I wonder where all the years have gone, but never how else I might have spent them." On this day of June 13, 2011, those words still very much apply!

And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."
--- Matthew 19:4-6

Helen Thomas Telling the Israelis Where to Go!

On the May 27 video, Thomas says Israelis should "get the hell out of Palestine," suggesting they go to Germany, Poland or the U.S. --- statement in an internet news release on June 7, 2010

White House correspondent, Helen Thomas, is calling it quits after controversial comments about Israel became publicly known by means of a video which recorded the remarks on May 27th. Maybe some tolerance should be shown for an 89-year-old who is long overdue for retirement somewhere outside of the White House from which she did her "reporting" since 1960.

But on the other hand the remarks reflect the spirit of large numbers of people who aren't quite so bold as to state their feelings about Israel publicly. And this certainly is also true of the leadership of a number of nations in regard to true feelings about the Jewish people. It has certainly been revealed on a continual basis at the United Nations when the nation of Israel is the subject of "discussion," if it can be called that! Attitudes on the part of the U. S. government toward Israel have been obviously shifting in recent months with Israel expected to dance to the tune that is being played in the Oval Office of Washington DC.

For centuries the Israelite people have been despised and hated more than any other national identifiable group of people. Efforts to destroy them have failed again and again. For instance the Babylonians destroyed the ancient Israelite kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C. Can anyone identify a Babylonian in today's world? Yet the descendants of those Israelites are clearly identified today as being of the Hebrew race!

They live on a very small piece of real estate today with pressure being brought to bear upon them to give up even more land so "peace" in the Middle East can be achieved. Due to a very high level of ignorance on the part of world leaders and those who participate in the United Nations there is failure to realize that Almighty God has special plans for the Israelite people and a nation known as Israel. And in the future they will be occupying much more territory than what they have now! So what will actually happen is that there will be a lot of "giving up" of land, but it will not be on the part of the Israeli people!

A day is coming when the world will be made aware of those plans as God brings about fulfillment of His promises made many centuries ago concerning Israel. Jerusalem will be at the center of many of those promises and will be known as a city of truth with citizens of foreign nations seeking to go to Jerusalem to be instructed in the things in which God wants them to be educated. That certainly is not the desire of most people now -- to learn about God and His ways in Israel would be the very last thing the majority of people would want to do. But it will happen at a time determined by the mighty Creator of the heavens and the earth!

Obviously Helen was totally off base in her remarks and has apologized since for having made them. But she was "on base" by saying something that is in the minds of huge numbers, including a number of government leaders and participants in the United Nations, and reflects how they really feel about "those Jews" and their country!

And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are; northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you." --- Genesis 13:14-17

On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates; the Kenites, the Kenezzites, and the Kadmonites; the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the Rephaim; the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites." --- Genesis 15:18-21

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; he will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. --- Isaiah 2:1-4

An Avalanche of Violence!

"Have we become numb to tragedy?" --- Internet News Headline - April 5, 2009

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” --- Genesis 6:11-13

It’s getting to be a almost a daily routine with what we have come to know as “Breaking News Headlines.” Incident after incident of violence takes place with a number of lives lost due to someone’s loss of control and the venting of built-up rage. As of this date recent mass shootings in the state of New York were followed a short time later with the shooting deaths of 3 police officers in Pittsburgh PA. This simply underscores the fact that our culture is in a terminal state of moral and spiritual decay!

Recent months have seen an escalation of shooting sprees resulting in multiple deaths. In the midst of the shock come loud voices decrying the senseless acts along with appeals that “something needs to be done” in order to prevent a repeat of such tragedies. Often the focus is on the alleged “gun problem” and the need to legislate more control with the ultimate goal of banning private ownership of firearms.

However, even if it were possible by law to remove every firearm from the home of every law abiding citizen, the criminal element would still have their weapons. Common sense, which is often lacking in the minds of legislators, tells us that a large number of persons will still have access to firearms in spite of any number of laws that say you can’t have a gun in your possession!

Let’s consider the fact that it is not so much a gun problem as it is a people problem – people who are prone to express their frustrations in a violent manner. If they don’t have a gun to use they will give vent to bottled-up rage using something else. People have been known to kill other people with such things as baseball bats, knives, hatchets, hammers, poison, and even automobiles!

Think for a moment – we are living in a time when millions have been fed and raised on a “diet” of violence. Decades ago the entertainment industry produced more and more films which featured detailed and very graphic violence – at times it is shown in slow motion to make a greater impact as you see the splattering of blood, brains, and guts in all directions! The gaming industry began producing games that featured extreme violence. The music industry produced “music” (term used loosely) that had lyrics suggesting violence and immorality.

The end result? People who have feasted on that kind of “diet” from the days of being a toddler are much inclined to express frustration and differences with others in a violent way. We’ve simply been “conditioned” to react in such a manner. The increased frequency of what has become known as “road rage” is simply another symptom that we have bad “diet” habits which kill the conscience and set us on a sure and certain course that ends in disaster!

Will the tide be turned? One would hope so, but at this point there is no indication that significant changes will take place. It’s going to have to start with a change of “diet” which actually involves something called repentance, a heap of confessing of failure and sinful behavior to a holy God, and an admission that we need Jesus Christ more than we need anything or anyone else in life! Face it -- not many are willing to meet such conditions, and so we'll continue our violent way of life in the "land of the free and the home of the brave!"

In the meantime, a small remnant which knows Jesus Christ by personal acquaintance continues to pray that the nation, its leaders (state and church), and its citizens will come to full repentance, healing will take place, and violence will cease to be a way of life in working off our frustrations.

"And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” --- Luke 17:26, 27

"And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" --- Lule 18:7, 8

Claw Marks on the Ark!

One artist's view of Noah's ark

Source of image: download-free-pictures.com

And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.".... But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.... The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.... And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch." --- Genesis 6:3, 8, 11, 13, 14

The attempts of artists to portray Noah's ark can be rather interesting, since there are a huge number who have painted/drawn scenes of what is probably the most famous floating vessel in the history of the human race. Titanic is another name which would maybe come in second, but it stands in a class by itself with someone making the wise distinction that "Amateurs built the ark - professionals built the Titanic!"

The artist of the image posted above took rather great liberty in picturing the ark -- sort of looks like a giant hotel from a time long, long ago, does it not? On the positive side, it seems to be rather roomy, so there would not be a crowding problem.

Debate has fiercely raged as to whether there really was an ark built by a man named Noah with assistance by his three sons. Resources abound on the subject both in defense of the Biblical account of the flood event as well as denial that it happened. The Barna research group did release some shocking information not so long ago to the effect that only about 51 per cent of Protestant pastors hold to a Biblical world view in their preaching and teaching ministry! So it figures that among the 49 per cent bunch would be those who would deny and teach that no such thing as judgment by means of a universal flood by God ever happened.

The position of the guy writing this blog is that the flood at the time of Noah did happen. If you have a problem with that then that's your problem, not mine -- further, you'll have to take that issue up with God because He's the One Who reported it and was directly involved in it! Go ahead -- have a little conversation with Him about it.

Now on to the issue of those claw marks on the ark. I have preached on that title a few times. I submit that if we had been able to do a check of the ark once it settled back on solid ground, we would have seen vertical marks all over the outside surface of the vessel. Each would be a few inches long and there would have been quite a number of them. What caused them? Didn't you know? They were made by human fingernails! People in the area where Noah's "project" had been going on for quite a few years and who had heard him giving the warning (he was described by Peter as a "preacher of righteousness) of impending judgment, finally concluded, "Maybe that old coot, Noah, was right after all -- we better hustle down there and get on board before it's too late!"

But it was too late because God had shut Noah and his family inside, which meant that everybody else was shut out. One can say "No!" one too many times and after that the door is permanently closed!

Why those marks as people scraped the sides of the ark with their fingernails in a desperate effort to get inside? It was due to a number of things including:

• Deception -- we are good people -- in fact we are just as good as anyone else and better than some, such as that drunk who lives down the street and better than that hypocrite across the street who goes to church every Sunday!
  
  
• Defiance -- we will determine for ourselves what is right or wrong -- we make our own rules and we don't need some religious fanatic such as that Noah preaching to us all the time about our sins and the need to repent!
  
  
• Delay -- so what if judgment is coming as Noah says -- it won't be for a long time and I'll be long gone from this earth before anything like that happens!
  
  
• Denial -- God is good and He loves all of us -- God would never do anything nasty such as bring judgment -- that would be very cruel and it's not in His nature to act in such a way -- He just doesn't do those horrible things to anybody!
  

Lots more could be added under each point with illustrations as well, but this gives us a picture of what might have been at a very tragic moment in the history of the human race.

The sobering thing is this -- Jesus stated that the conditions which were prevalent at the time of Noah would again take place as human history flows. Such conditions will dominate minds and hearts of the vast majority of human beings prior to Jesus' personal and visible return to this world. They will be preoccupied and so busy about "living" that they give no serious thought about dying and ultimately standing before God to give an accounting as to what they did with their lives on earth!

Among a minority is the recognition that Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, is our "ark of refuge" in times such as these. By repenting of all sin, receiving Him as Savior and Lord into one's personal life, and resolving by choice to be obedient to Him each day, assurance is given and hope for a place in His coming eternal Kingdom.

Have you gotten on board? Or will you do as did a gigantic mass of people a long time ago for reasons cited above and find yourself desperately clawing as you try to enter a place of refuge only to discover too late that the entrance is permanently shut. Remember, the time came when God shut Noah and his family inside and everyone else was shut out!

And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, 'The days are prolonged, and every vision fails'? "Tell them therefore, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel." But say to them, "The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision. For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the LORD. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it," says the Lord GOD.'" Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Son of man, look, the house of Israel is saying, 'The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.' Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "None of My words will be postponed any more, but the word which I speak will be done," says the Lord GOD.'" --- Ezekiel 12:21-28

Protest Posters to Greet Bush on Middle East Visit!

Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.".... Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are; northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you."
--- Genesis 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17

Things are heating up in certain areas of the Middle East as President Bush prepares to spend some time going from place to place.

A number of persons and groups are upset with Bush due to the push on his part to have a Palestinian "state" created. In Bush's mind, as well as in the minds of the members of his administration, this is the way to resolve the ongoing conflict and bring about peace. Even a number of high profile professed "evangelicals" have jumped on the band wagon and given their endorsement to this venture!

The poster above makes an appeal that Bush, who attempts to identify with "evangelicals," ought to read his Bible on this issue. The covenant which God made with Abraham makes reference to a land which Abraham's descendants are to be given -- a few of us still believe that God is the owner of everything and can choose what He wants to give and to whom it will be given at any time that He determines! The earlier statements as noted above do not mention any boundaries. That comes a bit later -- take a bit of time to ponder on the western and eastern boundaries as God most clearly defines them:

On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates; the Kenites, the Kenezzites, and the Kadmonites; the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the Rephaim; the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites." --- Genesis 15:18-21

Now there has been a lot of "song & dance" routines over the centuries about how that is to be interpreted and in most cases it seems that the covenant God made with Abraham and territory promised doesn't mean anything any longer. We are to focus on the "church" and matters related to it and quit discussing anything that pertains to the Jews, etc!

Another thing to bear in mind that the covenant was renewed with Isaac and later with Jacob. Abraham's son, Ishmael, who was born to the handmaid, Hagar, was also mentioned by God. Ishmael's descendants would become a great nation, but no territory is mentioned in connection with that promise as in the case of Abraham's son, Isaac! The Arab peoples are large in number today but actually have no claim to territory as do the descendants of Abraham through his son, Isaac. The Arabs presently occupy a large segment of land in the Middle East, but that will be changed one of these days -- Jesus Christ, the Son of God (and Messiah), will see to that at a time He has predetermined.

Jesus made some reference to this issue in a couple of statements such as:

"There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last." --- Luke 13:28-30

So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." --- Matthew 19:28

Israel has been pressured time and time again to give in and yield -- the Israelite people are hated and despised by many nations -- listen to the babbling that goes on in that hall of chaos known as the United Nations for graphic truth of this, especially when some issue that involves Israel comes up -- those people are always the bad guys!

And it appears that United States support is beginning to waver more and more -- listen to Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, expound on the issue!

Another poster will also greet President Bush as he makes his way through certain locations in the Middle East -- it has upset a lot of people, but is it really all that far off base?

Now is the time for Christians to be searching the promises that pertain to God's restoration of Israel, the humiliation of Gentile nations, the future glory of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. What has to be resolved is this -- does God really mean what He says, and does He keep all His promises?

And a prayer on this matter coming right out of the Bible is good to keep always in mind as well as practicing what is suggested:

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces." For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, "Peace be within you." Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good. --- Psalm 122:6-9

And how about this promise -- or has God changed His mind, and we can just write this one off as being no longer in effect -- but then, if that is the case, can we really believe God for anything at all?

For Zion's sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns. The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD will name. You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you; and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. --- Isaiah 62:1-7

By the way, for more details on what God has promised regarding Israel and Jerusalem, see O Jerusalem, What a Surpise Is in Store for You! A link at the bottom of that area will bring you back to this place.