British delegation repents over shameful episode

A dark shadow of imminent war hangs over Israel’s 70^th anniversary celebrations, just as it had done at the nation’s re-birth in 1948.

President Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran hastened the prospect of the rogue state taking out its frustration on Israel for striking its military installations in Syria.

In the latest incident (on Tuesday night), at least nine Iranian soldiers are reported to have been killed.¹ And in the early hours of Thursday, the IDF launched an unprecedented massive air strike destroying Iranian and Syrian targets in response to a barrage of rockets fired from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Britain’s Shameful Past

Also coinciding with what should have been a joyful birthday is an event recalling a very sad – indeed shameful – episode in Britain’s history.

At a special ceremony organised by Love Never Fails (an alliance of Christian groups supporting the Jewish state) and held today in Atlit, near the port of Haifa, Israelis spoke of how they suffered at the time and UK representatives responded with expressions of sorrow for our failures both then and now.

Granted a League of Nations mandate to prepare a safe homeland for Jews, we instead severely restricted immigration just when it was needed most during the Nazi genocide.

A dark shadow of imminent war hangs over Israel’s 70^th celebrations, just as it had done at the nation’s re-birth in 1948.

Atlit detention camp, Israel.And in the immediate aftermath of World War II, we shattered the hopes of traumatised survivors by turning their ships away or by herding them into detention camps. Some were even sent back to Germany where millions of their fellow Jews had been slaughtered.

Thousands of Jewish refugees were held in the Atlit Camp, interred behind barbed wire complete with watchtowers – and this in their own land, promised by Britain in 1917.

Declaration of Sorrow

As part of a prepared declaration of sorrow, the UK delegation told their Jewish friends: “We grieve that [Britain’s policies] led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Jews who could have escaped Hitler’s ‘Final Solution’ if the gates to their ancient homeland had been fully open.”

And they added: “We are deeply sorry that our nation caused indescribable distress to untold numbers of your people and their surviving families, and that as a nation we dared to stand against the purpose of Almighty God to restore you to Eretz [the land of] Israel.”

A particularly shocking incident – on 18 July 1947 – involved an attack by British forces on a ship carrying 4,515 Holocaust survivors, spraying fuel and throwing smoke bombs in order to deter the immigrants from landing.

In the aftermath of World War II, Britain shattered the hopes of traumatised survivors by turning their ships away or herding them into detention camps.

I have touched on this and many other aspects of Britain’s role with Israel in my new book, A Nation Reborn (Christian Publications International, 2018).

As Italian author Edda Fogarollo put it: “Quite apart from the suffering experienced by these exiles during the Nazi atrocities, they also had to face the humiliation of having hoped in vain for freedom as their dream turned into a nightmare. After seizing the ship, the British re-routed it back to Europe – to the former concentration camp of Poppendorf, near Hamburg, of all places!”²

Called to Comfort and Bless

One of our great callings as Gentile Christians is to bring comfort to God’s chosen people, who have experienced so much suffering at the hands of those who hate them, just as Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, was despised and rejected of men.

Like him, they were led like lambs to the slaughter during the Holocaust – and we too have blood on our hands, having played our part in causing them to suffer such terrible grief and horror. For that we must repent.

Yet out of the ashes – a valley of dry bones – rose a new nation reflecting something of the resurrection power of Christ. Surviving a series of wars against overwhelming odds to emerge as a world leader in hi-tech innovation and much else besides has been nothing short of miraculous. They are even first on the scene of major disasters to help other nations in distress while their doctors treat the wounded among their enemies.

And they have been so keen to live at peace with their neighbours that they have given up land to which they were legally entitled. But that hasn’t proved enough for Iran and its proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas, who have vowed to wipe Israel off the map.

However, God has not called us to join the UN-sponsored chorus of disapproval, but to “Comfort, comfort my people…” and tell them that “her sin has been paid for…” (Isa 40:1f).

Out of the ashes – a valley of dry bones – rose a new nation reflecting something of the resurrection power of Christ.

Not only must we bless and support them, but we are especially charged to tell them that their sins have been paid for – in other words, that the Lord Jesus, whom we Christians serve, also died for them. We have the awesome privilege of sharing the good news that our beloved Christ is their Messiah, who came to seek the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Furious Battle

But a furious battle for truth rages on as belligerent rioters further inflame tensions on the Gaza border in the mistaken belief that they have been robbed of their land and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is forced to counter Iranian propaganda about their nuclear programme.

Citing intelligence reports, he said Iran had lied about never having pursued nuclear weapons and had continued to preserve and expand its knowledge of the same even after signing the 2015 deal with global powers designed to curb Iranian capabilities.³

The Bible clearly speaks of such deceit, thus: “Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with malice. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they tell lies” (Ps 5:9).

All who desire to follow the truth – specifically manifested in Jesus Christ (John 14:6) – must surely see where the path leads.

References

1 Several Iranian soldiers killed in Israeli strike in Syria. World Israel News, 9 May 2018.

2 Towards the Establishment of the State of Israel, Christians for Israel.

3 JNN, 1 May 2018, quoting Reuters.

Here’s hoping and praying the Prince’s visit will usher in a new era of support

No British royal has ever yet made an official visit to Israel. But now that ‘exile’ is about to end, appropriately enough, after 70 years – the period spent in Babylon by the Jews of old.

Prince William, the Queen’s grandson and second in line to the throne, will arrive in the country shortly after the celebrations of the Jewish state’s 70^th anniversary, which is expected to coincide with the controversial US Embassy move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The historic visit will also take in Jordan and the Palestinian territories.

Foreign Office Appeasement

The long exile from the modern Jewish state by British royalty is perhaps complex, but seems to reflect Foreign Office policy, which generally amounts to appeasement of the surrounding Arab nations.

Last year a rumoured visit by Prince Charles, heir to the throne, was reportedly cancelled by the Royal Visits Committee on the grounds that it would “upset Arab nations in the region who regularly host UK royals”.¹

The royal family has historically always rejected Israeli invitations for official state visits, although individual members have visited the country in a personal capacity.²

The long exile from Israel by British royalty reflects Foreign Office policy, which generally amounts to Arab appeasement.

Although the Queen has travelled the world more than most, she has never set foot in Israel, the land which gave birth to the Christian faith she so devoutly follows. Prince Philip’s only trip was in 1994 to attend a ceremony commemorating his mother, Princess Alice, who is buried on Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives.

Prince Charles has visited twice to pay respects at state funerals as well as fulfilling a longstanding wish to visit his grandmother’s grave, but these were not considered official tours.³

Royal Righteousness

Princess Alice of Battenburg.

It will be the most high-profile and politically sensitive trip yet for the 35-year-old Duke of Cambridge, and I suspect he too will want to visit the grave of his great-grandmother, Princess Alice, recognised by Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum as ‘righteous among the nations’ for saving a Jewish family during the war.

As Princess of Greece, she hid Jewish widow Rachel Cohen and two of her five children in her home. Rachel’s husband had in 1913 helped King George I of Greece, in return for which the king offered him any service he could perform, should he ever need it.

When the Nazi threat emerged, his son recalled this promise and appealed to the Princess, who duly honoured her father’s pledge.

No doubt it was effectively out of her hands for the Queen to visit the Jewish state this year, but she has done even better than that by remaining a loyal, consistent and outstanding ambassador for the Jewish Messiah, whom she worships with undying devotion.

That said, now that the exile of official British royal visits to the Holy Land is finally over, I pray that our political, diplomatic and spiritual relationship with Israel will reach new heights of understanding and support, and thus bring blessing back on our own beleaguered land, plagued with infighting over Brexit along with threats to our freedom from the hard left and extreme right.

British Betrayal

We have betrayed Israel in her hour of need for long enough. A hundred years ago we were granted the great privilege of restoring Jews to their ancient land through an international treaty (at San Remo in 1920) that recognised their right to such territory.

Prince Philip’s mother, Princess Alice, is counted as ‘righteous among the nations’ and buried on Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives.

But in the face of Arab opposition, boosted by riots and massacres, we backed down and thus failed to fully carry out our noble calling. To this day we have kept appeasing those who made the most noise and threats, so that we have even allowed ourselves to be taken in by United Nations-backed Palestinian propaganda downplaying Jewish links to Jerusalem, and the Promised Land as a whole.

So, shamefully, we refused to follow President Trump’s lead in recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital – it’s been part of Jewish history for 3,500 years while the Palestinians were not even drawn together as a people until recent decades.

In fact, there was a time not long ago when Arabs refused to be known as Palestinians. When 30,000 Jews, along with a few hundred Arabs, volunteered to serve with the British forces during World War II, they were permitted to wear a ‘Palestine’ shoulder patch. But the Arabs wouldn’t wear it: “We are not Palestinians; we are Arabs,” they responded.⁴

Biblical Significance?

The celebrations marking 70 years since Israel’s re-birth on 14 May 1948 are particularly significant as 70 is a number holding great importance in the Bible, of which the exile in Babylon was just one example.
On the other hand, it also has some experts worried as, despite its long history in the land, Israel has only been a united, fully sovereign state (not occupied by foreign armies, for example) on three occasions, lasting an average of 70 years so far!⁵

But the fact that the big birthday will coincide with the US Embassy move to Jerusalem, followed by an official visit from British royalty, is both intriguing and encouraging.

I realise that we now live in a secular humanist environment, but politicians and diplomats would do well to consider the Bible’s recording of God’s word to Abraham: “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse…” (Gen 12:3; Num 24:9).

Even more alarming is the stern warning from Isaiah: “For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined” (Isa 60:12).

The responsibility for Britain’s fortune or failure will inevitably have much to do with how we treat Israel.

There was a time not long ago when Arabs refused to be known as Palestinians.

Britain at the Crossroads!

We stand at the crossroads with a great opportunity to bless the Jews – to work with them towards a peaceful future in the Middle East or to work against them in appeasement of their enemies as we have done for much of the last century.

Which road will we take? Will we step out in faith – honouring the God of Israel – or succumb to fear of the repercussions?

References

1 Daily Mail, 2 March 2018.

2 Ibid.

3 Torch magazine, Christians United for Israel – UK, Dec 2016-Feb 2017.

4 Whose Land? by Dov Chaikin, Israel Today, January 2018.

5 See ‘How long will Israel’s third kingdom survive?’ Israel Today, December 2017.

Anti-Semitic protests reveal national rebellion against God.

The newly-retired chief executive of Christian Witness to Israel, one of several movements dedicated to sharing the gospel with the Jewish community, has warned of a "battle royal" over the Balfour Declaration this coming year.

Mike Moore was referring to the forthcoming centenary celebrations of the British Government's 1917 pledge to do all in its power to help Jews return to their ancient Middle East homeland. We have already witnessed the chaotic launch of a campaign to persuade the government to apologise for Balfour – a House of Lords meeting where Jews were even accused of bringing the Holocaust on themselves.¹

That led to the resignation from the Liberal Democrat Party of the meeting's host, Baroness Tonge. And the British Government has now supported an anti-Israel resolution at the United Nations that completely undermines legitimate Jewish rights to the city of Jerusalem and, in particular, Judaism's holiest site, the Temple Mount.₂

We have also seen a significant rise in anti-Israel protests on university campuses and elsewhere, causing London's Metropolitan Police to request organisers of pro-Israel gatherings not to disclose the venue of their meetings in the interests of their own safety.

Indeed, the UK Government has responded to these worrying developments by allocating over £13 million towards the security of its Jewish institutions following 924 reports of anti-Semitic incidents last year including 86 violent assaults.³

The former chief executive of Christian Witness to Israel has warned of a "battle royal" over the Balfour Declaration this coming year.

Balfour: from 1917 to 2017

Why is the Balfour issue in particular causing such a stir? The short answer can be summed up as rebellion against God and his plans, both for the salvation of all through his Son and for restoration of his chosen people – to the land promised them for millennia and to Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah known to Westerners as Jesus.

The timing of the declaration by Foreign Secretary Lord Arthur James Balfour in November 1917 could not have been more precise, coming just weeks before the capture of Jerusalem by British and Allied forces led by General Edmund Allenby, ending 400 years of rule under the Turkish Ottoman Empire and handing to Britain on a plate the means by which they could honour their pledge.

It could not have happened in today's politically-correct climate which has seen the Bible almost entirely marginalised from our culture – and certainly from the corridors of power. But in 1917 things were very different. Britain was at the zenith of its power and influence - largely, I believe, through honoring God and sending out missionaries to many parts of the world.

Biblical Revival and its Fruit

The preaching of the Gospel and the application of biblical teaching to everyday life had been going on for well over a century, courtesy of what has become known as the Great Evangelical Revival, which had a direct effect on the social welfare of the nation, considerably reducing the crime rate for one thing.

Crime rates fell dramatically throughout the 19th Century, so that by 1870 there were only 10,000 in the jails of England and Wales. But even more remarkable was the continuing fall over the next few decades, so that by 1910 there were only 3,000 prisoners in the nation's jails, despite the population rising from 25 to 35 million.⁴

Why is the Balfour issue in particular causing such a stir? The short answer can be summed up as rebellion against God and his plans.

With today's population at 60 million, our jails are full to capacity with 80,000 prisoners, and bear in mind that many Victorian inmates would only have been regarded as petty criminals today.

The contrast is staggering. There is no more room in our overcrowded prisons, and yet we live in a more lenient society (with some exceptions of course, such as the repeated injustice meted out to Christians).

Widespread Biblical Literacy

During the famous Welsh Revival in 1904, crime was almost non-existent in some places, leaving police with little to do, while the pit ponies (used down the coal mines) are said to have no longer understood the commands of their masters whose foul language had been cleaned up.

It was this revival of biblical Christianity that changed everything for the Jewish people. It meant that the generations preceding the Balfour Declaration were made aware that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob still has a special love for his chosen people, whatever they may have done to disown him, and that national prosperity was dependent on our blessing the seed of Abraham (Gen 12:3).

Men of influence understood this well – among them General Allenby himself, who had prayed for Israel's restoration as a young boy, and in the end was used by God to help bring it about.⁵ With the bridge to neighbouring Jordan named after him, Allenby is still honoured in Israel.

Britain's pledge to help the Jews recover their homeland could not have happened in today's politically-correct climate.

Not Today

Tragically, today's generation is biblically illiterate, knowing almost nothing of our precious Judeo-Christian heritage. On a recent train journey to London, I heard a young boy pointing at a tall church steeple in Grantham, Lincolnshire (typical of many in the land), asking his dad: "What is that? Is it Big Ben?" (We were still 110 miles from London). The irony is that Virgin Trains, who sold me the ticket, advertise their service with the slogan 'Be bound for glory', taken from the traditional gospel song This train is bound for glory.

Recent generations in this great country have rebelled against God, and a glorious future for ourselves and our nation is only possible if we get back on track with the biblical truth that tells of a Heaven to be gained and a Hell to be shunned.

Jesus is the only way to glory. If your intended destination is Heaven and eternal life, then you need to take the gospel train that leads to Jesus, who said: "I am the way, the truth and the life; no-one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

References

1 Battle ensues over Balfour, Israel Today, 3 November 2016.

2 Christians United for Israel UK, 5 December 2016.

3 World Israel News, 5 December 2016.

4 Hill, C. The Great Evangelical Revival. Prophecy Today UK, 30 September 2016.

5 Jonathan Cahn, TBN UK, 20 November 2016.

This week a number of our articles remember the Aberfan tragedy. In his editorial, Clifford Hill thinks particularly of those who lost their faith that day.

50 years ago today, at 9:15am on Friday 21 October 1966, 144 people died in Aberfan near Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. 116 of them were children, who were just beginning their lessons when their school was hit by a mountain of mud sliding down from a coal slag heap towering over the village.

The mudslide hit a farm cottage first, then hit the school and a row of houses before stopping. About half the children and teachers in the Pantglas school were killed. They had just reached their classrooms after leaving morning assembly, where they had been singing 'All things bright and beautiful', praising God for the beauty of the countryside.

The pathos of this tragedy still brings to tears to the eyes of those who remember that tragic day in the history of the valleys, and it can hardly fail to move those who today, 50 years later, read the accounts of eye-witnesses and survivors.

Decent Men Led Astray

There had been many warnings that the tip was unsafe due to the presence of a spring underneath, and heavy rainfall triggered the sudden slide. A board of enquiry was set up that concluded that the National Coal Board was largely to blame and legal liability for compensation was not contested. The report stated:

The Aberfan disaster is a terrifying tale of bungled ineptitude by many men charged with tasks for which they were totally unfitted, of failure to heed clear warnings, and of total lack of direction from above. Not villains but decent men, led astray by foolishness or by ignorance or by both in combination, are responsible for what happened at Aberfan.¹

The pathos of this tragedy still brings to tears to the eyes of those who remember that tragic day.

No one faced criminal proceedings, but those named (and others cleared) had to live with the disaster on their consciences for the rest of their lives. But it was not only officials in the National Coal Board whose lives were affected - everyone in the valleys will remember that day to the end of their lives. Many of them lost their Christian faith on that day. Typical of the comments on the BBC website is the following:

I was 14 at the time of the Aberfan disaster.
My school was very religious, and I had been trying to decide how much I believed in God. When the disaster struck it was the talk of the school, and in many of the classes we found ourselves discussing it with our teachers.
We particularly wanted to know why God would allow so many children to die.
The teachers had no answer. I turned away from the idea that there is a God. And that's my view, to this day.
John Adams, UK²

What is the answer that should have been given to John Adams and all the others who were asking similar questions? Today there are millions asking the same thing, not only of the Aberfan tragedy but of the terrible events we see on our TV news - such as what's happening in Aleppo, where human lives are being deliberately destroyed by bombs dropped upon women and children - not only killing but causing life-changing injuries.

Why doesn't God intervene? Hundreds of books have been written on the subject of human suffering, but the only authentic answers are to be found in the Bible.

The Power to Intervene

The Bible clearly teaches that God has given us freedom of will - to choose the truth, or to be driven to destruction by our own selfish and violent human nature. The Aberfan tragedy was created by human greed and mismanagement in creating a mountainous pile of coal slag and ignoring warnings about its unsafety. Also in this week's issue, Greg Stevenson lists alerts given before the disaster which were ignored, and Clifford Denton notes that God sent prophetic warnings ahead of time.

Many people lost their Christian faith on that day, asking why God didn't intervene.

Through the prophet Jeremiah, God gave warning after warning to the people of Jerusalem that disaster would strike the city unless there was a drastic change in the behaviour of the people. They all believed that they could do what they liked and there would be no bad consequences because God would defend the city from the Babylonians. They ignored the warnings with disastrous results.

God Shares Our Distress

When we wilfully ignore warnings we should not be surprised when tragedy overwhelms us. But incredibly, when that happens, God does not desert us. Isaiah expresses this emphatically; "In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old" (Isa 63:9). God actually enters into our tragedies alongside us and shares our distress.

This is the teaching of the God of the Bible: that when we bring disaster upon ourselves and cry out to him for help, he responds in love and compassion. "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you...Do not be afraid, for I am with you." (Isa 43:2-5).

In the Midst of Trial

This does not mean that nothing will ever go wrong, or that we will not suffer hardship - but that in the midst of trial, God will never desert us. Jesus promised to be with his disciples for ever. "I will never leave you alone," he promised (John 14:18).

Jesus himself lived the message of God's love. He knew that his Father would not intervene to save him from a cruel death at the hands of evil men - but that by not intervening, God would actually use this suffering to work out his purposes of salvation to be available for all human beings.

God actually enters into our tragedies alongside us and shares in our distress.

Of course, I'm aware that the thoughts expressed on this page cannot possibly answer all the questions about human suffering. But I hope they may stimulate some of our readers to offer thoughts on this subject which may be a help to those who are struggling to understand why tragedies such as Aberfan occur. For myself I can affirm the words of the Apostle Paul, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life...nor anything in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 8:38-39).

References

1 The Aberfan Disaster – Inquiries. The National Archives.

2 1966: Aberfan - A generation wiped out. BBC Witness, On This Day.

Read about the meeting on 9 April 2016.

On behalf of the Prophecy Today team, I would like to extend my hearty thanks to all who attended our 1^st Anniversary Celebration this past Saturday (9 April 2016) – and further thanks to all who prayed from afar!

We all enjoyed an extremely encouraging day at Regents Hall (Salvation Army), London, with more than 70 in attendance (including the team), many of whom had come long distances. We also really valued sharing the day with Issachar Ministries, Prophecy Today's parent charity, which hosted its 2016 Open Day alongside.

The whole day proved a great opportunity to celebrate the year past and to express hopes and desires for the year to come, to thank God for his faithfulness in re-establishing Prophecy Today (and getting it off to a flying start!) and to stand together with united hearts and purpose.

The day was opened with worship, led by Prophecy Today's Managing Editor, Frances Rabbitts. Following this, reports were shared by members of both the Issachar Ministries and the Prophecy Today teams, analysing the year previous. The atmosphere was very informal and delegates were able to chip in with questions and feedback as things progressed. There were also opportunities in small groups to lift up the nation in prayer, and to share with one other what we feel God has been saying. There was a sense of unity and urgency in this which was a privilege to experience.

Prior to lunch everyone was treated to the inspirational speaking of Paul Szkiler, who shared about his recent investment and discipleship ventures in Sierra Leone. Sadly, we were unable to be joined by David Noakes, who is recovering from an eye operation and would value your prayers.

In the afternoon the Prophecy Today Editorial Board took it in turns to speak to the group about one part of the magazine's work, including their hopes for its future development. Led by Clifford Hill, reviews were given of each of Prophecy Today's major sections, including its topical comments, study material, resource provision and focus on Israel.

Clifford Denton also formally introduced delegates to a new Bible study website currently being developed as a joint project between Issachar Ministries and Prophecy Today, promising Scripture study courses for members and a forum for communal discussion.

Towards the end of the day, Board members were prayed for individually, which was a source of real encouragement and refreshment. Things were drawn to a close with prayer and worship, but delegates stayed around afterwards to chat, pray for each other and peruse the resources stand stocked by Issachar Ministries.

In all, the day provided a fantastic booster for the Prophecy Today team as they head into their second year – and from the feedback, it was a great encouragement for delegates too. Now that we have all headed back to our own churches, workplaces and communities, we hope and pray that God will continue to affirm in our hearts the strong sense of togetherness - that feeling of being part of God's broader agenda for this nation and beyond - which was brought so deftly to the fore on Saturday.

Frances Rabbitts, Managing Editor
On behalf of the Prophecy Today UK Editorial Board

Additional Notes

If you would like us to send you a e-copy of Prophecy Today's 1^st annual review, please send us an email.

We would also ask our community of supporters to continue to pray about making a regular financial commitment to the ministry (however small). We keep our costs low but have some overheads that we would like to share, especially since we do not want to make a charge to readers of the site. An underlying theme of our ministry, shared on Saturday, was that we are building an interactive community that will continue to grow together. If the Lord is leading you to contribute financially (either personally or through the ministry of your church fellowship) please let us know and we will send details of how to donate.